7 Reasons Why Quitting Facebook Now Is Good For Your Future

For the past 100 years or so, there had been huge improvements in communication. From letters to telephone calls, from telephone calls to text messages, from texts to video calls and from to videos to social network and on and on. Following all these improvements, one of the biggest inventions of the 21st century was founded in 2004 and since then it started to spread like an epidemic virus, first in the US and then around the world.

Now Facebook has more 1.23 billion monthly active users. Although initially it aimed to bring all people together for the sake of connecting, the effects of Facebook on masses became a huge discourse after it gained so much popularity. Until now, lots of disadvantages had already been listed. It is now time to list the ones that definitely affect your productivity.

1. Facebook is a time waster.

While being on Facebook and scrolling down through the news feed, many are not aware of the time they actually spend on viewing others’ life events or sharing. It became such a disease that many even feel obliged to like or comment on anything that was shared. You might think of the time spend on Facebook as your free time, though you are not aware that you can spend the same time taking care of yourself, learning something new or doing your daily tasks.

2. Facebook can demotivate you.

By seeing someone else’s continuous posts about the parties they went to or friends they see frequently, you might feel insecure about yourself and even feel as a loser if your own posts are not as cool as the ones in your news feed. However, there is rarely such a thing as going out every day or having lots of acquaintances to meet everyday. Moreover, sharing every moment of your life is also not obligation, since being private is quite a norm.

3. Facebook makes you deal with useless people.

Look at the number of friends you have on Facebook. How many of them are really good friends? Or how many of the friend requests you get are real people or your actual acquaintances? You have to admit that you have people on Facebook who are not related to you, but who would write to you once in a while and more than likely, you will answer to them. Thus, you waste not only your time, but also your energy.

4. Facebook makes you deal with useless information.

It is one thing to read newspapers or magazines in order to get information, but it is an entirely other thing to be faced with the same information, trends and innovations through continuous sharings of people. I bet one of the things that you will not miss about Facebook after quitting it, are the selfies of girls with the infamous duckface.

5. Facebook damages your communication skills.

When is the last time you actually hung out in real life with your friends, relatives or colleagues? Because of the social media that is supposed to help us communicate, we forget about real communication, and therefore, have difficulties communicating effectively which negatively affects our relationship at home, at work or anywhere else really.

6. Facebook manipulates you to work on your posts.

One of the biggest problems of Facebook is its influence on people’s creativity. Although it is assumed to be a free social media site, which let’s you to share almost anything you want, you have this tendency to want to get more likes. In order to get more likes, you must work very hard on your shared posts, trying to make it funny, creative or smart while you could spend the same time doing something much more useful.

7. Facebook becomes your life.

The marketing strategy of Facebook is quite clear – to make you spend as much time as possible on the Web site. While working on their posts to be cool and wasting time on Facebook, many people actually try to be someone else, but end up being isolated from real world and real themselves. It is possible to spend the same time and energy into simply being yourself, or a better version of you. Which begs the question, why not try it?

The reasons above are presented to you in order to help you consider your feelings regarding Facebook and imagine how it can badly affecting your life and productivity. Therefore these points will guide you in seeing what your life will be like without Facebook. So really, quitting the popular social media site doesn’t sound so bad after all, now does it?

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This Is What The Schedules Of Successful People Look Like

Do you want to be more successful? Many successful entrepreneurs share similar ideals and routines which play an intrinsic part in their success.

Here we look at 8 routines and beliefs successful entrepreneurs use every day.

 1. They Have A Morning Routine

Author Laura Vanderkam extensively studied the schedules of various high achievers. She found one thing that they had in common; they got up early, and almost all of them also had a morning routine.

Richard Branson is also an advocate of embracing the morning.

Getting up early has lots of benefits. You get the chance to be available and present before demands are made of you, and before you need to start working on your goals. This can improve your mood, as you feel in control of your life.

Getting up and completing your morning routine will help you to feel confident and in control, ready to handle the challenges that the day throws at you.

How To Adjust Your Schedule: Consider scheduling tasks you would normally do in the evening in the morning instead. For instance, try exercising before you go to work to help you feel revitalized and productive.

2. They Don’t Panic When Things Go Slightly Wrong

Many people start to feel stressed and anxious when things don’t go exactly to plan, but these things can happen on a daily basis. Successful people realize they cannot control everything, and anticipate mistakes.

Dealing with problems is a big part of being a successful entrepreneur. Plan for mistakes, and you will deal with them rationally and efficiently as they arise.

How To Adjust Your Schedule: Factor In time every day to help you deal with any problems that arise. Half an hour at the end of your working day is ideal, as it means you can focus on the tasks you want to complete during the day.

3. They Work When They Don’t Have To

First thing in the morning, the evenings and the weekend are all times that most people are not working. However, you could be wasting your productivity. Many successful entrepreneurs will work whenever inspiration strikes, as they know they will be more productive then than later.

If you have a great pitch for work, strike while the iron is hot and get working – even if you’re not in work.

How To Adjust Your Schedule: Plan two hours work you will do during your free time, from replying to emails to making important calls. This will help you to get ahead and stay ahead.

4. They Do Important Work First

Many people arrive at the office and start their day with the little tasks, like emailing and admin. However, our brains are sharpest earlier in the day, so this is the best time to tackle the more creative work that challenges you.

If you don’t get the opportunity to work on your chosen tasks first thing, take matters into your own hands; do the work from home, or come into work early.

How To Adjust Your Schedule: Set your schedule for the next day while you are still at work. Plan your most important tasks for first thing in the morning, and then respond to your emails before lunch to guarantee a productive day.

 5. They Keep Their Full Schedules In One Place

“It’s crucial to make sure you record all your meetings and appointments in one place instead of having them scattered throughout different calendars, notebooks, and apps,” says Alexandra Weiss, a partner at CA Creative in New York.

Instead of planning parts of your schedule on your phone, laptop, work computer and notepad, gather everything together on one device. It won’t seem intimidating – it will seem clearer and easier for you to understand. You don’t have to worry about fitting everything in, as you can see your full schedule and arrange it as you please.

How To Adjust Your Schedule: Choose the device you are most comfortable with and use the most, whether it is your smartphone or a notebook. Keep it on you all day while you are at work, so you can adjust your plans accordingly throughout the day.

 6. They Understand Teamwork

Many of the most successful companies in the world were started with teamwork; Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Apple was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, and Paypal was started by a team of five.

Being successful is rarely about being completely independent – successful people are able to work with others, able to compromise, and accept other ideas.

How To Adjust Your Schedule: If you work in a team alongside others, schedule an email chain with your co-workers. Make a note to email your co-workers at lunchtime if you do work on a project for feedback. This will help your team to feel involved, encouraging them to share their opinions and get involved.

 7. They Take Their Work Seriously

Successful entrepreneurs truly believe in their work and see value in what they do. It is difficult to work productively and become successful if you don’t believe in your work.

It is important to stay motivated and not to get side tracked by people who don’t believe in you – remember that if you believe in your work, you shouldn’t need the reassurance of others.

How To Adjust Your Schedule: At the end of your working week, set aside half an hour to review your goals and dreams, and see how you are progressing towards them. This will help you to achieve your goals, but more importantly – it will encourage you to truly believe in your goals.

 8. They Relax When They Are Done

Worrying about work while you’re not there can run you down, and actually make you less productive when you start again. Author Tim Ferris recommends writing down your working goal for tomorrow when you finish work, as this will help you to feel motivated for the next day – so you can actually switch off for now, and enjoy your evening.

How To Adjust Your Schedule: Write down three goals you want to achieve during your next working day. Write down how you will achieve them too, as this will help you to feel focussed, so you can switch off and enjoy your down time.

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13 Things You Probably Aren’t Aware That Pose A Threat To Your Online Privacy

Tech news is continually abuzz with security warnings, hack updates, and consumer warnings. Malicious individuals can steal your identity, hijack your accounts, spend your funds, and discover sensitive personal data when you don’t keep your online activity in check. Enough is Enough, an Internet safety organization funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, posted statistics revealing that 15% of social media users in the U.S. have never checked their account privacy and security settings. Poor passwords, downloads, link clicking, and privacy setting awareness can make vulnerable to digital attacks. Here are 13 major signs that you aren’t browsing the Internet safely, and how to improve your privacy protection.

Lax Password Strategies

1. Weak Passwords

Avoid single word passwords like “password” or “login” because they can be easy to guess or crack with malicious software. Mix things up by using uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, punctuation, and phrases with a variety of words. You can also use apps like 1Password to generate scrambled passwords for you, so that you don’t have to rack your brain every time a password update is needed.

2. Unsecured Wi-Fi Networks

Without a password protecting your home Wi-Fi network, hackers can snoop on your online traffic and even pull data you enter into web pages, such passwords and credit card information. This became a concern for Tumblr app users in July 2013, when the company issued an update to address a security vulnerability that allowed cyber criminals to sniff out passwords over public Wi-Fi networks. Be sure to set up a secure password for your home Wi-Fi network.

3. Strange Credit and Banking Activity

People who continually use weak or old passwords may discover that their financial accounts have been compromised. Contact your credit or banking institutions immediately if you notice unusual charges and update your password.

4. Hijacked Social Media

If your social media password is weak, then you might notice spammy posts appearing on your newsfeed or in your private messages. If you noticed unauthorized changes to your accounts or correspondences that you haven’t posted yourself, then change your password using the password security tips discussed at the beginning of this list.

Not Checking Links

5. Unfamiliar Websites

Microsoft describes how email phishing scams post as legitimate organizations to misdirect users into clicking links to malicious websites. Carefully examine the website address before you click a link.

6. Spam pop-ups

Malicious links often take users to websites full of advertising. Diligently avoid strange links and use an in-browser advertising blocker, such as Ad Block, to prevent pop ups for slipping through.

7. Not Recognizing Malicious Websites

Some malicious websites look legitimate, which can sometimes make them difficult to detect. Some warning signs to watch out for include unusual URL components (like “TheFacebook” rather than “Facebook”), disjointed web layouts, a new or unusual company logo, unusually abundant advertising, and poor use of grammar.

8. Unfamiliar Sign-In Processes

Malicious sites sometimes pose as popular web services, such as Facebook, so that users will unwittingly provide their username or password in the sign-in form. Carefully examine the URL to make sure you’re visiting the correct website and avoid signing in if the web page layout or form questions seem unusual.

9. Invasive Questionnaires

If you’re misdirected by a bad link, you might find yourself on a website posing as a legitimate organization asking for personal information. Close the page immediately if you are not 100% sure of the website’s authenticity.

Ignoring Privacy Settings

10. Unsolicited Communications

If you don’t restrict your personal contact information on social media, just about anyone can post on your profile, send you emails, or call you. To prevent unwanted communications, examine your social media privacy settings and restrict your public visibility.

11. Posts with Unusual URLs

Spam accounts that you’ve added as friends on social media might be able to post dangerous links on your feeds. This is why it is extremely important to friend people you know and avoid unrecognizable accounts. Avoid clicking on URLs that appear to be spelled incorrectly or contain scrambled letters and numbers.

12. Friend Requests from Strangers

Privacy settings also control how you appear in public social media search listings. Your profile might be too easy to find if you start getting multiple friend requests from strangers. Avoid adding these strangers on platforms like Facebook, because then they’ll be able to view your photos, newsfeed, and other personal information.

13. Unauthorized Tags

You might discover that you’ve been tagged in social media images and conversations that you don’t wish to be associated with. You can request to verify tags on Facebook in advance.

Many people share far more than they intend to while browsing the Internet because they fail to protect their online accounts with strong passwords, privacy settings, and link-checking. You can become less vulnerable by rotating strong passwords on a regular basis, avoiding suspicious links, and taking an active role in customizing your security settings for online accounts. These periodic changes can go a long way in helping you protect your digital privacy.

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9 Dumb Habits You Never Realized Make You Earn Less

We live in a capitalistic society; what that means is money is up for grabs for anyone with the ingenuity and perseverance to chase it. Jumping in a wind tunnel full of Ben Franklins and grabbing as much as you can is profitable, but you can’t do that for a living. Instead you have to plan and execute specific actions to ensure you remain financially solvent. If you want to spend your retirement years swimming in a vault full of coins like Scrooge McDuck, avoid these nine dumb habits that keep you from earning money.

1. Float Like a Social Butterfly.

Social media is a useful marketing tool, and every so often you need to connect with your followers. The problem comes when you spend all your time on social media. The likelihood of links posted in social media being clicked is dependent on how many followers you have. Expect a 1/1000 ratio (one person clicking a link for every thousand that view it) on average, and don’t waste all your time marketing on social media.

One of the easiest ways to avoid wasting time on social media is to avoid reading feeds. If you use Twitter to keep up with trending topics, make a list to ensure you’re only seeing the subsection of people you follow whose updates consistently keep you in the loop on topics you follow. Also, downloading a social media aggregator such as Hootsuite or RebelMouse will allow you to merge multiple social media accounts, so you can expand the reach of your message while minimizing time spent socializing. Now get back to working on something more important!

2. It’s Called a Lunch Hour for a Reason.

It’s OK to take breaks, and we have a great lifehack discussing the importance of them. If you work for a company, it’s mandatory they give you a break; if you work on your own, you need a lunch break to give you time away from working. An hour is usually a decent enough break, although 30-minute and two-hour lunches have their uses as well. The problem comes when your lunch takes up too much of your work day.

You don’t want to eat a heavy meal that will make you lethargic, and as for heading to the movie theater every day at lunch: you’re triple-dipping into your resources, as you’re not being paid to work, spending money with no return, and wasting time that could be productive. If you’re going to take a long lunch, you need to make up the hours on the back-end, or you’ll never get ahead financially.

3. Waiting for the Right One.

Some people will turn down job offers because they’re waiting for the right one. This does have its advantages, but you can still be doing something to make money while you’re waiting. Instead of sitting by the phone, waiting for someone to call, try pursuing odd jobs, temp work, or selling art online.

You can also pick up freelance and temp work or get paid to blog as a guest expert. The internet is filled with ways to make money online. Make use of the time you’re waiting to make money by making money, or you’ll never make any money.

4. Me Fail English? Unpossible!

Communication is important; if not for communication, human beings would never have banded together to form society, invention, and the Internet. If you don’t know how to communicate what you want, you’ll never get it. It goes much deeper than just a grasp of the mechanics of English, though.

The world is filled with people with a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs. It’s important to understand how to craft a message specific to your audience. Different words and phrases are taken different ways by people with different perceptions. Be sure to think carefully about the methods, words, and tone used when communicating for business. Otherwise you’ll come off as either overly wonky or out in left field. Either way, people will perceive you as incapable and won’t want to hire or pay you.

5. Motivated by Money.

It’s OK to be motivated by money, but it shouldn’t be the sole motivation driving you. In order to keep up with inflation, at the very least, you need a decent and consistent raise. We have several lifehacks discussing how to ask for a raise, and it all involves proving your worth before asking for more money. If the only reason you’re working is for money, it’ll show in your work. You may think you do enough, but there is always someone doing more, and they’ll get the hefty raise you wanted.

The same thing works for promotions; if a hiring manager has to choose between someone whose focus is on making more money vs someone whose focus is helping the company get ahead, it’s clear who will receive the promotion. We discuss other ways to get a promotion in this lifehack. By working on a career path you love, you’ll reach monetary bliss well before your financially-motivated foes.

6. The Early Bird Stole Your Worm.

I have a goal to see as many sunrises and sunsets as I can in my life. It’s OK to sleep in every so often, but according to the 11 sleep habits of successful people, waking up early (and consistently doing so) is the key to success. It may not be your personal key, but it is to someone; just because you’re sleeping in doesn’t mean everyone else is. If you sleep late, know you’ll have last pick of available jobs, gigs, and opportunities to make money.

7. You Just Practice, Baby … Practice.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is being too scared to follow their dreams. You tell yourself there’s a risk, and the timing isn’t right, so you fall into neutral and treat your life as though it’s all just practice for some future event that never happens. Instead of looking into some unknown optimistic future, focus on the here and now. Treat your life like it’s always game day, and live like you’re never going to die. When you work hard enough, the money comes sooner or later (and loving what you do makes the wait easier).

8. I’ll Procrastinate Tomorrow.

Procrastination is the single biggest reason for loss of productivity. You may not want to do something right now, but you’re not going to want to do it later either. The time between now and then will be filled with stress and wasted thoughts about something you could already have done by now. Instead of putting things off, get to work!

I realize this is easier said than done, so we’ve prepared lifehacks to help you identify the types of procrastination, techniques to manage it, and ways to make procrastination productive for those inevitable times when you actually need to put things off. Combining these tools and techniques, you’ll be able to eliminate procrastination’s negative effects on your bank account.

9. You Quit While You’re Ahead.

Stop getting comfortable every time you get a paycheck – it’s the equivalent of stopping for gas at every gas station you pass while driving across the country. Payday Friday isn’t a day to run out and waste all your money on overpriced beer and appetizers (and yes I’m aware it’s “cheaper” during happy hour).

Bonuses aren’t free money either – if you’re lucky enough to get an extra paycheck month, pay raise, bonus, etc, don’t overspend on your celebration, and don’t think now’s the time to sit back. Whoever gave you that money did so because they love what you do, and that love can fade quickly if you rest on your laurels. If you let your financial situation determine how hard you work, you’ll always be broke, because that’s the only time you’ll ever work hard.

Making money isn’t difficult; every year Forbes releases a list of people who make the majority of the money in the world. Instead of envying these people, pick up the pace. It’s a rat race out there, but if you navigate efficiently and run the maze fast enough, you can prove your worth by earning the money you think you deserve.

With the year winding down, many people are turning their eyes towards the future. Get D.U.M.B.! The Value of Unattainable Goals

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This Is Why Many People Succeed In Their Late 30s

There is an interesting story about how Pablo Picasso, the famous Spanish artist, developed the ability to produce remarkable work in just minutes. As the story goes, Picasso was walking though the market one day when a woman spotted him. She stopped the artist, pulled out a piece of paper and said, “Mr. Picasso, I am a fan of your work. Please, could you do a little drawing for me?” Picasso smiled and quickly drew a small, but beautiful piece of art on the paper. Then, he handed the paper back to her saying, “That will be one million dollars.” “But Mr. Picasso,” the woman said. “It only took you thirty seconds to draw this little masterpiece.” “My good woman,” Picasso said, “It took me thirty years to draw that masterpiece in thirty seconds.” [1] Picasso isn’t the only brilliant creative who worked for decades to master his craft. His journey is typical of many creative geniuses. Even people of considerable talent rarely produce incredible work before decades of practice. Let’s talk about why that is, and even more important, how you can reveal your own creative genius.

The Age of Most Nobel Prize Winners

A recent study tracked the ages of Nobel Prize winners, great inventors, and scientists. As you can see in the graph below, the researchers found that most groundbreaking work peaked during the late thirties — at least a full decade into any individual career. Even in the fields of science and math, creative breakthroughs often require ten years or more or work. [2]These findings match the work done by previous researchers as well. For example, a study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University by cognitive psychology professor John Hayes found that out of 500 famous musical pieces, nearly all of them were created after year 10 of the composer’s career. In later studies, Hayes found similar patterns with poets and painters. He began referring to this period hard work and little recognition as the “ten years of silence.” Whether you are a composer or a scientist, creativity is not a quality you are born with or without. It is something that is discovered, honed, and improved through real work. Which brings us to an important question: How can you do your best work and discover your hidden creative genius?

Permission to Create Junk

People tend to look at successful writers, writers who are getting books published and maybe even doing well financially, and think that they sit down at their desks every morning feeling like a million dollars, feeling great about who they are and how much talent they have and what a great story they have to tell; that they take a few deep breaths, push back their sleeves, roll their necks a few times to get all the cricks out, and dive in, typing fully formed passages as fast as a court reporter. But this is just fantasy of the uninitiated. I know some very great writers, writers you love who write beautifully and have made a great deal of money, and not one of them sits down routinely feeling wildly enthusiastic and confident. Not one of them writes elegant first drafts… For me and most other writers I know, writing is not rapturous. If fact, the only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts. —Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

In any creative endeavor you have to give yourself permission to create junk. There is no way around it. Sometimes you have to write 4 terrible pages just to discover that you wrote one good sentence in the second paragraph of the third page. Creating something useful and compelling is like being a gold miner. You have to sift through pounds of dirt and rock and silt just to find a speck of gold in the middle of it all. Bits and pieces of genius will find their way to you, if you give yourself permission to let the muse flow.

Create on a Schedule

Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work. —Chuck Close

Amateurs create when they feel inspired. Professionals create on a schedule. No single act will uncover more creative genius than forcing yourself to create consistently. Practicing your craft over and over is the only way to become decent at it. The person who sits around theorizing about what a best-selling book looks like will never write it. Meanwhile, the writer who shows up every day and puts their butt in the chair and their hands on the keyboard — they are learning how to do the work. Ira Glass is the host of the popular radio show This American Life, which is broadcast to 1.7 million listeners each week. This is the advice Glass gives to anyone looking to interesting, creative work: “The most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Do a huge volume of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week or every month you know you’re going to finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that … the work you’re making will be as good as your ambitions.” If you want to do your best creative work, then don’t leave it up to choice. Don’t wake up in the morning and think, “I hope I feel inspired to create something today.” You need to take the decision-making out of it. Set a schedule for your work. Genius arrives when you show up enough times to get the average ideas out of the way.

Finish Something

Steven Pressfield’s most famous work, The Legend of Bagger Vance, was a best-selling novel that became a major motion picture starring Matt Damon, Will Smith, and Charlize Theron. But if you ask Pressfield, he will say that his most important book is one that you never heard of: the first book he finished. Here’s how Pressfield describes finishing his first novel…

I never did find a buyer for the book. Or the next one, either. It was ten years before I got the first check for something I had written and ten more before a novel, The Legend of Bagger Vance, was actually published. But that moment when I first hit the keys to spell out THE END was so epochal. I remember rolling the last page out and adding it to the stack that was the finished manuscript. Nobody knew I was done. Nobody cared. But I knew. I felt like a dragon I’d been fighting all my life had just dropped dead at my feet and gasped out its last sulfuric breath.” [3]

Finish something. Anything. Stop researching, planning, and preparing to do the work and just do the work. It doesn’t matter how good or how bad it is. You don’t need to set the world on fire with your first try. You just need to prove to yourself that you have what it takes to produce something. There are no artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, or scientists who became great by half-finishing their work. Stop debating what you should make and just make something.

Practice Self-Compassion

When I write, I feel like an armless legless man with a crayon in my mouth. —Kurt Vonnegut

Everyone struggles to create great art. Even great artists. Anyone who creates something on a consistent basis will begin to judge their own work. I write new articles every Monday and Thursday. After sticking to that publishing schedule for three months, I began to judge everything I created. I was convinced that I had gone through every decent idea I had available. My most popular article came 8 months later. It is natural to judge your work. It is natural to feel disappointed that your creation isn’t as wonderful as you hoped it would be, or that you’re not getting any better at your craft. But the key is to not let your discontent prevent you from continuing to do the work. You have to practice enough self-compassion to not let self-judgement take over. Sure, you care about your work, but don’t get so serious about it that you can’t laugh off your mistakes and continue to produce the thing you love. Don’t let judgment prevent delivery.

Share Your Work

When it comes to ideas, most people overestimate the risk of piracy, and underestimate the price of obscurity. —Mike Trap

Share your work publicly. It will hold you accountable to creating your best work. It will provide feedback for doing better work. And when you see others connect with what you create, it will inspire you and make you care more. Sometime sharing your work means you have to deal with haters and critics. But more often than not, the only thing that happens is that you rally the people who believe the same things you believe, are excited about the same things you are excited about, or who support the work that you believe in — who wouldn’t want that? [4] The world needs people who put creative work out into the world. What seems simple to you is often brilliant to someone else. But you’ll never know that unless you choose to share.

How to Find Your Creative Genius

Finding your creative genius is easy: do the work, finish something, get feedback, find ways to improve, show up again tomorrow. Repeat for ten years. Or twenty. Or thirty. Inspiration only reveals itself after perspiration.

James Clear writes at JamesClear.com, where he shares science-based ideas for living a better life and building habits that stick. To get strategies for boosting your mental and physical performance by 10x, join his free newsletter.This article was originally published on JamesClear.com.

Sources

1. I couldn’t find the original source for this Picasso story and I’m not sure if it’s true. The point remains just as strong and compelling either way, but if you know the original source please share.
2. Working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research, which can be read here.
3. Quote from The War of Art. You’ll also notice that it took Pressfield nearly 20 years before he published The Legend of Bagger Vance. He put in his ten years of silence, just like every other great artist.
4. If you look for it, you will also find a huge hidden benefit of sharing your work publicly: the gut reaction. Whenever you share something with someone else — a business idea, an article you wrote, a painting, a picture — there will be a split second when they first process your work that you get their true response. In my experience, you will either have genuine excitement (which is an indication that you are onto something good) or any other emotion (which is an indication that it’s average at best).

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10 Things You Never See In Successful People

Everyone has their own interpretation of what success means to them, but when you break it right down, everyone can agree that it always has something to do with accomplishing a valuable goal or reaching a meaningful purpose. It could be a career advancement, a loving relationship, a useful skill, a form of artistic expression, a spiritual connection, or even an intention to help a certain person or group of people.

Real success is often not a stable and upward journey that can be achieved quickly and easily. The most successful people are often fully aware of this, and they tend to hold certain behavioural traits that set them apart from everyone else.

If you’re struggling to get what you really want out of life, consider taking a good long look inside yourself so you can start working on the following characteristics listed below. If you can shift your mindset to be much more in line with what successful people do, you’ll drastically improve your own chances of succeeding at whatever it is you want to do.

1. They never sacrifice their long-term goals for instant gratification

Certain goals can take weeks, months, and even years of persistent effort before they’re reached. The types of people who do end up reaching them, though, are usually disciplined and motivated enough to give up short-term rewards and distractions that waste too much of their time or inhibit their progress.

When successful people do decide to take some time off from progressing toward their goal by indulging in guilty pleasures, they usually know how to do it intelligently — in a way that actually supports and enhances their creativity, motivation, focus, and stamina. Any other form of instant gratification that doesn’t serve to rejuvenate them in some sort of way is treated as a hindrance that they need to avoid.

2. They never execute without having a proper plan in place.

It shouldn’t be any surprised that a lot of successful people are also very organized and take their planning processes very seriously. They’ll often take every preliminary step they need in order to ensure success, carefully planning out their calendars, project stages, research requirements, testing phases, professional consultations, skill training, and more.

The fact that successful people put so much effort into planning out what they need to do doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re bad at responding to sudden changes or avoid following their gut instincts when immediate decisions need to be made. Most find a happy balance between sticking to the plan and responding accordingly to unexpected obstacles along the way.

3. They never let their fear of challenge get in their way

It’s normal to want to avoid struggle and hardship as much as possible, but in truth, that’s exactly what keeps most people from moving forward. Successful people think differently about struggle and hardship, knowing and embracing the challenges they need to face to achieve what they want. Ellen DeGeneres, one of the most powerful women in entertainment, is just one famous example of someone who faced unemployment and money troubles shortly after she came out as gay on one of the last episodes of her sitcom “Ellen,” long before she made herself into hit a daytime TV talk show host.

While regular folks react on impulse to challenging situations and worry about making big mistakes, successful people have a way of interpreting each challenge they face as a valuable lesson that will make them better for it. They also view challenges in a way that makes the reward of achieving the end goal even more worth it. Whatever stands in their way, the people who are most likely to succeed are the ones who feel confident enough in their own abilities to rise above the obstacles they face.

4. They never allow their egos to control their values, actions, or goals

It’s not uncommon for the idea of a successful career person to conjure up images of egotistical “Mad Men” type businesspeople in suits, with fancy cars and tremendous amounts of money. In reality, though, many of the most successful people in the world are actually very humble and grounded — even in business. In the book “Inside Apple” by Adam Lashinsky, CEO Tim Cook describes himself by saying, “I like to be reminded of where I came from, and putting myself in modest surroundings helps me do that. Money is not a motivator for me.”

The people who truly succeed in life are the ones who never inflate their own self-importance and consider themselves equal among everyone else. After all, it can be pretty hard to become successful all on your own without any help from colleagues, teachers, friends, family, fans, customers, and supporters — especially if everyone thinks you’re completely self-absorbed.

5. They never succumb to other people’s negative criticisms and opinions about them

Despite being humble and grounded among their peers, successful people are able to succeed because they believe in what they stand for, and they’re confident in what they can do. This is an especially important trait to have when it seems like nobody else is on their side.

People who have a low sense of self-efficacy often let their doubts, fears, self-comparisons, and public criticisms derail their efforts. People who are destined for success, on the other hand, will use negative feedback and criticism to lift themselves up and strengthen them — even in the most extreme cases.

6. They never do the easy and unnecessary things first when more important things require immediate attention

The way you set your priorities can make you or break you. The most successful people not only plan well — they also know exactly what needs to get done first before anything else, where they need to focus most of their time and energy, and what can be delegated to others.

People who spend too much of their time focusing on frivolous tasks just because they enjoy them and would rather procrastinate on the tasks that are more difficult and important are guaranteed to struggle with moving themselves forward. If you want to be successful, you need to make a commitment to tackle the most critical and influential things first, regardless of how much you enjoy or dislike doing them.

7. They never ignore the opportunity to get extra help from others when they know they really need it

When you get excited about achieving a big goal, it’s natural to want to do everything your way. But getting help when you really need it goes hand in hand with the previous point about sticking to what’s important, and the most successful people are often the ones who seek out the right help at the right time.

Whether you need a mentor, an assistant, a trainer, a teacher, a coach, group support, or just someone who can help take those menial tasks off your hands, it’s important to seek help from other people who are good at what they do. Instead of obsessing over the desire to do everything yourself, aim to get more help so you can free up more time for the most important tasks and build relationships with people who can teach you new things.

8. They never let themselves worry too much about the past or the future.

When it comes to moving forward toward a specific goal, some people end up getting trapped by spending too much time and energy dwelling on the past or planning extensively for the future. While learning from past mistakes and planning for future challenges are both very important and necessary for success, they’re both useless if you’re barely taking any action at all in the present.

The most successful people don’t let past feelings of embarrassment or shame from previous mistakes prevent them from doing what they need to do in the now. They’re also quite aware of how spending too much time in the planning process can easily turn into a procrastination method, so they know how to limit their preparation for the future to what’s only necessary in order to really focus on active progress.

9. They never take their biggest fans and supporters for granted

Even when faced with intense hardship and unrelenting hatred, the people who succeed at achieving their goals are the ones who never forget who their biggest fans truly are. By continuing to serve their admirers and take in their positive energy, successful people are able to supercharge their motivation and stay focused on what matters most.

People who end up succeeding at their goals regularly surround themselves by loved ones, get help and support from the people they look up to, and make sure they keep providing value to the ones they’re serving. Anyone who wants to succeed at something that’s challenging absolutely can’t afford to ignore who’s standing right there with them and backing them up the whole way.

10. They never surrender to failure

Last but not least, people who end up reaching their goals and making their wildest dreams come true are able to do so because they simply just never quit. Many of them even fail their way forward, taking mistake after mistake and struggle after struggle as valuable lessons that they can use to improve everything they need to do along the way. Co-founder and CEO of the Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington, says failure is really “a stepping stone to success.”

One of the most essential traits of successful people is their ability to persevere no matter what gets thrown in their way. If they’re passionate about achieving what they set out to do, they always find a way to get there without ever giving up.

So, which of these ten powerful behavioural traits do you think you could work on to improve your own chances of success? It might not be easy to accept the fact that you’ve got some work to do, but if it’s all in the name of something you want to achieve real badly, then it’ll be worth it.

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11 Easy Ways To Boost Your Confidence

When I was a manager, I was never very good at speaking at meetings. In fact, I hated them! Now, thinking back to that period in my life, I think it was mainly a lack of confidence in my skills and abilities.

If I had to do it all over again, this is what I would concentrate on. If you can resonate with all this, here are 11 ways you can boost your confidence.

1. Your lack of confidence is not so obvious.

You probably think that everyone in the room is looking at how you behave, speak and move. The truth is that people are all too often, absorbed in their own thoughts.

They are thinking about their next move, future plans and what they are going to have for dinner! Keeping this in mind helps you to become less intimidated by the people around you.

2. Be your hero for a day.

Who is your hero? You can bet your bottom dollar that they are full of self assurance and confidence. It probably oozes out of every pore in the way they dress, speak and walk! The secret is to pretend to be your hero and ask yourself how she or he would deal with this awful problem which is nagging you.

Stepping outside that vicious circle where you and the ‘problem’ spin around out of control is really helpful. You can imagine a different, happier ending when you pretend to be your hero.

3. Take a philosophical approach.

The break up was unpleasant and has left you feeling un-confident. Take a philosophical approach where you think this has been a useful experience. You learned that this person was not for you, you will recognize the warning signs the next time and the right person is waiting in the wings.

It just takes time but why beat yourself up for something which was not entirely your fault? You cannot win every game in the championship. Just think that you are still on a winning streak because you have a lot going for you.

4. Build your support team.

“I’ll get by with a little help from my friends.” – The Beatles

Choosing supportive friends will be essential to help you boost your confidence. These are the precious friends and family members who are always there to tell you that you can do it when faced with a problem, challenge or minor disaster.

Avoid toxic friends who are likely to point out the buts and ifs, rather than tell you to go for it. The classic one is where they say that there will be stiff competition for that dream job. Your support team will be rooting for you and egging you on. That makes all the difference.

5. Take a humorous approach.

“Laugh, and the whole world laughs with you.” – Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Most speakers tell a joke or maybe laugh a little at themselves. Why do they do this? Laughter produces those endorphins which makes everybody in the audience feel better and it also relaxes them. A lot of the tension goes.

The audience warms to the speaker and are generally much less critical. If you want to feel more confident, just watch one of the funny videos here. You will immediately feel better. I love the one with Mayson Zayid whose talk is entitled ‘I got 99 problems … palsy is just one.’

6. Watch your body language.

Do you walk or slouch? Is your handshake firm? Making eye contact is vital when you are networking or speaking at a meeting. There is no doubt that body language sends a powerful message. Why not take advantage of it and convince others and, more importantly yourself, that you are confident and you can meet all the challenges with ease?

Watch Amy Cuddy on how important body language is when we want to feel confident.

7. Build a Pinterest board.

What does your future look like and how do you want your life to be? One of the best ways is to build a vision board. You can have a notice board in your kitchen with favorite quotes and pictures that inspire you. This is difficult to organize and you may not have the space you need.

Why not build a Pinterest board? Repin the images and the quotes that build your confidence and also that fit in with your goals. You get a vision of your future and this will help to build your confidence. Taking a few minutes a day to do this is much more fruitful than trying to keep up with all your Facebook ‘friends’.

8. Self-confidence is about you.

 “Self-confidence is the experience of being competent to cope with the basic challenges of life and being worthy of happiness.”- Nathaniel Branden

Think of it like this. Your confidence is like the motor that drives you. If that is defective in some way, then you will never even get into top gear. You are held back because of the fear of failing. But if you have a superb engine, then you are going to race ahead and achieve success. That is real confidence.

Watch out for the triggers that can affect your confidence level. You may be late for work and rushed into a meeting, in which your performance is dismal. Plan ahead so that these triggers do not get a chance to catch up on you.

9. Cut down on the negativity.

Everybody gets overwhelmed at times by the negative self-talk that we inflict on ourselves. There are about 80,000 thoughts that flash through the brain every day. Let us think of some practical examples. We may be assaulted by worries, doubts and problems. They crowd in on us.

But a good tactic is always to ask yourself if it is really true. Very often, the answer is that is based on a negative scenario which is like a contagious disease, infecting every train of thought. The secret is to cultivate a state of mindfulness and choose to take another road at the negative intersection. This is a great chance to build new, positive beliefs and stories about ourselves. “I have achieved so much,” needs to be your mantra.

10. Give yourself a daily mini confidence boost.

Listen to your favorite music or wear those clothes that make you look and feel really great. Read some inspiring poem or quote. Write it on a post it and place it on your computer at work. These little boosts of confidence can set the tone for a much more positive day.Try them out.

11. Teach others and benefit yourself.

When you set the example for your loved ones and colleagues by teaching them to be more confident, you will be surprised at your own results. Yes, teaching it by complimenting and encouraging people around you will pay you handsome dividends. Walk the talk and you find that your own confidence levels will soar as a result.

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