Personal Success Factors - Discover, Plan, Brand, Lead.

Habits of Unsuccessful People versus Successful People

Ever wondered what separates unsuccessful people from successful people?

I often talk about thoughts and feelings on this blog.

However, I recently came across this helpful infographic about behavior.

Success habits will most often lead to successful people.

The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken. ~Samuel Johnson

Many thanks to SuccessStory.com for sharing this with us.

One of my unhealthy habits is fear of change. What I can see from this infographic is that I need to take calculated risks, viewing them as exciting opportunities, instead of threats to my security.

What success habits do you need to work on to be successful?

Can You Really Make Money Online?!

By Stephen Borgman 1 Comment

Make Money Online: How I Created My First Web Startup

This is a guest post from Lars King, an entrepreneur in the making.

MINDSET

I had just made $150 in two days, online, from total strangers. How was this possible, you ask? Two words: passive income. For the last couple of years, I’ve been listening to a podcast called “Smart Passive Income,” detailing the what, how and why of passive income. People would come on the show and tell success stories about how they make money in their sleep. Little did I know that these podcasts were actually conditioning my mind to see new opportunities and think in ways that would help me create my own passive income.

I became very attached to the idea of disconnecting the money you make from the direct labor-hours you work (e.g. a job with an hourly wage). I wanted to put a lot of time and effort into something valuable, and have it provide money for me after I was finished working on it. I noticed that lots of people loved to talk about passive income, but very few people were actually putting in the work to actually create it.

IDEA

One day as I was walking back to my apartment, eating a burrito and listening to a podcast, an idea popped into my head. I immediately wrote it down. Here it is: Everyone needs motivation. How do people get motivated? Usually, they go see a motivational speaker (costing hundreds of dollars) with the effects lasting for about a week. If people could watch a different highly motivational video every single morning for a year, their lives would be completely transformed. I knew this would be true, but I still needed to do some research to find out if this was actually a project worth starting.

RESEARCH

The next day, full of energy about my idea, I called dozens of people I knew. I received very valuable feedback from all of them, which helped mold and shape my idea to be the best that it could be. I asked people if they would actually pay for the service, and some said yes, they completely would. There was a need for this service. Time to build!

PERSISTENCE

I originally had some glamorous picture in my mind of what creating an internet-based business would be like, which was quickly shattered. Doing something in real life is rarely like the picture in your head before you do it. It was hard to create, taking far more time and energy than I originally thought. I had to learn all about different web technologies and buy lots of resources, but persisting in the face of uncertainty and lack of knowledge is what kept me working long hours to create the service. I was also gaining valuable skills and experience while putting this business together.

I tried to work on Year Of Motivation during the semester when I had classes, but I never seemed to make much progress, as I could only work one hour here, and half an hour there. Luckily, I had a month off for winter break, so I essentially locked myself in my room for a week and a half and createdYear Of Motivation. I didn’t write one line of code the entire time. Online business is so accessible now, and will only continue to be more and more accessible as time goes on.

LAUNCH

After I finally launched, I let my network know about the service. As people started going to the site and learning about how Year Of Motivation sustainably solves their problem with motivation, they started buying it. It felt great to know that I created lots of value for people who bought the service, and that I was profiting from the value I created. It was a win-win. That’s entrepreneurship in a nutshell, and it’s something I feel very passionate about.

Since launching, many people have emailed me and thanked me for changing their lives with this product. Also, since I believe in this product so much, I have a 30-day money-back guarantee for everyone, no questions asked. If you don’t feel motivated every single morning, go to Year Of Motivation and check it out. I promise you won’t regret it.

Major press have covered it so far, links below:
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/startups/2014/03/northeastern-students.html
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/all-series/this-northeastern-student-wants-to-motivate-you-every-morning-of-the-year/
http://www.northeastern.edu/news/2014/02/what-motivates-you/

What questions do you have for Lars? Could you create something similar?

Image credit: nasirkhan / 123RF Stock Photo

Build Your Life Like Martin Luther King Jr

By Stephen Borgman 19 Comments

John 12:24-25 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Jesus Christ, fortelling his coming death

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot, Christian martyr, 1945

As a Caucasian, I have a lot of shame for the infamous history of slavery and segregation in our country. One man changed all that, and his name was Martin Luther King, Jr.

What can you and I learn about personal leadership development from this one man?

Study!!

Readers are Leaders

Education is not everything, but it does develop our character and our knowledge, exposes us to different viewpoints, and gives us a platform to speak from. Marting Luther King, Jr. developed his personal effective through vigorous study, earning his PhD in theology. It takes vision and character to commit yourself to the effort, discipline, and self-sacrifice that such study requires. But, like all things in life, a key success factor to significance and fulfillment is to live life from a long-term perspective. This allows you to sacrifice the gratification of the short-term to reap the rewards of a long-term commitment.

Learn from Live Leaders

Martin Luther King, Jr., learned and absorbed lessons from many key leaders. His most important personal leadership development came from his visit to India, to visit with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. It was from this great soul that Martin Luther formulated his own values and vision of changing a society through peaceful, organized, and non-violent opposition.Who are you choosing as your role models? What are you reading? I urge you to start setting aside up to one hour per day purely for reading and study. And I urge you to be on the lookout for leaders who you can look up to and learn from.

Be Faithful with Little Things, and You Will Be Promoted to Bigger Things

Martin Luther King, Jr. started out as a minister at a small congregation. He honed his speaking skills, and became a gifted preacher. What is your personal career development plan? Do you have one? There are two extremes to avoid here. One is to become impatient with your place and to go negative. In this instance, you have a pair of complaining glasses on, and you can only see what is wrong with your boss, with your co-workers, and with the duties of your job. The other extreme is to avoid all planning for the future, to be afraid of taking on bigger challenges.

By paying rigorous attention to your personal career strengths, by setting your goals, by pro-actively taking on greater responsibility, being early for work, and staying late when needed, you will be sharpening your personal skills, which are your greatest assets. Don’t ever neglect to plow your own plot of ground, for in it you will find the diamonds of greatness that may lead to your next opportunity.

Clarify and Commit to a Bigger Vision

You will find that a pure pursuit of material success will, in the long run, lose its luster. True personal leadership development comes, paradoxically, with a certain denial of self, for without it you will not find true significance.

Before I lose you with this statement, you must realize that true legacies come from service to a greater good. In order to do this, you must clarify your values, know your abilities and talents, and figure out how you can align your abilities and talents with a way or ways to serve humankind and your Creator.

Figure out what legacy you will leave behind!

Check out this powerful quote from Martin Luther King, Jr:

“ I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others. I’d like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to love somebody.

I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked. I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. And I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.”

Wow! And again, I will say, Wow! What are you going to give your life to?

Be Willing to Be Controversial

Anyone who is doing anything of impact in life is going to get criticism. Be prepared. Make it your companion. Listen carefully and non-defensively to what is being said in the criticism. But then be willing to do what it takes to stay true to your values and to your vision. Martin Luther King, Jr. drew all sorts of criticism from whites and from his own race.

He was criticized for being non-violent, he was criticized as being a Communist, he was criticized for putting children in harm’s way during protests. He was under incredible pressure. Yet he prayed, he thought, he wrote, he reflected, and he made his stand.

Listen to this great quote in the midst of one of his waves of criticism:

“And then I got to Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers? Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

Decide to Be Courageous!

As you can see from the quote above, Martin Luther King, Jr. was a courageous man. Without courage, he never would have accepted the position of leading the civil rights movement. Without courage, he never would have organized the first peace marches. Without courage, he never would have stood up for his place in the midst of severe criticism from inside and outside his ranks. Without courage he would not have stayed true to his larger vision and mission. Without Martin Luther King Jr’s courage, President Obama might never have become president. Without courage, people of all races in the United States would not have the same civil liberties they have today.

How do you get courage so that you can increase your personal effectiveness and promote your personal development?

Think of something that you have put off because of fear. Put it on the calendar for sometime this week and Do It!!
Practice exercising your courage muscles on a regular basis. When needed, assert your place. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind. (This is written for those who don’t regularly do so, not for those who often speak too much :).

I hope that you will take time to reflect on Martin Luther King, Jr. this week: his example, his life, and his legacy!

photo credit: caboindex

6 Best Free Strengths Test Sites

By Stephen Borgman 19 Comments

Organizations are more than the sum of the individuals that compose them, but the most basic, and perhaps the most important, form of strengths investment lies with the individual. When more individuals within organizations have their talents identified, understood, and integrated into their lives, the organization has greater potential. ~Donald O. Clifton and James K. Harter, Investing in Strengths

Donald Clifton and other researchers challenged business leaders to think about identifying and growing people’s strengths, instead of only looking at weaknesses.

When we are doing the work we love with the strengths we have, we find we have higher productivity, enjoyment, and results.

I’ve searched the internet to find some of the best free strengths test sites so that you can discover and grow your strengths.

Here are Some Guidelines For Harnessing Your Strengths

Discover Them

The the online tests. Save the results. Review them periodically.

Free Aptitude Test: Find Your Strengths and Weaknesses

This 5 minute test helps you pinpoint your top three strengths and their details, as well as one weakness.

Discover Your Skills

Mike Rowe, host and creator of Discover Channel’s “Dirty Jobs” show, helped create this site to help beginners discover their ideal first jobs, and to help others who want to change careers. It’s fun to explore the free resources at this site.

Learn Myself

Learn Myself claims to have the “most scientifically accurate” personality test. While that’s questionable, it is free! I took the test myself and found that it described me pretty well.

41 Questions

This is more a personality quiz based on Jung and the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory. You’ll get a general description of yourself. But you’ll have to pay for the more in-depth report. You can avoid that by going to Humanetrics’ detailed personality quiz and analysis. Once you’ve taken the test, you’ll have access to 4 free reports for developing self-growth, your career, team development, and pre-employment screening (if you’re a business owner), or even if you are outsourcing and want to pre-screen your contractors.

The Color Quiz

Once again, I’m not sure of all the science behind this test. But it’s short, and fun, and I found some of the results intriguing.

You can take it just for fun. If the results apply to you, incorporate the conclusions into a personal growth plan.

My Next Move

This site is for my American readers only. But you may loosely apply it to your own part of the world.

You can search careers by keywords, explore by industry, or click on a brief quiz to narrow down what industries and careers may interest you next.

When you click on a particular career, you’ll see the knowledge, aptitudes, and skills generally needed for that job, as well as the occupational outlook and median salary for the job.

Analyze Your Past and Current Work Experiences

You can learn a lot from your past and current work.

List all the main activities of your past or current work.

Think back to projects you particularly enjoyed.

What experiences challenged you to grow: you may have been afraid to “put yourself out there,” but you pushed through and greatly enjoyed it. And you were good at it!

Create A Plan To Grow Your Strengths

Just in time learning overcomes overwhelm and procrastination. We encounter millions of bits of information every week (well, I don’t know if it’s that much, but it’s a lot!).

Once we’ve identified our strengths, it’s time to take the next action toward putting that strength to use.

Read my article about creating your professional growth plan to kick-start this process.

photo credit: Official US Navy Imagery

What are some best free strength test sites you’d recommend?

Amplify Your Life By Developing Your Goals

By Stephen Borgman 14 Comments

Are you ready for a larger, greater, and stronger life? Developing your goals is one of the best ways to amplify your life.

According to Dictionary.com, to amplify is: 1. to make larger, greater, or stronger; enlarge; extend.2. to expand in stating or describing, as by details or illustrations; clarify by expanding.

Did you know that you can expand your life in stating and describing your goals?

When we reach down inside ourselves to tap into our deepest desires, we can articulate and amplify those desires into a vision of what we want for our lives.

I can’t think of a better reason for you and me to develop our goals!

But in the hustle and bustle of life, we can find ourselves mindlessly running on a hamster wheel. Round and round we go, but we never get anywhere?

Last week I talked about visualizing your ideal day as one way to gain clarity on your goals.

This week I’d like to share some questions that will help you gain a vision for the outcomes you want in your life.

Anne Clarke, life coach, and author of the website, Setting and Achieving Goals, designed a goal setting worksheet to help you figure out your deepest desires.

I urge you to do the following:

a) Sit down, open up your calendar/planner, and schedule 2 solid hours for yourself. No interruptions!

b) Write down the answers to the questions on the worksheet.

Don’t judge yourself. Write freely. Speak into a recorder if you’ve got an auditory learning style. Or draw and sketch out the answers to the questions, if you are more of a visual person.

Here Are Some Key Questions For Developing Your Goals:

1. If you could wave a wand and have 3 wishes, what would you wish for the buckets in your life?

God and spirituality
Family and friends
Work and career
Community and Service
Financial
Personal growth and development

2. What would be your top priorities if you learned you had only 6 months to live?

You can include the buckets for this question as well.

3. What would you do if you won $10 million dollars, tax-free, tomorrow?

After the excitement subsided, how would you spend your time. Again, you can include the buckets when answering this question.

Go Through Your List

“Nothing can add more power to your life than concentrating all your energy on a limited set of targets” Nido Qubein

Pick One Goal.

Yes, one goal. Why do I say just one goal? Because if you’re like me, your life is complex. There is so much going on, that it’s hard to take time just to do the exercise of going through the above questions!

Also, if you just pick one goal, you can concentrate all your energies on that one goal. Success breeds success. After you carry out this goal, you’ll gather the momentum needed to go after the next one.

Give Yourself a GOST of a Chance

Rich Horwath taught me about the GOST achievement method in his fabulous book, Strategy For You: Building a Bridge to the Life You Want.

The GOST framework, per Mr. Horwath, is “a simple framework to help people understand the differences between goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics.

Below is an example from his book.

Goal: what you are trying to achieve	Objective: Fleshes out the details: It is SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Bound)	Strategy (general resource allocation plan)	Tactic (specifically how you will carry out your strategy)
What	What	How	How
General	Specific	General	Specific
Become closer to my spouse or partner	Have a date night with my spouse every week at a new restaurant	Dedicate thoughtful time to my spouse to rekindle our relationship	-Download Urbanspoonapp to mobile phone to find potential restaurants-Build a database of restaurants, including their locations and phone numbers-Create a list of live entertainment establishments and other recreational venues-Develop a calendar just for date night, and populate it with choices

A Gost Goal Setting Template

Here is a GOST_Goal_Setting_Template to help you meet your most important life outcome from this goal setting exercise.

Fill it out and start amplifying your life!

Let Me Know How It Goes!

I’d love to hear your success stories! Share your comments below or contact me and let me know about the one life change you’ve made.

photo credit: Loco Steve

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