Are You Killing Your Success With Non-Stop Work?

2015-09-05 By Kassandra Leave a Comment

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When first starting a business, and even after it’s achieved success, sometimes as a business owner or entrepreneur we dig ourselves so deep into working on improving our product, our brand, or increasing traffic.

Thing is? Sometimes we get so focused we forget to take time out to take care of ourselves and the other parts of our lives.

Tony Robbins speaks about the 6 Basic Human Needs … and when you only focus on one or two? Your soul slowly begins dying because you are not taking care of your other needs.

I ran across this video from Marie Forleo that talks about Why Non-Stop Work Is Killing Your Success – and I feel like it effectively and eloquently explains why it’s good to unplug from technology (even for just one day) to allow your soul to be rejuvenated:

As entrepreneurs, we tend to always put this pressure on ourselves to always be on – always engaging – always creating something new.

But I totally agree with Marie – this “Western Cultural idea” of overworking and “always on” as a sickness. It can destroy you – your health, your creativity, your relationships … ?

I truly do believe that our souls crave down time, even when the thought of taking significant time off may feel scary.

I loved these two things Marie suggests to remember:

Great things happen when you unplug from technology and plug back in to real life
You get to write the rules in your business and your life.

There was an Entrepreneur article that provided some really nifty infographics that outline countries with the most days off, and this article by Forbes further shows that Americans take less vacation days than ever, especially in comparison to other countries.

So my biggest takeaway from this is that you should question everything you think you HAVE to do – and challenge them. Obviously, for a business you have to do what’s best … But sometimes what’s best is to unplug so you can come back refreshed with more creative juices.

So do not undermine your ability to craft a life or business that you truly love.

So — what’s one thing you wish you could do in your business that you THINK you can’t do? What would happen if you challenged that assumption?

[LIST] Successful VS Unsuccessful People

2015-06-09 By Kassandra Leave a Comment

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successful people vs unsuccessful people

Successful People …	Unsuccessful People …
want others to succeed	secretly hope others fail
keep a journal	say they keep a journal (but don’t)
have gratitude	have a sense of entitlement
compliment	criticize
accept responsibility for their failures	blame others for their failures
continuously learn	think they know it all
forgive others	hold a grudge
operate from a transformational perspective	operate from a transactional perspective
embrace change	fear change
exude joy	exude anger
set goals & develop life plans	never set goals
share info and data	hoard info and data
keep a “to do” list	fly by the seat of their pants
keep a “to be” list	don’t know what they want to be
read every day	watch TV every day
talk about ideas	talk about people
give other people credit for their victories	take all the credit for their victories

Are You a Non Negotiator?

2015-03-05 By Kassandra 2 Comments

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Do you know what a non negotiation is?

For this post in particular, it’s what I refer to as the things in whatever aspect of your life that HAS to be done, no excuses, NO NEGOTIATIONS.

Do you have anything like that?

Now, I’m not talking about the laws of the land … but they’re similar.

To succeed in something you have never done before, you must do something you have never done before.

You must be constantly learning, or else you will become stagnant and begin to wither away …

You must constantly strive to improve yourself, or you will always be as you always were …

I was listening to an audio from my inner circle (check out the presentation below for more information) and the audio I heard today was a personal development audio that not only helped me pinpoint some weak spots in my business plan, it hit me with the cold, hard, truth that I had allowed negotiations amongst my non negotiables.

Today’s audio really struck home … because I pride myself on having integrity.

That’s doing the things I say I’m going to do, no matter what – NO EXCUSES!

But then I’m tired …

Or I have work to do …

Or a business to run …

Or I want to spend time with …………..

…………………. you get the picture.

I find negotiations for not doing my non negotiables.

But we have big dreams and aspirations! And why not? The world is our oyster …

Only problem is we don’t have the tools to open it. And why’s that?

Because we don’t have non negotiables.

We don’t study about the thing we’re interested in. We don’t take action after going to that seminar that taught us x, y, and z about investing …

We don’t do what we say we’re going to do.

But that’s it! NO more!

You’re with me, right?

AWESOME! Then here’s my list of NON NEGOTIABLES:

Always smile when talking to someone!
Do my daily discipline of either listening to 30 minutes of an audio or 10 pages of a book that will teach me enhancements to my life, health, and wealth
Learn something new DAILY

While that list is super short … I’m taking action and focusing on what’s important – daily disciplines that will bring me closer to my current goals!

“If you don’t have ‘always’, you’ll end up with ‘nevers’.” – Grant Cardone

Imagine if you had a non negotiable where what you say goes. No excuses.

Would you live life with more urgency? You only have 24 hours in a day – and some of that is spent eating and sleeping.

When you make the decision to succeed, to win – you must manage that decision daily.

And if you don’t?

Your day will become managed for you. And the things you dream about, the lifestyle you want to lead?

It will slowly slip out of your hands and stay in the back of your mind instead of within your reality.

If you don’t respect yourself, you won’t go through with your own non negotiables.

You must attach massive pain to whenever you don’t do what you set out to do. Otherwise, it becomes negotiable.

Establish borders or “laws” in your life so you don’t violate them, which in turn is a violation against yourself.

What would life look life with several, consistent non negotiables? How much faster would you have what you want?

Don’t give up your non negotiables, b/c you will prolong or hinder seeing your timely success.

This is about YOU being able to take actions to see the success you’ve longed for.

If you don’t have non negotiables, you are not doing anything intentional about your success.

Take action IMMEDIATELY should be a non negotiable.

Listen to audios daily that will help you progress in your goals.

Read daily those books that will provide the knowledge to achieve your dreams …

Allow yourself to become the person you need to be in oder to achieve the goals and ambitions you have for yourself!

What are the non-negotiables in your life? – write them down!

Our body operates under laws. If it didn’t, things wouldn’t function properly. So why not take that same idea and apply it to the rest of our lives?

Only difference between people who are more successful than us is that our routines and what we do daily differs.

Your reality is a reflection of your routine. So if you’re not pleased with your current reality, lifestyle, or money situation, all you have to do is change the routine that is giving you your reality.

Have your routine SERVE you instead of work against you.

How much would it cost you if you don’t have these? Feel the pain!

You are worth a lot more than anyone has ever told you.

You will never see what you’re worth unless you figure out your purpose.

(A higher calling!)

If you STAND for nothing, you fall for anything.

The longer you continue to fall for anything? The longer you are going to NEVER see the things that you want.

Write down your non negotiables.

Read them.

Say them.

Become them.

You deserve to be honoring certain things in your life … What are they? What’s stopping you from honoring them?

Do what others don’t want to do. If you’re in business, you believe you are worthy of better things.

You have to first understand that in order to live the life that you want, there’s a certain type of person that GETS to live that type of life. There’s attributes/qualities you need to obtain so you can become that person. It’s through that person that you can step into that life.

You should have non negotiables for EVERYTHING in your life!

What are your non negotiations? Leave a comment below!

How to Fix Any Problem? Tell Me How You Make Toast

2015-02-05 By Kassandra Leave a Comment

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Have you ever been faced with an issue where you had to work together with someone to accomplish some task?

Ever been frustrated when you explain what’s needed to be done and they seem totally incompetent at what seems to be an elementary explanation of what you need?

Try explaining to someone how you make toast and see if they can draw it out. You would be surprised at how different we all think.

I was introduced to this a long time ago in a summer camp for the science and math nerds like myself who wanted to get ahead in school. (Yeah, I’m one of those and proud of it!)

But I had forgotten about it until it was presented to me again in a Tony Robbins Unleash the Power Within Seminar in Dallas in 2014,wherein Tony had us have pair up and explain to each other, back to back, a photo of something. (Maybe it wasn’t at a Tony event, but something very similar to it.)

I was so detailed about what I was seeing, I’d say things like:

About 1/4 of the width inside from the left, draw a line down the page.
About halfway down that line, draw a circle with about an inch diameter.

Things like that. The outcome?

Something kind of similar but with a few jarring differences …

… and then I was again reminded of this same process when I was watching this video:

Got A Wicked Problem? First, Tell Me How You Make Toast

The simple exercise in this video is where you have someone draw out how they make toast with no words – kind of like charades!

And from Tom Wujec‘s findings, this simple process reveals unexpected truths about how we solve our biggest, most complicated problems at work.

It’s truly incredible how much of a difference there is between people and how they not only explain a problem, but how their minds work in formulating a process, what’s required, and how intricate the issue is in one’s own mind.

The fact that there are so many different ways to explain how to make toast? Shows that there is so much to learn in the ways of communication, problem solving, and the like.

What I found interesting about this is that when people have too few steps (nodes) or links, information may be missing. But if there’s too many, things become cluttered and chaotic.

Lessons Learned:

— when you want to communicate something visually, have between 5 and 13 nodes

— we intuitively know how to break down complex things into simple things and bring them back together

— break down a problem onto Post It notes so you can work out the issue better

— people build on top of each other’s ideas, and when you work in a group you integrate the diversity of each individual’s point of view (sticky notes help because it’s not one person drawing on a board but everyone’s ideas all together … it’s fluid)

— there’s a visual revolution taking place

— those who see their worlds in moveable nodes and links (you’ll have to watch the video for that explanation) have an edge of overcoming issues than those that think statically

— one company reclaimed over $50 million in revenue by following this process for their business

I also found it really interesting that in this experiment, if the groups did their test in complete silence, they did it better & more quickly. Talking gets in the way!

So next time you’re confronted with an interesting challenge, remember what design has to teach us. Make your ideas visible, tangible, and consequential. It’s simple, it’s fun, it’s powerful, and I believe it’s an idea worth celebrating.

If you would like more information on this process, be sure to check out DrawToast.com!

I hope this video helped shed some light on why it is that people can be so frustrating when they don’t follow your instructions on how to make toast. 😉

So remember! How do you fix any problem? Tell me how you make toast.

So! How do you make toast?

Has there ever been a time that you were explaining something that seemed trivial to you but became difficult for someone else to understand what you needed? What did you do to come to a resolution? Did you communicate and clarify? Or did you just do it yourself?

If you just got fed up and decided to do it yourself (which I’ve done on many an occasion) you need to start thinking outside the box.

And I know something that can help you do that! Check out the presentation below for more information on how to improve your brain to allow you to think more clearly, more creatively, and be more successful in just about everything you do. ^_^

10 Morning Habits to Be Extraordinary

2015-01-07 By Kassandra 7 Comments

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My passion in life is to empower people to live more prosperous, happy lives. So in that, I wanted to share this article written by Lianne Laroya that I ran across today that outlines 10 mornings habits of highly successful people that make them extraordinary.

Highly successful people are generally happier and less stressed. This isn’t because of their success or the money they may have (although that does help), it’s because their PERSONAL PRIORITIES are worth more to them than other people’s priorities. And they know that when you keep the end in mind, you get priorities done FIRST! That’s why they make a point to claim the early hours of the day as their “me” time.

The article I found only lists 10 of the daily morning habits these successful people do, however if you can incorporate even a few for right now, you will be far ahead of the rest of the populace who don’t.

10 Morning Habits to be EXTRAORDINARY

Wake Up REALLY Early

As I’ve stated so many times before, your most precious asset is time. You can’t buy it or sell it, and once it’s gone, you can never get it back.

Highly successful people know this and work to efficiently manage and utilize their time. In the article, it states that highly successful people wake up at 5:30am, 4:30am and even 4:00 am … Keep in mind they probably go to bed much earlier as well, but that isn’t listed in the article. This is JUST about morning habits.

By waking up earlier, these people will not only have more control over their time, but they have more opportunities to do things that matter to them. Most people (the general populace) detest waking up that early … So you are less likely to be bothered by other people (if you are out and about), no phone calls or anything external to distract you. You can get your exercise done early (which will help you throughout the day) and so much more!

This one can be very hard for most people, especially those who like to be “night owls” and stay up all hours, losing sleep (which is super bad for you). However, if you can start waking up 15 minutes earlier than your usual time, you can gradually adjust. You can also help yourself out by going to bed earlier and sticking to that bedtime.

Burn Your Calories

As I mentioned previously, if you work out in the morning, you can help yourself throughout the day. Highly successful people have a habit of burning calories in the morning! This doesn’t mean you have to have a high intensity workout … Aside from walking having the same (if not better) effects as running, you can also do yoga (strength and flexibility training) or even just dancing in your living room.

Exercise allows you to think clearer, combat stress, and aside from the health benefits, you also get those feel good endorphins!

So make time for exercise. If you wake up earlier, you can do so and shower before you have to leave. And if an hour long exercise seems daunting (let’s face it – we’re all busy) you can do something for 10 minutes … Whatever you can do, do it! Your health depends on it.

Do an “Hour of Power”

I am a BIG proponent for personal development, and those that say they don’t need it are the ones who need it most.

For those that understand and work on their personal development, they understand that this habit is KEY! You have to get your mind right. You have to work on YOU before you can truly accomplish all that you want to do.

While you may not be able to do an HOUR, spend at least 30 minutes working on this. The article says use this time to listen to inspirational anecdotes and empowering quotes. While this is great advice, none of the habits in the article talk about reading (or listening to) books that will do the same thing.

Every successful person I have ever met has said read 10 pages of a good book a day (things that get your mind right, replenish your motivation, improve you, etc) as well as listen to 30 minutes of a good audio. If you can do this in the morning, then great! Another reason to wake up early — especially since you’re starting the day off with this instead of trying to fit it in before bedtime (which also has benefits, but most people forget or stay up too late).

Jot Down on Your Gratitude Journal

Every day, write down 1-3 things that you’re thankful for. Count the small wins!

When you enumerate the blessings you’re grateful for, you will be more open to optimism, inspiration, and you will improve your outlook on life. It may seem silly at first, but the impact on you will grow and flourish.

Happiness is about wanting the things you already have.

Ask Yourself 1 Important Question

“If today was the last day of my life, would I still want to do what I am doing today?”

Yes. This can be a painful question. But if it’s painful, is it enough to motivate you to do something different so the answer is easy and YES? If you don’t go out and change something to achieve the success you want, you may lose the opportunity – or worse – never get a “next time” to succeed.

Eat That Frog First

The willpower of highly successful people are fresh and ready in the morning, so it’s best to take advantage of that and do your hardest task first. Since you’re doing it early, you’re more likely to finish it without others interrupting you.

I really liked the suggested task of the article wherein it says to choose ONE “frog” of the day and stick to completing it before you even get to breakfast.

Connect With Your Partner

I really liked this habit. Too often, with our schedules we barely have time to connect with our partners and even if you do, it’s over TV or a smooch before bed. If you BOTH wake up early, you have a chance to truly connect with them and discuss things like:

your plans
your finances
your beloved hobbies

You have more energy & focus in the morning, so this habit should be made paramount to a ritual! You could even set up one morning to be a “breakfast date” where you have breakfast at the new cafe down the street, or maybe even go for a run together! (2 birds 1 stone)

This habit alone could do wonders for your relationship.

Plan & Strategize

Map out your day. Take at least 10 minutes to visualize your life goals, review your tasks for THIS DAY, and allot for breaks. By doing this in the morning, you will be more prepared to handle / manage the day & have less stress.

If you don’t map out your direction, how will you know you’re doing the right things? Going in the right direction and making the right decisions to get you to your goals?

Meditate & Clear Your Mind

90% of illnesses are stress related. When you take some time in the morning to clear your head, keep calm, focus on breathing … you are enjoying a few moments with yourself. You can say a prayer, meditate, or recite an empowering mantra.

This doesn’t have to be an hour – just a few minutes of focused, quiet, peace.

Cuddle & Bond With Your Kids

Too many parents have the regret that their kid grew up too fast. Don’t be that parent.

In the morning, you have less cluttering your mind, less stress, and more focus. You won’t be distracted and can focus your attention on them. You could help them get dressed, cook them a healthy breakfast, and even start them on the path of success by talking to them about their dreams!

This can also go with people who have pets. While you may not be able to do the above, spending time with your pets can lower stress and make you happier.

For an idea of how this may look, here’s a to-do list for Benjamin Franklin, a founding father of the USA:

That’s all from me for now! Be sure to check my blog daily for new content, or subscribe to my RSS!

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I hope you have a wonderful & prosperous day. ^_^

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