Focus on the Journey

What would you say if I told you that by adopting one simple principle you could achieve massive success, while enjoying the process? In fact, this one principle is often the difference between a lifetime of happiness or misery. What's this one principle you ask? Glad you asked. This one principle is the realization that the journey itself is both the success and the reward.


George Bernard Shaw nailed it when he said,



"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."

I agree, creating yourself is key. But how do you create yourself while incorporating the journey itself into your life?


Allow me to share a story about the Journey…


Upon graduation from an MBA program, my friend Eric, started an online company to deliver online programs to working professionals. His goal was to have to 10,000 enrollments go through the company, and in the process, change the social fabric of society.

As with any entrepreneurial activity, getting started is always the most difficult. His was no exception. However, after many failures and setbacks, Eric began build traction. It took three years of his life and everything he had. Literally. All of his time and the little capital he scrounged together went into the venture.


As he zeroed in on 10,000 enrollments, a funny thing happened. Eric changed his goal from 10,000 to 25,000. The Company reached 10,000 enrollments and flew right by it. When he reached 10,000 enrollments he smiled for a brief moment before jumping right back in to achieving 25,000 enrollments. As Eric neared 25,000 enrollments, once again, he changed his goal to 50,000 enrollments. And as 50,000 enrollments came into sight, he changed his goal again to 100,000 enrollments.


Starting to see a pattern?

What I haven't mentioned is that his life was miserable. Yes, the business began to thrive and prosper, but at the expense of himself, and unfortunately, all those around him. So called conventional wisdom would say that this is the price of success. Eric believed conventional wisdom until he had to make a choice.


When "Conventional Wisdom" Is Wrong

So called conventional wisdom dictated that he had to make a choice to have a life filled with meaningful relationships or have a successful business. In this scenario each option is mutually exclusive. It's one or the other. On the one hand is a life rich with memories, smiles, love and laughter. On the other, is a life filled with material riches and financial freedom.


What would you choose?

My entrepreneurial mindset and 'can do' attitude challenged me to blend both options together. It was one of the most difficult things I've done. Fast forward a few years and Wealth Nation has far exceeded all my goals and expectations. And I have enjoyed the process!


What's the secret you ask?


The Journey is the Reward and the Success


All too often entrepreneurs create a 'big hairy audacious goal.' The fortunate few who achieve it are usually miserable. Lack of time, sleep, and meaningful interactions is a high price to pay for 'success.'


When the goal becomes the means to the end, well, something's wrong.


After all, a goal is just a goal.


When I realized that the journey is both the reward and the success, an amazing thing happened. My business took off as I shot past the goals that were once out of reach.


Coincidence?


Not a chance.


On a personal note, I believe the harder I work the 'luckier' I get.


Enjoying the journey had me enjoy life. As I began to enjoy life I was happier and had more to give my family, friends, customers, staff, and community. In a very real way, by taking care of myself I expanded my reach and ability to take care of everything and everyone else around me.

What Motivates You

September 16, 2024
What is motivation? At its core, motivation is the force that drives you to perform a task or behavior. It’s why you get up in the morning, brush your teeth, and go to work. You probably don’t notice your motivation until you feel like it’s not there anymore. But, in reality, many things drive you every day — even if you’re unaware of them. In fact, it's the motivations we're unaware of that can have the biggest impact. Bringing them into the light, inspecting them and learning how to work with our different types of motivations helps us sail our boat rather than drift with the wind and current. It is a powerful practice. So even though you feel apathetic right now, consider this: something motivated you to look up this article. You obviously want to get back in the groove. That counts for something. The different types of motivation We can boil things down to two motivational types: intrinsic and extrinsic. Both also have accompanying subtypes. Intrinsic motivation (or internal motivation) comes from within. It refers to when you do something for its own sake because it aligns with your interests, passions, or personal values. These motivators come with internal rewards, like the feeling of knowing you’re following your life purpose. That means they hold a deeper meaning than other motivators, which can usually keep you focused on a goal for a long time. Extrinsic motivation (or external motivation) refers to external factors that drive you to do something. For example, you could be motivated by extrinsic rewards or negative consequences. What you get is based on you accomplishing (or not accomplishing) a task. Extrinsic motivators are temporary in nature, so they’re best used for short to medium-term projects. In fact, studies have shown that people experience a boost in motivation when they’re promised an immediate reward. External motivation can look like students aiming to succeed in school because their grades reflect their performance. On the other hand, students who try to succeed in school because they’re genuinely interested in the content are intrinsically motivated. How to use the types of motivation to your advantage Motivations mean nothing if you can’t convert that drive into action. Here are some examples of how you can implement these types of motivation into your everyday life. Goal-setting. Focusing on concrete goals is a great method for people motivated by achievement. Tell people about your goals. For the socially motivated among you, telling people about your goals will keep you accountable. Create a reward system. This is a perfect technique if you need an external incentive. In fact, you should always reward yourself for your wins. Write about who you helped. If you're attitude-motivated, take time to reflect on who you made smile at the end of the day. Keep a journal as a record of happy moments. Track your progress on a task. Doing so will remind you how well you’re doing. Stay active. Exercise and taking care of your physical well-being are essential to your physiological needs. Achieving this goal will help you stay on top of the others.  Eat healthy food. Similar to exercise, your body needs good fuel to function at its best. Meet this need, and you will improve your performance. Use a tracking app. Many apps will “gamify” tasks and goals. They’ll provide a virtual reward to extrinsically motivate you. Looking forward Different motivators work for different people. Knowing what drives you will help you “trick” your brain into being productive. You can set up a reward system to build new habits, boost employee motivation, or find work that is more meaningful to you. Once you’re equipped with the right types of motivation, you can do it too. If you need extra support, we can help you get started. Together we can find out what motivates you, so you can rekindle the flame of inspiration.

Power of a Personal Plan

September 16, 2024
Personal growth is a never-ending journey. You’ll grow and develop throughout your life. A development plan gives you the opportunity to direct that growth in a direction that is intentional. A personal development plan (PDP) is like a customized roadmap. It helps you reflect on where you want to go in life, your values, and your goals and lays out the steps you need to take to achieve them. It’s a really practical tool because it shows you where you’re now, where you want to go, and how to get there. Maybe you’ve been asked at work to create a personal development plan, maybe you just want to be more intentional about your life — both are equally good reasons to create a plan for your life. In this article, I explain why a PDP is important and the benefits it can bring you. I’ll also show you how to create your own development plan. From identifying your current strengths and weaknesses to setting your goals, from implementing your plan to reviewing your performance and making changes. And at the end of this article, you’ll find the link to a template to create your own development plan. Step 1: Understand the importance of a personal development plan There are many reasons why a personal development plan is an important personal and professional growth tool. First and foremost, a PDP gives you a clear picture of your current situation, your goals and the steps you have to take to get from one to the other. Creating a PDP is an opportunity for you to take a look at your strengths and weaknesses, the opportunities and threats on the path to your goals, and understand what areas you need to develop to take the next step. It serves as a tool to help you stay on track, especially during difficult or hectic times. A well-defined roadmap minimizes the risk of losing focus. Finally, a PDP provides a way to evaluate your performance. By regularly reviewing and improving your plan, you can determine if you’re where you want to be or need to take additional steps to correct the course. However, creating a PDP isn’t a one-time process. It requires continuous monitoring, evaluation and adjustment. As you grow and change, your goals will change. You’ll need to adjust your plan over time to meet new or bigger goals. This iterative process makes a personal development plan a dynamic and evolving tool that grows and changes with you. Step 2: Self-Assessment and Review Before you create your personal development plan, you must first be clear about your starting point. Take time to reflect and introspect. It’s important that you invest time and effort in this phase. This step goes beyond simply listing your skills and experiences; it requires self-reflection and honesty. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Would you be able to answer this question if I asked you at this moment? Another important part is understanding your core values and your “Why.” What is it that makes you get up in the morning? What motivates you to go above and beyond? Taking a personality test like the LINC Personality profile can be helpful to get an unbiased outside perspective. After this step, you’ll be able to identify areas that need improvement and potential obstacles. With this information, you can use your energy to develop strategies to achieve your goals. Step 3: Set Goals and Objectives Next, you define your current goals and identify the steps that will take that will take you there. Based on your self-assessment and analysis, you can set immediate and long-term goals. Immediate goals should be achievable within a relatively short period of time, while long-term goals can span years. Maybe one of your long, long-term goals is: “I want to retire at 50.” When setting goals, ensure they meet the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound). This allows you actually to know if you have achieved your goals. “I want to be a better person” is a goal that is hard to measure, but “I want to volunteer for 2 hours in a charitable organization every week” is quantifiable. Goal setting isn’t as easy as it may seem. It requires a delicate balance between ambition and realism. Your goals should be challenging enough to inspire and motivate you but also attainable so you won’t be disappointed. Smaller goals are stepping stones on the path to your big dreams. They keep you on track and give you a sense of accomplishment as you move toward your larger goals. Step 4: From Planning to Execution The next phase is about implementing your plan. This means executing the steps of your plan, monitoring your progress, and evaluating the results. Remain flexible and modify your plan as needed to ensure that it remains consistent with your goals. The transition from planning to implementation is often the most difficult part of the process. This is where commitment, discipline and perseverance come into play. Implementing your personal development plan requires continuous effort, and there will inevitably be obstacles along the way. With a well-structured plan and a willingness to adjust it as needed, you can overcome these challenges and stay on track. Step 5: Evaluation and Revision It’s important that you keep reviewing and refining your personal development plan. This includes adjusting your goals and objectives as your priorities shift and circumstances change. Take a look at what worked, what didn’t and what you need to add. Don’t forget to celebrate your achievements and cross them off the list. Regularly adjusting and updating your plan is important to remain motivated and committed and keep momentum. Closing Word A personal development plan is a dynamic roadmap to achieve your personal and professional goals. The emphasis here is on “personal” development. Keep in mind, this is your plan, your life, your goals. No one except you can decide where that development should lead. Don’t be tempted to add goals because you believe they’re what’s expected of you. Don’t skip the self-assessment and the reflection of your core values. What you like, dislike, what you value and what you don’t should be the guidepost of your personal growth.  The details of what that growth looks like are variable. But those are the things you have to keep in mind if you want to be sure to choose a path that will fulfill you.