GET UP AND GIVE YOURSELF SOME 'YOU' TIME

‘I have no time’ is the number one excuse for not doing the things we love doing. It’s a poor and widely used excuse. I understand that we are all very busy working and doing the day to day chores that life throws at us and that it appears as if there's no time. There's always time. There is an easy solution that may not be music to your ears but it works.  Set the alarm clock one hour earlier than usual.  Getting up daily very early is one of the most important traits of success in business and life according to Robin Sharma, author of ‘The leader who had no title’ and ‘The Monk who sold his Ferrari’.  In fact, Robin encourages us all to set our clocks at 5.00a.m. and he’s right. It sounds difficult, but it’s easier than you might  believe. It’s just a habit, a good habit.  What you get when you get up earlier than your peers is uninterrupted valuable time for doing the things that matter most.

This morning I got up at half past five. I dedicated 30 minutes of focused time to my hobby, writing. I wrote 400 words. If I do that every day, five days a week (giving myself two rest days each week) for a year I will give myself 130.5 hours of extra time to do what I love.  If I focus on my writing during this time and write 400 words each day I will write 104,400 words. That's a book!

What one thing could you do with this extra time? Exercise, plan your day, write, meditate, read a book, or focus on your hobby. You will simply get good at what you love.

Drop the monkey business, get up and give yourself some extra 'you' time.

DO MORE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU LOVE TO DO

Pádraic O Máille , creator of Smácht shared some great wisdom with me today. Sometimes the support has to start from within. To grow the best in ourselves we need to feed the best in ourselves.  In all aspects of life we need to focus, not on the things we don’t like doing, but on the things we love to do. When you tune into the things that you love doing - expand them.  Always look for the white dot on the black wall and make it bigger. So big that it’ll fill you with happiness. As my wife always says " You got to feed the love to make it grow".

Drop the monkey business and do more of the things that you love to do.

PLAN THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED PARTY

Don’t just write a mission statement. Write a destination statement. A detailed plan of what you want to do and where you want to go. Write down what you need to do in order to achieve it. Write down what steps you’ll take to achieve it and most importantly, something you don’t see too often on business mission statements or personal vision statements, an estimated time of completion. Of course you can say that your mission is to be the best at what you do in your field and leave it as simple as that. Simple is good, but that only tells people your dream, your goal. It doesn't say WHEN.  Knowing when you will achieve your mission in business or life gives you a focus. It leaves no space for excuses. 


Keep your mission simple and to the point. Focus on it. Ask yourself everyday what needs to be done to be one step closer to mission completed. With everything that you do, ask yourself does this bring me closer to mission completed. If not, stop doing it.

For more success in business and life, add WHEN to your mission statement of intent. Add WHEN you plan on reaching that point of excellence and WHEN you get there what you aim to do. Don’t just book the flight and know the name of the destination. KNOW your intended time of arrival. Plan what you will do when you get there. Plan the party.

Drop the Monkey business and plan the mission accomplished party.

BE A WORLD CHAMPION

Today I met with Ken Horan, WKN Middle Weight Kickboxing World Champion. I asked Ken to sum up in one word the key to being a world champion. His answer: “Discipline”.  

Add discipline to your day and all that you do. See the difference it will make within a short time. No matter what you do in business or life, work hard, train hard and play hard. Be a world champion .

Drop the monkey business and be the best at what you do.

START YOUR DAY WITH A BLANK CANVAS

Artists not only start with a blank canvas, they make the frame and stretch their canvas. They have total control over the size and the material. They don’t get caught up in paintings from the past or what they’ll paint next month. They don’t become attached to paintings. They are always focusing on the present painting. The motivation happens in the moment. They look for inspiration from their surroundings. They don’t just paint the roses, they smell the roses.  Apply the artist’s way to your life.

Drop the monkey business and start your day with a blank canvas.

MONEY AND VISUALIZATION

Here you have a blank cheque. Fill it out. Print it out, put your name on it and place it somewhere you can see it everyday. Put as many zeros as you wish on it. Be generous. Look at it everyday until you become very comfortable with its value and what it can bring you. Be comfortable with the idea of having and accessing that amount and more.  The fear of having something can cause you never to receive it. This can be true of money. Remove the fear with this visualization technique. Aim high and land high. You deserve it.

Drop the monkey business and learn to visualize what you desire.

START YOUR JOURNEY

Stop for a moment when faced with a choice and you don't know which road to take. Stand back and look at the road signs. All directions have destinations. Some have the same destination. Some have the wrong destination. Some have unknown destinations, but no two roads can be traveled at once. Make a decision. Choose one road and stick to it. Once on the road there is no turning back. However, if the road gets too bumpy - slow down, stop and if you really have to take the next exit and link to a new road, do it. If the road is smooth, pace yourself and enjoy it. Stop for rest to conserve energy and take in the scenery. You will not arrive at your destination standing still, driving backwards or trying to drive down two different roads at once. As the American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once said  “Life is a journey, not a destination.”

Drop the Monkey Business and start your journey.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART

Take five, frame it and sell it for ten. That was the suggestion I received when I asked my uncle how to make money. I took his advice literally. It was the summer of 1996 and that’s exactly what I did. I was young. I was a student who didn’t want to work, yet wanted money to enjoy a good social life. I got more than that. I got great experience. I worked hard and  put in longer hours than I would have in a nine to five job. What did I do? I wrote and printed my short poems on good quality paper, framed them and went door to door selling. I knocked on thousands of doors. I got hundreds of no’s. I sold 200 in the first month and I sold 500 the second month. I took five, framed it and sold it for ten. I followed the advice, but more importantly I followed my heart.

Will you follow the advice? How hard will you work for it? Will you put in the long hours? How many doors will you knock on? How many no's will you listen to? Will you follow your heart?

Drop the Monkey Business & follow your heart.

EXERCISE YOUR MIND & LEARN SOMETHING NEW

It's good to learn. It's good to take yourself out of your comfort zone and do something different. I thought all my learning days were done when I left college. Then I discovered that I could do acting classes once a week in my local night school. I did and after that, I learned Spanish and I’m still learning. Then I took up Capoeira classes which I continued practicing during four years. Two years ago I really learned about how the Music Industry works when I had a top 20 hit! I did workshops on energy awareness and energy healing. Then, I learned some coin and card magic using free YouTube lessons. The magic got me interested in hypnosis. Because of my wanting and openness to learn I am now a certified hypnotherapist. Now, I’m learning the ins and outs of social media and  how to create, connect and manage online networks. And that's only the tip of the iceberg! 

January is a great time to start learning something new. No matter how hard times get and even when times are good keep learning new skills. You'll be surprised, you may even find a new hobby. Not even money can be an excuse with so many tutorials for beginners on every subject available online.

Drop the Monkey Business, exercise your mind and learn something new.

BE INSPIRED BY WISE WORDS

 

Today I met with Little John Nee, an Irish performer who shared some beautiful Zen Inspiration with me. 

My personal reading of this Zen saying is that we create our own life and  there is nothing in life we can’t overcome when we act from the heart.  I was inspired by the words of the Zen quotation shared by  Little John Nee. 

Drop the Monkey Business and be inspired by wise words.

REDIRECT THE ENERGY FROM BLAME TO LEARN

It’s very easy to get angry and point fingers when we don’t get a desired result, but do you practice the human ability to convert the energy from blame to learn? Instead of filling yourself with anger, ask yourself “What can I learn from this and who are my teachers?” Maybe the teachers are the very people you blame. It’s good to learn. You need lessons to learn. You need teachers to teach lessons. Maybe the teachers are people or maybe the teachers are situations. Who are your teachers and what can you learn from them?  For a different perspective ask these two questions of all your highs and lows in business and life.

Drop the Monkey Business and get in the habit of redirecting the energy from blame to Learn. It’s good to let go.  

THE BEST ADVISER IS YOUR INNER ADVISER

When you are afraid to take the next step, or have a mental block stopping you from making progress you can remove yourself from the picture and look from the outside. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to look at other people and their situations and within seconds come up with a plan of action? You can see what’s blocking them. You may even go as far as dishing out friendly advice as you feel that your clarity is super bright and super right. You can’t understand how the other party can’t see the solution that is resting right beneath their nose. The confusing aspect of this great ability is that you can’t do it for yourself. When you try, you become emotionally  involved. You attach yourself to particular outcomes. You ask everybody, only to receive ten very different and conflicting opinions. This is the time to tune out from the noise of the outside world and tune into your inner world. This is the time to go to the cinema on your own, to wash the dishes by hand, do gardening, yoga, meditation or exercise. This is the right time to quieten your mind. It is easier said than done, but if you don’t give it a go, you won’t know. The goal is to disconnect and bring yourself into a calm state of now, the present moment. When you disconnect from the outcome you can tap into more possibilities. You can ask yourself questions and get great honest answers.  You can see yourself as you see others and help yourself as you would others, but first calm the mind. Imagine now if you were to meet a 30 year older version of yourself and could ask him/her this question “What’s the next best step for me to take?” They have been through it all and have all the best answers. Do it now, and see what answers you received. I’m sure it will be the right answer. If you get two answers, listen to the first, the gut feeling. The best adviser is your inner adviser.

Drop the monkey business, tune out and tune in. Get the answers from within.

LET'S DO IT OURSELVES

What if we didn’t turn to our Government to solve the economic crisis in Ireland and what if we could put the country in the hands of the young and unemployed? Maybe they would do a better job than most if given direction and opportunity. Maybe they would move faster and get results. Today I spoke with Phil James, director of the Granary Learning Centre about motivating the young unemployed people, and to use their energy to get Ireland moving once again. Phil's message is exciting. it's all about taking responsibility. He talks solutions. He speaks about keeping the talent in Ireland. He talks about the want for change. The youth that want to work and want to learn. They have ideas. They have energy. It needs to be gathered and focused. They have the experience of being in a comfortable place where they’re not too happy. It's not us and them anymore. It's 'We' as a collective. We want to see the light. 

Drop the Monkey Business and let’s do it ourselves. Let's change and remake Ireland. Let's show the world a better model that they can follow.

TAKE CHARGE OF THE ONLINE YOU

When the FBI or CIA needs to know something about someone they run a background check on that person. Once upon a time only organisations like these could do such a search on an individual. Now everybody can run a background check on any person. It’s called ‘Google search’. Have you ever thought to yourself what happens when you're looking for a job and you send your curriculum vitae in to twenty plus employers? They google you and this can have an impact on their final hiring decision. I believe this is a good thing. It means you have an opportunity to build your professional online presence and direct them towards you and how you want others to see you. Maybe you have your own business. Have you ever wondered what happens when one of your reps leaves a meeting where they are pitching to a new prospect? They get googled. Yes, the company gets googled, but the sales representative will be first on the hit list for a background check. What comes up in the search can be a deal maker if the prospect likes what they see. It can also be an added factor in losing a deal if the prospect finds little, nothing or offensive information from the person’s personal social media content. Have you ever done a search on somebody wanting to learn a little more? If not, you are one of a few. Most of us do. And without a doubt, you can be sure the same is done with you when you are looking for something, or when somebody is looking for something from you. This also happens when you’re looking for a job, looking for business or simply socializing. You are responsible for your name and where it is, and what it says about you on the internet. You can manage what people see via social media.  This can all be done in a few hours. Open a facebook, linkedin, twitter and youtube account. Link them all together. keep the Information and name on the accounts the name. Start a basic blog. When this is done you can create the information for all these sites that you wish others to see. The content can be based on your professional curriculum vitae if you’re looking for a job. It can be based on your company, products and your interests if you are in business. Or maybe you just want to rightly have power over how you look and how much can be seen when people are checking you out. There are no excuses. If my wife’s eighty seven year old grandmother can do all this, well then, so can you.

Drop the monkey business and take charge of the online you.

CUT THE CORDS OF EMOTIONAL INTERFERENCE

We all like to do some spring cleaning every once and a while, throwing out unwanted items that are collecting dust, rearranging the files on the laptop or simply getting rid of the outdated books on the shelf. This is a great practice, especially after the new year. You throw out the old, and make space for the new. It works. You will actually feel lighter after going through the process. There will be less material goods that you don’t use staring you in the face. What most of us don’t do is an emotional clearout. We meet people every day with whom we form emotional connections. Some people we fall in with and build great relationships, others we fall out with, but still hold onto the emotional attachment of that person or situation. You need to look at this. Work with this if you wish to succeed.  To focus on the material things and not the mind is like putting petrol in the car but never checking or putting in the oil. You must mind the mind to experience true success. This is one simple exercise to help you do your emotional clear-out. Do it now, wherever you are. It will take twenty seconds. You don’t have to close your eyes, (read the instructions first, of course!) but if you are in a safe place, it’s more relaxing to shut the eyes for a moment. Just relax and take three deep breaths. Inhale right into wherever you feel the most tension in your body and exhale all the tension right out. Tell yourself that you are letting go. In the same way that you throw out the items you don’t want when spring cleaning you don’t have to hold onto any tension in the body. It is actually easier than you may think to break the links. Imagine yourself with hundreds of cords attached to your body and going out into the distance. These cords represent all emotional connections that you have with others. Now imagine taking a scissors in your right hand. Cut all the chords of emotional interference. Cut every one of them until there is none left. Now feel the lightness and the freedom.  You will think clearly after doing this. It's that simple. This is a great short exercise to do before going into a meeting. It clears the head and gets you focus. Do this every morning. It’s a great way to start the day. Emotions that don’t belong to you can hinder progress in your life. With a clear mind you will feel so  much lighter that you will fly to wherever you are going. So, when you do this daily make sure you reach for the stars because you’ll more than likely get there.

Drop the Monkey business and rid the mind, body and soul of unwanted negative emotional intrusions.

YOU ARE THE LEADING ACTOR

Do you want to understand your life? Do you want to understand what’s going on in your career? Look at life as a movie. Your life is a reality Movie. Yes, it’s a bit like The Truman Show and of course you’d love to be getting Jim Carrey’s pay packet. Well, you can. Go with this, you have nothing to lose. You are the leading actor in all the different episodes of your professional and personal life. You wrote the script. You selected the supporting actors. You control what you earn. You designed the set and only you have the power to rewrite and sign off on the new script. No matter where you are, STOP. Sit down with a pen and paper and start rewriting how you want it to be. Do it today and don't rest  until you tick the box that says script rewrite completed.

Drop the monkey business and rewrite the script for your life.