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1 Secret for You to Accelerate Forming a New Habit

accountable habits Jul 05, 2017

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Forming new habits take time (Dr. Phillippa Lally's famous study out of the University College London noted on average, it takes 66 days before a new behavior becomes automatic). But, the awesome news that there is something you can do to form habits quicker and feel good about your progress. Whether it's for exercise or it's for doing something at work or forming a new productivity habit, it's super important to be accountable.

I have a guest today who is a fantastic accountability partner and incredibly important to me in forming new habits. Kona is a 3 year-old American Labrador Retriever, and she is my accountability partner to go running four days a week. I don't want to say she's annoying. Let's just say that she's persistent! Whether it's for exercise or it's for something at work (for example you need to practice for a big presentation coming up in a few weeks) it’s super important to have an accountability partner.

There's a...

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1 Confidence Hack You Can Start Right Now

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You work extremely hard to prepare for high-pressure or competitive situations, and it’s incredibly frustrating when results do not measure up to your effort. There is one thing you can do to help boost confidence and encourage your best when it matters: Set Intentions. 

Here’s how:

Intentions are things that you can or will do empower you to focus (that’s a bonus!) and believe in yourself. This increases your self-efficacy (your belief about your capability to produce designated levels of performance that exercise influence over events that affect your life.) For example, “At 4:00-4:30 p.m. today I will spend 30 minutes compiling research for a presentation.” So, the outcome of the presentation is uncertain, but there is certainty surrounding your preparation and execution. 

Why it works.

Setting Intentions gives you control over what’s important to being able to do your best. It’s...

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3 Secrets to Pre-Game Rituals That You Need to Know Now

Pre-game rituals are tools that help world-class performers to be calm and focused during situations that are important to them. The great thing is: You don’t have to be an Olympic hopeful to use rituals to help you do your best, especially when you are under pressure and the outcome matters.

Here are a few tips, so you can set up a ritual that helps you rise to the occasion:

1).  Fuel Up:

Do you have a favorite pre-game snack or meal? If there is something that you eat and/or drink in the morning or before an important event that sits well with you and gives you good energy?  Try making that part of your pre-game ritual.

2).  Look Sharp:

Do you have a favorite article of clothing? Maybe something that you feel confident wearing? Maybe a ‘lucky’ article of clothing that you’ve worn previously when you’ve really crushed something? If so, have it ready to go the next time you need to be world-class for something important to you!

3)....

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1 Epic Formula to Manage Emotions When the Stakes Are High

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Being able to manage emotions is a tool that can come in handy during important events at school, at home or in competitive situations.

Since emotions drive behavior, this is an important skill to understand and master, so all your hard work can pay off. Once it’s game time, it is time to trust yourself. In other words, trust that your desired result will happen (even if you are not so sure!)

World-class athletes perform their best when they are calm, carefree (of the outcome) and focused (on the most important thing to do their best). In other words, they trust and believe in themselves. Not being able to manage emotions is distracting, and the consequences can be significant and frustrating.

Keep this formula in mind, and you too will be able to champion your best results:

Emotional Control + Trust = Success.

Here’s how to get started with managing your emotions, especially when the stakes are high:

1.)  Recognize when...

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3 Steps on How to Be a Warrior When It Matters

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We may not be preparing for a NBA title or any national stage, but we do have events that are no less important to us. Maybe it’s educational, professional, or personal.

When it’s time to go to battle for something that really matters, there are a couple things you can do to be world-class and deliver.

1.)  Get Clarity on What You Want.
How do you want to perform, or what outcome do you want? For example, I want to place in the Top 3. Or I want to get a certain job or promotion. Clarity is the first step in going after and getting what’s important to you.

2.)  Believe it Will Happen.
In other words, ‘Proceed as if success is inevitable.’ You may have to be an actor or an actress because you may not believe what you want is 100% possible. Did For example, if you believe you can place in the top 3 or get that job promotion, you will start to search out ways to get better. It fuels confidence! Your mindset...

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3 Tips for You to Be World-Class in What's Important to YOU

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It is a common misconception that ‘either you have it or you don’t’. In other words, either you are good at math or you are not. You are talented at one sport but not at another. You are a follower and not a leader etc.

Here’s something that most people do not know!

There is no scientific proof that, even if one excels as a young person, that ‘talent’ is an indicator of whether or not you can become an expert. Sure, if you are 5’2” male, it may be difficult to play basketball at a high level (but not impossible!). All things considered, YOU are capable of much more than you think regardless if you have ‘talent’ or not. There’s one thing you can start doing now that will help you to be world-class in what’s important to you: Deliberate Practice. Anders Ericsson has spent decades researching this very topic and has written an entire book on deliberate practice, Peak.

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3 Reasons Why You Should Dream Big (and Not S.M.A.R.T.)

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In 1976, Steve Wozniak suggested to Hewlett Packard (his employer at the time) the idea of creating a personal computer. He was rejected, so he and his friend Steve Jobs got to work themselves on their dream of individual creativity for each user.

Martin Luther King had a dream that someday we would all be equal.

When Michael Phelps was 7 years old, he had a dream that there were no limits on what he could achieve.

Did these world-class performers meet all of the criteria of S.M.A.R.T. goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely)? No. They dreamt big and worked every day like that dream was possible, even through massive setbacks and failures.

Here are a couple of reasons why YOU should dream big too:

1.)  Broad to Narrow:
When you dream big, are more optimistic, and shoot for the stars, you are more aware of opportunities that present themselves. This broad awareness may lead you to be more confident and throw your hat...

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