CREATING CHANGE – “A SCHOOL OF SUCCESS”
As with anything you want to grow in, it will require a sacrifice of your time and energy
- If we determine to lose weight, we will have to change our eating habits and lifestyle
- If we want to gain a degree in college, it requires us to apply ourselves diligently, taking time for classes, studies and exams
- If we want job promotions, we have to work hard, learn our position well and go the extra mile
Try to look at this endeavor as a “school of success”. If you want to take your life and your career to the next level, you will need to
- Be deliberate and methodical in managing your time
- Stay committed to daily learning and growth
- Set measurable goals and take steps to complete them
- Develop a vision and use it to keep your focus
- Be open to changing or adding new habits and routines
Maintain a resolve to Do Whatever it Takes! The whole process begins when you “feed your brain” exactly what it needs to grow and avoid those things that cause it to feel fearful, doubtful or uncertain.
One philosophy I find very useful in doing whatever it takes is to keep telling myself, “If you are too comfortable, you are not growing.” Like the earlier example about driving in Europe, if we are truly honest with ourselves, we can look back and see that those uncomfortable moments in life are where we find the most growth.
Years ago, I was at a crossroads in my career forcing me to make some very difficult decisions about my own success routine. I wanted to take my career to the next level and financially, I just had to. I was working morning until night trying to pull all the pieces together to make it happen. I had made some progress but it just wasn’t happening fast enough. Furthermore, the progress I did make seemed meager for the efforts I was putting forth. Thoughts of doubt and fear constantly badgered me as I pushed on utilizing my experience, education and raw willpower on a day to day to bring about some kind of success.
There finally came a day of decision for me. On that day, I clenched my fists, gritted my teeth and said to myself, “No More! I will not lose one more thing! I am going to do whatever it takes, no matter what it costs me!” That was the decision that influenced me to start looking at my routine, habits and vision from a different perspective. I was no longer “just interested” in going to the next level, I was committed.
This mind shift is the foundation for drastic change. At that point, I began a “Morning Power Hour” that altered my state of mind and infused me with a sort of “super power” which became the foundation to multiplying my business by 200% in less than six months!
MY MORNING POWER HOUR
Building a brand-new routine takes discipline, commitment and perseverance. When I first developed the morning portion of my success routine, I determined to wake up an hour and a half earlier each day (4:30am) and create my own “power hour” filled with exercise, prayer, affirmations and insightful podcasts. The mental exercise prepared me to start my day with an outstanding mind set, while the physical exercise empowered my brain and body to become more alert, creative and clear. Within a few weeks, I noticed more energy to tackle the day as well as relief from brain fatigue and brain fog.
Both physical and biological evidence proves that physical exercise triggers the pituitary gland, which then floods our bodies and our brains with endorphins. This produces an “energized mental high”. In fact, studies find that a good dose of endorphins can be 200 times more powerful than morphine. (This is covered in greater detail in later chapters.)
In the beginning, it was not easy for me at all. For the first month, I stood sleepy-eyed in the bathroom arguing with myself and wanting to go back to bed. Sometimes, I even succumbed to the temptation, convincing myself that sleep was more important. After approximately four weeks of persistence, I began to really notice a difference and my “why” (vision) became bigger and bigger. The combination of my “why’ and the new habit that was now forming helped me stay determined to stick with it despite how I was feeling on any particular morning. This is how I was able to increase my business by 200% in such a small about of time. Years later, I still keep this incredibly valuable routine, Monday through Friday, every week and I love it! Never give up. The payoff is worth it!
What do you do when you arise in the morning? What time do you start your day? Do you find the beginning of your day energizing and positive or hurried and negative? Perhaps it’s time for a change.
Written by the Author of “Your Journey to Greatness Through Routine; A Guide to Building a Success Routine” – Michelle L Steffes
