Author: Joe Barnes
1 Weird Hack that will Massively Increase your Motivation
Do you believe in time travel?
I do!
Not in a ‘Back to the Future’ sense of the word (although wouldn’t that be cool), but I do believe in our ability to go back into our minds and memories and relive experiences from the past.
Some of you will know that, when I’m not running this website and promoting my book, I work as a hypnotherapist. One of the techniques I trained in is called Time Line Therapy.
This technique, created by NLP Master Trainer Tad James, asks the client to go back through their memories to a significant emotional event connected with the problem state they are experiencing in the present. For example, a person terrified of public speaking might go back to a humiliating childhood memory, of being laughed at, while trying to speak in front of a class at school.
They are then asked, ‘What’s the one learning that the you now, would tell the you back then, that were they to live it, would completely free them from this feeling of X (whatever the problem state might be)?’ If the client successfully embraces this learning, their subconscious is then updated and they are freed from an emotion that has been holding them back for years.
This is a simplified explanation of Time Line Therapy (and if you want a more detailed idea of how it works then watch this video of Tad James in action) but the point is that, through our minds, time travel is possible.
If you can get into a relaxed enough state, and focus clearly on a powerful memory from the past, after a while, you will be drawn deeply into that memory so that it begins to feel real.
You then have two options. You can just enjoy, or experience (if it’s a bad one), the memory. Or, you can use the Time Line Therapy question above and try to work out what you needed in order to successfully progress through what you were experiencing.
I’ve been using this hack a lot lately with some amazing results. I wander back in my mind to some key moments in my development, centered around the time when I first started getting intuitions about what I felt was my life’s purpose, and then ask this question, ‘What would I have done back then if I’d had the knowledge that I now possess?’
You see, back then, I wasn’t the person that I am now. Although I had this embryonic dream of writing a best-selling personal development book, it was also one of the darkest times in my life (I was 22 at the time and had just finished University).
I was lost and full of self-doubt. On top of that, I had these doubts echoed to me on a daily basis by careers advisers, parents and an environment of lack (lack of supportive friends, lack of my own money, lack of any contacts or ideas on how to break into the personal development industry).
As a result, my progress was incredibly slow. It was a case of one step forward, nine tenths of a step back. I doubted every decision (or proposed decision) I made and had to test the water with everything I did (rather than diving straight in, learning from my mistakes, and making progress).
With this approach, it’s hardly a surprise that the meteoric rise to the top I frequently imagined, never occurred.
But it could have done! And this is the point.
If only I’d known back then, what I know now, my progress would have been so much quicker. If I’d approached my dream with the energy that I now possess, I could have halved the time which I took to achieve it.
I don’t want you to fall into the same trap as you advance in the quest to live your dreams.
My problem was self-doubt but there could be any one (or more) of an array of problem states that currently block or slow your path. How can you tackle them?
As crazy as it sounds, by using the technique above!
Altering the Course of Your History
Right now, I want you to recall a pivotal time in your life, when you had the opportunity to make significant progress or alter the course of your life in a positive way, yet you didn’t take full advantage of it.
Drift back into the memory. Focus on where you were and what you could see. Remember the possibilities and excitement of the time. Try and recall what you were doing. You’re looking for a specific memory. The more you focus on it, the more real it will feel. Close your eyes if it helps (it probably will!).
Now ask yourself this question, ‘What would I have done back then if I had the knowledge that I now possess?’
Now see yourself doing it. Rewrite your own history and feel the excitement of putting that knowledge into action.
Then, once you’ve immersed yourself in the experience, write down your answer.
For help doing this, read the following example. It’s taken from my ‘success diary’, that I’ve been keeping since September 2002, and is an account of me going through the process outlined above.
The entry for the 1st May 2016 reads as follows:
The event I was thinking about last night was from May 2002. A month away from finishing at Manchester University, I was in the Library on the first or second floor, staring out of the window pondering my future. I was starting to feel alive again after having spent the last 3 years in another time and place. The power of my dream was calling me and I could feel the excitement of its possibilities. However, I didn’t throw myself into it wholeheartedly. There was too much doubt, delay and confusion in my mind.
If only, if only I could go back there now. I would attack my dreams full tilt. I’d have knuckled down and written my book [referring to what was to become Escape The System] in 6 months. It wouldn’t have been perfect but at least I’d have had something. I’d then have started promoting myself by starting up groups and perhaps gained a life coaching qualification. Then, as my skills developed, and my writing became more refined, I’d have got a publishing deal by 2006.
I’ve got to stop there because it’s pointless saying what I would have done. I can’t go back. All I’ve got is now. And as of today, I must approach my dream full tilt. Risk everything and don’t hold back. I can’t do anything about 2002, but, sure as hell, I can do something about today. Throw yourself into it. If these 14 years have taught me one thing, it’s that I never fail by taking risks to advance my dream. I fail when I delay and opportunities (and life) pass me by.
I highlighted my key learning (and answer to the question posed above) in bold. I’ve then taken that knowledge and lived it every day since the 1st May this year.
As a result, my motivation has increased immensely and I no longer fear cutting back on higher paying tennis coaching and hypnotherapy clients to make time to work on my greater, but less well paid (at the moment), dream of becoming a best-selling author. Experience has taught me that taking risks works and that removes any reservations I have about what I stand to lose. Therefore, my mind is clear and I’m free to act, certain in the knowledge that my actions will bring success.
Don’t Keep Repeating the Same Mistakes!
My learning demanded that I take greater risks and attack my dream with unrestrained energy.
What did yours teach you?
In whatever way you can, I urge you to apply that knowledge.
The increased motivation it provides is immense. How could it not be? Here you are, in exactly the same position as you were in the memory I asked you to recall (i.e. with an amazing opportunity to advance your life) but now you have the chance to benefit from your increased wisdom.
What could be more motivating or exciting?
You see, in some way, we do have the opportunity to go back and correct our mistakes from the past. We do it by taking on board the lessons they’ve taught us and then acting on them NOW.
(Image taken from Ape Lad photostream on flickr.com)
Is Setting up a Facebook ‘Fan Page’ a Waste of your Time?
I now have over 1000 ‘Likes’ for my Facebook Fan Page – Yay!
Cue fist pump, celebrations and fireworks!
While I’m being slightly sarcastic in my jubilation, I should pause for a moment to reflect on this minor achievement.
I remember when I started; getting 100 Likes seemed an impossibly huge number. Now (after a considerable amount of time), the page seems to be growing without putting too much effort in. (I intended to write this article as soon as I reached 1000 but in the elapsed time, I’ve gained an additional 253 ‘Likes’ for my page).
But what does it all mean?
A boost for my ego?
A legitimate method of driving traffic to my website?
A chance to positively impact people’s lives?
A means to impress potential publishers with my reach/following?
What’s the value of a Facebook Fan Page?
In this brutally honest article I will share my experiences of going from 30 to 1000 ‘Likes’ and how this has (or hasn’t) impacted my business.
My hope is that I might inform those of you who are considering setting up a Fan Page and putting a considerable amount of time into growing it. It will also provide a useful resource for those struggling with 100 or 200 ‘Likes’ and wondering whether it’s worth continuing. Finally, if you have an interest in internet marketing, you may also find it useful.
DISCLAIMER: Before I begin my story and subsequent analysis, I want to make something clear. I am NOT an expert or authority on internet marketing. My fields are personal development, writing and coaching. However, much to my chagrin, I have had to learn something about marketing in order to promote my work. It’s these hard earned lessons that I will now impart.
The Backstory
I set up my Facebook Fan Page back in December 2012. I’d been active on Facebook (of sorts, I really had no clue how to promote myself or business when I first started) with a Profile Page since December 2011. With the 150 or so friends I acquired during that time, I launched my Fan Page by asking all of them to ‘Like’.
To my surprise, 30 of them did and since then it’s been up and running and I’ve been updating it consistently (although not manically) with an average of 2 to 4 posts per week.
I post on personal development (with a rebellious twist) and occasionally promote my book, blog and videos. The page is called Escape the System (hint hint, please add to my ‘likes’ ; ), although I initially launched it under the name of my website which is Screw the System. (I changed the name before it got to 200 ‘Likes’ which was Facebook’s cut off point at the time – after that number it was locked).
It’s taken me an astounding 3 years and 5 months to grow it to 1000 ‘Likes’.
I’ll now share with you the key moments and how I’ve reached this exalted number.
Key Moments
Let’s start with content.
Although I say so myself, my content has always been dynamite! Straight from the get-go I was posting useful, inspiring and thought provoking snippets of information. Hours were spent scouring Facebook or the internet for the perfect image and quote. I’d then add my own 2 cents with carefully thought out prose elaborating on the image.
I wanted to be original, you see. It wasn’t enough to just post an image or write some self-help cliche like a lot of the other popular pages did. I had to go the extra mile and write a paragraph or two.
W.A.S.T.E. O.F. T.I.M.E.
What I didn’t realise was that I was a ‘nobody’. Not in the sense that I didn’t have any value, but in the sense that nobody knew or trusted my name or brand. It could have been the Dalai Lama posting for me and it wouldn’t have made a damn bit of difference. All people saw (if they saw anything at all because my reach was so small) was a page with 100 or so ‘Likes’ and thought I was insignificant.
I could have put my precious time into far more productive methods of building an audience. Instead, I spent hours and hours updating my status and getting frustrated over how poorly some genuinely valuable content was being received.
Having said all that, my Fan Page did slowly grow. As the months passed, a trickle of ‘Likes’ and a modicum of engagement began to build.
Then, in about October 2013, Facebook slashed its organic reach.
When I first started my page, roughly 16% of the people who ‘Liked’ it would see my updates. By October 2013, it was estimated to be 12%, and by February 2014, it was down to a pathetic 6%.
As a result, I noticed a significant decline in both the rate at which people ‘liked’ my page and the engagement that my posts were getting (likes, shares and comments). My page was stalling at around 200 ‘Likes’ and I didn’t know what to do.
Then, out of the blue, a big hearted dude called Joe Cusimano stepped in and gave the page a massive boost.
Joe is a rapper, singer and activist from the UK who runs a variety of cool Facebook pages – The Lovelution, Global Freedom Movement, Unofficial David Icke. We got in contact through the comments section of another page and struck up a friendship.
I was amazed and truly grateful for what he did. With no ulterior motive, he invited many of the friends and followers from his multitude of pages to ‘Like’ Escape the System.
In the space of about a month, I was close to 500 ‘Likes’ and the engagement rates were higher than ever. This boost gave me back my pre Oct’13 momentum and I continued in the same vein until the 15th October 2015.
At this point, I had my first truly viral post.
Previously, I’d managed to get some of my posts to reach between 2000 and 4000 people despite only having 700 ‘Likes’. My ‘George Carlin’ post, however, reached a whopping 181,224 people.
I can’t really claim to know how I did this. George Carlin videos typically do well on my page (as do most short videos, with relevant content, that have had an impact on similar pages). I didn’t write too long a comment (as opposed to my early mistake of crafting paragraphs). I only shared it on my Profile Page and the rest of its reach came through other people sharing from Escape the System.
The impact of this post was over 150 ‘Likes’ for my page (in the space of a couple of weeks), bringing me within reach of the Holy Grail of 1000 ‘Likes’.
The Supporters of David Icke and his Work got me over the finish line. Joe informed me about this closed group, telling me he’d had some great results by simply sharing his posts on the platform. I found this hard to believe because, typically, closed groups had proved as fruitful as a desert in dry season.
However, for reasons unbeknownst to me, this one was different. I shared posts as myself (Joe Barnes) from my Escape The System page and sat back and watched as 30 to 40 ‘Likes’ were added to my page per post. I didn’t want to push my luck so I limited it to about 1 share a week and this saw me cross the finish line of 1000 ‘Likes’ by the end of April 2016.
The Impact
Now that you’ve read about my epic journey from 30 to 1000 ‘Likes’, you’re probably keen to know the impact this has had on my work.
If you’re new to this blog then you might not be aware that I run a website and sell a book aimed at helping people to break free from a life of conformity and find (and pursue) their dreams.
How has my Facebook Fan Page helped my promotion?
The quick answer is, not much.
I want you to look at the picture below
Check the stats in the column on the right. They reveal the activity on my page for the last week and display a post reach of 16,639. This, for me, is very high (in the past it wasn’t uncommon to barely see 3 digits), yet if you look 2 rows down you’ll see something shocking.
Yep, you read it right, of those 16,639 people that my posts have reached, ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THEM have signed up or even clicked on my website to discover more.
Nothing. Nada. Nobody is interested.
And this isn’t uncommon. Remember that ‘George Carlin’ viral post I told you about in the previous section? The one with the 181,224 reach.
How many subscribers do you think that got me for my website?
Even if we’re talking 0.1% of the total then that’s a fair few sign ups, right?
Well, you guessed it, a big fat zero.
You see I’ve noticed something about various social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) over the years – they are, largely, worlds existing unto themselves. Or, in other words, I don’t see much referral traffic coming from any of these sites, to my website, no matter how well a post, tweet or video of mine does.
Now you may think I’m an isolated case – An independent, one man team operating without any great marketing skill (especially at the start). And, to some extent, you’d be right. However, in September 2014 I read an article on Jon Morrow’s SmartBlogger website (11 Traffic Techniques that are a Waste of Time for Beginners) that had a huge impact on my thinking and marketing strategy.
It confirms my statement about social media sites being pretty crap at generating traffic for your website. In fact, it goes even further, stating that unless you already have 1000 subscribers to your website then there’s little point having a social media presence at all (as a traffic generating method).
Now, I don’t know why great engagement on my Facebook Fan Page equates to little engagement on my website, or sales of my book, but the evidence is undeniable. All those hours I spent trying to come up with something inspiring and thought provoking to engage people with were, largely, a waste of time (if we’re analysing it purely from the perspective of promoting my business).
That being said, I wouldn’t be giving you an accurate account if I claimed that my Facebook Fan Page didn’t generate any interest in my wider work. Here’s a quick summary of the positives.
1. It is, by far, the best social media site (compared to Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn) for driving traffic to my website, with an impressive 82% of social media visits coming from Facebook. However, I must add that I can’t distinguish whether these visits are from my Profile or Fan Page.
2. People visiting my website from social media (which, in my case, equates to Facebook!) are more engaged with my work, tending to spend treble the amount of time scouring through the pages than they do if they came from an organic or direct search.
3. I’ll sometimes notice a new users name, who’s liked my Escape the System page, then appear on my subscriber list when I make my weekly check.
4. Social media sources typically account for 15% of the total traffic to my site so it would be inaccurate to claim they drive no traffic at all.
Final Assessment
If you’re just starting out with a website or business and wondering whether it’s worth setting up a Facebook Fan Page to promote your work, you’ll probably want to know whether, if I could go back and do it all again, I would bother creating one.
My answer to this is no!
When it comes to promoting your work, Facebook Fan Pages take up too much time for too little reward.
Just stick with your Facebook Profile Page. The visibility of your work among your friends and followers is far greater, and if you do reach the point where you’re getting popular, and reaching the Facebook limit of permitted friends (around 5000 people), then you can always create a Fan Page.
Don’t, whatever you do, spend hours creating great, engaging content and then wonder why nobody seems interested. It’s not that your page is rubbish; it’s just that the odds are massively stacked against it ever reaching a substantial amount of people since Facebook slashed their organic reach.
Of course, you could pay for Facebook Ads (the whole reason why Facebook slashed organic reach) but why would you want to spend your money on promoting a page that doesn’t drive a lot of traffic to your website? Surely it would be far better spending the money promoting your website or a product you’re launching? (I can’t give you a detailed breakdown of the effectiveness of Facebook Ads and I have yet to use them).
After reading that, you’re probably wondering why the hell I persist with my Fan Page. Shouldn’t I just follow my own advice and stop wasting my time with it?
My answer to that is that I have an entirely different approach to my Fan Page now. Instead of hours being spent on it each week, it gets a total of about half an hour. I find a video with a great message, or an image with an inspiring/controversial quote, add my own quick opinion and post.
I consider half an hour, for the small interest that it does generate in my wider work, worthwhile.
Plus, having a Facebook Fan Page with 1253 ‘Likes’ looks a lot more impressive than having one with 500 or 200 ‘Likes’. While I’m under no illusion that gaining 1000 ‘Likes’ for your Facebook Fan Page makes you a player in your industry, I can’t deny that, in general, people are fooled by the illusion of numbers.
See something with mass support and it must be good, right? See something with only 100 people interested and it must be of little value.
I hate that I’ve written these lines but I would be lying if I said I’d never fallen victim to this type of thinking and that, from my observations, most of the world seems to think this way.
So, my advice, dear reader, if you already have a Fan Page and it’s growing and providing you with a modicum of traffic for your website, and people are enjoying the content (the importance of this shouldn’t be overlooked), is that you should keep going but don’t invest too much time. There are far more effective ways to generate interest in your work. Unfortunately, this article is not the forum to discuss them. However, if you click on the subscribe button below, then it won’t be long until you receive my next marketing piece on ‘How to get your first 1000 Subscribers to your Website’ where I will go into great detail about the secret to growing your readership.
Thanks for reading and please share this with anyone you think will benefit.
(image taken from Esther Vargas photostream on flickr.com)
How the ‘Muhammad Ali Mind-Set’ will help you Live your Dreams
Last weekend, I went to the Muhammad Ali exhibition at the O2 in London.
I left the venue buzzing. Not only was I dazzled by Ali’s boxing prowess and career, I was awed by the strength he showed in standing up for what he believed in and touched by his humanity.
But I also left the venue in a deep state of thought. Many of Ali’s quotes were plastered around the walls and most of them referenced his incredible self-belief. He went around telling people he was ‘The Greatest’ and this was even before he won a championship belt.
Read the quote below (taken from the exhibition).
Amazing, isn’t it? He was a kid from Kentucky who believed in himself and went on to conquer the world.
How was he able to do this? What was so unique about Ali?
Of course, his physical attributes and hard work played a massive role but there are plenty of other athletes who share these qualities.
So I want to focus on something else that Ali seemed unique in possessing, or was at least the undisputed king in this field – self-talk!
“I’m the greatest of all-times.”
“I’m so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.”
“I’m gonna show you how great I am.”
“I am the king of the world.”
These were just some of the affirmations he would tell himself, his opponents and the media. Some were funny, some seemed arrogant but they were all fueled by a divine certainty in himself and his abilities.
I now want to explore the implications of adopting Ali style self-talk and delve deeper into the possibilities of you becoming great through using his method.
How do you see yourself?
I’m from the UK and, in general, we’re a pretty miserable bunch. I’ve grown up in a society where it’s more socially acceptable to put yourself down than to dare say something positive about your abilities.
I’m used to hearing people say,
“I’m rubbish at that.”
“I’m not good enough.”
“I couldn’t do that.”
It’s considered OK to tell people about your perceived weaknesses but a sign of thinking you’re better than others if you vocalize a belief in yourself.
How crazy is that? We’d rather encourage playing small, in the misguided belief that others will feel safe around us, than tell (and show) the world how great we are and give other people permission to let their light shine.
I doubt such an attitude is restricted exclusively to the UK. My country may be an extreme example but how many cultures encourage positive self-talk?
Not many, I would wager, and this is the problem.
You don’t get to be great by telling yourself that you’re rubbish!
Could there be millions of us talking ourselves out of greatness?
I think so!
And as it turns out, I’m not alone in my thinking.
Two giants of the personal development world list identity or self-image (basically how we see ourselves) as the main factor in determining a person’s level of success.
Tony Robbins, with his best-selling books, seminars with an accumulated total of well over a million attendees and celebrity roster of coaching clients, has this to say about identity,
Then there’s Dr Maxwell Matlz, who’s 30 million plus selling book, Psycho-Cybernetics, is based upon the idea that people conform to their self-image.
His is an interesting perspective because he was originally introduced to the importance of self-image through his work as a plastic surgeon. He discovered that while some clients were delighted with the results of their surgery, and, as a result, adopted a more confident and outgoing persona, others would experience no change in their confidence levels despite their operation being a success.
This led him to the conclusions that self-image was more important than actual image. He could remove or correct what the patient viewed as an ugly disfigurement, yet if the patient still saw themselves as ‘ugly’, then their self-esteem wouldn’t change.
Both Robbins and Maltz’s findings concur with my experiences as a hypnotherapist.
The most difficult part in helping a smoker give up their habit was convincing them of their new identity as a non-smoker. Often, changing the behavior wasn’t too difficult as most could go without smoking for a short to medium period of time. However, if that change was to last then they had to believe they were non-smokers. If they still identified as a smoker they might abstain for a couple of months but the pull of their identity would be too great for them to maintain their resistance.
The significance of all these examples is that we build our identity, or create a self-image, partly through self-talk. Constantly tell yourself that you are ‘The Greatest’ and you’ll unleash your limitless potential. However, tell yourself that you’re ‘not good enough’ or ‘rubbish’ or ‘ugly’ and you’ll unwittingly inflict a life time of self-sabotage on your efforts.
Mastering your Self-Talk
So how will you apply what you’ve learned today? It might wear a little thin if you’re constantly telling friends, colleagues and anyone who’ll listen about how amazing you are and accompanying it with a quick ‘Ali shuffle’.
So I suggest that in some (but not all) cases you keep your positive self-talk to yourself.
- Anytime you’re confronted with a work challenge, or are learning a new skill, you can gently remind yourself, ‘I can do this’.
- When you’re playing a match, or competing at a discipline, you can repeat the words, ‘I’m a champion.’
- Before you take to the stage to deliver a talk, or get up in front of your colleagues to give a presentation, you can tell yourself, ‘My words inspire.’
There are hundreds of small phrases that you can focus on in daily situations to reinforce the message that you have the ability to achieve anything you desire.
Of course, you have to feel them as well.
Think back to how Ali used to talk about himself. He would shout and holler, ‘I’m the Greatest of all-times.’ In some interviews he looked manic but it was this depth of feeling that turned mere words into a powerful identity.
It’s also important to note that there will be times when it’s appropriate to vocalize the belief you have in yourself. If someone at work asks you whether you can handle a particular job, if a prospective client wants to know if you can help them, if an organizer is asking you whether you’re ready to speak at their event, and you believe you are and can, THEN DAMN WELL TELL THEM. Don’t play small and say ‘maybe’ or ‘I’ll do my best.’
Look them in the eye and tell them that you’re the real deal and you can get the job done.
Let’s make a start right now, shall we?
In the comment section below I want you to tell me one thing you’re really good at or have done. And if you have a website promoting this skill then by all means leave a link.
I’ll start it off so no one feels awkward. You then follow my lead and from this day forward, start positively affirming your abilities and NEVER put yourself down!
The 16 Things I Learned Working 20 Hours a Week Building a Business in 2015 (while still having a regular job)
I did it!!!!
That picture you see is me celebrating achieving my New Year’s resolution for 2015. At the start of the year, I set myself the goal of working on average 20 hours a week building my business, EVERY WEEK, for the whole year (while still working a regular job).
I’ve got to be honest, it was tough. It required a huge amount of discipline and a surprising amount of planning too. In the process, I learned a lot, both about myself, and what it takes to achieve your goals and New Year’s resolutions.
I will share these discoveries with you now. My hope is that it will give you the motivation to set and stick to your own New Year’s resolutions, the information on what to expect and the proof that it’s worthwhile.
And the lessons I’ve learned from this one year journey can be applied to any area. While my experiment focused on the benefits to building a business, these lessons will apply just as readily to someone looking lose weight, implement a regular exercise routine, enforce regular meditation or do anything on a consistent basis, throughout the year, while having multiple pressures on their time.
So basically, what I’m saying is, if you have a goal to achieve in 2016 then you need to read this!
Before we Start
Before we dive into the list, let me clarify a few things.
Firstly, when I say ‘building a business’, I’m referring to all work on my Screw the System project. This means blogging, updating my book, creating videos (here’s one related to this post), updating social media, attending and giving talks and coaching (not my hypnotherapy though).
Secondly, my ‘regular job’ is not regular (more on the relevance of this as we delve into the list). My main source of income is through tennis coaching and then hypnotherapy. I make a small amount of money (book sales) through the Screw the System project but it is certainly not enough to live on. (However, through the solid foundation I’ve built during 2015, I look to 2016 as the year I’ll earn half my income through StS).
Thirdly, I did not work 20 hours a week on building my business every week. It was an average. During the spring and summer it was more like 15 hours a week, while during the Autumn and Winter it got up to 25 hours and occasionally more.
To record my hours, I ticked a page in my diary (see pic) to keep up to date with my progress. On completing a block of 2 hours 45 minutes, I would tick that day off as complete.
Why did I choose 2 hours 45 minutes?
Add that up over 7 days and it comes to approximately 20 hours for the week. It was a figure inspired by reading an article on Jon Morrow’s site Boost Blog Traffic. He states that in order to create a successful blog (with a huge amount of traffic), you have to be prepared to put in 20 to 40 hours work a week for 4 to 6 years.
So, now you’ve got the background info, let’s get into the list.
1. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE IF I’D WORKED A REGULAR JOB!
I have the upmost respect for anybody building a business, or creating a dream, whilst working a regular 9 to 5 job. I couldn’t do it!
We all know that a 9 to 5 is rarely a 9 to 5. When you include travel, and the strong likelihood you’ll be required to work overtime, you’ll probably be occupied from the hours of seven thirty in the morning to roughly seven thirty or eight at night. That gives you one quality hour a night to build your business (if you’re extremely motivated and don’t have any other interests) and means you’ll have to work 15 hours over the weekend.
As I said earlier, over a sustained period of time, there’s no way I could have done this (and I like to consider myself a highly motivated person).
2. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IN CHARGE OF YOUR TIME
The only way I could dedicate 20 hours a week to building my business, while working others jobs, was to be in complete control of my time. On average, throughout the year, my combined ‘regular job’ of tennis coaching and hypnotherapy probably occupied a little over 30 hours a week. However, I got to set my hours. Typically, I’d have every week day morning between the hours of 9 and 1 free to work on building my business.
This was probably the number one reason for me achieving my goal. Do not underestimate the importance of working less time and earning less money if it allows you to focus on something you consider to be your higher purpose!
3. THIS WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF I’D TAKEN A VACATION!
For the whole of 2015, I never went abroad. I had about four weekends away either visiting my Grandma or going somewhere with my girlfriend. The rest of the time I was at home.
This may horrify some of you who work ‘regular jobs’ and use the thought of their next vacation as motivation to get through what can otherwise be a monotonous year. However, to paraphrase Seth Godin, when you’re living and creating ‘a life you don’t need to escape from’, you don’t really miss vacations.
4. I NEVER FELT ‘BURNT OUT’
Baring my few weekends away, I had no time off during 2015. I worked pretty consistently for 50 hours a week, EVERY week of the year. However, I never felt ‘burnt out’.
How could this be?
The simple answer is that all of my work inspires me. I don’t believe it’s hard work that makes you tired. It’s demotivating work that drains you. Working hard on something that inspires you makes you stronger.
5. I LOVE AND NEED MY SLEEP
I achieved this goal while regularly sleeping 8 hours a night (occasionally less, rarely more). I don’t believe that cutting down on sleep, or taking supplements so that you can work longer, is a route to greater productivity. Being fully alert and happy is the route to greater productivity, and over a sustained period of time, this can only be achieved by sleeping well.
6. I LOVE AND NEED MY EXERCISE
As is the case with number 5, this was something I wasn’t prepared to sacrifice. You can read about my exercise routine and why I feel it should never be sacrificed to the demands of a job here. I’m certain that my strict adherence to it was vital in recharging my mind and keeping me full of energy.
7. IT GOT EASIER AS THE YEAR WENT ON
This is something everybody who disciplines themselves to do something that, on occasions, they’d rather not do, experiences. There were times when I wanted to veg out and watch TV or browse the internet, but the more I forced myself to work, the more I enjoyed it.
It becomes a habit and this bodes well for anyone wanting to alter their eating habits, exercise more or cut out an addiction. Keep going because it gets easier.
8. IT WAS EASIER BECAUSE I KEPT TRACK OF MY PROGRESS
You’ve seen the picture of my diary above. This was a big big reason I completed my goal. I felt a huge wave of motivation every time I ticked a day off. It made me hungry for the next one.
9. PUTTING IN THE HOURS PAYS OFF
As a result of achieving this goal, I gained more subscribers in 2015 than I did in the previous two and a half years combined.
Previous to this year, the hours I put in were sporadic. I’d put in the odd 20 hours a week when I was working on something time sensitive, but then might only put in 5 hours a week when I was busy tennis coaching during the summer. Making sure there was never a time when I was putting in less than 15 hours a week this year was vital to maintaining my momentum. And as any sports person knows, momentum brings results.
10. PUTTING IN THE HOURS DOESN’T PAY OFF
Hard work alone doesn’t bring results. Although the jump in my subscriber rate was pleasing, my book sales didn’t match this growth and overall, I didn’t achieve the impact I’d hoped that amount of work would.
What’s the conclusion?
Smart work is essential. I wasted too much time messing around with social media when it could have been more effectively used writing guest posts for other sites.
11. SET YOURSELF MINI GOALS WITHIN THE TIME YOU WORK
This links to the concept of working smart. If you want to make the most out of a 2 hour time slot, then set yourself a task to achieve within that time frame. For example, I now insist on writing 300 publishable words per hour for any of my blog posts or books. It stops me daydreaming and made December of 2015 my most productive month by far.
12. PLANNING IS CRUCIAL TO ACHIEVING ANY GOAL
This was the biggest surprise to me. Working hard wasn’t the difficult part. Looking at my calendar and figuring out what ‘paid work’ I’d have to cancel, to fit in my hours, was. It was a constant juggling act. I didn’t want to piss off any of my tennis or hypnotherapy clients yet I knew that if I didn’t carefully manage my time, and say NO to extra work and social events, then I’d never achieve my goal
13. DISCIPLINE BEATS INSPIRATION EVERY TIME
I’ve tried the whole, ‘work when the inspiration hits you’ approach. Problem is, the inspiration doesn’t strike enough. It’s far better to have a set schedule for you business building work. If you’re feeling inspired, great; if not, well then at least you still get some work done.
14. RELATIONSHIPS WILL SUFFER UNLESS YOU’RE VERY VIGILANT
I’m close to my parents, have one girlfriend and three close friends. I don’t have time for anything more. I even worry that I don’t give enough time to these relationships – my girlfriend would certainly say so!But what’s success for? So that you can reach the top of the mountain and enjoy being there by yourself?
This is why, no matter what, you have to maintain your relationships and humanity. Sacrificing a friend in need for your own work is not an option. However, realise that you might come close to doing this on many occasions. Just be vigilant!
15. THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS THAN MONEY
I could have earned an extra $20,000 this year if I focused solely on tennis coaching and hypnotherapy. Some of you may find it insane that I consider myself richer for having put that time to use building my business.
I believe time will prove this to be a worthy financial investment but it isn’t all about the money. The feedback I’ve received from some of you concerning the impact of my book and work has given me a sense of satisfaction I struggle to put into words. You don’t get to walk this higher path when financial concerns are the driving force behind your decisions.
16. ACHIEVING THIS GOAL WAS AN INCREDIBLE BOOST TO MY SELF-ESTEEM
Sitting here, writing this blog post in early 2016, I feel incredibly strong. Part of that comes from knowing I’m a person who can set himself a goal and achieve it. I feel good about myself and I want you to feel good about yourself too.
So find a goal for 2016 that has a deep personal meaning to you, and will benefit your life in some way, and set out on a mission to achieve it. Do not sway in your commitment, and do not compromise the goal for anything, and I guarantee that this time next year you will have been hugely enriched by the experience.
Why you shouldn’t Trust Authority
You’ve been lied to your entire life.
It’s likely that everything you’ve been told by your parents, teachers, colleagues and friends about how the world works, and your role within it, is inaccurate hearsay designed to protect you from dangers that don’t exist; or in the case of the government, media and religion, control you in order to support the agenda of a tiny global elite.
The whole play it safe, get a well-paid job, don’t cause any trouble, work hard, follow the crowd and respect authority line; nine times out of ten, is going to lead you to a boring, meaningless life where the only rewards up for grabs are security and comfort.
If that’s something you don’t want then it’s about time you started rejecting almost everything authority figures have to say. They ARE NOT trying to help you. They are trying to control you (or manipulate you into buying their products). And when they genuinely are trying to help you, the position they come from is so entrenched in fear that their advice will do nothing but hold you back.
But how can I say this with such certainty and why should you listen to me?
Because I have proof. I have proof that The System we are taught to respect, revere and believe in; lies, screws people over and is open to manipulation by those in authority.
Some of this proof may, or may not, be news to you. It doesn’t matter. I’m documenting it here so that you can be struck by the magnitude of the sham we are led to believe in.
My hope is that by seeing this undeniable evidence laid out before you, you will be empowered. You will realise that you no longer have to play by The System’s rules and start to operate by your own.
The Proof
I will now present you with three examples that demonstrate the extent of The System’s lies. They focus on some of The System’s major institutions and make a mockery of the notion that they operate for our greater good.
1. The Police and Justice System
The most obvious example of why the police shouldn’t have our implicit trust can be seen with the recent spate of brutality cases. With Officer Slam, the death of Eric Garner and the jaywalking teenager video all making the news, we’ve seen the fallible side of the police force, filled with flawed individuals, and more in need of reform than respect.
Sadly, this is only part of the problem though. The travesty of justice that is The War on Drugs raises further questions about whether the authority of the police and judicial system should be respected.
A series of policies, first enacted by Nixon in the 70s, has led to a situation where police officers are financially incentivised by The System to make soft drug arrests at the expense of time spent investigating more serious crimes. As a result, non-violent offenders are clogging up U.S jails at ever increasing rates. Some receive outrageous mandatory minimum sentences, fuelled by ignorant hysteria whipped up by the media, with the outcome of depriving hundreds of thousands of people of their liberty, enraging communities and creating an underclass more likely to engage in crime now that a criminal record severely restricts their employment opportunities.
The politicians and corporations don’t care though. The former can swagger around pretending to the electorate that they are tough on crime and the latter get to profit from a source of cheap labour.
So remember, when the police take the oath to serve and protect, you must consider on whose behalf.
2. Science
Science has become God in the western world with it’s findings, discoveries and theories being accepted as The Truth by an awe struck public.
Ironic, really, when you consider that science was, at first, the anti-system voice. With its evidence based discoveries it slowly liberated the masses from the religious paradigm and all of the limiting beliefs that went with it. However, times have changed and since science has become part of The Establishment, it too has been infected by The System.
Take, for example, the recent comical news that there is little link between obesity and drinking sugary soft drinks like Coca Cola. Yes, according to some scientists, the same drink that has a secondary use as a toilet cleaner doesn’t really play a role in making you overweight.
Really? I know my scientific training is poor but I’m aware of the link between sugar consumption and weight gain.
Could it be, revered scientists, that someone is paying you to say that?
Oh yes, they are. Surprise, surprise, its Coca Cola.
While this is just as big a stain on the credibility of corporations as it is on science, I want to highlight the role of the latter because their authority rarely gets questioned.
You see this isn’t an isolated incident. There have been similar cases with the tobacco and alcohol industries and most damaging of all, the persistent denial of man-made climate change that was perpetrated by some scientists throughout the end of the 20th century.
The pattern is always the same. Corporation with zero ethics pays scientific institute to carry out ‘research’ whose findings will benefit their agenda.
What this sorry state of affairs reveals is that science is run by people, not Gods, and, in some cases, the pursuit of the dollar has become more important than the pursuit of The Truth.
3. Government
I’m sure you already distrust your government. However, just in case you need any reminding let’s revisit the Iraq War of 2003.
In this terrible conflict, the governments of the US and UK lied to their people about the existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq and then proceeded to invade the country without any legal backing.
Yet we’re raised to believe that our governments are full of highly intelligent people who know what’s best for us and uphold our treasured belief in democracy. Of course, they have to make tough decisions, with severe consequences, but they always act for the greater good.
Or do they? It’s becoming more and more apparent that they act for the interests of a tiny global elite and to mask this conflict of interest, they lie to the public. They tell us we need to be protected when the extent of their surveillance operation is revealed. They tell us we need to fight for our freedom by invading far off lands, that pose no direct threat to our people, when what they really want to do is secure new business for the corporations that back them.
They lie to us again and again and again. So why should we believe them, or believe in them?
The Solution
Ok, the rant is over. However, there was a purpose behind my attack.
I want you to finish reading this article and realise that you owe The System absolutely nothing. Not your respect, not your obedience and not your time.
In fact, you don’t have to be anything other than what you want to be and the forces that tell you otherwise are simply NOT legitimate – as I have demonstrated.
And that’s the gift I want to give you through this article – the knowledge that you don’t have to live up to authority figures standards.
My hope is that it might prevent you from signing up for the Armed forces, out of a false sense of duty, for a country that doesn’t care. My hope is that it might make you think twice about applying for that corporate job, that you have no passion for, but your parents think would be a good choice. My hope is that it’ll give you the courage NOT to go to university if you’ve got a passion elsewhere you’re keen to explore.
Happiness lies on the other side of defying authority. It comes when free from system imposed obligations, duties and the concept of what you should be doing with your life.
In order to help you get there, I want to leave you with this little reminder (see infographic to your right). I call it the Freedom Manifesto – 7 daily steps you can act on to liberate your mind and help you reach your highest potential.
Enjoy and thanks for reading!
GET YOUR FREE COURSE
If you want to discover a passion you can make a living from and overcome the fears that are holding you back, check out my free course 30 Days to Escape The System. Click here to get the course right now! (You will find the unconventional approach to developing belief and self-confidence fascinating!)
(image taken from The People Speak! photostream on flickr.com)
The Ultimate ‘unconventional’ Daily Motivation Routine for Busy People
Wake up 5am. (What!?!?)
Write down your goals for the day, meditate, repeat affirmations, do a cold plunge or jump in your cryotherapy unit, then exercise for 45 minutes to an hour. Finally, do some journaling or reading. (I’m sorry, has this morning routine just turned into exactly that – an entire morning).
Where do these personal development guru’s get time to do all of this? Why have you got to deprive yourself of sleep to be effective? And what happens if you’ve got to jump on a train at 8am to be at your job for 9am?
These were my thoughts after reading a collection of daily motivation routines from Tony Robbins to Hal Elrod to a host of other less famous figures. They seemed to bear little relevance to anyone who was busy and perhaps, counter-productive to anyone who needs to accomplish something with their day.
Do you even need a Motivation Routine?
Let’s back up a little though. I don’t want you to ge the wrong impression. Despite my opening comments, I absolutely DO believe in the power of having a daily motivation routine.They are crucially important for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, they boost your energy and get you in the right state to perform during the day.
The more I grow and break new ground in both my work, personal life and hobbies, the more I’ve come to realise that energy is everything. Don’t get me wrong, strategy and tactics are important, but energy is the X factor that helps you get the deal, win the match and convince someone of your, or your products, value.
Want to boost yours? Then get yourself a daily motivation routine. The techniques listed above (and the ones I will list below), if done correctly and repeated enough, will seep into your subconscious and make you believe in what you’re seeing, saying or writing. You’ll feel differently about yourself and this will be expressed when you meet someone new, make an important phone call or reach a decisive point in your negotiations or match. Plus, exercise and expressing your desires naturally boosts your energy. Combine all of them together and you’ll give yourself enough emotional fuel to remain productive throughout the day.
Secondly, a daily motivation routine makes you turn up every single day.
This is often overlooked when it comes to understanding the importance of these practises. Sometimes meditation doesn’t make you feel great. Sometimes your thoughts run away with you and you can’t focus on anything. And sometimes, a cold plunge or cold shower just makes you feel like a quivering wimp.
But you still turned up! You still made that commitment to improving your life and that counts for a lot.
Empires are built on this kind of daily drive. Woody Allen famously said, ‘80% of success is showing up’. Keep reaffirming your commitment to living a greater life, day after day (that’s the important part), and you immediately put yourself ahead of the 90% of people who wish that their lives got better but don’t give any mental attention to this desire.
The Rapid Results Motivation Routine
Having extolled the virtues of motivation routines, I feel I must also draw your attention to my concerns with conventional ones and present you with an alternative.
My misgivings are centred on two issues – lack of sleep and lack of time.
I see little value in waking up at 5 or 6 am, if doing so deprives you of sleep and leaves you feeling tired during the day. And if you can’t set your working hours then it’s likely you’ll have at least 10 – 11 hours of your day occupied by work, travel and preparing for work. Alongside, socialising, family time, downtime and going to the gym, how the hell are you going to fit in an hour long motivation routine?
That’s why I want to present you with a motivation routine that can be completed at any time during the day, takes no longer than 10 to 15 minutes to finish and will leave you feeling like you can conquer the world.
Step 1: Priming
I’m not against meditation and don’t wish to discourage you if you find this practise beneficial. However, I prefer to put my thoughts to use. So, at 11.45pm, just before I get into bed, I switch off all the lights and light a candle.
I then stare at this candle (very easy to focus on when there are no other light sources) and fill my mind with thoughts of what I want to achieve. I’ll picture myself selling 1 million copies of my book, getting a publishing deal and hitting perfect tennis strokes. I tend to choose one particular topic per night and focus all my attention on this. My aim is to achieve an emotional response (e.g. feeling joyful, inspired or in some cases determined) as this is evidence that my thoughts are forming a belief.
Time taken to complete: 5 – 7 minutes
Further Resources: Maxwell Maltz’s Psycho Cybernetics and a Tim Ferriss podcast with Tony Robbins where he discusses using priming (I stole the name off him). See episode 1 and then start at 26:16.
Step 2: Reciting Personal Statement
A personal statement is a short paragraph about who you are and what you are on this earth to do. It should be written as if you are already living the life you want, even if your reality reflects something different. By way of example, here’s mine,
I am devastating. My words reach millions. I am a power that shapes this world. I live the paradise I have felt so many times. I only use my power for good. I help, save and set free as many people as possible. I am a channel to bring good into this world.
Repeat your statement 3 times over with as much passion and conviction as you can muster. To make it sink into your subconscious, turn it into a performance, complete with dramatic gesticulations.
Time taken to complete: 1 minute
Further Resources: Joseph Murphy’s The Power of your Subconscious Mind and click the link here to discover how Bruce Lee used this technique to launch his film career.
Step 3: Power Pose
This technique utilises the NLP practise of anchoring to form a connection between a particular body movement and a powerful emotional feeling. For example, you might hold your arms aloft in the pose of a champion sportsperson and connect this with a deep feeling of achievement.
Use this technique to charge yourself with energy before you give an important performance and at any time during the day when you need a boost. However, do note that it takes practise to connect the pose with an empowering emotion. It may not happen first time but if you repeat it enough, a powerful connection will be formed that you can use as a resource any time you need.
Time Taken to Complete: 30 secs
Further Resources: For a clear demonstration of its use, watch my ‘I love getting high’ video.
Step 4: Motivational Playlist
If you’re pressed for time then why not use one of the most powerful emotional resources known to man – music!
Our favourite songs aren’t just entertainment. They carry deep meanings and stimulate strong emotions in our limbic system.
So get your phone or device, create a playlist of 10 or 20 of the most motivating songs in your collection and then play them at various time throughout the day. The beauty of this technique is it can be completed while getting ready, tidying your house, travelling to work and training at the gym.
By way of example, here are some of mine;
- A Minute for your Son – DMX
- Broken Wings – Mr. Mister
- A Change is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
- Gonna Fly Now – Rocky theme song
- Great High Mountain – Jack White
- I Believe I can fly – R. Kelly
- Juicy – The Notorious B.I.G
- Keep the Faith – Michael Jackson
- Keep ya Head Up – 2Pac
- Man in the Mirror – Michael Jackson
- Roll Jordan Roll – John Legend
- Slippin’ – DMX
- So Amazing – Theme song from The Hurricane
- Star Wars theme song
Step 5: The Freedom Shout
If you’ve got to the bottom of this list then you’ve probably noticed a reoccurring theme – EMOTION. A good motivation routine should leave you feeling pumped, upbeat and inspired. There are few better ways of doing this than performing The Freedom Shout.
To do it successfully, you will need to;
1. Find a scenic, dramatic location with few people around (or for daily use I suggest your car).
2. Let out the most animalistic war cry you can summon.
3. Hold it for 2 to 4 seconds and while you are shouting focus on what you want to achieve. This can be anything ranging from having love in your life, realising your dreams or just summoning all your energy.
If done correctly, you will feel awesome after performing The Freedom Shout. It cuts through all negativity and immediately raises you into an empowered state.
Time Taken to Complete: 5 seconds.
Further Resources: Watch my video which includes a demonstration.
Your Turn
If you know anyone who’s too busy to complete a daily motivation routine then please do them (and me) a favour by emailing them a link to this article.
And also, I’d like to know what techniques work best for you. Tell me in the comments section below.
Thank you for reading and sharing.
10 Movies to Help you Live your Dreams
Walking your own path can be hard. It can seem that you’re all alone, taking on a world that doesn’t give a sh#t about you or have room for your unique talents and personality. Sometimes you may wonder if you’ll ever find a place to call your own or whether, ultimately, you’ll just have to accept The System’s path and to paraphrase Wayne Dyer, ‘let the music die still in you.’
I don’t want this to happen to you. I want you to feel certain in yourself and certain in your desire to pursue a life greater than the one The System offers.
But I know you’re going to need some inspiration to do it.
That’s why I’ve compiled this list. You see I know just how easy it is to lose heart when pursuing your life’s calling. I know how easy it is to look at yourself and ask, ‘am I the one that’s crazy?’
You’re not, though, and every once in a while a piece of creative art will come along and touch that deeper, all knowing part of you and remind you what you’re actually here for.
So with that in mind, please take a look at my 10 movies to reaffirm your right to live life on your terms. From the uplifting, to the downright rebellious, you’ll find everything you need to kick start, or keep you going, towards the life of your dreams.
1. The Matrix (1999)
Main Message: ‘The Real World’ is a lie.
Ever felt like there’s something wrong with ‘reality?’
Since birth, we’ve been bombarded with messages concerning the nature of the world we live in. We’re told about the written and unwritten rules, what’s possible, what’s impossible, what’s cool and what’s not. A fixed, uniform ‘reality’ is imposed upon our psyche and we’re led to believe it represents the boundaries and limits of our existence.
Then along came The Matrix. We watched Neo take The Red Pill and discovered that it was all a lie! Another ‘reality’, where anything is possible, exists and if only we can expand our mind to believe in our own limitless potential, we get to be a part of creating an exciting new world.
2. Moneyball (2011)
Main Message: Thinking differently will give you the edge.
Does defying conventional wisdom actually work?
If you ever struggle to believe the world will have a place for your crazy idea or product, then put on Moneyball and take note. Its main character, the Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane, has the seemingly crazy notion of selecting his team according to statistical performance. This flies in the face of conventional wisdom which dictates that a scouts ‘nose’ is the best method of selecting players. However, Billy Beane creates a paradigm shift because he dares to question the status quo and shows that a mind uncontaminated by dogma is free to focus on what brings the best results.
3. Men of Honour (2000)
Main Message: You can challenge The System and win!
A lot of people won’t pursue their dreams because they’ve been conditioned to think the chances of success are too remote. ‘Be realistic’ is the mantra we’re raised on and by adhering to it we’re supposed to avoid the risk of massive failure, loss of finance and social rejection.
After watching Men of Honour, though, you may begin to question the credibility of such a mantra. If Carl Brashear (the film’s main character played by Cuba Gooding Jr) can tackle the might of the U.S Naval Establishment and break down both colour, and disability, lines, then what’s our excuse?
4. Star Wars (1977)
Main Message: Pursue your Destiny.
Luke Skywalker stands staring out at the twin stars of Tatooine pondering his future. The safe option is to continue working at his uncle’s moisture farm. Choose this and he’ll be comfortable and avoid disappointing his family. However, he feels a calling to pursue a more risky, yet more meaningful option. This path, presented to him by Obi Wan Kenobi, exerts an almost magnetic pull and although fraught with danger, makes him feel alive in a way he can’t quite explain.
Can we say, with absolutely certainty, that we all have a preordained destiny waiting for us to claim? Probably not. However, what is undeniable is that your soul will speak to you at various points in your life, communicating through feelings and intuitions, to give you guidance on a path that will bring you the greatest amount of fulfilment. Will you be brave enough to follow this calling?
5. Fight Club (1999)
Main Message: Break Free from societal constraints.
Tyler Durden informs Jack (Edward Norton’s character) that, ‘You’re not your job. You’re not how much money you make. You’re not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet.’ He wants him to stop defining himself through The System’s values. He knows that if Jack can make this powerful transition then he’ll have a greater perspective on what’s important in life.
‘It’s only once you lose everything that you’re free to do anything,’ Tyler goes on to say. It turns out that breaking free from societal constraints gives you the chance to pursue life’s greatest prize – feeling alive.
6. Braveheart (1995)
Main Message: Everybody dies but not everybody lives.
Being a slave to the dictates of your society is a life worse than death. William Wallace fights for freedom from the tyranny of English Rule. He could bend the knee and accept subjugation. Do so, and he would live out the rest of his days in relative peace. But at what cost?
As it turns out, that cost is freedom and the film poses an important question – how far are you prepared to go to protect yours?
Wallace’s struggle reminds you that a life spent denying how you feel about obvious injustices, accepting orders from immoral people and not being in charge of your own destiny is not worth living.
7. The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
Main Message: ‘The Plan’ can be changed.
David Norris (Matt Damon’s character) lives in a world controlled by an all-powerful plan. Much like The System we are supposed to adhere to, it dictates what he should be doing with his life. If he ever deviates from this plan, by following his heart rather than what ‘makes sense’, then a group of mysterious agents from The Adjustment Bureau intervene and put him back on course.
However, Norris won’t accept the plan for his life. He wants to be free to pursue his own destiny and ultimately, this brave decision changes everything. We get an interesting and inspiring insight into what eventually happens to those who persist in their determination to live life on their terms – they end up setting the agenda!
8. Ali (2001)
Main Message: Don’t be afraid of who you are!
After refusing to be drafted into the war against Vietnam, Ali tells a reporter, ‘I aint got to be what you want me to be and I aint afraid to be who I want to be.’ This defiant stance against the U.S government, coupled with his radical conversion to the Nation of Islam, makes Muhammad Ali public enemy number 1 in America.
However, an incredible change has occurred in the public’s perception of Ali and he is now recognised as the world’s most loved sports star. How was this possible?
The lesson to be learned from the film is that people love people who stand for something. The System may vilify you at first, but if you stick to your beliefs (and what you stand for is just) then you will receive not only acceptance, but love.
9. The Imitation Game (2014)
Main Message: Not being ‘normal’ is ok
‘Normal’ people don’t do exceptional things. The films main character (Alan Turing) is a loner who has trouble forming relationships. However, he is also a bona fide genius who creates the first computer and decodes the Nazi’s ‘impossible’ enigma code. En route, he has to do battle with the British military establishment, a society that won’t accept homosexuals and co-workers who don’t understand his vision.
You may sometimes feel that the whole world is against you. Too often, feeling this way leads to the destructive belief that there’s something wrong with you for not being normal. If this is the case, then take heart from this film. Turing’s story portrays fringe dwelling as a gift that, if used correctly, can lead to you making a contribution that could change the course of history.
10. Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Main Message: Defy The System’s expectations
‘Aint nothing out there that can kill Ron Woodruff in 30 days’. This is what Ron Woodruff (played by Matthew McConaughey) tells the doctors when they give a prognosis of 30 days to live after discovering he has AIDS.
What would most people do on receiving such news? Crumble in a mess of tears and bemoan their fate? Give up?
Not Ron Woodruff. In fact, as Matthew McConaughey discusses in an interview, this seemingly devastating news galvanised Ron with a sense of purpose he never previously had. Ron goes on to form a club that treats AIDS patients with effective dosages of drugs and vitamins (ironically, a treatment they don’t receive through mainstream medicine) and out lives his life expectancy by over seven years.
So when anybody tells you that you’re finished, or that it can’t be done, put on this film and remember that a bit of system defiance can take you a long way.
11. Your Turn
Let me know, in the comments section, if you think I made the right choices. And, if there are any classics that I missed, please inform me as I’m a huge movie fan and can always do with a shot of inspiration.
(Main image take from Pascal’s photo stream flicr.com) (Moneyball image taken from Wolf Gang’s photo stream flickr.com) (Star Wars image taken from Quicheisinsane’s photo stream flickr.com) (Braveheart image taken from Studio tdes photo stream flickr.com) (Muhammad Ali image taken from Cliff’s photo stream flickr.com) (Dallas Buyers Club image taken from Penn State’s photo stream flickr.com)
The Lessons Learned from Sharing my Work with the World
The date is the 18th February 2012, and my index finger is hovering anxiously over the ‘enter’ key on my laptop. I’m about to do it. After four and a half years of writing, editing, rewriting, taking breaks and pulling my hair out, I’m about to self-publish my book on Amazon.
As soon as I press that key it’s done. I’ve metaphorically stepped out of my bedroom and into the world around me with a big sign saying, ‘This is what I believe in. This is what I’m capable of. This is my dream.’
It’s a bold move for anyone with a creative vision, be it making YouTube videos, writing a book or a blog, creating music, presenting your art or even starting a new business. You’re a target. You’re raising your head from the parapet that virtually the whole of humanity hides under and saying, ‘this is who I am.’
What’s going to happen? Are people going to ridicule your efforts? Are they going to judge you? Are you going to fail and not a single person will be interested in your work? Might they even love what you do?
In my case, not a lot. You see I didn’t tell anyone or have a blog set up to promote my launch. I didn’t make use of my extensive client list from tennis coaching and hypnotherapy. Instead, I pressed the key and then, like a mouse, ran back to the safety of my hole in the wall (and to think I was surprised and aggrieved it took 6 weeks to sell my first copy to a non-family member!!)
Why did I do this?
Besides a total lack of promotional nouse, I think the answer was that I was afraid people wouldn’t accept me or my truth. I’d spent 9 years presenting this acceptable image of myself as the ‘nice guy’ who shows your kids how to play tennis and yet now I was telling everyone to Screw the System.
Where did this guy come from? Is he against us because we work regular jobs and live conventional lives?
These were the thoughts I was projecting in my head. As a result, I did my best to conceal my ‘other’ life. I wouldn’t bring up the subject in conversation and if someone did ask me about my book, they’d get a monosyllabic response.
Writing this now, I can’t believe what a terrible advert I was for my book. However, my irrational fear made me feel at odds with the very thing I had worked so hard to create.
What’s your Gift to the World?
Fast forward 3 years, and I no longer feel this way. Talking about my book is a pleasure and I’m finally going to email my entire tennis coaching and hypnotherapy client list (just as soon as I get my revised updates to the book complete).
Having gone through this experience, I have something to offer anybody contemplating sharing their work with the world.
I know there are a lot of you out there. I’ve spoken to some of you on Facebook, email and Skype about your plans to make YouTube videos, write books or start a blog. In fact, most of us dream of claiming a role greater than the one The System offers, but most of us never will because we have an irrational fear about failing or being rejected.
With the rest of this post, I will dispel these fears and explain why sharing your work with the world is a win-win situation for you. I hope it goes some way to giving you the encouragement needed to get your work out there. You just don’t know what impact it might have!!
Fear Busting
The mind can be fragile when it comes to revealing something highly personal about you to the world. Expect it to play tricks on you and come up with a bunch of crazy scenarios relating to your fears about what might happen.
- You might find you have imaginary arguments in your mind, where you’re defending yourself or your work, against people who you think wouldn’t approve.
- You might hear an overly negative voice in your head criticising your work and telling you it’s not good enough.
- You’ll most certainly be anxious about physically quantifiable results that reveal how your work is doing e.g. books sales on Amazon Kindle, YouTube likes and views, product sales if you’re starting a new business.
If any of these thoughts happen then the most important thing to remember is that they’re perfectly natural. The next most important thing to remember is that they AREN’T REAL!!! They are just thoughts in your head and bear no relevance to what may or may not happen.
In my case, all the crazy scenarios I imagined never occurred. Nobody I knew, either personally or professionally, rejected me as a result of my book. When they eventually found out, they, congratulated me, wished me luck or said nothing at all.
This reaction made me realise something profound about our fears concerning what other people think. 99% of the time, and this even extends to friends and family, people are so wrapped up in what they’ve got to do that they haven’t got the energy to be negative about something you’re doing. Own this knowledge because it gives you permission to be who you want to be, say what you want to say and do what you want to do. Create with freedom because the worst reaction you will encounter is silence.
Even if you do receive criticism from someone you know or an anonymous source, this can still be spun to your advantage. As long as the person isn’t mudslinging (in which case you should immediately disregard), then the criticism they are levelling at you might lead to huge improvements in your work. Therefore, treat them as gatekeepers. They can save you months of research by pointing out a flaw that is not always easy to see when consumed by what you’re creating.
The other fear preventing people from pursuing their creative endeavours is the prospect of failure. ‘What if I no one buys my work and I don’t make any sales? Or, what if my sales are marginal and all that hard work, money and time goes to waste?’
On the surface, these fears can appear more rational but once explored, you’ll discover that they too are baseless.
When sharing their work with the world, most people have a rough end goal in mind (e.g. gaining 10,000 subscribers to a blog) and view anything but attaining this goal as a failure. You must take a different approach. While end goals are important, what is even more so, is building confidence.
Your belief in your work determines the quality of your output. But how do you develop the kind of confidence that will enable you to produce quality content or products that have people flocking to buy?
Some self-help books and courses tell you that you need to repeat affirmations about how great you are. However, research (read DISTORTION 4 on the link) shows that this is incorrect. Instead, the best way to build confidence is to be praised by other people.
Now it just so happens that by sharing your work with the world you have the perfect outlet to receive this praise. So long as you adopt a ‘glass half full’ outlook, there will be plenty of small successes to celebrate.
For example, you’ve ‘only’ got 100 subscribers to your blog? That’s amazing. That’s 100 people who believe in you and value what you have to say. They didn’t have to sign up; they did it out of choice because they enjoy what you create.
Personally, the praise and feedback I’ve received from some of you has been like an elixir of belief creating a certainty that my end goal is achievable. I write with more passion and greater insight because I’ve had those small successes that let me know I’m on the right path.
This would never have happened if my fear of rejection or failure had been stronger than my desire to spread my message. Of course, those fears existed but I’ve subsequently learned they were completely groundless. This is what I want you to take from the article. If you have a desire to share your creative work with the world then go for it. You will only gain from the experience and perhaps, so too, will the world!
(Image taken from GotCredit photostrem flickr.com)
The Strange thing you didn’t know about Happiness and Success
Take a look at the picture on your left. Two characters are looking at planks of wood, one sees four, the other three.
Who sees the situation correctly?
Believe it or not, they both do because the position you are in when looking at any object or subject will determine the view you take of it.
You would agree with that statement, right?
Of course you would, but do you apply it to every area of your life? For example, do you have the ability to be that objective when measuring your own levels of success or happiness?
From over 10 years of working as a hypnotherapist, I would say that most of us don’t. Then it’s a case of absolutes.
- I can never overcome this problem
- I’m stuck
- I’m a failure
These are just some of the statements I’ll hear upon first meeting clients. While they could easily look at a dispute between other people and make points for why both parties had an equally compelling case, they can’t look at themselves and apply the same logic.
Then it gets emotional. The pain of past failure hits and blinds them from an alternative perspective. They forget all of the things they do well and start to mistake their negative perspective for ‘The Truth’.
As you can imagine, this has disastrous consequences for their quality of life. With this interpretation, they’re battling something unalterable. There’s no way around the fact they’ll forever lack the confidence necessary to find a partner, the talent to excel in their work or the willpower to lose weight.
But I’m not writing this to discuss my clients. I’m writing it for you.
You see the strange thing I want you to know about your happiness and success is that you determine how happy or successful you are! Not just in the sense that you have to work at it, but also in the sense that most of it is down to the view you have of yourself and life.
My Story
To expand my point, I’m going to tell you a story about my book writing experience. I’m going to give you a very candid glimpse into my world and then I’m going to invite you to judge me.
Am I happy and successful or a delusional failure? You decide (and you can even tell me in the comments section below).
My dream is to sell a million copies of my book. I’ve held this dream for about 10 years now and to date, I’ve only sold 337 copies. I started writing it in July 2007 and self-published the book on Amazon Kindle back in February 2012 (with no form of book launch whatsoever). After discovering the world of blogs, social media and internet marketing (a world that was totally alien to me at first), I’ve slightly revised my dream. Now I don’t have to sell a million copies with just one book, if I can get to that magic number with any subsequent books I write (all sales added together) then it will be mission accomplished.
So what do you think?
Clearly, I’ve failed, right? My goal is 1,000,000 and I’m at a measly 337.
From one perspective, I can see how someone could come to that conclusion. The numbers are astronomically out and I’ve put an inordinate amount of time (probably 6000 hours) for what would appear to be very little return. However, I can tell you now, hand on heart, that I feel anything but a failure.
Instead, I’m happy and I see myself as a success. This feeling of success is not just down to the facts that I’ve sold more copies than the average self-published author (250, if you were wondering), have some fantastic reviews on Amazon Kindle and have had people personally contact me sharing what a positive and life changing impact the book has had on them. While these factors are incredibly rewarding (sometimes bringing tears to my eyes) they could easily be washed away by the knowledge of what I haven’t achieved.
So you see the real reason why I’m happy and see myself as a success is because, for well over 10 years now, I’ve trained myself to focus on the positives. Since July 2003, I’ve noted down, in a series of journals, every single significant positive result I’ve achieved.
The impact this practise has had on my self-esteem, confidence and ability to weather a storm is colossal. I’ve gone from being lonely, bored and with nothing to live for, to waking up each day feeling energised and engaged by every hour of my life. So when I first published my book, and it took 6 weeks to sell its first copy to a non-family member, I didn’t panic or fall apart. Instead, I waited for the positives, and then started to build on them.
How this will Help YOU!
While you might agree that my happiness and feelings of success are genuine, it would still be possible to argue that, ultimately, I’m deluding myself. I’m light years away from achieving my dream and if I persist, then what about all the other areas of life I might miss out on? However, I would still stand tall in the face of this criticism because I know just how far I’ve come as a result of adopting this attitude.
Six months after having first published my book, and with barely double digit sales, I could have easily quit. The grind was just too hard. Not only had I toiled for years creating a bestseller worthy personal development book, I was now having to learn the very foreign field of promoting myself online.
And for what? £20 in my bank account and the tiny ego boost of saying that I was now officially an author. This wasn’t what I got into writing for, and it appeared that I’d given it an honest shot, so why not call it a day?
While most reasonable people would agree with this line of thinking, thank God I didn’t! I was still doggedly focused on the positives and after a while, I began to notice that they really were there.
Now, just over 3 years down the line, I feel like a different person. I’ve had enough sales to know that my book is marketable, I’ve had enough positive feedback to know that my writing has the ability to positively impact peoples’ lives and I’ve learned enough about promoting myself online, publishing and self-publishing to devise a proper strategy that will enable me to realise my dream.
None of this would have happened if I’d looked at those book sales and seen 999,663 failures instead of 337 successes.
But enough about me. The real question is how is this going to help YOU?
If you walk away from this article knowing that you no longer have to be held back by what you perceive to be a negative ‘truth’ about yourself, then my job is done. Furthermore, if you walk away from this article realising that there are very few limiting ‘truths’ in life then you are giving yourself the opportunity to live a much freer existence.
Is it ‘The Truth’ that I’m a failure in my quest to sell 1 million copies of my book? I don’t see it that way, and because I don’t, I’ve given myself the opportunity to learn, improve and put myself in a position where I really believe it will happen.
I’m just wondering how many areas of your life you’ve looked at negatively and duped yourself into giving far less than you’re really capable of. And I’m also wondering just how much more you will achieve when you learn that you can choose to look at yourself as a success.
So with that message, I will leave you to start noticing all the things you do well, the positive impact you have on other people and all the obstacles you’ve overcome. Note them down if it helps. You’ll be amazed at what you begin to see when you focus on all the reasons why you are happy and successful.
Call to Action
If you want to discover a passion you can make a living from and overcome the fears that are holding you back, check out my free course 30 Days to Escape The System. Click here to get the course right now! (You’ll find the tips on developing belief and self-confidence fascinating!)
7 Strength Giving Quotes to Pick you up when you’re Down
Do you ever feel like the universe is conspiring against you?
Do you find it hard to believe in a brighter future for yourself?
Do you get overwhelmed by your circumstances and predicament?
If any of the above apply then I’ve got answers.
This time, though, they’re not my own. They come in the form of 7 of the most strength giving words of wisdom you will ever read or hear. Furthermore, these quotes, and their accompanying explanations, are designed to help you with the most common negative emotions and states we experience.
So whether you’re;
- Unsure of what to do with your life – Henry David Thoreau
- Afraid of taking action – Napoleon Hill
- Struggling to come to terms with failure – Tyler Durden
- Confused about which path to take – Henry Ford
- Overwhelmed by societal pressure – Muhammad Ali
- Believing that life is hopeless – Gandhi
- Trapped by your circumstances – Anne Frank
Then I’ve got the quote for you. Read them, commit them to memory and most importantly, act on them. Your life WILL change for the better.
1. Unsure of What to do with your Life
“One should always be on the trail of one’s own deepest nature. For it is the fearless living out of your own essential nature that connects you to the divine.”
– Henry David Thoreau
As men and women, born into a system that seeks to crush our individuality and unique aspirations and desires, finding our way through life feels, at best, like a question we never address, or, at worst, a perpetual tug of war. Do we journey through life doing what everybody else does and hope there’s safety in numbers? Or do we act on our dreams but face the possibility of ruin and isolation?
Thoreau alleviates our uncertainty with his quote. We must heed our call to greatness.
The main reason Thoreau gives us for taking this action is that we will be happier for having done so. The connection to the divine he talks about is the joy that comes from being true to yourself.
So search your feelings. Whatever they are urging you to do, no matter how unachievable society tells you it is, is the correct path to follow.
2. Afraid of Taking Action
“Fear, the worst of all enemies, can be effectively conquered by forced repetition of acts of courage”
– Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill is accurate in his assessment of fear when describing it as the ‘worst of all enemies’. Whether experienced approaching a member of the opposite sex, speaking in front of an audience or performing in a contest, it prevents you from giving your best.
Fortunately, Hill also provides the only answer you need. No matter how spine tingling and boot quaking the feeling might be, you HAVE to take the action necessary to advance your life. As a fellow fear sufferer (aren’t we all) I can promise you that the feeling does go away (or at least becomes manageable) the more you do the thing it’s warning you against.
3. Struggling to come to terms with Failure
“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”
– Tyler Durden
I had to slip a TD quote in somewhere. In this one, he’s telling us about the importance of detachment. People have a tendency to cling to their possessions, position in society and achievements, sometimes to the extent that they define themselves through them.
But what happens when we fail or experience loss?
For those too attached to the external, and ego, it can be a crushing experience.
With this quote, Tyler Durden provides the perfect solution. By adopting an attitude where we’re attached to nothing, we gain the freedom to go for what we want without fear holding us back.
4. Confused about which Path to Take
“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t – you are right”
– Henry Ford
Trust yourself is the powerful message hidden in this cryptic quote. Oftentimes, we can be unsure about decisions in our lives. Do we take the new job that is not ideal or hold out at our old one and wait for something better? Do we play it safe with a list blog post or go for something more risky and try to tell an inspiring story?
Ford reminds us that none of this matters. Ultimately, through our belief in ourselves and what we’re doing, WE are the arbitrators of our success (or lack of). Therefore, it’s not about the path or option you choose, but your belief in that decision which counts.
5. Overwhelmed by Societal Pressure
“I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want.”
– Muhammad Ali
Ali spoke these words after refusing the draft for the Vietnam War. This was hugely controversial. At that time in American, you were supposed to show your love for your country by fighting the scourge of communism. By defying this societal pressure he incurred the wrath of every small minded bigot in the country.
You too will face societal pressure. Whether it comes from your parents, peers, the media, school, place of work or even the government, it will attempt to sway you in making choices that go against your deepest nature.
When this happens you must remember Ali’s words. You really don’t have to be what anybody else wants you to be. In fact, defying societal pressure, and standing up for what’s right, quite often eventually leads to you being loved. Ironic really.
6. Believing that life is Hopeless
“Remember that all through history there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always.”
– Gandhi
This quote is about reassurance. It may seem a little out of place in a list concerning individual empowerment, but I want you to use it as a metaphor for focusing on trends and seeing the bigger picture.
We can all feel that our lives, and the world we live in, are without hope. It can get so bad that, occasionally, we’ll question why we do anything positive at all.
In moments like this, you must remember Gandhi’s words. View history, and your life, on a larger scale. Cultivate a sense of destiny about yourself and see your life as an unfolding evolution. Just as history shows, there is pain and great losses, but overall, we and you ARE moving towards a more positive future.
7. Trapped by your Circumstances
“I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.”
– Anne Frank
Anne Frank wrote this while hiding with her family from the Nazi’s in concealed rooms behind a bookcase. Her life must have been filled with fear of discovery and uncertainty about the future, not to mention highly claustrophobic. Yet she still confides in her diary that there is beauty all around.
Such a quote is a wakeup call for all of us that struggle with our environment. We may feel we’ve got it bad, and some people genuinely do, but THERE ARE ALWAYS POSITIVES TO FOCUS ON.
This is the best thing you can do when you feel that your life is going nowhere or can only see obstacle after obstacle standing between you and your dreams. By switching your focus in this way, you loosen the grip your circumstances have over your mood, giving you the breathing space to start building on those positives.
Over to You . . .
Let me know your favourite quote in the comment section below.
Also, do you know anyone who’s in need of a pick up? If so then email them a link to this list. Thank you.
(image taken from Glen Thomas Franco Simmons photostream flickr.com)