#productivitygeek

I'm happy to say that all of this productivity goodness can now be found at www.productivitygeek.net

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Have you had that conversation with yourself about your purpose and the journey to actualizing that purpose? Are you resolute about your purpose and process? With that purpose and the process to that purpose on your mind, have you adhered to your path? Have you unknowingly veered off of your path? Have you unknowingly deviated from your path and veered onto someone else’s path?

DISCOVER YOUR PURPOSE:

Determine what you love to do.

Identify the actions that bring you joy and satisfaction

Take notice of what you have a natural talent for

Meditate/Prey for guidance on your purpose

DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN:

Research information related to your purpose

Seek opportunities to become involved with activities related to your purpose

Perform activities that are in line with your purpose regularly (If you do any activities for free, then chuck it up to marketable experience)

Find a mentor who purpose may be similar to yours and learn from them

NEVER WAIVER:

 Do not become discouraged when things do not unfold rapidly

 Planning, Persistence, and Patience are your best friends (3 P’s)

 Surround yourself with visual inspiration

Always remember that success belongs to the one who continues after everyone quits.              

YOUR PATH IS YOUR OWN:

 Protect your purpose and your journey from those who do not have your best interest in mind

Never allow your purpose or your journey to be convoluted by anyone

 Embrace those who inspire and challenge you to greatness on your journey to the fulfillment of your life’s purpose

 Be patient and embrace every aspect of your path and your process. Every pit fall and failure has a lesson and a blessing

REMEMBER:

Planning increases your effectiveness and productivity

Strategic action increases your productivity

“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

Confidence is a quality that is very important to have. Confidence among other factors has been shown to increase a person’s productivity levels. It enables better communication, cultivates trust and respect, as well as exudes ownership over one’s actions. Now, I understand that confidence is not something that is naturally innate to everyone. With that being said, confidence CAN be acquired through practice and couching. Listed below are a couple of pointers to get you started:

Research topics that you want to become efficient or proficient in.

The more knowledge that you have about a topic, the greater your confidence is. Think about the difference in the tone and posture of an individual who speaks on topics that they are well versed in. Their presence commands the attention of others.  In that moment they have earned your trust and more than likely, become viewed as an authority on that particular topic.

Practice speaking to yourself in the mirror.

Give short speeches or presentations in the mirror. Take note of your mannerisms during the presentation. This way, you can see firsthand what others see when they are observing you. Also, don’t be shy! Walk around and use hand gestures if you like. The point is to be comfortable and relaxed as you speak, while also being poised and authoritative.

Get the shoes.

Literally! If it is not a pair of shoes that you want, then find that outfit or accessory that makes you feel awesome. When you dress in a manner that makes you feel good, you tend to radiate confidence. Dress in conjunction with the way that you want others to view you. If you want to be viewed as a corporate powerhouse, then get a great suit that showcases the ideal for that type of position. If you want to be viewed as a fashion forward individual, then look at magazines and others sources that assist you in creating fashion forward looks.

Fall in LOVE

2014 has officially arrived and I hope that it meets you all with love, prosperity, clarity, and growth. One of the things that keep many of us from reaching our goals or being productive is our mindset. For anything to be actualized, it begins as a thought. If we do not possess clarity in our thoughts, then we are already several steps behind. From the mind things can become matter, but I don’t want to delve into the quantum physics rabbit hole just yet. Meditation is a great way to gain clarity and focus within your thoughts and thought processes. So I decided to share with you all a short meditation that I happen to like by Bob Procter. After the meditation notice the changes, if any in how you feel. Did it boost your energy? Do you feel refreshed? Do you feel grounded or feel clarity in your thoughts?  If what you are feeling is something that you would like to incorporate into your daily activities then commit to meditating daily. I am not saying that you have to do this for hours a day. Start in small and manageable increments. The goal is not to be overwhelmed. No one including yourself should expect for you to mediate like you have been practicing for years.  Simply start off in small increments of 5, 10, or 15 minutes. Take note of how you feel after each session. Commit to creating time and comfortable space to your meditation. After a couple of weeks take the time to really reflect on what has transpired due to the incorporation of daily meditation.  Love and Light to you in this New Year beloveds!

Bob Proctor's Shift Your Paradigm meditation exercise:

http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=aFr_Ntpf81JjfpnyakT1cg&u=/watch?v=83wYrxVafg4&feature=share

  **For additional information on the health benefits (and there are plenty) of meditation, I have added the following links**

Mayo Clinic

Food Matters

Huffington Post

WebMD

Transcendental Meditation

“The real things haven't changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.”

― Laura Ingalls Wilder

What stands in the way of your ability to be productive, are the lies that you tell to yourself. I know, you’re probably like huh. The truth of the matter my friends, is that we cannot get to where we want to be by trying to please others or by not listening to our personal truths. I know that this seems elementary, but many of us still do this as adults. We try to force ourselves to be happy, force ourselves to perform tasks in certain ways and then, wonder why we’re not successful. The answer is, because we lie to ourselves. The problem is that lying keeps you from acknowledging what truly needs to be done and recognizing the actions that need to be taken to get things done. Now, while there are a million instances of how and why we lie to ourselves, we almost always see it affect our jobs, health, and relationships. Think about it…..

1.       The moment you should have realized that it’s not about the money.

The worst feeling in the world is being stuck in a dead end job or one that does not make you happy. I understand that you many feel as though happiness is not as important as paying your mortgage. Let me say though, the stress, along with other physical and psychological conditions that unhappiness in a job can cause, costs the U.S. roughly 300 billion within the U.S. alone according to Gallup. The APA states that an unhealthy workplace can increase depression and heart disease rates. To assist with this issue, the APA has even created and annual award to honor businesses that provide psychologically healthy workplaces. If you put a dollar ahead of your health and happiness, you will in time find yourself spending that very same money to acquire the health and happiness that you long for.

  2.       The moment that you should have realized that it takes proper planning.

We all have these resolutions of health and weight loss as the New Year approaches. We think that this time will be different and that we will meet THIS goal with success. The problem is that most of us do not take the time to research healthy eating habits, develop an exercise plan, and garner support before embarking on such a task. We just blindly jump in without a plan and tell ourselves that it will be as easy as pie to achieve.  New York Times writes that 4 out of 5 individuals that make resolutions fail to keep them.  One of the keys to success in any endeavor is proper planning. Without it we are directionless and at the mercy of various situations and circumstances. We then become susceptible to being easily swayed. The value is in the plan. It enables a person to be firmly rooted on a particular path, regardless of what comes up.

3.       The moment you should have realized that reciprocity is essential.

Many of our relationships lack reciprocity. The problem is that we make excuses about why it is alright to be treated in such a way. One sided relationships can have other side effects that you may not realize. The Journal of Psychosomatic Research published an article that contended that relationships that lack reciprocity are associated with poorer health. Proceedings B published an article of an experiment that contends that upstream reciprocity significantly enhances the level of selflessness within a population. The main point is that reciprocity creates happiness and fulfillment within relationships and can also increase gratitude levels. Ultimately, relationships with reciprocity can make you happier and healthier.