During the last months, due to COVID-19 global crisis, maintaining a realistic thinking has been one of the greatest challenges we have faced. After so many statements about this virus, there is still a high level of uncertainty.

I agree with the American businessman Max DePree, “the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality” however, during these times of crisis, how can we do that?

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Being optimistic and having a vision are fundamental in the development of any plan; however, as leaders, we are regularly in front of situations that require us to face the reality of the moment, define a goal, and establish a strategy to achieve it.

“ Realistic thinking is the foundation of every plan and strategy. — DR. LIANA C. SáENZ

Having realistic thinking allows the leader to:

• Promote the responsibility that every leader should have to manage resources properly.
• Understand the difference between making an important decision and making a decision that is part of the daily management of a business.
• Make decisions on time and with a high degree of efficiency simplifying systems and procedures.

Some may believe that being realistic is the first step to separate yourself from the hope that is required to overcome a crisis or a challenge. However, those of us who have experience in the corporate world and as entrepreneurs know that we cannot ignore realistic thinking in our daily decisions.

The first step we must take to keep our realistic thinking is to observe the facts to later remove wrong assumptions and data. As well as,

• Use reliable sources of information. For example, some news media do not always present reliable news.
• Collect opinions from those you consider making sound decisions.
• Evaluate the ideas of others. As legitimate as an idea sound, it may be based on personal agendas or inaccurate facts.
• Use your values, what is the right thing to do?
• Focus on the people around you and those who depend on you. The most important role of the leader!
• Remember past crises and challenges, what did you learn from them?

During these months many of us have been in quarantine, some of us made this decision long before the government imposed it. Ever since the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that this virus spread mainly through close person-to-person contact, the choice to practice social distancing was the most logical and realistic to take. Unfortunately, for many, the decision did not take effect until weeks later and for others, it has not yet been possible to practice due to their roles in the workforce. The reality for all of them is different.

Let us remember that this is not the first or the last crisis that we face, we have faced others of different magnitude. As long as we are leaders, we will continue to face more challenges; thus, the importance of developing our realistic thinking and making it part of our leadership habits for success.

In times of crisis, leaders must remember the importance of growth. Whether you are responsible for developing your company, others, or yourself, the more effective you are as a leader, the further you will go. Our leadership development training will take your leadership to the next level. Contact us we are here to help you.

The post REALISTIC IN TIMES OF CRISIS appeared first on LEADINFORCE - Blog.

Increasing your productivity to the point that you are more efficient and effective in achieving your goals with the least amount of resources is what we all strive for. For many years it’s been demonstrated by the science of achievement that goal achievement is only possible when focusing on the correct habits.

In this blog, we will go through 4 effective steps that will allow you to turn the “force of habit” in your favor and not against you.

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Have you stopped to ask yourself “What is going on, why don’t I have better results?” I believe part of the answer to this very simple question has to do with your habits. Even though changing your habits can prove to be a very difficult task, let’s keep in mind that success is the result of habits. In other words, your habits will determine whether you achieve success or not.

“ Consistency and discipline are your most important allies of a habit. — DR. LIANA C. SáENZ

As we all know, a habit is a behavior that is repeated constantly, or if you will, habitually. Habits begin when the decisions we take are repeated over and over again until they happen almost mechanically, without needing us to think too much about it.

Is there any habit that you need to incorporate into your life in order to achieve success? Or is there any habit that you need to remove because it diminishes your possibility of success? Doing either of these two things is easy, due to habits’ important characteristic of being moved by the “force of habit”.

So, how can we turn this “force of habit” in our favor and not against us? Well, there are 4 effective steps that will aid you in the process of adding, changing, or removing habits into your life:

STEP 1: KEEP THE LOGIC

It is not possible to change everything in one sitting or in a single day. If you still try to do so, you may find yourself unable to accomplish anything at all. Be reasonable and remember that you must keep your feet on the ground; start making changes according to your available time, your resources, and the amount of compromise you can invest in this activity. Consistency and discipline are your most important allies, but also:

• Start a list of the habits you want to acquire and others you want to remove.
• Add a – “Why?”- to each of these habits, to further increase your compromise
• Prioritize! Focus on what is most important and in whatever hinders your progress.
• Choose a specific activity that allows change, and start today. For example, instead of having a slice of pizza, have a bowl of fruit. Instead of looking at your phone, pick up a book. Instead of laying on the couch, go for a walk.

STEP 2: CREATE AN APPROPRIATE ENVIRONMENT

If you are trying to abandon a bad habit, for example, smoking, do not surround yourself with smokers or visit places where smoking is allowed. This may sound like a very easy and logical thing to do but having the appropriate environment for change can make the difference between making the change you wish for or not. Some suggestions are:

• Turn difficult things into easy ones. For example, if you want to decrease your sugar consumption, avoid buying ice cream or dessert at the supermarket, but instead, fill your cart up with fruits and vegetables.
• Surround yourself with people that have achieved similar goals; try joining support groups where they share their success stories, that way you can become motivated towards reaching your goal.

STEP 3: THINK LONG-TERM

A habit takes time to develop, but after it does it will stick with you for a long time; some experts say that developing a habit takes up to 21 to 24 days!

• A personal suggestion would be to try and repeat whatever you are trying to accomplish up to 30 times in a row until you no longer have to think too much about it, and the action becomes second nature to you.
• Acquiring a new habit must not only be part of your life plan and based around a clear point of view of what you are trying to accomplish but also something you wish for to be in your life, that benefits you, as well as others, to strive for change along the way.

STEP 4: HAVE A PLAN

One of the great challenges of this century is to maintain the right focus, in the midst of a significant amount of information and distractions, some disguised as opportunities. Thus, one of the best tools to be productive, effective, and efficient is having a plan.

If you still do not have a plan, we can help you with the action plan that will lead you to success. A gift from us to you. I know that it can be very overwhelming when you have a desire to achieve a goal, but do not have a plan to execute daily. In this guide, you will find THE 8 ELEMENTS THAT EVERY SUCCESSFUL PLAN MUST HAVE.

People who have achieved success have used a plan. In my life, this method has brought me countless benefits.

The post WHAT IS GOING ON, WHY DON’T I HAVE BETTER RESULTS? appeared first on LEADINFORCE - Blog.

The formula to rationalize what you postpone contains one part of self-deception or disappointment, two parts of escapism, a dose of guilt, and a dose of immobilization. When was the last time you postponed something you had to do?

I invite you to observe the main reasons that lead to the practice of postponing, as well as some of the solutions that can be applied.

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Dr. Wayne W. Dyer explained it very well in his famous book, Your Erroneous Zones: “It is not necessary to shed a single drop of sweat to postpone doing anything”, in other words, it is much easier not to do than to do. Of course, this does not mean that it is less painful or that it does not have negative consequences.

The beginning of the year regularly evidences the behavior of postponement. As the end of the year approaches, we begin to receive many advertisements that want to motivate us to buy agendas and specialized notebooks that will help us achieve our projects the following year. Have you bought any of these? And have you used them?

Postponing what we know we should not have in our lives is the beginning of a good strategy. For example, postponing going to the malls is ideal, if you want to avoid wasting money making unnecessary and impulsive purchases. Moreover, I would say that the best thing is to completely cancel this nonsense activity: visiting shopping centers. Of course, some people will refute this idea because they have other reasons for going to the malls.

Now, when it comes to doing what needs to be done, this is where postponing is really the challenge. In other words, what is the purpose of knowing what to do, if it is not done? What good is making great decisions if you do not have the discipline to execute them?

We have all had reasons to postpone. In one way or another, we have been through this experience. If you know of any other reason that is not on this list, you can add it in the comments, so we all learn more. Some of the reasons that we know that lead to postponement is:

• Avoid unexpected situations that can be unpleasant,
• Delay change and thus the risk it entails,
• Avoid responsibility and commitment,
• Play the role of a critic over those who act,
• Facilitate blaming others for mistakes to avoid failure,
• Feed the feeling of security that dreams give you if you stay in them,
• Attract the sympathy of those who feel sorry for you,
• Justify poor time management and mediocre performance,
• Manipulate others to do what has not been done,
• Ensure avoiding success and the commitment that it requires.

In general, regretting, waiting for others to act, and believing that things happen by themselves, are evidence that the focus is on how to justify the postponing.

“ It is not necessary to shed a single drop of sweat to postpone doing anything. — DR. WAYNE W. DYER

What can we do to avoid putting off what needs to be done?

1. Recognize that postponing is affecting your life and that it is eliminating the possibility of success.
2. Avoiding the illusion of the future based on dreams or unreal situations. Stay away from reasoning/using expressions such as: Maybe that will happen; I hope someone takes care of that; let us wait to see what happens, etc.
3. Make the decision to commit to yourself and your goals, based on your purpose and vision of your life and what you want to achieve with it.
4. Face your fears and decide to act today, focusing on your priorities.
5. Prepare for attacks and criticism. Then, be willing to put them aside and guard your focus on your vision.
6. Use your mind to support, motivate, inspire, and not sabotage your next step.
7. Divide tasks into small steps; start small but get started.
8. If this is a team project, meet with the team members to prepare the new strategy and get started today.
9. Make a contract with yourself, put it in writing, and sign it. If necessary and you need more commitment, do it with your team or those who benefit from your actions.

As we can see, postponing is one of the greatest obstacles to productivity. If we do not make an effort to control it, it can control our lives and cancel out the chances of living a meaningful and successful life.

If you need support in the process of controlling delaying what you should do, do not hesitate to contact us, our Executive Coaching program can help you to have better results immediately.

The post ARE YOU POSTPONING YOUR NEXT STEP? appeared first on LEADINFORCE - Blog.

Perhaps you have bought a product through the internet which turned out to be poor or average quality and you had to spend extra time and money returning it. It’s almost certain that if this happened to you, you wouldn’t buy this product again or recommend it to someone else.

If we mention what is “average” the list is long. For example services, companies, projects, relationships, and all the things that are not done with excellence. If people have the ability to achieve a high level of excellence, why do many fail?

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Surprisingly, not all people have a story to share when we talk about achieving a high level of excellence. Finding out where we achieve excellence is a process that can take time and study. Fortunately, the ability to achieve excellence has a lot to do with knowing your strengths.

Without having a clear idea of your strengths, not only is it difficult to achieve excellence in everything you do, but you will easily be wasting years trying to improve in areas where you will never be great. For many, for example, it will mean having a job where you only survive because you are constantly fighting against what you have to do, instead of working on what you really want or love to do.

Your strengths are related to your purpose and what you dream to accomplish in your life. Knowing your strengths has many benefits like:

• Increase confidence in yourself,
• Increase your productivity,
• Achieve excellence in everything you do,
• Achieve high levels of results,
• Optimize the ability to find opportunities,
• Develop your potential.

Staying in the strength zone gives you greater profits, simply because you thrive in your strengths and that means that you do not need to invest a lot of time or effort to get there.

“ Success does not accept mediocrity. — DR. LIANA C. SáENZ

So, let’s have a look: how can you recognize your strengths?

1. Who knows you? Start by having a vote of confidence in those who know you and have been around you for years: your family, friends, or perhaps your coworkers. Ask them: what do you think I’m outstanding at? What are my best qualities? Those close to you know your best qualities as well as your weaknesses.
2. Have you taken a personality test lately? Your personality affects all areas of your life. When you recognize your strengths and weaknesses you can give the best of yourself. In this test, you will not only find your strengths, but also your behavior, communication, and work styles.
3. What do you learn when you make a mistake? The best way to know our strengths or weaknesses is in the moments of success or failure. Every setback you have is an opportunity to put your strengths to the test.
4. Are you evaluating your experiences? It is said that experiences are a source of learning, but the truth is that experiences without evaluation are not the best teacher. When we evaluate our experiences and reflect on what we have learned, they become the source of the knowledge we need, allowing us to find evidence of our strengths.

By discovering your strengths and staying with them you increase your productivity and the ability to develop your potential. The reality is that people and organizations do not pay for mediocrity. Nor do they recognize average employees, contracts, projects, etc.

Success does not accept mediocrity. If you want to achieve your goals or reach your next level of achievement, you need to be close to your strengths and use them daily.

The post WALKING TO SUCCESS WITH CONFIDENCE appeared first on LEADINFORCE - Blog.

Look around and ask yourself: What you have, what you do, what you are until today, is the product of your thoughts? The answer to this question is probably different for each of us. According to British writer James Allen, pioneer of the self-help movement, as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. I think this statement is not far from reality.

However, in my experience, having a positive mindset or as we usually say, good thinking, has a great influence on everything we do and achieve. How are you using your positive thinking?

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Over the years of my personal and professional development, among other things, I have learned that positive thinking is a decision. Furthermore, I learned that you cannot change the past, you can only learn from it. Even more, the only guarantee that tomorrow will be better is if you continue to grow today. But, having this understanding is not enough, it is critical to act.

Likewise, we must be selective in what we allow to feed our minds. Nurturing our thinking is vital to produce the best ideas. If your environment has negative people or you are constantly listening to negative information, unfortunately, you will not be able to produce positive thoughts.

“ Thinking positively is a decision. — DR. LIANA C. SáENZ

Therefore, I think that the most practical and safest thing is to develop the habit of thinking. It sounds obvious, but it really is not. Many people take thinking for granted, see it as a natural function of life. But in reality, people are thinking during the day without a guide. To increase the ability to think well we need to be intentional; as well as think with a clear focus and towards a specific goal.

What can help you create the habit and intention to be a great thinker? Consider to:

• Find a place that allows you to think and have moments of reflection or prayer. Some people have a favorite room or corner in the place where they live, others prefer to be close to nature. Whatever this place is, it will be so much better if you can cut down on the interruptions.
• Set aside time to think daily. Either in the morning or before going to sleep. Try to find that moment in the day when you think best. Then schedule it daily to achieve it.
• Use your thinking to focus on your priorities. Be clear about what your priorities are in the important areas of your life. Meditate on what you must do to achieve them and how you are going to do it.
• Capture your thoughts before you lose them. Have writing tools with you, whether it is your phone, paper, and pencil, or your journal.

  Writing your ideas as they come to mind can sometimes be difficult, either because you do not have the tools to write them down or perhaps you are driving. A practical idea is to use your cell phone to record audio and then listen to it to write it in your agenda or even to text it to yourself.

• Get together with great thinkers. Find a mentor who teaches you techniques to develop your mindset or a coach with whom you can have intentional brainstorms. If you spend time with great thinkers you will improve your thinking, for sure.

One of my mentors helped me understand that if we do not pay attention to what we think, we are producing a series of mediocre ideas or some little use.

However, if we make the decision to think correctly, we become good thinkers, and if we cultivate this habit over time, we will become great thinkers.

Furthermore, if your thoughts are focused on your priorities, with the use of your creativity, you will generate great ideas.

The post THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING appeared first on LEADINFORCE - Blog.

People who have the ability to defend their own rights in a calm, positive way, without being aggressive, at the right time, are assertive people. These types of people can say no without regrets, without upsetting others, or without disappointing themselves.

I invite you to look at the importance of knowing how to say no, how to do it assertively, and how this skill has a direct relationship with your ability to be productive.

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I think that it has happened to most of us at some point, where we have said yes when in fact we wanted to say no. I remember several occasions where I raised my hand to volunteer and take responsibility for a project. Not knowing much about what this responsibility entailed; so, I ended up regretful, but forced to work overtime and under great pressure.

There are several reasons why it can be difficult for someone to say no. It can be the way in which their parents influenced their development, the norms imposed by the society, or by the culture of a place, a group, or the organization to which they belong to.

Possibly one of the most discussed reasons is the desire to avoid conflict in relationships. According to Dr. Aziz Gazipura, the author of several books in ​​anxiety, fear, and confidence; the main reason people avoid saying no is:

1. Preventing a negative reaction from another person, who can become angry, disappointed, or be in shock.
2. Anticipating an unfavorable outcome, such as not wanting to see or speak to them anymore and therefore the deterioration of a relationship.
3. Finally, avoiding the feeling of guilt which leads them to think that they are a bad person who has contributed to destroying a relationship.

On the other hand, the challenge is not just saying no, but also doing it assertively. I think saying no is a decision that is made based on an understanding of what to say yes to. In other words, when you say no it is because you are choosing what you having said yes to.

“ Saying no assertively increases productivity. — DR. LIANA C. SáENZ

When we say no to a proposal, offer, unexpected situation, or even to a person or a relationship that is not related to the purpose, vision, and mission in our lives, it is because:

• We are clear about the resources that we must manage,
• We know the type of people we want to relate to,
• We know the next step to continue living our goals or get closer to them, and
• We understand the level of efficiency, commitment, and focus that our goals require.

Therefore, saying no to something or someone that separates us from our purpose, vision, and mission is the expected response.

The consequences of not knowing how to say no, and even more so assertively, are diverse. For example bad relationships, anxiety, depression, stress, lack of personal identity and self-confidence, losses, reduced productivity, and many others.

If saying no assertively is a challenge, I am going to share with you what has worked for me:

1. Be clear about my purpose, vision, and mission, so I will only say yes to what guides me towards them.
2. Focus on my priorities. In this way, I only add to my agenda the activities that are related to them.
3. I have a plan to be assertive in saying no. It is simple:
   1. First, I listen or read carefully what is offered to me.
   2. Then I answer a few questions that help me clarify:
      1. Is it something I should do?
      2. Is it something I want to do?
      3. Is it part of my plan?
      4. How does my life project benefit?
      5. If it is not totally clear yet, I spend some time in prayer.
   3. Finally, with a better perspective, I respond calmly, positively, and honestly; respecting others, but above all respecting my rights, values, and priorities.

Over time I have realized that being clear about my priorities and relating to the right people, who appreciate and support my goals, has allowed me to express my values, thoughts, and emotions and say no without regrets.

The post CAN YOU SAY NO ASSERTIVELY? appeared first on LEADINFORCE - Blog.

We don’t need to look far to see that most of the people around us are busy and overwhelmed by a lack of energy. Between work and personal demands, nowadays long hours of work are invested causing a big amount of physical, emotional and/or mental fatigue, among others.

Let’s examine why avoiding the epidemic of being busy, managing our energy, and increasing our productivity is so important in our day-to-day lives.

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There was a time in my life that was marked by a physical energy crisis. The unfavorable consequences were: physical fatigue, sleepy during the day, digestive problems, and a big wish to take a long vacation. I have to admit that having a full-time job, going to school, serving in a ministry, and taking care of my family, although I did it in a very organized way, regularly demanded more hours than usual and on several occasions these extended hours reduced my physical energy.

The article Manage your energy, not your time, presented by the Harvard Business Review, emphasizes that the main problem with working more hours is that time is a finite resource. But that energy is a different story. It clarifies that the four main areas of energy in human beings are: the body, the emotions, the mind, and the spirit.

But in reality, as Tony Schwartz, the CEO of “The Energy Project” says, we must regain focus in order to be more productive, efficient, and healthy. He claims that we are not changing at the same rate as the world is changing and that technology is far ahead of our ability to manage it. And that we must spread our energy not only for ourselves but for our organizations.

“ Being busy does not mean productivity. — DR. LIANA C. SáENZ

Most people today have more activities on their agenda than necessary, wanting all of them to be a priority. This is what creates this epidemic of being busy. In reality, if everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. Therefore, being busy with countless activities does not mean that you are productive or that you are having the desired results. The solution is not to be busy, rather to focus on priorities and recover our energy.

So, what can you do to manage and maintain your energy?

• Re-examine your priorities, develop the correct strategy to have the right focus, and avoid continuous waste of energy.
• When necessary, exchange your energy. For example, if after an hour of exercising you feel physically tired, but mentally or emotionally exercising is something that helps you relax, this energy can balance physical exhaustion.
• Look at the four areas (physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental) that give you energy. In which of them do you need to renew yourself? Spend some time of reflection and observe whether any of these areas supply you with energy or, on the contrary, diminish it.
• Use the correct strategy in each area to renew your energy, such as:
  • Physical: having a balanced diet and the necessary hours of sleep, among others;
  • Emotional: stay positive and relate to those who bring light to your life;
  • Spiritual: be clear about your purpose and bring it into your daily life; pray and improve your relationship with God.
  • Mental: add to your agenda: times of reflection, constant learning, and reading what inspires you.

It is essential to maintain balance in the four areas that provide you with energy. Additionally, having the correct focus on your priorities will allow you to use your energy on whom and what is really valuable to you.

The post THE REAL EPIDEMIC: BEING BUSY appeared first on LEADINFORCE - Blog.

New beginnings are always an opportunity or a challenge; yet, if we do not intend to make any changes throughout this time, everything will remain the same. Unfortunately, when we talk about changes we find a great ally or stumbling block: habits.

I invite you to examine how habits can help you or stop you when it comes to new beginnings and how you can achieve starting a new habit.

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Change is constant in life, but it is not necessarily the case for those who do not change or improve their habits. In truth, nothing will change until we change what we do daily.

Habits are behaviors that are constantly repeated over time. They arise when the decisions that we deliberately make are repeated until we no longer decide them, but simply make them.

Cultivating those habits that increase your influence and productivity is ideal. Furthermore, turning the activities that are related to your success plan into habits will allow you to improve your lifestyle and intentionally reach your goals. In our program The Action Plan That Will Lead You To Success, you will be able to observe how habits are an essential part of your success plan.

In this program, it is indicated that there are a series of activities such as capacities, abilities, and talents that are essential to achieve each goal and they must be converted into habits. But there are other activities that don’t need to become a habit, on the contrary, they should not be part of our life.

You and I both have patterns of daily activities that support our goals and others that do not. For example, I have maintained the habit of consuming a dessert after meals, unfortunately, this is a source of extra sugar, which is harmful to my health. I am in the process of changing or removing it from my life. On the other hand, I have the habit of using an agenda for each project that I carry out, this has allowed me, among others, to improve my daily focus. It helps me to observe my growth and the progression of each project.

“ Successful people do what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do. — JIM ROHN

In brief, our real task must be to decide which habits to create, which to cultivate, and which ones to leave behind. To achieve this, I suggest the following practical steps:

• Reflect on this phrase: “The secret of success is determined by your daily agenda.”
• Look closely at your daily activities and find those that contribute to your goals and those that do not. Make a list.
• On a piece of paper write the habit or activity you want to develop and the numbers 1 to 30, post it on the wall or in a place that is visible daily. Each time you run this activity, mark a number on the list until you complete 30 consecutive activities.
• Repeat this exercise as many times as necessary, until you carry out this habit constantly and for at least 30 consecutive times.

New beginnings are always the opportunity to do something new, to create and take the next step towards your goals. Obviously, for many, making the right decisions on a day-to-day basis and turning them into habits can be a difficult process. Even more so, if you are not clear about your priorities in each important area of your ​​life.

Do not work alone, partner for success. Make an appointment with an Executive Coach to live your habits of success daily.

The post ARE NEW BEGINNINGS AN ALLAY OR STUMBLING BLOCK? appeared first on LEADINFORCE - Blog.

At the end of the year, people usually take a moment to think about what they have done or what has happened throughout the year. Others may not think about the past year but would rather think about the New Year that is ahead of them.

Regardless of the focal point, the end of the year always marks a time for reflection and renewal. Let’s look at why highly productive people use this time to renew their energy and why it is so important to them.

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We do not need to have extensive knowledge or experience to recognize that it is vital to recovering our energy. This is nothing new and although in theory, it sounds quite simple, in practice it is not. The American Psychological Association (APA), in its article: Stress a Major Health Problem in the United States, Warns APA, mentioned that “Although the population of the United States deals with stress on a daily basis, the damage to health is more serious when the stress is insufficiently controlled.”

The statistics are not encouraging. In this article, APA indicates that: “Four out of ten people overeat or eat unhealthy foods to control stress; while a third skip a meal due to stress. On the other hand, people who consume alcoholic beverages or smoke cigarettes are also more prone to behaviors that are harmful to health during periods of great stress. Additionally, significant numbers of people watch television for more than two hours a day and play video games or surf the Internet.”

“ Is vital to renew to recover your energy. — DR. LIANA C. SáENZ

In our program The Action Plan That Will Lead You To Success, it is clearly explained that renewing ourselves becomes the first step to continuing on the path to achieving our goals. This program also clarifies that: the greatest resource you have is you. You are the most powerful investment you can make in your life; since you are the instrument of your own performance.

In this program, it is suggested as well, that you should renew yourself in the important areas of your life, such as the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social. Thus, if you are looking to renew yourself, I recommend you to follow these practical steps:

• List the important areas of your life where it is essential to renew yourself,
• Find for each area the activity that renews you,
• Establish how often you should practice this activity,
• Add this activity to your agenda periodically.

For each person renewing has a different meaning. For some, it means resting, distancing yourself from the usual, exercising, sleeping, talking with friends, reading a book, etc. The American Psychological Association summarizes that some of the healthy behaviors used to control stress are: listening to music, reading, exercising or walking, praying, and spending time with family and friends.

Therefore, whatever way you decide to renew yourself, be intentional in selecting what truly brings you restoration, control the time you invest in this activity, and make sure that you renew your energy, revive your life, and your desire to move forward with your goals.

The post READY FOR THE NEW YEAR? appeared first on LEADINFORCE - Blog.

The formula to rationalize what you postpone contains one part of self-deception or disappointment, two parts of escapism, a dose of guilt, and a dose of immobilization. When was the last time you postponed something you had to do?

I invite you to observe the main reasons that lead to the practice of postponing, as well as some of the solutions that can be applied.

Watch Video

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer explained it very well in his famous book, Your Erroneous Zones: “It is not necessary to shed a single drop of sweat to postpone doing anything”, in other words, it is much easier not to do than to do. Of course, this does not mean that it is less painful or that it does not have negative consequences.

The beginning of the year regularly evidences the behavior of postponement. As the end of the year approaches, we begin to receive many advertisements that want to motivate us to buy agendas and specialized notebooks that will help us achieve our projects the following year. Have you bought any of these? And have you used them?

Postponing what we know we should not have in our lives is the beginning of a good strategy. For example, postponing going to the malls is ideal, if you want to avoid wasting money making unnecessary and impulsive purchases. Moreover, I would say that the best thing is to completely cancel this nonsense activity: visiting shopping centers. Of course, some people will refute this idea because they have other reasons for going to the malls.

Now, when it comes to doing what needs to be done, this is where postponing is really the challenge. In other words, what is the purpose of knowing what to do, if it is not done? What good is making great decisions if you do not have the discipline to execute them?

We have all had reasons to postpone. In one way or another, we have been through this experience. If you know of any other reason that is not on this list, you can add it in the comments, so we all learn more. Some of the reasons that we know that lead to postponement is:

• Avoid unexpected situations that can be unpleasant,
• Delay change and thus the risk it entails,
• Avoid responsibility and commitment,
• Play the role of a critic over those who act,
• Facilitate blaming others for mistakes to avoid failure,
• Feed the feeling of security that dreams give you if you stay in them,
• Attract the sympathy of those who feel sorry for you,
• Justify poor time management and mediocre performance,
• Manipulate others to do what has not been done,
• Ensure avoiding success and the commitment that it requires.

In general, regretting, waiting for others to act, and believing that things happen by themselves, is evidence that the focus is on how to justify the postponing.

“ It is not necessary to shed a single drop of sweat to postpone doing anything. — DR. WAYNE W. DYER

What can we do to avoid putting off what needs to be done?

1. Recognize that postponing is affecting your life and that it is eliminating the possibility of success.
2. Avoiding the illusion of the future based on dreams or unreal situations. Stay away from reasoning/using expressions such as: Maybe that will happen; I hope someone takes care of that; let us wait to see what happens, etc.
3. Make the decision to commit to yourself and your goals, based on your purpose and vision of your life and what you want to achieve with it.
4. Face your fears and decide to act today, focusing on your priorities.
5. Prepare for attacks and criticism. Then, be willing to put them aside and guard your focus on your vision.
6. Use your mind to support, motivate, inspire, and not sabotage your next step.
7. Divide tasks into small steps; start small but get started.
8. If this is a team project, meet with the team members to prepare the new strategy and get started today.
9. Make a contract with yourself, put it in writing, and sign it. If necessary and you need more commitment, do it with your team or those who benefit from your actions.

As we can see, postponing is one of the greatest obstacles to productivity. If we do not make an effort to control it, it can control our lives and cancel out the chances of living a meaningful and successful life.

If you need support in the process of controlling delaying what you should do, do not hesitate to contact us, our Executive Coaching program can help you to have better results immediately.

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