Have Fun (day49/365)

Leo Hauser in his book “Five Steps To Success” ends the book on such a great note.

In fact it is probably the note he started with. He had us thinking about what we enjoyed in life; what we wanted to achieve in life; what would bring us fulfillment.

Then we set some goals and realised we had to work toward them.

However there is in fact no line between work and fun. Our work should be fun. If we have set our goals right, to do the things we are good at and want to do, and we are achieving them, we will be having fun doing the work.

When we do the things we want to and that we are good at, we avoid anxiety and depression. We will be enthusiastic, excited, and energetic. Our metabolism will be working at its peak. We feel good about ourselves and take care of our bodies.

Working at the right job is more conducive to longevity than diet, exercise or heredity.

Exposing ourselves to interests and ideas outside of our immediate day to day activities keeps us fresh, alert and having fun. Vacations are a great time not only for renewal of mind and body, but are a great breeding ground for fabulous new ideas. We need to take vacations often.

Make another list now that includes all the fun things you will do where they fit into each area of life. These are the things you anticipate enjoying.

Remember to shoot for the moon with your goals. If you miss it, you will still end up among the stars.

Work (day48/365)

Probably not a favourite word in our vocabulary, but this word is essential to our success. Leo Hauser in his book “Five Steps To Success” leads us on in the process to becoming successful.

Step #4 Work

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than people with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Success and work are synonymous. We need to identify with work, not avoid it. Work is the process part of success. Success is both the journey and the destination and work is the activity of succeeding.

If your goals don’t inspire you to work then you have picked the wrong goals. Think again and choose things that make you feel excited, warm, enthusiastic.

Inspired once more, you’ll find that the harder you work, the luckier you will get. Self respect and dignity will carry you to new heights.

Keep on succeeding with new goals, new plans. It is a trap to stop doing the things that made you successful once you feel you have achieved a certain level.

Something else worth noting is that the more you give to others what they want, the more you will receive what you want. So work in the right areas – giving to others.

Set Big Goals For Yourself (day47/365)

If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else. This quote from “Leo Hauser’s Five Steps To Success” highlights the importance of knowing where you are headed so you actually have a chance of arriving.

It is important that as we set our goals, we remain open to opportunity and surprise also. Reviewing and updating our goals regularly ensures we stay focused and refreshed.

Hauser recommends that we set BIG, EXCITING goals. It is also essential that we write down our goals. Set five year, one year, monthly, weekly, daily goals. When we have a written record of our intentions, we know that what we’re doing represents the best use of time. We do things faster, better and with more enthusiasm.

So let’s get practical. Take a piece of paper again and on it write five year goals for all areas of your life:- financial/professional, physical, mental, relational/personal, spiritual. Then write one year, one month, one week, one day goals for every area.

Really not that hard is it, but it is a discipline to actually stop and do the writing isn’t it? If you thought you would wait until tomorrow, don’t! Get your paper and do it now! You have a life to plan.

Pick The Right Opportunity (day46/365)

Again we are looking at “Leo Hauser’s Five Steps to Success.”

Step #2 Pick the right opportunity.

Now that you’ve found your strengths, talents and abilities, you need to find a place to use them and feel good about what you’re doing, preferably 80-90% of the time.

On a clean page of paper write down all the good things in your job or day to day life.

On a second sheet of paper write down all the bad things about your job. The grievances, complaints etc.

Now compare the good things from your list with your strengths and super strengths. Ask yourself -
” Do my strengths match the good things about my situation?”
” Can I change or reshape my situation so I can use my strengths.”
” Are the things I like about my present situation related more to the work than to the people I work with and the good times I’ve had?”

Write down the best thing and the next best thing about your current job. Now write your list of strengths.

Again, ask yourself ” How can I use my strengths to make these good things about about my present situation even better?”

If however you feel you need to change jobs to use those talents you’ve discovered, then take some action to find the right job to use your skills.

“If you want to do something badly enough…..it’s always the right time.”

Get To Know Yourself (day45/365)

I have just found the most amazing little book called “Leo Hauser’s Five Steps To Success” which at a glance seems to cover some of the same topics I workshop with people working with my very own diary system called “Discovering My Purpose, Discovering Me.” (More about that when we have finished learning from this book)

Step 1. Get To Know Yourself.

The following are some questions/statements to help you think about the person you are.

We need to take an inventory of our assets and liabilities. Hauser suggests that to do this stocktake we need to get away somewhere quiet for minimum two hours. Have plenty of paper and pens.

Draw a line down the middle of first page. On one side write the things, past and present, you are good at, like to do, get results from, that are easy, that don’t feel like work, maybe hobbies.
What are your talents, skills, abilities?

On the other side list the things, past and present, you are not very good at, don’t like to do, you find hard or a chore to do. What are your weaknesses?

Now for appraisal time. Narrow down the list of attributes, talents and skills to one or two things that you are really good at and like to do – you would continue to do even if no-one applauded you. These are the things you are encouraged to dwell on. The plan is to become even better at these. They will make you the success you’re destined to become.

The plan is to maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses, to fill our lives with the excitement and joy of what we do well and enjoy.