Create Stucture in your life

Many people fear structure because they think it will stifle their creativity and rob them of their freedom. Nothing could be further from the truth. "Within structure is freedom." Structure actually creates freedom by establishing a firm foundation. Within the structure you create you can be as creative as you want and as free as you need to be.

Structures can serve you in three different ways:

To provide a system

To motivate

To keep you on track


A structure will provide a system for you to follow. This is like having a blueprint or map to follow to your success. Without a structure you could easily get off track. The 90 Day Power Process is a great example of a structure. It is built into the process and gives you the system in which to work within.

A structure provides motivation because it keeps you moving forward towards your goals. As long as you work the system the system will work and you will be able to see yourself moving forward. "Just about every system works if you work the system."

Keeps you on track. A structure allows you to stay on track and track your progress. You can see how you are doing because your success is being managed. Using a system to track your progress will allow you to see how far you have come and give you clues on what is working, what isn't and how to tweak it.

An example of a structure you have in your life - Brushing your teeth

You have what you need at the ready, you don't move it around. It is always right where you put it. The system for brushing your teeth is a simple but effective one. That is the sign of a good structure.

You are motivated to continue to brush your teeth by the rewards you get from your daily effort. Fresh breath, clean feeling teeth and a bright shinning smile.

Every six months when you get your dental check up you are given a report on how well you are doing. Your results are measured and compared to previous visits. Depending on the report you get you know if you need to maintain, increase your efforts or adds something new like flossing every day to your system.

One of the most powerful ways to use structure is in planning your day. If you don't structure your day it will get away from you. By creating a structure for the day you are actually giving yourself a blueprint for success. In the daily action power process you plan the steps you will take towards reaching your goal. The steps you put on your DAPP log are not things you think would be nice to do but things you will actually do. You then complete the actions, mark them off (therefore creating a process for measuring) and go on with your day.

You can do this with your entire day. It is a good idea to structure your day within 30 minute increments.

It is also a good idea to schedule in fun, time with friends and quite time. When you schedule an activity in you are more likely to complete it.

Ideas for creating structure:

Having a weekly call
support
accountability
hearing progress from others

Having an accountability partner

Writing down ideas/to dos/thoughts
Keeping a notebook near by - by the bed, in your purse, in the car
Keep a journal
Do a gratitude journal


Resources:

Journal to the Self - Kay Adams
The Artist Way - Julia Cameron

Self Care

Self Care is about Self Love not being Selfish


Self-care comes in many sizes. There is no one size fits all. I define self-care as anything that makes you feel good, nourishes you and supports you in being the best you can be.

Self-care isn’t a once in a while event or even a special splurge (although those are nice too). Self-care is something you do daily to care for yourself and make your life the best possible. Self-care can be as easy as getting enough sleep, eating healthy to meditation and play. Self-care is whatever improves the quality of your life.

However being as busy as you are self-care might seem like a self-indulgence. It isn’t. To make self-care part of your every day habits you need to create structures that will support your self care commitment.

One important structure is to schedule it in. Unless it is on the calendar chances that it will get done, at least in the beginning, are slim. You might want to write your 10 self care habits down every day until they become something you do automatically. As you are building self-care into your daily activity you might have to try things out, tweak a bit and change some of the activities. That is fine. You actually don’t have to do the same things every day. The key here is that you are doing something towards your self-care daily.

Use your screen saver, post it notes, anything that will serve as a reminder of your self care and why you are doing it. Pictures of your family, motivational quotes and posters and pictures of serene calm places can all remind you of the importance of self care and why you are doing it.

Track it. Keep a log of your self care habits. You can use a spreadsheet or a journal. Whatever works best for you. The concept here is to keep the awareness alive. When you track what you are doing you are more likely to do it and to notice when there is a need to tweak or change.

How to create structure for your self-care

1. Brainstorm with yourself and others on what you can do for your self-care. When you brainstorm with others you are likely to get ideas you would have never thought of on your own.

2. Get all your senses involved. Use a paper calendar and write on it with a pen. Wear something like a bracelet that will remind you of what you doing (complaint free bracelet). Record positive affirmations in your own voice that support the self-care practices you are doing.

3. Pay attention to what works and what doesn’t. Not everything you try will work for you. Be willing to tweak and toss out when something isn’t providing you with the level of self-care you need.

4. Use others for support. Being accountable to others is a powerful motivator and a way to stay on track. You might even consider having a self-care buddy who will be working on their own self-care.

5. What has worked for you in the past? Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. If you did something in the past that worked most likely it will work again.
If you are wondering where to start with self care think of the various areas of your life such as spiritual, work, financial, family, friends, health/physical, personal and social.

By taking care of yourself you provide a foundation in which the rest of your life is built. You wouldn’t drive your car without refueling and doing basic maintenance on it. However somehow we think we can drive ourselves without proper care and that we will just keep on running. Trust me there will be a day when your body says, “Enough” and you will be forced to take care of yourself.

If you don’t take care of yourself you won’t be able to take care of others. You simply won’t have the energy or desire to do it. Also caring for others before yourself can create resentment and a sense of being a martyr. You really don’t want to go there.

Examples of self-care

Getting enough sleep
Taking naps
Eating healthy food
Exercise
Play
Having a hobby
Laughing at least 400 times a day
Taking a bubble bath
Using nice scents, soaps and lotions
Reading (my self care includes belonging to a book club)
Spending times with friends and family
Games
Meditation/Praying/Spiritual Practice
Cooking
Singing
Breathing

Creating a Strong Support Team

A support person can be a family member, friend, colleague or professional. Types of support people you can have in your life:

Friends
Family
Mentors
Coach
Attorney
Financial Planner
Accountant
Housekeeper
Technical support
Assistant
Dry Cleaner
Personal Chef
Baby Sitter
Neighbor

Anyone that helps you and makes your life easier should be a part of your support team.

Another kind of support team is more formal and structured. It is called a Master Mind Group.

I was first introduced to the Master Mind concept when I left my corporate job in 1996. I joined an Ali Lassen's Leads group and some of the members had formed a Master Mind group. I was invited to join the group and stayed a member for several years.

The first person I am aware of that talked about the Power of the Master Mind was Napoleon Hill in his amazing book, "Think & Grow Rich." In chapter Ten he outlined the concept of the Master Mind. He wrote that "The Master Mind can be defined as: Coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose." He believed that "No individual may have great power without availing himself of the Master Mind."

According to Hill there are two main characteristics of the Master Mind Principle. One is the economic nature and the other is the psychic. "The economic feature is obvious. Economy advantages may be created by any person who surrounds himself with the advice, counsel, and personal cooperation of a group of men who are willing to lend him wholehearted aid, in a spirit of perfect harmony. This form of cooperative alliance has been the bias of nearly every great fortune. The psychic part of the Master Mind principle is much more difficult to comprehend. You may catch a significant suggestion from this statement, "No two minds ever come together without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to a third mind."

The book Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is now in public domain. If you would like to review chapter 10 Power of the Master Mind or even look at the entire book click here. I would highly recommend you buy the book but this would give you something to study as you are in the process of obtaining the book.

Suggestions for starting a Master Mind Group:

Establish guidelines for how you operate with each other. Things like mutual respect, bring solutions vs. problems, don't dominate, confidentiality, and a general positive attitude and a willingness to help.

You want to decide that what happens in the Master Mind Group stays there. It should be a safe place to share ideas, concepts and personal items and know they won’t be talked about outside of the group.

Create a structure for the meeting. In the groups I have been in we usually start off by sharing a win for the week or news from the week. Next everyone gets a certain about of time to share what they would like support on for that week. Depending on how much time the meeting is set for and how many people will determine how much time each person gets. Usually 15 minutes is sufficient. Someone in the group should time each person so that the meeting stays on track.

Pick a leader or facilitator. Whether this person holds the position forever or it changes for each meeting is less important than the need for someone who will coordinate schedules, meeting locations and keep everyone on time.

Be open to the group evolving. As time goes on the group may evolve such as change members, grow, shrink or even change the purpose of the meeting. Be willing to allow the group to become what it needs to. Also when it is time to end the group be willing to let it go. Everything as a time and a season.

Here are just a few basics for a Master Mind Group:

· Hold the group size to 5-7 people if possible.
· Each person gets 15-minutes to do what they will with it.
· Each person must state a goal they will have accomplished by the next month's meeting.
· Distribute notes/highlights from the meeting to those not in attendance, but who are committed members of this group.


Here's to taking action

Measuring the Progress


Welcome to the 8th session of the Daily Action Power Process Summer Camp.

Camp work – Write down your top 25 accomplishments

Write down the goals you created for the 90 day Camp and what you achieved so far

The first step in tracking your progress is to know where you are – without knowing exactly where you are it will be difficult to track your progress. For example if loosing weight were the goal you would weigh and measure yourself before you started. This would give you a starting point to measure your progress.

Second create sub-goals that you can break down into daily action.

Create some type of system to measure your progress. This can be as complicated as a spreadsheet and as simple as keeping a journal. Your Camp Manual is a great way to keep track of your progress because you are writing in it every day and tracking the steps you are taking.

The benefit of tracking your progress is so that you know if you are on track. Tracking your progress will give you information that will help you adjust your actions. You will discover if you need to change, increase or even abandon as action.



When I was getting my Doctorate degree I did not track my progress. I didn’t stay on top of taking classes when I needed to and finishing papers within my timeline. Because of my lack of tracking and measuring my success my three year degree turned into seven years.

The process of goal setting is deciding, visualizing, planning, take the necessary actions, measuring, measuring and adjusting where necessary which will lead to the Goal's advancement and finally Goal Achieving.

Deciding – decide that you really want it and that you will do what it takes
Planning – create a plan that will help you achieve your goal. You might not know all the steps but you will know enough to get started
Take the necessary action – take the daily action steps that will assist you in achieving your goal
Measure and adjust – keep track of your goal to make sure you are on track. Adjust as needed.

Enjoy the journey. So many people focus on the outcome and loose sight of the journey. Getting there is at least half of the fun. Working towards the goal is part of the excitement and thrill. Don’t get so caught with focusing on the end that you forget the middle. Reward yourself as you go along. Set milestones and celebrate them. Doing this will give you motivation and encouragement to keep on going.

Knowing these numbers does three basic things.
· 1. Having measurable goals lets you know exactly what you should be doing, where your target is, and develop a plan how to hit that target EXACTLY.
o Psychologists say that you are 7 times more likely to achieve your goal if you have it written and clearly defined.
· 2--Measuring your progress toward your goals let’s you know if you are on target, what is working, and what is not.
· 3--Learning from what works and doesn’t and adjusting as you go. Having the measurements is THE ONLY way for that to happen.


The Seven Steps to Goal Attainment


1. Specific – Goals must be specific. Saying you want to earn more money isn’t enough. How much more money do you want to earn?

2. Measurable – Goals must be measurable. If the goal is not measurable how will you know you obtained it? When you state how much money you want to make, you now have something to measure and will know when you obtain it.

3. Take Action – In order to reach the goal you must be willing, able, and ready to take action. Without consistent and persistent action, the goal will not be realized.

4. Reachable – Goals should be a stretch, but still reachable. If the goal is out of reach, it will be de-motivating. A 56 year old man who has no political experience who wants to set a goal of being President of the United States in the next five years is setting a goal that is not reachable. However, setting a goal for more political involvement such as running for local office or working on a political campaign is reachable.

5. Time bound – To make a goal compelling it must be time bound. The question to ask when setting goals is “By When.” The time can always be adjusted, but having a date provides something to work towards and is motivating.

6. Desire – There must be a deep desire to achieve the goal. Without desire, you will not be compelled to reach your goals.

7. Write it down – Goals that are written down are more likely to be achieved. There is power when the pen hits the paper.

Time Vampires

Time is a limited resource. You only have 24 hours in each day and once they are spent they are gone. To make the most of your time you don’t just have to manage your time you have to guard your time as well. You may have the best time management plan ever however if there are people, things and events that are sucking your time you will have a challenge keeping your priorities.

In order to get rid of the Time Vampires you have to set clear and strong boundaries. You also have to have high standards around how you use your time and who you allow to spend time with you.

To help manage time always plan your day. Schedule in everything you are going to do that day. Trying to manage a day without a plan isn’t going to work and the time vampires will easily take your day away.

Plan in fun. Sounds odd but if you don’t plan it most likely you won’t make time for it. Also when you plan in time for fun you will be more likely to stick with your plan knowing that there is fun planned as well.

Only work on your email once in the beginning of the day and once at the end of the day. This way you won’t be spending all day long answering email.

Make dates with the people in your life for when you will spend time with them. Don’t let them assume they can call you, drop in on your or otherwise bother you at anytime they wish. If need be let them know what your schedule is like and when you could spend some time with them.

Simplify things – figure out a way to make things easier on yourself. Set up automatic bill pay, have your dry cleaning picked up and delivered to your home or office, delegate task that you are not that fond of or hire them out. Find ways to streamline everything you do.

Choose a scheduling device that works for you: a diary, calendar, a PDA, or a software package. • Keep your schedule within reach.
• Limit how many important and urgent deadlines you commit to.
• Don't take on tasks that belong to someone else.
• Learn to say "No."
• If you feel that all you do is put out fires, it is time to make some changes.
• Set aside time for planning. • Plan weekly • Plan daily. Plan tomorrow's schedule at the end of today.
- Concentrate on results, not on being busy.
- - Understand what you can realistically achieve in a given time.
- Allow enough time for things that absolutely must be done.
- Build in free time.
- Prioritize.
- • If you feel stuck, do an easy task to get your momentum going.
• Do at least one unpleasant task a day.
• Minimize interruptions.
• Learn to make decisions.
• If it takes less than two minutes, it is probably better to do it right now.
• Delegate.
• Consider keeping activity logs so you can know for sure where your time is going.
•


Camp Work for this week –

To get rid of the time vampires you first have to know what and who they are. For two or three days tracks every minute of your time. Get a notebook and simply write down everything you do and how much time you spend doing it from the time you get up until you go to bed. Include who is with you and any details that will help you identify if this is a time vampire situation or not.

Example:

6:15am Woke up – shower and got ready
7:00am Ate breakfast and read the paper
7:45am Left for work
815am Arrived at work
8:15 – 8:30 Got coffee and visited with co-workers
8:30am Began working on the Alton project
8:35am Mary stopped by office and visited for 25 minutes
9:00am Went to bathroom and stopped and talked to Jo
9:30am Called shipping – spent 15 minutes on hold

You get the picture. Just capture everything you do during the day. It won’t take you long to see where you time is being sucked away from you.

This can be a challenging assignment – however don’t skip it. Do it for at least one day. You will be amazed at where your time is going. Keep in mind that awareness is the first step in making a different choice.

Resource:

Life's Missing Instruction Manual
By Joe Vitale, Inc NetLibrary
http://tinyurl.com/43cyvz

Raise your Standards

No one ever regrets raising the bar, ever, ever, ever.

Scare yourself,
The Universe

I recieved this today in my Messages from the Universe and it made me think of Standards. So many people are afraid to raise their standards for a lot of reasons however no one ever seems to regret doing so.

What are some ways you could raise your Standards?

Rachelle

Great Action Quote

Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.
- Conrad Hilton