How Mindfulness Helped Me Drop Bad Habits https://ift.tt/fCO4Fn8

Almost everyone will admit they have areas or habits in their lives they feel can be better than they are at the moment. Some people may feel they can be more kind and compassionate, others feel they can be more assertive, and others feel they can be more peaceful and happy.

For me, a few years ago, I felt I could be less angry and explosive. I was short-tempered and would often result in very cruel words which I didn’t think through well or just simply be violent. And this was not something I enjoyed at all. 

I tried a couple of anger management techniques to see if they could help but they were barely helpful. When I almost gave up on this character improvement project, it’s when I discovered mindfulness and went on to work with it to overcome this problem.

A Clear Breakdown of How I Used Mindfulness to Conquer Anger

Step 1. Research about mindfulness and get to know it

Although I had a rough idea of awareness, I decided to do deep research on it so that I would have concrete detailed information on the practice. I used reliable sources of information online for learning about mindfulness which are credible and authoritative in the self-improvement industry. 

I also read books, visited self-help websites, watched videos, and listened to podcasts on mindfulness. 

Step 2. Figure out an approach plan and where to start 

After my research, I tried to figure out how I could apply it practically in my life. I had learned that mindfulness meditation was a form of training in mindfulness so I only found it natural to begin mindfulness by training myself through meditation.

My approach plan was to start with the meditation practice and later on try out other mindfulness techniques to increase my moments of mindfulness and increase its effects in my life.

Step 3. Get started with mindfulness meditation immediately

After having a vision and a plan of how to approach things, I made the effort of beginning the meditation practice right away. I used guided meditation resources for mindfulness meditation to help me learn how to do the meditation practice and also have a feel of what mindfulness is like. I began meditating for 5 minutes and slowly increased the duration as I got comfortable. This is an important step because most people don’t take it. They never get started at all.

Step 4. Aim to get better with every meditation session

After a couple of meditation sessions, I noticed that, since I was still a beginner, I was making a lot of mistakes which included feeling weighed down by the practice and feeling like it was too much work to do, just to name a few. So I researched more about the problems from people who have experienced the same in the past, found effective solutions for them, and began applying them as I aimed to make some improvements in every session. Online meditation communities and forums helped me find the solutions to my meditation problems.

“Mindfulness is the kind of light that shows us the way. It is the living Buddha inside of each of us. Mindfulness gives birth to insight, awakening, compassion, and love.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Step 5. Reflect and visualize about solving the problem you have

My goal was to control my anger to the point where it couldn’t affect me even when I was told anything that might trigger negative reactions. I desired to be told something that felt insulting and not even flinch. So I would reflect every so often on how I wanted my life to be. I would think about the specific problems that are brought by the anger and I would try to look for solutions. And then I would visualize myself applying those solutions in the needed areas. I would consciously tell my mind that the visualized solution is exactly how I’m going to be doing things in my life going forward. Doing that helped me remember to be aware of myself when such times came and made applying the solutions much easier since I had already established in my mind, through visualization, exactly how I wanted things to be.

Step 6. Put in personal effort consistently to apply the solution

Now applying the solution every time isn’t easy. The first few times might be a bit easy but making them stick and become your second nature is quite hard. What I found to help with the issue of consistency and habit creation is that you have to view the solution like a new habit you’re going to form that’s going to stick with you forever. 

So when you apply it the first few times successfully, you should still remind yourself that it’s what you’re going to do again when you’re in the same situation in the near future. I reminded myself and followed it up with physical effort. If I came across anything I knew might make me angry, I would try to be aware of myself and my emotions and then remind myself what I decided to be doing, and then I would act upon it immediately. Sometimes, I would choose to walk away, and other times I would keep quiet and discipline myself to not speak at all.

Step 7. Aim to be aware of yourself

Based on my personal experiences, I have learned that being always aware of yourself, not just when you want to solve a problem in your life, but every other moment really helps. Awareness helps you not get into that problem in the first place so that you avoid having to solve it after it has already affected your life. 

However, being always aware is pretty hard and needs a lot of work. I achieved it by doing mindfulness meditation daily for 10 to 20 minutes to start with.

I also worked with mindful listening and speaking when I was having conversations with other people, mindful working when working, mindful walking when commuting to work or generally any time I was walking, mindful eating during my meal times, and mindful showering when taking a bath. Ideally, taking any chance you get to be aware and fully maximize it. 

However, before I got to use these other mindfulness techniques, I only worked with mindfulness meditation and visualization to be aware of myself when trouble came and then used the other mindfulness techniques to be always aware of myself.

Moreover, I’d take my time in the evenings to review how my day was and how I did with regard to calming down my anger. And I’d visualize how I would approach the next day when I had the same anger problems. I’d take different versions of scenarios that would get me angry and see myself handling them much better without being lost in emotions. Doing this helped me remember automatically how to behave when I got into such situations.

To achieve all that I was dedicated, committed, disciplined, and focused on making a permanent change. Eventually, it worked!

The post How Mindfulness Helped Me Drop Bad Habits first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

source https://addicted2success.com/life/how-mindfulness-helped-me-drop-bad-habits/

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How to Be at Your Best When Bad Things Are Happening https://ift.tt/CuxWqsp

The past two years have been challenging to say the least. Between people losing their jobs, businesses going under, and the medical condition of the world threatening our freedoms, it’s been a significant amount of trauma for us to adapt to as a collective. On the positive side of things, if anything, the last two years have taught us the power of resilience.

But surviving isn’t enough. Making it through is not a way of life. So how can you learn to be at your best when bad things are happening to and around you? How can you show up for yourself to make sure that you’re in the best possible position to be nimble and pivot as necessary, but also stay in alignment with who you really are?

These are the secrets to staying at the top of your game when life gets extra challenging.

What it takes to be at your best

When life has a season that drops you to your knees repeatedly, the very first thing you want to do is go back to basics because when things get tough, your mind defaults back to your most engrained coping habits—ranging from counter-productive to dangerously destructive. This can look like cutting back on sleep, bingeing TV shows for an escape, and isolating yourself from others. People also tend to eat comfort foods like mac and cheese, fried chicken, and ice cream that makes them feel safe but doesn’t actually support their bodies. 

Having moments of these things is okay. Everyone needs a break sometimes. But if these have become your main coping mechanisms, it’s time to go back to basics so that you’re supporting a strong, healthy nervous system that can help you manage the stress. 

Things like eating nutrient-dense food, getting high-quality (and enough) sleep, and caring for your body well are important factors in your stress management, as well as keeping yourself adaptable. Caring for your body can look like a lot of different things. This may mean going out in nature for a bit every day, getting massages to help release tension from your muscles, or exercising so that your body is strong enough to handle what life throws at you. Pay attention to the activities that make your body feel supported and build those into your schedule as non-negotiables.

To take this to the next level, build in practices that take care of your mind and manage your energy. Your mind affects your body. If you want your machine to run properly, you have to take care of its operating system—your mind. You can do this through journaling, meditation, conversations, personal development work, and learning new skills to keep your mind in tip-top shape. Likewise, you need to pay attention to your energy and how you spend it. There are certain things that will cost you more energy than others, even if those activities take the same amount of time. For example, it may take you less energy to read a book for an hour than it does to have a conversation with your mother for an hour. When you understand how you spend energy, you’re able to craft your days more intentionally so that you don’t overspend one day and rob yourself of energy for the rest of the week.

All of these things will strengthen your base so that when things go wrong, you have the best chance at handling them.

“Your reality is as you perceive it to be. So it is true, that by altering this perception we can alter our reality.” -William Constantine

Emergency catches

On top of having a solid foundation, you need practices in your toolbox that can catch you in an emergency. Those practices you can do when things hit the fan and you need help now. Our two favorite categories of emergency catches are grounding and breathing exercises.

If you haven’t taught yourself to consciously breathe, you’re likely a shallow breather. That means you breathe into your chest without inhaling fully. Proper breathing goes deeper into the belly, making the diaphragm move. This is how you properly oxygenate your blood, body, and brain. This matters because deep breathing can actually help you release stress, which promotes a healthier immune system. Breathing exercises like laying on your back, placing your hands on your lower abdomen, and breathing into your hands to push them away from you for a count of eight on the inhale, hold for four, and exhale for eight will help you develop deeper breathing habits.

Grounding exercises are also great in emergency situations. In times of trauma or stress, people can disassociate from their bodies. This means that the world may not feel real to you, it can seem as if you’re outside of your body, or you may not be experiencing reality as it truly is because of the disconnect from the feelings of your body. Things can go blank and your mind can refuse to focus. If you struggle with these things, grounding exercises can help you by bringing awareness back to your body. This is especially important to note if you find yourself in the space of needing to make a decision. Your body gives you information through your feelings. If you’re disconnected from your body, it becomes difficult to read those signs which can lead to making misaligned choices or having a skewed perspective. By grounding your body, you reconnect to its messages and can make better choices.

One grounding exercise is to sit comfortably and every part of your body that is touching the floor, imagine it growing roots into the earth. Imagine those roots pull in the nutrients and nurturing of the Earth’s pulse, as you bring your awareness to your breath. Feel what it’s like to breathe deeply into your belly. Pay attention to how your rib cage expands. Then consciously start to release any tension you feel in your feet, then your calves, then your thighs, and work all the way up your body. By putting your focus on your body, you bring yourself back to the present moment and fill up your vessel.

It’s important to remember that not everything needs a response now. Coming from a place of calm is better than operating from a place of fear or anger. If your emotions start tipping that way, these are powerful exercises to implement into your toolbox.

The daily energy practice that is often overlooked

There are powerful ways to shift and direct your energy. One of the most overlooked practices that you can implement is the power of the spoken word. 

Your voice has resonance, which means that you can command your energy to focus in a specific way using your voice. Remember, your mind is the facilitator of body health. So when you take time in your day to take your thoughts and put them into spoken words to direct energy, you can create change. 

For example, if you feel tired you can command energy to refill your energy levels. If you feel like there is negative energy in your space, you can command that energy to leave, and for the space to be filled with bliss and peace. Keep in mind that you must believe in what you are saying for this to change your reality. 

This takes time and practice, and that’s okay. Results come from consistent action, and this spoken word energy clearing will create results the more often you use it.

The post How to Be at Your Best When Bad Things Are Happening first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

source https://addicted2success.com/life/how-to-be-at-your-best-when-bad-things-are-happening/

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8 Things Companies Can Do to Thrive During the Great Resignation https://ift.tt/flKj1eg

The Great Resignation continues into 2022, with over 4 million Americans quitting their jobs for six consecutive months. Now the question is, how can leaders respond to this crisis effectively? How can businesses surmount this challenge and even thrive?

In this article, we outline 8 strategies to help your business grow and expand in the midst of the Big Quit. We offer insights into why employees resign, what businesses can do to improve retention, and how to navigate the changing landscape of the workplace.

1. Leverage Information

Solving a problem requires understanding it. In the case of The Great Resignation, employee interviews and surveys are a great resource. These will help you identify improvement points that can prevent the crisis from negatively impacting your business. 

For instance, you can perform “stay interviews” aimed at understanding what motivates an employee to stick to their current role. With this information, you can further strengthen what your employees perceive to be beneficial to their stay and thereby increase retention.

Conversely, you can perform and assess “exit interviews” to understand why past employees left. This way, you can address existing issues and prevent other employees from resigning.

2. Focus on Employee Experience

One of the best ways to retain top talent is to provide a great employee experience. Hence, it is important to invest in this endeavor during the great resignation. When employees feel heard and valued, they are more likely to stay longer with a company.

Some factors that contribute to a great employee experience are inclusivity, psychological safety, and work-life balance. These are factors you can measure by asking for feedback from your employees. 

By continuously working on improving employee experience, you can ensure an engaged and productive workforce during these uncertain times. You can also dramatically increase the positive perception of your business and attract many great potential hires.

3. Offer Time Flexibility

Another way to reduce employee turnover is to offer time flexibility. What we mean by time flexibility is by giving employees flexibility in when they work. Allow your employees to start or end work at different times outside the 9-5 window, so they can attend to life’s demands without feeling extra pressure or stress. This option is highly sought by employees. In fact, a survey by Harvard Business Review revealed that 96% of U.S. professionals need flexibility. Yet, only 47% of the companies in the same survey cater to this need. This means that a flexible working schedule can be a competitive advantage for your business. 

Both you and your employees can benefit from time flexibility. By implementing it, you may be able to enjoy increased employee engagement, higher productivity, and reduced tardiness and absenteeism. While new business models like the one this entails can be challenging to adopt, you can surely reap great rewards after.

4. Hire Remote Employees

Experts claim that remote work is here to stay. Many businesses already transitioned to a full remote or hybrid setup during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you haven’t yet, you may be having difficulty finding the right talent as many are prioritizing location flexibility when seeking employment today. 

Besides location flexibility, employees have experienced greater productivity, work-life balance, and overall job and life satisfaction on a full-time remote schedule.

Those who hire remotely find themselves having a wider talent pool. They can find the best people to do the job from all over the world. They also spend less on office space and can allocate the supposed budget for other important things. Most importantly, they are able to cultivate a culture of trust which is the foundation of any good employer-employee relationship. 

5. Cultivate a Culture of Empathy

Research shows that burnout is the main reason why people quit their jobs. One great way to prevent it from happening to your employees is by making empathy central to your company culture. Activities related to this may include creating conversations around empathy, learning how to acknowledge individual feelings at work, and knowing how to listen to employees without judgment.

Empathetic leadership brings out the best in people. It is especially important to practice it during times of crisis. By practicing empathy in the workplace, you can boost employee morale, foster greater collaboration, and improve employee loyalty.

“There’s no magic formula for great company culture. The key is just to treat your staff how you would like to be treated.” – Richard Branson

6. Create Advancement Opportunities

Lack of growth opportunities is another reason why people are exploring the possibility of employment elsewhere. If you want people to stay in your company, you have to think about what their short-term and long-term goals are. Then, you have to think about how these goals align with what your company can offer. This kind of information should be made available and discussed with your employees. 

One great maxim to follow is “offer careers, not just jobs.” This means offering not just promotion and advancement, but also room for personal and professional development.

7. Promote Health and Wellbeing

The Great Resignation is, in part, a workplace mental health crisis. In Mind Share Partners’ 2021 Mental Health Report, half of the respondents said they quit their jobs due to mental health reasons. There are many ways employers can avert this problem. You can start by destigmatizing mental health issues, offering more personal time off, and promoting work-life balance.

Aside from mental health, many employees also leave their job for better financial wellbeing. With the recent increase of national inflation by around 7%, employees are needing more financial capability just to keep up with their basic needs. 

All things considered, it can be more costly to replace top talent than to simply increase their salary. For this reason, you should consider reevaluating the compensation package and benefits you offer in response to today’s high quit rates.

8. Outsource and Delegate to a Virtual Assistant

Navigating the pandemic and The Great Resignation can be quite overwhelming. Thinking about how to do all the tasks listed in this article alone requires great effort. In order to lessen your workload and combat the effects of The Great Resignation, you can consider hiring a virtual executive assistant or EVA. EVAs perform time-consuming tasks so you can focus on the ones that generate income. 

EVAs usually have lower wage demand, so they can help your business recover from the financial setbacks of today’s crises. Plus, they have been less likely to participate in The Big Quit.

There are several ways to combat the dreaded Big Quit. As discussed in this article, leaders must first understand why employees quit. Then, they have to gather information and respond to employee demands today such as time-flexibility, location-flexibility, and advancement opportunities. Another strategy is to choose to outsource some of your business functions.

 In the end, companies may choose to adopt strategies like the ones listed in this article or suffer great attrition. Meanwhile, companies that are consciously turning The Great Resignation into the Great Retention are the ones that will survive and thrive in 2022.

The post 8 Things Companies Can Do to Thrive During the Great Resignation first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

source https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/8-things-companies-can-do-to-thrive-during-the-great-resignation/

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Little Known Way to Boost Your Client Attraction Results https://ift.tt/FXHnecp

If you are struggling to prove that you are that expert your leads and prospects are ought to hire, if you are getting hesitation and confusion on your sales calls – perhaps I can show you another way to become magnetic to the right people in your audience.

In over two decades working with business owners from all walks of life, there is one main obstacle I can pinpoint when it comes to client attraction – where everyone who struggled to grow their business and attract more clients had one thing in common. 

They were trying to follow marketing strategies that were not aligned with WHO they were as people, so there was no human energy in their marketing materials. It simply felt off – and their audiences could sense it. 

People Work With People 

People trust personal brands more than they do generic brands. 

I always believed it, but I also wondered, “Why is that?” mainly when I lived in the countryside of Ireland, where people are not as open to using technology as in some other parts of the world. Why would Mary rather drive to Joe’s shop than order something online? 

The answer was clear. May shopped at Joe’s because she liked him, she trusted him, enjoyed the “vibes,” the little chit-chat she could have when visiting his store, that warm fuzzy feeling that he would look after her. 

And at the same time, she would never go shopping at Pat’s, who she thought was a very “difficult” man to deal with.

In other words, we interact with each other’s vibes that invisible energy more than we tend to give it credit. And in our marketing, our vibes play an even more critical role. If we are doing something we do not feel energetically lit up by (and most business owners I know hate anything to do with marketing) – the audience senses that “void” and simply does not respond to the offers.

After a long search through personality assessments and archetype research, I finally discovered an unusual but highly accurate tool. This discovery enabled me to help my clients magnetize their client attraction by mapping out their energetic potential. And it helps define the type of content that is so perfectly aligned with who they are that it feels easy for them to create and enjoyable to publish for the world to see.

That feeling of ease, inner security, joy, and, as a result, boosted confidence and the conviction with which they make their offers completely change the “vibe” of their marketing and, in turn, attracts a flow of great clients who immediately energetically respond in a very positive way.

My compass for achieving that is founded in a recently devised self-discovery and personal development system called Human Design. Some refer to this system as being given a “user manual” for your life. And it is perfect for aligning your business and marketing strategies with how you are designed to operate in the first place.

Your Business Energetics

Here is a little example of how learning about your Human Design Type, Authority (how you are designed to make decisions), and Profile help create a perfectly aligned marketing strategy. (you can get a free Human Design Chart Generated here.)

I am a Splenic Projector 1/3. A Projector is my Type. (There are also Generators, Manifestors, Reflectors & Manifesting Generators). In terms of my energetics, it describes a particular “shape” of my aura and the way I interact with people. 

Projector’s aura is focused on the other person, one at a time. It is very penetrative. In other words, Projectors are gifted with seeing deep into the other, and they naturally make excellent guides, managers, organizers as they can see what needs to be aligned for achieving more efficiency and creating systems for doing whatever they see better. 

The strategy for a Projector with such a laser-focused aura is to wait for an invitation before giving guidance. If a projector tries advising someone energetically “closed” (who has not “invited” them), it often meets pushbacks and resistance. 

A marketing strategy for a Projector would be to focus on building their positioning as an authority expert in their niche and attract those who are open to concepts and ideas that that Projector is so passionate about. 

Being seen and “recognized” both energetically and simply as an authority on the subject attracts very aligned kind of people. Clients often come to me already presold, so when I discuss enrolling them, the conversation is never about overcoming objections or persuading them I am the next best thing since sliced bread. My visibility does all the heavy lifting, so I can choose from the opportunities and invitations that it brings to ensure I engage in the most aligned ones. 

This has been a winning realization for my own business, and it transformed the way I attract clients and the flow of new leads and new opportunities coming to me. 

I tried to follow more traditional marketing strategies with cold outreach and structured sales calls – it felt utterly humiliating. I was forced into “proving my worth.” 

I am not meant to operate by initiating action, and I am designed to be invited into interaction. Projectors do not see themselves and their worth the same way they see others, so this was always a very traumatic scenario for me.

Needless to say, it had low conversions too. 

And yet, for some of my clients who were Manifestors by Type, cold outreach was perfect because their aura and Human Design are all about igniting the “fire,” starting projects, and initiating others into action. 

For them messaging their connections on Facebook with invitations to join their groups and check out their offers worked seamlessly. 

For me, it just created tension and even being blocked by annoyed recipients!

So the same activity performed by people with two completely different energetics evoked an opposite response, which is why traditional marketing strategies do not work for everyone. In fact, they do not work for most people, only those who have the same energetic type as those who created these strategies and succeeded in implementing them in the first place. 

To my deeply logical mind, this makes perfect sense. I have been experimenting with my design in my own business and helping my clients who have different types of auras to find what works for them and find freedom from the pressure to say yes to offers and strategies that only get them more stuck. And it works every time.

Your Brand Magnetism

Another area of Human Design  I am pretty obsessed with is Profiles. The insight into how we can become magnetic to the right people in our audiences is so powerful. I even developed my Marketing Archetypes based on the Human design profile lines to help create a specific type of content that feels truly enjoyable to create. My profile is 1/3 – it is the most introverted, self-absorbed type of energy that is all about getting deep to the core foundation of the topic and then testing it and finding the path through personal experiences to share one’s findings with others. 

This is how people with 1/3 profile serve the community, through sharing their unique personal perspectives and letting others feel safe in trying new unknown things and learning from mistakes. We are afraid to embrace this in fear of being labeled selfish or self-centered. 

Yet this is not a disadvantage because focusing on self and then sharing what that self sees is how we serve humanity. A very empowering perspective that has changed my life. 

The way it shows up in my marketing it allowing me to focus on sharing personal insights in long-form posts on Facebook, my blog, masterclasses I create, publications I write for, and talks I give. It permitted me not to focus on growing a large community inside a free Facebook group- a typical traditional strategy widely advised by social media marketing gurus. 

Having spent four years growing the group, I always felt that it was not an enjoyable activity for me to do. I somehow even felt more joy sharing my thoughts in a post on my personal profile than specifically creating a value post around the same thoughts for my group. Do you know that feeling if you do not like being the center of attention and are given a task to organize and host an event? You may do a decent enough job at it, but you will feel dead inside all the way through. 

Interestingly, over four years and a couple of thousand total members, I never ever had a client enrolling with me through being “nurtured” in my free group. Most active members were already my clients and had their own exclusive Facebook group, which made me a little annoyed because they were engaging “in the wrong place.” When finally I relieved myself from a need for building a community as it is not where my energy becomes irresistibly magnetic, I felt so satisfied, free, and unstuck. I realized that just because I had this extra task to “post something in my group,” it was toxic for my creativity to write, interview amazing people for my podcasts, share my insights in talks and articles like this. And I did so much less of what brought clients into my business – all those above mentioned activities where I can be sharing what I was so deeply intrigued and excited by, without pressure to hang out, network, and socialize with other people. 

By saying that, I am perfectly happy when I interact with people, I need the visibility to be seen and recognized and feel successful, this is also in my design, but I can achieve all that by being who I am, not who those gurus tell me I need to be to attract clients. 

All one needs to be is to be themselves, to show up as who they are authentically, and everything else, client attraction, business growth, opportunities, and invitations start aligning and appearing as if out of nowhere. 

Human Design is a new concept, it is under 40 years old, but it combines the ancient wisdom of many deep spiritual and practical modalities. What I find fascinating is that, unlike traditional personality assessments, the results do not depend on a bunch of questions that one may not answer while in a fully empowered and authentic state of mind. Hence, the results may not reflect the potential and often have some vagueness in practical application to one’s business strategies. Human Design may be called a pseudo-science by some. Still, I am yet to find anyone who discovered this system, leaned into it, and embraced some of their “user manual” suggestions and had not felt like they were handed permission to be themselves in their business or their lives.

If you need help in realigning your marketing strategies, look me up, but for now, I would love for you to think about all those things that did not work or did not feel right that caused you frustration and burnout. Would you like to never feel that way again in your business? I know I do.

The post Little Known Way to Boost Your Client Attraction Results first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

source https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/little-known-way-to-boost-your-client-attraction-results/

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12 Things I Learned in 12 Months of Working on My Startup https://ift.tt/b0mGdeN

A few weeks ago I launched my startup. It took exactly 12 months from the initial idea until the moment I saw my app in the App Store. And these were some of the most challenging, fun and exciting 12 months of my whole life.

Before we dive deeper, a quick disclaimer. My startup it’s not a “standard” startup – I bootstrapped, I formed an LLC and not a corporation, and I don’t plan to sell it in a few years.

I have 15 years of experience working in a global technology and consulting company. So the good news is that I was familiar with the engineering side of things. The bad news, though, is that I had no idea about any other aspect of starting a business. So I had to learn it all (and I still am!)

Below I have tried to summarize some of the most important lessons that I wish someone had told me a year ago. Enjoy!

1 – Good ideas need space

I once was listening to an entrepreneurship podcast, and the podcast host said, “95% of my ideas came to me in the sauna.” And I thought to myself, “That is 100% true!” In December of 2020 I felt that I was ready to start my own business. The only problem was – I didn’t know what business I wanted to start.

I spent several weeks thinking about it and trying to come up with a good idea. Nothing was helping. And then I was laying on the tattoo table getting my tattoo done, staring at the ceiling and doing nothing, and this idea, this perfect idea, just popped into my head – and I’m not even kidding.

So next time you are trying to come up with an idea, or make an important decision – go get a tattoo. Joking! But seriously, slowing down and giving your thoughts room to breathe helps. Trust me.

2 – Choosing a brand name is harder than you think 

Alright, now you have this awesome idea, let’s pick a name for your future company! Well, for me it definitely appeared to be harder than I thought.

It’s not just finding the name that is catchy, matches your brand and your vision and is not used anywhere yet (which is already pretty hard!). Have you also thought about the domain name? And how about social media accounts? Oh, and by the way, don’t forget the trademark!

I tried to come up with a name for my startup myself and failed, so I hired a professional to do that for me. And it was 100% worth it.

3 – You need a team from the start

It’s so tempting to do everything by yourself, especially if your budget is tight and/or if you are an expert in your area. Because of my technology background, many people asked me (and still do) if I am going to develop the app by myself. 

But I knew from the very beginning that my time is much better spent being a visionary rather than an executor. So I found an agency for the design work, and then another one for development. And again, 100% worth it. 

4 – Hold on to your vision 

When you start, you have a strong vision in your mind. You know exactly what you want to achieve and why it’s important.

Then you begin to take small steps toward transforming your vision into the real product. Every step by itself seems to make sense. However, a few months into the process you might find yourself looking at the half baked product that looks nothing like your initial vision.

The danger here is that every step might in fact be a tiny deviation from your vision, but it’s so small you don’t notice it. However, these steps add up, and at some point deviation becomes noticeable.

In order to avoid this, or at least minimize the impact, make sure you step out from the tactics regularly and take a holistic look at what you are creating. And adjust if necessary.

5 – Pick your partners not just for the talent, but also for maturity

I found this design agency and fell in love with their work, so I hired them. And they really had very professional designers in house. The only problem was that all those designers left the agency within 3 months because the agency founder was treating them (and me, honestly) poorly. 

Thankfully, we managed to finish the design, but it’s definitely a lesson learned for me. 

6 – Your budget will increase

Whatever you plan for, add at least 25% for contingency. Whatever estimates you receive from your vendors, add 50% (or even 100%!) 

It’s probably not what you want to hear, but it’s better to be prepared and to have this buffer ready for when it’s needed (and it will be needed, trust me), than try to urgently find more money while in the middle of the process.

“The value of an idea lies in the using of it.” – Thomas Edison

7 – Talk to your future users 

Every interview matters. You don’t have to throw enormous budgets into the user research (absolutely do it if you have it though!), but you at least need to talk to some of those people who will potentially become your customers. 

Does your product solve their problem? Do they even have a problem? It’s amazing how many insights you can get by talking to even just a few people.

8 – Cut your MVP. Then cut again 

You have pictured this awesome product in your mind. But you go to your vendor, and they tell you that it will take hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of work to get your product out the door. Alright, it’s time to start cutting the scope for MVP (minimal viable product). 

It’s not easy, and at first it will seem like every piece is essential. But if you dig deeper, you will find that core that absolutely has to stay there, and then you can cut everything else.

Oh, and by the way, be prepared to go through this process several times.

9 – Pivoting is your best friend

More “good” news for you here. It’s not just about cutting your scope, but also about changing it to reflect the actual people’s needs and the reality we live in. Or sometimes you might simply overlook something!

Remember – having to make changes is not a sign that your product is a failure. In fact, it’s the opposite – it gives your product a much higher chance of success, and it makes you a much smarter founder.

10 – Set your priority wisely 

As a startup founder, you will constantly need to be wearing multiple hats. Finance and data privacy laws, product development and testing, marketing and PR, user acquisition and user retention – just to name a few of the things that will keep you up at night.

But remember – your capacity is not unlimited, so focus on one priority at a time. Feel free to switch between them weekly, but don’t try to multitask.

11 – Launch when you are ready, not when you have to

You will have the launch date in mind, and most likely this date will keep slipping. You will feel pressured to launch when you originally planned to launch. But don’t. Take as much time to finalize and test your product as needed. 

Remember – you can only make the first impression once! 

12 – Launch is just the beginning 

If you think that, once you launch, the hardest part is done, think again. You can be creating as many hypophyses as you want, but it’s only when you start receiving real data and real feedback from your costumes, that you can finally prove (or disprove) your theories. 

I cannot stress this enough – data is your best friend when it comes to making your startup successful. Spend the time and set up all the analytics tools you need in order to fully understand what’s going on with your business at any point in time. Funnels, conversion rates, retention, not to mention financials, – it might feel overwhelming (and trust me, it is at times!), but it is essential that you have it all figured out and ready to go, otherwise you will be blind.

And it’s really hard to navigate the fun and challenging startup world being blind.

The post 12 Things I Learned in 12 Months of Working on My Startup first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

source https://addicted2success.com/startups/12-things-i-learned-in-12-months-of-working-on-my-startup/

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Entrepreneurship Isn’t for Everyone but Here’s How You Can Succeed https://ift.tt/O5oIAD6

Before the rise of corporations in the Industrial Revolution, most people worked for themselves. Now, we’re circling back as millions of workers have had a taste of freedom.

What’s causing this renewed interest in entrepreneurial ventures? For many, the turning point came during the height of pandemic lockdowns. People experienced autonomy as they worked from home, spent more time with their loved ones, and could arrange their schedules according to their needs. Unwilling to let go of that newfound freedom, many are handing in their resignation letters and setting out to start their own businesses.

Perhaps you’re one of the many looking to follow your dreams. Remember that the road from “I quit” to successful entrepreneurial ventures is anything but straight, predictable, or easy. But it is certainly achievable, especially if you engage with proven business models that provide networks, resources, and support.

The Entrepreneurial Scale

Before we get into what a proven business model is and why it matters, it’s important to understand the scale of entrepreneurship. On the very left side, you have the self-employed 1099 contractor. On the right side, you have someone who creates something out of nothing, a trailblazing visionary who takes 100% of the risk.

The proven business model concept can work well for those in the middle of that continuum. They are directing their daily lives on their own with no one telling them what to do, but they also don’t need to do all the experimentation and risk-taking that comes with creating something from scratch.

Make no mistake: Following a proven business model doesn’t restrict your autonomy. You’ll still have mastery over your time. But you’ll need to follow the system you’re given consistently to set yourself up for success without having to reinvent any wheels.

If you’re looking for more freedom than the corporate world could give you, the first place to look is inward. Take a step back, confirm you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and figure out what kind you are. If you’re the type who might benefit from some established structure, the next step is to discover the business model that’s right for you. Start here:

1. Honestly assess whether you have the makings of an entrepreneur.

You know you’re an entrepreneur if you don’t need to be told what to do. You don’t ask for permission; you ask for forgiveness later. You act now, and you just go with your ideas. You’re a risk-taker, but you take responsibility and blame no one for your failures or setbacks. You can think outside the box and see problems and solutions where others don’t. And, most essentially, you have a passion and drive to perform on your own and for yourself.

Once you confirm you’re an entrepreneur, assess where you fall on the continuum. If you’re somewhere in the middle between self-employed contractor and from-the-ground-up entrepreneur, you can find success with a proven business model. But be sure to carefully assess where you fall. If you’re a visionary with big, creative ideas, for example, you might be too far to the right to find fulfillment following an existing model.

2. Identify the purpose that will fuel the fire in your belly.

Work without purpose becomes dull very quickly. That’s why so many workers with entrepreneurial leanings become disengaged. Accordingly, you want to name and claim your purpose. For instance, I have had a lifelong passion for helping entrepreneurs. This led me to find a proven system that allowed me to become a business coach.

To make your list, record everything that you’re passionate about. Maybe it’s working with kids or college students. Whatever it is, write it down. Then, flesh out your purpose a little more.

Let’s say you like working with school children: Do you want to teach them? Do you like the activity so much that you want to do it on a day-to-day basis? Once you confirm what will give you the motivation to keep going, you can start looking for a corresponding business that features a proven income model.

“Entrepreneurship is about turning what excites yuo in life into capital, so that you can do more of it and move forward with it.” – Richard Branson

3. Search through existing business models that line up with your purpose.

Plenty of entrepreneurial ventures are out there. Some have high levels of investment; others require relatively low financial outlays. Make sure you have a budget in mind and then seek out business models in your range. For instance, going back to the idea of tutoring young people, you might consider owning a local Kumon Learning Center. Those usually fall into the low-to-middle investment end.

Maybe your budget is higher and your passion is serving food to families. Opening a well-known chain restaurant could be the right choice. You’ll likely need access to a substantial upfront capital, but many chains have known working models that tend to be lucrative when followed closely.

As a caveat, be cautious when hunting for entrepreneurial ventures. If part of the model’s revenue system is based on somebody else making money from you joining, that should raise some red flags. It matters who is bringing you into the model. If it’s an individual who is personally incentivized financially, beyond maybe a nominal referral fee, to get you into the model because they get a significant portion of your revenue, then be wary. You should only be dealing with a model’s business operations group and not individuals looking to fill their downline.

4. Decide who you want to operate the business.

You need to honestly interrogate yourself and confirm what type of entrepreneur you are and want to be, then go through the process of filtering the many opportunities. For example, do you want to be in charge, or do you want to hire others to operate your business?

If you want to be an absentee owner, look for something hands-free like WaveMax, a coin-operated full-service laundry franchise. You just need to write the check, hire the general manager, and do nothing else after that. It’s recurring passive income, and you can then scale it from there based on your investment returns.

5. Gauge the business model’s support system.

You’ve narrowed down your business model options to one or two possibilities. Now, it’s time to evaluate your top contenders on the support they give.

A proven business model should give you leads, a sales and marketing process, a business development framework, and more. This enables you to skip a lot of the back-end startup responsibilities and start earning faster.

Be diligent about checking references as well. Talk to other users of the business model: Do they feel like the model works and allows them to realize their purpose? Are they profitable or on a path to becoming profitable? The more hard and anecdotal data you have at your fingertips, the easier it will be to pinpoint the right model for you.

The road to entrepreneurship isn’t a straightforward, exacting one. Many entrepreneurs never get liftoff. However, aligning yourself with a business model that’s proven itself time and again can afford you the runway you need to soar.

The post Entrepreneurship Isn’t for Everyone but Here’s How You Can Succeed first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

source https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/entrepreneurship-isnt-for-everyone-but-heres-how-you-can-succeed/

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30 Motivational Kylian Mbappe Quotes to Motivate You https://ift.tt/V87e9Ry

Kylian Mbappé is a French professional footballer who plays forward for Paris Saint-Germain, and is considered one of the best players in the world. Mbappé helped France win the 2018 FIFA World Cup along with winning the Best Young Player Award during the World Cup.

Check out these inspirational Kylian Mbappé quotes on hard work and becoming successful!

Here are 30 Motivational Kylian Mbappé Quotes:

1. “We must always set the bar high, otherwise we do not progress.” – Kylian Mbappé

2. “You have to raise your game to the level of those around you. Then you have to maintain that high level, and by doing this I think I am improving naturally.” – Kylian Mbappé

3. “Like the greats, you want to make your own story yourself, and not be a copy of another.” – Kylian Mbappé

4. “Football goes fast but it can go quickly in both directions.” – Kylian Mbappé

5. “We try not to let pressure get into our heads and play the way we usually do.” – Kylian Mbappé

6. “When we make the effort for each other, it makes the difference.” – Kylian Mbappé

7. “A great team relies on its leaders and they have to make a difference at key moments.” – Kylian Mbappé

8. “We must stop feeling fear.”- Kylian Mbappé

9.

Image Credit: Statustown

10. “For me, football is more than a sport, just look at the impact it has on society.” – Kylian Mbappé

11. “Helping people, moreover those coming from where you grew up, this is the most important. Not everyone can succeed, but at least you can to act for them.” – Kylian Mbappé

12. “You should always focus on training and consider it a step forward. And each step is taking you higher and higher until you reach the top, which is where you should stay.” – Kylian Mbappé

13. “We have given ourselves the means of our ambitions, and in football, when we give ourselves the means, it is always less difficult.” – Kylian Mbappé

14. “I am happy, and I am living the life I always dreamed of.” – Kylian Mbappé

15. “Learning is fine, but you also have to win – you only have one career.” – Kylian Mbappe

16. “In football, everything is possible, from the moment you work and you believe in your qualities.”- Kylian Mbappé

17. “If the team needs you, you need to sacrifice.”- Kylian Mbappé

18. “PSG is an ambitious club that wants to be the best in the world. So you have to win all the competitions and leave no room for doubt.” – Kylian Mbappé

19. “I am hungry for titles.”- Kylian Mbappé

20. “The Champions League is very difficult and you need to keep your concentration at all times.” – Kylian Mbappé

21. “I work hard every day to try to help my team. I try to have fun too – because football is still fun – and scoring goals, breaking records, that’s what drives me.”- Kylian Mbappé

22. “It’s really incredible to be compared to a player like ‘King Pele’ who is the King of Football. But what I must think about is working hard and following my own pathway and not thinking about people who compare you to other players.”- Kylian Mbappé

23. 

Image Credit: Statustown

24. “It will not matter, the pressure I always had it, I was mediated early, I learned to handle it, I got used to it and it’s part of my environment.” – Kylian Mbappé

25. “I always assume that one day someone will come and try to do better so you always have to go beyond your limits.” – Kylian Mbappé

26. “The greatest are an inspiration for all the kids who wake up early in the morning. Everyone watches you, is inspired by you and wants to be you. So you influence society. That’s what being more than an athlete means. I want more kids to have that opportunity. I want everybody to start with the same chance.” – Kylian Mbappé

27. “Even if I am French, I have African roots. Helping African sport to develop is something that is very important to me. If I can use my reputation or other means to help, then I will.” – Kylian Mbappé

28. “I’m not going to revolutionize football. I’m in a system. You have to know how to respect it and to stay in place.”- Kylian Mbappé

29. “I would choose Messi’s left foot, Neymar’s right foot, Christiano’s mentality, and Buffon’s class.” – Kylian Mbappé

30. “I don’t have the words. Not even in my wildest dreams, and I am a big dreamer, would I have imagined this, there is still one more step to take, but we are proud of what we have done.” – Kylian Mbappé

Which Kylian Mbappé quote is your favorite and why? Comment below!

The post 30 Motivational Kylian Mbappe Quotes to Motivate You first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

source https://addicted2success.com/quotes/30-motivational-kylian-mbappe-quotes-to-motivate-you/

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Adversity Leads to Success but Only if You Don’t Give Up https://ift.tt/Ujxtz3f

In the pursuit of any goal, you’re going to encounter hard times and adversity. Generally, the bigger and more ambitious the goal, the more obstacles you’ll need to overcome. I dropped out of college in 2014 to start a business called cravebox.com. I had no prior business experience or business education, very little start-up cash, and took no investments or debt. So growing the business was a slow process that required faith and persistence. Facing adversity in business or in life forces you to adapt, become stronger, and stay in the game long enough to find success. You just can’t give up along the way.

Results come long after the work

When you start something new, success does not come quickly. Most new businesses require 18-24 months to become profitable. You need to understand and expect that you’ll do a lot of hard work over a long period of time and it might seem like you’re making no progress. My business was not profitable for the first 3 years. I worked all day, 7 days per week, for 3 years straight and continued to lose money and hardly do any sales. 

There were many occasions when I thought that maybe I should give up and doubted that I was going in the right direction, but deep inside I had faith and decided to keep going. In my 4th year, my business became profitable and continued to grow. Now we’re in a 60,000 square foot warehouse and employ 40 full-time staff. 

So the lesson here is to focus more on doing high quality work consistently over a long period of time and focus less on results. The results will come but they’ll take time to come and if you focus too much on results, you might become discouraged and quit. 

You have to adapt

In the last section, I wrote about how you should focus on the work you’re doing and don’t put too much emphasis on results (or lack of results). But that doesn’t mean you should continue to work mindlessly in the same wrong direction. It’s very important to work hard in a certain direction, analyze the results to see if it’s gaining any traction, and depending on those results, possibly pivot and adapt if you think it’s necessary. 

So while results will take time, and be underwhelming in the beginning, you should notice some signs that results are around the corner. If you’ve worked at something for a year and you’ve seen absolutely no sign that it could ever work, maybe it’s time to pivot and try a slightly different approach. 

For example, I started my CRAVEBOX business by partnering with colleges, marketing to the parents of their students, and giving the college a cut of sales. I worked on this marketing approach for about 2 years and it worked to a degree but my progress was so slow and cumbersome and it wasn’t very profitable since I was giving a large cut to the colleges. I decided to try listing my products on Amazon and after some time and effort, I realized Amazon would ultimately be more successful than partnering with colleges, so I went 100% in the direction of Amazon.

“Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.” – Zig Ziglar

Rejection is the norm (especially early on)

When you first start on the pursuit of any goal, like growing a business, you will face a lot of rejection. In the case of starting a business, rejection is more common in the beginning but it’s a pretty common theme through the life of the business. As I mentioned before, CRAVEBOX started by partnering with colleges, but it was a very competitive environment since many companies wanted these exclusive partnership rights.

 For every college that partnered with me, I was rejected by about 400. And each of those attempts required a lot of work, communication, presentations, etc. It was frustrating and almost discouraging but I’m the kind of person that gains energy from rejection. I became more determined and frankly angry as the rejections kept coming. This energy helped me to work even harder, submit more proposals to colleges, and to think of other ways to make the business work, which ultimately led to listing my products on Amazon.

Eventually you’ll figure it out

If you can consistently work towards your goal for a long time, adapt along the way, and gain energy as you face rejection and obstacles, you will eventually find success. With enough time, experimentation, learning, and work, you’ll figure out what it takes to compete. To be successful, you need to be better than most of the competition and that takes time. 

Even after I listed my products on Amazon, it took about 4 years to become a top Amazon seller in my category. This was a daily effort to improve my images, products, reviews, listings, etc. As I continued to improve the business, I realized that I was getting closer and closer to offering a product that was as good or better than the top competition in my industry.

The post Adversity Leads to Success but Only if You Don’t Give Up first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

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3 Ways Meditation Can Make You More Successful https://ift.tt/2seQpNE

Meditation has been practiced in Eastern culture for thousands of years but now it’s gone global. If the word meditation and other spiritual practices conjures up images of monks or long-haired hippy types, think again. With everyone from high-achieving CEOs to celebrities now attributing much of their success to regular meditation the stigma is finally being removed and it’s becoming mainstream.

When I was younger I was afraid to express too much interest in such things as spirituality or other such esoteric beliefs because they would’ve been dismissed as nonsense and I didn’t want to be judged as weird.  However, having gone through such an enlightening spiritual awakening over the last few years I’m now all in.  The more I learn about the three M’s (mindfulness, meditation and manifesting), the more it makes sense.  There’s a reason this wisdom has been taught in eastern cultures for thousands of years:  it works.  

Here in the West we are slowly catching up to what the ancients have known all along.  Presence, awareness and moments of calm are essential to living a fulfilled life; stress, angst and fear are not.  We have been conditioned to believe that if we’re not doing everything at a hundred miles an hour, burning the candle at both ends and spinning all the plates without breaking a single one we are, at best, not worthy of our success, at worst, complete and utter failures.  

However, there is more and more evidence to suggest that taking time out to be present, to feel our emotions and then to release them, is the key to living a calmer, more balanced and, ultimately, better life.  Art is a fantastic tool for getting started or if you have difficulty staying focused during traditional ‘eyes closed’ meditation.  Studying a painting mindfully while controlling the breath can be equally as, if not more, effective than using a mantra.

Here are three great reasons for starting your meditation practice that will set you up for success:

1. Better Sleep

I’ve never really had a problem falling asleep but staying asleep, well that’s different.  I used to get up two or three times during the night to catch mice/feed the cats/go to the loo (more often than not all three!).  However, since I’ve upped my meditation practice to twice a day I have slept a good six to seven hours straight every night.

I begin my day with a 20 minute visualisation meditation which helps ease me awake slowly and more consciously.  Simply waking up half an hour earlier to incorporate this ensures that we start our morning feeling positive and in a calm state of mind.  This then has repercussions throughout the day meaning that we’re able to navigate any obstacles that may appear with  ease rather than panic.  Taking ‘mindfulness breaks’ using tools such as art can help to maintain calm during our waking hours. 

By the time we go to bed there is minimal stress in the system and any that does remain can be released during an evening meditation.  This means that our body gets the rest it needs at night instead of getting rid of stress, resulting in a deeper and more restorative sleep.

“Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are more than our thoughts and our feelings.” – Arianna Huffington

2. Improved Productivity

Now that you’re sleeping better and getting the proper rest you need during the night it follows that your days will be more productive too.   Less fatigue and brain fog and more mental clarity means we can stay focused and get more done in less time.  When we are constantly existing in fight-or-flight mode it’s difficult to think straight and we often make bad judgement calls under pressure.  

Meditation, combined with mindfulness practices which use an anchor to keep us present, such as art, can greatly improve our cognitive function.  What it does is calm the nervous system, creates order and therefore allows stress to be expelled from the body.  Meditating over time literally changes our brains: studies have shown that regular practice shrinks the amygdala (the part of the brain that controls fear and emotional impulses) and increases the size of the brain stem (where dopamine and serotonin originate) and the pre-frontal cortex, which is the part responsible for learning and creative problem-solving. 

3. Enhanced Intuition

If you find you’re constantly second-guessing yourself or have difficulty making decisions on a daily basis then meditation is your new best friend.  Most of the time we are using our left brain to analyse and problem solve in a logical way.  

What meditation does is strengthen the connection between this and the right, or creative, side of the brain.  Using the two in tandem increases our powers of intuition which enables us to instinctively make better decisions and choices.  Art also has this ability to unite the two sides of the brain – the left is analysing and trying to make sense of the picture as a whole while the right taps into the emotions that we feel when looking at it.  By visually meditating using a piece of art you are in effect supercharging your practice by giving your brain the equivalent of a HIIT workout!

You may not have aspirations to be the next Jeff Bezos or Will Smith but meditation will make you better at being you.  Whatever your dreams, they will seem much more attainable if you afford yourself the time to slow down, tune in and filter out the noise.  Haircuts and robes are optional. 

The post 3 Ways Meditation Can Make You More Successful first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

source https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/3-ways-meditation-can-make-you-more-successful/

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48 Motivational Dwayne Wade Quotes on Success https://ift.tt/fh6HSmR

Dwayne Wade is a former NBA player who spent 16 years in the league. He’s best known for being the face of the Miami Heat along with winning three NBA championships with them. Dwayne Wade is considered one of the NBA’s best players of all time. 

Check out these inspirational Dwayne Wade quotes on hard work and becoming successful!

Here are 85 Motivational Dwayne Wade Quotes:

1. “Nobody knows that they’re going to be Champions – you have to work to get there.” – Dwyane Wade

2. “All children need their fathers, but boys especially need fathers to teach them how to be men.” – Dwyane Wade

3. “The biggest thing is to let your voice be heard, let your story be heard.” – Dwyane Wade

4. “I’m always telling my kids to be themselves and let their personalities show in other ways than with their mouths.” – Dwyane Wade

5. “Fashion’s about taking chances, it’s about taking risks, and just doing it the way you feel comfortable doing it. If you do that, people will respect it more.” – Dwyane Wade

6. “Places you go in life – it opens your eyes up and you kind of understand who you are.” – Dwyane Wade

7. “I don’t think the world focuses on the positive things enough.” – Dwyane Wade

8. “We live in the moment. We’re not thinking about the future right now. We’re not thinking about the past, you know. We’re living in this moment right here and it’s a sweet moment to live in.” – Dwyane Wade

9. “Never give up and take nothing for granted in life.”– Dwyane Wade

10. “We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. Just like I think college players should be compensated as well. Unfortunately, it’s not there. But I think it should be something, you know, there for it.” – Dwyane Wade

11. “My job, my whole life, I’ve always had that kind of doubter, people have always doubted me. And I don’t know how I would succeed without it. So I welcome it, and it gives me a challenge, and I will see if I can live up to my challenge.” – Dwyane Wade

12. “The biggest thing is to make sure that when something comes out about you that is false that you prove it’s not true.” – Dwyane Wade

13. “I live by the motto, ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’ I know that people are counting on me. That’s why I have to keep working hard.” – Dwyane Wade

14. “I’ve struggled in my life. I’ve had hard times, but I kept pressing on.”– Dwyane Wade

15. “Guys who might not be superstars but because of their hustle, because of the little things they do, these are the guys who can really mean the difference between winning and losing.”– Dwyane Wade

16. “I understand that I’m not perfect. I made mistakes and I had a hand in everything that’s happened to me, good and bad.”– Dwyane Wade

17. “I’m just showing my personality in my clothing.”– Dwyane Wade

18. “I want to continue to take steps forward.”– Dwyane Wade

19. “I realize that you have to be careful sometimes what you wish for.”– Dwyane Wade

20. “Immediately after games, we’re talking about what we need to do for the next game. We’re not satisfied in the moment that we’re in.” – Dwyane Wade

21. 

Image Credit: AZ Quotes

22. “Every time I look at my children, they remind me to work harder and become a better man.” – Dwyane Wade

23. “The thing is, I don’t do these things for recognition, being a good teammate, being a positive member of the community. I do them because those things make me whole and complete.” – Dwyane Wade

24. “When I’m designing I try to think about what I like to see on other people.” – Dwyane Wade

25. “I’ve been successful in different areas, but nothing brings a smile to my face more than my oldest son, Zaire, and my second son, Zion, saying the kind word of ‘Dad.’” – Dwyane Wade

26. “When I first got into the league, I tried to fit in. Now I don’t care.” – Dwyane Wade

27. “I think everything happens as it’s supposed to. I don’t want to force anything. I want it to be so authentic that it’s seamless.” – Dwyane Wade

28. “My name is very important to me. I’m representing the Wade name. I’ve got the name on the back of my jersey when I play. I walk around with that name. That’s my family name, the name my son will grow up with. So it’s very important to me to keep the level of maturity that I have.” – Dwyane Wade

29. “I’ve stuck by being modest, honest and humble, because I think you’ll get more appreciated that way and we all want to be appreciated in this world.” – Dwyane Wade

30. “I’ll always be a Golden Eagle.” – Dwyane Wade

31. “I’m going forward with my plans for life. I’m looking at things not only basketball-wise, but personal-wise.” – Dwyane Wade

32. “I’ve learned great lessons from my parents for things on the court and off. I really look up to them.” – Dwyane Wade

33. “I always remind my kids that hard work pays off. They see that I take nothing for granted in life. It helps them stay grounded.”– Dwyane Wade

34. “My belief is stronger than your doubt.” – Dwyane Wade

35. “Nobody knows that they’re going to be Champions – you have to work to get there.” – Dwyane Wade

36. “I’ve struggled in my life. I’ve had hard times, but I kept pressing on.” – Dwyane Wade

37. “I have two definitions of success – one on the basketball court and one in my personal life. In basketball, success means making my teammates better, winning basketball games and winning championships. In my personal life, success means being a good father to my sons and raising them to be strong men; taking care of my family and being a good friend; and using my influence to make a difference in the community.” – Dwyane Wade

38. “You know, 10 years ago I never thought I’d be in this position. It’s a dream and I don’t even know if I dreamed this big.” – Dwyane Wade

39. “I’m a playmaker, and I’m going to score. At the end of the day, my job is to put the ball in the basket.” – Dwyane Wade

40. “Shooting is a lost art, but nobody wants to see nobody shoot all day. You want to see somebody break somebody off the dribble. That’s today game, and that’s what I try to do.” – Dwyane Wade

41. “I love football. I’ll watch the NFL before I watch any NBA.”– Dwyane Wade

42. “My will is to always be better and better and better. I’ve got the will to want to be the best.”– Dwyane Wade

43.

44. “The biggest surprise has been making the adjustment after losing a game. In the NBA you could lose tonight and you have to put that game behind you because you have another game the next night.” – Dwyane Wade

45. “For home games, I bring my clothes to the arena. I bring two different outfits that I can pick after the game. Road game, I got to wear what I walk in with.”– Dwyane Wade

46. “Our goal is to be the best team in the NBA at the end of the year.”– Dwyane Wade

47. “My biggest achievement – besides being drafted into the NBA – was becoming a father. Being a father has made me experience things that have contributed to my maturity and personal growth.” – Dwyane Wade

48. “I’ve played for the Miami Heat my whole career under Pat Riley. Mr. GQ himself. So when I pick out my outfits before a game, I’m already feeling confident. And some of that swagger stays with me when I take the court.” – Dwyane Wade

Which Dwayne Wade quote is your favorite and why? Comment below!

The post 48 Motivational Dwayne Wade Quotes on Success first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

source https://addicted2success.com/quotes/48-motivational-dwayne-wade-quotes-on-success/

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7 Principles That Drive the Success of Millennial Women Entrepreneurs https://ift.tt/XonDdbU

There are many different factors that go into the success of a business. However, there are a few principles and strategies that millennial women entrepreneurs, in particular, value and implement more than any other generation. If you’re a woman entrepreneur looking to grow your business, then the seven principles and strategies outlined in this blog post are a great place to start.

Principle #1: Stay Creative

One of the most important principles that millennial women entrepreneurs live by is staying creative. This means always being open to new ideas and looking for ways to improve your business. Women are naturally creative beings, so embracing this principle can help you to stand out in your industry.

Some ways to stay in the creative flow include:

– Keeping a journal of your ideas

– Attending workshops and networking events

– Joining online communities of entrepreneurs

– Watching TED Talks and other inspiring videos

Millennial women in business are strong believers in using their imagination and originality to come up with new ideas and solutions. As a result, they are more likely to take risks and experiment with new things. This can be seen in the way they run their businesses; they are not afraid to try out new strategies or methods, even if there is a chance of failure.

Principle #2: Be Driven By Your Values

Millennial women entrepreneurs are highly values-driven. They care about making a difference in the world and helping others achieve their goals. This comes through in the way they approach business; they focus on providing valuable products and services that meet the needs of their customers. In addition, they often give back to the community by donating time or money to causes they believe in.

Principle #3: Keep Tech Skills Fresh

Millennial women entrepreneurs are very tech-savvy. They use technology to their advantage in order to run their businesses more efficiently and reach a larger audience. This includes using social media platforms to market their products and services, as well as utilizing online tools such as cloud storage, social media automation, email marketing and collaboration software.

“It’s our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – J.K. Rowling

Principle #4: Be Resourceful

Millennial women entrepreneurs are extremely resourceful. They know how to get the most out of every situation and make the most of what they have. As a result, they are good at making wise business decisions, gathering research and managing workflows. They also tend to be more flexible than other generations, which allows them to adapt quickly to changing circumstances.

Principle #5: Your Network Impacts Your Net-worth

Millennial women entrepreneurs are good networkers. They know the importance of building relationships and networking with other professionals. As a result, they are more likely to get help when they need it and expand their business reach.  Women are also more likely than men to engage in networking activities on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Principle #6: Be Authentic and Transparent

Millennial women entrepreneurs value authenticity and transparency. They want their customers to see the person behind the business, so they’re not afraid of showing some personality when it comes to marketing themselves and their products. They also believe in being truthful with their customers, which helps to create trust and loyalty.

Principle #7: Be a Team Player

Millennial women entrepreneurs are team players. They understand that success is not possible without the help of others, so they work collaboratively with their employees, partners, and customers. By collaborating effectively, they can create a powerful network of support that helps their businesses grow faster and stronger.

All in all, these seven principles are what drive the growth and success of millennial women entrepreneurs.  If you want to be successful in business, then you should think about emulating these same values and strategies in your brand.

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to success; so find what works best for you and go for it! Stay creative, values-driven, and focused on your goals, and you’ll be well on your way to success.

The post 7 Principles That Drive the Success of Millennial Women Entrepreneurs first appeared on Addicted 2 Success.

source https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/7-principles-that-drive-the-success-of-millennial-women-entrepreneurs/

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