25 Hot Tips for Reaching Business and Life Goals: Part Four
Peter continues his countdown with things that he has learnt in business (and life) which he guarantees will help you be more productive, increase your daily work performance, improve your attitude and help you be happier and healthier in general.
Here are tips 10-6:
10. Intimacy – with yourself and then with others
No that’s not what I’m saying!! What I’m saying is question whether you really like yourself and what you are doing every day. Are you being honest with yourself? I hated going to work for over twenty years and I didn’t have the guts or know-how to admit it and change it and it nearly killed me. It is the most self-defeating thing you can do. Yes we all have bad days – but I’m talking about finding your real sense of purpose. This can be hard work but it is worth it and it will then help all of your relationships – at work and outside – but it starts with self.
9. Continue to work on yourself, keep growing, and keep learning
You can’t really change anyone but yourself – even if you are the boss or the parent!! So keep reading, keep doing courses, keep watching and listening and learning from others. Be prepared to challenge yourself – get therapy even. I’ve tried many types - rebirthing, counselling, and psychotherapy. I’ve had colonic irrigations, done yoga and meditation retreats, tried all sorts of fasting, listened to the best business gurus, spoken to priests, been to faith healers in Brazil, spent time alone. I’ve learnt more in the last decade than I did in the first five decades and I’m continuing and will keep doing so well into my seventh. Try new things, have an open mind, be a bit adventurous and take the odd risk. If you don’t ask you don’t get. If you don’t try new things you might miss out on something amazing!! And the whole point of all this sort of stuff is not necessarily even to change yourself but to really get to know the real you and accept all of you!
8. Be Grateful For What You Have Right Now
Have you ever stopped to consider how lucky you are right now? You are probably richer in opportunity, spirit, friendship and even financially than most people in the world can ever imagine in their wildest dreams!! So take time to appreciate it every day. I go for a fast walk around Sydney harbour foreshore each morning and there is one particularly beautiful spot where I make sure I stop just to take it all in and remind myself how lucky I am. Yes I have issues and baggage like everyone but I try and continually put everything into perspective. I work in a fantastic industry, work with some amazingly creative and brilliant clients and have some very good relationships... which leads me to the next point…
7. Become a more realistic and positive person?
This might take some honest analysis – and you might need to hear it from an outsider or friend but to be totally blunt about it you are probably the biggest stumbling block – if you are not happy and achieving your goals in life or business. Do you focus on someone’s weaknesses, do you always judge and criticise or do you focus on opportunities and strengths. Can you make a really long list right now of all the good things going on in your life and work? Try it. Or is a bigger list all the things wrong and that you don’t like? If your second list is bigger then you might really need some professional help or a change in your perceptions of how your life really is.
6. Believe in yourself and your own abilities
I have five kids and one of my favourite books both as a child and as a parent reading to my kids when they were younger was the story of The Little Red Caboose – his mantra when confronted with a huge physical challenge was to chant “I think I can, I think I can”. Our beliefs about ourselves are a huge determining factor as to what and where we end up in life and business. Back yourself, make decisions, go with your intuition, trust yourself that everything will be ok – think that you can!
