Category: Entrepreneurs

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How to Balance Ambition and Happiness: 5 Tips

Balance Ambition and Happiness

Too much ambition makes life miserable, too little makes it meaningless. Here’s how to strike a balance.

Many people believe that success will make them happy. But science shows that it’s the other way around.

Being happy seems to increase your chances of success, while study after study indicates that chasing success tends to make you unhappy. In short, both science and personal experience demonstrate that ambition for one more accomplishment or one more dollar is a never-ending rat race that results in misery.

But that’s not the whole story. While playing the status game is a surefire route to dissatisfaction, a complete lack of ambition is untenable too. Without dreams to strive for, not only will you have no impact on the world, you’ll also probably end up unfulfilled. Just chilling — for all but the most supernaturally mellow among us — feels both boring and pointless.

So how do you resolve this conundrum, balancing a healthy dose of striving with a wise desire to avoid ‘keeping up with the Joneses’? It’s one of the hardest problems professionals face, which is probably why entrepreneur and author Ben Casnocha recently devoted thousands of words to the issue on his personal blog.

1. Be process-driven, not goal-driven.

What’s the problem with goals? “If you don’t achieve the goal, you’re unhappy. If you do achieve the goal, you’re happy but only for a moment because there’s inevitably someone else you can compare yourself to who achieved a more audacious goal. The pleasure is fleeting,” explains Casnocha.

What’s the alternative? “Ideally, you love the process of the work itself and are non-attached to a specific outcome. Ideally, your work is more about doing the thing itself and reaping intrinsic rewards in the process,” he writes.

How do you know if you’re focused on the outcome or the process? Ask yourself, if I accomplished this but couldn’t tell anyone, would I still do it? If your answer is no, you’re goal-driven. If you can honestly say yes, then you genuinely love the process.

2. Pick your friends wisely.

This is wise advice for so many reasons, but it’s also key to avoiding getting caught up in the status rat race, according to Casnocha: “If everyone around you is on the more status, more status, more status track, and straining their necks to check the leaderboard, it’ll be hard to resist doing the same.”

3. Diversify your identity.

You wouldn’t put all your financial eggs in one basket, so don’t invest all of your egos in a single pursuit either. Focus on only one track to success, he warns, and “you compare yourself more easily to all the other professionals who are also specializing in that single line of work.” Far better to pursue a bundle of projects. That way you’ll always have at least one area in which you’re excelling.

“This strategy can stretch beyond career activities and into the realm of hobbies, personal interests, friends, political affiliations, faith, and so on. The more idiosyncratic the bundle of things that makes up who you are, the harder to compare yourself to others,” he asserts.

4. Operate a dashboard, not a leaderboard.

A dashboard — like your car’s speedometer — helps you gauge your own progress. A leaderboard perpetually compares you to others. No surprise then that Casnocha advises you to use the dashboard model to measure your progress.

“You should measure yourself in the spirit of improving upon your last best record, not what an opponent has accomplished. Leaderboards turn your attention to others; dashboards turn your attention within,” he writes.

5. Be a big fish in a smaller pond.

Sure, physically locating yourself at the beating heart of your industry can be a huge leg up in your career, but the hottest hubs are often the least livable in the longer term. If you’re a techie in Silicon Valley, it’s going to be nearly impossible to feel accomplished when you pass Mark Zuckerberg in the Starbucks parking lot twice a week. Moving somewhere slightly smaller is often the solution, suggests Casnocha.

He recommends this strategy: early in their careers people should “live in the place where their industry is headquartered. Bay Area for tech, New York for finance and publishing, LA for movies, Michigan for furniture and cars, Nashville for country music, etc. Soak up everyone’s expertise. Study. Learn. Even if you don’t want to start the next Google, you’ll learn a lot by way of ‘network intelligence‘ from physically living in Silicon Valley. But feel free to leave and join a lower-cost-of-living secondary market if and when you begin to feel perpetually not quite good enough.”

Source: inc.com ~ BY JESSICA STILLMAN ~ Image: Canva Pro

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11 Examples of Ambition in Life and Work to Get You Inspired

Ambition in Life and Work

Sometimes you need a little kick-start — something to spark some energy and help you move forward. You know what you need to hear right now: examples of ambition.

Ambition affects everyone differently. But it always creates a strong desire to improve and achieve. It’s what human beings need to reach their goals and live more meaningful lives.

Just to be clear, ambition isn’t something you mix into your smoothie each day to accelerate a transformation. It takes plenty of grit and effort to develop and maintain. But after you’ve learned how to be ambitious, you’ll realize you know more about yourself than you thought.

Why is ambition important?

Let’s start by outlining the definition of ambition. Ambition is a strong desire to achieve whatever goals you set for yourself. It’s the spark inside you that compels you to keep putting effort into whatever you’re doing.

So why is ambition important? Without it, you wouldn’t work toward your goals — and you probably wouldn’t do any goal-setting at all. This driving force springs you into action and keeps you looking to the future. It motivates you to face new challenges head-on and works hard to develop. And it’s all about pursuing your purpose and trying to live a more meaningful life.

No one is born with ambition, and it isn’t a trait you do or don’t possess. Some days, you might feel like your ambition is lower than usual, but it never truly disappears. Your ambition helps you focus on what you desire to achieve and gives you a reason to succeed. Your focus isn’t always as strong or intent, but it’ll always return. Your desires will still be there in the back of your mind.

An ambitious person has a few qualities that set them apart from the unambitious. Research has found seven groups of important psychological characteristics in ambitious people that help them achieve their goals:

  1. Continuously planning and setting specific goals to keep them focused
  2. Staying motivated to achieve their goals and desire for self-actualization
  3. Only being satisfied with themselves when they reach their goals
  4. Competitively working alongside others, but for the sake of growth and success
  5. Willingly making changes in their lives to better pursue their goals and purpose
  6. Willingly taking risks but maintaining rational thinking and self-regulation
  7. Keeping flexibility in critical thinking and staying open to new ideas to help solve problems

6 examples of ambition in life

Ambition in life is displayed in many ways. You display your ambition in subtle and not-so-subtle ways to those around you. It also subtly impacts your mindset, causing you to strive to do better, sustain your efforts, and think of the future but still be present.

Heads up: these ambition examples aren’t too specific to show you that you can adopt any of them into your life. They’re all ways to let your ambition shine and can act as a template for you to set your specific goals.

Here are six ambition examples in life to review:

  1. Wanting to be great at something: If you’re going to have a hobby or skill set, you want to be great at it. Not OK or decent, but it great. Spending hours practicing this will help elevate you from amateur to expert.
  2. Being passionate: Life’s too short to live without what you’re passionate about. You’ll strive to find meaning in life and enjoy your lifestyle.
  3. Being persistent: You want to be an ambitious person, so you won’t give up easily. You’ll be willing to learn new skills and set long-term goals if it means achieving success.
  4. Making a difference: You’ll strive to make a difference in both your community and life. You’ll always try to see how things might be improved for you and others.
  5. Having a vision: Visualization is key. You’ll have a clear idea of what you want to achieve in life. Even if you don’t know how you’ll achieve it yet, you’ll still know your values and dreams.
  6. Exuding self-motivation: Nobody has to tell you twice to work hard toward your personal goals. Your great ambition won’t let you sit around and scroll on social media all day. This motivation will extend to everything you do, helping you act with purpose and intention.

5 examples of ambition at work

Ambition is a desirable skill at work. Think about it; it’ll make you strive to do better, set new goals, and stay dedicated to your work. It will even make your resume stand out by showing that you have a growth mindset. You’re interested in growing and moving up, not just staying where you are.

Ambition at work has three categories: performance, growth, and achievement. But what’s key is to find a balance between all of them. Well-rounded career ambitions help you be more creative, aid your work-life balance, and leave you more satisfied.

With that in mind, here are five examples of ambitions at work:

  1. Creating a plan for your career path: If you’re ambitious, you often think about the present and the future. Your ambition helps you plan your career, where you want to end up, and how you’ll develop as a professional.
  2. Listening to feedback: You’re bound to make mistakes. Everyone is. But your mistakes are learning opportunities to help improve your performance for next time. Seize the opportunity to receive feedback and note how you might improve.
  3. Wanting to be an expert: Being an expert is what all the goals you’ve set and achieved have brought you after years of hard work. If you aren’t yet a master at your craft, it might mean you just need more time — but the desire shows the grit and determination of ambition.
  4. Owning your own business: After years of working for others, you might want to be your own boss. The desire to start a new company and invite others to join you might be one of your main motivators.
  5. Striving to be a mentor: Someone likely mentored you when you entered the industry, and maybe you’d like to return the favor. Mentors guide others on their career paths by teaching them new skills and offering career advice. In this position, all of your growth and achievements help you give back to others and feel fulfilled.

Habits you can put into practice

You want to be an ambitious person, but how do you put your goals and ambitions into practice? Knowing what you want is one thing. Doing it is another.

Ambitious people have certain habits that help them stand out compared to people who aren’t as ambitious. You might not notice it right away, but it’s in the details. Small things contribute to how ambitious you are and your mindset toward achieving personal or career aspirations.

If you need some healthy habits to support the goals you’re chasing, try these out:

  • Find a social group with similar goals. Do your friends shrug off goal-setting, or do they share your enthusiasm for growth and hard work? Your social health impacts your attitude, so be mindful of who you hang out with. Surround yourself with like-minded people who share your focus.
  • Be punctual. Organize your schedule and manage your time to ensure you’re not late or keeping others waiting. Things like job interviews and coffee with mentors demand that you’re on time and prepared. But your friends, family members, and loved ones deserve the same level of respect for their time — even for casual things. Punctuality means you’re serious and intentional with your time.
  • Learn from your mistakes. How do you feel about failure? Learning to be ambitious requires that you learn from your mistakes. You’re a human being who, occasionally, fails. Try to view this as a learning opportunity for the future.
  • Accountability. Owning your failures also means being accountable for your actions. This applies to everything — both good and bad. Make sure you celebrate your wins and be proud of yourself, but know when to admit that you’ve done something wrong.

Perhaps you’re already practicing some of these success tips. But if you find some of these are new suggestions, give them a try. You won’t be perfect at them on the first try, but these habits will help lay a foundation for the pursuit of your ambitions.

Take the inspiration and go

Ambition loves inspiration. You need to feel empowered and motivated to work toward your goals, but you need the inspiration to start. All of these examples of ambition demand a little spark.

Maybe you’ve met someone who’s their own boss, and you’re feeling inspired to finally pursue one of your business ideas. That inspiration help ignite your ambition, and before you know it, you’re an entrepreneur.

Wherever you find inspiration, run with it. Listen to your thoughts, and follow what’s pulling you somewhere. And by establishing habits that’ll set you up for success, you’ll cultivate an all-in mindset. Soon you’ll be planning how to turn your dreams into reality. Perhaps you’ll start working on your bucket list, because why not?

With enough grit and determination, you’ll find that this is the driving force you need to live a purposeful and happy life for years to come.

Source: betterup.com ~ By Elizabeth Perry ~ Image: Canva Pro

 

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People Don’t Buy Products, They Buy Better Versions of Themselves

Sell the Lifestyle not the Product
I have a saying hanging on the wall next to my monitors: “People don’t buy products, they buy better versions of themselves.” (I would cite it, but it’s so well-known that I’m not sure anyone really knows who said it initially.) I like to keep it there to remind me that I’m not really selling online marketing services – I’m selling business exposure and growth. It’s just like shampoo. 

No shampoo company uses the pitch that their product will get your hair clean because everyone knows shampoo gets your hair clean and that won’t set it apart from any other product on the market. Instead, shampoo commercials feature attractive people with friends and dates… oh yeah, and great-looking haircuts. They do this because they want you to know that if your hair looks good, you’ll feel good about yourself and your life will be better. They’re not selling shampoo – they’re selling confidence in your appearance.

But saying that you’re selling more than just products/services and actually accomplishing that are two totally different things (especially for small businesses). So how do you sell a lifestyle rather than a product?

Focus on Benefits not Features
Every product has features that businesses can focus on, but focusing on benefits is far more appealing to consumers. Don’t tell your audience what your product is, tell them what it can do for them. 

In the case of shampoo, people really don’t care if it has pomegranate oil in it or if it’s less sudsy than its counterparts. People want a shampoo that will leave their hair with fewer split ends or keep it looking shiner because those benefit their appearance.

Solve a Problem
Some of the best benefits that consumers can get from your products/services are the solution to problems that are plaguing them. This is especially true in the case of B2B products/services because solving problems means increasing efficiency, reducing pain points, and breaking down barriers to growth. But regardless of the product involved, everything solves a problem of some sort. 

This is why shampoo makers target their products toward niches of people with specific issues. There are shampoos for dry hair, thinning hair, curly frizzy hair, color-damaged hair, flat hair – you name it! These shampoos solve the main problems affecting people with these hair types.

Use the End Result
Benefits are great, but often times they don’t tell the whole story. The “end result” is where the benefits of a product/service can take consumers. Sticking with this shampoo example, just having better-looking hair is a benefit for sure because no one wants to look in the mirror and feel ugly. But why do people really want better-looking hair? What is the end result that they are seeking?

Most people want good-looking hair so that they’ll get noticed – garnering compliments and attention from other attractive people. This is why shampoo commercials don’t show people standing in the bathroom looking at their reflection with a smile and then just ending there. They show people going out to lunch with friends, meeting up for a hot date, going to work and turning heads, etc. This is the end result that really motivates people to buy.

Source: lionsharkdigital.com ~ By Kate Pierce ~ Canva Pro

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5 Habits of the Wealthy That Helped Them Get Rich

5 Habits of the Wealthy

Why do the rich keep getting richer? Most of the time, it’s not because of luck. It’s not because of the family they were born into. It’s not because they won the lottery.

Wealthy people simply do things differently.

It may not seem fair, but the fact is the “income gap” is increasing and most financial experts only see this trend continuing with no end in sight.

In preparation for this column, I sat down with someone who knows far more wealthy people than I will likely ever meet: Jeff Rose. Rose is a certified financial planner, author and blogger at GoodFinancialCents.com, as well as a millionaire himself, who dedicates a good portion of his time to helping people become, and stay, wealthy.

I asked Rose why he thought the income gap was growing. He mentioned five primary things that wealthy people simply do differently than the rest of the world. Here are those five, in no particular order.

1. They take risks.

Rose explains that the wealthiest people he works with routinely “throw spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks.” In other words, they try a lot of different things, knowing that a lot of it will fail.

They take those risks because they know that failure is just part of the process in discovering what will truly work to build more wealth. Furthermore, as Rose explains, the rejection of those ideas invigorates the wealthy into finding what will work, a stark contrast to most of the population that simply looks at failure as a road block.

2. They invest in themselves.

According to Rose, “wealthy people don’t look at the money spent on personal growth as an expense, but an investment.”

While many individuals conserve every penny equally, the wealthy understand that strategically investing in themselves will produce a far greater return than any stock, real-estate investment or business venture.

Whether it’s purchasing a book, hiring a coach, joining a paid mastermind group or another source of paid self-improvement, the wealthy see this as an investment. Do you?

3. They associate with those they want to emulate.

When the human body gets too hot, it produces sweat in an attempt to cool down. When it becomes too cold, it shivers to produce heat. In other words, the human body is constantly adapting to keep its temperature at the same comfortable spot. This automatic leveling is a biological process known as homeostasis and is found in numerous aspects of life.

From human biology to the temperature of the earth to a car’s cruise control to the thermostat in your house, homeostasis is a fact of life that governs nearly every aspect of your existence. And, as the wealthy have discovered, homeostasis can also be a powerful way to build wealth.

As Rose stated bluntly to me, “If you want to be rich, hang around rich people.”

Or as financial TV personality Dave Ramsey often says, “if there are four broke people in a room, you’ll be the fifth.”

Wealthy people have discovered that they can grow their wealth simply by associating with those who are even more wealthy. Humans pick up the habits and strategies of those in their immediate surroundings, and the wealthy have learned to use this homeostasis to their advantage.

4. They have a dedicated morning ritual.

While most of the world is hitting the snooze button 14 times in a row each morning, the wealthy have already begun increasing their net worth.

“Most of the multi-millionaires I know have a dedicated routine, a ritual, that they do each and every morning,” Rose says.

This morning ritual could include exercise, affirmations, goal reviews, breakfast or whatever else helps them start their days with a bang. They start strong, accomplishing more before noon than more people accomplish in a week.

For those struggling to get started each morning on the right foot, Rose recommends two books:

In my own life, I’ve found this truth incredibly powerful. Since instituing a morning routine, I’ve quadrupled my income, written and published a bestselling real-estate investing book, lost 10 pounds, bought my dream house and deepened my relationship with my wife. Not bad for just a few minutes each morning of dedicated routine.

5. They review their goals consistently.

Finally, according to Rose, the rich have clearly defined goals and continually review them to track their progress, make changes and develop strategies for meeting those goals. This process of immediate feedback allows the wealthy to make quick changes to their plans to keep the course in a rapidly-changing world.

While most of the human population gives little to no thought on their futures, the wealthy are reminded daily of where they are headed. Like a family taking a cross-country trip in their minivan, the rich have their road map spread out on the dashboard so they can navigate the fastest, easiest route to their destinations.

Rose admits that the wealth gap is far more complicated than a simple “five-point blog post.” However, he continually witnesses these five traits guiding the lives of those who are getting richer and has used them in his own life to create multiple businesses and build some serious wealth himself.

These five actions create a positive-feedback loop that will continue to make the rich richer, and there’s no sign of that ceasing. The good news is, however, these five actions are all things that the average American can put into practice today. Will you?

Source: entrepreneur.com ~ By Brandon Turner ~ Image: Canva Pro

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To Thrive You Need to Wake Up to These 5 Hard Truths

Hard truths for Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurship isn’t an easy journey, and we’re in uncertain times for sure. With overwhelming complexity, insurmountable change, and big competition, it’s becoming more important than ever to be strategic and intentional.

I want to share a couple of insights that I feel can make a difference in the results you achieve in your life and business, but more importantly, help you thrive regardless of the economy. Some might make you mad at first, but that’s fine. Sometimes the things you don’t want to hear are the things you need to hear the most. Most blogs you’ll read will try to make you feel good, and tell you exactly what you want to hear. That creates no real change, just a good feeling in the moment. They don’t spark your mind or make you think, they don’t challenge you, and they don’t go against traditional thinking.

This one will.

1. Do the opposite.

Strange tip for those not familiar, but a real GAME CHANGER. This is a killer strategy for those serious about improving their life. The more people do something, the less valuable it is.

    • Most people overeat and eat based on pleasure vs. health.
    • Most people sleep in and have no morning routine.
    • Most people make excuses instead of progress.
    • Most people focus on the negative vs. the positive.
    • Most people spend more money than they make.
    • Most people talk about success vs. taking action.
    • Most people go to college, get into debt and get an unrelated job after college.
    • Most people pray on weekends and hate Mondays.

Don’t be like most people! No one wants to be typical. We all want to be special and different, yet most of us do the same things. The majority of us live like one another and then wonder why we continually don’t achieve any real results or success in our lives. We follow each others’ lead and rarely break the mold. Life becomes so much more convenient when you really take this seriously.

All the greats in our society live life to their own choosing, not other people. One way to be outstanding and valuable is to do what others aren’t doing, or what most can’t.

2. The 90-day focus.

What is your #1 goal that you want to accomplish in the next 90 days? What’s the #1 skill that you need to master that will have the biggest impact on your #1 goal?

There are specific skills you have to master to reach that goal at a fast rate. Skills are weapons in your industry, so figure out the top skill you need right now and master it. Sadly, most people operate on information overload instead of mastery and have too much noise. Or, even worse, they learn just enough to get by and stop learning. Apple said it bluntly…

“We shouldn’t be criticized for using Chinese workers, the U.S. has stopped producing people with the skills we need.”

Ouch!

3. Destroy your momentum killers.

Write down your top three potential distractions and momentum killers that have held you back in the past. Now create a prevention plan for each. If you don’t have the plan to interrupt your interruptions, your plans will always be interrupted.

Distractions kill productivity, creative expression, and income. Either you control your days or your days control you. Learn to concentrate and focus on the most important tasks with no interference or distraction. Prioritize your activities based on importance and then get to work with no distractions! Remember, activities without purpose are the drain on all life, wealth, and peace of mind.

4. Analysis vs. emotions.

Base your decisions and actions on intelligence, not emotion. Ask yourself before every choice you make “is this the most intelligent action to take right now, and does this action or decision get me closer or farther away from my 90-day goal?”

When you pass the stage of making decisions based on what others think or current emotions, you will start seeing real success. The best can silence their ego, push away anxieties, and analyze the situation. Don’t judge, don’t overreact, just analyze.

5. Stop the ideas, and start the execution. 

“Innovation is  rewarded, execution is worshipped.”   —  Eric Thomas

Hard work trumps IQ seven days a week. Great accomplishments don’t happen overnight or even in a few months. They will take years of consistent action linked to failure, sacrifice, and discipline. If you want real changes in your life, expect that your actions need to be substantial. If you truly have the desire to create something you’re proud of, your addiction to ideas and other mindless distractions must be retired and replaced with meaningful action.

I know people who would rather poke their own eyeballs out than take action, and I always find them struggling with another challenge followed by another validation or excuse. Execution is the foundational key to success. Once that happens, doors will consistently start opening for you.

Get serious about who you are and where you want to go. Realize the only way to get there is to differentiate yourself, invest in real education, and start doing more than your talking.

Source: entrepreneur.com ~ By: Peter Voogd ~ Image: pixabay.com

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