The Power of Now

This is an age-old concept that most philosophies throughout history taught. However, it is something that is overlooked by the average person. Most people spend the majority of their time mentally in a different place.

Fear and guilt are the two emotions that people experience. When we have fear, we are projecting forward. And, of course, guilt occurs when we project backwards. Therefore, if you want to eliminate fear and guilt from your life, just stay in the moment.

It is impossible to experience either when you are mentally "present". Go ahead and try it. Try to experience fear while focusing solely on the words written here. Do not let your mind leave for an instant. If you are able to do that, you will notice that fear cannot exist. However, if fear did creep in, you must have thought about something in a future time. This is the magic of our minds. It can create feelings within us which occur at a different time.

The common thread, whether projecting forward or backwards, is negative. For these emotions to exist, one must look at the situation and determine that something "bad" is going to happen. Let me ask you a question, if you projected forward positively, do you think you will experience fear? Of course not.

We have power in this moment. This is the time that I can act. I am completely powerless over a situation in the future as well as anything that happened in the past. I cannot change any of those events. The only thing I can do is to adhere to the action I take in this moment. Naturally, it might have some impact on a future time, but the action is now.

The power of now is where life is found. It is also where all the magic in the world is located. The greatest achievers in history were able to accomplish things in the moment. Mastering the twin forces of guilt and fear is as simple as remaining at this place. There is an old saying. keep your head where your feet are. This is as accurate as it gets.

Do you want to change your life? Begin by living this moment right now. Do not think, worry, or consider anything that happened in the past. It is gone and cannot be changed. The only value to the past is to learn the lessons which can be utilized in the future. At the same time, give up fearing the future. Do not consider any time other than this moment. If you can do that, you will master these two dehabilitating forces.
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How much are you putting off?

Procrastination is something that everyone deals with. The level of success we achieve is often dependent upon how well we deal with this fatal animal. In short, the most success people are able to take action where others are stopped. That is the main difference.

I would like you to do a little test for yourself. Take out a pen and write down all the things that you are presently putting off. What are some of those actions which you know you should take, yet just cannot get yourself to pull the trigger. List everything that you can think of. Nothing should be omitted, no matter how small it seems.

Do you have a long list? This list reveals a great deal about your ability to handle procrastination. Simply, if you have a long list, you are probably in need of help with this for. Procrastination is running your life. I have seem people who have a list that equaled a book. They put everything off.

In my book "The Ultimate Procrastination Handbook", I mentioned this as one of the main ways to overcome procrastination. The Procrastination List is a powerful tool for beginning to win the battle against stagnation. Now, you have a list of all that you are putting off. The next step is to do something about it.

What I suggest is to take a couple of the easier ones on the list. Put them on your daily to do list (if you do not have one, start one). I want you to complete those activities right now. Get up and go do them. I will wait here for you.

Did you complete them? If so, cross them off the list. What you have done is started to develop some momentum. Continue to do this for the next couple of weeks and you will see your Procrastination List dwindle down. You are on your way to regaining control of your life.
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Kick Your Life Into Overdrive

We hear this statement quite often. However, have you ever thought about what this means? The odds are that you have not. I presume that it means different things to each person. To me, this means that we go and attack life. Too many want to wait until life comes to them. This is not how one excels in creating the life that he or she truly desires.

I come across so many individuals who are stuck in neutral. They have plans and desires yet never seem to get anywhere. They waste so much time waiting for things to occur. In the end, they never do. That is the mistake people make.

To succeed in life, you need to take it under your control. There are so many factors which are beyond one's influence. Those who pursue the avenue of security find they are often the ones who suffer the most. The successful decide their own fate. Even when obstacles do arise, they are only temporary setbacks.

So, how do you kick your life into overdrive? I would say the first step is simply move at a faster pace. Most people seem to drag themselves through their life. The entire day is spent in a state of "moping". You see this in the pace which that person's conducts his or her activities. Everything is slow.

To kick your life into overdrive, I would suggest getting excited. Regardless of your present position, the time to start creating your dreams is now. Your present circumstances are simply a starting point from which you can move forward. These situations need not be permanent. If you are willing to move ahead, things will change for you in many ways. The important element is to get moving.

Start to implement passion into your life. The successful truly love what they do. Certainly, it is difficult to drop everything to pursue a different path. In fact, because of present responsibilities, this might not be possible. However, you can work your way into a different position. Begin to take the action which leads to different results. This is how people change their lives.

So, kickstart your life today. Whatever you are putting off, go do it now. This will lay the foundation of taking action. Action is the key to all success. Putting things off until a later date often leads to one never "getting around to it". Do not fall into this trap. Life starts right now.
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5 Tips For A Clean Desk

Are you one who is continually affected by clutter? Do you lose the "paperwork" war on a regular basis? If so, here are 5 simple tips you can use to get that desk clean.

1. Remove everything that is not needed

Many people have dirty dishes, empty glasses, and other items which are no longer needed. Clean up all the "junk" that is piling up. Throw out old magazines, notes, and other items that can be termed "clutter".

2. Have a filing system

Have a file for everything. This helps to reduce clutter. Instead of saving magazines, rip out the important articles and file them under "articles". Do the same for bills, notes, and all other information.

3. Get rid of other people's clutter

Often other people put their junk on our desks. Delegate those issues to the proper people. If there is something that needs your attention, do it and return it to the person. Do not allow procrastination to clutter up your desk.

4. Make use of technology

We can now easily scan electronic documents. Establish an electronic filing system. Also, make use of electronic calendars and note taking programs. Electronic documents make for less clutter.

5. Have a system

The "only handle a piece of paper one time" is an effective system. Utilize an inbox for items that need your attention. Also, put up an outbox for the items that are already handled. Always do something with a piece of paper; either file it, throw it away, or move it forward to someone else.

These suggestions will help you gain control of your paperwork. The magical side benefit to this is that you will gain valuable time previously spent on trying to find misplaced items. When information is at your fingertips, you are much more effective. Try this today.
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Someday...

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5 Minutes Chunks

In the last article I wrote about overcoming procrastination by attending to all those activities which take 5 minutes or less. This is an effective way to getting ourselves off the procrastination treadmill and moving into the action arena. However, what about those projects which require more than 5 minutes of time.

We heard how breaking larger tasks into manageable sizes is the key. This is correct. Nevertheless, most failed to tell us what a manageable size is. Again, we look to the 5 minute rule. Our goal is to develop a list of items which are accomplished in less than 5 minutes. We know this is a size that is easily handled.

Let us start with a major activity like cleaning out the garage. This is something that can take hours to complete. Using our concept, we begin to break the job into smaller tasks. The first is to clean all the trash that is lying around and put it in a can to take to the curb. This might take more than 5 minutes but it is a good starting point. The next idea is to hang up all to tools that are scattered about. Again, we look to complete this in 5 minutes or less. Third might be to select an old box or two that we go through, discarding what is not needed. We continue this process until we completely cleaned out the garage.

The idea behind this philosophy is to get started. Procrastinators are terrible starters. Physics teaches that it takes more energy to start an object in motion than it does one that is already moving. Breaking projects into manageable tasks is an effective way to get ourselves going.
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5 Minutes To Overcoming Procrastination

There is a technique which will easily help you overcome procrastination while getting yourself to take action. We all know that the key to accomplishment is often as simple as getting off our duff. Yet, many are paralyzed by the procrastination bug. They failed to develop the “do it now” habit.

Can you do something for 5 minutes? Consider this question carefully before answering. If you are like most, the natural inclination is to say “yes”. I believe that is a truthful statement. Doing something for 5 minutes is not difficult. We can handle most anything for 5 minutes.

That being said, the next question is why do you procrastinate? Studies show that many of the activities we put off can be completed in 5 minutes or less. Individuals who procrastinate often experience the feeling of overwhelm. They find themselves caught up in a vicious cycle”: putting things off causes them to get overwhelmed while the feeling of being overwhelmed causes them to put more things off. How can you break this trend.

Breaking the procrastination habit starts with handling the tasks which fall under the 5 minute rule. This rule states that “anything I can do in less than 5 minutes gets attention immediately”. It is best to make a list of everything that fits the criteria. Once this list is completed, you begin with the first one on the list. Continue on each item for the next hour.

You will find that you are able to complete 10-12 activities. That is a wonderful beginning. Those who are experts are putting things off might find their list has hundreds of items on it. However, knocking out a portion of them will provide confidence moving forward. Do this everyday for the next 20 days to really ingrain the habit. At the end of that time you will find that you are now an action taker instead of a procrastinator. It is amazing what 5 minutes can do.
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Steps To Handling Any Task

This is a guaranteed method that will get you to overcome procrastination while taking action that is needed. Many allow their minds to deter them from moving forward. They have a tendency to project into the future while seeing negative results. This can include the proverbial “making a mountain out of a mole hill”. We often focus on how large the task is in front of us. Rarely do we recognize the fact that it usually is not as bad as we made it out to be.

The hardest part about any activity is getting started. Physics teaches us that it takes the most energy to get something moving from a stationary position. It takes more fuel to get a commercial airplane off the ground than it does to keep it in the air. The same principle applies to you. Getting yourself to take action is harder then continuing once you started.

So how do we get started? Follow these three steps to see a noticeable increase in your productivity.

1. Make a list of all the steps needed to complete the project.

2. Choose three from the list that are the simplest and easiest to complete

3. Do those things immediately

This will get you to take action. Many teach handling the hardest item first. This is applicable of one does not have an ongoing battle with procrastination. However, for those who deal with this foe, it is best to get started somehow. Selecting that which can be easily handled will help overcome this. Then, once you are going, it becomes a bit easier to continue. Try this the next time you are putting something off.

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Eliminate Worry

Worry is one of the most useless activities that anyone can engage in. It is a complete fear-based emotion that can only make a situation worse off. Engaging in this practice saps one of much needed energy to create the outcomes that are desired. Also, recent research has show that many diseases and health issues are directly attributed to worrying. Doing this on a continual basis will literally take precious years off your life. For this reason, mastering this dangerous emotion is one of the most beneficial things that you can do for your health.

Everyone encounters difficult situations. By the same token, there is not a person on the planet who does not experience fear. These are facts of living the human experience. People who handle these circumstances when they arise tend to be greater successes, healthier, and happier than those who allow themselves to be eaten up by them. Focusing on all that can occur is a fruitless exercise which will only cause damage in the long run.

Many of the spiritual teachers throughout history have taught the valuable lesson of staying in the present moment. Doing this instantly eliminates worry. To worry, one must leave the 'now' and project to a point in the future. Naturally, this projection creates a result which has a negative outcome. This outcome instills a great amount of fear within us. Therefore, the individual has no choice but to dread the horrific solution that he or she created. It is so much easier to remain focused on the present moment and skip over this exercise entirely.

The human mind is a creative mechanism. When people project into the future, they tend to go to the 'worst-case' scenario. If there is going to be a bad outcome, we will conjure up the worst thing ever know to man. Personal experience shows that things rarely occur as poorly as we think they will. In fact, most circumstances get solved in a manner which is acceptable to us. Nevertheless, we drive ourselves into a complete state of fear by projecting in this way.

In addition to the negative health issues that worrying causes, it also prohibits one from taking action. It is impossible to take action when one is full of fear. We begin to avoid the situation completely. The only time anything gets done is when we have no other choice but to act. However, until that point is reached, we will succumb to the fear and procrastinate.

An easy way to handle worry is to answer three questions. Using this three step process will enable you to take the action necessary to move through any fear that you might have. Implement it into your life and watch the results instantly appear.

The first question is 'what is the worst thing that can happen in this situation'. For most, the answer comes naturally. In this instance, negative projection is helpful. Figure out what is the absolute worst outcome that can result.

Secondly, ask yourself how you can handle this outcome. If it is the worst-case scenario, figure all the ways that you can survive with that result. Anything that occurs less than what you imagine should be easy to get through.

Finally, ask yourself what steps can you take to ensure that this scenario never comes true. By taking action to prevent our worst-case conclusion we move to a better outcome. Incidentally, action is a consistent solution to worry. Move forward with the intention of creating different results.

Spending all our time focusing on all the situation that can go wrong will drive one insane. If we did this in every circumstance, we would never be able to leave the house. Can you imagine how hard it would be to drive down the street if you pondered all that could go wrong? Nobody would ever get on the road with this outlook. Simply apply this same principle to all that you fret about in your life. Use this three step process to surmount all the negative projecting that you are doing.
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