Sergio Zambrano at Accelerate Creation

The Priorities It Takes To Achieve Your Dreams
What do you want most in your life? Do you value relationships over professional achievement? Is your personal life, and a family the number one priority for you, rather than the massive persistence and commitment it takes for material abundance?
I think about this all the time. These questions aren’t far from my mind as I spend valuable time with my wife and son, always aiming for the best balance I can find between work and home. I always want make sure I’m giving 100% in all areas, and that my family never wants for anything. Most especially, that I’m absent too much as a result of the massive commitments I have with my work.
Sacrifice is a necessary evil. I learned that a long time ago. We cannot have everything, yet we can probably have a lot more than we believe we can. The trick is in sacrificing the good, to get the great.
The one’s who cannot give up the good, who are addicted to the next little pleasure… well, they are those friends we know who never have money. Even when I was working with people who earned the same amount as me, there are always a few folks that spend more than they get!
The thing is though, that this is the price you have to pay. It’s delaying that impulse for instant gratification, and aiming toward a goal in the future. When you can give up the good, and put in the work now, then you can get the great… because that leaves you with the extra time, money and energy that you needed. Those resources are what you needed to grow to the next level, build your skills and to forge forward into claiming your potential.
Do you have what it takes? If you are willing to forgo your instant impulses, you can change your habits. From overcoming that thought, that impulse, you can change your behaviour and form a better habit. From there, you can build momentum in the right areas that you need to become the world's best expert in your field and to forge ahead knowing that you have world class skills, and the habits of success as your solid foundation into the future.
The question is, how much do you want it, and what are you willing to sacrifice?
Sergio

3 ‘Weaknesses’ Successful People Have That Are Actually Strengths

I was musing this morning about some of the advice I’ve had through the years. Friends have insisted I should relax more, and have more fun. I’ve been encouraged to go out more and attend more parties, and asked many times to spend more time with family and friends… yet at times, I actually prioritise working over those things. It’s not always the right choice, and maybe it’s controversial, but either way, here are 3 weaknesses that successful people have which I believe are actually strengths.

1. They’re uncomfortable: they feel so much discomfort about where they are currently at, that they are willing to commit and follow through to do what is necessary. They see more pain in remaining the same, than their fear of change. They deny the desk job, with the aim of the dream job, and they’re willing to stay out in the cold rather than a life of pure comfort which ultimately goes nowhere. We need challenge to grow, whether in our job or in our relationships. It’s discomfort which is the change agent that forces us to grow, as we’re always moving toward a better outcome, with more pain and less pleasure. Successful people are acutely aware of this current discomfort, and that weighs heavily in their decision to achieve more now, to gain more freedom later on.

2. They’re not the most popular people: truly successful people are rarely the most popular. They may have more power and status, yet others may have a more charming personality. But they get results, where others give up. They persist and keep going even when others fail to continue. They inform themselves, take action, and prioritise the most important things over social engagements, impressing others & being the most likable one at the party. It’s true, we all like to belong, and to be loved. We all secretly wish to be the most popular person, to validate that we are worthy human beings worthy of appreciation, gratitude and love… yet it’s a trap to need that too much. Remember to appreciate yourself, and recognise what you do well. Always strive for better, and to appreciate others too, but don’t fall into the ‘popularity trap’ - seeking popularity just for validation. Validation cannot give you freedom, at the end of the day.

3. They’re Weird to Conventional People: most people don’t understand the mentality which goes into massive levels of success. The eccentric behaviour of over-worked individuals which have put in thousands of hours getting good at one thing. Most people prefer to be generalists, and to pursue a life of instant gratification rather than the struggle and sacrifice it takes to become truly successful. If you are willing to stand out, and to be the weird one in the bunch who hasn’t given up on their dreams and ideals, that they reach levels of abundance that aren’t possible for those ‘normal’ people.
Ultimately it's important to ask yourself if you’ve got the commitment it takes to be successful, because freedom doesn’t come for free. It must be earned. It must be learned and acted upon. It must be committed to. You must know what you want most in your life, is it freedom? family? relationships? If you are willing to forgo the good, to get the great then ultimately you will become great in the process.

Sergio -

Complaining Blocks Success, Backed by Science

Many people we know complain quite a bit. And from time to time, we’re guilty of it ourselves. But what’s interesting is that science suggests that venting, ranting or “just letting it out” isn’t good for our mental health, and may have serious repercussions.

Whenever we engage in a new behaviour, our brain makes new synaptic pathways. And when we repeat that behaviour those pathways get strengthened. For the things we do most often, which form habits, the speed of that pathway goes from what was like a 56k modem to a fibre broadband connection: it triggers so fast that it feels automatic, like our natural behaviour.

As these ‘automatic’ reactions get built, the synapses move closer together and fire faster, making it even easier for those thoughts to trigger. In fact your brain is so effective at supercharging your synaptic pathways, that things which once felt odd or strange now feel utterly natural. Take driving for instance, learning to drive once felt unnatural yet now its the most natural thing in the world to hop in the car and go for a drive, even though the technology has only been around for just over a century.

Ultimately, whatever you train your brain to do, it will adapt and get good at it. And if you spend more time in resentment and complaining rather than empowering yourself and feeling grateful, which pathways are getting fired up, and repeated as your ‘automatic’ reaction?

Now it’s often been said to me that success is a series of effective habits repeated daily, so let me ask you:

When you complain, does it empower you in your daily actions, or does it weaken you?
Does it make you stronger to complain, more ready for your day, or weaker?
Would it be more empowering to take action to solve those things, rather than complain?

When your daily actions compound over time, that investment can turn into profit or loss. If you invest in your health, and treat your family and friends right, you will have fantastic health and relationships. If you live with negativity, complain and damage your health it makes it increasingly unlikely you’ll have companions to share your time with, and the health to even enjoy their company.

Your daily thoughts and actions matter, as that is the compounding investment on what success is built upon. If you can use your time, money and energy to generate solutions for others, and leverage that value you can sell that as a product or service, and that's the foundation to financial abundance.

These claims are indeed backed up by author Steven Parton who adds, that every time a thought is triggered “the synapses grow closer together in order to decrease the distance the electrical charge has to cross. This is a microcosmic example of evolution, of adaptation. The brain is rewiring its own circuitry, physically changing itself, to make it easier and more likely that the proper synapses will share the chemical link and thus spark together–in essence, making it easier for the thought to trigger. Therefore, your first mystical scientific evidence: your thoughts reshape your brain, and thus are changing a physical construct of reality.”

Put plainly, your thoughts rewire your brain. And “the synapses you’ve most strongly bonded together (by thinking about more frequently) come to represent your default personality: your intelligence, skills, aptitudes, and most easily accessible thoughts.”

And for now I’ll leave you to your thoughts!

Sergio - The Success Mentor

P.S. for more from Steven Parton you can read his article here: The Science of Happiness: Why complaining is literally killing you. | Curious Apes

How Successful People Schedule Their Day

One incredible fact to think of is that we all have the same hours in the day, yet some people earn a fortune of billions while others end up in the gutter. Although in life our economics, nationality and abilities vary the one thing which remains consistent for all people is that we all have the same number of hours in the day. So today, in light of this fact, let’s dive into how successful people plan their day.

1. They Reverse Engineer Their Perfect Day: start today by creating a vision to map out what your exact perfect day looks like. Write it down in every last detail and you can number them according to what is most easy to change and adapt right now. Don’t worry, your vision will change as you go along, but if you map this out and start making the easiest steps happen, your days will become better and better.

2. They Work When They’re Most Productive: if you can control the times that you work, note down when you feel most sharp and productive. Then, wherever possible, do most of your work when you have the most energy, and avoid working when you don’t. If you don’t have a job which allows you schedule your own time, try working on a side business to build extra income, and leverage your early mornings or late evenings when you feel most alert.

3. They Embrace the Morning: many of the most productive people get most done in the early morning. It’s quiet, distraction free and fresh. Your willpower and energy level is highest just after a restful sleep, so that might just be your best time to tackle those most important tasks of the day. By doing that, you’ll be taking charge each morning and spending it on your most important tasks can help you take control and gain confidence in your life. It also might work well for you to exercise in the morning to feel powerful and productive throughout the day.

4. They Plan rather than Panic: instead of getting only the urgent but unimportant tasks done, map out what your highest priority tasks and tackle them first, get them out of the way, and you’ll have a lot less anxiety and a lot more mental energy for the rest of your day. Factor in time and contingencies for things going wrong, and you’ll be bulletproof whatever happens.

5. They Schedule Their Inspiration: ever looked at the schedule of the most successful writers? They don’t just hammer out thousands of words on a whim, they schedule it each and every day so that they can capture the inspiration when it happens. The inspiration happens when you work, because creativity is a process. If you're building a business, or have a few side projects you're working on, make sure you keep regular hours and remain productive even when others are slacking off or being social. The sacrifice will be worth it when you leverage your hard work and make yourself success through habit, not luck.

6. Make Time To Unwind: it’s important to honour your body, and the recover it needs each day. Proper recovery is essential to productivity, and having 7-8 hours of quality sleep is essential to remain focused and alert. You can spend the rest of the time to relax and unwind with family and friends, knowing that you’ve put in your best effort for the day, and that is what counts. Appreciate the work you’ve done, and know that tomorrow is another day.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips, I look forward to sharing more with you soon. Let me know how your own personal success story is going, and if there is anything I can help you out with. My goal as always to make you successful.

Sergio - The Success Mentor

10 Habits Of Mentally Strong People Part 2 of 2

On Saturday we discovered the first of 5 habits that mentally strong people possess. In this next installment, we discover the final 5 reasons which make them so successful with their attitude.

6. They’re not controlled by their fear: obstacles are the adversity which makes minds stronger. Mentally strong people use every action to allow themselves get better at what they do and to give themselves the best chance of success. Rather than be limited by their fear, they learn to take perspective from others and from experience, by pushing forward beyond their comfort zones.

7. They learn from the Past: mentally strong people have been some of the most successful leaders in history. They learned long ago that they can model the success of others, to avoid failing over and over again. No one needs to reinvent the wheel, they just notice what works, adapt it and optimise it for their own circumstances. As the saying goes, those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. And many of those people may well believe they are failures as a result. Take perspective from history, model the success of others, and you can also be mentally strong.

8. They don’t shun Responsibility: rather than blame others, they take control of what they can, because ultimately that is the only way to feel in control of their lives. Taking control of the smallest thing can give you the confidence to move on to the next, over and over, until you are fully confident in every area of your life. It’s the decision to start somewhere which distinguishes those who are mentally strong from the rest. So learn from your mistakes, so you don’t repeat them. The responsibility for your results is yours and yours alone.

9. They don’t fear solitude: often it's the time you spend alone which can be some of the most enriching. Reading, learning and relaxing are all needed to be healthy and well, and it doesn’t do a person well to have others around all the time. With enough time to reflect you can give yourself one the greatest gifts that all mentally strong people possess: self knowledge.

10. They have Realistic Expectations: it’s been said that happiness is when your expectations match reality. Mentally strong people take perspective, whenever things are going well, or going badly. They realise the world owes them nothing and that they’re ultimately in control of their lives. The lesson from life is that we often only value what we earn and what we pay for, because when we put in the effort to achieve something it means so much more. With enough patience and persistence, we can achieve almost anything, so keep your eyes focused on the long game, because success is a marathon not a sprint.

And that concludes this mega-post on the 10 most important habits, or virtues, of mentally strong people. Which ones can you improve on right now to make your mindset one which is primed for success?

I look forward to reading your comments!

Sergio - The Success Mentor

10 Habits Of Mentally Strong People Part 1 of 2

Being mentally strong can be an enigma, something which is a puzzle to work out. But as you observe the success of others, and model that, things become clearer. In this first in a 2 part series, I will present the first 5 of the 10 habits of mentally strong people.

1. They Have Clear Boundaries: there's only so much bad behaviour they will take, before they make their preferences clear to other people. They don’t suffer the ill-will or abuse of others because they remove energy suckers from their life, and maintain a social circle of like minded people who seek adventure, challenge and enjoyment in life, rather than complaining about the lack in their life.

2. They live from Abundance: when you appreciate what you have in life you get more instantly. More enjoyment, more value, more appreciation. When gratitude becomes a habit, you don’t need to live with resentment of what you don’t have. Moreover you don’t project that scarcity mentality onto others, and complain that others have the money, the car, or the house that should be yours. The good things in life come to those who value what they have, and appreciate those around them

3. They Remain Optimistic: as renowned survival expert Bear Grylls suggests, optimism is a necessary survival skill. When you criticise or get down on yourself, it brings your energy level down and that might be the energy you need to find food, shelter or escape your environment. It might also be in having the right attitude if your children are testing your patience today, or your business isn’t going your way. Patience and persistence, with the right attitude of optimism can carry you through the storm and let you come out the other side, more successful than before. So if things ever get too much just remember to appreciate and affirm the good in things.

4. They take Calculated Risks: mentally strong people don’t fear taking risks, they calculate and inform themselves, and ultimately take the actions they know they can take, because they’ve learned that life involves a certain amount of risk taking. Ultimately it’s those who don’t take risks are the one’s who will never reap the rewards, because they give up on themselves before they’ve even started. They review the risk in terms of its benefits, costs, best-case, worst-case & what they can do to fix it, if the worst were to occur. That way they have a plan, whatever happens.

5. They are the boss of their own life: they’re too concerned about leading their own life to be overly concerned about what others think. They stay out of other people’s business, and invite them to do the same. They’re agenda for their own life is what matters to them, rather than to be at the whim of other people's requests and following someone else's goals for their life. They’ve got a clear vision and next actions to take so they’re not being controlled by others, they work their own path.
Ultimately mental strength is a choice we make each day, because our thoughts go on to form our behaviour, and it’s our behaviour which shapes our path in life.

Check out next week's post to find out the 5 reasons that mentally strong people have so much resilience, resolve & why they’re the most likely to be successful.

Sergio - The Success Mentor

How would you like to know how people are motivated - whether they respond better to the carrot or the stick? When you know the question and the strategies to apply, you will influence your world and accelerate the results in all areas of your life.

Research shows when we copy the other persons body language, repeat their words and mannerisms, it builds trusts and establishes rapport. Charismatic people are masters of developing rapport, and do this naturally. 'Matching' and 'Mirroring' is a skill and can be learnt, honed, and cultivated, and when used over time, will improve relationships in all areas of your life

Success leaves clues.

Here is a recording I made to motivate you whenever you need it. If it resonates with you, please like or share to a family member, friend or someone who needs it.

https://soundcloud.com/your-sales-closer/the-power-of-the-growth-mindset

soundcloud.com

“Hope is the beacon which points to prosperity.” –Edward Counsel.

“The more you talk about negative things in your life, the more you call them in. Speak victory not defeat.” –Joel Osteen.