Educate Yourself

With so many demands competing for your attention these days, it’s no wonder you have so little time to educate yourself outside of a traditional or formal curriculum. However, it is because of these very same demands that a new educational focus has emerged, allowing you to leverage what little time remains of your day to informally educate yourself, thanks, in large part, to the Internet. With the practice of self-education, the future is right where it belongs—in your hands.

Master motivator and business philosopher, Jim Rohn, famously quoted, tells us that…

“FORMAL education will help you make a living while…

SELF-education will make you a fortune.”

The premise of this quote was never meant to disparage the value of a formal education, but instead to stress the targeted impact and effect self-education has on a specific objective, achievement, or outcome.

Self-education has become an equalizer to those who see formal education as too rigid, out of date, or irrelevant to the attainment of their goals. It has also become a method to leverage formal education curriculums and credentials.

Don’t get me wrong, formal education has its place. But even formal education oftentimes comes with a mandate to keep up with the changes, updates, and advancements through a continual education process (formal or informal) to remain relevant and knowledgeable.

Coming from a formal education background, I can attest to the merits of a formal education from many perspectives. But to discount or deny the effect of a self-education is akin to looking at the world through a straw—there is so much more out there to see and experience.

Think about it. If you happen to have a bachelor’s degree in marketing and advertising, having say, an additional skill or ability to manipulate Photoshop tools would give you an edge in the marketplace as well. But, what if all you need from Photoshop is an ability to make minor adjustments to images and photos to enhance your marketing and advertising? You don’t need a fully-credentialed formal certification for that. A YouTube session or two would most likely be all you’d need to self-educate and meet your objective.

Self-education can also help you to take a critical first step toward success with the knowledge and insight you need to compete in the space you seek. As liberating as self-education sounds, however, it will require something of you that you may not be initially prepared for.

You’ll need the DISCIPLINE to follow a schedule and to procure the right resources to ensure you educate yourself correctly and efficiently. But there are ways to mitigate the cons and accentuate the pros.

Here are four quick, but useful, useful tips for you to do just that…

Start with something you enjoy

If your self-education starts with excuses, you are in the wrong lane. Re-align yourself with your purpose or passion and then move ahead. Teaching yourself to learn a particular skill requires your commitment. You are more likely to commit to something you enjoy over something you don’t.

Enlist an accountability partner

Because self-education requires your unwavering devotion to consistency, it may help to hire a coach or someone who will keep you on track. Remember, consistency rules the day whether you’re starting something new or you’re looking for results in personal development, business, and unique skillsets. If you are one of the few who has a high dose of self-discipline, this may not apply to you. But it should be something you keep in mind if and when you notice the need.

Test yourself

Find ways to put your knowledge into practice. Don’t fear mistakes. Mistakes are part of the learning process. Learn from them and move ahead.

Commit to lifelong learning

We are ALWAYS learning. Your ability to embrace lifelong learning is critical to your growth and success. The dream life you desire might just be one book away, one podcast away, or one skill away. Be curious. Never stop learning and you will inevitably get where you desire to be.

Until next time...

- G -

"Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think."  ~ Albert Einstein

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COMING SOON!

Your Ultimate Guide to 

Setting and Achieving 

Every Goal You Can Imagine

“Gary Westfal rolls-up everything I have learned in a 40-year military career about Strategic Action Planning in one book.”

Lieutenant General Bradley Heithold, USAF (retired)

Coming in the Spring of 2020

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333The Power of Equilibrium

"A powerful book that provides an interesting

 cross-section of three different points of view for 

the balance of body, mind, and spirit."

~ Amazon Reader Feedback

Get your copy of this insightful book

on Amazon.com TODAY!

Available Now!

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Get your copy of Gary's best-selling novel 

Dream Operative, 

 NOW AVAILABLE 

on Audible.com!

FEAR Is a Thief is on Amazon.com 
and is NOW AVAILABLE on Audible.com too! This inspiring book is the first in a self-empowerment series that was written to help people get past fear using five fundamental truths as a basis for understanding and taking action for a better life. 
Get your copy today at FEAR Is a Thief/Amazon.

Also be sure to check out: KEY HORIZON, the second novel in the G. Weston spy series. This thriller is receiving rave reviews across the spectrum and has captivated a new following of "spy-fi" readers. 

Order your copy of these exciting novels today at Amazon.com

How to Get Things Done Like the Pros You Admire

There you are, you’re ready to accomplish that long, sought-after goal but you can’t seem to find the time. Motivation can be a tricky thing, especially when it’s complicated by the sheer amount of distractions coming our way from every conceivable angle at any given moment. How on earth can you ever expect to get your “normal” obligations accomplished, let alone find the time to actually accomplish an extraordinary goal or two you have on your list? After all, there are other people out there “doing it”. Why can’t you?

As for motivation, it is fleeting. We generally understand that it either flows from within or is externally-driven. Either way, it is typically powered by the strength of our vision or the urgency of a situation. 

Suffice it to say, you can have all the motivation you need, but if you give in to distractions, you will eventually become frustrated (and consumed) by the devastating impact of distractions. In other words, distractions can kill motivation. 

So, if it is up to us to keep distractions to a minimum to fuel the motivation we need, what are we to do? How do we find the motivation we need to overcome the urge to give in to distractions that invariably rob us from accomplishing our goals?  For answers, I have come up with three tips that will put things into perspective. As a bonus, I have reached out to two highly-accomplished people I know and trust to gather their perspective. Use their advice in tandem with the tips below and you’ll be plugged into the most powerful source for getting things accomplished—your own motivation!

Attach a Reason to the Task

Nothing is more powerful than the reason you attach to your goals and aspirations. Some call it your “why”. Your reason is the engine to your vision or desire for achievement. Your reason must be compelling enough to fuel the motivation you need to have to consistently accomplish the tasks in spite of the inevitable distractions. 

Being motivated about a task doesn’t always mean you’re happy about doing it. It simply means you have the “power” to put distractions at bay and follow through to completion—consistently—to create momentum. Your accomplishments will inevitably lead to satisfaction and happiness, both of which have a sustaining effect on your ability to tap into your determination to repeat the process. 

Prioritize, Then Take Action

Taking a step back can provide some much-needed perspective on your goals. It can also overwhelm you. So, it’s wise to approach the accomplishment process realistically. The best way is to break the overall process down into bite-sized tasks, and then, prioritize. 

Once you prioritize your tasks, take consistent action (notice a developing trend?) to produce results you can sink your teeth into. Once you begin seeing evidence of your results, you’ll find that your motivation is a lot easier to tap into to continue producing even more results. 

Use the 15-Minute Rule

Finding time to accomplish a task, even if it’s routine, can sometimes be an arduous undertaking, especially if you look at the entirety of your desired goal. But if you can “break up” a task into manageable segments that can be accomplished in, say, fifteen-minute increments, then finding time should be less of an issue. 

Consistency is the number one fundamental aspect of accomplishment. Without it, achievement is nearly impossible. To produce the consistency—and motivation—required to accomplish your goals and objectives, you must do something related to your goal every-single-day. 

You see, our brains are wired in such a way as to form close associations, or familiarity, with what we do consistently. It only makes sense that, the more you do something, the better you become at doing that very thing. The amount of time you spend on a task in a given session is less important than the frequency with which you connect to the task. In other words, even a mere fifteen minutes every day matters more than an eight-hour day once a month. 

So, as you approach your next extraordinary goal, take the time to consider these tips along with those of my friends and colleagues below. You’ll be glad you did. And you’ll have a lot greater success in tapping into your own internal motivation source.

Perspectives

Colleen Riddle

Author, CPFT, and Young Living Gold Distributor

www.ColleenRiddle.com

Did you know that YOU are actually in charge of your attitude every day? Some days when I'm in a funk, or grumpy, I remind myself that I have the power to shift my energy and attitude at any time. I just have to decide. 

One great way to shift is by beginning the day with rituals. Things we do every morning actually set the tone for the way the rest of the day will likely go. So, I thought I’d share a few of the daily rituals that help prepare me for my day.

1.     Gratitude: Before I get out of bed, I think of ten things I am grateful for—from the warm cozy bed to the roof over my head and everything in between. Sounds simple, but simplicity can actually be quite profound.

2.    Personal Development/Meditation: I notice a huge difference in my attitude when I take the time to read or meditate. If you aren't a reader, there are great books you can listen to on audible. I love listening to books while I'm driving. Podcasts are another great option. One of my favorite ones is "The Quote of the Day." Most are no longer than ten minutes long and are a perfect way to program my outlook for the day.

3.     Practice Visualization: Visualization is huge for me because it reminds me of my "why," and motivates me to kick ass because I'm on a mission! You can even break it down and decide how you want your day to go by visualizing the things you’ll get accomplished. Have an important meeting? Visualize the way you want it to go! Seriously, this works. Give it a shot! 

Kirk Hendricks
Author, Advisor, and Awareness Advocate

I consider time as a construct of the human mind. There is only as much time as we create for ourselves to accomplish a task…or attain our goals, as some would say. This is why people find time to get as much done as they want, while others cannot find the time to do much of anything constructive. It is a truth that time is a concept of our conscious experience, and each of us has the power to create or destroy it, whichever we choose.

I personally, choose to wake up on the weekends a couple of hours before my family. It is my time to freely choose to do whatever I want, which I do. I also get up at 4:30 am every weekday to work out and meditate in order to begin each day on a positive note, which I also freely choose to do. I also take the time to observe, as in the manner in which I observe the moments I put into this text before I sat down to write my thoughts so that it flowed more easily when the opportunity arose. And yes, I chose to do that too.

There are those who embrace conventional wisdom concerning the concept of time, which certainly has its place when considering how you can leverage it to your best advantage. I believe that, once you find the time, you will appreciate both perspectives.

Until next time...

- G -

"I consider time as a construct of the human mind. Therefore, you have inherent power over it." 
~ Kirk Hendricks

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If you'd like to receive a notification anytime I publish a new blog (currently about once per month), 
visit my Facebook page: G. Gary Westfal, Author

Once there, click on "Connect to Introspection!" in the left column.  You'll then be subscribed and will receive a notification whenever I publish a new blog or provide updates to my books or appearances.  

If you like this post, please recommend it to others!
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333

The Power of Equilibrium

"A powerful book that provides an interesting

 cross-section of three different points of view for 

the balance of body, mind, and spirit."

~ Amazon Reader Feedback

Get your copy of this insightful book

on Amazon.com TODAY!

Available Now!

***********

Step into the mind of Author Luc Vors.

"Keep producing things, great or small, and you will find that your 

creative mind will blossom with more and more ideas." 

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Check out the wise, knowledgeable, and often entertaining perspectives of Author Elisabeth Auld inside the editions of

 Gals in Blue.

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Check out our new affiliate partner, J. Jane, a fascinating blog of mentorship for, by, and between women.

j. jane 

-------------------------------------------------------------

Get your copy of Gary's best-selling novel 

Dream Operative, 

 NOW AVAILABLE 

on Audible.com!

FEAR Is a Thief is on Amazon.com 
and is NOW AVAILABLE on Audible.com too! This inspiring book is the first in a self-empowerment series that was written to help people get past fear using five fundamental truths as a basis for understanding and taking action for a better life. 
Get your copy today at FEAR Is a Thief/Amazon.

Also be sure to check out: KEY HORIZON, the second novel in the G. Weston spy series. This thriller is receiving rave reviews across the spectrum and has captivated a new following of "spy-fi" readers. 

Order your copy of these exciting novels today at Amazon.com

Don't Buy the Hype!

Six Universal Truths to Finding Your Purpose

Do you ever feel like today's most successful super achievers know something you don't?

 

 

If your answer is "yes" you're partly correct. But today you have an opportunity to learn, borrow, and apply the strategies used by most leaders to get ahead of literally everyone else.

 

Let’s face it, most of the success and achievement advice you read today is crap because it is typically written by someone with an agenda to sell you something that sounds good on paper. The reason we see so much of it is because of the insatiable appetite for an “easy” road to wealth and a prosperity that exists exclusively among those who seek to claim their version of success.

 

While we say we desire success and achievement, most people have no idea how to go about finding it, so they end up relying on someone else to show them the “magic” formula. The only problem with that approach is most people end up buying (literally) someone else’s version of success, oftentimes without regard to whether that version truly works at all in the first place.  Besides, there really is no magic in the formula for success. Yet, we continue to seek “the magic” while ignoring the simple reality that success and achievement comes down to a few simple universal laws of nature.

 

1. Define success on your own terms.

 

If you’re going to achieve success in any form, it must be personally defined and reside squarely in the lane of your passion and purpose. If it does not, continue looking. Don’t get frustrated because you haven’t discovered it…yet. If you honestly and earnestly seek, you will find your purpose…and whatever else you seek in life for that matter. 

 

“Seek and ye shall find.” ~ The Bible

 

2. Take Action.

 

Once you discover that one thing that drives you, pursue it with a vengeance! Take action to learn everything you can to master your purpose. Take action to reprioritize your life to bring your purpose to the forefront while reducing and eliminating everything that is counterproductive to the perfection of your purpose.  Take action to feed your purpose with your time, money, and resources. If you neglect this step you will fail.

 

3. Find a vehicle.

 

Unless you can think of something that has yet to be invented then it’s a safe bet that there is a vehicle or system that already exists to support your passion or purpose. You don’t have to reinvent the Internet to succeed in your lane of purpose. Find a system, organization, company, investor, or mentor to align yourself with to begin your journey.

 

4. Create or tap into a network.

 

Nobody accomplishes everything by themselves in isolation. The most successful among us know how to coalesce and leverage the talents, strengths, resources, and efforts of other people in the pursuit of a goal or objective. The most successful do it better than the rest. Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Cheryl Sandberg, and others like these highly successful people rely on a team or a network of others to achieve a common vision or objective resulting in extraordinary success. You can do the very same thing if you engage with the right network of people. Doing so leverages your resources while systematically reducing your timeline to achievement.

 

5. Stay sharp!

 

Successful people pride themselves on being the best. They are very often considered to be an expert or authority in their chosen purpose. The very best way to accomplish this is to employ every principle above and…to stay mentally and physically fit. Sitting in front of the computer or TV all day won’t cut it, so get off your butt and do something for your personal fitness and overall wellness. A regular fitness regimen keeps our body in shape and our mind supplied with oxygen while releasing the endorphins that stimulate imagination and creativity.

 

6. Be consistent.

 

It is inevitable that, from time to time, discouragement, doubt, and fear will rear its ugly head along your journey to success. Recognize these occurrences as the obstacles they are and remain consistent. Power through it, find solutions, and never, ever quit! Your ability to get through these times is the difference-maker in terms of those who do and those who dream.  Quitting assures your failure while consistency rewards your efforts to remain committed to your passion.

 

So, while you may have previously believed that some people know something you don’t, the truth is, they no longer do. The real truth is that you can have, be, do, or become anything you desire…as long as you are willing to act on a few simple rules…the same rules that are now in the hands of an achiever—you!

Until next time…

~ G ~

“You were created for something extraordinary. Find your purpose.”  ~ G. Westfal

 

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Get your copy of Westfal's first novel Dream Operative, a #1 Amazon.com Best-Seller! NOW AVAILABLE on Audible.com!

FEAR Is a Thief is on Amazon.com and NOW AVAILABLE on Audible.com too! This inspiring book is the first in a self-empowerment series that was written to help people get past fear using five fundamental truths as a basis for understanding and taking action for a better life. Get your copy today at: FEAR Is a Thief/Amazon.

Also be sure to check out: KEY HORIZON, the second novel in the G. Weston spy series. This thriller is receiving rave reviews across the spectrum and has captivated a new following of "spy-fi" readers. 


Order your copy of these exciting novels today at Amazon.com.