1. Don't obsess over "how" you'll do something.
Four years ago when I launched my agency Silverback Social, I just did it. I knew that I wanted to create a digital agency that led with social media. I had no idea how I was going to do it.
I still remove the "how" from most of our agencies issues. We continue to grow, over perform and excel in every endeavor. Winning awards and working with some of the most compelling clients.
Obsessing over your "how" will only lead you to full on panic. Define your "why" for sure, but let go of the "how."
2. Invest in clothes that fit. Yes, seriously.
My dress shirts, and suits are all custom made. This isn't as extravagant as it sounds. You can order custom clothing for about the same cost as off the rack clothes from Banana Republic. You just have to be patient for the clothes to get delivered after you've been measured.
When you have clothes that fit well, you feel better. When you feel better you perform better. Removing the stress of selecting a shirt that will fit in the morning frees up psychic energy.
I can select any shirt in my closet and know that the fit is perfect and I will feel and look great all day. It may seem superficial, but I think it helps me to perform my best.
3. Meditate
Meditation can reduce stress, improve your concentration and increase happiness. But you don't have to sell all your worldly possessions and live in a cave to meditate. Meditation can be anything.
When you're washing your hands today. Slow down and really think about how you're washing your hands. Feel the sensation of the water. Smell the aroma of the soap. Enjoy it. You're meditating!
Realize that your thoughts and feeling aren't you. Acknowledging that you're having a thought is a powerful way to separate yourself from the thought. I recommend HeadSpace APP to help.
4. Buy a stand up desk.
We've all read the news and heard the grumbling of how bad sitting down all day can be for us. It's worse than smoking etc. I do think that my new stand up desk can be a healthy alternative.
I'm also smart enough to know that you can overdo anything. US News Health says that there are some ways in which stand up desks can do more harm than good.
The gist? Don't stand still all day long. Alternate positions throughout the day. Also, some tasks are more well suited for sitting.
5. Shut off electronics for short increments.
I worry about the effect of electronic devices on my children. The best way that I've been able to remove this concern is to carve out play time without any devices around. This means that I leave my iPhone behind as well.
My girls are eight and five. My five year old decided to try golfing with me recently. She loved it. Just the two of us, with my undivided and undistracted presence.
I felt my self reflectively reaching for my iPhone to take photos of her golfing.
Instead I soaked in the moment. We don't need to document every waking hour. Later that day my eight year old and I had a dance party. We danced to and sang the Beatles. We spun and sang and giggled.
No electronics needed. Just my own private little memories with my girls. It makes my heart swell just thinking about it. Radical life improvement!
6. Get up early.
I hate the morning. Really, I do. So much so that on my wedding day, my brother referenced my inability to wake up to an alarm clock in his best man speech. The crowd erupted in laughter. Super.
The benefits of waking up early are vast. For me, it's more about self mastery than anything else. By waking up early I've taken control of my day. Now I regularly wake up at 5am to work. I find that I do my best thinking at that time of day.
I don't have to like it, but I know that I'm hyper productive in the morning. I use apps like SleepCycle to help me manage my normal aversion to mornings. You should try it too.
7. Read more.
Reading can help improve problem solving, expand your vocabulary, and even cultivate exposure to different ways of thinking. If you really feel that you don't have time to read, I recommend you try Audible for a free 30 Day Trial and listen to audiobooks.
If audiobooks are too tedious, try educational podcasts, or TED talks.
Really what we're looking for is a removal from pop-culture and fear mongering news feeds as entertainment. I want you to enrich and challenge your brain. Not numb, and over stimulate.
8. Live in a different city at least once in your life.
When I was twenty years old, I studied in Leuven, Belgium, and traveled to 14 different countries. That travel allowed me to grow in ways that I can't quantify. I was able to find my way around an airport, train station, and bus terminal without incident. I ate different foods, and experienced different religions.
Awareness, education and respect for other cultures will enhance your life in untold ways. It will also expand your business and social circles. When I was twenty six there was an opportunity to live and work in London.
Because I had already traveled, I jumped at the chance. It catapulted my career, and helped me earn more money than I had ever seen in my short career.
9. Write.
Sharing your thoughts is a powerful connector. Start with a blog, or create on LinkedIn or Medium. I wrote my first blog post and earned $260,000. I also used writing to help me get the attention of new clients, new jobs, and my television career.
Write every day and share what you know. Learn how to write better along the way. If you don't want to share your thoughts with the world, start a journal.
I began a journal when I was nineteen and traveling through Europe. Now I read my entries to my daughters as bedtime stories.
10. Allow yourself to be vulnerable.
I'm an over sharer extraordinaire. To some people it's an turn off. Guess what? I don't want to associate with those people. It's the way I'm wired, and I'm not about to change because it makes you uncomfortable.
I blog about everything from my family, to my friend who was murdered. Vulnerability in life and business cultivates trust.
No pretense, just you - unfiltered. Try it. I dare you.
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