Day 1 - My 30-day-challenge began (12.26.13) by watching a short video of Chalene's and I am ready to get started. I was initially exposed to Chalene's super high energy and dynamic personality because I used her Turbo Jam exercise DVDs along with Tony Horton's DVDs thanks to one of my friend's encouragement.
Day 2 - I was introduced to the 7 major areas/foundations of life that ALL need to be in balance for true happiness and utmost success in life. In no particular order they are:
- Relationships
- Fun/leisure/hobbies
- Financial
- Personal growth/spirituality
- Career/purpose/calling
- Fitness/health/nutrition
- Environment/home/surroundings
I must say I know exactly where my intrinsic values lay... and thus can pretty much figure out the areas I need to work on. This is going to be great!
Day 3 - So having picked out my top 3 priorities for the year yesterday, today's topic is finding my top 10 goals. These are items that, and I quote Chalene, "wouldn't it be crazy cool if this happened." These goals are to be items specifically within my control.
Then I was to list a PUSH goal - a goal that while not necessarily being the most important one was a goal that would make all others possible.
Day 4 - Really focus on the PUSH goal - the one or possibly two items that once accomplished will result in you achieving all the others. I found mine easily to be my fitness goal although Chalene says that 98% of the time it is a financial one. For me this year it is important to make fitness a top priority DAILY. I believe the financial one will be the new PUSH goal after October when the bar results are published.
Day 5 - Calls for sharing my PUSH goal in the form of a promise to someone, or more than one person, to whom it is most meaningful. Some of my friends will be receiving messages today (smile). But as an added measure of accountability I shall post it on this page for the whole world (wide web) to see.
I shall weigh 135 pounds for my law school graduation on April 26, 2014.
There you have it folks... major accountability now!
Day 6 - Carefully Crafted and Digitally Maintained (CCDM) To-do List
Well I am well-versed at this one as I typically live my life with to-do lists. I have the overarching big list (containing a 5-year plan for my life) and my daily little tasks list with me throughout the day. I must say it is reassuring to know I have been doing it right all these years... which I must have been since I constantly make and achieve goals, some small, and others like degrees, quite large.
Chalene lists 5 essential steps to building a CCDM to-do list, which I shall share for those of you who are not already in the habit of creating lists:
1. Make your to-do list at the same time every day.
2. Make your to-do list in the same place every day.
3. Keep your list with you at all times.
4. Add 2 or 3 small steps that will move you forward on your list every day.
5. Review and revisit the list.
Day 7 - Involves actually brainstorming all the items you want to accomplish and placing them in a list for "TODAY," "THIS WEEK," and "THIS QUARTER" and the theme is KISS - Keep It Simple Silly.
This will be the longest time you spend on any assignment while on this 30-day-challenge. I actually have already done this my whole life. And I actually already do write down the titles of books I want to buy when someone recommends them to me... as mentioned in the one example.
Chalene's brief summary of steps to create the foundation of your list:
1. Brainstorm, or brain download, or transfer all data from the deepest files of your brain onto paper. Think of everything you need to get done in the next 6 months to a year.
2. Circle any item that must be addressed this WEEK.
3. Star the items that MUST be done TODAY!
4. Everything else falls into "THIS QUARTER."
5. Write your PUSH goal at the top of your page.
6. Each day check your list several times. Once you get through the things that MUST be done today, you can (time permitting) move on to the "THIS WEEK" list.
7. Remember to include 2 steps each day that move you in the direction of your PUSH goal.
Day 8 - Very simple instructions today about breaking the goals into small steps which become tasks on the To-do List. I am already doing this.
Since my PUSH goal involves weight loss, I have 2 tasks daily for this one goal, which are to exercise for an hour and to eat "clean," meaning fish or chicken with vegetables and fruit and lots of water and black coffee ONLY. No artificial pre-made food, no sugars, no starches, no alcohol, nothing at all like that...
(I have made it this far, having started on 12.23.13, and I am not a quitter!)
Day 9 - What do successful people have in common? Habits.
It is vital to schedule your to-do list at a specific time each day and remind yourself with triggers, e.g. the number 11. I like to make my to-do list in the evening before bed as it gives me peace of mind knowing what I must do when I wake up the next day. We must reward association meaning associate doing the to-do list with rewards to make it something positive. We must use a role model.
Chalene mentions that her role model was Brian Tracy. I looked him up, found his website, signed up for two newsletters, downloaded and read his free ebook (below). It is crucial to emulate the people who you know are most successful.
Finally, it takes 21 days to solidify a habit!
Day 10 - Stay on task! Remember your triggers. Rewrite your goals. Check your CCDM To-do list several times per day. The rest of the video today was just pure humor.
Day 11 - Today is all about skill mastery, seeking knowledge, improving abilities, and making yourself more valuable by learning.
What will it take to achieve your goal?
1. Figure out what you need to know in order to be an expert on that topic. Learning all you can about your area of expertise will give you confidence which in turn will rub off on everyone you know.
2. Decide how you are going to acquire that information or skill set. Consult other people in that field. Asking others for help is a way to develop relationships as well as learn from their experiences. Research message boards and groups for every business. There are books, websites, and mentors. Brainstorm, or ask a librarian as they are information experts.
Think about this:
What skill, what type of knowledge, if you had it, would make obtaining your PUSH goal that much easier?
Think of Google as your free on-line skill academy. Google it!
Here are some examples:
How to de-clutter - The Clutter Diet by Lorie Marrero
Debt reduction - articles by Dave Ramsey
Business/Sales Skills - Brian Tracy
Offer expert services - Brendon Burchard
Social media for business - Chalene Johnson
Public speaking
How to build confidence
Balance faith with family/work
Basic nutrition
Exercise adherence
Writing skills
Computer skills
Relationship skills
Parenting skills
Networking
Learning to lead and manage
What do the people, who have accomplished your PUSH goal before you, know... that YOU need to know?
Day 12 - Be your own coach. Use coach talk not negative self-talk. Have zero tolerance for the negative and mean things you used to direct at yourself. Replace those thoughts now. They are not only useless, they are HARMFUL! We believe what we repeatedly tell ourselves.
The task for today:
Write down 5 negative things that you say to yourself. Now draw a line through the first one and rewrite the statement as a positive first person present tense affirmation. Repeat this process with the rest of the negative statements. Now transfer the positive affirmations to post-it notes and put them everywhere you go - on your screen saver, desk, mirror, refrigerator, etc. Say them over and over.
It takes a thousand positives to outweigh a negative comment. So repeat, repeat, repeat until your subconscious accepts the new (and accurate) truth.
Learn to say these things to yourself when you feel most challenged.
I can do anything that anyone else has done before me. All I need is the same knowledge, perseverence, passion and patience.
Success is your only option. Do not be your own biggest obstacle. You will allow yourself to achieve all of your goals starting now!
Day 13 - Build a team of encouraging friends and mentors. Just like we need to say positive things to ourselves, we need to invest ourselves in positive relationships. It is vital that we have true friends and build meaningful and supportive relationships so as to facilitate all of our goals.
Are you spending your time with, your mental energy or your thoughts on, like-minded winners?
Spend your time and energy with people who want to see you SUCCEED!
Winners love to see other people win.
Positive people are everywhere!
Everything that is worth obtaining in life is going to be difficult.
Today's tasks:
List those positive people with whom you are going to spend time.
Identify what leaders or motivational speakers speak to that inner voice and teach you how to be a winner.
Day 14 - How do you spend your time? Today is about how to get the important stuff done FIRST!
"Mark Twain once said that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worse thing that is going to happen to you all day long." - Brian Tracy from Eat That Frog
Today's task is to track the way you spend your time so you become aware of how you use it. If today is a typical day then you will get an accurate read on how you spend your time by carefully tracking every single thing you do all day. But if not, then also track the next couple of days.
The way you spend your time should reflect your priorities. If your time and energy are out of balance with your priorities there are many ways to adjust. Many things that we do are far less necessary than we think. This challenge is not about being busy, it is about optimizing results that are meaningful to you! Use this approach with your To-do list. Do the one thing that you are most dreading first.
Chalene's tips for daily organization:
1. Start with the task that has the greatest impact FIRST! Identify the ugliest frog that you MUST eat today.
2. Begin with the biggest and ugliest task on your list!
3. Estimate the time for each assignment on your task list.
4. Use a schedule to keep you on task!
5. Be realistic and allow a buffer! A buffer is time for preparation, for thought, for making notes, doing research, and drive time etc. Allow enough time between activities so as not to set yourself up for failure.
Focus on your PUSH goal. If the steps you take are moving in the direction of your PUSH goal it is going to become who you are.
Day 15 - Curing the disease to please!
How to avoid saying NO without saying YES to everything!
Today is about learning to say NO, which is really hard for those of us who are people pleasers, doers, those who everyone counts on.
You are going to learn to create a balance between taking care of yourself and taking care of others. Everything in moderation - including saying YES.
Many of us associate saying NO with disappointing others.
Instead of saying NO, try:
Thanks for thinking of me! Let me check my schedule and get back to you.
Give yourself enough time to figure out if it makes sense to say YES.
Say YES if:
1. it feels "right."
2. it does not interfere with your own goals.
3. you actually "want" to do it.
4. you are not expecting anything... not even a thank you... in return.
Day 16 - Knowledge gives you the edge!
There are some things no one can ever take away from you. Among the things that you will always have are the skills you have learned and the understanding you have developed.
Today's task is to consider the ways you invest in yourself and spend time and energy nurturing your mind.
The Internet is an amazing resource. A lifetime of FREE information is at your fingertips. Curiosity is your greatest asset. Seek knowledge everyday! Become an expert at finding solutions. Continually invest in personal development. We never stop growing as individuals.
We should be always learning, always striving, and always seeking the truth.
Day 17 - Reverse-engineer your goals - know what ACTIONS to take first!
Make sure the goal fits with your priorities.
Brainstorm every question you have.
Answering these questions is going to take research and the research can be steps on your To-do list.
Interview or study someone who has already done what you have set out to do. Success leaves tracks!
Exhaust your brainstorm. Start basic.
Before you fall in love with your PUSH goal, make sure it makes sense. Know exactly what it is going to take.
Task for today:
Re-write your goals again for the third time. Break those goals into small doable steps so that you will be making new goals before you know it.
The worksheet below shows an example of a business idea reverse-engineered to the smallest detail. Getting the questions and tasks out of your head and onto paper elevates stress and inspires action. Any goal can be broken down this way, whether it is a health-related, financial, or a relationship goal. Anything you want to do can be planned out in a way that guarantees success.
Day 18 - Confidence through action.
Nothing is as appealing as confidence.
True confidence comes from being prepared, armed with the information and skills you need to achieve success.
What builds confidence? Action.
Action is an investment in your confidence. You will begin to attract more confident individuals into your life.
Celebrate your triumphs!
Not everyone is going to like or agree with you. So what.
Only one person is responsible for your confidence. YOU!
We all have moments of confidence-lapse. Everyone doubts. Face down your fear and go forward with the assurance you need to achieve your goals and enjoy the process. Sparkle with the knowledge that you can and will achieve your goals.
Day 19 - Skills v. Goals
We all have skills we need to learn. We are working hard because we want to be better. General skills are really skills; they are not measurable and someone else cannot look at them and tell you when you have achieved them.
How to differentiate between a PUSH goal and a skill or habit.
Only you know if your PUSH goal is BIG enough.
Is your PUSH goal actually a goal? Or is it a skill?
A skill can be a goal, but rarely should it be a PUSH goal.
Today's task is to ask yourself if all of your goals are truly measurable and quantifiable goals or if they are really skills that can be learned.
By achieving your goals you are going to acquire the skills. We are after success and looking for excellence.
Thus, we should define our goals with clear markers so that we know when we get there. The skills will come too because you have to refine while closing in on your goals. But instead of focusing on the intangible we are writing clear, definitive goals and we are achieving them.
Clear, achievable goals are the path to success. And along that path you will master the skills... getting 2 or 3 steps closer to your goals every day!
Set a weekly reminder on your calendar to re-write 10 goals for the next 12 months.
Evaluate your PUSH goal.
DREAM BIG!
Day 20 - Uncomfortable Assignment
Today's challenge is about doing something a little uncomfortable. Today you will tackle that one thing that needs to change; that one thing lurking that you do not want to deal with. But when you face it not only will you solve the problem but you are going to have peace like you would not believe.
Great challenge produces incredible rewards. Successful people are willing to do what is difficult.
What will you commit to improve today? What good habit or skill will you commit to mastering immediately?
Day 21 - Review Day
How to master important information.
Repetition reinforces memory. Repetition is a key to learning. By going over information multiple times you will integrate it into your life. Review and absorb. Re-listen and take notes. Live it... and rewrite your notes. Set your priorities in order of importance in your life today. Goals should be measurable and aligned with your priorities.
PUSH goals - Identify the goal which makes many of the others more likely.
Create a daily to-do list with 2 or 3 daily items which move you toward your PUSH goal.
By referring to your to-do list many times per day your PUSH goal becomes your predominant thought.
This is a "process" - go at your own pace! Shift and make changes as you go. Follow the steps in the right order and your only option is SUCCESS!
Day 22 - Success is far sweeter when you share the journey. No one can do it alone. Share your success.
Learn to ask for help. Stop doing everything yourself. Do not be your own ceiling!
Today's challenge is about community and true friends and working together. People cannot guess what you need. You have to communicate. You will be surprised at how happy others will be to help! We thrive when other people are in our lives. We lean on each other in challenging times and we celebrate success together.
Let others contribute to your dream and reach out to help others. Let go of the need to do it all yourself and welcome offers of assistance. Together we achieve much more than we will ever alone.
Day 23 - Create an environment for success
Setting up a workspace that will work for you. Today's challenge is all about making over your workspace to suit your personality and optimize efficiency.
Realizing your dream requires both a plan and the commitment to follow-through. It also takes a modicum of simple organization. Resist the temptation to start an item on your list until you have completed your list. Create an environment that gives you MOJO. Know what environment you need to clean up and find an expert. When you organize your day, you organize your life. By creating order in your priorities and goals you will create order in your environment.
Day 24 - Time Management equals Personal Management
We all have 24 hours in a day. But how we use them is as unique as each of us. Plan your day by starting with the most important activity first. Adopt a NOW approach to your important task. Despite the 20 things you must do today, prepare first for the most important task! To manage your use of time you must have a clear picture.
What habit or activity do you use to procrastinate?
Day 25 - Celebrating your Successes!
One of the reasons for creating a life that is meaningful and productive is so that you might enjoy it. You may not have achieved all your goals, yet. But you are making stellar progress. Celebrate now. Be enchanted with yourself. Let your dreams expand. Believe in yourself. Believe in the possibilities. You always had what it takes. You have the power to create the rest of your life.
Believe. Hope. Aspire.
Reward your milestones. Milestones keep you motivated. Set your rewards in the same way you set goals for yourself. Celebration and reward is as much for you as it is for the important people in your life. Rewards can be big or small, but you must celebrate your accomplishments.
"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." - Oprah Winfrey
"My 'dream house' was just a dream until I learned to FOCUS." - Chalene Johnson
You must believe it is possible. Then take action.
Day 26 - Chalene Johnson answers frequently asked questions about the 30-day challenge
So many times we achieve things and are so busy thinking about what we want next that we neglect to notice that we have accomplished a goal. Paying attention to progress is a great incentive. It is hard to feel stalled when you are aware of the accomplishments you have already made. It is important to pay attention and to be grateful for the work that you have done. Make celebrating success a part of your process. Pay attention to milestones in the progress towards goals and alert yourself to the things you have learned along the way.
Our goals should be a stretch. They should be achievable but thrilling enough to be motivating. Each time you write, review or speak of your goals you strengthen the power behind the law of attraction. Your PUSH goal creates a domino effect. Once you accomplish your PUSH goal, select the next most impactful goal and approach it as you did your original PUSH goal. Repeat this process over and over using your daily to-do list to create action which moves you forward. You made the promise. You have the knowledge. You have created the habit.
The number 1 reason people avoid giving their goals a specific measure is fear of failure. It is impossible to fail when your goal is to be a better ______(insert goal here)________. Success is your only option.
Priorities are the things in your life that you will not compromise. They are your driving force - the basis for your goals - the way we choose to live our lives. As you go through life changes, your priorities will shift. Priorities are the stars by which we align our goals. Be sure that your goals align with both your priorities and your values.
Values are the things that are so much a part of who we are that we do not even have to think about them - something that is integral to us - who we are - like breathing they just come naturally. Values remain fairly constant throughout life changes.
And finally, to attract more positive people into your life, you must learn to be a more positive person.
Day 27 - Destination Fixation Day
One of the best parts about setting goals is that it focuses your attention on the future. Instead of simply slugging through the present, when you set a goal you are aspiring for something that has not happened yet. You are setting a path towards exactly what you want.
Your mind controls everything. Your brain tells you what to expect. And your expectations dictate the outcome. You will encounter obstacles, events and challenges as well as your own self-sabotage. That is why you need to focus your attention on the positive outcome of reaching your goals.
Always plan for the best future you can create and expect that it will come to be!
What obstacles will you STOP fixating on?
Day 28 - List Management Day
Today we talk about the Carefully Crafted and diligently Maintained (CCDM) To-Do List again.
One of the most important things you can do is edit your list. Cut back or edit the number of things you add to your list for TODAY. Nothing should go on your list for TODAY except items that MUST be done today or there is a very serious consequence to pay. Categorize to identify the importance or priority of your tasks.
Make sure those items that you would like to do today but are not urgent go at the BOTTOM of your TODAY list so you know it is a WANT not a NEED to do item.
Perfectionism kills productivity!
One final thing: Edit the minutia off your list. Do not fill your day with fluff. Keep the painful stuff on your list. Successful people do the tough stuff - what others know they should do - what others will not. Busy work does not create greatness.
Day 29 - How will you do this?
"I've made a goal but I'm not sure how I'm going to do this."
The last part of that sentence, the dead-end statement, is a problem.
The world's most successful individuals ask questions. They ask HOW? How will I do this? Keep asking that question over and over again until you have exhausted a list of over 100 possibilities and take action on the top 10. Keep that list! Ask more questions. Assume no idea is too small or too grand. Keep asking this question over and over again until there are so many options that you have so many possibilities success is your only option.
Using pen and paper - create a brainstorn for any goal which you need to figure out HOW this can be done!
Take action NOW.
Day 30 - It's Here - You did it!
Remember why it matters.
Keep paying attention to the progress you are making.
Continue to be aware of all the positive changes you are seeing.
Continue to have a clear plan of what it takes to succeed.
Break your goals into small bite-sized pieces and accomplish two steps a day.
Surround yourself with layers of motivation.
Be alert to the benefits of audio programs.
Hang around with the right people.
Participate in the right programs.
Read the right books.
Keep the right friends.
Motivate yourself to be your best so you will fill your life with the best.
Keep getting plenty of support.
Teach your friends and family how to support and encourage you.
Pick their brains for great ideas.
Continue to seek out growth in every area of your life.
Day 31 - Bonus day - More in store!
Smart Success
This is a 4-part video series for those who:
- have a great idea for a business but do not know where to start
- have started a business, and it is just not taking off, and you do not know how to find the time to do it
- have a business now, and you cannot breathe because it is taking over your life
- do not know how you can possibly do more and fit more into your day to reach these goals
PART 1
In the first of four videos Chalene shares her 5 ingredients for Smart Success
1. CLARITY
When you are living in a state where you do not have clarity there is always one more thing that just feels like it sets you over the edge, and you just cannot handle it. That is a really good sign that you need clarity in your life.
Clarity is understanding what it is you want and how you are going to get there. Clarity is about where you are going, what route you take, and how long it will take to get there. The key thing to do is develop a very clear WRITTEN plan for clarity to determine what areas of your life are out of balance.
2. MOJO
Mojo is the inner drive that makes you so productive and happy and balanced so when you are doing the thing that makes the biggest impact on your life you have the energy and enthusiasm you need to make a difference. Mojo is intangible but you know when you have it. It has been described as being in the zone. It builds momentum and you feel unstoppable. Exercise is the drug that is going to build that mojo, give you more stamina, and help you live longer.
Your physical fitness will change your business, how you relate to other people, and how you feel about yourself. The number one thing that affects our mojo is people, relationships! You need people around you who are trees, not weeds.
3. SYSTEMS
Think in terms of systems. Things you do a certain way can be turned into a system that can be automated. A person cannot do everything alone. There is exercise, and work, and a house to maintain, and family and friends, and personal growth and development, and a business to create and run! Some things need to be automated because there are only 24 hours in a day.
Systems is the difference between those people who do it all and breathe and have clarity and those people who do it all by themselves by sheer torture and are unhappy, and have broken relationships.
You will create personal policies that will free you from guilt and release you from the chains of obligating yourself to things that you should not be doing. Clearing things OFF your plate is key.
4. DELEGATE (or die!)
If you are not delegating a great deal of what you are doing you are creating your own ceiling. Use the system you created in the step above to outsource or delegate.
At a certain time in your life you will need to stop exchanging your time for money and you will need to be able to exchange what it is you have created, what it is you know, your knowledge, that can live on forever.
5. SUCCESS MINDSET
There is clearly a difference in the mindset of people who enjoy smart success versus stressed success.
You have to start with behavior to change the way you feel about yourself, your mindset, your beliefs. If you change your behavior, you will change your beliefs.
Behave your way to success. Act like you have done this before and you know what you are doing. You are meant for success. Maybe you have everything going for you - you are smart, likeable, charismatic - and all you lack is belief in yourself.
Today's assignments:
1. Complete the pdf that follows the video lecture
2. Take your most commonly-held negative comments about yourself, those voices in your head, that stop you from going forth. Re-write in the opposite - positive light.
PART 2
In the second of four videos Chalene teaches how to delegate!
After watching the first video and completing the pdf, I realized just how much I actually do, and do all by myself. How am I going to build a business and create my life by design when I already have so much going on and so much more I still need to get to?
The answer is - DELEGATE!!!
"Just because you can do it does not mean you should." - Chalene Johnson
The Internet is full of resources - people willing to do the stuff on your list - outsource - e.g. ODesk, Elance
Chalene even had Elance create a video on how to sign up for Elance ...
Today's assignments:
1. Look at the completed pdf from yesterday and pick 5 things that you can outsource.
2. Outsource just 1 on Elance
3. Be sure to watch the how to sign up for Elance video first
This is all about giving you one of the most valuable resources money cannot buy ... TIME
PART 3
In the third of four videos Chalene teaches how to schedule!
After watching the first two videos I felt like I was learning so much and it ALL made sense. I can breathe if I have a system!
In order to increase productivity and focus, get way more done in less time, and work less, I needed a system.
The following is a proven system for:
- Eliminating distractions
- Maximizing focus
- Enhancing your natural productivity tendencies
- Improving confidence
- Diminishing stress
- Designing a structure that works for you
PROBLEM ->
increased demand
increased distractions
increased freedom
natural tendencies
decreased negative beliefs
SOLUTION ->
decrease demand
eliminate distractions
maximize tendencies
improve confidence
design structure
ACTION ->
Install system = Smart Success
Exercise/wellness is a legal drug. Take it in the morning, first thing!
Find those 3 hours at that certain time of day when your body is at its creative peak and do your WORK in that time free of distractions!
Most people feel like they waste so much time every day that they feel guilty outsourcing.
Make drive/commute time - DRIVE & LEARN - using audio to get in some study/self-improvement time.
Make a schedule to account for every hour of the day that will work for you 80% of the time.
Set alarms so that you stick to your schedule. A nifty website that can do this for you is IFTTT which stands for IF THIS THEN THAT. Chalene also created some recipes to get us started.
Today's assignments:
1. When are you most driven/focused?
2. What will you give up (OR) only do during scheduled time?
PART 4
In the last of four videos Chalene teaches how to have time, in other words how to have Smart Success!
How to have more, create more, without having to do more. You can work a four hour day.
Sarah Nilsson, J.D., Ph.D., MAS
602 561 8665
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