50 Life Lessons Every One Should Know By The Age Of 50

The following 50 valuable life lessons where written by Regina Brett, from Cleveland , Ohio.
These gems of knowledge have been learnt over the past 50 years, why would you not want to get your knowledge up and read on for a little ‘Life 101′.

50 Life Lessons

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative – dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

Credit : Addicted2Success.com

9 Confidence Building Techniques That Will Help You Ace Anything!

Having a high level of confidence can do wonders in every aspect of your life from your physical appearance to your sleeping patterns. It is proven that people with a lot of confidence are more successful, healthy, and enjoy a more fulfilling life.
Below are our ’9 confidence building techniques that will help you ace anything’.

1. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

One of the most effective self-confidence building techniques that will immediately improve your confidence is to stop comparing yourself to others. This is trouble and in reality, you only see a small slice of how that person really is. Everyone, thinks, feels, learns and sees things differently. You are the only person on this planet with your ability, it may not be some sort of super-human power you posses but the possibilities in you and the way you do things will be endless and different to everybody else, no two fingerprints are the same. Remember that!
When you compare yourself to other people you tend to compare yourself to the one person who you believe has it best in life. This is definitely not a good way to assess yourself. Instead worry about what it takes to be someone that you like yourself. You would be shocked at how much happier people who like themselves are than people who do not.

2. Always Make Eye Contact

Most people are incredibly afraid of how other people will judge them in a multitude of different situations. By making eye contact you tell yourself that you are worthy, unafraid, and confident. You also send the same message to the other person/people that you are talking to.
A little trick I find that works is to look between their eyebrows in the center of their head, this is less intimidating for you as you are not looking directly into their eyes but from where they are standing it looks like you actually are. Just make sure you are not staring to hard, and are not too up close and personal like the picture we have featured to the left, this may intimidate the person you are conversing with and this defeats the purpose of lowering room for judgement.
At first many people have to force themselves to make eye contact for quite some time before it becomes a habit. However, you will find that once you get into a habit of making good eye contact you will naturally feel more confident in all situations and scenarios.

3. Exercise & Healthy Eating

Appearance is the number one cause for low self-esteem around the world. Improving your physical appearance can do wonders for your confidence. Exercising often is the best way to make yourself both feel better and look better.
Exercise of any kind will release endorphins which are chemicals released by the brain during exercise that enhances that feel good mood and sends a pleasurable feeling through your body. Exercising on a regular basis will improve anyone’s physical appearance and subsequently their self-confidence. You feel good, you smile more. You smile more you feel more confident, there’s a pattern here isn’t there?
Do know, that 70% of weight loss starts with your dieting, so find a diet that works for you and implement an exercise routine that you are happy with. Just make sure it is a routine you enjoy otherwise your fitness regime will be short lived and you will see little to no improvement.

4. Dress Sharp

Have you ever heard the saying “when you look good, you feel good”? There is a lot of truth to that old saying. When you dress sharp it has a positive physiological effect resulting in improved interactions with other people. You will also feel changes in the way that you carry yourself, which enhances your level of comfort in every day situations.
Dressing sharp is an easy and immediate way to increase your confidence. This has been studied and proven to be very effective in immediately increasing confidence levels.

5. Compliment Others Often

Get in the mindset of thinking positive. This will allow you to see the good in people and compliment them on their strong points. So how is this going to help boost your self-esteem? Well, when you compliment others you are ten times more likely to get a sincere compliment in return. This will reinforce your strong points and push your positive characteristics to the fore front of your self assurance. Go easy on the compliments though, you don’t want to come across as a groupie.

6. Help Those Less Fortunate

While this may seem counter productive to your happiness, helping those less fortunate is one of the most empowering feelings in the world. Those who do community service often have incredibly high self esteems, self confidence, and a great outlook on life.
The empowering feeling of helping others builds self confidence in yourself and helps you to realise that you are abe to make an impact in this world.
Tony Robbins said it best - ”The secret of living is giving.”

7. Face Your Fears & Don’t Fear Failure

This a huge reason for low level of confidence in millions of people. Our fears have incredible control over us and affect the way we feel about ourselves. When we fear something we feel weak which is the same as not feeling confident. In order to overcome this you have to face your fears in life. Do not avoid the things that you are incredibly afraid of. The better way to go about it is to face your fears and get to understand what you fear instead of running from it.
Learn to never fear failure. Everyone in life fails numerous times. A couple of failures will not define your life. The way you respond to these failures is what defines you.

8. Carry ‘Confidence’ With You

Carry it with you, just not on your shoulders. Now what I mean by this is you should not look like you are trying to be confident and stressing about how you come across.
There are a number of ways that you can exude confidence physically and here are a handful we have to share with you:


- Speak clearly and with a reasonable volume
- Be conscious of your posture
- Don’t cross your arms as this shows insecurity
- Use your hands to explain things, this helps to draw your crowd a vivid picture of your explanations

9. Fake It, Til You Make It

We have all heard this term used before but it is very applicable when it comes to self-confidence.
If you find yourself in a situation where you feel vulnerable and not very confident, this is the time to switch on your fake it to make it mind set. Use the characteristics of confident people and apply them to your immediate situation. Look for a role model in the moment, someone you look at as a confident and charismatic person, whether it be a character, a movie star or someone that you have felt comfortable around before.
These will become habits of your own within time and will definitely pay off.

Credit : Addicted 2 Success

The Dalai Lama's 18 Rules For Successful Living

The Dalai Lama’s 18 Rules For Living

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three Rs:
-Respect for self
-Respect for others
-Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Credit : Addicted To Success

15 Rich & Famous People Who Were Fired Before They Became Successful

In recent years, the economy has suffered and a lot of us have fallen on hard times. So how can ‘getting fired’ be the best thing that could ever happen to someone? Well, a lot of successful people were handed the pink slip before they found their place in the world.
Read on and find out why losing your job can be the most unlikely stepping stone to greater things:

1. Lee Iacocca: Trailblazing Pioneer

His journey to the top was not without roadblocks, one of the being fired from Ford Motor Company after butting heads with no less than Henry Ford II. As early as the 40s, he already had a flourishing career in sales and marketing and even became the company’s president by the late 70s.
After getting fired from Ford in 1978, Iacocca quickly moved on to Chrysler, whom he saved from bankruptcy by asking the United States Congress to bail them out. Eloquently describing the loan guarantee as a “safety net”, he was able to save Chrysler from certain doom. He then went on to release the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant as well as re-invented the Imperial which had features ahead of its time.

2. J.K. Rowling: The Daydreaming Secretary

As a famous rags-to-riches figure in the literary world, millions of teenage (as well as adult) readers have gobbled up her seven-volume saga of the boy wizard who also came from humble beginnings like JK. Rowling.
But what you probably didn’t know was that she got fired from her job as a secretary in Amnesty International before she hit it big. Back then, she was already forming the foundations of Harry Potter in her mind, along with the characters and situations he would be faced with. Soon enough, all that daydreaming led to her getting fired, which put her on the path to becoming one of the world’s most celebrated authors.

3. Steve Jobs: The Comeback King

The recently departed technocrat didn’t just get the boot back in the day – he got fired from his own company. That’s right: the co-founder of Apple was actually exiled from the very empire that he helped build from the ground up.
But as everyone knows, it worked out pretty well for Steve Jobs and his legacy. Getting fired gave him the opportunity to work on other things, such as creating NeXT, a computer company that catered to the business crowd as well as a division of Lucasfilm’s computer graphics division which later became Pixar. His triumphant return to Apple several years later heralded the creation of the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad.

4. Lady Gaga: Getting Back On The Horse

After dropping out of Collaborative Arts Project 21 (a New York-based musical school), the unconventional singer did some small gigs around town until she gained a loyal following in the downtown Lower East Side club scene. She finally caught the eye of Rob Fusari, a music producer who then collaborated with her to cut some tracks in the studio that they shopped to other people in the music industry.
Things took a nasty turn when Lady Gaga was suddenly dropped only after three months of being signed onto a major label. Not content to wallow in misery, she soon picked herself up and continued using her previous material with Fusari for performances, particularly one at Lollapalooza where she gained critical fame.
By 2008, she was already signed onto another label and released her debut album “The Fame” which has become one of the most successful albums in pop history.

5. Walt Disney: Father Of The World’s Most Loveable Rodent

The revolutionary animator went through a string of failures before he created one of the biggest entertainment companies on the planet. He had a short-lived career as a newspaper artist, drawing political cartoons and comic strips. Soon after, Walt Disney hopped from one job to another until he put up Laugh-O-Gram Studio, which gained popularity but went bankrupt.
After setting up another company called Disney Brothers Studio, Walt finally struck animated gold after creating the classic short called “Steamboat Willie” which catapulted Mickey Mouse as one of the most recognized cartoon characters in the world.

6. Truman Capote: Literary Rebel

Before the famous author wrote classics such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “In Cold Blood”, Capote worked at The New Yorker as a copyboy who sorted cartoons and clipped newspapers. He held this unassuming job for a full two years until he was fired, thanks to an angry whim by Robert Frost who convinced the magazine to let him go.
Fortunately for Capote, this planted the seeds for what was to become a prolific writing career. After writing a series of short stories, he managed to sign a deal with Random House who published his first novel, “Other Voices, Other Rooms” which put him on the path to becoming one of America’s most memorable cultural icons.

7. Annabelle Gurwitch: Bouncing Back From Insult and Inury

The comic actress and hostess of the famous cooking show “Dinner and a Movie” had to endure verbal abuse from none other than her idol Woody Allen who fired her for not living up to his expectations. Allen even went so far as calling Gurwitch “retarded” before kicking her to the curb.
But she went on embark on a successful career in showbiz, playing various parts in TV and movies. Ironically, she was responsible for the 2007 documentary “Fired!” which featured a number of people (including herself) who were axed from their respective jobs before becoming successful.

8. Jerry Seinfeld: The Creator of The Show About “Nothing”

Unhappy with Seinfeld’s performance, the bosses behind the sitcom Benson decided to cut the comic genius from the show – he was the last to know about it. After showing up for rehearsal, he found that his character had been erased from existence without any warning.
No matter – he sucked it up and returned to doing stand-up gigs at local venues. Eventually, his hilarious performances impressed the likes of Johnny Carson and David Letterman. In time, his career took off to incredible heights, having starred in nine solid seasons of his hit show “Seinfeld” for almost a full decade.

9. James Hetfield: Sticker Printer Turned Metal God

Before becoming the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for one of the most epic rock bands of the 20th century, James Hetfield worked in a sticker printing factory. Ultimately, he lost his job but he went on to collaborate with drummer Lars ulrich to form the face-melting, ear-shattering heavy metal act known as Metallica.
Since Hetfield joined the band in 1981, his band has created a total of nine studio albums featuring classic rock anthems that their countless fans headbang to until today. That sure beats printing stickers!

10. Oprah Winfrey: The Media Juggernaut

She’s easily recognized as one of America’s most successful media figures, having been a talk show host, actress, and producer throughout her career. But no one gave her any hand-outs during her journey to success. Oprah Winfrey’s turbulent family life led her to carve out a self-made career as a television personality, even when she was let go as a news reporter for Baltimore’s WJZ-TV.
The good thing about getting fired though was that Winfrey moved to Chicago which was a pivotal move for her professional life. This was where she became host of AM Chicago, an unremarkable talk show which quickly climbed TV ratings. It was later renamed as the “Oprah Winfrey Show” which ran for 25 seasons over the course of 25 years.
After 4,561 episodes, Oprah Winfrey has not only become the wealthiest black person in the last century, she’s also one of the country’s leading black philanthropists.

11. Anna Wintour: Fashion Icon

This edgy fashion journalist first got her feet wet at Harper’s & Queen, a magazine where she served as one of its very first editorial assistants. Thanks to her work, the publication came out with groundbreaking photo shoots with the likes of Helmut Newton and other innovative photographers in the industry.
Anna Wintour often clashed with another editor, and she moved on to work as a junior fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar. Unfortunately, her shoots were deemed too much by the editors and got subsequently kicked out in less than a year. However, Wintour eventually became the editor-in-chief of Vogue and has occupied that position for a running total of 23 years.
She continues to be an influential force, not just within the fashion world, but also beyond the industry. Wintour reportedly even talked Donald Trump into letting Marc Jacobs to use the Plaza Hotel as a venue for one of his shows!

12. Bill Belichick: Coaching Prodigy

Bill Belichick had been a defensive assistant, special teams coach and defensive coordinator for the New York Giants for 12 years. It was in 1991 when he became head coach for the first time for the Cleveland Browns until he was fired from his position four years later. After that however, Belichick was named head coach of the New England Patriots in 2000 and was responsible for the team’s five appearances at the Super Bowl. Since his removal from the Browns back in 1995, he was also designated as the AP NFL Coach of the Year three times.

13. Dave Mustaine: Rising From The Ashes

The former Metallica guitarist got kicked out of the band in 1983 for excessive partying and alcoholism, and Mustaine used the anger from this incident to form his own metal act called Megadeth. In the same year, he created enough material which Mustaine then used for his new band, giving birth to their debut album “Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!”
His career soon took off, with Megadeth extensively touring the U.S. and Canada. On one occasion, they even played at the same venue as Dave Mustaine’s former band. To date, they’ve released 13 albums and have a worldwide fan base as fiercely loyal as that of Metallica’s.

14. Howard Stern: Terrorizing The Airwaves

Widely known as a “Shock Jock”, Howard Stern gained notoriety as a radio talk show host in the 90s because of his blunt style and controversial topics. He particularly gained fame during his time as a host for both WWDC and WNBC and greatly increased their respective ratings during his time there. However, Stern found himself fired by both stations because of the raunchiness of his material, touching on sensitive topics such as sexuality and religion.
Getting the suits worked up over his unorthodox style proved to be a beneficial career move for Stern since it opened the door to bigger things. In fact, he was named, Nationally Syndicated Air Personality of the Year from 1994 until 2002. Since 2006, he’s switched to satellite radio where he’s free of FCC regulations and continues to entertain his millions of devoted followers.

15. Madonna: The Queen Of Pop

Anyone who’s even remotely knowledgeable about music knows who Madonna is, and to date she’s sold over 300 million records as the top female pop performer of all time. On Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, she’s right up there with the likes of The Beatles and her influence in the world of music is second to none.
Before she achieved any of that however, Madonna first worked in various diners and fast food joints while she was starting out. In one particular job, she quickly got fired for dousing a customer with donut jelly on purpose. Although her potential career in the food industry crashed and burned, this paved the way for her to become one of the most recognized faces in the history of music.

Via : Addictedtosuccess

10 Positive Signs That You Are Cut Out To Be An Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are different from everyone else. Generally, we don’t prescribe to the status quo and because we think differently – we act differently.
Here are 10 dead giveaways that indicate you belong to a “members only club” where clout is in high demand, sleep is overrated, and “business shabby” is suitable attire.




1. Let’s just say, there’s no shortage of self-confidence here. I’ve yet to meet one self-loathing entrepreneur, and I am pretty sure some could be perceived as entitled narcissists. Whichever side of the spectrum you fall on, confident entrepreneurs do “it” better. Honestly, if you don’t believe in yourself – don’t expect anyone else to. But don’t forget the occasional slice of your grandma’s warm humble pie.
2. You’ve got clout. No not the social media Klout Score – well yes, you’ve got that too. But most importantly, entrepreneurs intrinsically know how to connect the dots. You pull together partnerships out of the most unlikely places. Influence whether learned or second-nature is essential to take your business from zero to hero.
3. Federal holidays just aren’t that cool. If you were once a corporate bean counter, long gone are the days of wistfully staring at your cubicle calendar counting down to your next escape. These days – your schedule is yours and federal holidays just aren’t what they were once cracked up to be. If you’re location independent, heck you can “work” from anywhere.
4. Sleep is antiquated. Once you find your “hustle” and “flow” – you decide to rest when your body needs it. But inspiration at 3am is an adrenaline rush. Who has time to sleep at a startup? No one. Grab a pillow and take a nap over there… under your desk.
5. You’d gladly work for free… for shoes or for game tickets, at first. You are motivated beyond the paycheck — this is heresy for most corporate folks. But, successful entrepreneurs have all gladly done what they love (fulfilled their passion) for free at the onset of their startups. Passion doesn’t really seem like “work.” Don’t forget, some people dream of success… while others wake up and work hard at it (Anonymous).
6. You like to run things. You like to be in control – in command, to manage to organize… whichever connotation helps you sleep a bit easier at night. You’re a control freak. If you don’t agree – why did you choose entrepreneurship? I’d wager that your responses will include some degree of control – of your finances, future, time, etc. But remember sensei, “He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still (Tao Te Ching).”
7. It can always be better – and you make sure it is. You’re motivated to outperform yourself – not others. Your standards are high and “your talk can write a check that anyone can cash!” While perfection is unattainable – you’re pretty bent on getting close.
8. You’re unemployable and that’s a positive thing. Often classified as independent, maybe you suck at office politics and were known to “rock the boat.” Either way, why fool around on the playground when you can own the land it sits on? The experience and life skills that an entrepreneur gains trumps a 9-5 any day.
9. Your dress code is shabby chic. Your suits are collecting dust. While it is completely appropriate to pull one out for a client meeting, most of the time you wear what you want – when you want. If you’re at a tech startup, forget dress code altogether and go “business shabby.”
10. You’re a little mental. The Startup Centre’s, Vijay Anand reminds us that we “have the innate ability to create something out of nothing. What is stuck in our head most times is a reality that is only relevant and known to us and no one else quite gets it.” I’d say that’s a pretty astute assumption. But your genius-madness is a redeeming quality, one which most of the world wishes they had.

Michael Jordans Motivational Advice

Be Passionate. “Even when I’m old and grey, I won’t be able to play it, but I’ll still love the game.”
Make It Happen. “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”

Put In Work. “I’m not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat.”

You Must Try. “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”

Mind Over Matter. “My body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn’t stand the sideline.”
Believe. “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”
Find A Way. “If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”
Attitude Is Everything. “Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.”
Stay Committed. “The game is my wife. It demands loyalty and responsibility, and it gives me back fulfillment and peace.”
Prepare To Fail. “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

What Successful People Do Differently

  The following article appeared in the Harvard Business Review.

Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren't sure, you are far from alone in your confusion.

It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail. The intuitive answer -- that you are born predisposed to certain talents and lacking in others -- is really just one small piece of the puzzle.

In fact, decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people reach their goals not simply because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.

No.9 Get specific

When you set yourself a goal, try to be as specific as possible. "Lose 5 pounds" is a better goal than "lose some weight," because it gives you a clear idea of what success looks like. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there. Also, think about the specific actions that need to be taken to reach your goal. Just promising you'll "eat less" or "sleep more" is too vague -- be clear and precise. "I'll be in bed by 10 p.m. on weeknights" leaves no room for doubt about what you need to do, and whether or not you've actually done it.

No.8 Seize the moment to act on your goals

Given how busy most of us are, and how many goals we are juggling at once, it's not surprising that we routinely miss opportunities to act on a goal because we simply fail to notice them. Did you really have no time to work out today? No chance at any point to return that phone call? Achieving your goal means grabbing hold of these opportunities before they slip through your fingers.

To seize the moment, decide when and where you will take each action you want to take, in advance. Again, be as specific as possible (e.g., "If it's Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, I'll work out for 30 minutes before work.") Studies show that this kind of strategic planning will help your brain to detect and seize the opportunity when it arises, increasing your chances of success by roughly 300%.

No.7 Know exactly how far you have left to go

Achieving any goal also requires honest and regular monitoring of your progress -- if not by others, then by you yourself. If you don't know how well you are doing, you can't adjust your behavior or your strategies accordingly. Check your progress frequently -- weekly, or even daily, depending on the goal.

No.6 Be a realistic optimist

When you are setting a goal, by all means engage in lots of positive thinking about how likely you are to achieve it. Believing in your ability to succeed is enormously helpful for creating and sustaining your motivation. But whatever you do, don't underestimate how difficult it will be to reach your goal. Most goals worth achieving require time, planning, effort, and persistence. Studies show that thinking things will come to you easily and effortlessly leaves you ill-prepared for the journey ahead, and significantly increases the odds of failure.

No.5 Focus on getting better, rather than being good

Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability. Many of us believe that our intelligence, our personality and our physical aptitudes are fixed -- that no matter what we do, we won't improve. As a result, we focus on goals that are all about proving ourselves, rather than developing and acquiring new skills.

Fortunately, decades of research suggest that the belief in fixed ability is completely wrong -- abilities of all kinds are profoundly malleable. Embracing the fact that you can change will allow you to make better choices, and reach your fullest potential. People whose goals are about getting better, rather than being good, take difficulty in stride, and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.

No.4 Have grit

Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty. Studies show that gritty people obtain more education in their lifetime, and earn higher college GPAs. Grit predicts which cadets will stick out their first grueling year at West Point. In fact, grit even predicts which round contestants will make it to at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The good news is, if you aren't particularly gritty now, there is something you can do about it. People who lack grit more often than not believe that they just don't have the innate abilities successful people have. If that describes your own thinking... well, there's no way to put this nicely: you are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, effort, planning, persistence, and good strategies are what it really takes to succeed. Embracing this knowledge will not only help you see yourself and your goals more accurately, but also do wonders for your grit.

No.3 Build your willpower muscle

Your self-control "muscle" is just like the other muscles in your body -- when it doesn't get much exercise, it becomes weaker over time. But when you give it regular workouts by putting it to good use, it will grow stronger and stronger, and better able to help you successfully reach your goals.

To build willpower, take on a challenge that requires you to do something you'd honestly rather not do. Give up high-fat snacks, do 100 sit-ups a day, stand up straight when you catch yourself slouching, try to learn a new skill. When you find yourself wanting to give in, give up, or just not bother -- don't. Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they occur ("If I have a craving for a snack, I will eat one piece of fresh or three pieces of dried fruit.") It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier, and that's the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on more challenges and step-up your self-control workout.

No.2 Don't tempt fate

No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it's important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it you will temporarily run out of steam. Don't try to take on two challenging tasks at once, if you can help it (like quitting smoking and dieting at the same time). And don't put yourself in harm's way -- many people are overly-confident in their ability to resist temptation, and as a result they put themselves in situations where temptations abound. Successful people know not to make reaching a goal harder than it already is.

No.1 Focus on what you will do, not what you won't do

Do you want to successfully lose weight, quit smoking, or put a lid on your bad temper? Then plan how you will replace bad habits with good ones, rather than focusing only on the bad habits themselves. Research on thought suppression (e.g., "Don't think about white bears!") has shown that trying to avoid a thought makes it even more active in your mind. The same holds true when it comes to behavior -- by trying not to engage in a bad habit, our habits get strengthened rather than broken.

If you want change your ways, ask yourself, What will I do instead? For example, if you are trying to gain control of your temper and stop flying off the handle, you might make a plan like "If I am starting to feel angry, then I will take three deep breaths to calm down." By using deep breathing as a replacement for giving in to your anger, your bad habit will get worn away over time until it disappears completely.

15 Inspiring And Motivational Quotes To Start Off The Week

I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.
Nothing is ever wrong. We learn from every step we take. Whatever you did today was the way it was meant to be. Be proud of you
Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you’ll never, ever have enough
Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
People of accomplishment rarely sat back & let things happen to them. They went out & happened to things.
Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?
If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.
The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.
It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, & expect to win.
Million dollar ideas are a dime a dozen. The determination to see the idea through is what’s priceless.
You are today where your thoughts have brought you. You will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.
Your life is magnificent not cause someone says so, but cause u choose 2 see it as such
I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.

Video : We Need More Kids Like This - Instead of allowing his father's death to be in vain, he wrote a self help book for all the other kids who have lost a parent or loved one.

25 Quotes That Can Change Your Life

You Know I'm a Guy who loves quotes and inspiration. Here are 25 you can use.

If you can't afford it, you don't deserve it. -- Anonymous

At the age of 20, we don't care what the world thinks of us; at 30, we worry about what it is thinking of us; at 40, we discover that it wasn't thinking of us at all. -- Anonymous

The secret to happiness at work is to find a job you love so much you'd do it as a hobby and make it into a career. -- Anonymous.

It's likely that whatever challenges you have faced in your life currently could have been avoided but some better decisions upstream. -- Anonymous

Virtue is persecuted more by the wicked than it is loved by the good. -- Buddha

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke

People like people who help them like themselves. -- Dale Carnegie

What looks like a person problem is often a situation problem. -- Chip & Dan Heath

We are likely to have a regard for the opinion of others only when there is a chance that the opinion might be now and then in our favor. -- Eric Hoffer

We ought to beware of people who do not think it necessary to pretend that they are good and decent. Lack of hypocrisy in such things hints at a capacity for a most depraved ruthlessness. -- Eric Hoffer

Discontent is likely to be highest when misery is bearable; when conditions have so improved that an ideal state seems almost within reach. A grievance is most poignant when almost redressed. -- Eric Hoffer

For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son; that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. -- John 3:16

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of conflict and controversy. -- Martin Luther King

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow. -- George S. Patton

Watch what people are cynical about, and one can often discover what they lack. -- George S. Patton

Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. -- Pat Riley

If you question anything enough, you'll begin to doubt it. -- Tony Robbins

Your emotions are nothing but biochemical storms in your brain and you are in control of them at any point in time. -- Tony Robbins

In life, never spend more than 10% of your time on the problem and spend at least 90% of your time on the solution. -- Tony Robbins

Everything happens for a reason and a purpose, and it serves you. -- Tony Robbins

The sad truth is that as long as you say, 'It's my mother's fault, my husband's fault, the government's fault, my sixth-grade piano teacher's fault...' you won't be happy. -- Marcy Shimoff

There are no solutions...there are only trade-offs. -- Thomas Sowell

A succinct summary of the tragic vision was given by historians Will and Ariel Durant: Out of every hundred new ideas ninety-nine or more will probably be inferior to the traditional responses which they propose to replace. No one man, however brilliant or well-informed, can come in one lifetime to such fullness of understanding as to safely judge and dismiss the customs or institutions of his society, for those are the wisdom of generations after centuries of experiment in the laboratory of history. -- Thomas Sowell

It is one of the great weaknesses of reasonable men and women that they imagine that projects which fly in the face of commonsense are not serious or being seriously undertaken. -- Margaret Thatcher

"In human intercourse the tragedy begins, not when there is misunderstanding about words, but when silence is not understood." -- Henry David Thoreau

Actually, the life you're living right now is the result of the choices you've made. -- Dexter Yeager