Today’s post was written by Dion Baker.  He is a writer for The Intangible Wealth and a respected song writer, poet, and visual artist.  And he also shares my love of ants.  – Brad

Today I went to the craft store with my wife to return some items we recently purchased. While she was being helped at the register, I decided to venture off into the store to see what else they had in stock. Not too far from the register, I saw several items on the clearance shelves. I perused through the shelves to see if there was anything of interest; not much. The mix of colorful ribbon and Spiderman bookmarks on sale didn’t quite hold my attention. I continued checking out the products to my right and guess what I found? A small pile of children’s books! As I walked toward the books there was a small book at the top titled, “The Ant and the Grasshopper”. Now, I’m excited…

So I picked up the book and started reading.

Here’s the synopsis of the story. There was the Grasshopper, the Ant, and other insects. It was the summertime and the Grasshopper was always being lazy, idle, and playful with his time. The weather was pleasant and he felt he should enjoy it, so he chose to be lazy and not work. But each time he saw another insect they weren’t being lazy, they were working. When he saw the Ant she was carrying food for the winter. He saw the Bee and he had yellow pollen all over his feet from toiling in flower nectar. He saw the Spider and she was threading her web. The Grasshopper was surprised that they were working while the weather was so beautiful. So he told them, “What are you doing? It’s summertime! Put down the work and have fun!” But they all said, “No, no, Grasshopper. We need to work and gather food for the winter! And you need to be gathering food for the winter too!” But the Grasshopper kept playing and never took heed to their advice.

And then the inevitable happened; winter came.

The snow piled and the wind blew and the Grasshopper was left hungry in the frigid cold. He was so cold and hungry that he asked the Ant for shelter and food. The Ant was appalled at the Grasshopper knowing that he spent his summer days in laziness and didn’t heed their advice to work. So the Ant told him:

“If you play all summer, you’ll go hungry all winter”

Summer represents the times that things are easier and winter represents when things are more difficult. Each of these is only a temporary season that comes and goes during our lives. Summer doesn’t last forever and winter is inevitable. When things are easier for us that is the best moment to prepare for the moments they will not be.  Therefore, the best time to ease our sickness (winter) is by preparing ourselves when we are more healthy (summer); the best time to prepare ourselves for difficult financial times (winter) is by saving money when we do have money (summer). The perfect time to gather what we need is during the time we don’t need it.

The Grasshopper didn’t bother gathering his food during the summer. Consequence: when the winter came, he had nothing to eat and was very cold. Why did he end up like that? He spent his days of vitality – when he had the most time and conditions were most comfortable – to indulge in laziness.  We should learn from him, but we should not be like him. Instead, we need to follow the model of the other insects. How so?

Invest our time in accumulating resources of value.

If we do that, the winters won’t feel as cold and hunger won’t trouble as much or at all. As the summer draws to a close, we are reminded that comfortableness is temporary and difficulties are inevitable. I challenge you to reflect upon your last 90 days and think about yourself in terms of your activity. Have you been the Grasshopper or the Ant?

- by Dion Baker from Intangible Wealth

Have you ever felt stuck?   The other day I got a question on Twitter from a friend who feels stuck with her project. She said “I’ll get one task done and then feel like I can’t go any further. How can I get unstuck?”

Getting stuck can feel like putting forth all your energy to go backwards. It’s stressful because I feel like I should be doing something, but I don’t know what to do. Why? Cause I’m stuck!

Some of my favorite ways to get unstuck  -

1. Sit still - Believe it or not, a great way to get unstuck is to sit still. I’ve written more in depth abou this before. But here’s the simple rule: Sit still in a quiet place for 1 hour. No phone. No TV. No Radio. Relax and the hurdles will desolve and your path will clear.
2. Take a long walk alone - An hour or more walk on your own without the iPhone, Twitter or music playing is the type of solitude that can clear the head and give you direction much like the method above.
3. Measure how much you care - Jonathan Mead writes an excellent way to get unstuck is to measure your care quotient . Do you care? If the answer is really No, then decide what you do care about and do that.
4. Ask a friend - I find talking it out with a friend who knows what I am trying to do can help me get unstuck. But there’s two keys to make this work.
   • The friend has to be honest.
   • I can’t be reactive or defensive about what they say
   • I need to be specific with what I’m experiencing and the end goal – i.e. getting unstuck.

   I’ve found if you just want to complain, that can be fun for awhile. But it won’t help you get unstuck. Being specific by saying “Hey, I’m feeling stuck in my marriage, job or business because ___________________.” Will provide a launching ground for your friend to give you feedback.

   Complaints usually cause friends to come to your defense. Complaints like “I can’t get anything done with her nagging me.” is more likely to lead to  “You don’t deserve that.”  than a ground-breaking unstickable suggestion.

   So although bitching is fun, it won’t get you unstuck.

5. Break it down to the ridiculous - Sometimes when I get stuck it’s due to me not seeing steps needing to be done. I might be looking at the mountain instead of seeing the 5lb. stones that need to be moved. Taking action on a mountain is uncomfortable. It’s scary. But moving a few 5lb. stones is easy. Taking the time to face what truly needs to be done, in the most simplest of terms will unstick many of the most sticky situations.

   So I’d challenge you to take your big problem. Write it down no matter what it is. If it’s “I am stuck in my career and I hate every day of my life” might be hard to admit but it’s a start. But if you do feel it, admit it on paper WITH the intention of changing it. Remember we aren’t going to wallow in it. Complaining is fun, but it’s not as effective as a plan. So start with an honest assessment of where you are now and then clarify it with where you want to be.

   Then take the time – maybe an hour – maybe 3 hours to break down what it will take to change that situation.  It really doesn’t matter how long it takes because when you’re stuck you’re wasting countless hours worrying.

That’s what I think, but what do you think?  Do you have any cool ways to get unstuck?  I know you do.  Share them in the comments below. 

If you like this article, do me a favor and vote for it on StumbleUpon or
Bookmark this on Delicious.  Thanks!

Persistence unlimited turns 4 years old today. It is almost hard to believe we’ve been on the internet for 4 years now..

Here is a link to the original post that kicked it all off. After that, there have been some good times and not so good. But it’s been an adventure either way! I really appreciate everyone who’s been reading for all these years.

Photo by Velo Steve

I got a question on twitter today about how to set a daily goal. It’s a good question. Some of my short-term growth goals are a month-long. So a daily goal is almost alien to me.

However the question reminded me having a daily goal is important.

I have gotten so accustomed to the way I handle my goals and tasks.  I tend to not think of a daily goal but a #1 priority task. So what I am getting at is that whether you call it a daily goal for a top-task isn’t important.   But choosing what you want to accomplish each day is critical.

How to Choose Your Daily Goal

I recommend picking your goal based on what you want in the future. If your goal is something big like to save up for a new house… okay.  There is a goal you can do today to make that happen.  Maybe your goal might be calling a realtor.  It might be talking to the bank.  Or it might be a half-dozen other things.

Like I said we can split hairs over whether we call it a #1 priority task or a daily goal.  Whatever you call it, your daily goal should be the most important thing you can do today to move the ball forward.

There’s an important distinction to be made between a daily goal or priority task and a half. We wouldn’t call working out necessarily a daily goal. Unless it was based on something such as I want to lose 50 pounds instead if you wanted to build your health you might call your daily goal actually a half developing the habit of exercise every day. I know this is confusing to some but I think it’s important to remember that if you’re going to be doing the same thing every day forever and ever amen, then what you’re talking about is developing a habit you’re not talking goals or tasks necessarily.

Tips to get Your Daily Goal Done

1. Start Early in the Morning – Early in the morning the emails haven’t started pouring in.  The demands on your attention haven’t landed.  In the morning you have freedom to pursue what you want.  If you don’t get started early, there is a risk you won’t.
2. Start the Hardest Part of the Daily Goal First – I hate to say it, but the thing you dread doing, the thing you are putting off is probably the most important thing!   A student doesn’t put off launching a web browser to do research – he puts off making flash cards for his study – because that’s harder.  Yet, it might be the most important task to do to pass the test.
3. Allow yourself flexibility – If you’re like me, you miscalculate how long it is going to take you to do something.  Here we have to be patient and carry your daily goal over to the next day.  So you accomplish it a day late.  So what?When I was building the first Pocket PC version of Achieve-IT! goal software, I set a goal to have it done in a year.  It took me 13 months.  So what?  I was a month late, but it still got done.  Had I beat myself up about it on the 12th month, it might have been longer…

Now it’s your turn

I’m sure many of you have comments about successful ways to knock out the daily goal. Why don’t you give your successful strategies in the comments?  Beginners might be having a tough time laying out their day in this way.  It could be confusing and it can be sort of anxiety building for some of us to narrow down what we should focus on.  Your comments will help.

And if you have a goal setting question, feel free to ask me on Twitter or by submitting it here. I really do appreciate questions about goal setting and productivity, so ask away!  You aren’t hurting my feelings. 

Image credit: svilen mushkatov

Seems every time there is a recession, I hear some knucklehead pronouncing that rich people will come to the common mans’ rescue. On the bus the other night I heard a guy loudly pronouncing how Warren Buffet and friends will take heart and donate $2.5 million to every household.

These donations would end the recession and everyone would live happily ever after. Isn’t that sweet?

What insanity.

Back in 1998 I had a similar conversation with a coworker who believed Bill Gates would write a check for $50,000 to every American family. After all, Bill Gates could do that. So he would. Like a chain letter gone bad, this co-worker was counting on it.

I know it can sometimes be fun to dream about windfalls like this. But smart people should never count on them.

When dreaming about your future, most of the dreams should revolve around what YOU will do, not other people. Because you can’t control or predict what others will do. You might not even be able to control what you will do. But at least you have more experience with you.

Face the facts of our circumstance (good or bad) and take action to get what we want. If it’s more money, make the trades in your skills for the money. Your rich uncle Larry may leave all his money to his pet squirrel. And Bill Gates may decide to never write that check – I know I’m still waiting on mine.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Tommy Galan the author of Happy Universe.

The difference between those who realize a desired result and those who don’t is often found in the language, or words we use. Even the language in the last sentence is carefully structured to avoid using the word “failure.” While “failure” is considered negative, not reaching a desired result is simply a lesson learned, and a chance to correct the course of action the next time.

Language plays a huge part in our ability to achieve goals, meet obligations, and view ourselves as valuable humans beings. Take the following hypothetical for example: There are two children. One grows up in a family where the parents constantly tell the child that he will never amount to anything, that he’s a failure, and he does poorly in school and sports because he is a loser. The other child is praised for good actions. He’s told that he is loved, and that he can achieve anything when he focuses his mind. Wouldn’t you agree that the second child has a greater chance of reaching his goals? The reason is language.

We use language to communicate to one another, and importantly, we use language to talk to ourselves. How do you speak to yourself? Do you beat yourself up when you “fail”? Sometimes we don’t even listen to the way we speak to ourselves. Our minds get locked into a pattern, and we become unaware of the disempowering words we use to describe our reality. Even words that seem innocuous can have great impact if we associate pain with such words. Exercise, for example, is a word that most people consider harmless. However, many people associate pain with exercise, and then refrain from good health. We take steps towards achieving the goals we set by reframing our self-talk.

We reframe our language by first becoming aware of the way we speak to ourselves. The best time to become aware is when we are in a peak emotional state. It is during such states that our language is most obvious. Listen to yourself the next time you do not reach a goal, or when you have succeeded. What language do you use? Do you say, “I’m such a loser, I’ll never make it” or do you say, “Where can I improve for my next attempt?” When you succeed do you think, “I’m the best, I will always win,” thereby setting yourself up for future disappointment, or do you recognize the reasons why you succeeded and hone those areas for the future achievements?

Once you become aware or conscious of your self-talk, you can then break the pattern, reframe and replace your language. Returning to the example of exercise, I find it incredibly helpful to never “exercise.” Instead, I move in a way that I find fun and exciting. I ride a bike. I play with my son. It’s exciting for me to challenge myself with long distance running. When my self-talk points me towards fun and excitement, I want to go in that direction. Understanding language and communication is power, and it starts with the ability to talk to yourself rationally.

Tommy Galan is the author of HappyUniverse, a blog dedicated to designing happy lives through exciting goals and healthy lifestyle. A few of his many adventures include performing on Broadway, earning a Juris Doctorate, finishing marathons, and traveling the world. He lives in New York City with his wife and son.

Photo by Matt Palmer

Need more perspective on your major goals?  You might need to ask the right questions.

Check out this video:

I think the first question is easy.  What do you want?  You – at least have a broad perspective on the answer.  Then, of course, you should refine it so it is specific

I think when we get better at goal achievement, we become worse at picturing what it will look like when we get there.  I’ll address why this occurs, but first…

Think about your very first goal.  Let’s say it was to save enough money to buy a car.

In the months, weeks and days before you made the purchase, you couldn’t wait for the special day to arrive.  You salivated at the thought of driving your first car.  Like me, you probably bragged to your friends how you would be driving every chance you got.  You pictured how much freedom you’d have.  Secretly, you knew your friends would ooh and awww when they saw it.  And secretly, you might have been a little glad they’d envy you…not you?  Ok, somebody else then…

You could see yourself in the drivers seat.  You could feel the accelerator under your foot…

Then that day came.  When you finally had enough to get the car.  The excitement was probably more intense than you expected.   Then you had it…

But fast forward to today.  Things are different.  Seeing the future in advance isn’t as easy.  Maybe the goals have changed.  Instead of material objects, I work toward more abstract goals such as “financial security”.  And yes, I do have the figure whittled down to a specific amount.

But you can see how it is easier to picture a car in your minds-eye than a specific monetary amount.  Hell, it’s boring to visualize a bottom line figure if you ask me.

How to Finger the Intangible

So how do you answer the second question if what you want is something intangible?

Here’s what I do.

I draw on the emotion I’d experience by reaching the goal.

Taking the example of a money goal.  I am not someone highly motivated by money.  Like I said before, it’s pretty boring.  Yet what can be done with the money can facilitate powerful emotions.

What would life be like if you had no debt?  Would you feel more freedom?  Can you imagine sitting on the deck of a cruise ship with a drink in your hand and the sheer emotional freedom to truly enjoy it?  Feeling the gentle wind and sun on your face and the gentle roll of the Ocean.  You dog!

What feelings would you experience?  How satisfied would you be?  Would you be happy?  Get into the emotion.  Repeat this experience in your imagination as often as possible.

Reach That Goal!

Here’s a quick exercise I want you to do right now to breathe new life into your main goal.

1.  Answer the question: What do you want.?

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2.  How will you know you’ve got it? (describe vividly)

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P.S.  If you get anything from this post, I’d appreciate it if you’d Stumble It or vote for it on del.icio.us using one of the buttons below.  Thanks!!

Many people love TaskBlaze.  But admittedly, there are some headaches.  Those who use the old Beta version know it’s got some bugs.  Although it looks simple, there’s a lot of coding that went into building it.

 
Default Skin

Well, I’ve been burning the midnight oil on the latest version.  It fixes a lot of bugs and introduces new features too.  I am tidying up a few things and then will post a beta in a few days.

Here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come:

1. Post what you are doing to Twitter – Feeling social?  You can now Tweet what you are doing via TaskBlaze!  When you start a new task, your you can set it so your task-tweet automatically gets posted to Twitter.   Integration with Facebook and other services on the way.
2. New Timer Engine – I rebuilt the timing engine so it is much more reliable, easier to understand, and more bulletproof.
3. Improved skinning – Those of you who like customizing TaskBlaze can now go hog wild.  Skinning is now “folder based.”  That means pop your skin into a folder and pick it from a dropdown.  You can have as many different skins as you want.

   

   Left4Dead Smoker Skin

4. No more textbox clutter – Want to see your skin?  The Textboxes now hide to display your task, tags and other relevant info.
5. Font color picker – Choose the color of the fonts displayed in Taskblaze.
6. 30 Second Throbber -  What’s a throbber?  In the case of TaskBlaze, it is a ‘blink’ of your main button to catch your attention and remind you to stay on task.  Many wanted this feature.  It’s in the new beta.
7. Display optimized for older PCs – There was a display headache with older PCs where Taskblaze would look funky.  This newly optimized display works for those PCs.
8. Send to a friend – Many of you indicated you wanted an easier way to share the pleasures of TaskBlaze.  Now with the click of a button, TaskBlaze will create you an email that you can customize and send the download link to your friends.

 
Blueblazin’ Skin

I am especially thrilled with the Twitter posting abilities of the new version.  Where Twitter asks “What are you doing now”.  With TaskBlaze you can tell people really what you are doing and track it at the same time.  

So check the blog in a few days and I’ll have a new Beta ready for download.

I am curious to see how many of you do set New Years Resolutions…

If you feel like sharing why you do or do not set resolutions, post in the comments below. You can also post your resolutions (if any) there too.

Update: Actually it’s 27 Articles…but who’s counting   My 41 year old vision ailments seem to be kicking in… lol

Is it just me or did 2008 go fast?  It seems like just yesterday I was working on the 101 Goal Setting Breakthroughs series from last January.   Which is now a book you can get with my free advanced goal setting newsletter.  But in looking back through the blog, it just feels like it went too fast.  Maybe it’s me being middle aged now? 

Anyway, I went through last years’ posts and came up with a list of the most commented, Stumbled, Dugg and otherwise most popular posts in the last 365 days.  Below is the list for your review, and increased success. 

Happy New Year and have fun!

1. Goal Setting."” href=”http://persistenceunlimited.com/2008/01/special-report-top-10-time-management-booby-traps-in-goal-setting/”>Special Report! Top 10 Time Management Booby-Traps in Goal Setting. 
2. 31 Days of Denials; or How One Tiny Word Helped Me Recover 3 1/2 Hours Per Day. 
3. 32 Disciplines & Psychological Stunts That Bring Optimism, Upgrade Visualization Skills and Make You Unstoppable. 
4. Short-Circuit Stress Fast with These 7 Feel-Good Tips 
5. 5 Reasons Why You’ll Never Amount to Anything…
6. Do Insults and Verbal Abuse Motivate You? Some Self-Help Books Say YES! 
7. Increase Your Monitor Size – Increase Your Productivity 
8. Gabriel Byrne’s 6 Step Guide to Developing Persuasion 
9. Facing an Uncomfortable Past and Rolling Hard… 
10. Multitasking is Madness. 10 Tips to Stop 
11. Just Start by Putting Yourself in Motion 
12. 12 Hacks for Becoming a D.I.Y. Master – Amaze Your Friends & Baffle Your Enemies! 
13. How I Dropped A Whole Lot More Than 20 Pounds By Eating Chocolate Chip Pancakes… 
14. Video: Famous Failures Who Will Inspire You to Stick With Your Goals 
15. How I read an EXTRA 634 hours in the past year without cracking a book 
16. You’ll Pay to Quit This Job! One Company’s Nightmare Hiring Policy… 
17. 9 Important Reasons to Eliminate Personal Debt & Me Taking My Advice 
18. Freeware: Turn Off Windows Update Restart Nag 
19. The #1, Single Most Important Question A Goal Setter Can Ask All Year. 
20. 7 Ways To Trigger “The Zone” and Reader Tips… 
21. The Law of Attraction: How to Untangle A Crab 
22. IPod touch second-generation (2G) review for everyone else: Is it a good organizational tool? 
23. Make a Pocket Flashcard Caddy 
24. 4 Ways To Find A Goal To Get Excited About
25. Goal Setting Diaries: A Fight to Lose 20 Stubborn Pounds"” href=”http://persistenceunlimited.com/2008/11/goal-setting-diaries-a-fight-to-lose-20-stubborn-pounds/”>Goal Setting Diaries: A Fight to Lose 20 Stubborn Pounds 
26. The Ultimate iPod Touch 2G Dock: How to Make
27. Is This Popular Lie Preventing Your Success?