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	<title>The Start of Happiness</title>
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		<title>Magical Mornings &#8211; How to Get More Done Before Breakfast</title>
		<link>https://www.startofhappiness.com/magical-mornings/</link>
					<comments>https://www.startofhappiness.com/magical-mornings/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brendan Baker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2020 19:56:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.startofhappiness.com/?p=505951</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>&#160;There is something special about waking up early each day.&#160;It is a secret sauce for getting a heck of a lot more done in life.&#160;Almost 3 weeks ago I decided to change my daily schedule by waking up at 4am each day.&#160;4am you say?!&#160;You bet!&#160;Let me tell you how to do it shortly.&#160;But first, let [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/magical-mornings/">Magical Mornings &#8211; How to Get More Done Before Breakfast</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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<p>There is something special about waking up early each day.</p>
<p>It is a secret sauce for getting a heck of a lot more done in life.</p>
<p>Almost 3 weeks ago I decided to change my daily schedule by waking up at 4am each day.</p>
<p>4am you say?!</p>
<p>You bet!</p>
<p>Let me tell you how to do it shortly.</p>
<p>But first, let me quickly tell you why I have chosen to do this.</p>
<h2><strong>Why wake up so early?</strong></h2>
<p>There are literally zero distractions. Your willpower is at its highest. You can focus 100 percent on whatever your biggest goal in life is.</p>
<p>Think about this:</p>
<p>If you were to wake up at 4am each day and get in 3 hours of deep, focused, work before most people wake up at around 7am, that totals 21 hours of work a week, 82 hours of work a month, and over 1,000 hours of work for the year.</p>
<p>1,000 hours of focused, deep work a year is equal to 125x 8hour working days… but these are not your typical 8hr working days with interruptions, meetings, and breaks. These are 8 hours of FOCUSED, DEEP WORK on your most important goals.</p>
<p>Taking it a step further, 125x 8 hr working days is equal to working full-time, in a deep and focused state on your most important goals for 25 weeks of the year! That is just shy of 6 months.</p>
<p>It is crazy how these numbers stack up.</p>
<p>And all it takes it simply waking up earlier and getting focused on what matters most and being consistent with it.</p>
<h2><strong>Does it really work?</strong></h2>
<p>Most definitely!</p>
<p>In the last three weeks I have:</p>
<ul>
<li>Completely updated my Change Your Life program.</li>
<li>Ran a Flash Sale for you guys.</li>
<li>Overhauled my website – new theme, new homepage, mostly a lot of backend and design elements that will make things simpler moving forward (check it out if interested and tell me what you think).</li>
<li>Created a side hustle which I have been hustling on for the last couple of weeks (unfortunately it is not going as well as I had planned… I rapidly launched this to test the idea and so far, it is a slow start).</li>
<li>Created two other multi-page websites (fully designed and complete) as part of the new side hustle.</li>
<li>Got more exercise in… being able to go for a walk or a bicycle ride at 5am while the sun is rising is incredibly special… there is something about it that is magical.</li>
<li>Read 3 books… although this one is because I have changed my night-time routine (to help me start effectively with my morning).</li>
</ul>
<p>Just writing the above makes me feel in awe of this process. It is simply amazing the output that can be created when this time stacks up each day.</p>
<p>But it is not as simple as it sounds… mostly because I have three young children between the ages of 1 and 5. So, as any parent would understand, trying to stick to a schedule is incredibly hard!</p>
<p>The mornings are the easy part because everyone is sleeping. The hardest part is <em>getting to sleep on time.</em></p>
<p>I need at LEAST 8 hours of sleep each night to perform at my best. So, to wake up at 4am means getting to bed no later than 8pm. But even then, it is impossible to get a full 8 hours of sleep in because my kids are always waking up each night. I have not had a full-night’s sleep for 5 years now, except for the odd occasion when I am away for business travel. Any parents with young children reading this know exactly what I am talking about!</p>
<h2><strong>Here is the reality.</strong></h2>
<p>I have only actually woken up at 4am twice during this time (well, one time I got up at 3:57am which was ever better).</p>
<p>To get an 8 hour sleep I really need &#8220;bed time&#8221; of 8.5 hours, and preferably 9 hours.</p>
<p>Getting to bed at 8pm is tricky. My kids are often still mucking around until 8pm, or sometimes even 8:30pm!</p>
<p>And then there is that time I used to spend with my wife &#8211; after the kids are sleep and before our own sleep. This was our quality time together. Going to bed at 8pm took this way.</p>
<p>As a result, I have been tweaking my strategy over the past few weeks and my typical day now looks like:</p>
<ul>
<li>Bed-time between 8:30pm and 9pm</li>
<li>Awake at 5:30am.</li>
</ul>
<p>So, my goal of 4am has only been achieved twice. But that’s ok, because every other day over the past 3 weeks I have been up by 6am at the very <em>latest</em>.</p>
<p>This has given me <em>at least</em> one hour every day, and probably about 1 hour and 45minutes on average over the past 3 weeks to really focus deeply on these goals.</p>
<p>Even just 1 hour of deep, focused, work a day, will tally up to 45 rock solid 8 hr days with no breaks, which tallies 2 and a half months of full-time work a year. And again, this is time purely on deep, focused, work. <em>Incredible!</em></p>
<h2><strong>How do you do it?</strong></h2>
<p>I found it quite simple.</p>
<p>You simply set a strict rule for yourself in terms of your bedtime and wake up time.</p>
<p>Make sure you push all your bed-time rituals forward to meet your deadline. ie, stop drinking caffeine earlier in the day, stop all your screen time earlier than usual, eat earlier if need be, and so forth.</p>
<p>The main thing is to really internalise the benefits of doing this. The primary benefit being that you will get undistracted, highly focused work done on your most important goals in life. Whether that is working on a big project at work, perhaps it is doing your side hustle, or perhaps it is writing your book, or perhaps it is getting your daily exercise in.</p>
<p>Whatever it is, you need to internalise the benefit of doing this and achieving it.</p>
<p>The other thing is to plan the night before what you will do in the morning.</p>
<p>You do not want to wake up, hit your desk, and then use your willpower and waste time trying to figure out what you are going to do.</p>
<p>Instead, have it planned… know exactly what you are going to do.</p>
<p>Perhaps its that you will write 1,000 words of your book, or that you are going to go for a bicycle ride through the park, or that you are going to research a certain topic.</p>
<p>Having it planned means that within five minutes of waking up, you are focused and doing productive work.</p>
<p>My first 3 weeks have been amazing.</p>
<p>The challenge for me now is to keep this up. I have no intention of stopping this.</p>
<p>I challenge you to experience the magic of the mornings.</p>
<p>This is the time you can really change your life, by working at it every single day.</p>
<p>When you win your mornings, you win the day.</p>
<p>Are you with me?</p>
<p>Brendan</p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/magical-mornings/">Magical Mornings &#8211; How to Get More Done Before Breakfast</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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		<title>Top 100 Personal Development Blogs</title>
		<link>https://www.startofhappiness.com/personal-development-blogs/</link>
					<comments>https://www.startofhappiness.com/personal-development-blogs/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brendan Baker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Oct 2020 10:16:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Best Blog Posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career & Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Confidence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Frugality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Habits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Happiness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Happy Challenges]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health & Wellbeing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindfulness & Spirituality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindset, Goals & Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Money & Wealth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Passion & Purpose]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[path in life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Positive Thinking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Productivity & Organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[purpose]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Simplicity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tools & Resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Understanding Yourself]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[growth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mindset]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal development blog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.startofhappiness.com/?p=5092</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The official Top 100 Personal Development Blogs is back! Damn, I love this time of year. It&#8217;s all about setting your year up for massive success and what better way of doing that then presenting you with the best personal development blogs for the year. In fact, we bring you the Top 100! This is [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/personal-development-blogs/">Top 100 Personal Development Blogs</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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<p>The official Top 100 Personal Development Blogs is back!</p>
<p>Damn, I love this time of year. It&#8217;s all about setting your year up for massive success and what better way of doing that then presenting you with the best personal development blogs for the year. In fact, we bring you the Top 100!</p>
<p>This is the fifth year that we have compiled the Top 100 personal development blogs and every year we see more and more blogs adding great value to people all around the world.</p>
<p>I must say, because of all the awesome value that everyone is putting out there on the internet, it is getting harder and harder for personal development bloggers to make this list. So if you have made the list of the Top 100 personal development blogs this year then I, and everyone else, give you HUGE congratulations!</p>
<p><strong>Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to regain focus on what you truly want in life and ensure you have the strategies and support you need to be successful at it too.</strong> The turn of the New Year gives us a clear time to separate the past and move forward into the future.</p>
<p>That’s why I love this time of year. It’s the perfect time for creating new habits, setting your goals and <a title="5 Steps to Scheduling the Best Year of Your Life (Free Download)" href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/5-steps-scheduling-best-year-life/" target="_blank">making real change in your life</a>.</p>
<p>Being a student of the personal development industry most of my life, I’m always on the lookout for the latest and greatest resources to not only implement into my own life but to also share with those around me. Since I’ve been running my own business I’ve fallen more and more into the well of personal development and self-improvement and I absolutely love it! With the internet now a common place for everyone and the ‘free economy’ being born, it’s amazing to know that what was once hidden from the majority of people and limited to a select few people paying $5,000 to access information at a weekend seminar, this information is now mostly widely available for free on the internet or at least at a much more affordable price.</p>
<p><strong>The key to all this information is being able to pull what’s relevant for you and being able to apply that information in a systematic and successful way that will lead you towards your desired life.</strong></p>
<h2>The Best Personal Development Blogs</h2>
<p>I feel honoured to know that over the last few years I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know a lot of the blog owners in this list and share some great experiences with them. But not only that, there are so many of you making an impact in this world through your personal development blogs I can certainly say that after sifting through each and every self-improvement blog, I’m highly impressed with everyone’s work!</p>
<p>It is somewhat tricky putting together a list of the Top 100 personal development blogs as it can be rather subjective in nature. To avoid this, <strong>I’ve removed any of my own opinions or judgements and let pure metrics do the talking.</strong></p>
<p>As with previous years, what I have created is a list of personal development blogs that rank from the most trafficked (largest number of visitors) down to the least trafficked. This list will provide you with a clear indication of how large a website is and its relative importance in the personal development blogosphere. Keep in mind, even though the blogs towards the bottom are the ‘least trafficked’, they are still within the Top 100 out of hundreds and thousands of personal development blogs out there on the internet (if not more!).</p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind, however, is that a larger site (a site ranked towards the top) does not necessarily indicate that the site is of better quality. Generally speaking, you will find that the larger sites have been around for longer and have more blog posts and content being crawled by Google. Because of this, they are sure to have larger audiences. In saying that, however, the top sites have lasted the test of time and continue to have strong readership so they must be doing something right!</p>
<p>Also, we do have a number of new blogs now ranking in the Top 100 that only started a year or two ago&#8230; massive congrats to these high achievers!</p>
<p>One thing to add, it always makes me smile when I see other people creating Top Personal Development Blog lists&#8230; because they&#8217;re almost an exact copy of this list! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? This is the fifth year our official list has been compiled and we continue to make it more comprehensive each year.</p>
<p>[sociallocker id=&#8221;5127&#8243;]https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Top-100-Personal-Development-Blogs-2016.pdf [/sociallocker]</p>
<h2>How to Use This List</h2>
<p>This is YOUR LIST.</p>
<p>This is a resource that I encourage you to save and come back to on a regular basis. As we progress throughout the year we all face different challenges and often those challenges have already been faced by others elsewhere in the world. That’s when I suggest you return to this list and find the right blog to guide you.</p>
<p>Each personal development blog is unique and has its own style and purpose. You will also find that you will resonate strongly with some blog owners and their content and perhaps less so with others. For this reason, there is a wide variety of blogs on the list; including business, career and work, happiness, health, productivity and more. The one thing in common is that they all are themed around self-improvement.</p>
<p><strong>My recommendation to you is to browse through each of the blogs below at least once and then pick out the two or three blogs that really resonate with you.</strong></p>
<p>Think about the below questions as you sift through each blog:</p>
<ul>
<li>Which blogs are most closely aligned to what you want to achieve in life?</li>
<li>Which author has accomplished something that you would like to accomplish?</li>
<li>Which blogs can help you right now in life and which ones might help you in the future?</li>
</ul>
<p>Be sure to subscribe to their content and make personal development a key focus for you this year. <strong>It’s like having a free mentor or coach.</strong></p>
<h2>How The Top 100 Personal Development Blogs are Ranked</h2>
<p>The Top 100 Personal Development Blogs are ranked in order from the most-trafficked (largest number of visitors) to the least-trafficked (although the smallest in this case is still a Top 100 Blog!)</p>
<p>There are two primary tools that have been used for determining this ranking.</p>
<p><strong>Firstly, I have used the Alexa rank of the website</strong> as the primary ranking method. <a href="http://www.alexa.com/">Alexa</a> provides a relative ranking of each website based on the number of visitors it receives. A rank of 100,000 would mean that the site is the 100,000th most visited site on the internet. With the millions and millions of websites on the internet, such a ranking is classified as pretty good! Just so you know, Google’s rank is #1, Facebook is ranked #2 and YouTube is ranked #3.</p>
<p><strong>Secondly, I have included Similar Web Rank. </strong>Similar Web is another online tool that was mentioned to me on a number of occasions as a more accurate tool for determining website traffic. Interestingly, I found that when compiling this list, the Alexa and Similar Web rankings were almost perfectly correlated.</p>
<p><strong>This then led to the Average Rank.</strong> The Average Ranks is simply the average between the Alexa and Similar Web ranks.</p>
<p>People often question the validity of such tools, however, when comparing more generally the relative size of a website they are quite accurate and very useful indicators. Other tools might indicate that a lower-ranked blog in our Top 100 is infact larger than a higher-ranked blog, but generally speaking, the Top 10 websites will always be larger than those ranked 10-20, and those ranked 10-20 will always be larger than those ranked 20-30 etc. To sum it up, the larger and more trafficked sites will always tend to be ranked higher regardless of the tool being used.</p>
<p>Do you want to get really funky with the Top 100 blogs? I’m pleased to let you know that the Top 100 table is dynamic. This means that you can search for your favourite blog to see where it is ranked and sort by any column, such as page rank or alphabetical order. This is your list. Have fun with it!</p>
<p></p>
<h2>The Winners</h2>
<p>CONGRATULATIONS to every blogger that has made this Top 100 list! I personally give you a high-five and want to thank you for your contribution to this world.</p>
<p>[sociallocker id=&#8221;5127&#8243;]https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-100-Personal-Development-Blogs-2017.pdf [/sociallocker]</p>
<p>
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<thead>
<tr class="row-1">
	<td class="column-1"></td><th class="column-2">URL</th><th class="column-3">Owner's Name</th><th class="column-4">Average Rank</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody class="row-striping row-hover">
<tr class="row-2">
	<td class="column-1">1</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.lifehack.org/" target="_blank">Life Hack</a></td><td class="column-3">Leon Ho</td><td class="column-4">2,711</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-3">
	<td class="column-1">2</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://elitedaily.com" target="_blank">Elite Daily</a></td><td class="column-3">Gerard Adams</td><td class="column-4">5,537</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-4">
	<td class="column-1">3</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://greatist.com/" target="_blank">Greatist</a></td><td class="column-3">Derek Flanzraich</td><td class="column-4">7,533</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-5">
	<td class="column-1">4</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.artofmanliness.com/" target="_blank">The Art of Manliness</a></td><td class="column-3">Brett McKay</td><td class="column-4">8,411</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-6">
	<td class="column-1">5</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/" target="_blank">Mind Body Green</a></td><td class="column-3">Jason Wachob</td><td class="column-4">9,139</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-7">
	<td class="column-1">6</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/" target="_blank">Brain Pickings</a></td><td class="column-3">Maria Popova</td><td class="column-4">13,634</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-8">
	<td class="column-1">7</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://tinybuddha.com/" target="_blank">Tiny Buddha</a></td><td class="column-3">Lori Deschene</td><td class="column-4">19,733</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-9">
	<td class="column-1">8</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://fourhourworkweek.com/blog" target="_blank">Four Hour Work Week</a></td><td class="column-3">Tim Ferriss</td><td class="column-4">20,349</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-10">
	<td class="column-1">9</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://darrendaily.com/" target="_blank">Darren Daily</a></td><td class="column-3">Darren Hardy</td><td class="column-4">26,838</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-11">
	<td class="column-1">10</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://markmanson.net" target="_blank">Mark Manson</a></td><td class="column-3">Mark Manson</td><td class="column-4">32,634</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-12">
	<td class="column-1">11</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://zenhabits.net" target="_blank">ZenHabits</a></td><td class="column-3">Leo Babauta</td><td class="column-4">32,716</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-13">
	<td class="column-1">12</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://nerdfitness.com" target="_blank">Nerd Fitness</a></td><td class="column-3">Steve Kamb</td><td class="column-4">33,222</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-14">
	<td class="column-1">13</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/" target="_blank">I Will Teach You to be Rich</a></td><td class="column-3">Ramit Sethi</td><td class="column-4">35,668</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-15">
	<td class="column-1">14</td><td class="column-2"><a href="https://goodmenproject.com" target="_blank">Good Men Project</a></td><td class="column-3">Lisa Hickey</td><td class="column-4">38,679</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-16">
	<td class="column-1">15</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://jamesclear.com/" target="_blank">James Clear</a></td><td class="column-3">James Clear</td><td class="column-4">38,891</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-17">
	<td class="column-1">16</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://chriskresser.com/" target="_blank">Chris Kresser</a></td><td class="column-3">Chris Kresser</td><td class="column-4">44,785</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-18">
	<td class="column-1">17</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.briantracy.com/" target="_blank">Brian Tracy</a></td><td class="column-3">Brian Tracy</td><td class="column-4">46,741</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-19">
	<td class="column-1">18</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://positivityblog.com" target="_blank">The Positivity Blog</a></td><td class="column-3">Henrik Edberg</td><td class="column-4">46,999</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-20">
	<td class="column-1">19</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://michaelhyatt.com" target="_blank">Michael Hyatt's Intentional Leadership</a></td><td class="column-3">Michael Hyatt</td><td class="column-4">51,190</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-21">
	<td class="column-1">20</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.keepinspiring.me/" target="_blank">Keep Inspiring Me</a></td><td class="column-3">Darcie Connell</td><td class="column-4">54,724</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-22">
	<td class="column-1">21</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://marcandangel.com" target="_blank">Marc and Angel Hack Life</a></td><td class="column-3">Marc and Angel</td><td class="column-4">57,256</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-23">
	<td class="column-1">22</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://addicted2success.com/" target="_blank">Addicted 2 Success</a></td><td class="column-3">Joel Brown</td><td class="column-4">62,653</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-24">
	<td class="column-1">23</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.bakadesuyo.com/" target="_blank">Barking Up the Wrong Tree</a></td><td class="column-3">Eric Barker</td><td class="column-4">63,529</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-25">
	<td class="column-1">24</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/" target="_blank">Pick the Brain</a></td><td class="column-3">Erin Falconer</td><td class="column-4">63,562</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-26">
	<td class="column-1">25</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.spring.org.uk/" target="_blank">PsyBlog</a></td><td class="column-3">Jeremy Dean</td><td class="column-4">63,651</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-27">
	<td class="column-1">26</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://becomingminimalist.com" target="_blank">Becoming Minimalist</a></td><td class="column-3">Joshua Becker</td><td class="column-4">66,388</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-28">
	<td class="column-1">27</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://personalexcellence.co" target="_blank">Personal Excellence</a></td><td class="column-3">Celestine Chua</td><td class="column-4">71,088</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-29">
	<td class="column-1">28</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://liveboldandbloom.com" target="_blank">Live Bold and Bloom</a></td><td class="column-3">Barrie Davenport</td><td class="column-4">75,411</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-30">
	<td class="column-1">29</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://stevepavlina.com" target="_blank">Steve Pavlina</a></td><td class="column-3">Steve Pavlina</td><td class="column-4">76,832</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-31">
	<td class="column-1">30</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.dumblittleman.com/" target="_blank">Dumb Little Man</a></td><td class="column-3">Jay White</td><td class="column-4">81,129</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-32">
	<td class="column-1">31</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://marieforleo.com" target="_blank">Marie Forleo</a></td><td class="column-3">Marie Forleo</td><td class="column-4">81,511</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-33">
	<td class="column-1">32</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.scienceofpeople.com/" target="_blank">Science of People</a></td><td class="column-3">Vanessa Van Edwards</td><td class="column-4">86,010</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-34">
	<td class="column-1">33</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://sivers.org" target="_blank">Derek Sivers</a></td><td class="column-3">Derek Sivers</td><td class="column-4">94,278</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-35">
	<td class="column-1">34</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://scotthyoung.com/blog" target="_blank">Scott H Young</a></td><td class="column-3">Scott Young</td><td class="column-4">98,734</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-36">
	<td class="column-1">35</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.robinsharma.com/blog/" target="_blank">Robin Sharma</a></td><td class="column-3">Robin Sharma</td><td class="column-4">105,027</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-37">
	<td class="column-1">36</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://boldanddetermined.com/" target="_blank">Bold &amp; Determined</a></td><td class="column-3">Victor Pride</td><td class="column-4">109,823</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-38">
	<td class="column-1">37</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.stevenaitchison.co.uk/blog/" target="_blank">Steven Aitchison</a></td><td class="column-3">Steven Aitchison</td><td class="column-4">113,562</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-39">
	<td class="column-1">38</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.actualized.org/" target="_blank">Actualized</a></td><td class="column-3">Leo Gura</td><td class="column-4">118,510</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-40">
	<td class="column-1">39</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.nomeatathlete.com/" target="_blank">No Meat Athelete</a></td><td class="column-3">Matt Frazier</td><td class="column-4">120,725</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-41">
	<td class="column-1">40</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://projectlifemastery.com/" target="_blank">Project Life Mastery</a></td><td class="column-3">Stefan Pylarinos</td><td class="column-4">123,111</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-42">
	<td class="column-1">41</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://daringtolivefully.com/" target="_blank">Daring to Live Fully</a></td><td class="column-3">Marelisa Fábrega</td><td class="column-4">127,960</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-43">
	<td class="column-1">42</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.successconsciousness.com/" target="_blank">Success Concioscuness</a></td><td class="column-3">Remez Sasson</td><td class="column-4">129,706</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-44">
	<td class="column-1">43</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.asianefficiency.com/" target="_blank">Asian Efficiency</a></td><td class="column-3">Aaron Lynn and Thanh Pam</td><td class="column-4">144,968</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-45">
	<td class="column-1">44</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://brendon.com" target="_blank">The Charged Life</a></td><td class="column-3">Brendon Burchard</td><td class="column-4">148,010</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-46">
	<td class="column-1">45</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://gretchenrubin.com/" target="_blank">The Happiness Project</a></td><td class="column-3">Gretchen Rubin</td><td class="column-4">149,010</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-47">
	<td class="column-1">46</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.planetofsuccess.com/" target="_blank">Planet of Success</a></td><td class="column-3">Steve Mueller</td><td class="column-4">149,186</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-48">
	<td class="column-1">47</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://penelopetrunk.com" target="_blank">Penelope Trunk</a></td><td class="column-3">Penelope Trunk</td><td class="column-4">154,381</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-49">
	<td class="column-1">48</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://robbwolf.com/blog/" target="_blank">Robb Wolf</a></td><td class="column-3">Robb Wolf</td><td class="column-4">161,217</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-50">
	<td class="column-1">49</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://bemorewithless.com" target="_blank">Be More With Less</a></td><td class="column-3">Courtney Carver</td><td class="column-4">161,838</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-51">
	<td class="column-1">50</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://writetodone.com/" target="_blank">Write to Done</a></td><td class="column-3">Mary Jaksch</td><td class="column-4">164,678</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-52">
	<td class="column-1">51</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://jackcanfield.com/blog/" target="_blank">Jack Cranfield</a></td><td class="column-3">Jack Cranfield</td><td class="column-4">174,067</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-53">
	<td class="column-1">52</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://ryanholiday.net/" target="_blank">Ryan Holiday</a></td><td class="column-3">Ryan Holiday</td><td class="column-4">175,494</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-54">
	<td class="column-1">53</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://motivationgrid.com/" target="_blank">Motivation Grid</a></td><td class="column-3">Cris Nikolov</td><td class="column-4">179,217</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-55">
	<td class="column-1">54</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.skipprichard.com/" target="_blank">Skip Prichard</a></td><td class="column-3">Skip Prichard</td><td class="column-4">182,262</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-56">
	<td class="column-1">55</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://everydaypowerblog.com/" target="_blank">Everday Power</a></td><td class="column-3">NA</td><td class="column-4">182,510</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-57">
	<td class="column-1">56</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://liveyourlegend.net" target="_blank">Live Your Legend</a></td><td class="column-3">Chelsea Dinsmore</td><td class="column-4">186,276</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-58">
	<td class="column-1">57</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://developgoodhabits.com" target="_blank">Develop Good Habits</a></td><td class="column-3">SJ Scott</td><td class="column-4">188,505</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-59">
	<td class="column-1">58</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://purposefairy.com" target="_blank">Purpose Fairy</a></td><td class="column-3">Luminita D. Saviuc</td><td class="column-4">193,698</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-60">
	<td class="column-1">59</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://brainblogger.com/" target="_blank">Brain Blogger</a></td><td class="column-3">Shaheen Lakhan</td><td class="column-4">219,615</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-61">
	<td class="column-1">60</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.locationrebel.com/" target="_blank">Location Rebel</a></td><td class="column-3">Sean Ogle</td><td class="column-4">222,510</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-62">
	<td class="column-1">61</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://thechangeblog.com/" target="_blank">The Change Blog</a></td><td class="column-3">Peter Clemens</td><td class="column-4">223,890</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-63">
	<td class="column-1">62</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://alifeofproductivity.com/" target="_blank">A Life of Productivity</a></td><td class="column-3">Chris Bailey</td><td class="column-4">229,010</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-64">
	<td class="column-1">63</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://lifeoptimizer.org" target="_blank">Life Optimizer</a></td><td class="column-3">Donald Latumahina</td><td class="column-4">241,956</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-65">
	<td class="column-1">64</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://chrisguillebeau.com" target="_blank">chrisguillebeau.com</a></td><td class="column-3">Chris Guillebeau</td><td class="column-4">246,361</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-66">
	<td class="column-1">65</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://prolificliving.com" target="_blank">Prolific Living</a></td><td class="column-3">Farnoosh Brock</td><td class="column-4">264,661</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-67">
	<td class="column-1">66</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.louisehay.com/" target="_blank">Louise Hay</a></td><td class="column-3">Louise Hay</td><td class="column-4">267,510</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-68">
	<td class="column-1">67</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://raptitude.com" target="_blank">Raptitude</a></td><td class="column-3">David Cain</td><td class="column-4">270,452</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-69">
	<td class="column-1">68</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://inspiyr.com/" target="_blank">Inspiyr</a></td><td class="column-3">Dan Cassidy</td><td class="column-4">288,581</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-70">
	<td class="column-1">69</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://productivityist.com/" target="_blank">Productivityist</a></td><td class="column-3">Mike Vardy</td><td class="column-4">292,566</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-71">
	<td class="column-1">70</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://timemanagementninja.com/" target="_blank">Time Management Ninja</a></td><td class="column-3">Craig Jarrow</td><td class="column-4">294,576</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-72">
	<td class="column-1">71</td><td class="column-2"><a href="https://www.deepakchopra.com/" target="_blank">Deepak Chopra</a></td><td class="column-3">Deepak Chopra</td><td class="column-4">302,890</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-73">
	<td class="column-1">72</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.finerminds.com/" target="_blank">FinerMinds</a></td><td class="column-3">Andrea Vega</td><td class="column-4">304,550</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-74">
	<td class="column-1">73</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://wakeupcloud.com" target="_blank">Wake Up Cloud</a></td><td class="column-3">Henri Junttila</td><td class="column-4">306,517</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-75">
	<td class="column-1">74</td><td class="column-2"><a href="https://theurbanmonk.com/blog/" target="_blank">The Urban Monk</a></td><td class="column-3">Pedram Shojai </td><td class="column-4">311,049</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-76">
	<td class="column-1">75</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://impossiblehq.com/" target="_blank">Impossible HQ</a></td><td class="column-3">Joel Runyon</td><td class="column-4">324,598</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-77">
	<td class="column-1">76</td><td class="column-2"><a href="https://www.bulletproofexec.com/" target="_blank">Bullet Proof Exec</a></td><td class="column-3">Dave Asprey</td><td class="column-4">333,105</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-78">
	<td class="column-1">77</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://startofhappiness.com" target="_blank">Start of Happiness</a></td><td class="column-3">Brendan Baker</td><td class="column-4">337,916</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-79">
	<td class="column-1">78</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://advancedlifeskills.com" target="_blank">Advanced Life Skills</a></td><td class="column-3">Jonathan Wells</td><td class="column-4">341,905</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-80">
	<td class="column-1">79</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://goodlifezen.com" target="_blank">Good Life Zen</a></td><td class="column-3">Mary Jaksch</td><td class="column-4">344,124</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-81">
	<td class="column-1">80</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://paidtoexist.com" target="_blank">Paid to Exist</a></td><td class="column-3">Jonathan Mead</td><td class="column-4">355,338</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-82">
	<td class="column-1">81</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://life-longlearner.com" target="_blank">Life Long Learner</a></td><td class="column-3">Scott Britton</td><td class="column-4">358,581</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-83">
	<td class="column-1">82</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://tynan.com" target="_blank">Tynan</a></td><td class="column-3">Tynan</td><td class="column-4">358,758</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-84">
	<td class="column-1">83</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://aha-now.com" target="_blank">Aha-Now!</a></td><td class="column-3">Harleena Singh</td><td class="column-4">360,949</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-85">
	<td class="column-1">84</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.drwaynedyer.com/" target="_blank">Dr Wayne Dyer</a></td><td class="column-3">Dr Wayne Dyer</td><td class="column-4">375,193</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-86">
	<td class="column-1">85</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://thinksimplenow.com" target="_blank">Think Simple Now</a></td><td class="column-3">Tina Su</td><td class="column-4">376,587</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-87">
	<td class="column-1">86</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://theemotionmachine.com" target="_blank">The Emotion Machine</a></td><td class="column-3">Steven Handel</td><td class="column-4">396,302</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-88">
	<td class="column-1">87</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.productivity501.com/" target="_blank">Productivity 501</a></td><td class="column-3">Mark Shead</td><td class="column-4">400,515</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-89">
	<td class="column-1">88</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://justbereal.co.uk/" target="_blank">Just Be Real</a></td><td class="column-3">Theo Ellis</td><td class="column-4">455,859</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-90">
	<td class="column-1">89</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://jonathanfields.com" target="_blank">Jonathan Fields</a></td><td class="column-3">Jonathan Fields</td><td class="column-4">456,994</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-91">
	<td class="column-1">90</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://yogadork.com/" target="_blank">Yoga Dork</a></td><td class="column-3">Jennilyn Carson</td><td class="column-4">489,965</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-92">
	<td class="column-1">91</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://sidsavara.com" target="_blank">Sid Savara</a></td><td class="column-3">Sid Savara</td><td class="column-4">499,024</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-93">
	<td class="column-1">92</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://alden-tan.com" target="_blank">Alden Tan</a></td><td class="column-3">Alden Tan</td><td class="column-4">518,551</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-94">
	<td class="column-1">93</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.runtothefinish.com/" target="_blank">Run to the Finish</a></td><td class="column-3">Amanda Brooks</td><td class="column-4">522,118</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-95">
	<td class="column-1">94</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://yourlifeyourway.net" target="_blank">Your Life Your Way</a></td><td class="column-3">Tia Sparkles</td><td class="column-4">534,462</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-96">
	<td class="column-1">95</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://BasicGrowth.com" target="_blank">Basic Growth</a></td><td class="column-3">Simon Somlai</td><td class="column-4">544,038</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-97">
	<td class="column-1">96</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.startgainingmomentum.com/" target="_blank">Start Gaining Momentum</a></td><td class="column-3">Ludvig Sunstrom</td><td class="column-4">581,294</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-98">
	<td class="column-1">97</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://positivewriter.com" target="_blank">Positive Writer</a></td><td class="column-3">Bryan Hutchinson</td><td class="column-4">604,348</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-99">
	<td class="column-1">98</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://thebridgemaker.com" target="_blank">The Bridge Maker</a></td><td class="column-3">Alex Blackwell</td><td class="column-4">628,018</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-100">
	<td class="column-1">99</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://www.thoughtsonlifeandlove.com/" target="_blank">Thoughts on Life and Love</a></td><td class="column-3">Mandy Kloppers</td><td class="column-4">632,524</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-101">
	<td class="column-1">100</td><td class="column-2"><a href="http://deliberateblog.com" target="_blank">Deliberate Receiving</a></td><td class="column-3">Melody Fletcher</td><td class="column-4">703,681</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<p>[sociallocker id=&#8221;5127&#8243;]https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Top-100-Personal-Development-Blogs-2017.pdf [/sociallocker]</p>
<h2>Now What?</h2>
<p>The tools, strategies and support you need to live your best year ever are all here waiting for you. Now, it’s in your power to start living out your most inspired and desired life.</p>
<p>Only you can make the difference in your life this year. I give you full permission to make this your best year ever and apply what you need to from these blogs into your life.</p>
<p>If you need some instant motivation and inspiration, then make sure you check out the <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/best-motivational-inspirational-quotes/">Top 100 Motivational &amp; Inspirational Quotes for 2017</a>.</p>
<p>If you want to get some actionable tools that you can implement into your life right now, make sure you access our <a href="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox/1456ff9f3f72a2%3A1535be055346dc/5702666986455040/" target="_blank">Free Toolkit</a><script src="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox-953.js" type="text/javascript" data-leadbox="1456ff9f3f72a2:1535be055346dc" data-url="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox/1456ff9f3f72a2%3A1535be055346dc/5702666986455040/" data-config="%7B%7D"></script>.</p>
<p>If you’re keen to make the Top 100 for next year, you might be interested in registering for my course: <a href="http://first1000subscribers.com/backdoor/" target="_blank">First 1000 Subscribers</a> (currently open for enrollment but closing shortly).</p>
<h2>Over to You!</h2>
<p>Do you have a favourite blog on the list?</p>
<p>Which blogs do you find you get the most value from?</p>
<p>What other personal development resources do you use to live a better life?</p>
<p>I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!</p>
<p>Here’s to making this year your best year yet!</p>
<p>Brendan</p>
<p><strong>P.S.</strong> Do you know of someone that would love to see this list? Please share this list using one of the buttons below. You&#8217;ll most likely make their day!</p>
<h2>Related Posts</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/positive-affirmations/" target="_blank">Top 100 Positive Affirmations</a></li>
<li><a title="Top 100 Motivational &amp; Inspirational Quotes For 2015 (Images)" href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/best-motivational-inspirational-quotes/" target="_blank">Top 100 Motivational and Inspirational Quotes</a></li>
<li>Free Tool (download): <a title="5 Steps to Scheduling the Best Year of Your Life (Free Download)" href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/5-steps-scheduling-best-year-life/" target="_blank">5 Steps to Scheduling the Best Year of Your Life</a></li>
<li>Free Tool (download): <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wheel-of-life-a-self-assessment-tool/" target="_blank">Wheel of Life &#8211; A Self-Assessment Tool</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/how-to-manage-stress-in-17-effective-ways/" target="_blank">17 Strategies For Managing Stress (That Work)</a></li>
<li><a title="The Power of a Smile – How Smiling Can Change Your Life and Change the World" href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/the-power-of-a-smile/" target="_blank">The Power of a Smile – How Smiling Can Change Your Life and Change the World</a></li>
<li><a title="Trajectory: A Model For Your Path in Life" href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/trajectory-setting-right-path/" target="_blank">Trajectory: A Model For Your Path in Life</a></li>
<li><a title="How to Conduct Your Personal Mid-Year Review" href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/how-to-conduct-a-personal-mid-year-review/" target="_blank">How to Conduct Your Personal Mid-Year Review</a></li>
<li><a title="How to Become a Millionaire by Investing $5 a Day" href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/how-to-become-a-millionaire-by-investing-5-a-day/" target="_blank">How to Become a Millionaire By Investing Just $5 Per Day</a></li>
<li><a title="Money Can’t Buy Happiness… But Happiness Can Get You Money!" href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/money-cant-buy-happiness-but-happiness-can-get-you-money/" target="_blank">Money Can&#8217;t Buy Happiness&#8230; But Happiness Can Get You Money!</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
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<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/personal-development-blogs/">Top 100 Personal Development Blogs</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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		<title>10 Life Lessons That Have Made Me a Much Happier Person</title>
		<link>https://www.startofhappiness.com/10-life-lessons-made-much-happier-person/</link>
					<comments>https://www.startofhappiness.com/10-life-lessons-made-much-happier-person/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brendan Baker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2020 11:27:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Health & Wellbeing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindset, Goals & Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Passion & Purpose]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Positive Thinking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Simplicity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Understanding Yourself]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gratitude]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[happiness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[positive thinking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reflection]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.startofhappiness.com/?p=2428</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>“Happiness is a how, not a what. A talent, not an object.”  Click to Tweet! &#160; The older I get, the more that I experience life and the more I learn what truly makes me happy. Throughout my life, I have always been a pretty happy guy, but I have definitely had my ups and [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/10-life-lessons-made-much-happier-person/">10 Life Lessons That Have Made Me a Much Happier Person</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><i>“Happiness is a how, not a what. A talent, not an object.”</i></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ctt.ec/51fHQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Click to Tweet!</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The older I get, the more that I experience life and the more I learn what truly makes me happy. Throughout my life, I have always been a pretty happy guy, but I have definitely had my ups and downs like every other person.</p>
<p><b>Happiness has always been an intriguing point of interest for me. I have always seen happiness as the epitome of all success that life can bring. To me, I believe <a title="How to Become a Millionaire by Investing $5 a Day" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-to-become-a-millionaire-by-investing-5-a-day/">income and status is important</a>, however if it&#8217;s at the cost of happiness it&#8217;s not something I would want to continue to pursue.</b></p>
<p>Happiness comes in many forms and I&#8217;ve come to learn that it can be extremely different for all people. However, there are 10 lessons in life that I have learned and that I believe can help anyone become a more satisfied and happier person. I would like to share with you the 10 lessons in life that have made me a much happier person.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3425" src="http://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/awesome_jumping.jpg" alt="Awesome Jumping" width="600" height="400" srcset="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/awesome_jumping.jpg 600w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/awesome_jumping-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />Image: Some friends and I frolicing in the vineyards. Gotta love that jump, right? <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Learning to say I love you</b></h2>
<p>For some reason, this was always a hard one for me, particularly with my immediate family. As I have grown older I have come to realize what my family have done for me throughout my life and that I am extremely thankful to them. I&#8217;m still learning to say &#8220;I love you&#8221; more and I still find it difficult (I think it&#8217;s part of our male genes to find this hard!) but when I do it gives me a great sense of happiness and I feel more authentic and honest with myself. Plus, I know that those I love really appreciate it.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Learning to forgive </b></h2>
<p>There have been times in my life where I have felt betrayed or let down, and there have been times when I know I have let others down. Although sometimes hard, I have found that forgiving others and being able to forgive myself is essential for being able to move forward and regain a truly positive outlook in life.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Learning to say no</b></h2>
<p>I used to struggle (and often still do) with saying no to people, events or situations which would then take up a lot of my time and have a negative impact on certain areas of my life. I have learned that saying no is essential for being able to focus on what I truly believe in, what I value and what is important to me in my life.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Learning to live my passion every day</b></h2>
<p>Now that I&#8217;m working for myself, I have the pleasure of being able to spend my time how I want to spend my time. I get to incorporate my passion into everyday life and into the work that I do. I have come to learn that spending even the smallest amount of time <a title="4 Key Strategies for Turning Your Passion into a Thriving Lifestyle" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/4-key-strategies-for-turning-your-passion-into-a-thriving-lifestyle/">living my passion</a> each day can have a huge impact on the way I feel and on the success I achieve.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Learning to eat healthy &amp; exercise regularly</b></h2>
<p>The old saying goes ‘you are what you eat’ and I am a true believer of this. The amount of information on health and well being these days is absolutely enormous. Scientifically proven, <a title="The Ultimate Guide to Healthy Eating – Including the Key Secret Ingredient" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-healthy-eating/">eating healthy</a> and exercising regularly can have huge physical and emotional benefits. I now exercise first thing in the morning for about 30-40mins, 5 days a week and this has helped me to feel more energetic and happier on a daily basis.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Learning to connect deeply</b></h2>
<p>I used to be somewhat afraid of connecting deeply with others as I always thought that I was making myself too vulnerable in doing so. It&#8217;s kind of like learning to say &#8220;I love you&#8221;. I&#8217;m a lot more conscious of the benefits of connecting more deeply with others now and I actively try to do this. I have learned that <a title="How to Expand Your Comfort Zone" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-expand-your-comfort-zone/">making myself vulnerable</a> and connecting deeply with others can help me become more relaxed, open and honest and helps me to be more of who I truly am. I have also learned that connecting deeply, being vulnerable and asking for help is essential for both growth and success. It also helps build a trustworthy and honest relationship.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Learning to see life differently</b></h2>
<p>This is something that I continue to focus on and gain an understanding of to help me create my own lifestyle. I have learned that life is not meant to be taken so seriously and that life is simply about enjoying the time that we have and making a contribution in some way. I&#8217;m not a fan of the traditional corporate career and spending time working on another persons priorities. In saying that, I&#8217;m sure I&#8217;ll re-enter the corporate world at some stage but it will be with more of a focus on gaining the skills and experience necessary to move towards where I want to go with my life.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Learning to set my own goals</b></h2>
<p>I never used to <a title="The SMARTER Way to Goal-Setting in 2014" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/smarter-goal-setting-2014/">set my own goals</a>. The world around me used to do it for me, such as my parents telling me what grades I should aim for or what job I should get, and my teachers telling me how to go about my schooling. Even into adulthood, my bosses and society (through social norms, peer pressure and media etc) would dictate what I would focus on. I have learned that by setting my own goals and focusing on what I truly believe in is the only way to live authentically, realise my full potential and sustain happiness.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Learning to count my blessings</b></h2>
<p>When I was growing up as a child I took everything for granted. As I have become more aware of the world around me, I have come to realize that I am extremely blessed with good health, a great social circle and community and the freedom to live a life that I choose. I remind myself of this every day which helps me take to the world with a positive outlook and a mindset to make a difference.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><b>Learning to give</b></h2>
<p>Following on from the above, I have learned that giving is an essential ingredient for happiness. I have come to realize that the more I give the more that I get in return. This is in both giving to others and also giving of my time and energy into what I believe in. I have learned that by giving to others, it can <a title="How Being A Little Bit Silly Can Build Your Confidence and Enhance Your Relationships" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-being-a-little-bit-silly-can-build-your-confidence-and-enhance-your-relationships/">enhance my relationships</a>, build up trust and make a difference in the life of another. I have also learned that the more I give in terms of my time, energy and <a title="Why 92% of Goals Are Not Achieved and How You Can Join The 8%" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/why-95-of-goals-are-not-achieved-and-how-you-can-join-the-5/">focus on my goals</a>, the greater my return in terms of success and happiness.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Wrapping Up</h2>
<p>Life continues to unfold and I continue to learn every single day. There are so many experiences and so many relationships that I have yet to have in life and I&#8217;m truly excited for what life has to bring.</p>
<p>I look forward to reading back over this post in a number of years and seeing what has changed in my life and what else I have learned about life, success and happiness.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">What lessons have you learned about life, success and happiness?</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/10-life-lessons-made-much-happier-person">Please share in the comments!</a></p>
<p>Brendan</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Related Articles</h2>
<ul>
<li><a title="10 Books That Will Make You Smile And Feel Happier" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/10-books-will-make-smile-feel-happier/">10 Books That Will Make You Smile and Feel Happier</a></li>
<li><a title="How to be Happy – The Six Pillars of Happiness" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-to-be-happy/">How to Be Happy: The Six Pillars of Happiness</a></li>
<li><a title="The Happiness Model – Why Finding Happiness is Not the Way" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/the-happiness-model-why-finding-happiness-is-not-the-way/">The Happiness Model: Why Finding Happiness is NOT the Way</a></li>
<li><a title="How to Expand Your Comfort Zone" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-expand-your-comfort-zone/">How to Expand Your Comfort Zone</a></li>
<li><a title="The Power of a Smile – How Smiling Can Change Your Life and Change the World" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/the-power-of-a-smile/">The Power of a Smile: How Smiling Can Change Your Life and Change the World</a></li>
<li><a title="4 Key Strategies for Turning Your Passion into a Thriving Lifestyle" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/4-key-strategies-for-turning-your-passion-into-a-thriving-lifestyle/">4 Key Strategies for Turning Your Passion into a Thriving Lifestyle</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/10-life-lessons-made-much-happier-person/">10 Life Lessons That Have Made Me a Much Happier Person</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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		<title>8 Advantages of Being an Introvert at Work</title>
		<link>https://www.startofhappiness.com/advantages-of-being-an-introvert-at-work/</link>
					<comments>https://www.startofhappiness.com/advantages-of-being-an-introvert-at-work/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Lewis Humphries]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 Aug 2020 09:44:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Understanding Yourself]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[introvert]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.startofhappiness.com/?p=5197</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Historically, the term ‘introvert’ has been considered as being largely negative. Introverts are often the victims of fundamental misunderstandings, however, as others confuse them as being shy, overly analytical and in some instances entirely bereft of empathy for others. &#160; Not only are these perceptions false, but they also disguise the fact that being an [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/advantages-of-being-an-introvert-at-work/">8 Advantages of Being an Introvert at Work</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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<p>Historically, the term ‘introvert’ has been considered as being largely negative. Introverts are often the victims of fundamental misunderstandings, however, as others confuse them as being shy, overly analytical and in some instances <a href="http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/15-things-you-might-have-misunderstood-about-introverts.html">entirely bereft of empathy for others</a>.</p>
<p>Not only are these perceptions false, but they also disguise the fact that being an introvert offers many potential advantages. This is particularly true in the workplace, where many introverted character traits lend themselves to being a more responsive and effective employee.</p>
<h2>8 Advantages of Being an Introvert at Work</h2>
<p>So what exactly are the major advantages of being an introvert at work, and how can you capitalise? Let’s explore this further:</p>
<h2>1. Introverts are Great Listeners</h2>
<p>One of the core strengths of an introvert is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/5-inherent-benefits-to-being-an-introvert-2015-7?IR=T">their innate ability to listen</a>, and there are several reasons for this. To begin with, introverts are more comfortable listening than holding court within a conversation, while they are also more thoughtful about what they say and often use the responses of their conversational partners to influence their input.</p>
<p>This can highly beneficial in the workplace, as introverts have an opportunity to absorb knowledge and insight from those around them in a bid to progress their careers. This is in stark contrast with extroverts, who often use professional conversations as a stage to promote themselves without listening to what is expected of them.</p>
<p>To make the most of this opportunity, be particularly attentive to your colleagues and those in positions of seniority. Above all, make sure that you process any information that can help you perform better as an employee and identify opportunities for growth.</p>
<h2>2. Introverts Can Be Relied Upon by Leaders</h2>
<p>On a similar note, <a href="http://www.paulwalsh.co/resources/view/Listening">listening is a skill that helps to build trust</a> and respect within the workplace. This is why even charismatic, extroverted leaders tend to recruit introverts in position of power, as they can be trusted to listen attentively to concise instructions and implement these with a minimum of fuss.</p>
<p>While I have seen numerous individuals with introverted personalities attain promotions at work, it is still important to use your initiative where possible within your role. This will help you to take further steps into leadership while and build your confidence as an employee.</p>
<h2>3. Introverts Make for Thoughtful and Open-minded Leaders</h2>
<p>One of the main perceptions surrounding introverts is that they do not make good leaders. This is largely untrue, however, as while those with an introverted persona may lack charisma they are thoughtful and open-minded when developing strategies, considering innovative ideas and recruiting staff members.</p>
<p>The latter point is particularly important, as extroverts can be insecure and competitive in their nature and this may cause friction with certain, successful members of staff. You must therefore take steps to show your open-mindedness and thoughtfulness in the workplace, while also avoiding any conflict or petty competition with colleagues.</p>
<h2>4. Introverts are Empathetic Employees</h2>
<p>As a general rule, introverts boast an extremely high level of self-awareness and are extremely sensitive to the needs of those around them. This is an unusual philosophy in the workplace, where so many are preoccupied with their own issues and the desire to progress their careers.</p>
<p>Introverts can capitalise on this, however, simply by being themselves and showing consideration for colleagues, teammates and employers. This will help you to stand out as an individual, especially if you are willing to be flexible in your role when pressure is created by long-term absences and sickness.</p>
<h2>5. Introverts Tend to Have a Better Work-life Balance</h2>
<p>If there is one lesson I have learned from work, it is that the <a href="https://positivelyintroverted.wordpress.com/2015/07/25/the-work-life-balance-dilemma-for-introverts/">daily interaction with colleagues and employers</a> can be extremely draining for anyone with an introverted personality. This is something that introverts are conscious of at all times, meaning that they have an innate appreciation of the need for a positive work-life balance that can empower their personal lives.</p>
<p>With recent research suggesting that <a href="https://www.wilsonfield.co.uk/the-work-life-balance-how-much-money-is-too-much/">jobs paying an annual salary of £37,000</a> per annum tend to serve a tipping point in terms of the balance between sacrifice and reward in the workplace, having an appreciation of your limitations can help you to improve your life no end. Over time, this will make you a superior colleague without impacting negatively on your recreational time outside of work.</p>
<h2>6. Introverts are Self-reflective and Excellent at Error Correction</h2>
<p>We have already touched on the fact that introverts are excellent listeners, and this means that they are able to take on considerable feedback regarding their performance at work. Not only this, but those who are introverted also have a self-reflective mind-set that enables them to process this information and turn into action steps for their own, personal development.</p>
<p>Such a philosophy also allows introverts to excel when correcting their own errors, as they take their mistakes seriously once they have been highlighted and commit themselves to reverse these openly. When you consider that making mistakes is an inescapable element of being human, your natural outlook as an introvert offers you an advantage as a conscientious and thoughtful being with great integrity.</p>
<h2>7. Introverts Enjoy More In-depth and Meaningful Proffesional Connections</h2>
<p>We live in the digital age, where professional networks are driven by real-time chats and single line introductions. While this enables extroverts to build vast and often vacuous networks, however, it is well known that introverts crave the kind of in-depth and meaningful connection that drives genuine understanding.</p>
<p>This can actually be beneficial to introverts in the contemporary workplace, where intimate relationships based on knowledge and trust stand out while driving greater levels of collaboration. You can also your need for in-depth connections to build rapport with colleagues and clients alike, strengthening your position within the firm while also contributing to increased revenues.</p>
<h2>8. Introverts Make Considered Rather Than Impulsive Decisions</h2>
<p>Whether you are a leader or not, you will most likely have to make decisions in your professional life. While introverts are often criticised for over-analysing decisions to the point where they suffer a paralysis of thought, this is a gross exaggeration that disguises the benefits of forming well thought-out and informed decisions that have been considered from multiple angles.</p>
<p>In fact, the capacity of introverts to give due consideration to every aspect of a decision can benefit businesses greater, as it helps to avoid the type of impulsive mistake that can destroy even established ventures. From your own perspective as an introvert, you should therefore stay true to your inner thought processes when making a decision and resist the suggestions of those who want you to act quicker.</p>
<p>These are just some of the many benefits of being an introvert in the workplace, while these examples can help you to develop your career ahead of those with greater charisma and charm. If you would like to suggest any ideas that we have missed, feel free to leave your comments below!</p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/advantages-of-being-an-introvert-at-work/">8 Advantages of Being an Introvert at Work</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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		<title>Trajectory: A Model For Your Path in Life</title>
		<link>https://www.startofhappiness.com/trajectory-setting-right-path/</link>
					<comments>https://www.startofhappiness.com/trajectory-setting-right-path/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brendan Baker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2020 11:08:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Career & Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindset, Goals & Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Passion & Purpose]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Productivity & Organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tools & Resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Understanding Yourself]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[passion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[path in life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[purpose]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trajectory]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.startofhappiness.com/?p=3527</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Today, I’m going to share with you a concept that I absolutely love. It’s something that I remind myself of on a regular basis to help me move forward, stay focused and stay disciplined in the direction of my goals. It’s a concept that I like to call trajectory. Your trajectory is simply the path [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/trajectory-setting-right-path/">Trajectory: A Model For Your Path in Life</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today, I’m going to share with you a concept that I absolutely <em>love</em>. It’s something that I remind myself of on a regular basis to help me move forward, stay focused and stay disciplined in the direction of my goals.</p>
<p>It’s a concept that I like to call <strong><em>trajectory</em></strong>.</p>
<p>Your trajectory is simply the path in life that you choose. When you continue to progress your life in a certain direction you will reach a certain end-goal. The thing is, <strong>a slight change in your trajectory can lead to huge differences in the outcomes you get in life.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3540" src="http://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-which-path.jpg" alt="Trajectory: Which Path Will You Choose?" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-which-path.jpg 300w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-which-path-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-which-path-250x250.jpg 250w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Let&#8217;s Get Specific</h2>
<p>Let’s look at an example. If you’re currently at University or if you think back to when you were at University, you had the world at your feet and you could choose the subjects and majors that you wanted to study. You could say that this point in time was the starting point of your career.</p>
<p>Let’s say you had an interest in doing Marketing and an interest in the Arts but you had to make a decision between the two and build a career in one of them. In this case, you choose the Arts. Over time, you become very proficient in the Arts and you gain a solid understanding in your early career to propel you forward.</p>
<p>Now, what if you chose Marketing? Well, this would mean that you have set a completely different path and direction for your life. Again, in the first few years you will have developed a solid foundation and understanding of Marketing which can propel you well into the future.</p>
<p>You can imagine the difference in your path and outcomes as like in the graph below. The bottom (x axis) represents time and the left (y axis) represents the degree of variance in the outcomes you will achieve from following a certain path.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p> <img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3531" src="http://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-01.png" alt="Trajectory" width="577" height="219" srcset="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-01.png 577w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-01-300x113.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 577px) 100vw, 577px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>As you can see from the above graph, the choice of path you take can have a significant impact on your destination in life. The path that you take is what I call trajectory. What trajectory are you currently on?</p>
<p>Now, what if you continued going down that particular path for more than 3 years? What if you spent 12 years working towards that particular <a title="Why 92% of Goals Are Not Achieved and How You Can Join The 8%" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/why-95-of-goals-are-not-achieved-and-how-you-can-join-the-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">goal?</a></p>
<p>As you can see from the chart below, over time, this leads to a HUGE variation in outcome in your life.</p>
<p>To put it into perspective, the little red box in the bottom left-hand corner represents the original chart above after just 3 years.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3532" src="http://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-02-career-choice.png" alt="Career Choice Graph" width="592" height="289" srcset="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-02-career-choice.png 592w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-02-career-choice-300x146.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Current Life vs Desired Life</h2>
<p>Now, where am I going with this?</p>
<p><strong>I want you to know that the CHOICE of path you take can have a HUGE impact to the outcomes you desire in life.</strong></p>
<p>That one simple choice you made at University and for your career can have a profound impact on your social groups, your love life, your free-time, your health, your knowledge and expertise, your location of residence, <a title="How to Become a Millionaire by Investing $5 a Day" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-to-become-a-millionaire-by-investing-5-a-day/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">your income</a> and the experiences that you have in life.</p>
<p><strong>Unfortunately, I see a lot of people that are living a life similar to the below chart.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3533" src="http://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-03-desired-life.png" alt="Desired Life Chart" width="595" height="289" srcset="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-03-desired-life.png 595w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-03-desired-life-300x145.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>I see people on a particular trajectory that is currently leading them down a path that is unrewarding, unfulfilling and will not get them to what they truly desire in life.</strong></p>
<p>And, as you can see, the longer they stay on their current trajectory, the greater the degree of variance from their desired life.</p>
<p>Let’s bring this back up and look at it with a common, real-life example.</p>
<p>You might currently be in a job that you dislike. Perhaps you knew early on in your career that you didn’t really enjoy the career path that you chose, <a title="Why Earning 6-Figures Is Still Not Good Enough" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/why-earning-over-150000-is-still-not-good-enough/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">but it paid you well</a> and so you stuck at it. Now, perhaps 10 years later you have worked your way up and have solid experience under your belt. The only problem is, you still really dislike the career path that you have chosen and you’re still not satisfied, fulfilled or happy. You still have a deep desire, if not even deeper, to really pursue a career and life that is much more meaningful to you.</p>
<p><strong>Now, the only problem is it’s a lot harder to move towards your desired life because the degree of variance is much greater than what it was years ago.</strong> When it comes to your career, this degree of variance can also represent income in many cases. The longer you are in your current job/career, the greater your income becomes and the harder it may be to completely change your trajectory and progress down your desired path.</p>
<p><strong>Can you imagine how different your life would look right now if you made the decision 3 years ago to change your trajectory and start progressing towards your desired life?</strong> What if you made that decision 6 years ago? 10 years ago? 20 years ago?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Unhealthy Life vs Healthy Life</h2>
<p>Let’s look at another common example. Let’s say you have the desire to lose weight and be more fit and healthy.</p>
<p>Firstly, you might currently be on a trajectory that provides you an unhealthy lifestyle. It might be that you are working longer hours and often eat takeaway. It might be that you prefer to watch TV as opposed to doing exercise. It might be that you simply haven’t made the conscious decision to start living a healthy life.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3529" src="http://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-04-healthy-life.png" alt="Healthy Life Chart" width="588" height="289" srcset="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-04-healthy-life.png 588w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-04-healthy-life-300x147.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 588px) 100vw, 588px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you stay on that same trajectory, with time, the degree of variance from your desired life will only expand. You will put on MORE weight. You will have LESS energy. You will continue to live an unhealthy lifestyle.</p>
<p>Now, if you make the decision to set yourself up on a new trajectory and start living a healthy life, you will start to make some progress.</p>
<p><strong>Initially, the progress will be small, but if you continue down that new trajectory you will see the results that you desire.</strong> Achieving results takes time. It takes hard-work, commitment and discipline in staying on that same trajectory no matter how difficult it may seem.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>What Can You Do <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Right Now?</span></h2>
<p><strong>The most important thing you can do RIGHT NOW is to determine what the right trajectory is for you.</strong> Examine what your current trajectory is and ask yourself whether continuing down this path will lead you to the life you desire the most?</p>
<p> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3530" src="http://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-05-getting-started.png" alt="Getting Started on the Right Trajectory" width="800" height="636" srcset="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-05-getting-started.png 800w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trajectory-05-getting-started-300x238.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<h3>Here are some basic steps to get you started:</h3>
<ol>
<li>Identify your desired outcomes in life</li>
<li>Determine whether your current trajectory or path is leading you to those outcomes</li>
<li>If not, identify what actions and steps are required for you to progress down your new trajectory</li>
<li>Make an immediate decision and take immediate action and take your first step on your new trajectory.</li>
<li>Stay focused, determined and disciplined in moving down the path of your new trajectory. This will be the hardest challenge you face. It’s human behaviour to want to stick to things we know and stick to things we are comfortable with. Make sure you are aware of your own comfort zone and remain committed to <a title="How to Expand Your Comfort Zone" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-expand-your-comfort-zone/">expanding your comfort zone</a> and reaching the outcomes you desire.</li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Focus, determination and discipline, coupled with time, can lead you to anything you desire in life.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>Want Some More Guidance?</strong></h2>
<p>There are a ton of other strategies you will need to be successful in progressing down your new trajectory and these are all provided to you in the <a href="http://www.launchyourlifeacademy.com/join" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Launch Your Life Academy</a>. The good news is,<strong> the doors to the Academy are reopening next week!</strong> So if you’re keen to start living a passion based life and want to stay focused, motivated and disciplined in doing so and achieve the results in life you desire, then I <em><strong>highly recommend</strong></em> you get started with the Launch Your Life Academy. The doors are opening next Tuesday, 29th April for a very limited time so lock it in your diary! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>For the Comments</h2>
<p>I&#8217;d love to hear your thoughts on the concept of trajectory. Are you currently on the right path in your life? Do you desire to change? Have you tried changing previously? What successes or challenges have you experienced when stepping onto a new trajectory?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/trajectory-setting-right-path/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">See you in the comments!</a></p>
<p>Brendan</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Related Articles</h2>
<ul>
<li><a title="Why 92% of Goals Are Not Achieved and How You Can Join The 8%" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/why-95-of-goals-are-not-achieved-and-how-you-can-join-the-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Why 92% of Goals are Not Achieved and How You Can Join the 8%</a></li>
<li><a title="The SMARTER Way to Goal-Setting in 2014" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/smarter-goal-setting-2014/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The SMARTER Way to Goal-Setting in 2014</a></li>
<li><a title="How to Conduct Your Personal Mid-Year Review" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-to-conduct-a-personal-mid-year-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How to Conduct Your Own Personal Mid-Year Review</a></li>
<li><a title="How to Expand Your Comfort Zone" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-expand-your-comfort-zone/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How to Expand Your Comfort Zone</a></li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Enjoy this article or know someone that could benefit from reading it? Please share by using one of the buttons below!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/trajectory-setting-right-path/">Trajectory: A Model For Your Path in Life</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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		<title>Now OPEN! The Launch Your Life Academy is Open For Enrollment!</title>
		<link>https://www.startofhappiness.com/now-open-launch-life-academy-open-enrollment/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brendan Baker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2020 11:39:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.startofhappiness.com/?p=5321</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;m super excited to let you know that I have just opened up enrolment for the Launch Your Life Academy. &#160; This is the perfect time of year to join. In fact, it&#8217;s the exact time of year where I go through the process as well! &#160; What I love about the Launch Your Life [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/now-open-launch-life-academy-open-enrollment/">Now OPEN! The Launch Your Life Academy is Open For Enrollment!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
]]></description>
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<p>I&#8217;m super excited to let you know that I have just <a href="http://launchyourlifeacademy.com/limited-offer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opened up enrolment for the Launch Your Life Academy.</a></p>
<p>This is the perfect time of year to join. In fact, it&#8217;s the exact time of year where I go through the process as well!</p>
<p>What I love about the Launch Your Life Academy at this time of year is that it enables me to get 100% clarity on what I want to achieve this year and also HOW I am going to achieve it.</p>
<p>It also gives me an opportunity to check-in with myself and ensure I am living a life true to my values and aligned with my purpose.</p>
<p>If you have never taken the time to think about your life and what you truly want and how to make it happen, then this program will definitely be life changing for you.</p>
<p>If you already do something similar but haven&#8217;t been about to achieve the level of success you desire this year or in previous years, it&#8217;s probably because you&#8217;re missing something&#8230; perhaps not finding the right mentors, perhaps not having a plan that you are committed to, or perhaps not having the right habits or support network to keep you going. If that&#8217;s the case, then you&#8217;ll love my process and this is definitely for you too.</p>
<p>Give yourself 21 days and your life will be transformed (that&#8217;s 1 module per day&#8230; or roughly 30-60 minutes per day).</p>
<p><strong>Ready to make this your best year yet?</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://launchyourlifeacademy.com/limited-offer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can join the Launch Your Life Academy here.</a></p>
<p>If you have any questions on the program, just let me know in the comments.</p>
<p>I hope to see you on the inside.</p>
<p>Brendan</p>
</div>
</div>
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<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/now-open-launch-life-academy-open-enrollment/">Now OPEN! The Launch Your Life Academy is Open For Enrollment!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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		<title>Feng Fu Point &#8211; The Ultimate Ice Therapy</title>
		<link>https://www.startofhappiness.com/feng-fu/</link>
					<comments>https://www.startofhappiness.com/feng-fu/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brendan Baker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2020 10:47:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Health & Wellbeing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[disease]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[feng fu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[feng fu point]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[happiness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wellbeing]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.startofhappiness.com/?p=5172</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Have you ever wondered if there is some secret thing you can do that puts you on another level in life? Something that increases your energy, enhances the quality of your sleep, relieves pain and reduces symptoms of certain diseases? &#160; Well, I&#8217;m about to share that secret with you! &#160; It&#8217;s called Feng Fu. [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/feng-fu/">Feng Fu Point &#8211; The Ultimate Ice Therapy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
]]></description>
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<p>Have you ever wondered if there is some secret thing you can do that puts you on another level in life? Something that increases your energy, enhances the quality of your sleep, relieves pain and reduces symptoms of certain diseases?</p>
<p>Well, I&#8217;m about to share that secret with you!</p>
<p><strong>It&#8217;s called Feng Fu.</strong></p>
<p>Feng Fu is common in Chinese acupuncture and it involves placing an ice cube on a specific position on the back of your neck for twenty minutes.</p>
<p>The Feng Fu point is a pressure point found at the base of the skull, just below the bottom ridge of the skull cap at the top of the neck. Stimulating the fengu fu point with an ice cube once or twice a day will promote overall health and wellbeing and make you feel like a rockstar!</p>
<h2>Benefits of the Feng Fu Point Ice Therapy</h2>
<p>There are a number of reported benefits to Feng Fu ice therapy. According to Chinese traditional medicine, this therapy rejuvenates the entire body and by bringing it back to its natural physiological balance. Pretty cool, right?</p>
<p>When you place an ice cube on the Feng Fu point as outlined above (and do it consistently each day), it can benefit you in the following ways:</p>
<ul>
<li>Reduce headaches, joint pain and tooth ache</li>
<li>Reduce and eliminate the effects of a cold</li>
<li>Improve your sleep quality</li>
<li>Improve your overall cardiovascular system</li>
<li>Improve your digestive system</li>
<li>Reduce the symptoms of asthma</li>
<li>Reduce the symptoms of arthritis, hypertension and hypotension</li>
<li>Cure sexually transmitted diseases</li>
<li>Manage neurological disorders and spinal degeneration</li>
<li>Manage thyroid disorders</li>
<li>Manage impotence, infertifily and menstrual disorders</li>
<li>Manage obesity, manlnutrition and gastronintestinal tract</li>
<li>Manage stress, chronic fatigue, insomnia and depression</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>With a list this good, why wouldn&#8217;t you give it a try?!</strong></p>
<h2>How to Find the Feng Fu Point</h2>
<ol>
<li>While lying down (or with your head leaning forward), use your hands to touch the back of your neck</li>
<li>Feel the point where the bottom of your skull meets your neck.</li>
<li>You should be able to feel an &#8220;indent&#8221; in your neck between your two neck muscles as shown in the diagram below<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-5175 size-full" title="Feng Fu" src="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/feng-fu.png" alt="feng-fu" width="600" height="282" srcset="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/feng-fu.png 600w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/feng-fu-300x141.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></li>
<li>If you&#8217;re having trouble finding it, try tilt your head back so you can feel your neck muscles better. In the middle of them you will find the depth of the Feng Fu point.</li>
</ol>
<h2>How to do the Feng Fu Ice Cube Method for Healing</h2>
<p>Doing the Feng Fu ice therapy on yourself is incredibly easy. <strong>All you need to do is follow the 4 simple steps below:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Lie flat on your stomach and make yourself comfortable</li>
<li>Place an ice cube directly on the Feng Fu point at the back of your neck</li>
<li>Leave the ice cube on the Feng Fu point for 20 minutes</li>
<li>Feel the benefits!</li>
</ol>
<p>If you are not in a place to lie down then sitting is fine too. You can secure the ice cube by using a bandage, scarf or other material on your hand.</p>
<p>For maximum benefit, professional acupuncturists recommend doing the treatment twice a day &#8211; first thing in the morning and last thing at night.</p>
<p>When you first apply the ice cube, you may feel the strong cold sensation pass through your body and you might find it uncomfortable. Hang in there! Withing 30 to 40 seconds or so you should feel the heat go straight to the Feng Fu point.</p>
<p>In the first few days of putting ice on your Feng Fu point you may experience some euphoria due to the release of endorphins into your bloodstream.</p>
<h2>My Experience</h2>
<h2> </h2>
<p>I have been placing an ice cube on my Feng Fu point once a day for the past week and I definitely feel benefits. I find it similar to meditation&#8230; it&#8217;s just so nice to lie down, have some ice on your neck (particularly in Summer) and feel your body be taken to another place. I have an overall general sense of greater wellbeing.</p>
<p>Placebo?</p>
<p>Who knows&#8230; but placebo or not, it&#8217;s works! So I&#8217;m going to keep doing it.</p>
<p><strong>Note: </strong>Therapists recommend that if you are pregnant, have a pacemaker or suffer from schizophrenia or epilepsy to NOT do this method. Why? I&#8217;m not sure.. but speak with your local acupuncturist and they will probably be able to tell you <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p>
<h2>Your Thoughts?</h2>
<p>Try it out! I&#8217;d love to hear your thoughts&#8230;</p>
<p>What do you experience?</p>
<p>Do you feel any of the benefits above?</p>
<p>Please share your experience by leaving a comment below and if you feel this method can help someone, please share it with them.</p>
<p>Brendan</p>
<p> </p>
</div>
</div>
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<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/feng-fu/">Feng Fu Point &#8211; The Ultimate Ice Therapy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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		<title>The Power of Setting BIG, Hairy, Audacious Goals</title>
		<link>https://www.startofhappiness.com/power-of-big-goals/</link>
					<comments>https://www.startofhappiness.com/power-of-big-goals/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brendan Baker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2020 11:42:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Health & Wellbeing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindset, Goals & Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[challenge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marathon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mindset]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.startofhappiness.com/?p=3971</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Just over 10 weeks ago I wrote an article challenging you to work towards a goal for 10 weeks. It was titled the “10 Week Health and Fitness Challenge” because my personal 10 week challenge was to run under 58 minutes for the world’s largest fun run – the City to Surf. Now, that 10 [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/power-of-big-goals/">The Power of Setting BIG, Hairy, Audacious Goals</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Just over 10 weeks ago I wrote an article challenging you to work towards a goal for 10 weeks. It was titled the <a title="10 Week Health &amp; Fitness Challenge!" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/10-week-health-fitness-challenge/">“10 Week Health and Fitness Challenge”</a> because my personal 10 week challenge was to run under 58 minutes for the world’s largest fun run – the City to Surf.</p>
<p>Now, that 10 weeks is up!</p>
<p><strong>Firstly, I want to ask you <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>how did YOU go?</em></span></strong> Did you participate in the challenge? If so, how did you go? What successes did you have? What challenges did you face? How has it improved your life?</p>
<p>If you didn’t take part in the challenge, I want you to answer honestly to yourself “why not?”</p>
<p>What held you back from taking part in the 10 week challenge? Was it that you lacked clarity on what you wanted to achieve? Is it that you had a goal but you thought it was too big of a challenge to complete in 10 weeks? Did you have some self-limiting beliefs? Was it that there would be no-one to hold you accountable other than yourself so you didn’t take part?</p>
<p>Really think deeply about this. <strong>I want you to raise your standards.</strong> When you are offered to take part in a challenge like this, I highly encourage you to take part. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain.</p>
<p>I’d love to hear your comments below this article.</p>
<p>But let me share with you how I went against my own challenge and what I’ve learned.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3976" src="http://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/marathon.jpg" alt="Marathon" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/marathon.jpg 300w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/marathon-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/marathon-250x250.jpg 250w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>My Successes and FAILURES in my 10 Week Health and Fitness Challenge</h2>
<p>I challenged myself to run under 58 minutes for the world’s largest fun run – the City to Surf. This is a 14km run that takes you from the heart of the city in Sydney to one of the most iconic beaches in the world – Bondi Beach.</p>
<p>My training was <strong>average</strong>.</p>
<p>I set myself a clear strategy which I <a title="10 Week Health &amp; Fitness Challenge!" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/10-week-health-fitness-challenge/">detailed extensively in my initial post</a> however I did find it hard to stick to.</p>
<p>Firstly, I found that with different schedules it was hard to organize times to train with my brother, Mike and my mate, Andy. This meant my training was mostly by myself.</p>
<p>Secondly, my plan for eating purely healthy foods with the exception of occasional dark chocolate completely did not happen <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> On the whole I’ve been pretty good, but there have definitely been times when I’ve spoiled myself over the past couple of months. Every piece of nutrition adds up and can dramatically affect your overall energy levels and performance in life and this is why this is an area of continuous improvement for me (and should be for you too)… it does take tremendous discipline to say no to certain foods <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p>
<p>Thirdly, about 5 weeks into my 10 week challenge I knew that there was a possibility I would not be able to actually take part in the City to Surf. There was a good chance that I was going to be flying to Washington DC for business the day prior to the race. This halted my training (as well as my motivation) for a couple of weeks.</p>
<p><strong>Immediately, I recognized in me <a title="Why 92% of Goals Are Not Achieved and How You Can Join The 8%" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/why-95-of-goals-are-not-achieved-and-how-you-can-join-the-5/">how important it is to have goals…</a></strong> once I had the likelihood of my original goal not being achieved it dramatically lowered my motivation. It was a very interesting experience. I’m sure this has happened thousands of times throughout my life but because I went public with this challenge I was focused on it more I was a lot more aware of my own feelings.</p>
<p><strong>With 3 weeks to go it was confirmed that I wouldn&#8217;t be able to race in the City to Surf.</strong> This completely gutted me! I LOVE this run! It’s such an amazing feeling having 80,000 people around you all working towards the same goal… and it was going to be the first time that my wife, Sylvia would join me.</p>
<p>Needless to say, without the goal of the City to Surf to work towards my training tanked. I also became more focused on other priorities in life such as my career and business.</p>
<p><strong>But then I decided to do something crazy…</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Setting a Bigger, Meaner and Harder Goal</h2>
<p>When it comes to running festivals in Sydney there are two major events. Firstly, there is the City to Surf which I unfortunately was not able to attend. Secondly, there’s an event that has been known to break people down, injure thousands and actually cause death… it’s 42km of pain, endurance and determination. <strong>Yes, it’s the marathon.</strong></p>
<p>I was having lunch with Mike (my brother) and he suggested that because I can no longer run the City to Surf that instead I run the marathon!</p>
<p><strong>Immediately, I thought to myself “he’s gone mad!”</strong></p>
<p>The furthest I’ve ever run is the City to Surf and that’s 14km. This alone breaks me down and causes me to walk away with extremely sore legs. I considered doing a half-marathon (21km) but thought to myself that it’s just way too far for me to run and that the training and preparation alone would kill me.</p>
<p>Days later, I’m having lunch with Mike again and he tries to convince me once more to do a marathon. I actually thought about what I do here with The Start of Happiness and thought that this would be a great case-study to share with you guys.</p>
<p><strong>What if I could run a marathon with little training? How much of it is mindset? What barriers, challenges and beliefs am I <a href="http://www.launchyourlifeacademy.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">going to have to break through </a>to run this distance and successfully complete the marathon?</strong></p>
<p>So, putting myself on the line and in the name of experimentation, I decided to say “You’re on!” and paid the $140 registration fee.</p>
<p>Over in the USA I unfortunately didn’t manage to do any training… and my diet was pretty poor. So I was off to a very poor start for training and considering the race was only 5 weeks away I was starting to get a little nervous. <strong>I realize I need to develop my own self-discipline.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Now, I have just under 3 weeks to prepare for my first (and probably only) marathon.</strong> In saying that, I have been back in Sydney for a week and I did train 4 times last week and they were all fantastic sessions.</p>
<p>Since signing up and returning home to be focused on the marathon, I’ve felt a new determination, focus and energy as I have a new goal to work towards.</p>
<p>In terms of my own mindset, I find it quite amazing. Previously, I was focused on running 14km as fast as I could. Now that my goal is to run 42km which is MUCH more challenging, I immediately feel that 14km is an easy distance to run. It’s weird… it’s just a mindset shift. But again, it proves to me that the goals you focus on are SO important in your life. If you set small goals, you will achieve small things. If you set BIG goals, you will achieve big things (and I hope to prove this by completing my first marathon with just 4 weeks of training).</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>My New Strategy</h2>
<p>Now that I’ve created a goal that is significantly more challenging, I need a strategy that will significantly increase my probability of completing the marathon.</p>
<p>Firstly, let’s get specific. I could just say I want to complete the marathon… but this just doesn’t really motivate me. It doesn’t motivate me to run at all or to really push myself as hard as I could.</p>
<p>Instead, I’ve decided that <strong>the time I want to run the marathon in is under 4 hours and 30 minutes.</strong> I’ve based this off the fact that at my best it takes me 1 hour to run 14km (the City to Surf). If I maintain this pace I could complete the marathon in 3 hours. This is incredibly fast! I’d love to be able to maintain this pace for 14km, but the fact that I’m normally a walking jellyfish after the City to Surf lets me know that it’s highly unlikely I’ll be able to maintain that pace <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/72x72/1f61b.png" alt="😛" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p>
<p>I figured a more conservative pace, allowing for toilet breaks and some walking, 4 hours and 30 minutes is a reasonable target.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Nutrition and Hydration</h3>
<p>I’m following my <a title="The Ultimate Guide to Healthy Eating – Including the Key Secret Ingredient" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-healthy-eating/">Ultimate Guide to Healthy Eating</a> and continue to do so. The main thing that changes is that I need to eat enough food to replenish and repair my body after each workout or training run. My key nutrition after training will be coconut water, bananas, sandwiches and cereal.</p>
<p>The tricky thing for me is that because my goal is now 42km and the fact that this is going to take me about 4.5 hours to complete, I’m going to need to rehydrate and give myself nutrition DURING the run. I’ve never done this before! So I need to learn how to do this and what’s the right food/drink to take.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Cross-training</h3>
<p>Cross-training is as important as ever for me. Previously, I’ve had knee injuries from running too much on concrete. I’m going to cross-train with swims and cycles as much as possible to reduce the risk of knee (or other) injuries. Already since establishing my new 42km goal, I’ve smashed my best ever distance in the pool (by 50%) and distance on the bicycle (by 100%!). <strong>Again, this has immediately proved to me the power of goals.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Focus on time (not distance)</h3>
<p>Previously, training for the City to Surf I would focus on running for 6km, 8km or 10km at a time and try beat my previous times. Now, my strategy is to build my endurance. Instead of going for the time, my plan is to run, cycle and swim for longer durations (albeit at a slower pace). For example, I’ll focus on running for an hour, instead of trying to run 10km in under 45 minutes.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Learning!</h3>
<p>As this is all completely new to me, I plan to read as much as I can about training for marathons and learn about strategies for beginners in running a marathon.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>3 Weeks to Go!</h2>
<p>So, there’s just 20 more days to prepare and train for this marathon. I’m super-keen to do it and if I complete it in under 4 hours and 30 minutes I’d be extremely happy. Firstly, I need to just ensure I finish!</p>
<p>If you have run a marathon before and have any tips or suggestions for me, I’d love to hear from you! Please let me know in the comments below.</p>
<p>Also, if you took part in the 10-Week Challenge, I’d love to hear about your successes or challenges and what you have learned.</p>
<p>Stay inspired!</p>
<p>Brendan</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/power-of-big-goals/">The Power of Setting BIG, Hairy, Audacious Goals</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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		<title>6 Things Socially Successful People do Differently</title>
		<link>https://www.startofhappiness.com/6-things-socially-successful-people-differently/</link>
					<comments>https://www.startofhappiness.com/6-things-socially-successful-people-differently/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brendan Baker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2020 12:26:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Confidence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Understanding Yourself]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[friendship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[relationships]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.startofhappiness.com/?p=3464</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>This is an article written by Social Life Expert David Morin. 8 years ago, I realized that something in my life had to change. I was tired of spending evenings and weekends on my own and promised myself to build a powerful social circle with a lot of close friends. The only problem was, I [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/6-things-socially-successful-people-differently/">6 Things Socially Successful People do Differently</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>This is an article written by Social Life Expert David Morin.</em></p>
<p>8 years ago, I realized that something in my life had to change. I was tired of spending evenings and weekends on my own and promised myself to build a powerful social circle with a lot of close friends. The only problem was, I had no clue of how to proceed. So I started analyzing socially successful people to learn what they did differently. What I have found out has had a significant impact on my life and now I share these with you. This is what I found out.</p>
<p> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3878" src="http://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/socially_successful_people.jpg" alt="Socially Successful People" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/socially_successful_people.jpg 300w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/socially_successful_people-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.startofhappiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/socially_successful_people-250x250.jpg 250w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>1. They Focus on Their Positive Traits, not their Negative Ones</h2>
<p>When you see socially successful people, what is one trait they all embody? They have <a title="How Being A Little Bit Silly Can Build Your Confidence and Enhance Your Relationships" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-being-a-little-bit-silly-can-build-your-confidence-and-enhance-your-relationships/">self confidence</a>. I started to realize that self confidence is something anyone can build up over time. These people have flaws like anyone else. But they are aware of what they actually do well.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s a huge power in focusing on your positive traits. When you do, you begin to form a healthy perspective of yourself. This will give you confidence you need to become more outgoing around others. As an exercise, if you had to list five positive traits about yourself, what would those be? Give these traits some thought every day.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>2. They Live in the Moment, Not in Their Minds</h2>
<p>Have you ever entered a party, and felt like there were pairs of eyes watching every move you made? When we experience this, we become very self aware and nervous. To counteract this, when you attend social gatherings it&#8217;s important to &#8220;force your mind out of your head&#8221;. When you detect that you&#8217;re wondering what others think of you, start asking yourself questions about the people around you instead. &#8220;How do these two people know each other?&#8221; &#8220;What is she working with?&#8221; &#8220;Where is he from?&#8221; In a study, people who were instructed to focus on their environment reported feeling much more self confident.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>3. They are Outgoing</h2>
<p>To become socially successful, you will have to take the initiative on occasion. Even if you&#8217;re not naturally born a social butterfly, <a href="http://www.socialpronow.com/outgoing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">being outgoing is something you can learn</a>. Instead of waiting for someone to invite you to a party or gathering, find groups that interest you. Many cities have groups based on occupation, hobbies, religion or other interests where you can join to meet others. This is a great first step out of your comfort zone. When you do this, have confidence in knowing that others attending the group may have the same social anxieties as you do. Once you find a group, it&#8217;s important that you stay persistent and attend meetings regularly. The more you attend the more comfortable you will feel being there.</p>
<p><em>Note from Brendan: If you live in Sydney, I have established the <a href="http://www.meetup.com/saagers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sydney Activity and Adventure Group</a> which now has over 3,000 members. Join us for some fun sometime!</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>4. They are Adventurous</h2>
<p>If you want to become more socially successful, it&#8217;s important that you open your mind to try new things. By trying new things such as taking a cooking class or learning karate, you expand your horizons, you acquire new skills and you meet people in the process. This is an excellent way to enrich your life and grow your social circle as a result. Is there something that you are interested in doing but haven&#8217;t tried yet? Try to realize that interest.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>5. They are Great at Helping Others</h2>
<p>Another trait that many socially successful people have is that they are willing to help others. Whether it&#8217;s finding volunteer opportunities or finding ways to help their friends, socially successful people are willing to go that extra mile. If you&#8217;re better than others at something and use your skills to help others out, people will respect you for it. You shouldn&#8217;t help people for the sake of making friends &#8211; then you risk coming off as needy. Help people because your skills would actually solve the problem they&#8217;re having.</p>
<p>What skills do you possess? In what way could you use these skills so help others? When you&#8217;re seen as a helpful person, people will become increasingly willing to give back. In that way, helpfulness is often a win-win.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>6. They are Authentic</h2>
<p>Simply, good reputations attract people. People of good character aren&#8217;t quick to judge, they won&#8217;t talk poorly about people behind their backs, they follow through on their commitments and they are friendly to others. When you practice these behaviors, others will notice your authenticity and this will make you more attractive as a person.</p>
<p>You&#8217;ve probably been in the situation where it&#8217;s tempting to talk down on something or someone. Try to resist that urge. If you refrain from this behavior long enough, the urge will eventually go away &#8211; it&#8217;s no longer part of your personality to talk down on others. People will trust you more with their thoughts and secrets as you&#8217;re seen as a reliable person.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>In Summary</h2>
<p>Ultimately, these six steps are good mental approaches you can take to improve your social life. While you won&#8217;t experience an overnight transformation, these tips can help you develop the mindset needed to improve both your life and to help you gain more friendships.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Author Bio:</strong> David Morin is an entrepreneur at Social Pro Now.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Did you enjoy this article? You might like these related posts:</h2>
<ul>
<li><a title="How Being A Little Bit Silly Can Build Your Confidence and Enhance Your Relationships" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-being-a-little-bit-silly-can-build-your-confidence-and-enhance-your-relationships/">How Being a Little Bit Silly Can Build Your Confidence and Enhance Your Relationships</a></li>
<li><a title="3 Paths to Brilliant Social Interactions" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/3-paths-brilliant-social-interactions/">3 Paths to Brilliant Social Interactions</a></li>
<li><a title="Are You Insecure? Here’s 3 Tips for Dealing With Insecurity" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/dealing-with-insecurity/">3 Tips for Dealing With Insecurity</a></li>
<li><a title="How to Expand Your Comfort Zone" href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/how-expand-your-comfort-zone/">How to Expand Your Comfort Zone</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/6-things-socially-successful-people-differently/">6 Things Socially Successful People do Differently</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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		<title>Make 2017 Your Best Year Ever (Free 2017 Planner)</title>
		<link>https://www.startofhappiness.com/best-year-ever/</link>
					<comments>https://www.startofhappiness.com/best-year-ever/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Brendan Baker]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Dec 2016 11:27:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Career & Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mindset, Goals & Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Productivity & Organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tools & Resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2017 planner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yearly planner]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.startofhappiness.com/?p=5308</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>I absolutely love this time of year! It’s a time for celebrating and getting together with family. It’s a time for reflecting on all of your achievements for the year. It’s a time for backyard cricket and it’s a time for beach, sun and plenty of outdoor activities (at least here in Australia!). But it’s [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/best-year-ever/">Make 2017 Your Best Year Ever (Free 2017 Planner)</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I absolutely love this time of year!</p>
<p>It’s a time for celebrating and getting together with family. It’s a time for reflecting on all of your achievements for the year. It’s a time for backyard cricket and it’s a time for beach, sun and plenty of outdoor activities (at least here in Australia!).</p>
<p>But it’s also a time that I use to plan ahead for the next year. 2017 is now just one week away and I absolutely love kicking off each New Year in style! I&#8217;m about to share with you a simple tool to help you make 2017 your best year ever.</p>
<p>If you want to get serious results in your life or business in 2017 then it’s important you are clear on what you are doing and when you are doing it and ensuring it’s actually <em>scheduled</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Nothing gets done unless it’s scheduled.</strong></p>
<p>That’s why today I want to share with you a simple but powerful tool that I use to ensure that I am clear and focused on what needs to get done in the following year.</p>
<p>It all starts with this 2017 calendar…</p>
<div class="content-box-green" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox/145e619f3f72a2%3A1535be055346dc/5730827476402176/" target="_blank">Download your 2017 Yearly Planner</a><script data-leadbox="145e619f3f72a2:1535be055346dc" data-url="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox/145e619f3f72a2%3A1535be055346dc/5730827476402176/" data-config="%7B%7D" type="text/javascript" src="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox-1481220859.js"></script></div>
<p><a href="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox/145e619f3f72a2%3A1535be055346dc/5730827476402176/" target="_blank"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fsVieLc_BUaNi2_pCCj3yr6zKy-g7ny9NJXKkjZ-XugUKCz2gkquPMEeu5EwyG9Q-TBjH8Std6PxF1aeZ82r7rg=s0" /></a><script data-leadbox="145e619f3f72a2:1535be055346dc" data-url="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox/145e619f3f72a2%3A1535be055346dc/5730827476402176/" data-config="%7B%7D" type="text/javascript" src="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox-1481220859.js"></script></p>
<h2>5 Steps to Scheduling the Best Year of Your Life</h2>
<p>Scheduling your lifestyle and the activities you plan to do in 2017 will help you to forecast your income and ensure your life is balanced the way you desire it to be.</p>
<p>So often people have a dream and a vision for their life but they don’t spend the time to actually map out what that looks like.</p>
<ul>
<li>If you want to take more holidays, schedule them in!</li>
<li>If you want to make more money by developing and selling a product or service, schedule it in!</li>
<li>If you want to  achieve major goals like completing a marathon or losing 20kg of weight, schedule the deadline in!</li>
</ul>
<p>Here’s how I plan out my year. Feel free to copy or adjust it or add to it depending on what you’re trying to achieve in your life.</p>
<h3>Step 1) Schedule all of the birthdays of your family and your closest friends.</h3>
<p>It’s important to celebrate with those closest to you and having it scheduled reminds you of planning ahead to get something special and also so you keep the date free.</p>
<h3>Step 2) Schedule all of the holidays you wish to take.</h3>
<p>For this, start with the public holidays. If you’re in Australia, I’ve already scheduled the public holidays for you in the template. Otherwise, delete the Australian holidays and insert the public holidays for your location.</p>
<p>Next, schedule the time your leave from your job or the time off you wish to take from your business. Next year, I’m planning to take a break once every 3 months and take a short trip somewhere with my wife and daughter.</p>
<p>Scheduling holidays is super-important. It gives you something to look forward to which keeps you engaged during the time you’re working, but it also serves as a time to relax, rejuvenate and refocus on what you’re achieving in your life.</p>
<h3>Step 3) Schedule the major business/career events that you want to achieve.</h3>
<p>For example, I’ve scheduled the product launches, community challenges or other promotions that I plan to do in 2017 for my business. This provides me clarity on what I need to focus on and when as well as a better prediction of my income for the year.</p>
<h3>Step 4) Schedule weekly or regular activities that you will need to complete to move you towards your larger goals.</h3>
<p>For example, I’ve scheduled when I’m going to be publishing a blog post or video to my business. Although I haven’t yet determined exactly what each blog post is going to be about, I’ve given each date a general topic that I will be covering which feeds back to what you have asked to know more about (eg, is it Personal Development or is it Business).</p>
<h3>Step 5) Schedule the due dates of your goals for the year or any other ad-hoc activities that you want to accomplish.</h3>
<p>This is another great way of reminding you of the major goals you’re trying to achieve. As you have already scheduled your major work commitments, this could be any other goal related to your health, relationships, finances, personal growth, fun &amp; recreation or physical environment.</p>
<p>To see how satisfied you currently are in each of the different areas of your life, do the <a href="http://www.startofhappiness.com/wheel-of-life-a-self-assessment-tool/">Wheel of Life assessment</a>. It takes 5 minutes and provides a great starting point for this exercise.</p>
<h2>Entering the New Year With Clarity</h2>
<p>This process doesn’t take long to do. I whipped my calendar up a couple of days ago in about an hour. Over the next few days I’ll be fine-tuning it.</p>
<p>Going into the New Year with clarity on how many days you’re going to have off versus how many days you’re going to be spending on creating versus how many days you’re going to be spending on promoting etc really helps you to feel calm and collected about the year ahead.</p>
<p>You can enter the New Year with full knowledge that your life is going to be balanced and that you will achieve the things that you have planned to do (as long as you stick to it). It will also help you to avoid getting stressed or overwhelmed.</p>
<p>Next Year I have 117 days scheduled to be off. This means I’m going to be working for the remaining 248 days. Now that I know this, <strong>I have a real sense of peace</strong> knowing that about 1 in every 3 days for the whole year is going to be a day that I can relax and do anything I wish to that I haven’t planned for.</p>
<p>It also gives me comfort that I can better predict how my year is going to unfold and how much income I’m going to make from my businesses.</p>
<h2>Your Turn</h2>
<p>I’ve given you the tool and the process for getting clarity on the year ahead. <strong>Now, my challenge to you is to take 30 minutes, right now, and <em>create</em> your year.</strong> At this time of year, lots of people talk about making the next year their best ever but few actually take the time to plan it out and make it so.</p>
<p>If you can’t do it right now, then schedule 30 minutes to do it in the next few days.</p>
<p>If you know of someone that might benefit from this tool and process, I encourage you to share this with them.</p>
<div class="content-box-green" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox/145e619f3f72a2%3A1535be055346dc/5730827476402176/" target="_blank">Download your 2017 Yearly Planner</a><script data-leadbox="145e619f3f72a2:1535be055346dc" data-url="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox/145e619f3f72a2%3A1535be055346dc/5730827476402176/" data-config="%7B%7D" type="text/javascript" src="https://brendanbaker.leadpages.co/leadbox-1481220859.js"></script></div>
<p>As a head&#8217;s up, I&#8217;m going to be opening up the doors to my Launch Your Life Academy next week, where you can get my step-by-step blueprint for creating your life masterplan and taking massive action.</p>
<p>Have a great weekend and speak to you in a few days!</p>
<p>Brendan</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com/best-year-ever/">Make 2017 Your Best Year Ever (Free 2017 Planner)</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.startofhappiness.com">The Start of Happiness</a>.</p>
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