I have just spent 3 days with a friend who calls himself a Lifestyle Trader on the stock market. This concept is good and I like the idea of trading whilst not letting it impede on your lifestyle. If we let that happen, then it would just be another JOB. In my quest to spread the word about Success Communication, I will take up the task of discussing the topic of Lifestyle. After all, without lifestyle, life could be pretty mundane. It is also vital to your Sense of Identity.
Can We Change Our Lifestyle?
We’ve all heard the excuses – we’re too tired, too poor, and too busy. No matter what we want to change in our lives, we can come up with dozens of reasons why we just can’t make the necessary adjustments to our lifestyle. It’s not a stretch to begin to think that we actually can’t change our lifestyle, but that’s not completely true. Indeed, we CAN change the way we live in this world, if only we adjust our thinking.
Find Examples Of Success
In my article about The Feeling Of Success, I mentioned that “Success = Gratitude“. Surround yourself with success stories. They can make you feel grateful and will bring great motivation to our personal plans. Whether we want the same things as the successful person or not, by realizing that others have had success and do have success, we can begin to believe that we will too. Search for friends and family members who have had success and ask to hear their stories. You can even write down these stories to have reminders to read when times get a little tougher. Remember, all great ideas start with a dream. Dreams become thoughts and thoughts (combined with action) become reality.
CDI – Consistent Daily Improvement
Too often, we think that change needs to be in leaps and bounds in order to count toward rea’ changes in our lives – but this is far from the case. Think of small ways that you can adjust your lifestyle today. For example, you might want to start by adding in one extra glass of water to your diet each day when your goal is to start eating healthier. In a few weeks, add another glass of water to each day until you reach your goal. These little successes add up to big motivation for your goals. If you improve yourself by 1% every day, you will have a 100% improvement in 100 days. Not bad! That is also referred to as CDI. Consistent Daily Improvement.
Stay Motivated
There will be times when your motivation wanes and it seems like you will never make the lifestyle changes necessary to become the person you want to be. But just as the bad times come, they will also go. Just continue to persevere and reach the smaller goals that you have set, and your troubles will be gone before you know it. These are times of failure, after all; they’re great times for learning.
Here’s to an improved Lifestyle
Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
SeanRasmussen.com © 2004 – 2007
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for this great post Sean
It’s just what I needed this morning… a pleasure to read!
Thanks Ange. My pleasure!
Is a good post!
I just got the answer i want from here…
Thanks a lot…
I like the idea of constant daily improvement – breaking big goals down into small steps along the way. It also reminds me of the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen. While Kaizen seems to relate more to a corporate context, there are definitely some interesting parallels in how it could be used in personal improvement.
For me, the concept of ‘lifestyle’ isn’t a destination, and my ideal lifestyle definitely isn’t a place where I think I could end up by accident. Rather, I think of lifestyle is a matter of daily choice, and that people get what they settle for. It is important to recognise that creeping ‘non-choice’ can in itself be a choice to be swept along by the ordinary.
So how to avoid this? Well, I need to make sure that 1) I know what sort of lifestyle I want, and 2) I ensure the method I want to use to earn money fits into my desired lifestyle. Otherwise I would be letting work dictate life, which can be all too easy to let happen but doesn’t sound like so much fun.
Tom McEwin´s last blog ..Getting Targeted Internet Traffic and a Hungry Crowd
Tom, Never heard of Kaizen so thanks for mentioning it. I like your take on ‘lifestyle’.
It’s been an interesting journey the last few months and I am beginning to change my views on many things. I already have the vision of the lifestyle that I want. The next big step is to identify how to get there (and to stop work dictating my life).
“If you improve yourself by 1% every day, you will have a 100% improvement in 100 days”.
Cemil´s last blog ..Add Custom Footer to Thesis Theme
This is also something that alot of life coaches teach, it takes 30 days to change a habit, so make a consistent effort to chip away at that goal one day at a time.
Lisa´s last blog ..Sign Language for Babies
I rather believe you can change a habit in an instance.
Samantha Banfield´s last blog ..Sean Rasmussen and his crazy talk!
Mental toughnes. Emotional intelligence. These are a couple of phrases that spring to mind when I read this post. In order to make the constant daily changes we require and keep up the motivation to apply changes long enough for them to become a habit, we have to be in charge of our thoughts and emotions. I am currently tring to improve my diet for a range of medical reasons. It would be easy for me to revert back to my usual bad habits but whenever I see a lovley piece of cake, or pass my favourite fast-food joint on the way to the green-grocers I just remind myself why I am doing it. After a few weeks I am now enjoying my almost vegetarian diet.
Make your reason powerful enough and be in charge of your impulses.
Yes, I agree, make small changes and apply them consistently, that’s what works best for me. I also like going to funerals of successful people to hear what they did in their lives that they wouldn’t tell anyone. I knew someone who had an amazing life but who kept it to himself. So, before he died, I asked him to record his life story on a tape recorder and then I typed it up. Fascinating.
Wal Heinrich´s last blog ..Internet Marketing Why? How?
Hi Wal
6 Months ago it was brought home to me even in your own family you don’t always know a person and their achievements.
My Sister in Law passed away and till then never knew she was the top Archivist with B.H.P then with the QLD Government and some other high profile government places I then relised, I didn’t really know her, as when she left a place she put it behind her and never spoke of it again the number of people there to say good by who were amazed at the FULL and rewarding life she had lived.
Hi Sean,
I love the concept of Constant Daily Improvement. A series of tiny improvements each day will gain momentum and in no time flat, we will actually be well on our way to achieving our goals.
Also, small improvements are less confronting than making big changes and I think they’re more likely to last.
It’s better than trying to accomplish massive changes that take you from zero to a million. Too much resulting in overwhelm! So I have to agree with you Jazz – small POSITIVE changes will increase momentum to the goal we are travelling to.
But what I like to add is that when we do small changes we tend to not notice & we get there faster as we forget… and that’s a good thing. Nice surprise for all the little things we have done to get there.
Samantha Banfield´s last blog ..Apple iPad Launch
I like the idea of the term Constant Daily Improvement. This is exactly what Mark Joyner teaches in his Simpleology. It’s absolutely brilliant
Gee´s last blog ..Why You Should Just Ignore Fad Diets (Part 2)
All I ask of myself is consistant daily improvement. No matter how small it is – I know I became a better person for it. Often the small improvements are part of a bigger picture. I’m getting better & better with that.
Keeping up the state of motivation has to be the toughest part. If had the key to success on that one then life would be so much bloody better!!
Samantha Banfield´s last blog ..Sean Rasmussen and his crazy talk!
I’ve made a habit of naming at least 5 things that I’m grateful for on a daily basis as I drive to work. It’s a small thing to do and takes no effort at all, yet it’s had a great impact on the way I look at my life now.
Colin´s last blog ..People Who Discourage Us
Hi Colin,
I have to agree. Once I started to actually name the things I was grateful for, it changed my whole outlook on life, too. It’s such an easy thing to start doing and it has such an enormous impact.
I agree Colin. Making a list of things that you are graeful for does drive you to create more & therefore have more to be grateful for. I find that I feel so much love as well! How can you not love all that you are grateful for?
I heard the other day, someone saying that if we were to improve 1% per day, then in a year we would be 365% better! While I didn’t go to the same math class he did, I have to admit that the idea was inspiring – if you believe it you can achieve it.
The other great thing about a little improvement everyday, is that we can reassure ourselves every night that something IS changing – because we can see what we have done, and so we can keep on inspiring ourselves.
Jo Carey-Bradshaw´s last blog ..Empowering Mindset – Mindfulness
I see you are good at maths & knowing exactly how many days there are in the year. But you forgot something… Leap Years! Ha! I got you there Jo.
I know Sean is intent on improving us all – some may choose less than 1% but there is at least 5% of us that choose to make improvements in leaps 7 bounds. How on earth do you measure that?
Samantha Banfield´s last blog ..Sean Rasmussen and his crazy talk!
Hello Sean,
“What is Lifestyle” – for me its about being balanced in life. I need to walk to feel better, I love to drink water (actually I probably drink too much), I have to have down time, I need to exercise at the gym, I need my family, I need good friends and I believe its the whole picture for a lifestyle that is going to treat you right.
I bet meeting the Lifestyle Trader was a great time, catching up with a like minded person.
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa Wood´s last blog ..Searching For Gratitude Rocks
Hi Sean,
Lisa, I like the idea of the balance that you are living. I think that is “lifestyle” and you are in the right track.
I like many other people who commented on this blog like the thought of the 1% improvement per day.
Sounds achievable and makes much more sense than busting yourself one day and resting the next. Something I have been known to do at times.
Also, Sean said, “find examples of success” makes a lot of sense.
Thanks Sean.
Hello Jill,
Thank you for kind comment. It is finding balance within, and balance in life.
The 1% improvement each day, that sounds like a great plan. I too tend to bust my self hard one day, and then crash the next. I am getting better at changing my old habits and creating new ones
How can you see your lifestyle changing in the next 12 months? Can you see you having fun times, with work times?
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa Wood´s last blog ..Our Kids Today
Lisa, a balance is the key. I am far from balanced so that’s an excellent point!
I stay motivated by the company I keep. How simple is that? Well, not just that, but it can make all the difference in the world. If I have people around me that hold me up to a higher standard & say, “Hey Sam you are THE funniest person in the entire world & the universe, so you gotta keep going. Without your humour the world will suffer & die a miserable death.”
Then I know I must continue at all costs!!!
Love the thought of the extra 1% per day as a start to a new lifestyle. Wish my options trading would do that in this very quiet time in the market, so as a consolation prize, I’ll settle for an extra glass of water before my morning walk. That make 2 huge glasses.
The CDI idea appeals to me very powerfully. If I consistently make these 1 % better baby steps every day, in 100 days who knows where I’ll be.
Harry Lynn´s last blog ..How Proud Can One Be ?
Hi Sean,
Living a first-class Lifestyle can be an inexhaustible topic. It has different meanings to different people depending on values. Lifestyle can mean extravagance to some and scarcity to others.
I’m also sold on the idea that changing by only 1% per day towards improving an undesirable lifestyle can help to achieve desirable and positive results.
An excellent lesson in self-awareness in this article, thank-you Sean,
Jill Brown´s last blog ..Common Law Marriage – What is Common Law Marriage?
Hi Sean
I really enjoyed this post, it is so true and to the point. Consistent daily improvement is important to train your whole self into the ideal person you see yourself to be. The best sports people, greatest musicians, dancers, actors, singers etc in the world became that way because they practiced every day.
Stay motivated and how do we do that? Here is a tip. Ask yourself “what will happen if I don’t reach my goal?”
“Success = Gratitude“