62 WAYS TO MAKE 2012 YOUR BEST YEAR YET - by Robin Sharma

1. Remember that leadership isn’t about your position. It’s about your influence.

2. Get fit like a pro athlete.

3. Lift people up versus tearing people down.

4. Protect your good name. An impeccable reputation takes a lifetime to build. And 60 seconds to lose.

5. Surround yourself with positive, ethical people who are committed to excellence.

6. Remember that even a 1% daily innovation rate amounts to at least a 100% rate of innovation in 100 days.

7. Believe in your dreams (even when others laugh at them).

8. Measure your success, not by your net worth but by your self worth (and how happy you feel).

9. Take an intelligent risk every 24 hours. No try-No Win.

10. Read “Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist“.

11. Watch “Man on Wire“.

12. Regardless of your title at work, be a team builder.

13. Remember that business is all about relationships and human connections.

14. Say “please” more.

15. Say “thank you” more.

16. Know your Big 5: the five things that need to happen by the end of this year for you to feel its been your best year yet.

17. Read your Big 5 every morning while the rest of the world is asleep.

18. Read “As You Think“. At least twice this year.

19. Be willing to fail. It’s the price of greatness.

20. Focus less on making money and more on creating value.

21. Spend less, save more.

22. Leave everything you touch better than you found it.

23. Be the most positive person in every room you’re in.

24. Run your own race.

24. Stay true to your deepest values and best ideals.

25. Write a handwritten thank you note to a customer/friend/loved one every day.

26. When you travel, send love letters to your kids on hotel stationery. In time, they’ll have a rich collection to remember your travels by.

27. Read “Atlas Shrugged“.

28. Be a problem solver versus a trouble maker.

29. Rather than doing many things at mediocrity do just a few things-but at mastery.

30. Honor your parents.

31. Commit to doing great work-whether anyone notices it or not. It’s one of life’s best sources of happiness.

32. Give more than you receive (another of the truths of happiness).

33. Have your 1/3/5/10/25 years goals recorded on paper and review them weekly.

34. Be patient. Slow and steady wins the race. The only reason businesses that went from zero to a billion in a year or two get featured in magazines is because 99% of businesses require a lot more time to win.

34. Underpromise and then overdeliver.

35. See part of your job as “a developer of people” (whether you work in the boardroom or the mailroom).

36. Wear your heart on your sleeve. When people see you’re real, they’ll fall in love with you.

37. Be authentic versus plastic.

38. Read “The Alchemist“.

39. Remember that life wants you to win. So get out of your own way.

40. Consider that behind every fear lives your next level of growth (and power).

41. Eat less food.

42. Drink more water.

43. Rest when you need to.

44. Read “SUCCESS” magazine.

45. Write your eulogy and them live your life backwards.

46. Demand the best from yourself.

47. Remember that the more you go to your limits, the more your limits will expand.

48. See everything that happens to you as an opportunity to grow (and therefore, as a precious gift).

49. Be obsessed with learning and self-development.

50. Become comfortable alone (you are the only person you get to be with your whole life).

51. Smile. It’s a stunningly effective way to win in business and life.

52. Reflect on the shortness of life.

53. Be bold when it comes to your dreams but gentle with those you love.

54. Remember that success is dangerous because it can kill drive/innovation/passion and going the extra mile. Be successful yet stay hungry.

55. Read “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin“.

56. Be of deep value to this world.

57. Own beautiful things but don’t let them own you.

58. Use excellent words.

59. Laugh more.

60. Don’t complain, gossip or be negative.

61. Plan as if you’ll live forever but live as if you’ll die tomorrow.

62. Feel free to pass these lessons on to those you want to help.

Written by Robin Sharma, January 3, 2010. For more information visit robinsharma.com. Robin’s new book “The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable On Real Success in Business and Life” will be published by Simon and Schuster in March. Many of the ideas above come from it.

Seven Rules for the Rewarding Life - by Robin Sharma

A rewarding life is a simple creation, made up of daily acts of excellence, contribution and self-leadership. All too often, we believe that a great life requires us to do something heroic and involves a grand gesture that makes us stand out from the crowd.

However, this is not the case.

Instead, a richly rewarding life occurs when we commit ourselves to being excellent on a daily basis and committing small, consistent acts of 'minor greatness' which over the course of a lifetime amount to something very grand and significant. In my work as an author and a leadership thinker, I have the opportunity to show people how to live their best lives and create a lasting legacy in the process. What follows are seven rules that will help you lift your life to its next level.

Rule 1 - PUT PEOPLE OVER POSSESSIONS

All of the wisdom literature essentially says the same thing: A rewarding life is defined by the quality of your relationships. At the end of your life when you are on your deathbed, you will not ask the nurse to wheel in your new car nor will you ask the orderly to cart in the money that rests in your bank account. Instead, you will ask that those you love be near you in your final moments and reflect on your memories you have all enjoyed.

If this fact will be important to you then, it should be important to you now. I have found in my own life that I am at my best when my relationships are strong and I am nurturing each and every one of them. If you are finding that you lack fulfillment in your life, dedicate yourself to giving more to your personal and professional relationships and you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.

...the rest to be continued...

(by Robin Sharma)

60 TIPS FOR A STUNNINGLY GREAT LIFE by Robin Sharma

I want to shift gears from leadership to a pure focus on crafting an exceptional life for this blog post. Ultimately, life goes by in a blink. And too many people live the same year 80 times. To avoid getting to the end and feeling flooded regret over a live half-lived, read (and then apply) these tips:

1. Exercise daily.

2. Get serious about gratitude.

3. See your work as a craft.

4. Expect the best and prepare for the worst.

5. Keep a journal.

6. Read “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”.

7. Plan a schedule for your week.

8. Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.

9. Say no to distractions.

10. Drink a lot of water.

11. Improve your work every single day.

12. Get a mentor.

13. Hire a coach.

14. Get up at 5 am each day.

15. Eat less food.

16. Find more heroes.

17. Be a hero to someone.

18. Smile at strangers.

19. Be the most ethical person you know.

20. Don’t settle for anything less than excellence.

21. Savor life’s simplest pleasures.

22. Save 10% of your income each month.

23. Spend time at art galleries.

24. Walk in the woods.

25. Write thank you letters to those who’ve helped you.

26. Forgive those who’ve wronged you.

27. Remember that leadership is about influence and impact, not title and accolades.

28. Create unforgettable moments with those you love.

29. Have 5 great friends.

30. Become stunningly polite.

31. Unplug your TV.

32. Sell your TV.

33. Read daily.

34. Avoid the news.

35. Be content with what you have.

36. Pursue your dreams.

37. Be authentic.

38. Be passionate.

39. Say sorry when you know you should.

40. Never miss a moment to celebrate another.

41. Have a vision for your life.

42. Know your strengths.

43. Focus your mind on the good versus the lack.

44. Be patient.

45. Don’t give up.

46. Clean up your messes.

47. Use impeccable words.

48. Travel more.

49. Read “As You Think”.

50. Honor your parents.

51. Tip taxi drivers well.

52. Be a great teammate.

53. Give no energy to critics.

54. Spend time in the mountains.

55. Know your top 5 values.

56. Shift from being busy to achieving results.

57. Innovate and iterate.

58. Speak less. Listen more.

59. Be the best person you know.

60. Make your life matter.

20 tips to being happy by Dr Tim Sharp

This article is based on the following philosophy:
Happiness is the ultimate purpose in life
Happiness is achievable, for all of us
Happiness is determined more by our minds than by our circumstances

The disciplines that will lead to and enhance happiness (such as helpful thinking and good habits) can be learned and mastered, with practice.

Tip 1 - Make happiness a priority. If happiness is not at the top of your list then other things will take precedence. If other things take precedence, they may well interfere with your efforts to feel good.

Tip 2 - Make plans to be happy. Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Just like in any other life domain, the successful pursuit of happiness requires planning.

Tip 3 - Set happy goals. Following on from Tip 2, planning requires effective goal setting. And don’t forget to make sure your goals are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timed).

Tip 4 - Do things that make you happy. Although this sounds obvious, many people simple forget to do things from which they gain pleasure. And do them as
often as possible.

Tip 5 - Set yourself tasks from which you’ll gain satisfaction. As well as pleasure and enjoyment, satisfaction is also an important part of happiness. So make sure that when you’re planning your tasks and activities you include things that might not be fun, but from which you’ll gain a sense of achievement.

Tip 6 - Play and have fun. Don’t take life too seriously. Although we all have responsibilities there’s no reason why we can’t approach much of our lives in a playful manner. In fact, those who do so will undoubtedly be happier.

Tip 7 - Identify where your strengths lie. Know where your faults and weaknesses are to avoid problems. Know where your strengths lie to be really happy and to succeed in life.

Tip 8 - Utilise your strengths. Although we all can and should endeavour to improve in areas in which we’re weak there’s just as much, if not more, to be gained from focusing on the maximal utilisation of your strengths (including all your positive qualities and attributes).

Tip 9 - Be curious. Constantly search for new ways to be happy. Keep a look out for new ways to approach life and to have fun.

Tip 10 - Be grateful and appreciate what you have. We all have many choices in life one of which is whether to focus on all the things we don’t have (of which there might be many), or to focus on all the things we do have. There’s no doubt, that gratitude and appreciation will significantly increase your chances of experiencing happiness.

Tip 11 - Learn to like and ideally to love yourself. We must love before we can be loved. To love others and to be loved by others is a key component of happiness.

Tip 12 - Invest time and energy in to your key relationships. Happy people spend more time working on and in their relationships. Happy people tend to be more supportive of other people in their life. Happy people are more generous and altruistic.

Tip 13 - Socialise and interact with others as much as possible. Happy people have both more and better quality relationships. So as well as working to improve the quality of your relationships (as noted in Tip 12) it’s also worthwhile working to improve the number of your relationships.

Tip 14 -Weed out unhelpful thoughts. The Dalai Lama has been quoted saying that “The central method for achieving a happier life is to train your mind in a daily practice that weakens negative attitudes and strengthens positive ones.” Learn first to identify your thoughts and then begin to challenge those that are negative and unhelpful.

Tip 15 - Plant happier, optimistic thoughts. As noted in Tip 14, there are two parts to developing helpful, optimistic thinking. The first is to weed out unhelpful negative thoughts and the second is to plant more positive, optimistic ones. This is essentially a skill, and like any other skill becomes easier and more effective with practice.

Tip 16 -Live a healthy life. Eat well and keep active. Exercise regularly. Although not impossible, it’s difficult to be happy if you’re constantly sick and not very healthy.

Tip 17 -Ensure you gain adequate sleep and rest. Consistent with Tip 16, it’s difficult to be happy if you’re constantly tired and struggling to find enough energy to get through the day. To assist with this, regularly practice relaxation and/or meditation strategies.

Tip 18 -Manage your time and priorities. Happy people tend to believe they’re more in control of their lives. In doing so, they’re more likely to take an active approach to solving problems. If something’s not quite right in your life, do something. And further, make sure that what you’re doing is important. Put first things first.

Tip 19 -Control what you can control. Accept what you can’t control. And learn to be wise enough to know the difference.

Tip 20 - Live in the present moment. The author, Henry Miller once said “Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognise it as such.” The only moment in which we can truly be happy is the present moment. The only moment over which we have control is the present moment. So be happy now! Because if not now, then when?

Tip 21 – an EXTRA tip to make you happy!

Make happiness an integral part of your life. Develop happiness routines and make them a part of your every day living. Remind yourself however you can to do what you need to do and reward yourself as often as possible for doing what you’ve done.

Dr. Sharp is one of Australia’s leaders in the exciting new science of positive psychology and happiness. In short, he is one of this country’s leading Executive Coaches, a highly qualified consultant on matters relating to human behaviour and psychology (particularly the application of positive psychology principles within organisations and teams) and a sought after public/corporate speaker. For more information please email info@thehappinessinstitute or visit The Happiness Institute

15 Ways For You To Do Your Best Work by Robin Sharma

Do your best work by challenging the way you did things yesterday.
Do your best work by allowing your passion to see the light of day.
Do your best work by becoming part of the solution versus growing the problem.
Do your best work by expecting nothing less than you playing at world-class.
Do your best work by giving away the credit (especially when you crave it)
Do your best work by practicing your skills so you become a virtuoso.
Do your best work by releasing excuses and doing important things.
Do your best work by getting up when you’ve been knocked down.
Do your best work by keeping your promises; to others and to yourself.
Do your best work by showing integrity.
Do your best work by delivering more value than anyone could ever expect from you.
Do your best work by making time to refill your well.
Do your best work by having a strong foundation at home.
Do your best work by becoming as fit as a pro athlete.
Do your best work by doing work that makes a difference and inspires others to do the same.

As Chuck Palahniuk once said: “The goal isn’t to live forever. The goal is to create something that will.”