Cultivate your moral compass (#3 of 6)

Today I want to share #3 of 6 foundational keys to becoming more productive, resourceful and successful.

#3 Cultivating your moral compass

Religious faith is associated with overall higher levels of emotional well being. (Now keep in mind research always describes groups and never any single individual.) There have been many research studies in psychology and medicine with a variety of groups, including college students, individuals recently widowed and adults with a variety of medical issues. All of this research indicates that having a system of faith allows people to navigate through life crises and life transitions more effortlessly. Having a clear moral compass provides individuals with a level of certainty and an ability to make sense and meaning out of difficult life experiences.

One way you can use your day-to-day choices to cultivate your moral compass is through engaging in consistent acts of kindness and generosity. A kind acts benefits both the person who engages in the kind act as well as the recipient of the kind act. For both it leads to an elevation in seritonin metabolite (a chemical associated with feelings of well-being).

Think about this relationship between your commitment to cultivating your moral compass and your overall success. Forget about pursuing success.

Forget about success?

What are you saying Dr. Mike?

I am saying - forget about pursuing success.

Instead follow Einstein's principle: "Try not to become a person of success. Rather become a person of value."

A person of contribution.

Success is a result of becoming the person you become.

You attract what you want in life as you become the complete person you have the power to become.

This may seem a little abstract, so let me narrow this down to a coaching exercise.
Here are some action steps to help you make the wise choices that will positively shape your life.

1. Determine what you want from life- Visualize what it looks and feels like. Write it down. Draw pictures, use shapes, symbols and colors to truly capture the life you want and love.

2. Clarify your values. Make a list of the things in life that are most important to you-write them down and in order of importance. Ask yourself what values would I need to dedicate myself to attract the kind of life I described above.

3. Identify the morals and guiding principles you are committed to living your life by. Write down at least 10 qualities that reflect the most cherished morals and principles you are committed to holding yourself to. They may include kindness, compassion, honesty, integrity, loyalty, dedication, humility, etc....

4. For each of the morals or principles you have identified, identified specific behaviors that would exemplify them. The more specific the better.

5. Use the lists from #2, 3 and 4 when you are presented with tough choices or dilemma. Ask your self how approaching this situation with the value, moral or principle of __________________ would look like?

6. Each morning anchor yourself to what you identified in #1. Also anchor yourself to the values, morals and principles you are committed to dedicating your life to. Then complicate Einstein's principle: "Try not to become a person of success. Rather become a person of value."

Here is to futher cultivating your moral compass!

Dr. Mike
mike@PartnersInPurpoe.com
847 490-7689

Building Optimism (#2 of 6)

Today I want to share #2 of 6 foundational keys to becoming more productive, resourceful and successful.

Key #2 is Building a Positive Outlook

Building a positive outlook is about training yourself to be more optimistic. Optimism is merely a mental or thinking habit. It is teachable. It is learnable. It is just a habit. You may be wondering, what is optimism.

Thanks for asking.

Optimism is the ability to look at the brighter side of life and to maintain a positive attitude, even in the face of adversity. The ability to bounce back from disappointment.

Optimism involves always believing that everything will turn out well. Right?

Another good question. The answer is NO.

That is merely poor Reality Testing.

Optimism means always giving yourself pep talks - just keep saying positive things to yourself. Right?

Again, good question. And again, No.

First, you won't hear the pep talks after a short while because you know that they are phony. Second, you are in danger of hiding too much from real negatives that you need to notice and plan around.

Then what is Optimism, really?

Wow. These are great questions...

Optimism is when...

A. You practice Optimism when you choose to view setbacks, downturns, and disappointments as temporary rather than permanent. Even if times are bad right now, you recognize that this need not be a permanent condition. Things can and probably will improve.

B. You practice Optimism when you choose to see misfortune as situational rather than pervasive. For example, your company is reducing its workforce and has let you go. While this may be a bad situation, it does not mean that you are an undesirable employee and will never work again.

C. You practice Optimism when you choose not to personalize bad events with statements like "Just my luck." "This always happens to me." "I have a black cloud over my life." "I always screw things up."As an optimist you recognize that there are elements in a failed situation that you may not have been able to control, you are realistic about the aspects that you can control. If your performance in one of those aspects was poor, you take heart in the fact that it is within your control to do better or different next time.

Here is to you becoming more optimistic!

To Your Greatness!

Dr. Mike
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

P.S. If you have any questions about individualizedconsultation or coaching to help you live your big dream, contact me at mike@PartnersInPurpose.com .

Becoming more resourceful (part 1 of 6)

I have put together a message called: 6 foundational keys to becoming more productive, resourceful and successful. I want to share these 6 foundational key over the next 6 days. I hope you enjoy them.

Here is the first.

Key #1: Cultivate a bias for action

Successful people are action oriented. They of course study and contemplate, but never in place of taking action. There is ample research that shows that people with more of an orientation toward action have a greater level of emotional well-being. One recent study of first year medical students found that those who enjoyed the most success had a bias for action and a bias for solving problems. The less successful students were more passive, avoided problems and had higher levels of depression, substance abuse and other unhealthy escape behaviors.

It may seem like people are either action oriented or they are not. As if it is some genetic or unchangeable trait. This is definitely NOT the case. We can learn to be more action oriented. We can increase our tolerance for risk. We can enhance or ability to take on and master difficult takes. It is a little like an exercise program. You take action first, and the motivation and momentum come second. Unfortunately more passive individuals want to eat the fruit before they plant the seeds. They want instant results. They want guarantees. It just does not work that way. Cultivating a bias for action does not mean that every action will always get you desirable results. It simply means you get more opportunities to get desirable results. More learning experiences. More opportunities to see what works and what does not work.

Keep these simple formulas in mind. More actions equals more results. More action equals more leaning. More action helps you more rapidly overcome challenges. Overcoming more challenges helps you boost your self confidence. More self confidence helps you take more risks, be more productive, more resourceful and more successful.

Here is to you becoming more action oriented!

To Your Greatness!

Dr. Mike
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

P.S. If you have any questions about individualizedconsultation or coaching to help you live your big dream, contact me at mike@PartnersInPurpose.com . =============================================
Copyright, 2007.
www.PartnersInPurpose.com All rights reserved.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Mike Davison
3295 N. Arlington Heights Rd. Suite 103
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Telephone: (847) 490-7689
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com
=============================================

Are you using your brain to your advantage?

This may seem like a strange question. But it is an important one.

Let me explain.

We have a part of our brain called the reticular activating system (RAS). The RAS is a network-like group of cells at the base of your brain. Your RAS works like an Internet search engine. Like a search engine, your RAS sorts through all the information around you and contributes automatically to what is relevant to you - what you should pay attention to and what you should ignore.

Let me give you a common example of the RAS at work. Think about being in a public place with lots of people and activity. With all of the visual and auditory information going on around you, you "somehow" hear someone say your name. That's your RAS at work. It sorted through the billions of bits of information and highlighted that one word. Because it is relevant to you. And because there is emotion associated with your name. That which you frequently think about and associate emotion to activates your RAS. It doesn't matter if it's positive or negative - so be careful what you think about and attach emotion to. Train yourself to activate your RAS at will. This is learning how to harness the power of your other-than -conscious mind.

You may be saying, Dr. Mike, how can I do this?

I am glad you asked.

Here is a quick exercise.

Get crystal clear about what you want.

Write it down.

Review what you want to attract or create two or three times a day - every day. Review it in words (affirmations) and in images (visualization).

Think about it "As If" you have already attracted "it" into your life. Allow yourself to experience the emotion.

Write down when you attract or create what you expected.

It is a great way to reinforce the power of your purposeful programing of your RAS!

Regards,

Dr. Mike

P.S. If you'd like to know how I can help you, call me today at (847) 490-7689 or email me at mike@PartnersInPurpose.com to set up your complimentary get-acquainted meeting to see if my coaching program is right for you.

Your Thoughts DO matter!

Remember, your thoughts do matter. They can make you or break you.Your mindset DOES matter.

Below is a fr.ee offer to help you help you further create the mindset you need to achieve your Big Dream.

But first think about this...

Your current consciousness is giving structure to your future, so make sure you take time to cultivate your consciousness. A consciousness of doubt, negativity or resentment is a 'luxury' you can't afford. There is too much at stake.

Elevating yourself is never just about you. It is much bigger than that. Simple kindness to all of humanity, including yourself, is the most transformational force of all. Kindness elevates you and those you encounter. Going after your dreams give others the gift of an expanded awareness of their own dreams. Think of the story of Roger Bannister. He was the first person to break the 4 minute mile record. His determination and his belief in himself made this possible for thousands since. He expanded our collective perspective on human possibility and potential.

Align your self with consciousness raising virtues such as loving kindness, tolerance, generosity, gratitude, patience.... Alignment with life enhancing principles will elevate you and those around you to their personal best.

Your consciousness is deeply linked with your identity. The more restricted that your view of self is, the more restricted your experience of life will be. Let me share a concrete example. I will use poverty as an example. Poverty is not merely a financial state. Poverty is also a consciousness of lack in the area of self esteem, energy, education, recourses, and many other things.

This is why change, on an individual or cultural level, can be so difficult. Your consciousnesses filters your experiences. Your consciousness also contributes to what you arranging for and create in your life.

The most rapid path to creating change is cultivating your consciousness. Be mindful of your thought life. Be mindful of who you send time with. Be mindful of the kind of television programs you watch.

Think about it. Have you ever spent a chuck of time with someone who complains and criticizes on an almost continual basis. It is easy to get caught up in it. It lowers your consciousness (at least for a short time). Consciousness is contagious. So spend time cultivating your own. Be mindful of what you allow into your mind.

I encourage you to commit to take time each day to cultivate one life enhancing virtue. It may be compassion, gentleness, love, tolerance, forgiveness, or any other quality you wish to exude.
A life committed to enhancing those around you is a life that can never lose meaning.

If you would like a fr.ee ebook originally authored by Emile Coue, just send me an email.
Emile Coue is considered to be the father of autosuggestion. He is best know for his self suggestion, "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better".

Coue's method involves the routine repetition of such expressions, according to a specified ritual, at the beginning and the ending of each day. It is a powerful part of a more comprehensive personal development plan.

If you want his powerful resource, please simply send me an email.

Respectfully,

Dr. Mike Davison
Your Destiny Doctor
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com