One of the hallmarks of all successful and high achieving men and women is that they are always determined to get the very most out of life. They are fully engaged. The successful person in Maslow's words, wants to "become everything he or she is capable of becoming."
You may have a thousand different goals over the course of your lifetime, but they will all fall under one or four basic categories. These categories are, a desire for happy relationships, a desire for interesting and fulfilling work, a desire for financial independence, and a desire for good health. Everything you do is an attempt to enhance the quality of your life in one or more of these areas.
The common denominator for all of these areas of desire, and the essential requirement for achieving each of them, is high levels of energy. To achieve even a small amount of success in any one of these areas requires the development and expenditure of energy. It is the critical element you must have to accomplish anything in life.
Your goal should always be to constantly increase your return on energy. You need to be continually organizing and reorganizing your time and resources so that you can get the very most pleasure, satisfaction, and rewards from the time and energy you put in on a daily basis.
Just as companies have financial capital, you have human capital. Your human capital is composed of mental, emotional, and physical energy. The more of it you have to invest, and the more intelligently you invest it, the greater your rewards will be, and the higher your returns on the amount of your life that you invest in your activities.
There are two major sets of needs that everyone has. These are deficiency needs and growth needs. Deficiency needs refer to the needs that most people have to compensate for their deficiencies, real and imaginary. The great majority of people spend the greater part of their lives compensating for their deficiencies rather than realizing their potential.
Growth needs are the needs that you have to become better in the areas of your life that are most important to you. There is a natural evolution in the development of human personality, from negative to positive, from focusing on deficiency needs to dedicating yourself to satisfying your growth needs. The common denominator is always growth, your becoming more and more, and of realizing your full potential.
It is not the amount of time that you spend at your work or on your relationships that will give you the best results. Rather, it is the amount of yourself that you put into the time that makes the difference. For example if you've gone to bed late, gotten up early, and gone to work tired, you may be physically present for eight hours but the quality and quantity of work that you will accomplish during that period of time is only a small percentage of what you can accomplish when you are fully rested, healthy, and filled with enthusiasm.
In every area of your life, it is the quality of the time that you put into your activities that determines the rewards and satisfaction that you will receive. And the quality of your time depends on your energy level.
One of the characteristics of all successful men and women is that they work hard. They all have high levels of energy and vitality. Since high levels of energy are central to everything you accomplish it is very important that you do the things that build and sustain your levels of energy.
Maintaining the proper weight is a key to maintaining high levels of energy. Excess weight tires you out. It taxes your heart, lungs, muscles, and other organs in your body. Extra weight forces your body to burn up more energy than it normally would, just to maintain your proper body functions. Losing weight will increase your energy levels almost immediately. Your self-esteem will go up. You will feel healthier and happier. As you loose weight, you will feel a greater sense of power and personal control. When you reach your ideal weight you will feel better about yourself and you will be more effective in everything that you do.
The foods that you eat have a major impact on your energy level throughout the day. Changes in your diet can make you feel fresh, more alive, and filled with greater vitality. Studies have shown that one of the best ways to increase the longevity or your life is to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products. And cut back or eliminate wherever possible your intake of sugar, salt, and flour.
Regular exercise will do more to enhance your levels of energy than anything else. When you exercise on a daily basis you will feel better and live longer as well. Regular exercise enhances your digestion, reduces the number of hours that you need to sleep, increases mental capabilities, and keeps your emotions level.
There are three basic types of exercise: flexibility, strength, and endurance. Flexibility exercises, like yoga, are excellent because they increase the overall flexibility of your muscles and joints. Strength exercises, such as weight lifting make you feel strong, confident, and competent to do the things you want to do in every area of your life. But the most important exercise to increase your levels of energy and endurance are aerobics. You should do some type of aerobic exercise three to four times a week, for at least 30 minutes.
In addition to proper diet and exercise you need to have proper rest and relaxation as well. On average, you need seven to eight hours of sound sleep each night. Some people can get by on less. But you should plan and organize your evenings so that you are "early to bed and early to rise." Remember, nature demands balance in all things. If you are going to work hard, during the day, you must take time off to rest and recuperate in the evenings and on the weekends.
Deep breathing at different times during the day will not only increase your levels of energy but it will also keep you fresh, calm, and relaxed. When you practice deep breathing you should fill your lungs to the count of ten, hold in for the count of ten, and then exhale to the count of ten. You should make a habit of doing deep diaphragmatic breathing two to three times each day.
You cannot have any great success or achievement without having a positive mental attitude. The more positive you are, the more energy you will have. The more positive you are, the happier you will be. The more positive you are the more positive people and situations you will attract into your life. The more positive you are, the easier it will be for you to get the cooperation of other people. And the more positive you are, the more effective you will be in every area of you life.
Your level of energy is the true measure of how well you are doing in the mental, emotional, and physical realms. You must be deliberate about building and maintaining high levels of health, energy, and vitality. You must maintain the proper weight, eat the right foods, and combine your foods properly. You need to exercise regularly, get lots of rest, and practice deep diaphragmatic breathing each day. Above all, you must have the kind of positive attitude that makes you feel good about yourself and makes other people feel good about being around you. When you have high levels of energy each day, you will achieve your goals and become a success in whatever you set out to do.
Copyright© 2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many of America's largest corporations, on the subjects of leadership, self-esteem, goals, achievement, and success psychology.
Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com
Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|


Do you know that there is a formula for attaining... Read More
I want to relate to you a story, READ it... Read More
Self-change is a personal phenomenon. In order to accomplish it,... Read More
I do! I want to be a millionaire! Do you?Judging... Read More
Along with time and money, energy is one of your... Read More
Hey,Josh here from Investor Wealth Academy sitting 29 stories above... Read More
You have a choice today?You can remain in the same... Read More
There have been a lot of really good movies made... Read More
Why everything has to be so hard? What have I... Read More
Your Head, think about what you want and move towards... Read More
"Don't get caught up in the how of things. If... Read More
It has been truly said, and history confirms, that the... Read More
Q: Are you a success?A: Its all in how you... Read More
Business knowledge and skills are not the only keys to... Read More
"I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the... Read More
1. Open your mind to new ideas: Positive behavior change... Read More
You can achieve whatever you want by incorporating the following... Read More
One of the first things most of us remember hearing... Read More
Remove these words from your vocabulary!The words "If only ?"... Read More
There are times when we feel we should take action,... Read More
"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather... Read More
One of the most common refrains I hear from people... Read More
"If you want to increase your success rate, double your... Read More
I wrote an article on this very subject, with the... Read More
Are you on the right track?Stop for a while, look... Read More
Creating a goal tracking chart is as simple as drawing... Read More
Get ready to sail the Seven C's - the Seven... Read More
Do you know what the problem is with asking successful... Read More
Clown around Among the Plains Indians, heyoka, or sacred clowns,... Read More
In my private practice for the past 13+ years I... Read More
Overnight success seems to be happening to a lot of... Read More
Ten years ago I went into the studio and recorded... Read More
No one wants to fail. But when in business you... Read More


Management by Objectives, strategic planning, quality, teams, re-engineering. Passing management... Read More
Self-improvement; A great deal has been written on the subject,... Read More
Q. My problem is that I have trouble keeping my... Read More
Jobs are heating up. We're all feeling the pinch of... Read More
A couple days ago I was listening to a CD... Read More
Temp your way to the top Want to take the... Read More
Greatness is all around us. From Oprah to Bill Gates... Read More
How many times do we fail at something, then attemp... Read More
Study hard, get good grades and you will have a... Read More
I once heard a speaker use the statement, "I have... Read More
A person who is illiterate can look at a word... Read More
Both the worst and the best of the great achievers... Read More
No one wants to fail. But when in business you... Read More
We're all adults, and most of us probably like to... Read More
Well I'll tell you what it's not. Even thought many... Read More
The world is full of people with great intentions. They... Read More
What do you need to have for a successful business?... Read More
Many of us have lost sight of what we really... Read More
About a month ago, I was hit by a car... Read More
We have all read about people who are successful briefly.... Read More
The need to be successful. This is the bottom line... Read More
"Things might have been worse"This is the most powerful, dynamic,... Read More
Friendly competition Get together with a group of like-minded friends... Read More
"Never, never, never give up; never give up, never!." -... Read More
Why do some people end up with boring jobs living... Read More
In this week's New Age Notebook, I am going to... Read More
Let's set the scene. You're in a packed stadium. It's... Read More
You've been searching for self improvement or personal development. Trying... Read More
Did you see or hear about 'The Masters' golf tournament... Read More
Q: Are you a success?A: Its all in how you... Read More
Fear, or negative anxiety, is the modern day bubonic plague,... Read More
In this brief article we will explore four methods that... Read More
A More Effective WayI own a stack of self improvement... Read More
Success |