Personal Excellence Tips

"What's your very best personal excellence tip?" Sixty-six engaged readers took the challengeand now share with us advice on what makes the most positive impact on their lives.

1. Mistakes are the seeds of evolution and change. It is said that the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. And it's within this single step that lessons are learned, directions are given, and mistakes have already been made a thousand times over. It is in fact this single step that provides us with an opportunity to learn from all those who came before us and to lay down the seeds of personal evolution and change. Learning from another's experience could be the most important factor towards achieving any kind of success in life. [details] (by Adam Sicinski)
   
2. Be careful when comparing yourself to others. You know everything about yourself: your strengths, your weaknesses, your successes, and your failures. All you know about others is what they've chosen to show, and that would usually be only their success. List everything good about yourself and say, "Hey, I have a good personal résumé. Look at all I have achieved and what I can learn and achieve." You can then go out feeling good and prepared for whatever challenge the world presents for you. (by Colleen Dick)
   
3. I am grateful for… To ensure that you do not take things for granted, begin a Gratitude Journal. Each day write on a blank piece of paper 'I am grateful for…' then write down as many things that you are grateful for. Believe me, you will realize how lucky you really are. Date each sheet, and when you aren't feeling all that crash hot, look back over what you have written and it will certainly boost your spirits! (by Viki Slough)
   
4. Persist until it pays off. Most people give up right before they are about to succeed. Never, never, never give up! (by Jeremy Day)
   
5. Eat chocolate. If you're in a bad mood, or want to become more positive, have some chocolate! When I am unhappy, angry, or feeling negative, I often have a few pieces of chocolate. It helps to calm me down and seems to have a great effect on my mood. Fair Trade chocolate can have an amazing effect, because you know that you are helping to make a difference. (by Andre Livingstone)
   
6. Have a personal hero. Mine is the late Nobel prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. Anytime I am trying to solve a difficult problem, I invoke the pragmatic spirit of Feynman to guide me in the ways of rationality and the scientific method. When writing technical prose, I eschew jargon in favor of clear and precise language to communicate the ideas to my peers. When someone is presenting ideas or theories to me, I think of Feynman to hone my powers of critical thinking and my BS detector. (by Mike Yoke)
   
7. Practice meditation regularly. Learn a proven and effective method of meditation, set a manageable routine, and keep to it. The objectivity and clarity of mind produced will help in all aspects of your life, from the mundane to the elevated. [details] (by Reddy Kilowatt)
   
8. Use mind maps to quickly review books you've read. As I'm reading a book, I populate a mind map that I have started for that book. I jump between the book and the mind map after completing a major section or sometimes a whole chapter. This method has increased my comprehension of the topics covered in books 1000-fold. What's more, I can look at a mind map of a book and within minutes recall important lessons learned in the book. I also use the mind map to point me to those parts of the book where I want to quickly review a specific topic. (by Llewellyn)
   
9. Serve. My personal excellence tip is just that - serve. If in all that I do, I do in a spirit of being of service to the other, I win all the time. This has been my experience and the reason for my very successful life as a professional manager. (by rummuser)
   
10. Break the cycle of self-inflicted junk mail. Stop deleting, "marking as read" or archiving newsletters, forwards, and RSS feeds you don't read. Processing these items wastes valuable time every day. Instead, archive them in a "Self-Inflicted Junk" folder. Once a month, review what is in that folder, and unsubscribe. Use services like StopForwarding.us to stem the tide of junk from your friends as well. [details] (by Sid Savara)
    
11. Practice being selfish. Stand firm behind the airplane/oxygen metaphor and put your own oxygen mask on before helping others. To be able to help others you have to take care of your own needs. When I don't take care of myself, I can't take care of other people. So I find time to relax and refuel on a daily basis (alone time), weekly basis (mom's night out), monthly basis (girl's night out), and yearly basis (vacation). [details] (by Stacey Hoffer Weckstein)
    
12. Your goals: keep your eyes on 'em. Know what your goals are in the important areas of your life such as family and friends, work, spirituality, etc. Then use this knowledge to be sure that your hours, days, weeks, and months are working towards these goals. The minutes of your life support your major purposes in life. This tip is also practical: it prevents you from taking on too much (if something is not working towards a goal, don't do it!), as well as keeps you in balance (you need to look at goals in different areas of your life). (by How to Cope with Pain)
    
13. Discomfort is a prerequisite for success. Trying to stay in your comfort zone and letting fear get the best of you will always choke your creativity and sabotage any chances you might have of succeeding. In order to achieve any worthy goals, you must start realizing that discomfort is a prerequisite for success. [details] (by Andrew Bolis)
    
14. Learn one sentence in a foreign language. Whenever my training and experience seem irrelevant, whenever I need to try something new, but I can't think of a fresh solution, I just stop the task and learn a sentence in a foreign language. The "more foreign", the better. My theory is that it opens a new pathway into the brain. I discovered this tip when I was invited to sit in on a Hindi class while I had writer's block. During the class, I actually felt physical movement, a tingling behind my right eye. I went home and finished the writing assignment that had been plaguing me in record time. [details] (by Kate)
    
15. Use Google Reader to keep track of websites. Using Google Reader (or a similar service) can help you save hours of time by having all your RSS feeds and updates in one place. You don't have to constantly keep checking websites - they come to you in one easy place, where you can store or delete items. I check my Google Reader once in the morning and once in the evening. It has saved me hours of time and made me more efficient! [details] (by Glen Loveland)
    
16. Put yourself in other people's shoes. When you are angry or having a bad day it is easy to make a mean comment or tell someone off. Before saying or doing what's in your mind take a moment to put yourself in the other person's shoes. How would you feel on the receiving end of that comment you're about to make or that action you're about to take? Showing a little compassion often prevents me from saying things I'd otherwise regret or helps me decide what to do (or not do). If you treat people like you want to be treated, you'll be able to avoid useless arguments and be surprised with all the friendly people around you. (by Anke)
    
17. Show up. People say they want to achieve things, but then don't show up for the things that would help them get there. They want to be writers, but don't show up at the word processor. They want to own a business, but they don't show up for the educational seminar. They want to be actors, but then don't show up for the audition. [details] (by Lyman Reed)
    
18. Take 100% responsibility for everything that happens to you. Even if it seems like an accident, you are 100% responsible for everything that happens to you. I got in a car accident that wasn't my fault according to the law. How do I take responsibility for that? I had forgotten something at home and went to get it on my way to a meeting. If I had a better system for remembering items, then I wouldn't have been in the accident. If you are not getting what you want, it is because you are not taking responsibility to educate yourself or working hard to achieve it. Will you be 100% responsible or will you take the easy way out and settle for less then you are worth? (by Chris Elliott)
    
19. Make personal excellence… personal. Bring a part of yourself into everything you do. The more your work reflects your individuality, the more it will stand out from the crowd, the more people will relate to it (and you) and the more "real" your achievements will seem to be. And when your efforts involve other people, involve them on a personal level as well, so that the project becomes a relationship that brings out the best in everyone involved. [details] (by Tori Deaux)
    
20. Spider-map. A spider-map is a scheme where you place the main concept in the center and then, around it, write ideas generated from the central theme. You will end up having a web of linked keywords, great for those who rely on their visual memory more often, like I do. [details] (by Lucia Grosaru)
    
21. Health, the neglected point. There will be tons of people writing about how to be more productive or how to excel in time management, etc. Yet the first thing we must remember when we are talking about personal development is taking care of our health. You can have all the fancy techniques to get more done, but neglecting your health does not help to increase productivity in the long term. Exercise regularly and make the conscious effort to eat healthier food. [details] (by Vincent)"
    
22. Detach from the outcome. Probably best illustrated by the Serenity Prayer: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference." I find that my life flows much smoother and is less stressful when I can remember to detach from outcomes. (by Lora Adrianse)
    
23. Stop expecting bananas from people who have no bananas. If you are not getting what you want, then maybe you are looking in the wrong place… Whenever I feel frustrated or stuck with a situation in my work or personal life, I find that this maxim helps me to see things objectively, take responsibility and move on. (by joy)
    
24. Learn to develop a 'productive mindset'. A productive mindset is one that makes the best use of your resources — your time, your energy and your effort. It's making the most and best of what you have while enjoying the process. It is a mindset that encompasses curiosity, open-mindedness, desire, critical thinking and a positive outlook among other qualities. [details] (by ZHereford)
    
25. Getting realistic. My kids made up this phrase. Every time someone says something like "I wish I had…", "Why didn't I…", or "Why did I…", my kids always say: "That is in the land of shoulda, coulda, woulda!". This means that what happened has already happened and you need to choose the way you want things to go from now on. (by Maureen)
    
26. Create multiple memory palaces. Memorize multiple settings, or palaces, to categorize your lists. I have one setting I use to remember items to buy, another setting for things to do, and another setting for items I want to communicate with my family. When the visual setting comes to mind, I know whether I'm in action mode, communication mode or list mode. This keeps my lists from getting jumbled and keeps me in the right frame of mind. For me, there is an added benefit of productivity because I feel the need to clear the action items from my memory before the day is done. [details] (by S. Sipes)
    
27. Time management is key for huge plans. When it comes to developing a major project — whether it's a blog, business, or a contest — always plan everything in advance. I always plan my blogging projects almost a month in advance because things can always change at the last minute. If you plan thoroughly enough, changes toward your deadline won't hinder your plans. Time management is a major key to productivity in anything you do. (by David)
    
28. Count your blessings and cheer up! Remember and appreciate all good things in your life that you might have taken for granted, e.g., your ability to see, hear, think, and walk. Many people don't even have clean drinking water. Think about people who lose everything during natural calamities and then imagine if you were in their shoes. Shifts my focus every time I feel sad and hopeless. [details] (by Pearl)
    
29. Don't presume… ask! How many times in life have we missed an opportunity, created a misunderstanding or just plain got it wrong because we presumed we knew what someone meant, was thinking or their motivation? Don't presume — just ask! Ask questions that connect: "What's going on for you around that?", "What's important to you in this?". Ask questions that clarify: "What is it you need me to understand?", "What did you take from that?". Ask questions that go to the next level, that is, beyond their current strategy: "Is x,y,z really important to you in this situation?" [details] (by Leona Dawson)
    
30. There is no reason to hate anything in life. You are separate from your thoughts and emotions. Once you realize and feel this separation, you will discover that there is absolutely no reason to hate anything (including your job!). Then you will discover that everything in life is awesome. [details] (by Jarrod)
    
31. Make your mind your playground. Your mind is your ultimate tool (if everything else fails, you still have it). Making it fit, alert and ready to play is the best approach to make it your greatest asset. So make your brain healthy by providing it healthy food and plenty of sleep, and make it happy providing themes for it to play with. Give your mind a workout (e.g. play chess!) and you'll see the results immediately! [details] (by Luciano S. Fier)
    
32. A chronometer by my side. For me, tasks are challenges. My motivation is to think of them as competitions in which I always want to win. So, for example, if I need to learn something, I set up a clock by my side to 1 hour. I concentrate as hard as I can in that hour — no Internet connection allowed, as it's totally distracting. If someone asks for a quick task, I do it as fast as I can and then I note down how long it took. That's a great way to give more excitement to my routine work. (by Tiare Rivera)
    
33. Attitude. "I am convinced that life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% how I react to it." This is a sentence from an essay titled "Attitude" by Charles Swindoll. Since adopting this as my daily mantra I no longer get angry and I'm a calmer, happier and more productive person as a result. A lot has been written about maintaining a positive attitude, but this statement and the essay are the most profound and have had the greatest impact of anything I've read. [details] (by Gary J. Hawk)
    
34. If you don't have space for what you want in your life, it will never come to you. Work out what's currently in your life that takes up the 'space' and is preventing something better to slide in. Aim towards cutting it out. This will allow you to jump on new opportunities when they appear. It could be a person, bad habit, job or other commitment; you'll know what it is for you, and you know it's stopping you moving on. (by Josie Sawers)
    
35. Combine the Law of Attraction with realism. Everyone knows about the Law of Attraction, but many people reject it as supernatural nonsense. They're missing the point. Don't take the genie metaphor literally, but simply as a model for improving your awareness and control over your thoughts. As a species, we're really awful at positive thinking. It's not meant to be a replacement for action, but the source of inspired, unrelenting persistence through the toughest challenges. [details] (by Hunter Nuttall)
    
36. Follow your inner voice. I spent many years trying to follow the voice of others, believing others knew better than me. I would come up short and feel like a failure… Until I started to hear and listen to my own voice. We all have this inner voice / intuition and it is the only place where we will get the answers we are seeking. [details] (by Ellie Walsh)
    
37. Paying gratitude. Paying gratitude for what you have shifts your subconscious mind from lack to abundance, allowing for more good to come. I say my gratitude list to myself in the morning and before bed to ensure I recognize what is going right in my life and all that I have. It puts me in a positive state of mind and just as a bad mood can snowball, so can a positive mood when you begin to realize just how fortunate you are. [details] (by Jenny Mannion)
    
38. Leverage mind map templates for creativity and productivity. Using templates as starting points for your mind maps — instead of starting from scratch every time — is something I found very useful. Manufacturers of mind mapping software have a wide range of business, educational, and personal productivity mind map templates. These templates give you ideas and structure when creating a mind map. [details] (by Chance Brown)
    
39. Think rationally. Think rationally about everything. If something isn't working for you, whether it's an aspect of your job, your productivity system or your relationship, think logically about why this is so. For instance, just because you have an emotional attachment to a Moleskine ("It looks really nice!"), it doesn't mean it's a good tool for you. Think about what you can change, fix or alter to improve every situation in your life. I've seen so many people make the same mistakes because they just don't stop and think critically. [details] (by James Mallinson)
    
40. Tomorrow is another day. All too often, when trying to establish a new habit — or break an old one — I don't manage to keep on the straight and narrow! When in a diet, I occasionally forget about it and eat something I shouldn't. But then I remind myself that just because I forgot once, it doesn't mean I have failed — and that I should just get back to the diet tomorrow. I apply this to every project that I start and, gradually over time, the number of times I fail reduces to a well-established level. (by John Mullarkey)
    
41. Gift of attention. Practicing the gift of attention offers the perfect mirror for our self-centered tendencies. As we engage in deep listening, the need to fix or offer opinion is recognized in stark contrast to the mindful presence arising from the practice. Thus, these moments of ego are allowed to pass without resistance. (by Kate Loving Shenk)
    
42. Do The Simplest Thing That Could Possibly Work. This is my all-purpose tip from the land of Extreme Programming. Not the easiest, the cheapest or the quickest thing. The simplest. Often, in the everyday rush of pushing tasks out of my queue and into others', I spend more time making things more refined than necessary. So I ask myself: "What really needs to be produced to keep the project or the day moving forward?". This goes for menu planning, party planning, gift buying, writing, etc. Plenty of time to make things more complicated later! [details] (by Mike Brown)
    
43. Align effort with personal values.
    Kulia i ka nu'u is my Hawaiian value-alignment for excellence. It means 'strive to the summit'. Be your best. Don't settle for less, for there's no honor or fulfillment in aiming lower than you're capable of achieving. My tip is to harness competition in this way: Do not compete with, or compare yourself to others; if compete you must, compete with your previous self. [details] (by Rosa Say)
    
44. Just do it. Get tasks started and finished quickly: don't spend too much time planning or perfecting your work beyond what is required. Endless planning or endless revising is just an excuse to procrastinate while feeling like you're doing work. When you don't know what to do in the first place, that's the time to plan. When it's done, get someone else to check it over, and if they say it's good enough, don't waste time trying to make it even better. (by Elena Kelareva)
    
45. Internal conflict questions passion. We have both passion and forces that pull us away from that passion. Even when we are passionate about doing something, we often don't know the true reason why we're doing it. I know many people who have wanted to write great blogs (including myself). They have two reasons to blog — one is to help others and the other is to make money. And that's when the internal conflict arises: you must be sure of the reasons behind your acts. Be it one reason or another, be 100% sure of it. (by Praveen Sherman)
    
46. Optimize your life with the SWOT matrix. The SWOT matrix is a framework for analyzing your life and finding creative ways to optimize it. The acronym SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This matrix enables you to focus on your strengths, to minimize weaknesses, and to take advantage of every opportunity. [details] (by Mary Jaksch)
    
47. Be more conscious of your goals at every moment. Before taking any action, always ask yourself what you want to accomplish. Why are you doing it? This has made a huge difference in my life. Now I am much more focused when doing something and reach my goals more often. It also helps me to stop doing stuff that is irrelevant or opposed to my goals. Often we are living on autopilot and forget what we are trying to accomplish. (by Jorge Pena)
    
48. Listen to your inner voice. We all have intuition that guides us through our lives. That quiet inner voice, that knowing beyond logic. Following your intuition can be scary at times, but I can say from my experience it's the most effective advice I could ever find. I can recall a number of incidents when I ignored my intuition and regretted later, but had no regrets when following my intuition. So after you read, discuss, brainstorm, take a quiet moment to listen to your intuition. (by Akemi Gaines)
    
49. As you think so you are. July 10, 2000. A car accident took me to hospital with an arm, leg and hip crushed. During the months of recovery (one of them motionless), my wife was diagnosed with an incurable illness and my mother died. I was sent back home on a wheelchair. By chance I came to read "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen. It led me to take charge of myself. In the months ahead, I never gave up until I could walk again. I took an examination to become a high-school counselor and passed it, although I was in my fifties. "Take charge of yourself" is the motto I always say to myself and the students I am counseling. (by Joel Cardigan)
    
50. Be real! Rather than trying to figure out what someone else wants in a friend, partner, colleague, lover, boss, employee, then contorting yourself to fit what you believe they're looking for… just be you. In all your glory. If you're a dork, be a glorious dork. If you're a geek, parade around in your geeky radiance. Quiet, outgoing, artistic, analytic, whoever you are, honor that essence and build out your world with people and experiences who support your authentic self (by Jonathan Fields)
    
51. Set aside a specific time each week for personal reflection. Having a consistent weekly review is one of the most powerful ways to better focus your attention, realign your priorities, and make sure you're making progress towards your goals. Block off 30-45 minutes at the end of each week, ask questions, and write down your answers in your system of choice: What did I learn this week? What did I accomplish? What do I still need to focus on for next week? Have I made progress towards my long-term goals? What new ideas do I have? What did I learn this week that inspires me? (by Eric Blue)
    
52. Record instantly, process appropriately, execute effectively, document fully. A personal workflow process that I try to make a habit. When a new task/project/issue arises, make sure you record it instantly. Then at an appropriate time, process it, doing your planning and sorting out the tasks involved. Next, execute the task(s) and make sure you document it fully. When I follow this process it makes my life much easier both in the short term and the long run. My biggest challenge personally is to record every issue instantly. The moment you put down the phone, finish a conversation or finish reading that email, record what has arisen instantly. (by Brian Bullen)
    
53. Gung Ho Juggernaut vs. Beatific Buddha. Perseverance is two things, and you must befriend them both to get where you are going. I constantly ask myself whether it is time to persist in my efforts, or to be patient and wait for better circumstances. Always ask this question because the persistent juggernaut can destroy, the patient Buddha can stagnate, and only the wise application of both can deliver you to your destination. [details] (by Samir Bharadwaj)
    
54. Set 'Target Zero' for something you want to avoid, eliminate or improve upon. Basically a Quality Management technique, I use it for my personal development and self-improvement. For example, you can make a list of 10 books you wish to read and set Target Zero for the end of the year, which means "By the end of the year, you will have zero books that remains to be read". The target needs to be time-bound and result-oriented. Even if you end up not achieving the target, you'll certainly make a lot of progress. [details] (by Sandeep)
    
55. Use your whole brain. Most of us are left-brain oriented. Yet our most creative self is in the right brain. Use the left for understanding the problem and collecting information and use the right to create solutions. Learn to spot which side you are on and then shift to the other side for holistic thinking. Discover your best techniques for shifting to the right brain and practice them. My favorite R-Mode techniques are meditation, copying art upside down and silently playing with Knex and Magz toys. [details] (by Eric Palmer)
    
56. Be strict with yourself. This was the factor that made me leave the teenager years behind, turning me into an adult woman. I used to be too nice to myself, rarely admitting my mistakes and often blaming other people for my own problems. Nowadays, I reevaluate my behavior on a regular basis and am not afraid to recognize my wrongdoings. It may be painful sometimes, but there are plenty of rewards to reap from this habit, like continuous self-growth and healthier relationships. (by Karen Zara)
    
57. Be human. People sometimes forget they're human. They overwork and overindulge — and get overwhelmed. Being human means taking care of your body first and foremost. You can't enjoy life with a congested nose or artery. Being human also means having a purpose in your life. Having a purpose allows you to better do things within your limitations, because you already know what the desired end result is. Lastly, being human means comprehending mortality. Always ask yourself: what would be my legacy after I'm no longer? (by Ismail Fan)
    
58. Plot the future. The best predictor of what lies ahead for you is not your past, it's your future. The personal calendar you maintain might appear to be just a series of days, months, and years, but it's much more than that. It's a sneak preview of your life and what is to come. Be deliberate about what you put on it. Make sure it contains what's most important. Add lots of interesting stuff and schedule fun. Even create blocks of absolutely nothing. But always have something to look forward to! (by Todd Doubleu)
    
59. Journaling to Done (JTD). Start journaling! It helps your personal development. It's useful to de-clutter your problems, process your emotional baggage (such as anxiety and worries), track your thought processes, and identify what actions you can do. You can simply use pen and paper, PostIt notes and a system to get it organized. JTD is journaling with purpose: it ends with the next action you can do right now. Focus on it and you'll get many things done. [details] (by Robert A. Henru)
    
60. Be passionate about getting quality sleep. I have a somewhat nerdy passion: trying to attain the perfect night's sleep. In the past I have underestimated the importance of quality sleep, but this year I have come to realize that being well rested is vitally important for getting things done and generally just enjoying what life has to offer. If you find yourself getting tired frequently, I suggest jumping on Google and going in search of the numerous resources out there with information to help you to sleep better. (by Peter Clemens)
    
61. Learn from the best first. If you want success, learn from how others achieved it and then choose a similar direction and imprint it with your own style. When I thought about start blogging, I subscribed to the biggest blogs about blogging and their equivalents in my chosen niche, and then tried to understand why those bloggers were so successful and what I needed to do to match their achievements. You'll avoid making mistakes that others have made many times before. You'll also learn insights that only the elite can give, significantly increasing your chances of becoming one from that elite. (by Jacob Share)
    
62. If I could do only three things today… It's easy to get busy and just react to emails and phone calls all day. After a day like this I'm left feeling like I didn't accomplish anything. So when I get up in the morning I make sure that I stop and write down the "top three things" I choose to get done today. These are activities that bring me closer to my goals faster than anything else I could be doing. Three things doesn't sound like much but I find it supercharges me when I get my top three things done before lunch every day! (by Don Campbell)
    
63. Getting clear leads to success. Using a contrast versus clarity worksheet helps me get clear, regain my focus and get back on track. I especially use this when I am feeling overwhelmed and wonder what happened to the day, the tasks are piling up and I can't see the forest for the trees, so to speak. [details] (by Suzie Cheel)
    
64. Happiness is a choice. Happy people know that their happiness depends on their state of mind, and that they have the power to choose their response to external events. They avoid 'if only' fantasies, are grateful for simple pleasures, figure out their strengths and direct them toward achieving meaningful goals. They're engaged in their work, look for ways to get more pleasure out of life, and are kind toward others. In the words of Aristotle: 'Happiness depends upon ourselves.' [details] (by Marelisa Fabrega)
    
65. Write your fears out. All of us have deep-rooted fears inside. Writing them out on a piece of paper gives a strong message to the subconscious mind — which in turn suggests creative ways to overcome them, one by one. This technique helps me concentrate on my fears/weaknesses, so I can strive hard to eliminate them. When I get past one fear, I strike it off — and that makes me feel proud! Sometimes even making a quick sketch illustrating your fears work wonders! (the attached URL shows what I sketched when I was afraid of writing) [details] (by Chinmay Gupta)
    
66. The 'Zen Zone'. When I want to give my all to a project or task, I place it into what I call a 'Zen Zone'. I do everything to avoid potential distractions: this includes shutting my door, clearing my desk, turning off the phone, and even unplugging the Internet if possible. I play non-vocal music at a low volume (to prevent unwanted noises from reaching my attention threshold). With an absence of all distractions, I find that focus, inspiration and motivation flow freely. It takes commitment to place an item into the Zen Zone, but the results often exceed my expectations. When I leave the Zen Zone, I feel refreshed and proud of the accomplishments made while in it. (by Jim Krenz)