Developing The Willpower And Discipline To Establish Good Habits

Achieving success in any worthwhile but difficult endeavor requires willpower, discipline and good habits. These are intrinsic factors that can help overcome difficult situations. Without these factors, dreams are likely to remain as unfulfilled aspirations. Talent and opportunity rarely converge without the individuals inner impetus to succeed. These concepts are similar and interconnected.

Interdependency

Willpower refers to the psychological factor of being highly committed and focused in doing a task or pursuing a goal. On the other hand, discipline involves the actual investment of effort, time and resources, requiring self-control. It is often associated with delayed gratification or the ability to avoid distractions. Habit may refer to regular any task or behavior that has become part of the routines of an individual.

Willpower is necessary to enforce self-discipline and sustained discipline is necessary to form good habits such as taking regular exercise and eating healthy food. Evidently, not all habits can be considered as positive or productive. Some habits such as vices and procrastinations need to be eliminated. Eliminating these bad habits will require willpower and discipline.

Routines

Just like bad habits, good habits can be developed through repetitions. By incorporating tasks, behaviors and attitudes in the regular routines, they usually become habits. More often than not, habits do not take too much effort or thought. They become natural and virtually effortless that they are almost instinctive.

Bad habits are oftentimes much easier to develop because they are pleasurable and sometimes addictive. They are also difficult to eliminate. For example, smoking is a bad and unhealthy habit that is hard to eliminate because of the addictive nicotine content. Any addictive habit creates physiological and psychological dependency that can interfere with normal cognitive functions.

If willpower and discipline are needed to develop good habits, they are also needed to eliminate bad habits. Unfortunately, bad habits are usually the result of external circumstances such as social pressure or culture. Case in point is the unhealthy eating habits of people in highly industrialized countries. Fast food restaurants are almost ubiquitous in these countries, serving high-calorie and fat-saturated food.

Motivation

Developing willpower and discipline is only possible if there is enough motivation to do so. Motivation can be extrinsic or intrinsic. It may come in the form of incentive or threat. For example, the main incentive for eliminating smoking habit is better health either through disease prevention or recovery from already existing diseases such as emphysema and lung cancer.

Willpower and discipline will allow individuals to be fully responsible for their actions. These help in achieving success despite of difficulties. Hence, success truly become meritorious and worth savoring when accomplished.

Top Tips on getting Scholarships

 

Scholarships are free money awarded to students that demonstrate outstanding academic, athletic or artistic ability. They are offered by colleges, universities, private corporations and other organizations. Competition for this free money is high.

Students must have the highest grades and excellent ACT or SAT scores, they must also convince the benefactors why they deserve a scholarship. In other words, they demonstrate what differentiate themselves from other candidates.

Here are some helpful tips on how to search for the right scholarship for you student, how to get through the application process, how to increase your chances of being selected, and what mistakes to avoid along the way.

Plan Ahead

1.   Planning ahead is an important key to your scholarship search. Searching and applying for scholarships takes time. Don't wait until the last minute.

2.   Prepare for deadlines. There are deadlines on applications. In addition, there are often stipulations on required courses or other activities that must be completed in order to apply.

When to Begin

3.   Don't wait until your senior year - this is a sure way to lose out.

4.   The best time to begin thinking and planning ahead is the sophomore or junior year in high school.

Where to Begin

5.   Know what kind of scholarship you're looking for - this will narrow the search.

6.   Scholarships are academic, athletic or artistic - know which one is right for you.

7.   General scholarships - the competition will be keener on scholarships open to all students.

8.   Subject specific scholarships - scholarships for specific fields of study like accounting, math,  

    medicine and law will narrow the playing field and should be included in your search.

High School Resources

9.   Advisors are excellent sources of information on where to to begin looking for scholarships.

10.   Guidance offices receive information regularly from colleges offering scholarships.

11.   High school career counselors are familiar with the application process and other requirements

      and can guide you through this seemingly overwhelming task .

12.   Your high school can also put you in touch with other scholarship resources. They know where

       to look.

Local Resources

13.   Look for local corporations and other organizations that are well known for giving away free

       scholarships.

14.   Begin with the companies where your parents work. Many companies offer scholarships for

       children of employees.

15.   Check out local chapters of national organizations such as American Legion, Boy Scouts of

      America, Police and Firefighters Association, National Guard, NAACP, Knights of Columbus,  

      Jaycees, Rotary, Lions, VFW and Elks, and contact them for more information.

Federal Government Resources

16.   The Pell Grant currently awards up to $5,550 depending on financial need, cost of college, and

       student's ability to contribute. Like scholarships, the Pell Grant does not need to be repaid.

17.   Students who are in exceptional financial need can not only receive the Pell Grant but also the

       Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) which can pay an additional

       $100 - $4,000 per year and also does not require repayment. More information is available at

www.studentaid.ed.gov.

State Government Resources

18.   Look at state government web sites. States often give financial assistance in the form of grants as

       well as scholarships.

19.   Merit scholarships are often available from states for students who have attained a high academic

       status.

20.   Most states offer scholarships for minorities.

21.   State governments often give scholarships to students enrolling in workforce shortage fields such

       as teaching, nursing, technology, math or science.

22.   Each state has its own criteria for offering financial assistance. Determine what you may be

       eligible for and search the state government web site for more information.

23.  A complete list of scholarships by state can be found at www.ed.gov.

Local Government Resources

24.   Resources for college scholarships at the local government level are very limited.

25.   Search your city government's web site for scholarship information or call the mayor's office or 

       local chamber of commerce.

Corporate Resources

26.   Large Fortune 500 companies are excellent sources of scholarship money. They have deep

      pockets to help students pay for college.

27.   The top ten list includes Wal-Mart, AT&T, Ford, General Motors, United Health, State Farm,

       Microsoft, Dell, Lowe's and Best Buy.

28.   Also check out soft drink companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, pharmaceutical companies like

       Pfizer, banks such as Chase, and even food chains like KFC.

29.   Search by state or by type at www.collegescholarships.org.

30.   Make a list of smaller local companies who might also have a reputation of offering scholarships

       to local citizens.

Internet Resources

31.   The Internet has made scholarship research much easier and quicker. Key word searches will

       result in a wealth of information. Search by state or by subject.

32.   Look at free online databases such as College Board's Scholarship Search, Fastweb, 

      collegenet.com and Peterson's College Search where you can search for literally hundreds of

      scholarships.

33.   Don't forget to use social resources like Facebook and Twitter to ask others for scholarship

       advice.

Scholarship Books

34.   Scholarship Handbook, available to order on College Board's web site, is one of most popular

       books on available scholarships. It contains more than 2000 scholarships, loans and internship

       programs.

35.   Amazon lists several books on scholarships that can be ordered for just $10 to $20. They include

      Get Free Cash for College, College Financial Aid for Dummies, and The College Scholarship

 Handbook.

36.   Check your local library or high school guidance office for these and other books that are

       available.

37.   The number of eBooks has also increased and represents an easy way for students to do their

       research at home. It also ensures that students are receiving the latest information.

Other Resources

38.   National resources for scholarships should also be investigated. These types of scholarships are

       usually designed to encourage students entering specific fields of study.

39.   The National Health Service Corps scholarship (NHCS) is awarded to students entering the

      health care field.

40.   The National Merit Scholarship program is open to all students. Students taking the Pre-SAT

       (PSAT) test in high school will be nominated based on their scores to become Semifinalists and

       then advance to Finalists. They are free to choose any college or career path.

Prepare a Resource List

41.  Create a spreadsheet and list scholarships by category. Include names, addresses, telephone

       numbers and web site links. At this point, the objective is to create a list of possibilities that

       should total 50-100 potential resources.

42. You want to have plenty of resources to work with initially. Once you begin to examine and

      compare requirements, the list may be purged to best fit your needs.

Keep Track of Scholarship Information and Deadlines

43.  Missing deadlines is simply not an option when it comes to applying for scholarships. Stay  

      organized by noting important deadlines on your spreadsheet, such as when the application needs

      to be there.

44.   Include details on application requirements, scholarship amount, how and where to apply.

45.   Keeping this information in a spreadsheet will allow you to select a search criteria, such as by 

       deadline date, and help you stay organized and on time.

Understand Application Requirements

46.   Be prepared to include an essay, ACT or SAT scores, high school transcript, class rank and

       G.P.A., and up to three or more letters of recommendation.

47.   Some requirements may include a resume, written exam to test your skills, a project to complete 

       to evaluate your competence, financial information and proof of U.S. citizenship.

48.   Read instructions and follow them carefully. Failure to supply the correct information or missing

       the deadline will disqualify you and end your chances for a scholarship.

Cover Letter

49.   Unless the requirements specifically say no, plan to include a cover letter with the application.

50.   Address the letter to the Scholarship Committee and begin with Dear Committee Members.

51.   Briefly state how the scholarship will help you.

52.   Thank them for considering you for the scholarship.

Resume

53.   Your resume should look professional and list information related to the purpose of the

       scholarship.

54.   Open with a brief statement about your college major and career goals.

55.   List honors and awards you have earned.

56.   Include high school and community activities and work experience. Be specific.

57.   Add personal interests at the bottom, especially those related to the scholarship.

Application Processes

58.   Read and follow instructions. It is definitely not one size fits all when it comes to applications.

59.   Pay attention to how to submit (mail or electronic), what materials must be included, and what

      the deadline is.

60.   If mail submission is indicated, send your materials by certified mail to ensure it arrives on time.

61.   If electronic submission is noted, make sure of the limitation on number of files allows and file

       sizes, as well as format, such as Word, PDF, or text documents.

Completing the Scholarship Application

62.   The most important thing to remember is to read the application thoroughly and follow all

       instructions.

63.  Pay close attention to essay questions and answer them completely and thoroughly. Don't miss

      any questions or your application may be denied.

64.   Find out how many letters of recommendation you will need. Is a cover letter required? Do you

       need a resume?

65.   Don't rush the application process and choose a quiet place where there are no distractions. This

       will ensure your thoughts are clear and focused. Be prepared to write a convincing explanation as

       to why you are an excellent candidate for the scholarship.

66.   Allow plenty of time for proofreading. There is no room for error.

Mistakes to Avoid in Completing an Application

67.  Some of the most common mistakes in completing a scholarship application include: submitting

       past the deadline, not following instructions, omitting necessary documents, missing a question,

       and spelling and grammar errors. Think of the application process like applying for a job. You

       want to put your best foot forward. Pay attention to every detail in order to present yourself as

       the best candidate.

How to Write a Scholarship Essay

68.   Review the purpose of the scholarship. Understand the background of the college or organization

       offering the scholarship. Your essay should coincide with their purpose and goals.

69.   Select one or two examples of your accomplishments and provide details that will give them a

        clear picture of who you are. For example, if you're applying for a scholarship in social services,

        tell them about your experience volunteering to build homes for Habitat for Humanity. Other

        experiences and accomplishments can be listed on your resume, but select your key

        accomplishments to tell a compelling story.

Mistakes to Avoid in Writing a Scholarship Essay

70.   Collect your thoughts and don't wander or talk in circles. Choose a theme that matches the

      purpose of the scholarship. Make an outline first, listing important facts you want to include.

71.   Don't rush the essay. Take the time to write an attention-grabbing introduction, interesting        content, and a solid conclusion that includes what you learned from this experience and how it

       will help your career.

72.   Choose a good title that does justice to your story but also aligns with the purpose of the  

       scholarship.

73.   It is extremely important that the essay sound professional, so good grammar, spelling,

      punctuation and sentence structure are a must. Avoid slang. Call things as they truly are in the

      interest of clear communication to your audience.

Ask Others to Critique Your Essay

74.   Proofread, proofread, proofread everything before you send it. This means not only using spell

       check but also giving your draft to teachers, counselors and friends to proofread for grammar,

      punctuation, flow and how well it answers essay questions.

75.   Do as many drafts as necessary to produce your best work. The essay should clearly articulate

      what you have accomplished and in what ways you are an excellent recipient for the scholarship.

     There is no room for errors and you only get one shot at it, so take the time to do it well. Your

     efforts will be noticed.

Letters of Recommendation

76.   Letters of recommendation are meant to support your application by reinforcing your

      capabilities. They are powerful tools because they provide a testimonial from someone who has
      had personal experience and first-hand interaction with you.

77.   Letters of recommendation should come from people who know you on a professional level. This

      could include teachers who know what kind of student you are, counselors who have worked with

      you on outlining your career path, current or past job supervisors and people with whom you did

      volunteer work.

78.   Don't ask relatives. It is impossible for family members to be objective, and these sources will

       not be taken seriously.

79.   Use company letterhead. It not only looks professional but gives the scholarship committee

       important contact information if they have questions.

80.   Ask a wide cross section of writers to help. Counselors, professors and former supervisors will

      highlight various capabilities and provide the scholarship committee a wider perspective on you.

81.   Encourage the writers to be specific. They need to describe exactly what you did, what strengths

      were demonstrated and how this makes you a strong candidate for the scholarship.

82.   Give the writers plenty of time. Plan on four weeks or more if necessary and make sure they

       know what the deadline is.

83.   Send each writer a nice thank you note to show your appreciation. Offer to keep them informed

       on your progress.

A Competitive Approach to Scholarship Searching

84.   Use a strategy that includes searching for broad scholarships available for all students as well as

       subject specific scholarships, and scholarships for minorities.

85.   Don't just go for the big bucks. The larger the scholarship, the more competition there will be and

       the tougher it will be to win. Many smaller scholarships can add up to more money for school, so

      don't overlook them.

Follow Up After Applying

86.   It is always a good idea to follow up after sending your application materials to confirm they

       were received. Things can go wrong with the mail, and electronic submission also has its

       glitches. So certainly call or email to make sure it arrived.

87.   Plan to send application materials far enough in advance to allow for a second submission, if

       necessary, to avoid missing the deadline. When calling, you may also ask when they plan to

       announce the winners.

Send a Thank You Note After Receiving a Scholarship Award

88.   After receiving notification of a scholarship award, a thank you letter should be sent immediately

       to the benefactor. No emails or phone calls. This should be done in a handwritten note on nice

       stationery.

89.   Proofread several times and check for accuracy on spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Use the

       same attention to detail as when you were applying for the scholarship.

90.   The letter should be addressed to the president or highest ranking person such as the executive

       director. Explain what the scholarship means to you personally and how it will benefit you. Then

       thank them again.

How to Get Scholarships Renewed

91.   Read the renewal clauses of each scholarship being considered before applying to ensure you are

       able to meet the requirements. If you don't see a clause or don't understand it, call the college

      financial aid office and ask them for help.

92.   Academic scholarships will require students to maintain a specific G.P.A. If they fall below, they

      may lose out on the scholarship.

93.   Some scholarships will automatically renew if all qualifications are met, and others may require

       students to re-apply.

94.    Scholarships that are subject specific will not allow students to change majors or they will forfeit

       scholarship money. Scholarships from a particular college or university would require that a

       student remain at that institution in order to get the scholarship money.

95.   Athletic scholarships require playing the sport. Be sure you understand the consequences for not

       playing due to injury or poor academic performance.

Watch Out for Scholarship Scams

96.  Real scholarships will never ask for money, credit card information or guarantee a scholarship.

       Also beware of companies who charge for their databases and offer to complete your application,

      essays and letters of recommendation for a fee.

97.  If a company contacts you and says you've won a scholarship for which you never applied, its a

       hoax. If the company does not have a web site or phone number to contact them, it is probably a

       scam. Legitimate organizations will most likely have a history of giving and press releases on

       their web site relating to past scholarships awarded.

What does scholarship money cover?

98.   Most scholarships pay for tuition and fees. A full scholarship will cover most all expenses,

       including tuition, room and board, books and some even offer a living stipend as well.

99.  Other scholarship expenses that can be covered include lab fees, course supplies, and waivers on

      the application fee. Be sure to read scholarship information carefully to understand what is

      included before you apply.

How Many Scholarships are Allowed?

100.  Scholarship money is one part of a financial aid package which could also include grants. As

         long as the scholarship money does not exceed the total cost of college expenses, there is no

         limit on how many you can receive.

Take the Money Saving Challenges

New Challenge for Larger Savings! How to save $5000 for Disney Trip or Business Venture whatever you may want to use it for. This challenge is to save 3x the amount then the other challenge below!

Are you making New Year Resolutions? Well make a resolution to save more than you spend, here are three saving challenges that you can implement.

Here are the three Challenges for you in 2017! Try one, both or combine the according to the money you have available that week! (I am doing them all!)

Discipline: The first challenge we can undertake together is to hold on to our $1.00, $5.00 bills and change. Here is how it works (note you must use CASH, not debit on a daily basis in order for it to be successful): save all your $1, $5 dollar bills and your change, get a jar and place every $1, $5 dollar bill that goes through your hands in it.

DO NOT USE THEM! Don't count them, just put them away for
the rest of the year. Let's start this, December 30th 2016-December 30th 2017


Organize our $'s for our own gain and no one else!

Please share this challenge with your friends and family start a group of at least 10 people and keep me posted on your results.

Or try the savings challenge on the chart!

 

or make monthly installments like shown on the chart below:

 

 SAVE $1.00, $5.00 BILLS and Coins CHALLENGE

Continue to put away your$ 1, $5 bills, get a group of ten people who are willing to take the challenge, make sure the 10 people in your group are doing the same challenge. POOL together and start a business, a program or school in your community. This is how you build community, add trust and 10 people willing to cooperate to help improve your collective situations.

Please share this challenge with your friends and family and keep me posted on your results.

TAKE THE CHALLENGES!!!! WHOSE WITH ME!!!!

Converting Aspirations to Motivations

Motivation is a strong inner drive to accomplish something. It goes beyond mere instinct and desires. It is the commitment to achieve despite of difficulties or challenges. People who are highly motivated may initially fail multiple times but they usually see failures as part of the learning process. They see these failures as opportunities to improve their strategies.

Pushing limits

As the saying goes, "whatever that does not kill you will make you stronger." It seems that highly motivated people will always push their limits even if they are on the brink of proverbially or literally killing themselves in the process. Perhaps among the excellent examples of highly motivated people are the long-distance runners in the Olympics who push the limits of human stamina and endurance.

Merely having the aspirations of accomplishing something is different from being motivated from actually achieving these desires. All people have dreams and aspirations but only a few really become successful. Most dreams and aspirations are never realized. There are many factors to consider but the primary factor for not realizing these dreams is the weak motivational push of most people.

Internalizing motivations

External motivational factors could be either negative or positive but these merely serve as triggers. Motivation is always a personal choice to commit and act on goals. Incentives and coercions may provide some boost but being motivated will ultimately depend on the individual mindset. For example, a lazy student may not necessarily respond to the threat of being flunked. Conversely, the incentive of getting high grades and being recognized in the honor roll will not necessarily force a student to study diligently.

Extrinsic motivational factors are only as effective if the intrinsic motivation is responsive. However, it goes beyond mere reacting to stimulus. It is all about sustaining the reaction and internalizing the drive. Aspirations only become achievable goals if they become motivations.

Tips

Set goals - The goals must follow the SMART criteria. The goals must be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant or realistic, and time-bound.

Plan - Once the goals are clearly established, making plans is the next logical step. It should involve dividing the goal into intermediate and manageable objectives. It should also involve the allocation of resources such as money and time.

Execute plan - Procrastinations must be avoided. It is crucial that the plan must be implemented as soon as possible. Starting early will ensure that adjustments in strategies and utmost quality can be accomplished.

Commit - Goals and plans are useless if they are easily discarded once difficulties are encountered. A high level of commitment is necessary especially for difficult long term goals. Staying focus on the most important things will help sustain commitment.

Learn - Plans serve as guidelines but they are not necessarily infallible maps. Even with the assistance of maps other routes can be discovered. Hence, it is important to be flexible enough to learn new things and change strategies when necessary.

Ask for help - No matter how talented, intelligent or wealthy a person might be, he or she cannot possibly do everything that is needed to accomplish personal goals. Asking for the assistance of others will make the tasks much easier. For instance, if a business person who want to build a corporate empire will need the help of managers and ordinary workers.

The Steps Towards Life Fulfilment

Have you ever had that inexplicable feeling of emptiness even after a fruitful day at work or after a great party with your dearest of friends? You think you have a well-balanced life, carefully planned and thought of, but still - there's that feeling that something is missing.

These are the classic symptoms indicating that one has lost his sense of purpose. This is a period when you come to the reality that all you thought that would make you happy don't, and suddenly, all that used to make you happy no longer feel satisfying.

Everyone goes through this stage at different points in their life. It may be at the onset of adulthood, or right smack in the middle of their success (thus the term "mid-life crisis"?). But regardless of when it is, from time to time, people must sit back and assess their lives and see how they are faring in this chart:

FACE THE FACTS. You have to be honest with yourself - are you feeling empty because you are not at the job you want? Or did you set aside marriage to make way for career growth?  Are you married with too many kids that you have no more time for yourself? Whatever it is, you must accept the facts, because these pave the way easier in "repairing" your future.

ESTABLISH CLEAR PRIORITIES. So maybe you devoted too much time on the unimportant things in life, like partying too much, or drinking until you "forget about your problems." Sit down and make a list of the things that matter, and the things that don't. When you come at these crossroads in your life, you realize that not everything you thought was terrific was as great as you thought they were.

DEVELOP AND PRACTICE GOOD TIME MANAGEMENT. Have you noticed that when you are constantly hurrying, life just seems to pass you by, and you "don't really notice the time?" If you are too out-of-touch because you are always rushing, your life becomes a mere string of events that you need to accomplish in order to get to the end.

IMPLEMENT HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PRACTICES. This is a reality that is too present. If you mismanage your health, you end up paying for the repercussions. Try to make the most out of your life. Don't be weighed down by unnecessary health issues.

LIVE BENEATH YOUR MEANS. Oftentimes, we try to search for happiness in material things - thus buying everything money could buy, so that people around us will think highly of us. Wrong. Who are you always trying to impress? If you live in a fake make-believe world, you are not living - you are escaping. If you live outside of your means, you only shorten your life by constantly finding ways to earn enough to pay for things you bought, with money you don't have. Don't forget that the higher the bar you have set for yourself, then the higher you need to go in order to feel even more fulfilled, Don't get trapped in a material world.

CARE ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER MORE. If you are nonchalant and living as though you don't have a care in the world, then you will never achieve fulfilment. Always conduct yourself in a manner you and your future children will be proud of. There's no pride in leaving a bad legacy.

LEARN TO SAY NO. The best test of one's character lies in being able to say no to temptations. Don't succumb to the lure of money, power and fame. These are temporary, and unless these are the only things you wish to accomplish in your life, then these things don't really bring true life fulfilment.

BE GENEROUS WITH YOUR TIME AND MONEY. Most people achieve fulfilment by following this rule. It is never fun to go through life without being a blessing to others. If you are selfish, and refuse to help out others who are in need, one day you will realize that if and when you lose all your wealth and power, no one will come to your aid. You reap what you sow. Do good, and you will be rewarded tenfold - not in measurable terms, but in ways which leave the heart and soul feeling full and joyous.

Setting Goals The SMART Way

Having aspirations and dreams of success is different from setting up goals. Dreams and aspirations are useless if there is no chance for them being actualized. They will remain to be mere fantasies if no corresponding action is done to make them come true. Of course, these dreams and aspirations should be within the capacity of a person to accomplish or at least the circumstances can be modified.

A person cannot achieve anything significant without first setting goals. Efforts will be directionless without any intended end or aim. Similar thing can be said if the goals are too vague. An unclear set of goals is almost as useless as not having any goal. If the goals are too difficult, then they are also less likely to be accomplished even if they are clear.

Setting up goals can be guided by the simple acronym S.M.A.R.T. This is a mnemonic device was first used in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran. It is used to identify and define key performance indicators. The letters stand for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely or time-bound.

Sometimes the acronym is expanded to SMARTERS. The additional letters stand for E(valuate),
 R(evaluate), and S(satisfactory). The SMART mnemonic is applicable for setting goals for both organizations and individuals.

Specific: A goal must be as clear and as detailed as possible. One can start from a vague or general objective and work on the details from there. For example, a vague goal could be to lose weight. To make it more specific, the questions of who, what, when, where, which, why, and how should be answered. Hence, the previously vague goal can be re-stated as: "I will workout for health reasons at least three times a week in a gym with a qualified instructor."

Measurable: Parameters or criteria should be established that will allow for the measurement of work progress. These can also correspond to the short-term objectives that are intermediate in achieving the ultimate goals. It can also refer to the allocation of resources. Case in point, a student who is striving to become a physician must first pass the required curriculum and take the necessary board exam.

Attainable: A goal that is attainable is not necessarily easy. It simply means that there are ways which to achieve it. Efforts in terms of learning new skills or improving skills, working hard, and raising necessary resources will be needed. Oftentimes, it will also entail sacrifices. Greater efforts are needed as the goal becomes more difficult.

Realistic: This may seem synonymous with being attainable. However, realistic goal emphasizes on the level of commitment and dedication. Sometimes achieving higher goals becomes realistic because of the motivational factors involved. Being realistic also means working within abilities and external circumstances.

Timely: Goals can only be accomplished if they are time-bound. There must be a specific timetable for achieving goals. It could be days, months or years. Having a clear timetable will provide the sense of urgency and prevent procrastination. The achievement of goals become closer as every milestone is reached given a specified deadline.

6 Easy Steps To Boost Your Self-Confidence

Everyone has a mental picture of who they are, how they look and what their strengths and weakness are. You continuously create this picture of yourself that you started to develop way back when you were young. This is called self-image.Typically, self images are based on day-to-day interactions with other people and significant life experiences. The way you picture yourself affects your self-esteem and how you look at yourself affects how other people perceive you.

The higher your self-esteem is, the more likely you'll succeed in achieving your goals. Here are some tips to help you boost your self-confidence and help you reach your full potential.

1. Know your positive qualities and embrace them. List down all your assets, skills, positive experiences, talents and all the other things that make you feel good and proud about yourself. You can also include the positive compliments that other people have given you. This list will constantly remind you of how great you are as a person and will surely boost your self-esteem.

2. Know that you are not perfect and accept it. Don't let a particular fault or shortcoming define you as person. You need to realize that you're a desirable package even if you have several imperfections. Every time you feel that your confidence level is going down the sink, look at yourself in the mirror, smile and think about the positive characteristics that you like about yourself.

3. Be thankful for what you have. When you think too much about what you don't have, you mind gives you reasons why you don't have them. This might cause you to dwell on your shortcomings and make you miserable about it. So, instead of feeling bad about what you don't and can't have, think of the things that you already have and be grateful for them.

Recall all your previous successes, great relationships, wonderful experiences and unique skills. By doing so, you will not only feed good about yourself but it will also motivate you to be confident enough to move forward and take the next steps to achieve your dreams.

4. Trust yourself. If you find yourself caught in a challenging situation, remind yourself of the problems you've faced and the obstacles you've conquered. Don't ever doubt your capabilities. Instead, take note of all your accomplishments no matter how small or big they are and let them remind you how you made it through despite your shortcomings.

5. Don't be afraid to speak your mind. Some people never speak up during group discussions because they are afraid of what people might think if they did or say something stupid. Don't mind whatever people will say about you. If you're to shy to speak up, close your eyes and think that there is no else in the room but you. Once you're getting that hang of it, open your eyes and see there's really nothing to be scared about. It also helps to internalize the importance of what you have to say. Knowing it will give you the push to share it with other people out aloud.

6. Don't be afraid to fail or make mistakes. Our mistakes and failures make us stronger. Remember that trying and failing is better than not doing anything at all. If you fail at something or made a mistake, stand up and learn from that experience and try again. Don't think that there's no room for mistakes because in life, there always is. Don't be afraid to follow your dreams.