self improvement | Get Lasting Results with Mike

Get Results: acquire knowledge — Get Results: Acquiring Knowledge

When it comes to pursuing your goal, knowledge is a vital component it that journey. Without knowledge about what to do, how to do it, and when to do it there is nothing but a vision of the end result and no way of getting from here to there. Knowledge is the ladder to success each rung takes you ever closer to the top.

Knowledge comes in two parts, finding…

reliable sources and
accurate information

Reliable sources

Reliable sources of knowledge include Role models, Mentors and Mastermind teams.

Role Models

A Role Model is define as:-

A person looked to by others as an example to be imitated.

We tend to study role models from afar. They are often people in the public eye or are widely publicised. In the world of business we might look to people like Richard Branson as a role model, because he is seen as successful in the world of business, having accumulated millions in personal wealth and build numerous successful businesses under the brand name Virgin, such as Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Media, Virgin Money etc.

When selecting role models ensure you:-

Only take advice from someone who has provable experience achieving the same goal as you are aiming for. If it is a business goal, search for successful business leaders, if its health related look for individuals who have a great fitness background. If you’re looking to kick an habit look for those that have kicked the habit in the past and are helping others to do the same.

Understand the underlying principles behind the activities that resulted in their success and model these. Look to the Models, Relationships, Systems and Habits they have employed to achieve their success.

Be cautious of the passing of time and its effect on the methods being modelled – are they still relevant in today’s world – did they benefit from being in the right place at the right time.

Use their principles as a starting point, then test for yourself, look to improve upon it, and learn from your own experience moving forward.

Mentors

A Mentor is defined as:-

An experienced and trusted adviser

A mentor is someone we are lucky enough to personal contact with in a one to one situation, someone at work is probably the most common type of mentor, but increasingly we have access to virtual coaches that are able to communicate via video or email contact.

If you approach someone to be a Mentor to you, look to provide some value in exchange for their time and effort. For instance offer to work for them for free or use your existing skills or resources to do something they will value, in return for them mentoring you.

The above still applies, making sure they know what they are talking about, understanding the underlying principles etc. Usually Mentors will take a more guiding role and take you through the steps and feedback what you did right and wrong as you go. This is often more fruitful than just using role models, because of the instant feedback and corrections as you take your journey towards your goal.

Mastermind teams

A Mastermind team is defined as:-

The coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony

Mastermind teams offer a combination of brainstorming, education, peer accountability and support in a group setting to sharpen your business and personal skills. A mastermind team helps you and your mastermind team members achieve success.

By its very nature it is closer to the Mentoring model than that of the role model situation. It is coaching as you go, but with a slightly different twist. The people in your mastermind team might not be experts in achieving your particular goal, but can offer a more general perspective, using their knowledge to bring fresh eyes to your pursuit and as a results can be a valuable addition to having a mentor.

Conclusion

When it comes to acquiring knowledge ensure you are getting accurate information. Remember the quote:-

“A journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step”

Taking one step at a time will only move you closer to your goal if you are heading in the correct direction to start off with, otherwise each step could be taking you in the opposite direction and ultimately further away from that goal. So make sure the information you are using is actually accurate.

Video summary:

100 million people living in America say they are dissatisfied with their lives, that’s an awful lot of dissatisfaction. What do they and you want? It doesn’t have to sound good to other people, just be honest with yourself. If you want to lose man boobs to be able to attract a mate, then that’s fine, as long as it means something to you. Pick something.

How you get what you want? Well it’s really simple but not easy.

We live in unprecedented times, a world of information at our fingertips, we have it in the form of books (electronic and paper versions), or search engines like Google and Bing, which are easily accessible from our mobile phones and computers. There are literally thousands of blogs or websites giving you step by step instructions about how to do just about anything that’s ever been done before. So why aren’t you getting what you want? It comes down to one word. a small four latter word that is the route of your problems. The word is “Fine”. People ask you “How are you doing?” you reply, “I’m fine!”. Really, are you fine? Fine says you don’t have to do anything about it, you’re okay where you are. The result is you stay in your comfort zone. You don’t push yourself, you stay put.

Experts have calculated the odds of your very existence, taking into account all the wars and disasters that have ever happened, as being 1 in 400 trillion. Wow those odds are amazingly long, you are amazing just for being here. You are full of great ideas and impulses, but when you have one you do nothing about it. You press the snooze button, because your comfortable where you are. Let’s be real, any area of your life that you want to change, you will never feel like it when it comes to actually taking action, you’ll always prefer to procrastinate.

Activation energy as it’s been labelled by science, is required to get you to do anything new, anything outside your normal routine. Try this exercise tomorrow, set your alarm 30 minutes earlier and get up and start your day. You will come face to face with the physical force required to change behaviour. Getting out of a warm bed into a cold room requires much the same effort as taking exercise, dieting, or whatever else you want to do/achieve that’s new.

Your parents used to make you do the stuff you didn’t feel like doing, as adults it’s our own responsibility to make us do the things we don’t feel like doing, but you have to force yourself, it’s simple but not easy.

You brain is split into two halves, one side is autopilot and the other is the emergency brake. Everything outside our normal routine, anything new, usually results in the tendency to pull the emergency break and move back into autopilot (normal routine).

You’re bored because of routine and habit and doing the same things over and over again in autopilot. Your body is wired to send you signals, for instance if you need food, your brain tells you you’re hungry, if you need sex your brain tells you you’re horny. When you’re bored or dissatisfied, your brain is telling you one of your most basic needs isn’t being met, your need for exploration and growth.

Force yourself out of your head and into the world, out of your comfort zone. If you’re in your head you’re behind enemy lines. You will never feel like taking action. Those first 3 seconds you get out of bed, blow big time, but once you’re up it’s okay. Get outside, that’s where the magic is, where the 1 in 400 million exist. Act within 5 seconds to marry action with the idea/impulse, otherwise your emergency brake gets pulled and you do nothing. Practice the 5 second rule by acting within 5 seconds of the idea/impulse and see what changes happen.