Elevate Life Project

Michael Kohan 

Elevate Life Project:  Mindfulness | Spirituality | Success | Personal Growth

Elevate Life Project:  How to Achieve a Stretch Goal

Podcast:  Quick Tips For Finding Motivation

What’s your true purpose?  Free Quiz by visiting

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Show Notes:

The good news is that when motivation doesn’t come naturally, there are still steps you can take to create it for yourself.

Here are the quick tips you can use to rediscover your motivation.

It might sound a little silly, but you’d be surprised how effective this strategy can be. Striking a pose has more of an impact on your mental state than you may think. Holding your body in certain positions literally changes your internal body chemistry, your blood flow, and how you feel.

Studies have shown just how important body language can be to the way we think and feel.

Striking a power pose, with your shoulders back, head up, and chest forward can give you a dose of strength and confidence. You can always practice your poses in private if you feel self-conscious.

Eating a pile of chocolate as soon as you get into work probably won’t give you the immediate motivation boost you need. However, you can use dopamine-boosting tools to your advantage when you’re low on energy.

A small piece of chocolate at the end of every tough task teaches your brain there’s something positive to look forward to when you get your work done. You don’t have to rely on chocolate if you’re on a diet – nuts are just as good.

Eating a dopamine-rich substance stimulates you and lifts your heart rate, which can significantly increase motivation. It also has a slight antidepressant effect, so you’re less likely to be dragged down by the blues.

Sometimes you need help convincing yourself to put in extra effort at work. Although you know you should be doing your best every day, it can be difficult for that alone to keep you motivated. So, find something else to motivate you.

For instance, make a deal with yourself that you’re going to give yourself some kind of reward if you accomplish this difficult task.

If your day is seriously dragging, tell yourself that you’ll take a walk in the park after work with the dog to get rid of excess stress. You can even treat yourself to an ice cream, or an evening with your favorite movie – it’s up to you.

Sometimes, the reason we struggle to stay motivated is we’re putting too much pressure on ourselves to achieve huge things. Although it’s tempting to set ambitious goals for yourself, don’t ask yourself to accomplish too much too fast.

Often, it’s easier to break big tasks down into smaller ones. You can arrange your schedule into a series of small wins, with each one giving you another motivational boost and endorphin rush when you complete it.

Deciding exactly which task you tackle first on your to-do list is up to you. For many people, it’s helpful to tackle the most difficult task initially, because they feel it sets them up for success for the remainder of the day.

Getting outside is one of the best ways to motivate yourself and improve your mindset. Not only is it a chance to breathe some fresh air, you also move yourself into a different environment.

Walking around outside will give your body an endorphin boost and help wake you up if you’re feeling sluggish.

Ideally, go to a green place where you can see lots of trees, grass, and other natural things. Greenery is proven to help lower depression and improve your mood in a lot of cases.

Don’t beat yourself up because you feel less motivated on some days. It’s natural to feel a little less energetic on certain days.

Using the tips above, you should be able to get enough motivation going to complete your tasks, until you’re naturally motivated again.

Michael Kohan 

Elevate Life Project:  Mindfulness | Spirituality | Success | Personal Growth

Elevate Life Project:  How to Achieve a Stretch Goal

Podcast:  Top Goal Setting Secrets to Make Your Life Awesome

What’s your true purpose?  Free Quiz by visiting

https://elevatelifeproject.com/purpose 

If you liked this Podcast, please subscribe and write us a review.  This is what helps us stand out, so more people can find this show.  To Write us a Review please open up this Podcast in the your app  on your computer and search for Living Life on Purpose https://elevatelifeproject.com/podcast 

Show Notes: 

Often, we start the year full of renewed drive and motivation only to peter out by the end of the first quarter. It's easy to make plans for how we want to change our lives. It's harder to get the habits and overcome the obstacles we need to succeed.

Does that mean it's better to give up and just decide not to set any more goals?

Goals are important. A person who lives without setting goals is like driving without a destination. Such a person allows things to happen by chance rather than intentionally pursuing the outcomes that matter the most to him.

The goal-setting process takes effort, but reviewing your goals will give you a road map on your journey toward success.

1. Gain clarity around the things you want for your life. Think about what you want to achieve in the coming year, five years, or even ten years. What goals do you want to accomplish? Visualize them in your life.

• A clear, positive image of yourself can help you work to achieve your goals. If you find it hard deciding what you want, think about events that made you happy. Consider the achievements of people you admire. A goal can result from anything.

• You can choose to take a 30-minute walk, strengthen your skills at presentations, or learn a new language. Your goals might be large or small. The important thing is that you set them and achieve them.

1. Set goals that focus on the journey as well as the destination. Many people make the mistake of setting goals that concentrate only on the destination. People usually say they want a bikini body, earn a 6-figure income, buy a house, or lose 30 pounds.

• The problem with this approach is that it focuses solely on the result. You tend to see the end and ignore the challenges on the journey. That explains why many people set goals but stall out shortly after.

• When they realize that the result they seek is not coming as quickly as they expected, they give up.

• The best type of goal is one that alters our life direction. And the best way to find out what those are is to search for them from within and apply them to your life. Instead of focusing on what you want to achieve, think about where you'd like to go instead.

1. Make your plans detailed and action-packed. Sometimes our goals might seem like we're shooting for the stars, an impossible task. But when we break them down into more manageable steps, we start realizing that we have a fighting chance for success.

• And sometimes, all we need is a little bit of encouragement to help us get started. Case in point: Before an aspiring wrestler reaches outstanding goals, he might start overweight. But instead of focusing on the difference, he focuses on where he wants to go.

• Instead of stopping him, his parents might also help him develop a personalized diet plan. He might also start working out at the gym each day. His diet and training will help him lose the weight he needs to reach his goal of becoming a world-class wrestler.

• The point is, a detailed action plan and a bit of encouragement can go a long way.

1. Micro habits. Instead of setting big goals, successful people set small, incremental practices. The plans aren't huge, but they still have a significant impact on your life.

• For example, you might set big goals for your career, like moving up to an executive position. But you might start with small plans like coming to work earlier, leaving a bit later, and working all the time that you're at work.

• You may not see yourself reaching that goal in a few weeks. But the small habits add up over time.

Goal setting is like dieting – it's easy to start but harder to stay on. But, if you keep at it for the first few months, you'll learn a lot, and after a while, you’ll see that your goals are within reach!

Michael Kohan 

Elevate Life Project:  Mindfulness | Spirituality | Success | Personal Growth

Elevate Life Project:  How to Achieve a Stretch Goal

Podcast:  The Power of Persistence: You Can't Succeed Without It

What’s your true purpose?  Free Quiz by visiting

https://elevatelifeproject.com/purpose 

If you liked this Podcast, please subscribe and write us a review.  This is what helps us stand out, so more people can find this show.  To Write us a Review please open up this Podcast in the your app  on your computer and search for Living Life on Purpose https://elevatelifeproject.com/podcast 

Show Notes

We’d all like life to be easier. Unfortunately, or fortunately, it’s not. The fact that bigger successes are so challenging limits your competition in life. Most people would rather order a pizza and watch a movie from the couch. There aren’t many people with the willingness to work consistently on a big goal.

There’s a lot less competition than you think!

If you believe you weren’t born with great talent or intelligence, you’re still in good shape. It’s your ability to persist that matters the most.

1. Most of the big things you do are 95% unenjoyable and 5% bliss. Whether you’re training for a marathon, building a business, or writing a book, most of the process is unenjoyable. What drives you is the feeling that you believe you’ll have at the end.
   

• Whether or not you’re successful is dependent on how well you can get yourself to do that 95% that isn’t fun.
  

1. Ideas are overrated. Sure, you need a revolutionary idea if you want to create the next Facebook. Most of the super successful people you personally know or read about didn’t have a great idea. They had an acceptable idea that they beat to death each day. Persistence, not brilliance, is their key to great success.
   

• Think about how you spend your typical day. Now, project yourself 5, 10, 20 years into the future. Where will your life logically end up after years of living your average day over and over?
  

1. Become a skilled expert. You can become skilled at anything with practice. The key is to do it a lot. Doing the same thing many times, regardless of your failures along the way, is the way to reach expert status.
   

Think about how many hours NFL quarterbacks prepare all year long for their games. An NFL game might last for three hours on TV, but there’s only a play occurring for 11 minutes each game. When you take into account the defense and special teams, that’s less than 5.5 minutes that the quarterback is doing something.

Those 5.5 minutes X 16 games/year = 88 minutes.

Thousands of hours or preparation each season for less than an hour and a half of time spent actually playing football. Of all the men that believe being an NFL quarterback would be their dream job, 99.99% are dead wrong.

Persistence is the biggest part of achieving any big goal. Learn how to persist and you can live the life of your dreams. It’s up to you.

Michael Kohan 

Elevate Life Project:  Mindfulness | Spirituality | Success | Personal Growth

Elevate Life Project:  How to Achieve a Stretch Goal

Podcast:  5 Types of Happiness Everyone Can Achieve

What’s your true purpose?  Free Quiz by visiting

https://elevatelifeproject.com/purpose 

If you liked this Podcast, please subscribe and write us a review.  This is what helps us stand out, so more people can find this show.  To Write us a Review please open up this Podcast in the your app  on your computer and search for Living Life on Purpose https://elevatelifeproject.com/podcast 

Show Notes: 

What is happiness? We all know what it feels like–a sense of joy, contentment, and well-being. But what causes these feelings? And why do they vary from person to person?

There are many theories about happiness, but scientists have yet to come up with a definitive answer. However, some common themes come with happiness.

1. The happiness of accomplishment. This type of happiness comes from setting and achieving goals. It can be as simple as completing a long-overdue task of reaching a long-term goal, such as buying a house or starting a business.

• When you set goals and work hard to achieve them, you build self-confidence. It can lead to a sense of accomplishment and happiness. How do you set achievable goals to improve your overall happiness and well-being?

• First, you make a list of SMART goals. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound goals. Goals need to be specific. Otherwise, you won’t be able to measure your progress.

• If a goal is too vague, such as “I want to be rich,” it's difficult to stay motivated because you won’t know when you’ve achieved it.

• Your goals should also be achievable and realistic. Trying to lose 20 pounds in one week is probably not going to happen, and if it does, it won’t be sustainable.

• Relevant goals are important to you and your current lifestyle. A goal like “I want to buy a yacht” might not be relevant if you live in an apartment and can’t afford the maintenance costs.

• A time-bound goal has a deadline, so you can measure your progress. “I want to save $20,000 in the next year” is an example of a time-bound goal.

• For example, a SMART goal might look like this: I will start my business within the following year. You can make it even more specific by pinpointing the type of business you want to set up. Also, include a revenue target for the first year of operation.

• Remember, it’s important to have short-term and long-term goals to keep you motivated and happy. A short-term goal could be: “I will research business ideas for the next month.”

• Long-term goals could be: “I will start my freelance writing business within the next year and make $50,000 in revenue during the first year of operation.”
  

• Create a detailed action plan for the next few months to highlight the most important tasks you need to complete to achieve your goal. It will help you stay on track and make progress toward your goals.
  

1. The happiness of love and connection. This type of happiness comes from strong relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners. It’s the feeling you get when surrounded by people you love and who love you back.

• How can you achieve this type of happiness? The first step is to make time for the people in your life who matter most to you. If you’re always busy with work or other commitments, finding time for your loved ones can be challenging.

• Schedule regular catchups with friends and family members, even if it’s just a quick coffee or phone call.

• Make time for date nights or weekend getaways if you’re in a romantic relationship. It’s important to keep the spark alive and show your partner that you still care. Book a spa day with your partner and arrange game nights, romantic dinners, or movie nights.

• It’s also important to be supportive and understand when conflicts arise. Family members and friends are not perfect, just as you are not perfect. Be patient and try to see things from their perspective.

• Last, don’t forget to show your appreciation for the people in your life. A simple “thank you” or “I love you” can go a long way. A kind thank you note, a box of chocolates, or tickets to a theater show are excellent examples of how to show your loved ones how much you care.

1. The happiness of being in the moment. This type of happiness comes from enjoying the simple things in life and savoring special moments. It’s being present and living the moment instead of looking to the future or dwelling on the past.

• How can you achieve this type of happiness? One way to achieve this type of happiness is to be aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. It’s about living in the moment and not letting your mind wander.

• Another way to achieve this type of happiness is to savor special moments. When something good happens, take a moment to appreciate it fully. For example, if you’re on vacation and have a great time, take lots of photos and videos to remember the experience later.

• Also, live in the moment by focusing on the things you can control, such as how you react to situations and letting go of the things you can’t control. Examples of things you can’t control are the weather, other people’s actions, and traffic.

• Lastly, remember to enjoy the simple things in life. It could be something as small as taking a relaxing bath or reading your favorite book. The key is to take the time to appreciate the things that make you happy.

1. The happiness of personal growth. This type of happiness comes from a sense of progress and achievement. It’s the feeling you get when you reach a goal or accomplish something difficult.

• One way to achieve this type of happiness is to challenge yourself. If you’re always doing the same things, it's easy to get bored and feel you’re not making any progress.

• Challenging yourself can help you learn new things and feel a sense of accomplishment. It can also help you build confidence and self-esteem.

• One way to challenge yourself is to take on a new hobby or activity that you’re unfamiliar with. Another way is to set higher standards in your current hobbies or activities. For example, if you’re a runner, challenge yourself to run a longer distance or a faster time.

1. The happiness of charity. This type of happiness comes from giving back and helping others. It’s the feeling you get when you make a difference in someone else’s life.

• One way to achieve this type of happiness is by volunteering your time or donating money to a cause that you care about.

• Volunteering your time can help you feel connected to a larger community and make a difference in someone else’s life. Donating money can also help you feel good about yourself while supporting a cause that’s important to you.

• Another way to achieve this type of happiness is to do something nice for someone else. It could be something as small as holding the door open for someone or giving a compliment. These random acts of kindness can make someone’s day and make you feel good at the same time.

• You can also achieve this type of happiness by being there for someone when they need you. If a friend is going through a tough time, offer your support. If you have a skill or talent that could help someone, offer your help.

Happiness is achievable. These are just a few of the many ways you can achieve happiness. The key is to find what works for you and make it a part of your life.

Experiment with different activities and behaviors until you find something that makes you happy. Then, make it a habit to do those things regularly. Soon, you’ll be on your way to a happier and more fulfilling life.

Michael Kohan 

Elevate Life Project:  Mindfulness | Spirituality | Success | Personal Growth

Podcast: A 7-Step Process for Dealing With Failure and Other Setbacks

What’s your true purpose?  Free Quiz by visiting

https://elevatelifeproject.com/purpose 

If you liked this Podcast, please subscribe and write us a review.  This is what helps us stand out, so more people can find this show.  To Write us a Review please open up this Podcast in the your app  on your computer and search for Living Life on Purpose https://elevatelifeproject.com/podcast 

Michael Kohan 

Elevate Life Project:  Mindfulness | Spirituality | Success | Personal Growth

Elevate Life Project:  How to Achieve a Stretch Goal

Podcast: My Top Tips For A Winners Mindset

What’s your true purpose?  Free Quiz by visiting

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Show Notes:

Success often begins in the mind. A winner's mindset is a powerful force that can help individuals achieve their goals and overcome obstacles. Whether you're striving for personal or professional success, developing a winner's mindset can be the key to unlocking your full potential. In this article, we will explore five valuable tips to help you cultivate and maintain a winner's mindset.

1. Set Clear Goals

The first step to developing a winner's mindset is to establish clear and specific goals. Without a clear destination in mind, it's challenging to stay motivated and focused. Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). When you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, you can channel your energy and efforts towards it. Break your long-term goals into smaller, manageable tasks to create a roadmap for success. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your goals will keep you on track and motivated.

1. Embrace Challenges and Failure

A winner's mindset isn't about avoiding challenges or failure; it's about embracing them as opportunities for growth. Instead of seeing setbacks as obstacles, view them as valuable learning experiences. Failure is a natural part of any journey towards success. When you encounter challenges, don't shy away from them—lean into them with determination and resilience. Remember, some of the greatest success stories are born from overcoming adversity. Embrace the growth mindset, which encourages you to see challenges as a chance to improve and develop new skills.

1. Maintain a Positive Attitude

Maintaining a positive attitude is crucial when cultivating a winner's mindset. Positive thinking not only boosts your confidence but also helps you persevere through difficult times. Practice gratitude by acknowledging the positive aspects of your life, and focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems. Surround yourself with positive influences, and avoid negative self-talk. Replace self-limiting beliefs with affirmations that empower you to believe in your abilities. A positive attitude is contagious and can inspire those around you, creating a supportive environment for personal growth and success.

1. Develop Resilience

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and adversity. It's a key trait of individuals with a winner's mindset. To develop resilience, learn to adapt to change and adversity. Understand that setbacks are a part of life and that you have the inner strength to overcome them. Practice stress-reduction techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, or deep breathing exercises to help you stay calm under pressure. Surround yourself with a support system of friends, mentors, and colleagues who can provide encouragement and guidance during tough times. Remember, resilience is a skill that can be cultivated with practice and perseverance.

1. Take Consistent Action

A winner's mindset is not just about thinking positively; it's also about taking consistent action towards your goals. Develop discipline and self-motivation to stay committed to your objectives, even when the going gets tough. Create a daily routine that aligns with your goals, and prioritize tasks that bring you closer to success. Celebrate your small victories along the way, as they can provide the motivation to keep moving forward. Taking consistent action not only builds momentum but also reinforces your belief in your ability to achieve your dreams.

Conclusion

Cultivating a winner's mindset is a journey that requires dedication, resilience, and a commitment to personal growth. By setting clear goals, embracing challenges and failure, maintaining a positive attitude, developing resilience, and taking consistent action, you can unlock your full potential and achieve the success you desire. Remember that a winner's mindset is not something you're born with; it's something you can develop and nurture over time. So, start today, and watch as your mindset propels you towards greater success and fulfillment in life.

Michael Kohan 

Elevate Life Project:  Mindfulness | Spirituality | Success | Personal Growth

Elevate Life Project:  How to Achieve a Stretch Goal

Podcast:  The Power of Mastering the Basics

What’s your true purpose?  Free Quiz by visiting

https://elevatelifeproject.com/purpose 

If you liked this Podcast, please subscribe and write us a review.  This is what helps us stand out, so more people can find this show.  To Write us a Review please open up this Podcast in the your app  on your computer and search for Living Life on Purpose https://elevatelifeproject.com/podcast 

Episode Overview:
This episode of our podcast delves into the importance of mastering the basics in any field, be it chess, golf, real estate, or any other domain. Our discussion emphasizes how a solid foundation in the basics leads to significant success and distinguishes a professional from a novice.

Key Points Discussed:

Expect Mastery:

• The power of setting high personal objectives.

Focus on the Long-term:

• The pitfalls of rushing through basics.

Avoid Overcomplicating Solutions:

• Questioning the need for complex solutions.

Episode Highlights:

• Analogy between various skills and the importance of their foundational aspects.

Conclusion: The episode wraps up with a powerful message: there are no shortcuts to real success. Dedication to mastering the basics is not just a step in the learning process but a continuous journey that paves the way for long-lasting progress and achievement.

Michael Kohan 

Elevate Life Project:  Mindfulness | Spirituality | Success | Personal Growth

Podcast:  The 5 Easiest Skills to Learn to Become a Better Person

What’s your true purpose?  Free Quiz by visiting

https://elevatelifeproject.com/purpose 

If you liked this Podcast, please subscribe and write us a review.  This is what helps us stand out, so more people can find this show.  To Write us a Review please open up this Podcast in the your app  on your computer and search for Living Life on Purpose https://elevatelifeproject.com/podcast 

Show Notes

The Power of Mastering the Basics

Mastering the basics is critical to success. Whether you're talking about playing chess, playing golf, or investing in real estate, a good foundation is crucial to accomplishment. While getting lost in the details can seem easy, stick to the basics and you’ll win big.

Of course, the real experts in any field can do some incredible things that the beginner cannot. But the real difference between a pro and a novice is simply that the expert is   much better and more effective at the basic tasks that are fundamental to that skill.

Let's look at three simple ideas about how to master the basics in your field of choice. Real success will be sure to follow.

1. Expect mastery. You’ll rarely exceed your own objectives, so expect a lot from yourself. If you're taking up golf, tell yourself that you're going to someday be one of the world’s greatest golfers. While this may or may not be true, by adopting this approach, you remove any self-imposed psychological ceiling on your ultimate level of achievement.

• Another approach is to imagine that you're eventually going to have to teach this skill to someone else. You’ll need to know what you’re doing so thoroughly that you can explain it to anyone.

1. Think about the long-term. Many people want to rush through the basics to get to the more interesting information. Or perhaps they believe that the more advanced work is where real power lies. But even with just a mastery of the basics, you can have huge successes. And to excel at the advanced work, you must first know where to start.

• For example, if you don't understand the basics of chess, you're never going to have the foundation to support understanding the finer nuances of the game. If you don't master algebra, how will you ever be able to master calculus?
  

1. Avoid getting fancy. Always question the assumption that the solution to your current challenge is complicated. Ask yourself if the problem is really the result of a shortcoming in one or more basic skills. Rarely is some fancy technique going to be the answer.

• If you can't boil an egg well, a space-age pot isn't going to help you become a better chef. If you can't strike a golf ball well, a $2,000 set of new golf clubs isn't going to do much to improve your golf game.

Thoroughly mastering the basics will take time, but it's time that's well spent. There are no shortcuts to real success. Adding a new skill to your repertoire is much easier if you have the expectation of first getting a good handle on the foundational skills. Time devoted to the basics is the key to long-lasting progress and success.

Michael Kohan 

Elevate Life Project:  Mindfulness | Spirituality | Success | Personal Growth

Elevate Life Project:  How to Achieve a Stretch Goal

Podcast:  Embracing both the Light and the Dark Within 

What’s your true purpose?  Free Quiz by visiting

https://elevatelifeproject.com/purpose 

If you liked this Podcast, please subscribe and write us a review.  This is what helps us stand out, so more people can find this show.  To Write us a Review please open up this Podcast in the your app  on your computer and search for Living Life on Purpose https://elevatelifeproject.com/podcast 

Show Notes:

In this episode, we delve into the concept of "stretch goals" - ambitions that seem out of reach based on our past experiences and self-perception. These goals, whether financial, physical, or personal, often feel daunting and evoke a sense of discomfort or resistance. Here's a breakdown of what we covered:

Defining Stretch Goals: We define stretch goals as objectives that don't align with our past experiences or self-perceptions. For example, someone who has always struggled financially might find the goal of becoming a millionaire to be a stretch goal.

Identifying Stretch Goals: You know a goal is a stretch when it causes physical discomfort or dread, leads to procrastination, or makes you indulge in distractions.

Overcoming the Challenges: The journey to achieving a stretch goal is fraught with resistance and obstacles, often manifesting as negative emotions and behaviors.

The Process to Achieve Stretch Goals:

• Write Down the Goal: Envision and document not just the goal, but the experience of achieving it.

Eliminating Negativity: Addressing and removing negative feelings is crucial in aligning stretch goals with our self-image and making them achievable.

Transforming Dreams into Possibilities: Following these steps can shift even the most ambitious stretch goals from daunting dreams to achievable realities.

By the end of this episode, listeners will gain insights into identifying their stretch goals and learn practical strategies to overcome the challenges associated with achieving these goals. Tune in to start turning your wildest dreams into attainable achievements.

Michael Kohan 

Elevate Life Project:  Mindfulness | Spirituality | Success | Personal Growth

Elevate Life Project:  Try a little bit each day

Podcast:  Embracing both the Light and the Dark Within 

What’s your true purpose?  Free Quiz by visiting

https://elevatelifeproject.com/purpose 

If you liked this Podcast, please subscribe and write us a review.  This is what helps us stand out, so more people can find this show.  To Write us a Review please open up this Podcast in the your app  on your computer and search for Living Life on Purpose https://elevatelifeproject.com/podcast