My Favorite Posts from TMN

As this year winds down, it is a good time to look back at 2013.

In review, I wanted to call out some of TMN favorites thoughts and ideas of the last year.

TMN Newsletter had the Top 10 posts on TMN. Those rankings were by website traffic.

However, as I looked back of their writings, I wanted to provide a deeper dive of TMN posts. Some of these were hits. Some were overlooked. Yet, these are my favorite ideas and posts from last year.

In chronological order, here are my favorite TMN posts of 2013:

• 10 Things You Could Have Done If You Got Up Early

You were going to get up early today.

Instead, you stayed up late last night.

Now, after resetting your alarm twice, you are rushing to get out the door.

What could you have done if you had gotten up early today?

Up Late, What Did you Get Done?

You stayed up last night, but what did you accomplish?

Were you productive?

Or did you watch the late show? Or maybe surfed the web endlessly? Or played Angry Birds?

“Early to bed and early to start your day.

That is how you get things done.”

Next time, instead of burning the midnight oil, get to bed early so that you can get a fresh start on tomorrow.

The Early Bird Gets the Head Start

Some people say they are more productive at night.

However, I am big believer that they early bird always gets the head start.

So, before you hit the snooze button again, ask yourself, “What do I want more than a few extra minutes of sleep?”

Here are 10 Things You Could Have Done If You Got Up Early:     

• Workout – The best time to workout is first thing. What better to wake you up and get the blood flowing? And you know that if you put off that workout until after work… that it won’t get done.
• Read – You want to read more, but when to find the quiet time to do it? Read early and start your day with new ideas and stories.
• Think – One of the best times to come up with new ideas is first thing in the morning. You will find that you have many ideas that your subconscious mind came up with while you were asleep.
• Catch Up – Double check your list. Now is the time to catch up and complete any last tasks that you didn’t get to yesterday.
• Make a Plan – Before you start your day, make a plan. Review your calendar and know your obligations. Review and add to your todo list. Know what you are going to do today, and have a plan as to how you are going to accomplish it.
• Work on that Big Project – Trying to get extra time to work on that big passion project you have? Get up early and make time to work on it each and every day. Maybe it is a hobby, maybe it’s your blog, or maybe it is the business you are starting.
• Get Your Forever Task Done – What task has been lingering on your todo list for weeks? (or months!) Get it done while you can give it some undivided attention.
• Prepare for Your Day – Having a plan is good. (See #5) However, the real secret is toprepare for your day. Review the materials for your meeting. Scan your notes for the presentation. Practice the pitch you have to give today. Knowing what you need to do and being ready to do it are two different things.
• Relax – While everyone else is sleeping is a great time to just relax. If you are a parent, this may be the only quiet time of the day you see. Enjoy the peace, quiet, and solitude.
• Get a Head Start – Go ahead and get started on your todo list! Knock out some of your most dreaded tasks now, even before the day begins.
  

Get Up Early and Get At It
You can be the early bird. You can get up early and get ready for your day.

By the time you are at work, you will have already have accomplished more than most people will do all day long.

Others will be stumbling into work wondering when their first appointment is, what they need to do, and where they need to be.

Meanwhile, you will already be three steps ahead of the pack and ready to take on your day.

• 8 Reasons to Push Yourself Today

Today, you will do what you always do.

The same activities. The same job. And at the same level of effort.

OR… you could push things.

You could push yourself to do more.

A Life Too Comfortable

We tend to live in our comfort zones.

Most people rarely, if ever, venture outside of theirs.

For most, it’s about going through the motions.

It is a life of routine, slackness, and minimal effort.

Yet, to reach new heights you have to push yourself.

You have to do the work. And you have to test your limits.

“If you don’t push yourself, how do you know how far you can go?”

When was the last time you truly exerted yourself?

(Of course, I am not referring to putting yourself in harm’s way physically or health-wise.)

I am talking about pushing yourself.

Physically. Mentally. Maybe, even emotionally.

When did you last test your limits?

Here are 8 Reasons To Push Yourself Today:

• To Leave Your Comfort Zone – Leave your comfort zone. Go outside of it and see the rest of the world. If you always do the same things, you will always get the same results.
• You Are Stronger Than You Think – We all have inner strength. Yet, most people never tap that strength. They get conditioned to not exert themselves and live meekly, instead of boldly. You are stronger than you think, make sure you use that strength.
• To Learn New Things – The only way to acquire new skills is to try. You may fail the first several times. But, that is how you learn, grow, and ultimately succeed at new endeavors.
• To Get in Shape – A body at rest stays at rest. (Yes, this applies to physical fitness as well as physics.) Get your body moving, even if it only means taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Take those first steps to getting in shape.
• To Do a Little More – Push yourself to do more than you did yesterday. Even 5 minutes more of an activity or job can add up over time. What could you do a little more of today?
• To Know Yourself – When you push yourself, you get to know yourself. In the end, we are only competing against ourselves. It is through exertion and pushing yourself that you will come to know your own limits, beliefs, and strengths.
• To Build Momentum – As a body at rest stays at rest, a body in motion stays in motion. Building momentum in one area, will help you accomplish more in all areas of your life.
• To Test Your Limits – Until you push yourself, how will you know how far you can go? It is only by testing your limits that you can determine where they truly are. Of course, next time, you can try to exceed those limits.

Push Your Limits

Push yourself today.

See what you can accomplish beyond what you normally do.

What could you accomplish if you pushed yourself today?

(And of course, tomorrow and so on…)  

• Why Preparation is Better Than Planning

Planning let’s you know what you will be doing on a particular day.

You review your todo list and the appointments you have on your schedule.

However, are you really ready for your day?

Planning is good, however, preparation is even better.

Getting Ready For Your Day

By planning your day, you know what you need to do.

The next step is to prepare.

Preparation gets you ready to actually do the work.

“Planning leads to awareness. Preparation leads to readiness.”

Planning is good… knowing what you need to do is a great first step.

Preparation is even better… it readies you to actually do your work.

You could say that planning is level one, and preparation is level two.

Here are some tips to help you with your Preparation:

• Do It the Night Before – Preparation the “day of” can help you get ready in advance. Even better, preparation the night before can help you remedy any shortfalls that may occur. (Ever find yourself scrambling to find clothes? Or looking for a missing item while scrambling to get out the door?)
• When Possible, Do It Well in Advance – The further in advance you prepare, the more time you have to remedy any unforeseen obstacles. Gather materials for that big event several days beforehand.
• Do the (Pre)Work – Preparation is about doing the work in advance. Read the materials. Review the data. Practice the activity. It’s all about being ready.
• Save Time – Some will use the excuse that they don’t have extra time to prepare in advance. Yet, preparing actually saves you time. It reduces errors, prevents re-work, and shortens activities. Properly prepared meetings take much less time to conduct.
• Reduce Your Stress – When you are ready, you are confident. When you are prepared, your stress is reduced because you have less to worry about.
• Make It a Habit – Make preparation part of your lifestyle, not something you do once in a blue moon. Preparation should be part of your daily habits.

Prepare in Advance

Few people plan their day. Fewer still take the time to prepare.

You can plan all you want, but if you don’t prepare, you still won’t be ready.

Invest some time preparing and you’ll be ready to take on the events of your day.

• You Don't Have More Time Later
  
  

What are you putting off?

I am not referring to today, but rather the bigger picture.

The big things that you are not getting to.

You say you will do them someday, but someday never seems to come.

You Don’t Get More Time Later

We have all used these excuses at some point:

• I’ll do it later.
• When I have more time…
• When things settle down…
• It isn’t a good time.
• When I get around to it…

None of these hold water.

The truth is that you have the same amount of time in your day as everyone else.

And don’t say that you’re going to do it someday.

“Someday is the day after never”

When was the last time you saw someday on your calendar?

You’re not going to have more time later.

• There is never a perfect time.
• Success doesn’t happen overnight, it takes years of effort.
• You can’t finish if you don’t start.
• No one is going to give it to you.
• You have to ship your work.
• The are big differences between dreams and goals.

Don’t Wait for Someday

What are you waiting for?

To chase your dreams? To tell someone how you feel? To do what you have always wanted to do?

Get out there and do it today.

Because “someday” is too long to wait… and you don’t get more time later.

Thats all