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P.O.W. Series: Discipline

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Discipline is defined as orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior and self-control.

The word discipline makes some people tense to even hear or speak it, because it means they must live within some type of order governed by rules and restrictions. Our natural tendency is to lean towards what we feel is liberating, unconfined, and “do what I want to do, when I want to do it” attitude and behavior. However, living a fruitful life of purpose in fulfillment of your destiny demands that you practice discipline in every area of your life.  Your ability or inability to live a disciplined life is evident in the following areas:

  1. Your level of productivity.
  2. The level of excellence you aspire to.
  3. How you manage and maintain your resources (time, money, relationships, talents/gifts, mental/emotional/physical health, intellectual and physical property).
  4. Your ability to finish what you started.
  5. Your willingness to do what you do not want or feel like doing to achieve your desired result.

Your level of success and attainment of your goals is largely dependent on your ability to live a disciplined life.  The root word “disciple” is very significant in understanding the impact and importance of reaching a higher level of discipline. A disciple is a follower who has a devoted allegiance to the teachings of one chosen as a master. As a follower of Christ (Christian) this word is very familiar and serves as a way of life. In the word’s most general sense, you must be dedicated to strictly follow and effectively apply the practices and guidelines of the person, teachings, and/or field of study. A person can only be considered a disciple based on their willingness to commit and submit to the discipline. Therefore, whether we are talking about religious beliefs, studying/practicing medicine or law, or even a dietary and exercise plan, a person must be diligent to consistently conduct themselves in accordance with the orderly and prescribed teachings and behavior.

A disciplined life requires an ability to practice and maintain self-control.  We all have had struggles in some areas of our lives with maintaining self-control. You must learn how to say NO to the thoughts of “I don’t feel like it”, “this is too hard”, and “I’m tired of the same thing over and over”. These are all negative thoughts and will impede your ability to live a disciplined life if you give in to these thoughts.

There are different ways that we can practice self-discipline, below are 8 Ways to Create the Discipline Habit (www.entrepreneur.com):

  1. Make the commitment.
  2. Stay focused.
  3. Prioritize tasks.
  4. Get sufficient rest.
  5. Eat for energy.
  6. Do the little things.
  7. Follow through.
  8. Reward yourself.

 

Yes, discipline is often times painful, but practicing self-discipline can be done and is always very rewarding. However, we all have a choice, either we “suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret”. What is your choice?

A life of discipline will lead you into a life of peace and joy in knowing that you are fulfilling your purpose and destiny, and the freedom of living out your dreams and passions. As we have now entered the New Year let’s all commit to increase our level of discipline, so that we can successfully fulfill our purpose and destiny in life.

We would love to hear about the ways you practice self-discipline or how you have struggled in the past with discipline. Please share in the comment section below.  If you would like to share in a vlog or FB Live interview, please let me know. Please help me to encourage others, your testimony is needed to help encourage, propel and inspire someone else to Experience the Upgrade and Soar Beyond the Limits in business and life to live the Abundant Life!
 
Soaring Beyond Limits,
Dr. Tylisha Johnson
Abundant Life Strategist

P.O.W. Series 8/20

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P.O.W. Series: Focus

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Focus is defined as the center of activity, attraction, or attention; point of concentration; directed attention,emphasis; direction; a state or condition permitting clear perception or understanding; adjustment for distinct vision; also the area that may be seen distinctly or resolved into a clear image.

Let’s have a confession session. Do you struggle with staying focused? I must say at times this can be difficult for me and takes real concentration and meditation before I can bring my mind to successfully focus for a long period of time. However, focus is absolutely necessary for success in life. We must focus on our vision, our goals and the assignment at hand to successfully accomplish what we set out to do. Dr. Myles Munroe used an eagle’s focus on their prey to articulate the importance of Focus:

Eagles have strong vision, which focuses up to 5 kilometers from the air. When an eagle sites prey- even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it. Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.

Keep your vision in front of you and focus on accomplishing our goals like the eagle focuses on its prey. Direct your attention and concentration on achieving your goals. Make sure you make the necessary adjustments so that you can have clear image, perception and understanding of what it takes to be successful at fulfilling your vision. You can start with a vision board to spark your motivation each day to help you stay focused. Remember it doesn’t matter what you see with your natural vision, stay focused on THE VISION that is in your mind and in your heart. 

We have to be aware that there are going to be many things that come to try and distract us from achieving our goals. The distractions could come in the form of friends, relatives, or temptation of watching television when you know you have work to get done. There will also be challenges that arise in life that can get you of course, but we must remember that every obstacle can be overcome. Some people may even have a disorder that has been identified by the medical community as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).The medical definition according to Webster is a developmental disorder that is marked especially by persistent symptoms of inattention (such as distractibility, forgetfulness, or disorganization) or by symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity (such as fidgeting, speaking out of turn, or restlessness) or by symptoms of all three and that is not caused by any serious underlying physical or mental disorder. I am sure that some of you may identify these symptoms in your children or even in yourselves.  I am not taking a position for any type of medication that is on the market for this, nor am I seeking to discuss this issue. However, it is absolutely necessary to monitor your levels of distractibility, forgetfulness and disorganization. Your identification of these levels will help you to put structures and processes in place for yourself that will help you to overcome these issues and OPTIMIZE YOUR FOCUS.

How do you optimize your focus? Personally, I have to go into prayer and meditation and have complete silence when I am reading and writing. I don’t know what it takes for you to remain focused, but it is absolutely necessary for you to identify what your unique process is.  I know some people listen to music or need some type of background noise like the television to focus. Ericson Myers states, that we should control internal distractions, remove external distractions, and visualize ourselves doing the task at hand (http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-critical-tips-prevent-distraction-and-sharpen-your-focus.html). Sometimes looking at the entire vision in the moment can overwhelm you and cause you to become stagnant. Toni Dent-McNair states the following as her process for optimizing focus: “It takes practice but, you tell your mind to tap in to one specific thing. By doing so, you can observe everything about that “thing.” I first started with objects like trees. I began to see things about the tree I had never noticed before. Then, you begin to apply this action to everything.”.

We would love to hear about the tactics you use to stay focused or how you have struggled in the past with focus. Please share in the comment section below.  If you would like to share in a vlog or FB Live interview, please let me know. Please help me to encourage others, your testimony, is needed to help encourage, propel and inspire someone else to Aspire Higher and Soar Beyond the Limits in business and life to live the Abundant Life!
 
Soaring Beyond Limits,
Dr. Tylisha Johnson
Abundant Life Strategist .

P.O.W. Series 8/20

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P.O.W. Series: Priority

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Priority is defined as something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives, the things that someone cares about and thinks are more important than something or someone else and therefore coming or being dealt with first.

In our pursuit of our purpose and destiny we have many things in our lives that compete for our attention on a daily basis. It is imperative to gain control over all of the things that we give our attention to in any given day.  In order to be productive to reach our goals in pursuit of our purpose and destiny we must establish a system that helps us to Maximize Every Moment Everyday (M.E.M.E.)! Overall, we must establish a plan for our lives that includes order, Priority, and sequence to enhance our ability to manage our lives according to our vision. The written plan should include: order, in terms of categorizing, Priority, based on level of importance and urgency, and sequence, regarding phases for overall completion.

John Maxwell, has helped to shift my entire paradigm from Time Management to Priority Management. He states, “Time Management is an oxymoron.  Time is beyond our control, and the clock keeps ticking regardless of how we lead our lives.  Priority management is the answer to maximizing the time we have.”  We all have the same amount of time in any given day, regardless of your current condition or position in life, from the lower, middle, upper-class to the elite billionaires of the world, we all get the same 24 hours.  It is what we do with that time, that will have the greatest impact on our lives in reaching our goals for business and for life.

If you find yourself “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” each day and not meeting your goals that you set out to reach for that day, you must step back and take a look at that day.  You must reassess what alternative did you choose that outweighed (in terms of importance) the tasks you set out to complete for the day. What did you make a Priority over achieving your goals (barring all family and health emergencies)?

Here is a list of questions that you can use to help you in your assessment:

  1. How important is it to me that I fulfill my purpose and destiny?
  2. Am I intentionally pursuing my purpose and destiny with intensity and tenacity?
  3. Do I have a clear schedule in place that everyone involved in my daily life is aware of and supportive of?
  4. Do I have a strategic plan in place for my business and/or life goals? (Remember: Priorities are easy to identify when you have a plan that includes, goals, objectives, tasks and dates of completion.)
  5. How do I need to reorganize my life to Maximize Every Moment Everyday (M.E.M.E.)?

You may say, “Well Dr. J., you don’t know what is on my plate.” And I will say well let’s check your plate to see how much on there helps to propel you towards fulfilling your purpose and destiny.  It’s time to do a PLATE CHECK! Successful Priority management requires sacrifice! There are times in life that leisurely activities must be limited, inclusive of, but not limited to: television, hanging out with friends, retail therapy, or even curling up with your favorite novel, etc. While I am not here to be a taskmaster, I am here to motivate you to Prioritize and “Master Your Tasks”!

Make your Purpose a Priority! Let’s Tap Into the Power of these words to Power Up and Soar Beyond the Limits! I want to encourage you to post these words where you can see them daily as reminders. We would love to hear about the systems you have put into place that have helped you set priorities and reach your goals.  Please share in the comment section below.  If you would like to share in a vlog or FB Live interview, please let me know. Please help me to encourage others, your testimony is needed to help encourage and propel and inspire someone else to Aspire Higher and Soar Beyond the Limits in business and life to live the Abundant Life!

Soaring Beyond Limits,

Dr. Tylisha Johnson

Abundant Life Strategist

If you need help in moving towards your purpose and destiny to live the Abundant Life, Transcending Horizons Enterprises NOW offers Life Strategy Coaching Programs and Sessions to help you Soar Beyond the Limits! Click Here for your Complimentary 30 minute Discovery Session.

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P.O.W. Series: Intentional

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INTENTIONAL is defined as a determination to act in a certain way, a resolve that is usually clearly formulated or planned, an aim that has meaning and significance, and have the mind, attention, or will concentrated on something or some end or purpose.

We should be careful to examine our actions and interactions. We need to ask ourselves the question, “Am I being INTENTIONAL in my daily actions and interactions and what is the end goal of every action and interaction? John Maxwell states, “When you’re intentional you can add value to everything you do  and to every person you meet.”  We should strive for EXCELLENCE in all that we do and say! Therefore, we must be INTENTIONAL in our thoughts, the words we speak, what we do and in our engagement and interactions with others.

According to Rhonda Yearwood (http://www.rhondalyearwood.com), “When we become more intentional a shift takes place and things happen. The crazy thing about being intentional is that it really isn’t that hard. We make it hard when we allow laziness, doubt, and fear to make our decisions. All of that turns into bitterness, anger and envy. We can’t hate on the next person when they move differently and are intentional about what they want in life. Start your own movement and be intentional about your purpose here.”.

Fulfilling our purpose and destiny is highly dependent upon our determination to be intentional and all we do. There are many benefits to being INTENTIONAL, here are a few:

Benefits: 

  • Decreased frustration & Increased Productivity: As we go throughout our day, most of us wake up with goals (written or unwritten) of what we plan to accomplish during that day. Most of the time if you have not written a plan of action, you will find that you did not meet your goals, thus you end your day with frustration. YOU MUST HAVE A DAILY PLAN!
  • Growth in your Character & Discipline: When we are intentional in thought, word and deed it develops and refines our overall character. We become better people, having an understanding that our behaviors affect not only ourselves, but also have an impact on others.  It also creates an increased level of discipline to monitor your intentions and reflect on and evaluate the outcomes of EVERY action and interaction.
  • Creating Connections: As we interact with others, we need to intentionally consider the outcome for ourselves and the people around us.  We can choose to be that positive light in every room by: complimenting people around us, giving kudos (no matter how big or small the accomplishment), offer your help when you see someone struggling, and being genuinely concerned about the well-being of others. Great Communication habits is KEY to creating and maintaining relationships. Whether we are communicating for business purposes or personally, we should ALWAYS BE RESPONSIVE (return calls, texts, emails, etc.), even when we are busy or unavailable we can use an “auto-response system” that will give the estimated response time. We also want to make sure that we listen, ask questions for clarification, and respond accordingly.

Being INTENTIONAL in business will require a clear formulated plan of how you will add value to your products, services, and programs. Particularly in business, it should be our priority to add value with every customer experience. What are you doing to ensure you have added value in your business? We must be INTENTIONAL to add the “WOW FACTOR” to EVERY customer interaction.

Being INTENTIONAL is not only important in our businesses, but is essential to our overall life. When you set out to do anything in life you must set your mind, will, and emotions in that direction and relentlessly pursue it, with the INTENTION to be successful! This is even true when it comes to love and family relationships, whether it is intimate, mother, father, sibling, children, friends, and coworkers. You must resolve that it is important to you to add value to your life and the lives of other on a daily basis!

The Time is NOW to reflect and examine whether or not we are living our lives with INTENTION to add value to everything we do and every person we meet. I can show you how to intentionally create value in your business and life!

Click here to schedule your Complimentary 30 minute Discovery Session.

Soaring Beyond the Limits,

Dr. Tylisha Johnson

Abundant Life Strategist