Successful Steps

Make it Happen

Andrew Rocha — December 18, 2016

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“There are three types of baseball players: Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen and those who wonder what happens.”— Tommy Lasorda

We all have hopes and dreams, and most of us say we will make them come true someday, but that day never comes around. Once New Years arrives, we become hopeful and plan to make our dreams come true. Year after year, people fall off course and resort to their typical habits and lifestyles. How can we make this upcoming year different? How do we make our dreams happen?

Comfort Zone Lessons

Andrew Rocha — December 15, 2016

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“The best things in life are often waiting for you at the exit ramp of your comfort zone.” — Karen Salmansohn

A reader recently asked me about my personal experience with stepping outside of my comfort zone and what I have learned from the experience. After all, if stepping outside our comfort zone is difficult, why should we do it?

Prepare and Pursue

Andrew Rocha — December 11, 2016

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” — H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Challenges can be terrifying and rewarding. Once we muster the strength to get to the end of the tunnel, the effort will pay tenfold and we might question what took us so long to get going. Dealing with the initial fear while gaining the momentum to get going can be crippling to our personal development journey. Humans are gifted with a mind that has cognitive abilities so advanced that science hasn’t even been able to pinpoint them all. Our cognitive abilities are a blessing, but they also come with a price to pay. While our mind can plan and execute tasks while thinking of positive thoughts to keep us going, it can also multiply our fears and give our excuses the strength they need to cripple our motivation and abilities. So when we do have a challenge on the horizon, or even on our doorstep, how do we thrive and rise above the challenge?

Have Hope

Andrew Rocha — December 4, 2016

“The worst thing that can happen in a democracy – as well as in an individual’s life – is to become cynical about the future and lose hope.” — Hillary Clinton

The access to news has become easier than ever before. Not only are there tons of physical newspapers and news stations but there are dozens of websites to choose from that have coverage on any topic we want. It’s great that the access is so widespread but the content tends to revolve around violence and other negative themes.

Why Passion Matters

Andrew Rocha — November 27, 2016

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” — Maya Angelou

It seems like everyone always talks about passion. The topic has earned a lot of praise, but what does passion really mean? Why is everyone so obsessed with it? What does passion have to do with success, and why should we care? How does passion, or lack of it, influence our life?

Give it Time

Andrew Rocha — November 20, 2016

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” ― A.A. Milne

When was the last time you were frustrated from waiting in a long line, an electronic device that was taking too long to load the correct page or from being stuck in traffic? This happens to all of us from time to time. We want things to be done as quickly, accurately, and efficiently as possible.

This expectation causes a lot of impatience and stress in our lives; we cannot always have speed, accuracy, and efficiency all at once. When we are rushed to do something, it makes us stressed and more likely to make a mistake. Having to fix the mistake takes additional time, increasing stress levels and possibilities for additional errors. The stress limits our ability to creatively think of new ideas and come up with better ways of doing things. Giving it time can provide value in a number of ways. Here are a few of them:

Practice Gratitude

Andrew Rocha — November 13, 2016

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

We tend to see situations in a black or white perspective, where they are either good or bad. What if we could find at least a nugget of good in every situation?

Keep Going

Andrew Rocha — November 6, 2016

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill

When was the last time that you were working on a goal, project, or habit that got stopped due to a reason such as lack of motivation, illness, or increased workload?

Starting habits, goals, and projects can be difficult, but keeping them going can be even harder. Often times, our motivation tends to fade, as unexpected challenges tend to creep in and we aren’t seeing the results as soon as we’d hoped. We make excuses, put our goal off, and before we know it we are back to where we started. So how do we keep the momentum and stay on track?

One Day at a Time

Andrew Rocha — October 30, 2016

“The one thing we know about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.” — Jeff Rich

It’s almost that time again. The past couple of days have been fun, but now a multitude of tasks and projects are at your doorstep with more on the horizon. Many of us face this regularly, even weekly. It’s that time of the week again; it’s almost Monday morning. What if we could turn the dreaded Monday into something that is more manageable and enjoyable?

Make Time For You

Andrew Rocha — October 23, 2016

“Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.” — William Burroughs

Time is a valuable and finite resource. We can get more money, and put in more effort, but we have a finite amount of time. We give our time to our boss, jobs, children, partner, friends, and colleagues, but how often do we give time to ourselves?