14 Tiny Ways To Make Success Happen Faster For You
Implement these tips to reach your goals faster than most.
Brooke Cagle | Unsplash It’s easy to get stuck in a rut. We can judge our progress to be slow and make it slower by escaping to cheap dopamine hits. Often, it needn’t take much to get back on track and give what we are already creating a boost.
Here are 14 tiny ways to make success happen faster for you:
1. Run or join a weekly group mastermind.
We all have Zoom. We’re all connected at the click of a button. And yet, we’re lonely and stuck. Use the power of the Internet and peer support to create an advantage for all involved. Use this meeting to hold each other accountable, share successes, and provide mutual support. It doesn’t need to cost more than your Wi-fi.
2. Go on weekly adventures.
It’s easy to see adventures as frivolous — a waste of time at best, and dangerous at worst. But adventures fuel the soul. We all need a change of scene with a dash of risk thrown in. This will re-energize you and bring depth and experience to your work once you’re back at your desk.
3. Replace worry with action.
Many of us cling to worry because a part of us believes there is value in this. We think we have some control over our lives when we ruminate on problems. But — as we all know — doing so just makes us feel worse, which puts us at a disadvantage. One of the best skills you can learn is letting go of worry and immediately replacing this with either breathwork or action, whether cleaning the house, walking, or creating.
4. Connect with a mentor.
Most people are too shy to consider approaching a potential mentor for help. It may take some asking to get through, but when you’ve found someone who can help save you hours or years of time and mistakes made, you’ll see why this was such a great move.
5. Lead a social event or community.
Good things come to those who lead, not least a sense of fulfillment. Get a group of friends together, and you are instantly a connector that others look up to. Better yet, invite people you want to learn from to be part of a free community, and you gain as a leader and from the social capital.
6. Spend the morning learning something new.
One of the best habits I picked up was to start the day reading non-fiction. When I started running out of ideas for my writing, I realized that reading wasn’t just a cool luxury — but a necessity. I use Shortform to gather the key components of a book without needing to read the whole thing.
7. Do nothing for hours or even a full day.
Doing nothing is underrated. Everywhere we turn in the modern age, we’re pressured to take action, to hustle, and to be busy. There’s power to occasionally go against the grain and let go of the need to do anything. This can be difficult to do for many. Try it. You might find your creative capacity kicking in and feeding you the best ideas.
Photo: fizkes / Shutterstock
8. Exercise your creative muscle.
Creativity isn’t something only a handful of geniuses are born with. You can exercise the muscles like you would your thighs in the gym. Do brainstorms, combine two disparate ideas, play word association games, doodle, and write more lists. You’re probably doing it wrong if it doesn’t feel like play. Have fun with this.
9. Do at least 10 minutes of ‘dream work.’
What are your secret dreams? What would you love to have happen in your life more than anything else? Maybe you let go of that dream because life got in the way. But why let it go when you can do something — anything — towards making it real today? My dream is to write a fiction novel. So I spend 10 minutes at least each day writing fiction, even if I’m ‘busy.’ Now I’m working on my dreams, no matter what.
10. Track your screen time.
Let’s face it. You’re probably on the screen too long, and you know it’s cutting into valuable family or productivity time. So track the time you spend. There are all kinds of apps for this. When you track something, you bring awareness to it. With awareness, it gets much easier to reduce, so you create more time.
11. Write a daily online post.
As time goes on, more of us are coming face to face with the reality that building a personal brand and audience is becoming vital. You don’t need to overthink it if you commit to a daily writing and publishing practice in some form. Share something, even if it’s just 100 words on Linkedin every day. Your discipline will sharpen and you’ll have a growing audience to show for it.
12. Assume leadership.
Most people are tired and afraid, waiting for someone to show up and lead them. The better way to find more joy and confidence is to assume the position of a leader yourself. This needn’t mean leading an army. You can lead when you reach out to connect with people and share value. Make the first move. Leadership is one of the most effective mental health pills there is.
13. Record off-the-cuff videos.
Over the last four years, I’ve recorded and shared over 400 videos of me talking on my phone. It was never about growing a large following but rather a means to order my thoughts, create recorded diary-like memories, and improve my speaking confidence. When you get your face on video, all kinds of opportunities will open up.
14. Message three or more people per day.
We’re all glued to our texts, so I’m talking about reaching out to three people you wouldn’t otherwise have messaged. Message someone without expecting anything in return. This activity compounds. Do it without thinking about it too much or you’ll stall. This habit will bring rewards when you least expect them.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient.