Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below
http://www.businessinsider.com/11-mental-habits-to-give-up-if-you-want-to-succeed-2017-4
Stop waiting for happiness and success — you can start achieving them in the present by giving up these toxic things. When we aim to become happy and have a successful outlook, we often focus on getting to the next station in life. Happiness is seemingly always “someday” in the near-distant future — like once we finally land that promotion or find the right partner. I’m a huge proponent of setting new aspirational goals, but I also know the severe importance of having a positive outlook on life. Your inner-happiness needs to be harnessed in the present, so you can use the power of positive thinking to reach those new heights eventually. When you solely focus on the future to be happy, you end up ignoring the toxic habits and attitudes that could be dragging it down in the present. It won’t be a cakewalk, but it is possible to harness a successful and upbeat outlook now with some shifts to your mindsets and habits. The 11 habits you need to give up if you want to succeed are: give up FOMO, give up unrealistic standards of perfection, give up on expecting praise from others, give up on negative self-talk, give up on being defensive, give up the scarcity mindset, give up on being set in stone, give up the short-term mindset, give up on the negativity of others, give up comparison, and give up self-doubt. FOMO stands for fear of missing out. It’s important to evaluate each decision before you make one and not let the fear of missing out govern your strategy. Don’t let your identity be determined by what others think of you, have the courage to see the abundance of life, stay focused on your path, and be flexible. Each mental habit the author encourages you to give up is a negative self-habit on how you respond to the world around you. No man is an island, and we genuinely do need each other at some point to survive. Studies estimate that we say 300 to 1,000 words to ourselves every single minute. If you engage in negative self-talk, that’s a lot of nasty words being thrown your way. That’s why none other than the U.S. Navy SEALs swear by positive self-talk as a way to take on a strenuous day, and to avoid negativity. When their oxygen flow is suddenly cut off underwater, SEALs are able to tough it out by telling themselves that everything is fine and thinking positively. So you can probably also use this tip to get through a day at the office. To start, tell yourself how great your day is going to be as you’re riding the subway or driving down the freeway. If you start encountering a rough morning, go outside for a few minutes and repeat some more positive affirmations to yourself. If you aren’t in the habit of using positive words for yourself then I suggest you find books that have positive themes. Personally, I believe in taking the time to read the Bible. If you take the time to read the book of Proverbs, you will be filled with a wisdom that can truly impact your life. All habits can be changed even if it’s one small step at a time.
The investing world can be a scary place. It can also be exciting. At times, it can seem like there’s nothing to it, and at other times it can seem like the most complicated thing you’ve ever done. All of the thoughts and emotions that are part of investing are enhanced because, after all, you are putting your money and your financial future at risk. Risk and reward go hand in hand when you invest. You can be very conservative and not subject your investments to much risk, but then you are not going to get much in the way of return on your investment dollars. Or you can take a lot of risk, looking for the proverbial home run. That approach can lead to stellar returns, or it can lead to distressing losses. So what is your strategy when it comes to investing your portfolio? Are you actively looking for that one piece of information that will give you the edge you need to catch the next wave of increasing prices of your favorite tech stock? Or maybe you suffer from “paralysis by analysis,” overwhelmed by the information flow and its potential impact on your portfolio? (For related reading, see: Information Overload: How It Hurts Investors.) A newly formed strategy is investing based off President Trump’s tweets. There are a wide range of strategies out there, and this article is devoted to introducing you to the strategy that the author uses. The first building block in the science behind this investment philosophy is the need to embrace market pricing. While that sounds a little complicated, it’s really not at all. It simply means that the financial markets are very efficient and that all of the information available on a particular stock, bond or other investment is reflected in the current price. Millions of investors around the world buy and sell investments every day, and the information they bring to the markets helps to set prices. When some new information affecting an investment comes out, it is immediately factored into the price of that investment. Let’s use the price of Apple stock as an example. If Apple is coming out with a new iPhone soon, you know about it, we know about it, and millions of people around the world know about it. There is no way to profit from any kind of information edge that you might think exists, even if it is only temporary. That’s why it’s not a good idea to run out and buy Apple stock when you hear the news. Years ago, there may have been some pieces of information that took time to work through the markets, but with today’s technology, that time gap has disappeared. Many of us have alerts on our smartphones that let us know in real time when some important news has been released. (For related reading, see: How the Internet Has Changed Investing.) The author recommends using an evidence-based investment strategy, and this strategy requires humility. You must be humble enough to know that you will not know more than the market. I recommend that you find the asset class you are passionate about, and research it in depth through experience, talking with others experienced in that asset class, and vigorous research either online and or through books. Once you have your investment strategy, make sure you have a good mix of assets. Your assets should have two basic strategies one for insurance, and one for wealth-building. The goal is to always look at your strategy through the lens of eternity and legacy. Think about your children’s children and the impact on the world around you.
If you need are interested in creating a budget, then contact me for a financial checkup in the contact me section. Also, learn more about the self-lending principle in the mustard seed section.
For this week, I’ve included 50 Rules & Advice From Successful Billionaires and Entrepreneurs from Motivation Archive YouTube channel.
“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”
Proverbs 28:26 MSG
Pursuit of Excellence 
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