Project Life Mastery

How To Hit Your Biggest Goals

Stefan James — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 15:00:15 +0000

Are you struggling to hit your biggest goals in life right now?

Goals give you a sense of direction. When you convert your desires into achievable goals and then act on them, you are setting yourself up for massive success.

Setting goals is easy, but taking action to achieve them can be difficult.

We've all been there. We set a goal that we are super excited about, start getting traction, and then lose momentum.

When you have the desire to accomplish something big, how you go about doing it makes all the difference.

Keep reading to find out my secrets to hitting your biggest goals in 2021!

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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Are you ready to create lasting motivation and consistency towards your goals? CLICK HERE to join my LIVE monthly Life Mastery Accelerator program!

Big goals mean big rewards.

However, if you don’t know how to set goals, those rewards may never come to fruition. I want you to take a moment and think about a big goal that you want to achieve. Maybe that's achieving financial freedom, finding a life partner, buying a house, or paying off your school debt.

While all goals aim to bring about a positive outcome, you must understand that not all goals are the same. There are two types of goals – results-oriented goals and process-oriented goals.

Results-oriented goals are focused on a specific result, like losing 30 pounds. Results are great because they provide proof as to whether or not you're going in the right direction.

However, if you focus solely on results you can set yourself up for failure. Think about it… if you're not getting the results you desire, it's easy to start feeling defeated. This is why people end up giving up on their goals altogether.

You also need to know the specific steps to take in order to achieve the results that you desire. These are known as process-oriented goals. I hate to break it to you, but you don't have full control over results. You only have influence at best. What leads to the results is the process.

The question is, which are better? Well, I believe that you need both. At the end of the day, the key to lasting success is through consistent and focused effort.

The Power of Sharing Your Goals

When it comes to achieving your goals, if you're only accountable to yourself, it's easy to not follow through. There are no consequences. This is why I publically shared my goals every year for six years. In doing so, I was motivated to accomplish every goal that I set for myself.

If I didn't follow through, I knew that I would lose respect and credibility. Research shows that having an accountability partner with whom you share your goals increases your chances of success by more than 85 percent.

When someone is holding you accountable for your actions, you are less likely to back out because you don't want to disappoint them. Share your big goals with a friend, join a Mastermind group, or hire a coach. Anything that will allow you to stay on track is key.

Change Is A Matter of Motivation

There is no limit to what you are capable of achieving. If you want to change your life, you can do it. Nobody is stopping you. The question is… how motivated are you to change? As Tony Robbins says, “Change is never a matter of ability, it’s always a matter of motivation.”

Lasting change begins and ends with a commitment to change your attitude and raise your standards. The changes that you want to make in your life can no longer be “shoulds.” Rather, they need to become “musts.”

Make 2021 the year that you achieve your biggest goals!

In a world where we are conditioned to stay safe and avoid risk, setting big goals is a power move. Anything is possible. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. Stay focused and devote yourself tirelessly to the achievement of your goals.

If you need to slow down, that's OK, but whatever you do, don't give up.

Are you ready to create lasting motivation and consistency towards your goals? CLICK HERE to join my LIVE monthly Life Mastery Accelerator program!

The post How To Hit Your Biggest Goals appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

Goal Setting Workshop: How To Set Goals Effectively (Step-By-Step Guide)

Stefan James — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 15:00:20 +0000

If you've ever thought to yourself, “Why is goal setting so hard?!” then you've come to the right place.

If you struggle to set goals, it doesn't mean that you're a failure. Rather, it just means that you don't have clarity about what you want in life.

This is where I can help you. I'm blessed that I have been able to accomplish so much at a relatively young age.

I credit my success in life to setting and achieving all of my goals.

Are you ready to get clarity on how to set goals and create a powerful plan of action for your life? If so, this goal-setting workshop is for you!

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”https://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/4312532-plm-794-goal-setting-workshop-how-to-set-goals-effectively-step-by-step-guide.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Are you ready to discover a system for how to create lasting motivation and consistency towards your goals? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

How much progress have you made on your goals this year?

Now is the time to get real with yourself. You can't move forward in life until you get clear as to why you are falling short in the first place. The truth will set you free. If you're sitting there thinking, “Omg, I've come up short yet again”, you're not alone.

Science says that 92% of people don't achieve their goals. My intention in writing this article isn't to make you feel bad or feel like a failure. Rather, I want to shed light on the 8% of high achievers who do follow through so that you have a model to look up to. This is where I come in.

My story is proof that whatever the mind can believe and conceive, it can achieve. At 17 years of age, I made a commitment to myself that I was no longer going to settle for a mediocre life. I was tired of being a dabbler because it was getting me nowhere. The consequence of not changing was so dire that I was willing to do anything to create a new life. I took out a journal and I started getting clarity about what I wanted.

When you have a long-term vision, life becomes exciting. When you think about it, goals are created from visions. A vision is an active and on-going dream that you are striving to achieve. A lot of people think I'm so successful because I'm super motivated and driven. This isn't necessarily the case.

I simply learned how to become a master at setting and achieving goals. I want to help you do the same. This is why I've put together this goal-setting workshop so that you have a step-by-step guide for how to set and achieve goals in each aspect of your life. Let's dive in!

Have Results-Oriented and Process-Oriented Goals

There are two types of goals that exist. These are results-oriented and process-oriented goals. You need both. Below I break each of them down and describe why they are important.

Results-Oriented Goals

It's critical that you have a result in mind when you are setting goals. An example of a result is losing 30 pounds. You want to have results that are specific and measurable. At the end of the day, achieving a result is what you want. That being said, you will get yourself into trouble if you solely focus on the result.

The problem with results is that you never have full control over them. At best, you only have influence. What leads to a result is the process. If you've ever set a goal, you know that there is a process of achieving it. A lot of people fail to pay attention to this piece of the puzzle. When they don't achieve a result, they get discouraged and give up on their goals altogether.

Process-Oriented Goals

The process is the roadmap that helps you get to where you want to go. With process oriented-goals, the focus is on the journey towards achieving the result. Goal setting is all about creating a plan of action or a set of behaviors that will help you achieve the goal you desire. You can't expect to reach your final destination if you don't have a plan in place to get there.

Going back to my original example, the process for losing 30 pounds may involve going to the gym 3 days per week. That is what you have control over. Engaging in that behavior will lead to the result of losing weight. If for any reason you don't achieve the result, at least you can celebrate the lessons you learned and the person who you became along the way. The process can change your life.

Step 2: Set Goals For Each Area of Your Life

If you want to live an extraordinary life, I believe that you must master 10 core areas. I call this The Life Mastery Blueprint. These areas of life include Health & Fitness, Mind & Emotions, Relationship, Mission & Purpose, Money, Family & Friends, Fun, Contribution, and Spirituality.

You want to set goals for each area of your life. I encourage you to take out a journal and make notes. When you do this self-reflection exercise, think about what your ultimate vision is for each of the areas. Keep in mind that there is not a right or wrong answer when it comes to setting goals. Reflect upon what matters to you and your life. Let's dive in!

Health & Fitness

Your physical body is the only place that you have to live. If you aren't physically healthy, everything else in your life will suffer. This is why it's so important that you make health your top priority. The key to living a healthy life is knowing what makes you feel good and what gives you the most energy. Think about some of the goals that you have for your health, whether it's a juice cleanse, a metal toxicity detox, or going on a 30-day diet.

Mind & Emotions

Your mental and emotional well-being is the source of your happiness and joy. If you want to master your mind, you have to be constantly feeding it with positivity. Maybe this means setting the goal of reading one book every month, which would mean reading 10 pages of a book every day.

Reading and absorbing this much knowledge has the power to make a drastic impact on the quality of your life. To nurture your emotional self, setting the goal of practicing gratitude every day is a great way to focus on the good. Similarly, reciting affirmations helps to condition your mind with empowering thoughts.

If you have deep-seated trauma that you haven't yet dealt with, working one-on-one with a therapist is a great way to get the help you need to heal. Asking for help is a sign of strength and bravery.

Relationship

We are social creatures. This is why connecting with others is incredibly important. If you're single, maybe set a goal to attract a man or woman into your life. Get clarity on the values and qualities that you desire in a partner. What are your non-negotiables in a relationship?

Maybe your goal is improving your self-confidence so that you are better able to approach and connect with people. When you do the work to improve your personality, not only will you meet more people but you will also create more opportunities.

If you're in a relationship, the goal may be planning romantic date nights with your partner, making love more often, or practicing gratitude for one another. My fiancée and I write on post-it notes one magic moment that we have shared. We put these notes in a jar and over time, we revisit the jar and reflect upon what we wrote. Eye gazing is another beautiful ritual that you can practice with your partner. This is a great way to connect with your love on a deeper level.

Mission & Purpose

Without a life purpose, your goals will never feel fulfilling. The goal of life should be to live a purpose-driven life. Your purpose gets you out of bed in the morning and excited to start the day. Doing work that you love makes you feel alive inside. If you work for someone else, you could set the goal of developing a new skill set that would complement your current role or increase the possibility of you getting a raise. If you have a business, the goal could be launching a new product or improving a certain aspect of your business.

Money

When it comes to your financial goals, think about it in two ways – how much money you want to make and how much you want to save per month. If you have debt that you want to get rid of, the goal may be creating a budget where you write down and track where your monthly expenses are going. If you spend more than you make per month, consider that to be debt. This will mean that you have to start living below your means.

If the goal is to make more money, you could start investing. There is no better way to plan for your future.

Fun, Family & Friends

When was the last time that you gave yourself permission to play? As adults, we get so wrapped up in the stresses of life that we forget how important it is to have fun! Maybe this means taking up a new hobby or activity that brings you joy.

Making an effort to nurture your creative side will make you feel more energized and increase your overall level of well-being. If you have been neglecting spending time with your friends, maybe plan a nice trip or a weekend adventure with them. If you haven't spent enough time with your family lately, make it a priority to connect with them, whether it's in-person or on a group phone call.

Spirituality

Spirituality is anything that is not material or physical in form. Rather, it's metaphysical. This could mean connecting with God every day through prayer, attending church, going to a yoga class, or reading spiritual text.

Whatever you do, cultivate a daily practice to raise your consciousness. Being a part of a spiritual community is a powerful way to connect with like-minded people who share your spiritual values.

Contribution

Every year I travel to third-world countries and build schools and houses for families in need. It's so rewarding to give back to others. I encourage you to create the habit of being a giver. As an example, you could set the goal to engage in one random act of kindness every week. You could give money to a homeless person or compliment a stranger on social media.

Every small act of contribution impacts the lives of others. By being a force for good, you will help make the world a better place.

Set SMART Goals

Oftentimes people set goals that are too general. As a result, they never accomplish them. Setting SMART goals is the name of the game. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. A SMART goal increases the chances of you achieving a goal. After you've set smart goals, make sure that you recite your goals in a way that sounds compelling. As an example, “I will easily make $100,000 per year by September 1st, 2021.”

Specific – Your goal should be specific. If not, you won't feel motivated to achieve it. What do you want to accomplish? Get clarity on it. For example, how much weight do you want to lose in 30 days?

Measurable – You need to determine what your indicator will be if you make progress towards accomplishing your goal. For example, “I will lose 10 pounds within two weeks.” If you don't have a way of measuring your success, you won't know when to celebrate yourself when you achieve your milestones.

Attainable – If your goal doesn't seem possible, it will feel like a struggle to achieve it. When I first started my business, my goal was to make $1. I knew that I could achieve this. It wasn't about the amount of money I made. Rather, it was the symbolism behind it. Once I made $1, I set the goal of making $100 per month, $1,000 per month, and so on.

Realistic – Do you believe that you can achieve your goal? You need to determine if your goal can be realistically achieved, based on your level of commitment, the time it will take to achieve it, and the resources that you have.

Timeline – Your goal must have a deadline. If you don't have a deadline, you won't take action. For example, “I will start going to the gym today, and I will continue going for 4 days a week. Within a month, I will lose 30 pounds.”

Identify Your Most Important Goals

I have a lot of goals. Sometimes too many. Everyone has a different capacity. Don't overwhelm yourself. Maybe just set 1-2 goals in each area of your life. Focus and prioritize those. Those are the ones that will make the biggest impact.

Determine Your ‘WHY'

You need a reason WHY you want to achieve your goals. This will be the fuel for your fire. The more reasons that you have, the more motivated that you'll be.

What benefits will you receive from achieving these goals? You always want to link pleasure to the process of achieving your goals. What is the consequence of not achieving these goals? For example, if you don't change your body, it may mean that you will gain weight, have a lower quality of life, or be exhausted all the time.

Create An Action Plan

What are the actions that you need to take to achieve your goals? Similarly, what resources do you have that can make this goal possible? Are there books, courses, training programs, or a proven method that you can invest in? When designing my plan of action, I like to create a could-do list.

Reflect upon all of the things that you could do to achieve your goals. Your brain comes up with more options when you think in this way. Once you have your list, look at your key actions, and formulate your plan of attack. As an example, what is the most important thing that you can do on your list that will help you lose weight?

I hope my goal setting workshop has inspired you to take action.

If you apply what I've taught inside this article, you will see results. Set goals that you want to achieve and commit to the process. If you do, your life will transform.

Goal setting is a necessary process for designing your future. You have the power to turn your vision into reality. However, if you sit on the sidelines and wait for life to give you what you want, you're going to be waiting for a long time.

Are you ready to become a master of goal setting?

Are you ready to discover a system for how to create lasting motivation and consistency towards your goals? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

The post Goal Setting Workshop: How To Set Goals Effectively (Step-By-Step Guide) appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

21 Crazy, Extreme Actions I Took To Become Successful

Stefan James — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 15:00:18 +0000

I've taken some crazy and extreme actions in my life to become successful.

I didn't achieve the success that I have today by sitting on the sidelines and playing it safe. I got into the game of life and played, full out.

Some of the things that I'm going to share with you may shock you. Some things I'm embarrassed about, while others I'm proud of.

Ultimately, everything I've gone through has helped me create the life that I have now. Ready to discover the crazy things I've done to become successful?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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Do you want to know how you can achieve massive success? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program where I share my formula for how to build a successful life!

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!

Have you ever done something crazy to achieve a goal?

Success, by its very nature, is extreme. After all, “crazy” is the ultimate breeding ground for creativity, and creativity is the driving force behind fresh and exciting ideas. Only one percent of people become financially successful. It makes sense why ninety-nine percent of people would think that they are crazy.

The reality is that success is a dedicated and obsessive focus on something. That is what separates a mediocre life from an extraordinary one. Success isn't easy. If it was, everyone would be successful. We all know that successful people work harder than the average person.

Not only that, but they don't allow their failures (which is inevitable in life) to stop them. They just keep going. Successful people also make huge sacrifices and embrace a lot of challenges along the way.

In no way, shape, or form are the actions that I took a prescription for what you should do in your life to be successful. My extreme actions may not resonate with you and that's okay. I merely want to show you what successful people are willing to do to achieve their goals and dreams.

The decisions I've made in my life have been based on different stages of my consciousness and development as a human being. There were times when I was operating at a very low level of consciousness.

There was a time in my life when I was depressed and suicidal.

Early on in my entrepreneurial journey, I experienced a lot of frustrating moments. I was extracting knowledge from the people I was learning from, but I kept coming up short. Instead of giving up, I used my pain as motivation to propel me forward.

I took more action and made more drastic sacrifices until I eventually achieved success. If you are not willing to sacrifice your pride, comforts, or security, you will never achieve your highest level of success. In sharing my crazy journey with you, I hope that you will learn from my mistakes so that you don't have to struggle as much as I did.

The knowledge I share with you may make you decide that you aren't willing to do the crazy things that are necessary to achieve success. Or maybe it gives you a massive wake-up call, making you realize that you aren't going for it enough. The truth will always set you free. Whatever the outcome is, what I'm going to tell you will be useful and somewhat entertaining!

Here are 21 crazy, extreme actions I took to become successful.

1. I listened to self-hypnosis audio programs.

At one point in time, I was very inspired by Paul McKenna who is a well-known British hypnotist. I used to listen to his guided self-hypnosis audio programs. I would go into hypnotic trances. When I was younger, I was very shy and insecure.

From Paul's teachings, I learned that right before bedtime, your brain is more suggestible to subliminal programming. This means that certain messages will more easily penetrate your subconscious.

2. I formed a self-development house with my friends called Project Vancouver.

When I was 17 years old I read a book called, The Game by Neil Strauss. This is about a pickup artist community of men who would pick up women. I was interested in learning how to attract women because it was an aspect of my life that I wanted to work on.

Inside his book, Neil lived in a house in Hollywood, CA called Project Hollywood. When I was 21 years old I moved out of my mom's house. My friends and I decided to form a self-development house called Project Vancouver. Every Sunday we had house meetings. Each of us had to share our top five actions that we were committed to achieving each week.

If we didn't achieve a goal that we set for ourselves, we would have to put $20 towards the house. We would use that money to invest it in some form of self-development that we could all benefit from. Eventually, we moved into a bigger place. At one point, there were nine of us living under one roof. I believe that proximity is power. Living with like-minded people has so many payoffs for your future.

3. I signed a 12-month lease on an apartment that I couldn't afford.

When I was 23 years old I struggled with procrastination a lot. Nothing was a “must” for me. I realized that I needed to put more pressure on myself if I wanted to become successful. My back needed to be up against the wall. I had the desire to move into an apartment in downtown Vancouver, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world.

At the time, I was only making $1,500 per month. The apartment was renting for $1,100 per month. Even though I couldn't afford the apartment, I went for it anyway and signed a 12-month lease. There was no Plan B. I became resourceful and tapped into my creativity. If it meant staying up all night to work and make money, I was willing to do that. I wouldn't recommend doing something like this, but I grew massively as a result.

4. I hired Tony Robbins' son, Jairek, to coach me.

When I was in my 20's, the vision that I had for my life was to one day live in San Diego, CA. I wanted to experience living there so I moved to San Diego for 3 months and stayed in hostels. While I was there, I met Jairek Robbins, Tony Robbins' son. We were both at an event called, Three Feet From Gold.

He invited me to go to an Internet marketing seminar as his guest. I befriended him and hired him to be my coach. I couldn't afford it but I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. As a result of my decision, I had to move out of my apartment because I got into a lot of debt.

5. I lived on my friend's couch for 6-12 months.

This was am embarrassing time in my life, but I humbled myself the best I could. I was in a lot of credit card debt and living from a place of lack. My goal was to get out of debt and that's what I ended up doing. I was willing to make huge sacrifices to get ahead in life, long-term.

Living on my friend's couch meant that I had zero privacy and it didn't feel good. However, I'm so grateful for this time of my life because rock bottom became the foundation upon which I rebuilt my life. I did the work to change my money habits, paid off $15,000 in credit card, and went on to become a millionaire.

6. I hosted a carwash fundraiser to pay for a seminar I couldn't afford.

There was a seminar in New York City that I wanted to attend but I couldn't afford the flight. So I found a way to make the money. I ended up hosting a by-donation carwash fundraiser in Vancouver. My friends and I made some signs and I got an autobody shop to host the carwash.

People would drive by and I would tell them why I was doing the fundraiser. They gave me $20, $50, even $100. In one day I made $800! Simply by being resourceful and asking for help. I was so committed to doing anything to get to that seminar. There were no limits.

7. I worked 48 hours straight, without sleep.

When I was 25 years old, I was traveling throughout Columbia. During this time, my Internet marketing business crashed. I was desperate to make money and I promised myself that I would return to Vancouver better than I was when I left.

I stayed in my room and worked non-stop for one week straight. One night I worked 28 hours straight. I got so immersed in what I was working on to the point that time stopped. This isn't healthy or necessary but I don't regret it. I built so much willpower and strength from this experience.

8. I worked several months straight without a day off.

Last year was the longest stretch I've ever worked without a day off. I was invited by Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi to support them in the launch of a new product. I was one of the top people who promoted the product and, as a result, I went to Fiji and got to spend quality time with Tony.

I worked relentlessly for three months because I wanted the opportunity so badly. In effect, I was willing to do anything to make it happen. My drive wasn't for money or success. I had already achieved both of those things in my online business.

Rather, it was the passion that I had for the project. Tony Robbins has been my mentor since I was 17 years old and now I can say I've worked with him. I still pinch myself. I ended up getting massively burnt out and took a long vacation to get my health back. It was all worth it in the end.

9. I've invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into my self-development.

Books, seminars, courses, coaches, mentors, consultants, naturopaths, supplements, technology, and body healers. You name it, I've invested in it! I will invest in anything if I will believe that it will make my life better. The reason why I do this is that I want to live an extraordinary life.

If that means taking advantage of every opportunity I can, I'm on board. Through self-development, I've discovered so much about myself, others, and the world. I've gone so far as to spend $10,000 to attend a Tony Robbins seminar. I've been to his Unleash The Power Within event 7 times, Business Mastery twice, and Date with Destiny twice.

I even hired one coach for $15,000 just to help me with one block that I had that was preventing me from growing my business. I'm not going to lie… I had a lot of fear about hiring a Project Manager and giving up control. This is why I needed someone to coach me through the process.

This is why I share the value of information and taking action on what you learn. I approach every experience with newness, excitement, optimism, and belief. More importantly. I take massive action, even when I don't have all of the answers. That is the secret to my success.

10. I studied great speakers and transcribed their speeches, word for word.

I would write down speeches, word for word, of great speakers whom I admired. Once I had the speeches transcribed I would recite them out loud and try to emulate their body language, vocal tone, and their gestures. The goal was to become a better speaker.

By modeling greatness, I strengthened my own voice. Before I had a YouTube channel, I also filmed myself speaking so that I could study my words and become more conscious of my communication style. It all paid off. I now have over 1 million subscribers on my YouTube channel!

11. I went to nightclubs alone and sober to meet women, despite being anxious.

When I was 18 years old I met a group of guys on the Internet as part of a message board. They were going out and meeting women together. I was terrified to be a part of this group but I forced myself to overcome my anxiety. Over time, I became very confident.

My personality totally shifted. However, I always needed to have a friend or a wingman with me to approach a woman. I decided to handicap myself so I would go to the hardest environment that I could possibly find to meet women. For me, this was a nightclub.

I would go by myself, with no alcohol, and approach random women to spark conversations. Oftentimes, I was so in my head that I couldn't approach anyone. I was very self-conscious. However, I didn't give up. Eventually, I started attracting women into my life.

12. I took action on everything I learned.

In many ways, I was a very coachable person. I fully trusted every coach or mentor that I had. Whatever they told me to do, I did it. As an example, one of my mentors suggested that I read the book, The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason. In his book, he talks about the importance of taking a percentage of your income and giving it to a charity.

An action like this teaches you that there is more than enough for everyone. You end up living from a place of abundance rather than a place of scarcity. There was a time when I didn't have extra money to donate, but I still did it and took action. Some things worked and others didn't. That being said, the things that worked always outweighed the things that didn't.

13. I met my mentor, Zan Perrion, at his seminar 10 years ago and we are good friends to this day.

When I was 18 years old, I went to Zan Perrion's first-ever seminar in Vancouver. It cost me $500. I brought my laptop, sat in the front row, and wrote out everything that he said as if it was gospel. For two days straight I studied my notes. I shared my notes with Zan and he was blown away.

Surprisingly, I ended up becoming friends with him and interviewed him on my YouTube channel two years ago.

14. I would stay out until 3 am at nightclubs to practice building my confidence with women.

When I was 21 I started my first business, which was called Lifestyle Transformations. It was a dating coaching business for men. I used to do free events in Vancouver called Dating Mastery Seminars every two weeks. Once people came to the seminars, I would sell them on a 3-day boot camp where I would take men in public and help them approach women.

I did that for many years. Our boot camps would end at 2 am. Because I wanted to push myself, I would stay out one hour later. I knew that if I kept practicing my confidence with women, I would grow and become more. In turn, I would be better able to support the men I was coaching.

15. Over a one-year period, I approached 2,000 random women in public and sparked conversations with them.

When I was 18 years old, I was terrified of approaching women. I didn't really care about meeting a woman or going on dates. If I approached enough women, I knew that I would be able to overcome my anxiety interacting with them. Going back to that group of men I met online, I would go out with them 4 days a week.

At this point in my life, I wasn't old enough to go to nightclubs, so I would stand outside the nightclubs and randomly approach women. My only focus was to add value and give them compliments and then walk away. I wasn't trying to get anything.

Every time I went out, I would approach 10-15 women. When I got home, I would journal about my experiences. I would analyze my body language, eye contact, and vocal tone. Every time a woman would react in a certain way, I took responsibility for it. That self-awareness allowed me to improve my communication skills.

16. I faced my fear of talking to strangers by forcing myself to say “Hi” to 3 people in public places.

When I was 18 years old, I worked for my dad in his construction manufacturing business. We made limestone fireplaces for houses. Part of my job was to go to Home Depot to pick up supplies. At the time, I was reading the book, How To Talk To Anyone by Leil Lowndes which gave me the motivation to stretch myself.

When I would go to the store, I would challenge myself to say “Hi” to 3 people before I left. Sometimes it would take me a while because of my anxiety but eventually, I would achieve my goal.

17. I would recite affirmations at the top of my lungs in my car while commuting to work.

Thirty minutes every day I would drive to and from work. I turned my car into a university on wheels, meaning I would listen to audio programs while driving. During this time, I would recite affirmations at the top of my lungs. I would also listen to Roger Love's, Set Your Voice Free audio programs in the car, and do vocal exercises. Roger is the biggest vocal coach in the world.

Today, he is my vocal coach. I've interviewed him twice on my YouTube channel about how to master the perfect voice and how to master public speaking.

18. I took speech pathology classes to improve my ability to project my voice.

When I was young, I was a really bad speaker. I had a lisp and I used to mumble. Thus, when I would go to nightclubs and try talking to women, I struggled to project my voice. Since the music was very loud, it was a very challenging environment for me to adapt to.

I used to hate that I had to lean in for a woman to hear me. As a man, when this happens, you end up communicating at a lower level. I wanted women to lean into me. Thus, I had to work on my voice. At the time, one of my best friends found a vocal coach. We took speech pathology classes to improve our ability to project our voices without straining them. As a result, I was able to command attention at a higher level and speak louder.

19. I trained and competed in two fitness model competitions.

In 2011-2012, I wanted to change my body. At the time, my life coach inspired me to train for a fitness competition. He told me to forget about the result. Instead, just do it for the process and for the person who I would end up becoming. I committed to training for the WBFF Fitness Model Competition.

I hired a nutritional coach and created a serious workout program. I've never been so motivated. I worked out twice per day and tracked every calorie in a spreadsheet. I transformed my body. However, I went too extreme and overtrained. That being said, it was still a powerful journey towards mastering my mind and body.

I committed to something I was afraid to do and I took on the mentality, “If I can't, I must.” Two years later, I did a second competition and trained in a healthier way. It was a great accomplishment in my life.

20. My friend and I each put $500 on the line as a way of holding each other accountable for achieving our goals.

I would have nights where, before we went out, my friend and I would write down the goals that we wanted to achieve when it came to interacting with women. We agreed to approach two mixed groups comprised of men and women. To put pressure on each other, we would go to an ATM and withdraw $500 each as a way of holding each other accountable. If one or both of us didn't follow through, we lost our money.

21. I would study and memorize one-liners to spark conversations with women.

When I was reading the book, The Game, I was learning routines of how to start a conversation with women. In the book, it was suggested that one way of doing this was to ask a woman her opinion on a topic. I would memorize this one-liner when I was communicating with a woman –“Let me get your opinion. Who lies more? Men or women?” It was a great conversation starter. Over time, I learned that it's not what you say, but how you say it that matters.

These are the 21 crazy, extreme actions I took to become successful.

I am proud to say that I have committed my entire life to self-development. If something was ever difficult or challenging, I was willing to do it, if it meant that I would become a better person. Who I am today is because of these 21 actions that I took.

I have grown tremendously over the years, but I still consider myself to be a learner. Don't stop learning. Don't stop growing, and never forget that everything happens for a reason. Be grateful for your life experiences, as crazy and extreme as they may be.

Do you want to know how you can achieve massive success? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program where I share my formula for how to build a successful life!

The post 21 Crazy, Extreme Actions I Took To Become Successful appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

Project Life Mastery: How To Master Every Area Of Your Life

Stefan James — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 15:00:38 +0000

Imagine how your life would be if you fully committed to mastery.

Activate all of your senses and visualize your dream lifestyle. Who are you with? Where do you live? How do you feel?

A lot of people assume that self-mastery is unattainable. This is far from true.

The path of self-mastery is an internal and self-directed journey that takes practice. That being said, I have tools that can help you take the first step.

Are you ready to discover how you can get out of your own way and become the master of your world?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”https://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/4089728-plm-792-project-life-mastery-how-to-master-every-area-of-your-life.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Are you ready to commit to mastering every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program which will help you become the master of your world!

What does mastery mean to you?

The first step to changing anything in your life is self-awareness. Think about it… if you aren't aware of what something means, it will be near impossible for you to embody it. I want to share with you the success principles that I live by every single day. These are personal commandments that govern all of my behaviors.

However, before I talk about these principles it's important that you know that life mastery is a holistic concept, meaning that it embodies many different facets of the self. Financial success is only one piece of the pie, so to speak. A lot of people assume that if you make a lot of money, everything else falls into place. This isn't necessarily true.

There are a lot of millionaires and billionaires who are very unhappy. They lack balance because they neglect to acknowledge and nurture the different areas of their lives. A study found that once we reach a certain household income – $105,000 in the United States, $95,000 globally – more income “tends to be associated with reduced life satisfaction and a lower level of well-being.”

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be the richest man in the graveyard. What is the point of having a lot of money but not having the mental or emotional well-being to go along with it? If the money that you make doesn't fulfill you or bring meaning to your life, you will only feel empty. This is why I believe that, if you want to create an extraordinary life, you must continuously focus on and master 10 core areas.

I call this, The Life Mastery Blueprint.

If you want to learn about this blueprint in more detail, I encourage you to go to the About section on my website. I define success as living at a level 7 or more in each area of my life. This ensures that I am always making progress and living a life that fulfills me. Keep in mind that there is no right and wrong with regards to where you fall on the scale for each area. This is your life. You decide what is important to you.

I want to show you a process and tool that you can use to measure each of these areas of life on an ongoing basis. This will help you have awareness of where you're at in each area so that you can bring more balance to your life. I encourage you to take out a journal right now. Draw a circle and a pie. For simplicity reasons, we are only going to focus on 8 different areas.

1. Health & Fitness

There are a lot of people who look physically fit on the outside. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that they're healthy. Physical fitness is your capacity to have strength and endurance, but your health is your vitality. It's how every part of your bodily organs function.

On a scale from 0 to 10, where are you, health-wise in your life? Get honest with yourself. When you know where you are, you will know what you need to do in order to optimize your health.

2. Mind & Emotions

Your mind is a powerful tool. It can either be your friend or your worst enemy. When it comes to success, mindset is everything. A lot of people who struggle with disempowering thoughts assume that they cannot change. They fail to realize that they are not their thoughts.

Once you have this awareness you start to become an active observer of your mind are able to differentiate who you are from your critical inner voice. If you don't do the work to master your mindset, it will master every single decision that you make. Conversely, your emotions reflect how you feel on a consistent basis.

Is your emotional home-focused more on empowering and positive feelings, or do you suffer from feelings of anxiety and depression? On a scale from 1-10, with 10 being an optimal emotional state, where do your emotions fall?

3. Relationships

I define relationships as an intimate relationship with a man or a woman. What does your ideal relationship look like? Each person has different values. Thus, their perceptions of the characteristics and qualities that are deemed important in a partner will differ too.

You attract that which you are. From personal experience, once you have done the work to clear old conditioned patterns of thinking and behaving, you are better able to attract an ideal partner into your life. More importantly, you have a better understanding of what you want and don't want.

4. Mission & Purpose

This is reflective of what you do for a living. A lot of people have careers that they're not passionate about. They go to their 9 to 5 jobs just to get a paycheck every month, but they aren't fulfilled. If you could get paid to do what you love, what would your ideal career be, if it was at a level 10?

Check in with yourself and get clear about where your current job fits on this scale. If you're struggling to answer this question, I encourage you to take note of what your work values are and then ask yourself if your job allows you to exercise those values. If not, it's time to rethink your mission and purpose.

5. Money

On a scale from 1-10, where are you financially? Maybe your level 10 is making $100,000 per year, whereas, for others, a level 10 may be achieving a millionaire or multi-millionaire status. Forget about what society or your family thinks, what are your financial goals?

What do YOU want for YOUR life? Before you can take control of your finances, you need to know where you're falling short so that you can start budgeting and managing the money that you already have. This is how you set yourself up to win financially.

6. Fun, Family & Friends

Life is meant to be enjoyed. If you take life too seriously, you're going to miss out on a lot of fun experiences. You want to make sure that you are investing time and energy into creating magic moments with people you love. Equally important is engaging in hobbies that bring you joy. By nature, we are social creatures.

Connecting with others is a great way to relieve stress and disconnect from doing mode. Make sure that you don't neglect this part of your life because you're investing too much energy into other areas. Keep in mind that there will be times in your life where you have to make sacrifices that will get in the way of your social time. What's most important is that you try to balance each area of life as much as possible.

7. Contribution

Contributing to others is a huge aspect of my life, as it aligns with my mission and purpose. I am very passionate about philanthropy. I've been traveling to third world countries for quite a few years now and have helped build schools and homes for families in need.

Some of the countries I've visited include Kenya, Ethiopia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. Contributing brings so much meaning to my life. As Tony Robbins says, “The secret to living is giving.” The more that you give, the more that you get back.

Sit back and ask yourself, “What do you want to contribute to the world?” What legacy will you leave?” You've been given the incredible gift of life. Don't just take from it. Rather, give back so that the next generation is better off. Get clear on your current level of contribution and reflect upon what level you aspire to.

8. Spirituality

Spirituality looks and feels different for everyone. I am a Christian but I've explored and studied a lot of different spiritual modalities. Spirituality goes beyond the physical. I believe that we are spiritual beings who are living a human experience. Our body is only temporary. This is why I have a strong spiritual connection with God.

That connection that I have to my Creator has added a richness and meaning to my life that trumps everything. What are your spiritual beliefs? Whatever those are, I encourage you to cultivate, practice and live them every single day, whether that's a daily prayer, a meditation practice, or yoga.

On a scale of 1-10, what is your level of spirituality? What would a level 10 look like for you, and how does that differ from where your current level of spirituality now?

The question now is… are you ready to master every area of your life?

Reflect upon the number that you gave for each area of your life. I encourage you to give focus on areas that are below level 7. Ask yourself, “What can I do to level up this area of life?” Don't expect that you will achieve life mastery overnight. That isn't realistic.

Take massive action and keep making strides every single day towards becoming the best version of yourself. When you commit your life to mastery, you become the creator of your destiny. Don't wait for one moment longer to become the person you've always wanted to be.

The time is now. Self-mastery is your birthright.

Are you ready to commit to mastering every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program which will help you become the master of your world!

The post Project Life Mastery: How To Master Every Area Of Your Life appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

How To Set Goals While Keeping Your Life In Balance

Stefan James — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 16:00:28 +0000

Knowing how to set goals while keeping your life in balance can be tricky.

In today's fast-paced world, it can seem like a far-fetched goal of achieving the ever-elusive work-life balance.

At the end of the day, it comes down to understanding what balance means to you.

Work-life balance isn't about getting everything perfect. Do you want to know how to set goals while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

Yes, you can do both. Keep reading to discover how!

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”http://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/2452346-plm-751-how-to-set-goals-while-keeping-your-life-in-balance.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Ready to succeed faster and master every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

Keeping your life in balance can be tricky.

If you struggle with work-life balance, you're not alone. Many of us have competing priorities that need our attention. Finding time to do everything can be challenging. Oftentimes, it's our mental and emotional health that is the first to take a hit.

A Gallup Wellbeing Index study found that 45 percent of entrepreneurs reported being stressed about their job and company and another 34 percent said they “worried a lot.” Can you relate? As an entrepreneur, I know all too well how difficult achieving ‘balance' can be.

However, over the years I've learned that if I don't make my health top priority, my business suffers, as does every area of my life. Don't get me wrong… if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur you have to be willing to ‘hustle.' However, it's equally as important to take care of yourself.

You will not be able to effectively add value and show up in the world if you are constantly living on autopilot. When it comes to creating work-life balance, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The concept of balance means something different to everyone.

I had the opportunity to sit down with my good friend, Matt Clark and talk about how to set goals while keeping your life in balance. For those of you who don't know, Matt is the Executive Chairman and Co-founder of Amazing.com. This is a company that helps Amazon entrepreneurs build their own physical products business. Here are some questions that he asked me and my responses to them.

Let's dive in!

What does it take to get the most value out of a year? How do you structure things to make sure that you accomplish a lot?

Before I start planning for the year ahead, I like to reflect and debrief the previous year. I have a process for doing that. I look at all of my wins, successes, and accomplishments. If you just take that in, it will help you build momentum that you can carry forward.

I also look at the challenges and the struggles that I faced and what I learned from those experiences. If you don't learn from your failures, you will carry them with you into the next year. When it comes to planning ahead for the New Year, I first like to get clear on what my vision is.

I really believe that your goals are merely stepping stones to the ultimate vision that you have for your life. Your goals should bring you one step closer to where you want to be 10-20 years from now.

I think about the goals that I want to achieve in each area of my life – health, business, finances, relationship, spiritual, and contribution. Once I'm clear on my vision, I do a brainstorming process where I think about the different goals that I want to set in each of those areas.

I narrow down what I'm most excited to accomplish in each area.

Lastly, I make sure that I'm setting goals that are S.M.A.R.T., which is an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. I have a system for following up to ensure that I'm on track with my goals. If I'm not making progress, I make the necessary adjustments. Setting goals is easy, but 98% of people who set New Years Resolutions don't follow through on them. I want to be one of the 2% of people who do follow through.

What strategies can people adopt to ensure that they stay motivated to achieve their goals?

Accountability is huge. Oftentimes when we set goals, we say, “Hey I'm going to achieve this”, but because we are only accountable to ourselves, we can easily back out. With my brand, Project Life Mastery, I publically share my goals every year. It's uncomfortable for me to do so because it creates a lot of pressure.

However, it ensures that I am more likely to follow through because I don't want to lose respect and credibility from my audience. Accountability can be found in the form of a Mastermind group, an accountability buddy, a coach or a mentor. You want to find someone who can help you stay on track.

Is it better to be balanced or it is better to be hyper-focused in one area of life?

It depends on what you want in your life and what that looks like. A lot of people want to build an online business so that they can create more freedom and spend more time with their family and friends. I have always valued balance. From the beginning, I knew that spending all of my time and energy on my business wasn't going to fulfill me.

I believe that there are areas of life that are much more important than making money.

For me, that's my health, emotions, relationship, and spirituality. At times, you will have to go out of balance and make sacrifices, especially if you are building a business. Fully being in balance doesn't exist. There are times in my life where I fully immerse myself in a project, to the point where I may be neglecting other areas of my life.

However, it's only for a short period of time. I always return back to the balanced state. You've got to have a purpose for your day. Being proactive and strategic with your time will ensure that you are present in everything that you do. When you know what the outcome is for each task that you carry out, you will get so much more out of the experience.

This is how to set goals while keeping your life in balance.

Get clear on what work-life balance means to you and then set goals that align with the vision that you have for your life. If you push yourself too hard you will only end up suffering.

However, when you make it a priority to engage in healthy habits every day, you will set yourself up to win. Taking care of your mind, body and soul will give you the energy and motivation that you need to achieve your goals, especially on the days when you feel like giving up.

Are you ready for 2022 to be your best year yet?

Ready to succeed faster and master every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

The post How To Set Goals While Keeping Your Life In Balance appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

Setting New Years Resolutions? Learn From My Mistakes

Stefan James — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 16:00:24 +0000

Setting New Year's resolutions is the best way to ensure that you achieve your goals in 2022.

A new decade is right around the corner. If you're like me, you're getting prepared and excited for a New Year.

Unfortunately, I see a lot of people make goal-setting mistakes when they are in the process of setting New Year's resolutions. As a result, they end up sabotaging their success.

I've been setting goals for many years. Ready to learn from my mistakes and set New Years resolutions the right way?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”http://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/2386634-plm-748-setting-new-years-resolutions-learn-from-my-mistakes.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Are you ready to achieve your goals in 2021? CLICK HERE to join the 100 Day Challenge! Use the coupon code “MASTERY” to save $50.

A New Year is a new chapter in your life.

You always want to make sure that the New Year is better than the year before. If you set that as your standard, it will happen. 2022 is your opportunity to set new goals and commitments that have the power to transform your life for the better.

When I reflect upon what I have been blessed to accomplish in my life, I attribute a lot of my success to my ability to set and achieve goals. When it comes to setting goals, I take a specific direction in each area of my life. Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.

Over the years, I've learned a lot about setting goals. Like a lot of people, I've made mistakes along the way. I want to share what those mistakes are, as well as what has worked for me. In doing so, my hope is that I will better set you up for success in 2020.

Here are 6 goal-setting tips that will help ensure that your New Years resolutions stick.

1. Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals

You want to make your New Years' resolutions are S.M.A.R.T. This is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. One big mistake that people make is that their goals aren't specific, meaning that they aren't clear about what it is that they want.

For example, if you want to make more money, get clear on how much money you want to make in the New Year. Write down the dollar amount on a piece of paper.

Secondly, you want to make your goals measurable. This is what will allow you to track your progress over a specific period of time.

For example, if you know exactly how much money you want to make in a 12-month period, you can backward engineer and break down how much you will have to make in 3 months and 6 months' time. You want goals that are both result-oriented and process-oriented.

A result is a specific outcome that you are after. For example, I want to make $100,000. The process is the action plan that you will take in order to achieve that result. Process-oriented goals help you measure whether or not you are on track to achieving your result-oriented goal.

Another big mistake that people make is that they set unrealistic goals that are unattainable. For example, some people set the goal that they want to make $1 million dollars in one year. However, they've never even made $60,000 in one year.

Not surprisingly, they get discouraged and lose momentum. Don't get me wrong, you can achieve unrealistic goals over a ten-year period, but in a short period of time, like one year, it's unrealistic. This is why I always set goals that I know I can achieve.

When it comes to your desire and beliefs for the goals that you set, on a scale of 1 to 10, you want to be somewhere between level 7 and 10. You could set a goal that you have a 10 out of 10 desire for. However, if your belief is lower than a 7, you will be less likely to take action to achieve it.

This is a big reason why about 60 percent of people make New Year's resolutions but only about 8 percent of them are successful in achieving them. My sweet spot is setting goals where my desire and belief is at least at a level 7.

Lastly, you want to have a timeline in place for achieving your goals. Without a deadline, it's just a dream. When you schedule something all of a sudden it becomes real.

2. Write Down Your Goals

Thinking about your goals isn't enough. I recommend writing them down and phrasing them in a way that excites and motivates you. By using language like, “I will” presupposes that you will do something, versus saying, “I want to.”

Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University in California, found that you become 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams, simply by writing them down on a regular basis. Writing down my goals allows me to visually see what it is that I want to achieve, versus just thinking about them.

3. Find An Accountability Partner

A lot of people set New Year's resolutions but never achieve them because they don't have an accountability system in place. If you are only accountable to yourself, you are less likely to follow through. There's no consequence in place.

However, when you tell other people about your goals, it's harder to back out. Find an accountability partner, in the form of a close friend, a coach, a mentor, or a Mastermind group. Share your goals with them and ask them to hold you accountable for the achievement of your New Years' resolutions.

4. Check In On Your Goal Progress

I check in on my goal progress on a weekly basis, but you can do this on a monthly or quarterly basis. Checking in on your goals allows you to accurately assess the progress that you're making. It forces you to course adjust so that you can get back on track.

This is why I'm a big believer in the 100 Day Challenge. This is a goal-setting system that helps you achieve your goals faster. As part of the challenge, you are taught how to carry out an after-action review. This involves checking in on your goals on a bi-weekly basis and evaluating your progress or lack thereof. This is such an important part of the process. You need a system of success in place.

5. Be Mindful of The Number of Goals You Set

Be mindful of how many goals you can handle in each area of your life. If you set too many goals without a track record for achieving them, you are setting yourself up for failure.

Find a manageable amount that you know is achievable. You want your goals to stretch you, but you also want to make sure that they are attainable.

6. Be Flexible

When I first started setting New Year's resolutions, I had a hard time following through. I was a dabbler. With experience, I learned how to become very disciplined to ensure that I would never waiver from my goals and commitments. Over the years, I've learned that being flexible is the secret to goal-setting success. If you're too rigid and you don't allow yourself to adapt, you can miss out on a lot of great opportunities.

Are you ready to start setting New Year's resolutions?

Set goals and do the best that you can to achieve them. Yes, you will come up short sometimes, but that's OK. Don't let it hold you back from setting new goals in the future. At the end of the day, the purpose of setting and achieving goals is who you become in the process.

What are your New Years' resolutions? Make 2022 your best year yet.

Are you ready to achieve your goals in 2021? CLICK HERE to join the 100 Day Challenge! Use the coupon code “MASTERY” to save $50.

The post Setting New Years Resolutions? Learn From My Mistakes appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

How To Stay Focused To Achieve Your Goals

Stefan James — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 16:00:26 +0000

Do you find it difficult to stay focused?

If so, you aren't alone. Research shows that our minds typically wander anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of the time.

If you are constantly getting distracted, you cannot expect to get anything done. It's fair to say that focus drives everything, which is why I believe it is one of the most important skills to learn.

Are you ready to learn 4 ways to stay focused so that you can achieve your goals?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”http://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/932408-plm-646-how-to-stay-focused-to-achieve-your-goals.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Are you ready to learn which online business is best for you? CLICK HERE to take my free online business quiz!

Do you know how to stay focused?

Let's face it, we've all had days where, no matter how hard we try, we just can't seem to focus. Unfortunately, these days are the norm for a lot of people. The ability to focus has become a luxury. We live in a world where we are bombarded with distractions, so much so that we've become addicted to constant stimulation. It cannot be denied that technology is largely to blame for this epidemic.

It's no wonder that so many people fail to achieve their goals. They simply can't pay attention to one thing long enough before they lose their focus altogether. To make matters worse, your brain loves distractions. In his book, Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long, David Rock suggests that “Your brain's reward circuit lights up when you multitask, meaning that you get an emotional high when you're doing a lot at once.” Fortunately, you can train your brain to slow down and focus.

If you want to be successful in life, it's important that you avoid life's distractions as best as you can. As an entrepreneur, I know all too well how challenging it can be to stay focused. In the beginning stages of growing a business, it's easy to chase shiny objects and jump on every opportunity that arises.

However, this is exactly what gets entrepreneurs into trouble. By putting too much time and effort into doing too many things, they risk becoming an expert at nothing. Luckily, I learned this lesson early on in my business. Over the years, I've consistently practiced and mastered the art of focus to ensure that I never get derailed from my goals.

A master is someone who commits to everything that they do.

Whatever they start, they finish. Instead of getting distracted, they train their mind to stay focused on one path until they have achieved their goals. Unfortunately, I see a lot of people fall into the dabbler mentality. A dabbler loves the initial rush and excitement of starting something new. However, as soon as something gets difficult, he or she gives up. As a result, they are never able to achieve their goals in life.

Be honest with yourself… are you a dabbler or a master? If you feel like you've been dabbling your way through life, the good news is that you can create a system for staying focused on your goals so that you don't veer off track. I want to share with you 4 strategies that will help you stay focused.

1. Monotask

In today's world, multitasking has become the gold standard for success, so much so that people pride themselves on it. However, how effective is it? Neuroscience shows that multitasking actually decreases productivity. One study found that just 2.5% of people are able to multitask effectively.

Instead of doing multiple things at once, I'm a bigger believer in monotasking, which involves focusing your attention on one thing at a time. It's a simple idea but it can be really hard to do because we have been conditioned to multitask. Even though it may feel like you are getting a lot done when you multitask, you actually aren't. Your mind can only focus on one task at a time.

Instead of trying to accomplish a lot of things at once, try focusing all of your attention on one task. Doing so will ensure that you are able to go deeper with your work, and, in turn, make more progress towards the achievement of your goals.

2. Learn To Say “No”

Learning how to say “no” is a huge part of being successful in life. As an entrepreneur, I still struggle with this at times. If you've got a big vision like myself, you will naturally get excited about the prospect of collaborating with other influencers or starting new projects of your own.

Don't get me wrong… opportunities are great, but there comes a point when you need to draw a line in the sand and stop taking on so many things. If you work on too many projects, your attention gets stretched and you end up falling into information overload. In this state, you can't get anything accomplished.

I believe that a lack of focus is the reason why most people fail in business. Think about what is currently on your plate right now. Write these things down on a piece of paper. How does this list make you feel? If you're overwhelmed, then you are most likely taking on too much. You've got to remember that opportunities will always exist.

By saying “no” to something, you aren't losing anything. Quite the opposite. You are actually gaining time and energy, which are two of the most important assets that you have. Productive people know when to close a door. It's all about being aware of your limits and sticking with them.

Steve Jobs said it best – “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”

3. Remove Distractions

If you're trying to get a task done, while looking at your phone and eating lunch, it's going to be a lot harder for you to concentrate. The more distractions that you have, the less likely that you will be able to focus. As Tom Kite says, “You can always find a distraction if you're looking for one.”

If you want to achieve great things in life, the first thing that you need to do is remove all distractions. The trick is to eliminate the possibility of temptations occurring altogether. When I am working on something important, I rid my environment of all forms of digital technology for a set period of time.

Text messages, social media, and emails all have one purpose – they take your attention away from something that needs to get done. Don't fall into the trap of becoming addicted to distraction. Rather, carve out specific blocks of time when you turn off your phone or computer. By putting yourself into a flow state, you will surprise yourself how much you can accomplish in a short period of time.

4. Reset

We live in a world where relaxing is sometimes viewed as lazy. As technology progresses, everything gets faster, which means that we are expected to move faster as well. More and more people feel pressured to overperform, so much so that their work and personal life becomes blurred. In order to stay alert and keep going, people slam back coffee or energy drinks.

Unfortunately, stimulants like these only serve to further diminish your energy reserves. When your willpower starts to dwindle, so does your concentration and ability to focus. I think you will agree with me that this isn't a productive or healthy way of working or living.

If you don't give your brain a rest, your mental and emotional health will suffer. Even the most successful people in this world take breaks. Nobody can be on, 24/7. In a study that examined the phenomenon called “vigilance decrement“, psychologist Alejandro Lleras found that participants who were given short breaks during a 50-minute task performed better than those who worked straight through.

If you know that a task is going to take a long time to complete, take mini-breaks so that you can reset and recharge your mental battery. More importantly, get up, move your body, and give your eyes the rest that they need.

If you can stay focused, you will achieve your goals.

Your ability to focus is like a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger it will become. If you are someone who struggles to stay focused, I encourage you to start practicing one of the above strategies and build your way up. Over time, you will notice how much more time and energy you have to focus on achieving the goals that matter most to you.

What action will you take today that will help you focus on your goals?

Are you ready to learn which online business is best for you? CLICK HERE to take my free online business quiz!

The post How To Stay Focused To Achieve Your Goals appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

5 Mistakes To Avoid When Setting Goals

Stefan James — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 16:00:37 +0000

Setting goals is the only way to make positive changes in your life, long-term.

One of the biggest reasons why a lot of people fail to accomplish their goals is because they don't know how to set them in the first place.

Research shows that 92 percent of people that set New Year's goals never actually achieve them.

I want you to be a part of the 8% that do. When you are armed with the knowledge of what NOT to do, it will ensure that you don't make the same goal-setting mistakes, twice.

Ready to learn 5 mistakes that you must avoid when setting goals?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”http://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/916242-plm-641-5-mistakes-to-avoid-when-setting-goals.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Do you need help setting and achieving your goals? CLICK HERE to join the 100 Day Challenge!

Setting goals is a lot easier than achieving goals.

In order to see your goals through, it will require a huge amount of commitment, effort, discipline, and hard work on your part. Unfortunately, a lot of people give up on their goals too early. When they don't see results fast enough, they think, “What's the point?” In short, they fail before they even get a chance to start.

Nobody is saying that you can't live out your days sticking with easy and normal routines. However, eventually, this way of living will make you feel bored, uninspired, and unhappy. This is why goals are so important. They present you with challenges to grow and become more. I like to think about goals as if they were stepping stones on the road to success.

Let's be honest… all of us want to achieve great things in life. We want our lives to matter. Why else would we be here? The challenge is knowing how you can make the transition from simply desiring something to actually taking action and achieving your goals. Setting goals is easy to do. However, if you don't set them in the right way, the process can turn into one of the biggest time-wasting activities of your life.

This is why I want to share 5 mistakes that you must avoid when setting goals. By avoiding these pitfalls, you will set yourself up for success.

1. Not Having A Vision

Oftentimes, people set goals without thinking about the big picture. They don't have a solid understanding of the who they want to become. In short, they haven't taken the time to figure out what their life vision is. If you are setting goals without a clear destination in mind, how do you expect to know where you are going? Everyone needs a map. As Fitzhugh Dodson says, “Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.”

When it comes to setting goals, it's not enough to just think about the next month or the year ahead. If you want to do big things in this world, then you need to think big! That means looking 10, 20, or 30 years down the road. Always start with the end in mind.

Let me give you an example. Let's say that the vision that you have for your life is to create financial abundance, travel the world, and retire young. If you set a goal to go to university and get a business degree, that decision does not align with your bigger vision. Keep in mind that with school comes a lot of debt. You may get a great job out of it, but now you are working for someone else.

Trust me when I say that you don't need a college degree if you want to become an entrepreneur. School is necessary for some professions, but entrepreneurship is definitely an exception to the rule. Entrepreneurs like Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of college and went on to be wildly successful, and so can you. It comes down to getting crystal clear on what your vision is and then taking steps to make that vision a reality.

2. Setting Unrealistic Goals

If you set unrealistic goals, you are setting yourself up to fail. This is why I always make sure that I can hit my goals. Don't get me wrong… my goals still push me, but they are always within a certain sweet spot. Whatever goal you set, always ask yourself, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how much desire do I have to follow through with this goal?”

Your sweet spot should be between a 7, 8, 9 or 10. If it's less than a 7, you won't have the motivation to follow through. For example, you may have a desire to make one million dollars this year, but you also have to believe that you can achieve this goal. If you don't, you won't put in the work to make it happen. If your belief is a 1 or 2, I promise that conflict will ensue. I challenge you to take one of your goals this year and apply this goal setting formula.

Think of setting and achieving goals as if you were hitting a target.

A lot of people place a target so far away from themselves that they can't even see it. If you don't have the confidence and experience to hit the target, you will continue to miss it. This will only frustrate and discourage you. Ultimately, you will give up. The reason why this happens to people is that their goals are too far-reaching.

As I said earlier, long-term goals are important, but you've also got to make sure that you have immediate goals (1 year) that you know you can achieve. I encourage you to take your target and bring it one step closer to you. By setting and achieving small goals, your brain's dopamine levels will skyrocket, which will increase your motivation.

Research shows that each time your brain gets a whiff of a rewarding neurotransmitter, it will want you to repeat the associated behavior. Once you have the confidence and ability to hit your target, close up, over time you can move it back. At the end of the year, I want to see you hit at least 90% of your goals.

Always finish what you start. If you set a goal, make sure that it is attainable, and that you can actually achieve it. If you do this, you will build trust and confidence in yourself.

3. Missing A Strong “Why”

You need to know why you want to achieve your goals. Your reasons are your fuel for the fire. A lot of people set goals that they don't want bad enough. If you aren't excited about your goals, everything will feel like a struggle. You will end up pushing yourself to achieve something, instead of being pulled towards it.

Every time I set a goal, I always ask myself the following questions, “Why must I achieve this goal?” “What are the benefits of achieving this goal? What are the consequences of not following through with this goal?” If you want something bad enough you will do whatever it takes to achieve it.

Whenever you get tired or demotivated, I encourage you to take out your list and connect with your reasons. I promise that it will inspire you to take action. If you still don't have strong enough reasons for your goals, keep searching for them, or change the goals altogether.

In his book, Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want, Michael Hyatt talks about how to “quit-proof” your goals so that you can close the gap between reality and your dreams. In his words, “Your life matters. You are here for a reason. Your job is to determine why.”

4. Not Having A Plan

A goal is just the target. In order to hit the target, you need to develop certain habits and strategies. This will require that you backward engineer your goals and break them down into smaller chunks. When I set goals, I don't just create a to-do list. Rather, I create a could-do list. This change in my perspective opens up my mind to new possibilities.

For each of my goals, I ask myself all of the things that I could do to achieve them. For example, let's say you want to lose weight. You could do intermittent fasting, start a ketogenic diet, eat plant-based foods, read weight loss articles, go to the gym 5 days per week, do HIIT cardio 3 days per week, or hire a personal trainer.

Once you have your list, identify what the most important habits are that will lead to the achievement of your goal. When you go through this process, make sure that you apply the 80/20 rule. This principle says that 20% of your list will yield 80% of your results. Keep in mind that all actions are not created equal.

Let's face it… you won't get the body that you want by just reading books. Rather, you've got to take action, like changing your diet and going to the gym. I recommend that you leverage the strategies and plans of those that have already achieved a goal that you aspire to.

Don't make up your own plan. Rather, find a proven strategy that works. This is why I'm always trying to model people that are more successful than myself. That is how I have been able to fast track my results in life.

5. Failing To Take Action

Taking action is the only thing that leads to results. Setting goals are the easy part. Anybody can do that. However, actually doing what you say you will do takes commitment, discipline, and hard work. Whereas a dabbler gives up when the going gets tough, a master always follows through and achieves their goals. Be honest with yourself… are you a dabbler or a master?

I encourage you to create a ritual in your life that will allow you to follow-up and track your goals. You can do this weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly. The purpose of this process is to go over each of your goals and assess the progress that you are making with each of them.

Evaluate yourself in relation to each goal, but don't forget to celebrate the progress that you make along the way. Monthly and quarterly check-ins work best for me because it ensures that I am able to make adjustments towards the achievement of my goals.

I never get to the end of the year and think, “Wow, I completely forgot about my goals.” Don't let another year pass you by where you come up short on your goals. This is your year, so make it count.

Are you ready to crush your goals?

If so, I encourage you to join the 100 day challenge. Gary Ryan Blair is known as “The Goals Guy” and is the Founder of the 100 Day Challenge. He is considered to be one of the world's experts on the topic of goals. His training program changed my life. It taught me how to set and achieve goals the right way.

I continue to revisit Gary's program because of the positive impact that it has had on every area of my life. Before I took the 100 Day Challenge, I had built up a habit of being a failure. I knew that if I could stick to something for 100 days, then there would be nothing that I couldn't do. That belief proved to be true.

The program requires that you set a certain amount of goals that you commit to for 100 days. They create a process that allows you to check-in, review, and make adjustments to your goals over the course of the 100 days. If you decide to take part in the challenge with me, you can use the coupon code MASTERY to save $50 on checkout!

By avoiding the above 5 mistakes and creating daily success habits, I believe that you will have all the elements that you need to achieve your goals. You will be blown away by the progress that you can make if you commit to sticking with your goals.

In the words of Tony Robbins, “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” What goals do you want to achieve this year?

Do you need help setting and achieving your goals? CLICK HERE to join the 100 Day Challenge!

The post 5 Mistakes To Avoid When Setting Goals appeared first on Project Life Mastery.

My 2019 Goals And Resolutions

Stefan James — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 16:00:20 +0000

I have created a new and improved version of K Money Mastery which is called, Mastering Book Publishing!

Since 2012, I’ve publicly declared my goals and resolutions at the beginning of each year. I’ve found by doing this, it’s created a powerful internal pressure to take action and raise my standards to achieve them.

Accountability is one of the most important factors that has helped me to push myself further and further each year, and I plan on publicly sharing my 2019 goals here as well so that I can remain accountable.

While I’m proud to have achieved many big goals during 2018 (see my 2018 goals review), I’m more motivated than ever to achieve even greater things in 2019. I'll be continuing to share my Goals Reports to give regular updates on where I'm at with my goals.

Watch the video below:

(Watch video on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”http://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/913952-plm-640-my-2019-goals-and-resolutions.mp3″ background=”default” ]

MY LIST OF 2019 GOALS AND RESOLUTIONS

Here is my list of goals and resolutions for 2019.

As you can see, I categorized my goals into different areas, to ensure that I’m making progress in every area of my life and being balanced. I also always ensure that my goals are aligned with my ultimate life plan and vision.

I may also add more goals to this list as time goes on.

HEALTH & FITNESS GOALS:

1. I will easily eat clean at least 6 days per week to create optimal health, energy, vitality and physical fitness by December 31, 2019.

2. I will easily detox for at least 7 days to support my body in optimal health and vitality by December 31, 2019.

3. I will easily do yoga at least twice per month to improve my overall flexibility and physical recovery by December 31, 2019.

4. I will easily get to at least 10% body fat and have my abs showing and celebrate by doing a fitness photoshoot by December 31, 2019.

FINANCIAL GOALS:

5. I will easily save or invest at least $1,500,000 USD by December 31, 2019.

MISSION & BUSINESS GOALS:

6. I will easily participate in sharing the Amazing Selling Machine (2x launches) and my ASM Fast Track Bonuses to help support people in building their own Amazon business by December 31, 2019.

7. I will easily host at least 2 Online Business Mastery Mastermind events to be able to intimately help people build their online businesses by December 31, 2019.

8. I will easily re-design StefanJames.com by December 31, 2019.

9. I will easily create and launch Mastering Book Publishing to help publishers make money online by December 31, 2019.

10. I will easily improve Affiliate Marketing Mastery to help members get results, while continuing to optimize my webinars and funnels for Affiliate Marketing Mastery by December 31, 2019.

11. I will easily create and launch a new Amazon product and transparently share the process by December 31, 2019.

12. I will easily publish at least 2 new books on Amazon by December 31, 2019.

13. I will easily improve Morning Ritual Mastery to help members get results, while continuing to optimize my funnels by December 31, 2019.

14. I will easily hire a new social media marketer to help me grow my social media by December 31, 2019.

15. I will easily hire an assistant to help support my lifestyle and business by December 31, 2019.

16. I will easily hire an operations/project manager to help manage Project Life Mastery by December 31, 2019.

17. I will easily publish at least 150 videos on the Project Life Mastery YouTube channel by December 31, 2019.

18. I will easily publish at least 200 articles on the Project Life Mastery website by December 31, 2019.

19. I will easily host at least 12 Life Mastery Accelerator monthly mentoring sessions by December 31, 2019.

20. I will easily host at least 12 Online Business Mastery Accelerator monthly mentoring sessions by December 31, 2019.

21. I will easily attend the Traffic & Conversion Summit with my team in San Diego by December 31, 2019.

22. I will easily attend SellerCon in Las Vegas by December 31, 2019.

MIND, EMOTIONS & SELF-DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

23. I will easily read at least 12 books to continue to learn and develop myself in all areas of life by December 31, 2019.

24. I will easily complete the Jim Kwik Recall Training to improve my retention, cognitive performance and memory by December 31, 2019.

25. I will easily complete the Untethered Soul course to continue to develop mentally, emotionally and spiritually by December 31, 2019.

26. I will easily do a morning ritual at least 6 days per week to be at my best every day by December 31, 2019.

27. I will easily complete a Biocybernaut Training in Sedona, Arizona to optimize my mind and emotions by December 31, 2019.

28. I will easily do an Ayahuasca ceremony in Costa Rica to continue to grow mentally, emotionally and spiritually by December 31, 2019.

29. I will easily hire a new life coach to help me grow and develop myself by December 31, 2019.

30. I will easily complete a 30 Day Meditation Challenge using my Muse to continue calming the mind and evolve spiritually by December 31, 2019.

31. I will easily attend Life & Wealth Mastery in Spain to continue developing myself in all areas of life by December 31, 2019.

RELATIONSHIP & SOCIAL GOALS:

32. I will easily do at least 12 sessions with my Tantra coach to continue creating more intimacy, love, passion and powerful multi-orgasmic experiences by December 31, 2019.

33. I will easily do my Relationship Ritual with Tatiana at least once per month to continuously ensure we’re meeting each other’s needs and creating a passionate love affair that is legendary by December 31, 2019.

34. I will easily plan a romantic, fun or adventurous date night with Tatiana at least twice per month by December 31, 2019.

35. I will easily socialize at least once per week with friends or strangers (in-person, Skype or phone) by December 31, 2019.

36. I will easily take off Saturday and Sunday from work (exception during events) to allow myself to rest, recovery, have fun and create balance in my life by December 31, 2019.

TRAVEL, FUN & LIFESTYLE GOALS:

37. I will easily travel to South America for at least 3 weeks and enjoy at least 7 days fully off work by December 31, 2019.

38. I will easily travel to Costa Rica and enjoy at least 4 days fully off work by December 31, 2019.

39. I will easily travel to Europe for at least 2 weeks and enjoy at least 7 days fully off work by December 31, 2019.

40. I will easily take at least 7 days fully off work in December by December 31, 2019.

SPIRITUAL & CONTRIBUTION GOALS:

41. I will easily fund at least 3 new schools to be built with We.org by December 31, 2019.

42. I will easily fundraise or donate at least $10,000 to build 3 new houses for families with TECHO or WorldHousing by December 31, 2019.

43. I will easily loan at least $5,000 through Kiva.org to support those suffering from poverty by December 31, 2019.

44. I will easily listen to 4 audiobooks of the Word of Promise (Old Testament or New Testament) to continue learning about God and the Bible by December 31, 2019.

45. I will easily connect with God every day through prayer, gratitude or conversation by December 31, 2019.

HAVE YOU SET YOUR GOALS YET?

Inside the Life Mastery Accelerator, I shared my most in-depth Goal Setting Workshop where I guide you through the exact process that I do every year to plan and set my goals. If you haven't yet set your goals, then I highly recommend you go through it. CLICK HERE to join the Life Mastery Accelerator.

Every year, I also go through the 100 Day Challenge as a way for me to get a big boost of momentum towards achieving my goals. My secret weapon to achieving my goals has been using accountability systems, such as the 100 Day Challenge, which has given me that extra edge throughout the year to push myself harder.

The biggest mistake people make when setting goals is never even checking them again or measuring them regularly, which is what this 100 Day Challenge helps you to do.

DISCOUNT: You can save $50 on the 100 Day Challenge by using coupon code “MASTERY” on checkout.

I encourage you to make sure that you’ve clearly set your goals for 2019 and to even publicly share them, just as I’m doing right now.

You can share them with your friends, family, on Facebook, via e-mail, or on your blog.

By making them public you’ll have more internal pressure to follow through on them. The people that you share them with will also likely be following up with you throughout the year, reminding you of the commitment that you made to them, which will make you more likely to follow through on them.

The post My 2019 Goals And Resolutions appeared first on Project Life Mastery.