Koen van de Velde

Whether you’re a high school student trying to write an essay, or an experienced business associate preparing a sales pitch, procrastination affects us all. Thankfully though, it’s not the end of the world. Here are five ways to tackle procrastination head-on.

1. Do the most challenging thing first.

Is there a particular task that is causing you a great deal of anxiety? Then that’s the one you need to take care of before doing anything else! If you continue to let it simmer in the back of your mind, it’s only going to make all your other work harder to complete. Plus, dealing with something difficult right off the bat can give you a helpful boost of confidence.

2. Break down large jobs into manageable chunks.

For example, if your room desperately needs cleaning, don’t dwell on the overall messiness, just focus on each individual step. Make your bed, pick up clutter, dust the shelves, and before you know it the job is done!

3. Always give yourself more time than required.

If you think you’ll need a day to complete something, plan for two instead. This will allow you to account for unforeseen circumstances and give you breathing room. It may seem paradoxical, but the fear and desperation of a time-crunch can directly cause someone to procrastinate. Besides, rushing rarely leads to quality work.

4. Take frequent breaks.

Knowing when to rest can be just as important as knowing when to exert yourself. Instead of plugging away at something for hours and hours, sprinkle in periodical respites. It could be a thirty-minute work session followed by a five-minute break; whatever suits your needs. This might seem like a waste of time, especially if you’re incredibly busy, but you’ll soon find that simply taking a moment to walk around and stretch your legs can increase your productivity in the long run.

5. Beware distractions.

A distraction can act as powerful fuel for ongoing procrastination. While some interruptions are simply out of our hands, like a family emergency or an impromptu staff meeting, most of them aren’t. We normally have our attention diverted by a trivial distraction, like our phone, the internet, food, etcetera. The most straightforward answer is to shut off or remove those things from our environment, but that isn’t always tenable. Alternatively, try turning a possible distraction into a future reward. They don’t even have to be a part of your scheduled breaks. For example, you could say: After I write two paragraphs, I get to check my social media. Or give little gifts to yourself like that throughout the day can make working more fun.

Conclusion

As long as you can figure out the cause of your procrastination, the solution typically isn’t too far behind. If you’re procrastinating because you feel tired, then go to bed earlier. If you’re procrastinating because you feel uncertain about your assignment, then do more research or get help from a friend. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but there’s always a path to success if you look hard enough!

These and other interesting tips & tricks you can pick up from The Six Figure Mentors. Subscribe for their here free video series to start with and figure out if it can work for you too!

Enjoy your Day and Focus on your Dreams !

When it comes to the things in life that we value, we tend to look for the same things in our lives then we do in the businesses that we frequent. When we look for a new business to use, we want to know that there are good people behind these companies. That’s why this blog post will feature some of the values that we look for in our favorite businesses.

Authenticity

We all like authentic people. We like authentic businesses even more. Why do we like these types of businesses? Because the people running these companies are not afraid to be themselves.

You can be more authentic in business by showing your followers on social media that what you do isn’t “magic”. For example, if you have an event planning company, you can show a “before” and “after” picture of the hall at which you’re holding an event.

Loyalty

Who doesn’t like a loyal person? These people stick up for their friends and family, through thick and thin. Shouldn’t the businesses that we frequent do the same? Businesses should value customer loyalty above all else.

How can you foster customer loyalty in your business? For one thing, give your customers things about which they can brag! Do you give your customers the best service in town? What about the best prices? What are you doing to foster customer loyalty?

Responsibility

Responsibility: it’s a word that almost no one likes. But it’s an important word. It’s a word that all company owners take on as a practical mantra. For a company owner, it’s certainly a given. But how do you pass it on the customer?

What you will have to do as a company owner is let them know, through blog posts and social media, that you feel responsible for them. If you own a garden store, you might take on responsibility for your customers having the best garden for their situation. Or if you’re a personal trainer, you might take on responsibility for the results of your clients. You care about your customers, so you might take responsibility for their results.

Joyfulness

Everyone likes joyful people in our life. We value being around them in our personal life. We like them, even more, when we encounter them during the course of our day. So how can you cultivate more joyfulness in your company?

One practice you can do with your employees is a gratitude exercise. At the start of every morning, you can have all of your employees or group go around and say one thing that they are grateful for. Studies have shown that people who are more grateful are happier.

Truthfulness

Who likes a liar? As the owner of a company, you certainly don’t. While saying the easier thing to a customer may get you by one time, you’ll pay for your less-than-spotless treatment of the truth over time. So saying the truthful thing may make for an upset customer. But lying to customers will make for many upset people. Which would you rather have?

Add your life values and act ! Watch the video series by clicking on below banner. Invest a few dollars. It will be worth it!

Enjoy your Day and Focus on your Dreams !

“Good things come to those who wait” is a phrase you must have heard at some point. For the record, I don’t believe in this. I much more like the phrase “Good things come to those who f**king earn it!  Excuse my language but this is part of the sentence 😊

A lot can be found on the internet about patience. I am not referring to the card game. I am talking about this patience; the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.

Waiting ….

We are all dealing with delays. Or with (in our eyes) unnecessary waiting time. This can be anything from waiting to board your aircraft, waiting in line for the supermarket, waiting for your online blog to get approved, waiting for your app to be approved in the apple store and so on.  But the funny thing is, patience is not about waiting. No. It is about the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.

Interesting huh? Let’s zoom in on this behavior part and ask yourself the question; how do I behave at the airport while waiting to board my flight? Let me answer that question for myself.

The airport story.

So, at first, I slowly move through the airport, since I arrived way before my flight is scheduled (this brings me piece of mind). After scanning the shops, probably after a purchase in some gadget shop, I maneuver towards the gate. Way before boarding time, but that is me 😊. So, I find myself a spot with good view on the gate, the ground stewardesses and information screens. I glance at my phone and scroll through articles and newsfeeds. After I while, I get distracted by the buzz of the ground stewardesses. They are about to call the first passengers. I stuff everything away and get ready to jump off my seat to be sure to be one of the firsts to enter the plane. I keep a close look; my heartbeat slowly increases. I see other people preparing to make their way. From the corner of my eye I already see people disembarking their seats. But there has been no announcement yet! And I have been here as one of the firsts to wait for this moment, so I feel entitled to be one of the first people. I leave my seat (still no announcement). I grab my hand luggage and “casually” make my way to the front, pretending to be distracted by my phone. I am almost there (still no announcement). Shit. I glance at the stewardess and she stares back at me. “can I help you sir?”.

Ehm…. “I want to make sure I don’t miss my flight”. Of course, she looks at me like a first timer. “We will call for all passengers sir”. I KNOW THAT I want to scream out, but I don’t. I do the walk of shame back to my seat. And just when I took it, they make the announcement! Impossible to run back, that would be too awkward, I end up in the middle of the line.

By now, I am irritated. Frustrated. I was so close to be the first one to embark, and now I am set back to a mediocre position. After what seems like an hour, I reach the point where I can show my passport and boarding pass. The same stewardess looks at me with a smile and says: “Sir, we wouldn’t have left without you” and wishes me a nice flight.

Make effective use of waiting.

During my flight, this got me thinking. Because I do see them; happy travelers. Even happy business travelers. They wait. They wait in patience for their turn. And in the meantime, whilst waiting, they get things done. They work on their email, blogs or reading. They seem to be peaceful. Patient. They make the most of it, they make effective use of their time.

What I am trying to get you to think about with the above piece is how you spend your time and how you are dealing with delays.

If you don’t focus on what you are waiting for (the airplane, the train, the results of your test) you will have free time to work on your goals. Make waiting time, working time. Make time work for you!

Go earn good things!

Stop waiting and use your time well !  Watch the video series by clicking on below banner. Invest a few dollars. It will be worth it!

Enjoy your Day and Focus on your Dreams !

Creating a successful business requires more than delivering high-quality products and services to your intended audience. Cultivating trust and loyalty is imperative when creating a brand, especially when you are faced with growing competition. With an understanding of basic goals for the hidden success factor, maximize your reach and the number of sales you are able to generate, both online and off.

Stand Out Among Your Competition

Define what makes your business stand out from your competition. What features do you provide or what needs do you aim to fulfill? How does your marketing strategy differ and outperform the top competition in your market? Do your logo and brand have a unique appeal to your intended audience? Are you proactive with building an online presence using an official website, blog, eCommerce store, and social media? Standing out among your competition is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome when breaking into an industry and solidifying your place as a success in the desired market of your choice.

Social Media and Visibility

Social media is one of the most popular tools used by marketers today. With the ability to potentially reach millions of consumers worldwide, using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become more desirable than ever.

Create a social media presence for your business while utilizing the same page names and usernames on each platform. Use social media to showcase your company brand while providing photos and video media of the products and services you have to offer. Connect with your followers while gaining additional likes and shares to maximize your exposure. Launch Facebook ad campaigns to learn more about your most responsive audience and the type of users who are interested in becoming customers. Use social media analytics and data to measure the success of each campaign you launch and to better optimize future marketing strategies for even bigger successes.

Communicate With Customers in Your Niche

Customer loyalty is one of the most important elements of building a successful business whether you are launching a startup or scaling a corporation. Creating loyalty and trust helps to strengthen the relationship you have with your customers while providing you with more opportunity for referrals and future business.

Determine the target demographics that respond best to social media posts and marketing campaigns you launch. Profiling your target audience is essential to hone in on the type of customer who has a genuine interest in the products or services you offer.

Connect with followers on your blog, official website, or social media pages by remaining responsive and personable. Answer inquiries, reply to comments, and spend time building relationships with users while providing new prospective customers with complete transparency regarding how you operate your business. Remain authentic and true to your original goals to deliver top-notch customer services while growing your brand.

Setting goals as an entrepreneur are essential for continued growth and success. Knowing how to reach your intended customers and attract them to your brand is a way to move forward with the expansion and future of your business.

Want to have success and be independent ? Watch the video series by clicking on below banner. Invest a few dollars. It will be worth it!

Enjoy your Day and Focus on your Dreams !

Some of you have been following me for a while. You have noticed that I write frequently about independence, following your dreams and doing what makes you happy.

I do realize I am fortunate to be in this position to pursue these values. Long story short; we all need income to live. There are a few ways to obtain income, at least a few legal ways 😊 Either you become an employee for a boss or you become self-employed. I chose the path of self-employment way back, a path that turned out to be the right one for me.

Not enough hours in the day

There were periods I had 3 assignments at the same time, but there were also times when I was left empty handed. Evidently, during those times, panic struck from time to time. For some reason I thought “you are only as good as your last assignment” (which is ridicule by the way!) and when time passed before a new assignment was agreed, I became insecure. It was during a period like that that I decided I wanted to get rid of my dependency of employers. Not knowing if my interim contract would be extended after the original period made me nervous. When they only want to contract me for one day a week, what results can they expect after one month? Experiences like that only strengthened my decision to become independent. Yet, with steady income.

Ideally, I work 2 or 3 days a week on a paid assignment and the other days I use to pursue my dreams. Being an online entrepreneur. Being independent, doing what I love. But then, one day, an opportunity presents itself.

Imagine:

A great assignment. There is a good click with the potential employer and you believe in what he does. Sounds great to combine with your other activities. But then…. It turns out he wants you 40 hours a week…. On an interim base yes, but 5 days a week. There will be no time left to pursue your dreams on the side (evenings and weekends apart of course). Tempting. But it delivers a dilemma. What are you to do? I believe there are a few questions you need to ask yourself before you decide what to do.

Questions to consider:

Is money your driver?

Don’t be tempted by the money! Money is a bad counselor. Sounds great to have some extra cash, but don’t let it be your driver. After all, money doesn’t make you happy. It enables you to do things that make you happy, remember that.

Does it support your long-term goals?

Like me, you have your long-term goals set straight. You know where you are and where you want to be at some point in the future. Or at least around that point.  This new assignment, will it help you get there? Will it make you get there quicker? Or will you built relationships that might help you in the future?

Does it make you happy?

If it doesn’t make you happy, it won’t last to start with. And I don’t mean it has to make you smile, but I do mean it has to make you feel content.  What is the team setting? Will you be able to contribute significantly to make you feel proud? Because happy can be replaced with pride at this point too.

Will you be able to learn new things?

The assignment itself, will it be challenging? Or will it be repeating your tricks? Nothing wrong with using your knowledge and sharing this with your employer. I mean, he is paying for it. But keep in mind if it will be challenging for you. When you are challenged, most likely you are learning new things. And that will most likely make you happy and will support your long-term goals.

What is the impact?

Of course, the impact is money in the bank. Money which you can use after your assignment to spend on other matters. But also let other factors weight in. Will it mean you need to get up every day as six a.m. in order to be at the office on time? How will that influence your life?

I can’t decide for you what is the best or the wisest thing to do. These 5 questions are all I have to offer you for this dilemma. Hopefully they will guide you through it and deliver you the right answer.

Roll the dice

In doubt? Take a gamble. After all, you will only regret the things you haven’t done said a wise man once.

I know you want to become independent like me. Let me help you. Watch the video series by clicking on below banner. Invest a few dollars. It will be worth it!

Enjoy your Day and Focus on your Dreams !

Life can be stressful for everyone sometimes. It is easy to become overwhelmed and anxious when you are dealing with various problems in your life such as family issues, relationship struggles, money difficulties, problems at work, or other annoying obstacles in life. For many individuals, it can be a struggle to stay positive and feel in control when there are so many worries present.

The good news is that you can take control again and trust in yourself if you practice healthy habits and start small. You can’t expect your whole life to change overnight, so it’s important to be patient and take baby steps when healing your mental state of mind. The following tips can help those who are feeling overwrought, depressed, or distracted and looking to make major positive changes in their lives.

Practice Relaxation

Sometimes we all need a little bit of relaxation in this busy and chaotic world. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with everything, take a breather. Take frequent breaks from situations that make you anxious and remember to let yourself rest. Indulge in hobbies or activities that calm you down, such as reading a good book or enjoying a nice hot bath. Let your mind and body recuperate from all the hard work you do.

Express Your Feelings

Holding everything in can only make things worse. It’s important to express your thoughts and emotions to others and to seek support from your friends during stressful or sad times. Humans actually have a biological instinct to look to others when feeling poorly. If you aren’t entirely comfortable opening up to people, start small. Begin by confiding in those who you trust and love the most.

Acknowledge Your Problem

Many of us have a hard time admitting that we are struggling, but acknowledging your stress is the only way to overcome it. Trust in yourself and get in touch with your inner turbulence. It’s a lot easier to take control again when you can see the problem and work towards a good solution.

Find A Hobby

Pursue an activity that you find enjoyable. All work and no fun will quickly cause mental and emotional burnout. Feelings of emptiness can be remedied with fun hobbies that you can look forward to. Gardening, knitting, hiking, painting, baking, dancing, and yoga are all examples of hobbies that can be great for stress relief. Find something that brings you joy and go for it!

Meditate

A great way to reduce stress is to meditate regularly. The best way to do this is to sit up straight on the floor and close your eyes. Breathe deeply and focus on inner peace. Tell yourself that you are loved and you feel tranquil. Meditating on a regular basis can lower blood pressure and slow your heart rate, which is what you want when you are overstressed.

Start Out Slow

Don’t try to turn your life around in a single day. Set realistic goals and start small. Stress doesn’t just go away in an instant, it’s a gradual process. Do something small everyday, like taking a relaxing walk or meditating before bed. Trust in yourself and know that you will take control again with one little step at a time.

These and other interesting tips & tricks you can pick up from The Six Figure Mentors. Subscribe for their here free video series to start with and figure out if it can work for you too!

Enjoy your Day and Focus on your Dreams !

I can’t be the only person who occasionally wakes up on a Saturday morning thinking: “How am I going to get through this day? We all know these Friday nights; a combination of good friends, great conversations and more beer then is good for you. As the evening proceeds, so does the quantity of pints and that is how you find yourself on a Saturday morning wondering. Why did nobody suggested to have some water? At least in between. Food is overrated, so a tray of snacks was diner.

Great stories never started with a salad 😊

The above scenario must be recognizable for some of you my followers. Every person feels the need to let the badger loose every now and again. And nothing wrong with nights like that, if they don’t interfere with your daily performance.  In order to focus on your goals, you need to be fit. Need a clear head. A healthy body. Once I realized that, I started making changes in my life. I try to keep my end game in mind all the time. I am not saying I don’t fall of the wagon every now and then, but overall, I try to pursue a healthy lifestyle.

First stop smoking immediately !

The biggest sacrifice I made was giving up smoking. But boy do I feel elevated! Was it hard? OF COURSE, IT WAS HARD. But worth it. Last Friday it was exactly one year ago that I quit smoking. Never touched another cigarette.  Despite earlier failed attempts I tried again last year November, but that time it was different. I felt an intrinsic drive to no longer be an addict. From one day to the other, I was a non-smoker.  One year down the road I feel better than before. Ok, now get rid of the kilo’s I gained because now I really enjoy my wife’s cooking 😊

I call it a sacrifice, but really? It is a relief. A big relief. Because I knew if I could achieve this, become a non-smoker, I could do anything!

4 things which contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

There are 4 other things I try to live by, which contribute to a healthy lifestyle. We covered the stop smoking (1), but here is the rest of the list:

1. Don’t drink on school nights – Alcohol slows you down. It distracts you of what is really important. Be realistic, you don’t have to quit alcohol, just limit it to one or two nights a week. And preferably in the weekend, so you don’t have any obligations the day after.
2. Walk you dog or hit the gym – I am fortunate to have Max; he needs to be walked every day; also when it rains cats & dogs. I am forced to go outside, and since he is no chihuahua it aren’t small walks. But even when you don’t have a dog, go exercise. Hit the gym during lunch time, you will be amazed how many insights come to you when using the treadmill.
3. Watch your food – Don’t get me wrong, I am a foody! I love food and food loves me, since it sticks on me 😊 When my wife asks me what I like for dinner, the answer most likely involves Campbells tomato soup, eggs sunny side up or nachos. I don’t hate veggies, they just are not on top of my wish list. Quitting smoking forced me to think about food. The last thing I wanted was to become massive. I am not refraining myself from anything, I just try to make the right choices. Mayonnaise on a yoghurt base, wholegrain bread vs white bread, coffee without sugar, that kind of choices. Easy to make, and they make the difference.
4. Cherish your sleep – We sleep one third of our lives. That is not a waste of time, it is crucial to be able to deliver great performances during the day. How many hours you need per night differs per person. Hall Elrod, writer of the Miracle Morning, has experimented tremendously with sleeping time. He tried anything between 4 and even 12 hours. I was inspired by this but haven’t tried it (yet). For me, 8 hours per night is perfect. What is your perfect night sleep?

I could make this list longer, but let’s focus first on changes that are easy to implement in your life.  You don’t need to change your complete life overnight, start with simple steps. If I can do it, you can do it!

Enjoy your Day and Focus on your Dreams !

If you want to know more about changing your lifestyle, please click the banner below to learn all about it. 

If you are looking for financial freedom and a way to get out of your 9-to-5 job and enjoy a digital lifestyle, you may want to consider affiliate marketing. This allows you to gain a commission on products or services that you sell from other companies. The cost of entry is rather cheap. It just takes a lot of hard work and persistence to make money.

Getting Started With Affiliate Marketing

One of the best ways to get started with affiliate marketing is by creating a website that is about a specific niche. The niche you choose should be specific but somewhat broad so that you can offer a number of products.

Here’s a rough estimate of your startup costs:

Hosting – $30 to $60 per year
Domain name – $10 per year

You really only need a domain name and hosting to get started on your way to financial freedom. You can set up a WordPress blog as your website for free and also choose a free theme. The next step is for you to start to add content.

Content Marketing

If you already have a hobby or passion, you may want to use that as your niche. For example, if you have been playing the guitar for a few years, it would make sense for you to use that as your main topic and focus for your digital lifestyle.

It is best to begin your content marketing by showing others how to play certain chords or a certain song. This can be done by using YouTube videos, which you’ll place on your website. This way you will get traffic through YouTube and through the search engines as well.

The next step would be to add text with your video that shows specific tabs for your video and explains the type of gear that you are using. Your content will also include a few affiliate links. These will send visitors to specific equipment or a course on how to become a master guitar player.

Amazon is one company that will allow you to sell the products that are listed on their site and gain a commission for doing so. It may be a good place for you to get started with your new digital lifestyle. However, there are also other websites like Commission Junction or Shareasale that allow you to earn commissions for selling the services and products of other companies. You’ll have to choose which niche and products or services are best for you.

Search Engine Optimization

The next step is generating traffic to your site. One of the key ways that you can do this is by focusing on specific keywords for your website. If you start searching on Google for guitar related topics, you’ll soon find that many people search for the guitar tabs for certain songs.

If you take the keyword phrases that people are searching for and add them as individual pages on your website, you’ll soon start to get visitors who are interested in your content. You’ll want to create as many valuable pages as you can. This will increase the amount of traffic that comes to your site.

Visitor Experience And Commissions

Once a visitor lands on your site and sees that you are offering them something of value, they are more likely to stay and see what you have to offer. Of course, it will take some time to build up the content on your website. However, if you take the time to create valuable posts, search engines will start to rank your pages in their search engine results pages (SERPS).

With an increase in traffic over time, it will increase the number of visitors who click on your links. This should help you create commissions that will grow as you continue to build a larger site and post more videos.

The key is to stay consistent and continue to work on your site by creating valuable content. If you work hard, analyze your traffic and give people what they are looking for, you will be able to enjoy a digital lifestyle and the financial freedom that it can bring.

Enjoy your Day and Focus on your Dreams !

If you want to know more about starting your own affiliate marketing business , please click the banner below to learn all about it. 

Nowadays criticism reaches you easier than in the past. With social media being the number one channel for people to throw at you what they want.

Imagine being a celeb (just for a second!) and constantly having so called fans sharing their thoughts about you with you. There will be great messages; when reading them you will feel good about yourself (e.g. “love your new album” or “fantastic outfit at the Grammys”). However, there will also be messages which you could have easily done without (e.g. “please stop recording!” or “you sound like a cat in heat”).

Being Vulnerable

Being active online makes you vulnerable, also when you are not a celeb. Writing blogs, expressing your opinion and initiating conversation with your readers opens the door for criticism.

I speak from personal experience. When my very first publication went out there, to the world wide web, I was terrified. It did not stop me from proceeding, but nevertheless I was anxious. What would the reactions be?

Months have moved on and I can now genuinely say I can deal with it. I have a dedicated group of people (you are welcome to join!) who read my blogs on a weekly basis and I embrace their comments!

Being grateful

I am happy they take the time and effort to share with me what they think about my content; my ideas and thoughts. I don’t always agree with them, but I open the conversation. Talking and communicating is what differs us from animals, so let’s take advantage of this!

Mind you, there is real difference between criticism and feedback. In my earlier blogs I have been taking about surrounding yourself with a group of peers and creating a soundboard. This is the crowd that most likely will offer you feedback. Solid, constructive feedback how to improve what your doing. criticism can also lead to improvement, but the initial approach is different. Most likely, like me, you feel attacked at first.  This is perfectly normal. Best way to deal with it is to take a step back, take a deep breath and evaluate. What is the criticaster trying to say? Do you agree? If not, why not.

Basically, when receiving criticism, a whole conversation starts. You don’t always need to respond, despite my earlier words of starting a conversation.

When you have that one follower that is always correcting your grammar…. Leave him out. But do correct the mistake 😊

5 tips to deal with criticism

Keep in mind the following 5 things when dealing with criticism:

1. Do not take it personal

What might help you is looking at it from the criticaster’s perspective. He is just sharing his opinion. And that is what it is; one person’s perspective.

2. Evaluate the content. Is it justifiable  ?

Be reasonable. Be honest. Is there an aspect of truth in there somewhere? Be open to the criticaster’s opinion.

3. Be grateful

The criticaster took time and effort to respond. Your story/blog/post called for this reaction.

4. Respond

Following #3, thank your crowd for their reaction. If possible, share with them how you will follow up.

5. Ignore

Apply this last resort option only for the people that don’t stop correcting your grammar. You are doing your best 😊

Enjoy your Day and Focus on your Dreams !

You want to know more about how to deal with criticism ?  Just click on the banner below.