“What’s your very best personal excellence tip?” Sixty-six engaged Litemind readers took the challenge and now share with us advice on what makes the most positive impact on their lives. Enjoy and vote for your favorites!
- Mistakes are the seeds of evolution and change. It is said that the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. And it’s within this single step that lessons are learned, directions are given, and mistakes have already been made a thousand times over. It is in fact this single step that provides us with an opportunity to learn from all those who came before us and to lay down the seeds of personal evolution and change. Learning from another’s experience could be the most important factor towards achieving any kind of success in life. [details] (by Adam Sicinski)
- Be careful when comparing yourself to others. You know everything about yourself: your strengths, your weaknesses, your successes, and your failures. All you know about others is what they’ve chosen to show, and that would usually be only their success. List everything good about yourself and say, “Hey, I have a good personal résumé. Look at all I have achieved and what I can learn and achieve.” You can then go out feeling good and prepared for whatever challenge the world presents for you. (by Colleen Dick)
- I am grateful for… To ensure that you do not take things for granted, begin a Gratitude Journal. Each day write on a blank piece of paper ‘I am grateful for…’ then write down as many things that you are grateful for. Believe me, you will realize how lucky you really are. Date each sheet, and when you aren’t feeling all that crash hot, look back over what you have written and it will certainly boost your spirits! (by Viki Slough)
- Persist until it pays off. Most people give up right before they are about to succeed. Never, never, never give up! (by Jeremy Day)
- Eat chocolate. If you’re in a bad mood, or want to become more positive, have some chocolate! When I am unhappy, angry, or feeling negative, I often have a few pieces of chocolate. It helps to calm me down and seems to have a great effect on my mood. Fair Trade chocolate can have an amazing effect, because you know that you are helping to make a difference. (by Andre Livingstone)
- Have a personal hero. Mine is the late Nobel prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. Anytime I am trying to solve a difficult problem, I invoke the pragmatic spirit of Feynman to guide me in the ways of rationality and the scientific method. When writing technical prose, I eschew jargon in favor of clear and precise language to communicate the ideas to my peers. When someone is presenting ideas or theories to me, I think of Feynman to hone my powers of critical thinking and my BS detector. (by Mike Yoke)
- Practice meditation regularly. Learn a proven and effective method of meditation, set a manageable routine, and keep to it. The objectivity and clarity of mind produced will help in all aspects of your life, from the mundane to the elevated. [details] (by Reddy Kilowatt)
- Use mind maps to quickly review books you’ve read. As I’m reading a book, I populate a mind map that I have started for that book. I jump between the book and the mind map after completing a major section or sometimes a whole chapter. This method has increased my comprehension of the topics covered in books 1000-fold. What’s more, I can look at a mind map of a book and within minutes recall important lessons learned in the book. I also use the mind map to point me to those parts of the book where I want to quickly review a specific topic. (by Llewellyn)
- Serve. My personal excellence tip is just that – serve. If in all that I do, I do in a spirit of being of service to the other, I win all the time. This has been my experience and the reason for my very successful life as a professional manager. (by rummuser)
- Break the cycle of self-inflicted junk mail. Stop deleting, “marking as read” or archiving newsletters, forwards, and RSS feeds you don’t read. Processing these items wastes valuable time every day. Instead, archive them in a “Self-Inflicted Junk” folder. Once a month, review what is in that folder, and unsubscribe. Use services like StopForwarding.us to stem the tide of junk from your friends as well. [details] (by Sid Savara)
- Practice being selfish. Stand firm behind the airplane/oxygen metaphor and put your own oxygen mask on before helping others. To be able to help others you have to take care of your own needs. When I don’t take care of myself, I can’t take care of other people. So I find time to relax and refuel on a daily basis (alone time), weekly basis (mom’s night out), monthly basis (girl’s night out), and yearly basis (vacation). [details] (by Stacey Hoffer Weckstein)
- Your goals: keep your eyes on ‘em. Know what your goals are in the important areas of your life such as family and friends, work, spirituality, etc. Then use this knowledge to be sure that your hours, days, weeks, and months are working towards these goals. The minutes of your life support your major purposes in life. This tip is also practical: it prevents you from taking on too much (if something is not working towards a goal, don’t do it!), as well as keeps you in balance (you need to look at goals in different areas of your life). (by How to Cope with Pain)
- Discomfort is a prerequisite for success. Trying to stay in your comfort zone and letting fear get the best of you will always choke your creativity and sabotage any chances you might have of succeeding. In order to achieve any worthy goals, you must start realizing that discomfort is a prerequisite for success. [details] (by Andrew Bolis)
- Learn one sentence in a foreign language. Whenever my training and experience seem irrelevant, whenever I need to try something new, but I can’t think of a fresh solution, I just stop the task and learn a sentence in a foreign language. The “more foreign”, the better. My theory is that it opens a new pathway into the brain. I discovered this tip when I was invited to sit in on a Hindi class while I had writer’s block. During the class, I actually felt physical movement, a tingling behind my right eye. I went home and finished the writing assignment that had been plaguing me in record time. [details] (by Kate)
- Use Google Reader to keep track of websites. Using Google Reader (or a similar service) can help you save hours of time by having all your RSS feeds and updates in one place. You don’t have to constantly keep checking websites – they come to you in one easy place, where you can store or delete items. I check my Google Reader once in the morning and once in the evening. It has saved me hours of time and made me more efficient! [details] (by Glen Loveland)
- Put yourself in other people’s shoes. When you are angry or having a bad day it is easy to make a mean comment or tell someone off. Before saying or doing what’s in your mind take a moment to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. How would you feel on the receiving end of that comment you’re about to make or that action you’re about to take? Showing a little compassion often prevents me from saying things I’d otherwise regret or helps me decide what to do (or not do). If you treat people like you want to be treated, you’ll be able to avoid useless arguments and be surprised with all the friendly people around you. (by Anke)
- Show up. People say they want to achieve things, but then don’t show up for the things that would help them get there. They want to be writers, but don’t show up at the word processor. They want to own a business, but they don’t show up for the educational seminar. They want to be actors, but then don’t show up for the audition. [details] (by Lyman Reed)
- Take 100% responsibility for everything that happens to you. Even if it seems like an accident, you are 100% responsible for everything that happens to you. I got in a car accident that wasn’t my fault according to the law. How do I take responsibility for that? I had forgotten something at home and went to get it on my way to a meeting. If I had a better system for remembering items, then I wouldn’t have been in the accident. If you are not getting what you want, it is because you are not taking responsibility to educate yourself or working hard to achieve it. Will you be 100% responsible or will you take the easy way out and settle for less then you are worth? (by Chris Elliott)
- Make personal excellence… personal. Bring a part of yourself into everything you do. The more your work reflects your individuality, the more it will stand out from the crowd, the more people will relate to it (and you) and the more “real” your achievements will seem to be. And when your efforts involve other people, involve them on a personal level as well, so that the project becomes a relationship that brings out the best in everyone involved. [details] (by Tori Deaux)
- Spider-map. A spider-map is a scheme where you place the main concept in the center and then, around it, write ideas generated from the central theme. You will end up having a web of linked keywords, great for those who rely on their visual memory more often, like I do. [details] (by Lucia Grosaru)
- Health, the neglected point. There will be tons of people writing about how to be more productive or how to excel in time management, etc. Yet the first thing we must remember when we are talking about personal development is taking care of our health. You can have all the fancy techniques to get more done, but neglecting your health does not help to increase productivity in the long term. Exercise regularly and make the conscious effort to eat healthier food. [details] (by Vincent)“
- Detach from the outcome. Probably best illustrated by the Serenity Prayer: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.” I find that my life flows much smoother and is less stressful when I can remember to detach from outcomes. (by Lora Adrianse)
- Stop expecting bananas from people who have no bananas. If you are not getting what you want, then maybe you are looking in the wrong place… Whenever I feel frustrated or stuck with a situation in my work or personal life, I find that this maxim helps me to see things objectively, take responsibility and move on. (by joy)
- Learn to develop a ‘productive mindset’. A productive mindset is one that makes the best use of your resources — your time, your energy and your effort. It’s making the most and best of what you have while enjoying the process. It is a mindset that encompasses curiosity, open-mindedness, desire, critical thinking and a positive outlook among other qualities. [details] (by ZHereford)
- Getting realistic. My kids made up this phrase. Every time someone says something like “I wish I had…”, “Why didn’t I…”, or “Why did I…”, my kids always say: “That is in the land of shoulda, coulda, woulda!”. This means that what happened has already happened and you need to choose the way you want things to go from now on. (by Maureen)
- Create multiple memory palaces. Memorize multiple settings, or palaces, to categorize your lists. I have one setting I use to remember items to buy, another setting for things to do, and another setting for items I want to communicate with my family. When the visual setting comes to mind, I know whether I’m in action mode, communication mode or list mode. This keeps my lists from getting jumbled and keeps me in the right frame of mind. For me, there is an added benefit of productivity because I feel the need to clear the action items from my memory before the day is done. [details] (by S. Sipes)
- Time management is key for huge plans. When it comes to developing a major project — whether it’s a blog, business, or a contest — always plan everything in advance. I always plan my blogging projects almost a month in advance because things can always change at the last minute. If you plan thoroughly enough, changes toward your deadline won’t hinder your plans. Time management is a major key to productivity in anything you do. (by David)
- Count your blessings and cheer up! Remember and appreciate all good things in your life that you might have taken for granted, e.g., your ability to see, hear, think, and walk. Many people don’t even have clean drinking water. Think about people who lose everything during natural calamities and then imagine if you were in their shoes. Shifts my focus every time I feel sad and hopeless. [details] (by Pearl)
- Don’t presume… ask! How many times in life have we missed an opportunity, created a misunderstanding or just plain got it wrong because we presumed we knew what someone meant, was thinking or their motivation? Don’t presume — just ask! Ask questions that connect: “What’s going on for you around that?”, “What’s important to you in this?”. Ask questions that clarify: “What is it you need me to understand?”, “What did you take from that?”. Ask questions that go to the next level, that is, beyond their current strategy: “Is x,y,z really important to you in this situation?” [details] (by Leona Dawson)
- There is no reason to hate anything in life. You are separate from your thoughts and emotions. Once you realize and feel this separation, you will discover that there is absolutely no reason to hate anything (including your job!). Then you will discover that everything in life is awesome. [details] (by Jarrod)
- Make your mind your playground. Your mind is your ultimate tool (if everything else fails, you still have it). Making it fit, alert and ready to play is the best approach to make it your greatest asset. So make your brain healthy by providing it healthy food and plenty of sleep, and make it happy providing themes for it to play with. Give your mind a workout (e.g. play chess!) and you’ll see the results immediately! [details] (by Luciano S. Fier)
- A chronometer by my side. For me, tasks are challenges. My motivation is to think of them as competitions in which I always want to win. So, for example, if I need to learn something, I set up a clock by my side to 1 hour. I concentrate as hard as I can in that hour — no Internet connection allowed, as it’s totally distracting. If someone asks for a quick task, I do it as fast as I can and then I note down how long it took. That’s a great way to give more excitement to my routine work. (by Tiare Rivera)
- Attitude. “I am convinced that life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.” This is a sentence from an essay titled “Attitude” by Charles Swindoll. Since adopting this as my daily mantra I no longer get angry and I’m a calmer, happier and more productive person as a result. A lot has been written about maintaining a positive attitude, but this statement and the essay are the most profound and have had the greatest impact of anything I’ve read. [details] (by Gary J. Hawk)
- If you don’t have space for what you want in your life, it will never come to you. Work out what’s currently in your life that takes up the ’space’ and is preventing something better to slide in. Aim towards cutting it out. This will allow you to jump on new opportunities when they appear. It could be a person, bad habit, job or other commitment; you’ll know what it is for you, and you know it’s stopping you moving on. (by Josie Sawers)
- Combine the Law of Attraction with realism. Everyone knows about the Law of Attraction, but many people reject it as supernatural nonsense. They’re missing the point. Don’t take the genie metaphor literally, but simply as a model for improving your awareness and control over your thoughts. As a species, we’re really awful at positive thinking. It’s not meant to be a replacement for action, but the source of inspired, unrelenting persistence through the toughest challenges. [details] (by Hunter Nuttall)
- Follow your inner voice. I spent many years trying to follow the voice of others, believing others knew better than me. I would come up short and feel like a failure… Until I started to hear and listen to my own voice. We all have this inner voice / intuition and it is the only place where we will get the answers we are seeking. [details] (by Ellie Walsh)
- Paying gratitude. Paying gratitude for what you have shifts your subconscious mind from lack to abundance, allowing for more good to come. I say my gratitude list to myself in the morning and before bed to ensure I recognize what is going right in my life and all that I have. It puts me in a positive state of mind and just as a bad mood can snowball, so can a positive mood when you begin to realize just how fortunate you are. [details] (by Jenny Mannion)
- Leverage mind map templates for creativity and productivity. Using templates as starting points for your mind maps — instead of starting from scratch every time — is something I found very useful. Manufacturers of mind mapping software have a wide range of business, educational, and personal productivity mind map templates. These templates give you ideas and structure when creating a mind map. [details] (by Chance Brown)
- Think rationally. Think rationally about everything. If something isn’t working for you, whether it’s an aspect of your job, your productivity system or your relationship, think logically about why this is so. For instance, just because you have an emotional attachment to a Moleskine (”It looks really nice!”), it doesn’t mean it’s a good tool for you. Think about what you can change, fix or alter to improve every situation in your life. I’ve seen so many people make the same mistakes because they just don’t stop and think critically. [details] (by James Mallinson)
- Tomorrow is another day. All too often, when trying to establish a new habit — or break an old one — I don’t manage to keep on the straight and narrow! When in a diet, I occasionally forget about it and eat something I shouldn’t. But then I remind myself that just because I forgot once, it doesn’t mean I have failed — and that I should just get back to the diet tomorrow. I apply this to every project that I start and, gradually over time, the number of times I fail reduces to a well-established level. (by John Mullarkey)
- Gift of attention. Practicing the gift of attention offers the perfect mirror for our self-centered tendencies. As we engage in deep listening, the need to fix or offer opinion is recognized in stark contrast to the mindful presence arising from the practice. Thus, these moments of ego are allowed to pass without resistance. (by Kate Loving Shenk)
- Do The Simplest Thing That Could Possibly Work. This is my all-purpose tip from the land of Extreme Programming. Not the easiest, the cheapest or the quickest thing. The simplest. Often, in the everyday rush of pushing tasks out of my queue and into others’, I spend more time making things more refined than necessary. So I ask myself: “What really needs to be produced to keep the project or the day moving forward?”. This goes for menu planning, party planning, gift buying, writing, etc. Plenty of time to make things more complicated later! [details] (by Mike Brown)
- Align effort with personal values. Kulia i ka nu’u is my Hawaiian value-alignment for excellence. It means ’strive to the summit’. Be your best. Don’t settle for less, for there’s no honor or fulfillment in aiming lower than you’re capable of achieving. My tip is to harness competition in this way: Do not compete with, or compare yourself to others; if compete you must, compete with your previous self. [details] (by Rosa Say)
- Just do it. Get tasks started and finished quickly: don’t spend too much time planning or perfecting your work beyond what is required. Endless planning or endless revising is just an excuse to procrastinate while feeling like you’re doing work. When you don’t know what to do in the first place, that’s the time to plan. When it’s done, get someone else to check it over, and if they say it’s good enough, don’t waste time trying to make it even better. (by Elena Kelareva)
- Internal conflict questions passion. We have both passion and forces that pull us away from that passion. Even when we are passionate about doing something, we often don’t know the true reason why we’re doing it. I know many people who have wanted to write great blogs (including myself). They have two reasons to blog — one is to help others and the other is to make money. And that’s when the internal conflict arises: you must be sure of the reasons behind your acts. Be it one reason or another, be 100% sure of it. (by Praveen Sherman)
- Optimize your life with the SWOT matrix. The SWOT matrix is a framework for analyzing your life and finding creative ways to optimize it. The acronym SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This matrix enables you to focus on your strengths, to minimize weaknesses, and to take advantage of every opportunity. [details] (by Mary Jaksch)
- Be more conscious of your goals at every moment. Before taking any action, always ask yourself what you want to accomplish. Why are you doing it? This has made a huge difference in my life. Now I am much more focused when doing something and reach my goals more often. It also helps me to stop doing stuff that is irrelevant or opposed to my goals. Often we are living on autopilot and forget what we are trying to accomplish. (by Jorge Pena)
- Listen to your inner voice. We all have intuition that guides us through our lives. That quiet inner voice, that knowing beyond logic. Following your intuition can be scary at times, but I can say from my experience it’s the most effective advice I could ever find. I can recall a number of incidents when I ignored my intuition and regretted later, but had no regrets when following my intuition. So after you read, discuss, brainstorm, take a quiet moment to listen to your intuition. (by Akemi Gaines)
- As you think so you are. July 10, 2000. A car accident took me to hospital with an arm, leg and hip crushed. During the months of recovery (one of them motionless), my wife was diagnosed with an incurable illness and my mother died. I was sent back home on a wheelchair. By chance I came to read “As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen. It led me to take charge of myself. In the months ahead, I never gave up until I could walk again. I took an examination to become a high-school counselor and passed it, although I was in my fifties. “Take charge of yourself” is the motto I always say to myself and the students I am counseling. (by Joel Cardigan)
- Be real! Rather than trying to figure out what someone else wants in a friend, partner, colleague, lover, boss, employee, then contorting yourself to fit what you believe they’re looking for… just be you. In all your glory. If you’re a dork, be a glorious dork. If you’re a geek, parade around in your geeky radiance. Quiet, outgoing, artistic, analytic, whoever you are, honor that essence and build out your world with people and experiences who support your authentic self (by Jonathan Fields)
- Set aside a specific time each week for personal reflection. Having a consistent weekly review is one of the most powerful ways to better focus your attention, realign your priorities, and make sure you’re making progress towards your goals. Block off 30-45 minutes at the end of each week, ask questions, and write down your answers in your system of choice: What did I learn this week? What did I accomplish? What do I still need to focus on for next week? Have I made progress towards my long-term goals? What new ideas do I have? What did I learn this week that inspires me? (by Eric Blue)
- Record instantly, process appropriately, execute effectively, document fully. A personal workflow process that I try to make a habit. When a new task/project/issue arises, make sure you record it instantly. Then at an appropriate time, process it, doing your planning and sorting out the tasks involved. Next, execute the task(s) and make sure you document it fully. When I follow this process it makes my life much easier both in the short term and the long run. My biggest challenge personally is to record every issue instantly. The moment you put down the phone, finish a conversation or finish reading that email, record what has arisen instantly. (by Brian Bullen)
- Gung Ho Juggernaut vs. Beatific Buddha. Perseverance is two things, and you must befriend them both to get where you are going. I constantly ask myself whether it is time to persist in my efforts, or to be patient and wait for better circumstances. Always ask this question because the persistent juggernaut can destroy, the patient Buddha can stagnate, and only the wise application of both can deliver you to your destination. [details] (by Samir Bharadwaj)
- Set ‘Target Zero’ for something you want to avoid, eliminate or improve upon. Basically a Quality Management technique, I use it for my personal development and self-improvement. For example, you can make a list of 10 books you wish to read and set Target Zero for the end of the year, which means “By the end of the year, you will have zero books that remains to be read”. The target needs to be time-bound and result-oriented. Even if you end up not achieving the target, you’ll certainly make a lot of progress. [details] (by Sandeep)
- Use your whole brain. Most of us are left-brain oriented. Yet our most creative self is in the right brain. Use the left for understanding the problem and collecting information and use the right to create solutions. Learn to spot which side you are on and then shift to the other side for holistic thinking. Discover your best techniques for shifting to the right brain and practice them. My favorite R-Mode techniques are meditation, copying art upside down and silently playing with Knex and Magz toys. [details] (by Eric Palmer)
- Be strict with yourself. This was the factor that made me leave the teenager years behind, turning me into an adult woman. I used to be too nice to myself, rarely admitting my mistakes and often blaming other people for my own problems. Nowadays, I reevaluate my behavior on a regular basis and am not afraid to recognize my wrongdoings. It may be painful sometimes, but there are plenty of rewards to reap from this habit, like continuous self-growth and healthier relationships. (by Karen Zara)
- Be human. People sometimes forget they’re human. They overwork and overindulge — and get overwhelmed. Being human means taking care of your body first and foremost. You can’t enjoy life with a congested nose or artery. Being human also means having a purpose in your life. Having a purpose allows you to better do things within your limitations, because you already know what the desired end result is. Lastly, being human means comprehending mortality. Always ask yourself: what would be my legacy after I’m no longer? (by Ismail Fan)
- Plot the future. The best predictor of what lies ahead for you is not your past, it’s your future. The personal calendar you maintain might appear to be just a series of days, months, and years, but it’s much more than that. It’s a sneak preview of your life and what is to come. Be deliberate about what you put on it. Make sure it contains what’s most important. Add lots of interesting stuff and schedule fun. Even create blocks of absolutely nothing. But always have something to look forward to! (by Todd Doubleu)
- Journaling to Done (JTD). Start journaling! It helps your personal development. It’s useful to de-clutter your problems, process your emotional baggage (such as anxiety and worries), track your thought processes, and identify what actions you can do. You can simply use pen and paper, PostIt notes and a system to get it organized. JTD is journaling with purpose: it ends with the next action you can do right now. Focus on it and you’ll get many things done. [details] (by Robert A. Henru)
- Be passionate about getting quality sleep. I have a somewhat nerdy passion: trying to attain the perfect night’s sleep. In the past I have underestimated the importance of quality sleep, but this year I have come to realize that being well rested is vitally important for getting things done and generally just enjoying what life has to offer. If you find yourself getting tired frequently, I suggest jumping on Google and going in search of the numerous resources out there with information to help you to sleep better. (by Peter Clemens)
- Learn from the best first. If you want success, learn from how others achieved it and then choose a similar direction and imprint it with your own style. When I thought about start blogging, I subscribed to the biggest blogs about blogging and their equivalents in my chosen niche, and then tried to understand why those bloggers were so successful and what I needed to do to match their achievements. You’ll avoid making mistakes that others have made many times before. You’ll also learn insights that only the elite can give, significantly increasing your chances of becoming one from that elite. (by Jacob Share)
- If I could do only three things today… It’s easy to get busy and just react to emails and phone calls all day. After a day like this I’m left feeling like I didn’t accomplish anything. So when I get up in the morning I make sure that I stop and write down the “top three things” I choose to get done today. These are activities that bring me closer to my goals faster than anything else I could be doing. Three things doesn’t sound like much but I find it supercharges me when I get my top three things done before lunch every day! (by Don Campbell)
- Getting clear leads to success. Using a contrast versus clarity worksheet helps me get clear, regain my focus and get back on track. I especially use this when I am feeling overwhelmed and wonder what happened to the day, the tasks are piling up and I can’t see the forest for the trees, so to speak. [details] (by Suzie Cheel)
- Happiness is a choice. Happy people know that their happiness depends on their state of mind, and that they have the power to choose their response to external events. They avoid ‘if only’ fantasies, are grateful for simple pleasures, figure out their strengths and direct them toward achieving meaningful goals. They’re engaged in their work, look for ways to get more pleasure out of life, and are kind toward others. In the words of Aristotle: ‘Happiness depends upon ourselves.’ [details] (by Marelisa Fabrega)
- Write your fears out. All of us have deep-rooted fears inside. Writing them out on a piece of paper gives a strong message to the subconscious mind — which in turn suggests creative ways to overcome them, one by one. This technique helps me concentrate on my fears/weaknesses, so I can strive hard to eliminate them. When I get past one fear, I strike it off — and that makes me feel proud! Sometimes even making a quick sketch illustrating your fears work wonders! (the attached URL shows what I sketched when I was afraid of writing) [details] (by Chinmay Gupta)
- The ‘Zen Zone’. When I want to give my all to a project or task, I place it into what I call a ‘Zen Zone’. I do everything to avoid potential distractions: this includes shutting my door, clearing my desk, turning off the phone, and even unplugging the Internet if possible. I play non-vocal music at a low volume (to prevent unwanted noises from reaching my attention threshold). With an absence of all distractions, I find that focus, inspiration and motivation flow freely. It takes commitment to place an item into the Zen Zone, but the results often exceed my expectations. When I leave the Zen Zone, I feel refreshed and proud of the accomplishments made while in it. (by Jim Krenz)
What Are Your Favorite Tips?
Of the tips above, which are the ones that resonate most with you? Do you have any additional tip you don’t see listed here? Don’t be shy — share with us in the comments!
And for the 66 project participants, the time to start voting has come, so we can hand the prizes.
To vote, just post a comment to this posting listing your favorite tips. You must pick at least 5 favorite entries, and as many as you like (no voting for your own entry).
Important: To make sure your vote counts, please comment using the same name and e-mail address you used to sign up for the project. Please start your comment with the word “VOTE” so I can differentiate between “official votes” and regular comments. Also, to make vote counting easier, make sure to include the list numbers used above for each entry with your vote.
You have until Monday, December 8 2008 (end of day, GMT-12) to vote. Remember, to be eligible for the prizes (both for best tip and for the random draw) you must cast your votes before the deadline –– so don’t miss it!
Thanks for your participation and good luck everybody!
Update: Results are in! Check out the winners!
VOTE:
I am a recruiter and search out the best people for the ideal positions in which they can be successful. To say this kind of exercise is close to my heart is an understatement.
Here are my favorites and the reasons why:
#12- It may have been said a million times, but life really is about goals. Knowing what you want to achieve, why you want it and how to go about it really is everything.
#14- Learn a sentence in another language because it is creative and we all need something drastic to shake us out of stale mindsets.
#43 – Appreciating who you are and having some self respect leads to acceptance of others and who they are. That is key to finding someone who is a team player.
VOTE:
No voting for myself? What kind of personal excellence can that lead to? Oh well, as long as you don’t mind my asking all of my friends to visit your site to vote for me!
I found #1, #22, #28, #63 and 65 to be very entertaining to read. I am not sure I will use all of them in my own quest, but I did enjoy reading them.
Hi Luciano, Thank you for hosting this wonderful contest. Here are a BUNCH of my favorites — I had more since I love them all but these are the ones that “Struck home” for me: #1) Mistakes are the Seeds of Evolution and Change, #9) Serve #11) Practice being Selfish, #31) Make Your Mind Your Playground #30) There is no reason to Hate Anything #34) If you don’t have space for what you want in life it will never come to you, #35 Combine the LoA with realism #36 and #48 were very similar and important Follow Your Inner Voice, #49) As you think so You Are and #64) Happiness is a choice…. Thanks Luciano a great compilation of excellence tips!
Love,
Jenny
One tip I would add is to take SMALL STEPS. Take a big action and break it into very small, very tiny steps. This makes it easier to move forward, to take action and to succeed.
Sometimes making a change or making a project happen can be overwhelming because you think of the end point and all the effort that it will take to get there. At that point you may give up.
Focus on one small step you can take to make your goal, dream or intention happen today – one small step. Martin Luther King jr. said “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
This is a great list! Since I can’t vote for #11 and since there are 66 amazing tips, I’ll need to spend more time reading and will be back to vote.
VOTE
Great list Luciano!
My favorites are:
#4 Persist until it pays off
#9 Serve
#12 Your goals: Keep your eyes on ‘em
#19 Make personal excellence….personal
#21 Health, the neglected point
Great round-up, Stumbled & Mixxed.
#7 and #15 are musts for me. 7 because of how peaceful meditation is and #15 because I’m not sure how I could keep up with all the blogs I read without it.
Great list, and great idea to get some community involvement in your site.
Cheers,
Glen
VOTE
Hi Luciano: People submitted really good tips, this challenge was an excellent idea. My favorite ones are the following:
11. Practice being selfish
17. Show up
23. Stop expecting bananas from people that don’t have bananas
37. Paying gratitude
44. Just do it
53. Gung Ho Juggernaut vs. Beatific Buddha.
66. The Zen Zone
VOTE
Hi Luciano,
Great list – a wonderful result from your contest! The entries are inspiring. I’ll post a link on my blog, as I know my readers will enjoy reading the list.
My votes are: 15, 18, 22, 42, and 48. 42 is my favorite!
Thanks.
How to Cope with Pain
What a fun contest this is Luciano! Thanks for hosting it! They’re all great, but if I have to pick 5 favorites, they are (in no particular order) :
13. Discomfort is a prerequisite for success
16. Put yourself in other people’s shoes
18. Take 100% responsibility for everything that happens to you
29. Don’t presume…ask
33. Attitude
Lora Adrianse
Vote! There are so many great tips that it was hard to pick my favorites. Here they are…..
#66, #64, #51, #50, #48, #37, #35, #22, #13, #1
VOTE
14 (is the absolutely best one) 65, 64, 57 and 42
VOTE.
This was a great experience. The participants provided wonderful insight for making one’s life fuller in so many ways.
Here were my favorites – My votes go to:
1, 2, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16, 17, 19, 24, 27, 29, 33, 34, 52, and 57.
A lot of these I already have heard or read about. So I was looking for “new” ones.
5. Eating chocolate. I LOVE this. Any excuse to munch or melt the stuff
23. The banana one was cool. Its a good reminder for me since I always expect EVERYONE to have banana’s
26 I have been hearing a lot about Mind Palaces to remember things. I want to find out more about this
31. I’m for anything that will make a playground for me including in my mind
47. Being more conscious is something I’ve read about before. Stephanie West-Allen calls the Golden Moments of choice and it fosters the development of neuroplasticity. Everytime you are faced with a choice, be conscious and ask yourself: What am I thinking, What am I feeling and What am I doing.
53 Jaugernaut Jane is what they call me. This was a great idea to slow down my impulsive behaviour
VOTE!
Luciano, You have done a great work without having to do the work! This is a great list, and if just one or two of the items on the list are applied, a person can improve his life immensely.
Though my list of favorites could go on and on, the top ones include:
1. Mistakes are the seeds of evolution and change.
6. Have a personal hero.
9. Serve.
13. Discomfort is a prerequisite for success.
17. Show up.
28. Count your blessings and cheer up!
VOTE!
Thanks for the great initiative Luciano. Spotting so many powerful ideas from distinguished readers is amazing indeed ! My Favs are:
61, 48, 22, 29, 42 and 47.
Vote:
1.Mistakes are the seeds of evolution and change.
6. Have a personal hero.
19. Make personal excellence… personal.
34. If you don’t have space for what you want in your life, it will never come to you.
61.Learn from the best first.
But I enjoyed reading all of these great tips ^_^
Vote:
#4 #11 #12 #13 #18 #35 #36 #43 #58
It was a lot of fun going through this list, and I’m glad to see the healthy number of responses, Luciano.
I am going to copy this list and put it on my noticeboard. In a nutshell it reminds me of my core values embedded in real-life strategies. Thank you all.
#9 Serve
#17 Show Up
#23 Stop expecting bananas from people who have no bananas
#34 If you don’t have space for what you want in your life, it will never come to you
#49 As you think so you are
#50 Be real!
#7 Practice meditation regularly
#51 Set aside a specific time each week for personal reflection.
It’s encouraging to see so many good people actively engaged in betterment. Each person who submitted is the first domino in their sphere of influence to cascade the domino effect of improving life on all levels. Bravo!
I have to vote for #7: Practice Meditation Regularly. If this is done, everything else self-organizes.
All of the tips are useful, I was drawn to #2,#27,#28,#33,and#55 as very important to my time passage now.
VOTE
My favorite six with some comments.
# 11 Practice being selfish. Great point that’s overlooked. More often than not people overburden and overextend themselves doing for others while doing nothing for themselves. Self-sacrifice is not always good. Being selfish every now and then will increase one’s ability to help others.
# 14 Learn one sentence in a foreign language. This suggestion intrigues me. It isn’t something I’ve tried, but I’m going to.
# 40 Tomorrow is another day. Oh my yes! Don’t beat yourself up. Learn and move on to the next day. This is an essential component of my suggestion about attitude.
# 42 Do The Simplest Thing That Could Possibly Work. Yes. The K.I.S.S. principle. It can and should be applied to everything.
# 50 Be real! For too many years I had done what was “expected” and “right” by other people. I was molding myself to what I “should” be, not what I “wanted” to be or who I am. I’m trying to be myself now. It’s worth the effort. Excellent suggestion to remember and implement.
# 64 Happiness is a choice. Yeppers. It’s all about Attitude! We make our choices. We choose how we react to what happens in are lives. Why not choose to be happy? Or at the very least, not angry? Besides my suggestion (of course!), this is my favorite because it relates so closely to mine. Life is all about Attitude.
VOTE
Luciano,
my quality criteria for choosing my favorites are:
a. Makes sense to me
b. provides food for thought and will to change
c. gives me a new approach.
and the favorite ones:
14 – Simple and funny.
18 – Teaches not to waste time with excuses.
21 – Indeed, health is not to be neglected.
30 – I would like not hating anything.
42 – I always wanted to use XP techniques in life.
46 – I’m curious to try this one.
60 – I agee 100%.
66 – I want to try this more often.
Congratulations to all.
Some really stand out more than others.
#51
#57
#64
#61
#37
#51 is my personal favorite though. Reflecting is most important because it helps us realize where we need to be going. Everything else is in the doing.
Cheers,
Jeremy
Here is my vote…
#3
#8
#18
#19
#22
#32
#41
#62
#65
Great project indeed, thanks Luciano!
Great article. I usually find these trite, but this is a perfect list.
Best,
- Josh
I’d say that #64 from Marelisa is my favourite – happiness is a choice.
It’s so easy to be negative, but as long as we are conscious about what will make us happiness and we make active choices to pursue that happiness, then everything else falls into place more easily.
Vote. Pity I am not allowed to vote for myself!
Here is my top five in the order of priority.
18; 14; 17; 3; 16.
I loved them all. I especially love how I could tie ideas can tie in with what Azeem Kayum writes in his book, “Wrestling with the Goddess.” So OK, if I had to narrow this list down, I would say that the following are my favorite:
#3, #8, #14, #16, #18, #32, #41, #59, #60, #61, and #65.
http://www.azeemkayum.com
VOTE
Give me clarity every time. I vote in the following order for:
29: don’t presume … ask!
18: accept 100% responsibility … why wouldn’t you?
17: show up … participate with a purpose
44: Just do it … otherwise it’s all a big nothing
10: dump junk emails … and junk jokes. Don’t finish a poor book.
16: walk in some-one else’s shoes … NOW you know why they stumble.
This is a great list of incredible thoughts and insights. Several ideas made me stop for a moment and contemplate aspects of my own life and work. I actually found it difficult to cut the list down to just a few. I chose my top 14 picks in no particular order:
#4,#6,#8,#11,#13,#15,#35,#38,#42,#44,#48,#51,#58,#65
The one that stood out most is Lucky #13: Discomfort is a Prerequisite for Success. Out of all the submissions I think this one rings most true, and is a great factor that prevents many people from reaching their life’s goals and objectives.
Overall it was difficult to choose as all the submissions provide great insights and value.
VOTE: #17, #34, #48, #50, #53
My vote: 11, 64, 10, 37, 48
Great stuff here everyone!
Great collection Luciano. Overall like Adam said, all ideas are great. But if I have to choose some of them, here they are :
#1 dare to make mistake
#4 persistence
#12 stay focus on your goals
#13 stay out on your comfort zone
#17 don’t just dreaming of, you must take action
#28 be grateful with all things that you have
#42 don’t think complicated, think simply
#44 just do it
#49 you will become of what you think
#56 don’t blame others
#64 happiness is not condition, happiness is inside your mind
Thank you for sharing these, Luciano. They are so much worth.
VOTE: 1, 3, 4, 7, 17, 18, 29, 42, 50, 52, 64
Luciano, I love the voting rules of this contest! Only participants get to vote, so it doesn’t turn into a popularity contest won by the biggest blog. And picking five? It makes us pay more attention, and gives a better view of which items have a broader application/usefulness. Awesome format.
Ok, here’s my picks – and this was tough!
#54 -I always appreciate tricks that turn the mind upside down, and get past resistance. And aiming for “zero” seems so much less intimidating than 100, or even 10!
#10 -Having to move mail into a “self inflicted junk” folder is a great reinforcement. The extra effort is necessary because I signed up for this stuff. Is any of the stuff worth the effort?
#23 -Sometimes I need to remember that *I* have no bananas, and it’s ok to ask someone else for one. (I’m now accepting banana contributions, btw)
#59 -Ending each journal entry with the “next action”… brilliant way to shift gears.
#34 -I spent the holiday weekend cleaning out the storage/spare bedroom over the holiday, so “making space” just fits right now
So there you have it!
All of the submitted ideas are great (including mine
) The ones that stand out for me are:
3, 8, 13, 22, 35, 50, 52, and 64
Thanks everyone!
First of all, each tip is truly wonderful. I salute each person who took time on this project. In many cases some of the advice was repeated and just worded differently, which is to be expected since the competition was wide-open. I decided to choose 5 that really spoke to me.
#1: We have to make mistakes in order to improve. None of us likes it, but the more mistakes you make early on the less you’ll make later on. The fear of making mistakes is something that impedes our progress. Thanks for pointing out something that is really central!
#14: I like this type. I’m in the process of learning Chinese, and while challenging, I know it is really healthy for my brain. Most adults stop learning new concepts around age 30. This is why our brains start to slow down. If you don’t have time to learn an entirely new language, it seems that just learning one sentence in each is a reachable goal. Not only will it help your mind, it will also provide some interesting cultural and geographic lessons!
#17: It’s been said that showing up is half the battle. Nothing could be more true! We all have goals that we say we’re going to do, but never seem to do.
#28: Counting our blessings is something so important and yet we only seem to do it on Thanksgiving! I like how the writer broke it down to a basic level like being grateful for vision, hearing, etc. These are things we take for granted. Each person reading this blog is committed to self-improvement and making the world a better place. The danger is that we can feel constantly unfulfilled! Realizing what you have is crucial for long-term happiness.
#44: Just do it! It really is more than a slogan for Nike. I received a quote recently that said, “There’s never going to be a perfect time. Do it now.” It really spoke to me! There is NEVER a good time. In fact, do the one task that you are most dreading and you will feel SO free afterward!
VOTE
Excellent turn-out! Every designer knows it’s easier to critique someone else’s work and suggest solutions than doing the same for your own. I think the same holds true for life in general, which is why it is wonderful to have 66 different people suggesting how you could change things or improve them by tweaking your behaviour even that little bit. Things that you would never think of get mentioned as casual facts and your outlook is expanded as a result. It’s an invaluable resource and here are my favourite parts of it:
#6 Have a personal hero.
Surely you’re joking Mr. Yoke. But I’m inclined to agree. You don’t even have to stick to one. There is a whole universe of impressive or otherwise noteworthy people out there, all of whom have something which they do better than you. Pick and choose the personality traits, talents, and wisdoms at you leisure, and make them your own. All hail the cult of Feynman!
#13 Discomfort is a prerequisite for success.
Well said Andrew. Hate to resort to another designer example here, but it’s appropriate. I’ve always found the the projects I take up which I am completely knowledeable about always turn out simply OK. I try to push myself to take on things that are on the very edge of what I know and what I am capable of, and those are often the gems.
21# Health, the neglected point.
Vincent points us to the fundamentals and makes an excellent point. Your health comes first, and not some new-fangled super technique for better metabolic pathways or whever fast-food wisdom they’re currently trying to sell – Keep it Simple Stupid! Eat healthy, stay flexible, live long and prosper.
#33 Attitude.
Gary, thank you for reminding us of another fundamental. This is probably the big fundamental on the mental plane that complements the point above on the physical plane. These two alone can lead to a sucessful life. Thanks for the link to Swindoll’s essay – succinct, straight-forward, and inspiring.
#34 If you don’t have space for what you want in your life, it will never come to you.
Josie brings to light a very scientific fact which we seem to ignore when it comes to our minds and our attentions. I think the scientists said it best when they said: Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Without going into quantum mechanical arguments this is largely true, and if your attention could be considered a form of energy, you need to always keep in mind that there’s only so much of it. Multi tasking is overrated, and its proponets are generally tired. Finish what you have so you can move on.
#42 Do The Simplest Thing That Could Possibly Work.
Mike has hit the nail on the head here and he seems to be setting down the subconcious rule I used to choose all my favoirites listed here. The simplest things work. To know what the simplest things are, you could start by looking at the other points singled out here.
#50 Be real!
Jonathan, thanks for a great piece of advice told with simplicity and style. I am especially thankful for the specific examples. Parade around in your geeky radiance almost brought a tear to my eye, and I clicked over to my favorite site about the Dvorak keyboard layout to steady myself.
That brings us to the end of my 6 favourite points of the 66 wonders before us. There are many other great entries, but these are the fundamentals. Thank you everyone for sharing your wisdom. A large pat on the back to Luciano for arranging something that is both entertaining and enlightening, and a good day to all.
Samir
VOTE:
#1 – Mistakes are the seeds of evolution and change
#7 – Practice meditation regularly
#13 – Discomfort is a prerequisite for success
#18 – Take 100% responsibility for everything that happens to you
#33 – Attitude
#53 – Gung Ho Juggernaut vs. Beatific Buddha
#57 – Be Human
—
Thank you to all of the contributors, and a huge thanks to you, Luciano, for putting this together.
VOTE:
#13 – Discomfort is a prerequisite for success.
#16 – Put yourself in other people’s shoes.
#17 – Show up.
#65 – Write your fears out.
#66 – The ‘Zen Zone’.
Great job, Luciano. This is a great blog.
@Dare: Thanks for the tip! I like the “Small Steps” so much that, in hindsight, I wish I had thought of it to give as the example in the original post.
Now I can feel the participants’ pain trying to narrow down their submission to one single tip! Hard!
Thanks again for the contribution, Dare — I really appreciate it!
@Tori Deaux: Glad you enjoy the format. I thought really hard to come up with the detailed rules for the project. It’s comforting to know that the effort has been recognized. Although I think the project ended up with too many rules (the original post scared many people off, I’m sure!), I am really enjoying the results so far.
In the next project, I’ll try to do something similar to this one, but simpler.
Thanks everybody!
It’s being really fun to host this project! The votes are coming, and as of now, more than 50 of the 66 entries got at least one vote. This is amazing!
I’d like to wholeheartedly thank everybody who’s participating and casting their votes. A special ‘thank you’ goes the following:
WOW! Great List!! I’ve been reading and reading and reading….
I could not vote for just 5 … these are in chronological order
7 / 11 / 18 / 19 / 22 / 23 / 25 / 28 / 33 / 48 / 49 / 50 / 64
And…. All the Rest!!
Thanks Luciano for putting this together and thanks to all the contributors!!
Once again thanks to Luciano for this interesting & exciting project and his idea of collective wisdom by pooling best personal excellence tips & ideas from many people into one great list.
I was really excited to participate in the project, and have submitted my entry as well. Judging from the tip I submitted & the one appearing in the list, I believe Luciano would have hard time editing the list of 66 tips. Hats off to you for that!
Congratulations to all of the participants who contributed their best which resulted into a great personal development resource and best-of-best personal development lists.
I couldn’t resist myself reading the whole list, as I read all the tips one by one I was re-discovering the lost gems of wisdom, so much so that I had really great difficulty in judging which one to vote and wished to vote entire list from 1 to 66.
To make even more contribution, I have just posted two great templates on my blog to help & support anyone interested in implementing Target Zero.
Good Work everyone Keep it up!
VOTE:
The list of my favorite tips that I vote to:
2. Be careful when comparing yourself to others.
4. Persist until it pays off.
11. Practice being selfish
17. Show up.
23. Stop expecting bananas from people who have no bananas
NOTE: I am highly biased in choosing above as my favorite tips as all of the tips require same kind of appreciation & support.
I liked and enjoyed reading these tips also :
9. Serve
5. Eat Chocolate
21 Health, the neglected point
40. Tomorrow is another day.
44. Just do it
50. Be Real
59. Journaling to done
I have discussed some of the tips on my blog:
My Favourite 11 tips from the Litemind’s Personal Excellence Project
I’m casting my vote for #15, #17, #19, #25, and #35
#1,#5, #12, #14 and #48 are my favorites! Your own mistakes and problems are transformed into inner resources for further actions. Chocolate is also my little “medicine”…Focusing on goals and learning a sentence in a foreign language are a great help regarding keeping your mind alive. And of course, I never do anything unless it’s in accordance with my inner voice(s)
!
VOTE: 2, 3, 18, 31, 60. Great contest, Luciano.
What a truly great list! It’s tough to pick the best, but I’ll give you my top 10 (in order, excluding my tip #51):
#4 Persist until it pays off
#12 Your goals: keep your eyes on ‘em
#33 Attitude
#59 Journaling to Done (JTD)
#48 Listen to your inner voice
#18 Take 100% responsibility for everything that happens to you
#8 Use mind maps to quickly review books you’ve read
#16 Put yourself in other people’s shoes
#53 Gung Ho Juggernaut vs. Beatific Buddha
#50 Be real!
VOTE: I loved 7, 17, , 18, 21, 22, 23, (36 and 48 are almost same), 39, 46, 49, 51, 58, 60(so important), 61, 64 and 65
And all other tips are great as well, just that if I start doing the above at this time in my life, I’d be okay!
great project Luciano.. had fun reading all the tips..
Great list!
My vote is my top number 1: Stop expecting bananas from people who have no bananas. Why? I am a knowledge manager and this so easy & so obvious yet we often overlook it. And the reverse order is true as well: Stop giving people bananas who don’t want bananas!
Followed by Mistakes are the seeds of evolution and change + Have a personal hero + Practice being selfish + Be passionate about getting quality sleep.
In our Knowledge Management 2.0-Blog (http://wissensmanagement.terap.....;from=list) I refered to your list and looked at it from the KM point of view. Thank you for many 2009 inspirations!
Annette
I like #13… whats the “I didn’t have time to learn the fast way so I did it the long way.” I hear all the time
My favourites are: 17, 21, 27, 29, 30, 39, 49, 56 and 58.
My favorites are 6,7,12,13,17,19.22.23.29,34,41,50,55,59,60,65,66
Nice crop of tips!
Terrific List!
Five favorites: #51, #24, #8, #66, #62
VOTE
Here are my picks:
24, 28, 31, 42, 47, 52 and 62.
life is like a book.. we all use to keep only good pages in this book thats y we get impressed with others with in very short time but thats not the ultimate way….before getting impressed take some time and analyze it completely it would help out…the ultimate truth bout life is none of us is perfect neither we can be …b coz we r not the ultimate power…and there is only way to reach that ultimate power is self analysis..yes thats the only way…
Cheers think bout it….
My vote is for # 41 !!
Hi all,
I like #29–Don’t presume–ask!!
#48–inner voice–so important to listen to it!!
#51–reflect!! Love that one!!
#55–whole brain–yes we must learn to operate between the 2 hemisheres–left and right!!
#8–Use mind maps to quickly review the books that you read –I love to read and I love Mind Maps–
so will be using this tip in the very near future!!
I liked all of them, but these drew me to them!!
Great list!
Here are my picks:
No 17 show up
No 18 Take 100% responsibility for everything that happens to you
No. 41 Gift of attention.
No. 50 Be real
No. 57 Be human
Hi Luciano,
First of all I would like to give you a huge thank you for your efforts in not only presenting this site but to give everyone the opportunity to get involved in sharing their own personal tips!
Well done to everyone for sharing so many excellent pieces of advice but alas I must choose five, so here goes:
7, 16, 18, 33 and 66.
Keep up your fantastic work Luciano, I really don’t know what I’d do without my daily dose of Litemind!
VOTE:
6. Have a personal hero.
- I can’t count how many times this has been valuable to me throughout my life.
8. Use mind maps to quickly review books you’ve read.
- I think this is a great way to reinforce a book as you read it, and a will provide a concise resource afterwards. I was inspired to start doing this with my current book!
25. Getting realistic.
- Woulda, coulda, shoulda was a mantra with my high school buddies, so this resonated well.
26. Create multiple memory palaces.
- I think memory palaces are great “real estate” to invest in, and this tip helped me understand them better.
60. Be passionate about getting quality sleep.
- I’ve recognized quality sleep as being more meaningful as I age, so this clicked with me immediately.
Thanks for doing this project Luciano! It has been inspirational on many levels!
With such a wonderful collection, it’s difficult to choose, but I am drawn strongly to:
13
18
21
37
66
Thanks for creating the forum to bring these together in one place!
Wow, what a great list, there are some really insightful points here. Here are my faves, though I could select a lot more
1, 12, 24, 57, 59
Luciano, thank you for inviting us to join you on this wonderful and vital journey.
After reading and adsorbing all of these wonderful tips (and I do mean all), I was reminded about an experience 42 years ago when I spent two weeks with my Grandmother. In that short time, she taught me how to cook without measuring anything. “Just use your judgment” she would say.
As a twelve year old boy, I went from knowing how to scrambling an egg to cooking like a young sous chef. All this by listening to her wisdom and experiences and practicing what I was learning. Now I can accelerate my own ability to achieve and help others as well by using these wonderful tips.
These 66 pearls of wisdom will resonate with me for the rest of my life. I’m planning on discussing one a week, with my daughters, till we are done, so they can jump start their personal excellence. Thanks again.
A big thanks to everyone that submitted these great tips. Wonderful, wise, pithy and remarkable!
Vote:
Creme–da-la-Creme: 35, 49
Creme: 7, 18, 18, 22, 30, 33, 63, 64
Luciano says I have to vote on five: I didn’t read the directions (which could also be considered a personal excellence tip, and having not done it may be one reason why I’m personally not very excellent….. YET!)
#4, #12, #18, #33 and #36 are my other picks.
VOTE: What a fabulous project this has turned out to be Luciano! I can see how this can be a very timeless tool, for I know that my own picks will differ over time (thus over repeated visits) as I feel the need for certain results.
At first I chose 18 different ones (including my own, just for the affirmation of it!) and then settled on these as my five favorites:
14. Learn one sentence in a foreign language.
Different cultures can teach us so much: I am currently experiencing this in corresponding with someone who also speaks English but with entirely different sense of place context – besides learning, it is such fun!
21. Health, the neglected point.
Without your health everything else is a moot point (and you will age much more gracefully, and with more gratitude).
29. Don’t presume… ask!
I doubt there is a better productivity tip than forcing yourself to have more conversations with other people: We were not meant to live on this earth alone, and conversation is the killer app for pursuing excellence and nearly everything else.
34. If you don’t have space for what you want in your life, it will never come to you.
I generally believe in having an abundance mentality versus one of scarcity, however the concept of “making room” is very powerful. It also gets us to shed the clutter and auto-pilot, reveal comfort zones.
42. Do The Simplest Thing That Could Possibly Work.
Yes, yes, yes!!! Somewhat connected to the abundance thinking, I much prefer the vitality and learning of variety to the complications of complexity. Simple is also more conducive to sharing and making room for others (connected to #34 from the human standpoint.)
Mahalo Luciano, for hosting such a great exercise!
My favorites are #4, #17, #27, #44, #47
Although #10 is super awesome, of course
Correction to mine 18,18 should be 17,18.
#11 – Practice being selfish (thanks stacey)
#18 – Take 100% responsibility for everything that happens to you (thanks chris)
#27 – Time management is key for huge plans (thanks david)
#33 – Attitude (thanks gary)
#44 – Just do it (thanks elena. and nike)
#62 – If I could do only three things today (thanks don)
…and thank you luciano for 66 great insights.
Finally, I made it!! I read all of them, wow, great life lessons here! I have my favourites on my “inspirational copybook” ok. my favs are:
14/21/23/34/36/44/50/57/62
Keep up the good work!
Tiare.-
VOTE:
1. Mistakes are the seeds of evolution and change
2. Be careful when comparing yourself to others
3. I am grateful for…
8. Use mind maps to quickly review books you’ve read
9. Serve
15. Use Google Reader to keep track of websites
16. Put yourself in other people’s shoes
17. Show up
22. Detach from the outcome
23. Stop expecting bananas from people who have no bananas
25. Getting realistic
28. Count your blessings and cheer up!
29. Don’t presume… ask!
30. There is no reason to hate anything in life
31. Make your mind your playground
33. Attitude
34. If you don’t have space for what you want in your life, it will never come to you
37. Paying gratitude
40. Tomorrow is another day
41. Gift of attention
42. Do The Simplest Thing That Could Possibly Work
44. Just do it
47. Be more conscious of your goals at every moment
49. As you think so you are
51. Set aside a specific time each week for personal reflection
53. Gung Ho Juggernaut vs. Beatific Buddha
54. Set ‘Target Zero’ for something you want to avoid, eliminate or improve upon
58. Plot the future
60. Be passionate about getting quality sleep
64. Happiness is a choice
65. Write your fears out
VOTE:
Wow, so many great tips! The hardest part was narrowing it down. Here is my list:
#6 – Have a personal hero
#19 – Make personal excellence… personal
#36 – Follow your inner voice
#37 – Paying gratitude
#55 – Use your whole brain
#7 – Practice meditation regularly
#22 – Detach from the outcome (serenity)
#50 – Be real!
#23 – Stop expecting bananas from people who have no bananas
Well I could keep going but I’d better cut it off somewhere or else I’ll just be duplicating the list… I really enjoyed reading these!
The deadline for voting has arrived!
Now it’s time to count votes so we know the most voted tips. It’s also time to wait for Amazon’s closing stock price, so we can use it in the random drawing for 3 additional prizes to those who participated and voted before the deadline.
The post with the final results will go live tomorrow.
Good luck and thanks everybody!
Wow! I am happy i came across this fantastic list! this is very useful.
seem like lies to me.
Awesome list.
I’d add to it, if I could :] – remember that your ego is built of illusionary structures.
Hi Luciano! I surfed over to this site from Vincent’s HealthWealthSuccess blog.
I guess I came too late and missed the voting! This is definitely a keeper on the bookmarks! Thanks Luciano for putting the list together! 
I’ve just stumbled it as well 
Again, this is amazing post gathered by mind of many successful people.
Thank you all for delivery of the sincere advice.
Happy new year.