How to Manage Your Time Posted on  by Adam Sicinski in Career Success

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It’s not the hours you put in, but rather what you put into those hours.— Anthony Robbins

Taking Back Control Over Your LifeIn today’s day and age we can easily become overwhelmed with information, people and tasks that sometimes tend to get the best of us. Without effective knowledge, strategies and tools, it is easy to see how too many small things can lead to stress and discomfort. It is this feeling of overwhelm, of not feeling capable of being able to deal with many tasks or situations at one time, that leads to chronic stress and fatigue. However, rest assured there is a way that we can effectively take back control over our lives. The secret lies in learning simple yet effective time management skills that will get you thinking about the process of time in a unique and potentially unexpected way.

Let’s discuss the time management process and effective strategies for making the most use of your time. Let’s also take a look at techniques and skills that will allow you to gain more time throughout your day, while also breaking down the mindset of an effective and efficient time manager. And finally, let’s delve into common time wasters that could be eating up more time than you might expect.

The Time Management ProcessLearning a new skill and a set of strategies involves a process that must be diligently followed and acted upon. At first undertaking this process might feel uncomfortable and somewhat tedious. That is understandable, as anything new takes time and effort to practice and eventually absorb into our daily routine.

When it comes to time management the process is pretty straightforward, however it may take a little patience and some effort at first, before it eventually becomes ingrained into our psyche as a new habit.

Here are some suggestions to get you started along your journey towards becoming a better time manager:

Begin by Tracking Your TimeThe only way to improve your time management skills is to learn from and understand your current time management habits. This process simply involves carrying around a notepad, and jotting down what you are doing every 15 minutes.

After one week, you should have a thorough understanding where you are spending your time and where you are wasting it. Do not move onto any other time management strategies until you successfully undertake this step. After one week, analyze your time logs and determine where you feel you could be more productive.

Set SMART GoalsOnce you have a clear understanding of your time management habits, you are now ready to outline the bigger picture by setting and writing down smart goals.

S…pecificYour goals must be very specific in terms of what you would like to accomplish.

M…easurableYour goals must have a time measure, or in other words a date of when they will be accomplished.

A…chievableYour goals must be achievable given the resources you have on hand.

R…ealisticYour goals must be realistic given the time frame you have laid out to accomplish them.

T…imedYour goals must be timed, meaning that they must be broken down into smaller short-term objectives that lead to medium and long-term goals. With an understanding of the bigger picture you are working towards, you will be better equipped to more effectively manage your time.

Follow Up with Plans of ActionWhenever goals are set, a plan of action must immediately follow. Create a quick writeup and general action plan of how you will go about achieving these goals.

Create Task Specific To Do ListsNow take your plan of action and convert it into a master to do list of all the things that you must do in order to achieve this bigger picture.

Prioritize Your Tasks AccordinglyNow that you have your master to do list written out, the next step is to create a daily to do list where you write down and specify six key important tasks that you will accomplish today. As a general rule of thumb you should be spending your time on important rather than urgent tasks.Many of us spend so much time during the day trying to put out fires. We deal with so many low priority yet urgent tasks and activities that keep us busy and moving, and at the end of the day we wonder how in the world we accomplished so little. Step out of this habit trap today and begin focusing on just the important tasks before they become urgent and potentially stress inducing.

Chunk Down Your TasksBy grouping your tasks into similar categories of activities you will become far more productive and time efficient. For instance, make all your telephone calls within a one block hour, and respond to all your emails during only specific times of the day. You can also group stationary activities (when you are at your desk) together with other activities that don’t require you to move around your office. Once your chunk-time is over, simply move onto something else, without making any further telephone calls or writing up emails.

Schedule Blocks of Time to do TasksWhen setting tasks, be sure to specify how much time you will be spending on each of these activities. If you do not specify a time, you may become caught up in wasting time on activities that are simply taking up too much time.

Every task and activity must be set around a realistic and achievable time frame. Do whatever you can to accomplish this activity within the time frame you have set. And when time has lapsed, immediately move onto something else. Don’t allow perfection to sabotage your success.

Stick to the 80/20 RuleThe 80/20 Rule states that 80% of your efforts will bring about only 20% of the results. On the flip-side, 20% of your efforts will bring about 80% of your results. Knowing this, identify the highest value activities that will have the largest impact on your success at the end of the day, week, month and year. Focus on accomplishing these tasks and activities first, before moving onto the 80% of activities that will only bring about 20% of the result. 

Balance Your RoutineFinally, establish a daily, weekly and monthly routine schedule that will keep you moving forward and focusing on your most important goals, tasks and activities. Routines are excellent ways of forming new and empowering habits that will help you become an effective time manager. However, be sure that at all costs you keep your routine balanced personally and professionally.

Effective Time Management StrategiesWhen it comes to time management, there are some simple strategies that we can apply into our daily routine that will instantly make us more productive and efficient. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Be Flexible with Your TimeKnow and understand that the day will rarely go as you had planned. Emergencies will pop up and unexpected events may change your course and direction. You must be prepared for situations like these by creating a buffer system within your schedule. This buffer will allow you time throughout your day to deal with unexpected events and circumstances. However, be very careful not to become lost within these scenarios.Set a time limit for yourself in respect to how much time you will spend putting out these fires, and then return back to your most important activities without a second thought. Just keep focusing on the bigger picture and keep moving forward by focusing on what’s most important.

Be Inflexible with Setting Time LimitsWhile it is important to be flexible with your schedule and routine, it is however critical that you are inflexible when it comes to setting time limits for specific tasks and activities.

Determine how much time you will spend on important activities and stick with them until time has elapsed (unless of course the activity or task is finished ahead of time). By being inflexible with setting your time, you will become more effective and efficient throughout your day.

Organize YourselfGet yourself organized by starting with your thoughts. If you are finding that there is just too much information circulating around your mind at one time, then develop the habit of writing your thoughts out on paper and clearing your head of the clutter that is weighing you down. Once your plans, tasks and ideas are on paper, your head will be much clearer and more organized.

Organize Your Environment

Do you waste many precious minutes of your day simply looking for things? If you answered YES, than you know what you must do. Simply organize your files and folders in ways that will make things quick and easy to find at a moments notice.

Another area you should take a look at is your computer and email system. If you are spending too much time browsing through icons, folders and files, trying to look for something that should be easy to find, than you might want to look at rearranging your computer folder system and email management process.

Remember, the initial process of organizing your environment is the easy part. It is the ongoing process of keeping it organized that may be difficult for the unprepared mind. As a simple tip, just follow the rule of putting things away where you found them, or storing things immediately when you receive them. The moment you leave one piece of paper lying around where it doesn’t belong, is the moment when you start to lose control.

Get Organized by Setting RemindersTwo simple ways to remind yourself about task and activities is to use sticky notes (post-its) or to carry around a voice recorder. Both are proven ways of capturing quick ideas that you can later transfer into your daily to do list.

Identify Bad HabitsAs you are periodically organizing yourself and your environment, keep a watchful eye on time-sapping habits that may sabotage your progress and success. Identify them and work on strategies to rid yourself of these nasty habits once and for all.

How to Gain More Time Throughout Your DayIt is said that no matter how busy we may appear to be, that we can all gain time throughout our day by either improving certain skill-sets or by applying simple techniques and strategies that will make us more efficient and proficient when it comes to effectively managing our time.

Here are some suggestions that will get you thinking in the right direction:

Improve Critical Time Management Skill AreasThe following are a set of skills we must all work on improving throughout our days in order to become a far more effective and efficient time manager.

Computer LiteracyImprove your computer literacy by learning how to use certain pieces of software that will cut down the time, energy and effort it takes you to undertake specific tasks and activities. Even learning simple program shortcuts can dramatically cut down the time it takes you to write a report or prepare a presentation. Look online for beginner tutorials or find a workshop or course within your area.

Creative CapacityLearning to be creative will allow you to develop unique ideas that will help you save time and become more productive throughout your day.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving SkillsHaving the ability to think critically about situations will allow you to spend less time on the process of thinking and more time on doing and implementing.

Delegating AbilityLearning how to delegate work efficiently and effectively will save you an ample amount of time. Having another pair of hands undertaking the tasks and activities that you would normally spend time on, clearly frees you up to focus on other matters. The opportunity cost of paying someone to do something could well be the catalyst that dramatically boosts your productivity.

Negotiation SkillsSometimes because we cannot agree with others about how things should be, it naturally draws time away from more important matters. By learning how to negotiate more effectively will help you reach a satisfactory agreement much faster, which will therefore allow you time to focus on other matters.

Emotional IntelligenceWhenever our emotions tend to get the better of us, we lose time, and become very unproductive in the process. Emotional Intelligence involves the process of taking proactive control of our emotions and projecting them in ways that will boost our productivity and performance.

Multitasking AbilitySpend time grouping tasks and activities together, and work on developing and improving your multitasking skills. As a cautionary note, on very important tasks that require a lot of thought and attention it is suggested that you do not multi-task, because often multi-tasking can cost you more time than you actually think you are saving.

Decision Making AbilityThe faster you are able to reach a definitive decision, the more time you will save.

Speed of ReadingThe faster you learn to read and absorb information the more information you will cover in less time.

Techniques to Help You Gain More TimeThe following is a list of just a few techniques you can utilize on a daily basis to help you become a more efficient and effective time manager.

Utilize AffirmationsSimple affirmations such as “I am becoming more efficient and proficient with my time each and every day” will keep you on the right track towards your time management goals.Take Regular BreaksYour body and mind need regular breaks throughout the day. On the surface working five hours straight might seem as though it will result in more productivity. However, we must understand that spending long hours of time on a certain activity fatigues the brain, stumps creativity and nullifies a person’s

problem solving ability. By taking regular breaks you refresh the mind, clarify the thought processes, and improve the creativity and flow of information.

Learn to Say “No”By simply saying ‘no’ to people’s requests for help and assistance, you will avoid committing yourself to something that will eat up your time and make you feel guilty in the process.

Create Systems and ProcessesEverything that you do can be created into an effective system or process that could dramatically shorten the time the task or activity normally takes to perform. Commit yourself towards thinking in systems by asking yourself.

How can I simplify this activity into a system or process that will save me time, energy, money and effort?

Eliminate Unnecessary Obligations and TasksSometimes we simply do not have time because we spend too much time on unnecessary and low value tasks, activities or obligations that are tying us down. Commit yourself today and make a decision to eliminate these obligations, tasks and activities once and for all.Commit to Constant ImprovementEverything can and should always be improved upon on a daily basis. No matter what kind of task, activity or process you are undertaking, everything can be improved if you continuously feed your mind with questions that will expand your thinking and awareness about the way you are going about your daily obligations. Just learn to ask yourself the right questions and you will be rewarded with answers that will save you both time and money.

The Mindset of an Efficient Time ManagerWhen it comes to effectively managing your time, techniques and strategies will only take you part of the way. One must also learn to cultivate a mindset that will naturally compliment these strategies in ways that expand one’s awareness and understanding of time. Here is a closer look at the time efficiency mindset:

Critical Time Efficiency QuestionsThe first step towards a time efficiency mindset begins with asking yourself the right kinds of questions to stimulate thoughts about how you are utilizing your time.Throughout your day ask yourself the following three questions. These questions will keep you focused and centered on what is most important:

What is the best use of my time right now?

What is the future impact of this activity?

Am I the best person to perform this job?

Become an Optimistic Realist

Becoming an optimistic realist means being optimistic about your ability to get things done in the most effective and efficient manner. Moreover, it also means that you understand possible obstacles, challenges and problems that may arise, and can therefore respond to them accordingly.

Become Proactive Rather than ReactiveBeing proactive means that you are physically and emotionally taking charge of the tasks and activities that you are responsible for on a daily basis. Despite unexpected surprises and challenges that may arise, you remain calm and under control, thinking proactively in ways that will bring about solutions and move you forward in a productive manner.

If on the other hand you are always physically and emotionally reacting to events and circumstances, you will suffer the consequences by experiencing the emotions of fear, overwhelm and stress.

Apply Focused ConcentrationTo become an efficient time manager, you must display focused effort and concentration on nothing other than the activity you are currently undertaking. Remove absolutely all distractions and zero in on just the task at hand.

Don’t Seek PerfectionIf you have a habit of seeking to perfect everything you do, than you have very little chance of mastering your time. Realize that perfection is simply an opinion. What you consider as being perfect may not be how others look at the situation. On the other hand, your imperfect actions may indeed be more than satisfactory for others. Ask yourself,

Will an extra 10 minutes spent on this activity really make a significant difference to the end result?

If the answer is NO, than you know what to do.

Show Commitment and Discipline towards Completing Your TasksWhen you set a task or activity for yourself, commit yourself to applying diligent consistent effort to do whatever it takes to get the job done within the time frame you specified. Only with this type of mentality will you develop the necessary habit of self-discipline that will evolve you into an efficient time manager.

Show an Enthusiastic AttitudeThroughout your day no matter what sudden surprises or problems pop up, keep a smile on your face along with a bubbly attitude. Simply see everything as a challenge that you will work through in a progressive and proactive manner towards the bigger objectives and goals. An enthusiastic attitude will also keep your energies high when things seem to be falling apart around you.

Common Time Wasting Activities

As wonderful as it is to cultivate the habits of efficient and effective time management, it is equally important to grasp an understanding of where we might be wasting our time on activities that simply provide us with little value or reward. Here are just a few time wasting activities that may be robbing you of more than just your time:

Avoid the Habits of Procrastination and LazinessProcrastination is the habit of avoiding a certain activity and making up every excuse in the world that helps you feel better about your actions.

Be very careful with this one, because procrastination sometimes sneaks up on us when we least expect it. Even simple things as planning too much, taking an extended lunch-break, having too many breaks, etc, all are key signals of procrastination. Keep an eye out on these signals and work on cultivating the time efficiency mindset discussed above.

Avoid the Trap of WaitingWhether you are waiting in line at the grocery store, or for your appointment to arrive, it all means one thing: you are simply wasting time when you could be doing something that will bring you a greater sense of fulfillment and the results you want most at the end of the day. However, sometimes these kinds of things are simply unavoidable. In that instance, prepare yourself in advance by taking some reading materials or making important telephone calls.

As long as every minute of your working day you are doing something that keeps you moving forward and gets you the end result you are after, then you are on the right path towards mastering your time.

Avoid Constant DisruptionsDisruptions will make you lose focus, concentration and will interrupt your creative thinking process.

Studies have shown that it can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes after a disruption has occurred for a person to gain back the momentum they had before the disruption. To avoid these occurrences, simply inform others that you will not be available during a specific period of time, and that you don’t want to be disturbed unless it is a personal emergency.

Avoid the Habit of Just Keeping BusyKeeping busy is a form of procrastination. There are just so many things that we can do throughout our day that have very little impact on our goals and objectives.

Go back to the 80/20 rule and commit yourself to working on the 20% of activities and tasks that will help you accomplish 80% of your goals and objectives. Only once these tasks have been completed should you move on to the 80%.

Avoid the Technology TrapTechnology is great, if used in a way that will benefit your long-term goals and objectives. On the other hand, if technology is abused it can sabotage your time and lock you away into the habit of ongoing procrastination. Too much internet surfing, email responding, watching television, talking over the telephone, or listening endlessly to the radio will sabotage your time probably more than anything else on this list.

Avoid these three Time Robbing EmotionsThe 3 emotions of fear, stress and overwhelm are all an outcropping of one’s inability to proactively manage their time. If you are able to use and apply all the techniques and strategies discussed within this post, then these emotions will no longer affect your productivity throughout the day.

Final ThoughtsApplying the habits of effective time management takes a little diligent effort, however if consistently practiced and implemented throughout your day, it will lead to a greater sense of satisfaction and freedom that you might not have experienced in a very long time. By actually taking the time to cultivate these strategies, techniques and mindset, you will likely find that you will not only gain more time, but you might also discover that you also gain back your life.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and if you have any further thoughts, ideas, reflections or suggestions about this topic, than please feel free to comment below.

Becoming an Effective Learner Posted on  by Adam Sicinski in Academic Genius

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To learn is to change… Education is a process that changes the learner.— Author Unknown

The Importance of Continuous LearningWhether we are at school, college, university or working hard to climb the career ladder, I’m sure that we all understand the importance that continuous and ongoing learning plays in our continued success throughout life.

This IQ Matrix presents you with some fundamental keys to effective learning. Based on the principles discussed within the Memletics Accelerated Learning Manual, this mind map will hopefully provide you with a good foundation on the basic principles behind this powerful learning method.

Achieving Your Ideal Learning StateLearning is as much about technique as it is about developing an empowering and lasting psychological and physiological state. You may well have all the techniques and learning methods thoroughly entrenched into your habitual patterns of behavior, however, if you lack the energy or can’t bring forth the required mental effort and awareness, than your progress will undoubtedly suffer as a result. Here are some suggestions to assist you in developing an empowering state that will provide you with the energy you need to excel:

Healthy CellsYour biology is made up of billions of cells that work cooperatively to keep you healthy and at peak condition. However, through incorrect dietary habits, we drain our cells of the energy they need to promote peak states of learning on a consistent basis. In order to bring back that “zing” into your cellular biology you need to consume plenty of water, glucose, oxygen (through deep breathing exercises) and get the essential nutrients you need such as amino and fatty acids that will keep your cells at peak levels of conditioning.

Healthy PhysiologyEven though learning is mostly a very sedentary activity, it is however very dependent and reliant on one’s physiological health and wellbeing. By partaking in physical exercise, by eating energy rich foods (fruits and vegetables) and through periods of deep relaxation, you will dramatically enhance your learning ability and maximize your potential.

Furthermore, it is easy to take our learning environment for granted and its influence on our physical well-being. Make sure that your learning environment is supportive to your learning needs and that it provides you with adequate fresh air, lighting and skeletal support.

Finally, it is important to understand one’s sleeping patterns and energy cycles that we tend to move through throughout our day. Make sure you plan your learning accordingly with these peaks and valleys in your cycles to achieve accelerated learning states.

Healthy PsychologyPsychology is all about strengthening your mind in ways that will enhance and accelerate your learning potential. This can be achieved in several ways. First, start off by setting empowering learning goals that will propel you forward despite the challenges that you may face.

Secondly, adopt a positive mental attitude that will help you to focus on solutions over problems.

Thirdly, just as you would exercise daily in order to keep your body fit, it is also important to develop the ability to stay mentally alert and centered throughout your day. This requires brain gymnastics and

fitness. By this I mean to challenge your brain with finding solutions to problems, with creative thinking, with memorizing numbers and phrases, and generally with anything that will stimulate it in ways that will take it out of the doldrums of its comfort zone.

And finally, just like your body, your brain also requires periods of relaxation and recuperation on a daily basis. Here are some online resources for Brain Training.

The Learning ProcessThere are some simple steps and guidelines that one can follow to assist in structuring, organizing and managing the entire learning process. Although please keep in mind that the methods outlined here present one of a number of ways that this process can be undertaken.

Here are some suggestions that can assist you with enhancing the learning process:

LocateYour first step is always to locate and identify the learning materials (books, articles, websites, etc) that you will need for content extraction. In order to be both effective and efficient throughout the learning process, make sure to have all your study materials prepared before moving onto the next step.

ExploreExploration of your resources and topic content is the next step within the learning process. This exploration of your content material should be accomplished through the use of the seven intelligences; namely:

Visual (diagrams, graphs, sketches, mind maps), Aural (focus on and record sound), Verbal (lectures, discussions, dramatic reading, creating recordings), Physical (incorporating movement, role playing, post-it-notes), Logical (analysis, playing with numbers), Social (group learning, role playing, involving others) Solitary (personal journal, reaction notes, etc).It is important to move through the exploration phase in a way that enhances your immediate understanding of this material, and this is best achieved through the use of the above mentioned learning methods.

As a general rule, the more of these methods you utilize throughout the learning process, the more readily and easily you will absorb the material you are studying..

ArrangeHere you are basically preparing your content for the process of memorization.

Firstly, analyze the content to get a feel for the type of material you are dealing with. Secondly, select the techniques you will utilize that will be most effective in assisting you with the long-term retention of

the materials. Finally, you must now prepare the content in a way that will support the learning methods you have chosen.

ReinforceThis is the point where you take everything you have done in the previous steps and begin converting this information into long-term memory. This is accomplished when use the seven intelligences, through varied and creative repetition, and by conducting regular reviews of your material throughout the learning process.

eNquireThis process involves the act of measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of your learning. This can be measured in 4 ways.

1. Firstly, through Immediate Reviews where you take in feedback on a continuous basis throughout the learning process.

2. Secondly, through Lesson Reviews where you review the effectiveness of the previous steps when learning new material.

3. Thirdly, you can apply Formal Reviews where you utilize tests and other grading methods to test your knowledge of these principles.

4. And finally, conduct a System Review by over-viewing the entire learning process and looking at ways it can be managed more effectively and potentially improved in the future.

Learning TechniquesThere are literally hundreds of creative techniques you can use to accelerate your learning immediately. The more creative you become, and the more variety you add to your learning methods, the easier it will be for you to progress towards your learning goals and objectives.

Here are some techniques and suggestions that will get you started along your journey:

AssociateHere you are using basic characteristics of memory to learn new material. Techniques include peg words, mnemonics and chunking.

VisualizeHere you are using mental imagery and visual techniques to reinforce your knowledge of the material. Techniques include creative visualization and mental rehearsal.

VerbalizeHere you are utilizing words and writing to improve and accelerate your learning. Techniques include scripting and assertions.

SimulateHere you are using tools and people to simulate your learning in a variety of different ways. One of the most effective methods for simulation is to role-play your learning.

PerformHere you learning through methods of anchoring and over-learning the material you are studying.

Repeat

This is about focusing on strategies that will allow you to continuously repeat the information you are learning in a variety of creative ways that will enhance your retention and recall of information. This can be accomplished in many ways, however creating and referring to flash-cards seem to work well for many learners.

Your Preferred Learning StyleEveryone has personal preferences and methods of learning that naturally favor them both cognitively and physically. Although it is important to focus on a variety of learning styles and strategies throughout the learning process, you should however spend most of your time on your preferred learning styles for fast and effective results.

Here is a quick breakdown of the different learning styles for your reference. While you are reading through them, take note which learning styles most resonate with you, then zone-in on them throughout the learning process.

Visual LearnerThis learner prefers learning through the use of colors, pictures and images.

Aural LearnerThis learner prefers learning through the use of sounds and music.

Verbal LearnerThis learner prefers learning through the use of words in the form of speech and writing.

Physical LearnerThis learner prefers learning through the physical use of their body, hands and via the methods of touch.

Solitary LearnerThis learner prefers learning through self-study methods that don’t involve other people.

Social LearnerThis learner prefers learning through working closely and interacting with other people.

Logical LearnerThis learner prefers learning through the use of reasoning and logic.

Your Approach to LearningThis is quite an extensive topic, however for the point of this discussion we will keep it pretty straightforward and focus in on three important factors that are critical to your success as a learner:

Goals and TargetsWithout a target you don’t know where to shoot. And if you have no idea where to shoot, than you will either procrastinate and hold back from shooting altogether, or you will simply shoot at everything hoping to hit something worthwhile.

Goals are absolutely critical to your success as an effective learner. They not only set you on target towards a desired destination, but they also keep you motivated and focused in on the bigger picture of your journey through this learning process.

As a general rule of thumb, make sure that your goals are achievable, yet slightly out of reach like a carrot on a stick. This will keep you inspired and moving forward towards the achievement of your desires outcomes.

PlanningIf goals are the target you are shooting at, than your plan is the gap between where you are and where you want to be. Within this gap there will be obstacles, challenges and potential pitfalls and problems that may arise unexpectedly. You must plan and prepare for these surprises, and you must develop a strategy that will not only get you to your target, but get you there in the most effective and efficient manner possible. Your plan should essentially incorporate everything that has been discussed throughout this post, and direct you towards your ultimate objectives.

ProgressThis is all about measuring the rate of your movement as you progress along your path towards mastering the material you are studying. Measure not only how well your successes panned out, but also take into account your failures and how they can be improved upon the next time around. How well and effectively you measure and track your progress will indeed determine how quickly you are able to reach your learning goals and objectives. Your progress meter will also get you back-on-track, when you recognize you have moved off the beaten path.

Potential Learning ChallengesAlong our journey of learning there will be times when things could get difficult, when we just can’t seem to make sense of the material we are studying, or when we simply become overwhelmed with the amount of information we are ingesting into our biological computer processor. The first step to dealing with these types of challenges is to simply recognize that they exist and that they might shake us up a little if we are not prepared for the consequences. Once you have mentally prepared yourself for the worst case scenarios, you can then move onto the final step which is working through them in a logical step-by-step fashion.

Here three potential scenarios you could encounter, and a few suggestions on how to deal with them:

Lack of MotivationWe can all suffer from a lack of motivation at one time or another throughout the learning process. Lack of motivation can be triggered through simple things as not getting enough rest, lack of adequate nutrition, not setting inspiring goals, talking to yourself in a pessimistic manner, or even through not having the full support of your peers. In fact a lack of motivation could also come from any number of factors that haven’t been listed here.The most important thing to do when you sense that you are lacking motivation is to determine the source that is triggering this feeling. Check to see if it is coming from internal factors within yourself, or if it is coming from external factors within your environment. Once you have identified the source, work

creatively to either alter your perspective of the situation or physically do something that will suffocate the trigger mechanism.

Overwhelmed by FearWhenever you feel that taste of fear starting to overwhelm you, you must at that very moment understand that fear only comes to those who live with uncertainty. If you are uncertain about something in the future, than you will likely be either fearful or excited about it. If you are afraid, than the only way to counter these feelings of fear is to collect a greater array of resources and information that will allay your fears. The more knowledge you have about something you fear, the greater courage and confidence you will muster to move through this crippling emotion.

Making MistakesMistakes are simply a part of life. As a human race we have achieved technological success in today’s day-and-age as a result of the mistakes that we have made in the past few thousand years.

Be open to the idea that you will make mistakes, and when they do occur immediately focus in on suitable solutions that will keep you moving forward beyond you current experience. If you do this consistently, you will find that your momentum will tend to accelerate as you hike deeper along your journey of learning.

Final ThoughtsBy sticking with these general guidelines you will set yourself on track towards accelerating your learning potential in many surprising ways.

As a final thought, keep in mind that the journey of learning is never over, and that the methods you use to accelerate your learning should always be changing and adapting with the content your are studying and with the person you are becoming.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and if you have any further thoughts, ideas, reflections or suggestions about this topic, than please feel free to comment below.

Becoming Financially Intelligent Posted on  by Adam Sicinski in Wealth Creator

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Wealth is the product of man’s capacity to think.— Ayn Rand

The Financial Intelligence FactorThe Financial Intelligence Factor is state of mind, that comes from being a certain way and doing certain things that attract wealth and abundance into your life.

This IQ Matrix is based on Jamie McIntyre’s best selling books and DVD entitled “What I didn’t Learn at School but I Wish I Had.” Within this material Jamie discusses financial strategies and techniques that will help you build towards financial freedom.Jamie’s book and DVD cover a great breadth of wealth creation topics that simply cannot all be covered on a single map. However, for the purpose of this discussion, we will break down and identify some of the key strategies and techniques that Jamie used to rid himself of $150,000 of debt that eventually paved the way to multi-millions of dollars and financial peace of mind.

As you progress through this information you will come to know the characteristics of a competent and incompetent money manager; the mentality of success and failure; how to identify limiting beliefs that could be sabotaging your money earning potential, and guidelines for designing your financial life in ways that will focus and direct you towards your primary wealth creation goals. Moreover, the mind map breaks down some simple financial knowledge and strategies that will help you build long-term wealth, while pinpointing the strategies that Jamie uses every single day to earn an extraordinary amount of money.

This post will be a combination of my commentary coupled together with direct quotes and insights from Jamie’s best selling book.

Please use this information only as a tool to guide you along your journey towards your financial objectives. Please also seek the guidance of a professional financial planner to further clarify the

points presented within this article post and mind map.

The Mindset of the Financially IntelligentJamie learned the hard way when he realized that there are certain and specific actions that competent money managers take in order to build vast amounts of financial wealth and abundance. This naturally leads to an understanding of the differences between the mentalities of the financially successful and the financially poor of this world. These two findings came together to reveal that our financial success is very much governed by the underlying beliefs we have about money. The premise is, that if we continue to hold limiting beliefs about money, then we will likewise continue to suffer the consequences of holding onto these self-sabotaging forces that will prevent us from ever reaching the pinnacles of financial freedom.

Competent Money Manager CharacteristicsThis list of characteristics are common amongst those who have a long proven history of earning high amounts of money.

Has Plan of ActionFinancially intelligent people create a comprehensive financial plan of action that they manage and implement on a daily basis.

Saves 10% of Income

Financially intelligent people consistently save at the very least 10% of their earned income and utilize it for investment purposes or compound their money for long-term gains.

Minimizes Purchasing LiabilitiesFinancially intelligent people understand the burden of liabilities and how this can affect their long-term wealth. Hence, they minimize purchasing liabilities. However, if they must purchase liabilities, then they will search for the best and lowest price before making a purchase decision. Often liabilities are purchased from the profit earned from smart investments.

Sets Long and Short-term Money GoalsMoney goals work hand-in-hand with an effective plan of action. Goals provide these people with both short and long-term objectives that keep them focused and motivated throughout their day.

Strategically Spends MoneyEach and every purchase that financially intelligent people make is thought through carefully.

Great money managers understand the long-term consequences of making even the smallest purchase decisions. They know that an accumulation of seemingly insignificant small purchase decisions will usually result in long-term consequences that will either add to their debt or provide them with opportunities to earn profits.

The financially intelligent have an uncanny ability to see into the future. Utilizing the act of foresight to help identify the possible consequences that can potentially result from each spending decision they make, they determine if the consequences are justifiable. If long-term profits don’t result, then they will carefully weigh-up their decision before taking any further action.

Seeks Professional Financial AdviceFinancially intelligent people understand that they don’t know it all. Hence they seek professional advice from experts who have a long history of financial success.

Interacts with Successful Money ManagersTo become a great money manager, one must learn to absorb the characteristics, habits and daily rituals of those who have succeeded before them. For this reason, competent money managers interact and socialize with successful money managers. They understand that through each interaction they will gain deeper insights and knowledge that could be critical to their next major financial decision.Keeps Learning New Money StrategiesFinancially intelligent people simply never stop learning about money, finances, investments, property, shares, etc. For them money is as natural as breathing air. Every moment throughout their day they are either listening to an audio program about wealth, reading a book, speaking to others about money, attending a financial seminar, reading the finance section of the daily paper and more. Money is a way of life, which is why they are financially successful.Has money become a way of life for you?

Incompetent Money Manager CharacteristicsOn the other side of the coin we have the majority of people who can be labeled as incompetent money managers. Identify if you have any of the following financially sabotaging traits.

Constantly Purchases LiabilitiesThe competent money managers avoid purchasing liabilities at all costs. On the other hand, incompetent money managers seem to be magnetically pulled towards the temptation of wonderfully packaged and emotionally charged liabilities that will lose them a significant amount of money in the long-term.

Spends all SavingsIncompetent money managers will purchase anything at anytime whenever they feel the urge to spend. They are emotional creatures who enjoy the feelings of spending, and the resulting emotions of instant gratification. Hence, they live from paycheck to paycheck. When money comes in, they spend. When money is not available, they either hold back on their expenses or redirect their spending habits onto their credit cards.

Neglects Money Goals and PlansIncompetent money managers don’t put enough importance on having money in their lives, which is why they simply neglect to set goals and create a financial plan of action to move them away from debt and into financial freedom.

Neglects Getting Professional Financial AdviceFirst of all, they don’t believe that they require any help when it comes to making effective financial decisions that will secure their future.

Secondly, they can’t justify paying money to a good financial advisor without first seeing the results in their bank accounts. Unfortunately the world doesn’t work this way. They have to learn to understand that they must spend money in order to earn money long-term. However, their spending of moneymust come in the form of self-education and advice that will set them along the right path.Many of these people simply don’t believe in their ability to follow through with the action steps that will be necessary to obtain financial freedom. In such instances, they just don’t have enough commitment behind their actions. And therefore they will continue to languish in debt until they find the necessary motivation to pull themselves through.

Neglects Getting a Financial EducationIncompetent money managers simply don’t see a need in obtaining a good financial education. This stems from the belief that they don’t seem to perceive money as an important enough factor in their lives.

These types of people also prefer to rely on little hunches to carry them towards financial freedom.Follows Friends and CrowdTo an incompetent money manager, any tip is a good tip. It’s therefore not unusual for them to gather around with their friends and discuss financial matters, often sharing tips and stories. Not only does everyone within this group have a poor financial background, but what’s worse, is that they will follow their friend’s advice (or the masses) blindly without ever questioning their decision.

The downside of this strategy is that the masses (this usually includes their friends) belong to the 96% of the population who are incompetent money managers. So even though this advice is free, it will cost them more in the long-run. They simply forget that nothing is free if you weigh up the long-term consequences of each decision. This is especially true when it comes to earning your financial freedom.

Mentality of SuccessThere are two key characteristics that Jamie identifies within his book and DVD that separate the successful people from the rest.

AccountabilityJamie says:

until now I have been making excuses and shifting blame. Once I applied the law of opposites, I discovered that if I was going to make it financially and in any other area of my life, I needed to be accountable. Once I accepted I was responsible for my mistakes, I was able to reclaim my personal power… Along with accountability comes action.

GratitudeJamie points out that his millionaire mentor once told him:

Jamie, if you want to be successful, here is what I recommend you do. Every morning when you wake up, find five things that you can be grateful for in your life. You may need to train yourself to focus on what you can be grateful for, because without gratitude you will never have true wealth.

Mentality of FailureOn the other side of the coin we have the failure-centered mentality, which affects the vast majority of our population.Here are some characteristics of this type of mentality that you must avoid at all costs.

Instant GratificationIf you are the kind of person who seeks instant gratification in life, then becoming financially free is unfortunately not going to be on your tarot cards (unless you get lucky and win the lottery). Instant gratification is a silent killer that will keep you in debt — or just above the poverty line — for as long as you stay hypnotized within its subtle spell.DenialJamie points out:

I used to say, “I am not interested in money — money is not everything.” Until my millionaire mentor told me that I was in denial. I could not figure out what he meant by this. He said, “Jamie, do you think if you say you are not interested in money then that is going to help you become financially successful?” and I thought, “Well, no, maybe not.”

Living in denial is another silent killer that will continue to sabotage your financial success for as long as you continue to live within that place of being.Blame and ExcusesJamie points out:

that the other two important qualities you need to have in order to be in the 96% of people who fail financially, is the ability to blame everyone else for your problems and to create elaborate excuses. I become really good at blaming other people when things were not working for me. Not only did I blame other people but also the circumstances.

Identifying Limiting Beliefs about MoneyStatistics show that many of us will unfortunately never obtain financial freedom. The main reason for this is that the majority of people have a plethora of self-sabotaging beliefs pertaining to money that will keep them in the doldrums of day-to-day survival.

Jamie mentions within his book some strategies that can assist you with identifying these limiting beliefs that you hold about money and ridding yourself of them once and for all.

To begin with, get someone to ask you the following set of questions. It is not specifically the answer that is important, but rather the memory associated with your answer that could potentially pinpoint the origin of your limiting beliefs.

What is money?

What is not having money?

What is money really?

Attracting Financial Abundance IntentionallyIt is said that “If you fail to plan, you are simply planning to fail“. When it comes to obtaining financial freedom, there is probably right on the money. In this section we will discuss simple, yet very effective strategies, that will help you to design your life intentionally and set you on target towards your financial objectives.

First, and foremost, you must establish your purpose. Secondly, you must set effective goals that will keep you on target and moving towards your objectives. And finally, in order to become emotionally and financially intelligent, we must all learn to master some fundamental skills that are essential towards creating an abundance of wealth in our lives.

Determine Your Primary Life PurposeNo financial dreams can truly be achieved if we do not first become clear on our purpose. Jame says:

that this is probably the most important step, because unless you have clarity on what you want, then no amount of strategies will help you get what you want.

Jamie lists a set of questions that we should be asking ourselves in order to clarify our life’s purpose.Here is a list of four questions you should ask yourself in order to determine what it is that you really desire from your life. You will only gain from this exercise by being completely honest and genuine in your responses.What do I not want in my life?

What do I want in my life?

What are my priorities?

What challenges do I currently face?

Write Your Primary Purpose Down on PaperJamie instructs:to write a very short statement — a phrase, a sentence, no more than a couple of sentences — expressing the essence of what you want your life to be all about. The acid test for your primary purpose is your internal barometer. When you write it, you should feel energy, enthusiasm, commitment, a sense of “Yes! This is it for me!” If you do not feel this, keep on writing.

Set Effective Financial Goals

As we mentioned earlier, setting effective financial goals is a process undertaken by competent money managers who succeed financially in life. There are several methods and processes of setting and structuring your goals. Jamie identifies a very simple and effective method that you can use immediately to create powerful action oriented objectives. Here is Jamie’s breakdown of the process:

SpecificBe absolutely specific when setting your goals, and use only the present tense positive statements.

MeasurableYour goals need to be measurable, in other words, you need to be able to monitor your progress so you can measure your success.

AttainableYou also need to be able to conceive your goal in order to attain it. Unless you can see yourself achieving your goal, it is very unlikely to happen.

RealisticObviously goals need to be within the bounds of logic and circumstance.

TangibleYour goal needs to be something that is real or physical, that you can see and touch.

InspirationalIf your goals do not inspire you, it is unrealistic to expect that you will be driven to take action to achieve them.

EmotionalThe more emotionally involved you become with your goal the quicker it will manifest into your life.

Master the Skills that will Enhance Emotional and Financial IntelligenceBoth emotional intelligence and financial intelligences are of primary importance if you seek to obtain financial freedom in your life. Jamie defines emotional intelligence as:

having the ability to consciously respond to a situation rather than react under the influence of our emotions at that time.

On the other hand, financial intelligence is something that is obtained from knowledge and experience gained from working with money. All of the mindset strategies, characteristics, money habits, and technical tools discussed within this post add to your financial IQ.

On top of these intelligences there are also four critical skill areas that Jamie sees as being of critical importance towards the achievement of long-term financial success. Here is a breakdown of these key skill areas in Jamie’s own words:

Creative ThinkingOf the four key areas that I have worked on during the last eight years of my life the first is the ability to think. What I mean by thinking creatively is having the ability to solve challenges.

Negotiating

The second area we need to nurture is the ability to negotiate. In life to get what we want we have to know how to negotiate. If you want to be successful, the secret is to never take no for an answer.

CommunicatingThe third skill is the ability to communicate. If you cannot communicate a benefit to someone else so that they can understand it, then you are not communicating effectively and will not achieve your desired result.

MarketingThe fourth area is the ability to market or marketing. I am talking about result-focused marketing. How do you take an idea or concept and communicate that message in a business format to the marketplace to make it a reality?

Becoming Financially AwareFinancial education and awareness go hand-in-hand to help us better manage our finances. This section will touch upon some very effective learnings and strategies that are important to know and understand, before you begin moving along your path towards obtaining your financial freedom.

What is a Liability?A liability is simply anything that takes money out of your pocket in the short or long-term. Liabilities are pretty much anything that you purchase that loses you money or depreciates over time. These kind of purchases can include clothes, electronics, gadgets, cars, and other luxuries.

What is an Asset?An asset is simply something that puts money into your pocket. It is basically something that will bring you a financial return over the short or long-term. Assets can include collectibles, investment portfolios, property or even savings accounts.

Determining Your Financial Stability LevelsJamie calls these the Levels of Financial Well-being. He states that these levels are possible to attain by anyone who has discipline and a passion to reach the pinnacle of absolute financial freedom.Within his book, Jamie discusses the process in significant detail. However, for the purpose of this post, we will just quickly examine (using Jamie’s words) what each of these financial levels mean for each of us. Bear in mind, that each level requires a different set of tasks and objectives that you must strive for.

Financial ProtectionThe precise amount of money you will require in liquid assets to be financially protected can be established simply by reviewing your current monthly overheads.

These overheads can include mortgage payments, electricity, gas, transportation, food, insurance, and the total monthly income that you will need to secure your protection. These will give you the basic requirements that are necessary for your financial survival. Financial SecurityThis is the amount of money you will need to achieve financial security. This means determining how much you need to be independent of the basic necessities such as food, clothes, and transport. Financial security is achieved when your investments produce an income equal to your financial protection figure…

you would have calculated above.

Financial IndependenceThis means determining the money you will need to be financially independent of work. How much money do you now earn annually? To duplicate your current lifestyle, it is likely you will need to duplicate your present monthly annual income.

Financial FreedomThis goal is attained when your investments provide enough income for you to live the lifestyle you desire for the rest of your life without ever having to work again. Simply ask yourself, “What annual income would I need to have the lifestyle I want?

Within his book, Jamie provides instructions on how to best calculate this level of financial well-being.Absolute Financial FreedomYou have achieved absolute financial freedom when your investment income provides you with the certainty that you can do whatever you want, as much as you want, whenever you want, with whomever you want, — without ever working again.

The Baby Bucket PrincipleThis is a very effective financial management strategy that will progressively move you up the financial well-being ladder. A similar approach was discussed within the wealth management IQ Matrix. The process is pretty much the same, however Jamie puts his own unique twist on the bucket principle. Let’s take a look at how the process works in his own words.Security BucketThis is for low risk investments. These include cash management trust accounts, i.e., physical cash, 404k, and superannuation. You would include insurance. I suggest income protection, disability, and health, you need to consider those sorts of insurances if you become an active borrower for investing to lower your risk in case you lose your job while building your wealth or suffer illness.

Growth BucketThis includes residential property, quality companies, renting, etc., are investments that belong in this bucket.

Momentum BucketThis would cover renting, commercial property, investing in traditional business, etc. However, do not borrow for a business until you can afford to lose the money.

Lifestyle BucketHere you are investing into your personal lifestyle such as a resort, holiday, farm, or lifestyle business. 

Strategies for Making MoneyWithin the previous sections we discussed effective ways to manage your money, along with providing you with some strategies and tools that naturally focus and direct your mind towards wealth and abundance.

Within the final section we will bring everything full circle and discuss specific strategies that Jamie uses on a daily basis to create financial abundance in his life.

Investing through the BanksYour first and safest option is to invest and earn an income through the banking system. Jamie points out that,

if you put your money in the bank, the cash interest rates may be between 4 and (if you are lucky) 6 percent, so it is going to take a lot of money to become wealthy. That is why many people think that they need to win lotto, because if they have a million dollars from lotto and they receive a 5 or 6 percent return on that money, then they will have $50,000 – $60,000 per year to replace their income.

Investing into BusinessesJamie warns others to be cautious when investing into business. He says,

if you have been in business for more than five years, do not get too excited as the next five years after that 80 percent of those businesses will fail. One thing I have noticed is a big mistake many have made. What they will do is borrow money out of their house in a line of credit and use that money to commence a traditional business. Often that traditional business fails and as a result these people lose the business and possibly the house as well — it all ends in a total financial disaster. Before investing into a business, keep in mind that a true business is a profitable enterprise that will work ideally without you.

The Investment Risk PyramidThis pyramid structure will provide you with a quick overview of the variable risks associated with specific types of investments. When starting out you should consider using conservative strategies, and slowly progressing towards aggressive and high risk tactics that could potentially bring forth higher returns.

Conservative StrategiesThese strategies include, Government Bonds, Debt Money Market, Bank Accounts, Cd’s Notes, Bills Bankers Accept, Cash and Cash Equivalents.Aggressive StrategiesThese strategies include, Real Estate, Equity Mutual Funds, Large and Small CapStocks, High Income Bonds / Debt.

High Risk StrategiesThese strategies include, Options, Futures, Collectables.

Share Market StrategiesJamie has had a vast amount of personal success investing into the share market. He points out that it is important to take charge of your money and educate yourself on how to make effective investment decisions. He says that,

I did not become wealthy as a self-made millionaire by going and sitting in front of a financial planner. Actually, I would not have become a millionaire by following their advice. Why would I do that if they are not successful investors themselves? My millionaire mentor told me the obvious question to ask of financial planners is, if they could help me to become financially independent and live my ideal lifestyle, then why are they not doing it themselves? What you want to look for in learning financial success is to learn from people who have produced results, not people who just have a license to give advice on money, because anyone can get a license to advise on money without the need to be an investor themselves.

Jamie presents some investments strategies he uses in order to create financial abundance. The following is a brief overview of these strategies.Forms of Analysis

The first strategy that a potential investor may consider is commonly called technical analysis. Here you examine patterns of share price changes and changes to the volume of shares traded in the hope of being able to predict and profit from future trends.

ChannellingThe second strategy for investors is something I call channelling. For the technically minded, this strategy is referring to the price range of a share, that is, the price range between the highest and lowest price reached by a share during any specific day, week or year. By following the charts of many companies’, one can visually identify that the price range of a share will move in patterns.

LeverageThe third strategy for investors is a concept termed leverage. Leverage is another word for gearing, which in its simplest format is the process of increasing the funds available for investment through borrowing. Leverage has the potential to increase returns as the more money that is invested in the market, the greater the potential return from dividends and other distributions inclusive of capital growth in a share.

InsuringThe fourth strategy for investors is a concept I call insuring. Entering into an insurance premium is simply the right to sell a share at a specified price before the expiry date of the option. Insurance allows investors to hedge against a possible fall in the value of shares in their portfolio. After taking out some insurance, the sale of our imaginary share is locked in for the term of the insurance no matter how low our imaginary share price may fall.

The Way Down StrategyThis concept refers to buying insurance without owning the share. The purpose of this investment strategy is to speculate that the share price will fall. Investors see this concept as a way of making money without owning the share. Investors understand that when the price of the share falls, the value of the insurance premium increases. Therefore, an investor will purchase an insurance contract with the intention of selling the insurance at a higher price.

The Way Up and Down StrategyThis concept is similar to the way down strategy. The main difference is that the investor has a view that the share price will move upwards and therefore a rental contract is purchased. A rental contract gives an investor the right to buy the underlying share for a pre-determined value. Investors therefore use the purchase of a rental contract when they believe that share price will rise and the investor wants to benefit from the share price movement.

Investment Property StrategiesInvesting into property is a popular investment strategy that Jamie highly recommends as an effective tool for building long-term wealth. However, he again cautions others that this must be done in the correct manner in order to gain maximum benefit and returns from the time, money and energy you spend.

Within his book, Jamie discusses a number of ways that one can earn money through renovation, adding value, selecting the right property (checklist), renting out and more.

Other Strategies for Making MoneyWe will end our discussion with a quick look at five useful strategies that will either save you money or provide you with the extra income you need to pursue your investment objectives.We all have to start somewhere, and not having enough money should never be an excuse for not pursuing your journey towards becoming a great investor. Here is Jamie’s take on these five strategies.

Improving Habits of SavingAll great investors are great savers. If you are not saving money now then you are never going to become wealthy until you start saving.

Selling StuffTo make extra money, could you sell something? What I am suggesting is that you could have a garage sale. Are there some things that you no longer need or are willing to sacrifice in the short-term to set yourself up financially. Anything that you could convert to cash to come up with a few thousand dollars is great.

Cutting TaxesThe third step is tax minimization. Look for ways to minimize your taxes in order to use that extra money for investment purposes. Within his book, Jamie pinpoints some simple, yet effective ways you can go about doing this.Increasing Your IncomeIf you can increase your income by an extra 10 percent, that is an extra 10 percent you could put aside for savings and investment. To create wealth, my millionaire mentor always said, “Jamie you must add more value. One way you can do that is to improve and develop your skills.”

Here Jamie suggests to focus on the four skills of creative thinking, communication, negotiation and marketing that we discussed a little earlier.Utilizing Equity SensiblyMany people have equity in their homes, equity being a portion of their house they actually own. Much of that equity could be put to good use, rather than just sitting there idle. I suggest using some of that equity to invest in investments that are going to generate some cash-flow.

Final ThoughtsI hope that after reading this you feel more confident in your ability to build towards obtaining financial freedom in your life.

Jamie has proved that these strategies work, however they do require patience, commitment and some sacrifice to bring the results you desire to fruition.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and if you have any further thoughts, ideas, reflections or suggestions about this topic, than please feel free to comment below.