It’s almost a brand new year and with that comes the inevitable New Year’s resolutions.

Maybe you want to lose weight and/or get in shape. Maybe you want to quit smoking. Perhaps you wish to do something more creative, like starting a daily journal, finishing a novel or learning a new language.

You eagerly set all those things in January and by February, all your efforts are gone- if they even last that long.

Why is it so difficult to make a resolution that works?

Why Resolutions Fail

Most resolutions fail not because you lack good intentions but because if you truly wanted to make a lasting change in your life, you wouldn’t have to wait for a special day to do it. You’d already be taking steps to attain your goal and you wouldn’t allow one setback to derail or defeat the other steps you’d already taken to achieve that goal.

That is exactly the practice you need to follow should you really wish to bring lasting changes to your life.

So, instead of thinking of a New Year’s resolution as an all-or-nothing proposition where one slip-up derails your entire effort, create a mindset that any and all progress toward your goal is worthy of reward. Rather than focusing on the negatives, focus on the progress you have made.

What You Can Do Instead of Making a New Year’s Resolution

Here are some alternatives to the traditional New Year’s resolution and how they will truly help you change your life for the better.

Make a Bucket List for the New Year

Everyone’s heard of lifelong bucket lists. However, when we think of bucket lists, we often think in very vague terms, like “Someday, I’d like to skydive/hike the Grand Canyon, run a marathon and visit Paris.”

Instead, why not make a bucket list for the year?

Making a list of things you want to do rather than setting one virtually unattainable goal is far more enjoyable. Plus, looking forward to checking items off your list makes you encouraged to tackle the necessary steps you need to take.

For example, one of your bucket list items for the year is to learn Spanish. To check this item off your list, you’ll need to set aside weekly, or better yet, daily time to practice it. If one of your bucket list items is to run a 10k marathon, you’ll have to make a weekly training schedule to check that item off of your annual bucket list.

Focus on the Process and Make It Enjoyable

We’re all familiar with the cliché that Rome wasn’t built in one day. And as with all clichés, there is a glimmer of truth to that statement.

When setting a long-term goal, such as quitting smoking or losing weight, it’s vital to celebrate every step of the journey to keep you motivated.

Ask yourself questions about what you would like to achieve.

Perhaps your goal is to fit back into the size 10 jeans you wore in high school. Then, make a list of some of the behaviors you can change to achieve your goal.

Set it out on a weekly basis and congratulate yourself for every positive action taken. You can try eating fast food no more than once a week or commit to exercise at least 10 to 15 minutes per day.

Instead of beating yourself up when you slip up, try congratulating yourself each time you do well. Celebrate making it through a week of workouts with a nice, long bubble bath or by buying yourself a small gift.

By making the process something you can enjoy and celebrate, you’ll be well on your way to making lasting life changes.

Set Mini Goals and Take Small Steps Daily

Perhaps one of your bucket list items for the year is to finish a novel. This takes time and as every writer knows, you can’t count on just waiting for the moment inspiration strikes to start writing.

Instead, set a goal of writing one to two pages per day. Hold yourself accountable. You can make a pact with a family member or friend to discuss your daily goals. Then, check back with them at the end of each day to evaluate and celebrate your progress.

Write Your Goals Down and Use Checklists

Another great way to keep yourself accountable with your resolutions or goals is to write them down. Writing your goals helps make them more concrete and specific.

For example, to lose weight is a vague and amorphous goal. “To lose one pound per week” breaks it down so you’ll have a more concrete path to success.

Also, use checklists to keep yourself on track.

Each Sunday, for example, sit down and write a list of actions you can take that week that can help you achieve your goal.

You can write down your workout schedule for the week. As you write down the schedule, include check boxes next to the routines. As you accomplish and check off each routine, you get instant visual validation that you are on track.

Make Goals That Are Attainable and Measurable

Experts agree that the best goals have certain characteristics. They should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). These SMART goals are empowering because they focus on goals you can obtain and offer a specific time frame for completion.

See Also: How to Set Personal SMART Goals To Succeed

For example, you wish to run a half marathon this year.

To create a SMART goal, many trainers would recommend that you make a training schedule on a calendar you see daily, such as a large wall calendar. By seeing the number of miles you have completed, you’ll be able to measure your progress.

The problem with traditional New Year’s resolutions is they focus on your setbacks instead of celebrating the progress you’ve accomplished. So, for this year, create resolutions that will celebrate you.

See Also: 5 Habits to Make The New Year Your Best Year Yet

The post 5 Simple Tips for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolution appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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When your job search feels stalled, it’s time to make a change to your strategy. So many top job industries are emerging, providing opportunities for you to pursue one of your passions.

Your job search strategy should have more structure than just randomly sending your documents to dozens of job openings every week. Reflect on what industries align with your interests and focus on those.

Let’s take a look at the most exciting job industries you can start with.

Outdoor Recreation

More people are spending time and money on experiencing the great outdoors. In fact, according to an April 2017 report from the Outdoor Industry Association, the outdoor recreation industry creates $887 billion in consumer spending and employs 7.6 million Americans.

If you love taking hikes, camping, and seeking adventures in your local parks, this is the perfect industry for you. There are several awesome companies to choose from.

For example, Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) is perfect if you’re into outdoor gear. They continue to be recognized as a top employer. Every year since 1998, they earned a spot in Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list, which is based on anonymous employee feedback.

Additionally, they ranked second in Glassdoor’s 2016 list for Top 20 Employer Benefits and Perks. Employees enjoy discounts, retirement plans, community involvement, two days of additional PTO for outside activities, healthcare, and a positive culture that shares a passion for the outdoors.

To make the most of your job search, learn how to show your enthusiasm to potential employers. Niche industries are especially competitive because there are fewer opportunities and a lot of passionate people who want to work there.

Just this year, my company, JobsInSports, conducted a survey of employers. They said one of the best ways you can express enthusiasm for your industry is by writing a tailored cover letter. Also, one in four employers says sharing industry experience during your interview is crucial to demonstrating enthusiasm.

To put it simply, gain experience as you look for jobs within a niche industry like outdoor recreation. Search for internships and volunteer opportunities if you’re struggling to get entry-level work. As you work, think about how you are going to write about your learning experiences and how you can share them in your cover letter.

See Also: 5 Tips To Making Your Resume Cover Letter Stand Out

Sports

The world of sports is huge and it’s only going to get bigger. According to a 2016 report from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the sports industry will be valued at $75 billion by 2020.

However, this doesn’t just include the major sports, like football, baseball, and basketball. Soccer is becoming more popular in North America and esports shows no signs of slowing. In fact, a 2017 report from Newzoo found that there are 191 million esports enthusiasts worldwide and just the esports industry alone generated $696 million in revenue.

The best part about the sports industry is that you have plenty of opportunities within each sport. Depending on your interests, you can find the perfect employer.

For soccer fans, look at MLS. Baseball enthusiasts thrive when they work in MLB. For those interested in sports media, ESPN still stands as one of the best employers.

Another exciting world within the industry is sports technology. Companies like Hudl and SeatGeek are among the best employers. They offer exciting growth opportunities and great benefits.

The best way to stand out in sports involves two key factors: networking and building an online presence.

Employers noted that the top ways candidates stand out to them include joining professional organizations, commenting on industry discussion boards, sharing industry content through social media, and engaging with relevant industry groups through networks like LinkedIn and Facebook.

When you meet people and publicly engage with sports groups online, potential employers will see you’re passionate. They will also see what your expertise is if you’re sharing ideas and starting discussions.

Wellness

The wellness industry includes nutrition, alternative medicine, beauty products, the spa industry, fitness, and wellness tourism. With more people interested in self-care, this industry is booming.

As a 2017 report from The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) found, the U.S. generates $202.2 billion of the annual $563.2 billion global market. In other words, there are several opportunities awaiting you.

Our survey found that employers think the most important aspects you should know about a potential employer are core values, the vision, their products/services, and their mission statement. When you want to work for wellness companies, start researching them.

See Also: 5 Best Ways to Use Technology To Land Your Dream Job

Not only will you gain a clear understanding of their role in the market, but you’ll also see how you align with their culture and how you can provide value to their mission. Then, you can tailor your resume and cover letter to clearly indicate why you’re the best fit for them.

How are you focusing your job search strategy in niche industries?

The post 3 Top Job Industries That Are Flying Under Your Radar appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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“Invert, always invert: Turn a situation or problem upside down. Look at it backward.”

– Charlie Munger

For ambitious people, knowing what to do is not always enough. Sometimes, we need to know what not to do.

So, like Charlie Munger, I am going to use inversion and focus on what not to do to be successful. Specifically, I will focus on two mindsets to avoid in order to be successful.

Here’s the secret to success.

Mindset 1: Impatience

I’ve always been impatient.

In a video recorded on my first day of school, I looked as if boredom and impatience were slowly and surely killing me. I was 6 years old then.

In my view, impatience is a very one-sided negative trait.

Let me illustrate.

For most of my life, I’ve quit things that I didn’t like anymore because I got impatient about the speed of progress. Things weren’t moving fast enough.

Like a chimpanzee, I’d jump from branch to branch, hoping to find something that would excite me- something that would energize and stifle the crushing boredom I felt.

That all comes down to impatience.

Because of my impatience, I started two educations and dropped out of both. This was the time I realized that something was wrong.

It was not so much that I realized that impatience was at the bottom of my ailments. It was more on the idea that I needed to change something in my life.

When it comes to studying and getting a degree, things don’t happen overnight.
From this, I learned that things take time.

It might sound trivial but until I realized this, impatience held me back in a big way.

Conversely, patience is a trait you see in almost every successful person if you study their life and work.

Picture-Perfect Patience

A prime example of patience is Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart.

He opened his first store in 1945 and barely scraped by for the next few years. Then, things slowly started improving. After spending five years establishing himself as a retailer, he opened his first Ben Franklin store in 1950. A big move at the time.

Let us dwell on the fact that it took Sam Walton, one of the most successful businessmen of all time, five years before he no longer struggled. We’re not talking about success. We’re just talking about getting to a point where he doesn’t have to worry if his business is going to survive.

After this, he spent the next 12 years building a chain of Ben Franklin stores until he eventually owned 16. This is when he tasted the first modicum of success, 17 years after he started his first business.

This only happens with tremendous patience.

After spending 17 years building his retail business from the bottom up, Walton opened his first Walmart in 1962.

We all knew what happened next.

The point is that one of the most successful businessmen of all time worked his butt off for 20 years in the retail business before Walmart become a success.

Key lesson: If you want to be successful, avoid impatience like the plague.

Mindset 2: Arrogance

Another part of my personality that has held me back in the past is my arrogance.

I consider myself a pretty smart guy and sometimes, that spills over into thinking that I’m better than everyone. I am a master of the universe and don’t have anything to learn because I already know it all.

I’m sure you can see how these behaviors held me back.

It’s not that I disliked other people. I just thought I was better than them.

More intelligent, smarter, better-looking, and pretty much the bee’s knees. Whether or not this was objectively the case — which, most often, wasn’t — is beside the point.

The point is that this line of thinking is so counter-productive that it’s amazing I ever managed to accomplish anything at all.

Arrogance hampered me because it became a substitute for thought. A substitute for learning. A substitute for personal growth.

After all, why would I need to grow when I was already so amazing?

Want to know the worst part?

I was completely blind to it.

I had no idea how arrogant I was.

Let me illustrate.

When I started my first job, I was assigned a mentor. After the initial exchange of pleasantries, we got down to business. I realized pretty quickly that she didn’t have a university degree.

In my mind, at the time, that equated to being stupid. So, I assumed that she was stupid, which affected my attitude towards her as well as the people around me.

Coming straight out of school with this kind of arrogance, I’m sure you can imagine what happened next.

I was ostracized and had to move projects in order to work with other people- new people who didn’t know me.

This time, I tabled my arrogance as much as possible and lo and behold, my experience was completely different. People reacted differently to me. I felt better at work. It was easier to work with others and the quality of my overall experience increased exponentially.

The Humble-Pie Die

Have you ever wondered what it takes to become the richest man in the world?

Obviously, it takes tremendous patience because good things happen slowly. Less obvious is the fact that it requires complete lack of arrogance.

It requires a ruthless focus on learning from mistakes, a continuously expanding network of knowledge and magnificent people skills. These are all skills that would be impossible to attain in the face of arrogance.

Trust me.

So, who is this mystery man who has made a career (not to mention billions) from the humble-pie diet?

None other than investing legend Warren Buffett.

Buffett is one of my biggest idols. He is my idol because he combines one of the sharpest minds of several generations with a tremendous amount of humility. And this humility is what has helped him achieve the success that he has.

In his partnership letters, Buffett mostly writes about his mistakes, despite the fact that he wipes the floor with the market every year. His humility has allowed him to learn throughout his life and he has become one of the richest and most successful businessmen of all time because of it.

Key-Lesson: Eat your humble pie every day.

See Also: 4 Things Highly Successful People Do Differently

 

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