I have a deal for you this month: for a limited time, you can get 50% off A Dent in the Universe! To get it, please use the coupon code sep2017 on checkout. The code will expire on September 28.

A Dent in the Universe is an e-book I wrote that contains 36 proven business lessons from Steve Jobs. As you know, Jobs is a legend in the business world who transformed multiple industries. Apple honored his legacy last week by opening the Steve Jobs Theater and launching iPhone X.

If you are thinking about starting a business or already building one, this book can help you do it the right way. It’s a time-saver because then you won’t need to learn things the hard way.

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A while back, I read Grinding It Out. It tells the fascinating story of how Ray Kroc built McDonald’s.

One interesting thing is that he only started building McDonald’s when he was already 52! You might think that at that age someone’s ‘golden age’ has passed; they wouldn’t build something new, let alone something big. But the story of Ray Kroc proves otherwise. It proves that it’s never too late to build something big in your life.

I learned some success tips from his story. Here they are:

1. Believe That the Best Is Still Ahead of You

How could he make such a big commitment at the time when most people already think about retirement? How did the possibility even enter his mind?

A key factor was the mindset he had. He believed that the best was still ahead of him. He was eager for something more. He didn’t just stay in his comfort zone.

This mindset, if you have it, can make a big difference in your life. Believe that the best is still ahead of you. Believe that there is more to come.

2. Always Be on the Lookout for Opportunities

When you believe that the best is still ahead of you, you will be on the lookout for opportunities. You will open your eyes for them.

Kroc already had a good business selling multimixers at that time, but he didn’t stop there. He kept looking for the right opportunity. Eventually, he heard good things about a restaurant named McDonald’s that intrigued him.

Being on the lookout for opportunities helps you recognize an opportunity when it comes. Otherwise, you might miss an opportunity even when it’s right in front of you.

3. Act Fast When an Opportunity Comes

Now, what should you do when an opportunity comes? You should act… fast.

That’s what Ray Kroc did. When he heard good things about that far away restaurant, he decided to fly there to see it himself. And when he saw the great potential the restaurant had, he didn’t delay. He negotiated with the McDonald’s brothers to open his own restaurants.

There is a window of opportunity. If you are too slow, the window will close.

4. Think Big

The McDonald’s brothers could have built the chain themselves. But the problem was their way of thinking: they were thinking too small! They were already satisfied with their one restaurant and the comfortable life they had. They had no desire for something more.

Kroc, on the other hand, already imagined hundreds of restaurants across the country even before he came to the negotiating table. He was thinking big. He had a vision. And that makes a big difference.

5. Focus

When Kroc decided to take the opportunity, he focused on it. He devoted his time, energy, and money there. In fact, he didn’t even take a salary in the first years to help the business get off the ground.

He didn’t allow himself to get sidetracked either. He had a vision of how  McDonald’s would be, and he rejected short-term opportunities that didn’t help him reach the vision.

6. Build a Strong Team

One key to success that Kroc had was his team. He had a strong team. He found the right people and put them in the right place. He found people who built upon each other’s strengths and complemented his own weaknesses.

Many of these people stayed with him for years as McDonald’s became a worldwide brand. With their help, he could build the company fast.

***

I learned a lot of lessons from Kroc’s story. What about you? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

P.S. I have a deal coming soon. Stay tuned.

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It is often assumed that someone who is risk averse and who resists their desire to achieve something does so because they are afraid of failing. In actual fact, there is a second fear that holds people back from striving toward their goals: the fear of success.

It may seem counterintuitive to be afraid of something that so many people spend their entire lives chasing, but success can bring challenges of its own and these can discourage some who may otherwise have the ability to attain it.

They effectively sabotage any chances they may have of fulfilling their potential so as to avoid having to deal with the consequences of their accomplishments.

But what, I hear you cry, could possibly deter people from getting ahead in life? Why would they ever be content with underachieving? Here are 8 possible reasons you might fear success in life:

1. You’re Afraid of the Unknown

Right now your life is predictable. You are in an established rhythm that you can follow without any great thought. Your job doesn’t stretch you, your finances are relatively secure, your free time is taken up by the same old routine each week, and your relationships are stable.

To succeed, you would have to rip up this script and replace it with all sorts of unknown quantities: new people, new places, new lifestyle, new activities. Upon realizing your goal, things might change yet again as your new, successful self faces fresh choices and obstacles.

The unknown is scary, so rather than give it a chance to permeate through your life, you simply put the blinkers on and pretend everything’s fine.

2. You’re Afraid of the Demands Success Might Make of You

One of the biggest unknowns is the potential new demands that success might force upon you. Your successful self might suddenly find that they have little to no leisure time left because you have to spend more of your day working, training, learning, or reacting to situations you now find yourself in.

Or your achievements might mean you have to deal with invasions of privacy (more on that in a minute), requests for help or money, and pressure to maintain the highs you have reached.

You think these things will weigh you down, so rather than let that happen, you limit your progress.

3. You’re Afraid of the Responsibility Success Might Bring

You’ve done well… very well, and now you’re accountable for so much more than you ever were before. Maybe you’ve got employees to think about, even shareholders to please, or other commitments that you can’t get out of. Did you win a scholarship to a prestigious university, get selected for a sports team you tried out for, or make your family proud in some other way?

That’s a lot to have to think about each time you make a decision. What if it’s the wrong one? What if you let people down? What if everything comes crashing down around you?

Rather than face up to the burden of this responsibility, you decide to stay put where you are.

4. You’re Afraid of the Attention Success Could Attract

Whether it’s chatter among your peers, local media coverage, or international stardom, being successful may sometimes shine a spotlight upon you. Strangers might try to talk to you, your face might find its way into magazines, and your personal choices might be poured over and scrutinized by anyone with a Twitter account.

And it’s not all going to be positive. Success has a habit of making you a target for attacks; envy can be a cruel emotion that drives people to say and do unpleasant things, and most of the time you won’t be around to defend yourself.

You don’t want to be the center of attention. Not one bit. So instead of pursuing the things that you are passionate about, you hold back and avoid the limelight.

5. You’re Afraid of Losing Your Identity

You know who you are right now. Well… mostly. You are well acquainted with your thoughts, feelings, and desires. You are comfortable in your own skin and others are comfortable with it too.

Success means change and you’re afraid that this includes your identity. You worry that you might start behaving differently – you might let success get to your head, you might take things (and people) for granted, you might lose touch with your roots. You may even alienate your loved ones (as we’ll discuss below).

The thought of becoming a different person scares the living daylights out of you, so you just maintain the status quo and pass up opportunities that come your way.

6. You’re Afraid Success Won’t Bring You Happiness

We all want to be happy in our lives. Perhaps you are right now, or relatively so. In your mind, success should bring even greater joy into your life… but what if it doesn’t? What if, after striving so hard to achieve great things, you are no happier than you are now? Or worse, you are less happy.

Is it worth taking the risk if you aren’t rewarded with greater enjoyment in your life? Are the hours and weeks and years of dedication going to pay off in the end?

Rather than ask the question, you stay silent and put your dreams on the perpetual back burner to avoid the chance of being disappointed.

7. You’re Afraid of Losing Those You Care About

That identity of yours we spoke about earlier; it’s not just relevant to you. Your friends, family, colleagues, and casual acquaintances all respond to you based upon that identity. If that changes – perhaps not in your eyes, but in theirs – will they act differently around you? What will happen to your relationships if you attain a level of success?

Might you suddenly become unrelatable or unapproachable in their eyes? Will conversations feel forced? Will the feeling of comfort you currently enjoy with them be replaced by one of awkwardness?

Not worth the risk, right?

8. You’re Afraid You Might Get Carried Away with Success

Perhaps none of the things above scare you. Perhaps the thing you fear most is that upon achieving success, it’s won’t be enough for you; that you’ll become obsessed with ever greater achievements and ever more challenging goals. You’re afraid that success will take over your life and become the be all and end all of your existence.

Sure, it happens. The emotional high of succeeding at something gets followed by the low of wondering what comes next. Will you be happy with what you have done so far, or will you have to constantly look for the next challenge, the next big thing?

Heck, if that’s what success is going to do to you, you don’t want it. You’ll just sit on your hands and keep that potential of yours hidden.

***

Here’s the thing about these eight components to your fear of success: they’re only one side of the story. Yes, they are part of the vast range of possibilities, but not all of them will come true. In fact, the opposite could also be true in many cases.

You may find yourself with more leisure time, you may enjoy the responsibility, you may embrace the attention, you may find your true self, you may experience so much more happiness, and you may strengthen your relationships or forge new ones.

When you fear success, you only focus on the cons and not the pros. Every “what if” question ends in a negative. You’re blinded to the wonderful things that may come about if you pursue a dream or goal.

It doesn’t matter if yours is a goal involving your career, health, finances, a sporting activity, a lifestyle you wish to lead, or something else entirely, if all you ever do is consider the negative consequences of succeeding, you will remain forever afraid to take a leap of faith.

So instead of being afraid of what success may lead to, be excited by it. Consider the good and great things that could be waiting for you if you but dive in head first to turning your dreams into reality.

– About the Writer –

Steve Waller is the founder of personal development blog A Conscious Rethink. There you can find advice designed to help you overcome the challenges standing in the way of a better, more content life. You can connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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Let’s talk about stress, baby…!

Have you looked around lately? Almost everybody is stressed! Everybody has too much to do and not enough time. Burnout rates are higher than ever before. Even though we live in the greatest luxury… we keep stressing ourselves. Think about it: stress sucks all the fun out of life.

Take a moment to imagine what a life without stress could be like.

When the clouds disappear, a beautiful blue sky remains. Similarly, when stressful thoughts and emotions disappear… all that remains is peace of mind.

A clear head. Happiness. Joy.

Do you think that living without stress is a utopia? Keep reading and open your mind. The information that follows may just be the single most important thing you read this week.

The problem is that most people are playing the game of life by the wrong rules. Imagine what happens when you play a game of football by the wrong rules. No matter how hard you try, you can never win. You always end up frustrated, exhausted, demoralized, empty…

We’ve all learned what stress is. Now, what if I tell you that most of what we know about stress is simply… NOT TRUE.

Myth #1: A bit of stress makes you perform better

The right level of challenge makes you perform better. But stress makes you perform worse. This is how neuroscientist Amy Arnsten puts it: “Neural circuits responsible for conscious self-control are highly vulnerable to even mild stress. When they shut down, primal impulses go unchecked and mental paralysis sets in.”

This means that when you’re stressed, you’re more likely to cause harm than good.

Think about a recent argument you may have had. It starts out with something silly, like your partner leaving socks on the floor or leaving the cap off the toothpaste. You felt annoyed, angry, frustrated… it felt like nothing else in the world exists. When you’re stressed, you experience negative emotions and you cannot think clearly. You cannot zoom out and calmly evaluate your options. All you can do is fight to get your point across.

How about creativity? One good idea can save you months of work. Unfortunately, creativity requires the lower alpha and theta brain wave frequency, whereas stressful events increase beta brain wave activity.

Myth #2: Stress can come from many different sources

“Stress can come from many different sources,” is the common wisdom we live by. But really, can it?

Isn’t stress simply your response to whatever is going on around you? And if so, can’t you choose your response?

If you believe that other things cause you to feel stressed, you put your well-being in the hands of external factors. Which is… quite stressful.

Instead, you must realize that stress comes from the meaning which you attach to a certain event. Don’t blame anything or anybody, but instead ask: “what can I do to change the situation?” or “what can I do to change what this means to me?”

Myth #3: Stress is a normal part of life that we should accept

Stress is an evolutionary survival mechanism for all living beings. When a cat is surprised by another cat, it jumps up and sprints away. Big stress for a few seconds, then back to instant relaxation.

Humans, however, are very social beings. And the human brain possesses the unique ability to plan ahead. A painful by-product of this ability is frequent stress. Even when there’s nothing to be stressed about, we worry about what could be happening.

In today’s service economy, work has become intangible, subjective. Saying “no” is a poor survival strategy, so our bodies prefer to say “yes” to whatever our environment demands. Our bodies activate the stress mechanism so we can temporarily function on 110%. Urgent deadline or ad hoc work coming up? Sure, the brain thinks, here’s a shot of adrenaline and cortisol, and now run!

Even though many humans in the Western world seem to be addicted to cortisol, it’s not something we must accept as a fact of life. We can CHOOSE to live stress-free, as long as we take ownership over our lives and we live by the right habits.

Conclusion: staying stress-free should be our number one priority – every day

Because when you’re stress-free, you can think clearly. Your brain becomes creative again. When you’re stress-free, you’re healthier, more likable.

That’s clear… stress is our number 1 enemy.

But, information is useless if you don’t take action.

So now that you have read and understood this information, only one question remains… what will you DO with it?

We will probably never succeed to be 100% stress-free, but every additional stress-free moment makes our lives more fun, more productive, more fulfilling and more rewarding.

Sounds like something worth fighting for, right?

– About the Writer –

Alexander Keehnen lives in the Netherlands and created the revolutionary online course “How to Work Stress-Free”. Being extremely pragmatic, he teaches people what they must know which schools don’t: how to be successful with no stress.

Alexander shares extremely valuable FREE tips on how to work stress-free. Subscribe on http://ift.tt/2f6v67C

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You know the feeling well. Come on, don’t deny it.

The mounting frustration, the sense that nothing works as it should, everything is irritating and time-consuming. You have no patience, you feel knotted up inside and there’s a slowly enveloping cloud of blackness developing over your head like your own little personal black storm.

Yes, you’re in a bad mood and there’s nothing you can do about it. The day’s ruined and your life’s just a bit crap and why oh why does nobody understand the terrible burdens you, and only you are suffering?!

You rattle on in a cantankerous fury, muttering on under your breath and bemoaning your lot in life.

We all get into a bad mood from time to time and it can be, at best, just inconvenient and annoying. However, at worst it can ruin your day, put a strain on your relationships and, in the longer term, affect your self-esteem and well-being.

When we are in a mood it’s hard to see a way out, difficult to see the wood for the trees and it can become all enveloping and a self-perpetuating cycle of irritation and fury.

Here are nine tips on how to get out of a bad mood:

1. Admit It and Get It Out of Your Head

The first stage is to admit to yourself, and to others, that you are actually in a bad mood. How often has someone gently pointed out to you (possibly out of annoying concern!) that you seem to be in a bad mood only for you to bark back, through a clenched smile and gritted teeth “No, I’m fine!”?

Our default stance often seems to be one of self-martyrdom and we try to just get on and ignore our mood hoping it will go away and no one will notice. It takes quite a lot of willpower to be objective about yourself in this sort of situation. It’s hard to bypass this default pathway and to literally say to yourself “Right, you’re in a really bad mood. Let’s get this sorted out now!” However, if you can do this you are at least half way to quickly getting your mood back on track.

Another strategy that will help at this point but will scream against every fiber of your natural instinct is to reply to your concerned friend “Yes, I’m in a really bad mood. In fact, I’m really annoying myself never mind you – I’m sorry!” I can pretty much guarantee that, if you pull that one off you will gain control of your mood pretty quickly!

If the opportunity doesn’t occur, you can also try just bringing it up in conversation. The point is that admitting firstly to yourself and then externalising the fact that you are in a mood gets it out of the pressure cooker of your head. It works like a safety valve. Letting off steam is good and is the primary step to getting back on track. Once you have identified the problem, try one or more of the strategies below to get back on an even keel.

2. Make or Mend Something

Try doing something practical, constructive and creative. You don’t need to spend 10 hours completing a scale model of the Empire State Building but mending something, using your ingenuity and problem-solving skills will take your mind into a more positive area. Make sure that you do something quick, quantifiable and achievable and the sense of satisfaction that you get from it will start to work wonders.

Doing a boring, simple, menial task that you have been putting off for ages can also work well. This type of activity has a good return on the amount of effort required to carry it out. It will probably be simple to achieve and not require much brain power. However, being able to tick its long standing presence off your “to do” list will give you a positive boost.

Whenever you are in a mood, setting yourself very small, achievable goals and tasks rather than looking too hard at the over view is a good strategy. Set yourself up for success rather than failure.

3. Watch TV Comedy/Stand Up

You can’t really be in a bad mood and laugh at the same time. You really won’t feel like doing it but, if you can take even a few minutes and watch a TV show or a video of a comedian that you know makes you laugh, your mood will probably dissolve away.

If you feel you can’t take time out then what about listening to something funny and entertaining whilst you work or try to get on with being in a bad mood? Having a few “anti mood” tracks on your phone ready to go can be a great way of preparing for the worst. When you feel your mood coming on, you can just plug in your headphones and hopefully pull yourself out of it.

The point is that you are making an intervention. You recognise that you are in a bad mood and, rather than indulging in it, you take action to direct yourself out of it. Laughter is known to be a great remedy, it relaxes you and relieves tension for up to 45 minutes afterwards. It’s even known to boost the immune system!

4. Create and Eat Some Healthy Food

Giving your body some great, high-quality nutrition has a calming and cleansing effect that can also powerfully affect your mood. There’s something therapeutic about thinking about what to create, then actually taking the time to make it and finally consuming it.

Eating is often comforting and, if you’re eating something that just feels good and healthy, it will put you in a better mood. There’s also something very empowering about indulging in some self-care as well. Taking the time to fuel your body properly will make you physically feel good which has a knock-on effect on your mood too.

5. Dance Like an Idiot

This one works wonders and, if you can pull it off, will snap you out of a bad mood in minutes. Basically, you need to pull the curtains, put on some loud and crazy music and dance yourself back into a good mood!

Musically, you need your guilty feel-good indulgence tracks then close your eyes, imagine you are at a massive gig and just let yourself go! There’s no one watching, no one need ever know you did it but, if you can make the mental transition effectively, you will be back in a good mood in a matter of moments.

6. Get Outside and Dig the Garden

There’s something incredibly therapeutic about gardening. It’s the combination of fresh air, being at one with nature and nurturing plants that can give an almost instant sense of well-being.

Digging the garden has the added advantage of being a physical exercise as well as a very positive “back to basics” activity. Clearing away weeds and preparing the ground for planting for new growth has obvious positive connotations. Simplistic as it may seem, these types of activities tap into a fundamental part of our psyche and can give an almost instant sense of well-being.

7. Get Off Screens and Social Media

Passively absorbing information can stupefy the brain and social media often has the effect of just making us feel inadequate as we compare ourselves to others. Blankly staring at a screen will not help get you out of your mood, blindly scrolling through social media updates is depressing.

If you know you are in a bad mood then I would go as far as suggesting that you switch your phone off. Get away from your computer screen if possible and try to do something practical and physical instead.

8. Do Something Nice for Someone Else

It’s very easy when you are in a bad mood to become introspective and self-absorbed. If you can turn this around and help someone else out, you will also be helping yourself get out of your mood.

It doesn’t have to be anything grandiose or complicated but simply the act of thinking about someone else rather than yourself and putting someone else’s needs before your own can have a very positive effect on your mood.

9. Shout and Lose Your Temper

The natural conclusion for a bad mood is probably most likely that you will completely lose your temper. Often, the pressure just builds and builds. Sometimes it might take several hours to reach a climax but often there will be a trigger point, maybe something completely trivial that will be “the straw that broke the camels back” and you will just let rip!

I’ve lost my temper many times over the years and it’s never really achieved anything positive. If we are not careful, losing our temper can put us in all sorts of potentially destructive situations. We can quickly and painfully damage relationships and put ourselves in all sorts of danger.

The point is that there’s nothing actually wrong with losing your temper. Sometimes it just has to be done. It’s the way that you do it that’s important.

So, firstly give yourself permission to “go into one” but, most importantly prepare for it. You need to do it in a safe space, with safe people who know what’s going on and at a safe time.

Personally, I find throwing things and shouting is a great stress reliever! I look like a 49-year-old toddler having a tantrum and it’s potentially frightening to watch. However, if I manage to warn the family, go into the garden, shout at myself and jump up and down on the lawn it usually does the trick as I basically quickly start to feel like an idiot!

You will find your own method!

The important thing is that it is planned and controlled. If you can’t do yourself or anyone else any harm when you lose your temper it can be a quick and effective way to get your self back on an even keel!

***

I hope you have found the above tips helpful! Have you found any other quick and effective ways to get yourself out of a bad mood? If you have, leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you.

– About the Writer –

Andrew Hind is a Dad to three teenage girls, photographer and musician as well as a keen cyclist. He is also the blogger at The Road Cyclist’s Guide, a blog about cycling, life and thriving. You can also connect at Facebook.

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