bythemethod.com blog

Most of us have a dream of some kind. I was reading the other day that more people have a dream to write a book than have a dream to be an astronaut. So why is it that so few ever get to write a book? Is it because they don’t have the talent? Well apparently not. Is it because they don’t have any good ideas? Judging from the books I sometimes read - I can’t believe that is true. Most people’s lack of success is down to them.

So how can we make sure this lack of success doesn’t happen to us?

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Sport in school is rubbish - at least it is for my children. I want them to be fit and healthy and not grow up fat - like so many other children are these days. But how do you get them to do it? Exercise is hard work and hurts so how can I persuade my children that exercise is good fun? Over the next few months I will share with you my efforts at getting them motivated for exercise.

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Short term goals are excellent but to have real control you need a long term plan. Lack of control is a main component in high levels of stress. Gain more control with a little planning.

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Avoiding burnout often entails taking a pro-active approach to life. When you take control of your life it greatly reduces the stress you experience from others.

It is very important to understand why you are doing something. You cannot decide if something is worth doing until you know why you are doing it. Read the rest of this entry »

Overview

What an exciting men’s final to the tennis yesterday. Five sets fought to the very extreme. How does anyone win in such a game? I will tell you what I think.

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Overview

What is it about “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” that makes you want to get up and help someone and how do they manage to achieve so much in so little time.

Introduction

Have you ever watched “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”? They build a house in record time to help a family in trouble.

I used to work in the construction industry so I know how hard it is to achieve what they do. It’s not just down to the numbers of people who work on the project - although this will help. It’s down to the way they get motivated for a project.

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Overview

Getting motivated for something in the long term is one of the hardest things we ever have to do. Here I offer some guidelines that might just help.

Introduction

There are two types of motivation: internal and external. Most forms of motivation tend to focus on the external.

External motivation includes things like: money, fame, holidays, houses, lifestyles etc. These can all be powerful motivators but unfortunately they are often only good for short term projects. The prospect of acquiring something can really give you an impetuous to get started but then things start to go wrong and you don’t meet your first target and everyone else is doing better than you and soon you give up.

So then what can we do to stop this kind of boom or bust mentality and what can we do to help ourselves stay motivated on a long term project? Read the rest of this entry »

I love to learn new things and I always have several books on the go at the same time. However I could know everthing about the world and still not be a success. There are some very clever people who never ‘make it’ as well as very talented people who stay in the same job for their whole lives. Some are like this because they chose to be but there are many more who were never successful. Why is this?

One of the reasons is that they never put what they know into action.

It’s better to have a bad plan in action than a good plan in a drawer.

What I mean is that the best plans in the world won’t help you if you never put them into action. So by all means plan but make sure your focus in on action rather than planning.

Here is a four point method for motivating a team. It comes from the world of sports but the approach is easily adapted to any team of any age. It comes from an excellent book called “Coaching and Motivation: A practical guide to maximum athletic performance” by William E. Warren. Here is a man who knows his stuff based on many years experience - this stuff is not just theory it works.

1. You must have a clear plan of where you’re going. Without such a plan, you’re unlikely to inspire confidence in youngsters who have no idea where they’re going, whether in athletics or in life.

2. You must be able to communicate that plan to your players in terms they understand. The best plan in the world is useless if your players cannot execute it, or if they don’t understand what you’re trying to do.

3. You must be able to let each player know exactly how he/she fits into your overall plans for the team.The coach’s efforts in this regard are integral in the process of molding individuals into a closly knit team. Players must be shown precisely how their contributions can help the team. Without that necessary step, their efforts are likely to be disoriented and misdirected.

4. You must tell the players what you want often enough - and in enough different ways (e.g. slogans and posters on the dressing room walls, etc) - that everyone understands what you’re saying. Tell them what you want them to believe, and why you believe it. Then tell them again. And again. And when or if you ever reach a point where you think they understand you, find another way to say the same thing, and tell them again.