Six Ways to Outsmart Procrastination

24 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in Encouragement, Inspirational, Motivational, Perseverance

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May 24, 2012

The Spanish have a proverb: 

Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.

Clever wordsmiths, those Spaniards. We all procrastinate. We dawdle and delay, dally and defer.  My office floor is still home to a pile of papers that needed filing two months ago; I’m waiting for them to stop dallying and file themselves.  Whatever the task, whatever the excuse, the tips below will help you do today what most people put off til next month. 

1. Ask yourself, What’s the holdup?

People procrastinate for many reasons.  Some fear failure.  Some avoid boring jobs.  Others shy away from getting tangled in a complicated mess (i.e., my pile of papers).  Knowing the cause of the problem may open your eyes to an obvious solution. 

2. Do you need to do it?

Simple question, but it’s a good one.  Sometimes we put something off because it’s not important.  If you don’t really need to do it, free yourself of the mental burden and drop the task from your to-do list. 

3. Ask for help.

I have an ancient window mechanism that takes the effort of a drawbridge operator to open.  Last month, unsurprisingly, it broke.  Someone had to fix it, but I was hoping that someone wasn’t me.  So I put it off.  After weeks of gazing at the window without actually doing anything, I asked a friend to help.  It wasn’t only because I have the mechanical skills of an uncoordinated squid; I knew it would get me moving. 

4. Commit just five minutes.

That’s it–just 300 seconds.  Telling yourself you only have to do something for a sliver of time does two things.  It transforms a big job into a tiny matter:  Five minutes?  I can do that.  And because getting started is the hardest part, once your five minutes is up, you’ll often drive right on through to the finish. 

5. Focus on the end.

Thinking about how you’ll feel when you’ve done whatever needs to be done may motivate you to make it happen.  I don’t much like to organize, but I love to be organized.  This is what I focus on–the feeling of having everything in its place, clean and tidy–when I need to declutter a space.  However, my pile of papers proves that I have some work to do. 

6. Just do it.

Quit stalling.  Quit rationalizing.  Stand up,walk to the danger zone, and get to work. 

Do you have any other tips or comments? Please feel free to post below.

Until next time…

~DHSI

About the author:

Jason M. Gracia
Author, Shifting the Balance
Founder, www.Motivation123.com

Top-Ten List of Life-Changing Quick Tips

18 Friday May 2012

Posted by in Inspirational, Motivational, Uplifting

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May 18, 2012

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Changing your life might appear to be a heavy task that takes months or even years. But, in truth, it all starts with a small step in the right direction. Below are ten of my favorite tips to help you do just that.

1. Get Angry

It might sound strange, but getting angry about where you are is actually a very good thing. It’s only when we get upset about something that we feel any motivation to change it. If you’re not mad that it’s broken, why bother fixing it? Don’t lose hope if you feel unsettled and unhappy with a part of your life. That’s a good sign, a sign that you’re getting ready to make a change.

2. Build the Muscle

Taking action is like a muscle; it’s a skill that must be built and strengthened over time. So I want you to build it. Start small. Set mini-goals for yourself, small tasks you can do in just a few minutes. Then, when the time comes to do something truly important, the habit of action you need will be there, ready to move you.

3. Strike When the Iron is Hot

Often, the moment bursting with the most drive and excitement is in the beginning,when a goal or idea first comes to mind. Your juices are flowing. Your mind is spinning with possibilities. A better life is just around the corner. This is when you need to get moving. Right that instant. When the idea comes to you, take a step toward fulfilling it. Putting it off will only let that energy fade away.

4. Raise Your Standards

We don’t often defy our standards. If you’re not the type of person who smokes, you can’t imagine falling into the habit. It’s just not who you are or who you see yourself to be. Take that idea and inject it into the rest of your goals. No matter what you want, begin to think of yourself as someone who simply makes it happen. As you begin to raise your standards and see yourself as the person you hope to become, it will be harder and harder to procrastinate or back down from fear. It’s just not who you are.

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5. Gather Your Personal Motivators

What books motivate you? What movies inspire you? What people, places, or things make you want to do the things you say you want to do? We all have them, though few people take the time to identify in particular what they are. I want you to go a step further. I don’t want you to merely name the things that motivate you–I want you to gather them into one place and create a motivation station of sorts. When you find something that excites or inspires you, you’ve found gold. You can’t let that slip to the side. You need to capture it so you can return to it whenever you need hope, encouragement, or confidence.

6. Clothes Do Matter

The way you dress affects the way you feel.The way you feel affects the way you act.Many at-home entrepreneurs make themselves dress for work each day as if they were heading to the office. By putting on the clothes of a successful CEO, they in turn carry themselves that way. They dress, then act, the part. So dress the way you want to act. If you want to feel confident, wear clothes that make you feel confident. If you want to feel motivated, dress like someone who takes decisive action.

7. Get Organized

Plain and simple: A cluttered desk or home or office makes for a cluttered mind. Get clear. Get focused. Get organized. You’ll create a state of mind that is not only relieved from all the clutter but also ready for action.

8. Discomfort, Anyone?

Do something that makes you uncomfortable at least once a week. Once a day if you’re ambitious. Why? Because most of our goals push us to do things we don’t normally do, to say things we don’t normally say. That can be scary, so most people don’t do it. But if you force yourself into uncomfortable situations (talking to a stranger, for instance), you’ll get good at pushing past your comfort zone. You’ll also realize the world doesn’t end when you do the things that scare you.

9. Who Did This?

You’re unique, no question about it. Even so, I have a feeling someone out there has been in your shoes. They shared your struggle and your dream, and they found a way. Instead of reinventing the wheel and going at this alone, why not reach out to those people and find out how they did it? If you want to improve your health, reach out to someone who already did it. If you want to start a business, email an entrepreneur. If you want to love your job, find someone who changed careers and adores the new direction. You’ll get two immediate rewards. First, you’ll realize that you’re not alone. There are other people out there just like you. Second, you’ll learn how to actually achieve your goal, not through guesswork or hunches, but through actual proof.

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10. Get It in Writing

I used to keep everything in my head. To-do lists, business ideas, schedules…everything I thought of or about squeezed its way into an already crowded space. And it drove me crazy. I was constantly going through mental lists, making sure I wasn’t missing something important. Then I decided to empty my head of it all. I typed it into the computer and felt instant relief and clarity. If your head is swirling with thoughts and ideas, write them all down on paper or record them all onto your computer. Free your mind. You’ll thank me.

That’s all for today. I hope you’re having a great week and looking forward to a productive (or relaxing) weekend.

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Until next time…

~DHSI

About the author:

Jason M. Gracia Founder,
Motivation123 Author, Shifting the Balance

A Resounding CONGRATULATIONS to the owner, Ms. Erica Davis!!!!

16 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by in Achievement, Diamond Hospitality, Not Giving Up, Winning

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Diamond Hospitality Services, Inc. staff, friends, and loved ones would like to congratulate Ms. Erica A. Davis, owner of DHSI, for her remarkable achievement:

Erica graduated from Strayer University on Sunday, May 12, 2012 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. Graduating from college was extremely important to her and was one of her long-term goals that turned into a short-term goal. Being a single mother of three adult children, a freshman high schooler, and a grandmother of one, a full-time student, AND a business owner with five employees, Erica was determined to fulfill this dream no matter what the cost….and she succeeded!

***Erica graduated SUMMA CUM LAUDE with HIGH HONORS, three honors cords with three national and international honors societies, an honors medallion, AND a 4.0.***

To say that we are all VERY proud of her does not do her any justice. We could not be more proud and happy for Erica to have met this goal that was so very important to her.

Here are just a few of the hundreds of pics that were taken to celebrate and memorialize the day:

#1: Erica after the ceremony
#2: Erica and several other graduates were acknowledged at the Hard Rock Cafe in Atlanta in front of the WHOLE restaurant!
#3: The love of Erica’s life and one of her BIGGEST SUPPORTERS: Bishop M.
#4: Erica’s beautiful sister, Chassidy (she flew in the day before), and two of her beautiful girls, Jessica and Andrea
#5: All of these people helped to make her day VERY VERY special: very dear friends Jose and Deanna (they drove 11 hours to be here for her!), daughter Andrea, Erica, her love – Bishop, sister Chassidy, son Deion, and daughter Jessica.

Ms. Erica, we solute you and wish you well on your next journey, hopefully to Florida! You are truly an inspiration to those around you!

We are gonna keep on celebrating:

Sincerely,

~DHSI staff, friends, and loved ones

The Pursuit of Happiness

15 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by in Happiness, Inspirational, Motivational

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…Maybe that’s the problem.

Pursuing happiness is like chasing a rainbow. The faster we go, the harder we try, the farther off it becomes.

I have learned that happiness is not a pursuit— it’s a choice. Happiness is a state of mind, obtainable at any time, in any moment of your choosing.

Licking a cone of creamy vanilla Häagen-Dazs makes me happy. But if someone knocks the cone out of my hand, I’m no longer happy. Happiness can be fleeting and unstable, like that ice cream cone. It’s really just a temporary sensation of pleasure, like entertainment, shopping, eating or sex.

Our beliefs about what will make us happy are heavily influenced by other people, Hollywood or commercial media. We race along this “hedonic treadmill” perpetually feeling like something is missing, like happiness is one toy, one trinket or one promotion away, but always just beyond our reach.

And still no rainbow. Disappointing career choices, heartbreaking relationships and midlife crises show that our assumptions about happiness and the pursuit of it often miss the mark.


It’s not the pursuit of happiness we should concern ourselves with, but rather the pursuit of fulfillment, purpose and significance.

If I have created a life of meaning in which I have a deep sense of purpose and value, that won’t change because someone knocks my ice cream cone over. Fulfillment is a state of existence, not a fleeting emotion.

What then creates a fulfilling life?

That’s the all-important question you have to answer for yourself. In fact, it’s the subject of the classic tome Man’s Search for Meaning (which I recommend!) by psychiatrist and concentration camp survivor Viktor Frankl. Typically a life of meaning requires deep relationships, a connection to a community, a sense of well-being, contribution to others and continual challenge, growth, learning and progress. Now those are some virtues worth pursuing. And once you start out on this pursuit, you will realize that crossing the finish line is not what’s most rewarding; the journey itself and the anticipation of achieving your goal is what’s so exhilarating and wonderful.

So what about being happy?

There are two ways you can choose to be happy at any moment.

One: Think about all you have to be grateful for. Some of the happiest people I have ever met are those who have comparatively few accoutrements to be happy about. When you feel gratitude, you cannot feel fear or worry at the same time. Gratitude washes it all away. If you are reading this, you’re breathing and above ground, so you have many blessings to be grateful for—just remind yourself at any moment you want to feel happy.

The second way to choose happiness—the best way, in my opinion—is to do something to make someone else happy. The person who bestows happiness always gets much more of it in return.

How do YOU define happiness? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. ‘Share’ and ‘Like’ this post as well.

Until next time…

~DHSI

About the Author:

Darren Hardy is the visionary force behind SUCCESS magazine as its Publisher and Editorial Director.

As a leader in the personal development industry, Darren gets the unique privilege of sitting down with the leading experts on human performance and achievement, as well as many of today’s top CEOs, revolutionary entrepreneurs, superstar athletes, entertainers and Olympic champions, to learn their unique secrets to their extraordinary success.

Darren is also an accomplished entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, private equity investor, corporate advisor and peak performance mentor.

A Trip You’ll Never Forget

26 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in travel tips, Traveling, trips

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April 26, 2012

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Capture special moments and experiences. I can’t tell you how many trips I’ve taken whose memories are slowly fading. And when they’re gone, so is the trip. I’ve since learned my lesson–O.K., I’m working on learning my lesson. When I set off to wherever it is I’m going, I tell myself to capture the trip. I try not to leave all the heavy lifting to my mind, and instead use some of the tips and tools below.

1. Take pictures, video, and notes.

The first two are obvious, but not so the last one. Jotting down a few thoughts in a journal or notebook as you take in the scene is a simple way to get at things from your trip that visuals can’t always transmit. Not only can you describe how something looks; you can describe how something makes you feel at that moment.

If you don’t know it yet, I’m a nut about history. Several years ago I traveled overseas, and, as part of the trip, I had to sit at the doorstep of Franklin’s London home. The alleyway was deserted, aside from my travel mate around the corner nagging me to hurry. I ignored him, opened a small notebook, and wrote down one thought. Those words, written while squatting on the concrete curb in front of an old doorway, are the things I treasure most from the trip.

2. Collect meaningful mementos.

As hilarious as the shot glasses and as touching as the t-shirts are at every tourist trap, gather items from your trip that speak to something just a little deeper. Here’s an example: one of my close friends always brings back a glass jar of sand from her trips. She doesn’t have a plastic knick-knack made in China or a hat that tells you where the party is; she has a piece of the place, something genuine to keep forever.

I’m not saying the trifling items aren’t fun to buy–personally I get a lapel pin everywhere I go–but along with them it’s important to capture something authentic to the city, state, or country. This way, as with my friend, you can take a piece of it home.

3. Get in touch with the natives.

If you really want to experience the destination, get in touch with people who live there. Talk with locals. Ask about history and lore and everyday living. If you enjoy the food, learn recipes that you can stumble through in your kitchen. If you enjoy the music, record it.

Every great place has two faces. One is plastic and hums along the surface, calling out to touristy tourists. And then there is the real place, the deeper place that takes effort to unearth. Connect with the people who have lived their entire lives under that unique glare of the sun and you’ll have a direct link to the true heart of the city.

20120309-120239.jpgHow does this tie into happiness? It’s another way for you to make the most of your hours and days. Life is a string of experiences, blips along time that bundle together to form your existence. As far as I’m concerned, anything you can do to make those blips burn a little brighter is worth it.

Until next time…

~DHSI

Author Information: Motivation123.com
Get hundreds of simple motivation tips, along with your free Motivation123 Welcome Kit, at the Motivation123.com Web site. Visit www.motivation123.com today.

Even the Father of Positive Thinking Has Self-Doubts

11 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by in Encouragement, Motivational, Not Giving Up

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April 11, 2012

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It’s hard to believe that the father of positive thinking, Norman Vincent Peale, was once a young boy plagued by an inferiority complex. But through faith, and his realization that people take you at your own self-appraisal, Peale began a journey to a new way of thinking. If your self-appraisal needs some refinement, incorporate Peale’s timeless truths into your life:

Start thinking you can do things. When people believe in themselves they learn the first secret of success. Practice hope. As hopefulness becomes a habit, you can achieve a permanently happy spirit.

Get fired up with enthusiasm. Those fired with an enthusiastic idea, and who allow it to take hold and dominate their thoughts, find that new worlds open for them.

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Stretch beyond your current limits. We can do just about anything that we really want and make up our minds to do. We are all capable of greater things than we realize.

Practice happy thinking. Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate. Cultivate the merry heart, develop the happiness habit, and life will become a continual feast.

Like attracts like. If you have zest and enthusiasm you attract zest and enthusiasm. Life does give back in kind.

Maintain enthusiasm through tough times. Cushion the painful effects of hard blows by keeping the enthusiasm going strong.

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Believe things will turn out well. Believe it is possible to solve your problem. Tremendous things happen to the believer. So believe the answer will come. It will.

Until next time…

~DHSI

How to “Own” Your Own Dream

10 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by in Dream Big, Encouragement, Motivational, Perseverance

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April 10, 2012

It is a peculiar truth of life that we often do not appropriately value the things we don’t directly pay for. One of the problems with credit is that it enables us to have something that we “want” now even though we might not really need it. And had we been forced to earn the money for it first then we might have decided later that it’s not worth the money because it’s not worth the work we had to put in to get it.

Unfortunately, many of us approach our dreams with the same buying-on-credit philosophy that we use to buy our stuff. We want to find a way to get them without having to pay for them upfront. In other words we want the accolades, the raises, the notoriety, the freedom and the status, but we’d rather not have to put the work in for it up front in order to get it. But even though we think that is what we want, it ultimately doesn’t satisfy.

A dream that is handed to you wouldn’t be worth as much as one you had to pay to own. It wouldn’t have the same significance, the same meaning, and it wouldn’t represent the same success. Even though we may not realize it, the satisfaction of reaching the dream comes from having paid the price in order to get it.

So if you have a dream–any dream–you don’t want it on “credit.” That is, you don’t want it “given” to you and you don’t need it to “come easy.” You want to work for it, you want to earn it, you want to pay the price for it. You want to own it! My friend and author, Randy Gage, often says “You should be the number one investor into your own dream.”

There are three currencies you can use to invest in owning your dream: time, money, and energy. If you have a dream that you want, you can own it by investing any one of those three things into it at any moment.

And as the “Buy-In Principle” of the Take the Stairs methodology reminds us, “the more we have invested into something the less likely we are to let it fail.” So don’t wait for your dream to be given to you. Don’t expect an easier way for it to show up. Don’t think it’d be better if it just happened. Instead, start investing! Start paying the price and you’ll be amazed at the power you have once you truly “own” your own dream.

See you in the “stairwell” .

Until next time…

~DHSI

-what was the most important lesson you got from the above article?

About the author:
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20120410-091753.jpgRory Vaden MBA – Co-Founder of Southwestern Consulting, Self-Discipline Strategist and Author of Take the Stairs. Visit www.RoryVaden.com

The Key Ingredients

28 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Goals, Inspirational, Motivational

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March 28, 2012

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Having goals in our lives is important. For some, merely creating goals brings about a positive change. When you make a goal, you are creating an exciting challenge for yourself. To make sure you meet that challenge with the right tools, you will need to do three things.

1. Write It Down

The first step is to write your goal down on paper. This may seem like a simple step, but it makes your goal visible and tangible. Get out a clean sheet of paper, and write your goal down in clear words.

It doesn’t have to be a big dream for it to be useful. Any goal you have should be written down. It should also be somewhere you will look often, or pass by during the day.

2. Break it Down

You may have a goal of losing weight. This alone seems like a difficult thing to do. But when we break this goal down into its different parts, these smaller goals become easier to handle. Losing 10 lbs. seems overwhelming, but losing 1 lb. a month for ten months is something you can definately do.

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3. Remind Yourself

With so many things to do during your busy day, your goals can sometimes be put aside. Write yourself a reminder, and place it where it will be seen often. Your fridge, bathroom mirror, or desk are just a few of the places where you could post your goal.

Bottom line is this: it is very important to visualize your goals. Get them out of your head and onto a sheet of paper. That is the moment that your dreams turn into goals. You know what happens at this point?

This gives you a purpose.

Until next time…

~DHSI

Like this post? Be sure to share it with your network of family and friends. You never know who might need to read this.

3 Steps to Squeeze the Most Out of Life’s Special Moments

27 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Inspirational, Motivational

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March 27, 2012

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Life can be crazy. Hectic. Stressful. Sad.

But it can also be full of joy and passion….beauty and bliss.

The secret is to not only make it past the rough patches, but also fully experience the good times.

Below are 3 tips to help you do just that…

1. Realize You’re in the Moment.

The first step is to realize that you’re in the middle of something good. It could be a beautiful day on your family vacation, a perfect afternoon with the kids, a warm sun and a cool breeze. Or it could be spending precious time with that one special person in your life…

2. Take a Step Back.

Once you make the realization, stop for a moment and take a step back to briefly remove yourself from the situation.

Don’t go anywhere. Merely check out for a minute or two, mentally.

While you do, imagine as if the moment occurred in the past. Picture how happy you were, the details of the scene, the others around you.

Feel the emotions you felt, see and hear the faces and sounds. Remember how much you enjoyed the time, and how much you’d like to enjoy it again.

Then realize that this wonderful memory is no memory at all. It’s happening–right now.

20120327-145941.jpg3. Make Your Re-Entry.

Make your re-entry into the scene and enjoy it like no one else.

This moment, like all times in our lives, will eventually end. But whereas most people don’t give the experience a second thought, you’ll be the one who gets the most out of every drop of joy
and minute of happiness.

You’ll get twice as much from life without lifting a finger.

Until next time…

~DHSI

It’s Our Anniversary!!!

23 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by in business, Diamond Hospitality

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March 23, 2012

One year ago, today, Diamond Hospitality Services, Inc. was born!

We take this moment to reflect on where we have been, where we are today, and where we are headed. Diamond Hospitality has come a long way in just one short year. We are super excited about the endless possibilities of what is in store for us.

We would like to thank those who have stood by us and believed in this wonderful dream…who have encouraged and supported us in whatever way that you did. Believe it or not, it is the most simplest things that can help push a dream even further to its goal!

Happy 1 Year Anniversary, Diamond!

~Erica

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