In the words of Chuck Palahniuk, “Your past is just a story. And once you realize this, it has no power over you.” These words were spoken some years ago. However, they are still as potent and relevant as the first time they were spoken. If only many people realized this simple but extremely powerful truth, life would have been easier for them. We would have had more individuals that are less cranky and frustrated in the world.

Some people struggle to overcome their past demons. For instance, bad experience from their past relationships often hinder them from building robust and happy relationships in the future. They built a mental wall and find it difficult to trust another person or commit into another relationship. Letting past experiences interfere with our future is detrimental to our growth and mental wellbeing. This chapter will explore some vital things about the past you need to know.

Life is a Journey

This statement might sound like a cliché, but it’s not. You have to realize that life is a journey. In fact, it is an experience we are all having for the first and last time. In other words, no one has been to this world before that is now having another opportunity to live it all over again. Indeed, there are people who are experienced in this world. However, their experiences are all parts of their journey in life...

Just as with other social media platforms, it’s the connections that you make that provide the most value to you. You should make it your driving goal on this site to locate the people you want to learn from – and lead.

This might be comedians, musicians, or others in the entertainment field. Or, it can be marketers or branding experts – other people who are creating a business. Many of these connections may offer the opportunity to take part in a Q & A session.

Many of the connections you can find here are people who already have a huge following on other social media sites. What you want to focus on is finding the people who will want to follow you as well.

That’s how you build your brand on the site. The way to find someone on the platform isn’t that difficult. There’s a search feature that will allow you to go through the member list.

Unlike other social media sites, there’s no way you can hide your profile. So anyone who joins will be able to see who you are as well as be able to read the information you put in your profile’s bio.

As soon as you join, you’ll be able to access the various rooms. When you see these rooms, the app will show you who’s in the room. Sometimes, the room will be packed with participants, but other times, there may only be a handful of people....

You might not have realized this yet, but Clubhouse is a place that’s ripe for potential product ideas that you can tap into. It’s also a great place where you can get the ideas that you may have already turned into products checked out by others.

The first thing you want to do is identify what’s missing or wanted in someone’s life. There are so many rooms with a lot of people talking about what they need. You can mine these conversations to find out what they feel they’re missing or what it is that would be helpful to them.

Sometimes during a conversation, someone might throw out a wish that has to do with a business or a personal need. You can dig through the conversations to find product ideas based on solving people’s problems.

You can also look for ways to improve on competitor’s products and bring something better to marketplace. For example, you might be in a room that’s related to the music industry and someone suggests a need for better distribution services.

That might spark the idea for you to create that service. Or you might come across an audience where some members are looking for better software within a niche. You might realize that you can provide that answer.

You can crowdsource information to help you generate product ideas. You might have an idea, but you’re wondering how it’ll go over with the public. You can use the audience to test that idea.....

The site uses followers to draw in a crowd as one way to create the opportunity to go viral. If you have a connection on the site and that person becomes a speaker, you’ll get a notice.

It’s the same way with you. Once you start speaking, those in your following list will get notified and can drop in on the conversation. You can go from a handful of people listening to thousands.

The more you interact within a room and the more you speak on stage, the more followers you’ll gain. But there are a few key tips to making sure you draw a large crowd that can lead you to viral fame on the platform.

The first is content. You must have something of value to talk about. That goes for any room that you’re in - even if you’re in a hobby room or just chatting about an interesting topic.

Have something to add to the conversation that invokes emotion or informs. Tap into the audience’s emotion and they’re with you. But you can only do this if you understand your audience.

That’s why you need to get to know the people in the room or in the club. The better you know or understand them, the more likely it is that you’ll go viral. Say something that matters and people will talk about it and you.

As soon as you open up the Clubhouse app, you’ll enter a hallway. This is the area that shows users what the active rooms are. Plus, you’ll see the events that are going to take place as well as the plus sign followed by the “Start a room” ability.

Once you enter the room that you choose, you’ll hear the conversation taking place and you’ll automatically part of the audience. If you decide you want to speak up, you’ll have to choose to raise your hand.

It’s up to the room creator or moderator to decide if you get to speak on the stage. You don’t have to worry about everyone talking over each other because Clubhouse doesn’t give this option.

The person who runs the room can mute or boot the speaker. In the room, you’ll be able to identify who the moderator is as well as who the speakers are. You’ll see this information at the top.

The top is known as the stage in each individual room. Anyone who’s being recognized as a speaker is on the stage. You’ll be able to see their profile photo as well as who they are.

There will be an icon on the speaker’s photo if they’re currently muted. You’ll also be able to see who the moderator is. What you want to be careful about is that you know what’s going on in the room’s conversation....

Social media is a type of platform that you can use to build your brand, boost your sales or connect with people in the same niche or other niches that you’d like to lead or learn about.

There are some familiar sites around that are household names - like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. But now there’s a new social networking app called Clubhouse – and everyone is talking about it.

What’s the Difference Between Clubhouse and Other Social Media?

While most social networks are similar in nature, allowing images, videos and text communication, Clubhouse is different. Innovative. That’s because it uses live audio as the media format of choice.

This is a better form of interacting, because it’s easier to have a conversation with someone when it’s in real time. Plus, you’ll get the emotional impact and voice inflection from an audio based conversation when you’re networking that you don’t get just by reading what someone posts.

When you’re part of Clubhouse, you get the opportunity to join in discussions that are taking place live. It happens in real time, at all hours of the day and night, so if you miss that conversation, you don’t get a chance to go back and listen to it because nothing about the discussion gets saved.

The site has what are called rooms. You can choose to go into a room and listen to what everyone is talking about. There will be different topics, depending on the room you choose to enter...

Goals Are Dreams With A Deadline

When I first became an educator at the university I was determined to do things differently and this like any other thing came with its own advantages and disadvantages. The good thing about it was that I gave more thought to my methodology with the aim of channeling my impact on the students to the best of my abilities. I didn't like the pressure I saw them under while working on assignments with pressing deadlines so I vowed not to be a source of such unnecessary stress, or was I wrong to call it stress?

Establishing a hustle-free environment in my classes, I gave them the first assignment and to their most pleasant surprise added that there was no submission deadline! They all cheered in jubilation as I beamed in satisfaction wondering why my colleagues had never thought to trust these students to do the right thing without harassing them with pressing time limits or was I wrong? Oh yes, I was to learn soon enough how flawed my method was when the semester almost ended with me having received only one submission from the class workaholic! To get things moving I gave them a week to finish the work and guess what, more than half the class submitted on the very last day.

When a deadline is given, stress levels may rise as one realizes just how much work they need to get done in a limited amount of time but you know what else rises? Adrenaline levels! This hormone is also known as the F hormone (the fight or flight hormone). The majority of people choose to fight and that is where they discover just how strong, clever, or smart they are under its influence. These levels are usually healthy enough to push both effectiveness and creativity. Students working on an assignment due the following day rarely collapse from stress. They may complain that school is like a pressure cooker but you know what, they do get the job done in time to move on the next one. Talk about progress.

Don't just say “I want to learn the piano", add that you want to do that in the next coming six months and you will see a positive difference. Setting deadlines upgrades you from dreamer to active doer. It does something to you on the inside that makes you restless until you start taking action towards that desired goal. After my experience with the students, I call it good stress. Without it, we wouldn't have much of the ground-breaking inventions, large business structures, and other systems worldwide that make our lives meaningful today. In a nutshell, we wouldn't get much done without this beneficial pressure.

Is your goal measurable?

One professional engineer says, "I want to be the best engineer in the country by the time I turn forty" while yet another one says, “at forty I want to have acquired five patents under my name " Great determination from both ends isn't it? They both put the much-needed deadline to it, but what is the difference between the two? The latter's dream is easily measurable while the former's will most probably give him a headache in his late thirties as he tries to assess whether or not he has surpassed his counterparts in the entire country. As you set your goals, make sure you can easily measure them to celebrate your progress.

Are you being honest with yourself?

Another thing to consider in all this is yourself. I am talking about the truest version of yourself, that inner self that warns you when you try to take in more than you can handle. The often-ignored part of you that tries to caution you into being realistic in as much as you want to be ambitious. Use that as a guide because if you don't believe that you can do it then you won't. That is not to say that you constantly should trim down your dreams but rather that if there is some work to do to get yourself a hundred percent sure that you can achieve your goal in the set time then do it. This may require you to constantly stimulate your senses with an imagination of what it will feel like to get to the finish line. Imagine it, declare it, and speak about it. Repeat this process until your goal becomes a part of you.

Without a dream you cease to live, you begin to just exist. Though at times you may feel discouraged as you watch your ambitions get torn into pieces by the struggles of life, keep going. You will probably realize after you already set out on your journey to the top just how rough the road is but don’t stop moving. Take a rest if need be but don't take your eye off the prize and the ticking clock. You will be there on time if you continue to believe in yourself.

The Power Of Writing Down Your Goals

It’s often said that writing things down helps you to remember them and that writing down your goals helps you to achieve them. This is because writing things down gives you a clearer picture of what you want, what you intend to achieve, and it maps out the direction to take.

Successful people recognize the power of writing down their goals and use it to achieve every goal they set. So, if you want to make sure you attain your goals, make writing them down a priority.

The best way of realizing what you can achieve and how far you can go is by simply being clear about what you want to attain, where you intend to go as well as who you intend to be in a certain number of years. You will only achieve that by writing things down.

Researchers say that people who write down their goals have a higher chance of attaining them compared to those who don’t. So, take advantage of the power of writing down what you are aiming for and be one step closer to fulfilling your aims.

Always write down your ultimate goal, your yearly goals, monthly goals, weekly goals, as well as daily goals. This may sound like too much work but it is worth it because having clearly-stated goals helps you to move in the right direction. It is an excellent way of ensuring you use your time wisely, eliminate distractions, and remain committed to your work or the most important things.

 5 Advantages Of Writing Down Your Goals.

• You get a clearer picture of your goal.
•  Writing down your goals helps you get clear on what you want and being clear about what you want helps you to figure out what steps to take and what to avoid. Being clear about what you intend to accomplish in a day, week or month enables you to accomplish more because it narrows your focus and prevents you from going off course.
• You minimize distractions.
• Distractions always find their way into your work or study and that is why minimizing them is important. How many times have you thought “Let me just respond to that email and get back to work?” Only to start browsing the internet and checking for responses to your recent updates on social media. Probably countless times. Nonetheless, writing down what you intend to accomplish and being specific about it helps you avoid distractions. For example, if your goal is to focus on that work assignment for the next two hours, creating room for anything else would be a distraction that you won’t tolerate.
• You manage your time wisely.
• Writing down your goals is the key to cultivating your time management skills. It keeps you concentrating on what you intend to accomplish or what needs to be done. So, instead of repeatedly saying “I’ve run out of time again” you can say “Another task has been completed on time.”
• Begin writing down your goals so that you can start managing your time wisely and avoid the frustrations that come with poor time management.
• You gain a sense of purpose and direction.
• Success can only be attained by those who have a strong sense of purpose because people who know what they are living for have a greater chance of succeeding in all their endeavors. They always get back up after experiencing failures because they know that they haven’t reached the end yet. Writing down your ultimate goal will constantly remind you of your purpose. It ensures that you never stop working, doing, or improving because you know where you are supposed to be as well as what you are meant to accomplish.
• Writing down your goals is the main thing that guarantees you always stick to working on what you intend to accomplish despite what happens, how you feel, or how many times you fail. It gives you a sense of direction which is the best motivation you need to continuously take the necessary steps and get things done.
• You remain motivated.
• If lack of motivation is the reason why you are finding it difficult to work on your goals, you can get rid of it by writing down what you want to achieve in a day, week, month or a year. Doing so gives you something to look forward to. It gives you a reason to wake up each morning and get to work.
• So, instead of “I don’t feel like doing ABC” or “I’ve lost the drive to continue” you will say “I have to accomplish ABC before the end of the day” “I’m looking forward to doing ABC” and “Doing this will take me yet another step closer to achieving my dream.”

Writing down your goals is the only way of achieving them and it is the main thing that separates those who reach every goal they set from those who don’t.  

The Secrets To Successful Goal Setting

Do you always find it hard to follow your dreams and reach your goals? Maybe it is time to revisit your goal-setting process. If it does make you feel better, know that you are not alone in this struggle.

That doesn’t mean you should be comfortable with failing in that area though. Not everyone who sets goals follows them through. Some forget about the goals within a few days after setting them while others go on to try and fail.

The reasons for this are often poor goal setting, lack of commitment, failure to understand goals and what they can help us achieve, and not being ready for the new way of life that comes with pursuing goals.

The value of goal setting accompanied by practical strategies must not be underestimated. Goals help us makes our dreams a reality and give you the power to transform your life.

Without goals, your life lacks direction and your dreams are just fantasies that may never see the light of day. Seth Godin states that “The thing about goals is that living without them is a lot more fun, in the short run.

It seems to me, though, that the people who get things done, who lead, who grow and who make an impact… those people have goals.” 

From Godin’s point of view, people with goals are the ones who usually live meaningful lives and do great things, while a life without goals can be enjoyed for a limited time.

As mentioned previously, the problem for some people is not that they do not have goals. Rather, they struggle with setting successful goals. Below are some of the secrets to successful goal setting:

• Be specific – you should know the exact dream you want to pursue. If you want to have more money, how exactly do you plan to make it? Are you going to start a business or you want to look for a better paying job and adjust your budget as well?
• Goals must be measurable – you should be able to track progress. Identify pointers that will help you know how far you have gone in as far as reaching your goal is concerned. This motivates you as it allows you to know whether you are being productive in pursuing your goal.
• Purpose – what value do you think you can add to the world around you? What do you think is the purpose of your life? Apart from knowing your purpose, you should know the purpose of your goals. How do they help you live your purpose? What gap do they feel in your life? In other terms, your goal setting should be intentional. That is, the goals should answer your questions and drive you to a better position than your current one.
• Be true to yourself – set goals that will lead you through a path that works best for you. Align your goals with your interests and beliefs. Sometimes people fail because they succumb to societal pressures. They set goals based on what influential people or friends around them approve of or what seems to be the ‘in thing’. It is easier to set goals that you will be able to commit to when your dreams are aligned with who you really are.
• Start small – as you come up with strategies that will help you achieve your dreams, ensure that they include starting with every good opportunity presented to you. Waiting for a bigger start can delay or discourage you. Therefore, start with what you have and where you are, then the bigger things will catch up. The small steps always build up to something big and often lay a stronger foundation.
• Bouncing back – your strategies should include a bounce-back plan. Expect challenges and plan for them to be able to keep moving towards reaching your goals. Expecting things to run smoothly will make it almost impossible to stick to your goals when you face challenges.
• Dreaming way too big – dreaming big is okay, but dreaming way too big is as bad as not having a dream at all. Your dreams must be attainable. Don’t set dreams based on what you think can happen if you get lucky. You need to be realistic! For example, instead of counting your chances of winning the lottery as a way of raising a million dollars that you need to change your life, think of how you can make that money by you applied for a better paying job, started a side hustle, and saved a certain amount over some time.
• Research – you should know how much it takes to reach the goal to avoid getting stuck along the way. Also, ensure that everything that is required and everything the goal entails aligns with your beliefs.
• Be flexible – be willing to make some changes to your strategies along the way in case you get better ideas and come across more opportunities. Sticking to a good idea while ignoring a greater one is definitely not a smart idea. You should also be willing to listen to advice from others although you should be extra careful when choosing what to adopt.

Your Goals Condition Your Actions

Crystal has a lifelong dream of teaching deaf children in vulnerable communities. She sets goals to make that dream a reality. One of her short-term goals is becoming a certified teacher. Another goal is to learn how to communicate using sign language.

Her first course of action is enrolling with a local college for a diploma. Crystal follows that up with research on additional courses on offer to help her focus on acquiring skills that lean towards special-needs education.

 Besides that, she enlists in a class that teaches sign language. During her weekends, she volunteers at a home for the deaf to familiarize herself with the role of a caregiver. Crystal eventually gets her qualifications and applies for a teaching job at a local school, gaining enough experience to open doors towards her dream.

Many people like Crystal have ambitions to achieve great things. They just do not know how to get there. Some even set goals and develop plans towards their dreams, but few succeed in their endeavors. Others do not set goals at all. It is the few who visualize the dream, set goals, and take actions that live the dream.

Setting goals is like having one foot in the door. Your actions thereafter either take you the rest of the way in or keep success just out of reach.

Your goals remain unattainable if you do not condition your actions to suit them. If you allow fear and worry to be louder than your self-belief, chances are you will procrastinate on taking the actions that help you pursue your dream.

Successful people know that there are no rewards for inaction, so as they visualize the dream daily, they build their actions around it. They think about what they can do to achieve their goals and do it, even when the journey ahead looks daunting. Such people jump in and figure things out as they go, often making mistakes, failing, and rising again. This they do because they understand that there are no rewards for thinking or planning. The rewards come based on what you do.

If your goal is to shed weight, your actions will determine whether that loss will become a reality. You change your eating habits, opting to have healthier meal plans. An action to take is engaging a health expert or dietician who can help plan your meals. You can also join a local gym, enlisting the help of a trainer. You can opt to do your training at home using online workout videos. It is all about what actions you take to achieve your goals.

An athlete with a goal to succeed in their chosen field must stick to actions such as consistent training and healthy eating habits. If they lie down all day and eat unhealthy food that does not condition their body for whatever sport they engage in, chances are their career will be short-lived with no accolades to show for it.

If your goals matter to you and you believe you can attain them, you condition your actions around them.

Developing a plan of action around your goals.

Once you break down the dream into specific goals, you need to determine what actions to engage in to make it come true. This involves breaking the goals into tasks you can do over a certain period- which ranges from daily to monthly and even quarterly. Having a plan helps you channel your attention, energy, and resources on the action you have to take. It gives you the focus you need to ensure success.

• Determine the actions you need to take.

One of the first things you will need to do is brainstorm how to get from visualization of the dream to actualization. This process will be much better with the help of others. These could be members of your team or your close circle who can speak into your plan and help you determine your course of action. Follow it by breaking down the dream into step-by-step actions to get you to your destination. If a task seems too big, break it down further until you can determine that it is achievable.

To get a promotion, for example, you will need to think of actions you can do around the workplace to get attention to your competence. This may involve gaining skills that make you indispensable. You can also volunteer to spearhead projects others are hesitant to jump into.

• Assign tasks.

With a team set-up, once you list a course of action, delegate the tasks to team members based on their strengths. This covers ground as far as actions are concerned and put you ahead to get things done.

If you do not have a team, assign yourself things to do daily.

You can write an action plan to track your goals. This document ensures that you know the actions that you need to do, the people to do them and the time they have to get things done.

• The rule of five: Jack Canfield.

Every day as you pursue the goal, list five actions that move you closer to achieving it. What are five things within your power that you can do to grow your business? What five things can you do to improve your skills? What five things can you commit to increasing your knowledge? What five accomplishments can you ensure every month?

Your commitment to a set goal determines the actions you will take towards attaining it. Do not cut your dream short by watching and waiting while doing nothing. Condition your actions towards achieving success and it will surely come your way!