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Writing Is Difficult But Rewarding!

Revisado: 10-09-19

Here are my gamechanging takeaways:

+Build your writing foundation on these 3 principles:
1. Write what you like but make sure there's an audience. Write to market. Choose between fiction and nonfiction. Nonfiction topics: Health, wealth, happiness, relationships. Market research on Amazon.
2. Read what you write and don't write. To energize. To inspire. To learn.
3. Let the rules help you but don't let them enslave you. Build on what works. Fiction: Conflict to resolution and so forth.
+Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration. Professional writers just get up and work. +Commit to a daily word quota. Pace your writing in a healthy and sustainable way.
+A strong routine is a writer's best friend. Write at the same time every day. Write early or late.
+Have prewriting cues. Stop in the middle of a sentence. Leave easy parts for hard days. Write in time blocks.
+Force yourself to write or do nothing, allow nothing else. If you're in the flow don't require yourself to take breaks. Inject humor into your writing. Compete against yourself for words written in a given amount of time. It's critical not to edit during writing. Set aside dedicated time for only editing. You might not always hit your daily word quota.
+How to deal with self-doubt. Why write when there's too much competition? Your unique voice and perspective could find a niche. Give a new take. Thrive in the midst of competition. Inject personality, quirkiness, and style. My book won't be very good. People might overlook this for a great story. I only have one chance to write a good book. Not true. Perfectionism keeps books from ever getting published.
+Dedication to the process trumps age. Avoid topics that require specialized qualifications.
+If you disapprove of my work, I shrug my shoulders. It's what I have. Thoughts of Stephen King.
+7 tips for managing your energy as a writer
1. Prioritize health. Diet, hydration, physical activity (relaxing endorphins released), sleep, habits (no smoking, etc.).
2. Know your why. Will help you overcome adversity. Know your whom, those you support by your writing.
3. Don't talk to much about your book. Saps creative energy. Leads to writing to please.
4. Work on one project at a time in most cases unless it truly helps to have more than one project.
5. Capture fleeting ideas. Capture moments of genius. Incorporate times of frequent inspiration in your routine.
6. Don't read the reviews. Recruit beta readers.
7. Be kind to yourself. Consider taking an extended break if necessary.
+Self-publishing gives autonomy and control. +You go straight to the real gatekeepers, the readers. Thoughts of Hugh Howie.
+5 good business practices:
1. Don't be entitled. Solid book cover. Solid editor. Solid marketing.
2. Expand your reach. Consider avoiding the exclusivity of Amazon. Consider publishing your book in multiple languages and multiple formats, such as audiobook, book, and eBook.
3. Have a direct communication channel with your readers, like a newsletter.
4. Reinvent yourself as necessary. Experiment with various aspects of writing, such as genre.
5. Double-down on what works best, the 20% that produces 80% of your output.
+Don't quit your job. Try to restructure your job for at least some work from home.
+Build multiple streams of income. Use analytics. Constantly evolve as a writer.

Note: I received a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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A Vivid Picture of What to Do Differently

Revisado: 10-05-19

My noteworthy takeaways:

+Traction: When building a habit, you need to build an infrastructure to support that habit. The habit must be part of your new identity. An identity shift is required. A commitment and congruent choices are the two steps in making an identity shift.
+Excitement and other emotions alone are not enough to sustain your habit long term. Life challenges will destroy the habit given enough time. Habit-building must be anchored in intrinsic, extrinsic, and prosocial motivation. A combination of types of motivation is key.
+Habit-forming process > STAR: Start, traction, adherence, refinement
+Envision the negative reality of not having met your goals.
+Create motivational links by adding puzzle pieces to motivation, such as, I want to live a long life to enjoy life with my family. Dig deeply to uncover core motivations. Link a change with an existing routine.
+Accountability with another person is one strategy for establishing a new habit. A penalty contract where you're punished for missing your goal is another strategy. You can agree to have your money sent to an organization you're against if you fail. stickk.com for building habits
+Tools for making congruent choices:
1. Self-reflection
2. Social influence/pressure: Join a like-minded group. For example, a rock-climbing group for learning a rock-climbing habit.
+Adherence:
5 Tools to Use to Persevere:
1. Imagine the consequences of giving up. Feel the pain by imagining confessing that you quit to family and friends.
2. Remind yourself that others struggled too. The long-term benefits are greater than the short-term struggle.
3. Look back at similar, if not more difficult, challenges you overcame in the past. Learn from the past. Put yourself through voluntary discomfort.
4. Harness the power of loss aversion. You already invested so much. Do you want to lose that investment?
5. See the forest for the trees. Put distance between you and the obstacle.
+Refinement:
3 Core principles of success:
1. Success is a privilege not a right. Keep refining yourself. Celebrate your success. But don't rest on your laurels.
2. Stay humble. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few. Keep the beginner's open mind.
3. Pay it forward. Make success about more than just you.
+Dale Carnegie: Every day is a new life to a wise man.

Note: I received a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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The Power of Grit

Revisado: 10-03-19

My important takeaways:

+Should you give up?
There's usually a dip in results, where you lack results and motivation, before success.
It's important to wisely decide whether to quit or persist.
+Don't settle for mediocrity. Pursue something that you can be great at!
+Routines: The key to persistence
They allow you to free up willpower for other things.
+Mental Toughness:
Cold-exposure
Strenuous exercise
Fasting
Meditation
+Fatigue is in your mind
+When you're trying too hard?
Less is more. Work less but in a more targeted and focused way.
+Disregard the effort and focus on the results. Society overemphasizes effort. Emphasize results instead.
+Status quo bias often leads to self-sabotage
+Fear of the unknown and loss of control
+How to develop psychological resilience
Most important trait of gritty people - Conscientious - Thorough, careful, reliable, etc.
+Psychological resilience is the ability to adapt to stress
+Restraint bias - You're ability to resist negative pulls isn't as strong as you think. Like the pull toward sweets when on a diet.
+Dopamine
+Build your self-esteem: Self-monitor thoughts, be kinder toward others, etc.
+Reframe
+Don't discount or underestimate the power of consistent action and effort
+Seek momentum not motivation
+Change data sources, people, and self-talk to change your life
+Master Neuro-Linguistic Programming
+Meditate & journal
+Expand your world beyond yourself

Note: I received a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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Jolt of Self-Confidence

Revisado: 09-30-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

My top takeaways:

+Self-esteem: Belief in your worth; self-efficacy: Belief in your abilities
+Setbacks don't have to lead to failure. Believe in your ability to learn to do great things greatly. Gain success with success. Snowball effect.
+Start tracking your habits. Self-discipline breeds self-discipline. Your struggles develop your strength. If you fail, it doesn't necessarily make you a failure.
+Failure is part of the process of achieving success. It's a way of finding out what didn't work. Rejection therapy: Get rejected at least once each day. Psychotherapeutic technique / strategy called flooding, which is being introduced to phobia to help one overcome it.
+Köhler effect: People exert more effort in groups. Perhaps because others are watching you and vice versa. Social modeling: Watch and observe success
+Encouragement & discouragement: Limiting factor to self-efficacy. Negative stimuli & feedback overpowers positive. Think excitement rather than anxiety. Even the pros experience these symptoms of anxiety.

5 Rules of Self-Efficacy
1. Set goals slightly above your ability. 3 Personal Zones of Achievement: Comfort, Stretch, Panic
2. Break goals into smaller goals and simplify.
3. Reframe.
4. Take control over your life. Locus of control. You are responsible for what happens.
5. Find the underlying principles of success in obstacles.

Note: I received a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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Epic Productivity Boost!

Revisado: 09-27-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

This book is excellent in terms of boosting focus, self-discipline, and productivity. This book inspired me to take exercise very seriously. I've worked out early before work now for two weeks, and it's absolutely changed my life. I feel like a new person--calmer and more confident!

Here is a summary of my biggest takeaways:

1. Don't get sucked into unrealistic and impossible goals. Habits are built on cue, action, reward AKA reminder, routine, reward. Stack habits--build habits off of each other.
2. Pause and delay when faced with breaking a habit to give your mind time to resist. Visualize the process of reaching a goal not the goal itself. Otherwise you feel like you've already accomplished the goal when you haven't.
3. Don't mistake mediocrity for moderation; moderation isn't the same as doing a task poorly. Don't fall for freebies for freebies' sake. Don't accept an offer just because it's free.
4. Strive for self-discipline over the long term rather than self-control over the short term. Uphold your principles. Difficulty now by embracing and creating self-discipline will be easier later.
5. Stay aligned and consistent with your values. Build new positive habit over a previous negative habit. For example, use the same reminder but a better reward. Build the focus required to do deep work, focused and brilliant work. > Cal Newport
6. When possible, employ immediate action of an even simpler kind to pursue goals that are procrastinated. Break down the goals into simple tasks and do one simple task at a time to break through procrastination.
7. Avoid the addiction of talking about action rather than acting. For example, book the vacation before saying that you're going on vacation. Challenge yourself to stop complaining, as much as possible.
8. Self-discipline is like compound interest and stocks; over a long time there are enormous gains. Develop self-discipline and an unbreakable resolve.
9. Know when to follow your habits and when to allow yourself time to enjoy life by relaxing those habits by taking a controlled break.
10. Focus on the 20% of tasks that produce 80% of your positive results. Usually, pick the simplest way to approach a given task.

Note: I received a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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The Big Picture Strategy - Wealth of Knowledge

Revisado: 09-08-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Top 10 Takeaways

1. Empty the cup then fill it.
2. Embrace challenges.
3. Set attainable goals, not goals mostly based on factors out of your control.
4. Deter irresponsible action.
5. Budget in personal growth funds.
6. Aim for 5 positive interactions for 1 negative.
7. Remember that a wise adventurer would share the good, the bad, and the ugly.
8. Understand that behind every adventure is a struggle.
9. Focus on and embrace the process.
10. Appreciate the unglamorous work required for success.

Note: I received a free audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

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A Re-Energizing Refresher on the Power of Focus

Revisado: 04-09-18

If you could sum up Self-Disciplined Producer: Develop a Powerful Work Ethic, Improve Your Focus, and Produce Better Results in three words, what would they be?

Honest, Uplifting, Resonant

What did you like best about this story?

The power of sustained focus stayed in the spotlight reminding me of how bias toward action in a positive direction continues to be a game-changer for those who want to live great lives.

Which scene was your favorite?

I was struck with the suggestion of writing e-mail drafts and forcing one's self to discard them or complete them fully before going on to another e-mail. That would be a costly, but potentially great way to help foster greater focus.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, most definitely.

Any additional comments?

I appreciated how direct and succinct the presentation was. Did not at all feel like there was unnecessarily filler, unlike other audiobooks.

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A solid book

Revisado: 01-06-17

Where does Self-Discipline for Entrepreneurs rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Ranks in the middle of the pack of the audiobooks that I've listened to so far

What was one of the most memorable moments of Self-Discipline for Entrepreneurs?

The idea that the most powerful type of drive is others-centered

Have you listened to any of John Gagnepain’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I have not listened to any of John Gagnepain's other performances before

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Packed with information, so wanted to break it up into manageable pieces

Any additional comments?

A great reminder of and parallel to Daniel H. Pink's book: Drive

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