It was a concept I learned last year.
It comes from the great mind-science pioneer Jose Silva.
When faced with a problem, don’t think of it as a problem.
Instead, turn your “problem” into a “project.”
What it means is, when you think about your problem, you are in a negative frame of mind. Your problem appears like a roadblock hindering your progress.
But when you think of it as a project, you get in a positive state of mind. You start thinking about how to solve it rather than remaining stuck.
When you create a project from your problem to move it from ‘problem’ to ‘ideal world,’ where the problem no longer exists.
Jose Silva had a creative visualization exercise for it.
He called this technique, the “Three Scenes Technique.”
In his famous Silva Mind Control classes back in 70s and 80s, he would get people to first visualize the problem and feel the pain rather than suppress it or push it away.
Then he got them to visualize themselves taking some action to move away from the problem.✨
And then, in the third scene, visualize themselves in an ideal world where the problem no longer exists and feel the joy and happiness of this solution.
This simple way of embracing a problem and then thinking of a project to make the problem obsolete, and then thinking of the end result when the problem has fully disappeared, is how I approach problems now.
I have a problem with my marketing skills. I have turned it into a ‘project.’
I am on to it. Soon, it’s going to be obsolete. And I will become an expert on the topic. 😎
I am taking several actions to solve it.
One of them is doing creative visualization meditations daily.
The second is studying the great marketers and learning from them.
The third is applying what I learn to my business.
The fourth is teaching others.
What problem do you have? Can you turn it into a project?
Author: Neera
I declare 2024 as the Year of Marketing
I have been writing online for 5 years now.
So far, my trajectory has been:
From a:
Terrible Writer —> Confident Writer
Confident Writer —> Author of 5 books
Author —> Course Creator
Course Creator —> Book Writing Coach
But there was one significant missing factor.
I didn’t learn how to market my books and my course.
By marketing, I don’t mean selling.
Marketing is about creating and nurturing relationships.
Marketing is about understanding your customer and their needs.
Marketing is about solving your customer’s problems and adding value.
Marketing is about you and your story as well.
I like this definition of marketing the best:
“Marketing is the art of telling a story that resonates with your audience and convinces them to be part of it.”
This is exactly what I will be doing.
I will share my story of studying marketing, learning from the best marketers I can find, implementing their strategies I like, and inviting you to be part of the journey.
Because, if you haven’t learned to market, you will miss out on the chance to turn your passion or idea
into a thriving business.
What is your biggest marking challenge?
4 Observations research unveiled about goals
It is that time of the year again when we are looking at the goals for 2024.
I dabbled into several articles, including the research articles that are popping up about goal setting.
Here are the 3 researchers found about goal setting:
1. Your Goals Should Be A Bit Out of Reach but Not Impossible
Research reveals that the most rewarding goals are those that challenge us, just a tad out of our immediate grasp but still within the realm of possibility. It’s the sweet spot where growth and achievement intersect. Remember, the journey is as crucial as the destination.
2. The Work That Goes Into Achieving Your Goal Should Excite You, Not Just the Results
Goals should be more than just endpoints; they should be endeavors that excite us, not only for the outcomes, but for the journey itself. Finding joy and fulfillment in the process ensures sustained motivation and a richer sense of accomplishment.
3. Frustration and Anxiety as Progress Signals
Surprising, right? Research suggests that experiencing frustration and anxiety along the way isn’t a setback but a sign of progress. It means you’re pushing boundaries, stepping out of your comfort zone, and challenging yourself. Embrace these feelings—they’re indicators of growth.
4. Singular Focus, Have Only One Goal
The research speaks loud and clear—opt for the power of one. Concentrating on a single goal enhances clarity, focus, and consistency. It’s not about limiting, but about channeling your energy and efforts for maximum impact.
Setting goals isn’t just about reaching a destination; it’s about the transformative journey and the person you become along the way.
Keep aiming high, find joy in the pursuit, and remember that frustration and anxiety are the companions of progress.
End of the year tasks
As we are approaching the end of the year, I will spend the next few days performing a Digital Reset to start the new year with a clean and organized digital space.
Here is the list of things I am doing.
⭐️ Emptying my desktop and download folders, archiving what needs archiving and deleting the rest.
⭐️ Clearing my inbox. Archiving what I need and deleting the rest, I already work on Zero Inbox policy.
⭐️ Cleaning up my archives as well, keeping the ones I need and deleting the rest.
⭐️ Unsubscribing from newsletters and promotions that I do not read anymore.
⭐️ Organizing my desktop and cloud storage according to the PARA structure.
⭐️Evaluating my subscriptions and unsubscribing from services that I no longer require.
⭐️ Deleting any unused apps from my phone and Mac to free up space.
⭐️ Updating my operating system to the latest version.
⭐️ Turning off all notifications.
What will you be doing to declutter and streamline your digital life to start the new year afresh?
23 Things That Made The Year 2023 For Me
1. Journaling daily.
2. Intermittent fasting.
3. Starting building in public.
4. Writing regularly on LinkedIn.
5. Replacing annual goals with life long mission.
6. Joining ‘Ship 30 For 30’ and learning lean writing.
7. Using Silva meditation method to become a relaxed writer.
8. Bringing my inbox to zero and keeping it that way.
9. Employing PARA method to keep my digital files in order.
10. Publishing my 5th book ‘Become A Productive Writer.’
11. Writing the first draft of ‘A Writer’s Guide For Travel Writing.’
12. Turning my website into a repository for all my writings.
13. Doing ‘Building A Second Brain’ course with Tiago Forte.
14. Building my knowledge management system and kept it up to date.
15. Nailing my productivity through Author Planner & Bullet Journal.
16. Cruising from Sydney to New Zealand with family and friends.
17. Traveling through the United States and Canada for six weeks.
18. Taking a extended vacation in India to explore south and north-east states.
19. Spending a week at a wellness centre learning yoga, fasting and naturopathy.
20. Turning my Substack newsletter into a hub for teaching writing books from life.
21. Targeting my course ‘Write Your Book In 30 Days’ to coaches and professionals.
22. Joining Premium Ghostwriting Academy with Nicholas Cole and Dickie Bush ?
23. Pivoting my focus from online writing to educate through Educational Email Courses.
What made your year?
From being stressed all the time to stress-free
In 2023, I went from being stressed all the time to being stress-free for life.
It’s that time of the year when I look back and make a note of the things I achieved, mistakes I made, and lessons I learned.
As I am working through them, I realize there are several stories hidden in them that could help my readers.
For the next few days, I am going to share them here.
The first one that stands out is how I got rid of stress from my life forever.
I remember, back in November 2022, I was flat out trying to finish several projects before the end of the year that it was affecting me not only mentally, but physically.
My eyes were so tired and dried that I couldn’t keep them open. I hadn’t gone to the gym for most of the year and quit walking for months.
I thought if I could just finish this project and this project and this project… I will be fine.
But I wasn’t.
The more I did, the more work piled up.
And the irony was, I was retired and supposedly pursuing my hobbies.
Then one day, I came across an advertisement on Instagram. It was Vishen Lakhiani talking about the De Silva Meditation Method.
On an impulse, I bought the course.
In fact, I bought Mindvalley membership which had the De Silva Meditation course and hundreds of other courses by top coaches in the world.
For the next 28 days, I religiously meditated twice a day using De Silva’s techniques taught by Vishen Lakhiani.
I also started a journal to record my progress and insights. The image below shows what I wrote on the first day of starting the program.
By Day 9, I was much more relaxed. All the unnecessary fears and anxieties were gone. I was performing in a much-relaxed state. This is what I wrote in my journal:
“I have eliminated the word stress from my vocabulary and replaced it with relax. Relax is my default state from now on. There is no rush. Only calm. ‘Calm’ is positive, while ‘rush’ is negative. I am getting the same amount of work done, if not more, by being in a relaxed state of mind.”
By the end of the program, I was a new person.
What surprised me was that the transformation was permanent.
It’s almost a year, and not even once I felt rushed or stressed.
I think you can achieve the same, by whatever meditation practice you use. Just instill the message in you that you are replacing the word ‘stress’ with ‘relax’ in your dictionary. And you can get more work done by being in a relaxed state of mind.