“Excellence is not an act but a habit. The things you do the most are the things you will do the best.” ~ Marva Collins

Surprising Results

Today I am celebrating! What am I celebrating? I am celebrating the completion of two successful challenges in the last 40 days. I challenged myself to do 21 days of live Facebook broadcasts in January and I challenged myself to abstain from meat and eat only organic food for 40 days! Truly, this has been a most rewarding time and there are some surprising results.

As a result of these success habits challenges, I lost weight, produced several videos to upload to my YouTube channel and I surprisingly completed my new book (The Design to Win Road Map) on the 40-day challenge. This book is the core text for the Design to Win Academy which I launched virtually during the 21-day Success Habits Challenge earlier in January 2018. The Design to Win Academy is a virtual career coaching and life management institute to help Millennials and Go-Getters learn the keys to create a winning life and career. The academy will help you to redesign your life and to find and do work you love for greater effectiveness, fulfillment and joy.

The New Book

This new book , “The Design to Win Road Map” will be launched in May 2018. There is also a 4-6 weeks career and life planning course named after the book and when you enroll in the course, you will also get the book. The book will help youth and young adults 16-34 years of age to create a plan for their next steps in life, and learn some basic life management skills to win in their lives and careers.

The Power of Success Habits

One of the techniques that I have used to recover from failure is the use of challenges to change my habits. “We become what we repeatedly do,” according to Sean Covey, author of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. Covey accurately sums up what this key is about. A habit is what we repeatedly do and what we repeatedly do daily eventually tells the tale of our lives. Habits shape our character and destiny. Watch this video teaching on the Power of Habits which I shared on Day 5 of the Success Habits Challenge.

Both successful and unsuccessful people have habits. For you to be effective in life, find out what are the habits of successful people and adopt them and avoid the habits of unsuccessful people. As part of my Design to Win initiatives, I usually have a 21-day Success Habits Challenge in January of each year, where I encourage persons to practice 3-5 habits over 21 days that are vital to their success. The following is a list of 10 common success habits from which we choose:

Rising Early
Daily Reading
Expressing Gratitude
Daily Rewriting Goals
Regular Exercise
A Morning Routine
Meditation
Solitude
Keeping a Journal
Practising Self-control

The idea to use five (5) habits came from noted leadership expert, John Maxwell’s Rule of Five (5). In one of his presentations, Maxwell asks: “What if I use an axe to chop a tree just five times a day, will the tree eventually fall?” Of course it will eventually fall! In the same way, the Rule of 5 is simply a series of activities that you do every day that are fundamental to your success. For John, his Rule of 5 are as follows: Every day he reads, every day he files, every day he thinks, every day he asks questions and every day he writes[1]. May you find your rule of five (5) habits that will help you win at life!

Challenges to Increase Effectiveness

During the challenge, I surprisingly incorporated other success habits unintentionally. I was forced to exercise self-control and establish a morning routine. Now, I am on to another 21-day challenge to win with money. The members of my FIT mentoring, coaching and life empowerment group are currently engaged in a Millionaire Habits Challenge. On this challenge, we are practising one of the millionaire money management strategies which we have been studying. We will apportion an agreed allotted sum of money daily according to the management strategy agreed upon.

These kinds of challenges build the participants’ muscles of perseverance and consistency which are vital ingredients of success. Over the years these challenges have improved my effectiveness in my life and career. In fact, the period of the challenge can go beyond days to years. There is also another challenge that I took on which is now in its 18th month. I however, do not encourage multiple challenges at the same time if your muscles of perseverance have not been built.

Will You Join Me?

What habits will you form in 2018 to make this year more effective than the last year? Will you undertake a 21-day challenge to build a vital habit?Challenges have changed my life. I am encouraging you to do a personal challenge in 2018. My personal challenges have included: food restrictions, relationship fasts, saving money, transportation and exercise challenges etc. Whatever you do, I guarantee that it will be quite rewarding. It will even boost your self-esteem and confidence.

[1] John Maxwell. Rule of 5. http://www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/the-rule-of-5-for-the-john-maxwell-company