7 Motivational Smart Ass Tips to Have a Great 2010

The new year (and new decade) is upon us! Are you ready to make it the best year (and decade) ever? If not, here are seven things you can do to rock out next year (and decade).

1) Develop an Attention Span

I’m going to get on my “old man high horse” for a minute. Our attention spans have gotten shorter and shorter, and I am not happy about it. TV initially shortened our attention spans to about 8 minutes. Then MTV shortened that to about 4 minutes. Then video shows just starting show clips of videos, and out attention dropped to 1 minute. Now there’s texting and tweeting, where we have a maximum of 140 characters to convey our messages.

140 characters! Don’t get me wrong: I am all for being concise, and I think we could all benefit from learning how to speak more simply (myself included). And Twitter is a fine tool with some useful applications. But Twitter is useful as a delivery tool. But people are conditioning themselves to not be able to pay attention to more than 140 characters at a time. Which basically means we are all getting dumber and less focused…

This next year, do something who’s sole purpose is to increase your attention span. Read a book, do a crossword (or jigsaw) puzzle, take up a hobby, or just sit quietly for a few minutes with no TV, music, or anything.

Attention and focus are the keys to productivity, performance, and great communication. They are worth practicing.

2) Take Care of Your Teeth

Oh boy, did I learn this lesson this year! Let me tell you, tooth and gum pain is not fun. And, evidently, it’s pretty preventable. I never used to floss, but now I brush, floss, and rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash everyday. It took me some serious bouts of mouth pain to get a clue. Never again.

This applies to any kind of preventative care. A few simple actions today can save you some major pain and suffering later.

3) Have Fun

Are you laughing everyday? At the end of the night, can you look back over the day and cite at least one thing and say, “that was fun”? If not, your working too hard, stressing too much, or just letting life pass you by. Go out (or stay in) and have some damn fun!

4) Save a Little More Than is Comfortable

If you are currently in “transition,” you can skip this one (but bookmark it and come back once you find some work). For the rest of us, this is important. If the financial meltdown this past year or so has taught us anything, it’s that Ding Happens! Having solid savings can allow you to navigate troubling times.

Don’t just put away “what you can.” Stretch and put away just a smidge more than what’s comfortable. You will quickly adapt your lifestyle to the reduced cash, and your savings will grow that much faster. Then, the next time the economy blows up, you can thank me (preferably with a check…:-) )

5) Experience Something New

We are creatures of habit. We like what we like. We go where we go. We hang with the same people over and over. There is nothing wrong with any of these things. But that doesn’t mean we can’t stretch and explore new things too…

There is a whole wide world of cool stuff out there, and you may not even know what you might be missing. Also, studies have shown (yeah, I don’t have a citation, but I have read this. If you push me, I would bet you a shiny silver dollar I could find the study…) that continuous learning can maintain and improve brain function as you age.

Travel to a new city or country, try a new restaurant or cuisine, or take a class in something that you would never consider “just because.”

6) Lighten Up

I don’t care how positive a person you are, you have some pet peeve, or know someone, or have something in your life that just pushes your button and irritates the hell out of you. Your 2010 goal? Let it go…

Seriously, few things in life are worth getting that upset over. Even fewer are worth relinquishing your emotional control over. Pick just one thing and commit to not letting it bother you next year. Sure it’ll be hard, and sure, you’ll fail a whole bunch, but keep reminding yourself of your commitment and eventually, you’ll let it go.

7) Take Five Minutes to Think Long Term

Honestly, I would suggest you take a lot longer than five minutes. But if you are unaccustomed to big picture thinking, let’s start with five minutes.

It’s very simple. Turn off all distractions, grab a pen and paper, take three or four very deep breaths to clear your mind, then quickly write down your answers to these two questions:

1. What would I love my life to look like in five years?
2. Is what I am currently doing going to make it look like that?

If “yes,” good for you, keep going! If “no,” then you have two options: 1) change what you are doing now or 2) give up on your hopes and dreams and resolve to live a mediocre life of quiet desperation (was that harsh? Sorry, but everyone needs a little “motivational kick in the smart ass” from time to time)

The Motivational Smart Ass’s Self-Serving Additional Tips for a Great 2010

Warning! Herein lies the parr where I get you to try to improve your life by helping me improve mine…hehehe… 🙂

Here are three more things you should consider doing in 2010:

1. Learn about improv comedy Improv is awesome! And I have a book that can show you how to use improv ideas in your business and life.
2. Be a better speaker Having better presentation skills will help your career, confidence, and communication. As fate would have it, I have a few resources to help you be a better speaker, including an MP3, a DVD, and a four day in-depth Speaking School.
3. Help your entire organization grow in a fun and funny way Bring me in to speak to your group. Everyone will laugh while learning a few simple techniques to make their lives (and your business) easier and more successful! Get more info here

Have a very Happy New Year!

About

By Avish Parashar. As the world's only Motivational Improviser, Avish uses techniques from the world of improv comedy to engage, entertain, and educate audiences on ideas around change, creativity, and motivation. Connect with Avish on Google+

• Mail
|
• More Posts (483)