Mindset

Why You Can’t Have It All, If You Want It All

December 30, 2018 by Camilla

Is trying to have it all causing you to have less than you could?

I’m sure you’ve heard phrases like:

“You can’t have the cake and eat it too.”
“Go big or go home.”

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never liked those phrases. I mean, what good is it to have a cake if you can’t eat it? And why can’t you BOTH go big and go home?

I know, the meaning behind them is that you must choose. Either eat the cake or have it. Either go big or go home.

It’s the “either or” concept I’ve never liked.

And that’s how I’ve approached things. Have it all.

But this year that will change and I’ll explain why so that you can take stock of your life and see if trying to have it all right now, is causing you to have a lot less than you could have.

I love to ski. I know people that are hooked to TV-shows the way I love to get my turns in. My days in the winter are usually laid out like this: Work, Ski, Work. Some days it’s more ski than work. Unless it’s a client day.

Sounds great, right?

It is, if you want to run a lifestyle business aka. solopreneur business.

But it’s not great if you’re trying to scale to the next level and build a company with a team.

Skiing breaks my focus. It diverts my thinking. It also takes a lot of time. I’m sure you have similar things that eats up time. Things you enjoy but that are time-consuming.

So this year I’m giving up skiing. I may go a few times, but that’s it.

In order to grow my solopreneur business into a real company with a team and all the jazz that comes with that, I need to work like a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. I need to think like one, show up like one and act like one.

Something has to give. Something has to be edited out in order to find the time, focus and energy necessary to take things to the next level.

We each get 168 hours in a week and for every yes you say, you automatically say no to something else. Key is figuring out what to say yes to and what gets a no.

Ask yourself. What habits, activities, mindsets, or beliefs are you trying to hold onto even though you know they are slowing you down from getting what you really want? And why are you so afraid to give them up, in order to achieve those goals and dreams of yours?

In our modern society we’ve been trained to think that we shouldn’t have to give something up in order to move to the next level or achieve something we want, but that mindset can cause us to move toward our goals like molasses instead of a rushing river.

Think of it this way, when you spread 100% of your time and energy over 10 things each only gets 10% of focus. If you cut that to 5 things you suddenly are able to give each thing twice the focus. Imagine where you could be in a year if you put twice the time, effort and focus on an important goal of yours.

You’d be a whole lot further than if you keep trying to hold onto all the things. Once you achieve your goal you can always add things back in. Short-term sacrifice for long-term gain.

In other words, if you want it all, you may need to sacrifice a few things now, so that eventually you can have it all.

What will you stop doing or edit out in 2019 in order to go to the next level in your life and career?

ps. I’m super-excited to introduce the first public version of the Excel Your Life JournalPlanner. For now it’s available as a PDF download. It’s a journal and planner combination that gives you CLARITY, focus and strategy so you can move forward on your goals. Just going through the questions and worksheets will help you excel to the next level. A physical version will be out fall of 2019 (or sooner if we can).

Changing Your Life Requires a Mindset Shift

October 26, 2018 by Camilla

We all know the phrase “If it was easy everyone would do it.” And that’s so true! If it was easy everyone would succeed.

But that’s not how this game works. Pursuing the kind of life you want to live is HARD! Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that seeking to live the kind of life YOU want to live and dream of is just sitting around visualizing and focusing on positive thoughts. It’s not.

Does that help? Of course! It’s essential to train your brain, learn mindfulness and change your mindset but living this kind of life requires ACTION. It requires guts. Going against what you feel like doing. Pushing yourself out of the comfort zone. Stretching yourself in ways you didn’t even know you could stretch only to have to do it again and again, because there is no finish line on this journey. It’s an on-going one that is incredible beautiful but that can also can kick your rear so hard you wonder at times why you even left the couch to pursue your dreams and a better life.

You will want to give up so many times you are desperate to find an excuse to. But that’s the thing with this. Once you begin, it’s hard to stop. You have become responsible for your own life. You know you are the captain and it’s up to you. There are no excuses in this land of growth and personal development. It’s only forward. No going back. Because as soon as you train that brain, knowing you are in charge of your emotions, reactions and life, it kindly reminds you what you are capable of if you only stop holding yourself back. It nags you. And you know that voice is true. Welcome to a world that doesn’t come with any warning labels or exits.

Once you’re here you want others to join because even though it can be hard, it’s also intoxicating. It’s not a crowded world. Opposite. You feel like you are on a different planet. You see others wanting to join this amazing planet called “Pursuing Your Goals & Dreams” They start but they haven’t fully jumped in yet. They begin to cross the bridge but then they get discouraged. They try again on January 1st, go to a seminar, join a course, even hire a trainer. They do so because they hope it will help them instantly leap over the bridge to success.

That mindset doesn’t work. No one program, no one coach, no one mentor, mastermind or book can change your life 100% for the rest of your life. Each is part of an on-going journey and plays its role in pivoting you forward that moment, even if it’s just the tiniest step.

And that’s where it gets tricky. So many expect a weekend away at a seminar or taking that course will be that thing that finally helps them stay in the forever land of perfect. They get motivated enough to think they can, but then they get home, surrounded by life and all the distractions that pulls them away from the motivation and declaration they felt when they left that conference room, finished that book or webinar. A few days go by, a week, or month and suddenly that fire within is gone. Or maybe there’s enough motivation for that famous start and stop, which usually only means zero to little real progress.

Life isn’t like the Bachelorette on TV. It’s full of meetings, life happens, responsibilities, people, bills, never ending laundry, dreams we want to pursue, and guilt for forgetting a friends birthday, all mixed into one giant 24-hour day that on paper looked organized but in real life flew by so fast you are not even sure it happened. And how on earth can you have been so busy all day but accomplished so little of what you intended to work on, like you and your life?

I get it. It’s not an easy walk or talk. Life is a beautiful mix of hope and heartbreaks.

Everyone wants a better life and achieve their dreams. I think we can all agree on that. But again, that’s where it gets tricky. Few are willing to pursue it long enough for things to turn the corner as that can take years or even decades. And that’s a long ass time to keep doing before seeing any real results.

It can be like that bamboo tree. You plant a seed, water it, and nothing happens for five years. I mean, seriously. Who has that kind of patience? At least give me a sprout. Some kind of visual and hope. Imagine watering that thing for five years and nada. Nothing. Not a damn thing. What if you got a faulty seed? Then what? You start over? Yup. Welcome to pursuing your dreams. It’s a shit show of a roller coaster that has you on the highs so high you think you can fly, followed by lows so bad you really question your sanity and IQ level.

But we, the crazy dreamers, took the red pill. There is no going back no matter how much we wish. And those that get enough taste of it, have that nagging feeling inside too. Restlessness. Wanting something different. No wonder over 60% of employed people hate Mondays and wish it was Friday. That voice inside of them is screaming – you are not meant to be here. But then the other voice goes “I don’t know how to x, y and z.” And when you have two voices going on and not sure what direction to go you get stuck in the mud going absolutely nowhere.

I think the reason why the personal development space exploded is for that one simple reason: people truly do want a better life. I mean, unless you’re Barbie and Kent, why wouldn’t you? But reality is, life gets in the way. Family members are on a different time frame. It’s hard to be the one that wants to change when the rest don’t or are yet ready. Many feel embarrassed for wanting a better life so they quiet that voice inside.

That’s why it’s hard work. It takes guts. Patience. Resilience. It takes so many different things. But what if we could change the personal development space forever by changing how we approach things?

What if we could turn the table and have the majority of people wake up in the morning feeling as if they are excelling their life and living their legacy instead of just the few? Now, that would be a game-changer and dream worth pursuing. That my friend is a dream I’m pursuing.

Camilla Kragius is the Founder of No More Hamster Wheel. In 2008 her life changed when a dear friend passed away. It made her ask “When I’m done, what kind of impact and legacy will I have left behind?” She decided to start showing up more intentionally and began a deep-dive into personal development. Today she helps high achievers excel to the next level by giving them clarity, focus and strategy so they can live their legacy. Besides her love for non-profit work and helping people excel her goal is to reach 250 million people with her Live Your Legacy message. Look for her upcoming book scheduled to release Spring of 2019. Follow her on Instagram.

Why You’re Not Motivated

March 6, 2018 by Camilla

Why are some people motivated and some not?

That’s the million dollar question. Or is it?

A common myth is that motivation is either there or not.

But waiting for motivation is like watching paint dry. Waste of time.

Motivation has to be created. It’s generated by doing. By taking action.

But here’s a bigger piece as to why there’s lack of motivation.

There’s lack of clarity.
There’s lack of knowing WHY we’re doing something.
There’s lack of not being connected with our purpose.

That’s because we’re not asking ourselves questions like:
– Why are we working on X?
– Where will that lead us?
– What will the pay off be?
– Is it really worth it?
– Will I regret not going for it?
– Is that really my dream/goal or someone else’s?
– Deep down is this what I really want?

Not having spent time on those questions and getting those answers slows us down. Especially working on something that deep down isn’t our dream or goal, but that we think we want because it sounds good. Or we committed to it a long time ago but feel like a failure if we quit because someone told us ‘never quit’ even though continuing makes us unhappy.

Of course there are things in life when we just need to suck it up and do it, motivated or not. Things like exercise, eating healthy, taking out the trash, doing laundry and other things that’s just part of life.

But the rest, the bigger pieces in your life, spend time asking yourself why you’re not doing what you say you want to do. If you keep talking about it but not doing anything about it, there’s a reason.

You’re not lacking motivation. You’re lacking reason. Find your reason and you don’t have to go look for motivation.

Do You Have a Success Mindset?

October 23, 2017 by Camilla

Are you where you want to be in life? If not, keep reading. There may be some things you’re doing that is causing that.

It amazes me that so many people go through life complaining about something they CHOOSE to do, CHOOSE to be and CHOOSE to continue instead of doing something about it.

“Ugh, I have to go to work.”
“Ugh, if I only had more money.”
“Ugh, I’m so fat and out of shape.”
“Ugh, I hate this traffic.”
“Ugh, if it wasn’t for so and so my life would be better.”

And the list goes on. You know those people. Maybe you’re one of them. They complain about EVERYTHING! And you wonder, why don’t you do something about it instead of complaining?

Are there times when we all go “ugh”? Of course. It’s in our nature to want to complain but when your life is one big “ugh” you are training your brain to not only be negative but to see the world as one big obstacle, and as if you’re a victim of all those things versus choosing them.

My favorite is when people tell me they are stuck. They are stuck where they live. They are stuck where they work. They don’t have a choice and the excuses continue.

Stuck is a mindset. Not a physical reality. Unless you’re glued and tied down to a chair, that’s bolted down, with no chance of escaping. Now you can say you’re stuck! Let’s not hope that’s the case.

You CHOOSE to live where you live, work where you work, and the life you are living. Every single decision you have made has led to where you are. You choose to not make the effort to find a better job, you choose to not move, you choose to not do anything about improving your life, getting in shape, improving your relationships, seeking out new friends.

It’s not the co-workers, the weather, your boss, the government, the economy, the family, the community or any other external reasons that are behind you feeling stuck. It’s your mindset and your lack of taking action.

You are 100% responsible for where you are today and you are 100% responsible for where you will be in the future.

How do you start changing that “ugh” and “stuck” mindset? You start by changing your thinking, your language, and you attitude. You stop looking at everything around you as the reason for where you are and instead take a real good look at yourself. If you want to change your life, you must first change yourself. Change starts within you.

One. Change your language from “I have to…” to “I get to…” You get to go to work, you get to sit in traffic, you get to work on a project that may be driving you crazy, you get to answer emails, you get to do x, y and z.

When you use “I get to…” you not only go from a negative to a positive outlook. Using the phrase “I get to…” infuses gratitude. You’re alive and get to do x, y and z.

Gratitude is the bridge to happiness, abundance and feeling empowered.

Your attitude and how you look at things makes all the difference. You can choose how you respond to something. That is all in your power to do.

“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” ~Wayne Dyer

Two. If you’re not where you want to be in life – change it! You are where you are because of your choices. It’s no one else’s fault. Take your power back and take consistent action towards what you want. You are 100% in the driver seat. Stop waiting for someone to hand you your dream life. It’s not going to happen, unless you take action and consistently move towards what you want. The time will pass anyway, so start working towards changing your situation.

What small step can you take every single day towards changing your situation? Rome wasn’t built in one day, but it was built because someone took action.

Three. Work hard on your mindset every single day. It’s just like changing a habit. Practice your affirmations, meditations, visualizations, read, write and re-wire that brain of yours to an abundant mindset filled with possibilities.

For this to work you can’t just sort of do it. You must be 100% committed. Studies done by NASA show that in order to change your neurological pathways (i.e your thinking and processing pathways) you must practice a new habit (ex. affirmations) 30 days in a row to get the effect. At around day 26 to day 30 those new pathways are forming. It takes that long! Miss a single day and you have to start over. After 90 days this new way of thinking is part of you.

Four. Create a support team of friends, coaches, mentors, and masterminds. You need a team to help you go to where you want to go. Get out of the scarcity mindset that you can do this on your own. Successful people not only invest in themselves but they know it takes a village to get to the top.

Five. Be patient. Success doesn’t come overnight. It arrives when you are CLEAR on where you are going, when you take CONSISTENT action, and when you surround yourself with a TEAM that can help you stay on track.

Time will pass regardless so you might as well use the time to work on creating the kind of life you want to live. If you don’t, then you can’t complain about where you are simply because you didn’t do anything about it. And there my friend is your kick in the rear for today. Now, go set a goal for where you will be in 90 days and then work on it daily. Then rinse and repeat. You got this! And remember, it’s always about progress, not perfection.

T I M E

August 17, 2017 by Camilla

T I M E. That four letter word that seems to elude us so quickly. That we always feel we need more of. That somehow successful people, super moms, seniors and teenagers seem to have lots of. Time. If I only had more time I would…

I would write a book.
I would see my friends more.
I would start a business.
I would travel more.
I would pursue a new hobby.
I would get more organized.
I would work on my dream.
I would exercise.
I would…

But what if “I would…” is nothing but an excuse? An excuse for not doing what we say we would do, if we just had more time.

“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” ~H. Jackson Brown”

Keller, Einstein and Jefferson had EXACTLY the same 168 hours in a week as we do. No more, no less. People who create a lot of content, innovate, build empires, travel, spend time with those they care about and launch their dreams aren’t given extra hours in a week.

They simply make a choice on HOW to spend their time. They are prolific. Focused. Take consistent action.

What it really comes down to is prioritization. If your dream, your goals and living the kind of life you want to live matters, then you’ll always find the time. Just think back to a time when you really wanted something. Not only found did you find the time, but you found the energy and the motivation. Think back to one of those times if you find yourself going “If I only had more time” and remember, time is usually not the issue.

What is one thing you can change in order to be more productive with your time?

Have you ever wished you had someone helping you figure out how the heck to juggle everything, achieve those goals and have time for life? Check out my awesome Get Stuff Done community where we not only find the time, but where we help each other achieve our goals and enjoy life.