Sustained effort and systems

I sometimes get very passionate about a subject and then put all my effort into it for a time. After a few weeks or so, I get bored with it or I just give up when I run into an obstacle.
Recently, I have begun using systems to achieve my goals. Systems are habits that happen without you thinking about them. For example, every morning when I wake up, I brush my teeth. I don't make a conscious decision every morning. I don't say, "I should brush my teeth this morning." It happens without me thinking about it.
Let's apply that to licensing. I spent the last few months getting excited about projects to license but GETTING NOWHERE! I rarely picked up the phone to talk to any companies!
For my business, I had to consciously decide to make phone calls to companies and it never happened....
Now I use a system. Every day at a specific time, I pick up the phone and make those calls. I don't have to think about it. I don't have to worry about. I am working towards my goal of retirement by utilizing a system.

What are some things that you have been struggling with that you could apply a system to?
Write your comment below...

Pushing till it hurts

I am tired... I have been working all day and still have some more work in front of me. Why am I excited to be working more when I am dead tired and want to quit?
It is because I know that if I keep pushing then I will make progress. The mind is like a muscle. In order for it to grow and develop, you must push it to its limit and then some. You must really stretch it out and work it out. When you go to the gym, don't give up when your muscles begin to get tired. No! When you go to the gym, give up when your body forces you to.
Let's apply this to the mind. Give up when your mind literally shuts down.
Let's this apply to licensing and inventorship. Keep calling and pushing your creative limits when you literally can't give any more. If you are tired of making phone calls to companies about your idea, then make one more. Push yourself and enjoy the fruits of your labor in the long-term.

Cheers!

Sleeping less and Accomplishing more

Today, I was setting up my sleep schedule for next month... weird, huh?
The reason I was doing that was because knew that I needed the extra time in my schedule in order to accomplish all the goals I had set for myself. My alternatives were to sacrifice something whether it be social life or sleep.
I then reread my notes that I had taken when I read 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss. At first, I was figuring ways that I would cope with less amounts of sleep. I had implicitly assumed that if I slept less then I would be feeling less functional. NOT THE CASE!
In the 4-Hour Body, Tim discusses a method to getting less sleep and feeling just as awake. It is called polyphasic sleeping. The system of sleeping allows you to sleep less and feel just as rested. More on this next time....

The Power of Learning

The difference between success and failure is often knowledge. It comes down to whether or not you know what to do next. Most inventors come up with an idea, but don't know what to do next. Then, they follow the common advice out there. It goes something like this:

1) Have an idea

2) Patent it

3) Prototype it (sometimes)

4-9) ????

10) Make Millions

The problem, as you can clearly see, is that there are a TON of steps missing. The inventor is by no means at fault for following the common advice. There are better ways to get your idea out to market.

If you want to learn more about this process, check out two books that I think will help you along the road to success.

• One Simple Idea by Stephen Key and
• Mom Inventor's Handbook by Tamara Monosoff