Adam Sicinski

Adam Sicinski is a qualified life coach whose passions extend into doodling, mind mapping and visual thinking. To find out more about Adam and his work, please visit adamsicinski.com.

Ridiculous Work Ethic

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It takes a ridiculous work ethic to…

Do you have a goal? Do you have something that drives you forward? Maybe it’s something you’ve been working towards for several weeks, months or even years. Just maybe you set this goal a while back and it should have already been achieved. So what happened? Why is this goal still out of reach? Why haven’t you achieved it already?

Having goals marks the start of every great journey. There is just so much possibility within each and every goal you set. However, to bring what’s possible into physical reality takes sacrifice.

Every goal requires sacrifice on your part. Without some form of sacrifice there is no goal — there are no possibilities. Just like a seed planted into the ground, your goals need space and room to grow and flourish. It also needs nourishment and time. When it has all these elements it grows and expands in your life. However, without the necessary space, nourishment and time it withers away and dies.

The moment you choose to do something there is an opportunity cost involved. Focusing your energy and resources on one thing means that you are unable to focus on something else. And in that moment you must choose. You must choose what’s more important; what’s most important.

Do you want to achieve this goal? Do you want it badly enough? Or do you prefer to flick on the television set and watch your favorite show? The choice is of course yours to make.

Remind yourself that the moment you flick on that television set you are robbing yourself of an opportunity. You are robbing yourself of an opportunity to work on your goal at that very moment. And time is something that we never get back. We have a limited amount of hours throughout the day. Once that time is gone, it’s gone forever. You will never get that time back again. You have missed an opportunity. You have missed an opportunity to advance your goal forward.

High achievers acknowledge the value of their time, and they use every minute of every day to its fullest. They understand that when pursuing a goal they are working within a competitive landscape. They are competing against others who are also working towards that same end. And sometimes it’s that little extra effort that makes all the difference in the end.

So while the other guy is over-sleeping, they are working; while the other guy is eating, they are working; while the other guy is playing games, they are working; while the other guy is watching television, they are working… and that is why they excel.

These high achievers understand that they must make appropriate sacrifices in order to achieve their goal. Playing games, watching television and over-sleeping are no doubt enjoyable ways to spend one’s time. However, every minute spent on those things is a minute not spent on working towards your goals. It’s the opportunity cost at play here. You cannot have both things — at least not right now.

High achievers enjoy those small fleeting pleasures just like everybody else. However, they sacrifice these pleasures because in the long-term they understand that achieving their goal is more important. They accept the fact that they must sacrifice today in order to live the life they want tomorrow. Over-sleeping, watching television, and playing games is something they can do after they have achieved their goal. But as for now, these small and seemingly insignificant pleasures pale in comparison to the goal they are working towards.

High achievers are not distracted by fleeting pleasures because they understand the bigger picture. They are not caught up in the moment, but rather live life for the long-term — for something that will bring them even greater pleasures in the future. And that’s what keeps them motivated and moving forward. That’s what keeps them disciplined and focused. And that’s exactly what is required to become a high achiever. It’s those little sacrifices you make every day that make all the difference.
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Action Points

Whenever you’re caught up indulging in those small and insignificant pleasures that pull you away from your goals, ask yourself:

  • What value do I gain from indulging in this right now?
  • How is indulging in this going to hurt me long-term?
  • If I continue this indulgence what could I potentially miss out on in the future?
  • What else could I be doing with my time right now?
  • What would be a better use of my time?

Yes, of course, rest and recuperate. Allow your body and mind to recover and regenerate. However, be careful not to over-indulge for too long, because every minute wasted is a minute farther away from your goal.

IQ Matrix Maps

Here are links to complementary IQ Matrix posters that go into more depth about this topic:

Download 30+ Free Self-Growth Posters

Ridiculous Work Ethic Read More »

What is Fear Really?

[button href=”https://iqdoodle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/what-is-fear-iqdoodle-wd-background.jpg” icon_size=”5″ class=”” target=”” color=”flat” dimension=”small” icon=”None” animation=”” animate=”” animation_delay=”0″ ]Wide background[/button] [button href=”https://iqdoodle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/what-is-fear-iqdoodle-sd-background.jpg” icon_size=”5″ class=”” target=”” color=”flat” dimension=”small” icon=”None” animation=”” animate=”” animation_delay=”0″ ]4:3 background[/button] [button href=”https://iqdoodle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/what-is-fear-iq-doodle.pdf” icon_size=”5″ class=”” target=”” color=”flat” dimension=”small” icon=”None” animation=”” animate=”” animation_delay=”0″ ]PDF[/button]

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Uncovering the True Definition of Fear…

Have you ever been afraid to try something new? Have you ever feared taking a chance or pursuing a goal but at the last moment pulled back because you felt uneasy or uncertain?

We have all no doubt experienced some kind of fear at one time or another. These fears rob us of many wonderful experiences and opportunities that we never get a chance to experience because our fears hold us back from doing the things that in our heart-of-hearts we desperately want to do.

Back in the days when our distant ancestors were living in caves and hiding from deadly predators looking for an easy meal, it was necessary to be afraid because fear was the one thing that kept us alert and therefore alive. Without this fight/flight response we would fall prey to our hunters and the human race would today be a fleeting memory — never quite living up to its potential.

Therefore fear has no doubt served us in the past and has helped the human race to survive and thrive in this world. However, life is not exactly how it used to be when our ancestors roamed the world. Today there are no predators hunting us on our city streets, and yet we still experience the same fight/flight response to uncertainty that our ancestors experienced thousands of years ago. The only difference is that today we fear speaking in public, asking a girl/guy out on a date, going in for a job interview, and so much more.

How do our modern fears compare to the fears our ancestors experienced thousands of years ago? Or, let me put it another way: Are our modern responses to uncertainty practical given the types of uncertainties we experience in this day and age? Certainly not!

Severe heart palpitations, extreme sweating, heavy breathing and shock are understandable when faced with a life threatening situation, however these responses don’t serve us when we are faced with modern day uncertainties. In fact they hurt us because they prevent us from doing the things we most would like to do in order to get ahead in life.

Given all this it’s clear to see how we use our fear inappropriately in the modern world. Fear should protect us from danger and life threatening situations, and not from the goals or objectives that we would like to achieve.

When we fear something we tend to indulge in catastrophic thinking. We imagine the worst-case scenario (based on what evidence?) and then vividly live and re-live this scenario in our minds without ever experiencing it in the real world. We therefore experience the fear time and again without any practical experience in the real world. Does that even make any sense?

The fear you experience is based on false evidence that you have made up in your imagination about how things will turn out. But the truth is that you don’t know how things will turn out. You are making assumptions. In fact, most of the time things are never as bad as we imagine them to be. We must just take the first step into the unknown and that’s when we will discover that what we initially feared isn’t so bad after all.

Your imagination is very powerful and can turn the silliest of situations into vivid fears that prevent you from taking action. It’s therefore important to catch yourself in the act before your imagination overwhelms your logical thinking processes.
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Action Points

The next time your imagination gets the better of you, ask yourself:

  • How am I catastrophizing this situation in my imagination?
  • What evidence do I have that this situation will turn out as I’m imagining it?
  • What evidence do I have to the contrary?
  • Are things likely to be as bad and catastrophic as I am imagining them to be?
  • How else could I potentially perceive this situation?
  • What’s the best case scenario in this situation?
  • What can I do to ensure that the best case scenario comes to fruition?
  • What’s the worst case scenario in this situation?
  • How can I minimize the impact of the worst case scenario?
  • And if the worst case scenario does come to fruition, is it really the end of the world, or could I potentially gain some value from the experience to do better in the future?

Just as your imagination works against you, keep in mind that you can just as easily make it work for you by imagining positive and motivating scenarios that will help you feel empowered the next time you step into the unknown.

IQ Matrix Maps

Here are links to complementary IQ Matrix posters that go into more depth about this topic:

Download 30+ Free Self-Growth Posters

What is Fear Really? Read More »

Not Enough Time

[button href=”https://iqdoodle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/not-enough-time-iq-doodle-wd-background.jpg” icon_size=”5″ class=”” target=”” color=”flat” dimension=”small” icon=”None” animation=”” animate=”” animation_delay=”0″ ]Wide background[/button] [button href=”https://iqdoodle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/not-enough-time-iq-doodle-sd-background.jpg” icon_size=”5″ class=”” target=”” color=”flat” dimension=”small” icon=”None” animation=”” animate=”” animation_delay=”0″ ]4:3 background[/button] [button href=”https://iqdoodle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/not-enough-time-iq-doodle.pdf” icon_size=”5″ class=”” target=”” color=”flat” dimension=”small” icon=”None” animation=”” animate=”” animation_delay=”0″ ]PDF[/button]

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There is Just Not Enough Time…

Don’t you just wish you had more time in the day? Just imagine for a moment you could get by with only 4 hours of sleep per night. Considering that the average person spends 8 hours in bed, that would give you another four hours each and every day. Just imagine what you could do with all that extra time?

You could for instance read a book a week, learn a new language, spend time working on a project, or get started on that goal you just can’t seem to get around to. There are so many possibilities, if only we had more time throughout the day?

In his 2008 book Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell brought up the idea that in order to acquire mastery over a certain skill that we must follow the 10,000 hour rule. This rule states that it takes roughly 10,000 hours to become an expert in any field or in a specific skill area.

Now of course this isn’t true in all instances nor in certain circumstances, however on average in order to gain mastery over any area of your life, it may very well take 10,000 or more hours of practical experience and trial and error in order to reach expert status. But what does expert status really mean?

An experts is a person who is knowledgeable about or skillful in a particular area. To be more specific, they are more knowledgeable than let’s say 99 percent of people in this area, and that is essentially what gives them recognition as an expert.

Now of course to reach expert status in a relatively new field may only take 48 hours. While gaining expert status in an established field or skill area may take well over 10,000 hours. Whatever puts you in the top one percent is what it takes to reach this objective.

Consider for a moment names such as Louis Pasteur, Thomas Edison, Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, Helen Keller, and other historical figures of past generations. Every one of these individuals accomplished great feats over a lifetime. And in some ways we view them as experts in their particular field. Therefore it begs the question of whether or not they spent 10,000 or more hours in the pursuit of mastery in their fields of endeavor? And the answer to that is a resounding “yes”.

Historical documents suggest that these people dedicated their lives to their craft and this meant that they spent well over 10,000 hours fine-tuning their skills, and in many ways helping transform the world in their own way. And that is of course why we regard them so highly today.

What’s interesting here though is that these people were just like you and me. They ate, slept, and had very similar emotional experiences that you go through today. But what’s most important and relevant here is that they had exactly the same amount of time you have in the day.

These people accomplished incredible feats with exactly the same amount of time you have each and every day, and probably with far fewer resources that you have at your disposal today. And yet, they weren’t any different from you or me. What separated them was the dedication, commitment and the self-discipline they gave to their craft. They didn’t succumb to distractions or setbacks and instead worked with a sense of purpose that separated their actions from others of their generation.

We have the same opportunities for greatness today that these people had generations ago. And it all comes down to how we make use of our time. In fact, all of us can create great things, but great things are only created over extended periods of time through dedicated effort. There are no shortcuts to greatness. If there were, then the idea of ‘greatness’ wouldn’t exist.

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Action Points

Have a think about how you’re spending your time throughout the day and ask yourself:

  • What is my life’s mission and vision?
  • What lifetime goals would I like to accomplish?
  • What sacrifices must I make to accomplish these goals?
  • How am I currently spending my time?
  • Am I spending my time on the right kinds of things?
  • Where am I getting sidetracked and distracted?
  • What separates the top one percent in my field from others?
  • What will it honestly take to become an expert in my field?

Now, don’t say you don’t have enough time… you have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to all those who came before you.

IQ Matrix Maps

Here are links to complementary IQ Matrix posters that go into more depth about this topic:

Download 30+ Free Self-Growth Posters

Not Enough Time Read More »

Making Moments Count

[button href=”https://iqdoodle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/live-forever-iq-doodle-wd-background.jpg” icon_size=”5″ class=”” target=”” color=”flat” dimension=”small” icon=”None” animation=”” animate=”” animation_delay=”0″ ]Wide background[/button] [button href=”https://iqdoodle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/live-forever-iq-doodle-sd-background.jpg” icon_size=”5″ class=”” target=”” color=”flat” dimension=”small” icon=”None” animation=”” animate=”” animation_delay=”0″ ]4:3 background[/button] [button href=”https://iqdoodle.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/every-moment-iq-doodle.pdf” icon_size=”5″ class=”” target=”” color=”flat” dimension=”small” icon=”None” animation=”” animate=”” animation_delay=”0″ ]PDF[/button]

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Making Every Moment of Your Life Count…

Years from now when we reflect back on our lives we will often regret the things we didn’t do rather than the ones we chose to do.

It’s funny how this comes about. All those things that scared us, all those things that we were too afraid to try, and all those things that we thought we never had the time for come into full perspective when we approach the end of our journey here on earth.

There are just so many things we could have done, should have done, and would have done if we had lived through those events again. But today all that’s left is regret and a bitter feeling in our gut that reminds us we could have done things differently and as a result we could have had a richer, more fulfilling and rewarding life experience.

Yet today we only have regrets. Why is that?

Instead of going with the flow and living our lives to the fullest we say “no” too often, we refrain from taking chances, we wilt away from opportunities, and we get stuck doing stuff that we don’t want to do — all along thinking that we will one day get the chance to do the things that make our hearts sing. But unfortunately for most people that day never comes, and all that’s left at the end of our journey are a set of memories filled with regret and anguish about the poor choices and decisions that were made years ago.

But how do we live a life of no regrets? How do we make the most of every situation to ensure that at the end of our journey we are filled with fond memories and not “what if” scenarios running through our heads?

James Dean put it eloquently:

“Remember: Life is short, break the rules (they were made to be broken). Forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that makes you smile. The clouds are lined with silver and the glass is half full (though the answers won’t be found at the bottom). Don’t sweat the small stuff. You are who you are meant to be. Dance as if no one’s watching, love as if it’s all you know, dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.”

The lesson here is not to get carried away with the small and insignificant stuff that often clouds our judgment. Instead focus on the things that make you laugh, smile, and all those things that make your heart sing. They are the things that will bring you a lifetime of fulfilment and happiness.

We must also learn to dream big and then pursue those dreams with an unbridled passion and zest for life. We must act with purpose and live with purpose, only then will life bring us the fulfilment we desire to experience.

The dreams you have for your life should have no bounds or limitations. You must therefore dream as if you’ll live forever. In other words, set big goals and pursue them with all the passion in the world. Don’t be deterred by obstacles, adversity or setbacks. These things are a part of life — a part of everyone’s life. Living your dreams will take work and effort, but it will all no doubt be worth it in the end.

We must also live as if we’ll die today. This means that we must enjoy the moment and make the best of every situation. Don’t get stuck fearing the future, worrying about what will happen, or stressing about the moment. Don’t even give a thought to regretting the past. Instead, enjoy this moment and make the most of RIGHT NOW because life is short and we just never know what tomorrow may bring.

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Action Points

In order to bring these ideas into your life, ask yourself:

  • What dreams do I have for my life?
  • What goals would I like to pursue?
  • What are my true passions and desires?
  • How will I begin pursuing these things starting today?
  • How can I make the most of this moment?
  • What opportunities could I take advantage of?
  • What will I later regret not doing or saying at this very moment?
  • What if I said “yes” instead of “no” more often? What then?

At the end of your life’s journey all that matters is how you lived and whether or not you made the most of every opportunity that life presented you with. There will be no regrets if you dream as if you’ll live forever and live as if you’ll die today.

IQ Matrix Maps

Here are links to complementary IQ Matrix posters that go into more depth about this topic:

Download 30+ Free Self-Growth Posters

Making Moments Count Read More »

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