Become a Doer

 

So many people come up to me and always tell me what they want to be.

I want to be financially free.

I want to be a property investor.

I want to be a business owner.

However how they act and what they want are not aligned.

Wanting to be something is not good enough. You’ve got to have the daily disciplines and sacrifices.

People are rewarded in public for the hours they sacrifice in private.

Instead of wanting to be a business owner, set aside 6 months of savings and make a 6 month roadmap to plan your exit out of corporate.

Set a date and start building that income stream.

Start acting instead of just wanting.

The law of attraction has become so misconstrued that people think it’s enough to just sit there and things will come into their life.

The law of attraction is powerful when you keep your focus on where you want to go. If there’s no action underpinning it then you’re going nowhere slowly.

There’s one thing consistent among all the successful people I’ve met – they’re not afraid of hard work. They understand that you have to sacrifice and act on a daily, ritual basis.

JK Rowling was rejected by 17 publishers before she was accepted by one.

Could you keep going daily after hearing no five times? How about 10?

When you are successful with something it’s because you’ve done something every day.

Do that for your dreams and goals too.

When you have the integrity to say what you want and act towards it, you’ll build confidence within yourself.

That’s a great place to be in.

As your confidence grows your goals will grow.

But it starts with action.

Please don’t just rely on the law of attraction – go out and hunt for what you want!

A shark doesn’t go around saying it’s a shark. It goes around being a shark, killing and owning the ocean because that’s what it does.

Be that courageous person that took a chance on their dreams because you deserve that.

Keep on changing the game.

Much love,

Laurens

For more information please go to http://www.laurensboel.com

Take Responsibility of Your LIFE

 

I just got back from an extended trip in Europe and what’s so nice about being in another culture is seeing their different fundamental ways of doing things.

It made me think about if the way we’re thinking and doing things here in South Africa is the right way.

I think there’s a sense of entitlement that we have here in South Africa – I don’t know if you’ve felt that? There’s a sense that everything around me must change – the government, companies and the people in my life must change in order for my life to change.

I realised this in Germany while having a conversation about politics. I was complaining about the government, how corrupt they are and how many problems we had.

He looked at me and said, “Laurens do all South Africans complain like this?”

The gentleman said as soon as they feel something’s broken and needs to be changed they take personal responsibility to fix it.

When things go right we gladly say ‘it’s my effort’. So it’s fair to say if they go wrong it’s also your fault. When things go wrong, take responsibility and accountability.

In psychology, there’s something called the lotus of control. The lotus of control is internal and that means you believe everything in your life is because of you. These are people with a high self-confidence, self-esteem and are driven. When your lotus is based on external events you have no confidence.

My life was not always great but I took personal responsibility, acknowledged it was my fault and took accountability.

This week, move away from the sense of entitlement. If somebody does owe you something, don’t let it control your life because you have no control over that.

Don’t live in that pain.

Don’t expect to wake up and expect the government to suddenly be fair.

Don’t expect the job market to create a job perfectly suited to your needs.

Go out there, take responsibility, move yourself away from entitlement and create your own opportunities.

Keep on changing the game.

Much love,

Laurens

For more information please go to http://www.laurensboel.com

Success is a Journey

 

Today I wanted to check in with you to make sure you’re living life as it should be – as a journey not as some sort of a pilgrimage that has an end.

I think where a lot of people get stuck is thinking you need to reach some point and only then you’ll be happy. We start to think of life like driving – getting from point A to B as quickly as possible.

We keep trying to get somewhere and we forget about the whole journey towards that point.

I’m in Zurich and yesterday we went to go see a musical and it was absolutely amazing to see these orchestras because they play with such passion. They play with their eyes closed and they get so lost in the music that they feel alive in the music.

It made me realise that life should be lived like music. Life should be played like you would think of playing a piano or a guitar. You don’t say I’m going to ‘work’ the guitar. No.

The whole point of playing the piano is to enjoy the music along the way.  How ridiculous would it be if the whole point of a song was the end? The best orchestras would only write finales.

As much as I’m always driving towards certain goals and achievement of those goals, we’ve got to remember that the journey is what is so important.

Life is a play. Life requires you to play. Yes you must have goals and achieve to make the world a better place, but never forget that the journey is what’s truly going to make you happy.

So this week, I’d like you to practice two things:

1. Self-love. Give yourself permission to not be okay. Give yourself support when you are down. Remind yourself to be happy, inspired and truly favourable.
3. There’s no quicker way to happiness than to practice the art of gratitude. Appreciate where you are, what you have and who you have in your life.

Keep on changing the game.

Much love,

Laurens

For more information please go to http://www.laurensboel.com

How to use your drive for greatness

 

If there’s one thing that can help us overcome and achieve what we thought was impossible, it’s drive. When you have the drive and motivation to do something, very few people can stop you.

There’s two types of drive that affect every person.

1. The drive to avoid pain.
2. The drive to attain pleasure.

We all want to drive towards pleasures that enhance our lives and drive away from things that cause us pain. We can use both drive states to achieve more.

I want to start travelling more and experiencing more exotic locations. In order to do that I need to free up my time, so I’ve come up with a plan to systemize and automate my business online. That way, I can travel and do my work. I’m using pain and pleasure to motivate myself through the challenge.

I’ve booked myself a plane to Belgium in three months’ time, which is when I want to achieve my goal. If I achieve my goal, I’ll extend my trip further into Europe. If I don’t then I’m only going to stay in Belgium for two weeks and come back. So the trip is the pleasure that motivates me to attain my goal.

Going overseas also gives me the chance to trial my systems to see if I can sustain travelling and working for a long period of time. If I don’t attain my goal I’m going to feel the pain of not going to explore those places.

Thirdly, telling you guys holds me accountable to my goal.

So use your emotions to get where you want to be. Fear, anger, frustration can be very powerful if channelled right. Find something that has a lot of emotion for you. If things are just okay or not that bad, you’re not going to be driven to change.

Use those powerful emotions, whether pain or pleasure, and channel them to drive change in your life. Secondly, find the right mix of pain and pleasure to those goals that’ll hold you accountable. Thirdly, commit to other people.

Keep on changing the game.

Much love,

Laurens

For more information please go to http://www.laurensboel.com

3 ways to conquer inadequacy

 

Inadequacy is a feeling that stems from us feeling less than someone else. Therefore, inadequacy feeds off our habitual tendencies to compare ourselves to others. If you were the only person on the planet, you would be incapable of feeling inadequate, because there would be no one to compare yourself to.

And, especially with the rise in social media, where people constantly post heightened versions of their lives, it’s easy for many of us to compare our normal day-to-day lives to theirs and feel inadequate.

The solution… simply put, is to CONNECT. When we can realise that we are more similar than we are different, we will no longer allow inadequacy to feed into our lives. We will see that even though we might not have everything, we have enough to be content.

In this week’s video post, I’ll share with you the 3 ways to conquer inadequacy:

#1. Practice acceptance

#2. Stop habits of judging others

#3. Do everything with passion and love

 

Much love,

Laurens

For more information, please go to www.laurensboel.com

How to be happy EVERYDAY

It’s not easy to be happy every day, but it is possible. And it comes when we can have a healthy relationship with ACCEPTANCE.

Acceptance has a negative connotation, especially with my peers. Most people see acceptance as giving up, as settling, and that’s not at all what I’m suggesting here. I’m a big believer in chasing dreams and setting new, ambitious goals – I’m the last person who wants to settle for anything less than greatness. BUT we need to create a healthy balanced relationship with acceptance if we ever want to feel truly and sustainably happy.

Reality is known as the hard truth, it is unavoidable. If we are constantly fighting reality (i.e. wanting things to be better than they are now), then we are constantly in battle with something that won’t easily (or quickly at least) be changed. Therefore, we spend our lives fighting an unwinnable opponent only to reach the end of our lives feeling that sense of dissatisfaction.

My recommendation is to focus on enjoying the journey, while striving towards becoming the greatest version of yourself. It’s not about giving up on your dream, it’s about enjoying the journey, loving where you are now and knowing that you are exactly where you need to be in order to get to where you are destined to be.

Reality can be an enemy or a companion, the choice is yours. So go out and live with acceptance, patience and love.

Much love,

Laurens

For more information, please go to www.laurensboel.com

Who decided what BEAUTY meant?

What beauty really means

Who decided what beauty meant?

Who said that big boobs and blonde hair is heaven sent?

Who decided that unrealistic Barbie-like models always get the front page?

Who said that looks matter the most in this day and age?

Who felt it was ok to let young girls to feel so insecure?

To think they’re not enough being innocent and pure?

No, instead girls see these photo-shopped idols and think “I will never be pretty enough, so the only way a boy will like me is if I become slutty enough.”

They throw away their inhibitions hoping to be accepted

Wishing they could be themselves but fearing being rejected

And it pains me to say, but in this modern day, it is men have placed this expectation on women to be unrealistically pretty.

I find it’s my duty to rewrite the script and explain what beauty really means, because it is so much more than what we can see.

Beauty can’t be seen by the eye, it can only be felt by the heart. Beauty thus is not a fixed idea, but rather a work of art.

You have to know that you are more than just your reflection

You might not have it all, but in someone’s eyes you are perfection

Don’t hide behind the make-up or jewellery, your beauty lays beneath

Like your crooked smile that shows just enough teeth

Your nerdy glasses that magnify the depth of your eyes, puts my stomach in ties because when you look at me, you look IN me and feel my pain. Your soft nature lets me feel comfortable again.

Your fair, silky and blotched skin

Caresses my insecurities and makes me whole within

Your curvy body waddles as you walk

Your goofy giggle makes me smile when you talk

Your beauty is not in your looks, but in your presence. It’s in the way you make me feel when I’m around you. Your beauty is how you allow me to feel beautiful. It’s in how you allow me to be myself through your kindness, through your love and authenticity.

Can’t you see, your beautiful in 100’s of ways

Don’t let yourself be defined by what others say

Ignore those who perve, it’s not what you deserve

Rather, you deserve to find someone who wants 2:

Kiss your kindness

Make love with your mindfulness

Sleep with your smile

And date your style

A guy who wants to caress your courage

Flirt with your funniness

Pick up your personality

And hook up with your hospitality

Someone who wants to have a 1 night stand with you and your friends

Who wants to talk in bed till the night ends

A guy who booty calls for your beliefs

And sexts for your success

Beauty, like love, is blind. Your beauty is not in your looks, but in your presence. It’s in the way you make me feel when I’m around you. Your beauty is how you allow me to feel beautiful. It’s in how you allow me to be myself through your kindness, through your love and authenticity.

You are beautiful and you are enough.

Because your beauty comes from your heart

You, dear, you are a work of art

Much love,

Laurens

 

For more information, please go to www.laurensboel.com

 

Don’t settle for good, when GREAT awaits!

 

What is your greatness?

We don’t always see our greatness, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. If you can’t see your greatness, GET a better mirror, look a little closer, stare a little longer, because there is something inside of you that made you keep going despite all the people that told you to QUIT.

You are destined for GREATNESS, never feel ashamed to show all of yourself to others. Don’t be afraid to let your greatness shine.

As Marianne Williamson said:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

For more information, please go to www.laurensboel.com

Much Love,

Laurens

The 4 personalities you MUST KNOW when negotiating

We’ve all needed to negotiate before in our lives. Perhaps it’s as simple as negotiating where to go for dinner with your better half, or perhaps more complex, like asking your boss for a raise. Either way, negotiation is an art, which requires more considering other than just asking for what you want.

In this week’s article we will discuss the 4 main personalities in the world and how to better negotiate with them. The 4 personalities are; Drivers, Analyticals, Socialisers and Creatives. Let’s understand each in more detail.

Driver

The driver is the kind of person who seeks outcomes and results. They want things to move quickly and they are constantly asking the question, who can I blame? They want to give people tasks and aren’t scared to shout at them if the task isn’t completed on time. With these people you need to give them measurable outcomes. When asking for a raise, tell them you want a raise based on an increase in work output. Negotiate with them what KPIs you need to reach in order to get the raise you want, then work towards producing more. This will always work with a driver.

Analytical

The analytical is a softer and more introverted kind of person. They require all the facts and then they also require time to make a decision. With these people it’s important to explain your reason for wanting a raise based on facts. Put together a researched proposal of why you deserve a raise (use comparables of other people who have similar qualifications and experience as you, but who are earning more as a reference). You need to convince them with facts. Once you have made your case, give them a week to consider your offer. These people need time to reflect, understand and research. Give them the facts and the time and you’ll have a great chance of winning them over.

Socialiser

The socialiser is all about the people. They love people and sharing memories with people. With these personality types, make sure that you are focusing on commonality. Spend time talking about things you have in common and build a relationship. Once you have achieved that, you need to take them out of the work environment (perhaps to a bar) and discuss your raise. With socialisers it’s critical to point out that you don’t feel you are being fairly compensated. If you have built the right kind of relationship with your manager, he/she will be driven to give you a fair compensation. They always want to be fair to their friends.

Creative

The creatives are very hard to find in most corporate settings. They would mostly be your marketing and learning and development people and what they require is a deeper meaning. You cannot go to a creative and say you want more money for a car, but rather, you need to explain that an increase in raise will give you the time to follow your passion of music or travelling… It’s important to phrase the need for a raise in a way that pulls the heart strings of the creative, as they are driven by their emotions, not facts.

 

In summary, to get the best results, you mustn’t use a one fits all approach, but rather find out what kind of personality the other person is and then spend time negotiating with them how they like to be negotiated. You will find your success in negotiation goes up 10 fold.

 

For more information, please go to www.laurensboel.com

The MINDSET for SUCCESS

Plant that tree

In the East they have a tree called the Chinese Bamboo tree. The seed of this tree is a very hard nut. Once you’ve put it into the ground, you have to spend over 5 years of watering and nurturing this nut before it even breaks through the ground. Can you imagine watering something for 5 years before you see any results? After the 5 years, once it has broken through the ground, the tree grows 90 ft in 6 weeks. It has an incredible growth trajectory and worth every second of the 5 year process.

The question is, did it take 6 weeks or over 5 years for the tree to grow 90ft? Of course, over 5 years.

This is the kind of mind-set we need when following our dreams. Whether it’s starting a business, or changing a career, or becoming a master on an instrument… we have to have patience, perseverance and positivity.

You see, what will happen is you will be watering and nurturing your dream and people are going to laugh at you. Laugh at you watering for 5 years and not seeing any results. When I started with my Facebook page I had so many people, people I thought were friends, laugh at me and tell me that I was being crazy. That I couldn’t inspire anyone. And that my YouTube videos weren’t good, that I didn’t have the skills… and I thought to myself, you’re right. I don’t. These videos are still a work in progress. My Facebook page still needs some work… but how else am I going to learn this stuff without trying?

That was my mind-set. I completely agreed with them, but honestly I didn’t see another way of getting better without trying and failing and learning. And it’s so funny, a couple of weeks ago I saw one of these “friends” and they asked how my Facebook page was doing. I told them they we had 25 000 followers and her jaw dropped. One of my favourite quotes is that of Frank Sinatra who said, “The best revenge is massive success.”

She started asking me all of these questions like, how did you do it? Can you teach me? … Turns out that she wants to do the same thing and start an online business. People will start by asking why are you doing something… and once you have some success in that arena, they will ask you how you did it.

So my recommendation for this video is to plant your dream today! Start now and learn along the way. Water your dream every day. Nurture every day and when people laugh at you, know that it is just part of the process. The process of learning your product, networking with the right people, understanding the market needs, practising your sales pitch, enhancing your marketing approach… it’s all about preserving, patience and remaining positive.

AND YOU TOO CAN CHANGE THE GAME!

For more information, please go to www.laurensboel.com