How to Motivate & Achieve Goals

If you can stick with a goal for long enough, you’ll almost always get there eventually. It just takes patience, and motivation.

So motivation, in its best form, is a way for you to want to do something. There may be times, for example, when you don’t feel like getting up early, and in those times you may seriously just want to sleep in
(not that there’s anything wrong with that). But if you have a reason to want to get up early, something you really really want to do, you’ll jump up out of bed with excitement.

Ways to Motivate Yourself From the Beginning


Start small.

Don’t start out big! Start out with a ridiculously easy goal, and then grow from there. If you want to exercise, for example, you may be thinking that you have to do these intense workouts 5 days a week. No
— instead, do small, tiny, baby steps. Just do 2 minutes of exercise. I know, that sounds wimpy. But it works. Commit to 2 minutes of exercise for one week. You may want to do more, but just stick to 2 minutes. It’s so easy, you can’t fail. Do it at the same time, every day. Just some crunches, 2 pushups, and some jogging in place. Once you’ve done 2 minutes a day for a week, increase it to 5, and stick with that for a week. In a month, you’ll be doing 15-20. Want to wake up early? Don’t think about waking at 5 a.m. Instead, think about waking 10 minutes earlier for a week. That’s all. Once you’ve done that, wake 10 minutes earlier than that. Baby steps.

One goal.

Too many people start with too many goals at once, and try to do too much. And it saps energy and motivation. You cannot maintain energy and focus (the two most important things in accomplishing a goal) if you are trying to do two or more goals at once. You have to choose one goal, for now, and focus on it completely. You can always do your other goals when you’ve accomplished your One Goal ( or that one goal becomes you habit).

Really,really want it.

it’s not enough to think it would be cool to achieve something. It has to be something you’re passionate about, something you’re super excited about, something you want deeply. Make sure that your goal meets these criteria, or you won’t stick with it for long.

Build anticipation.

If you find inspiration and want to do a goal, don’t start right away. Many of us will get excited and want to start today. That’s a mistake. Set a date in the future — a week or two, or even a month — and make that your Start Date. Mark it on the calendar.
Get excited about that date. Make it the most important date in your life. In the meantime, start writing out a plan. And do some of the steps below. Because by delaying your start, you are building anticipation, and increasing your focus and energy for your goal.

Ways to Sustain Motivation

Just start.

There are some days when you don’t feel like heading out the door for a run. Well, instead of thinking about how hard it is, and how long it will take, tell yourself that you just have to start. I have a rule that I just have to put on my running shoes and close the door behind me. After that, it all flows naturally. It’s when you’re sitting in your house, thinking about running and feeling tired, that it seems hard. Once you start, it is never as hard as you thought it would be.

Read about it.

When I lose motivation, I just read a book or blog about my goal. It inspires me and reinvigorates me. For some reason, reading helps motivate and focus you on whatever you’re reading about. So read about your goal every day, if you can, especially when you’re not feeling motivated. Inspiration, for me, comes from others who have achieved what I want to achieve, or who are currently doing it. I read other blogs, books,
magazines. I Google my goal, and read success stories.

Chart your progress.

This can be as simple as marking an X on your calendar, or creating a simple spreadsheet, or logging your goal using online software. But it can be vastly rewarding to look back on your progress and to see how far you’ve come, and it can help you to keep going

Reward yourself often.

For every little step along the way, celebrate your success, and give yourself a reward. It helps to write
down appropriate rewards for each step, so that you can look forward to those rewards. By appropriate, I mean 1) it’s proportionate to the size of the goal (don’t reward going on a 1-mile run with a luxury cruise in the Bahamas); and 2) it doesn’t ruin your goal — if you are trying to lose weight, don’t reward a day of healthy eating with a dessert binge. It’s self-defeating.

Never skip two days in a row.

So, you missed one day … now the second day is upon you and you are feeling lazy … tell yourself NO! You
will not miss two days in a row!

Growing Gains - 6 Jobs With High-Rising Numbers

By Tony Moton

In a competitive job market, maximizing the potential of your education could hinge on a question of numbers: How many workers might be hired in a given field?

Since crystal balls aren't exactly what one might call reliable, the U.S. Department of Labor has done some projecting of its own when it comes to employment outlook.

Here's a closer look at six of the fastest growing occupations, in terms of numbers hired, through 2016.

1. Network systems and data communications analysts perform a number of tasks in relation to data communications systems, like the Internet, including designing, analyzing, testing, and assessing systems and their performance. Analysts might also supervise computer programmers and work as specialists who handle the interfacing of computers and communications equipment.

How Fast Is It Growing? This is considered the leading occupation in terms of the percentage of growth in jobs. In large part, this is due to the increasing use of computers and information technology. The rise from 262,000 employees in 2006 to 402,000 in 2016 represents a 53.4 percent increase over that span - that's 140,000 new jobs.

How Do I Get Started? Many jobs require a bachelor's degree, although some might only require a two-year degree in computer science or an information technology-related field.

Salary: $73,800 a year

2. Dental hygienists are responsible for examining patients' teeth and gums, removing deposits from teeth, and providing other types of preventive dental care, like showing patients how to care for their teeth. They also record the presence of diseases or abnormalities.

How Fast Is It Growing? A total of 217,000 dental hygienists will be employed in 2016, up 30.1 percent from 2006. Population growth, tendency of older people retaining teeth, and an increased focus on preventive dental care has contributed to a demand for these workers. Dental hygienists are also increasingly taking on duties previously completed by dentists.

How Do I Get Started? An associate's degree or certificate in dental hygiene is typically necessary for practice in a private dental office.

Salary: $66,950 a year

3. Computer software engineers rely on their knowledge of computer science and mathematical analysis to develop, design, test, and evaluate the software and systems that operate our computers. Their tasks are evolving quickly and reflect the ever-changing landscape of computer technology. Computer games, word processing, and operating systems are among their areas of expertise.

How Fast Is It Growing? A 44.6 percent increase in jobs from 2006-2016 puts computer software engineers near the top of the growth scale. This growth will be the result of businesses and other organizations embracing and integrating new technologies and seeking to maximize the efficiency of their computer systems.

How Do I Get Started? The prospects are very good for job applicants with at least a bachelor's degree in software engineering or computer science and with some work experience.

Salary: $87,900 a year

4. Physical therapist assistants help physic al therapists treat victims of accidents or people with disabling conditions. The job involves working to improve patient mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or alleviate physical disabilities. A physical therapist might prepare physical therapy equipment, assist with exercises, or apply hot and cold packs while recording and reporting patients' responses to treatment.

How Fast Is It Growing? Consumer demand for physical therapy services is on the rise, helping employment for physical therapy aides to grow much faster than average for all occupations. The main reasons: an increasing elderly population, a baby-boom generation entering the prime age for illness, and an improved survival rate for trauma patients. There were 60,000 employed in 2006, and that number is expected to rise to 80,000 in 2016.

How do I Get Started? Most physical therapists earn an associate's degree from an accredited physical therapist assistants program.

Salary: $46,300 a year

5. Financial analysts and personal financial advisors share their expertise on investment strategies with businesses and individuals. Financial analysts generally focus on a specific industry, region, or type of product. Personal financial advisors assess and individual clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, and financial objectives to develop sound money strategies.

How Fast Is It Growing? Financial analysts and personal financial advisors held 397,000 jobs in 2006. This number will grow to 543,000 in 2016, an increase of 38.8 percent for both. The peak years of retirement savings and personal investments of a large baby-boom generation are creating a need for more people to seek help from experts.

How Do I Get Started? A bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, or accounting is considered highly desirable for financial analysts. Coursework in statistics, economics, and business is required. Knowledge of accounting policies and procedures, corporate budgeting, and financial analysis methods also is recommended. An advanced business degree such as an MBA can be an asset in this competitive field.

Salary: $66,590 a year

6. Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors offers counseling and advice to people dealing with problems such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gambling, and eating disorders. Some counselors work at therapeutic communities where people with addictions live while being treated.

How Fast Is It Growing? he number of counselors will rise from 83,000 to 112,000 by 2016, a 34.3 percent increase over the 10-year period. The rising number of people suffering from depression and other serious mood disorders has helped create a demand for counselors, according to a recent study by jobfox.com. That growth, coupled with the need to replace people leaving the field, make this a solid choice for those who seek a stable, rewarding career.

How Do I Get Started? A master's degree is usually required to be licensed as a counselor. Some states accept applicants with a bachelor's degree and appropriate counseling coursework.

Salary: $39,670 a year

Software Estimation

1. List everything you need to do to finish the big chunk of work. this includes any infrastructure work such as setting up branches in the source control system.
2. Estimate each item on that list. This initial estimate will help you see how long it might take to complete the entire task.
3. If you have a task longer than one day, break that task into smaller pieces…Only ever track tasks at 0% or 100% complete.If anything more fine-grain is needed then the task can be broken down further.
4. you can have multiple status to show task completion in context of project delivery. e.g. Ready for QA, Production Ready etc.
5. Determine a way to show visible status to anyone who’s interested. If you’re the person doing the work, what would you have to do to show your status to your manager? If you’re the manager, what do you need to see? You might need to see lists of test cases or a demo or something else that shows you visible progress.
6. Since you’ve got one-day or smaller tasks, you can track your progress daily. I like to keep a chart or list of the tasks, my initial estimated end time and the actual end time for each task. This is especially important for you managers, so you can see if the person is being interrupted and therefore is multitasking

Essentials for Living your fullest potential

1. Have an open mind
A lot of opportunities pass us by because we’re stuck in a limited pattern of thinking, or we’re afraid to take a risk. If there’s no actual real (or perceived) danger, take the risk. The worse that can happen is you’ll look silly.


2. Seek out new perspectives and contexts.
The more perspectives you seek out, the more you push the boundaries of your mind.

Get inside someone else’s mind. Pick their brain and try to see things from their point of view.

Change your routine. If you buy the same jelly donut, the same coffee, and drive the same way to work everyday, try something different. Be adventurous. Try the bear claw. Drink blueberry tea instead. Take the scenic route home.

Travel. What better way to stretch your mind than by completely immersing yourself in another culture?

3. Ask for what you want.
Everyone’s heard the saying “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” It never surprises me how many people fail to get what they want because they’re too afraid to ask for it. Their fear of rejection and embarrassment holds them back from asking for help.


4. Help other people succeed.
The more you give of yourself to others, the more value you create. The more value you create, the more other people will want to give value back to you.
Instead of thinking “I don’t know,” think “I’ll figure it out.”

Ignore NullReferenceException when reading object properties

Is there any way to direct C# to ignore NullReferenceException (or any specific exception for that matter) for a set of statements?
This is useful when trying to read properties from a deserialized object that may contain many null objects in it.
Having a helper method to check for null could be one way but I’m looking for something close to ‘On Error Resume Next’ (from VB) at a block of statement level.

Try-Catch will skip the succeeding statements on exception

try
{
stmt 1;// NullReferenceException here, will jump to catch - skipping stmt2 and stmt 3
stmt 2;
stmt 3;
}
catch (NullReferenceException) { }
For Example: I’m deserializing an XML message to an object and then try to access a property like

Message.instance[0].prop1.prop2.ID
now prop2 could be a null object (because it doesn’t exists in XML Message – an optional element in XSD). right now I need to check for null for each element in the hierarchy before accessing the leaf element. i.e I’ve to check if instance[0], prop1, prop2 are not null, before accessing ‘ID’.

any better way that avoids null-checking for each element in the hierarchy?

now I’m using delegate and NullReferenceException handling

public delegate string SD();//declare before class definition

string X = GetValue(() => Message.instance[0].prop1.prop2.ID); //usage

//GetValue defintion
private string GetValue(SD d){
try
{
return d();
}
catch (NullReferenceException) {
return "";
}

}

Things to Adopt in Life

Health

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Make time to practice prayer, meditation and yoga.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.

Personality

11. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present
moment.
13. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
17. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your
present happiness.
18. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
19. Smile and laugh more.
20. You don’t have to win every argument.
Agree to disagree.

Society

21. Call your family often.
22. Each day give something good to others.
23. Forgive everyone for everything.
24. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
25. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
26. What other people think of you is none of your business.
27. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.


Life

28. Do the right thing!
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
31. The best is yet to come.