Saturday, 31 October 2015

5 Almost Effortless Ways to Become a Morning Person

Do you have a "love-hate" relationship with the morning? Yeah, yeah, you already know that getting up early can make you more productive, focused and motivated -- which is why successful entrepreneurs like Sir Richard Branson and CEOs of multi-billion dollar companies like Tory Burch and Indra Nooyi (CEO of PepsiCo) wake up before the sun rises.

The only problem is . . . you absolutely hate getting out of bed any earlier than you have to. Sound familiar?

If you love the idea of creating a success-propelling morning routine but hate the thought of facing the day once your alarm clock sounds, don’t worry. Here are simple strategies you can follow that will make climbing out from under the covers and starting your morning much easier . . . and even somewhat fun.

1. Start the night before.

Many studies have linked motivation levels with REM sleep (which stands for rapid eye movement and is the part of sleep when you dream). If you’re not getting high-quality rest, with several REM cycles, your motivation and energy will lag when it’s time to get up in the morning.

One way to overcome this is to develop a pre-sleep routine that sets you up for quality rest. Here are some strategies entrepreneurs use to fall (and stay) asleep:

Limit your caffeine intake. Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpaceX, admits that he used to drink caffeine all day long, but he now limits consumption to one-to-two drinks, max, so he'll feel less “wired” and sleep better.
Step away from the electronics. The brightness of your phone, tablet or laptop screen right before bedtime can negatively affect your body’s sleep patterns, which is why Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Huffington Post, keeps her cellphone in another room . . . a habit she started after “passing out from exhaustion.”
Read a book. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates reads an hour nightly (mainly biographies, historical books and intellectual periodicals) to help him fall asleep easier.

It’s also beneficial to create a sleep-inducing environment. Make your bedroom as dark as possible, turn the face of the alarm clock away from you and use a white noise machine or fan if you live in a loud neighborhood.

2: Figure out why becoming a morning person is important to you.

It’s difficult to make any type of change without first knowing why that particular change is important to you. Why is getting up early important to you? Why do you want to be more productive in the morning? Do you believe that establishing the perfect morning routine will finally help you lose weight and get into shape, giving you more confidence and energy throughout the day?

Or, maybe you view getting out of bed before the crack of dawn as the way to find time for things that make you feel good, like reading, writing, or meditating?

Once you know why you want to get up early, you'll find that that change is easier to do.

3: Don’t hit the snooze button.

How many times do you hit the snooze button on a typical morning? Once? Twice? Five times? More?

Although it might seem that getting a few additional minutes of sleep every time the alarm goes off is a good thing, the opposite is actually true. Hitting the snooze button makes you feel more tired. It screws up your sleep cycles, so you wind up dragging your feet all day long.

On top of that, when hitting the button is the first action you take in the morning, you are starting your day off by procrastinating. This sends a message to your subconscious mind that you don’t even have the self-discipline to get out of bed in the morning. Not a great way to start your day.

So, how do you get out of the snooze button habit? Consider placing your clock (or phone) away from the bed so you actually have to get up to turn it off. Another suggestion from the Sleep Junkies is to glue your snooze button so it no longer works. That will certainly stop you from using it!

4: Change your morning routine slowly.

Trying to completely overhaul your mornings, by (for example) getting out of bed at 4 a.m. when you normally sleep until noon, can make it difficult if not impossible to stick to your new routine.

Instead, work at making small changes that you can build upon. Taking this route makes you more mindful and gives you higher levels of enthusiasm. It also increases your focus, makes you feel calmer and helps you learn the right way to go about making changes that stick.

For instance, if you normally wake up at 7 a.m., then aim to get up at 6:45 tomorrow. Once you master that, get up at 6:30. Move your getting-up time back only 15 minutes at a time, and before you know it, you’ll be an early morning person…almost effortlessly.

5: Choose morning activities you enjoy so you'll stick with it.

It’s hard enough to get out of bed at the crack of dawn and when you wake up to do activities you don’t enjoy . . . your new regimen can feel like torture.

That’s why you should create a morning routine that is filled with activities you actually like, those things that make you feel better about yourself and improve your direction in life.

A few of the activities that I get the most out of in the early morning hours include stretching, meditation, writing Morning Pages and gratitude lists and spending quality time with my family. Create your own list of things that you look forward to when you pop out of bed to make it easier for you to get up and face the day.

There you have it: five ways to make your mornings easier and more productive. Now, all you have to do is try one (or all) of them. Who knows? Your love-hate relationship may turn out to be 100 percent true love, as you realize that you’ve finally found “the one” . . . the perfect morning routine for you!

To learn more ways to make your mornings productive, check out The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Powerful Morning Routine.

Entrepreneurs are responsible for inspiring and motivating your employees to fulfill your shared mission. Doing so requires constant learning and self-improvement.

While your business matures and its headcount grows, your best team members may feel the company culture has long changed from what it once was. Some may be poached by headhunters with tempting offers to work on new and exciting projects. Worse, others may find themselves hitting a plateau with their careers and skill sets.

Here are nine helpful tips to continue developing your leadership abilities while enhancing company culture, reducing employee turnover and empowering your workers to achieve more in their personal and professional lives.

1. Practice patience.

When things at work or at home go awry, avoid being reactionary. Step away from the situation and take a few minutes to process what is happening. This gives you room to breathe and headspace to make an informed and calculated decision. Things tend to turn out worse when you let your emotions to get the best of you. Oftentimes, that leads to negative consequences. By practicing patience, you take a more cautious and prudent approach to decision-making. Your partners, employees and vendors will appreciate that.

2. Recruit smart talent.

Many say that you are the average of your five closest friends. While that may be true about your personal and social life, at work you may find yourself more like your colleagues. To surround yourself with individuals who will help develop and foster better leadership habits, hire agencies, employees or contractors who excel at what they do, even if your business does not necessarily require their support. Having them around to improve your workplace environment may be just what you need to become a more effective and more impactful leader.

3. Be vulnerable.

Some CEOs believe it is best to shield workers from the harsher realities of the overall business. As a result, many leaders withhold a lot of critical information that may help employees produce better work and manage their own thoughts and emotions. Though it is prudent to avoid acting out when you feel moody or vulnerable, it is valuable to share your troubles and worries with your team.

Mental health is an increasingly important issue in entrepreneurship circles, so when you feel down or stressed, freely admit it. In the past, I have battled with anxiety and instead of covering it up, I acknowledge it and let others know when I am not at my best. Being open about when you are vulnerable can be a welcome relief. Many times, the people around you will be more willing to extend a helping hand too.

4. Try something different.

In his 2008 TED talk, self-help expert Tim Ferriss encouraged people to abandon their fears and learn anything. As you learn new things, you develop different perspectives about yourself and the world around you. By exposing yourself to fresh experiences, you discover new strategies for coping with stress at work and problem-solving.

Consider working alongside your peers in your factory’s newest assembly line for a day, or take a four-hour course on wakeboarding. You may be surprised by how simply doing something new can positively impact your performance as a leader.

5. Go against your conventions and your own intuition.

No one is perfect. Sometimes our intuition fails us. Accepting that fact allows you to operate with an open mind which leaves room for taking bold risks and serendipitously stumbling upon success. Every once in awhile, attempt two separate -- and possibly conflicting -- approaches to solving a problem. In some cases, you may find that your gut instinct was completely wrong and that the risk was well worth the reward.

6. Schedule time for rest, relaxation and sleep.

Every leader needs time to recharge. To avoid burnout and conquer stress, sleep more and consciously make time to rest and relax. One of the perks our employees love at Amerisleep is the opportunity to escape to the nap room any time during the day. I also encourage people to meditate and practice mindfulness to ground themselves and persevere through troubling situations.

7. Coach others.

Play the role of an instructor or teacher to reinforce previous lessons and further enhance your skills. By sharing what you already know with your peers, you help develop them as people and as professionals. Ideally, you will want to work closely with your most promising managers to groom them to lead your company later.

Provide team members with the autonomy and opportunity to discover and execute solutions to problems the business may face. Staff at Ohio University recommend, “Facilitate and stimulate problem solving – encourage trainees to share their ideas as a part of the problem-solving effort.”

8. Pay it forward.

Over the years, I have been the fortunate recipient of goodwill from strangers and support from my friends and family. Feeling grateful, I have made it a point to pay it forward by sharing my resources, knowledge and expertise with my staff, the local community and our customers.

Interestingly enough, volunteering is a powerful way to boost your leadership skills. Mike Michalowicz, CEO of Provendus Group, suggests, “Spend time learning how to motivate a group of volunteers when you can’t use a paycheck. You may be surprised at the people skills you come away with.”

9. Improve your diet and fitness.

What you put into your body and how you care for it matters. Small changes to your exercise routine and eating habits can have a profound impact on your happiness and performance at work. Eat more brain foods and schedule weekly workouts to stay fit. Developing healthy habits is empowering and admirable. Demonstrate to your employees that work-life balance is not a myth. As soon as they follow your lead, you may notice a remarkable change in the culture and energy at work.

How we communicate largely determines what we experience in life. It influences how much money we make, every relationship we have and where we go in our career.

Our income can be limited if we are unable to pitch our product to a client, ask for a desired salary in an interview or request a raise from management. On the other hand, the depth of our relationships will be constrained if we don't have the confidence to approach new people or have the ability to resolve conflict and express ourselves.

Yet how often do we actually practice this art? Most of the time we tend to just wing it and learn as we go. Unfortunately, throughout our lives, most of us pick up some devastating yet subtle habits that can ruin conversations. And the biggest problem is that we think some of the habits are good communication tactics.

When I coach leaders and other professionals on how to elevate human performance in business, I come across these far too often. Understanding how human behavior relates to your specific business can be a big competitive advantage.
Here are five tips to help you instantly connect with anyone you meet:

1. The human brain picks up on subtle cues.

When someone is talking, their subconscious is on the look out to see if people are interested or not. It's a defense mechanism to ensure we don't get embarrassed or hurt from our environment. Our brain will look at everything from body language, facial gestures to the words that are spoken.

When listening to someone, your eyes should never look away for longer than a few seconds. The minute you start staring at other people, TV screens or constantly looking elsewhere, you are sabotaging the conversation. It makes the other person feel like what they are saying is not important and can be a real shot to their confidence. Be aware of how you listen to others, a good idea is to ask close friends and family if there are any things you do that throw them off when they're speaking.

2. Don't relate everything to you.

If you are in a conversation and someone is talking, let them have the stage. Many people feel that by interrupting a story and relating it to their own life, is a good way to enhance the connection. While this is true when done sparingly, there is nothing more frustrating when it's overdone.

You can't build trust with someone if they feel that every time they start talking, you are going to jump in. Not only does it interrupt their focus and retract their emotional investment in the conversation, but going forward they will be hesitant to talk at all.

3. Watch for filler comments.

I have a close friend who I love calling out when he does this. I will be chatting with him on the phone or in person, and despite his best intentions, it is incredibly obvious when he stops listening.

He tends to overuse filler comments that don't align with what I'm talking about. Filler comments are typical things we say to show someone that we are listening such as "yeah," "oh cool," "gotcha," "interesting," etc. However, when they are used to pretend like you're listening, it can be very obvious and distracting.

With multi-tasking at all time high, we've all been conditioned to do this at some point. However, if you are not called out on it, you may never realize how disrespectful and obvious it is to the other person. As a general rule: Always listen to others, the same way you expect to be listened to.

4. Don't pretend like you know everything.

When talking with others, we often want to show that we are educated and knowledgeable. It can be hard for some people to admit they are learning something new for the first time. Many leaders find it difficult to take advice, because they feel they should know everything and be the one giving guidance.
On the other side, most employees are eager to prove themselves, so they try not to expose any of their weaknesses. However, we have all been in a conversation where we think we are bringing up something important, only to hear the other person barely acknowledge it.

It doesn't matter your title or experience, if you want to connect with someone or influence them, you must make them feel valued. In his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie's principle #9 is as follows: "Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely." When you let someone know they are providing value, it makes them feel good and enables them to open up more. So be aware of your ego, and try to stop it from controlling your behavior.

5. Plan ahead.

If you are someone who gets nervous or freezes up during conversations, plan your questions in advance. This isn't to automate your interactions and turn you into a robot. It's to ease your mind so you can get out of your head, be confident and enjoy a natural free-flowing conversation.

You can get through any conversation by asking the right questions. So have three open-ended, thought-provoking questions for every situation you may be in. You could split the potential interactions into:

A. A networking event or potential business opportunity

B. Meeting someone new at a social event

C. Bumping into a friend

The key is to ask questions that are not invasive but do make the person have to stop and think about their response. The great thing is that not only will your conversation be more interesting -- but you will be much more memorable.

Nearly everyone dreams of quitting his or her day job, whether it's tomorrow, next year or in the next decade. However, there is a wide chasm between "dreams" and "action" that many people never seem to cross -- and it's usually due to finances.

Obviously, if you want to quit, you need to find another way to make enough income to pay your bills, save for the future and enjoy life. But what's the best way to do this? How can you make enough "side income" now so you can quit your job in the near future?

Here are five great ways to make side income while still working your day job:

1. Invest in real estate.

My eyes were first open to the idea of "passive income" after reading Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. Although not a real-estate book, it taught me the value of owning assets that produce income, which led me to real estate. Real-estate investing is not always passive, and not always easy, but it can be highly profitable. In addition, there are hundreds of ways to invest in real estate. For example, you could:

Flip houses
Own rental houses
Become a "house hacker"
Own vacation rentals (AirBnB)
Rent out duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes
Buy and rent out apartment complexes

Real-estate investing is my favorite way to create side income because it runs like a locomotive. It might take a little time to build up, but once it's running, it goes a long way with less effort and is hard to stop.

2. Write a book.

Many people have dreams of writing a book, but very few ever do. They think it's too hard, that they don't know enough, don't have enough time, aren't smart enough or whatever other excuse they can come up with. But the truth is: you can write a book, and that book can help you make additional monthly income.

There are several avenues you can take when writing a book, and there is no "best route." For example:

You could write a series of shorter topic-specific books and publish them on Kindle.
You could self-publish through your own website and sell to your existing customers.
You could partner with a larger platform and sell to its audience (as I did).
You could work to get published through a major publishing company (probably the most difficult path).
You could record an audiobook and publish it on Audible.

Writing a book today is not as tough as it once was, as there are so many avenues with which you could publish. The keys are no longer held by elite publishing companies in New York City. The keys are now in your hands.

3. Sell a product on Amazon.

I'm slightly addicted to Amazon Prime, as my local UPS driver can attest to. It seems every day I have a package or two waiting at my doorstep -- and it's usually from people just like you. Most of them probably never touch the product that I'm buying.

That's right: you no longer need to have a warehouse, inventory or employees to buy wholesale products and sell them at retail. Amazon has leveled the playing field and now anyone can sell products.

A friend of mine, Chris from UpFuel.com, decided to sell products on Amazon. He researched best-selling ideas, contacted a manufacturer in China and had the perfect model designed, had the product shipped to Amazon's fulfillment center in the United States and sells his product on the site, making thousands of dollars a month in profit.

The best part? Chris doesn't ever touch the product, and it largely runs on autopilot at this point.

4. Sell your skills.

Chances are you are good at something in the business world. Perhaps it's accounting, data entry, video production or writing.

Whatever you are good at, there are likely people out there willing to pay you good money to run that part of their business for them. Smart business owners know that they should focus on what they are good at, and hire out the rest. This is where you can come in and make side income doing what you love.

In addition to freelancing, you could also become a consultant. For example, my friend Joshua Long turned his knowledge of Infusionsoft, ClickFunnels and other marketing systems into a full-fledged consulting business, where he helps CEOs identify existing opportunities in their businesses.

So what are you good at? What will other people pay you for?

5. Start a blog.

Finally, a good way to make side income can be with a blog. Although it takes time to build up a following, once you have that following there are numerous ways to monetize the blog.

Jeff Rose, from GoodFinancialCents.com, uses his blog to build up his authority as a certified financial planner, driving traffic and income to his business. At the same time, his blog allows him to monetize in other more passive methods, such as affiliate marketing, online products and consulting.

To succeed at blogging, it's important that you:

Focus on writing quality content
Work hard at getting that content out there to the world
Build your email list from day one, so you can market to those people later.

Blogging is definitely not a "sit at home in your underwear and make easy money" kind of activity. It requires diligence, quality and time. However, blogging can be incredibly rewarding.

There is one common theme with all of the above methods for making side income. Do you know what it is? They all take work. That's right, you'll never achieve the kind of lifestyle you want if you don't work for it. So get out there today and start hustling. You'll be able to quit that job faster than you ever imagined.

The 3 Biggest Secrets Entrepreneurs Keep

Looking in the mirror at the end of the day can be a painful endeavor for entrepreneurs. It’s that raw moment when they drop the “fake it till you make it” smile. They let their anxiety seep through their pores, and wonder out loud just exactly how much stress, frustration, life lessons and wrinkles they will physically endure before they hit their target numbers or shake hands with their next investor.

It’s that raw moment when entrepreneurs -- and this may include you -- come face to face with their secrets. These are the secrets you'd prefer no one else discover. And here, you may feel isolated, but you're definitely not alone.

The reason is that everyone keeps secrets, and entrepreneurs are no exception. In fact, there are three specific secrets entrepreneurs share that prevent them from achieving greater success, faster: imposter syndrome, self-criticism fixation and comparison condition. When not addressed, these afflictions truncate success. When they are overcome, however, not only do they unleash potential but help entrepreneurs meet and often exceed their goals.

1. Imposter syndrome

Imposter syndrome occurs when entrepreneurs experience feelings of inadequacy and chronic self-doubt that persist even when a closer look indicates that the opposite is true.

Entrepreneurs often have the internal mantra, “I do not belong here. I’m not worthy of being taken seriously, and everyone will soon discover that I’m a fraud.” Unfortunately, many successful, smart, talented entrepreneurs believe they are neither good enough nor have enough to play in the coveted sandbox of "innovator and game changer.” These entrepreneurs end up behaving poorly in an attempt to cover up their fears.

What's more, those that fear being “caught” may avoid taking risks that could reveal their perceived inadequacies, or they'll settle for less, not believing they deserve better than mediocre results, mediocre talent or average opportunities. Those fears undermine their success by manifesting real-life mistakes and self-induced failures.

When entrepreneurs replace their feelings of inadequacy and paranoia about being discovered a “fraud” with a healthier, more realistic assessment about their strengths and contributions, they build self-confidence. When they focus less on their skill gaps and more on how best to leverage their gifts and talents, they create new value.

How might your own self-doubts be inhibiting your ability to lead?

2. Self-criticism fixation

A self-criticism fixation occurs when entrepreneurs are so hung up on their past transgressions that they can’t believe in their future excellence. Entrepreneurs are notoriously hard on themselves for early mistakes and failures. They often allow their perceived regrettable moments to cripple their potential or truncate their ability to successfully execute their next idea.

These hang-ups influence whom they hire and fire, how and when they make decisions and which relationships and partnerships they prioritize. They define themselves by mistakes instead of assessing the knowledge they have gained from past missteps and identifying how they turned that knowledge into wisdom to avoid subsequent, similar mistakes.

Letting go of resentments and grudges against ourselves is perhaps more difficult than letting go of others’ trespasses against us. Yet, it’s imperative for entrepreneurs to do exactly that. The point is not to avoid accountability, it’s to accept responsibility for the lesson. Once entrepreneurs realize that business and life are long learning curves, they can more readily let go of past mistakes and more expediently and effectively bring fruition to their next big idea.

If you were to love your followers as you love yourself, should your followers be warned?

3. Comparison condition

Comparison condition is one of the worst forms of entrepreneurs' self-abuse. Many entrepreneurs are so busy comparing themselves to other businesses and other entrepreneurs, living in a world of “should haves” and “should bes,” that they lose focus on their own path to success. When entrepreneurs compare themselves this way, they end up taking detours, trying out other people's paths. They dilute their talent and ultimately lose their mojo.

When that happens, they drift too far, often burn out and lose their followers. In contrast, staying on your own path is integral to focus, productivity, performance and results. It’s hard to charge full-steam ahead when you’re always looking sideways.

What have you done when a case of the "shoulds" hits you? How have you adjusted the internal conversation to be healthier and more supportive of your own ideas?

When entrepreneurs are willing to expose the secrets they keep -- if only to themselves, and then work through them -- they can positively and exponentially transform their business success. Oftentimes, entrepreneurs say they pay a high price to chart a new course. And that price may well reflect on the secrets they keep.

In Real Leaders Don't Follow, Steve Tobak explains how real entrepreneurs can start, build, and run successful companies in highly competitive global markets. He provides unique insights from an insider perspective to help you make better-informed business and leadership decisions. In this edited excerpt, Tobak explains the 7 rules he follows every day in order to be productive and successful without working 24/7.

Articles and books with titles like How to Be a Better Procrastinator andWhat the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast annoy the hell out of me. Actually, it’s not their content or authors I have a problem with but our culture’s enormous and insatiable demand for solutions to nonexistent problems.

I don’t know how it became everyone’s goal in life to squeeze every second of every minute of every day and become some sort of productivity ninja robot, but I really can’t think of anything more inhuman and, ironically, more unproductive.

Not only am I not a morning person, I’m pretty sure I’ve never had an intelligent thought before noon. I’m hopelessly disorganized. I don’t make lists or have daily plans. I’ve never had a file system that works. My inbox hasn’t been cleaned up in a decade. And my office looks like it was hit by a tornado.

I’m also a terrible procrastinator. I honestly can’t remember ever doing something today I could get away with putting off until tomorrow. And I’m incredibly lazy when it comes to doing things I really don’t want to do.

If all that makes me unproductive, so be it. But by any measure, that hasn’t stopped me from being relatively happy and surprisingly successful. So how do you reconcile that with the popular dogma about personal productivity and time management?

You might think I’m successful in spite of my unproductive ways, but there is a distinct possibility that I’ve been successful because of them. The truth is, I find it all pointless. Why worry about being productive when life offers so much opportunity, so much to experience, and so much to do?

If you want to accomplish great things, you should focus on doing just that. Quit wasting your time in search of nonexistent quick fixes. Figure out what you want to do and just do it.

Everyone always complains about there not being enough time in a day. They have too many things going on, too many irons in the fire, or too many commitments. They’re too busy or spread too thin.

One word: bullshit.

You don’t have too much to do. Productivity and time management aren't your problem. You just have to be disciplined about setting priorities, focusing on what’s important, and letting go of what isn’t. When there’s something you really want to achieve, you'll find a way.

As unproductive as I am, at least by all the popular notions of the day, I’ve somehow managed to accomplish everything I set out to do and have a good time doing it. I have seven rules that keep me on track.

Rule 1: Focus on your goals and priorities.

If you’re not clear what your goals are, you have no chance of achieving them. Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might not get there.” He was a master of the understatement. Goals are big things you want to achieve with your life. Priorities are things you have to get done either to help you achieve your goals, pay the bills, or keep your family safe and comfortable. You must focus on your goals and priorities. And unless you’re the head of manufacturing at Toyota, productivity should not be one of them.

Rule 2: Know yourself.

Yahoo! CEO and former Google executive Marissa Mayer is a famously insane workaholic who says she averages 90-hour weeks packed with 60 meetings. She once said that avoiding burnout is about “knowing yourself well enough to know what it is you’re giving up that makes you resentful” and “finding your rhythm.” That’s what enables her to work so hard. Same here. I know what I need, and I make sure I get it.

Rule 3: Always get the job done.

I've always had a powerful work ethic that guides my decisions on what is and is not OK to do. I’m a reasonably smart, effective, and hard-working guy by nature, but when I’m paid to do a job, my priority is always to get it done and do it better than anyone on earth.

Rule 4: Love your work.

If you enjoy your work, long hours come easily. You can work tirelessly for extended periods of time on long-term projects without feeling like you’re missing out on something. And there’s nothing wrong with making it as fun as you can. On nice days, I work outdoors. If I’ve got a tight deadline, I’ll have a second cappuccino to provide a boost. If I’m working at night, I have a glass of wine or two. Work shouldn’t be painful. Make it easy on yourself.

Rule 5: Be flexible, adaptive, and creative.

One of the great misconceptions about entrepreneurialism is that you’re your own boss. Wrong. We serve our customers, our investors, and, in a way, our employees. Those are your stakeholders. And if you’re always there for them by being flexible, adaptive, and creative— by having a “sure, no problem” attitude even when you have no idea how you’re going to do something—they’ll reciprocate and cut you some slack when you need it.

Rule 6: Work when you have to, not when you don’t.

I’ve commuted across the country, taking weekly red-eye flights for more than a year. I’ve gotten on a plane, flown to Tokyo for a dinner meeting with an important customer, and flown right back that night. That just comes with the territory. But I only work hard when I have to, not when I don’t. As long as you do what you need to do when it counts, you can take time off and screw around when it doesn’t.

Rule 7: Take care of yourself.

This is the part that seems to confuse people. They think that by managing every nanosecond of their time, they’ll maintain some bizarre sort of balance. They gobble down fast-food meals, stress out, lose sleep, and run themselves into the ground in the name of productivity. That’s just nuts. You should be able to eat right, sleep right, get exercise, and take good care of yourself without stressing over how much you got done before breakfast. Burned-out stress monsters aren't healthy. I doubt if they’re very productive, either.

10 Movies Every Entrepreneur Needs to Watch

No one ever said being an entrepreneur would be easy. A million obstacles seem to stand in the way each and every day. The naysayers and budget woes can be enough for the average person to start waving the flag.

But you are not an average person: You’re an entrepreneur. That means that even when times are tough, you’re still going to march forward.

Yet when this whole entrepreneur thing becomes overwhelming, take a break and look for some much needed motivation. And what better way to find inspiration than watching movies?

Whether it’s a heartwarming adventure, irreverent comedy or thought-provoking documentary, a film can inspire and motivate a weary business owner.

With that in mind, here are 10 movies that every entrepreneur needs to watch:

1. The Social Network: It was no surprise that The Social Network was a blockbuster when it was released in 2010. After all, everyone wanted to see how Mark Zuckerberg became transformed from a Harvard student to launching the most popular social-media network in the world.

Why watch it? Never mind if this was overdramatized. The film gives viewers a better understanding of how to make a startup succeed by exhibiting such qualities as being flexible and resilient. Every time I watch this movie it motivates me to be a better entrepreneur.

2. Glengarry Glen Ross: Based on David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, this film explores the cutthroat world of Chicago real estate.Glengarry Glen Ross takes a closer look at the lies and betrayals people endure just to succeed in business.

Why watch it? Unfortunately, the business world can be brutal, something you’ll learn even as a salesperson. This 1992 film illustrates just how vicious it can be.

3. Pirates of Silicon Valley: This was a made-for-TV movie released in 1999 that covers the early days of the country's leading technology hub and the eventual rise of both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. The documentary-style movie provides an interesting take on the lives of the founders of Microsoft and Apple.

Why watch it? Entrepreneurs are still looking for inspiration from these two iconic “pirates.” It definitely provides pointers to learn from.

4. Citizen Kane: Even if you’re not an entrepreneur, watch Orson Welles’ 1941 masterpiece. The film revolves around the life of a fictitious Charles Foster Kane, a newspaper tycoon loosely based on William Randolph Hearst and his quest for fortune and power. In the end, however, Kane comes to understand what’s really important in life.

Why watch it? While launching a successful business is a goal of every entrepreneur, it’s not the only goal in life.

5. The Pursuit of Happyness: Based on the true story of Chris Gardner, this 2006 Will Smith vehicle is one of the most heartwarming and motivational films for entrepreneurs. If you’re not moved by watching Chris and his son struggle to follow a dream, then I am truly puzzled.

Why watch it? Even though he became homeless and struggled to provide for his son, Chris never gave up on his dream. That passion and sacrifice is something every entrepreneur should be willing to embrace.

6. Moneyball: You don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy Brad Pitt’s portrayal of Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A’s. Because the team didn't have the finances to spend on players, Beane had to discover a unique way to compete.

Why watch it? Beane had to be innovative. And that’s one of the most-well known traits of entrepreneurs: figuring out how to make something better. Also, Beane never listened to the naysayers and never backed down from his vision.

7. Rocky: This is another film that everyone has to watch at least once. Sylvester Stallone wrote and starred in this ultimate underdog tale of Rocky Balboa going the distance with boxing heavyweight champion Apollo Creed.

Why watch it? Even when the world tells you that you'll never have a chance to succeed, keep fighting. That competitive spirit can take you a long way. And I dare you to listen to the classic score from Bill Conti and not become motivated.

8. Wall Street: In 1987, director Oliver Stone made Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) one of the most infamous characters in cinema history with his motto “greed is good.” The film centers on the illegal and unethical decisions made by Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) to become filthy rich like Gekko, a corporate raider.

What watch it? Don’t sell yourself out just for the sake of money. Remember, being an entrepreneur isn’t just about becoming rich and famous.

9. Jerry Maguire: The protagonist, Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise), had it all: a great career, lots of friends and a beautiful fiancé. One day, however, he has an epiphany: Sports agents shouldn’t just be looking at the money scenes but how to take care of their clients. Jerry loses everything and goes on journey to regain everything he’s lost.

Why watch it? When you’re following your dream, everything else will fall into place both professionally and personally. Jerry Maguire eventually learns this valuable lesson.

10. Office Space: This 1999 comedy from Mike Judge focuses on Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston), who eventually discovers how much he hates sitting inside a cubicle taking orders from his creepy boss Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole).

Why watch it? Every entrepreneur hates working for someone else and will even sometimes go to extremes to get fired: I'm not condoning that you embezzle, though: it could result in jail time.

I'm sure I missed a couple. What movie do you think every entrepreneur has to watch?

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