In times of uncertainty, self-doubt, anxiety, or fear we all tend to fall back to the same negative feedback loop; creating sabotaging thoughts, harming our own esteem, and blaming the external situations for our inability to achieve what we seek in life. Gabrielle Bernstein, in her Super Soul talk, outlines a 5-step method for spiritual surrender, which makes us grateful and joyful for things we have in our lives, even when we think they are working against us. Here's how you can do it →

The Universe Has Your Back

When we stop praying for what we need and start praying for what is best for everyone, we are aligned with the truth and the magnitude of our authentic power's presence. Try to send out positive vibrations for all of your loved ones while closing your eyes. You'll feel more strong right immediately, and you'll notice a difference.

Step 1: Take your wheels off through prayer. Pray for what is for the highest good for all.

We are frequently concerned with things that do not materialize in our life. We place too much emphasis on the uncontrolled, and everything feels tense. Let us, today, change our emphasis to the positive and joyful aspects of our lives. You'll notice a difference and your inner self will become more enlightened.

Step 2: Focus on what is thriving in your life.

Changing your attitude can change your actions. If we carry a negative mindset, we are letting ourselves lose out on every hidden chance that might make us better and stronger for our ambitions. Help yourself see the good even in those bad times. When you start focussing on the good even in those harsh times, the good in your life expands.

Step 3: Obstacles are detours in the right direction. 

Asking for a sign isn't about running away and losing faith in ourselves, it's about accepting the love that the Universe is always eager to provide. It is a matter of harnessing & aligning with the energy and allowing it to decide what is best for us. Consider it as a helping hand, and the greatest thing is that it is available 365*24*7.

Step 4: Ask for a sign! 

Surrendering is a process that takes time. For many of us, we become skeptical about giving control of our lives to someone else's hands. But once you start surrendering to the ultimate power, miracles will happen in your life. You'll feel at peace and ease at every step because you'll know the Universe has your back in every scenario and at any time.

Step 5: When you have surrendered, surrender some more.

Giving meaning to suffering and effort is a frequent occurrence that we have all witnessed. We try to get the greatest outcomes possible by continually working and pushing ourselves. And I've seen it for myself; it's exhilarating at first but fades after a few months. But when I began surrendering to the Universe, I saw a significant change. I became happy, prepared for the unexpected, and was ready to work without grumbling or comparing myself to others.&nbsp;

What I learned from surrendering?

The Universe loves us all, regardless of where we are in life, what we have done in the past, or where we come from. It's in the Holy Moment you surrender yourself to look at the beautiful world with love and compassion for every other soul, including yourself, and start changing yourself. Finally, I'd want to close with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, which I find as an apt ending for the idea stack: "If you want to change the world, begin with yourself." Thank you!I appreciate your taking the time to read this.

Conclusion

Many of us believe the universe sends us messages, whether we notice them or not. Gabrielle Bernstein says one of those messages for her came in the form of a turkey! Yes, a turkey! Gabrielle explains how and why the universe will always have your back. Watch exclusive #SuperSoulSessions content on http://www.SuperSoul.TV Find OWN on TV at http://www.oprah.com/FindOWN #OWNTV #SuperSoulSessions #Oprahwinfrey SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/1vqD1PN Download the Watch OWN App: http://bit.ly/2hr1nX2 About SuperSoul.TV: SuperSoul.TV is a gathering of spiritual thought leaders to stimulate and inspire us to move in the direction of our truest calling - to become more of who we are. Co-Creation. Illumination. Congregation. Inspiration. Ideation. Motivation. Magnification. Celebration. Heart-i-fi-cation; Where heart meets soul; disruptively awakening. About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand -- and the magnetism of the channel. Winfrey provides leadership in programming and attracts superstar talent to join her in primetime, building a global community of like-minded viewers and leading that community to connect on social media and beyond. OWN is a singular destination on cable. Depth with edge. Heart. Star power. Connection. And endless possibilities. Discover OWN TV: Find OWN on your TV!: http://bit.ly/1wJ0ugI Our Fantastic Lineup: http://bit.ly/1qMi2jE Connect with OWN Online: Visit the OWN WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/1qMi2jE Like OWN on FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/1AXYujp Follow OWN on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/1sJin8Y Follow OWN on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/LnqzMz Follow OWN on PINTEREST: http://bit.ly/2dvfPeN Gabrielle Bernstein: The Universe Has Your Back | SuperSoul Sessions | Oprah Winfrey Network http://www.youtube.com/user/OWN

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Many of us believe the universe sends us messages, whether we notice them or not. Gabrielle Bernstein says one of those messages for her came in the form of a turkey! Yes, a turkey! Gabrielle explains how and why the universe will always have your back. Watch exclusive #SuperSoulSessions content on http://www.SuperSoul.TV

Find OWN on TV at http://www.oprah.com/FindOWN

#OWNTV #SuperSoulSessions #Oprahwinfrey
SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/1vqD1PN

Download the Watch OWN App: http://bit.ly/2hr1nX2

About SuperSoul.TV:
SuperSoul.TV is a gathering of spiritual thought leaders to stimulate and inspire us to move in the direction of our truest calling - to become more of who we are. Co-Creation. Illumination. Congregation.  Inspiration. Ideation. Motivation. Magnification. Celebration. Heart-i-fi-cation; Where heart meets soul; disruptively awakening.

About OWN:
Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand -- and the magnetism of the channel.

Winfrey provides leadership in programming and attracts superstar talent to join her in primetime, building a global community of like-minded viewers and leading that community to connect on social media and beyond. OWN is a singular destination on cable. Depth with edge. Heart. Star power. Connection. And endless possibilities.

Discover OWN TV:
Find OWN on your TV!: http://bit.ly/1wJ0ugI
Our Fantastic Lineup: http://bit.ly/1qMi2jE

Connect with OWN Online:
Visit the OWN WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/1qMi2jE
Like OWN on FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/1AXYujp
Follow OWN on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/1sJin8Y
Follow OWN on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/LnqzMz
Follow OWN on PINTEREST: http://bit.ly/2dvfPeN

Gabrielle Bernstein: The Universe Has Your Back | SuperSoul Sessions | Oprah Winfrey Network
http://www.youtube.com/user/OWN

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand -- and the magnetism of the channel.

Visit http://www.oprah.com/own to learn more about Queen Sugar, David Makes Man, Greenleaf, Iyanla: Fix My Life, SuperSoul Sunday, Ambitions, Family or Fiance, and other OWN shows. 

Subscribe to OWN's YouTube channel and see below for our upload schedule from our lineup. Be sure to like, comment and share the videos with your friends. Be a part of the conversation and subscribe today!

Gabrielle Bernstein: The Universe Has Your Back | SuperSoul Sessions | Oprah Winfrey Network

Bob Bowman, the renowned swimming coach of Michael Phelps states five defining characteristics of champions:1. Champion has a clear plan for success and for achieving goals.2. Champions welcome challenges as a means to learn and grow. Becoming a champion is a lot about going through ups and downs.3. Champions produce normal and predictable performances in very abnormal and unpredictable environments.4. Champions rehearse success on a daily basis. (Process is more important than results).5. Champions have a dream. That's how this all starts! Dream ignites a creative process.

The Characteristics of Champions

One thing that separates Michael from other swimmers is that if they don't feel good, they don't swim good. That's not the way it is for Michael.

One approach to distinguish yourself is to rehearse your actions in the most unusual situations. Because you've already done the task in situations where others couldn't have expected to begin, this can make a huge difference in your mental power and endurance for the game day. Thanks for reading!Share this if you found it useful.

My take: What we should do?

Chicago Ideas: The Ideas Platform for Everyone. Attend events, watch videos and take action.

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<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Motivation is unreliable, since it is based on how we feel (bad days, good days). We have known for centuries that human emotions are fluid and unpredictable.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Motivation comes by believing in positive aspects of a goal and it’s really hard to change your feelings just by thinking. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">Motivation is destructive. When you rely on motivation to make you do something, there will always be decreasing enthusiasm following up and every subsequent time you will be requiring more of motivation to even get started.</li></ol>

STOP Your Dependence On  Motivation: Here’s Why

<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Willpower, unlike motivation, is reliable. If you are forcing yourself to do something, you get accountability for your actions and that’s dependable.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Willpower can be strengthened. You can improve on your ability to take actions despite feeling resistance due to feelings.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Willpower strategies are consistent. If you rely on motivation, you will have a tough time scheduling and repeating behaviours.</li></ol>

Willpower Over Motivation: Why It Works?

If you feel motivated or enthusiastic before doing something, it’s great. The problem comes when you start assuming it as your cue for taking action because then, you are depending upon it. Next time, you are unenthusiastic, you won’t do it.

Discover the Life-Changing Strategy of This Worldwide Bestseller in 17 Languages! UPDATED: Includes the best habit tracking apps of 2017. Lasting Change For Early Quitters, Burnouts, The Unmotivated, And Everyone Else Too When I decided to start exercising consistently 10 years ago, this is what actually happened: I tried "getting motivated." It worked sometimes.I tried setting audacious big goals. I almost always failed them.I tried to make changes last. They didn't. Like most people who try to change and fail, I assumed that I was the problem. Then one afternoon--after another failed attempt to get motivated to exercise--I (accidentally) started my first mini habit. I initially committed to do one push-up, and it turned into a full workout. I was shocked. This "stupid idea" wasn't supposed to work. I was shocked again when my success with this strategy continued for months (and to this day). I had to consider that maybe I wasn't the problem in those 10 years of mediocre results. Maybe it was my prior strategies that were ineffective, despite being oft-repeated as "the way to change" in countless books and blogs. My suspicions were correct. Is There A Scientific Explanation For This? As I sought understanding, I found a plethora of scientific studies that had answers, with nobody to interpret them correctly. Based on the science--which you'll find peppered throughout Mini Habits--we've been doing it all wrong. You can succeed without the guilt, intimidation, and repeated failure associated with such strategies as "getting motivated," New Year's Resolutions, or even "just doing it." In fact, you need to stop using those strategies if they aren't giving you great results. Most popular strategies don't work well because they require you to fight against your subconscious brain (a fight not easily won). It's only when you start playing by your brain's rules and taking your human limitations seriously--as mini habits show you how to do--that you can achieve lasting change. What's A Mini Habit? A mini habit is a very small positive behavior that you force yourself to do every day; its "too small to fail" nature makes it weightless, deceptively powerful, and a superior habit-building strategy. You will have no choice but to believe in yourself when you're always moving forward. The barrier to the first step is so low that even depressed or "stuck" people can find early success and begin to reverse their lives right away. And if you think one push-up a day is too small to matter, I've got one heck of a story for you! Aim For The First Step They say when you aim for the moon, you'll land among the stars. Well, that doesn't make sense, as the moon is closer than the stars. I digress. The message is that you should aim very high and even if you fall short, you'll still get somewhere. I've found the opposite to be true in regards to productivity and healthy behaviors. When you aim for the moon, you won't do anything because it's too far away. But when you aim for the step in front of you, you might keep going and reach the moon. I've used the Mini Habits strategy to get into the best shape of my life, read 10x more books, and write 4x as many words. It started from requiring one push-up from myself every day. How ridiculous is that? Not so ridiculous when you consider the science of the brain, habits, and willpower. The Mini Habits system works because it's how our brains are designed to change. Note: This book isn't for eliminating bad habits (some principles could be useful for breaking habits). Mini Habits is a strategy to create permanent healthy habits in: exercise, writing, reading, thinking positively, meditating, drinking water, eating healthy foods, etc. Lasting change won't happen until you take that first step into a strategy that works. Give Mini Habits a try. You won't look back.

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

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Motivation & Inspiration

Discover the Life-Changing Strategy of This Worldwide Bestseller in 17 Languages! Lasting Change For Early Quitters, Burnouts, The Unmotivated, And Everyone Else Too  When I decided to start exercising consistently 10 years ago, this is what actually happened: I tried &quot;getting motivated.&quot; It worked sometimes.I tried setting audacious big goals. I almost always failed them.I tried to make changes last. They didn't.Like most people who try to change and fail, I assumed that I was the problem. Then one afternoon--after another failed attempt to get motivated to exercise--I (accidentally) started my first mini habit. I initially committed to do one push-up, and it turned into a full workout. I was shocked. This &quot;stupid idea&quot; wasn't supposed to work. I was shocked again when my success with this strategy continued for months (and to this day). I had to consider that maybe I wasn't the problem in those 10 years of mediocre results. Maybe it was my prior strategies that were ineffective, despite being oft-repeated as &quot;the way to change&quot; in countless books and blogs. My suspicions were correct. Is There A Scientific Explanation For This?As I sought understanding, I found a plethora of scientific studies that had answers, with nobody to interpret them correctly. Based on the science--which you'll find peppered throughout Mini Habits--we've been doing it all wrong. You can succeed without the guilt, intimidation, and repeated failure associated with such strategies as &quot;getting motivated,&quot; New Year's Resolutions, or even &quot;just doing it.&quot; In fact, you need to stop using those strategies if they aren't giving you great results. Most popular strategies don't work well because they require you to fight against your subconscious brain (a fight not easily won). It's only when you start playing by your brain's rules and taking your human limitations seriously--as mini habits show you how to do--that you can achieve lasting change. What's A Mini Habit?A mini habit is a very small positive behavior that you force yourself to do every day; its &quot;too small to fail&quot; nature makes it weightless, deceptively powerful, and a superior habit-building strategy. You will have no choice but to believe in yourself when you're always moving forward. The barrier to the first step is so low that even depressed or &quot;stuck&quot; people can find early success and begin to reverse their lives right away. And if you think one push-up a day is too small to matter, I've got one heck of a story for you! Aim For The First StepThey say when you aim for the moon, you'll land among the stars. Well, that doesn't make sense, as the moon is closer than the stars. I digress.  The message is that you should aim very high and even if you fall short, you'll still get somewhere. I've found the opposite to be true in regards to productivity and healthy behaviors. When you aim for the moon, you won't do anything because it's too far away. But when you aim for the step in front of you, you might keep going and reach the moon. I've used the Mini Habits strategy to get into the best shape of my life, read 10x more books, and write 4x as many words. It started from requiring one push-up from myself every day. How ridiculous is that? Not so ridiculous when you consider the science of the brain, habits, and willpower. The Mini Habits system works because it's how our brains are designed to change. Note: This book isn't for eliminating bad habits (some principles could be useful for breaking habits). Mini Habits is a strategy to create permanent healthy habits in: exercise, writing, reading, thinking positively, meditating, drinking water, eating healthy foods, etc. Lasting change won't happen until you take that first step into a strategy that works. Give Mini Habits a try. You won't look back.

Stephen Guise is an international bestselling author, blogger, and entrepreneur. His books have been translated into 21 languages.As an author, Guise is known for delivering highly actionable, world-class behavior change strategies in a humorous wrapper.

Stephen Guise

Mini Habits

The neurological “success” aspect behind deliberate practice in any activity is myelin.Myelin is a fatty tissue created by oligodendrocytes around neurons, acting like an insulator that allows neurons to fire faster and cleaner. When you focus intensely, you trigger the same neural pathway again and again which triggers mylein formation- effectively cementing the same skill.On the other hand, when you do shallow work with low concentration, you fire multiple neural circuits simultaneously and haphazardly, which leads to no value.

The Science of Deep Work: Why deliberate practice works?

To produce at your peak level, you need to work for extended periods with full concentration on a single task free from distraction.

An Amazon Best Book of 2016 Pick in Business & LeadershipWall Street Journal Business BestsellerA Business Book of the Week at 800-CEO-READ One of the most valuable skills in our economy is becoming increasingly rare. If you master this skill, you'll achieve extraordinary results. Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship. In short, deep work is like a super power in our increasingly competitive twenty-first century economy. And yet, most people have lost the ability to go deep-spending their days instead in a frantic blur of e-mail and social media, not even realizing there's a better way. In DEEP WORK, author and professor Cal Newport flips the narrative on impact in a connected age. Instead of arguing distraction is bad, he instead celebrates the power of its opposite. Dividing this book into two parts, he first makes the case that in almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits. He then presents a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four "rules," for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill. A mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice, DEEP WORK takes the reader on a journey through memorable stories-from Carl Jung building a stone tower in the woods to focus his mind, to a social media pioneer buying a round-trip business class ticket to Tokyo to write a book free from distraction in the air-and no-nonsense advice, such as the claim that most serious professionals should quit social media and that you should practice being bored. DEEP WORK is an indispensable guide to anyone seeking focused success in a distracted world.

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Productivity

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Books

Master one of our economy’s most rare skills and achieve groundbreaking results with this “exciting” book (Daniel H. Pink) from an “exceptional” author (New York Times Book Review). Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep Work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship. In short, deep work is like a super power in our increasingly competitive twenty-first century economy. And yet, most people have lost the ability to go deep-spending their days instead in a frantic blur of e-mail and social media, not even realizing there's a better way. In Deep Work, author and professor Cal Newport flips the narrative on impact in a connected age. Instead of arguing distraction is bad, he instead celebrates the power of its opposite. Dividing this book into two parts, he first makes the case that in almost any profession, cultivating a deep work ethic will produce massive benefits. He then presents a rigorous training regimen, presented as a series of four "rules," for transforming your mind and habits to support this skill. 1. Work Deeply 2. Embrace Boredom 3. Quit Social Media 4. Drain the Shallows A mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice, Deep Work takes the reader on a journey through memorable stories-from Carl Jung building a stone tower in the woods to focus his mind, to a social media pioneer buying a round-trip business class ticket to Tokyo to write a book free from distraction in the air-and no-nonsense advice, such as the claim that most serious professionals should quit social media and that you should practice being bored. Deep Work is an indispensable guide to anyone seeking focused success in a distracted world. An Amazon Best Book of 2016 Pick in Business & Leadership Wall Street Journal Business Bestseller A Business Book of the Week at 800-CEO-READ

Cal Newport is Provost’s Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, and the author of seven books. His ideas and writing are frequently featured in major publications and on TV and radio.From his website: "I write about the intersection of digital technology and culture. I’m particularly interested in our struggle to deploy these tools in ways that support instead of subvert the things we care about in both our personal and professional lives."

Cal Newport

Deep Work

Research tells the greatest athletes and the greatest businessmen are strikingly similar in their wiring. They think in many of the same ways and have similar levels of competitiveness.What distinguishes these high achievers is their mindset: Successful people have realised that being busy is a waste of time, being productive should be the goal. Dispel the myth that the most successful people in sports or business get the most done. They do not. They only proceed with care and mastery of priorities. They excel at prioritising their day's activities and completing the most important ones.

Ordinary vs Successful Mindsets

﻿It just doesn't matter how organised, efficient, and energised you are. You will never get everything done in a single day. That's just too high a bar to set.

In the spirit of business/self-help hits such as Darren Hardy's The Compound Effect, a simple formula for productivity and success, from a prominent sports psychologist and a star business coach who join forces to offer seven fundamental skills for improving your habits and achieving peak performance in work and life.

In the spirit of business/self-help hits such as Darren Hardy's The Compound Effect, a simple formula for productivity and success, from a prominent sports psychologist and a star business coach who join forces to offer seven fundamental skills for improving your habits and achieving peak performance in work and life.

Jason Selk is an accomplished writer whose work has resonated with readers around the world. Jason Selk has published several books that explore a range of topics, from fiction to nonfiction, and has received critical acclaim for the ability to weave compelling narratives. Jason Selk's writing style is known for its depth and authenticity, and has earned quite a loyal following of readers.

Jason Selk

Tom Bartow is an accomplished writer whose work has resonated with readers around the world. Tom Bartow has published several books that explore a range of topics, from fiction to nonfiction, and has received critical acclaim for the ability to weave compelling narratives. Tom Bartow's writing style is known for its depth and authenticity, and has earned quite a loyal following of readers.

Tom Bartow

Matthew Rudy is an accomplished writer whose work has resonated with readers around the world. Matthew Rudy has published several books that explore a range of topics, from fiction to nonfiction, and has received critical acclaim for the ability to weave compelling narratives. Matthew Rudy's writing style is known for its depth and authenticity, and has earned quite a loyal following of readers.

Gabrielle Bernstein: The Universe Has Your Back | SuperSoul Sessions | Oprah Winfrey Network

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Mini Habits

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Organize Tomorrow Today

Divyansh Sharma