6 Effective #LifeHacks That Don't Cost a Penny

Paul Eder, PhD is a Lead Consultant at The Center for Organizational Excellence, Inc. and the co-author of FIRESTARTERS: How Innovators, Instigators, and Initiators Can Inspire You to Ignite Your Own Life.

Investing in yourself doesn't always cost a fortune. You could change yourself (and your world) by simply dedicating a small amount of time or by forcing a shift in your mindset. Here are some achievable ideas for jumpstarting your journey toward a new way of thinking.

1. Making a List of 100. It doesn't matter what topic. If you can create a list of 100 things to think about in a given domain, you look like an expert (and you feel like an expert).
2. Following The Rule of 10. Always be ten minutes more prepared than everyone else in a meeting. You will seem like one of the smartest people in the room just for thinking ahead about the topic.
3. Remembering The Last 5 Times. People have short memory spans. According to James Altucher, your friends and colleagues will only remember their impression of the last five times they interacted with you (this may be an exaggeration but it rings mostly true). Score five straight wins and you can turn around your reputation with almost anyone.
4. Creating 4-Dimensional Goals. Don't limit success to one number. Think about: what you want to achieve, what you can achieve given the circumstances, what history says you can achieve, and what others think you can achieve. Exceeding in any of these dimensions can be a success.
5. Playing The 3 Most Important Roles for Achievers. Innovators create things. Instigators disrupt things. Initiators start things. The world needs all of these roles. Which will you play?
6. Looking Beyond #1. The world is bigger than you. Society can thrive with or without you. Be a contributor to something greater, rather than letting your idiosyncrasies hold you and others back.