3 Tips to Get Unstuck in 2014 from Extra Mile Man

Motivational speaker and author Shawn Anderson shares a few secrets about getting up after life knocks us down.

The Founder of Extra Mile Day, Anderson has interviewed hundreds of people who have felt life's sting and then demonstrated a remarkable ability to overcome personal setback and accomplish something extraordinary.

The author of six books, including SOAR to the Top and Extra Mile America: Stories of Inspiration, Possibility and Purpose, Anderson earned the label the "Extra Mile Man" by creating a symbolic 4,000-mile ocean-to-ocean solo bike ride to encourage people to "go the extra mile" in order to change their life's direction. Holding events in 21 cities along the route, Anderson interviewed over 200 people who had been identified as "going the extra mile." After the ninety-day tour, Anderson added to his message by personally giving away $10,000 to those people whose stories he found most inspiring.

Since then, Anderson and his Extra Mile America organization led 444 cities in all 50 states to declare 11/1/13 "Extra Mile Day"… a day to recognize the capacity we each have to create positive change for ourselves, families, organizations and communities when "go the extra mile."

Anderson offers three tips on how to change life's direction in 2014:

1. Be true to yourself.
"No one is living your life, but you. No one can create the changes to make you happy, but you. Give yourself permission to get out of your own way," Anderson says.

2. Don't expect change overnight.
"It's impossible to go from 'ice cold' to 'red hot' over night. Don't expect it." Anderson continues, "Do expect, though, that you can grow to 'red hot' if you hold yourself accountable to taking one small step a day towards the changes you want in your life."

3. Don't wait for perfect.
"Don't wait for the 'perfect' moment to happen before you take action. Waiting too long for the right risk-taking moment eventually leads to fear…then complacency…then stagnation."

"No one is exempt from feeling life's ups-and-downs," Anderson says. "Sometimes, life has a way of punching us so hard that merely surviving day-to-day is all we can do. The job we hate, the relationship that sours, the personal tragedy that devastates…life has a way of happening. But it's what we do after life 'happens' that makes a difference in our futures."

For more information about Shawn Anderson, go to www.ShawnAnderson.com. To contact Anderson directly, email Shawn@ShawnAnderson.com.