My Self-Imposed News Blackout

Today I came across a nice little post on the ZenHabits blog about the importance of learning to reclaim our attention and it started me thinking about the things I am, and am not, currently giving my attention. One of the things the poster mentioned was the idea of giving up the business of staying abreast of the news.

Now I definitely agree that the news is largely a waste of time. That was a decision I made myself some ten years ago when I stopped watching and listening to the news on the TV or radio and I also stopped reading newspapers. It started when I realised that these things are largely populated with negativity and the last thing I wanted to start my day was a dose of that. I stopped watching the morning news. After that, I broke my addiction to news and began to care less and less about whether or not I knew what was going on in the wider world. Generally, as a result of my self-imposed blackout, I don't, of course.

What I found was that the important news still has a way of getting to me. Other people will comment on how bad the situation is in the middle-east, for example, or perhaps how ridiculous the government's latest policies are on health or how awful the disaster is in... well, you name the place. This stuff still gets through because the story just takes off and has a life of its own. In such cases, I do check the news to stay abreast of important events. In fact, one thing I like to do, with regard to TV news, is to just watch the headlines on the evening news. It takes a couple of minutes and if there's nothing in those headlines that grabs me, I know I do not need the detail, so I simply turn it off.

Of course, not watching the news means that I am less well informed than the average person about current events. But, the other side of this coin is that I can reclaim all of that previously lost time and energy and redirect it at something more worthwhile and profitable. I spend less time mithering myself about world events and more time thinking about how to achieve my goals - and I think this has become a vitally important weapon in my success arsenal. After all, you can only think, consciously, of one thing at a time and so this space I have managed to create is then free to be occupied by thoughts that are more important to me.

For the same reason, it is rare for me to listen to the radio in the car and generally, I don't listen to music when travelling either. There is nothing wrong with doing so, of course. Many people do these things to pass their time. For me however, I want to use that valuable thinking time in a different way. I want to recall my current situation with regard to my main project. I want to think about the problems I am currently facing and then let my brain go to work on finding the answers. This is the process of introspection that I have found delivers remarkable results - all the better when the mind is not distracted.

Now, this does not mean that I never listen to anything in the car. Sometimes, I do listen to music, but generally, if I am embarking on a long journey and feel that I want to listen to something, I will usually take a motivational or inspirational audio book with me. Again listening to such material will stimulate thoughts that naturally relate themselves to my goals. Some inspirational texts I have listened to repeatedly. I like to listen to certain classic texts at least once per year. Things like Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, for example - I have lost count of how many times I have listened to that - Deepak Chopra's The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success and James Allen's As a Man Thinketh.

Some of these texts, that I know extremely well, have affected me profoundly. With none of the usual news or meme-producing popular music going round my head, I have the inner space to think about these principles. The result is that the learning becomes more deeply embedded. It passes from mere head-knowledge to a level of understanding that can affect me and the results I am committed to producing in my life.

Of course, if you decide to give the news blackout idea a try, you are likely to feel withdrawal symptoms at first. You will miss the news in the early stages. When you work past this addiction, you will come to realise just how much of your time the news habit was consuming. It is not just the time you spend watching, listening or reading, it is the time to spend worrying about the issues, talking with others about the described events and thinking about what might happen. All of which displaces the type of thinking that could really make a difference to you in life.

But once you have worked your way through the news addiction, you will come to occupy another place. Gradually, you will train you mind to start thinking about what is important to you and you will begin to surprise yourself when the right ideas start to come. The blog post that started me thinking began with the following thought, 'Consider what you give your attention to each day. It's a precious resource and determines the shape of your life'. I couldn't have put it better myself.

If you enjoyed this article, you will also enjoy The Inspiration Blog

Will Edwards is Founder of http://www.whitedovebooks.co.uk/

Original article

Motivational Speakers For Couples Therapy

Couples having either marital problems or intimacy problems go to a couples therapist to help them with their dilemma. They simply need the guidance of these motivational speakers to help them be more encouraged and inspired in their relationship with their other half. Most of these couples have grown apart from each other due to work related stress or being overly busy at work or with taking care of their children. The motivational therapist helps them into dealing with their issues and their problems in order for them to come up with their own solution to their deteriorating relationship. Below are a couple of topics or guidelines a motivational speaker therapist relays to their clients.

Intimacy - The motivational speaker therapist would initially ask what their issues with each other are by speaking to one person at a time. This way they will not point out each other's issue in front of one another and they can feel comfortable telling it to the therapist. After this the speaker then asks them if they are still intimate in bed, this is an important factor to consider if the couple is truly still in love with each other or if they have truly grown apart even though they are staying together in one roof.

Personal Issues - The motivational speaker therapist then will help these couples with their personal issues. What they are dealing with everyday and what they expect to achieve. There are several factors to consider when a couple has relationship issues. This may be due to the fact that the man has been overly busy at work lately or that stress has sunk in with the husband therefore making him exhausted every time they arrive at home. For the wife, it must be that they have also been busy at work or with taking care of their children that they have little time to spend it with their spouse.

Inappropriate Behavior - This problem is one of the most difficult issue a motivational speaker therapist can handle. Maybe the husband cheated on his wife or maybe the wife has been cheating with the husband. To solve this dilemma the therapist must dig deeper into the couples history and find a place where they were both happy to be together and help them in rekindling that point and adapting it to their present relationship. There are times that this will work and there are also times when pride has taken over both the husband and the wife.

Presenting Solutions - The best solution a motivational speaker therapist has to offer their clients is to rekindle and flame up their dwindling relationship by trying something new together. This way they can both have something that they can relate to and talk about at the end of the day which will establish their interaction with each other yet again. For intimacy problems the best way is to catty out their love making either on other parts of the house and not just their bedroom and also in motels or hotels where they will have only each other to concentrate on.

More information about these motivational speakers available in our website at http://www.dobbo.com.au/

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Think Positive Thoughts! Thoughts Become Things!

The old saying thoughts become things has certainly been true in my life. Never was that more evident than this year when a thought planted 30 years ago came to fruition quite unexpectedly. Thirty years ago I was at a graphics show in Philadelphia and I picked up a free graphics print that I just loved. It was a garden scene with lots of color. There was a woman in the center of the picture in a beautiful dress and swirls of ribbons blew in the wind around the scene. It was approximately three feet by five feet. Although the print was a free sample; I loved it so much that I had it framed and matted which was quite expensive for a free sample unsigned print! For about 15 years the framed print hung in our home but I redecorated and it was replaced with another beautiful picture. The framed print hung around in the attic until I moved in 2004 and it was then donated to the church for a charity sale. I forgot about the picture until this year when my son reminded me of the print in the large frame.

Several months ago I was asked to go to Monte Carlo. I was so excited to have the chance to go to a place I never thought or expected I would visit. It was a trip a friend of mine won and by chance I was the lucky person to go along. We talked about how Monte Carlo would probably never have been a place we would have chosen to go; it's expensive, the exchange rate is not in our favor and we just never thought of it.

Well, that wasn't quite true! I was telling my son how excited I was about going to Monte Carlo and he said, "how about that picture you had all those years with the words Monaco Monte Carlo printed at the bottom." "Now you are going, Mom."

I said, you're right! I can't believe that! I truly forgot the words Monaco Monte Carlo were scrolled across the bottom of the print! I was really taken back and just could not believe my love for this print and now I would see Monaco Monte Carlo for myself! Why was I drawn to this picture and how could it be that I actually would be visiting so unexpectedly. Somehow that thought came to be a reality. Accident or part of life's plan? Immediately I decided to go out and buy a picture of every place I want to visit! I was joking but not really!

I share this with you because it is a phenomenon that the thoughts we have will create the direction of our life. In the study of personal development the power of our thoughts, to me, is one of the most interesting and exciting areas to truly understand. So how can we use this gift of thought to our advantage? Here are a few ideas I share with my clients which make a difference in how they think.

Know that there is truth to how we think and the effect it has on our actions.Push negative thoughts out of your mind as quickly as possible.Your mind can only hold one thought at a time so decide to replace a negative thought with a positive one.Look for the good in every situation. There is always a lesson to be learned if we look hard enough.Find an inspirational thought for the day that truly inspires you. Hang a copy of it everywhere you can to stay positive.Remember you have the ability to accept, reject or neglect a thought. You are in control of what you think and that creates the direction of your actions.If you want to have positive thoughts; start to think of yourself as a positive person and hold that image of who you truly want to be in your mind.

I wish I could say I was perfect and never had a negative thought. I am not a robot and neither are you so it's a work in progress each day to choose to be happy, have positive thoughts and make the best of every day. I can tell you, I've never gained anything good from holding on to negative thoughts and have always gained from positive thoughts!

I always say, you only have one chance to live today the way you want; you will never ever have the chance again! Positive thoughts lead to a positive attitude and a fulfilling life every day! There is only one person who decides and it's YOU!

Kathi M Smith is a speaker, Personal Development and Business Leadership Coach.
I help individuals and businesses shake off the negative influences which are preventing them from achieving their goals so that they can accomplish what they want in the shortest amount of time. If you want to be motivated to make a difference in your life.....the "M" in my name stands for motivation!

Sign up to receive my FREE articles at http://www.kathimsmith.com/ and learn to enjoy your life to the fullest.

Email: info@kathimsmith.com
Blog: http://www.kathimsmith.com/

Original article

Motivation For Running A Successful Business

Have you ever before felt weary, and listless as well as yearning not only for encouragement but also food for your life, soul and heart? Do you struggle from one day to the next as well as beginning to feel like a failure, and that your business venture is not going anywhere?

All individual business owners and entrepreneurs are faced with challenges and difficulty at some phase in their life, so you are not alone. Individuals frequently choose to cry out by displaying irritation because of their perceived failure to reach their complete potential and come out as enthusiastic.

On the contrary, you might be financially well off or extremely successful, with millions in the bank, however still unhappy as well as dissatisfied with your commercial ventures. It is at this phase that you need to do some deep self-questioning as well as ask yourself some major questions about just what you desire out of life.

Is it popularity, fortune, better health and wellness, prosperity or love? What have you done to attain these goals up to the present? If you gave it a try in the past, were you straightforward or did you mislead, con or trick an individual whilst doing it? It is typically at this phase that you will begin to determine one or more stumbling blocks that are curbing the self commitment in life.

On recognizing one of these detrimental influencers, you ought to immediately make a personalized pact or agreement with yourself to consciously do a something regarding it. As an example, if you have been carrying a long-standing grudge against a business partner or even a competitor, contact that individual and state that you are sorry. The subsequent individual relief will be more than enough to provide you that mental boost you desire for a brand-new starting point.

Now is the time to take back your life and take complete control of your business or professional services. Tell yourself to do this with commitment, conviction as well as sincerity. Stand up for the rights by saying no to negative thoughts and avoid individuals that just have bad things to state concerning others. You just have this one life, and give it the greatest shot. Do not be scared of the occasional failure though and forgive yourself since you are only human after all, and all commercial ventures go through the inevitable dip.

A great way to boost yourself and your business is to adopt a new advertising approach and basically do a re-launch. The excitement and challenges that goes with a new business advertising campaign, can do absolute wonders for your revenue and your personal well-being too.

Still looking to run a Successful Advertising Campaign?. Stop being misled by online crooks who know nothing about Business Advertising Opportunities. Simply go to http://www.northernsuburbads.co.za/ and get some real hard hitting facts on the advantages of business advertising.

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Telecommunication Companies Motivating Subscribers

There are different telecommunications companies all over the world and they are located in different countries. These communications companies have representatives that entice and motivate people to subscribe to their network. Like motivational speakers these representatives must do whatever they can to convince a person to choose to subscribe to them and with that they'll be giving them offers and freebies in order to make the client more interested. They simply need a couple of minutes to talk to the client and motivate and or encourage them that theirs is a better network than that of the rest. Here are some of a representatives convincing or motivating tactic which they utilize that is similar to what motivational speakers also use.

I. Knowing a person or a group of people in very crucial when trying to convince them to choose your companies network. Like motivational speakers these representatives need to get to know the people they are talking to in order for them to choose which strategy they can use in order to further entice that person to subscribe. The first impression when meeting a person is not enough they need to talk to them in order to get to know them a whole lot better.

II. One thing also that these everyday motivational speakers do is to run a background check on that person to make sure that they have no criminal arrests or outstanding warrants. Also to learn where they work, their personal status and their capability to pay for their services. These are just some of the things a representative does when they are reviewing potential subscribers if they should approve their subscription or decline it. The individual is then notified either via snail mail, phone, or email that their request for a mobile network subscription has been denied.

III. To truly encourage people to choose their communications network, these representatives think like motivational speakers and offer their potential subscribers freebies when they act fast and subscribe now. These freebies are one of the ways a telecommunications company entices and encourages their potential subscribers into registering for their network. An individual becomes satisfied when they think that they are getting more than what they are paying for. Freebies can range from anything, gadgets, computers, free 1 month subscription and even a buy 1 get 1 offer on a mobile device. The subscriber will truly be happy with what they are receiving that they would opt to go for that network above everything else.

IV. For their long time subscribers, these telecommunications companies offer rewards in order for their clients to continue subscribing. Much like motivational speakers who offer their audience the change they need in order to get more out of their life, these companies offer these rewards in order for their clients to always stay registered to them. The value of the reward is that of the value of the subscription the higher the value the greater the reward while the lower the value the more standard the reward is.

More things to learn about these motivational speakers can be found at our website at http://www.dobbo.com.au/.

Original article

Famous Motivational Speakers

There are famous motivational speakers who have been included in the pages of history for they have made a mark to motivate people and strongly encourage them to strengthen their belief. These speakers range from presidents, dictators, the famous Nazi icon Adolf Hitler, to one of the most richest men on earth. They have been forever written in pages of history for their famous lines and speeches that motivate the listeners and the audience. Some of these speakers have continued to do what they do today for they have found that their success lies with the support of the people. Here are a few historical personalities who have given their motivational speech and will forever be part of history.

Adolf Hitler - Although one of his famous speech is the declaration of war on the U.S. still it has been considered as one of the most famous speeches that a motivational speaker ever did give. Adolf Hitler was considered as a natural born leader who can persuade anyone into believing that what they are doing is right. He was considered as a hero by the people of Germany back then but all in all he is remembered for oppressing rule. This famous speech is an excellent example on to persuade and inspire his followers to support his cause.

Malcolm X - Perhaps one of the more famous speech about motivating their people was given by Malcolm X. His speech of the black man's history has gave him a space in the pages of history books. This is where he strongly encourages the black community to rise up against the white men. They dubbed them as their oppressors and that they were only given six thousand years to rule the earth. This is a good example of a motivational speaker encouraging their people to rise up against their oppressors but one of the major flaw of it is not to fight fire with fire, racism with racism but he should have encouraged his people to get along with white men.

General Patton - He has been forever recorder in history as the famous General who gave the most encouraging and inspiring speech to his troops. The speech that he gave for the invasion of Normandy has been one of the most famous speeches a motivational speaker has ever given. He simply needed to inspire his troops who will be invading Normandy that they need to fight for their country and the reality that not all of them will be coming home but their sacrifices will not be in vain for they have given their life for their country and what they believe in.

General Douglas McArthur - Considered as one of the famous speeches he ever gave, his speech about duty, honor and country has inspired patriots and enlisted men until now. This famous motivational speaker discussed the utter importance of their duties as a soldier, to always keep their honor and to patronize their country till they are no longer breathing.

There are more things to learn from these motivational speakers by logging on to our website at http://www.dobbo.com.au/

Original article

Motivation - The Driving Force Behind Everything

Motivation is the driving force behind human beings. It could be summarized as simply as the basic need to minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure or it may include specific needs such as eating and resting, personal desires and goals. It's very hard to have a set formula for motivation, as many different people are motivated by different things. There's 2 basic types of motivations.

Intrinsic. This type of motivation exists within the individual, and requires no external pressures. Intrinsically motivated people find it easy to motivate themselves to achieve desirable results. Intrinsically motivated people also tend to believe they have the skill that will allow them to be effective agents in reaching desired goals. They also are interested in mastering a topic, rather than just role-learning to achieve good grades

Extrinsic. This type of motivation comes from sources outside of ourselves. Common extrinsic motivations are rewards like money, grades and competition. Competition encourages the performer to win and beat others, not to enjoy the intrinsic rewards of the activity. A crowd cheering for the individual and trophies earned are also extrinsic motives.

It's not uncommon for someone to be both intrinsically, and extrinsically motivated especially when it comes to fitness. Some individuals are in it purely for themselves, while others love the competition which makes them strive to push themselves. Once you determine what you're motivated by, it's easy to set realistic goals and motivate yourself towards them. Here's some easy ways to help you stay motivated and working towards your fitness goals year-round.

Set Realistic Short and Long Term Goals. This is very important because without goals, there's less motivation to stick with a routine. Long term goals could be anything from running a 5k, to something more significant such as losing 50 lbs. It's best to break large goals down into smaller, more easily achieved short term goals like running 3 times this week, or going through this whole week without cheating on your diet. Once these things are established as habits, they become a staple of your daily routine.

Reward Yourself. I'm not going to go into great detail here. If you're new to starting a diet and exercise routine the hardest part may be giving up all the comfort foods you've come to enjoy. This is true for everyone, myself included. I still have craving for chocolate milk, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. So what do I do when the cravings kick in? I splurge on them after a particularly grueling workout session, or after I've accomplished a certain goal I was shooting for. One or Two cheat meals a week is acceptable, reward yourself when you feel like you've earned it. This will motivate you to work hard to get the things you really want.

Communicate with People with Similar Interests. This is going to be particularly important for people motivated by competition and the social experience of working out in a group. Many gyms offer classes that you can attend with other people, such as cycling, yoga, or dancing. You can join internet forums and websites as well. There's many fitness websites and blogs out there just like this one you can subscribe to. The goal is to meet people you can talk to, and share experiences with. There is infinite knowledge that can be gained this way.

Break your Workouts into Shorter, Higher Intensity Ones. If you're a busy person and have trouble making time for workouts you can utilize this option. You can get the same hormonal response in 2-5 minutes of training that you can in a 60 minute session. A good rule of thumb is to do as much quality work as possible, while remaining as fresh as possible. This option also allows for multiple training sessions per day as your body becomes more accustomed to exercise.

Start a Collection of Motivational Quotes and Videos. I'd like to think this is pretty self-explanatory. Find quotes that speak to you on a personal level, and commit them to memory. When you're having trouble motivating yourself repeat the quote in your head and see if it helps. Here's a couple good examples worth sharing. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit" - Aristotle. "Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you." - Ralph Waldo Emerson. "Success must be felt within before it can be seen on the outside." - Anonymous. "There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don't allow yourself to become one of them." - Ralph Marston

Have fun with it. This is probably the most under-rated motivator of them all. Find sports or exercises that you enjoy and create plans around them. You'll be much more likely to stick with a plan that you find interesting and fun to do. There's many forms of exercise out there, it should be easy to find something you enjoy doing!

I really hope this article helps you stay motivated and on track with your fitness goals. Remember to look at how you're motivated to better understand how to get yourself up and moving. Everything is about making small, consistent changes over time. This will yield great results in time, all you have to do is stick with it. Experiment with different workouts and exercises to determine what you enjoy doing, and allow yourself to enjoy the comfort foods you miss from time to time. All of these things will help you along your fitness journey.

Original article

Counting Losses As Gain

Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
~Philippians 3:7-8a (NRSV)

What is the Apostle Paul saying here?

Anyone who has given up, or lost, what the world typically values for the acquisition of something only eternity could validate will understand the basis of paradoxical possession; highlighted wonderfully, here for us, in Philippians.

To lose everything, but then to count that very loss as gain seems nonsensical; it is from a normal world perspective. Biblical wisdom is a non-conventional wisdom where many things that are praised hold a mysteriously elusive power hidden to the vast majority.

What point would there be, for instance, to fight for something we had already lost?

People endure those losses all the time, yet we might be insulated from such knowledge because life, for us, flows swimmingly. Then, suddenly, there is a crash - we are enlightened, immediately, to the plight of the world.

WHEN LOSSES NO LONGER DEFEAT

The strength of the gospel's power is mighty, even mightiest, in knowing that not even the defeat of loss can ultimately defeat us.

All things could be removed, many things that have intrinsic value, even to the lives that most enrich ours, and these losses - whilst they may take us into a whirlwind of sorrow, numbness, and consummate desolation - will not perpetually defeat us.

No, we're destined to learn through these things of loss. What might read clinically is true. We are not defined by our losses as much as we are defined by the strength that gets us through those losses.

What is at the core of our learning is God - and in knowing God we know ourselves.

With each passing day of a better knowledge of the Lord we grow in a richer acceptance of our pasts, and a brighter hope subsists for the future.

PRESSING ONWARD

Paul would not be stopped; though he had suffered much, and endured much loss, his personal story would not define him - instead, it was the Lord Jesus and the corpus of grace that the apostle found most alluring. All things were worth losing in comparison to the marvellous acquisition of salvation.

When we are able to count our deepest losses as gains under Christ we know we have transmuted ourselves in spiritual healing. We know we're in a position to press onward. Such is the hope of the disciple of the Lord Jesus.

Pressing onward is not about denying the past; it's about celebrating the past - that the losses that vanquished us will no longer define us when we have a measure of eternal weight and significance compelling us ever forward.

The true possessions we have far outweigh those we think we have acquired; our material possessions may be few, but spiritual possessions are the truly significant ones. The possession of a relationship in Christ: a worthy acquisition above all else.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner (BSc, FSIA, RSP[Australia]) and a qualified, unordained Christian minister (GradDipBib&Min). His blogs are at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com/ and http://inspiringbetterlife.blogspot.com/.

Original article

Steps In Memorizing a Key Presentation

Keynote speakers need to memorize their content by heart so that they can provide an excellent presentation for their audience. There are several things a speaker needs to remember so that they can easily memorize the content they are to present. Several techniques such as preparing index cards in case they forget some of their lines, organizing properly their discussion which should go first and last, practicing by using all the content they have gathered in order to familiarize themselves with it and finally to always bear in mind what type of audience they are to be dealing with. Below are a couple of steps a keynote speaker needs to remember in order to fully memorize their presentation.

Gathering Data - Is a crucial factor to be considered by these keynote speakers, they need to gather and research their content material in order to memorize it every step of the way. The research they acquire are those that they must use for their discussion so that initially during research they have already memorized some of the contents of the discussion. Researching can be an advantage for these speakers should a question arises from the audience then they need to know the answer immediately and not flip through their notes.

Having Interest - The best way to memorize a presentation is to spark an interest about it. Keynote speakers find a stable platform in which they have utter interest on thus making them easily memorize their content material. Should a person lose interest in the research presentation they have generated then they will most likely not be able to fully absorb and grasp the true meaning of their material. So the best way to easily memorize something is to find something on that area that greatly interests a presenter.

Practice And Then Practice Some More - The more practice a keynote speaker has the more they will be able to remember their presentation. The best way to practice is to gather up all the materials you've accumulated for your presentation and practice by using them. This is to further familiarize a speaker with the arrangement of their discussion which is to go first, which ones to answer queries with and which one should be near the closing. Also remember that when memorizing a speaker needs to find a quite and soundproof room to not hear the noises from the outside and vice versa.

Keeping Note Cards - Also a best way for keynote speakers to easily get the information they forgot is to create note cards. This is very helpful during the presentation in case the speaker has forgotten an important information or data that they need their audience to know. But they have to remember that when they are delivering their presentation they also have to flip through their note cards to follow which part they are in so they can easily locate the information or the data they need in the cards. Just simply jot down the important data or points in that part of the presentation unto the note card.

There are things to learn about these keynote speakers by logging on to our website at http://www.dobbo.com.au/

Original article

Don't Just Stand There Do Something!

Do you have a goal for your life? Are there things you would like to do, people you would like to spent time with, places you would like to see?

If you are like most people you will be able to answer these questions fairly quickly. Almost all of us think about a dream we have for our lives, or how we would like to spend more time with the people we love. The real question is - what are you doing about it?

The vast majority of people go through life aware that they would like to do these things, yet they don't set things in motion to lead them where they want to go. They end up playing the lottery of life. They pick a few numbers and hope that everything will work out okay in the end. The only problem is that the chances of winning the lottery are fairly slim. Similarly, the chances of life randomly turning out the way you dreamed are just as slim. Will it happen for some? Probably. Will you be one of the lucky ones? Who knows? Is that a chance you are prepared to take?

I came across a very interesting statistic during the last year. Did you know that 95% of people do not write out any goals for their life? They are either unsure of what they want, or are simply happy to daydream about their future. That in itself isn't particularly interesting. But the next part is. Out of the 5% of people who take the time to write out their goals, 95% of them achieve their goals.

Wow!

So which kind of person are you? The kind who drifts along wherever the wind and waves of life take you, or the kind that says, "Hey, I know what I want out of life, I have goals, and this is what I am going to do to achieve them"?

By age 32, I had 4 major life dreams come true. And these were not small dreams. In fact they often seemed impossible. For example, it was at the age of 12 I made up my mind that I would live in Canada some day. After visiting the Country, I feel in love with it. I felt completely at home here, even more so than in my native Ireland. I told my parents that I would live here some day.

Then one Winter day 18 years later, I stood at a British airport with my wife and 3 kids with a one way ticket to Canada. We had sold the majority of our possessions and I had a job lined up to go to. It was amazing!

So for those 18 years did I sit back and do nothing? Absolutely not! I had a goal, and as soon as my wife was on board with the plan, I set about job hunting in Canada - from England! I managed to land a good job; something that required many emails, telephone interviews, and even a trip to Canada. When I was offered the job I then had to organize a work permits, study permits for our children, and submit an application for Permanent Residency on behalf of our entire family. Now here we are a few years later, Citizens of the Country we love.

None of these things would have happened on their own. It took a lot of thought, planning, and action. The goal was there, but the plans needed to be put in motion.

What about your life? Are you waiting for your dreams, goals and visions to somehow magically become your reality? If so, I'm sad to say you might end up disappointed later in life.

If there is something you want out of life, do what you can to make it become a reality for yourself! Prepare yourself, study if you have to, find ways to connect with others who are doing what you want to do. Learn from them. Take action!

At the end of the day you've got to make sure that you don't just stand there hoping, wishing and daydreaming. You've got to do something! Take action - positive steps that will move you towards you goal.

Robin Abrol is a Canadian motivational speaker and dream expert. Having achieved 4 major life dreams by the age of just 32, he now encourages people to find their purpose and live their dreams. You can find out more about him at http://www.robinabrol.com/

Original article

Finding The Ideal Accountability Partner: What Qualities To Look For?

We all have goals in life, whether it is in business or in our career. However, having goals is not enough. A working plan should go with it in order to attain these goals. Else, they will just be wishes.

Goals must be worked upon in order to reach them. It is important to always keep yourself on your track to success and not swivel.

One of the ways to secure those goals, in your business or your career, are achieved is to have an accountability partner. This person helps you in keeping track of where you are going and in keeping your commitment to your goals.

An accountability or success partner plays a vital role in achieving what you want. In looking for an accountability partner, you have to consider their qualities.

Here are some of the qualities that you must look for in an ideal accountability partner:

1. Honesty.

This is very essential in an accountability partner. You want someone who can tell you if you're doing something wrong or you're not going to the path that you want.

There are some people who are afraid to say things that might upset you. A good partner will not be afraid of offending you because he/she is just honest with you.

2. Trustworthy.

Since you'll be sharing your business tactics and goals with your partner, you will have to look for someone that you can trust. Make sure that this person won't give away confidential information to anyone else.

You will have to tell your partner every step that you will be making for your business and your career. So, ensure that s/he will help you in accomplishing your goals and not help your competitors instead.

3. Pushy.

Don't take this as a negative trait. Having a pushy partner can help you in keeping your to-do list. S/he will bug you every day just to ask if you have accomplished those things that you wanted and you have to do.

This sort of attitude will prevent you from procrastinating. This can also allow you to grow. When you are pushed to your limits and outside your comfort zone, you will be able to improve and develop yourself.

4. Positive.

Someone who is negative and pessimistic can bring your energy levels down. A person with a positive outlook can help in looking for ways to cope with all the obstacles.

S/he can easily turn every problem into a positive thing that you can solve and give you sound advice. Being around a positive partner can encourage you to go further.

5. Supportive.

You need to a partner who believes that you can achieve all your goals and supports you no matter what. It wouldn't make sense to have someone who doesn't even believe in you be accountable for all your actions.

A supportive accountability partner will do their best to give you advice and help through your journey.

Lastly, it is important to have an accountability partner who will celebrate your little successes with you. Celebrate and rejoice in your achievements since what you are trying to accomplish is difficult.

Take the time to enjoy all that you have done with your partner. Reward yourself and your partner through all your hurdles.

© GreatnessPartner.com offers you a positive and supportive community to find your own accountability partner online.

Priya Florence Shah is a former journalist, editor and online publisher and content marketing consultant.

Original article

3 Baddest Obstacles To Success

Everyone in the world wants to be successful, who doesn't want to be successful anyway? Being successful isn't that hard if we will stay committed and true to our ambitions. However in our long journey of pursuing our goals there will still be obstacles that will come on our way and these bad obstacles are the main reasons why our goals has become unreachable. I found out that these obstacles are not external, these obstacles are internal and it is also the results of the behavior of our thoughts and the way we react about a certain event. I have here the list of the three baddest obstacles that if you overcome will make you faster in achieving your goals.

1. Staying stagnant and not being able to evolve everyday - Successful people always stay committed to improving his talents and skills everyday so that this will become his significant advantage to his competitors. Unsuccessful people does not want to improve his knowledge that is why he is getting the same results over and over again. He is satisfied to his skills and he also believes that he already knew what he needed so learning something new is not a big deal to him.

2. Focusing on the things that doesn't need focus - This is a big mistake that is very hard to correct because temptations are everywhere. Every successful man in a particular area always preach that focus on the things you want and you will get it that is why if someone focus on partying then all he will get is headache after drinking a lot and staying awake very late. If we will only shift our focus to making steps for the realization of our dreams then one hundred percent guaranteed that we will become successful.

3. Letting fear paralyzes his movements - Fear is very powerful and it get its power to the one who is nurturing his fear. Once we let our fear take control of our lives then no movement will be done, the most dangerous thing about fear is if we did not take actions to defeat it, it will grow stronger and stronger everyday and make us look like stupid and useless. Fear can be defeated and the most effective way to get rid of it is face it everyday and become use to the thing that we fear the most. It is very hard but once we mastered facing our fears we will just consider it as a challenge and we are having fun of doing it.

Thanks for having time reading this article, if you want more articles and stories that will motivate you and inspire you in your everyday living, pleas visit: Zero Dramas

Original article

How to Stay Positive When Sales Are Down

In these tough economic times in some industries, you may be seeing a dip in your sales numbers. Granted in some industries, sales numbers rarely fluctuate as drastically as others. An example may be the food and grocery or pharmaceutical industries whereby, even in tougher times, people need to eat and they need their medications.

However in other industries such as advertising, cellular, or even insurance, you might realize more of a downward trend. That's not to say that these industries are all down and out right now by any means, but my point is that sometimes when money gets tight, people may tend to purchase less of one over the other, and things like food may be considered more of a necessity.

As sales people, we can only control so much and certainly the overall economy is not within our realm of control. So rather than wasting your energy and efforts on worrying about it, you have to worry about what you can control... YOU!

Easier said than done, what makes a good sales person a great sales person is his or her positive attitude. Your clients purchase from you for a couple reasons. You are likely an expert in your field, but more importantly they like you. They have to like you. If they don't (unless you have blackmail photos or an absolute monopoly) then they're buying from someone else who they do like.

So work on keeping positive. Now is a great time to reach out to some of your key, friendly accounts that may also be slow. Buy them a coffee and brainstorm how you can mutually find more business. If you can keep in the habit of discussing products, services, and hunting during this time, you'll stay sharp and be ready for the market to stabilize. You also may find some way to grow your sales too. Either way, after your meeting, you'll feel way better.

It's also a great time to read that book that's been sitting on your shelf for the last year. This is a great way to stay motivated. Try reading something like the Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz. I don't think it's possible to read that for half an hour and not be charged up!

Now is also a great time to hit the gym. Get a good run in, or lift some weights, ride the bike, do yoga, whatever turns your crank. This is one of those activities that if you're not used to, you'll dread it right up until you start but I can guarantee you that you'll feel awesome when you're done! You can even crank some tunes or your favourite podcast to double-charge you up!

These types of activities can really help you keep your positive attitude as well as your sharp edge. Keep on smiling, keep your shoulders back and your head up. Down times do not last forever and when the dust settles and you're standing there all full of buzz and energy, you'll dominate the sales game once again!

This is the way I see things. I speak from real life experience and I don't pretend to think my opinions or experiences speak for all. However I hope that this can help somebody out there somewhere. If you'd like to read more, please visit http://www.outboundsalestraining.com/. I'd love to hear from you.

Original article

Dealing With Difficult People in Your Personal and Professional Life

You know how it is, working with a co-worker who nitpicks every little detail and is never satisfied with the final outcome, or one who impedes your daily progress on the project your boss wants done on an impossible timeline. We all know who these people are, and deal with them on a daily basis. In fact, working with difficult people is just a part of human nature and part of the global culture these days. The real task is in learning how to verbally box and dance with those people on a daily basis while maintaining your sanity and your positive outlook on life.

Most corporations realize human interaction can be one of their main difficulties. They often seek outside consultation in order to remedy the problem, because businesses have figured out that happy and cooperative coworkers act like a "well-oiled machine," and in a business environment that equates into profits. Human nature has given us our own mechanisms for dealing with difficult people, some of us choose to ignore it, bend to the persons' will and become passive. Some of us choose to overtly antagonize the problem and in many cases make it worse. The latter tends to be the biggest problem many companies face these days.

Luckily, there are people out there, motivational speakers, who have mastered the art of dealing with difficult people inside and outside the workforce. They are not magicians, simply people who understand the vocabulary of human nature and have figured out the best methods to use to combat its offensive/defensive nature. As stated above many corporations have recognized this specific skill set and have set out to utilize it in the most positive manner possible. By putting on these seminars for their employees, corporations are looking to remove as many "road bumps" in the office setting as possible. By making the work environment a friendly atmosphere, the employee will tend to be happier and be more productive throughout the day.

At the end of the day we would all like to reduce the number of difficult people in our lives. Even though we may not be able to control those few that we run into at the supermarket or at the gas station, at least we know that when we head to work the next day, dealing with "that" guy or gal will be easier and less of a headache. By attending a seminar on business communication, not only may we get some time off of work, which we all enjoy, but we may also learn personal and intrapersonal skills that will help us in dealing with that difficult person in our live whether it is in our personal or professional lives. Everyone can benefit from a seminar such as this; we could all use some training on the verbal and nonverbal aspects of human nature.

Cias Hart is a veteran of the USMC and a resident of Arizona. Frederick Grey grew up in Washington, but currently resides in Southern California. If you find yourself dealing with toxic people on a daily basis, consider visiting a seminar on human communication. Marsha Petrie Sue is a speaker from Scottsdale, Arizona who specializes in dealing with difficult people in your daily life.

Original article

How To Motivate Yourself To Walk The Road To Self Improvement

Learning how to motivate ourselves can make the difference between achieving self improvement goals vs. merely daydreaming about them. Most people would like to change something about their lives, whether it be to lose weight, reduce stress, exercise, eat healthier or any other type of physical or mental improvement. The reason most people stay frustrated, however, is because they feel their objectives are out of reach, with the end result seeming impossible to achieve. In their busy, hectic lives they feel unmotivated to get from point A to B, mainly due to the wall they see blocking their paths.

We live in a rather black and white world. People are either thin or fat, physically fit or out of shape, smokers or non-smokers. Humans like to not only categorize others into neatly defined criteria, they do it to themselves, too. It is no wonder one feels unmotivated to change, when they feel they have to become the complete opposite of what they are now. Imagine if after one guitar lesson, a man placed an all or nothing objective on himself to be a professional musician by the end of the year. Though it could happen years down the road, is it realistic to place that type of pressure on yourself? Of course not. So the first step in learning how to motivate yourself is to find the grey area and recognize there are many small steps one must take down the road to self improvement. The start and end points might be black and white, but the actual road is paved in grey. There is no airplane to get you there, you need to take it one mile at a time and celebrate the distance you've driven each and every day.

The next step is to be prepared before embarking on any life changing path. Imagine someone deciding to start eating healthier one morning, with a cupboard full of unhealthy snacks. Maybe a person is determined to start walking a few miles a day, but their schedule from sunrise to sunset is full of obligations to work, family and volunteering. These are examples of people who are destined to fail. They will lose any motivation because they are unprepared. However, if the healthy eater made a list of nutritious foods and snacks, writing out a daily calendar to ensure good food choices were available throughout the day, he or she would feel motivated to begin changing daily habits. As to the individual that wanted to begin exercising, motivation will prevail if some daily obligations have been delegated to others or given up, to make a schedule that allowed time to take care of himself or herself.

Finally, people are motivated to change when it doesn't feel like deprivation. Think of these changes as a life-altering event, not a brief state of doing something you hate to do. If you never liked aerobics, jogging or riding a bike, chances are you won't like it when you decide to get physically fit. Do things you love! Hike, ski, ice skate, rollerblade - anything that makes you more active than you used to be. If trying to eat healthier, don't try to force down foods you've never enjoyed, counting down the days until you can stop eating these foods someday. You will learn how to motivate yourself when you possess the actual desire to change yourself in ways that make you feel good, not punished.

Please visit http://www.fighterpilotstory.com/

For more information, and a closer look at the eBook: A Fighter Pilot's Story: An Inspirational Journey from Failure to Success,

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Nothing Happens Until There Is ACTION!

There was a very funny Aussie beer advertisement on TV that showed a group of mates standing together at a BBQ with one of them loudly voicing his opinion about how various things should be done. Finally someone challenged him to move beyond just talking to show the group how he could do everything so much better than others. Before long they had him working doing all kinds of jobs around the yard, like cleaning the gutters, while the rest of them were left laughing behind his back because they had managed to finally shut him up.

Don't you hate it when someone voices a very loud and often contrary opinion, but then that's all they want to do, i.e. have an opinion. To get that person to back up their view with positive action is usually unsuccessful.

I have found that in an organisation it is ideal to remove from the culture any sense that it is acceptable to sit back and have an opinion without taking any responsibility for making a difference.

A key learning in my life has been that there is very little point in thinking or talking about what could or should or might be done in any given situation unless I am willing to back myself and take responsibility to keep having a go until what I believe/want/desire actually happens.

Even when things are bad, and heading in a negative direction, it is pointless for me to sit and criticise the problem unless I actually come up ideas that contribute towards a solution and am willing to help take action to make that solution become reality.

Didn't someone say, "It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness!"

What is it about human beings that we can sit around and talk about something and come up with all kinds of ideas about what is wrong and what should be done, and at the end of the discussion we actually feel satisfied that we have done something about the problem? But the truth is nothing has happened! No action has been taken! Nothing has changed! Everything is still the same!

I believe this is one of the most important things for anyone to realise especially in business (though it is true in life and relationships) that it is only ever ACTION that counts for anything! Thinking, preparing, talking, contemplating, more talking with more people - these may be important steps preparing for action - but NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL THERE IS ACTION!

This is the reason that committees (or teams) rarely work unless there is a designated leader who assigns a person responsible for actioning every decision within a clear time frame.

What kind of world might it be if we redressed the imbalance in the ratio between talk and action so that talk was only allowed if it was followed up with appropriate and responsible action?

I've observed that as humans we all tend to judge others by their actions but ourselves by our intentions. I'm sure there would be a lot less conflict and a lot more respect in business, in relationships, in families and in every sphere, if we stopped judging and opining and decided to take responsible action.

What have you been talking and thinking about that is demanding action right now?

Maybe Nike is right after all.

To access more practical leadership material (articles, CD's, MP3's and E-Books) from John Drury that will assist you to develop as a leader, please check out http://summitleadershipsolutions.com.au/

Original article

What Holds You Back From Reaching Your Potential?

There may be lots of things you want to achieve in your life, you may want to start your own business or get fit. You've heard the self help gurus say that you are capable of anything, right? So if that's the case, why aren't you doing what you want to do? What's holding you back?

There are several reasons why you may not be living up to your potential. Here is a brief overview of some of those reasons:

Negative Self Talk

Do you constantly put yourself down? Do you beat yourself up for every little thing you do wrong, for example saying 'I can't even do (whatever task you're completing) right', 'I'm so stupid' or 'everyone thinks I'm thick/stupid' etc, etc.

We spend most of our daily life being stressed and on edge - but how much of that stress is coming from outside factors and how much of it is actually coming from your negative self talk about situations you find yourself in? Give yourself a break!

Lack of Motivation

Motivation should be high, if you're doing something you actually want to do. So why would you suffer a lack of motivation? The most common reason is you DON'T actually want to achieve what you're doing!

This isn't as daft as it sounds - sometimes we take on board what others want us to do, what others think we should do and try to fit ourselves into their image of us. This will just lead to unhappiness. You may get the approval you're seeking from that person - but you will leave yourself short-changed.

The second reason you may have a lack of motivation (especially if it is something you DO want to achieve) is down to one of the other reasons in this article! Read the other reasons and see if any of it rings true for you.

Attitude

Look at your attitude in regards to what you are hoping to achieve. See if you have any negative beliefs limiting you - for example, you may want to earn a large amount of money; but have a limiting belief that 'rich' or 'successful' people are stuck up, egotistical or generally nasty human beings.

Look at your attitude, in regards to the area your hoped-for goal, falls into. Again, maybe you believe that people in certain jobs/careers/lifestyles act a certain way?

Finally, look at your reasons for wanting to achieve your goal - what its worth to you and why you want to achieve it. It could be a simple case of achieving your goal would cost you something much closer to your heart (for example your family or your respect).

Get Organised!

How organised are you at planning out what you want to achieve? Do you know what steps you need to achieve your goal?

If you have no idea how you can move towards your target, you'll find it very hard to have the right attitude or motivation.

Get a plan into place, break down your goal into small steps and then take action!

Sarah PJ White is a writer, author, photographer & Life Coach, who specialises in motivating, inspiring and encouraging mothers who want help to raise their self confidence and self esteem. To get her free monthly newsletter, along with the other free resources (including her free report entitled 'Busted! 8 Confidence Gremlins & How to Drop Them' please go to http://www.selfconfidenceworkshops.co.uk/

Original article

How You See Yourself Determines Your Worth

How you see yourself determines your worth. And your self-worth helps determines how successful you will be. So how do you see yourself? Way too many people let small, insignificant, petty little things, and people determine their self-worth. But your self-worth shouldn't be determined by anyone other than yourself. A good definition of self-worth is: the opinion you have about yourself and the value you place on yourself. How you see yourself seems to be governed by how others see you. But David J Schwartz tells us in his book the magic of thinking big, that "the price tag the world puts on us is just about identical to the one we put on ourselves". So it is that your own personal sense of self-worth is simply being reflected back to you by those around you. They are simply reflecting how you see yourself.

Does that sound correct to you? Do you consciously see yourself as successful, mediocre or struggling as others see you? Do we always have to see ourselves as deserving, or resigned to our place in life? How you see yourself is reflected in your environment as well. When we resign ourselves to living how we are and living where we are we cap our self-worth and settle into our own personal comfort zone. It isn't fulfilling or happy, although we do have our moments. But accepting our value based on where we are at this moment is short-sighted. We are today an accumulation of all that we have thought and felt about ourselves up to this point. If we keep thinking how we're thinking, we'll keep getting what we got. But what we have isn't who we are, it's who we have been and who we've settled for being. Making the decision to no longer settle isn't easy, but if we want more we have to.

How Do You See Yourself

David J Schwartz talks about a young man in his book that has very little money in the bank, a dead-end job, an older car and lives in a small apartment on a hamburger budget."But professor" he says "I'm determined not to let what I haven't got stop me." There is an amazing amount of growing self-worth, determination and realization in that sentence. What he realized is that we all have this bad habit of looking at this moment in time and judging it to be a reflection of our value. And he decided to stop looking at himself in that limiting way. He also was beginning to understand that how you see yourself living next week and next month and next year will determine just how you will be living next week, next month and next year. As you begin to think bigger and further out into your future you will see and feel each new step toward your dream. Each time you do this will be another boost in self-worth. That boost in self-worth will fuel another step forward, and so on.

We have to think bigger than we are. Constantly reliving how we got here is only going to keep us here. We have to stretch, we have to grow. We have to push beyond our comfort zone. How do you see yourself 12 months from now? Take that first step by writing down just 2 dreams you would like to achieve by this time next year, just two. Make them big or make them small, but make them. Write them on cards or stickers or in lipstick on the bathroom mirror, somewhere, anywhere that you will see them every day. Try to keep the description to just one sentence each. Remember to write down just two dreams. Live with them for a week or so then sit down with each dream individually and flesh it out. Write it out in detail, a sentence, a paragraph or a page, whatever it takes.

Where to Start

We want to keep this first step easy and do-able. Because how you see yourself achieving these two dreams will determine if you ever get started on them. Here are two things to think about when deciding the steps you want to take to fulfill your two dreams. The first is that 12 months is a long time, it is 365 days with lots of hours in each one of those days. There are a huge number of little things that you can do each day that will have an unbelievable total effect on your journey toward your dreams. DO NOT try to achieve everything at once, break it down in to really small pieces, you have 365 days to get it all done. And the second thing to keep in mind about the 12 month time frame is that, ironically, you will no sooner turn around and it will be a year from now! You will wake up one morning not too long from now and realize another year in gone, then 5 years and then 10 years. Start now! Don't wait for the time to be right, because the time will be right when YOU decide it is. Decide now, make all the little steps necessary over whatever time it takes and achieve the dreams you want to live. How you see yourself living 12 months from now comes from deep inside you, it is you. Stop waiting, the time is right, go get it.

I am Danny L Churchill and I host an article/blog site called: http://myworld-myway.net/ exploring many of the ways and means available to improve my life, my thinking, my happiness, my world and my success.

There are many resources available to us: books, tapes, CDs, videos, webinars, seminars, video conferences, personal communication, all with something to teach us and I have a life time to learn all I can.

Many areas of our lives could use some improvement. This article focuses on Life in general and how our living is reflected in our thinking: http://life.myworld-myway.net/

Original article

The Best Entrepreneurs Have Purpose - And Don't Let Fear Rule the Day

Recently a friend of mine and I were talking. He's been out of work for several months. He admitted to me that he was having a difficult time focusing on either finding or job or finding something else that appealed to him. We talked for awhile and it dawned on me that perhaps the root of his problem wasn't any lack of ambition; it was his lack of purpose or lack of a clear goal. After losing his job he simply didn't know what or where he wanted to go next. He knew where he didn't want to go, but he didn't yet know where he wanted to go.

Vague Goals Get You Nowhere Fast

His problem is what afflicts many people. They have a vague idea of what they want their life to be like but have failed to set a goal to get there. Think of a ship moving on the ocean without a rudder. There's no real direction but it keeps moving.

I've found throughout my career that the best executives are often the most focused. They know where they want to go and have a clear direction in which to proceed and communicate it to their team. Each day is like a football game. They want to move the ball down the field a little each day to get closer to their goal. They're focused and driven by it.

Focus Each Day on Your Goal

Our lives can be the same. Without getting up every morning with a clear goal, it's hard to set a course in our life and head in a particular direction. Without knowing what you want out of life it's difficult to know where to focus your efforts. With a goal, a goal that we are totally focused on, whether it's the reason why we want to make more money (don't confuse making more money with your goal, money is only the vehicle to get you there) the odds dramatically increase that we will achieve our desired goal.

The reason is simple. Our goal, whether it's getting our kids through college, driving around town in a Jag or having second home in Costa Rica, is what we focus on every single day, every single morning. It is the thing that motivates and drives us. It's what provides our incentive every day to get out of bed, get moving and to remaining focused on our ultimate goal.

Ask yourself right now what your purpose is? What drives you and where do you want to be in a year or two years? What do you want out of life?

Regrets?

Recently, a group of seniors were polled about their regrets. The number one biggest regret wasn't the things they did in life, it was the things they hadn't done. The places they hadn't gone, the risks they hadn't taken. The times in their lives when they settled for the status quo in favor of the unknown and adventure.

How Fear Can Rule the Day

The other problem many people have that often crush their purpose or goals is fear. Fear of failure. Most people won't ever admit it, but their fear of failure prevents them from even trying to step outside the box.

Example A: the co-worker who frequently complains about their life or job, but a year later has done nothing to change. They are stuck in neutral by their fear of the unknown which frequently outweighs their concerns over what they complain about.

One trait I have discovered about many of my most successful fellow entrepreneurs is their willingness to fail while trying something new. Recently, a friend told me about how she had invested $200 in something risky. She admitted it was risky, said she could afford to lose the money but made the play because the potential upside was huge. The downside was that she would simply lose $200. That, in short, is the key ingredient in any successful entrepreneur. The willingness to risk something you can lose, (and not be afraid to do do) in return for a larger reward. Failure to them is just part of the larger game.

And that friend of mine? He finally settled on clear goal, has a new purpose and is working daily on a plan that will get him there. I suspect he's much happier now that he has the beginnings of a roadmap.

Scott Grigg is a former Emmy winning television reporter who has also worked as director/supervisor of public affairs for a number of Fortune 500 companies. He now makes his living exclusively online. One of the companies he highly recommends is this opportunity which both newbies and veterans alike can easily make six figures a year.
http://wealthanywhere.com/

And for more for more information on Scott, please visit his blog at: http://onlinewithscott.com/

Original article

Difficult Bosses: Get More Tools for Your Verbal Toolbox

There she is. Every day she stands around casting about that sly smile that only has one meaning to it; a sly supervisor smile of hate and discontent. We have all had a boss, or we currently work for one, that at times seems hell bent on accomplishing only one thing in life: making our day miserable. Difficult bosses can be a damper on anyone's work day, and no matter how much we try we cannot avoid them. Sometimes they challenge you with unattainable deadlines or last minute projects. Other times they attack you with the dreaded, "hey by the way," as you're walking out the door to start your night out on the town with family or friends. They know and understand that your response to these situations is directly tied to your future promotions and employment. Dealing with these types of bosses not only can be difficult but also a career ender if handled in an unprofessional manner. Difficult bosses are, at times, the only thing holding your career back.

Don't fret, there is hope! There are people out there that have figured out the verbal and non-verbal judo aspects of the human body language and speech. These people, often motivational speakers, have spent a good amount of time dealing with many of the same problems that you encounter on a daily basis and through trial and error of their own they have figured out how and when you should deal with that difficult boss in your life. Seminars on human communication are a great way to gain these trade secrets on handling difficult superiors. Many companies, if sold on the idea, may not only provide you the time off but may also cover some of the expenses. Even if they don't, the seminar will still be a worthwhile venture for you as an individual.

Companies realize that not only do many of these motivational speakers benefit you, but also benefit the business as whole. For example, if you have a team assembled to handle a project for a client that is time sensitive and worth a lot of revenue to both parties involved, a difficult boss or team leader can become a detriment to the project and end up costing not only the client but the parent company as well. If, however, you have the tools in their verbal tool box to deal with such an individual, you may end up more easily overcoming the roadblock and finish the project on or ahead of schedule. This is just one minor example of being able to deal with that difficult boss or team lead in your life, and with enough luck and preparation you may one day pass him or her on the promotion ladder.

Difficult bosses are a challenge we all face at one time or another. How we deal with them can often dictate our success in the near, and sometimes far, future. Expand your professional toolbox by attending a seminar on human communication. Your career may hang in the balance.

Frederick Grey is a native of Washington, and currently resides in Southern California. Cias Hart is a veteran living in the greater Phoenix area. If you have a hard time dealing with toxic people such as difficult bosses, consider attending a seminar on human communication. If you are interested in attending or hosting a seminar on defusing difficult people, contact Marsha Petrie Sue, a renowned public speaker who specializes in professional communication skills.

Original article

Staying Motivated in Your Space

I write a lot about motivation because its something I'm always struggling to capture and hang onto myself; and its elusive nature interests me. I've talked about various ways of looking at and trying to capture motivation; and some work better than others at different times in different situations. But the one point that consistently sticks for me is the fact that it really is elusive: in other words, you can't just "get" it.

But you can help it out a bit. And one of the ways to do this, as I've discussed before, is to create a space. This just means having a place in the world that's all yours: a space that's free from the assaults of the outside world, filled only with your interests and personality (although erring on the side of 'minimalist' is probably a good idea to avoid too many distractions).

I've recently revamped my own space a bit to create a sense of newness and change - and I did this because I think we habituate to our surroundings. In other words, when anything is static for too long in our environment it ends up blending into the woodwork and we don't really notice it anymore. But this isn't a great place to be, because our brains respond to novelty.

So it makes sense that revamping your space will, at least temporarily, cause your brain to perk up a bit - hopefully helping with motivation. (I'll have to test it out.)

Another thing to think about is what specifically you can add to your space to have the biggest impact - and something creative like a piece of art is always a good idea. I think it helps sometimes to have reminders around us of just what we are capable of as human beings...

Looking at a beautiful painting or listening to an amazing piece of music, for example, can help remind us that we're all a part of this universe that's continually expanding and creating. We're all a part of this creation, and we're here to create. Being reminded of that has got to help with motivation.

So the point of this article to encourage you to create a space that's just for you, if you haven't got one already. Keep it free from distraction and clutter, and make sure that it's really all about your needs, your personality, and your interests. Shake it up once in awhile to keep it novel and fresh; and introduce things into your space that remind you of your creative purpose and unlimited potential.

Chris Hammer, Ph.D. is a certified professional coach and licensed psychologist. He offers leadership and life coaching services, as well as various self-development tools for people who are passionate about reaching higher levels of success and becoming the best they can be.

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Original article

Crisis Of The Two Goats!

Modern life has essentially come to be about pace and competition. Whatever you do or desire to do you want to become the first. In the process most of us have thrown civic sense out of the window.

The most scarce commodity in your life apparently is time. You just have no time at all and you need to do all the things that supposedly make you lead a modern life successfully. Doesn't matter if you are just taking your pet for a walk providing all the toilet facilities available on the road or if you are just chatting away eternally on your pc and mobile or if you are queuing up endlessly for a movie ticket; because, all such activities are must-do on your time calendar.

Contradictions are and have to be only the rule. You are ready to chat endlessly, but get terribly annoyed if you don't get connected in the very first try; you are ready to wait endlessly for a movie or theater or match ticket, but you seem to be in a great hurry and want to be the first to alight once the show is over; you are ready to spend the full evening before your television set, but get terribly annoyed if your friend keeps you waiting for the same reason; you are ready to partake, but get terribly annoyed if someone overtakes.

Basically, you want to be the first in everything you do because you have no 'time'. Chivalry also becomes passé as 'ladies first' no longer seems to matter. The fields of activities that suffer worst in this process are public utility services, roadside manners and driving.

We would like to focus here specially on driving because this particular activity is fast becoming a nightmare in every congested city or metropolis.

Every single driver wants his/her vehicle to just zoom past always irrespective of the traffic conditions or problems faced by others. And mostly, every driver is obsessed with his/her vehicle and that s/he is always right whatever happens.

Well, the time-constrained drivers have some unique problems too. Like some parking at will, bikes crisscrossing all around you, some driving talking to their sweethearts, some pedestrians who seem to have all the time in the world crossing roads at great leisure even after seeing cars racing towards them and so on. But these are only highlights of the same malady of 'first' achievers.

Many of us know the classic tale of the two obstinately foolish goats who tried to cross the bridge at the same time leading to unfortunate consequences. Now, this 'goat mentality' may be termed as the basic reason for the turmoil in modern human life.

Hardly joking! That day in a vital link highway in Mumbai, traffic was at a standstill both ways. Crawling and creeping and cursing every inch of the way ultimately the partakers found the reason why. Two cars-one coming from the right lane and the other coming from the left-locked their horns in the middle trying to zoom past in opposite directions at the same time.

Historians are silent on exactly when-in proper chronological period- the two goats locked their horns. But considering the manifestations, demonstrations and orchestrations it seems very much to be a modern-day phenomena!

Chinmay Chakravarty is a professional specialized in the creative field with over two decades of experience in journalistic writing, media co-ordination, film script writing, film dubbing, film & video making, management of international film festivals and editing of books & journals. Proficient in providing professional services in these related fields. Presently working in Mumbai Doordarshan as a News Editor.

http://ours-funarena.blogspot.com/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/createnwrite

Original article