Latest Personal Development Articles

Be a Positive Sponge

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:46:46 -0700

An overwhelming imbalance is occurring in terms of the number of positive messages that are emanating from mainstream media relative to negative messages.

Particularly in today’s more challenging environment the explosion of doom and gloom is simply unparalleled.

(Note: I am not expecting to see news productions/media full of wishy washy good news. I am simply seeking balance.) This proliferation of negativity has induced fear into many people’s psyche and certainly altered their view of reality. Even the rich think they are poor!

Right around the world there are many unfortunate people seeking employment. However, in most developed countries, the majority have never had it better, due to lower interest rates, lower fuel costs, sales everywhere and so on. The fact is that the most people have far better purchasing power than they had previously. Yet they live in fear?

I heard this true story from a colleague. John and his wife are in their mid-50’s, both in secure well-paid jobs. Their mortgage is paid and their children are grown up and fending for themselves. But, recently John decided to change the habit of a lifetime and he now brings a packed lunch to work instead of eating out. When this story was shared with another person, she informed me that her husband, who is a University Professor, has started to bring in a flask rather than pay for his coffee in the subsidised college canteen.

These men have no money worries. They can afford to buy lunch or coffee, but they have bought into the prevailing fear and have adopted a mentality of lack.

There’s no doubt about it; there is no such thing as reality, only our perception of it!

So it’s time to take action and become The Guardian To Your Mind.

You need to become the gatekeeper to your mind and allow in only positive and constructive information. Delete the mind numbing negativity at source and indeed actively go out of your way to save yourself from its onslaught.

Your subconscious acts like a computer so ‘garbage in, garbage out’. Some calculate that about 60,000 thoughts zip through your mind on a daily basis – 90% of those are the same thoughts as the previous day. Obviously, if you continue with the same thought process you can expect the same results.

Law of Attraction -- 4 Simple Steps to Attract Wealth In Your Life

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:30:15 -0700

Do you think people become rich by working hard?

If so, why is it that only 5% of the population is wealthy whereas 95% of the population just manage to get by despite putting in long working hours?

There is a wealth formula that the rich uses. This same formula has made them rich and even if they lose their wealth today, they can easily rebuild their wealth again.

What is this wealth formula? This article shows you how you can build wealth in 4 simple steps

(1) State Your Intention clearly

Each day, your mind process many thoughts. When these thoughts are not focus and occur randomly, they have little power to create wealth in your life. You need to focus your thought and know exactly how much wealth you want in your life.

It is simply not good enough to say I want to make all the money in the world. All successful sales-people can quote you the exact amount they want to generate.

While stating your goal, you may not know exactly know how to achieve your goal. Please do not be bother about it. The universe will know the shortest way to get you to your goal. You need to trust that the universe will unfold the plan to you step by step as you proceed.

How do we define a good goal? It should be something, which you believe is achievable, yet is challenging that it scare you a little.

If you are earning $8,000 per year currently, you may not want to set your income goal as $1 million since it is difficult for you to believe that this goal is achievable. Once you have doubt, it is a negative emotion.

You want to set your goal in small baby steps. So start with a goal of earning $100, 000

While you may not know how to earn this $100,000, you have to believe and expect that you will attract this amount into your life.

(2) Set A Time Each Day to Live Your Dream

Life has become so hectic that most people barely have time for themselves. But it is important that you set aside 10 minutes each day for your dream.

Your dream does not ask too much for your time. Just 10 minutes a day when you can totally relaxed your mind, get connected with your emotions and ask yourself what do you really want in your life.

(3) Visualize Exactly What You Want In Life

Visualization is a huge topic. I have written few articles to show you how do you create effective visualization.

Content (that is your stated intention) itself is insufficient to manifest a goal into reality. You need to have positive emotion when you think of your goal.

The more clearly you can visualize and the more positive emotion you feel towards your goal, The faster it will manifest into your reality.

(4) Take Definite Action Towards Your Goal

You need to deliver definite action to achieve your goal. No man gets rich by doing nothing.

The universe may hand you a plan by giving you an inspiring idea, or attracting certain resource like people, book or event into your life.

When that happens, you need to act and that's what the universe is expecting from you.

Some people may say I do not feel comfortable about certain changes I need to do. This is understandable. No one likes changes. We all prefer to remain in our comfort zone.

I like you to consider this question: "Do I achieve what I want in my life by doing things in the same way?" If your answer is no, then you need to change so that you can bring in different results in your life.

You just need to master these four simple steps to start attracting wealth into your life!

What Makes a Man Sexy

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 05:03:00 -0700

So what makes a man sexy? Take your whiffs off the following:

1. Masculinity

There is more to a man than his firm butt and washboard abs. True, what a woman first notices is his anatomical assets but what lingers in her mind is not all that. It's his inherent masculinity. It's in the way he languidly struts across the room with a show of adequacy and grace and the way he flashes the glint in his eyes that ultimately creates the spark. It's also in the manner that he moves and talks that keeps women's eyes riveted at him. Being masculine does not merely suggest flaunting a large build or a protective quality but having this natural instinctive masculine self to trigger women's instinctive feelings of attraction.

2. Smile

A natural sweet smile is one of the greatest attraction of a man. It exudes an aura of congeniality and establishes charisma presence. It also breaks a woman's resistance and communicates hidden messages without any verbal language. This is why a man who is generous with his smile is guaranteed to maintain a women-magnet profile!

3. Eye contact

A man who knows how to have eye contact is a man who knows how to communicate. Women just like men are absolute attention seekers. They want men to listen and to take heed of the things they say. Thereupon, they demand affirmation. Eye contact is a way of ratifying. It makes a woman feel sufficiently attended to and cared for. Eye contact makes women feel so extremely special that they tend to sometimes melt right on the spot.

4. Confidence

Confidence makes a man. There's just something about the appeal of wealth and power that women can't resist. Antithetical to how most people view it, giving off that commanding vibe isn't always dependent on one's bank account. Men can actually take on that aura of authority just by moving through life with an air of self-assurance and a boost of self-esteem.

5. Aromatic sense

If a man is a making of a heartthrob onscreen and is a hunk on a ramp but stinks, he definitely goes down the cutthroat world. No woman likes a man who smells a bit too ripe like he just spent 24 hours locked in the bathroom. If a man looks good and smells even better, women are bound to swarm around him.

6. Sense of Style

Some men just don't seem the type to go with the fashion trend. But it does not mean that they are passe. Some just have their own personal preferences and resist the lure of punked-up garments. Actually, it's not the clothes that make a man sexy. It's how he carries his apparel with confidence and ease that does. Clothes don't entice women, it's the man that makes those clothes look good in him that wiles them.

7. Communication skills

Intellect is a factor in today's attraction equation. We are in such a competitive world that anyone without it is immediately slighted. But intellect without communication skills is not an attractive product. Conversational skills are necessary for any man to win the tilt. He must know when and how to start up a conversation and carry it on 'til it tapers off. He should not patronize women and is not so full of himself. It is believed that if a man is able to stimulate a woman's brain juices in a conversation, it is likely that he can stimulate her other juices as well.

8. Sensitivity

Sensitivity is sexy but too much sensitivity is feminity. So where do we draw the line? When we talk about sensitivity on the right scale, it means having a sense of empathy, confidentiality and trust rolled into one. When a woman confides something, a man's initial reaction is to help her find a solution or fix it himself. This is not sensitivity. When a woman expresses her feelings, she just needs an ear to insorb the steam out of her being. A sexy man sees this through and gets women everytime.

9. Sense of Humor

Laughter releases chemicals that create a sense of well-being, which is a wonderful turn-on. A man equipped with a good sense of humor automatically wins his points on the sexy scale with women. With the mighty use of his expression and wits combined, he becomes an addiction that women just can't get enough of. Women think that if he can evoke them with laughter in public, chances are he can also make them giggle in bed.

10. Oddity

Extrinsic and intrinsic personal abilities and traits that are considered unique and superior by a woman's biology and also by the society to which she identifies with are, to varying extents, very charming to the female species. If a man has the gift of music or have potential fancy footwork or simply has art at his fingertips, he can charm his way anywhere. A mysterious facade that keeps her intrigued and guessing is also deemed bewitching. But a man's resistance to a woman's seduction is considered the prime. It's effects are naturally ingrained into the "sex" part of a woman's brain that it drives her motors purring all the time.

What makes a man sexy is but everything about him and even more. Whether it be on the surface or skin deep, it's just a matter of projection. Every man is sexy in their own ways. They just have to feel that in themselves so the seething sexiness comes out of them naturally.

Don't Let People Take You For A Ride

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:48:02 -0700

The death of a family member is always the cruellest of all misfortunes. It becomes more cruel when the person snatched away is the husband of a young woman. The picture couln't be more sordid if the deceased leaves behind young issues. Whatever the circumstances they are always unfortunate.
Even in the present changed scenario, parent having got their daughter married off, wash their hand of her. Apart from the customary visits to the parents' house, if she is going through a rough matrimonial patch her parents rarely counsel a girl. They consider it unwise to interfere in the other's family even when their own daughter is married into that family. It is largely due to this lack of support from the parents that a girl starts to compromise beyond the limits of decency.
Kelly has something to say about it. They are two daughters-in-law in the family. Before her brother-in-law's marriage she was the pampered one. Everyone showered love and respect on her. Things changed tremendously after her brother-in-law's marriage. His wife belonged to a local family and was regularly frequented by her family members at her in-laws' place. Gifts on various occasions followed. Eventually, comparisons between the two daughters-in-law were made. There was no support to Kelly from her parents. They rarely visited and definitely gifts were never changing hands. With the passage of time, the situation worsened. She is ignored by her in-laws. Low in esteem and confidence, she is doing nothing but compromising.
Such treatment was rendered to a woman who has her husband beside her. Imagine the treatment rendered to women who have lost their husbands. Will those women get their share of love, respect, share in property, roof over their and their children's heads? The answer is very believable and real "no."
A LIVING TESTIMONY
Heather, one of my aunts, is a living testimony to such treatment by in-laws. She was widowed at a young age, in an unfriendly environment and with two young kids! Her late husband's family made her sign a number of legal papers. She didn't even know what they were. Vulnerable as she was under the circumstances, she did what she was told to do. By the time she understood what was going on, it was too late. Her mother was dead and her father refused to support her in opposing the in-laws. The poor woman succumbed to the circumstances. She does regret it though. She says, "My kids had to struggle so much in life just because I let myself be robbed by the in-laws. Their father left so much for them. I just wish I was stronger at that time."
How true! Had she been more in control of her loss and grief, things wouldn't have been tough for her and her children. Her being alone was the prime reason for this fate. Had she got Some support from her father, she could have voiced her doubts to her in-laws. Girls at their parents' house are raised in a protective, pampered environment. They are not taught to fight their battles alone. As a result of this they don't know what to do if an adverse situation arises.
After 24 years another tragedy has taken place in my family. Another aunt is widowed. Uncle died in a road accident. They have two teenage sons. The kids are neither too young to be ignorant about what happened nor big enough to shoulder all the responsibilities without some help and guidance. All through the last rites of uncle, my aunt's brother and sister-in-law stayed with her. Even when all the ceremonies were over, they stayed back to settle things with her in-laws. They were there for more than a week to lend support to his sister. There are a number of things mostly unpleasant - that a girl hides from her parents but under such circumstances all the facts come out in the open, so somebody has to be there for her.
HOLD YOURSELF TOGETHER
No matter how tough the grief is, a woman should hold herself together for her sake and for the sake of her children. It could be very unpleasant and inhuman to put yourself in a situation like this just when your life partner has left you. But the fact remains - strike while the iron is hot. It's a now or never situation for you. The woman is vulnerable and drowned in sorrow, that's when the in-laws make their first move. In good faith, she does whatever is asked of her and becomes duped. She and her children are cheated out of their share of income, property and other assets.
In our society, love and care are given to a woman and her children largely because of her husband. History and many day-today examples are proof of this. If no concern is shown to a woman by her in-laws, it is only because she is their son's wife. There is hardly any individual relationship involved here. So, once their son is not alive any longer, they find no reason to be fair and reasonable to his wife. Even when the in-laws are loving and caring types, the equation changes drastically after their son's demise. His family is more of a burden than a responsibility. Truth is often bitter but that's how it is.
A woman should do the following in case of such a mishap.
Gather her own family members:
Numbers do make a difference. They are intimidating if nothing more. Under pressure, people often budge. It is easier to talk about you and your children's future prospects immediately after the demise since your family and relatives come to visit you and are concerned. Once this opportunity is lost, it becomes difficult to assemble the relatives and broach the subject with objectivity. Time lost is opportunity lost. With the passage of time, even your parents come to terms with what has happened and leave you and your kids to the mercy of your in-laws and destiny. The real concern about how you are going to chalk out a secure future for yourself and your kids goes with time.
Don't sign any document:
People stoop to any number of tricks or lies to usurp your legal share of property and earnings under such circumstances. Don't give in to any threat or pressure. Just keep one thing in mind as long as you resist the pressure, your kids' future is secure. Don't sign any paper or document even if you are told it's very urgent and important.
Get in touch with a lawyer:
Try to find out a decent and trustworthy lawyer through a friend or relative. Hire his services for assessing your deceased husband's estate and financial status. Avoid the family lawyer as he will try to favour your in-laws' intentions. After understanding everything, you can buy some time and decide on a course of action. Any action in haste can only be regretted for the rest of your life. Be patient while making decisions that can make or mar your future.
Smart investments to generate regular income:
A regular source of income is a requisite for your kids, upbringing. Various options are available and a professional can help you out with it. But don't venture into speculative investments as it can endanger the principal amount. Also, never lend money to friends or relatives even when they "assure" a lucrative rate of interest. Go for a conventional investment that doesn't promise big returns but your money will be safe.
Buy policies for your children:
You can buy some risk-covering policies for your children. They can prove to be a big help at the time of their education and marriage. You can choose one that will suit you. Money-back policies prove to be quite handy.
Dispose of the disputed or co-owned property:
It is always wise to dispose of any property owned by your late husband that was either disputed or co-owned by other relatives of your husband. You can offer your share to the co-owners at a price that they find hard to turn down or to a third party who is ready to buy your share despite the dispute.
In case of rental property, if it is clear that evacuation is not possible, try to dispose of it. The money thus generated can be invested in some other form to increase it, but keeping disputed properties can only add to your worries. Any civil litigation can go on for decades and, when you have the responsibility of bringing up your kids, you must stay well clear of any kind of legal messes. It not only drains one emotionally and physically but financially also.

7 Bad Eating Habits You Should

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:13:00 -0700

People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don't believe

me? Just tune-in to any source of advertising...you're instantly

bombarded with the latest diet schemes and "Hollywood" food

fads.

Here in America, we have built a thriving industry trying to

control our weight and treat the consequences of over-indulgence.

The cost of weight loss and obesity related health care

treatments is staggering...Americans alone spend around $114

billion every year! And even with all this interest in losing

weight, we continue to pack on the pounds like never before...

- A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or

obese...up about eight percent from earlier estimates.

- Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost nine

million are overweight...triple the rate in 1980!

- Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese.

For Americans, modern life may be getting TOO easy. Our cushy

lifestyle means we expend less energy and consequently need fewer

calories to sustain our normal body weight.

Think about it for a moment...

Entertainment no longer requires energy expenditure. In fact,

it's usually quite the opposite. We now entertain ourselves in

the comfort of our own home while watching TV and munching on our

favorite snack. Whether it's television, computers, remote

controls, or automobiles, we are moving less and burning fewer

calories. Common activities that were once a part of our normal

routine have disappeared...activities like climbing stairs,

pushing a lawn mower or walking to get somewhere.

And please do not misunderstand me...I appreciate comfortable

living just as much as the next person. But, here is the

problem...

With all of our modern day conveniences and "cushy" style of

living we have not adjusted our caloric intake to compensate for

our decreased caloric expenditure. We consume more calorie rich

and nutrient deficient foods than ever before. Consider a few of

the following examples comparing what we eat "today" vs the

1970's (U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):

- We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of

them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption

has jumped 45 percent since the 1970's, from 138 pounds of grains

per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat

flour is consumed as whole wheat.

- Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but

only because French fries and potato chips are included as

vegetables. Potato products account for almost a third of our

"produce" choices.

- We're drinking less milk, but we've more than doubled our

cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source

of saturated fat in our diets.

- We've cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the

loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so

that overall, we're eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did

back in the 1970's.

- We're drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than

milk, compared to the 1970's, when milk consumption was twice

that of pop.

- We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable

oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has

increased 32 percent.

- Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding

waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. People are

consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day,

about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is

found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies. In

1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11

percent of the average person's calories. Now, this number has

ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as

much as 20 percent for American teenagers!

Unfortunately, it would seem that the days of wholesome and

nutritious family dinners are being replaced by fast food and

eating on-the-run. We have gradually come to accept that it's

"OK" to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and

that larger serving portions equate to better value.

It's time recognize that we are consuming too many calories and

time to start doing something about it! Each of us can decide

TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits WILL become a

normal part of our life!

We can begin by exploring our values, thoughts and habits...

slowly and deliberately weed-out the unhealthy habits and

activities and start living a more productive and rewarding life.

And remember, it has taken a long time to develop bad habits, so

be patient as you work toward your goal!

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes

only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any

disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any

health care program.

How To Improve Your Quality of Life by Using the Seven Moments - Moment #2

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:39:36 -0700

Moment #2 – Conflict - "Keep life interesting: find conflict."

Conflict is necessary for us as human beings. We need it as much as we need air and water. Sometimes we win. Sometimes we lose. Sometimes there is no defined resolution, and conflict is its own experience.

Conflict can make us break down and cry. It can also make us happy, especially when we win a situation and are victorious. Conflict makes us think. It keeps us alert. It makes us react, and it forces us to learn. It can make our blood boil. Indeed, without conflict–without the possibility of failure or the potential for triumph–life would be utterly boring.

Some examples of conflict:

Conflict in a relationship: Conflict is inevitable when you are dating or when you are married. It can be a minor conflict. (You and your girlfriend argue over what you’re going to watch on TV.) Or, it can be a major form of conflict. (Your husband is an alcoholic and has become physically abusive towards your children.)

Conflict in movies and books: Any fictional book or blockbuster movie is packed with conflict. Sometimes movies are so full of conflict that they make us physically tired and mentally drained by the time they are over. Have you ever felt that way about a movie? If you have, chances are strong that you just watched a great movie.

Conflict at work: We might get into an argument with a colleague over the whereabouts of our favorite pen. We have conflict when we fail to meet our customers’ needs, and they confront us.

Conflict in sports: Competing against someone (or watching someone compete) is one of the stronger forms of conflict. The more civilized the society, the higher the demand for sports. Professional athletes get paid vast sums of money because the average American has become sedated. Our culture conditions us for a safe and monotonous lifestyle that allows for a cohesive existence within our society. We go to work, come home, and watch television. We pay our taxes. We live our lives in a manner to maintain a peaceful nation. Although it works, I believe we have put our human spirit to sleep to such an extent that we need to stare at a television and get our “conflict fix” by watching other people compete. I don’t see this changing anytime soon because where else are we going to get physical conflict without the risk of breaking some law, going to jail, or getting hurt? Whether you sit in a recliner and watch sporting events on television or you’re actually a participant in a sporting event, sports go a long way in satisfying our human need for conflict. Most people have very little conflict in their lives, and their easiest solution to finding conflict is to watch sports. They get home from work, flip on the television, and wait for “the big game” to start.

Other examples of conflict:

You confront someone about a lie.

Your car won’t start.

Your daily struggle to wake up and get to work on time

Aside from moral beliefs and laws, conflict is conflict. From that perspective, robbing a bank is a pretty strong form of conflict that will enhance your human experience to a degree that most people might never feel. However, the repercussions of being a bank robber might not be so much fun. Sky diving is another great form of conflict (potential terminal conflict with the ground). Will you survive the fall, or will you squash yourself?

There are four categories of conflict:

Direct, physical conflict: a fistfight or boxing match, a football game, rugby, a karate match, fencing, bullfighting, wrestling

Indirect, physical conflict: a baseball game, soccer, horseracing, a marathon

Indirect, mental conflict: a game of chess or checkers, an argument, the game show “Jeopardy”, a video game

Conflict with yourself: disciplining yourself not to buy that donut every morning on the way to work, telling yourself not to call your ex-boyfriend, telling yourself not to drink, disciplining yourself to study for that upcoming math test, biting your tongue when someone you love says something hurtful

I think most people define retirement as conflict free: no more boss, no more driving to work, no more deadlines, no more alarm clock. I have a different perspective. By eliminating work and the opportunity for the conflict work brings with it, I think we are potentially cultivating a sedated lifestyle. If anything, retirement should mean that it’s time to experience the type of conflict that is most appealing and most challenging to ourselves. It’s the time of our life where we get to choose the situations that will rattle us the most.

Conflict is a necessary part of the human experience. Eliminate it and life becomes about as exciting as a piece of toast. If you want to keep your life interesting, here is the answer: find conflict. Hopefully you can find conflict that is not life threatening yet still has an element of loss/triumph attached to it. Then again, maybe life-threatening conflict is the best way to go.

The next part of this article series is titled How To Improve Your Quality of Life by using the Seven Moments - Moment #3

How To Improve Your Quality of Life by Using the Seven Moments - Moment #2

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:39:31 -0700

A Different Perspective On Time Management...

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:06:49 -0700

Most people think of time management as a system for organizing the day or week in order to maximize efficiency. I'd like to propose a different view of time management that is complimentary to the traditional view but has far greater implications for your quality of life.

Rather than viewing time on the small scale of a day or a week or a month or even a year let's think of how effective your time has been over a lifetime.

There are 8,766 hours in an average year. This means that by the age of 20 you have lived 175,320 hours, by 30 it is 262,980, by 40 you have lived 350,640 and by 50 the total hours lived adds up to 438,300 on so on.

My question is; are you getting value for those hours? If you were paying someone, by the hour, to build a magnificent life would you be happy that you had got your money's worth if that person had built your current life in the total number of hours that you have lived?

With traditional time management it is easy to become super efficient each and every day and yet when viewed over a lifetime you have really not achieved anything magnificent or inspiring.

In recent years the emphasis in time management has been to ensure that you are doing what is important rather than what is urgent but still it is possible that you achieve many small victories in the short term yet your life as a whole has not been a masterpiece.

My suggestion is this; that at the beginning of each week, before you plan yours days and hours for the week, you imagine yourself looking back from ten years in the future. Then ask yourself; what do I need to do this week so that when I look back I will honestly say that those ten years were a magnificent part of my life and I am totally and enthusiastically proud to have lived them.

The only time that you can actually use is the precise moment that you are presently experiencing. However without a frame of reference most people fritter away those present moments. By viewing each moment as a dot of paint on the canvas of a magnificent life then it is far more likely that you will treasure the moment and use it to enhance your life.

At the start of each month repeat the weekly exercise but instead of thinking from the perspective of ten years into the future think from the perspective of look back from the last few moments of your life. Imagine that you have finally run out of time and you are assessing whether your life was a success, a failure or just another average existence. What would you really like to see? What sort of life would you really be happy to have lived?

Once you have this picture in your mind ask yourself how you need to use your time in order to be contributing to that amazing adventure that your life should be. There are many different religious and philosophical views on life after death and reincarnation and planes of existence but the only things you can be sure of is that you have this life that you are experiencing now and that one day this life will be over.

Life is not a practice session it is the real thing. Every moment you live is a little piece that, when taken together with all the other moments, creates your unique life. The clearer the picture you have of that life as a whole, the easier it is to know where and how this present moment best fits into that life.

Try the weekly and monthly exercises outlined above as you will find your life taking a more inspiring direction.

A Guaranteed Success Formula

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 02:46:04 -0700

Success is not an accident. Success is not a matter of luck. There is a five step formula that can be followed and, if you have the commitment to follow it you will reap the rewards.

Step 1: Decide What You Want

Make a decision as to what success will be for you. Everyone has a different idea of what success is. If you don't take the time to define it for yourself then how can you possibly get there?

Your definition doesn't have to please anyone else; as long as it pleases you then it will be something that you can throw your energy into.

Step 2: Find Out What You Have To Do To Get It

At the time that you set your success goal you may have no idea at all as to what you will need to do in order to arrive there.

Most people realize that they would have to study hard and long to learn how to become a brain surgeon, but they somehow miss the fact that they have to spend time learning how to completely turn their life around and achieve outstanding success.

Fortunately some successful people have taken what they have learned over many years and found ways to help you learn quickly and easily. Studying their teachings can take years off your journey and save you a lot of pain and suffering that you might otherwise experience on your own.

Step 3: Break Down What You Have To Do Into Daily Tasks

Once you have discovered what you need to do then it is important to break that into bite size chunks, that you can accomplish in a day (still leaving time to meet your other responsibilities).

In this way each day becomes a mini-success and that will keep your spirits up.

Step 4: Put Those Tasks In Their Order Of Importance

Each night before you go to bed decide what will be the most important task that you need to accomplish the following day.

Make sure that you organize yourself so that you can complete this task as well as the other things you have to do that day. Successful people know how to make decisions and set priorities. That is the shortcut to success.

Step 5: Complete One Of Those Important Steps Each Day

If you can accomplish one task each day then you will have accomplished 365 tasks in one year. Just imagine how much improvement that could total.

Many people set goals but very few carry out an important, goal focused task each day. It's not that they can't do it, they simply don't do it.

This fifth step is where the power resides. It is the habit of chipping away at your goal each and every day that will bring that goal into reality. If you can't complete a particular task in a day then that task is too big. Keep the tasks small and achievable and before you know it you will have your success goal.

When you look forward a year it may seem a long way away and that may make you impatient. The interesting thing is that impatient people rarely develop the rhythm of daily action necessary to achieve their goal and so when the year has passed they are no closer than they were when the year began.

Keep taking those little steps, one after the other, and you may just amaze yourself at how much you achieve.

Fifteen Ways To Stay Focused With Effective Time Management

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:28:58 -0700

Let s face it, there is a lot going on out there. Our economy is on the fritz and every news story tells us that one more multimillion-dollar company needs a government bailout. Foreclosures are happening right and left. We have troops in harm s way, and Christmas is only a few short weeks away. And that is just the big picture! We have not even mentioned your business and all the things that you need to keep up with on a daily basis. Here are 15 ways to keep yourself focused amid all the distraction. See what works for you!

1. Plan for Each Day. Take a few minutes every evening and plan the following day. Outline 3-5 things that you want to accomplish and stick to it.

2. Plan for Each Week. Take a few minutes on Sunday night (or the night before the first day of your workweek) and outline 3-5 things you want to accomplish during the week. Update this list every 3 days or so.

3. Get Plenty of Rest. Yes, it sounds like something your grandmother would tell you, but it makes a huge difference. You need to rest both your body and your mind in order to prepare for all the challenges you will face.

4. Get Out of the Office. At some point you, too, will be subject to the law of diminishing returns. Staying at the office until all hours becomes less productive instead of more productive, so just go home. Go home at a reasonable hour and spend time doing things you enjoy. When you clear your mind, you will find that the solutions to the problems you have been worrying about all day just come naturally.

5. Eat Right. Yep, there is your grandmother again, but she was right. You can think better when your tummy is full, and you sleep better after you have had a big lunch and small dinner.

6. Move Around. You do not have to spend every non-working moment in the gym, but take 30-45 minutes every day, or every other day, to get some exercise. Your mind functions better when your body is stimulated. You may feel like this is unproductive time, but you owe it to your health and to a healthy state of mind to get adequate exercise.

7. Stop Reading Email. OK, do not stop altogether. But only read once per day. It can turn in to a huge time suck and people will call if they really need you. And when you do read your emails, wait to respond. Not every email needs an immediate response. Skip the ones that do not. The same goes for Twitter.

8. Turn off the Phone. Do not keep the cell phone off for the entire day, but turn it off for at least a few hours each day.

9. Work in Blocks. Do not work on any project for more than 30 minutes. That is about how long it takes for your brain to turn to mush and require alternative stimulation.

10. Take Breaks. Allow for regular breaks during the day. This gives your mind a chance to wind down and allows your subconscious to step in and examine the problems you are trying to solve. And your subconscious is much better at that stuff anyway.

11. Make a Routine. This frees your mind to focus on more important things.

12. Do Not Disturb. Set aside a chunk of time each day in which you ask family and staff not to bother you. This is also beneficial for staff as they learn to solve problems without constantly asking for your help. This makes them more valuable, and that is a good thing.

13. Ask For Help. Join an online community of peers that can give you advice and be a sounding board for you.

14. Invest in Speed. Faster computers make the work happen faster, and that leaves more time for you.

15. Blow Off a Whole Weekend. Do not read any blogs. Do not read any email. Do not answer your phone. Just be. You will be surprised at how clear your mind becomes.