Achieving Your Goals - Words Make a Difference
Kids have the most amazing insight if you stop and listen to them. Our daughter has an adult relative who lives far away who said to her "I wish I could see you more often". Do you know what she said later? I don't think he means it, or he would see me more often. Good observation.
Let's look at this more closely. When the relative above says "I wish", this person is indicating that 1) they have not made a decision to make it happen and 2) the ability to make visits more often is not within his/her power. To that, I say poppycock!
The decision to "make it so" is the key. Not the how, or why. For any goal, one just has to decide to it and then figure out how. The how will follow. To achieve a goal, it's crucial to decide to do it. It doesn't matter really how or whether you feel that circumstances are outside your control. The means to accomplish this goal will present themselves after you decide. Waiting to think about it or wish about it moves one no closer to achievement. .. and wastes time that could be used constructively toward the goal.
Ok, ok, Nike beat me to it....
To get what we want, we need to get rid of the words "would", "could", "should", "wish", "might" and replace them with "I will" or "I won't". There's no doubt that the Nike slogan has appeal: Just Do It!
If you look at the cause and effect decision making that we do for so many of our decisions, it's very simple: deciding to do it should be first, then how. How many times have you dwelled on making a decision because you started thinking about the how and got stuck? I have, a lot. Unless I take notice, this is the first place I go. It has kept me from taking positive actions more than once.
Many people are comfortable in their world of would, could and should. It's easier to make excuses for failure that way. No promises made to anyone (including oneself), just wishful thinking. Of course, like our daughter pointed out, it's almost always a failure mindset. Without commitment there is no action.
An easy example of this that we all can relate to is diet and exercise. Many of my friends wish they weighed less or "had a body like X". Deciding to get fit and eat right is the first step. The how becomes evident with a bit of studying and organization. Next thing you know... a whole new fit body!
So, it's more the wisdom of our grandfathers and grandmothers than modern science. It goes like this.
1. Consider decision and its impact to you and your important people
2. Decide to do it or not
3. Then, figure out how
I for one am working on replacing the "would, could, should" in my vocabulary with "I will, I can, I shall and you bet!". I have been amazed at the difference that one simple paradigm shift has made in my life. Just Do It!
About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. She is also a professional engineer and mom. To see more articles by Ainsley visit
http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at
http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com
Copyright © 2008 Ainsley Laing
Motivation for Life: What Would You Do if You Could Have a Do Over?
"The only thing it takes 365 days to change is a year" - Hypnotherapist David Block
"If at any time you make a mistake and want to change your selection, press the star key on the telephone pad." - AMC 20 Movie Theater recording
Both of the above quotes imply a radical shift in popular thinking about change. They imply that changes can be made quickly, and don't have to take a long, long time.
I am constantly searching for the very best "change tools" I can find to help the people with whom I work. I look for tools that offer rapid and effective change, and meet at least three criteria:
1) Simple - any one can use them
2) Profound - they work quickly and they last
3) Dependable - they work just about every time
Recently a friend shared with me a wonderful quote from professional speaker Brian Tracy that meets all these criteria and has the potential to be a very rapid and effective change tool. Here's the quote, in the form of a question:
"If you were starting over today, what would you do differently? Whatever your answer, start doing it now."
All of us would like to have a chance for a "do over" in some area of our lives. Well, maybe in many areas. Although we cannot change the past, this question offers great direction for making both the present and the future more like we would want it to be.
Let's look at several areas of our lives and some questions about what we might do over, and then start doing now.
In the area of relationships, would you:
Be closer to those around you? Stay in touch with people? Let those close to you know how much you value them?
In the area of family, would you:
Spend more time with them? Go more places with them? Throw out the ridiculous notion of quality time and replace it with quantify time?
In the area of marriage, would you:
Learn how to communicate more effectively? Make sure, on a regular basis, that your spouse knows they are #1 with you? Honor and cherish them. Remember those words? Ask your self, what am I contributing to making this a cool place to be?
In the area of education, would you:
Go back to school? Find out about something you've always wanted to know? Take a class you've always wanted to take? Take the time to get really good at something?
In the area of health, would you:
Get in and stay in the best shape you can? Get rid of some extra pounds? Remember, there's overweight people and there's old people, but there's not a whole lot of old overweight people. Eat in a way that supports you?
In the area of finances, would you:
Design a life instead of just making a living? Keep track of where the money goes? Work and live within a budget? Put away something for the future on a regular basis?
In the area of attitude, would you: Pay attention to yours? Model an attitude you would want friends and family to model? Find something positive in almost any situation?
I'm certain there are other areas of your life that you can apply this question. Remember folks, life is not a dress rehearsal, although most of us act like it is.
Here's the question again,
"If you were starting over today, what would you do differently? Whatever your answer, start doing it now."
Don't get caught up and stuck in "I wish I coulda-shoulda-woulda." Focus on what you can do now, and simply and profoundly, go do it.
Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.
10 Keys to Stay Motivated And On Top Of Your Game
What do you dream about? Do you have dreams of building a blockbuster business, material wealth, taking great vacations, writing the next bestseller, or contributing to the lives of others? Whatever dreams you have big or small, staying motivated can sometimes be a challenge.
Initially, many people hit the ground running towards their goals with great enthusiasm and determination. They keep up the momentum for a period of time and often lose steam, (emotionally, psychologically, physically, and spiritually) for a variety of reasons. That's just part of being human!
Below are 10 ways to help you stay motivated and moving forward:
1. Create a vivid and compelling vision of the dream you wish to achieve. Consider all the aspects of your life as if you were looking through a wide-angled lens. See your vision take form as a picture in your mind. Write down all you see, think, and feel. See yourself in that vision of having what you want. Now, you must make the decision to say YES to have what you want. Making the decision is the first step to committing to a dream. In other words, how bad do you want it and what are you willing to do (or be) to have your dream?
2. Identify what stimulates and motivates you. It might be certain music, movies, books such as Lance Armstrong’s amazing success story, exercise, magazines, places or people (heroes, role models) that get you juiced and pumped. Notice the people and things that drain and de-motivate. See #4.
3. Be passionate. Webster’s dictionary defines passion as "A powerfull emotion or appetite; boundless enthusiasm". Passion is a great motivator and if you are motivated you are passionate! These are three strategies to keep your passions strong:
- Revisit your vision, goals, and dreams daily so they stay up front in your heart and mind.
- Design a "rough day" strategy. We all have days when it seems nothing is going the way we want. When faced with "one of those days", having a strategy on how to stay positive will be key to sustaining motivation. For me personally, I meditate to quiet my mind so that I feel more centered. Reaching out to a close friend also helps me regain perspective to recommit to my dreams.
- Take control of your environment. We make choices everyday about the people we associate with, where we live, the work we do, and where we go. If your environment isn’t supporting you, identify three actions you will take immediately to improve your situation so that you can move forward. See #4
4. Decrease and eliminate energy drains. What are you tolerating and putting up with that drains your energy? We put up with, accept, take on and are dragged down by: clutter, people’s behavior, unmet needs, unfinished business, repairs, avoided conflicts/confrontations, and negative thinking. Clearing out clutter and energy drains will dramatically free up energy and lift your spirits.
5. Practice extreme self –care. I use extreme because taking the best care of YOU is serious! Give yourself permission to make self-care a priority. When needs are not being met, negative thoughts and reactions intensify. When we feel replenished, we handle situations with strength, clarity and focus. Make a list of the people and things that energize and recharge you and commit to adding them into your life with regularity.
6. Monitor your self-talk. Self-talk is the constant commentary of things we say to ourselves (internally) and repeat to others (externally). Our self-talk can be supportive or non-supportive, positive or negative (the stories we tell ourselves that cause pain and stress). Observe your self-talk. Watch for opportunities to replace your negative thinking with empowering language that comes from your heart. Choose your attitude. You are the source of your thoughts, beliefs, assumptions, opinions, judgments, and feelings. Your viewpoint affects your decisions and actions; therefore your attitude directly affects the outcome. In this way, you can become a powerfull self-motivator. Choose to see challenges and problems as opportunities, possibilities, and learning experiences that help you evolve as a person.
7. Meet your fears head-on. Fear is fueled by negative beliefs and self-talk. Remember, you are the source of your thoughts. Fear can be a powerfull motivator or a detractor. If you’ve been working with the tips on this list and still feel overwhelmed by your fears, try these additional strategies to regain control.
• Breathe!
• Be present. Are you in the present moment of focusing on the future?
• Be grateful. Focus on everyone and everything that brings you joy.
• Connect with your Source (your spiritual connection) for peace and comfort.
• Separate the facts (your reality, what’s true) from the story (what you are telling yourself in your head).
Transforming fear is a process, so stay with it! Still challenged by fear? Contact me. I can help you change your relationship with fear so that you can move forward.
8. Surround yourself with people who positively support you. We are influenced and impacted by the people in our lives especially within our inner circle. Choose to be in close affiliation with those who bring out your best.
9. Draw on past successes to calm discouragement, doubt or fear. What are you most proud of having accomplished? Recall specific challenges (big and small) that you have overcome, especially ones that initially felt insurmountable.
10. Celebrate! Acknowledging and rewarding yourself for your accomplishments (benchmarks) along the way is a great source of motivation and inspiration to help you go the distance. Make sure you’re having fun!
Quote - "Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams." - Anonymous
About the Author: Copyright © Lorraine Cohen. All Rights Reserved. Lorraine Cohen, Business Consultant and Life Strategist brings more than 25 years experience in personal coaching, business development, psychological counseling, and sales to over 2000 business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives from a wide range of industries. Focusing on the whole person, Lorraine coaches people from the inside out; to implement innovative strategies that integrate their heart, integrity, and spirituality. An expert in breaking through fear and roadblocks to success, she empowers people to take linear leaps that reshape their world. To learn more about Lorraine Cohen’s services, products, and programs, visit: www.powerfull-living.biz
Source: http://www.easyarticles.com
How To Stay Motivated To Achieve Your Goals
With so many distractions in our midst, with so many excuses and reasons to quit, how do you stay motivated to achieve your goals?
Staying motivated will help ensure your success in life; it will help ensure that you accomplish your goal of improving yourself.
It is important to remember that all work and no play is not the way to live one's life.
Balance is the key to anything.
When one focuses too much on one avenue in life, all can go to the wayside in another part of one's life.
The imbalance can cause one to feel pressure and stressed, feeling as though giving up would help more than persevering.
This is why finding ways to avoid this and stay motivated is imperative.
Give yourself rewards.
Take the time to reward yourself for your hard work and achievements.
If no one else is there to do it for you, be your best fan, your biggest supporter and your best friend.
Reward yourself with things that will refresh your spirits and keep your positive energy high.
More helpful techniques.
In addition to a reward system there are many other techniques that can help you in your efforts to stay motivated.
Let your imagination go.
Think of the things that you say and do all day long to motivate yourself to go to work, to clean your home, to do just about anything.
You already have the motivating skill inside of you; it pushed you to read this article!
You just need to exercise this skill, practice it until you no longer have to think about it.
In addition some ideas that can help you motivate yourself follow:
Remind yourself of the final reward.
Motivate others! When you do this, it reinforces the skill to motivate yourself! Praise yourself.
It is not easy to take on big risks, this in and of itself is praiseworthy!
It is a brave, brave move that some people wish they could do, live their whole life but never do so out of fear.
By: Tom Straub
Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Tom Straub is a successful author and webmaster of the Best Self Improvement website. Discover everything you ever wanted to know about self improvement... but never dared to ask.
Motivation and Setting Your Goals
Easy Steps for Goal Setting
Goal setting is the true secret to success in any area of life. Setting your goals may seem simple, achieving them usually is another question altogether. Why is that?
Because you will never achieve your goals unless you:
(1) know exactly what you want,
(2) are passionate about your goal, and
(3) have a solid, realistic plan of action.
This is what marks the difference between nebulous dreams and wishes - and truly achievable goals!
Here are 5 time-tested methods that will help get the success you deserve.
1. Know exactly what your goal is
Your first job is to discover exactly what your goal is. What will achieving that goal really look like? Be as specific as possible about exactly what your desired end result is. Your success will be a measure of your clarity - since an achievable goal plan cannot be created around a nebulous "dream."
If your goal is to create a more successful business, what will that look like? Are you thinking in terms of simply hiring someone else to give you more free time? Are you looking for a very specific monthly profit? Or can your goal be best expressed in terms of a certain lifestyle? Regardless of what you want, the best way to get it is to first clarify exactly what you want in as much detail as possible. This can be hard work. But without a clear mental picture, you'll never have the focus required to achieve your goal.
2. Be willing to pay the "entry fee"
Success takes dedicated planning and effort. In a way it's like building a house. In the beginning all you have is a rough concept. But there's always an *entry fee* to be paid for success.
The entry fee?
Creating more success in your business may mean less recreational time. Writing your own book may require less TV. Being closer to your children may require adjusting your work or social activities.
3. Focus on your goal every day
Consistent daily focus is absolutely necessary to "burn in" the new neural pathways you need to create your new goal. Without daily focus, the old mental habits that have kept you from your goal will continue to take over.
That's why success is an every-day event. Re-commit to your goal every day. Don't let your goal take a back seat to the daily tasks and distractions that will try to take over. Life WILL try to get in your way. Just get, and stay, on course every day. Focus on your goal, and on success!
4. Get passionate
One of the most powerful tools in your "success tool box" is having real passion for your goal. Why passion?
Because intense passionate desire for your goal will help you burn in those new neural pathways even faster. Many, many scientific studies have shown that intense emotion (passion) is a key success tool.
5. Take consistent action
In many ways, actually taking action can be the most difficult step. Successful goal achievement is built by taking one small action after another.
The word is ACTION!
If you commit to take at least one small action each day, your actions WILL add up and make a difference. So avoid sitting back waiting for that big second when everything will magically "just happen."
You CAN create whatever you want in life. The secret is to determine exactly what you want, then pursue it passionately. But remember -- in the end, only action counts! You can't just dream about it! You have to DO IT!
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Self Improvement Motivation: Design Your Destiny With Positive Habits
Every (and I do mean EVERY) human potential success coach from the most famous to the little known conclude, that habits hold the key to success or failure.
According to the dictionary, a habit is an acquired pattern of behavior that has become almost involuntary as a result of frequent repetition.
Our habits dictate the quality of life we experience. If you procrastinate, talk negatively to yourself and allow fear to rule, you are going to have a very stressful life overflowing with anxiety and sadness. I know, because that is where I've come from.
The key to creating lasting positive results in any area of your life, must first start with changing the way you think before changing the way you act.
Here are the top three bad habits that effect most of us at some time in our lives.
1. Fear (Yes fear is a habit!)
It is said F.E.A.R stands for "False Evidence Appearing Real" and after a lifetime of confronting just about every fear I can think of, fear of success, fear of failure, fear of letting me be me...
I can tell you for certain that living in fear is the worst habit of them all. It is the root of all other bad habits like smoking, overeating, addictions etc. (Fear is the enemy of inspiration and motivation.)
No matter what changes you want to make in your life you are going to feel some degree of fear. But I can tell you from experience that the secret is to feel the fear and take action anyway. Action defeats fear!
2. Negative self-talk
I am also guilty of this self-inflicted punishment as well. I have come to discover that humans are in fact self fulfilling prophecies and that our thoughts do matter.
The problem is that most of us don't consciously use negative self talk, it ends up becoming more like a mantra or a label we brand ourselves with.
For Example:
I used to call my self a lot of things, a procrastinator, fat, shy and I would follow it up whenever someone challenged me with a reinforcing, "That's just the way I am."
Although I thought I was just poking fun at myself, I realize after years of unconscious repetition that negative self-talk was one of the main things holding me back from following my heart and creating the life of my dreams.
3. Procrastination
Up until a few months ago you could look this word up in the dictionary and see my picture. I would beat myself up night after night for not following through with a phone call or an article idea. I would wait until the last minute to do anything, then become so stressed out that I wasn't much fun to be around.
Overcoming the negative habit of procrastination can truly change your life. When you learn to take action as soon as the mood strikes and stop when the feeling is gone, you will find after just a few weeks of inspired action that you have begun to create something of value. Practice anything with conscious awareness and specific intent for 21 days and you will amaze yourself. I promise!
It is worth taking the steps to replace the habits that have been holding you back from living a richer more fulfilling life. If I can do it, anyone can.
My 6th grade teacher dragged me into the hall by my hair, looked me in the eye, pounded his finger in my chest and told me I was stupid and would never amount to anything...
...See Mr. McCarthy I'm not stupid.
© Andy Thompson - All Rights Reserved
Andy Thompson is a writer who enjoys the "growth" part of the Self Growth Process. He recommends the breakthrough 21-day self empowerment program Habit Busting and publishes a quality, information packed monthly newsletter. Read more at http://www.BadHabitBreaking101.com/discovery2/ and sign up for our free 7-day goal setting e-course.
Motivation List
Infrequent years ago, I express to Endeavour to reduce the amount I weighed yet again, but was persevering that this interval the fat would stay off. I had read manifold books on the question of pertinence and dieting and decided to follow some of the advice which I had learnt. I wrote down each and every of the reasons I was fatiguing to miss the excess fat. (Motivation List)
This is very important as it would happen an immutable reminder of what I am attempting to do and also about why I am attempting to achieve it. It would give me a gargantuan wish impulse to stick to my weight loss plan. I would advise anybody who is also looking to lose weight to transcribe an analogous list as it proved to be very beneficial to me. (Motivation List) On my list I wrote about how I wanted to examine and paw stronger and fitter. This I believed would facilitate my self-confidence and self-esteem which were always fairly low. I had had enough of consciousness distressed of my weight and fat belly. I wanted to walk down the terrace consciousness pleased and assured.
I wanted to lose weight to avoid each and every the strength problems that essence obese can cause, as community mature into older (Motivation List). I am not trustworthy about you but I rarely see an obese in the flesh that is in their seventies or eighties. I am hoping to live until a complete old age and enjoy my retirement. (Motivation List)
Next on my list was about the clothes I have on. In substance I am not effective to buy the clothes I really want to as they discharge not in actuality be seemly a person of my build. I often look at spare community and am impressed with their clothes but then realize that they are a lot of thinner than I am. The clothes may look impressive on them but would not look the equivalent provided I wore them. (Motivation List)
I furthermore wanted to lose weight in order for me to look spare comely to members of the contrary sex. Being overweight I am sure has a manner like that which to why I acquire not exactly been a stud in my life, well it is my excuse anyway.
The last target on my list was re my regular level of fitness (Motivation List). I love playing football and was a regular in the school football group. That was years ago, when constantly I had played recently before writing this list, I had been out of breath after simply on fifteen minutes. This was quite a shock for me and made playing the game far less frolic and gratifying. I wrote on how I would love to regain my fitness so that I could participate in this and more sports. (Motivation List)
Long ago I had written my list, I would then scan it on regular occasions and it would help me to keep motivated. I am not saying it was a facile path, notwithstanding I eventually managed to obtain a weight that I was happy with. I am happy to let you notice that I retain accept also been successful in keeping the weight unavailable bad this hour environing. In conclusion, if you are thinking about or hoping to miss some weight, I would prescribe you to write a list of reasons why you are doing it. Keep these ideas in mind and provided you open to come to pass tempted by that fatty food, quickly read your list to make remember you why you should neglect your temptations.
Come and see how you can loss weight on www.diet-advices.com.
Noel expert for diet's and weight loss. Writer of many articles and autor of web site http://www.diet-advices.com.
Creativity Management: the Role of Motivation
What do creativity managers do?
Replace the word management with the word optimisation.
That's what creativity managers do: they optimise the quality of the idea pool (creativity) and the implementation process (innovation).
There are many methods of optimisation and the creativity leader must be aware of all of them, in other words, he or she must synthesise them for optimal effect.
Areas [within creativity] that need managing include motivation, organisational culture, organisational structure, incremental versus radical effects and processes, knowledge mix, group structures, goals, process and valuation.
Areas [within innovation] that need managing include idea selection, development / prototyping and the art of commercialisation.
It is worth noting that 4000 good ideas result in 4 development programs, which in turn results in 1 winner.
The role of motivation
An individual may be 'creative' but if s/he is not motivated then s/he will not produce to optimal levels.
There are two general types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is that where a task is completed for its own sake. Extrinsic motivation is where a task is completed for an ulterior motive (e.g. payment).
Extrinsic motivators can be subdivided into those that aid the endeavour (synergistic) and those that hinder it (non-synergistic). For example, payment may - up to a point - be a synergistic extrinsic motivator in that it will increase your motivation. On the other hand, a dictate from a boss may be a non-synergistic motivator as it will just make you feel controlled and manipulated.
The ultimate question is how do we maximise motivation. There are a variety of factors that can be applied including, a) closing the gap between the real and ideal self, b) feasibility, c) peer recognition, d) competency expansion, e) fun or enjoyability and f) reward.
Learn more…
Download the MBA research, learn about this topic at http://www.creativity-management.com/
You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.
Kal Bishop, MBA
*************************************************
Personal Growth
Too often people think they are through learning when they leave school. We should never forget that our purpose in life is to grow and develop in all areas
Everyone desires to be successful. The problem is that we often reach a certain level and no matter how much we try, we remain frozen in our present position. Why is it that some continue to go up the ladder to the top and even beyond it? It is because they have confidence in themselves, don't need approval of others, and are not discouraged by failure.
There are many factors that determine our position in life. Everyone has different abilities, opportunities, finances, and ambitions. Some decide early in life what they want to do and others never find their true niche. They try different jobs but are never fulfilled.
Our experience in growing up has a tremendous effect in adult life. Some parents are over protective and unknowingly curtail their children's growth. Others encourage their kids to explore their interests and praise them when they do well. Being told, no, don't, continually may have a negative effect on self esteem. Those who are praised and told to continue things they do well results in self confidence.
If one of our children failed to grow physically, we would do everything in our power to discover the cause and correct it. Fortunately physical growth comes naturally, but how we develop mentally, socially, spiritually and career-wise depends upon our determinations to continue to grow.
We need to take a lesson from nature. Grass, plants, trees and other vegetation only knows one thing—grow. From the time they emerge from the ground they continue to grow. If the grass is cut or trees are trimmed they just grow more.
People, however, are easily discouraged when they are criticized, or fail in a project. They often give up and try something else. We need to learn from our mistakes and continue to grow because that is our purpose in life.
If you fail, either you are trying something you don't have a talent for, or you simply were less than perfect in how you went about it. The first thing you should do is determine what field you fit in based on interests, abilities and training. If failure occurs after entering the right field, failure simply means that you need to keep trying. People learning to hit the bull's eye with their weapon don't quit when they miss the mark, they keep trying until they can hit it time after time. You should not be discouraged because you fall short. You should keep trying and growing. Success comes by fine-tuning methods.
It is important to determine what field you fit in and obtain training for it. College provides broad knowledge that permits going from one field to a related one with little trouble. Do not stop learning after you finish school. Successful people never stop learning. You can learn how to do things better, with experience. You can even learn from things that happen to you. It is all meant to teach you something. Keep up with new developments in your field and change with them or you will find yourself out of date, subject to being replaced by someone who has kept up with the times.
We often settle into a comfortable way of doing things and avoid trying anything new. Staying in your comfort area too much can result in getting in a rut. To develop fully you need to continue to try new things. Venturing out of your comfort level permits you to discover new ideas and talents. Sometimes people stumble onto new concepts and start a whole new career by learning to be comfortable in other areas.
Losers wait for things to break their way. Winners make their own breaks. They determine what they want and make preparations so they can obtain them. Losers stay in their comfort level and winners continue to grow in all areas by increasing in knowledge, wisdom and social skills. Never be satisfied with your position and abilities. Continue to grow, developing new concepts and methods.
Go on to spiritual maturity. We must continue to grow to be secure. Those just inside of Christ may go back into the world when temptations come. The deeper inside Christ, the less likely to retreat. Get acquainted with the Godhead to develop an unshakable faith. Live life to the full. Discover where you fit in your congregation. Learn more and order by clicking on the following link. http://thelynnbradleybook.com
What Fear Doesn’t Want You to Know
Do you have a fear or two that goes “bump in the night” now and then?
If you are human, the answer is “Yes.” We all have fears. Some are real. Some are imagined. And some are so sensitive and emotionally-charged that we guard them in our hearts and keep them a closely-guarded secret.
Fear is a very human experience, so don’t think less of yourself if you have one or two. It’s a consequence of being human. We all have to deal with fear.
The fears that rattle us the most often have little to do with life or death. They usually involve far less dramatic subjects such as public speaking, going broke, or somehow appearing foolish.
If you admit to yourself that you have a fear or two, I’ll tell you the secret that fear does not want you to know.
Confront fear and it runs away. Fear is afraid you will discover this secret. When you do, you can banish fear at will.
Regardless of what the fear is, it slinks away as soon as you resolutely stare it down and say with authority in your voice “Take a hike!”
Invariably, you realize that your fear wasn’t as big, bad, and ill-tempered as you thought. In fact, it didn’t even have the backbone to face up to you when you faced up to it.
That’s what fear doesn’t want you to know. It’s really a coward. All you have to do is stand tall in its path and it shrinks away.
Here’s a simple technique I designed that empowers you to do this. For maximum effectiveness, do this in front of a mirror when you have a few minutes alone.
Take a deep breath. Elevate your gaze as if looking at a point just above a distant horizon.
Recall a time when you confronted someone and made your point forcefully and successfully. The time, place, and circumstances are not important. What is important is that you somehow got so worked up that you got into action and met the situation with a burst of unwavering determination.
Perhaps you did this out of righteous indignation. Perhaps you finally decided “Enough’s enough! I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!” Perhaps you were simply “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
Whatever the case, revisit this memory. See the scene as if through you own eyes. See, hear, and feel the scene from the perspective of just behind your eyes.
As you replay this experience, let your body assume the same posture and movements as you did at that time. Trust your mind to recreate your expression and tone of voice.
Yes. I know you are talking to yourself. That’s why I suggested that you do this when you have a few solitary moments!
Let your imagination recreate your state of mind and all the gestures, expressions, and tone of voice that went with it. Then let your mind “cut and paste” that past moment into the present one.
Now imagine your fear. Trust your mind to give it a face. Let your imagination do its job without your interference and it will present you with a face you’ll love to confront.
Use your past experience as a guide, template, and point of reference. While still standing in front of the mirror, confront your fear in the same manner as you did in your real-life experience. Almost immediately, you will look, sound, and feel as you did in your point of reference experience. As you recreate the experience physically and verbally, you will notice a feeling of confidence and resolute determination.
So what happened to the fear?
It ran away and it didn’t take long, did it?
I’ve observed that if anything takes a while about this technique, it’s the sense of feeling a little silly about doing it! Once one gets over that, it’s really a lot of fun. And it feels so good!
So now you know fear’s secret fear. Confront it and banish it at will.
Remember this secret and fear will never limit your dreams again.
Source: http://www.articlecube.com
Tony Papajohn coaches excellence and specializes in money. If you are a real estate investor, financial trader, entrepreneur, or want money to treat you like its new best friend, check out Tony’s free e-courses at www.WelcomeMoreMoney.com .
Dreamed Of Being In Business For Yourself, But Fear Has Stopped You?
After 32 years of working in the Dental Profession...I found myself asking the same question. Dreaming about how rewarding it would be to be my own boss. This is where most people end up in life...DREAMING their life away. There are dreamers and there are achievers...success happens to those who take ACTION and truly believe that they can make their dreams come true. Be open to your dreams and don't settle for less than what you can be.
Imagine doing something that is FUN and EASY...making a simple product that is used in every home and is so appealing that it basically sells itself. FUN is the key ingredient here. If it's fun, you will persist. If you persist in something everyone enjoys and uses, you will succeed...It's that simple!
Make gifts to give from the heart
Spend quality time with family and give them moments they deserve
Find time to relax, refresh, rejuvenate and take some time just for you
Help others succeed and make their dreams come true
This product will capture a major market over the next five years
Play a global role in improving indoor air quality
Support our American Farmers
Are you living the full potential of your life? Are you dreaming of how to change your life from what it is, to all that it can be? I can help make your dreams a reality with something EASY and FUN. A life that's fulfilling, full of possibility, growth, success and passion...the unlimited potential of YOUR life!
My vision is to provide the tools that can help women empower themselves. Help them learn that with time...success will happen to those who take ACTION and passionately believe that they can make their dreams come true.
Women find working together builds relationships, which can make you feel you are involved in something bigger than yourself. Heard about the "Secret"...this is it! Talk about creating and seeing the effect of POSITIVE energy in your life.
I have been blessed to have the opportunity to study and learn from a very wonderful teacher, Dr. Ellie Drake. She has taught me to look inside myself, to stretch and grow and become the woman I was born to be. I am also proud to be one of the first founding members of her BraveHeart Women's Global Community Foundation which is a very special honor for me!
Her lessons of "It's Easier Done Than Said" has changed my life. I would like to share some of her daily reminders that assist me to live my life with ease:
PURPOSE - True purpose is to discover and resolve any blocks within myself so that my success will be richly meaningful. To pray for assistance and wisdom to step into the depth of the purpose which we wereborn.
SOUL to SOUL - Have a deeper sense of self, to look beyond others' personalities to see their deeper self. This creates true connections with others.
MIND-BODY - Continuously strive for positive thoughts. To realize that our power to remain positive increases and rewards us with feeling of vitality and longevity within our bodies. This will in turn encourage our minds to create more positive thoughts.
CHANGE - We may not be able to change everything in our life with one decision, yet are able to change the direction of our life with one decision. That direction begins to change when we start to look within ourselves.
By: Teri Bowers
Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Businesswoman, Friend, Collaborator, and Team player, Teri Bowers fulfills her Entrepreneurial Calling by offering a great service that enriches the lives of others. Together with other fellow BraveHeart Community members, her goal is to empower Women to be multi-dimensional success stories and inspiration to others. Be Sure to Visit: Be a BraveHeart Woman
Abe Lincoln's Productivity Secret
One of my favorite quotations comes from Abraham Lincoln when he said "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."
Not only was that a metaphor for how we might approach all work in which we engage, but it also represented his philosophy as a skilled woodcutter. He spent much of his early life working odd jobs including rail splitting. Considering people regard him one of the top 3 presidents in American history, he applied it to his political career as well. So we can take his quote both figuratively and in a literal sense.
Sharpening Tools for Better Results
I think of Lincoln’s quote often. It is so simple, efficient and wise to apply it to any project we undertake. After all, how many times do we bring the wrong tool to the job, only to waste countless hours or days trying to avoid the certain purchase of the right tool? In my electronics, I have this problem all the time. I'll need a Torx 6 screwdriver, but won't have one handy. Instead, I grab a small flathead screwdriver and try to remove the screw with it by wedging it in at an angle and forcing it. Naturally, this usually strips the head of the screw and damages the edge of the screwdriver.
As a boy, Abe Lincoln owned a hatchet and skill at using it. I could guess he knew intimately what the difference in outcomes he could expect when he used a dull hatchet when compared with a sharpened one. He knew the dull ax lacked efficiency; it made the work harder and resulted in less consistency in outcomes.
I own a hatchet for cutting stray branches in my yard. When the hatchet is dull, the job is long and tiring. It is even more dangerous because a dull hatchet has a tendency to bounce, resulting in a wild chop that can fling it into your leg. However, when it is sharp, the job can take as little as a few minutes and it's actually more fun.
Sharpening Your Ax to Make Your Projects Easier
But how do we "sharpen the ax" when it comes to our goals and our projects? We may set a goal to manage our money better and keep more careful track of our budget. Some of the steps include collecting all of our bills into one location, write them all down, enter them into a spreadsheet, balance our checkbook and add up our monthly expenses. Also, it would be smart to write down what we spend every time we buy something. This would involve keeping a pad of paper in our pocket and a pen so we could record them.
If you are like me, what can happen is I'll sit down, start the writing down the bills and "oops! I forgot one, I need to get up and go get it." I go into the other room, grab the bill and sit back down. After I'm there for awhile, I remember "Hey, I need my car registration, oil change receipts, and car mileage so I can record what I pay for that every year." So, up I go again, this time so I can go out to the car and rifle through the glove compartment. As you might guess, I would be lucky not to find something to distract me from my task.
To sharpen the ax in this example, it would be far better to start out by thinking. Grab a sheet of paper and make a list of all the items we need to start and everything we need to see our goal through to completion. For me, my list might look something like this:
1. Spend 10-15 minutes collecting every last bill and receipt I need to record in the ledger
2. While I'm up, grab a notepad, pen and calculator
3. Collect my wife's checkbook and my own
4. Gather all of our credit cards, banking passwords and account numbers.
5. Think through whether I need Quicken, or if I can use Excel to perform my budgeting needs
6. If I need Quicken, go up to Wal-Mart and buy it, bring it home and load it
7. Clear everything off my desk except for my computer, notepad, stack of bills and invoices
8. Might I need a drink of water? Go get a glass.
9. Will I want some music playing in the background? If so, turn it on
10. Shut the door for privacy
11. Unplug, or turn off my network connection - no e-mail, web browsing.
12. Unplug the phone in my office
13. Launch TaskBlaze
Starting with everything I need is so much more efficient, because the excuse to get up and become distracted becomes more difficult. In fact, it becomes easier to work on the project than it is to have to get up repeatedly and get a missing piece of the puzzle. When we have everything we need within arms reach, we finish faster. Progress will be steady and we will succeed more often.
Think about some of your top goals on your list for a few minutes. Do you have everything you need to keep the progress rolling along? Sure, we may have some big goals that requiring we achieve smaller goals ahead of time. So you could start with a sub-goal or "step" if you use Achieve-IT! software. Think through everything you need to carry out that step.
Sharpening your mind
Another side to sharpening the ax is educating yourself. Think of it this way. When Lincoln said the first four hours of a 6-hour tree cutting activity, he would spend the first four sharpening the saw. How can we apply this to our continuing education?
In my software building ventures, I can sometimes “paint myself into a corner” if I don't first research what I am trying to do before I start. A client may ask me to add a feature to my software that sounds great, but I don't necessarily know how to do. My tendency is to plow right in, with a dull ax and try to force the code to work. You see, it's much more fun to get started. Yet, several hours (and build failures) later, I find I've got a headache, my program isn't working and I've got a big mess on my hands. There have been more days than I care to reveal where I've messed up so bad that I've had to restore my whole project from backup - costing sometimes days of progress.
The alternative to this inefficiency is to make the first task of any project to carefully plan the enhancement. For me, writing a "mockup" or "pseudo code" of how I was going to perform the task. And finally, using my rough draft as a guide ask what I need to read and research to get that job done. It might not be fun to face the fact I don't know something. I like to think of myself as smart. But by admitting I don't know it and then seeking out chapters of books or articles describing what I want to do and then compiling it, I learn.
Pitfalls to Ax Sharpening and How to Do It Anyway
Why do we avoid sharpening the ax? This usually is because we want to begin our projects right away. We want to get moving so we can complete the tasks as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, like the examples above reveal, going to work with a dull ax usually takes longer and makes the task less enjoyable.
We can motivate ourselves to sharpen the saw is to remember we face several risks for not sharpening:
* We risk extending the time it takes to complete our goals.
* We risk frustrating ourselves by having to stop several times midway through and having to sharpen.
* We risk damaging the work and tools we already have
* We risk decreased enjoyment of working through the project.
We want to enjoy what we're doing don't we?
Like everyone, I have to struggle with the fact ax sharpening isn't as fun as whacking away at the tree. Collecting the sharpening stone and ax takes time. Running a wetstone over hard steel gets boring after just a few minutes. But as Lincoln said, the simple ax sharpening can decrease tree cutting time by hours.
The Ax Sharpening Challenge
I challenge you to take some time to review your goals and look for "ax sharpening" opportunities you can take with some of them. If you are just starting out on one of your goals, ask yourself if you have everything you need to complete it. If you are missing something, what is it? Are you lacking information/education? A tool or some software? Do you have the right materials? If you are in the middle of completing a goal, then it's not too late to assess whether you have everything you need and to write it down. Whatever you are missing, go out and get it.
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:
Brad Isaac is the creator of Achieve-IT! Goal Setting software for Pocket PC. He has made human achievement and motivation a study for over 20 years. You can subscribe to his newsletter by sending an email to ainewsletter@typepad.com and visit his blog at goalsuccess.typepad.com.
Key To Success: 10 Success Tips For Maximum Achievement
First off, I would echo the voice of 18th century French philosopher Voltaire, made popular and relevant in today’s leadership lexicon by "Good to Great" author Jim Collins, who said, "Good is the Enemy of Great."
1. "Good is the Enemy of Great." Get rid of the good to make room for the great in your life. Instead of keeping the main thing the main thing, we major in too many minor things. In other words, many people do a few things that are good, a lot of things that are mediocre, but nothing that is GREAT.
Find the ONE thing you can be the best in the world at and focus unrelentingly on improving that one thing, polishing it to perfection.
Choose great over good in ALL areas of your life! It is far better to have a few great things than a lot of good or mediocre things.
Instead of having six cheap shirts that you don’t feel so great in, have one fine quality shirt that you can feel proud to wear and that makes you feel like a million bucks! Instead of having five or six ho-hum paintings to decorate your walls, invest in ONE magnificent masterpiece that leaves you breathless and enriches your soul every time you look at it! Instead of going to the usual cottage retreat every long-weekend, save up your money and go on one GREAT vacation that you’ve always dreamed of like going on a European boat-cruise, snorkeling in the Red Sea, or taking an art class in Paris. Instead of many mediocre friendships, have a few great friendships that energize and inspire you and that you can spend quality time fostering deeper relationships. You get the point.
Greatness is a choice! And choice is the democratic equalizer of all people. Everyone, regardless of their rank, social status or income level has the power to choose great over good.
2. Commit to an annual theme. Instead of making and breaking a number of well-wished but half-hearted New Year’s Resolutions, commit to an annual or lifetime theme. Pick a theme that defines your singular life purpose or what you are most passionate about and stick to it.
For example, my theme is: "Write First!" I have this theme posted right in front of me above my computer. My purpose is to write.
I write first and ask questions later. I focus on writing (or things related to developing my writing) first and then worry about the urgent but non-important interruptions (paying bills, answering calls and emails, responding to invitations, etc.) that plague everyone. This theme takes precedence over everything else except my spiritual relationship with my Creator. The only exception to this rule would be a genuinely important priority that falls in one of my top values in life or attending to a family emergency.
Your main theme for 2006 could be "Family First!" or "Health First!" or "Listen First!" or "Service Above Self." Just pick one and commit to it.
Beside your main theme, make a list of your top values such as love, health, giving, peace, wealth, etc. to ground yourself and distinguish between important and non-important but urgent matters. In his autobiography, Benjamin Franklin listed thirteen virtues (Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity, and Humility) to which he governed his life and gave a week’s strict attention to mastering one virtue at a time repeating the list in order every thirteen weeks.
3. Practice a policy of planned neglect. In other words, once you have established your theme or singular purpose (the one thing you can be the best in the world at) get into the habit of practicing your main habit FIRST before anything else.
Everything else that’s non-important can get neglected and keep getting put-off. In other words, your daily to-do list will keep changing around your main theme which will remain constant – with very few exceptions.
4. Make a stop doing list. I’m not sure where I first heard this idea, but I borrowed it most recently from Jim Collin’s book, "Good to Great." Too many people have important to-do lists that keep getting longer and longer. But very few people have ‘stop-doing’ lists. Make a list of everything you are doing that is not contributing to your core genius or main purpose and core values – and stop doing it! Forget about your image and what other people will think, and STOP doing what’s not great in your life.
5. Be Simple. Get rid of the good to make room for the great. Literally! Get rid of the junk in your basement and file folders!
Anything you haven’t touched or looked at in a year you probably need to get rid of it. Donate books and magazines you haven’t read and clothes you know you’re never going to wear. Empty your mind and physical space of unnecessary clutter and make room for abundance! (Daily meditation is a great way to empty the mind and allow new inspiration).
6. Make HEALTH a priority NOW! Get a full physical check-up at least once a year. If something’s bothering you or you don’t feel right about something, get it checked out IMMEDIATELY! Don’t wait, until it’s too late. Take a proactive approach to your health by taking preventative measures, eating healthy and exercising regularly. And make LOVE a top priority. If you haven’t taken the time to tell your loved ones how deeply you value and love them, then make time for it now.
Are you still reading this article? WHY? Pick-up your phone, right now, and call your doctor to make that appointment! Call your loved ones now and book some real quality time together. Life is short and fragile. You may never get the chance again.
7. Dreams. The dream is a window into your soul, a gateway into the unseen world, giving access to the unknown and revealing the invisible behind all that is visible. In my book, "Psychology of the Hero Soul," (http://www.herosoul.com; Chapter 14; pg. 77)I mention the importance of dreams and how to harness your dreams to awaken your creative potential. I can’t stress enough how important it is to get into the habit of jotting down your dreams and making an effort to interpret them. It is a great way to develop self-awareness and self-understanding and will enrich your life in many, many unforeseen ways.
Self-awareness and self-acceptance is so important in developing your self-esteem. Take the time to seriously ask yourself, "Who am I and what’s my purpose in life?" Write down your strengths and weakness, your highest ambitions and deepest fears, and make a list of everything you enjoy doing and all your hobbies. Take some personality tests to gain deeper understanding of who you are.
8. Face the brutal facts! Never hide from reality. Always get the hard facts about any situation you are facing. It doesn’t matter if you have a Harvard MBA and are the world’s greatest optimist if you pick the wrong location to open up a retail business!
Likewise, face the brutal facts about yourself. If you haven’t even come close to achieving your dreams and goals, you need to honestly ask yourself why you haven’t reached your goals and figure out what has been preventing you. A great way to accomplish this is to ask a few friends you trust and who know you the following question: "How do you see me limiting myself?" (I have Jack Canfield to thank for this great question).
Once you have the facts and fully understand the problem, spend over eighty percent of your time focusing on the solution.
9. ASK for help! If you need help, ask for it. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Ask for the sale, ask for the date, ask for support. Stop worrying about your image, reject the rejection, and ASK!
But don’t just be a taker. Please also give. Earn the right to ask by being a giver. Be a generous giver because whatever you put out into the world will return multiplied. The hero’s journey is about following your bliss, and doing what you love to do in service to others. "Service above self," is a great motto to adopt.
10. Take Action! In my Hero Soul book, I have dedicated an entire chapter on taking action. The great succeed by taking continuous and concerted action toward a singular objective. And they continue to take unrelenting, consistent action for a period of years before becoming overnight successes.
If you do just five new things every day towards achieving your biggest dream, you will one day be living your dream and as Thoreau once said, ‘meet with a success unexpected in common hours.’
But if you aren’t going to take action on the advice in this article, why the heck are you reading it? Move on to something else!
One of my favorite movies is "The Shawshank Redemption" (based on Stephen King’s short story, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption) about a successful banker, Andy Dufresne, who is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife. I’m sure many of you have seen it.
For nineteen years Dufresne quietly chips away at his goal to escape by literally chipping the wall in his cell – a little bit every day – until one day he reaches his goal and escapes.
His jail buddy, Red, comments that all it took "was pressure and time."
I don’t think I’ve ever seen any movie replayed so many times on TV. It really intrigued me. So I did some research and found out that according to IMDB, The Shawshank Redemption is the second most popular movie of all time with The Godfather taking first place! That’s quite the accomplishment given how long The Godfather has been out.
Why is this movie so popular? I don’t really know the answer. But I think it’s because many people feel like they’re living in a prison and have been given a life sentence to doing work they really hate. They want to break free from their shackles.
More than anything else, they want FREEDOM! And Shawshank delivers that moment of freedom. It’s a beautiful story that makes the soul weep with joy and provides the hope and promise of being human.
The great thing about Shawshank is that it also provides a solution: by quietly chipping away at your main goal and consistently taking action everyday, you will achieve the success and freedom you have been longing for. With ‘pressure and time’ you can take the darkest coal and turn it into the most brilliant, most magnificent diamond the world has ever seen.
Article Source: http://www.free-article-bank.com
Sharif Khan (www.herosoul.com; sharif@herosoul.com) is a freelance writer, motivational speaker, coach, and author of "Psychology of the Hero Soul," an inspirational book on awakening the hero within and developing people’s leadership potential. Call 416-417-1259 to learn about Sharif's business writing, copywriting, and speaking services.
The Nine Habits which Self Made Millionaires Adopt
Hope you've read my other article, the 'Seven-Step Formula to Financial Abundance'. If not, I highly encourage that you read it as in this article I'm going to elaborate further into adopting the million- dollar mindset, which is the first in the Seven- Step Formula to Financial Abundance.
This is widely regarded as the most important step too. This is because in order to be achieve financial abundance, your mind has to be first conditioned for it. Always remember that millionaires think and see the world very differently.Unless you condition your brain to think the same way, you will fail to identify and spot the opportunities and lessons hidden amongst obstacles and failures. Only with the million-dollar mindset will you develop the drive, focus and determination to take the necessary action to propel yourself towards financial abundace.
You may ask this question 'Is the Million Dollar Mindset really so powerful?' The answer is 'Definitely!' If you have the million- dollar mindset, you will not let failure destroy you. And mot importantly, when faced with obstacles, you do not admit defeat but rather you will overcome them and emerge stronger.
One very good example would be famous real estate mogul and host of popular TV show 'The Apprentice' - Donald Trump. The Donald Trump you see today is a billionaire and has achieved immense success. However, many people may be unaware that he actually lost his entire fortune when property prices crashed in the early 1990s. Most people facing such a huge setback would inevitably concede defeat. But certainly not Donald Trump, who managed to overturn a $900 million personal debt and nearly $3.5 billion in business debt into a $3.7 million fortune. The reason is because his mentality is different from the average Joe and he refuses to let setbacks dominate him.
So what is the million- dollar mindset? Basically, it is the way we perceive the world. It is the way we frame, filter and make sense of the events and experiences in our life. Thus, the million- dollar mindset is made up of your habits, beliefs, values and attitudes. So with that, lets move on to explore the ‘Nine Habits of Self- Made Millionaires’ which will enable to think like a millionaire too.
Millionaire Habit 1: Be a Value Creator by Always Exceeding Expectations
There are basically three categories of people in life. The first is what I deem as the ‘Value Reducers’. People who fall under this category have a habit of doing less than expected. Therefore, they reduce the value in whichever organization they belong to. As such, they are considered as liabilities and expenses to a company.
Then you have the second category of people who have the habit of doing exactly as expected. These people sustain the value in whichever organization they belong to as they merely do what is expected of them. As such, they are considered as dispensable assets and low return investments to a company.
Lastly, there is this minority but yet most powerful category of people known as the ‘Value Creators’. These are the people who do a lot more than expected. Through their own initiative, they will always exceed others’ expectations of them. Hence, they create tremendous amount of value for their companies. And because of that, they are considered indispensable assets and high return investments to their company. These are the people who do not have to worry about getting retrenched because their bosses will eventually notice their efforts and pay them more and more in order to retain them. Even if their current bosses do not recognize their value, they do not need to worry as other companies will definitely hunt them down for the value they create. Thus, tell yourself that you must always strive to be a value creator from this moment onwards!
Millionaire Habit 2: Be Proactive and Make Things Happen
The second millionaire habit u need to adopt is to be proactive and make things happen. People who are proactive do not wait for things to happen, but rather, they take the initiative to make things happen. When there are no opportunities around, they do not sit and wait for opportunities to come knocking on them. Rather, they go out and seek opportunities for themselves. Likewise, when faced with setbacks or problems, proactive people will go all out to find solutions to their problems and overcome their setbacks. Therefore, they have the choice to change and control their life.
On the other hand, reactive people wait for things to happen. If there are no opportunities around, they just sit back and wait for opportunities to come. But they fail to realize that opportunities do not just come by so easily. Reactive people when faced with setbacks or problems will simply concede defeat and choose to complain instead of trying to improve the situation. As such, they are often not in control of their lives but rather, they choose to let other people control their lives. Hence, only when you are proactive will you be in full control of your success and wealth. So start making things happen straight away!
Millionaire Habit 3: Do What You Love
The next habit you need to adopt is to do what you absolutely love most. This may sound stupid as you may ask why will anyone do what they hate. However, take a good look around and you would see many people working in industries they do not have a passion for. Why do most people complain about going to work each day? Its simply because they do not have a passion for their work, and thus they simply dread it. When things do not go their way, they will simply complain. However, most successful individuals have one thing in common. They love what they do. And it is because of this intense passion for they what they are doing that drives them to succeed. To these people, their work is equivalent to play. Thus, they are enjoying every single moment of their work and their motivation is natural.
Only when you eat, breathe and sleep your field of work, will you be the best in the industry you are in. And in today’s competitive world, when you are far from the best in your industry, you are going to find it extremely hard to survive. Hence, start identifying what you are strongly passionate about. Thereafter, think of who can learn from in that industry and strive to be the best. When you are able to do what you love, you will never have to ‘work’ another day of your life!
Millionaire Habit 4: Believe in Delayed Gratification
This is one habit which many people are guilty of not being able to keep up with, including myself. Yet, it is one habit which will determine if you are going to be financially free or not. You see, there are effectively two ways you can use your money. One is to spend it, the other is to save or invest it. Most people opt for the former, because you get instant gratification from it. When you spend your money on the new watch or designer clothes, you get instant happiness. Thus, instant gratification is the habit of wanting to enjoy now and not having the patience to wait for future benefits. People who constantly desire instant gratification rarely have the discipline to save and let their money compound and grow. Not surprisingly, they will never be wealthy.
On the other hand, people who opt to save or invest their money believe in delayed gratification. These are the people who will not spend their money impulsively on things which will not bring them future benefits. Rather, they will spend their money wisely, choosing to invest in seminars, books. They will also invest their money in stocks and bonds, and allow their money to compound and grow. Initially they may not see huge returns, but they have the patience to wait for their money compound slowly but surely.
Therefore, start analyzing your spending habits today and ensure you believe in delayed gratification.
Millionaire Habit 5: Never Get Complacent and Constantly Improve Oneself
What major reason why people fail is because they get complacent.Problems often occur when you get complacent. When you are complacent about your business, you tend to relax and that’s when your competitors will overtake you. When you are complacent about your health, you tend to neglect it and that’s when illnesses will attack you. Therefore, no matter how successful or wealthy you might think you are, always ask yourself how can be the best. Hence, always strive for excellence in whatever you do and continuously seekways for improvement in all areas of your life.
Millionaire Habit 6: Be 100% Committed and Make it a MUST to Succeed
So what does it take to be 100% committed? People always think that they are committed to achieving success or wealth. However, there’s a clear distinction between wanting to succeed, and being 100% committed to succeed. When you are 100% committed to succeed, you make it an absolute MUST to succeed. You will do whatever it takes to succeed. If it means having to only sleep 4 hours a day, you will do it. Do not worry though, as I’m not encouraging you to sleep only 4 hours. But you must be able to see the clear distinction. Making something a MUST means making it your number one priority and stretching yourself way beyond your comfort zone to achieve it.
When you are not 100% committed to achieving something, you will never achieve it. This is because the path to success and wealth is never easy. Thus, people often give up when the going gets tough. It all boils down to the fact that they have not make it a MUST. When you are 100% committed to be a millionaire, you will do whatever it takes to overcome the challenges you might face. However, if you only ‘wish’ or ‘want’ to become a millionaire, your mind will eventually be filled by other ‘wants’ that will eventually take away all you attention and time.
Start asking yourself this question now, ‘Is success and wealth a must for you? Or is it only a want?’ If your answer is a ‘MUST’, then you should change the way you are spending your time now and be 100% committed to achieving it.
Millionaire Habit 7: Instill a Sense of Integrity
This is indeed one very important value you need to adopt, as people will only trust those with integrity. Once you lose your integrity, you also lose the trust that people have in you, and you will lose your friends and business partners. Having integrity involves doing what you say you will do. You must be someone who is reliable and responsible and only then will people want to associate with you.
So, start instilling a sense of integrity in you right now and wealth will come to you!
Millionaire Habit 8: Have Self- Discipline
In order to succeed, you must have the discipline to go through all that is necessary for you to succeed. Even if the journey is tedious and boring, you must have the discipline to persist. You must have a set of rules for yourself and you must stick by it no matter what it takes. Only with discipline can you overcome all challenges and create wealth.
So, start instilling a sense of self- discipline in you and never compromise on your rules.
Millionaire Habit 9: Perceive Failure as Feedback and Turn it Into Success
The final millionaire habit is the ability to perceive failure as feedback and turn it into success. What many people do not know is in actual fact, many millionaires today have experienced major failures in their life. The truth is that everybody fails at one point or another. However, while most people will allow failure to kill their faith, successful people are able to perceive it as feedback and turn failure into success.
There are three ways people respond to failure. The first group of people will get extremely disappointed and they just give up completely. The second group are slightly more determined as they will not give up instantly. Rather, they will keep trying but using the same strategies over and over again. As a result, they will continue to fail many times until they become disillusioned and also give up eventually.
However, successful millionaires perceive failure differently. Every time they encounter setbacks, they do not see it as failure. Rather, they perceive it as feedback that they are not using the right strategy. Hence, they will accept this feedback and change their strategy until they achieve what they desire.
Remember this quote: ‘Success is the result of good judgment. Good judgment is the result of experience. Experience is the result of bad judgment’ – Anthony Robbins.
Hence, accept the fact that we will bound to experience failures. However, do not perceive it as failure but rather see it as feedback and let it help you achieve success!
So, there you have it! The Nine Habits of Self Made Millionaires. Master them, and I guarantee that you will experience a positive change in your life. To study the other steps in greater depth, you need a practical, powerful and comprehensive wealth creation programme. To learn more about how you can create, manage, multiply and enjoy your money, visit Secrets of Self Made Millionaires
About the Author: Calvin Woon is a motivational speaker who loves to teach others on how to adopt the right strategies and mindsets in order to create massive wealth. To find out how you too can create for yourself massive wealth, visit http://www.clickaudit.com/goto/?33122
Source: http://www.easyarticles.com
Employee Motivation - The 8 Basics
Building a team of motivated people in your business is vital to get the very best results, but so many managers focus on the 'ra-ra-ra', rather than the important things - the things that make people feel comfortable in their working environment.
Here are eight that you might want to have a think about:
1. The Weather
Is it too hot, or too cold. Your people need an environment which is, like Goldilocks said, 'Just right'. So is the office too stuffy in summer? Or too icy in winter? Is it draughty? Do people get wet when accepting deliveries, because the outside roof leaks? Literally make sure that external factors are as they wish.
2. The Breaks
Sometimes working in a day-to-day job can get boring and exhausting. So people need to know when their breaks are and that they wil be able to take them - it's not that complicated. Yet often, they just aren't able to have this basic courtesy in place. Planning and caring for your people's needs is vital. It's what you would want for yourself, isn't it?
3. Holidays
And vacations/holidays are important too - some would say it's the most important thing on the working year calendar. So enable this to happen, when they need to know, so that they can plan their invaluable time away from the business and refresh.
4. Being Heard
You people need you to listen to then and hear them - really hear what they are saying and respond with action and/or acknowledgement. Be out there creating good, open relationships with your people and take in what they say - what's important to them - and deliver solutions to make conditions great.
5. Achievable Goals
By being really, really clear about what you expect from your employees, you will set the scene for committed staff. Through knowing exactly what their performance should look like to be judged excellent, by you, gets buy-in, big-time. So be clear, give them the resources to achieve success and they will be well onside.
6. Being Thanked
As they do a good job for you each day - tell them. It's easy - just say 'Thank You'! Appreciation for achieving success, especially when it's from the boss is so important. So recognising excellent performance, even for small tasks, cost nothing and takes but a moment - worth building into your day job activities - every day!
7. Challenge
People like to do new things, to explore, to seek out and utilise their potential, Sometimes this means they will have to be 'stretched' in what they do. With a helping hand, to support, coach and grow the skills of your people, you are setting in place a keen, ambitious and ready-for-the-next-experience star in the making. So find new ways to develop them.
8. Security
In today's business climate, it isn't always easy to build the best future consistently - things change too much, too quickly. But you can go some way to ensure that it is a safe place to be. With this level of security, your people will loosen up and feel capable of being with you, rather than against. It is a measure of your own leadership as to how well this works.
These are basics for your people - get these right and you will be 85% there, in having motivated people working with you.
Then you can turn on the charm, get radical and creative and find them right there alongside you (in front even!). Focused on building your business strongly.
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:
Copyright 2005 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com.