The Realgoalgetter Blog: August 2005

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Roadblocks or Valuable Tools?

3 Ways to Change Roadblocks into Valuable Tools
By Catherine Pratt

Our initial reaction when hitting a setback or a "roadblock, whether it be during an important project or even just trying to finish a task, is usually one of frustration or the thoughts of “Why does this always happen to me?” or “why doesn’t anything ever work for me?”.

Roadblocks can be valuable though. Here’s how:

1. Roadblocks can be an indication that we need to stop and take a step back in order to look at the big picture. Take the time to re-affirm the original goal and see if you’re still on the right track or if you’ve somehow gone down a path you never intended to in the first place.

Sometimes, we get so caught up in dealing with the day to day issues that we don’t realize that we are now suddenly somewhere we didn’t plan on going.

Take the time to re-focus on where you want to go and you may find that you’ve just saved yourself a lot of time and trouble on something you don’t want to be involved with anyway.

2. Roadblocks can also be an excellent opportunity to brainstorm. Maybe when the plan was created in the beginning, all of the potential options weren’t considered. There may be far more efficient or cost effective opportunities available if you take the time to do some research.

For example: say you want to publish a “How to” book. You get it all set up and then find out that it’s going to be too expensive to get it printed. You could just give up on the idea or you could brainstorm. For example:

- could you create an e-book instead?
- could you print it off yourself?
- could you simply alter things to make it cheaper (ie. Less colour pictures, use only 2 colours, etc.)?
- could you find a technical college which may be willing to do this cheaper as students would be working on it?
- would it be better as a web site?

The benefits of brainstorming like this is you may figure out a far better idea than the one you had originally. You may end up really glad that you didn’t go with the original plan.

3. Sometimes, running into roadblocks can also be a sign that you’re drained and just need a break. You may find that after you’ve taken the time to re-charge your batteries and regained your enthusiasm, the roadblocks seem to just disappear on their own.

If you can think of your roadblocks as a challenge then you avoid falling into the victim trap. Your confidence to achieve your goal will increase as you know it can be done. You just need to figure out if there’s a better way. Think of them as “silver linings” and you’ll be amazed at what ideas you suddenly come up with.

Your goal may suddenly become closer than you thought and be an even greater achievement and all because you knew a roadblock could be a really valuable tool. You just needed to know how to use them.

For more articles and tips on how to build self confidence in your personal and work relationships, visit Life With Confidence

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Life as a Burden or a Privilege?

Life as a Burden Vs. Life as a Privilege
By Jeff Herring

Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Is the glass half empty or half full? Here's one that I have been having some success with lately: Do you approach life and all it contains as a burden or as a privilege?

As I've been learning recently, the burden-or-privilege view greatly influences your life for bad or for good. Let's take a look at how this choice can affect your life.

Life as a burden

A person with the burden view thinks and behaves like this:
Approaches the daily tasks of life grudgingly.
Spends much of his time complaining.
Appreciates just about nothing.
Is easily overwhelmed and depressed.
Gives those close to her the impression they are inconveniences in her life.
Dwells on the past, dislikes the present, dreads the future.
Believes pessimism/cynicism is a gift.
Believes if something bad happens it's fate; if something good happens it's luck.
Dwells on the faults of others, which blind her to their strengths.

Life as a privilege

A person with the privilege viewpoint thinks and behaves like this:
He or she approaches the daily tasks of life gracefully.
Instead of complaining, she identifies what she doesn't like and gets busy changing it.
He appreciates just about everything, especially the little things in life.
He sometimes feels stressed or sad, but he takes immediate action to change.
Those close to her get it that they are precious and cherished.
He learns from the past, enjoys the present, looks forward to the future.
She knows the gentle art of optimism.
He knows that he makes his own luck.
Though aware of the faults of others, she chooses to work with their strengths instead.

How to change

The interesting thing about these perspectives is that you could build a case for each one. There is enough good stuff and bad stuff out there to support either one. In other words, you could easily justify taking a burden perspective on life.

But why? If you are interested in moving from a burden perspective to a privilege perspective, here are a few tips:

Pay attention to your focus. What you focus on each day will determine how you see the world. If you focus on the problems, you'll have a burden perspective. If you focus on the solutions, you'll have a privilege perspective.

Perspective is simply a matter of choice. A negative perspective may have become a habit as a result of repetition. A habit is just a series of the same choices made over and over. Make some different choices, and you can change your perspective.

For a week, practice the characteristics of the privilege perspective. I think you will like the results, and so will those around you.

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.

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Monday, August 29, 2005

Preparing For Success

Preparing For Success
By Joe Love

Everyone wants to be successful. Everyone wants to have more, be more, do more, and enjoy more of what life has to offer. We are driven continually forward toward the accomplishment of the things that are most important to us. The entire human race is a made up of people striving toward the realization of their potential in every area.

Because of this, there is tremendous competition for the good of things in life. Everybody wants them, and no one is ever fully satisfied. The satisfaction of a want or desire leads automatically to a want or desire for something else. And it never ends.

What, then, is the difference between those who accomplish a lot and those who accomplish a little? It is that some people have the will to be successful and others don’t. Everyone wants to be successful. But very few people want to engage in the rigorous hard work, hour after hour, month after month, and year after year, that is required to prepare themselves for success.

You too, want to be successful., You want to be a big success in life. You want to develop your potential to the maximum. You want to be everything you’re capable of becoming. You want to make all the money you possible can and enjoy the finest standards of living that you can achieve.

You want to earn the esteem and appreciation of all those people around you whose opinions you care about. The way to be successful has never changed. Success requires preparation.

Author and speaker, Earl Nightingale said that if a person does not prepare for his success, when the opportunity comes, it will only make him look foolish. You’ve probably heard it said repeatedly that luck is what happens when preparedness meets opportunity. It is only, when you’ve paid the price to be ready for your success that you will be in a position to take advantage of your opportunities, when they arise.

And the most remarkable thing is this: The very act of preparation attracts to you, like iron fillings to a magnet, opportunities to use that preparation to advance your life. You’ll seldom learn anything of value, or prepare yourself in any area, without soon having a chance to use your new knowledge and your new skills to move ahead more rapidly.

There are a series of things that you can do to become ready for success. All of these activities require self-discipline and a great deal of faith. They require self-discipline because the most normal and natural thing for people to do its to try to get by without preparation.

Instead of taking the time and making the effort to be ready for their chance when it comes, they fool around, listen to the radio, watch television, and then they try to wing it. Since, we’re all transparent, and just about everyone can see through just about everyone else, the person who is unprepared simply looks incompetent and foolish.

Preparation also requires a lot of faith because you have no guarantee that your preparation will pay off. You simply have to believe, deep within yourself, that everything you do of a constructive nature will come back to you in some way. You have to know that a good effort is never wasted.

You have to be willing to sow for a long time before you reap, knowing that if you do sow in quality and quantity, the reaping will come about inevitably with force of a law of nature.

In preparing for success, one of the very best questions that you can ask yourself, continually, is: “What can I do, that if done well, will make a difference in my career?” You ability to honestly appraise yourself and to identify the particular skill area that may be holding you back is critical for your future success.

Remember, preparation requires self-discipline and faith. It requires self-discipline because your natural tendency is to do more and more of those things that come most easily to you, and to avoid those areas that you don’t enjoy because you’re not particularly good at them.

It requires faith and character for you to admit your weaknesses in a particular area and then resolve to go to work to develop yourself so those weaknesses don’t hold you back.

One of the greatest changes that has ever taken place in our society happened in 1989 when the world changed from the Industrial Age to the Information Age. We are now living in an information-based society. Because of the internet and other technological advances more than 60 percent of the working population is in the business of processing information in some way.

This means that we now are living in a knowledge-based society and you have to be a person of knowledge if you’re going to succeed. To succeed you must be able to work with your mind, your mental talents and abilities. Gone are the days of laboring in the factories and the mills. Today you can succeed only by thinking, and the more effectively you think and the better prepared you are mentally, the more productive and positive you’ll be.

One of the most important things you can do to prepare yourself for success is to set aside one to two hours each day to read something uplifting. Read material that is educational, motivational, or inspirational.

If you spend at least one hour each day investing in your mind, taking in “mental protein” reading good books, business magazines, trade journals, and newsletters, every day will begin to flow more smoothly.

You’ll be more positive and confident and relaxed. You’ll have a greater sense of control and well-being by the very act of reading healthy material for an hour every day.

The time you spend driving in your car can add hours to your success preparation every week. Driving time should always be learning time. If you want to prepare for success you should never listen to the radio. Instead you should always be listening to educational, business, and motivational audio programs.

Another important thing that highly successful people do is that they plan and prepare for their entire day. They get up a little earlier each day and review all of their tasks and responsibilities for the day. They carefully make a list of all their activities, and they set clear priorities on the their activities.

They decide which things are most important to do, which are secondary in importance, and which things should not be done at all unless all the other things are finished. Then, they discipline themselves to start working on their most important tasks and stay with them during the day until they’re complete.

Another way to prepare for success is to eat right. Health and energy are essential to your success, and they’re possible only when you’re sharp and alert. These are foods that are highly nutritious and that give you energy and vitality all through the day. You should eat more fruits, vegetables, and foods containing more whole grain. Stay away from foods that contain substantial amounts of fat and sugar.

In everything you do, preparation is the key. If you want to be ready for success, you have to plant the seeds well in advance of the harvest that you expect. Do what other successful people do: “Think on paper.” Memorize the winner’s creed: “Everything counts..” Everything you do is either moving you toward your goals or moving you away. Everything is either helping you or hurting you. Nothing is neutral. Everything counts.

Remember, we live in a knowledge-based society, and knowledge in every field is doubling approximately every two to three years. This means that you must double your knowledge in your field every two to three years just to stay even. You’re most likely already “maxed out” at your current level of knowledge and skill. You’ve reached the ceiling in your career with your current talents and abilities.

If you want to go faster and farther, you must get back to work and begin to prepare yourself for greater heights. You must turn off the radio, the television, and politely excuse yourself from aimless socializing and get back to working on yourself.

There is a quotation by Abraham Lincoln that had a great influence on my life as I prepared myself for success. It was a statement he made when he was a young lawyer in Springfield, Illinois. He said, “I will study and prepare myself, and someday my chance will come.”

If you study and prepare yourself, your chance will come as well. There is nothing you cannot accomplish if you’ll invest the effort to get yourself ready for the success that you desire. And there is nothing that can stop you but your own lack of preparation.

Your possibilities are endless, your potential is unlimited, and your future will open up for you when you prepare yourself for the success that must inevitably be yours.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development.

Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many of America’s largest corporations, on the subjects of leadership, self-esteem, goals, achievement, and success psychology.

Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Read more articles and newsletters at: www.jlmandassociates.com

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Sunday, August 28, 2005

Reclaim Your Self-Esteem

10 Ways to Reclaim Your Self-Esteem
By Michelle L. Casto

The way you feel about yourself impacts how and why you do everything in life. If you feel good about who you are, then what you do will be an outside reflection of your innermost thoughts and feelings. Contrary to popular belief, self-esteem is not something anyone or any accomplishment can give you.

Just because people like you or you receive an award, does not mean that you will love and take care of yourself. Positive self-esteem comes from within and does not change because the scenery or circumstances change. To have esteem for something or someone is to regard highly or favorably. High self-esteem is relatively stable even when the forecast looks foreboding.

Your self-esteem is like a star at night that shines brightest when it is the darkest. It is your inner light that burns brightly and freely no matter what is happening around you. A zen saying reminds us: “What was your original face before you were born?”

Self-esteem is perfectly intact when we are born, in fact, it is inherent to us; however, it often diminishes over the course of our childhood. We lose a little of it whenever we fail, make mistakes, misbehave, feel guilty, refuse to forgive, neglect ourselves, and/or do things we are ashamed of. As an adult, we sometimes feel as if our “self” is in pieces--- that we are somehow not whole and complete.

This is not true. We are whole and complete even with our missing pieces and broken parts. We just need to decide to gather up ourselves up and become whole again. I am willing to bet that when you look back over your life, the first thing that comes to mind are the regrets, the sad times in your past.

Do you see the pieces of yourself lying along the path of your life? The ones where you didn’t feel good enough, or where you were criticized or blamed by someone else? But have you ever stopped to look at the memories of when you won the prize, felt really great, on top of the world----those moments that prove what a wonderfully amazing human being you are?

Try it right now, write down 10 things you are most proud of.

It is your birthright to love and honor yourself. The good news is that you can reclaim that which is yours.What follows are 10 Ways to Reclaim Your Self-Esteem:

1. Define life success
One of the most empowering things you can do for yourself is to define your criteria for life success. This requires reflecting on what the key elements are and the experiences you wish to have.

2. Choose to be happy
Happiness is a state of mind. The Dalai Lama says that the very purpose of life is to seek happiness. He believes that if you train the mind to be happy, you will be. Likewise, you can train yourself for higher self-esteem.

3. Set challenging goals
How much you like yourself is often reflected in the level of goals you will set for yourself. Generally, people who like themselves and feel valuable, set higher and more challenging life goals.

4. Honor your core values
When you live by a clear set of values, it is easier to align your life with what is most important to you. When you honor your core values, (those things you would fight for), you honor your true self.

5. Enhance your energy
People with high self-esteem seem to have a reservoire of energy, and seldom get sick or let life’s set backs keep them down. Their energy and enthusiasm for life encourages them to take care of their body, mind, and spirit.

6. Maintain a positive attitude
Attitude determines your altitude. The more positive your thinking, the more positive your feelings, the more positive the outcome. There is nothing more powerful and creative than your thoughts, so you may as well make them positive and uplifting.

7. Be passionate
Passion takes hold of you and feels like “fire in the belly.” It is a source of power that enables you to get fired about life and make a difference. The more passion and zest you feel, the more alive and brightly lit you are.

8. Live by vision and work with purpose
When you know your life vision and purpose, life has more meaning and direction. Vision and purpose provide a sense that you matter, that you have a part to play, and that you truly belong here.

9. Reward success
Set yourself up for success by breaking big goals into daily action steps and take time to acknowledge and celebrate the small successes. This will feed your need for recognition and provides the extra push to keep you moving forward.

10. Make smart life decisions
When you care about yourself, you make smarter decisions. You take care to choose the right mate, occupation, and lifestyle that support you.

Self-esteem is an inner state that can be nurtured and cultivated. The National Association for Self-Esteem (NASE) defines self-esteem as the experience of being capable of meeting life’s challenges and being worthy of happiness.

That definition underlines two key things: going after goals and choosing happiness. Another definition is the level that you respect and value yourself as a loveable, worthwhile human being.

Your self-esteem contributes to your vitality, energy level, persistence, and personal magnetism. It is not to be confused with “self-image,” which is the comparison of those around you.

Self-image is about what is on the outside and causes you to judge yourself and others. It changes whenever the wind blows. This fosters competition and fragmentation.

Self-esteem is about what is on the inside, a belief in yourself and your abilities. Positive esteem focuses on acceptance of self and others. It remains constant despite the storm. This fosters cooperation and wholeness.

It is common to have high self-esteem in one area of life, like career, but not in others. The highest form of self-esteem is when you can accept all of yourself---- strengths, weaknesses, best/worst parts, and overall, still feel good about who you are and what you do.

Someone with a strong sense of worth will believe in herself, take more risks, say and do nice things for self and others, can let things go, not take everything so personal, forget the bad and focus on the good in life.

How do you feel about yourself right now?

10: perfectly happy with my whole self
to 5: moderately happy with my whole self
to 1: not at all happy with my whole self

If you are less than a 10, commit to using one of these tips today and feel your esteem rise, create a stronger sense of self, and reclaim your inner power. You deserve to feel great!

About The Author
Michelle L. Casto is a Whole Life Coach, Speaker, and Author of the Get Smart! LearningBook Series. Her coaching practice is Brightlight Coaching, she helps people come up with bright ideas for their life and empowers them to freely shine their bright light to the world. Visit virtually: www.brightlightcoach.com or www.getsmartseries.com. Call for a Complimentary Coaching session
(361) 816-0685.
mailto:coach@brightlightcoach.com

Saturday, August 27, 2005

It's Not Enough!

It's Not Enough
By Graham Harris and Julie Harris

Whatever you are doing in your life at the present moment; it’s not enough. What do you mean it’s not enough? I’ve done all I can. I’ve a good job. I work as hard as I can. I get my tasks done. I’m really proficient in what I do. I’ve got a good standard of living. What do you mean it’s not enough?

We want more from you. Why? Because we know you are capable of so much more. We know that you are holding back on something. We know you want to achieve so much more with your life. To be the person you want to be.

We know you have the skills and abilities to reach your dreams... We know you just need that extra bit of encouragement. So, whatever you are doing now is not enough.

Doing what you’ve always done is never enough.
Doing what you think others want you to do is not enough.
Doing sufficient is not enough.
Following others is never enough.
Being a success in someone else’s eyes is not enough.
Going through the motion is not enough.
Waiting for others to act before you do is not enough.
Listening to others before you commit yourself is not enough.

This is the 21st century. This is the time of authenticity. This is the confluence of different points of view. This is the coming together of different cultures. This is the time of the underdog. This is the opportunity for the unknown to become known.

This is the time for unsung heroes to stand up. This is the time when the patients start to take over the asylum. Therefore it is not enough to sit on your haunches and watch the world go by.

Now is the time to put your actions where your mouth is. It’s time to show what you are really capable of. Time to stop hiding behind …….

The world is waiting for you to fill your boots. The world is waiting for you to do what you were brought in here to do. The world is waiting for you to take responsibility for yourself.

The world is waiting for you to make a start on your dream. Just one small, tiny, step. The world just wants to see your commitment.

The world is waiting for your passion….. It’s not enough to be a quiet subdued follower. The world wants to see your enthusiasm.

As Bonny Tyler says in her song:

And it's not enough to say that you love me
It's not enough to say that you care
And it's not enough when you say that you need me
If I wake up and still you're not there

You gotta do something……

Good luck

Graham and Julie
www.desktop-meditation.com

To improve your intuition, initiative and energy levels please go to: www.desktop-meditation.com. It’s free.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Creating Your Future

Creating Your Future
By Lee Down

The questions of life may call to you. You may wonder about your purpose. You may feel out of place, disconnected, just a bit out of sync. You may want to find clarity; to find the stillness in your mind. That elusive quality where time loses all meaning. You may not even know what it is that you seek but you sit there in your skin and you know something is making you uncomfortable.

Well, I'm here to tell you that it's okay. It's not unusual or abnormal. The bigger questions of life and the role you want to play in that are great questions! Important questions! To not ask them and seek your own answers would resign you to an existence of numbness and one day, possibly regret. But it doesn't have to be that way. It's never too late and there is no deadline.

The journey itself can be a tremendous reward. And don't be fooled! The pursuit of worthy goals and self-discovery is not easy. There will be plenty of tough times, inner soul searching, periods of enormous movement and change, periods of stagnation and possibly even despair. There will be times when you think you have found that groove you've always been looking for and then there will be times when you feel as though you haven't a hope in the world of finding your place. This is normal.

Everyone who experiences life will encounter variations of questions pertaining to their values that will challenge them at crossroads in life. Sometimes we heed these inner callings but often times, external forces to our sense of security in the world will push these inner callings deep into the mud. Instead we are fearful of change or to focused on the negatives or "what if" scenarios. So we play it safe and ignore our inner callings.

We're all looking for "that career" that will reward us in the way we need to be rewarded. For some it may be money. For others it may be prestige, recognition and yet someone else it is just the fact they get to "do what they love doing." Everyone will have a unique journey to reach their discovery. The journey will be made intentionally or unintentionally. It will be confused and painful or it can be enlightened by your own self-awareness. Don't get so focused on the goal that you don't get the full experience of the journey. The journey is so critical.

During the journey your experiences will offer you with so many valuable clues about yourself. Who you are. What makes you thrive. What puts you to sleep. The kind of people you like to work with. The environments you prefer. All of these experiences and many many more specific pieces relevant to you, your profession, passion, skills, and personality. All of them can be incorporated into your goal.

You, your life, your values, and beliefs, and many other things, will change. So keep dreaming, keep looking at the goal. But do so with the knowledge and understanding of your journey. Implement adjustments to your navigation system towards your goal if it changes. The experiences of your life and the decisions and their consequences will teach you so much.

Allow yourself to take that journey, without knowing when it will end nor where it will take you. Get comfortable with not knowing. Keep seeking. Don't be afraid to take that next step. This is the very thing I too have to challenge myself on every day.

Lee Down is a Professional Coach, Trainer/Facilitator, Speaker, & Writer of One Man Can - Human Capital Development that focuses on relationships, the key foundation to success in business and life. With more than 15 years professional experience and a thirst for truth and understanding, he focuses on the human spirit and human capacity.

Working with clients, he facilitates the breaking down of beliefs, barriers or obstacles that bring clients forward on their journey of discovery with spirit, energy, abundance, passion and purpose, integrating the mind and body experience. Working with business, he brings visionary leadership and relationship skills to the forefront that witnesses an empowered culture evolve and develop directly impacting the improvement to the bottom-line.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Motivation - Small Changes

Motivation: Small Changes, Big Results
By Jeff Herring

When I was 8 years old, my parents let me go to the toy store with my buddy Mike and his Mom. My dad gave me a whole dollar to spend.

At the store I found a Frankenstein model that I really really wanted. The problem was the model was 88 cents, I had a dollar and I didn't want to waste the 12 cents difference.

Fortunately for me, Mike's Mom explained that if I took the model to the check-out counter and gave the lady the dollar, she would give me 12 cents back. I thought this was a pretty cool way to run things so I bought the model.

The model is long gone, but the lesson is not. Once someone explained the concept of change to me, a new part of the world opened for me.

In my work with helping people to get the changes they want and need in their lives, I find that most clients do not understand the concept of change. Once people see how easy change can be, they get excited, begin to believe they really can change, and a whole new world opens up to them.

One of the most common places people get confused about change is the false notion that in order to change you have to make big, huge, and difficult changes for it to make a difference. That's just not true. A small change, the right small change, can bring big results.

For example, a plane flying from Atlanta to Hawaii could be off course by only one degree at the start and wind up in Australia.

Applied to our own lives, just one small correction in our course can make all the difference. I know of a man who was very out of shape who decided to start running. The first day, he made one small change in his day. He ran from the mail box in front of his house to the mail box of the house next door and back. By adding one more mail box to each of his runs, he was able to run a marathon within the year.

Small change, big results.

Let's take an example from one of my coaching clients. This person really wanted to start a savings plan but believed he did not have enough money to begin. Experience tells me if you look in the right places, you can usually find a little bit of money.

We discovered that he was spending at least $2 a day on a soda and a candy bar on the way to work each morning. That small amount of pocket change adds up to $10 a week, approximately $43 a month, which is more than $500 a year.

Put that small $2 a day into the right interest bearing places, and you are well on your way to a healthy savings plan, all based on the small change in a pocket.

Small change, big results.

So let's put some hands and feet on this, and apply these notions in your own life. Choose something you have been wanting to change - just one small thing to do differently. Give up caffeine, walk around the block each night, go to bed an hour earlier, listen to your kids, smile at your spouse, etc. All of these are small changes that can lead to big results.

Here's my challenge: Test this out and see if what I am saying makes practical sense. For the next week, choose just one small thing to do differently and commit to it. At the end of the week, check out the results.

I'm willing to bet you'll be surprised and motivated to move on to some more changes. Then you are on your way. It may even open up a whole new world of

Small changes, big results.

Friday, August 19, 2005

Waiting For Your Dream Results?

Still Waiting In Line For Your Dream Results?
By Juanita Bellavance

Picture your life as a trip to a global amusement park. The opportunities surrounding you in life are the “rides.” At any popular amusement park, there is often a line at almost every ride or event, your learning curve. How do you handle the waiting?

Every ride or opportunity has a fantastic appeal. You ultimately want to ride everything in an amusement park, except rides you may think are too risky or too boring. Imagine yourself in line waiting for the ride you came upon first. In line you have progressed forward some and have a long time more to wait.

You look up and see right over there is another ride that looks even more exciting so you go over there and get in line for it. You move forward a little in that line and just outside the que you notice the most exciting show! There’s not too much of a line for it yet so you can be near the front and get in fast, “ground level.”

That is when you notice show time arrives in about 30 minutes. While you’re waiting for show time you have lots of time to think. You realize you have just spent a few hours at the park already and have not ridden even one ride. You decide it was a mistake to leave the first one and change so you go back to the first one.

While you are in the first line again, you realize why you changed to the other line in the first place and you really wanted to ride the other ride more so you change “just this once more.”

Can you see how with a strategy like that you will never get to ride any ride? You could have ridden EVERY ride if you would have just seen the first one through, then had gone to the next one and the next. When you entered the park you were probably handed a map.

If you had the patience to sit down and create a plan, connecting the dots for velocity of doing all or in order of favorites and stuck to that plan, you would have had time to do every single thing in the park and with no stress or frustration. You would have certainty that you would get around to each.

Then, as you went along, if you did notice one ride taking way too long because of its popularity, you could have skipped it if necessary to get the most variety or you could stay all day in that one line if it were worth it.

Opportunity is like that. You MUST look around you and see the niches available. And you MUST know the niches that match your deepest core passion. If you’re like me, you can see something you like in just about any opportunity. But does that opportunity match your core passion?

The first opportunity or “ride” you take on must be the one that is the most deeply matching you to make sure you are fulfilled by the end of the “ride,” the results. Having done this first, you will be able to ride the less compelling fun rides as well and with more joy since you are fulfilled in your deepest core of who you are.

There are people who just seem to know themselves well and know what they want very early in life. Most people don’t. They graduate from high school and even go on to college having no idea what they want their lives to be about. Are you one of those people?

If so, you could wait in a lot of long lines getting almost to the mark and then falling short because you skipped the basic step of knowing yourself. Then how to move through the line with the most velocity possible to the result. You may not even know for sure what “ride” or opportunity you even want in the sea of opportunities available.

Find the one key element to who you are first and then find the opportunity that most quickly gives you an access for expressing yourself. Then, you will save many years of “waiting” and will live a life of untold joy and wealth if you wish from this point forward. You are your own guarantee.

Juanita Bellavance, the author of this article is known for understanding what a client needs to succeed. She can look at what’s missing and lead a client into seeing for themselves their own power over it. Because of this realization of their power, people have a shift in belief level. And that shift ignites them into action!

Find your core passion with her Power Vision Writing Guidebook at www.powervisionwriting.com or contact her at: Success@assuredsuccesslifecoach.com
Visit Juanita’s website at: www.assuredsuccesslifecoach.com

Contemplating Change

Contemplating Change And Moving Into Action
By Annette Colby

Do you ever have the sense that there has to be more to life than what you are presently experiencing? Those are the moments in time where you become consciously aware of your problems, and awaken to the possibility that change could occur.

Perhaps you’ve noticed yourself seriously considering making some changes surrounding your food habits or your weight. Possibly you’ve taken the time to make a mental checklist and noted all the ways that food and/or your weight affects the quality of your life.

Your awareness may include some of these insights:
- you live on junk food and that doesn’t feel good
- your energy levels aren’t as high as you would like
- you crave certain foods or you binge
- you’re preoccupied with food
- you have certain health problems related to food/weight
- you’re weight affects your ability to move
- you’re body wouldn’t mind some exercise
- you’re tired of this problem

STAGES OF CHANGE

James Prochaska*, author of "Changing For Good", calls this the Contemplation Stage of Change. A simple way of viewing this stage, would be the phrase, “I’m not happy, but I’m not sure what to do.” There’s a sense of wanting a change, but there’s also anxiety and fear of failing. People in the contemplation stage are aware of a problem, and also they are undecided about whether or not they want to do anything.

This stage is about uncertainty and indecision. Imagine yourself sitting on the fence. In the contemplation stage there is no commitment, and a decision to change has not yet been made. But look! You’ve brought yourself all the way to the fence itself. How awesome is that!!

The word contemplation itself comes from con meaning "to examine carefully," and templar, referring to a period of time. This is a necessary step on the way to creating change. It’s a period of time when you allow yourself the grace to examine your situation and be undecided for a period of time.

When you’re in this stage of sensing change on the horizon, it’s helpful to just begin evaluating the many issues surrounding this problem:
- attempt to understand the problem and why you have it
- wonder about possible solutions
- imagine all the wonderful potentials of life without the problem
- consider various plans about taking action sometime in the future

The Contemplation Stage of Change is an important stage to go through on the way to achieving success. Yet it is common to get seriously stuck here — sometimes for years. Some people remain stuck for the rest of their lives. Even though change is wanted, it’s also opposed by a natural resistance to change.

Reasons for getting stuck in the Contemplation Stage include:
- continuing to think about the problem when the urge for action is felt
- searching endlessly for absolute certainty about what caused the problem
- waiting for the right time to change
- wishful thinking, "I wish this problem would just go away by itself."
- wanting guarantees of the outcome ahead of time

MOVING FORWARD INTO ACTION

If you’re considering changing a habit, perhaps something like your eating habits, this is the perfect time to allow yourself to explore situation. Some useful strategies to use in this phase might involve some of the following suggestions:

- gather factual information about your situation.
- become clear on your own personal reasons for wanting to change.
- consider the pros and cons of change vs. no change.
- explore how your problem conflicts with your core values. (i.e. you are an honest person but binge secretly.)
- list the behaviors you want to change.
- take an honest look at the cost of change - what will you need to do to change.
- look at the positive future gains that change will bring.
- become aware of what you are eating.
- collect data about the feelings, thoughts, emotions and/or external events which come before and after your eating behavior happens.
- imagine your feelings about yourself and your life in the future, both with and without change.
- visualize success.
- review different types of support.

Taking the time to sort through your thoughts and feelings allows you to reach the next stage, which is . . . Action! And should the moment arise where you feel the call to action, allow yourself the love to follow through.

* Prochaska, James; Norcross, John; DiClemente, Carlo. Changing For Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program For Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward. Avon Books, 1994.

POSITIVE NOTES

I accept that I am here to learn and grow, and I accept that I am learning and growing.

I now create outstanding confidence by repeatedly rehearsing in my mind and imagining the results I want in advance.

Dr. Annette Colby, RD
Nutrition Therapist & Master Energy Healer
For free inspirational newsletter, articles & info visit: www.LovingMiracles.com
972.985.8750

10 Energy Boosting Methods

Fatigue Getting To You?
Steve Gillman

I've had problems with fatigue and a lack of energy all my life. It would be wonderful to know why. I've asked doctors, read books, and learned that some questions just won't be answered in my lifetime.

I've also learned that even without discovering the root causes of my tiredness, there are things I can do to alleviate it. Here are some of energy boosters that have worked for me and others over the years. Sometimes it helps to use several at once.

Energy Boosters

1. Breath deeply. Three slow deep breaths help oxygenate the blood supply better, and especially seems to wake up the brain.

2. Move. Often just getting up and washing the dishes, or walking around the house helps boost energy levels.

3. Talk about something interesting. Get a tired person to talk about something they're passionate about, and watch their energy level rise. This one really works well.

4. Have a cup of coffee. Caffeine makes some of us more tired when it's abused, but short-term, it can work wonders.

5. Play energetic music. Different types of music have different effects on us, but you can do this one by trial and error. Once you find the ones that work for you, keep them ready.

6. Try any of those "energy drinks." The verdict isn't in on most of them, but it's a cheap option to try. I seem to get something from the ones with Ginkgo Biloba in them.

7. Get better sleep. As long as you get at least five hours of sleep, the quality seems to be more important than the quantity.

8. Exercise. This is a longer term solution, but many people notice an increase in their energy level when they get regular aerobic exercise.

9. Take a hot and cold shower. One minute of hot water, one minute of cold, alternating for six minutes. This isn't for those with weak hearts, but it will wake you up. Incidentally, research shows that this also revs up the immune system.

10. Go outside. Sometimes a little sunshine and fresh air can be very energizing.

By all means try to find the reasons for your tiredness or fatigue. In the meantime, though, why not try some of the energy-boosting methods here? None of them are expensive, and you just might have more energy, starting today.

Steve Gillman writes on many self help topics including boosting brainpower, losing weight, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, learning gratitude, generating luck and anything related to self improvement. You'll find more at http://www.SelfImprovementNow.com

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Superior Attitudes Create Superior Results!
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Tuesday, August 16, 2005

The Power Within

Develop Yourself - The Power Within
By Bryan Golden

Living without limits. Living your life to the fullest. Living with happiness. Living your dreams. Living free from fear and worry. You have the power to live your life any way you want.

You will never be as young as you are today. So squeeze the most out of every day. Whatever has happened to you in the past is over. Don’t allow your past to pollute your future. All that matters is what you do today.

To live life your way, you have access to the most powerful tool ever known. This marvelous tool is your mind. It can be your ally or your enemy – the choice is yours.

To harness your mind’s virtually unlimited power regularly feed your mind with the right thoughts. Positive thoughts or negative, your mind digests whatever it’s fed. Only you control your mental diet.

Your mind can be directed to bring you the life that you want without having to settle or suffer. Only thoughts and attitude differentiate success from failure. There are many definitions of success, but only one definition of failure: giving up. Winners never quit and quitters never win.

Everyone has problems and every problem has a solution. Problems provide an opportunity to learn and grow. With every adversity there is an equivalent or greater opportunity. Successful people utilize their problems as stepping stones to reach their goals. Others use their problems as excuses to justify where they are.

Don’t fear life’s problems. Learn and grow from them. If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll continue to get what you’ve always got. For different results you must do things differently. Success is only possible by reaching out into the unknown.

Don’t fear failure. Failure is learned; we are not born with it. Success is simply getting up one more time than you fall down. You haven’t failed until you stop getting up.

Throughout life, we are told what we can’t do. We hear “no” more than “yes”. To achieve success, we must unlearn the concept of failure. Those who succeed have purged their vocabularies of all negative concepts such as “failure”, “won’t work” and “can’t do”.

Consider the following examples:

• In his first year in the automobile business, Henry Ford went bankrupt. Two years later, his second company also failed. His third corporation has done rather well, however.

• Dr. Seuss’s first children’s book was rejected by 23 publishers; the 24th publisher sold six million copies of it.

• Howard Hughes Sr. was forced to abandon his first oil well because he couldn’t drill through the hard rock. He then founded Hughes Tool Co. and invented a rock drill that became the foundation for the family fortune.

• R.H. Macy went broke with his first three dry-goods stores.

These are just a few examples of what the mind can accomplish. The people in these examples didn’t possess anything that you don’t have. Whether you realize it or not, you have unlimited potential. Your only limitations are the ones you impose upon yourself.

The application of these principles will touch and improve every aspect of your life. You can live without limits!

Bryan Golden is a self-development and motivational expert, author, and adjunct professor. He is the author of "Dare to Live Without Limits," and writes a nationally syndicated newspaper column. For more information please visit: http://daretolivewithoutlimits.com or www.bryangolden.com

Monday, August 15, 2005

7 Steps To Motivation

7 Steps To Motivation by Steve Gillman

Isn't a lack of daily motivation one of the biggest problems we face when trying to better ourselves? We often know what to do, or at least the first few steps. But we hesitate, something else catches our attention, or we just don't feel like doing what we need to do.

Want some help? Here are seven ways to get motivated - ways that have worked for others. If you find only one or two here that work for you, you'll be on your way.

Seven Methods For Daily Motivation

1. Create desire. See the rewards of your effort clearly. This motivates many to sign up for get-rich-quick plans. A good salesman can have you living in your imagined dream home in minutes, and you'll feel motivated to do anything to make it real. Learn to be your own salesman.

2. Create pain. In Neuro-Linguistic Programming they teach you to link pain with not acting. An imaginary scene of your wife walking out the door with another man, as you sit there silently - that might motivate you to have that talk you've been avoiding.

3. Talk about your plans. By the time I tell my wife about the newsletter I'm going to write, I'm out of my slump and back at the keyboard.

4. Have a true interest. No interest at all might mean you need to do something else, but if it's just a task you dislike, relate it clearly in your mind to the greater goal. I don't like to drive, but when I remember those mountains I'm going to, I get motivated to drive.

5. Have energy. Caffeine will substitute for health for a while, but one way or another, you need some energy to have daily motivation. Exercise, sleep well, and watch out for sugary foods - the "sugar blues" will kill your motivation.

6. Create the proper mental state. It's hard to be depressed and motivated. Resolve some of your negative feelings, or at least do your important work when you are in a better mood.

7. Take a small step. Commit to raking up one bag of leaves, and soon you'll want to finish the yard. Any small step towards your goals feeds your daily motivation.

Now you have seven ways to self-motivation, but you have to actually use them. How do you get motivated to do that? Oh the irony! You'll have to figure that one out yourself. By the way, here's a bonus motivation method: Humor. Laughter often breaks up the feeling of being overwhelmed that sucks away motivation.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Motivation Strategy

Motivation -- The Key Is In Your Actions
By Kate Hufstetler

Have you ever read something like this as a "way to increase motivation"?:

"When you open your eyes get yourself excited to be awake each new day !! Joy is contagious, and so is pessimism! Tell yourself you're happy to be alive!. This might be the day you find love. Great things could come your way. Think positively that something good will happen to you today and 3 out of 4 chances it will."

To this I say BAH HUMBUG ! gibberish !!!! hahaha

Who re-writes this stuff (over and over and over)? Have they ever had depression? faced bankruptcy? been hit by a tornado? .... perhaps...

The truth is-- motivation CAN be generated... but not out of thin air.

To create a life filled with motivation start with 3 small steps:

** Set Goals-- then you have something you love to work for or to work towards.

** Have Hobbies -- something you are learning or are passionate about in your free time... then TAKE TIME to pursue them! You will be amazed how the thought of returning to a pleasure later in the evening can help you feel great and desire to get through the work day ahead!!

** Be in the Moment -- one of the things I discovered in my thirties is that there is a BETTER word for boredom--- it is a hidden well kept secret to those under 32. Would you like to know what the real term for that feeling is? ok-- here goes-- it is PEACE. Enjoy it :-)

How can you expect motivation without: personal goals? If you have a personal short term goal for each week that works towards your monthly and yearly longer term goals-- this will inspire you throughout your week.

Motivation is easier when: you have hobbies you LOVE, enjoy, and pursue. A few side bonuses include: you will be a more pleasant person to be around, have more to talk about with friends and new acquaintances, and feel better about yourself and your day as you look forward to each new opportunity to pursue your passions.

For Motivation: all throughout the day, if you can remember and try to stay in the moment (called mindfulness) when things aren't quite as exciting-- then you will come to realize that at every given moment you have everything you need.

This is not mumbo jumbo. In years past, I went through an upsetting situation or 2 myself. Yet, I honestly can say: there might have been things I wanted, or felt I needed, in those moments. BUT, in the absolute miniscule of the moment-- right there and then-- I could realize that with the situation / circumstance unchangeable then (even as it was) I had everything I was going to have.

And THERE-- in that space, in each breath, I was infinitely -- ok. (even if I "felt" horrible). Often times, you will find you are much, much more than "ok". You are truly BLESSED-- especially compared to those in war torn villages, or third world countries.

No one has to wait until their 30's to begin to realize how to live their life on course and as a fulfilling joy.

In fact many of us set goals, had hobbies, and lived in the moment as teenagers. Maybe we were onto something back then!

If life has thrown you a curve you never intended on-- fire right back! Don't give up. Instead find your motivation again in each day as you live on purpose with goals and designs that bring your life joy and pleasure.

Work daily to keep before you things to achieve, elements that bring delight, and all along the way stay reflective in the moment. If you can do this-- your motivation should naturally grow on a daily basis.

Until next time--- all the best,

Kate

About The Author
Kate Hufstetler is a well established business & personal coach who has helped many individuals like yourself to beat "the blues" and gain control over their lives. Her clients come from both the United States and overseas.

She offers coaching services via email and phone consultations at flexible timing and financing to meet your every need. Through personal, business, spiritual mentorship, she could help you too! Please visit for available packages within your range: www.comedreamwithme.com/start_today.html

mailto:Kate@comedreamwithme.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Personal Coaching Information

WOW! That was fast. I have already had quite a few of you email me asking me for more information regarding Personal Coaching . . . In answer to your questions, I have added some articles on site to cover most of your questions. (I hope this covers the subject for you.)

Choosing The Perfect Coach
by Soni Pitts

How To Hire A Coach
by Alvah Parker

What Is Coaching?
by Kimberly Chastain

Choosing The Right Coach
by Ramona Creel

Coaching May Be For You
by Sean North

Is Coaching For You?
by Leanne Hoagland-Smith

How To Choose The Right Coach For You
by Susan L. Fuller

Dave Navaro has opened his coaching practice to serve more of the general public. In the next few weeks, he will fill his time. As usual it is on a first come, first serve basis until his available time is taken.
Try a FR*EE Coaching Consultation Now!

(No strings attached. Really. Just fill in the form.)

I have known Dave for a few years now and he always exceeds your expectations, and goes the extra mile. If you have ever considered getting Coaching, Get in while you can!

-- Al Smith

Benefits - Having A Coach

Still Wondering About Coaching?
By Susan Dunn

A friend called me the other day from Lower Alabama. He has followed my career as a coach with enthusiasm, and continually refers clients to me, and I’m sure has done his part for making coaching known in his neck of the woods. “Coaching has arrived,” he said. “I just heard an ad for a coach on my local radio station.”

I still speak to audiences on cruises, however, where no one has heard of coaching. What is coaching, who partakes of it, and how does it work? Here are some words from the media.

WHO HAS A COACH?

“Who exactly seeks out a coach?” asked an article in the Chicago Tribune, and their answer was: “Winners who want even more out of life.”

And in coaching everyone’s a winner, if not when they come for coaching, when they leave. For instance, there are coaches who help individuals with ADHD, breast cancer survivors, debt, post-traumatic growth syndrome, parents who have lost children, smokers who want to quit, empty-nest mothers, addicts in recovery, and downsized executives.

Emotional Intelligence coaches teach Resilience, being able to bounce back after adversity, loss, rejection and setbacks; that is to say, learning how to be a winner though you’ve lost a round in the battle.

HOW MAINSTREAM IS IT?

Quite, and getting moreso all the time. “Once reserved for executives and professional athletes,” said an article in the Christian Science Monitor, “personal coaches … are going mainstream.”

Individuals use coaching for many purposes – life balance, career issues and goals, nutrition, emotional intelligence, writing, making their voices more professional, time management, how to potty train their kid, relationships, getting organized, retirement.

Personal life coaches work in many different areas. There are generalists, and those with specialties and niches. Those who call themselves “Business Coaches” and those who call themselves “Personal Life Coaches,” though many will be quick to tell you the interface is smooth between work and home in any person’s life.

SPEAKING OF RETIREMENT

It’s a big issue for more and more individuals, some of whom leave the work force for good, and some of whom just change gears. Nevertheless, retirement is a big transition and coaches are ready to help navigate the turns.

“Got a nagging feeling that your life could be more fulfilling?” asked an article in “Modern Maturity.” “Want to change direction but aren’t sure how to do it? Here’s how to jump start your new life today … Hire a personal coach.”

WHAT DO COACHES DO?

There are descriptions all over the Internet, and one is also encouraged to give it a try and find out. Most coaches offer a free initial sample session to give you an idea. In the meantime, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune had this to say: “Part therapist, part consultant, part motivational expert, part professional organizer, part friend, part nag – the personal coach seeks to do for your life what a personal trainer does for your body.”

Do I do that in my practice? Definitely, except for the “part-therapist” part. One clear distinction needing to be made about coaching is that it isn’t therapy, whatever coaching is, and whatever therapy is.

There are certain things only a licensed therapist can do (such as diagnose mental illness, and do “therapy”), but most coaches are quick to say they aren’t interested in the first place … or they would’ve become therapists, not coaches. And therapists are converting to coaching in large numbers, or adding it to their mix, as they follow the coveted “personal growth” market.

How similar are they? I have clients who are seeing a therapist in addition to coaching, some who have come to coaching after therapy, some who decide during coaching to also pursue therapy, and some who have never considered therapy at all but recognized the potential of coaching as soon as they heard about it. The consumer seems far less “confused” than those asking the question.

WHAT HAPPENS IN COACHING?

Many good things. People reach goals. Gain or regain confidence. Get momentum. Discover their strengths. Make a plan. Brainstorm. Find an ally. Learn to think outside the box. Hone leadership skills. Work on their Emotional Intelligence. Get immediate results and also long-term gains.

“Executives and HR managers,” said an article in “Ivy Business Journal,” “know coaching is the most potent tool for inducing lasting personal change.”

Coaches work with clients, processing events in real time, sometimes even going on-site to “shadow” with the person. One job of the coach is to ask hard questions. I recall having a few put to me in the course of my own coaching.

“Executive coaches are not for the meek,” said FAST COMPANY magazine. “They’re for people who value unambiguous feedback. All coaches have one thing in common; it’s that they are ruthlessly results-oriented.”

At least twice I’ve had a client say to me, “No one’s ever told me that before. No counselor, or therapist … nobody.” Well, it’s my job to give unambiguous feedback.

DOES IT WORK?

“I never cease to be amazed at the power of the coaching process to draw out the skills or talent that were previously hidden within an individual,” said John Russell, Managing Director of Harley-Davidson Europe, Ltd., “and which invariably finds a way to solve a problem previously though unsolvable.”

Results depend upon the coach and upon the person. After all, the coach is the coach, while it’s the client’s game to play. Choosing the right coach for you means makes the difference, and that depends upon finding the right “fit”. Someone you trust, work well with, and are willing to listen to, who has the necessary skills and expertise, of course.

THE CASE FOR COACHES AT WORK

According to CNN.com, it’s becoming quite the thing. “Once used to bolster troubled staffers, coaching now is part of the standard leadership development training for elite executives and talented up-and-comers at IBM, Motorola, J.P.Morgan, Chase, and Hewlett Packard. These companies are discreetly giving their best prospects what star athletes have long had: a trusted adviser to help reach their goals.”

As companies come to realize that people are their most important asset, that people make money, not businesses, the idea of coaching has taken hold. “The goal of coaching is the goal of good management: to make the most of an organization’s valuable resources.” ~Harvard Business Review.

ISN’T COACHING FOR EVERYONE?

“What’s really driving the boom in coaching,” said John Kotter, Professor of leadership, Harvard Business School, “is this: as we move from 30 miles an hour to 70 to 120 to 180 … as we go from driving straight down the road to making right turns and left turns to abandoning cars and getting motorcycles … the whole game changes, and a lot of people are trying to keep up, learn how not to fall.”

This is as true today at home as it is at work. Life is more fast-paced, and change comes faster and more often. We are also becoming more willing to accept help with out wellness as the nature of physical and mental medicine change, and the interface of mind, body and spirit becomes more evident.

IS IT FOR YOU?

Well, there’s one way to find out. Call a coach for one of those free sample sessions and find out. You have nothing to lose but ... some bad habits, some missed goals, some relationships in need of tweaking, some obstacles you could throw out of your own path, some pounds, some inches, some self-sabotaging attitudes ... you get the picture.

About The Author

© Susan Dunn, MA, Personal Life Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc. Coaching, Internet courses and ebooks around emotional intelligence for your personal and professional development. For FREE EQ ezine, mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc with “ezine” for subject line. I train and certify EQ coaches. Email for information on this fast, affordable, comprehensive, no-residency program.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

(No strings attached. Really. Just fill in the form.)

I have known Dave for a few years now and he always exceeds your expectations, and goes the extra mile. If you have ever considered getting Coaching, Get in while you can!

-- Al Smith

The Beauty Of Life

The Beauty of Life
By Sukhbir Singh

"An unexamined life is not worth living."-- Socrates

I have just finished reading a most astounding statement from A.H. Almaas's book Spacecruiser Inquiry. In this book, which discusses the concept of open inquiry as an optimal way to get in touch with your true being, he gives a beautiful description of the beauty of life. The simplicity and beauty of this sentence struck me hard!

He says:

"The beauty of life is that it can be a continuous opening to the full range of experience and richness possible for the human being."

This was an extremely beautiful quote and had a very true ring to it. Life CAN be lived to be a continuous opening to the full range of experience and richness possible for the human being. In life you can find out what you're capable of doing; to continually explore, and then act on the discovery of that exploration to create more experiences to learn and grow even more.

You can learn to become more flexible. You can start to experiment with your range; what you are capable of doing with your life. What you choose to do can be below the range of what you can do, but that is your choice; not a limitation that you are unaware of.

The important distinction is that you become aware of your full range of possibilities and then choose which possibility you want to act on rather than being limited because you are unaware of what you can do. Life offers us this chance to continually open up and become more aware of the powers that are residing within us.

Are you using the change for this kind of growing that life offers? Or have you stopped inquiring and accepted the limited position which tells you that you can't grow further? What you believe will determine what you do about exploring your true being and capabilities. What will you believe?

Sukhbir is the Founder and Seminar Leader for LifeApps! Personal Development International, a personal development company dealing in exploring and expanding true human potential. Unlike other personal development companies, LifeApps! is not here to add things to people's lives. Rather we are here to help people release the brakes that are holding their greatness within themselves and unleash it.

Sukhbir is also currently the developer of LifeApps!'s main seminar, Create Your Purpose Weekend which seeks to allow people to gain greater clarity to the purpose of their lives in order to enable them to lead more effective and directed lives.

All enquiries are to be sent to info@lifeapps.com .

Friday, August 12, 2005

Goal Setting in Three's

The Rule of Three
By Betty Mahalik

It's amazing how many sayings there are in our culture about the number three. Think about it: "Good things (or bad) come in threes;" "Third time's the charm." A rule of thumb in speaking is, no more than three major points in a speech. (That was three examples, wasn't it?)

And then there are all of the mystical references to powerful threesomes. My purpose today is to look purely at the practical application of this "rule of three," and see how we can use it to become more effective managers of our lives and priorities.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

* What are the three most important goals I want to achieve this year?

* What are the three most important things I need to complete today?

* What if I had only one hour in which to accomplish something important, what three things would I choose to do?

* What three clients or prospects do you most need to contact today?

It may be difficult to boil down your seemingly endless "to do" list to just three things, but asking the question forces you to make some powerful decisions about what is really important in your life, and what is, as Shakespeare wrote, is "sound and fury signifying nothing." And while you may still have many other tasks you want to complete, knowing your top three will begin to create a clarity, focus and momentum to your day.

Thoreau once admonished people of his day, who lived without the so-called time saving devices of cell phones, email, fax machines and rapid transportation, to let the affairs of the day number one and two, rather than having a long list of duties and obligations to tend to.

I think he was on to something. What I've noticed (and hear from coaching clients and many others I speak to) is that we all try to cram too much stuff into too little time. As a result we're on constant overwhelm, running faster and faster but making little real progress toward what really matters because we don't know what really matters.

Experiment today and in the week ahead with this rule of three. Decide the three most important tasks you want to accomplish today and go at them first. Work the rest of your "to do" list around your top three. You may need to declare some time boundaries, i.e. closing your office door, letting the phone go to voicemail or not responding to every email that drops into your in box, but the results may well be worth it.

Far too many of us (myself included) allow others to steal our time and make their priorities ours. It doesn't have to be that way. This week I encourage you to use the power of three: to focus, to build momentum, to create clarity about what's really important to you.

As with anything, applying the rule of three may require some extra discipline at first. But remember, "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again!"

"One always has time enough, if one will apply it well." ~~Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Betty Mahalik has been coaching small business owners, independent professionals and leaders who want to achieve more but stress less, since 1996. Her background includes several years in the broadcasting and public relations fields prior to starting her own firm in 1987.

She is an accomplished public speaker and corporate trainer specializing in communications, goal-setting and leveraging your strengths. Since 2001, she has written a weekly motivational message, free to subscribers, titled Monday Morning Coach.

To subscribe or learn more about Betty's coaching and training services, visit www.dynamic-coaching.com

I Want It All Now!

I Want It All, and I Want It Now!
By Allen Williams

We all suffer from this syndrome, myself included.

You want something, anything, and you want it now, this minute.

Or, because you know it will take time, effort, maybe money, to achieve that, you get impatient.

Or worse, you look at the long journey ahead, the miles and miles, that lay before you, and you fail to even begin.

Now, for you those 'miles' may take the form of pounds, inches off your waist, a dress size, or 4, or money, or time, or whatever it is that you are working towards improving.

But the feeling is the same. It just seems like it's too much, too long, and too hard to ever get to that final goal.

Now, what if we look at this a little differently?

I like to use exercise as an example for this, part of my routine, and I've used this technique in various forms for years with great success.

Now, let's say you want to get in shape. Body weight exercises are great for this, but you try and you can only do 1 pushup, and 0 situps (okay, maybe that was only me? :-)

Your goal is to get to 100. How many people do you know that can do 100 pushups? 100 real pushups? 100 really good pushups?

What if I told you right now, that in 60 days or less you could be doing 100 really good pushups? Think it's too hard?

Do one pushup today, and add one every day. That is: Monday=1, Tuesday=2, Wednesday=3, etc.

Come on! You can do one more pushup each day, can't you?

Of course you can. It's only one more. Just one.

In 30 days, almost anyone can be doing 30 pushups, no problem.

For the next 20 days, add 2 each day just as above. After 20 days (50 days total) you'll be at 70 pushups a day. Your strength and determination will be growing which allows you to raise the rate of increase to 2 per day.

Believe me, this is easier even than it sounds, and though you may be tempted to raise the numbers more quickly, be careful and don't overdo it.

Then, for the last 10 days, add 3 each day in the same manner as before, and when you hit the 60th day, you will be able to do 100 pushups.

Try it. It really works. You can do this. Almost anyone can. It's so simple, it adds only a little more to the workload every day, and that helps in preventing your subconscious from sabotaging you with doubts before you ever really get going.

And the best part is, you can use this 'little bit more' technique for a lot more things than just pushups.

This can be used for improving/increasing productivity, sleep time, decreasing smoking, drinking, or other areas you are trying to improve.

Think about it. Where can you apply this technique?

Now, get out there and do it!

Allen Williams is a professional educator, speaker and writer. Get a free subscription to the PowerMeUp Newsletter and Goal Setting and Getting Course with a bonus book for a limited time at: www.PowerMeUp.com, Personal and Professional Growth

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Winners Do - Others Don't

A short announcement before we get to the article:

Dave Navaro is opening his coaching practice to more of the general public. In the next few weeks, he will fill his time. As usual it is on a first come, first serve basis until his available time is taken.
Try a FR*EE Coaching
Consultation Now!

(No strings attached. Really. Just fill in the form.)

I have known Dave for a few years now and he always exceeds your expectations, and goes the extra mile. If you have ever considered getting Coaching, Get in while you can!

-- Al Smith

Learn to Do What Winners Do But Others Will Not
By Gary Simpson

If you want to be a winner you have to be prepared to develop a certain personal trait which others will not.

Are you prepared to do more to receive more? Or are you like most people who want consistently to do less and less, yet are mistakenly expecting more in return.

The notion of doing less to get more is a furphy. Oh, you can dream about winning and long for success as much as you like but it won't happen - not without the magic ingredients.

It is a universal law that in order to attract more into your life you have to render more service. Only by helping other people get what they want can you ever expect to get what you want. Confused? Let me explain:

Apart from having a definite purpose in life, that is, clearly defined goals, you must be prepared to work hard and never give up.

Token efforts give token rewards. Massive efforts create massive rewards. A massive effort requires one powerful personal trait - persistence.

Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States of America, had this to say about persistence:

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent The slogan Press On has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race".

To illustrate the power of persistence you might like to read a short book that I enjoyed, for the first time, in 1993. It was written by Peter B Kyne way back in 1921, yet the story it tells holds just as true today as it did in the year it was written. The book is called The Go-Getter.

Kyne tells the story of one Bill Peck who went to extraordinary lengths to procure a certain blue vase. It is an endearing story which will take less than an hour of your time to read. Although it is a very old book, and may be difficult to get, you should be able to track it down using its unique identifier number, ISBN : 0-03-031400-3.

On the subject of persistence I am reminded of another story I read. It concerned a man standing before a concert violinist who was practicing with his instrument. The man was amazed. The violinist was so brilliant that he could almost make the violin talk. Eventually, the violinist stopped playing.

He looked at the man and said: "Can I help you sir?" The other man said: "The way you play that violin is wonderful. I would be prepared to give up my whole life just to be able to play like that!" The violinist smiled at the man and said: "Sir, I did!"

Persistence and determination drove people like Walt Disney and Colonel Harland Sanders and Thomas Edison and Henry Ford and Mother Teresa and countless thousands of others to their own unique achievements.

Set yourself a goal. Get busy. Keep trying. Make things happen.

If you believe in what you are doing and it will help others, keep at it! Keep on keeping on. Use your persistence to join the ranks of those who succeed.

Winners persist - they just keep on going long after others give up.

About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Clarity of Vision

Clarity of Vision
By James Rick

Imagine trying to drive at night in your car with windows covered in Vaseline - or try walking around for a day with prescription glasses that aren’t your own. You might find it very difficult to function and get where you’d like to go – even when your ability to think is perfect. That’s where clarity of vision comes in.

Most people are born with an enormous potential to think and be. We’ve had roughly the same potential thousands of years ago that the greatest scientists use now to unlock the secrets of the universe and spark revolutionary inventions. The difference now is our knowledge - the knowledge of how to use our potential that’s been laying dormant for thousands of years.

The secrets of the universe have always been there. The possibility for invention has always existed. It was the evolution of knowledge that allowed us to access more of our potential that made the difference.

Ideas exist right now that could make you a billion dollars by next year! Right now these ideas exist, right this very second. They wait for the right person with enough knowledge to pluck them from the sky and turn a flash of insight into a tangible solution.

The very fact that we have the power to unlock a potential vastly greater than we’ve ever been exposed to might still be hard to comprehend. Imagine the irony of a hairy grunting caveman emerging from his cave to stare up at the stars, and having the physical resources to build a space ship that could land on the moon. It’s almost unfathomable – yet it happened, very slowly, over many generations.

Imagine yourself now as a modern caveman. Look up at the stars and try to comprehend what secrets you might be able to unlock in your short lifetime – a journey that might seem unfathomable at this time.

You of course don’t have as much time to make things right as Evolution does. If a messed up person is born into the world, evolution has more people to compensate for the defect. Evolution has plenty of time to correct herself and plenty of people (over six billion in the world) to spread out the defects so that progression still takes place. On a micro scale as individuals we have just one lifetime and roughly 80 - 100 years to work out own defects.

Once knowledge is gained outside its original confinements, the sphere of understanding has expanded, never to return to its original state. That is the essence of progression. Every new thought, every new perspective, ever new invention takes us past a point we cannot return to. We may fight it (like the dark ages), but inevitably the world takes the shape of its most expanded state (like the Renaissance until today).

Clarity of vision gives us focus. That focus sets us on a course far outside our current sphere of understanding. As our knowledge expands significantly - so does our life progression. It is inevitable that with significant progression we should experience significant reward.

Our end destination may be so unfathomable at present that we can only journey there in our imaginations. We may laugh at the future we create for ourselves, and certainly those around us in our present circumstances might laugh at our ambitions.

Much like we’d laugh at the caveman if he said some day someone in his family would land on that mysterious orb of light called the moon. But the moon was a real objective. We could always see it. It was out in front of us generation after generation taunting us.

It was inevitable that it had to be explored. You can be sure it won’t stop there either – we will eventually conquer Mars. It is in man’s nature to visit and “conquer” every possible destination in the world and beyond.

So we now have the understanding of man’s ambition to conquer every real and visible destination before us. We can use this understanding to create a very real and tangible vision that looms over us like the mysterious light of the moon. A destination so clear the mind can’t tell whether it’s real or imaginary. A destination so vivid and enticing the mind can’t help but desire to conquer it.

It is in the clarity of vision we discover the root of motivation. The small steps we take today lead us to a tomorrow we could have only imagined. And here we discover the future for what it really is. A figment of our imagination – nothing more than a prediction based on present day facts. Predictions based on logical guessing. And a guess is all we have to influence the future.

If you guess where you’ll be with a hazy idea – you’re right! Your life will be clouded and you’ll reach a hazy destination, not sure if you’ve made it or if you’re still climbing. The mind may tirelessly seek for something to conquer but it finds nothing more than a misty haze of hills and valleys. Searching for something but not quite sure what it is.

If you guess (or craft a guess as a goal) with a very clear idea, you might at first laugh at the prediction. That’s because it’s based on present day facts. The fact that you live in a motor home with $50 in the bank makes the prediction of having $10 million dollars in 5 years ridiculous. But you have the power to change the factoring.

For example if you live in a motor home with $50 in the bank but you study at Harvard Business School – that might make the prediction of achieving $10 million in 5 years more realistic. By adding just one fact to the circumstance you influenced the logical conclusion.

On a side note even if you couldn’t afford Harvard Business School you could create the equivalent by accessing cheaper but well researched forms of education around you.

You have control over a variety of present day factors that allow you to influence your future’s logical conclusion. But the only way to really take control is by getting clear on what you want. For instance you wouldn’t go to Harvard Business School if you really wanted to become a Nun. You’ve got to be clear on your destination to take the right steps on getting there.

Once your vision becomes real things may seem to pop up out of nowhere that will bring you closer to your once impossible goal. Don’t be fooled, this isn’t magic. You’ve just started to see the road signs that lead you to your ultimate destination.

This only happens with focus. And you can only focus on something you can clearly see. British mountaineer George Leigh Mallory was once asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, and replied, 'Because it's there'.

This article is part of the James Rick Daily Vitamin by James Rick, a daily blog that merges our understanding of spirit with the physical world. James Rick is author of Full Potential, a revolutionary guide to mastering your life in stages. He is also a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and CEO of two international ventures. More can be learned at www.JamesRick.com

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Commitment to Change

Make a Personal Commitment to Change Your Life!
By Wendy McClelland

So, is this really where you thought you'd be? You're 25, or 35, or even 50 or ?? and you're not doing the job you thought you'd be...or you're not living where you thought you'd be. Maybe you haven't written that novel you wanted to? Maybe you haven't travelled to all those places you dreamed about as a kid? Maybe your health isn't so great. So, what's gotten in the way of your dreams? Tough question isn't it?

"Right Wendy....easy for you to say! I've got a mortage, kids, I can't just dump all that and walk away!!! Give me a break!"

That's definately NOT what I'm suggesting you do, but what I am suggesting is that you start to make some plans for what you want out of life. Did you know that a recent survey of Harvard graduates showed that of the 5% of them who WROTE DOWN THEIR GOALS 90% ACHIEVED THEM!! Those sound like GREAT odds to me!

I'm one of those people who learn from the lessons of others - good and bad. That Harvard lesson is one I'll take to heart. If writing down my goals will work I'll do it - hey I've done it before and it's worked.

Here's a few other bits of inspiration! Michelangelo was 71 when he was appointed chief architect of St. Peters Cathedral in Rome. George Bernard Shaw wrote "Farfetched Fables" at 93. Picasso was still painting at 90. So you see it's NEVER TOO LATE!

I've created this very simple tool to help YOU get started. I call it my "Think Without Boundaries" Personal Commitment and it allows you to keep focused on your goals by writing them down, and breaking them down into small, manageable, easy to do parts. By looking at them daily and taking action on them in small increments success comes much more easily and has a higher "staying power".

Here's an example that everyone (pretty much) can relate to at this time of year - LOSING WEIGHT! Let's say you want to lose 30 pounds - you're fed up with being overweight and feeling really lousy about yourself for not being able to lose those excess pounds. You have FINALLY decided "THIS IS IT". You have gotten so uncomfortable you are now willing to make a change. (*Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program.)

Losing 30 pounds should safely take you about 15 weeks - 2 pounds per week is what doctors tell us is safe, and by losing it at that rate we are much more likely to keep it off in the long run. Who wants to lose all that weight only to have it return? So let's do this right, and keep it off!

So, let's use our example of losing weight, and our goal of losing 30 pounds in 15 weeks. If today is January 1, then the final goal date for losing all the weight is April 9. Each pound of fat contains 3500 calories, so we know we need to burn 3500 calories to reduce one pound of fat.

Why not go online and find out how many calories are burned by doing various activities and include those in the plan? Here's just a few:

1 hour high intensity aerobics 400 calories
basketball game 473 calories
bowling 177 calories
swimming, fast, freestyle 550 calories

By including these calculations into the plan you can see how many calories will be used by exercise. Next, design a food plan that will provide you with the nutrients you need, while tasting great and going overboard on calories.

Again, my first resource is the internet - there are literally thousands of sites to search that have recipes and food plans for every kind of diet you can imagine - low fat, low calorie, low carb, vegetarian - you name it - you'll find it!

There's an old joke "How do eat an elephant?" - "one bite at a time" - it's the same FOR ANY GOAL. Break your goals down into smaller chunks or pieces that are managable. Work backwards by putting the large goal at the end and then work your way backwards to where you are today.

If you know that by January 8 you should have lost 2 pounds, by January 15 you should have lost 4 pounds, and so on, your goal becomes "do-able", and easier to reach.

TIPS:

1) Have a buddy - either a close friend to whom you can report in your progress to, or a professional coach or email friend. There's nothing like knowing you've got someone cheering you on to keep you going when you feel like giving up!

2) Have a contingency plan for those "tough days". Example: for tough diet days have some really luscious low calorie or low carb snacks that stave off the urge to blow the diet - save them for special treats only. For tough days in other situations related to other types of goals think up other rewards that really make you feel special and nurtured - you deserve it for working hard!

3) Keep a journal - writing down your feelings and emotions - good and bad - is a great idea. It will help provide you with something to look back on when you've reached your goal, plus if you're tempted to cheat you can see your hard work in black and white and that will help you stick to your plan. Who knows, maybe you can even turn your journal into a book and make some money from it?

COMMITMENT EXAMPLE

If the Commitment below were to be used for the example of losing weight that was discussed above, it would have some of the following information included in the columns.

Goal Action
Date . . .

Weight 150 Plan weekly menus, call personal trainer

January 1, 2005

Weight 148 Work out with trainer 3x, try new meal plan

January 8, 2005

etc........

Weight 120 Celebrate reaching goal!

April 9, 2005

"THINK WITHOUT BOUNDARIES" PERSONAL COMMITMENT

"Think Without Boundaries" Commitment for ___________________

I, __________________, have declared, on this __ day of ______, 2___ , that I am ready to make a change in my life! I am strong, confident and prepared to move forward and make positive things happen in my future.

The change that I will make is: _______________ and this will be completed by this date: ______.

Since this is a large goal a number of smaller goals must be met before this large one is fulfilled. Below is an outline of these smaller goals, and the dates they are to be met:

Goal Actions, ------ Date

I am truly excited about being able to make this change in my life, and realize it is just the first of many things in my life that I am finally able to take control of. I will post this commitment to myself where I can see it daily and be reminded of it as I work toward my final goal.

Signed _______________________ Date ____________

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NOTE: The above exercise and worksheet is an example of one of the tools that I use when working as a coach with clients

Wendy McClelland is a motivational speaker, marketing innovator and Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach who specializes in teaching people to "think without boundaries!" She is a past nominee for "Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year" and her clients have included software developers, an Olympic athlete and a wide range of business organizations. She has spoken to 10,000+ conference attendees, about Marketing, Internet Business and Motivation. You can contact her through her website – www.thinkwithoutboundaries.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Monday, August 08, 2005

Enhance Your Performance

Five 'Mores' to Enhance Your Performance
By Kevin Eikenberry

When you think about the most successful, happy, fulfilled people you know, you could probably identify some characteristics these people have in common. If we were sitting together, I’m sure we could build a nice list of these characteristics, attributes, habits and attitudes.

Several years ago, when thinking about that question, I identified several things that those people shared that I wanted to incorporate into my habits more consistently. These things have made and continue to make a difference for my own personal and professional development.

These five things are truly universal – these five habits could make all of us more productive. After applying them more diligently in my life, I had them printed on the back of my business cards. That version of cards has since been replaced, but when one of those cards came across my desk, I was pleased with the ideas as I read them again, and decided I would describe them in this article.

Following then are the five actions I identified. When these actions are taken more often, they will become habits that will greatly impact our performance – in all parts of our life.

Read More. The statistics are horrible and sad. As a whole, Americans don’t read very much. Given that reading is one of the best ways for us to learn new ideas, techniques, skills and approaches, it only makes sense that reading is a key to our education, learning and growth. If you want to advance in any part of your life, make reading a part of your daily routine. Reading an average of 30 minutes a day will allow you to read one book per month in an area of interest or professional growth. That’s 12 books a year. How much of a difference could that make in your performance?

Listen More. Listening gives us the chance to learn something. When you listen more intently you build the other person’s confidence and show, through your actions, that you value both them and their information. Really good active listening is a skill we all have –when the person or the topic is highly important to us we can listen very effectively. The challenge for us is to listen more intently, more of the time.

Ask “Why?” More. Exercise your curiosity! Asking why helps us determine the causes of problems (making it easier for us to solve them.) Asking why helps us learn about anything, when we ask it. Asking why can help us see things from a fresh perspective. As kids we ask this question incessantly. As adults we too often forget to ask it. Ask it already!

Smile More. If I could tell you that there is something you could do that takes almost no energy, costs you nothing and is guaranteed to improve your emotional health, and at the same time helps other people feel better too, you’d be interested in that wouldn’t you? Just smile. You will feel better when you do. And a smile is contagious – in a good way. It spreads good feelings and positive emotions. It reduces conflict and stress. Smiling more is perhaps the easiest of these habits to implement. And you can start right now.

Say “Thank You” More. It is one of the first interpersonal skills we teach children. We do it because we know that it is important. Saying thank you is the right thing to do. Say in person, say it in a handwritten note. Say it on the phone, say it in email. When you focus on a spirit of gratitude, it becomes easier. Like smiling, this one is easy to start right away.

These habits aid us in two major ways – they help us become more consistent and successful learners and they help us build better relationships by improving our interpersonal skills. Reading, listening, and exercising our curiosity certainly help us learn more about whatever we choose to learn about. And listening to others (really listening) is one of the best ways to improve relationships. Of course, smiling and saying thank you also make us more pleasant to be around, and encourage others to want to build relationships with us too!

Kevin Eikenberry is a leadership expert and the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group (http://KevinEikenberry.com), a learning consulting company. To receive a free Special Report on leadership that includes resources, ideas, and advice go to www.kevineikenberry.com/leadership.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.

Sunday, August 07, 2005

How to Eat an Elephant

How to Eat an Elephant
By Jennifer Fogle

I recently returned from a wonderful vacation in the U.S. I spent some time with my family, visited some friends, and spent three weeks in Alaska, climbing Mt. McKinley. Mt. McKinley, or Denali, is the highest mountain in North America. Before I started the climb, I asked a climber who had just flown off the mountain if he had any last-minute advice. "Climb one day at a time," he said wisely.

Our lead guide, who has six summits of Mt. Everest, reinforced this sage advice when he asked us, "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer, of course, is "One bite at a time." I'm taking this for granted, because I have never eaten an elephant, nor do I plan to. It made me think, however, that we all have our own "elephants" to eat. Sometimes it is best to remind ourselves to "eat" them one bite at a time.

Our unforgettable climb began at 7,200 feet where we arrived by aircraft at the Kahiltna glacier. The thought of ascending to 20,320 over a distance of about 15 miles (somewhat steep) was a little daunting that first day. After 5 days, we had only reached 11,000 feet but had covered more than half of the horizontal distance. This meant that the remaining elevation gain would be quite rapid. It was important to travel slowly, both for acclimatization purposes and to become stronger rather than weaker as the climb continued.

We reached the summit 13 days after we landed on the mountain. At times we traveled no faster than 1/4 mile per hour, breathing at a rate of 2-3 breaths per step as the amount of available oxygen gradually diminished. There were times when I thought I could only take one more step. So I would take it, and then I'd take one more, and one more, until I had climbed for two more hours.

Every day I stayed focused on that day. I didn't think about all the climbing that lay ahead, just what my task for that day was. At the beginning of each day, I knew I could do what had to be done, whereas if I thought too far ahead, I might have doubted my ability to finish.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

ACTIVITY

What is the elephant in your life? Do you have a task that you have been putting off because it seems to big too tackle? What about a change you want to make in your life that would require time, patience and courage?

Write down at the top of a sheet of paper what it is that you want to do. Make a timeline for completion, and break the task into smaller, less intimidating steps. Continue breaking the task down until you think you can manage each individual step.

Now start eating that elephant!

If you would like some support "eating your elephant," please don't hesitate to send me an email!

Jenni Fogle, Personal Coach www.vitaricca.com

Please email jennifogle@vitaricca.com to subscribe to my free monthly newsletter or for more information about how coaching can enrich your life!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

You Can Make a Difference!

You Can Make a Difference
By Garvin Boonsong

When I study the world these days, I see a lot of despair, and hopeless. There are countless problems that our society faces such as war, the degradation of the environment, and crime.

However, I believe that there is hope for the future of society.

The hope for the future comes from people I see trying to make a difference in society. Some of these people are famous, others are not so famous.

The reality is that you don't have to be famous. You don't have to have a lot of money to make a difference.

To make a difference in this world, all you have to do is try to live your life the best you can with service and companionship. The thing to keep in mind is that we might not be able to change the world by ourselves, but we can change the lives of people around us by being kind, compassionate.

If each and every one of us try to be more loving human beings, I believe that the world will change for the better because despite our differences, we are human beings. As human beings we all want to be loved, valued, and listened to.

I challenge each one of you to be a person who brings people together, instead pushing people apart.

I believe that you can make a difference. It doesn't matter if you're a businessman, a lawyer, a doctor, or a poet. You can make a difference because of who you are.

Have the courage to make a difference, have the courage to shine your light upon the world.

Garvin Boonsong, is a Graduate Student at Cal State Northridge

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Make It Happen!

Making Things Happen
By Steven Ferrel

'We are all given the tools, but it is up to us what we decide to build and how magnificent it will be.' -- Steven Ferrel

Goals are fantastic to have, but many times challenges surface that make it difficult for a goal to mature. Many may never start toward their goal because of doubt in their abilities. Some do not attempt the actions required to make their goals a reality. While others do not allow the right mental conditions to exist for fruition of their dreams.

Those who do not have a strong belief in their abilities, usually have to see it first to believe it can happen. Many things were once invisible and started as a thought, as this article once was. We cannot see our thoughts this does not mean they do not exist. Electricity is invisible – it has no form – but it is very real as anyone who has felt the intense power of electrocution can attest. If you felt extreme pain when someone you deeply care about passed on, you have experienced the power of the invisible.

It may manifest itself into tears or expressions of sadness, but it originated from within, that invisible place. What comes from within are the most wonderful and powerful forces of all. Our bodies have certain limitations, but our true inner self, has none. Open your mind to the possibilities of boundless dreams that all begins within you, where our true beauty resides. Until you go beyond the limitations of your form, you will not be able to live your life to its fullest potential and truly experience your dreams.

Remember clarity is power so make it clear what you need to do in order to achieve your goal. Without a map, you may encounter detours that you could have avoided if you had one.

The next and most important step is to take a step, and keep stepping until you achieve your desired result. You must be proactive to achieve your goal. That means do the things you need to do to achieve your goal. Ask yourself what actions do I need to take to make this goal a reality, and then do them. Without action, nothing is accomplished. You can always change your direction when your view becomes heightened, but the engine has to be moving in order to make progress. It is not what you can do, but what you do do that counts.

Finally, nourish your mind with healthy thoughts. Jesus Christ said, “As you think so shall you be.” What we think about expands in our minds. If we do not focus on a goal long enough – it will be difficult for it to mature into form (the visible). When we use a magnifying glass to start a fire, in order for it to work the focus must be on a certain spot for a length of time and the conditions must be right.

If it is only held for a short time, or if there is too little sunlight, it will not accomplish what was intended. Focus constantly on thoughts that will empower you while doing the things you need to do to achieve your goals. This will allow for the right conditions and eventually it will become second nature. When this occurs, you will be in the habit of assuming peak performance levels at most times. This will facilitate the process of attaining your goals.

Most of us have heard that the most important thing about goals is having one. Do your true self a favor and let one of your goals be to nourish and allow your true self to come into form living your life without limitations.

To Transforming the Invisible Into The Visible! -- Steven

Steven Ferrel C.N. is a clinical nutritionist and creator of the Life Dynamix System - The New Science of Energetic Living! More wellness articles and web streams with Steven are available at http://www.lifedynamix.com

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Qualities of Successful People

4 Qualities of Highly Successful People
By Anthony Treas

What if you can be, do or have anything you want, what would you desire in your life?

Now do you believe it can happen? Yes? No? In the words of Henry Ford, “If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right.”

Well then what actually happens for those people who do seem to get everything they desire?

Let’s take a closer look.

1. For one, they know what they want.
They do not give up when what they want does not happen. They keep moving forward. Everything they do is a success, because they don’t see the results they are getting as failure. They are more educated and know what works and what doesn’t. They press on!

2. They are focused.
If you have ever seen any professional sports players you know what focused people look like. Take a football player for example. I will use a line backer for this example. A line backer has to know where the runner is going and he has got to make split decisions as to what he is going to do.

He is not thinking about what he is going to eat for dinner, he is not thinking about what his kids are doing, or what his next vacation is going to be. No, he is thinking about reading the runner and getting to the point where the runner is going to be and tackling him.

What are you thinking about throughout the day? What do you think 30 days of focus would do for you in accomplishing your goal? I think it could have a huge impact.

3. They know how to separate what is and what is not important.
We have so many decisions to make everyday. We sometimes lose track of what day it is because of the number of things that we think about everyday. How many times have you started to work on something, and then you get a call from a friend to go out for lunch. You know you need to finish what you are doing.

However, you find yourself saying, well, I have not seen my friend in two weeks, but I need to get this done. You then decide to go out to lunch with your friend and end up spending more time at lunch than you wanted. So now you are behind and have to stay back late in office and miss your child’s game.

When you are able to separate what is important from what is not, you will find yourself accomplishing your goals a lot faster, and find yourself doing more of what you want to do rather than things you have to do.

4. They are committed.
When it takes more than six months to accomplish a goal, people who are committed will stay the course to the very end. Most people want their goals accomplished in a week. Yes, there are short term goals; however, I am talking about long term goals.

When you have a long term goal it can get a little overwhelming when things don't seem to be moving as fast as you would like. However, taking the time to see the big picture will help you stay focused and keep you motivated.

Whatever goal you are looking to accomplish, take these 4 qualities and incorporate them into your action plan. If you have found yourself starting something and never finishing it, look into getting a coach, or mentor to help you stay on course.

Anthony Treas is a life coach, motivational speaker, mentor, and soon to be published author (Nov. 05’). Anthony provides mentor coaching by providing support that allows his clients to discover their full potential. For more information visit: Activate Your Potential Institute

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Inspiration, the Living Force

Inspiration, the Living Force
By Lynne Dean

These moments of awareness are powerful motivators. They boost our spirit and expand our view of certain joys we don’t have the chance to appreciate every day. They make you want to shout for more and they also rejuvenate the child within. They have inspired new dreams and goals, and made possible other options in life.

Are you one who finds it hard to be inspired? Here are a few tips to let in the "magic moment":

Open your mind. Be conscious.
Kids have the ability to be aware of their environment. Everything is new to their eye. Openness is the key word, to see anew as if for the very first time. Food for inspiration is all around us, sometimes in small doses, and sometimes in amounts that are overwhelming. Let inspiration in. Let go of previous judgments, experiences, and values. Absorb the new spark of "sensation."

Go beyond your boundaries
Are you used to your little routine? You may want to think about it. Push your boundaries. You don’t have to go to bed early every night? Do you? Why not experience a sunset tonight? Take a new route to work. Look around at the new development, wander through parks, or explore a new area. Really look at your surroundings for the first time.

Open your door
Go and find inspiration. Take a new class. Find a new activity. Engage in conversation with people you don’t know such as those at the grocery store. Go for a hike. Sit still in your backyard. When is the last time you went to a museum, or a rock concert? Have you ever tried to draw, write poems?

Keep it coming
Create a habit of opening your eyes for new things. The life force will bring you new resources to feed on every time you give it a chance. Spread the light. You might be able to inspire someone else too. Constantly being aware of sources of inspiration will feed your soul.

"Today a new sunrise rises for me: everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion everything invites me to cherish it." –Anne de Lenclos.

If you like this article, please do a friend and me a big favor and "pay it forward." If a friend DID forward this to you and if you like what you read, please subscribe by visiting www.motivationalcentral.com/The-Muse-subscription

Comments? Ideas? Feedback? I’d love to hear from you. Tell me what you think!

Lynne Dean created Motivational Central, an online information service for seekers of general self improvement, in January 2005.

Being a simple government part time worker and mother to a lovely son, she welcomes the challenge to communicate and built a web site where positive vibes and motivation tips would be share to the world. A hobby it is, but what a fun and interesting thing to do!

Monday, August 01, 2005

Goals Can Be Damaging!

Goals are Damaging
By John Di Lemme

I know this is a strange follow-up to my last article, but stick with me. Can you relate to setting goals and not achieving them? Have you ever been frustrated by trying to set goals when you know in your heart that you will never reach them? You even say to yourself, “Who am I kidding? I will never accomplish this goal.” That’s why I’m here to tell you that goals are truly damaging for your future, because you beat yourself up over never reaching those goals.

On the other hand, goals are very important. Don’t let me confuse you with this just read this carefully. Goals are imperative when you have a strong “Why” in place. Let’s parallel this to a ten-story glass building that is shiny and beautiful to the eye. It towers over the city and creates the skyline.

Now let’s imagine that the building was built by a group of amateur carpenters in one day and had a poor foundation. It looked very nice, but wasn’t solid. One day a little bird flew smack into that building, and guess what happened? That little, tiny sparrow knocked down that massive building that looked amazingly strong and powerful from the outside. Why?

The foundation was pathetic, and there were no true roots to hold that building in place. No one paid the price for that building to hold its own in the real world despite how it looked to the average person.

Let’s tie that into your goals. Your “Why” is your foundation and your roots. Your “Why” must be stronger and bigger than you are right now! You must internalize your “Why” and know exactly “Why” you do what you do everyday to reach your goals. Too many people have set the goals of making a lot of money. Can you relate to that?

Have you ever set the goal of making a certain amount of money in a month, and then at the end of the month you haven’t made a dime more? Here’s the reason why. You must know “Why” you want to earn that amount of money for that month. It’s not the money that drives you…it’s your “Why”! What are you going to do with that money? Pay your car payment, donate it to your church, buy your child a new toy…“Why” have you set that financial goal for that month?

Another thing, you should never set a goal of “making” a certain amount of money in a month. Instead, after you know “Why” you are setting that financial goal, then set a goal of EARNING that money not MAKING that money. Remember, no one paid that price for that beautiful ten-story building, and it fell. You must be willing to pay the price and EARN your way to your goal.

Let’s go over this again. Goals are damaging to your future. If you don’t have your “Why” in place, then you have no foundation to support you as you head down your success path to completing that goal. Without that foundation, you will give up and be discouraged from ever setting goals for yourself again.

It doesn’t matter what type of goal – physical, financial, social, etc. – you must know “Why” you are going pay the price to achieve that goal. If not, then that goal could damage your life instead of assisting you in ultimately achieving success that you’ve always dreamed about.

Commit today to develop your “Why” before setting any more goals!

Let me share 3 questions with you that will help you “Find Your Why”.

1. If you did not have to worry about finances or going to your job on Monday morning, then what would you do?

2. If you had so much money that you had to give it away, what would you do with it? Who would you give it to and why?

3. Do you enjoy life? If so, why? If not, then why not? Remember, your past does not control you! Your future should drive you, because you see yourself successful!

After you develop your “Why” and set your goals, you will encounter obstacles and challenges like that little bird that hit that huge building. If your “Why” is strong enough, then unlike that building you will stand firm against whatever tries to stop you from achieving that goal. You will not be knocked down!

Remember, goals are damaging if you don’t have a foundational “Why” in place. I challenge you today to ask yourself those three questions, develop your “Why” and then set your goals.

Find Your Why,

John Di Lemme

John Di Lemme, a Former Clinically Diagnosed Stutterer, now the World’s Leading Motivational Expert *shocks millions globally* by exposing the truth they’ve been searching for in order to achieve monumental life success through his Award Winning Live Seminars, Power-Packed Training Programs, Live Tele-Classes, Motivational Club and Weekly E-zine. Take action now and join tho.usands of others that have used John's proven methods to live their life to the Maximum!

Visit www.FindYourWhy.com and discover how you can finally create monumental success in your life today and achieve all your goals, dreams and desires.

The Realgoalgetter Blog

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Roadblocks or Valuable Tools?

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Life as a Burden or a Privilege?

Monday, August 29, 2005

Preparing For Success

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Reclaim Your Self-Esteem

Saturday, August 27, 2005

It's Not Enough!

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Creating Your Future

Saturday, August 20, 2005

Motivation - Small Changes

Friday, August 19, 2005

Waiting For Your Dream Results?

Contemplating Change

10 Energy Boosting Methods

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

The Power Within

Monday, August 15, 2005

7 Steps To Motivation

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Motivation Strategy

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Personal Coaching Information

Benefits - Having A Coach

The Beauty Of Life

Friday, August 12, 2005

Goal Setting in Three's

I Want It All Now!

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Winners Do - Others Don't

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Clarity of Vision

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Commitment to Change

Monday, August 08, 2005

Enhance Your Performance

Sunday, August 07, 2005

How to Eat an Elephant

You Can Make a Difference!

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Make It Happen!

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Qualities of Successful People

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Inspiration, the Living Force

Monday, August 01, 2005

Goals Can Be Damaging!

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