How to Succeed in Life and Business

Success is a basic human desire, no one strives for failure. However, often we fail to achieve the success we desire in life and business.

This could be an issue of focus. How we focus our time and energy dictates what we achieve in life. Where our focus goes, our energy flows. So where should we place our focus in order to achieve success?

In life, there are things we can control and things we cannot control. When we strive to improve our life and change things, we will not succeed if we focus on the things outside of our control.

Some things will sweep us off our feet, and leave us defenseless. The economy, for example, can screech to a halt and cause us to lose our jobs. We cannot prevent that. However, what we can change is ourselves.

Our philosophies, our ways of life, our daily activities, our determination, our ability to challenge ourselves and grow-these are all changeable. Such things are within our realm of control.

If we do not possess the success we desire, maybe we have to revisit our philosophy? Or maybe we are not challenging ourselves enough to seek out new experiences and knowledge?

By focusing on these flexible things, we bring the energy of change to our lives. To achieve success in life and business, we must attract it by growing ourselves and focusing our energies on the right things. This my friend, will bring forth success and beauty as sure as summer follows spring.

Jesse Grant & Bill Maloney have helped many people achieve financial freedom online from the comfort of their own home at http://www.FastCashFire.com. They have developed new proven techniques that are very simple to follow and allow anyone with basic computer skills to make money. To learn more go to http://www.FastCashFire.com

Life offers few guarantees. Some days I wish I had a sure-fire plan to make my life turn out exactly as I want. I bet you have those days, too. Wouldn't a guarantee on everything be great?

Perfect boss. Dream house. Well-behaved children. Steady income. Luxurious vacations. It would be so easy if they were just guaranteed, wouldn't it?

Think about it for a moment. If you were six years old and learning addition and you were guaranteed a perfect score on your test, would you keep studying? Some of you may, but not everyone would. If you had a guarantee and stopped studying, you wouldn't actually learn addition.

If you could be guaranteed that you would study just the perfect thing in college to ensure future success, would you critically evaluate your options? Would you assess your choice along the way to your cap and gown? Once out in the world, would you continue to check your career progress against your true desires?

If you were guaranteed that your business would succeed if you did A and B and C, how would you learn that G is a more enjoyable way to grow your business? And that P was a great thing to do for personal growth, as well as for business profit?

Whenever we take something for granted or consider it to be guaranteed, we turn off our brain. We stop learning, experimenting, questioning, and evaluating. We stop growing.

If someone gave me a simple formula for success, I would likely follow the formula like a robot, doing just what they said. I would blindly move in the direction of their guarantee, because it would be easier than figuring it out on my own.

Part of me would love a success formula that would guarantee my future success. It would alleviate the pressure, stress, and anxiety that stepping out on my own has brought to the surface. I could relax and just do what I love: coach and write. I could avoid all of the uncomfortable parts, like marketing and selling. I would also miss out on a heck of a lot of personal growth that those things are currently bringing to me.

If I had to guess, the best success formula anyone could give me would look like this:

experimentation + persistence = a good chance of getting what I want

That's what life's about. Taking chances, experimenting, persisting. There is no magic formula for success. There are no guarantees. There's hard work, trying new things, failing, and trying again.

So what are the two steps to guaranteed success? Try and try again.

No one can tell you exactly what to do to achieve your goals. They can guide you, offer ideas, help you find your own answers, find where you're holding yourself back, support you through trial and error, and celebrate your successes. You can eventually get what you want when you keep at it. So keep at it. You'll get there.

Jenny Shih is a life coach. She works with individuals who dream of changing something in their lives. They want support to move forward toward something better, and Jenny helps make it happen. Jenny's career began in the corporate world, first working as an engineer and then as a manager, where she found satisfaction in helping others grow and develop in their own unique ways.

You can find Jenny online at http://www.RisingSunCoaching.com.

Winning is Giving - How to Give Intelligently to Achieve Success in Your Relationships and Business

By Bruce Painter

Learn to increase your Giving Intelligence - a powerful way for you to get more of what you want in your life. And it only takes repeating four steps.

4 Tips to Giving Intelligently

Tip 1 - Give some thought and do some planning before you give to others.

You probably would not want to give to a person with criminal intentions. Also it would not be wise to give freely to a child who is spoiled and demanding. A valuable exercise is to write on a piece of paper who you give to, what you give, and what benefits or detriments they receive.

Tip 2 - Discover what you like to give to others.

If people repeatedly ask you to do things for them that you dislike doing, you are probably going to end up feeling unhappy about giving those things. You might even feel like a martyr about it. Martyrs are miserable people who make others miserable.

Discover what you like to give that is beneficial to others and give it. Success both personally and professionally is formed when you learn this habit.

Tip 3 - When you give, make sure it is something that is wanted by the recipient.

If we are giving something to people that they don't want, it could be a waste of time, effort or money. For example, we may give a gift to someone, and it is not needed by them. Another example, is talking to someone about something that they have no interest in. Make sure what you give is of value to the recipient.

Tip 4 - Give to those people who like to give back.

Some people naturally like to give. They tend to be the winners in life.

The magic is created from being a giving person who gives to giving people. To attract giving people, learn to become the most giving person you can be. You will win in all areas of your life including relationships, money, success and happiness.

Bonus Tip - Ask your family, friends and business associates what they want and help them get it. And now I would like to offer you a free downloadable audio to help you get what you want both professionally and personally. It is titled - How to Achieve Stellar Results Using Giving Zone Principles. You can get your instant access at http://www.livinginthegivingzone.com/gintelligence-bonus/gibonus.html

From Bruce Painter - Amazon Best-Selling Author of The Giving Zone, speaker, and life coach

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7 Pathways To Success - Getting From Where You Are, To Where You Want To Be - Part 1

By Henrietta Elegunde

You may be broke, but you are not poor. Unless you give up. Because being poor is more than absence of money, riches or success. Being poor is a mentality. And being rich is also a mentality. As a matter of fact, rich people are, because they think they can. If they didn't, they would have killed their dreams a long time ago. As Henry Ford, that great car manufacturer once said, If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're also right. And as the Bible says, as a man thinks, so is he.

Self Motivation: Motivation gets you out of bed, so that you can work on your success. Without motivation, you just can't be bothered. While it is good to enlist your loved ones to motivate you. No one can motivate you like your self. Here are some self motivation tips:

Identify your dreams and break them into goals and write them down as to-do list. To-do list is a list tasks you're going to do towards achieving your dream.

- Write down how your life will change if you achieved your goals, and stick this list where you will see it everyday.

- Pray to God to empower you to achieve your goals.

- Time Management: Time that is spent cannot be regained again. You cannot go back to being sweet sixteen, no matter how much you try. Maximise your time by:

- Identify and eliminate all activities leaking your energy. You need to focus all your energy on your priorities, if you are going to be successful.

- Identify and eliminate all time wasters in your life. This can be people, bad habits or life issues.

- Scheduling: This is looking at the time available to you, and planning ahead how you will use it to achieve your goals. Planning ahead will also minimise stress procrastination and confusion.

- Action Plan: This is creating list of all the tasks that you need to carry out, in order to remind and motivate yourself. So that you achieve a goal. Action plan is different from a to-do list in that it focuses on the achieving a single goal.

Powerful focus: The one of the main reasons why people don't maximise their potential is lack of focus. Ability to focus on priority needs discipline. Life is full of distractions. There are enough people and issues that want to steal your peace, joy, freedom and your attention. You cannot afford to give these away, because you need all these to energies to become successful. You also need passion. Passion is not to be confused with obsession. Passion is healthy interest that you can take a rest from anytime you like. Obsession is an unhealthy compulsion that you have no control of, and you can't stop. To be a success you need to focus on your passion. Your passion is a clue to your life purpose. Your strengths compliment your life purpose. You also need focus to learn and excel in anything. If focus doesn't come easy to you or you don't have passion for anything. Think back to when you had passion in your life. What did you used to enjoy? Also pray that God help you find your passion again: James 1:5 - "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (NIV)

Embrace Change: If you want something to change in your life, you need to change. Everything starts with you. Success and growth requires some sort of change. Without change there will not be any growth, and this includes financial growth. In other to thrive in life, you have to learn to embrace and manage expected and unexpected changes. Live is ever changing and we can't change that, but we can change the effect of change on our lives, so that it works for our benefit. Make conscious effort to control the flow of change in your life, by seeing it as a new beginning. So that change doesn't hold you captive.

So remember, as Henry Ford once said, If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're also right. And as the Bible says, as a man thinks, so is he.

Henrietta Elegunde is an Author, Life Coach, ordained minister and Motivational Speaker. She specializes in teaching how to cultivate spiritual, mental, physical and emotional growth, in order to achieve total wellbeing (being made whole) in your life. She is the author of the book "Hallowed Be Thy Name". For more information on how to book her for your next event, how her book can transform your life, or how to obtain free reading of part of the book; contact her by sending an email to helegunde@hotmail.co.uk

The Power of Positive Thoughts - Turn Your Thoughts Into Cash

By Demetrios Tzortzis

The power of your thoughts will determine your success. There are no two ways about it. Where you direct your mental and physical energies means everything concerning what will materialize within your life. If you were born rich or have recently won the lottery, this article isn't for you. However, if you are one of the masses who wish to increase their wealth, especially by harnessing the unlimited forces of the Internet, then you might want to read this closely.

• You will fail unless you fully intend to succeed. There are too many people who are motivated and directed in the world for fortune to favor those who are not. It must all start within you. If you do not believe that success is a distinct possibility for you, then it won't be.

• You have to employ the power of your will. You have to think and act in ways that will directly contribute to your success. Each second of life that you spend otherwise will only stack the odds higher against you.

• You have to learn the concept of sacrifice. You have to sacrifice your free time. You have to invest your spare funds. You have to sacrifice your energy. You have to wake up early. You have to live the life of one who strives for fortune and prosperity. Failure to do so will lead to continued mediocrity.

• Dedication is the key to your success. It doesn't matter if you wish to succeed in direct sales, Internet marketing, artistic endeavors or any other type of enterprise; you must become knowledgeable and dedicate yourself to your goals. Nobody is going to come along and hand you what you desire on a gold-lined platter of ease.

• You must learn to see yourself in the position that you wish to be in - not in the one that you are. Mentally project yourself to a plane of existence where you wish to dwell. Dream big and dream constantly!

Begin your journey to prosperity today. Do not listen to or even hear naysayers. Surround yourself with people who think like you do. Place yourself in the midst of the successful and learn from them. Realize that what you intend will become your reality. Know the power of your thoughts and visualize your way to fortune! This is the way. This is the truth. Believe in yourself and dedicate your energies and thoughts to wealth and success. Only then will you experience your desires.

Demetrios Tzortzis has coached and mentored countless individuals in online marketing strategies and tactics. Demetrios' straight forward, no BS approach is unlocking the potential for new marketers to succeed without the initial "beginners" slump.

Demetrios Tzortzis
720.339.3808
livetoprosper@gmail.com

http://www.LiveToProsper.biz

http://www.YouTube.com/Dprosperityman

The ABC of Success - The Easy Way To Get What You Want

By Janet Brooks

Why does success seem to come so easily to some and for others no matter how hard they try, it just runs in the opposite direction?

This question has been the topic of countless books, seminars, Cd's, DVDs and even talk shows. But again, why do some people get it and others don't?

If you have read more than ten books and maybe even attended a seminar or two on the subject, you should begin to notice some very common components that the most popular down to the little known resources share. Those components can basically be broken down into 3 steps; Accept, Believe, Change- The ABC of Success!

1. Accept--Perhaps this is the most challenging of the concepts to follow, however just like an addiction, once you accept that your success or lack of is completely in your hands you can proceed onto the next level. Some people just try to whiz through this to get to the good stuff! Let me assure you, this is the good stuff!
2. Believe-- that you can be successful and envision yourself as nothing but living the Good Life!
3. Change--Change the thoughts in your conscious and you will re-program you subconscious to take you where you want to go.

Let's begin. Accepting that your circumstances are what they are because of you is a tough pill to swallow. In America we are so careful to "avoid" blame at all costs. It carries such a negative connotation, however when we accept that it is simply our Thought Patterns that have created our current successes and failures, it opens up the door for us to believe that we can actually have what we want.

Part of this process, is to remove the behavior of blaming outside forces and to focus on how our destructive thoughts are the real culprit. Once you examine the thought patterns that run through your conscious mind on a continuous basis, you most likely are to find that you have been constantly bombarding yourself with "failure thinking" instead of "success thinking". At this point is it is not important to wonder or even worry how you will change these patterns, just become aware of how powerful thoughts are.

Now that you understand the first part of the abc of success, you can end the frustration and restore hope. That's where belief comes into play. It is so very critical that you believe you can be successful. Even if it is something that you struggle with, if you can muster up enough belief to actually envision yourself as a successful person, and all that that personally entails for you, change will be easier to attain.

With even the tiniest amount of belief, anyone can change.

The success cycle actually goes in a circular motion and you will see that in just a moment. At this stage you can do this "manually" or "automatically" the choice is up to you.

When you are ready to Change the thoughts in your conscious, you can do this by thinking and talking on WHAT you want, NOT what you Don't want. In other words, when a thought about failure or lack of money crops up, snuff it out with one that is prosperous, like how it will feel when you have_____. Or visioning yourself when you are_____. This is the manual way and while it does take time, it is very effective and will slowly remove each and every negative thought that has been sabotaging your success.

The "automatic" way to success is to bypass your conscious mind and go straight to your subconscious mind where there is no judgment or battle with thoughts. The subconscious just ACCEPTS what it is given. That is why the use of subliminal messages can be a Very Powerful Tool when it comes to the war on achieving success. This is because subliminal messages are not "seen" consciously but rather hidden in order to avoid any type of doubt or rebuttal. They are the best tool for fast, permanent change and the abc of success!

Get the ABC of Success in record time. Subliminal Videos will help you reach your goals in record time http://www.subliminalriches.com

How To Find Your Passion In Life

By Jason Osborn

I read this article recently by Warren Beatty:

'You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play.'

Some people know from a young age what they want in life and how they are going to get it. If you are anything like most people, you do not have a clue! This article is to help you find and discover what you are passionate about, so that you can enjoy life to the full.

The first question to ask yourself is 'Do you know what you love?'

Most people have no clue what they love to do. They spend most of their waking time in a job that may bring in decent incomes but little joy. In the day-to-day grind they simply do not have time to fully explore and decide what brings them happiness. They think that starting a business or switching careers will magically provide the solution. The danger is that if you don't get clear about your passion, you could easily create another "job" that is no more satisfying than the career you left.

Here are a few tips to help you discover your passion.

1. Find what keeps reoccurring in your life.

There maybe something that keeps showing up in your life that you love. For example, you may love photography, or public speaking, or nature... the list is endless. Next, seek out jobs, industries or businesses that will allow you to have some connection with what you are passionate about.

2. Think outside the box.

We get so used to working in what we are trained in. If you are a nurse, you get used to working as a nurse, and altho you may be passionate about something completely different, you never take the time to explore it. When trying to find your passion and figuring out what you want to do with your life think beyond what you currently do.

3. Timing is everything.

Timing is important. If you cannot find your passion, then the time may not be right to make a drastic change in your life. Making changes at the wrong time can lead to stress, and stress robs you of your peace, good health, and well being. If you feel you are ready to start to pursue your passions and live life to the full, GO FOR IT and best of luck!

Is there greatness on the inside of you but you don't know how to achieve it? Jason has just completed his brand new 7 part e-course, 'Find Your Greatness'

Get it free here: Find Your Greatness

Do you want to learn how to create successful habits and goals? Download Jason's new FREE ebook here: Goal Setting

Jason Osborn has dedicated himself to changing thousands of lives by helping people find their greatness and true potential through his Find Your Greatness Newsletter.

Create Your Winner Mindset

By Reynard Ariakusuma

What will you say when you fail your math test? Most will answer: "Math is tough, that's why I fail.", "The teacher did not explain clearly, I can't understand a thing." or "The questions were difficult, it was totally out of my league." Can you see the pattern? All of the above are the acts of blaming anyone or anything except themselves. They think that anything bad happened to them is not their fault, they are playing the role of victims.

Few others will answer completely different. "I fail because I was not prepared well.", "I couldn't remember the formula because I was lazy.", "I did not understand a thing because I did not look for more information." They all take 100% responsibility of what happened to them, they fail because they only reap what they sow.

Now, there are two types of mindsets that distinguish champions and losers. One is the mindset. The winner is responsible for anything going on in his/her life. "I succeed because I deserve it, and I fail because I lack something." The other is the victim mindset. If anything bad happen, it will instantly blame others. It's like there are something greater out there that make the victims become of who they are now.

The victim mindset is destructive! It makes you think that you are under control of some greater powers and cannot do anything. You will never take actions to make things better. The opposite, winners, thinks that nothing else is responsible for their current state, they are fully in charge of their life. They will take actions if there is a room for improvements, because they are sure it is totally up to them to be a better person. To advanced in career and to live life to the fullest!

Create your winner mindset now. Let no one and nothing prevent you from reaching your goals.

Reynard Ariakusuma is the owner of HowToDoHomeBiz.com and writes on a variety of subjects. To learn more about this topic Reynard recommends you visit: Be The Master of Your Life

Train your Brain and Body for Focused Success

By Fred Nicklaus

Sydney ( my pug/beagle cross little walking buddy) and I were out for our walk today and we came across another walker walking her dog. As I looked closer I recognized the other walker to be someone who had had two of her boys in our Karate program. Both of her boys had gone a long way in our program with one of them getting his Black Belt and eventually teaching for us.

The mom and I walked for a while and as always the conversation between us parents turns to our kids. The son of hers who had been one of our instructors had eventually gone on to a career in the U.S. Air Force. She went on to tell me an interesting story about her son Chris.

While Chris was at the Air Force Academy he told his mom that a certain thing caught his eye. It was...

The Inability Of Many Of His Fellow Cadets To Stand Still While Directions Were Given

Interesting. The ability to stand still and follow directions is important in any walk of life. These young men at the academy were most likely between the ages of 18 and 22 and some of them had not yet learned the importance and the value of being able to center one's attention on the task at hand.

Focus and be ready. It's a big part of what we teach in the martial arts. It's also important for students and families to realize that it doesn't happen overnight. Training the body and the mind to be able to react effectively in any situation is a worthwhile endeavor that results in remarkable benefits for the martial arts practitioner.

Training the body and mind can be a worthwhile pursuit that can have remarkable benefits for anyone who is willing and committed to reaching new physical and mental heights. It takes some practice, willingness to get through the tough times, and a pride in oneself and one's accomplishment. Anyone can do it if they set their mind and will to it.

You owe it to yourself to be healthy and strong. It's never too late to start and it's always motivating to find new things to complement an existing program. Strong mind. Strong body. Why would you settle for anything less? To your health and the health of your family.

Get moving and stay moving,

Fred Nicklaus

For tips on raising more Rock Solid Kids visit http://www.ConfidentKidsCoach.com for free tips on raising your child to be a leader, and for the fitness training that will sky rocket your core body strength, check out http://www.CombatEnduranceTraining.com

The Opportunity of Conflict

By Julie Cohen

You've been working very hard on a new project. You're counting on everyone to get their pieces in, on time, and to standard. However, you dread getting John's project. Every time you receive something from him, it's laden with typos, it doesn't make a lot of sense, and you have to do it yourself. You don't want to hurt his feelings, but you'd rather not expect anything of him than receive sub-par materials.

Does this sound like you? Everyday we encounter conflict. We spend so much time avoiding conflict, but what would happen if we embraced it?

We avoid many different things. For example, we avoid:

• Sharing a new idea that differs from all the others.
• Speaking up when we believe a business decision is unwise, ineffective, or unethical.
• Telling someone they're not performing some or all of their job responsibilities.
• Telling a colleague you are uncomfortable with their gossip.
• Requesting that your boss assign you to a different project that better utilizes your skills and talents.

This list is endless! Human relationships, no matter their nature, all have conflict - and some conflict is more painful than others. So, what are some of the reasons we avoid conflict?

• We don't want to be seen as a 'trouble-maker'
• We don't want to be considered a 'bad' team player.
• We're concerned our idea is not good enough.
• We believe it's easier to fix a problem ourselves.
• We don't want someone to be angry with us.
• We're protecting someone else's ego.
• We're afraid we'll get fired, laughed at or required to take on more work.
• And more!

Although running away from conflict may be first instinct, it can be more beneficial to meet it head-on. For example, taking a different approach to conflict will enhance your creativity and leadership skills, and will also expedite action and results. You will feel better about your professional role and see greater accomplishments. Here are several areas in which you can reconsider the role of conflict and apply different approaches to it.

Conflict for Action

Scenario: A stalled team is required to provide a critical marketing strategy to the corporate executive team. The team has divided in to two factions with divergent approaches to the problem. Neither side will compromise.

Opportunity: With compromise seeming impossible, the first step towards action will be listening. In order to see beyond our own ideas, we must really hear the other possibilities; you need to be able to take a 'baby step'. This can only begin after understanding the others' perspective, strategy and concepts. This activity should take the form of actually stating the conflicting ideas and the beliefs and proposed benefits behind them. As you 'try on' the others' ideas, especially with a sense of openness, there is a likelihood of finding commonalities and even value from initially opposing ideas.

If you reframe the impasse as just another challenge to get through, action will happen as perceptions and priorities change. Moving from a win/lose to a win/win mentality will also expedite the action.

Conflict for Results

Scenario: You are a consultant about to present a solution to a client for redesigning a major business process. Less than two days before the presentation, the client provides new information that redefines the problem and thus the solution you and your team have developed over the past two months.

Opportunity: In this situation, a complete overhaul is required within a very tight timeframe. The "wrench" in the defined plan requires thinking differently and providing results quickly. This conflict requires the team to approach how they work in a new way. There will not be time for stalling, lack of focus or self-doubt. Speed, completion and results are the residual benefit of this conflict.

Conflict for Creativity

Scenario: You are a web designer and were just told your latest project was boring, unoriginal and lacking vision. You thought it was some of your best work. There is no way you can create something else.

Opportunity: This conflict could lead the designer down a path of stagnation, dismay and apathy. In order to move forward after such a personal blow, the designer must see this as a chance to go beyond his comfort zone.

He will be required to completely reevaluate his creativity and professional approach. Instead of designing how he always has, he will need to birth new ideas. The initial discomfort faced becomes a catalyst for greater creativity.

Conflict for Professional Growth

Scenario: You have prepared performance reviews and need to deliver one that is less than satisfactory. As you sit down with this direct report, you know she will be upset as well as very disagreeable with your perspective.

Opportunity: Giving or receiving constructive or negative input is one of the most dreaded professional experiences. For both parties involved it can be uncomfortable, anxiety producing and often deferred. The opportunity arises in this situation when the supervisor and the direct report view this process as development not debilitation.

The supervisor needs to frame the feedback in a direct as well as supportive way offering honesty, compassion and possibilities for change and improvement. The direct report will be best served by listening to the feedback with curiosity and without defensiveness. Taking a collaborative approach of support and problem solving will enhance this challenging situation.

Conflict for Leadership

Scenario: As Director of a division of your company, you must decide where funds will be invested in developing new products. You've gathered data and opinions from all constituents and need to make the difficult decision on what two products will come to market over the next few years. Many will be disappointed.

Opportunity: Although most people enjoy being liked, it is not required and can even limit the effectiveness of a leader. Choosing the direction of a team, department or an entire organization can have far-reaching impact. Getting through this major decision requires the leader to look beyond individuals (after thoroughly considering their input) and make the decision that best aligns with the organization's priorities, mission and values. This requires the leader to 'take a stand' on what he believes is right for the overall health of the organization. Implementing the organizational vision in the midst of the daily operational challenges stretches the leader and enhances his/her impact.

Positive Outcomes

When you look at conflict through a perspective of opportunity, you will find numerous rewards. Some of the positive outcomes of embracing conflict can be: collaboration, compromise, stretch, speed, and creativity. Throughout all stages of professional development, conflict will always be present. Remembering these scenarios, and the various ways to approach and reframe conflict, can enable you to advance through these challenges instead of being limited by them.

© 2008 Julie Cohen, http://www.juliecohencoaching.com

Julie Cohen, PCC, is a career coach. She helps her clients clarify and achieve their professional and personal goals including greater career satisfaction, life balance, leadership development and personal growth. For questions, comments or to discuss this article, Julie can be reached by visiting http://www.juliecohencoaching.com/contact.html

The Pros and Cons of Goal Setting

By Jason Osborn

No matter what age you are, or what stage of life you find yourself in, you need goals! Just in case you do not think that you need to set goals... run through this list and see how many of them apply to you.

- Even tho you are busy, you accomplish little

- You have little passion for what you do, nothing excites you anymore

- You spread out your work to fill your day

- You know you are not reaching your potential in life

- You wonder what the future holds for you

- You are waiting for someone else to make you successful

- Life seems boring to you

This lists seems like the list of somebody with a pretty miserable life! Let me show you how setting goals could change this for this person.

1. Direction

Goals provide you with direction. You know what you are aiming for. You know when you have to have it done by. You are investing your time wisely and for a purpose.

2. Control

You take control of your life. Your life is not controlled by situations, but by what you want to achieve.

3. Motivation and Energy

Goals motivate you because you know the end result and you want to achieve it. When you get momentum going, you gain more energy too!

4. Better Decisions

When you have a specific direction for your life, you make better decisions because you know what you want and what you do not want in your life.

Decide today that you will not waste another year by being busy but not actually achieving anything. Begin to look at your life, assess the areas you want to change and then start to make small goals that you can achieve to get the ball rolling!

Is there greatness on the inside of you but you don't know how to achieve it? Jason has just completed his brand new 7 part e-course, 'Find Your Greatness'

Get it free here: Find Your Greatness

Do you want to learn how to create successful habits and goals? Download Jason's new FREE ebook here: Goal Setting

Jason Osborn has dedicated himself to changing thousands of lives by helping people find their greatness and true potential through his Find Your Greatness Newsletter.

Connect with Success - How to Create Bonds for Business Success

By Lynda Goldman

How do you create a bond with someone you just met? It's easy. Look for common ground. Here's a story to illustrate the concept.

At a marketing association dinner, a man and woman are talking about the event when one person mentions how much traffic there was that day. The two people discover that they live in the same neighborhood, and that they have children who attend the same school. They create a bond when they discover these similarities

Humans are hard-wired to bond. This is a normal process, because bonding is one of life's more rewarding experiences. You may not be aware of bonding while it is happening, but you can tell when bonding doesn't take place because of the uneasiness or tension you feel with this person.

Research shows that we like people who are like us. The old adage of opposites attracting may work for the initial stages of a relationship, but studies show that both business and personal relationships are more successful over the long term when people share similar values, experiences, goals and ideals.

Sharing even superficial qualities such as age group and background can lead to stronger connections. So how do you find out what's on someone's mind, so you can bond with them?

That's simple: listen carefully and pick up on what they say. We get important clues from people when we listen carefully. Chances are, when someone mentions something, it's because that topic is on their mind. This means it's important to them.

By asking about the topics people bring up, you give them a chance to talk about something that concerns them. Then they will start talking openly and you will forge a bond. As a by-product, they are likely to think you are a brilliant conversationalist. You make powerful connections when you show sincerely warmth and interest in a topic your conversation partner brings up.

We all like people who are like us because they feel comfortable and familiar. When people say, I like you, they really mean, I am like you. When you feel similar to someone, you experience warm feelings of rapport.

Creating rapport is really very simple. Listen to people and pick up on what they say. They will feel special because you took the time to listen, and you'll find common ground between you.

Do you know the biggest business image mistakes? Find out with these free reports:

7 Business Casual Crimes and How to Solve Them, and 13 Foods that Can Sabotage a Business Meal, when you sign up for my Communication Capsules Ezine at: http://www.Impressforsuccess.com/signup.html

From Lynda Goldman, author of 30 books including How to Make a Million Dollar First Impression.

The Correct Philosophy = Success

By John Melanson

Don't you find that life seems to always come back to ageless truths? I believe it's because, that which holds truth is ageless. Truth is not prone to change like the weather or the wind. The "Correct Philosophy" will be spoken of differently by different speakers, but it always tends to come back to the "Golden Rule" the same message conveyed in unique ways, so that the many different types of people in this world might understand it.

Anything at all that you would like to have in your life is completely available to you and the easiest way to manifest that into your life is to continually assist others in achieving what THEY most want to achieve.

Don't get the idea that this is only some ethereal, spiritual mumbo-jumbo. This is solid practical advice that you will see manifesting in all aspects of your life, business and personal, because they are tied together. You will see personal growth and financial success.

Most people really want the same things in life; happiness, health, the comfort and security of a home and family, good friends, abundance and prosperity all of which bring about the ability to have hope and peace in their life.

We all need our basic needs met before we are able to flourish. After our basic physiological needs are met, A.H. Maslow describes how we then move on to our needs for safety, love, self-esteem and ultimately "Se-Actualization" in his "Hierarchy of Needs". His text is really just another fancy way of saying what I said in the first sentence of this paragraph,"We all need our basic needs met before we are able to flourish." This is the first realization on the road to success.

The "Golden Rule" exists in one descriptive form or another across all of the world's religions. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Some may put it this way, "Treat people as you would want to be treated.", but my personal take on it is this, " Treat people the way that THEY want to be treated." The last is the most difficult to understand and put into practice, but when you do you will realize the key it holds to your success.

As you realize these things and put them into practice you not only set yourself up to have the necessary help around you when you require it, but you learn that through helping others achieve success, you too achieve success. Surround yourself in an aura of gratitude for all that you have and present yourself with a servant's heart and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Having the correct philosophy will equal success for you and all of those that you help.

john@therisingpath.com
http://therisingpath.com

How to Forecast Future Trends - 6 Waves + 4 Steps

By Frank Feather

The "Big Picture"

To forecast future trends effectively, and with precision, you must step back to see the "big picture" of how current and upcoming trends might evolve over various time intervals, and then assess their trajectory, speed, and interaction.

Essentially, you compile a "jigsaw puzzle" of what the future will be like. You never have all the pieces, and they constantly change in shape, size, and color, thus reflecting the world in a state of flux. By looking for trend patterns, you can anticipate their magnitude - and thus "see" or envision their outcome with a high degree of accuracy. It is akin to very long-range weather forecasting, using satellite imagery to track the biggest trends.

Future trends emerge in two major, matrix-like dimensions:

*"6-WAVE": 6 layered waves of future trends, each wave overlapped by the next, as society develops and modernizes; and

*"4-STEP": 58-year mega-cycle of social, technical, economic, and political trends.

The resulting mega-cycling waves of future trends bring a "6-WAVE + 4-STEP" kaleidoscope of change - a giant multi-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. You then plot this satellite "map" of anticipated future trends across a 20-Year Timetable of 5-year intervals. It serves as a guide to decision-making and action - by individuals, societies, professions, organizations, industries, and governments.

"6-WAVE" Layers

In his book The Third Wave, futurist Alvin Toffler referred to the Agricultural Era and the Industrial Age as 1st-Wave Society and 2nd-Wave Society respectively. Third Wave Society is the post-Industrial period already well underway since about 1950 in the West.

Under-developed countries are stuck in a rut; bogged down as 1st-Wave agrarian societies, with people still living hand to mouth, working on a labor-intensive basis, just as people in Western countries did in their Agricultural Age. By contrast, rapidly-developing countries, such as China, are seeing a continual shift into the industrial and service sectors.

All economies modernize across this "1st-2nd-3rd Wave" path of development. Western nations have already moved beyond the 3rd-Wave, which is now so large that it employs about 85% of the North American work force. Indeed, Toffler's "Third Wave" must now itself be divided into four distinct waves, giving us 6 waves or economic layers in total:

1st Wave: Agriculture (and natural resources)
2nd Wave: Industry (manufacturing, transport)
3rd Wave: Services (financial, health, personal)
4th Wave: Information (knowledge, high-tech, bio-tech)
5th Wave: Leisure (entertainment, travel, tourism) 6th Wave: Outer Space.

These 6 waves exist simultaneously, though at any one time one wave predominates. The new waves pile on top of the old ones, building the economy higher. The old waves rarely disappear; the new waves complement them. For example, 2nd-wave machines also modernize 1st-wave agriculture. The 4th-Wave is not just spawning the digital economy; it is modernizing every sector - farm, factory, office, hospital, hotel, airline. The 4th-Wave is now the main employer in the West.

National fortunes vary, depending on the urge to change, the degree of innovation, and the political climate. In the future, the leading nations will be those with strong 4th- and 5th-Wave sectors. Indeed, countries such as China and India already have ambitious 6th-Wave space programs.

"4-STEP" Mega-Cycle
These 6 massive waves interact in a "4-STEP" long-wave cycle, about 58 years long. "4-STEP" stands for a Social, Technical, Economic, and Political sequence of change. The current long wave started around 1990. Within it are six 9.5-year midi-cycles, which is why the economy currently is slowing in 2008-9. The next 9.5-year cycle will peak in 2018-9, and so on, until the full long-wave culminates in a major slowdown around 2048.

STEP 1 - Social Motivation
Change is driven by human forces. As we progress through the "hierarchy of needs," we generate new ideas to sustain our progress. We apply these ideas to techno-innovation. Today, as the 4th Wave spreads globally, innovations spread like lightning, again changing needs and aspirations. Any society that fails to innovate will stay stuck in the old wave, often missing several long wave cycles.

STEP 2 - Techno-Innovation
New ideas spur research, pushing back the frontiers of science, and spawning still more future trends in technology. The more efficient and productive the new technology, the greater its economic and social benefit. The greatest techno-change in world history is the Internet Revolution, or what I call the Webolution, which is a huge wealth-creation phenomenon.

STEP 3 - Eco-Modernization
The third step, therefore, is the effective management of technology to restructure and modernize the economy - to orchestrate the production of worldwide wealth. The Webolution is creating massive productivity gains, which always lead to real increases in wealth.

STEP 4 - Political Reform
Finally, to ensure that people benefit from this new wave of modernization, the entire 4-STEP cycle must be elevated to a higher level, so that people are incentivized to start the process all over again. To allow this, political systems inevitably will reform - preferably by consensus, but by upheaval if necessary. Otherwise, corrupt regimes and despots garner all the gains. Bureaucracy and entrenched power bases arise. Thus disenfranchised and disenchanted, people lose all incentive to innovate. Eventually, however, trends will overwhelm the system's resistance to change. It will reform or be overthrown.

In sum, the world is in constant transition, climbing 6 waves of modernization and crossing the 4-STEP cycle of change. This occurs in varying degrees and speeds, over different timeframes.

The task of the futurist is to identify, track, and forecast the next future, identifying threats and opportunities. Anyone who can "see" and "map" their future in this way, and takes the necessary steps to change, will grow and succeed in every way. Those who fail to "see" their future will simply end up in the wrong place.

Frank Feather is a futurist, Web expert, strategy consultant, speaker, radio host, and author of Biznets: The Webopoly Future of Business. Also the SelfGrowth.com Official Guide on Future Trends, his "hub" is http://www.Future-Trends.com

The Most Powerful But Most Dangerous Place To Be - The Comfort Zone

By Steyn Viljoen

There is one thing on this planet that gives children (and some adults) more power than they would ever imagine. We have all experienced it before and if you can get hold of it, you experience freedom and satisfaction that surpass all understanding. With this 'thing', you can control how people feel around you as well as how they might react towards you... You can call it whatever you want to, but I just call it the TV remote.

We all know the divine moment you experience when you can get to the remote first. What makes it even more powerful, is when you have reserved parking in the most comfortable chair in the room. This is such a comfortable place to be in, and we can control virtually everything around us, but in this comfy place, you are marked with one big red bull's eye. You are the target for world war 3.

Similarly, we all find ourselves in such a spot somewhere in our lives. This comfort zone we all find ourselves in, is such a powerful place because we always tend to find something in it that we can use to control things. It gives us power to make any decision we want to and it even gives us the power to manipulate people. But every comfort zone is marked with one giant, red, bull's eyes.

Why? Because no one can grow while he/she is in a comfort zone. And if you look around you, you don't have to look very far to see that the natural tendency of life is to grow. Plants grow, animals grow, people grow not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. If you find yourself in such a place where you don't grow, unwanted things (challenges) will start to occur so that you can grow so that the balance in life can be maintained. Obviously no one on this Earth can escape challenges, but you can pick the challenges or they can pick themselves (many times unwanted ones).

So how do you know you are in a comfort zone? It might be a good indication that you are in a comfort zone when you are bored, keep on being mentally tired, where you have become complacent, or where you are not inspired and moved by what you do.

Look around you, look inside you, deeply inside you. Where do you experience some major challenges or problems in your life; work, relationships, self? The chances that you are in a comfort zone are quite big. For as long as you stay in that comfy little place where you are most relaxed and undisturbed, you will be the target of unwanted challenges.

What can you do right now to get you out of that comfort zone/s?

As a coach I see you as creative and resourceful and therefore you already have all the answers to get you out of it. Unfortunately most of us find ourselves in a comfort zone where we don't want to ask us the necessary powerful questions needed to get us out of it. If we do ask us these very important questions, we wait for someone else, or the right time to get us out of it.

My passion (and job) as a coach, is to guide you on a journey of self exploration and discovery through powerful questioning so that you can get out of these comfort zones. Through this exploration and discovery process, you start to set goals that are not just outrageously big and life changing, but these are the goals that are right for you. These are the goals wherein you find your voice. These are the goals that make you a History maker and a World shaker.

Start this journey by discovering the right goals for you and receive a free goals report.

All journeys starts with a destination. A destination without goals is useless. But it is not just goals that makes us history makers and world shakers, but the right goals that does.

What goals will revolutionize your life in 2008 and take you on a journey to become a history maker and a world shaker?

Get your free in less than 5 minutes.

Steyn Viljoen
Professional Certified Coach
Cog Coaching
http://www.cogcoaching.com/

How To Put Concepts Into Action

By Wong Chendong

In order to blow the lid off your business, run circles around your competitors and have an abundance of time to do all the fun things you want to do as a result of your wealth and success, there are three ways you need to stay laser focused and maximally productive.

1. Focus on your strength and what you enjoy most. The first step in distinguishing a 20 percent item is to decide what it is you are good at doing and what you enjoy and outsource the rest. If building a web page is not your area of strength then don't waste your valuable time trying to build one. Instead, hire someone to do this work for you at a small fee. It is worth the money spent because it will save your time in headaches and frustration, plus the time you spend on things you're not good at robs you of the time that could be spend on your strength areas. The frustration of doing activities you don't enjoy lower your energy and affects your effectiveness in other areas of your business.
2. Focus on "dollar-productive" activities. Look at areas in your business that will directly bring you money after you determined your area of strength. It is simple to get stuck in the minutia of editing your videos, tweaking your ebooks or making your graphics look just right. Remember this and put it in your mind, the killer of any business is perfectionism. Just get your product out there and start thinking like the big software companies. One example of this is Microsoft, you don't see them waiting until their latest version of windows is perfect and running with zero glitches then release it. Microsoft make improvement via software update when the got to the public by their stated release date. Focus on making money on your product that have completed enough to release, then make improvement as you go. The benefit of this method is that you will receive undoubtedly great feedback that will be invaluable in guiding you in the creation of future products and service by your customers.
3. Complete your "Big Rock". The above two important steps is to identify your top 20 percent of work, now in this step shows you how to stay focus on accomplishing that 20 percent each day. This is by far the most effective way to make great progress and see huge results quickly at first glance. First thing is the morning, especially if you don't feel like doing them, is to ensure that you complete your daily "Big Rock" items first. People fail in this business for one of the biggest reason and the reason is they simply don't take action. Emotion follow action, not the other way around. Your feeling of avoidance or procrastination are action itself which will override and build positive momentum.The Unfortunate flip side is that if you allow your feeling to dictate whether you take action or not, you will reinforce those feelings, making it more difficult to take action the next time.There is no better way to make rapid and dramatic progress in your business and you will enjoy your work more as you begin seeing result of your actions. Building these habits will help eliminate the draining feeling of being scattered, overwhelmed and not knowing what action to take next.

Wong Chendong is the Webmaster of EmpireDotCom.com (The Internet Marketing Empire)

Get tips, strategies and secrets of Internet Marketing at http://www.empiredotcom.com/