Is Success in Your DNA?

By Darren Hardy of 'Success' magazine

“Success just isn’t in your DNA.”

I’ll never forget the day she said those words to me.

I was in eleventh grade English class, and it was a Friday. I was eager for the bell to ring so I could get to baseball practice. We had a big game that night. As the bell tolled the teacher asked me to come to her office after class.

I knew this couldn’t be good.

I sat across from her as she handed me our most recent essay test with a big red letter that came much later in the alphabet than I had hoped. She told me not to be discouraged - that everyone has different skills and that this just wasn’t my “thing.”

“But even if you aren’t successful at writing,” she continued, “You can be successful at other things, like baseball. Didn’t you hit a home run last weekend?”

I knew she was trying to be helpful, but there was something about what she said that I didn’t like.

Her tone implied it had already been decided, not just that I wasn’t successful at writing but that I couldn’t be. And when I questioned her, she answered: “That kind of success just isn’t in your DNA, Darren.”

It’s true. My DNA certainly wasn’t extraordinary. My mother was absent, living a couple thousand miles away, working, I think, as a waitress and sometimes bartender. My dad was a college football coach with fewer nurturing instincts than a frat boy.

If you were to count up the “success strands” in my double helix, it wouldn’t add up to much, and my teacher had clearly done the math. But then again…

* Benjamin Franklin was the 15th of 17 children, had two years of schooling and was the son of a candle maker.
* Ralph Lauren was the son of a house painter.
* Steve Jobs was born to two college students who also gave him away to adoption.
* Sara Blakely, self-made (now) billionaire and founder of Spanx, had planned to be a lawyer until she failed the LSAT. Twice.
* Mark Cuban was born to an automobile upholsterer. He started as a bartender, then as a software sales person from which he was fired.
* Sean “P. Diddy, Puff Daddy” Combs lived in public housing in Harlem where his father was shot to death when he was two.
* Susie Orman’s dad was a chicken farmer, her mother was a secretary. Susie started as a waitress.
* Former General Colin Powell was born in Harlem to immigrant parents from Jamaica. He as a solid C student.
* Tony Hawk was so attention deficit, hyperactive that he was tested for psychological problems.
* Oprah Winfrey was born to a teenage mother in poverty-stricken rural Mississippi.
* Both my mentors - Jim Rohn and Paul J. Meyer - barely squeaked out of high school.

And the list goes on, and on, and on.

I wonder if any of their teachers ever sat them down and told them success just wasn’t in their DNA? Think how our world would be different if they had believed it, if they hadn’t gone on to create and live such extraordinary lives.

I wonder if anyone has ever said that to you?

I had a lot of time to think about what my teacher had said as I stood in the outfield that Friday night and somewhere during a home run lap, I vowed to prove her wrong.

Well I wonder if New York Times best-selling author and publisher and editor of SUCCESS magazine is enough… HA! Take that Mrs. So and So…. whom I’d love to rub your nose in it (just a little!) but I can’t remember your name - that is how much I have erased your commentary from my brain!

And really, it’s not all Mrs. So and So’s fault. During the 1920s America experienced a brief infatuation with eugenics and the idea that a man’s destiny and character were almost entirely determined by his DNA.

I know, ridiculous, right? But let’s remember during the same time they were performing lobotomies and shock therapy as regular practice for depression, and “coloreds” and women were not considered equal in the “All men are created equal” line of the Declaration of Independence.

Thankfully, ALL those crazy beliefs have been dispelled now. Including the one that your destiny and potential has anything to do with your DNA.

Here’s the deal. No matter what your DNA, or who calls you into their office and says what they say, YOU always get to decide. YOU are the creator of your destiny while you traverse this planet.

Success IS in your DNA.

And a final thank you to Mrs. So and So. Thank you for ticking me off, thus firing me up to prove you wrong. That was very helpful.

Article source: http://tiny.cc/SuccessDNA

7 Fears Most Likely Sabotaging Your Dreams & How to Deal With Them

By The Personal Freedom Project

LET'S jump straight into this one.

1. Failure

Fear of failure stops you from doing the thing you really want to do, procrastinating and keeping yourself doing everything else except the thing you really want to do or NEED to.

I know because sometimes I do it too. (Yes I’m human.) Get over it by:

* Remembering why you wanted to do what you're doing in the first place

* Setting mini-targets

* Asking – What’s the worst case scenario?

* Positive Thinking 

Feel the fear and do it anyway!

 

2.  What others might think or say

In my opinion there are 2 sides to this, you may not agree with me:

* First – no-one cares what you do because they are too worried about their own fears to worry about you. (Not always but mostly)

* Second – someone will always have something negative to say, based on their own fears, that really never has anything to do with you!

* Third – I know I said 2 sides but here’s something else you need to know - you limit yourself by worrying what ‘others’ think.

Heck everyone might just be happy that you decided to do something that you really want to!

Yes, the haters will still be there. Do it anyway. Give them something to say. They’ll think what they want, in any case.

 

3. Accomplishing goals & dreams

If you're fearful about being successful you are not alone. This is one of the obstacles that holds many others back from taking action. How to get past this:

* Find your purpose. Find people who have already accomplished what you want to do – join groups, forums and build up a network so you can get support. Have you joined my Facebook community yet? AND liked the page?

* Inspirational, kick-butt-into-action materials – like positive thinking books, audios or videos.

* Develop the skills required for you to accomplish your goals by taking courses and reading books.

 

4. Fear of rejection

We all fear being rejected and this has probably come from past experiences mixed with the fear of the unknown. You don’t think you're good enough, mixed with what others will think.

It's going to happen at some point. Accept it and embrace it so that if and when it happens you can get up and move on.

To do this, have your goals in place, so if you are rejected you remember what you went after - what you wanted in the first place. You can get up and keep moving forward.

Visualize how you want things to be, then take action.

 

5. Making mistakes

Mistakes help you learn lessons that help you make better choices next time. Mistakes are there to help you. As harsh as that may sound, we all make mistakes.

It's how you respond to them that makes the difference. If you're held back by making mistakes, realize it's part of your learning journey. Listen to what ‘feels’ like the right thing to do… then do it!

 

6. Fear of the unknown

Our accomplishment at anything requires that we step into the unknown. Things don’t always go as planned and they’re not supposed to. As I’ve heard it quoted before “replace fear of the unknown with curiosity.” 

I’ve tried it too and it helps, when you're afraid to take action because you don’t know what the outcome will be. What will happen when you take that next step? What will happen if you don’t?

 

7. Change of career or (anything else for that matter)

OK, so you love your current job but want to become a writer, guitar player or, heck, you just want to own your own property empire.

Because your family matters. Right?

You and your sanity matter. Right?

And when you find your purpose, you will want to start something new.

 

Questions to ask yourself to get you over your fear of starting something new:

* Am I scared to fail?

* Am I afraid of what others might think or say?

* Am I scared of making a success of it?

* Will others reject me?

* Am I scared to take the next step?

* Or am I letting the fear off the unknown stop me?

If there are any ‘yes’ answers here, you might want to read what I previously wrote above for each ‘yes’.

 

Pain vs Fear

The pain of staying where you are in your current circumstances has got to be greater than fear of moving forward! That’s when the magic happens.

 

Time

As for time and being committed to your ultimate destination, yes I know you're limited to a certain amount of hours each day. You work, have kids, chores to get done and so many other things going on'

But taking some steps each day towards the bigger picture - the lifestyle and the freedom - will be absolutely worth it in the end! Small steps count too.

Action

You must adopt a new habit of doing things in your life, even if you don’t feel like doing what will lead you to where you want to go.

But it’s going to take work – good purposeful, meaningful work and planning that you will enjoy and whenever you see results you will feel a sense of deep satisfaction. Your life is short. Too short.

 

Now feel the fear and do it anyway.

Article source: http://tiny.cc/7Fears

Doing the Impossible

By Darren Hardy of Success magazine

“We are. We are going to stop them.”

It was a promise, a battle cry - to end a country’s longest war. But this battle cry wasn’t bellowed by a mighty Roman general or a U.S. president.

No, it was uttered in a dark room in northern Uganda, to a frightened boy, by a recent college graduate from San Diego.

And it was impossible.

The college kid was Jason Russell, founder of Invisible Children.

The war in Africa led by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and warlord Joseph Kony, the first person indicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide and crimes against humanity.

The boy was 12-year-old Jacob, who - like 30,000 other children - had been abducted by the LRA. Jacob also had watched as his brother was murdered by Kony.

Russell believed that if U.S. citizens knew about these atrocities, they would stop them. But how could Russell and his two co-founders spread the word in the United States? Well, by appearing on Oprah!
But getting on Oprah was about as easy as stopping a war.

April 25, 2009, was the day. In Chicago 3,000 people gathered to demand attention from national news to be the voice for invisible children halfway around the world. An Oprah-worthy crowd, they were certain.

They stood outside in 40 mph winds and sheets of cold rain. The crowd quickly dwindled to 300 freezing-cold, trash-bag-clad believers.

It wasn’t enough.

No media came.

No Oprah Winfrey.

Nothing.

One day, two days, five frigid days passed - days without sleeping, showers or success. They called news stations; they called Oprah’s main switchboard.

Nothing. The brave 300 moved through the city, refusing to give up, but victory looked… impossible.

The sixth day was a Friday. Russsell and his team knew it was their last chance - Oprah didn’t air on the weekend, and the crowd wouldn’t stay. At 2:48 a.m. the troops mobilized, numbering 500 after out-of-town reinforcements arrived.

Before sunrise they walked to the show’s Harpo Studios and, shoulder to shoulder, surrounded the block.

When Winfrey’s car pulled in at 7:15 a.m., she asked her “people” about the ragtag crowd. Her people strongly advised that she stay away - to just ignore them.

But at this point, ignoring them was impossible.

Moments later, Winfrey emerged. She invited Russell and a few others inside.

Those left behind were concerned that they had infuriated the most powerful woman in the world.
Instead they had done the impossible.

She invited them to go on the air, live, in an hour. Right then, right there - Russell and his unstoppable team told the largest, most committed viewing audience in the United States about Kony.

That a war was raging. That children were abducted and murdered brutally and in terrifying numbers. And that together, “We are. We are going to stop them.”


You, too, can do the impossible.

Article Source: http://tiny.cc/DoImposs

Our Shared Condition: Consciousness - with philosopher John Searle

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

IT'S a question that has long vexed the greatest of minds and remains a subject of debate.

Does 'the human consciousness' really exist and if so what form and function does it take?

Philosopher John Searle speaking about 'Our Shared Consciousness'

Even a cursory glance at current opinion reveals deep divisions between different schools of thought.

Well, in the fascinating video you can access below, eminent philosopher John Searle presents his view.

Speaking at CERN - the European Organization for Nuclear Research - in Switzerland, his talk covers:

* Why consciousness is the most important aspect of our lives

* The reasons why there appears to be a reluctance and hostility to the idea of consciousness

* The differing views held by the scientific and spiritual worlds, and why they 'paralyse' our thinking

* Some of the outrageous claims made about consciousness, its form and existence

* Reasons why these views really don't stand up to scrutiny

He also offers his own common-sense definition of what consciousness really is as part of our daily experience.

These are just some of the subjects covered by John in the very lively and insightful talk, which was filmed by TED.

I'm sure you'll find it both enjoyable and enlightening, and come away feeling a lot clearer in your own mind.

Simply click on the link below to go to the original recording:

http://tiny.cc/JSearle

How To Make Your Dreams Come True

By Justin Harmon

“Children see magic because they look for it.” - Christopher Moore

What is it to dream?

Consumed by the chaos that surrounds me, my life is but a mere echo of a faint cry for true freedom and a dream to come true.

I’ve been stuck in a catatonic state of dismay fueled by the fire to dwell in my ever growing abyss of despair.

Will I ever reach the destination which rests in my heart? The place where majestic wonder and perpetual fortitude for life’s greatest pleasures resides? 

OK. So my desire for a poetic entrance has been fulfilled, yet the relevance of the words remain unchained in my persistence towards my own dreams.

I believe there is a dream within all of us. A desire for a future that leaves us free to live openly, fully, and without the constraints of any cultural restrictions we’re presented with.

To dream means so much more than just having a visionary fantasy. Dreaming is a gift we have all been given. A way to envision our greatest desires and aspirations.

There is a problem though. Most of us have come to think of dreaming as an imaginary state reserved only for thought and not meant to become part of our reality.

I disagree with that premise. I believe our dreams can be the catalyst for our life’s transformation into reaching our greatest potential.

If we use the desire towards our dreams for fuel to move us towards them, we can bridge the gap between our dreams and our own reality.

It took me a long time to realize just how much is possible in this world when we put our dreams into action. 

It’s not easy, especially when there is so much skepticism towards being able to achieve our dreams, but I now know it’s possible.

I know it’s possible because I’ve turned one of my long time dreams into a reality, well almost.

When I was in fourth grade, we had a published author, (don’t remember her name) come to our school and give a workshop on writing.

I remember being in awe of the entire experience and being obsessed with the fantasy of one day being a famous published author.

That dream, like most in life, faded as I grew older. I became subjugated by the status quo and the restrictions society placed on me.

I reluctantly got a job, then another, then another … After 30-some jobs and still as lost as I had ever been, I decided to settle. I found a job and decided to stick with it no matter what.

That just hasn’t done it for me, so two years ago I started a blog. I forgot how much I still loved to write. I decided I would write a book, so I did.

I wrote not one, but two eBooks. Then I decided I would write a book to be published and I did. I didn’t do it alone.

I enlisted the help of my newly acquired friends who were making their dreams come true to participate.

After all was said and done, 20 of some of the most remarkable people I know helped bring the long-time dream to life.

I finished the book in August, successfully funded an Indiegogo campaign to help with publishing costs, and then something unexpected happened.

I was contacted by an independent publisher who was interested in turning my once childhood dream into a reality. We worked out an agreement and the book is now in the process of publication.

If all goes as planned, it should be released around the beginning of the New Year.

It’s by no means what I dreamed it would be like, but just by believing my dream was possible and taking some steps towards making it real, I was able to actually make it happen.

I believe anyone can turn their dreams into a reality, even you. I’d like to share some of the things I believe made a world of difference on my path.

Perception

Above all, the way you see what’s possible for your life will be the determining factor to whether you start a journey towards making your dreams real or just continue passively dreaming of 'what ifs'.

If you are up for it and can get past the negative feedback from the naysayers who would never believe in their own ability to turn their dreams into a reality, you can absolutely learn to see your dreams as an inevitable future destination.

Begin to connect and surround yourself with others on a similar path as you and you’ll begin to see how much your perception changes. They will be your inspiration and support, as you will be theirs.

Dedication

You may have heard this before, but I’ve found it to be true. The bigger your dream, the more work you need to put in to make it real.

There is no substitute for hard work except maybe for the dedication to keep working through the most difficult of circumstances.

I came across many pitfalls with periods of low ambition, lost faith, and just plain old laziness.

Those may have stalled my progress from time to time, but I remained dedicated to persist in my efforts and in the end, it was worth it.

Don’t ever stop chasing. Even when you come across a roadblock, it’s OK. Accept it for what it is and keep moving forward. Dreams don’t come true overnight. Sometimes it can take years, even decades.

Strength of Purpose

Not until I came up with a good enough reason to convince myself that going after my dreams was going to be worth it, did I actually make a dedicated commitment to start pursuing them.

The reason I came up with was that I wanted to make some sort of impact in the lives of others.

I had finally come to believe in the possibility for my dreams to come true and I wanted to help others see it for themselves.

Don’t ever underestimate the power of purpose. It can push you through trying times. When you begin to question whether or not you should continue on and you ask yourself what the point is, you’ll know.

Are there more things you need to know to achieve your dreams? Sure, absolutely there are. But you know what? You continue to learn and grow as you move forward towards your dreams.

Just remember it’s all a journey. You can either strive for your dreams or not. The choice is obviously yours.

Will you take a chance on yourself and your dreams?

Article source: http://tiny.cc/DreamOn

The Only Decision-Making Tool You Will Ever Need

By Lolly Daskal

THERE are many theories, tools, and techniques on how to make better decisions.

What would happen if we abandoned all the programs, steps, and processes, and simply allowed a tool that we already possess to lead us toward what we want?

Here’s the only tool you really need: The willingness to follow your heart and the consent to grasp its candor.

Following your heart is about observing, watching, knowing, seeing, feeling, and trusting and it requires only discipline in a few areas:

Trust. Trust your judgment. What you need to decide is already within your scope of intelligence and instinct. No one knows as much as you know about what needs to be done.

Fear. We all have fears, but allowing fear-based decisions fuels them further. It allows doubt to rule.
When we make decisions out of our fear we are allowing our doubt to rule.

Control. Our best decisions are made when we are willing to let go of the illusion of control. It is not that illusion, but the reality of surrender and acceptance that lead us to the truth on which good decisions are made.

Thought. In short, don’t believe everything you think. The head wants us to avoid failure, mistakes, and pitfalls. Its analytical approach will keep us from having the will and courage to make the decisions that lead us to what we really want.

Insight. Confusion sometimes results when we don’t want to agree with the truth. Maybe our truth makes us uncomfortable, and it takes us to our discomfort zone. But confusion disappears in the face of the heart’s truth.

The heart is always helping us to decide, and our confusion is often the smoke screen obscuring our truth.

Following the heart is an individualized experience. But we each have an inner compass providing answers to our questions and challenges in our decision making.

Decision-making from the heart takes courage in trusting and boldness in accepting its challenge.

Following your heart may make you uncomfortable and the discipline may make you feel fearful. But its wisdom will lead you to innovation, creativity, originality, artistry, and resourcefulness and it requires us to surrender and lead from the unfamiliar.

Lead From Within: Following your heart when it comes to decisions will result in getting you where you ought to be, doing what you ought to be doing, and being who you are meant to be.

For coaching, consulting, workshops and speaking. Please feel free to contact me. © 2013 Lolly Daskal. All rights reserved.

Article source: http://tiny.cc/LollyD

Great Xmas 'Flash Mob' Video - Featuring 'Deck the Halls'

Check out this brilliant 'flash mob' movie, courtesy of flickspire.com and the Carlton School of Management.

Just what you need to get you in the mood for the forthcoming festivities... even those who are a little bit 'Scrooge' and prone to a spot of 'Bah, humbug!'

So turn up your sound, hit 'fullscreen' and enjoy! And a very Merry Pre-Christmas to one and all!

Click on the link below to go to the original YouTube video.

Carlson School of Management Flash Mob, Deck the Halls Movie

How To Forgive And Forget: The Truth About Forgiveness

By Doc Orman M.D.

MUCH has been said about forgiveness throughout the ages. Despite all the spiritual and self-help advice we receive, however, most people still find it very difficult to forgive.

While we often say the words "I forgive you" or "let's forget and move on," still deep within our hearts we are not really letting go of most of the anger and blame we feel against someone who may have seriously wronged us. This can result in ongoing personal suffering that, for some, continues to last throughout their lifetime.

The reason why most spiritual and self-help advice about forgiveness doesn't help is because it doesn't delve deeply enough into the actual causes of our anger and blame in the first place. When you correctly understand the true causes of anger in human beings, you begin to deeply appreciate that the most important causes of anger and resentment lie mainly within us, and not with the behavior of others or whatever may have happened in the past.

These internal causes are anger-producing thought patterns and action patterns that become triggered within in our bodies. Often, these internal thought patterns and action or behavior patterns produce "false internal realities" within us that we automatically assume to be true, but that have little correspondence to the truth about what really happened. But we end up getting angry and holding on to our anger anyway, because our bodies automatically assume that all of these "internal realities" are indeed true.

For example, automatic anger-producing thoughts such as "someone did something they shouldn't have done" or "I was hurt or harmed by what happened" or "the other person was unilaterally to blame for what occurred" are frequently incorrect. As a result of these mistaken "internal realities," we conclude that a crime has been committed and that someone should apologize, offer to make amends, and/or be punished. When none of these things occur, or sometimes even when they do, we may find it very difficult to forgive.

There is no way you can "let go" of your anger or truly forgive the past as long as "false internal realities" remain unchallenged within you. You cannot pretend "all is forgiven" when you are certain that: a) you were seriously harmed; b) the other person (or yourself) was unilaterally to blame; and c) this person should have done something different.

THE SECRET TO TRUE FORGIVENESS IS TO CHALLENGE YOUR INTERNAL ASSUMPTIONS THAT LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE AN UNFORGIVABLE CRIME WAS ACTUALLY COMMITTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

The best way to do this is to recognize where your automatic assumptions, which are causing your anger and resentment, are false or misleading. Once you challenge and disprove these "false internal realities," your anger and resentment will quickly disappear, without you having to do anything to try to force this to happen.

Even when a true crime, such as a theft or murder was committed, it is still possible - although not easy - to forgive the offending party. This can sometimes be done by challenging your automatic assumption that the person should have "known better" or should have behaved in a different manner.

Copyright (c) 2013 M.C.Orman, M.D., FLP

Doc Orman, M.D. is a physician, author, stress coach, and founder of The Stress Mastery Academy. To learn more about his advice on how to forgive, as well as how to solve other lingering stress or anxiety problems, visit http://stressandanxietysolutions.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7451728

Unconditional Love: The Key To Lasting Relationships - By Barrie Davenport

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

IT'S a concept with which we're all familiar, that of  'unconditional love'. But what does it actually mean? Is it the love between two life partners?

Is it the love given to a child by his or her parents? Is it the kind of love a faithful pet will offer to its owner?

Some would say that it's any or all of the above... and who could argue?

But where does this, the very strongest and most enduring of human emotions, begin?

Well, the feature you can read via the link below, by Barrie Davenport, has some wonderful insights.

Take a look. It will more than likely open your eyes.

And if you're interested in exploring this idea further, I can highly recommend an excellent book by Marci Shimoff, entitled, 'Love for No Reason - 7 Steps to Creating a Life of Unconditional Love'.

You can find out more about the book and purchase a copy by clicking on the image over to the left of this post, by the title.

To read Barrie's feature, click here: http://tiny.cc/Unconditional

6 Surprising Sources of Happiness - By Brendan Baker

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

DO you sometimes find that the usual activities you indulge in to cheer yourself up or feel happy somehow fail to hit the mark?

It's probably because you've become so used to them and their pleasurable effects that they've lost a degree of their power.

Well, here... just to give you a few new ideas... is a light, fun feature that suggests one or two alternative strategies.

Some may be fairly obvious. Others are certainly not. So why not take a look and give them a try?

At the very least they could give you a fresh, new perspective!

Just click on the following link: 6 Surprising Sources of Happiness

Can The Universe Entrust You With More?

By Douglas R Kruger

SHE was supposed to hand me a single flier. But as I rolled down my window beside the mall's ticket machine, the young promoter - of varsity age, but with lifeless, disinterested eyes - stuffed twenty of them into my hand, along with my parking ticket. 

If you 'ask' the Universe, will it continually deliver?

She could not have cared less about what her employer was trying to achieve. Her level of responsibility extended only as far as, 'I've been given a task', and her logic said that once the fliers ran out, she could simply go home. The pay would be the same either way.

But would it really?

Once I'd parked, I encountered the second young lady, doing the same promotions, but with a different approach. She greeted me, handed me a single flier and with an engaging smile told me that it was for a new store in the mall, pointed out which direction I could go to find it, and mentioned one of the offers they had available that day. She wished me an excellent day further.

Now picture the follow-up calls from the employer. In the first instance, it might sound like this:

'How did it go?'

'Fine.'

'Did people take the fliers?'

'Yes.'

'And did they say anything?'

'No.'

'Anything else happen?'

'No.'

The follow-up call to the second young lady will sound very different:

'How did it go?'

'Fine, thanks. At first people were walking around me, but then I realized that if I stood directly in the entrance and smiled when I greeted them, they were more willing to take the fliers.'

'So they took them?'

'Yes. Particularly young families. I noticed that they were more receptive, so I started to focus on them.'

'And did they say anything?'

'Well, a few people asked for more info on the store, like when it had opened and things like that. I didn't know, so I popped down to the store and asked. That way I knew how to answer the next time. I also started including that info in what I was saying to new people, because that was obviously what they wanted to know about.'

One of these young ladies can be entrusted with more work, higher pay and greater responsibility. The other cannot. One is a Joseph, who can rise to the head of the household, and maybe, ultimately, the head of Pharaoh's Court. The other isn't.

At the core of this dynamic - can the universe entrust you with more success? - is this utterly basic principle: Do you care enough? If you do, you can go the next level. If you don't, you can't. It's self-sifting. The principle comes with its own built-in attrition for the disinterested, disqualifying and discarding the unworthy.

Scale it up and the principle continues to work. As a new business owner, if you clearly care about what you provide, and you take the end result seriously, your work will be different. Your quality will be higher, your fundamental attitude will be noticed, and it will generate more business for you.

Contrarily, see your work as a collection of 'tasks,' not as a means to results, and a shift occurs. Your customers will to feel like intrusions and annoyances, and they can tell when you feel that way about them. Projects become works of system and process, rather than works of heart. Process will only take you so far in the universe's success-hierarchy. Graduation to greater levels requires heart. You have to actually care.

This principle also weeds out the industry toe-dippers from the industry greats. With the passage of time, the people who care deeply will always out-perform those who do not.

Why? Because care more, and you will constantly update your own knowledge. Care more, and you will seek out the best tools. Care more, and you will go where the energy is and keep your thinking fresh.

You will also do very practical things, like taking care of the periphery; for instance, you'll build a brilliant car-port for your customer as well as not destroying their lawn at the same time. Why? Because you understand that building a car-port is only the process. Beautifying their home is the goal; and you care about goals.

You use your imagination more. You think more deeply about what you provide.

Perhaps the universe knows what it's doing after all. Perhaps the industry success stories are not there by luck, chance, or the roll of the 'right place, right time' dice. Perhaps they're there because they earned it. Perhaps they are at the pinnacle because the universe dared them to care, and they rose to the challenge, over and over again.

Douglas Kruger is a professional speaker and author who encourages people to think. He speaks on Expert Positioning and the misunderstood link between work and wealth. He is a 5x winner of the SA Championships for Public Speaking and the author of three books. See him in action or read more of his articles at http://www.douglaskruger.co.za. Email him at kruger@compute.co.za. Follow him on LinkedIn or Twitter: @douglaskruger.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8103054

Dare To Dream – with Debbi Dachinger

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

IF there's one quality that encourages you to listen to a speaker on a particular subject, it's enthusiasm.

And one person who has it in abundance is best-selling author, goal-achievement expert and radio show host, Debbi Dachinger.

I have to admit that I hadn't previously come across any of the books penned by Debbi, whose show is entitled, 'Dare To Dream'.

But she has some wonderful insights to share regarding goal-setting and achieving, the Law of Attraction, and so on.

In this very lively video interview with Mind Movies' Natalie Ledwell, she talks with real passion about these and other subjects.

Notably, she gives some invaluable advice on dealing with fear, fear of failure and truly harnessing your own personal power.

Check it out. It's well worth a look. Simply click on the link below to be taken to the original recording.

http://tiny.cc/s34a7w

The Eagle and The Chicken - A Story of Self-Belief

Courtesy of Paul B. Taubman, II, of All About Gratitude.com

ONCE upon a time, there was a large mountainside, where an eagle’s nest rested. The eagle’s nest contained four large eagle eggs.

Soar like an eagle

One day an earthquake rocked the mountain causing one of the eggs to roll down the mountain, to a chicken farm, located in the valley below.

The chickens knew that they must protect and care for the eagle’s egg, so an old hen volunteered to nurture and raise the large egg.

One day, the egg hatched and a beautiful eagle was born. Sadly, however, the eagle was raised to be a chicken.

Soon, the eagle believed he was nothing more than a chicken. The eagle loved his home and family, but his spirit cried out for more.

While playing a game on the farm one day, the eagle looked to the skies above and noticed a group of mighty eagles soaring in the skies.

“Oh,” the eagle cried, “I wish I could soar like those birds.”

The chickens roared with laughter, “You cannot soar with those birds. You are a chicken and chickens do not soar.”

The eagle continued staring, at his real family up above, dreaming that he could be with them. Each time the eagle would let his dreams be known, he was told it couldn’t be done.

That is what the eagle learned to believe. The eagle, after time, stopped dreaming and continued to live his life like a chicken. Finally, after a long life as a chicken, the eagle passed away.

The moral of the story: You become what you believe you are; so if you ever dream to become an eagle follow your dreams, not the words of a chicken.

- Gary Barnes

Be Well.
Paul.
The Gratitude Guru
Article source: http://tiny.cc/LikeAnEagle

How To Make Stress Your Friend - with Kelly McGonigal, PhD

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

IT'S arguably one of the most serious emotional and physical conditions affecting the modern world.

And there's no shortage of advice on how to tackle it - written, recorded and available through face-to-face consultation.

Kelly McGonigal explaining how 'stress' can be our 'friend'

In fact, 'Stress' might easily be viewed as a 21st century epidemic and a major threat to our long-term health.

Yet that really doesn't need to be the case, according to health psychologist and Stanford lecturer, Kelly McGonigal.

Kelly has actually changed her view completely, to the point that she believes we can now make stress our friend.

And earlier this year, she explained all with a lively and very entertaining presentation at TED.

During the talk, she told of the startling findings from a survey carried out by Harvard University.

She covered the physical responses to stress - including the role played by the 'cuddle hormone', oxytocin.

And she revealed the incredible results achieved when subjects were trained to simply rethink their view of stress.

It's a fascinating presentation, which you can view now, by clicking on the link below:

http://tiny.cc/ol6z6w

Obstacles are Meaningless Next to Your Intention - Jacob Roig

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

HAVE you ever struggled with achieving your goals or objectives, despite starting out full of enthusiasm and determination?

Do you ever find yourself wondering whether you're actually worthy of what you're attempting to attain?

Or maybe you've given up on a project because you, "Just don't have the necessary resources," whether it be money, time, knowledge or whatever?

Well, you're certainly not alone. We've all experienced this at some point in our life.

And there's some great advice on overcoming the problem through the 'Power of Intention' in the feature you can access through the link below. Take a look. It's well worth it.

http://tiny.cc/lf5v6w

Switch Off and Give Yourself a Break - With Richard A Luck

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

DO you ever find it difficult to just sit back, relax and free yourself from all those everyday niggles and problems that most of us are called upon to deal with? If so, you're certainly not alone.

Time to switch off and relax

The hectic pace and ever-increasing demands of modern life leave many of us tired, irritable and unable to 'switch off' even when we are fortunate enough to find time to ourselves.

Well, here's some great advice from personal development specialist Richard A Luck, courtesy of a recent entry in his excellent blog.

He offers some very handy and practical tips aimed at helping you take back control and create the life you actually want to live, as you become 'the Spielberg of your own life'.

Simply click on the link below to be taken to the original blog entry:

http://tiny.cc/RichardL

A Dose of Daily Inspiration - with Vivid Universe

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

HERE - courtesy of VividUniverse.com - is a whole week's worth of inspiring quotes. Hope you enjoy them and that you have a wonderful week, whatever you have planned!

Just click on the link below to be taken directly to the original page.

The Weekly Quote: A Dose of Daily Inspiration » Vivid Universe

Reinvent Yourself And Become Who You Were Meant To Be - With Darren Hardy

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

IF you ever, in one of those quieter moments, sit back and look at your life with a sense that it just hasn't turned out quite as you'd hoped, maybe now's the time to take some action.

Or perhaps you simply feel you've reached the end of one 'journey' and you'd like to embark on something completely new?

Well, in either case, the feature you can access through the link below, from Darren Hardy of 'Success' magazine, has some very pertinent advice.

Along with a little detail of his own background and the numerous changes he's made in his own life, Darren shares his 'Five Keys To Reinventing Yourself'.

It's well worth a read. Just click on the link below:

http://tiny.cc/Reinvent

Adversity, Choice and the Power to Change

ALL of us, at one time or another, have experienced a difficult situation, had setbacks, or dealt with our share of disappointment. Most things that happen to us on a daily basis we can't control. But it is not what happens to us that matters but rather, how we choose to respond.

This is illustrated quite beautifully by the video you can view here. It's about adversity, choice and how we all have the power to make a positive change if we only have the right attitude. Take a look. Simply click on the following link - Carrots, Eggs or Coffee Beans Movie:

Reaching Your Full Potential

By Margo Kirtikar Ph.D.

HOW would you like to reach your full potential? 'Me?' you might think, 'But...' and then you'll begin to list a number of reasons of why it's not possible for you to do that.

Not enough education, bad childhood memories, no support network, you don't think you're smart enough and on and on goes on the list of why it's not possible.

But what if I told you that, 'Yes you can', just like that. All you need to do right away is to change your mindset from the impossible to the possible.

Tell yourself right now that you can, and believe it is possible, against all the odds. Why ever not? It is possible for you to reach your full potential because you just made up your mind that you can do it.

That thought in itself makes it possible. You have already taken the first step on the path towards this goal. All doubts and insecurities have disappeared.

Stand up straight hold your head up high, put a smile on your face and have faith in yourself. Having faith in yourself is the same as having faith in God.

You now expect miracles in your life and you know what, you're going to have them. So be convinced, keep alert and watch out for them.

You are now a full-fledged optimist, you have faith and what's more, you believe in miracles.

Now do you feel energized with that idea? Of course you do. A positive attitude towards life energizes you. It makes you vibrate at a higher level. It's invigorating and exciting.

Doubt, low self esteem, disbelief, despair drain you of your energies and concentration powers. They send your vibration level rocketing downwards leaving you almost paralyzed unable to think, let alone act.

So go back to your positive thoughts, your are now well on the path to reach your full potential, with confidence, commitment and effort.

Good now focus on your goal, as you explore your possibilities. Figure out what your strengths and gifts are. Everyone has some, find out yours and work with that.

Acknowledge your weaknesses and vulnerable points and accept them. It's OK. Don't let this get you down. Everyone has weaknesses.

Successful people use their strong points, to their advantage to get them to their goals and they also reserve some time every day to improve their weaker points.

That is how one gets stronger and better every day, with dedication to a specific goal, unwavering commitment and constant effort. Nothing is achieved without effort.

That's what it takes - focus with self confidence, total commitment, effort and persistence.

Spend a little time every single day on meditation or reflection. Call it quiet time if you prefer; it doesn't matter.

The point is you sit down at a specific time in a specific place every single day to be quiet with yourself, alone with or without your thoughts.

This is called food for your soul. In time you will be in union with your soul. Your soul is the best guide you can have who works with you through your intuition.

You will be astonished at what this little quiet ritual will do for you. In a week's time, you will be calm, centered and balanced.

Your concentration powers will improve, your mind becomes clearer, creative ideas come to you from nowhere, and you will be aware enough to recognize all that and use it all to your advantage.

This is called being Zen. And it's an easy state to achieve - just stick to the ritual and keep at it. After a few months you'll be wondering how you managed to exist without it.

Be Zen. Quiet time is food for your best friend and guide... your soul.

Another thing you will need to do is to allocate a little more time each day to learning. Read, watch videos, visit workshops, whatever is possible and convenient for you to do.

Do whatever it takes to feed your intellect and mental body. Learn about your profession, too, so that you are always well informed. Read news and business magazines relevant to your area of work.

The more you know, the more confidence you will gain and the better you can do your work.

Learning, reading, acquiring knowledge is food for your brain and your intellect. You cannot allow yourself to stagnate. A little every day is better than a lot once in a while.

You will need to take care of your emotional body too.

This you do by giving attention to your private life, your personal relations with all your family members, with your friends and everyone you come in contact with.

This is important for your emotions to keep them balance and alive, so you can practice interacting and communicating with your fellow humans.

It helps you become a sensitive, compassionate, refined character, commanding respect from all around you. Practice kindness, understanding, consideration, compassion and a generosity of heart.

Be happy with yourself who you are and what you are all about. Be authentic and honest always,. You can never go wrong with that and you can sleep like a baby at night.

You are unique - there's no one else out there just like you. Be proud of who you are and do everything in life so you can remain proud of who you are. Be a person of integrity that everyone can trust.

Practice trust, honesty and good humor.

Be grateful and make a point of being grateful every single day for what you have. Don't yearn for what you don't have. Yearning for something far away is a waste of time

Of course you can dream, but don't let the yearning eat you up inside. Instead work on achieving a little more every day of what you aspire for, without losing sight of what is right and wrong.

We build our future brick by brick and we need to make sure that every brick is solid and of good quality before we add the next one on top. Otherwise, whatever we build will topple down like a pack of cards.

We live in a complex world; there's much that no one really understands. But with modern technology we have all the knowledge possible at our fingertips.

We need to be curious and enthusiastic about knowledge and about life in general. Changes are coming fast so we can't afford to be rigid in our viewpoints.

Stay with it and be informed of what goes on at work, at home, and in the world at large.

Have an open mind and be flexible. Keep what makes sense and forget what does not make sense to you.

And don't hesitate to change your mind if you find yourself on the wrong track. On the other hand, do not give up too easily.

Last but not least, don't be too shy or afraid to ask for help from experts. Don't allow yourself to be misguided, bullied or talked into doing anything you don't want to do.

Think for yourself. You make up your own mind. Don't let others make up your mind for you.

You are unfolding like a flower bud, enjoy the process, laugh and have fun.

-----

I have dedicated my life to helping, coaching, guiding, people on their life path. My clients find me through word of mouth, or through the web, my blog and articles.

My main website is http://www.margokirtikar.com. My email is margoatmargokirtikar.com and you can read my blog at http://www.mindempowerment.net/blog.

I am a spiritual teacher - nothing to do with any specific religion. That is your own private matter. What I do is I help you to contact your inner Divine Spark and that is what helps you to reach your full potential.

That little Divine Spark of God within you is the Spirit within that needs to come through to shine through you. This applies to all human beings of every color, race, gender and religious belief.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7209402

5 Steps To Align With Your Purpose – with Aline Boundy

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

IT'S a sad fact that many people resign themselves to a life that's less than fulfilling and a job or career that they don't really enjoy.

And given the general consensus of opinion that work is meant to 'be a drudge', you can see why.

Little wonder, then, that the attitude tends to be one of, "I'd love to (fill in the blank), but I'm too old/not clever enough/not rich enough..." and so on.

One woman who did manage to break out of this mindset, however, is UK-based professional trainer and life coach, Aline Boundy.

A school teacher for over 30 years and a very busy parent, well-used to putting others before herself, Aline now heads up a hugely successful Telesummit Series.

This series helps others to do exactly what she did, with the help of some very eminent speakers and specialists within the personal development industry.

One such person is Mind Movies' Natalie Ledwell, who interviews Aline in the video you can access below about her '5 Steps To Align With Your Purpose'.

They're simple, logical and very insightful. Best of all, she leaves nothing out. Take a look by clicking on the link below:

http://tiny.cc/4p975w

Making A Great First Impression (Part 3) with Darren Hardy of Success magazine

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

WELCOME to the third and final feature from Darren Hardy of 'Success' magazine, on 'Making a Great First Impression'.

Do you make a great first impression?

This time he covers the importance of being positive and clearly showing appreciation, where you feel it's due.

He also reminds us of the immense value to be gain through the simple act of giving.

To go to Darren's original feature, simply click on the link below:

http://tiny.cc/FirstImp3

And if you missed the first two, you can revisit them using the following links - http://tiny.cc/FirstImp1 and http://tiny.cc/FirstImp2

Making A Great First Impression (Part 2) with Darren Hardy of Success magazine

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

IN this, the second of three features, publisher and editorial director of 'Success' magazine, Darren Hardy, continues his look at how to 'Make A Great First Impression'.

Do you make a great impression?

He examines three very important factors, this time around, namely:

* How best to treat people if you want them to warm to you.

* Why it's vital that you take a sincere interest in them.

And...

* What you must absolutely STOP doing, if you're want to leave people with the best possible recollection of who you are.

Once again, it's full of great advice and is beautifully written. Just click on this link to be taken to the original article – http://tiny.cc/FirstImp2

If you missed the first 'episode', by the way, you can view it by clicking here – http://tiny.cc/FirstImp1

Making A Great First Impression – with Darren Hardy of 'Success' Magazine

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

It's a sobering and slightly scary thought that people we meet for the first time make up their minds about us, subconsciously, within seconds of the encounter.

This clearly has important implications in many areas of life - for both personal and professional relationships. So how do you make a great first impression?

Publisher and editorial director of 'Success' magazine, Darren Hardy, has some excellent advice in this the first of three features. Simply click on the link below:

http://tiny.cc/FirstImp1

Make a Wish or Achieve your Dream?

Make a Wish or Achieve your Dream?

What's the difference between a 'wish' and a 'dream'? Check out this great feature by Krantcents, which includes five clear steps to reaching your dreams. Click on the title above...

What Is Conscious Creation?

By Patricia A Craig

CONSCIOUS creation – also known as the Law of Attraction – is the belief that each of us creates our own reality.

These two metaphysical terms are defined similarly and are often interchanged with the scientific term, Quantum Physics.

The principles of Conscious Creation/Law of Attraction suggest that what you focus on consistently with great emotion and with the most dominant belief is actually what manifests in your life.

In simple terms, ‘Thoughts become things’.

Quantum physics is the branch of physics which provides us with the description of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interaction of matter and energy.

In simpler terms, in comparison to the definition of Law of Attraction, thoughts are energy. The energy of our thoughts combines with emotion and dominant belief.

This combination affects what is attracted to us and determines what manifests into our lives. Our thoughts do create things. We are the creator of our lives.

What we need to keep in mind here is that everything is energy, including our thoughts. We also need to keep in mind that there is a huge mis-perception that anything with form is a solid mass.

If we were to put any physical item under a high-powered microscope and view it, we would see that, actually, the mass is not a solid at all. Solid form is an optical illusion.

What is really occurring is that atoms are vibrating and slamming into one another, creating the illusion of a solid mass.

To help you to understand the Law of Attraction theory a little better, I would like to use how an echo functions as an example.

We know that an echo imitates a sound or a wave and then returns the sound or wave back to its original source.

Your thoughts are energy. When you consistently focus your thoughts, they travel outward like an echo into the Quantum field of the Universe.

Once the Universe receives the wave of thought signal, it returns the signal back to its original source in the form of a physical manifestation.

If you are confused about what it is exactly I am saying to you, I will try to clear it up with a true story:

I always cut out and/or collect pictures of people, places, things or experiences I desire. I keep the pictures on some sort of vision board, whether it is a physical board or an electronic form of a vision board.

There is one particular person I have on my vision board that I not only wanted to meet but also wanted the opportunity to spend some time with, in a more intimate setting where I would have the freedom to ask him anything.

I also thought how exciting it would be to see his house. The person that I am referring to is Mr. John Assaraf.

John describes himself as an entrepreneur, researcher, and explorer of consciousness and human behavior.

He is also most noted for his appearance in the movie ‘The Secret’, where he talks about how he manifested the house of his dreams and didn’t even realize he was living in it.

This is the exact house I wanted to see for myself. Consistently every day, I would focus on the items on my vision board.

I would imagine myself talking with John and enjoying his company as we sat comfortably in his living room. I felt the enjoyment, the fun, the excitement in my body as I visualized this on a daily basis.

One day, when I was writing on my Facebook wall, I noticed an ad from I-Grasshopper. They were offering a course called Quantum Transformation for a really reasonable price.

I am not one for clicking on ads but I felt really drawn to click on the ad and so I did.

I did not know it at the time but the instructors of the course were actually friends with John Assaraf. I was so excited when I learned John would be a guest on one of the conference calls.

I even got to personally say hello to John on the call and have a brief interaction with him as he asked where I was calling in from. I was so thrilled!

I was even more excited when we were told that a small group of us were going to be given the opportunity to meet John at his house and spend the day with him.

And, you guessed it... What I focused on consistently with great positive emotion and faith was sent out to the Universe as an echo; the Universe returned to me as a physical manifestation of my desire.

I got to not only meet John Assaraf but also spend the day with him in an intimate setting which was located in the very house he spoke of in the movie, ‘The Secret’. Thoughts do create things!

Imagine your thoughts as if they were a person sitting in the driver’s seat of a car. Thoughts are what ‘drive’ you.

The emotions behind a thought represent the gas pedal. In other words, emotions are the accelerator. Consistently thinking about something would be your ‘focus’.

Your focus is your directional navigation. In other words what direction are you steering your thoughts?

Are you focused on what you desire or more so on what you lack? The greater the emotion is behind a thought, the faster the manifestation shows up in your reality.

If you want to know exactly what your emotionally charged consistent focus has been, observe your surroundings.

Notice what is in your reality. What have you observed? Are there things in your life right now that you do not want? Are there things you would like to change?

Are there things you have been struggling with for a very long time?

Please understand as you are noticing the things that you do not want, do not judge them or yourself.

Judging only places more focus on what you do not want and gives more energy flow to the things you do not want.

Take the stance that nothing is good or bad; it is just where you are right now based on a previous thought. The exciting news is a thought can be changed!

We are always in a continuous stream of creation. Everything in your life has been created from a thought from your past – a thought can be changed.

Thus it is possible in theory that you can change your past and create a new reality just by the simple act of ‘changing your mind’.

For more information on conscious creation and learn how to generate infinite possibilities so you can create a new reality, go to http://www.echosofspirit.com/apps/webstore/products/category/1032251?page=1

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patricia_A_Craig

Living Your Life For You!

By Kerry A Flinders

ARE you stuck living someone else's ideas of what your life should be about?

Are you going to school for something your parents pushed on you?

Are you doing things just because you think your spouse expects you to?

Many times in Life Coaching sessions with my clients, it will be come painfully clear that one of the biggest problems they are having is that they are living a life someone else has designed for them.

Why on earth would someone live a life someone else wants for them?

Usually, the main reason, is their parents. When we're growing up we must do whatever it is that our parents insist we do. We really don't have any choice in that matter.

The problem is that most parents think they know what's best for their child well beyond their childhood.

Many parents expect their children to pursue certain educational goals. I've heard of many parents who will pay for their child's college, but ONLY if they major in exactly what the parent decides they are to major in.

Other parents use disappointment and guilt to persuade their adult child to live a life the parent feels is best.

Parents aren't the only ones inflicting their ideas on my clients, however.

I have some clients who are working jobs they absolutely hate because their spouse would never, ever understand them quitting for a different job they'd like better.

Sometimes my client will be living a life they only "think" other people want them to live.

These other people didn't ever come out and force a path on them, but my client feels as if they have and then walks a path they don't want to... to try to please someone who doesn't even care.

Are you doing this? Are you allowing others to decide what life you are living?

This is a mistake. It's always a mistake.

Even if you are about to head to college, and you find out from your parents that the ONLY way they will pay for your college education is if you major in Business, but you want to major in Art...

I don't recommend caving in and taking the free education in a topic in which you have no interest.

There are many ways to find the money for a higher education... in a topic you actually want to pursue.

Stop selling yourself short. Stop living a life others think is best for you.

Until you decide what you really want from your life and start living accordingly you are going to have a hard time finding peace and happiness.

Take the time to decide what it is that YOU want from your own life. Stop worrying about what others will think of your decisions.

You are not here to please them, you are here to be the best 'You' you can be. You are here to figure out your own happiness, your own paths.

Remember, when you are a happy individual, it will positively effect every relationship you are in. Put your efforts into living the life YOU want for yourself from now on.

Kerry A Flinders is the founder of Kerry Flinders Hypnosis & Life Coaching. Kerry is dedicated to helping others achieve their goals and move forward in life, easily.

At www.kerryflindershypnosis.com you can find Life Coaching Programs for every budget, as well as hundreds of Hypnosis Downloads to help you make changes easily.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7164163

The Fringe Benefits of Failure – By J K Rowling

Posted by John Lee

AS a woman whose incredible talent as a storyteller brought us the wondrous tales of Harry Potter, JK Rowling might appear to be someone who leads a magical life.

Author JK Rowling delivering her Harvard Commencement Address

And the great wealth and acclaim that she's deservedly amassed, courtesy of the hugely popular series of books has surely brought a certain contentment.

Yet here is someone who has suffered her fair share of hardship, living in poverty for a proportion of her adult life.

And in the video below – a recording of her Harvard Commencement Address in 2008 – the renowned British author tells her inspiring story.

She talks of her own 'epic failure' and the effects that it had, the invaluable lessons that she gained in terms of her own inner strength, plus the inevitabilty of failure in everyone's life.

She also examines the huge power of the imagination – not only to create and transform, but to empathise with the lives, fears and struggles of others.

And there are harrowing, yet heart-warming stories of her time as a young woman, working for Amnesty International in London.

Whether you're a Harry Potter fan or not, there are some invaluable lessons to be learned, here, about the benefits of failure, the need to connect with others and the value of friendship.

Take a look. Click on the link below to go to the original recording.

http://youtu.be/wHGqp8lz36c