How To Think Much, Much Bigger This Year

By Douglas R Kruger

YOU'RE the sort of person who doesn't set piddly little goals. No, no. You chase fat, behemoth, stonking great, mamma-of-all-megaladon goals.

When your goals go by, water reverberates in puddles. I like that about you. And I'd like to help you to take your ambition one step further.

Douglas R Kruger

It requires bravery and vision to decide that you want to add an extra zero to your income, or radically change your rankings in the industry in which you operate.

Or conquer the world in some shape or form.

But now that you've exhibited the bravery and made the decision, do you know what to do next? Sometimes we flounder with the practicality of these decisions.

We know we want to, but the first step feels a bit like trying to grab a fistful of mist. How do you start, gain a foothold, or begin to access this amorphous blob of an ambition?

Here are some practical starting points for you. Use the following mental nudges to get going:

1. Are you 'merely' emulating the best in your group?

Whether it's your peers, a support group, or some sort of professional society, groups of like-minded people are extremely good for you when you're starting out.

They teach you the norms, the ropes and the tricks of the trade. They shorten your learning curve.

But in your quest to go above and beyond, groups of this nature can actually be a hindrance. They provide a level of thinking; a sort of mental atmosphere; which can have a normalizing effect on your thinking.

As a salesperson, for instance, are you limiting your performance to the median average of your peers? Or merely trying to outdo them, rather than thinking much bigger?

As an entrepreneur, are you happy to do as well as your friends are doing?

Are you 'merely' emulating the best practitioners in your immediate group? That's dangerous.

You need to think in far more spectacular terms, or you will simply merge into the group and sink into its marshy momentum. Be grateful for what they've taught you. And then move beyond.

2. What does the international pinnacle actually look like?

In the same way that we tend to observe the group around us, and allow that to create our norm, we also observe the leading lights in our nation and hope to emulate them.

That's also a bad call. If the limits of your thinking are to copy the best locally, the most you can hope for is to become a pale imitation of, in a certain region.

To think much, much bigger, ask yourself what the daily norm of the world leaders in your sphere looks like? How big can this thing of yours really get?

At its utmost level on earth, among the highest performers of humanity; what do they do each day? Could you do the same? Or, better still, more? Bigger?

3. Are you both production and sales?

By way of an analogy, let's say that you are a humble bead-maker in a small village. I applaud your entrepreneurial mindset, and well done on being proactive enough to start a small business.

But are you personally selling your beads? If so, you have placed an absolute limit on how big you can ever become. What if you got someone else to sell your beads while you created them?

What if you got teams of people to do so? And what if you stopped making them yourself, and got teams of people to make them, so that other teams of people could sell them?

And why think so regionally? How about new teams in different nations?

Don't be the restaurant owner who also cooks in his own kitchen. Rather be the owner of a chain of restaurants. Think bigger than what your own individual time and energy can accomplish.

Scale up. Go huge.

4. How big are the very biggest numbers?

How big can this all get for you? Quite often, it is possible to discover what the real numbers are. For instance, you might be able to learn how many assignments the world's best are doing per annum.

Or what they're being paid. Or how much they are producing. Or how many hours of input they demand of themselves. Or how many employees they have, etc., etc.

Schwarzenegger famously found out how much weight, and how many reps and sets the world's top bodybuilders were putting in, in order to do more than them.

Can you discover the metrics for your goal?

There is a wonderful psychological advantage to discovering the actual numbers. They may be massive, but they are nevertheless finite.

It's like setting out to climb Mount Everest and learning that it will take x number of steps. The number may be preposterously high. But it's a number.

And once you know it, you can start wrapping your head around it. You can start to pursue a measurable known.

5. In the case of massive success, what resources will you need?

If you think on this sort of scale, and if you get up and chase after it each day, well, by golly, there's a good chance you might actually surprise your poor, dear mother, and succeed! So are you ready?

It's a useful exercise to ask yourself what that final picture looks like, and what resources you will need in order to live that way. Could you handle it right now?

Or would it mean that you would need a team of support staff? More space, more money, more equipment, better organisation?

You may even want to use this dynamic in reverse. Rather than getting there, and then organizing the resources, you may choose to start organizing the resources so that you can get there.

Audacity is the hallmark of the awesome individual. Here's hoping you will experience that magical day when you look back and say, "I can't believe I actually did it!" Scale up your thinking and go!

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 5-times 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/8234270

Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

To wish you and your loved ones the compliments of the season. Hope you have a wonderful holiday! And that you enjoy the card. To receive the message, simply click on 'Play' within the picture.....




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Are You the Victim or the Villain?

By Dr Jaime Kulaga

DO you ever hear yourself saying, "It's not my fault."? This is the Victim playing its part. Or, do you ever hear yourself saying, "It's all your fault."? This is the Villain in action.

The more responsibility you take over your actions - even the ones you are not proud of - the more control over your own life and outcomes you will have.

Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler (2002) talk about the Victim and Villain roles in their book, Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High.

Depending on what context you are in, you may play different roles.

For example, in your marriage you may play the Villain role where you are consistently assuming that your partner has bad motives for their actions.

For instance, if you promised to pick up something after work and forgot and you get home and your spouse asks you for XYZ, if your reaction is "You never understand how busy I am!

"You don't care about what I do and how stressed out I am! You are so inconsiderate and not helpful," you have used the Villain role.

The reality is, you promised to pick up XYZ after work. I understand that you are stressed but you made a commitment.

If you didn't come through, fine, but you can't turn someone else into the problem because you didn't commit as promised.

Instead, acknowledge that you forgot, were wrong, etc., and then step back and assess how you can approach the fact that you need more support.

Also, as you step back instead of lashing out, take this time to assess your priorities and life roles.

Maybe there are areas that you need to cut back in life because of the choices you made, the boundaries you did not set, or the times you said "yes" to tasks that you know you shouldn't have taken on.

This may have nothing to do with your spouse. Take control of your life by avoiding using the Villain role.

Perhaps outside of the home you are the Victim.

According to Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler (2002), when you play the Victim role you are exaggerating your own innocence.

For example, in the workplace you come to find out that you were again passed up for a promotion.

You have been at this place of employment for three years and you feel you deserve it over Adam who just received a promotion after being with the company for only nine months.

However, in this deceiving Victim role you play so well, as you tell other people about your "tragedy," you leave out details that might discredit your Victim role.

For example, the fact that you are late at least two times per week, you dropped the ball on a major project that your boss gave you last month, and you are the office drama and gossip...

... not to mention that you use every sick day you have as soon as you earn it. It is obvious why you did not get the promotion.

But instead, you tell everyone only facts that support and highlight why you should have received the promotion and "forget" to tell everything else.

Instead of putting yourself in a helpless Victim role, take this time to complete an honest self-reflection and start looking at yourself through a different lens.

What can you improve on? What strengths do you have? How can you take responsibility and control over your life to start aligning more in a direction of fulfillment and better outcomes?

Take control of your life by avoiding using the Victim role.

The problem with the Victim and Villain roles is that you are taking personal control away from your life and passing it to someone else.

At the same time, you are also ruining relationships with spouses, family co-workers and bosses.

Instead of retreating from a situation to think about how you should approach a mistake you or someone else made, you are reacting first.

This shows lack of self-control as you are letting strong emotions control you. Remember the order of action when you are upset is to first Retreat, then Rethink and always last, React.

So, which are you, the Victim or the Villain? When are you the Victim? When are you the Villain?

This week take time to reflect on which roles you play most often and when. How can you take control back and kick both the Victim and the Villain to the curb?

Dr. Jaime Kulaga is the author of Type "Superwoman: Finding the LIFE in Work-Life Balance - A Self-Searching Book for Women". She is the inspirational founder of the SuperWoman Workshops.

Dr. Kulaga has been featured in Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, Glamour, Self and Prevention magazines as well as the show Daytime for her expertise in Work-Life Balance.

For more information, visit http://www.mindfulrehab.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8783681

Finding Paradise

By Darren Hardy of SUCCESS Magazine

DO you feel restless or dissatisfied with life?

Do you seek a certain paradise…

The life of your imagination, dreams and childhood fantasies?

Where's your own personal paradise?

Let me see if I can help you find your paradise.

Just the other day, I was talking to a friend of mine, Rachel. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you Rachel has the perfect life.

In her mid-forties she is as healthy and radiant as she’s ever been. She has a husband who adores her and three kids who multiply that love.

Yet lately she admitted, she’s been feeling… restless.

Like something was missing and she had this nagging urge to sneak off and find it.

As I listened to her talk, I recalled a story an old mentor of mine had told me in a time when I felt restless in my own life.

The story went something like…

Once, long ago, there was a man who was displeased with his life.

Yes, he had a wife who loved him and two children who adored him.

He liked his work and had friends he enjoyed, but still something nagged at him.

Daily, he found himself dreaming of an unseen place he heard about called Paradise.

One morning over a bowl of oatmeal, he stopped dreaming of Paradise and decided to go find it.

Without a word to his family, he walked out the front gate with the broken latch, away from the place he had called home and never looked back. He was a man bound for Paradise.

For three days he traveled. And each night, before falling asleep, the man removed his shoes and deliberately pointed them in the direction he had been traveling, toward Paradise.

Each morning he carefully stepped into his shoes and continued his quest.

Then, on the third night, the man accidentally kicked his unofficial compass 180 degrees.

When the first rays of morning fell, the man leapt to his feet, carefully stepped into his shoes and began traveling in the direction they told him to go - toward “Paradise”.

Exactly three days later, he arrived. “Paradise!” he cried from atop the hill. Though, as he stared at the village below, he thought it looked vaguely familiar… but wrote it off as coincidence.

He excitedly descended the hill and walked through the village of Paradise where strangers knew him by name. Of course they did! Why wouldn’t they? This was Paradise!

The man continued until he came to the end of the road where there was a gate with a broken latch.

He walked through, and as he did, he heard a melodious voice calling him in for dinner and could smell the aroma of his favorite meal.

As he opened the front door the man was greeted by two children who yelped “Daddy!” as they wrapped themselves around him and a woman who kissed him like she meant it.

Ah! Paradise he thought.

Now, every morning the man eats his bowl of oatmeal and revels in his new, wonderful life in Paradise.

I finished the story, and Rachel nodded just as I had when I heard it years ago.

I assured her that the desire for Paradise is not itself a crime.

Everyone desires Paradise.

The confusion of where to find Paradise is the problem.

Paradise is a choice.

It is a state of mind.

It comes from within.

Paradise doesn’t exist unless you create it and unless you choose it everyday.

We all seek significance (aka Paradise):

That we are important, that we matter, that our life matters.

The reality is, you already are.

You are significant, you matter, your life matters.

The only thing separating yourself from the knowing is your perspective.

Stopping, looking and realizing the profound impact you making in the worlds of everyone you meet, most particularly those you lead in your home and at the office.

For, my Paradise seeking-friends out there, the next time you feel dissatisfied, kick your shoes around. It may lead you to discovering the Paradise you’ve been living in all along.

Feel free to share this with any like-minded achieving friend, family member, or teammate that may need the wake up call because they are ready to pack up and search for their own paradise.

Article source: http://tiny.cc/244rpx

Living Life Quotes - How to Be Happy

By online author Annette H. Hill

ARE you tired of waiting around for happiness to find you? In your quiet moments, what do you think about?

How far you've come, or how far you have to go? Your strengths, or your weaknesses? The best that might happen, or the worst that might come to be?

Don't wait for it... be happy now!

In your quiet moments, pay attention to your thoughts.

Because maybe the only thing that needs to shift in order for you to experience more love, more happiness, and more vitality, is your way of thinking.

Happiness is what we all strive to find and keep, even when it's as elusive as ever. Nobody is jolly and elated all the time, but some individuals are definitely more fulfilled than others.

Here are 9 thought-provoking living life quotes that will help you adjust your way of thinking:

1. In life, if you don't risk anything, you risk everything.

2. You cannot change what you refuse to confront.

3. Making a hundred friends is not a miracle. The miracle is to make a single friend who will stand by your side even when hundreds are against you.

4. True love isn't about being inseparable; it's about two people being true to each other even when they are separated.

5. Anyone can come into your life and say how much they love you. It takes someone really special to stay in your life and show how much they love you.

6. If you expect the world to be fair with you because you are fair, you're fooling yourself. That's like expecting the lion not to eat you because you didn't eat him.

7. No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.

8. Happiness is not determined by what's happening around you, but rather what's happening inside you. Most people depend on others to gain happiness, but the truth is, it always comes from within.

9. When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us.

Above are some of the great inspirational living life quotes for you to love, share and remember.

Life is full of beauty and wonder. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the smiling faces and the small child. Smell the rain, and feel the wind.

Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.

Share the best life quotations collection with inspirational and motivational Living Life Quotes on life, living, love, loving life.

If you are wonder about How to Be Happy, find out here, Confused Quotes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8590401

How successful people deal with adversity - with Mary Morrissey

By John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

"In every adversity there is the seed of an equal or greater benefit. But like any seed it must be found, planted, nourished, grown and harvested." - Napolean Hill

WITH over 40 years helping people to make the most of themselves and their lives, life coach, speaker and author Mary Morrissey is one of the world's leading lights in personal development.

Best-selling author and speaker, Mary Morrissey

She's also someone who truly understands and appreciates the power of thought in bringing about positive change, once harnessing this power herself to overcome a disease that would usually prove fatal.

In this video interview with Mind Movies' Natalie Ledwell, the star of hit follow-up movie, 'Beyond The Secret' not only tells her own story but also examines how successful people process adversity differently.

Among the subjects she covers are:

* The impact of thoughts and emotions on our biology

* How people generally react to crises and difficult times

* The concept of emotional creativity

And

* Why, as Napolean Hill suggested, "Every adversity has the seed of an equal or greater benefit".

It really is excellent advice, explained in a characterisitically simple, practical and usable way.

To view the video, just click on the link below:

http://tiny.cc/zcbfpx

Surround Yourself With Positive People

By Robert Prentice

HAVE you ever noticed how it is so easy for we human beings to have our attitudes go straight into the pit of negativity?

It takes such a lot of hard work, diligence and tenacity to keep one's head on straight and attitude right.

I learned many years ago that if I wanted to have any kind of success in my life that I needed to surround myself with positive people.

Yes, there was a time in my life that I did not understand this powerful principle.

But now that I do, I want to encourage you to surround yourself with upbeat, positive, encouraging people, who call fill you up instead of drain you dry.

People who spread their energy and enthusiasm for life everywhere they go.

Oh, it is so much easier to keep your attitude where it needs to be when you are surrounded by such people, who have attitudes that are truly contagious and worth catching!

What a difference it makes in helping you to operate at your peak level of efficiency!

Be aware, though, that if your own attitudes are negative, while at the same time you are trying to attract more positive people to you, you will be disappointed.

Because positive people need to be around other positive people, they avoid negative people like the plague.

(The reverse is also true; negative people attract other negative people so they can feed off of each other's negativity. Yuck!)

One other side note: please understand I am not saying that surrounding yourself with positive people means you have to find people who have no negative situations and challenges in their lives and only hang around them.

On the contrary, your goal is to surround yourself with people who, even when they are in the midst of trying and difficult circumstances, are able to view those challenges and respond to them in a positive way.

Just in case you are not convinced, here are some of the benefits of surrounding yourself with positive people. Positive people will:

* Often times pick you up, when you've hit a brick wall.

* Encourage you with words and kind deeds.

* Have empathy because they understand challenging and difficult times.

* Check up on you to see how you are doing.

* Ask about your priorities and help to point you in the right direction.

* Take negatives and turn them into positives.

* Tell others about you and this can, and often does, lead to a positive impact on your financial situation.

I am truly blessed and so humbled because I have surrounded myself with hundreds, and possibly thousands, of some of the most positive people on this planet.

How about you? Will you make a commitment to be a positive person with the right kids of attitudes? This is a personal decision only you can make for yourself. How will you choose to live today?

Bob Prentice, Mr. Attitude - http://www.mrattitudespeaks.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7642846

Shelve Procrastination Once and for All - Five Behaviors to Control and Vanquish This Devil

By Stuart Bazga

AT some time or other we've all done it. We postponed our physical exercise routine till tomorrow; we continuously put off concluding that assignment or beginning that company.

Laziness is the mom of all demons and can literally stop you in your tracks from achieving all that you desire.

Below are my 5 effective procedures you could use to slay this titan called procrastination.

1. Do it now!  

Sound familiar?

Hold your breath and hop straight in! Putting things off until the last minute is a peccadillo and like all practices is implanted in our subconscious mind and difficult to damage.

It seems like the typical thing to do and we simply continue along our path. To complete a job quickly might even really feel strange or like a forced activity.

When your employer offers you an activity, or when your customers or consumers demand your knowledge, do it immediately!

You not only look efficient to others, the feeling that the work is done, is complete before the deadline, will certainly be one of well-being and appreciation

How would this efficiency look to your clients when you ask for a referral or to your boss when income reviews are nearing? I would assume, "Great".

2. Take infant steps

Often we hesitate due to the fact that the task might be frightening to us. Probably we have no possible hint on where to begin.

In these cases, it is fairly fine to take it one action or step at a time.

For instance, let's say you are preparing a business strategy and for the 5th time today, you've activated the COMPUTER and reviewed the blank screen.

Or you've merely remembered you have to do some more analysis previously before you begin... you're still not prepared.

My friend you ARE ready.

You simply have to break down the job in to smaller items and deal with each bit independently.

Make each job a specific job and after the conclusion of each one, commemorate and recognize your achievement.

Soon you'll be completed and have no hint as to why you were putting it off to begin with!

3. Vision the perfect

Ah! I love this one. I utilize the Law of Attraction with my clients to have them quickly and easily achieve their desires and needs and basically, their vision.

As soon as you know that you are in fact procrastinating, making a vision of you attaining that plan is extremely helpful.

When you produce a vision you write in the present tense... as if you have currently achieved your goal or if you are in the procedure of completing it.

For example, let's go back to the business strategy. Your vision might look something similar to this.

"I am so grateful that I have actually finished all the research I require for my business strategy. I am locating the info effortlessly using the internet.

"People that have actually composed business strategies are supplying me guidance that allows me to create an exciting strategy that I resonate with. As I compose, the words come to me effortlessly... "

In having a vision and concentrating on it daily, the universal laws specify that people, things and processes will start to take place in your life that will certainly permit you to attract that vision.

4. Forget it

That's right. Forget it!

Why oblige the problem? If you have actually been 'dragging your feet' on something for a lengthy time, it could all be advantageous.

Something, somewhere is attempting to tell you something. That something is your instinct and it is usually right!

Think about something that you have been delaying time and time again. What are the factors that you have to complete this activity in the first place?

Does an individual wish you to do this? What is THEIR agenda? Exactly what are YOUR reasons for this prolonged delay?

I have discovered that 99 per cent of the time I put off doing something, I am thankful that I did! Overlooking a job after a very long time of procrastination is nevertheless often a last resort.

5. Get a Support Team

Do you postpone activities because you really feel that they are excessively large and complex for you to manage alone? Or from the time when you need assistance?

Be sincere with yourself. "No one man is an island".

Request help! There are lots of resources available that can offer you help with all you need to perform your task.

If you're a solo-professional and you delayed addressing emails, do not answer them yourself. Employ an aide, discover some college students that desire the experience, find a relative to assist.

Putting things off on life-altering tasks could be as a result of worry of the unknown. Join a mastermind team with other like-mind professionals, discover a mentor, join a support group.

You don't need to do it all by yourself. Merely make certain that to kick this practice; you do what feels good to you in whatever technique you decide on.

You'll unquestionably vanquish the devil that is procrastination.

WP Coaching School Wordpress blog is packed with articles and interviews. FREE Wordpress advice and tips for all-sized businesses.

WP Coaching School - helping you share your passion with the world.

Click here for my free report: Wordpress Optimization Secrets

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8155830

Settling For Less Than You Know You Deserve - Reasons Not To Settle For Less

Guest post by Suzie Doscher

ONE of the main motivators not to settle for less surely must be that life is simply too short. Time seems to be flying by faster and faster - all the more reason to make sure you are enjoying the life that you not only wish for, but also the life that offers you a sense of fulfilment. Settling for less is something that everybody does along the way at some point or another.

Pic courtesy of QuotesTree.com

The situations in which you did settle for less can offer you an opportunity to learn, to find out what you want - from having experienced what you do not want! Settling for less means having chosen to limit yourself and your potential, and in a way wastes some precious time. However, if you learn from this, your time was not wasted because now you can think about what to do differently next time you are faced with such a choice.

Wrong Job?

Say you accepted a job offer mainly based on financial fears but you knew, in no uncertain terms, you were compromising yourself. You had enough security to ride it out a bit longer but not the courage to hold out for 'the right' one. It, no doubt, is a tall order to let a job offer go when you feel another one is not in sight. Fears have a lot of power over our decisions. If, on some deeper level, you knew this job was not really the right one, you are choosing to live with the feeling of having undervalued yourself. Long term, your heart and soul will let you know they do not appreciate the compromise!

Spiritually Thinking

To quote one of my favorite 'teachers', Caroline Myss: "Spiritually thinking; everything happens for a reason. We are able to learn from everything that happens to us. Both positive and negative occurrences are here to teach us something. If our path is to be true to ourselves and we live 'our' life, based on our values and our truths then everything that happens is happening to eventually lead us to our true life. There are no coincidences, again positive or negative. We can learn something from every thing."

Everybody knows the feeling of settling for less, at one time or another most people have been in jobs, just for the money offering no satisfaction, spending time with people they do not enjoy, going places they are not interested in, living through experiences of relationships that let them down, having friends that take advantage of them etc.

Staying in the Rut

Sometimes it is just easier to stay in a rut than find the courage to change something. It can be easier to settle than step out of your comfort zone. Settling in relationships that do not make you happy can often be the result of not wanting to be alone, or any other type of fear that keeps you stuck.

If you suffer low self esteem, taking a look and finding ways to increase it - be this with self help literature, a therapist or a coach - will lead you to better decision-making; decisions based on what you want, not what your more insecure self wants!

We most certainly do not have control over all the events in our life but we do have choices, even when it feels like we do not. Sometimes, buying yourself some time is the best decision, based on the choice to say "No" in that moment, the other choice being saying "Yes".

Reasons not to compromise yourself

Settling for less, knowing that you are making a comprise makes life difficult. Difficult, because being in the wrong job, wrong relationship, and wrong anything does not make for a 'flowing' day-to-day life. Believe it or not, consciously or unconsciously, this leads you to self-sabotaging your own choice.

When something is right for you and either keeps you, or puts you on your path for a fulfilled life, synchronicity sets in, good things appear out of nowhere. When not, obstacles surface. These obstacles are opportunities to learn.

Follow the path of successful people who have, or found the courage to take risks (emotional or otherwise), value themselves enough to stay on the path to their ultimate goal, which surely must be a fulfilling life, which of course includes financial security, giving back and living within a code of ethics.

"It is better to want what you do not have, than to have what you do not want."

Suzie Doscher Life Coach for Personal Development. I understand Personal Development to be a clearing out the old to make way for something new. This could mean letting go of things, people, behavior, or draining emotions that simply no longer support the way you wish life to be.

Maybe it worked in the past, but now it is time to move on... For more information contact me via http://suziedoscher.com, or http://coachgroupofch.ch to schedule your Complimentary Introduction to Coaching Call.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8227841

Becoming Iconic - Are You Noticeably Above And Beyond?

By Douglas R Kruger

THE scale of your thinking will determine the scale of your career.

That said, take a second to think about the 'über names' in your game - the parameter-redefining, industry-owning, top-of-the-food-chain, big dogs. Who are they?  

Can you become iconic?

If a smug voice in the back of your head said, 'Well, I'm one of them!', then perfect. Carry on.

If not... why not? What's keeping you from those stratospheric levels of success enjoyed by the legends?

While 'time in the game' may seem like the most obvious factor, it certainly isn't the case for everyone.

Permit enough time to go by, and most middle-level players simply continue to be middle-level players.

So perhaps there's more to it than the natural passage of days.

It begins with desire. Owning an industry is a decision of will.

It begins with the choice to no longer accept median positioning, and its machinery kicks into gear only once you've developed a burning desire to become more.

In short, no one will ever force you to do the work or, think out the strategy necessary, to be a large-scale success. You have to want to.

So, let's assume that you have the desire, but that it's mixed in equal parts with doubt. That's perfectly natural. But it does need to be addressed.

There are three things you can do to expand the parameters of your thinking:

1. Convince yourself

What are the highest-earning practitioners in your industry earning?... Be it per assignment, or per annum? Write the figure down on a piece of paper.

Now ask yourself: 'What would it take for me to believe that I'm worth that much?'

Answer the question in bullet-point format, listing as many things as you can think of - be it qualities or qualifications - that would make you feel that you are among those lofty elite.

The resultant list represents the work you need to do. It is a road map of the gap between where you are now, and where you want to be.

2. Strive to be 'noticeably above and beyond'

For goodness' sake, stop trying to be 'as good' as the best practitioners. The best one can hope for under the circumstances would be to become a pale comparison of.

Start thinking about how you can be noticeably better.

You require this scale of thinking to get to those hallowed echelons. The best in the game did not get there by trying to be 'like' the best before them. They operated out of a desire to be even better.

Are you thinking of ideas that would get the reaction, 'Oh, wow!' from your target market, rather than just, 'Yes, that's what we would expect'?

If I look at your competitors, your industry, your world, would I single you out as 'noticeably above and beyond'?

3. Think of yourself as a leader

I believe very deeply in education. I believe that most of the propellant that will take you to the top consists of learning.

However, beyond a certain point, you need to start teaching too.

You need to reach the point within yourself where you recognize that you have more knowledge than most, have discovered more pioneering ways, have more insights and epiphanies under your belt, and can begin to lead.

You need to flip that switch in your mind, nominate yourself, and become a voice.

The barrier-to-entry for thought-leadership exists only within your own mind. No one ever gives you permission to lead. No one flips the switch for you.

The scale of your thinking is everything. If the desire is there, and you can think big enough to be a viable candidate for the top spot, you have correctly aimed your trajectory.

In all things, be guided by the phrase 'Noticeably above and beyond.'

See you at the top!

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.

* See more at: http://www.douglaskruger.co.za

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8344281

How to Use Visualization to Get What You Want

By Maria McMahon, BSc

WHAT do you really want in your life? The simple mindset change you can make to immediately start heading towards the life of your dreams - in minutes!

Want wealth? Health? A better job? Better relationships? Not many people know this but the first thing you must do is determine exactly what it is you DO want.

See it in your mind.... and make it a reality

Most people know what they DON'T want. Eg, 'I don't want to be broke', 'I don't want to be alone', 'I don't want to be fat', 'I don't want to be miserable', etc etc.

If you listen to your 'self-talk', chances are you are saying 'I don't want... ' whatever it is dozens, if not hundreds, of  times a day.

What this kind of self-talk does is send constant reinforcement to your subconscious mind about everything you do NOT want.

And according to the Universal Law of Attraction, what you think about and focus on is what the Universe sends back to you.

What your subconscious understands in your self-talk is those words that carry emotion with them. Debt. Loneliness. Fat. Misery. It doesn't get the 'I don't want' bit at all!

What can you do to change this and bring more of the great things you desire into your life? Simple!

Start by writing down a list of the top 5 things you DO want in your life. Be specific. Don't say: "I want to be rich."

How much do you want to have, exactly? $100,000? $500,000? $1,000,000? Pin it down.

Then write it as if you already have it. Eg: I have X $ in the bank. I have a wonderful new partner. I'm slim. I'm happy.

Next, close your eyes and focus on what you've chosen. Visualize it! Make it gorgeous, make your heart pound with excitement at the thought of being, doing or having these things.

Imagine them as reality in your life. See them in your mind's eye in glorious color, feel the emotions you'd feel when you have them, hear what people are saying to you.

Stay with this and really get into it. Give it everything you've got.

Why? Because your subconscious mind does NOT know the difference between what's real and what's imagined. This is scientific fact.

So imagining like this makes your subconscious start to think it's real.

The more you do this, the quicker your new desires will be conveyed to the Universe and the process of their becoming a reality in your life will get underway.

Don't worry for now about the mechanics of HOW you are going to achieve this. When you've had your fill of these gorgeous new things as reality in your life, open your eyes.

Make a decision NOW that you will practice this visualization technique every single time you have a negative self-thought.

Switch your mind back to this glorious new life you have started planning for yourself. You can do this in seconds. Don't underestimate the power of this exercise.

Maria McMahon
BSc (Hons) Psychology
Certified Hypnotherapy/NLP Practitioner
Certified Advanced Law of Attraction Practitioner

Visit my website and get access to some great free MP3s - http://www.atuneu.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8745992

Daily Habits of Wealthy People

By Keith Tufte

WHAT do rich people do on a daily basis that is different from other people? Can the positive daily habits of people lead to financial success over time?

A study (and book) by Thomas Corley suggests that daily behavior can be one factor that contributes to economic outcomes for people.

Daily Habits of Wealthy People

Pic by marathonsweetheart.com

- They get up early. 44% of wealthy people wake up 3 hours or more before work starts vs. only 3% of poor people.

- They set goals. 80% of wealthy people are focused on accomplishing some single goal. Only 12% of the poor do this. In addition, 67% of wealthy people write down their goals.

- They have daily to-do lists. 81% of wealth people maintain "to-do" lists vs 19% of the poor.

- They read. 88% of the wealthy read for 30 minutes or more each day for education or career reasons. Only 2% of the poor do so. 63% of rich people listen to audio books during their commute.

- They network. 79% of wealthy people network five hours a month or more.

- They exercise. 76% of wealth people exercise aerobically several days a week.

- They avoid junk food. 70% of rich people eat less than 300 calories of junk food per day. 97% of poor people eat more than 300 junk food calories per day.

- They don't gamble. Only 6% of the wealthy play the lottery vs. 77% of low-income people.

- They limit their TV time. 67% of wealthy people watch one hour or less of television per day vs 23% of the poor. Only 6% of wealthy people watch reality TV vs. 78% of the poor.

- They are constantly improving their skills. 86% of high-income people believe in lifelong educational self-improvement.

- They believe hard work and good habits lead to success. 84% of rich people believe that good habits create opportunity and luck.

Only 8% of the wealthy believe that wealth comes from random good luck vs. 79% of low-income people.

Source:Thomas Corley. "Rich Habits: The daily success habits of wealthy individuals."

Corley looked at hundreds of wealthy and poor people in the U.S. and examined their daily habits.

Wealthy people were defined as people with incomes over $160,000 and assets of more than $3.2 million. Poor people were defined as incomes under $30,000 and assets of less than $5,000.

It is interesting how different some of the daily habit statistics are for wealthy and low- income people.

It seems that individual daily habits and choices can cause different results in terms of financial success and wealth.

People who work hard and are constantly learning and improving their skills often, but not always, end up having increased financial success.

Some of these significant habit differences between the rich and poor raise the question of what came first, the financial success or the positive daily habits?

We believe many of these daily habits came before the financial success for most people, and are one factor in helping cause their financial success.

Most of our clients are successful financially, and most of their success is self-created (not inherited).

Younger people (the children of our clients) who are interested in increased financial success may want to adopt some of these daily habits.

Of course, there are many reasons beyond these daily habits that can lead to financial success.

Other factors might include luck, inheritance, having good parents, having access to good schools, being in the right place at the right time, career choice, and where you live, to name a few.

Improving or changing your daily habits may have less of a positive impact on the wealth of people who live in a third world country or an impoverished neighborhood in a large U.S. city, for example.

You may be a teacher or a social worker and have all of these positive daily habits, but because of your career choice you are unlikely to become fabulously wealthy.

Adopting the positive daily habits of financially successful people will not necessarily make you rich, but it may aim you in the right direction for a healthier life and increased success (however you define success).

Many people are not interested in increased financial success, do not think it is possible for them, or do not believe it would make them happier.

That is OK. They may still find these positive daily habits valuable.

The Millionaire Next Door

Another excellent source of information on this topic is the book "The Millionaire Next Door" by Thomas Stanley.

Stanley has studied hundreds of millionaires and has similar findings. He says most millionaires live below their means. They are frugal, and their spouse is equally or more frugal.

50% of the millionaires he surveyed have never spent more than $29,000 on a motor vehicle. One of the most popular vehicles owned by millionaires is the Ford pickup truck.

80% of America's millionaires are first generation rich, meaning they earned it themselves. Wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend.

Stanley says one of the most common denominators among those who successfully build wealth is that they allocate their time, energy, and money efficiently, in ways conducive to building wealth.

Millionaires believe financial independence is more important than displaying financial status. Stanley concludes that building wealth takes discipline, sacrifice, and hard work.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

Keith Tufte, CFA
President
Adam Smith Advisors, LLC
Cherry Tree Companies
http://www.cherrytree.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8750273

The Seven Wonders of the World

A short video from Flickspire.com

AMID the hustle and bustle of everyday life - and the many demands it places on us - it's all too easy to lose track of what's really important.

We tend to be so wrapped up in dealing with career/business issues, close relationships, family matters, social life and so much more that there's rarely time to stop and take stock.

The 'Seven Wonders of the World'  through a child's eyes

This short, free video provides just such an opportunity and is wonderfully refreshing in its simplicity.

It tells the story of the responses a teacher received on asking a class of children to name the 'Seven Wonders of the World', as the title of this post suggests.

Predictably enough, certain monuments to humankind's creativity and awe-inspiring natural phenomena are mentioned.

But it is the less obvious observations of one child that remind us all of what we should, at least, hold most valuable of all.

If you happen to be struggling with a mountain of tasks or problems at the moment, this video is the perfect antedote.

It's only a few minutes long. So put those few minutes aside and take a look. I hope you enjoy it.

Click below to be taken to the original video. And read a few of the comments already made by other viewers - equally inspiring.

Click here now ==> http://tiny.cc/xdn7mx

10 Things You Should Stop Doing To Be Successful

By Alex Strike

ARE you a happy person? How often do you think of reasons why everyone around you is successful though they are not better than you in general? What do you do wrong?

Success comes to those who wait, they say. As far as you understand, simple waiting is not enough to bring you luck, happiness and success.

Success can be yours if you stop bad practices

So, maybe it is high time to change your attitude to everything and everyone around, and stop doing those things that prevent you from becoming successful?

What are they actually?

1. Do not let others decide what “success” is for you

Different people may interpret “success” in different ways: some of them measure it in money, others in positive changes to people around them and the world in general.

If you want to be successful, do not let others force their interpretation of success on you; do not worry about what other people think, and come after what makes you happy.

2. Do not believe anything without questioning it

Successful people do not just accept any new information to be true.

They are critical thinkers, and they understand that we all (even “qualified” sources) are ruled by our prejudices; so, they will always question new information and maintain some healthy skepticism.

3. Do not worry about all unpredictable things that may happen to you

If you want to be successful, stop thinking about everything that MAY happen to you. Try to feel comfortable with the reality and accept the fact your future can’t be predicted.

Be ready to improvise and change your deeds and decisions when things suddenly don’t go according to your plan.

4. Do not feel stressed or depressed about criticism

Try to stay calm and pay no attention to negative comments or personal attacks you may get from others online.

Successful people are concentrated on making this world and people better, but they will never respond to every comment they get from foes.

5. Do not expect success to come easy or quickly

Successful people understand there can’t be any universal scheme on becoming rich, slim, loved, etc.

Do not expect that all those “lose 10 kilos for 3 days” or “get rich in a month” will work for you: you are an individual, you have your own pace, you should find your own way to your success.

6. Do not wait for the “right time” to do anything

Do not hesitate chasing your ambition, because there will never be the “right time” to do anything.

Successful people perfectly understand this fact, and you would probably agree with it when you tried to remember how many times you postponed doing things after telling yourself something like “it’s not a right time for this now”.

7. Do not ignore problems

Successful people never ignore or avoid problems, no matter how big and awful they seem; because they understand if they put a problem off it will not disappear but turn into a bigger one.

So, try to confront your pressing concern as soon as possible.

8. Do not be afraid of responsibility

There can’t be a successful person without responsibility.

Yes, we all are people and we all make mistakes, but if you want to be successful you should always accept responsibility for your words and actions.

9. Do not care about what other people think of you

As far as we all know, it’s impossible to please all the people who surround us. Your attempts to become “good” for everyone will turn into nothing but new worries, stresses, and problems.

Successful people do not concentrate on quantity of people to please, but worry about their quality and focus on developing friendships with people they really care about.

10. Do not forget people who are important to you

It does not matter how busy a successful person is, they will always find time to care about their families, friends, and all other people who are really important to them.

Your business can’t be an excuse of your indifference. Success is good, but you should understand that life will get depressing without friendship and love.

Alex Strike is a freelance writer and a passionate blogger with over 5 years of writing experience who is honored to be a guest contributor to many websites, including Bid4Papers, Lifehack.org, ProBlogger.net, GetMotivation, and others.

You can always find more his works and reach him on Google+.

Article source: http://tiny.cc/ie03mx

How To Stop Procrastinating Right Now

By Peter Field

IT'S thought that 95% of all people procrastinate at some time, delaying tasks they feel too difficult or trying.

But using avoidance strategies like checking Facebook or ringing a friend increases the sense of stress and anxiety, and provides no real answer to the problem you're facing.

Put an end to procrastination

The fastest way to gain emotional and mental relief is to understand the reason why you're procrastinating -- and then take steps to resolve the issue.

Why Are You Procrastinating?

The best way to stop procrastinating is to understand why you are doing it. Everyone has different reasons, and it has nothing to do with being lazy, or unfocused.

It might have something to do with your perception of the level of discomfort or difficulty associated with the task you are procrastinating over.

Anxiety and fear are most often related to our reaction to an imagined future - to events which have not taken place.

It might be that this particular situation is bringing up some aspect of you that needs looking at and resolving.

Are you afraid of failing? Are you afraid of success? Are you coming up against your lack of confidence in yourself?

These are normal, and common. End the denial and recognize what's really happening for you - and then be willing to work on that and let it go.

Look back for a moment and consider the times in the past when you believed something to be almost impossible, and you went ahead and accomplished it anyway.

Many people have found self hypnosis recordings to be particularly helpful in ending procrastination and moving forward.

Active Procrastination

Usually we feel bad about procrastination, but according to research it may not always be a bad thing.

There are two types of procrastination: active and inactive.

Active procrastination is when you put off a task to study, gather resources and information, so when the deadline looms you are ready to use the pressure to produce good results.

Inactive procrastination is when you simply avoid a task by doing and thinking about something else, till finally the deadline forces you to sit down and do the work, even if you are completely unprepared.

According to research from Columbia University in New York, USA, active procrastinators experience no confidence problems or anxiety.

They achieve better end results than inactive procrastinators, even when procrastinate for exactly the same amount of time.

So if you know you tend towards procrastination, perhaps it is an avoidance strategy just waiting to be transformed into a strategy for success.

Break down tasks. It is so easy to procrastinate when a task feels complicated, or even titanic in size.

Create a timeline on a piece of paper with one dot representing where you are now, and another dot representing where you would like to be.

Next, put a dot halfway between the first two dots. This one represents the middle, when you're halway to your goal.

What, specifically, is that halfway point? A word count? An amount of money saved?

Once you have decided what it is, create another dot between the first dot and the middle point. This is the first leg of the journey.

Next, place a dot between the halfway dot and the final dot. What is the specific milestone lying between the middle and the end of your goal?

Congratulations! You have created a working timeline that can be broken down even further into smaller monthly, weekly or daily chunks as needed.

Get Rid of Distractions

Getting rid of distractions is an important step in stopping procrastination.

Following the advent of social media like Twitter and Facebook, I am not sure how anyone anywhere gets anything done at all anymore.

If you can't resist the pull of your favorite social media, try turning the Internet off, or if you need the Internet for work, get one of those software programs that allows you to block certain websites of choice.

Check for Internet browsers that have this function also.

Answer only those phone calls that are important, and confine yourself to answering emails at a specific time of day.

E-mail is a huge time-drain, so to reduce the risk of procrastination, elect a specific appointment with yourself for looking at the e-mails and turn off the instant notifications. Make it fun!

Experiencing things as fun - finding the fun in them - doesn't necessarily just come at you. 'Fun' doesn't fall from the sky.

It is a quality that we bring to our experiences and our interactions with the world around us.

If you have a deadline, a project, or a goal that you are putting off, maybe it is feeling all too serious and too heavy? Shake things up. Sit down and don a beach hat and bright Hawaiian shirt.

Or a football or ice hockey shirt. Or a Star Wars outfit. Can you sometimes take your work outside, into the daylight?

Treat yourself to your favorite snack food, like fresh strawberries, or crackers with hummus. (Just make sure you don't overdo it.)

What about music? Music can support study and aid concentration - but it has to be music you enjoy. Some people work really well to Mozart, while others get into the zone with Metallica.

The trick is to not leave all the rewards for once you have completed the task or goal.

Award yourself smaller treats as you complete tasks, and make sure you have something waiting for when you have finally completed it.

What might be done in order to make the process more enjoyable in some way?

You do not really need to be stuck. Use these strategies and you'll find yourself moving forward in exactly the right direction.

Peter Field is a British hypno-psychotherapist and counselor. His  hypnotherapist in Birmingham website contains more of his interesting and helpful articles.

Peter's powerful  End Procrastination Now MP3 download and CD and other hypnosis recordings are now available.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8101456

5 Reasons Why Saying "No" Works

By Dr Jaime Kulaga

IT isn't always easy to say "No." Whether fear, guilt, or any other reason stops us, the reality is, the word "Yes" has this great way of flying out of our trap with little thought behind it.

Although we see women as harboring guilt and fears about saying "No", the truth is, both men and women struggle to use this simple, but powerful, two-letter word.

Never be afraid to hit the 'No' button

Here are 5 reasons why saying "No" works:

1. You get to focus on your current goals

By saying "No" to additional roles and tasks, you allow yourself to focus on your current goals.

Often, small tasks, given to us by "Big" people, quickly turn into barriers toward our current goals and consequently hinder our progress.

For example, if a boss offers you a project to take on and it does not offer much incentive for your position, or could hinder your progress toward other goals that he/she previously created with you, you might want to decline the offer.

Instead of telling a boss "No, I can't do this, I don't have time," turn this moment into an opportunity for you.

Schedule a meeting with your boss and bring to their awareness what goals you are already striving toward.

During this meeting, show them your current progress, how far you have come and the importance of successfully completing the goals already in progress.

Having too many goals and minimal attention provided to each, you will find increase stress, less confidence and could quickly burnout.

As you complete your goals already in progress, you are going to feel more empowered, self-confidence and excited for the next challenge.

Saying "No" works because you can focus on your current goals.

2. You maintain your credibility

By taking on an opportunity that you don't have time for, you risk under-performing, thus hurting your reputation and credibility with a superior, friend or loved one.

You want to make sure that if you choose to take on a task, you are committed to excellence, whether it is in business or your personal life.

If you can't commit to a top performance, saying "Yes" will come around to hurt you in the end. Worse, sometimes saying "Yes" hurts what you have worked months or years for, like trust or status.

Saying "yes" not only jeopardizes your current goal progress, but also, if you perform poorly on the new task, you could be seen as not competent in a certain area.

What can really hurt our credibility is when we say "Yes" to a task, and then back out later. You may get to a point in a project where it becomes too much work and you can't balance.

When you say "Yes" to something, people are putting their trust in you. In this case, if you pull out of the task, people may not see you as trustworthy and thus you lose credibility.

You may also risk losing future opportunities they could offer you. Saying "No" works because you maintain your credibility.

3. You free up time for bigger opportunities

Often people say "Yes" to taking on extra tasks because they think they will not be offered more opportunities in the future.

If you politely and respectfully decline opportunities, those same people, in the future, will offer you another opportunity.

People like people that they can trust and believe are honest about their commitments. Also, as you use your time to complete current goals, you will find upon completion, the next door opens.

This door will offer more opportunities and potentially even some more rewarding ones.

If you truly fear saying "No" because of the potential loss of opportunity, then instead of putting opportunity off on others, start creating it yourself.

If you want more opportunities, go find them. You will find them all around you. You can't simply say, "I wish I had more opportunity" and then sit there and complain that you don't.

You have to diligently work to make your mind see more opportunities than problems in your life. Look at everything in your life as having the potential to move you forward.

Think about the situation above regarding the employee who did not want to take on another task.

She/he could have complained but instead saw this as an opportunity to show their current goals and successes. Saying "No" works because you free up time for bigger opportunities.

4. Saying "No" shows self-discipline

As we say "No" to taking on tasks that we can't or shouldn't add to our plate, we are disciplining ourselves.

Saying "No" teaches us to avoid impulsiveness in decision making and also to put our priorities in place. As we say "No," we are teaching our minds to think before we act.

If we think getting in over our heads with multiple tasks and projects can be overwhelming, think about how saying "Yes" to major purchases or life changing events could harmful to your mental, physical and life state, even more so.

Discipline yourself by making a habit of thinking before you say "Yes." Saying "No" works because it shows self-discipline.

5. Saying "No" conveys the ability to set boundaries

As you say "No," you are also setting boundaries with people who think they can walk all over you, take from you, or mistake your kindness for you being a doormat.

By freeing yourself from taking on everyone else's tasks, you are allowing yourself to advance your life and/or family.

You will also find more overall life fulfillment when you are pursuing and focusing on your personal goals and desires. Saying "No" works because it conveys the ability to set boundaries.

Dr. Jaime Kulaga is the author of Type "Superwoman: Finding the LIFE in Work-Life Balance - A Self-Searching Book for Women".

She is the inspirational founder of the nationally known SuperWoman Workshops.

Dr. Kulaga has been featured in Forbes, Glamour, Self and Prevention magazines as well as the national show Daytime for her expertise in Work-Life Balance. http://www.mindfulrehab.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8734253

Why isn't the Law of Attraction working for me? with Dr Joe Vitale

STAR of the hit movie phenomenon, 'The Secret'. Author of such ground-breaking works as, Hypnotic Marketing, The Attractor Factor and The Key, to name just a few.

And a key player in bringing the ancient Hawaiian healing practice of 'Ho'oponopono' to a worldwide audience, with the support and guidance of Dr Ihaleakala Hew Len.

Dr Joe Vitale appearing on Mind Movies' 'Inspiration Show'

Dr Joe Vitale's credentials as a personal development specialist are second to none - the Law of Attraction, its theory and its implementation being an area of particular expertise.

In the video you can access below, he chats with Mind Movies' Natalie Ledwell about his latest work, The Secret Mirror, which is all about harnessing the power of the LOA.

He talks about finding your passion, the creative process, inspiration, limiting beliefs and tapping into both source energy and your own potential.

As you might expect, there some pretty revolutionary techniques and a slightly different slant on established methods and views.

Plus, he introduces his follow-up project to The Secret Mirror, appropriately entitled, 'The Secret Reflection'.

Well worth a look. Check it out. Click below to view the original recording:

http://tiny.cc/74ewmx

No Motivation? 7 Ways To Overcome Your Lack Of Motivation

By Kayla Matthews

IT seems like the only habits that stick are the ones we wish we could break: smoking, checking phones every 27 seconds, or using the words “awesome” or “literally” in every sentence.

Good habits are hard to build and bad habits are hard to break.

Build good habits to keep motivated and achieve your goal

Make a resolution to eat a good breakfast every morning before you leave for work, and by the end of the week you’re back at your favorite coffee shop grabbing a latte and a donut for the commute.

You have no motivation to stick to your goals or follow through on the promises you make to yourself.

Setting good goals doesn’t absolutely require motivation. You can begin a goal without it, and often motivation will follow.

But if you can harness motivation before you begin, you will supercharge your efforts, making it much easier for you to achieve your goal.

What happens when motivation itself isn’t a habit? There isn’t a medication that can be prescribed to help you get motivated. So what do you do?

If you have no motivation, here are seven ways to overcome your lack:

1. Visualize Every Detail of Your Goals

Besides the obvious necessity of having a goal to visualize, you need to sit down and think through every minute detail of your goal.

If your goal is to write a novel, visualize every scene and every character until you are drawn into that world, making it that much easier to sit down at the keyboard and start writing.

Seeing the detailed end product in your mind helps you stay motivated, but only having a vague hope of what you want to achieve can be discouraging.

2. Write Down the Reasons for Your Goals

When you set a new goal or begin a habit, engage with it by writing down why you want to complete that particular goal or habit.

If you want to pursue a promotion at work, for example, writing down the benefits and reasons why you want it helps your brain process the goal and keeps you on track.

When you create something tangible like a written list, it provides another mental cue reinforcing your actions toward making the goal real.

3. Set Targets and Rewards 

It’s bribery, but it works.

Setting short-term goals within your longer-term goals helps you feel like you're accomplishing something, while rewards give you something to look forward to even before you reach your final goal.

Breaking large tasks into smaller ones helps keep you from getting overwhelmed.

Allowing yourself the pleasure of a bowl of ice cream after you’ve finished each chapter in your report, or a special outing with friends after completing a fitness milestone, helps you stay motivated for the long haul.

4. Strategize, but Remain Flexible

When embarking on a new goal, plan how you will attack it.

Thinking through your plan not only gives you the opportunity to set up the best conditions for success, but also allows you to look at alternate strategies if you encounter difficulties.

Don’t stress if your first try fails. If you don’t succeed on the first shot, change your plan to work around the problems that stopped you the first time.

5. Decide If This Is a Solo Mission

You’re a smart person. You are good at your job and don’t need other people around to wreck your perfect plan, right? Maybe.

Sometimes there are ideas and input you need in order to accomplish your goals that only another person with a specific skill set or personality can provide.

When you are starting out, determine who (if anyone) could best complement your efforts to help you keep your goals on track, even if it is just by listening and holding you accountable to your decisions.

6. Exhaustion’s Setting In, Now What?

Very few people never get discouraged, and it will likely happen to you. Plan in advance what you will do when obstacles arise and your motivation starts to flag.

You could reread your list of reasons why you are chasing this dream. You might brainstorm a new, more interesting way to proceed with your goal to re-energize you.

You could call your accountability partner and hash it out. Depending on the type of goal, create a plan of action for re-engaging with enthusiasm and enjoyment as you work toward your goal.

7. Keep Looking at the Big Picture

Writing down the reasons for your goals once is good, but it may not be enough. You need to continually remind yourself why you are pushing on.

Is it to get a raise so that you can buy a bigger house and start a family? Then hold on to that picture. Is it to finally have the satisfaction of seeing your work in print?

Visualize what that achievement will look like in the end, not just throughout the process.

Don’t give up. Motivation is a hard habit to sustain, but it is well worth strengthening your motivation muscle to empower you for success with all of your goals and habits.

Kayla Matthews is a productivity blogger with a passion for motivating others and setting lifelong goals.

You can find her over at Productivity Theory, as well as on Google+ and Twitter.

Article originally appeared on www.liveboldandbloom.com. Source: http://tiny.cc/aosjmx

Raise Your Vibration in Five Ways

Guest post by Tina Ann Hisick

A lot of people have heard the saying, "having good vibes" and have said it themselves, but aren't totally sure of what that really means. What is our vibration and what are we supposed to do with it?

Our vibration is also known in the spiritual world as our vibrational frequency. This is the current state of the energy that is within and surrounding our physical bodies at any given time. 

Raise your vibration... and feel really good!

Vibration is not a permanent state of being, but rather, it is changeable and malleable. Human beings can manipulate their vibrations in any way that they choose once they know how. Vibration is also measurable. It is measured by the way that we feel.

What is your vibration right now? Ask yourself how you feel. Do you feel good? Do you feel great? Are you just okay, or do you feel down? However you are feeling will tell you what state your vibration is in, and this state will communicate to you if you need to do something to change it.

Everybody's vibration gets low sometimes, and that is normal. But the great thing about the energy around us is that we can do many things to change it for the better and greatly improve the state that we're in. Here are a few ways to raise your vibration now.

1. Play music you like. Music is a superb way of changing your environment to one that will uplift you and make you happy. Put on some music that you love to hear, or if you're a musician, play some yourself. Let the good energy come through your ears.

2. Keep your surroundings orderly and clean. There are few things more uplifting than living in a beautiful environment. You don't have to spend a lot of money to do this. Make the best of wherever you are. Keep it clean, eye-pleasing and organized for more zen in your life.

3. Do something for others. You can start with your family and friends, or perform a random act of kindness on a stranger or two. You won't only be helping them, but you'll be helping you.

4. Exercise. You don't have to be a marathon runner or an Olympian to feel good. Go outside and walk for awhile. Lift some weights or go swimming. You can work up to the exercise level that is appropriate for you. The endorphins will start kicking in, and so will your energy.

5. Keep your attitude in check. Nobody is perfect, so don't expect yourself or others to be. But try as hard as you can to catch your attitude when it may be becoming negative and cloudy. Intentionally change your thoughts to something positive every time you do. This will create a more positive vibrational you.

There are so many different ways you can change your vibration and feel really, really good. Do what you can with what you have, and soon your vibration and energy will radiate brilliantly from you.

Thank you for your readership. You can read more articles by Tina Ann Hisick at tinahisick.blogspot.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8536391

This One Thing Will Mean Life Or Death For Your Goals

By Douglas R Kruger

STUDY a thing enough and patterns emerge.

Over the course of a decade watching people set goals, I've reached the point where I believe I can now determine which goals will see the light of day, and which will die of malnourishment, to within a very small margin of error.

Ready to achieve that goal? Then don't delay!

There is a single, learnable dynamic that determines the difference, and it has very little to do with 'picturing the goal in your mind,' or 'attracting it to you' on the wings of some vague cosmic magnetism.

Do this one thing right and you are very likely to get to where you want to be. Do it wrong and your chances of success are almost nil.

Let's begin with the storm:

The Storm Inside Your Mind

Think of it as an ancient sandstorm, billowing within your mind. Full of lightning flashes and roaring winds, it has energy and tension, and as wave after wave builds, all this force is desperate to go somewhere.

This is your desire to achieve, your will-to-action, your hunger to become. And it's a messy force, informed in equal parts by love, greed, art, skill, ambition, lust, joy, free dreaming, focused learning, and grinding discontent.

It is the tumultuous amalgamation of everything that spurs you on and awakens your desire to prove yourself. It is a useful energy.

Channel it well, and it will propel you. Channel it incorrectly, and the storm will subside, amounting to nothing but noise and missed opportunity.

The Wrong Channel

Failed goals all have this one thing in common: They are delayed. Delay a goal by any measurable period of time, be it as little as a week, or even a single day, and that delay will become the death of the goal.

Why? Because in making the decision to delay, you dissipate the energy in your storm.

The goals that are acted upon immediately tend to succeed. They have all the impetus of your inner rage behind them.

Self-Delusion Through Delayed Decisions

The most recent example of self-deluding goal sabotage that I've seen is a case that repeats itself endlessly around the world every year, to the point of being an awful cliché.

A friend of mine has been speaking about losing weight. Desperately unhappy with her scenario, she makes the mistake of 'perpetually making a decision.'

The act of making the decision dissipates her mental storm, and for the next week, she does nothing constructive, happy that she has 'made her decision.'

Her act of decision-making feels, to her, like addressing the problem. It feels like control, and that is sufficient to relieve the cognitive dissonance, even though nothing has been achieved.

Over the course of the last year, I have watched her 'make the decision to buy a treadmill' - an act that bought her two weeks without exercise - then actually buy the treadmill, which set her mind at ease for another month.

She has yet to use the treadmill, but buying it was a comforting call; a storm-dissipater, if you will.

She has also made the decision to join weight-watchers (next week, definitely!), and to go on an exercise boot camp (starting next month, because she's awfully busy).

Decide, decide, decide; delay, delay, delay. She is the ultimate self-deluder, and it is frighteningly common human behavior.

I did a quick count. Over the year in which she has been 'deciding to start exercising,' I have been to gym 215 times. Imagine the progress she could have made in 215 gym trips.

The difference is that I don't make future decisions. I simply go now.

I've seen the exact same principle at play when people decide to write a book. They often spend years deciding to write a book.

When an idea for a book strikes, the best way to begin is to pen the opening chapters that day. Go now. That will make all the difference.

Channel it Now

Put it off until next week, next semester, next year, and I can almost guarantee that it will never happen. Your storm will subside and settle into a useless calm.

You will find reasons, justifications, rationalizations. You will promise yourself that a future version of yourself will deliver, and thus transfer responsibility to a person who will be even less interested in acting than the you of today.

Storms are powerful, but judge them quickly. If you deem their outcome worthy, then don't over-think. Do.

Douglas Kruger is a professional speaker and author of 'Own Your Industry - How to Position Yourself as an Expert.'

He specializes in personal excellence and helping organisations to positions themselves as industry leaders.

See him in action or read more of his articles at http://www.douglaskruger.co.za. Email info@douglaskruger.com. Follow on Twitter using @douglaskruger


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8700441