Time Management Tip - Use Deadlines

What is a deadline?

 A deadline is a time limit that you set for the task to be accomplished. In reaching your goals, deadlines must be taken seriously to be able to finish the tasks on time or ahead of time. Setting a deadline is very important in achieving your goal.

Just like a to-do list, a deadline will help you be on track by reminding you not to swerve and go to a different direction. A deadline will help you know that the task should be finish within the specified time and should not be beyond that. Knowing that you have a deadline to meet, it will also help your body produce more energy. The more closer you are to your deadline, the more you produce energy and would likely want to finish your task.

Now, without a deadline for every assignment or task you have, it would take you forever to finish it. It would make things seem to be unimportant to your life, which, in reality the tasks are really important. Like for example you have an exam and you didn't set a deadline on when to finish studying and be prepared, you're most likely be cramming on the night of the exam.

Cramming would then let you spend the entire night studying and jotting down notes and when you wake up in the morning, you lack sleep and eventually forget the things you've studied last night. Whereas if you have set a deadline like by Thursday all you have to do is review your notes and sleep early, then, take the exam Friday morning, you can be more relaxed and have a high chance that you'll pass the test. See how important setting a deadline is?

If you are the type of person that do not have an organized life and always cram when tasks are to be met or things need to be done, then setting a deadline can be very useful for you. It can make your life easier and more harmonious. You can even have more time to relax and have time to unwind thus, lowering your stress levels.

Time Management Tip: Use Deadlines

However, if you are the type of person who knows how to set deadlines to the tasks yet do not know how to meet it, you need to have discipline to yourself and take deadlines seriously. Also, avoid procrastinating and have the sense of urgency to finish the tasks. Do not slack and be a couch potato for nothing is going to happen to you. Always find time to work on your tasks and rest later. By doing this, you will be surprised of the outcome in meeting the deadlines.

It still holds true that deadlines really do help in reaching your goals. It sets your mind to finish the tasks that you have for yourself. It can even inspire you to finish it on time by knowing the urgency of it.

Also, when setting yourself a deadline and you think you really need an inspiration to meet it, it is better that you tell other people about it. Let the other people know as this would help you concentrate more on your goal and will force you to manage your time and act accordingly.
By Raymond Le Blanc. If you want to learn more about time management visit http://www.amazon.com/dp/9079397032

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

Realizing Your Full Potential And Reaching Your Desired Goal In Life

To reach your desired destiny, it is imperative that you exploit your full potential. Any successful person will agree that despite life challenges you must raise above your circumstances to achieve success. High-achievers are the people who position themselves high above the common crowd.

Look deep within your inner man and you will harvest some great inspiration. Do not be mediocre since it brings about a form of bondage. Refuse to be content with where you are at present or what you have achieved so far. Rather, strive to constantly go beyond the normal thus reach your full potential. Reaching your goal does not mean that you can now relax.

Always seek to challenge your capabilities and you will overcome the spirit of settling for average. You too have the ability of reaching your full potential and becoming the best in your niche. The achievement of one stage is the commencement of another thus past success must not hinder future success.

In another way, success is merely a matter of how you are going to use your past to inspire and propel yourself to reach your full potential, both now and in the future. For those who have tasted victory in the past they must feel even more confident and challenged to achieve more and climb to a higher status.

In case your past is a record of failures, break that yoke and believe that you are a champion of tomorrow. It is only by having a burning desire to taste victory that will help you become a winner. Therefore, be focused, committed and disciplined towards attaining your full potential. Never worry about yesterday, in fact, you should use your past experiences to build on a better tomorrow.

The future is in your hands and you hold the key to your accomplishement. Raise your head above your shoulders and build a bright future for yourself. To harness more insightful content on realizing your full potential, follow the links appearing below.

 
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/self_improvement_and_motivation/article_8455.shtml

Who are What You Read

I was 5 years old when I learned how to read. I started reading comics. It was easier because you can associate the words to the pictures drawn on each comic book panel.

I was in high school when I seriously pursued reading short stories from our English subject text book.I was in college when I picked up my first paperback novel.

Ever since then, I have been reading magazines, news paper articles, fiction, graphic novels, poems, instruction manuals, songbooks, and mostly anything interesting that is printed on paper. Years progressed and I got my job, I started to find my self spending time and money on bookstores just to have a quick browse or to buy more books that I wouldn't even finish reading. Books and magazines filing up on top of the other. Some are good, some are bad.

Fast forward to the present day along came the thing called "The Internet". Everyday we now find ourselves reading more stuffs in a different way. We do not read hand written letters anymore. Instead we read emails, online chat messages, offline chat messages, tweets, SMS, blogs, status updates, online forums, E books, updated user profiles, photo comments, and other forms of electronically printed words on big and tiny gadget screens.

Is it a good thing or a bad thing? The good thing is less clutter to our shelves and tables because reading electronic saves paper. But our Inbox and hard drives are being loaded with gigabytes of data. We can drown with the sea of information that the internet provides. The bad thing? Hours being spent online uses electricity that contributes to global warming. Now which way it should be? Save the trees or save the ozone layer? Now that is a predicament.

Anyways, the whole point of this rant is we do have a lot of things to read. Be it online or offline. What really matters is we can still choose what to read and there's plenty of things to read. There's a sea of information in the internet. But still there's also a certain pleasure reading a book. Choose you own adventure. Let's use God's given gift. The ability to read, and the ability to comprehend.

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

How To Motivate Yourself And Make The Most Out Of Life Each Day

“My goal is always to inspire my readers to want – no, demand – more out of life. After reading this article, you’ll feel encouraged, inspired, and focused. I want you to be empowered to change the world in which you live – empowered to change you!” Getting motivated is challenging alone, but staying motivated makes it an even greater challenge. How can you stay motivated when the economy and your personal finances are in disarray? How can you stay motivated when there are so many reasons all around you to give up on life? According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word motivate is derived from the root word motive which is defined as a factor or circumstance that induces a person to act. I’m going to share with you the 8 keys that will help you to motivate yourself on a daily basis and stay motivated for the rest of your life.

First, you stay motivated when you understand that you have a purpose and you know what that purpose is.Discovering your purpose is not difficult. You can start by asking yourself: what am I passionate about, how can I help others, and what would be the ideal job for me. Answering these questions will empower you to find your purpose.

Second, you will stay motivated when you understand that you were destined for greatness.Greatness is something different to everyone, so don’t get caught up in the idea of “saving the world.” That’s not what I’m talking about here. People who realize that they are destined for greatness, walk around looking for opportunities – large and small – to be great to someone.

Third, it is critical that you accept the reality that you were created to succeed. Once you have a healthy definition of success, then you can begin to succeed in every area of your life. You’re not a failure – you’re a champion!

The fourth key to staying motivated is the most essential, and that is you begin to take small action after small action.

You have to give yourself permission to fall down, make mistakes, and then get back up stronger and smarter than before. So many people stay stuck at the starting line for fear of taking action may lead to disappointment. I would rather start and never finish, than to never start and wonder if I ever would have finished.

Fifth, you must resolve in your mind to never give up. Look, things will happen in your life – most of which will be beyond your control – but you can’t allow that to become a legitimate reason to stop and throw in the towel.

Sixth, you will stay motivated when you realize that life is meant to be lived and lived to its fullest potential.Don’t settle for “getting by” or “just making it,” decide to get everything out of life that it has to offer those who dare to dream like you.

Seventh, never forget that each day you have a choice to either live or die.Are you alive to your dreams and goals today? If not, make the choice to wake up and begin living your life.

Lastly, you must speak to your dreams as well as your situations and circumstances.

Speak life into those things that you desire and speak death into those things you want removed from your life. Instead of focusing on the negative, try talking more about the positive things that are going on in your life and the great things that are yet to come.

Now that I’ve shared with you the 8 keys to self and perpetual motivation, discover how to put these keys into practice on a daily basis by going here now. In addition, it’s always a good idea to have someone to coach you along your way. That’s why I want to encourage you to consider teaming up with one of our Professional Life Coaches today. I feel so passionately about this that I want to give you a complimentary e-session. That’s right, it’s FREE! Tell someone that you know and I’ll give you another FREE session! It’s that simple. Two FREE Life Coaching e-sessions with a trained and qualified Life Coach! Sign-up right now and be sure to enter your promotional code: MyLifeNow2010. Go here: http://www.EmpoweredSeminars.info We look forward to hearing from you soon.

About The Author
Dominique Edmond is one of today’s best Professional Life Coaches and acclaimed Motivational Speakers. Dominique is a native of Louisiana and has held several management positions with many of today’s successful businesses. As an expert in his field, Dominique has successfully help to motivate, inspire, and lead hundreds of individuals into living their dreams and reaching their goals in their lives. The author invites you to visit:
http://www.empoweredseminars.net

Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/self_improvement_and_motivation/article_8467.shtml

Why You Must Put Yourself First

I work with many women in my coaching practice and it's interesting to note that whenever I start working with someone and ask them what their goals are and why they want to accomplish those goals, it's nearly always "so I can help more people."

Helping each other is a wonderful thing and I think it's what we're put on this earth to do. However, I don't believe that we're meant to do it at the expense of ourselves. What I usually point out to my clients as they very passionately tell me about their goals and dreams and their reasons for wanting them, is that they are making it all about everyone else and never about themselves.

The problem with that is that it depletes you. When you are constantly focused on everyone else, to the exclusion of yourself there is an energetic 'disconnect.' How can you take care of others if you don't take care of yourself first?

Many women are struggling today - and that's not to say that men aren't, but it's usually in a different way. The women I have the privilege of working with are incredibly talented, creative, smart and capable, and yet they are struggling to achieve their goals and dreams, and they are understandably frustrated.

It seems that often when women have a goal of making a certain amount of money, they feel as though it is not good to want it for themselves. It's as if wanting money for themselves is wrong. They often tell me "it's not about the money" or "I don't really care about the money" and it's all about helping others. Ladies, it's okay to want money. Money is simply another form of energy and it's something we all need. There is nothing wrong with wanting money, unless you plan to do something bad with it. Money in and of itself is not bad or evil.

I think this comes from our conditioning. Somehow, we're not supposed to want anything for ourselves, we're supposed to serve everyone else. But think how much more you can serve others and how much more you can do for others when you are taken care of. When you have enough money that you can do whatever you want, you have the freedom to be able to help others, but you're doing it now because you are taken care of and you choose to help others, not to help others at the expense of yourself.

Do you see the difference? I hope so. Because now, when you look at the goals that you have for yourself and your career or business, I want you to put yourself at the top of that list. What do you want for yourself first and foremost? It's not selfish to put yourself first - in fact I think it's more selfish not to, because if you don't then you really are depriving others of everything that you have to offer, because you cannot give when you're experiencing lack yourself.

So change that thinking and start putting yourself first - then see how many more people you can help, and you'll feel good about it because you're taking care of yourself first.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Binns

Set Goal Smartly

 

An individual who wants to achieve success in life smartly think of which goals to plan. If you'd like to attain the same thing, better set objectives which are attainable and realistic. By doing so, you get to decipher aims which you think are easy to accomplish in a measurable amount of time.

You may now be asking, "Why does setting goals work?"

The answer to this is plainly simple. Setting goals lets a person focus on a particular objective which allows him to exclude other things irrelevant to what he plans to complete. This way, he gets to be aware of the things which matters most and need to be done immediately. He also gets to have a full understanding on how he'd like to achieve them.

Moreover, to further guarantee the affectivity of goal planning, patience and hard work are your keys. Nothing is impossible. Everything is attainable. Yes, there are challenging bumps along the way but these should not hinder and stop you in achieving your dreams.

It may really take much effort to persevere but once you realize things are changing and you start to notice there's development as you go through your journey to success, rest assured, you're walking the correct road to victory. Remember, we make our own destiny. And, by saying that, we are responsible to what we are going to be in the future. Yes, no one knows what lies ahead of us, but we walk our own journeys to become what we want to be.
Scheduleyourgoal is your online goal setting guide capable of giving the best service when it comes to achieving your objectives in life. Check out http://www.scheduleyourgoals.com for more details.

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

What is Personal Development All About?

I sometimes get very frustrated (it doesn't last long!) when I see the extent to which Personal Development is hijacked by people whose sole focus is on money. Go on, Google 'Personal Development' - the number of sites that talk about becoming a millionaire, trebling your income, achieving financial freedom! Check out Amazon and there's a plethora of books on the same thing. Sure, people worry about money and the irony is that if you worry about money, money worries you shall have - in abundance. Surely, that's not the kind of abundance that we want - but it's the kind of abundance you have in mind because we manifest what occupies our mind and most normal minds are preoccupied with the kind of nonsensical thoughts that bring about the very thing that they don't want to happen! After all, that's how our world works - energy in : energy out! Personal development has absolutely nothing to do with money. Sure, money and lots of it may well be a consequence of using your mind the way God intended - but it should never ever be the goal that you have in mind. As John Lennon said, money will not buy you love, nor will it purchase happiness for you - and surely personal development is ultimately about being happy. If you think otherwise, you've missed the point - the purpose of life, of your life, is to be happy.

In browsing the internet I've recently come across one article that said that your quality of life depends on how much money you have. Rubbish. Another highly ranked video on personal development said that personal development won't work if you don't have a compelling reason in mind. What kind of reasons did the speaker offer? Buying a new car or a new boat! I've been that soldier! I've had the BMWs and the Jaguars. But I grew up. It strikes me that most people grow older but never actually grow up. Until you grow up you simply will not be happy - you will not find inner peace, nor will you find the true inner power that you have to get anything - absolutely anything - that you want out of life, including money. But money doesn't come first - it's a by-product of a happy, fulfilled, focused, committed mind.

The problem with all these personal development websites and books is that they prey on the vulnerable. The normal mind is vulnerable, lost in useless thought, trapped in a vicious circle of self-doubt, worry, anxiety, fear, stress - you name it! Given the opportunity to learn 'the secret' of wealth, how are these vulnerable minds going to react? Hey, they'll waste their money, learn nothing and, in the end, become even more distressed and more vulnerable. Perhaps that's why the average personal development customer buys something new every eighteen months on average. They're like Bono, they still haven't found what they're looking for! Because they are looking in the wrong place.

You don't have to look far for happiness and real success. Look in the mirror - the gateway to effortless living is staring you in the face. It's you, it was always you - you may need a little help, inspiration, pointing in the right direction - but ultimately you and only you can make you happy. And with happiness everything flows - money, boats, cars, whatever turns you on!

However, when you look in your mirror, you don't see you, you see who you think you are. And you're mistaken because the useless, negative, self-sabotaging thoughts that we all have are clouding your subconscious mind and it's through the cloud of nonsense that you see your world. It's very difficult to see the light if you're looking through a cloud! However, the wonderful news is that the cloud is not real - there is no cloud! You've got to stop letting your mind choose its thoughts for you - because research proves that, given the choice, your subconscious will choose self-defeating thoughts. In fact, you've got to stop thinking altogether! (Positive thinking won't do, it's still only thinking!) Instead, you've got to start doing.

Doing what? Doing what you're actually doing right here, right now - no matter what it is. You've got to wholeheartedly do what's in front of, wholeheartedly be where you actually are. This attitude is in marked contrast to the normal state of mind that sees and experiences the present moment through that cloud that I mentioned a moment ago. That cloud of useless thought leads you to believe that, perhaps, you don't like what you're doing (apparently the majority of people don't like their job) or, again, that you wish you were somewhere else - like looking forward to the weekend! This endless stream of nonsense stops you doing.

If you truly immerse yourself in whatever you're doing, you'll enter a mental state of what psychology calls 'flow' - and not only do you flow but things start flowing for you (including money). Doing what you're doing is the gateway to wisdom and the path to happiness.

Copyright (c) 2010 Willie Horton

About The Author
Willie Horton has been a Personal Development expert since 1996 - working with top leaders in major organizations. An Irish ex-accountant, ex-banker, published author and keynote speaker, he travels the world, from his home in the French Alps, enabling people "live the dream". All his work - including his acclaimed Personal Development Workshop - is now online at http://www.gurdy.net The author invites you to visit:
http://www.gurdy.net


Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/self_improvement_and_motivation/article_8466.shtml

7 Secret of Success

The Secret to Success is in the Hands of a Good Mentor

If you have ever tried to find success on your own, you know that it can be done, but the hurdles you will face are astronomical. No one becomes successful without a bit of failure first. Walt Disney visited hundreds of banks and was turned down hundreds of times for his idea of a massive theme park until one bank finally said yes. Now look at Disneyland. In the meantime though, that had to be a bit discouraging. There were probably times when Disney wanted to give up and felt like a massive failure. This is where a good mentor comes in. Mentorship can get you through these rough times and keep pushing you until you reach you highest potential.

Certainly it is not easy to ask for help. No one likes to do that. However, you are dealing with your life, you career, supporting yourself and maybe even a family.It is okay to understand that being disappointed and failing a little here and there is normal for everyone. The important thing is to be able to keep a positive attitude and to focus on what is going right instead of dwelling on the wrong. Having positive energy is necessary for success.

A mentor's job is to help you with that positive energy. He or she will coach you and guide you to success in your business or venture. They are there for you when you need someone to vent to or when you need someone to celebrate with. It is their job to be there to help you, so asking for help should no longer be a burdensome task for you.Starting something new in life is never easy. The good news is you do not have to do it alone. A mentor is one of the best investments one could make in them and in a new business.

You have probably seen videos such as The Secret and you know how powerful those words can be. Imagine having the secret whispered to you everyday. Imagine what it is like to be built up daily by someone who truly believes in you and wants you to succeed.There will be days when you want to give up. Everyone has them, but now there will be someone to call who keep your perspective positive and keep you from wasting time looking at failure and keep you focused on your progress.

Mentorshipenterprise is a place where you can find a mentor as well as the best success strategies. Partnering their clients in achieving the objective of ultimate success, they also show the exact methods of self-help that can lead them on the right path.

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

Practical Tips to Focus Your Mind

Once our day gets going it is the easiest thing in the world to get swept away by the routine, the urgent (which, by the way, is quite different from the important), the latest minor crisis (which probably seems major at the time) or, most common of all, the endless stream of useless thought that simply distracts us. Even if you have made the effort and started your day properly, it is simply all too easy to become submerged in the cares and worries of the moment and, as a result, revert to our default state of unfocused mindlessness.

So, first things first, what does starting your day properly mean? Well, none of us would even think about leaving the house physically unprepared for the day ahead. We wash and dress ourselves - shaving or applying the odd dab of make-up as appropriate! On the other hand, most of us unwittingly leave the house each morning completely and totally mentally unprepared for the day ahead. Starting the day properly means ensuring that, before you leave the house, you have taken the appropriate step or steps to clear your mind and focus y energy.

Practical Tip #1

I recommend five to ten minutes 'mental preparation' for the day ahead. Find somewhere quiet, where you won't be disturbed, to sit and focus on what your five senses are telling you - one sense at a time. This ensures that you're focused on what is actually going on rather than simply letting your subconscious mind's programs automatically run your life. Remember, if you don't do this, those deep-seated programs will produce your normal knee-jerk reactions throughout the day - not to what is actually happening but to what your subconscious mind believes is happening. Also remember, if left to its own devices, this is your default state of mind - the one that gets us into so much trouble.

So, You've Started the Day Properly

OK, let's say that you've got your day off to the perfect start, you're switched on, tuned in, focused, alert and ready for action. However, even little things like a delayed train, like getting stuck in heavy traffic, like someone asking you to do something unexpectedly - so many little things can knock us off balance. And I haven't even mentioned the bigger challenges that our ordinary lives throw at us! The truth is that, because of our default state of mindlessness, it is all too easy to slip and slide effortlessly into mental oblivion as the day progresses. What we need to do is ensure that, during the day, we pause to catch our breath - literally.

Practical Tip #2

Age-old wisdom places great store on the opportunity that our breathing affords us to clear the mind of useless noise and distraction and, consequently, focus the energy. So, here's a simple, quick and entirely practical tip - because, after all, you have to breathe anyway! Take a few moments - moments is all that it takes - at various points throughout the day to stop yourself in your tracks, drop whatever you're doing and turn your attention to the reality of the moment and your existence in the here and now, as you breathe in and out. Focus your attention on what it feels like to breathe. Notice how your body gently moves and responds with each breath that you take, with each breath in and each breath out. Pay attention to the way your chest, shoulders and abdomen rise and fall each time you inhale, each time you exhale. Become fully aware of the way in which the air passes through your nose. What I mean by this is actually notice that the air is passing through your leftnostril, your right nostril or both nostrils simultaneously . Give thanks for the reality that you are alive and breathing. Pay attention to nothing else for these few moments. Inevitably, the hassles and cares of the moment and the useless thoughts and worries with which we are all plagued will start start crowding your mind. When this happens (it's not a question of if, because, once again you must remember that this is your default state of mind) take three deeper breaths to refocus your mind. As you breathe, realize that whatever might be doing your head in right now will be completely forgotten in months, weeks, days or even hours.

The Reality of a Focused Mind

It is unusual to be focused. Research indicates that 96% of us are not focused at all - never focused during the course of our adult lives. It is unusual to the extent that, if you develop your focus, you will become unusually - or extra-ordinarily - successful and happy. After all, you must understand that, with an alert, focused and ready mind, anything is possible.

Copyright (c) 2010 Willie Horton

About The Author
Willie Horton has been a Personal Development expert since 1996 - working with top leaders in major organizations. An Irish ex-accountant, ex-banker, published author and keynote speaker, he travels the world, from his home in the French Alps, enabling people "live the dream". All his work - including his acclaimed Personal Development Workshop - is now online at http://www.gurdy.net The author invites you to visit:
http://www.gurdy.net




Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/self_improvement_and_motivation/article_8470.shtml

Think yourself Successful

When You look at anything around you whether it be the home you live in, the car You drive or the building You work in I want You to know that they all began with a thought.You may have a hard time breaking down the company You work for down to a thought born in one man's mind but I assure You that is all it was. He or She had the thought and put it in to action and now the massive building You work in is the result.

What this means is that if You have been experiencing failure up to this point it was one and only one thing that caused it. Your thoughts.If You would quite simply change Your thoughts slightly then You too would find that Your actions and the things that You build are successes.

Let us pretend that We are all children again for a moment (yes I said 'children', stop taking Yourself so seriously!). Alright now what we're going to do is play a game.Think about only one choice that You find Yourself making a lot of the time. For example that You're going to go to bed after You've done some activity that You know ends up with You in bed late. A poker night during the week for example.

For the next 3 weeks miss that poker night or re-schedule it for days when You don't have pressing engagements the next day.I can bet You a Rolls Royce that by the end of the 4 weeks You will be enjoying a better quality of living. Apart from this any ideas that start to occur to You on those 'poker nights' when You doze, note them down and act on them.

If I'm wrong that Rolls is waiting for You and My e-mail is below.

'Thank Ya' for reading and have an amazing month.
Staying true to My bet. delta@delta14.com

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

What Leads to success?

Personal Development - Mission Very Possible!

Unfortunately, most people look at life through dark glasses and, consequently, everything looks gloomier than it should. This is normal because the normal mind is hard-wired to look at reality by filtering it through our conditioning and, in doing so, it is more likely than not that the mind will focus on negative rather than positive conditioning. This mental frailty is what is keeping your life on hold.

You have to change the way you look at the world and your place in it. However, I am not suggesting that you look at life through rose-tinted spectacles - this will prevent you from seeing possible pitfalls or warning signs. This attitude prevents people from knowing when to give up on something that is not working for them - whether it's a toxic relationship, a floundering business or a particular career path. As such what is widely known as positive thinking or a positive mental attitude can be seriously dangerous and misleading, often leading to people fiddling while their very own personal Rome burns around them. Positive thinking often leads to the ultimate cop-out: "I'll do nothing because I just know that things are going to get better!"

If you're going to get your life moving in the right direction, something different, even innovative, is required. What I am suggesting is that you see life for what it is - the reality of the present moment. By focusing your mind on what is actually going on, instead of what you think is going on (having viewed things through those dark glasses of yours) you will be able to see the potential upside of an opportunity that you might altogether otherwise miss with your dark glasses on. Similarly, you'll be alert to and aware of the potential downside of what you're doing, intending to do or not going to do - something that you will not otherwise see if you're looking through your rose-tinted glasses.

However, there is a problem. The reality and opportunity of the present moment can only be experienced, appreciated and capitalized upon if you by-pass your hard-wiring - something that doesn't come naturally to the normal adult. But it came naturally to all of us as children when we experienced everything that was happening by using all of our five senses. Indeed it was that clear state of mind that enabled us to be conditioned in the first place. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to re-learn how to experience the here and now without putting your own personal spin or preconceived notions into the mix. You've got to take your conditioning out of the equation completely, take off your dark glasses and, as a result, you will stop making a nonsense of the present moment.

What does your mission involve? Well, you already have everything that you need for the adventure of a lifetime because all you have to do is come to your senses - and I mean that quite literally. You've got five of them - you need to start paying attention to what they are actually telling you. Seventy years of research in the field of psychology tell us that, as normal adults, we don't pay a blind bit of attention to what our senses are actually telling us. Instead, our conditioning has lulled us into the false sense of security that we know best. We don't - how could we, we've no perspective on the bigger picture of what life might actually have in store for us if we only took our blinkers off and opened our eyes.

Coming to your senses requires that you spend a little time every day, preferably first thing in the morning, training your mind to pay attention to what you actually see, feel, hear, smell and taste. Simply paying attention to the sensation means that you must simply notice and observe what's going on without interpreting, without analysing and without jumping to your habitual conclusions. Although we could do this effortlessly as children, it doesn't come easy to the normal adult. Your mind will wander, you'll think useless thoughts like 'this is useless!' and you will get frustrated. As such, I would suggest that you start out by working on one sense at a time. For example, tomorrow morning, sit down somewhere where you won't be disturbed for five or ten minutes, close your eyes and simply focus on what you hear - and take it from there.

What's the point of such an apparently simple exercise? It trains your mind to experience, appreciate and understand what is actually going on, moment to moment, in your life by removing your preconceived notions that cloud your vision, lead to unhelpful reactive behaviour and result in you missing the opportunity of the moment. If you start each day with a little mental exercising, the whole of your day - and, ultimately, your life - will get going in the direction that you really, really want.

Copyright (c) 2010 Willie Horton

About The Author
Willie Horton has been a Personal Development expert since 1996 - working with top leaders in major organizations. An Irish ex-accountant, ex-banker, published author and keynote speaker, he travels the world, from his home in the French Alps, enabling people "live the dream". All his work - including his acclaimed Personal Development Workshop - is now online at http://www.gurdy.net The author invites you to visit:
http://www.gurdy.net




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21 Suggestions for Success

Confidence is King

Confidence and self belief allow you to do more of what you want to do. Are you content with every aspect of your life? Is there a part of your life which you would like to change over or to improve upon? Many people suffer from negative effects carried forwards from past experiences which haven't been comfortable; this is all too frequently what stops us for moving on in life.

The fact is that our expectations are based upon our experiences and associated levels of confidence and self belief. If we are fortunate and have had good experiences then our expectations will be positive and confidence high. On the other hand, those of us who have experienced events which were uncomfortable and negative will have less positive expectations about future events.

For some this means that they will hold back, stopping themselves from moving forwards and reaching out for opportunities. Others will still try to move forwards, but will have to contend with their own inner voice constantly warning them of potential pitfalls; this inevitably makes progress slow and difficult, which in actual fact it could be easy if you could only take control of your own mind. Lack of confidence and fear of failure are the enemies of progress and success.

This is why confidence really is King. Confidence is the most important tool which anyone can possess. Without confidence you are too afraid, or too timid, or too doubtful to move forwards and to try something new. Without confidence everything is so much more difficult; small things can become a major trial. As you learn to feel confident in yourself, you open your mind to opportunities instead of to fears.

When you feel confident you can make the important changes in life that you always wanted to, but never had the strength to do so. Confidence makes you strong and powerful; it is enabling.

Whether you are confident or not will be based upon your experiences. Confidence is something which is learned. If you did not learn to be confident as a child, your expectations will be more negative than they should be. But do not fear. Everything can be changed, so long as you want to. Your mind is an incredibly powerful asset, so long as you know how to use it.

I came across a simple directive the other day - "if you think you can't...think again". My dad always said "there is no such word as can't". It's true. "Can't" only exists in your own mind, if you allow it to do so. What has been learned can be unlearned. If you learned a pattern of belief which is frequented too often with a feeling of "can't", you can change, no matter what your age.

We continue to learn new concepts and new ideas throughout life. This means that we constantly readjust our perceptions of ourselves; our confidence has the ability to go up and down, depending upon our mental focus and life experiences. Confidence is King and it is all in your mind.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnosis confidence mp3s.

P.S. What have you always longed for? Make it happen today; grab a free hypnosis mp3 from my website.

http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com

About The Author
Grab a free hypnosis mp3 from http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com and view her library of hypnosis confidence mp3s and build confidence with hypnosis . The author invites you to visit:
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God Helps Those Who Help Themselves - Spiritual Life Coaching

God helps those who help themselves. You ever heard that before?

I notice with some of my clients are visioning, visualizing, writing out their goals and affirmations, but they’re not taking any action. They aren’t getting the results that they want.

Now, I notice that also there’s another truth here. Some of my clients do no visioning, do no goals, do no dreaming, and I’d like to propose that the visioning, the goals, the affirmations, the dreaming- those are modern day ways of connecting to God.

The clients that don’t do any of that accomplish things, but they accomplish with great struggle. Everything is a struggle. Everything is hard.

Then I have other clients who are doing all the visioning, all the affirmations. They are writing the goals. They’re dreaming. They’re doing the inner work, all of that, but they’re taking no action. And they are experiencing some happiness, but they’re also experiencing a lot of doubt and uncertainty. They’re fighting against the fact that things aren’t happening the way that they want, and the mistake is that God helps those who help themselves.

You can’t just do the visioning. You gotta do the action as well. And you can’t just do the action. You gotta do the visioning as well. You gotta do the inner work and the outer work. When you do both, everything begins to work very, very rapidly, and your life starts to happen quickly and in an easy, effortless, and enjoyable way.

 
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How To Be Successful At Work In 5 Simple Steps

It’s important for everyone to know how to be successful at work. Whether you’re a government employee, a self-made entrepreneur or a simple clerk at a department store - it’s crucial that you know how to make the most of your skills and potential.

Read on to learn how to be successful at work.

Step 1: Be a team player.

Cooperation is key. You can’t go anywhere without knowing how to work well with other people. We may all have different beliefs and ideas, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be part of a team.

In fact, knowing how to deal with different group dynamics is one of the most sought after characteristics in employees these days. You may be one of the best in your field; but if you can’t work with other people, then you may be more trouble than you’re worth.

Step 2: Learn to stand on your own.

Knowing how to work on your own is equally important. There will be times when you’ll be assigned to do a certain task by yourself.

If you fail at this, then how can your boss rely on you to do a good job in the future? If you want to learn how to be successful at work, you should be able to hold your own in the company.

Step 3: Don’t miss deadlines.

Deadlines are there for a reason. Students who submit their projects ahead of the deadline are usually those who are eager to get a good grade. In the workforce, not missing deadlines is still very important. It shows how organized you are and alleviates the company’s fear of having an inefficient employee.

Step 4: Always have your game face on.

You should always be ready for a challenge. You should always be prepared to give it your all. If you want to know how to be successful at work, this is how you do it.

Keep in mind that your boss will always be watching your performance. One slip-up and it goes into your boss’ record if not the official one.

Step 5: Be assertive.

Keeping quiet won’t get you promoted. If there’s an opportunity for you to share your ideas, then go ahead and take advantage of the situation. This shows everyone that you’re actively participating in the growth of the company and that’s very good news indeed.

Just make sure that your suggestions are actually worth considering and not just a bunch of nonsense. Otherwise, you might find yourself terminated prematurely.

These are my 5 steps on how to be successful at work. I'm sure you can come up with your own unique steps as well. As long as you have the drive to give it your all, everything else will follow.

About The Author
To help you achieve your dreams in record time, I'd like to give you FREE instant access to some of the best self-help e-Books worth over $2,355.00! Download them free at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/goldaccess.htm The author invites you to visit:
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Goal-Setting: Mission Accomplished!

For some, setting goals is easy . But setting goals effectively is another thing. It gives us the drive, the go-get-them attitude. It brings us hopeful expectations in our life ahead of us. It gives us a reason to welcome a brand new day with a renewed feeling of joy. For goals are our objectives, the desired results that gives us purpose in life.

Most people set goals too high for their expectations. As a result, they become too intimidated to even start because they don’t know how, when or where to begin. Along the way, some may be frustrated and disappointed that they may just quit something they never finished doing. However, one goal setting activity that really works is the kind that is trimmed down bit by bit until it becomes a whole unit.

This kind of activity is a moving, continuing gathering of separate occurrence to produce the ultimate desired results. For this to be effective, the acronym S-M-A-R-T-I-E can be used as guidelines. S-M-A-R-T-I-E stands for S-Specific-Don’t be too generic. Please specify exactly when building a goal setting activity. Present tense should be preferably used.

For example, you wished to be an entertainer. What kind? Is it in the field of theater? Singing? How about dancing? Perhaps acting? If you choose dancing, which type of dancing do you like? Can it be in the more classical and refined world of ballet? Or a more young and hippy crowd of street dancing and break dancing? Or maybe you prefer a sexier type—pole dancing or belly dancing? Feeling competitive? Why not try ballroom dancing instead? There you could choose from rumba, foxtrot, jive, cha-cha-cha, or the Latin flavor of samba.

Dreaming to be a movie and tv actress? What roles do you prefer? It could be a leading role, a supporting one (e.g. sidekick) or you are more comfy being the villain or anti-hero. How about if you want to be a singer? Practice your vocal cords and choose your niche.

From a crooning balladeer, a fast-talker rapper, reggae ala Bob Marley, a jazzy singer on a bar or grooving it out in RNB, the possibilities are yours. M-Measurable- Of course, you also need to keep track of your progress if you’re getting there so you can measure your performance to success.

A-Attainable – Okay, so you have your goals, you’re specific, and it is measurable. But see to it that it’s attainable by conceiving it. You have to devise it in your mind. Imagine it as if it’s already in your hands. R-Realistic- it is not enough thinking and imagining your goals.

It should be within the parameters of logic and reality. T-Tangible- Your goals have to be something that’s real and existing. Something that can be perceived by our senses. I-Inspirational- It’s important to be inspired by your goals and be constantly motivated by it. It helps you to be more driven to climb higher, to pursue farther.

It stimulates your creativity into action! E-Emotion- If you become too involved in something or someone, eventually, you’ll be attached to it. Then it becomes a part of your system, it unconsciously belongs to you. Same thing with goals and dreams, to achieve them, you have to want it so bad.

With these tips and guidelines applied to your goal setting, there’s no doubt that you can have that dream and goal in mind and you can say, yes, “Mission accomplished!”

About The Author
The author of this article, Amy Twain, is a Self Improvement Coach who has been successfully coaching and guiding clients for many years. Amy recently published a new home study course on how to boost your Self Esteem. Click here to get more info about her Quick-Action Plan for A More Confident You. The author invites you to visit:
http://www.innerzine.com


Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/self_improvement_and_motivation/article_8496.shtml

Important Goal Setting Steps To Achieve Anything

First I’d like to ask, are you a goal setter? If yes, why are you setting goals in the first place? The answer should be to attain an admirable and deserving objective. There are many advantages in defining your objectives. First, like a movie, you choose to direct your own life.

You get to pick the destination of your own choice, and not having others to dictate the destination for you. You simply want to get from point a to point b. and you want to be there at the shortest time possible. But sometimes for most dreamers and aspirers, we discover along the way that some of our goals might fail to materialize into reality.

So here are guidelines for effective goal setting steps. #1 Important Goal Setting Step-Think about it. Try to think what you really want in your life. And I mean something which you presently don’t have in your life. You cannot act on something without actually thinking about what you really want, right? At this phase, most people think about what we desire and welcome in our lives.

Those who dream could begin to make more weighty decisions focusing on the purpose. #2 Important Goal Setting Step- Decide on it. The most important in defining that target is to look at that want, that desire and ask yourself, do you really want to reach this aim? Will you really want that objective belong to your world? And if that target might take several years to accomplish, are you willing to make sacrifices? Oftentimes, we travel into directions without even giving it much thought.

#3 Important Goal Setting Step- Set that goal. Actually setting that life-defining purpose is another essential step in achieving those dreams. Those who set goals sometimes get stuck with how to achieve those objectives. By identifying those objectives, you have already decided, you’ve begun an all-new journey in your life.

By setting, deciding, planning and actually giving deeper thought to your desired end results, you are surely getting there by formulating it with a plan of action. #4 Important Goal Setting Step—Act on it. The penultimate step for this goal setting activity is to finally act on it. Action must be done for your vision, your dreams and your fantasy to transform into reality.

For a dream will remain forever a dream without taking steps to act on it. Although it is going to take a lot of your time, action is still worth all that dreaming and aspiring you initially thought of. The objectives you want in your life is equally proportionate to the effort you need to exert.

The bigger and higher your goals, the greater the effort and action needed in your part. #5 Important Goal Setting Step- Persist and be consistent. Targeting those lofty ideals is useless without action. And without persistence, we would be easily swayed away from our goals. We may be good beginners, but can be bad finishers.

It is frustrating not finishing what you started in the first place.

About The Author
The author of this article, Amy Twain, is a Self Improvement Coach who has been successfully coaching and guiding clients for many years. Amy recently published a new home study course on how to boost your Self Esteem. Click here to get more info about her Quick-Action Plan for A More Confident You. The author invites you to visit:
http://www.innerzine.com




Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/self_improvement_and_motivation/article_8497.shtml

The Importance of goal setting

It goes without saying that time is gold. As we all know, goal setting is one of the main characteristics of time management. It allows us to define and design our dreams in life. To know our top priority is not easy to do so. First, you should ask yourself.

Am I happy and satisfied of what is happening in my life? If not, well it's time for you to set some dreams. But before setting goals, you must know and understand your strength and weaknesses. Every individual has their own limitations. We know that we have some freedom to express but everything has a limit.

We can't set intentions whenever and wherever we want. How sure are you that can achieve these goals? So, when you have goal setting, you must stick to your plan and try to make an effort to achieve it. Plan your own personal priorities. If something isn't necessary as of now, delay it.

You don't have to do everything that enters in your mind. You shouldn't be in hurry to achieve everything at once. Slowly but surely. You would separate big ones to small ones. You ought to allow yourself to focus on big ones so you can make a small steps to fulfill it and then it's your chance to give attention to the small ones.

By doing this kind of way you won't lose your direction. You can figure out what the correct path is where you're heading. The purpose of achieving our aim is having a successful and happy life. To commit and take some necessary measures to make our dreams a reality. Having goal setting can lessen some stress when we are thinking about our present and future life.

There are times that we are changing our goals because we recognize that this is not suitable to us. So you should assess your aims in life. You ought to know whether you should change it or you're going to pursue it. If you think that this goal is really for you so make another way to achieve this precious goal of yours.

You must check your aim if this is moving up or down. Set some time frame so that you can't waste a lot of instances just to achieve this one intention. And if your time frame is almost over try to seek some help from your relatives and friends. Let them motivate you in achieving your aims.

A simple talk with them can give you more strength and power to gain confidence in achieving what you really want. Determination and dedication can make you reach the goal that you have set. You then should be determined to reach your intentions. It is important that you would have goal setting because it's your way to make all your dreams a reality.

Always remember that success take place to those who are much willing to accomplish their desires in life. And for those who set their dreams, it's much easier than the other way around. So are you ready to achieve your dreams? Start setting some goals to have a bright future.

About The Author
The author of this article, Amy Twain, is a Self Improvement Coach who has been successfully coaching and guiding clients for many years. Amy recently published a new home study course on how to boost your Self Esteem. Click here to get more info about her Quick-Action Plan for A More Confident You. The author invites you to visit:
http://www.innerzine.com


Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/self_improvement_and_motivation/article_8507.shtml

Learned Optimism

by: Michael Logan

Learned optimism learned fast. I believe very much in the concept of learned optimism.

I got a chance to start over about 30 years ago, and am still muddling along, albeit with more health and contentment and wealth than I had then. (Cross your fingers on that last one, given our current economic woes).

I have tried out a whole bunch of tools that I thought might enhance the process, and some of them do.

If I have learned one thing, it is that I must repeat the words or thoughts that I want to have so that I get the feelings that I want, very frequently. (For example, "May this work be for the good of all, seen and unseen" or "the attitude is gratitude".

My human brain, with its human orienting response, will attend to a bunch of different sensory cues in very rapid succession, any of which can take me to my 'learned fears" from my childhood.

So paying attention to my thinking is a prerequisite for moving quickly through the process of learned optimism.

Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, the author of the book FLOW, reports that we process sensory data seven bits at a time and the shortest amount of time between seven bits and the next seven bits is 1/18th second. I take 1/10th second to blink my eyes, so I could be distracted from my learned optimism as frequently as 126 times per second.

So you begin to get a sense that paying attention to attention is very important for continuing learned optimism.

Paul Ekman,Ph.D. says that we respond to facial expressions perhaps as quickly as as 1/25th second.

Any of you who have ever walked into the house at the end of the day, and saw an angry scowl on your mates face, and instantly experienced the change in feelings that go with that experience can identify.

The Posit Science Brain Fitness folks are mentioning 1/45th second as the amount of time senior drivers need to train for using their new program.

The point is that I lose my learned optimism quickly, and should be prepared to get it back quickly, like the meditation folks say, I should be prepared to observe my thoughts and let them pass by.

Learned Optimism Through Biofeedback

As I read the positive psychology materials, I think that there is much more room for learning optimism, and I am somewhat surprised that the positive psychology folks have not advocated the use of tools like heart rate variability biofeedback, which is a biofeedback tool that leaves one feeling good, and helps us access the cooperative and affiliative brain in the heart.

Yes, the heart has a very sophisticated nervous system, a brain if you will, which can be trained to beat coherently, opening higher perceptual centers in the brain.

I can learn to feel very subtle shifts away from coherence or what I call learned optimism, and shift right back to my coherence very quickly.

The heart actually sends a huge amount of data to the head about emotions, and we would prefer those emotions to be positive, which is what the heart will provide if I cue it with, drum role please, deep breathing and a cognitive cue.

I use heart rate variability as a life style tool, and as an management tool, when I have an emergency surge of unpleasant feelings.

How do I do that?

I picture my children's faces, and the image does not have to be tremendously detailed, and I place it inside my chest next to my heart.

My heart has learned that when I do this it is to change coherence, so my practice is literally teaching my body a new baseline, a very coherent baseline, which feels good, is very healthy, and sounds a lot like learned optimism to me.

After all, what we are training here is heart rate variability coherence, normally an unconscious process.

When you develop an expertise at cognitively managing your body in this way, how could you not be more confident about your ability to navigate life's up and downs with equanimity.

In order to work on the next aspect of deep learned optimism, you will need to read this book,

Brainfit for Life

by Simon Evans,Ph.D. and Paul Burghardt,Ph.D.who are neuroscientists at the University of Michigan who write about the pillars of brain fitness and how those impact two recently discovered capacities of the human brain, neurogenesis and neuroplasticity.

Neurogenesis is the growth of new brain cells every day, which migrate to the hippocampus where memories are formed if I do not kill those new neurons with too much stress hormones or booze, heaven forbid.

Neuroplasticity describes the way our neurons work to form new connections when challenged by novel learning experiences, and both those capacities can be enhanced, which enhances learned optimism.

Learning equals neuroplasticity.

So what enhances brain fitness?

Attending to lifestyle choices in these brain pillar areas, physical exercise, nutrition, including omega 3 fatty acid, sleep, stress management (see heart rate variability biofeedback), and novel learning experiences, which usually means learning a new instrument, a new language, or perhaps working with any of the computerized brain fitness programs to exercise different areas of the brain.

Sounds like physical exercise is a real cure all, works for depression and emotional and mental health, works for your cardiovascular health, and now here is evidence that physical exercise helps your brain stay fit.

If you are my age, you pay attention to how your brain is doing, and if there is research out there that says that using computerized brain fitness programs helps build cognitive reserve, which helps me function normally even though I have plaques in my brain, then I am going to engage in that brain fitness tool.

Learning optimism is an ongoing process which is enhanced by self-talk, brain fitness, heart rate variability, and regular practice.

I love to read and remember Mark Twain quotes for example. My favorite Twain quote is "Alright then, I will go to hell" Brings a grin every time I think of it.

About The Author
Michael S. Logan is a brain fitness expert, counselor, a student of Chi Gong, and a licensed one on one HeartMath provider. I enjoy the spiritual, the mythological, and psychological, and I am a late life father to Shane, 10, and Hannah Marie, 4, whose brains are so amazing.

http://www.askmikethecounselor2.com The author invites you to visit:
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How to Success

by: Scott F Paradis

What happened to the energy and enthusiasm of your youth? You expected to take on every challenge, surmount every obstacle, experience and accomplish great and wonderous things. What went wrong? How is your bucket list coming? Are you where you intended to be?

"Success" and "Happiness" - represented through a myriad of words and realized by nearly innumerable means - are the two markers, or dare I say measures, of the each soul's life quest. People are born, they take, they give, they live, they die - why? To ultimately bring joy to the endeavor or to achieve some purpose, some task, some end. The difference between those that achieve in life and those that do not leads one to consider: Do we know how to succeed? Can we succeed?

As of late we've seen phenomenon such as Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret" transfix the collective consciousness. Millions rush to embrace the opportunity to find the Holy Grail, employ the Silver Bullet, rub the Golden Lamp. The promise of unparalleled, truly cosmic power proves to be the allure of searchers, as moths to flame. But the light and heat found in this journey of discovery are far less threatening than any flame. The magic formula of "The Secret" is simply: ask, believe, and receive. What could be easier? Has that simple success formula worked for you so far? What about for the world?

Now, you may sense some skepticism in this line of questioning, but please don't be hoodwinked by that thought. I contend "The Secret" formula is authentic, accurate and a viable means to apply to accomplish or experience virtually any and everything in this life. However, for most of us, we have to understand that life just may have other plans.

It is true - nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come. But realize that for any picture to be complete not everyone can be subject - some must be background; not everyone can be quarterback - some must play the line; not everyone can be the star - some must serve as supporting cast. The unfolding of the universal drama, the grand symphony, the great epic requires all sorts of bit players. The best each of us, and all of us, can hope for is that each individual completes their task, fulfills their purpose. All you can do - is your part. You must accept and trust that in the big scheme of things all will be well - and it shall be.

All achievement begins with an idea. Idea is the energy of a dimension beyond this physical reality. Ideas are offered freely and openly to those prepared to receive. To advance an idea you must have the insight to realize the value of the idea and the capacity to act on it.

"The Secret" says: believe and receive; but to realize the potential of the idea it must be in keeping with your purpose. Capacity is what separates the wheat from the chaff in achievement and success. You must possess the skills, talents and abilities to move the idea forward and the discipline to see the task through. Both of these attributes accompany your purpose. Capacity is where life purpose or need sometimes diverge from desire, want or intent. Though you can manifest remarkable things in this life and you are the master of your fate, the captain of your destiny, life brings you opportunities on scale with a purpose you defined well before you ever arrived here.

To succeed in anything, to make your first million: ask, receive and believe, but realize what manifests will be in support of your purpose. While you may not be meant to be president, or to write a best-selling book, or to break a world record in downhill skiing - you are here for a purpose. Look to your strengths, your aptitudes, your abilities - for where these lie you will find your purpose. Add some discipline and perseverance and success is guaranteed. You can have a full and fulfilling life, all you must do, is choose to.

Copyright (c) 2010 Scott F Paradis

About The Author

Scott F. Paradis, author of "Promise and Potential: A Life of Wisdom, Courage, Strength and Will" http://www.promiseandpotential.com publishes "Insights" and a free weekly ezine, "Money, Power and the True Path to Prosperity". Subscribe now at http://www.c-achieve.com The author invites you to visit:

http://www.c-achieve.com