Are You Programmed For Success...Or Failure?

Have you ever wondered why some people just have it all? They're well liked by everyone they meet, financially set and attractive…but what stands out most is their beaming sense of self-confidence when they enter a room.

It's almost as if they have a certain "presence" that gives off positive vibes.

Not everyone is this fortunate, however. There are people who are faced with low self worth, they struggle to maintain positive relationships and often feel resentful towards people who are better off than they are.

So what's the difference? How can one person be so incredibly successful while another person constantly struggles just to get by?

The answer lies in what I call your "Invisible Lifestyle."  Your Invisible Lifestyle is what made you into the person you are today. You were literally "programmed" with the habits and beliefs that you follow today (or refuse to follow). 

So who were the programmers?

Look no further than your very own parents or guardians.

It's true. Your parents unknowingly “programmed” you to become the person you are today. The reason I say 'unknowingly' is because your parents raised you the best they could based on how their parents raised THEM.
Because of the "brain wiring" of your original programmers (your parents), as an adult, you are duplicating the way they lived when you were young.

For example, let's say you were raised in a household where both of your parents were always there for you. They took an interest and encouraged you in everything you pursued.

You grew up seeing your parents work hard every day, take interest in you and treat each other with respect. As a result, you grew up to have a successful career and a happy marriage because you worked hard and treated your spouse with respect…just like your parents.

Now let's look at another scenario…

Imagine a life where you grew up in a neglectful household. Your parents never encouraged you or took an interest in anything you did…EVER.

Your father had a negative outlook on life because of HIS traumatic childhood so all he knew how to do was raise YOU the same way that his father raised HIM.

As a result, you grew up with a negative outlook on life (just like your dad), and you have low self esteem because nobody took the time to encourage you and take an interest in you as a child.

Is this YOUR fault? NO! Of course not!

You did not ask to be "dropped" into your parents' household. That is the “hand” you were dealt in life and now, as an adult, you're living out the consequences.

In these two scenarios, you're living out what I call "Invisible Lifestyle A".

A stands for "ALWAYS"

"What you didn't notice your parents doing as a child, you are faithfully reproducing today, and you don't have a clue you're doing it."

But there IS one exception to this phenomenon…

Let's say you grew up in a bad neighborhood with an alcoholic father. Everywhere you looked, you saw poverty, crime and hopelessness. As a child, you couldn't wait to move out of the house. You saw your parents' lifestyle and were DETERMINED to not only be successful, but be NOTHING LIKE YOUR PARENTS.

While you were growing up, you took the necessary steps to put yourself through school and as an adult; you have a positive self image and do everything within your power to remain financially stable.

This is known as Invisible Lifestyle B. 
B stands for "BUCKING"

"What you couldn't stand your parents doing when you grew up; you won't stand for in your relationships today."

Those who embrace the "B" Lifestyle, do so in defiance of their family's values.  The B Lifestyle can create the "black sheep of the family" and that goes for highly troubled families or very successful ones.

Invisible Lifestyle B has taken place when an inner city boy or girl goes on to pursue a successful career as a lawyer while each of their siblings end up in jail. On the other hand, a child from a wealthy family could go against his parents' values by recklessly spending and eventually filing for bankruptcy as an adult. 

Now I'm not telling you to place BLAME on your parents. Your parents raised you based on everything they knew at the time. It's ALL they knew. It's not their fault…it's NOBODY'S "FAULT".

The key is to understand and accept the fact that the negative values you absorbed from your parents (i.e., fear of failure, low self worth, jealousy) are programs literally "wired" into your brain.

And if you have enough discontent with these, it is very possible to change that programming in your adult life.

But simply knowing this is not enough.

You must find these programs and learn how to "decommission" them. In other words, you need to know what to do and how to do it, especially if these programs seem to dictate your behavior.

Do you do things over and over that other people might call "self sabotage"?

Are you attracted to a certain type of person you know you shouldn't be around, yet you can't help but feel attracted to?

The source of this behavior is one or two negative programs from your childhood.

These programs will prevent you (or your loved ones) from a better life.

If your parents' programmed you with some negative values that are causing you problems in your life today…it's NOT your fault…but it IS your responsibility to do something about it.

You can start by thinking about how each situation in your life today is directly affected by your Invisible Lifestyle. 

The more you discuss your childhood memories of the way things were, the more you become consciously aware of them and the easier they will be to "decommission".

Over an entire lifetime, most people will not make the connection between their behavior as an adult and how their parents lived during their childhood. 

They will accept their parent's values without questioning anything, never knowing the REAL reason they continue to make the same mistakes over and over again.

But now YOU know better than that. Don't live your life with a blindfold on. Create a better future by first identifying and then eliminating the values from your parents that are causing you trouble today.

ARE YOU FAMOUS OR FOCUSED?

ARE YOU FAMOUS OR FOCUSED?

    Are you famous or are you focused?  Let’s start with “famous”.  When people look at you, what do they say that you are famous for?  Are you famous for procrastination…negative words…poor time management…What are you famous for?  Let me share with you what I am famous for.  I am famous for consistent, structured, focused daily strategies and techniques to live a victorious life.  I know…that is a pretty strong statement!  You see, I would rather be “focused” than famous. 
    I am focused on success.  I am focused on assisting you in achieving you dream and discover the greatness that is inside all of you!  Forget about being famous, let’s be focused.  Be focused on your dreams…be focused on providing for your family…be focused on building a huge team…be focused on Finding Your Why!  Let’s commit today to become focused and start changing people’s lives. 
Millions of people world wide watch shows like “Who wants to be a Millionaire” or “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”.  The interesting thing is that everyone sitting on the couch with a bag of popcorn watching these shows are broke.  Why?  Because they are famous for sitting back and watching shows on other people being famous.  How about we flick the switch in life from famous to focused.  Stop dreaming of other people being famous and start being focused on your own destiny!  You must laser-focus in on your success and demolish procrastination and create action.  Demolish resolutions and create results!  Let’s demolish fear and create faith!  How is this all possible by simply being focused.  How do people become gold medalist, super bowl champions, etc?  They take charge of their lives, hire a coach and become focused. 
What are you?  Who are you?  Where are you going?  How are you going to get there?  More importantly, why are you not focused?  Those that know their “Why” are very focused.  I am focused on my Why of changing lives of Champions worldwide through my coaching, mentoring, seminars and success library and creating massive success in those Champions lives!   Do not allow famous to get in your way of being focused.  Make a commitment today to forget fame and become laser-focused!  Let’s get focused and know your Why!  Let’s go out and impact the world one heart at a time.  Focus creates success and Fame creates problems.  It’s your decision…become focused and live your dream!!!

Find Your Why & Fly!

John Di Lemme

Are You an Achiever or are You an EXCUSIOLOGIST?

It would be a fairly safe bet that if you are reading this article then you are on the lookout for something more in your life than what you already have.

Whether you are searching for a new business, a new opportunity, a part-time income or even a lotto system it all stems from one source - dissatisfaction of present circumstances.

Now you might already be quite successful at what you do, so you might be coming from a position of boredom. Nevertheless, what you are seeking is change. Let me tell you a little secret...

There will be NO change in your life until there is a change in YOU.

Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher said, as far back as the sixth Century BC, "It is in changing that things find purpose."

Do you want to change or do you want to keep driving a Volkswagen and pretending it is a Porsche? You are the only person who can make it happen.

Basically, if you want more out of life you have to put more into life. A fundamental way to do this is to start educating yourself.

How can you expect more in the ensuing years when the operating system in your brain is the same one that you left school with?

Everything changes all the time.

Maybe you need to change also. Re-invent yourself. Start a new exciting phase in your life. Time waits for nobody.

There are many people who I speak with who have never read a single book or attended any sort of learning experience since they left school. I actually think that's rather sad but some of them are even proud of it. Yet when the conversation continues out pours all their problems, all their hard luck and "woe-is-me" stories.

If you're still with me I want to ask you three questions but I would like you to think a little bit before you answer. It will probably take you a short while to answer the first question with a degree of accuracy.

So here it is, the first question: "How much time did you spend last week feeding your stomach?" Your answer doesn't have to be exact but you should be able to work out some sort of reasonably accurate figure. Jot the answer down somewhere.

Second question: "How much time did you spend feeding your brain?" Most people will not need anywhere near as long to answer this question. Unfortunately, for many, the answer to question two will be ZERO.

So here is my third question and it's a pretty simple one. "Why? Why do you spend so much time feeding your stomach and so little time feeding your brain?"

These questions are not meant to belittle anybody. Rather, I just want you to think about the issue.

Thinking intensely about things will often lead to action and when action is taken your world can change. That is what you want, isnt it?

Non-achievers are the excusers of society. By default they become excusiologists. They spend a lot of time and effort making excuses for poor performance. The crazy thing is that all that time and effort which was wasted on achieving nothing could easily have been used doing something positive.

You can easily recognise an excusiologist by their language.

"I'm not smart enough!" Rubbish. You don't have to be a genius to achieve. You just have to be willing to learn. Are you willing to learn?

"Nobody in my family has ever been successful." Great. Here's a chance to show them something new. Break the family trend.

"I've never had any luck." Really? Maybe God thinks you don't need it. The harder you work the luckier you will get.

Be careful about what comes out of your mouth. What do most people say when you ask them how they are?

Question - "How are you?" Answer - "Not bad." When you think about it, isn't such a reply rather negative and silly? Not bad compared to what? It's trash. Get rid of it. Try something innovative. Try this: "Outrageously well. Thanks so much for asking!" That will surely raise a few eyebrows.

So, getting back to what this article is all about. How much longer are you going to waste the most precious commodity you have? - TIME.

Stop making excuses and start taking action. Do something. Do it now. You could easily start educating yourself.

Good knowledge will give you potential power. Acting on good knowledge gives you power.

Try reading some good books. They can really make a change. Not sure where to start? Easy. Try try your local bookstore. Look in the "motivation - self help - personal development - success" area. There you will find dozens of books literally packed with good earthy, positive information. Most of them will contain references for even more information on these subjects. You could even enrol in a course.

After undertaking these measures there will be no excuse for being an excusiologist. I have just offered you some suggestions which will allow you to change.

Of course, you can always stay as you are. That's your choice. But if there is dissatisfaction in your life and you want to make improvements, for heaven's sake, do something about it!

You only get one chance at the life you are living. Make it grand. You don't have to accept what has gone before as the template for what is to come.

Change your operating system. Gather knowledge. Expose yourself to new ideas and ways of thinking and doing things.

You have probably heard this before but it is so pertinent I will put it before you again...

There are basically three types of people in this wonderful world of ours.

1 - There are people who make things happen.

2 - There are people who watch things happen.

3 - There are people who say "what happened?"

If you have traditionally placed yourself in groups 2 or 3 by not being willing to learn new techniques and obtain the knowledge that successful people seek, then there is a very simple remedy. But you have to be prepared to do three things:

1 - invest in yourself

2 - learn some new knowledge

3 - apply that knowledge

You can make a decision today to better yourself or you can ignore my advice. It's your choice.

Remember, there is nothing so important in your life than investing in yourself. Even if a book or seminar can teach you only one thing out of the hundreds of ideas and special pieces of information they present, it will be worth it for you. Don't you think so? That one thing might be just the piece of knowledge that can make such a huge difference to your future.

Are you worth investing in?

If, in the past you have been prone to making excuses you have the opportunity right now to do something about it.

If you read the newspapers, watch the TV and listen to the radio you will see how much negative permeates our senses. We are flooded by it every minute of every day. Studying success principles has the power to block all that negative out of your life. It can teach you how to concentrate only on what you want.

When you learn how to shield yourself from negative you will then be free to concentrate on all the good that can come into your life.

Just look around you - this world is in desperate need of more achievers. Heaven knows we have enough negative thinkers and excusiologists. They are everywhere. My advice to you is "don't add to their growing number."

Join the achievers who have success thinking as their power base.

Excusiology is a chapter you will find in a subject called Failure 101. Make the decision today to become an achiever.

Whatever you decide I wish you all the best for your future.

Allow Time For Germination

There is a concept in coaching called seed planting. It means that it takes time for new ideas and suggestions to be embraced. There are clients that take hold of a new idea and run with it, some take a little more time to allow the idea to grow while others can take years before the idea sprouts. Still some clients will never grasp the idea. It will simply lay dormant. It doesn't really matter what the client does with the idea. The purpose is to plant the seed and the client can do with it what they will. Sometimes the idea just needs time to germinate.

A counselor once told me that not to make a decision is a decision. She said not to choose was a choice. I thought she was nuts and went on with my life. It was five years later when I was in the middle of a situation where I was avoiding a decision that her words hit me like a ton of bricks. I literally said out loud, "I get it." It took years for that seed to germinate in my brain until one day it sprouted and grew into a concept I understood. I was finally ready to get it. I wasn't able to hear it before, but with time, I had evolved enough so the concept made sense. New ideas can take time to get used to. When we first hear the idea we may not be ready for it. That is fine. When you are ready the idea will sprout and grow and be there for you.

The other side of this is not to force your ideas and suggestions onto other people. By all means share them, but leave it at that. Seed planting isn't an aggressive act; it is gentle and done with love and compassion. All you can do is plant the idea. What happens to it is up to the individual and what they are ready to hear at that very moment. The idea may sprout right away or it may take years. That isn't your concern. Your job is to plant the seed and move on.

Everyone is at different places in their lives. Sometimes you will understand the new idea right away and perhaps even take action on it in the moment. At other times it will take a while. Don't beat yourself up when you don't get something right away. It just means the idea is in germination. When you are ready the idea will sprout and grow and be right there to support you. Until then don't worry about it and go on with the ideas you are ready for. There will be plenty of idea seeds sprouting at any given time to keep you busy.

Advantages of Being Confident

Almost all successes and attainments in life come from your ability to feel certain that you can accomplish what you set out to achieve. Confidence is the gateway to success; to the life that you wish to lead and to the dreams that you desire to live.

With confidence you can boldly progress towards your ambitions and aspirations. With confidence you can rise up and handle life’s demands and challenges. You can tackle any hurdle and obstruction, and move on to the next step of your journey to fulfilment and achievement.

One of the principle requirements to anything you want to do in your life is confidence. Confidence is an indispensable part of your development, betterment, progress and success, both at a personal and professional level. With confidence you can forge ahead to fulfil your potential and perform at your peak level.

Having confidence is the crux that allows you to achieve your true potential in whatever situation; in your relationships, your work or career, your finances and your self-image.

When you experience a lack of confidence, it may stop you from striving for what you want. This feeling of lack of confidence can be the root of many complications and hardships that block you from achieving your desires. It can be like a large thorn that continually bursts the bubble of desire.

There may have been times when you have felt a level of confidence when you were engaged in an activity that you were good at; such as driving a car, being a parent or managing your team. At those times you would have displayed a high level of certainty, which is a form of confidence.

However, there may have been other circumstances where you found that you felt less confident. On these occasions, you would achieve a fraction of what is truly possible for you. With determination and focus to pursue and gain confidence, you can develop the strength and fortitude to climb out of the depths of any circumstances, and take advantage of the opportunities and successes that lay ahead of you.

In the same way that you have learned to lack confidence, you can also learn to have unlimited confidence. And the simplest and quickest way to kick-start the engines of your brain, is to know and accept that confidence can be an acquired process; it can be learned and formatted to suit all moments.

As your confidence increases, you can take a front row seat in mastering many areas of your life. You will find that you become more and more comfortable and confident in multiple areas, including:
•    Moving ahead in your career
•    Starting your own business
•    Embracing the risks of every day life
•    Refusing to be held back by fear
•    Creating circumstances rather than waiting for them
•    Smiling more and enjoying life
•    Dramatically improving your health

Successful and dynamic people have gained mastery on how to feel courageous and confident. When you develop and build on your own confidence skills, you, too, will feel and become a different person. You will feel much more enthusiastic, motivated and determined in every aspect of your life.

Once you improve on the way you think and feel about yourself, your beliefs and your actions will follow. You will confidently overcome the challenges that life thrusts upon you and you will manage them with new-found belief and faith in your capability to do so.

As you become more confident you abandon worry, hesitation and, more importantly, you side-step fear. The focus here is on your whole being, every part of you; your thoughts, the images in your mind, your emotions, and ultimately your behaviour and the actual outcomes in your life.

Bear in mind that as you focus on change, change does begin to happen. It is fun, motivating and very rewarding to feel and see yourself growing and improving and becoming more confident and effective day-by-day and week-by-week.

There is great power in believing that you can succeed in your quest for greater confidence. With awareness and consistency, this is attainable. Your confidence can stretch beyond any measurable scale and further still, knowing no boundaries.

Just think what you can do with all the confidence that you can have!

Action Speaks Louder

We’ve all been in that place. You have a pretty good idea what must be done, but you can’t do it. You know it is the appropriate thing to do, but you just can’t act. You are stuck. You mull the circumstances over and over in your head, but still you don’t really do anything about it. You wait…wait for life to come along and work it out for you. Then you accept the outcome. There are times when this approach might be okay, perhaps even the best choice; but most of the time we just don’t have the courage to make a decision.

That’s what it boils down to, you know…courage. Well, I know that’s the case for me anyway. I have taken to examining myself at such times when I find it difficult to decide what best to do. My discovery is that, even when it is abundantly clear that one action is for the greater good, fear stops me from acting of my own will. I look at the “possible” consequences and I can’t bear to move forward. What about the other action? Well, the fallout of that might also be unbearable, so I don’t take that action either. I can’t stay where I am. I must do one of the other. Repeatedly I return back to the same fork in the road, and I don’t act on either one, hoping that the next time I return there would be more clarity. Sadly, clarity hardly comes. Eventually, when I do act, a lot more damage has been done than was necessary...damage that could have been avoided if I only had the courage to act sooner.

Well, more damage isn’t always done, one could argue. It’s true. Still, at the very least, you take away your control of the situation by becoming a victim. Surely that’s wrong, you say. What if you rush into a decision that you later come to regret? Wouldn’t it be better to consider things fully before you do something stupid? Once again, that’s correct. However, for most people, the consideration goes on for way longer than it should. If there is something else that should happen first, then that’s fine; but this is not the case either, for most people. It’s just that they don’t want to do what is necessary.

Making decisions is a key activity in taking control of your life. It’s a skill in itself. Some people seem to have the ability to do it better than others. For these people, it seems to be an innate ability. For others, well it requires development. You have to practice. You have to flex those “decision-making” muscles. You can’t afford to wait around for things to happen. You have to confront your fear...fear of failure and of missed opportunities.

In order to develop the ability to act when the situation demands it, it’s ironic that the best ally is a more “passive” resource. It’s acceptance. When you can learn to accept life, then you are able to do more without being paralyzed by fear. Think about it. You can’t control everything. This is a fact. You can’t see the future (unless you are psychic or something, in which case skip this); another fact. You will make mistakes in life; but you can recover and move on. Accept all of this and you’re well on your way to being able to make tough decisions.

Acceptance is not so difficult. You do it all the time. Do you drive? Well, if you do, you have to take it for granted that the driver coming from the opposite direction is not a lunatic who is going to run into you. If you’ve ever crossed the street at a Traffic Light, or gotten in a car with someone else driving, then you’re doing a lot of accepting. How do you do it? Well, you don’t have a choice. You have to get to where you’re going. You wouldn’t get there if you refuse to get in a car because you are afraid you might crash. It’s a risk you have to take because you are convinced that it there is almost no choice. Well, how about applying that acceptance to your decision? There are no guarantees in life (generally speaking). You might have made a mistake, but at least you had the courage to choose. And who’s to say you wouldn’t have gotten struck by lightning if you had taken the other path. You just can’t know that it would have been better if you hadn’t acted as you did. Accept this as well. It will give you confidence.  Trust me, with confidence; you are already half-way to your destination.

So step up to the plate. Choose. Don’t be a victim of circumstance. You can do so much more knowing that you are responsible for the choices that have delivered you to where you are in life.

A Great Way To Generate All The Motivation You Need To Get Fit

If you're having trouble getting motivated to keep to your fitness program ... or if you haven't even got off the starting block yet, this article could change your life! Not completely ... that would be too ambitious! But, there's a tiny, inexpensive device that can provide you with all the motivation you need to get out and start moving your body around a bit more.

The pedometer, as it's known, can also make you WANT to do it and can even get you to ENJOY doing it!

What ... ? ENJOY exercising??? Surely some mistake?

Well, no actually. Please read on.


1. So, what is a pedometer?

It's a small, compact device used for measuring the number of steps taken.

And, as well as measuring the number of steps taken when exercising in your local neighborhood, it can also measure your steps whilst you're climbing the stairs, mowing the lawn, or doing the shopping.

2. How Does It Work?

It's small enough to clip to your belt and is fitted with a pendulum which measures one step each time your foot makes contact with the ground.

3. How Much Does It Cost?

Many pedometers have been given away FREE as part of campaigns by local health authorities to get people moving their bodies more.

If you can't find such a campaign in your area, you can buy a pedometer with a reasonable number of features for as little as $20.

4. What Exactly Does It Do?

You should buy a model which, at the very least, measures the number of steps taken, calories burned, distance walked, speed you've been walking and how long your routine has taken.

More expensive models may include any or all of the following additional features:

- a soothing voice to tell you how many steps you've taken
- a pulse monitor
- a stopwatch
- a radio and headphones so you can listen to your favorite radio station whilst out walking
- a step filter to achieve greater accuracy
- a back light so you can see your pedometer in the dark.

5. How Do I Set Up My Pedometer?

First you need to enter your height, weight and average stride length.

To arrive at your stride length, most instruction guides prompt you to measure out a distance of, say 10 meters, and to count the number of steps you take to cover it. Divide this number by the overall distance and this gives your average stride length.

Once it's set up, just follow the instructions to activate the settings you want to use, clip your pedometer to your belt and you're ready to go.

6. How Do I Take Readings?

At any point after you've started your routine, you can stop, flip open the pedometer and take a reading. Of course, you shouldn't do this too often as this will interrupt the rhythm of your walk.

But you can get an idea of the progress you're making by checking the number of steps taken, the distance you've traveled, the calories you've burned and so on. You'll be able to go from one measurement to the next at the press of a button.

7. How Does This Provide Me More Motivation?

The great thing about wearing a pedometer is that you begin to think about the number of steps you've taken towards your daily target.

This gets you into a 'walking mindset' and you suddenly start to identify lots of new walking opportunities.

If you had to be dragged kicking and screaming to take up a fitness routine, the pedometer is the single most important device you can use to start enjoying your workouts.

It's so easy to use and it can transform the way you feel about getting fit. It can take you from resisting the whole idea of doing a daily workout, to your really looking forward to it and wanting to do it more.

Why?

Because, after using it for a while, you begin to realize that your daily targets are not only achievable but, with a bit more effort, can be easily surpassed.

Something you thought was going to be such a grind becomes easy, because you know you can do it!

Did you ever think that was possible?

Well it is. Just get hold of your pedometer and keep wearing it. It can have a really positive effect on your fitness and health.

A Change will do you Good

As the last rays of summer’s warmth ebb away and the gentle breezes of autumn waft themselves upon us, we recognize once again, that change is inevitable. Nature is constantly changing and yet, so many people have the notion that change is frightening.

People are creatures of habit and some find it difficult to adjust to changes that are certain to come our way.  Life is like an old, comfortable pair of shoes. We may realize that we need new ones and we may even find new ones we really like, but, we know that changing will cause us discomfort for a little while until we break them in.

Sometimes we need to realize that life isn’t always easy.  What may be better for us is not what we are used to, but it is certainly worth the trouble of breaking in new habits and lifestyle changes.

Change does not have to be painful. Just look to nature and it will give you clues to how change can be effortless.  The beautifully colored autumn leaves do not hang on to the old tree for dear life.  No, they yield to the changes with ease and float gently off the tree.

With the coming of autumn we have been busy in our gardens pulling up the old stuff and getting ready for a time of rest.  We know that the ground must rest and next year there will be more wonderful things in our garden to delight us. 

Are there things in your life that need to be gently eased out of your life? Maybe there are bad relationships or habits or thoughts that need to be weeded out of your life. Don’t be afraid to do a little gardening in your own life.

Every gardener knows that unless we get to the roots, we really are not getting rid of the problem.  It may go away for awhile but unless we get to the root, it will sneak back into the garden very quickly.

Although the harvest time is here there is no time to stop weeding the garden of our minds.  This garden needs constant attention in order for us to flourish and be all that we can be.  The only way to keep this garden in top shape is to make sure that no weeds are there trying to strangle any good we are trying to do.  The weeds of our mind, of course are negative thoughts that like to creep in and keep us from achieving that which we are striving for.

William James said, “Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.

How do we change the inner attitudes of our minds?  By changing the way we think. We must put fear and negativity behind us. How, you ask?  Just as the leaves of autumn gently blow from the tree, don’t try and make a change in your thinking over night and expect to get instant results.  We cannot rip these thoughts out of our minds, as much as we would like to sometimes. No, we need to be gentle on ourselves and let positive thoughts replace the negative. 

Yes it will take some work on your part. You must constantly fill your mind with positive thoughts.  Proverbs 27: 3 says, As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.  We are what we think.  When the negative thoughts come into your mind, you must be ready and willing to replace those thoughts with positive ones.  Just say to yourself, no, I won’t let that thought take over my mind, I will think positively.  Affirmations are good to have readily available so you can replace the negative thought with the positive one.  It won’t be easy, it won’t be hard either, it will just be different, like that new pair of shoes we were talking about earlier.

The autumn leaves fall to make way for new life.  We too must go through changes that will bring new growth to our bodies, souls and spirits.

Change is inevitable, so why fight it? Why be afraid of it? Yes, change will require us to do a bit of readjusting but it is always worth it.  Don’t be afraid of change, a change will do you good.

29 Motivational Quotes for Business and other Work Environments

Some days a motivational quote can provide a quick pick-me-up for employees and even management. They can be a breath of fresh air when it comes to a drab afternoon. These are also a great way to jazz up a newsletter or a memo or even to simply print and attach to a bulletin board. Using quotes like these are perfect ways to create a motivational and successful work environment. As Mr. Rick Pitino says "The only way to get people to like working hard is to motivate them. Today, people must understand why they're working hard. Every individual in an organization is motivated by something different." --Rick Pitino

Motivational Quotes:

1. Mahatma Gandhi: You must be the change you wish to see in the world.

2. Jim Stovall: You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.

3. Robert Frost: The only way around is through.

4. Warren Buffett: You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don't do too many things wrong.

5. Les Brown: You must remain focused on your journey to greatness.

6. Theodore Roosevelt Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.

7. Charles F. Kettering: Where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier

8. Henry Ford: Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right!

9. Jim Rohn: You must either modify your dreams or magnify your skills.

10. William Hazlitt: Who likes not his business, his business likes not him.

11. Denis Waitley: Winners take time to relish their work, knowing that scaling the mountain is what makes the view from the top so exhilarating.

12. Le Iacocca: Management is nothing more than motivating other people.

13. Dwight D.: Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.

14. Drucker: The most serious mistakes are not being made as a result of wrong answers. The truly dangerous thing is asking the wrong question

15. Max Schmelling: Why did I want to win? Because I didn't want to lose!

16. J. Paul Getty: To succeed in business, to reach the top, an individual must know all it is possible to know about that business.

17. Pierre Corneille: To win without risk is to triumph without glory.

18. Tony Dorsett: To succeed... You need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.

19. James Broughton: The only limits are, as always, those of vision.

20. George Kneller: To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted.

21. Peter McWilliams: To the degree we're not living our dreams; our comfort zone has more control of us than we have over ourselves.

22. Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth: To think is easy. To act is difficult. To act as one thinks is the most difficult.

23. Tryon Edwards: To waken interest and kindle enthusiasm is the sure way to teach easily and successfully.

24. Spanish Proverb: Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.

25. Lyndon B. Johnson: The noblest search is the search for excellence

26. Charles M. Schwab: The man who does not work for the love of work but only for money is not likely to neither make money nor find much fun in life.

27. Chinese Proverb: The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water; but to walk on the earth.

28. John Naisbitt: The new source of power is not money in the hands of a few, but information in the hands of many.

29. Henry Ford: The man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar, instead of how little he can give for a dollar, is bound to succeed.

Many employers will add these quotes inside the employees’ paycheck envelope. Sometimes it may be a motivational quote, other times a silly antidote. Include employee birthdays or other important events to help your employees feel a part of the team.

18 Reasons to Volunteer Your Time

We know that volunteering a portion of our time is something we should do. There are reminders all around us that our help is needed. Other people will significantly benefit from any time we contribute. But that is not the only reason to volunteer.

Have you thought about the benefits you will get from volunteering? If you consider the many benefits you will receive, you will be asking yourself why you aren't more involved with helping a cause. Consider these 18 reasons to volunteer some of your time:

1. To make new friends
2. To build personal and profesional contacts
3. To build your self-esteem and self-confidence
4. To develop new job skills
5. To make a difference in the world
6. To increase personal satisfaction
7. To add experience to your resume
8. To develop people skills
9. To develop communication skills
10. To do something as a family
11. To explore career possibilities
12. To feel needed and appreciated
13. To share your skills with others
14. To be challenged
15. To do something different
16. To earn academic credit
17. To improve your health
18. To have fun!

You will get more out of your volunteer experience than you put into it. Don't hesitate to identify and donate some of your time to a worthy volunteer opportunity. You will be glad you did.

10 Simple Steps to Self-Motivation and More Sales

Every day of your life you are selling yourself, nothing happens until you're successful at doing that.

We're all in the selling business whether we like it or not. It doesn't matter whether you're a lawyer or an accountant, a manager or a politician, an engineer or a doctor.

We all spend a great deal of our time trying to persuade people to buy our product or service, accept our proposals or merely accept what we say.

Before you get better at persuading or influencing other people - you need to get better at self-motivation and selling yourself.

Here are 10 simple steps to self-motivation:

#1 - You must believe in the product

Selling yourself is pretty much like selling anything. Firstly, you need to believe in what you're selling. That means believing in "you." It's about lots of positive self-talk and the right attitude.

The first thing people notice about you is your attitude. If you're like most people then you'll suffer from lack of confidence from time to time.

It really all comes down to how you talk to yourself. The majority of people are more likely to talk to themselves negatively than positively - this is what holds them back in life.

It isn't just about a positive attitude; it's about the right attitude - the quality of your thinking.

Successful people have a constructive and optimistic way of looking at themselves and their work. They have an attitude of calm, confident, positive self-expectation. They feel good about themselves and believe that everything they do will lead to their inevitable success.

If you're in a sales job or a business owner or a manager then you need to continually work on your attitude. You need to listen to that little voice inside your head. Is it saying you're on top, going for it and confident, or is it holding you back.

If you're hearing - "I can't do this or that" or "They won't want to buy at the moment" or "We're too expensive" then you'd better change your self-talk or change your job.

Start to believe in yourself and don't let things that are out with your control effect your attitude.

Avoid criticising, condemning and complaining and start spreading a little happiness.

Remember the saying of Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company - "If you believe you can do a thing, or if you believe you can't, in either case you're probably right."

#2 - The packaging must grab attention

Like any other product we buy, the way the product is packaged and presented will influence the customer's decision to buy.

Everything about you needs to look good and you must dress appropriately for the occasion. And don't think that just because your customer dresses casually, that they expect you to dress the same way.

The style and colour of the clothes you wear, your spectacles, shoes, briefcase, watch, the pen you use, all make a statement about you.

#3 - Smile

No need to get carried away, you don't need a big cheesy grin, just a pleasant open face that doesn't frighten people away.

#4 - Use names

Use the customers name as soon as you can but don't over do it. Business is less formal nowadays however be careful of using first names initially. Make sure your customer knows yours and remembers it. You can do the old repeat trick -"My name is Bond, James Bond" or "My name is James, James Bond"

#5 - Watch the other person

What does their body language tell you? Are they comfortable with you or are they a bit nervous? Are they listening to you or are their eyes darting around the room. If they're not comfortable and not listening then there's no point telling them something important about your business.

Far better to make some small talk and more importantly -get then to talk about themselves.

It's best to go on the assumption that in the first few minutes of meeting someone new, they won't take in much of what you say. They're too busy analysing all the visual data they're taking in.

#6 - Listen and look like you're listening.

Many people, particularly men, listen but don't show that they're listening. The other person can only go on what they see, not what's going on inside your head. If they see a blank expression then they'll assume you're "out to lunch."

The trick is to do all the active listening things such as nodding your head, the occasional "UH-HUH" and the occasional question.

#7 - Be interested.

If you want to be INTERESTING then be INTERESTED. This really is the most important thing you can do to be successful at selling yourself.

The majority of people are very concerned about their self-image. If they sense that you value them, that you feel that they're important and worth listening to, then you effectively raise their self-image. If you can help people to like themselves then they'll LOVE you.

Don't fall into the trap of flattering the other person, because most people will see right through you and they won't fall for it. Just show some genuine interest in the customer and their business and they'll be much more receptive to what you say.

#8 - Talk positively.

Don't say - "Isn't it a horrible day" or "Business is pretty tough at present" or any thing else that pulls the conversation down. Say things like (and only the truth) - "I like the design of this office" or "I've heard some good reports about your new product."

#9 - Mirror the other person

This doesn't mean mimicking the other person, it just means you speaking and behaving in a manner that is similar to the customer.

For example, if your customer speaks slowly or quietly, then you speak slowly or quietly. Remember people like people who are like themselves.

#10 - Warm and friendly

If you look or sound stressed or aggressive then don't be surprised if the other person gets defensive and less than willing to co-operate.

If you look and sound warm and friendly, then you're more likely to get a positive response.

This isn't about being all nicey-nicey. It's about a pleasant open face or a warm tone over the telephone.

Before we can get down to the process of selling our product, our service or our ideas then we need to be as sure as we can  be - that the customer has bought us and that we have their full attention.

7 Steps To Break (or Make) A Habit

We all have habits, some good and some not so good. These are behaviors that we've learned and that occur almost automatically. And most of us have a habit we'd like to break, or one we'd like to develop.

For most people, it takes about four weeks for a new behavior to become routine, or habit. The following steps can make it easier to establish a new behavior pattern.

1. The first step is to set your goal. Especially when you are trying to stop or break a habit, you should try to phrase your goal as a positive statement. For example, instead of saying "I will quit snacking at night", say "I will practice healthy eating habits". You should also write down your goal. Commiting it to paper helps you to commit. It can also help if you tell your goal to someone you trust.

2. Decide on a replacement behavior. (If your goal is to develop a new habit then your replacement behavior will be the goal itself.) This step is very important when you are trying to break a habit. If you want to stop a behavior, you must have a superior behavior to put in it's place. If you don't, the old behavior pattern will return.

3. Learn and be aware of your triggers. Behavior patterns don't exist independently. Often, one habit is associated with another part of your regular routine. For instance, in the snacking example the trigger may be late night television or reading. You automatically grab a bag of chips while you watch. Many people who smoke automatically light up after eating. Think about when and why you do the thing you want to quit.

4. Post reminders to yourself. You can do this by leaving yourself notes in the places where the behavior usually occurs. Or you can leave yourself a message on the mirror, refrigerator, computer monitor or some other place where you will see it regularly. You can also have a family member or co-worker use a particular phrase to remind you of your goal.

5. Get help and support from someone. This is kind of obvious. Any job is easier with help. It works even better if you can form a partnership with someone who shares the same goal.

6. Write daily affirmations. Write your phrase or sentence in the present tense (as if it were already happening), and write it ten times a day for twenty-one days. This process helps make your goal a part of your subconscious, which will not only remind you to practice the new behavior, but it also keeps you focused and motivated.

7. Reward yourself for making progress at set time intervals. Focus on your goal one day at a time, but give yourself a small treat at one, three and six months. The rewards don't have to be big or expensive, and you should try to make it something that's associated in some way with the goal. Doing this provides you with both incentive and extra motivation.
Following these steps is no guarantee of success of course. Depending on the habit it may take several tries to finally make the change. But if you stick with it, you can do it. Good Luck.

7 Great Success Ideas!

Let history's greatest minds help you to find true success and happiness today.

Plato. Socrates. Aristotle. Confucius. Thomas Aquinas. Hundreds, even thousands of years later, the names of the great philosophers remain legendary, their ideas continuing to captivate minds, stimulate thought, and shape the course of human history.

But what are those ideas? Why are they still impacting the way people think, understand, and act? Most importantly, how can they help YOU to live a happier, better, more fulfilling life today?

In The Seven Greatest Success Ideas: 'A-HAs' That Are Guaranteed to Take Your Life to the Next Level, public philosopher, author, and renowned business consultant Tom Morris reveals what the greatest philosophers in human history have to say about what it takes to achieve true success in the 21st century.

With the wit, charisma, and straightforward style that made him one of the most popular professors at the University of Notre Dame and a corporate speaker in huge demand, Tom roars through the wisdom of the ages. He introduces you to the most profound insights that have ever been articulated by the human mind and draws the connection between those insights and your personal, day-to-day experiences in an incredibly clear, powerful, and illuminating way that will forever transform your perspective.

Along the way, you'll also discover that you, too are a philosopher, with the innate power to think deeply and effectively about the things that matter most. With the great philosophers as your guide, you'll learn how to stop chasing the wrong things and start asking the right questions — those that will lead you straight to the answers you seek and the success and happiness that we are all searching for. The Seven Greatest Success Ideas will give you an immeasurably deeper, richer, clearer understanding of the world we live in, your place and purpose in it, and the possibilities for true success that exist all around you.

6 Ways To Overcome Shyness And Gain Confidence

Are you shy? Do you have difficulty coping with people or situations? Then I have good news for you. You do not have to suffer from shyness and you should not feel insecure and fear that you are being judged with every step you take.

Winning the war with shyness takes practice, but is definitely well worth the effort as the result is increasing confidence and self esteem. Wake up feeling good about yourself, able to face the world with confidence and security and the knowing that no feeling of shyness can come in your way of achieving your desires.

There are hundreds of books written on the subject of how beat shyness and gain confidence, but there are a few techniques that anyone can practice. Here are 6 suggestions of techniques on how to overcome your shyness:

1. Every morning, as soon as you get up, get in front of a mirror and say out loud "I feel terrific! I feel terrific! I feel terrific!" Repeat this affirmation with enthusiasm at least ten times everyday until it's ingrained into your subconscious mind. If feel a little self conscious to begin with lock yourself in the bathroom. The results will amaze you.

2. Feel good about yourself. Look your best. Dress up more often. This gives you an extra feeling of confidence and self esteem. On its own just knowing that you look good will boost your confidence and reinforce with others that there are things about you that are worth getting to know.

3. Take a risk at least once a day. It's very invigorating and conquering fears by taking risks helps you grow in confidence and self esteem. Start with small risks and fears and as you overcome them move onto bigger things. There's nothing you cannot do. Be confident in knowing that change can only help you grow, and boost your self confidence.

4. When you are engaged in a one to one conversation, or with a larger group of people, let them know that you're shy. This prevents them from misreading you and they are far more likely to invite you into the conversation rather than leave you just listening and wishing you could contribute.

Many people, me included, find following a conversation in a noisy room difficult. If you are having difficulty say so and move so that you can hear. People respect honesty, and vulnerability and you will attract more honest people into your life as a result.

5. Rejection is a fact of life that everyone experiences. It is rarely you that is being rejected. If you are rejected, for example if you ask someone for a date, remember that everyone has different likes and dislikes. You may be attracted to one type of person and not others. The same applies to other people and you are probably just not their type. That does not devalue you in any way. Accept this and know that you will get over it. Never take it personally and keep in mind that if people reject you it is because of their own likes and dislikes and not because of who you are. You are equally entitled to reject others because of your likes and dislikes.

6. Engage in an activities that make you feel excited and good about yourself or start a hobby that gives you a feeling of relaxation. This could be anything from gardening to Tai Chi to Karate. Take some lessons, learn or master a musical instrument or take singing lessons. Do something that excites you and take a risk. Exploring things that make you feel excited is a great antidote for shyness.

5 Tips To Supercharge Your Motivation

Motivation is the driving force behind life-enhancing change. It comes from knowing exactly what you want to do and having an insatiable, burning desire to do what’s necessary to get it. It keeps your dream on track as it is the power of motivation that keeps you going when the going gets tough.

Here’s 5 top tips to help you supercharge your motivation:

1. Create a picture board and fill it with images of your desired goals. The car you want to own, the house you want to live in, the area where you want to live yes, they’re the obvious ones. Others could be pictures of holiday destinations, trophies, first-class travel tickets, clothes you want to buy, fine restaurants you want to frequent – whatever you can think of that gets your pulse racing.

2. GET ANGRY. If you want to change your life for the better then get angry about where you’re at now. Having a blasé attitude towards change isn’t what’s needed and it won’t create a strong desire within you. So ask: “Why do I want to change?” Is it because you’re FED UP with debts? Does your job DRIVE YOU CRAZY? Is your life DULL AND PRECITABLE? Are you SICK AND TIRED of doing the same thing week in week out? Are you BORED BEYOND BELIEF by the dull, uninspiring, unhappy people you associate with? THEN GET ANGRY ABOUT IT. And I mean REAL ANGRY. Write it all down, all of the frustrating, unrewarding, miserable lot of it that makes every day a dull slog until your final days. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?

3. Speaking of your final days, start to appreciate the value of time. Time is one of the most precious resources you have and it is also a NON RENEWABLE resource. You can either use it fully or squander it. If you want to create change you’re going to have to invest a lot of time to make it happen. Start to reduce the time you waste on irrelevancies: Television, newspapers, lie-ins, weekends spent shopping, partying, dining out, visiting an endless line of relatives and friends – these won’t help you get what you want and all of them will rob time from you. Valuable time that you can use much more effectively by investing it in YOU. Remember this: You have a finite amount of time here on Earth. You don’t know how much time you have – no one does. But it’s how you use the time you have that counts. So make your time count and that means starting from right NOW.

4. Conformity. Are you a mindless little sheep who’s way too timid to pursue your own way? Do you have to follow where everyone else goes, doing exactly what everyone else does and therefore, who gets the same levels of happiness as all the other little sheep? Seriously, does this describe YOU? Are you too frightened to be different than all of the other sheep because they wouldn’t like it if you decided to follow a different path? So you dutifully trot along following all the other sheep because if they’re doing it then that’s how it is right? But if you do what everyone else does you’ll just get what everyone else gets. Do you want to be a mindless, timid little sheep who blindly follows all the other sheep? Or do you want to be a leader, a warrior who possesses the courage to be uniquely you and to do what you want to do and make your dreams happen? If so then this means you have to be more like a tiger than a sheep. Do you really want to be a sheep? I mean, haven’t we got enough sheep already?

5. Fear your fear. Fear is the force that is determined to stop you in your tracks and rob your dreams from you. But it can only do this if you let it. Are you going to let this cruel destructive charlatan trample on your dreams, steal your happiness and crush your spirit? Imagine this thought haunting your final days: “I didn’t do the things I wanted because I was too frightened to live”. And by then, it’ll be far too late to conquer fear. Refuse to let fear spoil your life and start taking action – now!

The world is waiting for your unique gifts. Why keep it waiting any longer?