Posted 3/27/2003 by Josh Hinds

I was recently interviewed by Nigel Alston of MotivationalMoments.com. Nigel does an excellent interview if I do say so myself. Click here to have a read (and get into my head a bit.. or at least a good glimpse) ... Josh Hinds :)

Posted 3/26/2003 by Josh Hinds

The Subtlety Of Language
by Jim Rohn

I have found that sometimes the subtle difference in our attitude, which of course can make a major difference in our future, can be as simple as the language we use. The difference in even how you talk to yourself or others.

Consciously making a decision to quit saying what you don't want and to start saying what you do want. I call that faith. Believing the best, hoping for the best and moving toward the best.

A few examples could be, instead of saying, "What if somebody doesn't respond" you start saying, "What if they do
respond?" Instead of saying, "What if someone says no?" You say, "What if they say yes?" Instead of "What if they start and quit?" say, "What if they start and stay?" or "What if it doesn't work out?" You say, "What if it does work out?" and the list goes on and on.

I found that when you start thinking and saying what you really want then your mind automatically shifts and pulls you in that direction. And sometimes it can be that simple, just a little twist in vocabulary that illustrates your attitude and philosophy.

Our language can also affect how others perform and behave around us. A teenager says to a parent, "I need $10." And if the parents learn to say, "No comprende. That kind of language doesn't work here. We've got plenty of money, but that's not how you get $10." Then you teach your teenager how to ask, "How can I earn $10?"

That is the magic of words. There is plenty of money here. There is money for everybody, but you just have to learn the magic words to get what you want. For everything you could possibly want.

If you just learn the philosophy. How could I earn $10? Because you can't go to the soil and say, "Give me a harvest." You know the soil smiles and says, "Who is this clown that brings me his need and brings me no seed." And if you said to the soil, "I've got this seed and if I planted it, would you work while I sleep?" And the soil says, "No problem. Give me the seed. Go to sleep and I'll work while you're sleeping."

If you just understand these simple principles, teaching them to a teenager (or adult) is sometimes just a matter of language. It's like an investment account instead of a savings account. Simple language, but so important.

It is easy to stumble through almost a lifetime and not learn some of these simplicities. Then you have to put up with all the lack and all the challenges that don't work out simply from not reading the book, not listening to the tape, not sitting in the class, not studying your language and not being willing to search so you can then find.

But here is the great news. You can start this process anytime. For me it was at age 25. At 25 I'm broke. Six years later I'm a millionaire. Somebody says, "What kind of revolution, what kind of change, what kind of thinking, what kind of magic had to happen? Was it you?" And I say, "No.

Any person, any six years, 36 to 42, 50 to 56. Whatever six years, whatever few years you go on an intensive, accelerated personal development curve, learning curve, application curve, and learning the disciplines. Now, it might not take the same amount of time, but I'm telling you the same changes and the same rewards in some different fashion are available for those who pay that six-year price.

And you might find that whether it's in the beginning to help get you started, or in the middle to keep you on track, your language can have a great impact on your attitude, actions and results.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
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Article Submitted by Jim Rohn - Announcing a Very Special Invitation - The Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan! One of the most comprehensive resource and success plans ever created for You to reach all of your goals in the next 12 months! For details and/or to take advantage of the special introductory offer click here! While you're there be sure to subscribe to the weekly Jim Rohn Ezine.

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A Simple Path To Success
by Sandy Karn

The most successful three-letter word in the dictionary of marketing has to be "Ask!"

When I began my business, I started making connections with people and asking questions about themselves, their businesses, their hopes and their dreams. Before long, they knew what I was doing and many were interested in working with me or they knew others who were interested in enhancing their speaking, training, consulting, entrepreneurial, or intrapreneurial career.

I was able to provide them with self-assessment instruments and other training tools that would help them build their business as well as their personal lives. By planting one seed at a time, eventually a whole garden of clients started calling me.

What they got from me was extremely good service and ideas to help them work less and produce more. I showed them how they could enhance their already existing businesses by spending less and profiting more.

Because I focused my attention on finding these people with the intention to reach them, I found several thousand of
them over several years and listened to their stories and I told them mine. Because I consistently kept holding on the
screen of my mind the basic concept of finding these people and helping them to be more successful, that's exactly what happened.

I consistently asked questions and found that the people who joined me in my learning network were able to build their
business and make more profit. That's the Law of Cause and Effect in action.

Through it all, I had created a professional image or reputation in the marketplace of providing a learning haven for speakers, trainers, consultants, entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs so they could make more profits by enhancing their already existing businesses.

It was never about talking them into doing another business. I simply help people grow right where they are. I positioned that concept by writing articles for publications in my industry and placing ads where I knew that niche market would see them. It is a twenty-some year old success story. The greatest thing of all is that I am still having fun!

So... how do your peers see you? How do your clients see you? How do you want them to see you? Be willing to do whatever it takes to spread the word about yourself. People need to know about your uniqueness, see your professional image, and see your positioning in the marketplace.

By all means tell people about yourself and your business, using all the appropriate methods such as well-placed articles, niche advertising, referral marketing, etc. However, always keep this old adage in mind: "People don't really care about you until they know you care about them!"

So connect with your prospects by asking about them and seeking to help them in whatever way you can. Then they will learn about you and appreciate what you have to offer them.

Follow this simple path to success to build a bigger, stronger business.

YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Keep refining you.

Your goal:

To develop and implement a simple path to success by asking questions and caring about others.

The result:

By planting seeds and attracting people one at a time, you will cultivate a whole garden of clients who will turn to you for solutions to some of their problems.

Your assignment:

Make a point to ask people about themselves, their businesses and their dreams. After all, that's their favorite topic. Offer to support them in whatever way seems appropriate. Then watch what happens as these relationships bloom.

Wishing You the Very Best!

Sandy Karn
A Results Specialist
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Sandy Karn is president of her own company, Creative Results Sources, Inc., a consulting and training company of over 30 years. She is a Field Manager with Inscape Publishing, publishers of proven self-assessment tools used in training and consulting. Take her WINNER's PROFILE!

Posted 3/25/2003 by Josh Hinds

Have you ever wanted to earn a living as a keynote or motivational speaker, or just plain become a better presenter in general? If so, you might be interested in Paul Evans' "Instant Speaking Success" system. While at the site be sure to sign up for the Instant Speaking Success Letter.

Posted 3/23/2003 by Josh Hinds

It's Time for a Personal 3000-Mile Check Up!
by Gary Ryan Blair

As the first quarter of 2003 comes to a close, the timing is perfect for a personal 3000-mile performance check-up.

Your year-to-date results are now in the record books. Have you set any records or achieved a personal best?

If you have the same results the remainder of the year would you be happy?

To get better results in these remaining three quarters, you must engage in better activities than you have in this current one!

In today's world, time is no longer measured by the traditional calendar year. It has been replaced by the "web year," 90-day chunks of time that reflect the fast pace of life.

Taking care of business these days means managing perpetual motion. It means managing, reviewing, adjusting, and changing performance where and when necessary, and often on the fly!

Danger awaits those who wait for the once-a-year performance review. Right now, yes, right this very second - you are in one of three positions as far as your goals and overall performance is concerned:

Above Target: You have exceeded expectations of what you set out to accomplish.

On Target: You have met expectations of what you set out to accomplish.

Below Target: You have fallen short of expectations of what you set out to accomplish. Underperformance must be viewed as unacceptable. If this is the case, ask yourself this question:

"What am I going to do differently, starting today to get myself back on target?"

A 3000-mile checkup is the best thing you can do to preserve the health, value and reliability of your automobile. It's a complete preventative maintenance program that takes only a few minutes and it meets your vehicle warranty requirements.

Take your automobile to any neighborhood garage and for just a few dollars you will have an insurance policy on long-term peak performance, thus maximizing the value of your investment.

Here are just a few things that you will receive: Replace oil and filter, inspect brake fluid and antifreeze/coolant levels, check and top off vital all fluids, inspect air filtration system, wiper blades and lights, check condition of belts, vacuum interior floors, clean exterior windows, lubricate chassis, set tires to the proper pressure,etc.

Goals and plans are the same in many ways, and a personal 3000-mile checkup is the best thing you can do to preserve the health, value and reliability of your overall performance.

When new, you delight in the excitement, the newness, the discovery and the passion of achievement. Like a car, goals and plans need consistent upkeep and maintenance to stay running at peak performance, thus maximizing the value of your investment.

Unfortunately, too many people are more attentive to the maintenance of their cars than to the maintenance of their lives. And, far too many people decide to quit, throw in the towel and hide when their performance starts running rough.

Cars come with a maintenance schedule. Life does not!

There isn't a manual in the glove box of our lives that tells us when or how to inspect performance, take stock of our lives, invest time for optimal performance, or change a habit or strategy completely. And there isn't a troubleshooting checklist to refer to when the performance engine starts misfiring. Until now - that is!

Here are some symptoms that your life, business or relationship may need a check-up:

1. Engine Misfires

Your life is not firing on all cylinders and therefore misfires or worse yet backfires. This is often expressed in valueconflicts where our words and behaviors are often not aligned. The end result is that your performance is short-
lived, and most likely short-circuited.

Always remember, before values can be enforced, supported and validated, they must first be defined, confirmed and committed too.

2. Engine Runs On After Being Turned Off

This occurs when you set a goal, take action and get little or no associated results. Then for some strange reason, you continually repeat the same actions, continually repeat the same results, all the while expecting a different outcome.

Heed this lesson; A poor plan perfectly and consistently executed is still a poor plan. If your current actions are not delivering the results you desire, you must send out a cease and desist order and completely review the goal and plans.

3. Out of Gas

Regardless of cost, an automobile only has value to the extent that it contains fuel.

The same principle applies to any goal setting initiative, where the fuel level is low or non-existent, in this case motivation, the level of progress is marginal.

The winning attitude is one of movement and progress, therefore remind yourself of the key reasons WHY you set this goal in the first place.

As the cliche/ goes, "the best defense is a good offense." Go forward  be aggressive. Don't give your fears or competition a chance to pin you down and choke off your motivational oxygen.

Trepidation and loss of confidence come with a defensive posture. Attack the problem, attack the market, attack the competition, and you are proceeding positively. Fear will melt and confidence will rise.

4. Engine Overheats

When things don't go your way, you become impatient, frustrated, stressed out and angry. This burning of emotional energy causes damage to results as performance crumbles in a climate of hostility.

5. Warning Lights Go On

Often times we are given clues, hints and gut intuitive feelings about when something is going wrong. If you choose not to pay attention to these small hints, chances are you are in need of a check up as intuitive muscle is a key skill you must deploy, respect and obey.

Intuition is a muscle and like any muscle it demands stimulation and growth.

6. High Beams Are Non-Functioning

When your high beams are non-functioning your vision is greatly impaired thus inhibiting progress.

A vision is a way of seeing or conceiving what you want to create or achieve. The single most important thing to have before you do any planning is a vision.

How can you plan without knowing what you envision for your life?

It would be like starting a trip without first determining your destination, purpose of the trip, and what you expect to do when you get there.

7. Transmission Stuck In Neutral

Sometimes despite our best efforts the engine is running, initiative is being taken and energy is being expended however you're not making any progress.

This is a sign that you may have impotent goals or that you are trying to achieve someone else's goals, other than your own.

Change is inevitable ... growth is optional. Change knocks the wind out of all good plans and unless performance is reviewed regularly, growth becomes stunted.

We get what we inspect, not just what we expect. The attention you give your first quarter performance will increase your productivity!

We quickly take our cars to a professional mechanic, but when we realize that our lives or businesses aren't hitting on all cylinders, we often try to fix the problem ourselves.

If any of these symptoms describe your life or performance, you could probably use a personal 3000-mile performance check-up from a professional specially trained to work with high achievement.

If you want your car to run like a well-oiled machine, take it in for a checkup every 3000 miles. And if you want you life to run smoothly and enjoy the sweetness of success, than stop right now and give yourself a personal 3000-mile performance check-up.

With that in mind, you are invited to participate in our upcoming, "It's Time for a First Quarter Reality Check TeleSeminar."

This high-impact teleseminar will be just the wake up call you need in order to measure and take stock of your current
performance, while maximizing your results for the remainder of the year and beyond. Click here now before time runs out.
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Written by Gary Ryan Blair - The GoalsGuy is your online goal setting and personal leadership coach. Check-out My
Personal Strategic Plan and learn how to achieve more in the next year than most people do in a lifetime. See why best selling author Brian Tracy said, "This is the most remarkable, simple, and practical guide for ANYONE who wants to create the ideal life!"

Posted 3/18/2003 by Josh Hinds

"The Power of Giving"
By John Harricharan

It was a really hot summer's day many years ago. I was on my way to pick up two items at the grocery store. In those
days, I was a frequent visitor to the supermarket because there never seemed to be enough money for a whole week's food-shopping at once.

You see, my young wife, after a tragic battle with cancer, had died just a few months earlier. There was no insurance -- just many expenses and a mountain of bills. I held a part-time job, which barely generated enough money to feed my two young children. Things were bad -- really bad.

And so it was that day, with a heavy heart and four dollars in my pocket, I was on my way to the supermarket to purchase a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread. The children were hungry and I had to get them something to eat.

As I came to a red traffic light, I noticed on my right, a young man, a young woman and a child on the grass next to the road. The blistering noonday sun beat down on them without mercy.

The man held up a cardboard sign, which read, "Will Work for Food". The woman stood next to him. She just stared at the cars stopped at the red light. The child, probably about two years old, sat on the grass holding a one-armed doll. I noticed all this in the thirty seconds it took for the traffic light to change to green.

I wanted so desperately to give them a few dollars, but if I did that, there wouldn't be enough left to buy the milk and bread. Four dollars will only go so far. As the light changed, I took one last glance at the three of them and sped off feeling both guilty (for not helping them) and sad (because I didn't have enough money to share with them).

As I kept driving, I couldn't get the picture of the three of them out of my mind. The sad, haunting eyes of the young man and his family stayed with me for about a mile. I could take it no longer. I felt their pain and had to do something about it. I turned around and drove back to where I had last seen them.

I pulled up close to them and handed the man two of my four dollars. There were tears in his eyes as he thanked me. I smiled and drove on to the supermarket. Perhaps, both milk and bread would be on sale, I thought. And what if I only got milk alone, or just the bread? Well, it would have to do.

I pulled into the parking lot, still thinking about the whole incident, yet feeling good about what I had done. As I stepped out of the car, my foot slid on something on the pavement. There by my feet, was a twenty dollar bill. I just couldn't believe it.

I looked all around, picked it up with awe, went into the store and purchased not only bread and milk, but several other items I desperately needed.

I never forgot that incident. It reminded me that the universe was strange and mysterious. It confirmed my belief that you could never outgive the universe. I gave away two dollars and got twenty in return. On my way back from the supermarket, I drove by the hungry family and shared five additional dollars with them.

This incident is only one of many that have occurred in my life. It seems that the more we give, the more we get. It is, perhaps, one of those universal laws that say, "If you want to receive, you must first give".

There is a little rhyme that goes like this:

"A man there was, and they called him mad, The more he gave, the more he had."

Most times, we think that we don't have anything to give. Yet, if we look more closely, we'll see that even the little we have could be shared with others. Let us not wait for a time when we think we'll have lots and then we'll give. By giving and sharing the little we have, we open up the storehouse of the universe and permit rivers of good to come our way.

Don't take my word for it. Just honestly try to give and you'll be surprised at the results. Generally, the returns do not come back from those we give to. It comes back from sources we could hardly imagine. So give your way to riches.

Take a chance on this universal principle. Take a chance on yourself. Universal principles always work. Sometimes the return from giving happens very quickly as in the true story above. Other times, it takes much longer. But be assured of this: Give and you will receive -- and you'll receive lots more than you ever gave.

And when you give, don't do it with a heart of fear, but with a heart full of gratitude. You will be amazed at how it all works out. Open the gates of affluence in your life by giving a bit of what you have to those in need. As the great Teacher said, "Give and It will be given unto you." Try it. You'll like it.
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John Harricharan is an award-winning author, speaker and the creator of the ground-breaking "PowerPause" system for success. He has shared the lecture platform with such well-known speakers as Deepak Chopra, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Og Mandino, Eric Butterworth, C. Everett Koop and others. Click here to learn more about the "PowerPause" and see why critics are raving about it.

Posted 3/12/2003 by Josh Hinds

I just added a new Focus On Success interview with Jeff Keller. Jeff delivers presentations on attitude and motivation to businesses, groups and trade associations throughout the United States and abroad. Jeff is also the author of the highly acclaimed book, Attitude is Everything. Click here to read the interview now... I hope you enjoy it, Josh :-)

Posted 3/12/2003 by Josh Hinds

You're Making a Lasting Impression
By Jeff Keller

One of the earliest memories I have of my father is from one of the family vacations we took together. I was about 7 years old at the time, and we were driving somewhere in the southern United States.

My brother and I were in the back of the car, with my mom and dad in the front. It was mid-afternoon on a hot summer day when my dad saw an ice cream truck and pulled over.

As my father got out of the car, he saw a group of five young boys sitting on the curb near the truck. Four of the five boys were eating ice cream. I watched as my dad went
over to the boy without the ice cream and said to him, "Would you like some ice cream?

I'll buy one for you." The boy politely told my father that he didn't want any. Sure, it was a nice gesture on the part of my dad. But it wasn't a big deal, right? Well... actually, it was.

My father's act of kindness toward a complete stranger was imprinted on my mind that day. And I believe that my own conduct has been significantly shaped by that event. My dad made a lasting impression on me in another way as well. You see, social or economic status meant very little to my father.

He didn't gravitate to those with fancy titles. He seemed just as interested in speaking to waiters and the people who swept the floors. He respected everyone and looked down on nobody. And again, my dad's conduct helped to influence the way that I deal with people to this day.

Here are a few things to consider if you want to make a lasting impression and be a positive influence on others:

1. Recognize the paradox. We don't usually make a lasting impression when we're trying to do so. Rather, it happens when we're just living our lives and doing what may seem like ordinary, everyday things. Sure, there are some who make an enduring impact through great achievement or by being a celebrity. But lasting impressions are not reserved for famous people like Oprah Winfrey or Michael Jordan.

They're available to you and me - every day, every moment. As I look back, I can't remember a time when my dad sat down with me and said, "Here's how you should treat people." I simply observed how he lived his life. So, too, people are watching your life, whether you realize it or not. This is true in all the life roles you play - be it parent, child, employee, business owner, etc.

2. Live each moment consciously. While we can't plan those encounters or situations that will create lasting impressions, we can be more aware of our behavior and the
potential influence it may have.

Too often, we live our lives on "automatic pilot," that is, we do things out of habit without realizing the effect our actions might have on others. In many of these instances, our behavior does not match what we declare to be our values. (For instance, you may think that you are "open-minded" and then catch yourself being intolerant of someone
with different viewpoints.)

Starting today, right now, realize that every interaction you have is precious. As author Dan Millman often says, "there are no ordinary moments." With this in mind, you can
consciously choose, for example, to be honest, kind and to give your best efforts at all times.

So, the next time you're about to do something, ask yourself: What action would I take right now if I knew my behavior would have a lasting effect on someone? This isn't about being perfect. There will always be times when we behave in ways that we're not proud of. Yet, as you realize the impact of your day-to-day conduct, you'll find yourself
making different choices.

3. Appreciate the ripple effect. It's hard to fathom the consequences of the lasting impressions we make. When my father asked that young boy whether he wanted some ice cream, he was affecting me - as well as everyone who would eventually come into contact with me - forever! Isn't that incredible?

Yet, it's not an exaggeration. My dad's act helped to shape my character, which in turn affects the way that I have dealt with people in the 40 years since that event. Furthermore, the people who I have met may have been affected and have passed along those values to others they have met. It's an endless cycle. Thus, there are no small acts in this world. One simple act can truly change the course of humanity.

In the end, you're going to make many lasting impressions, whether you want to or not. It's up to you whether the messages you send are positive or negative. As you go
through your day today, give a little extra consideration to how you speak and how you act. You just may be making an impression that will endure for generations.
________
Jeff Keller is a motivational speaker and delivers his presentations and seminars to businesses, groups and trade associations throughout the United States and abroad. He is the author of the book, Attitude is Everything. For more information on Jeff's products and services, visit his web site. Jeff has just released his "Success From Soup To Nuts", which is already getting rave reviews! Click here to learn more and buy your copy now.

Posted 3/07/2003 by Josh Hinds

Plussing Your Income Sources For Phenomenal Wealth
by Mark Victor Hansen

J-O-B... to me this doesn't spell 'job,' it's an acronym for Just Over Broke. Putting all your hopes into your J-O-B is like building your perfect home in a garbage dump. You never know when a heap is going to shift and send your dreams plummeting into a smelly mess. This is what people have done for generations: Find that one job, hold on tight and hope nothing too terrible happens.

Does this sound like fun to you? It doesn't to me either. What's REALLY fun is discovering you don't have to live this way. You don't have to rely on that one job for all of your financial wants and needs. You can create a new way of living. How? Through multiple streams of income.

This is a term my friend Bob Allen coined and it is an amazing concept. Multiple streams of income is not about getting more than one job. Heck no - that would only wear you out and lower your quality of living. Multiple streams of income is all about partnering with others and making money through their efforts.

Let's say you're a lake. You have one stream of income, so you don't have much to fill you up financially. Your water line is looking pretty low since you have to rely on that one stream to replenish you every few weeks. But if you have multiple streams coming in all of the time, your banks would be overflowing. If one stream is just trickling for a while, the others will pick up the slack. There will never be a lack of income.

That's what I want you to do. I want you to create multiple streams of income to insure your financial prosperity. How do you begin? Scroll below for 'This Week's Action Step' for instructional how-tos.

'Start moving toward prosperity today, whether you're ready or not.'

ACTION STEP - Multiple streams of income are easy to find In fact, they're all around you. You just have to pay attention to your daily life and who and what comes into it.

Take one of my multiple streams, for example. Years ago my friend Jack Canfield and I were having a casual conversation. Soon we were talking about creating a book filled with inspirational stories to touch the hearts of people around the world.

We collected the stories, put the book together and came up with a great title. The rest is mega-bestseller history. But the CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL series and products are not my only source of income. I want you to create multiple income sources just like me.

There are so many possibilities to create wealth out there. All you have to do is open your eyes and your mind to the possibilities. Take out a journal or notebook and number the lines 1 through 25. Then list possible streams of income you can create for yourself.

Here are a couple of questions to get you started: Do you have friends or business colleagues that offer services? Would they offer finder's fees to you for bringing them potential clients?

Can you conceptualize new ways to make already existing products or services better? Do you want to create a consulting business that allows you to work from home and set your own hours?

Remember, life is too short to work hard for something you really don't want.

I'll see you next time!

Mark Victor Hansen
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Article submitted by Mark Victor Hansen - Co-Author of the Chicken Soup For The Soul series of books. For over 26 years, Mark Victor Hansen has focused solely on helping people in all walks of life reshape their personal vision of what's possible for themselves. Visit http://www.markvictorhansen.com for resources, secure shopping and web-only product specials, speaking schedule and current projects. Mark is also the co-author of "The One Minute Millionaire" book, visit here for details.