Posted 4/28/2005 by Josh Hinds

The Talents
By Julie Jordan Scott
© 2005

Once upon a time not so very long ago there was a business owner named Bridget who had become very successful in a relatively brief amount of time.

The time came for her annual Spiritual Business Planning retreat, so she gathered her managers to give them their assignments for the time she was away.

Bridget was very aware of the skills, talents and abilities of her three managers. She knew which task to assign which manager according to his or her own strengths, courage and track record of accomplishments.

To Josh, she gave 5 facilities to oversee: Portland, San Francisco, Rome, Berlin and Cairo.

To Marissa, she gave 3 facilities to oversee: New York, Paris and Hong Kong.

To George, she gave the facility in Landburg.

She wished them all well and left on her journey.

Josh immediately got to work, excited about the growth possibility his assignment presented. He began his usual method of plate spinning (he was quite adept at managing many tasks at once). This time, though, he was even more intentional than usual. He sought the guidance of some of his senior supervisors who were very organized and focused in order to strengthen his entire team.

The employees he supervised responded with an increased passion and vigor.

Marissa was thrilled with her assignment. “Wow!” she said, “I have the responsibility to manage New York City and Paris and Hong Kong!” Marissa was an excellent strategist. She added a new found spontaneity discovered through collaboration with key leaders in her facilities.

The employees she supervised were happier and more productive as they took more ownership for their facilities.

Meanwhile, George was concerned about the situation in Landburg.

Why did Bridget only give him one facility? Wasn’t he better than just one place, and that place – Landburg? Why didn’t he get New York City or San Francisco?

Why was he stuck in God Forsaken Landburg?

George could only see was what was wrong – first with Bridget’s choice, then with his situation and then with the facility and the employees who worked there.

He spent the entire time Bridget was gone ruminating on what was wrong with his assignment. He sulked and pouted and didn’t even do the minimal work he usually did.

What if Bridget was a Muse-Manager who gave three writers assignments?

What if she gave Paul 5 poems to write and John 3 short stories to write and Elizabeth, a Best Selling Novel to write?

Bridget wasn’t judging any of her writers – she was simply discerning who was more likely to perform passionately, truthfully and would love taking on the responsibility and honor of completing 5 poems, 3 short stories or 1 novel.

What if she gave music writing assignments to three composers? Claudia – you write 1 opera. Clarence, you write 2 concertos. Sidney, 5 rock songs. Again, she is looking at talents, abilities and what is best suited for the planet right now… the planet that longs to hear Claudia’s exact opera and Clarence’s concerto and Sidney’s exact rock songs.

If any of these artists chose to not complete their task, some of the threads of the tapestry of life would be missing forever.

Bridget returned from her Spiritual Business Planning retreat and called her managers together.

Josh was excited to report the gains in his facilities in Bridget’s absence. He had doubled revenues quickly and effortlessly.

“Well done!” said Bridget. “You astound me with your creativity and ingenuity. Josh, you are now promoted to full partner. Congratulations.”

Josh was surprised to feel tears fill his eyes. He didn’t expect such a reward. He was simply expressing his personal gifts with passion. He wasn’t worrying about the result – and yet? The result was more amazing than he ever could have planned.

Marissa was smiling from ear to ear, she was so happy for Josh. She recognized the abilities of her colleague and was grateful to have had the opportunity to watch his success and learn from it while Bridget was away.

She handed Bridget three thick reports carefully documenting the increased profit within her three facilities. The reports included pictures, graphics and a rainbow of words directly from her treasured employees.

“Well done!” said Bridget. “You have grown tremendously in my absence just like I knew you could! Marissa, you are now promoted to full partner! Congratulations!”

Marissa was delighted to be promoted – it was a lifelong dream of hers ever since she was in Junior Achievement in High School. She was proud of all she had learned recently and knew she would continue in her new position.

George stared at his feet. His clothing was disheveled and he was almost speechless before Bridget and the others.

He thought to himself “If Bridget had given me either of those assignments I would have been able to be successful, too.”

“George?” Bridget began, “What has been happening in Landburg?”

“Nothing much” he mumbled.

“Excuse me?” said Bridget.

“Nothing much. No forward progress. We lost several key employees and productivity is down or stable in all departments.”

Bridget excused Marissa and Josh to go back to their assignments and she sat down with George.

“Oh?”

Silence filled the room. George finally looked up and saw Bridget looking at him without an emotion on her face.

“Yes. Landburg is a dud. I don’t know why you assigned me such a dud facility when you gave the others such prime tasks. What is wrong with me?”

Bridget’s face softened.

“George, I gave you the most significant assignment of all. Landburg needed someone to nurture it into success. I know how very skilled you are at lasering into one task and opening it up with your heart, soul and energy. I have seen you do that countless times before. Landburg has the most potential of any of our facilities. It has the capacity to reach more people, to impact more lives, to generate more of an increase than all of the other facilities combined.

“I gave you Landburg specifically because of your special talents. I didn’t give it to you because it was a dud or because you were a dud, I assigned you to Landburg because you are absolutely perfect and it was waiting for your unique skills and attributes.”

George was incredulous. He had no idea. He had been so busy looking for what was wrong that all his uniqueness was buried in the dumpsters behind the Landburg facility.

“George, I would love to make you a partner like I did for Josh and Marissa. Unfortunately you haven’t shown me yet you are capable of doing what I thought you could do.”

She paused before she offered this:

“If you go back to Landburg and use your gifts and talents to make it successful, then we will see what will be our most profitable course of action.”

George looked up again and started to feel energy fill his body.

Bridget continued.

“I need you to listen carefully and follow my guidance.

“First, I need you to trust in the appointments and assignments I give you. If you have questions, ask me.

“Second, I need you to master the moment and the task at hand. Your next moment will be there whether you have opinions or worry about them… or not. Leave any worrying to me. Your job is to create and prosper, create and prosper, create and prosper.

“Choose wonder, not worry – leave that to me.

She put her hand on George’s shoulder. “You have been given unique talents and abilities. I know you, I see you, I hear your concerns. I look forward to witnessing your growth and the impact you have upon the people and the facility at Landburg. I know you can do it.”

So, what does any of this have to do with you – and and your life?

Right now you have your own talents which have been given to you by the Divine. You have been choosing wonder in varying degrees. You have allowed your light to shine as brightly as you thought it was supposed to shine.

And somewhere, somehow through synchronistic calling and your “yes” response to the path, you arrived in this place at this time.

The world is poised to hear your brand of talent.
___________
Julie Jordan Scott brings inspirational action and creativity into the everyday lives of her readers, students and coaching clients so that each life experience provides openings to abundance, passion and remarkable results. Coaching, Teleclasses, Speaking and Training for All Budgets, visit www.5passions.com or email julie@5passions.com

P.S. Julie Jordan Scott is one of the over 75 (and counting) mentors and success experts you will learn from through your AudioMotivation.com. Learn more about Josh Hinds' AudioMotivation.com members site here!

Posted 4/27/2005 by Josh Hinds

Move Beyond the "Should Do's"
by Sandy Karn

From time to time I have encouraged you to avoid using the word "should" in your conversations as well as in your self talk. I have pointed out that "should" generally is an attempt to control others or to instill or acknowledge a sense of guilt in ourselves.

However there is another way in which we use "should" in our own thoughts that can have an even more negative effect on our lives.

Sometimes we use "should" as a screen behind which we seek to hide to avoid taking action and really doing something. We have this feeling that we really "should" do something, yet we don't really want to do it. So we just keep that idea floating around in the back of our minds and we feel that our occasional pangs of guilt somehow make up for our lack of action.

So why don't we take action? In most cases, it is because we are either unclear about what we really want to do or we simply do not now want to do whatever it is we feel we "should" do.

Many of us have a difficult time determining exactly what we want in life and what we really want to do? We pick up suggestions from others and attempt to adopt them as our own. However many times they do not fit for us, although we can't seem to come up with better alternatives. Therefore we take on these tasks for ourselves even though we do not really want to do them.

Sometimes there are things we did want to do at some time in the past, however we have changed and our circumstances have changed. As a result, we no longer wish to do some of these things, yet we still cling to them as things we "should" do.

Well, now is the time to let go of all those "should do's," and focus on the things you really want to do. Ask yourself what excites you today. What makes you happy today? What do you enjoy doing today? What do you believe is most important to you today? Listen to the answers from your heart as well as from your mind. Discover what you really want to do and begin to do it today. Begin now even if you don't exactly know all the details.

Your goal:

To move beyond the "should do's" you have been carrying as a burden and to discover and embrace the things that you really want to do today.

The result:

You will experience success, a renewed sense of joy and inspiration in everything you do, and an increase in energy.

Your assignment:

Take time to identify any "should do's" that you have been carrying around in your mind. Are you clear about them? Do you know precisely what you really want to do? Are there "should do's" from the past that are no longer meaningful for you? What are some things that you really want to do today that can replace some of these wearisome "should do's" you have been carrying with you?

Wishing You the Very Best!

Sandy Karn
Results Specialist
____________
Sandy Karn is president of her own company, Creative Results Sources, Inc., a consulting and training company of over 30 years. Take her Self Development Quiz!

Posted 4/25/2005 by Josh Hinds

An Empty Restaurant And A Success Secret
By Mike Litman

Have you ever gone to a restaurant that in the past was always packed with customers and all of a sudden it closed? Let me share with you this story because there's an incredible success lesson in it for us. Last night my wife and I went out to get dinner at one of our favorite places. It's a small place in downtown New York (great food).

As we were walking to the restaurant, we passed another restaurant that was usually packed. But not tonight. There was a sign on the door saying 'Closed'. Wow, was I surprised. I thought it was doing so well; I mean it was always crowded.

When we got to our restaurant, I asked what had happened to the one that closed and here's what I was told:

"The restaurant looked like it was doing great, but they had one big problem they couldn't get rid of. That problem was EXCESS OVERHEAD. They couldn't get rid of it intelligently and it brought down the whole place."

Later in the night it got me thinking.

How much EXCESS OVERHEAD do we have in our lives that holds us down and closes down our dreams and potential? Are you controlled and held down by fear? Do you find yourself living in the past to much? Are you holding grudges against people that have long forgotten the 'fight'?

We need to dump the excess overhead and live in the present and go for what we want with EVERYTHING we have.

You're unique.

You're different.

I know that because you've taken the time to read this article. You're in a special class. Nothing's going to hold you back.

Yes, the cloud of fear will arise in your life from time to time, but your courage and actions will bring the sun in and wipe away the clouds.

Today is your day.

This is your year.

Talk to you soon.

Mike Litman
_____________
FREE CD! #1 Best-Selling Author Loses His Mind! Stop Holding Your Greatness Hostage! Discover the Secrets To Unleashing Your Greatness And Becoming Financially Free This Year! Click Here

Posted 4/20/2005 by Josh Hinds

Patience
www.GiftOfKindness.com

Do you consider yourself a patient person? Would those around you agree?

What type of situation tests your patience the most? Think of the last time you spoke or acted out of impatience, frustration or anger. What was the outcome? Looking back, what would you do differently?

I suspect almost everyone struggles with patience at one point or another. But is that really a surprise? Most of us are so busy with increased to-do list and the constant conditioning of society to have things done faster and to have them done NOW. Our high-speed careers and the increasing demands we face are transferring into a lack of time in our individual lives.

Time, an essential componentof patience, is now becoming more precious of a commodity than oil. And the worst part is, just when we think were getting things in order, along comes another Time Bandit to rob us of yet another few minutes. Its no wonder we are always in such a hurry.

So if time is a critical component of being patient, how can you have more patience when you have less time?
First, I think its important to understand just what the essence of patience really is.

Patience is the ability to:

* Sit back and wait for an expected outcome without experiencing anxiety, tension, or frustration.

* Let go of the need for immediate gratification.

* Display tolerance, compassion, understanding, and acceptance toward others and situations.

* Accept the fact that you are not in control and that sometimes no matter how hard you push to make something happen Now, it just may not be the right time.

* Be calm and considerate to others.

* Persevere when trouble arises and understand that it may take some time to resolve.

Patience involves taking time-time to listen, time to allow for circumstances to change, and time to wait for God to move. All too often were running ahead of ourselves, trying to make things happen the way we want them to... instead of just being patient and trusting that all thingswill work out for the best. Were running so fast to go from point A to point B that we sometimes forget to stop along the way and fully appreciate the road in between.

Instead of nurturing a project or a relationship, we push and push to create the immediate result we seek. Were being conditioned that its no longer acceptable for something to take time, it must happen now. Convenienceand speed are destroying our ability to wait, causing us frustration and stress, and slowly eating away at our abilities to connect with ourselves and each other.

So this week, lets all try to put a little patience back in our lives. Slow down, take some time to appreciate the things in your life and know that all great things come to those who are patient.

To help, here are a few recommendations on how to live a Patient life.

* Take life one day at a time. Consider each day a gift of life and fully appreciate and respect its value.

* Accept that you are going to need time, effort, and energy to change and grow. You will experience some resistance along the way but by developing habitual ways of acting, reacting, and believing, you will find your way.

* Look to the future and not to the past. Do not dwell on your past mistakes and failings. Do not worry about what you will become or how you will act in the future. Begin to live each new day as a fresh start.

* Put yourself in someone elses shoes. Humility and respect towards another are significant in developing a patient outlook on life.

* Love yourself. If you do not love and respect yourself, you will never be able to have the confidence needed for trust and patience.

* Wake up to the realities of life around you. Everyone with whom you come in contact is busy working through their own struggles, weaknesses, setbacks, relapses, crises, and obstacles. All of us are on the path. There is no one exempt from this journey. It takes a lifetime to complete.

* Hand over and let go of the worries, concerns, anxieties, and doubts about attaining your goal.

* Confront your fears about attaining your goal. Remember, the world was not created in a day. Beautiful symphonies, works of art, and literary masterpieces were not created in a day. A lifetime is not lived in a day.
_________
Inspiring acts of kindness, love and compassion.
Its starts with you, pass it on.
www.GiftOfKindness.com - Log on for free kindness cards, posters, and resources.

Posted 4/20/2005 by Josh Hinds

Ten Tips for Successful Negotiating
by Ed Brodow

Negotiating TipsThe ability to negotiate successfully is crucial for survival in today's changing business world. Negotiation is fun if you know what you're doing. So for all you busy execs, here are Ed Brodow's Ten Tips for Successful Negotiating:

1. Develop "negotiation consciousness." Successful negotiators are assertive and challenge everything. They know that everything is negotiable.

"Challenge" means not taking things at face value. It means thinking for yourself. You must be able to make up your own mind, as opposed to believing everything you are told. On a practical level, this means you have the right to question the asking price of that new car. It also means you have an obligation to question everything you read in the newspaper or hear on CNN. You cannot negotiate unless you are willing to challenge the validity of the opposing position.

Being assertive means asking for what you want and refusing to take "no" for an answer. Practice expressing your feelings without anxiety or anger. Let people know what you want in a non-threatening way. Practice 'I' statements. For example, instead of saying, "You shouldn't do that," try substituting, "I don't feel comfortable when you do that."

Note that there is a difference between being assertive and being aggressive. You are assertive when you take care of your own interests while maintaining respect for the interests of others. When you see to your own interests with a lack of regard for other people's interests, you are aggressive. Being assertive is part of negotiation consciousness.

2. Become a good listener. Negotiators are detectives. They ask probing questions and then shut up. The other negotiator will tell you everything you need to know - all you have to do is listen.

Many conflicts can be resolved easily if we learn how to listen. The catch is that listening is the forgotten art. We are so busy making sure that people hear what we have to say that we forget to listen.

You can become an effective listener by allowing the other person to do most of the talking. Follow the 70/30 Rule -- listen 70 percent of the time, and talk only 30 percent of the time. Encourage the other negotiator to talk by asking lots of open-ended questions -- questions that can't be answered with a simple "yes" or "no."

3. Be prepared. The Boy (and Girl) Scouts were right. Gather as much pertinent information prior to the negotiation. What are their needs? What pressures do they feel? What options do they have? Doing your homework is vital to successful negotiation.

4. Aim high. People who aim higher do better. If you expect more, you'll get more. Successful negotiators are optimists. A proven strategy for achieving higher results is opening with an extreme position. Sellers should ask for more than they expect to receive, and buyers should offer less than they are prepared to pay.

5. Be patient. This is very difficult for Americans. We want to get it over with. Whoever is more flexible about time has the advantage. Your patience can be devastating to the other negotiator if they are in a hurry.

6. Focus on satisfaction. Help the other negotiator feel satisfied. Satisfaction means that their basic interests have been fulfilled. Don't confuse basic interests with positions: Their position is what they say they want; their basic interest is what they really need to get.

7. Don't make the first move. The best way to find out if the other negotiator's aspirations are low is to induce them to open first. They may ask for less than you think. If you open first, you may give away more than is necessary.

8. Don't accept the first offer. If you do, the other negotiator will think they could have done better. (It was too easy.) They will be more satisfied if you reject the first offer -- because when you eventually say "yes," they will conclude that they have pushed you to your limit.

9. Don't make unilateral concessions. Whenever you give something away, get something in return. Always tie a string: "I'll do this if you do that." Otherwise you are inviting the other negotiator to ask you for more.

10. Brodow's Law: Always be willing to walk away! Never negotiate without options.

If you depend too much on the positive outcome of a negotiation, you lose your ability to say "no." Clients often ask me, "Ed, if you could give me one piece of advice about negotiating, what would it be?" My answer, without hesitation, is: "Always be willing to walk away."

You can go pretty far with these basic ideas. If you want to dig deeper, consult my negotiation products, or -- better yet -- book me to speak at your organization's next meeting or convention.
___________
Ed Brodow is a motivational speaker, negotiation guru on PBS, and author of Negotiate with Confidence and Beating the Success Trap. For more information on his keynotes and seminars, call 831-372-7270 or e-mail ed@brodow.com, and visit http://www.brodow.com

P.S. Ed Brodow is one of the over 75 (and counting) mentors and success experts you will learn from through your AudioMotivation.com membership. You can learn more about Josh Hinds' members site, AudioMotivation.com here -- Go there now to hear the sample audio clips!

Posted 4/16/2005 by Josh Hinds

On Where You Are
By Zig Ziglar

Many years ago as a young, aspiring speaker, I heard an older speaker who was quite philosophical say that you are where you are because that's exactly where you want to be. I thought about his statement, decided it was the "wisdom of the ages" and verbalized it in my own presentations.

Over a period of time a series of events took place, which convinced me that his statement was not true in my case. I was broke, in debt and down in the dumps. I wanted to be prosperous and excited about my future.

It came through loud and clear that I was where I was and what I was because of the decisions and choices I had made in my life. I made those choices based on the information I had, much of which was erroneous.

The reality is, if I'm given the wrong directions to go from "point A" to "point B," I'm not going to reach "point B" unless I change directions. It's equally true that if I'm given the wrong directions on how to move from being broke and in debt to being successful and prosperous, I'm not going to end up at the place I want to be.

One important decision you can make even as you read these words is to think about what Thomas Sikking said: "You're not the product of a broken home, a devastated economy, a world in the upheaval of war, a minority group, a family of drunkards or a poverty-ridden neighborhood. You are the product of your own thinking processes and whatever you're thinking about today is the cornerstone of your tomorrow."

. . .Take control of your thoughts and your future. Determine that you will have a better tomorrow. Make specific plans to do so and I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

. . . Adapted from SOMETHING ELSE TO SMILE ABOUT by Zig Ziglar.
____________
Zig Ziglar offers a free weekly newsletter filled with more of his inspiring stories as well as practical ideas to help you in the areas of sales, marketing, customer service, and related topics. You can subscribe to the Zig Ziglar Newsletter by going to www.zigziglar.com.

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Posted 4/14/2005 by Josh Hinds

I just added a new Focus On Success Interview with Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott - She is a New York Times #1 Best Selling author, lecturer, teacher/trainer, talk-show host, and seminar leader. I'm certain you'll enjoy this interview, so be sure to check it out now... To your success, Josh Hinds :-)

Posted 4/12/2005 by Josh Hinds

"How to Unlock that Best-Selling Book or Project That's Inside You" A Conversation With Joe Vitale

The following is a excerpt from the exclusive AudioMotivation interview with Dr. Joe Vitale - He is the author of a number of books, including the #1 best-selling book "Spiritual Marketing," the best-selling e-book "Hypnotic Writing," and the best-selling Nightingale-Conant audioprogram, "The Power of Outrageous Marketing."

AUDIOMOTIVATION.COM
Now, so many of us kind of go through life with the dream of writing that novel or just getting started on any kind of writing. If you had to sum up a few quick tips for somebody like that who wants to write a book or start their writing career whether its syndicated or whatever, what are some ideas to put those dreams into play for them?

JOE VITALE
Yeah, that's a great question. Ill tell you the easiest thing to do and it might seem so simplistic, but its so powerful, is to just get started. I have found that the big stumbling block with people in any walk of life that's trying to do anything is they're listening to their voice of doubt. they're listening to their inner critic.

When it comes to writing, when people tell me they're in a writers block or they're having difficulty writing, when I explore it a little bit, I find out that they're listening to the editorial voice within themselves.

they're listening to that voice that says, "Who are you to do this or you don't have the time to do this or this probably wont pay off or what if you do it and it fails or what if you do it and it works and it succeeds?"

All of those questions, all of those doubts, all of that criticism stops people from doing the fundamental thing that needs to be done and that is take action.

So I would say theres at least two tips here for this short question and answer. Be aware of that voice inside of you that's talking you out of doing what you want to do and treat this like a meditation.

you'll listen to the voice, but you don't necessarily pay attention to it. You just kind of say oh, okay, you're there again. Thanks and well talk to you later and basically let it go its way. And it loses that power over you in time as you practice that.

And the second is, just start doing it. For example, if you want to write a book, the easiest thing to do is to sit down and start typing. You have to keep in mind that all you have to do is write your first draft. You don't have to write the book flawlessly.

You don't have to write the book perfectly to anybody expectations. All you have to do is get the words on the paper or on the keyboard. Then, when you're done with your first draft, you can go back and edit it, refine it, retune it, delete things, add new pieces.

Then you can have select people review it or an editor review it, but you can take it one step at a time and it doesn't have to be done perfectly. It doesn't have to ever be done perfectly. I think that's another thing that stumps people is the idea that it has to be perfect and perfect is a relative term. There is no such thing as perfection. None of us agree on that.

AUDIOMOTIVATION.COM
Well, I'm sorry, I read something where during that first draft process, you shouldn't edit at all, like you shouldn't stop yourself to edit and people I think are tempted to do that quite a bit. Is that what you have found?

JOE VITALE
Yeah, that's a great secret to flawless, easy writing. The great secret is, do not edit when you are writing your first draft. I've written about this in Hypnotic Writing. In fact, I've created a whole software helping people to write books and articles. Its called Hypnotic Writing Wizard and the Hypnotic Writing Wizard, you can have this cool little device on it where you can, it will shut down your monitor for a scheduled period of time.

While you write, it will retain everything that you're writing and the whole purpose for this is if you cant see what you're writing, it disconnects that editorial part of you. You cant edit it because you cant see it. So this is just one of the tools in Hypnotic Writing Wizard to help you do what you just explained that if you're editing, you're not going to write or you're not going to enjoy your writing. You're not going to be very creative at it. Turn off the editorial voice.

* Excerpted from the AudioMotivation Interview with Joe Vitale. Visit my members site, AudioMotivation.com now to learn more and have a listen to other success experts and mentors... To your success, Josh Hinds :-)

Posted 4/07/2005 by Josh Hinds

"The Truth About 'Magic' Vs. Effort"
By Bob Scheinfeld

I've been involved in the "success field" for more than 20 years. During that time, I've consistently seen an interesting dynamic at work. It's a dynamic that causes a lot of damage and blocks many people from fulfilling their true potential.

I see it especially with people who come into my orbit and discover the power of The Invisible Path to Success and The 11th Element.

What's the dynamic? Supreme confusion about the role "magic" and "effort" play in the achievement of goals.

From my experience, most people have a belief somewhere in their head there's a magic pill that can instantly or effortlessly help them achieve any goal they might have - any goal.

Marketers and salespeople play on that belief (or "weakness") and promise the moon with lots of hype and sizzle. I must confess that part of me sometimes feels tempted to buy into such sales pitches if they're really good.

Do you too?

So what's the truth? Is there really a magic pill?

Can success really be instant or effortless or must true success always take effort?

The answer is that success flows from both magic and effort. If you study the lives of successful people, and look at your own successes, you'll see both "forces" at work. There are times when an amazingly fortunate "event" pops out of nowhere and blesses you in major ways without much effort on your part. There are also times when the process of achieving goals takes a lot of time and effort.

In my work, I talk about the fact that all success comes from tapping into what I call "the invisible network" to get the help you need. That network links all of us together at the unconscious level and stores information on what everybody is doing all over the planet. I talk about working with an inner intelligence I call your "Director" or "Inner CEO" to tap into that network and to find the best and quickest way to get to the goals that align with your life purpose.

Because some goals seem to manifest in instant or effortless ways, many people, maybe even you, think all goals could or should manifest in instant or effortless ways and that's where the problem arises.

That logic is seriously flawed!

In my work, I also talk about the fact that for some goals, you can ask for help and get a virtually instant response that requires very little effort on your part to manifest. When that happens, it's because the process of manifesting your desired result was a simple task for your Director/Inner CEO.

But it doesn't always work that way!

Using my model, once you ask your inner intelligence for help to achieve a goal, information must first be gathered by tapping into the invisible network. Available options and possibilities must be considered to find the best people and solution(s) to get the job done.

That takes time!

If there are multiple people, ideas, resources, techniques, and strategies that could help you achieve your goal, the best one(s) must be chosen from the pack.

That takes time!

If multiple people are being considered to play specific roles in the manifestation of your outcome, their metaphorical work history and references must be checked and verified. They might be "interviewed" in a process very similar to the process of interviewing prospective employees or contractors within the corporate arena.

That takes time!

In addition, your inner intelligence might run different "simulations." Let's say, for example, there are two people who could theoretically do a great job of helping you produce a specific outcome. Your inner intelligence might run several "what would happen if" simulations to do his/her best to predict which one might provide the most help for you.

That takes time!

Once the best options and people are chosen, then the best timing for manifestation must be selected, and all the various aspects of the manifestation plan (including people's schedules) must be coordinated.

Selecting the best timing for manifestation is another major challenge, and it's something that needs to be revised on an ongoing basis as things change in the world, in your life, and other people's lives.

Again, that takes time!

Once the best timing is chosen, agreements will be made and action plans will be created at the unconscious level -- just as would happen within the corporate arena when a project is being managed.

Finally, after all the "due diligence" work has been done through the invisible network at the unconscious level, then it comes time for things to happen at the "surface" or conscious level where you and I live and work. You have to play your part and others have to play their parts. It's like writing a business plan on paper and then having to execute it in the real world.

That takes time too!

Sometimes the due diligence, decision-making, planning and execution process is short, and your outcome manifests quickly -- or your Inner Intelligence manifests a terrific outcome he/she was working on independent of you. Then it looks like magic. Other times, it's a longer and more drawn-out process. Then it looks like effort.

If you're honest with yourself, would you honestly prefer the "wrong result" now or the "right result" later?

When you use my System, you ask for as quick and effortless a result as possible, and you accept the fact that it will generally take much longer and require more effort than you think to manifest your desired results - for the reasons just described.

When you use my System, you trust that your goals will manifest only if they align with your life purpose, and that they'll manifest at the best possible time and in the best possible way - even if the ultimate definition of "best" differs from your personal preference or desire.

Next time you focus on achieving a goal and it doesn't seem to be manifesting as quickly as you'd like, imagine you have a team of unseen helpers at the unconscious level that are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to complete the diligence, decision-making, planning and execution process to help your goal manifest in the best possible way and at the best possible time for you.

Then take a deep breath, relax, trust your inner intelligence and be patient. That's easier said than done, I know, but it's key to long-term success and happiness.
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Learn more about The 11th Element, the invisible network, your Inner CEO, and how you can apply my system to "be rich", create extraordinary results, in less time, with less effort and much more fun, by visiting here.

Posted 4/05/2005 by Josh Hinds

"Failure Is All In How You Define It: Lessons From The Round The Bays"
By Tanja Gardner, Optimum Life Ltd

NO SUCH WORD AS "CAN'T"?

Up until July 2004, I firmly believed I couldn't run. I had a number of reasons for this – my body's built wrong for it, I've
torn my knee kickboxing, and despite being fit in other ways, as soon as I even started to jog slowly, my lungs would seize up so badly people around me would think I was having an asthma attack.

I'd tried to teach myself to run before. More than once, in fact. Each time I'd tried, I'd ended up increasing the time I
could comfortably run from its base level of something like 30 seconds, to a few minutes, but never to a level where I could use running as one of my cardio methods.

Last year, I got sick of hearing myself say `can't'. I have two legs and two lungs. Both (give or take a piece of cartilage or two) are in good working order. So concluding I can't run seems somewhat spurious. The part of me that can't resist a challenge decided I must just need to find a new way to run… and so that I had something specific to aim for, I committed to entering (and running all of) the next "Round the Bays" – Auckland's annual 8.4km fun run.

I did my research – took out a number of books on running, and joined various online forums and mailing lists. I created
a training program for myself, based partly on the BUPA 5km training programme, and partly on the books I'd read. And I started training.

THE BEST LAID PLANS...

I didn't know, back then, what the following eight months were going to hold. Real life has a nasty habit of getting in the way of our plans. Two monster colds, a food poisoning attack, and the month-long waging of guerrilla warfare upon my arm by a bamboo stake, all led to massive interference with my training plan. Not to mention the time out required for a wedding and honeymoon!

Thus it was that, a month before the event, I still found running for a 10-minute block supremely difficult. Three weeks before the run, I had to accept I wouldn't achieve my original goal – it just wasn't realistic to expect to improve the required amount in the time I had left, given where I was at that point. The question was, did I give up entirely and drop out (very tempting!), or did I set a new goal, based on what I thought might still be possible?

DECISION TIME

After some thought, I looked at why I'd entered in the first place – whether the Round the Bays would still be a challenge if I couldn't run all of it. As someone who'd been grossly unfit for much of my previous life, merely entering felt like a huge deal. Not only that, but there was no requirement that I either walk it all or run it all – I could run as much as I could, and walk the rest. So yes, I decided, entering could still be a challenge – and one I could benefit from meeting.

My decision was made. Thus I found myself standing near the starting line (along with something like 73,000 other Aucklanders) two weeks ago, marvelling that I was probably the first person in my family ever to enter such an event. I finished the course in the semi-respectable time of just over 1 hour 20, doing the entire course alongside a good friend who'd told me I'd inspired him to enter it. It was a beautiful day, and even though I didn't achieve my original goal, there was still a distinct sense of achievement when I crossed the finish line.

LESSONS IN ACHIEVEMENT

It would have been easy, back when I realised I wouldn't manage to run the whole thing, to choose differently. It was oh-so appealing to decide that failure was an all-or-nothing proposition with no in-betweens, and slip back into my comfort zone. The truth, though, is that failure doesn't have to be absolute. It's rare we can't pull some form of achievement out of what initially seems like a failure to meet our original goal.

In my case, I entered an event that, five years ago, I never would have considered I might be capable of. I ran parts of it – fully putting to rest the belief that I can't run. I crossed the finish line along with some of the faster walkers (it was quite inspiring to turn around and see just how far back behind me the crowd of entrants extended). And I was reminded, in the most visceral way possible, that failure is all in how you define it.

Besides, there's always next time – March 2006. And next year, I fully intend to run the whole thing!

© Tanja Gardner, Optimum Life, April 2005
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Optimum Life Ltd is dedicated to providing balanced fitness and stress management services that help clients all over the world achieve their optimum lives. For more information on how we can help you move closer to living your optimum life, please check out our website.

Posted 4/04/2005 by Josh Hinds

A Friend's Evaluation
by Chris Widener

Evaluations are a tremendous resource to help us know where we have been and how to get where we want to be. One very overlooked person who would give us a very insightful evaluation is our friend. Our friend? Yes! Think about it: They know you better than anyone. They see you in the greatest amount of diversity. They know about all areas of your life. They could possibly give you the best evaluation you have ever had.

So why do we need to do something formal like this? Why don't they just give us their thoughts throughout the relationship? Primarily because most friends won't, in the routine of our friendships, volunteer their true feelings, especially the ones they think we may perceive as negative. Most people simply keep their thoughts to themselves in order to keep the relationship "safe."

Now, there is a warning here. This is not for someone who would be offended by their friend's remarks. You need to go into this understanding that they care for you and have your best interests at heart and that you asked for the input! If you decide to go for it, here are some good questions to ask your friend. (Note: if you want some anonymity for your friends, give the evaluation to three or four friends and let them do it anonymously. You will still get their insight and they can feel a little less awkward.)

What is my greatest strength as a person?
What is my greatest strength as a professional?
What are three issues you think I need to address in my life?
What is my greatest weakness?

On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel I handle my money, given my desire for long-term financial health?

On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel I handle my health, given my desire for long-term physical health?

On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel I handle my emotions, given my desire for long-term financial health?

On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel I handle my spirituality, given my desire for long-term spiritual health?

On a scale of 1-10, how do you feel I handle my relationships, given my desire for long-term relational health?

In the preceding 5 questions, why did you answer as you did?

What one thing do you think I could start doing today that would most drastically increase the quality of my life?

What one thing do you think I could stop doing today that would most drastically increase the quality of my life?

What is the biggest obstacle you think I will need to overcome in order to see my dreams come true?

When your friend has given you the questionnaire back, take him or her out for a cup of coffee and spend some time talking about it. Remember, you are there to understand and learn from someone who cares about you, so ask questions and listen - don't defend yourself!

This will not only help you in your life and work, it will probably deepen your friendship!
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Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, and succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. Visit Chris Widener's web site to take advantage of the many resources available there & join his newsletter.

Posted 4/01/2005 by Josh Hinds

Desirable Employee Characteristics
By Zig Ziglar

Dr. Tony Zeiss, president of Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC, has identified . . . the characteristics of the most desirable employees. . . . First, a positive attitude is the most important characteristic. Other research indicates the most often promoted employees have high job performance, exhibit good corporate citizenship behavior, and are committed to the organization.

Additional research reveals that promotions occurred where the employees viewed the organization's problems as their own. Also, the ability to foster positive working relationships and lead others are important contributors to career success.

Not surprisingly, the research revealed that happy people are more often promoted than neutral or negative people; they are also healthier. Workers under age 30 are happier and more satisfied with their jobs than any other age group. "Baby boomers" are the most negative. One hundred percent of 600 top executives in a 1994 study by Hodge Crouin and Associates believed that humor has a positive impact in their business, and 95% said, all things being equal, they would hire candidates with a sense of humor.

Not too surprisingly there is a direct relationship between employee attitude, customer satisfaction, and employee turnover, and the shared attitudes of employees affect morale and productivity.

None of these results is too surprising, and yet sometimes we overlook the obvious. All of this points to the fact that a positive attitude has a positive effect on your life.

. . . From Zig Ziglar’s popular book, STAYING UP, UP, UP IN A DOWN, DOWN WORLD.
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Zig Ziglar offers a free weekly newsletter filled with more of his inspiring stories as well as practical ideas to help you in the areas of sales, marketing, customer service, and related topics. You can subscribe to the Zig Ziglar Newsletter by going to www.zigziglar.com.