Motivation Articles, Essays, Tips and Advice

2008-03-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

The Mechanics of Heart
By Jenna Forrest

I remember how all I was taught in school about the heart was that it�s a muscle that circulates my blood. Sitting at my chilly silver school desk, I�d drum my pencil on my science book and wonder�how can an organ that�s supposedly so mechanical be this universal symbol for love?

Now that I�m an adult, I think that question can be answered in many ways.

But today I like this semi-scientific one: The heart is associated with love because it delivers chemical feedback on whether or not we love our experiences. After all, isn�t it the heart�s job to circulate endorphins, adrenaline, dopamine and other chemicals through the bloodstream?

What chemicals it circulates and how many chemicals are released depends on what thoughts our brains think � Do we love the things we choose to say, think and do throughout our days? How do we handle stress? Do we put ourselves in stressful situations or around people who drain us again and again?

For the past few years, I�ve intentionally used my heart as a little red life coach. I�ve steered clear of stressful situations before I got pulled into them. When I have, my heart�s said �good job� by staying calm and steady. When I�ve chosen to think the best about bad situations and walked away from other ones that were continuously draining me, my heart again has said �good job� by circulating a healthy smattering of endorphins.

On the other hand, the times I�ve committed to something that I didn�t have peace about, or had no passion for, my heart kicked into overdrive to circulate the surplus of fight or flight chemicals being released by my brain. (As we�ve all experienced, while all body chemicals have their purpose, the release and circulation of too much at once can tax the body.)

So I guess this steadfast, earnest organ does actually have a lot to do with love. If we let it, the heart can serve a sort of divine double duty. On one hand, it delivers blood like a good machine should. On the other, it�s more like a living teacher, repeatedly showing us how it�s working in cahoots with the brain to coach us into choosing thoughts, experiences and influences that are entirely good for us.

How�s that for love?
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Author and Empowerment Mentor Jenna Forrest created JennaForrest.com, a community for people who desire to gather, connect, recharge and get empowered.

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2008-03-03T18:58:00.001-08:00

Total Success is Determined by Your Thoughts, Beliefs and Actions
By Dr. Joe Capista

Many people say they want success, yet they are not willing to do what it takes to achieve their desired outcome. I am a believer in Total Success. Total Success requires more then a successful business and a great income. Total Success is about having a balanced life, giving back and enjoying what you do.

In order to achieve Total Success there are specific thoughts and beliefs you must have. There are also certain actions you must take.

Success in anything goes beyond the obvious. Although you need a certain amount of skill and knowledge, your successes will come from the way you think, feel and act, coupled with intense emotion and a steadfast belief in "self."

To achieve Total Success you must set goals. Setting goals cannot be a hit and miss process. It has to be systematic, deliberate and the cornerstone of every other aspect of what you do in order to create a successful, abundant, happy, and balanced life. Goals are about gaining direction, clarity and vision.

Even though the concept of goal setting took a while for me to grasp, once I did, the difference in my ability to achieve the outcomes I desired was amazing. Initially I dabbled in the process. Over time, as with virtually every other component of my success, it became very systemized.

My success is directly proportionate to my willingness to set goals, write down my goals, review my goals and stay committed to my goals.

If you want what you say you do, you have to set goals. It's not that difficult and the results will amaze you. Get a blank book. On each page write down your goals in a specific category and date it.

Not only should you write your goals down, you must review them morning and night. Write your primary goals on a 3 x 5 card to make the review time more targeted. Doing this will keep you on target with what you want.

When you focus on your goals by writing them down and reviewing them on a regular basis amazing events will begin to happen. You will be able to manifest what you want a lot quicker.

However, you must do more than write them down and read them. You have to be committed to the outcome. This means that if you want to get and stay healthy, you will have to make choices around what you eat and how often you exercise.

It is the same with your finances. If you want to increase your wealth you must make specific choices on how you spend and invest your money.

Think of every area of your life you want improvement in. Decide what you want and what you are willing to do to get it. Write your goals down, read them morning and night and take the appropriate actions to achieve your desired outcome.

With dedication and commitment you will be well on your way to Total Success.

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2008-02-26T18:31:00.001-08:00

The "Best" Test
by Chris Widener

Some time ago, I spoke to a group of salespeople in Kansas City as they kicked off their new team. It was exciting to see them get excited about making a difference through their work.

The topic they assigned me was "Simply the Best." So as I prepared, I asked myself, "What characteristics would help someone pass the "Best" test? That is, what are the characteristics of those who become the "best" at what they do? Here are the thoughts I shared with them:

The Best are Optimists...
You can't get to the top if you don't think that there is a top or if you think you can't make it. One characteristic of those who reach the peak is that they always believe that things can get better or be done better. This pushes them on to be their best.

The Best have Vision...
They can see ahead of the pack. Their eyes aren't locked into the here and now. They see the bright future and what things will look like when they reach their destiny. While working hard for today, they live for the future! They do what Stephen Covey calls begin with the end in mind.

The Best Relentlessly Pursue Excellence...
The status quo is not for them. They want to be the best and experience the best. And that means giving their best. They go the extra mile so that in everything they do, in everything they say and think, they are striving for excellence.

The Best have a Life Long Habit of Personal Growth...
They don't want to stay at the level they are at. They want to grow in their work, their intellect, their spirituality, their relationships, and in every area of their life. And they discipline themselves to put themselves in situations wherein they grow. Personal growth doesn't "just happen." You choose to grow. I always suggest what Zig Ziglar does and that is to enroll in "Automobile University."

Whenever you are driving around, listen to a personal or professional growth tape or CD. Over the long run you will grow. Also, read more. The old saying is true: Leaders are readers. So are those who pass the "Best" test.

The Best Understand that They will be Pushed by the Competition - and They Welcome It...
Like the lead runner in the race who has someone on his heels, the best know that the competition is right behind them. They love it though because they know that the competition keeps them from becoming lazy and resting on their laurels. Instead, the competition pushes them to go faster and to achieve more - to remain the best by forging ahead.

The Best have a Quest for Leadership...
Someone has to lead - it may as well be the best! Those who attain it get there because they want to. They want to lead and help make a difference. And they want to be equipped with the skills necessary to lead others on to a better place.

The Best Leave a Legacy...
They aren't in it just for themselves, though they will surely reap the rewards of being the best. Rather, they build things that last beyond themselves, things that can be enjoyed by others as well.

The Best are Adept at the Two Most Important Pieces of Time and Personal Management: Prioritize and Execute...
Just like weight loss boils down to eat right and exercise, personal management boils down to prioritize and execute.

First, prioritize your activities. The important stuff goes on the top. Then, execute: do them. The best have habits and discipline that get them to the top by doing the best things and doing them first.

The Best Focus on Building Relationships...
Success does not come alone. Everyone who achieves much does it with the help of countless others. How do the Best get others to help them? They treat them right. They embrace them and help them. People become the best because they help other people, and people like them.

The Best Make no Excuses...
When they fail they admit it and move on. They get back up and do it right the next time. They let their actions speak loader than their words. They stand tall and do the right thing the next time. No excuses, just results.

The Best Understand that the Good is the Enemy of the Best...
Yes, they could say, "this is good." But that would mean they have settled for less than the best. Many people think that good is good. Good is not good. Good is the enemy because it keeps us from the best. Choose your side: the good or the best. The Best choose, you guessed it, the
Best.

The Best Dare to Dream...
While others live the mundane and settle into a life they never bargained for, a rut, the Best dream of a better life. And then they take the risks necessary to achieve their dreams.

They live by Teddy Roosevelt's quote: Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs though checkered by failure, then to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the grey twilit that knows neither victory nor defeat.

Want to be the best at what you do? Take inventory on the above characteristics and then start moving to bring your life in line with the characteristics of the "best." Then when you get to the top you will know that you have passed the "Best" test.

Chris Widener
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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 him at www.ChrisWidener.com.

Sponsor Message: Get Inspired! Grab a copy of Josh Hinds' booklet: "Why Perfect Timing is a Myth: Tips for Staying Inspired and Motivated Day in and Day out!" -- and put your goals and dreams on the fast track!

2008-02-17T01:54:00.000-08:00

Turn Up the Volume on Your Visionary
By Marcia Wieder

Do you ever feel like there are parts of you saying yes, while other parts are holding you back? There is a cast of characters that live inside of us all and at different times we may be run by one voice over another.

The key question here is this. If you are committed to being successful, how can you put your dreamer and visionary at the helm, on a day-to-day basis? If you can turn the volume up on the voice of the dreamer, and the volume down on the voice of the doubter, you will create more opportunities for greater success with greater ease.

What are the voices saying inside of your head? Who are the people in your life and on your team who might be playing these roles? Imagine that your dream is to take risk, a big risk that could really grow your business. Perhaps you would change jobs, an assistant or move to a bigger space.

Here�s how these voices might typically respond.

Doubter � This voice is often heard saying such things as, �I don�t think that�s a good idea.� �I have my doubts.� Even �bad idea.� If you were to really crank the volume up on this voice it could turn into a real annihilator saying things like, �Are you out of your mind?�

Realist � �Be realistic�� If we turn the doubter down a bit, it becomes the voice of a realist. Realists aren�t bad, as a matter of fact, they are important for they require evidence and solid plans. The way to deal with this voice is to give it what it needs. If you ignore it, or worse reject it, it can cleverly sabotage you. Being realistic often offers prudence and makes us do our homework. However, if you are overly realistic you may kill the passion around your dream.

Dreamer � Once the realist is fed (with facts and strategies) there is room for the dreamer. The dreamer says, �What if�� (the doubter often says, �But what if��) The dreamer imagines what is possible, is an opportunist, believes in the dream and finds creative outlets.

Dreamers talk about their dreams in a powerful way, with clarity and intention. Serious dreamers build Dream Teams as they get others excited about their vision. And most importantly, dreamers take action to make their dreams a reality.

Visionary � This voice says, �Anything is possible, let�s dream big!� You know these people. These are the folks we look up to and admire. Setbacks or failures do not stop them. They have learned the process of realizing their dreams and now they embody what it means to be a big dreamer.

Simply put, a visionary has a vision and they invite others to join them. Often people are so inspired by this visionary that they ask to participate. People enroll themselves when they are in the presence of a true visionary.

A visionary is not defined by the size of the dream, for dreams come in all sizes and areas of life. If you were truly living your dream, even your �dream come true life,� how would it be? What do you see yourself doing, where are you doing it, and who is doing it with you? How many lives would you touch and how many people would you help?
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Marcia Wieder is a motivational speaker, specializing in helping people make their dreams real! In addition to her speaking and coaching she is the author of several books. Reach her by visiting her website at www.marciaw.com.

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2008-02-10T21:10:00.001-08:00

Count Dracula Is Sucking The Life Out Of Your Success
By Michael Cheney

This is a classic momentum-killer that you will have used, just like me, on numerous occasions. The first step to recognising and solving a problem is to own up to it right?

Have you ever seen the kids' TV program Sesame Street? There's a character on there called The Count. He's like Count Dracula and he..well, he counts. "1 - 2 - 3 ha ha ha!"

What's so wrong with counting you say?

Nothing. Nothing unless it is killing your momentum and stopping you getting what you want from life. Which it often does.

I'm going to use the task of writing as an example in this case but it could be any task that involves the risk counting � earning money, writing words, making phone calls, creating sales appointments, losing weight etc..

So, in this example, let's just say you're writing an article or a book � you're going great guns and surging through the writing at high speed, you're on a roll. Then you hit a block of some kind or your focus is momentarily taken away and you pause for a moment.

HERE COMES THE COUNT..

Rather than use the Law Of Momentum to get instant momentum and get the book finished you think;

"I'm going to see how well I'm doing and count the number of pages I've done."

So you leave your creative zone and your mind goes into number crunching mode. It's important to note that once you cross boundaries like this with your brain it's not easy to get back into that creative zone again.

So anyway, you count the pages. 32 pages. Not bad, you say to yourself. But because your brain is now in number-crunching mode it wants more tasks to do in this mode. So you say to yourself;

"I wonder how many words I've written?"

So then you run a word count. 11,283 words. Not bad. What does this tell you? Precisely nothing.

Your brain is still in analytical (rather than creative) mode so it wants you to give it more 'food' i.e. analytical tasks. So you say to yourself;

"I should probably just run a word check on what I've done so far."

Now, let's just recap a moment. Ten minutes ago you were in full creative flow. The book or article was being created. You momentarily lost your momentum (it only takes a moment to lose it, or to create it) and then you got taken over by the blood-sucking Count Dracula.

You did a page count. You did a word count. You did a spell check.

Now you might say � so what?! Just 10 minutes lost right? No. Not just 10 minutes � you just lost your creative juices and the creative power that you had in full flow. The ideas that you were meant to write before you lost momentum may NEVER come back to you again. Those could have been million dollar ideas � they could have made the difference between the end product being a success or a failure and you lost them for the sake of counting.

HOW TO STOP THE COUNT DEAD IN HIS TRACKS

Now writing a book is one thing and it's disruptive enough doing that but what if Count Dracula sinks his teeth in when it comes to earning money? Or when you're trying to lose weight? When you spend more time on the scales than you do in the gym?

You need garlic, a stake and a cross.

GARLIC � THE SMELL OF SUCCESS

To stop yourself being distracted by counting, measuring and analyzing focus always on the success that your task will bring. See, hear, feel and SMELL what that success will be like for you. This will have a powerful pull on you and drive your actions accordingly.

STAKE � THE INSTANT KILL

As soon as you find yourself doing more counting than achieving � kill the activity instantly. Just picture Count Dracula sinking his teeth into your neck and sucking out your blood and life. Stop him dead in his tracks.

CROSS � KEEP THE FAITH

Just believe that you are on the right track. If you look deep inside yourself you know in your heart of hearts how well you are progressing with something without actually having to take time out and start counting, counting, counting.
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Written by Michael Cheney -- You can get daily FREE videos from him to help you get motivated at www.GetMomentumTv.com

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2008-02-07T03:01:00.000-08:00

Abandonment Is Tremendous
By Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

There just isn't time to do all you want to do and all that you need do. It is easy for us to teach abandonment to others, but the leader knows the price of abandonment, beginning with his own thought processes.

What do you think about? Let's go a step further, what do you talk about? Someone once said that little people talk about things, medium sized people talk about people, and big people talk about ideas. Which kind of people do you like to be around?

How are your reading habits; how many books have you read this year, how many are you reading now, how many of the ideas you've received from the books have you shared? The power of a single book at the right time in a life is unlimited.

The leader leads the way, showing that leaders are readers. You should not only keep a flow of books for yourself, but give them away. Paperbacks are inexpensive and popular. I share a book list that points out the books that have been the most influential of my life.

The leader is constantly learning to abandon the things that come naturally, like DISCOURAGEMENT. Discouragement is, without a doubt, the most expensive luxury we can afford. When I become wealthy, I plan to get discouraged for a week at a time, but I can't afford but a few minutes a day right now.

Most people I know must really be wealthy now, for all the discouragement they seem to be enjoying. Sometimes I'm asked if I ever get discouraged, and I reply, "yes, often." But I never let anyone know about it, because if I allow you to know how discouraged I am, you'll become discouraged, you'll discourage me more than I am, and I can't hardly stand how much I have now. So abandon discouragement and all the other attitude killers as you become the leader you are meant to be!

Tremendously,

Charles "T" Jones
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Written by Charlie "Tremendous" Jones. In addition to breaking many sales records in the Insurance Industry throughout his career, Mr. Jones is the founder and CEO of Executive Books. For more information on Charlie "T" Jones and Executive books visit
www.ExecutiveBooks.com

*brought to you by GetMotivation.com.

2008-02-07T02:48:00.000-08:00

Silent Messages: Your Intellectual Image
By Tony Alessandra

One major aspect of your personal image comes from how well you've developed what's inside your skull. I'm not talking about a high IQ or your skill at Trivial Pursuit. I'm referring to your mental fitness.

Can your mind lift abstract concepts from The Wall Street Journal or from the professional journal in your field? Can you grasp the intricacies of a problem explained by an expert from another field? Can you hang in there when getting an issue settled is going to mean clearing seven committees and the CEO?

Try to get in the habit of not assigning labels to people. At work, for instance, don't dismiss the opinions of a mere "clerk" while perhaps over-valuing those of a "consultant." It takes intellectual strength to appreciate people's unique, human side and not judge them generically. But do so and you'll win their respect - and maybe learn something, too.

Seek Depth and Breadth of Knowledge...

Depth of knowledge refers to how well you understand your own area of expertise. The more you know about it, the more power and influence you'll have. Charismatic people often make good first impressions not because they're smarter than others but because they prepare better.

But if depth of knowledge alone were enough to make a good impression, chemists would bond with other chemists, cops with other cops, and taxidermists with other taxidermists. But, what about the rest of the world? Breadth of knowledge enables you to engage in meaningful social talk, the social lubricant that looms large in all human exchanges. Thus, by being informed on a wide range of topics, you'll be able to project a favorable image more easily with more people.

How do you increase breadth of knowledge? You're literally surrounded by opportunities! If there's one thing we don't lack in our culture, it's access to information. You can read books and magazines. Explore the Internet. Take classes. Go to plays and movies. Attend workshops. Listen to audio programs. You name it!
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Dr. Tony Alessandra has authored numerous books, recorded over 50 audio and video programs, and delivered over 2,000 keynote speeches since 1976. If you would like more information about Dr. Alessandra's books, audio tapesets and video programs, or about Dr. Alessandra as a keynote speaker, visit his website at Alessandra.com

PS. If you enjoyed the article you just read, you'll love our free Motivation Newsletter.

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2008-01-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

Definitely Directed Thought
By Vic Johnson

"All achievements, whether in the business, intellectual, or spiritual world, are the result of definitely directed thought." - As A Man Thinketh

How many times have you heard the expression that most people spend more time planning their vacation than they do planning their life. I would expand that expression by adding that most people spend more time "thinking" about their vacation than they do thinking about what's important in their life.

The power of "definitely directed thought" (the power of purpose) is why I love the story of John Goddard so much.

When he was fifteen-years-old, Goddard was inspired to create a list of 127 "life goals." By on count, the "young seventy-something" has accomplished 109 of those Plus 300 others he set along the way!!

Here's just a few of the ones he's reached:

He climbed the Matterhorn, Ararat, Kilimanjaro, Fiji, Rainier and the Grand Tetons.

He retraced the route of Marco Polo through all of the Middle East, Asia and China and was the first man to explore the whole length of the world's longest river, the Nile. He also boated down the Amazon, Congo and others.

He has been to 120 countries, explored the underwater reefs of Florida, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Red Sea, visited the Great Wall of China, the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia, and the Everglades of Florida.

He has flown 47 different types of aircraft, and set several civilian air-speed records including one at 1,500 miles an hour. He flew an F-106 to an altitude of 63,000 feet, making him the only civilian to pilot an aircraft that high, a record which he still holds.

And I'm just getting started. But I think you get the point.

Okay, maybe it's been awhile since you were fifteen, and maybe coming up with 127 life goals is a bit intimidating at this point. But how about 10? How much would the quality of your life improve if you accomplished just one life goal in each of the next ten years?

You won't ever know if you don't start now -- and you don't 'Write' them down.

More than just one of the greatest adventurers the world has ever known, Goddard is an incredibly wise person, as this quote of his demonstrates: "If you really know what you want out of life, it's amazing how opportunities will come to enable you to carry them out."

And that's worth thinking about.

(excerpted from Day by Day with James Allen )
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Vic Johnson is a popular motivational speaker, author and Internet Infopreneur who has created some of the most visited personal development sites on the Web. His flagship site AsAManThinketh.net has given away over 200,000 eBook copies of James Allen's success classic. You can grab a copy for yourself here.

*brought to you by GetMotivation.com

2008-01-15T23:16:00.001-08:00

Jack Canfield and James Arthur Ray added to the Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame

I'm pleased to announce the additions of self-improvement experts James Arthur Ray and Jack Canfield to our Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame. You may recognize both James Arthur Ray and Jack Canfield as both were featured in the movie, The Secret. Jack Canfield is also well known as the co-creator of the Chicken Soup For The Soul series of books.

That's all for now... and remember ... It's your life, LIVE BIG! Josh Hinds :-)

2008-01-14T23:36:00.000-08:00

Be The Success You Were Created to Be
By Lisa Jimenez

Let's play a little game...

I want you to picture in your mind a rich person. Right now, in your mind, picture
a rich person. Do you see a rich person? Describe the rich person.

Now, in your mind I want you to picture a
second rich person. Do you see this rich
person? Notice both of these people. Notice two rich people. Describe what
you see.

And finally, I want you to picture a third rich person. Picture all three rich people in your mind. Describe what you see. What are the characteristics of these people? What do they look like? Act like? What do you notice about these three rich people?

Answer this question...

Were any of these three rich people you?

Did you picture yourself as one of the rich people?

If not, why not?

Do you understand it is imperative for you
to see yourself as a rich and successful
person? This is important for two reasons.

First, other people will see you and treat
you how you see and treat yourself. Second, you will behave in the manner that you see and expect of yourself.

One the most powerful messages I learned from my business coach, Randy Gage was success is created in the mind first.

Success is created in the mind first.

If you believe you are smart, you will behave intelligently. If you believe you are sexy, you will behave in that way. The funny thing about this truth is it doesn't even matter if what you believe is true! Ha! Your subconscious kicks in and obeys whatever you program it to believe about yourself.

The people who create successful businesses create them because THAT IS WHO THEY ARE!

Sometimes it matters little what they are selling, marketing, or promoting, the successful person becomes successful because success is what they created themselves TO BE.

What about you?

I remember the first Christmas after my divorce. The first one I would spend alone - ever. There would be no gifts to give that special one. There would be no gifts to receive from that special one.

Then one day, the postman brought a package to my front door. I tore it open and found a little blue gift box tied with a white satin ribbon. I lifted the lid to reveal a beautiful silver necklace.

Who do you think sent me the gift?

The card read, "To Princess Lisa. From Princess Lisa!"

Yep! I'm the one who sent the necklace to me. While that may sound silly to you, I knew I needed to remind myself, especially during that difficult time that I am loved. I am lovable. And everything was going to be alright.

I want you to be the greatest encourager for yourself in both business and your personal life. I want you to see yourself as a confident, capable, successful entrepreneur right now!

Success comes from BEING successful right now.

What habit can you create right now to help you BE a successful entrepreneur? What is your "way of being" to ensure your success? Maybe it's with follow up. You can create yourself to be phenomenal
at following up with leads. You are the "Follow-Up-King!" You create a system and always return calls and emails within 24 hours. It's not even an effort for you because it is WHO YOU ARE.

Or you could choose image. You are the diva or divo of fashion and integrity from the inside out. When people look up the word "classy" in the dictionary, your picture is there! You always look your best and epitomize business etiquette. You are on time and treat all business colleagues and clients with respect and integrity. It's not an effort for you, for you have created yourself to BE integrity and fashion.

What about encourager? You could create yourself to be a master encourager. You are the walking, talking, faith-filled, modern-day Pollyanna. You see possibility all around you, in every situation, and with all people. This is not an effort for you at all, for you have created yourself to BE possibility and encouragement. It is who you ARE.

Do you get this? It is in the BEING that success is found. The BEING actually creates the doing.

I love entrepreneurship. I love listening to people's business ideas and encouraging them in their business plan. So I decided to take this love of entrepreneurialism and put it out in the world--not just in words, but in real actions that come from my BEING entrepreneurialism. So, two years ago I decided that whenever I met someone who told me about a business idea, I would get their name and address and send a card with a $100 dollar check in it. The card would read, "May this small token of cash be the large token of faith I have in you and your entrepreneurial dream!"

I have done this with a bartender in Iowa who wants to be a singer, a school teacher in Florida who has a dream of being a published author, a waiter in Hawaii who told me he wants to be a professional speaker, a secretary in Paris who wants to be an ambassador and build libraries in orphanages in Southern Africa... and many, many more. The response has been amazing!

The bartender called me after receiving her check and cried, "I'm putting the $100 toward a new guitar, and I want you to know that every song I'll play with that new guitar, I'll play in your name!"

The school teacher emailed, "I'm now signing up for a writer's course and will send you my first draft!"

The waiter in Hawaii wrote, "I'm putting the $100 toward my membership in the National Speaker's Association."

The secretary in Paris called me and said, "I made a copy of the check and posted it in my office. It reminds me that my ideas matter and my dream will make a difference!"

It has been an incredible benefit to me to BE encouragement and watch my belief and love of entrepreneurialism extend out into the world beyond words and phrases.

My love of entrepreneurialism is out in the world because it is WHO I AM!

That's not the end of the story...

Last year I was speaking to a large direct sales company and told them my commitment to entrepreneurialism. I also shared with them my big vision of a world cruise on a luxury cruise line to promote my book, Don't Mess With the Princess! Two weeks later, I received a card in the mail with a $100 and a note that read, "Lisa, may this small token of cash be the large token of faith I have in you and your entrepreneurial dream!"

What about you?

Who do you choose to create yourself to BE? How can you reflect that in your business? Make it a part of your day and you will extend yourself into the world effortlessly and be greatly rewarded for it.

You make a difference on the planet because you chose to follow your true desire and stay committed to it. You have a profound impact on the world when you know you are created for success and you show up every day boldly willing to BE the success you were created to be!

Make it a great week. Be blessed,
Lisa
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Lisa Jimenez, M.Ed., has helped thousands of top salespeople shatter their self-limiting beliefs and finally get the breakthrough success they want. When it comes to personal productivity and creating unstoppable momentum -- there is no one better for your salespeople than Lisa. Visit her website for business building success resources by Lisa Jimenez.

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2008-01-11T20:05:00.000-08:00

Create That Winning Feeling
By Bob Proctor

I believe we would all agree that having a winning feeling is prerequisite to achieving outstanding results. A person can't possibly expect to win if they're constantly focusing on failure!

The real secret here is to capture that winning feeling of success as often as you can to create the environment necessary to succeed.

If you've been a little down in the dumps, feeling insecure or perhaps not feeling as confident in your ability as you'd like, I have a great tip for you. My suggestion to anyone looking for a success track to run on, or to a person who is looking to get back on one, is to start capitalizing on short-term victories.

That means specifically focussing on tasks you can achieve daily. The principle is to start with an adversity over which you can succeed, and gradually take on more and more difficult tasks. Nothing succeeds like success.

Another technique used by many people in developing or maintaining a winning feeling is what we call the reflection method.

Think back during a time where you were really successful at something... we all have times to which we can relate. It could have been a sale, a particular speech, a school play, or standing up to the town bully. Each one of us can reflect back on a moment in time to recapture that winning feeling.

Professional sports coaches often replay winning games of the past for their team prior to a big game to stimulate and create a winning feeling!

Years ago, a good friend of mine had left his job and a company that he had worked with for many years. He was one of the top VPs with his company and had done extremely well. He had left because he wanted to start his own business. I told him he could use one of our offices until such time as he was ready to open up his own office.

In any event, I happened to be in the office one afternoon and Grant, who normally was very upbeat and positive, was really having a difficult time. After a few moments of small talk, it became apparent what the problem was. Grant had hit the terror barrier and the possibility of starting his own company was overwhelming him... he just didn't think he could do it. Here's a man who had risen to the top of his field, made a high six-figure income for years... and yet was still having doubts as to his ability to start his own company.

I asked Grant to go home, get a notebook and start to write down all of his accomplishments; as far back as he could remember. The look on his face was priceless � I'm sure he thought I'd lost my mind.

I told him that the accomplishment could be small or large... it didn't really matter. The point was to focus on something positive. I still remember him asking, "Well, what if I only fill half a page." I just smiled and asked him to do his best and start writing.

Monday morning came and Grant was back in the office with a notebook full of accomplishments. I smiled and said, "You must have been fairly confident, you picked up a good sized notebook!" We both had a good laugh. Grant went on to build a multi-million dollar financial planning company and later franchised the operation to extend across Canada and the US!

This is a great exercise for anyone needing a bit of a boost. What would give you a winning feeling of pride and satisfaction?

Remember... a winning feeling is a confident feeling and one that forgets misses, and reinforces successful attempts.
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If you enjoyed the article you just read from Bob Proctor, you'll love the Insight of the Day -- every weekday it's a short, uplifting message to help get your day off to a great start. It's extremely short, so it fits perfectly into people's busy lives. Go here to receive the Insight of the Day.

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2008-01-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

Just what is an affirmation?
By Paul J. Meyer

The word �affirmation� is often misunderstood� and therefore, greatly neglected.

It is vitally important to know, and review if necessary, the ingredients of successful affirmations.

An affirmation is this:
A positive declaration stated in the first person and in the present tense that describes specifically what you want to be, what you want to do, what you want to have, and/or how you want to live your life.

To better understand -- and thus apply -- affirmations, look at each ingredient:

* positive
* a declaration or statement
* about yourself
* in the first person (I �)
* in the present tense (I am �)
* specific
* and about what you want to be, to do, to have, etc.

Now that you know how to make your own affirmations, use them to encourage, motivate, and change you for the better, enabling you to go further and reach higher than you've ever dreamed possible!

Do it now!
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A millionaire by age 27, Paul J. Meyer launched his dream business: Success Motivation Institute, Inc. (SMI), dedicated to helping people develop their full potential. The product line has expanded to include 26 full-length courses and programs in leadership development and management training. He is considered by many to be the founder of the personal development industry. Many of Paul's life changing materials are available at www.PaulJMeyer.com.

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2007-12-23T12:09:00.001-08:00

Your Dream Can Be Your Future
by Chris Widener

Here is a basic truth you must accept and believe if you are to achieve your dream...

Your dream can be a reality! That's right; your future can actually see you living your dream. It doesn't just have to be a big wish!

When we are young we are dreamers. Nothing seems too big for us to accomplish. Nothing seems too outrageous. The world is ours on a string as the old song goes. Until...

"Reality" hits. Reality is what others want to box you in with:
"You can't do that."
"Nobody has ever done that before."
"It will never work."
"You've gone off the deep end now!"

All dreamers (who eventually become accomplishers) have heard these things.

Yet they overcome them. They refuse to accept someone else's "reality" for their own life. They let the average people live their average lives, bound by fear, while they pursue their chosen future � their dream! So don't believe the people who tell you that you can't or won't. Believe your dream. Believe that it can be your future!

Once you have determined that you can actually live your dream, I want you to memorize this acronym. I've shared it before, but I found that it is tremendously helpful for reminding and motivating us toward our dreams.

D is for Dare (dare to dream while others don't)
R is for Relentless (relentlessly pursue your dream no matter what)
E is for Excellence (strive for excellence in all you do)
A is for Abandon (abandon any other alternative plans)
M is for Measure (constantly measure where you are in your dream journey)

Okay, that's great and motivating, but what about the practical stuff? Well, there is certainly practical stuff. No matter how lofty your dream, no matter how spectacular, you will live most of your life in the mundane. Richard Nixon said of the presidency that you "campaign with poetry, but govern with prose." The vision is beautiful, the actual is mundane (not bad but "everyday" so to speak).

If you are to achieve your dream, you need to plan and work and work and plan. Here are my thoughts on how to go about reaching your dream and securing it as your future: Decide that you will do it. This may seem elementary but many people never decide and commit fully to their dream. They simply keep "thinking" about it. Tell others that you are going to do it. This puts you on the record as to what you are dreaming about. It makes you accountable. It will help you do it if for no other reason than to avoid embarrassment!

Develop a step-by-step plan. This is absolutely essential. You must sit down and write out a few things:

1. A timeline. How long will it take to the end?

2. Action steps. Point-by-point, what you will do and when you will do them.

3. Resources you will need to draw from. What will it take? Who will need to be involved for help or advice?

4. An evaluation tool. You need to evaluate from time to time whether you are progressing or not.

5. A celebration. Yep, when you are done you should already have planned what you will do to celebrate. Make it big!

I have found that there is no better time than now to start making your dream a reality. So, set aside some time today to get started on your dream. Follow the action plan and set your sights for the top of the mountain! You will be glad you did!

-- Chris Widener
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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 him at www.ChrisWidener.com.

Sponsor Message: Get Inspired for success in 2008! Grab a copy of Josh Hinds' booklet: "Why Perfect Timing is a Myth: Tips for Staying Inspired and Motivated Day in and Day out!" and watch more of your goals come to pass in the new year!

2007-12-11T00:14:00.001-08:00

Special Notice: Robert Ringers: Getting What You Want in 2008 through the power of synchronicity

From the desk of Josh Hinds...

If you�d like to get off to a flying start in 2008, be sure to check this out. Robert Ringer is one of the leading personal development teachers of our era. It is not surprising that two of his books have been listed by The New York Times among the 15 bestselling motivational books of all time. His strategies and techniques are truly life changing.

Getting What You Want in 2008 through the power of synchronicity

By Robert Ringer
You have the opportunity to do something extraordinary to kick off 2008 -- something that could make the difference between working through another mediocre year and making it the most profitable and fulfilling year of your life.

When I say profitable and fulfilling, I�m referring to the three P�s: Purpose, Prosperity, and Peace of Mind. And all of them can be yours -- in abundance -- through the power of synchronicity.

I have often said that the difference between success and failure is much smaller than most people might suspect. And one factor, in particular, plays a major role in how one�s life turns out. The factor I am referring to is synchronicity -- achieving long-term success by getting all areas of your life in synch.

Whether it�s a lack of self-discipline when it comes to eating, an out-of-synch circadian sleep rhythm, or an inability to focus on moneymaking projects, the fastest way to get from where you are now to where you want to be in life is to get all areas of your life in sync. Why? Because synchronicity breeds speed.

Simply put, the quickest way to change one thing is to change everything. And that doesn�t happen by working longer and harder at your business. It�s a result of working hard on yourself. When all aspects of your life are on track, financial success follows almost automatically. To read more ... Click Here (limited time only).

2007-12-05T23:28:00.000-08:00

From Good to Great
By Marshall Goldsmith

By becoming aware of how we can improve, involving respected colleagues and following-up, we can get better at the behavior, as perceived by colleagues.

We can increase our effectiveness by changing elements of our behavior. By becoming aware of how we can improve, involving respected colleagues and following-up, we can get better at the behavior, as perceived by colleagues.

However, the key beliefs that help us succeed can become challenges when it is time to change. Successful people succeed for various reasons. Some factors can be changed; some cannot. Not every person has the potential to succeed in every activity. Different individuals have different �intelligences� that dramatically impact their potential in different fields.

Four Key Beliefs

Successful people tend to have four underlying beliefs:

1. I choose to succeed. Successful people believe that they are doing what they choose to do, because they choose to do it. The more successful they are, the greater their need for self-determination. When we do what we choose to do, we are committed. When we do what we have to do, we are compliant. We observe the impact of this commitment in our jobs. For example, teachers who teach because they have a �calling� for the profession clearly stand out from those who teach to make a living.

Having the belief, �I choose to succeed� means that successful people need to feel a personal commitment to what they are doing (the mission). They need a sense of ownership to achieve results. They lead with their hearts and minds. They are effective in attracting and developing fellow �believers� who want to get the job done.

The more we believe that something is true, the less likely we are to change our beliefs�even in the face of clear evidence that shows we are wrong. Our commitment encourages us to �stay the course� and to not �give up� when �the going gets tough.� This commitment works in our favor in most situations; however, it can work against us when we should change course.

2. I can succeed. Successful people believe that they can make desirable things happen. This self-efficacy is a key to success. People who believe they can succeed see opportunities where others see threats. Such comfort with ambiguity leads people with high self-efficacy to take greater risks and achieve greater returns. They try more things! They do not feel like victims of fate. They have the motivation and ability to change their world. They see success largely as a function of their ability�not luck, chance, or external factors.

If people believe that they are merely �cogs� in the system, they submit to control and manipulation. After all, that�s just the �way it is.� However, if people feel that they can improve their world, they find external control and manipulation very distasteful.

3. I will succeed. Successful people believe they can and will achieve beyond any one task. They communicate with confidence�one of the �top 10� elements of effective leadership. They also assume that their people will achieve. They see success as a function of people�s motivation and ability. So, they communicate their contagious sense of optimism and confidence to others. Successful people tend to pursue opportunities. If they set a goal and announce it, they tend to do �whatever it takes� to achieve the goal.

4. I have succeeded. Successful people have a positive interpretation of their past performance. They not only believe that they have achieved results, they tend to believe that they were instrumental in achieving positive outcomes caused by external events. In a positive way, they are �delusional.� They tend to see their history as a validation of who they are and what they�ve done. This positive view of the past leads to increased optimism toward the future and boosts the odds of future success.

While a positive view of past performance has many positive benefits, it can also make it difficult to change behavior, hear disconfirming information, or objectively rate performance. About 85 percent of professionals rate themselves in the �top 20 percent� of their peer group. Professionals with high perceived social status (physicians, pilots, investment bankers) tend to have even higher self-assessments.

Six Steps to Positive Change

You can achieve a positive, measurable, long-term change in your behavior by following six steps:

1. Invite and receive input on important, self-selected behaviors as perceived by self-selected raters. You can�t measure effectiveness in changing behavior unless you can agree on what constitutes desired behavior. Since successful people have a high need for self-determination, they (not a coach) must own the behavioral change process. The more they are involved, the more likely they are to �buy in� to modeling this behavior. They are responsive in achieving goals that they set but resist changes that make them feel judged or manipulated.

2. Publicly state that certain behavior is important and that you will strive to be a positive role model for this behavior. Successful people desire internal consistency. So, most executives develop a profile of their �desired behaviors.� They clearly see what behaviors are desired. The challenge comes in demonstrating these behaviors.

3. Respond constructively to advice and input when you are involved in selecting the behaviors and the advisors. When we ask leaders to describe a time when they learned something that made a key difference in their lives, most describe a situation in which they receive feedback or a challenge from someone whom they respect. The same message would not have much impact if a different person delivered it. The source of feedback and suggestions can be as important as the content. If successful people respect the source of information, they�ll likely learn and change. When the process is confidential, people tend to focus on what they need to improve.

4. After you receive input, select one or two important (high-leverage) areas for behavioral improvement. People do not need another �laundry list� of goals. Changing just one behavior (that makes the most impact) can create a major positive difference.

5. Involve respected and supportive colleagues. Colleagues are likely to help if they feel that they are respected and their advice is requested (not expected). Talk with colleagues: Thank them for their feedback; let them know one or two areas for improvement; ask them to provide constructive, future-oriented suggestions for achieving positive, measurable change; and recruit them to provide supportive coaching.

When you involve your colleagues in helping you improve (in a supportive way), positive measurable change is likely to occur. They need to be helpful coaches, not cynics, critics or judges.

6. Develop a follow-up process that facilitates ongoing dialogue on selected behaviors with selected colleagues. These focused dialogues need take only a few minutes. When co-workers are trained to be supportive coaches, the follow-up process provides for ongoing constructive suggestions and recognition, reinforcing the commitment to change. Both parties are focused on improving the relationship.

By knowing how to help people change, you can get a huge ROI from your development efforts. The gain for helping people move from the �top 5 percent� to the �top 1 percent� may be greater than the gain from helping average performers move from the top 50 percent to the top 20 percent.

*Leadership Excellence, September 2004
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Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is a world authority in helping successful leaders get even better � by achieving positive change in behavior: for themselves, their people and their teams. You can visit him at MarshallGoldsmith.com

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2007-12-02T23:04:00.000-08:00

Living Your Truth; Finding Your Way; Revealing Your Light
By Matthew C. Horne

The number one question that exists in life is: What is my purpose; what did I show up here to do? Questions such as: 'How do I find my way?' plague the internal dialogue of countless people.

Life responds to commitment. A person who wants to accomplish something without taking measures to make it happen will remain in a state of want. But a person who desires to accomplish something, and is taking measures to activate, and not contemplate, their destiny will always find their way.

You were created with gifts that only you are designed to deliver to this world. This is your truth, and the explanation for your existence. When you make a commitment to live your truth and take the necessary measures to make your inner-vision your outer-reality, the way will appear.

The way has no need to appear if you haven't made a whole hearted commitment to your dreams! The way is the mediator between you and the actualization of your dreams. When you find the way, you are poised to live your truth.

Living your truth reveals a glorious light. There are many people who I've grown up with that have witnessed my transformation from the basketball court to the stage of motivational speaking. Many have pulled me to the side and expressed to me their desire to fulfill their dreams and life-endeavors. The bottom line is that they desire to live their truth, and now have a working model of possibility.

The dreams they perceived to be far beyond their grasp are now staring them in the face, because someone within their realm has done it. Living your truth reveals more light than you can imagine. It gives people permission to live their dreams, and changes their perspective from inability to possibility.

The seasons of life naturally change, but you can never be afraid to change with the season. Successful people do nothing more than recognize the changing seasons, and make the necessary adaptations to function in, and maximize the seasons of life. It's your ingrained nature to never be defined by one season. View each changing season of life as a prelude to living another truth.

Never be afraid of life transitions, because the way will always appear just as it's done in the past. As the seasons change, your commitment to pursue what's in your heart will give you an awareness of your path. As you live your truth, find your way, and reveal your light, you are empowering yourself and others to live a life of truth.
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Matthew C. Horne is a motivational speaker and leading authority in maximizing human potential and self-development. He is also the president of Optimum Success International and author of "The Universe is Inviting You In", available at www.matthewchorne.com.

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2007-11-26T22:47:00.000-08:00

Change
By Bobb Biehl - Executive Mentor

You and I live in a very fast paced time in history. Significant changes seem to be happening every nanosecond -- and not all are seen as good changes.

What is the context of the change?

Nothing is meaningful without a context. How will this affect you professionally, spiritually, socially, financially, and so on? For example, a change that may be devastating financially could be a lifesaver to your spiritual or physical health. Always seek to understand the greater context.

What things never change?

The changes you're encountering today have many implications, but certain things aren't affected. Learn to stay aware of these unchanging factors. Some people find these constants in their spiritual faith and their life values. Wherever you find them, don't let them go.

Changes often bring a sense of unsettledness and unreality. I suggest that you follow this mental exercise: Make a list of things you're confident will not change in the next twenty years -- for example, staying married to the same spouse. Take these constants and mentally drive in a nine-inch railroad spike to hold them in place.

Then list things that probably won't change in the next five years -- maybe you'll be living in the same house, etc. Mentally fasten these with two-inch nails.

Now, list circumstances that will stay the same for the next twelve months -- e.g. keeping the same job. Use tacks to keep these in place.

While everything else may seem to change, you've "nailed down" much of your life that is relatively stable. This can help you keep your equilibrium.

What are the logical versus psychological aspects of this change?

A change can make sense logically, but still lead to anxiety. Everyone needs a niche, and when the niche starts to change, it causes stress and insecurities.

Make a list of the logical advantages and disadvantages that should result from the change. Then list possible psychological impacts. Just seeing this information can be clarifying.

Another possibility is that a change you're considering may feel comfortable psychologically, yet not make logical sense. The key is to distinguish between the logical and the psychological aspects of any change.

As a leader, you must know how to deal with more than the way changes affect you -- also be aware of how the changes you implement will impact others. Seemingly simple decisions may profoundly influence others' livelihoods or many other important areas. Before you announce the change, anticipate psychological reactions. Even positive changes can make it seem like someone has failed, so you can expect resistance and defensiveness.

The essence of dealing with change is that it represents both possible opportunity and potential loss. It's helpful to remember that change can be seen as either revolutionary (something totally different from what has been) or evolutionary (a refinement of what has been). You will usually find it easier to present change as a simple refinement of "the way we've been doing it."

What are the advantages of the change?

You may want to list the three main advantages of this change. You may have been so focused on the disadvantages you haven't looked at the positive side.

Am I changing too much or too fast?

Should you allow this change? If something shouldn't change, it's better to oppose it from the beginning than wait until it has taken deeper root.

Finally, ask yourself these questions:

* Is this change temporary or permanent?
* Is my attitude right -- do I have the right appreciation for this change?
* What negative aspects need to be solved creatively?

REMEMBER: These questions can help you keep perspective when you face changes:
* What is the context of the change?
* What things never change?
* What are the logical versus psychological aspects of this change?
* What are the advantages of the change?
* Am I changing too much or too fast? Should I allow this change?
* Is this change temporary or permanent?
* Is my attitude right -- do I have the right appreciation for this change?
* What negative aspects need to be solved creatively?

Asking the right questions can give you focus amid a storm of change, and therefore increase your leadership confidence.

(c) Bobb Biehl - www.BobbBiehl.com - 1-800-443-1976

Note: This material has been adapted from a book called LEADING with Confidence�available at www.BobbBiehl.com
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Bobb Biehl is an executive mentor. He is the founder of Masterplanning Group International. As its president, he has consulted personally with more than 400 clients. In that time he has met one-to-one with over 2,500 executives (board members, senior executives, and staff members) and spent an estimated 35,000 hours in private sessions with some of the finest leaders of our generation. You can visit him at www.BobbBiehl.com.

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2007-10-13T18:23:00.001-07:00

The Secret of Happiness
By Joe Tye

When I ask people what they want out of life, I frequently hear back some variation on this theme: "I just want to be happy." Sounds simple enough. So I ask the obvious follow-up question: "Are you happy?"

How about you? Are you happy? If you're answer isn't an absolute and unqualified yes, would you like to know the secret for being happy. It really is pretty simple (simple, but far from easy). The secret has three key parts.

1. Don't chase what you don't really want. This, too, sounds simple enough, but it is a principle that is almost universally violated. Nobody on their deathbed ever said, "You know, I wish I'd watched more television," yet according to AC Nielsen, the average American wastes more than four hours a day sitting in front of the plug-in drug.

The average American household today spends more than it earns, financing the balance with debt. We buy more than we can stuff into our attics, so we stash all the extra junk in storage lockers. And then we complain that we never have enough money. Buyer's remorse is a frequent symptom of chasing what you don't really want. But I've never, ever heard of anyone suffering from saver's remorse.

2. Don't want what you can't have: Lots of people make themselves miserable with their complaining that the universe is not conspiring to fulfill their every wish. They watch The Secret, then visualize diamond rings, California mansions, and Italian sports cars. When those things don't materialize, they (usually without admitting it) feel somehow cheated.

The truth of the matter is that there are not nearly enough California mansions and Italian sports cars to go around, and for most of us ordinary people (a label I wear with quite some pride) these things are beyond our reach.

One definition of happiness that I've read is something to the effect that you can be happy if you want only what you already have. I don't agree with that; I believe that aspiration, ambition, and vision are good things. But only when they are directed toward authentic and meaningful goals.

3. Know what it is you really want: This is a lot more difficult than it seems, especially in a culture where most advertising is trying to convince you to want things that you don't need and that you can't really afford. Here is my variation on the classic formula for success and happiness:

Dream as though you were going to live forever; act as if you had to pack the rest of your life into the next twelve months.

This formula can help you zero in on what you really want from life, and help you avoid wasting your time, energy, and money chasing the diversions and distractions that the world will use to tempt you onto a false path.
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Joe Tye is president of Paradox 21 Inc., which provides corporate training and culture change initiatives based on a proprietary curriculum of The Twelve Core Action Values of Personal Leadership Effectiveness. He is also the author of several books and audio programs on personal, career, and business success, and a popular motivational speaker. Visit JoeTye.com.

2007-09-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

Masterful Time Management
By Louis Lautman

It's eleven o'clock and you realize that you didn't get everything done that needed to get done for the day and you must be awake at six-thirty to be on time for work tomorrow at eight a.m. You go to bed and toss and turn thinking about all the things that you forgot to do during the day and are tired when you wake up the next day because of your lack of sleep. This is just another day in your life, looking like all of the preceding ones. When does it stop? It will stop when you decide it stops, hopefully after reading this article.

Why do some people accomplish more in a day than some of us do in a week? And some of us accomplish more in a month than others in an entire year? We all have the same twenty-four hours in a day, so how can some people do magic with these twenty-four hours while others watch in awe? The answer is masterful time management.

You must learn to tend to business, not to busyness. Place more value on results and less on putting in time or effort. If your goal is to produce x number of widgets in y amount of time, is your time most effectively spent putting together the widget, or can you delegate the assembly of the widgets and earn more money doing something else. You must focus on your highest pay off activities. There is the old story of a jar and you have to put in a bunch of rocks, gravel, sand and water. In what order do you put them in the jar? Well if you put in the water first, then the sand, followed by gravel and finally the rocks, chances are you won't be able to fit the rocks. If you reversed the order, everything would fit nicely in the jar.

What does this story have to do with time management, everything, if you do things in their order of importance (big rocks first) everything fits nicely into your day and the smaller less urgent and less important things tend to fit in just as nicely. So the story was great, but Louis, I need help, put it to me in English... right?

OK, there are three important keys to masterful time management. The first key to Masterful Time Management is to prioritize. Why do so many people say "Well, I would do that, but it is just not a priority now" or "When I find the time I will get around to that." You must decide what is a priority and what is not. You must also not hope to find the time, you must make the time. To begin get out a sheet of paper and list all the things that you must do in the next year, month, week and day.

Under each place an A, B, C, or D next to each where A is the most important thing that must get done and D being the least important. Your list may have just a few items or be many pages long, however long it is, is ok. This will tell you what you must do and after a while of mastering your time, you will be able to do a lot more in less time.

Look at each item and write a plan on how each of these activities is going to get done. This will be like an instruction manual for your life or like the recipe for a great meal. Please make sure that the steps are spelled out, because if things are not done in the correct order, rarely can we run before we can walk.

This brings us up to our next step in the process which is delegation. Delegation is simply assigning a task to another to have completed. What do you delegate and what do you do on your own? I once heard someone say "The less I do the more I make." Well if you do not like mowing your lawn and you make thirty dollars an hour and the kid down the street will mow your lawn for twenty dollars, I would suggest working an extra hour and give the kid his twenty to mow your lawn.

Not only do you help the economy, but you are also helping yourself manage your time effectively. Never step over a dollar to pick up a dime. That is why the wealthy can afford to have someone cooking their food, cleaning their clothes and taking care of their house. It is just not cost effective for them to do it themselves, they would be taking from the economy to do these things themselves. Support your local economy and figure out what is worth your time and what is not.

How do you figure out what your time is worth? A good gauge is how much do you make per hour? A better gauge is how much do you want your time to be worth... and do the things that someone whose time is worth that much would do. Don't forget, people are in business to serve you and those who think govern those who labor. Are you a thinker or a laborer?

You've prioritized your activities, you've delegated the things that are not worth your time to do, now for the third key to masterful time management... scheduling. "I have a date book" you say. Keep it in the drawer because the following will revolutionize your day to come. Go back to your list of things to get done for the next day, week, month and year.

Begin with all the things that have A's next to them and work on them until they are complete before you work on the B's. Do the same with the B's before you start the C's and the same with the D's.

Your daily must do list should be comprised of the working parts of completing your weekly must do list. The same goes for the weekly, being made up of the action steps for the monthly and in turn for your yearly things to accomplish. When you begin to plan your day, time becomes your friend.

You must plan your work and work your plan, because if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. UPS drivers have 340 time saving movements when delivering packages from which hand buckles the seat belt to accelerating on the gas, how is that for micro management?

Sometimes working on the biggest rocks first is not as fun as knocking out some of the other gravel type tasks. If you are in an office and had to call back that one customer that you have been putting off for days, would you rather call him first thing in the morning or keep putting it off hour by hour until it is time to go home and you never make the call because the same thing happen day after day. If you called him first thing in the morning, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy without having to worry about making that call. The same goes for a relationship would you rather marry someone and not really love them and stay married and have a miserable life, or would you rather address the issue immediately and enjoy the rest of your life. Now that's time management.

People fear scheduling many things that they know must get done, but are comfortable knowing that they can do it later. Sometimes it doesn't matter if you go over the fence or just jump back down, you just can't stay on the fence for the rest of your life. When you decide to get off that fence, there are many more options out there for you.

There is also the old saying of "Poop or get off the pot." I find it appropriate to mention this only because too many people are comfortable not scheduling things because if they stay in their comfort zone, they cannot fail. In reality the longer they push things off, they are constantly failing.

Start with your next day and look at the activities that must get done. Starting with the A's than the B's through D's set times to accomplish each task. Ask yourself, "How long should this task take?" Once you answer that question, get a day planner and write in that task in the appropriate time block. Make sure you have scheduled all you're A's before you work on the B's through D's. You may be asking what if I don't get to all my C's and D's before the day is over.

Every day, transfer them to your next day and eventually you will finish everything. There are many computer programs that do all this for you automatically. I personally use Microsoft Outlook and Act, there are many out there that work just as well. I suggest you find the way that works best for you, but you must implement immediately.

Every night before you go to bed you should know what the next day will look like and when you will be doing what. These tasks should all be broken down into blocked time. Please don't forget to schedule time for yourself to have some fun. A secret that I learned some time ago was to enjoy your work somehow by being creative with your activities.

The only time when we are bored doing something is when we lose interest in doing what is boring us, so find something exciting in all tasks and you will suddenly find energy. Maybe you can make a game out of what ever you are doing and challenge yourself. It is great to want to do a lot of things but never sacrifice quality for speed. If you put in a gallon's worth of water in an eight ounce cup, you have wasted most of your water. Don't be like a Chinese dinner, initially feeling full and satisfied, but hungry again and looking for substance soon thereafter.

Make sure you are doing things that are aligned with your values, beliefs and rules. Make many mistakes, but only make each one once. When you master the three keys of Prioritizing, Delegating and scheduling, you will be a master in time management.

No one is perfect, so anticipate problems in all of your tasks. Handle one thing at a time, because when your focus is not 100% on the task at hand, you are cheating yourself and not utilizing your energy to its fullest. Have you ever heard the phrase if you need something done, give it to a busy person? This is because busy people know the value of the three keys of masterful time management and know how to get things done. Bad habits aren't done by bad people, just the unbusy. When you have a full schedule, you will not have time to waste and be unproductive. Time wasters will slowly realize that they have to schedule time with you to try and waste your time.

When you are working... work. When you are playing... play. If you are thinking of work at play, or play at work, you will not get the most abundance out of what you are doing and not be using your time as effectively as you should be. Is it in your best interest to pick up the phone when you are in the middle of things? Do you run your business or does it run you? If I challenged you to turn off your cell phone and computer for a week, could you handle it? Don't react to things, plan for them. Yes I am suggesting that you schedule time to return telephone calls and e-mails.

Do you read junk mail? Do you wish you had all the time you wasted reading junk mail back? What could you do with that time now? Here is your chance to decide, and schedule because you can decide not to read junk mail anymore.

I am also going to mention a few more things that may open your eyes to new possibilities of gaining a few extra hours a day for you. Do you watch sitcoms on television? Would you wait in line for over an hour to save five dollars? Have you ever arrived at an appointment only to find that the person you were meeting with had to reschedule? This is my pet peeve so I will give you some quick tips to prevent this from happening.

Any time I set an appointment, I ask the person to call me the morning of to confirm and I ask if they can't see me to call and reschedule. This is done when setting the appointment, so the responsibility falls into their lap if they can not see me. This will prevent 95% of your no-show's, the other 5% usually have their heads in the clouds so high, you may ask if it is really worth your time to meet with them.

You have learned many things in this article about time management that should make you more productive and earn you a few more hours in your day to enjoy. In closing I would like to share with you some statistics I found rather surprising. Is there an area in the following list where you could free up some time for yourself? You should be able to make cuts of up to at least 50% in this list of wasted time.

The amount of time the average American in life spends...
1,086 days "sick"
3 years in meetings
8 months opening junk mail
17 months drinking coffee and soft drinks
2 years on telephone
5 years waiting in line
9 months sitting in traffic
4 years cooking and eating
1 and a half years grooming
1 and a half years dressing
7 years in bathroom
12 years watching television
3 years shopping
1 years looking for misplaced items
24 years sleeping
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Louis Lautman, he is a business consultant, life coach and peak performance expert. He is the president of International Sales University, a sales training company based in Miami FL. He runs extraordinary public and private seminars to create breakthroughs and transform your life. Louis can be contacted at 813-380-7467 or louis@InternationalSalesU.com. You may visit his websites at InternationalSalesU.com and LouisLautman.com.

*brought to you by GetMotivation.com

2007-09-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

How To Do What You Are REALLY Supposed to be Doing.
8 Steps to the Life You're Meant to Live
By Jenna Forrest

Do you think you might be in the world for a specific reason, but you just don't know what that reason is? Well, why wait another minute wondering?

Perhaps it's time to look squarely ahead and find out. You know, set your sights on mapping out exactly what you are born for.

All of us can live a life of passion and purpose, but only a percentage of us choose to. Making the choice to discover and live our purpose takes a mixture of courage and curiosity to actually grasp it!

You and millions of other deserving folks can look forward to waking up with wonder, anticipation, and excitement after practicing these 8 steps. Can you imagine what the world would be like if we were all fulfilling our life's passion, making the best use of the true talents and personal pleasures?

Now imagine starting with YOU. Here's how you begin...

(If you can fully commit to each new habit below for at least sixty days, the unbelievable will happen...your personal calling will begin to unfold naturally.)

1) Decide You Deserve. It is vital that you decide that you deserve to awaken your destiny. Repeating an "I deserve" mantra not only feels good, but it flushes out any subconscious resistance to achieving your life's purpose.

2) Surround Yourself with Great Ideas and Positive People. People are funny. Some embrace you when you announce a desire for something "more," some tell you it's impossible, and some just don't show up at all. Be smart. Move toward the embracing. Stick with patient, positive people who know that progress is in the trying and (sometimes) temporarily falling short. Do you know that the biggest indicator that you are moving forward is failure? After all, it means you are trying, and that you can brave temporary disappointments and still persevere.

3) Find Your Own Particular Talent. Make a "20 things I love to do" list. Think of what you were good at as a child. What do people say your gifts are today? Do you like to make people smile, give them hope, or help them find the resources they need? Do you like to play sports or invent games? Then think about how you can make a living at that.

Perhaps you could write a book, become a travel agent, be a photographer, an inventor, a Hollywood actor, a customer service agent, a minister...Remember, you must first truly identify your talents that bring you joy, then understand that this joy is a passion placed within you so you can use it to provide a service to others.

4) Be You. The nice thing about your destiny is that it allows you to see that you're perfect just the way you are. Now that you know your gifts, wear them like a badge.

5) See the Impossible. Each person meets his or her destiny by first seeing it...and feeling it. Therefore, it is essential to visualize the life or career that you want to create. Make tangible reminders like vision boards or journals to turn to when learned doubts of the past sneak up behind you.

Identify these doubts and replace them with new affirmations and grander ideas for the future. As a child, you naturally practiced experiencing your future dreams and success in your mind. Do that until it once again becomes second nature. It may seem like hard work at first, but it is a trick that works hard for you...and lasts.

6) Employ the Law of Attraction. Accept that you have everything within you to have the living you would like. And believe it. Never, ever doubt it, and as you pursue it, you will also naturally attract it.

7) Reprioritize Your Play. Would you have time to pursue your passion if you considered it play time? Pursuing your passion is hard work, but then again it's not. Many successful people will say that working toward their passion does not feel like work at all.

Try this. Replace some of your passive forms of relaxation and entertainment (like watching television) with a few hours a week of actively meeting and socializing with inspiring people and attending motivating shows, movies and workshops. You'll be amazed at how much more energy you have to keep moving toward your goal. And you might make some new friends, too.

8) Ask the Experts. Meet the people who've already done it. Read their books, go to conferences and workshops, shake their hands, invite them to lunch, ask questions like "what is your life like now that you are a _______" and imagine them offering tips to help you along your path.

While our destiny doesn't typically appear in front of us suddenly, it can arrive in a reasonably short span of time. All we need to do is practice some careful (and often prayerful) weeding of the things that have previously held us back (like the negative friends, limiting beliefs, misdirected focus referred to above.)

Life is designed to be happy, fulfilling, creative and inspiring.

So let's just go ahead and choose, at least for the next sixty days, to create something entirely wonderful using the tips listed above. (C'mon, mark your calendar and print this page. We'll do it together.)

Before we know it, we will be sixty days closer to our own personal destiny!

Yes, in two short months from now, we will have earned the smile we will wake up with, having expanded the boundaries of our old limits and having practiced the new habits that got us rolling in our new, pleasurable and more meaningful life.
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Jenna Forrest, B.S.A. is a lifelong student of science, education, spirituality and psychology. A former international character education director, Jenna recently began writing stories as a way of reaching larger audiences with a deeper message. Her recent book, Help Is On Its Way- A True Story is a genuine reminder that hope perseveres in the face of even the most daunting circumstances. For more information, visit JennaForrest.com.

2007-08-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

Using Stumbling Blocks as Stepping Stones
By Brian Tracy

Everyone makes mistakes and the busier you are, the more mistakes you will make. The only question is "How well and how effectively do you deal with the inevitable ups and downs of life?"

In this newsletter, you learn the difference between a positive and negative worldview. You learn how to benefit from your mistakes and how to remain positive in the face of adversity.

Let the Light Shine In
This is achieved through the simple exercise of self-disclosure. For you to truly understand yourself, or to stop being troubled by things that may have happened in your past, you must be able to disclose yourself to at least one person. You have to be able to get those things off your chest. You must rid yourself of those thoughts and feelings by revealing them to someone who won't make you feel guilty or ashamed for what has happened.

Using Stumbling Blocks as Stepping Stones
There are two ways to look at the world: the benevolent way or the malevolent way. People with a malevolent or negative worldview take a victim stance, seeing life as a continuous succession of problems and a process of unfairness and oppression. They don't expect a lot and they don't get much. When things go wrong, they shrug their shoulders and passively accept that this is the way life is and there isn't anything they can do to make it better.

On the other hand, people with a benevolent or positive worldview see the world around them as filled with opportunities and possibilities. They believe that everything happens as part of a great process designed to make them successful and happy. They approach their lives, their work, and their relationships with optimism, cheerfulness, and a general attitude of positive expectations. They expect a lot and they are seldom disappointed.

Flex Your Mental Muscles
When you develop the skill of learning from your mistakes, you become the kind of person who welcomes obstacles and setbacks as opportunities to flex your mental muscles and move ahead. You look at problems as rungs on the ladder of success that you grab onto as you pull your way higher.

Two of the most common ways to deal with mistakes are invariably fatal to high achievement. The first common but misguided way to handle a mistake is the failure to accept it when it occurs. According to statistics, 70 percent of all decisions we make will be wrong. That's an average. This means that some people will fail more than 70 percent of the time, and some people will fail less. It is hard to believe that most of the decisions we make could turn out to be wrong in some way. In fact, if this is the case, how can our society continue to function at all?

Cut Your Losses
The fact is that our society, our families, our companies, and our relationships continue to survive and thrive because intelligent people tend to cut their losses and minimize their mistakes. It is only when people refuse to accept that they have made a bad choice or decision-and prolong the consequences by sticking to that bad choice or decision-that mistakes become extremely expensive and hurtful.

Learn From Your Mistakes
The second common approach that people take with regard to their mistakes, one that hurts innumerable lives and careers, is the failure to use your mistakes to better yourself and to improve the quality of your mind and your thinking.

Learning from your mistakes is an essential skill that enables you to develop the resilience to be a master of change rather than a victim of change. The person who recognizes that he has made a mistake and changes direction the fastest is the one who will win in an age of increasing information, technology and competition.

By remaining fast on your feet, you will be able to out-play and out-position your competition. You will become a creator of circumstances rather than a creature of circumstances.

Action Exercises: Now, here are three steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action.

* First, imagine that your biggest problem or challenge in life has been sent to you at this moment to help you, to teach you something valuable. What could it be?

* Second, be willing to cut your losses and walk away if you have made a mistake or a bad choice. Accept that you are not perfect, you can't be right all the time, and then get on with your life.

Third, learn from every mistake you make. Write down every lesson it contains. Use your mistakes in the present as stepping stones to great success in the future.
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Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit the Brian Tracy web site.

2007-07-01T21:17:00.001-07:00

Don't Send Your Ducks to Eagle School
By Jim Rohn

The first rule of management is this: don't send your ducks to eagle school. Why? Because it won't work. Good people are found not changed. They can change themselves, but you can't change them. You want good people, you have to find them. If you want motivated people, you have to find them, not motivate them.

I picked up a magazine not long ago in New York that had a full-page ad in it for a hotel chain. The first line of the ad read, "We do not teach our people to be nice." Now that got my attention. The second line said, "We hire nice people." I thought, "what a cleaver shortcut!"

Motivation is a mystery. Why are some people motivated and some are not? Why does one salesperson see his first prospect at seven in the morning while the other sees his first prospect at eleven in the morning? Why would one start at seven and the other start at eleven? I don't know. Call it "mysteries of the mind."

I give lectures to a thousand people at a time. One walks out and says, "I'm going to change my life." Another walks out with a yawn and says, "I've heard all this stuff before." Why is that?

The wealthy man says to a thousand people, "I read this book, and it started me on the road to wealth." Guess how many of the thousand go out and get the book? Answer: very few. Isn't that incredible? Why wouldn't everyone go get the book? Mysteries of the mind...

To one person, you have to say, "You'd better slow down. You can't work that many hours, do that many things, go, go, go. You're going to have a heart attack and die." And to another person, you have to say, "When are you going to get off the couch?" What is the difference? Why wouldn't everyone strive to be wealthy and happy?

Chalk it up to mysteries of the mind, and don't waste your time trying to turn ducks into eagles. Hire people who already have the motivation and drive to be eagles and then just let them soar.

* Excerpted from Leading an Inspired Life
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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 Offer click here.

2007-06-17T20:03:00.001-07:00

Success Loves Speed
By Robert Ringer

I've written a lot about the importance of acting sooner rather than later, without waiting to figure out everything in advance. Nothing says this more succinctly than Joe Vitale's aphorism: Money loves speed.

When I mentioned this in a recent teleseminar, one of the callers asked if I could be more specific -- i.e., he wanted to know why money loves speed. First off, let me say that this is not just true about money. It's true in all areas of life. Success loves speed.

* If you want to buy tickets from a scalper for a big game that's sold out, get there first. Tickets love speed.

* If you want a job that you just found out about, get there first. Jobs love speed.

* If you want to get the guy or gal who has your heart pounding, get there first. Guys and gals love speed.

* If you want to get the investment property that just came on the market, get there first. Investment properties love speed.

* ... and so on. I don't recall ever succeeding at something because I got there last.

So, why does "success love speed?" The answer is to be found in the dictionary. Action is defined as "the causation of change." Whatever result you want, it's a change from what you now have. By definition, then, a change has to take place for you to get from your present status to that result.

Following are some of the more important reasons why I believe action begets results.

1. When you do too much planning, there's a tendency to think of one reason after another why what you're contemplating won't work. And many of the reasons you come up with may be correct. But the important thing is that it doesn't matter. Why? Because, as you move forward, circumstances continually change -- and those changes often render irrelevant many of the concerns you may have had before taking action.

In other words, don't try to figure out steps two, three, and four before taking step one. The legendary Joe Karbo once told me that he ran his first ad for The Lazy Man's Way to Riches (a million-copy seller) before he even began to write the book! In fact, he told me that the ad he wrote served as an outline for the book itself. Talk about going against conventional wisdom ...

2. When you procrastinate, you tend to lose your enthusiasm. That, in turn, causes homeostasis to set in. Homeostasis is the tendency to live with existing conditions and avoid change. You get comfortable with the way things are and allow your great idea to fade into the comfort zone of oblivion.

But when you take action, your creative "juices" flow faster, your resourcefulness kicks into high gear, and the things, people, and circumstances you need to accomplish your objectives are drawn to you almost like magic. This is not hocus-pocus. I've done it enough times to be able to assure you that it really works.

3. Even though changing circumstances often negate many initial concerns you may have had, they can also place new obstacles in your path. As a result, if you wait too long before taking action, the opportunity may become less and less appealing to you as those obstacles start to make their appearance.

I wrote about this danger in To Be or Not to Be Intimidated? under the auspices of the Fiddle Theory, which states: The longer you fiddle around with a deal, the greater the odds that it will never close.

Time is your ally when you take action - but time is a two-sided coin. If you hesitate or procrastinate, time becomes your worst enemy. As a general rule, I assume that if I take action, perceived problems will tend to disappear - and that the more I hesitate, the more time there is for new obstacles to make their appearance.

4. Perhaps the most important reason of all for taking action now is that time is finite. No matter how proficient you are, you can only accomplish so much in a lifetime. Every second that's wasted reduces the totality of what you can accomplish by one second.

Some people maintain that a constant feeling of urgency to accomplish more is stressful, but I find the opposite to be true. I feel more stress when I procrastinate - when I'm not doing what I know I should be doing. There's not a worse feeling in the world than to be conscious of the fact that your finite supply of time is ticking away while you focus on straightening your desk drawer.

Of course, nothing in life is perfect. There will be times when moving too fast can end up hurting you. But, on balance, the empirical evidence derived from my own experience has convinced me that what I gain from moving fast far outweighs the losses I may incur as a result of too little planning.

That being the case, when you fall -- and you will fall -- simply pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and take more action. Success could care less about mistakes. Success loves action.

Copyright (c) 2007 Tortoise Press, Inc.
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Reprinted by permission of the author. Robert Ringer is a professional speaker and the author of three #1 bestsellers, including two books listed by The New York Times among the 15 bestselling motivational books of all time. You can sign up for his e-letter, A Voice of Sanity in an Insane World, by visiting www.RobertRinger.com.

2007-06-09T00:39:00.000-07:00

Motivational Booklet - Why Perfect Timing is a Myth ...

I'm happy to let you know that my booklet, Why Perfect Timing is a Myth: Tips for Staying Inspired and Motivated Day in and Day out! is now available. It's been out for only a short while and I've already gotten some really terrific feedback on it.

Here's what others are saying about it...

"Josh Hinds has created a magical, little book, which is filled with life-affirming treasures that could change the very way you face life. It is a small book and could be read very quickly, yet, it's not the size of the book, but rather, the size of the wisdom contained in it that makes this little volume a "MUST" read. I will keep going back to it, over and over again, to get my dose of inspiration, motivation and guidance. Thank you, Josh, for sharing so much in such a simple and beautiful way."
-- John Harricharan
Author, "Morning Has Been All Night Coming"

"Wow! In Why Perfect Timing is a Myth, Josh Hinds puts together the key ingredients you need to create the life you want. You should get it now for yourself first then everyone you really care about."
-- Rene Godefroy
Award-winning author of Kick Your Excuses Goodbye

"Josh Hinds book, 'Why Perfect Timing is a Myth: Tips for Staying Inspired and Motivated Day in and Day out!' is a small gem. Read it, re-read it, and apply its principles and you will create a magnificent life!"
-- Olympian Ruben Gonzalez
Author, Speaker, Co-star of the movie "Pass It On"
www.OlympicMotivation.com

"Congratulations, Josh, on a great book. Succinct, to the point, and packed with very valuable information. I could open up to any one of the pages and it would contain information that I know would help me. You continue to be the master of motivation and personal development, my friend. Way to go!"
-- Bob Burg
Author of, "Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts into Sales"

"Josh Hinds has written a marvelous collection of essays that are sure to lift your spirits and improve your bottom line. I know first-hand that Josh has used these very same principles to create his own success. This stuff works if you apply it!"
-- Jeff Keller
Author of Attitude is Everything
www.attitudeiseverything.com

If you'd like to learn more about it, as well as grab a copy of it for your own personal development library you can get it here!

-- It's your life, LIVE BIG!
Josh Hinds

2007-06-08T23:55:00.000-07:00

Dottie Walters - Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame ...

In case you missed it I wanted to mention that we've added Dottie Walters to our Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame section.

-- It's your life, LIVE BIG!
Josh Hinds :-)