How You Can Improve Your Creativity

Would you like to enhance your creativity? Do you think that increased creativity is something that would improve your life?

Before you answer yes or no to that question, take some time to explore what the word “creativity” means to you.

If you think that creativity is something that you only need if you’re an artist, while you happen to be a middle-manager in a corporation, you may decide that increased creativity is not really important to you. But creativity is actually something far broader than artistic expression, and it’s required in many areas of life.

Your idea of a creative person might be someone who lives in a loft, painting gigantic canvases all day long. Or perhaps a writer at her computer, working on a long novel. Or a musician, actor, or singer performing on stage to an audience. All these people are expressing themselves artistically, and they can all rightly be said to be creative people, even if no one else enjoys their art.

But what about an entrepreneur who has an idea for a new product, who forms a new company to produce and distribute it, eventually employing hundreds of people? Doesn’t this also require creativity?

What about a research scientist toiling in a lab, developing new compounds in an effort to cure disease? Isn’t this creative? What about a single mother who manages to come up with healthy delicious meals on a tiny budget? Isn’t that creativity?

To one person, creativity can mean gluing seashells to a picture frame. To another, creativity might mean solving a grand unified theory in physics. And to another person, being creative might mean coming up with an ingenious new way to speed up a factory assembly line.

When we define creativity only in terms of artistic expression, we miss a lot of other potential applications for creative thinking and problem solving.

An artist painting a picture, or a writer working on a novel, both have something in common with the researcher in the lab, and the entrepreneur, and the person gluing seashells to picture frames.

They are all working on problems and devising solutions that didn’t exist before. These people are using their minds to imagine fresh ways of doing something, putting together existing forms and ideas in new ways.

They may be creating a new idea, a new look, a new product, or new technique. Sometimes the ability to be more creative can lead to personal fame and fortune; sometimes it just provides a deep sense of personal satisfaction.

Can we improve our ability to be creative? Yes, in fact, learning to be more creative can be quite enjoyable and easy to do. Most of us were very creative as children, before we learned the official rules about how things are supposed to be. We can resurrect our ability to be more creative by exploring some of the many techniques that have been developed to improve creative and artistic ability, as well as to improve creative problem solving.

Some of the techniques that are used to improve creativity include brainstorming, mind-mapping, various forms of hypnosis and meditation, and guided imagery.

The techniques that have been developed to try enhance creativity all have one thing in common. They are all trying to bypass the inner “judge” or “critic” we have in our minds.

Most of us have an inner voice that is running a constant commentary on everything we think and do. We might barely notice this inner voice much of the time, yet it has a great impact on what we can accomplish in our life.

In many of us this inner voice is usually very negative. No matter what we want think about, or want to do, this inner voice is running like a tape in the background of our minds, criticizing our ideas, our performance, and our ability to be successful.

When we come up with a new idea, our inner voice may be saying, “This idea is stupid.” Or it might tell us, “I should never be mediocre or average, I must be brilliant and perfect all the time. All my ideas should be totally brilliant and innovative. If my ideas aren’t perfect right from the start, I am a failure and it’s better not to even try”.

Our negative inner critic does not always appear as a voice. Sometimes we see visual images of ourselves failing. Or we may have physical sensations of fear and embarrassment that stop us from pursuing new ideas or new actions.

Your inner critic isn’t being evil when it criticizes you, or when it tells you your ideas are not very good. Your critic is actually trying to protect you from being ashamed or embarrassed by the potentially negative comments and reactions of other people to your ideas.

Our inner critic is trying to make us perfect and safe, but it can have an unforeseen damaging effect.

If our inner judgmental dialogue is mostly negative, our creative abilities will suffer.

Instead of helping us to come up with better ideas, this endless barrage of negative inner commentary will hurt our ability to come up with new ideas.

You can’t be creative, and be critical at the same time. These two processes require different ways of thinking. The critical, judgmental, analytical function of the brain is not the part that knows how to generate creative ideas.

Even the types of brainwaves that you generate when you are being rational and analytical are quite different than the brainwaves that go with maximum creativity.

When it’s time for you to be creative, you have to send your “inner critic” out for a walk.

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This article is taken from the new book by Royane Real titled "How to Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better, and Be More Creative" Check it out at http://www.royanereal.com

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If You Want Others to Like You, Like Yourself First!

Many of us mistakenly believe that it’s wrong or conceited, to think we have any good qualities. We may spend a lot of time berating ourselves for our negative qualities, thinking that self criticism is the key to improving our performance. However, a constant focus on our supposed shortcomings can hinder our efforts to make friends with other people.

How can we have the confidence to make new friends if we think we don’t have much to offer? How can we believe that others could like us if we believe our inner being is flawed? Or if we think we are too boring to interest anyone else?

We may wonder what anyone else would see in us if we don’t see any good in ourselves. In order for others to be attracted to us, they must be able to easily see our best qualities. If we focus on our good qualities we will have much more confidence that we have something of value to offer in a relationship.

If you wish to be socially successful, it’s important to accept the fact that not everybody is going to like you under all circumstances. Not everyone is going to like the package you come in, especially on first meeting you. Every person has a unique patterns of likes and dislikes which were formed long before they met you. Don’t think you have to condemn yourself as a failure if it seems that someone else doesn’t like you.

If someone seems to dislike you, the reason for that dislike might have little or nothing to do with you. The person who doesn’t like you might be fearful, or shallow, or busy or shy. Perhaps you and that person are simply a mismatch for each other at this particular time.

Don’t take yourself out of the game by deciding that your flaws are bigger than your assets. In fact, some of the very qualities you consider to be flaws may be irresistible to someone else. For all the factors that might cause one person to reject you, there are at least as many factors that will work in your favor with someone else.

You might be thirty pounds over your ideal weight, but you may have a wonderful laugh and a huge zest for life. There are many people to whom your extra pounds will literally be invisible. You may drive a shabby car, but you might be a great dancer and a loyal friend. There are people out there looking for loyalty, or fun, or sweetness, or wit, and the package it comes in is not important.

If you are worried that you are not beautiful enough to attract friends, keep in mind that not everyone is looking for physical beauty in their friends.

You can decide to feel inferior because you don’t have much money and you don’t drive a nice car. You can believe that this is the reason that you don’t have many friends in your life. On the other hand, if you are very wealthy you may be suspicious that everyone is after your money and that nobody really likes you as a person.

The point is, you can fixate on just about anything and believe it’s the reason you do not have friends and cannot make any.

Here is an easy way to remind yourself of what your good qualities are: write down a list of your good qualities and review it often. Don’t just think in your mind about what your good qualities might be, actually make the effort to write the list. The act of writing helps to reinforce the strength of the ideas in your mind. Don’t be embarrassed to give yourself credit for your good points. If you don’t have any idea what your good points might be, you might want to ask some of the people you know.

When you compile your list of good qualities, be as generous in your praise as your best friend in the whole wide world would be! If you don’t have any best friends yet, imagine in your mind a wise and loving friend who knows you truly and appreciates you. What would that person say are your good points?

Here are some ideas that might be applicable to you. Feel free to adjust this list for yourself and add to it.

My good qualities are:

· I’m kind

· I never gossip

· I go out of my way to help others

· I’m good with numbers

· I have a calm disposition

· I know a lot about sports

You can keep your list with you and read it over every day. Add to it whenever you think of new good qualities you discover in yourself. Be alert for compliments that other people give you. The positive qualities that others see in you can go on your list as well.

When you are out there meeting people, frequently remind yourself of all the wonderful qualities you have. It’s only a matter of time before you meet other people who will appreciate them too!

Learn to relax. Instead of berating yourself for some perceived shortcoming, concentrate on the good qualities you have to offer. Realize that there is an audience for your particular combination of gifts, and go looking for those people who will appreciate them.

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This article is an excerpt from the new downloadable book by Royane Real titled "Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends, and Keeping Friends" available at http://www.royanereal.com

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Don't Be Afraid to Let Other People See Who You Really Are!

Do you know anybody that you consider to be particularly engaging and lively? Take a moment to picture that person in your mind. What is it about that person that you find most attractive? He or she may have a charming voice and a great laugh, but it is also very likely that you find their face very expressive. That person is probably quick to smile and laugh and seems to always have a twinkle in their eye.

A face that never shows any emotion, and never smiles is not very appealing. No matter how attractive or how plain a person’s facial features may be, a great smile can make that person look beautiful to others. When you smile at other people, they will assume that you are in a good mood and that you are happy to see them. This will make other people more likely to want to spend time with you and to know you better.

Allowing our face to show emotions is actually an advantage in developing relationships. Other people are constantly trying to read and respond to our body language and facial expressions, often on a subconscious level. They are trying to sense whether we really care about them or not, whether we are concerned with what is going on in their lives.

If you are a person who is very emotionally sensitive, this sensitivity can be an asset in forming relationships. Use your sensitivity to show empathy for other people. Don’t suppress your emotions, trying to be “cool”. Don’t waste your sensitive nature being sensitive only to yourself and your own emotions. Imagine being in the shoes of the person you are talking with, and let yourself feel the sadness, happiness, excitement or pride that is present in the story they are telling you.

If we repress all our emotions from showing on our face, people will feel frustrated trying to get a sense of who we really are. When we let our emotions show up on our face, sharing in our conversation partner’s joys and sorrows, worries and frustrations, as well as their hope and excitement, both of us feel less alone. Both people will feel more connected to each other.

Sometimes we worry about our facial expressions. We may sense that our smile looks forced, or makes us look nervous. We may worry that we don’t smile enough, or that we frown too much.

One way you can check on your facial expressions is to have yourself videotaped in conversation with another person. When you review the tape, does your smile looks forced, or natural? Do you look extremely serious? Are you able to portray a feeling of fun and light-heartedness?

If you are not able to analyze the tape effectively by yourself, have someone else you trust give you some feedback.

If you think your facial expressiveness could be improved, you can practice in front of a mirror. Watch your face as you imagine yourself feeling various positive and negative emotions. Imagine yourself hearing a very funny joke. Or winning the lottery. Or receiving a nice compliment. Meeting your neighbor. Getting a present. Having a secret.

Also imagine yourself experiencing negative situations and watch your facial expressions in the mirror. Exaggerate them. Switch back to imagining positive emotions. Are you normally this expressive? Do you let other people see the real you? Or do you try to hide yourself from everyone? Do you like the person you see in the mirror?

Your smiles and other facial expressions will be more natural and more appealing when you are relaxed, rather than tense. If you get nervous when you are talking with others, you may find it helpful to practice body relaxation techniques until you can easily relax at will. Consciously tell all the muscles in your body to relax, even if you have to give instructions mentally to each part of your body, one section at a time. When you are with other people, let your mental focus be on enjoying the situation you are in, rather than imagining what others are thinking about you, or worrying what you will say next.

Let you emotions come from deep within you, and spread to your face, rather than trying to artificially manufacture facial expressions.

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This article is taken from the new downloadable book by Royane Real titled "Your Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends and Keeping Friends" available at http:/http://www.royanereal.com

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Master Your Destiny

Do you have a goal for the future that you would love to achieve but just can’t work out how? Well, you can succeed. Believe and it will happen! How? Well read on and see. Have you heard the expression ‘ MIND OVER MATTER ’? Do you really understand what that means? Well quite simply, your mind has two areas: the subconscious and the conscious, it is the subconscious to which the expression relates. The subconscious mind is 88% of the volume and is your ‘automatic pilot’, keeping the heart beating, lungs breathing and millions of other things that ensure that we survive. The subconscious has other powerful functions. If you allow it, it will protect you and provide solutions to problems, if the right questions are asked.

So how does it work? Very simply - the subconscious mind stores ‘things’ gathered from our senses, our experiences, our genes, and everything that we come in contact with and see. The stored ‘things’ are harmless, but useful, unless subjected to bad programming - a bit like a computer, the data will sit in the memory banks until accessed. If accessed and manipulated incorrectly then the wrong information will be displayed. Programming the mind is a learning process of clear and precise repetition. The combination of the stored things and the programming, influence our belief systems. This impacts on our confidence, or lack of, our opinions, our mannerisms, etc.

Confidence comes from: learning, practicing and belief. For example: when you first get into a car could you believe that one day you would do all the consecutive actions that you need to do to drive that car? I know I didn’t but now I don’t consciously think about driving a car - I just do it. During our lives we are subjected to many opinions and comments that repeated often enough become ‘true’. Unfortunately, it is human nature to believe the negative comments, especially about ourselves, rather than the positive ones. Let me try and explain: during my paid employment I met constantly with bosses telling me that I didn’t have the ability or the education to get the promotion I was looking for. Consequently, I had a many jobs. I developed a sense of frustration, culminating in the belief that they were right and I was wrong. However, I knew there was more to me. With my family’s support I went to university, as a mature age student. I obtained an undergraduate degree and later a post-graduate degree.

Now I have my own business as a wellness, nutrition and body shaping coach and distributor of the finest high quality nutritional and skin care products. For this change to occur I had to change my negative self-talk and beliefs about myself. The same is true for you. The negative beliefs about yourself not being able to achieve those dreams can be broken with support and guidance and with actions carried out by yourself.

It is very simple to make a decision that you want to achieve , allow yourself to believe you can do it and guess what you will do it. Just changing a few things that you do regularly will get you that goal you are aiming for:

1 How many times do you say “I Can’t!”? Well, stop yourself every time, take a deep breath, smile and say: “ I CAN! ”

2 How many times do you look at yourself in the mirror and don’t like what you see?

Well next time (and every time) smile and say:

“ I LOOK GOOD AND I AM GOING TO LOOK BETTER!”

“EVERY DAY IN EVERY WAY I AM GETTING BETTER AND BETTER”!

Your brain is a muscle too, it needs powerful nutrition - so feed it, help develop your self-belief system and cope with the coming festive season:

“You are your own scriptwriter and the play is never finished, no matter what your age or position in life” Denis Waitley

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Cheryl Haining is a skin care, body shape and nutrition coach. She has her own successful business. Her mission statement is to ensure everyone reaches his or her optimum body shape, size and condition. Contact Cheryl at http://www.uloseweight.net or email her at cherhaining@yahoo.com.au To learn how to create your own income stream from home visit http://www.keybusinesstips.info

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How To Choose The Right Goals To Focus On

Sometimes setting goals alone is not the only problem that you must face. Sometimes, choosing the right goals to begin with is harder.

Basically, you can choose to work any goal that you feel is necessary for your health, stability and happiness.

Goal setting is nothing more than a formal process for personal planning. By setting goals on a routine basis you decide what you want to achieve, and then move in a step-by-step manner towards the achievement of these goals.

The process of setting goals and targets allows you to choose where you want to go in life. By knowing exactly what you want to achieve, you know what you have to concentrate on to do it. You also know what nothing more than a distraction is.

Goal setting is a standard technique used by professional athletes, successful business people and high achievers in all fields. It gives you long term vision and provides you with short term motivation.

It helps to focus your attention and knowledge which helps you to organize your resources. By setting sharp and clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals. You can see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless effort.

By setting goals, you will also raise your self confidence, as you recognize your and ability to meet the goals that you have set. The process of achieving goals and seeing this achievement gives you confidence that you will be able to achieve higher and more difficult goals later on.

Goals are set on a number of different levels. In the first place, you decide what you want to do with your life and what large scale goals you want to achieve.

Second, you break these down into the smaller aims that you must hit so that you reach your overall lifetime goals.

Finally, once you have your plan, you start working towards achieving it.

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Christos Varsamis is the creator and publisher of the http://www.settinglifegoals.com

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Got Purpose?

Is your life on purpose? Does just the question stop you in your tracks? Have you been so caught up in the pace of our world that you've not even thought lately about whether or not your life is going in the right direction?

Of course, living a life on purpose starts with knowing what your purpose is. Are you crystal clear about what the purpose of your life is? If you aren't sure, then you’ve just identified the place at which you should start a new life of purpose. Start by getting clear about what your purpose is. Don't feel bad if you don’t already have this clarity. In a recent survey of more than 3000 people when asked the question, "What have you to live for?" 94 percent said they had no definite purpose for their lives -- 94 percent! That leaves only 6 percent of us who know why we're here. It’s no wonder we're not a particularly happy society.

How can you know if you’ve hit your purposeful stride? The life you lead should be a full expression of your purpose. Those of us on the outside looking in should be able to figure out atleast the broad scope of your purpose just by looking at your actions. The person you are should be a reflection of your purpose.

Knowing your purpose however is really only the start. Many people feel they know their purpose but also realize that their life doesn't reflect it. In other words, they aren't living true to it. When you’re living your purpose your life and the person you are become perfect reflections of it.

The good news is that it's not too late. It is possible to start living on purpose immediately, even before you clearly know your purpose. Because asking yourself, "who am I and what is my life for?" begins to move your life into a new direction. It all starts when you ask the question. Don’t stop with just asking the question. Answer it as well. Then get busy becoming.

"Seek and you will find. Ask and it will be given unto you."

Make this week really count. Discover and start living your purpose.

Thanks for sitting with me.

Live some. Love some. Learn some. Everyday.

C...

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Clyde Dennis, a.k.a. "Mr. How-To" has been writing and publishing Articles and Newsletters online since 1999. Clyde's company EASYHow-To Publications provides "How-To" information on How-To do, be or have just about anything one can imagine. For more information visit http://www.EASYHow-To.com. Email correspondence for Clyde should be sent to: cdennis@easyhow-to.com

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Goal setting - How to Easily Set and Get Your Goals

Which of the following changes to your life do you want to make to your life this year?

• To have a slim and trim body?
• Find a stimulating job
• Take up a sport or hobby
• Buy your dream home
• Travel to an exotic destination
• Have more time with your family
• Establish your own business
• Double your income
• Become involved in the community
• Develop your creativity
• Improve your skills
• Create a plan for your financial future
• Have more fun.
• Enhance your current relationship or find a new partner.
• All of the above

To help you channel your energy into achieving this year's goals, here are some practical ways to get you started. After all, there is no reason why you shouldn't start immediately, is there?

Goalsetting - Getting Started

Write a list of what you want to achieve this year.

Make sure what you've written down is specific, measurable and attainable. Eg. Lose 5 kgs by 30th April.

Write no. 1 against the most important goal. Write no. 2 against the next most important goal.

Continue numbering the rest of the goals.

Look at the goal with no. 1 next to it. ie. Lose 5 kilos. Start a separate list with the heading Lose 5 kilos by 30th April.

Write down the action steps you need to take to achieve this goal:

• Join gym
• Decide which specific days and times you will attend
• Purchase gym gear
• See nutritionist

Enter the action steps into your diary/electronic organiser on the day/s you will do these:

• Jan 15th - join gym
• Jan 16th - book nutritionist
• Attend gym Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 6.00 a.m.

Ensure when you book time for yourself in your diary you treat it as a top priority. Unless there is an earthquake or equally devastating disaster occurring, keep that time sacred.

To ensure your goalsetting is successful, it is imperative to write your goals first and then plan the appropriate steps to take in your diary. Otherwise your goals could end up being wishful thinking!

Goal/Dream Chart

Having visual reminders is a valuable part of the goalsetting process. It's a great way to prompt and keep you motivated to follow through. Cut out a picture of the body you'd like to have from a magazine and stick a photo of your head on top of it. Alternatively if you want to recapture the way you were some time ago, find an old photo of yourself. You can place these on your desktop, car dashboard and the fridge at home.

Do this for your other goals (minus the head). In fact having a dream chart with pictures or words of the things you want to achieve is a great stimulus for your sub-conscious mind. Sticking these reminders onto green paper is even more effective. I have one of these in my office and guess what? It actually works!

Action Is The Key

Once you've identified what you want, written it down, planned when you will take action and done your goal/dream chart, nothing will happen unless you get off your butt and take action towards those goals.

Avoid the 'Too Much Too Soon' Syndrome

Often people try making many changes at once then get disillusioned because there are too many things to do and just give up. If you've done this in the past, tackle one goal at a time. If you really have difficulty going it alone, you may benefit from using the services of a life coach like myself who will keep you on track.

Dare to Fail

In Billi Lim's bestselling book "Dare to Fail" he shares the following story:

A woman once walked up to a little old man rocking in a chair on his porch.

"I couldn't help noticing how happy you look", she said. "What's the secret for a long happy life?'

"I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day', he said. "I also drink a case of whisky a week, eat fatty foods and never exercise."

"That's amazing, the woman said. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-six", he said.

The Final Word On Goalsetting

You too can achieve your goals if you really want to. The goals you set must fit in with your values. For instance if you really value your health and well-being (and you should…you're no good to anyone if you're sick or even worse…dead,) then it will be easier for you to take action around this area.

Goalsetting is an ongoing process. Plan and get off your butt now to achieve what you want in your life otherwise you could get stuck in the usual rut and before you know it, another year has passed by.

Take action today!

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Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's Personal Productivity Specialist and Leading Life Coach. Her business The Office Organiser specialises in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including "How to Survive and Thrive at Work!"

To subscribe to her free ezine visit www.office-organiser.com.au

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The 80/20 Success Secret

Have you ever wondered if there was a way to apply the Pareto Principle or 80/20 Principle to success or rather becoming successful?

If you’re a reader of the Conquer Your Adversity Newsletter, then you should be familiar with this principle from my article Achievement & Happiness The 80/20 Way – www.rasheedali.com/8020.htm.

In the past what I’ve found is that most people don’t hesitate to point fingers at whom or what they think is responsible for their failures or lack of success in life. The problem is that they never look in the mirror and see that the main problem is them! At that time I believed that there were two groups of people, successful and unsuccessful.

Recently however I came across another group of people who all want to be successful and realize that they must change. When they ask me how they can achieve success, I give them all the same answer. I’ll get to that in a minute, because first I want to tell you why.

When I was a baby about two months old, my parents sent me from New York to the island of Trinidad to live with my Grandparents. During those early years, I was given love, attention and I was taught the importance of hard work. You see, my Grandfather and all of his brothers for that matter were entrepreneurs. My Grandpa was a poultry farmer. He raised chickens! Not just any chickens, but the best tasting, natural chickens around. Not just a few chickens, but anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 at a time. Not only that but, he still worked at his job as the Pay Master at the Texaco oil refinery.

To little me, Grandpa was the strongest man in the world and he knew more than anyone!

Over the course of the years I would be taken away from my Grandparents many times by my parents, only to be sent back again. Each time I would learn something new. I learned how to run a poultry farm and business, how to handle money, how to deal with customers, how to give a quality product, the importance of learning by doing and most of all what I tell my clients and people wanting success.

No, I’m not going to tell you yet! ;-P

Fast forward to 1990-91 and I’m homeless on the streets of New York. Of course my Grandparents had no control over these events. It was my parents that left me no choice.

There I was a skinny 15 year old with big glasses, no money and nowhere to live. I had lived in fear for so long in the past that I looked like an owl on crack!

I had no clue what to do and I had already been on the streets a couple of weeks. I was hungry, cold (it was winter) and tired.

As events unfolded a severe beating by four 22 year olds, put me in the hospital near death and I would later end back up on the streets. This time I had learned of other options by listening to other peoples’ conversations. I had heard about a place called Covenant House in Manhattan. It took another week or two before I ended up there because I didn’t trust that anyone would help me.

The people at Covenant House took me in one cold night and gave me a place to stay, warm food and counseling.

There I met a 17 year old guy who would become a big brother to me for a short while. His name was Tony. He as it turned out was in New York because he was running from some very dangerous people in Florida who killed his friend. Tony was a “metal-head,” head-banger type but was a good natured person and took a liking to me. He protected me from the other kids who were in gangs and were too rough and dangerous for me to handle at the time. He taught me how to fight, how to think on the streets, and the same thing my Grandpa taught me.

No, I won’t tell yet.

That wasn’t the end of my street life but, that’s where we’ll fast forward into my twenties.

My mind had been made up since I was a child that deep down I really wanted my own business. So I went out and did what any normal kid would do. Go to college right!

Well after a few semesters, I realized that I was really in for long frustrating hours of studying things that I did not want to know. So while still in school and working full time, I started to self educate myself with self improvement books and business books.

Needless to say, I got hooked! Paycheck after paycheck I would buy and read these books, online and offline. Wow I really knew my stuff I would think. Then I would look at successful businesses and say, “Wow I still have a lot of learning to do.”

So I started out on my quest to conquer the internet. Or so I thought.

Again, I purchased and read many e-books, reports, software and services and began to build a small income online.

Thousands of dollars and some successful clients later, I had very little to show for it other than all of the money I made others and the vast library of knowledge in my head. (I do have a pretty big head -- ;-D )

Then one day through world famous internet marketer Jo Han Mok, I met Mike Litman, then Dave Lakhani & Steve Watts. Mike and Dave showed me what I was doing wrong, what I needed to know and how to apply it. Most importantly they showed me what they had learned so that I didn’t have to make the same mistakes.

If you fast forward to today you will see that I’m now helping change the lives of thousands of people around the world through my newsletter and coaching system and I’m well on my way to creating millions in revenue!

So what’s the 80/20 Success Secret?

It is….

Finding Mentors or Coaches and learning everything you can from them.

Instead of investing tons of money in books and programs, invest in a mentor and you WILL get the most results!

Remember very few actions generate the most results. Instead of taking 1,000 steps and many years to achieve your desired results, you’re only taking one step and very little time to get your results this way. You’re paying them to learn from their mistakes and successes.

No book or program can offer you that!

So when you’re ready to leap towards success and break through your obstacles, seek out your mentor(s) and be ready for anything!

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Rasheed Ali was once a homeless runaway on the streets of NY and is now helping thousands people from all walks of life reach their ultimate potential in life and business by conquering any and all obstacles through his Conquer Your Adversity Newsletter. You can subscribe at http://www.RasheedAli.com

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Three Things You Must Know to Attract Success

Three Things You Must Know to Attract Success

pursuing it, to the detriment of all else.

For others, attaining success seems impossible. They conclude that it is destined for a select few. The rest of us are to remain “content with such things as we have”. Having it all is not “in our stars”.

However, the above assumptions couldn’t be further from the truth. When you strive for success with the wrong assumptions, you will never reach it.

It’s like travelling somewhere with the wrong map.

Zig Ziglar says that, “Success is a process, not an event,” “a journey, not a destination.”

Jim Rohn describes it as “…a condition that must be attracted not pursued.”

Do you see the pattern?

“…a process, not an event.”
“…a journey, not a destination.”
“…a condition that must be attracted not pursued.”

You can’t hurry success, catch it, or find it by chance. You can’t inherit it, gate-crash on it, or take it from some one else.

Success is something you must work hard and long to earn, for yourself. It has a price, sometimes a very high one. And most people aren’t really and truly ready to pay that price, to do what success demands.

If success has eluded you so far, perhaps you should try changing your assumptions.

You need to accept that:

(1) You must go through a growing process, which will require time and patience, in order to achieve success. There are no short cuts. Anything else is a temporary illusion.

Success that will remain with you, and bring you joy rather than sorrow, requires a learning process, a time to grow out of old habits and into new ones, a time to learn what works and what doesn’t.

And you must pay your dues, in full, in advance!

So don’t be in a hurry.

(2) You will need to acquire traits and skills that attract it.

What does success mean to you? Identify, in specific terms, what you regard as success. What traits or skills will you need to achieve this goal? Set clear, written goals.

Devise plans to acquire the needed traits and skills. Learn to do what you need to do, to get where you want to go.

What kinds of people have what you want? What do they do, or not do, that helps them get and keep it?

If you do what they do and avoid what they avoid, there’s a good chance that you will end up with what they have.

Find 2 or 3 people who have what you want. Write down the habits that have made them successful and resolve to copy them.

Starting now!

This is called mentoring, learning from others who have arrived where you want to go.

Mentoring can cut out the heart-aches of trial and error. A mentor can keep you focused and on track.

Once you learn to do what it takes, you qualify. And when you qualify, success comes looking for you. You just can’t be denied!

What a relief from the days when you ran after it! You fulfill the requirements and attract success to yourself. Opportunities open up to you, and when they do, they find you ready to grasp them.

(3) You must be ready to travel the road to success, oftentimes alone. It’s been said that, “At some point in time, the pursuit of your goals becomes secondary and what you have become in the process…..is what is most important. It’s not the distance you go…so much as the going itself” (Les Brown).

Parents, remember when you tried to teach your children to crawl? You put their favourite toy in front of them and teased them forward, inch by inch. They were after the toy, which kept them motivated.

But you wanted to strengthen their muscles and teach them a new skill. When they became good at reaching the toy, they had learned to crawl. After that, they could reach any destination they wanted, without you and the toy!

The DESTINATION was less important. They became champion crawlers in the PROCESS!

That’s what the journey to success does to you. It causes you to learn habits and skills that make you “full of success”, or “successful”.

Because you have now mastered the skills and the process, you can keep on reproducing success. You now have what it takes. But if you try to “gate-crash”, you don’t get to learn the process and the skills.

You cannot reproduce success, in the same or different scenarios. You do not have the tools for acquiring it; you only have a mirage. In other words, you have not become successful.

Should calamity strike, you are back to square one, and you’ll quite likely be there a long time.

Anyone can identify what success means to them and go after it. If you don’t mind the hard work and waiting, success can be yours. You can become the kind of person who attracts what he or she wants rather than running after it.

Funny enough, when you are ready for success you attract it, with little effort.

When you are not, it runs from you, no matter how hard you chase. In other words, you repel it!

Most likely, this is the reason that success eludes people.

Now that you know how to attract success, why not get started on the journey or process that will take you where you want to go? Any one can succeed, but unfortunately not every one will. It’s your decision to choose. Fate does not foist it upon you. You can have anything you want in life, if you’re ready to pay the price. But if you consider the process too hard, too slow, or the distance too long and lonely, you have qualified your self as a looser; painful but true.

So don’t short-change yourself with short-cuts and counterfeits. You can have the real thing.

Go out there today and start attracting success.

It’s literally yours for the taking!

---

Oma Edoja is a motivational speaker, writer, and infopreneur. She enjoys running inspirational programs for kids and teens, and motivational workshops for adults. Visit her web log: http://omaslounge.blogspot.com (for motivation and inspiration).

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fighting daily fatigue

FIGHTING DAILY FATIGUE

Do you feel there are not enough hours in the day to do the things you
need to? Do you find yourself feeling exhausted or lethargic much of the
time? By 3pm in the afternoon would you love to crawl into your bed?
Are there times when a friend suggests something fun and although you
know your spirit is willing your body just hasn’t the energy?

Most of us know what it's like to feel tired, sluggish and run down. That's
just part of modern-day life, isn't it? Two thirds of adults in the UK suffer
from tiredness - but it might surprise you to know that Daily Fatigue is
now a common and recognised condition.

Daily Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness and exhaustion caused by the busy
and demanding lifestyles we now lead. Many of you will be juggling your
career, relationship, friends, family and social life - and will be all too
aware how easy it is to let life control you and not the reverse. More than
one in ten people admit that they have not been to work because they are
too tired. One in four of you feel too tired to tackle everyday jobs such as
shopping and paying the bills, while one in three of you are too tired to 2
socialise and one in five people have said they are too tired for a
relationship.

Many people’s emotional energy is under attack on a daily basis from the
24/7 lifestyle of 21st
Century living coupled with the UK having the
longest working hours in Europe. Downsizing in organisations has left
less people doing more work while poor eating and lifestyle habits (no
exercise, smoking, excessive drinking, lack of sleep) play their part.
Mums know how coping with demanding children takes its toll as do life
changes such as divorce, loss of job, bereavement and family problems.
Commuting problems, crowded streets and pollution all add to the daily
grind.

Celebrity clients often look to coaching as a way of helping them cope
with their busy lifestyles. However, they often think that life coaching is
only about the practical things you can do in terms of changing your
thinking and your habits. However, life coaching looks at the whole of
your mind, body and soul and there are times when it is more pertinent to
make sure that someone is looking after his or her body. After all who
can think straight when they are tired?

Answer the following questions and see what steps you can take to help
yourself – daily fatigue is not a fact of life but something you can do
something about – your personal energy is vital to your well-being.

1. Do you feel your life is:

a) Great - more of it please
b) Good - although there are a few things I would like to change
c) Ok. - after all I can’t expect too much
d) Has little real meaning - one day is just like another

2. How much sleep do you get each night:

a) 7 or more hours
b) about 6 hours
c) about 5 hours
d) Less than 5 hours

3. Would you describe yourself as:

a) Optimistic – there’s lots to be grateful for
b) Forward looking – life’s not that bad 4
c) A realist
d) Pessimistic – expect the worst

4. Do you do something just for you:

a) 2/3 times a week
b) Once a week
c) Once every 2/3 weeks
d) Hardly ever

5. Which of the following sums up your attitude to facing new challenges at work:

a) Excited – it’s good to try something new
b) Quite pleased – what’s the worse that can happen?
c) A little nervous
d) Fed up with having to cope

6. When it comes to food:

a) My diet is pretty healthy without being faddy
b) I eat well most of the time 5
c) I don’t eat well or that regularly
d) I eat junk food and often crave sugar

Maximising personal energy is rather like a bus journey. If you are on the
right bus you get to your destination. If you are on the wrong bus the
sooner you recognise the error the shorter the journey back. Don’t let
your energy drain too far otherwise it takes longer to return to physical
and emotional well-being

Answers

Mostly A’s

You have an excellent energy bank and use what you have wisely
knowing that you need to keep your life in balance. You believe in the
saying “work, rest and play”. You eat well and sensibly, ensuring that
your physical energy boosts your emotional fitness.





Action Required:

Recognise how well balanced your life is and keep doing what you are
doing. There are always times when even the most energetic people can
be challenged with 21st
Century living and you may find that simply
taking a multivitamin provides you with all the protection you need.

Products like Activit G, a phyto-medicine, may also prove a useful daily
booster aimed at helping fit and healthy people maintain their fitness.
Phyto-medicine refers to natural products that have a careful balance of
vitamins and minerals as well as using traditional plants such as Ginseng
or Gingo Biloba. However, when choosing such products look for those
that can guarantee a laboratory controlled standardisation of approach as
not every product on the shelf does what it says it can.

Mostly B’s

Your energy levels are good but there are signs of depletion. Perhaps you
have been taking on a little more than you realised and whilst you can
function quite well, you may be lacking a certain “sparkle”. You may
well be loosing some of your emotional energy by not fully fuelling your
body with a well balanced diet and sensible activity.

Action Required:

Make some minor adjustments to your lifestyle. Perhaps you need a little
more time to yourself? Make sure you get a good laugh at least once a
day (releases brain chemicals such as Dopamine which provide a sense of
well-being). Get a little more exercise and make sure you are seeing
enough of your friends. Check that you are eating your 5 pieces of fruit
and vegetables a day and possibly top up with freshly squeezed fruit and
vegetable juices for extra vitamins. A multivitamin or some other
energy booster is definitely a must.

Mostly C’s

Your energy bank is running at about half speed and there are signs that it
would not take much to deplete you even further. You could be prone to
feeling under the weather and life may not seem as good as it once did. 8
It’s also possible you may have become a little more irritable or moody
than you once were. Your eating pattern is detracting from your well
being and your body is not receiving the vitamins you require.

Action Required:

You need to undertake a “life audit” – break down your life into major
headings such as Work, Family, Leisure, Finance, Environment, Own
Time and then list all the things you like about each area and why and
then all the things you would like to change. Once you have done this
devise an action plan and set about making those changes. Go back to
basics and make sure you get a good healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner
and include more vegetables and fruit into your diet. Watch the amount
of caffeine you are taking in and if it is more than 3 cups a day try and
drink tea and as much water as you can manage.

Your body needs a more powerful short-term boost. Amultivitamin may
not be enough. Products such as Pharmaton Capsules, a natural-based
phyto-medicine that contains a carefully balanced blend of vitamins and
minerals as well as Ginseng G115 will help you get back your energy as
this type of product is designed especially for someone who needs an
energy boost. Once your energy is back to normal you can decide 9
whether to take nothing or perhaps consider a maintenance product as for
the ‘A’s’ above.

Mostly D’s

Your energy bank is running at a low and it is likely there are many
things in your life you are unhappy about. You may be going through the
motions, pushing yourself to do what has to be done even though your
heart is not really in it. There may be things you need to do in your life
that you are neglecting and you may well be feeling irritable and unable
to cope. You are a nutritional nightmare whose body is giving off signs
of stress and you are at risk of getting anything from poor skin and
stomach upsets to extreme physical tiredness. Your blood sugar levels
are likely to be vulnerable and you need to stabilise these. You may be a
caffeine addict so cut down, drink lots of water and have a banana every
time you crave sugar.

Action

You need to take immediate action and you may need to see a Counsellor
or Life Coach to help you if you find you cannot motivate yourself. First,
make it a priority to look after yourself – take some time to relax and if 10
you have given up activities you used to like start doing them again.
Spend time with people you find fun and supportive and make sure you
see them even if you feel tired. You may well have sleeping problems
and so take the TV and mobile phone out of the bedroom, use Lavender
oil to help you relax and undertake some simple deep breathing activities.
Not only do you need to go back to basics by eating three sensible meals
a day but you also need to try and replace the vitamins you have lost by
drinking freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable drinks. It is also likely that
your system could do with some additional help and therefore some kind
of supplement or phyto-medicine is likely to be a must.

One word or warning – just because a product says it is natural does not
mean that it is safe. There are products that when taken with
conventional medicines can prove problematic. For example St John’s
Wort is an excellent natural anti-depressant but it can affect the efficiency
of the contraceptive pill. Visit sites such as www.dailyfatigue.co.uk,
www.wnas.org.uk, www.patrickholford.com for up-to-date scientifically
valid information, tips and strategies on making daily fatigue a thing of
the past.


Gladeana McMahon
www.gladeanamcmahon.com

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To Become a Winner, Change Your Environment!

Be a Winner, Change Your Environment!

If you want to be a winner and succeed in life, sometimes you may need to change your environment.

For instance:

1. If you want to become more intelligent, you go to school, a library or get a mentor.

2. If you want better health, you go to a gym, or work out at home more.

3. If you want to become more spiritual, you go to church or pray more.

4. If you want to expand your horizons, you go to a different country.

5. If you want to become more successful, you surround yourself with successful people.

An example of changing environments could be a garden. You plant a garden in the middle of the winter and it is not going to grow. You plant a garden in the middle of the desert with no water and it will not grow. A garden needs to be planted in the spring and nourished with lots of water in order to grow.

Think of yourself as the garden. Is the environment your in, stopping you from growing into being a successful person? If it is then maybe you need to change the environment your in. Maybe you need to learn more, become healthier, more spiritual or maybe even move.

What ever it is that is holding you back from the success you want, write it down, think about it and then do something about it. No one will do it for you. Change the environment around you and you will become that winner!

Julianne Rowat, the author, has other articles and videos on motivational and self improvement. She also has videos on low cost and free internet advertising to help you with your online advertising business. She is an internet marketing consultant that enjoys helping others with different types of advertising to grow their business without all the expense. If you want to know more about her, visit her blog at: http://www.juliannerowatsblog.com or her website at: http://www.ultimatewealthfromhome.com

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

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Achieving Success - Are You Driving Or Are You Being Driven?

When it comes to achieving success in life some people act as though they have no control over what happens to them in life. They act like they are victims of circumstance. And, if that is their belief, then that will be their reality.

However, there is abundant evidence that this is far from the truth. You do have control over your life and therefore you have control over the level of success you achieve in your life.

To explain further allow me to take an example from Formula 1 racing.

Following the German Grand Prix, despite getting a puncture in the first corner of the race which effectively scuppered his race, Lewis Hamilton remarked:

"For the first time this year I actually felt that I had a race car under me that I could control instead of it controlling me."

The increased control translated into a sensational race win two weeks later at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Hamilton's remark is a reminder of how many people are simply going along for the ride in life. They allow themselves to be driven instead of taking control and becoming the driver. Not that Hamilton has been any slouch this season. The initial version of his MP4-24 simply hasn't been up to the task and no amount of effort on Hamilton's part was going to change that.

Early on in the season, Eddie Jordan, founder of Jordan Grand Prix and who is now a pundit for the BBC Formula 1 coverage, said Hamilton's car was so bad it was "dangerous". And I'm sure that if you've driven different cars yourself then you too will appreciate how some cars are a dream to handle while others make you feel as though you're constantly wrestling with them. During the Hungarian Grand Prix the difference in the way Hamilton's car responded to his driving was like night and day compared to his other races.

So how do the changes made to Hamilton's car relate to you and achieving success?

A great racing car driver has to become one with his car. The driver's role to some extent (though not entirely for I certainly do not wish to diminish the skill of a racing car driver) can be likened to your conscious mind where you create your intentions.

And the car behaves like your sub-conscious mind in that, if it is not programmed synergistically with what you (the driver) wishes to accomplish, then its performance, and hence your performance, will never be up to par.

The upgrades to Hamilton's car gave him more control over the car. Upgrading Hamilton's car can be likened to the re-programming of your sub-conscious mind. The upgrades to Hamilton's car meant that the car was more in sync with the "commands" he issued it.

At the end of a race whether or not Hamilton is on the podium he always gives credit to his team and in particular those working at the McClaren factory doing the research to improve the car and creating the upgrades.

In life, there are a number of different resources you can tap into to upgrade your vehicle - your sub-conscious mind. However, you have to do the work in not only applying the upgrades but subsequently working with your upgrades to create your desired outcomes and your desired level of success. As business philosopher Jim Rohn said:

"Your can't hire someone else to do your push-ups for you."

In Formula 1 some teams, usually those who are not performing particularly well, abandon the process of upgrading the current car, preferring to concentrate on preparing for next year's season. You don't have that luxury. This is it.

Therefore, you have to work like the other teams who continually analyse their cars' performance and seek to tweak and improve the performance. And, like Lewis Hamilton, it may be many races before you start to see that actual improvement. But you can't give up and you mustn't give in. You have to be diligent and persistent in your efforts and, like Hamilton, you too will be rewarded with success.

For a FREE ebook on how to achieve greater success in your life along with weekly success tips and resources simply send a blank email to Success Achievers' Club.

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

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How To Make Time Your Friend

How To Make Time Your Friend
By
Gladeana MeMahon
Everyone needs to know how to manage time. If you are unable to use your time effectively you will not follow through on the promises you make yourself to improve your life. There are many conflicting demands on your time such as balancing work, day-to-day activities, home and social life.
There are 168 hours in a week and 8,760 hours in a 365 day year and if you sleep for eight hours a night that only leaves you 6,840 hours to do all the things you need to do from working to housework, childcare and having fun. With a finite amount of time it is important that you make the most of what you have.
Time management is as much about attitude and organisation as it is about diaries and finding information. Effective time management means thinking about what you do, how you do it and how you can make the most of this finite resource. Time cannot be stored for future use and
passes whether you like it or not so you need to decide how best to put this precious commodity to good use.
If you want to be a successful time manager then you need to take four factors into account:
• Using checklists there is nothing better than seeing all your tasks ticked off a list as this gives you a real sense of having achieved something with your time
• Diaries and organisers for planning ahead — the more you can plan the more you can fit in
• The need to focus on short, medium and long-term goal setting — when you know what you want to achieve and what you have to do to get there then breaking things down into a series of achievable goals really helps you manage the time you need to get wherever you want to go
• Balancing time between work and leisure activities — if you simply leave things to chance you may well find you have no work-life balance and can miss out on life.

The following six tips will help you claim back wasted time.
Step 1: Clear the clutter!
Whether at home or at work organisation is the key to freeing up time.
If you can’t bear to throw anything out then:
Get someone to help you or ask an organised friend to share their system with you. Throw out your junk mail as soon as it anives and file paperwork on a regular basis so you can find it when you need it. Remember to repeat the de-cluttering exercise on a quarterly basis
Step 2 Manage Telephone Calls
When you are bombarded with telephone calls, particularly at work, you need to ask yourself if you are efficient with dealing with these as you would like to be. If not then:

• Keep a clock nearby and allocate an amount of time to deal with the call. Many people waste time talking about nothing at all
and then wonder where the time has gone. If you find you tend to get side-tracked by conversations then allocate 3-5 minutes for general chit-chat and then move on to the business in hand.
• Summarise the conversation with the action points to be taken and by whom — this ensures you have both understood and will save you time as it will help stop people misunderstanding what they have to do
Step 3 Managing Interruptions
Very often you may find yourself being diverted from a task you wish to complete and intenuptions can steal time if you allow them to. To avoid this happening:
• Visit other people - you can control the amount of time you spend with them.

• Lean to say ‘No’ —if you don’t you’ll end up using your time to do things that you do not need to or which are not your problem.
Where possible, allow your voicemail to take calls for you or have calls diverted to enable you to deal with the project in hand.
Step 4 Diaries and Personal Organisers
To manage your time effectively you will need to have a systematic way of recording what you need to do and a diary or personal organiser will help you keep track of appointments and to planning ahead. If you use an electronic organiser you must backup the data on a regular basis. You will waste time if you do not and end up losing all your data.
Step 5 To do lists
Record the tasks you need to do by using a simple system A, B, C system that will help you decide how urgent the item is. Without such a system you are likely to end up wasting time on non-essential items while more urgent ones get left.

A = Urgent items for immediate attention
B = Important items which require attention in the near future C = Non-essential or non-urgent items
Step 6: Post-it notes
Place post-it notes in full view to remind you to cany out urgent tasks. This is particularly helpful for those working on improving their time- management skills! If you are a poor time manager you will not change overnight and will therefore find you can do with all the help you can get to keep your mind focussed.
Step 7 : Home/work balance
No one is going to say that achieving a home/work time balance will be easy. However, you can help yourself by:
Using dead time such as travelling time to tidy your handbag and check your organiser so you can start to think about what you need to do. Deciding on your personal priorities and making sure these get entered in your diary: the busier your work life the more you need to plan ahead.

Make sure you take short breaks during the day so that your brain and body have a chance to relax — a five minute break never hurt anyone.
Useful Reading
Covey, 5, The 7Habits (fHighiyfJfectivePecple, 1989, Simon & Schuster UK Ltd.
Gutmann, J, The Stress Workbook, 1998, Sheldon Press, London
Gladeana McMahon
www.gladeanamcmahon.com
Listed as one of the UK’s Top Coaches by the Indcpendent on Sundoy.
Author of a range of self help books and TV Coach/Therapist.

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