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The Alex Project: Laws of Success "Self Control"

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:23:00 +0000

The eighth lesson in Napolean Hill’s reading course discusses self-control, and its great importance to achieving success. According to Hill, a lack of self-control resembles the unharnessed lightning of an electrical storm – it may strike anywhere; it may destroy life and property. Enthusiasm arouses action, and self-control directs that action in a constructive and positive way. It may interest one to know that the overwhelming percentage of prison inmates remain in jail because they lacked the necessary self-control to channel their energies in a constructive manner. Conversely, the one common quality of successful people is self-control.

No one can manage to control others unless they can first control themselves. This therefore makes a lack of self-control one of the average salesperson's most damaging weaknesses. Hill states that the primary ways to maintain self-control is by not forming opinions without knowing the necessary facts, and by not spending beyond one’s means. Self-control also enables a person to prevent striking back at those who offend you, as well as other destructive habits which result in a waste of energy through non-productive efforts.

The main point that Hill wants the reader to get out of this lesson is that you have the “power to control your own thoughts and direct them to do your bidding.” Self-control is simply a matter of thought control, and we certainly have complete control over our own thoughts. Don’t allow outside forces to influence you excessively, but rather think for yourself and with rock-solid precision.

The Alex Project: Laws of Success "Enthusiasm"

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:40:00 +0000

In the seventh lesson in Law of Success, Napolean Hill discusses the great importance of “enthusiasm”, and how integrating enthusiasm into your life will ultimately lead to success. Hill defines enthusiasm as a state of mind that inspires and arouses one to put action into the task at hand." By constantly engaging in life with enthusiasm, the characteristic can be developed and used as a vital force in the work environment. In order to develop this potential enthusiasm, Hill argues that you must do the kind of work that you like, and make sure your actions are leading toward the achievement of your definite chief aim. Enthusiasm is a contagious characteristic, which magnifies its power. That is, it makes a large enough impression on others in order to make them become enthusiastic as well. Enthusiasm can mean using the same word choice but stated in a different manner, as people become more or less motivated based on how something is said to them. Hill emphasizes this fact, as it is not so much what you say as it is the tone and manner in which you say it that makes a lasting impression.

In order to truly master the quality of enthusiasm, Hill stresses the idea of working for something that you believe in. This will naturally bring out the enthusiastic quality in yourself, as you will be legitimately interested in what you are doing. In his example, Hill discusses how he turned down the most money that was ever offered to him simply because he did not believe in what he was doing. The job was to write articles on a topic that he opposed, and therefore knew he would not be giving his best enthusiastic effort when taking the time to write the articles. When working in an environment or on a project that you genuinely enjoy and believe in, the enthusiasm will begin to come on its own.

The Alex Project: Laws of Success "Imagination"

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:17:00 +0000

The sixth “Law of Success” that Napoleon Hill discusses involves the need for imagination. Hill emphasizes this as being one of the most important of the lessons in his book. The chapter on imagination calls for the reader to use the one power that no person can take away from them.

Man has the ability to cheat and slander other men, but a man has no power over any mans imagination. Hill maintains that the idea of daydreaming is not a useless one, but rather that many vital ideas and products were developed through the act of daydreaming. Simple use of imagination has proven to lead to success, with the creation of “Five and Ten Cent Stores”, “Self-Help Grocery Stores”, and even the Panama Canal as evidence.

The main point that Hill intends to emphasize in this lesson is to use your imagination to rearrange old ideas into new combinations. With maximum effort combined with imagination, you can achieve maximum achievement. This is where a “Master Mind” group will become vital, as the collective effort provides for even greater imagination.

The Alex Project: Laws of Success "Initiative & Leadership"

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Tue, 01 May 2012 13:50:00 +0000

The fifth chapter of The Law of Success, written by Napolean Hill, explores the lesson of initiative and leadership. According to Hill, both of these qualities are much-needed in finding success in life. Initiative is defined in the lesson as "that exceedingly rare quality which impels a person to do what ought to be done without being told to do it."

This is a characteristic which a person can make a habit, and gradually develop as it is utilized on a regular basis. As a person begins to possess the quality of initiative, Hill argues that the quality of leadership develops naturally. Leaders exercise initiative, have a definite chief aim or purpose, and possess the quality of self-confidence, all of which are the reasons why they make great leaders.

One should be warned, however, of the major initiative killer: procrastination. This is the one quality that a person must fight off in order to develop initiative, as a procrastinator lacks the quality of getting things done and taking action, regardless of being told to do so or not. In order to fight off this procrastination, Hill argues that you must form the habit of aggressively and persistently following the objective of your definite chief aim until you achieve it — regardless of how long it takes.

The Alex Project: Laws of Success "The Habit of Saving"

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:38:00 +0000

“The Habit of Saving”

In the fourth lesson in his book Law of Success, Napolean Hill discusses the “Habit of Saving”. It is clear that humans are naturally creatures of habit, for when someone forms a habit it becomes a part of their everyday life. Therefore, Hill explains that one must make a habit of saving, which will result in saving becoming an integral part of one becoming successful.

However, one characteristic that a majority of people have is the lack of making a habit of saving, and instead making a habit of spending. Hill discusses that this habit of spending has resulted in many people spending more than they earn, thus making it impossible to build up any form of savings over a period of time. It is crucial to live within your means until you have accumulated enough capital to begin using some of it recreationally.

Nevertheless, no matter how much you are earning at any given time, Hill suggests that you set aside 20% of your income in a savings account. This number will gradually build up until you have established financial independence, and the fear of debt will not be present in your mind.

The Alex Project Part 3 - Self Confidence

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:33:00 +0000

Self-Confidence

In his third lesson in The Law of Success, Napolean Hill discusses the idea of “Self-Confidence.” According to Hill, fear is the primary reason that a person falls into failure and poverty. As a result of this idea, a person who can master fear will be successful. A person can work on developing self-confidence by eliminating these fears, which include a fear of poverty, old age, criticism, loss of love of someone, ill health, or of death. In order to master these fears and eliminate them from one’s subconscious, you must work on obtaining mass amounts of organized knowledge. Ignorance and fear are a pair that go hand-in-hand, therefore if ignorance is eliminated, fear is eliminated as well. Self-confidence is a trait which can be developed over time, but is not sufficiently improved until you truly believe Napolean Hill when he writes, “You can do it if you believe you can.”

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:02:00 +0000

“A Definite Chief Aim”

The second of Napoleon Hill’s lessons in Law of Success is referred to as “A Definite Chief Aim”, which is exactly what Hill is instructing the reader to find. Hill repeatedly urges the reader to discover his or her natural talents, and to organize, coordinate, and put into use the knowledge gained from experience.

The primary cause of failure in life is to have no definite chief aim, without any attainable goals or plans to accomplish these goals. By finding your “definite chief aim” or “definite chief purpose” in life, Hill argues that this idea will be strongly embedded in the subconscious mind. That is, the idea of accomplishing your “definite chief aim” will soon transform from dream into reality.

What Hill emphasizes the most in this lesson is not just finding your “definite chief aim”, but writing both this idea and the ways that you will accomplish it down somewhere so that you will see it day after day. The result is that this will continue to keep the “definite chief aim” fresh on the mind almost at all times, until it is no longer a fantasy.

Hill closes his second lesson by explaining to the reader that the final step of the “definite chief aim”, which occurs after one has written both the aim and the ways that it will be accomplished, is to find an alliance. This alliance is meant as a support system for your “definite chief aim”, containing people who will cooperate with you in carrying out plans to achieve your goal. Therefore, this alliance should contain people such as a spouse, mother, father, brother, sister, or extremely close friend, who would only bring positivity and confidence in helping you attain your “definite chief aim”.

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:24:00 +0000

Check out my new blog post: http://ping.fm/KckP3

The Alex Project Part 1 - The "Master Mind"

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 21:41:00 +0000

The “Master Mind”

Napolean Hill begins his volume of work, Law of Success, with a lesson on what he refers to as the “Master Mind.” A “Master Mind”, according to Hill, is defined as “a mind that is developed through the harmonious co-operation of two or more people who ally themselves for the purpose of accomplishing any given task.” From this definition, it seems as though Hill’s idea is that by combining two or more minds in order to accomplish something,the result is a separate mind that contains the knowledge of all of the minds in the group. This mind would therefore be referred to as a “Master Mind”. However, it is not as simple as this. What Hill emphasizes the most, and does so repeatedly throughout the first lesson, is the word HARMONIOUS that is given in the initial definition. A “Master Mind” cannot and will not be formed unless the minds that are involved in the group work in a HARMONIOUS manor. In fact, a “Master Mind” completely disintegrates the moment that the group is joined by just one person that doesn’t have the full co-operation and harmony between all of the other minds involved. In this first lesson, Hill concludes with the idea of education and how important it truly is to a person’s future. According to Hill, “the man who can intelligently use the knowledge possessed by another is as much or more a man of education as the person who merely has the knowledge but does not know what to do with it.” There are many well-educated people in the world who know an abundance of information that they have gathered over many years. However, it is the people who take in this information from many others and put it to good use who find true success.

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Working hard with the best executive assistant in the world.

The Power of the Personal Note

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:06:00 +0000

Have you ever gotten a high score in bowling or maybe it will was a perfect score and the teacher wrote a little remark on the page about your accomplishments?

My question is how did it make you feel and did you share that note or score with anyone or everyone? I remember hanging that score on the fridge to this day and I still have some of those report cards the ones with the great messages as well as a the not so great.

My point is that it is more important than ever to reach out and touch our clients, customers and friends in a more personal way!

Just recently I was in St. Louis visiting my kids and was invited to my friend Doug’s house for a BBQ engagement function for his son and future daughter-in-law.

That afternoon we went shopping at Plaza Frontenac in St. Louis. When we walked into Neiman Marcus we were helped by a woman named Karen Gillis who was absolutely fabulous!

In no time she had a beautiful present picked out which work very well for my AAA personality, but she also showered my wife with gifts and a box of Godiva Chocolates. To say I was impressed is an understatement! I was overwhelmed by her excellent customer service and looked forward to shopping with her again!

If that was not enough two weeks later back in Florida I received a personal letter in the mail addressed to me from Neiman Marcus. To my surprise it was a note from Karen thanking me for my business and giving me her personal hours and contact information.

After receiving that personal note I can tell you that Karen is the only salesperson that I will work with at that location!

Only a few weeks ago I took my mother and her boyfriend out for her birthday to the Capitol Grill in Boca Raton, Florida. When we arrived at the table it was decorated with a personal note for my mother acknowledging her birthday.

Our server Isabel came to our table with glasses of champagne to toast my mom’s birthday. The meal and the service was magnificent and we left completely full and happy, but once again that is not the end to the story.

A week later I received a personal note from our server is Isabel and in it she told me how honored she was to have been able to make my mother’s birthday special. Just like Karen from Neiman Marcus she also stated in her note that she looked forward to serving us again in the future!

Again I can tell you the next time I go to the Capitol Grill in Boca Raton Florida I'm asking for Isabel to wait on our table.

The bottom line is two great companies, well-trained employees and satisfied customers who will return again and again. This Is the Power of the Personal Note!

Dr. Rick Goodman speaks from real -Life experiences and achieves great results! Dr Rick’s newest book Living a Championship Life "A Game Plan for Success" has been widely acclaimed since its release.

Dr. Rick Goodman is a professional speaker and author who will give your audience specific tools and systems that get great results. Dr. Rick also works with organizations that want to Develop Great Leaders "Through Excellence in Communication and Team Building". For more information on Rick's speaking programs Consulting Programs and Training programs contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@DrRickGoodman.com or on the web at www.DrRickGoodman.com

I Am Totally Healthy I Just Have Cancer!

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:57:00 +0000

The moment I heard those words come out of my wife's mouth I was totally blown away, but why should I be that was three years ago and my wife had already been battling cancer for three years!

The doctor turned and looked at my wife is if she was out of her mind, but I knew this was one of the toughest women on the planet. She knew she was in the fight of her life and that a positive attitude was the key to her success.

Personally I did not know if my wife was kidding herself or truly believed her own words.
However I have come to know that Jackie Klein Goodman is one of the toughest and most positive people on the planet. She goes and goes and keeps on challenging herself and others through the example that she sets every day!

Are you ready to keep on keeping on in this economy?

Because how you look at your life every day will determine the road you will travel.When life has you down are you grateful for all the little things, those special moments and times of reflection that will keep you in balance and take you to the next level.

I just came back from an awesome day on the 17 mile Drive with Jackie and my daughter Jamie reflecting enjoying and observing. Treasure all of life's moments and focus on how you can appreciate every second of every day and make a difference to others!

Dr. Rick Goodman speaks from real -Life experiences and achieves great results! Dr Rick’s book Living a Championship Life “A Game Plan for Success” has been widely acclaimed since its release.

Dr. Rick’s keynote presentations will motivate your audience and give them specific tools and systems that will get great results. Dr. Rick also works with organizations that want to Develop Great Leaders “Through Excellence in Communication and Team Building”. For more information on Dr. Rick’s speaking programs Consulting Programs and Training programs contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@DrRickGoodman.com or on the web at www.DrRickGoodman.com

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:58:00 +0000

Last Chance to Register! -- Join the Social Influence Webinar with Ford Saeks! http://t.co/VZ6lRmB via @youtube

Simple Social Media Strategies for Everyone Who Wants to Connect, Engage & Grow Their Business

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 04:35:00 +0000

Simple Social Media Strategies for Everyone Who Wants to Connect, Engage & Grow Their Business
Leveraging the power of social media to monetize your efforts, save you time and produce real results!

Are you ready to build lasting and effective relationships online, expand your digital reach and attract targeted prospects to your business—all via social media? If so, register now for the July 21, Social Influence Webinar with Ford Saeks.
You’ll Discover:

New Social Media insights to build relationships and expand your digital footprint.

How to leverage your efforts, save time and produce real results.

Simple insider secrets to get top search engine rankings.

How to monetize your efforts with sites like YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

The three critical factors that can make or break your online marketing.

How to get tons of free traffic, improved usability and more sales.

Strategies to create a value-added presence within your community of followers.

It’s a fact. You don’t really own your brand anymore, your customers do. Ford will share strategies on how to navigate, protect, influence and leverage social media relationships. He’ll present strategies on how to leverage your brand, products and services through major social media hot spots, like LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and your blog.

Ford sets himself apart from other social media “experts” with his unique combination of business and marketing knowledge. He has mastered the art of how to leverage the power of social media to monetize your efforts, save time and produce real results with social media.

Check at the video on Youtube we hope to see you there! http://ping.fm/sgeRG

Best regards,

Dr Rick

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:09:00 +0000

Check out my new blog Are you focused on the 10 Percenter's in Your Life? at:

http://ping.fm/WiwW1

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:02:00 +0000

Are You Focused on the 10 Percenter’s?

Are you focused on the 10 Percenter's in your life? You know these people they are the type that would win the winning lottery ticket and still complain about paying taxes. They generally see the cup as half empty and always focus on the trivial instead of the big picture!

You know some of these people maybe even intimately. Some of them are your ex spouses or significant others, some of them are your in-laws or your brothers or sisters and some of them are your colleagues, your boss and your children.

So why do we focus on the few instead of the masses?

When I was actively practicing chiropractic I may have had 100 patients come to my office in a day and 99 of them were thrilled with the service that we provided and one would complain and leave and tell us that they would never come back again! At that time in my life I would focus and obsess about that one client who prevented me from hearing and receiving the love that my other patients were giving me.

How many of you out there have experienced the same scenario in your lives?

Today I was doing my workout in Marco Island Florida. Since there is no boardwalk to skate on things can get a little dicey on the open road even with the speed limit set at 35 mph. I decided to skate against incoming traffic in order to see the cars coming at me and for them in turn to see me. This was a perfect test for my 10 percent rule.

With two oncoming lanes which cars would kindly move over to the open lane and which ones would come directly at me. Also what would my reaction be either way? The good news is that I am happy to be alive and well to report my results and here is how it went on my eight-mile trek!

With just about 200 cars total passing and coming at me only 2 did not move our 10 Percenter's! One happened early on so I decided to salute the drivers and give them a thumbs up in advance of our approaching each other and The Results Were AMAZING!

The driver either smiled, gave me the thumbs up back or saluted! Only two people threw their arms up in disgust and we have to figure that they are in the family of 10 Percenter’s.

The Good News is that it is currently 9:30 am on Saturday July 2, 2011 I got my workout in and made almost 200 people smile!

Have a Safe Holiday!

Dr. Rick Goodman speaks from real -Life experiences and achieves great results! Dr Rick’s newest book Living a Championship Life "A Game Plan for Success" has been widely acclaimed since its release.

Dr. Rick Goodman is a professional speaker and author who will give your audience specific tools and systems that get great results. Dr. Rick also works with organizations that want to Develop Great Leaders "Through Excellence in Communication and Team Building". For more information on Rick's speaking programs Consulting Programs and Training programs contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@DrRickGoodman.com or on the web at www.DrRickGoodman.com

Are You Focused on the 10 Percenter?s?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 14:41:00 +0000

Are you focused on the 10 Percenter's in your life?

You know these people they are the type that would win the winning lottery ticket and still complain about paying taxes. They generally see the cup as half empty and always focus on the trivial instead of the big picture!

You know some of these people maybe even intimately. Some of them are your ex spouses or significant others, some of them are your in-laws or your brothers or sisters and some of them are your colleagues, your boss and your children.

So why do we focus on the few instead of the masses?

When I was actively practicing chiropractic I may have had 100 patients come to my office in a day and 99 of them were thrilled with the service that we provided and one would complain and leave and tell us that they would never come back again! At that time in my life I would focus and obsess about that one client who prevented me from hearing and receiving the love that my other patients were giving me.

How many of you out there have experienced the same scenario in your lives?

Today I was doing my workout in Marco Island Florida. Since there is no boardwalk to skate on things can get a little dicey on the open road even with the speed limit set at 35 mph. I decided to skate against incoming traffic in order to see the cars coming at me and for them in turn to see me. This was a perfect test for my 10 percent rule.

With two oncoming lanes which cars would kindly move over to the open lane and which ones would come directly at me. Also what would my reaction be either way? The good news is that I am happy to be alive and well to report my results and here is how it went on my eight-mile trek!

With just about 200 cars total passing and coming at me only 2 did not move our 10 Percenter's! One happened early on so I decided to salute the drivers and give them a thumbs up in advance of our approaching each other and The Results Were AMAZING!

The driver either smiled, gave me the thumbs up back or saluted! Only two people threw their arms up in disgust and we have to figure that they are in the family of 10 Percenter’s.

The Good News is that it is currently 9:30 am on Saturday July 2, 2011 I got my workout in and made almost 200 people smile!

Have a Safe Holiday!

Dr Rick

Dr. Rick Goodman speaks from real -Life experiences and achieves great results! Dr Rick’s newest book Living a Championship Life "A Game Plan for Success" has been widely acclaimed since its release.

Dr. Rick Goodman is a professional speaker and author who will give your audience specific tools and systems that get great results. Dr. Rick also works with organizations that want to Develop Great Leaders "Through Excellence in Communication and Team Building". For more information on Rick's speaking programs Consulting Programs and Training programs contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@DrRickGoodman.com or on the web at www.DrRickGoodman.com

In transition? Don’t let it bring you down

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:11:00 +0000

I just recieved a great article from Michael Moore Esq. and wanted to share it in it's entirety.

Lawyers are facing an unprecedented period of transition. Good lawyers who’ve done everything right are now unemployed. Ambitious, bright law students have no jobs. Many other lawyers face reduced hours, reduced pay, and lateral options appear limited. In these challenging times, every lawyer should know any transition, no matter how difficult, can be turned into an opportunity.

My own career includes transitions from private practice to corporate counsel to legal coach. Certain fundamental tactics give any lawyer the ability to make successful transitions. These tactics may appear disarmingly simple. However, if you execute them on a regular and consistent basis, you can create a positive transition.

First, take a deep breath and focus

In my 25-year career I have been downsized, right-sized and outsourced. In each case, taking the time to make a plan created a successful transition. Assess your skills, work your network, and be creative. Use resources available to you. Stay current in your area of law. Set realistic daily goals for your job search, and do your best to meet them. Develop a rhythm that works for you. Exercise. Enjoy your family. Hang out with friends. Read an absorbing novel. Remind yourself of the things for which you are grateful, your employment status notwithstanding.

Don’t bury your head in the sand

You are not alone. Thousands of lawyers are in the same situation. Avoid the temptation to isolate yourself. In challenging times, personal connections offer the most direct route to discovering opportunities. I personally use LinkedIn and Facebook as well as email and phone calls. Join groups on LinkedIn and contribute to the discussions going on. Use Facebook to keep in touch, locate old contacts, and expand and enhance your network. People prefer to hire and work with those they know, like, and trust. To become known, liked, and trusted, it’s critical to interact with the same people on a continuing basis.

Get smarter

Broaden your skill base, write articles, and seek out speaking engagements. Find CLE seminars or other training opportunities, read books and journals, or consider working with a professional coach. Your first response might be that you don’t want to spend money on education (formal or otherwise) right now, but that’s exactly the wrong response. Be selective, and choose learning opportunities that will give you the skills and knowledge to gain a competitive advantage.

Learn Business 101

Law is a business, and depending on the size of your firm you may need to develop basic business knowledge and management skills. Take charge of your career; learn to think like an owner, and focus on those things you can control. You must also learn about your clients’ businesses. One frequent complaint from clients is that their lawyers don’t always understand the context of a representation or how a certain issue fits into the bigger business picture.

Be a listener

You will be most effective in offering assistance to clients or network sources if you first ask questions and practice effective listening skills. Lawyers often take on the role of the expert too quickly, offering solutions before fully appreciating the depth of the problem or the desired outcome. Pay attention not just to the words but also to tone of voice, word choice, body language, and other nonverbal communication.

90 percent of success is just showing up

Successful lawyers understand the need to network with clients, potential clients, referral sources, and other contacts now more than ever before. They also understand the need to connect with one another. Building strong connections with reliable confidants offers an antidote to many of life’s challenges. My rule of thumb is to always have a full two weeks on your calendar of connections. Include breakfasts, lunches, or just-for-coffee get-togethers. When you show up with the right people in the right way, you become a top-of-mind presence with your contacts.

If you are seeking a new opportunity, joining a group of lawyers with a similar goal can help you keep your focus without becoming discouraged about the inevitable disappointments.
These fundamental tactics will help any lawyer make a successful transition. Trust that all of your efforts will ultimately yield to a positive outcome, the only variable being precisely how long it will take. Present yourself to the market, to clients, and to your network by communicating a message of confidence and optimism. Remember, for those who plan with audacity and execute with vigor, progress is the magnificent byproduct.

Michael Moore, Lewis and Clark 1983, is a professional coach for lawyers and the founder of Moore’s Law, Milwaukee. He specializes in marketing, client development, and leadership coaching for attorneys at all levels of experience. Moore also advises law firms on strategic planning and resource optimization. He has more than 25 years’ experience in private practice, as a general counsel, in law firm management, and in legal recruiting. For more information, visit http://www.moores-law.com/.

For information on Advantage Legal Seminars CLE programs call (888) 267-6097 or go to www.AdvantageLegalSeminars.com

You Have the Ability to Choose!

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:46:00 +0000

I recently received an e-mail from a friend of mine regarding choices specifically a person's ability to choose their own attitude of mind and how one can look at any situation either positively or negatively and its direct effect on the outcome of that particular situation.

Even though we may not believe it we all have the ability to choose and make decisions, even though we may not like the choices presented. My question is what choices will you make today, tomorrow and in the future. Are you going to make different choices regarding yourself, your family and your business relationships?

Remember, on planet Earth if we are not moving forward, eventually, the world will leave us behind. If you do choose to move forward in a positive direction do you have a plan? The majority of people I meet don't have a plan and to quote many business management gurus and philosophers “No plan is a plan to fail”.

I believe that we must start to ask ourselves the tough questions in order to achieve our goals. I have a question that I pose to people everywhere I go.

The question I ask is “What do you want to be when you grow up”? To date an overwhelming majority of the people I ask answer “I don't know”.

Isn't it time you figure this one out! As far as I know from all my medical training we have one shot on this planet to create a life we desire and we are not coming back. Therefore it's important for us to make decisions that will lead us in the direction that we desire. Now for the troublesome part for those of you who answered I don't know to the question what you want to be when you grow up? You're probably wondering how I figure this out.

Lately I've been using the obituary method of goal setting, and that is, I ask myself the question, what would I want my obituary page to say about me after I passed this planet. Do I want it to say, that I was a good parent and husband or do I want to leave a legacy of contributions to mankind.

I come up with these answers by utilizing a simple technique I learned from Stephen Covey who says in his book titled Seven Habits of Highly Effective People “Begin with the End in Mind”. You need to know what you want first and work your way backwards. This gives you the ability to come up with a clear picture of what you actually want and ways that you can best accomplish and reach your goals.

So what's it going to be? Are you willing to do what it takes to create the perfect life one that achieves all your goals and dreams? The only thing stopping you right now is you. With your ability to choose combined with specific goals and action steps for their accomplishment the sky’s the limit.

Dr. Rick Goodman speaks from real -Life experiences and achieves great results! Dr Rick’s newest book Living a Championship Life "A Game Plan for Success" has been widely acclaimed since its release.

Dr. Rick Goodman is a professional speaker and author who will give your audience specific tools and systems that get great results. Dr. Rick is also the President of Advantage Legal Seminars one of the leading providers for online continuing legal education in the United States.

For more information on Rick's speaking programs Consulting Programs and Training programs contact (888) 267-6098 or on the web at www.DrRickGoodman.com

For information on Advantage Legal Seminars CLE programs call (888) 267-6097 or go to www.AdvantageLegalSeminars.com

Five Steps for Succeeding In a Difficult Economy

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:01:00 +0000

If you are struggling in today's economy and are looking for ways to secure your position or are one of the thosands of people in the United States that are looking for a new job opportunity here are five basic rules to live by.

Attitude Is Everything!

The individuals that are going to succeed in this economy, must have a positive attitude regarding their employment situation. If they can have a positive attitude regarding their employment situation. There are a the vast amount of opportunities e for employment for the right person in the United States you just have to keep your focus!

Employees Need to Look for Ways to Expand Their Levels of Expertise.

The individual that broadens their skill level enhances their ability to retain their position. In addition they will notice with the new skills they have acquired their future employment opportunities will be enhanced.

Have a Game Plan for Success.

In this world, successful people all have a game plan for success with planned action steps for their achievement. This is a must if you're to retain your job or are just looking for opportunities on the horizon. This must be a written and well thought out plan.

Persistence and Perseverance the Keys to Winning the Big Game.

Many people in this world, including world-class athletes, stopped just short of success. The importance of persistence and perseverance cannot be understated. If you're looking to retain your job or if you're searching for a new career.

Decide Whether or Not You're Truly Doing What You Love to Do.

It's been my experience that the more you do what you love to do, the more fun you will have and generally the more money you will make. This just may be a great time to make a career change and do something you've always wanted to do. There are more opportunities than ever before in different segments of our economy for individuals with a great attitude, an excellent set of skills, and a game plan for success that they're willing to follow until they achieve their goals.

Dr. Rick Goodman speaks from real -Life experiences and achieves great results! Dr Rick’s newest book Living a Championship Life "A Game Plan for Success" has been widely acclaimed since its release.

Dr. Rick Goodman is a professional speaker and author who will give your audience specific tools and systems that get great results.

Dr. Rick is also the President of Advantage Legal Seminars one of the leading providers for online continuing legal education in the United States. For more information on Rick's speaking programs Consulting Programs and Training programs contact (888) 267-6098 or on the web at www.DrRickGoodman.com

For information on Advantage Legal Seminars CLE programs go to www.AdvantageLegalSeminars.com

Where Do You Find Exceptional Employees?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:31:00 +0000

It's been my experience as a business owner that exceptional employees can be found almost anywhere in fact some of the most unlikely places happen to be the simplest areas to find the right employee.

Let's start with your own backyard, after hiring thousands of individuals over the last 20 years I found exceptional employees can sometimes be right under your nose.

For instance take a look at your best employees and ask them a key question;

Who do you know that is just like you?

It's been my experience that people do business with people who they like that are like them. In other words your employee’s friends have similar likes, dislikes and personality traits as many of their friends. I've yet to find instances where opposites attract as friends.

Suffice to say if your employee is a good one is a very good chance that their friends will similar qualities. In addition I found many employees would tell me to hire even not higher their friends because of direct reflection on themselves.

So the next time that you're looking for exceptional employees look close to home first within your own business, because that is where you might find a diamond in the rough!

Dr. Rick Goodman is president of Advantage Legal Seminars one of the leading providers of continuing legal education in the United States and abroad. Advantage legal seminars has over 100 programs in 26 categories and is approved in 36 states. For more information go to http://www.advantagelegalseminars.com/ or call 888-267-6097.

When Socia Media Collides

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:13:00 +0000

If you're like me and millions of people around the world who are using social media you probably discover that your world has just gotten much smaller. Just the other day I was writing an article on my favorite site jobing.com. The article that I wrote was titled "When You Fall off the Horse Don't Lose Your Blackberry

It was a story about commitment perseverance and our dependence on technology in order to accomplish our goals and objectives. After writing the article on the jobing site I immediately receive responses on my twitter account it was amazing to me this meeting at which the response had come people from around the world began to comment on the article.

As if that wasn't enough I started to get responses from many of my friends on face book commenting on that same article that I'd written on the jobing site. But I wasn't quite prepared for what would happen next at 10:30 a.m. on that same day I received a direct message from the Michael Dresser radio show "Dresser after Dark". They had seen the response regarding my article and were also interested in interviewing me for my new book Living a Championship Life.

Let me tell you how amazed I was that my world had become smaller by the moment and as the Law of attraction would have it, my worlds collided, overlapped, and became infinitely smaller. If it's not obvious to you right now it sure is obvious to me that if you want to grow your business and reconnect with the world social media and all its legs is certainly a great way to go.

It's time for you to get on the train before it leaves the tracks!

Dr. Rick Goodman is a consultant author and professional speaker and is the president of Advantage Legal Seminars. Advantage legal seminars is one of the leading providers of continuing legal education programs in the United States for more information go to www.advantagelegalseminars.com or call 888-267-6097

Understanding The Annual Federal 529 Gift Tax Exclusion

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:46:00 +0000

The annual federal 529 gift tax exclusion is available for parents and grandparents who make contributions to the section 529 plan on behalf of their child or grandchild. The amount is $12,000 (or $24,000 for married joint filers) per year, per child.

Simply stated, you can contribute up to $12,000 without incurring a federal gift tax. Any amount exceeding the 529 gift tax exclusion limit is considered a taxable gift and must be reported on your federal gift tax return.

Ways to Benefit from the 529 gift tax exclusion

There are ways to make large contributions as a 529 gift tax exclusion and avoid paying the gift tax. You can contribute one lump sum that is equal to five times the annual amount, up to $60,000 and still avoid the gift tax. The lump sum payment is treated as if you made the contributions evenly over a five year period. Any amount beyond the $60,000 within the same five year period is subject to the gift tax.

Another benefit to the 529 gift tax exclusion is that you can move assets from your estate that is otherwise taxable and still have ownership and control of those assets.

Misconceptions About the 529 gift tax exclusion

Parents and grandparents are often confused about the tax rules concerning the 529 gift tax exclusion. Some people assume that money given to someone for any purpose is taxable income that must be reported. The annual 529 gift tax exclusion is separate from income reported on your tax return. This income includes wages and profits from a business.

The gift tax is related to estate taxes that the government charges a person who dies with an excessive amount of money. Any person who dies in the United States with more than $2 million is charged a death tax if the excess amount goes to anyone other than their spouse.

The IRS has placed limits on the amount a person can gift to a person in one year. This is to prevent someone from giving away all of their money before they die to avoid paying estate tax. The current amount is $12,000 per recipient, per year. Any amount above the $12,000 is subtracted from the $2 million limit.

Another misconception many have about the 529 gift tax exclusion is that this amount is not taxed. The recipient of the gift amount that exceeds the estate tax exemption is taxed for that amount if you, the donor, are still alive and refuses to pay the gift tax.

Advantage Legal Seminars is one of the leading providrs of continuing legal education in the U.S. for more information on Advantage Legal Seminars CLE programs go to http://www.advantagelegalseminars.com/ or call (888) 267-6097

Visa Information Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:41:00 +0000

New I-9 (Employment Verification) Rule Effective April 3, 2009

On December 17, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an interim final rule changing the acceptable identity documents an employer may accept when verifying their employees’ eligibility to work when filling out Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. The crux of the new rule is that employers may not accept any unexpired documents, such as passports, permanent resident cards, employment authorization cards or I-94s as proof of verification of an employee’s eligibility to work in the United States. While originally intended to go into effect on February 2, DHS has extended its effective date to April 3, 2009, with the notice and comment period extended to March 4, 2009. This extension is in response to President Obama’s recent request to all federal agencies that pending regulations be subject to the review and approval of his appointees.

Applications for Naturalization Must Be Filed at USCIS Lockbox Facilities

As of January 22, 2009, those seeking to be naturalized (except for military cases) must submit their citizenship applications (N-400) and supporting documents to two USCIS lockbox facilities, one located in Phoenix, Arizona, the other in Lewisville, Texas, depending on the state of residence of the applicant.

Outgoing Attorney General Mukasey Issues Decision on
Right to Counsel in Removal Proceedings

On January 7, 2009, Attorney General Michael Mukasey ruled that aliens in removal proceedings have no constitutional right to counsel, including government-appointed counsel, because such proceedings are civil, not criminal, in nature. Therefore, an alien in removal proceedings has no basis on which to complain about ineffective assistance of counsel. However, the Attorney General also ruled that the Department of Justice may, as a matter of administrative grace, reopen proceedings where an alien shows that he was prejudiced by the actions of private counsel. To show prejudice, an alien seeking to reopen proceedings must show that his lawyer’s failings were egregious, and that it is more likely than not that, but for the lawyer’s failings, the alien would have been entitled to the relief he was seeking. In cases where the alien does not seek to have his case reopened within the applicable time limit (generally, thirty days), he must show he exercised due diligence in discovering and seeking to cure his lawyer’s allegedly deficient performance. Matter of Compean, et al., Interim Decision #3632, 24 I&N Dec. 710, (A.G. 2009).
Did You Know?

DHS to reconsider license provisions of Real ID Act.
New Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said that she will rethink a federal program that would require every state to issue secure driver’s licenses following minimum standards set by the 2005 Real ID Act. Currently, states have until the end of 2009 to issue new licenses that, prior to issuance, would require applicants to prove they are in the country legally under Real ID. Some states, such as Washington, have been offering enhanced licenses on a voluntary basis, requiring proof of citizenship and identity but do not meet the standards of Real ID. Programs such as Washington’s cost less than compliance with the Real ID law.

Source: Thomas Frank, Feds to rethink license mandate, USA Today (January 22, 2009).

U.S. Department of Justice Orders Collection of DNA from Immigrant Detainees. The Department of Justice issued a new regulation allowing for the collection of DNA samples from non-citizen, non-resident persons detained under the authority of the United States, which includes those undocumented persons in immigration detention centers. The final rule went into effect on January 9, 2009.

Advantage Legal Seminars is one of the leading providrs of continuing legal education in the U.S. for more information on Advantage Legal Seminars CLE programs go to http://www.advantagelegalseminars.com/ or call (888) 267-6097

Check Back Your Key to Delegation Success

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Rick Goodman) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:39:00 +0000

Check Back Your Key to Delegation Success

In order to grow your business, you're going to have to trust that your staff members are capable of getting the job's done that you assign to them. That means you're going to have to do something that may be uncomfortable for some of you and easy for others. You’re going to have to delegate tasks in order to grow your business. After all, you're only one person, you can't do it all. And what you are going to find is that some of your staff members can do certain jobs even better than you can. It's more important than ever before that we utilize certain tools that will increase the odds of success when were delegating tasks to our team.

One of the best delegation techniques I've ever come across is one that I call: Check Back!

Now check back is not check up. After all, if you're checking up on a staff member the first thought that comes into their mind is that you don't trust them. You could be the best worker on the planet and if somebody is standing behind you’re back watching you do your job you're going to make mistakes. So we use a technique called Check Back and here's how it works:

Step One:

Assign a team member, a task to do and ask them the question, when can I Check Back with you? The ball is now in their court they have to give you a time when they are going to have the task completed and a commitment to getting it done. Now get out of the way!

Step Two:

You Must Check Back! If you assign a task to a staff member and don't follow up at the assigned time you're sending a message that you don't care. The next time you assign a task to that team member they will drag their feet and be more likely to sabotage the process.

Step Three:

If you have Checked Back with that employee and they've completed the task let them know how much you appreciate it. If they have not completed the task then you want to ask the key question and the question goes like this: you asked your children to go upstairs and clean up their room, you go upstairs and an hour later and the room is not cleaned up, what is the first question that you asked your child?

Why? And the answer better not be Because.

When we assign tasks to our employees, we expect them to complete the tasks especially if they've made a commitment. Now if they don't like the task they are doing that's okay, we expect them to see it through to the end. The next time a similar task comes up; we explain to them that they really don't have to do it. However we explain to them the consequences and then it's their choice.

The use of Check Back is a fabulous technique that allows your team to accomplish tasks that you assign to them which ultimately strengthens the team and its individual members both personally and professionally. It has been my experience that when I get out of the way good things happen!

Dr. Rick Goodman is an author, consultant, and professional speaker who works with organizations and leaders that want great results. For more information on Rick’s keynote speaking programs, audio programs and training programs go to http://www.dr.rickgoodman.com/ or call 888-267-6098