You know how rumors are. The more the release date is coming near (which is on September—probably), the more the rumors become “violent” and amazingly tempting to believe. The rumors for the iPhone 5 is really becoming more and more violently appealing with pictures rendered by fans and other things speculated by many.

Here are some of the rumors that I have heard of so far:

1. A bigger screen

It is likely that the screen of the iPhone 5 will be bigger and it will be 4 inches like most of the Android phones out there. The bezel will be thinner to accommodate the screen, and still get the same phone size.

2. iOS 5

Apple developers are probably given enough time to completely overhaul the iOS for the 5th version. A lot of complaints have been said about the iOS 4 (actually all the versions had complaints—naturally). So I hope that the issues will be addressed well.

3. No home button

The rumors all agree that the iPhone will probably lose the home button, but the button will be replaced by new touch gestures to control the device. Or better yet, there will be a touch-sensitive home button.

4. New touch controls

It is very likely that the new iPhone will have more touch gestures, because these gestures are even hidden in the latest iPhone and the iPad. We expect the use of three, four, and even five finger touch gestures to control everything.

5. Amazing camera with full HD video capabilities

The iPhone 4 already has great camera capabilities with still and videos. But rumors have it that the 5th gen is going to be even better with full HD video capabilities and an even higher specs for the still camera. I guess Apple needs to step up its game because Android phones even have up to 12 megapixels.

Your thoughts

How about you? What do you think about these rumors? What do you want to add? What other rumors have you heard?

Let us all know in the comments!

It’s really not a wonder why you’re reading this. And you don’t need to hide this page from prying eyes and you don’t have to be ashamed that you’re reading this. The fact is, no one is exempt from being a procrastinator. There are degrees of course, and there are differences in how much time each one takes in procrastination, but the fact is, procrastination besets every person at least one time in life.

Here are some of the ways that we can do to stop procrastination. Remember, though, that these things need time to become habits and change does not come overnight. Processes need to happen before any real result is maintained and sustained over a period of time. The key here is to be consistent in doing these things.

Learn how to set a schedule and stick to it.

Why do I not break up setting a schedule and sticking to it? The reason why I do that is because some people—or most—don’t really stick to a schedule that they’ve done. I tell you, it’s so easy to get a pen a paper or your calendar and put some items on your schedule. Some people even block of chunks of their calendar for tasks and events that they need to do. But as soon as the pen and calendar are kept, they soon forget that they even blocked off dates in the first place.

I have a curious suspicion that the reason for this is that these people are not really keen on setting priorities. They don’t know what really matters and because that is the case, they can’t “isolate” one thing that they can really do at a certain point in time. They thrive on hit and miss. But that isn’t really thriving, is it?

This is the reason why it is imperative to really stick to your schedule—as much as you can—and not just make it and then leave it. Again, “as much as you can”, really stick to your schedule. Follow it to the letter if need be. You won’t be perfect in sticking to it, I know, but at least try. Habits need to be formed at least 21-30 days—and consistently at that.

You’re not perfect, so get over it.

I know that there are just a lot of things and strategies that you can do to stop procrastination like getting organized, not committing to a very high expectation, or by breaking large tasks into smaller ones.

But I guess the real reason behind why most people procrastinate is because they want everything to be perfect before they can act on something. They want every circumstance to be all in place—and no setbacks—for them to start working on that task. They feel that if they act when not everything is perfect, they will surely fail.

This is a very sad situation to be in. You wouldn’t want to have this kind of dilemma because you won’t be able to finish anything! The reality is that nothing will ever be perfect! There will always be something that is not working as planned. Something will always be only nearly perfect. I know this because I am like this.

I wouldn’t do anything unless everything is in place or that every raw material is bought or every tool is present. Thankfully my friends and asked me to attend a program that helped me see my own personality and why I acted in a specific way. I found out that I was a perfectionist and I would not do anything unless everything is perfect. I couldn’t believe how pathetic this was because I knew that nothing was perfect and nothing will ever be really perfect in essence. But still I was unconsciously hoping that perfection will still favor me. That never really happened.

Your thoughts

Coming to terms with my own self and why I acted in a certain way, and what my core beliefs are really helped in showing me that there are things that will never be perfect. How about you? Do you have a tip that you can share with us? What do you like to add?

Let us all know in the comments!

If you have the same passion as me, you don’t really want to separate your freelance work from your travels. As a freelancer, the separation between work and travel has virtually faded because of the one thing that makes working while traveling a possible thing: the internet.

If you travel a lot, you may want to read this post for some tips on how to plan and do your actual work while visiting your folks or just go on a vacation for a much needed downtime from your work.

You have to plan things first

In almost anything, you need to plan in order to have a higher amount of expected results rather than just hit and miss. Properly planning your travels will help you set everything right and get work done at anytime and place. Here are some of my suggestions:

1. Learn where the WIFI hotspots are available. This is really the first thing that I always want to know when I travel to some place. It won’t really matter how ready you are for business or work, but if you can’t send your work to your clients at the right time for the unavailable internet connection, then you failed.

You also need to make sure that the place where you have the WIFI connection has a strong internet connection because I have gone to places where it says “free WIFI” and the connection is not so good. Just the same, I wasted my precious time. I could have just focused on my vacation if I knew that I won’t be able to have a decent internet connection.

2. Notify your clients about your travel. This is very important because you need to at least give them a heads up about your plans. They could be expecting something from you at a certain time, and what if you’re not there? They might get the wrong idea.

Besides, clients know that you have your own life and that you also need to do stuff. This is the beauty of the freelancing industry because people you work for know how the ”industry” works. Just be honest so that they won’t expect things from you at the time you are out of the house or traveling somewhere.

Advise them that when you have the time—and the internet connection—you will be online, but if not, they would have to assume that you couldn’t connect to a WIFI.

Just keep the communication line open.

Bring the minimum essentials.

You need to take into consideration the time and activities that you will have during your vacation. Okay, if you really ask me, I would say, lose the work when you travel for leisure, but if you really can’t afford to do that, at least bring the things that you really need. You don’t have to bring your whole office with you.

A netbook will do, or even your tablet. Always make sure that your workfiles are accessible. You can use Google Docs and other tools that are available.

Always be cautious

You should understand that WIFI connections are not really that secure especially when it is a public connection where anyone can just use the internet from the WIFI. Some very bad people may use a tool that will help them spy on anyone who’s using the same WIFI connection. You are at risk of having your personal information stolen from you.

Be always aware of this and if you opened a secure site in a public computer, always make sure that you close the site or logout after use. Even Twitter and Facebook sites should be closed after using so that you avoid people stealing your photos… duh.

Your thoughts

What do you have in mind? What other things do you think are needed to help you work and travel at the same time? What do you want to add? Give us your own tips!

Let us all know in the comments!

If you’ve been in the industry for many years and have had a lot of colorful experiences that tell you more about the things you’ve done and are doing, and will be doing. Point is, you will become a sort of an expert of the field and you probably are. All of us become experts at something at some point. Although there is a clear exception to that rule in that people sometimes fail to grow and learn new things. That’s very sad indeed.

Why is there a need to educate ourselves continuously?

They say that when you stop learning, you stop growing. Of course, this doesn’t mean on the physical level. This basically refers to the non-tangible aspects of ourselves: our emotions, our understanding, and our knowledge.

Our world and everything in it are still evolving up to know and new things are being discovered. Previous laws and theories are even sometimes made obsolete. So to rely solely on your previously knowledge may prove to be a very shaky issue. You can easily be left behind by your peers or the new guys who are more inclined to learning new things than plainly sit on your acquired knowledge.

Education is critical in business

I cannot deny the importance of having experience, but there is just a vast amount of new things coming up at every second—especially in things regarding business. Business has some pretty stable principles that stay relatively constant; but the fact is that the technology that we have now is really changing the face of business.

In ancient times, people thought that you can only trade using the barter system, giving your crops or other important thing to other people in exchange for what they also have that you don’t. Then legal tender came in and gold and silver and copper coins came in the picture. Soon people were carrying coins around to purchase things. Then the bills came in. Cash become the means of purchasing things and so transactions become even more easier to do.

Then came in the checks and credit cards. Before that, people didn’t think that was possible. If they were stubborn enough, they would not have been able to make their business expand as it did now. If you are a business man who lives in the 20th or 21st century and you are not accepting credit card payments, your competition is really going to kill your business.

Education keeps your brain very young

Studies have shown that people who continue to read current events and any other kind of books have the lesser tendency to have memory gaps or forgetfulness. Scientist have discovered that our brain produce new brain cells when our brains are engaged in thought-provoking activities like solving puzzles, reading, or even conversing with others. The production is particularly high when the mind is being challenged and the brain made to really use its capacity.

Your thoughts

So try to always learn new things and don’t just sit there comfortably on top of your previously acquired knowledge. Read a book, attend a seminar, and challenge your brain about new ideas and those that contradict your own. Try to see if you can have it in you to be open to new things and new learning.

What do you want to add? What else did I miss about the subject of continuing education? What do you want to share?

Let us all know in the comments!

Okay, there is just a lot of management going on in the world today. With all the things that you need to do, there is just little time to do it, isn’t there?

Many people, and most of the “gurus” would tell us that what we need in order to manage everything that we need to do is to have time management. And that can work for a time or for a short period only.

Time Management

Time management is the ability to spread all the things that you need to do over a period of 24 hours of the day. But the problem is that you can’t allot all your 24 hours for everything. You still need to eat for a few hours total, you need to sleep at least 8 hours, and you spend few minutes of walking or chatting, TV, commuting, or taking a bath, and etc. The time left is only about 8 to 12 hours a day. What if your tasks or todos need more time than you have?

The curious problem of time management

Time management works only if you have a very stiff and strict time table and a fixed no. of tasks in a day, forever. But the fact is that while your number of hours only stays the same, if not diminishing, the number of tasks that you have to do eventually rises. When you begin to succeed and prove yourself to your boss or to your partners in business, chances are you will be given more things to do. This is when the problem comes in. How will you be able to fit all of these in the little time that you have?

Priority Management

I propose that instead of focusing our energies on managing our time, why not focus our energies on setting the priorities in our lives?

With all the many things that you need to do, there will always be things more important than others and things that you need to do now, and some need to be done at a later time. There will always be some that are not important, some that can be delegated to others and some that you need to do yourself.

Managing our priorities can help us do the things that need to be done first—and then do those things that can be done later on a time other than now.

If the time you have can change, most likely it will change for the worse, but you can always have control over the things or projects that you want to take.

I suggest that you look into the things that you have in your hands right now and then rate them according to their importance, timeline, and then act on them. Schedule everything that are in the top priority.

Your thoughts

I may have challenged your principles or values on this one, but I want you to share your thoughts and enlighten me if there are things that I missed. I just believe in priority management and I am open to what you have to say in defense of time management. What do you like to add?

Let us all know in the comments!

Freelancing is a very lucrative career when you have the necessary things that will help you achieve the goals of each project that you get into. It’s really even easier than most businesses because you don’t need much capital to start this business. Most of the things you need to start it you already have, and maybe you just need a few more things that are really essential to your career.

Here is a list of the critical items you need to have to keep you going. If you already have these things or some of them, well done. For those you still don’t have, you better take a hold of them soon so as to boost your freelancing business.

Computer

Of course, you need to have a computer to work with. Whether it’s a PC or a Mac, you choose; just make sure that your computer is going to address the needs of your clients. Think about specs ad battery life or other features.

But they don’t have to be expensive. There are great computers sold online and you can even choose to buy a slightly used computer over a new one. What I love about slightly used ones is that they already contain some features that I need that would otherwise be absent from a new computer. So new isn’t necessarily better.

Be mindful that your computer is your best employee and your best friend in this business. Of course, other “friends” are also essential and they are listed below.

Cable internet is a must

This is the best friend of your best friend. You need a very stable and high speed cable internet because you have to connect with clients and do most of your work online. You need to save things and to create things in the cloud, so you better be riding on a very fast jet to get you there.

Okay, there is a debate that DSL is better than cable internet or the other way around. This still depends upon many things like the location and the providers, and etc.

Composition Book

As a freelancer you need to have a very nice, simple, but good notebook. You need to record your notes and get back to them later; you need to write things down and capture that idea as it comes. You can’t afford to forget things when you’re in freelancing. Every idea counts.

Automatic Backups

This definitely will save your life. You need backup to safeguard your files from anything that might happen that could lead you losing them. You can have Apple’s Time Capsule as it can wirelessly backup your files and it can work with multiple computers. Or there could be other systems that you can setup for your automatic backup. So you choose what is best for you and you’ll be good to go.

Ergonomics

As a freelancer, you sit down and type most of the times. Soon your body aches and your wrists, too. So you have to choose a chair and a desk that will facilitate proper positioning of your body and your hands and fingers and wrists. Ergonomics has to play a big part in your freelancing business. If you don’t have this, you will not last long.

Inspire yourself

Of all the things that we mentioned, this is probably one thing that you can’t afford to live without. And why do I say “inspire” yourself? Because you cannot have 24-7 inspiration. That’s just not possible. You may be inspired for one straight week, but how about after that? You may need to write things down from now on or have your favorite inspirational book near your for easy access.

A dedicated space as an office

This actually goes both ways. When you have a dedicated room in your house as an office, you can just work there endlessly and shut the door so that no distraction get to you or they are put to a minimum; and you can also shut your office off when you’re trying to relax or eat dinner with the family.

Learn how to separate work from your own private life. Balance it out and an office is going to help you do that.

Your thoughts

I think that I pretty much covered the most essential things that will help you make great things in your freelancing business. But what other things do you like to add to the list? What other things should you have in order to live in freelancing heaven? What do you have in mind?

Let us all know in the comments!

In the previous installment, we’ve tackled more on what goes on in a leader’s inner feelings and inner engines. And now we are going to top them off with three more concepts and principles that make a leader.

A leader starts with the end in mind.

People are attracted to someone who is a visionary and someone who has already seen the goal. And even if there will be no person following him, that is immaterial to the leader. He has seen it and he is out to get it. Let me illustrate this to you by sharing with you a story:

One day a dog was running frantically and people in the area noticed him running very fast to and fro, over here and over there and up and down—what have you. Soon enough, dog #2 came and ran with the dog #1 and he was also a very serious dog and with tongues out, he kept running and following dog #1. After a while a third and a fourth dog came and barked and got excited and they saw two dogs running around and so they joined in.

Soon enough there were about 20 dogs running around in the same direction, changing directions when dog #1 changed direction and they did that for a while. Then dog #20 suddenly realized and asked, “What am I doing this for?” and so he stopped and just watched the other dogs running. Soon enough, dog #19 also felt the same thing, and so did what the other dog did and so did dog #18. The 17 dogs soon became only 11 dogs, and then it dwindled to 7 dogs and then until there were only 2 dogs left—dog #1 and dog # 5 (dog #2 already stopped with the others). But alas, dog #5 also realized that he could not see the point of running. So he also stopped, until it was only dog #1 who was still running.

He ran and ran with his every strength until at the exact moment, he stopped because he had already caught what he was running after all this time. He caught the rabbit that he was pursuing for hours now.

Dog #1 was the only one who saw the end in mind. Yes, the other dogs became excited because, naturally people (or dogs) will be attracted to people who are excited, but if they don’t see the same vision or the same goal, people will really give up eventually.

Dog #1 was the only who saw and so he did not stop.

When you run with a leader, remember that he has seen something. You better know what that is and then own that something as well if it rings a bell to your own life. If not, you better stop now, because what’s the point of running with your tongue out?

Leaders don’t tell people what to do.

Because chances are, they will not do it. Remember, people do what they want to do. And you can never change that. So how does the leader “let” people do what he invites them to do with him?

He shares the vision.

Fitting the story above to our human condition, I’m sure that a leader can talk with people and can tell them whatever, right? A true leader shares the vision that he sees with his fellow leaders. He is not insecure about it. He pre-qualifies leaders and see if they are worth his time for him to mentor them.

He knows that he can never tell people to do what he wants to do. He shares the vision, and if the other leaders under him share the vision and own it, then he only has to tell them how to do it and they will.

A true leader builds high trust

Leadership is basically a relationship. And trust is very important in any relationship so you need two keys here so that you can build a high trust relationship:

1. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Leaders are people who genuinely empathize and feel how their people feel. And they are not slow to show it. He even declares it and shows it and speaks it when appropriate. He helps them not only with the business but also in other areas of the persons’ lives. He is there not to instruct them, but to show them that he is a person they can trust and be confident with. He is generous with his time and he is a person whom people can count on.

When they meet in a business meeting, the leader asks about family, how the kids are, how the sick parent is, etc. He is not there to ask about the business—that will be tackled in the meeting itself. But the leader is genuinely concerned about the life of his fellow leaders. And he is happy to be able to see a glimpse of those lives he is mentoring.

2. Confidence is key to high trust. People can know that you care, but they also need to know that you are indeed competent in the field you are in. They need to be confident that you can do and that you can lead them. Technicalities are also important, incase you’re missing it. These things all add up to the fact that you need to also equip yourself as a leader of leaders. You need to be a stop or couple of steps ahead of them.

So there you have it guys, three installments to the life of a leader. And okay, I know that these are not the only things that make a leader. Of course, there are others still that we can add to the list. Precisely. What is the point of me wanting you to comment on these things?

Let us all learn from one another and you are welcome to share your thoughts with us. Besides, you may already be living these principles in your life. You are welcome to share what you’ve experienced so far.

Your thoughts

So please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with us.

Let us all know in the comments!

Apple has admitted last week that customers—although only “some of them”—have experienced problems connecting with the Verizon 3G network and they are out to investigate the matter. This is actually a gentle but big blow on the newly launched device because there has been a very big hype created around it when it was still in the Apple shelves and hidden from our eyes.

What the problem is apparently is that iPad 2 owners have to restart their thin and magical tablets just to reconnect to the Verizon 3G network after turning it off or when they are finished using 3G. Some customers even go to the extent of doing a hard reset on their device just so the 3G network can be accessed again.

The problem is said to not affect the AT&T subscribers, but still discussions about the problem, whether with Apple and Verizon or just among those who were hit with the problem, should be done and immediate action must be taken. It’s just sad to see these bugs or problems early on.

Oh well, if this issue is just software-related then it will be remedied in just a days, and I think that it is really software-related. iOS 4.3.2 is coming out so you better watch out for it and update once it’s out.

Your thoughts

Have you experienced this with your iPad 2? What other things do you like to add? Do you also do what the other iPad 2 owners are doing, or are you doing something that’s different, but works? If you do, share it please.

Let us all know in the comments!

Did that shock you? I mean the to other leaders phrase? Why would you want to attract other leaders? Why not attract just about anyone?

Okay let me back track a bit. You should realize that you’re reading a post in a blog that’s intended for business people, and it is presupposed that you are reading this because you want to become better in your business. And I’m with you on that, but you should realize that all true business people or those who really own business that really tick and go well in the market are really leaders themselves.

Not just leaders “in their own right”, but real leaders in the truest sense of the word; a person who fits the universal idea of a leader: someone who leads other leaders.

I don’t know if you’ll agree with me, but I think that when you attract just any kind of person and then ask them to do what you want to do, you are actually a manager of those people. But if you really are a true leader, you won’t want to manage people. I mean, you get that in an employer-employee environment. You went out of that environment because you want to start your own business.

Leaders gravitate around other leaders. And leaders know that there are others who may be greater than them in terms of the kind of leadership that they have. And they are not insecure about it. In fact, they love to be around people who are “greater” than they are, because they want to learn more and to rub elbows with those people; they know that if they can only be influenced by those greater leaders, they will become great themselves.

Enough said, here are some ways for you to attract other leaders. These people are ever on the alert for these items, and when they find these in you, you’ll be sure to have leaders following you.

Excitement

The world is in peril right now, and the news—whether on TV or in the papers—all show how scary the situation is now. But when you are excited about life and just be the one who goes against the grain, people will start to notice you and regard you as someone different. Average people read the news and then shiver and recoil in fear. They are afraid to go out or even make any move.

Let me suggest that you think about the family that you have now. That is a very good initial motivation that you can have so that you can really be excited about going out and doing everything in your career or business just so you can provide for your family.

When you’re excited, your eyes are wider, you look into other peoples’ eyes more confidently and you speak in a manner that excites other leaders. Other leaders are actually just waiting for someone greater than them to excite their very own lives. So once they find you, they will not let you go. And don’t worry because leaders won’t zap you of your energy. Instead, they will even complement yours and they will also show their excitement. Then synergy is created.

Passion

Okay passion may be synonymous to excitement, but let me tell you that they come from one and the same tree but are different expressions of that tree. Think of these as two different stems.

Excitement is really more on the emotional aspect of the experience, while passion is coming from a much deeper source—more like the trunk of the tree. Passionate people never back down. They do know that there are other ways to attack a certain situation, but they don’t just give up easily. They keep at it even if others have already given up.

When other leaders see this, they immediately tap themselves on the back and congratulate themselves for not giving up. You now become an inspiration to them. Leaders all have passion, but in different degrees.

When you step up and show that you are person of passion, leaders will come to you for instruction and for inspiration.

People with conviction.

Conviction is a firm belief. When you exhibit this, people will immediately see you as someone who goes against the grain. The world has been teaching us through media that we should not stick to what we believe in, that there are always other things that you can stand for. And if things are not working, you can always change your stand.

Leaders know deep in their guts that this should not be so. Whatever the world will try to show or teach us, leaders still know that there are still bigger things at work. Principles and values still exist. The moment they see conviction in you, they will applaud you and shake your hand and see you as someone whom they can rely on and whom they can be at ease with because they know that when you make decisions, you will not take it back. And if it doesn’t add up, you will be accountable for yourself and acknowledge your responsibility.

Relatable

You should be able to learn how to act accordingly and also how to present yourself to other people. Leaders know that when someone stands in a certain way and dresses in a different manner, something much deeper and stronger is making that person act as such. Posture can be influenced by values. You know if a person is confident and convicted about something because they shake hands with a firm grip and they look you eye to eye.

Leaders know (consciously and subconsciously) the kind of verbal and non-verbal trigger points and sign posts to know that the person they are looking at or relating with is a leader.

Of course, you should have the other things like smiling and grooming and speaking in a very fluid and professional manner.

People are attracted to someone whom they can relate with.

Being happy is attractive.

Of course, learn how to be happy. People of every race and time always gravitate around people who are happy. You yourself would not be hanging out with someone who always complains and always cries and is always sad.

You go with someone who is genuinely happy with their lives. People will not follow someone who is not happy. Your friends or your leaders are there doing whatever it is that you ask them to do because they feel happy with you.

Remember that people are sad because of their circumstance, they will be hungry for some happiness to be put in their lives. You will be a welcome addition to their lives.

Your thoughts

Do you agree with the things I’ve mentioned? What do you like to add about the things I mentioned? Do you think you are attractive? Do you think you are attracting leaders or just anyone. What other things would you like to add to the list?

Let us all know in the comments!

There’s no denying the fact that for months now the Android OS has been outselling the iPhone and the BB phones, and now the green robotic OS has finally gotten a bigger share of the smartphone market in the US. The charts show that 33% of U.S. smartphone users owned an Android phones as of February of this year, while Blackberry and the iPhone had 28.9% and 25.2% respectively.

Is this wonderful news for Google? Of course it is, but this is definitely not enough reason for it to just rest relaxed without watching closely at the game. Here are some of the reasons why:

Staying Current

Probably one of Android’s major problems is its inability to stay current on its software.

Phone manufacturers and most wireless carriers are just not able to immediately blend the update of Google with their own software manufacturers so most of the high end phones—and even if they are the latest phones from the manufacturers—have been outdated by months ago. Google should be able to keep up with its current software changes because the iOS is really serious in hyping up its features and most especially regarding the importance of the experience of users.

Malware

Because Android is becoming more popular, malware is going to target it even more, and to do this, Google could just take out the app with the malware from the Android Market once it is discovered. It is really nice that the Android Market is less restrictive compared to the iPhone App Store, but Google needs a way to stop malware from getting into the Android Market. Prevention is better than cure, and Google is saying they are doing just that.

Clutter down, streamlining in

Is it just me or is the Android platform isn’t as polished as the iOS?

And it’s not really about the obvious things, but more importantly, it’s the small details like the smoothness of the animation of the virtual keyboard, or the animation when swiping the apps menu, and even the tap-the-top-of-the-screen-to-return-to-the-top-of-the-Web-page ability of other operating systems. Is this because the Android is fairly a new OS compared to the others and they’re just really trying to streamline the platform at this moment?

But I should give it to Android for becoming the top OS this early quarter.

Your thoughts

What do you think? What other things do you think should Android be improving on? Have you had any problems with Android? If you’re a fan of the iOS or of any other OS, would you consider shifting? Why or why not?

Let us all know in the comments!

Google is now adding a feature that allows all of us who have Google accounts to recommend sites so that friends and other people will know immediately which sites are being visited most. This feature is called the +1 button.

Google explained that this button really says a lot. Some may see the button and see that the recommended sight is a pretty cool site or others might see it as more of a “check this out” kind of message for users who happen to see the +1 button.

You have the option to share your own +1 buttons to your friends and family or to anyone you like by choosing the “Public” option; and likewise, you can also choose private. And that you can only do if you have and are logged in to your Google account and create or update your Google profile.

The feature isn’t live, but the users who can’t wait for it to be launched can really activate it and try it. The button will initially appear in the search results, but Google officials said that the buttons will also appear on the many products of Google and on many websites.

Your thoughts

What do you think about this new feature in Google? Have you tried it out? How did it go? What other stuff related to this do you want to share with us?

Let us all know in the comments!

In the previous post about Leadership Mentality, we learned how the leader is committed, accountable and a miner in the strictest sense of the word. We learned how his consistency of action ultimately produces results, we have come to see that as a leader, he is accountable to others, but most especially to himself because he is his own worse enemy. We also finally saw how he takes a piece of wisdom and sees it according to the standards of leadership and makes them his own to facilitate his own growth as a person and as leader of leaders.

In this post, we are going to continue to learn more about how the leader thinks and how he does conquer all his failures and succeed in the appointed time.

The true leader delays gratification

The leader is in control of his emotions, and with that he has control over his passions and his desires—whatever they may be and no matter how they affect his very person and those of others. He knows that success is a journey and it is not an end in itself. He sees to it that his decisions affect the future. Whenever he decides to spend, for example, he only spends for those that he really needs for now.

He knows that money can be found, but it takes work. When he has an amount that is enough to buy something that he has wanted to buy, but sees that there is not enough to sustain his life, he delays spending his money; he looks for more ways to increase it first and waits for another time to buy that thing—especially if these things are not really “needs”, but only “wants”.

He delays enjoyment because he knows that he will have a feast in the future.

But remember that this is more of a state of mind. It’s a mindset. I’m not saying that you never have fun or buy something new. It’s all about the control. Can you control yourself from sleeping before you even finish that one important task to be passed tomorrow? Are you able to control your spending even if your finances go up?

A true leader has great sense of expectancy

The leader knows that it takes more than a positive mind to make things happen. He knows that expecting positive things to happen is a pre-requisite to success. He believes in the concept of attraction. You attract things that you think about. He knows that the universe is just waiting for you to ask and it will be given you.

When you’ve had a successful meeting with a prospective partner in your business, you should not just stop and be happy about that meeting and just hope that that person will eventually respond. Instead, you should expect the person to really join you in your business. And this you should do even before you meet him. Why? Because an expectant person says things differently, he formulates questions differently, he looks at the person differently, he speaks confidently, he does things more effectively because everything is already set in his mind. It’s a done deal. He closes the deal differently.

What if the things he expected did not happen? That’s what the next mindset is all about.

He has the “Next” attitude.

The true leader knows that even if he expects positive things to happen, there is still always the possibility that the contrary will happen. So what does he do? He says, “Next!” and he says that with gusto and passion. If the plan failed, Next plan! If the prospective partner did not push through, Next person! If the product did not click or the reception was bad, Next product innovation!

In other words, the true leader is not stalled by these things. He is always looking towards the next thing to happen. He knows that if he just looks hard enough, he will eventually find that one thing.

The true leader models.

He does not “teach” the leader he is mentoring. He models to that person what must be done and how to do it. Words are not effective when you’re trying to mentor someone. Words are not enough. You need to really model to him first, and then tell him how it happened.

That is why true leaders effectively teach their people because they show them how to do it. They only “teach” if it needs to be done.

Your thoughts

What other thoughts are you going to share to us based on the things mentioned above? Do you agree with the things that I’ve mentioned? What other things do you like to add?

Let us all know in the comments!

Being a leader is indeed very important, especially when you’re trying to earn a living because as the famous Bo Sanchez says, “Money flows through the leader.” On that note, we should all strive to be leaders in our own right and then lead others to become leaders themselves.

But is it really easy becoming a leader? Is there a clear-cut A-B-C to it? Is being a leader attained by some set of rules and regulations that one just needs to follow? Do you have to start somewhere?

If you are asking all the above questions and more, you’re in for a treat because this post is going to show you how a leader works and what takes to be a leader, and so earn more than what you have now.  This is the first of three posts that will focus on the traits that a true leader should have.

A leader is accountable

Every leader moves deliberately and with every decision, he takes into account all of his actions and what the implications of those actions will be; who will be the ones affected by it, and how is it going to affect them. If anything, leaders are accountable to no other than themselves. Yes, they may have some leaders above them that mentor them as well and they are sort of accountable to them, but ultimately, the true leader is accountable only to himself. Not that he is independent of others and so is not able to work with others. On the contrary, because he is accountable to himself, he is responsible of his actions and sees to it that every move he makes does not go below his own standards.

True leaders know that living under the standard of others is a dead-end. You will never be happy about your life if you live by another person’s rules. Yes, a leader can learn and take some notes from other leaders, but definitely, he is not going to make those rules his own, instead, he takes them and molds them to apply to his current situation.

His greatest critic and his greatest rival is himself. He is motivated to do everything not to go below his own rules. The true leader knows that there is great failure if he fails himself.

A true leader is a miner and a goldsmith

A true leader knows that in order to achieve what has been said above, he has to learn from other great leaders before him. He knows well that he has not the monopoly of learning and of experience, and so he “mines” these nuggets of wisdom from other leaders who may have mentored him along the way and may have shared to him a piece of advise and a piece of their brains.

Like a true miner, he gets the nuggets and refines them to suit his very own life. A miner knows that there is a standard for gold and other precious stones and metals—that is why he refines these things from dirt and other unwanted things. Just like that, a true leader also knows that definitely there are standards and concepts that are followed by every leader in the world—in any given time and in any given place. He also refines his learning and lessons and make them his own, with the standards ever at his sight.

A true leader is committed

A leader knows that things may be simple, but they may not be necessarily easy to do. And he knows that consistency of action is needed to make things work. He knows that there is a process and a journey involved in everything. He knows that anything of value in this life is never overnight or can be taken in just one sitting. He knows that there will be ups and downs in emotions and in the circumstances, that there will always be setbacks as well as success in everything. He knows that if one will just keep at it and not quit, the goal will be reached in the end.

That is why commitment is extremely important to a true leader. This is where rubber meets the road and the milk hits the coffee (or something like that ). This is where the boys are separated from the men, so to speak. Commitment is in every true leader.

That’s it for now.  Please catch the two other articles that I will be posting here in a few days.

Your thoughts

I’m sure there are a lot more to this, but hey I’m not here to spoon feed everything to you. I’ve just given you what I think are the most important things that a leader should have. What else can you add? What other traits and virtues do you think should a leader have? What do you like to add to the thing listed above?

Let us all know in the comments!

The new Mozilla Firefox 4 has been officially released after two other browsers, Google Chrome 10 and Internet Explorer 9. With all the new browsers out in the open, let’s try to see what the new Firefox 4 has got to offer to us, especially with the rumor that Firefox 4 is leading the pack in spite its late launch. The final release of the Firefox 4 is really promising and here are only some of the features of the new Firefox browser update:

The Flash

The new Firefox has got the JägerMonkey JavaScript engine, which just offers users more huge enhancements and stepping it up when it comes to performance. The enhancements include more amazing graphics rendering, faster startup times, and swifter page loads. When tests were done, the Firefox 4 left the other browsers in the dust by about three to six times faster.

It is really fast.

Minimal clutter to prevent eye sore.

It’s quite amazing how the tabs are now taking center stage so that the feel of the whole browser is much more intuitive and efficient. The previous versions really did make it all seem cluttered and a lot was going on. It’s really more streamlined and simpler which makes the browser even more user-centered.

The Switch to Tab feature, which is an amazing thing, helps reduce the clutter as it automatically calls the tab you need. One user can have up to 200 tabs all at once, and if you can’t locate the one tab you’re supposed to look at, then that’s where you go slow with the Firefox 4. The other tab-related features include the App Tabs which makes browsing even more intuitive and personalized. When Firefox reloads, it cranks up its loading speed by loading the active page and App Tabs first, and then the other tabs after that.

The icing on the cake is Firefox Button and this actually sweeps your screen clean as it just displays all your menu items in one button and show the items only when you want to, of course.

Panorama feature

In the prior versions, users with 20 or more tabs didn’t have an easy way to separate or categorize your tabs according to the ones that are related. What I do, and what most people do, is to open a separate, unrelated tab to a new window, which helps but doesn’t really take away the clutter.
Panorama now gives a visual slate on which your tabs can be organized into groups that stand for your home, work, or your hobbies and etc.

Supports multiple platforms

Firefox has always been multiplatform unlike the other browsers which are limited to some operating systems and all. Whether you have Windows, Mac, and Linux, you will enjoy all these features of Firefox.

Your thoughts

Have you tried the Firefox 4 yet? What other things do you like about it? What do you like to add to the things that I’ve already said?

Let us all know in the comments!