This guest post was written by Robin Krieglstein, founder of GoalTribe.

I know a little something about living an adventurous life.  I’ve hot air ballooned Kathmandu, glacier trekked Patagonia, gone paragliding in the Andes, slept in a snow-shelter at the top of the Rocky Mountains, scuba-dived in the tropics, camel trekked the Sahara, rock-climbed in Thailand and been on an African safari.  Oh, and I’ve been sky diving, cliff diving, rafting on Class V white water, and I was even swept over a waterfall once.

Huff, huff…  You thought I was finished, didn’t you? 

I’ve also visited 20% of the world’s countries and circled the globe twice.  I’ve explored ancient castles, palaces, temples, tombs, catacombs and labyrinths.  I’ve stayed in 5 star hotels, caves and dessert caravan tents.  I’ve seen the pyramids, Machu Picchu, the Amazon, the African savanna, the Himalayas, the Eiffel Tower, the Acropolis in Athens and the Taj Mahal.

And I have to tell you – it’s been extraordinary.  It’s an absolutely amazing, brilliant, beautiful world out there filled with dazzling wonders that are readily available for you to experience.  You don’t have to be rich.  You don’t have to be exceptional.  If you want to experience it all, you just have to make a decision, set some goals, and make it happen.

Here’s how:

Step 1:  Discover Your Vista’s of Adventure

First get a clear vision of what the word ‘adventure’ means to you.  Take 30 minutes, put on some inspiring music, get excited and write down everything that comes to mind when you think about an adventure.  What movies inspire you?  Indiana Jones?  James Bond?  The Bourne Series?  What types of adventures appeal to you?  Adventurous sports?  Travel?  The great outdoors?  What specific activities sound like a heart-pounding blast?  Bungee jumping?  Exploring ancient ruins?  Heli-skiing (skiing areas you can only get to by helicopter)?

Step 2:  Choose 5 Specific Adventure Goals

Life is short!  Now is the time to get real.  Now is the moment to make a commitment to experience the life adventures you want to experience before you die.  Choose 5 adventure goals from your brainstorm that you’re most excited about.  Pick one that you will do within 3 months, one that you will do by the end of the year, one within 2 years, one within 3 years and one within 5 years.  The first 3-month goal should be exciting, but reasonable, so it’s actually possible to achieve in a short time frame.  This one is very important because it will help you build momentum and faith in yourself.

Also, be firm and DECIDE that you WILL give yourself the gift of an adventurous life.  Spend an additional 5 minutes writing out why this is important to you, and then write a formal commitment to yourself and hang it where you’ll see it every day.

Step 3:  Learn How to Take the First Step

Now take your first 3-month goal and figure out what you need to do to make it a reality.  One of the most common reasons people don’t make their life more exciting and adventurous is that they don’t know how to start.  But that’s okay – you can learn.  Search the Internet, the library, or talk to people who’ve done what you’re planning to do.  Ask questions.  Make calls.  Figure out what steps you need to take.  There are companies that arrange everything from local rock-climbing and white-water rafting trips to round-the-world, multi-month adventures.  Also, read “25 Ways to Learn How to Do Absolutely Anything” for more ideas.

Step 4:  Create a Plan for Your First Adventure

Once you understand the initial steps that are required to embark on your first adventure goal, create a clear plan.  Make a detailed list of what actions you need to take and set a date for completing each action so that you’ll be off experiencing this first adventure in exactly 3 months from today.

Step 5: Jump into Action Immediately

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably just read the previous 4 steps without actually doing anything.  And guess what?  You’re in danger of finishing this article without ever taking action.  Here’s how to make sure that doesn’t happen:

• Take action immediately!  Yes, right now!  Start brainstorming your adventure goals.
• Pick your top 5 goals.  And then do one more step…
• Figure out what the logical first step is towards your first adventure goal.

Additional Tips on Living an Adventurous Life

1. Overcoming your fears is half the fun of adventuring.  The adrenalin rush can be exhilarating!  And when it passes, and you realize you’re still standing, you feel a great sense of accomplishment.  Remember most fears are not real.  Fear could stand for: “False Experiences Appearing Real.”  Fear is also a great way to get people’s attention and motivate them to do things; so the media, politicians, companies and many other organizations spend a lot of time and money trying to make the world seem like a scary place.  It’s not.  Even for people living adventurous lives, disaster rarely strikes.  That’s why when it does strike it makes the evening news… because it’s rare.  Ultimately the secret to fear is:  Feel the fear and do it anyway.
2. Whenever you have a choice of activities to do, pick the one that will make for a better story.
3. Don’t have the time?  Instead of going to see an action movie, take action in your own life.  Instead of sitting in front of the TV, sit on a ski lift.  Instead of sleeping in your bed, sleep on a bus on the way to the Grand Canyon.  Instead of going out to the park, go out rock climbing.  Instead of vacationing at Disneyland, vacation in Thailand.
4. Don’t have the money?  International travel is much cheaper than it seems.  Just give up a few luxuries and don’t try to keep living exactly the same way you do at home.  You will keep costs down and have a much more profound experience if you eat what the locals eat, sleep like the locals sleep and travel like the locals travel.  Visit countries that are more affordable than your home country.  As for adventure sports, most of them are filled with specialized, expensive gear that you don’t need.  You need SOME to be safe, but don’t be fooled into a thousand dollar shopping spree for a weekend camping trip.  Rent, borrow or go without.  Yes you can!
5. For additional advice on doing the impossible, I recommend reading (or rereading) Marc and Angel’s excellent post “How to Walk on Water.”
6. And one last tip from someone who’s been there:  As your life unfolds with new excitement, experiences and adventure, you must, must, must keep a journal of your experiences.  Also, take thousands of pictures and lock those precious moments into your memory forever.  Someday, when you’re sitting with your children or grandchildren, you’ll be so happy you did.

What adventures would you like to conquer?  Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Robin Krieglstein is the Founder and CEO of GoalTribe, the most advanced goal achievement social network on the planet.  GoalTribe offers free, step-by-step guidance to plan your goals, get a support team, build motivation, track your progress and overcome all obstacles.  On GoalTribe’s blog, Robin explores life changing ideas colored by stories from his around-the-world travels through 38 countries.

Photo by: Ivan Makarov

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning,
but anyone can start today and make a new ending.
- Maria Robinson

Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is just a figment of the imagination.  So if you think about it, today is the only day you’re alive.  Today is the day that matters the most.

Here’s how to make it memorable:

• Try something totally new. – Variety truly is the spice of life.  You can see or do something a million times, but you can only see or do it for the first time once.  As a result, first time experiences usually leave a reflective mark in our minds for the rest of our lives.  So spice it up!
• Entertain yourself with real-world experiences. – Great memories are the product of interesting life experiences.  So turn off the television (or the computer) and get outdoors.  Interact with the world, appreciate nature, take notice of the simple pleasures life has to offer, and just watch as life unfolds in front of you.
• Work on something that’s meaningful to you. – Engage yourself in a meaningful personal project.  Or pull the trigger on doing something you’ve wanted to do for a long time, but haven’t yet had the resolve to do.  Life is short.  Today is the day to take action.
• Challenge your mind and body. – Learn a new skill.  Be creative.  Build something from the ground up, no matter how small.  Run farther than you’ve ever run before.  Push yourself to the limits!
• Concentrate on less, but give it your best. – Slow down.  Pay close attention to what you’re doing.  Don’t waste time juggling forgettable tasks.  Instead, concentrate on a few things that really matter.  Engage fully in this day.
• Say “yes” to a spontaneous opportunity. – Everything in life can’t be planned.  Some of the greatest opportunities will knock on your door when you least expect them to.  Be flexible, be spontaneous, and just say “yes.”
• Complete an important piece of unfinished business. – Today is a perfect day to finish what you started.  Few feelings are more satisfying than the one you get after an old burden has been lifted off of your shoulders.
• Document your day. – Take lots of pictures.  Keep a journal.  Document your day so you can review it some other day.  Many moons from now, these old photos and journal entries will ignite your recollection of great memories from the past.
• Smile, be positive, and notice what’s right. – Everything that happens in life is neither good nor bad.  It just depends on your perspective.  And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should.  Either you succeed or you learn something.  So stay positive, appreciate the pleasant outcomes, and learn from the rest.
• Be authentic.  Be true to yourself. – Judy Garland once said, “Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else.”  Live by this statement.  There is no such thing as living a good day in someone else’s shoes.  The only shoes you can occupy are your own.  If you aren’t being yourself, you aren’t truly living… you’re merely existing.  And no day spent in a phony state of mere existence will ever be memorable or worthwhile.
• Actively assist someone in need. – In life, you get what you put in.  When you make a positive impact in someone else’s life, you also make a positive impact in your own life.  Do something that’s greater than you, something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less.  I promise, it will be an extremely rewarding experience.  One you’ll likely remember forever.
• Share time with a good friend and experience life together. – Pink Floyd once said, “The memories of a man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime.”  There are few things more satisfying than recounting the greatest moments of your life with your closest friends who lived these moments alongside you.
• Make a new friend. – People are interesting creatures, and no two people are exactly alike.  So meet someone new today.  Find out what makes them tick.  They’ll likely open your eyes to fascinating ideas and perspectives.  And you never know, they just might change your life.
• Do something fun and laugh your ass off. – Some of the most memorable moments in your life will be moments spent in laughter.
• Be present.  Be here now. – I purposely left this bullet for last because it perfectly encompasses all of my previous points. – Don’t let your life slip by.  Instead of dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future, just practice being and living in the ‘now.’  Remember, right now is the only moment guaranteed to you.  Right now is life.  Don’t miss it.

And I leave you with this to think about:

We all agree that life is short.  Sooo…

Why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?

Photo by: FMC.Nikon.D40

The greatest thing you’ll ever learn
Is to love and be loved in return.
- Natalie Cole

On a chilly October night nine years ago…

I would have preferred not to write to you.  In fact, about a week ago, I put a post-it note on my computer monitor that said, “What would Skyman do?” (Skyman is my cat).  It was supposed to remind me not to do things that Skyman wouldn’t do.

Skyman would just wag his tail or wiggle his little nose, and hope that whoever he’s wagging or wiggling to understands that he’s hungry, or lonely, or in love, or whatever.  But he certainly wouldn’t write a silly love letter to the coolest girl he knows.  Because he can’t form complex thoughts.  And because he’s smart enough not to be so stupid.

This evening, the post-it note fell off of my computer monitor and landed on the floor.  And although post-it notes usually lose their stick after a few days, this one was different.  It was still really sticky and shouldn’t have come unstuck.  And it was light green, which is the color of your eyes.  These were obvious signs I couldn’t ignore.

So I decided to write to you…  To tell you that Hanging by a Moment is a totally awesome song.  That Diet Coke tastes better when you smile.  And that the world seems easier to understand today than it did yesterday.

But still not as easy to understand as two days ago, when a friend and I shared a three scoop 5 & Diner ice cream sundae at midnight.  And decided that some people are like hot fudge and others are like hard candy.  And I don’t remember why we decided that.

But it had something to do with friendship.  And ice cream with two spoons instead of one.  And later that night, after I dropped you off, I wanted to call you to ask whether you preferred hard candy or hot fudge, just to find out whether you’d sigh and giggle simultaneously when I’d ask.  Because that’s what I think you’d do.

I didn’t call you because Skyman wouldn’t do that.  He wouldn’t even know how to dial your phone number.  Because a cat’s paws are not nearly as dexterous as human hands.  Which must be nice for Skyman, because love is a lot simpler when you have paws.

Anyway, it’s midnight again.  And I’m sitting up in bed with my laptop thinking about how our lives begin and end in the time it takes the universe to blink.  Which isn’t too long.  But long enough for letters that aren’t too long.  Letters that ramble instead of saying what they want to say.  Which is…

I wish you were here.  Just breathing beside me.

Photo by: Kliefi

This guest post was written by Alex Fayle, author of Someday Syndrome.

When I was seven years old, I won a foot race in last place.

An Outsider

Due to foul play at other schools, the local school district enacts a mandatory policy during recess hours that segregates the schoolyard based on gender.  Boys and girls are no longer allowed to partake in activities together.  Given that my friends are almost all girls, I feel lost.  I’m not rough and tough enough to feel comfortable with the boys, and yet my gender excludes me from hanging with my friends, the girls.

So I learn to be an outsider.  I have a couple acquaintances in both camps, but I’m not actively a part of either, at least not anymore.  And because I’m an outsider, I quickly become the object of teasing.  Every tribe picks a walking, talking target of ridicule and I fall easily into this role.

With Oneself

Although the words hurt, I find strength from within to push forward, to stay who I am.  Because my parents instilled love and patience in my mind from the time I was born.  They taught me that the only valid competition is with oneself.  So I don’t mind being me.  I just wish everyone else would learn to accept me as I am.

To add to my exclusion, I’m fairly clumsy and athletically awkward.  I can’t pull my limbs together in a coordinated manner to lift myself over the high-jump bar, to propel my body through the air for the triple-jump, or to pump my legs fast enough along the race track.

I’m never in last place, but because of my outsider status, the majority of the students spew words of ridicule at me anyways.  The other outsiders – the poor, malnourished students who wear tattered clothes to school, or the ones with physical disabilities – they get verbally harassed too.  And although they never say a word about it, I can see the pain and frustration in their eyes.  It hurts them just as much, if not more, than it hurts me.

The First Time

As the teachers group the boys together for the weekly 100 yard dash, I decide it’s time for an outsider to win for once.

In the eyes of my classmates, I’m already the loser.  Regardless of whether I come in first place or last, they will mock me.  I realize I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  So I purposely run slow and let everyone pass me, even the poor boy whose ribs show through his skin, whose track and field clothes are the same as his day-to-day clothes… the one whose always in last place.

From my position just behind him, I see the teachers cheering him on.  Then suddenly, and surprisingly, some of the students join in.  I make an effort to seem like I’m pushing myself while actually falling back more and more.  And before long, all the students are cheering him on.  “You got it!” they chant.  “You’re almost there!”

The boy crosses the finish line and looks back at me.  He has a smile on his face stretching from one end of the schoolyard to the other.  It’s the first time he’s not in last place.

I pant across the finish line and receive the usual jeers, but I smile too.  Because today I learned how to win in a way many of my classmates will never understand.

I may have finished in last place.

But I won the race.

Alex Fayle, of Someday Syndrome, is a former procrastinator who uses his visionary ability to uncover hidden patterns and help you break the procrastination obstacle so that you can finally find freedom and start living the life you desire.

Photo by: Lekke

With an impending 28th birthday on my mind, I spent some quiet time this evening reflecting on my recent past.  And I’ve come to realize that my 20’s taught me a lot about life.  So, I figured I’d share a few lessons I’ve learned along the way.

1. If you’re smiling right now, you’re doing something right.
2. It’s not so much what you say that counts, it’ how you make people feel.
3. The biggest mistake you can make is doing nothing because you’re scared to make a mistake.
4. No matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be.  Either you succeed or you learn something.  Win-Win.
5. Freedom is the greatest gift.  Self-sufficiency is the greatest freedom.
6. If you catch yourself working hard and loving every minute of it, don’t stop.  You’re on to something big.  Because hard work ain’t hard when you concentrate on your passions.
7. It’s not about getting a chance, it’s about taking a chance.  You’ll rarely be 100% sure it will work.  But you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work.  Sometimes you just have to go for it!
8. Complaining is like slapping yourself for slapping yourself.  It doesn’t solve the problem, it just hurts you more.
9. The one with nothing to hide is always the one left standing tall.
10. You can press forward long after you can’t.  It’s just a matter of wanting it bad enough.
11. There’s a big difference between knowing and doing.  Knowledge is basically useless without action.
12. In work and business, when they need you more than you need them, you have succeeded.
13. Everything that happens in life is neither good nor bad.  It just depends on your perspective.
14. We are all weird.  And life is weird.  And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we call it love.
15. True friendship and true love do sustain the tests of distance and time.
16. You can’t change who you are.  You can only change what you know and how you apply this knowledge.
17. It is okay to be angry.  It is never okay to be cruel.
18. Even when you feel like you have nothing, someone else likely has far less.  Find them and help them.  You’ll see why.
19. Having a thousand credentials on the wall will not make you a decent human being.  But genuinely helping one person everyday will.
20. Remember, change happens for a reason.  Roll with it.  It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

And I leave you with this question:

How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

Photo by: Nattu

The Girl

She has dirty blond hair, a seductive smile, and the most engaging set of hazel green eyes I’ve ever seen.  It’s the kind of engaging I can’t ignore… the kind that makes me want to engage too.  Because she’s mysterious.  And I’m curious.  And I need to know more.

Yet, I do my best to avoid making eye contact.  So I stare down at the pool table and pretend to study my opponent’s next move.  But only long enough for her to look the other way, so I can once again catch a glimpse of magnificence.

I do this, not because she intimidates me, but because I think she may be the girl Chad met last night.  A wild night that, he said, “involved two bottles of port wine, chocolate cake, and sweaty bed sheets.”

Then, just as her eyes unexpectedly meet mine, my opponent groans, “It’s been your turn for like five minutes.  Ya planning on going sometime today?”  And she walks gracefully away.

So I continue to wonder… “Is she the port wine and chocolate cake girl?  Gosh, she doesn’t look like that kind of girl.”  But I don’t wonder too long because Chad enters the room and says, “Marc, there’s someone I want you to meet.”  So I follow him into the kitchen and we bump right into her.  “Oh, Angel,” Chad says.  “This is my buddy, Marc.”

And I smile ear to ear and chuckle…

Because she’s not the port wine and chocolate cake girl.  But also because I spent the last twenty minutes thinking about the port wine, and the chocolate cake, and the sweaty bed sheets.

The Dance

Hours later, the party begins winding down.  But the band is still playing, the two painters who have been painting a wall mural all evening are still painting, and Angel and I are still dancing.

“Are you tired?” I ask.

“No,” Angel says.  “Dancing is my outlet.  When I dance, I transcend myself and the doubts that sometimes prevent me from being me.  This evening has been enchanting, just dancing with you and being me.”

So I twirl her around.  And the drummer keeps drumming.  The guitarist keeps strumming.  The singer keeps singing.  The painters keep painting.  And now we’re the only ones dancing.

As we continue to dance, she says, “I feel as if we’re naked.  And not just you and me, but the drummer, the guitarist, the singer, and the painters too.  Everyone left in this room is naked… naked and free.”

I smile and tell her that I agree.  “We are naked.  We are free.”

As I know we don’t have to take our clothes off to be naked.  Because moments of passion flow into each other like port wine flows into chocolate cake.  And if we let them, these moments can expose us completely, and continuously.  And create climaxes that don’t even require sex.

Because a true climax has little to do with orgasm, and everything to do with passion, love, and devotion.  In the same way, nakedness has little to do with how much clothing one wears, and everything to do with one’s awareness in a given moment of time…  An unfettered awareness that frees their mind and allows them to truly live the moment for all it’s worth.

The Climax

After a few more songs, Angel asks if I’d like to join her out on the front porch where it’s quieter.  “Just so we can talk about life,” she says.

I give her a little wink.  “I love life in this crazy world!  It is crazy, isn’t it?”

She smiles.  “Yeah, a world in which we can be naked with our clothes on and experience continuous climax without intercourse.”

“Because instead we can achieve both with music, or paint, or dance, or any form of avid self-expression,” I add.

“You got it.  Even the sincerity in this conversation is beginning to work for me,” she says as we step out the front door and into the moonlight.

Photo by: Grazie

This guest post was written by Tehseen, the author of Recharge Your Mind.

Happiness is simply a state of mind.  No, I’m not implying that we can instantly heal the pain of a severe or unexpected personal tragedy just by thinking about being happy.  Rather, I am referring to our levels of happiness on routine days when things in our lives are close to normal.  In these neutral times, when we are neither ecstatic nor extremely sad, the slightest change in attitude can swing our happiness balance drastically in either a positive or negative direction. One of the primary factors that affect our attitude is our choice of words.

Words have a lot of power and influence on both the speaker and the listener.  When we speak we sometimes unintentionally choose words that have a negative undertone.  This can make us seem unhappy (and negative) in the eyes of others.  Even worse, after we have spoken these words our unconscious mind starts believing in them.  “If this is what came out of my mouth, it must be the way I truly feel.”

However, this is not always true.  The first fleeting words that come to mind are not necessarily the most accurate representation of our feelings and intentions.  We must realize that we have the power to choose the words we use, and if we pick them carefully, they can change the way we feel.

Here are three typical scenarios where positive language can inject positivity and happiness into our lives.

Inject Happiness into Casual Communication

Typically, when I ask someone “How are you?” they reply, “I’m fine” or “I’m okay.”  But one lazy Monday afternoon last month a new colleague of mine replied, “Oh, I am fabulous!”  It made me smile, so I asked him what was making him feel so fabulous and he said, “I’m healthy, my family is healthy, and we live in a free country.  So I don’t have any reason not to be happy.”  The difference was simply his attitude and his choice of words.  He wasn’t necessarily any better off than anyone else, but he seemed twenty times happier.

It really struck a chord with me.  Suddenly I realized that I have a choice.  I can either say “the glass is half empty” or “the glass is half full.”  Why not rejoice in the fact that, thankfully, I don’t have anything to be terribly upset about.

So now when someone asks me how I am doing, I say “I’m doing wonderful!” or “Everything is awesome!” or something similar that reflects a positive, happy mood.  Since I’ve made a regular habit of doing this, multiple friends and acquaintances have noticed a positive change in my attitude.  And I do genuinely feel happier.  Also, it seems like the people around me are smiling more now too.  So I guess it’s contagious.

Keep Friendly Discussions Friendly

We’ve all been involved in friendly discussions that turn into heated arguments.  This usually results in a complete breakdown of productive communication.  The reason for this is simple.  When people get into heated arguments they get unhappy, and unhappy people are not productive.  More often than not these arguments transpire due to our choice of words rather than our point of views. If communicated peacefully and appropriately people usually tolerate each other’s perspectives pretty well.  Hence, it’s very important to choose our words wisely even when we strongly disagree with someone.

• Instead of telling the other person “You always…” try saying “Sometimes you…”.
• Instead of saying “That’s not true,” try saying “I don’t think I completely understand your point of view.”
• Instead of telling your friend “I don’t want to go to that bar,” you can say “Oh, we can go to that bar too if you want, but I would rather…”

Using words that make the other person feel negated always creates negativity in conversations.  On the other hand, choosing words that assure the listeners that their perspectives are being respected drastically improves the chances of getting your point across without heating things up.

Wendell Johnson once said:

Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use.

Maintain a Hopeful Outlook

When we are talking or thinking about ourselves we are typically the least careful with our choice of words.  We assume that there are no restrictions on what to say or how to think about our own person.  In some situations this might be true, but the positivity or negativity of our words and thoughts still affect us.

For example, there is a huge difference between saying “I wish I have a house that big someday” versus “It would be great to have a house that big someday.”  The latter gives a greater sense of possibility and confidence which allows us to believe that ‘yes’ it is possible and ‘yes’ it could happen one day.  Whereas, using words like ‘I wish’ makes it seem unreachable and impossible, which generally leads to feelings of discontentment.

Conclusion

These are just some simple examples that illustrate how important it is to choose and use positive words.  Remember, our words transparently coincide with our mindset.  Positive language creates a healthy balance between our mind and our heart.

Tehseen Baweja writes about creativity, productivity and personal growth.  If you are looking for some tips, check out his blog at RechargeYourMind.com.

Photo by: Greekadman

In the summer of 1997, at the age of fifteen, I learned a valuable life lesson.

And I learned it the hard way.

Leave It There For Now

“Go deep!” Roger shouts.  I sprint as fast as I can, but not fast enough.  The football flies over my head, bounces off the ground, and takes a massive leap over the schoolyard’s fence.  It lands in private property on the opposite side.

“Ahh… jeez!” I yelp.  “That’s the witch lady’s yard!  You’re going to go get that!”

“No I’m not!” Roger insists.  “I had to deal with that freak last week.  So this time it’s your turn.”

“Man, she creeps me out!  The way she speaks… and that hairy mole on her nose… yuck.  I don’t feel like dealing with her.  It’s my football, and I’d rather just leave it there for now and get it later.”

“Fair enough, I’m ready to do something else anyway,” Roger replies.  “Let’s head over to the arcade.  I wouldn’t mind whooping your butt in a few rounds of Street Fighter.”

“Hah, you wish!  I’ll destroy you, but not today.  I promised my mom I wouldn’t leave the schoolyard.”

Roger rolls his eyes.  “Dude, you’re such a goody-goody.  The arcade is practically across the street.  We’ll be back here long before your mom comes looking for us.”

I think for a second.  “Well… alright, screw it.  Let’s go.”

We jump on our bikes and peddle off to the arcade.

It’s Too Late

Thirty minutes later, Roger is begging for mercy.  “Ah, today is just your lucky day,” he gripes.  “Don’t let it get to your head.”

I chuckle.  “Yeah, yeah… I didn’t say a word.  But we do need to get back to the schoolyard so I can get my football.”

We jump back on our bikes, peddle to the crosswalk, and wait for the ‘walk’ signal.  “Okay, ‘walk,’ we’re good!  Last one to the witch’s house is a rotten egg!” Roger shouts.  I have about a six foot head start on him, so I begin peddling as fast as I can.

“No Marc!  Watch out!” Roger squeals in a panic.  I look up just in time to see a black car speeding directly at me through the red light.  I leap from my bike.  But it’s too late.

My lanky fifteen year old body smashes into the windshield, flips lifelessly over the roof of the car, and strikes the concrete with a sickening thud.

Barely conscious, bloody, and broken.

I vaguely hear Roger’s voice crying for help over the sound of screeching tires… as the black car speeds away from the scene of the accident.

He’s Our Guardian Angel

I open my eyes slowly and my vision gradually comes into focus.  “Hey honey,” my mom says.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in the hospital, dear.  But the surgeon said you’re going to be just fine.”

“Surgery?”

“It’s okay, you’ve already been through surgery in the ER,” my mom replies as she grasps my hand.  “You cracked four of your ribs, which punctured your lungs.  But they went in and stitched you back together.”

“That…  That…”  My mom interrupts me as tears begin rolling down her cheeks.

“We just need to be grateful… because you were barely breathing, honey.  The surgeon said your lungs were filled with blood.  He said it could have been a lot worse had the ambulance not gotten to you in time.”

“That car… that black car… it ran the red light,” I whisper restlessly.

“Shhh… It’s okay,” my mom reassures me.  “The same wonderful man that called the ambulance also called the police with the license plate number of the black car.  The driver was drunk.  It was a hit and run.  But the police already have him in custody.”

“Do you know who made the calls?”

My mom reaches into her jeans pocket, pulls out a post-it note, and holds it up so I can read it.  “Chris Evans – 305-555-8362” is written in red ink.  “Chris Evans,” my mom says as she takes a deep breath.  “Whoever he is, he’s our guardian angel.”

“How’d you get his name and number?”

“I asked the paramedics for it.  They told me they weren’t supposed to give out this kind of information, but I begged,” my mom says.  “I told them I needed to know who saved my baby’s life.”

“Have you called him?”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t answer my calls.  It rings four times and goes straight to a voicemail beep.  There’s not even a voice greeting.  I’ve already left three messages over the last forty-eight hours.  But he hasn’t called me back, and I suspect he may never.”

How Do You Know?

Six months later, after a grueling recovery process, my doctor finally gives me the nod to partake in regular physical activity again.  Roger and I jump at the chance to toss his new Nerf football around at the schoolyard.

“Go deep!” Roger shouts.

“Not yet, dude.  I’m still not 100%.  My doctor says I need to ease into it slowly.  Cool?”

Roger smiles.  “Yeah, of course, bro.  My bad, I didn’t mean to…”  He is suddenly interrupted.

“Marc!  Marc Andrew something!” a raspy female voice hollers from behind us.  Roger and I turn around and are shocked to see the witch lady peeking her head over the schoolyard’s fence.  “I believe this belongs to you.”  She holds up an old football and tosses it towards me.  The ball bounces across the ground and rolls up to my feet.  Sure enough, it’s the ball I left on her property the day of the accident.

“Thanks, but… how… how do you know my name?  And my middle name?” I ask.

“About six months ago, your mom left me a few voicemail messages.  My name is Chris Evans,” she says.

Photo by: Yuga

This guest post was written by Glen Allsopp, the author of PluginID.

About a year ago, I feared I would struggle to build an audience for my new personal development website.  My fear was solely based on the fact that I had just turned 19.  I simply assumed most people would question my age, and thus, my advice.  After all, I haven’t lived as long as many of you who are reading this right now.

I did, however, manage to break my own limiting beliefs by sharing quality information and using my fresh personal experiences to my advantage.  Just last week a friend from the speakers club I go to came up to me and said, “I love your website, but how do you do it?  Where do you get all of your insight from?  I’m 40 and I haven’t even come to some of these realizations yet.”

At the time, I had to give a quick answer and it probably wasn’t the best advice.  However, now that I’ve had more time to think about it, there are certain principles I follow that have allowed me to generate loads of new ideas and insights in a relatively short timeframe.  I’ve come to realize that ideas don’t tend to just ‘come’ to me, but instead there are clear-cut actions I take to produce them.

For a little boost of creativity and insight, follow these 5 steps.

Think Before You Sleep

Although you may not be aware of it it, even when you’re sleeping your brain continues to process and evaluate your ideas and thoughts.  Throughout history, famous figures like Napoleon have stated that they focus on their problems just before they sleep, and tend to have an answer when they wake up.

As soon as I read about this, I instantly remembered how many times I had solved an issue of mine just minutes after waking up.  The stresses of our daily routine can sometimes get in the way of our creativity, but if we focus on our thoughts, ideas, and insights minutes before bedtime, our subconscious mind will ponder it all while we rest.

Don’t Let Your Beliefs Limit You

I thoroughly believe that at times we stall on executing excellent ideas and solutions simply because we think they are too obvious or too easy.  We think about it too much and convince ourselves that it’s silly or not worth it.  At other times we doubt the fact that we are even capable of coming up with good ideas nobody else has thought of yet.

If you let your beliefs limit you, like I almost did by telling myself that I was too young, then these beliefs will always hold you back.  Realize that you are a unique person with the ability to create and conjure ideas that no human has had before you.

Read Relevant Books

Truth be told, I’ve never been a big reader… at least not until the last year or so.  In the last 12 months I’ve probably read more books than I did during the previous 18 years of my life.  So it’s no coincidence that I’m now coming up with more practical insights than I had in the past.

It’s been said that you can become very knowledgeable about something just by reading 3 quality books on the subject.  Of course, it also helps if you concentrate on reading books that pertain to subjects you have an interest in.  If you enjoy personal development, then two books I highly recommend are Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz and The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

Remember, humans have been around for thousands of years.  There’s lots of excellent information out there to digest.

Take and Review Notes

I think this is the most important habit of all.  Think of a book or great article that you read in the last year.  My guess is that you can remember some of the key points, but you’ve probably also completely forgotten numerous pages of useful information.  Whenever I read a quality book, I either take notes at the time or go back through it and highlight my favorite points.  I then review these points regularly until I have them ingrained in my mind.

This doesn’t apply to reading only.  You’ll probably find that some of your best ideas come when you are doing something completely unrelated to the idea itself.  In such cases, it’s wise to carry a small notebook or smart phone around with you so you can record your ideas on the go.

My Google Docs account is literally flooded with high quality notes from a number of my favorite authors and my own personal experiences.  I tend to look through these notes when I need inspiration or just to refresh my memory.

Maintain an Open Mind to New Information

If you adopt the position that you know everything about a subject then you’ll obviously never come up with any new insights about it.  Additionally, if you are too shortsighted to see that some of your current beliefs may be mistaken, then you are completely inhibiting your peronal growth potential.

Instead, be open-minded and realize that there will always be more for you to learn.  Of course, you don’t have to accept every new piece of information that comes your way, but at least evaluate it properly before discarding it.

Conclusion

I believe everyone, regardless of age or background, can come up with new ideas and excellent insights.  You just need to know how to harness them.

Glen Allsopp writes for a blog called PluginID on the subject of personal development.  He also teaches people how they can be who they want to be through personality development.

Photo by: Stephen Poff

The subject of her email reads “CRISIS.”  I could tell she hastily wrote it in a state of desperation, since it’s filled with misspellings, flighty run-on sentences, and profanity.  A premise of self-doubt bleeds from every single line.  All of which caught me off-guard, because it isn’t like her to be so pessimistic.

Lost at 25

Like most college freshman, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life.  But during our sophomore year, she developed a love for mathematics and chose her major accordingly.  She scored so well in her undergraduate math classes that the university offered her a full scholarship to their master’s degree program.  She gladly accepted.  And just last year, while working as an assistant math professor, she decided to pursue her Ph.D.

She told me she loved her work.  She actually used the phrase “life is good” last time I saw her.  I remember this because it made me smile.  But that was 4 months ago… and apparently things have changed since then.

Now she says she wasted 6 years of her life.  Because she doesn’t want to be a mathematician anymore.  But she doesn’t know what she wants.  She just says she feels alone, confused, and lost at 25.

I Stay Silent

I meet her at a local pub.  There’s already an empty cocktail glass on the bar in front of her.  And she has dark bags under her glassy eyes.  She looks like she hasn’t slept in days.  But when she sees me, she smirks and gives me a hug.

Without delay, she spills her heart, and some tears, about everything.  Emotions pour out of her for nearly 30 minutes.  And I listen.  She says she’s lonely and unhappy.  She says her and her boyfriend just broke up.  And she’s sure she ruined it, because she didn’t spend enough time with him.  Because she was busy with mathematics… teaching it, grading it, and studying for more of it.  She pleads for some advice.

I tell her to slow down, to breathe, and to listen to herself and find herself.  Not the self that’s in a panic, or emotionally absorbed in a failed relationship.  But the self that loves mathematics, and her students, and is proud to be an independent woman… free to seek new directions.  She asks me how.  “How do I find that self again?  How do I reestablish my direction?”

And there’s so much I want to say.  Because I want to give her real, logical advice that will enable her to find what she so desperately seeks.  But I stay silent.  And she stares into my eyes, patiently waiting and anticipating the advice I’m about to dispense.

Instead, I reach for her hand and maintain my silence.  As I’ve lived long enough to know that, other than telling her to slow down and breathe, there’s no logical advice to give.  Because sometimes life defies logic, especially in delicate personal situations like the one she’s dealing with now.

Uniquely Ours

I’ve seen young, rocky relationships develop into wonderful marriages, and fleeting inspirations ignite a lifetime of passion and happiness.  Our life stories, like the answers we give to long essay questions, are uniquely ours.  What she wants to know is already somewhere inside of her.  She just needs time to think, and be, and breathe…  And continue to explore the undirected journeys that will eventually help her find her direction.

Photo by: Light Knight

You aren’t wealthy until you have something money can’t buy.
- Garth Brooks

• A First Kiss from Someone Special – The sweet rush of butterflies in your tummy when you kiss someone special for the very first time.
• The Realization of True Love – The warm feeling you get many years after your first kiss when you realize you married the right person.
• Beauty – Because beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
• True Friendship – Through thick and thin, they stood by your side.  They were there when you had nothing but them.
• Peace of Mind – It can only be acquired with an honest heart.
• Beginner’s Eyes – You’ll never see it again for the very first time.
• The Joy of Telling an Interesting True Story – One of the most enticing roles we lead in life is that of a storyteller.  There are few things more satisfying than telling a true story that others enjoy listening to.
• Happiness – True happiness is achieved by doing what you love and being involved in something you believe in.
• Success – Success is simply excelling at doing what you love.
• A Single Moment of Time – Once it’s gone, it’s gone.  Don’t miss it.
• A Baby’s Laughter – Babies don’t care about money.  They care about kindness, love, and living in the moment.
• Surprise Encounters with Long-Lost Friends – You haven’t seen them in years, and you figured you’d probably never see them again.  Then suddenly, there they are standing right in front of you.
• The Feeling of Self-Accomplishment – You set your sights on a specific goal and followed through until you achieved it.  Now that’s something to celebrate.
• The Sound of Raindrops Outside – …as you snuggle up on the couch.  Few sounds are more soothing.
• A Good, Genuine Conversation – Those moments of verbal bonding when the topic of conversation flows seamlessly and all parties involved gain as much as they put in.
• An Unexpected Compliment – It seems like just another dreary Monday afternoon, but then she walks into your office and says, “I love your shirt.  That color looks great on you.”
• The Feeling You Get When Your Idea Works – You’ve been struggling to resolve a complex problem all day, but you just can’t seem to get it right.  Filled with frustration, you decide to try one last idea before calling it a night.  You’ve had many ideas before that failed miserably… but this time it works.
• Randomly Hearing Your Favorite Song – You’re stuck in bumper to bumper rush hour traffic, so you crank on a radio station for a little distraction.  The opening notes to your favorite song instantly chime in.
• Watching a Live Blooper Unfold in Front of You – As you walk alongside a friend, she trips over her own feet, wobbles erratically, regains her balance, and then tries to play it off like nothing happened.  Hilarious!
• A Sunny Sunday Afternoon – The birds are chirping, a light breeze in blowing through your hair, and the sun’s rays are warming your cheeks.
• The Rush of Adolescent Love – Those magical moments of adolescent lust and affection that only you and one other person rightly remember.
• Being In The Right Place at The Right Time – You’re sitting in the nosebleed seats at a professional baseball game.  The home team batter cranks a monstrous, game-winning home run.  The ball bounces off another fan’s glove two seats in front of you and lands right in your lap.
• The Recollection of Great Childhood Memories – Do you remember the first time you learned to ride a bike?  What about wrestling with your dad?  Or climbing trees with your friends?
• Reminiscing About Old Times with Your Best Friend – Those crazy life experiences only the two of you lived through together.  Like that wild 24 hour road trip to Atlanta, or that drunken night on the 3rd floor balcony of your college apartment.
• Passion – True wealth comes naturally to those who follow their hearts.  You can’t pay someone to be emotionally passionate about something.  Nor can you pay them to psychologically give-up on their passions.
• Objects of Sentimental Value – Old family photos, your great grandmother’s music box, that painting your baby brother made for you… some things are priceless.
• The Comfort of an Old Familiar Smell – You just pulled into your parent’s driveway after being away for a long while.  You smell familiarity in the air, the scent of the pine tree in the neighbor’s yard.  As you head through the front door, more familiar smells consume your senses.  Gosh, it feels good to be home.
• The Hilarity of an Inside Joke – You’ll never get it unless you were there at its inception.
• Amazing Talents You Are Born With – Like the mind of a genius or the voice of an angel.
• The Excitement of Making Someone Else Smile – Because her smile makes you smile back.
• Exercising Your 5 Senses – Sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.  Each provides a gateway to rewarding personal experiences.
• Sharing a Good Laugh with Friends and Family – Some of the most memorable moments in your life will be moments spent in laughter.
• The Warm Coziness of Your Own Bed – No bed is more comfortable than your own.
• Watching Wild Animals in Nature – Like a hawk gracefully soaring above the tree line, or a deer prancing across a grassy field.
• A Home – Money can buy a house, but not a home.  Because home is where the heart is.
• Waking Up to the Smell of a Home Cooked Meal – You were still asleep, but someone special knew you’d be hungry soon.
• The Peaceful Sound of Absolute Silence – Shhhhh…
• Streams of Consciousness and Clarity – You’re ‘in the zone!’  Act while your mind is hot.
• The Sound of a Light Breeze Through the Trees – It’s the sound of Mother Nature all around you.
• The Captivating Experience of People Watching – The interesting (and sometimes foolish) things people do never ceases to please.  You can’t buy this quality of entertainment.
• Watching the Sunrise and Sunset with Your Beloved – Make time for this.  It’s worth it.
• The Sound and Sight of Ocean Waves – Another phenomenal act of Mother Nature.
• The ‘Pump’ After a Great Workout – You feel like you can conquer the world.
• The Blissful Act of Daydreaming – Just being… and thinking… and dreaming.
• When She Says “I Love You” - …and you know she means it because you can read the sincerity in her eyes.
• When an Unlikely Someone Remembers Your Birthday – A friend you haven’t seen in over a month calls you at 9AM on your birthday just to say “happy birthday.”
• Finding Something You Thought You’d Lost Forever – You searched for it for days and finally gave up.  Now, six months later, it basically appears right in front of you.
• The Inspiration Behind Creative Works of Art – Every piece of art is priceless in the eyes of someone who can relate to it.  The creative inspiration behind these works of art is no different.
• When Your Pet Snuggles Up Next to You – It’s just soooo cute.
• A Moment of Eye Contact with an Attractive Stranger – You’ve never seen them before, and you may never see them again.  But a moment was shared.
• A Long Hug from a Loved One – Those deep, warm hugs you wish you could nestle in forever.
• Happily Singing at The Top of Your Lungs – Well… You know you make me wanna shout! Kick my heels up and shout! Throw my hands up and shout! Throw my head back and shout! Come on now… Shout!
• Seeing Your Breath on a Chilly Night – A simple phenomenon that has entertained children since the beginning of mankind.
• The Feeling of Acceptance – You’re now a part of something greater… and it feels good.
• Watching the Clouds Form Cool Shapes – Never the same show twice.
• Cuddling a Newborn Baby – Precious… simply precious.
• When You Know You Can Trust Someone – You can see it in their eyes and you can feel it in your heart.  They have no ulterior motive.
• Sitting Around a Bonfire with Your Friends – One of the greatest settings for reminiscing and storytelling with those your care about.
• Seeing Two Elderly Folks Who are Madly in Love – It’s a sight of love that has surpassed the tests of time.
• The Beauty of a Moonlit Sky – Few simple pleasures are more satisfying than gazing up into a starry, moonlit sky.
• The Awesomeness of Skipping Rocks Across Water – It doesn’t matter how old you get, this one never gets old.
• Watching Lightning in the Distance – Peaceful and powerful at the same time.
• Slow Dancing in Your Living Room - Dancing is like dreaming with your feet. -Constanze
• Knowing She’ll Be There When You Get Back – Yes.  There is stability in your life.  And she’s a big part of it.
• Watching Her Sleep – Just being with her and breathing with her.
• The Colors of Fall – It’s Mother Nature’s artwork.
• People Who Make You Smile Just by Thinking of Them – Wherever I am, no matter what I’m doing, just thinking of her makes me smile.
• The Warm Touch of Your Beloved – It’s the touch no one else has.
• When You Realize People Are Reading What You Write – Words can’t explain it.  Thank you.
• The Excitement of a New Comment on Your Blog – We love these. 

Can you think of anything else money can’t buy?  Leave us a comment and let us know about it.

Additional Inspirational Reading Material and Sources:

• The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
• Excuses Begone! How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits
• Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist
• The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.

Photo by: Mohammadali

She rarely makes eye contact.  Instead, she looks down at the ground.  Because the ground is safer.  Because unlike people, it expects nothing in return.  She doesn’t have to feel ashamed.  The ground just accepts her for who she is.

As she sits at the bar next to me, she stares down at her vodka tonic, and then the ground, and then her vodka tonic.  “Most people don’t get me,” she says.  “They ask me questions like, ‘What’s your problem?’ or ‘Were you beaten as a child?’  But I never respond.  Because I don’t feel like explaining myself.  And I don’t think they really care anyway.”

Just then, a young man sits down at the bar on the opposite side of her.  He’s a little drunk, and says, “You’re pretty.  May I buy you a drink?”  She stays silent and looks back down at the ground.  After an awkward moment, he accepts the rejection, gets up, and walks away.

“Would you prefer that I leave too?” I ask.  “No,” she says without glancing upward.  “But I could use some fresh air.  You don’t have to come, but you can if you want to.”  I follow her outside and we sit on a street curb in front of the bar.

“Brrr… It’s a chilly night!”

“Tell me about it,” she says while maintaining her normal downward gaze.  The warm vapor from her breath cuts through the cold air and bounces off of the ground in front of her.  “So why are you out here with me?  I mean, wouldn’t you rather be inside in the warmth, talking to normal people about normal things?”

“I’m out here because I want to be.  Because I’m not normal.  And look, I can see my breath, and we’re in San Diego.  That’s not normal either.  Oh, and you’re wearing old Airwalk shoes, and so am I…  Which may have been normal in 1994, but not anymore.”

She glances up at me and smirks, this time exhaling her breath upward into the moonlight.  “I see your ring.  You’re married, right?”

“Yeah,” I reply.

“Well, you’re off the market… and safe, I guess.  So can I tell you a story?”  I nod my head.

As she speaks, her emotional gaze shifts from the ground, to my eyes, to the moonlit sky, to the ground, and back to my eyes again.  This rotation continues in a loop for the duration of her story.  And every time her eyes meet mine she holds them there for a few seconds longer than she did during the previous rotation.

I don’t interject once.  I listen to every word.  And I assimilate the raw emotion present in the tone of her voice and in the depth of her eyes.

When she finishes, she says, “Well now you know my story.  You think I’m a freak, don’t you?”

“Place your right hand on your chest,” I tell her.  She does.  “Do you feel something?” I ask.

“Yeah, I feel my heartbeat.”

“Now place both of your hands on your face and move them around slowly.”  She does.  “What do you feel now?” I ask.

“Well, I feel my eyes, my nose, my mouth… I feel my face.”

“That’s right,” I reply.  “But unlike you, stories don’t have heartbeats, and they don’t have faces.  Because stories are not alive… they’re not people.  They’re just stories.”

She stares into my eyes for a prolonged moment, smiles and says, “Just stories we live through.”

“Yeah…  And stories we learn from.”

Photo by: Sean McGrath

It is not length of life, but depth of life.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Because there is a big difference between living and merely existing…

• Educate yourself until the day you die. – The time and energy you invest in your education will change your life.  You are a product of what you know.  The more knowledge you acquire, the more control you have over your life.
• Take good care of your body. – Your body is the greatest tool you’ll ever own.  It impacts every step you take and every move you make.  Nourish it, exercise it, and rest it.
• Spend as much time as possible with the people you love. – Human beings are emotional creatures.  Family and close friends makeup the core of your emotional support system.  The more you nurture them, the more they will nurture you.
• Be a part of something you believe in. – This could be anything.  Some people take an active role in their local city council, some find refuge in religious faith, some join social clubs supporting causes they believe in, and others find passion in their careers.  In each case the psychological outcome is the same.  They engage themselves in something they strongly believe in.  This engagement brings happiness and meaning into their lives.
• Excel at what you do. – There’s no point in doing something if you aren’t going to do it right.  Excel at your work and excel at your hobbies.  Develop a reputation for yourself, a reputation for consistent excellence.
• Live below your means. – Live a comfortable life, not a wasteful one.  Do not spend to impress others.  Do not live life trying to fool yourself into thinking wealth is measured in material objects.  Manage your money wisely so your money does not manage you.  Always live well below your means.
• Be self-sufficient. – Freedom is the greatest gift.  Self-sufficiency is the greatest freedom.
• Build a comfortable, loving household. – Home is where the heart is.  Your home should be comfortable and lined with love.  It should be a place that brings the whole family together.
• Always be honest with yourself and others. – Living a life of honesty creates peace of mind, and peace of mind is priceless.
• Respect elders.  Respect minors.  Respect everyone. – There are no boundaries or classes that define a group of people that deserve to be respected.  Treat everyone with the same level of respect you would give to your grandfather and the same level of patience you would have with your baby brother.
• Mix it up.  Try different things. – Seek as many new life experiences as possible and be sure to share them with the people you love.  After all, your life’s story is simply a string of experiences.  The more experiences you have, the more interesting your story gets.
• Take full ownership of your actions. – Either you own up to your actions or your actions will ultimately own you.
• Over-deliver on all your promises. – Some people habitually make promises they are just barely able to fulfill.  They promise perfection and deliver mediocrity.  If you want to boost your personal value, do the exact opposite. Slightly under-sell your capabilities so that you’re always able to over-deliver.  It will seem to others like you’re habitually going above and beyond the call of duty.
• Listen more.  Talk less. – The more you listen and the less you talk, the more you will learn and the less you will miss.
• Focus more on less. – Think in terms of Karate: A black belt seems far more impressive than a brown belt.  But does a brown belt really seem any more impressive than a red belt?  Probably not to most people.  Remember that society elevates experts high onto a pedestal.  Hard work matters, but not if it’s scattered in diverse directions.  Focus on less and master it all.
• Exploit the resources you do have access to. – The average person is usually astonished when they see a physically handicap person show intense signs of emotional happiness.  How could someone in such a restricted physical state be so happy?  The answer rests in how they use the resources they do have.  Stevie Wonder couldn’t see, so he exploited his sense of hearing into a passion for music, and he now has 25 Grammy Awards to prove it.
• Savor the natural joys of simple pleasures. – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the best things in life are free.  They come in the form of simple pleasures and they appear right in front of you at various locations and arbitrary times.  They are governed by Mother Nature and situational circumstance and captured by mindful awareness.  It’s all about taking a moment to notice the orange and pink sunset reflecting off the pond water as you hold hands with someone you love.  Noticing these moments and taking part in them regularly will bring unpredictable bursts of happiness into your life.
• Reflect on your goals and direction. – Not doing so is committing to wasteful misdirection.  The process of self reflection helps maintain a conscious awareness of where you’ve been and where you intend to go, giving you the ability to realign your trajectory when necessary.
• Leave time for spontaneous excursions. – Sometimes opportunity knocks at unexpected times.  Make sure you have enough flexibility in your schedule to respond accordingly.
• Be here now. – Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you.  Right now is life.  Don’t miss it.

Additional Reading Material and Sources:

• Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives
• The Life You Were Born to Live: A Guide to Finding Your Life Purpose
• The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It
• The 4-Hour Workweek - Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere

Photo by: Shoothead

Six years ago he walked into my dorm room on the verge of tears.

“I can’t take it anymore!” he groaned.  “I’m just running in place!  I aim. I sprint. I leap.  I fall.  I get nowhere.  Nowhere!”

His desperate eyes stared into mine, hoping… searching for an answer.

His Story

He has dreamed of pursuing a career in software engineering since he was a kid.  “Businesses worldwide will rely on my code someday,” he used to tell his computer programming teacher in high school.  Now, as a junior enrolled in computer science at a reputable university, he finally has a clear shot at making his dream a reality.

He wakes up every morning filled with excitement and positive intentions.  Studying is actually the first thing that crosses his mind.  “I’ve got to get that chapter read,” he tells himself.  But first he needs to grab some Starbucks and a muffin.  “Okay, now I’m ready.”

He sits down at his desk and cracks open the book Agile Software Development.  The phone rings.  It’s Jen, a good friend he met in his sophomore English class.  “Lunch today?  Yeah, I could do that.  How’s noon sound?  Perfect.  See you then.”  Before he sits back down to read, he remembers that he skipped his workout yesterday.  “A quick workout will only take forty-five minutes and it will energize my mind for a few hours of diligent studying,” he thinks to himself.  He puts his sneakers on, grabs his iPod and heads over to the campus gym.

When he returns from the gym, he takes a shower and is once again ready to read.  “Chapter 1:  Welcome to the power of agile software development.  This book is divided into…”  “Ah, crap!  I forgot to email my mother those photos I promised her.  Heck, it will only take a second.”  He quickly fires-up his laptop and logs into Gmail.  Before he has time to send the email, he gets an IM from an old high school buddy, Danny, whom he hasn’t spoken to in six months.  After a forty minute chat session, he sends the email to his mother and returns to the book.

He glances up at the wall clock and realizes he has to leave in thirty minutes to meet Jen for lunch.  “Gosh, it’s pointless to get into the groove of a focused study session for just thirty measly minutes,” he says aloud.  He convinces himself that it’s in his best interest to save the reading for after lunch.  So he logs into Facebook, replies to a few messages from his friends and then heads off to meet Jen.  Once he returns from lunch an hour and a half later, he feels exhausted.  The post-meal grogginess is kicking in hard.  “All I need is another round of Starbucks and I’ll be ready.”  He hustles out to grab it.

As he sits down at his desk with a fresh cup of coffee he repeats the word “focus” over and over as a mantra in his mind.  He cracks the book back open.  “Chapter 1:  Welcome to the power of agile software development.  This book is divided into…”  But then his neighbor knocks on his door.  “Turn on the Local 6 news channel!  The college apartment complex down the street is on fire!” his neighbor chants.  He thinks about it for a second, puts the book down and clicks on the television.  “This should only take a second…”

And another day comes closer to an end.

Her Story

She gets up early every morning, grabs her soccer ball, and heads outside before she even washes her face, or eats, or pees.  She juggles the ball between her feet nonstop until she achieves a continuous count of fifty.  An old high school coach once told her that Mia Hamm (the greatest female soccer player ever) used to do this.  When she’s done, she gears-up for the day, grabs a glass of milk and a protein bar, and heads off to soccer practice.

Sometimes she catches up with me after practice, just before our 9 A.M. Economics class.  I love it when she does, because her positive attitude is contagious.   Her eyes always radiate with contentment and verve.  In the few minutes before class we usually philosophize about our lives, our ambitions, and our relationships.  For instance, today she said, “It’s all about balance.  We’ve got to somehow mesh our long-term goals with our momentary pleasures.”  She always explains herself clearly until she’s confident that I understand her point of view.

Once class starts, she’s silent, entirely focused on the professor’s lecture.  Her notes are more diligent than most.  And although she rarely raises her hand, when she does, her question or comment usually brings a respectful smile to the professor’s face.

Outside of class, I seldom see her during the day.  She locks herself away in her dorm room, or in the library, or on the soccer field.  She reads, writes, learns, and practices.  She conditions her mind and her body with perpetual vigor.

Once or twice a week, when she actually takes a break, she’ll call me at lunchtime.  She usually goes off on a short tangent about something she’s recently learned or experienced that excites her.  And she always finishes by saying, “I’ll fill you in on the details later.”  Because she knows I’m interested in hearing them.  Because she mindfully extracts interesting details from data sources… details that most of us miss.

After a little nourishment, she gets back to work.  Pages turn.  Notes are taken.  Keys on her laptop click repeatedly.  And she carries forth until her vision blurs.  When it does, she gets up, juggles her soccer ball to a count of twenty, and refocuses herself on her work.  Again she forges ahead for another couple of hours until her brain has trouble focusing and her belly aches with hunger.  Then she swings by my dorm room.

It’s pretty late now, and both of us are done with whatever we’ve been working on.  So we head out for a bite to eat.  She fills me in on her day and speaks enthusiastically about the things that move her.  Sometimes it’s something new she learned.  Sometimes it’s an entrepreneurial idea.  Sometimes it’s soccer.  Or someone she met on campus.  Or a song she heard on the radio that inspires her.

When we finish eating, she walks back to her dorm room.  She thinks, or reads poetry, or listens to music, or works on the novel she’s been leisurely writing for the last few months.  When her eyes finally get heavy, she snuggles into her bed and falls blissfully asleep in an instant.

Satisfied with today.  Eager for tomorrow.

The Advice

When he walked into my dorm room that day, I told him about her, and how she lives her life.

And although we don’t talk as much as we used to, I received an email from him last night.  It was a cheerful email about the software company he started last year.  As it turns out, he just landed his first six-figure contract.

In the P.S. section of the email, he wrote:  “Do you remember that story you told me in college about the girl who played soccer?  Thank you.  That advice saved my life.”

Photo by: Kuzeytac

What do you call a painter who doesn’t paint?  Is a writer a writer if she doesn’t write?  If you don’t follow through with the things you want to do, are you really being you?

Think of all the tasks you want to get done, but haven’t yet started.  How much time has lapsed between the moment you decided to do them and now?  There is endless potential within you, but if you procrastinate, all this potential is lost.

Here are 28 proven anti-procrastination tips employed by some of the wisest bloggers I know.  Each tip links back to a source article containing additional insight.

1. Narrow the number of ventures you’re involved in. – “Productivity is not my challenge, narrowing the number of ventures to be productive in is.  Lately, I’ve been casting my net a bit too widely, with nearly a dozen projects and ventures.  Even when you have the knowledge and ability to access hyper-productive states, you get to a point where being simultaneously hyper-productive on too many fronts at once causes all activities to slow down, stand still and potentially even slide backward.” – via Jonathan Fields
2. Get ready, fire, and then aim. – “The idea isn’t to jump in headfirst without a shred of preparation. Rather, you:  Make some sort of draft plan, execute it, adjust and improve and then re-execute.  Before, I would sit in front of my laptop and wonder how exactly I was going to extract a stream of brilliance from my brain.  As you can perhaps imagine, this led to absolutely nothing.  I had no momentum, I was scared of writing crap, and I just kept sitting there plotting possible sentences in my mind with my fingers motionless on the keyboard.  On the other hand, when I write regularly, I gradually learn what works and what doesn’t.  I go back and edit, and I constantly try new things.  But none of this can happen unless you spit it out.  Whatever you’re creating, launching, or giving birth to, just make it and get it out there.” – via Essential Prose
3. Always be doing one thing. – “The trick to flowing with the stuck instead of fighting with the stuck is to make the process conscious.  Every time you move from one room to the next, you can take something with you that needs to go somewhere else.  Straighten one towel.  Throw something (one thing) out.  Doing that one thing keeps you in the process and makes it conscious.  Plus, all those “one little things” add up and you actually get to see changes fairly quickly.  When you catch yourself in procrastination, you want to always be doing one thing to make the unconscious conscious.” – via The Fluent Self
4. Make it crappy, but make it now! – “Pick a topic or idea - it doesn’t matter which one - and start doing something with it.  If you’re a writer, commit to picking a topic and write 300 words about it.  If you’re a designer, commit to free-handing the frame of the idea in your head.  If you’re a painter, start the broad strokes on the canvas.  If you’re a coder, define a problem or function and code the solution.  Whatever you do, create something in the real world today, right now, for an hour. Make it crappy, but make it. You don’t have to keep it, love it, or share it, and you can undo anything that you’ve done.  But you can’t undo or get back the time you’ve spent creating fictions for yourself.” – via Productive Flourishing
5. At first, just don’t add anything new to the pile. – “On their own, each is a pretty big project and perhaps Cat hasn’t been able to face finishing other projects in the past because the sheer size of projects overwhelms her.  She could accept help organizing the office and maybe get the whole thing done in a day, but would anything change?  Not likely because for Cat the challenge is dealing with projects that don’t begin and end right away.  So, Cat’s going to take the office organizing slowly and the first (and only!) thing she’s going to do is not add to the pile. Each day at the end of the day she’ll look at her desk and ask herself if she has added to the disorder. And if she has, she will take the time to do something with what she’s added.” – via Someday Syndrome
6. Realize the long-term consequences of not doing it. – “Your time is now.  Your spouse might briefly hate you if you go for it, but over the next 5 years she’ll come to resent you even more after you’ve become jaded, passionless, and have lost your way.  There is no price too great for freedom.  There is no price too great to pay for coming alive.  And if you don’t do it now, you probably never will.  You know the thing you’ve been putting off the longest?  That thing you’ve been procrastinated for the last 10 years?  That’s the thing you need to start doing today.  That’s the thing you need to start before going to bed tonight.  I can’t tell you it will be safe.  But doing things you have to do because you’re afraid of the alternative, that’s the quickest way to lose respect, not just the respect of your spouse and children and everyone who believes in you or once belied in you – but also your self-respect.” – via Finance Your Freedom
7. Decide to make a decision. – “In short, it’s the decision to make a decision that is the primal force.  This has been preached to us by go-getters from the very dawn of human history, I’m sure.  Although I can only speak for myself, I think it’s overcoming the uncertainty of the task – that is, an unbounded and open question – that prevents me from feeling that it’s doable right now.” – via David Seah
8. Free-up some extra time. – “I won this ticket today, and when I told the people I knew about it, I got so many emails from people saying, ‘Seth Godin?  Oh my God, I LOVE him!  He always answers my emails, even the stupid ones.’  So I asked him: ‘You’ve got the blog and you’ve got Tribes and you’ve got book readers and you’ve got people just writing to ask for help.  How do you find the time?’  His answer?  He doesn’t watch TV and he doesn’t go to meetings.  Frees up about six hours.  He says he answers about 200 emails a day, which over the course of the year equals a little over 70,000 emails.” – via IttyBiz
9. Remove yourself into a place of loneliness. – “When it’s properly harnessed, loneliness can be good fodder for creativity.  The creating of something meaningful (in my case, words) rarely comes naturally, but when you channel your energy into making it happen, loneliness fades into the background.  The times when we successfully harness loneliness into creativity are almost always highly rewarding.  Last fall I stayed up all night in Colombo, Sri Lanka, writing the manuscript for the Working for Yourself guide.  At breakfast the following morning, I sat outside the Galle Face Hotel and edited the final draft while looking out at the ocean.  Having overcome the lure of procrastination and the fatigue of travel, I had a good feeling when I finished.  It doesn’t always work out that way, but it happens often enough that I know it’s worth trying for.” – via The Art of Nonconformity
10. Tell a large number of people you’ll do it. – “Trap yourself.  If you’ve made a commitment to a lot of people then the shame of saying you didn’t try will outweigh the effort of doing it.” – via Copyblogger 
11. Prioritize and then focus accordingly. – “Feeling overwhelmed is a horrible feeling and one we tend to try our utmost to avoid.  The fact that a lot of people turn to their good friend Mr. Procrastination to deal with such feelings doesn’t help either, for obvious reasons.  Probably the easiest way to deal with feeling overwhelmed for the majority of people is to chunk down.  You have to ease the feelings that are brought on by having too much to do.” – via The Discomfort Zone
12. Maintain a weekly list of the things you didn’t do. – “I made a list of activities on which I have been procrastinating.  I plan to take one off every week depending upon how much time this would take.  Adding meta-tags, setting correct categories and tagging top the list.  In order to ensure that this procrastination does not happen again, I plan to list out everything that I procrastinate on and add a star to everything that is a repeat in a weekly review.  This way, those activities which are most procrastinated, will stand out and become high priority.” – via Blogging Without A Blog 
13. Breathe.  Center yourself.  Then attack. – You will not accomplish much when you’re in a flustered state of mind.  “Do you find yourself rushing a lot in your life? Juggling kids and domestic chores with clients and endless To-Do lists?  Working on goals, assessing your ‘performance’, judging your life against some perfect blueprint for happiness rather than actually stopping to enjoy the happiness you have?” – via SHE-POWER (more…)
    ]]> http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/04/03/28-ways-to-slay-the-delay/feed/ http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/30/the-blissful-art-of-being-and-breathing/ http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/30/the-blissful-art-of-being-and-breathing/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:48:40 +0000 Marc http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/30/the-blissful-art-of-being-and-breathing/

    We must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind us to the fact
    that each moment of life is a miracle and a mystery.
    - H. G. Wells

    One warm evening nine years ago…

    After spending nearly every waking minute with Angel for eight straight days, I knew that I had to tell her just one thing.  So late at night, just before she fell asleep, I whispered it in her ear.  She smiled… the kind of smile that makes me smile back.  And she said, “When I’m seventy-five, and I think about my life and what it was like to be young, I hope that I can remember this very moment.”

    A few seconds later she closed her eyes and fell asleep.  The room was peaceful… almost silent.  All I could hear was the soft purr of her breathing.  I stayed awake thinking about the time we’d spent together and all the choices in our lives that made this moment possible.  And at some point, I realized that it didn’t matter what we’d done or where we’d gone.  Nor did the future hold any significance.

    All that mattered was the serenity of the moment.

    Just being with her and breathing with her.

    Photo by: FotoRita

    ]]> http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/30/the-blissful-art-of-being-and-breathing/feed/ http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/26/a-miracle-cure-for-stress/ http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/26/a-miracle-cure-for-stress/#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2009 05:03:21 +0000 Marc http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/26/a-miracle-cure-for-stress/

    This guest post was written by Mary Jaksch, the author of Goodlife ZEN.

    Do you feel like life is accelerating?  Maybe you look back at the last five years and wonder where time went.  It may even feel as if all that’s left is stress – without moments of joy and peace.

    I must admit, I also feel like this sometimes.  But when I do, I reach for the miracle cure.  This miracle cure doesn’t come in a bottle.  We can’t buy it.

    We already have the cure for stress within us.

    I’m talking about the miracle of ‘Now’.  It’s quite amazing.  When we enter the ‘Now’ and become present - even just for a moment - stress dissolves.

    How can we become present?

    Awareness is the key to becoming present.  We often confuse awareness with concentration, but these two mind-states are very different.  Concentration is like a narrow beam of light shining on a task.

    Awareness is the soft, full light of attention.

    The word ‘attend’ implies that there is tenderness at work… that we are seeing with our heart.  Attention means paying tender regard to the beasts and birds, neighbors, coffee cups and pencil sharpeners.  When we pay tender regard to the dishes, even dish-washing becomes a joy.

    Toni Packer, a contemporary meditation master says:

    Attention comes from nowhere. It has no cause. It belongs to no-one.
    When it functions effortlessly, there is no duality.

    What she’s saying is that when we’re attending to the present moment, we lose the sharp distinction between the self locked in this skin-bag, and the world outside.

    When we attend in this way, we feel the world open. And we make friends with our body.

    Suddenly we become fully aware of the tenseness in our shoulders, the little bubble of hope in our mind, or the haze of sadness in our heart.  And with this awareness we find that people are friendlier and cats purr louder.

    Paying tender regard is simple, but not easy.

    We need to stay steady in the face of our changing moods and the stimuli bombarding our senses.

    What’s the connection with stress?

    When we are stressed, our mind is split.  One part is firmly focused on whatever is pressing in upon us, while the other part is giving minimal attention to whatever tasks need to be done quickly in the meantime.

    Let me give you an example.  Imagine that you are late for work and you are rushing around your home in preparation to leave.  If a loved one starts telling you something important about what they are going to do today, how much of your attention is going to be focused on what they are telling you?  Not much, I would think.

    When we become present, we stop being preoccupied.  In the space that opens for a moment, we can breathe deeply and listen deeply.  For a moment, stress slips off our shoulders.  And we can learn to have more and more moments of peacefulness in our life.

    A student of mine wrote:

    Each moment is a new opportunity.  The next one is as fresh and full of promise as the thousand before that you missed, and it is completely empty of any judgment whatsoever.  Nothing is carried over that you take with you.  You don’t have to pass a good-person exam before you enter, it is totally unconditional.  It’s as if it is saying… “Okay, so you missed me the last ten thousand moments, but look!  Here I am again… and again… and again!” And you are welcomed with open arms.

    Here’s how to take the miracle medicine:

    There is a very simple way to become present.  And the great thing is that the more you practice it, the easier it becomes.  You can try it right now.

    Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth.  Listen to the sounds around you and feel the ground under your feet.  As soon as you are present, gently touch your thumb and forefinger together on each hand.

    This light touch is the trigger that can help you access the present moment, and escape stress.

    Whenever you feel stressed, stop for a moment, take one deep breath, and touch your thumbs and forefingers together.

    Mary Jaksch is an author, Zen Master, and psychotherapist.  Enjoy reading her posts on Goodlife ZEN and follow her on Twitter.

    Photo by: Chris Gin

    ]]> http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/26/a-miracle-cure-for-stress/feed/ http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/24/what-is-the-value-of-an-hour/ http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/24/what-is-the-value-of-an-hour/#comments Tue, 24 Mar 2009 06:03:08 +0000 Marc http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/24/what-is-the-value-of-an-hour/

    It was almost midnight on an idle Tuesday and the hospital hallways were unusually calm.  I had just finished reading an old issue of Sports Illustrated from cover to cover.  “Waiting sucks,” I thought to myself.  “Why didn’t I bring a book?”

    As I sat quietly with my eyes closed, I could vaguely hear the soft mumbles of a verbal plea going on in the hospital room beside me.  “You’ve kept him waiting long enough!  My grandson is here!  Oh please, let him in.”  More mumbling… “Please, please… nurse, bring him to me.”

    A moment later the nurse stormed out of the room and looked startled to see me waiting in the hall.  “Oh, you’re here!” he yelped.  “I’m sorry.  I’m a hospice nurse and I’ve only been watching over your grandmother for the last 24 hours.  She insisted that you were coming to visit her last night too, so she had me scouring the hospital halls looking for you to no avail.  When she told me you were coming again this evening, I assumed her dementia was getting the best of her.”

    “Well, I…”

    He interrupted me.  “But I’m really glad you’re here.  I think she’s been holding on just so she could say goodbye to you.  It’s actually miraculous that she’s still able to speak, because her body is rapidly shutting down on her.  The doctor gave her 24 hours to live about 24 hours ago.”

    “Jeez, that’s…”

    He interrupted again.  “Sir, once more, I’m truly sorry.  I had no idea you were out here waiting.  Please follow me.”

    I stood up and the nurse guided me into the room.  “You’re grandson is here,” he announced from the doorway.  The old woman’s eye’s lit up.  “Oh grace…  Oh joy!”  She looked right at me and smiled with all the might she had left in her weak body.  “I knew you’d come.”

    I sat down at her bedside and placed my hand over hers, interlocking our fingers and squeezing ever so slightly in an attempt to show affection.  She squeezed back and tried to speak again, but she was too exhausted.  Instead, she stared directly into my eyes and held her smile for several minutes as we continued to hold hands.  Finally, she closed her eyes and rested.

    For nearly an hour I didn’t move.  I sat there in silence as she maintained a soft grip on my hand.  Then slowly, her grip loosened and her breathing slowed.  For a moment I thought she was falling into a deeper sleep, but then her breathing stopped altogether.

    I let go of her lifeless hand and used the emergency call button to summon the nurse.  The nurse hustled in, covered the body with a white sheet, recorded a few notes on his clipboard, and then began to offer his condolences…

    “I’m really sorry for your loss,” he said.  “Have you made any funeral arrangements?”

    “I don’t even know her name,” I replied.

    “What do you mean?” he asked.  “She’s your grandmother.”

    “No, she’s not,” I assured him.  “Prior to stepping foot in this room, I had never met her before in my life.  I’m here at the hospital waiting for my roommate who needs a few stitches on his chin.”

    He looked confused.  “I don’t understand.  If you don’t know her, then why didn’t you say so?  And why did you sit beside her for the last hour?”

    I smiled.  “Well, I knew immediately that she wasn’t my grandmother.  But when you informed me of her life expectancy, I also knew that her real grandson wasn’t going to make it in time.  So curiosity got the best of me and I followed you into the room.  Then when she saw me and smiled, I realized her vision was so bad that she actually thought I was her grandson.  And knowing how desperate she was to see him, I decided to play the part and spend the hour with her.”

    We Determine the Value of Every Hour

    Our lives are measured by the value we provide to others.  This value arises from the things we spend our time doing.  And since time is quantified in hours, the value of our lives is equivalent to the sum of every hour we spend.

    Opportunities to provide value are everywhere.  Some of them are anticipated, while others blindside us at midnight on an idle Tuesday.  Whether or not we choose acknowledge these opportunities is up to us.

    How have you spent the last hour of your life?

    Photo by: Jah

    ]]> http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/24/what-is-the-value-of-an-hour/feed/ http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/19/i-will-do-one-thing-today-to-do-list/ http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/19/i-will-do-one-thing-today-to-do-list/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:07:06 +0000 Marc http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/19/i-will-do-one-thing-today-to-do-list/

    This morning I informed my colleagues that I had only one thing on my to-do list.  Two of them chuckled, a few of them rolled their eyes, but every one of them assumed I would spend most of my day slacking off.  They changed their minds, however, when our boss sent out a mass email this afternoon praising me for resolving a principal issue that my colleagues had been sidestepping all week long.

    In my boss’s eyes, the one thing on my to-do list was more important than the fifty other things my colleagues had accomplished during the same timeframe.

    A Commitment to One Thing a Day

    Some people spend 90% of their time organizing their time.  Some tackle to-do lists peppered with insignificance that stretch a mile long.  And still, there are others who refuse to do anything at all.

    As for me, I am committed to doing one thing a day, and that has made all the difference.

    The One Thing To-Do List

    What one thing will you do today?

    Get out a blank sheet of paper and a pen.  Write “I will do one thing today!” in big letters across the page.  Then list your one thing at the bottom.  It should look something like this:

    

    Make your own “I Will Do One Thing Today” to-do list every morning and get it done before you get sidetracked with unimportant stuff.

    Give the Gift of Simplicity

    Our friend Kit over at Pretty Bitter has taken the idea of a “one thing” to-do list a step further.  He has created 2×3 sticky notepads with the phrase “I will do one thing today.” pre-printed on each note.  Even better yet, they’re only $1.99.  They make great gifts for colleagues and friends.  Check them out!

    

    ]]> http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/19/i-will-do-one-thing-today-to-do-list/feed/ http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/16/top-40-ways-to-take-notes-online/ http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/16/top-40-ways-to-take-notes-online/#comments Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:38:32 +0000 Marc http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/16/top-40-ways-to-take-notes-online/

    Regular note-taking is one of the most productive habits a person can practice.  The ability to take notes online and access them anytime, from any location is priceless.  Over the last few years, I have personally tested nearly 100 different ways to do this.  Some of these note-taking systems are worth mentioning, and some are worth forgetting.

    Here are the systems worth mentioning… a list of 40 useful online note-taking techniques and web applications, categorized and listed in no particular order:

    Casual Online Note-Taking

    When your note-taking requirements call for speed and simplicity…

    • Gmail Yourself a Note – I used to do this several times a day.  If you have a smartphone with email access, this is one of the quickest and most basic ways to create an online note on the fly.  I setup a special “to-do list” Gmail label (folder) for storing and processing all of my notes.
    • Delicious-Tag a Note – Quite frequently we find articles online that remind us to do something, or inspire us to try something.  Tagging these articles with a “personal note” tag and entering an insightful comment in each bookmark’s “notes” area turns Delicious into a productive note-taking (and collaboration) tool.
    • Tweet a Note via Twitter – Create yourself a separate, private twitter account with protected updates strictly for note-taking purposes.  Direct-message notes to this private note-taking account from any Twitter client (via web, iPhone, etc.).
    • AyeNotes – A simple web application for taking and storing notes online.  AyeNotes’ key feature is its templating system for frequently used text strings.  Users type in shorthand versions of commonly used phrases that then automatically expand to complete entries.  Very useful for noting programmer-esque text snippets like CSS and HTML code.
    • Luminotes – This is one of my favorites.  It’s a simple and efficient personal wiki notebook.  The key feature of Luminotes is its ability to easily link one note or notebook to the next.  You can also attach small files to notes and share them with your friends.
    • Notefish – If you’re doing a lot of online research, Notefish is for you.  It’s a web application that allows you to take notes from portions of web pages by copying and pasting content into one handy online note page.  You can then organize the notes by moving them around, changing their colors and breaking them down into categories and titled subsections.
    • list.it – A pet project of MIT CSAIL researchers, list.it is a Firefox browser plug-in designed for simple, efficient online note-keeping.  Its key focus is on speed and simplicity.  If you register for their free sync service, your notes will be securely backed up online.  Also, if you install list.it on multiple computers, your notes will be mirrored to all of them.
    • Yahoo! Notepad – If you already have a Yahoo! account, you can give Yahoo! Notepad a try with your current login credentials.  It’s a very basic, straightforward online note-taking application.  Yahoo! also provides a widget front-end for Yahoo! Notepad.  This widget allows you to add, edit, organize and delete contacts from your Yahoo! Notepad directly from the widget.
    • 3tags – A simple online note manager that provides web users with a secure way to store and manage their personal information online.  Data security and user privacy are the key features.  In short, user data is encrypted before it is sent to and stored on 3tags’ servers.
    • WebNotes – With WebNotes you can highlight text and stick customized notes onto any web page.  All highlights and notes are cataloged and organized in folders within your WebNotes account.  Pages you take notes on can be shared through email or via online links.
    • TiddlyWiki – If you already run a web server and prefer to host your own note-taking service, TiddlyWiki is for you.  It’s a reusable non-linear personal web notebook that can be run locally or hosted on a web server.  It creates a single html file which has all the characteristics of a wiki, including all of the content, the functionality (editing, saving, tagging and searching).  My company used it as an online collaboration notebook for about 6 months during a product launch, and it worked well.
    • Mojonote – A simple online interface for storing and managing your ideas, goals, recipes, contacts, memos, notes, schedules, wishlists, playlists, etc.  Mojonote has a pretty decent calendar and ‘to-do list’ reminder system.  It can send you reminders via text message or email.
    • MyStickies – Great for online research, it allows you to place little yellow digital notes anywhere on any website.  MyStickies also offers a powerful interface to browse, search, sort, and edit your notes from any computer that has internet access.
    • Diigo – Also great for online research, it’s basically a combination of MyStickies and Delicious.  Diigo combines online sticky notes, website highlighting, and social bookmarking in one convenient package.
    • Fruitnotes – Allows you to create and organize notes online.  Fruitnotes’ key feature is it’s ability to accept voice notes by calling a specific phone number, though currently this feature is only available in the US and UK.  It also allows you to create a blog for sharing your notes and collaborating with other users.

    Quick Online Notes for Public Sharing

    When you need a quick, temporary online repository for notes and data that can be shared with others…

    (more…)

    ]]> http://www.marcandangel.com/2009/03/16/top-40-ways-to-take-notes-online/feed/