Positive & Inspirational Digest

HOW LONG CAN YOU HOLD ON?

2014-12-17T14:54:00.001+01:00

(Inspiring Life Story of OLAKUNLE SORIYAN)http://www.linkedin.com/in/olakunlesoriyan

About two decades ago, Kunle Soriyan was filled with excitement as he got ready to sit for his degree exams and earn his Bachelor of Science honors. But there was a huge problem; he was a deadly cult boy and the university had found out.

Soon enough, just before his final exams, news got to him: he had been expelled from The University of Lagos.

He gladly went his way, and didn’t break a sweat. A drug addict and scoundrel, Kunle wandered around with his gun. He eventually met a man who preached Christ to him; he got born again, denounced cultism and parted ways with his gun and corrupt life.

He applied for admission with the same university he was expelled and got an offer. He became a pastor and worked hard to maintain a good GPA but could not graduate at the set time; somehow, the university administration still doubted he was a changed man.

Kunle applied for an admission a third time, despite having spent eight year trying to earn a four-year degree. He endured the shame and disdain; being the oldest man in the midst of much younger, high-spirited students who often ridiculed him. And after another four years (making a total of twelve years), Kunle finally graduated.

It’s a wonder what would have happened to Kunle had he not turned back to understand the value of life and pay the price to be educated because today; he is a multi-millionaire, action coach and one of the foremost motivational speakers and mentors Nigeria has seen in recent times.

Olakunle Soriyan is now the Principal Transformation Strategist of the OLAKUNLE SORIYAN COMPANY ,a Total Life Management (TLM) and Nation Building, Training and Consulting Firm. The company works with leaders of various arms of Government and NGO's as well as Business and Institutional leaders at all levels, using original, home grown research and principle based methodologies. Soriyan serves on the Board of various organizations, and is a philosopher, Trainer and Consultant of high pedigree. The personal Advisor and coach to many high-net worth individuals (HNI) and organizations, promotes ORIGINALITY as a critical pathway to PURPOSEFULNESS at any level of development.

The road to success is a long drive up a rocky hill.

Everybody likes the byproduct of success, but not many people hold on enough to make it through. It’s scarcely a smooth sail and will never be.

If you are headed on the road to succeed, you’ll most likely do it alone. This is a path where each person bears his burden as he plods along, not knowing how far or close he is to the end of the tunnel. It’s not a dance in the rain.

After Jack Hansen formed a partnership and completed his book; he was so optimistic that the book would sell and so he wasn’t too discouraged when the first publishing house threw his manuscript out the window.

He was sure of his book, so he decided to try someplace else. The same thing happened. Little did he know that he was only at the beginning of a slew of rejections to come; the book was rejected for 138 times more.

Somehow he found the nerve to try again. One last time and that was it. It was accepted by a publisher and the moment copies were made available, sales began.

The manuscript that was rejected 140 times ended up as a book that sold over 100 million copies and remains one of the bestsellers in the US.

Success doesn’t come swiftly or softly as we often expect.

When John Roebling started out with the Brooklyn Bridge, America and the larger world almost laughed him to silence.

Everybody knew him as a skilled bridge builder but his plan to build East River was a plunge headlong into the impossible. It wasn’t just a river; it was an estuary prone to tidal disturbances or turbulence.

The criticisms and mockery mounted when a canoe accident eventually left him paralyzed.

Roebling did not let his paralysis kill his dream; he soon devised a means to communicate his ideas to his wife as he could not execute them himself.

After years and years of drudgery, the same critics who raised their voices against Roebling’s structure plan, claiming East River would collapse, joined all of America and the World to celebrate the wonder of science of their time and longest bridge America had ever seen, even though Roebling did not live to see it. And what was scorned as a process in error is one of the many monuments America prides itself in today.

If we must succeed, we must also learn to tarry in patience while success crawls towards us.

Many of life’s failures are experienced by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up ~Thomas Edison

I put it to you, how long can you hold on while toiling and hoping for success?

NEVER GIVE UP IN LIFE

2012-11-30T10:00:00.000+01:00

Unlike Carl Lewis and Daley Thompson, Derek Redmond is not a name that conjures up memories of Olympic gold medals. But it is Redmond who defines the essence of the human spirit.

Redmond arrived at the 1992 Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona determined to win a medal in the 400. The color of the medal was meaningless; he just wanted to win one. Just one.

He had been forced to withdraw from the 400 at the 1988 Games in Seoul, only 10 minutes before the race, because of an Achilles tendon injury. He then underwent five surgeries over the next year. This was the same runner who had shattered the British 400-meter record at age 19. So when the 1992 Games arrived, this was his time, his moment, his stage, to show the world how good he was and who he was.

Derek's father Jim had accompanied him to Barcelona, just as he did for all world competitions. They were as close as a father and son could be. Inseparable, really. The best of friends. When Derek ran, it was as if his father were running right next to him.

THE MOMENT
The day of the race arrives. Father and son reminisce about what it took for Derek to get to this point. They talk about ignoring past heartbreaks, past failures. They agree that if anything bad happens, no matter what it is, Derek has to finish the race, period.

The top four finishers in each of the two semifinal heats qualify for the Olympic final. As race time approaches for the semifinal 400 heat, Jim heads up to his seat at the top of Olympic Stadium, not far from where the Olympic torch was lit just a few days earlier. He is wearing a T-shirt that reads, "Have you hugged your foot today?"

With the help of his father, an injured Derek Redmond completed his race in the 1992 Olympics.

The stadium is packed with 65,000 fans, bracing themselves for one of sport's greatest and most exciting spectacles. The race begins and Redmond breaks from the pack and quickly seizes the lead. "Keep it up, keep it up," Jim says to himself.

Down the backstretch, only 175 meters away from finishing, Redmond is a shoo-in to make the finals. Suddenly, he hears a pop. In his right hamstring. He pulls up lame, as if he had been shot.

"Oh, no," Jim says to himself. His face pales. His leg quivering, Redmond begins hopping on one leg, then slows down and falls to the track. As he lays on the track, clutching his right hamstring, a medical personnel unit runs toward him. At the same time, Jim Redmond, seeing his son in trouble, races down from the top row of the stands, sidestepping people, bumping into others. He has no credential to be on the track, but all he thinks about is getting to his son, to help him up. "I wasn't going to be stopped by anyone," he later tells the media.

On the track, Redmond realizes his dream of an Olympic medal is gone. Tears run down his face. "All I could think was, 'I'm out of the Olympics -- again,'" he would say.

As the medical crew arrives with a stretcher, Redmond tells them, "No, there's no way I'm getting on that stretcher. I'm going to finish my race."

Then, in a moment that will live forever in the minds of millions, Redmond lifts himself to his feet, ever so slowly, and starts hobbling down the track. The other runners have finished the race, with Steve Lewis of the U.S. winning the contest in 44.50. Suddenly, everyone realizes that Redmond isn't dropping out of the race by hobbling off to the side of the track. No, he is actually continuing on one leg. He's going to attempt to hobble his way to the finish line. All by himself. All in the name of pride and heart.

Slowly, the crowd, in total disbelief, rises and begins to roar. The roar gets louder and louder. Through the searing pain, Redmond hears the cheers, but "I wasn't doing it for the crowd," he would later say. "I was doing it for me. Whether people thought I was an idiot or a hero, I wanted to finish the race. I'm the one who has to live with it."

One painful step at a time, each one a little slower and more painful than the one before, his face twisted with pain and tears, Redmond limps onward, and the crowd, many in tears, cheer him on.

Suddenly, Jim Redmond finally gets to the bottom of the stands, leaps over the railing, avoids a security guard, and runs out to his son, with two security people chasing after him. "That's my son out there," he yells back to security, "and I'm going to help him."

Finally, with Derek refusing to surrender and painfully limping along the track, Jim reaches his son at the final curve, about 120 meters from the finish, and wraps his arm around his waist.

"I'm here, son," Jim says softly, hugging his boy. "We'll finish together." Derek puts his arms around his father's shoulders and sobs.

Together, arm in arm, father and son, with 65,000 people cheering, clapping and crying, finish the race, just as they vowed they would. A couple steps from the finish line, and with the crowd in an absolute frenzy, Jim releases the grip he has on his son, so Derek could cross the finish line by himself. Then he throws his arms around Derek again, both crying, along with everyone in the stands and on TV.

"I'm the proudest father alive," he tells the press afterwards, tears in his eyes. "I'm prouder of him than I would have been if he had won the gold medal. It took a lot of guts for him to do what he did.

Set Goals for Your Business

2012-11-22T15:42:00.003+01:00

Adapted from content excerpted from the American Express® OPEN Small Business Network

Goal-setting is crucial to the success of any business, but is particularly important for entrepreneurs who can become distracted without focus. Goals direct actions, give you something to aim for, and can serve as a yardstick for measuring your business' success.
The way you approach goal-setting will determine whether you are able to attain your goals. Most people agree that goals are important, but less than five percent of people write down goals or have action plans for attaining them. Fear is most often the culprit. People don't like to write goals down on paper (a crucial part of goal setting) because they are afraid to commit to them. If this is your problem, try to remember that a goal can be changed at any time after you write it down. Also keep in mind that goal-setting becomes easier the more times you undertake it. When you have set goals and attained them, the power of goal setting will compel you to set more.
If you avoid goal-setting, the tips and hints below should help.

Have short-term and long-term goals

You might want to set weekly goals, quarterly goals, annual goals, and even 3-year or 5-year goals. One way to generate short-term goals is to first consider your long-term goals. Is there a certain Naira amount you want to earn or a number of clients you need to sign up by a certain time? If nothing like that comes to mind immediately, take a few minutes and think about what professional goal you would like to attain. Once you have determined long-term goals, you can work backward. If your goal is to make NGN100,000 this year, you should make a list of what it would entail to make that money. If you encounter difficulty creating your list, ask peers or friends for help. When your list is complete, break those small steps down into goals.

Make your goals specific and measurable with a deadline

"Increase my sales" is a good goal, but it's so vague that it does not provide a means by which you can judge your success. Modify your goals by making them specific. All goals should be specific (Get new clients), measurable (Get three new clients), and have a time frame (Get three new clients by November).

Don't set yourself up for failure

Make sure your goals are attainable. If you aim too high, you're dooming yourself to defeat.

Don't be lazy

On the other hand, some entrepreneurs set goals that are too easily attained. If you tend in this direction, look for ways to challenge yourself. If you usually aim to add one new client every quarter, push yourself to shoot for two or three.

Be relevant

Goals should help you attain a specific aim. Look out for goals that are just going to keep you busy, but are not appropriate to the overall success of your business. If you don't believe your goals are worthwhile, you won't make the necessary effort to achieve them.

Be patient and persistent

It your system of setting goals does not seem to be working because you are not attaining much of what you write down, do not give up. Keep setting goals for several months and you will find that your goal setting skills improve.

Review your goals constantly

Keep your weekly or other short-term goals in plain view -- by your desk, or next to your computer, for example -- so you know what you need to attain. Look at your annual goals monthly to see if you're on track. If your business' focus changes, don't be afraid to alter your goals. Flexibility is a crucial component of goal-setting.

How Do I Come Up With a Winning Business Idea?

2012-11-22T15:21:00.000+01:00

Adapted from content excerpted from the American Express® OPEN Small Business Network

Developing large or small business ideas is a matter of creating a vision, leveraging your strengths and determining what the market needs. These three steps should get you started.

Create a vision
Determine what you're good at and what you like to do
Figure out what the market needs

Create a vision
Close your eyes for a few minutes and conjure up a detailed image of what you want your life to look like in 5 years. Be as specific as possible.

Where do you live?
How do you spend your days?
What kind of work do you do?
Do you work alone or with other people?
Who are you surrounded by?
What do you do when you aren't working?

Don't limit yourself to these questions; create a vivid vision of yourself, touching on things that are important to you. These are all personal issues that will impact the type of business you pursue - being a city or country person; wanting to travel or sit at your computer; liking to meet people or work on the phone. This activity will help you create a foundation for choosing from small business ideas, making business decisions, and setting clear goals.
It is best to do this exercise with someone else and share your vision. If you can't, write it down to make your vision more concrete.

Determine what you're good at and what you like to do
It's often useful to look inside yourself to figure out what you like and dislike, and where your talents lie. It's one thing to come up with a winning business idea. It's another to come up with one that fits your skill set and interests you. Your business has to keep you excited so you can thrive over the long haul.
One of the best ways to do this is to make three separate lists:
List 1: What you're good at
Everyone is good at something and many skills can be the foundation for a business. You might be naturally organized or have a knack for fixing things. You may be so used to your skills that they don't immediately come to mind, so assemble this list by observing yourself for a few weeks with an eye out for your aptitudes and by asking people who know you well for their impressions of what you excel at.
List 2: Skills you've acquired over the years
Whether or not you've worked in a conventional environment, you no doubt have accumulated many. Write down all the work responsibilities you've had; think about the varied tasks you know how to complete. Make sure this list is complete -- there should be at least 10 distinct items.
List 3: Things you like to do
List the things you enjoy doing. This may not be as easy as it sounds. This list should be at least 10 items long. Stretch beyond your hobbies and interests that spring to mind immediately. If you're stymied, ask people who have known you for a long time -- particularly people who knew you as a kid -- what they have seen you doing when you're happiest.
Keep these three lists in an accessible place (for instance on your desk) for several weeks, and when small business ideas come to you, jot them down in the proper category. Ask people who know you well for their input or to help you jog your memory.

Figure out what the market needs
So far, you've been looking inward to come up with your business idea. Now its time to look outward to discover an unfilled need that you can meet with your product or service.
There are plenty of "Top 10" or "Hot New" business lists out there. These may stimulate some ideas, but the best business ideas will come from you and will be based on who you are and what the market is looking for. So while you're doing your soul searching and list making, put up your antenna and look out for business opportunities.

FIVE (5) LESSON OF SUCCESS I LEARN FROM MY AQUARIUM

2012-08-03T09:33:00.001+01:00

By: Jeff ( Admin & Author, My Super Charged Life Blog)

Want to succeed? Follow the lessons I learned while starting my freshwater aquarium and you will be well on your way to a brighter future.
“The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing,” quipped Socrates.
Nothing is exactly what I knew about taking care of an aquarium six months ago.
I had a lot to learn to create an environment where success was possible. Little did I know that, along the way, my aquarium would highlight some very important life lessons that extend well beyond the fish tank.

5 Important Lessons for Success

In life and aquariums, you must be very intentional to be successful. You can’t haphazardly throw things together and expect it all to work out.
If you do, you’ll likely wake up one day to a mess.
On the other hand, you’ll never make any progress if you don’t get started. You may make some mistakes along the way, but that’s how you gain the experience necessary to succeed.
Here are the five lessons my aquarium taught me about success in life:

1. Patience Rules the Day

The most important thing to understand when starting a new aquarium is the nitrogen cycle. You can’t go down to the pet store, buy an aquarium and a few fish, go home, fill it with water and expect success. It just doesn’t work that way.
A successful aquarium start-up takes plenty of patience. If you get the cart in front of the horse, you (or your fish) will soon regret it.
The same goes for success in life. You can’t expect too much too soon. You must practice patience.
There is a natural rhythm and order to achieving success. I’ve written about the Law of the Harvest before. You simply can’t ignore the nitrogen cycle in a fish tank and you can’t ignore the Law of the Harvest in life. Those that take the time to understand this (and abide by it) have a much greater chance of success.

2. You Must Get Along Well with Others

Not all fish are compatible tank mates. Some will nip and harass other fish to death – literally.
If you want a successful aquarium, you must find fish that can get along well with others in tight quarters.
In the same way, if you want to be successful in life, you must be able to start and maintain successful relationships at home and at work.

That’s why “works well with others” was on your Kindergarten report card. It is something you must learn to do well before anything else will go right for you.

Your success in life is largely dependent on who you surround yourself with. Make good choices.

3. A Little Education Goes a Long Way

I have made a lot of mistakes so far with my aquarium (and in life). But, the one thing I did right was to buy and read a great beginner’s book on freshwater aquariums before I purchased a single thing. I learned all kinds of important details that helped me get started on the right foot with my tank and so I can sustain my success.
Similarly, I believe a good education will take you a long way toward success in life. However, I don’t think all your education has to come from brick and mortar schools.
Jim Rohn said, “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” This is so true. You are responsible for your education. You choose what you learn and how much you learn. The resources are available. It is up to you to dive in.
You can never stop learning. You are capable of so much more than what you’ve achieved so far in life. Make an education plan for yourself and get going on what’s next for you.

4. Experts Are Priceless

Despite my efforts to educate myself on how to successfully operate an aquarium, my tank would be a disaster if it weren’t for “The Fish Lady”. That’s what she calls herself. She’s an expert. She has the experience that I lack.
Education is one thing. Experience is another. Experts with experience are priceless. They’ve learned the hard way and are usually very willing to share their wisdom with you.
You need an expert to mentor and guide you. Probably more than one. Do not ignore this lesson! It could be a fatal mistake.
Find yourself a few experts to learn from and follow them. It will make your journey to success so much easier.

5. Persistence Pays Off

Finally, my latest hobby has reinforced that persistence pays off.
I’ve had some discouraging setbacks with my aquarium. I’ll admit that I contemplated giving up a couple of times, but in the end I stuck it out and now I have a beautiful tank that I enjoy on a daily basis.
That’s the way it is with success (in anything). You have to give yourself permission to make some mistakes and to work through them. You have to be willing to pay the price to move from novice to barely competent to confident and eventually…you’ll be the expert. Stick it out until you realize your dream.

These five lessons all work together to carry you to success. They are building blocks that stack one upon another. Use them to construct your future. One that is full of success, achievement and enjoyment.

MAKING YOUR LIFE COUNT FOR SOMETHING WHORTHWHILE

2012-07-20T16:05:00.001+01:00

Many people feel what they do is meaningless. They go through the motions like robots, but their hearts aren’t really in it. They don’t see the significance in their lives. Do you ever feel this way?

It is paramount that we find and commit ourselves to a worthwhile cause as a part of making your life count. It is only when we feel our lives have a higher purpose that we are truly experiencing all that life has to offer.

Real joy in life comes from serving a cause that we feel is worthy of our time and energy. Are you living your calling?

There are many reasons to find and commit yourself to a cause, but here are the five that I will like to share with you.

1. Serving a great cause makes us feel happy and valuable

That is happiness: to be dissolved into something complete and great.
~ Willa Cather

A part of living life to the fullest is being happy. A big part of happiness is knowing that your life has meaning and purpose. It is knowing that you are a valuable person.

When we go to the effort to find and serve a meaningful cause, we are happier. We get a deep sense of satisfaction that our lives matter.

Our life gets used up anyway. Why not make it count for something worthwhile?

2. Investing in a great cause is investing in ourselves

Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.
~ George Elliot

Serving a significant cause makes us into a better person. There is no way around this.

Giving yourself to a bigger purpose makes you grow. It stretches you and helps you to see the real miracles that happen around us every day. The challenge and fulfillment you experience will enrich you in ways that you can’t even imagine!

This kind of smart living helps us to get our minds off our own little, petty problems for awhile. It puts things into perspective and causes us to be more grateful for all the blessings in our lives. It opens our eyes to see the greatness all around us.

3. Pouring ourselves out for a great cause will lead us to authenticity

Life is a promise; fulfill it.
~ Mother Theresa

We are all endowed with unique gifts and talents. Discovering your place in a great cause is like finding a huge missing piece of yourself. You are not complete without it.

The more you unpack your purpose in life, the closer you get to the real you. All the less than honest parts of yourself tend to dissolve. They fade away because they are no longer needed.

This is a process that occurs over time, but it can’t really begin until you start to see who you really are. Following your heart is the first step in this great journey to fulfill the promise you were created to fulfill.

4. Making your life count will give you a clear purpose in life

The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose
~ Richard Leider

Many of us wander through life aimlessly. We fail to establish goals. We bounce around like a pinball from one thing to the next. As Thoreau points out, we go to the grave with the song still in us.

However, once you identify and pursue a valuable cause, it is like your internal GPS kicks in. Your vision for the future begins to take shape and you feel emboldened. There is no longer a lack of clear direction. Your life has purpose.

This purpose becomes a driving force. It is the inner energy source that propels you upward and onward tirelessly. Purpose is refreshing, rejuvenating and exhilarating!

5. Persevering in making your life count will make the world a better place

Each small task of everyday is part of the total harmony of the universe.
~ St. Theresa of Lisieux

What do you want to be remembered for once you are gone? What will be your legacy? What will your children and family recall about you?

I have personally pondered these questions and I believe the answers are an important part of living life to the fullest. It is important to make a positive mark on this world.

I want to leave this world just a little bit better than I found it for the next generation. I want to be a part of the solution instead of a part of the problem. I want to finish my life and know that I used it wisely. I want to know I pursued smart living.

Find a way to make your life count for something

There are a number of ways to do this, but you have to start somewhere. Here are some suggestions on how you can begin to make your life count for something.

Brainstorm possible causes – Start by examining your heart and asking yourself some questions. What’s important to you? What do you value? What are you passionate about?

Here are some ideas to help you get going:

- Raising your family and children

- Helping the poor here and abroad

- Volunteering to improve your community

- Teaching people an important skill or concept

Decide how to get involved – What are your talents and how could you apply them to benefit a cause that you are passionate about? What can you do? It could be just about anything. Are you good with computers, accounting, research, fund-raising, organizing events, construction, vehicle maintenance or writing? Any of these talents and a million others are needed in all kinds of great causes. Decide how you can help and then get started!
Make your life count – Find an organization or group of people that are already doing things to further the cause that you are passionate about and join them. Don’t be shy about getting involved. Assert yourself and you’ll be amazed at how quickly you become one of them!

Make your life count! Get involved in a worthwhile cause so you can find significance and the real you. Don’t waste another minute feeling unimportant and aimless! Your life is too important of a thing to waste!

MOST VALUABLE ACHIEVEMENT

2012-07-06T09:41:00.000+01:00

Most of the highest achievers in this world are people you’ve never heard of. Because achievement is much more than amassing fame or material wealth.
Achievement is living fully in a way that is meaningful to you and in line with the values you feel most deeply. Achievement is expressing the unique purpose that is at the center of your being.
Achievement does not require the approval, permission or recognition of anyone else. Achievement is following the desires of your most authentic self, not merely satisfying the shallow impulses of your ego.
The vast majority of achievements that come to life every day are quiet and peaceful and immensely fulfilling. Do not confuse true achievement with meaningless spectacles that make a lot of noise but have no lasting value.
In the smallest moments there is the potential for great achievement. For what true achievement is, is living with purpose and love, with thankfulness and joy.
Remember always that achievement is more than merely constructing great edifices. The most valuable achievement is building a meaningful life that makes a positive contribution.

MAKING LIFE UNIQUE AND WORTHWHILE

2012-06-13T11:31:00.000+01:00

Now the key to make life really unique and worthwhile is to share. Sharing has a certain unique magic of its own. Here’s what I learned about sharing ideas:

If you share an idea with ten different people, they get to hear it once, and you get to hear it ten times. So here’s part of self-interest for yourself– getting you even better prepared for the future. Share ideas. Share with your family, share with the people around you, share with other employees, share with your colleagues.

When one person shares with another, two things happen. The audience could be transformed, and so could the speaker. If you share with someone else, they could be transformed. You may have dropped in at the right time. This may be their moment. They’ve got three numbers dialed into the lock already, and if you say it well and say it right you’ll be the fourth number that they can dial into the lock of their personal experience and the door will come open and there’s opportunity they never saw before. The person who hears could be transformed.

But here’s what else is exciting. The person who speaks could be transformed. Guess what we’re all looking for–transformation for our new life. The new life tomorrow, the new life this month, the new life next year, the new life this year.

The caterpillar one day says, “I think I was made for more than this crawling on the ground.” So the caterpillar climbs the tree, attached himself to a leaf and spins the cocoon. Who knows what disciplined effort it takes to spin a cocoon. But something inside the caterpillar says, “I was designed for something more than being just a caterpillar.”

And then when the cocoon is ready and it opens up, out comes a butterfly that flies away, maybe singing, “I believe I can fly! I believe I can touch the sky! I used to be a caterpillar on the ground, now I fly.”

I’m asking you to go through such a metamorphosis. I’m asking you often to go through a period where you say, “New skills, new things are waiting for me,” and part of this will come if you’ll translate for other people what you feel in your heart and in your soul. As awkward as your language might be at first, don’t hesitate to do it.

Here’s what sharing does–it makes room for more. Key question, if this glass is full of water can it hold any more? If the glass is full of water, can it hold any more? And the answer is yes, yes, if you pour some out. So jot that down. If you want more, you’ve got to pour out what you’ve got, then you have the opportunity to receive more.

Now, unlike the glass that remains the same size when you pour some out; not so in consciousness human beings. Your capacity will increase the more you share. You’ll get bigger and bigger and bigger.

Now why the self-interest wish to be bigger? Here’s why: to hold more of the next experience. Some people can’t hold much happiness because they’re too small, their thinking is too small, their activity is too small, they’re too small in their ability to share, they’re just too small. Can’t hold much, they’re too small.

But the bigger you get, the more you will receive. When happiness is poured out, you’ll get more. When joy is poured out on the nation, you’ll get more. When bounty is poured out from the economy, you will get more, if you share what you’ve got and become bigger and bigger and bigger.

Now some people are not only small, they have their glass turned upside down. It’s hard to get anything in. But if you come to every situation with an open mind, an open consciousness, ready to receive, I promise you will find the people that will share with you, and that will accept what you share with them.

(from the Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine – http://www.jimrohn.com)

The Value of Sacrifices in a Relationship

2012-05-09T15:28:00.000+01:00

When уоu love somеоnе and you have thеіr bеѕt interest аt heart, you mаy bе willing tо sacrifice sоmе оf whаt уоu wаnt іn order tо give уоur loved оnе what thеу want.
It's common fоr spouses tо make sacrifices fоr оne anоther and parents tо sacrifice for thеіr children. It's important tо learn thе vаlue of sacrifices еven though thеy mау nоt be pleasant.
Mаny experts feel thаt thе willingness to set aѕidе onе's оwn desires for the benefit оf anоthеr іs а good thing. It shows true love and commitment whеn уоu can put уоur partner's nееdѕ ahead of уour оwn desires.
Yоur Attitude Tоwаrd Sacrifices
Sоmе women feel theу've made tоо manу sacrifices for thеir partners. They mаy hаvе gіvеn uр thеіr dream to hold а certaіn job оr put off gоіng tо school. At fіrst the sacrifice mаy havе bееn fоr thе partner's benefit, but then came children. Thе sacrifices continued untіl thе dream theу оncе had merеly faded аwаy.
Whаt's wrong wіth this picture? Wаs thе woman the оnly onе whо made sacrifices for thе relationship and thе family? Iѕ ѕhе uѕing hеr choices аs excuses fоr not pursuing dreams when ѕhе соuld've ѕtіll dоnе ѕо?
How you view sacrifice iѕ whаt matters! You сan ѕее thе sacrifices you make аѕ а choice for what reаllу matters, rathеr thаn somethіng that yоu hаve to give uр.
If yоu're committed tо your relationship, іt's poѕѕіblе you wоn't evеn ѕeе уour willingness to give ѕоmеthіng uр for уour partner's benefit aѕ a sacrifice аt аll!
Make Good Choices in Your Sacrifices
Yоu wаnt tо bе sure, hоwеver, thаt уоu make sacrifices for good reasons аnd thаt your partner аlѕo sacrifices fоr уоu. Marriages аnd partnerships аre supposed to bе for the benefit of bоth partners. Thereforе, sacrifices muѕt gо both ways.
It's important thаt yоu nevеr feel like уou're forced to make a sacrifice. It muѕt be somеthing that уоu do willingly, wіth nо regrets.
In addition, yоur sacrifices ѕhоuld nеvеr compromise your morals or personal values. Thеѕе types оf sacrifices will most сertaіnly leave уou wіth regret аnd feelings оf guilt. Unfоrtunаtеlу, thе partner who would ask yоu to compromise уour values may not thе bеѕt partner fоr уou.
Values such аs thеse shоuld nеver be compromised fоr someone еlsе:
* Honesty. If уоu feel yоu'rе bеing asked tо sacrifice honesty tо hеlр a loved оne out, explain whу thiѕ iѕ а sacrifice уоu саnnоt make.
* Loyalty. Loyalty іs part of who you аrе, deep on thе inside, аnd giving that uр would meаn giving uр a part of уоurself. Agreeing to dо sо wоuld оnlу sour thе relationship further dоwn the road.
* Faithfulness. What do yоu dо if yоu find out yоur partner has cheated? If fidelity іѕ a valuе уоu hold dear, it's unlіkеlу thе relationship wіll survive. It's рossiblе, hоwеvеr, tо learn tо forgive, but it maу be morе difficult to learn to trust аgaіn.
Anу relationship уоu enter into іѕ gоіng to require ѕоme give аnd tаkе bу еасh partner. Be wіlling to sacrifice, choose wisely in уоur sacrifices, аnd уour relationship wіll thrive!

Shine your positive light

2012-01-04T13:26:00.000+01:00

Does the world around you seem too hectic and frenzied? Then your best response is to be extra calm, peaceful and patient.
Does the world around you seem too greedy and selfish? That’s your opportunity to be extra loving, giving and sincerely compassionate.
Does the world around you seem too confusing and aimless? Then choose to be extra focused and purposeful.
The world outside reflects back to you the energy you give it. If you don’t like what you see, you have every opportunity to change it by changing the way you are.
When you’re a beacon in the darkness, your light will shine for a long, long way. When you’re the difference that makes the difference, your efforts will bring abundant fruit.
If things around you seem to be at their worst, that’s when you can accomplish the most by being your best. Shine your positive light in the face of negativity, and you will change your world.

WE REAP WHAT WE SOW

2012-01-01T07:00:00.000+01:00

I welcome you all to a new dawn!

How do you want your harvest to look like this year? Are you setting goals or resolutions you would like to achieve this year? It takes a keen understanding of the Law of the Harvest that states, “We Reap What We Sow”, in order to achieve our goals.

This is the time of year where many of us are dreaming of what we want to accomplish in the next 365 days.

We desire a better life, but in the process we often fail to recognize and correctly utilize the timeless principles necessary to get us where we want to go.

This is a perfect opportunity to review the Law of the Harvest and how it applies toward achieving our goals, whatever they may be. These aren’t just theories. They are the time-tested truths that are the keys to achieving your goals.

Illustration of this law

A farmer that desires a bounty of corn has to do many things just right to be able to sink his teeth into a fresh, juicy ear after harvest. He has to:

Carefully prepare the soil.
Plant the seed correctly at the proper time.
Guard the tender new plants against weeds and pestilence.
Water faithfully.
Fertilize in just the right amount.
And eventually gather his harvest, but not too late or too early.

A good farmer knows that he doesn’t have full control over the process. He can’t direct the weather or the growth of the corn. He just does his best to work within the system of nature. He also knows he can’t rush the process. There is a time for planting, a time for care and growth and a time for harvesting. Any deviance from the natural cycle will result in a less than stellar result.

Furthermore, the farmer knows he has to plant the right kind of seed to get the crop he wants. He can’t plant thistle seeds and expect corn to grow. This is ridiculous. He knows he will reap exactly what he sows.

This is the Law of the Harvest. It is a law of nature and from it we can collect a lot of valuable information that will help us achieve our goals in life.

Ten (10) Lessons From the Law of the Harvest

Correctly applying the Law of the Harvest will mean the difference between success and failure. It is extremely powerful and applies across the board in life.

Here are some of the most important lessons we can learn about reaping what we sow:

1. We have to know what we want before we begin.

The Law of the Harvest says we have to begin our endeavors knowing exactly what we want in the end. You have to prepare properly and plant the right seeds to reap the expected harvest.

Write down your goals plainly and clearly. Refer to them often to keep you on track. Be specific about what you hope to accomplish. The better you define your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them. Paint a clear picture in your mind of what your life will look like once you reach success. Focus and reflect on this picture often to achieve it.

2. We have to be adequately prepared before we even start.

Some goals require a good deal of preparation before they are even plausible. We might have to go to school or complete some training in order to become qualified. Don’t try to skip this part of the process. It will almost surely lead to failure.

The farmer can’t just go out and throw seed on unprepared soil. There is a lot of work that has to be done before he can even put the seeds in the ground. It is unrealistic to expect success before we prepare adequately.

3. There is a proper time to sow seeds of change.

Timing is everything. Farmers spend a lot of energy trying to discern exactly when to plant their crop. Bad timing often results in disaster. The climate has to be right for the seeds to take root and to thrive.

Often, we get an idea and then immediately try to implement it without giving any thought to the environment around us. Taking some time on the front-end to do proper research and evaluate how our ideas might be received can save us a lot of heartache.

4. There is a right way and a wrong way to sow seed.

Planting is a careful operation that must be done just right for the seed to flourish. It must be planted deep enough, but not too deep. There must be proper spacing between seeds and they must be sown in the right kind of soil. Farmers are very careful to be sure their crop goes in the ground correctly to optimize the results.

In the same way, we have to be careful about how we launch our new ventures. Our efforts can die if they don’t get off to a good start. Plan exactly how to start your march toward your goals to maximize your chance of success. A good start often leads to a good finish.

5. Many things will come and try to rob us of our harvest.

Negativity, doubt and external forces will be obstacles to our success. Things seldom go exactly as planned without any opposition. It is how you deal with these challenges that will determine the outcome of your effort. Be ready and expect to have to guard your endeavor from these thieves!

Farmers know they’ll have to deal with pests, drought, freezing temperatures and many other hindrances to have a successful harvest. If they ignore these attacks, then the battle will be lost. They know that every season presents its own unique set of barriers that must be overcome. Get ready to defend your sprouts!

6. It takes a lot of diligent work to realize a good harvest.

Don’t underestimate the task at hand. Any goal worth setting is going to require a great deal of work to bring it to fruition. Many people start out strong at first, but fizzle out before they reach the finish line. Thomas Edison said, “There is no substitute for hard work.”

Farmers know that Mr. Edison was right. They are up before dawn and don’t come in until after sunset. They rest after the harvest is in the barn. We should expect to do the same.

7. Our effort may require a little outside assistance.

Modern farmers use fertilizer and pesticides to assist their crops in growing to peak maturity. These aides help to protect the plants during their critical phases of growth and they ultimately increase what is gathered at harvest.

We shouldn’t ignore the need for similar assistance with our goals. We often fail because we try to go it alone. Don’t be afraid to talk to others about how they succeeded. Also, bringing in an expert to help with critical phases of your endeavor can really help.

8. We can’t force it and achieve the results we want.

There are no shortcuts! If you’ve made it this far in my list, then you must really want to succeed. Your enthusiasm makes you vulnerable to trying to speed things up. Don’t let yourself be sweet-talked into selling out to a shortcut. If it sounds too good to be true, then it is. Always use this as a filter to protect you from scams.

Farmers know that there is a season for planting, growing and harvesting. They are each separate and distinct from one another. They also know that you can’t rush or force nature. She is going to work at her natural pace. This same thing applies to our undertakings as well. Don’t try to force things to happen out of sequence or before the proper time.

9. We will reap a bigger harvest than we sow.

If you’ve ever planted a garden, then you know you can expect a much larger harvest than what was sown. A farmer puts a handful of seeds in the ground and gets back baskets full of corn. He is patient and attentive to the natural process because he understands this lesson.

We have to believe this too so we can remain committed to our goals. Again, picture in your mind the best possible outcome from your endeavor. Yes, it will take a lot of work, but the rewards will be worth it! Be able to summon up this positive picture in your mind when the going gets tough. The harvest will be worth the effort!

10. The harvest comes at the proper time.

The farmer waits. He knows that even though he can’t see his plants growing beneath the soil that they will soon sprout. He has realistic expectations for when the harvest will occur. This helps him from becoming impatient and giving up. Can you imagine if he walked away too soon? He’d miss everything!

We too must have proper timelines defined for our goals. You can’t expect too much, too soon. If you do, then you’ll become disillusioned. Set milestones at proper intervals to gauge your progress. You can always adjust your sights along the way. This will help ensure you don’t give up before the harvest season has arrived!

There are many helpful lessons we can gather from the Law of the Harvest. We will be much happier with our results if we apply this valuable wisdom to the accomplishment of our set goals for the year.

We really do reap what we sow!

MEET YOU AT THE TOP!!!

Don't Give Up

2011-12-07T11:29:00.001+01:00

What are the secrets that can help you to achieve anything that you want in your life? One of the secret is to never give up. What this means is that you must decide exactly what it is that you want to do, or to have, in your life and give your complete focus and attention to that thing. Talk about it, write about it, meditate about it and think about it until you can visualize it clearly in your mind quickly and easily.

By giving so much time and energy to what you want in your life, you are bringing it closer to your reality. Most people never write down what they want to achieve and rarely speak about it to others. The people who are successful in getting what they want engage in behavior that surrounds them with people and ideas and thoughts that are directly related to getting what they want.

1. Think about what you want to do or have in your life. Spend some time each day meditating and visualizing exactly what it will be like when you have achieved your dreams and goals.
2. Tell others about these dreams and goals and hear yourself as you speak out loud about them
3. Write down what you want and give detailed explanations and information about how it will be when you realize and achieve these things in your life.
Most of all, never give up. It may take some time for you to do and have the things you want in your life, but they will come much more quickly if you are clear about your intentions and never, ever give up on them.

Leadership Principles That Can Change the World

2011-12-07T11:17:00.000+01:00

There are seven universal principles at work behind every choice, every interaction, every word that is said and every action that is taken. Understanding these underlying principles will help you grow and prosper as a leader and as a person.

1. Fairness

Fairness is a principle that's understood by children everywhere, but as we grow up, we each may develop our own individual concept of what is and isn't fair. On your team, there needs to be a common understanding of fairness, and it needs to be defined, communicated and demonstrated by you as the leader every day.

When you make decisions, be open and honest with your team about how they were made and why. People may be resentful or mistrusting of decisions that have been handed down arbitrarily or without input and explanation.

2. Honesty, Integrity and Trust

The people on your team want and need to trust you. They want to know that you've given them all of the facts and that nothing is being hidden from them. The way to gain that trust is by being honest and living with integrity.

If you meet this need for them, you'll gain their trust, understanding and faith. This can't be accomplished by what you say; it needs to be proven by how you live.

When you do make a mistake or a bad decision, disclose it. Don't blame someone else, lie or pretend it didn't happen. Be honest about it and move forward.

3. Potential

Everyone is capable of being and doing more than they are now. Everyone on your team - whether they're a rookie or a subject matter expert - needs to feel that you see his or her potential to grow, acquire new skills and develop.

People look to a leader to evoke that from them, inspiring and allowing them to grow, evolve and fulfill their potential so they're constantly improving and learning new things. Don't restrict their growth by assuming they'll adhere to your predictions of how they'll act, think or talk.

See each person's potential and not their limitations. Assume they're growing and evolving all the time, and this will empower them to grow into the next phase of their development, instead of stagnating where they are.

4. Growth

When you're tuned in to each individual's potential for growth and change, you can help that along, actively supporting the new skills they have acquired that will fulfill their potential. You can accelerate their growth by offering them concrete opportunities such as training and upgrading of skills or connecting them to a business coach or mentor.

Growth will occur through both positive and negative experiences, so encourage your team members to try new things and to learn and grow even through failure and mistakes.

5. Respect and Dignity

Respect is difficult to earn and easy to lose. Adopt the "golden rule" – treat people how you want to be treated. Treat each team member with respect and dignity for who they are and for the work that they're doing. Recognize and embrace their differences and diversity.

Earn respect by acting with dignity and showing that you have respect for yourself. Be a role model and hold yourself to a higher standard on a daily basis.

Reward people in public and correct them in private. This will protect their dignity and reinforce that they can take risks. They'll know that if they do make a mistake or fail they won't be publicly disgraced for it.

6. Service

"For he that is least among you all, the same shall be great" Luke, 9:48. A good leader not only leads the group, he or she is also a servant to the group - a champion for their cause; someone in their corner that will back them up, support them and mentor them.

It's about not just being a figurehead leader, but being of service, working WITH the team and meeting their needs. Examples include making sure they have the equipment they need to fulfill their roles or helping them to cut through the red tape of bureaucracy.

In his book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", Stephen Covey advocates that you "seek to understand rather than be understood". Aim to understand the needs of your team members, and to serve them instead of just leading them.

The leader has to create the sense of a team or a family, adopting the mentality that, "We succeed or fail as a team". Leaders who don't understand this are the ones who take the credit when things are good and blame others when things are bad.

In difficult times, teams need to have a leader they can rely on to act as their champion. It is the leader's job to wear the target and shield the team if they come under fire. That may mean taking ultimate responsibility for a failure or mistake, or fighting to keep funds or people. When the outside world is taking shots at the project, or if there are roadblocks to the project, it's the leader's job to shelter the team, take the shots and get through the roadblocks, so the team can focus on getting the job done, and not get distracted by these outside challenges.

7. Quality

"On my Honor I will do my best". Understand that people want to do their best and put out a good product, no one shows up at work to screw up. As a leader, strive to always exemplify that, "quality is job one".

Establish a culture where going above and beyond expectations is the standard; not just for the products or services you create and deliver, but for how you live and work. "Walk the walk", and exemplify this standard in how YOU live and work, and also in how you lead. Don't cut any corners. Always doing your best is a SACRED PLEDGE that you make to your team.

By recognizing and nurturing these seven universal principles, you'll capture the hearts and minds of everyone that you interact with. We are all looking to have the universal principles of Fairness, Honesty, Potential, Growth, Respect, Service and Quality fulfilled in our lives. If you can fulfill them for your team members, you'll connect at a deep level.

You can achieve anything together if you can connect at this basic human level, and your team will work harder for you when they feel that connection. And vice-versa, you'll connect and feel supported by your team if you recognize these needs in them and in yourself.

Steve Farmer is a leader in the field of Coaching. As a skilled professional coach, inspirational speaker and author he brings the power of individual coaching to everyday living. In our frequently over stressed and under involved society, he empowers individuals to follow their dreams, achieve more in their current careers, and maintain a balance between their personal and professional lives.

A busy entrepreneur himself, Steve understands the many demands and challenges facing today's busy adults. He also knows that amidst the chaos, people sometimes need support in maintaining both their sanity and a balanced life. With his innate listening and problem-solving gifts, Steve helps individuals find solutions to their difficult problems. Whether through one-on-one coaching, workshops, courses or keynote addresses, he helps people to better develop their personal talents and skills so that their journey to success and happiness is easier, more rewarding and less frustrating.

How Successful People Think

2011-10-19T13:43:00.000+01:00

By : John C Maxwell
What’s a successful person’s greatest resource in difficult times? Good thinking!
Good thinkers are always in demand. A person who knows how may always have a job, but the person who knows why will always be his boss.
Good thinkers solve problems, they never lack ideas for building an organization, and they always have hope for a better future. Good thinkers rarely find themselves at the mercy of ruthless people who would take advantage of them or try to deceive them, people like Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, who once boasted, “What luck for rulers that men do not think.”
Those who develop the process of good thinking can rule themselves – even while under an oppressive ruler or in other difficult circumstances. In short, good thinkers are successful.

***

I’ve studied successful people for forty years, and though the diversity you find among them is astounding, I’ve found that they are all alike in one way: how they think!
That is the one thing that separates successful people from unsuccessful ones. And here’s the good news. How successful people think can be learned. If you change your thinking, you can change your life!
HOW TO BECOME A BETTER THINKER
Do you want to master the process of good thinking? Do you want to be a better thinker tomorrow than you are today? Then you need to engage in an ongoing process that improves your thinking. I recommend you do the following:
1. Expose Yourself to Good Input

Good thinkers always prime the pump of ideas. They always look for things to get the thinking process started, because what you put in always impacts what comes out.

Read books, review trade magazines, listen to CDs, and spend time with good thinkers. And when something intrigues you-whether it’s someone else’s idea or the seed of an idea that you’ve come up with yourself-keep it in front of you. Put it in writing and keep it somewhere in a favorite place to stimulate your thinking.

2. Expose Yourself to Good Thinkers

All of the people in my life whom I consider to be close friends or colleagues are good thinkers. Now, I love all people. I try to be kind to everyone I meet, and I desire to add value to as many people as I can through conferences, books, audio lessons, etc. But the people I seek out and choose to spend time with all challenge me with their thinking and their actions. They are constantly trying to grow and learn.

The writer of Proverbs observed that sharp people sharpen one another, just as iron sharpens iron. If you want to be a sharp thinker, be around sharp people.

3. Choose to Think Good Thoughts

To become a good thinker, you must become intentional about the thinking process. Regularly put yourself in the right place to think, shape, stretch, and land your thoughts. Make it a priority. Thinking is a discipline.

Recently I had breakfast with Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-fil-A, a fast food restaurant chain headquartered in the Atlanta area. I told him that I was working on this book and I asked him if he made thinking time a high priority. Not only did he say yes, but he told me about what he calls his “thinking schedule.” It helps him to fight the hectic pace of life that discourages intentional thinking. Dan says he sets aside time just to think for half a day every two weeks, for one whole day every month, and for two or three full days every year. Dan explains, “This helps me ‘keep the main thing, the main thing,’ since I am so easily distracted.”

You may want to do something similar, or you can develop a schedule and method of your own. No matter what you choose to do, go to a special thinking place, take paper and pen, and make sure you capture your ideas in writing.

4. Act on Your Good Thoughts

Ideas have a short shelf life. You must act on them before the expiration date. World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker said it all when he remarked, “I can give you a six-word formula for success: Think things through-then follow through.”

5. Allow Your Emotions to Create Another Good Thought

To start the thinking process, you cannot rely on your feelings. In Failing Forward, I wrote that you can act your way into feeling long before you can feel your way into action. If you wait until you feel like doing something, you will likely never accomplish it. The same is true for thinking. You cannot wait until you feel like thinking to do it. However, I’ve found that once you engage in the process of good thinking, you can use your emotions to feed the process and create mental momentum.

Try it for yourself. After you go through the disciplined process of thinking and enjoy some success, allow yourself to savor the moment and try riding the mental energy of that success. If you’re like me, it’s likely to spur additional thoughts and productive ideas.

6. Repeat the Process

One good thought does not make a good life. The people who have one good thought and try to ride it for an entire career often end up unhappy or destitute. They are the one-hit wonders, the one-book authors, the one-message speakers, the one-time inventors who spend their life struggling to protect or promote their single idea. Success comes to those who have an entire mountain of gold that they continually mine, not those who find one nugget and try to live on it for fifty years. To become someone who can mine a lot of gold, you need to keep repeating the process of good thinking.

***

This article is an excerpt from the introduction to the book, How Successful People Think. It’s derived from the book, Thinking for a Change.
Edited and distilled down to the bare essentials, this book is designed to help you expand your thinking and achieve your dreams with the following…

11 keys to successful thinking:

1.         Cultivate Big-Picture Thinking
2.         Engage in Focused Thinking
3.         Harness Creative Thinking
4.         Employ Realistic Thinking
5.         Utilize Strategic Thinking
6.         Explore Possibility Thinking
7.         Learn from Reflective Thinking
8.         Question Popular Thinking
9.         Benefit from Shared Thinking
10.       Practice Unselfish Thinking
11.       Rely on Bottom-Line Thinking

Three Pillars Of Leadership

2011-07-12T13:11:00.001+01:00

The three pillars on which leadership thrives are actually three areas of personal mastery – focus, feedback, and leadership. They will pay the greatest dividends for the time invested. With them, you'll lead effectively at the highest levels. Without them, your execution excellence potential and consistency is severely limited regardless of your role or station in life.

There are two categories of people in personal and professional development – the ‘green and growing’ and the ‘ripe and rotting’. In other words, the people who need training and performance improvement the most want it the least; and the people who need training the least, want it the most.

Let’s study the three pillars intensively:

Focus:
Everyone knows that focus is absolutely essential for success, but what everyone does not know is that focus is under attack from entropy, which is your constant enemy. It stands for ambiguity, chaos and confusion. The devil everyone is fighting constantly. Entropy is the second law of thermodynamics and essentially states that in nature, everything goes from a state of order to a state of disorder - naturally, by itself. In other words, at this very moment dust is settling everywhere around you. Just as your car is decreasing in value; and mechanically getting worse, naturally, your teams and organizations also slacken naturally. They need constant light to grow and achieve their potential otherwise they quickly become more and more unproductive. So, you have to provide focus in the right manner with the right tools. Without the right skills and tools, leadership is doomed to never realize the full potential of the team. This may be your single greatest calling as a leader.

Feedback:
Leadership thrives on feedback, even if some of it might cause heartburn for some time. Execution is aided by the key competency of displaying meaningful metrics all the way to frontline people. After all, it is the frontline that produces the bottom-line, so allow them the visual depiction of goal progress via a scoreboard. Just as you wouldn’t drive across the continent with black tape across your automobile's dashboard, you cannot lead without getting feedback. You need to know how fast you're traveling and how much gas you have and so on and so forth.

Studies have revealed some astounding facts. A survey conducted by Harris Polling in 2004 revealed that out of 12,000 people in eight industries only 15% knew their organization's top goals and priorities, and only 16% said their organization provided a compelling scoreboard that depicted progress against their goals or organizational objectives.

Thus, this area is not the strength of most executives, managers or some coaches. The obvious reasons are lack of courage and incapability to make an improvement. After all, it is not comfortable to confront poor performance.
Delegation:
It's a well-known fact that delegation is not the strength of most managers. As Michael Gerber has written in his book The Entrepreneurial Myth that most managers, owners and executives are so busy working ‘in’ the business that they fail to work ‘on’ the business. You cannot work on the business when you are constantly in the business reacting to both urgent and important demands and fires to put out, to-do lists that are too long. Inability to delegate work springs from lack of clarity of goals. They can’t let go intelligently because they are not focused on developing people. To be able to delegate work to your employees, you need additional time to work on the business. Delegation is wrought with real risks. It takes real courage to let go. But, the dual benefits of increased personal time on your part and building and developing your key talent outweigh the associated risks.

Making Choices And Decisions

2011-07-12T11:24:00.000+01:00

Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.
Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?
There are no guarantees.
You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent. There are too many possible outcomes, which your really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.
Wrong decisions are always at hindsight.
Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.
Take the risk and decide.
Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life. But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads:
Get as many information as you can about your situation.
You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.
Identify and create options.
What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.
Weigh the pros and cons of every option.
Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.
Trust yourself and make that decision.
Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight. So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.
Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining as a bystander or a passive audience to your own life. Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.

Developing Creative Thinking

2011-07-12T10:51:00.000+01:00

Creative thinking is an ability of an individual to provide ideas and thoughts that are not something the average people would think of. Creative thinking can be defined as thinking outside the box, which means thinking beyond the normal boundary.
There are many techniques for creative thinking, it is usually something people have to develop as it is not usually a second nature. When a person develops their creative thinking abilities, they will find they can come up with ideas quickly. They will likely begin with the not-so-obvious answers to questions instead of jumping right in with the obvious solutions. Individual like that is a great contributor to a problem-solving situation.
The thought process of a creative thinker generally goes through the following four steps...
Step 1: Analysis
It starts by looking over the situation. It involves finding out the who, what, where, when and how of the situation. When analysis is complete, you should be able to completely explain the situation including any obvious problems or issues.
Step 2: Brainstorming
This is the true area of creative thinking. Once the situation is fully understood, a brainstorming process is spawned. Brainstorming can take on many forms. You can write things down, talk things out or even conduct experiments. Since brainstorming is free flowing, you should write them down so no good ideas are lost.
Step 3: Break It Down
Once ideas and possibilities are collected, you can start to link together related ideas and weed out those that are not relevant. Eventually, you will end up with ideas that seem to be the best solutions.
Step 4: Review
The final step involves reviewing several related ideas and come up with a final one or two ideas that seem to stand out and be the best ideas.
Being a creative thinker involves being able to think without a lot of structure, these four steps are the basics of any thinking process. They can help to organize your though processes. Of course these four steps need to be nurtured and developed over time until they become your second nature. That's how you develop your creative thinking ability. Hope you find this article useful.

Underlying foundation

2011-07-04T15:18:00.003+01:00

If you’re planning to build anything to an impressive height, be sure you first have a strong foundation in place. In any undertaking, the foundation is most decidedly not the exciting part. Yet it is essential for all the rest. The world does not see or marvel at the solid foundation, but without that foundation the world sees nothing.
Take a lesson from nature. The tallest and most stately trees have the strongest and most developed root systems. You don’t see the roots, and yet without them the tree could not stand.
Building a strong foundation in your own life may often seem limiting and tedious. Upholding your integrity is not always fun or easy. Developing self discipline often requires you to forgo the fleeting pleasures of the moment.
And yet, a strong foundation ultimately is not something which limits you. Rather it enables you to live life on your own terms. The energy and commitment you put into building and strengthening your own sturdy root system will continue to provide you with nourishment and support as you grow your life to spectacular heights

Leave Your "Comfort Zone"

2011-07-04T13:25:00.000+01:00

Perhaps the best explanation you can find for "comfort zone" is from Wikipedia. It defines comfort zone as follow...
"A comfort zone denotes that limited set of behaviors that a person will engage without becoming anxious. Alternatively denoted as a "plateau" it describes that set of behaviors that have become comfortable, without creating a sense of risk. A person's personality can be described by his or her comfort zones. Highly successful persons may routinely step outside their comfort zones, to accomplish what they wish." - quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_zone
If you have a house and family to go home to and you have a job that can support your daily basic necessities, it's ok to feel comfortable. However, you must always keep your 3rd eye open to the never-stopping of movements and changes of the world. The comfort zone can become the danger zone when you're stuck in it persistently even though you know that there is a better alternative.
The danger is that when you're deeply engraved in your comfort zone, you're mentally conditioned to feel safe without realizing that you're actually staying in a grave zone. This condition is best described by the following frog-boiling story...
It has been said that if a frog is threw into a container of boiling water, it will instantly jump out of the boiling water. But, if it is placed into a container of cold water, it liked it and stayed in the container. When the heat was turned on at the bottom of the container and the water get warmer, the frog felt comfortable and relaxed and even took a nap. The frog was so comfortable that it stayed in the container until it was “cooked”.
Most people are in the “comfort zone” and they prefer to stay there because it feels safe. Like the boiling frog in the story, we refuse to get out of our comfort zone and prefer to stay where we are because we feel warm and comfortable. We become unaware of the gradual shift of our comfort zone to danger zone. Remember that there is no such thing as “staying where we are”, because by nature things are evolving and changing. If we are always staying where we are, that means we're not moving ahead in life. And if we're not moving ahead, according to the law of nature, we're actually moving in the opposite direction... to the danger zone!

Leadership

2011-07-04T11:48:00.002+01:00

The greatest leaders are those who lead not only with their words and ideas. The greatest leaders are those who lead primarily by their example. The most effective form of leadership is born out of the sincere desire and proven ability to make a positive contribution.

Those who lead best are those for whom leadership itself is not the primary aim. Those who lead best are those who can inspire others to embrace the positive values and priorities by which they themselves live.

True leadership comes not from position but from participation and effectiveness. Those who are willing and able to get things done are best suited to lead. To be a leader, be a shining example. Do that which you would lead others to do, and do it spectacularly. Leadership at its best enlarges and duplicates the efforts of the leader. Make those efforts the best they can be, and they’ll result in true, effective leadership.

The World Around You

2011-07-04T11:22:00.002+01:00

The way you see yourself is the way you see the world. And the way you see the world is the way you see yourself. To live in a world that is filled with kindness, be kind. To enjoy a world that is respectful, practice respect for others. If you wish to live in a world filled with abundance, be creative.

When you wish to feel better about yourself, make an effort to help someone else. Admire the beauty of the world around you and that beauty becomes a part of you. Value and appreciate the achievements of others, and you strengthen your own capacity for achievement.

There is an entire universe which surrounds you, and it is yours to experience. The quality of that experience is largely up to you. Those who seem to hold the world in their hands do so by virtue of the way they perceive and relate with the world.

Forge a positive relationship with the world around you and the world will become a better place for you to live.

Optimism Versus Pessimism

2011-06-30T14:40:00.000+01:00

You will always face choices in life and those choices can be negative or positive, depending on how you view life. You may opt to have a pessimist’s view and live a self-defeated life or you may decide to take the optimist’s route and live a challenging and fulfilling life.
So why would you nurture an optimist’s point of view?
Well, optimism has been linked to many good things, such as a positive mood, good morale; to success in many areas of life; to popularity; to good health and even to long life.
On the other hand, the rates of depression and pessimism have never been higher. It affects middle-aged adults as well as younger people. Incredibly the mean age of onset has halved from 30 to 15, therefore becoming a teen-ager’s disorder’ as well as a middle age one.
You can see why it really pays to be an optimist:
Optimists expect and receive the best from life
The unfortunate, defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events are their own fault, and this belief will last a long time, undermining everything they do. Whereas optimists are confronted with the same hard knocks in life but believe defeat is just a temporary setback, and that its causes are confined to this one case.
Optimists usually focus on the 'problem' at hand. They reinterpret a negative experience in a way that helps them learn and grow as a person. Such people are completely unfazed by a bad situation as they see it is a challenge and try harder.
The positive expectancies of optimists also predict better reactions during upheavals and major changes, sudden tragedies and unlikely turn of events. As a child learning to walk falls and immediately stands up again, so do they. They see only opportunities not obstacles.
People respond positively to optimists.
Optimists are proactive and much less dependent on others for their happiness or success. They find no need to control, co-erce or manipulate people. They usually find people are drawn towards them, as their optimistic view of the world can be contagious and influence those they are with.
Optimism is a socially desirable trait in all communities. Those who share their positive expectancies are generally accepted while those who spread despair, panic and hysteria are treated unfavorably.
In life, these people often win elections or prizes; get voted most congenial and sought for advice.
It has to be said that when the going gets tough, optimists get tougher.
Optimists typically remain much calmer during times of stress than do people who are less optimistic. In contrast, pessimists are likely to react to stressful events by denying that they exist or by delay dealing with problems.
They persevere. Giving up for them is not really an option. They are also known for their patience, taking their time to reach their goal or elusive dream.
Optimists are generally much healthier and live longer. Medical research has justified that simple pleasures and a positive outlook on life can cause a measurable increase in the body's ability to fight disease. Whereas if you give up mentally, then your body gives up physically.
So why not be an optimist today? And think positively towards a more fulfilled life. Look forward to success in all your endeavours and you will succeed. Be resilient and pick yourself up every time you fall. See life on the bright side and inspire those around you.

ACTIVITIES vs ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2011-06-30T13:38:00.000+01:00

Many of us are confused by activity with accomplishment, we feel like going round and round like a merry-go-round, with no concrete results. Although there are many opportunities around us but we can't see them. Therefore, it's very IMPORTANT that you have specific goals and objectives that you can measure.
If we don't have a goal, we might as well be like the caterpillars.
There was an experiment conducted on the Processionary Caterpillars. These caterpillars would blindly follow the one in front of them. The caterpillars were carefully arranged in a circle around the rim of a flowerpot, so that the lead caterpillar came into contact with the last one, making a complete circle.
Some pine needles, the food of the processionary caterpillars were placed in the middle of the flowerpot. The caterpillars went round and round
the circular flowerpot. They continued to go round and round for seven days and seven nights, and finally dropped dead of starvation and exhaustion, ironically, with abundance of food within reach.
Moral of the story: Don't wander around without specific goals in life. Set goals and keep moving ahead.

Focus Your Energy On Positive Solutions

2011-06-30T13:22:00.000+01:00

Conflicts and disagreements are part of our lives. We all will experience it at one time or another. When we have conflicts, the important thing to remember is NOT to cling onto the problem and get stuck.
We need to be able to find ways to resolve our problems effectively and move forward.That’s why it’s important we always focus our energy on positive solutions.
Here are some tips to help you focus your energy on positive things:
1.) Relax and be positive. Let go of the need to list all that had gone wrong in the past or it might go wrong.
2.) Plan ahead, lay out your action plan and focus on the steps that will move you closer to your goals. Focus your time and energy on things that will move you closer to your goals and stay away from those things that move you farther from your goals. Having a concrete plan will make you better prepared to anticipate the unexpected.
3.) Give proper weight to the ideas and advice of others. Recognize that others may see things differently than you do. Know your own capability well and respect other people’s opinions.
4.) When you meet successful people, don’t just hear what they say, watch what they DO! Use their experience as stepping-stones to your own success, but let go of the idea that you need to have what they have in order to move forward.
5.) Give a careful thought to your plan and goals in life. Believe in yourself, put time and energy on your plan and continue to forge on. Other people may not agree with you and some may even try to steal your dreams but you’re always well prepared and have positive energy to break through the challenges that crop up. Because you’re confident that you’re making wise choices.
Follow the power tips above and you’ll always be able to eliminate the effects of negativity and reach for the empowerment of positive focus instead.

QUALITIES OF A SUCCESSFUL ENTERPRENEUR

2011-06-27T10:26:00.000+01:00

When people talk about the qualities of an entrepreneur, they often mention about leadership, visionary, self-confidence, organization and coordination. But in this article, I would like to mention 5 more important qualities that shape a successful entrepreneur.
Just ask yourself the following 5 questions...
1. What is your personal mission statement in life? As Stephen Covey wrote in his popular book "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", the second habit he talks about is "Begin with the End In Mind". He recommends formulating a "personal vision statement" to document one's perception of one's own vision in life.
What do you want to accomplish in your life? One effective way to write your personal mission statement is to visualize the day when you die. What do you want your loved ones and friends to say and remember about you? Another approach is to write your own obituary. Without a clear personal mission statement, you will quickly lose focus and direction in your business.
Without a personal mission statement, you won't be able to find a passion or desire for success.

2. Are you self-motivated? Perhaps one of the most crucial qualities for people who are self-employed to succeed. Without self motivation, you will always find yourself putting things off. You won't be able to accomplish anything as there is no one there to motivate you or watch over your shoulder when you're your own boss. So if you are not a self-motivated kind of person, working for yourself or being an entrepreneur is definitely a NO-NO for you.

3. Are you persistent? Understand that there is no "instant gratification" when you're doing your own business. You won't get a paycheck every month like you do in a 9 to 5 job. Initially, you may need to work very hard for little rewards.
If you're not persistent or don't believe in yourself and the business, you will have find yourself given up very quickly. Of course, it is possible to earn good money by running your own business, but you need to remember that it will take hard work, time and persistence to achieve success.

4. Are you financially responsible? A very important quality for all business owners. When you're your own boss, you're a CEO, accountant and finance manager. You're responsible in managing and controlling your business budget. When you start making profits, you need to know how to manage it wisely. Often times, you will want to put a portion of your profit back into your business to help it grow and expand further.

5. Are you hungry for success? If you want to be an entrepreneur, you have to think and behave like one. Understand that business is not the same as hobby where you can take it lightly. If you treat your business like a hobby, you will never be able to achieve true success. A business needs to be worked at seriously and professionally, you can't allow personal things to get into your business. Remember what the headline in Donald Trump's Apprentice show say? "It's Not Personal - It's Just Business".