The Realgoalgetter Blog

The Realgoalgetter Blog Has Moved!

2009-05-08T15:00:00.005-07:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that this goal setting blog has been moved to the Home page of The Realgoalgetter Site.

The new feed address is: http://realgoalgetter.com/feed

This will be the last post so please switch over to the new feed address to continue receiving updates. Thanks in advance.

Al Smith

Self Talk, Are Your Thoughts Normally Positive Or Negative?

2009-04-25T11:17:00.001-07:00

Positive Self-Talk

One of the most powerful influences on your attitude and personality is what you say to yourself. It is not what happens to you, but how you respond internally to what happens to you, that determines your thoughts, feelings, and your actions. By controlling your inner dialogue, or your “self talk,” you can begin to assert control over every part of your life.

Your self-talk determines the majority of your emotional life. The words that you use to describe what is happening to you, and how you feel about external events, will trigger the emotions of happiness or unhappiness that you experience.

When you see things positively and you look for the good in every situation and in each person, you will become a very positive and optimistic person. Since the quality of your life is determined by how you feel moment to moment, you should make it a habit to only think and talk about what you want and keep your mind off of what you don’t want.

You are constantly faced with challenges, difficulties, and problems every day of your life. They are unavoidable and one of the inevitable parts of being human. But as you draw upon your resources to respond effectively to each challenge, you grow and become a stronger person.

When you look back over your life, you’ll see that you are the kind of person that you are because of all the difficulties and problems that you have had to overcome in your life. Without those setbacks, you could not have learned what you needed to know to developed the character and strength that you have at this point in your life.

Much of your ability to succeed comes from the way you deal with life. Having a positive mental attitude is indispensable for success and happiness. It is the key to success in business, and it is vital to building strong relationships with other people.

Everyone wants to be around a positive person with a cheerful attitude towards life. But no one wants to be around a negative person who is always pessimistic about everything. Your ability to develop and maintain a positive mental attitude, no matter what the situation may be, will play a critical role in any success you achieve.

One of the best ways to define a positive mental attitude is having “a constructive and positive response to adversity.” It is only when you are confronted with a setback or adversity that you really know if you have a positive attitude or not.

Anyone can be positive when things are going well. It is only when things are going against you, that you are able to demonstrate to yourself and others, that you have a positive character and personality.

One of the common characteristics of all high achieving men and women is that they recognize the inevitability of temporary setbacks and disappointments. They accept them as a normal and natural part of their life. They do everything possible to avoid problems, but when they come up, successful people learn from them and rise above them. They continue to move forward towards their goals.

Optimistic people develop the habit of talking to themselves in constructive ways. Whenever they experience adversity of any kind, they immediately describe it to themselves in a such a way that it looses its ability to trigger negative emotions. They are able to exert a sense of control by how they describe any event or situation to themselves.

There is a natural tendency in all of us to react emotionally when our expectations are frustrated in any way. When something we wanted and hoped for fails to materialize, we feel a temporary sense of disappointment and unhappiness. We feel hurt and disillusioned. We react just as though we had been punched in the “emotional solar plexus.”

A person who is positive and optimistic is resilient and bounces back fast when he or she encounters a problem or setback of any kind. He or she responds quickly to an adverse event and interprets it as being temporary and only external.

An optimistic person takes full control of his or her inner dialogue and counters any negative feelings by immediately reframing the event so that appears positive in some way.

Since your mind can hold only one thought at a time, either positive or negative, if you deliberately choose the positive thought to dwell upon, you keep your mind optimistic and your emotions positive.

Since your thoughts and feelings determine you actions, if you keep your words and thoughts positive, you will automatically be a more positive person and move more rapidly toward your goals.

It all comes down to the way you talk to yourself on a daily basis. When a problem or difficulty comes up you must learn to change your language from negative to positive. For example, you should learn to use the word situation instead of problem.

A problem is something you wrestle and struggle with. It represents a potential loss and difficultly. A situation, on the other hand, is just something that you deal with. The event is the same. But the way you interpret the event to yourself is what makes it sound and appear completely different.

An even better word to substitute for problem is the word challenge. When you are faced with a difficulty of any kind, instead of saying, “I have a problem,” you should say, “I have an interesting challenge facing me.”

The word challenge is inherently positive. It is something that you rise to and that makes you stronger. It is again the same situation, only the word that you are using to describe it is different. As a result, your emotional response will be different as well.

The best of all possible words for any event or situation is the word opportunity. When you are faced with a difficulty of any kind, instead of saying, “I have a problem,” you should say, “I am faced with an unexpected opportunity.”

Within ever difficulty or problem, there lies the seed of an equal or greater opportunity or benefit. If you focus your attention on finding out what the valuable lesson is, you will always find it.

You should start your day in front of a mirror saying affirmations, such as “I like myself,” “I am the best,“ and “I can do it.” These are personal and positive affirmations that will build your levels of self confidence and self-esteem. You should say these affirmations out loud in front of a mirror at least 50 times a day.

By doing this, you will be driving these new positive thoughts deep into your subconscious. At first when you do this, you’ll feel kind of funny doing it, only because your mind over many years has been programmed with so much negativity that it will take time to reprogram your mind with these new positive affirmations.

The hallmark of the truly successful and happy person is the ability to be objective and unemotional when caught up in the inevitable storms of daily life. The high achieving individual has the ability to continue talking to himself or herself in a positive and optimistic way no matter what the situation is.

They are always calm, clear, and completely under control. As a result, they are able to exert a far greater sense of control and influence over their environment, and are less likely to be angry, upset, or distracted by problems or difficulties.

The starting point of becoming a more positive person is to monitor and control your self-talk every minute of the day. Keep your thoughts and words positive and consistent with your goals. Keep your mind focused on what you want and on becoming the person you want to be.

Remember that it is impossible to learn, grow and become successful without adversity and difficulties. You must rise above them in order to become a better person. So, welcome each difficulty as a learning experience and look into the situation to find something good or beneficial in it.

Always, keep your thoughts on your future and on your goals. Constantly think about the person you want to become. When things go wrong temporarily, respond by saying to yourself, “I believe in the perfect outcome of every situation in my life.”

Resolve to be cheerful and pleasant in every situation. Resist every temptation to respond to a situation negatively. View disappointment as an opportunity to grow stronger, and talk to yourself and others about it in a positive and optimistic way.

When you practice positive self-talk, and keep your words and your mental pictures consistent with your goals, nothing can stop you from being the success you are meant to be.

Copyright© 2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc.
All rights reserved worldwide.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. A former ad agency executive and marketing consultant, Joe’s work in personal development focuses on helping his clients identify hidden marketable assets that create windfall opportunities and profits, as well as sound personal happiness and peace.

Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com

Can We Be Happy, Healthy, And Rich?

2009-04-20T13:22:00.003-07:00

Do you really need to read another emotional article about being sick and tired of not being rich? Yes, you do want to get rich. The inside of your head is waiting to explode, you want it so bad!

You want to get rich though NOW, right? . . . RIGHT?

You might even have read a million articles and advice columns all over the internet. “Live below your means” is something you read all the time. It’s absolutely true but that sucks, doesn’t it?

You don’t want people to ask you to create a budget and stick to it or start early or invest now and not touch it until retirement and more along these lines.

Get started NOW. Don’t just spend your lifetime in thinking and dreaming. Do something solid now. It may not be the super right thing to do, but do it nevertheless. Just get started.

Edison did not invent the bulb overnight. He just started. He perhaps found some 10,000 odd ways that will not result in a bulb as the end! But alas, he made his creation. He tells the story about how he had found all the ways it wouldn’t work, so that the next thing had to work!

Start off now. Mistakes are part of the process. You will learn how not to do it the next time. Take action, analyze the results and be flexible. Adjust when necessary.

Remember, it is OKAY to fail. Mistakes are bound to occur. You can’t afford to be too hard on yourself. Most times, success lies behind the last mistake you make, which might even be a 100th mistake you are making. Just don’t stop digging three feet short of the gold!

You want to be rich. You’re just on your way. Pump yourself up and move on. Get closer to your dream.

You have loads of energy in you. You’re sick of earning a pittance. You want to see real money come your way now. So here’s what you need to rightfully do:

First, decide what “rich” is. Are you referring to Bill Gates rich where you can afford just about anything? Maybe you don’t really want to work that hard. You want to work lesser but still be “rich”. So, the first rule of thumb is - be specific. Do you want to be rich in the billion dollar area, 100 million area or maybe just 10 million dollars would be rich enough.

Here’s a quick idea, don’t work! . . . At least, don't work for someone else. Be your own boss. Well, you can have a job, and also work for yourself can't you?.

Are you going to work to please your boss or yourself? Please yourself first; you will realize that everybody around you will be happier with you if you are first happy yourself.

So, make yourself absolutely happy first and then you can go about doing that for others. Primary importance is you and you only. Do not forget this. You must take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else.

Do what you love doing. Commercialize on what you love doing. It might initially seem like you can’t make any money out of it. But concentrate, meditate and THINK of all possible ways to make something work out for you. What you love doing should fetch you money somehow.

Now this doesn’t mean you can play golf all day and earn money. Not unless you’re Tiger Woods! Find some creative ways to make money with something you like doing. You just have to do this.

You can get rich. Just go out there now and do what you love doing. You have a wonderful brain. You just have to tap it and getting that lazy lost thing to start working. Think. Come up with a plan and plunge headlong into it.

Money is just a measure of the value you provide to others. Service to others should always be compensated for in some way. All you have to do is find enough of those people who can afford to pay for your services, and provide value and benefits they want or need, and are willing to pay for them.

Follow your passion and begin to strategize on how to monetize your efforts. Money will follow. Money will follow in great amounts as long as you keep persisting in locating strategies to earn compensation for your efforts. It will.

I apologize if this sounded more like a sermon than a post. After all, I needed a kick in the butt, and this helped me work things out in my own mind . . .

See you next time.

Al

Happiness Is Not An Accident, Just Be Happy!

2009-03-05T04:19:00.004-08:00

Happiness--A Critical Life Skill You Can't Do Without

Wayne Dyer tells us, "Change your thoughts and you change your life." Few people would argue with such ancient wisdom. However sometimes it is easier said than done.

I have spent years actively learning strategies to develop an authentic positive mindset and eliminate negative thought patterns. It's an ongoing process. Much like developing a physical muscle, you can't coast on your progress. Muscles atrophy when they're not used, both physical and mental muscles.

The good news is that there is a wealth of resources available to help. From uncovering limiting beliefs to dissolving fears, from choosing deliberate focus to envisioning a successful future, the tools are plentiful and accessible.

It's helpful to remember that happiness isn't an accident--it's a skill that can be learned, one that can help you feel better, resist depression and greatly improve your relationships and your life. A great place to begin building your happiness skill is to build your optimism muscle.

Psychologist, clinical researcher and bestselling author Martin Seligman has spent 25 years studying optimism and pessimism. In his book, Learned Optimism, he states that pessimistic thinking can undermine not just your behaviour but your success in all areas of your life.

"Pessimism is escapable," he writes. "Pessimists can learn to be optimists."

By altering your view of your life, you can actually alter your life, he says. The first step is to recognize your "explanatory style." What do you say to yourself when you experience a set back?

When you find yourself caught in pessimistic thinking, use the following strategies offered by Price Pritchett in his book, Hard Optimism: How to Succeed in a World Where Positive Wins, to build your optimism muscle.

Recognize and Dispute Pessimistic Thoughts. Don't allow your mind to run on autopilot with negative thoughts getting free rein to spread unhappiness. When you notice the negative thoughts, refocus on past successes, emphasize your strengths, look for what is good about the situation, and identify solutions.

Don't Accept Problems at Face Value. When trouble hits, give yourself a short period of time to let the initial shock wear off, then switch your attention from worst-case to best-case thinking. This reframing counters the tendency to overestimate problems and underestimate your ability to handle them successfully. Positive reframing creates space for optimism, nurtures hope, and adds to your resilience.

Make Hope a Habit. Hope helps move us in the direction of our goals and ambitions. Research proves that hope improves our chances for success, increases happiness, and is good for your health. Hope energizes and mobilizes us, serving as a catalyst for action. Because hope links directly to our confidence level, it inspires us to aim higher, put forth more effort, and have more staying power.

Practice "Spiritual Optimism." Joan Borysenko, psychologist, speaker and author of several books, including Fire in the Soul, encourages people who experience feelings of despair and hopelessness in times of crises to remember it takes courage to live, and that we can find that courage by facing our fears, finding support and using prayer or meditation.

A critical belief that underlies all of these points is the existence of choice. You are free to choose the focus of your attention, your interpretation of a situation, and your actions. By choosing to focus, interpret, and act on situations in a positive and optimistic manner you create a joyful, successful life that continues to build a positive momentum. What more can you ask for!

I invite you to share your thoughts on this topic. What strategies do you use to build your optimism muscle? What makes you happy? To join the discussion, visit my blog.

by Sheila Betker

Sheila Betker is founder of Freedom to Dream, a company dedicated to connecting women with their true life's purpose and helping them build the life of their dreams. To sign up for a free 10-part ecourse entitled, Living Your Dream Life: Step By Step Guide to Living Your Life on Purpose, visit: Freedom To Dream.

Say No With Grace And Compassion (When You Need To)

2009-03-03T07:00:00.002-08:00

There are times in our life when we just need to say "NO" to a request from someone wanting some of our time or effort, or take us into a situation we just don't want to be in.

Here are a few ideas that can take you out of that situation and let them know that you do care about them, so they don't get the wrong idea.

Say No With Grace and Compassion

The hard part of saying "no," especially to friends and family, is that you simply don't want to hurt someone. After all, you think, they wouldn't have asked if they didn't really need or want it, would they?

And, as social beings, most of us want to be helpful. Helping is part of survival for the family and community. It's bred into us at home, and reinforced in school, on T.V. and in all sorts of literature.

Also, we've been trained to consider saying "no" to be rude. Unacceptable. Provocative. We get that notion reinforced by the number of people who show anger or disappointment when we say it. Additionally, we get anxious when people are angry or disappointed with us. We feel guilty when someone obviously feels rejected.

If that weren't enough, many, many folks take "no" as a challenge or as a starting point for negotiation. In fact, salespeople are specifically taught to take "no" as the opening salvo in a battle to get to "yes." (Of course, if you are a parent, you already understand the challenge process and tactics from in-depth experience.)

Add all of that to the abiding human need to be needed, and you've got a whopper of a problem about saying "no."

Nevertheless, for whatever reason -- and just not wanting to do it is good enough -- you have to say "no." So you want to do it well. You want to be firm and believable. You want to have your "no" be accepted and unchallenged. You want everyone to walk away feeling good about it. Or at least without any resentments or damage to the relationship.

So, here are a couple of techniques you can use to put yourself in a good frame of mind and mode of communication to be both compassionate and graceful in refusing a request or offer:

• Smile. Smile a genuine, grateful smile of appreciation for having been asked to be of help. Say "no" in with a tone and attitude that reflects the gratitude of your smile.

• Imagine having to saying "no" to someone you love and really want to help. Picture it in full color detail. See that person's face and allow yourself to feel your affection and good will for him or her. Practice various ways of saying "no" while in that caring state of mind. Use the same image in the real situation as well as in practicing.

Try practicing variations on some of the following to find your own "no" voice. Get a variety of friends to practice with you and give you feedback on how you're doing. (One practice partner is not enough -- you need to practice with several people who have different perspectives. And, by the way, if someone you ask to help says "no," accept the refusal graciously.)

Ways to phrase refusals:

• Generic: "Thank you for thinking of me, but no, I just can't. Let me suggest someone else who might."

• Generic: "Sorry, but I just don't have the time right now. I think X might help out. Do you want his phone number?"

• Generic: "I'd like to help, but I'm not able to now. Is there another time that I could work with you on that?"

• Invitations to do something you don't like, by someone you do like: "Thanks, but the truth is I really hate baseball (or ballet or opera or whatever). Let's plan to do something we both like, some other time."

• When asked to do something that's just plain wrong (cheating, fraud, harmful lies, etc.): "No, I'm not willing to do that, and I'm concerned that you might be harmed (get in trouble) if you do that. Are you open to other suggestions?"

Take the time to write out a list of refusals of your own, similar to the ones above. Make sure to practice them so that you can deliver them calmly and kindly in the real situation and so that you are always prepared to say "no" effectively.

Be warned: no matter how compassionate and caring you are, some people won't take no for an answer and you'll still end up with a power struggle. Some people will be hurt. Some people will be resentful. And sometimes relationships will end when you don't give the other person what they want. You can only do your best.

by C.S. Clarke

C.S. Clarke, Ph.D. is a psychologist and publisher of http://www.Superperformance.com a Performance Impact, Inc. property. http://www.Superperformance.com publishes human performance and self-improvement articles, link directories, e-books, and many other tools for improving human performance and productivity, for career development, and for personal achievement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=C.S._Clarke,_Ph.D.

No Fear, No Fear, No Fear, Say Yes!

2009-03-03T06:49:00.001-08:00

In a culture full of reasons to say "no", it takes a lot of courage to find ways to say "yes".

We're taught to say "no" from a very young age, after all. For most of us, our first word was "no'', and it quickly became our favorite word. As toddlers and teenagers, we used "no'' to differentiate ourselves from our parents, peers, and surroundings.

It's how we began to control what was happening around us, or at least, how we tried to control that. It helped us over those early developmental hurdles, and gave us our earliest sense of our personal boundaries -- and that's a lot of significance bound up in such a tiny word!

The problem isn't that "no" in and of itself is somehow bad; indeed, giving yourself permission to say "no" as an adult can keep you out of an awful lot of trouble.

The problem is that "No" begins to take on a life of its own. Too often, that life is yours.

Life is change, and "no" becomes a way of slowing down that change, or trying to stop it altogether. It is a shield we use to protect ourselves from having to experience anything new or different.

Rather than riding the wave of change into a life full of exhilarating possibilities, we use "no" as a tether to keep us safely confined to the kiddie pool.

Using "no" to protect ourselves from change is like a kitten poking its head under covers assuming it's completely hidden.

Change is going to happen, whether you say "no" to it or not. And, just like that kitten, assuming that "no" protects you from change is one sure way to have it pounce on you and bite your tail.

Let's be honest here: We usually say "no'' out of fear, and some fears are entirely reasonable. It's sensible to say "no'' to jumping off a bridge or "no'' to cake if you are diabetic. These "no's'' aren't the ones that keep us from living lives of incredible satisfaction and happiness.

It's those silly, neurotic fears like fearing rejection, or of looking stupid, or being wrong. It's the fear of commitment, the fear of speaking out, and the fear of facing our truest, deepest desires.

The list is nauseatingly long, and we've all bought into some of these at least once. These fears have shaped our lives, often to our detriment and sometimes to the detriment of those around us.

So the next time you're faced with something new and exciting and all those little neurotic fears start rioting inside you, what does it take to fight down a "no" and say "yes" instead?

In a word: Courage.

Like the Cowardly Lion (an archetype for the fear-ridden) we need to find our courage. Unlike him, we know that we have to face our fears, and find our courage within.

Inside each of us beats a brave, fiercely courageous heart, willing to take on a challenge if it means that life afterward will be more authentic, happier, and free.

What better challenges to tackle than the fears that keep us chained to our tiny, boring, closeted little lives?

Do yourself a favor: Right now, identify and tackle at least one of those inner fears. Find a reason to say "yes" today, and every day. You've only your inner coward to lose!

by Rev. Dr. Alesia Matson

Rev. Dr. Alesia Matson is co-founder of Reasons to Say Yes! a community of like-minded souls who are determined not to allow internal fears to limit or inhibit the broad range of joyous experiences available to them in this life. She teaches and writes articles on meditation and self-improvement, and is the author of 7 Mysteries: Contemplative Arts for the Modern Mystic. Contact her at alesia@reasons2sayyes.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Seven Decision Making Tips That Clarify Your Goal Setting

2009-01-18T14:25:00.005-08:00

Image via WikipediaThe Art of Decision Making: Tips on Making Decisions You Can Live With

Making decisions in our lives – whether it’s what to eat for lunch or where to find your next job – can seem overwhelming. Each decision carries with it a result and a chain of events that may dictate the course of our lives.

For those of us who consider every decision as life or death, day-to-day decisions can seem impossible! Goal Setting or prioritizing helps immeasurably in clarifying the decision making process.

To help you discover the finer points of decision-making, here are some valuable tips on how you can make decisions that you can live with every day as you go after your goals:

1. Map out your decision. Start by evaluating the decision to be made. What are the details? By mapping out exactly what your decision will entail as far as consequences and results, you’ll be on your way to making an informed decision that you can live with.

2. Weigh pros and cons. This process is tried and true. Make a list and evaluate the pros in one column against the cons in another. Include short and long term consequences as well as positives and negatives and how they will affect your goals progress.

Seeing the pros and cons before you on paper will make the matter at hand seem all the more evident as far as how you should make your decision. In your evaluation, give more weight to the pros and cons that carry more weight in your life.

· The quantity of pros or cons does not equal the quality.

For example, if one of your main goals and priorities in life is to make more money, listing “make more money” on your pros column should count for more than one of the cons in the other column.

3. Become informed. Find out all of the related information you need to make your decision. Being better informed through research or talking to others will help you make a decision you can live with.

4. Consider your motives. While evaluating your list of pros and cons, consider what motives may be contributing to the points you added in both columns. Revise or weigh accordingly. For example, can the con on your list be attributed to your lifelong fear or is it merely situational?

· In the case of fears, perhaps facing your fears should be part of the decision. Facing the fear may be a pro as opposed to the fear being a con. Facing a fear may clear a limiting factor in your goals program so you can be more effective.

5. Give yourself a deadline. When faced with an important decision, we tend to delay making the ultimate choice. By giving yourself a deadline, you will have no other choice than to decide one way or another.

6. Look at the decision as part of the bigger goals picture. Is this a small or large decision in the course of your life? Decide which and evaluate accordingly. If it’s small, perhaps you’re spending too much time and consideration on it. If it’s larger, how will it fit in with the rest of your life goals?

· By examining the decision for what it is in the short and long-term, you will better understand how the decision affects the bigger picture.

7. Recognize the relativity. Many tough decisions can carry with them irrevocable consequences, but more often than not, there is always more time and more opportunity to make the decision again. Worrying needlessly about one decision is usually futile.

· Most decisions only determine your short-term circumstances in the relative present. In most cases your decision can be altered in the future when circumstances are different or you’re in a different stage of your life.

Following these tips can transform decision-making from a stressful process into a process that gives you more confidence and control in your life.

Embrace decision making as the good thing that it is, and the result will be a happier, more confident you! So, set your goals, commit to making new decisions that align with your longer term life path.

Do You Have Enough Energy To Pursue Your Goals?

2009-01-18T09:05:00.002-08:00

Image by Scott Robbin via FlickrGoals Take Energy – Top Energy Boosters To Try

Fatigue and lack of energy are at the top of the heap when it comes to the excuses for failure to realize goals.

Here are some ways to boost your energy while you are on the path to higher achievement. Try some of these to see which work best for you.

Play some Energetic music. Different types of music have different effects on us, but you can learn which are best for you by trial and error. Once you find the music that wakes you up, keep it ready. Keep a tape in your car, and a CD in the player at home.

Sleep better. The research seems to show that as long as you get at least five hours of sleep, the quality is more important than the quantity. Try drinking something warm before bed, or relax with a simple meditation.

Talk about something interesting. Have you ever seen a tired person start to talk about something they're passionate about, and suddenly "wake up." It's a powerful technique you can use for yourself. Have a few "favorite" subjects that get you going.

Deep breathing. Several slow deep breaths help oxygenate the blood supply better, and especially seems to wake up the brain.

Have an "energy drink. The verdict isn't in on most of them, but it's a cheap option to try. I seem to get something from the ones with Ginkgo Biloba in them.

Move your body. Sometimes just getting up and washing the dishes, or walking around the house helps boost energy levels.

Exercise. It's not a quick solution, but many people notice an increase in their energy level when they get regular aerobic exercise.

Hot and cold shower. Try a minute of hot water, then a minute of cold, alternating for six minutes. This isn't for those with weak hearts, but it will wake you up. Incidentally, research shows that this also revs up the immune system.

Get outside. Often, a little sunshine and fresh air can be very energizing.

These are just some of the things that can boost your energy supply for goal achievement when you need it. Write down the techniques that work for you when you try them and remind yourself to use them.

I'm tired is not an option . . . energize and go for your goals with gusto.

Goals Work - Mastermind Groups And Support Networks

2009-01-17T17:31:00.004-08:00

Image via WikipediaReach For Your Goals - Find Those Positive People With The Intent To Build a Support Team or Mastermind Group

It has been stressed that achieving goals is not a solitary process. Help in some form is needed to make the process easier. Develop your support network or find a group of positive like minded individuals to enhance your goal achievement.

Keep in mind that you are not reinventing the wheel here. Just because you have a goal doesn’t mean that everything has to be done the hard way in order to claim it as yours.

Few original ideas remain in this world. It is your personal take on them that makes your goals unique.

Create your own support team. In order to make reaching your goal a simpler process that doesn’t have you pulling your hair out or feeling like you have to do everything all by yourself.

This is a group of people that you can count on at different times to help you reach the end of your goal. The team can consist of anyone that you trust implicitly to have your best interests at heart.

Start with those closest to you. Family members can take an interest in your goal. To make it official, have them sign a contract that states they will assist you in specific ways during the achievement of this goal. These contracts are like pacts between people to support one another. Have fun with it.

You might find that family members are willing to help, until they have to tell you the hard things. Instead they may sugar coat or even down right lie to you about something for fear of hurting your feelings.

In that case, family members are perfect as your pep team. They can be there to cheer you on and pick you up when you are down in the dumps about your goal.

Next, call on the help of your more positive friends. It isn’t necessary to give them all the details about your goal but ask them to check in on you from time to time in an effort to keep you focused on the goal. That doesn’t require specifics just a willingness to be a caring partner in the process.

Church groups can help achieve goals as well. Become a part of a prayer group to increase your spiritual strength as you undertake this goal. For religious individuals, the spiritual component of the support team is an integral part of achieving their goals and should not be left out.

Create Your Own Mastermind Group. Another great way to get support in reaching your goals is by building a mastermind group. What is a mastermind group you might ask?

It is a group composed of people who are all working towards the same or similar goal. They may be taking a different path to get there, but each person in the group is united in the fact that some day they will all achieve that goal. It is a true interdependent relationship, every person in the group contributes and in turn benefits.

These groups can be found on the Internet or you can create your own if you have the time and the drive. Mastermind groups are helpful for business and personal goals. They share ideas, experiences, resources, and motivation to help all members get to the next level of completing their goals.

Everyone in the group has a common goal and realizes that many heads are better than one. Mastermind groups form alliances that can be helpful and productive beyond just your current goals too.

If a goal is particularly trying at times, it is a tremendous relief to know that someone else out there knows exactly how you feel. These groups are also great for being honest with you when it comes to the hard times of achieving your goals.

Members won’t be afraid of hurting your feelings, like friends or family might be, and will simply tell it like it is. That is what you want here. Sometimes, whether we like it or not, that’s exactly what we need in order to overcome hurdles and get to the finish line.

These are just a couple of ways you can reach your goals faster and with greater momentum by enlisting the help of others.

More On Positive Associations And How To Avoid Negative People

2009-01-17T13:58:00.006-08:00

Image via WikipediaThe Value Of Positive Associations And How to Avoid Negative People

There’s an old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.” The reasoning behind this is that we tend to become like the people we hang out with.

If you’re around “cannot, should not, and do not” people, then you’ll constantly be discouraged and depressed. Instead, surround yourself with visionaries and those who can inspire and motivate you so you can, should, and do take action.

How To Avoid Negative People - Following your intuition can be an effective way of weeding out negative people early on. Here are some body language signs to look out for and be aware of when you meet new people:

· A sick or uncomfortable feeling forms in the pit of your stomach.
· The hair on the back of your neck stands on end.
· Your skin crawls and you feel jumpy and adverse to touch.
· Your shoulder muscles knot up and your throat and chest constrict.
· You feel a sense of pressure, agitation, or darkness.
· You feel physically, mentally, or emotionally drained after meeting the individual.

These symptoms may be your body’s way of telling you to stay clear of this person. You may leave their presence feeling depressed and discouraged because all you’ve heard is complaining.

Naturally, this sucks the energy right out of you, but you can learn to read these signs early on and you’ll save yourself from becoming involved with a negative person. These people are toxic and will poison your mind with their negativity.

Seek Out People with Positive Attitudes

Sometimes you can tell someone is positive just by their outward appearance or the way they conduct themselves. Walking confidently with their head up or even smiling are signs that a person is in a positive mood.

Some other signs of a positive person are more intuitive, such as:

· You get a feeling of familiarity – as if you’ve known the person forever.
· You feel relaxed, calm, and safe.
· You breathe easier.
· You lean forward instead of crossing your arms defensively and withdrawing.
· You’re at ease with the other person’s touch (hug, handshake, etc.).
· You leave their presence feeling energized and alive.

Just as negative people put out a negative energy, positive people have positive energy. These people are nourishing and supportive. Your body can pick up on this and warn you or encourage you depending on the situation.

How do we go about finding these positive people we wish to associate with? Much of the above responses are simply felt in our day-to-day associations.

However, there are more proactive steps we can take to align ourselves with positive people:

· Find a local community event, club, or group where people challenge themselves and encourage their members to be better people. They will help you set goals for yourself and then achieve them.

· Participate in online forums or organize your own positive mentoring group. Sometimes it’s impossible to completely avoid certain negative people (perhaps a boss or family member), but you can limit your relationship with them and seek out positive role models elsewhere.

· Utilize your positive support system to prevent the negative people in your life from getting the best of you. Get positive again immediately!

The choices you make in life are yours alone. It’s completely in your power to choose who you are friendly with and whether you want to live a happy life or be miserable.

If you feel too much negativity, take control of your life and make some changes to eliminate the negative sources. This will likely take some time but making these changes will help improve your daily mood and remind you that good things are ahead.

What Massively Motivates You? Identifying Critical Motivations

2009-01-16T19:56:00.006-08:00

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeIdentify your Biggest Motivators and Use Them to Achieve your Goals

How can you use motivation to achieve your goals? Think of motivation as the fuel in your engine. Without it, your goal lays languishing in some distant future, with you unable to reach it.

But just how can you locate your biggest motivators and use them to achieve your goal?

Here are a couple of guidelines on identifying your greatest motivators, and using them effectively to reach that goal, no matter how distant or lofty it may seem. Let's first look at internal and external motivations.

Internal Motivation vs. External Motivation

What are the biggest most substantial motivators that any individual can locate? Truly successful individuals know that in order to achieve your personal goals, you must sustain yourself with a steady supply of internal motivation.

So what exactly is internal motivation? Internal motivation is directly linked to a vivid desire. Internal motivation is also directly related to the authenticity of your goals. If you are pursuing a goal for the right reasons, you are more likely to be successful.

Success is definitely related to internal motivation.

How will you get through the tough times, the roadblocks, and the seemingly insurmountable obstacles? If you have a deep and abiding passion and desire to achieve something, you will eventually succeed.

So what about external motivation? Are all forms of external motivation misleading or wrong? No, not really. External motivation can also be a valuable part of your goal realization process.

What exactly constitutes external motivation?

External motivation may refer to the motivation you receive from friends, family members, and colleagues. It may also refer to the feeling of satisfaction you get by moving steadily towards your goal.

When you are feeling frustrated and down, getting some kind of external validation can fill you with a renewed sense of vigor and energy. This is when external motivation can be highly valuable.

When is external motivation a bad thing? External motivation can be damaging when it becomes your only source of motivation. Because eventually, this type of motivation will run out, and you will be left with an empty tank.

Only internal motivation can keep you going when times get tough.

Authentic Desires And Motivations

The first thing you should when setting out to accomplish your goals is to locate your true internal desires. In this context, desire simply refers to what it is you want to get accomplished. Before you can get motivated, you need to figure out "why" you are seeking out a specific goal.

What is it you truly want? And . . . Why?

Do you long to go on your dream vacation? Do you want to be able to fit into a swimsuit by summertime? Be specific and honest about what your authentic desires truly are.

Don't be embarrassed or fearful. Simply articulate your desire. Once you figure out what you really want, you will be more likely to locate a steady source of motivation to help you attain it.

(For ways to motivate yourself, see How To Motivate Yourself To Achieve Your Goals)

Break Up Your Goal Into Smaller Steps

An easy way to keep your motivation up is to break up your larger goal into small, manageable steps. No matter how lofty your goal, it will seem much more accessible if you can compartmentalize it into smaller sections.

Use these short guideposts to keep you motivated along the way to achieving your goal. Every time you effectively accomplish each step, take the time to stop and celebrate it.

This manner of working will help keep you steadily motivated. With each accomplished step, you will gain greater confidence, courage, and knowledge.

You may also want to keep a chart where you can track your progress. Place this chart in your daily work area, where you can see it every day. Seeing your steady progress in a visual format will also help keep you motivated.

Using Creative Visualization to Locate Your Motivation

What can you do to locate motivation in times when it seems to run short? Try using creative visualization.

If you on a weight loss program and find yourself lacking motivation, implement a program of creative visualization into your daily schedule. Take fifteen minutes or so each day to imagine what it would be like to lose weight. Perhaps imagine how energetic and healthy you will feel in a slimmer body. Visualize yourself feeling really comfortable at your goal weight.

Creative visualization can be a vital force in keeping motivated, no matter what your goal.

Use these and as many other techniques that will work for you to enable you to stay motivated and on the path to your goals and authentic life!

Find Like Minded Positive People To Associate With

2009-01-14T18:20:00.005-08:00

Image via WikipediaHow to Surround Yourself with Positive People

One of the best ways to achieve your goals is to surround yourself with positive people. The energy these people have never seems to let them down, and they are achieving the great goals in life that they desire and dream about.

Positive people can help you stay on track and energize you toward your own goals. Many times these successful people share the same goals you have and are happy to pass on their wisdom and their techniques.

So how do you find these positive, like-minded people?

Here are 5 tips to help you find them, network with them, and glean valuable information and advice:

1. Smile. Although it may sound silly, smiling puts forth an image that instantly draws people towards you, especially other positive people. Having and showcasing a good perspective of life’s ups and downs makes other people want to be around you.

Positivism is often a difficult frame of mind to sustain all the time, and therefore, people are always looking for a way to be more optimistic.

· Staying positive is the building block of achieving your successes, as its opposite is futile. Smile and you’ll attract other positive people!

2. Communicate Positively. Although we all have rough days when nothing seems to be going right, the last thing you want do is complain and whine. No one likes a complainer, right?

For example, if someone were to ask you in a friendly manner, “how are you today?” don’t shoot back that “life stinks” or that you’re just “alive” or something to that effect.

Instead, take a moment – and a breath – and then reply with optimism, even if you’re having a tough day. After all, positive people don’t waste their time or energy on complainers or negative people.

· Even if you’re not feeling all that positive, by remaining optimistic in your outlook you’ll still attract positive people to you.

3. Think Positively. Keeping a level head on your trek toward success is one key to obtaining your objectives. Thinking positively – even through disappointment – will enable you to find the good in every situation and attract the positive people who share this vision.

· Even if you don’t really subscribe to these positive thoughts at first, or you find positive thinking difficult, sooner or later making yourself think positively will create a pattern of positive thoughts in your brain.

We’ve all got energy within us and we have the choice to use it constructively or destructively. If you want to attract positive people to network, then you’ll notice they try to be upbeat and optimistic, even during difficult times.

4. Act Positively. It isn’t enough to smile, communicate, and think positively when pursuing your goal. You must also put forth actions to substantiate this positivism.

For example, perhaps you thought you could get a promotion in the past, but then sat idly by while someone else snatched it up. This time, transform those positive thoughts into action!

· Showing your boss and employees that you are proactive and positive will set you up for more successes.

5. Reach Out. Lastly, reach out to people at your work, in your circle of friends, or even to people on the street who seem to exemplify positivism. Ask them what it is that makes them continue to be positive and reach their objectives.

· Seeking out positive people will not only give you valuable information to help you reach your goals, but you will also become a successful person with your own network of positive friends and role models.

Being positive and exemplifying positivism attracts others. After all, like attracts like.

People enjoy being around others with similar attitudes and, by maintaining a positive mindset, you’ll surely lead yourself to those successful people you seek.

If you don't feel like it then act as if you do . . .

Achieve Your Goals Faster Using These 5 Steps

2009-01-12T18:47:00.003-08:00

Image via Wikipedia5 Ways to Focus and Stay on Task

Each day, there are dozens of tasks that are calling your name, both at work and in your personal life. With life being so busy it’s easy to lose focus on the big picture.

How many times have you gone to bed wondering what you actually accomplished that day? Or have you ever felt like your day was somehow wasted?

To avoid these feelings, you can try a few different methods to get yourself back on track. Rather than bemoaning your wasted time, resolve to regain your focus and get back on task.

Confucius Says...

There’s a famous quote about focus by the great philosopher Confucius: “If you chase two rabbits, you catch none.” True, there might be people who are able to multitask and do it relatively well; but more often than not, people who split their attention between two different tasks have a more difficult time completing both tasks well.

Here are five ways to maintain your focus and stay on task:

1. Eliminate the distractions. Get rid of the barriers that are causing you to avoid getting things done – it’s that simple! Forget about checking email every five minutes; those emails will still be there when you complete your task. Make a list of distractions and eliminate!

· Turn off the phone and let the voice mail take over.
· Close the blinds in your office.
· Turn off the music if you find yourself singing more than working.
· Simply closing the door to your office can give you more privacy and more focus.

2. Prioritize your work. Rather than working on projects simultaneously, take one thing at a time, focus on it, and worry about all the other projects later. Ultimately, you’ll get a lot more done and you’ll finish it more quickly. You’ll also be recognized for the high quality that you deliver when you’re free from distractions.

· Find a way to prioritize that works best for you. Choose either the project that has the earliest deadline or the one with the least components so you can finish it quickly and get it out of the way. There are pros and cons to both systems so tackle it whichever way works for you.

3. Tell everyone to respect your time. There are many nice and respectful ways to tell people to back off. If you’re finding yourself in a time crunch and can’t seem to get away from others, consider letting them know that you need time to finish some important tasks. There are a lot of different ways to do it – just make sure you do!

· Set times that you’ll accept phone calls and even visitors. Tell them to contact you by email and then set a regular time to check your email.

· Set business hours during which people can expect you to return their calls or emails.

4. Set some limitations with your internet access. The internet is wonderful but it can be a huge time waster, especially if you work at a computer all day long. Hone your focus with some self-imposed rules.

· First, close all those windows you’re not using. Avoid MySpace or Facebook, quit searching on eBay, and leave messenger alone while you're on the job!

· Establish certain times each day to use these fun things and just focus on what you have to do. You’ll quickly accomplish more!

5. Have confidence in your abilities. This may seem like a really small thing when it comes to focusing and getting back on task, but believing that you can get everything done that you set out to do puts you in a positive frame of mind and you’ll be less distracted with stress and worry.

· Have confidence that you can complete each task with ease and believe in your ability to deliver. If you’ll just have the confidence, you’re sure to have the focus!

Now that you’ve been introduced to five ways to focus and stay on task, it’s up to you to take action and learn how to focus your thoughts. If you’ve got to get stuff done, follow these steps so you can put yourself – and your goals – first!

Quotations To Ponder

2009-01-05T12:53:00.004-08:00

"The Universe is full of magical things, just waiting for our wits to grow sharper." -- Eden Philpotts

The above quote is one of my favorites. As time goes by I continue to see the once impossible become probable, and then finally possible. Don't you see this also?

Then, how many undiscovered talents lay within us just waiting for us to discover them?

Because we don't know what we don't know, (and how could we?), many of our yet undiscovered talents lay dormant waiting for us to realize their existence.

Just as in life, inventions and theories lay dormant waiting for us to improve our knowledge base to the point where they become self evident and obvious.

So, what great things are we going to do that we don't even know about yet? What great hidden talents are within us that we are not yet aware of?

We are living miracles with many yet unknown and unlimited powers. We need to keep reminding ourself of that when we need a boost and that more information is bound to come with every passing day that will illuminate just powerful we are!

I have this quotation over my desk at home. It helps me when I feel stumped or feel the need for inspiration. I just look up and read it a few times.

After I read this quotation through a few times and digest it's message yet once again, I start back to work with renewed vigor. I know that this day or the next I will overcome whatever it is that I am dealing with at the time.

Make sure that you surround yourself with powerful triggers that move you personally. It works.

Here's a good one about fear:

"You can conquer almost any fear if you will make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind." - Dale Carnegie

Is there something you have avoided doing because you have some fear or nervousness? Get books on the subject, with knowledge sometimes fears dissipate. As Dale Carnegie says, the fears exist only in our mind. And we can control what we think about.

Benefits To Goal Setting For 2009

2009-01-04T20:34:00.006-08:00

If you are not already setting goals or making New Year's Resolutions then you should really get busy and complete this very important life task. This past week I have been reviewing my 2008 results and making 2009 plans.

Goal Setting has always been an important skill for me to have and I believe in it entirely. Goal Setting is a technique that can be very powerful and can result in some great returns in all areas of your personal and professional life.

It can exponentially increase your productivity inside the time frames you have available. However, you must be very specific and avoid generalities in your goal setting strategies.

At a very simple level, goal setting lets you determine where it is that you want to go in life.

On a more complex level, goal setting can be a vision that is long term and comes with the motivation to change your entire life.

When you know what it is that you want to achieve you can set goals and focus on taking the steps to make them a reality.

When you set goals that are clearly defined you’ll be able to measure them and feel proud as you achieve each one.

Forward progress for small goals is crucial so that you can find motivation for your bigger goals.

Some of the non-material things that you accomplish when you set goals include:

• An increase in your improvement level.
• An increase in satisfaction for what you accomplish.
• A feeling of pride for achieving personal and professional goals.
• An improvement in your self-confidence.
• Fewer attitudes that are holding you back from being happy.

Studies show that when people effectively set goals they suffer less from anxiety and stress. An increase in self-confidence can help you to concentrate more fully on both your personal and professional life.

Not to mention that you successfully achieved what you went after . . . (GRINS).

We have a FREE Ebook version of "The Power Of Setting Goals" available from our Free Ebooks And Reports section of the RGG Ezines page. Just scroll down and download it FREE.

Your New Year's Resolutions - How Are You Doing With Them?

2009-01-04T06:33:00.009-08:00

Cover of Go For It!New Year’s Resolutions – Resolving to Make Things Happen

Every January 1st, millions of individuals make a pledge to themselves to make specific changes in their lives. By February, most people's goals have begun to languish, if not altogether dissolved. They pledged but didn't commit.

What makes New Year's resolutions so very hard to keep?

Why does it become so difficult to keep the momentum going?

Oftentimes, the problem is simply that our goals are too lofty, too unrealistic, too out of reach. We set ourselves up for failure by setting goals that are very difficult to achieve. Sometimes we go too big without preparation and good planning.

So how can you beat the odds and keep your New Year's resolutions? The best way to succeed in keeping your New Year's resolutions is to come up with a personal plan. Construct a strategy for success.

Here's how to make things happen. Resolutions are just goals. The only difference is the "vocabulary" you use.

Spend some time contemplating your goals before acting. Many individuals tend to operate out of a vague sense of dissatisfaction with the way things are going in their lives.

Achieving your goals often demands that you take a time out from your life to seriously examine your life trajectory.

Be honest about what you want. What do you really want? When answering these questions, you will have to put aside the needs of your family members, friends, and personal relationships. You must be honest with yourself.

Also ask yourself, "What has kept me from achieving my goals"? What are you most afraid of? This period of contemplation is paramount to realizing your goals.

If you simply act before thinking, chances are you will begin the process of realizing your goals unprepared. You will run into obstacles and abandon your goals when the going gets tough.

By contemplating your desires and motivation beforehand, you are more likely to be prepared to encounter the obstacles and challenges you will probably face.

You should concentrate on one resolution at a time. Many people tend to make numerous resolutions, or lump several resolutions into one large category.

Be specific about what you want.

Write it all down.

The power of articulating and putting down in print your resolutions can be surprisingly powerful. It is very important that you be as specific as possible.

Don't make a promise to spend more time with your family or become a more healthy person.

Instead, pledge to spend two more hours a week with your family. If weight loss if your goal, resolve to lose two pounds a week. Be specific and realistic.

Set up a system of accountability designed to keep you on track. Many people abandon their New Year's resolutions because they simply forget the pledge they made at the start of the year.

Setting up a system of personal accountability ensures that you keep your goal at the front of your mind. Create a nurturing support system made up of friends and family members.

Research shows that people who are successful at realizing their goals feel a sense of responsibility to keep going. They made a pledge to themselves and others, and feel more pressure to keep their resolution.

Communicate your intentions to friends and family. Tell them about your New Year's resolutions. Explain what you are trying to accomplish, and why. Enlist their support. Encourage them to help keep you on task.

Also, you should not be afraid of exposing vulnerabilities or perceived weaknesses. Rather, you will find that most people will admire you for preparing to achieve your goals.

But remember that ultimately, success lies in your hands.

Make it as easy as possible to begin.

Another important consideration in working towards your New Year's resolutions is that you may need to start off small. Expect the process to be difficult, but still achievable.

Start by making small changes. If you are trying to lose weight, begin by integrating short exercise routines into your schedule.

The smaller you start, the better the chances that you will keep going. This will allow you to cultivate a sense of change in your life.

Drastic or massive changes in your life will be too difficult to keep going for a sustained period of time. Start off small, and keep going.

Be Passionate. Almost all individuals who successfully achieve their New Year's resolutions have chosen goals that they are passionate about. In order to be successful, you need to cultivate a sense of passion about your resolution.

If you are not passionate about achieving your resolution, you will be more likely to abandon it.

Passion creates determination. Determination creates persistence.

And persistence will almost always bring you to your goal.

After all you did make a "Resolution" didn't you? Didn't you resolve to accomplish your task?

Commit to it's execution and Go For It! (For more goal setting information check out our new Free Self Help Library section)

Expert's Secrets To Having Olympic Style Effectiveness Every Day

2008-11-24T15:58:00.002-08:00

Image by chazferret via Flickr9 Traits of Success - How Michael Phelps Won His Olympic Eighth Gold

Guest Author, Joan Clout-Kruse - Michael Phelps showed us the traits of success as he won his eighth Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Games on August 17, 2008. Can you imagine the excitement and emotions going through Phelps, his family, and his teammates as he accomplished this Olympic record?

What about you? Do you have the traits of success just like Phelps? Are you as dedicated to your business and personal goals with the same zest as Phelps? Imagine what would happen to your goals if you were.

Do you want to achieve and exceed your goals? Take a look at the nine traits of success below and set up your own plan to raise the bar to "Go for the Gold."

9 Traits of Success

1. Work hard on your plan. We know that Phelps practiced many years to achieve the Gold record he has today. How hard do you work on your plan? You have to work on them every day and keep your list in front of you.

Your first step towards the Gold is to write down the tasks you want to accomplish for the month and then determine what activities you need to do to achieve them.

2. Prioritize your tasks. Focus on the most important tasks and do them first. I imagine that Gold Medal Winner Michael Phelps at a young age learned how to swim before he started competing with others.

Phelps at age 15 began competing in the year 2000 at the Sydney Summer Olympics. He didn't win a medal. Five months later he won a world record becoming the "youngest man ever to set a world record." After that he began breaking his own world records.

Phelps always had a plan. Win or lose he just kept on going. Do your tasks one step at a time. Stay focused, prioritize your tasks, and do each activity until you get it done.

3. Avoid interruptions or obstacles. Do your best to avoid interruptions or problems that might distract you from accomplishing your tasks for the day. Sometimes you just have to shut off the phone and avoid reading your email messages.

Decide if an obstacle must be handled right now or if it can wait until you finish the task at hand. Stay focused. Last year Phelps took a nasty stumble and broke his right wrist. He tripped on a patch of ice while climbing into his friend's car in Michigan.

He was in despair after the fracture was discovered and he said, "It's over. I'm finished." During his rehabilitation he was confined to kicking in the pool with a kickboard and it strengthened Phelps's legs. He had a rough training cycle, but he did it.

The training made Phelps's kick stronger than ever and he was able to "kick his way to victory." He had a mission to win. Do you have a mission to win? Stay focused.

4. Learn what you need to know to complete your tasks. Sometimes we get stuck achieving our goals because we don't know how to do a step in the process. Can you imagine what it was like when Phelps was a child and the first time he had to go into the water?

He comes from a family of swimmers so he had ready-made swim coaches to help him along the way. It is important to find the answers you need from friends, mentors, colleagues and research.

We usually slow down, procrastinate, or avoid the next task when we don't have the answers. Don't let that happen to you. Be proactive and learn how to finish your task.

5. Stay focused on the solution, not the problem. When I was interviewing some Silicon Valley entrepreneurs a few years ago for a book I was writing, Cesar Plata networking guru, had an interesting philosophy on handling problems.

"Problems?" he said. "I have endured many personal and financial struggles but I never saw them as problems," he self-assuredly told me. "I see them as unmet challenges.

When something doesn't work you try another way until you achieve the results you want." Stay focused on the solution and soon you will have the answer.

6. Be responsible for your actions. If you get stuck, if your plans don't work, don't blame others. Don't blame the world.

Take charge of the situation.

Decide what YOU can do to move forward. There are no Stop signs-you have the GREEN light. "With so many people saying it couldn't be done," Phelps said upon winning his eighth Gold medal, "all it takes is an imagination, and that's something I learned and something that helped me."

Phelps didn't listen to others when they said it couldn't be done. Be responsible for your actions and your dreams can come true.

7. Be a team player. "Without the help of my teammates this isn't possible," Phelps said. Even solo professionals have a team: friends, associates, assistants, colleagues, mentors, coaches, and many others. Listen to your team. Support them with your wisdom and guidance as they support you.

8. When it gets tough, work one more day. Phelps said, "Nothing is impossible." When he broke his wrist, he kept on going. He never gave up. He practiced one more day, then another, and another.

He kept on breaking records. What records can you break? Can you work one more day even in tough times and improve on what you already accomplished? Never give up.

9. Although passion is listed last on this list, it is really first. You must be passionate about what you are doing in order to succeed. There is no doubt Phelps was passionate about his sport otherwise he would not have been able to overcome the obstacles that got in his way as he was reaching towards his goals.

Competitive swimming was his dream; it was his love. Nothing is impossible when we strongly believe in it. The passionate feeling that we have for something we love and believe in is like a feeling of mild ecstasy. It's a wonderful feeling. It drives us. It keeps up going.

Are you passionate about your dream, your business, and your actions? That is the key to "Winning the Gold."

Take these nine steps above and make them part of your life. They can help you achieve anything you desire.

If you get stuck, identify which step above have you bypassed then start working on it again. With a plan, your determination, and a passionate commitment you can achieve your dreams and goals . . . just like Michael Phelps.

Joan Clout-Kruse, International Low-Cost Marketing and Book Coach, is the author of one of the top weekly Ezine reports for small biz owners covering writing, marketing and publishing on anything words to make money and boost your business.

Sign up for her FREE weekly Ezine how-to articles today at Words4Money.com

The Key To Long Term Motivation Is Your Dream, Your Passion!

2008-11-19T17:14:00.007-08:00

Motivation is a popular topic when it comes to people's goals journeys. Usually when people run up against obstacles and brick walls, the success of their goals program is determined by their reasons for going for it in the first place.

Their dream, their motivational foundation, determines whether they continue on their path or just QUIT, and settle for second or third best.

IMHO, I have developed a number of habits which enable me or empower me to get things done. I believe that creating powerful habits is the key to a balanced, fulfilled life.

I crowd out the poor choices by consistently acting and moving towards my dream. That is not to say that I have perfected a strategy for staying on track yet, but, that I get back on track ASAP when I stray.

This article has been moved to the new site:

The Key To Long Term Motivation Is Your Dream

Remembrance Day - Lest We Forget

2008-11-11T11:51:00.003-08:00

Image by ViaMoi via FlickrThis morning I watched "We Were Soldiers" with Mel Gibson and a whole host of great actors. Watching this movie deeply reminds me of the sacrifices made by all of the men and women of the armed forces on my behalf during the many wars waged.

Even the act of tapping on these computer keys has been made significant. I can choose what I do with my life and it is because of people who have risen to the occasion and went to war to defend our way of life.

I am deeply moved each year on this day and any other day that I watch such great movies as this.

Thank you to the men and women of the armed forces who have given sometimes the ultimate sacrifice for protection of the very freedoms we enjoy each day. Thank you.

I will always remember. I will always remember. I treasure this freedom that has been paid for so dearly by so many.

Al

Goal Setting Persistence Will Pay Off Big Time

2008-11-07T18:46:00.004-08:00

Just before we get to the article, I wanted to let you know that there is another free report available from Stephen Pierce. It's called Stephen's Goal Get'Em Report. It's a short 13 pages of goal setting strategy, but it packs a punch. Go ahead and read it.

Now to today's article on Persistence . . .

We are used to living in a fast-paced world. You can have just about anything you want and have it just about when you want it. Food can be delivered to your door in 20 minutes or less. Information about anything is just a mouse click away via the Internet.

Everything has become about speed. In such a fast-paced society, persistence has been forgotten. Commercials scream that they have found the latest quick fix.

People set goals and then days later become discouraged when nothing happens. How many New Year’s resolutions are broken before the party is even over?

Stop for a minute and think – what is it that you really want? How much time have you really invested in it?

An Olympic athlete does not become an instant success overnight – he or she has spent hours of practice and training to hone their abilities. A concert pianist cannot pound out a difficult song with just minutes of practice – without hours of exercises she would sound like a two-year-old beating on the keys. Rome was not built in a day.

Why should any goals that you have be any different?

Calvin Coolidge once said, "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

Do you have the persistence it takes to press on? Dennis Waitley says, “Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning.”

Those who have persistence are the ones that meet their goals. They are the ones that are successful in what they do. They are the ones that the world looks up to and admires.

What is persistence? According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, it is “continuing, especially in the face of opposition.”

It is that ability to get out of bed and say that you are going to do something for one more day – and to do that every morning.

It is being like the tortoise in the immortal story of the tortoise and the hare that realizes that "slow and steady wins the race.”

It is holding onto that dream you have with such bulldog tenacity that you will let nothing and no one rip it from you.

Everyone has known persistence once. How many times have you watched a young child struggle to crawl or walk? They reach and they stretch and they fall down and they get back up.

If you did not have persistence you would never have gotten this far in life – you would still be helpless infants in your mother’s arms.

According to Napoleon Hill, “Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.” You just have to learn how to find that persistence again.

Life in the world is very competitive, and we have to learn not to fear obstacles but to embrace them. Otherwise we will be trampled by those who can.

What do you have to lose? If you do not change what you are doing, you will continue on at the status quo.

According to Ted W. Engstrom, "The rewards for those who persevere far exceed the pain that must precede the victory.” Everything comes with a cost. The price is persistence.

With persistence you can achieve anything. It might not be instantaneous, but a little bit every day over a long time can add up. With each brick a house is built higher. With each shovel full a hole is dug deeper. With each note a musician improves. Over time the tiny steps can build into magnificent results.

The main thing behind persistence is to focus on the positives. "Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses . . . on your powers, instead of your problems, says Paul J. Meyer.

No one can move a mountain with one push, but everyone can move a single stone. Over time, stone by stone, that mountain will be moved. Start small and build!

Al

Success Character Traits Of Successful People

2008-11-01T15:01:00.007-07:00

Image via WikipediaDo successful people have the genius of supreme achievement by an accident of birth, a favorable environment or from their own individual effort?

Whatever the reasons, superstars really are a different breed. They must succeed and they will succeed. They have an amazing capacity to dream big, strive even bigger and come through against all the odds. They seem to will themselves to do whatever it takes.

Can we learn to become better achievers by looking inside the minds of the big-time peak performers? Successful people do not wait for something to happen; they take action to achieve their goals.

Successful people seem to have a "make it happen" way of thinking. They take it for granted that they will succeed. They act as if it's a done deal that they will win. They are infectious in their enthusiasm for a project and enlist others easily to make it become a reality. They are bursting with positive expectancy that everything will be a smashing success.

A successful person’s motto is, “I will get it done.”

Successful people take action. They start acting on an idea or plan quickly and make room in their schedule for tangible, concrete objectives that take them closer to their goals. They spend time reflectively, but take action when action is required. They don't waste time over-planning. They get right down to it.

Successful people are often not one hundred percent happy with their performances. They are not negative about them, but they are realistic and demanding of themselves and often of those around them.

They continually seek improvement in even the tiniest areas of their performance and regularly raise the bar as each new ability level is surmounted. They hold their best all-time performances as the ideal and seek to rise to that level always.

Successful people typically have superb organizational skills. Successful individuals know how to break projects down into manageable sizes. They know that many details placed together in proper order lead to something big. They spend time planning and keeping records to show progress and to stay on time projections. They are in a hurry to succeed, but never seem to rush.

Successful people are decisive. This is a critical characteristic of all successful people. They gather information and quickly decide to act on it and later make changes based on new information. They take advantage of the windows of opportunities that arise and go for it.

They have confidence that they made the right decision and the confidence that if they do not they can successfully change gear and recover for a positive outcome. They have disciplined themselves to take action from their proactive first creation.

They do not deviate from their chosen course of action. They have highly developed goals, and they have in front of them always, their detailed written plans for the creation of their Goals and Dreams, and they enjoy scoring themselves at the end of the day. It's all good.

Successful people know how to sacrifice to make something happen. They know they often can't have it all and that they must have singular focus to succeed. They are good at getting into a zone where they can block out all distractions and rapidly advance past their objectives.

They will deny themselves those things that do not contribute to making them successful. Again, they know how to be self-disciplined and stay on track.

Successful people love the battle. They love the process. They love the climb up the ladder. This is what it is all about for many of them. They are excited to pursue their goals and they take extreme pleasure in the big challenge, to see what impossible obstacles they can leap on their way to success. They want stories to tell, bragging rights as part of the success trophy.

Achieving is a passion for the successful individual. Meeting objectives and reaching goals is energizing to top achievers. They can't wait to get to work and see the results of their efforts.

They boost their self-esteem and self-confidence as they finish a project or task that is highly satisfying. They pour their entire passion into what they love to do and complete it with all their energies and enthusiasm.

Some people look at successful people and think that they could never do what they do. They get discouraged at the gap between what is and what could be.

Other people look to the superstars and are inspired. They use the superstars as a template or benchmark and use them as models for what they would like to achieve. They view them as the best practices and measure themselves against the successful.

Rather than feel discouraged when you see a successful person let it inspire you to be the same!

Don’t Wait for Something to Happen. Take Action and Achieve your Goals starting right now! If you don't feel successful today, then act like successful people would, and practice one of the above traits every day. Pretty soon your successes will mount up and you will be living the life of your dreams.

And . . . you will be tremendously successful in your own right.

See you next time.

Are You Pumped About Life? Find Your Passion With These 6 Simple Steps

2008-10-26T09:12:00.004-07:00

Image by Motographer via FlickPump Up Your Passion In 6 Simple Steps - Guest Author JoAnna Carey, Carey'D Away Enterprises, LLC.

Love life. Lose track of time. Get caught up in the moment. Choose to be not only present but truly, utterly involved in the things you do. Sing, laugh, dance and play. Life really is too short to not participate passionately in every moment.

PUMP UP YOUR PASSION IN 6 SIMPLE STEPS:

1) Even when things seem to be going "wrong," look for the gem in each experience. Are you one of those people who take the same route to work every day? Do you always eat at the same restaurant? Do you choose the same parking space every time you visit your favorite haunts?

If you always do things the same way, you will always get the same results. Be willing to try something new. If you don't like what you try, you've got a perfect reason to try something new the next day. If you do like what you try, it will give you the confidence to continue to search for other things that add joy and passion to your life.

2) View each situation you encounter this week as an opportunity to live passionately in the moment. Here's an example: Your spouse or significant other is passionate about historic facts and monuments. You are not as interested in history but love to learn new things.

Therefore, when you travel together and visit notable places, your partner focuses on the historic significance and you focus on how this experience may apply to current events. By slightly shifting your perspective, you will be more able to become passionately involved in the moment.

3) Document some of the moments that stand out in your mind, either good or bad, and notice how your attitude affected the outcomes. Life really is about the journey. That is a difficult concept for those of us who are always striving toward a particular goal. Savoring the moment means allowing yourself enough time to celebrate each victory before rushing on to the next event.

When you're working diligently to live to your full potential, give yourself permission to accept a reward: take a day off work, have a nice dinner, visit a nearby attraction or park, plan a vacation, or throw a celebratory get-together. Above all, acknowledge that you accomplished what you struggled to attain.

4) Exercise regularly. An active lifestyle is vital to your well-being. If you are so busy that you won't schedule regular workouts, start by incorporating daily routines such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther away from buildings, walking instead of driving whenever possible, even pacing and stretching at your desk while on the phone.

Being busy is not an excuse to neglect your health. Exercise does not have to mean hours on an exercise bike or trips to the gym. Give yourself permission to improve your health and wellness without the guilt often associated with weight loss as the only objective.

5) Pencil in a few appointments with yourself! Amid today's culture of information overload and multi-tasking, taking time to "be" is a formidable challenge; grant yourself permission to schedule a few minutes of nothing! Be a trendsetter, write "alone time" in your calendar or take as many non-working lunches as you can for one whole week. Find at least 10 or 15 minutes each day to just sit quietly sipping your drink of choice.

Shun all outside input: no idle conversation, no telephone, no reading, no radio, and no television; the point is to just 'be" with yourself and your own thoughts. Use the time to think about where you have been, where you are going and how to live in the moment. This is not as painful as it may seem; difficult, and maybe a bit frightening, but you won't know if this can help you pump up your passion unless you try.

6) Laugh at yourself! Don't take life too seriously. Whether you are happy, sad, embarrassed, confused, or even indifferent, learn to laugh at yourself. It's impossible to know everything. It's impossible to always do the right thing. Being human means making mistakes, learning from the experience and moving on to a new lesson.

To live a life full of passion, you will have to let go of the need for perfection. When all else fails, look for a reason to laugh at yourself. Let go of the need to control what will happen next. Giggle, belly laugh, laugh until you cry -- but just keep laughing and your pumped up passion is destined to unfold.

Use these six simple steps to create a more passionate lifestyle. When you decide to pump up your own passion you also seize the opportunity to add joy to the lives of others. A smile, a compliment, a small gift, or a card can make a world of difference in every life that is touched. Spread joy and your passion will soar!

About The Author:

JoAnna Carey, aka "The Rat Race Relaxer," is available for radio, TV and print interviews. She's an energetic, young entrepreneur who merges her life experience and business success to perform enjoyable, influential presentations. She is the producer and host of her own weekly television program titled The Rat Race RelaxerT Show and the author of Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life. Contact Carey'D Away Enterprises, LLC; www.RatRaceRelaxer.com .

How To Restart Momentum After Failure

2008-09-30T21:22:00.003-07:00

Image via WikipediaHow do you get started on your goals again after suffering a massive debilitating failure that has completely immobilized you? (Pretty descriptive don't you think? It is really never this bad. We just think it is, and our minds are powerful.) By the way we have all been there at some time.

You have to grieve the loss of your time, efforts and possibly finances as some of these would be lost to you at the present moment. (Bear with me here.) Whatever you have been told, as humans we need to feel our way through these emotions, we need to process the failure or the loss.

Avoid wallowing in it though, or having a pity party.

Just process it, think it through, analyze what happened as soon as you get your emotions under control again. You should finish processing this as soon as you can. Don't get caught up in something you cannot change, and we cannot change what's past.

When you are past the grieving stage, start to get your mind wrapped around your dream and your future life again. Revisit your goals.

Get back up and dust yourself off. Shake off the past by re-focusing on one small action you can take right away. Start the planned action right away, as soon as you make the decision. Draw deep on your supreme will power if you have to, but complete the task immediately.

If you have to, set new smaller goals that take you in the same direction. Set them for that day alone. Or, if this is even too much, set them for that hour only. Set yourself up for success by building small momentum first. This helps get you back on track.

With previous massive failure, your subconscious could be programmed to fail now, and you might have difficulty pursuing long term goals particularly so soon after. If this is the case, you need to succeed at small tasks and goals, then celebrate each new success with all the spirit you can muster. You need to re-anchor strong positive thought and emotions to your new smaller successes.

This will soon reinforce in your subconscious mind that you CAN meet your goals, and set you back on the positive path again. When you're able to consistently meet your hourly/daily goals, then start setting them for two days or a week, and then work yourself slowly up to your long term goals.

With your confidence rapidly building again, you will soon be creating massive momentum towards what you want. At any given time we might get stopped temporarily by a great disappointment, it is truly our own fault if we allow it to stop us completely.

Sometimes we have to start small to win big!

See you next time. As always, Go For It!

Goals Tools - A Vision, A Purpose Makes It All Work Together

2008-09-23T20:23:00.004-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

The article in today's issue is written by a member of the first Jamaican Bob Sled Team ever to enter the Olympics, and almost no one took them seriously. If you have seen the movie "Cool Runnings" with John Candy you will better appreciate how much vision they really had. By the way, if you have never seen the movie, check it out. Very Inspirational. Now to our feature article On Vision, and remember this man walked his talk.

Vision Points the Way
By Devon D. Harris

Shortly after I had completed my second season of bobsledding, I found myself back in Jamaica sitting in the officer’s tent as usual talking about bobsledding. On this occasion I was talking about the progress our team had made in the short time we were involved in the sport.

One senior officer, expecting to get a good laugh at my expense, asked me to speak in more detail about the progress we had made. He wanted to hear about start times and race results and how they compared to the more established teams. I simply told him that we had made the transition from being media darlings to true competitors.

Undoubtedly, you’re thinking that that was a strange response to the question. You may remember, that back then the Jamaica Bobsled Team was not taken seriously and was seen as a media stunt and an amusing sideshow to the serious business of Olympic bobsledding. Thankfully, none of us on the team ever saw ourselves in that light.

How do you see yourself?

The vision we had of ourselves and the one that mattered most was decidedly different from what others had of us.

We saw ourselves as equals---athletes with the talent and the ability to become world-class bobsledders. We had a vision of ourselves marching in that opening ceremony and having an opportunity to give of our best against the best.

Today the Jamaican Bobsled Team is almost a household name all over the world and generally recognized within the sport as a veritable threat. That reality exists today primarily because of the vision we held in our minds all those years ago.

Our team, like all the other athletes you see competing in the Olympics and every single person who have succeeded in life in areas outside of sports, didn’t allow anyone or anything to determine the limits of our success. The way you see yourself today will significantly impact your life tomorrow.

What is the vision you have for your life? In five, ten or even twenty years from now, what are some of the things you would like to have accomplished? What milestones would you like to reach? These are key questions for you to answer because you can never get to your destination unless you know what it is.

If you are someone who is unsure of what you want to do with your life it may be helpful to complete the following sentence: “All my life I’ve always wanted to…” It will not necessarily clearly define your vision but it will help to point you in the right direction.

Vision is a preferred future state and truthfully answering this question will help you to start creating a mental template for what that future will look like. Lets say your response is “All my life I’ve always wanted to work with children” You then have to determine the capacity you see yourself working with children?

It could be as a teacher, a pediatrician, or a day care provider among other things. Whatever it is, the means of turning that vision into reality will not always be readily obvious but through persistence, it is ultimately achievable.

Since I became aware of the Olympics in High School I have had a vision of being an Olympian but it required years of “searching” before I ended up as an Olympic bobsledder.

Practice the art of listening

It is through your vision that you determine your dreams and ultimately set your goals. How do you know what your dreams are? You know through the art of listening. Not listening to others but rather listening to yourself.

Listening to others will result in you embracing the goals and dreams that they would impose on you. You will be accepting the limitation that they have imposed on you. Don’t confuse this with accepting advice from others. I am talking about two entirely different things.

If you embrace the vision of others as your own you could never be fulfilled and you’ll end up like a dog that’s always chasing its tail. The tail is always in sight but out of reach.

Take ownership of your vision

We will always have people in our lives, family and friends who think they know what we can or cannot do and see it as their duty to tell us. In most cases I believe it is done with the best of intentions but in the end it hurts us because that is not something that we truly desire.

The question of vision for your life is one that you and you alone must answer.

In the example above, lets assume that your heart is really calling you to be a teacher but a friend or family member convinces you to become a pediatrician. You may end up being a good pediatrician but although you are working with children you probably would never be as good a pediatrician as you would have been a teacher because you simply wouldn’t be as fulfilled

Action steps

1. Complete the question “All my life, I’ve always wanted to...”

2. Do some soul searching to determine the specific path you want to take to fulfill that vision. I.e. becoming a teacher vs. becoming a pediatrician

3. Start identifying specific steps that will take you along that path.

Examples

i. Short term: Identify the college you want to attend. Apply for financial aid, etc

ii. Medium term: Complete a 4 year degree and start working in the field

iii. Complete a Master’s program; open your own school etc

4. Identifying the people who can help you through critical phases of each step

5. Start now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Devon_D._Harris

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Money: Scarcity or Abundance Attitudes?

2008-09-19T05:31:00.009-07:00

Well, we have been talking a little bit about Money lately and so I wanted to share a brilliant post by Steve Pavlina the other day . . .

I don't know how I missed this post, I follow his blog regularly in my RSS reader, but I did come across it today and I had a huge 'AHA!' moment . . .

Many of us simply do not regard our money as "the value of services we provided" and do not visualize money goals properly. We do tend to let our current environment tell us how much money we deserve, and therein lies the problem.

Our "belief systems" have been allowed to grow from what others tell us, and not what we have consciously decided or reset in our minds, about how much is 'a little' and how much is 'a lot'.

If we have never had much money and do not earn large incomes, there are certain amounts that scare us, typically amounts of money that are above our "pay grade". Steve outlines a solution for increasing proper money awareness.

Check this post out here: Money And The law Of Attraction

Here is a little teaser from StevePavlina.com but you really have to read the whole article in order to grasp the concept.

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Is $500 a large or small amount? It depends on your perspective.

If you’re in a scarcity mindset, it might seem like a huge sum. If you have a wealthy mindset, it may be a tiny amount. That may be hard to believe, but it’s true.

I used to think $500 was a lot of money. It certainly seemed so when I would end a month with less than $100 total. If I gained or lost an extra $500, it could make a difference in my finances for months to come. An extra $500 was a significant amount of money.

But after shifting my mindset about money to invite more abundance into my life, $500 began to seem like a tiny amount. $500 represents the cash I might carry in my wallet. If I gain or lose $500, it makes no real difference in my finances. $500 is a fairly insignificant amount.

Once I got my mindset to this point (which I did mostly by imagining what it would feel like to be there in reality), it wasn’t long before my reality began to reflect it. I became a “vibrational match” for earning larger sums.

At one point having more than $100,000 in the bank would have seemed rich or wealthy. But now it just feels normal… like duh, I’m supposed to have that much cash all the time.

Some examples of financial relativity

Here are some examples to help shed more light on the concept of financial relativity.

A realtor thinks having $50,000 cash is normal

Shortly after Erin and I first moved to Las Vegas in 2004, we were chatting with a local realtor who said she liked to keep at least $50,000 cash on hand at all times (not for investment, just for her personal money).

Erin and I gave each other a quizzical look. We thought she must be very snooty or elitist to feel that way. Why would anyone need that much cash?

Eventually we realized that our reaction to her statement was precisely why we could never save up $50,000 in cash. We were pushing it away from us by assuming it was too much money to hold onto. Having $5,000 cash was . . . Read the rest of Steve's article: Money And The law Of Attraction

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