Unlocking Your Potential

Take Immediate Action

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:24:00 +0000

It is the beginning of a task that is more difficult than continuing once the momentum has been created. Once you have the momentum you will become unstoppable; consistency creates momentum and momentum is sustained through consistency. Moreover, the instant you commit yourself to something is the instant you start achieving it. And until there is commitment, there will always be a way back or a way to avoid doing what is essential to the attainment of your goals.

The problem is that commitment is not something that we can manufacture – it is something that we discover deep down within us. I must admit that I was a procrastinator before I developed the habit of putting my goals down on paper and keeping a goal journal. And to be honest, if there is one habit that’s changed my life so much over the years is simply the habit of having written goals. I can’t list all the benefits here, but one thing I can tell you is that by writing each goal down on paper (in a goal journal), developing a plan of action and setting immediate deadlines for the completion of each task, it creates a psychological commitment to the goals I set for myself. If you have problems doing this, clickhere for some tips.

“Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today.” - English Proverb

Moreover, since I want to meet the deadline for each goal (although sometimes I have to readjust it due to unforeseen setbacks), I ensure that I do everything I can to meet it. And just by making a start I become unstoppable. The reason I'm telling you this is to let you know that it will be more difficult to break the habit of procrastination without written goals because they have the power to create the psychological commitment you need for the attainment of your goals (in every area of your life). This is one of the benefits putting your goals down on paper (in a goal journal) will do for you. Also, this habit will help you to prioritize your work so that you can learn to do the right thing at the right time and avoid putting things off.

“Tomorrow is always the busiest day of the week.” - Spanish Proverb

Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that some people delay taking action for reasons such as:

· They’re waiting for everything to be perfect – when every obstacle has been removed.

· They’re waiting to get everyone’s approval – especially when it doesn’t count.

· They resist making adjustments when changing circumstances make their plans obsolete.

· They are unwilling to do activities they don’t enjoy.

· They hesitate doing activities they aren’t good at doing.

· They hesitate doing things that they know will waste their time.

· They hesitate to solve situations whose outcomes they dread, for example, confrontation.

· They want to see all the steps to take, so they keep wondering how they’ll ever accomplish what they want.

· They wait until their fear subsides.

· They convince themselves that it will be unpleasant and boring

· They avoid activities that don’t align with their vision or values– especially when faced with opportunities that cause them to drift from their purpose… and so on.

The truth is once you take the first step and start moving forward, everything becomes clearer and easier. It may be a cliche to say that every journey begins with a single step, but it’s true. Don’t wait for “the right time to begin” when everything is perfect, or for all your problems and obstacles to disappear before you move forward, or until your fear subsides. If momentum gets strong enough, problems will begin to take care of themselves and new opportunities will arise. That’s what I call “No action, No miracle”.

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has power, magic, and genius in it.” – Goethe

And boldness comes from knowing that God is always with you (wherever you go). So, give yourself an allotted time in your plan, today, to do what you have been putting off. Stop convincing yourself that it will be unpleasant and boring. Start taking steps, even if they are small steps, in the direction of your goals. When you say “later” to something that is important to you – that will take you one step closer to the attainment of your goals, you are cheating yourself. This is surely one of the highest forms of self-irresponsibility, and one of the major factors preventing people from achieving what they want.

So, it is crucial to your success that you start putting an end to procrastination by taking immediate action.

Gerard Ndzebir

Give Yourself Reasons Why You Can

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 08:15:00 +0000

Each one of us has an internal dialogue, an inner conversation going on with ourselves. In fact, we talk more to ourselves than we do to anybody else. The problem is that this conversation is often negative and it can reduce our desire to do anything.

Furthermore, it is easy to focus on the reasons why we can't do, have, buy, achieve, and become what we want (in every area of our lives) instead of giving ourselves all the reasons why we can do what they want.

For instance, consider someone whose goal is to lose weight and get back in shape. Instead of giving themselves reasons why they can lose weight and get back in shape, they start to give themselves reasons why they can't achieve their goal. Things like:

· I'm not that disciplined

· I lack the determination

· I love food; I just can't resist it - I’m a good cook you know.

· I'm so lazy; I don't think I'll make it.

· I hate to exercise

· I don't have enough time, I'm too busy.... and so on

When we keep our mind on what we want we ignore the obstacles on our path because we know there is a solution to every problem, and at the appointed time we'll find it. The reason we doubt is because we don't keep our mind on what we want. As a result, it thwarts our ability to think of the solutions to the problems we face, and how to get, do, achieve, buy and become what you want.

To solve this problem, always keep your thoughts on what you want, not what you don't want, and ensure that you write down all the reasons why you can do, have, achieve, buy, and become what you want (in every area of your life): Financial, business, career, physical, health, family, social, relationships, personal, fun, adventure, mental, emotional, spiritual, and ethical.

Then, review these reasons frequently every day - especially when you begin to think negatively about the attainment your goals.

Do the following exercise:

1. Take a goal from each area of your life (ideally, these should be the written goals in your goal journal)

2. Identify the negative/ limiting thoughts that fill your mind with doubt and worry. These thoughts will give you a clue on why you think the way you do, even though it is leading you away from what you want. Then....

3. List the reasons why you can do what you want (in every area of your life) down in your goal journal to keep them in one place, and for easy review.

4. List the reasons why you can have what you want (in every area of your life).

5. List the reasons why you can buy what you want (in every area of your life).

6. List the reasons why you can achieve what you want (in every area of your life).

7. List all the reasons why you believe you can become what you want (in every area of your life).

8. After writing down all these reasons, read them out loud and think seriously about what you just affirmed. And when you affirm that you can do, have, achieve, buy, and become what you want, don't try to figure out how it'll ever happen. If you do this you'll doubt in your heart, and as a result, you won't have what you say. Have faith in God, and believe that what you say will be done.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

7 Ways to Motivate Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Motivational tips vary in their effectiveness depending on your mood and current state of mind. That's why a tip that worked for you yesterday may not be as effective today. Therefore, be willing to try something new if you feel uninspired by some suggestions. There are many more ways to motivate yourself than I could possibly list, but the following should get your creative juices flowing:

1. Make a to-do list

If your tasks seem too many and overwhelming you should make a detailed list of everything you want to accomplish today (keep in mind that you have to plan the next day the night before). Ideally, what you write on this list should take you one step closer to each (high priority) goal in your goal journal. (Remember, having written goals help you to prioritize your work, set deadlines, and monitor your progress).

2. Pray

Worry never fixes anything and it is a bad habit we have to break. The problem is that we easily get into the habit of negative thinking and/ or dwelling on negative outcomes. As a result, our minds become filled with worry, fear, and doubt. The good news is that to every problem there is a solution - pray. With thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. And His peace will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) And whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you'll have them. (Mark 11:24) Then, start acting like you've received (by faith) what you asked for because faith without corresponding actions is dead.

3. Avoid negative people

During your day be with the right people. Avoid moaners and gossipers. Birds of a feather flock together - if you spend time with cynical and negative people all the time, you will become cynical and negative. Until you reach a level in your personal & spiritual development that you no longer allow people to affect you with their negativity, you need to reduce the amount of time you spend time with the toxic people in your life. To do this, you have to identify these people, so take a moment to write down the names of the negative/ toxic people in your life.

Furthermore, if there's no one to talk to, then read. Continue to feed your mind with what you want and switch your focus to positive thoughts/ feelings/ beliefs/ opinions/ views/ way of behaving. This tip may take a little longer to show results, but it is well worth the effort!

4. Read or watch something funny

Laughter is the best medicine. It releases endorphins which provide natural pain relief and this has a positive benefit on mental function. So, start your day by making yourself laugh. Read a funny book, jokes, or a 30-minute sitcom on television. Being happy now means making yourself laugh more often, not a chuckle or a grin, but a really big belly laugh.

Moreover, practice smiling in front of a mirror every day for at least 30 seconds. After the initial embarrassed feeling you'll feel great about yourself. :)

5. Play a game

Playfulness, like laughter, can boost your mood and refresh your body. It could be a video game, board game or whatever you like. I always experience a great mental energy boost after playing my favorite video game (especially when it’s been a very long time since I played it). The truth is that play keeps us vital and alive. It gives us enthusiasm for life that is irreplaceable. Without it, life just doesn't taste good.

6. Have confidence in yourself

Never say: "I can't do it because I don't know how to do it". Start doing it and you'll learn how to do it in the doing of it. Moreover, develop an "I will" attitude and "I can" awareness. Don't let self-created obstacles of self-doubt defeat you before you start. Believe you have what it takes to do, have, achieve, buy, and become what you want (in every area of your life).

Keep in mind that it is starting a task that requires more effort than continuing once the task is in full swing. And developing a state of mind of "I can" and "I will" builds the self-confidence to be able to start it.

7. Develop a focused mind

Focus on one day/ week/ month/ goal/ thought/ activity/ at a time. Never allow your focus to be eroded by distractions, worries about the future or regrets about the past. Blot out other thoughts from your mind and focus ONLY on what you're doing right NOW. Give all your attention to the present task and everything you do. It definitely takes practice to master this technique but once you do, you'll develop a whole new appreciation for the power of a focused mind …and life.

Stay Motivated & Positive,

Gerard Ndzebir

How to Imagine the Outcome You Want

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:15:00 +0000

The “big picture” is the end result or the outcome you want. You have to accomplish mentally what you want before you can accomplish it materially, and it is worth mentioning that successful people from all walks of life rehearse in their mind's eye first. They literally practice in their imagination. They see the end result.

The problem is that as the picture of reality is so vivid in your mind it can often neutralize the picture you are attempting to establish. Moreover, what you do at the moment may not be your vocation, but they are vehicles to it. As a result, is easy to get snagged on the little task you have to do presently and lose sight of the “big picture” – the end result of what you are working toward.

To solve this problem, you have to revisit the end result of the dream/goal frequently, and remind yourself that the small steps you take daily are leading you in the right direction toward the attainment of your goal. Yes, you are the one to do this activity; you can’t hire other people to do your push–ups for you, if you catch my drift. :) Besides, achieving your goal is very important to you, otherwise you wouldn’t have set out to achieve it.

When Should You Imagine the Outcome You Want?

Take time to imagine the end result of what you want in the following circumstances:

1. When reviewing your goal journal every morning before you take the next step for each goal (in every area of your life).

2. When your energy, determination, enthusiasm or interest begins to falter.

3. When you notice that you are not as excited about your dream/goal anymore as you were in the past because it seems to be taking a long time.

4. When all you can see is the number and size of the obstacles on your path.

5. When you begin to feel like you don’t have what it takes to do, have, achieve, buy, and become what you want (in every area of your life).

Why Should You Imagine the Outcome You Want?

Taking some time (out of your busy schedule) to imagine the outcome you want may look insignificant initially, but in the long run, failure to do this activity it will affect your mood and the attainment of your goals negatively in many ways. Some include:

1. You may begin to take your eyes off your goals and as a result, you’ll see the number and size of those “frightful” things we call obstacles.

2. Your energy, determination, enthusiasm or interest may begin to falter as lack of belief grows.

3. You may begin to question your abilities, convince yourself that you don’t have what it takes to make your dream a reality, and that what you want to undertake will not happen how you want it to.

4. You may give up pursuing your dream simply because it is still far off a distance and it seems like it is going to take a long time.

Imagining the Outcome You Want

There is a right way to do this, and a wrong way to do it. If you’ve ever tried to visualize the outcome you want for each of your goals/dreams but don’t really see an image in your mind, and/or it never leaves you feeling like the person who has accomplished what you want, you’re probably doing this activity the wrong way.

Many people have complained to me that they find doing affirmations and visualizing the outcome they want boring. They tell me it is because they don't see immediate results - the picture of reality is still vivid in their minds and it neutralizes the pictures they're trying to create. If you’re experiencing the same problems, endeavor to do the following activity (preferably every day).

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Write down each of your goals and objectives on paper (ideally these should be the written goals in your goal journal). That’s why I always urge you to put all your goals down on paper. This is one of the most important habits you should form.

2. Take one goal /dream at a time, close your eyes, and describe it in its completed state. The mistake many people make is that is that they don’t open their mouth to describe the goal in its completed state when they close their eyes to visualize the outcome they want.

Moreover, describe it as if you are speaking to an audience; highlight the challenges you faced, reveal the mindset that enabled you to overcome them, and share your strategies for success. This should create a visual image of that completed goal in your mind because the creative subconscious doesn’t think in words – it can only think in pictures.

Try this method and it will not only create the mental images you want, but also leave you feeling like the person who has achieved what you want at the end of your “talk”.

3. To fuel these mental images of the completed goal with emotion, also describe any sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings associated with each goal.

Visualize, imagine, concentrate, on what you want, see it! See it vividly and your feelings will respond in a positive way.

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” - Henry David Thoreau

4. After you’ve imagined the outcome you want, start moving toward your goal by making the next task you do a step in the right direction.

Key Points to Remember

· When you close your eyes to imagine the outcome you want, open your mouth and describe the goal in its completed state. Don’t make the mistake of keeping it shut.

· You have your own practice arena (in your mind) to use all the time, so make use of it.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

Concentrate on One Thought at a Time

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:05:00 +0000

You cannot have a feeling or emotion without first having experienced a thought. Your thoughts are entirely yours to keep, change, share, or contemplate. The problem is that scattered thoughts can make any task seem more taxing, and it decreases your mental power. The good news is that you have the power to control your thoughts, train your mind to focus on one thought at a time, and let go of unimportant random thoughts.

“The immature mind hops from one thing to another; the mature mind seeks to follow through.” – Harry A. Overstreet

Moreover, you may have nagging thoughts and/or worries about the future that distract you from giving 100% attention to the task at hand. As a result, they decrease your concentration and make it difficult to focus on one thought/activity at a time.

To solve this problem, start each day by taking at least 30 minutes to put all these thoughts down on paper (in every area of your life): financial, career, physical, health, family, social, personal, fun, adventure, mental, emotional, spiritual, and ethical.

For instance, you may have voices in your mind telling you that working on your goal is a waste of time because you simply don’t have what it takes to succeed. Perhaps they're telling you that you will not get the positive results you are expecting, or that your dream will not become a reality because it is taking a long time… and so on.

As you write these thoughts down, don’t worry about making them neat or orderly; just scribble them on paper. Then, affirm that you are setting them aside so you can better focus on the task at hand. Eventually, you’ll train your mind to concentrate on one activity/thought/task at a time and to let go of unimportant random thoughts.

I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need any advice from me. With God in charge, I believe everything will work out for the best in the end. So what is there to worry about? –Henry Ford

Key Points to Remember

· Concentrate on one thought at a time, one action at a time, one goal at a time: the more you concentrate, the less time you will have for frustration.

· Worry never fixes anything. When you do what you can do, God will do what you cannot do.

Stay Motivated & Positive,

Gerard Ndzebir

Overcoming Doubt

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:55:00 +0000

Our way of thinking and rationalization can create our own self-limiting beliefs for why we cannot do, have, achieve, buy, and become what we want (in every area of our lives). We easily deceive ourselves more than others simply because we choose to give ourselves reasons why we cannot do something or reasons why what we want to undertake will not turn out how we want it to be. And that’s why it is true that no one can impede your progress as surely and impeccably as you can.

Moreover, because of self-doubt created by questioning your abilities it is easier to believe that things are not all possible; that you don’t have what it takes to do, have, achieve, buy, and become what you want (in every area of your life). As a result, self-doubt gets a strong foothold and starts to deplete your enthusiasm, motivation, energy, determination, discipline, and desire to get what you want as your lack of belief grows. What’s interesting is that if no one told you any different you would believe you could. If you were given 100% assurance you would believe you could do, have, achieve, buy, and become what you want.

“Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we might win, by fearing to attempt.” –William Shakespeare

The good news is that as you start inevitably pulling away from those self-limiting and negative beliefs you become stronger in self-confidence and start being aware, or conscious of the positive improvement evolving within you. You have to understand that anyone can unconsciously slip into the habit of negative thinking. This habit can be overcome when you view yourself objectively, recognize you are doing it, discover the underlying cause of the negative thinking and replace it with a positive one.

“We cannot always control our thoughts, but we can control our words, and repetition impresses the subconscious, and we are then master of the situation.”--Florence Scovel Shinn

Constant repetition carries conviction. It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. That’s why you must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be. Our subconscious minds have no sense of humor, play no jokes, and cannot tell the difference between what is real and a vividly imagined thought or image. What we continually think about eventually will manifest in our lives.

So, I urge you do the following exercise (preferably every day) to help you develop an “I can” and “I believe” state of mind.

1. Take a goal from each area of your life (ideally this should be the written goals in your goal journal): business, financial, career, physical, health, family, social, relationships, personal, fun, adventure, mental, emotional, spiritual, and ethical.

2. Tell yourself that you believe you can do, have, achieve, buy, and become what you want (in every area of your life). Include the word “I believe” so that the negative voices in your mind would not question your affirmation, and (it’s possible) to instill on your subconscious mind that what you want is possible.

For instance, I believe I can become a financial literate and (it’s possible), I believe I can get a new job (be specific) this month and (it’s possible), I believe I can invest $ 100 or something better (be specific) every month and (it’s possible), I believe I can have a degree in any area of interest (be specific) and (it’s possible) , I believe I can start the career of my dreams (be specific) and (it’s possible), I believe I can have a PhD in my field of interest and (it’s possible), I can eat a balanced diet every day and (it’s possible) , I can concentrate on one thing at a time, I can control how I think, feel, and act in difficult circumstances, I believe I can become emotionally stable, I believe I can develop a personal relationship with God and (it’s possible), I believe I can overcome this addiction (be specific) and (it’s possible), I believe I can become a man/woman of strong moral principles … you get the point. :)

3. After telling yourself what you’ll become, do what you have to do to make it a reality (in every area of your life) because faith without corresponding actions is dead.

Key Point to Remember

Don't let self-created obstacles of self-doubt defeat you before you start. Resolve to keep going until you win through!

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

Related Articles:

Rise Above Your Limiting Beliefs

Capture and Replace Every NegativeThought in Your Mind Immediately

How to Overcome the Fear of Change

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:26:00 +0000

Human beings are the only known creatures that can remold themselves through self-study. Our individual growth depends on our understanding of what we can become and what we have to do to achieve this. Internal understanding and acceptance will lead to change in attitudes, habits, and the good news is that you can consciously and constructively change your habits and attitudes for the better.

The problem is that change is uncomfortable and it is met with some form of internal resistance. As a result, most people are unwilling to pay the immediate price of change; therefore, they do not change and pay the ultimate price. A basic fear of the unknown causes a natural resistance to change and the result is that although we have the desire to have, we do not have the desire to become.

One way to solve this problem, control your future, and direct your change is to have written goals. The instant this is done the fear of change starts to dissipate as we become accustomed to goal-directed change. It is because of the unknown, of course, that change is scary. Yet, whenever it becomes goal-directed, it no longer becomes something to avoid.

Here is what you have to do at your leisure:

1. Write down all the areas of your life on paper: financial, career, physical, health, family, social, personal, fun, adventure, mental, emotional, spiritual, and ethical

2. Take each area and identify the changes you want to make in each of these areas. It could be in your habits, attitudes, finances, relationships and so on.

3. These changes are not wishes (like New Year's resolution, if you catch my drift); they are vivid goals/dreams you want to act on, so put them down on paper to help you create a psychological commitment, and provide a guide for you to stay on course. If you have problems with putting your goals on paper in a way that provides all the information you need at a glance, click here to read some guidelines.

“Great changes may not happen right away, but with effort even the difficult may become easy.” — Bill Blackman

Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that to move forward change cannot be avoided and it is important to understand that each change provides an opportunity for an innovation, and a chance to demonstrate your own skills and creativity which you will find starts to flow more as change stimulates it.

This is a New Year and I believe it is the best time to talk about change so that you don’t repeat year after year in the same situation, having no change. So, keep this principle in mind: “when you focus on change (in every area of your life) you’ll get results.

The Bottom Line:

All growth involves some form of change, and the key to your success is to control the direction of change (in every area of your life). The best way to do this is to become accustomed to goal–directed change.

Remember, you can initiate positive changes within you.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

Develop a Personal Relationship with God

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:12:00 +0000

You have to decide that you are going to dedicate every area of your life to God. You can develop a close and personal relationship with God through His son Jesus Christ, if your desire is strong enough followed by willing effort (studying the Word of God, and applying the Biblical principles in your everyday life). When we are born again, God gives us a new heart and put His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) in us. The problem is that many people are church-goers but haven't really been born-again (they haven't open up their life to God).

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”— (Proverbs 1:7 RSV)

Moreover, some people do not read the Bible because they convince themselves that they cannot understand it and so there is no point in reading it, or simply because they don't believe what it says. As a result, they don’t see any improvement in their lives because God’s Word works effectively in the lives of those who believe.

The truth is that the words in the Bible are not ordinary words; they are supernatural power-filled words. The light in the Word of God will destroy the darkness in your past, your emotions, your relationships, and in your mind.

In addition, to develop a personal relationship with God you have to spend time with Him daily - in prayer, singing songs of praise, admiring the works of His hands, meditating on His Word, pray and ask Him for wisdom and spiritual understanding. His Spirit will help you know more about Him, all you've got to do is listen to His still small voice in you and make a decision to obey what it tells you to do.

The more you obey His voice in you, the more you'll be able identify His voice from other conflicting voices. And one way to help you know His voice is to study His Word daily. Also, learn to love solitude. Practice sitting in silence away from the commotion around you. Personally, I love to go somewhere quiet every day just to get clear instructions and directions about what I want to do. This has become second nature to me.

This habit helped me tremendously when I was facing difficult times in college (and in literally every area of my life). The good news is that it was during his time that I got born again and started developing a personal relationship with Him. I didn't think I could make it through, but He encouraged me (through His word, and my spiritual mentor's messages) to never give up. That He will make a way for me- although it looks impossible.

In fact, while reading the scriptures on my bed one morning, He took me to Isaiah 41:10 which says "Do not be afraid for I am with you, ... and I myself will help you". When I refused to give up and made a decision to raise a phoenix out of the ashes of my crisis, He supernaturally guided me and I achieved the impossible! And the lists goes on.... Since then, our relationship has been growing stronger every day and all I want to do is obey his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. Decide to let go of what doesn't agree with God's word. Love what's good and abhor what is bad; from bad habits to how you spend your time, and He'll will give you practical wisdom and spiritual understanding as you spend time with Him (studying and meditating on His Word). Keep in mind that when you draw closer to God, He'll draw closer to you.

I want you to know that you can develop a personal relationship with God, and soon you'll begin to see His favor on your life in a greater way.

Gerard Ndzebir

Free Goal Setting Report

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:25:00 +0000

I always thought that many people, in fact everyone, knows about goals and how to set them (in every area of their lives). But when I started sharing these principles with college students I noticed that many people don’t know what goals are or their vital importance as an ingredient toward achieving what they want.

This is because they certainly haven’t been introduced to goal setting before. And is worth mentioning that it is one of the reasons why they don't get what they want, and/or manage their time poorly because it is easy to become distracted by unimportant/unnecessary activities, or other's agendas without written goals.

The good news is that anyone can master the art of goal setting and learn how to put their goals down on paper in a way that is clear, easy to follow, and providing all the information they need at a glance. To get the FREE report click here and please feel free to print and/or share it.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

Develop the Habit of Goal Setting

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:38:00 +0000

Humans are by nature goal-striving and we are not happy unless we are functioning in this way. The problem is that many people do not know what goals are or their vital importance as an ingredient toward achieving what they want. They haven’t been introduced to goal-setting before, and therefore do not know how to put their goals down on paper in a way that is clear, easy to follow, and providing all the information they need at a glance.

To solve this problem, you have to master the art of goal-setting, make it a new habit, and watch yourself grow in confidence and happiness. Establishing goals in a defined fashion is hard work. It requires concentrated effort and often at times hours or days to refine. That is why some people will say that they have no goals—because they don’t have the time to set goals.

Yet, only by persistently and consistently taking action over and over again will you build up the habit for goal setting. If for 10-20 years you have never spent 30 minutes a day thinking, writing and planning about what you really want and taking some action immediately toward it, but instead have spent the same time just thinking about what you don’t want, dwelling on negative thoughts that fill your mind with worry and fear, expecting the worst and hoping for the best, then after a while you will forget the “new ways of thinking” and go back to the old ways of thinking, even if it is leading you away from what you want.

"Successful people are simply those with success habits."

- Brian Tracy

The good news is that working on goal-setting and the development of inner qualities will automatically bring lots of little successes. This not only builds you confidence, self-esteem and self-worth, but it actually creates the habit of success physically, mentally, and emotionally. As habits eventually form us, you will become a habitual success.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

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Give Yourself a Mental & Emotional Boost

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:18:00 +0000

Sometimes, people aren’t short of goals but they are short of reasons why they want to achieve their goals. And one of the reasons why some people do not get what they want, even when they decided to get it, is simply because they have little or no reasons why they want to do, have, achieve and become what they want.

As a result, the desire to get what they want is weak; they lack incentive for effort and, therefore, make none. It is noteworthy that failure to follow desire to do what you want to do paves the way to mediocrity.

On the contrary, he who deeply desires anything loves the effort which he must exert to obtain his desire, and will gain the knowledge which he needs for achievement and the power to express that knowledge.

“Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything.” - Napoleon Hill

To solve this problem, write down all the reasons why you want to do, have, achieve, buy, and become what you want and recite them every morning when you wake up, to keep them fresh in your mind, before you start taking steps toward your goals in every area of your life:

Financial/Career/Business

Physical/Health

Family/Social/Relationships

Personal/Fun/Adventure

Mental/Emotional

Spiritual/Ethical

Well, I assume by now you have written goals in a goal journal. If you have problems with putting your goals down on paper in the way that is clear, easy to follow and providing all the information you need at a glance, click here.

Moreover, when we write down the “reasons why” we are in effect listing the benefits to gain and losses to be avoided. In addition, when you focus on the expected benefit the price is put into proportion and becomes acceptable— assuming that you have decided it is worth to you.

Then, your imagination stimulates your emotional appetite, and the result is the release of strong emotions called desire. And desire, when harnessed, is sheer power.

“The battle is all over except the "shouting" when one knows what is wanted and has made up his mind to get it, whatever the price may be.” - Napoleon Hill

It is necessary, therefore, to develop a deep down burning desire and also know how to generate it, in order to draw on your latent strength and power. And one way to do this is by constantly reminding yourself of all the reasons why you want to do, have, buy, achieve, and become what you want, in every area of your life, every day.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

How to Overcome Discouragement

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:17:00 +0000

Everyone gets discouraged at some point or another in their lives and when this happens, our attitudes and emotions become more negative. There are three levels of discouragement:

• The first level is mild discouragement, when only our emotions are affected.

• The second level is stronger discouragement when your spirit is affected. At this point other people begin to notice that something is wrong, that you are not yourself. Your friends, spouse, classmates, co-workers, or other people at your church see that something is wrong.

• The third level is disabling discouragement, and it is the worst kind of discouragement. If a person attains this level of discouragement, it becomes difficult for them to handle the normal responsibilities of life. As a result, they try to deal with their discouragement by sleeping, drinking, or drug abuse.

The problem is that we often waste time and energy blaming why we are in a situation and how “we don’t deserve this”. Instead of making comments like, “why did this happen to me?”, “who is to blame?”, “who is going to pay for it?”, “who is going to sort it out for me?”, and “it isn’t fair”, and “why did “they” allow this to happen?” we should be using the time to learn, regroup and move again. We should be using our energy to be creative in raising a phoenix from the ashes of our crisis.

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.”

- Dr. Robert Schuller

Everyone must cut his or teeth on some form of experience and in common with many, I have experienced great adversity. We cannot borrow strength as borrowing strength creates weakness. We must acquire strength. Character cannot be made except by a steady, long continued process and I believe that for every battle won or lost we emerge stronger in character—if we choose to learn from it.

I remember the ordeal I had to go through in college that took about 5-6 years of pain; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I had never experienced failure before and experiencing it for the first time was one of the most discouraging feelings I’ve ever had to deal with.

During my first year in college, I experienced great adversity: financial hardship, poor grades at the end of the first semester exams, stressed out because I carried courses over to the next semester, ate little or nothing during the day and literally had to stay hungry all day long because not only I didn’t have enough money, but I also had lactose intolerance. With gas bubbles forming in my intestines literally every 10 seconds regardless of what I ate, I couldn’t stand the embarrassment incurred when I was on campus around people so I decided to stay hungry anyway.

Also, due to stress, I had a momentary pain around my heart and my first thoughts were “Oh no, I’m too young to have a heart attack!” This led to constant fear of the unknown causing more mental and emotional distress. In addition, I lost friends and family support—they didn’t understand what I was going through and so I became lonely. The truth is that I felt like I was the only one walking on the surface of the earth with no one to talk to, no one to cheer me on. Words cannot describe how discouraged I was seeing my future being destroyed before my own eyes. And to be honest I was hopeless, insecure, frustrated, discouraged, miserable, depressed, and scared to death.

The good news is that the only area of my life that was beginning to glow was the spiritual area of my life. It was during this time that I got born again in spirit and began to develop a close and personal relationship with God through His son Jesus Christ. That was the turning point in my life!

As I began to study and meditate on God’s Word, and listen to the teachings of my spiritual mentor every day, I became spiritually strong. Moreover, God began to lead me to scriptures that addressed my situation, and promised that He would help me to overcome the obstacles I faced and give me a NEW future if I was willing to TRUST Him, continue to study His Word, and ensure that I apply the principles I learned in order to transform my mind. I remember making a promise to Him that if He would help me get out of the mess I had in my life back then, I would do everything to lead a life that is pleasing and honoring to Him.

Of the three levels of discouragement I mentioned earlier, I was at the second level. And I needed to be spiritually strong to rise to the challenge I faced. As time went by, I started noticing some imperceptible changes in my attitudes and behaviors. I began to develop strong character, my perspective changed and rather than looking for whom to blame, I started looking for the solution. I had to quit blaming, complaining, and start doing what only I could do—in this case study harder. God reminded me that when I do what I can do He will do what I cannot do. In the end, I made it through by His grace. That is when I believed that God can instantly and dramatically turn any situation I faced completely around.

In retrospect, I realized that my situation back then was divinely orchestrated, and I could not change it no matter how much I tried to do so. God told me somewhere along the line that the difficult circumstance was meant for my personal and spiritual growth in preparation for my purpose in life. And it was during this time that I learned and mastered the principles I’m privileged to share with you today. So without that experience, I wouldn’t be ready to do what He wanted me to do in life.

“Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.” - Zig Ziglar

Other things you should do to help you overcome discouragement

First, you should take time to identify the reasons why you are discouraged. You have to diagnose before you can prescribe. You cannot solve a problem that is not clearly and specifically defined.

Here are 6 things you can do, on your part, to overcome discouragement:

1. Take 100% responsibility for your discouragement

Do not wait for someone to come along and encourage you. When you are discouraged internally, it is very difficult for people to encourage you. Being discouraged internally is not something that other people can alleviate; it is something that you have to do. Only you can get out of it. Remember, one of the marks of a positive thinker is that he/she is a self-encourager.

2. Never give up

Always resolve in advance that no matter the setback you encounter you will never give up. Look upon every setback you encounter as a learning curve you must endure before you can become what you want.

3. Listen to motivational tapes

One of the reasons why I stayed encouraged during those difficult years when I felt like giving up was because I spent time watching and listening to encouraging messages. They lifted my spirits.

4. Read something inspirational/ motivational

If there is no one to talk to, then read. Continue to feed your mind with what you want. Back then, I had some inspiring books and spiritual magazines to read. They helped me to stay more motivated and positive.

5. Avoid excessive reasoning, blaming, and complaining

I never understood why "they" allowed it to happen. As a result, I spent too much of my time blaming myself, others and how “I don’t deserve this”. However, as I read those inspiring books and listen to biblical teachings, I learned that I had to give up all blaming and complaining if I wanted to see the results I was hoping for. I learned that when I do what I can do, God will do what I cannot do.

6. Choose to smile

This is one of the best things we can do to lift our spirits and improve our outlook on life. Being happy now means making yourself laugh more often, not a chuckle or grin but a really big belly laugh. Moreover, develop a good sense of humor and find something funny to laugh about. Sometimes just putting a smile on your face can do wonders for your attitude.

I challenge you: if you're discouraged, take responsibility for it. You have no control over what happens to you but you have total control over how you deal with your situation. Encourage yourself by turning to God and to God's Word. And in God's Word you will find hope, help, and the strength to overcome discouragement.

Stay Motivated & Positive,

Gerard Ndzebir

Capture and Replace Every Negative Thought in Your Mind Immediately

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:03:00 +0000

According to medical science, 87 to 95 percent of current physical and emotional illnesses come from our thought life. Thoughts repeatedly sown will be reaped in physical manifestation and what we think will determine how we function spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.

The problem is that you may have random nagging thoughts that are not exactly worries but irritating thoughts. As a result, they distract you from focusing on the task at hand. If you don't deal with these thoughts (by capturing and replacing them) they could throw your brain into a frenzy of broken feedback loops, disrupting the natural flow and balance of chemicals in your brain and body. This in turn will affect your emotional and physical state.

To solve this problem, capture each negative thought that comes to your mind the moment you notice random thoughts, nagging at you while you are working on your objectives, by writing them down on paper. As you write these thoughts on paper, don't worry about making them neat or orderly just scribble them out. Then, affirm out loud that you are setting them aside so that you can focus on the task at hand in order to do it excellently.

Moreover, you can replace the negative thought with a positive one using affirmations and conditioning statements. For example, you may have hidden nagging thoughts telling you that working on your goals is a waste of time and energy because you don't have what it takes to succeed. If this is the case, you can counter this thought with: "I believe I have what it takes to succeed" or something similar. I've found that by saying "I believe", it gives no room to any negative voice in my mind that may try to question my affirmation. So, I urge you to include "I believe" at the beginning of every affirmation you create.

The truth is that anyone can unconsciously slip into the habit of thinking negatively. This can be overcome when you view yourself objectively, recognize you are thinking negatively, discover the underlying cause of the negative thought, resolve to root out each negative thought and replace it with a positive one (in every area of your life) using affirmations, conditioning statements and mental images of what you want.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

You Can Overcome the Obstacles You Face

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:07:00 +0000

Anyone who has already accomplished what you want to accomplish had to surmount their own obstacles. That which they become they first desired to become. They thought out, and planned every step upward to their own high mountain top. And it is noteworthy that he who deeply desires anything loves the effort which he must exert to obtain his desire, but he whose desire is weak lacks incentive for effort and, therefore, makes none.

“We are built to conquer environment, solve problems, achieve goals, and we find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve.” -- Maxwell Maltz

The problem could be that you have not clearly identified all those things preventing you from reaching your goal. Because the problem has never been clearly defined it becomes more difficult to solve it. You have to diagnose before you can prescribe so to speak. If you went to see your doctor for a health problem and he started prescribing a drug for you before making a diagnosis. What sort of impression would you get?

To solve this problem, ensure that you write down all those things preventing you from reaching your goals (in every area of your life). I hope that by now you have written goals in a goal journal to help you crystallize your thinking in writing. Only by writing down the reasons why you don’t have what you want now will it crystallize your thinking and cause you to start thinking of the solutions.

Once you clearly identify all the things preventing you from reaching your goals you may be surprised to find that you actually know what to do to resolve a problem. You will find that solutions will come to you which you had not entertained before. Why? This is because the problem has never been identified before. If no solutions come to you straightaway, keep focusing on what you want, not what you don’t want, and the solution will come.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

Everything Counts

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:50:00 +0000

Getting close is always a good start to getting where you want to go – and is always a lot closer than where you began. No doubt about it, success has and always will be a step by step process. With each new step taken, the goal gets a little closer, a little clearer and a little easier to reach. By making every day count for something special, it’s not a matter of “if” an individual will reach his or her goal – it’s only a matter of when.

“The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs…One step at a time”—Joe Girad

You too must take as many steps as you can every day, making certain you do not skip any important steps along the way. By staying focused on your goals, you’ll get a little closer, a little closer and a little closer to making your dreams come true. Then, before you know it, you will have reached farther and climbed higher than you ever dreamed was possible. Getting close does count – so why not get going and get closer … today?

“There is no one giant step that does it. It is a lot of little steps" —Peter A. Cohen

The problem is that many people watch between 20 to 30 hours of television a week and then convince themselves that they haven’t got time to do what they want. They deceive themselves words like: “why shouldn’t I? It’s the only way I can relax” or “I’ve been working all day long, I deserve it”.

Then, once they realize that another evening that could have been spent taking them one step toward what they want has gone, they start to rationalize that “last night doesn’t count”. Well, guess what? Everything counts! Everything that takes you toward what you want is right and everything that moves you away from what you want is wrong.

The Bottom Line: Each step toward your goal is a positive count, each stop is a negative count—neutral doesn’t exist.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

Describe Each Goal in Its Completed State

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:22:00 +0000

Our conscious mind is the gardener and our subconscious mind is the garden and whatever we plant in it will grow for us. Thoughts repeatedly sown will be reaped in physical manifestation. And the problem is that we are bound by the self-imposed limitations of our subconscious mind.

Moreover, too many people short-circuit their chances for success by having a low self-image, restricting their image of what they can do by self-imposed limitations caused by conditioning. That’s why we must use affirmations to free our untapped potential in order to achieve what we want.

“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” -- Epictetus

Furthermore, many people practice a negative kind of affirmation. They constantly tell themselves things like “I cannot do it because I don’t know how to do it”, “I don’t like crowds”, “I’m not that talented”, “I am just not good at making a speech”, “I will never get well”, “I think nobody likes me”… and so on. As a result, their mind is filled with worry because they dwell constantly on negative outcomes.

If you find yourself constantly thinking negatively about you and what you want to achieve, or constantly trying to change the negative images and sounds you focus on that make you feel discouraged, just try doing the following exercise.

Well, I assume that you already have written goals in every area of your life in a goal journal. So, simply take each goal and describe it in its completed state. Talk about your future achievements as if you’d already accomplish them when no one is around to hear you. Imagine that you are the keynote speaker at an important event, and the audience is dying to hear how you succeeded against all odds.

Share your strategies for success, highlight the challenges you faced (the obstacles you have written down in your goal journal) and reveal the mindset that enabled you to overcome them. If you do this activity wholeheartedly you can become more determined and feel encouraged by the end of your “talk” to continue doing what you have to do to make it a reality.

This is what I do frequently while sitting at my desk in my office. In my mind, I’m always in front of an audience. If you could set up a hidden camera somewhere in my office you’ll realize that I constantly “speak” to my “audience”. I’ve been doing this for a very long time and to tell you the truth it’s become second nature. That’s why I have constant entertainment by myself. :)

The Bottom Line: You have to take time to describe each of your goals in their completed state frequently during the day. Constantly imagine yourself in front of an audience eager to hear how you achieved what you want. This should leave you feeling like you’ve already achieved what you want, thus increasing your desire to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

Stay Motivated,

Gerard Ndzebir

Give Yourself a Reward

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:06:00 +0000

Too many goals have been lost purely because of lack of a built-in reward and praise system. Individuals go for weeks, months, years with no "pat on the back" and give up their dreams when their motivation is at low. It is noteworthy that our craving for meaning and purpose is very strong and whenever we receive praise or reward we feel appreciated, important, and meaningful.

“There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” – Mother Teresa

We all know that a short statement of praise makes us double our efforts for the person who gave it, with a renewed vigor. Why? — So we can get some more. The reasons why and the major benefits will take you over obstacles but there needs to be lots of little "well dones" to lubricate the journey.

To do this, you should have a reward system for all your small, medium, and long-term goals. It doesn't matter how small the reward is, as long as there is a reward. For example, if by following your goals your plan is to read a book of, say ten chapters a day, you should reward yourself accordingly for each chapter you read. It could be something as simple as closing your eyes and visualizing what you just read, or stretching your muscles, passing one paper clip from one side of your desk to the other and so on.

Moreover, develop the (When….Then) mindset as you take one step at a time toward your goals every day.

For example,

When I exercise for 15 minutes every day then I will watch my favorite TV program.

When I read a chapter of this book then I will drink a glass of wine.

When I study French for 1 hour each day then I will read my magazine.

The idea is that you should think of new ways to make the journey toward your desired goal more fun.

The Bottom Line: Whenever you receive praise or reward you feel appreciated, important, and meaningful. So give yourself little rewards and lots of praise, no matter how small. A big reward can be just telling yourself "well done, I'm really proud of you!"

Stay Motivated,

Gerard Ndzebir

Give Yourself a Pep Talk

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:48:00 +0000

If the inner dialogue with yourself is filled with negativity it can reduce your desire to do anything. The good news is that if you counter that with a positive pep talk it can give you the motivation you need to keep pressing forward.

For example, you might have an inner recording telling you that you are wasting your time working on a particular goal because you don’t have what it takes or it is simply never going to happen with all the obstacles on your path and the problem is that you may be unaware of such recording.

Furthermore, it is easy to be down on yourself especially if you don’t think you are seeing results fast enough. No matter how successful you are, or how many victories you've had in the past, there will always be an opportunity to get discouraged and I must admit that I have been struggling with staying motivated for a couple of weeks now because I'm not seeing the results I want fast enough.

However, each time I begin to feel discouraged I remind myself that it is just a "discouragement test", that this season will come to pass, that I’ve made great progress already, and that everything will be alright.

I've found that when you talk to yourself frequently in a positive way, your voice will override the negative voices in your mind. So, keep on reassuring yourself every day that you are making progress one day at a time, that you are one step closer to the finish line and that at the appointed time you’ll achieve what you want.

When giving yourself a pep talk, ensure that you do the following:

1.Think about the progress you’ve made. Rather than dwelling on where you wish you were right now, consider how far you’ve come. Think about the progress you’ve made up to this point. Focus on these things and remind yourself that you are getting somewhere.

2.Tell yourself what you need to do next. After acknowledging that you are making some progress you need to think about what comes next. This is one of the reasons why you MUST have written goals you are committed to, with a plan of action showing you the next step to take. You can learn more about putting your goals down on paper here.

3.Describe what you are going to do next in its completed state and then resolve to take action.

The Bottom Line: When you talk to yourself frequently in a positive way, your voice will override the negative voices in your mind. This helps you to become more motivated and positive.

Stay Motivated,

Gerard Ndzebir

Don't Worry About Anything Because Everything Will Be Alright

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 07:55:00 +0000

The Bible says that we cannot even add one inch to our height by worrying. (See Matthew 6:27) Worrying does us absolutely no good and it is a complete waste of time and energy. Yet we worry, worry, worry, which gets us nowhere. It doesn’t change one thing, and we waste time by being upset over stuff we cannot do anything about—things only God can change. And He’s not going to change them until we put our trust in Him instead of being anxious and worrying.

The problem is that we let our hearts to be troubled, and disturbed when we find ourselves in unpleasant circumstances and as a result we begin to feel depressed, disappointed, and discouraged.

Also, it is noteworthy that every time we get really upset it takes a lot of emotional energy, tires us out, messes with our health, steals our joy, and still doesn’t change one thing. Yet, most of our present-day living is weighed down by worrying about what might happen in the future.

If you worry too much about things you cannot change, you should realize that it is a bad habit. Moreover, you should acknowledge the futility of this emotion—that you are paying an interest on a payment not yet due. To do this, ask yourself this question the next time you find yourself worrying: “What I’m I putting off by using this present moment to worry?”

In addition, make a list of all the things you worried about 6 months ago. See how many things came to pass and if the worry was productive. Soon, you’ll realize that every future dilemma often turns out to be a mirror or even a blessing in disguise when it arrives.

Stay Positive,

Gerard Ndzebir

Opportunities Are Knocking

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:43:00 +0000

Throughout our lives there are new, exciting opportunities but we have to look for them. The problem is that too many people wait for an opportunity to present itself. Opportunity does not chase you; you have to go after it. Think about this for a moment. Every day on TV and radio and in newspapers we hear about discoveries which testify the talents and abilities of the "ordinary person" in the worlds of sport, music, literature, science, technology, medicine, and the arts.

“I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one.” - Mark Twain

Too many people, however, think that those talents exist only in others and not in themselves, yet they are also "ordinary everyday people". Every "ordinary person" is exceptional when involved in the right opportunity, an opportunity of their own creation, making, or catching. You are a genius at something and you have to find it, develop it, and share it with the world.

Furthermore, regardless of your line of work there is always unlimited opportunity and people who can discard conventional disbelief and learn to relate the normally unrelated will not only find all that they want materially, but also a great deal of happiness and satisfaction in their achievement.

So, always seek to improve yourself and the world you want will swiftly follow. Understand that a true symphony of success in every area of your life is already within you, waiting your conducting. Later, I will be talking about the importance of having written goals in every area your life.

The truth is that you have to plan and prepare, so that when you recognize an opportunity that is consistent with your wants, you are ready for it. With no goal how will you recognize it? The opportunity will pass you by simply because you are ready for it! Therefore, whatever your goal is, when you know its worth to you, study and prepare yourself so that when an opportunity presents itself you will instantly recognize it and be prepared to do what is necessary.

“If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it.”

- Jonathan Winters

What is noteworthy is that within every kind of work there is another opportunity waiting to be noticed. Take time to look at what you are doing in a way a stranger will do and ask yourself: "Why do I do that this way or that way?" sometimes we are so close to something we don't see the opportunity right under our nose. We don't see the wood for the trees so to speak.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

Rise Above Your Limiting Beliefs

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:21:00 +0000

We have been conditioned by outside influences almost from the moment of our birth and this often results in low self-image. Whether you have been conditioned by the limiting predictions from a shortsighted parent since childhood, or someone just expressed doubt about your goals, you may be letting the negative preconceptions of others invade your mind and deplete your motivation.

To solve this problem, you have to release these limiting messages by holding a private ceremony in which you symbolically let go of any internalized messages or programming you’ve received from others. You can do this because you can recondition your mind to think in new ways.

Realize that any conditioning created by the mind of the individual can be reversed or be recreated. Most importantly, you must recognize your unique possibilities, making your own decisions about who you are and what you will become, rather than passively submitting to the power of your environment.

“I advise you to say your dream is possible and then overcome all inconveniences, ignore all the hassles and take a running leap through the loop, even if it is in flames.”—Les Brown

To release these limiting messages you can do it in many ways, but certainly the quickest way to discard them is to affirm out loud that you are releasing the hold they have on you. You can say, “I hereby release any internal messages of limitation, lack or inability that may have been instilled in me by others. These are not my beliefs and therefore they do not belong to my mind or body. I am letting go of them now and I forgive the bearers of such messages.

Moreover, in order to transform these limiting beliefs into empowering ones, you have to do the following exercise:

1. Identify a limiting belief you want to change in any area of your life (financial, career, physical, health, family, social, personal, fun, adventure, mental, emotional, spiritual, and ethical).

2. Determine how the belief limits you.

3. Decide how you want to be, act, or feel.

4. Create a turnaround statement that affirms or gives you the permission to be, act, or feel this way. Keep it somewhere you can see every morning when you wake up, and affirm that you are what you want to become, do, or act.

The Bottom line: You can transcend your limiting beliefs because you have the power to think whatever you choose to allow in your head.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

You Can Control Your Attitude

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 08:59:00 +0000

Everything that you do in life is determined by your attitude and 90% of your success will be determined by how positive your mental attitude is. We all want good results in life and the single most important factor that guarantees good results is a healthy attitude. You will find that a great attitude will seem to create unexpected opportunities— a process of happy discoveries, which others refer to as so called "lucky breaks".

“There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.”

— W. Clement Stone

The problem is that due to earlier environmental influences: from parents, teachers, or others who were important when we were growing up, many people were conditioned by the negative attitudes and habits of those around them. It is noteworthy that our mind food determines our habits, attitudes, and our personalities. Mind food is our environment. Everything that influences our thoughts and the kind of mind food that we have been fed with determines how much innate capacity to achieve we develop.

Moreover, anyone can unconsciously slip into the habit of negative thinking and one way to overcome this habit is to view yourself objectively, recognize you are doing it, and then taking time to discover the main reason why you think the way you do (in every area of your life), why you act in the way you act and why you will tend to move in a way that is consistent with what you are familiar with even if it is leading you away from what you want to accomplish.

Realize that your attitude is malleable and you can learn to think in new ways. Attitudes are nothing more than habits of thought and habits can be acquired. They can be formed and learned. Always remember that for things to change you have to change and the key is in building confidence and a belief that you can change yourself and your attitudes.

The Bottom Line: Attitudes are habits of thought so keep your mind on what you want, not on what you don't want.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

Related Article:8 Ways to Improve Your Attitude

Silence is Golden

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 07:29:00 +0000

If you want to get the most out of your life and enjoy the trip along the way, you must get in the healthy habit of setting aside some 'down' time daily - each and every day without exception. Going into the silence, having complete stillness, is by far the best way to learn how to activate your inner guidance voice. In addition, everything that is valuable for us to know will come to us if we will open ourselves to the voice of the universal mind.

“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From this quiet reflection will come even more effective action.” – James Levin

However, from the moment we wake up in the morning until we finally drift off to sleep at night, a din of nonstop noise is in our face all over the place. Everywhere we go and everywhere we turn, there seems to be no end to the racket and ruckus going on all around us. And it is worth noting that the silence of a quiet place is something many people have not experienced.

In addition, many people fail to tap into their innate powerful source because they confer with everybody and everything else but themselves. They go to great lengths to not be alone, to be surrounded by others yet only by "aloneness" can you learn to tune in to your inner voice. If this is the case with you, how then can your hear your inner voice, the voice that is constantly at work for you, trying to show you where to go and how to get what you want? Simple — you cannot.

“There is only one journey: going inside yourself.”

—Rainer Maria Rilke

To solve this problem, ensure that you take time to think – preferably every day. Perhaps early in the morning or late in the evening or during lunch, it doesn't matter when so long as your mind is fresh and free from distractions. You may say that you don't just have the time and that every hour is spoken for but the truth is that’s just an excuse.

Your day has 1440 minutes in it. Each day invest just 1 percent of that time in a study, thinking, and planning session and you would be amazed at what rewards those 14 minutes will do for you. By calling a halt, being still and listening you load will be eased. You will see how best to complete your work without effort and you will be absolutely amazed at how much more you can get accomplished when you periodically turn down the sound throughout the day.

The Bottom Line: You need to take a few quiet breaks daily to revive, refresh and refocus. A quiet place is essential, and if you have not got one, then you must reorganize your world.

To your success,

Gerard Ndzebir

10 Benefits of Having Written Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:24:00 +0000

The weakest of ink is better than the strongest of memories. The very fact of putting your goals down on paper creates a psychological commitment. Also, it allows you to set your priorities, set deadlines, and to maintain balance in your life. However, many people don’t know what goals are and their vital importance as an ingredient toward achieving what they want. I read where less than 3% of adults have written goals!

I have written extensively on goal-setting and I want to help you master this art whether you’ve been introduced to goal setting before or not. But before I release my special report on goal setting, let me give you some reasons why you should consider forming this habit:

1. A person who learns how to set goals lives each day with a sense of clarity, confidence, purpose, and passion.

2. Writing your goals down gives you a sense of direction by providing a guide for you to stay on course, and this provides a road map to help you actualize your dreams and visions.

3. Helps you to decide what is important in your life.

4. Helps you to determine what you want to achieve.

5. Helps you to separate what is important from what is irrelevant.

6. Keeps you motivated.

7. Keeps you focused. Written goals will protect you from being distracted by other people's agendas and expectations.

8. Written goals help you to mark your progress and readjust the target date when necessary. In addition you can review your goals only when they are written down.

9. Written goals can help you to become more disciplined with yourself, and also create a psychological commitment. It is worth noting that many people fail to achieve their goals because they are not committed to them—they don’t finish the race so to speak.

10. In addition, written goals add value to your work, helps you to maximize your potential, and manage your time properly. You can't wisely allocate your time unless you decide what you want to do with your time.

I urge you to list all the things you want to do, have, achieve, buy, and become in the following key areas of life:

Financial/career/business

Physical/health

Family/social

Personal/fun/adventure

Mental/emotional

Spiritual/ethical

Then, get a goal journal and start putting these goals down in a way that is clear, easy to follow and provides all the information you need at a glance. If you have problems doing this, please read the following articles.

The Bottom line: When many people decide what they want they don’t get it simply because their goals are not written down on paper. As a result, they become easily distracted by unnecessary and unimportant activities.

To your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

Boosting Self-Esteem

noreply@blogger.com (Gerard Ndzebir) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 09:11:00 +0000

People with low self-esteem tend to have more emotional problems than others, set low goals for themselves, become socially invincible, conform against their better judgment and court rejection by putting others down.

To determine your level of self-esteem, answer “yes” or “no” to the following questions:

1. Do you tend to be critical of other people to make yourself feel better?

2. Do you have very little confidence in your abilities?

3. Are you very sensitive to criticism?

4. Do you have a hard time accepting praise or flattery?

5. Do you feel awkward in social situations and just don’t know how to take charge?

If you answer “yes” to most of the foregoing questions, you may be suffering from low self-esteem. Research shows that people with low self-esteem have a self-protective orientation so they avoid situations in which they might fail and focus on improving their shortcomings.

On the contrary, those with a high self-esteem have a self-enhancing orientation: they capitalize on their strong points and pursue success even when it is risky. However, it is worth noting that whether your self-esteem is high or low, you may have thinking habits that can encourage negative and confused views about yourself.

The following are 3 guidelines for boosting self-esteem:

1. Emphasize your strengths

The fact is that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. The problem is that many people pay little heed to their good qualities while talking constantly about their defeats, past mistakes, and failures.

To solve this problem, make a decision to quit working on your weaknesses because if you work on your weaknesses, at best you are going to be average. For example, if you love music and you would like to be a great singer but you cannot sing, your dream does not match your abilities. And if your dream doesn’t match your abilities, it will be a nightmare. Not because you lack the desire or lack the dream. It is not going to happen because you are not good in that area—you simply lack the ability.

2. Learn more about yourself

What we believe about ourselves becomes true as we act in a manner which is consistent with those beliefs. For instance, you have a self-concept for how you dress, how you speak, behave in public, the kind of parent you are or friend, husband, wife, or driver.

The problem is that people with low self-esteem don’t seem to know themselves in much detail as those with high self-esteem.

To boost your self- esteem, you need to take an objective look at yourself. To begin, take time to write down your five chief qualities. Are you hardworking, thoughtful, disciplined, punctual, interested in people, etc? Enroll the help of and objective friend who will give you an honest opinion, possibly your spouse, colleague, or teacher.

3. Realize that you control your self-image

Your self-image is how you see yourself and, most importantly, how you think about yourself. It is like an inner mirror, it is how you perceive yourself now. Too many people, however, allow the internalized voices of their parents, teachers or others who were important when they were growing up, to influence their self-image today.

To solve this problem, the first thing you must do is recognize that you ultimately control how you see yourself. You have the power to change your self-image. Realize that your self-image resides in your mind and is a product of your thinking.

The Bottom Line

Your self-esteem can be built and it directly determines your effectiveness in every area of your life. You can take control of your self-image, learn more about yourself, stop allowing others to set goals for you, and most importantly, take time to find your strengths—what you are naturally good at doing.

To your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir

Related Article

The Importance of Self-Esteem