Blog for Self Improvement

One reason many of us find it difficult to delegate is that we've been sorely disappointed in the past.  "No one can do it as well as I can" is simply not true.  Given the opportunity and proper motivation, others will raise to your expectations with more creative, productive approaches to any task at hand.

Supervisors and managers can easily delegate, repeating the patterns of being disillusioned.  However, there is a difference between simply being a supervisor or manager and being a highly effective leader.  The title doesn't make an individual a leader.  Actions--consistent, meaningful, well-thought-out actions make the leader.

A sign of a truly effective leader is that he can motivate an individual or group of individuals in wanting to accomplishing a task.  This means that they involve all of their capabilities (imagination, insight, curiosity, enthusiasm) to not only accomplish the job, but they exceed expectations.

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Leadership mastery comes in continually challenging yourself to come up with new ways to motivate.  Clients tell me "I just don't know what's wrong with this individual. I've told them precisely what to do over and over again and they still can't get one simple job done the way I want it done in a timely manner!"

You've heard it said that the definition of insanity is 'doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.'  If your team is not living up to your expectations where is the disconnect?  Is it with them?  More likely it is with you and the manner in which you are communicating your wishes.

Do they have responsibility in asking for clarification and doing their job to the highest level imaginable?

Absolutely, yet the buck stops with you.  There is no shortage of books on motivation, yet I believe the simplest technique is to know the individuals within your team.  Who are they?  What do they value?  What motivates them as individuals and as a team?

Many leaders make the mistake of thinking all individuals are motivated by what their leader is motivated by, be it money, competition, excellence or accomplishment.  In taking the time to observe, ask questions and really getting to know the individual, you can save hours, weeks, years of disappointment on both sides.

This week take a deeper look at all individuals you lead (including your children.)  What do they really want?  Have you simply delegated tasks to them, or have you stirred up their own internal motivation?  How can you motivate them in a manner that has more to do with them than you?  In doing so, you'll create win/win scenarios, a much more exciting environment in which to work, socialize or play, and you'll have set the bar for them to exceed your expectations.. Have an outstanding week and enjoy your discoveries.

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For the sake of keeping your career fresh and on track, would you like to enjoy a weekly shot-in-the-arm from Master Certified Coach Ann Golden Eglé?  You can sign up for her Success Thought of the Week at http://www.gvsuccess.com .

Success is more than economic gains, titles, and degrees. Planning for success is about mapping out all the aspects of your life. Similar to a map, you need to define the following details: origin, destination, vehicle, backpack, landmarks, and route.

Origin:  Who you are

A map has a starting point. Your origin is who you are right now. Most people when asked to introduce themselves would say, “Hi, I’m Jean and I am a 17-year old, senior highschool student.” It does not tell you about who Jean is; it only tells you her present preoccupation. To gain insights about yourself, you need to look closely at your beliefs, values, and principles aside from your economic, professional, cultural, and civil status. Moreover, you can also reflect on your experiences to give you insights on your good and not-so-good traits, skills, knowledge, strengths, and weaknesses. Upon introspection, Jean realized that she was highly motivated, generous, service-oriented, but impatient. Her inclination was in the biological-medical field. Furthermore, she believed that life must serve a purpose, and that wars were destructive to human dignity.

Destination: A vision of who you want to be

“Who do want to be?” this is your vision. Now it is important that you know yourself so that you would have a clearer idea of who you want to be; and the things you want to change whether they are attitudes, habits, or points of view. If you hardly know yourself, then your vision and targets for the future would also be unclear. Your destination should cover all the aspects of your being: the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Continuing Jean’s story, after she defined her beliefs, values, and principles in life, she decided that she wanted to have a life dedicated in serving her fellowmen.

Vehicle: Your Mission

A vehicle is the means by which you can reach your destination. It can be analogized to your mission or vocation in life. To a great extent, your mission would depend on what you know about yourself. Bases on Jean’s self-assessment, she decided that she was suited to become a doctor, and that she wanted to become one. Her chosen vocation was a medical doctor. Describing her vision-mission fully: it was to live a life dedicated to serving her fellowmen as a doctor in conflict-areas.

Travel Bag: Your knowledge, skills, and attitude

Food, drinks, medicines, and other travelling necessities are contained in a bag. Applying this concept to your life map, you also bring with you certain knowledge, skills, and attitudes. These determine your competence and help you in attaining your vision. Given such, there is a need for you to assess what knowledge, skills, and attitudes you have at present and what you need to gain along the way. This two-fold assessment will give you insights on your landmarks or measures of success. Jean realized that she needed to gain professional knowledge and skills on medicine so that she could become a doctor. She knew that she was a bit impatient with people so she realized that this was something she wanted to change.

Landmarks and Route: S.M.A.R.T. objectives

Landmarks confirm if you are on the right track while the route determines the travel time. Thus, in planning out your life, you also need to have landmarks and a route. These landmarks are your measures of success. These measures must be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound. Thus you cannot set two major landmarks such as earning a master’s degree and a doctorate degree within a period of three years, since the minimum number of years to complete a master’s degree is two years. Going back to Jean as an example, she identified the following landmarks in her life map: completing a bachelor’s degree in biology by the age of 21; completing medicine by the age of 27; earning her specialization in infectious diseases by the age of 30; getting deployed in local public hospitals of their town by the age of 32; and serving as doctor in war-torn areas by the age of 35.

Anticipate Turns, Detours, and Potholes

The purpose of your life map is to minimize hasty and spur-of-the-moment decisions that can make you lose your way. But oftentimes our plans are modified along the way due to some inconveniences, delays, and other situations beyond our control. Like in any path, there are turns, detours, and potholes thus; we must anticipate them and adjust accordingly.

We are often told that success requires motivation, desire and ambition, but there is another important ingredient, and this is inner detachment.

I hear you now saying, "What has inner detachment to do with success? Isn't detachment a state of indifference? How can one attain success with such a state of mind?"

These are erroneous assumptions! Inner detachment is not indifference! I am not speaking here about asceticism or abstinence. One can lead a normal, ordinary life, and yet display inner emotional and mental detachment.

I want to make it clear. True emotional and mental detachment is not a state of indifference, apathy or lack of energy. One can be loving, happy, helpful and energetic, and yet possess and display inner detachment.

True inner detachment manifests as the ability to think clearly and to be immune to what people think or say about you. It enables you to have more control over your moods and states of mind, and therefore enjoy inner balance, harmony and peace. It also helps you handle more efficiently your daily affairs of life, as well difficult situations or emergencies.

This is a state that comes from inner strength and inner peace, and not from apathy and indifference. It coexists with self-control, self-discipline and a focused mind. It brings inner calmness and tranquility that external circumstances cannot disturb or upset.

You will surely agree that all the above-mentioned qualities and abilities are important for the attainment of success!

Not everything always turns out as planned or expected. Plans sometimes do not work out, people don't behave as expected and unforeseen obstacles might stand in the way. All this can dampen one's spirit and weaken the motivation, ambition and faith, but a state of emotional and mental detachment will prevent all that. A person possessing detachment will not be affected or daunted by obstacles or failures and will try again and again.

While others become immersed in self-pity or in thoughts about failure and missed opportunities, the person who possesses detachment will be working on a new venture or trying a different approach. A state of inner detachment helps to forget failure and focus on the future and on success.

Lack of detachment is attachment, which means, among other things, clinging to old or outdated behavior and ways of thinking. Attachment manifests as fear to make changes, to progress or try doing things in a different way.

Lack of attachment is detachment, which equals to inner freedom and the ability to make and accept changes, take advantage of opportunities and adopt new habits.

Detachment goes with the ability to weigh the pros and cons of situations, circumstances and actions in an impartial way, and to make rational decisions, which are not based on moods. It helps to keep a clear and focused mind, and to recognize opportunities that others might not see.

Now you might be wondering whether it is possible at all to acquire this ability. Yes, it is possible, but this requires training and inner work. You will find below a few suggestions to help you start. Don't underestimate these suggestions. Follow them, and you will gain inner detachment, inner strength and inner peace.

1. Pay more attention to your thoughts, feelings and state of mind. A heightened awareness of your thoughts and feelings shows you where you need to develop and progress.

2. Remind yourself every now and then how important it is to be calm, relaxed and in control of yourself, your mind and moods, especially when you feel agitated or unfocused.

3. When you desire to say or do something that is not really important, wait a few seconds before talking or acting.

4. When aware of anger arising in you, delay your reaction for a few seconds.

5. Learn not to take everything said or done too personally.

6. Here is another thing you can do. It is very simple, but in most cases real hard. Try sometimes, not always, to switch off your TV in the middle of your favorite program. Though a very simple act, it requires real inner strength. If you can do so once in a while, you will be able to manifest more and more emotional and mental detachment, which will help you on your road to success and achieving your goals and ambitions.

© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.
Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com

Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

Negative thinking appears to be more prevalent than positive thinking. It seems that with most people positive thinking requires some effort, whereas negative thinking comes easily and uninvited. This has much to do with education and the environment one has been living in.

If you have been brought up in a happy and positive atmosphere, where people value success and self-improvement, then it will be easier for you to think positively and expect success. If you have been brought up under poor or difficult situations, you will probably go on expecting difficulties and failure.

We all view everything through our predominant mental attitude. If our thoughts are positive, that is fine, but if they are negative, our lives and circumstances will probably mirror these thoughts.

If you believe that you are going to fail, you will unconsciously sabotage every opportunity to succeed. If you are afraid of meeting new people or having close relationships, you will do everything to avoid people and relationships, and then complain that you are lonely and nobody loves you.

Do you often think about difficulties, failure and disasters? Do you keep thinking about the negative news you have seen on the TV or read in the newspapers?

Do you see yourself stuck and unable to improve your life or your health? Do you frequently think that you do not deserve happiness or money, or that it is too difficult to get them? If you do, then you will close your mind, see no opportunities, and behave and react in such ways, as to repel people and opportunities.

The mind does not usually judge or examine thoughts and opinions before accepting them. If what it hears, sees and reads is always negative, it accepts this as the standard way of thinking and behavior.

The media constantly bombards the mind with a lot of information about disasters, catastrophes, wars and other unhappy events. This information sinks into the subconscious mind, and then manifests as your habitual manner of thinking. By occupying the mind with depressing and pessimistic thoughts you radiate negative energy into the surrounding world, thus creating and recreating more negativity, failures and disasters.

The mind is neutral energy. The way you think determines whether the results are positive and beneficial or negative and harmful. It is the same of energy acting in different ways.

The good news are that persistent inner work can change habits of thinking. You must be willing to put energy and time to pursue positive thinking, in order to change your mental attitude.

Every time you catch yourself thinking a negative thought, reject the thought, and think a positive one instead:
If you catch yourself visualizing failure, switch to visualizing success.

If you hear yourself repeating negative words, switch to positive ones.

If you hear yourself saying, "I cannot", say to yourself, "I can".

Do you repeat useless and unnecessary negative words and phrases in your mind? Change them to positive ones.

Open your mind to positive attitude, happenings and events. Expect them and think about them, and soon you life will change for the better.

Decide that from today, from this very moment, you are leaving negative thinking behind, and starting on the way towards positive thinking and behavior. It is never too late. Soon your life will turn into a fascinating, wonderful journey.

© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.
Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com

Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

If you do what you're expected to do, don't expect an outstanding result, my friend.

Study successful people and you'll sure to discover one thing that many of them would have in common... they live by that words of "always do more than what is expected of you."

I don't care. It could be sleeping an hour less everyday to have more time to build your wealth or whatsoever.

Whether you are mowing people's lawn or someone is mowing your lawn, when you are teaching a seminar or being a participant, or when sharing your knowledge or giving advice to your people, always do or give more than what people expect. Then they will flock around you, they will line up to meet you and be happy to support you in whatever thing that you want to do next.

If you're training to be a champion, don't just train like an average player. Train more than you're expected to train.

If you're building a multi-level marketing business, increase the numbers of prospects you would like to meet everyday. If it used to be 10, now you would have at least 12. By just increasing your effort 20%, you'll end up with 60 new prospects a month. Now, that's what I called exponential.

Trying to win a girl's heart? I'm not surprise that you could be "competing" with three other guys for the same girl. And you can only win if you're giving more than all of them if everyone's equal. I'm not saying giving more money or buying stuff' give love, time or whatever that counts to her.

Whenever you are interacting with people or in a relationship, treat the other party extremely well.

Whatever is expected of you in that relationship, be it with your girlfriend or business partner or client, your spouse or your friend, always do or give more than what is expected of you in that relationship for that is the secret of making it a success.

It is not that you have to do or give a whole lot more; you have to do just a little bit more than the rest. That's it. The 10mm-difference is what Anthony Robbins calls it for you to become outstanding... in any undertaking.

To do this, it's not difficult. But most people are just too lazy to put in the effort. I'm one of them but I'll always keep reminding myself this' winner takes all. There is no second place, my friend. I would rather strive with the extra effort to get #1 because the pay off is many times greater.

Do you remember who the second best basketball player is? Nope. You can remember Michael Jordan because he's #1. In fact, as far as I know, there's no such place as 'the second best basketball player'.

Who's the second fastest runner in the world? Who knows. I just know the #1.

Others have called this 'more than expected attitude' as 'going for the extra mile'. Notice that they don't say the extra 10 miles.

How come?

Because the average persons don't bother to do more than what is expected of them. I know it's sad but that's the truth.

To most people, "always do more than what is expected of you" are mere words and they don"t put substance to it because people are greedy and they just want to do the bare minimum to make money, to make a profit or whatever.

And guess what... successful people are never your average persons.

To be generous and to treat others extremely well, you must come from the perspective of abundance thinking. Then only "always doing more than what is expected of you" will come easy and naturally.

So the next time you are with somebody, or in a business negotiation, or just interacting with another person, ask how can I help you... without even expecting any return.

As the other saying goes-- you have to give, in order to get. In fact, if you want to gather riches you have to be as generous as you can. Touch people's lives profoundly, in ways that they would never forget. Give it forward... help another and that person will help another. Always do more than what is expected of you. Do this and the reward will come to you 10 folds or 100 folds when you are least expecting it.

Do you think you can do more than what you're doing today? Of course you can. The question is... DO YOU WANT OR NOT? You'll have to decide for your own future on that.

Copyright © 2008 Patric Chan

Get Patric's latest, original tips and ideas how to become wealthier at http://www.patricchan.name . You'll also access the free video course that reveals how a 30-minute system leads him to make more money each time he NEEDS it.

What is Success?

Ask that to 10 people and you'll probably get 10 different answers. Everyone's opinion of success seems to differ.

We must define it because in order to reach success you must first have an understanding of what it is. You'll never get somewhere you don't first see in your mind.

It's probably easier to explain success by first stating what it is not.

It is not a "destination", nor is it a fancy car, jewelry, a giant house or any other type of status (although there is nothing wrong with those things). It's not a certain level of money or a specific job or business.

Success has nothing to do with any of this!

Success is measured by the individual. Nobody can tell you that you are or are not successful because it's different for each of us.

I came across the best definition of success I've ever heard by someone very qualified to give it. With a wall of college basketball records here is coach Wooden's definition of success...

"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming." ~ John Wooden

Coach Wooden believed that it was impossible to give 100% effort all the time so he used "knowing you did your best". What's important with this is that it leaves room for ERROR.

Too many people get discouraged if they make mistakes and I'm here to tell you that you WILL make mistakes and you will fall, but what's important is that you GET BACK UP. The only time you lose the fight is if you stay down.

I also believe part of success is finding your passion and "purpose" in life and pursuing it with heart.

>From all this I've come up with my own definition of success…

"Success is peace of mind directly resulting from the self-satisfaction of uncovering your purpose in life and knowing you did your best to become the best you're capable of and then using it to bless others." ~ Fired Up Phil's revised definition of success

Success has everything to do with personal development. How much can you learn and grow and build character so you can be a better husband, wife, father, mother, friend, colleague or business person.

.So you can offer a better product or service and be more valuable to others, changing lives in the marketplace and all around you.

The more that you grow the more you will posses inside to offer others and the better relationships you'll have. This will lead to more happiness and fulfillment since we were created to fellowship with others.

The minute you understand that success is a continual process that never ends and you commit yourself to it, you become successful at that moment.

As far as the car, house, money and all the other things, well those are material goals and everyone has different goals. Not everyone wants to own three Mercedes and a 10,000 sq ft house. Again, not that there's anything wrong with that.

I believe wealth and prosperity are spiritual attributes that everyone should shoot for, but you can be successful without money.

Mother Teresa for example did not drive a Mercedes and yet she was a smashing success in her own right and lifetime.

Goals and desires are different for all people and have nothing to do with success.

You can decide right now that you ARE successful. No other person has any right or validity in telling you otherwise. You are a miracle from birth and have been designed for greatness. As the saying goes "God doesn't make junk".

Don't allow your mind (low self esteem) to tell you otherwise. Don't judge yourself harshly and be your own worst enemy. And especially don't compare what you have to others allowing that to determine yourself worth and value.

YOU determine yourself worth, not others! You are a success…a smashing success at that, the moment you DECIDE you are.

"Success is more about who you are, than what you accomplish"

If you insist on having a benchmark, use this...

"Success is giving your best in growing to reach your God given potential and using it to benefit and contribute to others."

If you're doing that, you ARE successful and it's just a matter of getting focused on what you would like to accomplish in your life and steering in that direction. Find your passion and pursue it.

If you know that you would rather be doing something different in life and you're not pursuing it that is what I call "selling out" on your heart.

I'm not saying you have to jeopardize your family and up and quit your current job or business, but I am saying you should be working on your dreams and passions at least on a part time basis so that you can eventually grab a hold of it and take it to the highest level you can, since that is what you truly dream of.

Wouldn't it be awesome to earn lots of income doing something you're passionate about and truly enjoy instead of from a job you don't really care for? Some people HATE what they do.

To them and maybe to you, making money doing what you love almost sounds too good to be true? Yet, that's the way it's supposed to be. This is called "turning your avocation into your vocation".

When you do this life becomes easy and enjoyable because you begin to utilize your God given talents and abilities instead of just doing what you're used to. This is also when more money usually starts to flow into your life as well.

One of the best ways to "grow" is to choose to earn a LOT of money because of the character it builds in the process. To accomplish this will force you to uncover and develop your gifts.

Income rarely exceeds personal development ~ Jim Rohn

As this happens you will be a good steward with the money because of the character you've built and you will change other people's lives because of who you are.

The world needs more good hearted people who are good stewards and have BIG hearts AND BIG bank accounts to be used for good.

About The Author

Phil Barnao

There are many strategies to becoming successful, making more money and achieving your dreams but nothing makes more sense than doing so through your own business. Business is the quickest, easiest and most effective way to get ahead and live the lifestyle you desire and deserve. Nothing provides more leverage and freedom. Discover how to find your purpose, develop a business around it, earn more money, make a difference and be fired up about life. Sign up right now for my newsletter to find out how to do exactly that – Go here: http://www.SuccessScoop.com

Source: http://www.articlecity.com

You hear it all the time: "success is a state of mind."  There are people who would argue that success is a natural result of proper planning, preparation and focused action, and that viewpoint certainly holds a grain of truth - but there are also many exceptions to disprove that "rule."  Have you ever wondered how two people can attempt the same objective in the same way and only one of them succeed?  Is it sheer luck?  Timing?  Tenacity?  More often than not, it's a person's mind-set that determines whether they fail or succeed.

What is a mind-set, anyway?  Typically a mind-set refers to your predominant state of mind day to day.  It's what you think about, focus on, and expect from your daily experiences.  Think negatively, expect the worst, feel pessimistic about your options and that's exactly what you'll seem to draw into your life.  Likewise, think positively, expect the best and focus on a successful outcome and you get it most of the time.

Makes sense, right?  But how exactly does this work?  Why is a success mind-set so important?  There are three big reasons:

1)  A success mind-set boosts your confidence and self-belief.

A lack of belief in yourself usually comes along with a sense of powerlessness and futility, which is the exact opposite of a success mind-set.  Lack of confidence means you see no point in trying to be successful because it won't happen anyway.  Obviously, this type of mind-set is a recipe for failure in any endeavor.

Having a true success mind-set, on the other hand, means you believe in yourself and your capabilities.  You believe you can succeed at nearly anything you try, and you're willing to give it your best shot.  Even better, the more you do try, the more confidence and self-belief you build - until you're virtually unstoppable!

2)  A success mind-set strengthens your determination.

Without a success mind-set, one failure is enough to convince you that pursuing your goals is a waste of time.  Tenacity and determination don't exist in your world.  If you don't become a raging success the first time you try, you surmise that it simply wasn't meant to be.  Unfortunately, few things worth having are obtained so easily!

A success mind-set, however, strengthens your awareness that a failure is not the end of the story - it's just one more way that didn't work out the way you planned.  In fact, a true success mind-set makes it obvious that the only true failure occurs when you stop trying.

3)  A success mind-set encourages fruitful actions.

Have you ever found yourself wandering in circles because you didn't know the best way to approach a specific goal?  Perhaps you had an idea of the best course of action but you felt intimidated by some of the action steps required.  As a result, you may have kept sabotaging your efforts as you searched in vain for an easier or less frightening way to your goal.

With a true success mind-set, you'll always know the most effective action steps that will lead directly to your goal.  As already discussed, you'll also have the inner confidence and determination to pursue them - which is a sure recipe for . . . you guessed it; success!

If I had to sum up how to develop a success mind-set into as few words as possible, I'd say this: 

- Go for your dreams.

- Think positively.

- Believe in yourself.

- Believe you can do better.

- Learn, grow and develop yourself.

- Be willing to take chances.

- Give it your all.

- Expect the best in every situation.

- Be willing to fail.

- When you fall down, get back up and try again.

Keep doing that and you can't help but become successful, from the inside out.

Would you benefit from identifying some “not-to’dos” to propel you to success more quickly and with less energy and less effort? When we strategize for success, we typically focus on the things we will do and the steps we will take to reach success. Without a doubt, that is an excellent strategy. However, there may be things getting in the way of your success that are holding you back from achieving the results you most want. Perhaps it would be helpful to make a "not-to-do" list to help you change some of your old worn out habits that no longer serve you.

When I began my coaching career, I studied great coaches to learn how they worked with their clients. My first role model was Cheryl Richardson, best-selling author and Life Makeover Coach who was featured on Oprah. I would listen to recordings of her programs, read her books and do my best to pattern my coaching after her style. Invariably, I would fall short of being able to coach in the seemingly "perfect" way that Cheryl did. After presenting a program or working with a client, I would compare the worst aspects of my performance to the best of Cheryl's which always left me feeling less than adequate and frustrated with myself.

In my comparison, I neglected to include important information such as the fact that I was new to coaching and Cheryl had been at it for several years, and that she had once been a new coach who had not started out as polished as she had become after years of experience. I only saw my shortcomings in comparison to her brilliance. Once I decided to stop the self sabotage and quit comparing myself to Cheryl, I was able to relax and coach with confidence. Without the pressure that I had created to "be like Cheryl," I was able to be my best which was more than enough.

What needs to go on your "not-to-do" list in order to reach your goals for 2007? Maybe you are like I was and need to stop comparing yourself to someone else? Or, do you need to stop scheduling too many activities? Stop trying to do everything on your own without asking for help? Stop trying to be perfect? What will you put on your "not-to-do" list so that you can achieve success this year?

Ideas for your "not-to-do" list

1. Stop comparing your worst to someone else's best. Comparing yourself to someone else is a recipe for disappointment. It is especially frustrating when you try to size up your performance, or your appearance, or some other quality to a super model, an Olympic athlete or your brother or sister who always outshined you. Give yourself a break and appreciate that you are more than enough just as you are. It is better to be the best version of yourself than to torture yourself with unrealistic comparisons to others.

2. Stop waiting for someone else to make you happy. Happiness is an inside job. You are in charge of your life and of your happiness. Abraham Lincoln said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Decide that you will create your own happiness rather than expect it from someone or something else. Take responsibility for doing things that bring you joy.

3. Stop focusing on what you don't have. Rather than focus on not having enough time, enough money, enough energy or enough help, etc. focus on what you do have and be grateful that you have it. Watch your world begin to change in a positive way as you let go of limiting thoughts of what you don't have and express gratitude for what you do have.

"Self-sabotage is the worst deterrent to your best performance." Coach Pat Morgan

By: Coach Pat Morgan

Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Pat Morgan, MBA and Executive Coach, helps clients maximize their potential in today’s fast-paced environment. Her unique coaching programs inspire clients to achieve goals they may never have thought possible. Her focus draws from the inside out – helping clients become the best version of themselves they can be. Get your free copy of my special report, GET RESULTS NOW! when you subscribe to my newsletter, Smooth Sailing Success. Visit www.SmoothSailingSuccess.com

You are immersed in popular culture, you probably spend a significant amount of time every day watching TV, listening to music. Even if you’re not doing it in your own home, you are surrounded by images, words and music in shops, bars, restaurants, everywhere you go…

Have you ever thought about the messages you are picking up and how they are affecting your life? How are they affecting your success, personal growth and your future?

The appeal of the negative

So much of what you are immersed in on a day to day basis has a negative bias. If you watch the daily news, or even read a newspaper and count the stories, most of them are about negative things. Newspaper proprietors know that the stories that sell well are ones where something bad is happening – personal stories about celebrities being unhappy, disaster stories, people dying etc.

I was in a restaurant recently and when I tunes into the background music it was the stones playing “You can’t always get what you want” followed by a cover version of “It ain’t easy”. The rest of the music continued in similar vein for a while…

These are just two examples of the predominantly negative nature of inputs that we are immersed in. Just think how hard this makes it to develop and maintain a positive mental attitude for success.

Another interesting consideration is: “why are negative news, negative songs and negative subjects in general so appealing”.

Some of the reasons why we like negative stuff might be:

Hearing about others misfortunes makes us feel less inadequate as we contemplate our own challenges

We can absolve ourselves of responsibility when things go wrong (after all you can’t always get what you want!)

We don’t have the frightening thought that we might be able to do something about our circumstances

What do you think? I’ve given you some places to start. Next time you have a few spare moments and you’re confronted with popular negativity spend some time thinking about the message.

How Can I Achieve Success, Personal Growth and a Positive Attitude?

… when I’m immersed in a negative world.

First of all, you should not cocoon yourself completely. You need to be aware of what is happening in the world so that you can figure out how you can best make a positive contribution.

Control your exposure to negative inputs – choose a time when you’re going to listen to the news, read a newspaper etc.

Spend time listening to positive stuff. The first thing in the morning is a particularly powerful time as you can set your emotional state for the whole day with your choice of what you listen to and read.

As I’ve already mentioned, you can use negative inputs as a chance to develop your understanding of your own beliefs and motivations and those of people around you by asking the simple question: “Why?”

We are live in a world where we are surrounded by negative messages. These messages are there by popular demand – many people want them. However, they have a subtle effect on us all. If you want to develop a positive mindset, you need to take steps to minimise the effect of negative messages on your life.

I hope that this article has given you some useful ideas to help you in your personal growth and to be more successful with a positive mental attitude.

By: Kevin John

Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Would you like to learn more about success, personal growth? Visit my website for more resources, articles, and support materials about success and personal growth here. Kevin John has spent many years helping businesses owners, aspiring business owners, and private individuals to achieve success.

Most of us are regularly exposed to information offering get rich quick schemes and ways to make our fortune for little or even no effort. This is probably even more the case for students of Self Improvement than for most other people.

There may even be some people who have become rich as a result of such offers!

However, if you study the lives of successful and wealthy people you will be unlikely to find many, if any, that achieved their success with little effort. Most worked very hard for their success, and you'll find few, if any that didn't have one of the fundamental skills of self improvement and success - discipline..

It takes discipline to do the things you know you should do when you don't feel like doing them. It takes discipline to be able to follow your vision despite indifference or negative opinions of friends and family. It takes discipline to work on you dreams when you could be relaxing with friends or watching TV. It also takes discipline to search for and read the books, listen to the tapes, learn the skills, or get the training that can greatly enhance your progress towards your goals.

And there are countless other examples. If you desire success, you need goals and you need to make plans to reach them. But without the discipline to take the actions and to follow through, your dreams are likely to remain just that - dreams and nothing more.

Self Improvement Quote of the Day:

"The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don't like to do. They don't like doing them either necessarily. But their disliking is subordinated to the strength of their purpose." - E.M. Gray

Garry Zancanaro is the founder of Self Improvement Directory, a website dedicated to Self Improvement and Personal Development, and to helping people live more successful and fulfilling lives by providing a directory of the highest quality Self Growth resources available. Includes many FREE eBooks and much more. Visit http://www.selfimprovementdirectory.com/index.html

What really keeps you from living your dreams?

What problem is most dominant in peoples lives?

The answer is: FEAR!

People live every day in fear. Fear of losing their wealth, fear of losing their loved ones, fear of making the wrong decisions, fear of being themselves, fear of growing up, fear of making a commitment. The list goes on and on.

The leading cause of people not fulfilling their dreams is NOT the fear of failure - it’s the fear of success! The fear of actually accomplishing what they set out to do. The fear of living life to the fullest may have paralyzed you. This will cause you to never really try in your business, or if you do try, to sabotage your efforts so you never have to face your fear of success.

Most people live their lives in the grip of this fear and they aren’t even aware that it has control over them! The fear is the one thing that can turn your dreams of financial freedom, loving relationships, and a fulfilling and significant life into a pattern of habits including procrastination, self-sabotage and other bad habits.

Fear is the dominate problem in your life today. The two questions you need to answer to conquer your fear are:

Which fear has the most control over your behavior? Is it the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, the fear of success, or is it all of them?

How do I interrupt the bad habits that I have developed as a means of protection from this fear? How do I interrupt the programming I have within me?

These are the two most significant questions when it comes to overcoming your fears. If you can answer these two questions, your life will forever change!

The reality of fear is that it is human and is a part of life. It’s not going to go away. Some fear is even healthy! It is a gift given to you to keep you safe and bring you closer to your creator.

Every person is born with three instinctive fears. These are: fear of falling, fear of loud noises, and fear of abandonment. These three fears were given to you to help you monitor what is going on around you. Think about it; it is fear that gives you the adrenaline rush that makes you escape from a situation that is really, truly unsafe. It also gives you the same rush that causes you to fight to win.

Faith is born in fear. God knew in His infinite wisdom that fear is what would drive His people back to Him. Although sometimes it is only in times of extreme fear that we look to God and choose Him. Take a look at your own life and think about the times you looked to God for His power and wisdom. Those were probably times of extreme fear. True faith is born from fear!

So what caused the gift of fear to be the number one problem in society today? Why do people let fear control their actions, beliefs and lives? The answer is the difference between reacting to fear and acting in fear. It has everything to do with your belief system.

Children typically react instinctively to fear, which is appropriate behavior at this age. Most adults don't make the distinction between reacting to fear, as when they were a child, and acting with their intellect when dealing with fear.

People react instinctively to fear by either denying it or running away from it. They miss the power that comes from acting with their intellect, never allowing the fear to become the gift it was intended to be. Learn to act with your intellect by exposing your true fears and the beliefs they represent and free yourself so you can move on with all you are meant to do, have and become!

By: SNG

Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Lou and Robin Bonaventura have been Professional Network Marketers for 4 years. Are you serious about changing your life, motivated and trainable? If so, we want to hear from you right away: visit www.SuccessNetworkGroup.com to request an immediate interview. Also visit www.SNGBlog.com for information on how personal development can benefit you!

Would you like to acquire the mindset and attitude of your role model or idol? Here's an effective technique:

Choose the person you would like to model. Research everything about the person. Know what traits, styles, or abilities you would like to acquire from him.

Let's say you want to have the mindset of Michael Jordan. Go to a quiet place, close your eyes, relax, and visualize MJ smiling and coming to you. Now visualize MJ merging with your own body. While visualizing, recite a few words of affirmation like "I am becoming more and more like Michael Jordan."

Now feel his presence and his aura being absorbed by your whole body. The secret here is: You don't want to become like him, feel that you're already him.

Feel his abilities engulfing your body. Visualize you're Michael Jordan and you're playing his game at its best. See what he sees, feel what he feels, think what he thinks.When the MJ aura is being experienced by your body at its peak, open your eyes. Feel refreshed and invigorated.

When you get the chance to play basketball, feel that you're MJ and play it just as MJ would. By feeling that you're him, you've already affirmed to yourself that you already possess his traits and his emotions. If you just want to be like him, you're telling your subconscious that you do not yet possess his characteristics.

The same goes if you want to become a wealthy person. Dress, act, think, and feel the way a wealthy person does, even if you're not yet one. Don't wait to become a wealthy person in the future; be one now, and you will attract wealth and abundance.

There's a very powerful technique called mirroring. You copy the other person. If he scratches his nose, you do the same. If he fixes his hair, do the same. If you couple this act with visualizations of you doing what he's doing and thinking what he's thinking, not only will you acquire the traits and personality of the person you're modeling, but he will also feel comfortable with you, and will get to like you because he can see himself in you. You will build rapport. But be warned! Don't be obvious when you're mirroring others because they might think you're mocking them.

About the Author: Michael Lee is the author of How to be a Red Hot Persuasion Wizard... in 20 days or less, an ebook that reveals mind-altering persuasion techniques on how to tremendously enhance your relationships, create unlimited wealth, and get anything you want...just like magic. Get a sample chapter and highly-stimulating "Get What You Want" advice at: http://www.20daypersuasion.com. He is the Co-Founder of http://www.self-improvement-millionaires.com and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant.

Source: http://www.easyarticles.com

If you want to attract abundance, prosperity, luck, blessings, or the so called good things in life, then you've to follow 3 simple yet overlooked rules.

1) Show Gratitude.

My editor and friend named Jones (I call her JK because she aims to be the next JK Rowling), told me that she's itching to buy the Hypnotic Library Package, but she doesn't have a credit card. I told her she could use mine.

I bought her the package and told her we can share in its cost (my share is slightly bigger), and that I'll just offset her share from her salary.

What happened next is something unbelievable.

She cried tears of joy because she said she has never met anyone "as kind as me."

"Huh??!?" I thought to myself, "It's no big deal."

At that time, she has just started editing for me, and said she can't believe I trusted her enough to buy a high ticket item for her, and that I even proposed to offset her share from her future salary.

I couldn't believe her either, because I have never met anyone who has shown such appreciation in exchange for a small favor I just did.

Appreciation. Gratitude. Giving thanks. You can attract good things in your life by temporarily cutting off any negative thoughts or problems from your mind, and start counting your blessings. Thank God/the Universe/people around you for all the wonderful things you've received.

By doing this, you are acknowledging that you are indeed blessed and flowing with abundance. And by showing gratitude and giving thanks, you are befriending the Universe to give you more.

2) Give Unconditionally.

I bet you've often heard that what you're giving will come back to you many times over. It's true.

If you want more money, give money to those who need them more. You want to have lots of friends, be a trusted friend to everyone you meet. It's a simple rule.

But the most important thing is not to expect anything in return. Don't give a gift to your boss with the expectation that he will give you a promotion. Give because you want to and because it makes you happy, not because you have a hidden agenda in mind.

3) Receive Gratefully.

If someone says, "You're a genius for coming up with this idea," what is your response? Many people would say something like, "No, I'm not that good."

If your response is similar to the above everytime someone praises you, then you're blocking positive energy from entering your life. Instead, just say, "Thank you."

I know someone who has such a big pride that he never accepts any gift or help from others. I tried to give him something many times, but he refused to accept every single one of them.

Guess what his status in life now? He's lonely, friendless, and poor.

It's not bad to receive. In fact, it's a blessing that you deserve to have. And by being grateful and appreciative to the one who has given something to you, you are enhancing your relationships and attracting more blessings and abundance into your life.

About the Author: Michael Lee is the author of How to be a Red Hot Persuasion Wizard... in 20 days or less, an ebook that reveals mind-altering persuasion techniques on how to tremendously enhance your relationships, create unlimited wealth, and get anything you want...just like magic. Get a sample chapter and highly-stimulating "Get What You Want" advice at: http://www.20daypersuasion.com. He is the Co-Founder of http://www.self-improvement-millionaires.com and is licensed as a Certified Public  Accountant.

Source: http://www.easyarticles.com

Success is not permanent. The achievement, you are feeling happy about will not mean a thing to you tomorrow. You must have taken some journeys when you were young. You must have felt good when a milestone passed as you looked out of the window, and a moment later you were looking forward to next. But were you still excited about the journey you had just taken when you reached the destination?

In fact we are excited for the destinations we want to reach but have not reached as yet. Success is the journey you take towards these un-reached destinations. We feel happy when we reach, but the joy is short lived. Next day, we need something else to feel excited about.

A mother when asked by her child that why they are not as prosperous as their neighbor, advises that she should be satisfied with what she had. The child snapped back that she is very satisfied with the grades she got in her exams. The mother was at loss of words because the grades were not flattering by any means. And if she is satisfied with them, she will never do anything to improve them.

Unfortunately too many people have learned it too well to be satisfied with what they have. They will hate the job that they are doing, but will not do anything to change it, as they have learned to be satisfied. They will struggle hard to make their ends meet, and deny every material pleasure to themselves and their family. But they will not do anything to improve their incomes because they are satisfied with whatever they have got. They will curse God for not answering their prayers, but they won’t do anything to raise themselves spiritually. They will live in darkness of ignorance but do nothing to gain knowledge. After all they are supposed to be satisfied with what they have. Too many people spend a life of mediocrity and under-achievement because they carry with them a superficial air of so called satisfaction.

Dissatisfaction is the one of the greatest motivation for achievement. You have not done enough today if you are still happy with what you did yesterday. This is why the most successful people in this world never say that they have it made. They do not accept to have arrived. They take a never ending journey towards new destinations and higher achievements. In return they create abundance that all of us are supposed to create with our action.

While in college we had a very old gentleman as one of our visiting professor. This retired top government official had a plush bungalow, and he owned four cars (still an extravaganza in India). He had no reason to work. But he would go from college to college in public transport. We thought he is greedy and a miser. We were surprised when we discovered him giving liberal charity. He told us that he feels excited to teach youngsters, and he prefers to be among people so he uses public transport. He was a voracious reader, good listener and full of excitement and enthusiasm for new things. He was dissatisfaction personified. He gave more, so he received more. And the more he received, more he gave. But he never got it made.

This does not mean that one must turn greedy and run only after material things in life. Greed is an obsession with wanting more than the honest efforts that you are willing to put. Greed will make you restless. You will loose peace of mind. In other words you will not be content. What is the feeling of content? You will be content if you are in peace with your self. When you know that you are doing what is required to be done. You are content when you are taking the journey in faith towards more fulfillments.

When you are dissatisfied, you look forward. You will look for new milestones to achieve. They could be financial, career, relationships or spiritual. You come to one milestone, rest, celebrate and then again pack your luggage for yet another exciting journey. And you feel content as you grow towards your potential and move towards fulfilling bigger purpose of your life.

It is the ‘dissatisfied’ people who rule the world. Gandhi was not satisfied with autonomy in British Rule, but he wanted complete independence for India. Mother Teresa was not satisfied helping a few hundreds or thousands of poor destitute and sick, but she wanted to take care of more and more. Buddha was not satisfied with being a king. He searched for supreme knowledge and he still was not satisfied when he got it, because he wanted to spread it around the world. Jesus was not satisfied getting on the cross just one time for our sins. He rose again and continues living in order to save more of us. God is not satisfied with this universe. It is still expanding as the God is still creating. If he is not satisfied how can we be…..?

By: Vivek Ray

Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Vivek Ray is a Trainer, Motivator and Inspirational speaker. He is the CEO & Mentor of Success-Attitude Educational Services Inc. that is involved in people building activities at all levels. He owns the portal www.success-attitude.com providing free resources for self improvement and mentorship for success.

Success is a popular topic. There are countless books and articles available, and many claim to hold the "secrets" of success. A secret implies some special knowledge that must be obtained before one can experience success. Not only will this feed a victim mentality -- that attitude of "Well, no wonder I'm not successful. There's a secret other people know, and obviously I don't" -- it makes the whole thought of what is required to achieve success unnecessarily complicated.

There is a 14th century principle known as Occam's Razor which basically says all things being equal, the simplest solution tends to be the best one. In the 1960's it became encapsulated in the acronym KISS: Keep It Simple, Sweetheart. So let's simplify success into its three most basic components.

1. DECIDE to change. A change must be desired. There must be dissatisfaction with the status quo, a dislike of the way things are right now. Whether it's the dirty dishes on the kitchen table or dreading getting up in the morning to go to your job, the current situation must be sufficiently uncomfortable that it creates the internal motivation to do something different, to make a change. Change must be viewed as a positive, and the benefits of making the change must out-weigh the perceived costs of doing so. Decide it is time to make a change, to go for something more.

2. DECLARE your intention. The question then becomes, "What do I want to achieve?" There are lengthy, expensive seminars available on the topic, but that question is the bottom line in goal-setting. What is the desired end result? What do you want? That is the goal, and attaining that goal will mean success to you. And this has to be personal. It has to be your goal that you are willing to commit to, otherwise you won't follow through on it if you even manage to start. Set aside what society defines as success, what your family and/or friends may define as success. Declare your definition of success. Own it and commit yourself to making it happen.

3. DO it. Dreaming and planning isn't enough. You have to make it happen. The desire to make a change on its own is not enough. There are many people who desire change in their lives but are unable to articulate what they truly want, so they do nothing. Even being committed to a goal with clear steps in mind is not enough. Many people know exactly what they want from life but succumb to routine, so they do nothing. Ultimately you must take action. Some helpful advice I've received is, "You don't have to get it right. You just have to get it going." Learn as you go. Experience is the best teacher. As mistakes occur, adjustments can be made. But first you have to get it moving. Remember junior high science class and the Law of Inertia? A body at rest tends to stay at rest while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. Start the motion, and as you gain momentum, it becomes easier.

Why make things complicated? Success becomes simple when you Decide, Declare and Do. Look at some of your recent accomplishments, large or small, and you'll discover you've used these three steps. You're already successful, and you deserve to attain the success you desire. Just keep it simple, sweetheart!

By: Marie Cannon

Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Businesswoman, Friend, Collaborator, and Team player, Marie Cannon fulfills her Entrepreneurial Calling by offering a great service that enriches the lives of others. Together with other fellow BraveHeart Community members, her goal is to empower Women to be multi-dimensional success stories and inspiration to others. Be Sure to Visit: Be a BraveHeart Woman

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." Marianne Williamson

How long have you waited to be happy at work, to write a book, or bring home the income you deserve? Are you your own best support system or biggest diversion? Consider the cheetah which has no problem using its gift of speed. The bald eagle easily leverages its keen eye sight and ability to soar. Dolphins joyfully exert their playfulness. Imagine what is possible for humans with our unique gift of the mind if we focus on what serves us versus what holds us back. Discover four steps to set your mind for success.

1- Know what is limiting you~ Let's investigate a mystery. What beliefs are at your core? Pay attention for one week to the self-limiting beliefs that show up. As a detective, be consciously aware. Keep a journal handy for notes.

Beliefs can show up as a label you place upon yourself attached to an assumption such as Parent- there is only so much I can do or Owner- I can't count on anyone but myself. They can reveal themselves in negative statements such as "I can’t be…", "I can’t do…", "I'm not good enough"," I'm not smart enough," "I never complete anything," etc. Beliefs may be uncovered in an assumption such as "there's not enough time", "that's too hard", or "he'll say 'no' ". Write down the beliefs you notice that restrain you from what you want.

2- Get to the source of the diversion~ A good detective digs deeper. Whose voice is attached to the belief? How did this belief become attached to your life? Is it legitimate? Is it serving you? Or limiting you? Jot your notes. I have to warn you. We hesitate to go within because we subconsciously know what may be lurking at the source. Fear! Write down any fears you discover that are holding you back.

3- Rewrite your limiting beliefs and fears with an unlimited confident statement~ Turn "I can't" into "I am", "that's too hard" into "I know I can do this part", "I don't have enough time" into "I know what's important and I do that first", and "Parent- there's only so much I can do" to "Parent- the world is my resource. I can do what I put my mind to." Reread your new attitude daily. Picture it as true. Feel it as real until it becomes part of who you are.

4- Stand strong and respond~ Do not slack when it comes to eliminating self-limiting beliefs! When they show up, mount up. When you hear "you will never be…" respond with "says who? I determine my value." When you think "you are going to make a fool of yourself" respond by saying "I will love myself for having the guts to try." And when you believe there is no time left for your dreams, drop what is not as important and stand up for who you are.

Are you willing to do what it takes to set your mind for success with unstoppable determination? Will you do the detective work to gain access to your unlimited capabilities? What I want for you is to break out of the bounds of limits and become your own best Success Coach… Starting Now!

Copyright 2005 © Beth A. Tabak, All rights reserved.

About the Author: Beth Tabak of www.StartingNowCoaching.com is 100% committed to small business coaching & personal life coaching. She is also a speaker and columnist. Beth coaches big thinkers to be unlimited, stand out in the crowd, and experience the vastness of their capabilities. Come see all the complimentary gifts available to you and say "hello".

Source: http://www.easyarticles.com

Are you always in a hurry? You want to make a change in your life, you want to get on, you’re ambitious. You find yourself setting big targets for every day, rushing from place to place hustling to get there faster, getting stressed out every time there’s a hold up. STOP! Take a deep breath, it doesn’t have to be like this…

No, you don’t have to be constantly living on your nerves, pushing to fit in one more meeting, one more thing on your to-do list…

Slow down to speed up!

Think about it for a moment, how much time do you spend every week focussed on getting to your next meeting or the next place you need to be. What are you really achieving when you’re worrying about saving a few seconds or minutes on your journey?

NOTHING! Yes, nothing. Most of the time you’re just stuck in a mental rut going over the same fruitless, stressful ground of worrying about being late. This gets you nowhere, you don’t achieve anything positive, it’s a complete waste of time!

It’s time to change your habits…

Start by allowing yourself enough time to get to where you want to go. Of course there are times when you just have to get there as fast as you possible can. But more often than not you may be trying to save time by leaving at the last minute. Don’t. Allow some extra time.

Make use of those precious moments

Good, now you no longer need to fret about getting there on time, you can relax and do something productive with your time. These moments can be turned in to some of the most useful time you have in your working day.

More often than not you are in the privileged position of being away from the distractions of your normal routine so this is an excellent time to get on with some of the non-urgent but highly important thinking that you need to do.

A simple tip – carry a notebook at all times. This can be a paper notebook or a voice recorder – most modern mobile phones and pda’s can take voice notes, make use of this capability.

Use the time to review your progress and ask yourself what needs to be done next to get you to your goals. Brainstorm new ideas for your projects, brainstorm new projects… Don’t be afraid to spend some time letting your mind come up with new ideas.

Continue to educate yourself – take a personal development book, read it, take notes and plan to apply what you’ve learned in your life. The book doesn’t necessarily have to be a ‘success book’ it could be anything that is going to teach you something that you need to know – reading a French novel could help you with your next trip to France.

If you’re driving, then you are not going to be able to take your eyes off the road! However, you can use this time to good use by listening to personal development tapes. You may be spending hundreds, if not thousands of hours in your car every year – another great opportunity not to be missed!

You might think that you can’t possibly get anything useful from working in such noisy and disruptive environments. Well you can. If you persist, you will develop your power of concentration. That in itself is a valuable asset to anyone who wants to achieve success.

Planning some spare time in your day will help you to get more out of your life

Don’t let yourself get into the habit of trying to maximise your use of time by leaving everything until the last minute – especially journeys. Plan to have some spare moments and prepare to use them as effectively as possible. Spare moments can make a real difference to your chances of success if you use them wisely to educate yourself, plan your future or create new ideas.

By: Kevin John

Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Would you like to learn more about goal setting, personal planning and success? Visit my website for more resources, articles, and support materials about success and personal growth here. Kevin John has spent many years helping businesses owners, aspiring business owners, and private individuals to achieve success.

This article is based on a training session given on Success. It focuses on the 7 things that truly influence your success more than you know. The speaker focuses on the word S-U-C-C-E-S-S and creates an acronym for the word. It's really interesting how he does this and I'm going to review his acronym here.

What is success to you? It is very difficult to define success because it means so many things to some many different people. What success is to me may not necessarily be what it is to you! So what is your definition of success? Is it financial freedom? Maybe time freedom? Being able to take vacations? Operating your own home based business? Is it being totally financially independent and not having another worry ever again? What exactly is success to you? There is NOTHING like the feeling of success!

S = Solo Focus: Solo focus is just one focus and it is laser focus. People tend to get distracted and go off in 10 different directions. You cannot do this and become successful. You MUST stay focused on what you are doing, the goal you are trying to accomplish, and the tasks you need to perform in order to reach your goal. Do not get distracted! People can sense when you are solo focused and you become more magnetic and attract people to follow you. You will be become a more successful leader!

U = Unlocked Imagination: You need to unlock your imagination. Our imagination is usually locked and we limit ourselves. When you unlock your imagination it will in turn unlock your creativity, your passions, and it follows the rules of success. Remember that all success is, is an image you have in your mind. Unlocking your imagination will allow you to have a huge vision and reach your goals much easier. Get around people who are successful and big thinkers, stay away from negative thinkers and limited minded people. Get around people who can train and teach you to unlock your imagination and you will get a huge vision in your life! A huge vision is not only magnetic, but part of the success foundation.

C = Crystal Clear Path: You know the step required to obtain your goals and building your business. Success is going to be very hard to obtain is you do not have a crystal clear path. You must know your path and be able to convey it to your team members so they can duplicate your steps.

C = Connection to the Heart: You can accomplish anything you set your mind to as long as it is powered by the heart. This is evident in and the basis for the book "As a Man Thinketh". Have you ever heard the phrase: "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right!"? Your heart is the success driver in you. It drives you to success every day. It drives you to do things beyond where most people would give up, which drives you to succeed simply because it is in your heart to do so! Is your heart connected to your business? Figure out what you value most in your life (Your WHY) and connect it to your business and you will have found your ultimate success driver!

E = Extraordinary Energy: This is the energy that comes when you connect to the heart. It's the extraordinary energy of emotion, creativity, faith, and your presence. Your heart will create all of these things when you connect your business to it. Hype comes from the mind, energy comes from the heart. This is energy, not hype!

S = Skill Set: You HAVE to have a good skill set. This is something that can be learned. Most people start with little, or underdeveloped skills. You can develop these skills through personal growth and it must be developed in order for you to succeed. As you work your business your skill set will naturally develop on its own, but you should be personally working on it every day as well.

S = Stop at Nothing: No matter what people say, do, or think. No matter what limitations they throw at you, no matter what kind of negativity they throw at you.

If you possess all of the above qualities we have discussed, you will stop at nothing to obtain your goals because you will be so determined and focused that success will be yours, no matter what!

By: SNG

Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Lou and Robin Bonaventura have been Professional Network Marketers for 4 years. Are you serious about

changing your life, motivated and trainable? If so, we want to hear from you right away: visit

www.SuccessNetworkGroup.com to request an immediate interview. Also visit www.SNGBlog.com for information on how personal development can benefit you!

Got Goals? - Your GPS To Success You’ve probably heard of the Harvard goal-setting study. Members of the class of 1979 were asked whether they had any goals. 3% of the class had written, specific goals for their lives after graduation. Another 13% had goals, but had not written them down. The remaining 84% of the class hadn’t set any goals beyond graduating and having a good time during the summer. In 1989, ten years later, the class was evaluated. Not surprisingly, the 13% with goals (even though they weren’t written) earned twice what the 84% with no goals earned. The shocker was that the 3% who’d written their goals earned ten times more than everyone else. The only difference? Their clearly-defined, written goals.

Goals make your actions intentional – on purpose, on task. There should be a direct connection between what you want and what you do. If you look at goal setting like planning a cross-country trip, you’ll get a good analogy. How successful would your trip be without a plan? If you don’t plot out exactly where you want to go, and how to get there, you’re doomed from the start. It’s nearly impossible to end up where you want to go without a plan.

Your plan must be tied to action – what you do, when you do it, how you’ll do it. With a plan in place, you know exactly what the next step is, and how much closer it’ll bring you to your destination. If your goal is to get from New York to California, everything you do should work together to get you there. You plot a route, you pack what you’ll need along the way, you drive with purpose. While you might enjoy the scenery along the way, you know that it’s part of the journey – not the ultimate end of your trip.

You know that each day you spend doing anything other than driving, you’re just delaying reaching your destination. You don’t just drive aimlessly, you take the most direct route. A solid goal and plan prepare you for obstacles in the road. You’ll run into mountains, dead-end streets, and traffic jams that’ll delay and detour you – but because your plan is in place, you’ll be able to stay the course and get right back on track.

Without a plan, any one of these troubles could completely derail you and leave you just looking at dreams and wishes again. Even with a system in place, you’ll face obstacles in the road – but you’ll have a solution-seeking mindset. It’s the GPS for your trip. It’s not the tradition Global Positioning System you’re thinking of – It’s my Goal Positioning System. With the Goal Positioning System, you can see exact