Recently, my colleague Lynda-Ross and I were discussing the validity of the idea that if you have a positive attitude, follow your passion, and do what you love then success and money will follow. My position generally was that the idea was valid; hers was that it was not.

The discussion arose during a seminar in which the main speaker ridiculed the idea and gave several examples to make her point. It got both of us thinking about it because following your passion and doing more of what you love and what you do best is part of the VRFT philosophy. As the discussion progressed it became apparent that the message meant one thing to me, another to Lynda-Ross, and yet another to the seminar speaker. So, I concluded that if three pretty smart people were confused then there was a good chance that others were confused as well.

The idea has been expressed in many different ways and there are many popularized versions of the message. Off the top of my head I come up with: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow by Marsha Sinetar, The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson, and the popular film What The Bleep Do We Know. All are variations on the same theme.

The internet is full of discussion and debate both pro and con about whether or not doing what you love and following your passion will lead to money and success. I cannot speak for my colleague, the seminar speaker, or authors, both cited and un-cited, who have written books on the subject. But as the idea of Living Your Talents as a way to success is pretty important to what I do, I will express my ideas on the subject!

I think that the critique of this concept comes from three fallacies implied or stated:

* thought or attitude is the only necessary criteria for success,
* following your passion will make you successful, and
* doing what you love to do by itself will make you successful

Lets take them one at a time and examine what is left out.

Thought or attitude is the only necessary criteria for success.

This one is pretty obvious. Action is always required, as Jim Rohn says “After you have leapt about, there are some things that you must do.” Visioning success and having a positive attitude are important, but in order for things to happen we must also act. To paraphrase Goethe, too much reflection without experience drives us mad.

Following your passion will make you successful.

It all depends on what you mean by passion and how you follow it. Too many people confuse a passion for an external object or thing with an internal enthusiasm for a subject or activity that is skill and talent based. Following a passion for Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp is unlikely to result in success (unless you define charges of stalking as success!) while developing an innate skill for organization into a talent could lead to both success and money.

Doing what you love to do by itself will make you successful.

Beyond doing what you love to do you must evaluate failures and adjust, learn and develop new skills, and most importantly learn what is missing from your natural repertoire of skills and talents and find others who have those skills and can compliment yours.

Success and wealth are never guaranteed in any undertaking in life. There is no guarantee that using Your Talent Advantage will lead to success. But I do believe that pursuing activities that take advantage of skills and talents at which you are naturally gifted increases the odds of you doing the things described above which leads to success.

About the Author:

Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 27 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He’s the co-founder of Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents. www.vrft.com.

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Have you ever been in a conversation where it was obvious the other person couldn't wait for you to finish talking in order to say something? We all have I’m sure, and it’s not a great feeling.

You see, relationships are like lengthy conversations. There is a back-and-forth quality that needs to be there. If you focus only on what’s in it for you rather than what you can contribute, it’ll fall flat or end uncomfortably.

For any relationship to flourish and for personal growth to occur for both parties, you need to put some effort into understanding and meeting the other person’s wants and needs.

Often we hear what’s said, but we make sense of it from our own subjective reality. For example, the phrase, “I’ll call you soon,” may mean tomorrow for one person, but could mean sometime in the next month for another. People interpret their experiences differently and draw radically different conclusions from the same set of circumstances. It’s for this reason that misunderstandings and communication failures often spell doom for developing relationships and resentments for established ones.

Real success in life comes from the ability to understand differing perceptions and from understanding and accepting that others perceive the world differently than you do. It’s important to learn how to decipher the other person’s code and respond in kind.

First you need to be aware that not all people use the same code. Then, you have to be interested in learning what the other person’s code is. And finally, you‘ll want to practice using good communications skills – attentive listening, asking questions and checking for clarification.

TAKE ACTION:

Think about the last time you got into a disagreement with someone important to you. Did you feel heard? Were they (or maybe you) busy trying to make a point, or were they actively trying to listen to what you were saying?

Next time you catch yourself butting heads with someone, stop trying to make your case. Make a point of pulling back and actually hearing the other person’s point of view. Ask questions to help you get clear, stay engaged and then take your turn to share your point of view.

Stretching your understanding of different points of view is key to improving communication, limiting conflict with others, and building strong relationships. Limiting conflict with others will give you more time for constructive interaction, enjoyable relationships, and will decrease the stress in you life.

About the Author:

Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 27 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He’s the co-founder of Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents. www.vrft.com

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You’ve probably heard the phrase, “You can do anything you want to if you just put your mind to it!” at least once in your life.

That statement is altogether misleading and unfairly forces many of us to believe that we should follow through no matter how unhappy the tasks or position makes us. The trouble is human beings are, by creation, gifted differently. Nobody excels at everything.

For most of us, this is obvious and easy to accept in some areas, and more difficult to face in others. For example, it’s easier for most of us to recognize that no matter how much we practice, we’ll never play golf like Tiger Woods than it is to acknowledge that we'll never learn how to be the life of the party like Cousin Joe.

Having a successful life, one full of meaning and fulfillment requires not only knowing your gifts and talents, but also knowing your limitations. In other words knowing what you cannot do is just as important as knowing what you can. Identifying those things that you aren’t good at – you know the things that make you feel unhappy and leave you feeling unfulfilled is the first step to finding life success and fulfillment. Because when you waste your natural abilities you often feel stuck doing something you hate - weed those skills out.

I invite you to go one step further – learn to celebrate your limitations!

This allows you to focus your time and effort on pursuits, behaviors, careers and life directions that are supported by your natural gifts and talents. It also opens you up to experiencing the appreciation and joy that come from discovering the gifts and talents that others bring to your life. When we are doing what we love, we are often performing at our best. This leads to a kind of fulfillment that allows us to live life passionately and happily.

Next time you’re invited out with friends, instead of trying to be like Cousin Joe, consider what it is that you uniquely bring to the party – what you are most comfortable doing – and do more of that! Most of us have undeveloped talents that lie hidden inside us until they’re recognized and acted upon. Each of our talents is an opportunity waiting to happen. Celebrate the fact that you don’t have to take on the stress of being like Joe (he’s got it handled) and you are free to be you and enjoy yourself!

About the Author:

Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 27 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He’s the co-founder of Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents. www.vrft.com

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We all recognize that the growth that takes place between birth and ages 18 to 21 are pretty dramatic. But physical, emotional and intellectual development continues throughout your life even if the changes are less noticeable.

One of the most exciting areas of adult development – and one that is the key to true success in life is in the area of skills and roles. In other words, what do you want to spend your time doing, both at work and at play?

Just like a 10-month-old baby learning to crawl, stand, and finally walk, success in life comes from the ability to master the skills necessary to accomplish your goals.

Successful adult development is a multi-step process:

1) Assessing your range of behavioral skills to decide how well a role or job fits your perceptual style

2) Making a conscious effort to drop those tasks and roles that don’t make use of your gifts and talents

3) Making a conscious effort to do more of the ones that do

What’s especially important in this process is distinguishing between those skills that fit you naturally versus those where you had to work hard to acquire that drag on your emotional, psychological and physical well-being.

Most of us keep doing what we’ve always been doing. It’s human nature, after all. We all know how hard it can be to “break” a habit. So, having a clear plan for the specific behaviors and skills you want to develop is important. That way you give yourself something positive to replace the old, no-longer-wanted behaviors.

Pick a goal you have and ask yourself:

* Will this bring me closer to my definition of success?
* What skills does it require?
* What’s my plan for learning the required skills I may not have fully developed yet?

You have abilities for which you have innate potential that are just waiting to be used. They may require some hard work, but you will find that efforts spent on developing your talents are productive, meaningful and rewarding.

In order to master the skills necessary to accomplish your goals it’s important to consciously choose to do more of what you do best. Each of us is born with a unique set of natural skills. The challenge we all face is recognizing and developing those skills to their fullest potential. Give some serious thought to what you do well and what you truly love to do. Then look for opportunities to do those things more often.

About the Author:

Lynda-Ross Vega: A partner at Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., Lynda-Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and coaches build dynamite teams and systems that WORK. She is co-author of Vega Role Facilities Theory, a revolutionary psychological assessment system that teaches people how to unleash their deepest potentials for success. For free information on how to succeed as an entrepreneur or coach, create a thriving business and build your bottom line doing more of what you love, visit www.VRFT.com

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Article Contributed by Kendall SummerHawk

No matter how much a Soul-Preneur loves what she does, if she can't figure out how to TALK about her services she'll never attract better, higher paying clients.

When it comes to business marketing, most people brainstorm a billion different tag lines then wonder why none of them sound or feel like "the one."

The problem is all that brainstorming isn't every effective because it's relying on the wrong information to start with. Crafting a tag line—or any of your marketing copy such as sales letters, email promos, flyers and titles—first starts with understanding your unique style and personality.

Okay, sounds good. But, how exactly do you do that?

The best way is to know your "Marketing Archetype." Think of an archetype as a universally-accepted personality that appears in our stories, myths and in the most compelling current marketing campaigns.

A great example is the Hero archetype, put forward so richly and powerfully by the Race for the Cure campaign. Another example is the Teacher archetype of seeking wisdom, beautifully modeled by Oprah.

Every Marketing Archetype has key words and phrases associated with it. Once you know your Marketing Archetype you can quickly and easily create a compelling tag line, Web site and more.

Here are three easy tips on how to use the power of Marketing Archetypes to attract better, higher paying clients. What this means for you is quickly being able to write and talk about what you do in a powerful and authentic way!

Tip #1: What is Your Powerful Story?

No matter which Marketing Archetype you use, your marketing must consistently put forward an emotionally rich story. Do this and you'll authentically draw people into caring about you, what you do and the people you help.

For example, the story theme that is woven throughout all of my marketing is that you can love who you are and what you do, and make great money doing it. My Marketing Archetypes are the Explorer and the Romantic. All of my marketing powerfully speaks to the idea that you must be unique and authentic (that's key for us Explorers) and that you can love what you do and make great money doing it (that's the richness of the Romantic).

Tip #2: Remember That It's Better to Stand Out Than to be Ignored

No matter what your Marketing Archetype, it's vital that you speak powerfully about the gift you're here to share with your clients. Don't let fear or that voice that says, "Who do you think you are?" stop you from being heard in a powerful way.

Tip #3: Reveal Your Clients' Archetypes so You Can Speak Their Language

Once you understand your own Marketing Archetype, you can then easily figure out that of your client, giving you an insight into exactly how receptive they are to certain marketing.

Here's an example: I attract a lot of coaches and I know that coaches are often Alchemist and Artist archetypes. I know exactly what type of language resonates with them best. Words such as "transform, magic, instant, idea and create" really speak to Alchemists and Artists, so I make sure to weave those words into my writing. This way, I'm speaking my truth in a way that goes straight into their hearts.

Your marketing archetype is a window to a new language you can quickly use, and a window into creating powerful affinity with your clients.

Success in business is all about relationships, trust and a deep connection with your clients. Marketing Archetypes is a powerful way to build those relationships quickly and authentically, and in any form of media. The sooner you discover what yours is the quicker you'll be enjoying the gift of attracting the better, higher-paying clients you love.

And, if you want to get personal training from me on what your Marketing Archetype is and how to use this powerful system with your clients, watch your inbox for details about my upcoming new certification program! I'll share how you can learn more in just a few days.

About the Author
Kendall SummerHawk, the Million Dollar Marketing Coach, is an expert at helping women entrepreneurs at all levels design a business they love and charge what they're worth and get it. Kendall delivers simple ways entrepreneurs can design and price their services to quickly move away from 'dollars-for-hours work' and create more money, time, and freedom in their business. For free articles, free resources and to sign up for a free subscription to Kendall's Money, Marketing and Soul weekly articles visit www.kendallsummerhawk.com.

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Article Contributed by Gary Jordan

Determining whether a particular skill you possess is natural or acquired is an important step to doing more of what you do best. Because many of of our natural skills bring a greater feeling of joy, these skills are worth discovering and developing.

A “skill” is a behavior or ability you’ve developed through training or experience. And, while all personal skills are behaviors, not all behaviors are skills. For example, telling a joke is a skill; laughing at a joke is a behavior.

Some of your skills are natural, meaning that were born with the potential to develop them easily. By the way, you usually have a strong affinity for those skills which are natural to you. Some of your skills are acquired, meaning you had to put more effort into developing them than you did your natural skills.

You may be able to perform both with equal ease, but the skills that are acquired will cost you more in terms of psychological, emotional and physical effort. The skills that are natural to you tend to bring with them fulfillment and joy, leading to a greater feeling of life success.

Take 10 minutes to reflect on the behaviors you perform every day.

o Which of these behaviors are skills?

o Which of these behaviors do you find easy, look forward to doing, or gain great satisfaction when you do them?

o Which do you find more challenging?

o Which do you find yourself putting off or postponing?

These are important keys to discovering your natural skills. Discovering and nurturing a new talent is an opportunity to find what you need to be successful in life and enjoy life more fully. When we are doing what we love, we are often performing at our best. This leads to a kind of fulfillment that allows us to live life passionately and happily.

About the Author
Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 27 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He’s the co-founder of Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents. www.vrft.com.

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Ever wondered why they make M&Ms in so many different colors? It’s because, as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. How boring and unappealing would a bag full of all brown M&Ms be?

Well, society is like that bag of M&Ms, there’s a lot of diversity going on in terms of race, culture, ethnicity and lifestyle.

One type of diversity that’s often overlooked is psychological diversity. I’m talking about the differences in the way we each view the world.

Your perception is a filter that translates your experiences into meaning. It is at the core of who you are, and it impacts your values, your beliefs, your feelings and your psychology.

At any given moment, our brains are being exposed to millions of bits of sensory information, sights, sounds, textures and emotions. Because we can only process a small fraction of all that information, much of it gets filtered out.

What makes this interesting is that each of us filters out different sensors, so we are each experiencing a different “reality,” often without realizing that this reality is unique to us.

In fact, neuro-research shows that our particular set of filters is most likely hard-wired, not readily changeable, and not as clearly noticeable as are many other types of differences.

What this means is that sometimes other people’s actions, views and approaches to life will make no sense (based on our world view).

The truth is, people interpret their experiences differently, and draw radically different conclusions from the same set of circumstances. While it’s true that our perceptual styles can lead to potential conflict, I like to think that this type of diversity adds creative tension, variety and challenge to life.

Those differences make you who you are. Your unique perception offers a one-of-a-kind path for success and the potential to excel at things only available to you

Do a little experiment: pick someone in your life that seems to be using a different set of filters than you. Ask yourself, “What must be true for them to act/think/behave that way?”

“Try on” this behavior and ways of thinking for 30 minutes and see how quickly you can develop an appreciation for views of the world.

Exploring and claiming the unique aspects of your perception (and the perceptions of the people around you) will help you fill your life with behaviors and activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.

About the Author:

Lynda-Ross Vega: A partner at Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., Lynda-Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and coaches build dynamite teams and systems that WORK. She is co-author of Vega Role Facilities Theory, a revolutionary psychological assessment system that teaches people how to unleash their deepest potentials for success. For free information on how to succeed as an entrepreneur or coach, create a thriving business and build your bottom line doing more of what you love, visit www.VRFT.com

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Your skills and the roles they support didn't come about by accident. They were developed through training and experience. The question that fascinates us is, "What kind of training and what kind of experience?"

Your current abilities depend largely on how you experienced four important developmental factors as a child in relation to your budding skills. These four factors, Permission, Promotion, Protection and Power, greatly influence the feelings we have about various skills whether the be joy, fear or dread.

Imagine that you are a small child just beginning to explore the world around you. You discover that there are some things you really like to do, such as dance or draw. You discover that when you dance, your parents praise and support you. What they have done is given you "Permission." If, on the other hand, you would rather draw, but your parents insist that you dance, that is "Promotion" – you are being pushed into something you have not actively chosen for yourself.

Whether a talent was given permission or was promoted, it certainly required practice on your part in order to develop that skill. As you practiced you probably made mistakes – sang off key, forgot a dance step or had difficulty drawing a face. Protection, in the form of encouragement, was there to prevent those small failures from being devastating. Protection allowed you to pull yourself together, dust off your self-esteem and try again!

Finally, with enough practice you gained competence. With competence came Power – the power to affect other people with your skill. Your singing now moves people, your dancing entertains them or they admire your art.

This process was repeated, usually without awareness, for all of your current roles and skills.

Take action and reflect on those things you do best. Make two columns on a piece of paper, heading one column with Permission and one column with Promotion. Now make a list of your skills and roles, placing each in the appropriate column. Which did you choose, and which were you guided toward? Reflect on some of your early "failures" and how adults provided you with the necessary "protection" so you could continue skill-building.

As you look over these activities, highlight the ones that give you a feeling of power and strength. These activities are important to your success in life! These are the skills that will bring you the most joy and fulfillment and are worth your happiness to discover and develop.

About the Author:

Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 27 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He's the co-founder of Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents. www.vrft.com.

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Attention is mediated by a structure in our brains known as the reticular activating system. The reticular activating system (RAS) extends from the brainstem to the midbrain and is the primary controller of arousal and motivation in humans.

The RAS has afferent and efferent pathways, which means it sends data up the brain, and transmits data down the brain.

When sending information up the brain, it is functioning as a processing pathway. When sending information down the brain, it is driving action and behavior.

As the social media space becomes noisier and more crowded, getting attention is going to be more of a challenge.

The best way to get attention is to be relevant.

Adults focus almost exclusively on messages and information which will help them reach important goals, or which are immediately applicable to their current life or career situation.

The best way to get attention is to provide content and information which helps your viewers, visitors, or listeners make a behavioral change.

Whether you want them to start doing something, or to stop doing something, the more you can gain their attention, provide relevant and compelling content, and then make a recommendation for them, the easier it will be to create behavioral change.

And when you’ve been able to create behavioral change- whether it be in the way a person thinks, feels, or acts- you have gained influence with that person, and they are going to see you as much more relevant from then on.

Then your only goal is to remain relevant, which you can do by continuing to share powerful and useful information.

And so on.

Dr. Rachna Jain is Chief Social Marketer at The Mindshare Corporation. Rachna works with speakers, consultants, authors, and small business owners to develop and execute effective social media marketing strategies. Her proprietary persuasive social media process (sm) focuses on building influence, credibility and visibility online. This translates into greater recognition, increased website traffic, faster lead generation, a shorter sales cycle, and more opportunity for her expert clientele. She blogs regularly at The Mindshare Blog

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You say you want to be happy, but what have you done about it lately? I constantly hear people say things like, “I’ll be happy when I buy the house of my dreams, get that next promotion, feel better, etc.” Or, “As soon as I find the right man, go on vacation, retire, then I’ll be happy.”

That’s a bunch of crap. These and other stupid statements just like them make your happiness dependant on someone or something else. STOP it. Stop it right now. You’re giving your power to be happy away. You’re constantly in a state of chasing happiness and never ever having it. Here’s my take on happiness – quit chasing it and BE it.

Just be happy. I know, I know … the next thing out of your mouth is, “But Deborah, how can you expect me to be happy with all my financial problems, health issues, relationship upheaval?” Guess what, you can always find an excuse not to be happy. Life is full of things that will get you feeling sad, upset or ticked off. That’s life. Sometimes it sucks … get over it!

You can live in the constant state of pursuing happiness or just find something to be happy about. Sound simple? Maybe too simple, well it’s not.

Here’s the deal. The whole Law of Attraction thing is real. What you say, think, focus on and believe in becomes your reality. Who’s the boss of you anyway? Do you hear those negative thoughts floating around in your head, tearing you down and telling you, “you can’t, you’ll never, what if?” Well guess what? Whether you’re conscious of it or not, you’re listening to those thoughts and they are effectively sabotaging your efforts to get ahead.

Think of it this way. If your clothes are stinky, dirty, too small and make you feel inferior … how long would you wait until you finally did something to get rid of them and find the clothes that reflected who you are or who you aspire to be? If you stay in the ragged clothes, that’s your choice. And, you get to live with the consequences that come with looking like a bum and feeling small and restricted.

It’s the same with your self-defining negative thoughts. You must become restfully aware of these thoughts. You can shred the old and in with the new. Tell the old thoughts to “shut up so you can suit up” for success, growth and happiness. Recognize what’s true and get rid of the rest.

I often hear the same put-downs from my highly intelligent, successful and amazing clients, “I’m not smart enough, I’m not good enough, I’m not worthy of the success I’ve achieved or I feel guilty about my wealth.”

It’s time to make a choice. Stay stuck in the “oh poor me, my life is so bad, I’ll never have what they have” way of thinking (and guess what … you’re right)! Or, find something, anything to be happy about and build on it.

Once you become aware of and identify your stinky, smelly, small thoughts you can upgrade them … just like picking new clothes that better suit you.

It may sound a bit absurd, but you’ve gotta start somewhere. Build the muscle, the habit, the foundation. How would you walk, talk, look, feel, act and dress if you were happy. Be that!

Did you know your logical mind, when teamed up with your creative mind, can accelerate your innovation and success? It’s true, your mind and body do not know the difference between what’s imagined and what is literally experienced. When you visualize the person you aspire to be or the promotion, or whatever it is you crave, you begin to visually rehearse the steps to your success.

So, change your thoughts. A feeling of happiness brings more things to be happy about into your life.

Deborah Dubree is a professional coach, speaker, mentor and founder of ClearEdge a resource for high achievers who want to reach incredible goals - then see how much further they can go. She worked her way up from receptionist to owner of a multi-million-dollar company and can show you how to do the same in your business. If you're ready to step out and be number
one in your field, sign up to get her free proven success tips today at http://deborahdubree.com/blog

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Article Contributed by Gary Jordan

Have you noticed how so much of the feedback we get about ourselves in life is negative?

Think back to school progress reports. Now, reflect on your job performance evaluations. How often did these assessments focus on what you were doing well, as opposed to where you needed to improve? If your experience is typical, feedback about your need for improvement far outweighed the feedback about what you did well.

This focus on deficits and where you fall short is almost a human obsession. Our attention is drawn to what we cannot do rather than what we can do; to what needs improvement rather than what can be celebrated.

Since it's always possible to highlight something that isn't there, the list of things to improve can be endless. But when you're spending time working on your "weaknesses" you're ignoring your strengths and talents and beating yourself up in the process. The result is physical, emotional and psychological exhaustion.

It's time to work on changing your life by changing your perception and focus! Time to identify, claim and celebrate the natural gifts and talents you already have, instead of focusing on those you don't. Finding a reason to give yourself a pat on the back can drastically impact your emotional well-being for the better. Trust me - it isn't hard to do.

You have abilities for which you have innate potential – some of which you may already be aware, and some that are just waiting to be discovered and used.

These skills come easily to you because they reflect aspects of who you are, fundamentally. Sure, they may require development, but you'll find that efforts spent on your talents are much more productive, meaningful and rewarding than struggling to improve a "weakness." After all, teaching an eagle to fly is much easier than teaching it to swim.

Why not discover what skills you have that will help you get off the ground? Why not use the inherent gifts and abilities with which you were born? Why not live your talents? Think of the skills that others admire in you, and ones where you often receive complements. Then, look beyond that to areas that give you that nagging feeling, to gifts that are just begging to be utilized and enjoyed.

Getting started is easy. Take 10 minutes and make a list of activities (from any time in your life) that you wish you could do again or more often. Choose one activity from the list and make a plan to do it sometime in the next seven days. (If it's something that requires extra preparation, do it within 30 days.)

After you have done it, reflect on the experience and ask yourself the following questions:

* What aspects of the activity were enjoyable?
* What talents or skills were engaged while doing the activity?
* How could you do more of this activity?
* What would you have to give up in order to spend more time on this activity?

These are important keys to living your talents and changing your outlook on life. When you choose to focus on and nurture your innate skills and abilities you begin to see yourself in a more positive light.

About the Author
With a PhD and MA in clinical psychology, Gary Jordan is a partner at Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd. Gary is the visionary behind the Vega Role Facilities Theory, a revolutionary psychological assessment system that teaches people how to unleash their deepest potentials for success. For free information on how to succeed as an entrepreneur or coach, create a thriving business and build your bottom line doing more of what you love, visit www.VRFT.com

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Article Contributed by Lynda-Ross Vega

Most of us have undeveloped talents that lie hidden inside us until they're recognized and acted upon. Each of our talents is an opportunity waiting to happen.

Perhaps our natural talents and gifts weren't recognized or appreciated when we were young. When that happens we tend to ignore or stifle them in order to avoid criticism, or we minimize ourselves by thinking, "Well, if I can do it, everyone else must be able to as well."

The terrific insight about these internal opportunities is that, unlike their external counterparts, they can never be lost. But they can be missed unless you make the effort to discover them and then jump in and turn them into active talents.

Opportunities such as these are like muscles you have but never exercise. They function, often poorly and without great results at first. The good news is that like unused muscles, these opportunities can be consciously exercised and strengthened. The opportunity transforms into a talent!

Many people are surprised when they discover internal opportunities they never knew they had. Others admit sheepishly that they were aware of the skill, but didn't think that it was anything "special."

Overlooked opportunities can rob you of your full life's potential and keep your natural talents from shining forth. If you want to do more of what you do best you must use all of your talents to their fullest.

Turning your opportunities into talents is an important step. Take action, do something, try something, get inspired!

Here's one way to start: Brainstorm a list of at least 7-10 things you've always wanted to try. Some items on your list might be painting, playing the piano, learning a new language, whatever. Don't censor yourself or worry about looking foolish. No one else has to see your list. From that list, choose one activity and pursue it in whatever way you can for the next 30 days. Do something you loved as a child. Try out a talent that you've always admired in others. Try something you imagine being terrible at. Do it even if it scares you.

The goal is to find something that will give you clues as to what it is that makes you happy. Discovering a hidden talent might be the catalyst that inspires a career change or presents a new business opportunity. Others say feeding a hidden talent gave them a boost in confidence to try something new, go after something they wanted or fulfill a life-long dream.

Finding our talents also helps us uncover those characteristics were we do not shine - those that make us unhappy and leave us feeling unfulfilled. The trouble is, when you waste your natural abilities you often feel stuck doing something you hate. It's just as important to weed those skills out.

Discovering and nurturing a new talent is an opportunity to find what you need in order to be successful in life and enjoy life more fully. When we are doing what we love, we are often performing at our best. This leads to a kind of fulfillment that allows us to live life passionately and happily.

About the Author
A partner at Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., Lynda-Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and coaches build dynamite teams and systems that WORK. She is co-author of Vega Role Facilities Theory, a revolutionary psychological assessment system that teaches people how to unleash their deepest potentials for success. For free information on how to succeed as an entrepreneur or coach, create a thriving business and build your bottom line doing more of what you love, visit www.VRFT.com

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These days, it seems like it's becoming harder and harder to be a human being rather than a human doing. "Action" is the buzzword of the day (every day).

In an article I read recently, the author was discussing the oft-asked question, "What are you willing to do to be successful?" The answer, she wrote, (as often expected from those of us serious about obtaining life success) was, "Whatever it takes." She challenged this answer by adding, "…as long as you still love your life."

I would like to take her challenge even further.

First of all, let's look at the question itself. It asks, "What you are willing to do," not what (or who) are you willing to be, in order to be successful in life. Society places an intense focus on external achievement as a measure of success (money, recognition, status, etc.). Along with that is the push for us to constantly market ourselves, our business, our website, our blog, etc. It's not hard to see that it becomes all too easy to lose sight of how to be rather than how to do. We all know there is surely no lack of things to do.

I would propose to you that learning how to be is equally, if not more, important than learning how to do.

It's important to know when to stop, when enough is enough, when getting, achieving, conquering, no longer has a place on the priority list. We can all learn to recognize success in life as being comfortable within one's skin, with the journey one has taken, and with the friendships one has made and sustained.

Defining success as a human being rather than a human doing requires the ability to tune out the constant barrage of external demands on time, talent and resources. It requires the ability to turn inward, to reflect, and to determine with one's own internal set of values and standards what is worthwhile and what is a waste of the precious resource of time. It means defining a life of success based on quality rather than quantity.

Recently my wife's 99-year-old aunt passed away and left a lesson for us all. She was a dear, sweet and loving woman who had truly mastered "being." Her wish for her friends and family, as quoted from her memoirs was, "That we become content with just being. It is not a matter of trying to fulfill a social role; it is a matter of becoming wisdom itself."

So where do we begin? How do you learn to slow down and just take it all in? Try this exercise. For the next five minutes:

* Stop. Breathe. Listen. Rest.
* Reflect on who you are in this moment.
* Identify three internal measures of success for yourself.
* Listen to your inner values and where they're guiding you.

When you take the time to live right now, in this very moment, you allow yourself to reconnect to your true self and gain the wisdom to let go of the things that, in the end, really don't matter, and to cherish those things that you take for granted.

About the Author:

Gary Jordan, Ph.D., has over 27 years of experience in clinical psychology, behavioral assessment, individual development, and coaching. He earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology – Berkeley. He's the co-founder of Vega Behavioral Consulting, Ltd., a consulting firm that specializes in helping people discover their true skills and talents. Visit www.vrft.com for more information.

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We all know that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.

Did you know he also invented the stock ticker, the electric vote recorder, the automatic telegraph, the electric safety miner’s lamp, fluorescent lights, the motion picture camera, and the phonograph?

While struggling with the light bulb, he replied, “I have not failed seven hundred times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those seven hundred ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.” From the book, “The Power of Patience”, by M.J. Ryan

Do you have a fear of failure?

Do you cringe at the thought of making a mistake?

Do you expect the worst to happen rather than the best?

Fear of failure is a common reason people hesitate to say YES. For many, the attachment to doing something that leads to an expected or desired outcome often determines whether an experience is viewed as positive or negative. It’s only good if it goes the way you want.

I was doing a presentation a few years ago and one woman said, “Failure would be devastating. I know I would be so disappointed with myself for a long time.” To her, it was one of the worse things she could do. OUCH!

If you do something that does not lead to the outcome you desire or hope, how do you use that experience to help you positively? Do you see it as a learning opportunity or a reason to beat yourself up?

I have a good friend who is a health professional. Years ago we worked briefly together to expand his business. He talked about wanting to offer workshops, sponsoring speakers, perhaps creating some products… his eyes lit up with passion as he talked about his desire to reach more people beyond his local area. He’d been talking about expanding his business for quite some time and he was stalling. He joked about being a big procrastinator and wondering if he’d be able to break through his fears of failure.

Whenever he got close to pushing through his resistance, he’d back away by saying, “My business is doing well. Maybe I should be grateful for what I have”. He admitted that his parents often settled for the status quo because they feared the unknown and their fears made a powerful impact on his view of risk and expansion.

After a few months of working together, he quit. He was too afraid to push through his blocks and go the distance. In the next few years he sponsored a few workshops and now he focuses strictly on his practice. Is he happy and content? He seems to be. Or perhaps he has convinced himself to want less than his soul is asking of him to be? Who knows? This is his life journey.

Being successful in any area of your life includes a learning curve. That means making mistakes and experimenting with decisions and actions to create the life you are here to live. Accomplishments can be defined as the completion of an action. ANY action. I encourage you to be willing to recognize and appreciate your courage to both succeed and fail, which is all a success, really)!

Do you think Donald Trump was a huge success on his first attempt?

How about Oprah? If you look at where she started and who she has become, her rise to becoming a powerfull influence for women has soared over the years because she has had the guts to set a new standard for talk shows and the willingness to be a transparent model of authenticity to people worldwide.

How about you? Are you the same person you were five years ago? If you’ve been growing yourself and your business, the answer would be no. Even if you haven’t put a lot of time and energy into personal growth, it is impossible to remain the same indefinitely. We are either moving forwards or we are moving backwards.

We use past experiences as a barometer to measure future experiences and projected outcomes. We can hesitate to say YES because we believe, “If this happened in the past, I fear the same experience will repeat in my future”. We can use past experiences as excuses to take risks and take quantum leaps. To expect the past to repeat itself exactly is impossible because we aren’t the same people today that we were then. The potential for themes and patterns to recur is probable if you haven’t done the inner work to clear limiting beliefs, resolve past pain, and self-sabotage.

In fact, we can manufacture any reason to avoid doing anything we don’t want to do. The more evidence we collect to prove our reasoning, the better positioned we are to make our case to ourselves and to others. And we can become brilliant in our defense to avoid stepping out of our comfort zones or retreating back when the going gets tough. Enlisting others to support our case makes things a whole lot easier to avoid.

Common beliefs regarding failure:

* I have to get it right (perfect)
* I don’t have what it takes
* If I say no, people won’t like me
* I have nothing valuable to offer
* If I’m really “me” people won’t like or love me
* Things don’t usually turn out well for me (self-fulfilling prophecy?)
* It’s too hard
* Success happens for other people not me
* I’m not good enough, smart enough, lovable enough..
* I’m not ready
* I won’t be able to handle….
* I’ll lose…. (fill in the blanks) and that would be devastating (Is that really true?)
* Maybe what I have is enough and I should be happy with the way things are and not want more

Which ones do you relate to?

Self-fulfilling prophecies give us even more ammunition to prove why something doesn’t work out well. Wikipedia’s definition of self-fulfilling prophecy is “a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to be true”. If we are resistant, expecting something to go poorly or fear it might go well (fear of success), you can bet we’ll find ways to sabotage ourselves so we can prove we’re right. That gives us permission to come back and say, “I told you so!” to ourselves and others because we didn’t really say YES!
It is through the trial and error experiences that we develop our unique formula for happiness and success.

When I was an addictions counselor we talked about trusting the process and the journey of moving from one place to the next. The challenge? Having the patience and tolerance to go the distance without getting discouraged or scared. “I want it to happen NOWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

There is a difference between failing at an effort and taking on the identity of a failure.

There is a difference between making a mistake, and identifying with result

Do-ing something and Be-ing something are two vastly different truths!

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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Article Contributed by Roxanne Emmerich

What accounts for the difference between "Oh crap, it's Monday" and "Thank God it's Monday"? It's your happiness. And, for your own emotional and mental health, you need to feel happy at work.

It all boils down to seven habits that can change everything about the culture of your workplace.

1. Show up fully and commit with all your heart

At work, we think of home. At home, we think of work. Time to stop that. The first step toward a TGIM workplace is being present and accounted for at work. Thinking about being elsewhere leads to resenting where you are.

While you are at work, commit to work with all your heart. This is what I call throwing your heart over the bar--committing 100 percent to the moment and task before you.

2. Communicate clearly

Use powerful and positive language about what you will do and the attitude you expect from others. If a TGIM workplace is your goal, take the time to make your communications clear on every level.

3. Go beyond the job description

Going beyond the job description happens when you pitch in and help others at work without expecting reward. Willingly share the load. If you're caught up on your tasks, help someone else who is crunching for a deadline. Instead of feeling like it's an extra burden, you will actually feel like you play a bigger role in your company than you ever did before.

4. Don't tolerate dysfunctional behaviors

Establish a zero-tolerance policy for talking behind another person's back. Then give each other permission to address conflict head-on, out loud, courageously and honestly. Create a trusting and open environment and watch the dysfunction ebb away.

5. Clean up your messes

Relationships are built on trust. Without that foundation, there is no basis for a relationship. We breach the trust each time we don't do what we said we would do. But here's the thing--that breach can be healed quickly IF you come back and clean up the mess. Acknowledge that the results are not okay then make a commitment to make things right and prevent a recurrence.

6. Live a life of profound service

Once you place yourself in the service of those around you--your family, your colleagues and your customers--every moment becomes imbued with purpose and significance. You will feel GOOD.

As you drive to work, begin thinking about how the work you do is serving others and contributing to their success and happiness. This is the essence of true service, and the key to a workplace that draws you happily back, Monday after Monday after Monday.

7. Celebrate

Every project consists of little steps and little victories along the way. Recognize and celebrate them in both large and small ways. Build a system of celebrations and rewards--quarterly, weekly, daily--and follow through like your company's life depends on it. Because, (psst) it does.

Acquire these seven habits and spread them through your workplace. Then be sure to notice the first Monday your hand reaches for the alarm--and you smile. You can love your job and feel happy at work if you follow these 7 secrets.

About the Author
Roxanne Emmerich is renowned for her ability to transform the "ho-hum" attitudes of leaders, executives, business owners and entrepreneurs just like you into massive results-oriented "bring-it-on" attitudes. To discover how you can get motivated and love your job again, check out her new book – Thank God It's Monday. Now, you can get a free sneak preview at: http://www.thankgoditsmonday.com/preview_the_book/

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Article Contributed by Roxanne Emmerich

At some point in his or her career, every politician gets tarred with a catch phrase--and usually not a flattering one.

George Bush, Sr. is stuck with two. There was "Read my lips, no new taxes," of course. But only slightly less unfortunate was his dismissal of what he called, "The 'vision thing.'"

He was trying at the time to shake the impression that he was a competent day-to-day manager but he lacked any grander vision of where he wanted to lead the country. His choice of words and tone of voice didn't exactly help.

John F. Kennedy had a vision: "A man on the moon before the end of the decade." And it inspired the seemingly impossible. We had about 15 percent of the needed know-how when he made that declaration.

Bill Gates had a vision that there would be a computer on every desk in America. And this was back when most people didn't even know what a computer was!

Why vision matters

I once had a CEO look me straight in the eye and say he didn't really "go for" visions. "I put my energy into training," he said.

But training for what? I wondered. You do training without a vision, you're all gas pedal and no windshield.

A study at the Sloan School of Management showed that leaders who create, communicate, and implement successful organizational visions were more successful in EVERY measure than those who did not.

Three elements of a truly GREAT vision

Powerful, effective, propelling visions all have three things in common:

1. Short, simple and strong. Shorter is stronger. Take a given sentence and ask which words are pulling their weight and which can take a hike. Change vague expressions like "high-quality" and "world-class" into specific, powerful language that reflects your values. Simpler is also better. Use words a fourth grader could understand.

2. Visual. A statement that doesn't create a powerful visual image of the future isn't a vision. It doesn't give people anything to keep in their mind's eye while they work. You need a landmark on the horizon or you're driving blind.

3. Of service to others. Make sure your vision statement reflects an intense, focused drive to serve the needs of your customers, not just to "satisfy."

The human spirit will not invest in mediocrity. That's why a vision always starts with a bold and audacious idea. A vision statement is nothing less than an invitation for others to invest in your dreams and a promise to do the same in return. By following these simple rules, you can create the kind of vision that has been proven to power companies beyond what was ever thought possible.

Vision doesn't stop at the top

Once you've got your vision defined--your clear, concise, powerful, visual, service-oriented vision--don't put it in the drawer. Pour it all over your company. Let it seep into every nook and cranny of everything your company does. Put it on the lips and in the hearts of your workforce or it will never find its way into the wider world.

The turning point for a vision is when everyone sees it, gets it, and buys into participating to make it happen. And if you've built your vision around a bold and audacious idea, a ludicrous, unreasonable, captivating idea--like, oh, I don't know, going to the moon--people will throw their hearts over the bar with you to make that unreasonable dream a reality.

About the Author
Roxanne Emmerich is renowned for her ability to transform "ho-hum" workplaces into massive results-oriented "bring-it-on" environments. To discover how you can create a 20/20 business vision, motivate employees, ignite their passion and catapult performance to new levels, check out her new book – Thank God It’s Monday. Now, you can get a free sneak preview at: http://www.thankgoditsmonday.com/preview_the_book/

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What is there to fear if you really say YES to success?

1. Fearing your own power. If you truly stepped into our potential, who would you become? Would you abuse your power? What might you actually accomplish? When you come to the end of your days on earth and look back over your life, what do you want to see as your legacy?

Remember the Marianne Williams quote from A Return To Love? “…Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of the Universe. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others…”

2. More commitments and responsibilities. A few years ago I was taking a spiritually-based class on money and success. In one of the exercises we were asked to imagine that we were standing with our arms open to receive all the money we could ever want or need. As the money came pouring in, we were then asked to notice what we were thinking, feeling, and experiencing. I fully expected to feel joyfull with my arms open wide with excitement for myself and all the good I might do in the world. Instead, my arms went up to block some of the flow. What a surprise!

I realized that success and money meant more responsibilities and commitments and I already had plenty to do! Working more deeply with my beliefs around money, and success helped me to shift my thinking so that I could attract more abundance into my life with having to add more stress by hiring people to help! Some worthiness issues popped up to show me I had some further inner healing to do.

3. Success is life changing, personally and professionally. Success brings losses and gains such as saying goodbye to friends, making new ones, changing your lifestyle, becoming more visible and well known. Great success can go to your head and have a negative impact. Look at some of the struggles celebrities have had with their successes. Success can also be isolating and lonely when people feel they need to look and show up a certain way for others because of the roles we take on in our personal and professional life as parent, father, wife, mother, boss, CEO ….. You know the old saying “It’s lonely at the top.”

Success calls us to grow up, be a mature adult and might suggest that we must also suppress the spirit and playfulness of our inner child, which is untrue unless we willingly choose to abandon that part of ourselves Fear of success can feel scarier to many people more than fear of failure. Having to maintain a high level of success can be daunting. And once you’re at the top, the belief might be that the only place to go next is down. We can easily forget that we are always at choice and can mean whatever we want.

4. Feeling like a fraud. Ouch. That’s a common fear of “being found out” or exposed to NOT be the person people want, expect, or think you really are. The fear is that if people find out the truth, they will judge you, leave you, stop loving you, throw you away……

Being discovered can feel like a terrifying threat and yet, I believe that we all just want to be loved and accepted unconditionally. The truth is that when we dare to expose the things about us we feel are unlovable to others and they still love us and want to hang out with us, we experience deeper intimacy, trust, and safety in our relationships.

5. You won’t have a life. Many people feel that if they reach a high level of success they will lose themselves in their work. They’ll be so busy having a prosperous business or career that they will have to sacrifice a fulfilling personal and family life. The key is getting really clear on your values, priorities, boundaries, and life vision so that you are making choices that honor what matters most to you. With the limitless opportunities life offers, continuing to check in with yourself regularly when making decisions will help you to make the right choices to enjoy your life.

Gail has a highly successful business staging people’s homes to be sold on the market. A go-getter, she built a thriving business from scratch in two short years. She worked long hours during the day and often on weekends. When she came to me she was exhausted and stressed complaining she had no life and was losing her passion for work she loved. Once she got clear on what she valued, established stronger boundaries, hired some help, and narrowed her services, she began to feel relief. Within a year she making radical changes to her business she got married and began enjoying success in her business and personal life.

Does this sound like you? To learn more about what may be holding you back from stepping into the next and highest version of who you are, consider the following twelve questions:

Have you been resisting or denying who you are meant to be?

1. What is your definition of success? What does success mean to you? Be specific. (Psst is this your definition or one you think it should be?)

2. What fears, concerns, beliefs, expectations, or assumptions do you have associated with success? Is it possible that they are false?

3. What inspires you and gives you courage?

4. Make a list of past successes, both big and small. Which ones are you most proud of?

5. What specific qualities, strengths, gifts, talents, passions, or skills that empowered you to succeed?

6. What made them successes for you?

7. How have you benefited and grown from your past successes? What were the gifts and blessings?

8. What are you resisting or denying that now that is keeping you small?

9. If you let go and said YES, how would you and your life change?

10. What would you have to give up? What would you gain?

11. Who would you become? (happier, self-confident, authentic, stronger???)

12. To feel more successful, fulfilled, prosperous… what would need to change so you could turn your no into a YES?

Whatever definition you have for success, you are always at choice as to what you say yes or no to.

Many people feel success is dependent on a good result. It’s a failure if it doesn’t go the way they want. I challenge that belief saying, “We can celebrate success for any action we take regardless of the result because we are willing to try something new”. Every experience offers a healing and growth opportunity. Being open to recognize the gifts and blessings, even if they feel undesired, can help you shift from a victim of circumstances to the hero of your own life story.”

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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How about those times when you feel frustrated or beat yourself up because you haven’t changed a behavior or achieved a goal you say you want? Perhaps it’s a change of behavior or a goal that you haven’t been able to achieve. You’ve tried with some limited success and you continue to backslide. Maybe you haven’t even taken the first step because you feel afraid.

So, let’s say there is a change you feel ready to make even if you feel afraid or resistant. You know inside that it is time to shift from thinking and talking about what you want into DOING. Being actively engaged in demonstration through action is a critical factor in manifestation when you say YES to what you want and who you are meant to be.

Common desires include:

* Reducing weight, living a healthier lifestyle
* Financial freedom, having a steady flow of abundance
* A loving relationship with a soul mate
* Health, energy, vitality
* Making money doing what you love
* Inner peace and joy

When we begin moving past our comfort level, our ego/mind begins to freak out with fear. Sometimes our panic is obvious. We feel physical sensations: heart beating fast, dry throat, shallow breathing, a sense of panic or urgency, or a knot on our stomach. When our conscious or subconscious thoughts, are fixed on imagined events that may or may not ever happen the future, fear can turn to panic.

Uncertainty, feeling out of control can send us zooming into sabotage. When people unconsciously feel powerless or “trapped” they look for ways to feel more in control which can often be projected by trying to control others. In the throes of fear and distress our human instinct is to grab onto something that creates the illusion of control so we can breathe a sigh of relief. We feel like we have been saved as if we were downing in deep water and found a life preserver to keep us afloat. Even though our relief might be a temporary fix, we feel back in the driver’s seat because our immediate sense of urgency has been calmed.

Another way we manage discomfort is to self-soothe in positive ways including: nurturing rituals, affirming self-talk, gratitude, spiritual practices, doing fun things, and connecting with uplifting friends. Or, we can negatively self-soothe through addictive behaviors such as: overeating, drinking, overspending, and overworking that ultimately sabotages our intentions. Sweets, carbs, and junk food are a great way to numb out. Repression becomes an automatic response to discomfort; a powerfull coping mechanism to manage whatever we want to avoid seeing, feeling, or thinking about. Numbing is a way we “get rid” of any feeling we don’t want to deal with. We know that we are choosing to do or not do will probably lead to regret and self-condemnation and we do it anyway…

What about the subtle unconscious ways our fears operate beneath the surface of our minds to create chinks that weaken our inner foundation and begin the erosion of our commitments?

Common forms of self-sabotage:

* Negative procrastination – wasting time, putting obstacles in the way of taking action towards goals, making excuses for delays, rationalizations, and creating confusion.
* Avoidance – getting sick, changing the subject, leaving the room/phone call, poor eye contact, being too busy, getting distracted, keeping people at a distance (emotionally, physically, spiritually), indirect or vague communication, putting things off due to discomfort or overwhelm, and excessive sleeping.
* Destructive habits – addictive behaviors, dishonesty, overindulgence, clutter, disorganization, overspending, overeating, overbooking, and self-neglect.
* Irresponsibility – excessive debt, risky behavior, lateness, missed appointments and deadlines, over-promising and under-delivering, breaking agreements/promises, forgetfulness, and tolerating things.
* Putting others before YOU – people-pleasing, remaining in harmful situations, inability to set and maintain personal boundaries, putting the needs of others before your own, and compliance.
* Negative self-talk - Shoulds, coulds, ought tos, musts, self-criticism and judgments, anticipating or expecting the worst vs. the best, scaring yourself with worst case scenarios, talking yourself out of trusting yourself, your wisdom and instincts, creating confusion, minimizing and devaluing goals….
* Living in drama - making the situation worse or bigger than it really is. Going into “your story” vs. what is really happening or true. Being in your story means, the energy is focused on the pain, difficulty, PROBLEM, old patterns of reacting that makes the situation overwhelming, impossible, HUGE, hopeless, pointless, powerless. This is a great way to abandon goals and works in tandem with negative self-talk and fears.

If we have become attuned to our “management patterns”, we can recognize the signals and use tools to restore a sense of inner calm and perspective without costing us additional stress or pain. (Tip: Slow deliberate breathing and bringing your attention to the here and NOW are two shifting practices that can reduce the intensity of fear. Fear thoughts focus on the future and coming back to the present is key.)

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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If taking action is the key to producing results, why doesn't everybody take action? Why doesn't everybody follow through on their plans? Why is it that so many people know what they should do, but still don't do it?

The most common reasons are: 'I lack motivation', 'I'm too lazy', 'I don't feel confident' or 'I am afraid that...' Is this true for you as well? If you are like most people, you would probably be nodding your head.

For example, you know that you should start exercising three times a week, but you put it off because you feel lazy. As a salesperson, you know you should make ten cold calls a day, but you don't do it because you don't feel like being rejected. You know that public speaking will help your career, but you don't get on stage and face the audience because you feel the fear.

At the same time, there are many things we do, knowing full well that we shouldn't! Why is that so? That's because we feel like doing it.

For example, you know that eating that extra piece of delicious chocolate cake is bad for your weight/health but you still do it because you feel greedy. You know that you shouldn't go back to sleep when the alarm rings, but you still lie in because it feels so good.

Have you ever experienced a day when you managed to get a lot of things done? When your ideas flowed, when you made the best decisions and you were absolutely on form? Well on those 'top of form' days, you were in a series of resourceful states.

Then again, have you had days when you couldn't get anything done? When you couldn't do anything right? You said and did the most stupid things? How could this happen? You were the same person and had exactly the same resources available to you. The difference was that you were not in a resourceful state.

If you think about it, 'motivation', 'fear', 'confidence', 'inertia - expressed as procrastination', are nothing but emotional states we experience.

Emotional 'States' like 'excitement', 'passion', 'confidence', and 'happiness', 'exhilaration 'get us to take action and perform at our peak.

At the same time, states like ' fear', 'anxiety', 'stress', 'inertia', 'depression', 'tiredness' hold us back.

It is not logic that drives our actions. It is our emotions. Very often, we know that logically we should do something, but we don't do it because we don't feel like doing it.

People who take consistent action and produce great results do so because they experience many more resourceful states on a daily basis.

It is truly our emotional 'states' that drive our actions and behaviors all the time. How we feel truly determines what we do and how we do it.

It is these empowering states that allow us to get the best out of themselves!

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Every time I turn on the news I feel like screaming. I am sick and tired of hearing about how bad the economy is. Unemployment is up and is only going to get worse. Banks are in trouble and going under. Real estate is a mess and there is no end in sight. Major corporations are going bankrupt - heck, even the big three automakers may go under.

I hear about how this is the next great depression. I hear about the collapse of the dollar, the collapse of the western world, and the end of society as we know it.

It Isn't As Bad As It Sounds
The sad part is that it isn't all that bad. Yes the economy stinks, but this is only when compared to the amazing boom we experienced in the last decade. Companies have been able to go after the low hanging fruit-heck, there was more lying on the ground than you could pick up!

Just because the ground isn't littered with business anymore doesn't mean that there isn't business out there. You just have to work for it. And the past decade of easy business means that most companies have not made the connections and built relationships. Now they pay the price.

And at the end of the day, now is the time where entrepreneurs can really shine.
No, I'm not crazy. Think about what a true entrepreneur does.

• He connects with his customer


• identifies his needs and problems


• then creates products and services to fill those needs or problems

In other words, he gets paid to solve problems

Now more than ever companies are in trouble. Your customer desperately needs you. No, he isn't spending indiscriminately. But if you solve his problem and help him survive (or thrive) in this downturn he will be your customer for life. And you solve your "slow business" problem at the same time. Only an entrepreneur can do this, and you finally have an advantage over larger companies.

Simple, but Hard to Do
This is a simple concept that is hard to do. I've written several articles that are aimed at this:

• Recessionproof your sales


• How to Thrive in a Recession


• How to Thrive in a Recession - Ignore the News


• How to Thrive in a Recession - It’s All About the Customer


• How to Thrive in a Recession - Working for Someone Else


Brandt Smith is a sales, marketing, public speaking, and professional development expert. Learn about achieving wealth and life balance through entrepreneurship at Wealth and Wisdom, where he is cofounder and senior editor. Their advice on wealth building, personal development, and life balance can help take you to the next level. You can also read more of his thoughts on his blog.

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At any given second, there are two million bits of information bombarding us. While it is impossible to consciously be aware of everything, our mind tends to filter all this stimuli and focus on a few chunks of information at a time.

Similarly, when we think of something in the past or something in the future, we tend to focus on certain aspects of the experience. And to us what we choose to focus on becomes most real in our minds.

Some people have a pattern of focusing on pictures, sounds and feelings that put them into un-resourceful states while others generate pictures, sounds and feelings them put them into resourceful states.

How about you? What do you do when you meet with failure? Some people keep playing mind pictures of themselves screwing up. Some people even play it like a bad movie, over and over again in their heads.

They keep seeing themselves making the bad decisions, experiencing the consequences and they re-play all the negative voices around them. They may play the sound of their boss shouting at them. Then they run an internal dialogue that goes like this: 'How could I have been so stupid!' 'Why do I always screw things up?'

What kind of pictures and sounds should one play to produce a resourceful state?

Well, this is what positive people do when they encounter failure. They choose to re-present the failure as feedback that will lead them into finding a solution. Instead of re-playing scenes of the event or project that flopped, they focus on what they can learn from it, and how they will do it the next time...to get good results.

They may even imagine themselves succeeding, using what they have learnt from the past experience, and their success would be accompanied by the sounds of people cheering or the boss congratulating them.

They may play an internal dialogue that goes something like this: 'I'll make it the next time for sure', 'I'll prove that I can turn things around'. Or they'll say reflectively:' Now, what can I learn from this experience'.

Our minds are never still or idle...throughout our waking hours we play mental programs continuously. Now, start becoming aware of the kind of mental program you usually run, when you are about to take on a challenging task?

For example, just before making an important presentation or writing a difficult report, what goes on in your mind?

Are you one of those who habitually focus on how difficult it is going to be? Do you see yourself being overwhelmed and stressed out? Do you mutter under your breath, 'Oh no! How am I ever going to do this?' 'What if I screw up?' 'It's just too difficult!' You may even picture yourself screwing up or giving up. As a result you get into a state of nervous anxiety.

But can you choose to represent the challenge very differently in your mind? Of course! You could choose to focus on how easy, fun and rewarding the challenge will be. Confident people will picture themselves dealing with the task or project effortlessly. They may even have an internal voice saying, 'I am finally getting this done! This is so rewarding!' 'I knew I could do it.'

Now, given the same challenge, why do some people rise to it while others feel apprehension? The interesting fact is that most of us do not consciously decide what pictures, sounds and feelings we are going to generate in our mind.

Our mind seems to be on auto-pilot and, within seconds of being faced with a challenge, it will subconsciously, create re-presentations. And the kinds of re-presentations created are dependent on past conditioning.

Isn't this scary? It appears that we do not have much control over our mind! This is why most people feel that their emotions control them.

Begin by paying full attention to the 'program' that is running in your brain-mind. If you find that what you are thinking of is not putting you in a resourceful state, then change it! In short, consciously change WHAT you focus on! You may keep slipping back, and each time you do, pull yourself up and re-focus.

If you want to have mastery over your mind and emotions, then you must begin right away to control what you focus on!

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Article contributed by Dr. Alan R. Zimmerman

In the movie, "A League of Their Own," the baseball coach talked to his dispirited team, saying, "Of course it's hard. If it wasn't hard, everybody would do it!"

That's the way it is with success. It can be hard. But there are four sure-fire ways to achieve success at almost anything every time without failure.

4 Ways to Achieve Your Goals & Succeed Every Time Without Failure

1. Work hard.

There's no substitute for hard work. Simply put, there "ain't no free lunch."

When I look at highly successful people, I think, "It's no wonder they're doing so well. Look at everything they're doing."

Could the same thing be said about you? If someone were to follow you around for a week and painstakingly record everything you did to advance your career, would that person walk away with a long list of all the things you're doing to get ahead? Or would that person have a long list of the excuses you gave and the time you wasted?

Sometimes people fool themselves into thinking they're putting out a 100% effort … when in reality, they're not. For example, many people are out of work these days, and I've often heard them say, "I sent out 100 resumes, and I didn't get any response. I did everything I could."

One hundred percent effort means that you've exhausted every possible opportunity for reaching your goal. If you're looking for a job, 100 percent effort would include researching individual companies you want to work for, sending these companies personalized letters, calling to follow up, calling other people in the industry, and networking.

One hundred percent effort means telling a potential boss, "I'm sure you've got a lot of applicants here. But I believe so strongly in my ability to meet your needs, I'll work for you for 30 days with no pay. Let me prove to you my ability. In 30 days, evaluate my performance. If it's not up to par, let me go. But when I prove myself to you, I expect to be given the job and paid for the 30 days of work."

Now that's putting in 100% effort! And that's what you need to do to succeed in any area of life … because success is more often the result of hard work than the result of talent.

2. Practice endurance.

To many people, "endurance" is a nasty word. They would like to come by success the "easy" way. They want it to fall into their laps.

But that's an extremely rare occurrence. 99.99% of the time, success comes AFTER you "endure" awhile. And all the greats in every field of endeavor have learned how to "endure."

As professional tennis player Bjorn Borg noted, "My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories."

Could the same be said of you?

Or do people ... secretly behind your back ... say you bail out when things get a little tough? Do they say you give up way too easily or throw in the towel too quickly? Do they point out the fact that you seldom finish what you start?

If you answer "yes" to any of these latter questions, remember the words of John Quincy Adams. He noted, "Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." In other words, there's power in perseverance.

3. Keep on believing.

Believe in yourself. Believe in a power bigger than yourself. Believe in success. And believe you can be successful.

That's what Lee Iacocca, the former chairman of the Chrysler Corporation did. When the world told him to let his debt-ridden company die, Iacocca refused. He didn't wait for the economy to change or for a government bailout to rescue him.

Iacocca kept believing in himself, in his company, in his products, and in his workers. He pronounced, "So what do we do? Anything -- something. So long as we don't just sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we've satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late."

4. Stay committed.

Everything else being equal, commitment wins every time. So fight back any feelings of discouragement that might get in your way. Don't allow yourself to hang it up when things get rough.

If you're going to be successful, you've got to remember the letters M.I.H. It stands for... Make It Happen.

As you pursue your goals, as you strive towards excellence and success, follow these four points and you're sure to win. After all, most people don't fail. They just give up.

About the Author
Dr. Alan Zimmerman has taught the 12 keys to peak performance and incredible success to more than one million people. Now you can get a FREE guided tour of the 12 keys in his life-changing "JOURNEY TO THE EXTRAORDINARY" program simply by visiting: http://www.journey-to-the-extraordinary.com

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Article Contributed by By Sandy Grason

Last week I was having coffee with a new acquaintance, "Jen" who just happens to be one of the most successful business women I've ever met. I was sharing one of my crazy manifesting stories when Jen leaned into me, as if she was about to share some juicy bit of gossip and said; "Sandy, you have got such big balls and that's why you get everything you want in business and in life"

Ahhhhhh! I fell backward, mouth wide open and began to laugh hysterically. "What are you talking about?!"

The rest of the day, I couldn't stop thinking about what Jen said and wondering "What does it mean to have 'balls'?" Is that even a good thing?

When I stopped to look at some of the amazing and FUN things that I've experienced in my life, I noticed that often times 'it' required me to step out of my comfort zone- sometimes in a major way.

So I came up with these tips and inspirations gleaned from my new favorite compliment.

How to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone & Find Your B.A.L.L.S. So You Can Get Everything You Want

B = Belief

You must have unshakeable belief in yourself and the World around you. It starts with a vision, and you have to believe that you wouldn't have this vision if you didn't already have everything you need to make it a reality.

A = Authenticity

You must be willing to authentically express yourself, even if it makes people uncomfortable. Be big. Be the Rock Star. Do not make yourself small in order to make others like you or to fit in. When you allow yourself to shine in your fabulousness, it will spill over onto those around you and lift them up.

L = Let's Get Loud

These are the lyrics to Jennifer Lopez's song "let's get loud", "You want to live your life, you got to live it all the way and don't you waste it. There's a feeling that could be so very sweet you gotta taste it. You gotta do it your way, you gotta prove it, you gotta mean what you say- you know what we're here for! Let's Get Loud". There are words to live, love and laugh by.

L = Licious-ness

This is that Unique-ness that is only YOU. When you are clear in your Unique Essence, there is no competition. There is only one of you. When I turned 40, something happened & my "Sandy-ness" became "Sandy-liciousness." You must express your most delicious & fabulous self in every moment!

S = Super-Hero

You must be the super-hero of your life. There is no knight-in-shining-armor coming to save you. Imagine that your life is a movie and YOU are the hero, the super-hero. Your life is waiting to be written, you might as well make it a blockbuster hit! BE that which you desire. Starting now..... Go!

How Having B.A.L.L.S. Helped Me Get Everything I Wanted in Business and in Life

Having B.A.L.L.S. has enabled me to write a best-selling book, land an agent and get a top publisher. Having B.A.L.L.S. helped me become an international speaker who steps out onto stages in front of thousands of people. Having B.A.L.L.S. has helped me create a 6-figure information marketing and coaching empire that allows me to work from home (often in my pj's) doing what I love with my husband and family by my side.

What could having B.A.L.L.S. do for you?

Would having B.A.L.L.S. help your business grow faster? Would B.A.L.L.S. increase your bank account? Your client list? Your circle of influence?

You bet it would! It's time to take action, right now. Go do something that scares you just a little. It is your responsibility to live your dreams! It is your responsibility to bring your expression, your Unique Essence, your B.A.L.L.S. to the world. It's the only way you will get everything you want in business and in life.

So, go get 'em, baby!

About the Author
Sandy Grason is a Rock Star Author, International Speaker & Hot Mogul who helps women entrepreneurs and small business owners live their dreams and get everything they want in business and in life. Now you can take her new, free Hot Mogul Quiz and get Fabulous Free Gifts including: 60-minute mp3 download "The Manifesting Mojo Class" where you'll learn how to rock your manifesting mojo now at http://www.sandygrason.com/freeaudio/

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Imagine that the company you have worked so hard for in the last 20 years decided that it was time to retrench you because they can replace you with someone at half your salary. How would you feel?

What meaning would you give to this experience?

Most people would feel angry, bitter and rejected. Because it means that their source of income and security is gone, cut off.

They would feel betrayed. They would feel that they have just wasted 20 years of their life. They would feel that they are too old and no longer of value! The meaning they attach to this experience would put them in a totally un-resourceful state.

What do you think will happen when people in such a state go for a new job interview? Will they impress upon their prospective new employer qualities of enthusiasm, passion, energy and drive?

Not likely. Chances are that they will unconsciously exhibit low self-esteem, bitterness and jadedness.

As a result, it will take them a long time to find someone who wants to hire them. Even if they eventually find another job, it may be a part-time job or one of much lower status and pay.

Now, in this new job do you think they will give their all? Most likely they would be thinking to themselves, 'What's the point? I gave my best years to my former company, look where it has gotten me?'

As a result, this person will reinforce the meaning he has attached to the retrenchment, that it was the worst thing that has ever happened to him.

At the same time, I have also seen many other people attach a totally different meaning to the same experience of retrenchment. To these positive people, retrenchment means that it is the company's great loss.

It means that they have the opportunity to start a new career or business in a field they have a whole lot more passion for. It means that they will finally be paid what they are worth!

And the 'bonus' is that they are getting a great pay-out which will be the seed money to get them started in a business they always wanted to be in, but never had a good reason to start. Getting retrenched also means that they have much more freedom and flexibility to plan ahead.

For those looking for a new employer, retrenchment could mean that they are glad to leave an ungrateful company and move to another where they would be more appreciated, whose corporate culture would be more in sync with theirs.

By framing retrenchment in this way, these people attach a whole different meaning to the same experience. They put themselves into a total resourceful state of possibility, enthusiasm, motivation, passion and excitement.

They will be driven to upgrade their skills, hunt for new career opportunities and even start their own business. As a result of taking all this action do you think they will end up in a situation that is better than where they were previously?

Of course! I have so many (older) friends who were forced to start their own business after the 1987 recession and, because of this, many of them are a lot wealthier, happier and have a greater sense of freedom and purpose.

One of these enterprising people I know has just listed his shipping company and is personally worth $28 million. He keeps saying that the layoff was the best thing that ever happened to him. Again, the meaning these people choose to give to their experience was the meaning they created.

Why is it that the same experience can destroy one person and empower another to a new level of success?

We re-present (frame) things very differently in our minds. Some people have a pattern of constantly framing experiences in such a way that it dis-empowers them and puts them in un-resourceful states. Others constantly frame things in a way that gets them empowered and extremely resourceful.

So which re-presentation of The Experience is true? Is it a blessing or a curse? Is it an opportunity or a problem? However you choose to re-present the experience becomes true for you.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Are you ready to sit down and start designing the kind of life you want? Before we get started, there are three major keys that every one of your goals must have.

They must be:

1) Be Specific & Measurable

The more specific you are, the more focused your mind and efforts will be. Specific and measurable outcomes will lead to effective strategies and actions. If you want your health to improve, you must set specific and measurable targets such as 'how much weight do I want to lose?'

'What pulse rate do I want to achieve' 'what is my targeted body-fat ratio?' 'How many hours must I spend in the gym each week?' 'How many calories will I allow myself to take in a day?' 'How many miles should I run or how many laps must I swim at each session and how many times a week ?

Under personal development goals, you may want to set goals such as 'What new languages do I want to learn? And to what standard?' 'How many books do I want to read each month, and in what areas?' You must also be specific about the time frame you are giving to each goal and list a specific date of accomplishment.

2) Passionate and Exciting

Have you ever been so passionate and excited about doing or achieving something that it kept you awake all night? You kept thinking about it every waking moment? Maybe it was your first trip to an exciting new destination. It could also be participating in an important tournament, meeting that special person or planning your 21st, 30th, 40th birthday celebration.

When we are passionate about achieving something vitally important to us, it gives us a level of energy and focus that cannot be matched. It is this level of passion and excitement that we must have for our goal(s), if we ever want to achieve it!

When people ask me, 'Where do you get the energy and discipline to keep writing books, developing seminars and starting new companies?', I reply by saying that I get so passionate and excited about my goals, to the extent that they charge me up continuously.

I sleep, breathe and dream my goals every single day until they are achieved! Then I set a new one, at a higher level!

When people seem to lack discipline or will power, it is not that they are lazy, it is simply because their goals are not exciting enough for them. They are not passionate about what they want to achieve!

Tiger Woods loves to play golf. Donald Trump loves the art of the deal, Steven Spielberg loves to make larger-than-life movies and Bill Gates loves technology and the idea of shaping the world. Even if they had all the money in the world (which they do), they would still be as obsessed with their goals.

So, you must set goals that you are passionate about. How? Simply ask yourself this question, 'Even if I had $10 billion, what would I still want to do and accomplish? What would I be willing to do for free if I had all the money in the world?'

Write down what you are truly passionate about and what comes from your heart rather than just from your mind.

3) Stretch Goals for Quantum Results

Most people I know tend to subscribe to setting for themselves merely incremental goals. Incremental goals are goals that are slightly higher than what you are currently achieving. For example, if you were making $2000 a month in income, an incremental goal would be $2500.

A stretch goal, on the other hand, is when you set for yourself an outcome that is way beyond your current level of ability and skill. If you were making $2000 a month, an example of a stretch goal would be one aiming for $10,000 a month.

I believe that the most powerful goals you can set are stretch goals. This was a key ingredient that allowed me to achieve so much within such a short period of time.

Use these 3 keys and your goals will propel you towards the success you deserve in life!

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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If setting clear goals is so crucial for us to achieve a successful and fulfilling future, then why do so many people fail to do it? Why are so many people allowing the river of life to pull them in all directions?

1) Limiting Beliefs

The first thing that holds most people back from setting goals are their limiting beliefs. Many people only dream about what they would love to have. When it comes to committing to a specific target and plan, they don't even bother. Something inside them says 'there is no way'. Either it's too difficult or they simply don't have what it takes.

You now know that these are nothing but limiting beliefs. Unless we break past these generalizations about ourselves, we will never dare to design goals that drive us to the next level.

2) They Don't Know What They Want

'But... I don't know what I want!' This is probably one of the most common responses I get from people. I bet if I gave these people a magic lamp and told them that they would be granted anything they wish for, they will start making up a whole list of things real quick!

It is not that people don't know what they want. What has truly happened is that most people have stopped daring to dream. I believe that as kids, all of us had fantasies and dreams of what we wanted to have and be when we grow up. However, as we went through life, we meet with so many failures and disappointments that our rational, critical mind has forbidden us to continue day dreaming anymore.

Whenever we get excited about something, our internal voice will rush in to tell us, 'it can't be done' 'you cannot do that' ' that's impossible.' 'grow up, get real'. (It could even be an echo of our parents' voice, if we had stern, no-nonsense parents). As a result, this would block our creative juices and deflate our passion - the very elements we need to create and design the life we truly want.

We need to learn how to unlock our imagination and set our creative minds FREE....free of fear and inhibitions so we can dream clearly and with growing excitement of what we truly want out of life.

3) Fear of Failure

This fear of failure, of rejection and embarrassment is what probably paralyses most people from even starting out. I had a participant in one of my seminars who never dared set goals because of her intense fear of failing if she did not achieve what she had set her heart and mind to.

In her mind, she reckoned that if she did not set expectations, then she could not fail!

My mum did something similar when she was sitting for her final O level examinations over 40 years ago. She was sure she would fail maths (which she hated), and so she decided she would rather not take the exam than have a fail mark!

Sound crazy, but many people do the same thing. They believe that it is better not to have expectations so they cannot let themselves down.

Does this mean that people who keep setting goals do not fear failure? I don't believe so. I think everyone hates and fears the feeling of failure, including myself.

What then gives them the courage to set high goals and go for it? It is how we define failure to ourselves. The only one who can tell us that we failed and make us feel bad is... ourselves.

Yet, this is how we often shoot ourselves in the foot. The moment we do not achieve what we want, even on our first attempt, we tell ourselves we have failed, and feel really bad.

This pain is what prevents us - and this goes for the majority of people - from daring to try for high stakes, to taking risks.

4) Addiction to the Soft Life

Most people are risk averse because they are addicted to a way of life: a soft life, a cushy life with habits and material comforts they are loathed to change or risk losing. Unless that comfy life-style is imminently under threat, they won't do anything that calls for iron will and discipline.

Setting goals and really going for our goals often means changing habits, sacrificing time spent hanging out with friends. This is why people make half-hearted attempts. As soon as their new path impinges on their old habits, they withdraw...it's too hard.

A friend who teaches a Detox & Energise self-help program says most people don't stick to it because even if they believe in its long-term health benefits, they are not willing to work at it....and it is life-long work. They'd rather pop a pill (a drug) and dam the long-term consequences.

There are no short-cuts to success in any area - business/career, health or personal relationships. So, be prepared to make what appears to be 'sacrifices' and, if you do, the rewards are there.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Here's a question that many people have asked me," Adam, do you face any problems?" Here's my reply to this question, "I have more problems than you."

Many people have these beliefs, that the more successful you become, the less problems you will have. They also believe, the more money you make, the fewer problems you have. Lastly, if you can make all the money in the world, you will have no problems.

In fact, through my own experience, the more success you have, the more problems you will face. The more money you make, the more problems you will encounter. I can confidently say that I have more problems than anyone of you reading this.

Using myself as an example, I get worried about 80 staff every single month. I worry about my businesses and my programs not meeting the sales mark, not generating enough revenue

I worry about $300,000 worth of overheads each month, and I worry about customers complaining.

I also have to deal with internal relations in my businesses and companies

There are partnership issues, issues with overseas partners and businesses. There are also issues of staff conflict within my companies.

Do you now believe I have no problems?

So the important question to ask is, "What's the best way to deal with problems in life"?

The key is to address your belief about what a problem means.

If you see a problem as something that is there to stop you, there to make life difficult, you know what, you are going to be really miserable.

Here's my belief about problems.

I believe problems are doorways to opportunities. Behind every problem is an opportunity to learn more and to make more money. I believe problems are here to teach us lessons.

Everybody has problems, so its more important to learn how to deal with those problems and get stronger over time.

Solving one problem at a time and becoming stronger and dealing with your own problems is essential compared to, sweeping them under a carpet only to eventually realize that everything is a big mess.

Clean things up step by step and you will find that things are much clearer for you.

Here's the last key and this has helped me face and deal with the problems I face.

I treat it life as a game. Every time I encounter a problem, I always feel that behind every problem is an opportunity to learn more or to make more money. I reframe problems in this manner that is why I love problems

Lastly, I am not going to fool you saying that whenever I face problems, I never get upset. I do. I do get upset sometimes. It's a human reaction.

It's only natural. Only a robot can be able to not be upset.

When I get upset over my problems, I only allow myself 20 minutes to be upset. So for that 20 minutes, I get really pissed off, I get really angry, I curse the whole world, I blame everybody.

After 20 minutes, I take responsibility for it. In this way, I have released my frustrations but at the end of the day, I take responsibility.

To conclude, the only time you are not going to have problems is when you are in the graveyard. So be grateful for your problems, learn and view them as opportunities for improvement. You'll be better equipped towards tackling your problems this way!

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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The following study was conducted at Yale University in 1953. In that year, a batch of fresh graduates was surveyed, and in this batch, only 3% had their goals written down.

Some of their goals included: 'being a best-selling novelist, starting a computer company and taking it public, running for President etc...'

97% of the students had no clearly defined goals written down. Many of them chose to adopt the 'whatever will be, will be' mindset, possibly popularized by a hit '50s musical titled 'Que Sera Sera' (Whatever will be, will be).

Twenty years later, a follow up study revealed that the 3% of students who wrote down their goals earned a combined income three times greater than the combined income of the 97% who had no goals written down.

This surely shows the incredible power of goal setting.

I can tell you that if I did not sit down 14 years ago and design my life the way that I wanted it to unfold, I certainly wouldn't have achieved what I have right now. I would be somewhere else, probably doing something totally different.

Very often, if we don't have a clear plan for our life, we will fall into somebody else's plan. For most people, it would be our parents' plan: 'Be a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer in order to make plenty of money'.

Though it may seem to be (in their view) for our own future good, more often than not it is more of meeting their expectations and sometimes their very own unrealized dreams.

Now, don't we all want the freedom to do and be whatever we choose to become?

When I was first featured in the newspapers as a 26-year old millionaire who's speaking fee commanded a thousand dollars per hour, many of my friends asked me how I was able to command such a high fee within two years of graduating from university.

At age 26, two years after graduation, I had written a best-selling book, started and ran three companies, spoken to thousands of people and made over a million dollars. Most of my peers were either looking for their first job or working for other people for about $2000 + a month.

The irony is that many of these peers and friends are probably just as intelligent, talented and hardworking as I am. The only difference between us was the fact that at age 15, I sat down and scripted out a detailed life plan.

I wrote down exactly what I was going to achieve in the next 10 years of my life.

After scripting out my life plan, I took action and each action I took enabled me to focus all my talents, my intelligence and energies like a laser beam. I use the analogy of a laser beam because I was so energized I felt I could cut through anything that was in my way.

Achieving success rarely ever happens by chance. The roll of the dice never made anyone happy or rich for a long time. It always begins with a clearly defined outcome fuelled by a passionate desire.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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I should not be providing this information, the government should.

I believe the IRS should include a book like this to every American when they send you your tax forms. That way every American would know how to get their tax money back, because even though I call this “free money,” it really isn’t free. This is money that you gave to the government to pay your taxes and now you can get it back.

Here are a few basics on Government Money Programs that everyone should know:

1) Only 12% of Gov't Money goes to the poor

Most Americans think that government money programs are for everyone else... for instance only the poor, minorities or friends of the president.

But, only 12% of Government Handouts go to the poor
And only 25% of Government Programs Have Income Requirements

The rich and famous, including Donald Trump, H. Ross Perot, Dick Cheney and George W. Bush, all made millions as private citizens with the help of government money programs. If they're eligible, you certainly should be too.

2) Only 20% of Free Money is called "Grants"

Most free money programs are not called “grants” by the government, they’re called “direct payments.” It is very easy for someone not to know all about government jargon, but just a little research can clear up quite a few misconceptions. Don't discourage yourself by focusing only on "grants" and dismissing the other 80%.

3) 50 Million people don't even know they're eligible

This is one of the most important points to keep in mind: The Government cannot and does not advertise programs that offer free money. But it's out there, lots of it. You just have to invest time finding the programs.

4) You can't make one phone call and just get a check in the mail

Getting government money is like looking for a job. When you knock on one door and ask about a job, and they tell you that you are not qualified, you don’t go home and wait for them to change their mind.

No Way. You would never hear back. You have to be persistent and go from one company to the next until you find a good fit.

5) Free Money keeps growing no matter who is sitting in the White House

We constantly hear about government budget cuts and that makes people believe that government money is going away or will soon be gone. But every year for the past 30 years the amount of free government money given out to individuals keeps growing. It keeps increasing no matter if it’s the republicans or the democrats who are in charge. With the new Obama administration especially, we will be seeing more offered to small business and entrepreneurs in the form of government money programs.

6) You certainly don't need a professional grant writer

Nine out of ten times you will not need help in filling out an application. Most free money programs to pay for your bills, education, health care, housing and even business require just a few pages of blanks to fill in.

If you have trouble filling out an application for money, don’t hire a consultant.  Go to the office that is handing out the money.  The are obligated to help you fill out your application and they are in the best position to know what should be included.

7) You can apply for as many programs as you like

Don’t worry about how many programs you can apply for,  If you see a program that you think might work for you, apply to it. Sure there are some programs that give money for specific reasons and if you get accepted from 2 separate places you will have to refuse one of the offers, but that's still a nice position to be in.

8) It doesn't always matter if it sounds like you don't qualify

Here's an example:  “All the money is given out by August 30th”: The end of the accounting year for most government agencies September 30, but the agency can start giving out more money beginning October 1, and you can be the first in line.

In all likelihood, you can wait another 30 days for your money.

9) Information can often times be out-of-date

Every day programs come and go. Every day people change their address, phone number and websites. It is just a fact that these things happen in our modern society.
But remember, if a listing leads you to a non-working number or website, it does not necessarily mean that the program is gone. Call the agency listed in the program description and ask.

10) Don't be intimidated by the idea that the applications are all long and confusing

Getting an application that is only one-page long is not unreasonable at all.  Many of the government programs that give our grants really don’t need a lot of financial information because unlike a bank they are not worried if you don’t pay the money back.  They don’t want it back.  It’s free money.

Matthew Lesko is a best-selling author, government money expert and business mentor. His website, MyAmericanBenefitsPlan.com, is an interactive, online resource that serves as a hub linking entrepreneurs and free-money-enthusiasts alike. Lesko's 30 years of researching government money programs and his extensive video talents are all going into the web service. Lesko holds free, online seminars on Wednesdays, live at UncleSamLive.com.

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If there is one message I must get across, it is this. You must start setting goals in every major area of your life. Right now, whatever your age, whatever you are doing.

Without something to focus on, the decisions we make and actions we take daily will not have any long-term direction, and will not result in any kind of achievement.

Without direction, we will be caught up with short term outcomes like paying the bills, watching TV, going shopping, trying out the newest restaurant, avoiding problems or simply making it through one hectic week after another. Like rats on a treadmill. We will tend to be caught up in a stressed and monotonous existence instead of designing a destiny and truly living.

The human mind is always pursing some kind of goal, however feeble. If we don't focus our mind on long term goals that lead us to success, our minds will tend to focus on short term and small goals that serve only to distract us and waste our time.

I always like to use a river as a metaphor for life. We are all in our boats moving down this raging river which splits into many tributaries downstream, representing the many outcomes. Which tributary we take will determine where we end up.

When we are clear which stream we want to take, we will begin rowing in that direction. Now, along the way, there are definitely going to be currents that pull us in different directions.

There are going to be rocks and rapids that block our path. But if we stay focused on where we want to go, we will just keep rowing steadfastly, re-directing our boat until we get to our destination.

However, if we go through life without any clear idea of where we are going and where we want to end up, we will just row our boats aimlessly. We will just allow the currents and the rocks to move us in all directions.

This is what happens to most people. There end up going down a stream that they don't want to be in. When they finally realize that it is not an outcome they want, they start paddling hard to avoid it. By this time, for many, it will be too late.

They go over the rapids (disaster) or finish up in a dead-end mill pond. They end up feeling frustrated, disillusioned and unfulfilled in the many different areas of their life. So, surely it is time to start deciding where you want to end up in your river of life!

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Here is a strategy you can use to ensure you will achieve your goals. The secret is to put yourself on the line! In other words, put yourself in a situation where you have absolutely no choice but to achieve it.

When our brain is given a choice to do something or to put it off, we will always gravitate towards the easier path. But when we have no choice but to do something, we will always find a way!

Many successful individuals created the results they did because they simply had no choice. They put everything they had on the line.

At age 44, Leo Burnett started one of today's largest advertising companies in the world. He started his business in the middle of the 1935 depression.

He borrowed against his life insurance policy, mortgaged his home and threw in every last dollar he had. Talk about putting yourself on the line.

He knew that he had no choice but to make it work. This 'must' drove him to build his tiny advertising agency into a worldwide business, grossing hundreds of millions in sales each year.

When Richard Branson (in pre Virgin Airlines days) was caught selling records meant for export in London, he was arrested and charged with fraud.

He was given a few months to pay a fine or risk being thrown in jail. Being almost broke, he knew that the only way he could make enough money to stay out of jail was to rapidly expand his business; which he did by opening more record stores.

It turned out that the need to keep himself out of jail was the urgent motivating force he needed to build the Virgin business at lightning speed!

It was this commitment that led him to go on to build the Virgin empire, which includes an airline company, and become one of Britain's wealthiest businessmen.

Start Putting Yourself On the Line Right Now!

One way is to make a public declaration of your goals. Better still, get other people involved in the process of attaining your goals. Or make a small financial commitment so that it will hurt not to do it, and your brain will start taking you seriously.

When I tell people to do this, many chicken out and just do not dare make this level of commitment. It is clear that if you dare not commit yourself to it, then you were never serious about your success in the first place.

So, if you are really committed to achieve something significant, put yourself on the line!

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Business Advice Pro: Do you remember the last time when you really needed to do something, but you just couldn’t because you were constantly thinking of something else? Remember? I do. There are ways to fix that. And no, I’m not going to talk about the waves in the air or about some other mambo-jambo. And I’m not even going to use the word autosuggestion (The term autosuggestion is used for positive or negative physical symptoms explained by the thoughts and beliefs of a person.), even though it is part of the game. I’ll try to do it in a bit more humane & practical manner.

Theory: In order to do something, you need to get rid of all the unnecessary thoughts. Why? That’s because otherwise you can’t really commit to that one other thing.

Example: Imagine you *need* to write ten blog posts today, but have hard time doing it because the only thing you are thinking of is the money transfer that you should be getting any day now. You think of the money, you think of what you are going to do with it, etc. Now try to stick to writing your blog posts, it’s not an easy task. I know some of you won’t understand what I’m talking about here, yet some of you will understand it too well.

Problem: If you were asked NOT to think about an elephant, what are you going to think about? About the elephant of course! That’s the problem here –trying not to think about something usually results in more thinking about the not-to-think-about thing.

Solution: Yes, you could consider autosuggestion or self-hypnosis here, to make something with your subconscious mind. Well, yes, you could. But why do people ALWAYS want to complicate things? Instead of think about the wrong thing, make a decision, a reasoned decision why you should not think about it anymore. And start thinking of reasons why you should be working or why you want to work with the thing you actually need to get done. It is easy.

• DO NOT think that you should not be thinking about the thing you are thinking about
• DO think about WHY you shouldn’t be thinking about it
• DO think about WHAT you actually need to concentrate on and WHY
• And soon you’ll see the right thing is the only thing your are thinking about

Learn to take control of your mind [Business Advice Pro]

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Why are some people able to achieve so much more out of their lives than others? Why are some people able to produce outstanding, extraordinary results, exceeding what is commonly expected?

Is it because they have a lot more talent or capability? Do they have superior resources that other people lack?

Did the Wright brothers, inventors of the airplane, possess more aerodynamic and engineering expertise than the sum of all the engineers and inventors of their time?

Did Mahatma Gandhi come from a powerful family that enabled him to establish a power base to liberate India from the British?

Was Ho Chi Min a mighty general who trained the Viet Cong to first drive out the French and then the Americans?

These men did not possess any measurable resources to achieve their accomplishments...and history is peppered with many examples of such outstanding individuals.

What set these men apart were the incredible beliefs they had about the moral rightness of their cause. That gave them extraordinary strength to fight on against all odds, winning eventually.

Beliefs are like Operating Systems

Our beliefs can be described as the operating system to our brain. They determine our expectations, producing the proportionate results.

If you believe that you can become a Millionaire, CEO or President, this is what you will expect from yourself.

If you believe you do not have the capability to earn more than $40,000 a year, this is also what you will expect from yourself. If you believe that you can lead others, you will expect to attain nothing less than a management position.

If you believe that you are nothing more than a follower, you will not expect anything more than being just a front line employee.

If you have an empowering belief that you can build a highly successful business, this belief will drive you to take massive action.

You will develop a business plan, attract investors and launch your marketing campaign.

You will start innovating new product lines, probably investing in Research and Development to create entirely new products or processes

Sure you will have lots of obstacles along the way, but your beliefs will drive you to turn any failure into feedback changing your strategy until you get the result you want.

Even if you don't achieve the exact targets you set for yourself, you are going to produce some great results.

Beliefs are the driving force behind the actions we take, determining how much personal potential we are able to tap within.

When we believe that something is possible, we will go all out to make it happen. We will take massive action and commit ourselves to keep doing whatever it takes to achieve it.

Strong empowering beliefs lead seemingly ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results, while limiting beliefs cripple the most talented despite them having all the resources, from achieving what they could have achieved.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Well, what do we model about a person specifically? Remember that one of the key things that drive a person's behaviour is the states that they experience.

People are successful primarily because they are in resourceful states. People perform the way they do because of the states they experience.

For example, if you wanted to model a powerful public speaker, it would be best to model that person's state. So you too will feel the same level of confidence and power and are able to express yourself in an equally dynamic way.

If you wanted to model a very effective salesperson you know, you have to model that person's state of confidence and charisma - both those winning states that enable him to wow and persuade his clients.

The way to do this is to model their physiology!

In other words, if you model the physiology of a person who is excellent in something, you would immediately tap into that person's powerful state. Not only that, but done effectively, you could even tap into that person's internal re-presentation!

So how do you do this?

Well, first identify a person who is excellent in a particular skill or behaviour that you want to exhibit.

For example, this person could be a dynamic public speaker, salesperson, decision maker or communicator.

Next, observe keenly, how this person speaks (their tone of voice), how this person moves, their facial expression, the way this person breathes, the focus of their eyes and their gestures.

What you then do is to imagine that you step into the body of this person. Yes! You imagine that you become this person! So the next time you have to go on stage to deliver a speech, you model that person's physiology exactly!

You speak the way they speak, move the way they move, adopt the same body postures and gestures. If you do this you would access the same powerful states that person experiences as well as produce the same behavioural results!

In fact, we used to do this when we were kids. We called this play-acting. And this is how children learn to form their personal behaviours, by observing and unconsciously modelling the adults around them.

When you were a kid, didn't you pretend to be an action star or a movie star? Did you ever imagine yourself to be Superman, Wonder Woman Rambo or James Bond?

You imagined that you were one or more of them and started acting like them, using their 'props' (imaginary weapons), even going so far as to dress like them?

What we don't realize is that we were modelling patterns of excellence (or otherwise!) in people whom we admired.

Unfortunately, we were told that it was childish and that we were being silly. Hence one of the most natural powerful skills of our early learning never continued to be developed and utilized in adult life.

A fundamental principle is that we all have the same neurology. Therefore, if it is possible for others, it is possible for you! It is only a question of strategy. In other words, by modelling someone's strategy, you can replicate the results they produce.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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This article is contributed by Michelle Ulrich.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." by Margaret Mead

Here is a list of my Top 10 Reasons Volunteering Can Help You Grow Your Business:

1. Volunteering helps you find your place in the community, whether online or in person, especially if you are "the new kid on the block."
2. Volunteering facilitates many new learning opportunities. This occurs through mentoring or just being around others who share your passion or interests.
3. Volunteering fosters new relationships and builds on existing ones.
4. Volunteering can be a great opportunity to try out new skills or hone existing ones.
5. Volunteering gives you a sense of giving service; studies have found this to be very healthy for our brains, our overall health and our psyche (soul).
6. Volunteering creates opportunities for you to be on ‘ground zero’ of your community or industry.
7. Volunteering builds self-confidence and great potential for leadership building opportunities.
8. Volunteering can lead to business opportunities as most people like to do business with people they know and trust.
9. Volunteering is an important value we can teach our children. We can also act as role models for those in need. You may be the reason they give back and volunteer when they are ready.
10. Volunteering is a way to share your knowledge with others as others before you have passed down history and traditions from one generation to the next.

When you are in a rut, need some help or want to impart your knowledge to others, find a community (online or offline) and get involved. It won’t feel so lonely, your questions will be answered and you can pass down your legacy to share with others. Besides, it’s good for your health and well-being.

P.S. Volunteering can be a great way to 'pay it forward.' I have seen commercials where one person is having a horrible day and takes it out on someone else, and then the next person takes it out on the next and so on. If we turn that around and perform random acts of kindness via volunteering in our communities, what an incredible and beautiful synergy we can pass on to others. We can affect our communities with one single act. Imagine if everyone pitched in and volunteered for something...what a peaceful and happy planet this would be!

About the Author
Michelle Ulrich is the Chief Villager and founder of The Virtual Nation, an educational destination for Virtual Professionals around the globe. Michelle is an avid believer in giving back to her industry and she does this by offering coaching, teleclasses, resources, and tools, in addition to providing a community of learning, a nation of culture, and a virtual village for her members. Education is the foundation of her organization as well as for her own personal and professional development. Michelle has been a community college instructor teaching a Virtual Assistant certificate program online. Aside from coaching and teaching, she is also a speaker and soon-to-be author on the subject of Virtual Assistance. She maintains her private practice where she specializes in working with authors, coaches and speakers who struggle to keep up with e-commerce and new technologies. Clients can check out her services at www.virtualbusinessmarketing.com, while Virtual Assistants can find her over at www.thevirtualnation.com. She can be reached by telephone at (916) 536-9799 in the Pacific Time zone.

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We all have those days that challenge us to stay centered, optimistic, productive and connected to ourselves. Perhaps the day seems to be going well and something happens that puts a damper on the entire day! Our attitudes can be affected by people and situations that cause us to have a “good or bad day.”

To help shift things into perspective, I encourage my clients to create a “rough day or rough moment” strategy.

Developing your strategy - what are the specific elements to consider?

Who and what are your attitude shifters? Make a list.

1. Connecting with people who lift your spirits. Getting together with specific friends, colleagues, family?

2. What brings you joy, peace, and makes you smile? Reading a great book, having a massage, watching a movie, watching Ellen DeGeneres, going out to lunch or dinner with friends…

3. What practices help you to decompress? Meditation, reading something inspirational, taking a walk in nature, soothing music, playing with your children or pet…?

4. Creating something? Writing, doing something artistic, building something
original…

5. Being in service to another? Being generous with your time, energy,money….to help someone else?

The next time you find yourself having a one of those days or moments, I encourage you to feel whatever you’re feeling. Stay mindful of making your feelings more than they need to be so that you are not censoring yourself and stuffing them. Vent and release whatever you need to express without having it become the place “you
live.”

Next, tap into your rough day strategy. Using this tool invites you to expand your viewpoint by first shifting your attitude. From a wider lens of perception, decisions can be made to either feel good or bad based on how we choose to view the situation; problems can shift to opportunities and solutions, stress can be transformed into renewed energy…get the picture?

PS. Remember that you will receive benefit from a valuable tool ONLY if you use it!

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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I’ve always loved the Indiana Jones movies. My all time favorite is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. When the lastest one came out - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I raced to the movies with high hopes it would be great. After waiting almost 20 years since the last one, I left the movie with a smile. Watching Harrison Ford’s character brilliantly battle his way through seemingly impossible situations and triumphing over his adversaries is not only entertaining, I’m also inspired.

We see Harrison Ford appear as a bookish, mild mannered professor teaching archeology to University student and watch him transform into his Indiana Jones persona with his trademark clothing, hat and bullwhip. The hero of the story had appeared to save the day!

Here are some things Indiana Jones can teach us about courage:

1. Adapt and improvise. In each movie Indie seems to be caught in impossible situations and almost killed dozens on times. (Yes we know he’s the hero and meant to survive, or….maybe not????) Do we see him flinch in fear and resign himself to his doom? No way. His mind races for options and solutions as he improvises and adapts, signaling the invitation for his companions to join with him. His resilience and courage helps him to be victorious.

How often do you retreat and give up when things look bleak and seemingly impossible? Do you have the courage to say, “oh yeah - I don’t accept that” and invite your creative nature to kick in. Do you engage the support of others to be a part of innovative solutions?

2. Stand up and fight for what you believe in. With his trademark hat and bullwhip in hand, archeologist and adventurer Indie stands up to the German army, the Russians, and the Thuggee to defend and save the people he cares about and to protect precious artifacts from falling into the wrong hands. With a strong moral and ethical code, he is steadfast in staying true to his values and who he is despite the temptations and dangers.

How far would you go to protect and defend the people and things you value most? What would you be willing to overcome to champion yourself? What would you say no to or yes to in order to remain true to who you are?

3. Things are not always what they seem. One scene that consistently stands out in my mind that has left the most vivid impression is in my favorite - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I’ve heard many people refer to the same scene because of it’s symbology and inspiration. Indie stands on the edge of the mountain looking across a crevice to the doorway to another mountain. He must cross to the other side to find the Holy Grail so that he can save Sean Connery’s life. He must take a leap of faith. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and puts one foot out into nothingness and a wooden plank appears beneath his feet so that he can cross to the other side safely. WOW. What a powerful metaphor!

Are you willing to take a leap of faith without knowing the outcome? Would you surrender and trust because everything inside you says, “Go for it! Do it,” even it if seems crazy?

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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At a recent networking meeting, I had the opportunity to hear Pernille Spiers-Lopez speak.

Danish born, Pernille immigrated to the United States about 26 years ago as a young woman. After a few jobs that didn’t pan out for her, she found herself working in the Marketplace at Ikea, an international home furnishings retail chain originating from Sweden. Rising quickly through the company, Pernille was vaulted to become President of Ikea North America in 1997. An innovator and change advocate, she shared that her rise to success and personal life satisfaction was tremendously aided by her commitment to her spiritual and personal growth journey.

I had the privilege to be seated at her table with a small group and immediately recognized a kindred spirit. While she delivered her speech, I sat there and grinned as she echoed many of the things I continually talk and write about.

Here are the keys to success she spoke about:

1. Know your values – what you stand for. Live your life in alignment with your values so that you are being true to who you are.

2. Grow yourself as a person; invest in yourself and your people. As a result of changes she initiated at Ikea that were employee supportive, the chain has shown increases in profits and employee retention. Personally, she credits her own consciousness journey as adding more joy and peace to her life as well as helping her to be an effective leader.

3. Be courageous. As President of Ikea, she initiated multiple company changes that dramatically increased employee retention including: addressing flexibility needs, creating a “quiet room” for nursing mothers, and substantially increasing the number of women and minorities in management She spoke quite a bit about being willing to trust herself in her choices and actions. Knowing who she is gives her courage to make the tough and easier decisions as a leader, wife and mother with compassion and strength.

4. Surround yourself with good people. In addition to building a strong workforce, she mentioned her participation in two business groups gives her additional support in being successful.

5. Embrace innovation and change. She sees possibilities and improvement in the experience of change to be inviting rather than fearing the unknown. Attitude affects how we view things - as a positive or a negative; compelling or repelling. With all of the positive innovations she has initiated at work, she commented with a small laugh that her teams have asked her not to make any more big changes this year. Her pride in what she has accomplished as a leader at Ikea was evident.

6. Be passionate. What makes you feel the most alive, calls to your heart, and brings you the most joy? She acknowledged how her passion fuels her courage and willingness to show up.

7. Take a stand for what you believe in no matter if it’s an unpopular position or meets resistance. Trust in yourself and inner knowing without wavering when you feel solidly clear about something you believe in. Hold onto that power without giving it away to others. Her passion and trust in her instincts and abilities empowers her to stand strong as a leader. She stated she is not afraid to stand up for her values and fight for what she believes is right.

8. Set personal and business boundaries. With her busy schedule, Pernille clearly states that when she’s at work, she is fully focused on the demands of her job. She works 8-5, has no Blackberry, and turns her cell phone off when she’s at home. What keeps her strong is listening to her body and her intuition while having strong work-life balance boundaries. She’s learned to separate her work and home life so that she can be fully present to what matters most in her life.

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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Do you realize that when you speak, move or look at people in a particular way, you actually trigger off certain judgments?

Are you aware that the manner in which you speak, the body languageor posture you take on affect the people around you, and this could put you in unpleasant situations, especially in situations when people interpret your communication incorrectly.

Doing so breaks the rapport we have with others, sabotaging our communication in the process. Being aware of our language and mannerisms, we can learn how to use them effectively for the purpose of building rapport with others.

In fact, if you were to walk into a restaurant and observe people, couples especially, you will be able to tell the difference between couples who are in very close rapport with each other and couples who have been married for a long time. We just simply need to observe their body language.

For instance, if the woman is leaning forward, it is very likely that she would be in rapport with her partner, and he would be leaning forward too. The uncanny harmony makes them somewhat like mirror images to each other. And very often when one starts to move, the other also moves, making the entire communication process looks like a dance of harmony.

Their body postures look very similar too. Have you seen a couple's photograph? Take a close look at their facial expressions. Many couples tend to look a lot like each other, this is reflected themost in their smile and eyes.

This happens probably because due to the intimate contact they have had over the years, leading to a lot of unconscious modeling of each party.

Do you know of anyone who owns a pet? Most of the time, the pet somehow takes on the features of its owner, sometimes physically, sometimes in terms of their behavior.

Think about your close group of friends. I am certain you hear similar language, phrases or opinions in a social gathering. You probably share similar mannerisms, interests and even values. The more similarities you have, the greater in rapport you tend to be. These few examples boil down to one interesting fact; All of us tend to like things that are similar to ourselves.

Thus, the primary principle in rapport building is to create similarity. Similarity leads to trust, and trust leads to an open flow of communication. What results is a positive feeling of being in the company of someone you like. There are certain patterns of behavior that occur naturally in the process of communication and rapport.

Thus it is actually very easy to build rapport with other people once we understand how to use these patterns.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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“Life’s weather is but temporary. It’s the seasons that really matter. Finding balance in the storm. Life” - Anon

Do you find yourself spiraling downward when something happens that you find upsetting? If you say yes, it’s not usual. Many people feel happy when something happens that they want or like and fell unhappy when something unwanted occurs.

Here’s an example:

A few years ago I was in a car accident. I had just left my house and I had a few errands to run locally. I admit I tend to drive fast and I noticed the two cars ahead of me had come to a stop. The lead car was waiting for traffic to clear in order to make a left turn. I quickly applied my brakes and saw I would be able to stop safely as I checked my rearview mirror to see who was behind me. It was evident to me that the car behind was also going too fast and was going to hit me. The impact was strong enough to push me across the opposing lane of traffic bounce off of a guardrail before I was able to stop the car.

You might say, “Boy Lorraine, not a good day!” I agree that it wasn’t what I wanted my day to be.

The downside? My car was fully paid for and, a week before had undergone major maintenance work. The accident totaled my car.

Some immediate blessings? I was bruised and unhurt and I could have been killed. Apparently, when I was hit and pushed across the road, the lead car had finally made the left turn because there was no traffic. I called a healer friend who came immediately and met me at the hospital (where I was checked out for any injuries). My chiropractor opened his office to do a session.

When I returned home, my spirits were low and I could have begun feeling sorry for myself and bemoan the ramifications of having to get a new car, etc. It was a perfect invitation for my mood to start plummeting. Instead I chose to look at the experience from a wider lens.

Here are 7 ways to shift your mood to a better place:

1. Gratitude. Focusing on all you have in your life is an immediate mood shifter. Honor the losses that might be part of any circumstance and allow your viewpoint to expand in appreciation for all the riches you have that truly matters.

2. Interrupt negative self-talk and choose a better thought to put your attention. Notice where your thoughts are focused. What stories and dramas are you creating? Are they serving to help you feel better or worse? If you’re unable to let the stories go and dramas go immediately, exaggerate it BIG. Really act it out and play with it so that it becomes absurd. It might even become funny! Click here to read my article on dealing with negative self-talk. Take a stand and choose to put your attention on a better feeling thought.

3. Accept what happened. Dwelling on the past and ruminating on the details only adds more stress and upset. What we resist, persists. The more we struggle against our unwanted life circumstances the more power we give our unhappiness to affect our present moments. It is what it is. Each moment is temporary and gives birth to the next. Acceptance opens the door to…

4. Look for the blessings. Every situation is a healing and growth opportunity. Asking questions like: What are the gifts from this experience? (Focus on the gratitude). What can I learn from this situation? Recognize everything happens for a reason even if it appears to make no logical sense. Approaching life from this perspective invites greater ease and flow. Looking through the eyes of the Victim or the Champion/Hero/Creator is a choice. Seeing your life experience with appreciations invites possibilities to unfold.

5. Ask for help. Reach out to your circle of friends if you need an ear, a hug, a boost or a kick in the butt to get yourself into a healthier mindset. Be willing to receive help and invite the people in your life to be a loving support if you need it!

6. Help someone. Our natural state is one of loving generosity and well-being. Extending support to another can be a great heart lifter in reconnecting us to our spirit.

7. Do something that brings you joy, makes you laugh, and feeds your spirit. A few months ago, my buddy Anita Pathik- Law and I were talking on the phone and we started laughing. The kind of laughter that turns into side-splitting laughter that continued for over 6 minutes. It was hilarious. She recorded it and if I ever need a boost, all I have to do is play it and I start laughing!

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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If you had a person, let us say Jeff, who places a very high valueon freedom and fun, and you compared him with someone else, called Sam who places a very high value on security and comfort. Wouldthey behave very differently and make very different decisions? Of course they would. Will they go on the same kind of vacation? I do not think so.

You know, Jeff who values freedom and fun might go mountain climbing ,sky diving, while Sam who values comfort and security may go on acultural museum visit for example. They will buy very different cars, marry very different kind of women and probably be in very different jobs.

When I wanted to find out what drove the top insurance agents in Singapore, I interviewed the top three and asked them, "What gave them the energy and the passion that made them different from all their colleagues?" The first lady I interviewed remarked that she was really driven every single day by her family. The way she wakes up at 6 a.m.every morning, she plans her day, makes the calls and followsthrough, she thinks about her family and how she is going to givethem what she never had before. See, her value of family was totally in line with her goals ofbeing successful in her career.

But when I asked the second insurance agent who was equally successful, what drove him? He said it was not family at all. What drove him was the sense of achievement, of beating the competitionand always being ranked number one. This other person was just as successful again but what really drove him was a difference sense of value. The third agent, who was equally as successful, was totally different. She said that every time she sold an insurance policyshe felt so wonderful inside, knowing she had made a difference tothe security of the family she was serving. And this inspired her to go on and on in spite of all the hard work and rejection. Again, her value of contribution and making a difference was totally in line with her goals.

These are all different values that drive all these people. But then when I worked with agents who were below average, those who were struggling to get by, I found out it was because either theywere not clear on their values or that their values were totally misaligned with their goals sabotaging their goals in the process.

It is very important for you to know what your towards values are. What are the significant emotions do you move towards on a daily basis? What are the values do you move away from? Knowing and clarifying these values will allow you to make better decisions and take the required actions that are in line with yourvalues thus allowing you to accomplish your goals naturally.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Do you want to be in control of your life and create the results you desire? To be in a position of power and change whatever is not working in your life? Do you want to be able to change the people around you, the results you produce and even how you feel?

Most people believe that power and control are limited to the fortunate few who were born into power (e.g.: the tycoon's son), or acquire power through exceptional talent, business acumen or lady luck.

They believe (and we'll prove them wrong), that the rest of us are destined to be buffeted by whatever winds of change swirl around us. Economic slowdown, recession, company takeovers are the common winds of change.

The truth is, you do not need to have money or be in a top position to take control over what happens. In fact, people at the helm can also lose control...with much bigger consequences.

Look at the CEOs who watch their company's profits nose-dive helplessly in a bear market.

Or what about the US Army Generals who entered Iraq thinking that they were liberators of the people only arriving to find themselves regarded as invaders. Were they, the high and mighty in control? Not at all!

Taking Absolute Responsibility Gives YOU Absolute Power

The secret is to take absolute responsibility for whatever happens. That's right! When you take full responsibility for whatever happens, it means you acknowledge the fact that you have created whatever happens.

If you created it, then you have the power to change it. So, taking absolute responsibility for something puts you in a position of absolute power.

The extent to which you take responsibility over something is the extent to which you have control over it.

For example, if you take responsibility for your low pay, it means you acknowledge the fact that it was your actions and decisions that were the cause of this result.

Reasons could be that you are not creating enough value to be paid more; you have not demonstrated your true value to your boss; or that you chose to work in a company which does not recognize your true value.

Regardless of the reason or position you are in, you have the power to take charge and change anything in your life. The moment you take responsibility, you put yourself on the road to doing something about it.

You can either find ways to create more value by going beyond what is expected, make yourself more valuable by upgrading your skills, ask for a pay raise or find another job that will pay you what you are worth.

When you start taking any of these actions, your situation will change... you will get paid more!

Taking absolute responsibility for your situations and results puts you in a position of absolute power. So remember every time you feel like blaming others or circumstances, stop and take charge!

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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People who achieve their goals are those who are truly committed to get what they want. To them, their goals are not a mere wish or a weak desire. They are an absolute must.

When a goal becomes a must, we operate from a very different frame of mind. When something becomes an absolute must, we will do whatever it takes to get it (within ethical, legal & moral boundaries of course).

When something becomes a must, we will stretch well beyond our comfort zones and keep changing our strategy as many times as it takes.

Time and again, you will notice that people who succeed are those who show this level of commitment. In fact I believe that failures, setbacks and frustrations are life's ways of testing our level of commitment.

Most people fail this test by quitting when they hit major obstacles. The few who succeed do so because they do whatever it takes to overcome obstacles.

I truly believe that when something becomes a must for you, and you are willing to do whatever it takes, you will always find a way!

For most people, achieving success in anything is rarely a must. They would like to lose weight, but it is not a must. They would love to make more money, but they won't die without it. They wish they could take charge of their lives, but they could live without it.

The moment something becomes a 'should' instead of a 'must', you will rarely achieve it. You will always find a way to put it off or to quit the moment you meet resistance.

People like Sylvester Stallone, Steven Spielberg or a Donald Trump who achieve success are not born more focused, more disciplined or more lucky than the average person.

What makes them different is that they make their goals a must for themselves. They are not willing to accept anything less than the best.

So let me ask you a question.

Are your dreams and goals an absolute must or are they just weak desires that you can live without? Have you been truly committed to do whatever it takes in the past or have you quit and given yourself excuses along the way?

If you haven't then it's time you take yourself and your goals seriously because if success isn't a must for you then there is no way that you can become successful. Because success only reserves itself for people who want it bad enough to make a MUST!

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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At any point of time, you create your own states!

If you are feeling confident, then you are creating that confidence within yourself. If you are feeling depressed, you are creating your own depression. When you are motivated, you are creating that state of empowerment.

No one or nothing can affect or change your state unless you choose to allow yourself to get into that state.

Is this really true? Well, think about this. Why is it that two people can encounter the exact same event, but feel totally different about it?

One person may experience fear at having to speak in front of a large audience, while the other feels totally relaxed.

One person may feel totally motivated coming into the office, while the other feels bored & tired. One person may feel inspired and challenged when faced with an obstacle while another person feels demoralized.

So, you see, it is not what happens on the outside that affects a person's state, but what happens on the inside.

So how do we create our states? When we are feeling totally motivated, how do we create this state? When we are depressed, how do we create that depressing mood?

How we feel at any moment in time is determined by both of these Keys:

1. Our Physiology 2. Our Internal Re-presentation.

Your Physiology Affects Your State

The first thing that determines the state you are in is your physiology. Physiology means the condition and use of the physical body.

The condition of your body has a direct impact on how you feel. Do you feel different when your body is well rested and physically vibrant?

When your muscles are relaxed and your cells are bursting with energy, you are most likely to be in a peak state.

Conversely, after a night of tossing and turning with worry, having insufficient sleep, won't you feel your muscles aching and your joints being stiff?

You will easily get into states of tiredness, frustration and depression, non of these being very resourceful states.

This is why it is so important that our body is maintained in peak condition through both proper diet and exercise.

Highly successful individuals from Presidents to pop stars are consistently able to be in peak states because they keep themselves in peak physical condition through comprehensive exercise regimes.

Engaging in daily aerobic activities like swimming, running, cycling or jumping on the trampoline has an effect of oxygenating our body much more readily.

As oxygen and nutrients are carried into our bodies, our cells are nourished more effectively, giving us a lot more energy!

When our physical body is in a peak condition, we will find ourselves being in peak emotional states as well.

Your Internal Re-presentation Affects Your State.

The second factor that affects our state is your internal re-presentation. Your internal re-presentation is a fancy term meaning "How and What we think about."

What we perceive is not reality but an internal re-presentation of reality. It is how we internally re-present what is going on around us inside our mind.

This is why two people can encounter the same event, represent and feel very differently about this same event in their minds

Some of the key filters that determine what we delete, distort and generalize are our Beliefs, Values and Attitudes.

Because different people have different beliefs, values and attitudes, they delete, distort and generalize things very differently.

As a result, all of us experience a very different re-presentation of the world.

Some people have powerful beliefs, values and attitudes that allow them to constantly re-present things in a way placing them in an empowering state while others constantly re-present things in a way that puts them in a lousy, ineffective state.

Successful people are able to take charge and consciously direct their states from moment to moment. Unsuccessful people, on the other hand, find themselves constantly at the mercy of their (bad) habits and their environment.

By taking charge of our physiology and forming empowering internal representations, we have the keys that will allow us to be in constantly resourceful states enabling us to perform at our peak.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Seeing in their mind a picture of them self feeling good about the exciting endeavours they are to complete for the day, instantly they jump out of bed, energized and ready.

For another person, when the alarm clock rings in the morning, an internal voice is fired off, automatically going, "What time is it?" "Why must I wake up so early?" How much longer can I sleep? "Give me five more minutes."

Picturing in their minds the people and things of their dislike, they enter a state of lethargy causing them to turn over and go back to sleep.

Being late for work....they start and stay in a frantic state for the entire day!

What mental program are you playing daily?

How do you habitually re-present things in your mind? If you have been playing a destructive program, you must begin to change it immediately.

Whatever we picture in our minds, the sounds we play, and what we say to ourselves affects the states we are in.

Some people have a pattern of constantly re-presenting things in such a way that makes them feel depressed. Others do the opposite.

For some people, the moment they experience a setback, they will create all the worst pictures & sounds in their mind! They will keep re-playing the internal movie of themselves failing and even picture themselves screwing up all future attempts.

They have an internal voice that goes, 'why does this happen to me?' 'I always screw up!' By re-presenting the experience this way, you put yourself in the worst possible state! You will probably feel frustrated, overwhelmed and scared that you will stop taking action.

The moment you start consciously directing the pictures and words in your head, you start getting control over your emotions and actions!

Instead of painting a scene of doom and gloom like most people do after experiencing a set-back, a temporary defeat, successful individuals picture all the possibilities of turning the situation around.

Picturing their final, successful outcome, they say to themselves, "What can I learn from this set-back?" How can I turn this around?'

Constantly being in a state of confidence and motivation, such individuals keep taking action until their desired final outcomes are met.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Our brain is by far one of the most powerful tools in the world. Habitual performance is created on the fly. We hardly have to sit down and design our experiences. However, this short cut comes at aridiculous price. Most people form habits and then think that they cannot change them anymore.

I think it is from my own experience that I say that habitual performance can make or break you. But, if it is at breaking point,it would be a smart choice to decide to create a new and empowering habit instead, do not you think? How do habits form? Let us take a peek into our brain for the moment. We know that we have got brain cells known as neurons. Habits are formed when neurons begin to branch out to other neurons through a communication mode called an action potential. This is a small electrical impulse that runs through our brain cells that help to form neuro-connections.

The closest visual representation is much like what might happen if an octopus were to extend on of its tentacles to touch another octopus. When a connection is formed, we have a neuro pathway. The more this neuro pathway is used, the more solidified it becomes.

So, when do we get these electrical impulses in our head? All the time! Think about it this way: Every time you wake up, you wake upin a particular way and move in a particular fashion, and carry outa particular sequence or steps in order for you to get out of bed, and off to work. And this is a pattern of habit for you everysingle day, is not it? Likewise, is not it true that sometimes when you see someone, you might just feel lousy? Think, boss! The key issue is some of these habitual patterns take place when you least expect or want it to happen.

In such a situation, you will have to use a technique to get a new pattern installed and let the old pattern die away. This techniqueis known as The Switch Pattern, developed by Dr. Richard Bandler. The Switch Pattern uses distance as a driver because distance tends to control other sub modalities. For instance, if you made an image go further into the distance, the picture tend to become smaller, less focused, and tends to lose color along the way. In order for us to do The Switch Pattern effectively, we need to identify the characteristics of effective change processes using The Switch Pattern.

Creating behavioral change processes, not imaginary static outcomes. It is important to focus on the outcome of the changethat you want to create. For instance, if your problem situation isovereating, you cannot simply imagine yourself being thin. You have to think of behaviors you will be exhibiting in order for you to eat less. For instance, you could deliberately choose to see yourself, or imagine yourself eating half of what you normally eat. You could deliberately choose to eat only up to seventy percent of your stomach's capacity and drink more water. For instance, clearly imagining the feeling of what it is like when you eat up to seventypercent of your stomach's capacity.

Likewise, if you are procrastinating, just visualizing yourself doing work is not going to cut it. What do you want to feel instead? How would you help yourself to get there? You will have to see yourself do something to change your state. For instance, if you procrastinate, you might have to visualize the image ofyourself feeling the fear of the consequences if you did not do it. Some of you already do this. You think about how bad the consequences will be if you did not get it done right now. Alternatively, you might choose to do something else that changes your state, such as doing a set of fifty push ups to suck yourself up. Once you know of a behavior that you can do to change your state, see yourself doing the desired behavior clearly.

To your success!

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Has there been another time when you felt totally motivated in getting started on a project? A time when you just sat down and got it done immediately?

I believe we are aware that this situation rarely happens, never happening in times when we need to get something done.

We Create our States of Motivation and Procrastination

We have to understand that we create entirely different states using our physiology and internal re-presentation. When we understand this, we will be able to change, interrupt and change states whenever we need to.

When you were procrastinating, you were using your physiology in a particular way. Your breathing was probably slow and shallow. Your muscles were droopy, your eyes were looking down and your facial muscles were probably flaccid.

What about your internal re-presentation? You were probably seeing pictures of yourself having a tough time, being overwhelmed and getting frustrated. You were probably saying to yourself in the most weary and bored tone of life, "Must I do this now? Can I do it later?"

How do we create Motivation?

A question we have to ask ourselves, when we are in a motivated state, taking action and accomplishing our tasks, how did we create that?

Our physiology was probably different. We were sitting differently, breathing differently and moving differently. We were probably re-presenting the task very differently in our mind.

We were seeing ourselves getting results, having fun and doing things effortlessly. We were probably saying, "do it now!" "Let's get it done!" in a more excited, higher pitched tone of voice.

Remember, our states are hardly managed consciously. We do not consciously shift our physiology nor do we control our internal re-presentations with the intention of controlling our states.

Instead, our minds are allowed to run on autopilot causing us to lose control of our own states, ensuing in mediocre results that we are not to be pleased about.

Now that we are aware that states of motivation and procrastination are entirely created by us, the responsibility is on us to learn and take charge of our physiology and internal representation, propelling us to attain the greater results we desire.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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If we can replicate the way a winner runs his brain, then we can replicate the way they think and behave, and hence the results they produce. If others can walk on stage and deliver a speech with confidence, so can you.

If others are able to constantly direct their emotions to feel motivated and confident, so can you! If others display highly creative skills, you can do so too.

Remember, they are able to do so because they are running effective mental programs. With the same neurology, you just have to unlock their secrets and run your brain in exactly the same way.

Think about this for a while.

Are you afraid of public speaking? Some people get terrified just by looking at a large audience in front of them. Their hands turn cold, their legs shake uncontrollably, their face turns white and they start to stutter when they open their mouths.

This is called a phobia and all of us have phobias for one thing or another. Yet at the same time, why is it that another person, seeing exactly the same audience can feel comfortable, relaxed, confident - even eager to speak.

Such seemingly natural orators speak to an entire auditorium as easily as if there was only one person in front of them. They may even be able to entertain the audience, make people loosen up and laugh, and they feel great about being up there too.

Again, what is it that makes the confident speaker different from the fearful one? They have the same mental resources available to them.

The difference lies in how they represent the experience of the audience and the stage in their brains. You see, the thought and behavioral patterns they run through their neuro-connections are completely different.

The first person's brain is wired up in such a way that seeing the audience immediately triggers off a 'fear' program that shuts their entire body down. This is expressed physically in sweaty palms and brow, butterflies in the stomach.

Quite the opposite occurs when the confident speaker sees the audience. His neural connections fires off a 'relaxed and confidence' pattern that allows him to perform at his best!

Unfortunately, most people have never learned how to direct and re-program the limiting patterns they run. They are not in charge of their brains. Instead, their brains take charge of them.

They let their brains go on 'auto pilot', running mediocre programs that keep limiting their performance.

As a result, they will always feel that there are things they can never do, simply because they believe that it is not within their control. Or ability.

You too can do what you thought was impossible before, like exercising consistently until you get to your ideal weight. Or give a powerful speech and inspire a two-thousand strong audience.

Once you learn how to change a program in your brain, in fact any program, it will ultimately change how your body reacts. And you can accomplish anything you set your mind (or brain) to.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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All of us have got dreams we aspire to attain in our lives. These dreams come from people who inspire us. We may dream of making $20,000 a month, owning a luxury-y car and living in a million dollar mansion. At the same time, based on our beliefs, we also have what I call a 'level of acceptance'.

This 'level of acceptance' means that though you may aspire to earn $20,000 a month, you are willing to accept earning $3000 a month.

Although you would love to live in a million dollar house, you are quite willing to settle for a small apartment, Although you would love to be at an ideal weight of 65kg, you are willing to live life at 75kg.

You may set a goal to earn $20,000 but if you are willing to accept earning $3000, then $3000 is what you are going to end up getting. Why? Because the $3000 level of acceptance is what we make a 'must' for ourselves.

We will not allow ourselves to earn below that level of what we believe is our minimum. This is our tolerance level. The moment we think we are going to go below our acceptance level, our mind hits panic mode and we will do whatever it takes to get above that. Again, when we are committed to do whatever it takes, we will get it.

People who make $20,000 a month do so because to them, that is their level of acceptance That is what they believe they are worth. They will not accept anything less. They will never accept $5000 or even $10,000 a month. They will do whatever it takes to get the level they believe they deserve.

You Must Raise your Acceptance Levels.

Unless we raise our acceptance levels, we will never do what is necessary to achieve our goals. So if you want to make more money, you have to raise your standards of what you are willing to accept. You have to raise your standards of what you are willing to accept.

Be very honest with yourself, what is your current level of expectation and level of acceptance in the different areas of your life? Invest the time to reflect and to write down your thoughts.

If you want success to become your reality, make it so that you will never settle for anything less. Raise your level of acceptance to the level of your goals and you can't help but become successful.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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The process of turning a negative experience into a positive one is called reframing.

The two ways in which you can do this is Content Reframing and Context Reframing.

Content Reframing

Content reframing is the process of changing a negative experience into a positive one by changing the meaning of the experience. Remember, every event has multiple meanings. The meaning we choose to focus on is what becomes real for us.

The best way to do a content reframe is to ask the question, 'What else can this mean?' 'How can this benefit or empower me instead of depressing me?'

For example, if the recession hit when you were about to start your business, you could content reframe it by saying, 'Good! This means that business costs, like rental and salaries, will be lower and allow us to break even faster'.

Or you could say, 'Good! This means prospective clients will be more open to listening to suppliers who offer better value for money.' There are multiple reasons why starting a business in a recession will be a positive experience!

What if someone told you, 'My son does not stop talking' You could reframe this negative comment by saying 'Good that means he must be full of ideas', or, 'This means he must be very intelligent.'

If the person you love leaves you for someone else, reframe the loss by saying, 'Good. This means that I can find someone who truly loves me' or 'this means I can find someone who is more caring, beautiful and loyal.'

Context Reframing

Another way to reframe an experience is to do a context reframe. A context reframe is the process of changing a negative experience into a positive one by changing the context from which it is perceived.

Have you ever had a negative experience only to look back at it five years later and say, 'That was a blessing in disguise?' In a different context (i.e. the future), the meaning of that experience changed from bad to good.

In doing a context reframe, you must ask the question, 'in a different time or place, how would the meaning be beneficial?'

You see, everything that seems bad now, when put into a different time or place, could appear beneficial.

Going back to the first example of starting a business in a recession, you could use a context reframe by saying, 'When the economy picks up, the company will be positioned to do very well as it has been tested & strengthened by the recession'.

You could do a context reframe on the boy who talks all the time by saying, 'When he grows up, he will make a good public speaker' (context of time). Or you could also say, 'The fact that he talks all the time will certainly earn him a place on the school debating team (context of place). Are you getting the hang of it?

How we represent or (frame) our experiences determine our response and the outcomes we achieve. Therefore we must learn to constantly frame experiences in ways that empower ourselves and the people around us.

When we change the way we represent (frame) something, we totally change the meaning and the emotions associated with that experience. As a result, we change the decisions we make and the actions we take.

You must learn how to create resourceful meanings out of every experience. Successful leaders and entrepreneurs do this to empower themselves and others to reach their goals.

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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Have you ever wanted to feel confident in certain situations when you were not? Like, meeting a client or giving a presentation. Would not it be powerful for you to change a lazy state at will to a motivated one?

How would that change your life? How about changing a fear to go on stage to feeling enthusiastic about doing it? How much will it change results you are able to produce in your life? Well, you can. You are in charge of your state and your physiology is one of the most powerful tools you can use to change your states. If you wanted to feel confident, all you have to do is to adopt the total physiology of confidence. If you want to feel motivated, adopt the physiology of motivation.This may sound very simplistic, but it is exactly how the brain and body are neurologically wired up together. The trouble with most people is that they are not willing to do whatever it takes to manage their states. They just let their states be affected by other people, or let it go on autopilot.

So, how do you to get a state of confidence? Imagine that you are going to make a presentation which you have prepared for but as usual you do not feel confident about it. You feel those butterflies in your stomach and you are afraid that everything will just go blank, and it has been this lack of confidence that has affected your performance in the past. If you think about it, I am sure there has been a time in the past where you felt totally confident about giving a talk, or feeling really confident in doing something you are good at. Go back to the time and adopt the same physiology.

Stand the way you stood when you felt totally confident, breathe the way you breathe when you felt totally powerful and confident, have the same tension in your face, your arms and your hands. Have the same focus in your eyes and say to yourself in your head what you normally say when you are feeling totally confident in that same exact tone and voice. It could be like, "Yes! We will do it. No problem!" I want you to get up right now and do this exercise, alright? If you had follow what I said, do you feel that confidence stay? I bet you would.

As long as you have access to the power of states of the past, you mind and body can recreate it exactly like it by accessing the past resources. There is a saying that says this, "Fake it till you make it!" If you are not confident, act as if you are confident, and you will become confident. And if you are not motivated, act as if you are motivated, and you will feel motivated.

To your success!

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, a best-selling author and a peak performance trainer. A self-made millionaire by the age of 26, he owns and runs several businesses in education, training, event management and advertising, all with a combined annual turnover of $20 million. His best-selling "Patterns of Excellence" is a complete step-by-step system that will literally program you for success in life.

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I’ve been asked several times to make the distinction between promises and to-do lists. Here’s one way to look at the difference. When setting your sights on a goal you wish to reach in the future, you will typically lay out an action plan that includes the steps you will take to get from here to there, right? In other words, what you will do to arrive at your destination. Each step will have a result. While it might initially start out as a promise, you might find yourself slipping into creating a to-do list.

Consider making a mental paradigm shift on the idea of goal-setting to focus on committing to weekly and monthly agreements as stepping stones to the bigger vision you have for yourself. When you identify actions you will take and promise to follow through (to yourself or anyone else) you have created an agreement to fulfill.

In other words, being congruent with your intentions and actions keeps you in integrity with your dreams and desires. How good do you feel when you say you’ll do something and then you don’t do it?

One of your goals might be to systematize your business so that you’re working more efficiently. Your steps might include:

1. Evaluating current programs and continuing to upgrade where needed.

2. Calling a web person to revamp your website.

3. Scheduling time to declutter and organizing your office.

4. Ordering new office equipment.

5. Updating your marketing material.

6. Outsourcing work.

7. Registering for a new course or training.

I make this distinction because getting caught up in making lists rather than being accountable or in integrity to the promises being made will affect the value received from masterminding. The goal is not to show how busy you are doing stuff, rather to make agreements that have a built-in intention that challenges you to s-t-r-e-t-c-h outside of your comfort zone.

The agreements you make are meant to nudge you forward and might create some discomfort so that you feeling slightly off balance. Being slightly off kilter offers opportunities to limitless possibilities that can lead to rich results. In fact, you might choose to add something in your promises that is deliberately uncomfortable with the intent of kicking things up a notch.

The promises you agree to are meant to stretch you out of your comfort zone so that you are challenging yourself to grow yourself and your business. They reflect your dreams and desires in ways that are meant to motivate and inspire you forward.

So be bold in challenging yourself to have what you desire. The possibilities are endless.

Have a great day!

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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How often do you register for classes and courses that promise to share success strategies and secrets to help you grow your business? How many books and products do you buy with the hopes of learning from experts in the field? If they’re successfull, they must know things you don’t know or you’d be more successful, right?

Some of these trainings, courses and classes carry a hefty price tag ranging from a couple of hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. And yet, people whip out their credit cards and yell, ”sign me up” because if the result is making more money, the short term investment is worth it. Long-term gains are compelling and the investment is justifiable if it delivers. That’s the reasoning folks use to say yes.

I’ve signed up myself. I’m in favor of quality programs and products. I even promote them to my email lists, colleagues, and friends. Why not? If I find something great from a proven expert, why would I keep it a secret? I invest in acquiring knowledge and honing my skills all the time.

I sell my own products and programs too. I share what I’ve experienced and learned personally, and from my work with clients.

So, what’s my point?

Just this…….. investing in getting to know yourself well is key to any success you dream about. When the program or product offers personal development, transformation or spiritual growth, people are less inclined to make the time and financial investment in their own evolution and awakening.

How many times do you complete a program with the intention to follow all the steps suggested and all the strategies outlined? How long do you stay motivated and keep it up?

It’s amazing to me how many people will come up with reasons why they hem and haw about paying for programs that will help them spiritually awaken, address self-sabotage, work with The Law of Attraction, eliminate negative thinking/beliefs, and experience greater personal happiness. Yes, some of these products and programs carry a larger investment in time and money.

There is a direct relationship with who you are on the inside and what you do outside in the world. Failure to see the value of investing in growing yourself as a person, as well as growing your business, will affect your outcome - guaranteed. You might be losing more than you can imagine.

~ If you have issues about being wealthy, how do you think that will affect your ability to generate and attract a lot of money?

~ If you are consistently overriding your instincts and inner wisdom, how much peace will you be giving up AND at what cost to you?

Drop the ” I can’t afford it, it’s too expensive, I don’t have time, now is a good time…” excuses you use to sit on the sidelines and watch the world move forward.

If you need assistance to bust through some business and personal barriers, make the time and financial investment to buy, hire, borrow, barter…. for the people and things that will help you become unfettered from whatever is holding you back or keeping you down.

It’s not rocket science.

It’s your life. Aren’t you worth the investment?

To your success and happiness!

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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In the past I’ve created collages - visual pictures that can represent any idea, desire - anything. Now the most popular names are vision boards and treasure maps. In anticipation of creating my vision for 2008 I went over to Staples and picked up a large package of poster boards and bought glue. I sat for several hours with magazines and started cutting pictures, colors, words and phrases that really resonated with me. I even went online in search of some specific pictures and created words and phrases in Word so I could make my vision as complete as I could imagine.

My intention was to create a map of 2008 looking backward as if the year had already occurred. The result would be a celebration of the year that was my best year EVER!

Last Saturday I sat at my table with everything spread out and began bringing life to my treasure map. It was amazing to begin bringing what was in my heart onto the poster board and watching the picture take shape. My dreams and desires to have greater prosperity and inner peace, dramatically decreasing my debt, opening to receive more love in all areas of my life, committing to a healthier lifestyle and reducing weight, deepening my faith and trust with Source - all came alive as the picture took form. Five hours later it was complete.

I know I was Divinely guided in the Creation of the map because of how I felt as the picture came together.

To make the map even more powerfull and personal, I put my picture on the faces of others, added poems, special mementos, wrote in words with colored markers, and included international money to represent taking my business to a bigger global market.

The treasure map is incredible.

I have it hanging on my wall at the top of the stairs to my office a few feet away from my desk. Each time I look up (which is pretty often) I see the treasure map beckoning me. It inspires and motivates me.

In the creation of the treasure map I made a decision to receive the “good stuff”. I gave myself permission to say YES to my dreams and desires so that I could celebrate the accomplishment and receiving of what I want. (I wrote about letting yourself have outrageous success and personal happiness a few months ago. It was one of my most popular posts. Go read it)

AND I did one more that my dear friend Anita Pathik Law recommended. I wrote a Thank You Letter to Source (God, Higher Power, The Divine..) for all the miracles, blessings, gifts, challenges, and opportunities that I received in 2008. I spelled out what I was gratefull for in detail. I was surprised at the rush of emotion that came up as I wrote it. As I read the letter, dated 12/31/08, to Anita I was sobbing with joy and gratitude.

The creation of the Treasure Map and Thank You Letter was a humbling experience.

Click here to see my map

If you are inspired to do this for yourself, leaving me a comment would be appreciated!

Have a great day!

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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Last week I did a presentation to a room full of women business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders. The topic was “Letting Yourself Have Outrageous Success and Personal Happiness”.

I looked forward to talking about the topic because so often I hear people complain about not having enough money, struggling with procrastination and overwhelm, feeling stuck or unhappy with themselves, their work, their life……

My client came in this morning angry and in a funk. She was angry with herself because she was dragging her feet on doing some things that would create financial ease in her life. Instead she was feeling desperate about paying her bills and was beating herself up for creating her situation. She has tons of tools to help her shift her attitude, feel more upbeat and positively energized. What was she doing about how she felt or the strain on her finances? Nothing. She was putting all of her attention on feeling bad and powerless.

Exactly my point of last week’s presentation.

What we do is engage in self-sabotage

* Mind games – risk aversion, avoidance (excuses, rationalizations, justifications) that might sound like, “I know what I’m supposed to do but I just don’t do it” I can’t afford it. I don’t have the time. Now is not the right time, I’m not ready”.

* Dramas/stories – The conversations we have inside our heads (worse case scenarios, imaginings). We tell ourselves, “I can’t do it. It’s too hard/too big. It will take too long….”

* Negative beliefs – We hold on to conscious and unconscious beliefs that dictate who we are, how we feel, and what we do (or don’t do). We tell ourselves, “I’m not smart enough/good enough/. Good things happen to others – not me”.

* Fear – fear of success/failure, pain and pleasure are the most dominant fears. We scare ourselves into despair and immobility. We make up stories to justify saying no to our dreams and desires.

* Procrastination leads to feeling guilty. We become disappointed and feel frustrated because we believe we have broken our agreement and promises to ourselves and others. That gives up permission to beat ourselves up. We punish ourselves and withhold the good stuff.

What do you tell yourself that makes it ok to say no to having what you want or need? When we continue to sabotage ourselves, it’s because we get something from it. There’s always a payoff.

What’s yours?

Wanna stop?

You can!

Anytime you say.

How about NOW?

Here are some keys to help your shift from NO to GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

1. Power of alignment – Inner conflict is felt when we are in discord with our heads and our heart. When your decisions, choices and actions line up with your spirit, core values, true desires and vision your life will have greater prosperity and happiness. Get to know yourself well. Make it a practice to listen to your heart, follow your instincts and trust yourself.

2. Deliberately choose to have better feelings and thoughts. Your imagined fears, negative self-talk, and beliefs about unworthiness serve you to recognize when you are in your drama and self-created stories by. Notice how you are feeling and what you are thinking. Your thoughts affect how you feel and what you do. When you can see what’s happening, you can choose to become the champion of your story or the victim of your circumstance. What you put your attention on expands.

3. Clarify what you really want. What inspires and excites you?

Identify a strong dream or desire.
Write down why you want it.
What will “having it” give you that you don’t have now?
Why do you want that?
What will having it……

Run this exercise to get to the heart of what you really want.

4. Decide to have it. Give yourself permission to receive what you want and desire. Commit to it. Refuse to take no for an answer.

5. Develop a positive/empowering mindset by challenging and replacing self-defeating attitudes and behaviors. Feel compassion and self- love by focusing on what’s right about you; what makes you special and unique.

6. Install accountability. Add people and systems to your team to help you stay motivated and inspired. Show up

7. Create a power strategy when you need a boost. Add things that motivate, inspire, nurture you – gratitude. When you give to yourself, the people in your life will get the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.

Remember to celebrate your successes along the way!

As you go through your day, I challenge you to let yourself have what you need and want to have the success and happiness you desire.

~ Say yes to following up with those business leads, calling prospects, attending networking events, taking 5 marketing actions today….

~ Say yes to booking that massage, taking a long weekend, scheduling lunch with a friend…

~ Say yes to registering for that class, learning one new skill, hiring a coach…

Say yes to having the abundance you want and the life you dream about. Need some help? Purchase any of my featured products to give you insights, tools and time to take charge of your life! It’s time to become the hero of your own life story. If not now, when?

Have a terrific day!

Dr. Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of spiritually minded business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders from a wide range of industries. Learn more about Lorraine’s services, success products and programs.

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How do you define success?

I recently conducted a workshop on teambuilding. The workshop focused on how to build better relationship and influence others, meet them where they are. This allows you to build a mutually beneficial relationship and create a win/win for all parties.

I started out the workshop by asking the audience their definition of success. The answers ranged from satisfying relationships, a bigger house, a faster car, getting my kids through college, accomplishment, etc. I was not surprised by the answers but I was surprised by how little we understand about success.

Success is none of the above. Those are outcome of being successful. I did some research on the word success and I found that when it was first introduced into the English language the word simply meant “taking action.” As I ponder this definition, I realized it is the only definition of success that works for me.

Successful people do not experience the outcomes of success because they have a bigger house, newer car, or the children’s colleges paid for. They are successful because they took action. The actions lead to a bigger house, a newer car, etc.

Taking action is very difficult. It is difficult because people don’t know what they want to take action. They are afraid they will be wrong. When I would coach with my business clients, I always encourage them to take action - any action (within reason) because if they make a mistake we can usually correct the outcome with little difficulty. The problem is in not taking action. There is nothing to correct.

I love failure. Don’t get me wrong, I am not talking about our usually concept of being a failure (usually a self perception and acceptance of beliefs we accepted as children – whatever they are for you.) I am talking about trying something and not getting the desired results. That means I am closer to my goal. I found out what does not work. I love Thomas Edison’s mind set. Edison never failed; he reframed everything into a success. He simply founds ways that did not work.

Think about it as if you are a rocket. A rocket does not set a course and go. No, it adjusts the course thousands of times a second. It appears to be headed straight to the target but all along its flight path it is self correcting as it moves forward.

Be like the rocket. Self correct. Accept feedback from your employees, clients, the market, your friends and family. Filter the noise and accept what makes sense and let the rest go. Be grateful that others care enough to share with you how they think you can be successful. But never give up ownership of the outcome, the result and your role in creating your success.

Let me ask the question again: How do you define success? What actions are you taking to be successful? How will you know when you are successful? How will you measure your progress? How will you take ownership? What will fuel your passion when you hit those obstacles that seem to pop up at the most inopportune moments? What ideas do you have? How will you stay focused?

Remember, success is taking action. As a good friend of mine always says:

“Go out there and make something happen.”

To learn more watch this 10 minute video on success: What Does Success Mean to You (and how to achieve it!) at http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1021900

To your success
Ron Finklestein
info@yourbusinesscoach.net

After a successful consulting career, Ron Finklestein has spent the past 6 years building his business AKRIS LLC and helping entrepreneurs and business owners build their businesses by helping them solve the tough problems that hold them back. Ron is called The Small Business Success Expert by his clients because of his passion for their success and his knowledge of business.

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What is the definition of Success? Many people confuse the outcomes of success with success. The outcomes of success can be the new car, the new house, more free time; but that is not success.

In this unique and short (10 minute) video, I will talk about the real definition of success (and I can assure you it is not what you think!):

After a successful consulting career, Ron Finklestein has spent the past 6 years building his business AKRIS LLC and helping entrepreneurs and business owners build their businesses by helping them solve the tough problems that hold them back. Ron is called The Small Business Success Expert by his clients because of his passion for their success and his knowledge of business.

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