Archive for June, 2007

by Diana Long M.S.ACC
A house is only as strong as its foundation. My husband, a home builder, taught me this important piece of wisdom. Without a well designed, solid infrastructure, a house is doomed to constant problems and costly repairs. Do you remember the hilarious movie, Money Pit? The newlyweds idyllic vision of a happy, harmonious home were put to the test as they found themselves having to fix one disaster after another.

Just as a house requires strong foundation, so do we. Our personal infrastructures includes several components such as getting our basic needs met, having ample reserves of time, money, and love, healthy self care routines and living a life that is authentically based on our truest values.

Stress and failed dreams can be traced back to you lifestyle. If you have a weak personal foundation, you WILL have obstacles to overcome. Obstacles that are annoying, time consuming, and frustrating! If you find yourself in this position, constantly fixing snafus, you will find yourself simply too tired and discouraged to go for your big dream. You’ll feel frustrated because these obstacles seemingly have little to do with the fulfillment of you desired goals. It’s similar to being on a treadmill. You work very hard yet don’t feel like you are advancing as quickly as you would like.

As a Success Coach, I know the value of having and maintaining a strong personal foundation. It’s absolutely essential if you want to have a great life! In my practice I offer a wonderful tool called the “Clean Sweep” program which gives you the “head up: on where you stand with your Personal Foundation. The higher you score the better your life will become, guaranteed! As a special offer to all my readers, I invite and challenge you to take the “Clean Sweep”. Send me an e-mail expressing your interest and take this life changing (and free!) assessment today.

Here’s a case study of one of my clients: Peter was struggling to deep his contracting business afloat. He came to coaching wanting to learn how to earn a higher income. Quickly the core of his financial woes became apparent; his personal life was a mess. There were problems in several areas of his life, including a rocky relationship with his wife, clutter, disorganization, lack of delegation, and low grade depression. Peter’s life was falling apart even though he was desperately trying to deep everything together. Peter’s valuable time and energy was spent fixing problems. It was basically impossible for him to move forward and pursue his big dreams of a wildly successful business.

Once Peter fully understood the direct correlation of his weak Personal Foundation to achieving high levels of success, he readily committed to upgrading his life. He took the “Clean Sweep” assessment and began to take action. The first steps Peter took included marriage counseling, a consultation with a top financial planner (which enabled him to adhere to a fiscal plan that included paying off debts and increasing savings). He also chose to discontinue eating fast food meals and opted instead to eat more meals with this family. His new healthy diet and Vitamin supplements dramatically increased his physical energy and stamina. Within 90 days Peter transformed his personal foundation from crumbling to solid and substantial. He was now able to move forward on his bigger goals because of renewed energy and focus.

Want to achieve all of you dreams and goal? Do a Personal Foundation tune up ASAP! How might you increase your own levels of peace, prosperity and personally happiness? What are the cracks in your foundation? Is it in your Relationship skills? Communication skill? Finances? Health and Well Being?

My coaching challenge to you? Learn specific ways to “cement” your personal foundation so you have the strength and energy to soar with your dreams. Here’s to “Clean Sweeping” your life and to your continued success. Cheers!

Success Coach and Speaker, Diana Long, is the President of the Life Design Institute. Diana can help you transform your dreams into reality and give you the shortcuts to success with her variety of life-changing programs and products.Learn more about Diana and receive your FREE Report,” 3 Huge Mistakes People Like You Make to Sabotoge Their Success & How You Can Completely Avoid Them!” and Free subscription to “Life Design Secrets” e-newsletter, please visit www.DianaLong.com

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by Susan K. Minarik
It’s not the milestones of life that distinguish life’s winners, but the way they spend the moments in between. It’s not the wedding that graces a couple’s lives, but the marriage. It’s the application of knowledge that distinguishes the holder of the diploma or degree. The Oscars, the gold medals, the Pulitzer prizes and checkered flags mark highlights of a career. But it’s the path of mastery the winners walked that gives the prize enduring value.

Not all winners attain celebrity or fame; not all who attain celebrity or fame are winners. But genuine winners do serve as models to all who know them. Their lives are marked with purpose and direction. They’re the ones who know what matters to them and who listen to their highest dreams.

Winners come from every walk of life, from every culture and every class. However humble their trades or exalted their callings, winners use the work before them as a means for expressing the best they can give. They attend to details and seek nuances in familiar tasks. They practice the routines that serve them and relinquish thoughts and actions that restrict their outward flow. They finish what they begin.

Winners are content in the moment even as they anticipate their next steps. Their delight is in the process more than in the result. Their accomplishments are not so much the product of ambitious striving as they are a steady unfolding of personal interests, abilities and talents.

Winners don’t judge their work on the basis of what others have done, but against their own capabilities. Their passion is rooted in the constantly evolving expression of their potentials and strengths. When they see accomplishments that seem to surpass their own, they look at them not with envy but with an eagerness to learn and openness to seeing new possibilities for expanding their own proficiency. When they meet others whose emerging skills they can foster, they generously share, glad for having met a kindred spirit.

Winners are curious and daring when confronted with boundaries. They take the risk of moving past their fears. They’re willing to make mistakes and believe that the only defeat is the one they permit to stand. They continuously seek out experiences that will show them new facets of themselves.

Above all, they focus on their ever-expanding dreams. They keep a keen eye on their interior visions for emerging possibilities. They seek out the things they can refine, hone, sculpt, beautify, or strengthen. And they do it as a matter of course, as naturally as they breathe. Because that is what life means to them, and what gives their lives meaning for us all.

Winning begins with recognizing your dream, with hearing its call and daring to follow where it leads you. Not only will it lead you to rewards beyond what you imagine, but it will create for you a path of satisfaction and genuine joy. Find your dream; it’s waiting to shape you into the best you can be.

Susan K. Minarik is the author of Winning the Tomorrow Game—How to Discover and Create the Life of Your Dreams Subscribe to her free dream-builder ezine, The Magical Mirror at http://www.thetomorrowgame.com

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by Randall Stewart
People who have great, positive attitudes believe in themselves. They are able to focus on opportunities not obstacles, and are persistent in finding solutions to challenges. In order to develop a more positive attitude, one needs to start by having an open mind to change. You must be willing to step outside of your comfort zone for awhile in order to grow. How could anyone expect to create positive change in his or her life if they keep doing the same non-supportive behavior over and over again? This is a perfect example of insanity at work.

Life is all about choices, whether they be good or bad. Now is the time to take full responsibility for your thoughts and behavior; stop making excuses or justifying your actions. If you truly desire transforming your life for the better, then you must give yourself permission to attract more abundance, prosperity and joy into your life. Developing positive, supportive habits through declarations will dramatically change your lifestyle and move you closer to achieving your dreams and being more successful in all aspects of your life.

Declarations are one tool that you can use to change your non-supporting, limiting beliefs and improve your attitude. Simply put, a declaration is a verbal statement of intention to either be or do something. To be the most effective, a declaration needs to be a positive affirmation stated aloud in a formal manner with physical actions. The more senses that you can engage in the process, the easier it will be to create permanent, positive change. As silly as this may sound, stand in front of a mirror to jest and smile as you make your declarations. Have some fun changing your mindset.

To experience true success, in all of its senses, you need a rich, meaningful, balance between your spiritual life, your relationships with family, friends and colleagues, your understanding of the world around you, your physical and mental health, and your finances and career. It is obvious that in order to achieve greater success in all aspects of your life you need to develop a list of declarations that will address each fundamental area. The following twelve declarations are designed to not only help you reach your full potential, but also to add value to other people’s lives. They enable you to pursue your higher purpose in life of making a positive difference in this world through your unique talents, skills and gifts.

1. I am richly blessed every day since my life purpose is aligned with God’s higher purpose for me.

2. I deserve to have more abundance and prosperity in my life because I add value to other’s lives.

3. I am truly grateful for all of the people, experiences and opportunities that have come into my life.

4. My legacy is my unconditional love for others.

5. I spend quality time and use effective communication in nurturing my core relationships.

6. I attract the ideal people into my life who support my efforts.

7. I am open to constantly learning and improving my mental capacity.

8. My healthy lifestyle gives me optimal physical well-being.

9. My total success attitude guides my actions to produce the results that allow me to reach my full potential.

10. I choose to create the beliefs and attitudes that support my dreams.

11. My multiple streams of income allow me to be financially free.

12. I constantly seek lucrative opportunities to leverage both my time and money.

Practice these declarations twice a day, preferably once in the morning and once at night, for the next couple of months. You will be amazed at how effective this technique is in transforming your beliefs and attitudes.

As a final note, live your life to the fullest in joy and gratitude one day at a time. Focus on the present and what you can change for the better in the moment. Keep in mind that life should be fun. Here’s to your on-going success.

Randall Stewart has been involved in success training and personal coaching for the past 25 years and is the author of “Success is a Four-Letter Word: Learn How to Bring More Abundance & Prosperity into Your Life”. He has taught in the corporate, university and public school sectors across Canada. To find out more about Randall’s self improvement courses or to subscribe to his free newsletter, go to http://www.SuccessorizeYourself.com.

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by Prince Oversol
What’s really interesting is that how do people go through the usual part of life when faced with vein-popping stress? I mean, the new age thing like Zen or yoga is one of the good things and it actually works. Is there room for the intellectual side of people who can actually smell the roses-in-a-can while on the move? It kind of had me thinking that there really must be something in this ‘mind-over-matter’ thing.
Humor is indeed the best medicine there is whenever you are. I mean anyone can pay good money to listen to a comedian just to make you wet your pants after laughing so hard. Despite of what’s been happening, and to those who has gone though the ordeal, it’s better to just laugh while facing the troubles with a clear mind than anger with a clouded vision. One of my favorite celebrities of all time may have to be Woody Allen. Now this is one guy who gives you the in-your-face bluntness that he pulls out with gusto, even without even trying. You can talk just about anything with a man, and he’s bound to mock the subject and you’ll end up laughing rather than being upset about it.

Woody Allen has this to say:

1. “Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.” It sounds good to me, I mean the practicality of all things does involve money but it doesn’t have to take an arm and a leg to get it.

2. “I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it’s the government.” ‘Nuff said.

3. “There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?” This happens to be one of the classic ones. I mean the issue about life’s little problems isn’t all that bad, until ‘he’ shows up.
Sure, relationships can get complicated, or does have its complications that probably any author about relationships is bound to discover it soon. We follow what our heart desires, unless you’re talking about the heart as in the heart that pump blood throughout your body.

4. “Love is the answer, but while you’re waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions.” And if you want more, just keep on asking!

5. “A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to go to bed with me, she said ‘no’.” It sounds, ‘practical’, I think.
And when it comes to everyday life, he really knows how to make the best out of every possible scenario, and it doesn’t involve a lawsuit if he strikes a nerve.

6. “Basically my wife was immature. I’d be at home in the bath and she’d come in and sink my boats.” I never had a boat in my bathtub before. Just staring at it while soaking in hot water makes me seasick already.

7. “I am not afraid of death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” If it rains, it pours.

8. “I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.” It could get worse when you’re guzzling on beer… or mouthwash, and it happened to me once!

9. “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” At least he doesn’t smite us with lightning, and I’m thankful for that.
And despite of what may happen to all of us in the next ten, twenty, or even thirty years, I guess we all have to see things in a different kind of light and not just perspective. I can’t seem to imagine life without any piece of wisdom that could guide us. Whether we’re religious or not, it takes more courage to accept your fears and learn how to deal with them is all that matters when it comes to even just getting along.
And to sum things up, here is the last nugget of wisdom to go by… however, whenever, and wherever we may be.

10. “The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don’t have.”

Thats all for now!

Prince is a Self Improvement enthusiast who enjoys Martials Arts in his spare time. His other hobbies include Online Marketing, Reading and Investment strategies. Contact him at Self Improvement Techniques or view his hottest promotions at Blazing Hot Products!.

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by Craig Harper
We all understand what happens to our body as it ages.

Without intervention (an exercise/activity program) we know that our muscles waste, our lung capacity decreases, our heart gets weaker, our bones become brittle, our flexibility and mobility decrease, our reaction time slows, our posture suffers, we move slower and we become more susceptible to illness and injury.

Unless of course we happen to live a naturally active lifestyle (one where we regularly expend lots of energy, move, lift, stress our body… consistently do stuff physically).

I have spoken before on this site about a concept called biological age (also known as physiological age) and we have established that by controlling certain variables (diet, lifestyle, exercise, stress levels) we can absolutely turn back our body clock. Even though we may be fifty (chronologically) we can ‘build’ ourself the body equivalent to that of a typical thirty year-old (in terms of cardio-vascular function, strength, bone density, blood pressure, flexibility).

If you’ve punished your body for fifty years it may be a different story of course… but at the very least, you can turn back the clock at little and see a notable improvement in health, physical function and overall fitness.

What happens (typically) with a large percentage of the population is that we get to a point in time when we simply stop moving as much. We stop lifting, walking, hammering, climbing, cleaning, working…. doing physical stuff. And as soon as this happens our body begins to age at a faster rate. It’s hard to quantify (the rate of ageing) as it varies from person to person… but let’s just go with… a much greater rate.

(Than our active counterparts).

For many people, retirement should be renamed the-beginning-of-the-end; they stop doing pretty much everything that kept them in shape (I’m talking about from a health and function perspective here… not from a looking incredible perspective).

I’m not suggesting that we all work until we’re ninety five… but for some people, the day they retire is the day they stop using their mind and their body (in a significant way).

The day they begin to deteriorate.

Ironic, when you consider how excited most people are about that day.

And while it’s common and ‘normal’ for some of us to train our body in an effort to stay young physically, surprisingly, the majority of us don’t consciously take a similar approach when it comes to keeping our mind in shape (that is, consciously ‘exercising’ our mind like we do our body).

Interesting when we consider these two facts:

1) People typically slow down mentally as they age…. short-term memory loss (where are my keys?), process information slower, find it harder to concentrate and focus, more easily confused, become vague and tend to be less creative and less adventurous.

2) They don’t have to! Countless studies (and simple observation) tell us that our mind, like any other muscle (okay, it’s not a muscle but you get my point), needs to be trained to stay in shape. Excluding people with specific medical conditions, we find that people who have remained mentally active as they have aged typically see little (or no) deterioration in their level of brain function.

The moment we stop using it… we start losing it.

The good news is that our brain (like our body) is amazing and can adapt (grow ‘muscle’) at any age. We can (to an extent) undo some (if not most) of the damage.

It’s great to be in shape physically but what’s the point of having four percent body-fat, Olympian biceps and veins on our veins, if we have a mind like a Dalmatian?

So after two hundred years of helping people get in shape physically, here are my tips for developing and maintaining a high-performance mind.

1. Set goals.

The moment we stop setting goals is the moment we start going backwards.

Without goals we don’t have to think, plan, rationalise, problem solve or create (as much).

2. Laugh.

It’s not illegal to laugh, be silly or have fun as you age. Although some grumpy old farts will take me to task on this… they’re wrong.

“Hey Johnnie… pull my finger.”

(So juvenile).

3. Play.

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.”

Two of my favourite people in the world are a (nearly) seventy years-young couple who ski, ride mountain bikes, run up and down sand dunes, hike, lift weights, travel, help others, play practical jokes and hang out with ’silly’ young people.

4. Study.

You don’t have to go back to college and get your PhD. (although you might) but maybe explore short courses, workshops… something to blow out those cerebral cob webs and get those rusty cogs turning once again.

Most people stop (consciously) learning when they finish school.

Pity.

One of my staff (Rona) is fifty two. She started university (for the first time) last year. She will graduate with her bachelors degree (in Exercise Science) when she’s fifty four and has already informed me that she wants to continue studying once she completes her current course. The other day she told me.. “it’s the best thing I’ve ever done… in my life!”

(Condolences to her husband!).

5. Learn a new language.

Research tells us that people who speak two languages (regularly) age (mentally) at a slower rate than their uni-lingual (made that up… I think) buddies. They stay in shape (mentally) for longer… It even delays the onset of Alzheimer’s.

Now, if you spoke three languages…

6. Express yourself creatively.

Write something… a book, some poetry, a business plan, start your own blog.

Paint, draw, sculpt… my father began to paint at sixty five.. and now is an awesome professional artist.

Invent something… a lot of the best inventors are crusty old guys…. c’mon on you crusty old guys… invent something!

7. Read.

And not just romantic novels… read stuff that makes you use your brain… challenges you a little. Makes you think, reason, remember; exercise your brain.

8. Consciously try and remember stuff.

It’s there.. you just need to dust it off.

Find your old school photos and name all your class mates.

Try and remember (and replay in your mind) moments in time.

Your first boyfriend’s, next door neighbour’s, brother’s… name (the one you kissed).

9. Do some mental workouts.

Crosswords - fun and great for your brain.

Puzzles… problem solving stuff… force yourself to think, reason, calculate.

When you have time on your hands is the best time to brain-train… In the car, on the train, bus, waiting rooms.. do maths problems, spell words, try and recall specific information… hmm, what does DNA stand for again?

What is the capital of Poland?

10. Have a project.

Something to keep you thinking, communicating, planning, solving problems, remembering… in general; bench pressing for your brain.

Might be landscaping your property, starting a not-for-profit organisation, building a small business, rebuilding your ‘56 Buick, climbing Everest… whatever it is that keeps you stimulated, learning, adapting, growing and mentally in shape.

Now, what was my first girlfriend’s favourite color and what was that perfume she always wore?

Hang on a minute… what was her name!!

Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci.) is an Australian motivational speaker, qualified exercise scientist, author, columnist, radio presenter, television host and owner of one of the largest personal training centres in the world.Motivational Speaker - Craig Harper

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by Sunny Arora
Many human beings live their life in oblivion as they do not know some of the greatest secrets of living the life of their dreams. You can positive in your outlook but that’s not the only ingredient to succeed in life. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team he locked himself in his room and cried and what was about to come made history. He is one of the best players ever produced on this planet. Every time someone thinks of basketball only one name comes to mind and that’s Michael Jordon. Now what did he know or do? This is the great secret of the great people read on to find out how it can help you as well-

Walt Disney was fired by the editor of a newspaper because he, Disney, had “no good ideas”. And later on in life as we all know and almost every kid is aware of the name Walt Disney. And Disney land is a master piece of creativity. Through out time we have witnessed some great miracles. Now the question I want to ask you now is that what we call a miracle really a miracle? Well this is just a small evidence of the power of the human mind. The secret you are about to discover now can give you almost anything and everything.

Now it’s time to reveal the greatest secret. This is the grand daddy of all. This is what has been hidden from mankind since ages. This secret would give you almost anything and everything you’ve ever desired. This has been used by some of the greatest thinkers and achievers since ages. These secrets are so powerful that they can get you almost anything you desire, wherever you desire, whenever you desire them. Think of it this way it’s like your own personal grand genie but this time you do not have 3 but unlimited number of wishes. It can change your life overnight and after you discover this it will be an absolute life transforming event.

For the first time in history in a world wide event the real secret is being made public read on to find out what the secret really is- The Greatest Secret of Life

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by Ericka Jackson -
The traditional beliefs about attaining success have left us coveting what others have, measuring our success by material accumulation and possessions, and unclear about the full process of bringing forth our destiny. I suspect that due to the pursuit of success, more believers have ended up depressed, oppressed, and doubting themselves. And what’s even more disturbing is that when the secular world looks into the lives of believers, we are often not experiencing the life and life more abundantly that God promises us.

It is time to break up the myths of motivation and the damage it has done to believers in our process of living out the fullness of God’s vision and calling for your life. If we could sort out the weeds among the truth we have been taught, we can learn to flourish in the life that God created you to live.

Don’t get me wrong, dreaming and motivation have had their place. As a matter of fact, motivation and dreaming are the first step to shifting your reality. It’s just time to evolve to the next level of human achievement — visionary attainment. I actually boldly say that is time to stop dreaming and time to align your life with God’s vision for your life.

The humble beginnings of the age of motivation began in the mid-1800’s with Henry David Thoreau’s radical philosophies of the time and evolved into the genre of personal success literature Charles F. Haanel ushered in in 1912. Napolean Hill then based most of his early works on Haanel’s work The Law of Success. Hill then captured a new level of personal success writing in 1937 with Think and Grow Rich, one of the best-selling books of all time. These philosophers and business men shaped what became known as The Philosophy of Achievement and helped an entire generation begin to create firm and deliberate beliefs out of the loose, haphazard thinking of the time.

Even with this philosophical literature opening up minds to what is possible the energy it needed to make the transition from an intellectual experience to real-life was mission. It needed human energy and passion to ignite. This is where motivation came in. Motivation was the missing key that linked the understanding of achievement to the energy it took to get in motion to move toward achievement. Motivation is having the desire and willingness to do something.

Fifty-eight years later, humankind made the shift from motivation philosophy to motivation. It took Hilary Hinton (Zig Ziglar) to come along and pave the way to an entire new industry of motivational speaking in 1970. Ziglar began the era of people keeping themselves energized and create the positive mindset it took to nurture their dreams. Motivation was a critical component in this evolution and it got us dreaming, which opens the doors to new possibility. Since the onset of the motivation movement, it has become evident that motivation is fleeting. Even the Father of motivation, Zig Ziglar, says, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.”

It has taken 37 years to come to a new crossroads. Now that you are all motivated and know how to tap into your positive thinking, the next evolutionary step is to master the process of attainment — actually living the life that you have been taught to dream about. There is something greater than dreaming and even your individual vision and it’s time to usher it in — God’s vision.

But first, we have to uproot the myths that have gotten in the way. The concepts and teachings of the motivation movement have thwarted believer’s ability to bring forth God’s vision for their lives. There are some fundamental spiritual truths that have been omitted from the equation of success that have left believers frustrated and unable to tap into the wealth we so often see being exuded from the pulpits of churches. Our addiction to motivation has led more believers than ever to experience depression, oppression and darkness in their lives.

Let’s take a look at a few of the top myths of success that do not fully align with The Word and uncover some beliefs that you, as a believer may have all learned.

Myth #1: You can do anything you set your mind to. Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.

The Truth: You can do anything through Christ who strengthens you and only a shadow of what you can do with Christ on your own. Even when you set your mind to it and adjust your attitude, God has pre-destined and called you for a specific purpose. And once He has allowed you to go through the fire to burn off your impurities and at the right season and time according to your measure of faith, the fullness of His vision for your life will manifest. It is when you apply your renewed, Christ-like mind to your calling that you can achieve all things that God created you to achieve.

Myth #2: Whatever you can conceive and believe, you can achieve. All things are possible for those who believe.

The Truth: While you conceive with you mind, this is only 1/3 of the picture. Not only must you be able to conceive what you desire, your spirit must align with what you deeply desire and your body or actions must fully support it. Even greater than all of these, it must be part of your calling or God’s predestined plan for you. It is God who plants your desire within you and therefore your challenge is to align your will with his will for your life through your thoughts, faith, works or action, calling and most of all, obedience.

Myth #3: If you persist and work hard, you can have anything you want.

The Truth: How many times has this been said from the stage? It is usually accompanied by pictures of large homes, yachts, and exotic cars owned by the speaker and the old adage, “Do what I’ve done and you’ll get what I’ve got.”

It is not by your works, education level or know-how alone that you achieve, God gives you the power to obtain wealth. Scripture reminds us that seeking The Lord first and foremost in your life, you should not want, but walk in the dominion and authority He has bestowed upon you. You are not to covet the material gain of others, but know that your blessings have your name and only your name on them.

Myth #4: Follow your dreams. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you imagined.

The Truth: If you seek the Kingdom of God first, all things will be added to you. Allowing your dreams to lead you can leave you down the road of someone else’s calling and purpose. Get clear about what God has created you to do, commit to it, and then, and only then, will you have access to all that God has set aside and promised you.

The part the no one talks about is the test phase that is an integral part of the process of attaining God’s vision. You will undergo a major, life-questioning test to prove your worthiness, seriousness, and commitment to step into the things of God. There is a the part of the teachings of the motivational movement that will always live on — keep persisting and don’t quit because there are great rewards in fully giving yourself over to God’s promise of life and life more abundantly.

With All My Heart,
Ericka

Ericka D. Jackson provides individuals, organizations, and churches with the tools to achieve God’s vision for their lives. Visit http://www.erickajackson.com for insights, techniques and resources to fulfill your calling.

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by Jacklyn Ker
Why is it so important to live a positive and optimistic life?

Because it can lead to a so much more fulfilling life. Optimism is synonymous with positive mood and good morale. It is also linked to successes in athletic, academic, career, business, better health and lasting relationships. And further more, positive individuals are much more attractive to people than negative people!

Ironically, the rates of depression and pessimism among people have never been higher than they are today, no matter the age group. These days it is affecting older, middle aged and even the younger people all the same way.

Although it is not the easiest thing in the world to change in our life, it is important to realize that being an optimist or pessimist is a matter of choice. We can choose to be positive or negative. In the real world, positive people are hit by the same hard smacks in life as do the negative people. The difference is just in the way they choose to respond to it. Positive and optimistic people tend to be convinced that these moments of pain are temporary set backs and that these events are challenges or opportunities as lessons learned and they get stimulated to move on even further!
On the other hand, negative and pessimistic people tend to believe that unfortunate events have an influence on everything they do in life and they are convinced that such situations will last a long, long time. Then, they start to blame everything else in the world, and think that it is ok to soak themselves in negative mood.Positive people are hardly ever manipulative people and they appear to be far less dependent on others for their own happiness. They have the natural talent to draw people towards them, because they are surrounded with positive, balanced and cheerful energy.

Positive people are also much more stress resistant. They are perseverant and they don’t give up easily. And it is in this way that they seem to get closer to their dream or passion each step of the way.Positive people are also much more stress resistant. They are perseverant and they don’t give up easily. And it is in this way that they seem to get closer to their dream or passion each step of the way.

Negative people tend to react strongly to stressful events, sometimes by denying that stress is bothering them. Moreover negative or pessimistic people tend to avoid dealing with their negative situations and they give up more easily when problems or difficulties arise.

Positive people are also much more stress resistant. They are perseverant and they don’t give up easily. And it is in this way that they seem to get closer to their dream or passion each step of the way.

Negative people tend to react strongly to stressful events, sometimes by denying that stress is bothering them. Moreover negative or pessimistic people tend to avoid dealing with their negative situations and they give up more easily when problems or difficulties arise.

Medical research has shown that positive people have better health and they age well, without having to go through the illnesses that middle aged people tend to go through. Their bodies appear to have a much higher stamina level, better immune system to fight diseases and they usually live older than the people who allow their lives to be lead by negativity.

All in all, when you are not such a positive and optimistic person, there is every reason to learn to become one. Remember it is all a matter of choice!

Each and everyone of us get hit in life, but it is your choice whether you want to stay in that place, or not. At one point of time I wasted 12 years of my life because I chose to see the negative side of my situation. It was a long hard lesson learned, and now, I’ve turned that experience into my strength! Find the positive message in each negative experience. There is always one!

Finding this positive lesson will open your world again, so that you can create new focus. By letting go of your negative ideas of your internal struggles you find new inspiration.

Let’s get back on track! Focus a clear positive goal ahead of you and challenge yourself to see difficult situations as opportunities, instead of allowing them to bring you down. Together, we shall see each other at the top!

Jacklyn Ker’s experience of overcoming life adversities has lead her to her mission of inspiring and empowering others. Visit her @ www.JacklynKer.com which focus on Personal Development, Motivation, Inspiration and Empowerment.

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by
It’s been said that human beings are motivated to play any game they believe they can win. The inevitable inverse of this behavioral truism probably reveals much about why many people stop short of making their body improvement dreams a reality. They’re simply not convinced they possess the fortitude or know-how to bring to fruition what they’d consider to be “winning” at this game. Thus, they opt to carry on the seemingly painless status quo of remaining ‘out of shape’ rather than risk what they’d consider as “losing”; another failed diet or unfinished ‘get-in-shape’ resolution. This is often the deep-seated cause of procrastination.

Many times, this mental phenomenon is at the root of what has us put off taking action toward any life-improving yet challenging desire. The need to avoid what we perceive to be possible future pain can create an internal representation that’s infinitely more real than the picture we see of possible future benefit from taking action. It is for this reason that a powerful catalyst is often needed to get us from a “stuck state” into a state of movement toward a goal. And the best catalyst for doing just that has always been and always will be the power of ‘Reasons’.

We need strong and compelling reasons to start anything worthwhile. We need reasons that excite us and override the downward pull of intrinsic human complacency. Sometimes we need reasons that include the benefits to be bestowed upon people close to us. But regardless of the subjective structure or reach of our reasons, we need them to be personally powerful enough to light the fuse of our powder keg of passion that blasts us into movement from a dead standstill. In short, we need reasons that spawn action.

Before beginning the steps toward any challenging goal, you will increase your odds of following through until its accomplishment if you consciously and exhaustively list the reasons you wish to achieve that goal. This can be done in your head or on paper. However, putting it down on paper will ensure the exhaustiveness that allows the weight of your reasons to override any tendency toward quitting prior to accomplishment of what you’ve set out to do. So a goal written at the top of your paper and a long list of the benefits of achieving it written underneath can both ignite and sustain motivational fire.

But what if you take that a step further? What if you write down every reason in the form of positive benefits that will come to you on one side of the paper and everything you’ll miss out on if you don’t accomplish the goal on the other side? In addition, you could write down indirect effects of each of these scenarios. So if your goal is getting your body into lean, hard, and muscular shape, your list of benefits could be like this:

1. More energy
2. More attractiveness
3. Better health
4. Higher self-esteem
5. Improved hormone ratios

However, your list of secondary beneficial reasons that are offshoots of the primary one’s could go on and on:

1. Increased career productivity = more promotions = higher income = better lifestyle…

2. Able to attract a mate or re-kindle a flagging relationship = more affection = security.

3. Increased energy/vitality = more enjoyable life = positive demeanor = better relationships.

4. Better performance at everything = more positive impact = more fulfilling life.

5. Better sex = ….. Improved sex life.

After writing out as many positive reasons as possible, you can create a lot of “moving-away-from motivation” by writing down the inverse of these benefits. You can make a list of all the great things you might never experience if you don’t get your body in to better shape. While some would argue that we should only use positive “moving-toward reasons”, many of us need the perception of future pain to jar ourselves out of a stuck state of no movement. So let’s just take the first two benefits above and use them as examples:

1. If I never get in shape, I could miss out on all the benefits of higher energy levels. I might lose countless hours of productivity that having more energy could produce. This lost productivity could equate to lost income, lifestyle, health and self-esteem.

2. If I get further out of shape, I could lose the opportunity to attract a special person in to my life, or (if “spoken for”) I might lose attractiveness in the eyes of my spouse or significant other.

I’m sure you get the idea. Whenever you have trouble mustering motivation to accomplish a challenging goal, start accumulating your reasons. Gather and internalize both the positive gains you’ll acquire when you’ve achieved the goal and everything you could lose if you don’t. Doing this can both shoot you out of the starting gate into action and give you seemingly unstoppable momentum once you’re moving.

Scott Abbett is the author of HardBody Success: 28 Principles to Create Your Ultimate Body and Shape Your Mind for Incredible Success. To see his personal transformation, visit http://www.hardbodysuccess.com>www.hardbodysuccess.com

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by Ralston Heath
What are the two main motivators in life? The main motivators are pleasure and pain. Pain may sometimes be the only reason why people change. For example getting flunking grades may make us realize that we need to study. Debts remind us of our inability to find a better source of income. Being humiliated gives us the ‘push’ to speak up and fight for ourselves to save our face from the next embarrassments.

It may be a bitter experience, a friend’s tragic story, a great movie, or an inspiring book that will help us get up and get just the right amount of motivation we need in order to improve ourselves.

Growth is a process; thus to grow is a day-to-day endeavor. We win some, we lose some, but the important thing is that we learn, and from this knowledge, further growth is made possible.

So what is it that makes us do stuff? What is the reason behind being alive? One word: Happiness! To be happy is what drives us, it is the reason we do things. So find out what will make you happy, and then just do it.

The first thing you must do is discover what it is you want to be, what it is you want to do. If need be, set a short term goal of being something until you discover what you want to do. For example you just can not think of anything that you want to be or do. This is because your dreams have been crushed so many times that they just won’t work for you any more. So pick something, anything to get started.

Let’s say you choose to be security guard, maybe you never thought of it before, but you can’t think of anything else. So you find out what you need to do to be a security guard. Then take the steps necessary to become one, like putting in applications, etc.

After a while you will become a security guard, then your dream machine will reawaken and you can contemplate your future while getting paid for doing something. Once you discover what you truly want to be, you can take steps from there to do it and get to where you truly want to be.

Achieve your dreams. Avoid negative people, things and places. Eleanor Roosevelt once said; “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Ignore those who try to destroy you. Don’t let other people to get the best of you. Stay out of toxic people — the kind of friends who hates to hear about your success.

Believe in your self, and in what you can do. Consider things on every angle and aspect. Motivation comes from determination. To be able to understand life, you should feel the sun from both sides.

Don’t give in and don’t give up. Thomas Edison failed more than a few times before he came up with his invention and perfected the incandescent light bulb. Learn from mistakes; build on them as you now know what works and what does not.

Make motivation your steering wheel. Why do you get up in the morning? What is it that gives you the desire to do something? Find that something and keep it in font of you, this will help you get things done. Getting things done will in turn; make your life better.

Enjoy your life: Work as if you don’t need money. Dance as if nobody’s watching. Love as if you never cried. Learn as if you’ll live forever. Motivation takes place when people are happy.

Family and Friends — are life’s greatest ‘F’ treasures. Don’t loose sight of them.

Give more than what is enough. Where does motivation and self-improvement take place? At work; at home; at school; wherever you go, there you are, and that is where your motivation takes place. When you exert extra effort in doing things, you find the results are measurably improved, and this causes happiness.

Hang on to your dreams. They may dangle in there for a moment, but these little stars will be your driving force. Never lie, cheat or steal. Always play a fair game.

Just be yourself: One of the keys to success is to be you. Remember you are the only person wearing your skin, so make it count. A giant clue here: The key to failure is to try to please everyone else.

Keep trying no matter how hard life may seem. When a person is motivated, eventually he sees a harsh life finally clearing out, becoming better, easier and less stressful.

Learn to love your self. You are all you have, if you do not love yourself, you will never know when someone loves you.

Make things happen. Motivation is when your dreams are put into work clothes.

Open your eyes. People should learn the horse attitude and horse sense. They see things in 2 ways; how they want things to be, and how they should be.

Practice makes perfect. Practice is about motivation. It lets us learn our skills, and how can we recover from our mistakes. Quitters never win. And winners never quit. So, choose your fate; are you going to be a quitter, or a winner?

Ready yourself. Motivation is also about preparation. We must hear the little voice within us telling us to get started, before others get on their feet and try to push us around. Remember, it wasn’t raining when Noah build the ark.

Be Blessed

The Guide to Setting Goals

Did you like this article by Ralston Heath? You can find more on his Blog: http://true-happiness.blogspot.com/

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