Reap Exceptional Results by Using This Golden Rule

Monday’s Tip for the Week:  Don’t think for one minute that you will reap exceptional outcomes by ignoring the small details.  Every detail counts, no matter how small.

According to Gary Ryan Blair “If you long to accomplish great and noble tasks, you first must learn to approach every task as though it were great and noble.”  Even the success of the largest projects hinges on the successful execution of the smallest details.

You may often see a person lessen the importance of smaller details.  Even going as far as dismissing them altogether.

Don’t follow along in those paths.  Every bit of where you live, work, and play is nothing more than an accumulation of the smallest of details.

Think about it.  When asked how old we are we answer in years.  But it is the seconds, minutes and hours that make up our daily lives.  Every second of our daily lives is important.  Each action that we perform during those seconds impact the overall turnout of our lives.

It is no surprise why successful people pay attention to detail in order to reap exceptional outcomes.  Criminal investigators know that in order to catch a criminal you have to take notice of the smallest detail.  Coaches and athletes know that the slightest loss of concentration could deliver the win to the opposing team.  People in the medical field are aware that the slightest miscalculation could result in great liability.

I’ve said all of this to stress that if you want to have exceptional outcomes and reach excellence you have to take the time to do the small things correctly each and every time.

If you take the time to give careful attention to every detail, including the tiny ones then you are sure to reap exceptional outcomes.

You will find that those who produce excellent quality are not doing so by wielding some sort of magic.  They are simply taking the time to take care of the small details.  They know that to achieve excellence they must give attention to seemingly irrelevant details.  They know that they must go the extra mile. 

True leaders set themselves apart and reap exceptional outcomes by going the extra mile.  They are always willing to go above and beyond the call of duty.  This type of attitude is what yields them the excellence that they become known for.

In order to be a leader you have to do more than just your fair share.  Superior performance does not come as the result of ordinary efforts.

You need to become comfortable with the fact that if you want to reap exceptional outcomes and succeed past your competitors you are going to need to exert an extra effort.  You will need to perform at a rate that will exceed all expectations every time.

(This article was written via ‘How to Use ThisGolden Rule to Achieve Superior Results’ by Gary Ryan Blair)  

If you learned anything new from this post then please leave a comment.

How to Stay Very Focused No Matter What

No matter what your station of life is you are going to run into rabbit holes of procrastination.  This applies to everyone from the aspiring student to the seasoned professional.  Everyone gets distracted by things that aren’t essential.  Everyone has a moment when they neglect to stay focused on the things that are essential.

Sometimes we lose focus unintentionally.  Sometimes our subconscious mind allows us to lose focus because we are afraid to do the thing that we should be doing.  There is the fear of failure. You might be afraid that when you are finished the results will be flawed or that you are just not ready to do it.

You are right.  There is always the chance that you might fail.  However, failure is certain if you don’t push forward and just do it. 

Don’t allow procrastination or confusion to divert you from your goals.

Don’t become so preoccupied with the tenth step that you don’t take the first step and don’t become so preoccupied with the details that you neglect the really important things.

Don’t worry.  You are not the only one that does not stay focused on what really matters and has succumbed to self-sabotage.  You are not the only one who has had the fear of failure.  Consider the following paragraphs and how they can help you to stay focused on what is important.

The first thing that you need to do to stay focused on what really matters is to recognize the things that tinkle like a little bell and the things that clash like the sound of a symbol.  The things that tinkle are the little details.  They are important but are not urgent.  The things that clash like a resounding symbol are the things that need to be done right away.  They are the things that directly affect your ability to make money.

Push the things that tinkle back and do them later or have someone else do them.  Focus on the things that clash.

The second thing that you need to do to stay focused on what really matters is to carefully put together a to-do list for each day.  Make this list each night for the following day.  Put the things that clash at the top of the list.  Bedros Keuilian gives a very useful list of the questions that you need to ask while making the list.  The questions are the following:

1.       “Will my business or life be negatively affected if I don’t do this tomorrow?

2.       Does this thing further my #1 goal or priority?

3.       Does it need to be done right now?

4.       Does it directly make me money?

5.       Is it in my zone of genius?

6.       Am I the only one who can do this or can it be delegated to someone else?

These questions will help you stay focused on what really matters.  If it does not pass the test of these questions it should be added to the end of the list with the things that tinkle.

Once you start implementing these steps you will find that you have accomplished a lot of really important things.  You will also find that your momentum has increased as well as your efficiency.

Applying these two steps will increase your success as well as energy and free time.

It is good to be successful and to make a lot of money.  It is even better to have the time to enjoy that money.

Stay focused on what matters now so that later you can enjoy what really matters.

(This article was written via ‘How to Get and StayFocused’ by Bedros Keuilian) 

If you learned anything new from this post then please leave a comment.

Announcing the Best Places to Retire to In the US

It is difficult to know if you should move or not when it comes time to retire.  Time and thought need to be put into pinpointing the best places to retire to.  If this is the first time you are thinking about retirement there are a lot of factors that you need to consider.  You need to consider weather, social climate, cost of living and health care.  Not to forget financial considerations.

When thinking about the best places to retire to you need to think about how retirement is going to affect you financially.  You don’t want to be put in the spot where you have to choose between doing something you love or buying something you love and running out of money.

If you look around you will find plenty of periodicals that claim they know the best places to retire.  They might show you pictures of small towns when the weather is at its best.

These pictures of perfect weather and quaint little towns are all well and good.  However, if you are like most people who are looking to retire you would feel that the best places to retire to would be the places that will be easy on the pockets.

Often times people think that the best places to retire to are outside of the U.S.  In fact, there are plenty of places outside of the US that are very cost effective.  The problem is that most people don’t want to move out of the country.  They feel it would be too far from family.  Also the cost of moving overseas can stretch way beyond the budget of most retirees.  No need to worry.  There are places to retire that are cost effective right her in the United States.

Florida is the premiere of retirement states.  It is by far not just among the best places to retire to but is the best place to retire to.  Its reputation is well earned.  The housing costs in Florida are not too expensive and the tax rates are low.  To add to its retirement cocktail, Florida does not collect state income tax.  In Florida, you are also not paying taxes on the money that you withdraw from retirement accounts.

The weather in Florida is also inviting.  There is plenty of sunshine and warm weather.

When considering the best places to retire to, Tennessee is the second most desired retirement state.  It is very retiree friendly.  Just like Florida it does not charge income or social security taxes.  The average house in Tennessee cost in the mid-$200,000.  Unlike most of Florida you get your basic four seasons in Tennessee.  The scenery in Tennessee is beautiful.  There are mountains, lakefronts, rivers and even a little city life.

When considering the best places to retire to, Wyoming is third on the list of retiree friendly states.  It also does not have income or social security taxes.  To add to its ability to be pocket friendly, the state sales tax is only 4%.  Wyoming is the “least-populated state in the U.S.”  You can really stretch out and enjoy the quiet and relaxing atmosphere of Wyoming.

The three retiree friendly states that are mentioned in this article are exceptional choices to retire to.  They are friendly to the pocket and offer other attributes that are appreciated during retirement.  Don’t just take my word for it.  Go online and do a little research for yourself.  You will find that Florida, Tennessee and Wyoming are the most retirement friendly states in the U.S.

(This article was written via ‘The Top Three Placesto Retire in the U.S.’ by Dr. David Elfrig)

If you learned anything new from this post then please leave a comment.

Introducing Several Ways to Beat Temptation

Wednesday’s Wisdom:  Don’t take for granted that your willpower will just kick in and beat temptation when you need it.  Take active steps to conserve your willpower and exercise it to keep it strong.

This article is going to show you how to get past moments of temptation as well as will give a four-step plan that will help you overcome random triggers to bad habits that you would like to quit.

Willpower is a Muscle

It may not have dawned on you, but willpower is a muscle.  Willpower gets weak when you don’t use it just like your muscles.  If you want your willpower to become stronger you have to exercise it like you would any other muscle.  Willpower has its limits of what it can do before it fails just like your other muscles.  Willpower needs time between workouts to gain the benefit of a previous workout just like your other muscles

I’m sure you get the picture.  The more you pull on your willpower the less resources you will have to resist that next temptation.

One Temptation is Not Just As Good As Another

Not all temptations are created equal.  There are some temptations that take zero mental effort to resist and others that take just about every fiber of your being to resist.  I will now list two ways to cheat temptation.

1.        Start habits that take your mind far from the temptation.

If you begin a new habit and follow it every day it will take minimal effort to resist temptation.  If your habit becomes an automatic response then no effort will be needed to resist the temptation.

2.       Pinpoint Triggers and Practice Avoiding Them.

Triggers can be smells, people, times of the day, sights or sounds.  Triggers are the cause of habits that fail and willpower that breaks.  Triggers can be bad habits.  For instance, you might leave your work to watch a particular show that you have gotten into the habit of watching.  You have gotten into the habit of watching that show and become very anxious when the time of day arises and you are not in front of the television.  That time of day is a trigger.

Your habit could also be a having a snack at a particular time of day.  Once again, the time of the day would be the trigger.

Habits have a lot of power over your life.  Habits can impact your life positively.  Bad habits, however, often take a concentrated effort to break.  The good news is that you can spend the same amount of effort to break a bad habit as you would to replace that bad habit with a good one.

Several Steps to Beat Temptation

1.        Identify the habit.

2.       Identify the Triggers.  During this stage you simply want to record when you actually break down and indulge in the habit.

3.       Identify the Obstacles.  Once you have collected the data look for patterns.  For instance every morning, on your way to work, you stop at Dunkin Doughnuts and get coffee.  You are often tempted to buy a doughnut.  You actually fail and buy a doughnut two times out of each week.

4.       Develop If – Then Scenarios.  Create a list of actions that you will complete when you are tempted.  For example, the days that you do not buy a doughnut are draining your willpower.  Buying the Dunkin Doughnuts coffee is the trigger.  You can avoid this trigger by eating a healthy breakfast before leaving in the mornings and buying a coffee maker to make coffee at home.  Other ways to enact an if – then plan is to simply avoid people, sights, locations, or sounds.

Conclusion

It really is easy to beat temptation.  The less you give your willpower to do the simpler it will become to develop good habits.  Good habits allow for your willpower reserve to be filled and available to be put to other temptations that might arise. 

I hope this article has helped you to develop ways to strengthen your willpower and beat temptation.

(This article was written via “4 Ways toOvercoming Your Willpower Triggers” by S. J. Scott)

If you learned anything new from this post then please leave a comment.

Partnerships: The True Deal

The Wrong Approach to Business

There are some people who will not be happy with a deal unless they have beaten the other party down to a pulp.  This is an approach to business that is inefficient and mean.  Often this type of approach to business ends up backfiring.

The reason why is simple.  Consider the following.  Let’s just say that you are building a new driveway to your house.  You ask contractors for bids and you choose the lowest bidder.  You barter him down on the price.  Because he needs the work he agrees to build your driveway for what it would cost him.

At this point you are feeling pretty good.

You fail to be aware that in building a driveway you sometimes have to make changes.  You make the changes and each time you do the contractor sticks it to you. 

By the time the driveway is completed the contractor would have gotten his profit.  In fact it ends up costing more than it would have if you had just allowed the contractor to have a profit in the first place.  Not only would you have paid more but you have now made a new enemy.

A Reasonable Approach to Business

It can be learned, sometimes the hard way, that the cheapest deal is not always the best deal.  Instead of focusing on securing the cheapest deal consider looking for the following things.  Look for someone who is a good match.  Someone that will bring something useful to the table.  Also look for someone that has a personality that will mesh well with yours.  Make sure it is someone that you will enjoy working with.  Finally, make sure that it is a good deal.  Make sure that it is a deal that would be profitable for both you and the contractor.

The Win-Win Approach to Business

The win-win approach to business is by far the best approach to a business partnership.  It is an approach to business that benefits both parties.

Usually, the reason why someone enters into a business partnership is to benefit financially.  It defeats the purpose of one side of the partnership if all of the benefits of the partnership falls on the other side.  Usually when this happens the side that is getting the short end of the stick does not perform nearly as well as they would if they were getting a fair share of the pie.  Bad feelings are also harbored when one side of the partnership gets a short end of the stick.  The project does not turn out nearly as well.

If you want to have a project that has good results consider a win-win approach to business.  This way both parties benefit, both parties are more likely to give 100% effort to the project and chances are you will make friends with the other party instead of enemies.

Conclusion

Whenever you consider going into business with someone, whether it be a contractor to build for you or a partner in some other venture, always consider the other person.  Consider how you would feel if the same conditions that you present were presented to you.  Always reach for win-win terms and stand by them.  You will always have a much happier project if all parties walk away with something they are pleased with.

If you learned anything new from this post then please leave a comment.

Have Success: Let Go of Limiting Beliefs

Monday’s Tip of the Week:  Don’t just accept that you can’t do something simply because you think you can’t.  Find out where that thought comes from and decide if it is real or just a perspective.

Trying to succeed while harboring limiting beliefs is like trying to drive with the breaks on.  It’s not as if you don’t know what you need to do to succeed because you do.  You just have trouble getting yourself to do what it takes.  Maybe you have fears that are holding you back and you don’t know how to overcome them.

If you’ve done everything that you can to change and have not been able to make the changes stick don’t be too hard on yourself, it really isn’t your fault.

The Journal of Clinical Psychology has published that over 92% of people are not able to independently make lasting changes.

Why is this, you might ask.

Well, it’s simple. Many hold within themselves beliefs that they have learned that continue to hold them back.

Many try to remedy these limiting beliefs by trying to think positively or faking it till you make it or trying to reason their way out of their beliefs.

These solutions are the equivalent of taking pain killers to remedy a compound fracture.

You might feel better for a little while but there is no real fundamental change because you have not addressed the real problem.

There is something that does work.  You have to unlearn limiting beliefs.  The following are ways to let go of limiting beliefs.

Let Go of Limiting Beliefs by No Longer Identifying with the Belief

The reason why most beliefs are difficult to change is because we actually identify with the belief.  The belief actually seems to be a part of us.  For this reason we allow the belief to define us.  If for some reason you don’t think you are creative you will actually view yourself as someone who is not born with that gift.  If you think that you don’t have the ability to fix mechanical problems then you might hold the belief that you are not a mechanical person.  Allowing our beliefs to define us is easy to do.  So to let go of limiting beliefs you must first stop allowing your beliefs to define you.

Start to Let Go of Limiting Beliefs by Finding the Source

Limiting beliefs stem from memories from your past.  Delve into the memories of your past –your childhood, teenage years, early twenties and even recent years.  Try to pinpoint what happened to bring you to this conclusion.  Write down the instances specifically.  An example would be maybe when you were in high school an English teacher told you that your paper did not make the grade.  Therefore you now think that you are a bad writer.  Close your eyes and visualize the scene that led to your limiting belief.  Note how it makes you feel.

Let Go of Limiting Beliefs by Attaching an Alternative Meaning

Know that the example used in the previous step did not form the limiting belief on its own.  In other words, just because a high school teacher expressed disdain for a paper written years ago does not mean that I had to form an idea that I am a bad writer.

I began believing that I am a bad writer because of the way that I interpreted the situation.  The perspective that I chose is responsible for forming the belief.  Mind you, there is a myriad of perspectives that I could have chosen, however I chose one and made it my limiting belief.

The situation did not have meaning until I gave it meaning.  It had no power until I gave it power.

Just think for a moment.  What are some circumstances that you have identified that caused a limiting belief.  What other meanings could the circumstance have had that you have identified.  There are several other perspectives that could have been taken with the English teacher.  For instance, the teacher could have been having a bad day, I was having a bad day when I wrote the paper, the teacher has a different writing style than me, etc.

Close your eyes and visualize the scene that you have identified.  Can you now see that you can attach any meaning that you wish to the circumstance?  You are free to choose the meaning that you give to the event.

Conclusion

It is not difficult to let go of limiting beliefs.  This is true even if the belief has been with you most of your life.  The trick is to identify scenes and perspectives that have caused the limiting belief.  Once you have done this close your eyes and think of other perspectives of that scene.  You will see that instance in your life has no meaning except the one that you gave it.  Do this as often as you need to and let go of limiting beliefs for good.  Take care.

If you learned anything new from this post then please leave a comment.

Look Out for Your Heirs: Update Your Will

The will is a very important document.  It is set in place to protect those we care about should we die or become incapacitated.  Yet, it has been shown through a survey that 86% of the people who have wills or other estate documents have not updated them in five years.  A lot of destruction could happen to your family if you do not update your will.

A Lot Can Happen in Five Years: Update Your Will

A lot can happen in five years.  Congress could make major changes to the gift and estate taxes.  The estate plan that you currently have in place may not take advantage of these changes.  One very good reason to always update your will.

Your family could change a lot in five years.  If you don’t update your will you could inadvertently disinherit new arrivals to your family.  Also, the person that you thought best qualified to be the executor of your estate could pick up a gambling habit within five years.  It would be a shame for the family fortune to be entrusted to hands that have become so untrustworthy.  Another good reason to always update your will.

People are not the only thing that changes, assets change.  For example consider Enron.  People who owned stock in Enron who willed that stock to their heirs and did not update their will did not leave their heirs the fortune that they had intended to.  A third very good reason to always update your will.

The Purpose of Your Estate Plan

The purpose of your estate plan is to give directives of what should happen when you die or become incapacitated.  You would put in place a will that will utilize the “hard structures” of your family.  These are trusts, wills, and advanced directives.  Advanced directives include medical powers of attorney, durable powers of attorney, medical directives and living wills.

Nobody Likes Talking About Death:  Update Your Will Anyway

Let’s face it, who likes talking about death?  The truth is that most people don’t.  USA Today released data that states that 71% of American Adults younger than 34 years old do not have a will.  It also released data that states that 41% of aging baby boomers do not have a will.

Even though nobody likes to talk about dying the truth is that death happens.  Those of us who have families can’t afford to ignore this solemn fact.  Update your will.  Don’t ignore this very important chore because it is an uncomfortable subject.

Don’t think that just because you are young that you don’t need an estate plan.  Sure your estate plan would look different than someone who has assets, a wife and children yet you still need one.  Accidents happen.  If you are in a terrible accident and are in a coma, you would want your family members to be able to make important decisions regarding your medical care.  You would want family members to be able to have the legal authority to get information regarding your condition and to make decisions.

Read Your Will and Advanced Directives

Periodically read your will and trusts.  Doing so would bring to mind if something has changed in your life that needs to be addressed.  Reasons to update your will happens every day.  There could be new marriages, divorces, deaths and births.  You may need to add or delete beneficiaries.  If nothing has changed it is still good to read your will.  This way you always know what’s in it.

It is good to update your advanced directives every three years.  There are financial institutions that won’t honor powers of attorney that are according to them “outdated.”

Conclusion

Review your will annually.  Many things could happen in a year that could cause you to need to update your will.  Death is not the most pleasant topic but don’t let that deter you from reviewing your will.  An up-to-date will is what your family needs in the event that tragedy strikes and you die or are no longer able to make decisions for yourself.

If you learned anything new from this post then please leave a comment.

Learn to Relax More: The Value of Leisure

Like many others, you have probably spent your life pursuing accomplishment.  You have probably had both a challenging and rewarding time.  Think of all of the different hats that you have worn from vocational activities to volunteerism.  Many of the positions you have filled have probably been very fulfilling.  It probably has not dawned on you that in order to accomplish more and have times that are even more fulfilling you have to learn to relax more.

Learn to relax more now

When you think about leisure and relaxation you probably think about the summer time or retirement.  You should not think that way.  You need to find ways to integrate a little leisure time in your daily and weekly routine.

Thinking about work all the time without a moments rest is not conducive to optimal performance.  According to William McNamara, “Possibly the greatest malaise in our country is our neurotic compulsion to work.”

The ancient Greeks also thought that constant work without a break is a recipe for disaster.  Their saying was “You will break the bow if you keep it always bent.”  This simply means that it is important to take time away from work to relax.

Tim Hansel wrote “When work becomes a person’s all consume interest, even if the work is good and necessary, it is idolatry.”

Feeling Frenzied, Frantic, or Frazzled?  You Must Learn to Relax More

If you are feeling frenzied, frantic, or frazzled in your life then consider the following questions.

1.        Does your current pace leave you feeling parched and drained?

2.       Would the world actually cave in if you discontinued some of your activities?

3.       Are you trying to live up to your own expectations in all of your pursuits or someone else’s?

4.       If it were up to you, would you design a life that is so busy?

Learn to Relax More from Others

You may or may not be a religious person.  However it would be worth your while to consider the Hebrews practice of the Sabbath.  The Hebrews believed that the Creator included in our make up a need to rest and reflect, worship and change the pace once a week.

The famous online site Entreprenuer.com  encourages you to learn to relax more.  It suggests that busy entrepreneurs take time to decompress.  It suggests that you take breaks, even if that break is only for a minute.   When it’s time to take a break try tensing your muscles and then letting them relax.  It also suggests that you take fifteen minutes each day to reflect and have downtime.

Conclusion

You must learn to relax more often.  You might think it’s crazy to take time from your busy schedule to do nothing but relax but it really is a necessity.  You are the only you that you have.  If you let you run down then who is going to handle your responsibilities?  You must make time to relax and replenish.  Once you begin doing this you will see a change in your productivity and your life.

If you learned anything new from this post then please leave a comment.

Several Tips to Help You Manage Time Wisely

Wednesday’s Wisdom:  Don’t be afraid to be ruthless when it comes time to setting up rules to manage your time.  Time is money and it is your time and your money that’s in question.

It does not matter what your occupation is when it comes to time management.  All occupations are considered equal when it is time to manage time.  This includes everyone from clerks to physicians.  All must learn to be ruthless with their time.  This is especially true if you are the boss.  Time is money and time that is not well spent cannot be reimbursed.

Manage Time Wisely By Being Firm with Your Time

You must learn to be firm with your time.  One way to become more firm with your time is to avoid unnecessary meetings and unnecessary phone calls.  Another way to become more firm with your time is to work out a schedule that will deliver the maximum productivity and stick to it. 

To become more firm with your time you are going to need to develop a time-efficient mindset.  Avoid allowing what would reasonably be a 10 minute phone call becoming a 30 minute phone call.  In the beginning you might upset some people but more than likely it will gain the respect of others who will accept that your time is valuable.

You will be surprised at how productive you will become just by being more firm with your time.  Be stern about working uninterrupted.  Twenty minutes of working without interruption can produce the same amount and quality of work that it would take two hours to do when constantly being interrupted.  Schedule your most challenging tasks during a time in the day when you receive the least phone calls. 

Manage Time Wisely by Using Voice Mail and by Not Answering Emails Immediately

Building your business takes a lot of creative activity.  You need to take a no nonsense approach to scheduling time when you can work on projects.  When you stop during a project to answer calls or emails you hinder the momentum of your work.  The result is it then often takes double the time to complete a project.

Be ruthless with your time.  Let those who contact you often know that there are certain times of the day that you will not answer phone calls.  The same rule should apply to emails. 

Manage Time Wisely by Disallowing People to “Drop by”

Not allowing people to come by unannounced is another great way to limit interruptions.  Think of the wealthiest of business men.  Do you think that Bill Gates would allow you to drop by unannounced just to view his new office?  Your time should be just as important to you as his is to him.

Manage Time Wisely by Setting Reasonable Expectations

As your business grows, you cannot reasonably be accessible to everyone at all times.  If you start out by answering every call and email immediately people will expect you to continue with that practice.  Don’t start creating expectations that you cannot keep. 

Manage Time Wisely by Responding to Emails at a Set Time Each Day

The best time to answer emails is at the end of the day.  Doing so will inhibit unnecessary email conversations.  Even though some emails might seem urgent the fact is that most emails are not emergencies.  If you start by answering emails immediately then people will expect you to continue to answer emails immediately even when you yourself are in the midst of an emergency.  Build a habit of answering emails at a set time each day.  This will train others to expect answers to their emails during the time of day that you specify.

Manage Time Wisely by Writing and Keeping Schedules

When you are at the close of your business day that is when you should write a schedule for the next day.  Use a template that includes constants like the time you will return calls and emails, the time you will work on projects, the time you will write in your gratitude journal, etc.  Writing and keeping a schedule will help you to organize your day and utilize your time more wisely.

Conclusion

Being ruthless with your time might seem politically incorrect.  It might just be.  However, there is a time when you just have to say enough is enough.  You need all of your time to be maximized to your benefit.  Remember it is your time, your life, and your dreams that we are talking about. 

The Best to You!

If you learned anything new from this article then please leave a comment. 

Beware of the Comparison Trap

We live in a very competitive society.  We are taught to compete with each other from an early age.  We run races in gym class and compete for the competitive spot of Valedictorian.  The tendency to look at others, compare ourselves and try to do better does not stop in school.  When we get older we compare ourselves to our neighbors, people we work with and characters that we see on television or in the movies.

It has become second nature to compare yourself to others.  This is especially true in groups of affluent and talented people.  These are people who are often driven to be the best.  Perhaps it is this striving to be the best that brought them success in the first place.

Compare Yourself to Yourself

There is nothing wrong with having a competitive spirit if you could keep it along the lines of healthful competition.  Most people don’t, however.  Most people compare themselves to others and lose every time.  In the rare case that they should win they become arrogant.  It is much more healthful to compare yourself to yourself. 

“Compare yourself to yourself” is the advice that is often freely given.  This advice is easily given but not so easily taken.  We live in a world that defines the winning spot as the spot that belongs to the best and there is usually only room for one.  The one that is at the very top.  We tend to look at that person and make comparisons to ourself.

Making it to the top becomes an all-encompassing obsession with many of us.  To compare yourself with yourself never enters your mind because we are taught to compare ourselves with those that are “better” than we are.  We compare ourselves to that person and worry ourselves silly if we don’t take that number one spot.  What’s worse is we convey these feelings to those who are our dependents.

It rarely dawns on us that more than one can be the winner.  The objective seems to always be to take the number one spot.  This puts you under the constant stress that someone is going to be better than you are.

We are all at varying stages of our development.  The problem with comparing yourself with others is you tend to compare your parts that aren’t so developed with the very developed parts of another.  This is why you lose every time.  This is exactly why you should only compare yourself with yourself.  When you compare yourself with yourself you compare yourself to your own varying stages and are able to gauge how to realistically do better.

There Are Ways to Escape the Comparison Trap

Everybody that I know does the best that they can do.  However, this does not stop them from playing the comparison game.  If you find that you are playing the comparison game there are several steps that you can take to stop this horrible habit.

Put Your Well Being First

When you compare yourself to others who you think are doing better you hack away at your own self esteem.  Discontinue this negative self-talk.  Whenever you find that you are comparing yourself to another replace the negative self-talk with a positive statement about yourself.  You can choose what you say to yourself.  Choose to say things that will make you feel happy not things that will make you feel inferior.

Learn from the Past Mistakes

If you think that your performance has not been as good as your peers don’t let this railroad you into the comparison trap.  Take note of the things that you think you did not do as well as you could and learn from those experiences.  This is the only way you will know what you can do better next time around.

Refuse to Live With Guilt

Guilt shackles us to the past as we dwell on all of the things that we did wrong.  Learn to forgive yourself and to start anew.  Don’t compare your wrongs with what someone else is doing right.  Besides, who’s to say that they, themselves, have some things that they have done wrong that you have done right.

Conclusion

The comparison game is a trap.  Learn to recognize when you are comparing yourself to others and stop the harmful behavior immediately.  Learn to only compare yourself to yourself.  This way you can healthily gauge where you were and become better than you have been

If you learned anything new from this article then please leave a comment.

Past Failures Don’t Determine Your Future Financial Enterprise

Monday’s Tip of the Week:  You may have made poor financial decisions in the past, but that’s just it.  They are in the past.  Use every current and upcoming opportunity to turn your financial portfolio into a success.  Don’t live in the past.  Believe me there is promise for your future.

Feeling old, broke and battered?  Imagine having no savings, having bad credit and not having any significant assets at age 60.  To top it off, imagine feeling like your body is starting to fall apart.  This is a typical scenario for many people.  Is there still a chance to build a strong future financial enterprise with such a life?  The answer is indubitably yes.

Most financial and health problems can be solved.  I know that you believed this a little more readily when you were younger.  Now that you are older you are probably not as optimistic.  Your aches and pains and what seems like endless debt probably seems terminal.

To think that your current health and financial difficulties are terminal is to give into the illusion.  Your financial problems can be fixed if you tackle them one by one.  You can even acquire wealth.  You can actually acquire wealth and become wealthy in less than seven years even if you are starting at age 60. 

Being sixty is not what it used to be.  It is easier for older people than it used to be.  To be sixty years old now is being the new 40!

It’s Amazing What Can Be Accomplished

To think that you can start with nothing at age 60 and acquire wealth is not a pipe dream consider the following:

·         At age 65 Colonel Sanders started Kentucky Fried Chicken

·         At age 65 Laura Ingalls Wilde began writing the Little House on the Prairie series.

·         At age 52, Ray Kroc opened a hamburger stand that eventually became McDonalds.

·         At age 60 Henry Ford created the first assembly line to build a car.

·         At age 70, Golda Meir became the first women prime minister of Israel.

People who reach age sixty can easily expect an additional 18.8 years.  Females can expect an additional 20 years and males can expect an additional 17.3 years.

You Can “Save” Your Financial Future

The first thing that you need to do to acquire wealth is to stop reading the material out there that predicts the doom of our economy.  Sure our world economy is burdened with debt.  This is debt that will be paid.  However, you won’t become one cent richer by worrying about it.

The second thing that you need to do to acquire wealth is to believe.  It is absolutely possible, even probable, to get rid of debt and acquire wealth in a seven year time period if you do the right things.

If you are young seven years seems like forever.  But those of us who are older know that seven years passes by rather quickly.  That is why you should start now to start turning your finances around because before you know it those seven years will have passed.

The third thing to do in order to acquire wealth is to take responsibility.  You must come to terms with the fact that you are responsible for your current financial mess.  Sure you may have been lied to and misled, even preyed upon.  There is also no doubt that the government has gotten its share from you.

The reasons that you are in your current financial mess are neither here nor there.  You have to realize that the buck stops with you.  You are the one that can turn your financial condition around.  You have to make the commitment to making the necessary changes.  Changes that are going to push you into financial success.  Changes like living beneath your means so that you can save and invest more.  Considering ways to make extra income to stash away.

Conclusion

If you are 60 years old or older don’t look at your age as a problem, see it as an opportunity.  You are much older and wiser now and can use that wisdom to make good choices.  The choices that you made when you were younger are far behind you now and you are ready to make changes.  Take advantage of every opportunity to turn your life around.  You have many years ahead of you so enjoy!

If you learned anything new from this article then please leave a comment. 

Be Who You Are and Say What You Feel

The time to start is now.  Time is too short for regrets especially when one is marketing.  The one way to limit regrets is to be who you are and to say what you really feel.

It is tempting in very competitive markets to “put on” a voice or personality.  We read other peoples material, the blogs and other works of marketing giants, and try to mimic what they do.  Mimicking is fine, in fact it is recommended however you have to learn to mimic without losing your own unique voice. 

Be Who You Are

People want to see who you are.  They are eager to follow the lead of the next marketing giant.  Which could very well be you.  People want to follow people not a company.  So you want to be sure to let you’re your unique voice shine through. 

If you mimic others to the extent that your writing sounds just like them people may recognize the tone and voice of your writing and associate it with the other writer.  The result would be that they think of the other marketer and their brand when they want a product or service that you yourself offer.

Say What You Feel

There is a tendency to write dialogue in a way that you think your readers will want to read.  Doing this often leaves out one very important thing.  It leaves out the way that you feel. 

If you want to write compelling dialogue you have to include your perspective on the subject at hand.  You have to include what you feel about the subject matter.  This means that when you are mimicking the successful marketers you might copy the structure of their writing but use your own opinions and suggestions of the subject matter. 

Too many times I have searched online for information and found several documents that are identical to each other.  It was a real turn off.  People often know when the writing they have found is not unique.  Not only is it a turn off, but if you are not careful in the way that you copy material you could very well accidentally plagiarize.

Conclusion

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those that mind don’t matter and those that matter don’t mind.” Is a famous saying by Dr. Suess.  It is a perfect quote to remember while writing your blog posts or other articles.  Being mindful of this quote while you are writing could very well be the secret weapon that will push the articles that you write to the forefront of your reader’s minds.  It will definitely help you in developing your own unique brand and will cause your readers to have a feeling of familiarity whenever they come across your writings.  Once your readers become familiar with your writings they will begin to know you, like you and trust you.   Once you’ve gained your reader’s trust it will be easier to lead them to buy from you.

Good Luck

If you learned anything new from this article then please leave a comment. 

How to Become a Millionaire

Millionaires are not as rare as you might think.  Someone in your neighborhood could be a millionaire.  One of your Facebook friends could be a millionaire.  You, yourself, could one day be a millionaire.  In fact, it is perfectly reasonable for someone to go from broke to millionaire in one year.

Zero to a Million

Most people who can go from zero to a million dollars are people who have already made their million.  They may have lost it all but they have one possession that brings millions.  They have the millionaire mindset.  If you have a mediocre mindset it will not be possible for you to go from zero to a million dollars in a year.  You have to have the drive, work ethic and vision that is present in the millionaire’s mindset.

There are people with the millionaire’s mindset that you can dump in a city unknown to them with just a few outfits and nothing else and they could go from zero to a million dollars in one year.  Their secret is nothing more than they have the millionaire’s mindset.

Leadership Skills

One of the main qualities shared by millionaires is leadership skills.  Millionaires don’t make their money by themselves.  The employ the help of others.  In fact, you can be sure that most successful business plans include people other than the owner of the business.  In order to get people to do what you want them to do to bring you money you must possess leadership skills.  Some people are born with leadership skills but that does not leave the rest of us out of the loop.  Leadership skills like any other skills can be learned.

Leadership skills is at the top of the list of skills needed to make a million dollars.  Even if you are a sole proprietor and the only one that you employ you would have to be able to lead your customers to buy from you.  So invest in your education and take in some leadership skills classes.

Are You a Millionaire?

There are at least two different ways to determine the answer if someone asks you “Are you a millionaire?”  One way to determine if you are a millionaire is to have $1 million or more in assets that you can invest.  This does not include the house that you live in or goods that you own.  The other way to determine if you are a millionaire is to add up your net worth.  To do this you would include the value of your residence as well as the cash you have, stocks and bonds, etc. and subtract your liabilities, the money that you owe.  If the net value is $1 million or more then you are a millionaire according to this definition.

If you have applied to your assets the preceding two ways of determining if you are a millionaire and have found out that you are not yet there, don’t be discouraged.  You can easily reach millionaire status by living beneath your means, making smart financial decisions and working on your leadership skills.

If someone asked you today “Are you a millionaire?” you might have to say no, but by 2020 it is expected that there will be 20,000,000+ millionaires.  There is no reason why you can’t be part of that 20,000,000+.  

If you learned anything new from this article then please leave a comment.

A Few Tips on How to Overcome an Adversity

The one thing that every human being on the face if the earth has in common is adversity.  Some face more challenges than others, nevertheless, we all face some.  The smartest, the not so smart, the strongest, the not so strong, and everyone in between all face adversity.  We all face challenges.  Some challenges can be overcome with the slightest of effort and other challenges can bring us to our knees.

Try to Learn from Adversity

One thing is for certain, adversity shapes us.  The more adversity that we overcome the stronger our will becomes and the more able we become to overcome adversity.  The important thing to do is to learn from adversity.  Winston Churchill once said that “success is going from failure to failure with no loss in enthusiasm.”  Realize that set backs are inevitable when trying to reach any goal.  Always know that victory is at hand.  You must never quit.  You must never give in!

The following are quotes about adversity.  Hopefully they will help to put you in the mindset to overcome adversity.

1.       “There is no education like adversity.”—Benjamin Disraeli

2.       “In Prosperity our friends know us.  In adversity, we know our friends.”—John Churton Collins

3.       “Well, if it can be thought, it can be done, a problem can be overcome”—E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

4.       “I am more than my scars.”—Andrew Davidson, The Gargoyle

5.       “Don’t run from your weakness, you will only give it strength.”—Stephen Richards

6.       “Use what you’ve been through as fuel, believe in yourself and be unstoppable!”—Yvonne Pierre, The Day My Soul Cried: A Memoir

7.       “We can cry for years but sometimes gotta smile too.”—Aberjhani, Visions of a Skylark Dressed in Black

Revamp Your Plan

You might have put together an awesome plan to use to reach your goals.  This does not mean that adversity won’t find you.  If it does find you don’t give up on your dream.  Just fashion it a little differently.  If there is something blocking your path then find a way to go around the adversity.  You don’t lose by setting out to do things a little differently.  You only lose if you give up.

Adjust Your Focus

The one time that you probably don’t want to hear this is when all is going wrong.  However, you must adjust your focus.  Focus on the positive things.  Focusing on the positive is absolutely necessary to ensure your survival.  You could focus on the positives of the situation or you could focus on the positive results you will achieve once you get your situation back on track.  List all of the positive things in your life or list all of the positive things that will come to you in the future.

Once you begin to focus on the positive your attitude will become more positive.  This is the ammunition you will need to help you overcome the adversity.  Start being happy now.  Waiting until you have reached your goal is the wrong attitude.  In fact, being happy now will help you achieve your goals much faster.

Conclusion

It is true, that in every life a little rain must fall.  So when it rains, dance in the rain, put up an umbrella, or go inside.  Do something other than let it destroy your plans.  Adversity will present itself in every life.  The good news is that we don’t have to let it rule our lives.

The best to you! 

If you learned anything new from this article then please leave a comment.