Do You Grab Life by the Horns or Sit on the Sidelines?

The only things in this life you may regret are the chances you didn't take. When you see a chance to be happy, you grab it with both hands and focus on success not consequences.

Financial Freedom is just Around the Corner

The road to success or failure is up to you. If you choose success than fasten your seat belt and drive towards the goal until the destination has been reached.

Live life with no Boundaries

Don't settle for less or else your life will be filled with boundaries. Dream Big and make it come to pass!

Dream Vacation

Everyone deserves the opportunity to experience their dream vacation whenever they please. Don't let a job decide when and where you can vacation. Be your own BOSS!

Dream Home

Anyone can own a luxury home or mansion by working smarter not harder. Make money work for you so you wont have to work hard for money.

How To Give 100% At Everything You Do



If we always did the best we could do, we would certainly excel and be recognized for excellent service and attitude, but we do not.
There is always something that holds us back from giving fully and that can be a variety of reasons. The most powerful one is the fear that if you go too far, you may make a mistake and then look bad. Our instinct is to protect ourselves in the interest of getting more in the future. The problem is, that because we hold back, we never reach our potential and that means we do not increase our skills. Holding back means we never really do our best and reach our full capacities. The method of letting yourself go is a simple change in attitude from fear of loss to viewing every task, and day, as your last.
If you knew that today was your last day to live, or this job you are doing was the last one in your life, you would be more motivated to do your absolute best so that you are remembered for an amazing job, or as an amazing person. You would not care about what people thought of you, if letting yourself go meant the possibility of embarrassment.
Perhaps in a business situation, it may be the right thing to walk away from the job and let someone more skilled take over. Or perhaps allow yourself to take some blame in order for things to progress, or give a little discount for your client to get the best deal. Maybe even work a few extra hours instead of taking a day off to keep the client happy and make sure there are no delays.
It may also mean giving so much in the job that you may lose money, or increase costs. You would not care about that because this is your last day so you do not care about having money tomorrow since you will not be alive to enjoy it.
Give so fully to everything you do, every day, and you will find the quality of your work, as well as your attitude and happiness, and most importantly the admiration of your employer or clients, will increase.
I hope today is not your last day, but I know that living as if it is your last certainly will make it your best day ever. Tomorrow along with every other just gets better and better.

 

5 Powerful Tips To Conquer Procrastination



Often times, we are the ones who stop ourselves from moving forward in life. We are the ones who limit ourselves and procrastinate on things that we supposed to get done. Conversely, successful people just don't care so much and they will take massive action and be consistent in life, which is why they are able to produce outstanding results in their life. In this article, you will discover the 5 powerful tips to conquer procrastination and build a successful life...
1. Be specifically focus in doing just one thing at a time.
Regardless of what you do, you must focus and do only one thing at a time. We all have many goals that we want to accomplish this year, and if you can choose only one goal, which one will it be? Once you have decided on your most important goal, go all out and do your best to achieve that goal, all the rest will be optional.
2. Break down your work time into smaller piece
Most people procrastinate because they thought they have to spend a big chunk of time to handle the task or the project they have at hand. In fact, you don't have to do so. Even if the project takes 10 hours to complete, you can start with just 30 minutes. You can accomplish a lot more when you do things little by little. And when you focus in only 30 minutes, you will less pressure and you can definitely control your mind to do it, it's just 30 minutes anyway.
3. Celebrate all the wins
Give yourself a reward right after you have taken the action. Even if it is just a 30 minutes work, give yourself a pat, reward yourself with a cup of your favorite beverage or go for a movie. And most of the time you will never stop at just 30 minutes. The 30 minutes is just for you to kick-start and build up your momentum. You have to train yourself to be discipline by celebrating all the wins, even if it is just a small win.
4. Create a supporting environment
Do you know that your environment is one of the most powerful factors that can affect your level of motivation? If you have ever attended any seminar, you will see how they use the environment to boost your energy and get you motivated. You have to do the same in your work place and at your home. If you have a messy work place, the clutter will make you feel lousy and you will procrastinate on your tasks. So build a supporting environment.
5. Adopt the productive mindset
Instead of telling yourself that you will do it later, tell yourself that you can start it now and do it just for 10 minutes. If you always procrastinate on cold calling or writing your dissertation, adopt the growth mindset of a high producer, tell yourself that you can do it just for a few minutes. Instead of thinking that you cannot find time to work on your big project that requires at least 10 hours, think that it is an accomplishment even if you do it for just 1 hour. Always think from the point of a highly effective producer and you will be more productive. This is how you can get things done and conquer your procrastination to achieve the success you want in life.


How To Build More Self-Confidence Quickly



Are you someone who longs for more self-confidence? Do you see the people around you as having more self-confidence than you do, and wonder how?
What would you say if I told you that most people have the same thoughts? Most people would like more self-confidence, even the ones who already appear to have it in spades. I am going to set out some very simple ways you can build more self-confidence, starting today.
Dress the Part
The way you dress plays a big part in how confident you feel or not. You need to be dressed the way you want to be perceived and if you feel good in your clothes, it will come across. So review your wardrobe and anything particularly outdated, stained, ill-fitting or just plain ugly, toss in the rubbish or give it to charity.
Personal Grooming
It's important to understand that part of building your confidence means looking the best you can. If you're a man, ensure you have a regular haircut and are clean-shaven. If you're a woman, make sure you have an easy to maintain hairstyle and that your make up is done well, but subtle. Keep the heavy makeup and bright colours for the weekends and after hour's parties.
Walk Faster, With Purpose
Confident, successful people walk with purpose. Have a look next time you're standing on a busy street. Examine what they are doing. Do they look like their heading somewhere important? That's what you're aiming for. You don't want to be one of the people shuffling along looking down at their feet, with seemingly nowhere to go. So put some pep in your step!
Good Posture
Good posture is important and something you should be conscious about. People who sit slumped over their desk, looking lethargic and bored, exhibit an absolute lack of self-confidence. By being conscious about how you carry yourself you will instantly boost your self-confidence.
Make Eye Contact
Eye contact is another vitally important element of self-confidence. By not looking people in the eye when you have a conversation you are displaying a lack of belief in yourself, and what you are saying. Making direct eye contact can make some people feel very uncomfortable, but like anything else it takes practice.
People who make eye contact with others are perceived as being more powerful, personable, competent, likeable and emotionally stable. If those reasons alone don't make you want to practice making eye contact, then I don't know what will!
Eliminate Self Doubt and Be Grateful
Our minds are crazy things. For instance, you make up your mind that you are going to improve your self-confidence. You decide that you are going to do it, whatever it takes. But then your mind takes over and starts telling you all the reasons why you can't do it. It's like that little voice inside your head is completely against you! The way I like to deal with that little voice is to shut it down. Immediately!
I start putting together a list. This can be done anywhere. It's better if you can sit down with a pen and paper, but you can also do it in your head. Write down, or think about, 100 things you're grateful for. It sounds strange I know, but the minute you start thinking about things you're grateful for your mind will start focussing on that rather than telling you what it thinks you can't do.
Stop the Gossip!
Starting today, stop engaging in gossip. We have all been guilty of gossip and speaking badly of others at some point in our lives. What we have to understand that gossiping does real damage, not just to person we are gossiping about, but to ourselves.
If you are around people who are, simply try changing the subject. If that doesn't work, walk away. If you can't change the subject or walk way, a great way to deal with it is to praise the subject of the gossip. When someone says something bad about a person, come back with something good about them.
By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself, and those around you. You will also become more confident and likeable in the process.
Get Healthy
Being fit, active and healthy will most certainly help to increase your confidence, because to build confidence you need to feel good. Eating well and regular exercise are easy things you can do to start feeling better about yourself.
Start limiting your caffeine and sugar intake as too much of these can lead you to feeling irritable and moody. Find other ways to satisfy these cravings.
Most people don't exercise because they don't make it a priority. Once you do, you will fit it into your day no matter how busy you are. So take the time. This is all about you remember!
Learn Public Speaking
Learning public speaking is a great skill to have. Not only is it a great addition to your professional CV, but it's also something that will make you feel extremely accomplished. Public speaking is the number one fear in the world and if you can master this skill, your confidence will sky-rocket!
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Start doing at least one thing every day that makes you feel uncomfortable. It could be as simple as walking into a room full of strangers and introducing yourself to someone, or it could be as elaborate as sky diving.
The point of this is to take small steps every day, and by taking these small steps you will feel a sense of achievement for doing things you used to shy away from. Of course the more you do these things the easier they will become and you will wonder what all the fuss was about to begin with. Imagine how great you will feel about yourself? So push yourself out of your comfort zone every day!
Learn to Say "NO"
Don't feel you have to say 'yes' to everything. If you really don't have time to do something, or you simply just don't feel like it, say so. Confident people don't allow others to dictate everything they do.
You don't always have to be available to others just because they want you to be. Why put the added stress on yourself? This goes for your business life and your personal life. Having confidence means taking control of your life, every aspect of it.


Three Keys to Success in Life



Everybody on planet earth wants to succeed in life. There is no man or woman alive today, that wishes to be a failure. The only difference between people is the areas of life that they would like to succeed at. Here are seven keys to succeeding in life no matter the area you want to concentrate on. Anybody can be successful; all they have to do is so apply these keys to success. Success is not exclusively preserve for rich and famous, you can be successful too. Just apply these seven keys to success in your life.
(1) Realize that there is no free lunch. There is a popular proverb that says good things come to those who wait. Yes if you are waiting in line at the local fast food place but when it comes to being a success, you got to go out there and work for your success. A popular Ghanaian proverb also says that if you stand with your mouth open and wait for roast chicken to fly into it, you are in for long wait. Don't wait for your ship to come in, dive into the harbor, swim out to your ship, grab the ropes and drag your ship in.
(2) Growth is essential to success. Personal development is another of the keys to success. You have to make sure you keep growing spiritually, mentally, and socially. Know the area you want to excel at and make sure you educate yourself about it in and out. Choose an area of specialty and get trained, make yourself an expert on that subject and you will soon reap the benefits. Talent alone is not enough to make you successful. For instance, there are a lot of talented singers out there, but definitely not all go on to become successful musicians and there is a difference between a talented author and a best-selling author. You need to add to talent training g, marketing skills, business skill, and so on to package yourself into a successful brand.
(3) Your attitude to life will determine your altitude in life is a truism that has been proven time and time again. Challenges come to all, if you have any problems in life right now, the only to say is "welcome to the club". No one in life is exempt from problems but your attitude to it will determine whether the problem will floor you or you will surmount the problem. There is the story of two shoe sales men sent to a village of people who did not wear shoes. The first sales man sent a report "people don't wear shoes, no need to set up here, going home"; the second sales man sent another report "people don't wear shoes, lots of opportunity for sales" no need to guess who became the more successful sales man.
Read 400 Life and Success Quotes which provide you keys to success. It also explain you about happiness and lifestyle and relationships too. Visit https://coolaura.com/life_and_success.php


The Secret of Success: Learn to Manage The Gap



When it comes to achievement, much of the success research highlights that there is an inner and outer game. Most people make the mistake of focusing solely on their outer game, the elements of engagement that others can see. However, it is through the mastery of the inner game that we truly begin to enjoy and experience the level of success that we are truly capable of. The biggest element of our inner game, and therefore a key success factor, is how well we Manage the 'Gap'.
Viktor Frankl was the author of Man's Search for Meaning. He was a Jewish Psychiatrist and a Holocaust survivor (of Auschwitz and Dachau). One of the greatest messages he brought with him, through all that he experienced and suffered during his internment, was that most who survived did so because of the way in which they chose to view and respond to the situation they faced.
Between stimulus and response there is a gap and within that gap lies all our freedom. - Viktor Frankl
The stimulus they faced in the camps was deprivation, torture and uncertainty. Their response often was to lose hope and to give up. Those that chose this path, Frankl discovered, often just withered away and died. Those that determined they had a reason to live, did so because they shifted their response. It was in how people managed the gap between the stimulus and their response to it that, ultimately, determined survival.
Learn to manage the Gap between stimuli and your responses
When a stimulus is applied we have built-in responses to it, responses that we have conditioned over time, similar to Pavlov's dogs salivating at the sound of a bell.
  • someone makes a derogatory comment about how we look in our outfit and we get upset
  • a co-worker doesn't agree with an idea we brought forth and we get angry
  • someone cancels dinner with us and we get depressed
  • someone cuts us off on the highway and we feel rage
All of these may be automatic responses, operating unconsciously, but they exist because at some point in our past we set them up to be our preferred response to that stimulus. Good news though, we can condition a new response! Despite the fact that it feels like a direct and instantaneous route from the stimulus to our response (feelings) there is actually a gap in there, providing us with the opportunity to assess the stimuli and determine our responses.
Most of the time we simply opt for easy and therefore siphon the response off to our conditioned default setting. But we can break this pattern if the result is not desirable. There are three key steps to creating the right foundation for the shift to occur.
  1. Begin by determining that the existing behaviour is undesirable. You have to want to change it more than you want to keep it. If you 'like' feeling depressed, angry or hurt you will not be able to let the behaviour go until you paint yourself a picture of the new behaviour that is more positive and serves you more. Although it may not make conscious sense that we would prefer a negative result over a positive one, people hang onto negative outcomes all the time. If we hold a negative view of ourselves then we will seek out supporting negative outcomes. We have to consciously determine that we no longer want to feel bad, be overweight or unhealthy, lack the income or success we desire for us to be able to move in a different direction.
  2. You have to believe that it is your job to change it. Not some higher power, not your mother, not your boss, not your spouse, not the guy next door. It's your life, your behaviour and your responsibility. If you defer this to someone else then you will simply wait for them to 'fix' it for you, which isn't going to happen. Only you can fix it, but you have to take responsibility for it to happen.
  3. You have to believe that you can. You must believe that it is within you to control your responses and change it. If you believe that you are at the mercy of that conditioned response (I call this the Popeye Principle: I am what I am and that's all that I am) then... you're done. You have to believe you have all of the requisite knowledge, skills, ability and desire to make it happen.
Master these three steps and you are on your way to living a life of your choosing and enjoying the outcomes your most desire. Managing the Gap is not always difficult, but it is necessary if you want to change your responses and results. It doesn't even matter if you 'see' a gap or not. Trust that it's there, believe the change is within your control and step into the new behavior response.
Wrong action won't bury you, but wrong reaction will. You cannot control your outer circumstances but you can control your inner choices. - Darren Hardy (Success Magazine)



Simple 11 Step Formula for Success Online



Are you looking for that elusive formula for success that will help 'transform' you into a successful internet marketer? Well if you got that burning need to succeed but have still not been able to do so, my guess is the problem may be more in your approach and not the business your building! All too often we tend to focus almost exclusively on the business as the 'source' that's holding us back and this is NOT always the case!
So you want to be a successful internet marketer, well here's 11 tips you can begin to apply today to help improve both your efforts and the results!
Plan Your Work
No matter what level of energy you bring to your work, if you have no plan, you have no direction which guarantees you frustration and failure! The first thing you'll need to succeed when working on the internet is an actionable and realistic plan! How else do you expect to coordinate your efforts in order to reach your goals?
Work Your Plan
The plan you've prepared is actually your map or blueprint that describes in detail exactly how or what you need to do to get where you want to go! Doesn't it seem a bit foolish to invest all the time you have in planning and than simply ignore this blueprint! Every successful internet marketer habitually plans their actions in advance to cut down on errors and work as efficiently as possible! If you have any aspirations of achieving anything at all, doesn't it makes sense to figure out how to do so in advance?
Take Action
One of the biggest obstacles that keep people from 'living their dreams' is their reluctance to put their ideas or what they've learned into action! Absolutely nothing happens until action is first taken which means if you're lacking motivation, building a successful internet business will simply remain a dream for you!
Take Naps
For those lacking motivation, taking naps probably sounds like a great idea and one they'll likely take action on, but that is not why I suggest taking them! One thing you'll absolutely need to succeed online is a well rested mind and body! Developing any business takes lots of energy and if you're lacking in this area, both mental and physical errors will be the result! If you intend to be the 'driving force' behind any business, you best be up for the many challenges you'll no doubt face and this starts with the proper rest!
Get 'Er' Done
Don't get too hung up on being perfect all the time! The fact is nobody is perfect, but trying to be so can cost you time and even profits! Always try to do your best but be reasonable insofar as how much time and/or effort you place into a single task! Take your 'efforts' and just put them into 'play' leaving revisions or improvements, if they prove to be necessary, for later!
Network
Having a network can save you a lot of footwork as well as using your contacts for advice and support! Working online even opens the door to increasing your network because you can easily find 'like minded' people from all across the globe! There are forums and social communities all over the internet where you can locate help and support so work smarter by doing so!
Don't Forget the Body
Exercise is something most people don't get enough of and it shows in both appearance and their performance! Being a successful internet marketer means you'll be spending many hours sitting in front of a computer which is NOT necessarily good for your physical health! Science has proven that an active and healthy body helps to promote a sharp mind in addition to a longer life span, so don't forget your body!
Be Reverent with Time
This resource is one you can't do without and is none renewable, so be productive and efficient with how you use your time! More than anything else, it is lacking time management skills that keep people from successfully running their own business! Learning how to get more done in less time is one 'acquired' skill you'll definitely need to succeed online so treat this resource with reverence!
Mind Mapping
Here's a tool that helps you record, categorize and coordinate your thoughts and ideas! With so much to do it simply does NOT make sense to ignore using this terrific software tool! We all know how 'random' thoughts can pop up out of nowhere and most times we simply dismiss them! Using mind maps helps you capture these thoughts so you can put them to better use at a later date!
Tackle Tough Tasks First
We all have our least favorite or toughest tasks that MUST be completed that we tend to put off till later! Guess what, when 'later' comes we're usually too tired to tackle these challenges so we put them off till the next day! The best approach here is to schedule the completion of any challenging projects or tasks for early in the day when your energy level is high and your mind is sharp!
Leverage Technology
With all the available software to help automate your efforts, it would be foolish NOT to put these tools to use! Show me a successful internet marketer and I'll show you someone who saves themselves time and drudgery by using tools to automate many of their efforts! The best part is in many cases these tools are freely available, so tell me now why you don't use them?
Is there really a formula for success when putting forth the effort to build a successful internet business? Well a good start would be to look at the individual behind the business and the steps they take, if any, to prepare themselves! The point is if you got a real need to succeed as an online business entrepreneur you MUST take active measures to keep both your online efforts as well as your health in good shape! The 11 tips offered above serve as suggested ways for you to better prepare both yourself and your business for prosperity down the line! Simply consider that if you're not at your best how do you expect to excel at anything, or even better, how do you expect to enjoy prosperity in the first place? Remember, if you really feel the need to succeed, it all starts with you!


How to Stop Resistance and Take Aligned Action



Do you ever get the feeling that you're going round in circles? That you're resisting the very thing you most want? That using willpower and determination and taking the 'right' action is still not getting you the results you want? If so you're not alone. Many people I speak to want to learn how to stop resistance and take aligned action that will move them towards their dreams and goals.
So why do you resist the very things you actually want?
Resistance and self-sabotage are usually based on your self-image, your fears, and on your beliefs about yourself and what you expect from the world. When these conflict with what you say you want then your subconscious mind acts as a very powerful barrier. It's important to point out here that your subconscious mind holds these beliefs without judgement i.e. they may be good or bad for you, true or false. When you're resisting, your subconscious mind is not aligned with what you think or say you want. Yet this can be changed.
How can you align your subconscious to your conscious mind, and take aligned and congruent action?
The first step is to be humble, and to acknowledge that you can learn a lot from your subconscious mind. Trust that it has your best interest at heart, and set the intention that you will work with it to figure this out. This can go a long way to dissipating the tension, to making it a non-issue for you, and to opening you up to receiving the learning and information you need.
Next it's important to get specific. Ask yourself questions about your fears, about your beliefs and expectations of yourself and of the world around you. It's important to do this with curiosity and compassion, rather than judgement.
Then search for positive examples. Start with you... you will absolutely have evidence to re-inforce your fears and back up your negative belief (as that's what you've been filtering for and recognising to date.) However, now's the time to search for different examples, for times when the opposite has been true for you. You can add positive examples from others if you feel you need more, but I would always suggest starting with you as your belief in your own ability to do the opposite will be magnified. This step demonstrates to your unconscious mind alternative possibilities and alternative truths for you. It helps marry your heart and soul with your head.
Finally, set up a more positive or empowering rule or set of rules for yourself, that remind you of what is possible for you. Affirm this as often as possible to solidify your new belief.
If you take a little time to do this exercise in all areas you're resisting you will find it much easier to take aligned action i.e. action that will move you forward and more easily get you the results you're after because your subconscious and conscious minds, your heart and soul will be aligned with your head. And aligned action is so much easier on you - intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually!


The True Definition of Success



Many people believe that success is the byproduct of some magical assimilation of plans and calculated financial decisions. This is true to an extent however it is not at its core the true meaning of success. When you look at all the individuals that you consider successful; do you notice something strangely similar about them? Do you notice the one thing about them that stands out from the other successful individuals you admire or seek to mirror? From Bill Gates to Steve Jobs each individual that you may consider successful are successful at being themselves totally.
Success is when you effectively orchestrate all the skills and talents you have acquired into a symphony that yields positive result after positive result. You see being a success does not require you to become someone else it simply requires you to master every aspect and asset you have to offer the world. That's why so many people struggle with achieving success because the definition they hold so dear is at best a faulty foundational goal that needs to be redefined at is core.
We are not taught to mature ourselves and evolve are talents and skill sets into marketable deliverables' that actually solve problems. We have been duped into believing that we must mimic the paths and actions of others in order to achieve success. This is not only defective but dangerous on so many levels. First off it can cause deep discouragement because you may be trying to impressionist someone else's way of doing something and realize the obvious truth is you are not that individual. That's not to say that you cannot benefit from the frame work but the details are impossible to copy.
You must remain true to yourself and your overall view of what life goals you have. Your path to success will be different than that of your friends and colleagues. Why? Because you are a unique and diverse individual with talents and abilities that the people you look up to may not possess. So you decisions making may be different and your circumstances will be just a varied. So if success is what you are pushing to attain, then how about starting with accessing and honestly appraising your life skills, education, and network so you can build on that.
Because if you use the foundation of you then your success will be nothing more than an extremely polished version of you and not some pseudo version of some other successful individual. It's easier to be you because the truth is NO ONE CAN DO YOU BETTER THEN YOU. So how about you put down the copy cat Syndrome and pick up yourself and work on you. Because after all success is only success if you attain it not earn it by being someone else.


The First Step To Greatness: Take Responsibility



The easiest and most traveled road to mediocrity or failure lies in blame. When you play the blame game, you're always betting against yourself; nothing good comes of wasting your precious energy on thinking about your unfair circumstances. It is very easy to fall into that cycle of thinking: attempting something, failing at it, giving up, blaming everything but yourself, becoming bitter; then repeating the cycle on a new task. In many ways it is similar to depression because it is a very skewed way of doing things; you live your life on a crutch because subconsciously, you've already convinced yourself that you do not have what it takes to win.
Taking the path your life takes into your own hands requires courage and not everybody takes advantage of the courage inside themselves. Everybody has this courage, this belief that they are worth more than they are now; but they allow fear to turn that great flame into a dying ember. Too many people out there are living their lives by going through the motions, simply passing through; doing things in such a mundane way because that's the way they believe they have to live in order to make a living. If you're living in such a way; your world is without colour or purpose. Dare to be different! Separate yourself from your 'friends' who don't believe in you; they don't deserve your friendship. Make a decision to take responsibility for every action you take from this point onward; after every hour ask yourself if it was truly well spent or if you could have changed something. This is exactly how you begin to move forward! You've turned the 'Autopilot' switch on your life to 'Off' and now you're the one in control, you'll begin to see your actions as those that have value (those that add to your wisdom or bring you closer to your goals or simply just joy) and those that do not.
You have but one life to live and it is very short, each chapter seems endless until you look back one day and its over. That is exactly how you know that most of the decisions you made were not conscious and deliberate, full of purpose and life; but rather a mindless afterthought because your thoughts were probably stuck in the 'what ifs' of the future. If there is anything to take away from this article it is this: from today onward, make every hour a deliberate act on your part. Then watch how you'll feel a burning need to constantly improve yourself.


The Sooner We Find Our Passions The Better



The further we get in life, the more we look for our passions in life. Or at least that is the way I see it. It really becomes so important to see how fast time is passing and to look around a little bit to figure out what your passion is - a key to life for sure. Sam Crowley is someone who has a fantastic book and a great podcast along with other things for years, who's main message is to follow your life's passion and not to settle for mediocrity. It's a great message and I encourage you to check him out, along with others who's message is to inspire and to get you going in finding what your passion is in life. A recent thought from him dealt with the idea "Don't give me easy, give me, is it worth it!" That really got me thinking about the old but true adage, that nothing really worth while ever came easy.
Another key that I try and get my students to realize that it can be really cool to figure out what that passion (or passions) is early in life. The sooner the better. That means that we can't be clueless... we need to have a clue in life. We need to be on the lookout for what motivates us, what drives us, what gets us fired up, what is it that gets you out of bed (many times before your alarm goes off), what is that you just have to do more of since it's always on your mind?
When I say the sooner the better - that really hit home last week as one of my son's friends was sadly killed in a snowmobile accident. A couple of weeks away from his 19th birthday. This kid connected with so many people, of all age groups, including me. Eric was someone who had tons of passion in life about people and other things that was a fantastic lesson for me and I think others, judging as to how many people I saw at the funeral home and at his funeral mass the next day. It brought the sad reminder about we don't know how much time we have. It drives home the point that we can't waste time in our lives. The time is NOW to start going after things that you have passion for. We have all had an "Eric" to give us those lessons my friends. But the cost is entirely up to us. Do we want to wait and watch more time fly by? I have figured out.. no... not me any more. With my 48th birthday coming up this month - no thanks, I can't wait anymore. Do I wish I started earlier? You better believe it. Could I have started earlier... I guess looking back, I did start earlier. It just took me awhile to continue it on and start to do more things to make these things happen for me. I have a kid who loved the color yellow, who loved life and the people in his life, and loved Dr. Pepper pop (which I do too... always as a kid and I've reminded myself of that lately) that gave me another lesson in my life. God Bless him!
So the things that seem to be hard in life - don't wish that things were easier. Ask yourself is it worth it? Then look for ways to make to make it happen. The great things in life - the ones that touch our hearts and our soul - are usually not easy. As Tom Hanks said in the movie "A League of Their Own" about baseball - "The hard is what makes it great." Look to see what drives you, find that passion and then ask yourself - is it worth it? I think you might know that answer is. I know I do. Any thoughts or ideas to share? Let me know!!


Are You Moving Towards Failure Or Success?



The person that is determined to have success may not know the price, but is resolute on one thing; and that is, they are willing to pay it.
Could this be you?
Those who are certain of success have tossed aside every excuse and their hidden alibis. They've surrendered the sorrows of past and have set their gaze on the living a fulfilling life, in their today. They've harnessed the moment by yielding to it, their willingness to become more. Unstoppable is what they become, but not before surrendering every manifesting attribute of fear. They will be the first to tell you that settling for failure is not worth all the time that it is given.
So, how bad do you want it?
How much are you willing to work?
Or has mediocrity crippled your ability to see exactly what you are doing? If so you are not the only one, but the only way around it is to expose the little demons and give it no hiding place. Are you willing?
There is no doubt that the one who has attained success in their desired goal has discovered the demons that show up in mediocrity and has parted ways with them; they understand that failure has many parents, but only one fruitless child.
Are you prepared to learn what it will take to find success in what you desire to have it in?
Are you willing to learn from others?
Are you bold enough to let others get to know who you really are?
Are you willing to surrender the beliefs you hold that are not serving your higher self to adapt new ones that do?
Are you willing to find mentors that can help you?
Can you withstand criticism and still smile with your confidence undiminished?
Are you willing to sacrifice your time?
Are you wiling to pay financially the cost to learn, or have what you desire?
Are you willing to come out of your comfort zone in order to learn?
Have you taken complete responsibility by realising no one can pay your way to success only you?
Are you willing to take continuous action towards your goals?
If you have answered no to these questions then there can be a great many reasons why you aren't, but be assured success can't come until you can say yes.
If you have answered yes and have allowed yourself no excuses then it will be displayed in your actions.
The action you take TODAY will determine if you will honour the yes answers that you have provided above.
There are many keys to success like, getting our mindset open for it, having persistence and being around people who are thinking like we think and having someone on our side whose only motive is to see us operate in your full potential.


5 Principles for a Successful Life



No matter how it seems at the moment, success in life is very much under your control. The law of attraction states that whatever you think about most and therefore request from the universe you'll get. Which may seem at odds with what is currently happening to you, so you need to tweak what your mind thinks about most in order to attract more success into your life.
1. Have big dreams
Our dreams are usually very close to our goals, even if we don't admit as much.
The bigger your dreams, the more you'll achieve.
Even if you don't actually reach the really big dream that you set yourself, you'll get a lot further than if you set yourself a small goal and don't reach it. Or even if you achieve or slightly over-achieve a small dream.
2. Work hard
You usually need to work hard and smart in order to achieve success.
Unless you win the lottery or something equally improbably you're unlikely to get money for nothing.
Whilst there's no direct correlation between the amount of hard work you put into something and the degree of success you achieve, there's certainly more than a passing relationship between the two things.
3. Learn something new every day
Human beings are inquisitive creatures. We like finding out new things. It helps keep our minds active.
Make it a goal to learn something new every day. Whether that's in your main area of expertise or a hobby is less important than the act of learning.
Once you start learning things again, your mind shifts to a different state and you'll start to attract more new things, including more success, because that's what you're focusing on, rather than being stuck in a rut.
4. Enjoy your life
Regardless of your views on reincarnation, this life is the one you're living now.
It's largely your choice whether or not you enjoy it. And sayings such as whether you're a glass half full or a glass half empty person show that your perspective is a large part of who you are.
Set out to enjoy your life, living in the present as much as possible.
And spread that state of enjoyment by being happy often and expressing your gratitude as often as you can.
That seemingly small difference will have a profound, positive, effect on how other people react to you and can help you become a more successful person.
5. Be honest and true to yourself
Honesty and integrity should be the founding principles of everything you do.
Your honesty will come through and will begin to attract more honesty from the people you deal with.
Because like does attract like, whether that character trait is positive or negative.
You have it in yourself to be honest and you probably are already honest the majority of the time. Push for an even higher level of perfection and you'll be rewarded with more success coming into your life.


Top Tips For Success As A Teenager



The teenage years can be a very confusing time filled with anxiety; or it may be a very comfortable experience for you, especially in high school. However, when high school is over and the party is done; who are you really? You've invested so much time in building the greatest social media profiles, building your reputation at school; living in a superficial realm of your own creation.
You will wake up one day and wonder why life feels so empty and lonely in spite of the fact that you have so many followers, friends and connections. It is indeed a sobering experience that takes hold of those people who are innately deep thinkers but against their better judgement; chose quantity over quality by investing a great deal of their time in superficial systems. You may not ever acknowledge that you've felt this way but there is a longing inside of you that won't stop chafing your conscience until you find one thing: Direction.
I am not saying that you shouldn't be enjoying yourself and having fun; by all means have fun in everything that you do. But commit yourself to something because it is something that you want to do, not because if you don't, people will think you aren't cool. Realize that your friends won't necessarily support you and the changes you begin to make; but that is one of the best things that can happen to you. 'Trimming the fat' so to speak, leaving the people behind who don't add any value to your life or support your decision to evolve don't deserve to be there in the first place. Usually, the negativity inside of a teenage mind is worsened by the stupid things that the people around us say; there is enough negativity in the world -- leave these people in the dust, if they chase you and earnestly want to reconnect with you, then allow them to be a part of your life again provided that they do not go back to their old ways.
Now here are some powerful tips for great teenage success:
  • Limit the time spent on social media - I am 19 years old, so I understand just how much time can be wasted on technology; specifically a cellphone. My phone was stolen two weeks ago and it is the best thing that could have happened to me. Once you spend less time doing things that add no value to your life and instead spend that time enriching yourself; your life begins to shape and mold itself into exactly what you want it to be.
  • Know yourself, then pick a direction - Spend time doing things you love. Meditate on all the benefits that it brings into your life and then see how you can develop a plan to turn your passion into a possible career option.
  • Lose the dead weight - Cut out the 'friends' that offer nothing but poisonous advice and negativity to your life. There is no place for that kind of behaviour at any stage of your life and you should value yourself highly enough to get rid of these people. This does wonders for self-confidence and overall positivity.
  • Read - Pick up a book on anything that expands your knowledge base. Stop spending hours on watching your favourite TV show and instead use that time to invest in yourself by reading. You'll notice in as little as a few days how you begin to see things in a different light.
  • Make mistakes - You should know that throughout your life you will make mistakes. Look at the mistake from every possible angle except for a negative one and take the lessons from it. Your teenage years are meant to be spent getting to know yourself; you can't accomplish this by trying to be perfect all the time. It's okay to make mistakes!
These tips are a culmination of the lessons that life has taught me through the years. I can only offer it to you so that it may be a beacon on your journey into adulthood. Learn to live a genuine life; free from the confines of social expectation and you will have learnt to be happy. I sincerely hope that this article gave you clarity on how to make a success of yourself.


Finding Your Potential In Excellence



A couple years ago, my ESL class at a university in China was not going very well. My students were apathetic, arriving late, not practicing their English like they were capable of, and showing no sense of urgency to learn the language. For whatever reason, they were not working toward excellence or living up to their potential. I talked to them about it, both individually and collectively as a group, but we could not figure it out. I met with the class monitors-my leaders-who understood our standards and knew what our class culture was all about and that the speech competition was soon approaching, but any progress we made did not seem to stick. I was frustrated and it bothered me.
The English speech competition went on as scheduled and many of my top students participated. They spoke well, but it certainly was not excellent-not like I had heard in the past and certainly not to the caliber that would win at the national event. I even had one student come up to me right after the competition and confess, "Mr. Ron, I never want to feel that way again," describing her lack of preparation and confidence.
In the days that followed, I started reflecting on potential. I wanted to find out why this happened. As an business and life coach and educator, I wanted to use this experience as a teachable moment. I also wanted to make sure this never happened again. But most of all, I wanted to find out what was missing. What put us in that position in the first place?
I discovered that what was missing were eight values necessary for achieving excellence and uncommon success and realizing the great potential each of these students had within them. These values, which I soon realized were universal and could be applied to any field, industry, or profession are: hunger, effort, process, quality, consistency, leadership, time, and perseverance.
As I began wrestling with the impact of the values, I concluded they act both independently and collectively. Each value in and of itself is powerful and capable of having a significant impact on our quest for excellence. Together, the eight values become an unshakable force, leaving no stone unturned, and putting us in the best position to living up to our greatest potential and succeed.
Since that turning point with my students, I am proud to say we had a number of speech tournaments of excellence together over the next year. That semester of "pretty good" motivated us to lower our tolerance for mediocrity and raise our standards and expectations to always work toward excellence and use all of our potential, even if we sometimes fall short.
Jazz legend, Wynton Marsalis, said, "Maybe the preoccupation with technological progress has overshadowed our concern with human progress." This article, at its essence, is about human progress and defining the eight values that lead to success.
1: HUNGER 
Hunger is about your desire, passion, drive, initiative, and how proactive and self-motivated you are. One characteristic of people who are hungry is they "begin with the end in mind." This means you must be proactive in establishing a game plan and work backwards, visualizing the end result and working toward excellence every day. As author John C. Maxwell said, "The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda."
One of my Chinese students asked me a question I will never forget: "How do I become a great speaker?" What a loaded question! After thinking about it for a few minutes, this is what I came up with: "Well, first of all, you have to have a great semester every semester. To have a great semester, you have to have a great lesson every week. And to have a great lesson every week, you have to have a great practice session every day."
How driven, proactive, and hungry are you on a daily basis? If you were shadowed tomorrow, what would we observe?
2: EFFORT 
Effort refers to your work ethic, focus, and ability to execute at a high level. Legendary coach John Wooden called hard work industriousness, which meant "true work at your highest capacity, fully engaged, totally focused, and completely absorbed." In addition to the physical effort of practicing the piano for example, mental effort is just as critical to your success. Sports psychologist Gary Mack proclaimed, "Once you reach a certain level of competency, the mental skills become as important as the physical skills, if not more so."
When I advised my students on how to practice their speaking skills, I emphasized practicing with a high level of concentration, awareness, focus, intensity, intent, and purpose. When they focus, they are at their best. Their minds are engaged, in addition to their ears and hands. When they do not focus, they do not come close to reaching their potential. Now, I say the same things to my business and professional clients.
Are you taking your career as far as you can-both physically and mentally-or are you going through the motions, treading water, and spinning your wheels? What, if anything, is holding you back from giving your best effort? If you are an entrepreneur, are you leading by example with a high level of concentration, awareness, focus, intensity, intent, and purpose?
3: PROCESS 
Process is about the journey, not the destination. Our society tends to overvalue results and undervalue process-the very process that leads to the results we are aiming for. According to author Thomas Sterner, "We have a very unhealthy habit of making the product-our intended result-the goal, instead of the process of getting there. We look at the process... as almost a necessary nuisance we have to go through in order to get to our goal." Finding our potential is in the process of being excellent.
Who do we think we are? Excellence must be crock-potted, not microwaved. Microwaving is fast, rushed, and does not taste very good. Crock-potting is slow and steady, and as the meal simmers over time, it is much more satisfying.
Do you know someone who is not successful? Look at his/her process. Do you know someone who produces mediocre work? Examine his/her process. How much do you value the process compared to the result?
4: QUALITY 
Quality is about taking pride in the work you do. It is about your performance level, confidence, and professionalism. Quality is also about taking care of the details, setting standards, and holding others accountable for meeting and exceeding those standards. Willa A. Foster wrote, "Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives."
As a business coach, when I get paid to diagnose the ills of an enterprise, I am considered a professional. When people hire me, they expect quality-period. There are no excuses. Not being prepared is simply not an option.
One of my goals is to get hired again by the same people, because they know what they are getting with their money. Word of mouth spreads very fast as well. Remember-people don't pay for average. Would you pay for an average meal, an average movie, an average book, an average concert, an average cell phone, or an average computer? People pay for quality and excellence.
Does your name stand for quality? Do you stamp a superior quality on everything that goes out of your hands?
5: CONSISTENCY 
Consistency refers to repeatedly doing the things that will put you in a position to succeed. In fact, it is one of the invisible secrets of finding your potential and being a success. Consistency is also about making smart choices and decisions that add up over time. It is about slowly chipping away, making steady progress, and constantly getting better when others who are inconsistent are stagnating. Consistency is about having the self-discipline to embrace repetition, a key to learning, improvement, and achieving excellence. John Wooden said, "There is a choice you have to make in everything you do, so keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you."
How consistent are you on a daily basis? Do you have the self-discipline to repeatedly do the things that will put you in a position to succeed?
6: LEADERSHIP 
Leadership is about working toward excellence with others. The truth is that excellence is rarely an individual accomplishment, but rather a team accomplishment and joint venture. What few leaders truly understand is that real, authentic leadership is not about you, but the people you are responsible for leading. If you want to improve your leadership skills, simply improve the seven C's of leadership: character, competence, commitment, caring, confidence, communication, and consistency.
What is your philosophy? What are your standards and expectations? Are those in charge leading by example, putting others first, and walking their talk? Leadership begins in first being able to lead yourself. Finding your potential and being excellent takes great personal leadership.
Colin Powell said, "The performance of an organization is the ultimate measure of its leader." So how is your organization doing these days? Are you shining the leadership spotlight on yourself or on your people?
7: TIME 
Time is about managing your time and organization-two of the most important keys to success in work and in life. One of the great equalizers in this world is that everyone has 24 hours in a day. How we use those hours is what separates excellence from mediocrity and what separates potential for average. Best selling author and speaker, John Mason said, "Time, used correctly, is perhaps your most important asset. Treat time carelessly and it will do the same to you and your organization."
Saying "no" is another important skill of valuing your time. For example, sometimes I have to make a decision to recommend making a change in a product or service because the work is redundant or can be done more efficiently with better technology by someone else. When this situation occurs, I usually explain to my client that "No one cares what we don't do. They only care about what we do."
In other words, in my opinion, it is better not to do something at all than it is to do it poorly. More often than not, biting off more than you can chew will lead to mediocrity. Instead, eliminate the stress and allow more time to focus on other things. The result is doing less-better. Less is more. By saying no, you are saying yes to doing less better and greatly improving your chances of excelling in your potential and achieving excellence.
How well do you value time? Are you comfortable with saying "no?"
8: PERSEVERANCE 
Perseverance is the persistence, resiliency, and inner strength you need to move forward during tough times. If you were to study the careers and experiences of those who have achieved uncommon success, you would find a time when they arrived at a crossroads and had to decide whether to give up or to persevere. Successful people also learn to expect adversity as they work toward excellence. They are not surprised when it comes, and they do not let it deter them from their goals.
Perhaps your dream is to complete your degree, attain a college teaching position, or become an entrepreneur. Or maybe you are preparing for a speech, applying to graduate school, or searching for a job. Whatever your situation, whatever your goals, you will have to develop the value of perseverance if you want to succeed. Authors Dennis Coates and Meredith Bell said of perseverance, "Just decide that after most people have dropped out, you'll be one of those still in the game."
Do you give up easily, or do you have the inner strength to keep going when things get tough? Does adversity deter you, or does it motivate you and make you more determined?
CONCLUSION 
Excellence is a quest all of us can and should undertake. In the journey toward excellence, we find potential within ourselves we did not know existed. It is a never-ending journey that provides meaning in our lives. It is a noble pursuit that just happens to be valued and rewarded. But more than anything, excellence is a mindset that applies to any and every endeavor, regardless of who you are or what you do.
So how do you work toward excellence? By identifying, practicing, and developing the eight values in this article. This is your game plan. After identifying the values, start practicing them. After practicing the values, start developing them. After developing the values, start mastering them. And after mastering the values, start teaching them. Does this guarantee you will achieve excellence? No. Excellence is never guaranteed. But if you always work toward it, your will unlock great potential within you, and you will not have any regrets.


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