Q&A with Robert Herjavec

Last night was the network television premiere of "Shark Tank," a new reality series featuring desperate entrepreneurs trying to sell their business ideas to a panel of five millionaire investors. If judges like what they see, they'll negotiate (or attack each other) for a piece of the venture. More often than not, though, contestants just get chewed up. But hey, with credit markets the way they are, what else can business owners do?

Entrepreneur.com had a chance to speak with each of the "sharks" about the show and their personal successes, so over the next five weeks, we'll be sharing these interviews on the Daily Dose. Stay tuned.

First up is Robert Herjavec. (He's the dark-haired, relatively compassionate one who sits on the very right). The former waiter launched a tech company during the early days of the dot-com boom and is now the head of The Herjavec Group, one of Canada's leading IT security and infrastructure firms. 

In the first episode, you mention a spectrum that runs from insanity to genius. Where should an entrepreneur fall on this spectrum? 
I think it depends on the life cycle of the business.

In this economy, anyone who starts a business and has a passion for it has to be [closer to] insanity. When you look at the facts and the data, what person in their right mind would go out and take that challenge and risk everything?

But I think as the company grows, you have to go on the other side. Just like any business is a living, breathing thing, an entrepreneur has to be able to adapt over time. Of course, my wife thinks I'm insane all the time. [laughs]

Why put your own money on the line? 
I'm hoping to see real businesses with real cash flow and real ideas that simply can't get funding somewhere else. In effect, [the show] might become a feeder for what could potentially become a great investment. And it's a great format for entrepreneurs to learn and possibly get some funding.

You seem to have small businesses' interests at heart.
Oh, I'm all about small business. I think what we've learned from big business and big Wall Street is that unchecked greed and the creation of false value gets us all in trouble. If we look at the American economy, who's really creating value? It's the small businesses.

Then is it hard to judge whether someone's dream is good or bad? 
I never try to judge people's dreams, but sometimes I find it difficult [to understand] what makes them pursue them.

If this show had been around when you started out, would you have done the casting call? 
Absolutely. I would have seen it as a challenge and as a great way to partner with five successful people, or however many I could get.

And what do you think your chances would have been? 
Easy! I would have gotten the money. [laughs]

What's the most important characteristic a successful entrepreneur should possess? 
I'm looking for a great communicator, someone who communicates thoughts clearly and immediately--that's different from being a great salesman or financial person. 

If you can't get me excited about your idea or business, you're going to have a hard time selling it to other people. That's important because I'm not going to run their business--I'm simply an investor.

And in your own career, what was the best business move you made? 
The best business decision was one that was made for me. I was fired from a successful job, which forced me to start a business because I couldn't find another job. I'm not sure I would have ever taken the risk to start my own business if that hadn't happened to me.

So there's no decision you regret? 
No. 

I presume you ascribe to the "everything happens for a reason" philosophy.
Yeah. You know, I never look back and regret because one, I can't change it; and two, nobody cares. It's the same when our clients ask us, "How are you doing today?" We always say "Wonderful," because really, they have their own issues, their own problems and they don't want to hear about yours.


Article Source: www.entrepreneur.com

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Daymond John on Lessons From His Worst Mistakes

Daymond John, the founder of fashion brand FUBU and an investor on reality television show Shark Tank, sits down with Behind the Brand host Bryan Elliott to discuss his background and business philosophy. Raised in Queens, N.Y., John became frustrated in the 1980s that designers weren't making clothes for the inner-city kids who loved rap music. He made 10 FUBU T-shirts and persuaded hip-hop artists such as LL Cool J to wear them in their music videos. After showcasing them in 40 videos, "people thought I was this huge company, when I was a waiter at Red Lobster with 10 T-shirts in my basement,"

John says.
Over the past 25 years, John has experienced wins, losses and more than a few epiphanies. "As an entrepreneur, you never stop learning," he says. "I've failed way more than I've succeeded." He says one of his worst mistakes was expanding beyond what he was good at. Once, he decided to make a music album to gain exposure. But his team didn't know the business and "were spending money like drunken sailors." It turned out to be a bad investment. Now, he expands his brand by partnering with the right people and grows his business through carefully calculated goals and formulas for growth.

Article Source: www.entrepreneur.com

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Mark Cuban's 12 Rules for Startups

Anyone who has started a business has his or her own rules and guidelines, so I thought I would add to the memo with my own. My "rules" below aren't just for those founding the companies, but for those who are considering going to work for them, as well.

1. Don't start a company unless it's an obsession and something you love.

2. If you have an exit strategy, it's not an obsession.

3. Hire people who you think will love working there.

4. Sales Cure All. Know how your company will make money and how you will actually make sales.

5. Know your core competencies and focus on being great at them. Pay up for people in your core competencies. Get the best. Outside the core competencies, hire people that fit your culture but aren't as expensive to pay.

Related: Mark Cuban on Why You Should Never Listen to Your Customers 

6. An espresso machine? Are you kidding me? Coffee is for closers. Sodas are free. Lunch is a chance to get out of the office and talk. There are 24 hours in a day, and if people like their jobs, they will find ways to use as much of it as possible to do their jobs.

7. No offices. Open offices keep everyone in tune with what is going on and keep the energy up. If an employee is about privacy, show him or her how to use the lock on the bathroom. There is nothing private in a startup. This is also a good way to keep from hiring executives who cannot operate successfully in a startup. My biggest fear was always hiring someone who wanted to build an empire. If the person demands to fly first class or to bring over a personal secretary, run away. If an exec won't go on sales calls, run away. They are empire builders and will pollute your company.

8. As far as technology, go with what you know. That is always the most inexpensive way. If you know Apple, use it. If you know Vista, ask yourself why, then use it. It's a startup so there are just a few employees. Let people use what they know.

Related: Three Steps for Getting Started in Mobile Commerce

9. Keep the organization flat. If you have managers reporting to managers in a startup, you will fail. Once you get beyond startup, if you have managers reporting to managers, you will create politics.

10. Never buy swag. A sure sign of failure for a startup is when someone sends me logo-embroidered polo shirts. If your people are at shows and in public, it's okay to buy for your own employees, but if you really think people are going to wear your branded polo when they're out and about, you are mistaken and have no idea how to spend your money.

11. Never hire a PR firm. A public relations firm will call or email people in the publications you already read, on the shows you already watch and at the websites you already surf. Those people publish their emails. Whenever you consume any information related to your field, get the email of the person publishing it and send them a message introducing yourself and the company. Their job is to find new stuff. They will welcome hearing from the founder instead of some PR flack. Once you establish communication with that person, make yourself available to answer their questions about the industry and be a source for them. If you are smart, they will use you.

Related: Is Any Publicity Good Publicity?

12. Make the job fun for employees. Keep a pulse on the stress levels and accomplishments of your people and reward them. My first company, MicroSolutions, when we had a record sales month, or someone did something special, I would walk around handing out $100 bills to salespeople. At Broadcast.com and MicroSolutions, we had a company shot. The Kamikaze. We would take people to a bar every now and then and buy one or ten for everyone. At MicroSolutions, more often than not we had vendors cover the tab. Vendors always love a good party.

Article Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/222524

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‘Shark Tank’ offers valuable business lessons

With Black Friday upon us, it’s time for the annual media laments about America’s greedy businessmen. You know the drill — stores open up too early and stay open too late, all to make a quick buck off of an overly commercialized holiday; is there nothing these scrooges won’t do to get between us and our wallets?

If you want to be reminded of why American business is one of our country’s greatest assets, not something to bemoan, spend your Black Friday evening watching “Shark Tank.”

The ABC show, now in its fourth season, may seem just another silly reality program, a chance for megalomaniac billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to insult little people coming to him for a handout. In fact, it’s one of the most informative and optimistic shows on network TV.

Entrepreneurs stand before five sharks — some combination of Cuban; real-estate mogul Barbara Corcoran; QVC’s Lori Greiner; technology innovator Robert Herjavec; FUBU founder Daymond John, and venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary — pitch the idea for their company and then offer the sharks a share of it in return for some investment.

Economist Todd Bucholz says that this is actually a pretty good approximation of what goes on when entrepreneurs meet with venture capitalists. In fact, he says:

“Take two people who have an idea to start a business — people with similar education, background and networking capabilities. If one of them watches ‘Shark Tank’ for six months and the other watches ‘American Idol’,” then “the former will have a clear advantage.”

A former senior White House economic adviser who’s launching an educational-software company, Bucholz says that people who watch the show will be “forced to confront questions they might not have thought about — including profitability and reach and which potential partners they should do business with.

“In fact, many of them will realize that their schemes are hare-brained. Just because everyone’s told you you’ve made the best ice cream, doesn’t mean you’ll knock Baskin Robbins off the shelf.”

Richard Karlgaard, the publisher of Forbes magazine, says that when the sharks ask questions like, “What’s to prevent me from going home and making the exact same product?” they’re offering potential entrepreneurs a vital lesson. For some, the answer lies in understanding patents and intellectual-property law.

Others, though, need to understand what Karlgaard calls “their unfair advantage” — the thing that can give them a real leg up over others in a chosen field.

“I think it’s a great question for people to think about. What are they really good at? Your unfair advantage is more likely to be in a place you’re passionate about. Where you’re willing to work 80- to 100-hour weeks. Most people aren’t willing to work that hard.”

Even for those not thinking of going into business, “Shark Tank” is a useful corrective to our collective impressions about American business.

With all of the news of Twitter and Google and Facebook, you might get the idea that entrepreneurship today is basically a matter of creating apps. In fact, many of the products presented on “Shark Tank” are tangible goods — from grilled cheese sandwiches to bottles of nail polish (that also include nail polish remover).

“A lot of people want to build lifestyle businesses,” notes Karlgaard. They want “the freedom and autonomy” that come with privately held businesses. That QVC’s Lori Greiner is one of the sharks reminds viewers that American entrepreneurs aren’t all based in Silicon Valley.

And they’re not billionaires either. Some “Shark Tank” contestants have scrimped and saved for years, even decades, to get to this point. Cuban, for his part, always seems to offer special encouragement (if not always cash) to the entrepreneurs who haven’t taken on enormous debt, who “hit the pavement” and sell their products door-to-door, or at least retail store-to-retail store.

We should not take the American spirit of entrepreneurship for granted, says Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a former chief economist for the Labor Department, who grew up in Britain.

One year, she and her brother came up with an elaborate scheme to buy blue jeans in the States and sell them out of their dorm rooms for more than twice the price. Her mother, she recalls, was “deeply embarrassed.” In other countries, says Furchtgott-Roth, “the money you earn is not as good as the money you inherit.”

Watch a few episodes of “Shark Tank,” and you’ll remember why we parted ways with those ideas a few hundred years ago.

Article Source: http://nyp.st/183K2Xw

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The Six Benefits of Character In Your Success

Most people in ministry, business, career and in their daily lives want to be successful. The one thing that I have found over the years that speaks volumes to your success is "character." Character is defined as behavior on display. It is the visible demonstration of Godly values on a moment-to-moment basis.

Character commands respect and commitment. It is anchored by integrity and is maintained in adversity.

There Are Six Benefits Of Character:

1. It gives you a platform for others to hear you.

2. It makes it possible for others to trust you.

3. It gives others permission to see you as role model and mentor.

4. It becomes a magnet to attract provisions for your vision.

5. It positions you to be a blessing to others.

6. It positions you for promotion.

It is your responsibility to bring yourself to a place of change where your character is a reflection of your inner strength. This type of change requires knowledge and honesty. It is on purpose and by design.

Character change requires discipline. Some people short change themselves by limiting themselves with false beliefs concerning character. There are three false beliefs that hinder people. First, the belief that they cannot change because they tried once and they were unsuccessful. Second, the belief that character change is not their responsibility. Third, the belief that their character is not as bad as it seems.

There are three reasons character change will advance your success. First, change provides a natural example to other. Second, success and fulfillment can be postponed until you change. Third, your future hopes and desires will hinge on your character change.

If you want to experience greatness in your life you must believe that character change is possible for you. You must make a decision to have victory in every area of your life including character. Find a role model to pattern your life after and then develop a life plan strategy to develop your character.

When you take these six benefits in mind and ponder on where your character is, in relation to your success, you will discover that in every step, phase or level of your success there are some benefits to having a right and godly character.

You Character Assignment:

In reviewing the six benefits of character which one is most important to your success now?

What, if anything, do you need to do to develop your character to experience more success?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ginger_London

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What Determines Our Success in Life?

I am surprised at how many people associate success only with having or making a lot of money, and who are willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Ironically, it's exactly those people who are the unhappiest ones, and the reason is simple: success means happiness first, and happiness is what attracts all the other good things in life, not the other way around.

However, there are also successful people in this world who are happy - but these are the ones who have become successful by doing something they love. And this is the only viable way that brings success in the long run.

Of course, when people are struggling to make ends meet, success might seem like an intangible goal. They can't simply quit their jobs, as that would put them in dire straits - but they can do something else: start working towards their dreams at least 1-2 hours/day.

The reason why only 10% of the people succeed in life is their determination and persistence in going after what they want - the majority is either giving up or not even starting. And most of the times it's not the failure that stops them, but the fear of failure.

Most successful people have failed many times, but they never given up. Failure is part of the process and instead of being afraid of it, we could very well embrace the idea. It will happen anyway, but we can choose how to respond when it happens - and this is what determines our success in the end.

The people who are in the top of their field today were in the bottom in the past, and maybe they didn't even know at that time what their purpose in life is. What made the difference between them and the majority was their dedication and perseverance in pursuing their dreams, once they identified them.

We all can be successful, but first of all we have to become aware of the 80/20 rule:

80% of the reasons that are holding you back from achieving your goal are inside yourself. They are the lack of a skill, a quality or a body of knowledge. Only 20% of the reasons you are not achieving your goal are on the outside. Always start with yourself. ~ Brian Tracy

Did you know that most successful people today were once either fired from their jobs or considered "unfit' for those positions? Moreover, some of them were homeless, on welfare or living from paycheck to paycheck. Most of them were also judged, misunderstood or considered losers, because their behavior and vision didn't fit with the one of the majority.

The fact is: no matter what you do, you will be judged - so you might, as well, do what you really want. It takes time to become an expert in your field, but time will pass anyway, so why not use it in your favor?

What's your excuse right now for not following your dreams? Do you blame others for your failures or your inability to achieve what you want? In this case you may first consider taking responsibility for your life, as most likely 80% of the reasons for your lack of success are determined by your actions/thoughts/beliefs.

Being persistent doesn't mean doing things exactly the same way every single time. If it didn't work one way, consider it a feedback and try a different approach, rethink your strategy instead of compromising or reshaping your goals.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. ~ Albert Einstein

It's very important to decide exactly what is it that you want to accomplish in all areas of your life. The most effective way is to make a plan and work on it every single day. So why not start today?

Below are some guidelines that most successful people follow:

1. Know what you want

Define your goals clearly and be specific - imagine that you would have to present them to someone who doesn't know anything about you or your field.

2. Take action

Work on your goals every single day and make sure your actions go along with your values, not against them.

3. Monitor your results

Instead of looking how far your destination is compared to where you are now, look at how much you have accomplished already. When you fall, get up and move on - there's no such thing as failure, just feedback. Learn to see the positive side in every setback, as most likely it happened to give you a lesson that you can learn from.

4. Be flexible

If you're not flexible in your behavior and not willing to adapt or change, you'll most likely break in the early stage of your journey. If you can't change the situation, change your perspective about it and focus on the solution instead of the problem itself.

5. Strive for excellence

Don't be afraid to aim high - if your dreams don't scare you, they are not big enough. Start thinking from the end, as if your dreams are already real by assuming the feeling of your wishes fulfilled.

Instead of focusing on the money you can get, focus on the value you can offer. When people see the value in your products/services they will want and recommend them to others. Don't make the mistake that so many people do when they reach a certain level of wealth: they forget the human side and focus only on the profit. Today you might be up, but tomorrow you could be down - that's how unpredictable life can be.

When you achieve your goals and become successful, never forget where you were when you started; be confident but not arrogant, and most important: no matter how successful you are, stay humble and never forget the people who have helped you along the way.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought ~ Buddha

Dare to dream big and never let anything hold you back from pursuing your dreams. You can do whatever you put your mind to. It's never a matter of can; it's a matter of want.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eleonora_L.

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The One Critical Factor For Success

 As a Breakthrough Coach, my role is to assist women three ways: (1) helping them identify those areas in life that are not working or could use improvement; (2) uncovering the obstacles that stand in the way of moving forward; and (3) creating a structure for success that includes goal setting, support, and motivation. There is no greater feeling than seeing a client or workshop attendee put the pieces together and fashion an exciting new path for herself.

In my personal as well as professional life I've discovered that although it takes several important elements pieced together to bring us what we want, there is one critical factor that is necessary for success. That element is the right mindset. Without this in place, it is extremely difficult to manifest what you want. Let's explore this concept further.

Mindset

Mindset is the combination of thoughts and beliefs we hold. From a young age, we begin to see the world around us a certain way, based on our observations and experiences in our home, from the media, and from other influential people around us. As we grow older, these thoughts coalesce to form belief systems that usually lay hidden in our subconscious where they steer the actions we take, or don't take, in life. Thoughts on the other hand stem from the conscious part of our brain. The reason it is difficult to often create the success we want is because our thoughts and beliefs may not mesh. When that occurs, the subconscious - the deeper, more rooted aspects of our psyche, win out.

Let me give you an example. Say you want to leave your job and double your salary in a new position. Your conscious thought might be, "I want a great new job where I earn $100,000 next year." Your underlying belief system, however, might be telling you, "I don't have what it takes to get that type of position... Who am I to think I can earn that much... They'll never hire me... " When the subconscious rears itself and creates disagreement between itself and your conscious thoughts, your actions will be consistent with the belief, not the thought. In this case, you most likely will stay in your current job or make a lateral move, thus sabotaging your chances for more success.

Our mindsets are at the core of what we achieve in life: whether we live the life of our dreams or suffer in stagnation and mediocrity. It's so important that working on it forms the foundation of all of my coaching work.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanne_H_Garroway

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Are People Pushing Your Buttons?

Do you find there are a few people that can "push your buttons" and make you feel angry, belittled, victimized or any other emotion that you dislike? Maybe it's your boss who ignores your contribution to the workplace, or a business assistant who is abrupt when you discuss a project with her, or a family member who criticizes you.

Regardless of who is doing the "button-pushing" the resulting feelings you harbor can have devastating consequences including damaged relationships, mistrust, poor productivity and more. Solving this situation is important if you want to have success with less stress, worry and headaches.

Your first inclination may be that the other person needs to change, but this is probably not possible. The only thing or person you have control over is you.

How can you take control and be empowered to feel better about any conversation with them? The following strategies will help you protect your emotional buttons when faced with a person who is trying to get a hold of them.

Remember what you want your life to look like. If you want to be known as an aggressive no-one-is-going-to-get-the-best-of-me person, then go ahead and let your anger fly. After you let your anger out in the face of the offender, how does this make you feel? There may be a little relief, but most people feel pretty bad. If you want a life of harmony, balance and fun then don't give your power away by letting your anger rage. Remembering what you want your life to be like can lead to clarifying conversations and/or assertive responses.

Have some compassion. Change your perspective about the other person from one of "He is horrible" to "Gee, he must be having a bad day, or he just doesn't know how to communicate properly." Looking at him differently replaces your feelings of anger and victim with those of compassion, understanding and gentleness. Which ones will make you more happy and productive?

Change your energy. Do something to shift your icky feelings to those that feel better. Get into nature, take some deep breaths, take a walk, drink some water or read something inspiring. You cannot have bad feelings and good feelings at the same time - choose the good.

Dump the relationship. If the button-pusher continues it may be time to seriously consider dumping the relationship - find a new job, get a new assistant or leave an abusive relationship. Only you can decide the essence of your career, business and your life. The choice is yours.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeanette_Eleff

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Turning Setbacks Into Success

From the time we are babies, we have setbacks: we don't get fed fast enough or have a wet diaper changed promptly, our frustrations leading to crying and tantrums. Setbacks, disappointments, and obstacles are unavoidable as we progress through life. It is how we handle our setbacks that will determine the results we create. Will they stop us from being successful or are there ways to turn them around to our benefit?

Quitting or Winning

In my office I have the following quote prominently displayed: Winners Never Quit and Quitters Never Win. How true! When we move out into the world and begin taking risks such as starting relationships or jobs, we may come face to face with obstacles. The intimacy of a growing relationship or the challenges of a new job may force us to examine our fears and "stopping points." Do we plunge ahead despite our perceived limitations or do we take the easy road and stop? What if we want and choose to continue only to find our self up against a big roadblock that we're not sure we can overcome? What we do next can influence the whole course of our life to come.

When my husband and I opened our travel agency ten years ago, we were completely gung ho. We knocked on doors, made many phone calls, advertised here and there, and generally threw ourselves into sales and marketing to drum up business. In many ways, we had more "misses" than "hits" like the time we invested a few hundred dollars to host a travel club meeting only to receive one booking, resulting in a financial and emotional loss, or the many times we advertised in different places and never received one phone call.

Sure, we had our bubble burst a lot in those early years of growing a new business. The setbacks were numerous. We both became quite discouraged and frankly, it would have been easy to quit. We came to a crossroad: we could walk away from our financial investment in this business and look for another career or we could learn from our miscues, plot a different approach, and patiently trust we would make a success out of this venture. It took a few years, as many new business owners are told to expect and happily we went on to build a thriving travel agency.

Setbacks are opportunities to reassess our position. They can be viewed as "tests" to see how committed we are to the end game we've planned for. Perhaps we do need to stop and see if the path we've chosen is truly the best one for us and it is okay to admit that it may no longer be viable. An honest assessment and decision to stop is not necessarily quitting. On the other hand, a setback can signal that we've reached a plateau in our own growth and that to move forward, we need a new approach. This attitude provides us with a great opportunity. What can I learn or do differently to be successful? You can turn setbacks into success. It comes down to how you choose to view the situation and what actions you take or don't take next.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanne_H_Garroway

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Think You're a Failure?

Henry Ford once said, "If you think you can or if you think you can't, you're right." The same is true with failure. Since the true definition of success is being content with yourself, then if you think you're a failure, well... you're right! Sounds harsh, I know. Fortunately, going from failure to success isn't nearly as hard as you think. You just have to do one thing: change your mind. Here's how to do it.

• Stop comparing your life to others'.

Success isn't the same thing as perfection. One is attainable and the other is a complete figment of your imagination. Since perfection doesn't exist, you'll never be perfect. There will always be someone who has something you don't, whether it be riches, talent, or career fulfillment, etc. Everyone has different gifts, and we all take a different path, but you have to remind yourself that different isn't better. You will never be successful until you stop evaluating yourself based on someone else's reality.

• Stop living for other people.

Many of the things we spend our whole lives trying to attain are things that other people have told us are important. We want the big house and fancy car to keep up with the neighbors. We must have the perfect hair and flawless makeup to look like the Photoshopped images on the grocery store magazines. Before you overwork yourself trying to live up to someone else's standards, stop and ask yourself what is really important to you, and then focus your efforts in that direction.

• Celebrate you.

Stop having a pity party and experience a different kind, one that celebrates the unique and vibrant person that you are. Start by making a list of qualities that you like about yourself. If you've been indulging in negative self talk for a while, then you may find this to be a challenging activity, but don't give up. With practice, you'll get better. Once you've identified your strengths, you can start building on them rather than trying to be someone you're not.

• Don't take life so seriously.

Yes, the bills have to be paid. Your to do list is getting longer and bad things are happening in the world. I get it, but not everything in life has to be serious. Allow yourself to smile and enjoy a laugh with a friend. After all, isn't a life of joy the most successful one you could hope for?

If you think you're a failure, then you're misinterpreting wealth or beauty or some other fleeting ideal for success. Let go of this misconception and start getting to know the person within in order to acknowledge infinite wisdom.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melissa_Maypole

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Healthy In the Mind, Healthier In the Body

 It shouldn't surprise anyone that the more you read the greater your chances of success. Still, there are some dyslexic billionaires that don't read much at all. They have trouble learning that way. It's not that with a lot of practice they cannot become efficient readers, it's that they find ways to work around their problems and avoid reading too much. So how do they do it? Well, there are audio books, movies, and there is story-telling. You can learn a lot about how to be successful in the world and get new insight by talking to people and listening to them explain their perspectives and listening to their stories.

Much of what people tell you is not exactly accurate, even if they are not really attempting to lie, perhaps they just have a bit of false memory? Or, they are trying to put their best foot forward. Either way, the more you learn about people, human nature and empathy, the better you will do in life. Further, a healthy mind often comes with a healthy body too, so there are added benefits besides just straight success.

Now then, whereas, dyslexics might find a way to get the same input without reading, there is really no excuse for anyone who can read well, not to.

There was an interesting article in Science Daily in the second week of October 2013 titled; "Reading Is Good for Your Health," which stated; "People with poor reading skills are likely to be less healthy than those who read easily, according to recent research. Literacy skills are important for keeping in good shape," and "Some people don't seem to obtain necessary health information because they're not good readers."

Still, I think that may not be the only reason. So if we take this research with that recent study showing reading increases empathy then we might say this helps with relationships meaning people are not lonely thus, happier. Happy people do not get sick as much and tend to have better immune systems. This study begs more questions.

It might also be that smarter people enjoy reading often and have more developed brains. The more developed the brains is the more nerve connection you will possess. And this means better faculties for more movement thus, reducing laziness. A healthy body equals a healthy brain and vice-versa. So feed your brain with good reading, and work to maintain your body and health using that brain of yours. So consider all this and meditate on it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

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The Law of Success: An Overview of Napoleon Hill's Lesson Thirteen

Lesson thirteen in Napoleon Hill's book The Law of Success is entitled Failure. Hill says, "Neither temporary defeat nor adversity amounts to failure in the mind of the person who looks upon it as a teacher that will teach some needed lesson." You are the student if you are open to learning and growing from the experience.

Hill suggests that the lessons learned in "failure", which is really a temporary defeat are often not possible to learn in any other way. When you view your setbacks in this way, you are on the road to success by learning from the mistake. Your error is only destructive if you accept it as a failure!

Your enemies can be your greatest teachers. They often find your weak spots, but if you acknowledge what those weaknesses are and mend them, you can improve yourself. So hating your enemies only gives them strength instead of building you up by learning from them.

Search for the blessings in disguise from both your "enemies" and your so-called failures in life. Your friends generally don't point out your defects, and enemies do. So Hill believes a few enemies are needed to learn and grow!

Hill feels so strongly about failure being to your advantage that he states that most great men such as Socrates or Christ have experienced it and their achievements have had a lasting legacy as a result. "The success of each man seemed to be in almost exact ratio to the extent of the obstacles and difficulties he had to surmount."

By rising above a so-called failure, you become stronger and wiser as a result of the experience. Defeat has its own language, which forces us to listen. But it does take a strong measure of courage to unearth the blessing in a failure.

So Hill advises you to be thankful for defeat and view it as temporary instead of permanent. As you survive it and keep going, you will reach higher levels of achievement. Only you can brand yourself as a failure. So do not look at your defeats in such a way.

Look for blessings and expect good fortune to come your way after a setback. Use failure as a teacher and guide. Have faith in yourself and believe that you will rise above any obstacle. Embracing this lesson although sometimes challenging, will bring you success and achievement. It is one of the sixteen success ingredients that Hill has placed in his book The Law of Success.

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