Had a weird thought on my way to my first camping trip EVER.
The four of us spent a night at the Great Ocean Road Tourist Park @ Peterborough in a 3-man dome tent. Hubby had meant to add an element of luxury by bringing a QS airbed. Except the airbed kept deflating in the middle so only our heads and feet were well cushioned. Not much fun when you're awake in the middle of the night trying to go back to sleep and your sore tailbone is just one thin layer removed from the hard ground beneath.
Anyway, reflecting on the camp, I thought: this is my 40th year. How about I give myself a birthday present by making a commitment to do things I've never attempted before or have avoided doing in my life?
So for Jan 2010 - camping outdoors.
Feb 2010 - setting up a stall at the church monthly market.
And for the rest of the year...
Learn to cycle.
Get into swimsuit.
Volunteer to teach one term of Sunday School.
Rejoin the musos, but perhaps in a different capacity (worship singer?).
Haven't put together a list of 12 yet, but I'm sure it'll slowly come together.
Wouldn't it be fun to look back and say this is the year I really LIVED?
Showing posts with label Goal Setting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goal Setting. Show all posts
Monday, January 11, 2010
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Building A Site With Professional Help
I have swallowed my pride and asked for help with my second web site.
The first site is tortoise-ing along and I will continue experimenting with it. For now, it's a real-life example of how NOT to build a site.
The second is meant to funnel traffic to my organics site.
Products first, business building later. I know the money is in recruitment but at this point, I just can't bring myself to invite anyone to join my team. I just want to get as much product out there as possible to all the people who are looking for natural health solutions and natural alternatives to OTC drugs.
The easy part is paying for the coaching service.
Now comes the hard part: working with my coach to decide which KWs are best, what my Most Wanted Response is (traffic and product sales), writing KW-rich articles that she can use.
By Christmas 2010, I should know if I'm on track to achieve an independent stream of income from ONE Group.
The first site is tortoise-ing along and I will continue experimenting with it. For now, it's a real-life example of how NOT to build a site.
The second is meant to funnel traffic to my organics site.
Products first, business building later. I know the money is in recruitment but at this point, I just can't bring myself to invite anyone to join my team. I just want to get as much product out there as possible to all the people who are looking for natural health solutions and natural alternatives to OTC drugs.
The easy part is paying for the coaching service.
Now comes the hard part: working with my coach to decide which KWs are best, what my Most Wanted Response is (traffic and product sales), writing KW-rich articles that she can use.
By Christmas 2010, I should know if I'm on track to achieve an independent stream of income from ONE Group.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Power Of Vision Boards
I am reading The Answer: Grow Any Business, Achieve Financial Freedom, and Live an Extraordinary Life
and have started putting together my own vision boards.
A vision board, also called a dream board, is a collage of powerful words and images that evoke and reflect your dreams, goals and vision for your life/business/career/relationships/anything really.
Authors John Assaraf and Murray Smith describe the vision board as "an especially powerful tool for imprinting your aspirations on your nonconscious brain", or more succinctly, "designing your future". (Love that phrase!)
You can see sample vision boards at www.johnassaraf.com, including a very cool one made up for Barack Obama when he was campaigning for the Democratic Party nomination. (Look where it got him!)
I decided to try my hand at crafting a vision board or two.
So now I've got one for my dream home (the one with the polished floorboards, views of the sea, timber slatted backyard fence and decked all-weather alfresco area).
And one for my life/work.
My 7 y.o. says she's going to create a vision board for herself too. :-)
and have started putting together my own vision boards.A vision board, also called a dream board, is a collage of powerful words and images that evoke and reflect your dreams, goals and vision for your life/business/career/relationships/anything really.
Authors John Assaraf and Murray Smith describe the vision board as "an especially powerful tool for imprinting your aspirations on your nonconscious brain", or more succinctly, "designing your future". (Love that phrase!)
You can see sample vision boards at www.johnassaraf.com, including a very cool one made up for Barack Obama when he was campaigning for the Democratic Party nomination. (Look where it got him!)
I decided to try my hand at crafting a vision board or two.
So now I've got one for my dream home (the one with the polished floorboards, views of the sea, timber slatted backyard fence and decked all-weather alfresco area).
And one for my life/work.
My 7 y.o. says she's going to create a vision board for herself too. :-)
Friday, April 10, 2009
The #1 Skill That Dwarfs Everything Else
"Taking real steps of any kind is what it takes, no matter where you are... But it's safer just to read some more, or do something that feels like you're doing something, but that doesn't really move you towards your NEXT important goal..."
Does this sound like you?
If the answer's yes, you need to master the #1 skill that dwarfs everything else.
Me? I'm going to take a leaf out of Ken's book and do 20 toe touches when I jump out of bed tomorrow.
PS. To log in to the forum as my guest, key in career-change-confidence.com as your ID and password. You will see yourself online as "Guest of Career-Change-Confidence.com".
Does this sound like you?
If the answer's yes, you need to master the #1 skill that dwarfs everything else.
Me? I'm going to take a leaf out of Ken's book and do 20 toe touches when I jump out of bed tomorrow.
PS. To log in to the forum as my guest, key in career-change-confidence.com as your ID and password. You will see yourself online as "Guest of Career-Change-Confidence.com".
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
What Focus Means
I like this definition of "focus" that I picked up in Why We Want You To Be Rich: Two Men, One Message by Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump.
F = Follow
O = One
C = Course
U = Until
S = Successful
Follow One Course Until Successful.
RK shares that he applied this wisdom to his research into real estate, bonds and IPOs.
When he invested in real estate, he continued until he was successful.
When he wanted to learn about bonds, he invested in them until he was successful. Once he was successful, he decided that he did not like bonds and so he does not invest in them anymore.
He has taken two companies successfully from startups to IPOs and made millions. He succeeded, but then he decided he did not want to go through the process anymore.
Today, RK still prefers real estate.
When you think about it, it makes sense to focus. You shut out everything else that distracts and pour all your energies into doing one thing well. If that thing fails despite your best efforts and intentions, you know it's not right for you and you can move on.
But if you only put in 20% in Project X because you are also trying to manage Projects Y and Z and X fails, how will you know for sure what caused the failure?
F = Follow
O = One
C = Course
U = Until
S = Successful
Follow One Course Until Successful.
RK shares that he applied this wisdom to his research into real estate, bonds and IPOs.
When he invested in real estate, he continued until he was successful.
When he wanted to learn about bonds, he invested in them until he was successful. Once he was successful, he decided that he did not like bonds and so he does not invest in them anymore.
He has taken two companies successfully from startups to IPOs and made millions. He succeeded, but then he decided he did not want to go through the process anymore.
Today, RK still prefers real estate.
When you think about it, it makes sense to focus. You shut out everything else that distracts and pour all your energies into doing one thing well. If that thing fails despite your best efforts and intentions, you know it's not right for you and you can move on.
But if you only put in 20% in Project X because you are also trying to manage Projects Y and Z and X fails, how will you know for sure what caused the failure?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
The Story of the Spider
After a particularly violent storm, the spider's half-spun web lay in tatters. The spider itself had been flung to the ground, and it now painfully inched its way up the wall towards the ruins of its home.
The spider followed the trail it knew best, crawling slowly upwards. But the wall had become wet and slippery, and once the spider reached a certain height, it would fall off. But it never gave up. Each time it fell, it would doggedly start all over again...
A passerby saw the spider's travails and sighed to himself: "Isn't my life just like this poor spider's? Always busying myself rushing here and there, and in the end, what do I achieve? Nothing."
Bowing his head in despair, he walked away, and from that day on sank into a depression.
A second passerby watched the spider and exclaimed: "What a stupid spider! Why can't he take a different route and crawl up from the section of the wall that is dry? In life too, one often encounters fools. I shall not be one of them!"
The second passerby went away with a swagger, determined to shine amongst his fellow men. In the conduct of his affairs he became clever and crafty.
The third passerby crouched down to observe the spider. Moved by what he saw, he sighed, "Ah spider! In countless battles you face countless failures, yet someday you will surely prevail! Man too should learn to be persevering like you!"
The third passerby went away, heartened and encouraged, and from that day on, he became much more resolute and resilient, and found success in all that he put his hand to.
Lesson
有什么样的心态，就会接受什么样的教育，就会领悟到什么样的道理。
Your attitude determines how teachable you are, and your teachability will determine the life lessons you learn.
《蜘蛛的故事》
The spider followed the trail it knew best, crawling slowly upwards. But the wall had become wet and slippery, and once the spider reached a certain height, it would fall off. But it never gave up. Each time it fell, it would doggedly start all over again...
A passerby saw the spider's travails and sighed to himself: "Isn't my life just like this poor spider's? Always busying myself rushing here and there, and in the end, what do I achieve? Nothing."
Bowing his head in despair, he walked away, and from that day on sank into a depression.
A second passerby watched the spider and exclaimed: "What a stupid spider! Why can't he take a different route and crawl up from the section of the wall that is dry? In life too, one often encounters fools. I shall not be one of them!"
The second passerby went away with a swagger, determined to shine amongst his fellow men. In the conduct of his affairs he became clever and crafty.
The third passerby crouched down to observe the spider. Moved by what he saw, he sighed, "Ah spider! In countless battles you face countless failures, yet someday you will surely prevail! Man too should learn to be persevering like you!"
The third passerby went away, heartened and encouraged, and from that day on, he became much more resolute and resilient, and found success in all that he put his hand to.
Lesson
有什么样的心态，就会接受什么样的教育，就会领悟到什么样的道理。
Your attitude determines how teachable you are, and your teachability will determine the life lessons you learn.
《蜘蛛的故事》
Thursday, October 09, 2008
The Secret of Success
I love this reminder from the Heathdale Christian College newsletter.
The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his time when it comes.
Benjamin Disraeli
Success is developed daily, not in a day, this is the law of process. What a person does on a disciplined, consistent basis gets him ready for success, no matter what the goal.
If you want to be successful in your studies (same goes for everything else you set your heart to), the good news is that you are in control of the outcomes.
Everyone has the potential, but success isn't an event, it's a process.
SUCCESS ISN'T AN EVENT, IT'S A PROCESS.
The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his time when it comes.
Benjamin Disraeli
Success is developed daily, not in a day, this is the law of process. What a person does on a disciplined, consistent basis gets him ready for success, no matter what the goal.
If you want to be successful in your studies (same goes for everything else you set your heart to), the good news is that you are in control of the outcomes.
Everyone has the potential, but success isn't an event, it's a process.
SUCCESS ISN'T AN EVENT, IT'S A PROCESS.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Creative Process (Stream of Consciousness Style)
I have been working - nay, wrestling - over my website.
If all goes to plan, this will be the first of many.
But the first one is the hardest.
Oh, I know I can pay someone to do it.
But that would be too easy, and I wouldn't learn half as much.
Or have as much fun.
I want to do it the right way.
Not just getting the technical bits right, which is completely out of my depth.
I'm thinking more about the writing aspect.
I want to write from the heart.
Share what is true.
Talk truthfully and objectively about what has worked for me and what hasn't.
Create something that will be of real use and benefit to others.
Not just something that pulls traffic and brings in dollars.
Although that would be a nice bonus!
It's got to be perfect (that reminds me of a song...) in every way.
Honouring to God.
Edifying to people.
Satisfying for me in a creative, artistic sense.
That is why it's so hard.
And also because I suffer from some form of attention deficit disorder.
I start brainstorming Theme A, then get sidetracked into "How about Theme B? That would be a good one too, lots of content and ideas..."
It has happened over and over for the past year.
Theme A gets abandoned in favour of Theme B, which in turn gets overwhelmed by Theme C, then after a huge U-turn, I come back to Theme A - or some variant of it.
I am trying to enjoy the uncertainty of the creative process, while keeping one eye on the practical.
My husband reminds me to Focus.
He knows me well.
I could sit and dream up a dozen different ideas to save the world and change lives, but it's not going to matter if none of those ideas makes it to implementation.
I have to just launch Something, put Something out there, and see what happens.
Going forward and reverse engineering at the same time.
It's so exciting when the seed of an idea starts to form.
You could go anywhere with it.
Do anything with it.
Let it take you on adventures.
Whatever you do, just don't tell it to go away.
It might not come back!
If all goes to plan, this will be the first of many.
But the first one is the hardest.
Oh, I know I can pay someone to do it.
But that would be too easy, and I wouldn't learn half as much.
Or have as much fun.
I want to do it the right way.
Not just getting the technical bits right, which is completely out of my depth.
I'm thinking more about the writing aspect.
I want to write from the heart.
Share what is true.
Talk truthfully and objectively about what has worked for me and what hasn't.
Create something that will be of real use and benefit to others.
Not just something that pulls traffic and brings in dollars.
Although that would be a nice bonus!
It's got to be perfect (that reminds me of a song...) in every way.
Honouring to God.
Edifying to people.
Satisfying for me in a creative, artistic sense.
That is why it's so hard.
And also because I suffer from some form of attention deficit disorder.
I start brainstorming Theme A, then get sidetracked into "How about Theme B? That would be a good one too, lots of content and ideas..."
It has happened over and over for the past year.
Theme A gets abandoned in favour of Theme B, which in turn gets overwhelmed by Theme C, then after a huge U-turn, I come back to Theme A - or some variant of it.
I am trying to enjoy the uncertainty of the creative process, while keeping one eye on the practical.
My husband reminds me to Focus.
He knows me well.
I could sit and dream up a dozen different ideas to save the world and change lives, but it's not going to matter if none of those ideas makes it to implementation.
I have to just launch Something, put Something out there, and see what happens.
Going forward and reverse engineering at the same time.
It's so exciting when the seed of an idea starts to form.
You could go anywhere with it.
Do anything with it.
Let it take you on adventures.
Whatever you do, just don't tell it to go away.
It might not come back!
Friday, August 01, 2008
Mary Poppins & The Abundance Mentality
I've watched the musical Mary Poppins countless times with the kids.
Each time I do, I either learn something new or get an old lesson reinforced.
There's this bit in the story where , Bert, Mary and the kids travel back from the racecourse where Mary had just won a trophy and taught Supercalifraglisticexpialidocious to her audience.
It was raining back at the park and Bert's chalk drawings on the pavement were all ruined.
"Oh Bert," sighed Mary, "all your fine drawings."
Bert saw it differently.
"There's plenty more where they came from," he replied.
"Besides, looks like good chestnut weather to me."
Just think of that.
Bert is able to put a positive spin on what looks like a setback - he's no longer thinking of what he's lost (the chalk drawings) but what he can create afresh.
And he's looking at other opportunities the bad weather can provide, that silver lining every cloud has if we look hard enough.
If he can't sell chalk drawings, he can sell something else - hot chestnuts.
What a clever, resourceful, creative chimney sweep.
I can think of more applications.
Did you notice Bert hasn't confined himself to chimney sweeping? He's a chalk artist, a busker and a streetside vendor of hot chestnuts on cold, wet days.
Multiple streams of income. Yep.
But I'm thinking of something else too.
Bert hasn't allowed his current reality (being a lowly chimney sweep, which surely was fairly low on the social ladder for his time) to limit him from doing good, living well and expressing himself the best way he can.
In the story, he's also a friend to children and a counselor to adults (even those adults who wouldn't normally socialize with chimney sweeps).
Action Challenge
What's keeping you back from living a full life?
What can you start doing today to live a fuller, more vibrant life?
Each time I do, I either learn something new or get an old lesson reinforced.
There's this bit in the story where , Bert, Mary and the kids travel back from the racecourse where Mary had just won a trophy and taught Supercalifraglisticexpialidocious to her audience.
It was raining back at the park and Bert's chalk drawings on the pavement were all ruined.
"Oh Bert," sighed Mary, "all your fine drawings."
Bert saw it differently.
"There's plenty more where they came from," he replied.
"Besides, looks like good chestnut weather to me."
Just think of that.
Bert is able to put a positive spin on what looks like a setback - he's no longer thinking of what he's lost (the chalk drawings) but what he can create afresh.
And he's looking at other opportunities the bad weather can provide, that silver lining every cloud has if we look hard enough.
If he can't sell chalk drawings, he can sell something else - hot chestnuts.
What a clever, resourceful, creative chimney sweep.
I can think of more applications.
Did you notice Bert hasn't confined himself to chimney sweeping? He's a chalk artist, a busker and a streetside vendor of hot chestnuts on cold, wet days.
Multiple streams of income. Yep.
But I'm thinking of something else too.
Bert hasn't allowed his current reality (being a lowly chimney sweep, which surely was fairly low on the social ladder for his time) to limit him from doing good, living well and expressing himself the best way he can.
In the story, he's also a friend to children and a counselor to adults (even those adults who wouldn't normally socialize with chimney sweeps).
Action Challenge
What's keeping you back from living a full life?
What can you start doing today to live a fuller, more vibrant life?
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Serena Recommends: MindTools.com
I've subscribed to MindTools' newsletter for more than a year now.
The articles are excellent and I always learn something new.
You get tips and advice on:
The articles are excellent and I always learn something new.
You get tips and advice on:
- time management
- stress management
- communication skills
- leadership skills
- how to improve your memory
- project planning
- decision making
- problem solving
What's great is that the site caters not just to employees, but to everyone who is involved with an organization. So you could be an owner, worker, manager or HR practitioner, and you'll find something you can apply right away to improve your personal effectiveness.
If you mouse over Decision Making, for instance, you see these subtopics:
Pareto Analysis
Paired Comparison
Grid Analysis
Decision Trees
Force Field Analysis
Six Thinking Hats
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Wow.
I like the site's simple, uncluttered layout. It hints of professionalism, just what you and I would aspire to demonstrate in the workplace.
No wonder it's "The Internet's most visited career training site".
Wish I'd had access to such info when I was an employee!
Friday, February 08, 2008
The Time To Act On Your Dreams Is NOW
We are not fearless enough to take charge of our lives.
We live in the shadows of those who are our heroes and whom we are content to applaud.
Sadly, most of us don't recognise that we too have the capacity to take home the gold and consequently we live a mediocre standard of life.
Every day there is sufficient time and reason for us to do something that will propel us into becoming something bigger and better...
It's NOW that we need to do those things that should be part of our spiritual progress but sadly we haven't time just yet. The lawn has to be mowed; the dog has to be washed. By the end of the week we think we will have more time and only then will we write the poetry that is simmering inside us...
We convince ourselves that later on, next week, afterwards, soon, presently, before long, it will happen.
Yes, maybe in days to come we will have time, but is it possible that we won't be well enough, have enough money to pay for the art classes or have the vision to read the book when we finally find that elusive time?
Talk comes cheaply.
Action costs a little bit more. It takes courage and tenacity.
And guess what? Each and every one of us has enough to rule the world if we wish.
It's time to challenge ourselves because the clock ticks quietly on as we fritter away those days, weeks and months of idle talk.
Action by Lorraine Hunter
Living Now, Jan/Feb 2008 - To inspire, nurture, inform and empower
Australia's largest and finest holistic publication
We live in the shadows of those who are our heroes and whom we are content to applaud.
Sadly, most of us don't recognise that we too have the capacity to take home the gold and consequently we live a mediocre standard of life.
Every day there is sufficient time and reason for us to do something that will propel us into becoming something bigger and better...
It's NOW that we need to do those things that should be part of our spiritual progress but sadly we haven't time just yet. The lawn has to be mowed; the dog has to be washed. By the end of the week we think we will have more time and only then will we write the poetry that is simmering inside us...
We convince ourselves that later on, next week, afterwards, soon, presently, before long, it will happen.
Yes, maybe in days to come we will have time, but is it possible that we won't be well enough, have enough money to pay for the art classes or have the vision to read the book when we finally find that elusive time?
Talk comes cheaply.
Action costs a little bit more. It takes courage and tenacity.
And guess what? Each and every one of us has enough to rule the world if we wish.
It's time to challenge ourselves because the clock ticks quietly on as we fritter away those days, weeks and months of idle talk.
Action by Lorraine Hunter
Living Now, Jan/Feb 2008 - To inspire, nurture, inform and empower
Australia's largest and finest holistic publication
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The Magic Of Thinking Big
As long as you are going to go about your day thinking anyway, you may as well "think big".
Anyone can think small, and most people do.
In fact, most people keep themselves in the same place in life, doing the exact same thing, without significant growth or change because of limited or conditioned thinking.
Don't just think about what is possible, think about what might seem nearly impossible, that would require you to grow and move beyond who you currently know yourself to be.
Think about what you have always wanted to do or have in your life ... those things that your heart speaks of.
"If you can dream it, you can do it." ~Walt Disney
Thinking big equals going big.
Thinking small means staying small.
You decide.
You get to choose your thoughts.
Be outrageous and let your imagination fly.
This does not mean thinking unrealistic, pie-in-the-sky stuff, like being able to suddenly perform superhuman feats.
It means allowing yourself to stretch and believe in the beauty of your dreams.
Adapted from the Coaching Compass newsletter
Anyone can think small, and most people do.
In fact, most people keep themselves in the same place in life, doing the exact same thing, without significant growth or change because of limited or conditioned thinking.
Don't just think about what is possible, think about what might seem nearly impossible, that would require you to grow and move beyond who you currently know yourself to be.
Think about what you have always wanted to do or have in your life ... those things that your heart speaks of.
"If you can dream it, you can do it." ~Walt Disney
Thinking big equals going big.
Thinking small means staying small.
You decide.
You get to choose your thoughts.
Be outrageous and let your imagination fly.
This does not mean thinking unrealistic, pie-in-the-sky stuff, like being able to suddenly perform superhuman feats.
It means allowing yourself to stretch and believe in the beauty of your dreams.
Adapted from the Coaching Compass newsletter
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Mind-Renewing Books
On Sunday, I picked up the following books at the library:
LEARN TO EARN by Lynch & Rothchild
THE PRESENT by Spencer Johnson, MD
SCREW IT! LET'S DO IT by Richard Branson
TOP 10 DUMB CAREER MISTAKES by Lona O'Connor
I've been so swamped lately that reading has taken a back seat, so I was really glad to get into these.
I read The Present very quickly, and initially thought it somewhat simplistic. My first reaction was: a book like this can be a bestseller??
But as I got to the end, I realized I agreed with a lot of what was said. I recognized the traits about myself that I don't like, the ones that have held me back from succeeding.
There's quite a bit to chew on in the days ahead, but the main ideas I've taken away can be very simply phrased:
Learn from the Past (not live in the past, which I sometimes do when I hold on to past glories or past hurts)
Live in the Present (which is where I'm not, because I'm either regretting past mistakes or worrying about things which have not yet happened)
Plan for the Future (not just dream about the future - big difference there, as the dream is the beginning, but the plan helps you get there)
Interestingly, when I read Richard Branson's book next, it seemed to reinforce what I'd just learnt from The Present.
Here's what Branson says on p66:
Always living in the future can slow us down as much as always looking behind. Many people are always looking ahead and they never seem content. They look for quick fixes, like winning the lottery. I know that goals are important. Money is important. But the bottom line is money is just a means to an end, not an end in itself. And what is going on now is just as important as what you're planning for the future. So, even though my diary is full for months ahead, I have learned to live for the moment.
Isn't that another way to say we must learn to live in The Present?
Living in the Present is very hard. When I'm feeding my baby, my mind is on what else I need to accomplish that day. When I'm on the phone, I'm sometimes guilty of reading email at the same time. I pride myself on my ability to multitask, but really, this is just a thin disguise for always wanting to be somewhere else.
What particularly made me smile about Branson's book is how he constantly acknowledges the role of his family in helping him succeed, and how he in turn tries to instil the same groundedness, unconditional love and family closeness in his children.
This is a man of balance, a man who has got his priorities right.
Another gem I picked up is from a story about how he raised funds to buy an old manor house in Oxford to set up a studio to make records. He was still 7,500 pounds short after borrowing from the bank and from his trust fund, and his dad suggested he talk to his Auntie Joyce. She offered to lend him the money, to be paid back with interest when he could afford it. When he started to thank her, she said, "What's money for anyway? It's to make things happen."
That's what she said! Money is To Make Things Happen. To make dreams come true. To help people in need. To solve problems. To heal. To educate. To build goodwill. To give options and choices to those who have it.
That, I think, is a very healthy, wholesome and practical way to view money. I have many hang-ups about money which are rooted in the way I was raised and by social conditioning. I recognize this and am trying to work through the needless emotional and psychological turmoil caused by my false beliefs.
Money is To Make Things Happen.
By itself, it will not make me happy, because I will always encounter something I can't afford. I should not crave it for itself, as though once I achieve a fixed dollar figure, it will guarantee me financial security and peace of mind. Money can be lost in any number of ways.
BUT I cannot run the other way and label money as the root of all evil either, as that is just a way to avoid making responsible decisions about how to use money.
I need to keep reminding myself where money comes from (God) and what it is for (to make things happen, to do good, to share God's bounty).
LEARN TO EARN by Lynch & Rothchild
THE PRESENT by Spencer Johnson, MD
SCREW IT! LET'S DO IT by Richard Branson
TOP 10 DUMB CAREER MISTAKES by Lona O'Connor
I've been so swamped lately that reading has taken a back seat, so I was really glad to get into these.
I read The Present very quickly, and initially thought it somewhat simplistic. My first reaction was: a book like this can be a bestseller??
But as I got to the end, I realized I agreed with a lot of what was said. I recognized the traits about myself that I don't like, the ones that have held me back from succeeding.
There's quite a bit to chew on in the days ahead, but the main ideas I've taken away can be very simply phrased:
Learn from the Past (not live in the past, which I sometimes do when I hold on to past glories or past hurts)
Live in the Present (which is where I'm not, because I'm either regretting past mistakes or worrying about things which have not yet happened)
Plan for the Future (not just dream about the future - big difference there, as the dream is the beginning, but the plan helps you get there)
Interestingly, when I read Richard Branson's book next, it seemed to reinforce what I'd just learnt from The Present.
Here's what Branson says on p66:
Always living in the future can slow us down as much as always looking behind. Many people are always looking ahead and they never seem content. They look for quick fixes, like winning the lottery. I know that goals are important. Money is important. But the bottom line is money is just a means to an end, not an end in itself. And what is going on now is just as important as what you're planning for the future. So, even though my diary is full for months ahead, I have learned to live for the moment.
Isn't that another way to say we must learn to live in The Present?
Living in the Present is very hard. When I'm feeding my baby, my mind is on what else I need to accomplish that day. When I'm on the phone, I'm sometimes guilty of reading email at the same time. I pride myself on my ability to multitask, but really, this is just a thin disguise for always wanting to be somewhere else.
What particularly made me smile about Branson's book is how he constantly acknowledges the role of his family in helping him succeed, and how he in turn tries to instil the same groundedness, unconditional love and family closeness in his children.
This is a man of balance, a man who has got his priorities right.
Another gem I picked up is from a story about how he raised funds to buy an old manor house in Oxford to set up a studio to make records. He was still 7,500 pounds short after borrowing from the bank and from his trust fund, and his dad suggested he talk to his Auntie Joyce. She offered to lend him the money, to be paid back with interest when he could afford it. When he started to thank her, she said, "What's money for anyway? It's to make things happen."
That's what she said! Money is To Make Things Happen. To make dreams come true. To help people in need. To solve problems. To heal. To educate. To build goodwill. To give options and choices to those who have it.
That, I think, is a very healthy, wholesome and practical way to view money. I have many hang-ups about money which are rooted in the way I was raised and by social conditioning. I recognize this and am trying to work through the needless emotional and psychological turmoil caused by my false beliefs.
Money is To Make Things Happen.
By itself, it will not make me happy, because I will always encounter something I can't afford. I should not crave it for itself, as though once I achieve a fixed dollar figure, it will guarantee me financial security and peace of mind. Money can be lost in any number of ways.
BUT I cannot run the other way and label money as the root of all evil either, as that is just a way to avoid making responsible decisions about how to use money.
I need to keep reminding myself where money comes from (God) and what it is for (to make things happen, to do good, to share God's bounty).
Friday, September 21, 2007
Simple Strategies To Success
By Jim Rohn
Published 09/20/2006
Jim Rohn is renowed as one of America's foremost business philosophers www.jimrohn.com
My first mentor, Mr. Shoaff, over a five-year period of time before he died at age 49, taught me some extraordinarily simple things.
He only went through the 9th grade in school. He never finished high school, never went to college, and never went to a university. So he put his experiences and ideas in very simple language, which, I think for me - kid from the farms of Idaho - was so important.
When I would say, "This is all the company pays."
Mr. Shoaff would say, "No, that is all they pay YOU."
I thought, "That is a new way to look at it."
I told him things cost too much.
But he said, "No, you can't afford them."
Well, that was a new concept for me.
He promised that if I would improve, then I would qualify for more money. So I learned that we don't have to work on the company, we have to work on ourselves.
If it had been technical, I would have missed it. If it had been mystic, I would have backed away. But it was just basic, blunt "a-b-c" familiar stuff that I hadn't thought of before. For me it was the beginning of what he called "personal development".
Mr. Shoaff also taught me that life puts some of the more valuable things on the high shelf so that you can't get to them until you qualify. If you want the things on the high shelf, you must stand on the books you read.
With every book you read, you get to stand a little higher.
And the "biggie" that forever had an impact on me, "Success is something you attract by the person you become."
That phrase changed my life. Success is not to be pursued, but to be attracted by the person you become.
Put your energy into becoming a better you, the best you. Learn the skills. Practice the skills. Attract the success.
These simple strategies and ideas helped change my life, forever, for the better.
Thank you, once again, Mr. Shoaff.
Published 09/20/2006
Jim Rohn is renowed as one of America's foremost business philosophers www.jimrohn.com
My first mentor, Mr. Shoaff, over a five-year period of time before he died at age 49, taught me some extraordinarily simple things.
He only went through the 9th grade in school. He never finished high school, never went to college, and never went to a university. So he put his experiences and ideas in very simple language, which, I think for me - kid from the farms of Idaho - was so important.
When I would say, "This is all the company pays."
Mr. Shoaff would say, "No, that is all they pay YOU."
I thought, "That is a new way to look at it."
I told him things cost too much.
But he said, "No, you can't afford them."
Well, that was a new concept for me.
He promised that if I would improve, then I would qualify for more money. So I learned that we don't have to work on the company, we have to work on ourselves.
If it had been technical, I would have missed it. If it had been mystic, I would have backed away. But it was just basic, blunt "a-b-c" familiar stuff that I hadn't thought of before. For me it was the beginning of what he called "personal development".
Mr. Shoaff also taught me that life puts some of the more valuable things on the high shelf so that you can't get to them until you qualify. If you want the things on the high shelf, you must stand on the books you read.
With every book you read, you get to stand a little higher.
And the "biggie" that forever had an impact on me, "Success is something you attract by the person you become."
That phrase changed my life. Success is not to be pursued, but to be attracted by the person you become.
Put your energy into becoming a better you, the best you. Learn the skills. Practice the skills. Attract the success.
These simple strategies and ideas helped change my life, forever, for the better.
Thank you, once again, Mr. Shoaff.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Planning and Decision-Making: A Biblical Perspective
By Os Hillman
Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.
(Proverbs 24:3,4 LB)
Owning and operating an advertising agency meant I was required to develop strategic plans for companies. This meant developing plans several years ahead.
I have always believed in planning ahead. I have written many strategic plans for companies over the years.
However, there was a time when I experienced a constant state of uncertainty in my business and personal life, and I realized I could only plan so much. Things changed from day to day.
This inability to plan more than a week, or in some cases a day in advance, caused me to rethink the whole idea of planning as it relates to life and work. God was doing something in my life that could not be planned. So, if I sought to develop specific plans around what I thought God was doing, Iran adrift. It was only when I knew what God was leading that I could plan effectively.
It's a problem of using a human, logical approach versus a Spirit-led approach.
I have discovered in working with so many Christian organizations over the years, and even in my life, that human planning without the Spirit of God leading in that planning leads to presumption, failure and disappointment.
The people of Israel often fell into the habit of their own reasoning apart from the spirit of God. This frustrated God because He actually desired to accomplish things in a shorter timetable, but was unable to due to Israel's disobedience.
I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! (Psalm 81:10-14)
God can accomplish more in six months through a people yielded to Him than we could accomplish in 70 years without Him. God wanted to accomplish His plan for the people of Israel a lot faster, but their disobedience prevented them from allowing Him to move on their behalf.
I must confess that it is a whole lot easier to develop a written plan for my life and execute that plan than to depend on God each day. Total dependence is a humbling condition. Unfortunately, that is exactly how God wants us to walk with Him -- in total dependence on Him day-by-day.
God is tearing apart the plans of many men and women in the workplace today because He wants to rebuild them in the way they operate in life and work. He wants total dependence upon Him, not just an occasional prayer of guidance.
George Mueller
George Mueller was a pastor in England during the nineteenth century. He was concerned that God's people had become very discouraged. They no longer looked for God to do anything unusual. They no longer trusted God to answer prayers. They had lost their faith.
Mueller began to pray as God led Him. His prayers were for God to lead him to a work that could only be explained by the people as an act of God. George wanted the people to learn that their God was a faithful, prayer-answering God.
He came upon the verse in Psalm 81:10 -- "Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." God began to lead him in a walk of faith that became an outstanding testimony to all who hear of his story.
When he felt led of God to do some work, he prayed for the resources needed and told no one of the need. He wanted all to know that God had provided for the need only in answer to prayer and faith. During his ministry in Bristol, Mueller started Scriptural Knowledge Institute for distribution of Scripture and for religious education. He also began an orphanage.
By the time of his death, George Mueller had been used by God to build four orphan houses that cared for 2,000 children at a time. Over 10,000 children had been provided for through the orphanages. He distributed over eight million dollars that had been given to him in answer to prayer. When he died at 93, his worldly possessions were valued at $800.
Oswald Chambers made an observation about planning. "Much of modern Christian enterprise is 'Ishmael.' Born not of God, but of an inordinate desire to do God’s will in our own way – the one thing our Lord never did.
"The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. (Psalm 33:10-11)
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8)
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose thatprevails. (Proverbs 19:21)
Our biggest problem with planning is that we plan and carry out things in our own wisdom that only God has a right to determine. We cannot know the when, or where, or how of God's will until He tells us. God's whole method of directing us is designed for us to experience Him in the process of walking with Him. It is process-based versus outcome-based.
The methods that God used to accomplish His purposes were creative and often illogical to the human mind. Consider God requiring Joshua to walk around the city of Jericho seven times, or standing at the waters edge of the Jordan before God parted the waters for the people to pass on dry ground. Consider the blind man being told to wash his eyes with mud in order to receive sight. Consider Gideon being charged to fight with only 300 against many thousands.
The stories are numerous. They all demonstrate one undeniable fact about how God operates and plans. He does not want us depending on our own resources in any area of our lives. He wants us to depend on Him for every area. He wants us to live in the supernatural as compared to the natural.
Confirming Decisions
Now that we have established some guidelines for planning, we need to discuss ways to confirm our plans. There are times when we must make quick decisions during the course of a day and we need to have the freedom to use our God-given wisdom to make those decisions.
God speaks throughmany different ways and as we become one with Him, we become more integrated in our ability to move and be led by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14). The scriptures do not indicate that God was constantly communicating moment by moment with His people. However, God does encourage us to seek Him moment by moment in our lives.
Not every decision we must make can afford, nor is it necessary, to be confirmed. Jesus encourages us to abide in the vine, which means we should be walking in close fellowship with Him and know that He is guiding us throughout our day.
However, the scriptures also convey a principle of confirmation that can greatly reduce the frequency of making poor decisions and allow us to make good plans. I would highly recommend that any major decision be confirmed through a few different sources.
F. B. Meyer’s Formula
One night as the famous Bible teacher F.B. Meyer stood on the deck of a ship approaching land, he wondered how the crew knew when and how to safely steer to the dock. It was a stormy night, and visibility was low.
Meyer, standing on the bridge and peering through the window, asked “Captain, how do you know when to turn this ship into that narrow harbor?”
“That’s an art,” replied the captain. “Do you see those three red lights on the shore? When they’re all in a straight line I go right in!”
Later Meyer said: “When we want to know God’s will, there are three things which always occur: the inward impulse, the Word of God, and the trend of circumstances…Never act until these three things agree.”
The Role of Spouses in Making Decisions
When John Benson decided to make some financial investments in a new business venture, he was very excited about the possibilities for a handsome financial return. His business and financial background had served him well.
John felt strongly that his wife Jenny would not understand the complexity of his investment, so he casually mentioned it to her. When she asked a few simple questions, John became defensive and justified his investing in the venture.
Jenny felt uneasy about the investment, but since he had been so successful in the past, she laid aside her reservations and left the responsibility up to John.
A year later, after investing a large sum of money, John received a phone call from the investment company. It seems that the principals of the company had fled the country and were not to be found. All the investors who had put money in the company were going to lose their investment with no ability to recoup it. Many astute investors had been taken in on the scam.
This story could be retold repeatedly across the world. God’s principles for making decisions require input from both spouses, regardless of their level of expertise.
I learned this lesson the hard way after making many independent decisions outside the counsel of my wife. Today, whenever I am faced with a major decision, I first consult the Lord, and then I consult with my wife. She may disagree totally with something that seems very straightforward to me, but I have learned not to not move forward if she is not in agreement. She does not need to know all the details, nor does she have to have expertise. God has placed in her a “chip” called“intuition”. That intuition cannot explain why she feels the way she does, she just knows when something is not right.
Conversely, husbands bring a totally different perspective that may give an alternative side to asituation that the wife has never considered. God has called married couples to be one. If we seek to make decisions independently, then we are benefiting from only 50% of the intended resource God has placed within our grasp.
In marriage, this stewardship of decisions requires two people. God blesses this union by honoring the decisions made with the motive of glorifying God and relying on His Spirit to lead in our decision-making process.
Confirmation Through Others
The scriptures encourage us to seek advice and counsel from others. This counsel needs to be from other Godly people who share the same values and goals that we have.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22)
The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.(Proverbs 12:15)
Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. (Proverbs 13:10)
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will bewise. (Proverbs 19:20)
Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.(Proverbs 20:18)
Keeping A Balance With Counsel from Others
We should strive to maintain balance when seeking input from others and making decisions as we feel God is leading. This process is designed to confirm direction for which we are seeking confirmation.
Paul was sensitive to getting too heavy-handed in the confirmation process. He offered advice but was not the enforcer of someone’s decision.
And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter. (2 Corinthians 8:10)
There is a principle of agreement among two or three individuals throughout the scriptures to confirm a decision, but even this does not negate a person’s right to make independent decisions. The requirement for efficient administration frequently requires single points of decision-making. Where there is willingness and trust to receive input, there is probably also humility, faith, and grace for God to work His pleasure in His servant. Where there is unwillingness, the opposite is true.
There have been times in my life where I have felt strongly about a certain issue only to receive feedback from those close to me which revealed that I was not accurate in my assessment of the situation. I have learned to yield in such situations, trusting that God is working through those in whom I am accountable.
Peace of Mind
Peace of mind is another important confirmation for decisions. If you do not have peace about a decision, you should wait until God gives you peace. This does not mean your decision may not have some tension due to the faith aspect of it, but deep down you should have a peace that it is the right decision.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7)
I hope these thoughts will help you as you seek to plan and make decisions through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.
(Proverbs 24:3,4 LB)
Owning and operating an advertising agency meant I was required to develop strategic plans for companies. This meant developing plans several years ahead.
I have always believed in planning ahead. I have written many strategic plans for companies over the years.
However, there was a time when I experienced a constant state of uncertainty in my business and personal life, and I realized I could only plan so much. Things changed from day to day.
This inability to plan more than a week, or in some cases a day in advance, caused me to rethink the whole idea of planning as it relates to life and work. God was doing something in my life that could not be planned. So, if I sought to develop specific plans around what I thought God was doing, Iran adrift. It was only when I knew what God was leading that I could plan effectively.
It's a problem of using a human, logical approach versus a Spirit-led approach.
I have discovered in working with so many Christian organizations over the years, and even in my life, that human planning without the Spirit of God leading in that planning leads to presumption, failure and disappointment.
The people of Israel often fell into the habit of their own reasoning apart from the spirit of God. This frustrated God because He actually desired to accomplish things in a shorter timetable, but was unable to due to Israel's disobedience.
I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! (Psalm 81:10-14)
God can accomplish more in six months through a people yielded to Him than we could accomplish in 70 years without Him. God wanted to accomplish His plan for the people of Israel a lot faster, but their disobedience prevented them from allowing Him to move on their behalf.
I must confess that it is a whole lot easier to develop a written plan for my life and execute that plan than to depend on God each day. Total dependence is a humbling condition. Unfortunately, that is exactly how God wants us to walk with Him -- in total dependence on Him day-by-day.
God is tearing apart the plans of many men and women in the workplace today because He wants to rebuild them in the way they operate in life and work. He wants total dependence upon Him, not just an occasional prayer of guidance.
George Mueller
George Mueller was a pastor in England during the nineteenth century. He was concerned that God's people had become very discouraged. They no longer looked for God to do anything unusual. They no longer trusted God to answer prayers. They had lost their faith.
Mueller began to pray as God led Him. His prayers were for God to lead him to a work that could only be explained by the people as an act of God. George wanted the people to learn that their God was a faithful, prayer-answering God.
He came upon the verse in Psalm 81:10 -- "Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." God began to lead him in a walk of faith that became an outstanding testimony to all who hear of his story.
When he felt led of God to do some work, he prayed for the resources needed and told no one of the need. He wanted all to know that God had provided for the need only in answer to prayer and faith. During his ministry in Bristol, Mueller started Scriptural Knowledge Institute for distribution of Scripture and for religious education. He also began an orphanage.
By the time of his death, George Mueller had been used by God to build four orphan houses that cared for 2,000 children at a time. Over 10,000 children had been provided for through the orphanages. He distributed over eight million dollars that had been given to him in answer to prayer. When he died at 93, his worldly possessions were valued at $800.
Oswald Chambers made an observation about planning. "Much of modern Christian enterprise is 'Ishmael.' Born not of God, but of an inordinate desire to do God’s will in our own way – the one thing our Lord never did.
"The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. (Psalm 33:10-11)
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8)
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose thatprevails. (Proverbs 19:21)
Our biggest problem with planning is that we plan and carry out things in our own wisdom that only God has a right to determine. We cannot know the when, or where, or how of God's will until He tells us. God's whole method of directing us is designed for us to experience Him in the process of walking with Him. It is process-based versus outcome-based.
The methods that God used to accomplish His purposes were creative and often illogical to the human mind. Consider God requiring Joshua to walk around the city of Jericho seven times, or standing at the waters edge of the Jordan before God parted the waters for the people to pass on dry ground. Consider the blind man being told to wash his eyes with mud in order to receive sight. Consider Gideon being charged to fight with only 300 against many thousands.
The stories are numerous. They all demonstrate one undeniable fact about how God operates and plans. He does not want us depending on our own resources in any area of our lives. He wants us to depend on Him for every area. He wants us to live in the supernatural as compared to the natural.
Confirming Decisions
Now that we have established some guidelines for planning, we need to discuss ways to confirm our plans. There are times when we must make quick decisions during the course of a day and we need to have the freedom to use our God-given wisdom to make those decisions.
God speaks throughmany different ways and as we become one with Him, we become more integrated in our ability to move and be led by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:14). The scriptures do not indicate that God was constantly communicating moment by moment with His people. However, God does encourage us to seek Him moment by moment in our lives.
Not every decision we must make can afford, nor is it necessary, to be confirmed. Jesus encourages us to abide in the vine, which means we should be walking in close fellowship with Him and know that He is guiding us throughout our day.
However, the scriptures also convey a principle of confirmation that can greatly reduce the frequency of making poor decisions and allow us to make good plans. I would highly recommend that any major decision be confirmed through a few different sources.
F. B. Meyer’s Formula
One night as the famous Bible teacher F.B. Meyer stood on the deck of a ship approaching land, he wondered how the crew knew when and how to safely steer to the dock. It was a stormy night, and visibility was low.
Meyer, standing on the bridge and peering through the window, asked “Captain, how do you know when to turn this ship into that narrow harbor?”
“That’s an art,” replied the captain. “Do you see those three red lights on the shore? When they’re all in a straight line I go right in!”
Later Meyer said: “When we want to know God’s will, there are three things which always occur: the inward impulse, the Word of God, and the trend of circumstances…Never act until these three things agree.”
The Role of Spouses in Making Decisions
When John Benson decided to make some financial investments in a new business venture, he was very excited about the possibilities for a handsome financial return. His business and financial background had served him well.
John felt strongly that his wife Jenny would not understand the complexity of his investment, so he casually mentioned it to her. When she asked a few simple questions, John became defensive and justified his investing in the venture.
Jenny felt uneasy about the investment, but since he had been so successful in the past, she laid aside her reservations and left the responsibility up to John.
A year later, after investing a large sum of money, John received a phone call from the investment company. It seems that the principals of the company had fled the country and were not to be found. All the investors who had put money in the company were going to lose their investment with no ability to recoup it. Many astute investors had been taken in on the scam.
This story could be retold repeatedly across the world. God’s principles for making decisions require input from both spouses, regardless of their level of expertise.
I learned this lesson the hard way after making many independent decisions outside the counsel of my wife. Today, whenever I am faced with a major decision, I first consult the Lord, and then I consult with my wife. She may disagree totally with something that seems very straightforward to me, but I have learned not to not move forward if she is not in agreement. She does not need to know all the details, nor does she have to have expertise. God has placed in her a “chip” called“intuition”. That intuition cannot explain why she feels the way she does, she just knows when something is not right.
Conversely, husbands bring a totally different perspective that may give an alternative side to asituation that the wife has never considered. God has called married couples to be one. If we seek to make decisions independently, then we are benefiting from only 50% of the intended resource God has placed within our grasp.
In marriage, this stewardship of decisions requires two people. God blesses this union by honoring the decisions made with the motive of glorifying God and relying on His Spirit to lead in our decision-making process.
Confirmation Through Others
The scriptures encourage us to seek advice and counsel from others. This counsel needs to be from other Godly people who share the same values and goals that we have.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22)
The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.(Proverbs 12:15)
Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. (Proverbs 13:10)
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will bewise. (Proverbs 19:20)
Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.(Proverbs 20:18)
Keeping A Balance With Counsel from Others
We should strive to maintain balance when seeking input from others and making decisions as we feel God is leading. This process is designed to confirm direction for which we are seeking confirmation.
Paul was sensitive to getting too heavy-handed in the confirmation process. He offered advice but was not the enforcer of someone’s decision.
And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter. (2 Corinthians 8:10)
There is a principle of agreement among two or three individuals throughout the scriptures to confirm a decision, but even this does not negate a person’s right to make independent decisions. The requirement for efficient administration frequently requires single points of decision-making. Where there is willingness and trust to receive input, there is probably also humility, faith, and grace for God to work His pleasure in His servant. Where there is unwillingness, the opposite is true.
There have been times in my life where I have felt strongly about a certain issue only to receive feedback from those close to me which revealed that I was not accurate in my assessment of the situation. I have learned to yield in such situations, trusting that God is working through those in whom I am accountable.
Peace of Mind
Peace of mind is another important confirmation for decisions. If you do not have peace about a decision, you should wait until God gives you peace. This does not mean your decision may not have some tension due to the faith aspect of it, but deep down you should have a peace that it is the right decision.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7)
I hope these thoughts will help you as you seek to plan and make decisions through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Introduction to NLP
The following article is from Coaching Inspirations, a newsletter of the Life Coaching Institute of Australia.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming: An Introduction
The term "Neuro-Linguistic Programming" (NLP) refers to the models and principles that relate to the interaction of mind and neurology (neuro), language (linguistic) and perception. These interact to create an individual's subjective reality and behaviour.
History
In the 1970s, Richard Bandler, a psychology student, and John Grinder, an associate professor of linguistics, studied the language and behavioural patterns of successful and effective therapists. The results of this research sparked the emergence of a new field - the field of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).
Current Status
Today, NLP is used internationally by millions of people within an array of occupational groups, from counsellors, coaches and motivational speakers to sales managers and marketers. Many neuro-linguistic programming techniques have arisen that provide step-by-step procedures for 'running your own mind' in an attempt to produce excellence in performance. With such an assortment of techniques on offer, any attempt to condense the entire scope of NLP into one resource would serve only to dilute its essence.
You will be introduced to the fundamental techniques of NLP using representational systems to develop rapport, reframing to alter the meaning of an experience and the swish pattern to alter ineffective behaviour patterns. Each of these techniques can be expanded or modified depending on its intended aim or purpose.
Over the course of NLP's development, various 'schools' or 'branches' of NLP have emerged. If you conduct your own research in this area, you may notice that different 'brands' of NLP exist, each with their own set of standards and procedures.
Essentially, NLP is a very specific way of modelling. If, for example, you know somebody who is an excellent tennis player and you would like to play just like him/her, what would you do? You could study what makes this person a good player and then model exactly what is done. In essence, it is this modelling that NLP practitioners are focused on. The aforementioned tennis player may envisage, for example, the tennis ball hitting the racket, just before it happens.
Presuppositions
The map is not the territory: Our mental representations (or maps) of the world are not the world. We respond to our mental maps, rather than the world. Mental maps, especially feelings and interpretations, can be modified, updated or altered more easily than the world around us can be changed.
Experience has structure: Our thoughts and memories have a pattern or structure to them. When we change that pattern or structure, our experience will change. We can neutralise unpleasant memories and enhance those memories that serve us well.
If one person can do something, anyone can learn to do it: We can learn the mental map of someone who has achieved what we seek to achieve and in that way, make it our own.
The mind and body are parts of the same system: Our thoughts continuously affect our physical being - muscle tension, breathing, emotional reactions, and more. These in turn affect our thoughts. When we learn to change one, we have simultaneously learned to change the other.
We cannot NOT communicate: We are always communicating. If we are not speaking, we are at least communicating non-verbally. Words are often the least important part of any communication transaction. A sigh, a smile and a look are all communications. Even our thoughts are an inner form of communication that are conveyed or revealed to others through such indicators as our eyes, voice tones and other non-verbal cues.
The meaning of communication is the response we get: Others receive and filter what we say and do through their own mental maps. When someone interprets our words or actions differently to how we intended, it's a chance for us to take note and seek to modify our communication so that next time it is clearer.
Underlying every behaviour is a positive intention: Behind every hurtful or thoughtless behaviour there exists a positive purpose. When somebody yells, for example, they may be seeking acknowledgement. Someone may hit out in an attempt to protect themselves from perceived danger or hide in order to feel safe. Rather than condemning or judging these actions, we can identify the positive intent and encourage more positive choices that meet the same intent.
People are always making the best choice(s) available to them: Everyone has a unique personal history. Within it, we have learned how to respond to life events and experiences. The choices each of us make are the ones we believe to be best for us at that particular point in time.
Process
To understand the process of NLP, the first stage is to understand where the process begins. The process begins with an event external to the individual that is experienced through the sensory input channels:
Visual: including what we see or the way someone looks at us.
Auditory: which includes sounds, the words we hear and the way that people say those words to us.
Kinaesthetic: or external feelings, which include the touch of someone or something, the pressure and the texture.
Olfactory: which is smell.
Gustatory: which is taste.
Extracted from James, T., & Woodsmall, W. (1988). Time Line Therapy and the Basis of Personality. Capitola: Meta Publications.
Before we make an internal representation of an event we filter it through a variety of internal processing filters. These filters can delete, distort or generalise information, leading to an inaccurate or modified version of the experience.
Deletion involves the process of selectively paying attention to specific aspects of an experience (James & Woodsmall, 1988). Through deletion we fail to notice particular sensory information. For example, Ben's sister is picking him up from a concert. He is looking out intently for her car which he knows is a bright red hatchback. Because he is so focused on seeing a small red car, he fails to hear his sister calling him from a blue sedan (which she had borrowed from a friend). As you can see from the example, Ben is so focused on the visual aspect of his experience (see a red car) that he fails to notice (or deletes) the auditory aspect of his experience (his sister calling him).
Distortion occurs when we misrepresent the sensory data received (James & Woodsmall, 1988). For example, Juanita thought she heard rain falling. She ran out to take her washing off the line only to discover that it wasn't rain at all - it was the sound of the neighbour's air conditioning starting up. This is an example of auditory distortion where Juanita thought she heard one thing when in fact it was something completely different.
Generalisation is the process of making a judgement based on a limited number of experiences and attributing that judgement to a broad array of experiences (James & Woodsmall, 1988). For example, Tyson and Nicky are looking to rent a new home. They visit their local real estate agent.
Tyson feels as though this particular agent is only interested in working with people who are seeking to purchase a home, rather than rent one. Nicky later overhears Tyson say to a friend, "Real estate agents are all the same. They only want your business if you're buying!" As you can see from this example, Tyson has had one experience with one real estate agent and generalises this to all real estate agents.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming: An Introduction
The term "Neuro-Linguistic Programming" (NLP) refers to the models and principles that relate to the interaction of mind and neurology (neuro), language (linguistic) and perception. These interact to create an individual's subjective reality and behaviour.
History
In the 1970s, Richard Bandler, a psychology student, and John Grinder, an associate professor of linguistics, studied the language and behavioural patterns of successful and effective therapists. The results of this research sparked the emergence of a new field - the field of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).
Current Status
Today, NLP is used internationally by millions of people within an array of occupational groups, from counsellors, coaches and motivational speakers to sales managers and marketers. Many neuro-linguistic programming techniques have arisen that provide step-by-step procedures for 'running your own mind' in an attempt to produce excellence in performance. With such an assortment of techniques on offer, any attempt to condense the entire scope of NLP into one resource would serve only to dilute its essence.
You will be introduced to the fundamental techniques of NLP using representational systems to develop rapport, reframing to alter the meaning of an experience and the swish pattern to alter ineffective behaviour patterns. Each of these techniques can be expanded or modified depending on its intended aim or purpose.
Over the course of NLP's development, various 'schools' or 'branches' of NLP have emerged. If you conduct your own research in this area, you may notice that different 'brands' of NLP exist, each with their own set of standards and procedures.
Essentially, NLP is a very specific way of modelling. If, for example, you know somebody who is an excellent tennis player and you would like to play just like him/her, what would you do? You could study what makes this person a good player and then model exactly what is done. In essence, it is this modelling that NLP practitioners are focused on. The aforementioned tennis player may envisage, for example, the tennis ball hitting the racket, just before it happens.
Presuppositions
The map is not the territory: Our mental representations (or maps) of the world are not the world. We respond to our mental maps, rather than the world. Mental maps, especially feelings and interpretations, can be modified, updated or altered more easily than the world around us can be changed.
Experience has structure: Our thoughts and memories have a pattern or structure to them. When we change that pattern or structure, our experience will change. We can neutralise unpleasant memories and enhance those memories that serve us well.
If one person can do something, anyone can learn to do it: We can learn the mental map of someone who has achieved what we seek to achieve and in that way, make it our own.
The mind and body are parts of the same system: Our thoughts continuously affect our physical being - muscle tension, breathing, emotional reactions, and more. These in turn affect our thoughts. When we learn to change one, we have simultaneously learned to change the other.
We cannot NOT communicate: We are always communicating. If we are not speaking, we are at least communicating non-verbally. Words are often the least important part of any communication transaction. A sigh, a smile and a look are all communications. Even our thoughts are an inner form of communication that are conveyed or revealed to others through such indicators as our eyes, voice tones and other non-verbal cues.
The meaning of communication is the response we get: Others receive and filter what we say and do through their own mental maps. When someone interprets our words or actions differently to how we intended, it's a chance for us to take note and seek to modify our communication so that next time it is clearer.
Underlying every behaviour is a positive intention: Behind every hurtful or thoughtless behaviour there exists a positive purpose. When somebody yells, for example, they may be seeking acknowledgement. Someone may hit out in an attempt to protect themselves from perceived danger or hide in order to feel safe. Rather than condemning or judging these actions, we can identify the positive intent and encourage more positive choices that meet the same intent.
People are always making the best choice(s) available to them: Everyone has a unique personal history. Within it, we have learned how to respond to life events and experiences. The choices each of us make are the ones we believe to be best for us at that particular point in time.
Process
To understand the process of NLP, the first stage is to understand where the process begins. The process begins with an event external to the individual that is experienced through the sensory input channels:
Visual: including what we see or the way someone looks at us.
Auditory: which includes sounds, the words we hear and the way that people say those words to us.
Kinaesthetic: or external feelings, which include the touch of someone or something, the pressure and the texture.
Olfactory: which is smell.
Gustatory: which is taste.
Extracted from James, T., & Woodsmall, W. (1988). Time Line Therapy and the Basis of Personality. Capitola: Meta Publications.
Before we make an internal representation of an event we filter it through a variety of internal processing filters. These filters can delete, distort or generalise information, leading to an inaccurate or modified version of the experience.
Deletion involves the process of selectively paying attention to specific aspects of an experience (James & Woodsmall, 1988). Through deletion we fail to notice particular sensory information. For example, Ben's sister is picking him up from a concert. He is looking out intently for her car which he knows is a bright red hatchback. Because he is so focused on seeing a small red car, he fails to hear his sister calling him from a blue sedan (which she had borrowed from a friend). As you can see from the example, Ben is so focused on the visual aspect of his experience (see a red car) that he fails to notice (or deletes) the auditory aspect of his experience (his sister calling him).
Distortion occurs when we misrepresent the sensory data received (James & Woodsmall, 1988). For example, Juanita thought she heard rain falling. She ran out to take her washing off the line only to discover that it wasn't rain at all - it was the sound of the neighbour's air conditioning starting up. This is an example of auditory distortion where Juanita thought she heard one thing when in fact it was something completely different.
Generalisation is the process of making a judgement based on a limited number of experiences and attributing that judgement to a broad array of experiences (James & Woodsmall, 1988). For example, Tyson and Nicky are looking to rent a new home. They visit their local real estate agent.
Tyson feels as though this particular agent is only interested in working with people who are seeking to purchase a home, rather than rent one. Nicky later overhears Tyson say to a friend, "Real estate agents are all the same. They only want your business if you're buying!" As you can see from this example, Tyson has had one experience with one real estate agent and generalises this to all real estate agents.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Future Proof Your Career
How will your job be different five years from now? Indeed, will your job even exist in its present form in five years, or in 10 or even 20 years time? And over this time, what will happen to the company and industry you work for?
We really don't know what the future holds. What we do know for certain is that change is a constant in the workplace. This means that what we are doing now will be different in the future.
How can you predict and prepare for this workplace of the future? What should you be doing now to avoid reaching a dead end in your career?
This article gives you some strategies you can begin pursuing now. They will help you keep your skills current and your opportunities open. Pick and choose from among them to build your unique Future Proofing Kit. And remember, as your own circumstances change, your kit may need to adapt as well. Refer back to this list often and take inventory of what you should be doing either differently from, or in addition to, what you are doing now.
Future Proofing Kit
Find an "Academy" company. If you're early in your career, get a job at a company renowned in its industry for developing its people (traditional examples are GE, Toyota and Mars.) When you work for this kind of company, you are enrolled in a continuous development program that goes well beyond the technical skills you need for your current role. This forms a great foundation for a successful career.Get and remain tech-savvy.
Much of the change we see has to do with new technology. We keep finding faster and leaner ways to do things. Force yourself to keep your technical skills current, even if new developments don't seem directly related to your current job. Otherwise, you'll get left behind and may have to catch up a huge amount before you can head off in a new direction in the future. If that means learning the newest online tools like blogging and web conferencing, do it. If you're in a highly technical field of work, be proactive and stay current - even when your company does not.
Develop your competencies, skills and experience.
Along with technical skills, it is critically important to continue your professional development to remain in demand in the marketplace. Make sure you develop the transferable skills that are universally sought by employers. Leadership, communication, innovation, stress management and interpersonal skills are all fundamental requirements of the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Here are some ways to do this:
Choose two competencies or skills to improve each year. Monitor and track your progress.
Develop a five year learning plan to acquire the knowledge and education you need.
Develop cross-functional skills. Beyond a certain stage in your career and in uncertain environments, specialization is no longer the route of choice. It can pay off for some; however, it has high risk of obsolescence attached.
And yes, consider joining our Career Excellence Club to learn these skills.
Your specific technical skills may get out of date. That's why you see nurses with business skills and technology experts with financial experience. A broad range of competencies, skills and abilities can help you secure a new job or may even open the door to working in a new industry.
To maximize your chances of success, use the tips found in the Personal Goal Setting article to help you set development goals effectively, and if you have our Personal Development Plan Workbook, make sure you use it to plan your skills development.
"Think global."
In many industries, geographical barriers to business are getting less and less relevant. Your co-workers, clients and stakeholders now and in the future can be from anywhere in the world. You need to acquire the ability to work within the international marketplace by:
Learning about working with diverse cultures.
Asking for assignments that require international exposure.
Learning another language.
The more experience you get, the more confidence you will have when working in the global marketplace. This will make you much more attractive to employers in the future.
Create and maintain a success journal.
The time to start thinking about your accomplishments and skills is not when you are looking for a new job. You need to be proactive and take continuous inventory of what you do really well, the accolades you have been given and the noteworthy results you've been responsible for. Employers want to know what you will do for them. When you have a ready list of things you have done, it is much easier to recall your most relevant achievements and skills.
Track your duties, projects and results.
Keep a list of professional development activities you've participated in.
List the training you've completed.
Note your volunteer work.
File your performance reviews and the written letters and emails you receive that note your performance.
Use this success journal to track your strengths and successes and also to affirm your wonderful qualities as well. All of us need to boost our confidence and self esteem from time to time. Having a list of objective strengths and accomplishments can do a lot to improve your motivation and belief in your abilities.
Build and maintain a professional network.
Make sure that you develop good relationships with people both within and outside your organization. These people will be invaluable as the landscape of work changes. They can bring you along with them as they weather changes, and can provide opportunities when your current position looks uncertain. When you add a mentor or two to your network, you have the added bonus of learning new skills, technologies and strategies that will help you move your career in the direction you want.
Collect business cards.
Keep track of former bosses and colleagues.
Join professional networking associations.
Participate in a wide range of activities and build relationships beyond your current career or industry.
Scan the environment.
Be aware of changes and trends in the economy, your profession and the industry you are in. No one can accurately predict the future; however stay ahead of the crowd by keeping yourself informed, and choosing to work in industries – and for employers – that have long-term sustainability.
Keep track of business trends by reading a good newspaper and the industry press.
Complete a PEST analysis for your industry and others you are interested in.
Analyze the attractiveness of your company using Porter's Five Forces and USP Analysis.
Back your hunches and analysis with action. If you think your company or industry is in trouble, it's best to get out while the going's good!
Overall, avoid industries and companies that are on a downward slide. Being an expert in a dying field may provide a niche strategy into the medium term; however, you will eventually have to leave. It is better to prepare now.
Keep a clear career path open.
You may be fortunate enough to be in an organization where there's a clear and attractive career path ahead of you. For many, this will not be the case. This may not be a problem if you're in a fast growth industry – if you're good at what you do, opportunities will most-likely appear with alarming regularity. However if you're in a slow growth industry or are one in decline, then this is a problem: There may be no onward path, and development may be blocked, however hard you work. This will lead to frustration, boredom and, in the long term, failure to achieve your potential.
This is where you need to review your options and take action to unblock your career, even if it means a job- or career-change. See our article on Career Planning to find out how to do this.
Develop resilience.
Because the future is uncertain, you will probably encounter setbacks no matter how much you prepare and plan. People who will be successful are those with the ability to bounce back and consider such setbacks as learning experiences.
Evaluate and affirm your strengths on a regular basis.
Develop realistic and achievable goals, monitor your progress and identify what is holding you back.
Build your flexibility and maintain your enthusiasm despite what is happening around you.
All of these techniques can be very useful as you begin to plan and prepare for your future. And they all have in common the elements of risk management and career planning. You need to become good at both to secure your future career.
Key Points:
While your job description may not be relevant in the future, you can ensure the skills you bring to the table are. With some forethought and planning, you can take control of your future career today. The key is not so much in how skilled you are at predicting what will happen, it is in how attuned you are to the early indications of change.
When you realize that change is constant and you are constantly planning so you stay ahead of the game, you will find yourself in a great position to recognize and capitalize on the opportunities that present themselves.
This article is supported by Dianna Podmoroff of the Mind Tools Career Excellence Club. To contact Dianna and comment on this article, simply email Customer.Helpdesk@mindtools.com
We really don't know what the future holds. What we do know for certain is that change is a constant in the workplace. This means that what we are doing now will be different in the future.
How can you predict and prepare for this workplace of the future? What should you be doing now to avoid reaching a dead end in your career?
This article gives you some strategies you can begin pursuing now. They will help you keep your skills current and your opportunities open. Pick and choose from among them to build your unique Future Proofing Kit. And remember, as your own circumstances change, your kit may need to adapt as well. Refer back to this list often and take inventory of what you should be doing either differently from, or in addition to, what you are doing now.
Future Proofing Kit
Find an "Academy" company. If you're early in your career, get a job at a company renowned in its industry for developing its people (traditional examples are GE, Toyota and Mars.) When you work for this kind of company, you are enrolled in a continuous development program that goes well beyond the technical skills you need for your current role. This forms a great foundation for a successful career.Get and remain tech-savvy.
Much of the change we see has to do with new technology. We keep finding faster and leaner ways to do things. Force yourself to keep your technical skills current, even if new developments don't seem directly related to your current job. Otherwise, you'll get left behind and may have to catch up a huge amount before you can head off in a new direction in the future. If that means learning the newest online tools like blogging and web conferencing, do it. If you're in a highly technical field of work, be proactive and stay current - even when your company does not.
Develop your competencies, skills and experience.
Along with technical skills, it is critically important to continue your professional development to remain in demand in the marketplace. Make sure you develop the transferable skills that are universally sought by employers. Leadership, communication, innovation, stress management and interpersonal skills are all fundamental requirements of the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Here are some ways to do this:
Choose two competencies or skills to improve each year. Monitor and track your progress.
Develop a five year learning plan to acquire the knowledge and education you need.
Develop cross-functional skills. Beyond a certain stage in your career and in uncertain environments, specialization is no longer the route of choice. It can pay off for some; however, it has high risk of obsolescence attached.
And yes, consider joining our Career Excellence Club to learn these skills.
Your specific technical skills may get out of date. That's why you see nurses with business skills and technology experts with financial experience. A broad range of competencies, skills and abilities can help you secure a new job or may even open the door to working in a new industry.
To maximize your chances of success, use the tips found in the Personal Goal Setting article to help you set development goals effectively, and if you have our Personal Development Plan Workbook, make sure you use it to plan your skills development.
"Think global."
In many industries, geographical barriers to business are getting less and less relevant. Your co-workers, clients and stakeholders now and in the future can be from anywhere in the world. You need to acquire the ability to work within the international marketplace by:
Learning about working with diverse cultures.
Asking for assignments that require international exposure.
Learning another language.
The more experience you get, the more confidence you will have when working in the global marketplace. This will make you much more attractive to employers in the future.
Create and maintain a success journal.
The time to start thinking about your accomplishments and skills is not when you are looking for a new job. You need to be proactive and take continuous inventory of what you do really well, the accolades you have been given and the noteworthy results you've been responsible for. Employers want to know what you will do for them. When you have a ready list of things you have done, it is much easier to recall your most relevant achievements and skills.
Track your duties, projects and results.
Keep a list of professional development activities you've participated in.
List the training you've completed.
Note your volunteer work.
File your performance reviews and the written letters and emails you receive that note your performance.
Use this success journal to track your strengths and successes and also to affirm your wonderful qualities as well. All of us need to boost our confidence and self esteem from time to time. Having a list of objective strengths and accomplishments can do a lot to improve your motivation and belief in your abilities.
Build and maintain a professional network.
Make sure that you develop good relationships with people both within and outside your organization. These people will be invaluable as the landscape of work changes. They can bring you along with them as they weather changes, and can provide opportunities when your current position looks uncertain. When you add a mentor or two to your network, you have the added bonus of learning new skills, technologies and strategies that will help you move your career in the direction you want.
Collect business cards.
Keep track of former bosses and colleagues.
Join professional networking associations.
Participate in a wide range of activities and build relationships beyond your current career or industry.
Scan the environment.
Be aware of changes and trends in the economy, your profession and the industry you are in. No one can accurately predict the future; however stay ahead of the crowd by keeping yourself informed, and choosing to work in industries – and for employers – that have long-term sustainability.
Keep track of business trends by reading a good newspaper and the industry press.
Complete a PEST analysis for your industry and others you are interested in.
Analyze the attractiveness of your company using Porter's Five Forces and USP Analysis.
Back your hunches and analysis with action. If you think your company or industry is in trouble, it's best to get out while the going's good!
Overall, avoid industries and companies that are on a downward slide. Being an expert in a dying field may provide a niche strategy into the medium term; however, you will eventually have to leave. It is better to prepare now.
Keep a clear career path open.
You may be fortunate enough to be in an organization where there's a clear and attractive career path ahead of you. For many, this will not be the case. This may not be a problem if you're in a fast growth industry – if you're good at what you do, opportunities will most-likely appear with alarming regularity. However if you're in a slow growth industry or are one in decline, then this is a problem: There may be no onward path, and development may be blocked, however hard you work. This will lead to frustration, boredom and, in the long term, failure to achieve your potential.
This is where you need to review your options and take action to unblock your career, even if it means a job- or career-change. See our article on Career Planning to find out how to do this.
Develop resilience.
Because the future is uncertain, you will probably encounter setbacks no matter how much you prepare and plan. People who will be successful are those with the ability to bounce back and consider such setbacks as learning experiences.
Evaluate and affirm your strengths on a regular basis.
Develop realistic and achievable goals, monitor your progress and identify what is holding you back.
Build your flexibility and maintain your enthusiasm despite what is happening around you.
All of these techniques can be very useful as you begin to plan and prepare for your future. And they all have in common the elements of risk management and career planning. You need to become good at both to secure your future career.
Key Points:
While your job description may not be relevant in the future, you can ensure the skills you bring to the table are. With some forethought and planning, you can take control of your future career today. The key is not so much in how skilled you are at predicting what will happen, it is in how attuned you are to the early indications of change.
When you realize that change is constant and you are constantly planning so you stay ahead of the game, you will find yourself in a great position to recognize and capitalize on the opportunities that present themselves.
This article is supported by Dianna Podmoroff of the Mind Tools Career Excellence Club. To contact Dianna and comment on this article, simply email Customer.Helpdesk@mindtools.com
Thursday, September 06, 2007
What if your spouse thinks you should forget about Network Marketing?
I want to share a fantastic article I read tonight in Michael Oliver's newsletter.
Michael is the author of How To Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety or Losing Your Friends.
If you've been thinking of going into Network Marketing and your spouse doesn't exactly share your enthusiasm, this article's for you.
Have A Contract With Yourself To Be 1000% Responsible For You And Your Own Success
Here is a question of the type I get on a regular basis from people who struggle with many external influences in their lives.
My (spouse) thinks I should just get a real job and forget about Network Marketing. He is getting tired of me ordering different plans and really not finding one that works. There is something about it that really appeals to me and I am always looking to see what I can find. I know this will work and I’m just not ready to give up on it yet. I would appreciate any information you can give me. Hope to hear from you soon.- LW, St Elmo, IL
My response....
First. With regards to the different “plans” you talk about, ask yourself these questions...
What part or parts of the different plans you have been using and rejecting, are not working for you?
What parts of them are working.
Write your answers down in two columns... "What works for me" - "What doesn't work for me". If what isn't working outweighs what is, then search for a plan that has got more of what is working. Then STICK to it!
Second. Sticking to it requires discipline, a word which many define as too restrictive and the opposite to freedom. HOWEVER, like most conventional thinking – this is simply NOT true!
With discipline comes freedom.
For example - Nature disciplines itself and we are every much a part of nature as the trees that grow and even the seasons. Nature doesn’t decide to skip a season because something more interesting comes along. It might be late or early on occasion. The seasons might even vary as to temperatures etc.
But the seasons still turn up!
Heed the quote; “It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.”
Are YOU Working?
The critical questions to ask is yourself is... "Am I working?"
By that I mean....
Are you willing to invest the time in learning how to communicate with people?
Do you have a real desire to change your present circumstances?
Do you have the commitment to take action, day in day out, to achieve your desire by talking with people every day – seeing if you can help them get what they want so that you can ultimately get what you want?
As for your spouse telling you to get a job... the choice is yours. You can either settle for the so called security of a regular paycheck by working for someone else. Or you can establish your own security by taking your own path to financial, personal, mental and spiritual freedom.
In my book "How To Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety Or Losing Your Friends!" I include this comment…
"Find your own truth, by shedding the truths of others that prevent you from having the freedom and abundance that is your universal right."
Perhaps you could ask your spouse for help in this. I'm sure your spouse is just as interested as you are in wanting you to be successful and happy!
There is no right or wrong to whatever you do. The secret is to find what FEELS right for you and then ACT on it... taking 1000% responsibility for your own success allowing no one to get in the way.
Michael is the author of How To Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety or Losing Your Friends.
If you've been thinking of going into Network Marketing and your spouse doesn't exactly share your enthusiasm, this article's for you.
Have A Contract With Yourself To Be 1000% Responsible For You And Your Own Success
Here is a question of the type I get on a regular basis from people who struggle with many external influences in their lives.
My (spouse) thinks I should just get a real job and forget about Network Marketing. He is getting tired of me ordering different plans and really not finding one that works. There is something about it that really appeals to me and I am always looking to see what I can find. I know this will work and I’m just not ready to give up on it yet. I would appreciate any information you can give me. Hope to hear from you soon.- LW, St Elmo, IL
My response....
First. With regards to the different “plans” you talk about, ask yourself these questions...
What part or parts of the different plans you have been using and rejecting, are not working for you?
What parts of them are working.
Write your answers down in two columns... "What works for me" - "What doesn't work for me". If what isn't working outweighs what is, then search for a plan that has got more of what is working. Then STICK to it!
Second. Sticking to it requires discipline, a word which many define as too restrictive and the opposite to freedom. HOWEVER, like most conventional thinking – this is simply NOT true!
With discipline comes freedom.
For example - Nature disciplines itself and we are every much a part of nature as the trees that grow and even the seasons. Nature doesn’t decide to skip a season because something more interesting comes along. It might be late or early on occasion. The seasons might even vary as to temperatures etc.
But the seasons still turn up!
Heed the quote; “It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.”
Are YOU Working?
The critical questions to ask is yourself is... "Am I working?"
By that I mean....
Are you willing to invest the time in learning how to communicate with people?
Do you have a real desire to change your present circumstances?
Do you have the commitment to take action, day in day out, to achieve your desire by talking with people every day – seeing if you can help them get what they want so that you can ultimately get what you want?
As for your spouse telling you to get a job... the choice is yours. You can either settle for the so called security of a regular paycheck by working for someone else. Or you can establish your own security by taking your own path to financial, personal, mental and spiritual freedom.
In my book "How To Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety Or Losing Your Friends!" I include this comment…
"Find your own truth, by shedding the truths of others that prevent you from having the freedom and abundance that is your universal right."
Perhaps you could ask your spouse for help in this. I'm sure your spouse is just as interested as you are in wanting you to be successful and happy!
There is no right or wrong to whatever you do. The secret is to find what FEELS right for you and then ACT on it... taking 1000% responsibility for your own success allowing no one to get in the way.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
What The Mind Can Believe, It Can Achieve
Is it possible to become successful just by thinking about it?
Research has proven that the mind cannot tell the difference between a real occurrence and one that has been well-imagined. The moment you experience an event vividly in your imagination it is recorded as experience.
Mental Rehearsal
Picture this... Liu Chi Kung, a world-class pianist in the late 1950's, was imprisoned during the Cultural Revolution in China . After seven years without a piano he immediately resumed his concert tour. His fans said he played better than ever and wondered how this was possible. Kung said, 'I rehearsed every piece I had ever played, note by note, in my mind.'
Mental rehearsal, or the process of visualization, can give you a competitive edge. Olympic athletes have used it in training for years and it works not only in sports but for every goal you set.
Picture This
The next time you make a presentation, book an important appointment, or attempt a challenge outside your comfort zone, gain the edge. Practice mental rehearsal beforehand. You can think your way to success. You don't need any special tools, it doesn't cost anything, and you can begin right now.
Picture that!
From Coaching Compass, newsletter of CoachTrainingAlliance
Reflection:
I've been thinking long and hard about this one.
On an intellectual level, I 'know' that positive thinking brings positive results, that As A Man Thinketh, So Is He, The Law of Attraction etc etc.
But I've rarely endeavoured to put this principle in practice.
What I've continually struggled with is this: is there a moral or spiritual element to engaging in such a process?
Should there be a good cause, a noble purpose, before I apply positive thinking to something?
Do I even need to go there?
The more I think about it, the stronger a particular thought has presented itself to me: the principle itself, that Positive Thinking Brings Positive Results, is a universal law.
It applies to all things, all situations and all people.
Because it is a universal law, it will always work if applied correctly.
Because it is a universal law, my feelings about it are irrelevant.
Because it is a universal law, it is available and accessible to all.
The only thing that is holding me back from experiencing possible positive outcomes - is me.
History, anecdotal evidence and my own experience illustrate the dramatic outcomes or missed opportunities that result from exercise of the principle.
Think you can - and events, people and resources will come together to make it happen.
Think you can't - and you subconsciously push the positive outcome away.
On its own, the principle is morally and spiritually neutral.
But I can make it moral and spiritual by choosing to exercise it for a good cause or a noble purpose.
So because this principle is neutral and can be used for good or bad, I have a moral responsibility as a thinking, spiritually conscious person and a practising Christian, to apply the principle responsibly.
But the fundamental principle remains unchanged: ask, and you shall receive.
Research has proven that the mind cannot tell the difference between a real occurrence and one that has been well-imagined. The moment you experience an event vividly in your imagination it is recorded as experience.
Mental Rehearsal
Picture this... Liu Chi Kung, a world-class pianist in the late 1950's, was imprisoned during the Cultural Revolution in China . After seven years without a piano he immediately resumed his concert tour. His fans said he played better than ever and wondered how this was possible. Kung said, 'I rehearsed every piece I had ever played, note by note, in my mind.'
Mental rehearsal, or the process of visualization, can give you a competitive edge. Olympic athletes have used it in training for years and it works not only in sports but for every goal you set.
Picture This
The next time you make a presentation, book an important appointment, or attempt a challenge outside your comfort zone, gain the edge. Practice mental rehearsal beforehand. You can think your way to success. You don't need any special tools, it doesn't cost anything, and you can begin right now.
Picture that!
From Coaching Compass, newsletter of CoachTrainingAlliance
Reflection:
I've been thinking long and hard about this one.
On an intellectual level, I 'know' that positive thinking brings positive results, that As A Man Thinketh, So Is He, The Law of Attraction etc etc.
But I've rarely endeavoured to put this principle in practice.
What I've continually struggled with is this: is there a moral or spiritual element to engaging in such a process?
Should there be a good cause, a noble purpose, before I apply positive thinking to something?
Do I even need to go there?
The more I think about it, the stronger a particular thought has presented itself to me: the principle itself, that Positive Thinking Brings Positive Results, is a universal law.
It applies to all things, all situations and all people.
Because it is a universal law, it will always work if applied correctly.
Because it is a universal law, my feelings about it are irrelevant.
Because it is a universal law, it is available and accessible to all.
The only thing that is holding me back from experiencing possible positive outcomes - is me.
History, anecdotal evidence and my own experience illustrate the dramatic outcomes or missed opportunities that result from exercise of the principle.
Think you can - and events, people and resources will come together to make it happen.
Think you can't - and you subconsciously push the positive outcome away.
On its own, the principle is morally and spiritually neutral.
But I can make it moral and spiritual by choosing to exercise it for a good cause or a noble purpose.
So because this principle is neutral and can be used for good or bad, I have a moral responsibility as a thinking, spiritually conscious person and a practising Christian, to apply the principle responsibly.
But the fundamental principle remains unchanged: ask, and you shall receive.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Back To School by Will Craig
The kids are back in school. Are you?
We live in a knowledge-powered economy and if we're not continually upgrading our capabilities we become obsolete. The good news is the educational choices we make at 18 don't need to be hard and fast choices we're stuck with for a lifetime.
You can choose to look at lifelong learning as the homework assignment that never goes away. Or, you can choose to look at it as an essential strategy for living long and living well.
I'm not suggesting you must go to college to gain the necessary knowledge. What college did do for me was make me recognize that organized learning, whether in traditional schools or through condensed courses and teleclasses, would significantly shorten my learning curve.
"Don't let your schooling interfere with your education."- Mark Twain
Had I to do it all over again I might choose a succession of bite-sized learning opportunities in the specific areas of my interest (recognizing those change over time). Short-term, condensed educational programs have become more available and recognized as an efficient way to gain specific expertise in less time without spending your life's savings on a long program.
Learning does not take place in a box we call a classroom or in a hotel conference room. We learn more, we learn better, and we learn faster by doing and being actively involved. How are you upgrading your knowledge and abilities?
Will Craig is President of Coach Training Alliance and co-author of the #1 best-selling coaching self-study course, the Coach Training Accelerator.
We live in a knowledge-powered economy and if we're not continually upgrading our capabilities we become obsolete. The good news is the educational choices we make at 18 don't need to be hard and fast choices we're stuck with for a lifetime.
You can choose to look at lifelong learning as the homework assignment that never goes away. Or, you can choose to look at it as an essential strategy for living long and living well.
I'm not suggesting you must go to college to gain the necessary knowledge. What college did do for me was make me recognize that organized learning, whether in traditional schools or through condensed courses and teleclasses, would significantly shorten my learning curve.
"Don't let your schooling interfere with your education."- Mark Twain
Had I to do it all over again I might choose a succession of bite-sized learning opportunities in the specific areas of my interest (recognizing those change over time). Short-term, condensed educational programs have become more available and recognized as an efficient way to gain specific expertise in less time without spending your life's savings on a long program.
Learning does not take place in a box we call a classroom or in a hotel conference room. We learn more, we learn better, and we learn faster by doing and being actively involved. How are you upgrading your knowledge and abilities?
Will Craig is President of Coach Training Alliance and co-author of the #1 best-selling coaching self-study course, the Coach Training Accelerator.
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