NLP stands for NeuroLinguistic Psychology, and many people are finding as one of the more beneficial stop smoking programs. Typically, this is one part of a bigger overall package that may include several quit smoking products and methods. While it’s evident that NLP does work on some who are looking for help to stop smoking, it’s also apparent that no stop smoking hypnotherapy will work unless several factors are present.
Arguably, the most important factor is a personal desire to quit smoking cigarettes. If the smoker is looking for stop smoking aids because a spouse is constantly nagging about the smell of smoke, it’s unlikely that any stop smoking help is going to work. Quitting smoking has to be the smoker’s desire. Look at some examples between an internal and external drive.
If the smoker is fully aware of the health risks of smoking, he or she may say it’s time to quit. An internal reason to seek quit smoking help is that you (as a smoker) know you’re doing harm to your body, and to your family and friends who deal with your second-hand smoke. This is an internal prompt to quit cigarette smoking. In this case, the desire is real and quit smoking hypnosis or NLP may very well be just the boost you need to successfully quit.
Another important factor in this case is that the family and friends are likely to be supportive, rather than censuring an occasional desire for a cigarette. There’s typically less pressure on the smoker who’s trying to quit when he has a good stop smoking support network.
Some examples of external prompting to seek some program such as stop smoking hypnosis or NLP are the spouse who is constantly nagging about the smell of smoke, or even the cost of cigarettes. While those are legitimate reasons for stopping smoking, the desire is typically not as strong and it may be more difficult for the smoker to actually quit. When the desire for a cigarette comes around (as it most likely will), the smoker with external drives to quit smoking cigarettes is more likely to choose the cigarette even though the penalties will be the cost of the cigarettes or the nagging of the spouse.
That’s not to say that external prompts can’t be strong enough to help the smoker quit, only that those prompts aren’t as likely to succeed as if the smoker truly has the desire.
If the cost of the habit is prompting the smoker to give it up, he may find that he’s not willing to pay for follow-up treatment. Many who undergo some form of hypnosis find they need additional sessions to remain strong against the desire to smoke. Hypnosis isn’t a free stop smoking therapy, but then nothing (other than sheer willpower) is free. If money alone is your prompting, you have to look at the long-term effects – money you’ll save over the next year, two years or longer. That might help you justify the cost of hypnosis or NLP as a resource of how to stop smoking.
One of the most important aspects of hypnosis and NLP therapies is the focus on both the physical and mental aspects of quitting smoking. Smokers who use only a stop smoking aid such as gum may find themselves longing for a cigarette simply because they feel the need to have it in their hand. Hypnosis stop smoking programs usually help deal with that part of the addiction, as well as the physical symptoms of withdrawal.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Unlocking Self Improvement Power Course
When we look at a certain object, a painting for example - we won't be able to appreciate what's in it, what is painted and what else goes with it if the painting is just an inch away from our face. We reach a point in our life when we are ready for change and a whole bunch of information that will help us unlock our self-improvement power. The only time we think of unlocking our self-improvement power is when everything got worst.
We learn our lessons when we experience pain. We finally see the warning signs and signals when things get rough and tough. When do we realize that we need to change diets? When none of our jeans and shirts would fit us. When do we stop eating candies and chocolates? When do we realize that we need to stop smoking? When we realize that we're gonna die tomorrow.
The only time most of us ever learn about unlocking our self-improvement power is when the whole world is crashing and falling apart.
Change will happen, like it or hate it. At one point or another, we are all going to experience different turning points in our life - and we are all going to eventually unlock our self-improvement power not because the world says so, not because our friends are nagging us, but because we realized its for our own good.
Now, you don't have to feel a tremendous heat before realizing the need for self-improvement. Unlocking your self-improvement power means unlocking yourself up in the cage of thought that "its just the way I am". It is such a poor excuse for people who fear and resist change. Most of us program our minds like computers.
Self-improvement may not be everybody's favorite word, but if we look at things in a different point of view, we might have greater chances of enjoying the whole process instead of counting the days until we are fully improved. Three sessions in a week at the gym would result to a healthier life, reading books instead of looking at porns will shape up a more profound knowledge, going out with friends and peers will help you take a step back from work and unwind. And just when you are enjoying the whole process of unlocking your self-improvement power, you'll realize that you're beginning to take things light and become happy (continue part 2)
We learn our lessons when we experience pain. We finally see the warning signs and signals when things get rough and tough. When do we realize that we need to change diets? When none of our jeans and shirts would fit us. When do we stop eating candies and chocolates? When do we realize that we need to stop smoking? When we realize that we're gonna die tomorrow.
The only time most of us ever learn about unlocking our self-improvement power is when the whole world is crashing and falling apart.
Change will happen, like it or hate it. At one point or another, we are all going to experience different turning points in our life - and we are all going to eventually unlock our self-improvement power not because the world says so, not because our friends are nagging us, but because we realized its for our own good.
Now, you don't have to feel a tremendous heat before realizing the need for self-improvement. Unlocking your self-improvement power means unlocking yourself up in the cage of thought that "its just the way I am". It is such a poor excuse for people who fear and resist change. Most of us program our minds like computers.
Self-improvement may not be everybody's favorite word, but if we look at things in a different point of view, we might have greater chances of enjoying the whole process instead of counting the days until we are fully improved. Three sessions in a week at the gym would result to a healthier life, reading books instead of looking at porns will shape up a more profound knowledge, going out with friends and peers will help you take a step back from work and unwind. And just when you are enjoying the whole process of unlocking your self-improvement power, you'll realize that you're beginning to take things light and become happy (continue part 2)
Turcbocharging Employees with 99 Octane Motivation
Keep them Euphoric: 5 more ways to turbocharge employees.
These are five additional ways that you can successfully create an encouraging work environment while increasing employee.
1. Distinguish your employees. It is essential that you empathize with your employees. Know about their family; know about what they do after hours, what interests them. This is not meant to be prying into an employee’s personal life, but knowing an employee can help you to resolve what motivates that employee. Different people are motivated by dissimilar things. What does the employee want? What do they want from this job, from their life, and for their future? Reaching goals can be difficult. Helping someone to reach a goal at work is impossible if you do not know what that goal is.
2. Discover more. It is your responsibility to create enthusiasm in the workplace. Therefore it is up to you to continue to study innovative ways to spur employees to action. You might opt to take classes that offered as short courses at HR firms or online universities. This will give you a fabulous opportunity to continue to learn new ways to stimulate your employees
3. Splurge special time with your employees. Take a few minutes out of your day to just talk with your employees. Give them an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns or simply ask how their week went. This will demonstrate how much you care about his or her happiness within the company. You can also schedule performance reviews either once a month, once a year or however often is comfortable for you. This will allow you time to sit down and spend a little more time with the employee and give you a chance to discuss the highs and lows of the period in which the review is accomplished. Positive conversations, even on a casual level are a great way to increase employee motivation. Schedule one-on-ones and leave titles at the door.
4. Understand the employees’ feelings about their career. Most employees start out in a job on the bottom with hopes of advancement. One way to increase employee drive is to discuss the likelihood of advancement or lateral movement within the company structure. It might be a different position, or a promotion, in a sister company. Your employees should know that you care about the things that they care about. Let them know that you are there to help them achieve their goals and they will give you 110%
5. Be transparent. You as a manager know what it feels like when a higher up seems to be keeping something from you. Even though there may not be a secret, the big boss still hasn’t informed you on what is going on. Your employees may feel this way consistently. It is very important to keep employees informed about issues that arise in the company even if it does not directly affect them. Employees want to know about the company and they want to be involved. It is a good idea to have regular “catch-up” meetings, just to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Prepare employees if a major event is going to happen, such as a leveraged buyout or inspection by the CEO. Another way to explode inspiration among employees is to hold consultations when the company is planning on changing existing policies. Invite feed back from the employees and ask if they have any ideas about how to resolve the issue.
You as manager holds the keys to create a work environment that beneficial for company and employee growth. Sun Tzu asserts that “You are only as strong as your weakest link”. Increasing motivation among employees will make each link a little stronger and forge a tougher backbone for the company.
These are five additional ways that you can successfully create an encouraging work environment while increasing employee.
1. Distinguish your employees. It is essential that you empathize with your employees. Know about their family; know about what they do after hours, what interests them. This is not meant to be prying into an employee’s personal life, but knowing an employee can help you to resolve what motivates that employee. Different people are motivated by dissimilar things. What does the employee want? What do they want from this job, from their life, and for their future? Reaching goals can be difficult. Helping someone to reach a goal at work is impossible if you do not know what that goal is.
2. Discover more. It is your responsibility to create enthusiasm in the workplace. Therefore it is up to you to continue to study innovative ways to spur employees to action. You might opt to take classes that offered as short courses at HR firms or online universities. This will give you a fabulous opportunity to continue to learn new ways to stimulate your employees
3. Splurge special time with your employees. Take a few minutes out of your day to just talk with your employees. Give them an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns or simply ask how their week went. This will demonstrate how much you care about his or her happiness within the company. You can also schedule performance reviews either once a month, once a year or however often is comfortable for you. This will allow you time to sit down and spend a little more time with the employee and give you a chance to discuss the highs and lows of the period in which the review is accomplished. Positive conversations, even on a casual level are a great way to increase employee motivation. Schedule one-on-ones and leave titles at the door.
4. Understand the employees’ feelings about their career. Most employees start out in a job on the bottom with hopes of advancement. One way to increase employee drive is to discuss the likelihood of advancement or lateral movement within the company structure. It might be a different position, or a promotion, in a sister company. Your employees should know that you care about the things that they care about. Let them know that you are there to help them achieve their goals and they will give you 110%
5. Be transparent. You as a manager know what it feels like when a higher up seems to be keeping something from you. Even though there may not be a secret, the big boss still hasn’t informed you on what is going on. Your employees may feel this way consistently. It is very important to keep employees informed about issues that arise in the company even if it does not directly affect them. Employees want to know about the company and they want to be involved. It is a good idea to have regular “catch-up” meetings, just to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Prepare employees if a major event is going to happen, such as a leveraged buyout or inspection by the CEO. Another way to explode inspiration among employees is to hold consultations when the company is planning on changing existing policies. Invite feed back from the employees and ask if they have any ideas about how to resolve the issue.
You as manager holds the keys to create a work environment that beneficial for company and employee growth. Sun Tzu asserts that “You are only as strong as your weakest link”. Increasing motivation among employees will make each link a little stronger and forge a tougher backbone for the company.
Travel Phobia and Fear Of Driving
Travel phobia is a particular form of anxiety that may occur after a person has been involved in some kind of accident, maybe a road or rail crash. They may have escaped physically unscathed from the incident, however they might well have perceived it as a potential threat to their well being, physical health or indeed life.
Anyone suffering from travel phobia is likely to avoid travelling as much as is possible. If forced to travel by car, they are likely to prefer to be in control of the car, rather than be a passenger. During the journey they will be perpetually alert, scanning the road for potential accident causing situations. By the time they arrive at their destination, they are often irritable, tense and exhausted. This only serves to reinforce the phobic response.
Some individuals will refuse to even travel by car, bus or rail despite the drastic upheaval this will cause in their day-to-day lives. This avoidance is one of the reasons phobias are maintained as the sufferer is not exposed to the situations they fear and therefore cannot come to terms with their phobia.
Fear of driving or Hodophobia can be triggered by a variety of different factors and can manifest itself as anything from mild nervousness to an incapacitating full-blown panic attack. These responses are learned behaviours and they are all highly treatable.
Some people are simply terrified of even being in a car, whether driving themselves or being driven by others. Perhaps they once had a panic or anxiety attack while driving and suffer under the perpetual fear that it will happen again. On the other hand, they may fear that other drivers are going to lose control.
Many drivers feel comfortable driving on familiar roads, close to where they live for example, but grow scared that they might lose control in unfamiliar territory. Others may be happy to drive on ordinary roads but have a fear of driving on motorways or dual carriageways.
There are also those who are afraid of getting caught in heavy traffic, or driving at night or in difficult weather (sleet, snow or fog) or of driving down narrow lanes.
Anyone suffering from travel phobia is likely to avoid travelling as much as is possible. If forced to travel by car, they are likely to prefer to be in control of the car, rather than be a passenger. During the journey they will be perpetually alert, scanning the road for potential accident causing situations. By the time they arrive at their destination, they are often irritable, tense and exhausted. This only serves to reinforce the phobic response.
Some individuals will refuse to even travel by car, bus or rail despite the drastic upheaval this will cause in their day-to-day lives. This avoidance is one of the reasons phobias are maintained as the sufferer is not exposed to the situations they fear and therefore cannot come to terms with their phobia.
Fear of driving or Hodophobia can be triggered by a variety of different factors and can manifest itself as anything from mild nervousness to an incapacitating full-blown panic attack. These responses are learned behaviours and they are all highly treatable.
Some people are simply terrified of even being in a car, whether driving themselves or being driven by others. Perhaps they once had a panic or anxiety attack while driving and suffer under the perpetual fear that it will happen again. On the other hand, they may fear that other drivers are going to lose control.
Many drivers feel comfortable driving on familiar roads, close to where they live for example, but grow scared that they might lose control in unfamiliar territory. Others may be happy to drive on ordinary roads but have a fear of driving on motorways or dual carriageways.
There are also those who are afraid of getting caught in heavy traffic, or driving at night or in difficult weather (sleet, snow or fog) or of driving down narrow lanes.
Train Your Brain This New Years
It’s that time again when people start thinking about their New Years Resolutions. Usually they involve, losing weight, quitting smoking, and joining a gym, just to mention a few.
What about you? What News Year Resolution have you planned for this year?
Have you considered the benefits of improving your mind? Usually, this is the last thing people consider, but in reality it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself and those around you.
People who want to build their muscles know that it takes time to work on specific areas in order for the muscles to develop properly and these same people will pay big bucks to join the local gym to work on these areas and yet they forget to invest in things that will enrich their minds.
By enriching your mind and building yourself up mentally you will be able to challenge yourself to take on other areas of your life that need improvement. Your life is influenced by your thought processes.
You can learn to build up the muscles in your mind, so to speak, and strengthen your inner man with positive goal producing thoughts.
Most New Year Resolutions fail, mainly because people do not have the proper mind set to set proper goals and lack the ability to make a roadmap that will lead them to success.
What is it you want for you and your family next year? Doesn’t investing in yourself by improving your mind make sense.
You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars in order to benefit from the great motivators of the world. People such as Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy and Les Brown can be heard via your computer for about the cost of a cup of coffee per day!
What are you waiting for?
Make this year the best year ever by investing in your mind!
Visit Success University Today!
What about you? What News Year Resolution have you planned for this year?
Have you considered the benefits of improving your mind? Usually, this is the last thing people consider, but in reality it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself and those around you.
People who want to build their muscles know that it takes time to work on specific areas in order for the muscles to develop properly and these same people will pay big bucks to join the local gym to work on these areas and yet they forget to invest in things that will enrich their minds.
By enriching your mind and building yourself up mentally you will be able to challenge yourself to take on other areas of your life that need improvement. Your life is influenced by your thought processes.
You can learn to build up the muscles in your mind, so to speak, and strengthen your inner man with positive goal producing thoughts.
Most New Year Resolutions fail, mainly because people do not have the proper mind set to set proper goals and lack the ability to make a roadmap that will lead them to success.
What is it you want for you and your family next year? Doesn’t investing in yourself by improving your mind make sense.
You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars in order to benefit from the great motivators of the world. People such as Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy and Les Brown can be heard via your computer for about the cost of a cup of coffee per day!
What are you waiting for?
Make this year the best year ever by investing in your mind!
Visit Success University Today!
To Thine Own Self Be True
We have looked before on the concept of self-love and I would like to take the time into look into this in more depth.
If you remember, we said that AGAPE love was an unconditional love and that we needed to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Let us look more closely at why we have so much difficulty in the area of loving and accepting ourselves. We will start by looking at two very basic questions.
1.)Why do we have so much difficulty loving ourselves without question?
2.)Why do we feel we need the approval of others to validate our worthiness?
These are big questions and the basis of our non-acceptance of ourselves. We were not born with a negative self image of ourselves, in fact, we were not even aware that we needed the approval of others. Acceptance of ourselves as individuals was a learning experience from those significant others who were around us. Some people were lucky and had a loving and encouraging environment, while others, sadly, grew up with condemnation and disapproval.
Because of disapproval that may have been experienced in our childhood years, many of us grew up with the generalization that “Since they did not accept me, I am unacceptable.” Through the repetition of key incidents in our lives we learnt to have a negative view of ourselves. The problem arises when we fail to realize that these were childhood events. We still see them retrospectively through the eyes of our inner-child. We must learn to stand back and put them in a different perspective.
As adults we may now realize that those who hurt us with their disapproval and criticism were acting in the only way that they knew how to act. Many did not realize the extent of injury that was caused to our psyche. It is up to us now to rid ourselves of these self-sabotaging thoughts about ourselves and face reality. We have two choices. We can either accept what was said about us and live with self-recrimination or we can choose to forgive those who said hurtful, un-accepting things to us and rethink the situation.
Face it, we were not all perfect children and we are not perfect as adults either. All people can never be all good or all bad. We have to come to the realization that we are human. We need to accept ourselves the way we are. That means accepting the bad along with the good. We all make mistakes, we all have weaknesses. This doesn’t mean that we stop trying to improve ourselves, but we must stop condemning ourselves.
We also must become aware of the things we want to change about ourselves because WE as individuals want improvement in these areas, not because we feel that others want us to change. Accepting a situation is the first step to achieving power over it. We can not live our lives for the acceptance of others. We need to live our lives honestly and freely.
Take the time to listen to your inner voice and find out who YOU really are. You are an individual and you don’t need to conform to what the world around you wants you to be. You need to discover who YOU really are and then gather the courage to let the real you be you. You have the power to be your own person.
Let us stop putting on masks to represent the people we think others want to see. Don’t feel you have to seek their approval. Take time to learn who you are and then let the real you shine through. You are a beautiful person just the way you are and are worthy of love. Learn to love yourself and you will see the world around you change for the better.
If you remember, we said that AGAPE love was an unconditional love and that we needed to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Let us look more closely at why we have so much difficulty in the area of loving and accepting ourselves. We will start by looking at two very basic questions.
1.)Why do we have so much difficulty loving ourselves without question?
2.)Why do we feel we need the approval of others to validate our worthiness?
These are big questions and the basis of our non-acceptance of ourselves. We were not born with a negative self image of ourselves, in fact, we were not even aware that we needed the approval of others. Acceptance of ourselves as individuals was a learning experience from those significant others who were around us. Some people were lucky and had a loving and encouraging environment, while others, sadly, grew up with condemnation and disapproval.
Because of disapproval that may have been experienced in our childhood years, many of us grew up with the generalization that “Since they did not accept me, I am unacceptable.” Through the repetition of key incidents in our lives we learnt to have a negative view of ourselves. The problem arises when we fail to realize that these were childhood events. We still see them retrospectively through the eyes of our inner-child. We must learn to stand back and put them in a different perspective.
As adults we may now realize that those who hurt us with their disapproval and criticism were acting in the only way that they knew how to act. Many did not realize the extent of injury that was caused to our psyche. It is up to us now to rid ourselves of these self-sabotaging thoughts about ourselves and face reality. We have two choices. We can either accept what was said about us and live with self-recrimination or we can choose to forgive those who said hurtful, un-accepting things to us and rethink the situation.
Face it, we were not all perfect children and we are not perfect as adults either. All people can never be all good or all bad. We have to come to the realization that we are human. We need to accept ourselves the way we are. That means accepting the bad along with the good. We all make mistakes, we all have weaknesses. This doesn’t mean that we stop trying to improve ourselves, but we must stop condemning ourselves.
We also must become aware of the things we want to change about ourselves because WE as individuals want improvement in these areas, not because we feel that others want us to change. Accepting a situation is the first step to achieving power over it. We can not live our lives for the acceptance of others. We need to live our lives honestly and freely.
Take the time to listen to your inner voice and find out who YOU really are. You are an individual and you don’t need to conform to what the world around you wants you to be. You need to discover who YOU really are and then gather the courage to let the real you be you. You have the power to be your own person.
Let us stop putting on masks to represent the people we think others want to see. Don’t feel you have to seek their approval. Take time to learn who you are and then let the real you shine through. You are a beautiful person just the way you are and are worthy of love. Learn to love yourself and you will see the world around you change for the better.
Three Deadly Sins to Avoid When Choosing a Professional Speaker
As I survey the speaker’s market I’ve become a tad weary willfully wearing the title "Motivational Speaker". All speakers worth their salt seek to motivate or cause action. Maybe it's just me, but does the mere mention of the term "Motivational Speaker" conjure irritating mental pictures in your subconscious mind? There are far too many stereotypes being propagated regarding speakers. I will address a few of these speaker stereotypes and hopefully simultaneously construct a not-to-do list that aspiring speakers may use on their roads to success in the lucrative speaking industry.
Motivational Speaker Stereotype Number One:
The "Over-The-Top" Speaker
The "Over-The-Top" Speaker or the O.T.T. Speaker appears to have discovered a new fad diet which includes mountains of pure sugar and caffeine. The O.T.T. will at any given moment find it necessary to expend tremendous amounts of energy racing about the platform as if a sniper has them in the crosshairs. During smaller office presentations, The O.T.T. speaker may also be seen jumping atop a desk shouting "Go For It!” or performing their best impressions of former Governor and one time Presidential hopeful, Howard Dean's famous "YEAAAAAHHHHHH".
It didn't work for Mr. Dean either.
Reality:
I do not desk hurdle. Many professional speakers whom I admire keep their gestures natural and their tones conversational in nature. This is not “Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey” and a speaker's stage is not a big tent.
Motivational Speaker Stereotype Number Two:
The "T.M.I." Speaker
In efforts to emotionally connect with the audience, the notorious T.M.I. Speaker offers up way Too Much Information of a personal nature. To the bewilderment of the hiring authority, the TMI speaker utilizes 90% of their time recanting inner-turmoil, teary-eyed, blow-by-blow commentaries of abuse, personal struggles and tragedies. Though touching, the program's focus is obscured and the message diluted by the T.M.I. Speakers deluging pity party. The T.M.I. speaker fails to realize the goal of any program is to inspire some sort of action of the audience, not to become a martyr or charity case.
Reality:
Engaging your audience is the goal of any professional speaker, but personal stories should only be used if they directly support and impact the overall theme of your program. Please allow me to cement my viewpoint with a brief story: During my first professional position as a paralegal for a government agency I had the marvelous opportunity to work side-by-side with a number of experienced individuals and mentors. These mentors taught me many compelling business principles that I currently utilize. One day at work on a crowded elevator I struck up a conversation with one such mentor. In the efforts to protect the innocent and the ignorant I'll refer to the mentor in this story as "Mr. Edwards".
Me: Hello Mr. Edwards, I noticed you in the lobby earlier today...
Mr. Edwards: Yes, Timothy my family paid me a visit...
Me: Really? Was that your son you were holding earlier?
Mr. Edwards: Oh no, that was my nephew. I can't have kids, I'm sterile.
Me: Okay
Motivational Speaker Stereotype Number Three:
The "High-Tech, Low-Performance" Speaker
The H.T.L.P. Speaker loves to put on a show! The H.T.L.P's program not only begins, its middle and its end is littered with state-of-the-art, eye-popping sound-effects and a fantastic frenzy of flashy visuals. In the outset the audience is totally mesmerized, but it becomes grossly apparent that the H.T.L.P. is heavy on the glitz and light on the substance. The H.T.L.P. is a show-person. The H.T.L.P’s entire speech can be boiled down to a bookmark of inspirational quotes which can be readily found by any 12-year-old conducting a 30-second search on GOOGLE. Yes, the H.T.L.P. catches the audience’s attention, but has no inkling where to go from there, except, you guessed it, onto the next variation of visual, vain displays which culminate into sensory overload and useful substance deprivation.
Solution:
Many professional motivational speakers acknowledge the need to capture the audience's attention, but should a professional speaker need a truckload of explosives to do it? No. The highly regarded professional speaker realizes that he or she is the distributor of the information being disseminated not some slide projector, movie screen or artificial simulator. The speaker who relies too heavily on electronics to deliver a message detracts from the human-element of their content. Limiting the bells and whistles in the show will allow both the audience and the speaker to focus on the theme and purpose of the program. Clients watching their Rate of Investment (ROI) versus their Rate of Return (ROR) will expect less show, more business and measurable results to justify a speaker’s fee. In short, if the only requirements for an effective presentation are flashy PowerPoint slides and spectacular visuals, there's no need for a human-being, and I beg to differ.
Wrap Up:
Many elements can be included in a speaker’s arsenal to deliver the utmost impact in their programs. Story-telling, humor, props, visuals, gestures, role-playing, personal anecdotes, eye contact and poignant quotations all serve as a means to effectively communicate the overall theme of a motivational speaker’s message. A speaker shouldn't rely on any one method too heavily and the ultimate goal must always be to leave the audience with a course of action they are motivated to pursue. After all, it's what happens "after" we leave the stage that matters most, right? A professional speaker who leaves his client with positive measurable end-results is a highly sought-after resource and no joking matter.
Motivational Speaker Stereotype Number One:
The "Over-The-Top" Speaker
The "Over-The-Top" Speaker or the O.T.T. Speaker appears to have discovered a new fad diet which includes mountains of pure sugar and caffeine. The O.T.T. will at any given moment find it necessary to expend tremendous amounts of energy racing about the platform as if a sniper has them in the crosshairs. During smaller office presentations, The O.T.T. speaker may also be seen jumping atop a desk shouting "Go For It!” or performing their best impressions of former Governor and one time Presidential hopeful, Howard Dean's famous "YEAAAAAHHHHHH".
It didn't work for Mr. Dean either.
Reality:
I do not desk hurdle. Many professional speakers whom I admire keep their gestures natural and their tones conversational in nature. This is not “Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey” and a speaker's stage is not a big tent.
Motivational Speaker Stereotype Number Two:
The "T.M.I." Speaker
In efforts to emotionally connect with the audience, the notorious T.M.I. Speaker offers up way Too Much Information of a personal nature. To the bewilderment of the hiring authority, the TMI speaker utilizes 90% of their time recanting inner-turmoil, teary-eyed, blow-by-blow commentaries of abuse, personal struggles and tragedies. Though touching, the program's focus is obscured and the message diluted by the T.M.I. Speakers deluging pity party. The T.M.I. speaker fails to realize the goal of any program is to inspire some sort of action of the audience, not to become a martyr or charity case.
Reality:
Engaging your audience is the goal of any professional speaker, but personal stories should only be used if they directly support and impact the overall theme of your program. Please allow me to cement my viewpoint with a brief story: During my first professional position as a paralegal for a government agency I had the marvelous opportunity to work side-by-side with a number of experienced individuals and mentors. These mentors taught me many compelling business principles that I currently utilize. One day at work on a crowded elevator I struck up a conversation with one such mentor. In the efforts to protect the innocent and the ignorant I'll refer to the mentor in this story as "Mr. Edwards".
Me: Hello Mr. Edwards, I noticed you in the lobby earlier today...
Mr. Edwards: Yes, Timothy my family paid me a visit...
Me: Really? Was that your son you were holding earlier?
Mr. Edwards: Oh no, that was my nephew. I can't have kids, I'm sterile.
Me: Okay
Motivational Speaker Stereotype Number Three:
The "High-Tech, Low-Performance" Speaker
The H.T.L.P. Speaker loves to put on a show! The H.T.L.P's program not only begins, its middle and its end is littered with state-of-the-art, eye-popping sound-effects and a fantastic frenzy of flashy visuals. In the outset the audience is totally mesmerized, but it becomes grossly apparent that the H.T.L.P. is heavy on the glitz and light on the substance. The H.T.L.P. is a show-person. The H.T.L.P’s entire speech can be boiled down to a bookmark of inspirational quotes which can be readily found by any 12-year-old conducting a 30-second search on GOOGLE. Yes, the H.T.L.P. catches the audience’s attention, but has no inkling where to go from there, except, you guessed it, onto the next variation of visual, vain displays which culminate into sensory overload and useful substance deprivation.
Solution:
Many professional motivational speakers acknowledge the need to capture the audience's attention, but should a professional speaker need a truckload of explosives to do it? No. The highly regarded professional speaker realizes that he or she is the distributor of the information being disseminated not some slide projector, movie screen or artificial simulator. The speaker who relies too heavily on electronics to deliver a message detracts from the human-element of their content. Limiting the bells and whistles in the show will allow both the audience and the speaker to focus on the theme and purpose of the program. Clients watching their Rate of Investment (ROI) versus their Rate of Return (ROR) will expect less show, more business and measurable results to justify a speaker’s fee. In short, if the only requirements for an effective presentation are flashy PowerPoint slides and spectacular visuals, there's no need for a human-being, and I beg to differ.
Wrap Up:
Many elements can be included in a speaker’s arsenal to deliver the utmost impact in their programs. Story-telling, humor, props, visuals, gestures, role-playing, personal anecdotes, eye contact and poignant quotations all serve as a means to effectively communicate the overall theme of a motivational speaker’s message. A speaker shouldn't rely on any one method too heavily and the ultimate goal must always be to leave the audience with a course of action they are motivated to pursue. After all, it's what happens "after" we leave the stage that matters most, right? A professional speaker who leaves his client with positive measurable end-results is a highly sought-after resource and no joking matter.
There is no place like now.
Most people in our culture today are so busy running around trying to arrange their lives to be somewhere else. We all want to be somewhere else geographically or financially or in our relationships. We want to be anywhere but here as we've been led to believe that if only we can be somewhere else then our lives would work. This escapism acts like a drug that only gives temporary relief to a chronic problem.
Apart from wanting to be somewhere else, most people today also live by a philosophy of "some day" that allows them to manipulate time. "I can do it, but just not today. I'll do it when…" and they use these excuses to stay in their comfort zones. The problem is that both someday and somewhere are undefined and illusionary. Somewhere does not exist and someday never comes, although you keep hoping that it does. This can be very disempowering and is responsible for a lot of disappointment and frustration for a lot of people.
The truth, however, is that right now is all you've really got. Tomorrow is never promised to you and learning to fully live in and for the moment is a vital distinction to make in creating a great life. Being grateful does not mean that you loose your drive or purpose, but allows you to slow down and really enjoy the ride. Not only is it healthy to want more from life, but it is also required to be truly fulfilled and knowing where you are is critical in getting where you want to be. Using someday as an excuse to soften your problems will not create long term success and fulfilment. Be honest with yourself and stop making excuses only to make yourself feel better. A little pain can be very useful as it will at least move you to action. There is always something you can do right now to turn your ideas into reality. There is always one small step you can take.
One of the most powerful resources you have is resourcefulness. This means that right now you have all that you need to achieve whatever you desire and that you have the ability to take action with exactly what you've got and exactly where you are. You do not have to wait for "some day when" or "when I am..." before you take action on your dreams and goals. The smallest idea acted upon can make all the difference as it immediately makes your idea real and smothers someday because you used your will to consciously take charge.
It is important to realize that the purpose of pursuing a goal or a dream is not just in achieving it but even more so in the experience of achieving it. You do not travel for the purpose of reaching a destination but for the purpose of travelling. Whatever dream or goal you are pursuing you will probably spend more time in pursuit of it than actually achieving it and most goals are an anti climax when you actually achieve them anyway. The process is where the true fulfilment comes from and the actual experience is what makes you become something instead of accumulating something. If you can't be happy and grateful without your goal then changes are that you won't be happy and grateful with it.
Live in the present, but know where you are going. Be right here and celebrate and capture the magical moments of your life. Hold on to them as the treasures you get to take with you into your magnificent future. Life is not just lived in the moment but also created in the moment. Now is the best time to design the next ten years of your life. Let your thoughts and knowledge serve you through action. Action is what eventually determines you destiny. Move confidently in the direction of your choosing and don't get seduced by the popular belief that some day things will come your way or some day your luck will change. You are the source and the creator of your own prosperity and it all starts with a sense of immense gratitude for everything you already have exactly where you are right now. One of the greatest privileges you have in life is that you can start right now with exactly what you’ve got to create anything you desire as the ultimate resources to life are within you.
Living in a place called somewhere really won't serve you long term although it might feel good as a short term escape or excuse. Having to consistently lie to yourself that you will act on your true desires some day when x, y or z is just right will only create an unnecessary burden. When you turn your "some day" philosophy into a "same day" philosophy you can start to adopt the mindset where you take action on your ideas immediately with exactly what you've got and exactly where you are.
What someday and somewhere really comes down to is that you falsely admit to yourself that what you need is not available to you. This creates a belief that you are not in control of your life but that you are waiting for something else somewhere else before you can take charge. Ironically, you will only get full access to your true resources when you take action exactly where you are with exactly what you've got, despite your excuses. True happiness and gratitude never relies on external conditions but is purely determined by your evaluation of where you are now. Now contains the seed of the rest of your life. Plant it with joy and water it with gratitude and rejoice in your life for you are its creator.
Apart from wanting to be somewhere else, most people today also live by a philosophy of "some day" that allows them to manipulate time. "I can do it, but just not today. I'll do it when…" and they use these excuses to stay in their comfort zones. The problem is that both someday and somewhere are undefined and illusionary. Somewhere does not exist and someday never comes, although you keep hoping that it does. This can be very disempowering and is responsible for a lot of disappointment and frustration for a lot of people.
The truth, however, is that right now is all you've really got. Tomorrow is never promised to you and learning to fully live in and for the moment is a vital distinction to make in creating a great life. Being grateful does not mean that you loose your drive or purpose, but allows you to slow down and really enjoy the ride. Not only is it healthy to want more from life, but it is also required to be truly fulfilled and knowing where you are is critical in getting where you want to be. Using someday as an excuse to soften your problems will not create long term success and fulfilment. Be honest with yourself and stop making excuses only to make yourself feel better. A little pain can be very useful as it will at least move you to action. There is always something you can do right now to turn your ideas into reality. There is always one small step you can take.
One of the most powerful resources you have is resourcefulness. This means that right now you have all that you need to achieve whatever you desire and that you have the ability to take action with exactly what you've got and exactly where you are. You do not have to wait for "some day when" or "when I am..." before you take action on your dreams and goals. The smallest idea acted upon can make all the difference as it immediately makes your idea real and smothers someday because you used your will to consciously take charge.
It is important to realize that the purpose of pursuing a goal or a dream is not just in achieving it but even more so in the experience of achieving it. You do not travel for the purpose of reaching a destination but for the purpose of travelling. Whatever dream or goal you are pursuing you will probably spend more time in pursuit of it than actually achieving it and most goals are an anti climax when you actually achieve them anyway. The process is where the true fulfilment comes from and the actual experience is what makes you become something instead of accumulating something. If you can't be happy and grateful without your goal then changes are that you won't be happy and grateful with it.
Live in the present, but know where you are going. Be right here and celebrate and capture the magical moments of your life. Hold on to them as the treasures you get to take with you into your magnificent future. Life is not just lived in the moment but also created in the moment. Now is the best time to design the next ten years of your life. Let your thoughts and knowledge serve you through action. Action is what eventually determines you destiny. Move confidently in the direction of your choosing and don't get seduced by the popular belief that some day things will come your way or some day your luck will change. You are the source and the creator of your own prosperity and it all starts with a sense of immense gratitude for everything you already have exactly where you are right now. One of the greatest privileges you have in life is that you can start right now with exactly what you’ve got to create anything you desire as the ultimate resources to life are within you.
Living in a place called somewhere really won't serve you long term although it might feel good as a short term escape or excuse. Having to consistently lie to yourself that you will act on your true desires some day when x, y or z is just right will only create an unnecessary burden. When you turn your "some day" philosophy into a "same day" philosophy you can start to adopt the mindset where you take action on your ideas immediately with exactly what you've got and exactly where you are.
What someday and somewhere really comes down to is that you falsely admit to yourself that what you need is not available to you. This creates a belief that you are not in control of your life but that you are waiting for something else somewhere else before you can take charge. Ironically, you will only get full access to your true resources when you take action exactly where you are with exactly what you've got, despite your excuses. True happiness and gratitude never relies on external conditions but is purely determined by your evaluation of where you are now. Now contains the seed of the rest of your life. Plant it with joy and water it with gratitude and rejoice in your life for you are its creator.
The True Price of Success
Standing in the gale-force winds, the kid was looking queasy. We could all see the storm was growing more intense.
The rain had already plastered his hair to his forehead and his new black suit was starting to cling to him in ways Mr. Armani never intended.
A typhoon was coming -- the seventh this summer to hit Japan -- and the kid's job, as newest employee, was to stand in front of a TV camera while the weather buffeted him about for the nation to watch. Sort of a talking weather vane.
I take my exercise along that stretch of beach every day, and today one of the most powerful typhoons on record would soon be upon us. I knew I couldn't stay too long, or I'd be caught in the wind and the torrential downpour. I'd make my walk extra-brief this day.
But the television crew had a different assignment.
They, and many other crews like them, are dispatched in satellite equipped trucks to many well-known sites all over Japan. These crews provide live reports on the progress of the storms as they rip their way up the Japanese archipelago.
And the kid in the black suit was their sacrificial lamb today. It was his job to get out there, once the storm reached its peak, and do a show and tell. That's what the people huddled at home want to see, and sponsors will pay well to bring them exactly what they expect.
If you've watched a lot of news over the years, you'll know that the greater the devastation, the higher the viewer ratings. That's the way it works -- more destruction means more interest.
In fact, you may recall that Dan Rather got his big break into national news by doing exactly what this kid was doing -- standing stubbornly in a raging hurricane and giving moment-by-moment reports to the viewers at home.
The networks find it's profitable programming to report on all the destruction, disruption and deaths.
But before we get off on an "Ain't-It-Awful" tangent, let me say right here that this scene I've just described carries one of the richest lessons you'll ever gain.
Typhoons and hurricanes cause huge disruptions. Your humanitarian heart empathizes with those caught up in the tragedies; aches for them; wants to reach out with succor and aid.
And I do applaud that urge to give comfort and help to those that life dumps on. The feelings are normal and proper.
But I suggest that sympathy alone, no matter how heartfelt, is a one-dimensional (even a poverty-ridden) way to respond to the world.
Sympathy can be a good thing, but often it's only a cheap imitation of caring. If it doesn't lead to action, it's basically worthless for anything but show.
However, it's possible to add a second layer of responses, a layer that involves going out and interacting with that world you're so empathic with.
Furthermore, since you've been seeking some way to gain wealth, let me say this. You've just found it.
It's called action.
Action -- appropriate action in response to the problems and tragedies you see around you can make you not only a better person, but a very rich one as well. It can allow you to provide far greater aid to those in need than you could ever accomplish with an aching heart alone.
And the profits from your actions will help you stay in business long-term so you can continue helping your fellowman.
Now, you may already be running a business. If so, you're providing people with some kind of solution to their problems. Are you being well paid for your solutions?
If so, that's good.
But if you're not being well rewarded for your efforts, there are only three possible reasons.
1. You're not telling enough people about yourself.
2. You're not very convincing because you don't believe you're very good at what you do.
3. You may not be solving problems that are big or urgent enough. This is probably the most common limit.
The biggest need today is for people who will do what you and I can't (or won't) do for ourselves. This includes people who make us feel better.
Consider the relative public value of a heart surgeon versus a sales clerk. A captivating entertainer or sports figure versus an office cleaner. A brilliant attorney versus a typist.
It's not my intention to demean anybody who is fulfilling any useful role in society. But the smaller paydays almost always go to the person who is more easily replaced. If nearly anybody can be quickly trained to do the job, there's lots of competition for that slot, and so the price goes down.
And the high-profile jobs like brain surgeon, trial lawyer, pro ball player, or CEO of a multinational -- well, most people won't ever try for those spots, meaning there's less competition. So the people who do try for these jobs can charge whatever the traffic will bear.
This is basic economics, right? We already know all of this. But if we already know it, why do we so seldom apply it to our own life? Why aren't we qualifying ourselves for the absolute top spot in our respective industries?
In many cases, it's because we unthinkingly shy away from "responsibility." We're scared of a bigger role... a higher profile. We keep ourselves small because... well... we just do, that's all. For example, can you tell me exactly why you're not the top authority in your industry? Can I tell why I'm not?
We do know the answer to that, though, don't we?
It's basically cowardice. We're scared spitless of making ourselves uncomfortable through doing things that we're not sure we can do perfectly. If we tried something big and super-ambitious, oh my goodness, what if we didn't do it very well?
We don't like to take chances. Don't enjoy big measures of ambiguity in the things we do. So instead, we plod along like cows coming in from the pasture at evening, regular as clockwork, utterly predictable -- and dependant upon whomever feeds us at the end of the day.
Cows don't take big chances. Neither do sheep. They stay close to the same territory day after day, year after year, clustered together, acting just alike, grazing placidly, never having any grand adventures. There are few opportunities in the fenced-in pasture. Just eat and sleep and grow old.
Ah, but the venturing soul slips through the fence, goes into unknown territory, and seeks out new things to do. Among us humans, we admire most the men and women who push past the barriers to new territory. Record-setting athletes. Inventive new artists and writers. Bold leaders who set new directions and escort the rest of us into new fields. Explorers in medicine, literature, flight, business, sports.
People who go out seeking new places to find, new levels to achieve, new problems to solve.
If you want your income and your life to expand, you're going to have to explore. Go out there past the edge of what you already know, past the comfortable, to a place where you're unsure what your outcome is going to be.
You, in a very real sense, become a gambler. But you will be gambling on the only thing in the universe that's worth the action -- yourself.
It has been said that the real reason for becoming rich and successful is not the money or the fame. It's the joy of being the person you have to become in order to achieve those goals of yours.
Know this: You'll never achieve those goals as you are now.
You really must become a whole different person. A bigger person. A stronger, more capable person.
And how do you do that? You stretch yourself. You make yourself uncomfortable, and you stay that way until you grow into it.
That's the true (and only) price of success.
The rain had already plastered his hair to his forehead and his new black suit was starting to cling to him in ways Mr. Armani never intended.
A typhoon was coming -- the seventh this summer to hit Japan -- and the kid's job, as newest employee, was to stand in front of a TV camera while the weather buffeted him about for the nation to watch. Sort of a talking weather vane.
I take my exercise along that stretch of beach every day, and today one of the most powerful typhoons on record would soon be upon us. I knew I couldn't stay too long, or I'd be caught in the wind and the torrential downpour. I'd make my walk extra-brief this day.
But the television crew had a different assignment.
They, and many other crews like them, are dispatched in satellite equipped trucks to many well-known sites all over Japan. These crews provide live reports on the progress of the storms as they rip their way up the Japanese archipelago.
And the kid in the black suit was their sacrificial lamb today. It was his job to get out there, once the storm reached its peak, and do a show and tell. That's what the people huddled at home want to see, and sponsors will pay well to bring them exactly what they expect.
If you've watched a lot of news over the years, you'll know that the greater the devastation, the higher the viewer ratings. That's the way it works -- more destruction means more interest.
In fact, you may recall that Dan Rather got his big break into national news by doing exactly what this kid was doing -- standing stubbornly in a raging hurricane and giving moment-by-moment reports to the viewers at home.
The networks find it's profitable programming to report on all the destruction, disruption and deaths.
But before we get off on an "Ain't-It-Awful" tangent, let me say right here that this scene I've just described carries one of the richest lessons you'll ever gain.
Typhoons and hurricanes cause huge disruptions. Your humanitarian heart empathizes with those caught up in the tragedies; aches for them; wants to reach out with succor and aid.
And I do applaud that urge to give comfort and help to those that life dumps on. The feelings are normal and proper.
But I suggest that sympathy alone, no matter how heartfelt, is a one-dimensional (even a poverty-ridden) way to respond to the world.
Sympathy can be a good thing, but often it's only a cheap imitation of caring. If it doesn't lead to action, it's basically worthless for anything but show.
However, it's possible to add a second layer of responses, a layer that involves going out and interacting with that world you're so empathic with.
Furthermore, since you've been seeking some way to gain wealth, let me say this. You've just found it.
It's called action.
Action -- appropriate action in response to the problems and tragedies you see around you can make you not only a better person, but a very rich one as well. It can allow you to provide far greater aid to those in need than you could ever accomplish with an aching heart alone.
And the profits from your actions will help you stay in business long-term so you can continue helping your fellowman.
Now, you may already be running a business. If so, you're providing people with some kind of solution to their problems. Are you being well paid for your solutions?
If so, that's good.
But if you're not being well rewarded for your efforts, there are only three possible reasons.
1. You're not telling enough people about yourself.
2. You're not very convincing because you don't believe you're very good at what you do.
3. You may not be solving problems that are big or urgent enough. This is probably the most common limit.
The biggest need today is for people who will do what you and I can't (or won't) do for ourselves. This includes people who make us feel better.
Consider the relative public value of a heart surgeon versus a sales clerk. A captivating entertainer or sports figure versus an office cleaner. A brilliant attorney versus a typist.
It's not my intention to demean anybody who is fulfilling any useful role in society. But the smaller paydays almost always go to the person who is more easily replaced. If nearly anybody can be quickly trained to do the job, there's lots of competition for that slot, and so the price goes down.
And the high-profile jobs like brain surgeon, trial lawyer, pro ball player, or CEO of a multinational -- well, most people won't ever try for those spots, meaning there's less competition. So the people who do try for these jobs can charge whatever the traffic will bear.
This is basic economics, right? We already know all of this. But if we already know it, why do we so seldom apply it to our own life? Why aren't we qualifying ourselves for the absolute top spot in our respective industries?
In many cases, it's because we unthinkingly shy away from "responsibility." We're scared of a bigger role... a higher profile. We keep ourselves small because... well... we just do, that's all. For example, can you tell me exactly why you're not the top authority in your industry? Can I tell why I'm not?
We do know the answer to that, though, don't we?
It's basically cowardice. We're scared spitless of making ourselves uncomfortable through doing things that we're not sure we can do perfectly. If we tried something big and super-ambitious, oh my goodness, what if we didn't do it very well?
We don't like to take chances. Don't enjoy big measures of ambiguity in the things we do. So instead, we plod along like cows coming in from the pasture at evening, regular as clockwork, utterly predictable -- and dependant upon whomever feeds us at the end of the day.
Cows don't take big chances. Neither do sheep. They stay close to the same territory day after day, year after year, clustered together, acting just alike, grazing placidly, never having any grand adventures. There are few opportunities in the fenced-in pasture. Just eat and sleep and grow old.
Ah, but the venturing soul slips through the fence, goes into unknown territory, and seeks out new things to do. Among us humans, we admire most the men and women who push past the barriers to new territory. Record-setting athletes. Inventive new artists and writers. Bold leaders who set new directions and escort the rest of us into new fields. Explorers in medicine, literature, flight, business, sports.
People who go out seeking new places to find, new levels to achieve, new problems to solve.
If you want your income and your life to expand, you're going to have to explore. Go out there past the edge of what you already know, past the comfortable, to a place where you're unsure what your outcome is going to be.
You, in a very real sense, become a gambler. But you will be gambling on the only thing in the universe that's worth the action -- yourself.
It has been said that the real reason for becoming rich and successful is not the money or the fame. It's the joy of being the person you have to become in order to achieve those goals of yours.
Know this: You'll never achieve those goals as you are now.
You really must become a whole different person. A bigger person. A stronger, more capable person.
And how do you do that? You stretch yourself. You make yourself uncomfortable, and you stay that way until you grow into it.
That's the true (and only) price of success.
The small change that creates massive results in your life.
"It is never too late to become what you
might have been." - GEORGE ELIOT
I believe that we all reach certain key points in our lives. We all reach crossroads where our lives hit a certain threshold of "pain" that we are no longer willing to settle for. This threshold is very different for every person. I also believe that if you are unhappy with anything in your life then that is a call to action; a desire from deep within the "real" you that wants to experience more of life.
This can be very challenging for a lot of people as they have this urge to improve their lives but they don't have an effective strategy. They then do the "logical" thing which is to work on the effects instead of the cause. Here is a simple thought process that will be a wake up call to you if you feel like you are spinning your wheels.
For my life to get better I have to get better.
For things to change I have to change.
I am mine. This is my life and I am the creator of my destiny.
I can change any and everything in my life by simply changing myself. This puts me in the driving seat of my life and makes my life my responsibility. It eliminates fear and apprehension for I know that no matter what life gives me I can always get to the next level and take the next step by simply making the internal shift in my own psychology.
I can stop looking for events, people and circumstances to blame. I only need to look inside. No matter how influential you are you cannot control the circumstances and events of your life. There are only three things over which you have absolute and total control and these are all you need. It forms the total experience of life. My thoughts, my actions and my words are always under my conscious control. They are MY thoughts, they are MY actions and they are MY words AND they create MY world every minute of every day.
This is incredibly liberating. Whenever I want to have more, experience more or change anything, I need only look inwards and work on myself. Jim Rohn once said that the hardest work you will ever do is the work you do on yourself. See, you can run around and work incredibly hard at trying to influence and change circumstances, but that will only make you tired and discourage your future efforts. It’s much easier to change yourself and your perception of yourself and your life. Nothing has any meaning except for the meaning you give it.
Changing external events have very little impact in your life on the long term. Small changes in you; in your perceptions and psychology might seem insignificant at first, but because the change is in you it effects all of your thoughts, all of your actions and all of your words. This seemingly insignificant change, over time changes the whole direction and end destination of your life. If a captain of a ship changes direction just one degree the end destination might be a different continent all together. Like the captain changing his course by one degree it might be unnoticeable over a short period of time, but over greater distances the small change becomes very significant.
Most people try and change the big things; they constantly try and change any and everything in their lives, but they then fail to maintain the change. Instead, making small consistent changes in yourself, in your own character you can create phenomenal results. All change starts and ends with you. If you are going to invest the time and effort to improve your life, then invest it in changing yourself. Invest your time and effort in improving "you" and let go of the superficial urges to control events and circumstances. Your whole perception and experience of life comes from you and who you are. Change yourself, improve your character and just watch the world improve and change before your very eyes.
might have been." - GEORGE ELIOT
I believe that we all reach certain key points in our lives. We all reach crossroads where our lives hit a certain threshold of "pain" that we are no longer willing to settle for. This threshold is very different for every person. I also believe that if you are unhappy with anything in your life then that is a call to action; a desire from deep within the "real" you that wants to experience more of life.
This can be very challenging for a lot of people as they have this urge to improve their lives but they don't have an effective strategy. They then do the "logical" thing which is to work on the effects instead of the cause. Here is a simple thought process that will be a wake up call to you if you feel like you are spinning your wheels.
For my life to get better I have to get better.
For things to change I have to change.
I am mine. This is my life and I am the creator of my destiny.
I can change any and everything in my life by simply changing myself. This puts me in the driving seat of my life and makes my life my responsibility. It eliminates fear and apprehension for I know that no matter what life gives me I can always get to the next level and take the next step by simply making the internal shift in my own psychology.
I can stop looking for events, people and circumstances to blame. I only need to look inside. No matter how influential you are you cannot control the circumstances and events of your life. There are only three things over which you have absolute and total control and these are all you need. It forms the total experience of life. My thoughts, my actions and my words are always under my conscious control. They are MY thoughts, they are MY actions and they are MY words AND they create MY world every minute of every day.
This is incredibly liberating. Whenever I want to have more, experience more or change anything, I need only look inwards and work on myself. Jim Rohn once said that the hardest work you will ever do is the work you do on yourself. See, you can run around and work incredibly hard at trying to influence and change circumstances, but that will only make you tired and discourage your future efforts. It’s much easier to change yourself and your perception of yourself and your life. Nothing has any meaning except for the meaning you give it.
Changing external events have very little impact in your life on the long term. Small changes in you; in your perceptions and psychology might seem insignificant at first, but because the change is in you it effects all of your thoughts, all of your actions and all of your words. This seemingly insignificant change, over time changes the whole direction and end destination of your life. If a captain of a ship changes direction just one degree the end destination might be a different continent all together. Like the captain changing his course by one degree it might be unnoticeable over a short period of time, but over greater distances the small change becomes very significant.
Most people try and change the big things; they constantly try and change any and everything in their lives, but they then fail to maintain the change. Instead, making small consistent changes in yourself, in your own character you can create phenomenal results. All change starts and ends with you. If you are going to invest the time and effort to improve your life, then invest it in changing yourself. Invest your time and effort in improving "you" and let go of the superficial urges to control events and circumstances. Your whole perception and experience of life comes from you and who you are. Change yourself, improve your character and just watch the world improve and change before your very eyes.
The Quit Smoking Swear Box
There are many people who are attempting to quit smoking. This article gives free tips on how you can kick the habit and to stop smoking those cancer sticks once and for all. I hope you enjoy the read.
When I was a teenager I clearly remember one of my teachers introducing a swear box at school. The concept, which I am sure you will be aware of, is quite simple. If you swear you have to put a certain amount of money in the box. At first people found it quite amusing and thought the idea was a bit of a joke. After having to put quite a lot of money into this box in the first few days of the project, I soon realised that it would be a lot cheaper if I could learn to control my tongue. Such a simple idea had a big impact on the school and at the same time taught me a huge lesson.
There are many reasons as to why people should stop smoking. Without doubt the most important is your health however a lot of people have a strange attitude to their own health despite hearing of many people dying from cancer related illnesses. They think that it will not happen to them or that by the time they get old, that a cure will have been found. They make comments such as, I could die in a car crash tomorrow anyway.
Over the last number of years we have seen regular government advertising campaigns to convince people to quit smoking. These are becoming more and more shocking and hard hitting, however people still do not listen.
What people do seem to care about, probably too much in my opinion, is money. Despite ever increasing tax raises on cigarettes people still continue to buy them. My idea is to keep a record of how many cigarettes you smoke per week and also how much it cost you to buy them. Then times the figure by fifty-two and that will be the amount you spend on cigarettes per year. How happy would you be if your boss offered you an increase to your wages of that amount? This is the reality as that is the increase in available money you would have per year. Just think about what you could spend that money on.
So we have now decided to quit smoking cigarettes once and for all. It is not going to be easy however. You will need to battle the demons in your head, who will be trying to convince you to have just one more. Going back to the swear box idea from before, it can be just as effective in any stop smoking program. It is likely that you will bow to temptation and every time you smoke one cigarette you put the equivalent cost of one whole packet in the swear box as way of punishment. The proceeds from the box could be given to a charity of your choice. This is you continue to let your demons win, will soon be hitting you hard in the pocket and hopefully will then convince you to stop.
I wish you every success in your quest to stop smoking.
When I was a teenager I clearly remember one of my teachers introducing a swear box at school. The concept, which I am sure you will be aware of, is quite simple. If you swear you have to put a certain amount of money in the box. At first people found it quite amusing and thought the idea was a bit of a joke. After having to put quite a lot of money into this box in the first few days of the project, I soon realised that it would be a lot cheaper if I could learn to control my tongue. Such a simple idea had a big impact on the school and at the same time taught me a huge lesson.
There are many reasons as to why people should stop smoking. Without doubt the most important is your health however a lot of people have a strange attitude to their own health despite hearing of many people dying from cancer related illnesses. They think that it will not happen to them or that by the time they get old, that a cure will have been found. They make comments such as, I could die in a car crash tomorrow anyway.
Over the last number of years we have seen regular government advertising campaigns to convince people to quit smoking. These are becoming more and more shocking and hard hitting, however people still do not listen.
What people do seem to care about, probably too much in my opinion, is money. Despite ever increasing tax raises on cigarettes people still continue to buy them. My idea is to keep a record of how many cigarettes you smoke per week and also how much it cost you to buy them. Then times the figure by fifty-two and that will be the amount you spend on cigarettes per year. How happy would you be if your boss offered you an increase to your wages of that amount? This is the reality as that is the increase in available money you would have per year. Just think about what you could spend that money on.
So we have now decided to quit smoking cigarettes once and for all. It is not going to be easy however. You will need to battle the demons in your head, who will be trying to convince you to have just one more. Going back to the swear box idea from before, it can be just as effective in any stop smoking program. It is likely that you will bow to temptation and every time you smoke one cigarette you put the equivalent cost of one whole packet in the swear box as way of punishment. The proceeds from the box could be given to a charity of your choice. This is you continue to let your demons win, will soon be hitting you hard in the pocket and hopefully will then convince you to stop.
I wish you every success in your quest to stop smoking.
The Power of Notes
Notes are very powerful. They express your thanks, encouragement, sympathy, apology, congratulations, feelings, and requests to others.
Many people create notes on a computer and print them or send them through the Internet. However, I believe the most effective notes are handwritten. A handwritten note is personal and rare. Due to this, it will be given more attention by the reader and have maximum impact.
A few weeks ago I was in Michigan for my dad's funeral. While there I attended my mom's church on Sunday and met her pastor for the second time. While talking to him, I learned that his mother died a few months ago and his dad was critically ill. On my way home to Virginia, I had a stop at Chicago O'Hare Airport. While waiting for my connecting flight, I pulled out a box of note cards and wrote several notes and mailed them. One of those was an encouraging note to my mom's pastor. I found out later that he was so touched by the note that he took it to his church and read it at a meeting. He made it clear to those in attendance how much of an encouragement it was to him. What I didn't know when I wrote the note was that during the following week not only did his dad pass away but his wife was diagnosed with cancer. I believe God used my note to help him during a very difficult time in his life. I also wonder how many others he talked to were changed because of that note. Maybe some of them are now writing notes as well. What if I hadn't written that note?
I would encourage you to start writing notes regularly. What a simple way to influence people's lives in a positive way. If you are concerned about how to get started, the following two books on the subject have been the most useful to me:
- "The Art of the Handwritten Note: A Guide to Reclaiming Civilized Communication" by Margaret Shepherd
- "Business Notes: Writing Personal Notes That Build Professional Relationships" by Florence Isaacs
Get a note card, pen and stamp. Write a note to someone who has been on your mind today. Only God knows how much that person, and the world, will change for the better due to the few minutes you take out of your busy schedule to write a few sentences.
Many people create notes on a computer and print them or send them through the Internet. However, I believe the most effective notes are handwritten. A handwritten note is personal and rare. Due to this, it will be given more attention by the reader and have maximum impact.
A few weeks ago I was in Michigan for my dad's funeral. While there I attended my mom's church on Sunday and met her pastor for the second time. While talking to him, I learned that his mother died a few months ago and his dad was critically ill. On my way home to Virginia, I had a stop at Chicago O'Hare Airport. While waiting for my connecting flight, I pulled out a box of note cards and wrote several notes and mailed them. One of those was an encouraging note to my mom's pastor. I found out later that he was so touched by the note that he took it to his church and read it at a meeting. He made it clear to those in attendance how much of an encouragement it was to him. What I didn't know when I wrote the note was that during the following week not only did his dad pass away but his wife was diagnosed with cancer. I believe God used my note to help him during a very difficult time in his life. I also wonder how many others he talked to were changed because of that note. Maybe some of them are now writing notes as well. What if I hadn't written that note?
I would encourage you to start writing notes regularly. What a simple way to influence people's lives in a positive way. If you are concerned about how to get started, the following two books on the subject have been the most useful to me:
- "The Art of the Handwritten Note: A Guide to Reclaiming Civilized Communication" by Margaret Shepherd
- "Business Notes: Writing Personal Notes That Build Professional Relationships" by Florence Isaacs
Get a note card, pen and stamp. Write a note to someone who has been on your mind today. Only God knows how much that person, and the world, will change for the better due to the few minutes you take out of your busy schedule to write a few sentences.
The Power of Focus
A few months ago my cousin bought a new car. As soon as this happened, I began to notice the car model seemingly everywhere I went. It wasn’t the case that everyone else suddenly bought one. I just noticed it more. It would have been strange if it didn’t happen all the time. You find yourself more aware of a certain object or issue after it has been brought to your initial attention. Then you notice similar objects over a period of time…perhaps for as long as the object is on your mind…like dreams perhaps. It’s the same with targets. Keep them at the forefront of your mind, and you will notice more things related to them.
There is a meta-physical side to this. Some people will tell you that you can bring the right situations or coincidences into your life simply by focusing on what you want. You might believe this or you might not. Even if you don’t, you have to admit that people who keep their goals on their minds are more alert. They see things that others miss. I have encountered it many times in the past. When I just started my first business back at University, my first priority was to get clients. It was difficult for me to do this. I didn’t know where to start from. I also had my studies on my mind at the time. So I tried to partition the time I had for both. My business partner was different. Though he was studying perhaps even harder than I was, he always managed to keep the business on his mind as well. So, he always came upon opportunities for clients or ideas, while I was lost. I didn’t even notice these opportunities as they passed by.
Sustaining focus indefinitely can be quite difficult. There is so much more in life fighting for our attention. So it helps if you can prioritise. Make this goal one of the most important things in your life, so it stays with you. It should be something that stimulates you. That way, it won’t be easily drowned out by the background noise. As you go about your activities, you can consider circumstances in the context of your goal. You will notice more opportunities. You will have more lucky breaks. You will increase your chances of success.
You would be surprised how much could be gained by throwing out a casual comment regarding your interest in a conversation in shop. Maybe the stranger you are talking to could turn out to be an investor. Maybe he will have some useful advice that could aid you on your path. You might see a billboard with a message that could trigger a new idea in your mind. All of this could happen; but the chances are dramatically increased by ensuring that your mind is focussed.
So if, for instance, your goal is financial independence (you and most other people!); keep it on your mind…and not in the fearful way most people do. Just be alert. Observe your environment and the people you meet everyday. When your chance comes, you will be able to see it and grab it.
It’s all about focus.
There is a meta-physical side to this. Some people will tell you that you can bring the right situations or coincidences into your life simply by focusing on what you want. You might believe this or you might not. Even if you don’t, you have to admit that people who keep their goals on their minds are more alert. They see things that others miss. I have encountered it many times in the past. When I just started my first business back at University, my first priority was to get clients. It was difficult for me to do this. I didn’t know where to start from. I also had my studies on my mind at the time. So I tried to partition the time I had for both. My business partner was different. Though he was studying perhaps even harder than I was, he always managed to keep the business on his mind as well. So, he always came upon opportunities for clients or ideas, while I was lost. I didn’t even notice these opportunities as they passed by.
Sustaining focus indefinitely can be quite difficult. There is so much more in life fighting for our attention. So it helps if you can prioritise. Make this goal one of the most important things in your life, so it stays with you. It should be something that stimulates you. That way, it won’t be easily drowned out by the background noise. As you go about your activities, you can consider circumstances in the context of your goal. You will notice more opportunities. You will have more lucky breaks. You will increase your chances of success.
You would be surprised how much could be gained by throwing out a casual comment regarding your interest in a conversation in shop. Maybe the stranger you are talking to could turn out to be an investor. Maybe he will have some useful advice that could aid you on your path. You might see a billboard with a message that could trigger a new idea in your mind. All of this could happen; but the chances are dramatically increased by ensuring that your mind is focussed.
So if, for instance, your goal is financial independence (you and most other people!); keep it on your mind…and not in the fearful way most people do. Just be alert. Observe your environment and the people you meet everyday. When your chance comes, you will be able to see it and grab it.
It’s all about focus.
The One Thing I Know
I know one thing.
I know this thing with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my being.
I know that I have the choice to be who I am, when I am, where I am.
I may not have a choice, today, about what I do for a living, where I live, or what kind of car I drive.
But if who I am today is a writer, I'm a writer, even if I live in a homeless shelter, write on paper bags with stubs of pencils, and take the bus to a job in a fast food joint to try to get out of the shelter.
If who I am today is a writer, I'm a writer, even if my kids are sick, my car is broken down, my computer won't boot and I haven't sold anything in years.
But if who I am today is a writer, and I decide that who I should be is a doctor, I'm going to be pretty miserable, because who I am is a writer.
On the other hand, if I'm a writer who wants to become a doctor, I've got a great handle on who I am, who I want to be, and probably an idea of whether it's possible and how to get there.
Never lose sight of who you are. Be who you are, no matter where you are, or when you are.
Be you.
I know this thing with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my being.
I know that I have the choice to be who I am, when I am, where I am.
I may not have a choice, today, about what I do for a living, where I live, or what kind of car I drive.
But if who I am today is a writer, I'm a writer, even if I live in a homeless shelter, write on paper bags with stubs of pencils, and take the bus to a job in a fast food joint to try to get out of the shelter.
If who I am today is a writer, I'm a writer, even if my kids are sick, my car is broken down, my computer won't boot and I haven't sold anything in years.
But if who I am today is a writer, and I decide that who I should be is a doctor, I'm going to be pretty miserable, because who I am is a writer.
On the other hand, if I'm a writer who wants to become a doctor, I've got a great handle on who I am, who I want to be, and probably an idea of whether it's possible and how to get there.
Never lose sight of who you are. Be who you are, no matter where you are, or when you are.
Be you.
The Observation Cycle-You Get More of What You Are Observing
Many people often ask, "Why do I keep getting more of this (as they refer to something unwanted)?" The answer is always the same - you get what you vibrate! In other words, whatever you give your attention, energy and focus to, you'll get more of it.
I hear people say, "But I'm not giving attention, energy or focus to this and I keep attracting more of it." Or, "I know what I want, but keep attracting this (pointing to what they don't want)."
There are a few things to check out if you are curious about why you keep attracting things that you don't want - remember the answer is always the same - you get what you vibrate. So, the challenge is to find out what you are doing to create this attention, energy or focus to this issue. Here is a quick check-off list to help you determine what you might be doing to attract more of what you don't want.
(1) Are you saying what you don't want by using 'Don't', 'Not' and 'No'?
(2) Are you complaining or worrying about what you don't want?
(3) Are you observing what you don't want?
In your observation of what you don't want, in that moment, you are giving it attention, energy and focus, thus attracting more of it. Just by observing it, you are offering a matching vibration to it. And Law of Attraction which is obedient in every moment, will unfold more of that vibrational match into your life.
When you open you wallet and see how much money you DO or DON'T have, then you offer the same vibration. When you open your client or customer file cabinet, you observe how many clients you DO or DON'T have, and again, in your observation you offer the same vibration, thus the observation cycle continues.
It's easy and quick to change your focus from what you DON'T want to what you do want. Each time you notice you are giving attention to what you don't want ask yourself, "So, what do I want?" Create one clear statement about what it is that you do want and spend a few moments focusing on THAT thought. You can only hold one vibration at a time and this easy exercise ensures that you are now focused on what you do want.
Remember, observing what you don't want will cause you to offer the same vibration to it and you will attract more of the same.
Observing what you DO want creates a matching vibration within you to your desire so that Law of Attraction can bring you more of the same.
I hear people say, "But I'm not giving attention, energy or focus to this and I keep attracting more of it." Or, "I know what I want, but keep attracting this (pointing to what they don't want)."
There are a few things to check out if you are curious about why you keep attracting things that you don't want - remember the answer is always the same - you get what you vibrate. So, the challenge is to find out what you are doing to create this attention, energy or focus to this issue. Here is a quick check-off list to help you determine what you might be doing to attract more of what you don't want.
(1) Are you saying what you don't want by using 'Don't', 'Not' and 'No'?
(2) Are you complaining or worrying about what you don't want?
(3) Are you observing what you don't want?
In your observation of what you don't want, in that moment, you are giving it attention, energy and focus, thus attracting more of it. Just by observing it, you are offering a matching vibration to it. And Law of Attraction which is obedient in every moment, will unfold more of that vibrational match into your life.
When you open you wallet and see how much money you DO or DON'T have, then you offer the same vibration. When you open your client or customer file cabinet, you observe how many clients you DO or DON'T have, and again, in your observation you offer the same vibration, thus the observation cycle continues.
It's easy and quick to change your focus from what you DON'T want to what you do want. Each time you notice you are giving attention to what you don't want ask yourself, "So, what do I want?" Create one clear statement about what it is that you do want and spend a few moments focusing on THAT thought. You can only hold one vibration at a time and this easy exercise ensures that you are now focused on what you do want.
Remember, observing what you don't want will cause you to offer the same vibration to it and you will attract more of the same.
Observing what you DO want creates a matching vibration within you to your desire so that Law of Attraction can bring you more of the same.
The Observation Cycle-You Get More of What You Are Observing
Many people often ask, "Why do I keep getting more of this (as they refer to something unwanted)?" The answer is always the same - you get what you vibrate! In other words, whatever you give your attention, energy and focus to, you'll get more of it.
I hear people say, "But I'm not giving attention, energy or focus to this and I keep attracting more of it." Or, "I know what I want, but keep attracting this (pointing to what they don't want)."
There are a few things to check out if you are curious about why you keep attracting things that you don't want - remember the answer is always the same - you get what you vibrate. So, the challenge is to find out what you are doing to create this attention, energy or focus to this issue. Here is a quick check-off list to help you determine what you might be doing to attract more of what you don't want.
(1) Are you saying what you don't want by using 'Don't', 'Not' and 'No'?
(2) Are you complaining or worrying about what you don't want?
(3) Are you observing what you don't want?
In your observation of what you don't want, in that moment, you are giving it attention, energy and focus, thus attracting more of it. Just by observing it, you are offering a matching vibration to it. And Law of Attraction which is obedient in every moment, will unfold more of that vibrational match into your life.
When you open you wallet and see how much money you DO or DON'T have, then you offer the same vibration. When you open your client or customer file cabinet, you observe how many clients you DO or DON'T have, and again, in your observation you offer the same vibration, thus the observation cycle continues.
It's easy and quick to change your focus from what you DON'T want to what you do want. Each time you notice you are giving attention to what you don't want ask yourself, "So, what do I want?" Create one clear statement about what it is that you do want and spend a few moments focusing on THAT thought. You can only hold one vibration at a time and this easy exercise ensures that you are now focused on what you do want.
Remember, observing what you don't want will cause you to offer the same vibration to it and you will attract more of the same.
Observing what you DO want creates a matching vibration within you to your desire so that Law of Attraction can bring you more of the same.
I hear people say, "But I'm not giving attention, energy or focus to this and I keep attracting more of it." Or, "I know what I want, but keep attracting this (pointing to what they don't want)."
There are a few things to check out if you are curious about why you keep attracting things that you don't want - remember the answer is always the same - you get what you vibrate. So, the challenge is to find out what you are doing to create this attention, energy or focus to this issue. Here is a quick check-off list to help you determine what you might be doing to attract more of what you don't want.
(1) Are you saying what you don't want by using 'Don't', 'Not' and 'No'?
(2) Are you complaining or worrying about what you don't want?
(3) Are you observing what you don't want?
In your observation of what you don't want, in that moment, you are giving it attention, energy and focus, thus attracting more of it. Just by observing it, you are offering a matching vibration to it. And Law of Attraction which is obedient in every moment, will unfold more of that vibrational match into your life.
When you open you wallet and see how much money you DO or DON'T have, then you offer the same vibration. When you open your client or customer file cabinet, you observe how many clients you DO or DON'T have, and again, in your observation you offer the same vibration, thus the observation cycle continues.
It's easy and quick to change your focus from what you DON'T want to what you do want. Each time you notice you are giving attention to what you don't want ask yourself, "So, what do I want?" Create one clear statement about what it is that you do want and spend a few moments focusing on THAT thought. You can only hold one vibration at a time and this easy exercise ensures that you are now focused on what you do want.
Remember, observing what you don't want will cause you to offer the same vibration to it and you will attract more of the same.
Observing what you DO want creates a matching vibration within you to your desire so that Law of Attraction can bring you more of the same.
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