Career Success and Problem Solving

In my work as an executive coach I have found that the single biggest mistake that people make is assuming that competence and performance are their ticket to success; when in fact they are merely the price of admission. Most people are good performers. It's a huge mistake to think that good performance is the only element of a successful career.

It takes a combination of self confidence, positive personal impact, outstanding performance, communication skills and interpersonal competence to succeed in your career and life. People who are successful in their lives and careers have mastered all of these five elements, and excel in one or two of them.

Outstanding performance is very important to career and life success. It's at the heart of the five success elements. No one can be successful without being a highly competent, outstanding performer. The incompetents and poor performers get identified and asked to leave or are placed in marginal positions pretty quickly. However, don't forget the other four. You also have to be self confident, make a positive personal impact, have highly developed communication skills and act in an interpersonally competent manner if you are going to succeed. These four elements are necessary complements to outstanding performance.

This article is about outstanding performance, as it is the cornerstone of career and life success.

I read an interesting article in the on line version of Colorado Biz Magazine recently. It was called No Sugar Coating -- They're Obstacles, and was written by Laurence Valant. Mr. Valant was writing to business owners and the general thrust of the article focused on how to deal with a big internal organizational obstacle - problem performers.

It began, "It's still quite common in corporate America today to hear this line of so-called wisdom among the management ranks: 'We don't have problems, we have opportunities.' Or, even better, this one: We don't have obstacles, we have challenges.'

"However, there's a valid argument to be made for simply confronting reality for what it is, without a sugar coating, and stating flatly: 'We are honestly going to identify and confront our obstacles in order to overcome them.' Say it aloud. Don't you feel better already? Early recognition of reality is a wonderful thing."

I got to thinking about what Mr. Valant said, and how it applies to individuals and outstanding performance. I suggest that you do what Mr. Valant suggests and say out loud, "I am honestly going to identify and confront the obstacles I face in becoming an outstanding performer so that I can overcome them."

Outstanding performers have three things in common. They are lifelong learners. They set and achieve high goals. They are well organized. If you are having difficulty in becoming an outstanding performer, you are likely to be facing obstacles in one, two or three of these areas.

Let's look at them in some detail. The world moves fast. The half life of knowledge is rapidly decreasing. One obstacle to becoming an outstanding performer might be your lack of current knowledge - about your company, your industry, your competitors, and business in general. If you face this obstacle, set aside some time every day, it doesn't have to be more than 3o minutes or an hour, to learn. Read the newspaper and trade magazines, listen to podcasts, read blogs. Do whatever it takes to stay current.

I am always surprised by the number of people I meet who have no written goals. Outstanding performers write their goals and then do whatever it takes to achieve those goals. They keep their goals close to them. They review them daily. And, most important, they take at least one positive step toward achieving each of their goals every day.

Personal organization is one of my biggest obstacles to success. When it comes to simple things like housekeeping, I have Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tendencies. I am fastidious about my living area. I am compulsive about keeping it clean, neat and organized. On the other hand, my work space is always a mess. I can usually find what I want, but I have to sift through the chaos in my office.

It has always been this way. I just seem to feel comfortable working in a space filled with opened books, stacks of papers and a whole lot of periodicals. I know this isn't the most efficient way for me to work. It is a true obstacle to my performance.

There, I've said it. I've done what Mr. Valant suggests. I've said out loud (you'll have to take my word for this), and in public in this article, that my lack of personal organization is an obstacle to my performance. Now, I can get on with addressing this obstacle. I'll let you know how it goes.

The common sense point here is simple. You have to identify the problems and obstacles to becoming an outstanding performer and career and life success that you face before you can take action and deal with them. Don't call your problems "opportunities" or your obstacles "challenges". Call them what they are, and then get on with fixing your problems and overcoming your obstacles.

The So-Called Secret to Success

Where do we begin?

That is a simple question. We begin at the begining, right? We start with that which is the primary thing, the essential or necessary. This is the basic idea that we must settle up front.

That basic idea is the term: PRINCIPLE

Let us define this term. A Principle is defined as the underlying truth upon which 'all other truths rest upon.' This is why it is essential and of the utmost importance!

I do not offer any scientific evidence or proof of this statement. And it is not my purpose here to get into any lengthy discussion about whether this is the proper starting point. Time and space will not allow that. I am simply offering it to the reader so he may determine for himself, the truth of the matter. But, in an effort to explain my belief let us make a comparison. Is it not reasonable to assume, that if there are physical laws that govern the physical world, that there must also be laws that gover the mental and spiritual realm?

This is important to understand. If you do not understand this concept, go back and look at the definition of Principle. (Note: If you ever have trouble while studying, always have access to a dictionary, for it is important to be clear about the words we are using and especially their meanings). Let us move on.....

Why is this idea so important?

Because, it takes success out of the realm of LUCK, CHANCE AND SUPERSTITION! It helps us to see that there is an intelligent design back of all that exists in our universe. We may call this the Law or the Principles that govern.

Now, let's take another step in this discussion. If everything is governed by law/principles, then personal achievment must also be governed by law.

Again, I must repeat, that this is another one of those ideas that is 'self evident'. If you cannot see this please go back to the definition above and think about it. If after that you are still not convinced, just try to accept it as a theory and test it in reality.

What if you knew someone who was already successful and living the lifestyle that you want? If he offered to coach you into your own success for free, would you accept his offer? If he says, " hey, I know that these ideas lead to success and I want to help you learn to use them," would you listen? If you answered yes, please do not discount the power of the concept I will now share with you. The concept is the one of a "ROLE MODEL". If you can model his beliefs, thinking and his actions, would you not produce the same results?

Where do you find these role models?

You find them at your local bookstore or library. They have been leaving the clues behind for struggling humanity for literally THOUSANDS OF YEARS! Go find these great men in these books and learn from them. They have found the principles and they are offering you the teaching, without all the time necessary to learn them on your own. You say you want prosperity, start by studying that subject. Become an expert on that subject. This is the big secret of success I was referring to earlier. Its not really a secret, but it seems that way because so many are struggling in life and finances. Once again, I encourage you to seek the knowledge and you will find it. And while you are seeking knowledge wisdom and understanding, make sure you get the understanding that a PRINCIPLE can provide.

Personal Development with a Purpose

There's an old saying that goes, "If you don't know where you're going, any path will take you there." The same is true of personal development. Everyone who starts down the path of personal development wants to grow - to evolve into something more than when they began their journey. But figuring out just what path to take when you set out is a major challenge in and of itself.

As a holistic health practitioner, I'm a big fan of getting right to the heart of the matter. So the first thing I do when I meet with a new client who is ready to begin their quest for personal development is to ask them if they have a legacy.

What exactly does that mean?

Most of us have some sense of the meaning of the term "legacy." The common use of this word is backward looking.

Take this question: "What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?" In this case, a legacy is something like the achievements we're known for when we're gone. But this backward looking sense of a legacy is just a small part of what I'm after when I talk to clients about their legacy. After all, we're not planning for their funeral here!

The reason why I use the word "legacy" is that it focuses our attention on the whole picture and purpose of our lives. It's fantastic to have career goals, financial goals or relationship goals, but often times we tend to ignore the other aspects of our lives in favor of pursuing those particular achievements. This imbalance inevitably slows down our growth and frequently results in all sorts of health problems.

True personal development requires a holistic approach, one in which you've set out the ideal picture of your life and developed a goal structure that supports that the achievement of that total life goal. Because a legacy just is your complete life's goal, having one is a crucial step in taking a holistic approach to personal development.

So one fantastic benefit to having a legacy is that it can help you to create and organize goals. It provides you with the ideal towards which all your efforts in life are directed. But having a well thought-out legacy offers so much more. As with any other project, there will always be distractions while you are working on yourself. We have habits to overcome, patterns of procrastination, people who need our time and energy, and so forth. The power of a legacy is that it can provide a very powerful tool to conquer those habits, steer clear of the procrastination, and to meet the needs of those around us with out getting diverted.

In fact, the reason why these diversions can have such a pull on us is because we don't have any particular force guiding us in a direction that we truly want to go. But when your day is built around your legacy, those distractions become impotent. The short term pleasures that procrastinating offers pale in comparison to the potential of your legacy and as long as you stick to your goals, you're always one day closer to realizing that dream.

Of course, the extent to which your legacy will help you to create and organize your goals, and boost your motivation is going to depend upon how much detail you give to the picture of your ideal life. This picture of your legacy often develops over a long period of time, but you can get a decent handle on it by thinking about the following lifestyle components:

1) People - what kind of people do you value, feel comfortable with, get excited about spending time with?

2) Passion - what is it about life that enlivens you and fills you with energy?

3) Purpose - what is it that brings meaning to your life or gives you a sense of fulfillment?

4) Responsibilities - what kinds of responsibilities are you comfortable handling in your life, whether they be personal, professional or spiritual?

5) Career - what manifestation of your abilities, purpose and passion would best fulfill your career needs?

6) Values - your values are your needs and desires, ranging from your most basic physical needs to those that dictate your relationships with your friends, loved ones, co-workers and the environment at large. What are your values?

This list here certainly isn't exhaustive, but it's a good start. Not only will it help you to fill out the picture of your career, but the relationships you develop with your self and your loved ones. At the C.H.E.K Institute and in my PPS Success Mastery Program we get into much greater detail as we help our clients find and create their legacies on a daily basis.

Because this picture you're developing is your life's goal, I recommend, just as with any goal, that you write it down. Or, if you are artistically driven, you can draw it, paint it, sculpt it, or make it physical in whatever way works best for you. However you do it, don't allow your legacy to remain just an idea! Your legacy will be much more motivating when you can look it in the face each and every day.

Knowing that you have a purpose and that you are living your purpose every day is a wonderful thing. It makes me spring out of bed each morning, energized and excited! How many people do you know that look forward to their day, every day, in that way? So take the time to map out your legacy today. You'll be giving yourself a path to personal development with a purpose and that's a path to success!

Why Trust Is So Important In Achieving Your Goals

Let me begin by asking you a few questions:

Do you know how to boil an egg?

Can you change a flat tire on your car?

Do you know how to wire an electric plug?

Would you be able to clear a blocked drain?

You may well be wondering why I'm asking you these things, but just bear with me. You see well into my late teens I was unable to answer "Yes" to any of those questions. I had great parents and they did just about everything for me. In fact they still would now if I let them! And I was certainly grateful!

But it had it's downside as I'll explain.

I still lived with my parents when I first learned to drive and bought my first car. But having a car means you've got to look after it. The trouble was, because I had so many things done for me, and also when I was at school I had never had much interest in the practical subjects where you got your hands dirty, I really hadn't got a clue about auto maintenance. But not to worry, Dad was always ready and willing to help.

Until, that is, I got a puncture when I was on a remote road far from home. There were no mobile phones in those days so I couldn't call anyone. So it was simple; I could sit and wait for someone to come along and ask for help, or I could set about changing the wheel myself. No choice really, so I took a look at the owner's manual to see what I had to do and I did it.

And guess what? There really wasn't a problem and in a few short minutes I changed the wheel and was on my way. And I've done the same thing a number of times since. I also know how to boil an egg, wire an electric plug, and even unblock the drain. And lots more besides.

So what's that got to do with trust?

Well simply I learned to trust myself to do those things. You see because I had always had things done for me and, when I watched others doing them, convinced myself that I wouldn't be able to do them, my subconscious mind believed me. When I struggled with the practical things at school it simply reinforced it. My mind became conditioned to believe that I was not going to be able to do those tasks.

But when it came to dealing with that puncture I had no choice. There were step by step instructions on what to do and I just had to get on with it. I had to override what my subconscious tried to tell me and trust myself to do it. Can you imagine how great I felt when I had completed the task successfully? And throughout my life I have learned to trust myself to do new things and take on challenges. I trusted myself to become a successful presenter and public speaker, I trusted myself to go out and learn to sell to people at all levels, and I trusted myself to give up a well-paid job and start my own business. Just like the owner's manual told me how to change a wheel, I found out how to do the other things I've accomplished. The help, advice and instructions were always there.

And the same is true for you! Don't be stopped from doing what you desire by your subconscious mind. You may well have become conditioned to believe that you cannot do things. You've probably come to believe you have your position in life and that wealth, happiness, financial freedom or maybe just a job you enjoy are beyond you. But don't accept it. The opportunities are out there you just have to seek them out.

But how do you take that first step? Simple, you must simply trust yourself!

How To Increase Your Brain Power - 8 Easy Ways To Boost Your Brain Power

There are lots of different ways to increase your brain power. Your brain is like any other "muscle" in your body and grows stronger the more it is used. Here are some that you can start using immediately to boost the power of your brain:

1. Use your brain more (duh!) Sounds easy. But how many times do you reach for the keyboard to search for something you already know but can't be bothered to remember? How many times do you use a calculator, even for really simple calculations, rather than mental arithmetic? Set yourself a goal to complete a new puzzle each day. Whether it's a crossword, Sudoku, a brainteaser or whatever.

2. Think young Play with thinking like a child, even if only occasionally. Question everything. Just keep asking "why" is a good way to do this. As soon as you've answered a question once, ask why again. And again. And again. This is actually a very useful way of brainstorming yourself. And by the way, "because that's the way I've always done it" doesn't count as an answer!

3. Jot down your new ideas So often, we come up with new ideas but put them in the "impossible" container in our brain. Jot them down on paper and go back through your list on a regular basis. Chances are that you'll notice a couple themes evolving. They're your minds way of telling you that you need to do something. Follow up on the ideas you most like.

4. Get creative Especially if you are always working on non-creative ideas. Getting creative forces your brain to use different parts of itself and will broaden your horizons.

5. Take supplements Certain supplements help keep our brains active. These include Ginko Biloba and Omega 3 fatty acids. You probably aren't getting these through your normal diet, so take a trip to your local health food store (or Amazon for that matter) and get some good supplements to get your brain moving again.

6. Relax OK. How can relaxation stimulate your brain? Quite easily, actually. Too often in our hectic lives we are constantly on the move, busy busy busy. Give yourself some time to relax and chill. You can do this with a novel, your favorite music, exercise, anything that you know will relax you. Learning to relax more will reduce any tension that's built up in your body. In turn, this will free up your brain for other tasks.

7. Test yourself See whether you can remember what you ate for dinner yesterday, then a week ago, then a month ago. Don't limit yourself to food. Use events and names and facts and figures. Anything that will cause your brain to delve deep to find the answer. Don't beat yourself up if you can't instantly remember everything. Just go with it and start improving your memory power.

8. Play a game There are lots of new video games coming out that are designed specifically to boost your brain power. Play one or two of these to see which you get on with best and then make a habit of playing them regularly.

The Benefit Of Online Anger Management Classes

Online Anger Management Classes can be a valuable alternative to in person classes. This is partially due to the fact that anger management is a relatively new field, and as a result, there are not enough resources. The other issue that many people do not have schedules that permit them to attend a live weekly class because most classes are held in evenings.

In well saturated cities/states such as Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and Houston for example, finding a provider is much easier because the population is large and anger management as a specialty is more well known and recognized.

As an alternative, online classes can help meet the needs of those seeking anger management because they do not have to travel long distances to find a provider and they have access to a quality program from the leisure of their home or office computer.

Quality Online classes should include a didactic learning experience through the use of videos, quizzes, and smartly written content that is user friendly and applicable. Online classes should also be based on a well known curriculum as well as be offered by a provider who also has more traditional brick and mortar classes as well. Skills taught in these classes should include:

* Stress management

* Empathy Development

* Learning to respond instead of react

* Improving self-talk

* Assertive Communication

* Expectation Management

* Forgiveness

* Retreat and think things over

Unlike many traditional classes, which essentially require participants to simply show up, online anger management classes typically require comprehension of the materials in order to progress through the program. Comprehension is based on passing quizzes and exams which require adequate knowledge of the materials presented.

Online classes should be viewed as an alternative to more traditional classes for anger management. It should also be noted that anger management classes are not a substitute for psychotherapy for medical advice. Anger management intervention should be educational in nature aimed at teaching concrete skills.

10 Positive Daily Affirmations

With so much negativity surrounding us daily we need a healthy dose of positive daily affirmations to help keep us on the right track.

If we were to analyze the way we think then we would realize one simple fact about the human mind; that it's like a sponge that soaks up whatever surrounds it whether it's good or bad.

For example, if a child growing up is surrounded by violence, then that child may very well grow up being violent because that is the only thing his/her mind was subjected too.

If that same child was subjected to positive affirmations of love, peace and prosperity then the outcome would be different.

We should all know that whatever is implanted into our minds or whatever we hold closely in our thoughts is what we will act upon. But you have to realize why.

If your mind is subjected to thoughts of infinite power, motivation, happiness and riches, then subconsciously your mind will start to work on a way to achieve those things that you deeply desire.

But we need to set the wheel in motion by feeding our subconscious minds the necessary nutrients to start developing solutions to achieve what we want out of life.

Here are just five benefits of positive daily affirmations:

1. Affirmations is that wheel that sets in motion the required thought process that helps your subconscious mind to work on a solution.

2. Repeating these positive daily affirmations which implants positive thoughts deep within our minds will motivate us to act upon our desires.

3. These daily affirmations will also inspire courage to overcome that crippling fear that stops us from achieving our goals. This fear usually comes in the form procrastination, which we label as hesitation, because deep down inside we're scared that we might fail.

4. Repeating to yourself the things you want to achieve will help you visualize that person that you want to become. This visualization coupled with faith will set in motion the laws of the universe to bend to your will and plant the seed for you desires to become reality.

5. Hearing these powerful messages in your mind will ignite a passion from within; one that you've never felt before and you will be so energized and your mind will be so clear that all the answers to wealth, happiness, power, health or whatever you desire will be revealed to you.

This powerful information will flow from within your own infinite knowledge and you'll realize that all the information for success that you'll ever need is inside you but it is waiting dormant in your subconscious to be awakened.

Here now are 10 powerful and positive daily affirmations that you should spend some time thinking about:

1. You are the creator of your universe. You can manifest anything. There are no limits to what you can achieve.

2. Blessed are those who have no expectations, for they will never be disappointed.

3. What you think habitually can be achieved realistically.

4. Health, happiness, love and money are infinite.

5. Both wealth and poverty is a product of thought.

6. The fastest way to become wealthy is to find ways to provide value to others.

7. Prosperity is your birthright.

8. Your income and prosperity will reflect the way you think.

9. We were all born with the equal right to become equal.

10. True prosperity only comes to those who seek it.

These positive daily affirmations contains the secret to an abundant life and all you need to do is open your eyes and see that if you seek the wisdom to achieve success, then you will have no choice but to achieve it, as long as you use that knowledge you have found.

With increased wisdom you will have increased wealth, health and prosperity.

Top 10 Benefits to Journaling

There are countless reasons to maintaining a journal. The top ten benefits of journaling may differ from person to person. However, there seems to be general themes that are attractive in the collective unconscious. Many people are looking to daily entries of their personal experiences to reap some of the following rewards.

Maintaining a journal is a natural way to exercise the brain. People who make regular entries are taking time to develop writing and communication skills that are very valuable in everyday interactions. This mental exercise also helps to allow your thoughts to flow freely.

Creativity is a second benefit to consider. This is an important aspect of journaling. The right hemisphere of the brain is associated with visual, imaginative and intuitive facets of thought. When you take time to write, you free the right hemisphere. The ideal entry will be one that puts the inner editor on hold. Thoughts and ideas should flow freely and naturally.

The uninhibited nature of this form of writing serves a third benefit of developing self awareness. People often create different faces to meet various circumstances. We tend to recreate in distinct situations including the work environment, the community and even when at home.

The process of keeping a journal helps you recognize the various aspects of your unique personality. The growing self awareness is a powerful force that can lead to even greater benefits in the future. Gaining insight into the self is among the most important aspects to maintaining a journal.

The fourth benefit is the ability to set priorities. Once you get a grasp on the thoughts and emotions that are filtered through your personal experience, you begin to gain control of them. The process eventually leads to a greater understanding of what is and what is not important.

The ability to re-see the past is another great benefit of keeping a journal. The pages can be revisited with a fresh perspective. It can be very surprising how much your understanding of an event changes over a relatively short period of time. Some writers find great moments of epiphany when rethinking and rereading entries.

Journaling is a fantastic problem-solving resource. The approach of using entries to come up with various solutions to troubles is a little different than approaches for self awareness and growth. Many people choose temporary brainstorming techniques that serve to give viable solutions to problems.

The seventh benefit of journaling is variety. You can choose what kind of entries you want to make. Common choices include brainstorming sessions, automatic writing and reflective notes. Personal journal entries can be made upon inspiration, when you first wake or right before you fall asleep. Some choose to do a combination of these.

Purging is the eighth benefit to this practice. Many people find it helpful to place negative thoughts and feelings down on paper. Once the negative energy is placed on the page, they are free to let it go. This practice also works well when dealing with anger towards another individual. Purge the negativity and work towards a constructive approach.

The ability to communicate with others is another benefit of keeping a journal. Those who work with life coaches can find a wealth of resources for sessions. Journaling can help you tap into your fears and dreams, helping your coach gain insight through entries that you choose to share.

The tenth benefit is improvement in your overall health. Journaling reduces stress. It provides time for you to meditate. The process helps to make the positive forces in your life surface and it helps to bring the harmful elements into light. The result of personal journaling is a new perspective on how you can take control of many aspects of your life.

Being Accountable for Your Home Organization Goals

It is often quoted that the hardest part of any journey is taking the first step. And while I don't disagree with the sentiment of the statement, I would argue that making sure you don't stop too often along the way is just as important. It is easy to get sidetracked from your goals and home organization goals in particular. Because there is always something new coming into your home. More paper, more things, more toys, more books. So how do you make sure that your home organization goals are met? Here are a few tips to help you along the way.

Tell Someone Else About Your Goals

One of the best ways to make sure that you stick to any goal in life is to tell other people about it. The more people you tell your home organization goals to, the more likely you are to stick to them. If you've told one person about that goal, that's one thing but if you've told 10, you just made it a whole lot more likely that you'll stick to that goal. Goals declared to others hold more weight.

And it's even better if the people you told hold you to your goals. So when you tell others about your home organization goals, ask them to bring up that issue every time you talk to them. That way, they will be constantly reminding you of what you declared you wanted to accomplish. Just don't get upset with them when they do this for you.

Form a "home organization support group." Declare your goals to each other and hold a weekly meeting to hold each other accountable for your goals. This will also allow you to support each other along the way. If one of you had a bad week, you can talk to each other about it and help each other figure out what went wrong. Having a support system like this can also help you reinforce your own commitment to getting and keeping your home organized.

Make Your Goals Clear And Specific

The more specific you make your home organization goals, the easier it is to make sure they happen. Instead of saying "I want to organize my kitchen", say "I will organize my pantry on Wednesday night of this week." The more specific you get, the better. Setting specific actions rather than general goals makes it easier to make sure you do what you know you need to do. Make sure you include timeframes and deadlines for yourself. If you know you want to get your pantry organized but don't set a specific deadline for getting it organized, it will be easier to ignore it. If you know that you want to get it organized by the end of the week and set a deadline of that date, you're more likely to take action to get it accomplished.

How To Increase Your Personal Value

Your personal value is the most important value you can create. Unfortunately, 7 out of 10 people in the US underestimate their personal value. It's easy to do - without even knowing it. It shows up in invisible ways - in risks not taken, jobs not applied for, opportunities not identified, relationships that never occur. It shows up in negative self talk - like "I could never do that!" or "I'm just a ------."

There are so many messages given since childhood : "don't bite off more than you can chew, " be careful," " don't stick your neck out," " only speak when you're spoken to," " know your place," "don't work too hard." "the more you do the more will be expected of you," what makes you think you're so special?" "don't be stupid." After years of being bombarded by those limiting messages, it's not hard to understand why so many of us undervalue our abilities and our worthiness.

One of the other effects of all those messages can be to let others create our value. If the highest order of our personal goals is to please and satisfy others - to respond to those messages - we can never place the real value we should on ourselves.

Having a limited view of our personal value can be a good thing - if it makes us strive harder to achieve. And for many it does - many of the top leaders and most successful people use their feelings of "not quite good enough" as a way to motivate themselves to show just what they can do. Unfortunately, for many, this same feeling of "not quite good enough" results in not taking risks, not reaching out for opportunities. The result is that personal value stagnates - and being "not quite good enough" becomes a way of life - a firmly embedded belief.

So how can we increase our personal value - in our work, our family, our relationships? Here are methods, tools and beliefs we all can use to better understand and increase our personal value:

Start with this exercise:

Write down all the successes and challenges you have met and overcome. If you're not used to thinking in terms of your own successes, or if your beliefs have been shaped to where you question your own worthiness or ability this may take some time. Write down as much as you can, and keep coming back to it. This is strictly a personal exercise, and is not the place for humility. Begin to notice what happens when you write down positive successes in your life. A lot of today's challenges and opportunities start to look a lot more doable when compared with what you have already accomplished - and there are so many more accomplishments and successes than you realized! Your energy picks up as you begin to realize just how much value you have created.

Create goals for the important things. It's amazing just how many really important accomplishments and successes are never really identified because people didn't take the time to define define them - in writing. Make goal setting a habit.

Start a Success Journal. Force yourself to write down all the things that went right - that you accomplished on a daily basis. Become positively accountable to yourself. Writing down what you did well becomes something you look forward to doing every day. And the more you do it - the more you want to do it.

Replace perfect with good. Nothing limits a sense of personal value more than having the belief that only perfect is good enough.. That belief creates an impossible barrier to accomplishment. Nothing's perfect - striving to do better is what motivates.

Be realistic, but stretch that realism to set the course for accomplishment. Tell yourself "This is a stretch, but it's what I want to do, and I'm going to go for it!" The only way to add value is to reach beyond where we are right now - and that requires a level of risk. Risk and increasing value go together.

Realize the most common assumption people make that keeps them from realizing their true value is the assumption that many other people share the same skills, abilities, experiences, beliefs, attitudes and personal skills that they do. Nothing could be further from the truth. Creating our own value requires the belief that we are truly unique - we are, you know.

Realize that we all feel fear, we all get nervous, we all are insecure in our ability to overcome problems and create solutions. A saying I read years ago said " Be kind to your fellow man - we all have our private hells to deal with." Knowing that even the most self assured, attractive, apparently successful people share fear as an emotion, and have their own baggage of doubts, can help us overcome our own.

Many of us tend to undervalue our accomplishments and experience and put ourselves in small niches. Realize how valuable and broad your accomplishments really are! Good examples are men and women coming out of the military - great experience - but many see themselves as much more limited than they really are. Realize that behaviors, attitudes and personal skills are transferable - and represent the greatest opportunities for success in any job.

Take an inventory of all the value added actions that exist around what you do. Example - A young manager volunteered to take on a one time project for his employer. He was named Project Manager - in addition to everything else he had to do. He discovered project management skills - that he had in abundance - were scarce. He always assumed that others had what he had - a bad assumption. He ended up taking his skills and putting them to work in a business where project management was a core competency. He prospered.

Realize that fears and doubts and negative issues will not go away - they reappear every day. They are one of the engines of accomplishment. Facing them and dealing with them - and in many cases succeeding - and in others failing, but continuing to persist, adds value.

Start today on your journey of discovery of your personal value. Start with the exercise of writing down all the things you have accomplished, succeeded in and overcome in your life. Be prepared to be amazed at yourself.

7 Steps to Success

What can you do to catapult your internet marketing business? There are seven steps that can take you to the next level with your business. You may have a website and think that is enough, but unfortunately traffic will not magically drive its way toward your business. You must have something that the public wants, and you must have a way to get the public to know where to look for your product.

Step 1: Package deals- You can sell your product in a package deal with another web business. You can share the advertisement, and split the profits. This would be a win- win situation for all parties involved. So if you sell aromatherapy candles, you may want to look into packaging up with an essential oils company. By partnering up with a complementing company you will be able to move more product.

Step 2: Subscription Products- If you sell information products, then you may find that letting your clients subscribe, or become members to your product may serve you well. By charging them per week or monthly you would be bringing in secure residual income. Instead of one sell to one client you could bring in a steady stream of income each month.

Step 3. Web Links- Add a directory of web site links to your own site. People will find that your site is the place to go in order to find related web site links for the topic they are interested in. If you keep your site updated, you will find that people will put your site on their favorite lists and revisit your site on a regular basis.

Step 4. Link Pages- Add a free link page to your web site. People will go to your site to post their own links and to check out others who have added their links. You can run their links in on your site if they would be willing to place your link on their home page for a couple of months. You would be basically bartering to get your site out to people without spending large amounts of money.

Step 5. Rental products- Rent your product out for a certain amount of time. You can make more money in the long run by renting your product out and then getting it back to rent out again. Today people would rather spend less money and rent product than spend a larger amount to buy. You will find that you will have more customers who will regularly return to your site and do business with you.

Step 6. Lease Product- Kin to renting is leasing your product out. The difference is that with leasing your customers will have the option to buy. By giving your clients all of the options you can, you will please your clients and continue to bring back your loyal clients.

Step 7. Message Boards- By adding a message to your site you will be making it possible for your customers to have a place to post questions and get answers. Those who post just to leave their own link may also become customers of yours.

Whether you follow these steps in order, or decide to mix them up for some spice, you will find that they will help boom your business. By finding out all your options you can tailor your business to suit you best, while making it a success.

Time Management Skills For Achieving Work-Life Balance Simply

Juggling our work commitments with all the other aspects of our lives has to be one of the great challenges of modern life. Working, commuting, family time, shopping, paying bills, cleaning the house and all the other tasks we have to complete each week can really put us under pressure when it comes to getting it all done. And sometimes, it simply overwhelms us.

As you are probably aware, this is not a good position to be in. For some people it is not a problem as they have full-time personal assistants to arrange everything for them. However, most of us do not have the means for this and have to find ways to handle things for ourselves.

However, with a little effort you can manage yourself better and make the most of your time so you have time for everything you want and need to do. Not only this, once you start on the path towards effective time management you will find that it is something that can change your life for the better.

In truth, it isn't really about managing time at all, but about managing you. You can't change how many hours there are in a day, but you can change how you use them.

I invite you to identify and focus on the things that you really want in life. This will enable you to begin to manage yourself and hence your time accordingly. Normally, if you stop and think about it you will find that there are many things that you spend your time on that are pointless and a waste of your time. Once you eliminate these you will have much more time for the things that you want and need to do.

Stress and Coaching

You know the situation - you're feeling positive and go into a meeting with someone who is obviously stressed. This stress impacts not just one person, but everyone in the room. It disrupts the flow of the meeting and the eventual outcome. As you make your way to another meeting you carry some of that stress with you. It spills over to others in the organization.
What we do know is that stress is on the increase. An American Management Study found that 44% of people report losing one hour or more per day in productivity due to stress. Another 37% report losing 15-30 minutes per day in productivity due to stress. Look around the people you are working with. Those numbers indicate stress is affecting more than 80% of the workforce!*
Employees continue to be asked to do more with less. When members of the organization leave, they are often not replaced immediately, and in some cases not at all. This means an additional workload for the rest of the team.
The impact of this reality extends past the workplace. Employees get in their cars and sit in traffic. Many cannot transition to their home lives. The problem is that stress isn't left at work; it follows them home.
What is the solution? Creating greater balance [between something and stress?] with stress is a common goal of coaching. Clients often identify stress as one of their top issues; in fact it is often a driving factor that brings clients to a coach.
Here are five key steps to better manage stress:
1. Identify the source. If you can define what causes you stress, you can examine the source. This can help you pre-empt it the next time it happens.
2. Decide if the stress is real or anticipated. Real stress can be dealt with in the moment; anticipated stress is living in the future. Leave the future just where it is... in the future. Stay in the moment.
3. Choose your perspective. Just how bad is this stressor? Consider the source and ask yourself if you are seeing this realistically or through a fogged, biased or anticipatory lens. Is there another view you can take of this situation? You have a choice in the perspective you choose.
4. Remember that how you respond to the person and/or situation will set the tone for further interactions and stress levels! Choose your approach and response.
5. Use your support network. Use family, friends and your coach to help monitor and deal with stress

Making Decisions - Who Cares?

Who or what will influence your decision?

Who will have a say in your decision? Who will have a stake in the outcome of your decision?

Every decision is influenced by others. Sometimes it's other people; sometimes it is other organizational entities, like departments in a corporation. Take other's opinions into account in your decision making process. It is valuable information. It does not mean that you should let others make the decision for you, but an effective decision maker takes other's views into account, even when they conflict.

When you have a decision that involves multiple perspectives, and those perspectives have a vote in the decision, it's important to understand their objectives and their viewpoints.

Decisions by committee get a bad rap. Decisions by consensus are usually characterized as a lowest common denominator compromise. And, oftentimes that is true, but not always. And, it can be a time saver. If you have polled all the perspectives on your decision (be they people, or other organizational elements - like departments in a business) and all agree, then it's quite possible you are done with the decision making process.

It is valuable to consider various perspectives in your decision making process. It probably seems obvious who, or what, the perspectives are for a decision, but often times we fail to consider people that might object, or disagree, with our preconceived hunch regarding our decision. These perspectives might give us the best insight in our quest to arrive at the right solution.

For example, if your deciding which college to attend and one of your choices has a very active fraternity environment, you may rate that fact as a "Pro" for that alternative. However, your parent may look at that same fact and rate it a "Con". This is valuable information to have and, even though it may not feel like it sometimes, will help you arrive at an optimal solution.

A Great Leader Is A Great Follower

What does it really take to be a great leader? As an Executive and Business Coach, I find myself asking this exact question to my clients when they set leadership goals. As a coach, my role is to guide individuals to insights and answers by asking them questions that really make them think rather than telling them what to do. Coaching involves lifting a person's vision to higher sights, raising their performance to a higher standard, and building a personality beyond its normal limitations to its full potential.

So by now you are asking what it takes to accomplish this. Let me help.

Two important things a great leader must have are:

1. "Double vision" - Great leaders have a "vision" of what being a great leader means for them -they know what it looks like and feel like and they act accordingly by practicing good leadership skills. It also means having "vision" In this case I mean the ability to talk about the future as if it were already here. Steve Jobs often does this. He creates a clear picture in people's minds of how a new product will change the world -- before it's even launched. He gets people excited about the future he sees in his mind. That's an innate talent. Stepping out on a limb like that comes much more naturally to some people than to others. But if you haven't got that skill, you can develop it. It's not so much about your own technical expertise as it is about inspiring other people to be better at what they.

2. The ability to be a great follower. Along with the skill of vision and leading comes the skill of "ability to follow". What I mean by this is the ability to identify and follow the patterns of success within your organization-follow the footsteps of others who are "great leaders". Here is what other great minds say about this concept.

In Reinventing Leadership, Warren Bennis wrote, "Good leaders should also be good followers. If you're coming up within an organization, you must be a good follower or you're not going to get very far. Leaders and followers share certain characteristics such as listening, collaborating, and working out competitive issues with peers."

In Launching a Leadership Revolution, Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward, stress the importance of becoming a Performer in leadership development-the need to create a record of performance. You need to become a great follower, a great contributor.

According to Brady and Woodward, the quickest way of gaining a track record of performance is to master the patterns of success already established in your organization. Thus, the goal of every leader is to become a "Performer" who successfully works with and master the existing patterns of success within the organization.

As a successful "Performer" you have the knowledge and expertise to help others accomplish similar results. You gain recognition, respect and power in the organization. You have influence, another key ingredient to successful leadership.

Sam Rayburn says it all in this wonderful quote: "You cannot be a leader, and ask other people to follow you, unless you know how to follow, too."

17 Unbeatable Ways to Create a Peaceful, Relaxed Workday

"For fast-acting relief, try slowing down." - Lily Tomlin
Last week when I wrote about things to do at work when you're bored out of your skull, a number of readers wrote about having the opposite problem: they're too busy to be bored.
Some of them seemed a bit overwhelmed by their workdays, and so I decided to share ways to create a more peaceful workday. One where you can allow yourself to be more relaxed and happier.
The first step is the realization that you are in control of your day. You can create the perfect workday, if you're willing to start from scratch.
For some people, that may mean taking some tough steps, if their boss or their workplace is very controlling about how they do their work. For example, you might talk to your boss about restructuring your workday. It might also mean looking for a new job that's more flexible, if you're not happy with the way things are. Or it might just mean picking the tips below that work best for you and living with a certain amount of stress. Do what works for you!
For me, a perfect workday incorporates many of the tips below, but never all of them at once. I use a combination of strategies to ensure that most of my days are fairly relaxed. Do I still get stressed? Undoubtedly. But it's a far less frequent thing than in the past.
Here's how I do it.
1. Do less. Those of you who know me by now saw this one coming. It's very difficult to have a relaxed workday if you have too much going on. Instead, learn to reduce what you do, but choose the most impactful tasks and projects - the ones that will mean the most over the long term. I choose three important things to achieve each day, as I've said before. Those are the three things I can do today that will have the most impact in my life.
2. Create a morning routine. And make it a relaxing one. That could include some of the things below, such as exercise, a hot bath, or quiet working time. For me, it means getting up earlier so I'm not so rushed, and then doing little rituals (like having a quiet cup of coffee and reading) that will ensure I start the day perfectly.
3. Prepare the night before. An evening routine is also essential to starting your day right. This might include things like choosing your three Most Important Tasks for the next day, so you know what you're going to do when you wake up. It might mean getting your clothes ready. For me, it includes getting a jump start on prepping my kids' lunches, so it's just about done before my day even starts.
4. Start the day with a relaxing shower or bath. I like a hot shower, but if you have time, a good bath can be a perfect way to start off the day. It gets you in a relaxed mood, which is much better than starting the day stressed out.
5. Get in some morning exercise. I don't get to exercise every single morning, but I do it on a majority of mornings. A nice morning run is a wonderful thing for me. It relaxes me, and gives me a sense of well being and accomplishment.
6. Work when it's quiet. I like to do work early in the morning, when everyone is sleeping. For others, that might be late at night instead. Whatever works best for you. When I was working in an office, I liked to get in before everyone else, so that I could get in some solid work before things got busy. I would also work during lunch while everyone else was out - I just liked the quiet. I would eat two smaller lunches before and after the normal lunch hour. Getting in early also allowed me to leave early, so that I could spend time with my kids or get in some evening exercise.
7. Create a clutter-free environment. This is key for me, as you might also know by now. I like my desk clear of any clutter. Right now, the only thing on my desk is my iMac (I'm paperless now). But it's OK to have a couple family pictures or an inbox, but too much stuff it just visual distraction. Clear your walls of everything but a nice picture or other art piece or two. Clutter-free surroundings create a peaceful working environment.
8. Turn off the distractions. That means phones, email notification, instant messaging, anything that will break into your focus and make you jump from one thing to another.
9. Cut back on your commitments. Evaluate all the things you've got going on in your life, and see what isn't essential. This means choosing 4-5 essential things in your life, and trying to eliminate the rest over time.
10. Cut out meetings. If you have the ability to opt out of meetings, do so. They are generally a waste of time. Sure, it's possible that a meeting is the most productive way to do something, but it's rarely done. Usually the point of a meeting could be accomplished with email, or an IM. Cutting out meetings could free up a lot of time and make your workday more relaxed.
11. Single-task. For me, focus is everything. Writing this article would take twice as long, and be much less peaceful, if I was constantly interrupted, if I was constantly switching between this and email and surfing the web and other tasks I have to do. I like to focus on one task at a time, if possible, and really lose myself in the writing.
12. Take breaks and stretch. While focusing on one task at a time is important, it's also important to take breaks when you can. Get up, stretch, get a glass of water. Massage your shoulders, neck and head. It keeps you relaxed throughout the day.
13. Go for a walk. I also like to take a break and go for a walk. It helps me get perspective, to think, to get a better overall picture on my workday and my life. Plus it gets the blood circulating.
14. Eat lunch in quiet. I'm kind of a shy guy, and while many people do lunch meetings, I would rather eat at my desk with a good book or take my sack lunch to a park for a peaceful, meditative eating break.
15. Do mini-meditations. This doesn't require a mat or a temple or soothing tapes or anything. Just sit where you are, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing - on your breath as it comes into your body, and then goes out. This helps me to center myself, no matter what is going on with work.
16. Learn to focus on the present. Related to the mini-meditations and single-tasking. Basically, instead of worrying about what you have to do in the future, and instead of reliving things you did in the past, focus on what you're doing right now. This can be difficult, as our minds have a tendency to wander to other things, but it's simply a matter of practice - be aware of where your mind is, and when it drifts to other things, gently bring it back to the present. This helps keep your mind in a peaceful place all day long.
17. Roll with the punches. There will always be things that go wrong. What is important is how we react to them - do we go all Drama Queen, and get stressed and upset? Or do we accept what has happened, and make a calm decision about what to do now? When things get overwhelming, take a step back to get some perspective, and realize that in a few months, none of this will really matter much - and then take steps to eliminate the non-essential and focus on what's really important.
"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want." - Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes

Living in Wonder

How many times have you heard the truism that "every day, a new day dawns." Trite? Perhaps. Obvious? Certainly. But being trite and obvious make it no less valid. Each day's dawning gives us a fresh opportunity to seek a new path, yet most of us, most of the time, don't. I spent a great deal of time thinking about why we don't often explore the undiscovered country at the heart of every sunrise, and a few ideas have occurred to me.
If you really knew me, you'd know that for much of my life, especially between the ages of 16 to 51 (I just turned 58) I partied so thoroughly on New Year's Eve that the next day I was always hungover, sleeping in and missing the Rose Parade, having a late brunch while football droned incessantly in the background. In spite of my best intentions to keep my New Year's resolutions (which often included at least cutting back on my considerable alcohol consumption) I was usually having my first beer of the new year not long after brunch. But that was only after the last of the champagne, left over from New Year's toasts, had been finished off in giant mimosas.
In a "good" year, it might be a week or more after New Year's before I remembered that I had pledged to cut back on my drinking. By then, of course, it was too late. I just drank some more and forgot about it, at least on the surface. Deep down, though, I knew that I was not to be trusted, that I could not keep my word, even with myself.
And so the decades passed. When 2001 rolled around, nothing had really changed except that I was getting sicker from alcohol poisoning. I knew that my health, even my life, depended on me quitting, but I couldn't seem to stop. Then, in late February, I wound up in the emergency room, doubled over in agony with an acute case of gastritis. With my beloved JoAnn's help, I made it home and went to bed.
I woke up the next morning and thought about my situation. I realized that something deep inside had shifted. Starkly faced with the choice to keep drinking, and to keep getting sicker, or to jump off the cliff of my fears and forge a new life, I found that, much to my surprise, I was through with alcohol. Not on January 1, but on February 27. That was almost seven years ago, and I have not been tempted to start drinking again even once. I am so grateful that I chose life!
My point, dear ones, is simply this: any day can be New Year's Day. Even more, every day can be filled with fresh experiences and amazing opportunities to live in wonder. If it works for you to use the "official" New Year's Day to make positive changes in your life, wonderful! But please don't wait for New Year's to do it different. You are an incredibly precious child of the One Heart, truly worthy of every good thing that lies dreaming deep in your soul. Happy New Year! Now go out and make it the best year of your life, one new, exquisite, magical, wonder-filled day at a time.
Steve Ryals, author of Drunk with Wonder: Awakening to the God Within went from homeless and shooting drugs in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district at 17 to graduating from UC Berkeley on the Dean's List six years later.
Drunk with Wonder was written, edited and designed with almost no help from fossil fuels. Steve is proud to say that Drunk with Wonder is printed on 60# Thor Offset acid-free, recycled paper with soy-based ink.

The Importance Of Time Management

Not many people realize the importance of time management, but it can change your life and business forever. Time management isn't just about keeping a well organized diary and making sure you are on time for meetings. No, it is much more than that.

I can't stress the importance of good time management enough. The reason that this runs so deep is because it is not really about managing time at all, but about managing yourself and your energy. It is about making the necessary changes within yourself so that you make the best use out of every hour in your day.

The first step towards effective time management requires that you get in touch with yourself and how you really want to spend your time and your life. I call this your vision. If you get in touch with this vision it will serve as a valuable source of motivation as you move forward.

Once you know what your vision is, you can begin making the necessary changes to attain it. Invariably, you will find that to achieve these goals you will have to change the way you spend your time, and the better you do this the faster you will achieve your goals.

So, after getting in touch with your vision you will realize that some things need to change, maybe even dramatically. You might realize that you are in the wrong profession and that you want to change what you do. This will require a huge, but attainable, change for you. However, it is a change you need to make if you really want to be content.

Thankfully, for most of us the changes that we need to make aren't quite so dramatic. But whatever changes are needed, you need to plan your days and manage your time so that all your available hours are spent working towards these goals. This is effective time management. And remember that your vision shouldn't just concern your professional life, but your personal life as well.

How To Put More Challenges In Your Life

"WTF are you talking about?" You may howl. "I don't want or even need any more challenges or problems in my life!"

Challenges are the call to action for your spirit. They stir something within us. They key up our energy and make us feel more alert and alive. They force us to take action in ways we may have never thought of before and in so doing, forces us to grow.

Recall the happiest moments in your life and you will appreciate that most of these times were when you overcame some sort of challenge. Remember how you felt when you...

• Graduating high school: Four years of surviving the social and educational system is a huge challenge met and overcome.
• Asking for a hand in marriage: I know ladies this is not supposed to be a challenge but for some of us guys, we can get a little weak in the knees at this momentous occasion.
• Child birth: Nine months of carrying a growing baby followed by birthing pains is a huge challenge. Afterwards we call it a labor of love but truly it is a challenge met and the joy you experience is beyond words.
• Getting a raise: Not just a yearly raise but something that you worked for and earned. The pride in your accomplishment is a challenge well met.
• Getting a new job: All the researches done, resumes written and interviews gone out on seem worth it, when you finally get the call from the job you wanted asking. "When you can start?"

These are just highlights in most people's past that they remember forever because it was a challenge to overcome. You feel as if you had taken a giant leap in the road of life. If these moments had been handed to you without any trials or tribulations the moment would loose it's flare.

As I review some of the greatest moments in my life...

• My first 100 mile bike ride when I was 15.
• Becoming PADI Diver certified at 15.
• Graduating High School.
• Graduating Navy Boot Camp and Submarine School.
• Becoming a Navy Diver.
• Completing a triathlon.
• Surviving 4 years on a Navy Submarine.
• Marriage, Birth of My Daughter

I realize that each of these moments were when I overcame some sort of challenge either mental or physical.

When we get into the routine of life we get into a rut that has very few challenges. Things that interrupt our daily life are problems that we complain about.

So look back through your own life. Write down the challenges in your life that you have overcome. Recall how you felt after overcoming those challenges. Fell those moments, let that reawaken that passion for life that may be hiding.

So what challenges have you been avoiding? What challenges can you take on? You don't have to jump back in to the joy of challenges with both feet. Start small. Take small victories and enjoy how they feel. Soon you will be looking forward to the next challenge.

Make sure to look in all areas of your life for these challenges. Health, Career, Family, Finances and Spiritual each area comes with their own challenges. Go for it...You can do it!

As you start overcoming more and more challenges you will get on a roll. People will see a change in you. With each challenge met you stand a little taller, breathe a little deeper and your belief in your own abilities grow exponentially.

So my friend...

WTF Are you waiting for?