Take lessons on fear from a kid..

In staying with the theme of fear, I want everyone to think of things that they have avoided in their life due to a fear. One huge thing fear can take away from a person is success. Think about this saying- if you are afraid of your shadow you will never go into the light. Without facing your fears, you can be missing out on a lot in life. Success is not measured by just ones net income, but also quality of life. If you stay locked up with your fears, your quality of life is altered.

If you have children, they are a great teacher in how to overcome fear. Think of the first time they started learning how to ride a bike without training wheels. Yes, they are scared, afraid of falling, but yet their will and determination to ride that bike like the rest of the kids outweighs their fear. Seriously, I think it is the parents that are more afraid then the child. I know I was the first time my oldest rode his bike down a big parking lot hill against my better judgment. But his attitude and so many other children’s attitudes are so simple yet so true - “face your fears”.

Understandably, without a certain level of fear, humans would be extinct. We would be walking out in front of traffic and literally jumping off tall buildings just because we would have zero fear factor telling us that by doing these things could be fatal. So yes, it is good that we do posses that animalistic instinct to fear, but one must evaluate if what they fear is really warranted. Walking out in front of a rushing city bus is wise to fear, but talking in front of a crowd is not detrimental to your health and well being and something that would benefit you greatly if you were to face your fear and overcome it. Take the time to measure what it is you fear and if it is a realistic fear or one you should really work on overcoming.

Fight or Flight or Overcome?

It’s a stormy night out and the wind is hollowing, it’s dark, and the heat lighting is making the sky eerie. You are watching a movie that is not very conducive to pleasant thoughts. Your imagination is already in high gear and you begin to hear a random thump just outside the window, right behind the couch you are curled up on. You brush it off as the wind at first, but the unsettling randomness of the thuds weighs on your conscious. The lights begin to flicker and before you can scramble off the couch to get a flashlight, they go completely out. You are now officially unnerved, but before you know it your front door flies open smashing against the doorframe. Now, ever muscle of your body is tensed up, your heart is racing with your breathing in second place.

For a quick millisecond, you blame the storm coming in but recall the random thumping. Your mind begins to think someone else in the house with you, a stranger. Your previous body functions already in high gear race faster and your muscles tighten so tight you swear your chest is going to collapse. You feel you are in danger. This is your body’s natural fight or flight response; it is your animalistic natural survival mechanism.

In reality, it was just the wind from the storm that caused all the fear, that and the help of some creative film directors. The fight or flight response is a result of a chain reaction that goes on in your brain. It begins with some stressful stimuli - in the scenario given, it was a combination of stimuli that created the ultimate fear. The stressful stimulus ends with a release of chemicals that cause the racing heart, fast breathing, and tightening of the muscles along with other things equaling the fight and flight response.

Turning Point™ seminar being held on Nov 14-15, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada is a two-day foundational training program that teaches you, through subconscious reprogramming, how to free yourself from phobias, minimize stress, increase your motivation levels, and practice discipline. You will learn cutting-edge skills to powerfully impact your relationships, finances, emotional and physical well-being. You will learn how to transfer your fear into POWER! This event will be the turning point in your life bringing you a completely new outlook on what you are doing right now in your business, personal and financial life.

Tomorrow I plan on discussing why people fear in the first place. Until then, feel free to check out all the information on the Turning Point seminar at http://www.theturningpointtickets.com/.

Fear Week..

This week I would like to talk about fear and how fear alone can hold you back from achieving things you want. Even a simple fear can disrupt the way one lives.

Take a minute to think about the things that scare you that keep you from doing anything, be it fear of flying, fear of the dark, spiders, mice, what not. Now think about what those fears prevent you from doing.

Anyone who has been robbed, either on person or home knows how much fear can prevent you from doing many things. It can add new things to your normal daily routine that you never gave a second thought to before, like constantly looking over your shoulder or triple checking locks on doors. Is this fearing unfounded, no, probably not, but if we do not learn how to deal with our fears, big or little they can hold you back like a prisoner.

Fear consists of both psychological and physical factors, but fear can be beat. Fear does not need to hold you back.

The Turning Point™ seminar is a two-day foundational training program that teaches you, through subconscious reprogramming, how to free yourself from phobias, minimize stress, increase your motivation levels, and practice discipline. You will learn cutting-edge skills to powerfully impact your relationships, finances, emotional and physical well-being. By learning how to control your fears that hold you back, big and small, you take control back of your life and nothing can stop you from having it all. If you would like to learn more about the Turning Point seminar or register to attend visit http://www.theturningpointtickets.com/

Tomorrow I will discuss with you how people create fear in their lives and what happens to your body both physically and psychologically.

This Halloween, Be Anything You Want to Be

I hear a lot of people sitting around wondering what they should be for Halloween this time of the year. I enjoy Halloween, I have to admit. Why? Because it's during the Halloween season that we really have the chance to do the one thing we should be doing all year long and yet somehow never really manage to accomplish-letting go of the trappings that are holding us back and making our dreams a reality.

What am I talking about? When we were little our parents told us that we could be anything we wanted to be when we grew up. For most of us, that meant spending the better part of elementary school dreaming about becoming ballerinas and superheroes. Little did we know then that practicality (and the need to eat on a semi-regular basis) was going to eventually knock those dreams out of the ring, replacing them with businessmen and teachers and other responsible members of society.

Practicality and a regular income are good, but it's nice to be able to dream too. That's what Halloween lets us do. It lets us forget about practicality for a little while and reach out to those dreams we used to cling to when we were children. It suspends reality. And let's face it-don't we all need that every once in a while?

So this Halloween, forget about that costume that you've faithfully pulled out every year since high school and do something dazzling and unexpected. Be the thing that you always wanted to be. The results just might surprise you.

How to Inspire Before You Retire

All of us dream of leaving our mark on the world and being remembered when we die. I once read a quote that said to have influenced even one life for the better was true success. I have to agree. True leaders aren't just people who get things done. Anybody can do that. The mark of true leadership is the ability to inspire all of the people around you to stretch their wings and go farther than they thought they could. Inspiration, not perspiration, is the key to immortality.

The question is, how do you inspire the people around you? There are three guidelines that I've found to be particularly effective when it comes to inspiring those around you. First and foremost, be an example. Not just at work, but in your personal life as well. You'd be amazed at how many of the people around you will say, "Well, if so-and-so can do it, then I can too." Secondly, get involved. Take part in office activities, aand get to know the people around you. Finally, hand out praise and punishment sparingly so that each is more effective when you do pass it on. If you can master those three things you'll be an inspiration to everyone around you.

And that truly is the sign of success.

The Importance of Building a Business Website

Once upon a time word of mouth marketing was enough to get the job done out in the business world, but thanks to the Internet each and every business out in the market is now struggling with an immense amount of competition. Without an effective business website they're going to find themselves left behind before they ever truly have the chance to get ahead.

What is it that makes a successful business website? Sure, you need to have effective keywords. Yes, you need images that lead your potential customers to think about you and your services the way you want to be seen. Yes, you have to portray a certain image to your clientele. But above all that, you need a business website that's going to draw people in. I can't count how many business websites I've stumbled across in the past that have had perfect mastery of the technical aspects of website marketing and no concept whatsoever of the fundamentals of growing a business.

Don't let your business be one of those. The best way to draw in customers is to make your website personal. Share something of yourself with your consumers and the people around you when you design your site content. Make it sound like they matter. If you can make your clientele believe they matter to you and you're the best choice for them, half the battle of growing your business is already done.

Strange September Holidays

I've never been one for following tradition and letting 99% of the days of the year slip by. At the risk of sounding morbid, how many days do we actually get? How often do we have the opportunity to kick back and enjoy something wonderful? And why do we feel like we have to JUSTIFY it?

Well, someone decided that justifying it sounded pretty darned good-and they found some great ways to do it! Rock out and celebrate all the days of your life with these great September holidays.

Sept. 22-Elephant Appreciation Day
Sept. 23-Checkers and Dogs in Politics Day
Sept. 24-Great American Pot Pie Day
Sept. 25-Native American Day
Sept. 26-National Pancake Day
Sept. 27-Crush a Can Day
Sept. 28-National Strawberry Cream Pie Day
Sept. 29-Poisoned Blackberries Day (I bet you can think of how NOT to celebrate this one!)
Sept. 30-National Mud Pack Day
Sept. 31...Just kidding!

Remember, it's not the amount of years in your life. It's the life in your years!

Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and....sleepy

It's Monday, which means it's time for my usual satirical view on the end of the weekend. The fact that it's almost closing time (metaphorically speaking) and I'm just now getting the chance to sit down and blog should tell you something. Namely, that there were way too many things that had to be done today to be considered anything even REMOTELY reasonable for a Monday! But that's just sour grapes talking.

Why? Because (oops!) I did it again. I stayed up way too late Sunday night, trying to prolong the weekend (and finish the amazing book I was reading) and was dragging big time when I got out of bed this morning. Which brings me to my topic of the day. Sleep. Rather, the lack of it. And the need for almost all of us to get more. And the fact that that isn't as easy as it sounds!

In theory, going to bed exactly 8 1/2 to 9 hours before you have to get up in the morning should more than set you up for sleepytime success. You can get a full 8 straight and wake up in the morning revitalized and ready to roll, right? Unfortunately, it doesn't always work like that. What do you do if you're the type of person that has trouble falling asleep? You can go to bed at 9:00 all you want, you're still not going to go to sleep until midnight.


So theoretically, early to bed and early to rise isn't going to make you anything but sleepy. The question is, what can you do about it? Personally, I opt for arranging a work schedule that's more conducive to your sleep schedule (if possible). If not, there are some great tips to help you sleep. I find that putting in a hard workout about 2 hours before bed, then taking a hot shower and pouring a hot (noncaffeinated drink) is a great way to stimulate sleep.

And DO NOT give in to temptation and kick on the television! You'll end up staying up too late every time. I strongly recommend a book of short stories.

What are your best sleepy-time tips?

Who are you going to be this weekend?

When we're young we dream of getting to live the wild and crazy lives as adults that we never got to live as children. We were going to do big things, travel, live our dreams. We dream of days spent living life by our rules. Then we get out of college and those dreams and those rules get swallowed by the responsibilities of keeping a house, raising children and working a 40-60 hour workweek. Those vacations get pushed to the side until next year...and the year after that...and the year after that.


Let me tell you something, as someone who knows. There will never be enough money, enough time, good enough conditions. Things will never be "just right". If you're going to get where you want to go you have to be willing to take it. You're going to have to look through the eyes of the child you used to be and say, "I want it. Why isn't it happening?" I'm not saying you should brush your responsibilities aside, but remember, you only live once.

If not now, then when? If not you, then who? Who are you going to be this weekend? Are you going to be the person who waits patiently for the perfect conditions or are you going to be the person who grabs life with both hands?

The choice is up to you.

Don't Be Afraid to Break with Tradition!

Everything we do, we do for a reason-and nine times out of ten the reason is that that way is the way it's always been done, so why mess with a good thing? Why indeed. Doing things the way they've always been done is only going to take you places you've already been. Nothing new was ever accomplished by not being willing to try something new to begin with.

Stretch out of your comfort zone...the way this young couple did! Breaking away from traditions and doing things your own way, to accomplish the things you want to accomplish, is going to be the best way to make sure you're living your dreams instead of everyone else's. Life's too short to play by someone else's rules.

What is Success?

Because we all need to think about what success means to us before we can truly achieve it.

What is Success?

Success is not merely becoming wealthy.
Success is not only working for remaining healthy.
Success is not going after fame and name.
Success is not living life for such mind game.

Success is not just taking career to the top.
Success is not staying in a bungalow at the hill top.
Success is working hard for your dreams you believe.
Success is perseverance and efforts till you achieve your deal.

Success is having consideration for everyone.
Success is a strong desire and to live to help each one.
Success is to follow the religion of humanity.
Success is to always remember all pervading divinity.

Success is to follow the principle, “Live and let others live.”
Success is to accept others as diversity of nature; beautiful and alive.
Success is working for happiness of the world, a dedication.
Success is to love everyone unconditionally without any expectation.

By Dr. Nutan Pol, found online at http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/what-is-success.

Learn to Let Go of Your Mistakes!

What was the single most embarrassing that happened to you in high school? Don't worry, you don't have to tell me (although you can if you want to). It's enough to know that you remember-that whatever events led up to that moment of humiliation are burned on to your brain even after you've bid those hallowed halls goodbye.

It's easy for us to hand on to our successes and our failures, clinging to them the way a child does to his blankie in the middle of the night. The problem is, when you're dragging all that behind you your hands are going to be too full for new accomplishments and failures. Have you ever tried to hand something to a toddler when they have a blanket clasped in their fist? Unless it's something small, they're not going to be able to handle it-the same way you, as an adult, aren't going to have the courage or resources you're going to need to handle the big things when they pop up along the way. The small things are going to be the best you can do.

Learn to let go of that security blanket. Leave your past behind you and focus on today. Not tomorrow (although tomorrow's important too), but today. When you focus on where you are, and keep an eye on where you want to be, you're going to keep moving forward, free to make the most of what comes next.

Using Twitter to Build Your Business

As social media has become a focal point for just about every business out there it's become more important to understand exactly what Twitter, currently the golden child of the social media industry, can do for your business. Twitter is, to concerned business owners, the rough equivalent of getting to sit down with your customers once every hour, on the hour, and give them a quick update on what's going on in your company, your industry and your community.

A quick heads up to all you Tweeters out there: Twitter's starting to crack down and crack down hard on SPAMMERS, so make sure you're looking beyond the usual boundaries of shared links and brief input on what your company has to offer. Those of you following me on Twitter at SocialNetMarket know that I try to toss in plenty of quotes, quips and updates to go along with my links throughout the day for a little variety. That lets me keep everyone up to date with what we're doing (and where we're at in the never-ending process of trying to get our website up and running), link to our blog and point out fun articles and websites that anyone looking to take their life in a new direction will be able to take advantage of.

When used properly Twitter breaks down the boundaries between you and lets you build the kind of relationship and rapport with your clientele that's going to keep them coming back for more.

Looking back at 9-11

What is success but the ability to stand up and dust yourself off when you've been knocked in the dirt? What is prosperity but success achieved in the face of adversity? As we celebrate the 8th anniversary of 9-11 I find myself looking back and remembering the day my colleagues and I spent hours huddled around our desks watching the drama unfold via live video feed on the web, fearful that the nearby military base would be the next to be hit.

We've come a long way since then. From the invasion on the Middle East to the way families have drawn together and put their lives back together after losing loved ones in this terrible tragedy, America has come a long way in a relatively short time. Today, let us take some time to look back and remember those who came before and the sacrifice they made so we could be here, where we are, today.

Learning How to Say No

We're taught almost from birth that we should happily give of ourselves and our time to help the others around us. Most of us try to do that-and in doing that, manage to overschedule ourselves to the point of stress, excessive fatigue, burnout and complete and utter apathy about the things we're supposed to care about!

It's hard to get worked up about something when you're too tired to see straight.

Since you can't be everything to everybody, and you're going to kill yourself if you try, you need to know how to say no. Know which projects are important and which can easily be passed on to someone else, do favors gladly but without running yourself ragged. In other words, you have to prioritize who you're going to give your time to the same way you prioritize your to-do list during the work day.

Nobody likes to say no, and don't be surprised if there's a certain amount of guilt about it at the beginning-especially if you're usually a "yes" kind of person!Don't let guilt wear you down. Remember, you're learning how to say no because you've been spending too much time saying yes. You're worn out, and you don't deserve to feel that way. Saying no gets easier after a while. It's all about practice.

Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone

Because we all want to hide in our comfort zone sooner or later-but we all deserve so much more...

MY COMFORT ZONE
By Author Unknown

I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I wouldn't fail.
The same four walls and busywork were really more like jail.
I longed so much to do the things I'd never done before,
But stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor.

I said it didn't matter that I wasn't doing much.
I said I didn't care for things like commission checks and such.
I claimed to be so busy with the things inside the zone,
But deep inside I longed for something special of my own.

I couldn't let my life go by just watching others win.
I held my breath; I stepped outside and let the change begin.
I took a step and with new strength I'd never felt before,
I kissed my comfort zone goodbye and closed and locked the door.

If you're in a comfort zone, afraid to venture out,
Remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.
A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true.
Reach for your future with a smile; success is there for you!

Review: The Turning Point with Marshall Sylver

As you know, we've got the Turning Point Seminar going on in September in Vancouver and then again in November in Las Vegas. As luck would have it, I stumbled across a video on YouTube the other day of a young woman who had gone to The Turning Point and had such a valuable experience that she wanted to tell everyone else about it too! If you're batting around whether or not you want to go hear Marshall Sylver speak at The Turning Point, check this out:

The Key to Effective Time Management

Well, it's just about that time again. Another golden Monday, with a to-do list as long as my arm in front of me and the whole week to get it done! The good news is, I've still got plenty of time. The bad news is, procrastination is my forte! Given the option, I'd gleefully put off Friday's projects until Thursday night, then pull an all-nighter making sure they're done.

Since that's no way to run a business (and the sleep deprivation gets to be a killer after a while) I've had to work hard over the years to curb my natural tendencies and master the process of effective time management.

I've touched on time management in previous posts, but today being Monday and most of you being in the same spot I am I want to really talk about what it takes to get (and stay) on schedule around here:

1. The first thing I do every Monday is sit down and make a list of projects I know I have due for the week and what dates I need what stages of those projects done by. Whether it's a press release that has to be out by noon or a website fix that needs to be done by Friday, I need it in front of me in black and white.

2. Once I have the list I make a schedule for myself: Monday, Tuesday, etc. If something's time sensitive I make sure that's noted on there too. The important thing here is to be realistic; I know I'm not really going to write and schedule a month's worth of blog posts in a three hour time frame on Tuesday morning, and I don't even try!

3. Once I have my schedule I prioritize. As much as I wish it didn't, life almost always gets in the way sooner or later. There are some things I can afford to run behind on and catch up the following morning, other things I can't. Want to guess which ones are going at the top of my to-do list?

4. Now that the schedule's made, I have to stick to it! This is usually the hard part; however, having a manageable list of items I need done that day usually keeps me on task, since I know letting that slide is only going to push me farther behind.

So, my four tips to effective time management to all of you out there: Know what you need and when you need it by, make a schedule for yourself, prioritize, and stick to it. And don't be afraid to say "No" when that to-do list starts getting a little too long! Master that, and you'll find that effective time management isn't as big a challenge as you thought.

TGIF!

At the end of the day, all that really matters is that you survived! At the end of the week, it feels good to know that I have an entire weekend ahead of me to recharge. I'm going to spend at least a day doing absolutely nothing, curling up with a book that doesn't inspire my intellect at all, and another day running errands, spending time with friends and crossing off my personal to-do list so it's not hanging over me all next week.

My best advice to you this weekend would be to relax, but do what you have to do. That way you can start Monday with a clear slate and a fresh beginning. Have a great weekend everybody!

My Favorite Quotes for Success

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing."
Abraham Lincoln

"A great secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up."
Albert Schweitzer

"A discovery is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind."
Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
Bill Cosby

"Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love."
David McCullough

"Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life."
Dr. David M. Burns

"My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that 'achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that's nice too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success.'"
Helen Hayes

Which Way Should I Go?

One of the hardest parts of laying a path to success is choosing the direction that path should go. Our lives lead us down many roads, and it can seem impossible to choose just one-especially when the choosing comes with such risk!

As much as we would all love to have a guaranteed path for success, the bottom line is that that path is going to be different for each of us. One person might find success in real estate, another might make a fortune in day care. The key is to do what you love. If you love what you're doing success is going to come (relatively) easily. If you don't, you're going to be facing an uphill battle.

Parting thought:

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.

Albert Schweitzer

The Success Principles

It's impossible to overemphasize the importance of learning the secrets of success from the right people. As an avid reader I have to admit that I'm a huge fan of Chicken Soup for the Soul-and an even bigger fan of Jack Canfield's "The Success Principles." The book is available (at least in part-I haven't looked to see how much "part" is) through Google books and just about any local or national bookseller. When you get a chance, check it out! I hope you'll be as inspired by him as I was.

The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be