Most of us know or at least have an idea of what we want out of life. The goals can be as simple as getting rid of a bad habit or as major as an entire life change. Either way one of the major obstacles in our way is ourselves and our visions.
Although we can see what we want, and think we deserve it, without true clarity the dream or goal seems unlikely. Why is this? Why is it something that should be achieved seems unattainable sometimes? When this question comes up in my life I review my clarity. My clarity is not only knowing and seeing the finish line, but being prepared and ready to run the race.
There are so many people in the world that know that they want something, but have no idea what they want. Then there are some that know what they want but have know idea how to get there. There are others that know what they want, know how to get there, but don't think they will get what they want. In all cases, clarity should be the focus.
If you know what you want, how clear is the road to your destination? If you leave your house in the morning on your way to work, do you have a good idea how to get there? Now let's say that you are going to take the interstate to your job. You hop on the on-ramp and while driving on the highway you see that there is a major spill from a tanker and there is no getting through. What do you do?
Do you stop the car and not go to work? The only logical thing to do is get of the highway and find another road. While you are on that new road do you anticipate another tanker on the back roads to your job? Of course not. And even by some twisted series of events that lead to another road blockage, you would still try to find another road.
So why is this not the case with our goals and dreams? Why do we fail to map out a road to our goals with clarity? Why do we not look at an obstacle and find another way to reach our destination? When you set a goal and decide to go after a dream, daily clarity is important. Everyday the road to what you want should be as clear to you as the road to any physical destination. You must be able to know the turns, maneuver around obstacles.
If you have a long term goal, ask yourself every morning "what am I going to do today to get me there?" And every morning have an answer to that question. A successful life is just a bunch of successful days in a row. Gain daily clarity about your dreams and what you can do to make the dreams a reality.
Visit my personal development website Potential2success.com
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Action for Business Success
The week of action is going good for me. How's it going for you? I'm getting so much done I might keep this the theme for next week also. I have a few articles that I may put on my site or I may submit them to other publications. Right now I'm leaning towards submitting to other websites and newsletters. I do have some good ones that will undoubtedly go on my site because I really want my returning visitors to benefit from them. Here is another really good article that has to do with taking action when starting a business. Number 9 is the point about action and it is a good example of how important action is to success.
Article courtesy of Articalbase.com
If you are in the early stages of starting up a business then you may be experiencing the internal 'fear and doubt' dialogue that can often take place in one's mind. The following 9 Principles will help to release some of this tension...
1. Do What You Love
Ensure that you are in a business that interests you. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be in love with the product or service that you sell; however, you must enjoy aspects of the business otherwise you won't be motivated to give it 100% of your focus. And it will need a lot of your focus and energy, especially in the early stages!To help determine this point, you could ask yourself the following types of questions:* What do you really like to do (in a business sense)?* Are you an ideas or action type of person? Or a bit of both?* In which 20% of your talents do 80% of your results come from?* In other words, where do your key skills lie?It really all boils down to one question though - what are you really passionate about?
2. Niche
Another critical point which goes a long way to determining business success is your Niche. Without exception, the majority of successful business owners I know can tell you in a couple of sentences exactly what it is they love to do and why it has made them wealthy.Without a precise understanding of your Niche your chances for success are greatly diminished. After all, it's very difficult to hit a target which doesn't exist or to win a game when you don't know what it (winning) is.Ask yourself what you are trying to achieve in this business venture:* Do you want to make quick cash?* Do you want to develop and grow a sustainable business?* Are you interested in high cash-flow or developing assets? Or both?* Do you have BIG aspirations or are you just looking to develop a hobby for some part-time cash?Keep in mind that your Niche can always be adapted down the track if your situation or the market changes.
3. Leverage
You need to become a master of Leverage. It is one of the most powerful principles in business. Everyone who is successful in business and life uses Leverage in some way.To use the concept of Leverage you need to continually examine how you can access other people's skill, resources and money more effectively. Furthermore, consider less obvious assets in business such as systems, marketing and time.Leverage is about duplicating a high-value item or skill at a lower cost.I will explore this topic in depth in future articles; however, at this point it is important to remember the following points:* Focus on Money-Making activities* Delegate to others as much as possible By doing this you will see an immediate increase in your ability to work 'on' your business, rather than getting stuck 'in' the day to day running of it.Lateral Thinking shares an implicit relationship with Leverage...
4. Lateral Thinking
This is the concept of looking at things from a different point of view. You can increase profits significantly by doing simple things to "Add Value" in ways that others are not.In other words, continually look at your business and ask yourself questions such as:* How can we do, what we do, better?* What do our clients want that they are not getting currently?* Could we use affiliate marketing to grow our business?* Do we currently use the internet to effectively market our business?* Could we join forces with another business to cross-promote our products?* Could we use our knowledge to create another product?What I am suggesting here is to take some time out to brainstorm ideas around your business. This is a difficult for most small business owners to achieve because they see this as wasted and unproductive time - nothing could be further from the truth...Some of the most successful companies in the world allow themselves and their employees lateral thinking time - Google and 3M immediately come to mind. Many of Google's most successful products have originated from this process.Now, I'm not suggesting that you have to take 1 day a week (as Google does) to undertake this process - they have high operating margins and therefore significant leverage. However, I would encourage you to consider 'opening you mind' for at least couple of hours each week to explore further opportunities.I am sure that you will find it a valuable and profitable experience if you stick to it!
5. Testing
If you can start your business with a clear idea of how you are going to monitor your systems, resources and assets then you will be well ahead of the pack. When most business owners are confronted with questions about their average transaction value, sales conversion ratios, enquiry and lead generation rates - they come up with varying excuses or reasons as to why they don't know or have this vital information.DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE!!You need to be able to calculate your ROI (Return on Investment) for everything that you do on a regular basis.To do this develop a set of KPI (Key Performance Indicators) that are appropriate for your business - don't go overboard - just focus on the information that you need. Remember that 80% of your results come from 20% of your activities! The key is to discover the 20% and keep improving them...The other benefit of testing is that it encourages us to recognise mistakes and move on - this is a vital part of the growth process. Without action, mistakes and growth we stagnate and/or wither at the vine!
6. Efficiency
Hard work doesn't guarantee success or profits - look at how wealth is apportioned in the world and this soon becomes apparent - 80% of the wealth is controlled by less than 10% of the population.Personally, it took a long time for this penny to drop! The first business I owned was really just a job in disguise. I was caught in a trap that confronts many small business owners - working IN the business, rather than ON the business.This is a critical distinction...If significant profits and growth are what you desire, then it is critical that you become efficient and develop systems that will allow your business to work for you and not the other way around.There is one key concept to remember when implementing anything...
7. Lag
Lag is the concept that you 'reap what you sew'. In other words, if you follow the principles suggested here and persist - you will succeed!However, your business life is going to provide you with numerous challenges and obstacles to overcome. The biggest difference between successful people and the rest is that successful people look at upsets as a chance to grow and learn rather than as failure.When confronted by a setback, rather than giving into fear and quitting you must continue to persist. Why? Because if your principles are sound, all you have to do is keep adjusting your methodology until you have a formula for success.You will have a much greater chance of success in business if you keep the principle of Lag in the back of your mind, stay focused and never give up!
8. Timing
Timing is an essential aspect of business ownership. It also shares a close bond with decision-making and action-taking. If you continually use Lateral Thinking and Testing then you will certainly discover further opportunities. The key to successfully implementing and taking advantage of these opportunities is Timing.As the old sayings go:If you wait too long, you may miss the boat... (e.g. someone else capitalizes)If you jump right in you may get your fingers burnt... (e.g. misjudged market enthusiasm)You need to find a middle ground when it comes to Timing, because it is very difficult to time things perfectly. Combine focused analysis, gut feeling, enthusiasm and decision making together and you will be well on the way to mastering Timing and the next Principle...
9. Action
Successful business owners are Masters of Action. They know that Action always beats inaction. They understand that it is better to try, make a mistake, refine and re-implement than to do nothing at all. That's because in business:INACTION = A SLOW DEATH Unsuccessful business owners are Masters of Excuses. Fear provides them with an endless stream of seemingly logical reasons why they shouldn't act.You need to make a decision right now - will you accept as doctrine your negative internal dialogue and the nay-sayers - or will you take chances and trust your experience?I would suggest the latter...To take Action, it is critical that you take responsibility for your situation. If you are not where you want to be, then justifying or laying blame on others will not solve the situation - it will just add fuel to your negative mindset.A better way to respond is to focus on 'the gap' - the 20% of activities in your business (or life) that will take you from where you are to where you want to be. Goal setting is one of the best ways to define the 'gap' and taking Action is the best way to reduce it.
CONCLUSION: The most important Principle is that you should love what you do - passion and attitude will play a large part in defining your success in business. Therefore, ensure that you find a Niche that you are comfortable with. Apply the Principles outlined here, define your own rules and goals, and you will be well on the way to creating a successful and profitable business.
Andrew Cox is the Co-founder of Business Boot Camp. We provide FREE resources and paid programs to help small businesses get their bottom lines into shape! Join a profit-driven community today... Business Boot Camp - Get Your Bottom Line Into Shape
Article courtesy of Articalbase.com
If you are in the early stages of starting up a business then you may be experiencing the internal 'fear and doubt' dialogue that can often take place in one's mind. The following 9 Principles will help to release some of this tension...
1. Do What You Love
Ensure that you are in a business that interests you. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to be in love with the product or service that you sell; however, you must enjoy aspects of the business otherwise you won't be motivated to give it 100% of your focus. And it will need a lot of your focus and energy, especially in the early stages!To help determine this point, you could ask yourself the following types of questions:* What do you really like to do (in a business sense)?* Are you an ideas or action type of person? Or a bit of both?* In which 20% of your talents do 80% of your results come from?* In other words, where do your key skills lie?It really all boils down to one question though - what are you really passionate about?
2. Niche
Another critical point which goes a long way to determining business success is your Niche. Without exception, the majority of successful business owners I know can tell you in a couple of sentences exactly what it is they love to do and why it has made them wealthy.Without a precise understanding of your Niche your chances for success are greatly diminished. After all, it's very difficult to hit a target which doesn't exist or to win a game when you don't know what it (winning) is.Ask yourself what you are trying to achieve in this business venture:* Do you want to make quick cash?* Do you want to develop and grow a sustainable business?* Are you interested in high cash-flow or developing assets? Or both?* Do you have BIG aspirations or are you just looking to develop a hobby for some part-time cash?Keep in mind that your Niche can always be adapted down the track if your situation or the market changes.
3. Leverage
You need to become a master of Leverage. It is one of the most powerful principles in business. Everyone who is successful in business and life uses Leverage in some way.To use the concept of Leverage you need to continually examine how you can access other people's skill, resources and money more effectively. Furthermore, consider less obvious assets in business such as systems, marketing and time.Leverage is about duplicating a high-value item or skill at a lower cost.I will explore this topic in depth in future articles; however, at this point it is important to remember the following points:* Focus on Money-Making activities* Delegate to others as much as possible By doing this you will see an immediate increase in your ability to work 'on' your business, rather than getting stuck 'in' the day to day running of it.Lateral Thinking shares an implicit relationship with Leverage...
4. Lateral Thinking
This is the concept of looking at things from a different point of view. You can increase profits significantly by doing simple things to "Add Value" in ways that others are not.In other words, continually look at your business and ask yourself questions such as:* How can we do, what we do, better?* What do our clients want that they are not getting currently?* Could we use affiliate marketing to grow our business?* Do we currently use the internet to effectively market our business?* Could we join forces with another business to cross-promote our products?* Could we use our knowledge to create another product?What I am suggesting here is to take some time out to brainstorm ideas around your business. This is a difficult for most small business owners to achieve because they see this as wasted and unproductive time - nothing could be further from the truth...Some of the most successful companies in the world allow themselves and their employees lateral thinking time - Google and 3M immediately come to mind. Many of Google's most successful products have originated from this process.Now, I'm not suggesting that you have to take 1 day a week (as Google does) to undertake this process - they have high operating margins and therefore significant leverage. However, I would encourage you to consider 'opening you mind' for at least couple of hours each week to explore further opportunities.I am sure that you will find it a valuable and profitable experience if you stick to it!
5. Testing
If you can start your business with a clear idea of how you are going to monitor your systems, resources and assets then you will be well ahead of the pack. When most business owners are confronted with questions about their average transaction value, sales conversion ratios, enquiry and lead generation rates - they come up with varying excuses or reasons as to why they don't know or have this vital information.DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE!!You need to be able to calculate your ROI (Return on Investment) for everything that you do on a regular basis.To do this develop a set of KPI (Key Performance Indicators) that are appropriate for your business - don't go overboard - just focus on the information that you need. Remember that 80% of your results come from 20% of your activities! The key is to discover the 20% and keep improving them...The other benefit of testing is that it encourages us to recognise mistakes and move on - this is a vital part of the growth process. Without action, mistakes and growth we stagnate and/or wither at the vine!
6. Efficiency
Hard work doesn't guarantee success or profits - look at how wealth is apportioned in the world and this soon becomes apparent - 80% of the wealth is controlled by less than 10% of the population.Personally, it took a long time for this penny to drop! The first business I owned was really just a job in disguise. I was caught in a trap that confronts many small business owners - working IN the business, rather than ON the business.This is a critical distinction...If significant profits and growth are what you desire, then it is critical that you become efficient and develop systems that will allow your business to work for you and not the other way around.There is one key concept to remember when implementing anything...
7. Lag
Lag is the concept that you 'reap what you sew'. In other words, if you follow the principles suggested here and persist - you will succeed!However, your business life is going to provide you with numerous challenges and obstacles to overcome. The biggest difference between successful people and the rest is that successful people look at upsets as a chance to grow and learn rather than as failure.When confronted by a setback, rather than giving into fear and quitting you must continue to persist. Why? Because if your principles are sound, all you have to do is keep adjusting your methodology until you have a formula for success.You will have a much greater chance of success in business if you keep the principle of Lag in the back of your mind, stay focused and never give up!
8. Timing
Timing is an essential aspect of business ownership. It also shares a close bond with decision-making and action-taking. If you continually use Lateral Thinking and Testing then you will certainly discover further opportunities. The key to successfully implementing and taking advantage of these opportunities is Timing.As the old sayings go:If you wait too long, you may miss the boat... (e.g. someone else capitalizes)If you jump right in you may get your fingers burnt... (e.g. misjudged market enthusiasm)You need to find a middle ground when it comes to Timing, because it is very difficult to time things perfectly. Combine focused analysis, gut feeling, enthusiasm and decision making together and you will be well on the way to mastering Timing and the next Principle...
9. Action
Successful business owners are Masters of Action. They know that Action always beats inaction. They understand that it is better to try, make a mistake, refine and re-implement than to do nothing at all. That's because in business:INACTION = A SLOW DEATH Unsuccessful business owners are Masters of Excuses. Fear provides them with an endless stream of seemingly logical reasons why they shouldn't act.You need to make a decision right now - will you accept as doctrine your negative internal dialogue and the nay-sayers - or will you take chances and trust your experience?I would suggest the latter...To take Action, it is critical that you take responsibility for your situation. If you are not where you want to be, then justifying or laying blame on others will not solve the situation - it will just add fuel to your negative mindset.A better way to respond is to focus on 'the gap' - the 20% of activities in your business (or life) that will take you from where you are to where you want to be. Goal setting is one of the best ways to define the 'gap' and taking Action is the best way to reduce it.
CONCLUSION: The most important Principle is that you should love what you do - passion and attitude will play a large part in defining your success in business. Therefore, ensure that you find a Niche that you are comfortable with. Apply the Principles outlined here, define your own rules and goals, and you will be well on the way to creating a successful and profitable business.
Andrew Cox is the Co-founder of Business Boot Camp. We provide FREE resources and paid programs to help small businesses get their bottom lines into shape! Join a profit-driven community today... Business Boot Camp - Get Your Bottom Line Into Shape
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Kicking off the Week of Action.
This week's focus is on action when reaching for success. I think that taking action is so important if you want to achieve anything. Many people are riding Law of Attraction wave of making things possible by just thinking it is possible. The book and movie called The Secret brought this idea into the mainstream. Logic won't allow me to believe that all you have to do is think it and success will happen by itself, but I do buy many of the concepts of the Law of Attraction. Hear is an article courtesy of Articlebase.com. I like many of the points that are made and I think it'll help set the tone for the upcoming post this week.
written by Jon Mercer
As a Law of Attraction coach, I'm often asked: "Do I need to take action to attract what I desire into my life? And if so, what is the role of action in the process of creating my life?
"The concept of "taking action" is a big stumbling block for many people trying to using the Law of Attraction, and I too have struggled with this from time to time.
I believe the definitive answer to these questions can be found in Wallace Wattle's classic book from 1906, "The Science of Getting Rich."Wattles believed that the "advancing person" needed to conduct their affairs in what he termed, "The Certain Way" in order to manifest their desires. This "Certain Way" involved taking efficient action for the betterment of all mankind, not just the individual. It also required acting with a hard-nosed faith that what you are seeking is also seeking you. In other words, you must act from a mindset of faith, and never from a mindset of lack or limitation.
A basic overview of Wallace's points:
1. Your action can never be to take what you want from another. The desire for "more life" is inherent in all of nature, and your actions should reflect this truth. To this end, competition is strictly forbidden. You never compete with another for what you want, but instead, create abundance in your life, by acting with faith and purpose.
2. You must give the "impression of increase" in all your actions and dealing with others. The means that you must display an attitude of abundance, that you are increasing your lot in life, and give this impression to all. It is not necessary to do this with words-your strongly held faith in your advancement will clearly shine through.
3. You must never do tomorrow's work today or feel that you must rush or struggle in any way. Doing so will bring you into a mindset of lack and limitation (rushing assumes a lack of time, for example). Assume that the universe is friendly to your plans (it is!), and that no rush or struggle is ever necessary (it's not)
.4. Success breeds success, while failure only breeds failure. It is critical that any action you take is a "successful action." It does not matter how difficult or easy the task is, what is important is that you do it in a perfectly successful way. Even trivial tasks, like washing the dishes, need to be focused upon and completed successfully. These "trivial" successes form a "pattern of success" which will become your standard operating procedure. As Wallace Wattles put it: "When the majority of your actions are successful, you will be successful."
5. Take inspired action. Those intuitive 'nudges" from within are there for a purpose. Learn to act on your impulses and intuitions. Most of the time your gut instincts will be correct. Learn to trust them and act upon them quickly. "Strike while the iron is hot.
"6. "Life gives to the givers, and takes from the takers." If you want more in your life, start thinking about how you can give more. The more of yourself you can offer to the world, the more you will be rewarded. "How can I serve?" is a great mantra to have if you want to attract great wealth into your life. Understanding this principle has personally changed my life and my finances incredibly. I highly recommend it.
Jon Mercer (PDC) is a Law of Attraction coach and author.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/the-law-of-attraction-is-action-required-120911.html
written by Jon Mercer
As a Law of Attraction coach, I'm often asked: "Do I need to take action to attract what I desire into my life? And if so, what is the role of action in the process of creating my life?
"The concept of "taking action" is a big stumbling block for many people trying to using the Law of Attraction, and I too have struggled with this from time to time.
I believe the definitive answer to these questions can be found in Wallace Wattle's classic book from 1906, "The Science of Getting Rich."Wattles believed that the "advancing person" needed to conduct their affairs in what he termed, "The Certain Way" in order to manifest their desires. This "Certain Way" involved taking efficient action for the betterment of all mankind, not just the individual. It also required acting with a hard-nosed faith that what you are seeking is also seeking you. In other words, you must act from a mindset of faith, and never from a mindset of lack or limitation.
A basic overview of Wallace's points:
1. Your action can never be to take what you want from another. The desire for "more life" is inherent in all of nature, and your actions should reflect this truth. To this end, competition is strictly forbidden. You never compete with another for what you want, but instead, create abundance in your life, by acting with faith and purpose.
2. You must give the "impression of increase" in all your actions and dealing with others. The means that you must display an attitude of abundance, that you are increasing your lot in life, and give this impression to all. It is not necessary to do this with words-your strongly held faith in your advancement will clearly shine through.
3. You must never do tomorrow's work today or feel that you must rush or struggle in any way. Doing so will bring you into a mindset of lack and limitation (rushing assumes a lack of time, for example). Assume that the universe is friendly to your plans (it is!), and that no rush or struggle is ever necessary (it's not)
.4. Success breeds success, while failure only breeds failure. It is critical that any action you take is a "successful action." It does not matter how difficult or easy the task is, what is important is that you do it in a perfectly successful way. Even trivial tasks, like washing the dishes, need to be focused upon and completed successfully. These "trivial" successes form a "pattern of success" which will become your standard operating procedure. As Wallace Wattles put it: "When the majority of your actions are successful, you will be successful."
5. Take inspired action. Those intuitive 'nudges" from within are there for a purpose. Learn to act on your impulses and intuitions. Most of the time your gut instincts will be correct. Learn to trust them and act upon them quickly. "Strike while the iron is hot.
"6. "Life gives to the givers, and takes from the takers." If you want more in your life, start thinking about how you can give more. The more of yourself you can offer to the world, the more you will be rewarded. "How can I serve?" is a great mantra to have if you want to attract great wealth into your life. Understanding this principle has personally changed my life and my finances incredibly. I highly recommend it.
Jon Mercer (PDC) is a Law of Attraction coach and author.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/the-law-of-attraction-is-action-required-120911.html
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Money Matters
When they show an image of a stack of 100 dollar bills with "Win $25,000" under it, it grabs people's attention. But is it the stack of newly printed bills that people are intrigued by? Or is it what that stack represents? The thoughts that go through our heads are thoughts of what we would do with all that money. I can remember when we were young and we use to play Monopoly. When those brightly colored fake bills circulated around the group, without fail, there was always one person that would say "man if this money was real I would....". Money is a means to whatever life someone wants to live. Money can create cars, houses, clothes, and girls for most people. It can also create lies, cheaters, thieves and war. Washington, Lincoln, Hamilton, Roosevelt, and Benjamin have no power of their own; in the right or wrong hands, money means the world.
http://www.potential2success.com/
http://www.potential2success.com/
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