You Owe It To Yourself

Sitting by the phone waiting for the customer to call you is wishing. A wish is a day-dream. A wish is saying I don't have what it takes. Your dreams will not become reality unless you take action. You really do have complete control of the out come. You just need to ask yourself the basic question. Are you worth it? The answer should always be yes as this means you will do what it takes to make your goals.

The biggest road block to achieving your dreams are the negative thoughts that creep into your mind with the fear of failure. The world of sports for many is as a spectator. We are enamoured with talent. We wish we had it. How many times in life have you heard someone say I would give anything to play the piano or play golf like that. The reality is you wouldn't. There in lies the difference in being good at something or being an expert. I ask again. Are you worth it?

The world of life is for participants. If you're a spectator in life you will never accomplish your dreams and goals.  After you have stared at yourself in the mirror and determined your worth it, you must do the following. Write it down and keep it keep close at hand.

• Step one is to obtain a positive mind set. " I can do this"
• Step two is to acknowledge there will be failures but they will not hurt me. They will make me stronger and wiser.
• Step three is acknowledge it will take time but you will remain true to yourself. The short play is seldom lasting.
• Savor the small victories as they validate your worth it.

I like the analogy that a Super Bowl winning team or World Series winning team did not win every game of the season. These successful teams had some losses during the regular season. They learned from those losses to make themselves stronger. The same applies to life. Unlike the sports teams you must remember the whole nation is not watching you.
I suggest you not get that wrapped up in yourself. Telling the world your worth it is boastful. There is much to be said for humility. If you keep that promise to yourself that your worth it others will take notice of your accomplishments without you having to say a word. Unsolicited admiration in it's truest form validates that your worth it.
 

Paul's many years of business ownership and life experience have provided him with the expertise to help you deal with complex issues regarding success and obtaining your goals. Paul has developed a passion for writing and chooses to share this knowledge with his readers and clients. http://www.toyourfuturesuccess.ca

Stop Losing The Arguments You Have With Yourself

We all have it. That voice. The one that starts yakking at us the minute we consider leaving our comfort zone. How many times have you heard success is just outside your comfort zone. You know it, but it's like sticking your big toe into cold water. I'm not going in there. It's freezing. You know it's good for you yet you will not venture in.
It's the fear of failure for certain. It's also the fear of limiting beliefs. You know these things are true yet you never leave the barn to stretch your legs. I believe you have to gain that positive attitude to get past the limiting beliefs and embrace the fact you might not get it right the first time.
To get past these fears you have to understand the whole world is not watching you. In fact very few if any people are watching you. Yes, get over it. So you have a couple of choices if your going to step up and make lasting change.

1. Chart your new course without saying a word. It's just you steaming along. One sure fired way to succeed is to start living and talking like you are already there. I expect you will be saying to yourself. This feels good!


2. The other method is to tell others what you are going to do. This part has more risk as you now will have to live up to your commitment. In a sense these people become your accountability partners.

I believe the most successful of the two is the second method as you really do have people watching you. Why not put the power of both to work for you. You start to live as if you have already achieved your goal and then add the accountability piece of the second option.
Successful people know that you will fail more than you succeed. That's what makes success even sweeter. I love this quote by Truman Capote. "Failure is the condiment that gives success it's flavour."
It's impossible to be a success without a positive attitude. There are several ways to help you gain this attitude.

1. Find a mentor. Someone you can emulate.


2. Hang out with positive mended people. Loose the doubter friends.


3. Tame the negative chatter in the back of your mind. Have the courage to change the topic.

Greatness is in all of us. Are you worth it? If the answer is no get professional help. If it's yes. Accepting that it's within you is step one. Wrapping your mind around the benefits of embracing change is step two. Living your dream is limitless. Success starts with a positive attitude.

The Road To Success Is Paved With A Positive Attitude

Staying upbeat and in the zone requires being in tune to your emotions. I also believe having a positive attitude is closely tied to a belief that you have the talent and the ability to get it done. For some this comes easy. For most it's a difficult.
Navel gazing can be a good thing if you like the possibilities of what life will bring you. To get to this mindset of a positive attitude you must push back the limiting beliefs that were created from your previous failures. These limiting beliefs could have also come from a poor support system in your childhood. So just how do we get to this condition of a positive attitude? I am certain the six tasks below will get you started.

• First, I believe you need to identify what it is you want in life and be firmly committed to that desire. Establishing the emotional pull becomes a pleasure point that will help strengthen your commitment.


• Secondly, you need to identify the negative people in your life and start to work on changing who your friends are. As tough as it may seem, make a list of the negative people in your life and make a commitment to drop them from your circle of friends. Why would you ever call someone a friend who is constantly pulling you back?


• Thirdly, is to start to meet and hang out with achievers and people who can help bring you up a notch. It's like that old saying " Success breeds success." Join a Networking Group.


• Fourthly, is to do something to improve your job or your career. This may be to take a course to upgrade your skills. Meet with your boss and have that heart to heart and express that you are genuinely committed to growing in this company.


• Fifth is what I feel to be one of the most important steps. Find a mentor. Find that someone who has earned success. This is a person you can emulate. A good mentor will help you grow and provide sound advise regarding your future success.


• Lastly is to get your hands on some inspirational books or videos. Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield just to name two. Tony has clips on YouTube. Jack does free tel-conferences on a monthly basis. 1000's attend each call. Tons of free material can be found on the internet. These inspirational leaders will help get you pumped and they will keep you pumped. Most important. They will help keep you on track.

Having a positive attitude is one thing. Staying positive when things are going against you is another beast altogether. Understanding that setbacks are a part of life and that setbacks are only temporary is key. Setbacks are life's way of measuring your commitment to success. A positive attitude will get you up and running faster. It's the fuel of your success.

Find Your Inspiration From Successful People

Last Fall I attended a banquet put on by the Better Business Bureau. Every person I spoke with while networking before the dinner portion was in my opinion successful. The people I got to sit with were nothing short of amazing. The energy in the room was electric. The BBB was honoring companies that displayed high ethics in business. Now this is a crowd that I like to hang out with. I immediately think of trust and credibility when it comes to ethics. It should be a way of life inside your businesses as well as how you interact with our external customers.
As the discussion around our table started to loosen up I became more amazed of the talent I was hanging out with. Those at the table included.

• A Real Estate magnet who does 8 figure property deals internationally. He is also a published author of his business biography.


• There was a President of a large moving company that has offices right across Canada. He is also a Board Member of the Better Business Bureau. Remember the night was about ethics in business.


• An Executive Vice President who left a career as a successful Doctor of Optometry to get into business. Now that's following your passion.


• Also seated at the table was the President of a sales training company but with a unique twist. His company works with business owners who are not sales people. He works with them on how to understand sales people and how to best engage their sales staff.


• Also at the table was a President of a large printing company who is finding success in a very competitive business.


• Seated as well with us, a Lawyer who left a large law firm to go with a three person firm. He wanted to get more engaged with his clients. That takes guts in my books.


• The host of the table is a Regional Manager for a very unique insurance company, that is not an insurance company. How is this for unique! Their customer companies self insure. That's right. Self insure. The customer company selects the benefits and the maximum that can be paid out in each benefit of the plan. His company just manages the details and the claims from the medical card they provide. Their fee is disclosed.


• Oh Yes there was me. The former President of an Office Products Company and Former President of a Computer Forms Company. I am currently a partner in a Scottish apparel company aside from my role at Answer365.

I can tell you the conversation around the table was not about who won the World Series. The purpose of this article is not to say I am good at name dropping and hobnobbing. To the contrary. What I have written about is that I made the effort to go out to this event and hear all about the successful nominees for the BBB Ethics Awards. I wanted to see and feel first hand what ethical businesses do. I left the event feeling invigorated and motivated. Success will not find it's way to you. It is by your actions and your determination that you will find success. I came away with so much more that I went in with. So get out there. Meet some people who will inspire you. You will be thankful you did.

Staying Positive in Life - Tips for Improving Your Outlook on Life

It's the age old question. How do you stay up beat and positive amid so many pressures and challenges in your day to day live. In my Business Coaching practice I work with entrepreneurs who are holding so many balls in the air that they lose focus on what the object of their lives and their business is all about. Many of them are consumed in doing stuff. Working in their business instead of on their business. It's hard to stay positive when it seems you are not making any progress. So how do you bring that positive attitude back into your life? Here are some tips that work for some of my clients who suffer from being over whelmed. Yes, I too practice these tips.

• Create a personal purpose. Lets call it a mission statement but for your life. It's not about the business you own or work for. I can tell you that it took me several weeks of introspective thought and research to get to mine. There are numerous sites on the internet that will help bring you to that point where you are ready to put it to paper. Some are religious based and some relating to finding what makes you happy. In my books happy is always good. Creating a well thought out personal purpose will help bring out your passion and harness it. The result being you will have increased your outlook on life with the benefit being a stronger positive attitude.
• Start a Gratitude Journal. I write in mine every day. I give thanks to all the wonderful things in my life including the names of wonderful and uplifting people I meet every day. You will be amazed at what you already have. Stop. Catch your breath. Think about all the good things in your life. Write them down on purpose. I suggest you not focus on the hole in the donut but focus on the chocolate glaze. Yum.
• Spend time with and hang out with positive minded people. They are out there. Lots of them. I suggest to you they have problems in their lives they are trying to overcome as well. The difference is their outlook. Things are good now and life will only get better. Positive minded people embrace this outlook and they are doing something about it.

It is extremely important that you be conscious of your thoughts. Turn back the negative thoughts as soon as they appear. Just plain nuke them. The sun shines on a rainy day. It's just out of view. You know it will come back tomorrow. You should also know that your likely going to get wet when your chasing rainbows. You'll dry off. I will close with sharing with you with my personal purpose. I hope this helps you, in achieving your new outlook that life is grand and full of abundance.

My personal purpose is to be a role model of giving, love, wisdom, credibility, personal satisfaction, learning, happiness and joy that will inspire my family, friends, customers and associates.

Overcoming Obstacles Is The Key To Your Success

I spent some time early this morning doing some reading of inspirational quotes. Not so much as to get me pumped up but to provide me with fresh ideas to write for my readers. We all see Facebook Friends who post daily quotes of what others have said in an attempt to inspire others. What they have not said is one word why they have put this quote forward or why they believe the quote to be relevant. I usually just hit unsubscribe for these Facebook friends who push out these daily quotes. I see it as a shallow attempt to increase their Google rankings or to suggest they have wisdom because they posted an inspiring quote. Wisdom is earned. Yes we want to inspire others. It is however through ones life experiences and research that we gain wisdom.

The quote that grabbed me the most this morning was that of Henry Ford. "Obstacles are those frightful things we see when you take your eyes off the goal." This quote however is not as harsh as one of Abraham Lincoln's quotes, "Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm". The two quotes are similar but to what extreme do we endure pain and failure to reach our goals? I believe what we learn from these quotes is there will be obstacles. It's the preparation and mental toughness of how you deal with these obstacles that will determine your success. Life is not anywhere close to pick door number one and it's smooth sailing from here.

You know there will be road blocks. You know there will be failures.

• By simply accepting that road blocks and obstacles will appear is the first step.
• Through preparation and your willingness to learning how to deal with obstacles is the second step.
• The third and most important step is understanding that these obstacles and road blocks are a way to validate that your goal passes the test. If not, than your goal needs changes. This is the difference between a very attainable and a stretch goal.

I personally believe we have to live life in the big picture. That being said, life is full of details we must attend to. It's by doing the little things right that we get to live life in the big picture. The devil is in the details can be viewed this way. If you allow yourself to get mired in the little things you will never be able to expand and see the big picture. The sky is large and for the most part blue for a reason. I believe the term blue sky is for all things possible. The dream. The big picture. I will leave you with my second most favorite quote I read this morning. It's by Cherie Gilderbloom: "The best dreams are the ones we have while we are awake."

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Achieve Greatness Through The Power Of Thought

This past week I read the "Science of Being Great' by Wallace Wattles. It has been an interesting read as it follows the line of his book "The Science Of Getting Rich". Once again the emphasis is on the power of thought. Wattles believes that we must work and focus on greatness but we are not to rush. For if we are shallow and unprepared people will not seek our advise. If we are boastful others will not seek your advise and in fact likely avoid you. Wattles believes and I agree we can become great by reading, understanding life's experiences, thinking and through your actions. Wisdom is in fact earned and gained through experience. No one is born with wisdom. The key is that we are truly judged by our actions. Words are just that. Words unless supported by actions.

The book "The Secret" is perhaps the most widely read book of the past decade. "The Secret" is in fact about the power of attraction. Each chapter in the book is written by experts in the fields of the law of attraction and the power of thought. The books purpose was really to bringing about what you dream about and think about. This all makes perfect sense. For example it is unlikely we do not end up as a doctors if we dreamed or envisioned being a fireman. This I believe is all gained through a thought that became planted in our minds. How good we become at it, is how well we thought it through. That what we visualized in our mind does in fact become reality. Lets call this thought, the seed. From there it grows. However we must fertilize the seed with thoughts of completion. I believe the teachings in "The Secret" to be actual fact. The thoughts that we truly believe will become truths. This can all take place no matter if your rich or poor. The first step toward greatness starts with a clear vision.

A dream is just a dream if you do not act upon it. I believe this to be the most important part that many of the authors left out of "the Secret". It is critical to your success that you remove all doubt that it can be achieved. For if you doubt your thoughts, you are not committed to achieve it. You must fill your mind with positive thought. Thoughts that will carry your dreams and aspirations to reality. Greatness does not fall out of the sky. The eureka moment will appear because you brought that action toward you. The eureka moment is really a crystallization of what you believed would happen. The eureka moment becomes the proof that you can bring about, what you think about. This is also the title of a great book written by Eddie Lemoine. " Bring About What You Think About"

This thought process can be hard to grasp when your stuck in the dreaming stage. You must narrow down your thoughts to small details. Dreams are really what we wish for. A wish is just that. A wish. The last time I looked, The Silver Bullet was a beer commercial. There is now fast and easy way to achieve greatness just like there is no Silver Bullet. Success in becoming great comes after you take the thought from your mind into acting it out in real life. From the Morning and Evening Thoughts of James Allen's book "As a Man thinketh". "Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. A person becomes calm in the measure that they understand ones self as a though evolved being."

To become great you must believe you are in fact, great. This is accomplished from starting with a positive attitude. However, it is from deep thought and a true belief that you will achieve greatness that you will in fact, achieve greatness.

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Personal Growth Is Key In Building Your Success

Most people get up in the morning and work on improving their position at work or on their companies. It is only natural that we get caught up in what has to be done to move a project forward. Activities I call working in your business instead of on your business. These activities have you working in your job and not on your job. Activities that are task related and will keep you in a worker bee mode. Who really has time to do more?

We as humans also need to work on what makes us efficient and happy. I can not over emphasize how important it is to do a personal check-in on a regular basis. When you do not book or scheduling ME TIME you can soon lose track of your dreams and goals. When you are submerged in task related activities you lose the ability to look around the corner. Successful business people often employ personal coaches. They know the importance of personal performance. You may think successful leaders are already at their pinnacle, but intelligent leaders know they need to be constantly improving. When you are the front-runner and innovator you set the standard for all others to follow. When you set the standard it is not about price. Your competitors and followers will have to compare themselves to you to market their products.

In one of my favorite books "The Science Of Getting Rich", Wallace Wattles the author insists that to become truly rich you must live life on the creative plane and not the competitive plane. For if you earned it on the competitive plane you can also lose it on the competitive plane. When you create you have the opportunity to improve the life of others without the haggle of price. Wattles expresses the importance that the purchaser's life has been enhanced by more than the price of the product or service you sold them.

The importance of personal growth will do the following things for your life.

• Personal growth will create an ability for you to be unique. You are creating the opportunity to stand out. If you walk and talk like the rest of the world you will have to earn your way in what I call "Hand To Hand Combat". That is the competitive plane. Your life will ebb and flow as does the market you do business in.
• When you take the time to make yourself better you will start to work smarter. Yes the early bird gets the worm. Be cautious not to be just doing just more of what you are doing for burnout will soon follow.
• Through personal growth you will get to know your strengths and weaknesses. You can improve on the weaknesses you have or find someone to work with who has strengths in that area.
• When you take the time to study and improve on yourself you will become a thinker. When we think, we are creating opportunities that become indelible on your mind. Opportunities that will set you apart from the field.

When you take the time to work on you, the picture becomes clear. You now have in your mind the way to move forward in a positive manner. Those thoughts of second guessing your decisions will vanish. You will create a confidence in yourself that will be visible by all you interact with. When you express yourself in that manner it removes question of your knowledge and capabilities. Things will begin to flow your way. Invest the time to make yourself better. By doing so you will be in control of your life instead of life being in control of you. Book an appointment with yourself today. You will be thankful you did.

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Finding Success - How to Conquer Fear of Failure

Overcoming the fear of failure is one of the toughest things we will have to do in life. It will come in many forms and at different times. It's the biggest cause of call reluctance with sales people and the biggest obstacle in employee performance. What if they say no? What if I mess up? What will my friends think of me if I screw up?

Lets be honest. We all want to succeed. We all want the admiration of our colleagues and our friends. However this validation and admiration we desire must be earned. There is no silver bullet. It's easier for some than others but everyone must at some point push through what they do not want to do. If it was easy we would all be doing it. There is no single recipe for success.

I was fortunate to learn about dealing with failure at an early age. Failure to me was not winning. It was not until later in life that I came to understand that being around the top was good too. Having been a competitive ski racer and sailor I was motivated by winning. I learned that when we went to the results board at the end of the day every one looked to see where they placed. The second place you looked was to see who won. No one looked at who was at the bottom first, or in fact at all. Headlines on the sports page of the news paper don't read. "John Doe Came in Last." If you were on the bottom, odds are you were the only one who noticed. Yes it hurts but there is only one way to move up the leader board. That's through hard work, practice and persistence.

I will pass along these few steps that should help you get past the fear of failure. 

• The first part of getting past the fear of what will happen if the potential customer says no. Well it's part of the job. Everybody does not say yes. It's about the product or service you are selling or promoting and not about you. Can you increase your performance with practice and good coaching. Yes. Simply put. Get it in your head that what is happening to you happens to everyone. Others don't share or broadcast their losses either. They learn from them.
• What will happen if we didn't quite get it right at work. Well, if we have a nurturing and mentoring boss they will likely help you though what has happened. Lets remember that their success is somewhat tied to yours. The key here is to ask for help. Asking for help is a sign of strength and not of weakness. Express to them that you want to be better. Who in their right mind is going to say no?
• If you are unable to get to the space of having self-confidence I suggest you find a coach who will help you get there. I have used a coach numerous times in my life. Many of my readers know I have a had a few hits in my life. I got through them all and some times I needed help. There is no sin in that. They helped make me stronger.

Take action now to get past these feelings of fear. Anxiety can do all kings of crazy things with your mind. To move forward in achieving your goals you need to have a clear mind. Focus is not a buzz word. It is for real. You can only reach for what is clear in your mind. What happens in the process of getting there is just that. A process. Don't beat yourself up. You have what it takes. Being your own biggest cheerleader is a good place to start.

Becoming Successful in Life - The Importance of Listening

Before you say, "come on Paul. I know the importance of listening. I suggest you stop and really take notice of the time you're talking instead of listening. I can tell you from experience as a sales leader and manager, the best sales people are listeners. They listen for the clues and what we call buying signals. The same can be said in life outside of sales.

It takes more than being a good listener to be successful. It's very important you ask the right questions. One of my favorite sayings is. "Answers rarely appear on their own. Answers only come after you have asked a question". One tip I use when I ask questions is to wait until the individual has finished what they were saying and count to three. This will seem like an eternity but you will get better at it with time. The purpose for this is, the individual spoke about what first came to their mind. It is after this dead air that the individual will come out with more information after they had a chance to think about it deeper. This is when the real good stuff comes out. We provided them with the courtesy to finish their thought. When we listen we project trust. When there is trust, they will tell us more.

How many times in your life have you heard someone say. I can never remember names. I believe the issue is that these people are not listening. What is taking place is they are thinking about what they are going to say next. Well guess what! When your thinking about what you will say next, your not listening effectively. If you start to listen intently you will remember their name. If you listen intently you project that you really care what they have to say. If you listen intently they will tell you more than they would otherwise have said.

What does all this have to do with being successful you ask? When we are talking we are expressing what we already know. When we are listening we have the opportunity to gain knowledge. Knowledge is power. Knowledge helps us with making sound decisions in life and business.

In my opinion there are four ways to gain knowledge.

1. To be an apprentice and gain experience working beside a master.
2. Go to school. Guess what happens in school? 80 to 90 percent of the time is spent listening.
3. Read about things that will expand our knowledge and provide you with expertise. Because you want to!!
4. Listen intently from those who have knowledge and most importantly take notes when you have a chance following the conversation. Writing helps us to retain what we have heard. Think of the things we have written on napkins during a lunch meeting. Do you get my point?

In many of my recent articles I have been writing about maintaining a positive attitude. To have a positive attitude you need to be conscious of your thoughts. The same applies to listening. Slow it down and be conscious of the questions you ask and how you listen. You will find it amazing what you will learn. To be successful in life you need to be forever learning and expanding your knowledge. Being thirsty for knowledge will water the seeds of success.

3 Tips for Sharing Your Positive Energy With Others

This week has been an extra special positive attitude week for me. Every where I went people were saying, "Paul you always have a positive attitude." So why has this come to be so obvious to those I meet. This past weekend I bumped into an old school friend I had not seen in possibly 20 years. He asked me how things were going. I told him that, "I am a very fortunate man and that good things always seem to come my way". He responded, "Paul I have known you for over 40 years and you have always had a positive attitude." So why do I have this attitude and why do I project this frame of mind? It starts with I truly believe I am fortunate.

I also believe that the last thing people want to hear is people whining about how life is just the pits. This is like traveling around without deodorant on. It smells. It repels people. Spreading doom and gloom is the worst possible way to bring attention to yourself. Misery loves company is just a bunch of bunk. Even your attempts at seeking pity will drive people away. Forget the cup is half full and the cup is half empty story. People want to deal with and hang out with positive minded winners. Keep in mind you can't fluff this. It has to come from your gut.

I feel these 3 tips will get you started toward sharing your positive energy with others.

1. Speak to your victories and the success you are having. Feel good about telling people how much fun you are having growing your business or the success you are having at work. The key thing is not to make it sound like your bragging. A simple smile and saying " I love the way it is all coming together." Now that's quiet confidence.
2. Be openly thankful of the opportunity you have to do what you are doing and the people you work with that make all this possible. I believe the collective carries so much more than it's all about me. Never under estimate the power of "we".
3. Smile, smile, smile. Damn, I have goofy caps on my front teeth and I still love to smile. I have had these darn things for over 40 years and they are part of who I am. You have front teeth like those and your still smiling. Things must be really good. All kidding aside. I say this to make a point. Smiles are like laughter. They are infectious.

Make it a point of going to bed happy and content. Odds are you will wake up happy. Before you put your feet on the floor, tell yourself this is going to be an amazing day. Embrace the opportunities the day ahead will bring you. The world is a land of abundance and opportunity. A positive attitude is like a magnet. The energy it produces will bring good things toward you. I'm living proof.

Positive Attitude Leads To Clear Thinking And Visible Results

Clearing ones mind of all the clutter is a task onto itself. It seems that we are faced with decisions in everything we do. When we are unhappy or stressed the decisions become even tougher as we fear we will make the wrong decision. I believe that we must shake off the fear of making the wrong decision. Most of the decisions we make in our daily lives are not life altering. In fact we spend much of our lives worrying about things that will never happen. I ask, how unproductive is that? Imagine what would happen to our lives if we shifted from all those thoughts of failure and self-doubt to thoughts of success and happiness. So lets break this down into three steps.

Obtain a Positive Attitude.

The world of limiting beliefs can be said in one word. Defeat. Obtaining a positive attitude will involve your being conscious of your thoughts. Concentrate on things that bring you happiness. You have to convince yourself that you have what it takes. Think about the joy of achieving your goal or project that you are working on. Start to use the language of success. Words like, achieve,accomplish,win and move forward to name a few. Your self-confidence will become more prevalent with a positive attitude. Take a hard look at what you are good at. I expect there is little self-doubt there. Now, take a look at what you are not so go at and transfer that self-confidence into that space.

Concentrate on Clear Thinking

You will need to push back negative thoughts when they appear. These negative thoughts will put your mind in a place of worrying about the worst outcome. Generally in life, what we thing about, comes about. If we are going to have a self-fulfilling prophecy it best be about success. You must look at everything you do as having a good outcome. Otherwise it's not worth doing. I will use this analogy to simplify the point. Lets say you are single and looking for a mate. Do you make a list of all the things you do not want in a person or a list of all the good this you want in a person? Exactly. You focus and look for the good qualities. I also suggest you take a tip from NLP and look to the upper left when you are thinking. This is where you should look when you are thinking about the future. This is the part of your brain that is stimulated when you are in the thinking process. Looking down and to the right produces negative thoughts. Don't believe me? Try and smile while looking down and to the right. Closer to a frown isn't it? Up and to the left will get you in the positive attitude zone.

Picture Visible Results

So now is the time to look at yourself having achieved your goal or intention. Picture the smile on your face with the sense of accomplishment. I bet your smiling now just reading this. I am smiling just writing it. It's infectious. I find what works for me is that I write down how I will feel once I have achieved the desired result. If you can get to this frame of mind you are already halfway there.

This is not all bunk. Yes there are some people who have this natural ability as they seem to always get it right. Most of us have to work at being positive. Yes, I used the term "us". The only way we can achieve this positive frame of mind is being conscious of our thoughts. If we are conscious of our thoughts we can control what we think. Once we have achieved the ability to fill our minds with positive images the results will be amazing.

Ways to Get Your Life Back on Track Using Positive Thinking

Getting back on track after a setback can be an emotional roller coaster. One can seem to be surrounded by negative feelings that just won't let go. It's not as easy as turning a light switch on and off. We struggle to suppress these past events that cause us to over analyze what went wrong. Knowing what went wrong is important but focusing on it just delays our ability to get back to a positive frame of mind. Staying positive consumes allot of energy. Keeping our mind fueled with positive thoughts is a good thing. So how do we move on and regain a positive frame of mind.

I can tell you from personal experience it's hard work. Being an ADHD has made it even tougher on me as ADHD's become so emotionally involved in what they do. It's tough for us to say. "It's just business" or "that's just the way it is". For those of us who have this disorder we often look for new and exciting things to pull us away and bring us pleasure. This technique is often used at the expense of not seeing through what we were previously engaged in. It's a double edge sword. I am certain you too have had events in your life that just seem to grab hold and not let go. Here are some ideas that have helped me to move on to new and happier times.

• Planning is the first step and this will help put your mind into the future. It may start as a thought or dream but that's OK. Dreams can and often do become reality. Oh yes. Remember to write it down.
• Put behind you what is holding you back. If it has effected other people, call them and explain how you feel. Say your sorry. Let them know you are anxious to move on. Thank them for their understanding. For heavens sake don't make the same mistake again.
• Find a friend or a coach who you can talk this through with. Accept the help of others. Going it alone is what we call in Canada, "Skating On Thin Ice".
• Read something up lifting. As goofy as it sounds it really does work.
• Play some music that makes you feel good. Good mood and positive attitude are room mates.
• Get some exercise. Exercise actually gives you more energy. It will also help clear the mind.
• Schedule some time in your diary for you. This will enable you to work on your plan. One of the worst things that can happen as you begin to feel better and as the stress lessens, you stop moving forward with your new plan.

Positive thinking is often associated with optimism. I feel they are closely related. Optimism is fantastic if we connect it with sound reasoning. Staying positive needs some reinforcement cementing that we are heading in the right direction. An accountability partner or coach will keep you on track. I believe the above tips will help bring some clarity and purpose to your pursuit of success. Do it for yourself. Your worth it.

Overcoming Defeat - The Best Revenge Is Success

Overcoming defeat is one of the toughest things we will ever have to do in life. I have been whipped out financially twice in my life and I believe there is only one option. Get up. Dust yourself off and get on with it. But it's not easy. The only revenge you should be looking for is to prove to yourself and the world that you have what it takes to be successful.

We have to deal with the embarrassment of the loss. We have to deal with the feelings of limiting beliefs that creep back into our lives. There are often financial implications that impact others. These affected people are usually family members. Times like these are when our self-esteem is at the lowest.

We can not sit back and blame others for our problem. Nothing can be gained by this. We created it and we need to take some ownership for our actions. Yes, we all have runs of back luck but we also put ourselves in the position to be at risk. Often we hear of the risk reward scenario. The bigger the risk, the bigger reward. The financially successful people in life are good at managing risk. They work hard at getting to a point where they only risk what they can afford to loose. We all know it does not start out that way.

So how can we get on with life and re-establish ourselves. How can we find a way we can move forward? The following tips worked for me are what I believe to be a good place to start.

• Take ownership for what has happened. This will help bring closure and you will be able to focus on a new opportunity.
• Take the time to understand why you failed to insure you do not make the same mistakes.
• You will obviously need the help of others at a time of loss. Often these people will appear out of nowhere and offer to help. Accept this help. The fastest way out of the hole is with the help of others. I strongly suggest you do not look at this as charity. These people have come to help because they care about you. They feel and understand your grief.
• Find a mentor and or a coach. They will help bring clarity. It's very possible they have gone through what you are going through too. They will help you see there is a life after a defeat in business or you have lost a job.
• Have a long meaningful conversation with your spouse or partner. Make sure you listen. It's not always about you. They to are feeling your pain. They to have a stake in your future success.

I can tell you from experience that we are tougher than you think. I have been called a survivor many times. It's not a term that I find enduring. However, we must look at it as a complement to our personal metal. We have what it takes. There will always be obstacles in life. Having the ability to deal with them and move on is a key component in success. The other trait is persistence. Never give up. The best revenge after defeat is in fact, your future success.

Success in Life Starts With Knowing What You Want

Success is so many different things to many of us. It may be material things, money or a relationship that brings us love. The perseverance toward obtaining these things is what separates the dreamers from the realists. Success is commonly found in those who make their dreams reality. But how do you find out what it is you want?
We often hear people use the word vision. Simply put it means that you can clearly see where you are going. Exceptional people are often referred to as visionary. But what does that really mean? I believe visionary people are able to bring new yet unseen pictures and ideas to reality. Less visionary people can do this to, but at a level we already know exists. We often hear of people using vision boards with pictures of their favorite car, their dream house or favorite vacation spot on the vision board. You can use these pictures as subtle reminders that help us stay on track. Many of these pictures have come from our dreams and goals. They can be transferred loves of things from our parents. We should also make sure they are what make us happy too. I caution that chasing other peoples dreams can lead to heartbreak.
The most important part is to understand that we gravitate to what makes us happy. You must and you have to put yourself first. That does not mean you have to give up your love of others and become singular. I suggest you look at it this way. Don't you want your wife or children to be happy? Of course you do. I suggest to you they want the same for you.
The following six tips will get you started in obtaining a clear picture of what it is you want and where you want to be.

1. Write down all the things that make you happy.
2. Make sure it is what makes you happy and not what someone else wants for you.(ownership)
3. Take it the next step and write down why they these things make you happy. (validation)
4. List these make me happy priorities in the order of importance.
5. Write down your action plan that you are going to use toward achieving these things that make you happy.
6. Share these affirmations with your mentor or accountability partner.

Your Success is just outside your comfort zone.
Staying on track is not always easy. Your success rate jumps when you have to report to someone what you have done this week toward achieving our goal. As simple and goofy as it may feel, I truly believe you will not find success if you do not write down what it is you want. If you can not get to that level of commitment right out of the starting gate you will continue to struggle in finding success.
Not all of us have a "Eureka" moment that defines what it is we want in life. What matters changes as we grow older. The need to impress others also diminishes as we grow older. We gravitate toward what makes us happy. Knowing these things earlier in life helps us find success sooner.

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To Be Successful, You Have to Believe in Yourself

How do you find self-esteem after so many sets backs to your success. We just have to keep in mind that if it was easy the bar would be lower. If it was easy one would just say Ya, what now? I have discovered dealing with setbacks and self-esteem is a very real issue with many of my readers. My published articles with the highest reads are related to dealing with set backs. How do I maintain the belief, I can do it? I believe it boils down to the level of commitment toward your success. So many people try to go it alone as they are afraid to share their inner thoughts. They dread those words from friends. "I don't believe in the self-improvement stuff" so we internalize our thoughts and emotions. Our thoughts become clouded when we do not have a clear vision. Self doubt keeps creeping back in.

Tony Robbins is probably the best known self-esteem author and motivator on the planet. He is perhaps the best in pumping up your belief system in yourself. Those two o'clock in the morning infomercials your watching because you can't sleep. So you purchase the program. What you have not been told is that over 95 percent of those sales sit on the shelf gathering dust after just one week. That's not Tony's fault. It's yours. Becoming successful is about taking action. He is widely celebrated because his system works if you take action. It just leads to my believe there is not a silver bullet for success. I must confess I have not taken Tony Robbins program as I am fortunate enough to be self motivated. That is not to say I have not had my challenges. I believe to really make a change we have to understand our emotions and why we made decisions in the past we later regretted. But we learn from our mistakes so we need to be thankful for them and not regret them. Just make sure you don't keep making the same mistake.

Chapter Five in Jack Canfield's book " The Success Principals " is titled " Believe In Yourself". This chapter is broken down into six sub-chapters. If your struggling with believing in yourself, you should embrace these statements.

1. Believing In Yourself Is An Attitude
2. The Choice Of What You Believe Is Up To You
3. Don't Waste Your Time Believing You Can't
4. It's All About Attitude
5. Don't Assume You Need A College Degree
6. What Others Think About You Is None Of Your Business ( My Favorite )

Going at it alone is tough. Perhaps you need a coach. If you can't afford a coach do some homework and find a program or a book that can help you make those first steps. Find a mentor. For the most part the internet is free. You will find something that will motivate you. You already know I am very high on Jack Canfield. He is a big proponent of writing it down. It helps build your level of commitment. I write almost every day. It helps me stay grounded and focused.

If your not prepared to make that first step your chances of success are poor at best. As Robert Allen said. " Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone." Believing in yourself puts you in the zone all the time. All the talent in the word is useless if we don't believe in ourselves. I leave you with this statement from one of the brightest minds the human race has ever know. " Imagination Is Everything. It's the preview of life's coming attractions" Albert Einstein.

How to Have a Positive Attitude in a Negative Situation

Imagine you have taken a hit and things are bearing down on you. You just want to go and crawl in a hole and wait for all this to blow over. But are you doing the right thing by hiding away? I for one say no. I personally feel you should and must deal with these negative things that knock you off balance as soon as possible. Taking this positive attitude accomplishes several things.

1. First is that you can deal with it and remove as much of the pain as possible so you can regain a clear mind.
2. There will usually be a take away or learning experience from this negative situation.
3. Dealing with tough decisions or setbacks can build mental toughness that can help us in the future.
4. It can teach us to only worry about things that we have control over.

I like to put the emphasis on not worrying about things we have no control over. Lets imagine that you are on a connecting flight and the first flight is late which causes you to miss the next flight. This can be a very upsetting experience as many of you know. I suggest you stop and think about it this way. You had no control over this situation you are in. What you do have is control over are your emotions and how you will deal with the situation. So do you sit and grumble or do you start to plan what you will do with this extra time you now have on your hands. Yes. New found time that you can use to prepare for that next meeting. Time to sit quietly and read a book. You may possibly meet a wonderful person with whom you have an engaging conversation. I like to simplify things and suggest you consider it this way. When you booked the flight you knew the risk of having a tight connection. So when it happens, don't act as if you have been blindsided.

I ask what comes to mind when you hear the term unflappable. Do you think of mental toughness. Self control. Come to think about it, we tend to admire people for having this ability. This ability is easier to come by than we think. It all starts with having a positive attitude. People with positive attitudes don't always have their heads in the clouds. They possess a can do attitude. They have an ability to embrace a change of plan. Positive thinkers can some times lift the mood in a room. Do you think that motivational speakers have a positive attitude. You bet. That's why we pay to see them. We want to be motivated. They inspire us.

Life does not always go according to plan. I suggest to you, life would be terribly boring if this was the case. But we have to have a plan. Having the ability to make the adjustments to your plan with the right mindset is what will set you apart from the crowd. Unflappable. A mouth full of syllables that spells confidence. To get to this mental space we must first have a positive attitude.

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Success Tips To Help You Get Past Limiting Beliefs

Limiting beliefs are one of the biggest stumbling blocks on the road to success. How can we ever achieve something when we believe down inside we can not achieve it? I believe these limiting beliefs are caused by previous failures or conditioned beliefs that we obtained from our parents. What ever happened to those days when we were children exploring every nook and cranny of the house. We have heard the word No, for years and years. No, don't do that. No, don't open that. Don't eat that. No is not a nurturing word. No is black and white. What do you suppose happens when a nurturing parent finds alternatives to No and adds to the scene a new stimulus? We obtain a possibilities mind set. Oh, what's this? Limiting beliefs eventually lead us toward procrastination. The number one enemy to achieving success. So how do we get past these limiting beliefs that hold us back from obtaining success.

1. With out question being conscious of our thoughts is the first step. When we say in our minds I can't do that. We have to ask ourselves. Why do I feel this way? There has to be some pain involved in this thought. What is the pain. What is the emotion that makes you say no. Don't. You will fail. Bring the opposite to mind. Yes I can do that.
2. We need to expand our comfort zone. This can be accomplished by trying to do new things you would otherwise never do. Take the attitude of, you know what? I am going to do this today. Break some new ground.
3. Read books about limiting beliefs and how to get past them. There are many great books that talk about this in detail. Jack Canfield's " The Success Principals". Dr. Susan Jeffers " Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway". Eddie Lemoine's " Bring About What You Think About" If you are conscious of it, you can change those thoughts of limiting belief to thoughts of success.
4. Find a mentor if you do not already have one. Many of the worlds successful people just didn't wake up one day successful. They worked at it like you are now. You would be amazed how easy it is to ask your mentor for a few minutes of their time so you can improve yourself. The mentor will feel great because you have valued their opinion enough to ask for some guidance. They also are likely impressed that you are actively trying to improve yourself.
5. Enroll is a course that will increase your skills in the area you want to succeed. Education is a powerful tool. It will give you the confidence knowing you have prepared yourself for success. Reinforcement that others have done this before you is all inspiring.
6. Get motivated. There is no better medicine that getting inspired. Look for motivational speakers who may be coming to your area and purchase the ticket right now. Remove any chance of changing your mind later. Many of these motivational speakers are also business and life coaches.

Most importantly, understanding we can obtain our dreams and goals if our mind is in the right place. Things that have happened to us in the past condition us to become risk averse. Often we do not realize that we may have done much of what is required to succeed. We were just missing one piece of the puzzle. Just think of that little train that could. " I think I can. I think I can. I know I can".

Success Tips - Finishing the Projects You Start

To finish what you start is not as easy one might think. Especially for an ADD like me. Success in your employment or business is very tied to completion of the projects that improve your companies effectiveness. How many times have you heard "give it to Bob or Susan. They will get the job done". Do you suppose Bob and Susan will be the ones who get the promotions and raises faster? Do you suppose Bob and Susan are the "Fast Trackers"? Of course they are. Most jobs have annual reviews to measure your performance and outcomes. Included in those outcomes are goals of the company and goals related to your position with the company. When you think about it we also have the dreaded to do list at home. Fix this, repair that. The list goes on and on. It seems endless. There are numerous reasons we don't get these tasks or projects finished.

1. They are not your goals or intentions.(the honey do list)
2. They relate to change and change can be difficult.
3. It's not fun.
4. You lose interest.
5. There is not enough money to complete the project.
6. Procrastination.

I saved the best one for last mainly because procrastination is a result of some or all the excuses. Yes. Excuses is what they are. I expect if you looked hard enough at the list above you could find more reasons not to get the job done. My objective of this article is to help you get past the reasons for not getting the job done to getting the job done.

There are things one must do to insure success in finishing these projects. This can be difficult because one tends to do the easy goals tasks or goals first and save the tough ones for last. The problem with this approach is there will always more easy ones come along so the tough ones never get finished. If you want to dive deeper into this topic I suggest you read my Article on "Achieve Success by Turning The Daily Have To Things Into the Chose To Things". Remember there is no single recipe for success. If there was one we would have all bought the book. You have to have a plan. You have to have a system. Once that system is in place it becomes habit forming. Now there is a great idea. Here is what I found works best for me.

1. Write down your project/goals.
2. Priortise your projects/goals.(don't put the tough ones at the bottom of the list)
3. Break down the tough ones in to manageable stages (little victories)
4. Write down the importance of finishing the project/goal.
5. Write down how you will feel once you complete the goal or project.
6. Be careful not to accept handed down or transferred projects or goals. (you need ownership)
7. Find an accountability partner who will help keep you on track.

Before you do the oh give me a break! Write all this stuff down! I ask you just stop and think for a moment. Is what I am doing now working? Why should you expect different results if you keep doing things the same old way? Pull out the pen and pad and get at it. Take the dog for a walk after you have done something for yourself. This is one area of your life you need to be selfish. Your family and your employer will thank you for becoming a go to person. Just remember Covey's Second Habit. " Begin With The End In Mind"