ARE YOU READY FOR A CHANGE


ARE YOU REALLY READY TO CHANGE WHAT'S GOING ON IN
YOUR LIFE. SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY WANT TO CHANGE BUT
ACTUALLY LIKE WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH OR LIKE TO TALK
ABOUT IT EVERY SINGLE DAY. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT
YOU BRING INTO YOUR LIKE. IF YOU SAY I AM SICK,
YOU'LL BE SICK, IF YOU SAY I AM BROKE , YOU'LL BE BROKE,
SO STOP FOCUSING ON WHAT'S GOING WRONG IN YOUR LIFE
AND START LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING RIGHT FOR A CHANGE.
CHANGE THE THINGS YOU CAN ACCEPT THE THING YOU CAN'T.
YOU WANT A CHANGE SAY EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT EVERYDAY
WHEN YOU AWAKE SAY; I AM HEALTHY, WEALTHY, WISE, AND
GOOD LOOKING CAUSE YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO FEEL GOOD
ABOUT YOURSELF AND LAUGH CAUSE IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR
SOUL.
HONEYM8

The New Sun Newspaper

How I Feel

I have been asked, "How are you feeling?" a lot since I have Fribromyalga. I have three answers: good, great and wonderful!

Here is how I decipher it: Good means thinking about changing the sheets. Great means making the bed and Wonderful means moving the room around.

Good means dreaming about taking a walk, Great means planning a trip and Wonderful means going on a trip.

Good means, "What is for dinner?"
Great means making dinner.
Wonderful means going out for dinner.

One of the lessons in life that I have learned is you affect those around you. If you tell them a sad tale, they go away feeling sorry for you. If you tell them a happy story, they leave smiling. Now, don't get me wrong, family and friends really care about how I am. I try to tell them only when I feel they need to know and I need help. But otherwise, I give out a positive attitude and hope for one in return.

For years I took care of my mother. She took to her bed for over eight years by giving up and deciding never to get out. I met her every need for 12 years. But every time I left her room, I would say to myself, "What is going on in her head that she prefers to eat, sleep and live in bed?" She had been told many times from her doctors she could get up and walk. I was her cheerleader and supporter. I told her she could do it; she didn't want to. She preferred to stay there.

The lesson she taught my family is NEVER give up. Life is waiting to happen. Whatever happens, you will be able to face it and turn it around in your favor. You do affect the people around you; you can make a smile or heartbreak. You can make friends go home and start to feel better themselves. You can teach them to get on with their lives by blooming where they are planted. You can show your family that failures and mistakes are stepping stones, not a boulder on their shoulder. You can turn sadness into to soaring sprits.

The way to do this is to get out of bed, get in the sun and realize that you are a growing plant in the garden of life. Your special look is adding to the Glory of the Garden. We are all beautiful and give, to all that see us, hope. Hope to achieve and succeed.

By the way, I feel wonderful.

by Carolee Kaufold

http://www.newsun.com/carolee.html

Laugh and the Work World Laughs With You
by Craig Harrison

Many of today's work environments are rife with moody bosses and co-workers, repetitive tasks and unpredictable market pressures. Stress abounds. Managers often tell me they can’t afford the time or cost for my humor workshops; how can they afford not to address workplace stress.

We know clinically that laughter and play have medicinal qualities, offering physical, psychological and physiological benefits as well. In the workplace, humor and fun can increase productivity, encourage creativity, enhance team building, and thus improve esprit de corps.

While we may not be able to control everything that happens to us in our jobs and work environments, we do have control over how we choose to react. I coach others how to create an environment which is safe and friendly, and use humor to help maintain a healthy balance between the pressure and seriousness which comes from high stakes jobs and a competitive marketplace. Remember that humor starts from within. Being able to laugh at your own foibles goes a long way toward creating a healthy work climate in which to flourish.

The following are activities and strategies for you as individuals, workgroups and managers. Be creative and use these ideas to stimulate your own remedies to workplace stress.

- Adorn your work area with cartoons, headlines or funny photos which bring a smile to your face and visiting co-workers'. Whether you're surrounded by your favorite Pez dispensers childhood, or wry cartoons that speak to your tastes, let your work area comfort and humor you while taking some of the edge off the standard office decor.

- Tap a co-worker to be your humor-partner. Bring a daily joke to share. Commiserate about funny workplace events. Keep each other buoyed with good cheer. When the chips are down your humor partner can chip away at your depression, and vice versa.

- Don't think cubicles limit your humor options. I've seen shower curtains, umbrellas and other devices used effectively to set a light or semi-serious tone. For some, creativity flourishes behind their cubicle's shower curtain. People tampering with your work area? Don't get angry…protect it with yellow "Crime Scene" tape!

- Subscribe to a humor website to be e-mailed a free daily or weekly humorous story, joke and anecdote. Sites such as www.netfunny.com/rhf/ or www.oraclehumor.com/ are two examples.

Are You Laughin' At Me? One manager, known for his moodiness, acknowledged it with a "Mood-O-Meter" outside his door. Both he and his employees took turns forecasting his mood: from fire-breathing to variable clouds to periodic eruptions…proceed at your own risk. Don't underestimate the power of self-effacing humor for making yourself more accessible and liked.

Room for Laughter. Some companies designate a room, work area or corner of their office as a romper room, where frolicking and silliness is allowed. Whether yours has a punching bag, games, a dartboard or foosball, it's a room for letting off steam and taking a break from the grind.

Whine Not. Everyone loathes whiners yet we all need to blow off steam periodically. One group of creative trainers and their manager decreed Thursdays to be effective whining days. They self-policed themselves the rest of the week, making sure not to whine. Yet even their Thursday gripes had a departmental sanction and somehow seemed healthier. After all, they belly ached together. A ripple effect actually improved the morale of departments adjacent to theirs!

Meting Out Humor. Many professionals approach meetings with trepidation. A dash of humor can make a difference. For regular meetings earmark one or two minutes each meeting for a humorous interlude. In one workgroup a "humor hand" rotates from meeting to meeting. Employees take turns setting a lighter tone to the meeting, insuring everybody is engaged. An anecdote, verbal or physical activity focuses the group on the task at hand and brings colleagues together in a spirit of fun.

When not to use Humor. Not all humor is good humor. Humor that hurts, ostracizes or is cruel will have a detrimental effect on others and you. Strive for humor that is inclusive, creative and captures our human essence. By now you know that sexist, racist, ageist jokes and crude humor are not only inappropriate, but can lead to sanctions, termination or even lawsuits. Be sensitive when telling jokes involving terminations, reductions in force (RIFs) and personal tragedies. Their hurt can linger long after the fact. . When in doubt…leave it out!

Appropriate humor can make hard tasks easier, collaborations fun and certainly make workdays go faster. Laugh, and the work world laughs with you!

What Do You Make Of Life..

Copyright from http://robertmnd.blogspot.com/

What do we as humans think of life... Do we take it for granted that we will, despite all the hardship, war, hunger and disease that goes hand in hand with us that we will survive and live to a ripe old age. Do we learn as we grow up that out of all that plagues humanity there is an eagerness, a desire to fight back, among some of us, and that this desire, this striving for a good life, a life free of all the above is to be had at some cost.
The cost comes not in wealth but the lost of will-power, health, dignity and the ability to have what is rightfully yours/ours.......LIFE.
We all love life in many ways and with me it is now the right to be looked at as a person who still has all his faculties, still able to hold a conversation and not looked on as someone, who being in a wheelchair is a wee bit gar-gar. Not so.....Just because I / you, use a wheelchair does not condemn us to a lower standard of living, as a person to avoid in the street or someone to poke fun at.
We are all human and we all have the same basic fundamental right to be individuals, regardless of our sex and age. Who is to say that because I have Motor Neurone Disease I no longer have that right. I DO and so do you. Claim what ever you can out of society and take anything that will make your daily living easier. Enjoy what you can, go out and travel, see the world ( as someone I know of with MND is doing) and know that regardless of the severity of your disease that there is a time and place for all of us in this race that we call Man. Even the simple act of going for a 'walk' in your chair, maybe with your spouse / children or even the family dog can bring to you peace of mind and a breath of fresh air.
It is the fact that you can get out and into this flow of humanity and know, that without any doubt, on your part, that you belong. I BELONG and it is that feeling that will keep me going, knowing as I do that my body is slowly deteriorating, that I will become at some stage house-bound and maybe bed-bound .
But I also know that I am not alone. I have many friends in a like situation and that together we will win, maybe not the fight for life, but the right to be one of the human race and face whatever comes our way with determination and dignity and to be proud of who we are ..

If we have the love of family and friends and their support what more can we ask for in life...

You Know You Can Do It So What Is Stopping You? The Confidence Factor!

By: Stuart Crawford

It is not unusual for clients to ask me a question about information technology that I know I do not have the answer for immediately. My personality is such, however, that I respond by saying that I can find it. This means digging in and supporting an application or setup when I have no idea what to do – that doesn’t stop me, I get the information I need and get the work done.

Too many times, I have run into service technicians in the computer service industry that are afraid or lack the confidence to jump into a project where they have no idea on what to do. They are intimidated by the idea that they are unsure of a product or a configuration or setup—and it stops them. They would much rather stay in their comfort zone. When this happens, your service personnel stop growing, stop developing and they get into a complacency mind set.

When your service technicians enter in to the complacency mind set, it is imperative that as the business owner or manager that you challenge them. Take them out of the day-to-day service rat race. Put them into a new project that they can assist on (it is important that they are in an assisting role and not a leadership role). Or just let them play with new hardware and software in the office. Break the cycle of the familiar so that they begin to reactivate their creativity and problem-solving skills. And you just may discover that they are actually much more talented in a different role within the company.

But if your service technicians do not adapt to the new challenges or simply brush them off—the time has come to set them free. Service personnel that do not accept new challenges or want to adapt to new ways of doing things must be let go. They will no longer promote the growth of your company and, indeed, may actually cause its decline by building a reputation of not being able to solve the client’s technology challenges or recommending the latest solutions that resolve their pain. When you free up this position in your company and fill it with a new person or a hungry service technician looking at moving up the corporate ladder, your company will be far better off to move into sustained growth. Hungry service personal will increase your revenues and service your clients better. They have the ability to see opportunities at the client’s locations that were overlooked or just simply ignored by the guy just punching the clock.

But what do you do with the guy who is talented, and wants to progress however lacks the confidence to take care of new challenges? I have seen it happen where the business development people have a client ready to go for the company and the deal was close to being complete. The only part of the deal left to be done was to have the service personnel supply their input into the sought after application. The technician is one of the company’s best—he has all the parts to dive into almost anything– the only thing this person lacks is self confidence and because of this, the ability to realize that he actually has the talent to get the job done. Yet when the service person is asked about the expectations of work, instead of accepting the challenge of something new, he actually says to the client that he is not comfortable with the work being requested. The deal is lost forever and the business development team gets the reputation of promising what can’t be delivered by your company.

This person may be the most talented technical person in your company. The sharpest tack in the box and the “go to guy” for everyone – so what do you do about the severe lack of confidence? And how do you address the fact that your service personnel just lost a deal (and possibly others you don’t know about) that brings revenue into the company? So what do you do?

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

Simplify Your Life By Saying No

by Myrtis Smith

The average person lives a very cluttered life. We have too much "stuff" in our homes, too many commitments on our calendars, and our kids are involved in too many activities. All of this clutter is weighing us down. Things need to be organized and cleaned, planned and prepped for; its no mystery why people are so stressed.

Even scarier is the fact that we continue to add more. We buy more things that we don't have room to store, we volunteer for more committees, and we let junior find another sport to play.

The ideal solution to this predicament would be to advise you to spend some time clearing space in your life. Take a weekend and declutter your house. Reduce all of your involvement to the 3 things that support your goals the most. And limit your children to 2 activities each. Somehow, I think that advice would fall on deaf ears. Instead I entreat you to simplify your life by refusing to take on any more activities. The word No can be very empowering.

There are 3 ways to say No:

1. No. This is the simplest method. Whenever someone asks you to do something nicely say No. No explanations are needed. No is a complete sentence. This also includes saying No to yourself when you're out shopping and looking to start new projects. You must be consistent.

2. Let me get back with you. This method allows you to put some distance between yourself and the requestor. Often we say Yes to a request because we feel pressure. By offering to get back with the individual at later time, you create some breathing room that makes it easier for you to say No. As a tip, if someone is pressing you for an immediate answer, then it is in your best interest to say No on the spot. If the situation is urgent enough that it requires an immediate answer you may want to avoid getting involved.

3. No, but I can do something else. This option is excellent if you really want to help an individual but you know your time is limited. For example, someone asks you "Can you bring homemade cookies to the picnic on Saturday?" You answer: "No, but I can stop by the bakery and pick up some cookies." See the difference?

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© Copyright 2002 All Rights Reserved Myrtis Smith is a career coach and the founder of Premeditated Life. At Premeditated Life, we have one focus: Your Career. We offer services to support your career goals, whether you are in transition, need help with your job search or want to improve your professional skills. For a FREE Career Assessment email: mailto:coaching@premeditatedlife.com http://www.premeditatedlife.com .......because life doesn't just happen!

Motivation: How to Improve Performance Without Spending a Fortune

By Monty J. Sharp, Certified Comprehensive Coach http://www.workteamcoaching.com

There are several reasons why employees may not always perform at their potential. They may not know WHAT to do. That's a communication problem that requires clarifying expectations and outcomes. They may not know HOW to do it - that's a training problem. Perhaps they simply CAN'T do it. That's a selection problem -- we must be careful to choose the right person for the job.

One reason that may be easily overlooked, however, is that we never give them a reason WHY they're doing it. That's a motivation problem. The "quick fix" is to say, "Do it because I said so," treating the employee like a disobedient child in need of reproof. The better and more permanent fix is motivation.

Much has been written about motivation and whether internal or external motivation works best, or even if you should use motivation as a management tool at all. I'm not jumping into that fray here.

What I am suggesting is that people like to be recognized for their hard work and their contributions to the overall effort of the organization. Everybody likes a "pat on the back" for a job well done. Knowing this, the simple fact is that you will get more of the behavior that you reward. And rewards don't necessarily equal more money. Quite the contrary, most employee satisfaction surveys rank salary relatively low on what employees feel is most important to them. A basic rule in motivating people is -- motivate different people differently.

To do this, you must first discover what people value. Until you get in touch with what people perceive as valuable, you'll never be able to motivate them effectively. Ask employees these questions:

--What do you like most about your job? People tend to perform better at what they like doing -- give them more responsibilities in those areas.

--What do you like least about your job? As their performance improves, give employees less of the stuff they don't like doing.

--What would you like to do in the future? What are their career goals? Help employees achieve their goals.

--Who do you enjoy working with the most? Who are the people we can pair up that will add enjoyment to what they do each day?

By asking these kinds of questions, you will discover how to best assign tasks and responsibilities so that everyone has more of what they like to do and less of what they don't, and you'll learn individual preferences -- how they want to be treated and what best motivates them.

Here are some practical ways to reward and recognize people that won't cost much, if anything, except some time:

When is Negotiating Not Negotiating? 4 Tips for Improved Success
by Bob Selden

Copyright © 2006 The National Learning Institute

When you left home for work this morning, did you feel ready to face the day knowing that you were going to have a number of successful negotiations? Chances are, the word "negotiation" never entered your head. Perhaps it should have!

We often think of negotiation as a formal process conducted behind closed doors by high powered executives, politicians or world leaders. Yet everyday all of us negotiate. You may have to agree with colleagues on the content of a report or presentation; with a customer over a disputed invoice; with a supplier on the terms for goods or services; or with your partner on what to have for dinner tonight! All of these things are negotiations.

Our problem is that we don't recognise them as negotiations, nor ourselves as negotiators. As a result, we enter these discussions less prepared than we could be. The result? Sometimes a less-than-successful outcome!

To help make all our daily negotiations more successful (for both you and the other party), you need to:

- State your case clearly and appropriately

- Organise your facts

- Control the timing and pace of your discussion

- Properly assess both yours and the other parties needs

How do you carry out these four points successfully? First, you need an understanding of some of the key principles of successful negotiation. Try this quiz to test your knowledge of negotiating by answering "True/False" to each question.

1. Should you ask for twice the amount you need?

2. Is your aim to prevent the other party from saying "No"

3. Will a small concession relieve the pressure?

4. A "Win/Win" result is always possible.

5. Is admitting to an error or omission a sign of weakness?

The following answers will provide some useful tips for your negotiating situations.

1. Should you ask for twice the amount you need? False. You will have to back down and will lose an important opportunity to influence the other party. Research clearly indicates that negotiators who make large concessions end up worse off. The secret of successful negotiating is to first identify your needs, then work out a range of options that will satisfy those needs. Start the negotiation by asking for the options that best meet your needs.

2. Is your aim to prevent the other party from saying "No"? False. In fact getting a "No" from the other party can be very useful because it gives you the opportunity to ask "Can you give me your reasons?". This leads to uncovering the other party's real needs and some options that will satisfy them -- options which you can probably supply.

3. Will a small concession relieve the pressure? False: If you make a small concession, chances are you are negotiating over options rather than needs. Additionally, the other party may think you are weakening and put more pressure on. Far better to state or restate your needs and then explore as many options as possible to satisfy them. As part of this discussion, you may come back to the offer that was just rejected, or you may find some even better options. Either way you have gained a lot more information and not weakened your position.

4. A "Win/Win" result is always possible. False: It's desirable, but not always possible. Sometimes, even the best of negotiators have to "agree to disagree". The way to improve your ratio of "Win/Wins" is to focus very clearly on your own real needs (not positions) and the needs of the other party. Searching for many different options to satisfy both party's needs generates more "Win/Win" situations.

5. Is admitting to an error or omission a sign of weakness? False: Research shows that disclosing such information demonstrates honesty. In psychological terms, it breeds what is called "reciprocity" - if you do something for me, then I'll do something for you. People are far more likely to be honest with you when you are honest with them. Pulling the wool over someone's eyes may give you a short term result at the expense of a long term relationship.

Four tips to help you negotiate successfully

1. If you want a better deal, ask for one. You'll never know unless you ask! Remember, make sure it will satisfy your needs - do not get locked into bargaining over positions.

2. Argue to learn, not to win. To meet your own needs you need to learn as much as possible about the other party and their needs. The more you learn, the better chance you have of getting a good deal.

3. Make proposals regularly during the negotiation - proposals move the negotiation forward. Use proposals such as "If you will provide . . . . then I might consider . . . ." The other party's response to these proposals will give you a lot of information to work with.

4. Ask for, and give as much information as possible. For example, questions such as "Can you explain your reasons for . . . . ?', "What are your priorities? and "What else is there that you think I should know?" are excellent ways of gathering the information you need.

Successful negotiating!

How Marbles Can Change Your Life

There is a secret to happiness. Very few people know of it, and if they do, even less understand its power. I want to share it with you today because I believe it can change your life, and it can happen as soon as you want it to.

A story was passed on to me that literally changed how I looked at my life as soon as I was finished reading it. I was amazed at how simple a story can be and still have a profound impact on others.

In this short story lies the secret to living a life full of joy, happiness and fulfillment. It doesn't matter how many things you own, how much money you make, or how important people think you are. If you don't learn how to enjoy your life, no amount of material wealth will bring you the happiness you are looking for.

Follow the stories example and you'll have the motivation you need to improve your life and the outlook that will bring you meaning and satisfaction.

THE MAGIC OF THE MARBLES
He was fifty-five years old, had a bowl full of marbles, and felt terrific. It was unknown territory for Bill, who for years had been unhappy with his life and didn't see any hope for a brighter future. Today he is a changed man. It doesn't matter what happens to him, Bill responds to it calmly and smiles. Nothing can get to him, and everything makes him feel good about his life and his future.

Back to the marbles...

On average, people live to be seventy-five years old. Some longer, some shorter, but the average person will reach this age. Realizing this, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, Bill did some simple calculations to figure out that the average person has 3,900 Saturdays in his or her lifetime.

Being fifty-five, Bill had 1,000 Saturdays left to live. He went to a small toy store in town, and bought every marble they had, 1,000 in all. Later that night, he placed all of the marbles in a large glass bowl that he placed in the living room.

As each Saturday passed, he would take one marble out of the bowl and throw it away. Bill watched as the bowl's contents shrank, and he realized that he didn't have forever to create a happier life. Each day he felt negatively about his life was one less day he had to be happy.

TIME WAITS FOR NO MAN
One day, his last Saturday will come. Bill never looked at his life this way. He never faced the fact head-on that life was short and there is a limited amount of time to make the most of it.

He looked at his current priorities and did some rearranging. At the top of the list he put spending time with his family and friends, appreciating what he had, and enjoying each moment he was alive.

Without changing his external world, Bill's life was completely different. He didn't earn more money, lose weight, or create new relationships. He simply took what he had and looked at it in a whole new light.

After making the marbles a part of his life, his new attitude enabled him to fix the areas in his life that were lacking. Before he felt powerless to change anything, and only wished for things to improve without doing anything. Now he was taking positive actions to create a life that made him feel good.

We all know that we can't live forever, but thinking of it in these terms can really help to put things in perspective. It makes you realize how valuable each day is, and what a loss it would be to not enjoy each one.

Depending on your age, you have a certain number of marbles left in your jar. If you haven't created the life you have always dreamed of yet, at which point will you decide to make the change? How many marbles have to be thrown out before you enjoy your life?

THE TIME IS NOW
Today is the perfect day for change. Today is your day to take one step towards your goals and dreams. Imagine it, living life on your terms, doing what you want, when you want, and loving every minute of it. It's possible. You can have everything you want in life, but you have to take control of motivation and make it work for you.

Take From http://www.motivation123.com/motivation-articles6.html

The Power of Positive Thinking

She is 91 years old. She has untreatable breast cancer. She has dementia. She has osteoporosis, tyroid and heart problems, among others. Yet my mom will be with us again this Mother’s Day. Despite the cancer. Despite all the other problems.

Fifteen months ago, when she was first diagnosed with cancer, mom’s doctor gave her less than a year. A few months later, he gave her less than six months. He put her on hospice care. But mom doesn’t know any of that. She’s blissfully unaware of her problems. Thank God for the dementia!

Mom has lived with us for the past 11 years. She’s been nothing but a joy. She never gives anyone any grief. She never complains and she’s always looking at the glass as being half-full. Every thing we do for her (which is mostly everything) receives a “thank you”. A glass of water, it’s “thank you”. A snack, it’s “thank you”. At breakfast, lunch, dinner, it’s “thank you”. At night it’s “thank you for everything you’ve done for me today”. Ask her how she’s doing … “I’m perfect, thank you”. And she believes it!

The hospice nurse comes once a week to take her vital signs. She asks mom how she’s feeling “fine, thank you”. Everything is fine. Never a problem. The nurse loves to visit her. She says mom is her best patient. No complaints, no issues, no fuss. Mom knows only that the nurse is here to check her, so she makes sure she’s ready and rolls up her sleeve for the blood pressure test. The patch on her breast is getting bigger and more difficult to manage. It gets packed every day but mom never questions why and for what. She just sits there like a good kid until it’s done and then she says “thank you”.

The other night she tells me “I’m a good child… I listen to and do everything I’m asked to do… I may not be a good mom, I can’t help you with anything, but I’m a good child!” And she is.

When the hospice aide gives her a meal, mom will first ask her if she ate and if she wants something to eat. Mom treats the aide like her own family. She doesn’t understand the relationship, but she appreciates her help and the attention. And, just like with everyone else it’s “thank you for this, thank you for that…”

Had it not been for her wonderful attitude, had it not been for her dementia, mom would never have made it this far. She’s less than 100 pounds now. She eats less and sleeps more. Her cancer is spreading but at a much slower rate than normal and than medical doctors anticipated. She has defied all odds and is still with us this Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day is May 8^th this year. This day marks 21 years since she became a widow. She doesn’t know it and she doesn’t need to. She’ll only know that it’s Mother’s Day and that the world is good to her. And she’s still here to enjoy it.

Submitted on May 1^st, 2005 by

Di Burok

Matawan, NJ

Motivation and How to Get Motivated

By Remez Sasson

Motivation has become a popular word nowadays. There are motivational coaches and speakers, and motivational books and articles. What is it actually, and why do you need it?

Motivation is a driving force. In order to accomplish anything, you need a driving force, otherwise nothing will happen. A wish is not strong enough to make you take action. A wish is a weak desire. Only a strong desire can drive forward, to act and accomplish aims and goals.

In order to get motivated, you need to know exactly what it is that you want, to possess a strong desire, and to be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal.

More than often there is lack of motivation or only a short-lived one. How many times have you started enthusiastically a weight loss program, began a bodybuilding or aerobics training program or started to learn a foreign language, only to stop after a short while? Few people possess enough willpower and self-discipline to go through to the end with what they begin (this is one of the reasons I have written the book "Will Power and Self Discipline").

It easier to show motivation in connection with a subject that is dear to you. If you desire something, but you don't feel motivated enough to act, this means that the desire is not important enough. To be motivated to take action and do something in respect to your desire, you need to possess a really strong desire.

Motivation has much to do with the emotions and the imagination, which means that if you want to increase it, you have to work on your feelings and imagination.

Tips to increase your motivation:

1. Think, meditate and find out whether you really want to achieve your desire, and whether it is worth the effort and time.

2. Make your goal very clear. Writing it down will help.

3. Think often about your goal or desire.

4. Visualize your goal as already accomplished, and close your mind to contrary thoughts.

5. Read books or articles about the subject of your goal.

6. Read about people who have achieved success.

7. Think often about the benefits you will gain by achieving your goal.

8. Visualize, and think about how you would feel after achieving your goal.

9. Repeat positive affirmations such as: "I have the desire and inner strength to achieve my goal". Repeat this affirmation often, with faith and strong feelings.

10. Start with doing something small concerning your goal. Success in small matters leads to greater success.

Motivation is the powerful engine that moves you towards success and accomplishments in every area.

http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000009.htm and
http://www.successconsciousness.com/motivation.htm

The Power of Positive Thinking

by Remez Sasson

Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive to growth, expansion and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds.

Not everyone accepts or believes in positive thinking. Some consider the subject as just nonsense, and others scoff at people who believe and accept it. Among the people who accept it, not many know how to use it effectively to get results. Yet, it seems that many are becoming attracted to this subject, as evidenced by the many books, lectures and courses about it. This is a subject that is gaining popularity.

It is quite common to hear people say: "Think positive!", to someone who feels down and worried. Most people do not take these words seriously, as they do not know what they really mean, or do not consider them as useful and effective. How many people do you know, who stop to think what the power of positive thinking means?

The following story illustrates how this power works.
Allan applied for a new job, but as his self-esteem was low, and he considered himself as a failure and unworthy of success, he was sure that he was not going to get the job. He had a negative attitude towards himself, and believed that the other applicants were better and more qualified than him. Allan manifested this attitude, due to his negative past experiences with job interviews.

His mind was filled with negative thoughts and fears concerning the job for the whole week before the job interview. He was sure he would be rejected. On the day of the interview he got up late, and to his horror he discovered that the shirt he had planned to wear was dirty, and the other one needed ironing. As it was already too late, he went out wearing a shirt full of wrinkles.

During the interview he was tense, displayed a negative attitude, worried about his shirt, and felt hungry because he did not have enough time to eat breakfast. All this distracted his mind and made it difficult for him to focus on the interview. His overall behavior made a bad impression, and consequently he materialized his fear and did not get the job.

Jim applied for the same job too, but approached the matter in a different way. He was sure that he was going to get the job. During the week preceding the interview he often visualized himself making a good impression and getting the job.

In the evening before the interview he prepared the clothes he was going to wear, and went to sleep a little earlier. On day of the interview he woke up earlier than usual, and had ample time to eat breakfast, and then to arrive to the interview before the scheduled time.

He got the job because he made a good impression. Of course he had also the proper qualifications for the job, but so had Allan.

What do we learn from these two stories? Is there any magic employed here? No, it is all natural. When the attitude is positive we entertain pleasant feelings and constructive images, and see in our mind's eye what we really want to happen. This brings brightness to the eyes, more energy and happiness. The whole being broadcasts good will, happiness and success. Even the health is affected in a beneficial way. We walk tall and the voice is more powerful. Our body language shows the way you feel inside.

Positive and negative thinking are both contagious. All of us affect, in one way or another, the people we meet. This happens instinctively and on a subconscious level, through thoughts and feelings transference and through body language. People sense our aura and are affected by our thoughts. Is it any wonder that we want to be around positive persons and shun negative ones? People are more disposed to help us if we are positive. They dislike and avoid anyone broadcasting negativity.

Negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and unhappy moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.

Practical Instructions

In order to turn the mind toward the positive, inner work and training are required. Attitude and thoughts do not change overnight.

Read about this subject, think about its benefits and persuade yourself to try it. The power of thoughts is a mighty power that is always shaping our life. This shaping is usually done subconsciously, but it is possible to make the process a conscious one. Even if the idea seems strange give it a try, as you have nothing to lose, but only to gain. Ignore what others might say or think about you, if they discover that you are changing the way you think.

Always visualize only favorable and beneficial situations. Use positive words in your inner dialogues or when talking with others. Smile a little more, as this helps to think positively. Disregard any feelings of laziness or a desire to quit. If you persevere, you will transform the way your mind thinks.

Once a negative thought enters your mind, you have to be aware of it and endeavor to replace it with a constructive one. The negative thought will try again to enter your mind, and then you have to replace it again with a positive one. It is as if there are two pictures in front of you, and you choose to look at one of them and disregard the other. Persistence will eventually teach your mind to think positively and ignore negative thoughts.

In case you feel any inner resistance when replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, do not give up, but keep looking only at the beneficial, good and happy thoughts in your mind.

It does not matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly. It may take some time for the changes to take place, but eventually they do.

Another method to employ is the repetition of affirmations. It is a method which resembles creative visualization, and which can be used in conjunction with it. It is the subject of another article on this website.

The other articles at this website, about the power of concentration, will power, self-discipline and peace of mind also contribute to the development of a positive mind, and are recommended for reading and practicing.

Take From

http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000009.htm and
http://www.successconsciousness.com/motivation.htm

The Top 200 Secrets of Success and the Pillars of Self-Mastery by Robin S. Sharma

4. Use the rubber band method to condition your mind to focus solely on the most positive elements in your life. Place a rubber band around your wrist. Each time a negative, energy sapping thought enters your mind, snap the rubber band. Through the power of conditioning, your mind will associatepain with negative thinking and you will soon possess a strongly positive mindset.

5. Always answer the phone with enthusiasm in your voice and show your appreciation for the caller. Good phone manners are essential. To convey authority on the line, stand up. This will instill further confidence in your voice.

6. Throughout the day we all get inspiration and excellent ideas. Keep a set of cards (the size of
business cards; available at most stationary stores) in your wallet along with a pencil to jot down these insights. When you get home, put the ideas in a central place such as a coil notepad and review them from time to time. As noted by Oliver Wendell Holmes: "Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions."

The Top 200 Secrets of Success and the Pillars of Self-Mastery by Robin S. Sharma

1. Sleep less. This is one of the best investments you can make to make your life more productive and rewarding. Most people do not need more than 6 hours to maintain an excellent state of health. Try getting up one hour earlier for 21 days and it will develop into a powerful habit. Remember, it is the quality not the quantity of sleep that is important. And just imagine having an extra 30 hours a month to spend on the things that are important to you.

2. Set aside one hour every morning for personal development matters. Meditate, visualize your day,read inspirational texts to set the tone of your day, listen to motivational tapes or read great literature. Take this quiet period to vitalize and energize your spirit for the productive day ahead. Watch the sun rise once a week or be with nature. Starting the day off well is a powerful strategy for self-renewal and personal effectiveness.

3. Do not allow those things that matter the most in your life be at the mercy of activities that matter the least. Every day, take the time to ask yourself the question "is this the best use of my time and energy?" Time management is life management so guard your time with great care.