Positive Self Improvement and Motivation

Of the many questions you ask yourself every day, one question is by far more important than all of the rest put together. It is a powerful question that will bring clarity, motivation and purpose to your whole existence.

The question is simply this: What do I want from life Providing a clear, precise answer brings total focus to your life.. But very few people can. Why

I meet many people through my professional and social lives and what amazes me is that very few of them can answer this question. Most of them answer in abstract terms, such as:

I want money. Lots of money. I want to be happy I want a beautiful house I want a sports car I just want to meet someone, fall in love and settle down I DON'T REALLY KNOW

Amazingly, the last one is the most common. And the problem with all of the above answers is that they aren't really answers at all. Because none of them give a specific, precise answer.

Just why do so few people know precisely what they want from life There are a number of reasons, here's just 3 of the more common:

Number one on our list is FEAR. To know precisely what you want out of life means you have to go and get it. You have to take action, make changes and work hard to manifest your desires into reality. You cant hide behind abstracts any longer. This stark truth and the changes needed can be frightening. But you must see the whole process of getting what you want as enjoyable and rewarding and not as a threat. Next on our list is HARD WORK. Identifying exactly what you want from life requires quite a bit of effort. And of course, if you want to achieve your goals, you have to work hard by investing time and toil every day. Many people simply arent prepared to put in a significant effort to get what they want. Are you

The last reason is MINDSET. The vast majority of people have the mindset that life is something that happens to them. I call this bumbling and it is why people cannot provide a precise answer to our question and answer with abstracts instead. Fate, kismet, what happens, happens are the core beliefs here. But to get what you want, you have to make things happen in your life. This is living by design and it is important to have this core belief if you are to achieve your objectives.

So schedule at least half an hour each day to think about what, exactly, you want from life. Don't let fear be your guide in this. Take the time and write down EXACT objectives. For example:

If you want a house, specify the type, the location, the price, features, number of rooms etc. If you want a car, what make, what model What color Specification If you want to meet someone to start a relationship, how will they look Blond Dark Tall Personality type Shy, extrovert, strong When it comes to money, how much do you want How much will you need to help you get what you want

Get the idea The more detail you can provide the better. If you cannot provide detailed, specific answers to the question, you will be more likely to bumble through life HOPING to get what you want instead of CREATING AND ATTRACTING what you want.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with bumbling - unless you want to live an empowered life!

Time for me to sign off, but before I go, let me leave you with this:

Most people are on a journey to nowhere in particular and are shocked when they eventually realize they've arrived there.

It's your life. Think about it!

Author Christopher Green

Over half of all adults identify themselves as shy. Shyness can get in the way of developing personal relationships and professional aspirations.

Some people are afraid to simply walk into a room and surround themselves with strangers. Some shy people hate eating in front of others and some hate parties or other types of social occasions.

The fact is that there are many ways to beat shyness if you have the desire and the willpower.

Shyness is more common than most people realize. Shy people are not necessarily introverts, some are extroverts who happen to be shy.

If shyness is keeping you from advancing in your career or maintaining personal relationships, there are various ways to beat shyness and become the outgoing person you would like to be.

1.-- Realizing that shyness is a problem for you is the first step in overcoming it. List your good qualities and enjoy the fact that you have many good points that can help you overcome your shyness problem.

Pick one thing you'd like to change about yourself and focus on that one thing until you succeed in making positive changes.

Systematically dealing with one issue at a time will help you become the person you want to be and overcome your shyness.

2.-- Each day identify one thing you can do to help yourself overcome shyness. It can be a simple thing like making eye contact with the clerk at your local grocery store or striking up a conversation with a stranger on the bus.

You do not have to execute your plan perfectly every day. Just continue to take baby steps and reward yourself along the way for each obstacle you overcome.

3.-- Sometimes its not really shyness that is the problem. Occasionally a lack of social skills lead people to believe they are shy when in reality they just do not have the tools and knowledge to develop appropriate social behaviors.

If a lack of social skills is keeping your self-esteem low and making your life miserable, search for one of the many sources of information that are designed to help you develop your social skills and overcome shyness.

There are many informative publications that deal with these issues and you may find just the right tips on ways to beat shyness that will allow you to alleviate your social discomfort, expand your circle of friends, and support professional advancement.

4.-- There are numerous ways to beat shyness and not every suggestion or idea will work for everyone. Find the tools that are the most helpful to you personally and use these tools to the best of your ability.

Overcoming shyness will not happen instantly or overnight. It takes perseverance and a desire to succeed if you truly want to overcome shyness and learn to interact easily and naturally with other people.

Shyness often causes a person to withdraw from society altogether. Do not let shyness rule your life. Start slowly and make small changes each step of the way.

You will be able to see your progress with each negative personality trait you change into a positive one. Soon enough all the effort you put into changing your life will become evident to not only you, but to all those around you.

In this article we discuss how unwanted behaviors can be eliminated in an NLP technique called a Swish Pattern. This technique is also employed by hypnotherapists, and can be used to round off sessions regarding weight loss and smoking.

1. Create a picture in your mind of the behavior you no longer want to have.

Using this picture you can already begin to make changes to the way you feel about the unwanted behavior. Notice what happens when you dull the color in the picture or move it further away. Changing the fine details (Sub-modalities) can remove the emotional content that is programmed in your mind to associate to that picture.

2. Create a picture of a new empowering alternative.

This is a picture of a new behavior that will replace the old behavior. See yourself in this picture (dissociated). This is so that when your brain views it, it sees it as something you wish to achieve. If you're looking through your own eyes in the picture (associated), your mind may believe that you have already achieved the desired behavior and will not provide you with an adequate level of motivation to achieve it.

3. Make the change as quickly as Swish!

Put the picture of the unwanted behavior on a big screen in your mind. Then in the lower left hand corner, make the picture of the desired behavior. As quickly as you can say swish, move the picture of the desired behavior over and in front of the picture of the unwanted behavior, covering it completely, then open your eyes. Do this process several times, until you feel unable to recall the picture of the unwanted behavior or the feelings that went with it.

As you repeat the process, do so very quickly. The key to this technique is to confuse the old wiring in your mind with the use of the speed at which you change the pictures.

Subliminal messages are basically suggestions for you mind which are exposed on you for such a short period of time, or hidden, that your mind does not consciously register what it suggests. Instead, you register it sub-consciously. And also, they can be either positive or negative.

In this article, I will tell you about 2 different ways through which you can create your own custom subliminal messages. The best way to prove to you that subliminal messages work is through an experience you have most likely already had. I am sure you have been in a crowded room with many animated conversations happening all around you. Now, if someone calls out your name, you would still most likely be able to hear it, wouldn't you.

The first method I will tell you about is subliminal audios. The great thing about this method is that you can use them anywhere and everywhere, unlike the other method I will tell you about next. These audios usually come with either binaural beats or very relaxing music. The messages are repeated so fast, that our conscious mind has no idea what it suggests. You can get pre-made and also custom subliminal audios.

The second method is the one of flashing messages on your computer or movie screen. Here again, the messages are repeated so fast that your conscious mind does not have time to even read them. You would have probably heard stories of the government and large companies using them in advertisements etc. Advertising this way was even banned by the US government around 40 years ago!In todays expanding computer era, you can get softwares which display subliminal messages on your screen while you are working on it. You can choose and personalize the messages before they are even displayed too.

So there you have it! You now know of 2 different ways through which you can create your own custom subliminal messages. I hope this article was of use to you.

Whether you're a student job seeker or a polished and proven executive, the first thing you must come to terms with is, Regardless of the position you seek, you are now in sales! The product you are selling is YOU! The interview is your opportunity to differentiate yourself in the eyes of your customer [the interviewer] when compared to your competitors [other job applicants].

Successful companies today are focused on building whats known as, corporate Unique Value-Add Propositions. Simply put, a unique value proposition is designed to differentiate companies / products and services, by making a decision to do business with you, an easy one. This is accomplished by means of removing the risk in customers minds through obvious value-add.

So before you go into an interview, ask yourself, What is my unique Value-add for this company What can I say, do, or show, that will separate me from all other candidates And, How convincing am I

There is no secret that in many cases today, the most qualified, are not always the ones hired. Sadly, many qualified individuals lose out on opportunities expressly due to their inability to distinguish themselves [in the interview] by showing unique value-add. You may then ask, How does one construct a value-add interview The process is surprisingly simple.

#1: As quickly as you can, write down all the words that describe your unique strengths that relate to the position to which you're applying. [Note: Five words are not enough. Try for at least fifteen / you may also ask others for their input].

#2: As quickly as you can, write down all the words that describe your potential weaknesses as they relate to the position to which you're applying.

#3: Turn each word into a sentence or statement. It does not have to be complicated. For example, if one of your strength-words was, experience you could simply say, I am experienced. [Note: Do the same for your weaknesses list as well].

#4: Take each sentence / statement, and turn them into a question. I am experienced becomes, Why am I experienced

To answer the question, Why am I experienced automatically brings to light your real Value-Add. From a selling point of view, being experienced may be true, but it is only, however, a fact. How specifically, am I experienced, and, How it will therefore benefit the new company, is the real Risk-Removing, Unique-Value-Add-Information needed to showcase your talents.

Knowing the answers, ahead of time, to questions like, Why is [this] a potential weakness for me - for this position is equally integral to the success of any interview.

Remember that in business, The degree to which you cannot provide a unique Value-Add Proposition is in direct proportion to the degree you hurt yourself, your company and your industry. In any job interview, You are the company. The product you're selling is YOU!

Ask anyone in New Orleans, LA or Gulfport, MS about fear and they will give you an ear full. It was one year ago this month that fear stared me in the face. That fear was also a mammoth hurricane packing over 100 mph winds, and was projected to hit the city where my family lives in Florida. Three weeks later, just after getting used to having electricity again, another fear came knocking. This fear was another hurricane, tracking the same path as the previous one. However, this storm was bigger and much more powerful. The fear of the unknown as affecting us all.

Fear. We have all experienced it, and to some degree are controlled by it. How do I know this about you Think back to when you were a kid. At some point you probably didn't like to go in dark rooms or walk down dark streets where scary sounds seemed to come with every step. The feeling you felt then will cause you to reach for the light switch today. Or how about when you asked that special person out on a date and he or she all but laughed in your face and said, Not on your life.

Fear. What is it Some basic definitions could be: reverence or being afraid. But the type of fear that this article is referring to is the fear of discomfort or pain. Most of us will avoid pain at all costs.

What does this have to do with leadership Good question. Your past experiences, both good and bad, will determine the way you lead. In my 20+ years of leadership experience, I have found that there are at least four common fears that affect even the most seasoned leader. More than likely, at least one of these fears affects you each and every time you relate to a person on a leadership level.

Before, you read these fears, please prepare your mind to read them openly and honestly. This article is not meant to delve deeply into the psychology of each fear, but to share how they influence you as a leader. The fears I see most often in the lives of leaders are:

1. Rejection.

I have never met a person that likes to be rejected. Leaders that have had bad experiences with rejection will guard themselves from being rejected. Most often I see this as the turtle syndrome. The leader is afraid to stick his head out of the shell and take a risk, develop a new program, hire a new employee, or ask someone to take on a certain task. As a leader you have to realize that there are risks involved, and those risks come with rejection. Having an idea rejected is a hard thing to experience, especially if this is one of your fears. As a leader you must stop, look at your options, decide on what to do, and then take action.

2. Loss of control.

This fear is often seen in powerful personality types. This is not to say that the leader is a control freak, but control is a comfort zone to this person. The fear of losing control is displayed in a leadership style often called micromanagement. In other words, the leader is afraid to delegate responsibilities because if things get out of control he will not be able to take corrective action fast enough. What you must realize is that you are in control of very little. Life is basically out of your control. Managing people with a strong, controlling hand will not allow them to take on new problems nor will it challenge them to make progress in areas where they have never been before.

3. Employee dependence.

We all depend on people, from our families, to our doctors, to the garbage collectors that pick up our trash on a regular basis. Employee dependence is a fear that is much deeper than simply depending on someone. The fear comes each day when the leader senses that something may be wrong with his key person. The leader then begins to wonder about the loyalty of this person. The leader often begins to ask mental questions like, What if this person quits How would I make it without him What can I do to make sure she is happy in her job What will my boss do if this person goes over my head with a problem On and on the questions go. The grip of this fear is strong, but must be eliminated. As the old saying says, If you hold on too tight, it will slip through your fingers.

4. Financial challenges.

Take a day this week and go to your local bookstore and count how many books are written on financial matters. You will probably find that there are more books on this one subject than any other. Leaders are always facing challenges, but financial fears have a way of gripping like no other. New programs or ventures take capital. Employees needed to expand and grow increases the salary budget. Additional equipment to increase overall efficiency requires funds to be spent. The strength of financial fears often causes the leader to begin accepting the status quo; and will often cause the leader to give up on his dreams.

These are four fears that I often see in leaders. I encourage you to plan some time in your schedule this week and think through this. If you find that one, or more, of these fears have a grip on your life then allow your mind to reveal the root cause. Finding the root cause today will begin a healing process that will result in you being a better leader tomorrow.

Do you remember your parents asking you what you want to be when you grow up By the time I was in the 9th grade, my mother started asking me that same question until I graduated from high school. At that time I wasn't 100% sure what career path I would take, but I had several ideas.

Your calling is that passion that you have deep inside the career that defines your purpose in life. Someone once told me if you find a job that you love you'll never have to work a day in your life. Some of us work in careers for so long that we are numb on the inside and outside. We go from appointment to appointment and our days are so mundane. We hardly get any enjoyment out of what we do because it is just another job. Have you recently said, I could do this job with my eyes closed
People who choose a career, instead of their calling, wake up disappointed that they have to go to work. They hate facing another day. If you find your calling and pursue it, life will become an adventure and not just another job.
Ponder over these statements:

Your passion directs you to your calling.

A calling is who you are.
A career is what you do.

A calling is 24-7-365.
A career is a 9 to 5.

A calling is what you would do for free.
A career is what they have to pay you to do.

A calling cannot be measured with money or fame.

In conclusion, take a few moments to ponder over what is going on in your life today and figure out if it compensates towards your calling. Listen to your mind, body and soul. Don't worry about what others will think or even if they will agree to whatever calling you move towards. Live your life as if tomorrow is your last day on Earth. Enjoy today because tomorrow isn't definite.

If you are like me you have probably lost a lot of sleep over the many problems that arise in your life. Sometimes, the problem seems too huge. I become immobilized by the fear. That leads to procrastination and guilt for my inactivity and Presto! My stress level goes through the roof.

Just thinking of the word "problem" is enough to raise my blood pressure.

That is the true power of words! What you put in your mind has an immediate effect on your metabolism. The mind and body are not opposites; they have always been inseparable parts of one amazing organism: You!

So, problems get in the way of positive constructive action. Problems seem bigger than you. They can be ugly and mean and so distracting. You could pass up wonderful opportunities to enjoy yourself because you are too wrapped up in your troubles. You may be living a dark future that probably won't happen. The present moments slip by unnoticed and that's not a good thing!

It's time to stop having problems. It's time to slay the Boogeyman under the bed! How do I do that Well, if you are willing to invest a little mental discipline, there is a very simple technique to follow.

Here it is:

Whenever you find yourself dwelling on some difficulty in your life, ask yourself: Is this a problem or a challenge Make the right choice. Choose to view it as a challenge.

A challenge is like a contest or a test. It brings out your competitive nature, it inspires action and most importantly a challenge is a contest you can win!

A Problem is tons of emotional baggage.

A Challenge is an Opportunity to enrich your life.

Remember what I said about the mind/body connection Which phrase makes you feel more uncomfortable: "serious money problems" or "financial challenges"

Whenever you hit the next bump in the road you have a choice: Fill your self with needless stress and anxiety and welcome a new "problem" into your life, or you can say-"Yes! I accept the challenge. I accept the opportunity to improve myself, to strengthen my self-confidence, to grow from the experience and banish fears of unexpected change."

Life is change. Change can be awkward sometimes. We like to stay with the familiar by nature. When we resist life's changes we plant the seeds of problems. If we face our challenges we find fewer things to resist. We find ourselves in the "flow" of life and not caught up in a snag.

This one simple word swap has brought me a bucketful of peace of mind. I get stronger with every obstacle I surmount.

This might work for you, If you try. The question is: Are you up for a challenge?

Like it or not, we are all gladiators. We go to sleep and wake up in a social arena from which there is no escape. Challenge upon challenge confronts us, walls restrain us, and a mob of spectators mocks, sneers, or cheers us. Each and every day brings new battles whether we want them or not and whether we're up to them or not. Life forces us to face one skirmish after another - no choice in the matter.

What we can choose, though, is which kind of gladiator to be, victor or victim.

Being a victim in this social arena translates into having bad relationships.

Most people are victims - victims of their own perceptions.

That's because people don't develop and listen to their own unique, authentic self. Rather they allow their mental spectators - those little tyrants rattling around in their heads - to tell them second by second how to fight their battles, what they can and cannot do. These tyrants applaud and they hiss, they encourage and they discourage.

These mental spectators are the memories of the judgments of real-life people. For example, it's the memory of your aunt saying, "I hope you marry someone rich, because you're not going far on brains." It's the echo of your father growling, "You've got a back problem - no spine."

And their influence over your relationships can't be overestimated.

Millions of people accept the judgments of their mental spectators as the truth and, therefore, the mediocre results that come from believing those judgments.

With so many people living this way, the question becomes, is this the way I have to live Fortunately, the answer is not unless you want to.

Once you identify your mental spectators - and your interactions with them - you can move beyond victim and assume the role of victor.

What it takes are eight steps for getting command, eight steps you can apply to most any situation you want altered. You can positively influence your relationships, your employment options, any aspect of your life.

Let's look at the steps.

1. Define What Ails You.

Ask, what's my problem Am I a jealous weasel, troubled that others have what I want Am I ticked off most of the time Am I sad and whiny Anxiety ridden Moody All of the above Without this step, you're doomed. It will take personal courage, but you won't get results without identifying what ails you.

2. Discover the Effects.

Ask, how are my problems affecting my life Am I a lousy parent, a friendless dork, a backstabber, a slut, a drunk, a junkie Am I none of the above, but someone who is less than I could be This step requires absolute self-honesty, but the truth will help set you free.

3. Seek the Source.

Ask, from where are my problems coming Who are my real and my mental spectators What do my mental spectators look like, say, and do Exactly who or what is keeping me from taking command of my life This could be one of the most incredible experiences of your life. You will look into the abyss and see who is looking back.

4. Identify Your Role.

Ask, how am I contributing to my problems What is my responsibility in all this Did I decide to be a garbage disposal Do I beat myself to death trying to please others Do I expect things of myself that are unfair Do I treat myself as a friend or an enemy Do I allow my mental spectators to drive me to distraction, depression, anger, anxiety Recognizing your role in your own problems is a positive - but scary - step toward knowing yourself and gaining personal command.

5. State Your Desires.

Ask, what do I specifically want to do about my problems Do I want to be a doormat, a slut, a drunk, a friendless geek Or do I want to rule my mental spectators Do I want to stand up to a spectator, real or imagined, who puts me down Do I want to take command of my education, my bank account, my relationships Until you can actually list your desires in the order of their importance, you will be a victim. However, once you do this, you are on your way to being a victor.

6. Seek Options.

Ask, what are my options, and in what order should I place them What is the first option I should concentrate on The second one The third If you have a soul-sucking hangover most mornings, you might opt to give up your booze buddies for some real friends. Secondly, take the money you normally spend at bars and deposit it in a college fund for yourself or your kids. If, instead, you're a workaholic and you want to spend more time with your kids, then DO IT. Very few people on their deathbed have said, "If I could live life all over again, I'd spend more of it at work and less with people I love." Choices are involved here, but by weighing options and alternatives, and then making personal choices, you are taking command. Do this and you'll begin to gain real power.

7. Learn Winning Techniques.

Ask, how do I rule my real and my mental spectators Must I collapse in a heap when they point thumbs down How can I learn to take charge on every level and get a grip on my life There is no "magic" involved, but you might feel as if there is. Unlike a vanquished gladiator falling at the whim of spectators, you decide your own course.

8. Master Your Relationships.

Ask, what more can I do to master my relationships by strengthening myself and my perceptions How do I take command right now in developing my own identification and self-worth Congratulations! You're working on the one person in the entire world you can work on - YOU! And any improvements in yourself can't help but enrich your relationships with other people and the world around you.

Although this is only a brief overview of each of the eight steps for jump-starting your relationships and taking control of your life, you'd be amazed at how significant the effects of a few minor adjustments in perception can be.

The admonition, "do not judge" has been taken to ridiculous lengths in modern life. Even the most absurd, inappropriate, or self-serving behavior rates a PASS by those determined not to criticize.

Were all the poorer for it, since relevant nuances of thought and behavior go determinedly unnoticed.

It sounds noble and open-minded to declare, "I wont judge." The statement implies: I don't think I'm better than you. My behavior isn't any different than yours. It further implies external standards don't apply. All words and deeds are equal.

Refusing to judge has become the unchallenged and worthy (see, thats a "judgment" word) objective. A statement of fact (even if totally true) that sounds the least bit judgmental brings instant rebuke from all directions, "Don't judge!"

That phrase defines our culture - with everyone busily not judging... or noticing... or standing up for any notion that could be construed as "better," or "higher," or "good for the world."

The reasoning goes like this: To judge someone else is bad (oops, one of those darned judgment words, though its usually permitted in this case).

So I refuse to do it.

Instead, I must do the opposite - which is to avoid judging.

So when I do that I'm good and fair (more of those darned words).

The problem is, thats a simplistic example of either-or thinking - judge versus not judge - choosing between opposites. Either one is a verb - something one does. To attempt to do both (avoiding either one) sounds less judgmental, but leaves one paralyzed.

The phrase, "do not judge" has been totally misunderstood and misapplied. Its not about doing something (or not). It refers to resisting the urge to judge (or not), so you can be free to try something entirely different. It refers to a place within yourself where judging isn't possible.

Go there. Disengage momentarily from trying to change or fix things. Suspend your preferences. Appreciate whats unfolding, without the need to understand it. Theres nothing needs doing. Peace reigns.

See, its a place within - an awareness, a place of clarity. And its name is DO NOT JUDGE. Whatever makes you want to criticize or "fix" yourself or anyone else is a reminder to go there.

We almost all think we are masters of our own fate. While it is true that we all make our own choices there are many things that influence what we choose. Ask yourself: Why do some people choose professions that help only themselves while others of us choose professions that help those in need.

Health and wellness professionals all share the desire to help others. Our work is commendable and very important, but why do we choose the profession were in.

Professionals in the caring jobs share some unique qualities. Were almost always creative, sensitive and nurturing. We also almost all share a willingness help others in every way possible and suffer pangs of guilt if we say no. Our willingness to help sometimes comes with a price. It leaves us vulnerable to burn out.

some clients can be draining to even the most enthusiastic wellness professional.

Burnout is often the result of a professional feeling overwhelmed with his or her job responsibilities. Lets face it caring for others can be a burden. Even if you love your job facing unmotivated, clients can be draining to even the most enthusiastic wellness professional. Add to this any inside pressure from trying to make a decent living, dealing with negative attitudes of coworkers or pressure with sales commissions and you're on the road to feeling more negative yourself.

Caregivers tend to burn out more quickly than others because we typically put the needs of those around us first. By the time we are through dealing with the issues of our clients, families and friends we have little left for ourselves.

So how do you deal effectively with those clients who seem to have a seek out and destroy personality Simple, you learn to develop your own repair and replenish skills now and make them an important part of your everyday routine.

Make it a point to be more aware of your surroundings. Try to notice the little things that bring joy to your life and take a moment to reflect on them.

Learn to say no - not all the time but some time. When someone asks for another piece of your time, a little more of your energy, or is looking for you to commit to their newest project, take the time to know if its the right choice for you. Make it your personal policy to never give an answer that you haven't had at least 24 hours to think about theres much to be said for the adage of let me sleep on it.

Nurture yourself with a trip to the gym, a visit to a day SPA, tickets to your favorite play or concert. Even a leisurely walk can be a rejuvenating gift.

Talk, talk and then talk some more. Find peer professionals that share similar values and goals and talk about work. Some think its taboo to talk about work on your days off but in reality it is important to be able to share your feelings and frustration with someone who understands how you feel and their feedback can be very helpful.

Vacations aren't just what other people do. You earn the time too. Take your vacation time all together or in shorter bursts. What ever works for you is fine just take those days and forget about work for awhile.

Sometimes a nurturing personality can open the door for our own wellness to suffer and it is up to each person to find the tools that help to keep them on track and healthy. By learning to say no, nurturing yourself, becoming more aware of your surroundings, talking to a trusted peer and taking a break when you can, you'll be able to find a healthy balance in your professional and personal life leading to greater business success and satisfaction.

Any time of year is a good time to set goals and start working towards them. However there are certain times of year when it feels very natural to set goals. One of these times is the New Year, and another is Back to School time.

What would you love to have achieved by December What would you feel really proud of accomplishing As students head Back to School to achieve their academic goals, we can take inspiration from them and apply it to our goals.

When we begin to see advertisements for Back to School and children get ready for the new school year, it is a great time to set goals for ourselves too. However, our goals can be related to any aspect of our lives, and not just limited academic goals.

When we think of going Back to School we picture fall colors and cooler weather. There is a ritual of going shopping for new supplies and setting off on the first day dressed in a new outfit. There is also an element of optimism and enthusiasm, ready to embrace a new and exciting challenge of the school year. So what can we learn from students who are heading Back to School this fall

Resources

When students go Back to School they are surrounded by many different resources. These include tools such as new books, pens and pencils, clothes, etceteras. Although these tools have practical uses, they also make an important impression on the subconscious mind by providing strong motivations such as confidence and courage at a time that is generally filled with apprehension.

Students are also surrounded by many types of people resources. They have friends at school who share common interests and who are working towards common goals. They have access to teachers, librarians, counselors, etceteras who impart their wisdom and motivate and guide them to learn new information and skills.

In addition, in order for students to be successful in achieving their academic pursuits, they also need to master the resource of time management. They need to make effective use of their time at school, and then they need to have the self-discipline to manage their time at home to do homework and prepare for the next day.

Therefore, no matter what goals you would like to achieve, you need to think about which specific resources you would need (i.e. what tools do you need, which people would help the most, where will your time come from, etc.). For example, if you wanted to get fit, then your tools might be a new gym outfit complete with cross-training sneakers to motivate yourself to go. Your people resources might be the trainers at the gym and your friends who share common fitness goals. Finally you would need to set aside time each day to attend the gym, to pack and repack your gym bag etc.

Structure

Going Back to School also provides structure. After the freewheeling nature of summer vacation, structure can seem to be a very unwelcome thing. Even adults often think they dislike structure, and prefer to be spontaneous. However, having structure in place is a very valuable mechanism to facilitate the achievement of your goals.

Structure provides a framework so that you can do your best work effortlessly. If you decide your goal is to get fit, then structuring your workouts would be beneficial. You would need to schedule when you would attend the gym, and exactly what exercises you would be doing at each workout session.

Students have their time automatically structured. Their day-to-day time is structured with class schedules, and the exams that determine whether or not they have achieved their academic goals are structured by major holidays. The first such major holiday is in December, which gives them approximately 12 weeks to work towards their goals.

Twelve weeks is also a perfect length of time for you to work towards your goals; long enough to see results, yet short enough not to feel overwhelmed. Plus, if you are feeling melancholy that the summer is over, working towards a goal can direct that sad feeling into positive energy.

New Leaf

When children go Back to School there is a feeling of newness and excitement in the air. It does not matter what happened last year; this year is a clean slate or a new leaf. Examples of the new leaf mentality might be: homework will be done the night its set, rather than the night before its due; library books will be returned on time, etceteras. Why not take this mind-set and apply it to your goals It does not matter that past attempts to get fit were not successful, this time you WILL succeed.

So get ready to apply the Back to School mind-set. Write down the goal(s) that you would like to achieve by December. Then determine the resources you need. Ensure you have the structure in place, and then turn a new leaf and jump right in!

Do you have a goal A focus in life Have you invested a great deal of time, effort, money to achieve and yet feel you haven't made it yet For all your effort do you still feel that there is something missing in your life It is obviously very important to set goals in your life. It gives you a focus a way forward a mechanism for making decisions when faced with a number of options. However, it can also be a prison cell.

How can making goals and having a focus be a prison cell we hear you ask. It becomes a prison cell when you create goals based on your past experiences. You look back at your skills and capabilities and then decide what you ought to focus on. In other words you set the future on the past. It creates the illusion that you are going forward when all the time you are stuck within the boundary of your past capabilities. Its like driving your car by looking in the rear view mirror all the time. You have a great vision of what happened in the past but haven't a clue about what is coming in front of you. The point is: whatever happened in the past is not a true indication of your potential.

As Alan Cohen stated: "To grow, you must be willing to let your present and future be totally unlike your past. Your history is not your destiny."

In other words if you continue to do what you have always done then you can only expect to get what you've always got. If you constantly focus on the past, the negative or on what is missing in your life you have no alternative but to create limited goals and focus. You are back in that prison cell again.

You need to break the cycle. How do you do it You change your thinking.

To give yourself the chance of changing your thinking. A chance to create the life you want. A chance to create a focus and goals that you want to achieve. Start by answering the following questions. They are not easy, but they will enable you, in time, to become very focussed.

Where are you now Where are you in life

Describe your current situation.

What are your priorities in life

How important are your close friends and relations to you

What influence do you have on your partners life How do they influence you Do you like this

Do you like where your life is going

Where do you want to go

What is success to you When you are on your death bed looking back at your life what would you like to think your life was about

Visit the questions often until you feel you really understand where you are now and where you want to go. How you get there will become obvious as you progress. Don't rush, you have plenty of time. Keep focussed inside, on yourself. Think of yourself as opening a bank account of the self. The more time you put in, the more credit appears on the bank account and therefore in time the more is available for withdrawal.

Now the crucial question:

What holds you back What stops you going for what you want to achieve in your life

It is not enough just to create a focus and a plan. To understand where you are now and where you want to go. To change something you have to DO SOMETHING. Put your plans into action. Until you have put your plan into action, you haven't changed. You are still doing what you have always done.

Become a member of the 20% club. Thats the percentage of successful people in the world. Put your focus into action. Its your focus, you have thought it, designed it and built it, now have the enthusiasm, desire and aim to implement it.

Change the I cant into I can. Think for a moment. Is this fear real Or is it that your imagination has taken over, stopping you from embracing the future Because, at the moment, you have no evidence of what is going to happen. The only evidence you have is in the past. And as you have not done this before, at this time, then you have no evidence.

Don't worry about your capabilities. Can I do this I have never done anything like this before What will I do when. There is something magical about this process called life. Whenever we are faced with an incident we have never faced before somehow the answer arrives. Somehow we have the capability. They appear just when you need them most. If you look back over your life we are sure you will find, like us, that most of the time you set out to do something you didn't have the capability before you started. The biggest example is education. When you started did you know all the knowledge you had at the end or did you become capable as you went along

All you need is courage, enthusiasm and discipline. Have the courage to drive towards your goals, the enthusiasm to keep going and the discipline to create a new habit even when it is tough. Keep focussed, keep learning.

The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams.

To give yourself a better than average chance of success. Each night before you go to sleep ask yourself: What did I do today to bring me closer to achieving my focus, my aim and objective in life Break out of the prison cell.

When you get right down to it, time management is really about managing your actions. We all want to use the process of time management to allows us to perform more actions in the day, getting everything done that needs to be done and giving us time to do the things we enjoy doing. But time management isn't a magical cure for getting the actions done that you need to do. It's simply a tool. A very powerful tool when used correctly, but still just a tool.

For example, you might learn all there is to know about time management - read countless books, listen to CDs, and maybe even attend a few training courses or seminars. But unless you take action to put what you have learned into practice, it will be time and money wasted. And wasting time, as we both know, is one of the worst things you can do.

On the other hand, perhaps you do decide to take some action, and start to do some of the things you have learned. But only half-heartedly. Maybe you create a to do list at the start of the day, but then never refer to it. Or you organize all your existing files, but just throw any new papers into a single pile. Or you do a few of the exercises you have learned, but never do anything with the results you come up with.

But perhaps the worst thing that can happen when using the tools time management offers is to follow the actions you have learned, refer to the information you write down, but then simply not get anything done. In the case of a to do list, perhaps you draw the list up for the day, then just procrastinate on tackling even the first task. You may not even do it consciously - looking back on the day, things just always seemed to "come up" (although if you are following good time management advice, that excuse shouldn't apply any more!)

If this is happening, it is possible that the issue isn't time management, but more an issue of motivation.

If the tasks are part of your job, perhaps the work no longer interests you and you need to find another area to work in. If the tasks are for yourself and are related to your personal goals, perhaps the goals you have set for yourself aren't the correct goals for you You may have written those goals down because you thought you should, but it's not really what you want.

Of course it may just be that you didn't realize you were procrastinating on doing the actions you needed to do, and that realization spurs you on to get everything done!

Ultimately, time management comes down to taking action and applying the methods you have learned to plan your activities, then taking action to do those activities in the most efficient way possible. Everyone can do it - even you!

This may come as a surprise... but your attitude is more important than your aptitude in determining your success in life!

Just how critical is attitude to achievement Well, take a look at one of the greatest inventors of the last two hundred years - Thomas Edison. Every time you turn on a light switch, you experience the result of his persistence in the face of continuous failure. Edison tried 10,000 times to get his light bulb invention to work, but failed each time. However, he had this to say about his lack of success. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
You can learn to have this kind of outlook on life, but it needs to be purposefully installed into your daily living.

You probably know it takes about 21 days to break a habit by replacing it with a new one. If you are plagued with persistent negative thoughts toward life, you can replace this mindset with a new positive-attitude habit!

Here is a 21-day five-step program to change a negative attitude to a positive one.

1. Take charge of what you're thinking.

This is a moment-by-moment decision that doesn't happen overnight. It's a habit that will take some time to build. How can you do this Choose to think uplifting thoughts instead of discouraging ones.

You get to decide what you think, which in turn determines how you feel. Become aware of this and dwell on positive ideas throughout the day.

At first you may have to force yourself to find something positive. Consider keeping a journal and write down at least one good thing in your life each day for three weeks. Then think about these blessings instead of discouraging thoughts.

2. Read inspirational material.

During this 21-day training period, fill your mind with good thoughts. The best book of all to read is that priceless diamond of world literature - the Bible. You'll never know what wonderful results from reading it are around the corner until you open its covers!

3. Focus on others.

For the next 21 days make an extra effort to help other people. Concentrating on assisting others will help you more than you realize. If you succeed in becoming wealthy but are poor in respect to your relationships, you will not be truly prosperous at all!

So make a special effort of focusing on others during your 21 days of building your new positive-attitude habit. This will free you up to allow the butterfly of happiness to land on your shoulder when you least expect it.

4. Take care of your health needs.

It's hard to maintain a positive mindset if you've neglected your physical needs. So during the 21 days of your attitude retraining make an extra effort to eat nutritious balanced meals.

Not getting enough sleep will also be a tremendous hindrance, so make sure you're getting adequate rest. And don't forget to get enough exercise. When you feel down, try to take a brisk 30-minute walk. You'll feel revived!

5. Learn contentment

For the next 21 days focus on what you have and not on what you don't have. Live in the present and enjoy your blessings. Try to forget acquiring stuff for the purpose of keeping up with others. That only leads to more anxiety. Be thankful for what you do have instead.

When going through difficult experiences - remember that adversity can be a blessing in disguise. You might learn some important lessons during those tough times - like Thomas Edison did. (I know I have.)

These lessons can turn into credentials that will enable you to help others when they're going through tough times.

So don't let negativity ruin your present and future. Instead, build a new habit of having a positive attitude. It will take about 21 days to start seeing consistent changes in the way you think, but it will be worth it!

Now choose the starting date for your attitude-renewal adventure and go for it!
How about today ?

I am a Loser. You're going to learn from this writing today the reason why you too must be a Loser. In all seriousness, let me share with you why I am writing this.

Over twenty million Americans watched the evolution of a winner in a reality show called The Biggest Loser. This particular show involved severely overweight and obese contestants that had simply lost all control of their weight. The winner that ultimately lost the most body weight and decreased his overall body fat was awarded $250,000.

I want to correlate this show to business, life and to personal success. You need to be the Biggest Loser when it comes to changing your associations with others. One of the contestants on the show was severely obese to the point that others would look at him and say to themselves, He will never be healthy past the point of no return really disgusting. But that person made the decision to change his life and become the ultimate winner

The Biggest Loser.

I want to share with you '5' secrets on How you can become a *BIG LOSER*!

Secret #1 Realization You must realize where you are today. The winner of the Biggest Loser realized that he was overweight and would ultimately die from his decisions to allow himself to become so unhealthy. He realized that enough is enough, and he made a change. I challenge you today to take a look at where you are in your business and/or your life. Have you had enough If so, then you need to lose all your negative habits and associations.

Secret #2 Accountability As soon as the contestants realized where they were in their lives, they became accountable to their teammates (a.k.a.Mastermind Team) in order to become the Biggest Loser and drop massive amounts of weight. These individuals look like completely different people. This is similar to your progression towards your ultimate Why in life. People start saying that you are changing you act different, you sound different, you listen to different CDs, you read different books and you even look different. You are on a success journey and accountable to Champions on your Mastermind Team. Where are you in your life Are others noticing these differences about you If not, its time to drop the negative associations and habits just like those contestants dropped that weight.

Secret #3 Extra Step The contestants pushed themselves to go the extra mile by participating in extra workouts, taking advantage of the extra associations with others that have goals and dreams like them and pushing themselves that extra step not to take part in indulgences that would ruin their overall goal of losing weight and becoming The Biggest Loser. Have you taken that extra step by attending extra events/seminars, making extra calls, investing in extra CDs and associating with extraordinary people This extra step will push you to the next level and give you that edge that others don't have.

Secret #4 Rewards Reward yourself as you begin to change and go to the next level. When you go to an extra event/seminar, save the ticket, your name tag, etc. and put them in your dream journal. This is a way of saying I did it! I went that extra step and now this is my reward! Be excited about that extra step and reward yourself with praise and self-acknowledgment.

Secret #5 Personal Coach Every single person on that show had a Personal Coach. Are you happy where you are in your life Do you need to lose weight, lose debt, gain health, gain wealth, lose negative associations, gain a Mastermind Team, gain prosperity, lose failure and/or gain success A major secret to achieve your ultimate why is the importance a Personal Coach. The first thing that The Biggest Loser did when he won the $250,000 was hug his Personal Coach.

Why ?

Because his Personal Coach was there each and every step of the way. I know when I personally coach Champions and receive their emails/calls saying that they have gone to the next level in their lives, I experience great excitement in their accomplishments. Thats what happens when you become a Champion thats what life is all about!

You cant do it alone!

In order to become a Winner in life, you must first become a Loser. I suggest that you read this article another 5 times. Analyze where you are right now, where you want to go, who you must associate with to get there and the habits that you must lose to do it. For those of you who want to go to the next level, I would love to be your Personal Coach and I only coach Champions who truly believe that they are worthy to receive success and go to the next level in life!

Life shouldn't be so complicated. Have you ever wondered why it is Have you ever thought; "why can't I figure this out" Have you ever said; "I don't have an attitude problem, you have a perception problem" Why are our lives so complicated

And Even My Reality Check Bounced!

I think living is a lot simpler than what we realize. I think living can be boiled down to three words. Listen, then Act! Listen to what Act on what How about listening to that still quiet voice inside your head that is constantly trying to get your attention

How many times have you had a big issue to deal with and had a thought that you just let pass. Maybe you thought; "no, that won't fix it!" Then another; "nahthat's not the answer either." Now granted, maybe it didn't look like the right solution. Maybe it just didn't have the right feel, or some elements seemed to be missing.

Well, hardly is any solution as clear as crystal when it first comes to light. There are always some facets of it that need to be hammered out. And, that requires some more "listening." But, most of the time we go running off half cocked with partial information and cause ourselves a big pain in the neck.

Earlier we said living can be boiled down to three words. Listen then Act. Acting is only half of what we need to do to bring success. The problem is; most people spend ninety percent of the time focused on the acting and ten percent focused on the listening, if any at all.

Waiting Lasts Too Long!

Inherent in listening is an element of patience. And most of the time, we find ourselves long on need and short on patience. Living in a microwave world makes it tough to live patiently. But, learning the art of listening will make patience seem more tolerable.

Here's why. Waiting on something we desperately need, makes us feel like we are idle and irresponsible. Keeping the patience makes us feel like we're doing nothing.

We keep having the feeling, "we should be doing something." Maybe you have heard the saying, "if it is to be, it's up to me!" Maybe so, but, not necessarily Tonto. You have some help you may not even know about.

Patience just doesn't conjure up the right kind of emotions in us to be still that long. The more the time passes the more impatient we become. But, Listening seems to be, and feels more like a pro-active function that we can tolerate.

Easy AS ABC!

It feels, at least somewhat, that we are doing something constructive to the completion of this problem. And the good part about listening is, that it's our spirit trying to give us the answers we need.

But, to make this an analogy; our spirit is a perfect gentleman/lady. He never imposes himself on our desires. If we want to go off half cocked, he will just be silent till we calm down. When we finally get quiet, he will give leading once again.

Maybe that just answered a question that many have had about why inspiration comes so sporadically. Have you ever had to wait till the fifty ninth second to get an answer you needed

At the very last moment of truth, you were finally and totally out of all answers, ready to just let happen whatever was going to happen, and in the quietness of your mind and body your spirit sends the answer. Personally, for me, this happens mostly when I'm totally out of all resources to help myself.

Getting Over The Hump!

Have you ever said this to someone; "the answer is just on the tip of my tongue" That's a pretty good sign you need to get quiet and spend a little time listening to your spirit. He's trying to give you answers and you are too busy doing "stuff", that's going nowhere, and wandering around, for forty years, on the back side of the desert.

The point I'm trying to make is; we are the ones that make our lives complicated and difficult. Life was never meant to be a series of disappointments followed by death. We are just not using the tools we have been given to live it efficiently.

The hardest problems I've ever solved in my life were the ones that I just jumped right on top of and showed it who was boss. I may have solved it, but, I knew I had been in a fight with Magilla Gorilla when it was over.

Give It A Rest!

The easiest problems I've ever solved in my life were the one's that I took the time to listen to my spirit and see what he might have to say about it. A word of caution! You can't listen effectively to your spirit while watching the Texas Chain Saw Massacre! Sorry, but he wants some quiet in the room!

Now I'm not trying to tell you that you need to spend ten hours a day listening to your spirit and trying to find out what he has to say about any problem you may be facing. Your spirit's got more sense than that. He's no dummy and realizes you have to make decisions.

What your spirit wants from you is a little respect and recognition. He wants you to run to him for answers instead of running headlong into a brick wall and wind up chasing your tail in every direction. You ever seen a dog chasing his tail Going in circles and not getting anywhere! How dumb can you get

Learning how to listen to your spirit only takes a few minutes a day. Daily practice of quiet time and listening will bring great rewards. The more you do it, the more you will be able to discern good information from "noise" in your mind which is just chatter.

Deep in your spirit is the answer for every problem life can throw at you. But, your spirit has some rules and you have to follow them. They're not hard. As we said, living was not designed to be hard; we are the ones that make it hard.

The Two Commandments!

Rule number one: recognize that quiet time, listening to your spirit, is crucial for your problem solving ability.

Rule number two: develop a little humility when the answer comes. And, when you solve it, don't be too quick to hog all the credit. A little humility won't hurt you.

Let me give you an illustration: Find a quiet place, sitting in a comfortable chair, with good posture, close your eyes and blank everything out of your mind.

As you remain quiet thoughts and ideas will come to you. Some will be noise and chatter; some will be worth listening to for more information. The longer you do it, the more efficient you'll become at listening.

Last But Not Least!

Finally, when the most plausible answer comes, the one you feel has the best chance of working, get up and go "act". But, you didn't need me to tell you that. Most of us are pretty good at burning the candle at both ends. But, "listening to our spirit", tends to get our knickers all in a twist.

I recently gave a presentation on this topic at an Annual Conference of Human Resource Professionals. The room was full! So I thought the information might be timely for some of you.

What is burnout What are the symptoms and causes And if you're experiencing it, what can you do

The dictionary states that burnout is "exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration." I put usually in italics because even when you love your work like I do, you can overdo and find yourself burned out.

Symptoms of burn out can be physical, behavioral and spiritual. Here are some signs that you're heading for burn out:

fatigue

muscle tension

headaches

insomnia

not keeping commitments

lack of effectiveness

irritability

anxiety

sense of emptiness-nothing left to give

lack of joy

not able to laugh

Causes of burnout can come from within ourselves or from our organizations. Some common causes are high expectations of ourselves, denial of our basic needs like food and sleep, poor time management skills, inability to set boundaries or to say no.

Organizational causes can be a culture of competitiveness, or one in which being constantly busy and overworked is prized with email and phone calls taken along on "vacations." Insufficient training in new job roles or cramped, noisy environments can also contribute to burnout.

Here are 3 ways to manage burnout: change the stressful situation, reduce your vulnerability to stress and/or change the way you react to stress that cannot be changed:

1. Change the stressful situation if you can. If there are some high stress aspects of your job, see if you can rotate this task with others. Limit the number of hours you are under stress. Spend some time on career/life planning. Set your priorities and live by them.

2. You can reduce your vulnerability to stress by taking care of your physical self with good nutrition, exercise and enough sleep. Avoid nicotine and don't overdo caffeine and alcohol. Surround yourself with supportive people, work with a coach who will listen to you deeply and help you to create a good balance of work and other aspects of your life.

3. Finally, change the way you react to stress. You can do this by modifying your self-talk and self-criticism. Learn techniques to calm yourself - a few deep breaths can bring you right back to a centered place, able to face whatever stress is in front of you. Become a self-care expert and have some fun.

When someone thinks of a person with self-esteem most people think of someone who has a positive attitude. While someone who generally has self-esteem could have a positive attitude, this is not what I am referring to.

Having self-esteem is when you have a high regard for yourself, when you value who you are. In other words, having self-esteem is when you have a strong belief and respect for yourself.

If you find yourself down a lot and have a hard time feeling good, you may be dealing with low self-esteem. Below you will find 3 ways to build your self esteem.

Give credit where credit is do:

When you accomplish a particular task give yourself credit for doing something successfully. It may be something as small as thanking someone for something. That is a success because you acknowledge something that someone has done for you. So, give yourself credit for the things you do. I bet if you really thought about it, you do a lot of successful things throughout the day. Start giving yourself credit for that.

Say good things to yourself:

When you accidentally drop or spill something, what are the first words out of your mouth If the words dummy, idiot, stupid, or any other negative words come out of your mouth, try not reacting to the situation. Take a deep breath and move on knowing we all have accidents. The point here is not to react to the situation. Give yourself a break, think good thoughts about yourself, and don't forget to laugh.

Accept the good in you:

Just like giving yourself credit for the success you have each day, acknowledge the things you know how to do well. There are things you can do better than anyone. If you gave it some thought you can come up with a number of things you do well. What are some of the things you do well Think about it, and when you do, write them down. So, the next time you are feeling down go back to the list you made and accept the good in you.

Building your self-esteem is going to help you take bigger risks and have a more fulfilling life. With a high self-esteem, you can accomplish anything. You will find yourself sticking with your goals, and taking on any challenge that comes your way. Building self-esteem does take time; however, anything that is going to help you live your life to the fullest is worth it. Try finding someone who can help you along the way, a friend, a mentor, or even a coach. You can do it, I know you can!

Time management is one of the least-mastered and most-desired skills in out fast-paced modern world. Time management truly is critical to becoming successful, doing everything you want to, and achieving ultimate success.

What do you need to do to DOUBLE your time management ability

Do these things NOW:

1) Eliminate time wasters in your life. Time wasters are things that interrupt you and you spend time doing, but you wouldn't have chosen to do them given the choice. Eliminating these time wasters is critical for time management:

Email---If you are spending more than 30 minutes per day on email (unless that is your business) you are spending too much!

Telephone---If you answer the phone live more than 5 times per day during your productive time (work, work at home, etc.) you are sacrificing time management and efficiency. When you answer the phone, you interrupt your current productive flow and this kills your productivity.

Television---This must be limited for you to achieve ultimate control over your time. My recommendation is 30 minutes per day, especially if you are not getting all the things done you need or want to.

2) Make a list of what is genuinely important in your life and just start doing the things on your list. One of the keys to time management is prioritization---you absolutely must know what you want to accomplish and then go do it. Todays world has too many distractions and when you allow those distractions to become priority, you sacrifice time management. Follow these steps:

Make of list of what you want to accomplish

Set time frames for accomplishing each item

Organize each item in order of importance

Create a game plan for achieving each of your goals in its respective time frame

3) Begin to focus on time management throughout the course of the day. Your consistent focus must be on managing your time. Once you have determined your goals and your priorities, start focusing on simply getting those things done. If something isnt on your goals list for this weekdont do it until all your goals are done. When you prioritize every interruption that occurs and put your goals last, you will not accomplish your goals. Instead, you will be a slave (as you probably are now) to interruptions and probably feel like you never accomplish enough.

I would guess thousands of books and millions of words have been written on the importance of a positive mental attitude. At the center of every book on "Success" the key ingredient or secret to making it all work is a positive mental attitude.
Many professional athletes have figured this out and hire psychologists to help them with their mental attitudes to up their competitive advantage.

But what can you do when your just feeling blah and Nelly Negative just doesn't want to pack up and move along inside your head

1.) MUSIC

Think about the song(s) or artist(s) that always has the power to move and shift your spirit for the better. If you are like me, certain music has much more power than others. I sort of look at it like pharmacology, and you are self medicating-define your state, and prescribe accordingly!

2.) GRATITUDE

Too often it is easy to find ourselves focusing on what we don't want and what we don't have. It's a surefire way to make you feel lousy and keep you busy, most of us have lots of things we don't want and would like to have! The key here is to immediately shift your thinking when you find yourself caught in this trap.

Sit down and take out some paper, your journal or at your computer keyboard and start making a list of all of the things you are most grateful for. Just free write everything as it comes to mind and commit to staying with it until you feel you've made the shift inside. Usually, an item will come to me and I literally just start to smile. If I focus on just the ones I love alone and how grateful I am to have them in my life, I can't help but to have a complete shift to a more positive mental attitude. Keep building the list as often as necessary.

Play a game with yourself over time and see how many entries you can accumulate! The last time I did this exercise the entry that made me smile the most was "I am so grateful for not having a hairy back!"

3.) EMPOWERING QUESTIONS

I love great questions that have the power to completely change your mental state and what you are focusing on! I even have a section here on the site dedicated to amazing questions. The previous exercise is really your response to the question "What are you most grateful for" Try asking yourself "What am I proud about in my life right now"

Again, it's great to write out your answers. As the responses come to you, really focus on what about "it" makes you most proud and how it makes you feel right now. Pay attention to the images in your thoughts and continue to focus on them. You'll be feeling like a million bucks in no time!