Positive Self Improvement and Motivation

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!

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!

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!

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.