Self Improvement Newsletter- Issue # 287.

Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 287, March 9-10, 2004

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* Self Improvement and Personal Growth Weekly Newsletter * Issue # 287, Week of March 9-10, 2004 Publishers: David and Michelle Riklan - http://www.SelfGrowth.com In this issue: -> Quotes of the Week -> Personal Growth Products and Services -> ARTICLE: 10 Steps to Escape the Job World and Create the Life You Really Want - By Valerie Young -> ARTICLE: ALL SPEAKING IS PUBLIC SPEAKING -by Patricia Fripp, CSP -> BOOK REVIEW: The Automatic Millionaire : A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich -by David Bach (Author) -> How to subscribe and un’subscribe to this newsletter -> How to recommend our newsletter to a Friend -> How to Advertise in the Self Improvement Newsletter Current Subscribers – 214,831 subscribers. Send all questions to webmaster@selfgrowth.com Phone: (732) 617-1030 IF YOU LIKE OUR NEWSLETTERS, PLEASE RECOMMEND them to YOUR FRIENDS, Visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/referral.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** QUOTES OF THE WEEK *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats. - B. C. Forbes, 1880-1954, American Publisher Never let the fear of striking out get in your way. – Babe Ruth, 1895-1948, American Baseball Player Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born. - Dale Turner, Author ** Personal Growth Products and Services ** ------------------------------------------------------------------ * DON'T FIGHT YOUR LIMITATIONS, BYPASS THEM! * The limitations that determine your happiness, success or failure are in your mind. Realize your potential through the power of your subconscious. There is no limit to what you can achieve! Visit http://www.socalsubliminals.com ** F’REE Report 'Creating MULTIPLE Streams of Income' by best selling author Robert Allen reveals how you can earn substantial PASSIVE INCOME through growth industry! Get your free copy of this ground breaking report at: http://www.passive-income-stream.com * FOLLOW YOUR TRUE COLORS TO THE WORK YOU LOVE - by Carolyn Kalil, M.A. ** Discover your natural gifts and talents. This book shows you how. Use your strengths to find your ideal career, improve relationships, and put the passion in your life. Book comes with the True Colors personality system. Take a free personality quiz at http://www.TrueColorsCareer.com/rd3.htm * Are You Living In A Body You Like? * Life altering solutions for weight loss and fitness. Holistic approaches, Free information, products that work. Visit http://www.fitdr.com * A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Enlightenment * is the wonderfully entertaining and inspiring new book from Lenny Ravich that will change your life, make you laugh, feel good and leave you enlightened. Visit http://www.lennyravich.com/eng/default.asp * Achieve Complete Financial Freedom in Years....Not Decades * We will show you how to become more productive, reduce your monthly expenses and debts, maximize tax savings strategies, and become a better money manager. Over 100 valuable benefits and features which could have a profound positive impact on your future. Visit our site to learn about member benefits, watch our seminar, and request your free report. We provide real tools to help you succeed in the real world. Visit http://www.retirequickly.com/77645 * Do You Set Goals But Rarely Reach & Keep Them? * I Don't Care If You're The Laziest Person Alive ** If you just can't get yourself to do what you must do, if your willpower and persistence always seems to fizzle out, then join people from 54 countries who are now using the new paradigm in personal growth. Fr`ee course. Visit http://www.snurl.com/25vk * Achieve All Your Goals * Start living the life you want by using the power of your subconscious. Within weeks you can create success, wealth, happiness, love and more. Our proven Creating Power system will show you step by step how to utilize the amazing power of your subconscious mind so that you attract opportunities while you achieve all your goals. Finally you can have the life you want. Guaranteed results. Visit http://www.creativelivinginc.com/index-sg.htm * Mastery TV is HERE!! * All your Favorite Speakers combined through the Power of Television and the Internet - Learn, Grow and get RICH! Generate an Income Stream too. Visit: http://www.masterytv.biz/GoToYourDestiny * Free content for your newsletter, ezine, or web page * Receive original short articles on personal development, motivation, self growth, spirituality, and stress management, bringing you the best of both Eastern and Western models of health and well-being. All articles are written by Charlie Badenhop, the originator of Seishindo, an Aikido instructor, NLP trainer, and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist. Subscribe at: http://www.seishindo.org/articles/_articles.html ** How to Add a Description of Your Website Here ** If you want to share information about your website, your business or your book in our newsletter, please go to the following webpage and fill out the form. Visit our website at http://www.selfgrowth.com/form-ad-newsletter.html ---------------------------------------------------- ** ARTICLE: 10 Steps to Escape the Job World and Create the Life You Really Want - By Valerie Young ** ---------------------------------------------------- 1. GET THE POINT – OF LIFE, THAT IS. How many of us will look back in our old age and wish we'd gone to more meetings or put in more overtime. The point? Despite pressure to "play it safe" by sticking with your day job ("...but dear, you have a good job, you want to be HAPPY too?") you have every right to follow your entrepreneurial dreams. With the realization that life is for living comes the understanding that it is up to you – and you alone – to create the kind of life you really want. 2. GET THE RIGHT PICTURE. Be honest. How much time do you spend bitching about your lousy boss, hellish commute and on and on? As satisfying as a good gripe session is, you're wasting precious energy on the wrong picture. Five minutes a day spent visualizing your ideal work-life and fashioning a plan to get you there will move you far closer to your goal than 30 minutes of complaining about what you don't want. Bottom line: You won't see yourself doing it until you can see yourself doing it. 3. GET CLUED INTO YOUR PASSION. The most successful entrepreneurs love what they do. Haven't quite figured out where your passion lies? Start paying attention to situations or things that grab and keep your attention. Focus less on your skills (what you CAN do) or your resume (what you HAVE done) and instead, try to tune into what it is you really LOVE and WANT to do. What types of things did you love to do as a child? What kinds of characteristics or talents do people compliment you on? What kind of work or lifestyles do you envy? If you don't yet have the knowledge or skills to turn your heart work into a business venture, make it your business to fill the gaps. 4. GET A GRIP ON "IT." In her book Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, Susan Jeffers says IT is what scares you – and ultimately, what's holding you back from going after your dream. Perhaps your fear centers on money, or that you're not "smart enough," or that you'll fall flat on your face. Let's face it – shaking up your life is scary. Yet, "Unless you walk out into the unknown," says Tom Peters, "the odds of making a profound difference in your life are pretty low." So go ahead and indulge in your worst-case fantasy. Then get busy figuring out what steps you can take to prevent it from happening. 5. GET REAL. You've seen the easy money pitches: "Earn $1,000 a week stuffing envelopes in the comfort of your own home." Sounds great, right? Now, snap out of it! Launching your own business takes time and effort. You should also expect a drop in income – at least in the beginning. Now is the time to revisit the ideal life you outlined in Step 2 and ask yourself, "How much do I really want my ideal life? What am I willing to do or give up to get it?" If you are serious about living life on your own terms, the sacrifice will be worth it. 6. GET INFORMED. Change always seems scarier when you have either inadequate, or worse, inaccurate information. Go to the library. Join associations. Talk to people who have started similar businesses. Take classes. Read trade publications. Subscribe to ezines. The more informed you are, the less "risky" the risks become. 7. GET READY. A goal has been described as a dream with a deadline. Take out a calendar. Even if you haven't nailed down all the details, you should still go ahead and set a target date for when you want your "new life" to begin. Besides being a great source of motivation, knowing how much time you have between now and "D-ream day" lets you create a realistic plan for hitting it. 8. GET SUPPORT. Enthusiasm is contagious, but so is pessimism. Avoid the nay Sayers and try to seek out others who share your passion for living life on your own terms. Consider meeting weekly with other aspiring entrepreneurs to generate ideas, share information and help each other stay on track. 9. GET GOING. To keep from being overwhelmed – yet still make headway – break your larger goal down into more manageable steps. Then, no matter how hectic thing get, pledge to take at least one action a day. Even the smallest actions – jotting down a new idea, reading a single page, or making one phone call – start to add up. And, once you actually get the ball rolling, it's hard to stop! 10. GET GRATITUDE. At the same time you're setting your sights on achieving your future goal, be mindful of how much abundance you have in your life RIGHT NOW! Changing course is a journey. Count your blessings and enjoy the ride. When you think about it, it's all we really have. About the Author “Off the beaten career path” consultant, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at http://www.ChangingCourse.com, offering free resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Redbook, Entrepreneur’s Business Start Ups, and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, she’s presented her How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are program to thousands of people. ---------------------------------------------------- Complimentary E-BOOK – Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life It’s the book that’s changed the life of millions. Download a Complimentary eBook of James Allen’s "As A Man Thinketh." "I have personally read As a Man Thinketh over 25 times." - Mark Victor Hansen, co-author, the Chicken Soup books. Download and read it today. There’s no cost! TO Download your own eBook of James Allen’s "As A Man Thinketh." Visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/products/jamesallen.html ---------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- ** ARTICLE: ALL SPEAKING IS PUBLIC SPEAKING -by Patricia Fripp, CSP ** ---------------------------------------------------- Recently I was talking to a member of a consulting firm. He said his firm thought intellectual capital and the ability to articulate a message clearly were key. His problem; he often found himself struggling when approached in the hall by the head of another department or a senior executive. For him, it is much easier to speak in front of a large group than to master the skill of the water cooler vignette. He felt that larger venues allow time for preparation. He told me 'the impromptu meetings really catch you off guard.' As he is spearheading a new department at his firm he has opportunities to make a lasting impression of his business acumen with a peers and superiors at the water fountain. He usually walks away wondering if he has left them thinking more about his rambling communication skills than his brilliant ideas. He asked me, "How should I handle these moments appropriately?" This is what I told him... "Outside your home, ALL speaking is public speaking. There is no such thing as private speaking. You're right that many people are less intimidated when they prepare for a speech than when they must communicate off the cuff in more informal settings. But conversations on the elevator or at the water cooler can do as much to boost your career as giving a formal presentation. How do you master impromptu meetings and on-the-spot interaction? 1. Have something to say that is of interest and topical. Keep up with the news, and peruse your corporate report or newsletter regularly. Have two or three relevant things to say at all times. You can even "rehearse" with a trusted friend for those chance encounters with CEOs. 2. Focus on others. The silver bullet in business and politics is the Like Factor, but it's easy to concentrate so hard on what others are thinking of you, you forget that even VIPs care what others think of them. Know what is going on in your company so you can congratulate people on their achievements or refer to a previous conversation: "How was that trip you took last week?" Your sincere interest in people will make a lasting impression. 3. Ask questions to start a conversation. A bright but introverted friend of mine has a gregarious wife who often drags him to parties where he doesn't know anyone. He used to sit in a corner with a drink in his hand, inspecting the carpet. Then I showed him the question-asking technique. At the next gathering, he asked the hostess about her work. "I'm an emergency room nurse," she said. "What is your average day like?" he responded. They talked for an hour. As the couple prepared to leave, the hostess told my friend's astonished wife, "Your husband is the most scintillating conversationalist I've ever met." Moral: When you make people feel important, letting them talk about themselves and sharing what they know, you earn a reputation as a brilliant conversationalist, even if you've hardly said a word. 4. Praise others. For example, be sure to boast about your entire team rather than your own efforts. Say how proud you are of them and offer highlights of their accomplishments. It makes you much more likable, and the unavoidable implication is that you are a good leader. 5. Overcome shyness. When you find yourself in an elevator with a VIP, forget the power plays and do what would make your mother proud. Be cordial, smile, breathe deeply, and take the initiative. Say, "Good morning Mr./Ms. Big Shot. I don't know if you remember me. I am Patricia Fripp, and I work in the communications department." Then congratulate them on a recent success -- a speech, published article, award or contract. Or mention very briefly an achievement in your department: "Did you hear how we saved the company a quarter of a million dollars?" You've got seconds to connect so don't try to pin Big Shot down. Perhaps Big Shot will stop to continue the chat when you reach your floor, but more likely you've planted the seeds for future conversation. About the Author Patricia Fripp CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based professional speaker on Change, Teamwork, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Communication Skills. She is the author of Get What You Want! and Past-President of the National Speakers Association. To learn more about Patricia, as well as save 20% when you order her audio/video programs Preparing and Presenting Powerful Programs, The Gift of Laughter and/or Get What You Want!, go to www.yoursuccessstore.com or call 877-929-0439. ---------------------------------------------------- * BOOK REVIEW: The Automatic Millionaire : A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich -by David Bach (Author) * ---------------------------------------------------- Despite its sensational title, David Bach's The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich is not a get-rich-quick guide. Rather, the book is a straightforward march through common-sense personal financial planning that suggests readers "automate" their contributions to retirement and investment vehicles. Bach, in fact, calls his model the "tortoise approach" to becoming wealthy by retirement age. In the early part of the book Bach builds on ideas he established in Smart Women Finish Rich and other bestselling titles. His core principle is that, to succeed, you must "Pay Yourself First." In other words, he suggests using pre-tax retirement accounts (i.e. 401(k)s, IRAs, or Roth IRAs) to set aside a fixed, monthly sum of money before considering what is left for living expenses. The "automatic" part of the title comes from Bach's emphasis on using automated payroll deductions to avoid the temptation of using the money to pay today's bills. Bach insists that "regardless of the size of your paycheck, you probably already make enough money to become rich." But his claims that his plan requires "no budget, no discipline," is a bit disingenuous. His discussion of the "The Latte Factor" shows that, to find money to start a retirement plan, a person with a modest income needs to make an up-front commitment to stop accruing debt and to reduce spending on such "wasteful" items as lattes and cigarettes. In the end The Automatic Millionaire does not offer much that is new for readers already familiar with personal finance basics like accelerated mortgage payments, "the miracle of compound interest," and the setting up of emergency funds. But, for those just starting with financial planning, Bach provides a host of resources to put recommendations into action. He walks his readers through such fundamentals as shopping for interest rates, creating a balanced retirement portfolio, and consolidating debt. And Bach's conversational style will make this quick read highly palatable for those daunted by more detailed investment and personal finance titles. --Patrick O'Kelley The list Price of this book is $19.95. To purchase this book for $11.97 from Amazon.com, go directly to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0767914104/selfimprovemeonl/ RETURN TO SELFGROWTH.COM