Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 497, March 18-19, 2008
FREE Self
Improvement Newsletter, Click here!Please Visit Our Sponsors
Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 497, March 18-19, 2008
FREE Self
Improvement Newsletter, Click here!
Please Visit Our Sponsors
* Self Improvement and Personal
Growth Weekly Newsletter *
Issue # 497, Week of March 18-19, 2008
Publisher: David Riklan -
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
In this issue:
-- Quotes of the Week
-- Personal Growth Products and Services
-- Article:
Success Can Be Learned...It's Not Just For
The Gifted! - By David Mason
-- Article: The 3:1 Passion Ratio - By Lori Radun, CEC
-- Book Review: You
Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way -- and Live the Life You Want -- with the 19
Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship - By Cameron Johnson
-- Brief News of the World
-- How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe from this Newsletter
Current Subscribers - 265,274
subscribers
Removal instructions are listed at the end of the newsletter.
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*** Quotes of the Week ***
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Big pay and little responsibility are circumstances seldom found together. - Napoleon Hill, 1883-1970, American Speaker/Motivational Writer/Author of "Think and Grow Rich"
It is not a lucky word, this name "impossible"; no good comes of those who have it so often in their mouths. - Thomas Carlyle, 1795-1881, Scottish Philosopher and Author
The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. -
William James, 1842-1910, American Philosopher and Psychologist
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*** Personal Growth Products and Services ***
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*** Article: Success Can Be Learned...It's Not Just For The Gifted! - By David
Mason ***
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Are you one of those people who think that success is only for the gifted? Or better yet, that really successful people are lucky? Or that everything they have today was given to them on a silver spoon?
Here's the deal -- while that may be true in some cases, it would be a very few. Success is not about luck or gifts or handouts. I have been saying for years that "success is based on persistency and consistency, not magic."
What this means is that success comes from persistently doing those things we choose to do, on a consistent basis. We all have the potential to be more successful, to accomplish more with our lives. It is not so important what you choose; it is that you choose that makes the difference.
We all experience this world, this life, filtered through our own eyes and our own files that we call morals, ethics, principles, and core beliefs. We may experience the same event, but what we saw, heard, or felt will be different for each person. The reason is that we are all individuals. This is what makes the world such an interesting place. The interpretations of events, the opinions, ideas, ideals are all based on individual interpretations of the unfolding of events before us.
Now I could write an entire book on this subject, but that is not my intention here. What I want to establish is that, ultimately, what we experience in life is the result of how we decide or choose to interpret events.
Did you catch that? I said our decision or choice of how to interpret events. You see life is based on decisions or choices. I am sure you have heard one or several of the analogies about the two siblings that experienced some traumatic event in their youth. One grows up to be a criminal and the other a very successful member of society. They grew up so differently because of how they chose to interpret and internalize the event from earlier in life. We, just like the siblings I just mentioned, are all the products of our decisions and choices.
You do want to be successful, don't you? I'll give you a hint; it starts with deciding or choosing to be successful.
Now like I said earlier, I don't think that success is based on magic. So I am not about to tell you that all you have to do to become successful is decide you want to be successful and boom, you will be. I wish that was how it works, but the truth is... it's not. It takes more than that; it takes work. I hope I didn't scare you off with the "W" word. But anything worth having is worth working toward.
For example, when I left my career as a Research Biologist to start a business, I didn't give myself the luxury of failure. You see, close to 90% of small businesses go out of business within the first five years. I was not about to give myself this crutch, that if things didn't work out I could fall back on that statistic to justify why I didn't succeed. I put everything I had into making it work. I spent my first year making sure everyone in my industry knew my name and my company name. I wanted and I achieved 'top of mind' within my specific area. It was tough in those early years, I mean really tough. But I went on to build a very successful business, I mean really successful. I was able to sell that business for a very respectful amount in that industry, something that others struggle to do.
Walt Disney said, "While the worriers are worrying, the planners are planning, and the accountants are figuring out why we can't afford it, I'm busy getting it started." I am sure you would agree that he was an extremely successful person, who knew the value of making the decision to get started and was not afraid of work.
It's important to understand that success can be learned; we are not born successful, and we know it's not just for a chosen few.
Any human behavior expert will agree that most people operate at only a small percentage of their true potential. As a result, they realize only a small percentage of their potential success. You've probably heard this yourself.
Through personal and professional performance development, it is possible to increase your successes, and in turn, your quality of life.
For instance:
*
When you focus on developing and growing your business, your income grows.
* When you work smarter and not harder, you can accomplish more in less time.
* If you have more free time, you can spend it with your family and friends; in
turn your relationships blossom.
* Now you can start to focus on your health and fitness, and improvements are
not far behind.
* As a result, your self-esteem and your self-confidence will increase.
You can obviously see how this cycle repeats itself and the results start compounding. This is Performance Development.
Toss that around in your head for a bit and you'll agree with me that by focusing on improvements in one area of your life, you can, and surely will, see improvements in other areas of your life as well.
A few years ago, I decided to spend more time focusing on my own personal and professional development than I ever had before. I attended more seminars. I took more courses and certifications. I invested in my own professional coach. I was able to take off more time with my family than I ever had before. We even bought a cottage on the Northumberland Strait in Nova Scotia, and we spend a great deal of time there throughout the summer and fall each year.
All of this was done during normal revenue-generating time in my business, yet I was still able to significantly increase my business revenues.
I think you will agree with me when I say that performance development makes a huge difference in both your personal and professional lives. Let's not forget that none of this has to be complex but can be very simple. Consistent tasks performed over time add up to positive results in your personal life or business.
On the road to success, we must repeatedly do things that motivate us and create an impact. Ongoing support is also necessary because it is what drives us to keep moving forward...to grow and to do those things we may not have done because we just didn't feel like it, or were uncomfortable doing.
Don't let procrastination, hesitation, or fear stop you from improving your life and hold you back from your success.
Make the decision to start improving your personal and professional lives. Decide right now that you are going to do what it takes to grow personally. Get excited about taking your business or your career to a new level.
Make a commitment to continuous learning. Spend at least one hour every day doing something that nurtures your heart and nourishes your mind.
To your success...
About the Author:
David Mason is president of Mason Performance Development Inc., a Speaker,
Trainer, Performance Development Coach, and internationally best-selling author.
Find out more about David and how he can improve your results at
http://www.YourBigProfits.com
Want FREE marketing tips? Sign-up for The Performance Development News; it's a
weekly ezine for small business owners who want simple-to-use tips and hints to
create Big Profits, guaranteed. Visit
http://www.YourBigProfits.com
Check out the Experts page for David Mason, the Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to Business Coach and Business Coaching: http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/david_mason.html
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*** Article: The 3:1 Passion Ratio - By Lori Radun, CEC ***
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Children have long lists of toys they want, and moms have long "to do" lists. If we can set aside our money fears, it's exciting to listen to our children talk about all the cool toys they want for their birthdays or other special occasions. Do you ever hear your child say, "I have to have a new train set, or I have to get a new doll?" You might listen to them tell you why they need something, but usually after you've told them they don't need that toy. Kids start with a heart-driven passion for the toy they want, and it only escalates until that special day when they open their gifts.
What if you felt passionate about your "to do" list? How would that change your day? You might be laughing right now at this idea, rationalizing in your mind how feeling passion for laundry, housework, and running errands is impossible. I'm going to challenge you to put aside your old beliefs for a moment and consider a new paradigm. The 3:1 passion ratio states that for every three "want-to's" in your life, you will have one "have-to." Let me explain.
Get out a piece of paper and write down all the tasks/activities you have to do this week. Your list might look something like this:
"I have to finish the laundry."
"I have to go to work."
"I have to go grocery shopping."
"I have to pick up the dry cleaning."
"I have to take the girls to dance lessons."
"I have to make dinner."
"I have to mop the floors."
"I have to pay the bills."
Pay attention to your energy as you write down all these tasks. My guess is you feel a sense of obligation, a lack of energy, and possibly a feeling of dread. The words "have to" indicate a low level of engagement in a task or activity. You are about 26-50% engaged, meaning you bring, at best, half of your energy to the task, maybe less.
Now turn your piece of paper over and write down all the tasks/activities you want to do this week. When I ask moms this question, typical answers I hear are:
"I want to sleep."
"I want to read a book."
"I want to go shopping."
"I want to get a massage."
"I want to have lunch with my girlfriend."
"I want to see a good movie."
When we want something in our life, we are excited about the opportunity. Our energy is high, and we are extremely engaged in the task/activity. The likelihood of success is great as well.
So what stops you from using the 3:1 passion ratio in your life? Typically, moms cite guilt and time as factors that prevent them from doing more of the tasks/activities they want to do. And I'm going to throw in another reason for good measure -- attitude.
*
Guilt
Some mothers feel guilty about doing things they want to do. If you have a
healthy balance of tending to the needs of your family and nurturing your
personal needs, what reason do you have to feel guilty? What are your beliefs
about what constitutes a good mother? Does your definition of "motherhood" state
that you should sacrificially give all that you have to everyone else? If so,
remember you are not giving all of who you are if you are not taking time to
fill yourself back up.
*
Time
If we let our time dictate our lives, it will. We are in control of our time,
and we have the power to choose how we use our time. Utilizing the 3:1 passion
ratio in our lives requires us to be intentional about scheduling the want-to's
as diligently as we schedule the have-to's.
*
Attitude
None of us wants to admit we need an attitude adjustment at times, but we all
do. Changing our attitude about the have-to's can covert those tasks/activities
to want-to's and make the 3:1 passion ratio a whole lot easier. I want to do the
laundry so we all have clean underwear tomorrow. I want to mop the floors
because I really enjoy looking at clean floors. Sometimes an attitude adjustment
requires us to do something different to shift our energy. What would it take
for you to say "I want to go to work because I love what I do"? How would
listening to your favorite music shift your perspective on housework?
One mother once looked at me in disbelief and asked, "Do you really have three want-to's for every one have-to in your life?" My answer was an unequivocal YES. And if it's not, I give myself what Sam Glenn, The Authority on Attitude, calls a "kick in the attitude."
About the Author:
Lori Radun, CEC - certified life coach and inspirational speaker for moms. To
receive her FREE newsletter, and the FREE special report "155 Things Moms Can Do
To Raise Great Children," go to
http://www.true2youlifecoaching.com
Check out the Experts page for Lori Radun:
http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/lori_radun.html
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*** Book Review: You Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way -- and Live the Life You
Want -- with the 19 Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship - By Cameron Johnson
***
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Why work for someone else when you can call your own shots, pursue your dreams,
and find success on your terms by starting your own business? So many people end
up bored with their jobs, stuck in the corporate grind, never following their
true passions. As wildly successful young entrepreneur Cameron Johnson shows,
you don't have to live that way. We've entered a new age of entrepreneurship,
with the Web making it easier than ever to start and run your own company. As
Johnson's remarkable story reveals, the entrepreneurial way of life is a great
way to make sure you love what you do -- and it offers the potential to achieve
extraordinary success by following your gut instincts and going for what you
really want.
What about the risks? Don't you need lots of money? Don't most start-ups fail? Johnson shares his essential secrets to entrepreneurial success that show you how he got into the life at very low risk, and with very little money, took an idea that excited him and ran with it, achieving great success and satisfaction with businesses he loved. He didn't have an MBA; he didn't even have a college degree. But he had learned the simple yet vital secrets he reveals.
Cameron Johnson is a seriously happy entrepreneur who started his first business when he was nine with $50 and a home computer. Before he'd turned twenty-one, he'd started twelve successful businesses and was offered $10 million in venture capital to grow his hot Web company CertificateSwap.com -- praised by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the Web businesses helping the tech industry get its groove back -- even bigger. He has never taken out a loan or racked up any debt, and every one of his businesses has been highly profitable -- so profitable that he made his first million before graduating from high school, and he's put away enough cash so that he could retire today. But that's the last thing on earth he'd want to do; he's much too happy starting up new companies.
Through the story of his own impressive career so far, in "You Call the Shots," Johnson takes you behind the scenes of entrepreneurial success and empowers you to hit the ground running with your own great business idea, no matter how young you are or how little money you have to invest.
*****
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*** Brief News of the World ***
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Positive:
* Laura Bush, Mexico fight breast cancer *
First lady Laura Bush joined her Mexican counterpart on Friday to inaugurate a two-country alliance to promote breast cancer awareness and research. At the launch of the U.S.-Mexico Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research, Bush and Margarita Zavala spoke of improving education and doing away with stigmas attached to breast cancer so women will not be afraid to get medical help. (Click here for complete news story)
* Seattle Barista Gives Gift of Life to Ailing Customer: Women Become Friends
for Life After Successful Transplant Surgery *
Every day for three years, Annamarie Ausnes went to her local Seattle Starbucks for her usual morning coffee. She developed a casual relationship with the barista that soon percolated and ultimately saved her life. Sandie Andersen, 51, a chatty server who struck up conversations with her regulars, had no idea Ausnes had spent the last seven years on a kidney transplant list and was getting sicker and sicker. (Click here for complete news story)
* Clinton, Pitt break ground in N.O. *
Former President Clinton and Brad Pitt met with hundreds of volunteers in the Lower 9th Ward at the site where a foundation headed by Pitt plans to begin building affordable homes for Hurricane Katrina victims. "We hope to see a huge change here in the next six months," Pitt told a group of residents as he posed for pictures Sunday and signed autographs. (Click here for complete news story)
** For more positive news, please visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/news.html
Other:
* How one family walked off 191 pounds: After losing two siblings, this clan took steps to shape up *
The Janssens are a picture of the Iowa heartland -- especially at the dinner table. A true meat-and-potatoes family, they were taught to eat whatever was on their plates. And with 10 siblings, they learned early that it was better to take an extra scoop of mashed potatoes than end up hungry! Fast-forward a few decades and all that meat and potatoes (don't forget the gravy), along with genetics, left the family with health problems, including heart disease and diabetes. ... (Click here for complete news story)
* Study: Creativity jazzes your brain *
Scientists inspired by the legendary improv of Miles Davis and John Coltrane are peering inside the brains of today's jazz musicians to learn where creativity comes from. Think dreaming. This isn't just a curiosity for jazz fans but a bold experiment in the neuroscience of music, a field that's booming as researchers realize that music illuminates how the brain works. How we play and hear music provides a window into most everyday cognitive functions -- from attention to emotion to memory -- that in turn may help find treatments for brain disorders. (Click here for complete news story)
* Honest Abe's $5 Portrait Gets Touch-Up: New Bill Put In Circulation; Adds More Color To President's Face *
Abraham Lincoln is getting a little
color in his cheeks. New $5 bills bearing the gaunt visage of the nation's 16th
president -- but with some touches of color added - are making their way to
banks and cash registers near you. The bill goes into circulation Thursday.
That's when the Federal Reserve, the supplier of the nation's cash, starts
shipping the bills to banks, which send them to businesses and eventually into
the hands of people in this country and beyond. (Click
here for complete news story)