Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 502, April 22-23, 2008
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Improvement Newsletter, Click here!Please Visit Our Sponsors
Self Improvement Newsletter
Issue # 502, April 22-23, 2008
FREE Self
Improvement Newsletter, Click here!
Please Visit Our Sponsors
* Self
Improvement and Personal Growth Weekly Newsletter *
Issue # 502, Week of April 22-23, 2008
Publisher: David Riklan -
http://www.SelfGrowth.com
In this issue:
-- Quotes
of the Week
-- Personal Growth Products and Services
-- Article:
Straight Talk for Success: Common
Sense Ideas That Won't Let You Down [Excerpt] - By Bud Bilanich
-- Article: Think Outside the Box -- How Limited Beliefs and Fear Keep Us from
Getting What We Want - By Dyan Garris
-- Book Review: Straight Talk for Success: Common
Sense Ideas That Won't Let You Down - By Bud Bilanich
-- Brief News of the World
-- How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe from this Newsletter
Current
Subscribers - 266,079 subscribers
Removal instructions are listed at the end of the newsletter.
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*** Quotes of the Week ***
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Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye. - Helen Keller, 1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author and Lecturer
A day without laughter is a day wasted. - Charlie Chaplin, 1889-1977, English-born Comedic Actor and Director
Two things are bad for the heart -- running up stairs and running down people. - Bernard M. Baruch, 1870-1965, American Financier and Statesman
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*** Personal Growth Products and Services ***
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*** Article: Straight Talk for Success: Common Sense Ideas That Won't Let You
Down [Excerpt] - By Bud Bilanich ***
----------------------------------------------------
I love stories. I think they are a very powerful way of making important points.
Here's one of my favorites about self-confidence:
The business executive was
deep in debt and could see no way out. Creditors were closing in on him.
Suppliers were demanding payment. He sat on the park bench, head in hands,
wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy. Suddenly an old
man appeared before him. "I can see that something is troubling you," he said.
After listening to the executive's woes, the old man said, "I believe I can help
you." He asked the man his name and wrote out a check. He pushed it into his
hand, and said, "Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and
you can pay me back at that time." Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as
he had come. The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed
by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world! "I can erase
my money worries in an instant!" he realized. But instead, the executive decided
to put the uncashed check in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him
the strength to work out a way to save his business.
With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms of payment.
He closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making
money once again. Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the
uncashed check. At the agreed-upon time, the old man appeared. But just as the
executive was about to hand back the check and share his success story, a nurse
came running up and grabbed the old man. "I'm so glad I caught him!" she cried.
"I hope he hasn't been bothering you. He's always escaping from the rest home
and telling people he's John D. Rockefeller." And she led the old man away by
the arm. The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long he'd
been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million
dollars behind him. Suddenly, he realized that it wasn't the money, real or
imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence
that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after. As nice as this story
is, I doubt if it is actually true. However, like a lot of fables, it makes a
great common sense point about career and life success. If you believe in
yourself and your success, you are likely to find ways to make that belief come
true. Think about it.
Positoovity
Cathy, my wife, and I had the pleasure of seeing "The Little Mermaid," a new Disney musical in its pre-Broadway engagement. It was very cool to be able to see a play that will likely become a big hit prior to its Broadway opening. It was even better because the title role of Ariel is played by Denver native Sierra Boggess, and I live in Denver. I bring up this production because of the first number in the second act -- Positoovity." If you don't know the story, Ariel has just sold her voice to her wicked aunt in order to leave the sea and become human in order to capture the heart of Prince Eric. There is one caveat. Ariel must entice the Prince to kiss her within three days. As the second act opens, Ariel is lying on the beach with her new legs. However, she finds that walking is a lot more difficult than she thought it would be. She is about to give up when Scuttle the seagull happens by. Scuttle, a master of the malapropism, tells her she can't give up and that she needs to get herself some "positoovity." Scuttle and his fellow seagulls then sing a rousing song about the power of positoovity to Ariel. I loved it.
"Positoovity" is a great, fun song, but its message is even better. We all need some positoovity in our lives -- positoovity, loosely defined, is belief in oneself. Positoove people look at the bright side of things and don't give up. And that's a great common sense message. Get some positoovity in your life, and you'll be well on your way to success.
Experience and Confidence
Stan Smith is a legendary tennis player. He has won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. In 1972, he ended the year as the number one player in the world. He is a member of the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI. I once saw a great quote from him: "Experience tells you what to do. Confidence allows you to do it." I like Mr. Smith's quote because it relates to all three aspects of self-confidence: optimism, dealing with your fears, and surrounding yourself with positive people. Experience can be a cruel teacher. The best learnings often come from the worst experiences.
To take advantage of your experience, you need to be optimistic. You need to believe that you can learn something from your failures and put this knowledge to good use. You also need to be willing to face your fears. You need to be willing to put yourself back in a situation in which you have previously failed, and to try something new that will help you succeed. Finally, you need to have a cadre of supportive, positive people around you. These people can help you stay optimistic and help you face your fears. These positive people can also coach you to help you determine what you are going to do to turn around your performance.
The common sense point here is simple. We all fail from time to time. Career and life stars use the experience they gain from these failures to move ahead in their lives and careers. They use their optimism, willingness to face their fears, and the positive people in their lives to build their confidence to help them take advantage of their experiences.
About the Author:
Bud Bilanich, The Common Sense Guy, is an executive coach, motivational speaker,
author, and blogger. He is the Official Executive Coaching Guide at
SelfGrowth.com. He helps his coaching clients succeed by applying their common
sense.
Dr. Bilanich is Harvard educated but has a no-nonsense approach to his work that goes back to his roots in the steel country of Western Pennsylvania. His approach to career and life success is a result of over 35 years of business experience, 10 years of research and study of successful people, and the application of common sense.
He is the author of seven books, including "Straight Talk for Success: Common Sense Ideas That Won't Let You Down," where he presents his blueprint for career and life success:
* Develop your
self-confidence.
* Create positive personal impact.
* Become an outstanding performer.
* Become an effective communicator.
* Become interpersonally competent.
His clients include Pfizer, Glaxo SmithKline, Johnson and Johnson, Abbot Laboratories, PepsiCo, AT&T, Chase Manhattan Bank, Citigroup, General Motors, UBS, AXA Advisors, Cabot Corporation, The Aetna, PECO Energy, Olin Corporation, Minerals Technologies, The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and a number of small and family-owned businesses.
Bud is a cancer survivor and lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Cathy. He is a retired rugby player and an avid cyclist. He likes movies, live theatre, and crime fiction.
Check out the Experts page for Bud Bilanich, the Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to Executive Coach and Executive Coaching.
*****
Order Bud's book today and receive over $1,000 in bonus gifts from noted success
experts! Go to
http://www.straighttalkforsuccessbook.com/booklaunch/
The list price of this book is $19.95. To purchase it from Amazon.com, go here.
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*** Article: Think Outside the Box -- How Limited Beliefs and Fear Keep Us from
Getting What We Want - By Dyan Garris ***
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What we believe definitely has power to shape our lives. The chatter that goes around in your head definitely has power to shape your life. That is where the laws of attraction and the power of positive thinking come in to play. But this is only part of the story. Ultimately it's what you DO with your belief system that has power to transform your life.
For illustrative purposes, let's say you live in a box. The inside of the box is cozy and comfortable. You're happy in there. But the box has no windows. One day you decide you need to broaden your horizons, so you gingerly cut a large hole in the side of the box. This gives you a very nice view of what is going on outside your living quarters. You gaze out in wonder from the safety of your little dwelling, and you can see leafy green trees and other interesting shrubbery.
After a while you decide to expand your view so you cut a hole in the opposite side of the box. Now you have yet another view of the outside world. Out of this window you can see horses grazing peacefully right outside your box. You are amazed. You had no idea this was going on outside.
At some point you decide to open an additional portal on another side of the box. You're a little scared by this because you now think you may be cutting too many holes in your abode. You begin to doubt yourself and start thinking that you may be making a place for rain to get in rather than expanding your view. You worry and fret about compromising the structural integrity of your box. But then you tell yourself that it worked out just fine on the other sides, so what could possibly go wrong?
You tell yourself that if you don't cut the additional hole, you do have a nice view out of two windows and maybe that's just fine. But you've decided that you don't want to be limited anymore; you want to see what else is going on out there. So you gather your courage and do it anyway. Now you have a completely different view. You can see a beautiful lake out there. You are in awe. You decide to do this on the remaining side too, this time with enthusiasm instead of fear. Now you have a panoramic view. It's lovely and enjoyable and you are quite pleased with yourself for taking a few chances.
Some of you reading this were thinking that something bad was going to happen with all of this hole cutting. What is this based on? Why is your mind going to the negative? Study where these negative belief systems have originated from. Fear is very limiting and will keep you from getting what you desire.
Now here is what is important: You can sit there inside the box for the rest of your life, simply enjoying the view and thinking positive thoughts about it, or you can venture outside. You will discover that when you go outside you can ride the horses to greener pastures, eat the luscious ripe berries from the shrubbery, fish and/or swim in the lake. If you stay inside you can't do any of that. You can sit in there and wonder when a fish will jump out of the lake and land on top of your box or when fresh berries will arrive at your doorstep. It is a choice.
About the Author:
Dyan Garris is the author of "Money and Manifesting," "Voice of the Angels -- A Healing Journey Spiritual Cards," "The Book of Daily Channeled Messages," "Talk To Your Food! Intuitive Cooking," and "Fish Tale of Woe -- Lost At Sea." She publishes a Daily Channeled Message at http://www.voiceoftheangels.com. In 2005 she created a series of music and meditation CDs for healing, chakra balance, help in sleeping, relaxation, and vibrational attunement of mind, body, and spirit.
Go here to learn more about "Money and Manifesting": http://www.moneyandmanifesting.com
The list price of this book is $14.99. To purchase it from Amazon.com, go here.
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*** Book Review: Straight Talk for Success: Common Sense Ideas That Won't Let
You Down - By Bud Bilanich ***
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"Straight Talk for Success" is written by Bud Bilanich, who is also known as "The Common Sense Guy." He definitely has been given the correct title. I found "Straight Talk for Success" to be well-organized and easy to understand. The book is arranged in five parts. Each section has its own chapters that give you further advice on the topics presented. All of the information provided is based upon common sense, which makes it easier to apply. After reading the whole book, you will see that the title is perfect.
About a week ago, a friend commented that most of my "gurus" just provide me with information that should be common sense. I totally agree with this; however, sometimes when life gets in the way, we need to have other people lead us back to what makes sense. When events at work become so convoluted, it is easy to get lost and feel helpless. Reading "Straight Talk for Success" helped me put a lot of things into perspective. One of the biggest ways it will influence me is in how I deal with situations with other people, especially co-workers, one in particular. Bilanich reminded me to act assertively, keep my integrity, and to learn from the situation.
The biggest feeling that I had when I finished reading "Straight Talk for Success" was excitement. I am looking forward to applying the principles that I learned to my career so that I can get myself out of a slump that I feel myself falling into. I am looking forward to putting these new tools to work, so that I can present myself with confidence and integrity. It feels so good to be excited about doing something well, especially when I know that my career helps others.
I highly recommend this book for people in the work world. It is appropriate for those at every stage of their career. It would make a wonderful gift for a college graduate who is just starting out. I wish I had something like this way back when. It will also be good for people who are in the middle of their career when they feel themselves hitting rough patches. People nearing retirement can still benefit from this book because it will help them finish strong. "Straight Talk for Success" would also be the perfect text for a work retreat. --Paige Lovitt for Reader Views
*****
When you order "Straight Talk for Success" today, you'll get a package of FREE gifts that can change your life -- from some of the best thinkers on career and life success! Visit http://www.straighttalkforsuccessbook.com/booklaunch/
The list price of this book is $19.95. To purchase it
from Amazon.com,
go here.
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*** Brief News of the World ***
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Positive:
* Virtual reality helps autistic kids develop skills: Lessons learned in controlled environment are transferable to real world *
A playmate named Sam, a talking dog named Buddy and an Israeli street leading to a Toys"R"Us store all have starring roles in a new generation of virtual reality games designed to teach basic safety and social skills to children diagnosed with autism. For school-aged children with autism spectrum disorders, including Asperger's syndrome, skills often taken for granted can be torturously difficult, whether staying within the confines of a yard, crossing a street or navigating the social norms of group playtime. (Click here for complete news story)
* Implant, Belt May Help Fight Obesity: Trial Under Way Of Therapy That Blocks
Nerves That Give Feelings Of Hunger, Fullness *
There may be new hope for people struggling with obesity. It's called "VBLOC therapy," which seeks to stop the impulse to overeat by blocking the vagal nerves. Those nerves communicate feelings of hunger and fullness from the brain to the stomach. With the new approach, doctors insert a VBLOC device just beneath the skin. It's a receiver. Electrodes are hooked up to the vagal nerves. And the patient wears a belt that transmits electronic impulses to confuse or block the nerves' signals. The desired result -- pangs of hunger are reduced, and patients eat less. (Click here for complete news story
* Oregon cop battles 12-foot python to save pet store owner *
A pet store owner is calling a police sergeant a hero for saving her from the coils of a 12-foot Burmese python doing its best to turn her into a meal. Teresa Rossiter had reached into a cage Thursday to show the huge snake to a customer when it bit her right hand and coiled around her left arm to throw her to the floor. (Click here for complete news story)
** For more positive news, please visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/news.html
Other:
* More people buying hybrid cars *
Kim Fenske drives a bus in Colorado by day, but when he's not working, he zooms around the mountains in a 2007 Toyota Prius. Fenske, an attorney by training who has also worked as a forest ranger, was an environmentalist long before hybrid cars like the Prius hit the market. In the early 1990s, he ran unsuccessfully for the Wisconsin state legislature on a renewable energy platform. But he recently decided to go one step further and make an environmental statement with his car. (Click here for complete news story)
* OMG! Let's Not Go to the Mall: In a Slumping Economy, Teens Find It Cool to Be Frugal *
The souring job market and rising costs of the usual teenage indulgences -- a slice of pizza, a drive to the mall, the hottest new jeans -- are causing teens to do something they rarely do: be thrifty. It's a far cry from the freewheeling spending of recent years, when teens splurged on $100 Coach wristlet handbags, $60 Juicy Couture T-shirts and $80 skinny jeans from Abercrombie & Fitch. (Click here for complete news story)
* Rare Giant Turtle Found In Vietnam: Researchers From Cleveland Zoo Locate Species Thought To Be Extinct *
Researchers from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo have discovered a rare giant turtle in northern Vietnam, giving scientists hope for the species they believed was extinct in the wild. The three other known Swinhoe's soft-shell turtles are in captivity, said experts from the Zoo's Asian turtle program. The discovery represents hope for the species, said Doug Hendrie, the Vietnam-based coordinator of the zoo program. (Click here for complete news story)