Transforming Challenges to Passion and Purpose

by Alice Vlietstra

We hear much about happiness, but what about the melancholy sides of life? The tendency is to avoid it. Rather than avoiding it, understanding it and transforming may lead to deep gratification, passion, and purpose.
We all have times in our life when we have faced pain, disconnection, and separation. It can be from death, rejection, and many kinds of hurt. Initially, we may want to find ways to avoid confronting the difficult emotions.
It is not the emotion itself, but facing it and transforming it that creates the challenge. The greatest challenge is the tendency to judge. Doing so puts ourselves in a mental box, as though we want to hide and function as though we are complete and separate entities. The walls of our boxes are built from the hidden talk about our personal experiences and ourselves. Most frequently, this self-talk is not about the present, but early childhood patterns of belief.
Passion
When we understand that this pain has an early origin, we can have compassion for each other. We all have had childhood. We can discover the old childhood patterns, and release them. When put in perspective, this gives us a deep sense of connection and well being.

A deeper spiritual energy also emerges. Facing pain helps us to connect with our spiritual resources, make a difference, and be of service to others. This experience, combined with an appreciation of our unique strengths, seeds passion.
When this passion is put into form, a vehicle that provides a benefit to others, we have created a unique purpose. When pain is changed purpose, the walls come down, and we experience a flow of energy in serving others that is very gratifying.
For example, the woman who started MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drives) had a son who was killed by a drunk driver. She could have wallowed in her pain endlessly. Instead, she decided to heal herself by using the painful experience to honor her son and increase society's awareness of the problem.

Visit http://www.lifetreesolutions.com to find out more about the leading edge tools for identifying strengths and transforming challenges into passion and purpose.

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Witnessing Our Miracles - The Gift of Transformation

by Camille Strate

For as long as I can remember, I've been dreaming of a day when I could write and get paid to do it. No 'real job'. No worries about paying the bills. Just me and my computer and hours on end to write. Oh, what I could do then! What a grand and delicious way to spend my days! Oh, if only...
Then, out of 'the blue' it happened. Not in the way I'd have hoped, but nonetheless....I have the time to write and the means to do so. I have all day, every day to sit at my computer if I wish and write that long overdue novel (or whatever). The day I found out I was going to be getting this unexpected income, I was overjoyed. I was finally 'free' to do what I wanted and not have to put up with commutes and surly bosses. I could get up in the morning, make my coffee and sit on the porch to gather my thoughts. I could take a walk and soak in the beauty of my surroundings, thereby providing further inspiration to write some fantastic book. One problem...
The reason for the 'unexpected income' was my physical state.. Not good. Some sort of malady, thus far a mystery, had appeared and my physical mobility was completely impaired because of it. Forget the walks. Forget the hikes in the canyons. Forget any kind of physical activity. Just getting out of bed in the mornings was a feat. Pain screamed through my body at every breath.. Showering and getting dressed were major tasks. Even just getting up or sitting down at my desk was something I had to keenly focus on. Sheesh! NOT what I'd planned!
So, after months of agonizing pain and both physical and psychological, I made up my mind to just stop thinking about it. Okay. So there's all this pain every time I move....does this mean I must stop BEING? Does this mean that this time I'm being 'given' is to be wasted on self-pity? Does this mean the book will go unwritten? I think not! But there was more to it than just the physcial challenge. There was the lack of ideas. What to write about? Where are all the ideas I'd had when I didn't have time to write? Why am I sitting at my computer with nothing to say? What in the world is going on here? It was driving me crazy. And the more I tried, the more I had nothing to 'say'. Quite the quandary. Then one day, I had this idea....what if I pretended that I was on 'holiday'? What if I just let the day unfold, without any plan or schedule or 'to do' list? What might that be like?
Once that thought entered my little brain, everything about my 'life' changed. I'd made the decision to accept my current 'state' and not fight it. I'd finally given up the idea of 'what used to be' and started living in my 'now'. I made a conscious decision to take each moment as it came and allow what would be to be. In short, I stopped fighting. This was a huge shift for me. And the changes that followed were even more profound than I could have imagined. All sorts of 'tools' began to appear. Books that affirmed my decision. People who had been in similar situations. Total strangers who had gifts to offer from their own experiences. All manner of little miracles (if there is such a thing as a 'little' miracle!) began to show up. It was as if the Universe was saying, 'Bravo! You got it! Just let go. It's all perfect just the way it is.'

Surrender is a very funny word. Not 'ha ha' funny....weird funny. We tend to use with in an entirely negative connotation. We tend to look at surrender as 'giving up'. Tossing in the towel. Quitting. But what if surrender is more than that? What if by surrendering, we're merely 'giving up' old beliefs, old though patterns, old behaviours? What if, by surrendering we're actually telling the Universe that we're ready to unfold, to BE the instrument of Divine Intelligence, to expand what was previously a very miniscule reflection of who we really are? Is this what Jesus was talking about? Is this what Buddha was trying to tell us? Is this our ticket to true Living?
I've played with this practice for several weeks now and I can attest to the profound impact it's had on my Life. Things that were once (not so long ago) incredibly painful to me are no longer more than a fleeting thought. Letting go of the 'image' of who I once was has become so secondary that even as I type, it's hard to remember who that person was. Adages that never made any sense to me are suddenly clear as a bell. I understand what was meant by 'behind every cloud is a silver lining'. I get the whole 'blessing in disguise'. I can see how this so-called tragedy is one of the greatest gifts I could have been given. The person I am today is nothing like the person I was a year ago. I have more patience, more tolerance, more compassion than I've ever had. There's a softness about me that a short time ago I would have considered 'weakness'. Most of all, the critical, judgemental person I used to be seems to have disappeared. In short, I'm a much better human Being. I'm OPEN to what Life has to offer. I am BEING rather than pretending to be.
There is a remarkable grace in living through this kind of experience. Once we realize that ALL of Life is change, we are then able to let go of social and familial expectations to find our own 'true north'. We can experience so much more joy and expansion when we allow ourselves to experience each moment in the moment, rather than projecting forward or remembering what 'was'. We live in the moment of NOW and we see everything with so much more clarity. It's really quite an amazing way to experience Life. And I wouldn't trade all the pain in my body for these lessons. I equate it to the butterfly: what first began as a little catterpillar and wove itself a cocoon in which to transform itself into the marvelous winged creature it becomes....this is what the past year of my Life has been. The butterfly is about to emerge.

Camille Olivia Strate is an author, coach and travel consultant who takes great pleasure in helping folks 'remember' who they are. She spends much of her time with her beloved animals, maintaining that they are her greatest connection to Source. When she's not 'coaching' or writing, she can be found in the garden or on a trail, soaking in the marvels of Nature's offerings. Her latest book, "Whispers" is now available in eBook format. Hardcopy to follow soon! Visit her personal site at http://www.joyzachoice.com For business information, business opportunities or just great deals on traveling, visit her travel site, http://www.joyztravel.info

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Mastering Your Mind Power - Your Number 1 Challenge, Part 2

by Harold L Lowe

If only I had known about the self image as I consciously began my journey to self improvement! I think of all the dust that could have possibly fallen on the ground to help some plant grow instead of collecting on the many self help and inspirational books, magazine articles, and tapes on my book shelves.
I could have enjoyed some really great wines and a cruise or two with the money I used to attend various self improvement workshops and seminars, only to have the information fade into oblivion. I could have saved myself days, weeks, months, even years of frustration.
I would somehow be introduced to a book like Think And Grow Rich, I would purchase a copy, read it, and began applying what I had learned as outlined. My motivation was high (as least I thought I was). Six months would pass, and I would see no visible changes in my life. Doubts would gradually appear. The inner voice (of the self image) would chime in with things like: I knew this stuff would not work. If it worked for those other people, they must have had something that I don't have.
Soon discouragement would ease its way into my thoughts. I would gradually stop applying lessons and return to my old conditioned life. A year or a few years later, I would bump into another book, maybe The Magic of Thinking Big, and I would literally repeat the above process and again and again.
I can say without a doubt that those of you who were born into families who are in the 95% group face a 100% certainty that your self image will deploy its full arsenal of doubts, fears, and phobias to challenge your efforts toward controlling it. Remember, the self image has been in control of nearly every thing you have done most of your life. Now I do not mean that negative stuff is in total control of your mind all of the time. I do not believe that there is such a thing as a totally positive mind, nor a totally negative one.
If you can speak a language, drive a car, ride a bike, use a computer, or enjoy a beautiful sunset, then your self image has allowed some useful, positive thoughts, images and beliefs to enter your unconscious mind.

Ask yourself: What are my consistent thoughts? How do I feel about my job? What thoughts and images flash into my mind when I think about money, or my lack of money? How do I react when things do not go the way I think they should in my relationships? Your answers will give you a clear indication whether the power of your mind is under the influence of positive or negative control.
Here is something I know for sure. You can claim or re-claim control of your own mind power. You are the most miraculous of all living beings on earth. You are the owner of a mind that is so stupendous, that as you truly begin controlling your mind and consciously using it, there is no dream that you can dream that you cannot achieve.

Harold L Lowe retired at age 62 when his six-figure income position was eliminated. He is now studying The New Think And Grow Rich with the author, Ted Ciuba through a MasterMind. Get access to the FREE Report - How To Access Your FREE MasterMind Training at http://www.masteringyourmindpower.com

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Discovering Intrinsic Motivation

by Michael J

If you are like me, you probably have had at least one day where you were moving slow and felt sluggish. You want to pursue your business pursuits, but you feel a resistant emotion towards the idea. So, you drag yourself to your desk and start to work. The realization for your own skills and abilities becomes obvious to you again as you start to draw on you own source of inspiration. Your own inspiration starts to evolve to intrinsic motivation and this carries you to a successful conclusion.
Understanding Intrinsic Motivation
It would be nice to be able to draw on intrinsic motivation emotion on a daily basis. However, the fact remains that this is often not possible. This isn't of greatest concern to a lot of people. The truth of the matter is that there is no reason to be concerned over the lack of intrinsic motivation. A decrease in personal intrinsic motivation is something to look out for. It's not that big of a deal because activating it is relatively simple if you know the steps.
Developing Intrinsic Motivational Drive
We all suffer at times from a lack of intrinsic motivational drive. That being the case all one needs to do is simply take the steps necessary to activate one's own intrinsic motivation. Just like any undertaking of worth there will be some effort required. The amount of effort required to get back on track is a small amount compared to it's alternative. Changing ones habitual ways of observing or acting is usually all that is needed.

It's been commonly to referred to in motivational literature but it takes 21 days to form a new habit. This being the case then you should commit to spending three weeks of your life to cultivating the new habit of intrinsic motivation. If you make this commitment then you will be giving yourself the best gift possible. Your paradigm will determine if this idea works for you or doesn't.
Conclusion
Now that you know this simple explanation on intrinsic motivation, how will you use it? Other ways of activating your motivation can include but are not limited to listening to a popular motivational speaker, reading inspirational quotes and engaging in similar activities. All it takes is the effort to get started and you will soon find yourself in that familiar motivational state.

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Being Passionate About Choices in Life - A Decided Heart

by Richard Rizza

Life without passion is what many of us have. At issue is how to be more passionate about your choices in life. The choices we make reflect the path we are on in life. The wrong choices will put you on the wrong path in life. A decided heart is a reflection of a person that is self-aware.
Each choice we make is a building block to the house we live in, the mate we wed, the way we raise our children, how we make our money and if we are happy or not. If you have made passionate choices in life then you will live your passion. If you live a life just accepting what ever comes your way you have decided not to live up to your full potential. Each of us has the potential to be happy and live passionate lives.
Living with passion means you are greeting each day with delight not dread. When you are and have been passionate about the choices you have made in your life the chances of realizing your full potential is great!
Having a decided heart means you have made a commitment to yourself to live up to your fullest potential. Living up to your potential involves examining your dream. Dare to dream. Your dreams are a manifestation of your deepest desires. Desires are highly self-motivating because they are passion driven and passion generates energy.
A decided heart is determine and persistent. Some of us are trapped in a dead in job, have money problems and are otherwise not happy. It is not possible to be happy when you feel trapped. The logical solution to acquiring a position you love instead of a job you hate, is preparation, planning and execution.
First prepare by searching your for your deepest desire and your lifelong dream. Dreams come true every day why not for you? Careful and thoughtful preparation followed by determination is rewarded by fruition. See your dreams come true by developing a plan to make your dreams reality.
If you passion is to own your own business but you have taken a job just to make ends meet, you are trading in your dreams for a bad choice possibly because you are afraid your dreams won't come true. Maximize the chances for success and minimize your potential losses by developing a realistic plan.
If you have identified the things that you are passionate about in your life, then it time you searched for a way to make your passions work for you instead of lying and wasting. Un realized passion is a negative drain because it is failing to thrive. Passion need to thrive and it's contagious. Start making small steps. Get a web site, buy a domain name and start an Internet business until you can afford to start-up a brick and mortar business if that is what you want.

Successful people are like magnets. Each of us feels better when we make the smallest accomplishment. Set your self up to succeed every day by daily goal setting. Start the night before by making yourself a to do list. Make sure you accomplish the items on the list and you will have more energy the next day. You will have a bounce in your step, keep it up and you may even develop a swagger.
Don't even think that you are going from rags to riches overnight, it's not realistic thinking and progress and accomplished with hard work and determination. Every success starts with a plan. Make your plan based on your passions and your dreams. If you have always wanted to become a photographer but don't own a camera, start saving for one. Find a place where you can put a camera on layaway.
Reading fuels your passions. Learn what you can about the things you are passionate about. Avid gardeners were not born in gardens with the knowledge to make the garden thrive. The passion for gardening may be innate but the knowledge must be procured. A decided heart fuels the amount of determination you generate.
Playing it safe is not realizing your dreams and your lifelong passions. Choosing to play it safe is not the same as not make foolish decisions or choices. Realizing your dreams always comes back to preparation and follow-thru.

Richard Rizza is a Home Business Development Expert and Professional Marketing Trainer for more than 3 years and a top income earner in the Direct Sales Industry. Prior to that he was a Chief Financial Officer for a 400 bed hospital in the Northeast.
He has launched a weekly Ezine where you can learn insider secrets and powerful marketing strategies from the pros to help you explode your home business empire. To sign up for this FREE cutting edge Ezine go to http://thedirectsalesinsider.com, to learn more.
To contact Richard directly go to his personal website http://www.richardrizza.com , there you will also have access to his Blog, subscribe to his blogs RSS feeds today.

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Self Motivation - You Have To Have It To Succeed

by Stephen Meyer

Self motivation is a key factor in building any Internet based affiliate marketing opportunity. With many things in our lives to distract us and even more things we might like to do better than working we must be self motivated to effectively build our home based business. Unlike the corporate world where we have bosses leaning over us and corporate deadlines to meet the legitimate home based business owner must set his own goals and have the motivation to see them through. Below are 5 tips to help you become self motivated.
Five Self Motivating Tips
Tip Number One is to Involve The People You Know
This first tip is one of the hardest for many people because it involves your pride. You are putting yourself on the line and doing anything other than what you promised can mean failure to yourself and to your friends. This tip is to involve others in your project. Even those of us who live very Hermit like lives know people we can involve. They can be personal friends, people in our neighborhoods, family and those we have occasional casual conversations with. By telling these people what you are doing and by setting a date for completion you are placing expectations in the minds of your friends and family.
This will actually do two things for you. First it will give you motivation to complete your project on the specified date because you now have people who are expecting to see it at a certain time. Secondly it will push you to do your very best on your project. No one wants to show their friends something they just completed but was only done half as well as it could be. Your pride will not let you do that. By involving others you are motivating yourself to be the best you can be and to do the best work you possibly can. Peer pressure even when you create it yourself is a very strong motivational factor
The Second Tip Involves Setting A Due Date
Like any business you have to have a set schedule that includes your legitimate home based business opportunities must have set business hours, when you will work and when you will quit. You must also have set schedules and due dates for the completion of your projects and home based business building goals. When setting your time frames and due dates make a list of what this schedule will do for you and your business and of the consequences of not meeting the deadline.
For instance many people have a goal of accomplishing a project that will promote their business each week such as a promotional package or advertising campaign. Having an understanding that accomplishing this task at a set time will give your business a predetermined amount of exposure and build your business at an acceptable rate you can motivate yourself to completing the task on time.
The Third Step Is To Give Yourself A Treat.

Life has many examples of how treating yourself can give you motivation to complete your projects on time. Pavlov's dogs are a prime example. By building an expectation of a desired result you can push yourself to finish your work. If the result is a treat and you have a desire to receive that treat each time you start a task you will have the motivation to complete the task each and every time you start on a project.
Make the treat something you strongly desire. It could be a favorite food or snack, a walk in the park or anything else you really like and want. It also needs to be something that you do not give yourself unless you have finished a task. That could mean fighting off the temptation to just get what you want when ever you want it. A little self discipline is required but the payoff is that you have conditioned yourself to be motivated in your work.
The Fourth Tip Is Creating A Positive Mindset
Because legitimate home based business opportunities professionals are often alone with their businesses it is easy for them to slip into negative thinking. This can drag your business down and kill your motivation for completing your projects. If and when it happens you must stop it in its tracks. Luckily it is easy to stop. Change the atmosphere in your work area by putting some fun music on your stereo. Get some pictures of your family, friends, and pets and put them on your desk where they are easy to see.
Put some fun music on or even sing to yourself. Start thinking about the fun you had last weekend. Concerning your home based business start thinking about how much money you will be making as your business grows. Just do what it takes to remove the negatives if only for a little while and start dwelling on all the positive things you can think of. Starting a project on a positive note will motivate you to finish it. Especially when the outcome of a finished project will in itself be a positive influence your life and your business
The Fifth Tip, Give Yourself A Break
If you are not giving yourself the time you need off away from work you can quickly destroy the motivation needed to complete your work. Without time off you can also make it very difficult to accomplish the above four motivational methods. Smart business owners understand they must give their employees time off not only away from work but during the work day also. If they do not give them time off they know their production levels will fall off due to a lack of motivation. The same is true for those who own a home based business. You must give yourself a break in order to be productive.
The old saying "all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy" is very true for the self employed. Overworking your self will dull your senses, slow your thoughts and minimize your production. It is a motivation killer. By giving yourself a break and taking time off you are doing the exact opposite. You are reviving your senses, awakening your thoughts and enhancing your motivation levels. This is vital for the Internet based affiliate marketing opportunities owner.

Stephen Meyer provides Internet based affiliate marketing opportunities and small business ideas that can help you choose the opportunity that is right for you. Visit Internet Based Affiliate Marketing Opportunities Home for more information.

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How To Stop Procrastinating

by Kevin Sinclair

Everyone, including you, has a tendency to procrastinate. So what exactly is procrastination? Simply put, it is when you put off something that can be done now because of laziness or carelessness. Procrastination is putting off things for another day, when it is just as easy to do them today. Many people have a tendency to put off things and then end up doing them at the very last minute or not doing them at all.
Procrastination is extremely common in students who need to complete a research project, complete a term paper or even study for an upcoming test. This is generally when the term "cram" comes into play. In order to get a good grade on the test, the student must "cram" for the exam in a short period of time, versus studying and planning for the test all along.
So why Procrastinate?
Almost everyone, at one time or another in their life, deals with procrastination. For some people, they make it a way of life or a bad habit. For others, they may only allow procrastination to affect certain areas of their life, but not their daily events. For whatever reason, people often put off things they don't want to deal with at the time.
Some reasons you procrastinate are:
One of the most common reasons people procrastinate is because they are afraid. Although no one likes to admit they are afraid of something, fear often hinders people from attempting to do things, therefore, they put them off. Whether you are afraid of succeeding or afraid of failing, it is all fear.
Another reason for procrastination is because you may not feel like it is important enough. If your task is not given a high enough priority in the beginning, then you will have a tendency to put it off. You may very well know that the task needs completed, but you simply put it off because you find other things that are more important.
You don't have the means to complete the task. In some instances, you may not have everything on hand to complete the task; therefore, you put it off. This may be the result of your inability to do all of the research and collect the needed data or you just don't feel like putting the time needed to finish the task.
Some other reasons people procrastinate are: you have not completely committed yourself to the project, you are extremely busy, you are lazy or you simply don't want to do it.
How to change the behavior:
Now that you have a better understanding of why you tend to procrastinate or did you procrastinate and decide to read that section later? You cannot expect that you will quit procrastinating if you do not have an understanding why you do it in the first place. Therefore, it is important to take a good look at why you put things off. This is the first step in learning how you can change this behavior.

Below are a few strategies that can help you to stop procrastinating. Not everyone will benefit from every tip. Therefore, be sure to try a variety of different steps until you find one that works well for you.
Create a list. If you create a list of all the reason you procrastinate and how you procrastinate, then you will be able to see that you are definitely putting things off. By creating a list of clues, you can then pinpoint your behavior and get a better grip on it.
Eliminate procrastination myths. "I work well under pressure." Once you begin to believe that you work best under pressure, then you are simply giving yourself permission to indeed procrastinate. "I cannot do this unless it is perfect." Keep in mind that achieving perfection is nearly impossible.
Break down the job. If you have a large job to do, you may believe you will never get it accomplished. Therefore, why even begin on the project? In order to overcome this mindset, you must break the jobs into smaller, more manageable tasks that you can accomplish.
Change your attitude. If you have a negative attitude, you are more likely to tell yourself that a task is disgusting, extremely difficult or you simply will not like doing it. It is simple mind over matter. If you believe that you can do something, then you truly can.
Ask for help. Many people believe that asking for help is a true sign of weakness. In reality, asking for help is a sign of strength. Knowing that you need help and obtaining the correct help, with make getting the job done a lot easier.
Some other tips include: Keep things that need to be done or accomplished in your line of vision. Keep to a strict schedule. Eliminate any distractions.
It is human nature to procrastinate. We all want to avoid things that are unpleasant, while seeking out things that leave us feeling good. Making a conscious effort to determine why you procrastinate will help you to change the behavior. Don't expect miracles though. Change will take time. Begin by taking baby steps and eventually, you will see dramatic results.

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How To Conquer Adult Goals With Child-Like Behavior

by Ronnie Nijmeh

Remember when you were a child, and you received your first bicycle? Oh, how excited you were to climb on it and ride it as far as you could go, pedaling as hard as you possibly could, and showing all of your friends and schoolmates the shiny new love of your life! It didn't matter that you didn't know how to ride it immediately or that you did not own proper safety equipment. Your entire goal was to get on top of that bike and race the wind down the street. Sometimes, having just the burning desire is enough to motivate you to seek out the know-how and to practice riding until you are able do it all by yourself.
That burning desire, or passion, is an overwhelming emotion. It is that boundless enthusiasm we need to help us finish a task, begin a new project, conquer a fear, or to overcome a bad habit or addiction. It is the siren, or bugle, which leads us into battle.
If we can gather and preserve that childlike passion, we can accomplish anything. We can jump on that bike and start pedaling, and as we build the confidence and momentum, we can remove the training wheels and tackle the art of riding a bicycle. And by the turn of the next bend, we are riding that bike downhill towards the horizon with the wind behind us - without apprehension, concerns, or hindrances.
Although passion is a great motivator, it is often difficult to find and even harder to maintain. A good way of cultivating passion and retaining it in our sights is to seek out inspirational words and images. One powerful solution comes from free wallpapers with inspirational quotes. These vivid pictures with phenomenal, moving quotes can be the exact recharge we need for reviving passion and keeping it onboard. Furthermore, free inspirational desktop backgrounds can be a part of any workspace. Not only are these backgrounds pleasant to look at, but these free wallpapers with inspirational quotes are also excellent to share with family, friends, and team members.

We can all learn to jolt our heart's desires back to life. Just like that child on the bicycle revving to go, we can allow a supercharged passion to ignite us into action and launch us towards our target. And by implementing a little inspiration to our daily routine, to keep our passions fed, we can reach our scope and beyond.
Getting in touch with our inner child doesn't mean that we haven't grown as individuals. As adults, we sometimes forget the simplicity of life, and we lose focus on occasion. We usually ponder about how we can get things done and stop at that. Passion can get us back on that bicycle seat and remind us of what we are striving for and why. It is the fuse to our powder keg of abilities, ideas, hopes, and dreams, and we should employ our passion to ask the necessary questions for us.
The next time we are confronted with a challenge, we should think back to our first days on a bicycle and hone in on that child-like fervor. We should all lean our heads back into the wind with our arms stretched out beside us and enjoy the ride. How we get there will become less important.

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Motivation - Dictating The Terms For Yourself

by Shanat Kuphur

The importance of the word named "motivation" conveys lot more than it seems to have. Anything and everything that have to be done won't be materialized unless and until it is supplemented by the crucial entity named "motivation". Motivation is not something that could be manufactured, instead it has to come from within, rather, has to be cultivated.
It won't ever be an animated reality if I mention that it is because of this motivation that world progresses even a fraction of a second. So, in a micro sense, each human needs to be motivated for every deed of his to be done. If you understand that the greatest or the ever discussed topic in psychological arena is motivation related aspects, its importance is conveyed and taken for granted.
Though we state that motivation is more or less a mental concern, it should not be stated that the physical well being and fitness have hardly any role to play. Moreover it could be stated that, motivation related problems are cancerously growing among the youth. This is so severe a scenario that they have to have a serious look at the mental status, physical well being and attitude. People, who are addicted to habits like smoking, alcohol consumption etc, should treat motivation as a pivotal entity in recovering themselves from those habits.
People who find it difficult to change their habits or people who continuously fails in motivating themselves to move forward to achieve their desired goal would find hypnosis as an effective solution. Hypnosis could very well be stated as a process of changing the well settled habitual mental status of people which help them in uprooting the so called status, to lead a better living. In whatever one does, motivation holds the key. The situations could be as diverse as it can be like meeting the deadline when given a job, stopping a bad habit like smoking or consumption of alcohol, reducing the weight drastically etc..

It should be reiterated that motivation finds its root in beliefs. If you have a strong faith in yourself, or if you have strong belief that some particular thing could be done within the stipulated time, you starts working hard on it. You are motivated to toil hard since you have the faith or belief that, it could be done. But at any point of time, if your belief or faith got hurt by any means, you are letting yourself down and where is your motivating factor? You find it difficult to dictate the terms for yourself. Here, hypnosis is so relevant. Statistical analysis shows that over 90% of people can be hypnotized. To motivate yourself, hypnosis can very well help you for sure. In this technologically advanced world, you only need to be choosy in selecting the media you need to get hypnotized. Compact disks, MP3 s etc are available in the market which essentially deals with hypnosis related to motivation issues.
It is so amazing to study that, which attribute of human mind caused him to be under motivated; the same attribute helps him to prepare himself for hypnosis, and come out successfully. That attribute, being the delicacy of human mind forms the leanest of all the bridges between an under motivated and a motivated mind set.

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Find Your Passion - It Will Change Your Life

by Jarrod Clark

I often encourage entrepreneurs or I'll generally write in reference to anyone about the importance of achieving your dreams. In fact, in my previous blog "Is Your Dream Alive?" I talk about examining your priorities and not letting your dreams go to waste. Part of achieving your goal is having a passion for what it takes to achieve your goal. You have to love what you do not only because it makes you money but because of the pure thrill that you get from doing it. There are many people who earn a massive income but don't like what they do. In my blog "Is Your Dream Alive?" I ask the question: What are you passionate about? Think about it for a moment. What do you like to do? I do believe if you focus on what you're passionate about before you focus on the money, the money will come.
I think about when I was younger, and many of you who know a little about me know that I am a drummer. I love making music because it is a great outlet for me. Music is good for the soul. Henceforth, knowing that, it gives me a sense of fulfillment to make music because I know that I have the ability to effect people's lives and make them feel good. I played drums in the church when I was younger and for many years I didn't get paid to play drums. Neither was I playing drums looking to get paid. I was playing drums because I loved to play drums, PERIOD! It wasn't until I got older, that I started to get paid to play and it was offered to me, I didn't ask to get paid to play.
I wanted to tell that story because the law of attraction basically says that the things that you focus your thoughts and time on are the things that will manifest themselves into your life. Many will often ask themselves "well if I just focus on making money then the money will come... right?" In response to that I will say "sure, yes the money will come." However, I must say that that is such a general statement. The fact is, yes everyone focuses on making money all the time. Most of the population gets up everyday and works a 9-5. Why? Because making money is a way of life, you have to make money to make a living. By changing your focus and asking yourself, what am I passionate about that makes me happy? It is what you like to do, that makes you money, that will give you a sense of freedom. Statistics say that only 2% of the population is financially free. Many artist/painters make good money but they didn't wake up one morning and say, "...gee I think I will go and take a class and learn how to paint masterpieces because that will make me good money." No, most artists, who are successful, were sincerely passionate about drawing and painting long before they started making money doing it. It was something that gave them a sense of fulfillment because it's an art of expression.

I urge you to search deep down inside inside of yourself today. Find out what makes you happy. If you are a writer, and you wake up in the morning and you can't think about anything else other than writing, then you should become a writer. Explore that passion and find out how you can make writing your "Niche." Perhaps you can become an author and write many books that will inspire the world. I must say I am a Christian and I don't promote books of witchcraft, however I think of the author Joanne K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter Series, one of the number 1 book series in the world, and I think about how she has effected the lives of so many people in the world with her style of writing. She has a passion and her passion has manifested itself in a way that no other can, she has a unique style of writing. Find your passion and not only will it change your life but you can effect the lives of others around you and you will benefit from it in return.

Jarrod
http://www.JarrodClark.com

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Fear Getting in the Way? Try a Passion Prescription

by Reggie Odom

Does fear ever immobilize you, or keep you from moving forward?
Passion is a perfect prescription - or antidote - for fear. You will see why as you read on about an intuitive vision consultation I did for a business owner the other day. She came to me because of a chronic problem - she was often frozen by fear that seriously affected her productivity.
She said that sometimes one challenging telephone call she needs to make could "destroy three days" of her life. She also said that she has so many things to do during the week that she feels overwhelmed and it is hard for her to focus her attention on any one thing.
According to her, she developed this pattern as a child in response to her father's temper. Part of her defense was to try to become invisible. It was interesting that in the vision I had, I didn't see her in the picture. She had succeeded in becoming invisible - she had become invisible to herself.
What Does Passion Have to Do with All of This?
As you read on simply substitute YOUR passion for "writing" and you will see. . .
Early in the reading, this client said, "I'm a novelist. That's my passion." On weekends, the freezing fear shows up when she is torn between working on her novel, or on something else that needs to get done.
When you know your passion, it is most important that you spend time with that passion . . . if you are a novelist you have to write.
When you write, you come alive - the life force flows through you. When you write, you become present and real, or visible, to yourself.
Whatever else needs to be done is fine to do, as long as the writing is done first. When other things pull you away from what's most important - away from your passion - you are pulled away from YOU.
It's very frightening to be pulled away from yourself. When you're not present or visible to YOU, you're not present for the rest of your life, and even the simplest things can feel overwhelming.

Fear is perpetuated every time you choose something that's least important over what's most important. Passion is your touchstone to what's most important.
The antidote to fear is to give yourself over to your passion in a significant way. It is a requirement that you write to dissolve your fear.
The very act of writing is saying yes to you. Every time you make the choice to give yourself over to your authentic passion, you become more visible to yourself.
Every time you say yes to what's most important to you, your self-confidence increases. You grow in trusting yourself to face whatever is "out there" in the world because you have shored up what's "in here."
The more you live your passion, the more the life force flows through you and the less room there is for fear. What you're doing is more important - life itself becomes more important.
The Life Force is the generator of your spiritual DNA, which is encoded with spiritual gifts such as power, confidence and faith. When any of these spiritual gifts is present, there is either no room for fear or fear becomes irrelevant.
As you can see, it is most important for you to write! You have to write, above and beyond anything else.
Acting on your passion is the natural remedy, the antidote to fear! But more than that, living your passion makes you feel alive. And isn't that what life is all about, really?!
Step Into Your Greatness and Live Your Passion!
P.S. I want to hear from you when your book rolls off the presses.

Reggie Odom LICSW, CPCC, PCC, founder of Inspired Works, is a Professional Coach, Intuitive Consultant, Spiritual teacher, speaker and writer. She is also on the faculty of the National Institute of Whole Health where she teaches a coaching series. Reggie is considered a master teacher and unforgettable speaker. She inspires and guides Spirit Minded Women Entrepreneurs to step into their greatness, with ease! She can be contacted at (617)524-6153, reggie@reggieodom.com or you can visit her web site at http://www.reggieodom.com

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The Power of Motivation

by Thomas Cummins

My world is falling apart! The bills are way over due and the Laws of Attraction seem to be ignoring me! My car just died! My house burned down! My spouse is cheating on me! I am cheating on my partner! Will this winter in my life ever end?
All of the above and more besides are continuous exclamations daily echoed across the globe and one wonders what power is afoot to be tormenting the world like so? Where is God and is the population too large for even God to be able to pay attention to everyone? Tibet is under a revolt with China not being very diplomatic, Iraq is in a state of turmoil. The stock market is facing something that is akin to a fallout and where is the utopia we have all been expecting?
It is at times like this that motivations blessings are felt and it is extremely important that every effort is sought and experienced in order to turn the tide around. Search the www and there are so many avenues for encouragement that it makes one wonder what is missing that motivation does not have a similar effect as popping an antibiotic to cure an infection.
The answer lies in realizing that we are not alone and to cope alone is not necessary and to seek council of friends or family or an unbiased entity to assist one in overcoming the disasters life is throwing with careless abandon in all directions and striking anyone whose head is up looking for a better way of life. It is as if life wants to keep us down but we know that God has promised us abundance. In the book 'when bad things happen to good people' the author delivers the message that there are forces always working to bring despair our way; but we have to prevail and believe that God is working for us and we need to keep going.
In truth it is really hard to believe that there is a God who allows so much destruction and harm and infliction of hurt suffering and pain on so many but if we give in to despair then we have lost and mankind has failed. But we know this is not going to happen and that mankind will triumph and when we trust in the God given depth of faith life will eventually turn around. Every day each of us has to reinforce this belief like an athlete in training who knows he or she has to train daily in order to be ready for the marathon he or she is training for.

Motivation will transform the mindset from hopelessness to prosperity and by envisioning this success then the energies needed to transport to success will be garnered and the harvest will be complete when the grains are in the silo. So, keep sowing the seeds of abundance and do what you can to help your friends and family to sow their seeds too for it is the communal effort that will triumph and fill the silo with plenty.
When athletes are competing they know that there is a whole team of people in their corner and this knowledge keeps them going when their energies are being taxed and by being prepared with daily motivation and planning to win enables the athletes to show up on the day of the event and give their all to the task at hand.
Being despondent at the start of a race will ensure complete and utter failure and this athlete will not be good for man nor beast so learn form this and be the best you can be by gathering your supporters and listening to daily affirmations and by being motivated you will turn the first paragraph around and instead it will read: my payments are always on time, the Laws of Attraction are blessing me with abundance, I have a loving partner or spouse, my home is expanding, I just bought a new car for cash and as I gaze out the window I see the blessings of spring all around me.
God bless and go forth and spread your wings and jump for joy and as Joel Osteen always says at the end of a sermon: 'become a victor not a victim' and I believe in you and I know if you prepare you will harvest and no matter how many winters come your way the belief system set in place will assure you that spring is coming and with it the harvests of summer and fall.

Thomas J. Cummins is an entrepreneur / motivational / inspirational seeker for a better way of life for one and all to enjoy. I know you desire a better way of life and would like to know more about incredible resources both free and not; so go right ahead and contact me @ incaalpacatrail@hotmail.com for more information Warmest regards.

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No Pain, No Gain?

by Michael Neill

Have you ever watched people suffer at the gym?
I remember one particular man who always reminded me of a medieval priest self-flagellating in punishment for his sins. Driving himself into his sixteenth set of 85 repetitions at a weight three times his own, he seemed to take a perverse pleasure in torturing his body on a daily basis. Every time I saw him, he was wearing a new knee brace or elbow brace or neck brace (at one point he showed up with his leg in a cast to work his upper body)!
The myth of "no pain, no gain" is pervasive in our society. Whether it manifests in your life at the gym, in the office, or in your relationships (!), most of us find ways of punishing ourselves for the best of all possible intentions - to help us to grow, and to motivate ourselves to become "better" people. The only problem is it doesn't work. Oh, it might work for an hour, a day, or even a month, but over time the pain fades and we find ourselves right back in the old pattern of behaviour. Or worse still, we punish ourselves, feel bad, and then eat cake and take drugs and do things we'll regret later in order to make the bad feelings we've just created go away....
Allow me to share my personal philosophy on the subject. I can sum it up in a simple phrase:
No Pain, no pain!
It's not that I believe pain must be avoided at all costs, or that we should give up on something we know we want to do as soon as it gets difficult. It's just that I've become aware that when we are pursuing our goals and living our dreams, some of what we do is painful, and some of it isn't. You don't get any extra points for suffering, unless you make up the rules of the game that way...

You can do today's experiment at home, or if you prefer, at the gym. I use the example of sit-ups, but any exercise from jogging to the bench press to yoga will do. As with all exercise, be sure you've taken expert advice, including your own, before attempting anything more strenuous than your usual routine...
1. Do a few sit-ups the way you would normally do them.
2. Stop, and do at least five sit-ups as punishment for all the fatty foods you've eaten in the past week.
3. Now, do at least five sit-ups as an act of self-love. Think about the amazing miracle that is your body, and if it's not too corny for you, thank your stomach muscles for keeping your torso strong. (If it is too corny for you, get over it! :-)
4. Notice which experience was more like your normal exercise experience. If you enjoyed the experience of exercise as an act of self-love, carry on with that attitude and marvel at the rewards your body will give you as your regular routine is infused with a new energy and awareness.
Have fun, learn heaps, be safe, and remember:
No pain, no pain!

Michael Neill is a licensed Master Trainer of NLP and has written over 550 articles in the areas of business success, money, relationships, health, happiness, well-being, and spirituality. His weekly coaching column is reprinted in newspapers and magazines throughout the world, and can be found online at http://www.geniuscatalyst.com

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Waiting For the Opportunity - A Lesson From Monet

by William DePaula

Every day is different -- not to mention every hour. The old complaint that we often have is that life is at a standstill. That promotion you wanted, the change that you wanted to happen, never seems to happen. You are waiting for something to happen, perhaps for your opportunity to fall in your lap. The thing is that, if you notice it or not, the world is changing, and changing constantly. If you have any doubt, just ask Claude Monet.
A book can be written on Monet. Well, several have been written. Here I will not attempt to dive deeply into all the different aspects of Monet's life and work. Monet is perhaps one of the most loved artists today. It wasn't always like that. He was often made fun of and insulted. At the time his art was considered a real insult to the critics and traditional artists.
The constant change that Claude noticed all had to do with the light. Claude was obsessed with light and color. He delighted on how the colors changed when the different hours of the day would create a different image, all depending on the light. This might seem a simple enough idea, but just look at how often we ignore our surroundings. Since we are born, we notice the light, the contrasts it makes, and the shadows it creates. We were thrilled with the light and the games it played. As we got older the contrasts and the shadows became less interesting because we grew accustomed to them. Next time you're around an infant watch where the baby looks. When not looking at a loved one, the infant will often look at the light and shadows.
So while we might ignore these changes once we grow older, Monet embraced them. When looking at Monet's body of work, and a large one it is, you notice that he painted the same scene over and over again. The location might have been the same, but what he painted each time was very different. Monet noticed how the light changed during the day and created different colors and shapes in otherwise the same exact location and place. His focus on nature, colors and shadows reminds us of the true beauty of the everyday we ignore. Perhaps this is why he is so loved and admired today.

Monet was constantly told how to paint and what subjects he should paint. The themes he was told to paint were basically patriotic and idealistic. He was to paint like the old masters, and he was enrolled in a studio in Paris. He was taught under Charles Gleyre, a known painter who taught and emphasized the traditional ways. If you did not paint like the old masters, you were not a real artist. If you challenged the rules, you would not get accepted by the Salon. The Salon, the big boys controlled the art world in France. This was the basic tone of art in France during Monet's early life.
Monet tried to listen to Charles for a short time, but his ideals conflicted too much with Charles' and the Salon as a whole. He was interested in nature and he wanted to paint outside. He left Gleyre's studio and decided to explore the outdoors himself. He looked around -- and I mean really looked around. He noticed that the trees were not really just green, but many different colors. He also concentrated on how the light changed the colors and the look of his surroundings. To further emphasize his vision he would often sit at the same location painting the same scene during different times of the day. It is when you look at these works side by side that you really learn to appreciate how dramatic the changes are when the light changes. After time, people understood the beauty of Monet's work. He was not interested in techniques but color and light.
I often have very little patience and find myself never being able to replicate what Monet had done -- to sit in a location and paint the same scene over and over, with the different lights. Maybe it is all that TV watching, and wanting to be entertained. It was very difficult for me to continue this project. When trying this I notice that Monet had to paint rather quickly, because of his rough, unfinished style. I tried to focus on the colors and the light. I once heard that squinting helps one see the true colors and not the colors that we might have in our head because of association. The world was a different place for me that day. I never noticed how much the light influenced our world. It's often something we ignore in our busy lives.
Monet can teach us many things, but one of the most important is how light is ever-changing. Light is what changes our world. So the next time you think nothing is going on or you're just waiting for something to happen, take a look around and really look. You will see that every hour has a new tale to tell. Just maybe then you will stop waiting, and take action in our ever-changing world.

William DePaula is an artist and writer. He writes on art, history, and how it relates to us today. Through his series "Behind the Painting", he learns about the artist, the artwork, the techniques used and what life was like during the creation of the masterpiece. His art and apparel can be viewed at http://www.artedepaula.com

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On Being Kind to Yourself

by Michael Neill

Where is the line between loving acceptance and overindulgence - in other words, how do you know when you need a hug as opposed to a kick up the butt?
I've been in and out of bed this week with a miserable summer cold, replete with fevers, chills, and enough tissues to keep the Kleenex Company in business for years to come. Each day, I have eavesdropped on the same debate in my head - do I push through my symptoms (it's all in the mind, you know!) and trust that I'll be fine, or do I listen to my symptoms, take it easy, and allow my body the time, space, and energy to heal?
My sense is that it is cultural, at least amongst us men folk, to see "being kind to ourselves" as roughly akin to dressing up in women's clothing and calling ourselves 'Nancy'. In fact, I remember an episode of a TV show I was in where the Welsh barman told my character that he wasn't going to be kind to himself because he was "a real man - broken and destroyed, but a real man nonetheless!"
This weekend, I decided to see what would happen if I went all the way with being kind to myself. Every time I was debating as to whether or not to do something, I asked myself "if I was being kind to myself, what would I choose to do?" My fear was that I would wind up doing nothing, and that my entire life would fall apart from inactivity, inertia, and atrophy. (Technically, this would probably take longer than a weekend, but I wasn't really thinking straight!).
What actually happened was this:
1. I taught a teleclass, performed in a sketch comedy show, helped my wife clear up the garden, set up the new sprinkler system, went for a walk with my kids, watched the football, napped frequently, and worked on my website.

2. I ignored most incoming. What I have discovered in those moments where I allowed myself to "be kind to myself" is that rather than it leading to my overindulging myself, it usually led to my getting up and doing something more quickly. Being kind to myself didn't mean I stayed in bed longer, just that I was more gentle in how I got myself out of bed.
In fact, writing today's tip is an example of my being kind to myself - because I know I'd feel even worse if I didn't! This is what my friend and colleague Michele Lisenbury Christensen calls "Snake Belly Productivity".
On those days where you feel "lower than a snake's belly", rather than attempting to steamroller over your mood as if it were 'business as usual', or giving in to the doldrums and doing nothing but channel surf while lying in bed, strip your day down to the bare essentials:
What will make you feel EVEN WORSE if it doesn't get done?
If today is one of THOSE days, try the following now. If not, write a sticky note that says "In case of horrible, snake belly type day, review 'On Being Kind to and place it on your computer or in your calendar or on your remote control where you'll actually SEE it on said horrible day.)
1. Take a deep breath. Acknowledge that you currently have access to very few resources (nerves, brain cells, smidgens of energy) with which to face the potential tasks of the day. You don't have to indulge that little voice that says, 'Go back to bed -you'll get nothing done at all today!' Just gently acknowledge that today is not going to be one of your shining memories of productivity and good cheer. So be it. Those days wouldn't stand out if it weren't for days like this!
2. Low days are no days for ambition. Just skip right over your would-have-been to do list and pare it down to ONLY those actions you MUST take before inaction would make you feel worse than you already do. If you can clear from your metaphorical plate those tasks that will, if left undone be your undoing, you win.
4. Squeeze out the determination, energy, and time required by these tasks. Do not ask yourself whether you feel like doing them. Just do them, get them over with, and go to bed!
Just for today, don't have fun. Don't learn heaps. Only get done what would otherwise turn a rotten day into a regrettable one. You have my permission to feel lousy, even in action. And isn't that just a little bit fun? :-)

Michael Neill is a licensed Master Trainer of NLP and has written over 550 articles in the areas of business success, money, relationships, health, happiness, well-being, and spirituality. His weekly coaching column is reprinted in newspapers and magazines throughout the world, and can be found online at http://www.geniuscatalyst.com

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How To Create the Life You Want

by Joanne Victoria

You want to know what I think? I think too many of you are trying too hard, doing too much and not achieving what you really want anyway. You are not achieving because there are too many things in the way: unnecessary obligations at work, at home, with friends.
You can burn out by trying too hard to hold on to too much information. You alter the way you live your life to accommodate others' needs before your own. Holding on too hard will wear you out. In order to live your life instead of someone else's you have to reinvent the way you live it. You can reinvent your life. You can transform your life from what you have been to what you desire. Transformation will allow you to be who you want to be.
Transformation will alter your outlook on yourself and others. ? Transformation will help make all things possible. Just know that you can reinvent the way you live your life now and create the life you really want.
All You Have To Do
All you have to do is practice The Three Steps once a day, once a week, or once a month; just do it. You have already taken the first step; you have decided to take back your life. What follows is a sequence that can strengthen your intention.
First, you stop what no longer works in order to make room to create what you want.
Second, you start to take care of yourself in a way you have never done before.
Third, you create your desire, what is most important to you and then, your fulfilling life. What do you need? All you need is the willingness to take time and make yourself the priority in your life. So, go out and get a notebook and label it your Lighting Your Path! Journal, grab a pen and let's get going.
You are not alone - I am right here.

1, 2, 3 - RED LIGHTS STOP ME! What are the Red Lights in your life? What is stopping you?
Here are twelve clues that may help you:
1.You find yourself too tired to get out of bed.
2.You find yourself drinking loads of coffee just to get going in the morning.
3.You find yourself angry with everyone - a lot.
4.The idea of you having any fun and relaxation makes you laugh hysterically.
5.You are gaining weight.
6.You are losing weight.
7.You start the day unhappy and depressed.
8.You find yourself complaining all the time.
9.Your kids walk quietly around the house-a new thing.
10.Your spouse/partner is in hiding.
11.Your children, friends and peers are avoiding you.
12.You take care of others instead of yourself.
How can you help yourself? It's time to start making a list of your RED LIGHTS. This process is not a one-size-fits all, but it could be!
Follow the THREE STEPS to create your life the way you want. Remember, in order to reinvent yourself, in order to create the life you want, you need to get rid of what you don't want, what doesn't work for you, in order to create the space to do what sparks your spirit.

Joanne Victoria, owner of New Directions and author of "Vision With a Capital V - Create the Business of Your Dreams", with over 25 years of experience in business development and marketing coaching and consulting, works with and speaks to the real estate industry on how to have more clarity, more satisfaction, more sales and more fun. You can reach Joanne at:
mailto:info@NewDirectionsinRealEstate.com, by phone at: 360-377-2995. Book orders in the US: 888-503-2665.
Joanne Victoria, 25-year Vision and Business Coach helps entrepreneurs and solo professionals build successful lives and businesses. Author of 2 Books including:Lighting Your Path! How To Create the LifeYou Want and Vision With a Capital V - Create the Business of Your Dreams. Joanne offers FREE help through her 2 monthly ezines, Lighting Your Path! - Discover Your Inner Truth at:
mailto:JoanneVictoria-subscribe@topica.com and
Create the Business of your Dreams at: mailto:CreateYourBusiness-subscribe@topica.com
http://www.JoanneVictoria.com
Orders: 888-503-2665 - Tel: 360-377-2995
Email her at: mailto:Joanne@joannevictoria.com

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Money Does Not Always Motivate

by Matt Somers

In a house at the end of a cul-de-sac an old man lives a hermit-like existence. If he had his way would have nothing to do with the rest of the world, because more than anything else in life this old man values his privacy and peace and quiet.
He wakes one day to the sound of three small boys playing football in the street just outside his house. There not being yobbish in any way, but it's a warm day in the school holidays and they're having fun and making noise.
Given what we know, we might expect that the old man would react to this by bursting out of the house, swearing profusely and waving his arms in the air.
"Boys!" he booms as he walks down the path, "How nice it is to see young people enjoying themselves. I'm always hearing about kids today moping around all day and yet here you are enjoying just simply kicking a ball around on a sunny day. I used to play football when I grew up a few streets from here and I can tell you that watching you has brought back some lovely memories. You've cheered me up so much I think you deserve a reward. Here's £5 each!"
The boys are naturally wary, but they decide to pocket the money and they return to playing football as the old man returns in doors.

The next day they're back and once again the old man comes out to speak to them. "Ah boys", he says enthusiastically, "I was thinking about what happened yesterday and I decided to phone my boyhood friend Eric; we haven't spoken in years. We've decided to go for a pint on Saturday. I can't tell you how happy this has made me so, go on, have another £5 each"
The boys willingly accept the money and as the old man goes back into his house, they begin to discuss the different ways they could spend their windfall. They're back the next day and the same thing happens. They come back the day after and the same thing happens.
On the fifth day the old man comes out to greet them but without any of the cheerfulness at all.
"Boys", he says, his voice grave and serioys "Please believe me when I say I meant everything I said. You have cheered me up and I'm really, really pleased that we met up, but It's a while before my next pension payment and things are very tight financially. Tell you what, how about a penny each?"
"A penny! Are you serious?" asks the oldest boy. "We've been used to £5! I can't believe this. Come on we're going."
With that he and his friends scoop up their ball and disappear never to be seen again. The old man has his tranquil life restored for a paltry60 which is very good value as far as he is concerned.
If you want to destroy motivation, take a group of people who are performing learning and enjoying (as the boys were to begin with) and orient them towards financial rewards instead. Then meddle with them or take them away and I guarantee motivation will never recover.
If you'd prefer to see motivation improve do it the other way round. Coaching will help you discover the way each individual balances performance, learning and enjoyment in their role and you can relax knowing that you no longer have to rely only on financial rewards.

Matt Somers is a coaching practitioner of many years' experience. He works with a host of clients in North East England where his firm is based and throughout the UK and Europe. Matt understands that people are working with their true potential locked away. He shows how coaching provides a simple yet elegant key to this lock. For a bumper load of coaching tips and tricks - including FREE resources - visit http://www.mattsomers.com

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Improving Motivation

by Duncan Brodie

A key part of every manager and leaders role is to get results through others. Achieving results through others requires is often a challenge. So how can you improve motivation?
Provide challenging work
While everyone needs to become comfortable in their role and build confidence, just about everyone enjoys a new challenge. It is all too easy to fall into the trap of believing that because someone is good at what they do, that is enough. Those that are good at their job generally want to grow and develop. Providing challenging work like involvement in a new project is an excellent way of improving motivation.
Learn to listen
One of the common frustrations that employees have is that they feel that they do not have a voice in the work place. People start out initially with enthusiasm but if what they are offering in terms of suggestions for improvements is not given proper consideration, they eventually give up or leave. Making the time to sit down, listen and explore ideas can have a huge impact on how people feel about their work.
Set meaningful goals

Objective setting or goal setting sessions carried out as part of staff appraisals are ideal opportunities to set meaningful goals. Yet often they can become sessions where the manager or leader merely tells the other person what they will be doing in the coming year. By engaging in dialogue about what the employee needs and the employer needs, more meaningful and motivating goals can be set.
Recognise achievements
In the busy work place, it is all too easy to fall into the trap of ticking things off the list and doing. People are probably working hard and actually achieving a lot but how often do you make the time to recognise the contributions that people make. Virtually every study or report that is produced around employee satisfaction highlights the importance of recognising achievements or praising good work. It takes little or no time and costs nothing.
Support balanced risk taking
If you are asking someone to do something new to them or to the organisation, you are asking them to take some risk. Organisations cannot be reckless, but achieving new levels of performance requires some degree of risk. Supporting and empowering people to take balanced risk can be extremely liberating and motivating. Remember that nothing of significance is achieved without some degree of risk.
Motivated people make a huge difference to organisational success. Making some simple changes in the way in which you operate as a manager and leader can greatly improve your ability to get results through others and improve motivation.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements (G&A) works with individuals,teams and organisations who want to develop their management and leadership capability in order to achieve more success. With 25 years business experience in a range of sectors, he understands first hand the real challenges of managing and leading in the demanding business world.
You can learn more about Duncan, Goals and Achievements services and products and sign up for his free e-course and monthly newsletter at http://www.goalsandachievements.co.uk

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Turning Unmotivated Feelings Into Motivated Ones

by Wendi Moore

Feeling unmotivated
You can't hit the target if you don't aim first, and that will make you procrastinate because you don't know where to expend your energies. If you have something you want to achieve, the clearer you are about what you want to achieve the more chance you have of achieving it. If your target is vague and/or impractical, it is so much more difficult to achieve anything - in two ways:
1. If you don't know what your target is, how will you know when you've achieved it?
2. A vague target means you can't effectively plan to achieve it.
Your dreams and ambitions won't just land in your lap neatly gift-wrapped for your enjoyment without you having to do a thing. That very rarely happens. You are the one that has to fulfill your own ambitions. You're the one that has to stop procrastinating and go out and do what needs to be done to get you what you want in life. That's why targets are important.

Setting targets is quite easy, but it takes some discipline and common sense. Do you have that?
Do you want that target badly enough? There will be some hard work along the way to hitting your ultimate target. You've got to make sure it's really something you want and that you're prepared to work hard for. Is it really *your* target - or something that someone else wants you to do? If you don't buy into that target you'll take no enjoyment in having achieved it and the journey will seem twice as long and three times as hard with all the excuses you'll come up with not to knuckle down and get things done.
Really think hard about what's to be gained by achieving your target. Weigh up the potential gain against the price that is to be paid for all the hard work that achieving your target will take. That price could be in time, energy, relationships or money. Your loved ones as well as you could be the ones paying the price.
Is it worth it?
If it is, you're ready to set your targets.
Put your targets down on paper. That will make your targets seem more real to you. As you write them, you'll find yourself naturally thinking of ways to achieve your targets and you'll help to keep procrastination at arm's length, where it belongs.
Jot those ideas down! Keep all those ideas you have because later in the journey towards your target you may need Plan B, C...and Z! Those ideas will always be useful when you have to re-assess and change your strategy when things don't go according to plan.
Have you buried your motivation? Not feeling motivated is a prime reason for procrastination. You need to get that motivation back. Sometime - a little persistence is all you need to feel motivated again.
Have you ever wondered why it is that some people seem to have all the luck? They appear to get whatever they want. Rewards just flood to them. You see it and you want to be just like that. Well, you can, but you need to get over your procrastination and develop persistence. Persistence is what keeps you achieving and achieving keeps you motivated. It's not difficult, but to begin with you will need to work at it a little.
Motivation starts with an idea, a hope. It stems from something you really wanted to achieve. That carries you along for a while, while it's all new and fresh and exciting. But motivation gets knocked and is hard to maintain when things don't seem to be going well or you come up against obstacles.
That's where persistence becomes best friend to your motivation.
Persistence is the ability to carry on towards your goals even when things go wrong or take longer than you wanted them to. With persistence, you keep going and striving for what you want even when you feel like giving up. You stop procrastinating.
When you work on any big goal, your motivation will have good days and bad days. It will be affected by your mood, the people around you, how well things are going towards your aim etc. Sometimes you'll feel motivated; sometimes you won't. But it's not your motivation that will produce results - it's your actions.
Making the effort and achieving even one small thing towards your aim e.g. reading that first chapter of research - will have you feeling positive about yourself. You'll know that you can achieve your aim now, because you just proved it to yourself - on a bad day, you can still take a positive action towards achieving your goal.
Ok - so how does persistence improve your motivation?
Persistence isn't magic; it's simply that thing that allows you to keep taking action even when you don't feel motivated to do so. With persistence you stop procrastinating and keep getting at least small things done; they all add up - and therefore you keep on achieving results. All you need is one small step forward, one little positive result and your motivation will return again because you will be believe once more that you *can* be successful.
For example, you may become a lot more enthusiastic about completing an e-book once you've got that first page written. Doing that first page of reading for your research was a great step along the way to achieving your aim.
So that's why persistence may be all the motivation you need. Force yourself to make one step in the right direction towards achieving what you want to achieve and you will see some benefits. Your goals will suddenly look a whole lot more achievable. You'll remember why you wanted to achieve that goal in the first place and you'll see that it's worth a bit of hard work to get it. Soon you'll have stopped procrastinating and will actually have achieved something you know will help make your ambition a reality. Therefore persistence will ultimately provide its own motivation. If you simply keep taking action, you'll eventually get results, and results can be a great way to rid yourself of procrastination on a project.

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How To Get Your Motivation Seriously Kicked

by Terry Vermeylen

I've thought about kicking peoples motivation that use my website. I'd change it to give them the option for a good motivation kicking. I would see if they are tracking and paying attention to their goals. If they weren't?
BAM! Motivation kicking!
Most people hire life coaches to get their motivation kicked. Didn't follow up on that goal? You guessed it. BOOM! So many people fail at reaching their goals because they don't have someone ready to boot them in the butt. I think the motivation kicking business would be very lucrative for me. But it would cost a pretty penny (for you my friend) and be time consuming.
Top ten reasons people need a good motivation kicking:
• Constantly dream about making life changes but never lift a finger.
• Moaning and complaining how the world is against them.
• Sit in front of the TV or as I call it, "meaningless choices in a box".
• Keep talking about their friend's new stuff.

• Follow the latest gossip on the celebrities.
• Allow a stream of insignificant worries to nag them day after day.
• Stuff their faces thinking that Big Mac will make them feel better.
• Afraid to leave the safety of their cubicles and venture out in the world.
• Believe that the government and other institutions (banking) have their best interests in mind.
Ready to bend over? I am.
Please consider this article for your website, blog or ezine. Permission to reprint if by-line stays intact and links are activated on the Internet.
Terry Vermeylen is one of those rare people that is passionately driven to help others unlock their own barriers toward fulfillment, meaning and purpose. He is the founder of http://www.mylifechanges.com, an Internet value identification and goal setting enterprise and http://mylifechanges.typepad.com/less_stress_more_cool_ - His primary passion is wealth building using common sense.

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