Author : Nan S. Russell
With mounting to-do lists, big projects with short delivery dates, consuming workloads, growing obligations and festering unfinished tasks, it's no wonder in this what-have-you-done-for-me-today world we often feel time deprived. Work-life flows to home-life, balance becomes imbalance, and goals and dreams get relegated to a closet shelf.If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. In a recent "Winning at Working" reader survey, the most commonly articulated work problem was related to time. Overwhelmed. Overworked. Overstressed. Too much to do and too little time to do it.But here's the reality. No matter how much we do, we will never get everything done. There isn't enough time for all that needs doing, all we want to do or we'd like to do or we should do. There never will be, even with the most sophisticated productivity, organizational and time-management approaches. Sure, they're helpful, but thinking the chaos and stress in life is caused by not having enough time is an error.You see, the problem is not a time problem. We all have the same amount. It's a choice problem. The choices you make determine whether you're running your life, or your life is running you. And you do have choices. Sure there may be consequences to saying no, establishing boundaries or reordering priorities. But there are also consequences if you don't.All tasks are not equal. All commitments are not equal. All responsibilities are not equal. All clients are not equal. All people of personal importance to your life are not equal. Yet many of us operate as if they were. You can do fifty things today and get little, if any, result for having done them. Or you can do one or two that bring a big return, be it emotional, financial, physical or psychological. People who are winning at working know the difference and operate accordingly.They see time as life's currency and how it's used as a choice. Choices shape your results and your life. You get the same twenty-four hours each day as your co-worker down the hall. But use differs. Practice the piano eight hours a day and you'll be better than people who don't. Practice and hone your workplace talents and the same applies. Or spend time getting ready to work, shooting the breeze, surfing the web, fiddling with email and you'll complete the day having traded your time for minimal results.How you spend your time puts value on what you're spending it on. For years, I never had "time" to exercise consistently until a health issue caused me to re-prioritize my choices. Funny how I managed to find the hours when I had to. Choosing to eliminate an hour of television created 365 "found" hours a year. That's nine weeks.People who are winning at working know this secret: there is always time for what matters to them. So, they allocate their time carefully, understanding their life as a reflection of their choices. They make time for the people they love, the passions they have and work that uses their uniqueness. They focus on the results, goals, and life-dreams they desire, rather than accepting what comes their way. They do, while others talk of doing. They plan their day, while others let their day plan them. And they motivate themselves, while others wait for someone or something to motivate them. For people who are winning at working, it's not about the time they have; it's about the choices they make in how to use it.(c) 2006 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.Receive a copy of 21 Winning Career Tips (a free download) at http://www.winningcareertips.com Nan Russell has spent over twenty years in management, most recently with QVC as a Vice President. She has held leadership positions in Human Resource Development, Communication, Marketing and line Management. Nan has a B.A. from Stanford University and M.A. from the University of Michigan. Currently working on her first book, Winning at Working: 10 Lessons Shared, Nan is a columnist, writer and speaker. Visit http://www.nanrussell.com
Keyword : winning, working, career, work, achievement, success, time, time management, choice, what matters
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 17 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2551
Are You Losing Focus? Use These Time Management Tips To Get It Back
Author : Gregg Hall
We all have the same 24 hours to work with and unfortunately depending on our individual requirements we lose six to eight of those hours to sleep. Knowing that we have already given up that many hours we don't have any more time to waste so it's important to focus on what you need to get done during your waking hours. Learn to manage your time properly and you will be able to focus and be more efficient.The first thing that must be done before you can learn the proper time management skills is to identify the things you are doing wrong that eat up your time and make your activity unproductive. Look back over the last week and remember how you spent each day. Split the days up into five categories.The first category is negative productivity or tasks that should have already been completed. This is the area that kills the schedules of most people and gets them off focus.The second category is allowing your planned tasks to be interrupted by activities that are less important or not important at all. Don't let others influence you to change your priorities.The third category is things you have completed. These are the tasks that you actually planned and completed to fruition. You might just find after categorizing in this way that you are getting more done than you think.The fourth category is the time that you work alone. Even if you are not working on the exact tasks that you should be if you are truly working then this can be deemed positive.The fifth and final category is your down time or time off. I am not talking about short coffee breaks. This is true leisure activity such as working out. Having down time is crucial to success; if you try to work around the clock you will eventually get burned out.Now that you have identified the areas where you are spending your time it is important to reduce the items that are eating away at your productivity and causing you to lose focus. Here are a few tips to help you.First you need to plan your work and everything you need to do. Divide a sheet of paper in half and on one side write the tasks that must be done in order of priority with deadlines. On the other side write down the tasks you would like to see done but aren't crucial. Focus on one task at a time then cross it off as you move down your list. You should take time to do this each morning.Next you should have an effective time management system whether it is a desk calendar or an electronic system on your computer, laptop, or cell phone you need to use it daily. Have schedules for tasks and stick to them.The next thing you need to do is to learn the meaning of the word, "no". Saying no to something doesn't mean you will never do it, it just means that you can't do it now. If you are working on something that absolutely has to be done then you have to say no to the movie or the ball game. You have to be able to find the balance between work and leisure.Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more information on time management tools at http://www.dovico.com
Keyword : time management
We all have the same 24 hours to work with and unfortunately depending on our individual requirements we lose six to eight of those hours to sleep. Knowing that we have already given up that many hours we don't have any more time to waste so it's important to focus on what you need to get done during your waking hours. Learn to manage your time properly and you will be able to focus and be more efficient.The first thing that must be done before you can learn the proper time management skills is to identify the things you are doing wrong that eat up your time and make your activity unproductive. Look back over the last week and remember how you spent each day. Split the days up into five categories.The first category is negative productivity or tasks that should have already been completed. This is the area that kills the schedules of most people and gets them off focus.The second category is allowing your planned tasks to be interrupted by activities that are less important or not important at all. Don't let others influence you to change your priorities.The third category is things you have completed. These are the tasks that you actually planned and completed to fruition. You might just find after categorizing in this way that you are getting more done than you think.The fourth category is the time that you work alone. Even if you are not working on the exact tasks that you should be if you are truly working then this can be deemed positive.The fifth and final category is your down time or time off. I am not talking about short coffee breaks. This is true leisure activity such as working out. Having down time is crucial to success; if you try to work around the clock you will eventually get burned out.Now that you have identified the areas where you are spending your time it is important to reduce the items that are eating away at your productivity and causing you to lose focus. Here are a few tips to help you.First you need to plan your work and everything you need to do. Divide a sheet of paper in half and on one side write the tasks that must be done in order of priority with deadlines. On the other side write down the tasks you would like to see done but aren't crucial. Focus on one task at a time then cross it off as you move down your list. You should take time to do this each morning.Next you should have an effective time management system whether it is a desk calendar or an electronic system on your computer, laptop, or cell phone you need to use it daily. Have schedules for tasks and stick to them.The next thing you need to do is to learn the meaning of the word, "no". Saying no to something doesn't mean you will never do it, it just means that you can't do it now. If you are working on something that absolutely has to be done then you have to say no to the movie or the ball game. You have to be able to find the balance between work and leisure.Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more information on time management tools at http://www.dovico.com
Keyword : time management
Life Versus Lifestyle
Author : Robin Harris
There is a difference but what constitutes a life and what constitutes a lifestyle is pretty ambiguous. One thing that seems pretty clear to me is the lifestyle is observable while a life can have many internal aspects to it. A lifestyle can include people, material things, environments, how we spend our time, energy, and money. A life includes things like our beliefs, our values, our commitments, our soul's dream, and our vision. If you choose a lifestyle first you could wind up with an empty fortress. If you choose the life first, you will design your lifestyle to support the life.
Since most of us already have a lifestyle, and a default life, we usually have to do some redesign work. Choose a life and then redesign our lifestyle. It is possible that the lifestyle you currently have will never support the life you truly want to live. It is possible the lifestyle you currently have has many supporting structures and only minor renovations need to occur. It is possible that you are a highly intuitive person and your lifestyle is in perfect alignment. I know very few people who fall into that category. My dad does but what I notice about him, is he and my mother made a conscious decision to structure their lives around their spiritual values. They made that decision early in their marriage and lived true to it. Now it's interesting that my parents are actually old enough to be my grandparents, (my mother is no long living) and I noticed that many earlier generations were not given to having transformational conversations so learning was a very different process then than it is now. The fact that we have e-courses and teleclasses and magazines and tons of books that are created to help people learn to live more meaningful and personally fulfilling lives represents a shift from how things use to be.
As we evolve we begin to look at various aspects of our lives for congruence to our values and commitments. The disparity shows up with exclamation marks behind them and sometimes our response is discouragement and self-disappointment. We act as if we should have known better when the truth is how could we have known better? So the first thing to get over is "I didn't know" and then after we get over that we come to "but I know now…now what?" It takes a courageous person to see this and then set their intentions on bringing integrity into their life so that their lifestyle gives them a life that serves their higher self. You will notice some people trying to work around it, pretending it doesn't matter that their lifestyles don't measure up to their core values.
The real problem is once you see the inconsistency, not doing anything actually makes things worse and you lose ground really fast. It cost you big time to keep that inconsistency in place. You can't be with yourself and be at peace in your life. It wears you down like water will wear down a mountain over time. Your life will devolve instead of evolve. If that is not a price that's too high to pay, I don't know what is. Just think about it and choose wisely the path you will follow. Robin Harris is a DesignerLife Coach whose focus is to empower self-motivated entrepreneurs and individuals to achieve their greatest potential while discovering and honoring their core values. Contact Robin through her web site http://www.designerlifecoaching.com or by email at robin@designerlifecoaching.com
Keyword : lifestyle, success, creating a life you love, priorities
There is a difference but what constitutes a life and what constitutes a lifestyle is pretty ambiguous. One thing that seems pretty clear to me is the lifestyle is observable while a life can have many internal aspects to it. A lifestyle can include people, material things, environments, how we spend our time, energy, and money. A life includes things like our beliefs, our values, our commitments, our soul's dream, and our vision. If you choose a lifestyle first you could wind up with an empty fortress. If you choose the life first, you will design your lifestyle to support the life.
Since most of us already have a lifestyle, and a default life, we usually have to do some redesign work. Choose a life and then redesign our lifestyle. It is possible that the lifestyle you currently have will never support the life you truly want to live. It is possible the lifestyle you currently have has many supporting structures and only minor renovations need to occur. It is possible that you are a highly intuitive person and your lifestyle is in perfect alignment. I know very few people who fall into that category. My dad does but what I notice about him, is he and my mother made a conscious decision to structure their lives around their spiritual values. They made that decision early in their marriage and lived true to it. Now it's interesting that my parents are actually old enough to be my grandparents, (my mother is no long living) and I noticed that many earlier generations were not given to having transformational conversations so learning was a very different process then than it is now. The fact that we have e-courses and teleclasses and magazines and tons of books that are created to help people learn to live more meaningful and personally fulfilling lives represents a shift from how things use to be.
As we evolve we begin to look at various aspects of our lives for congruence to our values and commitments. The disparity shows up with exclamation marks behind them and sometimes our response is discouragement and self-disappointment. We act as if we should have known better when the truth is how could we have known better? So the first thing to get over is "I didn't know" and then after we get over that we come to "but I know now…now what?" It takes a courageous person to see this and then set their intentions on bringing integrity into their life so that their lifestyle gives them a life that serves their higher self. You will notice some people trying to work around it, pretending it doesn't matter that their lifestyles don't measure up to their core values.
The real problem is once you see the inconsistency, not doing anything actually makes things worse and you lose ground really fast. It cost you big time to keep that inconsistency in place. You can't be with yourself and be at peace in your life. It wears you down like water will wear down a mountain over time. Your life will devolve instead of evolve. If that is not a price that's too high to pay, I don't know what is. Just think about it and choose wisely the path you will follow. Robin Harris is a DesignerLife Coach whose focus is to empower self-motivated entrepreneurs and individuals to achieve their greatest potential while discovering and honoring their core values. Contact Robin through her web site http://www.designerlifecoaching.com or by email at robin@designerlifecoaching.com
Keyword : lifestyle, success, creating a life you love, priorities
Reach Your Goals - Friendly Competition
Author : Soni Pitts
Friendly competition
Friendly competition
Get together with a group of like-minded friends who are committed to reaching the same, or similar, goals. Brainstorm ways to "compete" in reaching those goals, decide on the timing and logistics of regular "check-in" meetings and perhaps set up a system of rewards.
Example: A group of friends all wish to lose weight. They decide to buy inexpensive pedometers to track their daily walking distance. Weekly meetings enable them to compare numbers and the winner each week is rewarded with a movie coupon paid for by weekly "dues" of a dollar or two per person.
Another scenario might be a group of co-workers who want to raise money for a charity. In their meetings, everyone is awarded "points" based on the money they raised that week, to be "spent" on favors from the others in the group (such as running off copies, fetching coffee, covering for them in meetings, etc). The selection and "price" of these awards should be determined in the initial meeting.(c) Soni PittsABOUT THE AUTHORSoni Pitts is the Chief Visionary Butt-Kicker of SoniPitts.Com. She specializes in helping others reclaim "soul proprietorship" in their lives and to begin living the life their Creator always intended for them.She is the author of the free e-book "50 Ways To Reach Your Goals" and over 100 self-help and inspirational articles, as well as other products and resources designed to facilitate this process of personal growth and spiritual development.
Keyword : goal, success, dream, inspiration, plan, planning
The Secret Behind All Great Masterpieces: Lessons Learned!
Author : Harald Anderson
The ten-year period which followed the stock market crash of October 1929 is referred to as the Great Depression. This time frame is considered to be the worst and most difficult of Modern American History by business historians. Unemployment was as high as 27% among White Americans and reached 60% in the African American community. In Mississippi, on a single day in 1932, one quarter of the entire state was auctioned off. Scarcity and limitations were everywhere to be seen. The Gross National Product of the country, that unit of measurement which represents everything that is produced nationwide fell by as much as 43%. The prices of wheat and corn and cotton fell so low, the crops were left to rot in the fields. Many businesses and families were wiped out.We all try to forget unpleasant moments in our lives.However, the central premise of any meaningful philosophy is to look back upon the hardest times of our lives and locate the wisdom and insight necessary from which success and joy can occur. It has been my experience that usually within the anxiety there are seeds of wisdom for us to learn from if we will only learn to look and understand the experience. When you examine your business, life or relationships it is the tough times that will teach you the most.During the rough times of the Great Depression the music business also almost collapsed. American record companies, which had sold in excess of 200 million records in the mid 1920's, had seen unit sales drop by 97% by the mid 1930's. To put it mildly, things were tough! Even the giant Victor phonograph company stopped making phonograph players altogether. However, there was a tiny silver lining in all of this hardship. A certain type of music was gripping regions of the country and offering hope. There was no political message attached to the tunes. No lyrics. It was an earthy, rhythmic, emotional and dynamic music. Its purpose was to make people dance. Huge parties would emerge that would often last for days. Even today music historians marvel how a distinctive and repetitive bass line and energetic rhythm could change the focus of an entire community.To classify this music as infectious would be an understatement! At its inception this music would be played solo by only one piano player. Since times were tough sometimes two piano players would share the same instrument. Later, there would be as many as six musicians on three pianos all contributing to the infectious power. The result was a celebration of creative energy that everyone could recognize. It was magical. In spite of the economic hardships, people could find genuine joy even if only for a short moment.The celebrations grew. House parties would turn into block parties. The refrains and melodies would often be played non-stop for what seemed like hours at a time.Top Musicians of the day could locate work easily once they mastered this art form.Hope was born against the horrendous economic landscape.Then in 1938, legendary Jazz Promoter John Hammond saw a huge business opportunity. He organized and promoted a concert in New York City featuring the three masters of this art form. When Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Meade "Lux" Lewis performed in Carnegie Hall, it launched a national craze. Businesses and clubs had to hop on the bandwagon and get with the program. Newspapers began to assign special editors to cover the 'music beat' and report about this incredible energy as its popularity spread into the clubs. Soon all of the "happening" places were featuring top musicians playing these infectious energetic tunes. Club owners seeking to get good reviews and "cash in" would do whatever necessary to bribe the music editors so they could acquire good press. Bribes of free food, free drinks, free women were commonplace. Musicians and club owners understood that one bad review from the critics would kill the good times! Or so they thought…The name of this musical art form was Boogie-Woogie. The slang term that the musicians gave to the critics was the Boogie Man!Yes the Boogie Man was the monster who could criticize and sit in judgment.In spite of his inability to create or understand music they somehow were qualified to evaluate it. The Boogie Man, like an executioner could determine the fate of musicians and club owners with his words. The Boogie Man was fear incarnate. He could kill the party as quickly as the review could be published. The Boogie Man was bad news! Funny thing is most people do not believe in the Boogie Man. At least that is what they tell you to your face! However within this story is the understanding of how success and joy is born and how it dies. Did you "get it?"In the words of Earl Nightingale, "Don't Compete. Create!"Regardless of what is going on in your life you can always play the music and do the dance! Sometimes the most therapeutic thing we can ever create is to purposely put our focus on joy and creation. We are happiest in life when we create and can easily take responsibility for our creations. However we squelch this inherent ability when we consider the evaluation of the creation as being more important than the act of creation itself. Quite frankly joy is perverted and distorted when creation is done primarily for approval. The misery is amplified even further when we make others responsible for the quality of our lives. This is the big lie of the Boogie Man.Ralph Waldo Emerson stated…."Do not die with your music still in you."Very appropriate advice. We all have a mission in life. A purpose which unfolds before our eyes when we manage to overcome our fear of the Boogie Man and just PLAY. Our beliefs determine our reality. Be careful how you interpret the world. It is EXACTLY like that.It is horrifying to think about how the Boogie Man turns the possibility of a dream into a nightmare. Or how the Boogie Man distorts our own ideas of success and happiness by making us believe that he can stop the music in our lives! All illusions that unfortunately every great artist has embraced at some point in their careers. You are the Music. You are the Dance. Be careful what you agree with!Stop and think about what life would be like without the telephone, the car, airplanes, electricity, the internet or any other incredible creation that man has created to resolve the problems related to survival. I can assure that these blessed inventions would never have seen the light of day if their creators were concerned about the boogie man. The boogie man is not only a concern over the judgment of others. The boogie man is much more insidious, he represents everything in our life that we cannot take responsibility for. Our blame list so to speak. The boogie man is that part of us that makes us believe that the problem is somewhere over there.The late Jack Paar once said, "My life seems like one long obstacle course, with me as the chief obstacle." Sounds to me like he knew how to do battle with the boogie man.The secret to all masterpieces is that they fuel the imagination with the great possibilities of the human spirit. They transport us from the world of limitations that we regularly experience and remind us of our potential. Whenever we experience a masterpiece it reminds us that the shackles we feel in our daily lives are optional. The funny thing about greatness is that it will always invite you along for the journey. Masterpieces teach us to recognize the joy of creation for the sake of creation. They spur us on to pursue excellence as our birthright. All masterpieces are embodiments of meaning that would have never occurred had they been concerned with the opinions of critics. If you feel something is holding you back look in the mirror and you will discover your boogie man. All great masterpieces are the reminders of what life can be like when we learn to get out of our own way. Create for the sake of creating. Respond to the joy of the moment and dance for the sake of dancing. Play for the sake of playing. Laugh for the sake of laughing. Everything else is a chorus of excuses and limitations.Once asked to describe the key to creativity, Thomas Alva Edison said said, "Never quit working on your subject until you get what you're after." Well, aren't we ourselves a work in progress? If you plan on creating a masterpiece of your life its time to take the stage, do the dance in spite of the critics. That is the masterpiece lesson of Boogie-Woogie. Create!Sometimes it takes death to teach us about life. Occasionally we must go through misery to understand joy. And sometimes it takes the slang born in the Great Depression to understand that we will always get whatever we put out attention on. You can Boogie Woogie or you can waltz with the Boogie Man. The choice is always yours!The happiest you will ever be in life is when you take responsibility for your creations and create! It is what it is. Take the stage, do the dance and know that the only thing that can squash the music is YOU! The Boogie Man has no power over those who create for the simple joy they receive from the act of creation. That's the bees knees, the eels hips and the elephants eyebrows. Got it? Therein lies the Secret of All the Great Masterpieces daddy-o! Your life is your Music. Do the dance!"Stix you start bangin those tubs! Chops you lay down the line…it's time to get this party happening! One…Two…Three…Four!"Be Careful What You Agree With!Harald Anderson is the co-founder of Artinspires.com. http://www.artinspires.com/display_motivational.asp Motivational Posters and Inspirational Posters! Our Art Communicates! When Art Inspires, Dreams Become Realities! His goal in life is to become the kind of person that his dog already thinks he is. http://www.artinspires.com/
Keyword : Success, Inspiration, Motivation, Determination, Passion, Persistence,
The ten-year period which followed the stock market crash of October 1929 is referred to as the Great Depression. This time frame is considered to be the worst and most difficult of Modern American History by business historians. Unemployment was as high as 27% among White Americans and reached 60% in the African American community. In Mississippi, on a single day in 1932, one quarter of the entire state was auctioned off. Scarcity and limitations were everywhere to be seen. The Gross National Product of the country, that unit of measurement which represents everything that is produced nationwide fell by as much as 43%. The prices of wheat and corn and cotton fell so low, the crops were left to rot in the fields. Many businesses and families were wiped out.We all try to forget unpleasant moments in our lives.However, the central premise of any meaningful philosophy is to look back upon the hardest times of our lives and locate the wisdom and insight necessary from which success and joy can occur. It has been my experience that usually within the anxiety there are seeds of wisdom for us to learn from if we will only learn to look and understand the experience. When you examine your business, life or relationships it is the tough times that will teach you the most.During the rough times of the Great Depression the music business also almost collapsed. American record companies, which had sold in excess of 200 million records in the mid 1920's, had seen unit sales drop by 97% by the mid 1930's. To put it mildly, things were tough! Even the giant Victor phonograph company stopped making phonograph players altogether. However, there was a tiny silver lining in all of this hardship. A certain type of music was gripping regions of the country and offering hope. There was no political message attached to the tunes. No lyrics. It was an earthy, rhythmic, emotional and dynamic music. Its purpose was to make people dance. Huge parties would emerge that would often last for days. Even today music historians marvel how a distinctive and repetitive bass line and energetic rhythm could change the focus of an entire community.To classify this music as infectious would be an understatement! At its inception this music would be played solo by only one piano player. Since times were tough sometimes two piano players would share the same instrument. Later, there would be as many as six musicians on three pianos all contributing to the infectious power. The result was a celebration of creative energy that everyone could recognize. It was magical. In spite of the economic hardships, people could find genuine joy even if only for a short moment.The celebrations grew. House parties would turn into block parties. The refrains and melodies would often be played non-stop for what seemed like hours at a time.Top Musicians of the day could locate work easily once they mastered this art form.Hope was born against the horrendous economic landscape.Then in 1938, legendary Jazz Promoter John Hammond saw a huge business opportunity. He organized and promoted a concert in New York City featuring the three masters of this art form. When Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Meade "Lux" Lewis performed in Carnegie Hall, it launched a national craze. Businesses and clubs had to hop on the bandwagon and get with the program. Newspapers began to assign special editors to cover the 'music beat' and report about this incredible energy as its popularity spread into the clubs. Soon all of the "happening" places were featuring top musicians playing these infectious energetic tunes. Club owners seeking to get good reviews and "cash in" would do whatever necessary to bribe the music editors so they could acquire good press. Bribes of free food, free drinks, free women were commonplace. Musicians and club owners understood that one bad review from the critics would kill the good times! Or so they thought…The name of this musical art form was Boogie-Woogie. The slang term that the musicians gave to the critics was the Boogie Man!Yes the Boogie Man was the monster who could criticize and sit in judgment.In spite of his inability to create or understand music they somehow were qualified to evaluate it. The Boogie Man, like an executioner could determine the fate of musicians and club owners with his words. The Boogie Man was fear incarnate. He could kill the party as quickly as the review could be published. The Boogie Man was bad news! Funny thing is most people do not believe in the Boogie Man. At least that is what they tell you to your face! However within this story is the understanding of how success and joy is born and how it dies. Did you "get it?"In the words of Earl Nightingale, "Don't Compete. Create!"Regardless of what is going on in your life you can always play the music and do the dance! Sometimes the most therapeutic thing we can ever create is to purposely put our focus on joy and creation. We are happiest in life when we create and can easily take responsibility for our creations. However we squelch this inherent ability when we consider the evaluation of the creation as being more important than the act of creation itself. Quite frankly joy is perverted and distorted when creation is done primarily for approval. The misery is amplified even further when we make others responsible for the quality of our lives. This is the big lie of the Boogie Man.Ralph Waldo Emerson stated…."Do not die with your music still in you."Very appropriate advice. We all have a mission in life. A purpose which unfolds before our eyes when we manage to overcome our fear of the Boogie Man and just PLAY. Our beliefs determine our reality. Be careful how you interpret the world. It is EXACTLY like that.It is horrifying to think about how the Boogie Man turns the possibility of a dream into a nightmare. Or how the Boogie Man distorts our own ideas of success and happiness by making us believe that he can stop the music in our lives! All illusions that unfortunately every great artist has embraced at some point in their careers. You are the Music. You are the Dance. Be careful what you agree with!Stop and think about what life would be like without the telephone, the car, airplanes, electricity, the internet or any other incredible creation that man has created to resolve the problems related to survival. I can assure that these blessed inventions would never have seen the light of day if their creators were concerned about the boogie man. The boogie man is not only a concern over the judgment of others. The boogie man is much more insidious, he represents everything in our life that we cannot take responsibility for. Our blame list so to speak. The boogie man is that part of us that makes us believe that the problem is somewhere over there.The late Jack Paar once said, "My life seems like one long obstacle course, with me as the chief obstacle." Sounds to me like he knew how to do battle with the boogie man.The secret to all masterpieces is that they fuel the imagination with the great possibilities of the human spirit. They transport us from the world of limitations that we regularly experience and remind us of our potential. Whenever we experience a masterpiece it reminds us that the shackles we feel in our daily lives are optional. The funny thing about greatness is that it will always invite you along for the journey. Masterpieces teach us to recognize the joy of creation for the sake of creation. They spur us on to pursue excellence as our birthright. All masterpieces are embodiments of meaning that would have never occurred had they been concerned with the opinions of critics. If you feel something is holding you back look in the mirror and you will discover your boogie man. All great masterpieces are the reminders of what life can be like when we learn to get out of our own way. Create for the sake of creating. Respond to the joy of the moment and dance for the sake of dancing. Play for the sake of playing. Laugh for the sake of laughing. Everything else is a chorus of excuses and limitations.Once asked to describe the key to creativity, Thomas Alva Edison said said, "Never quit working on your subject until you get what you're after." Well, aren't we ourselves a work in progress? If you plan on creating a masterpiece of your life its time to take the stage, do the dance in spite of the critics. That is the masterpiece lesson of Boogie-Woogie. Create!Sometimes it takes death to teach us about life. Occasionally we must go through misery to understand joy. And sometimes it takes the slang born in the Great Depression to understand that we will always get whatever we put out attention on. You can Boogie Woogie or you can waltz with the Boogie Man. The choice is always yours!The happiest you will ever be in life is when you take responsibility for your creations and create! It is what it is. Take the stage, do the dance and know that the only thing that can squash the music is YOU! The Boogie Man has no power over those who create for the simple joy they receive from the act of creation. That's the bees knees, the eels hips and the elephants eyebrows. Got it? Therein lies the Secret of All the Great Masterpieces daddy-o! Your life is your Music. Do the dance!"Stix you start bangin those tubs! Chops you lay down the line…it's time to get this party happening! One…Two…Three…Four!"Be Careful What You Agree With!Harald Anderson is the co-founder of Artinspires.com. http://www.artinspires.com/display_motivational.asp Motivational Posters and Inspirational Posters! Our Art Communicates! When Art Inspires, Dreams Become Realities! His goal in life is to become the kind of person that his dog already thinks he is. http://www.artinspires.com/
Keyword : Success, Inspiration, Motivation, Determination, Passion, Persistence,
How To Start, Survive, and Finish Your Journey To Super Success
Author : Michael Lee
"The more you hate, the more you love."What an ironic statement. Whoever said those words must
have been drunk. The bottom line is this: It is extremely
difficult to like or love something that you despise.But what can we do to solve this dilemma? What if you're
trapped in an environment that you don't want to be involved
in? What if you're sick and tired of your job that you
feel like puking every time someone mentions your work?Of course, you take inspired and motivated action to
get out of your present rut and start living the life
you've always dreamed of.Guess what? It's not going to be easy. You will have to
come out of your comfort zones to discover potentials and
opportunities waiting for you. You have to conquer your
fear and take calculated risks. You have to stay focused
and persevere despite the difficulties you will encounter.Success doesn't come easy. It takes heart and passion. It
may also take some time before you can actually reap the
fruits of your labor.But how do you actually survive this stage? This is the
moment when you're working extra hard to reach your goals.
This is also the instance when you're enduring whatever
adversity hits you.For example, you're employed in a job that you hate. You
know deep inside that you would not like to stay in the
rat race throughout your life. So you decided to engage
in a part-time business or to study night courses. Good
move, my friend.So far so good. A few days later, time started running
out for you. Your family complains that you've never
spoken a word to them in such a long time. You're
getting crazy over your very hectic schedule. Soon
enough, your attitude changes negatively. You get mad
and frustrated over the tiniest setbacks. You hate the
world for all the misery it has brought upon you.Stop right now!That is not the way to go. You are attracting negative
elements into your life. Yes, you have to work harder,
dig deeper, and sacrifice more to attain your ambitions.
But no, you don't have to hate the world and feel bad
about your difficult situation. Remember the Law of
Attraction. If you hate the world, the world hates you
back.So what do you have to do?Learn to love your current situation. See all the
positive sides of life. Be enthusiastic. Love your
boss, your coworkers, your family, your friends, and
even strangers that you meet on the streets. It may
not be easy, but nothing is impossible with a strong
will power. Just don't fall in love so much that you
totally forget about your dreams.Balance is the key. Dream and take some positive
action to move you toward your goals. Take it one
step at a time. But while you're slowly crawling into
the long journey to success, be patient and be as
enthusiastic as possible. Don't hurry up too much that
you totally forget how to enjoy life.One fine day, you will finally attain what you have
always longed for. But when that day comes, don't
spit back on the face of those who belittled you
before.Stay humble. Don't look down on others when you see
that you are becoming more successful than they are.
Help them. Inject your positive aura into their
personalities. When you give, you will yield back
equal or greater rewards.Are you ready to begin the journey? Start it with
the courage and desire to improve your life. Survive
and go through it with persistence, enthusiasm, and
positive thinking. Finish it with a resounding bang
of accomplishment and with the desire to help others
succeed as well.Michael Lee is the author of "How To Be A Red Hot
Persuasion Wizard," an ebook that reveals powerful
secrets on how to easily make friends, fully improve
your relationships, multiply your profits, win
negotiations, and attain freedom and power. Visit
http://www.20daypersuasion.com to grab a sample chapter.
Keyword : achieve success, influence, social influence, goalsetting, dreams, imagination, relationships, image
"The more you hate, the more you love."What an ironic statement. Whoever said those words must
have been drunk. The bottom line is this: It is extremely
difficult to like or love something that you despise.But what can we do to solve this dilemma? What if you're
trapped in an environment that you don't want to be involved
in? What if you're sick and tired of your job that you
feel like puking every time someone mentions your work?Of course, you take inspired and motivated action to
get out of your present rut and start living the life
you've always dreamed of.Guess what? It's not going to be easy. You will have to
come out of your comfort zones to discover potentials and
opportunities waiting for you. You have to conquer your
fear and take calculated risks. You have to stay focused
and persevere despite the difficulties you will encounter.Success doesn't come easy. It takes heart and passion. It
may also take some time before you can actually reap the
fruits of your labor.But how do you actually survive this stage? This is the
moment when you're working extra hard to reach your goals.
This is also the instance when you're enduring whatever
adversity hits you.For example, you're employed in a job that you hate. You
know deep inside that you would not like to stay in the
rat race throughout your life. So you decided to engage
in a part-time business or to study night courses. Good
move, my friend.So far so good. A few days later, time started running
out for you. Your family complains that you've never
spoken a word to them in such a long time. You're
getting crazy over your very hectic schedule. Soon
enough, your attitude changes negatively. You get mad
and frustrated over the tiniest setbacks. You hate the
world for all the misery it has brought upon you.Stop right now!That is not the way to go. You are attracting negative
elements into your life. Yes, you have to work harder,
dig deeper, and sacrifice more to attain your ambitions.
But no, you don't have to hate the world and feel bad
about your difficult situation. Remember the Law of
Attraction. If you hate the world, the world hates you
back.So what do you have to do?Learn to love your current situation. See all the
positive sides of life. Be enthusiastic. Love your
boss, your coworkers, your family, your friends, and
even strangers that you meet on the streets. It may
not be easy, but nothing is impossible with a strong
will power. Just don't fall in love so much that you
totally forget about your dreams.Balance is the key. Dream and take some positive
action to move you toward your goals. Take it one
step at a time. But while you're slowly crawling into
the long journey to success, be patient and be as
enthusiastic as possible. Don't hurry up too much that
you totally forget how to enjoy life.One fine day, you will finally attain what you have
always longed for. But when that day comes, don't
spit back on the face of those who belittled you
before.Stay humble. Don't look down on others when you see
that you are becoming more successful than they are.
Help them. Inject your positive aura into their
personalities. When you give, you will yield back
equal or greater rewards.Are you ready to begin the journey? Start it with
the courage and desire to improve your life. Survive
and go through it with persistence, enthusiasm, and
positive thinking. Finish it with a resounding bang
of accomplishment and with the desire to help others
succeed as well.Michael Lee is the author of "How To Be A Red Hot
Persuasion Wizard," an ebook that reveals powerful
secrets on how to easily make friends, fully improve
your relationships, multiply your profits, win
negotiations, and attain freedom and power. Visit
http://www.20daypersuasion.com to grab a sample chapter.
Keyword : achieve success, influence, social influence, goalsetting, dreams, imagination, relationships, image
Five Ways To Take A Vacation Without Taking A Vacation
Author : Helaine Iris
Last month Along The Purpose Path was about how to identify and stop the energy drains that leave you feeling exhausted and out of balance. I outlined how energy is one of your most valuable resources and invited you to start thinking about how to reserve more energy for yourself.Now, I'd like to offer a suggestion on how to actually build energy and begin to create energy reserves.One of my favorite ways to recharge my batteries is to take a vacation. Vacations traditionally are defined as a period of time devoted to pleasure, rest, or relaxation especially when there is suspension of school, or business activities. Vacations are usually, unfortunately associated with travel and a commitment of time and money, making them not easily achievable without a lot of planning.All a vacation is really is a break in your routine with the accompanying positive mental shift that helps you fully absorb and receive the benefits. The key to success is to be as present as possible and remind yourself to fully soak in what you need whether your vacation is for one hour or three weeks. Begin by making sure you clear your space and maximize your ability to receive.How can you receive the energy building benefit from a vacation without actually taking one? Can you achieve the desired result of rest, pleasure and relaxation within the day-to-day structure of life?Here are some delicious suggestions:1. Take a vacation from your thoughts. Your mind is a wonderful, essential part of life. Have you noticed how it likes to work on overtime? Perpetual thinking, worrying, and planning can be exhausting and often counter productive. Give yourself permission to take a vacation from thinking. Periodically, set aside some time to let it all go: perhaps, meditate. Put your thoughts on paper, they'll be there when you return to them. An added benefit is, by taking a step back, you'll gain fresh perspective and come back even stronger.2. Take a day off and plan your favorite activity. If planning a week or two of vacation time is not realistic, plan a day. Clear your schedule of everything and either plan to do nothing, (if that's heaven to you) or plan a day of "I've always wanted to…" and do it.3. Plan a special weekend. Be a tourist in your own town. Try new restaurants, explore neighborhoods, or attend a cultural event. One of the ruts it's easy to get into is "same old, same old". Challenge yourself to see your world through fresh eyes.4. Spa night. This is a personal favorite. It was a much-loved activity I shared with my daughter when she was little. Now that she's grown and creating her own rituals, it's a retreat I enjoy as solitary time. Lock yourself in the bathroom with all your favorite hair and body products and do it up. Light candles, play your favorite music, soak in the tub until you're wrinkled. Pamper yourself.5. Change it up. Here's where your creativity comes into play. The idea is to make your normal routines new. For example: sleep in a different room, take a break from TV and read engaging novels, (not self-help books). Create themes around mealtimes; bring Mexico or Italy into your kitchen. Spend a rainy Saturday watching old comedies. As Milton Berle said, "Laughter is an instant vacation".I'm off now to take a vacation from my own full life. Dinner with my husband in our favorite end –of-the-week Mexican restaurant, I'll wear my favorite jeans and imagine we're in Mexico…It's all in the attitude.It's YOUR life…live it completely!Helaine Iris is a certified Life Coach, writer and teacher who loves her life. She works with individuals, and self-employed professionals, who want to thrive in their business while crafting a life that's in absolute alignment with their highest ideals, deepest values and gracefully masters the complexities of modern living. For a solution focused, free initial consultation visit her website http://www.pathofpurpose.com or email her helaine@pathofpurpose.com
Keyword : Helaine Iris, coaching, coach, life coach, life purpose, inspiration, motivation, motivational, bett
Last month Along The Purpose Path was about how to identify and stop the energy drains that leave you feeling exhausted and out of balance. I outlined how energy is one of your most valuable resources and invited you to start thinking about how to reserve more energy for yourself.Now, I'd like to offer a suggestion on how to actually build energy and begin to create energy reserves.One of my favorite ways to recharge my batteries is to take a vacation. Vacations traditionally are defined as a period of time devoted to pleasure, rest, or relaxation especially when there is suspension of school, or business activities. Vacations are usually, unfortunately associated with travel and a commitment of time and money, making them not easily achievable without a lot of planning.All a vacation is really is a break in your routine with the accompanying positive mental shift that helps you fully absorb and receive the benefits. The key to success is to be as present as possible and remind yourself to fully soak in what you need whether your vacation is for one hour or three weeks. Begin by making sure you clear your space and maximize your ability to receive.How can you receive the energy building benefit from a vacation without actually taking one? Can you achieve the desired result of rest, pleasure and relaxation within the day-to-day structure of life?Here are some delicious suggestions:1. Take a vacation from your thoughts. Your mind is a wonderful, essential part of life. Have you noticed how it likes to work on overtime? Perpetual thinking, worrying, and planning can be exhausting and often counter productive. Give yourself permission to take a vacation from thinking. Periodically, set aside some time to let it all go: perhaps, meditate. Put your thoughts on paper, they'll be there when you return to them. An added benefit is, by taking a step back, you'll gain fresh perspective and come back even stronger.2. Take a day off and plan your favorite activity. If planning a week or two of vacation time is not realistic, plan a day. Clear your schedule of everything and either plan to do nothing, (if that's heaven to you) or plan a day of "I've always wanted to…" and do it.3. Plan a special weekend. Be a tourist in your own town. Try new restaurants, explore neighborhoods, or attend a cultural event. One of the ruts it's easy to get into is "same old, same old". Challenge yourself to see your world through fresh eyes.4. Spa night. This is a personal favorite. It was a much-loved activity I shared with my daughter when she was little. Now that she's grown and creating her own rituals, it's a retreat I enjoy as solitary time. Lock yourself in the bathroom with all your favorite hair and body products and do it up. Light candles, play your favorite music, soak in the tub until you're wrinkled. Pamper yourself.5. Change it up. Here's where your creativity comes into play. The idea is to make your normal routines new. For example: sleep in a different room, take a break from TV and read engaging novels, (not self-help books). Create themes around mealtimes; bring Mexico or Italy into your kitchen. Spend a rainy Saturday watching old comedies. As Milton Berle said, "Laughter is an instant vacation".I'm off now to take a vacation from my own full life. Dinner with my husband in our favorite end –of-the-week Mexican restaurant, I'll wear my favorite jeans and imagine we're in Mexico…It's all in the attitude.It's YOUR life…live it completely!Helaine Iris is a certified Life Coach, writer and teacher who loves her life. She works with individuals, and self-employed professionals, who want to thrive in their business while crafting a life that's in absolute alignment with their highest ideals, deepest values and gracefully masters the complexities of modern living. For a solution focused, free initial consultation visit her website http://www.pathofpurpose.com or email her helaine@pathofpurpose.com
Keyword : Helaine Iris, coaching, coach, life coach, life purpose, inspiration, motivation, motivational, bett
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