How to Succeed in Life and the Importance of Rising Above Life's Challenges
By Daniel Herzner
Wouldn't life be grand if things were to always work out the way we wanted them to? Just imagine that; life with no adversity. Yeah, right...OK, snap out of it. Life has never been, nor will it ever be without its ups and downs. If there's one thing all human beings have in common it's that we are constantly being tested by life's challenges. So the question is not, will life challenge you but rather, how will you react when it does?
The ability to confront and productively overcome life's challenges can be considered the number one most important quality shared by all successful people. If you lack the ability to bravely and confidently stand eyeball to eyeball with adversity, then anything else you do in your journey toward success will have very little meaning.
There will be many times in life when things do not go according to plan. As a matter fact, there will be many times throughout the course of a single day when everything will seem upside down. And truthfully, when it happens, you'll be in great company. All great achievers have dealt with seemingly insurmountable odds from time to time.
In the discussion of dealing with life's challenges, there can only be two types of people: victors and victims. Victors let nothing stand in the way of their great achievement. There is no obstacle a victor cannot overcome. They see life's challenges for what they are - opportunities to improve upon themselves and their work processes. Victors recognize that without life's challenges, there would exist no opportunity for self-growth.
Victims on the other hand waste a lot of time brooding about the adversities they face. They do not see life's challenges as opportunities for improvement but rather as reasons to accept mediocrity. When a victim is challenged by life they'll gladly take the path of least resistance. A victim will remain resistant to change and will therefore accept a challenge as a signal to quit.
Life does not catapult anybody to greatness without first testing their worthiness. Do you think those who achieve great things in life give up in the face of a challenge or do you think they find a way to rise above? This world is filled with victims and life does not reward victims.
And be accepting of the fact that life will never stop challenging you. Regardless of where you live or how much success you may've already achieved, you will have to confront challenges on an almost daily basis. In fact, the more successful you become, the more challenges you can count on facing.
So from this day forward understand that any "woe is me" attitude will absolutely hold you back from great accomplishment. Learn to see the opportunities which exist in every challenge you face and I can guarantee you'll achieve the greatness which is your destiny.
Get the book FREE: This article is based on the book "A PLUM IN THE SYRUP: 17 Observations, Suggestions And Truths You Can Adopt To Live A More Fulfilled Life." In his book, author Daniel Herzner delivers practical advice which anybody can use to live more successfully. To get a free copy of this empowering, 92 page book please visit: http://www.APlumInTheSyrup.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Herzner
Friday, August 21, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
CHANGE IS GOOD . . . .TIME TO PAY ATTENTION
Even More Strategies For Effortless Business Success
By Willie Horton
You may have already my two articles exploring the best strategies for effortless business success. In the second article we explored what success actually means - and in the first, I suggested four specific steps anyone in business - from the "one man band" to the multi-national - can take to achieve the kind of effortless success we're talking about. In this article, I want to add a couple of further incredibly simple steps to the ones we've already covered - add these and your effortless business success starts today.
Let me start by telling you Mike's story. Many years ago, in the days before email, Mike, the Executive Chairman of a well-known mid-size company, went through a painful and traumatic divorce which left him with sole custody of his nine- and eleven-year olds. Mike decided that his greatest priority at that moment in time was his two children. Consequently, one Sunday evening, he 'phoned round his co-directors telling them "I won't be in tomorrow - or for the next three months!"
There was adequate management expertise and depth in the organisation to enable it carry on without any major disruption.
Three months passed and Mike returned to find his office piled high with memos, documents, reports - as I said, we're talking about the pre-email era. He promptly left the office again, went to the nearest grocery store and bought himself a roll of ten large refuse bags - and threw everything in his office out. As he subsequently said to me "Of all the crap that crammed my office, only one thing came back to haunt me."
The moral of the story - we spend vast amounts of time and energy doing things that we shouldn't be doing - but, in the process, convincing ourselves that we are busy and important.
Yes, we're busy alright - doing the wrong things.
In my previous two related articles, we talked about how a business might define success and how, then, you might "visualize" that success in a five-sensory way. But, after that, the most important thing you have to do, to achieve effortless and exceptional business success, is to focus on the important in the here and now.
There are two important points in the last sentence.
Number one - cut the crap out of your daily routine.
That includes engaging in destructive gossip - gloating over a competitor's misfortune, joining in the sorry social club that's comprised of all the sad people who apparently take delight in discussing and re-discussing the current economic situation or re-reading the sports pages that cover some event you've already seen. That includes doing things that you've paid other people to do - some call it micro-managing, some call it attention to detail - but if you're supposed to be driving your business forward, in the fast lane to success, you can't be wasting time tinkering about with an engine that probably doesn't need fixing! That includes doing anything that isn't on your short list of priorities - and I don't know who it was who said that, if you've more than three priorities, you've none! Everyone knows what they're doing that they shouldn't be doing - we all know the things that waste our time and energy.
If you want to achieve exceptional success, you're going to have to start acting differently - and this is an easy and obvious place to start.
Less obvious, however, is the most important piece of advice that I could ever give any client - be they a business person, sports person, scientist, artist... Assuming you're doing the right thing - in other words, the things that are most relevant and important to your success - the most important thing you have to do in all of your life is what you're doing now.
When I explain the importance of focus and single-mindedness to my clients, they often initially assume that I am championing the importance of being focused on your goals. No. It is focus and single-mindedness to the present moment that sets great achievers apart from everyone else on this planet - in whatever their field of endeavour.
The great mass of people only focus 1% of their mental energy into what they're doing (years of psychological research support this fact). Consequently, normal people are the exact opposite of focused and single-minded - normal people's minds are all over the place.
Abnormally successful people are more than 1% focused - what percentage that is, who knows - but the key point is that the University of Chicago estimates that if you were only 2% effective (twice the norm) you'd be 2000% more effective. Wow - what a huge return for that little investment. But the level of mental investment is abnormal and leads to abnormal living and abnormal success.
If you are abnormally focused in the present moment, if you are more present - you will automatically display one of the key traits of abnormally successful people - you'll have presence. Presence is impressive, presence is inspiring, presence is the key to leadership and success.
So, how do you become abnormally focused, abnormally single-minded? Like everything worth doing, you need commitment - commitment to training yourself to pay attention to the here and now. You're already fully equipped to do this - you have five senses (to which normal people pay no attention) start using them. Nothing could be simpler - nothing could be more empowering - nothing else will lead you so effortlessly to exceptional success.
Copyright (c) 2009 Willie Horton
Willie Horton's acclaimed two-day personal development seminars have been running for thirteen years. He teaches that a clear and present state of mind creates extra-ordinary personal and business success. His vast expertise is now available in his Online Workshop at Gurdy.Net. His website also offers daily free personal development video seminars, articles and a Free Personal Development Ezine published every Monday morning.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Willie_Horton
By Willie Horton
You may have already my two articles exploring the best strategies for effortless business success. In the second article we explored what success actually means - and in the first, I suggested four specific steps anyone in business - from the "one man band" to the multi-national - can take to achieve the kind of effortless success we're talking about. In this article, I want to add a couple of further incredibly simple steps to the ones we've already covered - add these and your effortless business success starts today.
Let me start by telling you Mike's story. Many years ago, in the days before email, Mike, the Executive Chairman of a well-known mid-size company, went through a painful and traumatic divorce which left him with sole custody of his nine- and eleven-year olds. Mike decided that his greatest priority at that moment in time was his two children. Consequently, one Sunday evening, he 'phoned round his co-directors telling them "I won't be in tomorrow - or for the next three months!"
There was adequate management expertise and depth in the organisation to enable it carry on without any major disruption.
Three months passed and Mike returned to find his office piled high with memos, documents, reports - as I said, we're talking about the pre-email era. He promptly left the office again, went to the nearest grocery store and bought himself a roll of ten large refuse bags - and threw everything in his office out. As he subsequently said to me "Of all the crap that crammed my office, only one thing came back to haunt me."
The moral of the story - we spend vast amounts of time and energy doing things that we shouldn't be doing - but, in the process, convincing ourselves that we are busy and important.
Yes, we're busy alright - doing the wrong things.
In my previous two related articles, we talked about how a business might define success and how, then, you might "visualize" that success in a five-sensory way. But, after that, the most important thing you have to do, to achieve effortless and exceptional business success, is to focus on the important in the here and now.
There are two important points in the last sentence.
Number one - cut the crap out of your daily routine.
That includes engaging in destructive gossip - gloating over a competitor's misfortune, joining in the sorry social club that's comprised of all the sad people who apparently take delight in discussing and re-discussing the current economic situation or re-reading the sports pages that cover some event you've already seen. That includes doing things that you've paid other people to do - some call it micro-managing, some call it attention to detail - but if you're supposed to be driving your business forward, in the fast lane to success, you can't be wasting time tinkering about with an engine that probably doesn't need fixing! That includes doing anything that isn't on your short list of priorities - and I don't know who it was who said that, if you've more than three priorities, you've none! Everyone knows what they're doing that they shouldn't be doing - we all know the things that waste our time and energy.
If you want to achieve exceptional success, you're going to have to start acting differently - and this is an easy and obvious place to start.
Less obvious, however, is the most important piece of advice that I could ever give any client - be they a business person, sports person, scientist, artist... Assuming you're doing the right thing - in other words, the things that are most relevant and important to your success - the most important thing you have to do in all of your life is what you're doing now.
When I explain the importance of focus and single-mindedness to my clients, they often initially assume that I am championing the importance of being focused on your goals. No. It is focus and single-mindedness to the present moment that sets great achievers apart from everyone else on this planet - in whatever their field of endeavour.
The great mass of people only focus 1% of their mental energy into what they're doing (years of psychological research support this fact). Consequently, normal people are the exact opposite of focused and single-minded - normal people's minds are all over the place.
Abnormally successful people are more than 1% focused - what percentage that is, who knows - but the key point is that the University of Chicago estimates that if you were only 2% effective (twice the norm) you'd be 2000% more effective. Wow - what a huge return for that little investment. But the level of mental investment is abnormal and leads to abnormal living and abnormal success.
If you are abnormally focused in the present moment, if you are more present - you will automatically display one of the key traits of abnormally successful people - you'll have presence. Presence is impressive, presence is inspiring, presence is the key to leadership and success.
So, how do you become abnormally focused, abnormally single-minded? Like everything worth doing, you need commitment - commitment to training yourself to pay attention to the here and now. You're already fully equipped to do this - you have five senses (to which normal people pay no attention) start using them. Nothing could be simpler - nothing could be more empowering - nothing else will lead you so effortlessly to exceptional success.
Copyright (c) 2009 Willie Horton
Willie Horton's acclaimed two-day personal development seminars have been running for thirteen years. He teaches that a clear and present state of mind creates extra-ordinary personal and business success. His vast expertise is now available in his Online Workshop at Gurdy.Net. His website also offers daily free personal development video seminars, articles and a Free Personal Development Ezine published every Monday morning.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Willie_Horton
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
CHANGE IS GOOD . . .IT ALL STARTS WITH A THOUGHT
One Simple Technique to Help You Attract Prosperity in Your Life
By Alison Yates
Contrary to what you probably believe, it's easy to attract prosperity to you. It won't take as long as you might think. In simple terms, all you need to do is have faith, and constantly visualise success, happiness and security in your mind's eye. This very effective technique will drive ideas, opportunities, success and prosperity to you. Even without seeking them out consciously. You will be surprised how things will turn out for you
To visualise success, you'll need to know what it is you want, and try to be specific about it. Your imagination is a powerful tool. You can use it to manifest dreams into reality.
Many sport's people use this technique, as well as entrepreneurs. And it's a similar technique that will help you manifest your dreams into reality.
If you play golf, as you address the ball, imagine you striking it perfectly and then visualise the flight of the ball going true and perfect to exactly where you want it to go.
If you play tennis, as you prepare to serve, imagine throwing up the ball perfectly - the right height and trajectory. Imagine striking the ball at the perfect moment with the perfect speed, and imagine the ball flying low over the net and into the service court for a perfect ace!
If you play soccer, and you are about to take a penalty, imagine running up to the ball and kicking it sweetly into the corner of the goal, with the goalkeeper helplessly diving the other way.
Use this technique for basket ball slam dunks too!
If you don't play sports, and you have children or nephews and nieces who do, try teaching then these techniques of positive visualisation.
Use this technique to get what you want in your life too. You can attract all the prosperity you want. Go to a quiet place where you won't be disturbed. Relax and then imagine yourself living the life you dream of, literally. Imagine yourself living in a beautiful home, driving a luxury car, swimming in a blue sea by a sandy beach, walking hand in hand with a perfect lover, paying bills without any cares. Do this every day and prosperity will come to you. Believe it.
Alison Yates wrote this article. To learn more about the powerful Law of Attraction, visit: http://www.alizons-psychic-secrets.com/law-of-attraction.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Yates
Sunday, August 02, 2009
CHANGE IS GOOD . . . . THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Reflections on Life
By Bob Lucas
There is no one formula for a successful life. Each person approaches the daily challenges encountered in a different way and there are often no easy solutions in today's tough economic situation. Still, some people seem to rise above their troubles and find a way to deal with what life has planned for them. These are the people who know how to set positive goals and stay focused on achieving them.
Everyone has days when they feel "down" a bit; However, if you focus on everything that went wrong in a given day, this feeling of desolation can overwhelm you and soon become your paradigm (how you see the world). Soon, your doom and gloom approach becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and you will defeat yourself.
As a slogan that I once read in the locker room in high school read, "A winner never quits and a quitter never wins. " With that in mind, I offer the following tidbits that may help ease the pain of life when things are not going the way you planned:
1. Love can fill the heart and make you whole. Seek and spread it everywhere you go.
2. Life isn't always fair, but it is your only chance to get it right - stay focused on the positive.
3. Let go of the past, you cannot change it. Instead, focus on making the future the best it can be. 4. As Lao Tzu (Confucius) once noted, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. " If you really want to recover from adversity and to succeed, make a plan and start working toward it today.
5. When you are unsure about a direction in which you are headed in life, proceed slowly by getting started and taking small steps. That allows you to recover more quickly when things go wrong.
6. Life is too short to not to have fun or to waste it. Find things that you like to do with family, friends and at work and focus on getting them done.
7. Persistence and a steady focus will usually get you where you want to go.
8. Life was not created to give you everything you want. Remain flexible and be willing to make some concessions.
9. Everybody will not like you and vice versa. Do not spend unnecessary time trying to fix other people.
10. Friends are more valuable than enemies, gather as many of them as you can through life and spend time enjoying them.
11. You cannot win every argument. Do not make yourself miserable trying. Agree to disagree. 12. It IS okay to let others see you cry. Better to let it out than to internalize and explode.
13. Find a shoulder to cry on. It is better than crying alone.
14. Treat others as they would like to be treated, rather than as you would prefer. Each person is unique and has individual needs. Do not try to force them into your personal mold.
15. Do not try to mimic the lives of others that you see. You have no idea what they have hidden beneath the surface.
16. Remember the old adage, beauty is only skin deep.
17. When things seem out of control, close your eyes, take a deep breath and focus on more positive happy times.
18. When it comes to chasing after your dreams or goals, only you can control the course.
19. You cannot control what others think. Do not dwell on their perspectives.
20. Time passes quickly and with it comes healing and the promise of happiness. Embrace the time you have.
21. Believe in miracles and they will happen.
22. Do not lock yourself away pouting or feeling sorry for yourself. Life's miracles and opportunities are just outside your door.
23. Life may not come in a beautiful box with a bow, but it is certainly a wonderful gift.
24. You control your happiness.
25. Do not save everything for a special occasion. Life is special; celebrate it daily.
26. Remember that the best is yet to come.
Bob Lucas is an internationally known consultant and author with over thirty years experience in the customer service, human resources and management fields. He has written hundreds of articles and written or contributed to twenty-eight books, including: Customer Service: Building Success Skills for the Twenty-First Century, How to Be a Great Call Center Representative, Effective Interpersonal Relationships and Coaching Skills: A Guide for Supervisors. He can be reached through his corporate website at http://www.robertwlucas.com via email at blucas@globalperformancestrategies.com or at 407-695-5535.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Lucas
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