Stop Waiting For The Perfect Moment

When it comes to many things in life we tend to wait around for that perfect timing in order to go after our dreams and goals. The problem with this mentality is that it sets us up for disappointment, stagnation, and failure. There is not necessarily a perfect time or day for anything. The universe is made up of continually moving energy, so you can either be moving and creating positive momentum, or you can be sitting still in stagnation. The choice is yours.

Career & Relationships

If you are in a career or a relationship that you tolerate, but don't really appreciate, you are letting external factors control you and your hopes of a happy life may be dwindling. If you're not happy inside, don't you think it's time to do something about it? Or perhaps you have tried to change things up to no avail. If that's the case, it's time to try something different.

You deserve a happy life with a career and relationships that you enjoy. Everyone does. If you've settled in areas in your life due to other people's expectations or society's status quo propaganda, it's time to take a stand and declare that you will not tolerate it any longer. It is time to make a list of the things that you want and create action steps to propel you forward in that direction.

A Wonderful Life Is Available Now

I've got some friends who are happy inside with a so-so job, little money, and no relationship. I've also got other friends that are happy inside with a great career, lots of money, and a relationship. They have tapped into the power to be happy inside regardless of what they have externally. They have learned that an attitude of happiness and gratitude NOW as opposed to SOMEDAY is way more productive for them mentally and physically. They are not "waiting" for the perfect moment or thing to occur before they allow happiness to consume them.

Most people want a happy life and go seeking "things" and "people" to make them happy, but the problem is that happiness does not come from things and people; it comes from inside each person. It takes walking a path of cultivating happiness through the journey of life. It takes taking a season to slow down, smell the roses, contemplate life, face your pain, ask yourself the hard questions, challenge yourself, etc. I assure you though, a happy life is available to you now.

What are you willing to do different?

If you just want to settle for where you are, I will respect that, but I don't advise that. Maybe you're in denial and you offer the common "I'm fine" when asked how you are, but really you are miserable on the inside. You say you want a better life but you aren't willing to do anything different. You aren't willing to travel a road you haven't traveled before. You may be scared or just plain tired.

I understand, but I also believe that you can do better. I believe everyone can do better.

Oh Happy Life!

I have had periods in my life where I wasn't full of happiness. It wasn't that I didn't want to be happy; I didn't know how to be. What I did know was how to keep pressing forward no matter what. I did believe deep within that I could find happiness. It just didn't come in the way I expected. It might not come the way you expect either, but there is a wellspring of happiness within you and as soon as you acknowledge it, you will find yourself smiling and singing more- even if not one thing has changed externally in your life.

Stop waiting for the perfect moment to feel happy or accomplished. Make your happiness a priority. Tell your partner, your boss, you friends, and you family that you are going to change some things in your life with the first thing being your perspective. You're going to stop living to meet other people's expectations. You're going to discover who you are and discover a joy that is bubbling within you just waiting for you to release it.

Today is the perfect day to acknowledge your success, your happiness, and your fulfilled dreams. You don't have to keep waiting for this or that to happen. Life is what we make of it, so let's be proactive in making our dreams come true - beginning today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Fahkry

DIY - Motivating Yourself and Achieving Your Highest Goals

Do-it-yourself guide to motivating yourself and achieving high goals

Have you ever tried to achieve something that you have never done before? If not, then you need motivation to start on something strange to you and expand your level of self-exploration. Everyone needs a push to achieve big things; some get it from being hurt emotionally and others get it through motivational content. To motivate yourself and fulfil your dreams or move closer to your goals, the tips mentioned below might be helpful.

• Start with something new: Beginning is always the toughest part, so organize yourself and put your brain in action to get started. You may begin thinking that you will quit in the end, but once you start on a task, your mind will persuade you to finish the job.
• Divide & conquer: In order to conquer a big challenge, divide it into smaller chunks and get it done part by part. Successfully performing small tasks to begin with will build up your confidence, and you will be surprised how easy it is to finish the whole job.
• Be positive: Always have a positive attitude towards your life. Whenever you get sad, play your favorite music or do other things that make you happy.
• Speak out about it: Try to tell your friends and family members about any goals you have set for yourself. More than likely, they will encourage you and give you some healthy suggestions for achieving your goals more easily.
• Imagine the results: Try to imagine positive outcomes and the rewards associated with them. This will help you motivate yourself to work more on the task to reap the rewards.
• Energize your brain & body: Imbibing an energy drink can fuel both your body and mind before any task for which you lack confidence. Regular exercise along with plenty of sleep will keep your mind fresh and your body fit. Try to skip sugar, as it can kill your motivation very easily and quickly.
• Self-praise: You should appreciate the efforts that you make to achieve a goal, either small or big. Begin with the small ones, and you will experience an uplift in your self confidence to take on bigger tasks.
• Choose your clothes: The colour and type of dress that you wear can be a great motivator for you. Wear a dress that you feel comfortable in, rather than the one that merely makes you look better. Remember that the choice of colours is important because different people are motivated differently by each colour. So choose your colour, and stop being nervous.
• Remember your goals: Motivation can fade away with time, which will reduce your efforts to achieve a better you. You can counteract this by listing all the goals that motivate you to achieve success and hanging the list in an easily accessible and visible place.

Follow these steps to motivate yourself and move up in your life, strengthening your mind and body and achieving your goals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Bello

Your Key to Change: Acceptance of Your Current Reality and Focus on Your Desired Reality

When it comes to building a life of fulfilment, abundance, health and other good feeling states, the first thing you really want to be doing is to accept your current reality as it is RIGHT NOW, while working towards a more preferred reality. It is totally useless "wanting" something different from what you have right now, if you cannot accept that "you got what you got" right now. Universal laws just won't allow it.

Universal Laws (like the Law of Attraction) as well as our neurology are inclusion based. That means this:

• when you are thinking about something you want, you include it in your "reality";
• when you are thinking about something you DO NOT want, you include it in your "reality".

In the Abraham Law of Attraction material, where much of my own material stems from, it is explained something like this: life is like a stick. A stick has two ends, and they are on opposite sides. Let's just call the opposites "positive" and "negative". The stick is the metaphor for ANY situation in life. Whatever stick you pick up, you will ALWAYS pick up both ends, positive and negative. Nothing ever is only all good or all bad. It's both; and anywhere in between.

That's the meaning of an inclusion based universe. Or, to put it differently when it comes to "negative" experiences: "you cannot think about what you don't want to think about without thinking about it".

Many people make a major mistake when it comes to goal setting and strategic visioning. They want to sincerely create a better future, which in itself is a great thing. Often, though, their reason for wanting that better future is: I don't like my current reality! A couple of examples:

• I want more money, because I don't have any.
• I want better health, because I am sick.
• I want a better job, because I hate this one.
• I want a better relationship, because this one isn't good.
• I want to live somewhere else, because this place is awful.

Trying to create a better future with what you DON'T like as the driver may work for a while; it can definitely get you going. If you KEEP focusing on the negative situation that made you want to change, then you will have a hard time getting there. You are focusing on the wrong end of the stick!

For instance: persistent focus on how horrible your job is will make it really hard finding a better one.

The crux is this: you want to accept reality as it is (yes, you DO have a job you don't like at the moment; that's just how it is) while expecting and focusing on the NEW reality that is on its way. Most of your thoughts, actions and written and spoken words have to be towards the new, desired reality. That's the other end of the stick.

Accepting your current reality is not always easy. BUT: it can be done. A good question to ask yourself is: "can I, RIGHT HERE AND NOW, change the situation for the better?" If not, it's time to stop giving it "air time" in your brain. Start focusing on the solution, and steer your thoughts away from what's not working. Meditation, or distraction from what's bothering you, can also be good ways to accept the current reality, and not resist it.

There are many ways to achieve a change in direction as well. Literally changing your language is one of them. Stop talking about what you don't want anymore, and start talking about what you do want. Literally. More attention on the wanted; no attention to the unwanted. I will discuss this in a later article.

Another method is to create what is called a "memory of the future". As we have clear memories of past events, we can also create clear "memories" of future events! If you can form as clear a mental image of your desired future as you can recall a great holiday you had, you stand quite a chance actually manifesting that future. How does this future memory feel, taste, smell, sound, etc. Be specific. How this actually works is topic for another article. Just work with me by accepting the possibility that it is the case. Your goals will make up the light posts along the way from where you are now, to where you would like to be.

The third method is to have two "impossible possibilities" (I read about that in a great book some time ago).

The first impossible possibility is to have a goal that's so ridiculously big that other people think it will be impossible to achieve. In order to achieve BIG, you have to dream BIG. Otherwise your ceiling will be too low. By increasing the ceiling your reality will start changing for the better. It has to.

The other impossible possibility is to have an impossible number of possible goals. To keep adding to your list will increase the chances of actually achieving them. It's like the never ending bucket list: you put a new one on when you scratch another one off! This, too, will improve your reality greatly. More and more seemingly impossible goals will come into sight, and will be materialised. Law of Attraction in action!

Sometimes you just don't have control over the situations that are thrown at you. "Stuff" does happen. What you DO have control over is your attitude towards the "stuff". You can either view that reality as negative and let it be a drain on your life, or you can cop it on the chin and move on creating better things because of it. Both options are valid, and both will be "true". The second one will be more effective and honouring, though. Acceptance is the start of change for the better.

YOU decide which end of the stick you put more attention, energy and focus on. The predominance of your attention, energy and focus will dictate the predominance of your results. This is neurologically (Reticular Activating System) and universally (Law of Attraction) the case.

Obviously, there are processes to facilitate this mindset change. I am looking forward to sharing these with you.

Marc is a qualified Counsellor, Life/Business Coach, Master NLP Practitioner and AusIDentities Personalities Facilitator on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia.

Working as an Executive Business mentor with some of the world's greatest internet marketers, Marc is among Australia's Law of Attraction (LOA) experts, and coaches/mentors internationally with the LOA principles in both business and private settings.

Marc inspires his clients to create "Knowareness", a powerful state of presence that allows clients to make the right decisions at the right time, all the time.

Through powerful Personality Type Profiling techniques, Values Elicitation and Business Positioning tools Marc takes his clients' lives and businesses to massive new heights.

A lawyer for over 9 years in his "previous life", before immigrating to Australia from The Netherlands, Marc knows exactly how daunting taking the first step in a new direction can be.

On the other hand, he also knows how fulfilling and profitable taking that step can be, and has the knack of imparting his knowledge and wisdom in stunningly simple and highly effective ways.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_De_Bruin

The First Steps To Achieving Positive Results

What is one area that you want or desire radical results? You feel like you've tried everything, or maybe you haven't tried anything, but you know that your current reality isn't want you want or need. You don't have any ideas for how to get results. You feel like you're at a stand still.

The first step to Radical Results: Think without boundaries. In the area of your life where you want results, personally or professionally, allow yourself the space and freedom to think creatively without immediately critiquing or evaluating your ideas.

4 Ways to Take the First Step to Radical Results:

Set Aside Time

You must be intentional about devoting time to thinking creatively. Life is so full and so fast these days that it seems we barely have time to breathe let alone time to sit still long enough to actually think. That is why you must set this time aside as a priority. Plan it, schedule it, write it on the calendar. I have one morning a week that I am intentional about keeping open and unscheduled. It's a time when I don't allow interruptions. I just let the creative juices flow.

Put your critical self on the shelf.

Begin your process by immediately stopping the flow of evaluative, critical thinking. Give yourself freedom to think radically. Stand outside the box. Be adventurous in your thinking. You don't have to evaluate at this point in the process because all you're doing right now is opening the rooms in your mind that you keep closed with your constant critiquing. Eliminate the apostrophe "t" words: can't, won't, couldn't, wouldn't! Just think and then write down everything that comes to your mind like a wild person.

Having trouble coming up with an original idea?

Then start with an unoriginal idea. Who is experiencing success in the area where you want improvement? What are they doing? Begin there and then build. I'm most creative when I have an example to build on. I struggle a little with the completely blank canvas. I need a starting point. If that describes you, then find something you can build on and make your own. When beginning with an "unoriginal idea" ask these questions:

• What else could be done with that example?
• What haven't they thought of?
• How could I add to that?
• How could I make that different?
• How could I improve on that idea?

Then begin to create your own idea. Write it all down. Capture every thought, every idea, everything that comes to mind. Go crazy, be radical, no one's watching.

Schedule Evaluation Time:

On another day at another time, come back to your ideas and sift through them. If you have a really great idea, approach it by asking the question: "How could I make that work?" And don't let yourself stop until you answer that question in the affirmative. Think of possibilities, not limitations. The people who achieve radical results, move beyond limitations to the outside of the box. If radical results were found inside the box, you would have already achieved them.

Are you willing and ready to achieve radical results? The only way to get radical results is to think radically different than you have been. Think without boundaries. Schedule the time and make it happen. If you're not willing to do this, then don't expect to get results any different than what you're getting now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kaylene_S_Mathews

Do You Struggle With Commitment?

Do you waffle on the commitments you make? Maybe you make promises to yourself to clean your house or exercise regularly. You get started, but then in time, it fizzles out. This lack of commitment often stems from a self esteem issue.

I saw a speaker this year who talked about this exact topic. She said, "Commitment equals results." If you want to lose weight or get more clients, you need to look at your level of commitment around whatever it is you're striving for.

The results only come from your level of commitment. You've heard me share the John Assaraf quote and I'll paraphrase it here. "If you're interested, you do what's convenient. But if you're totally committed, you'll do whatever it takes." You can see the difference here right?

By the way, self worth is my life lesson - you've probably heard me say that. Two books really helped me heal this:

1) The Self-Esteem Workbook

2) Healing the Shame That Binds You

When we come out of the womb, we enter this world with our self-esteem and self-value at 100%. Then, little by little most people find this gets chipped away. Then you end up walking around with a gaping wound and feel that there's something wrong with you. If you've had any traumatic events, these are wounds that need to be healed.

The truth is, there's nothing wrong with you. My new book talks about how you have a perception that there is something wrong with you because those things happened to you. You might have thoughts like, "I'm lonely, I'm alone, I'm sad, I'm scared, something is wrong with me." These thoughts create those feeling of inadequacy and that causes you to not treat yourself well and self sabotage your commitments.

I recommend reading these books, as well as trying EFT, hypnosis or intuitive healing. These are the healing modalities that have helped me tremendously to get past these feelings. You don't have to do it all, but a little healing here and there will add up to close those wounds that keep you from your commitments.

Your Client Attraction Assignment

To break through this pattern of wavering on commitments, I recommend that you one take action today. Choose your first steps and schedule something today. Draw the line in the sand and say, "I can do this." Take care of yourself as you would your own child and make this a priority so you can begin the healing process and get on the road to the success you want.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fabienne_Fredrickson

Success Is Yours If You Want It

PURPOSE

DID YOU KNOW that 8 out of 10 new businesses fail within the very first year and most businesses don't even make it for 5 years. The harsh reality is that business is vicious and you have to be tough to survive. It is not easy and business is truly not for the squeamish.

DIRECTED

You have to be wondering why is it that these statistics exist for business owners. Well, there is an incredibly logical reason and that reason is marketing. Many business owners go into business with the feeling that they can make it on mere hard work and what they don't know in other areas their hard work will take them over. But the real truth is that the businesses that stay on the cutting edge of their industry and learn to market are successful. This isn't just for the traditional businesses; this reality is especially for Network marketers. Because these individuals do not approach their businesses like traditional businesses and apply traditional business acumen to run them they fail miserably. Look around at the number of "Going out of Business" signs and the number of people who have a "side business" that is not making any money. Many of these business owners just don't communicate with their customers successfully. They do not stay abreast of the trends within their market and how to best serve their customers. Think about it a "Network Marketer's number one asset should be their ability to Market well. This is the very area that is lacking for most businesses. Those that fail due to lack of marketing, just make room for those who are willing to put in the time, energy and effort to gain the knowledge to locate marketing systems, resources and current tools to grow their businesses. Robert Kiyosaki said it best about network marketing companies in his book The Business School For People Who like Helping People that "the best network marketing companies encourage their people to learn something new mentally, take action, make mistakes, learn, correct, and repeat the process. That is real life education." One of the things that network marketing has is a system and marketing is all about systems.

SUCCESS

Your business does not have to fail. There are solutions that can help give you the advantage you need to become a success. One of the more important business attributes that you can develop is your level of education. You can learn to either develop the necessary traits or you can use your knowledge to link with those who have the expertise you need. Either way there is no excuse for failure; you can have Purpose Directed Success.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=C._William_Harper

Your True Self - Follow Your Desires and Access the Power of Your Inner Genius

Desires flow from deep within. They come from your True Self. The cost of ignoring them is high. The time may not be right. But you can nurture your desires. You can gradually move toward them. In doing so, you release your Inner Genius.

Pay attention to your strong emotions and desires.

Desire and passion are central to the evolution of life. From fish to reptiles to mammals, we find patterns of ever deeper passions and ways to satisfy them. With mammals, these patterns evolved into the capacity for relationship-sometimes for life. Desire and passion form the heart of life itself. They are integral to all growth.

Passion is an intense emotion from deep within. It fuels our desires. It holds a powerful energy to create. Desire and passion shape our lives and who we become. They align us with our True Self and Inner Genius.

Make choices that honour who you really are.

Life in this universe requires that choices be made. Not everything goes. Disequilibrium appears in the gender dynamic of animals. The male tends toward wide-spread mating. He thus ensures that more males will carry this gene in the next generation. The female insists on a high-quality mate with vitality and good health. She makes an intuitive choice based on a complex awareness developed over millions of years. Hers is a critical choice. A good decision ensures the future for her and her offspring.

You are an infinite choice-maker. You make choices moment-by-moment. Decisions may seem complex, but you put forth this smoke-screen of resistance. Each choice moves you either toward or away from your True Self. You will know by the way you feel.

Each moment presents an opportunity for choice. Each choice states the value you place on yourself. The plan is simple. Pay attention to your feelings. Follow your passions-the desires of your heart. Honour your True Self and release your Inner Genius.

Imagine what it feels like to live your desires.

You are a vibrational Being. You live in a vibrational universe. Your every thought vibrates and attracts. In the practice of creative visualization, you focus on your desires. You imagine what it feels like to live your desires. The Universe responds. Your vibration moves beyond where you are now standing. Good things flow into your life experience. And, like a muscle, the more you practice, the more you benefit.

In your creative visualization you are the director. You set the scenes. You decide whether to be alone or have someone else join you. You imagine any conversation that takes place. You enjoy seeing your life as you want it to be. And here is the fun part. Evidence will begin manifesting as your desires make their way to you. Small changes will excite you and propel you forward. You are evolving to something better. You are accessing the power of your Inner Genius. You are aligning with your True Self.

When you follow your desires, you feel passion. You feel energized. You feel joy. Having a life vision helps you stay focused on your desires. It guides you in making wise choices.

Write down a vision of who you want to become and what life experiences you want to enjoy. What is written is believed. With your vision you are creating a happier and more fulfilled life. You are accessing the power of your Inner Genius. You are becoming your True Self.

Dr. Mary Beth Ford is the author of Wisdom from the Gardens--Life Lessons and creator of the CD Garden Wisdom--5 Ways to Grow in Life Balance and Joy. She specializes in the area of life balance, which she describes as balance between outer world and inner Self. She looks to the natural world for guidance in human affairs. In her work Mary Beth shares five powerful garden lessons for living with balance and joy. Using nature images she offers us a new way of seeing ourselves and our world.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Mary_Beth_Ford

Emotional Freedom - How to Free Yourself From Pain

Physical pain serves as a model for understanding emotional pain and how to free yourself from it. Get a pebble in your shoe and it's going to hurt you in an annoying way until you get it out. That's bodily pain trying to tell you something. You get the message, you fix the problem, the pain eases and then dissipates.

Imagine if your pain interpretation was somehow messed up? Imagine if the pain from the pebble in your shoe caused you to think, "There must be something wrong with me!" And then you tried losing weight, making more money or giving away more money, chanting or going vegan. The pain doesn't go away and you might try harder and harder with no joy.

Those things you try to do to remove the pain are not right or wrong in themselves, but they are simply irrelevant to the pain of the pebble in the shoe. The pain of the pebble is simply telling you to remove the pebble. Addressed immediately, it's a non issue. But if left too long, it could become a complication.

So it is with our emotional pain, isn't it? Emotional pain like loneliness, anger, anxiety, guilt - they are trying to tell us something. If we address the issue immediately, it becomes a non issue. Left too long, emotional pain can fester into depression, neuroses and worse.

Why would we leave our emotional pain to fester?

Shame tells us, "There's something wrong with you. That's why you're feeling this way. You're not right in the head or something. Loser."

Guilt, as with other emotional pains, can motivate us to take healing actions. Shame, however, demotivates us from taking healing actions. Why try and heal yourself if you think you're fundamentally defective? It would make more sense to throw yourself away and let the universe start afresh, wouldn't it?

Shame keeps us from addressing the pain - it keeps us from taking off our shoe and searching for the foreign irritant. Shame tells us there's something wrong with us for feeling the pain. So we live with the pain. "I'm the problem. There's no cure. No hope."

With physical pain, your being is calling for your attention, to remove the physical stimulus of pain. With emotional pain, your being is calling for your attention, to remove the emotional stimulus of pain.

Interestingly, truly experiencing emotional pain is often enough to remove it.

Don't we often feel set aright once we've managed to talk to a trusted listener and "got it off our chest"? Doesn't telling our story to an authentic listening friend "take a weight off our shoulders"?

Fully experiencing emotional pain is, ironically, often all it takes to make it go away. Because when your soul needs your attention, it speaks its pain to you. "Look at me. See me. Hear me," it says. And when we do, the message has been received and the need for the pain is gone.

However, it takes courage and self love, because going into the pain often intensifies it until we get to the crux of the matter; but then the pain dissipates quickly. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free," Christ said.

Don't let shame keep you from yourself. You're not defective; you're not somehow worse than everyone else. We all have our private fears, anger and guilt. The next time emotional pain rears its head, don't try and shut it up. Invite it home for a cup of tea. Hear it out. It will be hard; be bold. It will be frightening; be loving.

Look your pain in the eye. See it. Hear it. Know it. It will dissipate.

Practise looking into a mirror for a minute, directly into one eye. Talk to a trusted friend. Open a page of your journal and bleed in ink onto that page. Whatever it takes to identify the stimulus, experience your response and dissipate your pain, do it.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alpha_Lim

Good Enough Can Be Spectacular

Many of us get hung up on trying to do it "right." I too occasionally suffer from perfectionism. I hesitate to put myself out there unless I think it's perfect. I compare, judge, self-criticize. That gets me nowhere. The thing is, I know many of you hold yourself back because you think it's not good enough.

Wrong.

Good enough is pretty remarkable.

My Prince Charming and I recently had a hot air balloon ride. It was originally set to be a surprise for my husband on his birthday, but due to weather, we had to reschedule twice. When the pilot called last Thursday stating Friday would be ideal, I agreed to go up. We had plans to attend a wine tasting and luminary walk at our local gorgeous Klehm Arboretum, but a hot air balloon ride trumped.

We took off from a park in Roscoe and floated across the land of our growing up. Loves Park and Rockford look lovely from above (and there are many more swimming pools in our Forest City than I knew!). Kids shouted and waved, dogs barked, and I felt like I should be tossing candy down, or at least clicking my heels and proclaiming "there's no place like home."

Over the treetops, over the river, over rooftops, it was magical. My in-laws had hoped prior to our ride that we would fly over their house, and I laughed and told them the pilot could not guarantee anything. You don't steer a hot air balloon and the path of travel is at the mercy of the wind. As the winds would have it, we went right over the home where my prince grew up and where his parents live today.

The landing spot is also not known ahead of time. When it came time to find a landing place, the pilot started to get slightly concerned. Too many electrical wires in this area, fenced-in fields in that area, not enough clearance over there.

I told him we were fine with plunking down in a parking lot if that's what he needed to do. We trusted him completely and knew he wanted a perfect landing. We were fine with good enough.

We let the winds of trust carry us, along with our faith that good enough is always wonderful. As fate would have it, we approached the Klehm gardens where we were on the guest list for the wine night, alit with luminaries, music wafting through the trees.

Much to my delight and the surprise of the party-goers at Klehm, we landed joyfully, giving them an added visual treat with the arrival of our hot air balloon onto the grounds. It was as if we had planned our grand entrance to the party and arrived right on cue at sunset.

The pilot's "good enough" landing was utterly perfect. Sometimes perfect cannot be planned and you just have to go with good enough. And it turns out spectacularly.

The point of my story is to relax. Trust that your good enough will wow them. Let go of that word perfect and take action. You will be surprised at how magical it can be.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Epperson

The Perfect Retirement Plan

Does this sound familiar:-

20's - having fun, partying, getting married, loving life. Not one thought given to retirement.

30's - raising a family, still having fun, less party's, buying a house, maybe giving the occasional thought to the future, but not really about retirement.

40's - working hard to provide for the family, making the mortgage repayments, not so much fun now, no time for party's, starting to realise time is slipping by faster than the last 20 years, retirement plans now start to make an appearance.

50's - reality hits! Still paying off the mortgage, kids college fees to pay, working harder than ever, no social life and retirement now a lot more than a mere thought, it's a reality that has crept up on you.

Where did the last 30 years go?

Wasted time? No, you had a good time. Planned and well thought out. No, too busy having a good time!

So what do you do now? You can't get back those years, but the good news is there is still time to make the next 15 years count, and have the perfect retirement plan.

Whatever you are doing now to earn an income is one thing, but for the perfect retirement plan you're going to need something much more consistent. If you look at your current super savings, will they be enough? For most of us the answer is no, so we have 2 options: get ready to live a comfortable and profitable retirement or get ready to live on welfare.

Think about it, how much money will be enough to live on when you retire? Setting an exact amount is almost impossible. the cost of living will continue to go up, medical expenses become more likely as we get older. The prospect we face ahead has to be planned and arranged so we can live the retirement life we want.

The answer to the perfect retirement plan - Proprietary Funding Vehicle.

We may not be in our 20's and 30's anymore, but we are not done yet. We can focus our next 5 years in the right direction and still have time for fun and enjoy all the things we've been wanting to do as we get older.

There are some real growth sectors in the world today that will get you comfortably over the retirement line plus more. You don't need a degree, qualifications, or a huge expense outlay. There are ways to accumulate risk-free wealth to enable the 'boomers' (like us) to retire comfortably.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wendy_D_Ghidella

Take the Challenge: 30 Minutes For 30 Days

I know you're busy. Everyone is. It's hard to find the time to do everything. In fact, you've probably found that you can't do everything. You have a long list of, "If I had the time I would... " If I told you that you could change your life entirely in just 30 minutes a day, would you be able to find the time? Just 30 minutes a day.

I ran into a friend at the gym this morning. In my opinion, he's sitting on a pot of gold. Sitting. Not getting up to cash it in. Just sitting. Don't get me wrong, he's far from lazy. He's a very busy man, making a lot of things happen. But he has this book idea that I believe is absolute gold. It needs to be written. It will impact a lot of people. However, each time I see him and ask about the book, he always has a good reason for why he hasn't started to write it yet. All good reasons. All excuses. So today I asked him if he spent just 30 minutes a day on it, what would happen. I can tell you what would happen, that book would get written. I don't know when, but I know it would, because time would be devoted to making it happen. Change, progress, achievement, all happen when you focus your efforts intentionally.

30 Minutes for 30 Days

I challenge you to take 30 minutes for 30 days and do something, anything, that will advance you towards a goal that you really want. When I first started exercising, 30 minutes was my goal. The information that I had at the time was that 30 minutes for 5 days was all I needed to be "fit." I thought, "Well, I can do that," so I began. My first step toward fitness was 30 minutes of "ish" effort. I didn't know what I was doing. I had some running shoes. I had seen people moving in a forward motion with running shoes on. I thought I'd try that. It wasn't natural, it wasn't pleasant, but it was doable and so I did. My husband was amazed at my pace. How was I still in an upright position going so slow? I kept at it and have completed several distance races over the years. It changed my life, not just my fitness level. It began with 30 minutes a day.

What is one thing, just one, you could do for 30 minutes a day? You don't have to write a book or run a marathon. Maybe you just need to organize your desk at the end of the work day, or spend 30 minutes building a relationship. What is one area of your life that would give you a multiplied return on your investment if you just spent 30 minutes a day on it?

30 Minutes for 30 Days

What will you do? Will you continue to be a victim of time, or make the time? Your choice will impact your life, one way or another.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kaylene_S_Mathews

Your Success Depends on the Type of Goal You Set

Many people say that they don't really set goals. They have a vague idea of what needs to happen, what they would like their future to look like. However they don't put a plan into place to make the goal happen. They don't write anything down; No deadlines, no specific plan of action. Does this sound like you or someone you know? The reality is that you have two choices when it comes to goals; to be intentional or unintentional about them. Whichever you choose and whether you know it or not, you're still setting goals.

Your Success Depends on the Type of Goal You Set:

• The Intentional goal. This is the type of goal setting that most people are familiar with by definition. This type of goal is specific and detailed. It is written down along with an action plan and a date for its accomplishment. It includes information on any additional help and/or skills and training that will be needed. It's similar to a map showing the path to a destination, the pot of gold. You can look at this type of goal and visualize it being accomplished because there is a plan associated with it.


• The Unintentional goal. It's what happens when you aren't specific about what it is you want to accomplish, or what you want your future to look like. The unintentional goal is a fuzzy idea you have of what "would be nice." You might think or say something like, "It sure would be nice to get into shape." However you never get anymore detailed than that fuzzy notion. You don't get anymore specific and you definitely don't set a deadline.

Whether you are intentional or unintentional about your goals, the way you spend you time shows the type of goal you are working towards. An intentional goal gives you clear direction that helps to guide and direct your behaviors to a very specific end. Intentional goals clarify your purpose in your daily activities. Why you do what you do. The intentional goal-setter enjoys the rewards of focused effort and time. They don't have any additional hours in their day. They don't get a little bit more time than the rest of us. They do however have an edge on time, because they're effective and efficient with the time they have.

The unintentional goal has the opposite effect. The unintentional goal results in living life chasing after fires, expending a lot of energy but accomplishing little; similar to getting in your car and driving all around town, but never reaching your destination. The unintentional goal-setter accomplishes little more than making it through the day. In between fire drills, they spend their time dreaming of "some day," instead of making it happen.

3 things happen when you intentionally set a goal:

1. Your energy and behaviors are focused. Some people say they work better under pressure. What they really mean is that they work better when they're focused. A specific end result accompanied with a specific deadline provides focus and accountability. You've heard the axiom about getting more work done the week before you go on vacation. The reason this is true is because you have a goal with a deadline. As you focus all your energies and efforts on making them happen, all extraneous activities are eliminated. Can you imagine what you can do if you lived every day this focused? Every activity, every minute focused towards a very specific end. I would challenge, that your workday would actually be shorter, because every minute would be spent productively. It's a natural form of time management. When you develop goals around your priorities those priorities become your filter. You find yourself working only on those tasks that will advance you to your desired end result.


2. You strive for more than you would have otherwise. As W. Clement Stone once said, "Always aim for the Moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." I'm a proponent of setting BIG goals. It's possible I won't hit them, but I always get farther than I would have otherwise. When I first started running I didn't set the world on fire with my speed or endurance. However over the years I set distance goals for myself; the end of the street, around the block, 5k, 10k, half marathon and then eventually a couple full marathons. Each time I set a goal for distance, I didn't always hit the mark within the time frame I set, but I always got closer than I would have otherwise.


3. You learn persistence and earn a sense of accomplishment. During those early running years, there were days that weren't so great. I didn't quite hit my goal, but I became persistent and tenacious in my quest. As I became more and more persistent, I experienced the feeling of satisfaction that came with visible progress. Each time I ran farther than I ever had before, it was exciting. I felt accomplished. Mentally and emotionally I started to realize that I was capable of doing more than I ever thought I could and that breathed life into my soul. That feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment bled over into other areas of my life. I began to be more than I had been before. Which opened up a whole new world of opportunity for me. Simply because I set a goal and made progress towards it.

The bottom line is: You're going to spend the time doing something anyway. You might as well be intentional so you accomplish something of value. In what area of your life do you really want to see results? How can you begin today to set intentional goals and make the future you want?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kaylene_S_Mathews

Goals: Why Aren't You Meeting Yours?

We all know it is VERY important to not only set goals, but it's also important to talk about WHY some reach their goals and why others don't.

Now from what I've seen, people set goals but don't realize the amount of work it'll take to reach those goals. Many times, the goal you want to reach will force many changes in your life, and many of those changes will be big changes.

Lifestyle changes that not only affect you, but those around you!

For example: let's say you're trying to stop smoking. How hard would it be if on your work breaks everyone you sit and chat with are smoking?

What if you're trying to lose weight, but your spouse is NOT, and they still prefer to eat chips, cakes and cookies everyday before AND after dinner?

Are you on your feet or on the go all day? That type of hectic schedule can undermine your ability to eat small, balanced meals throughout the day.

It's these and other (not so small) details that can really determine if a person will reach their goals.

And while these and other roadblocks can slow a person down, they CAN be overcome!

Not everyone will see your goal or vision in the beginning. Some will even tell you that YOUR goal isn't very realistic or feasible.

Now please understand that not everyone who says this will have your best interests at heart. I mean hey, let's keep it real!

There are those close to you who may not want you to succeed. Why? Because YOUR success will make THEM look bad. YOUR success will force them to look at their OWN lives and realize they didn't live up to THEIR OWN potential.

Think about it: it's so much easier to blame the world for your shortcomings if you're surrounded by a bunch of underachievers.

It's easy to say life is against you if others around you have half heartedly tried and failed.

But here YOU come. Here u are with all this ambition and goals. You're messing everything up with all this positivity and ambition!

Now people will NEVER admit they feel this way, but trust me when I say it exists!

Then there are those who simply don't believe it can happen. They think the goals or dreams you have are reserved for other folks.

Who is "other" you ask? Who are the other folks? Those are the people who don't look like them, talk like them, or live where they live.

Jay Z is a perfect example of this. Jay Z grew up in the projects in Brooklyn. He sold drugs. When he started rapping, there were those around him that said he wouldn't succeed, and he wouldn't amount to anything.

Partly because of where he grew up. If you think about it, they were right: how many people from his hood became world famous?

Here's the kicker: they were looking at things from their own limited perspective. They were confined MENTALLY to their own limitations and doubts, and had no problem passing their views on to the next person.

And when the record labels slammed their doors in his face, they felt validated in what they were telling him.

So my point is to stay focused on YOUR goals. Jay did just that, and the rest is history! No one can see things exactly from your perspective, and it's also important to remember these goals are YOURS.

Now Aside from others sabotaging your goals, guess who else can sabotage your goals? The person who has the biggest influence on you can be the deciding factor between success and failure. Know who that person is?

It's YOU. The man in the mirror. YOU have the final say in what happens and how successful you are in your journey.

Think about it: if you REALLY want to do something, no one can stop you! Think back to when you were a kid and your mom told U not to do something. What happened? You did it anyway!

Now on the flip side: do you know anyone who had a lot of talent, and EVERYBODY said they had a great gift, but they ended up wasting it or throwing it away?

In both cases things went the way they did because their minds were made up! They decided they were going to do what THEY wanted to do, never mind what others said.

What it all comes down to us you and your belief in yourself. It's crucial you believe in yourself and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you WILL reach your goal!

Now this brings me to another reason people fail. Many people will become discouraged and give up just when things start to get tough, or if things aren't going as smoothly as planned.

Many of us are afraid to get out of our COMFORT ZONES. We don't want to be put in a situation that forces us to rely on faith, or to work even HARDER than we'd like.

When Tyler Perry first started out, he was living in his car in 1992. Only 30 people showed up for his first play.

Talk about being out of your comfort zone! Talk about wanting to give up!

I can only imagine how many people told him to give up, or all the voices in his head that suggested he quit.

But he did NOT let that hurt and discomfort stop him from making his dreams come true.

Are you trying to lose weight? Trying to resist that intense craving for soda and sweets is taking you out of your comfort zone.

Are you training for your first 10k? The discomfort you feel at mile 4 that makes you want to stop NOW is your body getting out of its comfort zone.

It's pretty simple actually: whatever you're trying to accomplish, in order to take things to the next level, you'll experience levels of discomfort. You'll have to do something you've never done before, and it'll be a shock to the system, but eventually you'll get used to it!

Ever get in a pool and it's cold when you first get in it?

You start out by dipping your big toe in the water then jump back!

Maybe you'll sit on the side and let your legs dangle in the water for a couple minutes?

THEN, if you haven't been splashed, you might SLOWLY get in the water?

Now this whole episode could take 2 minutes or 20, depending on the person.

Or, they could just give up and call it a day!

This is a good example of a person out of their comfort zone and trying to adjust to the situation.

What's going on here is a person is getting COMFORTABLE with the cool water. They're not used to it and trying to deal.

This is just one example of a comfort zone we all can relate to. This example is physical. Others are more mental. If you tell yourself "this feeling is only temporary," you can withstand the discomfort long enough for your body to adapt.

Just like the water. It may take a minute or 2, but in time your body WILL adjust!

So my point here is when people try something new, they get upset or frazzled because they are put in a situation they aren't used to.

When going for a new goal, I can guarantee you that you WILL be taken out of your comfort zone. What is your specific comfort zone? I don't know, and there's a chance you won't know it either, until you reach your limit.

For me when riding my bike, I'm comfortable for about 3 hours. When I get over 3 hours on the bike I start to suffer. That's where MY mental toughness starts to come in, and I push myself to keep going!

The same principle applies to you, when you're out of your comfort zone.

This is where your mental fitness comes into play. You must stay strong mentally when times get tough.

When Tyler Perry was sleeping in his car, he was still focused and mentally strong and kept on writing screenplays and creating characters.

When the record labels were dissing Jay Z, he stayed strong mentally and started selling his records in the street.

So just remember: When you are having a craving for that afternoon soda, stay strong! Your body is only as strong as you are mentally. When you're having a tough workout, tell yourself you CAN do it!

Staying mentally sharp as well as working hard will be enable to reach your goals and become the successful person you are supposed to be!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffrey_T_White

Mastering Your Ego, Get Unstuck and Move Forward

Have you ever had a challenge in your life that you really want to change but just can't seem to work through it or move forward? You may make a little headway and then find yourself back in the same habits and wonder why your life isn't changing. I can relate. In fact I have a confession to make. I'd been struggling since my divorce a few years ago. I just couldn't seem to get ahead financially. And then it dawned on me. I'd been using the excuse of not having money to stay stuck financially, in my relationships and pretty much every area of my life. Once I realized that I also knew that my ego had been up to its tricks in an attempt to keep me safe and in my uncomfortable comfort zone. So what are the symptoms of ego driven stuckness?

Mild Ego Stuckness - You plan to go to the gym to lift weights because your goal is to build muscle mass yet you go for a walk instead because it's so nice outside.

What To Do - You still did something really good for yourself yet you lost sight of your goal. Next time ask yourself "How does this choice serve me and my vision for what I desire"? Take action based on the answer that comes to you. For example when I finish lifting weights I'm going to take a walk because it's so nice outside.

Moderate Ego Stuckness - You plan to go to the gym to lift weights but instead you start on a project at home.

What to Do - Now your ego is distracting you by telling you there's something else that's more of a priority. Ask yourself "Does this get me closer to my goal or further away from my goal"? If your answer is that it's taking you further away from your goal then it's time to remember why you made that a goal for yourself.

Severe Ego Stuckness - You plan to go to the gym but consistently have other priorities come up that prevent you from lifting weights.

What to Do - Once you recognize that you're not doing much if anything towards your goal then its time to re-evaluate and determine why you're not taking action towards it. Most likely it's fear that's holding you back. Is it fear of failure or how your life will change once you reach your goal? Will your relationships or habits change because of this goal? Write down your "Big Why" reasons why this goal is a priority for you and post it where you can see it and read it every day. And when you're tempted to make excuses read it and remember the more you do towards your goal the happier and more fulfilled you'll feel.

One More Thing - Remember our ego serves a purpose to protect us so when we find ourselves making excuses for not moving forward, accept yourself and recommit to your goal.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_M_Bennett-Sullivan

Tips For Succeeding In Life

Tip # 1 - Determine What Success Means To YOU:

Everyone has a different interpretation of what success means. For some people, success means the attainment of wealth and position. For others, success refers to acquiring prestigious awards and honors within their respected field.

Per the Dictionary, success is defined as the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals. With this in mind, it's vital that you determine what success actually means to you. Once confirmed, I would recommend writing it down and posting it somewhere that's visible everyday as a reminder of your goal(s) in life. Reason being is that research data concludes that when people commit their goal(s) in writing, it'll help with the following:

• Forces you to clarify in details on what you want in life.
• Motivate you to take action.
• Enables you to visualize your goal(s), along with celebrating your progress.
• You'll be more focused to overcome any obstacles because you have the end-goal in sight.
• Assist with prioritization because you'll know what tasks or projects need to be completed to reach your goal(s), thus not wasting time on other mundane tasks that's irrelevant to achieving your dreams in life.

In the end, writing your goals down should not take a tremendous amount of time. Just do your best to jot something down on paper. Don't over-think it because it could lead to analysis paralysis. Remember, you don't have to get it perfect - just get it going and revise your document as you progress.

Tip # 2 - Believe In Yourself and Follow Your Passion:

The next step is to believe in yourself and to follow your passion. We've all heard the old adage... "do what you love and the money will come." Well, that's true! Numerous publications exist indicating that people who follow their passion in life are typically more successful and happy. Overall, these individuals don't work because of the money. Instead, what they do is not considered work at all because it's fun and rewarding to them.

Tip # 3 - Put In The Work:

To be successful, you'll need to put in hard work! Nothing comes easy, especially if you came from a less fortunate upbringing. Therefore, you'll need to dedicate an adequate amount of time each day to practice and perfect your craft. This concept is similar to how sports athletes practice on a regular basis in an effort to become the best in their selected sport. Remember practice does make perfect so do your best to push yourself physically, and mentally, to become the best in your selected industry.

Tip # 4 - Provide Value:

Overall, the quickest and surest path to success is to provide value to others. Regardless if it's a product or service, if you provide others with something of value, they'll continue to reward you with their loyalty and business. The more value that you can provide, the more you'll stand out from competitors, thus gaining a competitive advantage over others in the same industry.

Tip # 5 - Continual Innovation:

In addition to providing value, you must also continually innovate in an effort to remain competitive. With the dynamic nature of business, including the rapid advances in technology, organizations that don't continually innovate get left in the dust. Therefore, it's vital that companies keep abreast of the latest consumer trends pertaining to their marketplace. Doing so would ensure that they don't miss out on the next BIG thing.

Further, I always recommend gathering feedback from customers as part of the innovation process. Remember, you can't fix something if you don't know what's broken. So make an effort to use either online surveys or even focus groups to gather crucial feedback from consumers in an effort to innovate and improve on goods offered.

Tip # 6 - Persistence:

To me, persistence is probably the most vital ingredient for success. Regardless of your goals in life, I guarantee that you'll run into some sort of obstacle(s). Whether it's criticism, rejection, or resistance, obstacles are inevitable. Therefore, it's definitely important that you persists through any obstacles when pursuing your dreams. Remember, obstacles and failures are an integral part of success because it teaches you to handle stress and pressure, thus making you a better person when it's all said and done. Just keep your end goal in sight at all times and keep working until your dreams are realized.

Tip # 7 - Learn From Your Mistakes:

Everyone makes mistakes in life. The key is to learn from your mistakes in an effort to improve and prevent those mistakes from reoccurring. So the next time you make a mistake, please spend some time reflecting on what went wrong and how you could improve on things so that it won't happen again.

Tip # 8 - Get Enough Rest:

The importance of getting enough rest must not be understated. Not only is a lack of rest a safety hazard but it could also prevent you from achieving your goals and objectives in life. Here are my top 3 reasons for catching up on your sleep:

• Sleep deprivation can lead to serious health problems, such as stroke, diabetes, heart problems, and even high blood pressure.
• Lack of sleep will negatively impact your cognitive abilities - concentration, reasoning, problem-solving, etc.
• Sleepiness can cause accidents because response-times are slower similar to someone who's been under the influence (i.e. drinking, smoking).

Without enough rest, you'll lack the key traits that'll help you become successful. So please make sure that you get an adequate amount of sleep daily in an effort to be productive towards your goals. Even taking a nap during lunch is recommended because it's been proven to help productivity because you're more refreshed afterwards.

Tip # 9 - Focus & Consistency:

Being focused and consistent is crucial for success. Not only must you have laser-like focus but also be consistent in your endeavors. We've all heard stories of some of the most successful people losing their entire fortune because of a lack of focus and consistency. This is why a turn-key system is so important. By creating a reliable turn-key system for your business, you could ensure that the end results of goods offered are consistently made with the highest quality possible.

Tip # 10 - Balanced Life (Yin-Yang):

Last, I recommend doing your best to lead a well-balanced life. Although success does require many sacrifices to be made, people must make a valiant effort to balance their personal and professional life. Here are some additional tips to incorporate daily that'll help you achieve this feat:

• List all the things that you're grateful for.
• Do your best to leave work at the office in an effort to spend some quality time with your family and loved ones without distractions.
• Do physical and mental exercises.
• Spend time each day working towards achieving your goals and dreams in life.
• Stay up-to-date with the world around you (i.e. reading, news sources, etc.).

Hopefully this post has provided you with some useful tips for succeeding in life. Personally, I believe that it's easier to be successful when you start from a place of being happy, hence why I encourage people to determine what their passion in life is and follow it!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_Chau