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Posts Tagged ‘Self Help’

When you look at your future do you see an exciting life worth pursuing? Please tell me you have a vision of the life you desire. The edge you can give yourself immediately in order to live the life you desire is to have a clear vision of it. Without a clear vision of the future you’ll never know where you’ll end up.

Arguably one of history’s greatest achievement experts, Zig Ziglar, put it this way: He says he can take the world’s most accurate archer and within only a few minutes, anybody he’d train could be shooting arrows with much greater accuracy than the archer. Of course, he would put a blinfold on the archer and turn him around three or four times so he’d have no idea where the target was located.

The point Ziglar is making is nobody can strike a target which they’re not able to see? If you’re hoping to get more out of life but do not have a clear vision of what it is you want, how in the world do you expect to get there?

Some will refer to it as goal setting while others might their big dream. However you reference it, it is critical to your achievement that you have a clear goal in mind.

Once you do have a clear vision of where you’d like to be, the next thing would be to reverse engineer the steps necessary to get there. The most efficient means of achieving your vision is to determine where you’re expecting to be and work backwards on what it will take to achieve it.

Allow me to offer you an easy to understand example. I can remember watching the 2008 Olympics. The event being covered was the women’s marathon. It’s a 26 mile run which concluds in the main track and field arena. After running 25.75 miles the runners entered the arena, did a complete lap around the track prior to crossing the finish line. The goal is to cross that finish line which marked the end of a 26 mile race.

Did the person responsible for establishing the marathon route randomly pick a distant point to start the race from the stadium hoping that the starting point chosen would’ve worked out to 26 miles? Or, do you suppose they started at the finish line inside the arena, which included a single lap around the track, and worked their way backwards to find their precise starting point?

Obviously , mapping out a 26 mile marathon would’ve been impossible unless the Olympic committee started at the end and worked their way backwards to find the starting point. Do you see how this can serve as an example of how you can reach your goals?

It’s also important to remind you that taking action to reach your desired destination is critical. Start today, take action immediately. What good is having your vision and reverse engineering the steps necessary to get there if those steps aren’t actually taken.

Here are seven life changing words to help you with achieving your goals. With the end in mind, start now. Take action today. If you do so right here, right now with your big goal in mind then you will have no choice but to achieve the life you desire and deserve. This I can promise you.

You can succeed with developing your dream vision, it is not a difficult thing to do. You can save time and effort in reaching your goals simply by reading the right books. For a limited time you can download the new empowering book A Plum In The Syrup absolutely free. Simply visit APlumInTheSyruup dot com for immediate access.

Free Life Changing Self Help Book

Do you yearn to live a more fulfilled, more satisfying life? If so then what are you doing to get there? Are you taking unconditional accountability for the course of your own life or is your plan to just hope things improve?

Understand this, there is no such thing as a short cut to living a full and satisfying life. Self improvement is the most important step you can take to enjoy the life you desire. It’s true, achievement is a learned skill. And if you fail to make learning how to succeed in life a personal quest then it’s more than likely the success you seek will forever elude you.

Which personal development steps can be undertaken in order to achieve more? The following seven suggestions provide only a starting point. Your evolution needs to be a work in progress without a finish line.

1. Tune into your purpose
Are you drifting through life without direction with only hope of finding ultimate fulfillment? By identifying your life’s purpose you’ll be providing yourself a unique compass which will lead you absolutely to your desired destination every time. Your journey to success will present numerous hurdles, it is this unique compass which will help guide you through.

2. Be aware of your own values
What is it you value most? Identify your 5 most important values. Some of what you value could be safety, time freedom, your loved ones, health, education and so on. As you set your life and business goals, make sure they are in line with your values. If the goals you set do not jibe with your values, they may not be the right goals.

3. Be aware of your needs
Your own needs gone unattended will keep you from living as your true self. Put yourself as number one. Love yourself first. This world is chock filled with people who do not acknowledge the needs they have. And when needs go unacknowledged that usually always means dreams will go unfulfilled. Be aware of your top five needs and make sure that they become filled before it’s too late!

4. Your passions are paramount
Nobody else can determine that which makes you happy. Temporary obstacles like self doubt and weak enthusiasm can hinder you, however they will not stop you. Not as long as you know what your true passions are.

5. On the inside first then the outside second
Your outer world is a reflection of your inner world. If the life you’re living is not what you’d hoped it would be then take do a personal evaluation. Get into a daily habit of sitting quietly with your thoughts. Take a look at where you are in life and envision where it is you wish to be. Do you have a belief in yourself that you can get there? Is there some inner conflict you need to deal with in order to realize your dream success? This point is crucial and cannot be taken lightly.

6. Pay homage to your strengths
What are your strongest traits? What unique talents do you have? Make a list of three – if you get stuck, ask those closest to you to help uncover them. Are you creative, witty or mechanically inclined? Find ways to showcase your authentic self through your strengths. You can increase your self-confidence when you allow others in on your gifts.

7. Learn to serve others
After you’ve gotten a handle on the previous 6 suggestions, you will discover an interconnected sense of being. When you are true to who you are, live with purpose and share your talents to the world, your true essence will then emerge. The many rewrds you will enjoy for serving others with your special gifts will far exceed your wildest imagination. The appreciation people will have for what you’re able to do for them will come back to you immeasurably.

Self-improvement is indeed one type of work that is always worth the effort. To continue your journey towards success, you may download a free copy of Daniel Herzner’s self help book A Plum In The Syrup. This book has already touched hundreds of lives and has helped a countless number of people and now it’s your turn. Simply go to APlumInTheSyrup dot come now to claim your own copy absolutely free.

The conversations that go on in our heads can easily color our thinking which will directly affect our behaviors in various ways. We may not realize it but the conversations many of us have with ourselves can be negative and self-defeating. Since our mind is within our control, why not feed it with positive thoughts?

While thinking positively easy enough but for it to really work, it has to start from the very essence and core of your mind and self. A surefire method of attacking negativity at its core is by practicing positive self-affirmations. The power of positive affirmations lie in reconditioning your brain to eliminate negative self-talk and drastically change how you think and feel of just about ANY situation.

Here are 5 reasons why you should make positive self-affirmations a priority for personal growth today.

1. Positivity breeds success. And it works both ways since successful people tend to think positively. Studies show that optimists have a higher general well-being and are usually more productive, more often promoted and typically earn more than pessimists. Why? The science behind it says that positive thinkers set higher goals and are more motivated to persist at them and achieve these goals. Moreover, positive self-affirmations help us strengthen our beliefs and empower us to reach our targets.

2. Positivity attracts good things. Positive people can attract other positive, powerful people and are always on the look for the next best thing. All these things typically translate to  opportunities for success and a readiness to take anything on when it comes. If your self-perception is one of success, others will notice that and you will attract like minded individuals.

3. Positivity improves health. Studies have shown that our physical health is positively correlated with our mental health. Positive thinking has been correlated with a lower rates of depression and levels of distress, greater immunity, lowered risk of cardiovascular diseases, greater coping skills during times of duress and in direct relation to all that, an increased lifespan.

4. Positivity enhances relationships. We're automatically drawn to people who are positive and feel good. This is because when you feel better about yourself, you’re more comfortable to be around. That aside, positive thinking increases your self-esteem and internal security, making your relationships more naturally rewarding.

5. Positivity increases happiness. Here's why. Positive people typically have a greater capacity for love, joy and warmth. They are also usually more externally focused and are kinder and definitely more considerate to other people in their lives. Add that to success, good health and rewarding relationships – you’ve got higher general well-being.

Mahatma Ghandi once said:

Keep your thoughts positive because they become your words
Keep your words positive because they become your behaviors
Keep your habits positive because they become your values
Keep your values positive because they become your destiny.

What he said stresses on several important things. Firstly, we have control over our thoughts, words, habits and values. Secondly, what you sow is what you’ll reap. Today, many people actively strive to cultivate and maintain positive thinking for their personal growth because they are aware of the multitude of benefits positive thinking has in store for them. As such, their results demonstrate themselves everyday in the form of achievement and general well-being. So put on that thinking cap and generate some positive affirmations for yourself today to enjoy the benefits they will bring to every aspect of your life.

As a motivational speaker and consultant, (during my inspirational speeches) I often ask: How often do you become conscious of the side of your own nose? And, for those who wear specs, how frequently do you notice the frames? I would guess that your answer to both questions is “not very often”. Am I accurate?

This observation is actually surprising when you consider that both your nose and glasses are within your visual field. (My motivational speaker and consulting audience members are by and large very surprised.) Which begs the issue, in view of the fact that they impinge upon your field of view, how come your nose and glasses don’t become a visual distraction? Here’s the answer: It’s because your brain blocks them out.

In reality, only a small percentage of the enormous amount of sensory information detected by your senses ever impinges on your awareness. Trying to assimilate all this sensory input would be totally unachievable. Filtering out all the ‘unimportant’ stuff, (and that includes your nose and glasses), is a extremely important brain activity.

How come – as a motivational speaker - did I think it was essential to bring this wierd visual phenomenon to your attention? Answer: Simply because (in basic terms) it raises a crucial issue. By limiting your visual field, does your brain also hamstring your growth? It seems numerous characteristics of our brain filter have a unequivocal effect on our personal growth. For example, it directs our attention towards our expectations. In this article I’m going to discuss a important element of the brain sieve, how it focuses on the pessimistic.

A Pessimistic Outlook

The cerebral sieve lets the pessimistic aspects of a situation dominate your attention. Need proof? If so, have a bash at this straightforward task. (Incidentally I routinely suggest this experiment in my inspirational health care speeches.)

Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper. Then, each time you have a upbeat thought, draw a tick on one side of the line. But, each and every time you have a negative thought, mark a cross on the other side. Try this test and find out which half of the paper you cover first. Most test subjects cover the negative side of the pad of paper much faster than the positive.

Psychologists have suggested that what we could do with is a broader viewpoint. It’s most important we be taught how to evaluate the positive and pessimistic characteristics of a situation. How come? Because an optimistic perspective is prognostic of prosperity in many areas from sales to sports.

A Motivational Speaker’s Solution…

The next time a negative thought pops into your brain, try these straightforward action steps:

Tip 1: Bring to mind your brain filter

Tip 2: Then, look at your circumstances from various points of view.

Tip 3: Ask yourself straightforward questions. Such as: How bad is this irritation really? Will I still care about it in three years time?

In summary, being knowledgeable about your brain filter will help you to get control of your emotions. Take control of your thinking and observe what occurs. Take it from a motivational speaker, you’ll be shocked!

No matter what aspects of your life you desire to improve, you can purchase personal development programs to help you achieve your goals. You can buy programs to help you lose weight, gain confidence, make more money or create a balanced life. Unfortunately, these programs can cost an arm and a leg and it can be much more affordable to create your own self improvement plan.
Self improvement is a journey, so before you start on your way you’ll need to know your destination. What aspects of your life do you want to change? The best way to succeed at personal transformation is to focus on one thing at a time. You don’t need to have totally transformed one area of your life before starting work on another area, but it is helpful to have made significant inroads. This way you can use the power of focus to your advantage and you don’t dissipate your energies.
After you have decided on your self improvement goal, it is important to get your bearings on where you are now. If you can honestly evaluate your current circumstances, you will be able to work out the steps to help you move from where you are now to where you want to be. For example, if you want to lose weight, your first step is to weigh yourself and record the information. Continue to weigh yourself at the end of each week and record the result. Over time, you should see the figures decreasing and the weight coming off. These results give you important feedback so you know if your weight loss program is working. The same is true for all forms of self improvement. You need to be able to measure improvement over time so you know if your efforts are bearing fruit.
Once you have decided on your goal, you need to create a plan to help you achieve it. We all generally know the things we need to do to improve our lives, but most of us lack the discipline to follow through consistently on these things. A workable plan can provide the framework for action but you will still need to be disciplined about taking the necessary steps every single day.
The simpler your plan, the better. By taking simple steps consistently towards your goal, you have a much better chance of achieving it than by trying to follow a complicated, demanding plan.
As you move towards your goal, make sure you evaluate your progress. Weekly evaluations can be helpful and guide you to look at areas that might need adjustment. If weekly assessments of progress are too close together, work out your own time frame; just make sure you measure your progress at regular intervals.
A part of this regular evaluation is to work out what actions are working well and what ones need to be adjusted or replaced. By simply monitoring your progress in this way, you will be able to keep on track for achieving your self improvement goal.
Anyone can design their own self improvement program. By simply asking yourself the right questions and writing down your answers you will be able to develop an action plan to move you from where you are now to where you want to be in any area of your life. Your self improvement journey begins with the first step.