Knowledge Center

2008-02-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

The Gold within you – SUCCESS!!!

In seeking success, most of us in business, have encountered the upside and downside of the responsibility undertaken by us. When times are good, we proudly proclaim that the success of the mission is directly proportionate to the skills within each. Yet, when things are not as smooth as they should or could be, we have the tendency to find excuses / reasons as if to justify why it’s NOT directly proportionate to the skills within us. Traditional excuses include luck, weather, environment, Office work load, dependence on third parties. When necessary, take stock of the very excuses given by most, so that next time around, they pre-plan by finding ways and means to cater to the vagaries of luck, weather, environment, etc.

Next time around assuming they do not achieve the planned success, having had catered to the traditional excuses, they will be able to ascertain the reasons this time around, allowing them to strengthen their business plan by using their acumen to verify what the obstacle was. Persistently planning action in such fashion, will bring out the Gold from within yourself for with every attempt, instead of believing the excuses (which incidentally may have been absolutely valid), you take into account the different parameters that could be a downside to the event and have back-up contingent plans in the event something unexpected does crop up.

In a nutshell, your successes and your failures are only tempered or spiced, by vagaries and uncertainties that abound. The main course is and always has been you. So take any major event in your business that has shown a downside, list all the reasons you believe caused such. Even at this point, verify how you would have been able to handle such a situation if you had previous knowledge of such an eventuality.

By practicing this, you have started mining the Ore within you - such that the gold within you starts to accumulate and finally spills over - Many wait for years to find a golden opportunity to taste Success - while you using your past experience with analytical skills and acumen bring out the golden opportunity from within yourself - over and over again.

Your golden opportunity has arrived. You are reading it now. Use your analytical skills and acumen to ascertain how the successful differ from the not so successful. You will find that the successful take full responsibility, more so for the downside encountered learning from each lesson learned; instead of allowing the vagaries to be their master, they master the uncertainties while the less successful wallow in self pity truly believing in the excuses that they offer and doing nothing to counter it.

This brings to my mind a motivational saying by Orison Swett Mardon; “The Golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself; it is in yourself alone.”

- Excerpts from couple of books -

2008-01-30T09:38:00.000-08:00

8 ways to stand out in the crowd!

Sometimes I think we may feel that we have to do the big things in life to stand out from the crowd, to make a difference, but in my experience I have found that it is the little things that we do on a consistent basis that are usually the most powerful.

I would like to share with you 8 ways that I have found help you stand out from the crowd. Some are based on my own personal and professional experience, and some I have observed in other people who I admire and respect. Make your own list, compare, but the main point of the exercise is to integrate the points in to your daily life and the key to its success is by implementing them.

Make it a habit to follow-up with people promptly. It sounds simple, right? In my experience, and surveys regularly back this up, 67% (amazingly!) of people do not follow up in business. Did you know that most sales are not closed until the sixth, seventh or even until the eighth attempt; very few deals are achieved on the first few attempts, and yet only three percent of sales people follow-up more than twice. Whatever business you are in, if it involves making a sale, signing that contract, or building relationships, the best way to stand out from the crowd is to follow-up promptly, follow-through, and be persistent and determined. Don't give up if you are initially rejected, keep following up! Somebody once said, "a no is only a request for more information!"

Equally as important as following-up is taking the time to respond to people who leave you messages. This is only common courtesy. How often do we not find the time to follow-up with someone who has emailed us or left a voice-mail unless we know specifically why they have contacted us, and even then we do not always take the time to respond. Not only is this bad manners, it is also bad business. How many important relationships have you missed out on by not responding to a message? The people who stand out from the crowd take the time to respond.

When you are speaking to people, give them 100% of your attention, and I mean 100%. There is nothing more obvious to people than you having your own agenda and only waiting for the other person to take a breath so that you can jump in to get your point across or to turn the conversation around to yourself. Develop your listening skills, most people are not truly good listeners. I have found that you gain much more from being a great listener than being a great talker. Be interested in other people and what their point of view is. Ask lots of open-ended questions. Dale Carnegie once said: "To be interesting to other people, you have to be interested in them first". Wise and true words from a great and wise person.

Get in to the habit, and that is all it is, of sending a hand written note or card to someone who has given you an order, a referral, or has been nice, courteous or helpful to you. It takes a few minutes, but means a lot to the recipient, especially in this day of impersonal and easy e-mail messages. I don't know about you, but I really appreciate it when someone goes to the time and trouble of hand writing a letter or card to me, actually puts a real stamp on it and writes out my name and address on the envelope instead of a computer label. It personalizes it for me, makes me feel like I am more than just a prospect in a list of many for that person. Maybe I am making a big deal out of this, but from the response I get from people when I do this, I know it is appreciated.

People expect the expected of you. Why not do the unexpected. Do you acknowledge people who for whatever reason do not give you that order, where you didn't get the contract or make the sale? Remember, they did let you make the presentation? Do you acknowledge the person who didn't hire you for that job, but at least gave you the experience of the interview? Most people don't take the time or have the discipline to do this, and yet, a sale or a job lost or a contract given to one of your competitors today, does not mean it is lost for ever. Do not give up, think long term, think about the relationship you may be developing, the connection you are building for the future, and not about the lost sale, or your bruised ego!

If you belong to an association or a group either in your personal or professional life, and this includes a church, synagogue, mosque, etc., get involved. Do not get involved because you want something in return, but because you want to contribute. People will respect and acknowledge you for it, look at you and treat you differently. And this is just an added bonus to the personal satisfaction of getting involved and contributing to something you believe in. In the process you learn to become a leader instead of just a participant.

Invest one hour a day, at least, to your own individual personal and professional development. You can take the one hour all at once, or break it in to segments, whatever fits in to your lifestyle and schedule. During that time read a book, maybe an autobiography of someone you admire or a business book, listen to tapes and the words of wisdom from the experts in the fields and areas of your life that you want to improve, subscribe to a daily e-zine with wonderful quotes or ways to motivate you, inspire you, and to challenge you. We can all say we can't find the time, but this is so important to your personal growth. For many years the only thing I ever read was the sports pages of the newspaper when I was growing up in England. What a waste. I wish I had devoted more of that time to my development. I am not saying you should not read the sports pages or a good fiction book, or whatever interests you, we all need that down time for ourselves, but don't do that at the expense of opening up your mind to new ideas and areas for improvement. Do not look at your education as an expense of time but as an investment of your time. Knowledge is wisdom when applied correctly. Never stop learning.

Stretch your comfort zone; do one new thing every day. Take a chance on something you have always wanted to try. Don't be afraid of being rejected, of people saying no to you, or of failing. The people who stand out from the crowd are the ones prepared to take that chance. I am not saying do something radical or fool hardy, but you can become a sensible risk taker. We all have choices and decisions to make every day. We all know the things we want to do and the things we need to do. Take some risk, defy conventional wisdom and make your own wisdom come true. My old boss, when I was a sales professional, used to say after every sales meeting: "Do you want to stay safe and be good, or do you want to take a chance and be great."

The choice, my friends, is yours, every single day.

Charles Marcus is a professional speaker, trainer and facilitator. He works internationally with companies and associations who want to inspire excellence in their people.

DARING THE DREAM!!

2007-12-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

Daring the Dream – Have the Courage to Make it Happen!

All your life, your parents probably told you that your dreams could come true. They likely told you that if you worked hard you could make your dreams come to life. The idea of dreams coming true has been romanticized in movies and in the media. The harsh reality of pursuing your dreams is that it is probably one of the scariest things that you will ever do. The risk is much higher than other pursuits that do not tie up your emotions the way that dreams and passions do.

The legendary Walt Disney said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” It is that courage that can cause us to falter on our path. If we stick our necks out there, so to speak, we not only risk failure, but also losing something that we have been carrying in our hearts for a long time. It is this fear that stops many people from pursuing their dream job or dream career. They opt for the safe path instead of the one less traveled. They choose the secure, albeit dull, career as opposed to the one that ignites their passions. And this is very sad indeed.

It can be scary to step out of the safety of the shadows and embark on a challenging adventure into the unknown, but think about it. If Walt Disney had not done it we would not have the wonderful children’s classics that we do today. If Bill Gates had not dared to dream and reached out to pursue it, we would not have much of the technology that we do today. Look at your favorite writers, artists, musicians, singers and actors. Had they not possessed the courage to dream and pursue their dreams, we would be living in a colourless world without the beautiful contributions that they have made.

Pursuing your dreams is an incredible growth experience. The first step is the most difficult, but if you take it and stay the course, will find yourself stronger, wiser and more secure in yourself. If you maintain a positive attitude and view each obstacle in your path as a challenge and opportunity for growth, you will find that you approach a rocky path to success with excitement and optimism. These qualities will carry far in the pursuit of your dreams. And these things require courage. You have to have guts to step out there and risk failure, risk losing your dream. That is just a reality. But courage will carry you far if you are wise and proceed thoughtfully and mindfully.

Find the courage within yourself and reach out to grasp your dream. You can make it a reality and in the process find yourself wiser, smarter, happier and more self confident because you stepped out there to face the risk and all of the scary things that come with it. The courageous step forward to make their dreams real. The others stay in the shadows where they are safe - while they work for those courageous souls who stepped out of their comfort zone and make pursued their dreams and saw them to fruition.

"Champions aren't made in Gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a VISION. They have the skill & the will, But the will must be Stronger than the Skill"

Unknown

DREAMS!!

2007-11-29T11:19:00.000-08:00

ACHIEVE YOUR DERAMS!

We all want to improve our lives. There isn’t a person alive that at some point hasn’t had dreams and aspirations of what they wanted their life to be like. No matter what those dreams and aspirations are you can achieve them. The whole point is that you have to make it happen. Life doesn’t give free handouts.

This sentiment probably has not been put more concisely then by Dianne Houston. She has been quoted as saying that “Only some people get what they want. These are the people who show up to get it.” Do not take this quote to mean that there is a hand out, showing up means that you are putting forth the effort.

It is a basic human truth that each and every one of us is motivated. Motivation really is a human trait. The main problem that most people face though is that they do not really know what it is they want. Think about it, in the course of your life how many times have those dreams changed? Not sure, then sit down right now and make a list.

On this same list, write down what you did to achieve those dreams. The point that I am trying to make by having you do this is to see that you are capable of getting what you want. And that at some point in your life you knew what it took to get it. Now as an adult, it is no different. If there is a promotion that you want, or a raise that you feel you deserve what are you going to do to make sure that you get them? My mom loves to live by the saying, “What are you willing to sacrifice to get what you want?” As far as I am concerned you do not need to sacrifice anything. But you do need to know what it is that you want.

Once you know what your goal is, you need to be thankful. Be gracious for where you are and what you have. That is the key to getting what you want. The next step that you take should be to make a plan. That plan now needs to go into action. Think about a football game, the team that showed up to play wins. The team that just hung out on the field expecting to win looses.

Despite what some people say, no one is born with a silver spoon in their mouth. It takes work to achieve dreams. Remember that your dreams are not necessarily those of others. So just because it seems like they have it all, they may only have what you want not what they are after.

Do not let the obstacles that life will put in the way discourage you from going after your dreams with diligence. Giving up will get you no where; learning from a failure and then improving will get you where you want to be. Make sure that you are on the team that came to play, the person that showed up to get what they want. Life is too short to sit on the sidelines or watch the grass grow in the middle of the field you and only you decide what your life will be.

Excerpts from couple of books

Murthy

How to be Positive Every Single Day?

2007-10-05T13:33:00.000-07:00

"You have to be positive every single day. You have to put effort into it daily, because no one else is going to do it for you."

Get out of your own static comfort zone by moving forward with momentum and power that positive thinking can give you. Every time a negative thought comes at you, zap it. Replace it with a positive thought. That takes energy, but the result will be stamina - positive stamina, a necessary ingredient for success.Sometimes you just have to be tough. I use the example of a brick wall. Is there a brick wall in your way? Fine, that happens. But you have a choice. You can walk away from the wall. You can go over the wall. You can go under the wall. You can go around the wall. You can also eradicate the wall. In other words, don't let anything get in your way. Get a balance, and then let the positive outdistance the negative. Be positively persistent.

Optimism can be learned, and it can make a huge difference in life. No matter how large and intimidating a challenge might be, facing it with optimism is the thing you can do to manage, shape and eventually triumph over it. The bottom line: Trash the pessimistic attitude!

The More You Learn the More You Realize What You Don’t Know - For more visit http://www.trumpuniversity.com/ (……Donald Trump)

Sometimes we are so zealous to become successful that we forget about what is significant. The background for success should include some intrinsic values as well as monetary values. We should be aware of our culture and other cultures, our history and their history, and not live in what has been termed "a cultural vacuum." Someone once said that not knowing history was like being a leaf that didn't know it was part of a tree. That's an interesting visual and it applies to many people. We are individually responsible for our education, and that means whether you are in school or not.

If I sound tough on this subject, I am. I see no value whatsoever in believing ignorance to be an attribute. It is not. It is good to start each day by saying to yourself, "What can I learn today that I didn't know before?" It opens you up to more information and net worth as an individual. Why live restricted lives due to lack of knowledge when there are so many resources available to us today?Another interesting aspect of history is that it will lead us to seeing that we are all a part of it. History is not just in the past, it is happening now. How can you know what you are a part of if you don't know what it is to begin with? As Pearl Buck said, "If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday." The world didn't start with your birth and it won't end with your death either. That doesn't mean you are not a part of the scheme of things. To the contrary, it means that you are.

Back to the leaf image. What if you know you are a leaf, but you're not sure what a tree is? I would say the best thing to do is to find out what a tree is. It is pretty simple. It reminds me of an Apprentice task that is enough of a challenge to set the apprentice out to discover and research some things before they jump in to the task at hand.

I was listening to some Europeans once and they seemed to agree that Americans didn't seem to know their roots. Of course, their roots go back for many more centuries than ours, and may be easier to decipher, as many of us have ancestors from different countries. But it gave me reason to think about what they said and I realized in many cases they were right. I recently went to Scotland, as my mother's side of the family is of Scottish ancestry, and I've spent time studying that country and therefore my heritage. It could even explain why I love golf so much - it originated in Scotland.

Take my advice and never be a know-it-all. First of all, it's impossible to know everything, and second of all, it is just no fun, for you or anyone else. And third, you will be missing out on some great adventures. So remember to think big by expanding your horizons at the same time you are expanding your net worth. That's what significant success is about.

Excerpts from couple of books…

"Remember happiness does not depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think".

Dale Carnegie

What you think, is of vital importance to ascertain not only who you are, but also how you are.

If you are thinking, how to make more money, it does not mean “YOU ARE CHASING MONEY”!! Who does not need more money to take care of their needs, providing good education to children, fulfilling their own Dreams, to have early retirement and so on…….

The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.”

Cheers! Be positive every single day!

VM

Creating Enthusiasm!

2007-08-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

How to Create Enthusiasm in other people?

Inspiring other people can be hard and frustrating at times. You will discover that there are many people who can easily be inspired but there are others who require additional support. You can inspire them by having frank discussions and by providing them with the help that they require to strive for bigger and better things. When it comes to having frank exchanges you need to have an open mind. You must have the ability to listen. Not only do you need to listen to what others have to say but you also need to be able to understand what they are trying to tell you.

If you have a good rapport, irrespective of whether it is with friends or family, you will discover that your relationship will become stronger if you have the ability to comprehend each other. Once you have joint admiration and appreciation, you will have the ability to inspire each other. You will also want to consider how you actually correspond with the person. You will have to be both straight-up and encouraging. You will also have to consider exactly what it is that you want to express to that person. If you choose your words carefully before you begin to talk, then your meaning will be a lot clearer.

The first step that you must take to be able to inspire another is to ensure that you are on their level. This means that you have to understand where they are coming from. Then you need to tell them how you feel about them. You need to make it clear why you want them to be more motivated. Once you are able to put this into words then you will be able to have a mutual understanding. When you are able to have this discussion you can start to offer your guidance.
You will have to prove that you are going to be there for them, regardless of what happens. You’ll need to demonstrate your support. When they become interested in something you have to provide them with your support and encouragement. You don’t want to get in the way of their enthusiasm or hold them back. To inspire someone does not mean that you dictate what they are going to do and how they are going to do it. When you support someone you provide them with a basic suggestion and let them take control.

If you are trying to create inspiration in other people you will discover that there are some techniques that you need to possess to be able to get your message across clearly. You have to be a good communicator. This means that you have the ability to listen to, and comprehend, what another person is saying. You don’t jump to conclusions, but wait until it is their turn to talk. Apart from being a good communicator, you also need have a lot of patience. You must allow the other person to tell you all that they want to and then select what you are going to say carefully. It is not the time to become angry or lose your temper and you need to be objective in your outlook and be careful not to hurt the other person’s feelings.

There are many people who have difficulty in motivating others. You may discover that it is testing trying to have a discussion with a person, but if they are patient when you are expressing your opinions then you should have the ability to inspire him or her and strengthen your relationship in the process. You need to be careful when it comes to inspiration, or motivation. You might end up appearing domineering and biased in your opinion. If you select what you say carefully, you should have the ability to motivate others successfully. Motivation can create or destroy a relationship, but if you pursue it in a courteous manner, you will discover that it helps strengthen your relationship with people.

People First HRC

LEADERSHIP

2007-07-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

MAKING A GOOD LEADER!

When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don’t seem to be happening the way they are supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just those goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.

Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it is not unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.

Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership. You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.

First of all, let us define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.

Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.

First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?

People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don’t follow me, I’m lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you are headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.

You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization’s goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.

Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It’s about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what your subordinates must be. Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership are the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you, they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.

Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics. The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.

Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.

Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.

Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.

It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.

Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.

You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.

Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.

So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.

"Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities…. because it is the quality which guarantees all others".

Winston Churchill.

The world pays for Leadership.. How do we become good at that? You know it!

_______________________________________________________

Cheers!

PFHRC
www.pfhrcintl.com

Building Self Esteem - Part 2

2007-06-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

Raise your Self Esteem!

Twelve Valuable Steps to Raise Your Self Esteem..

As adults, we can choose the messages we accept or reject. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your permission."

Building high self-esteem is a process, not something you can develop overnight," says Jeffrey Keller. "Yet, I believe every person has the capacity of high self-esteem. The question is, are you ready to make a commitment to increase your self-esteem?"

If your answer is yes, here are 12 steps to get you started

Step One

Stop comparing yourself with other people. There will always be some people who have more than you and some who have less. If you play the comparison game, you'll run into too many "opponents" you can't defeat.

Step Two

Stop putting yourself down. You can't develop high self-esteem if you repeat negative phrases about yourself and your abilities. Whether speaking about your appearances, your career, your relationships, your financial situation, or any other aspects of your life, avoid self-deprecating comments.

Step Three

Accept all compliments with "thank you". Ever received a compliment and replied," Oh, it was nothing". When you reject a compliment, the message you give yourself is that you are not worthy of praise. Respond to all compliments with a simple “Thank You".

Step Four

Use affirmations to enhance your self-esteem. On the back of a business card or small index card, write out a statement such as "I like and accept my self." or "I am valuable, lovable person and deserve the best in life." Carry the card with you. Repeat the statement several times during the day, especially at night before going to bed and after getting up in the morning. Whenever you say the affirmation, allow yourself to experience positive feelings about your statement.

Step Five

Take advantage of workshops, books and cassette tape programs on self-esteem. Whatever material you allow to dominate mind will eventually take root and affect your behavior. If you watch negative television programs or read newspaper reports of murders and business rip off; you will grow cynical and pessimistic. Similarly, if you read books or listen to programs, that are positive in nature, you will take on these characteristics.

Step Six

Associate with positive, supportive people. When you are surrounded by negative people who constantly put you and your ideas down, your self-esteem is lowered. On the other hand, when you are accepted and encouraged, you feel better about yourself in the best possible environment to raise your self-esteem.

Step Seven

Make a list of your past successes. This doesn't necessarily have to consist of monumental accomplishments. It can include your "minor victories," like learning to skate, graduating from high school, receiving an award or promotion, reaching a business goal, etc. Read this list often. While reviewing it, close your eyes and recreate the feelings of satisfaction and joy you experienced when you first attained each success.

Step Eight

Make a list of your positive qualities. Are you honest? Unselfish? Helpful? Creative? Be generous with yourself and write down at least 20 positive qualities. Again, it's important to review this list often. Most people dwell on their inadequacies and then wonder why their life isn't working out. Start focusing on your positive traits and you'll stand a much better chance of achieving what you wish to achieve.

Step Nine

Start giving more. I'm not talking about money. Rather, I mean that you must begin to give more of yourself to those around you. When you do things for others, you are making a positive contribution and you begin to feel more valuable, which, in turn, lifts your spirits and raises your own self-esteem.

Step Ten

Get involved in work and activities you love. It's hard to feel good about yourself if your days are spent in work you despise. Self-esteem flourishes when you are engaged in work and activities that you enjoy and make you feel valuable. Even if you can't explore alternative career options at the present time, you can still devote leisure time to hobbies and activities, which you find stimulating and enjoyable.

Step Eleven

Be true to yourself. Live your own life - not the life others have decided is best for you. You'll never gain your own respect and feel good about yourself if you aren't leading the life you want to lead. If you're making decisions based on getting approval from friends and relatives, you aren't being true to yourself and your self-esteem is lowered.

Step Twelve

Take action! You won't develop high self-esteem if you sit on the sidelines and back away from challenges. When you take action - regardless of the ensuing result - you feel better about yourself. When you fail to move forward because of fear and anxiety, you'll be frustrated and unhappy - and you will undoubtedly deal a damaging blow to your self-esteem.

The "real you" is a magnificent, unique being with enormous potential and capacity for experiencing love of yourself and extending love to others. As your self-esteem grows, this "real you" emerges. You begin to take more risks and not be afraid of failure; you aren't as concerned with getting approval of others; your relationships are much more rewarding; you pursue activities that bring you joy and satisfaction; and you will make a positive contribution to the world. Most importantly, high self esteem brings you peace of mind .when you're alone, you truly appreciate the person you're with - yourself.

"Excerpts from couple of articles".

........................................................................................................................................................................

Want to test your level of Self Esteem? Go down…

Self Esteem Test

This self esteem test is extremely quick and simple, just answer TRUE or FALSE to each question (if you cannot answer 100% TRUE then answer FALSE - check below how to score):

1. Other people are not better off or more fortunate than me
2. I accept myself as I am and am happy with myself
3. I enjoy socializing
4. I deserve love and respect
5. I feel valued and needed
6. I don't need others to tell me I have done a good job
7. Being myself is important
8. I make friends easily
9. I can accept criticism without feeling put down
10. I admit my mistakes openly
11. I never hide my true feelings
12. I always speak up for myself and put my views across
13. I am a happy, carefree person
14. I don't worry what others think of my views
15. I don't need others' approval to feel good
16. I don't feel guilty about doing or saying what I want

TEST SCORE: Total number of TRUE answers you gave, EACH ONE POINT:

15-16 POINTS - YOU HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF SELF ESTEEM !
12-14 POINTS - NOT BAD BUT ROOM FOR YOU TO IMPROVE
8-11 POINTS - LOW SELF ESTEEM - IT'S HOLDING YOU BACK

BELOW 8 POINTS - YOUR ESTEEM IS DRASTICALLY LOW

BUILDING SELF ESTEEM

2007-05-08T04:09:00.000-07:00

What is Self Esteem ?

Self esteem is the opinion you have of yourself. It is based on your attitude to the following:

Your value as a person
The job you do
Your achievements
How you think others see you
Your purpose in life
Your place in the world
Your potential for success
Your strengths and weaknesses
Your social status and how you relate to others
Your independence or ability to stand on your own feet

More or less, this sums it up but you may be able to add a few other important factors we have not included here.

What is Low Self Esteem?

Low self esteem results from you having a poor self image caused by your attitude to one or more of the above. Example: you do not value the job you do highly or you feel you have no purpose in your life.

What is High Self Esteem?

High self esteem is the opposite! It is a very important aspect of your life. If you have a high level you will be confident, happy and sure of yourself. You would be highly motivated and have the right attitude to succeed.

Self esteem is therefore crucial to you and is a cornerstone of a positive attitude towards living.
ROBERT WAGNER once said "the most important thing for a person starting out on the road to success is SELF ESTEEM"

So how do you stay calm, composed and maintain self esteem in a tough environment? Here are some tips you may wish to consider as a starter guide to self improvement.

Imagine yourself as a Dart Board. Everything and everyone else around you may become Dart Pins, at one point or another. These dart pins will destroy your self esteem and pull you down in ways you won t even remember. Don’t let them destroy you, or get the best of you. So which dart pins should you avoid?

Dart Pin #1: Negative Work Environment Beware of dog eat dog theory where everyone else is fighting just to get ahead. This is where non-appreciative people usually thrive. How often people appreciate your contributions even if you miss lunch and dinner, and stay up late. Most of the time you get to work too much without getting help from people concerned. Stay out of this, it will ruin your self esteem. Competition is at stake anywhere. Be healthy enough to compete, but in a healthy competition that is.

Dart Pin #2: Other People’s Behavior Bulldozers, brown nosers, gossipmongers, backstabbers, snipers, people walking wounded, controllers, complainers, exploders, all these kinds of people will pose bad vibes for your self esteem, as well as to your self improvement scheme.

Dart Pin #3: Changing Environment. Changes challenge our paradigms. It tests our flexibility, adaptability and alters the way we think. Changes will make life difficult for a while, it may cause stress but it will help us find ways to improve our selves. Change will be there forever, we must be susceptible to it.

Dart Pin #4: Past Experience It’s okay to cry and say ouch! when we experience pain. But don t let pain transform itself into fear. It might grab you by the tail and swing you around. Treat each failure and mistake as a lesson.

Dart Pin #5: Negative World View Look at what you re looking at. Don’t wrap yourself up with all the negativities of the world. In building self esteem, we must learn how to make the best out of worst situations.

Dart Pin #6: Determination Theory The way you are and your behavioral traits is said to be a mixed end product of your inherited traits (genetics), your upbringing (psychic), and your environmental surroundings such as your spouse, the company, the economy or your circle of friends. You have your own identity. If your father is a failure, it does not mean you have to be a failure too. Learn from other people’s experience, so you all never have to encounter the same mistakes.

Sometimes, you may want to wonder if some people are born leaders or positive thinkers. NO. Being positive, and staying positive is a choice. Building self esteem and drawing lines for self improvement is a choice, not a rule or a talent. God would not come down from heaven and tell you son, you may now have the permission to build self esteem and improve yourself.

In life, it’s hard to stay tough specially when things and people around you keep pulling you down. When we get to the battle field, we should choose the right luggage to bring and armors to use, and pick those that are bullet proof. Along the battle, we will get hit and bruised. And wearing a bullet proof armor ideally means self change. The kind of change which comes from within. voluntarily. Armor or Self Change changes 3 things: our attitude, our behavior and our way of thinking.

Building self esteem will eventually lead to self improvement if we start to become responsible for who we are, what we have and what we do. It’s like a flame that should gradually spread like a brush fire from inside and out. When we develop self esteem, we take control of our mission, values and discipline. Self esteem brings about self improvement, true assessment, and determination. So how do you start putting up the building blocks of self esteem? Be positive. Be contented and happy. Be appreciative. Never miss an opportunity to compliment. A positive way of living will help you build self esteem, your starter guide to self improvement.

Excerpts from couple of articles and a book

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CHANGE

2007-03-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

COMMON, IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE - A FRESH START!

“Change is often a message to move in a new direction, to start afresh”

Restructuring, reengineering, reorganisation - call it what you want, it is rife today in most industries and countless companies. The result in most cases is FEAR! The fear of downsizing or retrenchments short time, no increases or bonuses, a step back on the ladder of authority, a forced relocation – in a nutshell “change”.

Change for most is often troubling. It causes anxiety as comfort zones are shaken and uncertainty sets in. It is human nature to enjoy a certain degree of security and continuity. Change unsettles this security and is therefore unwelcome. Today, companies have to be able to change in order to survive. They have to be flexible and adaptable to keep a competitive edge. Restructuring is often a case of do or die and changes are inevitable. Just as companies have to be flexible and adaptable enough to change, so do people. It is the people who can adjust and make the best of a situation and who can even spot hidden opportunities in a potentially negative situation that survive best. It is really all a matter of perception. Too many people perceive change as negative. Before even they have looked at the situation from all the angels, they perceive it as a threat to their security.

Babies and toddlers are faced with more changes in a day than most adults would face in a year. Without change, there is no growth. Think about it – if a man has been with the same company for 30 years doing exactly the same thing with no change whatsoever in job description – does he have 30 years experience or 1 year, 30 times repeated? I firmly believe that he only has 1 year 30 times repeated. To gain experience, there must be change. Extra responsibilities, extra studies, courses, learning another aspect of the job.

Every year, you should be able to add something new to your CV to show that you have grown. Just the smallest change denotes at least some growth. Change means GROWTH. Growth is the only evidence of life. So when you have stopped changing, you stop living.

Learn not to fear change. See it as a challenge. If it is a negative, use it as a learning curve to help you grow and remember to constantly look for hidden opportunities.

Opportunities are hidden from those who are blinded by negativity.

Sally Eichhorst

CHANGE

Of all Human Resources, the most precious is the DESIRE to improve especially because the largest room in the world is the room for IMPROVEMENT.

Anon

DREAM & MOTIVATION

2007-01-27T12:42:00.000-08:00

Napoleon Hill said “All achievement and all earthly riches have their beginnings in an idea or a DREAM”. He also said, a dream is a blueprint for your ultimate achievements.” Everyone, at some point of his or her life, has dreamed of being somebody special, somebody big, who hasn’t dreamed of being the homecoming queen? And how many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful, or happy with our relationships.

Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams remain just that dreams. And our aspirations easily amass dust in our attic. This is a sad turn of events in our life. Instead of experiencing exciting adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the routines of living from day-to-day just barely existing. But you know what? Life could be so much better, if only we learn to aim higher. The most common problem to setting goals is the word impossible. Most people get hung up thinking I can’t do this. It’s too hard. It’s too impossible. Maybe he can do, but I can’t. Or, No one can do this.
However, if everyone thought that, there would be no inventions, no innovations, and no breakthroughs in human accomplishment.

On the other hand, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. The result? Broken dreams, and tattered aspirations.

If you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream. Try this exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down some goals in your life. Under one header, list down things you know you can do. Under another header, write the things you might be able to do. And under one more, list the things that are impossible for you to do.

Now look at all the headers strive every day to accomplish the goals that are under things you know you can do . Check them when you are able to accomplish them. As you slowly are able to check all of your goals under that heading, try accomplishing the goals under the other header-the one that reads you might be able to do.

As of the items you wrote under things I could do are accomplished, you can move the goals that are under things that are impossible for you to do to the list of things you might be able to do.
As you go through this process, you will find out that the goals you thought were impossible become easier to accomplish. And the impossible begin to seem possible after all. You see, the technique here is not to limit your imagination. It is to aim high, and start working towards that goal little by little. However, it also is unwise to set a goal that is truly unrealistic.

Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned. So, good work ethics is essential to succeed.

On the other hand, if you told someone a hundred years ago that it was possible for man to be on the moon, they would laugh at you. If you had told them that you could send mail from here to the other side of the world in a few seconds, they would say you were out of your mind. But, through sheer desire and perseverance, these impossible dreams are now realities.

Thomas Edison once said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Nothing could be truer. For one to accomplish his or her dreams, there has to be hard work and discipline. But take a note that 1% has to be a think-big dream, and not some easily accomplished one.

Ask any gym rat and he or she will tell you that there can be no gains unless you are put out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, No pain No gain or No risk No Glory? That is as true as it can be.

So dream on, friends! Don t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those dreams. As you step up the ladder of progress, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible… and….. *

I had read this in one of the RBs..

Quote

“People will get involved with network marketing when they recognize that it is a fabulous means of transportation to create movement in their lives. When they are absolutely clear about where they are in life, why they want to leave where they are, and where they ultimately want to go, then they see the value of getting into network marketing. It now serves a purpose for them. But until they envision network marketing as a vehicle that creates movement, they see no point in getting involved with it. In one of the books I read, the author tells people he talks to in this industry “If you don’t have a DREAM, and if you have no real DESIRE to see your life circumstances change, then don’t bother getting involved with network marketing. This is a business only for those fortunate people who still have a DREAM!”

Unquote

Cheers!
“Impossible says, I’m possible”

Attitude & Association

2007-01-01T00:49:00.000-08:00

Our life is a reflection of our ATTITUDES! Our attitude contributes to our success.

A study attributed to Harvard University found that when a person gets a job or a promotion, 85% of the time, it’s because of his attitude and only 15% of the time, it’s because of intelligence and knowledge of specific facts and figures.

Can a student be a good student without a good attitude? As they say, the foundation of success regardless of our chosen profession is ATTITUDE.

“Charlie Tremendous Jones said that you will be the same person five years from now that you are today except for the books you read, the positive and educative tapes/CDs you listen to and the people you associate with. In other words, where you are five years from now will be determined by how far you have personally grown five years from now. You should be excited because it means that we can have more than we have because we can become more than we are. Since books, tapes/CDs, and people will be our main source for personal growth, let's take a look at each one and see how they can help us positively transform our lives.”

Research has found that most people never read another book from cover to cover the rest of their adult life. More astonishingly, 90% of the people won’t even go to the 2nd chapter. It’s learnt that the average child spends less than 2% of their free time reading and about 54% of their free time in front of the Television (either watching it or playing video games). There are a wealth of knowledge in books that can help us professionally and personally grow into the person we will need to be in order to achieve our goals. We suggest you read at least 10 pages of a good book a day. The key word is good.

What do most people listen to while driving in the morning on their way to work? That's right you guessed it the radio. When was the last time you listened to the radio and heard of all of the exciting, positive, and empowering things occurring in the World? It's time to turn your automobile into a moving University. There are tapes produced on just about every imaginable subject especially on personal growth related issues. Put in tapes/CDs that can help take you to the next level both personally and professionally and you will be pleasantly surprised at the results you get. The results will not come because of luck or fate. They will come because you will be operating within the guidelines of natural laws. And one of Nature's Laws is the Law of Sowing and Reaping which says that ‘as you Sow so shall you Reap’. By listening to good tape/Cd programs, you are Sowing the seeds of prosperity and as long as you keep Sowing those seeds and cultivating them, you have no other choice but to Reap the harvest of the seeds you planted. But, you plant the seeds on one season and harvest in another season.

The people you associate with will have a bigger influence on your success than any other factor. This is because when you're dealing with a human being, you are not only dealing with words, but you're also dealing with emotions. The emotions of love, hate, joy, sorrow, courage, fear, etc. Even though we don't like to admit it, we are more emotional in nature than rational.

The statement that says, Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude is very true. So every day in every way you want to work on improving your attitude because only then can we more effortlessly and easily move towards accomplishing our goals.

Can we now conclude that the foundation of success regardless of our chosen profession is our ATTITUDE?

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best INTEREST".

Anonymous

Attitudes are Contagious!

2006-12-20T12:01:00.000-08:00

Motivation is an Attitude!

I define Attitude as the way we think, feel and act. In other words, the way we think determines the way we feel which determines the way we act. This is a simple statement at first glance, but it actually is a profoundly important concept. What this statement is actually suggesting is that your thoughts determine your degree of physical health, the success of family relationships and extent of success in your career. William James said, Man can change his life by simply changing his attitude. Oliver Wendell Holmes stated it that "as you think you travel' and finally Ralph Waldo Emerson said "you are today where your thoughts have brought you. You will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.

If there is any person who understands the importance of planting a positive thought, it's former baseball player Warren Spahn. He tells the story of the day he was pitching for the 1958 world series. Elston Howard, a dangerous hitter was next up at bat. Out of the mound, walked the Manager who told Warren whatever you do, don't throw Howard an outside curve, he will hit it out of the park. What did Warren throw? An outside curve and sure enough, Howard went with the pitch, hit the ball out of the park to bring in the runs that won the series for the Yankies. All Warren could say to his Coach after the game was over, why did you plant that negative thought in my mind? Why didn't you tell me 'What to do instead of what not to do'? It would have made the difference in the World Series. It's the little things that make the Big Difference!

There are really two types of attitudes of thoughts - positive and negative. You can't have a neutral thought. And if you are saying to yourself right now, "Oh, yes I can" .. that's a positive thought!.

To conclude, we know for sure that attitudes are contagious and if we are not careful of what we look for, whom we associate with and what we feed our minds, it's very easy to focus on the netagive aspects of life, to see life as a bad deal.

Dennis Mannering.

That's all to start with.. Let's digest this and continue later..

Murthy & Nalina

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