You can be confident! All you have to do is rid yourself of confidence killers. Confidence killers are self-defeating thought patterns. Many of us walk through life with these harmful assumptions.

See if you’ve got any of these evildoers in your thoughts:

1. The All or Nothing Sniper:

This way of thinking is the reason you can’t seem to enjoy even the small wins you’ve been getting in life. I’ll bet you were the kid in school who went home crying when you got one wrong on a test!

You think you are a complete failure when your performance (whatever it is) is not perfect. You’d be confident if you didn’t spend so much energy being so hard on yourself!

2. The Dark Cloud of Destruction:

Look out! There is a disaster hiding behind every corner. Expect it. The Dark Cloud of Destruction makes you think silly things like: ‘I failed my chemistry test; there is no point in even thinking about college, now.’

3. Warlord of Negative Magnification:

If you listen to this confidence killer you’ll never be confident. He’s got a warped idea that if it’s good- it doesn’t really count. He’ll take any little negative anthill and magnify it like it’s a mountain.

If you won 8 singing contests but had a cold for the 9th and came in second, he’ll harp on that ninth and you’ll never look at the 8 trophies as the great achievements they really are.

4. The ‘If I feel it, it must be so’ Monster:

This is like a computer worm that shuts down all the clear thinking parts of your brain! A person with this can never be confident until they learn that how they are feeling doesn’t necessarily match up with the truth. We all have days when we don’t look our best or perform at our best.

The ‘I feel stupid so I must be stupid’ syndrome allows us to let our emotions run our lives. Don’t blindly accept emotions as truth. Be confident enough to think that tomorrow you probably will be feeling different.

5. The Sinister Should:

Perfectionists are good at should statements. Should statements are more about what your think other people expect from you than what you really want.

Should statements can be something like: Everybody should have an education plan. The person then thinks ‘ Oh, no! I don’t have an education plan! There must be something really wrong with me.’

6. Libellous Labeller:

Let’s throw this one in jail and throw away the key. You know the thought. It’s the one that we use to blame things on something. ‘I am a loser. It must all be my fault.’ If you are going to think labels, label yourself a confident person.

7. Compliment Constrictor:

This creepy crawler just can’t seem to let you accept a compliment. For once, if someone tells you that you look good in that dress, don’t let the slimy one takeover and say: ‘Really? I think it makes me look fat!

The good news is that recognizing any of these villains is half of the battle. So put on your white hat- train yourself to cancel these confidence-killing thoughts.

bio = Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. This report reveals the secret strategies all high achievers use to communicate with charm and impact. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm

Popularity: 22% [?]

We all need some confidence building from time to time. Part of feeling confident has a lot to do with how we feel about ourselves. Feeling like we can accomplish things we set out to do is important to feeling confident.

Remember that we all have talents and gifts. Whether we feel confident in these skills is very much part of thinking like a winner. Here is an easy way you can train yourself to think like a winner.

Make yourself a ‘to do’ list. Before you start complaining that you’ve tried that already in the past and it didn’t work, let’s go over the rules for this list. This is a list to make you feel like a winner.

It is your job to help yourself to feel as much like a winner as possible by making a list that is fun and easy to get done. I mean super easy. Ridiculously easy, even.

Here’s a sample list:

1. Get out of bed.
2. Brush my teeth and comb my hair.
3. Get dressed.
4. Eat something.
5. Eat something else.
6. Walk to a car, bus or another room.
7. Smile.
8. Answer the phone. But only if it rings.
9. Put socks on…

Are you getting the idea? This isn’t your average ‘to do’ list. This is a sort of self-conditioning list. Seeing all those check marks or seeing everything crossed off your list will make you feel like you’ve had a productive day. You’ll gain confidence in your abilities to get things done.

If you practice this fun list making, you’ll come to think of yourself as a winner. If you forget to write the list one morning, write a ‘done’ list at the end of the day. Just list ‘got out of bed’, etc. and mark them off.

As silly as this confidence building list making may seem, bear in mind that the subconscious doesn’t care about what is real or imagined. All it will see is a list that has been checked off every day. Eventually, you’ll notice yourself feeling more confident. You can then start adding real tasks to your list and doing them with the same ‘feel good’ attitude you had when you made your practice lists.

Don’t add too many, to start. Camouflage the real items you want to accomplish with your stand-by easy ones. The reason you don’t want to do a complete shift in list writing is that feeling good is an important element of confidence building.

Just look at someone you know to be confident. Are they down in the mouth or smiling? Allow yourself the joy of having fun with life. You’ll feel like a winner!

bio = Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. This report reveals the secret strategies all high achievers use to communicate with charm and impact. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm

Popularity: 22% [?]

Here are six tips for improving your communication style:

1. Knowing how to improve communication skills will come easier once you become aware of your own communication style.

Each person has a unique way of communicating. Listen to your own speech. What sorts of words do you use? Which sort of body language and what tone of voice are you using?

Now, think of someone who, in your opinion, is a good communicator. Compare your style to theirs. You’ve just taken an important first step in how to improve communication skills.

2. Now that you are aware of your own style, study the style of those around you. How do the most important people in your life converse? How do they say things? Look for approaches you can model and make your own.

3. Adjust to the other styles of communication. Don’t think it is too late to change your way of conversing because it’s been years. You had to learn to communicate in the first place and you can unlearn certain behaviors or change them. Sometimes we get stuck in a communication rut.

A father once was having a hard time with his teenaged daughter. She was growing and he thought she didn’t tell him what was going on in her life. They were in a heated discussion when he asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Her answer was that she had, but he was too busy lecturing her to hear her. He learned that adjusting his style to his daughter would involve listening first before jumping right into solving the problem.

4. To build rapport, during a conversation try and match the other person’s movements, posture and verbal style. Don’t do everything they do, but mirror one or two things. For example, if the person gives mostly short answers to questions, you follow suit.

Or, maybe they talk at a slower pace than you usually do-slow your speaking speed to match theirs. This may sound simplistic but it is a very potent way to make someone feel very relaxed and comfortable in your presence.

5. The way you communicate at home may not be the same as in a different environment. Make sure you change your style to suit the different setting. Some comments you might want to tell your best friend, in private.

Other things can be shared in a group setting. Learn how to improve communication skills by altering your style for the appropriate setting. Many of us know someone who offers far too much information in a group setting.

6. Don’t criticize others for communicating differently. If we all communicated in the same way, we’d soon be bored with each other.

Getting a good grasp of your communication style and finding ways to accommodate other peoples’ styles, is a good way to improve your communication skills.

bio = Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. This report reveals the secret strategies all high achievers use to communicate with charm and impact. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm

Popularity: 22% [?]

“I don’t let my mouth say nothin’ my head can’t stand.” Louis Armstrong

Since the 1970′s, learning how to communicate better has had a lot to do with understanding body language.

Julius Fast wrote a book entitled, Body Language in 1970. He talked about a new science called Kinesics. It opened the way to more studies and books on the subjects. Today, the term Body Language is very common and understood as an important element of communication.

In fact, experts in the field of communication suggest that there is a rule that says that 7f the meaning of what a person is saying comes from their words.

Interestingly, 38s based on the tone of their voice. 55f the meaning comes from the body language of the person that is speaking. This rule comes from research that was published in the late 1960′s.

Some now think that the percentages from this research might be slightly different. Nevertheless, the bottom line is still the same. If you don’t know the basics of body language, you are missing a valuable tool for learning how to communicate better. We speak body language on a subliminal level, without actually realizing that we are communicating through body talk.

1. Face

The most expressive part of your body is your face. When you enter a room if you feel nervous, your expression might make you look aloof or unfriendly.

Smiling at the room is a sure-fire way to remove anyone’s doubts about your approachability. Smiling makes us look warm, open and confident.

2. Eyes

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. They certainly give people clues about what we are feeling.

A direct gaze towards someone can show interest- direct staring on the other hand can mean an intense dislike. Very little eye contact can show that you are shy.

3. Hands

Have you ever watched someone’s hand gestures when they are talking? Open hand gestures tend to make a person appear open and honest. Bringing hands together to a point can accent the point you are making.

Wringing your hands or excessively moving your fingers and hands will give away nervousness. It can even make someone look dishonest- are they trying to hide something?

4. Posture

If you lean towards someone you are showing an interest in that person. If we are feeling low in confidence, we tend to slouch our shoulders and look down.

Men and women use different body language. For instance, women will stand close to each other, hold eye contact with the person they are talking to and use gestures.

Men make little effort to maintain eye contact and don’t rely on the use of gestures to communicate. Men and women can learn how to communicate better by observing the differences in their use of body language.

bio = Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. This report reveals the secret strategies all high achievers use to communicate with charm and impact. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm

Popularity: 22% [?]

Are you wondering how to communicate with that new man in your life? Or maybe you are just wondering about the next man in your life? New or old, it’s never too late to learn how to communicate in the language of love.

Maybe you’ve seen the tomboyish girl that somehow has men flocking around her. If you stopped turning green with envy for a moment, you’d notice why she was a man magnet. She just sort of fit herself into him, like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that he didn’t even know was missing.

Instead of rolling your eyes at that dazed and happy-in-love look he has on his face, why not look into how she did it? Learn these tips on how to communicate in a whole new way by getting to know his love language and speaking it fluently!

We all know that love is built on the solid foundation of communication. When we are in love we are on the same page as our lover. It’s a special level of communication that people in love have.

Some call it chemistry, but really, in order to even get to the chemistry stage you need to know his love language. For a clue as to what that might be, we need to understand how he relates to the world around him.

Everyone perceives their world with three senses – sight, sound and feelings. Psychologists have discovered that even though we use all three senses, one of these senses is always more pronounced. It doesn’t mean that it replaces the others, but if you pay attention, the more dominant one will reveal itself to you.

Asking questions is the easiest and fastest way to learn his language and since asking questions is the most common way to get to know someone or start a conversation, he’ll never suspect.

He’s just returned from a business trip. You ask about his trip. Pay attention to his answer:

1. If he’s visual he might say: the weather was terrible. I didn’t get to see the sun once!

2. An auditory guy will talk about sounds: we got the account, which was good. But the hotel I stayed at was too noisy.

3. He is a feeler if he answers something like: I have to admit; I’m not much into traveling alone. I get lonely when I visit new places.

Knowing a man’s love language is the key in how to communicate with him in a way that will make him feel that you are the missing piece to his puzzle. You’ll just fit. Of course, one question isn’t going to tell you. You’ll have to watch for a pattern to emerge.

Once you do find the prominent sense, you’ll want to speak his language. Talking with your visual man will be all about what you saw on the way over, while the auditory fellow will want to know about the new CD you just bought.

It doesn’t matter what your love language is. As long as you know how to communicate to him in his Love Language you’ll soon be the envy of all the other girls. That is, unless you tell them your secret.

bio = Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to Developing Communication Confidence. This report reveals the secret strategies all high achievers use to communicate with charm and impact. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm

Popularity: 21% [?]

We all have a certain level of self confidence. Without it we simply won’t be able to function in the world. We all need self confidence because without it we simply won’t be able to attempt or even do anything. So, what is self confidence really? Self confidence is your confidence or your sense of certainty in yourself. This confidence can be reflected in many different areas of your life and you might have confidence in certain areas, but lack it in others.

Brian Tracy, in his remarkable self confidence program, The Science of Self-Confidence, outlines the importance of self confidence in every area of your life. The ability to achieve your goals relies heavily upon your belief in yourself. Whether you belief you can or whether you believe you can’t, either way you will be right. What you believe and what you feel certain about is what you act upon – or what you fail to act upon.

We all need this sense of certainty in the things we attempt to do. Certainty makes us feel confident in our ability to deal with a situation. Without certainty we tend to hesitate as we are unfamiliar with what might happen. As human beings we ALL need a sense of certainty. If you lack that sense of certainty you will remain immobilized by your own lack of confidence.

I must admit that I was one of those people who firmly believed that one gets born with confidence. I mean, have you ever seen someone who is really self confident and truly self assured. They just seem so in control and so alive; as if nothing can stop them. Is this a ‘given’ or is it something you learn? The truth is that either way, we all want it and you probably can’t ever have enough of it. Only after investing in a good self confidence program did my perception of self confidence start to change – and thankfully so.

Self confidence is nothing but a state of mind. It’s an attitude and something that can be learned. Think about it – when you actually feel self confident it’s only a feeling isn’t it? It does not rely on anything outside yourself, but relies solely on the process of though and on how you organize ideas and response in your mind.

By learning to consciously cultivate these attitudes you can learn to be confident. Like building muscles, you systematically, purposefully build confidence in yourself until you learn to rely on yourself without hesitation. Building self confidence is a cycle that can either serve you or break you down even further. The self confidence-cycle is self reinforcing – the more you act on your doubts, the more confidence you build and the more confidence you have the easier it is to just do it with certainty, the more you are willing to do.and the cycle continues.

Investing in a good self confidence program will proof to be priceless as the process of building self confidence is not that straight forward. Self confident people have this ability to ‘switch on’ their self confidence in every area of life, even if they haven’t done something before or even if they feel fearful. Developing your self confidence has become an exact science. We now know exactly how the most confident people do and what they do to create that sense of certainty within themselves. This is not some quick fix or magic bullet strategy as some self confidence program might promise. It’s a quality that you must cultivate within yourself. What will change immediately though is your perception of yourself and that is the vital element in developing your self confidence.

Your ability to pursue your goals, to just do it and to succeed is directly related to your level of confidence in yourself and your own ability to be effective.

Regardless of what you want to be, do or have in your life – you will need self confidence. Without that inner certainty in yourself, you simply won’t have the necessary backup from within to be truly effective. Confident people radiate their certainty and they are attractive in more than one way. Self confidence is the key to turning yourself ON. Only when you learn to trust and believe in yourself can you really get the most out of yourself and activate your ability to create and direct your own life.

bio = Article: Sincere-Advice.com If you are looking to raise your own self confidence, Brian Tracy’s program The Science of Self-Confidence can help you awaken and develop that unshakeable confidence and belief in yourself.

View their website at: http://overcoming-procrastination.com/

Popularity: 21% [?]

Have you ever known two people that seem to have the same amount of talent, ability, and smarts but only one of them seems to have success in their life? You may wonder why in the world the other person can’t ever seem to achieve anything great when they have just as much ability as the other person.

As a matter of fact, you may have even wondered that about yourself! You never seem to be quite as successful as someone else even though you know that you are just as talented, if not more so. Why is that?

There could be several reasons, but most likely it’s just a matter of you not walking the same planks.

Let me explain.

Image that there was a 2-foot wide plank of wood that was set on the ground. You are asked to walk the length of that plank to get to the other side. You gladly get on the plank and walk to the other side without any problems whatsoever. Then the same plank is raised 25 feet up into the air and you are again asked to walk the 2 foot wide plank of wood to the other side. You say to yourself, ‘No problem, I just did it a second ago without any problems.’ So you get in place to walk across the plank and then it hits you, you’re 25 feet up in the air! What if you fall off? Can you catch yourself if you fall? Would you survive the fall if you weren’t able to catch yourself? You start paying attention to all the things that could happen if you made a mistake, yet it’s the exact same plank you just walked a few moments ago with no prolem.

So, the reason why it seems that you aren’t as successful as someone else is because they are willing the walk the plank when the stakes get raised and you are not. The path to success and greatness is never without risk. You just have to step out and know that you have the ability to succeed even if you aren’t always used to the risks and conditions that will arise.

bio = Is there greatness on the inside of you but you don’t know how to achieve it? Jason has just completed his brand new 7 part e-course, ‘Find Your Greatness’

Get it free when you subscribe at: www.findyourgreatness.com

Jason and Rebecca Osborn have dedicated themselves to changing thousands of lives by helping people find their greatness and true potential through their Find Your Greatness Newsletter.

View their website at: http://www.findyourgreatness.com

Popularity: 21% [?]

In personal development, one of the main goals is to achieve happiness. What often stands in the way are “negative” emotions that linger on. Most people have some of these emotions, either repressed or lasting with no outlet. Some are low level, some are strong.

Recognising that you have this sadness or anger bottled up inside you, or dealing with lower level emotions are articles that can be found on the Urban Monk website. I am focusing on letting out anger on this article because I feel it is one of the worst. It is crippling; it colours everything you do in your life and is often linked with depression.

Anger is crippling

I used to suffer from massively pent-up emotions; while I was often described as a teddy bear guy, I had massively pent-up anger and to a lesser extent, sadness. When I blew up, I blew up. I became verbally abusive and irrational – often this would only be shown to, and therefore unintentionally hurt, the people who love me the most and are the closest to me. This led to a deep depression that lasted for more then a year – and badly deteriorating physical health.

So trust me; be honest with yourself, and find out if you have anger issues. If you do, take steps to fix it – for yourself and those who love you.

Besides being a major step towards happiness, there are other benefits to dropping all that emotional weight from your shoulders. Self-esteem, confidence, and courage are other parts that develop as you deal with anger.

Understanding Anger and Sadness

The first step to dealing with it is to understand anger. Anger is not “negative”. It is simply an energy; an emotion. It serves as a protection system. When you get angry, it is a sign that something or someone is infringing on you or your rights.

It is not to be confused with blind rage; blind rage is when you start being abusive; when you start being violent towards inanimate objects, or worse, other people. That is not healthy.

I heard a great analogy once; emotions are like vegetables. When they are fresh, they are fine, when you hold it in for a long time, that’s when they become toxic. They explode to the surface and manifest themselves in unhealthy ways. It could also lead to cancer, stress, and several other nasty conditions.

How to deal with Anger

There are a few universal exercises for releasing anger across all the different sorts of methodologies and therapies I’ve researched. I’ve captured the essence here.

Often times you need to do this a few times. Pain comes in waves, and often times one such exercise won’t be enough to release all that pent-up energy.

There are many causes of anger or sadness; bad parenting, childhood bullies, and so on. Try to trace it back to the roots, understand it, and try to give it a voice. As you’ll see below, this is vital, as the vocal component is the most important.

Note: If it is something that you cannot handle, please do not feel ashamed to seek out professional help. And avoid self-destruction; numbing of the pain with alcohol, drugs, or other risky behaviour. I went through a whole year of this and paid for this behaviour physically and emotionally for nearly a year after. And I’m one of the luckier ones.

Once you have that, find a safe location. Somewhere you can scream and act out your anger and sadness – either alone, or with an understanding person. With each one of the following options, remember you need to scream out – all the words you’ve always wanted to say – while you are doing it. Even if it’s just a string of vulgarities, do it!

Let it all out. You might feel weird and self-conscious doing this, it’s normal. Don’t give up. Just do it over and over again until you feel that all your repressed anger is gone. You’ll know when this happens, instinctively. It might take weeks, it might take days, it’s different for everyone.

The three steps:

1) Do this in a safe location. Kneel on your bed like you’re praying. Find a large pillow. Make a hammer fist with your hands. Not a boxing style fist, you might your wrist. And pound the pillows, with all your might until you can’t go any more.

2) Sometimes twisting is better. Find a towel, and twist it like you are trying to wring out every last drop of water.

3) Sometimes just screaming is good enough. Go somewhere abandoned, with some loud music put on maximum and scream with your whole body. Become the yell. Yell until your whole body trembles.

What’s next?

Usually what follows the release of anger is sadness. Read the next in this series of articles for this at the Urban Monk website. You’re on your way to Mastery!

This article is for educational purposes only. It is based on the author’s research and own experience; however you and you alone are responsible for what you do with it. By reading this article you agree that he will assume no liability or responsibility to any person or entity for any loss or damage related directly or indirectly to this article.
bio = True happiness and success can be achieved regardless of where and who you are! Albert’s free personal development blog has articles that will guide you to emotional mastery, self-esteem, confidence, masculinity, social and dating skills, spirituality, philosophy, finance and career, boxing, and martial arts.

Visit UrbanMonk.net for more FREE Personal Development reprint articles.

View their website at: http://www.urbanmonk.net

Popularity: 18% [?]

When you are applying for colleges, one of the most important things that you can do is to do well on your college entrance exams. Average and below average scores can cause colleges to reject you without even looking at other factors such as your GPA. Most colleges have a minimum score that they will accept for college entrance exams.

There are a number of things that you can do to help prepare for the exams. There are books available that you can use to study. Although the questions in the study books are not what are on the test, they help prepare you for the types of questions that ill be on the actual exams.

In conjunction with studying the entrance exam books, you can take a entrance exam prep class to help you prepare. Studies have shown that these prep classes can significantly improve college entrance exam scores. They don’t tend to cost a lot of money and it is money well spent.

You can take a practice test. This will help you to see which areas are your strong points and which areas you need to work on. By concentrating on studying to improve your weaknesses you can improve you scores from the practice test to the real test.

Finally, take care of yourself as the exam approaches. Get plenty of rest the entire week before the exam. Eat well, especially the morning of test. Don’t load up on carbohydrates as it can affect your blood sugar and cause you to crash during the test. Instead, eat a well balanced diet that includes proteins and drink water.

Whether you choose to do one or all of these suggestions, the only person that can do anything to improve your college entrance exams is you. Since taking the entrance exams is your first step to your future, make sure you star off on the right foot by doing what you can t help yourself be prepared.

bio= Visit us for more information on PensacolaJuniorCollege, DelawareCountyCommunityCollege, or AllanHancockCollege

Popularity: 17% [?]

When it comes time to apply to universities, students find that what they have done during the high school years (or what they haven’t done) really affects whether or not they are accepted to college. Everyone knows that grades and extra curricular activities play a part in your college applications, but you can’t truly know the scope of this before you begin applying.

If you find yourself getting rejection letters from colleges and universities, don’t let this discourage you. You can still get into the college of your dreams and further your education if you are willing to work hard for the next year or two to prove that you are serious about school. Community colleges are an excellent way for you to get a start on your education and improve your grade point average.

Now that you have graduated from high school, your future is staring you in the face and it an be a scary thing, especially if your plans for the future are put on hold until you get into a university. Don’t let time pass you by, apply to a local community college and begin taking classes as soon as you can.

If you have a goal to get into a particular college, check with them to see what classes you could take at a community college that could be transferred to the other college upon acceptance. For instance, certain things like sciences, math classes and English classes can often have their credits transferred from community colleges to other colleges.

Don’t let college and university rejection letters keep you from following your dreams. Take the time to apply to a local community college and get a jump on your education and a boost for the next college applications you send in.

bio= For more information about TylerJuniorCollege, BunkerHillCommunityCollege, or ModestoJuniorCollege visit our website.

Popularity: 16% [?]

If you are traveling in East Tennessee in the fall, you will be struck by all the orange that you see. It isn’t just the leaves changing in the Great Smokey Mountains or the pumpkins coming out, it is the pride of the students, alumni and the fans of the University of Tennessee.

If you want the ultimate college experience that includes excellence in education, college comraderie and some of the best football games in the south, then the University of Tennessee is your kind of place. They boast a variety of quality undergraduate and graduate programs and they are home of UT football and the Lady Vols basketball team coached by the legendary Pat Head Summit.

Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, the large campus is conveniently located for students with or without cars as much of what you need is within walking distance. Stores, clinics and restaurants can be found on and next to the campus. There are plenty of attractions in the area such as art museums, zoos and outdoor activities that are a short drive away.

Whether you are a resident of Tennessee or will be paying out-of-state tuition, the tuition at the University of Tennessee is competitive with other colleges that give you the same quality education. You can stay in one of the many dorms or pay a little more to stay of campus. If you are working your way through college, there are programs available at the University to assist you. Academic and Athletic scholarships are available as well.

If you would like to take a tour of the University of Tennessee or would simply like more information, the staff would be happy to assist you. Just give them a call to set up an appointment. When you set foot on the campus of the University of Tennessee, you will feel the big orange pride. Once you get there, you won’t want to leave!

bio= Visit our website for more information about UniversityofMaryland, UniversityofArizona and the UniversityofPhoenix.

Popularity: 16% [?]

When you go to college there are so many things that you have to pay for besides just your tuition. You have to think about rent or money for a dorm room, food and gas among other things. One of the more expensive things that you have to purchase are college textbooks.

The price of new college textbooks is relatively high in most cases. They range anywhere from around $50 to well over $400 depending on the class and college you attend. With these high prices, you almost have to look for a deal or you will be forced to eat peanut butter the whole semester.

Fortunately there are a number of things that you can do to help cut the costs on college textbooks. The first thing you can do is to scout the bookstores for used textbooks. Unless it is a completely new book, you should be able to find used college textbooks for a fraction of the price of the new books. If you don’t plan on ever using that book again, this is a good option for you.

If you have a friend who plans on taking the class, consider buying the book together. This works particularly well if you are going to take the class in different semesters so you don’t have to worry about ever needing the book at the same time.

Check message boards around school to see if other students have used textbooks to sell. Some students opt to sell their books themselves because they will make more money than they would just having the bookstore buy them back.

With all the options available to you, there is no need to ever pay full price for college textbooks. You might have to search for a good deal, but a little bit of time spent searching in the beginning can save you a lot in the end.

bio= For more information about WesternWashingtonUniversity, UniversityofCentralFlorida, or TexasSouthernUniversity visit our website.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Something that has always been very frustrating to me is having the ability to study effectively. It always seemed that no matter how hard I tried there was always something that got in the way of my getting a good study session in so I decided to start from the beginning and make my study habits better so that I could get more out of my learning. The first thing that I did was to prepare my personal study area for more effective learning. Here is what I did.

The first thing that I did was to do a thorough cleaning. I made sure that the area was neat and that the only real things that I had there were the things that would benefit me when I was doing my studying. That meant getting rid of the TV, Ipod, radio and anything else that would keep me from learning. I then made sure that everything that I needed for studying was available and easily accessible. I also made sure that when I was in the study area that everyone knew that I was not to be interrupted for any reason other than emergencies. Unnecessary interruptions are always bad for study because it breaks your concentration and then you need to spend additional time getting back into your subject. A few other things that I was sure to do was to get a comfortable chair, make sure that the lighting was adequate and the temperature was right.

So if you are ready to get the most out of your study then you really need to start at the beginning with the proper preparation. This will get your study session off to a good start and help you to learn more in less time. Future articles will cover other aspects of study habits.

bio= For more information on TexasUniversities, CaliforniaUniversities, or the UniversityofSouthFlorida visit our website.

Popularity: 15% [?]

Do you want to further your education? It doesn’t matter if you are in high school wanting to get your college education or if you are an adult just wanting to learn more to hone your craft or to change professions you have the same decision that you need to make… where are you going to go? Fortunately for you there are more options than traveling to your state university or commuting to the local community college every day to further your education. With the introduction of the Internet it has opened a whole new way of learning and that is by getting your education online. But what exactly is an online education and how does it measure up with the more traditional way of getting your education?

Online education, or distance learning, has really taken on a life of it’s own in the past few years. With the availability of the Internet, and especially high speed internet access, it is becoming easier and easier to join one of the accredited online colleges (many times the more traditional colleges also offer the same classes online) and to get your degree online. These colleges are spread out over the country but that doesn’t really matter to you. If you are truly getting your education online then you don’t even have to be in the same city as if you were getting your degree locally. You simply log into the classroom every day to get your assignments and then you upload them (or complete them online) in order to get your grade. There isn’t even a need to ever meet the teachers or other students and you can do it at any time of the day so it won’t interfere with your work schedule or your life in general. And the great news is that employers are recognizing more and more that an online education is a great way to go, and they are hiring based on that degree just as much as if you were taking the classes in a physical classroom.

Yes, the world is changing, and that includes the way that many people are getting their degrees. So take the time to investigate getting your education online when you are planning furthering your education, you may find that it suites you and your lifestyle to a tee.

bio= Learn more about FloridaUniversities and CaliforniaUniversities at www.UniversityFinders.com

Popularity: 14% [?]

Your career choice can effect your entire life course and significantly influence your personal satisfaction.

Make right choices in your career development plan with the aid of The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test and The Strong Interest Inventory.

First discover your personality type and personal interests. Then find more meaningful and productive work. Make your career search easier, plan your development and manage your change.

Research has clearly shown that people are attracted to those careers that allow them to make use of their natural type preferences.

The use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test in career counseling to help people find meaningful and productive work was one of Isabel Myers\’ original motivations in the development of the instrument.

Make your career search or career change easier. The two primary tools are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) persoanlity test and the Strong Interest Inventory. Both are useful when applied to career issues and they complement each other. The Myers-Briggs will help you understand how your personality affects your career needs. The Strong compares your interests to those who have expressed satisfaction with their careers for at least 3 years.

Here are some points to keep in mind when using these tests for career searches:

Personality type can give you useful information on a variety of issues related to career choice.

There is more to your personality than your type preferences. So when you make career decisions you will want more information about yourself in addition to knowledge of your type.

Combined tests or test packages can help your target careers that are compatible with your personality

Tests You Should Take at Ransdell Associates.

Consider taking one of the test packages such as the \\\”Professional Career Package\\\” useful with managing career change and conflict, or the \\\”Maximum Career Package\\\” for enhancing communication, staying motivated, and career development. Review all six \\\”Test Packages\\\” and pick the one that will best help you maximize your learning curve in understanding your personality in relation to career preferences.

Many people use the MBTI personality test as a place to start their career search. I believe that\’s a good idea. The\” MBTI Interpretive Report for Organizations\” relates your MBTI preferences to likes and dislikes in work settings. If your primary interest is career validation or career change take the \”MBTI Career Report\” or the combined \”Strong and MBTI Career report\”. The MBTI Career report is a graphic representation of your best occupational matches along with a list of the 50 most popular and the 25 least popular careers for your personality type.

Be sure to read the sample report on The MBTI Career Report and the sample report on the Combined Strong and MBTI Career Report. Many people struggle to find a career that they will be happy and successful in. Using a systematic approach to making a career transition decision can help you identify your ideal career.

Career Matches and the Strong Interest Inventory

The Strong Interest Inventory is based on the idea that individuals are more satisfied and productive when they work in jobs or at tasks that they find interesting and when they work with people whose interests are similar to their own. The Strong takes about 25 minutes to complete and contains 317 items that measure your interests in a wide range of occupations, occupational activities, hobbies, leisure activities and types of people. Your interests are compared to thousands of individuals who report being happy and successful in their jobs. Your personalized report identifies your optimum career choices based on your interests and includes additional related occupations with concise job descriptions.

Ransdell Associates offers 9 variations of the Strong assessment under \”Career Testing\”. Two of the reports combine the MBTI and Strong.

The \”Strong and MBTI Career Report\” focuses on issues of career choice and career search. The report identifies occupations with emphasis on those suggested by both instruments and gives you an effective way to interpret the two instruments together.

The \”Strong and MBTI Entrepreneur Report\” gives you an in-depth look at your entrepreneurial potential. If you have entrepreneurial aspirations, this report is for you!

The \”Strong Career Enrichment Report\” gives you insight as to why you are experiencing dissatisfaction at work. Discover ways of making the most of what you have now; make your job more fulfilling. Forced into a career change?

The \”Strong Career Transition Report\” will help smooth your transition into a satisfying position at a new organization. The \”Strong Profile Professional Report\” is designed to identify professional occupations compatible with your career preferences.

The \”Strong Profile, Standard Edition\” is the basic career-planning tool for anyone seeking career direction.

Identify and explore key career development issues with the \\\”Strong Interpretive Report\”. Expand the picture of your career interests with this personalized report.

The \”Strong Profile, High School Edition\” identifies appealing work environments for your student, get ideas for summer jobs, and evaluate career and educational options.

Discover academic majors linked to your interests with the \”Strong Profile, College Edition\” Included are matches to campus activities and ideas for internships or part-time jobs that may fit your needs.

View sample reports at Ransdell Associates for any of the tests you’re considering taking. The take action and advance your career goals by taking a career test now. You\’ll have the results in time to put into action the following morning!

bio = Stephen Tiebout makes it easy for you to discover your persoanlity strengths and career preferences with on line testing at: http://www.ransdellassociates.com/

Popularity: 11% [?]

Here are some common thoughts that we have heard as we have talked with people who are already retired or are looking at retirement. These misconceptions shape our thinking and impact how we see ourselves living out this time of life called retirement. They create the Grey Years rather than the Golden Years we desire.

“True success is retiring to do nothing.” Being successful means accumulating enough so you have to do nothing.

“At 65 I’m no longer capable of working. I’m too old.”

“When I retire, I should start winding down. I need to take it easy.”

“I want to retire while I am still healthy so I can stay healthy

Truths about retirement
Enjoy these facts.

1. In the 1930′s Roosevelt created Social Security to provide a pension for workers 65 years and older. This was to create openings for younger workers by removing seniors from the workforce during the Depression where there large numbers unemployed.

It was not created from the basis that 65 year olds and older were unable to work. We need the creativity of older people even more today. Creativity generates jobs. Older people are needed in the work world!

2. Generally, we are healthier than ever have been before. A recent cover of AARP, a magazine for people over 50, announced: “Sixty is the New Thirty.” Immunizations, medications, health knowledge and education have made a huge difference.

3. Our longevity has increased. A 65 year old man can expect to live until age 83, while a 65 year old woman could possible reach age 85. If you are in your 40s, and retire in your 60′s, you will likely be retired a minimum of one quarter of your life.

Those living to one hundred years of age have increased. The 1960 census listed about 3000 centenarians. Today, that number is estimated at 7000, with predictions of 4.2 million people reaching that age by the year 2050. If you are 50 now, you could be one of the 4.2 million!

4. Winding down leads to poor health. People who study aging describe the “Use it or lose it” phenomenon. We keep our health by using it. We need to be active physically, mentally and emotionally. Studies have shown 90 year olds are capable of increasing muscle mass and tone moving from beds and wheelchairs to walking without aids.

And the good news is: It is never too late to start. We have the capacity to grow emotionally, physically and mentally at any age.

George Bernard Shaw, an Irish dramatist, won the Nobel Prize for Literature at 69. He wrote his last play at 93.

Grandma Moses, a renowned American folk artist, started painting at 78 because her fingers were too stiff to continue with embroidery.

Pablo Picasso’s 90th birthday was celebrated with an exhibition at the Louvre in 1971-the first time a living artist had ever shown their works there.

5. AARP reports that 80% of boomers plan to work during retirement. Hurray, people are recognizing that we have to be active with a degree of risk to be healthy and stay healthy.

People who have had a great deal of stress at work often have a shock when they retire. Imagine taking a fine sports care, a Ferrari and having it rev in the parking lot. Soon it self destructs. So do we, without some stress, some reason to be alive.

An example: This spring we met Don, a 4 year retired IBM executive. Don handles his retirement by consulting and traveling in a motor coach with his wife, Sue. Don shared that 2/3 of his peers died within 2 years of their retirement.

Alan, another retiree described how two of his colleagues retired the same day he did. Both of them cleaned out their desks, then sat there. Alan asked them what was wrong. They shared they wanted someone to phone and cancel the retirement. Both had heart attacks within 6 months of retirement. Alan continued to work with part time consulting in his area of expertise.

For many men, it is not the work that killed them but the emptiness of retirement. Golfing, fishing and visiting the children are not enough. We need to be challenged and growing.

6. Many retirees are looking for personal growth, activity, purpose. In 2000, the University of Arizona conducted a study of what baby boomers wanted in housing.

Large numbers had moved away from the retirement housing concept to integrated communities involving families and seniors together. They wanted an active lifestyle with a sense of community where they could give to others.

7. Connecting to what makes you passionate and purposeful brings the greatest degree of joy, health and life satisfaction.

Dave, when an airline pilot in his 50′s was grounded. “I was lost, devastated. I realized then that I needed a purpose when I retired, too.” He enjoyed people and on his holidays often walked around looking at houses. He combined the two by selling real estate. He is successful too, while he mentors new real estate agents.

This phase of life called retirement is a new phenomenon. Baby boomers are caught in a change. We are conditioned by what we saw our parents and older colleagues experience, yet the reality is quite different. The challenge is to enjoy the opportunity that is offered.

bio = Joanne Wiley: co-owner of Full Life Seminars with her husband Hugh, also seminar leader and writer discussing how to find passion and purpose in your life at any stage, but especially at that unique time known as retirement. Find more information at their website http://www.retirement-wishes.com.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Harvard and Stanford Universities have reported that 85% of the
reason a person gets a job and gets ahead in that job is due to
attitude; and only 15% is because of technical or specific
skills. Interesting, isn’t it? People spend how much money on
their education versus much money they spent on building their
positive attitudes. Ouch – that hurts to think about.

Now here is an interesting thought. With the `right’ attitude,
you can and will develop the necessary skills.

So where’s your emphasis? Skill building? Attitude building?
Unfortunately, `neither’ is the real answer for many people.

Perhaps if more people knew how simple it is to develop and
maintain a positive attitude they would invest more time doing
so. So, here we go. Five steps to staying positive in a
negative world.

1. Understand that failure is an event, and not a person.
Yesterday ended last night; today is a brand new day, and it is
yours. You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan
to win, prepare to win, and then you can expect to win.

2. Become a lifetime, or better yet a perpetual, student.
Learn just one new word every day and in five years you will be
able to talk with just about anybody about anything. When your
vocabulary improves, your I.Q. goes up 100% of the time,
according to Georgetown Medical School.

3. Read something informational or inspirational every day.
Reading for 20 minutes at just 240 words per minute will enable
you to read 20 200-page books each year. That is 18 more than
the average person reads! What an enormous competitive
advantage.if you will just read for 20 minutes a day.

4. Enroll in the `Transit University.’ The University of
Southern California reveals that you can acquire the equivalent
of two years of college education in three years. Just
listening to motivational and educational tapes and CDs on the
way to your job and again on the way home does this. What could
be easier? Sitting in a lecture hall for hours? I think not!

5. Start the day and end the day with positive input into
your mind. Inspirational messages cause the brain to flood with
dopamine and norepinephrine, the energizing neurotransmitters;
with endorphins, the endurance neurotransmitters; and with
serotonin, the feel-good-about-yourself neurotransmitter. Begin
and end the day by reading/listening to something positive.

Remember – Success is a process – not an event!

Invest the time in your attitude and it will pay off in your
skills as well as your career.

Think Successfully & Take Action!
Tracy

bio = http://www.SuccessAtlas.com
Tracy Brinkmann is an goal setting and success counselor. Through his company Success Atlas, he provides goal-setting, motivational & educational material, & training via live presentations as well as digital/audio products.
Sign up for his free e-Zine http://www.SuccessAtlas.com

Popularity: 8% [?]

I am writing this today to remind you successful people that the human race is the only species that comes into this world in a natural state of discontent with that world. Look around – the other creatures you see about you are guided by instinct alone. We however have been given a God-like power to shape our life and thus our destiny. Moreover, this is just what we do each day of our lives, as we put into play actions & ideas that will determine the state and significance of our tomorrows.

For some, these ideas lead to extraordinary achievement. But for most, it leads to a middle ground where they mull around taking their life’s cues from those around them – not questioning why or how – nor considering the consequences of their actions be they good or bad. For still others, their actions & ides lead to recurring disappointment and problems. This leaves these folks to spend their days at the bottom of the socioeconomic PYRAMID.

You see the ignorant would have you believe achievement or failure is a matter of luck, or circumstances, or fate, or the breaks, or any of the old tiresome wife’s tales. Let that be the excuse for the ignorant I say. Success is simple matter of following a commonsense standard of rules or guidelines that anyone can follow.

I think we would all agree that we all want good results from our lives. Be it in our home life, our career or in our friendships – and the most important single factor to that success – the one factor that will guarantee good results day and day out is our attitude! And, I believe you have an attitude.

Attitude is defined as “a position or bearing as indicating action, feeling or mood.” I can think of no truer definition of attitude for it is your actions, feelings, and moods, which determine the actions, feelings, and moods of those around you

The world is a stage is what many say. Perhaps that is true – but I feel more strongly that the world is a mirror – often a cruel mirror that reflects back to us the actions, feels, and moods that we carry around. Our attitude tells the world what we expect of it. If our attitude is cheerful and hopeful, then, it conveys to all that we expect the best in our dealings with our world. If it is a skeptical, pessimistic one then we will convey that as well. Moreover, we will receive that in return because of two reasons:

1) Each of us tend to live up to the attitude you carry around
2) Others give us, as far as their attitudes are concerned, what we expect.

The good news is we can control our attitude. We can put in place the attitude of our choice each morning. Actually, we do so whether we are aware of it or not. Unfortunately, most do not look at their attitudes in this way. Thus, they start their day off in neutral, poised and ready to react to the first stimuli that they encounter. If the first stimulus is positive then their attitude follows suit. If it is negative then they mimic that instead. They are attitudinal chameleons. We as successful people have to prevent ourselves from becoming an attitudinal chameleon.

Here are three ways you can attain, and maintain, a healthy attitude (and avoid becoming an attitudinal chameleon):

1. Physiology
2. Focus
3. The Platinum Rule

1. PHYSIOLOGY – Try a little exercise with me. Stand up and breathe deeply inhaling and exhaling fully. Then look up at the ceiling and smile, smile like an idiot or a child on Christmas morning. Now while still breathing deeply, looking up and smiling – get mad – go on get angry! You cannot do it. If you maintain the body posture I described you will be unable to get angry. How you carry your body affects your attitude – have a seat. Now am I saying walk around with your head held high, breathing deeply and grinning like an idiot? Sure why not it is far more attractive then a frown backed by slumped shoulders! But, seriously, walking around with your head low, your face long with a frown, and your breathing shallow will negatively affect your attitude. That is how physiology influences your attitude; use it to your advantage.

2. FOCUS – During the course of your day your attitude can and will be impacted by the questions you ask yourself. If you ask the questions like “Why do I get the projects nobody wants?” Then your attitude will go downhill – quickly. If however you ask empowering questions, “How can I complete this project and enjoy the process?” Then your focus is changed and your attitude will be healthier for it. To avoid becoming an attitudinal chameleon what you need to do is develop some morning questions for yourself. A set of questions that will focus your mind on things YOU want to focus on. Some examples could be:

“What can I do today to build/strengthen my career?”
“What am I proud of in my life?”
“What am I confidant I can do?”
“What can I do for my spouse/child/significant other to let them
know I care?”

Develop your own set of morning questions and answer them each morning. This will do wonders for your attitude as well as raise your awareness to things around you that will lend themselves to aid you in completing your goals.

#3 THE PLATNIUM RULE
We all know the golden rule and are well served to apply it. However, a person that wants to maintain his healthy attitude at its peak and become a moniker of success will apply the platinum rule. The platinum rule states “Do unto others as THEY want done unto them.”

You see how you want to be treated is not specifically how everyone wants to be treated is it? If you go out with the servant’s attitude that your going to treat others in the manner THEY wish to be treated, then this will be reflected back to you – tenfold!

Remember – successful people come in all shapes and sizes, creeds, colors and backgrounds. However even in this diverse pool, they all have one thing in common – they expect more good out of life than bad. This positive expectation is reflected in their healthy attitude. So, in all the things you want, in all the goals you have set yourself upon, let your attitude reflect the fact that there are far more reasons why can have them, then not. Know there are far more reasons why you can reach your goals, then there are reasons to cause you to fail in the attempt.

Use your physiology, maintain your focus, and apply the platinum rule to attain and maintain your healthy attitude (and avoid becoming an attitudinal chameleon).

I believe you have an attitude!! However, is it the one you want?

Think Successfully & Take Action!
Tracy

bio = http://www.SuccessAtlas.com
Tracy Brinkmann is an goal setting and success counselor. Through his company Success Atlas, he provides goal-setting, motivational & educational material, & training via live presentations as well as digital/audio products.
Sign up for his free e-Zine http://www.SuccessAtlas.com

Popularity: 6% [?]

If you have read more than one of my articles, I’m sure you may have come away with the notion that I am big on goal setting. You would be correct in this assumption. I have done a number of presentations on this subject. During these presentations I have noticed that there are two overriding views on goal setting. The first, is of those that are either new to goal setting, or yet haven’t tried it. I have their full attention in the presentation when I get to setting and achieving your goals. The second overriding view is of those that tell themselves “Goal setting hah! I’ve tried that and it didn’t work for me.” In discussions with these folks I have found that the majority of them agree on the positive impacts that goal setting has. Most of them have even gone so far as list out their major goals, however that is where they stopped.

To be a goal setter, and more importantly a goal achiever, you not only have to have a written set of goals for you life (business and/or personal), but, you also have to have a written plan of action towards their achievement. In a recent Success Atlas article I noted that I have an article on goal setting. The many requests I received for that article has prompted this more in-depth look at goal setting and achievement. In other words, you asked for it you got it, Goal setting 101.

The goal setting process really starts with a self-evaluation of sorts. Sitting down and asking questions like, “What do I really want out of life?” “What do I want to accomplish, become, have be or do?” Open your mind and your heart. Sit down and fill out a desire journal. Fill it with all the dreams, aspirations and desires that lie in the recesses of who you are and who you want to become. Don’t hold back, write everything down! Dream like a child the evening before his/her birthday or the evening before Christmas. Dream like anything and everything is possible. Because unless it is legal, immoral, or unethical, I would highly encourage you to believe that it is possible.

Decide what it is you want in each area of your life: Personal, Family, Professional, Financial, Physical and Mental. Don’t be vague either, if what you want is money (financial) then define how much you want and by when. Specifics are necessary for you to have a plan. Being clear in what it is you want will cause about 80% of your success. You can not plan for the goal “I want more money.” You can, however, plan for the goal “I want to earn $250,000.00 annually by the end of 2003. The more specific your goals are the easier they are to build a plan for. If as your reading this you are thinking “I do not know what I want to be, do or have.” Then set a goal to find out.

Write down your goals. Don’t type them (not at first anyway) sit down and print them out, clearly, specifically and in measurable terms. This moves them from a desire, wish or intangible dream to an item on paper. Something you can see, touch, and relate to.

Okay now you know what you want – next you will need to identify what skills and knowledge you will require in order to accomplish your goal. Ask yourself what knowledge you need to gain in order to speed-up the successful accomplishment of you goal. Ask yourself what skill(s) you need to make the greatest positive impact on getting to your goal. There is always at least one skill or key piece of knowledge that is holding you back – otherwise you would already have accomplished the goal. Identify what it is and go out there and get it! If you are not able to figure it out for yourself then ask your spouse, your friends, your boss, a mentor, or any other person that you believe would know.

There are some things that you can do alone, however to achieve significant goals in your life you will need help. List all the people, groups and organizations that you will need to interact with to reach your goal. Write them all down then prioritize them. As you are going through this process consider the ways you can be of assistance to them. Everyone’s favorite radio station is WIIFM – What’s in it for me? So knowing in advance what you can do to assist them will payoff in faster results on getting their assistance in your goal achievement. Think through some win-win negotiations. Remember the more you give the more you get. As Zig Ziglar reminds us “You can have everything you want if you just help enough others get what they want.” As well as those that can help you, I would also suggest listing out those that could hinder your progress as well. Forewarned is forearmed.

Obstacles – we have all encountered them, and we will continue to encounter them during our attempt to reach any goal of worth. If there were no obstacles along the way everyone would have already accomplished all of their goals – you included. List all the obstacles, barriers and impediments to your goal. Why are you not at your goal already? Write down each and every answer to that question. This will allow you to find the bottleneck to your success. Once you are aware of what is holding you back, apply all your resources (which you listed out already) towards the removing or overcoming of this blockage. More often than not, the removal of a single primary blockage will uproot and resolve many other smaller barriers to your goal. This can help you make quantum leaps towards reaching that goal.

Now that you have this valuable collection of information you need to map out a plan to utilize it and accomplish your goal. Successful business men do not set out on a course of action without a plan, you wouldn’t go on vacation without some planning and most do not even get married with out hours and hours (one hundred or more at times) of planning. These days far too many spend one hundred hours, or more, planning the wedding. Yet, they spend no time at all planning their marriage or their life. You can change that in your life. Lay out the key points you have put together thus far and develop a plan of attack. This plan can start with the steps to gain the knowledge and skills you need to gain. Steps to get you in contact with the people and organizations you need to help you along your road to success. Lay out all the steps you know you need to take to reach your goal. Organize then by priority, then sequence them. As you go through this process you will be motivated to take actions against the first step on your plan. Completing the first step will further motivate you to take action on the next step and so on.

Now that you have a plan you need to set a deadline. A goal is a dream with an achieve-by date. Setting a deadline develops and intensifies your desire to attain your goals. Don’t scare yourself with large goals or underestimate how long it will take to accomplish them. Instead break down large goals into small milestones with deadlines. These milestones will act like a forcing system for you unconscious mind. They will motivate and drive you towards your goal. Having deadlines for your goals will keep them on your mind. Making you more conscious to the situations and people in your life that can aid you on your road to success. Set your deadlines as realistically as possible. Do not over or under estimate them be honest with yourself. You could always reset deadlines. The key point I want to drive home here is that you MUST have a deadline to shoot for.

You have the plan – now what? As I mentioned early in this article most people agree on the positive impacts that goal setting have. Most of them have even gone so far as listing out their major goals, however that is where they stopped. Here is where you are going to act differently and succeed in your goal achievement. The key word here is ACT. Take action on your plan! Do not procrastinate! The clock is ticking and your deadline is inching closer with each passing second. Do something each and everyday towards the accomplishment of your goals. Work with all your gusto on the first step of your plan until it is either completed or until you can make no further progress on it. Then move to the next step, coming back to those incomplete previous steps as soon as you can move them forward to their completion. Keep moving, keep working and keep taking your action steps every day, do not stop. Anyone that has ever had to push a car will tell you the hardest part is getting it moving. Once your moving it will still take effort, but it takes far less effort than if you stop pushing and have to start moving all over again. Taking consistent daily action will not only move you quickly towards your goal but it will reinforce in your subconscious mind that you can and will attain your goal. Giving you a positive attitude towards it.

Two additional things you can do you that will steel your resolve to accomplish your goals are to visualize your goal and resolve to never give up. Visualize your goal continually or as often as possible during every waking moment. Your subconscious mind does not differentiate between your visualization and reality. So visualize your goal as already attained. View it in you mind’s eye with every detail possible. Feel the pride, joy and fulfillment that will come with reaching a significant goal. Visualization will also make you aware of those situations and resources in your life that you will need to reach your goal. Finally resolve to never give up in your quest to reach your goal. Attack it with a dogged determination. Let the words of the Capcom commander in Apollo 13 ring in your ears; “Failure is not an option!” When you encounter barriers and obstacles do not ask yourself what will happen if or when I fail. Instead think positive, then develop a plan action. Ask yourself “How can I get over, around or though this barrier and reach my goal!”

Everyone has goals, I have them you have them even a child has goals. These goals can be keeping your job, getting a promotion, and the child has a goal of passing a test, getting that much desired toy they saw on television or showing mommy and daddy how much they are loved. The difference between these goals and the goals of the top achievers is focus. Peak achievers go through processes similar to the one I have laid out here to focus their actions on what they want to be, have or do. They design their goals with a mission and this mission is success. Follow this process and you too can rise to the levels of those you have watched in awe.

Think Successfully & Take Action!
Tracy

bio = http://www.SuccessAtlas.com
Tracy Brinkmann is an goal setting and success counselor. Through his company Success Atlas, he provides goal-setting, motivational & educational material, & training via live presentations as well as digital/audio products.
Sign up for his free e-Zine http://www.SuccessAtlas.com

Popularity: 6% [?]

Letting yourself reach the point where you are burnt out, worn
down and used up is a threat to your dreams, goals and your
life’s happiness. The physical manifestation of burnout, or an
overload of stress, is your body’s natural response to the
pressures you are placed under and that place it under during
the course of your day. Worse yet when you place yourself in a
stressful situation in your mind through worry and fret, your
body reacts as if physically placed in that situation. Your
body’s natural defenses go into action.

Perhaps you are stressed and anxious about an upcoming
interview, big presentation or sales meeting. But your body’s
natural defenses are reacting as if a gang of thugs cornered you
in a dark alley. Your heart quickens, you become sweaty, and
your thoughts are broken and scattered. Too much stress can
actually wear you down, as your body fights to keep up this
level of defense. You can easily see how this will negatively
impact your effectiveness towards accomplishing your goals.

But at the root level the cause of the stress is more the issue
than the stress itself. This root cause is what really can
generate a sense of hopelessness, a reduction in productivity,
bear a heavy weight on relationships, shatter dreams, and in
some cases even result in chemical dependency.

However, you can learn to response to your stress and anxiety in
a manner that will avoid these horror stories and stop the
disaster before it destroys your road to success.

Signs that your stress is reaching the danger zone:
Bored (not just when there is nothing to do)
Do not feel appreciated/loved/cared for
Overly Tense
Aggravated/Frustrated
Short Fuse – quick to get angry
Frequently/Constantly tired or exhausted
Hate getting up in the morning (often don’t)
Frequently being late to work, meetings, etc.
Skipping work
Frequently ill
Frequently Forgetting things (tasks, items, date etc.)
Resist change
Procrastinates
Feeling hopeless (no light at the end of the tunnel)
Alcohol or drug consumption increasing

Having trouble with a number of these signs? Well then you
could be doing battle with burnout. Burnout is a slow burn and
can come upon you so leisurely that you do not even realize it.
Listen to your body (and your friends). Knowing is step one to
winning the burnout battle.

This topic does not go over well with some. Often it goes over
the least with the determined, go-getters of the world. They
say, “Bah, I’m just doing what I do best. Getting ahead,
getting things done. Sure I burn the mid-night oil but that’s
how I get ahead.” These highly motivated and un-wavering people
are at the highest level of risk. They become inundated with
their high expectations of themselves and their enthusiasm to
achieve their dreams.

If you are passionate about being a success. If you feel the
need to be in control all the time. And if you frequently over
commit yourself with tasks and responsibilities, then you too
are at risk of becoming a contender in the burnout battle.

Attitude and a positive viewpoint of your life will positively
influence your vulnerability. As I said earlier, it is your
attitude toward a demand or pressure rather than the actual
demand or pressure that causes the stress. Learn to manage your
stress. Now this sometimes means making the tough decisions.
Remembering to take care of yourself, both mentally and
physically. Accepting responsibility for your well being and
making positive life choices. Take the time to list the things
that are causing you undo stress (the root causes. List them all
- even the ones that you enjoy but still result in stress. Once
you complete the list, break it into two categories; conditions
you can change and conditions you cannot change.

Sit down and work out a plan to resolve the stressful conditions
that you can change. Then work the plan. Remember, coming up
with the plan alone won’t do it. You have to work the plan and
remove the stress from your life and from you list.

As for the conditions that you are unable to change. Look at
better ways to react to them. The conditions themselves aren’t
causing the stress; your attitude/reaction to the conditions is
causing the stress. Some of the material I have shared with you
in the past (last issue on Attitude for example) can prepare you
to better react to these conditions positively. You can’t stop
these waves of stress, so learn to surf them.

Think Successfully & Take Action!
Tracy

bio = http://www.SuccessAtlas.com
Tracy Brinkmann is an goal setting and success counselor. Through his company Success Atlas, he provides goal-setting, motivational & educational material, & training via live presentations as well as digital/audio products.
Sign up for his free e-Zine http://www.SuccessAtlas.com

Popularity: 5% [?]

Where you are today is a direct result of the actions you have
taken in your past. The degree of happiness and success you
enjoy today is the fruits of your past labor. If you are not
where you want to be today – then you need take action – daily
and consistent action to be specific.

The level of success and happiness we all achieve is the direct
result of our consistent actions. Not those actions we take
every now and then. Like those actions we take towards our New
Year’s resolution that usually die out by this time of year. No
our success is in fact the result of our habits (consistent
actions). For those habits are the rudders that steer our
course of success in live. Suffice to say we all need to
develop good habits if we are looking to reach our goal of
success.

Unfortunately for most of us our habits are not a result of
logical decision-making and conscious thought. Generally the
habits we have are the reactions to our experiences (stimuli).
If we have had a heavy dosage of negative experiences, then we
will tend to produce negative reactions. What do you think
you’ll get from those consistent negative reactions? That is
right – bad habits.

A powerful tool at your disposal to help you take control of
your habits is your level of motivation. If you are motivated
and are driven – then your unstoppable desire for success will
outstrip your fear of failure. A motivated person is far more
willing to step outside their comfort zone and take that all-
important life changing chance. They become more, they do more,
and thus they have more.

If you are looking to build your level of motivation here are
some steps that will serve you well.

1 – Set your Goals
Know what you want! Goals give your life purpose. Your desire
to reach these goals will become a great motivator in your life.
Big goals, little goals, personal, professional, financial and
spiritual goals – write them all down. Long term and short term
- write them down in clear and specific terms. Then set to work
on them.

2 – DAILY Action
Once you set your goals. Put in place a plan that requires you
to execute at least on step each day. No matter how small or
how big. A phone call, some reading, a contact, a letter,
whatever just do something everyday. Each of these steps will
bring you closer to your goal – and motivate you to higher
achievements. Remember a habit is nothing more that a repeated
behavior. Taking daily actions will form your successful habit
so strongly that eventually you will be taking action without
conscious thought. It will just be who you are – a successful
and motivated person.

3 – Feel it!
We are not creatures of pure logic – we are emotional creatures.
While our minds will work out the most successful business plan
ever conceived. It is our emotion, our desire, which moves us
to execute the plan. Connect all the good feelings you have to
your action. Every time you succeed, small or large, at one of
your action steps, know and feel that you are now one step
closer to your goal. These repeated connections shall reinforce
your emotional drive to achieve your goals. Another good
technique is to sit down and list all the reasons why you want
to or must reach this goal – all positive reasons. Then do the
flip side, list all the things you will miss out on, be forced
into or dislike about your life, yourself etc. if you do not
achieve your goal. Now your using both of the two primary
emotions you have, desire & fear, to your advantage

4 – Take Responsibility!
Don’t give yourself an out. Stop blaming your parents, your
childhood, your kids, your wife, the economy, your boss, your
dog, your postman or any other thing/person in your life. It is
in fact YOUR life. Don’t say if I could I would, say I can and
I will. You may have many reasons why, but only you can change
them, so take responsibility. Step up and remember the words of
Oprah Winfrey “My philosophy is that not only are you
responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment
puts you in the best place for the next moment.”

Think Successfully & Take Action!
Tracy

bio = http://www.SuccessAtlas.com
Tracy Brinkmann is an goal setting and success counselor. Through his company Success Atlas, he provides goal-setting, motivational & educational material, & training via live presentations as well as digital/audio products.
Sign up for his free e-Zine http://www.SuccessAtlas.com

Popularity: 5% [?]

In every relationship there will be occasional misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Sometimes we are the one who hurt another person; sometimes we are the one who has been hurt. Sometimes both people have become very angry at each other, or both feel hurt.

Hurt feelings can be the result of a slip of the tongue, a misunderstanding, or a deed committed in bad judgment. Sometimes feelings are hurt deliberately in the heat of anger and regretted later.

If we were the guilty party, we might regret what we said the instant we let the hurtful remark out of our mouths. We might want to apologize right away, but some of us find apologizing about anything extremely difficult, almost impossible.

Sometimes the reason we don’t apologize is because we are convinced that the other person totally deserved our angry outburst. Sometimes the reason we don’t apologize is because we have absolutely no idea that we hurt the other person. And sometimes we apologize very profusely, but we don’t really mean it.

When you sincerely apologize to a friend, it means that you regret causing the other person emotional pain, and you want to work on repairing the friendship.

If you have said or done something that hurt your friend, it is important to acknowledge your friend’s painful emotions. You can say something like, “I’m so sorry you feel hurt because of what I said. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Let’s talk about what happened.”

In some relationships, hurt feelings and problems are never dealt with. Instead, they get “swept under the rug”. These relationships may look polite on the surface and they may even be long-lived, but they are not really very intimate. There is no deep sharing between the two people and there is no ability to be honest.

If one, or both of you, are feeling very angry with the other, put off your in-depth discussion until both of you are to be calm and levelheaded. But apologize to your friend sincerely as soon as you can.

Once an apology for a particular incident has been extended and accepted, don’t go back and revisit old battles the next time you have a disagreement. Take care of each incident as it comes up and don’t nurse old resentments.
bio = This article by Royane Real is taken from her new book “How You Can Have All the Friends You Want – Your Complete Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends, and Keeping Friends” Sign up for her free newsletter filled with Life Improving tips! http://www.royanereal.com

Popularity: 9% [?]

Rejected. It can be an ugly word.

One of the reasons why rejection can cause us so much difficulty is that in our minds we often tie rejection to so many other ugly words that cause us even more pain. Humiliated. Inadequate. Useless. Loser. Not good enough. Pathetic.

The more we dwell negatively upon an instance of rejection, the harder it becomes to face another occasion when we might get rejected again.

When we experience rejection, we can tell ourselves that we are doomed to be rejected forever; that any rejection from another person is proof that we are somehow not good enough, and that we were wrong to ever think that another person could like us.

But is this the only way to look at rejection? Remember that people who have healthy self- esteem, who are outgoing and who make lots of social overtures to other people get rejected too.

The difference is that they don’t feel nearly as troubled by rejection. They don’t take it personally. They don’t view rejection as proof that they are flawed.

Rejection is often much more troubling to those people who are very emotionally sensitive, who have low self-esteem, or who have had a very dysfunctional childhood upbringing.

Even if you are very emotionally sensitive or shy, even if you didn’t get much emotional support as you were growing up, you can still learn to change the way you talk to yourself about the experience of rejection.

You will have to practice a lot to change the way you think about rejection, and you may need the help of a good therapist to point out new, more supportive ways of thinking.

It is a fact of life that when we make social overtures to other people, we face the risk that people will sometimes reject us. The only people who never experience rejection are those who never interact with other human beings.

Otherwise, everyone occasionally experiences situations in which they are rejected. You might get turned down for coffee, for a dance, for a party, a relationship, or even for marriage.

Rejection is never fun to experience, and for some people, it’s not easy to overcome.

There is a big difference in the way that shy and lonely people experience rejection, and the way that socially confident people experience the event.

For most socially confident people, being rejected is a relatively trivial experience that is soon forgotten, whereas for people who are shy and lonely, rejection can be a long lasting, emotionally traumatic experience.

When socially confident people make a friendly overture, they assume they will probably be successful. They are very focused on the positive end result they want – more friends, more options, a more vital life.

YOu too can learn to have the attitude that socially confident people have.

Here is a brief summary of steps you can take to overcome your fear of rejection:

-Remind yourself why you want to overcome your fear of rejection. Remind yourself that your goal is to have a happy social life.
-Change what you say to yourself about rejection. Don’t tie your self worth to whether or not you get accepted or rejected by other people.
-Take a series of baby steps when developing new relationships.
-Look for signs of receptiveness in the other person before you approach them.
-Deliberately set out to collect as many rejections as you can. When you make a game of it, you won’t feel very hurt.
-When you are out making approaches to other people, tell yourself that it’s just practice, it doesn’t count.
-Make many, many social approaches to other people.
bio = This article by Royane Real is taken from her new book “How You Can Have All the Friends You Want – Your Complete Guide to Finding Friends, Making Friends, and Keeping Friends” Sign up for her free newsletter filled with Life Improving tips! http://www.royanereal.com

Popularity: 9% [?]

Maureen worked in an office with twenty other people, processing checks. She didn’t particularly like her job, but she didn’t particularly dislike it either. Getting ahead in her career wasn’t important to her until the day that her friend and co-worker Betty was promoted to be the boss of the unit.

Betty had not being doing the job as long as Maureen had, but Betty was always cheerful, hardworking and ambitious, where Maureen had been low-key and easy going.

Until Betty got the promotion, Maureen had been reasonable content at her work, even if she had not been outstandingly happy. But once Betty was made supervisor, Maureen began to fill up with resentment until she hated her job and hated Betty.

Eventually she developed an ulcer because she was filled with anger all the time.

Maureen began to see Betty as the source of all her problems, and she failed to remember that she had not particularly wanted the promotion anyway. She just thought that it should be hers.

Instead of examining herself to see what she really wanted out of life, and trying to figure out how she could get it, Maureen became focussed on her resentments.

Bill W, who was one of the original founders of the organization Alcoholics Anonymous, spent a lot of time focussing on the role that resentment played in people’s lives.

Bill W wrote that perhaps an average person could afford to be resentful without causing too many problems, but he noticed that for a person who was an alcoholic and who wanted to learn how to create peace of mind, harboring resentment was a poison that could destroy lives and even drive recovering alcoholics back to drinking.

I’m sure that Bill W realized that a lot of average people have problems handling resentment as well, especially when they allow it to fester and grow.

One of the main problems with resentment is that in the short term, resentment can feel good. The anger you feel when you are resentful can energize you and seem to give you at least temporarily, a sense of purpose and drive.

The problems that resentment can cause usually show up later, when resentment becomes more than a short term emotional reaction to a real or imagined injustice. After a while, some people nurture their sense of resentment until it takes on a life of its own and seems to become a central focus in a person’s life.

One of the major problems with resentment is that because it is directed outside of yourself, nursing resentment will keep you focussed on believing that your feelings of anger are entirely caused by some outward circumstance or outside person.

You stop taking responsibility for your own actions and feelings.

You stop looking for what you can do to improve your situation and you stop looking for the possibilities that remain open around you, because you decide that your negative feelings are someone else’s fault.

You stop trying to find real solutions to your problem.
You stop noticing and being grateful for what is actually good in your life.

If you decide that resentment is playing too big a role in your life, it’s not always easy to change this habit. Most of the time you can’t just decide to stop being resentful.

The first step is awareness. You need to notice and admit when you are feeling resentful, especially when you let it go on and on. You need to ask yourself if you are truly ready to be less resentful, and to look for ways that you can achieve real solutions in your life.

We can all find other people and other circumstances that we can blame for where we are in our lives, but once we make a habit of it, we stay stuck where we are. We need to move beyond blame and work on solutions.
bio = Royane Real is the author of several self help books, including “Your Quick Guide to Improving Your Learning Ability” Sign up today for her free newsletter filled with life improving tips at http://www.royanereal.com

Popularity: 8% [?]

There’s no denying that today’s business and finance sectors have become more competitive than ever. It has become critical for professionals to not only have the necessary skills to succeed, but the certification employers are looking for.

This challenging environment has always posed a potential problem for the busy professional trying to take a step up in the business world, or transition into another career in the sector. A full-time return to school to enhance their knowledge and credentials means leaving their current position behind — and investing substantial time and money pursuing an additional degree.

For these individuals, Kaplan University’s online Business and Finance Sector programs may be the ultimate solution to reaching their goals. With deep roots in higher education that date back to 1937, and a flexible schedule that lets you study anytime, anyplace, Kaplan University’s certificates in Financial Planning, Risk Management, Project Management and Executive Coaching can be completed in as little as 12 months – without interfering with your job or disrupting your life.

“The fields of financial planning, project management, risk management, and executive coaching are experiencing exponential growth, providing a wealth of opportunities in the evolving business world,” said Kristina Belanger, Dean, Kaplan University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. “These rewarding occupations are leading choices for individuals seeking professional growth and diversity, and Kaplan University’s online, self-paced programs provide busy professionals with a flexible learning environment to gain competitive skills for more rapid career advancement.”

Financial planning, for starters, has been repeatedly described as among the most prestigious of modern professions – supported by statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor forecasting job increases of more than 34 percent by 2012. The same reliable source states an average annual salary of $79,990 for personal financial advisors in 2003. Not only that, but proven expertise in the field can allow you the option of either working for yourself or a world of high-end firms throughout the country.

To win the trust of potential employers or prospective clients in the business world, however, you’ll need applicable skills and proper certification. That’s where Kaplan University’s Certificate in Financial Planning comes in. The course teaches you all you need to know about analyzing a client’s financial situation – strengths, weaknesses, and how to best achieve their financial goals. From savvy tax management to smart investing to retirement planning, you’ll be steeped in all the crucial information necessary to be a certified financial planner.

Project management is another area where Kaplan University can help open doors to a variety of new career opportunities. Learning how to increase a company’s chances for maximum profits by optimizing time, money, and personnel, is a skill respected by organizations everywhere. From business to information technology to real estate and more, project managers may earn from $60,000 to $100,000 annually on average, with senior project managers holding yearly salaries ranging from $70,000 to $150,000.

As a Project Manager you’ll be respected in your industry as someone capable of leading important initiatives as you advance your career. You’ll be the one CEOs and company presidents turn to as a leader for their organization’s most critical undertakings. Perhaps best of all is the universal applicability of the knowledge and skills that Kaplan University can provide with this program – which can be put to use for the rest of your working life, regardless of the direction your career may take.

If you hold at least an associate’s degree, and have an interest or background in such fields as business, human resources, accounting or finance, Kaplan University’s Certificate in Risk Management can help you earn from $66,000 to $110,000 annually. Risk control, loss prevention, and adhering to today’s stricter compliancy laws have made risk management an essential aspect of doing business in today’s corporate world. A Certificate in Risk Management from Kaplan University will give employers the confidence that you know your stuff inside and out.

Risk managers recognize and review an organization’s loss exposures including property, liability, personnel, and net income in order to promote growth through profit, continuous operation, and stable earnings. Kaplan University will teach you all this, plus other critical skills such as enterprise risk management (ERM) and creating risk management programs. You can then apply your knowledge and skills toward pursuing a top position with a number of companies, or entering the field as an independent consultant. Like Kaplan University’s other certificates, this program can be completed in as little as 12 months, learning at your own convenience.

Executive coaching is now a major growth industry. More and more businesses are employing executive coaches to instill leadership development among managers and executives to bolster an environment of ongoing organizational change. Executive coaches thoughtfully listen — and ask the right questions — to assess an individual’s attributes, needs, and coachability. Kaplan University’s Executive Coaching Certificate offers the necessary skills for observing, recognizing, and intervening for full business effectiveness. It can teach you to teach leaders to better comprehend organizational dynamics and to climb up the corporate ladder.

In a recent summary poll of executive coaches, 65 percent of respondents reported yearly compensation of $85,000 or more. Opportunities exist in a number of business environments, including corporations, non-profits, government offices, and independent consulting.

Whether you study financial planning, project management, risk management, or executive coaching, you’ll have the chance to expand your employment and career opportunities. Through developing your professional acumen and abilities you will be able to explore new job prospects with virtually any professional industry where business skills are valued. Should you choose to go into the market on your own, you’ll hold the certification and skills needed to win over prospective clients.

Perhaps best of all, Kaplan University online programs allow you the flexibility and convenience to quickly improve your skills and resume without compromising your current daily life. For the working professional striving to reach their career goals, this might be an ideal option.

bio =
For more information about Kaplan University, visit http://kaplan.searchforclasses.com or http://www.searchforclasses.com/ To read more of his articles and to learn more about online education visit http://www.searchforclasses.com/newsletter/ or http://searchforclasses.blogspot.com/

Popularity: 5% [?]

If you could be totally 100% okay with who you are, would you have anything to feel anxious about?

If you were 100% confident about who you are, would you be worried about what other people think?

If you felt 100% comfortable with who you are, could you feel calm, centered and peaceful no matter what anyone else says and no matter what situation you find yourself in?

Being okay with who we are frees us up from having to worry about saying or doing the wrong thing.

Yes – it would be great to feel this way – but being okay with who we are is a tall order. How can we even begin to think about reaching this level of comfort and confidence?

Creating space between `who’ and `what’
To take our first step, let’s learn how to create a space between `who’ we are and `what’ we feel, between `who’ we are and the anxiety we experience.

Take a look at the following three sentences. And as you read each one, notice how the energy inside of you (basically how you feel) changes.

#1
I am anxious.

#2
I am experiencing anxiety.

#3
Something is causing me anxiety.

In sentence #1, we are saying that I AM anxious. The `who’ in this case is anxious.

This suggests that who you are is anxious. Who we are, at our highest, highest nature, at the core of our being, is anxious!? This touches us deeply. It sounds permanent. And seems to be addressing our very identity as a human being. As who we think we are.

Now take sentence #2: I am experiencing anxiety now.

We are not anxious, as in sentence #1. But we are HAVING an EXPERIENCE of anxiety. There seems to be a person separate from the experience that is taking place.

A deeper or larger presence of who we are is separate from the anxiety.

Now look at sentence #3. Something is causing me anxiety. Here there is even more distance between the `who’ that we are and the anxiety that we feel.

In this case, the anxiety is about something else. It’s not about us. It is about something else that is going on.

Now, I am not saying that any one statement is more true than another when it comes to anxiety. These are just three perspectives used to loosen the hold that anxiety has on us.

Sense the `who’ at the core your being
Use this distinction to carve a gap between `who’ you are and `what’ you are capable of experiencing. Between you and `what’ happens outside of you, in your thoughts and in your body.

Use this sense of the `who’ at the core of your being to watch the experience of anxiety as separate and distinct.

This is a first step. Seeing yourself as having a separate identity from all that you can experience – including anxiety.

The next challenge is to learn how to continually choose your deeper `who’ over the surface thoughts and feelings.

bio = c2005 Sarah Malik, having suffered from anxiety herself, is dedicated to helping people who deal with the anxiety of social situations. To help them to reduce their anxiety and increase their confidence. So that they can experience inner peace and calm – no matter where they are and no matter what they are doing. More information is available at www.sarahmalik.com today. Note to editors: Please feel free to create a live link to this article.

Popularity: 4% [?]

http://www.powerfuljobsearchtips.com

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME-MISTAKE #1
NEVER USE THE WRONG PAPER!
What kind of paper should you choose when typing your resume? The color of paper you will want to use will be white or ivory. You will also want to type your resume on a heavier paper, such as a 20 lb. bond.

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME-MISTAKE #2
DO NOT APPLY TO THE WRONG JOB!
Focus on targeting your resume to one specific job. If the job you are seeking is that of a receptionist, you want the person reading your resume to know this. The employer may have several openings and not know if you are applying for the receptionist job or the maintenance position. Always make sure you reference the position you desire.

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME-MISTAKE #3
PLEASE, NO LIFE STORIES!
You want to keep your resume short; one page is optimal, more than two is disastrous. Keep your resume clear, concise and relative to the particular job market. Remember, the person reading your resume has no desire, nor intentions to read your life story.

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME-MISTAKE #4
DON’T FORGET THE PITCH!
The most important thing to remember when typing your resume is your qualifications. Write a short opening paragraph to ‘sell yourself.’ You want to come across as capable and qualified, yet, you do not want to sound like a narcissist, so do not over do it. Show confidence and strength through your written words, but avoid boasting.

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME-MISTAKE #5
NO MISSPELLINGS!
Always use your computer’s spell checker! If you cannot spell the job position correctly, how will you perform the job? Misspellings are a big annoyance to the person reading your resume. You don’t want to irritate him/her before you have even been granted an interview.

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME-MISTAKE #6
NEVER SELL YOURSELF SHORT!
Emphasize your skills, talents and achievements. Especially if they relate to the position you are seeking. Elaborate most on the skills that apply to the exact job for which you are applying.

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME-MISTAKE #7
DO NOT LEAVE OUT PERTINENT INFORMATION!
When writing about your past jobs, make sure to include their locations. Do not omit the cities and states where you have previously worked.
HOW TO WRITE A RESUME MISTAKE #8
AVOID USING WEAK WORDS!
When telling of your past employment positions, try to use the word ‘work’ sparingly. It is a weak, passive verb, and applies to a broad spectrum of tasks. Everyone ‘works’, but maybe you’ve ‘implemented’, or ‘collaborated’; these types of words sound much more impressive.

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME MISTAKE #9
DO NOT CREATE A CENSUS!
It is most common now, as well as accepted, that you don’t use ‘profile’ information. Information you should leave out are height, weight, age, date of birth, gender, marital status, race and personal health information. Also to be omitted are controversial issues such as, religious and political affiliations.

HOW TO WRITE A RESUME MISTAKE #10
DO NOT OVERLOOK YOUR REPUTATION!
Who will vouch for you? If you are going to include personal and or professional references, make sure the people you list will give you a shining recommendation. The best reference would be a leader in the industry you are applying for, or another well-respected professional. Try to use only the people who will mention your best attributes. It is also recommended that you contact the person you will use as a reference to assure that the information they will supply about you is only top notch.

bio = David Green makes it easy for you to recieve your desired job fast. To claim your free lessons on how to flood yourself with amazing job offers from employers, visit this site now: http://www.PowerfulJobSearchTips.com

Popularity: 4% [?]

Putting the cart before the horse! This common trait, paradoxically, is human nature both at its best and worst. We are good at taking that “leap of faith” and making great strides towards a goal. Yet consistantly we ignore sound planning and preparation – two things what would virtually guarantee our success. Such is man!

Embarking on a course of bible study seems to be no different. How often do we ignore the foundational exercises so we can jump right in? Everyone does. And it works out just often enough to remain a tempting option. But fear not, there’s help for you and I yet. And it comes in the form of the lowly dictionary. That’s right, a dictionary.

Language, especially the written language, is meant to be precise. The more important the writing, the more precise the language. That’s why contracts are so carefully worded. It’s also why we pay lawyers large sums to circumvent what we have so carefully written but that’s something for another day. With respect to the Bible, one could easily argue that it is one of the most carefully worded documents ever crafted.

Understanding the lessons we are meant to learn depends on our knowing the meaning of the words used to convey those lessons. And therein lies problem. Our spoken language is dynamic and fluid, changing rapidly and often. Our written language changes evolves and changes far more slowly. To understand the written word, we need to understand the meaning and context of those words not as we understand them today, but as they were understood when they were written.

So, rather than jumping right in, take a step back and work on the foundation of your studies. Make an effort to understand the historical meaning and context of the words you are studying. Find and use a good Bible dictionary. These days it’s a simple matter indeed There are fantastic online Bible dictionaries that are easily accessed and utilized at the click of button.

Using an online Bible dictionary will enrich your understanding of the Word and deepen your faith. Next time you’re tempted to jump right in, take the time to look up every word in just one passage. You’ll be amazed at what you learn and I guarantee, be hungry for more!
bio = Learn the essential keys that can enrich your bible studies and deepen your faith. To receive your free 10-part mini-course “Bible Study Basics” visit: http://www.eastons-bible-dictionary.com

Popularity: 4% [?]

The reality of today’s world seems to leave little room for optimism. Almost every news story can lead because it does bleed. We hear of critical food shortages in Africa, daily gang deaths on city streets, the profiteering from child pornography, and the climatic disasters prompted by global warming. Health care costs move up faster than a hummingbird in flight and more children now spout profanities as a regular part of speech. With such negativity, no wonder a 2004 U.S. government survey found that depression afflicts one in 10 adults 14 days a month or more.

You probably get depressed just reading the opening paragraph. But wait! There is hope. Not the cock-eyed optimism that became fodder for a song from the musical South Pacific, but rather what psychologists in France are calling “intelligent optimism.” Such optimism does not deny the reality of today’s world, but rather seeks to LEARN how to fashion a life amid such difficulties. Martin Seligman, the psychologist who had made optimism and happiness his life’s work, would agree with the French: optimism can be taught.

Consider these basic steps:

(1) Focus on what you can control. Don’t get carried away by circumstances you cannot change. You might not change global warming but you can control your energy consumption. You can’t stop the downsizing in your company but you can arm yourself with marketable skills.

(2) Reframe the event so that you are not a victim. There is always another way to view a situation. The flight cancellation that caused me to miss (and forfeit) a major engagement was not “planned” to “get” me. It just was. My choice is to figure out what I can do to help the current client and what I will put in the place of the cancelled work.

(3) Think “enough”. When we concentrate on what we don’t have, we miss all the many things we do have. The truth of the matter is that if you are reading this article, you do have enough computer power. You do have enough intelligence. You do have enough time.

(4) Cultivate optimistic responses. Like a farmer tending a field, optimism will never grow unless it is watered, fed, weeded and nourished. We all have days in which negativity can take over. And, sometimes, that is a WISE response because it keeps us grounded in reality. Just make sure it is reality and not the imagination making extraordinary leaps into conjecture. Weed out that conjecture. Ask what you can DO to see a result that gives you a sense of power. If we don’t cultivate such intelligent optimism, be aware of reality and willing to find options, then we might do what Alexander Graham Bell warned. “Stare so long at the closed door we fail to see the one that is opening.”

(5) Remember the power of generations. Children of depressed parents are more prone to depression. Children of optimists are more prone to be optimists. What do you choose to pass along? Even if your parents were negative, you can break the cycle with stopping, freeze-framing a situation, listening to the negative self talk, and then literally giving yourself a different message. Yes, this takes practice but you can make it a habit if you work it over time.

Ultimately, intelligent optimists understand that change and chaos are given. They know that “this too shall pass”. In the meantime, they CHOOSE to take whatever action they can within their own sphere of influence and then settle back. It is enough.

(c) 2005, McDargh Communications. Publication rights granted to all venues so long as article and by-line are reprinted intact and all links are made live.
bio = Named by Executive Excellence Magazine as one of the top 100 thought leaders in business, Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE authored one of the first books on work/life balance. Numerous books and articles later, Eileen serves the meetings industry as a popular international keynoter and on the Board of Directors of the National Speakers Association. You can find products and services offered by Eileen at http://www.EileenMcDargh.com

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Do you need wide widths shoes? Don’t know where to find them? Here’s an online guide to resources to help you get started.

There are many online retailers that stock wide widths shoes at great prices. Shoebuy.com is the perfect place to start. Just click on the tab labelled, ‘wide shoes,’ and you’ll find search engine’s for men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes. Just choose the size width and style of shoe you want and you’ll find just what you’re looking for.

Another great site is Shoemall.com. Like Shoebuy.com, Shoemall.com offers a great selection of wide widths shoes. Their easy to navigate site is both colourful and straightforward. Just choose between men’s or women’s shoes and then navigate to the size that you need.

If you want to simply comparison shop for wide widths shoes, then a more comprehensive site like Nextag apparel is a good place to start. A simple search brings up over 70 pairs of shoes to choose from, like sandals, athletic and even shoes for weddings. Their prices from their affiliates range anywhere from a reasonable $35.00 to over $100.00. Another good comparison site is Zappos.com, which offers worldwide shipping and great discounts on their shoes. Their easy to navigate site will insure that you will just what you are looking for in a jiffy.

Designer shoes also come in a wide variety of widths, and there are many online retailers dedicated to selling name brand wide width shoes. If you’re looking for a pair of Rockport Interns or Tribunals, Shoesville.com is the place to go. They offer 10-15% off of their already low prices, and free shipping, too! They also have a great selection of women’s shoes for all occasions, like going to the beach or for running.

If you are looking for wide widths shoes, don’t despair! There are many great sites online to help you find the perfect pair.

bio = Jeff Lakie is the founder of http://www.footwear-stop.com a website providing information on cosmetic surgery

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