Life doesn’t always go as you planned. I recently read the story of a man who deeply desired to be an artist but faced great opposition from his family and friends.
Thoughts are Things
Thoughts are the building blocks of our actions. Just like a well-prepared blueprint is critical to constructing a safe, efficient and beautiful building, so our thoughts become the plan for our actions in building a life.
One Minute Sales Clinic
Use these short seminars from our Self-Improvement Newsletter to sharpen your sales skills and attitudes for sales success! Each takes only a minute to read, but the profound truths can take up an entire seminar.
The Magic of a List
This time of year, we hear a lot about Santa “making a list and checking it twice.” I choose to believe that Santa, like all of us, when confronted with a big task and a busy schedule, knows the value of making a list to keep himself organized and on track.
Step Off the Spinning Wheel
When I was a child, I loved to go to the local amusement park. There, they had a building called the “fun house.”
Appreciation
Blind, deaf, and for many years speechless, Helen Keller said:
“Recently I asked a friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods what she had observed.
How to Enjoy the Holidays AND Stay Thin
It is a time dotted with family parties, community traditions, celebrations in the work place, and lots of food. It is a fun, festive time of year. But, it can also be a perilous time for those who are trying to watch their weight. Research shows that people actually accumulate a large proportion of their yearly weight gain over the winter holiday season. It’s clear that we need pay attention to this issue. But, can we still enjoy the holidays while watching our weight? Here are simple 8 tips that will help you to safely navigate the holidays while maintaining a healthy weight.
The Law of the Harvest
One of the most important attitudes of a successful person is a firm belief in the Law of the Harvest. That is, the more you plant, the more bountiful the harvest. If you work, you will win. And setbacks actually pave the way to your future success.
Clear Vision
As we age, our eyes tend to lose their flexibility, making it more difficult to see up close. This presents an interesting challenge for those of us who already have trouble seeing far away objects.
Like Water Off a Duck’s Back
You can learn a lot about life by watching ducks. One summer afternoon, years ago, we took our young children to the park to feed the ducks.
Stimulate Your Mind
When saturated with fresh ideas and stimulated by mental exercise, our minds become sharp and alert; we are able to more effectively analyze situations and invent solutions; our creativity soars; we are more interesting companions; our productivity improves; and, like my tree, we are able to thrive in spite of the challenges of life.
Clean your Filters
This week, as the weather turned colder and autumn leaves began to fall in my neighborhood, my thoughts have turned to winterizing our home.
The Art of Telling Stories
We all tell stories. They help us to communicate and to relate to one another. They help us to share family history, bond with friends, and even add a humorous flair to your conversation. Most importantly, they can be used to illustrate an important point and flesh out your presentation.
How to Get More Time
Time. Too many waste it or kill it rather than wisely investing it.
Words
Words can change everything—from our emotions and perceptions, to our actions. Word choice can help you communicate effectively, or not. If we pay attention to the words we use, it will make a big difference in our attitude and our ability to communicate effectively.
Knowledge is Power
Information is all around us just waiting to be discovered and utilized. And the more knowledge you have, the more you can put this information to work.
Positive Expectation
In our family, we try to teach positive thinking, especially when it pertains to school and homework. So, when my 11-year-old son came home from his first day of 6th grade, I was excited to hear his evaluation.
Stay on the Road
Traveling with my family to a remote ranch near Zions National Park in Southern Utah, I spied this unusual sign marking a narrow dirt road which jutted off the main road. It said “End of the Road”.
Weekly Motivation
I love the classic story told by Zig Ziglar. Before conducting a motivational seminar, he was asked by a reporter, “you’re going to get everyone motivated?” “Yes, I’ll certainly try” Zig replied.
Motivated to Action
Have you ever had a time in your life when you just couldn’t get motivated? You knew what you wanted to do, you had the desire, but you just couldn’t get motivated to take the first step. When your get-up-and-go has gone and you find it difficult to get motivated to take action, consider this — you may be going about it all wrong.
5 Keys to Starting an Online Business
Recently I received an email from a college student asking for advice on starting a successful online business. Here are my top 5 keys to starting an online business:
The Arithmetic of Positive Belief
When we have a positive belief that something CAN be achieved, we unleash all of our creative ability and energy towards discovering solutions to make it happen. If setbacks, challenges or discouragement come our way, as they always do, our positive belief keeps us on track and encourages us to put forth maximum effort. It is those who keep going, who keep trying, who dream and create and work and believe, who eventually achieve
The Masterpiece – Inspirational Video
Every once in a while, something comes along that truly inspires and motivates. Today, we’d like to share one with you, absolutely free. This 4-minute video captures the essence of positive expectation and accomplishment. It takes up to 30 seconds to load — but it is definitely worth the wait. Why not take 5 minutes right now, sit back, relax, turn up your volume and enjoy… The Masterpiece.
Taking Control
Much of our frustration in life stems from the following reality: there are things we THINK we CAN control, that we cannot.
The Refining Process
Just as a river smooths and refines jagged rocks into smooth stones, our challenges and life struggles act like sand paper, smoothing our weaknesses, honing our skills, and polishing our personality until we are transformed into something better than we could ever have become on our own.
Learn to Be Calm
As our society becomes more and more turbulent, we need to take time to be calm, to be quiet, to cultivate peace. You can learn to be calm by cultivating personal solitude and peace in a troubled world.
How to Fire Up Your Team, But Not Burn Them Out!
A shaky economic climate not only affects consumer confidence, it can also negatively impact employee morale and productivity. Negative economic news, layoffs, internal cutbacks – all whittle away at your team’s confidence and erode their productivity. And, when times are tough, you simply can’t afford to have declining productivity. Motivating employees takes time and effort, but it can also yield increased productivity and a more pleasant work environment. Here are 7 quick-tips to help you fire up your team but not burn them out.
Communication Tools
In spite of the recent boom in communication technology, our interpersonal communication skills seem a little lacking. Experts tell us that only 15% of communication is the words that we use. 85% of the meaning, therefore, comes from our tone, manner, posture, eye movement, gestures and inflection. Here are some tips…
The Power of Appreciation
“Thank you.”
“Great job!”
“Where did you learn to do that so well?”
“You’re #1 this week.”
“I really appreciate the extra effort you put into that.”
“High fives!!”
Be a Little Early
We can learn an important lesson from boat racers. A professional racer came to a local boat club race. He practiced running at top speed from the starting point along the course.
