POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE
We've all heard the old adage "you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar," and this is the principle behind behavior modification. Nagging someone to do something, whether it's a partner or child, often elicits just the opposite response: resistance, but almost everyone responds to positive reinforcement, but this approach to changing someone's behavior takes a little patience and emotional control.
Practitioners of behavior modification believe habits are learned because of reinforcement from the environment. This theory states that people will always do the behavior that earns the greatest rewards, even if, in the doing, there are some adverse effects. For instance, Tom may have learned from his mother that it really didn't matter whether his socks landed in the basket or not because she'd come along and pick them up for him. That was his reward but, because he only got negative messages from Fran for the same behavior he didn't have much motivation to "unlearn" it.
WHAT A SWEET CHILD!
When dealing with a child, attention is one of the most important rewards, even if it's negative attention; a child would rather be punished than have no attention at all, because it signifies they have an effect on the parent. If a child acts inappropriately, and then receives immediate attention for that behavior, it will tend to be repeated. If Johnny throws a temper tantrum in the supermarket and mom, desperate to have him quiet down, quickly purchases what he wants, his inappropriate behavior has now been rewarded, and will likely be repeated the next time. Mom has actually "taught" Johnny that throwing a tantrum pays off, and she can be certain he won't quickly forget that lesson.
When little Mary walks into a room full of people and shyly refuses to say hello or state her name, shyness can become a permanent part of her personality if that behavior is constantly reinforced. If her parents or the company present comment on "how cute that is," and give her plenty of attention for her nonverbal behavior, she's learning that noncommunication is desirable.

Besides attention, children will also respond to other types of reinforcers, such as tokens they can accumulate to buy something they really want, or even stars on a calendar which can be traded for a trip to the zoo, or some other activity the child really desires. Or a food treat can be given contingent upon the child finishing his or her homework. But, material rewards should always be paired with social reinforcers, such as praise, a smile, a hug or a pat on the shoulder, so the child doesn't become hooked to always being paid for doing what's required.
NAG! NAG! NAG!
Like children, adults also respond to positive reinforcement but, unfortunately, couples who live together tend to slip into a pattern of nagging or even denigrating their partner to get what they want, and frequently inadvertently reward the very behavior they don't want. For instance, if you'd like to go out to dinner at least once a week, the negative approach is to say something like: "We never seem to go any place nice for dinner anymore." A more positive statement, such as "Wouldn't it be wonderful if we went out for a quiet dinner and had some time alone, once a week?" is likely to elicit an affirmative response.
BATHROOM BEHAVIOR
How about the frustrating habit of the man in the house leaving the toilet seat up, and then you almost fall into it if you forget to look before sitting down? You may have nagged him repeatedly about this, and still he hasn't remembered, and you're getting increasingly ticked-off. Try to have the patience to wait until you catch him doing the desired behavior and then really praise him remembering! It won't take long before he remembers all or most of the time.
WANT MORE ROMANCE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP?
Instead of statements like: "We don't make love often enough," "I need more affection!" or "When are you going to be in the mood?" which are sure to elicit a negative feeling in your partner, and definitely won't get you what you want, try positive reinforcement, such as: "I love it when you're affectionate with me," or, more specifically: "I love it when you do X," or "It makes me feel closer to you whenever we make love."
REINFORCING THE BOSS
Suppose your boss is the type of person who never notices how much work you have to do, but is always handing you even more, so that you feel overwhelmed. You don't want to complain because you're afraid he'll think you're not conscientious or hard-working. How to handle this positively? Whenever a day goes by that he doesn't give you more work, take advantage of this by telling him you appreciate having a break to catch up on everything you have to do, because this makes you more efficient. By praising him for doing something he wasn't even aware of, he'll probably be more sensitive to this in future.
THE NEIGHBORS' DOG WON'T STOP BARKING
When you've been kept awake for several nights because of the neighbor's dog, the temptation is to stomp over to their house and give them a piece of your mind. Resist doing this because it may cause your neighbors to dig in their heels and refuse to do anything about it. The best approach is to start off with anything you can think of that's positive, such as how nice their front yard looks. Or, tell them how much you've appreciated that, except for the last few nights, their dog has been quiet. Let them know they're good neighbors and you'd really like it if they could keep their dog in the house overnight so you can get a good night's sleep. Of course there are some people who are so malevolent nothing will work, but it's sure worth a try, whereas confronting them with a hostile attitude probably won't get you what you want, but it will get you a bad relationship with your neighbors.
MAKING IT A HABIT
Positive reinforcement can be used with anyone, for any behavior, because all of us resist criticism and respond to praise. So, the next time you want someone to accede to your wishes, try a little applause for the desired behavior.

USING THE WORLD'S BEST TOOLS.

This week I was talking with a colleague about technology and computers, and told her about my policy of replacing our computers every 18 months, or sooner. She exclaimed that she couldn't afford that, and my comment was that I can’t afford not to.
The rule is that the most productive workers, and ultimately the most successful people, always have the best tools. Period.
To earn more, you must do or produce more, and that requires better skills, more knowledge, more efficient methods, and of course, the very best tools. To compete in tough economic times:
1. Learn more. Continuous learning is a must. Brian Tracy points out that if you read one book per week, in ten years you will have read 500 books, and then he asks: "Would reading 500 books give you an edge over your competitors, knowing that most people never read at all?" I think the an swer is obvious.
2. Get the best equipment. I replace our computers because I do not want "down time." I replace them as insurance against failed hard drives and burned out chips. I replace them (and up-grade our software) because I trust Murphy's Law that if systems can fail, they will fail, and at the worst possible moment. I want our office to be a "problem-free zone" where we work without frustration or distraction. Get good equipment.
3. Expand your network. There is great truth that "it's who you know that counts." Through my network of amazing people I can get the answers to almost any question or find a solution to any problem. The good people in my network assist me, and they support my clients. My network is perhaps my most valuable asset. It provides me with what I need, when I need it, virtually every time.
To earn more, get better tools.

MAKE EVERYDAY COUNT

For many of us, life seems “endless.” We know of course, and that someday our days will end, but on a practical level, we live as if we have forever, as if there will always be another chance, another year, another opportunity. We pretend we are immortal and spend our days accordingly.
Big mistake!
The difference between extraordinary performance and run-of-the-mill performance is usually found in the "little things." We know that education, intelligence, wealth, even personality do not explain the difference between high achievement and failure. It’s not even close!
The truth is that highly successful people use better, smarter, more effective strategies. They know their top priorities and focus their time, their energy, their creativity and all their pow er on their few, top choices.
There is only a slight difference between landing a plane safely and crashing at the end of the runway, but that slight difference is the difference between life and death. In achieving your goals and creating the life you truly want, it's the small differences that ultimately determine your long-term results.
Winners know and use effective strategies! Highly successful people review their strategies and measure their results to see if they are "on course." Are they getting what they want? Are they making progress? Every day they ask, “Is it working?”
I have identified about a dozen key strategies in high achievers, but the first and most fundamental strategy is that high achievers MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT!
Cancer patients understand this. They focus their time, they plan their days, they do "first things first" and they GET THINGS DONE. No distractions! When you have limited energy, when you&r squo;re sick and weak most of the time, when your days are numbered, things get very clear.

In his excellent book, Thinking for A Change, John Maxwell details his strategies for organizing his work a month in advance and reviewing again at the start of each day. He is a master of planning and making every day count!
I am not convinced it is necessary to work extremely long hours, or to work extremely hard. Often, we can achieve a full day's RESULTS with just one action, if it is the RIGHT action at the right time, done in the right way. High achievers do the right things, at the right time, and they do them every day.
Most people rush quickly, thoughtlessly through life. We are all busy, but are we really getting anywhere? Is all that energy and activity moving us forward? With high achievers, day by day, the answer is an emphat ic YES!
Plan your days and work your plan. Before leaving your office in the evening, or first thing in the morning, outline your day. Review your schedule, choose your most important activities, and focus on them! Every single morning, I list the three most important things I want to do that day. They may be work or play or something in between, but they are my CHOICES and once committed to them, I don't go to bed until they are done.
The first strategy of high achievers is to make each day count! Focus on things you can control. Know your top outcomes and the key strategies for success, and put all your time and effort into those few things. I think it makes a nice difference.

Take action! It’s a place to start.

Quotes of the Week
"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." -- Mother Teresa
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." -- Jeremy Kitson
"We don't know who we are until we see what we can do." -- Martha Grimes
"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."
-- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK OWNERS

GOOGLE:

Lawrence Edward "Larry" Page (born 26 March 1973) is a US computer scientist best known as co-founder of Google Inc. He is ranked 26th on the 2009 Forbes list of the world's billionaires and is the 6th richest person in America. In 2007 he and co-founder Sergey Brin were both ranked #1 of the "50 Most Important People on the Web" by PC World Magazine.

Sergey Brin (born August 21, 1973). According to the 2007 edition of Forbes, Page had an estimated net worth of $16.6 Billion, placing him and Sergey Brin at rank 26 on Forbes's list of the richest persons in the world. They recently purchased a Qantas Boeing 767 airliner for business and personal needs.

Page and Brin are both worth $12 billion each in 2009 because of the economic crunch.

FACEBOOK:

Mark Elliot Zuckerberg (born May 14, 1984) is an American billionaire and entrepreneur best known for co-founding the popular social networking site Facebook. Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook with fellow classmates Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin and Chris Hugheswhile attending Harvard. Zuckerberg serves as Facebook's CEO.[3] He has been the subject of controversy for the origins of his business[4] and his wealth

Time Magazine added Zuckerberg as one of The World's Most Influential People of 2008. He fell under the Scientists & Thinkers category for his web phenomenon, Facebook, and ranked 52 out of 101 people

In 2009 Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is worth $2 billion.

You may not earn as much as they do but you can start from somewhere now!