KEEPING YOURSELF POSITIVE

Did you know that the most important thing you do for your success is to take control of the suggestive elements in your environment? Be sure that what you are seeing and listening to is consistent with the goals you want to achieve.

Listen Your Way to Success

Listen to educational audio programs in your car. The average person drives 12,000 to 25,000 miles per year which works out to between 500 and 1,000 hours per year that the average person spends in his or her car. You can become an expert in your field by simply listening to educational audio programs as you drive from place to place.

Take Courses in Your Field

Attend seminars given by experts in your field. Take additional courses and learn everything you possibly can. Learn from the experts. Ask them questions, write them letters, read their books, read their articles and listen to people with proven track records in the area in which you want to be successful.

Get Around the Right People

Associate only with positive, success-oriented people. Get around winners. As we say, fly with the eagles. You can't fly with the eagles if you keep scratching with the turkeys. Get away from the go-nowhere types and above all, get away from negative people. Get away from negative coworkers. If you've got a negative boss, seriously consider changing jobs. Associating on a regular basis with negative people is enough in itself to condemn you to a life of underachievement, frustration and failure. Associate only with positive people. Get around winners.

Visualize Your Goals

The last thing before you sleep and the first thing in the morning, think about and visualize your goals as realities. See your goal as though it already existed. Your subconscious mind is only activated by affirmations and pictures that are received in the present tense. See your goal vividly just before you go to sleep. See yourself performing at your best. See the situations that you're facing working out exactly the way you want them to.

Feed Yourself Mental Pictures

See yourself living the kind of life that you want to live. See yourself with the kind of relationships, the kind of health, the kind of car, the kind of home you really want. Visualize just before you fall asleep at night. The first thing you do when you get up in the morning is to feed yourself mental pictures. Those are the two times of the day when your subconscious mind is most receptive to new programming, when you fall asleep and when you wake up.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do, all day long, to keep your mind and emotions focused on your goals and financial success:

First, listen to audio programs in your car and when you travel around. Continue feeding your mind with a stream of high-quality, educational, motivational material that moves you toward your goal.

Second, resolve to associate with positive, optimistic people most of the time. Get around winners and get away from negative people who criticize, condemn and complain. This can change your life as much as any other factor.

THE 4 ENGINES OF LIFE-LONG SUCCESS

Every human being wants to be successful. For many, success
is measured in terms of power, fame or financial income,
while other people measure it in less tangible ways.
Whatever your criteria, I’ve never met a lazy person, so I
assume you, too, are interested in success. The question
then becomes, "What skills or traits are required for
extraordinary success?"
For many years, social scientists have tried to measure the
causes of success, and one of the most frustrating things
as a Coach is the degree to which they have merely confused
the issue. Many people have heard that successful people
tend to be taller, prettier, younger or have some other
characteristic over which they have NO control. What these
studies fail to tell you is that all these factors combined
account for less than 10% of the variables that drive long-
term, repeated success!
Race, age, gender, family history, all of that COMBINED
make almost no measurable difference! On the other hand,
what’s exciting is that the things that DO make a
difference are almost entirely under your control! That’s
exciting, and tremendously hopeful!
What are the things that actually MATTER in long-term,
repeated success? Here are some of my key observations from
years of working with unusually successful people:
1. FIRST things first--Personal stability. High achievers
usually live quiet, structured lives. They tend to settle
down, have good relationships and mind their own business.
They get to bed on time, eat well, get a bit of exercise
and pay their bills. Their lives are organized and orderly,
free from distractions and worry so their daily chores do
not interfere with achieving their goals. To achieve great
things, get organized! Get a good night’s sleep and start
with a good breakfast. Every single day. In the quest for
success, boring is good!
2. SECOND--Positive Self-Direction. High achievers know
where they're going and how to get there. For most, this
means clear written goals, although many successful people
describe it as an "inner confidence" or a "sense of
purpose." Whether it’s a list or a vision, successful
people know what they want and permit few distractions.
They are not tempted by short-cuts or get-rich-quick
schemes. They have chosen their direction, goals or themes
in life and like a compass, they always point straight
ahead.
3. THIRD--Personal Urgency. I am not talking about
impatience or jumpiness. Far from it! Successful people have
"all the time in the world." They are patient, persistent,
determined and resilient, but they do not waste time. They
focus on things that make a real difference. They think in
terms of priorities, progress, and action-steps, but they
are not rude about it. They focus on priorities and have a
healthy eagerness to move forward.
4. FOURTH--Constant Learning. Successful people are
curious and learn faster than other people. They read more,
ask more questions, take more classes, try more things.
They make mistakes, but rarely make the same mistake twice.
No one is born knowing how to walk, talk, or write
software. Successful people LEARN to invest, invent and
create. They have mentors, MasterMind groups, and coaches.
They know that practical, immediately-useful knowledge is
the key to solving problems and achieving their dreams.
The most important thing about these "engines" is that each
of them can be learned! No one is born with a stable life,
a sense of self-direction or urgency! These are habits that
each of us can absorb and master, often with very little
effort.
Success is not about luck or lucky genes; it’s about
learning appropriate skills, then using them to create the
life you truly want. I’ve often written that a GREAT life
is actually easier than living a complicated, confusing or
mediocre life, and I’m convinced it's true. Keep it
simple. Keep it focused. Play by the rules and learn to
win the game of life.
And, perhaps we should acknowledge a fifth engine--great
coaching. I know it's an "ad" since I make my living as a
success coach, but the truth is that we all do better with
good coaching, great ideas, and a bit of encouragement. In
fact, almost no one ever achieved greatness all by
themselves! Whether we admit it consciously or not, we
depend on coaches to show us the way!

SOS TO SEO: RESCUE YOUR BUSINESS WITH 5 SIMPLE OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUES

Close your eyes and think back to the time when you first started your business. Remember the day when you sold your first product or service, or when you officially launched your website? Can you recall the time and effort you put in and how excited you were to finally get the business off the ground? You were giddy with great expectations and life was feeling pretty good. Maybe your start date wasn't all that long ago or maybe a few years have already passed.

Now fast forward to where you are today. You might be scratching your head and wondering what happened or why the dream business you created a while back has not materialized as you had once imagined.

You might have the best product in the world, but it can't help people if they don't know your business, product or service exists. In essence, when prospects can't find your business, it is the equivalent of you living on a deserted island. Living on the island may have been fun at first, but now your resources (you time, finances and energy) are starting to wear thin. It's time to get off the island and back to civilization where you can be revitalized. It's time to rescue your business.

There are a few simple tactics that you can do to drive traffic and improve the chances of being on page one for Google and more importantly, found by your prospects. Some of these tactics you can do yourself, others may require you to speak to your webmaster to implement. So grab your life ring and let's jump in the water.

1. Use your main keywords within your website title tag.
If people don't know about you or your business, then they can't type in your business name to find you online. The way they are likely to find you is through the keywords that they enter into the search engine. Determine the major keywords or keyword phrase (3 to 4 words that people would use in a search) that describes any of the following: what you offer; the benefits of your product; or how you solve a problem.

Now go to the back end (the dashboard) of your website and list that keyword phrase in your title tag section followed by a vertical bar and then your company name. Hit the save or update button.

Let me demonstrate what I mean about the process. I work in the training and development space for corporates. I've also identified the major topic that people seek me out is for presentation skills training. Therefore my focus for my keyword phrase is corporate training and presentation. To further narrow down a prospects search geographically, I also include my location as part of my keyword phrase.

My title tag reads:
Singapore Corporate Training | Presentations | Experiential Hands-on Learning

By having relevant keyword phrases in my title tag, I don't need to worry about whether or not people know my company name, I just need to indicate the keywords people are searching for and it's more likely I will be come up on page one for the organic search listing.

Make sure you also add these keyword phrases in the keyword meta tag section for your home page.

2. Spy on your competition.
One of the best ways to determine great key words is to check out your competition to see what they are doing. Take a moment to list out the top 10 keyword phrases that people would use when searching for your product. Now type in keyword phrase and note what comes up as the top 5 websites for this phrase. Here's the fun part.

I want you to do two things. Look at each of the website names that come up. Each of the underlined phrases or sentences is what is listed in their title tag. Notice how many companies list the benefits of their offering vs. the name of their company.

Now you can do a bit of spying. Click on the website. Now right click your mouse. Scroll down the menu until you come to View Source. Click on this and it will take you to the html code page for the home page (you can do the same for any page in a website). Here you will be able to see the title tag phrase shown as in code as

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN PEOPLE DON'T LIKE YOU

Do you feel like no matter how hard you try, other people still don't like you? Have you been trying hard to make friends with no good results to show for all of your efforts?

If it seems that you have been trying hard to make friends, but that other people still don't want to be your friend, you may have come to the conclusion that there's something wrong with you. That maybe you are basically unlikeable.

Many of us go through such torment of self doubt, especially during our teenage years, when teens are often the victims of vicious bullying from their peers for no reason at all.
If you feel as if the people you are trying to befriend don't like you, the first thing you must do is to ask yourself: Do you have any real evidence that others don't like you?

Or are you just imagining the worst because you are always very harsh with yourself?

People who have low self-esteem, or who are suffering from depression, are often convinced that others don't like them, even when there is no evidence for their negative belief. People who have a poor self image can be surrounded by others who like them, care about them, and enjoy their company; yet because these people don't believe they are worthy of being liked, they are convinced that no one else likes them either.

So, if you are feeling as if nobody likes you, try to find out if there is some real evidence that others don't like you, or whether you are just being very negative in your opinion of yourself.

On the other hand, there are times when it's not just your imagination that others don't like you. It might be really true that most of the people you meet are consistently rejecting you, even when you make social overtures and try to be as friendly to them as possible.

There are many reasons this can happen.

You may have moved to a society where the people are very tight knit with each other, and they don't open up to newcomers easily.

You might be surrounded by people who automatically dislike people of your particular religion, ethnic background, sexual orientation, skin color, or bodily appearance.
You may be surrounded by people who reject you because the clothes you wear are not the latest and most expensive fashion.

In high school years in particular, many teens are strongly conformist, and can be very cruel to those who seem to be different from the norm. Sadly, some people never grow out of the stage of judging others for trivial and superficial reasons.

If you are really are being rejected by others, it is important that you don't make the situation worse by attacking yourself.

This will only make you feel worse, and will make you lose confidence in approaching new people in the future.

Saying negative things to yourself could start you on a downward spiral of self-doubt and self-hatred. Or you might turn your anger outwards in a spirit of bitterness and revenge towards other people. This is not a solution that will win you friends or peace of mind.

It's also important to take a good, hard look at yourself and the way that you interact with other people. There may be specific behaviors that are causing others to dislike you, and these are behaviors which you can change.

Ask yourself the questions on this checklist. If it looks as if any of these behaviors are a problem for you, it's very likely that if you change this behavior, that other people will like you better.
Are you always very negative and complaining all the time? Most people find this habit very annoying.

Do you actively participate in conversations with others? Or do you hold back and let other people do all the work in making conversation. If so, learn to improve your conversational skills so that talking with you is an experience that others look forward to.

Do you endlessly talk about yourself and show little interest in the people you are talking with? Other people will become bored with you very quickly if you seem only interested in yourself.

Do you try too hard to please others, always agreeing with everything that they say, and never having any opinions of your own? People won't respect you if you don't respect yourself.

Do you often say things that hurt the feelings of others and then say it was just a joke? Do you say mean things behind other people's backs? No one will trust you if they think that you are basically an unkind person.

If you want to make other people your friends, it's very important that you don't give up on trying. Keep approaching people, keep trying to make conversation. Get rid of your bad social habits if they are getting in the way of friendship.

If you are being given the cold shoulder by many of the people you encounter, particularly in your school or workplace, keep looking elsewhere for people you can confide in and befriend. You can try in your church, in your community, and in your own family.

Work on developing the talents and good qualities within yourself so that you can appeal in a new way to other people with whom you will have more in common. Continue to actively search out other people who will like you and accept you.

Don't give up trying. Keep working at learning how to make friendly conversation and you will eventually make friends with people who truly like you.

THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL PERSON.

Most of the world’s truly great people will be forever
unknown. You and I will not hear of them and no one will
write their biographies.
Sure, I love reading President Obama's story and being
inspired by his rise from obscurity. It’s fun to follow
Donald Trump’s financial ups and downs, or marvel at Marco
Rubio's family arriving from Cuba with nothing but their
courage and willingness to work hard.
But even more, I prefer the greatness Thomas Stanley and
William Danko described in "The Millionaire Next Door." I
love that even after the financial storms of recent years,
there are millions of millionaires in world! I love that
most of them created their wealth with their own ideas,
their own hands and their own hard work. But even more, I
admire the great parents, teachers, artists, and builders
who have inspired me. The fascinating (and humbling) truth
is that anyone can live a great life!
Recently, I watched "Walk the Line," the biography
of Johnny Cash, and how close he came to wasting his
talent. It made me think of Elvis Presley, John Belushi,
Howard Hughes and thousands of others who made small
decisions that led them tragically astray. What's the
difference between the sadness of Marilyn Monroe and the
greatness of Mother Theresa?
We all have greatness within us. Every one of us is born to
make a difference, to play our part, and transform our
corner of the world. We may not become famous, but we can
live with joy and gusto and greatness. So why do so many
settle for small problems, and small lives?
I think too many of us fail to seize and use our personal
power.
Because we are not "powerful" on the world stage, we forget
that we have tremendous power in our choices. We may not be
rich or famous, but we have the power to smile, and to
persist. We have the power to live with dignity and
integrity and ambition. We have the power to be loving, to
be kind, to be generous. We have the power to create and
live our own lives.
My sense is that it helps to have a big dream. My father
always told us that if we were going to dream, we might as
well dream BIG dreams. I am convinced that what we expect
in life really does matter. I think it helps to expect the
best and focus our thoughts, our attention and our
intention on big dreams.
But I also think it's vital that we not get lost in our own
dreams. It's nice to aim high, so long as we realize that
even the biggest dreams are fulfilled one step at a time.
Donald Trump’s fancy skyscrapers are build one rivet at a
time. Oprah built her empire one meeting, one interview,
one decision at a time. "A journey of a thousand miles
starts with a single step."
Use your power! Hug someone, or call a friend. Spend an
hour reading a good book or getting some exercise with your
kids. Do it today, not tomorrow or "someday," when it's
more convenient! Take action! Use your power to skip desert
or make one more sales call. Take action to move your life
in the direction you want to go, and do it today.
Both Nelson Mandela and Marianne Williamson have been
credited with the insight that our greatest fear is not
that we are powerless, but that (in fact!) we are powerful
beyond measure. Whoever said it first, I think it's true.
You are powerful beyond measure! You have the power to
change your world any time you wish. Use your power! Give a
smile to someone who needs one. Get up a bit earlier, or
work a bit longer. Put legs under your dreams and make them
happen. Begin today, one step at a time.

10 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT SCORE INSTANTLY

Want to boost your credit score but don't know where to begin? Follow these simple steps and begin improving your credit score today.

1. Know what credit is
Credit, by definition means that you have purchased something without paying for it first. You have purchased an item with a credit card, a line of credit, a loan or a pay-later program such as no interest or payments for six months. Also, in the case of your monthly services such as cell phone, cable TV or hydro, these suppliers are in effect extending credit to you. For example, you sign up for a phone, and at the end of the month, you pay for what you have already used. This means you are using their service on credit, in advance of payment.

2. Understand how credit scores are tabulated
Your credit score (also known as a credit rating) is the grown-up version of a school report card. From the moment you make your first purchase on credit, or open your first service account such as cable TV, cell phone or hydro, you begin to create what is known as your credit history, which is the basis for your credit score.
In a nutshell, your credit activity is reported by the company you have obtained the credit from to a Credit Bureau. Whenever you take out a loan, the financial institution reports it to the Credit Bureau. When you make your payments, they report it. Likewise, if you do not make a payment, if you are late with a payment or fail to pay off the loan as agreed, this is also reported. With utilities, such as cable TV, heat, hydro, or telephone, these companies will report if you make a late payment or fail to make a payment.

3. Know your score and what a good score is
There are two major Credit Bureaus -- Transunion and Equifax. It is critically important that you know your credit score with both of these companies. It is recommended that you obtain your credit score every year from each of these Credit Bureaus. (It is suggested that you alternate when you get this once you begin the regular process of checking your scores each month. In other words order your Transunion in December each year and your Equifax in July each year). You can obtain your credit score instantly online with each company by at Transunion.com or Equifax.com (For Canadians go to Transunion.ca or Equifax.ca).

At the time of printing a credit score and history from one of the Credit Bureaus-- which shows current credit and past history -- is less than $20.00. When you first do this, get both reports and record your credit score. When you check your own credit history it does not affect your score. Although it may not seem fair, whenever someone else checks your credit rating this impacts negatively on your score.

Credit scores are rated from 300 -- 900 depending on the Credit Bureau. There is no magical number that is considered good because different services require different scores. For instance, a premium credit card would require a higher score than a basic credit card. However, as a general rule, 650 is considered acceptable (like a C in school), 750 is considered very good (like an A in school). Anything below 650 is a red flag and needs immediate improvement and anything over 750 is considered golden.

The most important thing to do when you get your credit score is to look through the history with a fine tooth comb. Mistakes can be made, and if there are any you need to contact the lender and have them corrected. This simple review of your credit history and score could instantly improve your credit rating.

4. Understand why a good credit score is so important
Your credit score is critically important to your financial fitness. If you have a poor score, this limits your ability to access credit, including a mortgage. It also greatly affects the interest rate you will be charged on credit, which could add thousands of dollars of interest payments over your lifetime.

Your credit score may be accessed by a financial institution, credit card company, department store, business or landlord to name a few that have a legitimate reason to request it. This means any time you apply for credit from them, they have the right to request your credit score to evaluate what type of credit risk you are. What many people are not aware of it that a poor credit score could also cost you the new job you are hoping to get, or the apartment you are trying to rent, or the insurance coverage that you may need.

If you have a low score, this reflects badly on you and makes you a high credit risk. Lenders and other institutions use your score as a measurement to determine your creditworthiness. When a landlord has a choice of tenants, she will choose the one with a better credit score, as that person is seen to be more reliable. An employer may make the same judgment call.

5. Learn how a credit score is computed
Your credit score is determined from a combination of the following:
-your payment history
-amounts owed
-length of credit history
-new credit applied for
-type of credit used

6. Understand the behavioral factor that can influence your credit scorePay your bills on time! If you habitually pay bills late, or just whenever you can afford to, you will be ruining your credit score.

It cannot be stressed enough how important paying your bills (or even a portion of them) by the date due is. Because many people are not aware of how significant their credit score is to their financial fitness, they tend to be far too casual when they bill their monthly bills. Every time you make a late payment -- even just by one day -- this lateness is reported to the credit bureau, thereby negatively affecting your score.

If you have to make a choice, it is far better to pay even a portion of your bill on time, than being late and paying it all when you can afford it. Avoid letting payment sloppiness cost you your good credit score!

Paying off debts also increases your credit score. This shows that you have used credit and fulfilled your responsibility by paying off your debt as agreed. Ensure when you check your credit rating that if you have paid off a loan that it is recorded. If it isn't contact the lender and have them add it to your report.

7. Use credit cards wisely
Limit yourself to one or two credit cards and keep them for a long time, as the length of time you have had a credit card impacts your score positively. Even if you have paid off a card and no longer want to use it actively, you can keep it and just use it from time to time (and instantly pay it off) so that you are demonstrating excellent use of credit. (See the Bonus Tip at the end for an example of how you could use these cards responsibly and for your benefit). Length of time holding a credit card is very important in determining your credit score. Don't underestimate the power of this one habit.

8. Do not exceed 50 percent of your available credit on a credit card
Always strive to maintain your credit balance on any given credit card to less than 50 percent of your limit. In other words if your credit line is $1,000 and you have $600 charged on the card, your credit balance is at 60 percent and that exceeds 50 percent of the credit line. This greatly influences your score. You get a gold star, so to speak, if you maintain a balance on your credit card of 50 per cent or less of the available credit. If you consistently carry balances that exceed 50 percent, especially on multiple cards, that triggers a negative effect. Also, if you have a credit card and have it paid off, or don't carry a monthly balance, this is a positive factor for your credit score.

9. Do not sign up for a credit card just to earn a bonus, an instant discount or to get promotional items
Be very careful to avoid the temptation to apply for and open new credit card accounts. These are often available at that time of purchase in major department stores. There are also promotional credit cards that are offered at airport or sporting events, where if you sign up you get free miles, you get a free hat, etc. Often these credit cards carry a high interest rate -- so your free hat or discount for shopping with the card is not a deal at all! By adding another credit card to your stash, this impacts your score negatively and also tempts you to spend more on credit. Resist this marketing ploy!

10. Accept responsibility and take action
One of the best ways to improve your credit score and peace of mind is to be a person of integrity. When you take out a loan, or buy something on credit, make it your personal credo to guarantee that you will pay it back in full. Make it a habit to pay your debts on time. You have made a commitment and your integrity depends on following through.

You may get into a situation from time to time where you are short of money, or you are unable to fulfill your commitment. That does not mean this is a permanent situation. You need to be proactive and assure your creditor that you do intend to pay what you committed to (or for the services you have used). Explain that you are unable to make full payment at this time. By addressing the issue up front, you are taking responsibility and reassuring your creditor that you do intend to honor your agreement.

In many cases, your supplier or your creditor will appreciate your forthrightness, and honesty, and you can mutually agree on a repayment plan.

The one thing that will take you into financial despair faster than anything else is hiding from your inability to pay your own debts. Face up to where you stand, and set up a plan to pay back whatever you owe.

Bonus Tips:

11. Automate all your monthly payments and credit card bills
To avoid any late charges set up your bills to auto-payment online. The standard payments, such as rent, are the easiest, as these remain the same. For the bills that fluctuate such as cable and cell phone, figure out the average monthly amount over the past four months and set up a payment for this amount. For your credit cards set up at least the minimum monthly payment. This way you know you will not be late and you can also pay the difference if need be. This also prevents you from spending money that you owe to someone else.

12. Turbo charge improving your credit score
When you set up your monthly bills to be automatically paid, set them up to be paid by one or more credit cards. If you have 2 or 3 credit cards, use them all for this purpose. Then set up pre-payment of the credit card for the day afterwards. In other words, pay your hydro bill by credit card online automatically and then automatically schedule to pay your credit card for this exact amount the day after. This shows activity on your credit card -- both using it for credit and paying it off. This payment would be addition to your automated minimum payment, so at the very least your credit card is being paid twice a month. In this way you get points for paying your bills on time and you get points for paying your credit card. A double bonus for improving your credit score.

SEVEN THINGS YOU MUST GIVE TO OTHERS IF YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS!

A major part of the process of achieving success and living the kind of life that you dream of is to give. Many people think that to get what you want you have to take it. There is a universal truth though that the true path to get what you want is to give. When you give, you get. What you sow, you shall reap. If this is true, then what is it we must give? I’ll show you the way…
1. Give Others Your Honesty.
The world we live in has a simple rule that most follow: Lie when you have to. Unfortunately, this may make some people wealthy but it make us humans poor. To achieve success is to become wealthy not only in money, but in character. To be successful, truly successful, is to be able to attain your goals and keep your character at the same time!
“Honesty is the most single most important factor having a direct bearing on the final success of an individual, corporation, or product.” Ed McMahon
Mister McMahon is right, though others will tell you otherwise. Some people will say, “You have to bend the truth to get ahead.” Not true. Some of the most successful people who have ever lived where honest people.
How about you? Are you honest in all things? The problem with little lies is they become big ones. Lies spin out of control. You get caught in one lie and you lie to get out of it etc.
In all things and at all times, give others your honesty.
2. Give Others Your Respect.
Most of the time we give people respect based on what they have done or what they have accomplished. We gauge whether or not they are “worthy” of it based on what we know of what they have achieved or who they know or are related to.
But I believe we should have a higher standard: We respect people not for what they have done or for who they are related to or for what they can do for us. Instead, we respect people for simply being.
What would happen in our world, in our company, and yes, even in our families if we started with respect for everyone else rather than making them earn it? I think we would see that most people would live up to the respect that we give them!
3. Give Others Your Vulnerability.
We are taught to “be strong.” And yes, we should be strong. But we have also embraced something that I think keeps us from having the kind of life that we long for. It is an idea that keeps us from experiencing the kind of relationships that would bring deep meaning to us. It is the idea of vulnerability.
“But Chris, make yourself vulnerable and people will step all over you!” It is true that this will happen. But I have also seen that most people will be drawn to you. They will help you. They will open up to you. You see, we are all broken people inside. We all have secrets. Yet everyone plays the poser. When one let’s down their veil, others soon follow – and we all win.
4. Give Others Your Care.
Too many people are running around this old earth not caring about others. The days of “Look Out for Number One” and “Winning Through Intimidation” are over! Let’s bring about a new day when we can care about others AND succeed!
Take the time to show people you care. Listen to them. Empathize with them. Love them. Now, I don’t mean that you have to go around hugging everyone – that probably wouldn’t fly in corporate America anyway – but we can take some time to step back from business and be human! And I have found that when we do so, our business succeeds as well!
5. Give Others Your Passion.
There is nothing this world needs more than passionate people. And people need passionate people. Living in this day and age can be tiring. The hustle and bustle of it all can wear you down and tire you out. Give your passion to others and fire them up.
Don’t just be humdrum – be excited. Give people all the energy you can muster up. And you will find that energy reciprocal. They will get energized and passionate. This in turn will fire you up more when you are already charged and get you going altogether when you don’t feel like moving at all!
6. Give Others Your Experience.
We all have areas that we excel in and they are usually areas that we have experience in. One of the things we can do to make our lives more meaningful and be of utmost help to others is to show them the way through the experiences we have.
Sometimes it will be what they should do: Shortcuts to take, people to meet etc. Sometimes it will be what they should not do: Shortcuts not to take and people toasty away from! Whatever it is, we can be of service to others by giving them our experience and ultimately it will make us all better!
7. Give Others Your Help.
All in all, what we want to do is to help others. Zig Ziglar says that if we will “help others get what they want, we will in turn get what we want.” If we want to be successful, we should consider ourselves servants of other people. What can we do to help them and make them better? This is the true path to greatness and success, not only in business but in life!
If you want to live the life you have always dreamed of ask yourself if you:

• Give Others Your Honesty
• Give Others Your Respect
• Give Others Your Vulnerability
• Give Others Your Care
• Give Others Your Passion
• Give Others Your Experience
• Give Others Your Help

THE SOURCE FOR MAXIMUM MOTIVATION

Procrastination is, basically, avoiding something we don't
want to do. Rationally, I may want the benefits an action
could bring, but if I also fear embarrassment or
discomfort, I procrastinate. It's a way to cope with
situations where we both want and fear a possible outcome,
so I view it as a form of negative motivation. When I
procrastinate, it simply means that, at some level, I'm
motivated to avoid a situation.
There are many forms of negative motivation. Laziness is
the desire to maximize temporary comfort above all else.
Fear of failure or punishment can motivate people for brief
periods, but it's not efficient in the long run. Artificial
deadlines, contests and "motivational seminars" are
adrenaline-based ways to boost performance, and to some
degree, they all work.
But they are not a firm foundation upon which to build a
life. Negative motivation works in an emergency, but not
for a lifetime.
Positive motivation, on the other hand, is value-driven and
much more efficient. When I'm motivated by a positive
vision, a sense of destiny or desire, my behavior, thoughts
and attitudes are all pointed in the same direction.
When there is consistency between our values (love of
family) and our stated goals (being a good parent), and we
have a clear strategy to achieve the goal (parenting books
or classes, good models from our own parents, etc), taking
action is not difficult.
When our values, our goals and our strategies are aligned,
human beings are incredibly productive! Want examples? Ask
any kid learning to walk, or wanting to stay up past her
bed-time. Ask a teenager who wants to make the team or
date someone her parents don't like. When our values, our
goals, and our strategies are aligned, we get things done!
It's only when these things are out of alignment that we
struggle. When one of my key values (to spend more time as
a family) conflicts with my goals (to get that promotion),
or when I don't have a viable strategy, I get in trouble.
Without an effective strategy, why try?
To achieve more, start by checking your core values. Many
people get in trouble at this point. We say we value
ambition, but we actually value vacations or relaxation
even more. Or, here's a common example--most people say
they value a comfortable retirement, but they actually
value the pleasure of a new car or eating out even more.
To increase motivation, start with a rigorous examination
of your core values. What is most IMPORTANT to you?
Second, make sure your daily actions and the small goals
of daily life actually reflect your values. Ask most adults
to list their five- or ten-year goals and they'll sound
pretty good. But ask them to list their daily projects or
their plans for the weekend, and you may see a conflict.
Make sure your value of financial security is reflected on
your monthly credit card statement.
Third, always work with tried-and-true strategies, and
remember that "hope is not a strategy." Have a plan, and
work your plan. Make an action list or create a "road map."
And here’s a hint: Most ambitious people know they should
have written goals, but not as many take the time to
develop a great strategy. Have a solid, workable and
confident strategy!
To achieve more, make sure your core values, your short-
term goals and your daily strategies are aligned. Make sure
you can say, "day by day, I’m getting better and better."
When your daily actions accurately reflect your priorities
and your core values, and you have a solid strategy, you'll
win every time.

YOUR TEAM FOR ACHIEVEMENT

The poet wrote that "no man is an island" and that is
certainly true for business people. By definition, business
flourishes in the "market-place", with vendors and
suppliers, staff and employees, and customers all around!
It's how business gets done.
At the same time, however, too many business people feel
alone. In some micro-businesses, one person is quite
literally the owner, the manager, the staff, the janitor
and the bookkeeper. That can be lonely and inefficient.
Trying to work from home, or from a one-person office can
be distracting and (at times) depressing.
Even if you work with other people, however, too often the
feeling or sense is still that we are "all alone,"
especially if you are in a position of leadership.
One of the most valuable resources any entrepreneur,
professional or small business leader can have is a Master
Mind team of safe, trusted, colleagues who will listen and
advise you. Having a TEAM of people who will be honest with
you, who understand your challenges and will share their
wisdom can be a HUGE advantage!
If you don't have a "kitchen cabinet" or unofficial "board
of directors," get one! That may sound strong, but the
John Donne was right--none of us functions at our best when
we have to do it all ourselves. Get a team. Get some
advisors you trust, people who know and understand your
situation, people who do not compete with you and who will
not play games. Meet with them about once a week for
breakfast or lunch, and help each other to do and become
your best!

TWO QUESTIONS YOU MUST ANSWER TO WIN THE SALE

Meeting with a prospect seems like a gift when, after a brief discovery phase, they ask you to submit a proposal. From their immediate interest, you are certain you must have the ideal solution for what they say they want.
Not so fast. Things are not always as easy as they seem. Success in competitive, complex selling situations hinges on crucial factor many in sales overlook. Winning an opportunity takes more than having a great product or service. A catalyst has sparked a need at their company – and you must discover it, and tailor your solution to meet their personal and business specifications, in order to be successful.
 You need to ask two very telling questions:

1. What is prompting this interest?
   • There is always a catalyst involving a specific business challenge that they want to fix, accomplish or avoid in order to achieve a specific outcome. You must discover it. If you can’t articulate the issue they have, you’re not ready to close the sale.
2. Why buy from you? This second question gets personal and may be tougher to discern. In complex sales, numerous people influence the buying process. Each Buying Influence weighs two factors:
   • Does the solution solve the company’s challenge
   • How does it impact them – because the chosen solution always has a personal impact. It may make their job easier, impress a boss, secure a raise or have another side benefit.

Building a trusting relationship with a prospect aids in uncovering these often unspoken motivators prompting interest in your product. Discovering the two-fold “why” behind the sale, and tailoring your solution to address both, increases the likelihood you will turn this prospect into your customer and that you will build a meaningful business relationship over time.

COMPLEX SELLING IN TODAY'S MARKET

It’s no secret that the entire process of selling is much more complex today than it has ever been before.

It used to be that we would make a single call on a single buyer who would make a single decision on our product or offering. In this simple form of selling, we used the attention/interest/ desire/action (AIDA) model of sales presentation and focused intensely on numerous different ways of closing the sale. Then, once we had made the sale, in many cases we never saw the customer again.

Today, however, everything is different and everything has changed. Today we must make multiple calls, an average of five or six, in order to make the sale. We deal with multiple decision makers in an organization, each of whom can influence the purchase. Much of the sale takes place when we are not present. Sometimes we never even meet the final decision maker who signs the check. And it is not unusual for a sale to be derailed at the last minute by something completely unexpected.

If that weren’t enough, there is more fierce competition than ever before and it is more determined and resolute than it has ever been in the past. Not only must we compete on the basis of price, quality, services, capabilities, financing and warranties with many other vendors of our product or service, but we must also compete with every other vendor of every other product or service who is striving to get the same customer dollar that we are after. Our competitors are extremely determined, driven the same as we are by tight markets and careful customers. They are committed to starting earlier, working harder, and staying up later thinking of ways to take our customers away from us.

Our prospective customers are beset on all sides by every conceivable sales offering. They are drowning in details, options and choices, and it’s because of this overwhelm that they are in no hurry to make up their minds. With markets changing and contracting, the amount of discretionary funds they have available has shrunken and they are more careful today than they have ever had to be in the past.

The purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer; this is the key to profitability. If a business does this in sufficient quantity and with proper cost controls, it will make a profit. The profit is the result of creating and keeping customers efficiently.

As the president of your own professional sales corporation, your job is to create and keep customers as well. And just as a company must continually restructure and redesign its product and service offerings to satisfy the changing tastes of a demanding and competitive customer marketplace, you as a salesperson must constantly upgrade the quality and sophistication of your sales procedures and approaches if you are going to create customers in sufficient quantity.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, be prepared to make multiple calls on a customer to close a large or complex sale. Plan your sales work systematically so you always have a new reason for calling back.

Second, think continually about how you have to change and improve your selling and your offering if you want to succeed in a tough market. Work on yourself every day and never stop getting better.

INCREASE YOUR VALUE AND GET PAID

Your goal is to organize your life in such a way that you enjoy a good income, a high standard of living, and that you are the master of your economic destiny rather than a victim of changing economic times. Does this sound consistent with your goals?

Contribution Is the Key

Your job is an opportunity to contribute a value to your company in excess of your cost. In its simplest terms, your job is as secure as your ability to render value in excess of what it costs to keep you on the payroll. If you want to earn more money at your current job, you have to increase your value, your contribution to the enterprise.

Add Value Every Day

If you want to get a new job, you have to find a way to contribute value to that enterprise. If you want any kind of job security, you must continually work at maintaining and increasing your value in the competitive marketplace.

And here's a key point. Your education, knowledge, skills and experience all are investments in your ability to contribute a value for which you can be paid. But they are like any other investments. They are highly speculative.

And here's a key point. Your education, knowledge, skills and experience all are investments in your ability to contribute a value for which you can be paid. But they are like any other investments. They are highly speculative.

Once you have learned a subject or developed a skill, it is a sunk cost. It is time and money spent that you cannot get back. No employer in the marketplace has any obligation to pay you for it, unless he can use your skill to produce a product or service that people are ready to buy, today.

Prepare For Your Next Job

Whatever job you are doing, you should be preparing for your next job. And the key question is always: Where are the customers? Which businesses and industries are growing in this economy, and which ones are declining?

Where Is The Future?

I continually meet people who ask me how they can increase their income when their entire industry is shrinking. I tell them that there are jobs with futures and there are jobs without futures, and they need to get into a field that is expanding, not contracting.

Never Be Without A Job

There are three forms of unemployment in America: voluntary, involuntary, and frictional. Voluntary employment exists when a person decides not to work for a certain period of time, or not to accept a particular type of job, hoping that something better will come along. Involuntary unemployment exists when a person is willing and able to work but cannot find a job anywhere. Frictional unemployment is the natural level; this includes the approximately 4 or 5 percent of the working population who are between jobs at any given time.

Three Keys to Lifelong Employment

However, there are always jobs for the creative minority. You never have to be unemployed if you will do one of three things: change the work that you are offering to do, change the place where you are offering to work, or change the amount that you are asking for your services. You should consider one or more of these three strategies whenever you are dissatisfied with your current work situation.