Enlightr - Smart Self Improvement Updates

Friday, 20 November 2009 15:44 - The 7 Signs of a Leader - A Must Read

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:44:01 -0800

Below are the 7 Signs of a Leader:

Vision. Leaders are visionaries; they know where they're going, and their committed to bringing others along.
Discipline. Leaders are disciplined individuals. They are the first partaker of what they preach and they exemplify unprecedented discipline, focus, and commitment in the achievement of their vision.
Emotional Strength. Leaders are not easily shaken. Leaders anticipate challenges and are not derailed by obstacles.
Experience. Leaders have experience. In other words, they've been around the block a few times and they know where they're going.
Respect. Leaders have earned the respect of their followers by becoming an "example." They chart the course, follow their destiny, and inspire others in the process.
People Skills. Leaders have great people skills; they are friendly to the unfriendly, they know how to respond in every situation.
Momentum and Timing. Finally, leaders know how to create momentum, and they know when to act. Nothing great is ever accomplished without momentum and timing.

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Original post created by Dumb Little Man and Summarised by Craig.

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Friday, 20 November 2009 15:34 - 8 Reasons We Don’t Do Things We Should and How To Break ...

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:34:38 -0800

Being Comfortable (and Lack of a Burning Desire). It's a comfort where you're not making progress towards your dreams but you're not in that much pain either. The best motivators are pain and progress.
Distractions. Cut out everything in your life that doesn't fulfill you, giving you room to get back to the basics and do the things that you know you should be doing.
Excuses. Create a mastermind group or find a friend who has similar goals to remain accountable for your actions.
Confusion. To fight the overwhelm sit back with a pen and paper and write out a clear plan of what you should be doing. Break it down into numbers.
Misuse of Negativity. Negativity can be used constructively as long as you don't dwell on it. "What will happen if I don't do this?" See an unhealthy you if you don't go for that run etc
Money Doesn't Motivate. Live for something greater than money.
Lack of Ambition. When we set a small goal there's a lack of excitement. Make it a 10km jog or 400m sprint though and suddenly it's something to work towards.
Uncertainty. If you're uncertain something will lead to the result you want or expect it can be difficult to commit to it. To overcome uncertainty model yourself after other people who have achieved what you desire.

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Original post created by Pick The Brain and Summarised by Craig.

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Wednesday, 18 November 2009 17:15 - Seven Ways to Create More Time In Your Day

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:15:18 -0800

Get Up Earlier. Get up fifteen minutes earlier.
Create a Plan. At the start of your workday make a plan. Jot down the three most important tasks you want to accomplish that day.
Batch Tasks Together. Keep similar tasks together. When you switch from one thing to another, your brain takes a few minutes to catch up and settle in.
Block Out Chunks of Time. The best way to tackle big projects is to force them into your schedule.
Don't Multitask. Although multitasking feels efficient – because it feels busy – it actually loses you time.
Stay Focused. You'll accomplish much more by working in a deliberately focused way.
Finish Work On Time. Finally, one of the best ways to make more time in your life is to finish your work on time!

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Original post created by Dumb Little Man and Summarised by Craig.

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Tuesday, 17 November 2009 16:41 - The Bruce Lee Approach to Valuing of Money

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:41:55 -0800

From the book, 'Striking Thoughts' Bruce Lee talks about money as a useful tool, nothing more. Here are some of the lessons:

The Nature Of Money. "Money of itself has no explicit nature. Money is what one makes of it"
Money Is A Means To An End. Once you understand that money cannot purchase the emotions, relationships, or feelings that truly lead to happiness, money (and material possessions) will become much less important to you.
Money Is An Indirect Matter. If you do something just for the money, the love of it will soon die. If you do something you love, then the money is secondary but it will come a lot easier and it will last longer.
A Fair Share Of The Profit. By looking at what is fair for all parties involved you will be known as a fair and trustworthy person. If you take bigger slices of the profit, the profits will soon dry up.
The Good Times Will Not Always Last. "If you make 10 dollars this year, always think to yourself that next year you may only make five dollars - so be prepared."
Keep Money In Perspective. "Sure money is important in providing for my family and giving us what want. But it isn't everything."
Enjoying Your Work Is The Important Thing. "I have found that doing a thing is more important. I am having fun doing it. Money comes second."

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Original post created by Dumb Little Man and Summarised by Craig.

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Monday, 16 November 2009 00:00 - Beat Parkinson’s Law and Supercharge Your Productivity

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

6 Surefire Ways to Beat Parkinson's Law

Break Down Your Tasks and Deadlines. Parkinson's Law always strikes the hardest when you have enormous tasks with far-away deadlines. The best way to fix this is, of course, breaking those big, monolithic tasks into many smaller, bite-sized tasks, along with several intermediate deadlines to complete them.
Know What 'Done' Means. It's not always easy to know for sure when a task is finished. The more of a perfectionist you are, the most likely you're a victim of Parkinson's Law.
Set Clear Boundaries. To avoid Parkinson's Law's effects and finish tasks sooner, we must work on them one at a time, focused and with as few distractions as possible.
Challenge Yourself. When you have a tight time limit or deadline, it forces your brain to figure out ways to get it done in the time available.
Create Incentives to Finish Early. If you finish early, give yourself mini-rewards: take a quick break, browse the web, go for a walk — do whatever takes your fancy — and enjoy the feeling of having deserved it.
Know What's Next. Something that happens too often is hanging on too long to a task solely because we don't know exactly what to do next.

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Original post created by Lite Mind and Summarised by Craig.

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Monday, 16 November 2009 00:00 - The Simple, Ridiculously Useful Guide to Earning a Living ...

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

So you have your passion picked out? Here's how to turn it into a living:

Learn. Read up on it, from blogs to magazine articles online to books to ebooks.
Do. Do not put this step off for months and months while you learn. You'll learn most by doing.
Get amazing at it. This is just more doing and learning.
Start charging. As soon as you can do it well enough to charge, do so.
Keep improving. Never stop learning, getting better.
Build income streams. Build as many income streams as you can, one at a time. Examples: Regular consulting gigs, Freelance jobs, Ads or affiliate income from a blog or website.
Equipment and office? For most passions, you can probably do it from your home with minimal equipment (often just a computer).
Quit your job? If you can possibly afford it, yes.
Work for a company? If you get good at something, you'll be in demand. You can then work for a company if you like.

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Original post created by Zen Habits and Summarised by Craig.

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Saturday, 14 November 2009 00:00 - Work Smart by Thinking Like a Lazy Person

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Lazy people find ways to accomplish something with the least amount of effort.
If you are lazy, you will diligently find ways not to work. Applied to finishing tasks, it means that you try to accomplish it with the least amount of work possible.
They don't bother doing something that won't give them results.

Here are four things you will do if you think like a lazy person:

Question whether or not something is worth doing.
Do only things with the most impact. Your resources are limited so invest them.
Take the shortest path. Don't waste your time on unnecessary bells and whistles.
Use as much leverage as possible. Before doing something, find the things you can leverage.

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Original post created by Life Optimizer and Summarised by Craig.

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Friday, 13 November 2009 00:00 - How To Focus On What Truly Matters

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Breaking It Down

Here are a few question to help you focus on what truly matters:

What does my life look like ten years from now?
What is my purpose? Determine your life's mission.
What excites me? We know what gets our heart pumping, and what gets us excited to jump out of bed in the morning.
What can I let slide? There are never enough hours in the day to do everything.
Do the consequences have meaning. If something doesn't mean anything to you, then regardless of how important it is to others it may be time to let it go.

Making Time

Here are some tips to help you make time for what truly matters:

Do it first. Some people have experienced significant increases in productivity when writing, working out, or meditating early in the morning.
Schedule it in.
Treat it as an emergency. Every day that you spend on tasks that don't matter is a day you can never recover – and that, to me, is an emergency.

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Original post created by Zen Habits and Summarised by Craig.

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Thursday, 12 November 2009 00:00 - 4 Ways to REALLY Make Time Work For You

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Use Your First Hour. An easy solution is to take the first hour of your day and use it for what really matters to you. Everything else can wait for just one hour.
Use Your Diary. If you never seem to have a free day to clear the garage, or a weekend to get that small business launched, then pick up your diary and plan.
Use Your Friends. Don't be afraid to ask for the support that you need: many people will be genuinely glad to do you a favor.
Use Your Willpower. Finally, in order to make time for the things which really matter to you, you'll need to use your willpower.

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Original post created by Pick The Brain and Summarised by Craig.

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Wednesday, 11 November 2009 00:00 - The Short but Powerful Guide to Finding Your Passion

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Create a list of the following:

What are you good at? Think back, as far as you can, to jobs, projects, hobbies. This could be your passion. Or you may have several things. Start a list of potential candidates.
What excites you? It may be something at work — a little part of your job that gets you excited.
What do you read about? What have you spent hours reading about online?
What have you secretly dreamed of? You might have some ridiculous dream job you've always wanted to do — to be a novelist, an artist, a designer etc
Learn, ask, take notes. Make a list of notes of things you need to learn, need to improve on, skills you want to master, people to talk to.
Experiment, try. If you haven't been already, start to do the thing you've chosen.
Narrow things down. I recommend that you pick 3-5 things from your list.
Banish your fears. First, acknowledge it rather than ignoring or denying it. Second, write it down, to externalize it. Third, feel it, and be OK with having it. Fourth, ask yourself, "What's the worst that can happen?" Fifth, prepare yourself for doing it anyway, and then do it.
Find the time. Don't have the time to pursue this passion? Make the time, dammit!
How to make a living doing it. This doesn't happen overnight. You need to do something, get good at it, be passionate about it. This could take months or years, but if you're having fun, that's what's most important.

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Original post created by Zen Habits and Summarised by Craig.

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Monday, 09 November 2009 00:00 - It’s Not Rocket Science: How to Choose Your Life Partner

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Consider qualities that are important to you. Become familiar with the qualities that you desire in a partner.
Remember these qualities when you are dating. Now that you have developed a list, have the wisdom to use it.
Discuss the big issues. Spare yourself future challenge by initiating open discussions about children, child-rearing, money, work, religion, where to live, and relationships with extended family.
Find a good friend. Do you have common interests? Is your conversation enjoyable and stimulating? Would you choose to spend a free day with this person?
Find a lover. Start off with sexual compatibility, and you are building a strong foundation now and for the future.
Don't think that love, or sexual attraction, is enough. Love and sexual attraction are beautiful expressions, but they are not enough for choosing a life partner.
Determine if you can solve problems together. Look for, and be, someone who speaks respectfully and is open to other points of view.
Decide if you can accept your potential partner's idiosyncrasies. Take the blinders off, and see with your eyes wide open to determine if the person you are considering is someone you can actually live with on a daily basis.
Know your dealbreakers. Only you can know your bottom line. If you are mistreated or disrespected in any way, think twice before moving forward.
Be an amazing partner. Reflect within yourself to become aware of the difficulties you might contribute to a relationship. Are you too clingy or afraid of getting close? Be happy in your own life, and you will effortlessly bring happiness to others.

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Original post created by Pick The Brain and Summarised by Craig.

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Monday, 09 November 2009 00:00 - The Little Rules of Action

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Don't overthink. Too much thinking often results in getting stuck, in going in circles.
Just start. All the planning in the world will get you nowhere. You need to take that first step.
Forget perfection. Perfectionism is the enemy of action. Kill it, immediately.
Don't mistake motion for action. A common mistake. A fury of activity doesn't mean you're doing anything.
Focus on the important actions. Pick the one most important thing you must do today, and focus on that. Exclusively.
Move slowly, consciously. Be deliberate. Action doesn't need to be done fast.
Take small steps. Biting off more than you can chew will kill the action.
Negative thinking gets you nowhere. Positive thinking, as corny as it sounds, really works.
Meetings aren't action. This is a common mistake in management.
Talking (usually) isn't action. Communication is necessary, but don't mistake it for actual action.
Planning isn't action.
Reading about it isn't action.
Sometimes, inaction is better. If you find yourself spinning your wheels rethink whether the action is even necessary.

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Original post created by Zen Habits and Summarised by Craig.

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Friday, 06 November 2009 00:00 - 11 Ways to Think Outside the Box

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Study another industry. Go to the library and pick up a trade magazine in an industry other than your own.
Learn about another religion. Starting to see the reason in another religion can also help you develop mental flexibility.
Take a class. Learning a new topic will not only teach you a new set of facts and figures, it will teach you a new way of looking at and making sense of aspects of your everyday life.
Read a novel in an unfamiliar genre. Try reading something you'd never have touched otherwise – if you read literary fiction, try a mystery or science fiction novel.
Write a poem. While most problem-solving leans heavily on our brain's logical centers, poetry neatly bridges our more rational left-brain though processes and our more creative right-brain processes.
Draw a picture. Drawing a picture is even more right-brained, and can help break your logical left-brain's hold on a problem the same way a poem can.
Turn it upside down. Turning something upside-down, whether physically by flipping a piece of paper around or metaphorically by re-imagining it can help you see patterns that wouldn't otherwise be apparent.
Work backwards. Just like turning a thing upside down, working backwards breaks the brain's normal conception of causality.
Ask a child for advice. Ask a child how they might tackle a problem, or if you don't have a child around think about how you might reformulate a problem so that a child could understand it if one was available.
Invite randomness. Embracing mistakes and incorporating them into your projects, developing strategies that allow for random input etc can help to move beyond everyday patterns of thinking into the sublime.
Take a shower.There's some kind of weird psychic link between showering and creativity.

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Original post created by Life Hack and Summarised by Craig.

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Friday, 06 November 2009 00:00 - 2 Tricks That Help Overcome Procrastination

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Here are 2 ways to overcome procrastination:

Eliminate Fear. Positive emotions pull you towards what you want; negative emotions push you away.
Cultivate Desire. Your emotions are what drive your behavior. If you keep putting something off, then you don't have a burning desire to do it. No desire = no action.

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Thursday, 05 November 2009 00:00 - 12 Lists That Help You Get Things Done

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Some of the lists that can make you more productive or otherwise make life easier include:

Task lists: A simple list of things you have to do.
Project planning: Creating a list of tasks associated with a projects can be a great way to wrap your head around the project.
Wish lists: A wishlist is a list of things you want to buy but don't need right away.
Grocery/shopping lists: One of my most effective lists is a simple one-page list I made of all the groceries I regularly bought.
Gift ideas: Keep a list of odd, attractive, or just-right-for-you-know-who items throughout the year to help make Christmas, birthday, and anniversary shopping less stressful.
Checklists: Any recurrent multi-step tasks – like packing for a business trip can be done more easily if you write up a simple checklist.
Reading journal: Basically, this is a list of books you've read with notes and adequate information to recall the text later.
Links and logins: Almost everyone has dozens of websites they need to log into on a regular basis. Keeping a list of all these sites and your login info can be a lifesaver!
Life lists: A list of your short- and long-term goals can be a great motivator, as well as a trigger list to help generate new projects.
Reference: Any information you find yourself referring to often can make a useful list – metric conversions etc
Logs: Broadly speaking, a log is a list of events tied to specific dates/times. Keeping a list of your exercise achievements etc
Daily summaries: A one- or two-line summary of the day's events can help to remind you of problems that arose as well as how you dealt with them.

How to Keep Track of Your Lists

Pen-and-paper: A notebook can be easily modified to make all your lists accessible.
Desktop software: If you're using Outlook or Lotus Notes, you have a task list manager at hand. Other options include using a note-taking program like Evernote or OneNote etc
Web Applications: Any task-list manager that allows categories (Todoist is a great one, since it literally allows you to create multiple lists).
Wikis: Wikis are excellent list management tools. I've listed them separately because various wikis run on your desktop (like TiddlyWiki, a self-contained, easy-to-use wiki) or online (try PBWorks or WetPaint).

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Original post created by Life Hack and Summarised by Craig.

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Thursday, 05 November 2009 00:00 - How to Become More Intelligent

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

5 Ways to Become More Intelligent

Read Often. Do you realize that through reading you can learn in a few hours what took someone decades to learn? Reading not only informs, but it also increases your capacity for learning, thereby increasing your intelligence.
Teach Others. Teaching increases your capacity for reasoning, a critical aspect of intelligence.
Get Into Action. Action increases your capacity to understand a subject.
Master One Subject. Mastery is a sign of intelligence. Mastery comes from focusing on one subject until you fully understand it.
Bonus: Watch More Television. By watching more television, you can become more "well-rounded."

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Original post created by Dumb Little Man and Summarised by Craig.

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Thursday, 05 November 2009 00:00 - How to Become Great

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

They say success leaves clues; this implies, “if we look at people who are great, we’d find a common denominator, a golden thread tying them all together.”

Here’s what I think we’d find:

We’d find people who discovered their talent and then showcased that talent to the world in a ”new” and creative way.
There’s nothing new under the sun. William Faulkner said, “The artist is of no importance. Only what he creates is important, since there is nothing new to be said.”
Becoming Great. To become great we must focus our attention on developing our unique and dominant gifts.
What do you do best? “The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.” – Malcolm S. Forbes
Life is too short for you not to be great.
You can do it. Just like a seed, you have everything you need on the inside of you to succeed.

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Thursday, 05 November 2009 00:00 - How to Enjoy the Present

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Focus. Pure focus is bliss. When your thoughts, actions and emotions are all directed towards a single function you are focusing and you are in the present.
Mastermind. Find like-minded individuals and bump your heads together and share ideas.
Take it slow. Being in a rush doesn’t give you a chance to appreciate the present.
Find balance. Anything in excess is dangerous. Practice the art of work-life separation and strive to do everything in moderation.
Be certain. Where are you going? Understand what you want the future to hold and set a plan to accommodate for that.
Unfocus. Productiveness isn’t always beneficial. It’s great to get stuff done, but at times it’s even better to sit back and lose yourself in something that is fun.

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Original post created by Life Optimizer and Summarised by Craig.

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Wednesday, 04 November 2009 00:00 - Stop Talking & Start Doing

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Visualizing Action, Not Outcome

A lot of self-development people say that you need to fully visualize your outcome if you want to reach it.
Instead of visualizing the outcome, you’ll have more success with your goals if you visualize yourself taking action that leads you toward your goal.

Action Provides Its Own Rewards

Many people talk rather than act as a way to gain validation from others without actually making progress or changing their lives.
If you’re like this at all, stop talking. Set yourself a goal – some small habit that you want to change – and take the first step towards achieving it.

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Original post created by Alex Shalman and Summarised by Craig.

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Wednesday, 04 November 2009 00:00 - The Only Way to Become Amazingly Great at Something

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

There’s only one way to become good at something:

First, you must learn it by reading or listening to others who know how to do it, but most especially by doing.
Then do some more. At this point, you’ll start to understand it, but you’ll suck. This stage could take months.
Do some more. After a couple of years, you’ll get good at it.
Do some more. If you learn from mistakes, and aren’t afraid to make mistakes in the first place, you’ll go from good to great.

It takes anywhere from 6-10 years to get great at something.
Some estimate that it takes 10,000 hours to master something.
It takes desire, it takes drive, it takes lots and lots of doing.

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Monday, 02 November 2009 00:00 - How to Get Out of Bed When You Really Don’t Feel Like It

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

What’s Your Motivation?

First off, why are you getting out of bed?
Find something that’s meaningful to you and make that your reason to get up in the morning.It could be as simple as a tasty breakfast.

Don’t Think Too Much

Don't think about getting up: just get out of bed and start moving – your mind will catch up with you!
If you find yourself running through everything you need to do in the day, stop.

Practical Tips

Go to Bed Earlier. Make sure you’re getting good quality sleep, too.
Put Your Alarm Across the Room. So long as you stay out of bed once you’re up, you’re there!
Have Your Clothes Ready. Put out your clothes the night before.

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Monday, 02 November 2009 00:00 - How to Stop Being a Workaholic

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

This is a common problem, and one that has several parts we should look at separately:

Being achievement-motivated.
Being a workaholic.
Learning to relax and de-stress.
Learning to feel good about it.

To answer:

Stop being achievement-motivated. There’s nothing wrong with achievements or being proud of them. But it shouldn’t be the only thing that motivates you. Do things because you love them.
Stop being a workaholic. Stop working after a certain time — say 5 or 6 p.m. Make this a hard line: tell your office not to call you after this time, and don’t take your work home. Don’t check email or do other work-related communication after this point.Schedule other things into your life - Make dates with your partner etc
Learn to relax and de-stress.Schedule a physical activity just about every day. Schedule some solitude. This could be 10 minutes of reading alone, or walking quietly etc
Learn to feel good about it. We have to stop thinking that hard work is the only virtuous way. Relaxing and being lazy are necessary to good health and happiness.

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Saturday, 31 October 2009 00:00 - Four Kinds of Vampires that Haunt Your Life (and What to Do ...

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

The time-sucking fiend. The time-sucking fiend seeks only your time – the more of it they can consume, the stronger they get. But the most powerful weapon in your arsenal against time-sucking fiends, your wooden stake, is to just say "No".
The humorless hellhound. Besides taking up your time, the humorless hellhound sucks the fun out of life, demanding an explanation of every off-hand comment you or anyone else makes. Be firm with the humorless hellhound – simply say "It wasn't important" and steer the conversation back.
The vacuous horror. The vacuous horror is an idiot, and he or she doesn't care who knows it. Their pleasures are simple: drink to excess, bed hot chicks or dudes etc. The silver bullet here is to tell them it all sounds pretty lame.
The detail demon. While attention to detail is important, the detail demon isn't concerned with making sure things work, he or she is concerned with a thousand minor points that have no significance. Like the time-sucking fiend, under no circumstances give the detail demon any control over your time! Instead, ask them to write up an itemized list of their concerns and email it to you.

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Original post created by Life Hack and Summarised by Craig.

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Friday, 30 October 2009 00:00 - 7 Must Read Productivity Steps to Finally Getting Things Done

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Here are the 7 Master Steps to Productivity

Write Down What You Want to Accomplish and Give it a Deadline. It's critical that you define each task that you want to accomplish and give each task a deadline.
Create a Simple Plan for Getting Things Done. You need a "plan," or "directions" to get you from where you are, to where you want to be.
Schedule Critical Tasks Daily. Critical tasks are tasks that directly impact the achievement of your goal.
Eat that "Ugly Frog" First. The "ugly frog" represents a critical task that you are reluctant to perform. The best thing to do with an ugly frog is to eat it first.
Focus on the task at Hand. Broken focus is the number one reason goals aren't accomplished.
Just Say "No". Just say no to tasks that are not in alignment with your goals.
Track and Report Your Progress. Finally, there's nothing like some good ole' peer pressure to get you motivated. Tell someone about your goal and keep them posted on your progress!

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Original post created by Dumb Little Man and Summarised by Craig.

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Friday, 30 October 2009 00:00 - The Importance of Giving Up

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Why is it essential? Why is it necessary to give up? Because it allows you to focus your energy on the few things that are truly important. By giving up, you:

Stop unfruitful effort. What’s the point of spending your time and energy on something that doesn’t work?
Avoid spreading yourself too thin. There are probably many things that you want to achieve. But you can’t achieve everything you want.
Reduce your stress. Don’t let your ambition stop you from enjoying your life.
Free up time for your loved ones. Don’t be so busy that you don’t have time for your loved ones.

In essence, here is what you need to do:

Find what matters to you. What makes you feel fulfilled? What gives you inner satisfaction?
Assess your life every now and then. Even if you already find what matters to you, the busyness of life can obscure it.
Learn to let go. The more resources you spend on it, the more opportunities you lose.
Refocus your effort. Once you’ve given up the less important things, renew your focus and effort on the few important ones.

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Wednesday, 28 October 2009 00:00 - 10 Tips for Navigating the Waters of Life

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

10 Tips for Navigating the Waters of Life

Trust Your instincts. When you go against instinct you almost ALWAYS end up in a complete mess.
Bail out when you think you won't make it. If it feel like you are on the brink of a severe wipeout, you are almost always right.
Be Present. "Don't worry about getting ahead, focus on what you're doing right now. Be present. The rest will take care of itself."
Shake the wipeouts right away. Sometimes despite trusting your instincts, bailing out when you think you should, and being completely in the moment, you will fail. It's just part of life.
Be Patient. Sometimes slowing down will get you where you want to go much faster, and is less likely to get you into an accident.
Small adjustments make a big difference. If you can find that one small thing that makes a big difference, you'll expend less effort for more results.
Timing can make the difference between a great ride and a severe wipeout.
Wave selection can make all the difference. Choose the right wave and you'll catch one wave after another.
Laugh and Smile every single day. After all is said and done if you don't laugh and smile, then it doesn't really matter how much of the above you incorporate into your life.

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Tuesday, 27 October 2009 00:00 - How to Free Yourself From Limiting Beliefs

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

When you are free of limiting beliefs, you experience the following:

Space for creativity to flow through you
Clarity about your everyday decisions as well as your life path
Happiness and confidence
Energy for the activities and people that bring you fulfillment
Greater ability to focus

Step #1: Identify the beliefs that hold you back

To help you identify your mental habits, see if you recognize yourself in any of these common patterns:
The perfection-seeker is hard-driving, critical, and pushy.
The naysayer is negative about everything – you, your abilities, your ideas.
The doubter is full of worry and mistrust.
The procrastinator's favorite word is mañana, tomorrow.
The blamer holds other people and circumstances responsible for your failure to shine.

Step #2: Break up with the beliefs.

These limiting beliefs have incorrectly defined who you are. If you give them attention, they will continue; if you disregard them, they will eventually lose their power over you.
Tell yourself: They are not true; I don't need them; They hold me back; They bring me unhappiness; They are distortions of reality; They keep me from realizing my potential.

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Tuesday, 27 October 2009 00:00 - 6 Productivity Principles to Live By

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Principle 6: Devote Time

We can do anything, but not everything.
How to Apply this Principle. Use a time budget. In a time budget you define shares of time for the areas or goals you care about.

Principle 5: Focus Your Attention

Developing a strategy for overcoming resistance and dealing with distractions is essential for maximum productivity.
How to Apply this Principle. Use time boxing. Time boxing is a technique I use every day to overcome procrastination, conquer perfectionism and maximize overall efficiency. The concept is really simple: delimit blocks of time to work on tasks.

Principle 4: Honor Thy Commitments

The feeling of being productive comes not from the quantity of tasks we do, but from honoring the commitments we set for ourselves.
How to Apply this Principle. Use will-do lists. ‘Will do’ lists replace a bunch of intentions with a small set of commitments.

Principle 3: Develop a Sustainable Pace

We need to strike a balance between work and play — between engagement and rest.
How to Apply this Principle. Will-do lists. As soon as I’m done with the will-do list for the day, I’m done. Time boxes. also help keep work activities together.

Principle 2: Keep Moving On

More important than setting big goals is to just keep going.
How to Apply this Principle. Daily and Weekly Reviews. Assess your projects and tasks every day and make sure that you define next steps for all your projects.

Principle 1: Feel Good. Now.

“Being productive” only makes sense if you’re enjoying yourself as you work on the stuff that’s relevant.
How to Apply this Principle. Take a one-minute self-assessment at the end of the day. How was your day?

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Monday, 26 October 2009 00:00 - How to Be More Decisive

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Honor Your Feelings and Preferences. In your life, how often do you let someone else's choices determine yours?
Don't Try to Second-Guess Others. Do you end up making certain decisions because you want to keep other people happy?
Doing Nothing is Still a Decision. Indecisive people often end up doing nothing at all. But, keeping things exactly as they are is still a decision – and often a disastrous one.
Have "Decision Criteria" to Help You. Which decision will cost me (or save me) more time? Which will cost (or earn) more money? Which requires a longer-term commitment? Which will bring me new skills?

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Monday, 26 October 2009 00:00 - Are You Risking Losing Everything In Pursuit of Your Goals?

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

You can aim on making millions, but in the process, severely compromised your health – and lose your family.
Are you risking losing everything that really matters, in pursuit of your goals? What’s most important to you in your life? Here are a couple of big areas:
Your Health. However much money you make, your health isn’t something you can easily get back through fortune or fame. Get some exercise each day. Eat a fruit and vegetable rich diet. Take some “time out” – ten minutes of meditation.
Your Relationships. If you’re working long hours to provide for the partner and kids that you never see, something’s wrong. People without many friends get sick more often.

Turning Things Around

Chase Fewer Goals. Don’t try to do everything at once.
Stop Rushing. Life isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Don’t use up all your energy and resources right now.

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Monday, 26 October 2009 00:00 - The Anti-Fast Food Diet

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Embrace Slow Food. Here’s how:

Stop rushing to eat. Set aside more time for eating, for shopping and preparation, for enjoying life.
Prepare your own meals. Make the time, and cook simple meals without a lot of ingredients or preparation time.
Eat real food, not processed. Buy fresh ingredients such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, beans, and the like.
Eat slowly and mindfully. Too many people stuff food down their gullets these days. It’s not healthy, and you’ve just consumed food without enjoying it.
Enjoy the food. Fully savor each bite. Appreciate the miracle of the food you’re eating, and be grateful you have that bite at all.
Take time to breathe, and smile. Before you begin to eat, smile, and take a deep breath, reminding yourself to be present and enjoy the food.
When drinking tea, just drink tea. When eating, just eat.
Good conversation. OK, the exception to the above rule: eating with friends and family.
When you do eat at a restaurant, make it a good one. Avoid the fast food places, but also the chain restaurants.

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Monday, 26 October 2009 00:00 - How to Give a Great Speech: Part 2 Delivery

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Be confident. You will be nervous and that is natural. The best antidote is to rehearse a clear and confident opening to your talk.
Look them in the eye. Do not hide behind a lectern or read from your notes. Walk about the stage, look directly at people and talk to them from your heart.
Speak clearly. Your voice is the tool that does the job so use it well. You should not rush or mumble.
Use some rhetoric. Simple contrasts work well e.g. 'We come not in fear, but in hope.'
Pause. The most powerful weapon in the speaker's armoury is the pause. Use it carefully and it will rivet your listeners.
Don't worry if you forget something. If you speak from memory and without notes then you will often forget some item that you had intended to say. Don't worry.
Finish strongly. End with the one clear message that you want people to take away and then thank them for their attention.

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Saturday, 24 October 2009 00:00 - How to Give Yourself to Whatever the Moment Brings, and ...

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Here’s how to do it — starting with the don’ts:

Don’t plan. Planning is an attempt to control the world around us, but it’s a futile attempt.
Don’t worry about the future. Just realize that the future is unpredictable, and worrying about it is a waste of time. Focus on right now.
Don’t have expectations. If you expect people to act a certain way, or hope that things will turn out a certain way, you’ll always run into problems.
Don’t get annoyed when others act a certain way. Don’t expect people to act any way other than how they actually act.
Don’t overreact. Stay calm, because if things “go wrong”, they didn’t actually go wrong — they just happened.
Don’t try to be proactive. If there never is a problem, you’ve wasted a lot of time creating the solution, and a lot of energy worrying about the future.

And now for the dos:

Do be open. Start the day with no plan, and be open to what emerges in each moment.
Do what you love. Do what you’re passionate about, do what excites you right now. Create something amazing.
Do act, in the moment. Giving yourself to the moment doesn’t mean being passive and just letting life happen. It means acting, but doing what is best at this moment.
Do respond appropriately. Life happens, and we must respond. But instead of overreacting, we can respond calmly and appropriately.
Do accept. Accept what happens. Accept it, respond, act, move on.

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Thursday, 22 October 2009 00:00 - The Science of Motivation

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Have a mission. Perhaps the single most motivating factor in our lives is the sense that we're fulfilling a greater purpose.
Measure improvement. Set goals whose progress you can measure.
Make learning a primary goal. An important part of personal growth is achieving or moving towards mastery.
Examine your life. Ask yourself what gets you out of bed in the morning, and what keeps you up at night. If your answers are positive things, you're in pretty good shape.
Separate work from rewards. Work we choose to do – like hobbies – rarely suffers from motivation problems.

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Thursday, 22 October 2009 00:00 - Why You Should Never Stop Learning

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

In Western society, we often think of “learning” in very narrow terms: it’s what we do in school, and once we’ve got our college degree, the learning phase is over – it’s time to work.

Learning Adds Depth to Your Life

Enjoy learning
If you take the time to consciously learn new things, you’ll find that you live life more deeply.
The more you learn, the more you’ll be able to make connections between pieces of knowledge – and the more creative you’ll become.

Learning Keeps You From Getting Bored

Each week, I’m learning new things – and this keeps me interested, motivated and happy.

Learning Keeps You Healthy

Studies have shown that our mental facilities are best protected when we use them.

Learning Puts You on the Fast Track to Success

The final reason to continue with life-long learning is because that’s what successful people do.

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Thursday, 22 October 2009 00:00 - How to Make a Great Impression on People at Work

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Here are five ways that you can make a great impression at work:

Come Early or Leave Late. Try to consistently arrive at work 15 minutes early, or leave 15 minutes late.
Dress to Impress Everyday. Image is everything; people see who you are before they hear who you are.
Keep an Organized To-Do List and Office. Always keep "order" around everything you do. Order means the accurate arrangement of things.
Get Educated. What certifications and degrees do the supervisors and managers have where you're employed?
Become the Boss's Right-Hand Man/Woman. Every boss wants a protégé, or at least an assistant. your group or department.
Special Bonus: Be Positive. Your attitude really does determine your altitude. People like hanging around positive, high-energy individuals.

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Thursday, 22 October 2009 00:00 - Being Happy: How Not to Love Stuff

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

The more you love stuff, the more you send the wrong message to the world. The message you’re sending is that stuff can give you happiness. As a result, more and more people around you will fall into it.

Realize the negative side of stuff. When you realize the negative side of stuff, you will think twice before introducing more clutter into your life.
Realize that experiences – not stuff – contribute more to happiness.Instead of buying stuff, use your money to buy experiences.
Avoid impulse buying. The way I avoid impulse buying is by first putting the item I want to buy into a wish list. I then wait for at least one month and see if I still want to buy it.
Think ROI. ROI (return on investment) is a useful concept to help you minimize the number of stuff in your life. When you buy something, think of it as an investment.
Give. Giving is the ultimate way to both avoid loving stuff and make you happier. Money makes you most happy if you don’t spend it on yourself.

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Wednesday, 21 October 2009 22:07 - Building Self-Esteem (or, Why Are You Worth Feeding?)

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:07:02 -0700

I think Dr. Hittelman put it best though when he said that self-esteem is the answer to the question ‘why are you worth feeding?’ Sitting down with a blank text file, heading the paper ‘why am I worth feeding?’, and unleashing your mind to write freely might create a new awareness for you.

You’ll realize why you’re already worth feeding. You might become aware of something that is valuable about you, which you might have overlooked before.
You’ll realize why you think you’re not worth feeding. By doing this exercise, and self-actualizing about where you think you are lacking in this department, I believe you could create positive forward-bound momentum in your life.

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Tuesday, 20 October 2009 00:00 - How to Be Your Own Life Coach and Save Some Cash

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Set Aside an Hour a Week. There are 168 hours in a week. Surely you can invest just one of those in your own personal development!
Try Some Self-Coaching Techniques. These are a few to try: Timed Writing (Set a timer for five minutes. Write down a problem or issue in your life.), Question and Answer (Ask yourself a question, then write the answer.), Meditation.
Work Through a Blog Post, Book or Program. Many life coaches, motivational speakers and other big shots in the personal development field have written books or produced programs that can literally turn your life around.
Be Kind to Yourself. When you're tempted to judge yourself harshly, stop and think how a life coach would respond.

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Tuesday, 20 October 2009 00:00 - Getting Things (Re-)Started: Dealing with Mental Blocks

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Take it on the road. A powerful approach to getting re-started is to switch up the scenery by tackling your project in a new place.
Do 20 minutes. Set a timer for 20 minutes and promise yourself to work until the dinger goes “ding”.
Limit yourself. Limit yourself to doing no more than 30 minutes, or an hour, or 4 hours, or whatever is reasonable.
Skip the hard stuff. Often, the hard stuff is easier once you’ve finished the easier bits – you develop the expertise to handle parts that earlier were beyond your abilities.
Tend to your knitting. Or fly a kite. Letting go of the problem is sometimes the only way to solve it.

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Monday, 19 October 2009 20:48 - The Breath of God Inspiration Method

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:48:45 -0700

The word “inspiration” to some literally means “the breath of God”.

Here’s one method to gain pure inspiration in 3 steps:

Find something divinely touched. People doing great things. Things of great beauty. Nature. Music. People in your life. Love, in any form. Yourself, doing anything good, no matter how tiny.
Breathe in that divine inspiration. Take a slow, deep breath. Repeat. Each inhalation brings with it more inspiration, and each exhalation releases tension.
Do. Create. Inspire. You are now filled with the Breath of God. Take this inspiration and use it, be moved, and do something.

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Monday, 19 October 2009 19:03 - 4 Essential Lessons From the Polymaths

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:03:48 -0700

Polymaths are people who are extraordinarily intelligent in multiple fields. They live and thrive in the Intersection. Perhaps the most famous one is Leonardo da Vinci but there are still many others.
I’m not saying that we should be polymaths but I believe we can learn from them. . Here are several lessons I learn:

Be curious. It’s their deep curiosity that fuels them to explore many different fields. They want to know about the world from different perspectives. They want to experience new adventures.
Be enthusiastic. Often their energy and enthusiasm are so contagious you can feel a fire ignited within you.
Focus on one field before moving to a new one. A polymath is like a serial entrepreneur who focuses on one business and make it successful before creating a new business.
Connect different fields. This a big advantage the polymaths have over many other people. They can see things that other people can’t.

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Monday, 19 October 2009 00:00 - How to Give a Great Speech, Part 1: Preparation

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

If you have to give a keynote speech then preparation leads to success. Here are some key tips:

Investigate the audience. Find out as much as you can about your audience, their interests and their likely mood.
Talk to the organiser. What are their expectations? What would represent success for them?
Investigate the logistics. What is the room layout? Understand the programme and exactly how much time you have.
Select the theme of your talk and the key message. What is the single most important thing you are trying to achieve with this talk?
Write down various ideas that support your message. Collect different ideas, stories, quotations, jokes (if appropriate) that relate to and support your theme.
Build a structure. Whatever the topic, your talk should build in a logical way so that your audience can easily follow your train of thought.
Add some light and shade. Think about how you can make your talk really engaging by mixing the approach a little.
Practise, practise, practise. Practise the talk – preferably out loud.
Memorise and use prompt cards. You should not try to memorise the whole talk – just the key headings so that you can remember the main points.

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Monday, 19 October 2009 00:00 - Busyness is Laziness: 17 Strategies to Kill Busy Work

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Set priorities. “What is the #1 task I should get done today?”
Become effective. Effectiveness is getting important stuff done.
Make touch choices. Saying “No” is a key aspect in killing busy work.
Fill your time with fulfilling activities.
Be idle.Try just sitting and thinking for 30-60 minutes at a time.
Consider your direction. Where are you going?
Question yourself. Always question your motivations, intentions, desires, actions and thoughts.
Setup systems. Systems aren’t exactly dull but they help streamline repetitive processes.
Automate or outsource repetitive (but necessary) tasks.
Disconnect. Pull out the ethernet cable or disable wireless and get off the computer.
Improve yourself. Continue learning and evolving.
Appreciate what you have.
Enjoy what you have. You have more than you probably even realise. Enjoy it.
Make precautions. Fear keeps us busy.
Track yourself. Install RescueTime on your computer to see how you’re spending your time.
Set expectations. Set reasonable expectations before issues crop up.
Solve problems. Learn how to solve problems.

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Monday, 19 October 2009 00:00 - How to Pick Yourself Up When You’re Utterly Demotivated

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Take a Break. Powering on through is often not a good way to get your motivation back.
List Your Achievements. It’s easy to get demotivated when you feel that you’ve been working hard for a long time without any real results. So sit down and list what you’ve achieved so far.
You might want to think about: Where am I now compared with a year ago? Have I gained new skills?
Look at the Bigger Picture. Try to rediscover your original motivation.
Work out the Next Step. A lack of motivation is often due to not knowing quite what to do next.
Take Action. Put that next step into your diary, and make a real commitment to doing it.

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Friday, 16 October 2009 00:00 - Coding Simplicity: How to Avoid Feature Creep in Your Life

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

There’s a concept in programming called “feature creep” — when a software developer continually adds one feature after another because “wouldn’t it be nice”.
The end result is often a bloated program that tries to do everything but ends up being not very good at any of it
We all have feature creep in our lives. It’s a part of the modern world.

The solution to feature creep in our lives:

Start from a blank slate. I’m saying take out a fresh sheet of paper and re-image your life. From a blank canvas. Imagine your life had nothing in it.
Only add the features you really use and love. What do you want in your life? Focus on fewer features done well. What is your ideal life? Your ideal day? What do you want to do, for work and play and love?
Slowly implement the reduction in the code of your life. Go through your home and toss out stuff you don’t want.
Avoid future feature creep. Being aware of feature creep is really the only way to combat it.

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Thursday, 15 October 2009 00:00 - 10 Signs That The Matrix Has You

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

You’ll believe it when you see it. If you operate from the idea that you’ll believe it when you see it, then you’re a long way from unplugging.
Your purchases are status symbols. You’re letting the approval of others dictate your purchases.
Excessive concern with approval.
You follow the herd. Be a leader, not a follower.
You never want to rock the boat. Rock the boat every now and then and your ride through life will be much smoother.
You believe in fate. You are the architect of your life, and your beliefs are the blueprint.
You are a victim. Victims are slaves to the matrix. Others accept what happened and move on.
You don’t make your own decisions. Decide what YOU want.
You’re a slave to your emotions. When you don’t learn to control your emotions then you tend to let them control you.
You’re completely unaware of any of the above. The average person is living in a reality that is a reflection of the ideas and images in the world around them, rather than a reflection of what’s in their own mind.

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Thursday, 15 October 2009 00:00 - 10 Very Common Stupid Tricks That Wreck A Good Life

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

10 Very Common Stupid Tricks That Wreck A Good Life

Performing the starring role in a never-ending drama. It seems that some people want the days of their lives to mirror a soap opera.
Jumping through hoops without accomplishing anything. Who do you know that lives life like a hamster spinning in a wheel?
Parroting the negativity heard in the media and from others. We all need to turn off the talking heads and feed our minds positive, encouraging vitamins of hope to regain a good life!
Disappearing when they hear the words volunteer or charity. The most significant thing we can do with our limited days on this earth is make someone else feel safe, comfortable and cared for.
Trying to walk a high-wire without a net in their personal finances. The recession we just experienced was a gift. It was a warning shot across the bow giving people the opportunity to turn from their destructive financial path.
Rolling over and quitting because they made a few mistakes.
Swinging from one relationship to the next to avoid commitment. One day you have to deal with the person staring back at you in the mirror.
Playing opossum on the couch to evade all forms of exercise. There is nothing that will steal the joy out of a person’s life quicker than health problems.
Throwing daggers of blame while blindfolded at anyone in range. Accepting responsibility for our lives and making a conscious decision to do everything we can to make this one life we have worth living is the only solution to our dilemma.
Flipping out when it is suggested they should learn something new. Change is a necessary and healthy part of life.

Retraining to Quit These Stupid Tricks

All we have to do is decide to retrain ourselves.

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Thursday, 15 October 2009 00:00 - Your Productivity Prescription

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Unproductive Behaviour As A Symptom

The biggest mistake we make in trying to be productive is assuming that lack of productivity. we must first understand the root cause of our unproductive behaviour.

Diagnose The Problem

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the load of work you have to do and ended up not doing anything? Or how about not knowing what you’re meant to be doing in the first place?

Getting The Right Prescription

What can we do to enjoy a task we’ve been dreading or loathing?
What can we do to find out how a task is to be carried out?
How can we overcome the fear of failure or the fear of success?
How can we boost our energy level?
How can we develop our skills and speed up our work?
How can we reduce distractions and find focus?

Answers to these specific questions will help us find the right prescriptions.

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Wednesday, 14 October 2009 00:00 - The Nature of Commitment

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

What is commitment?

Commitment is passion. Obsessive passion, maybe. Someone who is truly committed to something can’t not do it.
Commitment is action. Actions speak louder than words, right?
Commitment is obligation. Doing boring or hard things not because they are fun, but because your commitment demands you do them.
Commitment is larger than the self. Commitments are personal, but they’re also about relationships.
Commitment is voluntary. Commitment is obligation, yes, but it’s freely chosen obligation.

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Tuesday, 13 October 2009 00:00 - Are You Getting Knocked Off-Course By Obstacles?

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

How can you storm past the obstacles in your path?

Increase Your Drive

How can you put your foot down on the gas and race towards your goals?

Don’t Run On Empty. You know what happens when your car runs out of gas.
Keep Up Your Momentum. You use a lot more energy in your car by going from 0 – 70 than by staying at a constant 60.

Know Your Destination

If you know where you’re heading and you keep your goal in mind, it’s easy to bounce off or ride straight over those obstacles in your path.

Visualisation. Spend some time, ideally a few minutes each day, visualising your destination. Imagine how it will feel to reach that goal: build a picture in your mind.

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Tuesday, 13 October 2009 00:00 - Warning: Saying No to Women Will Triple Your Sex Life

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Hello and welcome! Reading this post will teach you how important saying "No" is to your sex life. You'll see how it's normally the needy man who always responds with "Yes".

The Power of "No"

Think big, think busy, think important. That's what you are, you're kind of a big deal, therefore you should respond like it.
No is a powerful answer for many reasons, firstly - because it commands attention and respect.
Secondly, it shows you value your time, possessions and your standards.

Always Say No to Unreasonable Requests (In-fact - Always Say No To Requests)

If done in a playful, yet dominant way - she'll immediately triple her attraction for you since you're value as a man has increased.

The Power of "Maybe"

Maybe is like an evil twin of "Yes" and "No" who has enjoyment from causing sexual tension between you and any woman you aim it at.
Needy guys say yes. Therefore, you should limit your responses to either "No" or "Maybe".
As long as you always remember to never give a straight answer, unless it's "No" you'll be completely fine, dating-wise.

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Monday, 12 October 2009 00:00 - How to Write in a Journal Effectively

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Of course, there’s no set rules to writing in a journal.
You can write in it however you like, but here's a template.

Gratitude

A good way to start any journal entry is to begin listing a few of the things you’re grateful for.
This will do is help bring you into a positive mindset for not only your journal writing session, but for your entire day.

Personal Reflection

I then begin writing about where I’m at with the current goals that I’m working on, or touch on some of the things I mentioned in my previous entry (if applicable).
This section of the journal entry is for making a “status check” of yourself to see where you’re at, evaluate your strengths, and assess your weaknesses.

Goal Focus

This is where you can make plans to fix the areas you’re weaker at, set goals for the next day, etc.

What the above journaling template will do for you is:

Get you started on the right track, with a mindset of gratitude.
Allow you to assess your feelings, your strengths, and areas you could improve
Ensure you are taking at least baby steps towards your goals each day.
Allow you to have a clear “action plan” as to what you’re planning on doing next

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Monday, 12 October 2009 00:00 - Five Ways to Find Time to Live Healthily

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

How can we find time to lead a healthier lifestyle? Here are five ways:

Apply the 80/20 Principle. Look for other areas of your health where you can get 80% of the health benefits from 20% of the time investment.
Fit Exercise Around Your Day. Aim to be active for at least 30 minutes per day (an hour is better). Cycling to work etc
Get Up Fifteen Minutes Early. Fifteen minutes is plenty of time to manage some of these: Measure out a sensible serving of cereal, add milk, and eat!, Make sandwiches for lunch or Sit quietly and think about the day ahead.
Add One New Thing Each Week. Don’t see it as an all-or-nothing endeavor. Try making small, incremental changes.
Make Changes That Don’t Take Any Time. It doesn’t take any longer to buy and use wholewheat or oatmeal bread instead of white bread.

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Monday, 12 October 2009 00:00 - How to Defeat Burnout and Stay Motivated

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

“Do what you love."
If you're drained. And you don’t know why. That’s burnout.

To get out of burnout:

Achieve in increments. When you only focus on a big goal someday, it’s easy to get burned out by the daily grind. Solution is to give yourself a way to measure and record every little step forward you take.
Train your muse. Inspiration is just like any other skill. It can be trained.So how do you train your muse? The best way I’ve found is immersion. Surround yourself with things that inspire you and reflect your goals.
Work less. Cut down on the amount of energy and time you spend working.
Define success realistically. Are they achievable? Are you holding yourself to a reasonable timeline?
Get more sleep.
Take it slow(er). If you’re feeling burned out and overwhelmed, it’s time to slow down.
Get a second opinion. It’s hard to spot burnout from the inside. Ask close friends and family.
Set clear boundaries. Burnout happens when we allow work to overflow its boundaries.
When you’re working, focus.
Create outlets. Different goals and ideas need outlets. If you hold them inside, they’ll eventually start interfering with your focus.
Know when to power through it. Sometimes the solution for burnout is just to power through it.
Never accept defeat. Burnout is an obstacle like any other.

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Monday, 12 October 2009 00:00 - 5 Insider Secrets For Writing With Confidence

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

You’re free to write in your own voice and your own style … and you can enjoy it. Here’s how:

Treat Writing As a Skill. Writing is a skill, one that can be learnt. Focus on Writing style and fluidity and Voice and purpose.
Practice Regularly. Writing practice could include: Trying out different styles, voices and tones in your writing. Entering writing competitions.
Try Using a Template. Many writers lack confidence because they’re not sure how to structure a piece.
Your First Draft Can Be Rubbish. The first draft of anything is crap.
Write Quickly. If you write slowly and carefully, pondering each sentence, then you’re likely to have a crisis of confidence part-way through.

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Monday, 12 October 2009 00:00 - Is Your Mind Holding You Back?

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Here are 5 ways to recognize when your mindset is holding you back:

Lots of reasons and excuses show up. Just ask yourself who's in really in control here: you or your mind?
Lack of Consistency or Self Discipline. It means thinking about what you want and then going out and doing what's necessary to get it.
The words "I can't" show up. That little voice can transform a resourceful person into a frustrated and defeated person.
Feelings of Doubt or Uncertainty. If you set goals that break new ground and take you to higher levels of performance then you're bound to feel doubtful at times.
Self-Sabotage. Video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-5IEhb240w

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Monday, 12 October 2009 00:00 - The Perfect Breakup?

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

When you break up with someone…

Know why. You don’t have to tell your soon-to-be-ex everything, but you should at least understand for yourself.
Be honest. Be clear about the main reasons things aren’t working for you.
Don’t drag it out. You’ll both be happier if you make a clean break sooner rather than later.
Be gentle but firm. There’s no reason to be hurtful, no matter how bad things are going.

When someone breaks up with you…

Dignity first. Don’t threaten, attack, list their shortcomings back at them etc
Get to a safe place. Getting dumped is hard work – you’re going to need a little while to process it.
It really isn’t you, it’s them. Don’t be too hard on yourself – they dumped you for reasons that have to do with who they are, not who you are.
But don’t let yourself off the hook, either. The person that just dumped you had their own reasons, but that doesn’t mean you’re perfect.

After the break-up…

No take-backs. Seriously. No booty calls, no pre-existing commitments, no getting together just to talk.
Let hate happen. Being angry at an ex is natural.
You don’t have to be friends.
Don’t get even. If you were hurt badly, your instinct might be to hurt them back. Not a good idea.
Don’t stalk. Stop worrying about their life and start living your own!
If you’re being stalked, don’t respond. Stalking is a simple positive reinforcement mechanism: the stalker does something, and are rewarded when you respond.

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Friday, 09 October 2009 00:00 - How to Control Constant Worrying

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

You can never run out of things to worry about and if you do you will worry that there is nothing to worry about.

When worrying is good

Worry is good if it makes you better prepared for a situation.
Worry is good if you are able to turn it into a plan of action.
Worry is good if it makes you pay attention.

5 Steps to stop worrying

The 1 year rule. If you ask yourself 'is this going to matter this time next year', it helps you to come at your worry from another angle.
Allocate yourself worry time. When a worrying thought comes into your head say to yourself 'I'll worry about that in my worry time.'
Banish the 'uncontrollable' worries. Uncontrollable worries serve no purpose whatsoever and should be eliminated from your mind.
Working through your worries. Go through each worry and decide if you will be able to do something about each one.
Distracting yourself. For the worries we cannot take action on we need to find a way to distract ourselves.Here are a few things we can do - Exercise, Mental games,Call a friend, Do the housework.

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Thursday, 08 October 2009 00:00 - Motivating Your Team – What To Do (And What To Avoid)

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

The Carrot Is Always Better Than The Stick

No-one is motivated by being bullied, or by being treated like an idiot.
Have employees go towards a goal rather that away from a punishment

Money May Not Be The Answer

If you dole out a big bonus in 2009, people will expect the same in 2010 – and they’ll be disappointed if they don’t receive it.
Can also lead to employees cutting corners everywhere possible, to focus solely on meeting the conditions for an extra pay out.

Try these ways of motivating your staff or volunteers:

Say Thank You. Let them know that you noticed, and that you’re grateful.
Bring A Team-Wide Gift. Unexpected gifts go a long way towards building a friendly and motivating office environment.
Consider A Results-Only Work Environment. ROWE – Results-Only Work Environment. Asks employees to produce a certain amount of work rather than traditional 8-4 or 9-5, five days a week, model.
Share Your Vision. Bring everyone together once in a while to share progress and explain how everyone’s actions are building to something greater.
Talk To Your Team Members. If you’re accommodating towards your team, they’re much more likely to go the extra mile for you.

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Wednesday, 07 October 2009 00:00 - Words that HEAL and EMPOWER

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Words make up your thoughts and ideas. They shape the images in your mind, coloring what you perceive and believe.
The words we choose to shine the light of our mind on, shape our very life and its quality.

NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE WORDS

For instance: “I am too this or too that,” , will lead to feelings of depression, anger or self-pity.
Positive words and thoughts lead to positive feelings and outcomes in ones’ life.
Positive word Will if not chosen with great care can lead one far astray in the power it unleashes and lead us into the dark. For instance: I Will open that bottle of wine. I Will drive my car.

TRANSCENDENT WORDS

Words that focus us in the ‘here and now’ tend to be transcendent. These are words like Am.
Begin each moment of our life with a transcendent word: I Am energy. I Am light. I Am Love.
I Am says there is no doubt and no obstacle that cannot be overcome; I AM transcends perception.
For example: ‘I Am going to do this’ says in fact it is already done.

WORKING THE WORDS

If we decide to center our life around just Three Words, Won’t, Will, and Am we can see and feel the empowerment presented to us.
Centering in WILL as the creation you are, you are able to transcend your fear, doubt, guilt and anger by realizing in your essence I Am, as is everyone else.

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Wednesday, 07 October 2009 00:00 - Face Adversity with a Smile

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Problems are there to be faced and overcome.
We cannot achieve anything with an easy life.
One of the main determinants of success in life is our attitude towards adversity.
Whilst we cannot choose the adversity we can choose our attitude towards it.

How can you change your attitude towards the adversity that you face? Try these steps:

Confront the problem. Do not avoid it.
Deliberately take a positive attitude and write down some benefits or advantages of the situation.
Visualise how you will feel when you overcome this obstacle.
Develop an action plan for how to tackle it.
Smile and get cracking.

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Wednesday, 07 October 2009 00:00 - Focus on your Personal Strengths, Not Correcting All the ...

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Strengths contain your greatest potential for growth

Your strengths represent your natural ways of responding to the world; by going 'with the grain', instead of against it, you'll find it easier to perform.

Strengths lead to flow

'Flow' is that special state, also called 'the zone', where you lose track of time, you become one with what you're doing, and your sense of self comes out stronger at the end.

People who use their strengths become happier

Strengths-use leads to happiness.

You'll make a better leader

Effective leaders are conscious of their own strengths, and build their teams around them.

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Wednesday, 07 October 2009 00:00 - 9 Free Ways To Instantly Become More Attractive

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

You may believe physical appearance is the driving force behind attractiveness, which isn't so
With the right mindset you can unleash your natural beauty within.

Be Real. A great deal of people try to hide their true self by subscribing to false identities.
Talk With Purpose. There's something attractive about those who have a purpose behind their words.
Listen. Suspend judgment and open your heart to receive. Talking to a wall is never attractive.
Laugh. A sense of humor is alluring. No one likes a grouch.
Smile. Combined with laughing, smiling is one of the easiest ways to radiate attractiveness.
Don’t Complain. Don't expect to glow if you instead to choose to whine.
Feel Attractive. How can you expect to be attractive if you don’t feel that you are?
Be Open. No one likes someone who is closed off and not accessible.
Walk With Your Head Up. Look up and observe the beauty of the world, and in turn you will begin to radiate it.

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Wednesday, 07 October 2009 00:00 - Live Simply, and Save the Drama for Your Mother

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Drama is about making a big production of something, when you could simply get on with things.
What’s the problem with drama? For one, as the urban definition implies, it’s unnecessary.

How to Stop the Drama

So when you feel yourself getting worked up about something such as a coworker not pulling his weight — stop the drama.
Breathe. Let it go. Breathe in, taking in the peace of the world. Breathe out, and let the tensions and frustrations flow out of you. Repeat until the drama is gone.
And then simply be, in the moment, right now.

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Tuesday, 06 October 2009 00:00 - Here’s a Quick Way to Make Her Chase You

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

The aim of this post is to bring up a quick cheeky tip that will make her chase you instead of the other way around.
Have you ever wondered why James Bond is so good with women? Frankly, he’s always busy and it doesn’t matter how beautiful she is, she can’t change it.
Being busy is a fantastic turn on because it proves you are someone who has goals, aims and most importantly – a purpose.
Therefore to make her chase you, be busy.

Here’s a quick tip that can give the impression you’re busy –

Always End Things First

Whatever the situation, it’s always the person who ends the interaction first who commands the most power and respect.
If you want to be even more direct about things you can tell her at the beginning that you’ve got something else to do in 5 or 10 minutes so you can’t chat for long.

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Tuesday, 06 October 2009 00:00 - Self Doubt: A Disease that Doesn’t Discriminate!

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

What if…

What if I forget the words when I stand up there?
What if I go completely blank?
What if I totally suck?
What if I look or sound stupid?
Code for “I’m too scared to do anything, so I’ll do nothing”.

A Disease

Self doubt; it’s a disease that doesn’t discriminate.
It affects our mind, our emotions and even our physiology.

Knock, Knock…

For many of us, self doubt comes knocking on our door every day.
It’s just fear in a different outfit. Self-doubt with a little make-up and a pretty dress.

Fear by Another Name

That’s all self doubt is by the way; one of the many faces of fear.
Self-doubt is essentially self-created and perpetuated because it can only exist in our head.
In the pursuit of our best life, our challenge is not to overcome self-doubt but rather, to manage it.

The Human Experience

Of course, over time we will find a way to turn down the volume (of the banging on the door), but a life totally devoid of self-doubt is an unrealistic goal.

The questions we should ask ourselves in relation to this chat are not:

“Do I ever experience self-doubt?”

But rather:

1. “What impact do I allow self-doubt to have on my decisions, behaviours and results?”

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Tuesday, 06 October 2009 00:00 - My Favorite Way to Make Money

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

My favourite way is to earn passive income.
The main reason I love passive income is freedom.
With passive income, I don’t need to be actively involved to make money.
I do need to work hard to build the system in the beginning, but once it works I can leave it alone and the system will continue earning me money.

Differences Between Active and Passive Income

With active income, you can quickly get full-time income.
With active income, when you stop working your income drops to zero or near zero.

Steps to Build Passive Income

From the characteristics above, here are the steps you should follow to build passive income:

Build a side business. Since it takes a long time to reach full-time level with passive income, don’t leave your day job.
Focus. It’s important that you focus on just one business and make it successful.
Leave your day job. Once your passive income reaches full-time level, you can leave your day job.
Diversify. Now that you have more time, you need to diversify your sources of passive income.

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Tuesday, 06 October 2009 00:00 - High IQ Doesn't Equal Success, Focus on Your EQ

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

IQ vs. EQ

EQ = emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize, understand and manage your emotions and the emotions of others.

These four competencies are recognized as key components of a high EQ level:

Self-awareness. You know yourself and understand your emotions.
Self-management. You have control of your emotions, act rationally and react to change in a positive manner.
Social awareness. You have an understanding of the emotions of others and know how to effectively react to these emotions.
Relationship management. The ability to maintain all types of relationships, to avoid unnecessary conflict, and to work through conflict successfully when it does arise.

When we’re lacking in these competencies, we can end up feeling unsure of ourselves and out of control.

How can you raise your EQ?

Control stress as it occurs. By learning to control stress as it occurs, you can stay balanced and focused.
Connect with your emotions. Become aware of your emotional state from moment to moment. Gain an understanding of what triggers different emotions.
Face the day with humor. Maintaining a sense of humor can relieve day-to-day annoyances and make hard times more bearable.

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Tuesday, 06 October 2009 00:00 - How Many Goals Do You Have?

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Right now, how many goals do you have?

Chances are you have too many goals
Fewer goals you have at any one time, the more likely you are to succeed in meeting them all.

Limit Your Goals – Don’t Limit Your Potential

By limiting your goals, you’re making yourself more likely to meet up to your potential.

Deciding Between Your Goals

The way I do this is to ask if I could only do one thing this year, what would it be?
In general, I’d suggest that having one to three big goals is a good rule of thumb.

If you’re finding it hard to decide between goals, try asking these questions:

Is this goal mine, or do I feel pressured into it by someone else?
Does this goal support or hinder my other goals?
Will I be more or less able to achieve this goal if I delay starting on it for a year?

Staying Focused On Your Chosen Goals

Once you’ve selected perhaps one to three key goals, you need to commit to them and stay focused.

You could try:

Writing your goals on the back of a business card, and keeping them in your wallet
Using words or images related to your goals as your screen saver or desktop
Setting aside fifteen minutes each week to review your progress towards your goals

Making Other Goals Wait

Don’t need to give up goals. You just need to let it sit on hold for a while.
Helpful is to write down your future goals, with a future start date.

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Monday, 05 October 2009 00:00 - The Work of Worry

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

It takes about as much work to do or fix the thing we’re worried about as it does to worry about it. Often, it actually takes even less.

Procrastination: Investing our energy in anxious fretting instead of in our ostensibly chosen work.
Disorganization: It takes a lot of work and effort to maintain a chaotic life.
Over-organization: After a certain point our organization system can become its own source of anxiety, as we spend more time and effort worrying about where things go.
Unattainable goals: It’s important to set attainable goals, and to accept failure and learn from it when we can – the alternative is a lifetime of regret and worry.

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Monday, 05 October 2009 00:00 - Better Health Leads to Greater Happiness

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Studies suggest people who are overweight, smoke and drink excessively have a predisposition to depression. Achieving better health is a choice.

Roadmap to help you make better choices:

Relax. Stress and anxiety can cause havoc on your metabolism and mental health.
Instead of watching or counting calories, pay attention to the diet of foods you are eating.
Walk more.
Get regularly check-ups. Most illnesses or diseases can be avoided.
Smile and act happy.

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Monday, 05 October 2009 00:00 - 10 Ways To Conquer Fear of Public Speaking

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Benefits -

As your confidence levels there are more chances of you succeeding at job interviews
You will be more comfortable working in a team and giving effective presentations.
As a confident speaker you will be comfortable breaking the ice and starting conversations with strangers.

Ways to improve -

Take the Plunge. The only way you can get over your fear of public speaking is by going ahead and speaking.
Mind matters. You can become a good speaker only when you believe you can.
Preparation pays. Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration – Thomas Edison
Know your audience. Get to know your audience. We get nervous when we are speaking in front of a group of strangers
Reach out to like-minded people.
Take criticism positively. When someone‘s giving you a negative feedback take it as an opportunity to learn and grow, not a reason to quit.
Persevere. Be patient. Do not expect things to change in a jiffy.
Let go of the perfectionist in you. There are people who are unable to take the first step, forever waiting to attain a state of perfection.
Bounce back. Failures are stumbling blocks to success.
Celebrate your success. We often take our success for granted. Reward yourself for the success you have achieved however small it might be.

Don’t take yourself very seriously. Approach public speaking with a committed yet playful manner.
Children rarely experience stage fright because they approach public speaking in a playful manner.

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Friday, 02 October 2009 00:00 - The Importance of ‘Breaking Through’

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Whether it happens to be fame, money, glory, or joy; we all live for one thing – moments.
What happens, though, is that most people find themselves stuck in the same, daily pace or routine that feels something like a plateau.
Well, I’m here to tell you that whatever you want to have in life, you need to fight for it to get your breakthrough.
Breakthrough moments usually require stubborn persistence and undying faith towards making thoughts turn into reality.
When you breakthrough, life becomes a lot easier.
Don’t be discouraged when things don’t go your way. Even if it may seem like you’ve tried everything.
When you do get that breakthrough moment, it is one of the best feelings in the world.
Don’t give up.

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Friday, 02 October 2009 00:00 - Fear of Flying: Facing the Fear of Success

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Believe it or not, one of the most paralyzing fears is the fear of success.
Success can feel like abandoning the people we care about.
Or we might fear the way that accomplishing something big opens us up to criticism.
Finally, our projects are often so much a part of ourselves that finishing feels like a death.

Success and Other People

Working on any big project can cause conflict with the people around us.
No matter how big a project or goal, we must make time for socializing, relaxing, and playing.
Non-work time can be just as crucial to our success as the time we spend directly working towards our goals, because it recharges our batteries.

Fear of Falling

Not achieving our goals has something really big going for it — if you don’t get off the ground, it won’t hurt if you fall.
Striving for success always involves a risk — and the higher you climb, the farther you have to fall.
A fear of failure or of negative criticism can instill in us a perfectionism that leads us to shy away from finishing a big project, and even from starting.

Who Do You Want to Be Today?

We get fear of the unknown when we’re done with whatever big project we’re working on.
It’s important to remember, though, that life doesn’t work like it plays out in our imaginations.
But most important of all, we need to cultivate joy and satisfaction in the work itself — and in our lives as they are.

Each of us has our own path to walk, and each of us has to find it on our own
And even just accepting that there is some purpose in your life, without necessarily knowing what it is, can be a huge motivator

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Thursday, 01 October 2009 00:00 - There’s No Task Easier Than No Task

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:00 -0700

What’s the fastest way to get a task off your to-do list?

Just delete it … or don’t put it there in the first place.
Omit needless tasks.
Cross them off your list, or make it hard for them to get there in the first place. Make every task that goes on your list past a test: is it truly necessary? Will I have felt great about doing it, when I’m done?
Because not doing it at all is often the best way to get things done.

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Thursday, 01 October 2009 00:00 - 15 Types of Women You Should Avoid

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:00 -0700

The aim of this post is to point out the type of women you generally don't want a relationship with. Hopefully this post is just in time to save your life, time and money.

Religious
Users
Gold Diggers
Drama Queen
Controller
Dizzy
Tomboy / Guy Chick
Emotional (Emo)
Femnazi
Large, Ugly and Proud

Extra types that may or may not be in your list of women to avoid

Hippy chick
Shy
Party Girl
Romantic
Teen

Type of Woman you Want

I'd definitely say the best type of woman to go for is the cool girl or the 'stable girl'.
I'm on about a woman who has all her shit together.

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Tuesday, 29 September 2009 00:00 - 2 Things That Women Really Hate About Men

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:00:00 -0700

The aim of this post is to identify and understand 2 things that women really hate about men. Basically the 2 things are a weak sense of reality and seeking validation.

Women Hate Men who Seek Validation. Seeking validation is a little boys game. Women don't want boys, they want men.
Women Hate Men With a Weak Sense of Reality. A man with a weak sense of reality is basically a man who cannot think for himself. The perfect way to cure a weak sense of reality is to begin being assertive and confident about who you are and what you like.

Women find assertive men who have a strong sense of reality very, very attractive.

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Friday, 25 September 2009 00:00 - Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:00:00 -0700

From Great Ideas to Sticky Ideas

’Sticky ideas’ are “ ideas that are understood and remembered, and have a lasting impact — they change your audience’s opinions or behaviour”.
For people to use your ideas, it doesn’t matter how great those ideas are: if you can’t get them across effectively

A Check-list for Successful Ideas

The formula is conveniently summarized by the acronym SUCCES, meaning:

Simple: What’s the essential core of the idea?
Unexpected: Does the idea grab people’s attention?
Concrete: Is the idea clear? Isn’t it abstract?
Credible: Will people believe the idea?
Emotion: Will people care about the idea?
Story: Does the idea inspire people? Will they act on it?

Participate and discuss Lite Mind's summaries in his community group.

Original post created by Lite Mind and Summarised by Craig.

(Read Original) - Updates via RSS

Lazy Man's Way to a Great Blog

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:58:47 -0700

Aim of the post is to alert you to the importance of titles on blog posts and to introduce you to a awesome blog post title generator that’ll do it for you.

If you run a blog or write anything you know how important a great title can be. It can easily make the different between 10 people flocking to read your post or 10,000.

I’ve recently joined the band wagon of great title writing and noticed there’s nothing really out there that can help you along and create titles for you. That’s where my nifty little blog post title generator comes in. It’s designed for blogs but it can be used for anything really.

I created the title templates from research I carried out on Digg homepage and other sources such as Copybloggers Magnetic Headlines. At current it will help you carry out the manual task of thinking up great titles by supplying you with options that work. You’re only job is to select those options which best describe your new post and wolah!

Check it out for yourself and test its functionality...

P.S If you like it, please leave a comment here, contact me or link to it from you blog.

P.S.S I’m quite new to PHP and this was my first project attempt which I believe came out very well in functionality but I’m not overly pleased with design just yet. I plan to be working on it more to add more title templates, functionality and design elements in the new coming days. I decided to release because I want as much feedback as possible! Have fun trying to break it!

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Here Is a Method That Is Helping Everyone Take Control of Their Lives

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:00:00 -0700

The aim of this post is to alert you to your behaviours relating to control and how you are giving away your control to people around you.

<<< Read full post here >>>

10 Best Selling Dating Books

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:30:00 -0700

The aim of this post is to list the top 10 dating products available on Amazon today. I find it interesting to see the variety of dating products out there and I’m going to filter out all the crap and create a top 10 list full of only the most useful.

<<<Read full post here>>>

Community Upgrade!

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:10:00 -0700

As you’ve probably noticed there’s been a community upgrade! Many a feature has been added and many a new options has been made available for you to play with!

Facebook integration

Facebook integration has been added so from now on you don’t even need to register to experience the fine community here at Enlightr. All you’ve got to do it click ‘connect with facebook’ and you’re facebook information will be added to the community and you’ll be logged in.

Facebook chat like integration

To make it feel a little more... homely to those people who migrate from facebook I’ve added a similar toolbar to facebook which houses the community features your most likely to use as well as a live chat interface where you can chat to your new friends you pick up from Enlightr.

Videos

The community has also received the ability to host videos from all around the web. From now on, once you find a useful video you believe would benefit the self improvement audience here on enlgihtr you can simply link to or upload and have it available for viewing in minutes.

New Groups

To promote more community chitter-chatter I’ve added a few groups which I believe would be highly interesting to chat about. They are –

Dating – This group revolves around bringing together all the users who are interested in the dating side of the site and would enjoy sharing knowledge and stories with each other.
Psychology – This group focuses on the psychological minded amongst us. Here you can discuss different theories you have or link to other psychology knowledge you find absolutely fascinating. Everyone who joins this group can learn from each other!

I don’t think I’ve missed anything but I may have... if so I’ll update them here when necessary. Have fun using the new features and spread the world that Enlightr is an awesomely fun self improvement community to be involved with.

LAUNCH!

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:54:36 -0700

Finally it’s time to let my little idea out of its cage and see its effects on the Internet population. I’ve got good optimism for the future and I can’t wait to see what happens.

If you’d like to learn more please go ahead and then either donate or follow me for future updates so you can see how my little idea fairs in the big world.

Cure Your Comfort Zone

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:30:00 -0700

Image courtesy of somewheretropical

The aim of this post is to delve in and take apart your comfortable inhibitions so you can move forward with a more successful, confident and rich life.

<<< Read full post here >>>

Beat the Casino with Card Counting

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 09:30:00 -0700

This post will teach you how to remember a pack of cards by guiding you through a few winding roads of visualisation, peg words and maybe even a little loci. Once you've remembered the cards you could, if you wish, card count and have a higher success rate at casino games such as blackjack.

<<< Read full post here >>>

How Over Planning Keeps You Fat

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:30:00 -0700

The aim of this post is to alert you to the dangers of over planning and guide you away from excessive future plans and their creation.

<<< Read full post here >>>

A Priority System for Your World Domination Goals

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:30:00 -0700

The post is aimed at explaining my personal priority system which I use to save ridiculous lumps of time on various goals and project.

<<< Read full post here >>>

New Structure

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:15:00 -0700

Recently I’ve hit a wall with traffic and site potential which I believe is related to my overreaching in terms of topics available. To combat the issue I’ve decided segmentation would be the best thing to do.

From now on each topic will effectively have its own mini-site away from the main site which gives it unique advantages such as –

Ability for users to decide which topics to follow, subscribe to and read without distraction from other topics
Ability for a more focused audience to develop around each topic rather than the topic bending for other topics
Increased traffic and popularity!

I’ll explain the last point a little. By splitting the topics to their individual sites I will effectively double the amount of people who visit through the search engines since there’ll be more listing available pointing to many different posts over various mini-topic-sites which can allow Enlightr to move forward in my eyes.

There’ll be no disadvantage

The way I’ve planned the new structure was to make sure that no disadvantages arise from the new structure in the future. The site will still offer all topics to everyone who visits http://enlightr.com/blog but instead they’ll find a summary of the post leading back to the topics site to read the post instead of reading it there and then, it may be an extra click but that way I believe people can focus more on what they want and forget about what they don’t want.

New structure

All the sites will be interlinked with a main menu bar at the very top which will link to the main areas, i.e. blog and community etc. This will be present on every topic site to form consistency and a global navigation which will allow users to find what they want quickly without hassle.

On the topic sites themselves, there’ll be no other major differences other than design so I can stop yapping on and simply allow you to check out the new topic sites yourself for your own verdict.

Dating – http://dating.enlightr.com
Psychology – http://psychology.enlightr.com
Productivity – http://productivity.enlightr.com

I’d love feedback and opinions on the design, functionality and anything else you’d like to say in the comments please. I’ll read each one and respond where appropriate.