Golden Nuggets for Entrepreneurs

Computer Blues

2010-03-02T14:55:00.000-08:00

There are those who learned computers sitting on someone’s lap and there are those of us who were the lap they once were sitting on and now we are learning from them. I admit computers entered my life in 1986. Now our children and grand children grow up with computers, not so with my age bracket.

Computers continue to be a learning experience for me. Recently I completed doing my tax record keeping and popped the cd into the tray to back up my work. Slid the tray into the laptop. Ever have the weird intuition that something was wrong? When the tray slid back out, it was empty. No cd in the tray. Tilting the computer, doing the shake, and crossing my fingers, but nothing produced the cd. It had disappeared into the unexplored cavity of the laptop. Not only did the data need to be backed up but that was the last blank cd disk.

Life has its challenges. Now I could have gone into full panic mode and gone screeching out of the driveway in a mad dash to the Geek Squad, collapsed into a fit of despondency or reached for the last of the box of Valentine chocolates. Independence is both a good thing and a bad thing. No computer was going to get the best of me if I could help it.

Second set of options were to

1. Calm down. Frayed nerve decisions are sometimes risky.

2. Read the directions in the computer manual. No, that is always the last resort.

3. Call for help. Screaming was a consideration but a phone call to my techie son seemed like a better option.

Doug, my techie son, calmly instructed me:

1. Unplug every connection to the computer

2. Remove the battery from the laptop. “Stop, please, I pleaded. How do I do that?” He explained that I should look for a thumb slide and gently remove the battery.

3. “Look for a screw or a set of screws on the side of the computer close to the cd cartridge or one on the underside of the computer around the cd cartridge area.” “Yeah, I found one on the underside of the laptop. Uh oh, it takes a very tiny Phillips head screw driver.” “Do not use a screw driver with a magnetized tip,” he strongly cautioned. “Computers do not like magnets.” The search is on through all the drawers, tool boxes and jewelry cases in search of a tiny Phillips head screw driver. Finally found one in the case of a multi purpose Swiss army knife set. Now the task is to remove the screw without stripping the threads. “Wow, it is out.”

4. “Slide the cd cartridge out carefully.” I poked and prodded, wiggled and jiggled, and even tipped and shook, but nothing happened. “Ok, the next option is to put everything back together, power the laptop on, open the cd tray and power the laptop off with the cd tray open.” “Now gently tip the laptop and do the shake, rattle and roll move until the cd slips out.” Being a lady who knows how to take instruction, and besides that I was desperate, I complied. Suddenly out slid the MIA cd disk. “Alleluia, alleluia, uh oh.” Along with the cd came the entire cd cartridge assembly. It landed on the rug, bounced once and came apart. Hmmm. “This could be a problem.” Perhaps I should have gone to the Geek Squad after all. The good news is that the cd is recovered. The bad news is the disassembly of the cd cartridge.

5. Ok, the tray needs to slide out of the cartridge with the tray up. Slide it back into the laptop, snap the front back on the cartridge, and gently turn the laptop over on its face. Now the fun of replacing that tiny Phillips head screw. Done.

6. Cross you fingers, think wonderful happy thoughts and take a big drink of espresso. Here comes the big test. Insert a cd in the tray and gently secure it in place before sliding in the cd tray. The butterflies are in total disarray; it is either nerves or the big drink of espresso. A strange whirring sound emits from the laptop. I eject the cd and gently slide it back into the laptop. Silence. The tension is worse than meeting your new mother-in-law for the first time when you know you have a spot on the front of your shirt. Could it be, yes, it is music playing from the cd. It works! “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”

7. “Thank you, Doug, does not seem like enough. If anyone ever complains or criticizes a geek from here on I’ll feel like kicking them in the shins.” A geek has just saved my laptop from eating and digesting the last cd.

Next time you see a geek, give them a hug for me. Alleluia. Not only that but I learned something in the process. We are never too old to learn new tips, tricks and techniques.

For more “geek tips” and computer victory stories, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Salute to Champions

2010-02-28T17:37:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Lindsey Vonn who won gold in the downhill and bronze in the super-G. Her crashes in the giant slalom and in the super-combined resulted in a broken little finger on her right hand. This spirited competitor taped her broken finger to the adjoining ring finger, donned a mitten and raced again. Even after her competitions ended, she stayed slope side to cheer her teammates and friends. She wore a smile and demonstrated genuine caring and encouragement for others. Lindsey personified the traits of a true champion. Hats off to a beautiful lady, a great athlete and a total role model.

Apolo Anton Ohno, speed skating super star. How many accolades can you possibly heap upon a superstar dedicated athlete of his 24 karat caliber? From winning US Speedskating’s 2003 Male Athlete of the Year to becoming the youngest US skater to win a World Cup title. He won “Dancing with the Stars” in May 2007. His checkered record of obstacles included death threats after the South Korea World Cup and a pesky lawsuit accusing him of fixing a race affecting the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Anyone who has ever watched this amazing athlete race knows he competes flat out and wins by sheer athletic ability and keen observation of everything around him in the race. Fixing a race? Don’t be absurd; he wins fair. He concentrates, jumps over comrades who spin out in front of him, and strategizes his moves and power plays.

He won silver in the men’s 1500 m, bronze in the men’s 1000 m, and bronze in the men’s 5000 m relay. He came in second in the men’s 500 m and then a questionable call disqualified him; he maintained a smile and professional attitude as he assured the reporter that he only put up his hand to protect himself and did not push the Canadian skater at all. The judges apparently did not notice that the leading Canadian skater actually touched the skate of another skater who immediately went down. Anton was disqualified and the Canadians were awarded gold and silver even though one of them went down and did not finish. Anton was such a professional and gentleman that he smiled, refocused and went on to skate with all his heart and skill and won bronze with his young teammates in the men’s 5000 m relay. He was so happy to celebrate with his team mates after the relay medal victory.

Nordic Combined heroes, Bill Demong, Brett Camerota, Johnny Spillane, Todd Lodwick

Bill Demong won silver in the team 4x5 km and gold in the individual LH/10 km CC. Brett Camerota won silver in the team 4x5 km. Johnny Spillane won silver in the team 4x5 km, silver in the individual LH/10 km CC and silver in the individual NH/10k CC. Todd Lodwick won silver in the team 4x5 km. Special note that Brett Cameota was from Park City, Bill Demong was from Lake Placid, Taylor Fletcher was from Steamboat Springs, Johnny Spillane was from Steamboat Springs and Todd Lodwick was from Steamboat Springs. Kudos not only to a great Nordic combined team but also to Steamboat Springs Winter sports Club for having three of the five members of this team.

Bode Miller has his choice of colors. He won gold in men’s super combined, silver in men’s super G and bronze in men’s downhill. Think these athletes just stepped on the snow or ice and performed? Not so. Bode started skiing at the age of three. This is his third Olympic games. Bode has been a bit of a loose cannon in the past with his outspoken rakish attitude. Fatherhood seems to have matured him; we saw a calmer and more focused Bode in 2010 than we did in 2006. No matter what, the man is an incredible athlete.

American men capture gold in the 4 man bobsleigh; Steven Holcomb led Steve Mesler, Justin Olsen, and Curtis Tomasevicz to an incredible victory and gold medals.

Evan Lysacek practiced and practiced; it all paid off as he won the gold medal in men’s figure skating. Evan brought the gold back to America after its long reign in the Russian federation.

Meryl Davis and Charlie White’s grace, skill and finesse brought home a silver medal in ice dancing.

Hannah Kearney skied to win gold and Shannon Bahrke skied to win bronze in the women’s moguls.

Bryon Wilson won bronze in the men’s ski moguls.

Jeret Peterson flew through the air twisting and turning to win silver in the men’s aerials.

Elana Meyers and Erin Pac won bronze in the women’s bobsleigh.

Julia Mancuso won silver in ladies downhill and silver in ladies super combined.

Andrew Weibrecht won bronze in the men’s super G.

Allison Baver, Kimberly Derrick, Alyson Dudek, Katherine Reutter and Lana Gehring won bronze in the ladies 3000 m speed skating relay. Katherine Reutter also won silver in the ladies 1000 m short track speed skating.

J. R. Celski won bronze in the men’s 1500m and bronze in the men’s 5000 m speed skating relay.

Simon Cho, Travis Jayner, Jordan Malone and Apolo Anton Ohno won bronze in the men’s 5000 m speed skating relay.

Seth Wescott won gold in the men’s snowboard cross.

Shaun White rode to gold in the men’s snowboard half pipe while Scott Lago rode to bronze in the men’s snowboard half pipe.

Hannah Teter rode to silver and Kelly Clark bronze in the women’s snowboard half pipe.

Shani Davis skated to gold and Chad Hedrick skated to bronze in the men’s speed skating 1000 m. Shani Davis kept his speed and won silver in the men’s 1500 m speed skating.

Brian Hansen, Chad Hedrick, Trevor Marsicano and Jonathan Kuck skated to silver in the men’s team pursuit speed skating.

We’re not finished yet as the US Hockey team expects to skate to gold tomorrow night. What an incredible Winter Olympic games for United States. 36 medals so far and we’re not finished yet. Congratulations to a fabulous group of athletes. We’re proud of you.

For more in depth information on al of our heroes and heroines, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Aerobic Experience Without a Gym

2010-02-26T14:40:00.000-08:00

No equipment required. No designer latex body suit. Not even a Vic Tanny exercise tape or an expensive “pamper you until you go bankrupt” spa.

Review the components of an aerobic workout:

1. Full body sweat

2. Pulse rate of over 170.

3. Perspiring palms

4. Heavy breathing

5. The mouth opens but no intelligent verbal sound

6. Skin tone varies from brilliant crimson to ghostly white

You can gain all of these wonderful effects by running a marathon, peddling a one speed bicycle up a steep hill or being asked to speak to a group in public.

There are those who would rather be the victim of the car crash rather than the one giving the press conference explaining it .

Watch a new speaker with trembling knees walk up to the podium. Thank goodness they are not wearing spike high heels; imagine walking on stilts through a hurricane. Safety at last, they make it to the podium where they hold on with the death grip of a 4 year old the day the training wheels come off the bicycle. With a white knuckle clutch to the podium, they take a deep breath, deliver the six minute speech, collapse in the chair and let the breath out. Once we revive them after they hyperventilate, they start to relax.

Public speaking generates all of the aerobic benefits for many first time speakers. It is actually not that bad. The first time many people are asked to speak in public is quite a traumatic event. Relax; it does not have to be a miserable experience.

Some people tell you to picture the audience in their Hanes’s or their tidy whites, but at that point your lungs do not have enough air to laugh so it would be a wasted exercise.

Finding a friendly face in the audience and riveting your gaze strictly on that one person seems to produce more successful results.

Other techniques before you go on stage are:

1. Thinking about a wonderful calming scene in nature

2. Listening to soothing music

3. Hiding under the table in the room down the hall until it is too late for you to speak

If public speaking truly strikes terror in your heart to the point that you would rather go 3 rounds in the boxing ring with Bubba the Bruiser, then you are a victim of self inflicted stage fright. There are cures for stage fright. You could take a sedative and sleep through the event, run away to a remote jungle island or join Toastmasters.

Toastmasters is a safe, friendly, supportive group of comrades who share your trembling hands and racing heart but chose to learn to overcome the sweaty shakes. You will learn in a calm, encouraging and sober atmosphere. The manuals walk you through the steps in a logical, clear and informative system. You can even start with Table Topics which is an impromptu one to two minutes.

To the best of my knowledge, no one ever died of stage fright. You can do almost anything for one minute. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Whether your boss corners you in the elevator and asks for your progress on a current program or you receive the tap on the shoulder to speak at your local homeowner’s association meeting, being able to express yourself clearly is a tremendous asset.

You can enroll in night classes at your local college or university, join a networking group or practice at your local church or social organization. Every time you speak in public, you become a little more comfortable with the process.

For practical tips and techniques to ease your fear and improve your communication, come join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Life Is Easy Now

2010-02-21T21:41:00.000-08:00

Remember When. . .

I heard all about my parents walking to school through the snow. At least they didn’t claim it was twenty miles uphill each way. Personally, I rode the noisy school bus for an hour, each way, everyday, so I had it better. Now the kids have their own car or at least Mom or Dad running shuttle service. With each generation life gets easier. At least that is the way it is designed to be. Not to say that each generation does not have new issues, just different. Sometimes we forget how easy we have it now.

Maybe you really have it rough and have to ride your 21 speed mountain bike to school. Try doing those Colorado mountain hilly roads on total pedal power; you go only go as fast as you can pedal and no gears at all. We laugh about feeling so sorry for those who only have a 10 or 15 speed bike instead of a 21 speed. The seats are far more comfortable now too. Bike shorts? Forty years ago those cushy shorts were not even a glimmer in the merchandising eye. Sometimes we forget how easy we have it now.

The ipod you can’t leave home without which is glued to your body like another appendage was not available ten or 15 years ago. Carrying the family radio on your bike or shoulder would not work well. Remember when we carried huge “boom boxes?” Now you carry your entire music library in your pocket. We forget how easy we have it now.

Cell phones? Some of us grew up with crank phones. Yeah, I was a long short and a long through early grade school. Moving up to a rotary dial phone was an upgrade. Cordless phones, not a chance. We had to sit right there by the phone to talk. We fuss about privacy now. That old crank, rotary or even the early push button phones were party lines; zero privacy for the calls. We forget how easy we have it now.

“Reach out and touch someone” actually meant making an effort. Using the voice recognition dialing on your cell phone does not take much effort. Automatic programming of the phone number in the phone? Give me a break. We had to actually remember the number or carry a little paper book with the numbers.

Multiplication, long division and addition were actually functions of the mind. Kids have the computer or calculators to do it all for them. We actually had to use our head to compute math problems. Imagine that, thinking. Computers did not exist for us and we whine if you do not have the latest high speed, lightweight, high resolution graphics laptop. We forget how easy we have it now.

Imagine having to look at a set of encyclopedias or search through the Dewey Decimal System in the library in the quest for the right reference book for your term paper. If you were lucky, the book you needed had not been checked out by someone else who did not have to return it until after your paper was due. Now we look it up on Google with the touch of a key or the click of the mouse.

Preparing the papers by writing them out by hand or typing them on a ribbon typewriter was another treat which modern kids have never experienced. The ribbon got tangled or the keys jammed together and you had ink all over your fingers. Yes, each letter was on a separate metal arm which flew up and struck the ribbon. When you hit 2 or 3 keys at once they all flew up together and jammed. We had to separate them with our fingers resulting in ink all over our fingers.

Oh the joy of having the ribbon run out in the middle of typing the paper and it was too late to get to the store to buy another ribbon. Not only that but the teacher expected the paper to be neat and not have forty million strikeovers, misspelled words or ink blotches.

Want more than one copy; we had the joy of carbon paper. When we typed the wrong letter, we had to go back and correct each sheet. Want to move a paragraph, start all over typing that page. We forget how easy we have it today.

WE have spell check loaded on our computer and even a thesaurus at the touch of our keypad. We don’t even have to know how to spell or use a dictionary. We forget how easy we have it these days.

No matter what happens with the economy, political leaders or minor inconveniences, remembering how easy we have it today in comparison to the past puts a new perspective on life.

For more fun and historic comments, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Everyone Likes Choices

2010-02-21T21:19:00.000-08:00

Everyone likes choices. We have resisted being told what to do since we were small children. We not only want our own way but we want the freedom to decide for ourselves. Ever remember your parent saying, “You will do it, or else.” Regardless of whether the task was doing homework, cleaning your room or being nice to your little sister, there is something in our human nature that resists being told what to do. We have all been there.

Some things you either choose to do or pay the consequences. Its time for one of those joys right now. Taxes. Now the IRS is on most people’s ‘least favorite’ lists; they are on a parallel with having a siren and red and blue lights flashing behind you on the freeway. Or maybe you would prefer a root canal. All three of these receive a groan and a few choice words.

The IRS is not simply writing a check. Oh no, they make you suffer first and then write the check. Every one of us promises that next year we will keep up with the books every week. Each expense will be in its properly labeled and dated folder. Not only that but it will be recorded in the computer for easy totaling and access.

We know we should, but how many really do it every week?

Employment with a CPA firm brings many challenges. The most impressive client was a well dressed, impeccably groomed man. He entered the office with poise and professionalism; he even spoke very politely with excellent grammar. He requested to have his taxes prepared. No problem, we are a CPA firm; ‘taxes are us.’ When asked if he had all of his documents with him and organized, he replied, “absolutely, I have them right here.” Seeing a lovely leather briefcase in his hand was a promising sign. “How much will it cost?” The minimum fee was quoted with the stipulation that it could be more depending on the scope of the work.

He was asked if he would like to wait and speak with the CPA in a few minutes or leave the records and return for a scheduled appointment at a later date. He preferred to schedule an appointment for next week. Once the appointment was scheduled, his records were requested.

He excused himself, stepped out of the office, and returned with five paper grocery bags each overflowing with miscellaneous documents. He calmly asked, “Here they are, when do you think you will have everything finished?” “You must be kidding” flashed through my mind, well, those words in combination with other words.

Record keeping usually involves a bit more organization than Safeway paper bags. People wonder why the bill is so high. Hmmm. Hiring a good bookkeeper would be more efficient and less expensive than CPA rates.

If you have not organized your records, now is a good time to start. Actually, 13 months ago would have been the ideal time to start. We can not go in reverse, but starting now is wise.

QuickBooks Pro, Quicken, or Excel spreadsheets are a few suggestions for organizing your records electronically. Even a lined yellow tablet and lead pencil are better than the Safeway bag system.

Buy a box of manila folders and label each one. You can label by month or by type of item i.e. insurance, medical, miscellaneous, automobile, taxes. When you pay a bill, write the check number, date and amount paid on the bill and drop it in the folder.

If you are self employed, none of your business expenses will be deductible without proper records. Either keep proper records or shake in your boots and be prepared to write a big check if you are ever audited. IRS agents are not known for their lighthearted sense of humor. Another hint – IRS likes paper. The more specific proof and written records you can provide to the IRS, the happier they are. Excellent record keeping is not optional. Of course you could take your chances just as you do with the lottery.

The difference is that if you do not win the lottery, you simply do not win. If you gamble with IRS audits and lose, the IRS adds penalties and interest. Pay me now or pay me later takes on a life of its own.

Bottom line, keep detailed records and back each one up with lots of paperwork.

You have choices.

1. You may choose not to follow good accounting practices now and pay a huge sum to the CPA to prepare your taxes.

2. Ignore the entire issue and hope you never get caught. Be prepared for a roommate named Bubba in a barred room for which you do not have the liberty of self check out.

3. Hire a bookkeeper.

4. Keep organized records yourself.

You do have choices. If you would like specific, easy to follow organization tips and techniques to make 2010 easier than 2009, join me at www.Elaine4Succes.com. The Entrepreneur’s mentor makes your life easier and more profitable.

Are You Connected?

2010-02-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

Three factors control your connection. The same principles apply in social organizations, personal and professional interactions. Sometimes you are the disconnect; sometimesthe audience members are detached from you or your message. Generally this communication misfire is a combination.

Yes, God gave us two ears and one mouth. Are you really listening to the other person? Are you listening to both their words and their tone of voice? Ever heard someone answer the question, “How are you?” with the most deadpan, monotone “fine.” Listen to only the word and you go on as if everything is wonderful. In this case the tone of voice screams so loudly that the word is insignificant. When you are truly listening to both the words and the tone, you feel the problem. Immediately call a halt to further conversation. Something is not ‘fine’ with this person.

Most people listen for a break in the conversation in order to interject their input. Listening for a word, any word, from the other person qualifies a change of speakers in the conversation. Genuine listening is a silent form of flattery. Listening only for a gap between words or a sound of some sort from the other person does NOT qualify as genuine listening.

The first key to connecting with the other person is genuine listening.

The mumbled ‘fine’ indicates a mental or emotional preoccupation. This person is obviously not fine and not connecting with you at this point. Your timing for a discussion with them may not be ideal. If you are ready, willing and able to listen to them with an open mind and an open heart, your timing may be perfect. If you choose to push your own agenda at this moment, you will fail. The timing is far less than ideal. Pushing your own agenda when the other person is not mentally available to receive is like throwing feathers into the wind; you have zero chance of success in having your message hit the target.

Schedule a time to discuss your agenda item later when both parties are receptive. Your courtesy will be appreciated and your odds of success will be vastly improved. Change the time and perhaps even change the setting. Some discussions are better face to face than email or telephone. If you must discuss delicate matters on the telephone, asking if this is a good time to talk before you launch into the meat of the discussion improves the chances of success. Timing for a face to face discussion or even a telephone discussion is critical. Email timing is not as significant since people have the flexibility of opening and answering the email on their own time preference. Being cognizant of the other person improves the flow of effective communication. Simply asking, “Is this is a good time to talk for a few minutes?” Or ask, “When would be a good time for us to discuss ______?”

The second key to connecting with the other person is timing.

Connecting also requires the proper delivery of the message. Voice inflection or tones also convey messages. The exact same words receive totally different significance depending on the manner in which they are delivered. As noted earlier “fine” implies one meaning as a word and a totally different impression depending on whether it is delivered with a cheerful smile or a blah monotone.

The delivery of the same words will receive totally opposite results with different tones and facial expressions. A frown and clenched teeth delivery of, “We need to talk” will strike trepidation in the mind of the receiver. Saying “We need to talk” with a glint of a smile in the eyes and a mischievous lilting tone conveys a totally different impression. Delivery of the message depends on not only the words but also the tone of voice and manner of speaking. The tone and manner of delivery can easily overshadow the actual words.

Listen to the words and tone of voice as someone responds to you. Be courteous of the timing of your message to be certain the recipient is ready to receive. Deliver your message in a manner in which it will be received as you intend for it to be received. Listening, timing and delivery all affect the quality and reception of your message.

For additional fine points on connecting with your audience, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Teamwork Empowers Leaders

2010-02-12T18:17:00.000-08:00

Michael Jordan is a super star basketball player but he is one of the team. As incredible an athlete as he is, he can not play for the entire team. John Elway has an excellent passing arm; however, unless he has someone to catch the pass, the play will not progress. Even the best quarterback can not play every position on the team simultaneously.

Team building means a diverse group of individuals with different talents and interests coming together for the good of the entire group. The entire team unites in a common goal for the benefit of all. No one super star stands out to the exclusion of the whole.

Amazon called the management team into the office at the beginning of the recession and informed them, “There is a big recession coming. Let’s miss it.” The mastermind session began immediately. Net result was that while everyone else was whining about a reduction in sales, Amazon’s profits were up. Team work saved the bottom line.

Mastermind groups have collaborated since at least the early days of Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich.” Even though the terminology and format of the Greek forum was different, mastermind groups have existed in one form or other for centuries. Teamwork is not a new concept. A brainstorming group is a form of team each contributing ideas and efforts for the benefit of all the members.

Mastermind groups, brainstorm groups and teams all have leaders. An immature leader will say, “I’m going to the top, you can follow me.” A more mature leader say, “I will empower you to be the best you choose to be and we will all go to the top together.”

Forming a winning team consists of several basic elements.

1. Select team members with different skills, knowledge, and experience. Bringing together different personalities and talents means more variety in the points of view and more creative stimulation. A group of all analytical detail oriented engineers would benefit from a free spirited creative team member. A group of all ‘big picture’ thinkers would establish the dream but not have anyone to carry out any of the implementation details. Not only select a variety of personalities and talents, but assign the correct responsibility to the ideal candidate. An accountant would be excellent for Treasurer of the group but probably not ideal for the public relations ‘center stage’ spokesman.

2. Constant follow up checks insure that the team stays on track. Comparing actual results with goals pin points the timeline on the path to the goals. Even a rocket ship on the way to the moon needs to make course corrections frequently.

3. Establishing parameters clarifies rules, procedures and boundaries. Fewer problems will occur when each member knows the guidelines and responsibilities from the beginning. Problems always occur; however, they can be minimized. Knowing from the start who has the authority to make the final decision, eliminates unnecessary debate.

4. Develop a reasonable plan for implementation. Goals must be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely. Goals must be SMART if the achievement plan has any success potential. Be specific in the steps necessary to accomplish the plan.

5. Assign specific roles and responsibilities. Expect each team member to handle their role. Provide extensive training to insure that each team member has the pertinent facts to be able properly accomplish their role.

6. Establish controls. How will the progress be monitored to determine if the goals are being achieved in the desired timeline?

7. Build team trust. Expect to be able to rely on each other. Be willing to lend a hand to each other. Always be respectful of each other’s time and ideas. All members of the team will not agree 100% with every decision. Once a firm decision is made, accept it and move forward. Communicate openly and honestly but courteously with each other.

Responsibility of the team leader changes as the team members become more accomplished at handling each of their tasks. Be versatile with releasing control once it is no longer needed on each small task.

Teamwork is essential to the effective management of any organization. Select a diverse group with a common goal. Assign the appropriate role to the best candidate for each duty. Define the responsibilities and parameters. Train the team members; design a specific workable plan and use appropriate follow up checks. Maintain open communication and mutual respect.

This provides a general outline; however, for individualized specific teamwork plans, join me at http://www.elaine4success.com/.

Firm Decisions Win

2010-02-11T20:06:00.000-08:00

“Decisions are easy when your values are clear.”

You can’t steal second base with your foot firmly planted on first. Once you make affirm decisions, the forces of the universe seem to move to make things happen.

Living in Steamboat Springs Ski Resort for 29 years and loving the skiing, the people and the healthy life style provided a wonderful comfortable life. “Hi, saw your corvette at the gym today. Still working out every day?” Baby (the corvette) receives waves and smiles where ever she goes. Oh, the locals are quite friendly to her owner as well. Steamboat represents such a warm, friendly atmosphere that it becomes impossible for Baby or her owner to go anywhere on any day or at any time of day incognito.

The thought “move to Castle Rock” reoccurred night after night. “I don’t know anyone in Castle Rock. I’m comfortable here. I can’t afford to buy another house. This is a lousy time to apply for a new loan,” she protested. Finally in utter frustration to stop the persistent dream, she placed an ad to rent her mountain home. Immediate and excellent response from eleven qualified rental candidates. Well meaning realtor friends cautioned, “Don’t ask more than 2,000 per month because anyone with more than 2,000 per month will buy not rent.” She selected a delightful young professional couple with one small child. She interviewed them at he home and at their home. Great housekeepers. Very personable and excellent references. They agreed on 3,000 per month and signed the rental contract.

Once a firm decision was made, everything started to fall into place. She called a Castle Rock realtor and explained exactly the size, location and price of the home she desired. “Oh, and it has to close and be ready to move in within 30 days.” The realtor laughed, “That is four impossible things. What do you want me to do,” he complained. “Start looking,” she replied. Within thirty days she was moved in to that exact home.

Once a firm decision is made, the universe seems to spring into action to make all the pieces slip into place in the puzzle. The key is always to make a firm decision. You can not move forward with your feet implanted in concrete in the past. Forward thinking and forward motion require remaining light on your feet and ready to spring forward.

“Audacity augments courage; hesitation, fear,” Publilius Syrus. Once you make an iron clad, no turning back, decision, the wheels of progress start turning.

The key to forward motion is always a firm decision. When you know exactly what you want and are acting in total integrity, you will receive blessings beyond your wildest dreams. Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher, often said that when riches start flowing to you, they will flow in such abundance that you wonder where they have been hiding all these years.

“We can try to avoid making choices by doing nothing, but even that is a decision,” Gary Collins. Without a firm decision you will wander aimlessly. With a firm decision you will progress. If you make a decision, you control your future. If you choose to do nothing, you are by default giving the control of your life to someone else.

A wise person seeks counsel to assist in making a wise decision, but a wise person never avoids making a decision out of fear of failure. Nothing moves forward without a firm decision. If you would like assistance in sorting through your options to make a wise decision, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com. It is your life, decide wisely.

Superior Customer Service

2010-02-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

Is Your Customer Service Really Serving?

Great companies always possess exceptional customer service. All things being equal, people do business with the people they trust and the people who make them feel valued. If you were given a choice and in this age of the internet, we all have a plethora of choices, would you pay the same or maybe even a little more to be guaranteed excellent customer service?

One of the three biggest questions anyone has in starting a new business is, “will you be there after the sale?” Customer service is imperative, not optional.

When was the last time you did a blind test of your own customer service? Call and purchase something from your own company. Call and speak to your own customer service. Granted, if you are a sole entrepreneur or a new owner of a network marketing business, this will be challenging. If you are that new or that size company, you probably have more time to focus on exceptional service to each of your clients. The old golden rule “do unto others and you would have them do unto you” never goes out of style.

Business week compiled a list of the top 25 customer service companies. Shop one or two of those companies and test their customer service against your customer service. No one ever thrills 100% of the people 100% of the time; however, that remains a worthy goal.

Hold training for your employees to determine how well you rank on the ten basic rules of customer service.

1. Exceed the customer’s expectations by striving for a positive experience for each one.

2. Educate yourself on your products and services in order to convey the information clearly and succinctly. Don’t build the watch when they ask you for the time.

3. Listen to your customers and learn what they need and want. It is not about what you sell, it is all about what they need to solve their immediate issue or desire.

4. Courtesy and respect are never out of fashion. Demonstrate by your words, tone and actions how much you value their business and value them as a person.

5. When you are wrong, admit it. When they are wrong, find a way to allow them to save face and go forward to work together. Sometimes it takes more finesse but it always costs less to keep a customer than go find a new one.

6. Follow up and do what you say you will do when you say you will do it.

7. Be honest about what your product or service will or will not do. Honesty up front saves problems later.

8. Give your customers the benefit of the doubt; it may be a simple misunderstanding. Handle it with courtesy with sincere questions.

9. Happy customers tell three people and unhappy customers tell ten people. Your reputation is always your golden asset; protect it.

10. The easier it is for your customers to purchase from you, the more likely they are to purchase now and return in the future. Eliminate cumbersome hoops whenever possible. In this day of credit cards providing a “buy now” clickable link increases sales.

Customer service beings in earnest the minute they decide to purchase from you. If anything, be more available after the sale than you were in the process of seeking the sale. Remember the best leaders are servant leaders and the best companies value their employees and customers; they not only value employees and customers but demonstrate that attitude constantly. Treat each customer as if your business depended on their continued loyalty; it does.

For the list of the 25 best companies for customer service and tips and techniques to improve your customer service, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Economy or Confidence

2010-02-09T14:43:00.000-08:00

Chaos reigns supreme in the American economy. Financial woes are shaking the foundation of the global economy as well. Global currency is about as stable as a kernel of corn in hot oil in a pop corn popper. Trying to anticipate and manage the fluctuations in the market right now is similar to asking fireflies to fly in formation. Impossible.

You are walking across a bed of cactus with your bare feet wondering if you will still have a job next week. What will you do if they give you the pink slip and escort you out of the building? Do you start looking for another job just in case? Do you buckle down and work even harder to prove you are worthy of keeping your job? Do you start your own part time business now, just in case?

Put your nerves in a straight jacket and take a deep breath.

Do you really enjoy your current job? What is it about the job that really inspires you? What would you change if you could? Seriously analyze the “yeah I really like this” and “yikes I would love to change that” parts of the job.

1. If the answer becomes crystal clear that there are far more elements that you would change than you like, it is decision time. How feasible is it to change some of the elements you do not like to become more enjoyable? In a perfect world with all options available to you, what would you really like to be doing?

2. If the answer is that you love your job, then the answer becomes very easy. Find ways to be more valuable to your company. Think innovatively and progressively. Increase your net worth to the company.

3. If the answer is “no, I’m only here for the paycheck” then it is time to explore other options. Do you like having a job?” Would you prefer to control your future and operate your own business? Do you have an entrepreneurial itch which has been begging to be scratched? Has that tiny red spot become a widespread patch of poison ivy which screams “get me out of this job and let me create my own enterprise?”

Once the decision has been firmly implanted in your soul to start your own business, what is stopping you? Oh you say, “The economy is really shaky right now. It’s a bad time to start a new business.” Horse feathers. 16 of the 30 companies in the Dow Jones average started in an economic downturn. Economy becomes an excuse not a reason.

Could the real reason be a lack of confidence? Your own personal butterflies are seriously out of formation. You are not certain if you will be able to succeed. Remember when you received your first bicycle? Were you afraid to ride without training wheels in case you fell over? Did it stop you? No. Well, if it did then maybe a business of your own may not be a good idea. You probably forced your hands and knees to stop shaking, gripped the handle bars with a death grip and took off down the hill. So what if you fell a few times in the process, you probably eventually mastered riding without hands. You did not let fear paralyze you.

What happened to that childish daring spirit? Millions of people successfully operate their own businesses. It becomes a matter of confidence and determination triumphing over childish fear.

A troubled economy frequently becomes an advantage because start up costs may be down. Help becomes more readily available because people are seeking part time or full time additional income. Some people simply have more available time to give you helpful hints during a down economy. You may even have more time now. You certainly have more motivation if you are concerned about losing a job. The sooner you get your own business on a solid financial footing, the less you have to be concerned about the loss of a job.
Buck up your courage and do what you have always wanted to do. If you have a dream to have your own business, how many more years do you want to slip by before you start taking charge of your future?

For specific tips and techniques on selecting the right business for you and assistance in putting them into a workable plan, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Skiing Lost A Legend

2010-02-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

Skiing lost a legend. Billy Kidd lost a close friend. The world gained an example of courage, positive attitude and a “can do” spirit.

Jimmy Heuga passed away in Boulder at the age of 66. He left a legacy for the skiing world, Olympic record books and a tender spot in the hearts of everyone who knew him.

Jimmy Heuga and Billy Kidd made Olympic history as the first two American skiers to medal in the same event in the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics. Jimmy Heuga earned the bronze medal and Billy Kidd earned the silver medal. The two men have competitors and friends since their early days on the CU ski team in the early 1960s.

http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2010/feb/08/skiing-star-ms-champion-jimmie-heuga-dies/ displays a wonderful article of the close friendship and historic pictures. Steamboat was my home for 29 years. Billy Kidd is one of the finest, most gentle and professional men I have ever had the privilege to meet. Jimmy Heuga embodied so many wonderful character traits; no wonder these two men were such dear friends.

When we look at Lance Armstrong’s battle with cancer and his comeback to victory, we smile in tribute. Lance continues to work for a cure for cancer. Jimmy Heuga held his spirits high and continued to work to eradicate the disease of multiple sclerosis. These men set the example for all athletes and all people to follow.

“In Steamboat there is a tradition of touching the tip of your ski pole to the nose of the statue of Buddy Werner at the top of Buddy’s Run. This tribute honors a great skier and a great man. Jimmy, you touched our hearts and we salute you with our ski poles; we pay tribute to a great skier and a great man.” (Article in Wolf Creek Examiner)

In this day of economic unrest, professional athletes in trouble with the police, and whining by the citizens, this display of courage, professionalism and living out loud represents an example we can all embrace with pride.

Looking at the discipline, endurance and dedication of true gentlemen and athletic heroes such as Jimmy Heuga, Lance Armstrong and Billy Kidd bring a smile of pride to all of us. These men not only stood in the limelight but stand tall in the eyes of all as examples.

Gratitude swells in our hearts as we appreciate our wonderful country, our abundance, our health and opportunities to live and achieve. Regardless of our current circumstances, we still possess an abundance of opportunities to achieve and leave a positive legacy.

When we examine the physical and mental endurance required to live with or overcome serious disease, it dissolves any possible excuse any of us may have for whining about our minor inconveniences.

Where are you in your life, health, career and finances right now? Do you have the desire, drive and mental metal to reach deep inside yourself and overcome your circumstances the way Jimmy Heuga and Lance Armstrong did? These men were winners in every sense of the word. They won in their sport, they won in their battle with disease and they won in the battle to rise above circumstances to leave a legacy of which they can be proud.

Start by being grateful for what you do have. Form a plan to achieve everything you dream and desire. Take action to make it happen. “Everything you need is already inside you,” said Anthony Robbins. It is up to you to do something positive with those gifts.

The gauntlet is down. Jimmy Heuga and Lance Armstrong set the bar high by living out loud and setting the example. Can you reach deep inside yourself and do more with your life?

If you want assistance or inspiration, send me a comment in the “contact Elaine” section of www.Elaine4Success.com.

How much Information is Enough?

2010-02-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

Don’t you just cringe when you ask a question about an internet business and they say, “just sign up, we’ll tell you what to do later.” Some are almost that bad. There are websites on the internet today which do not tell you what kind of business it is or anything about it.

Caution about getting involved with a business which will not provide any information.

As a potential business purchaser, you have a right to know:

1. The name of the parent company

2. The main product – not all of the details, but the type of product. Is it a juice, telephone card, financial education, marketing education, cosmetics etc.

3. The type of business – franchise, MLM, Network marketing, affiliate program . . .

4. Do you earn from your first sale or have to pass up sales

5. How long has the company been in business

These are basic pieces of information to which you have a right before you invest your hard earned money.

Most people are concerned about:

1. Can I do it?

2. Will you be there after the sale?

3. Is it real? Is it legitimate?

After you filled out your information on the web site, did you receive a telephone call? If they called, where they high pressure sales or genuinely interested in you and your needs? If you did not receive a phone call, was there a number where you could contact them and speak to a live person? In the old days, ten or twenty years ago, you may have been sent to a pre-recorded message on an 800 line and asked to leave your contact information. That technique is rarely used now. Quite frequently now, you may receive a pre-recorded message sent directly to your telephone without your request for the call. That is regarded as a form of telephone spam rather than internet spam email.

How much personal attention do you desire? If you are the type of person who enjoys speaking with a real live human, then you can either call or respond to those who telephone you. Providing a telephone number on the web site is an indication that the owner of the web site is open to speaking with you and providing information to you.

The next step after the initial contact will probably be an email directing you to either a conference call or a web site for more information. This may be a personal email or an auto responder email. How much real information is provided in the email? Once again, have you been provided with contact information to speak directly with the sender?

When you attend the conference call or web site, how much information do you receive in addition to the enthusiasm and sales pitch? If it is all rah rah and no specific product or company information, be careful. The company name should be given for your reference.

Look up the company to determine if it has an excessive number of complaints. Any company which has been in business for 5 or more years will probably have a few grumblers. It is impossible for any person or any company to make 100% of the people happy 100% of the time.

Attorney general complaints are more significant than blogs or whiner chat rooms. Look at the source of the information in the complaint. Better Business Bureau is not a real government bureau; it is a “for profit” company. Much like the Federal Reserve is not actually federal; it is a private profit corporation.

There are a tremendous number of honest, ethical companies available for starting your own business. Being an entrepreneur is a wonderful, exciting and extremely beneficial venture. The important factors are to select the best business for you; select a business which fits your interests, your passion, your goals, your investment and your future income. Ethics and integrity must be present.

The more open and informative the business, the greater the opportunity for you to make a solid decision about what is best for you.

If you would like assistance in sorting through the information and guidance on selecting the best business for you, send me a note in the “contact Elaine” section of www.Elaine4Success.com.

When the Wheels Come Off

2010-02-06T20:05:00.000-08:00

What do you do when the wheels come off of your world?

A friend of mine lost a fifty thousand dollar contract recently. When you consider that is more money than most people throughout the world, including the United States, earn in a year, the significance is enormous. He had been working on this major project for over ten months and he was eager to deliver the finished product and collect his fee. Imagine his excitement when he called the company declaring that the work was completed a few weeks ahead of schedule and he was ready to present what he believed was an exceptional product. Bringing a major project in early as well as above and beyond the scope of the contract, feels exhilarating. He was prepared to coordinate schedules with all of the major executives with his schedule. Imagine his shock when he learned that the company was bankrupt and he would not only not be presenting the project but would not be paid.

A flood of emotions flow through your body like electric shock waves. Anger, shock, grief, confusion, and hurt rise and fall like tidal waves until your energy is depleted and you sit stunned and exhausted. A year’s income, a year’s work all evaporated before your eyes.

What do you do? You can scream, cry, pout or even throw things; however none of those do any good. You can go drink but that is never a solution either. Give yourself a few minutes to regain your composure and figure out what happens next. If the company truly is bankrupt and closing its doors, you are probably not the only broken contract and not the only impending lawsuit. Suing in this case would probably be pointless; the only one who usually wins in these situations is the attorney.

An attorney in Steamboat Springs had the picture of a cow on his wall. One person was pulling the head of the cow by the halter, the other pulling the tail of the cow and the attorney sitting there milking the cow. Both ends of the lawsuit lose and the attorney mils the situation. Alternative dispute resolution frequently benefits both parties in the lawsuit more than litigation. A lawsuit would not be recommended in this case.

Look at the work and determine what good could result from it. Could he write a book, teach a seminar, or sell it to another company. A full year’s work must be worth something to someone. Put your thinking cap on and go for it.

Life occasionally hands us a brutal slap in the financial face. Maybe yours was a job loss.

If you are like most people, you have been employed in more than one job throughout your life. Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the center from the top of the paper to the bottom. Start making a list on the left side of the paper of everything you ever liked about any job you ever had. Start making a list on the right side of the paper of everything you ever disliked about any job you ever had. Take a fresh new sheet of paper and list everything which would be ideal for you in a new career. Note that I did not say new job; many people find this is the perfect time to start a business of their own.

After all, you can not possibly be terminated from a company you own without your consent. In a perfect world with zero limitations, what would you enjoy doing for a career? No, do not analyze or go negative, just think and write possibilities.
This technique is a variation of the Ben Franklin problem solving method.

This is exactly the advice given to my friend who lost the fifty thousand dollar contract fee. Look for all of the positives, the known negatives and the potential desirable outcomes. From this method will emerge a pattern; from the pattern will emerge a solution.

We always have a solution just around the corner; our responsibility is to look for it, find it and implement it.

If you lost you job, then determine all of the positives, negatives and desirable outcomes. Now when you go forward to seek a new career you have more experience in selecting the ideal position for you. That is a tremendous advantage to having a few years experience. We have the knowledge to know what we like and what we don’t like. As a professor of mine once said, you can have ten years experience or one year’s experience ten times. You have the benefit of ten years experience. Next time you will make an even better choice.

Maybe this is the perfect time to launch your own business and create the future you desire. Fulfill everything on your ideal career list. Work in your area of strength and passion. Creating your ideal future is far more fun than creating the future of someone else’s dreams.

If you would like assistance in determining your passion, your ideal future career, write me a note in the ‘contact Elaine’ section of www.Elaine4Success.com.

3 Solutions For Success

2010-02-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

A fresh approach changes the direction of your results. “Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought,” Henri Louis Bergson.

Everyone reaches a point in life where they feel stuck. The creativity does not flow and the spirit is restless. Wayne Dyer, world renowned author, lecturer and philosopher, once said that it is impossible to be depressed and active at the same time. The greatest cure for being stuck, restless or depressed is always action. Go do something. Write, read, walk, bake cookies or clean the garage. Go do something.

Better yet, when you are restless and discontent with your current situation, go do something wonderful for someone else. Doing something good for someone else not only makes them feel better but it also improves your attitude.

When your results are not progressing the way you desire, the 3 areas to investigate are:

Attitude
Philosophy
Activity

Your attitude reflects your perspective toward a situation. It is how you feel about the events in your life. A positive attitude will always help you do more than a negative attitude.

"A 'positive attitude' is definitely one of the keys to success. My definition of a positive attitude is a simple one: Looking for the good in all circumstances. Catherine Pulsifer

Your attitude reflects in everything you do whether you realize it or not. Your attitude about yourself, your work and your life in general projects into everything you say and do. When things are not going your way, look inside rather than outside.

Your philosophy is your pursuit of knowledge through study and self discipline. Jim Rohn was 25 when he realized that the problem with his finances was not the economy, the government, the taxes or any external force but his philosophy of life. He changed his philosophy and began disciplining himself to study successful people. He read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill and “The Richest Man in Babylon” by George Clason. He adopted their philosophy of handling money, business and forward thinking mindset. This subtle change in philosophy created a major shift in his earnings and the way he managed his money.

Philosophy quotes can be very obtuse and vague. Oscar Wilde said it best, “I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I m saying.” One of my favorites of Oscar Wilde is “I can stand brute force, but brute reason is quite unbearable. There is something unfair about its use. It is hitting below the intellect.”

Break philosophy down into simple terms. Change your perspective about a situation; study and develop a new view of life. According to Wayne Dyer, when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change. This is philosophy 101.

Once you change your attitude to reflect more of the positive approach and change your philosophy to study and gain new perspective, your activity will automatically change.

Get in the habit every night of making a list of five things to move your business. Let your subconscious work on the solutions while you sleep. Be absolutely certain to complete your five major action steps every day. Every activity must move you closer to your goal.

Decide with pin point accuracy your exact goals. Know precisely what you consider as success: personal, professional, and financial. Focus every activity each day with laser beam accuracy toward the achievement of those goals.

With a crystal clear philosophy, a positive attitude and laser focused accuracy in all of your activities, it would be impossible to miss your goals.

When your life stalls out or misses its target, reassess your attitude, philosophy and accuracy. Changing one or a combination of those three factors will turn your life upward.

If you would like assistance with attitude, philosophy, or activity, write a comment in “contact Elaine” in www.Elaine4Success.com. Your future is guaranteed.

Psychology of Colors Marketing

2010-02-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

From across a crowded room your eye catches a flash of hot pink. A smile eases its way across your face and you carefully weave your way through the crowd. Something about that flash of color beckoned you with an irresistible magnetism. You were compelled to learn more about its origin. The irresistible mystery of that flash or color inspired you to investigate.

Colors speak to us on a subliminal level as well as overt appeal. What do your colors say about you? Your marketing colors speak volumes about your quality, your product and your personality. Colors, logo and succinct well chosen words in your web site banner or marketing brochure either immediately catch the eye or bye bye potential customer. You have mere seconds to catch the eye or the lightening quick back button or delete button is pushed.

Colors, logo and headline either speak “come here, there is something important here” or you lost your chance just as certainly as not following your instinct to investigate that flash of hot pink. Create a positive eye catching magnetic pull. Instill a subconscious desire to learn more. The best web page content in the world is worthless unless you attract your ideal customer to click the link and stay on your page long enough to actually read the words. The mind thinks in pictures and colors. Never underestimate your initial impression.

What colors and image represent your company, products and culture? Study your psychology of colors marketing image. Examine some industry leaders.

IBM was known as big blue. Blue represents the expanse of sky and sea indicating wide spread market share. Blue is linked to consciousness and intellect and suggests precision when promoting high-tech products. Further note the prominence in blue for men’s shirts in corporate America; blue projects more of a masculine image. The origin of the term “Big Blue” could have come from the color of their 1960s mainframe computer, the loyal true blue customer or the company dress code. The name fit and it remained intact.

IBM’s logo is simple, clear and representative of International Business Machines. Currently the logo is the simple white letters with thin black lines on a solid black background. Simple crisp and clean.

General Mills chose a simple cursive G in green. Green represents nature and freshness with a strong emotional correspondence to safety. Freshness, assurance of health and safety are all excellent qualities for food products. Notice that green frequently also represents the safety of drugs and medical products. Shades of green are also very significant. Darker green us associated with greed or jealousy; yellow-green tends toward sickness or discord; olive green is traditionally the color of peace. Note that General Mills chose a leaf green, the color of a healthy young leaf.

The cursive G of the logo is warm, welcoming, and friendly. Note the difference in the Green Bay Packers bold print G showing strength and masculinity.

Colors and logo form a strong image of the company and products.

McDonalds golden arches flash the image of joy, happiness and energy. Yellow arches beckon children with their cheerfulness; yellow is a very lighthearted childish color. Ronald McDonald the clown follows through the image with happiness, play and pied piper welcome. Absolutely nothing strong and masculine about a clown’s image; yellow would never be recommended for a strong male image.

The golden arches logo is once again clean, crisp and simple. They are easy to identify from a distance and convey a “come on inside” image.

These are only three examples of the color and logo conveying the perfect image for the company and products. Consider the psychology of colors in your advertising materials.

What image do your colors and logo project about you? Colors absolutely have a specific psychological impact. Are your marketing colors and logo conveying the psychology you intend?

For a specific analysis of your current marketing colors or to design the appropriate colors to depict your intended image, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

3 Keys To Success

2010-02-03T19:43:00.000-08:00

Surveys of major corporative executives and business icons revealed three major keys to business success.

Ever known anyone who was absolutely brilliant but spoke in technical terms so far above most of the audience that they might as well have been speaking Greek? Speaking in insider acronyms or industry specific jargon is only effective with a very select audience. Everyone else mentally checks out within the first five minutes. The easy assumption seems to be that because the speaker knows the terminology, everyone should.

Bill Gates of Microsoft and Steve Jobs of Apple are both incredibly bright men and very technology savvy; however, their presentation style varies radically. One of the things Toastmasters teaches and every successful presenter knows is the importance of connecting with your audience. Effective communication is not optional. You may have the best book, the best web site, the best scientific proof; however, if you can not communicate it to audience in a language they understand and relate to, you have nothing more than a pretty document. Information only becomes valuable when it reaches out beyond the originator. Society receives no benefit from a closet report.

The first key to success is valuable information communicated effectively.

Problems exist everywhere. Personal problems, business problems, and social problems permeate our lives. Having the ability to solve problems is a tremendous asset. Solving problems in a cost effective manner is an even bigger asset. Add on solving problems while increasing morale and reducing employee turnover and you qualify for the executive washroom benefits package. Major executives must possess the ability to solve problems. The more “buy in” they receive from employees at all levels coupled with increases to the bottom line, the higher the bonus check.

If the company profits are to soar, you not only need the best pilot at the controls but also the right people in the right seats on the plane. Planes only fly effectively with the best people in the control tower and the right people on the ground crew. No major corporation ever soars effectively without a team effort. Problems will occur. It may be a lightening storm such as the economy tanking or ice on the wings such as a change in consumer demand for the products or an earthquake destroying the landing strip such as a union strike. Problems occur. The more effectively and swiftly these problems are solved, the more valuable the problem solver.

The second key to success is swiftly and effectively solving problems.

Ever see an employee evaluation which stated “does not work and play well with others.” Actually that phrase may have appeared on a kindergarten report card. Some never managed to acquire that attribute. In the problem solving section we described the importance of team work. Team work is not only the responsibility of the team leader, but also every member of the team. A wonderful team can easily come apart at the seams with one itchy, nit picky red ant. Working and playing well with others means everyone, just a few or when convenient. That attribute is extremely important for the team leader. The old expression about herding cats or organizing butterflies to fly in formation has direct impact on the team leader. A disorganized, dictatorial or micro manager team leader will not inspire his group to cooperate and play well together. Michael Jordan is a world acclaimed basketball player but Michael alone would not make an effective team. He frequently passed the ball to other players; he knew how to work and play well with others.

The third key to success is working and playing well with others.

Master the art and skill of effective communication, problem solving and team work and you will absolutely prosper in business and in life.

For specific tips and techniques for effective communication, problem solving and team coordination, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Push Emotional Buttons

2010-02-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

It is just one of those days. Murphy’s Law declares that what could go wrong, will go wrong. Parkinson’s law states that Murphy was an optimist. When one of those situations slaps your face and kicks your emotional equilibrium out of the park, sit back, take a deep breath and use a tension release system.
Abraham Lincoln perfected a system of expounding on his thoughts without regard to what anyone might think about his language. Political politeness never entered the consideration. He wrote a letter with full open expression of his thoughts. Frequently these letters were addressed to various Union officers who made tactical battlefield errors resulting in tremendous loss of life. Each letter was written in detail, folded, placed in an envelope and deposited in the steamer trunk mailbox. None of these letters ever reached the recipient or the US Postal system. The Lincoln “letter to the steamer trunk” system provided an effective venting system without harming anyone.

Ed Tate, professional speaker and coach, introduced the “scream at a chair” system. Imagine the object of your displeasure seated in the chair; rant and rave to your heart’s content. This method is best used out of earshot of your neighbors or any household members. This is particularly unsuitable in the vicinity of small children or animals. This method is far less expensive and less messy than throwing china against a wall.

My personal favorite emotional release technique is physical. No, not throwing china. Go for a run, go for a long walk, take a bike ride or go to the gym and lift weights. Physical activity releases negative pent up energy in a positive way. Physical exercise burns calories as opposed to eating a pound of chocolates or a gallon of ice cream which adds calories.

Rent a funny movie, listen to your favorite comedians’ CD or watch their DVD. Laugh. Laughing is another way of releasing tension. If you plan on hysterical laughter, once again you may choose to be out of hearing distance of your neighbors. Though they will not call the gentlemen with the pristine white straight jackets to come get you for laughing too much, doing this too frequently may raise eyebrows.

None of these tension relievers will cause the nice officers with the flashing lights atop their vehicles to give you a breathalyzer or take you to a cozy enclosure with a roommate named Bubba.

Everyone experiences having their emotional buttons pushed. Sometimes our family, friends and co-workers perfect the technique of knowing exactly where to insert the emotional electric shock barb.

Science has not discovered the exact location of a filter between the thoughts and the outward sound of the knife sharp words. In fact, the possibility exists that some people may have a faulty installation of that filter. Not everyone came equipped with a “think before you speak” mechanism. Some people seem completely oblivious of the necessity for such a filter. Some people are simply oblivious to the feelings of others; they either do not care or are unconscious of verbal impacts.

Remember, it is not about you, it is their issue. Unfortunately you are left to deal with the wounded ego.

It is not a matter of IF your emotional buttons will be pushed, but when. Reacting openly and with hostility to the perpetrator of the verbal zinger only extends your pain. The more public attention you draw to the insult, the more impact it has on everyone. Let it go and use the Lincoln letter, scream at a chair, physical exercise or laugh system to relieve your tension and restore your sanity.

Once you are in a calmer mindset, you will be better equipped to handle the situation in a manner that you will not regret later. Fortunately you received the filter from thoughts to words as original installation.

In case your filter has a faulty installation, contact me at www.Elaine4Success.com for a filter implementation or repair.

Survive, Strive, Thrive

2010-02-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

Life comes in phases – baby to young adult to senior citizen. Business displays the same phases.

Survivors are people whose attitude of minimum effort allows them to just survive; they choose to do as little as possible to get through life. You will find these people on the welfare roles. An upscale version of this appears in the cute kid who expects life to hand them everything they want with zero effort on their part. You know the female who seeks a sugar daddy or plays the “I’m cute so give to me” attitude. Guys are not exempt either even though there are less in the “I am handsome and full of muscles so give me’ category. America has unfortunately encouraged an entitlement society.

Survivors take from society rather than contributing to its growth.

Our ancestors were hard working industrious people. They were strivers. Prospectors who mined for gold endured extreme weather, shortages of food, and rudimentary shelter. Early settlers in the West endured dust storms, insect devastation of crops, Indian attacks, as well as the most basic of living conditions. Our ancestors who crossed the ocean in steerage compartments were directed past the machinery, down deep stairways into the enclosed cramped quarters of the lower decks; they lived or died in the absolute minimal accommodations. Today these pioneers are the single mothers who scrape by to care for their children by working two jobs. The strivers are the people, young and middle age, who attend night school or study at the library to advance their knowledge and value in the workplace. The strivers are the ones who sacrifice the weekend party to learn and grow and provide a better future for themselves and their families.

The strivers are the ambitious determined citizens who will not settle for just getting through life; they are committed to improving themselves. Strivers contribute to society. Our nation was founded by strivers. If we are to emerge from our current economic dilemma, it will be due to the strivers. Entrepreneurs are strivers. Entrepreneurs contribute to the improvement of conditions for the entire society.

As an entrepreneur’s mentor, there is a responsibility to encourage strivers. Entrepreneurs work closely with coaches and their entrepreneur’s mentors to constantly tweak and improve their performance. Entrepreneurs constantly strive for improvement. Our nation was founded by and for entrepreneurs. Our forefathers did not risk their lives and all of their worldly possessions to beget a nation of survivors and folks who expected a hand out.

The quarrel is not with those who genuinely need and deserve assistance; the verbal “kick in the pants” is directed at the capable but lazy. Entitlement mentality people frequently have the ability but not the motivation to get off the couch and earn their way forward.

America doffs its hat in respect to the strivers, the entrepreneurs. Being an entrepreneur’s mentor becomes an honor and a valuable use of time in extending wisdom to assist others in moving forward.

Thrivers have arrived. Thrivers epitomize the result of striving and accomplishing. Thrivers earned their success through concentrated focused goal oriented efforts. Look throughout history at the successful leaders in every aspect of society. Every one of them endured challenges, setbacks, and adversity; each one of them persevered through the speed bumps of life. The thrivers are the strivers who remained steadfast to their goals until they arrived.

Thrivers earned their reward. Most thrivers were entrepreneurs. Whether they chose a career in business, one of the performing arts, education or science, they dedicated themselves to their future.

Question yourself if you have chosen to be a survivor and draw from society rather than contribute to it.

Be proud of yourself for being an entrepreneur and a striver. Celebrate your success as a thriver. America grew to be the greatest nation through the efforts of the strivers, the entrepreneurs. Be proud to be a striver and a thriver.

For more inspiration and guidance on how you can be a striver and thriver, an entrepreneur, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Good Heart and Good Intentions

2010-01-31T18:02:00.000-08:00

This email crossed my computer screen today and touched my heart as it moved through. Normally I have the fastest delete button in Colorado. Junk mail does not get a second glance.

A Ranger in Lanseria, S. Africa has an incredible relationship with lions, hyenas and cougars. The Ranger is assigned to protect the animals in the wildlife refuge from poaching. Everyone has declared through the ages that animals know who likes them. Animals have an instinct to know who cares about them and who will harm them. These pictures reveal the close relationship between their human protector and themselves. Hyenas have the reputation of being vicious, yet they cuddle up to him as if they were tabby cats. Lions hate water and yet they are in deep water with the Ranger in very trusting poses.

How do we relate to the people in our lives? Are we giving, caring and protective or self-centered and “what’s in it for me?” So often in corporate cultures and business in general, the tendency toward competitive behavior wins out over cooperation.

This attitude of “what’s in it for me” has become so prevalent that people laughingly state, “The radio station most people have tuned in 24/7 is WIIFM.” How about you?

Something good exists in every situation. During a natural disaster such as a hurricane or a national disaster such as September 11 at the Twin Towers in New York, Americans all pull together to help each other. The current economic collapse has caused many people to reassess their priorities. We have all become so accustomed to “things” that we forget to be tender and caring. During a disaster, the focus becomes more on giving than getting.

This Ranger put his own life at risk to care for his furry friends. The animals knew and responded. Small children and animals seem to be especially sensitive to vibrations of genuine caring. Being considerate and caring does not mean allowing others to walk all over you. What would it really hurt for you to open a door for someone who has their hands full? What about giving a smile or a kind word to a colleague? Why not tell a friend or co-worker that you like their outfit? Why not take an extra minute to hug your kids and pat the dog?

During the pioneer days life was simple and neighbors helped each other. When did we get so busy that we stopped caring about each other?

Serotonin is the “feel good” chemical produced in the brain naturally and artificially reproduced in all of the mood enhancing drugs. It is a known fact that doing something good for someone else raises the serotonin in the brain of the person performing the good deed. It also increases serotonin in the brains of people receiving the act of kindness. It is also known to increase the serotonin in the brains of people observing a kind gesture.

The story and pictures of this amazing relationship between man and wild animals warms our hearts and hopefully inspires us to re-examine all of our own actions and motives. Do something good for someone today with the absolute knowing that they could never re-pay you. Even better, do not expect them to repay you.

Life is truly about giving value to help others. It makes you feel good, makes them feel good and sets a dynamite example for everyone.

Send me your comments and stories in the “Contact Elaine” section of www.Elaine4Success.com. Request a copy of these incredible pictures.

Dealing With Insults

2010-01-30T16:46:00.000-08:00

Ouch! What do you do when a young colleague delivers a zinger?

Choices:

1. You can lash back with one of your own.

2. You can quietly slink away into an emotional corner.

3. You can resolve to get even

4. You can pick your ego up off the floor and commit to prove your value

On a call earlier today, a young “hot shot” uttered the emphatic line, “If a really old 50 year old woman can do this then so can everyone else.” He continued totally oblivious to the fact that one person on that elite management team call was 65.

In theory a filter exists between the thoughts and the verbal utterance of speech. Not always. Everyone has at one time or another spoken in haste and regretted the words. Words of anger or during high stress sometimes regretfully slip out. Profound sincere apologies soothe ruffled feelings; however, once the words break free into earshot, they can not be retracted. It is like hitting the “send” button on an email and instantly realizing the error. Too late. The “Undo” button does not work for “Message sent successfully.”

Even if no one else on the call registered the words, as the 65 year old person on the call, the words stung. What action comes next?

1. Lash back? Emotional retorts tend to transfigure the insult from a mosquito to a bumble bee sting. Everything becomes amplified and uncomfortable for everyone on the call. Emphasizing the degree of hurt rarely solves the issue. If you must present a verbal slap, at least do it off line.

2. Sulking in a “pity party” closet wastes time and accomplishes zero benefit. Give yourself five seconds if you must and move on with your day. Harboring hurt feelings is similar to dragging around baggage from your childhood. So what if your sister was given a prettier doll on her fifth birthday than you received. Get over it. Lugging around a sack of perceived injustices only slows you down on your journey toward success.

3. Resolve to get even. “Vengeance is mine,” said the Lord. He instead suggested forgiveness. Bullies in the school yard and people who are angry at life fight back with vengeance. You are a much bigger person than that. Being reluctant to forgive others can be an indication of not forgiving yourself. Even if you have a perfectly legitimate reason for being angry or hurt, indulging in those emotions wastes perfectly good time and energy.

4. Your ego is scattered on the floor in multiple pieces. Get a dustpan, super glue and put the puzzle together again. Taking positive action starts the healing process.

One young mother of five active little ones said,”I really would like to have a nervous break down, but I just don’t have the time.” It is almost impossible to be depressed and active at the same time.

Find your passion. Determine exactly what you want. Design a plan on acquiring that goal and go for it. When you are busy moving step by step up your career mountain, you will not have time to look back down the hill.

Various techniques exist for removing old emotional baggage.

Make a list of every injustice in your life. Crumple the list into a ball and throw it in the garbage. Throw the list in the fireplace, assuming you do not have a gas sealed fireplace. Put the list in a bucket and fill the bucket with water; leave it there until the paper dissolves.

In ancient times when the troubles of the village were overwhelming, a healthy male goat was brought into the temple. The priest put his hand on the head of the goat and recited a long list of woes. The goat was then released to run away. The modern term “scape goat” originated in this manner.

The only healthy solution is to reassemble your ego and move forward with your life. The original incident was not about you. It is only an insult to you if you accept it as such. You have a choice to accept it or move forward with your life with even more determination.

For more specific tips and techniques in dealing with life’s little dilemmas, send me your comments in the “contact Elaine” section of http://www.elaine4success.com/.

Let the Coffee Cool

2010-01-29T15:35:00.000-08:00

You sit down at your keyboard ready to produce. You wait, fingers poised ready to strike the keys. Nothing happens. Enter the villain – writers block.

Ever start to write an article and a blank piece of paper keeps laughing at your frustration about how to start? Every writer has had writers block. Every composer has had song writer’s block. Every painter has stared at a blank canvas. Relax.

We have all faced this foe. The best way to slay the villain is not a stake through the heart. Crazy as it may seem, just start writing. Many famous authors have started writing gibberish until an idea and a pattern start to form. Don’t be surprised if you throw away the first two or even three paragraphs before you actually start composing worthwhile prose.

Remember the goal is to write something which will provide value; write something which will help the reader. Write something the reader will want to read. Quality, not quantity is the object.

Think about a book you just read, a CD you enjoyed, a quote which impacted your mindset, or something which happened in your daily life which teaches a lesson. Ideas are everywhere; we simply need to tap into them.

Once you have written the article, walk away from it. Let the coffee cool before you go back to re-read and edit. This cooling off period allows your mind to clarify your main point. Don’t be surprised if you delete entire sentences, rearrange words or even exchange a word for another more specific word. Letting the coffee cool improves your finished product.

If you are writing a major sales letter, not only walk away, but also have someone else read the copy. As Dan Kennedy, renowned copywriter said, “I can read my own material a hundred times and never see a typo. Let me read someone else’s work and the errors leap off the page at me.” We unintentionally read what we intended to write rather than the actual letters on the page.

Book publishers all employ extremely detail oriented editors to catch all of those little typo errors, incorrectly used words and unclear statements. Early in your writing career having a personalized professional editor probably will not be possible.

You do still have resources at your fingertips. If you are using Microsoft Word, click on the “Tools” tab and check the spelling and grammar. Also in the “Tools” tab is a “Language” tab offering: a translation, thesaurus, hyphenation, and the ability to set the language. Be careful as some of the grammar seems a bit out of context to the thoughts of the composer.

Finding a writing buddy with whom you can exchange work can be extremely beneficial. If you are working on a major project, I suggest various writers groups. Meetup is an organization which exists in many larger communities. It has numerous groups including writing groups. A few of them have a membership fee; however, many are “no charge” networking, learning and sharing groups. Membership consists of people sharing a common goal of assisting each other in moving forward with a similar interest.

There are several writing books which are also excellent resources.

“Hypnotic Writing’ by Joe Vitale

“The Adweek Copywriting Handbook” by Joseph Sugarman

“Writing Skills” by Learning Express – Elementary but Excellent for a new writer.

The key points to remember are:

1. Just start writing without any editing.

2. Let the coffee cool; let the writing sit for awhile and go back and edit later

3. Write something of value people want to read; write something to help people.

4. Use your software editing tools

5. Find a friend or group of friends to assist you in increasing the quality of your writing.

Write and keep writing. If you would like additional resources or coaching, enter your information in the “Contact Elaine” section of www.Elaine4Success.com.

Show Up For Your Future

2010-01-28T14:53:00.000-08:00

Show up! The first requirement in order to make progress in life, is to show up. In order to go up the corporate ladder, the earnings ladder or the personal development ladder, you have to show up. You may not be the best athlete on the field or the best trumpet player in the band, but unless you show up and perform to the very best of your ability, you will never move up in the lineup.

Be “in the right place at the right time” only works when you show up. Everyone talks about the “lucky breaks.” Lana Turner was discovered sitting on a counter stool in a soda fountain. Celine Dion was discovered singing in a tent in the rain. A famous field goal kicker was discovered playing sand lot football with his buddies.

First they had to “get up,” and take action by “showing up.” Life will not come searching for you. Take the responsibility for your own future. Show up! Take an active part in your life. Either you show up and take responsibility for your life or by default you are giving control of your life to someone else.

You do not have to do anything. You do not have to get out of bed in the morning, pay taxes or prepare a sandwich for yourself. Some people never do. News Flash! If you do not take any action, you have no right to complain about your lack of results.

The first manual to be completed in Toastmasters is the Competent Communications manual. There are 10 speeches emphasizing 10 different elements to be accomplished in order to earn your cc designation. Unless you show up at the regular meetings, you will not be scheduled to speak up. It is only fair that the members who show up and participate receive the coveted speaking roles. Yes, a rotation exists; however, with 34 members in the club and 3 speaking slots per meeting, preference goes to those who show up on a consistent basis. Show up in order to speak up.

Voting is a privilege extended to Americans. The economy in America is turbulent and unpleasant for most Americans right now. Unfortunately, the forecast does not hold any jubilant indications. Whether you like the President or not, we live in the greatest nation on the earth. We have the right to cast our vote each four years to help select our Presidential leadership. If you don’t show up and vote, you have no right to complain. We have more freedom of choice in the United States than any other country. Either show up and speak up, or shut up.

At the beginning of the economic decline in 2008, DuPont responded aggressively to the economic meltdown. Chief executive Chad Holliday met with the company’s top leaders and economists to form a crisis plan. Within ten days they had sixty thousand employees meeting with their managers. Everyone was asked to identify three action steps they could immediately implement to conserve cash and reduce costs. Who said major companies could not move quickly? DuPont acted quickly and produced positive results. They initiated an extremely important move; they included their employees is solution-oriented thinking. They asked their employees to show up and take part in saving their own jobs.

Amazon employed a similar technique by calling all of their managers together with the statement, “There is a big recession coming. Let’s miss it.” Amazon took positive steps to increase market share and improve the bottom line. While most other companies were whining about a terrible Christmas revenue in 2008, Amazon wore a smile a mile wide. Amazon showed up and took positive action.

Where are you in your life right now? Are you sitting on the sidelines? Are you showing up and taking an active part in creating the life you desire and deserve? For specific action steps to improve your life, contact me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Sacrifice Some of the Now for the Future

2010-01-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

An ambitious young married man loved to go party with his new bride. They enjoyed socializing and entertaining. Friday night date night meant a romantic evening out at a special restaurant and perhaps the theater after dinner. Saturday night typically involved gathering with friends for a jovial evening of companionship over dinner. Both he and his bride thoroughly enjoyed a robust social life.

It came as a shock to her when he declared an end to their social whirl. He decided to learn every aspect of the insurance business. He started studying all of the books of top producers, attending sales training seminars, masterminding with other insurance salesmen who were consistently receiving performance awards. “What are you doing? What happened to our fun life together,” she whined.

Ever been in that situation? When you change goals and career directions, your friends and family do not automatically jump on board with your life path.

Decision time. Are you willing to sacrifice some of the now for the future? Pay me now or pay me later. Either you invest the time and efforts now in order to earn a better future or play now and suffer at retirement time. Whether you make it as a conscious decision or drift along and let time decide for you, the choice is made. Choose consciously now or choose by default.

Fortunately for this young bridegroom, his wife understood his plan for their future. She agreed to sacrifice some of their now in order to create a far better future. Without the support of your spouse or significant other, the follow through becomes more difficult. Not impossible but more challenging.

Ski resorts are filled with talented people who left school or left careers for a season of powder pleasures; some of them never left. Bartenders and waiters abound who were a year or two short of completing their degrees. Beach towns abound with aging surf board addicts. They are living in the now and by default throwing away any future potential.
Gorgeous George was a famous example of a handsome hunk who lived the resort life for years. Finally his eyes opened to the difference between himself as a “resort flunkie” and the wealthy members he served. George went back to school, applied himself and became incredibly successful. He made the decision to sacrifice some of the now for the future.

Our young bridegroom applied himself for six years. He studied and applied the knowledge until he became vice president of the insurance company. Now he and his wife enjoy an even more lucrative social life with peers who also chose to sacrifice some of the now for the future.

Where are you on your journey? Are you still living with the party lights and warming a bar stool at Mahogany Ridge, the local mahogany topped bar? Either you sacrifice some of the now for a wonderful future or play now and suffer the consequences later.

Picture your life five years from now. Picture your life twenty years from now. If you continue exactly as you are right now, will you have the life you want in five or twenty years?

Every successful person in any industry has sacrificed the momentary pleasures of their early career years for the long term benefit of a successful career.

Decide exactly how you would like for your career to develop. Make specific decisions and commit to follow through to completion. Sacrifice current pleasures for the future benefit.

Contact me at www.Elaine4Success.com for specific techniques to direct your life in a positive path.

Identify Your Unique Brand

2010-01-26T21:22:00.000-08:00

Remember the theme song from Rocky, theme song from Bonanza, theme songs from your favorite commercials? Theme songs are brands; these are unique identifiers of a specific product, person or production.

Sports fans wear the team colors of their favorite team. One man in Michigan was such an avid fan of University of Michigan that he actually decorated his Christmas tree in maize and blue. Team colors represent another way of branding.

Companies use colors to brand themselves. IBM was noted as Big Blue. Colors in the logo identify specific companies. Cascade comes in a green box; Ivory soap arrives wrapped in a white cover with blue writing. Colors form an image in our mind of a company or product.

Logos are another identifying factor. Big G forms the association of General Mills. The letter L in a circle on a vehicle represents Lexus. Automobile manufacturers all have a logo which identifies the company. Branding is critical.

Comedians have a tag line which brands them. When you hear the line, “Take my wife, please,” you automatically associate the name Henny Youngman. Henny was the king of the one liner. Rodney Dangerfield coined the line, “I don’t get no respect.”

Avis car rental capitalized on being number two by saying they try harder because they are number two. Enterprise car rental focuses on the customer service of personalized pick up and delivery.

Branding comes in many forms. Logos, music, colors and one liners are all forms of branding. Every speaker, writer, performer or business person adopts their own individual style and market niche. Identifying and monetizing your brand becomes your unique selling position. Advertising frequently refers to this as your USP; your unique selling position identifies you and differentiates you from everyone else.

Identifying and promoting yourself is critical. Think about your strength, your individual qualification which sets you apart from everyone else. What special talent, ability or experience do you possess which will entice people to choose to work with you? Everyone has something they do better than everyone else. Find your special niche. You have something to contribute. Maybe you are an excellent writer. Perhaps your special field of knowledge and interest is computers. Web design may be one of your attraction points.

Your branding may relate to your former career. Former corporate executives speak the language of experience of other executives; develop your brand around attracting those who relate to your background. A former marine focuses on attracting other marines; they identify with similar training and mindset. One truck driver started writing articles about long haul problems; he speaks to the pain of other truck drivers who also want to be off the road and at home with their families.

Develop your personal brand, your unique selling position. There is something special about you which attracts others to work with you. Every entrepreneur, company and individual performer seeks their special niche. You have often heard the expression, ”get rich in a niche.” Identifying and promoting your individual brand represents step one in your marketing and business plan.

Home based businesses such as network marketing and MLM entrepreneurs are even more concerned with branding because their product is identical to everyone else in the same company. Does that mean it is impossible to create a niche for yourself in network marketing or MLM? Absolutely not. Developing yourself as an individual brand, an individual leader becomes even more important in home based businesses.

Every actor and actress seeks something which sets them apart from all of the others. This same principle applies to every entrepreneur and every business. Find your brand. Identify your unique selling position and promote it consistently throughout all of your marketing.

Identify your brand and monetize it. Your bank account and income statement will thank you. If you want specific personalized suggestions on identifying your brand, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Titles:

Personal Branding is Key

Personal Branding is Your USP

Your Brand is Your USP

Identify Your Personal Brand

Keywords: home based business, network marketing, MLM, entrepreneur, personal branding, Unique selling position, USP, www.Elaine4Success.com, Elaine Love

Logs on the Fire

2010-01-25T19:08:00.000-08:00

Nothing warms the heart and the spirit as much as a warm fire on a cold, snowy day. Snuggle up to the hearth when the lifts close at any ski resort. Everyone congregates by the fire to share a beverage and remove the chill from happy but tired muscles. The fireplace constitutes the magic gathering place to share tales of the epic run through the trees. Enjoy the laughter as someone relates the dollop of snow falling off a tree branch and connecting with pinpoint accuracy directly through the collar of the ski jacket and down the back. Burr, that cold chill drove straight to the core. Stopping in deep powder is not an option unless you want to pole your way out of the forest.

Tales around the fire inspire laughter and good natured teasing about getting stuck in a tree well. Gathering around the fire means camaraderie and fun.

Fire also means a backyard barbeque in the summertime with friends and neighbors gathered to play and share. Gathering around a fire as a child roasting marshmallows or making smores means tasty fun. In case you did not make smores as a child, place a toasty warm marshmallow and a block of Hershey’s chocolate between two graham crackers. Yumm. Smores represent backyard or camping fun for children and adults.

Fire symbolizes warmth, fun and passion. The fire of passion in your soul for your goals intensifies the likelihood of achieving those goals. Without a passionate fire burning in your soul to achieve those goals, you have significantly reduced the likelihood of achievement.

Steve Jobs, the icon and founder of Apple Computers, credits his passion as his key to success. “You’ve got to find what you love. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to Love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”

Fire in the physical flame or metaphorical fire in your passion for your life constitutes the difference between success and failure. Every successful person owned, lived and breathed their passion. Olympic athletes, concert master musicians, inventors and corporate moguls were all consumed with passion for their chosen mission in life.

Finding your passion, designing a plan to achieve it and following through no matter what the obstacle makes all the difference between success and failure. There may be a temporary burst of flame and fortune, but never a lasting roaring fire unless you are deeply passionate about your goals.

Stoking that flame by continually adding logs is essential. Add a log by reading good books of successful people who have achieved similar goals in your field of endeavor. Add a log by listening to educational, inspirational and motivational leaders in your industry. Add a log by surrounding yourself with like minded goal oriented people. Add another log by focusing on your goal to the exclusion of distracting activities and people.

There will be people around you who throw buckets of water or even a garden hose on your dreams. They discourage and ridicule your goals all with the supposed intention of doing it “for your own good.” It is easier for well intentioned friends and family to douse your flame of desire than to discover and fan their own flame. It is easier to drag the Joneses down to a lower level than rise to meet them on a higher plane.

Constantly fan your flame of desire by giving yourself positive affirmations. Constantly fan your flame by celebrating every little success on the way to the major goal. Constantly write and re-write your goals to keep re-affirming your long range objective.

Believe in yourself and your goal so firmly that you never allow that passionate flame of desire to flicker and reduce to an ember. Without a roaring flame of passionate desire in your heart, soul and actions, you will flicker and fail.

Fire means warmth, fun, passion and success. Keep your flame burning brightly. Come join me at www.Elaine4Success.com for inspiration, encouragement and assistance in achieving your goals.

Statue of Responsibility

2010-01-24T18:37:00.000-08:00

New York has its Statue of Liberty. California should have a “Statue of Responsibility” standing as a greeting.

Dave Ramsey, recently featured on the cover of Success magazine, described his credentials as a PhD in DUMB. Dave said, “My wife and I graduated from college broke and started buying and selling real estate. Since that was the beginning of the ‘go go 80s’ we owned 4 million dollars of real estate and about a million net worth by the time I was 26. We borrowed too much money. Our bank was sold to another bank and they called our notes. We spent the next 2 ½ years losing everything. We were sued and foreclosed upon. Soon we had a new baby, a marriage hanging on by a thread and bankrupt. I know what dumb looks like up close and personal.” Dave took responsibility for his success and then his failure.

Now he has the privilege of take credit for his renewed and intensified success. You can also.

We know our economy is a disaster right now and everyone points the finger at someone else as the responsible party. We blame our parents, our boss, the president, the economy, the congress, or the dog catcher. Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher and icon in the personal development industry, was 25 when he met with his mentor, Earl Schoff. Earl asked Jim to make a list of his problems and the causes of those problems. Earl reviewed the list carefully and with a puzzled expression and a furrowed brow said, “Jim, there is one problem with this list. . . You are not on it.”

You are responsible for your own choices and thus your own results. Playing the blame game instead of taking responsibility just prolongs the agony.

Dave Ramsey, Jim Rohn, and every successful leader accept responsibility for all of their choices – good or bad. We teach children to be responsible for their choices and yet once we become adults, it suddenly becomes some else’s fault. Abigail Van Buren said, “If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders.”

The issue is not the economy, the political party in office or even your environment; it is clearly your responsibility for your choices. You chose to go to school or not, to study or not, to do your best at work or do the minimum and just skate by.

There are three classifications of employees. These classifications extend beyond employees to almost every phase of life.

White Knights – The white knights go above and beyond their duty assignments. They take total responsibility for every aspect of their professional and personal life. They are always the first ones to lend a helping hand to others. They arrive early and stay a little late. They do their best at all times.

Milk Toast – The milk toast is more typical of the average worker. They show up on time but not a minute early. By 5 o’clock and 30 seconds they are gone for the day. They do their job but nothing extra. Frequently it is just enough to get by. Milk toast workers do not cause any discord but neither are they the cheerleaders of the team.

Red Ants – Red ants are always stirring up trouble. They are the whiners and complainers. Every company and every organization has a few such irritants. Nothing ever quite pleases them. Bottom line is “fire the red ants.” If one of these happens to be in your circle of friends, minimize time with them. Rarely will you change the attitude of a red ant; they will drag you down to their level. Red ants never take responsibility for anything.

You will become the average of your five closest associates. Spend time with White Knights and your life will become more responsible and profitable. Spend time with Red Ants and you will sink down to the grumbling depths.

You are responsible for your choices. You are responsible for your results. For personal assistance on reaching your highest potential, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Statue of Liberty

2010-01-23T13:53:00.000-08:00

The Statue of Liberty proudly stands in New York Harbor as a beacon of hope. Even the title of the statue, “Liberty Enlightening the World” depicts freedom. Look at her carefully. We pay so much attention to the way we dress and the way we wear our hair, yet this symbol of inspiration barely affords a second glance by Americans.

Why should you care? What does a statue mean to your current life and economic situation? Regardless of your political views, we live in the greatest nation in the world. We have more opportunity, more freedom and more income per citizen than any other nation in the world.

If your heart is heavy and your bank account is light, it is time to reverse the weight. There is hope and there is help. Read these words and think about your blessings and potential instead of your possible lack.

Madame Liberty wears a stola, a radiant crown and sandals. She tramples a broken chain under her feet. She stretches her right arm high in the air as she hoists her torch high in the air. Madame Liberty's welcome to visitors and immigrants symbolizes freedom and hope for a better future in a new country. America’s forefathers founded our very nation on the principles of liberty and freedom; they stepped up to this mission at the very peril of their own lives and fortunes.

Read the inscription,

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

When we see the starvation, lack of clean water, and lack of medical attention in most third world countries, we cringe. When we turn on the faucet and see the gush of abundant clean water, do we feel grateful or take it for granted?

Not enough money right now? We can get a second job, start a home based business, and find a way to be more valuable at our current job to earn a raise.

Get a second job. No one said it had to be a glamour job. Look at your options. Your second job may be on a grounds crew at a golf course, landscaping or construction crew. Yes, it is physical work but it may also be on weekends when you are not working your current job. Food service places frequently need additional help. This does not have to be a long term solution but it may ease your short term financial crunch.

Home Based Businesses. Home based businesses abound and can be started for an extremely small investment. Maybe you produce crafts or bake something wonderful which could be sold at a farmers market or roadside stand. Perhaps you are talented at woodworking or as a handyman. Home based opportunities are everywhere when you look openly for them and are willing to work.

Improve your current job. Where do you have abilities which would benefit the company? Help organize the storeroom, improve efficiency on a paperwork task, or assist co-workers to improve the overall function of your department. Talk to your supervisor. Ask where you could contribute extra effort to improve your department or even another department in the company.

The key to any of these actions is to not only instigate new ideas and effort but also follow through. Starting something and not following through is worse than not starting.

Be thankful that we have the freedom to take action to make our lives better. Our forefathers paid a dear price for our freedom. Immigrants suffered horrid conditions in order to experience the freedom so openly available to us.

I know first hand what it feels like to be so broke that I had to look up to see the financial basement floor. Swallowing pride and working hard to achieve is worth the effort. Come join me at www.Elaine4Success.com. Let me help you brainstorm ideas to improve your life.

At Last! A Success Formula Which Works!

2010-01-22T15:35:00.001-08:00

The view from the top of the mountain inspires the heart and fills the soul with gratitude. You have climbed over the boulders, stepped in and around the holes in the path, and pushed your way through the thickest brush. No obstacle stood in your way for long. You were on a mission.

You were assaulted by negative friends, family and co-workers; they told you to “get real,” “stop dreaming,” and “get a job and forget this nonsense of having your own business.” You endured the challenges of learning marketing. You experienced small successes, only to drop back into the learning curve again and again. You persisted through it all. Success is yours now.

What a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. Your baby, your new business, rests happily in your arms. Savor the sweet aroma of victory. Celebrate your success. Treat yourself; you deserve a reward for all of your consistent and persistent effort.

This tiny new enterprise is now yours to nurture and grow into everything you dream it can be and more. Expand your goals and vision to reach higher and higher.

Remember launching your first kite? You ran and ran while it dragged on the ground. You ran harder and it came up 5 feet then 10 feet and dropped back to the ground. You summoned all of your energy and ran even faster until the kite came up 10 feet, then 20 feet, then 50 feet and finally 100 feet. Your business kite encountered the same cycle.

Your business kite is now flying high; it is soaring above the treetops and reaching for the clouds. Keep feeding the kite string, just as you keep feeding your new business more marketing. Nurture your new business with the nutrition of marketing, innovative ideas, enthusiasm, and consistent goal oriented action.

Just as you were tempted to stop running when the kite bounced back on the ground, so you were tempted to stop when your new business hit a snag. Now you are so thrilled that you persisted. Your business kite is flying. You are now standing on the top of the mountain with your soul soaring above the clouds.

So many people are tempted to stop at the first difficulty, but not you. You have a passion for your new business. You are passionate about your goals. So what if you stubbed your toe when you were running. You stood up, dusted yourself off and started running again.

When asked the secret to your success, you reply, “Choose a goal you are passionate about achieving and then remain consistent and persistent.” Success really is that simple. Only by choosing a goal you are passionate about achieving will you be able to endure the negative talk from others and the negative self talk. Only with a passion for achievement will you persevere through the inevitable obstacles. Every business encounters obstacles. When your “why,” your passionate reason for reaching for the goal, is more compelling than any potential obstacle, you will persevere. When the “why” is limping along you will give up easily. Unless your “why” remains powerful, your “what” will not matter. You will very rarely ever achieve a goal unless you are absolutely passionate about your success.

For more personalized goal setting and goal achieving assistance, contact me at www.Elaine4Success.com. For help in determining your passion, contact me.

3 Secrets to Success

2010-01-21T18:29:00.000-08:00

Steamboat Springs, Colorado is the home of more Olympians than any other ski resort in United States. In 2006, Steamboat sent more athletes to compete in the Olympic Games than some small countries.

Todd Lodwick, Nordic combined;
Johnny Spillane, Nordic combined;
Ryan St. Onge, aerial;
Tommy Schwall, ski jumper.

The 2010 games are only three weeks away. Once again Steamboat has major competitors on the team.

Todd Lodwick, Nordic combined;
Johnny Spillane, Nordic combined;
Rebecca Sorensen, Skeleton.

Ryan St. Onge will also compete in aerials; however, this time he lists Winter Park as home.

Becoming an Olympic athlete requires hours and hours of focused practice. Many of these athletes have trained seriously since they were little tots. Jeremy Abbott, Aspen figure skater, started skating when he was two; he competed starting at age four.

When the other kids were out playing hop scotch and Red Rover, these aspiring hopefuls were practicing their skills. Success requires focused practice and constant improvement.

A violin virtuoso was greeted backstage after performing a magnificent concert. The fan said, “I would give my life to play like that.” The master replied, “Madam, I did.”

Whether you are competing in the Olympic Games, practicing to be a masterful musician or conducting your own business, you must have passion, persistence and consistency. Every successful endeavor requires long term dedication.

Passion for your pursuit is essential, not optional. Without a passion for your career, it becomes nothing more than a pleasant hobby. Treat your activity like a casual hobby and it will pay you in proportion to your effort. Entitlement attitudes rarely, if ever, achieve success. Decide what you are willing to forfeit in order to attain your goals.

Skiing all day in deep powder is a heavenly experience. If your income and future relate to skiing, fabulous; enjoy your day and perfect your technique. If your goal is to be a famous heart surgeon, skiing is a distraction. Anything which takes you away from your goals constitutes a distraction. Everyone has choices. Choose to play now and you will not achieve retirement income for later.

A coaching client recently complained that his business was failing. As he continued to speak, the reason became obvious. Working for six months at the business and taking off six months to swim and scuba was a recipe for disaster. Another coaching client declined a wonderful two month European tour in order to focus on his business.

Choose to remain extra focused right now in order to be able relax later.

1. Determine a goal and a career focus which truly ignites your passion. Lukewarm goals and desires NEVER propel you past the inevitable rough spots in your success path.
2. Remain consistent and persistent in your pursuit of the coveted goal. Constantly learn and apply the knowledge acquired. Read books of other people who have succeeded at your chosen career. Attend live events and network with other successful people in your chosen field. Practice over and over again until the skill becomes ingrained into your subconscious. Visualize yourself performing and achieving your goals. Constantly examine your performance and make the appropriate adjustments to improve. Choose your time priorities carefully.

3. Dedicate your time, effort and resources to constantly improving the skills you already possess and acquiring the new skills to make yourself even better.

Success only involves luck when you consider that good luck is when opportunity meets preparation. Olympic athletes and musical masters practice several hours per day for years for their few moments on stage in the spotlight. Successful business owners follow exactly the same pattern of behavior. Talent helps but talent alone will not take you to the podium time after time. Financial resources may speed the learning curve by placing you with the best coaches, teachers and educational materials.

You are responsible for the application of your talent, resources and effort. The final determination of success always rests at the feet of the person with passion, consistency, persistence and focused unswerving dedication.

For assistance in determining your passion and keeping you on track, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Criteria of a Business

2010-01-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

Keep your fork; the best is yet to come. Remember your mother saying that when you were growing up? Mmmmm. Just inhale that delicious aroma. Savor the taste. Can’t you just taste it now? Dessert. Every child’s delight. Who are we kidding? Every adult loves dessert. How many of you have a favorite dessert? This question is not directed at your waistline, it is directed at your taste buds.

My mother was a combination of Martha Stewart, Julia Child and Betty Crocker when it came to baking. She knew how to perform magic with a few mixing bowls and an oven.

When Mom said, “Keep your fork, the best is yet to come.” We knew it was true.

Launching your own business requires a winnowing fork and a tuning fork, not a dinner fork, but the best is yet to come.

Compare the new business to a cake. Before you start gathering ingredients, decide what flavor cake you choose to make. Do you have the ingredients on hand or do you need to go shopping? A cake requires basic ingredients: flour, shortening, sugar and eggs, plus special additions for the special flavor variety.

The ingredients of a new business are just as basic.

Decide what kind of business you wish to open. Are you seeking a franchise, a brick and mortar or a home based business? Franchises are typically a quarter million to three quarters million to buy the rights to the business and even more money for the physical location. A home based business has the lowest start-up cost, usually less than twenty thousand and a lower overhead since it is home based. Typical brick and mortar businesses have a slightly lower initial cost than a franchise but probably require the cost of a physical location.

Do you have the skills necessary or do you need to seek a coach to assist you? Franchises provide training and business plans. New brick and mortar business provide neither training nor a business plan. Home based businesses may provide some training if they are part of a network marketing company or MLM; however, since it is your own business, you still have 100% responsibility for you business plan and your results.

How many hours a week do you plan to devote to your new venture? Franchise or brick and mortar will require closer to sixty hours per week at the specific business location. Home based businesses can be conducted on a part time or full time basis; ten hours per week is minimum and twenty to thirty is more realistic.

How much investment will be required and do you have not only the minimum start up capital, but also extra income to support yourself in the interim? Any business will require development time. Purchasing a franchise or existing business will provide some existing customer base due to the name recognition; however, building a business requires time and effort.

Free marketing trades off low cost for slow speed of locating customers. If you want large quantities of customers within a short period of time, you will need marketing dollars. Regardless of cost or speed, every business requires marketing and customers. A plethora of marketing methods, techniques and cost factors are available. Balance your marketing budget with the speed and quantity of customers desired. Add in your marketing expertise in order to estimate the total cost and time.

Have you written a business plan which incorporated the SMART criteria?

S – specific
M - measurable
A - attainable
R - relevant
T - timely

Gather all of the ingredients; combine them in proper proportions and develop the new creation. Select the proper location and target customer.

With your cake, you selected the proper size pan, prepared the pan properly, preheated the oven to the proper temperature, placed the cake inside the oven and checked it frequently.

Your business requires your time, constant attention and total dedication. Unlike a cake, the business requires tweaking and shaping on a frequent basis.

Once the cake is baked, you may decorate it.

Your business may take months or even years to bake. Decorating the business with flourishes and fanfare may consume several years. With consistent, persistent and focused action, it is possible.

Anticipate the delectable morsel of cake on your dinner fork. Use your winnowing fork and your tuning fork to create the profits of a well designed and managed business.

Keep your fork; the best is yet to come.

For a complete personalized goal setting and goal achieving plan, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com

Leadership is Empowering Others

2010-01-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

Empower others with your thoughts and actions. Regardless of your economic status, educational status or career, everyone responds favorably to kind words. Empowering others benefits both the giver and the receiver.

Toastmasters is a speaker’s organization. Picture a new speaker hesitantly rising and making the eternally long walk from their chair to the podium for their ice breaker speech. Walking those eight to ten feet feels like a marathon distance. Facing the group for the first time as the spotlight centers on them causes every internal butterfly to fly in a different direction. Butterflies rarely settle into formation for the ice breaker speech. Gripping the podium with a death grip and hiding behind it with notes shaking has been known to happen to more than one newbie. Four to six minutes may feel like a lifetime. The custom is to give a standing ovation after an ice breaker.

Watching this new speaker emerge and stand confidently and relaxed in front of the group during future speeches thrills both the speaker and the audience. Empowering someone to learn a new skill and progress rewards the entire membership. Feedback after each speech, evaluation, emphasizes all of the strong points and encourages slight areas on improvement. Empowering someone to build on their strengths and develop new skills rewards the evaluator as well as the speaker.

Butterflies gradually learn to fly in formation. Leadership is empowering others. As a leader you have the opportunity to guide and empower others to develop current talents to new heights. The greatest joy for a leader is seeing others grow and blossom.

True leadership can be related to the size of the empowerment desired. A brief word feels like a helicopter, just a touch and go. It comes and goes in a flash. Investing a little more time and effort feel like a STOL port, a short take off and landing runway. Major ventures require a runway similar to the size required for a 747. Mentoring and empowering someone from infancy to maturity in a sport or career requires a 747 runway.

Empowerment can be a 20 yard sprint, a 5K run or a marathon. Whether you choose to invest your time and effort for a brief start and stop, 3.1 miles or 26 miles all depends upon the impact you desire to provide.

Empowerment, like inspiration, motivation or education, must find a willing receiver. Our job as leaders is to provide the empowerment. The employee’s role is to be open minded enough to receive the encouragement and take action.

A college professor one told a young student, “You can have ten years experience or one year’s experience ten times.” The professor, like the mentor or evaluators in a Toastmasters club, provides the encouragement and empowerment along with suggestions for growth and improvement. The student must also be willing to receive and take action. Without receiving and taking action, the words are leaves blowing in the wind.

Effective leadership is empowerment. Few things warm the heart of a leader more than seeing someone respond in a positive way to growth potential.

Examine your leadership skills and practices. Are you a helicopter, a small private plane or a 747? What is the scope of your mentorship? How long a runway do you require to launch your program? Leadership is empowering.

Select your candidates carefully. Select those who will be receptive to growing to their potential. Empower those who are ready, willing and eager to accept the challenge.

Leadership is empowerment; join me at www.Elaine4Success.com and allow me to assist you in reaching your potential.

Savor the Taste of Success

2010-01-18T14:10:00.000-08:00

Every disciplined effort yields multiple results.

When you are knee deep in the swamp with alligators nipping at you from all directions, it is difficult to remember that your purpose was to drain the swamp.

Each disciplined effort provides a snowball effect. Each one builds on the next until the desired outcome materializes. In the meantime, reach back into your memory banks and recall one or more of your most treasured success feelings. Feeling is the operative word. People respond to feelings more than logic. Recapture that feeling of exhilaration when you achieved a major goal. Internalize that feeling so well that you can recall it at a moment’s notice. Knowing how to celebrate your success and potential helps with the times when things are not going as well as you desire.

Everyone has down times emotionally and financially. Allowing yourself to wallow in self pity never creates a positive outcome. Reach back into prior success and recapture that positive feeling.

Create new software for your self talk and the language you use to others. Broke sales people reek of the scent of failure. Your thoughts, feelings and attitudes reflect in your words and vibrations. It is imperative that you internalize feelings of success.

Positive self talk always focuses on “I can,” “I am,” “I am in the process of,” “I earn,” I will,” and “I have achieved and I will again.” Set your goals and focus on each one as already accomplished. Attach the feeling of success to each goal. Visualize the goals as already accomplished and savor the feeling you will have with that accomplishment. Feel the success and experience it with all five senses. Put a picture of the success as if it is already achieved front and center. Keep your focus on the goal and wading through the temporary swamp will feel so much easier.

Success is ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration. As Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher, was told when he was 25, “lack of money is not the problem. Lack of an idea to create money is the problem.” Focus on your natural creativity and discover that idea. If you already have the idea, then focus on the positive achievement.

The bigger the idea, the longer you will need to develop it, shape it and bring it to fruition. Little ideas only need a helicopter pad; here it comes and there it goes. Test your ideas on paper until you are clear, and then test it on other like-minded, progressive thinkers. They may offer tweaks which will speed your progress.

Never give up on yourself and a well thought out idea. Keep shaping and molding the thought until it yields positive results. Hold on to the positive feelings of success every step of the journey. Believe in yourself and your dream.

Why invest the time and effort in yourself and your dream?

You strengthen your character
You stay focused on results
You make better decisions
You build self confidence
You heighten your awareness
You create excitement
You enjoy and achieve your potential

Write five compelling reasons why you will never give up on yourself and your dreams. If your “why” is not big enough, your “what” will not matter.

Remez Sasson said, “People with a positive frame of mind think about possibilities, growth, expansion and success. They expect happiness, health, love and good relationships.”

Savor the feeling of success. Be able to internalize that ecstasy at a moment’s notice. Attitude is not just a state of mind; it is a reflection of what you value. You will succeed. Remain consistent, persistent and focused on your future.

For specific goal setting exercises and examples of positive self talk, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Learning Curve for Success

2010-01-17T14:28:00.000-08:00

Life has a learning curve. Every new activity requires new skills.

Babies encounter a tremendous learning curve. They learn to crawl, feed themselves, walk, learn a language and figure out how to tie their shoes. Our learning curve continues throughout school and starts to level off in college. In many cases, the learning curve comes to a screeching halt upon acquiring our first job.

It is astounding how many people never read a book after high school. Of the number who even start reading, a significant percentage never progress beyond the first chapter. To add insult to injury, most of them are proud of the fact that they do not read.

The average CEO in America earns 439 times the income of the average hourly employee. The typical CEO reads at least 4 books a month. Even though the only difference between the CEO and the hourly employee is not just the number of books they read, it is a significant factor. CEO’s continue on the learning curve. They are constantly improving themselves.

If you tour the historic homes of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Edison and any other historic icon, you will find a library. Leaders are readers. Leaders continue on the learning curve throughout their entire life.

Most metropolitan areas include at least one institution of continuing education. Now with the addition of the internet, access to online universities abounds. Continuing education becomes easier and easier with each passing innovation of technology. No legitimate excuses exist for stalling out on the learning curve. Ah, but you say, “There isn’t any money for classes.” Public libraries are free and even the library card is free.

“No time,” you cry. How much time do you spend watching television? Situation comedies on television add nothing to your education.
How much time do you spend commuting to and from work? Use your car as a rolling university. Yes, libraries even have educational cd’s available.

If you truly desire a turning point in your life and your finances, get back on the learning curve.

Single and seeking a companion? Why not meet someone else who is raising their awareness; seek a companion who desires to make progress with their life. You will be more interesting to them if you are expanding your learning curve. They will be more interesting to you they are moving their life onward and upward.
Opportunities abound for the ambitious person who expands their learning curve. By contrast, zero positive opportunities are afforded to the person who stops learning, growing and advancing mentally.

Children are encouraged to attend classes, do their homework and succeed in school. What is the magic age where people stop caring and growing? Leaders continue to learn and grow. Leaders prosper.

Your turning point in life starts the day you jump back into the learning curve with a vengeance. Being persistent and consistent with the improvement of your learning curve yields positive results in every aspect of your life.

For specific information on improving your learning curve, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

How to Get Your Life on Track

2010-01-16T19:37:00.000-08:00

Every life has a few turning points. As humans, we have the unique ability to make a decision, act on it and turn on a dime. Animals are governed by impulse and instinct. Salmon return home to spawn, Geese fly south in the winter. Genetic code dictates and they obey. A lion couldn’t suddenly choose to be a vegetarian anymore than a cow could choose to win on a race track against thoroughbred race horses. Only a human can make a decision and change anything and everything about their lives. Press the reset button and do it over. Call a mulligan. Press ctrl, alt, delete, wipe the slate clean and start over.

Successful people will tell you, “I remember the exact moment when I made the decision.” “That was the decision that turned my life around and started it all.” “I’m so grateful I made the decision.” You’re screaming silently in your head, “tell me what the decision is and I’ll make it too.” An alcoholic remembers the turning point when they decided “no more.” They stopped drinking or popping pills or whatever their poison of choice.

For Andy Andrews it was being handed 3 biographies when he was twenty three years old. Winston Churchill, Will Rogers and George Washington Carver were the first three of some 200 biographies Andy read. Andy’s turning point was deciding to read those books and start getting his life back on track.

Some people reach that turning point at 15, others at 50, others over and over in life and some never at all.

Now is your turning point; your challenge is now.

Statistics show that we only use a minute fraction of our brain power. Why would you leave a fortune lying there dormant? Why struggle when the solution is on your finger tips? You are far more capable, powerful, and talented than you realize; certainly more gifted than you have utilized to date. Draw a line in your mental sand. Cut off the past and begin anew. Courage represents the only thing separating you from your grandest vision, your dream of a better life. Take a deep breath, swallow your nervous butterflies or better yet, spit them out, and muster the courage to forge ahead.

2010 is a new year, a new decade, make the most of it. Glance back over your shoulder for just an instant and glimpse your last ten years. Were they everything you ever wanted them to be? Unless you choose a turning point right now, your next ten years will be the same or possibly less fulfilling. Is that a risk you are willing to take?

For some people, the turning point is a look in the mirror. For others it is balancing the bank account. For others it may not be their choice at all; “sorry but we are downsizing and your job is being eliminated.” Divorce creates many turning points. Medical reports force turning points. Why not decide to take charge of your life and your future?

There is a country song about skydiving, going 8 seconds on a bull name Fu Man Chu, and climbing to high peaks.

Decide to make January, 2010 as your turning point. Decide to make the most of your potential and your life. Every one of us was granted at birth with a wonderful creative mind and intelligence beyond our wildest dream. Every one of us possesses a skill or talent superior to anyone and everyone else. Never ever allow anyone to make you ever feel inferior again. You are unique; you are special. You are a wonderful creation.

Dive into your soul and discover your passion. Decide right here and now to go for the gusto and life the next ten years are the beginning of a fabulous future. Regardless of your age, you have the power to decide and take action.

Today is your turning point.

For help discovering your passion and your potential, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Perspective on Success

2010-01-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

Attention Entrepreneurs!

Anything which gets in the way of your goal constitutes a distraction. Medical school is an extremely worthwhile and valuable activity, but not unless you are choosing a career in the medical profession. If your goal is to become a network marketer, medical school is a distraction.

Focus on your goals. Focus on your strengths. Regain perspective in your life.

Look seriously at your perspective on your life and your business. Today’s activities determine tomorrow’s success. Your greatest moment, your greatest achievement, your greatest adventure can be and should be in the future. The future is within your control. The past by the very nature of it being the past can not be changed. The new you strains to be created. New potential, new achievement and new experiences await you. Each new dawn brings wonder and joy. The future hold excitement if you allow it.

Yesterday remains a memory. Learn from it, yes, but leave it behind you. Look ahead to what you can be tomorrow. Where are you going with your life?

There was a passage in “The Noticer” by Andy Andrews about two men sitting on the beach eating. When asked what he was eating, one man answered, “Vienna sausages and sardines.” When asked where he was eating, he replied, “I’m sitting in the sand.” “Ah,” his companion replied, “it is all in your perspective. I am dining on surf and turf with an ocean view.” Perspective makes all the difference.

What perspective governs your life? Are you grateful for the blessings, advantages and talents you possess or grumbling about the challenges you face?

Life hands each and every one of us opportunities every day. How we choose to view those opportunities determines the difference between the successful and the failures. Viewing a new business striving for success can be frustration and stress or excitement about the potential. Check your perspective.

I’ve been to many hospitals and each time I hear the new baby pronounced as a boy or a girl. Never have I heard a new baby pronounced as an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur is a learned skill. Yes, there are some of us who are psychologically unemployable. We have that intense inner burning desire to create and take control of our income and our future. We are the leaders. We are the risk takers.

An entrepreneur has a different perspective on life. We take charge. We take action. Our perspective is that life is fun. Life and business are challenges to be internalized. We dine on surf and turf with an ocean view. We see the potential in every opportunity.

Entrepreneurs have an excited perspective on life and business.

You are extraordinary. Touch base with your perspective in every situation. Never allow yourself to feel inadequate. One of the problems of living in the greatest nation in the world is that our perspective of entitlement gets skewed. We take our advantages for granted. Because our entire experience has been in a nation of abundance, regardless of our personal circumstances, we have more freedom and potential here than any other nation in the world. Our perspective gets tainted. We expect good opportunities to flow to us in such abundance that we do not always dig deep in our being to discover our own talents and strengths.

Dine on surf and turf with an ocean view. Use a positive perspective in every aspect of your life. Tap into your passion. Discover your talents and strengths.

Depending on your perspective, life can be a thrilling adventure or drudgery. You choose. Opportunity is a choice. Entrepreneurialism is a choice. Your perspective is a choice.

For more insight into your passion, talents, strengths and perspective, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Choose Goals With Passion

2010-01-14T22:25:00.000-08:00

Determine what it is that makes your blood boil with passion. What is so important to you that you are eager to leave it as part of your legacy? Goals are more than dreams with a deadline, goals must inspire passion.

Entire sections of libraries are dedicated to goal setting. 99% of America makes a New Years resolution and breaks it within days, weeks or a few months. Why? You write down what you think you should want to do instead of what you passionately commit to do. I encourage you to choose a revolution, not a resolution. When you commit to a revolution, you’re all out committed.

Do you even know your most profound passionate desires? Have you buried them so deeply in your sub conscious that it requires a jackhammer to extract them?

Stop reading right this second and grab a tablet and pencil, pens run out of ink at the most inopportune times. Set a timer on your i phone or microwave or even your watch.

• Write as fast as you possibly can for ten minutes. Write everything you would love to do, places you want to go, achievements you desire.
• Dream, fantasize and free flow write
• In a perfect world with no restrictions. I would like to . . .
• DO NOT ANALYZE, JUST WRITE

When the timer rings, sit back and take a sip of water. Catch your breath. Now look at what you have written.

Break your goals into 4 categories: Personal Growth, Professional, Financial, and Fun. Within each category, break them down into time frames of 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years.

Check your heart. If they don’t make your heart beat a little faster and put a warm fuzzy smile in your soul, consider crossing them off the list. Luke warm desires bake a cake of disaster.

For each of your top 3 goals in each category write 5 compelling reasons why you will persist until the goals are achieved. If your “why” is not big enough, your “what” will not matter.

Within the 1 year category, break the targets down into time circles. On the outer ring write 1 year, the next smaller ring is 9 months, then 6 months, then 3 months, 1 month, one week and the bulls eye (center) is today. You should have 7 circles.

Targets do not inspire you? Make a Wheel of Fortune. Draw a circle the size of a tangerine in the center of a sheet of paper. Draw 6 spokes out from the circumference of the circle. On each line write one of your top 6 goals from any of the 4 categories. For instance if one of the goals was a new home, then add a picture of that ideal new home at the tip of the line. You mind thinks in pictures, give your sub conscious mind a picture to enhance the thought.

Tonight and every night write a list of 5 action steps to be accomplished the next day to move your life and your business forward. First thing every morning, review that list and check the items off as you complete them each day.

Develop a specific routine for the first activities each morning. Call it your Early Morning Success Routine. Select three to five activities you will absolutely complete upon awakening every morning.

1. Review your top 5 action steps for today
2. Read 30 minutes of educational, inspirational or personal development material
3. Write affirmations and or goals in your journal. Writing increases the emphasis
4. Morning exercise – strengthening, toning, cardio, stretching

Each evening perform your Late Night Success Routine. The subconscious mind is most receptive immediately before drifting off into an alpha state and immediately upon awaking from an alpha sleep. Use these critical times of the day for optimum positive impressions on your subconscious mind.

1. Write the top 5 action steps to be performed the next day
2. Write in your success or gratitude journal
3. Read 30 minutes of educational, inspirational or personal development material
4. You may also choose to say your prayers of thanksgiving for the day

For a complete personalized goal setting and goal achieving plan, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com

Winning Choices

2010-01-13T17:41:00.000-08:00

The economy is really getting people down right now. Even worse, it is income tax time. How many of your really enjoy the IRS and tax time? Unless you are a CPA, probably not. How would you like a fun suggestion?

Find the humor in situations. Restore the creativity and levity to life. Make a specific decision to enjoy life. Choose to have a positive attitude and an enjoyable life.

The operative words for success are “Winning Choices” rather than taxes, government policies, jobs or taxes. It’s not the economy; it’s our choices in dealing with the situations of life. Make no mistake, by choosing to take action or sit back and wait for others to make the choices for us; we are creating our personal economy. Choose or by default some one else chooses for you.

There are so many choices out there. The internet has been a blessing and a curse. The World Wide Web has brought you a tangled web of choices; so many that you may not know where to turn. The people who thrive especially in a bad economy are the people who make winning choices and follow them through. Failures will procrastinate.

I thought about talking about procrastination earlier but decided to put it off until now.

Success belongs to those who take action. Would a baby ever learn to walk by laying there and saying “you do it for me.” Would you have learned how to swim, ride a bike or catch a ball by sitting on the sideline?

Wining choices. How can you tell if it is a winning choice or a losing choice until you make a choice and take action? Mistakes are a part of life.

Tom Watson, American golfer, said, “If you want to increase your success rate, double your rate of failure.”

“Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved,” by William Jennings Bryan, American politician and orator.

Now about that fun approach to paying taxes which was mentioned earlier . . .

Want a fun way to pay your taxes? Life revolves around creativity.

Dear Internal Revenue Service:

• Enclosed you will find my 2005 tax return showing that I owe $3,407.00 in taxes. Please note the attached article from the USA Today newspaper, dated 12 November, wherein you will see the Pentagon (Department of Defense) is paying $171.50 per hammer and NASA has paid $600.00 per toilet seat.

• I am enclosing four (4) toilet seats (valued at $2,400) and six (6) hammers valued at $1,029), which I secured at Home Depot, bringing my total remittance to $3,429.00. Please apply the overpayment of $22.00 to the “Presidential Election fund,” as noted on my return. You can do this inexpensively by sending them one (1) 1.5” Phillips Head screw (see aforementioned article from USA Today newspaper detailing how H.U. D. pays $22.00 each for 1.5” Phillips Head screws). One screw is enclosed for your convenience.

• It has been a pleasure to pay my tax bill this year, and I look forward to paying it again next year.

Sincerely,

A Satisfied Taxpayer

(Author unknown)

This approach is not necessarily recommended for you to do, but it does present a fun thought. . . It’s not the economy which is getting us down and keeping us down. It’s not our even our taxes or our income, it’s our choices.

Determine what it is that makes you blood boil with passion. What is so important to you that you are willing to stand up to your mother-in-law and declare it? Well, maybe that’s unrealistic, but be willing to use it as an example for your kids. Do you want to leave it as part of your legacy.

For fun and information about making your life more productive and creative, join me at wwwe.Elaine4Success.com.

2010-01-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

Success is a matter of firm decision. It is a matter of commitment. It is a matter of being willing to stake your actions and your resources, not just your words. Your level of commitment determines your results.
Cortez was a very wealthy man in Spain. He heard about a fabulous treasure deep in the heart of Mexico which had been held by the same army for over 600 years. He sold everything he had and borrowed more from the Spanish government in 1519 to buy 11 ships, 600 men and 20 horses. Everyone is all excited to go get the treasure until they get out to sea on the way to Cuba and some begin to whine. “I didn’t know it would be so far.” “I didn’t know I would have to work for it.”

Cortez knew that with the right help, he could take the treasure so he drilled the men on the beach for weeks after they landed in Mexico. The morning of the battle he called them together for a final pep talk. You remember pep rallies in high school. . . Cortez stood on a platform and the men expected him to say, “We’re going in to battle and if we win, we’ll meet back here on the beach for a party. We’ll bring in cake and punch and music from a local catering company. If it gets too tough we’ll meet back here and go to the boats to talk over our next approach.” Instead he leaned in and said “Burn the boats.” They said, “Excuse me.” Cortez said, “Burn the boats. If we are going home, we are going in their boats.”
An amazing thing happened. The men fought really well and took the treasure. Cortez raised their level of commitment.

If you expect to thrive in a tough economy, you must be ready to burn the boats. You must be ready to keep running until the kite flies. Swing for the fence and keep swinging.

Step one in any situation includes comprehensive analysis of the problem. Solving a problem without clearly identifying the problem and the causes constitutes an exercise in futility.

Employment uncertainty? With major companies closing their doors, downsizing or sending jobs overseas, many people suffer from the fear of job loss. Even though those fears may have justification, the very act of indulging in fear intensifies the issue. The subconscious mind accepts and works to manifest whatever you think about; bringing your thoughts into reality is the job of the subconscious mind. Knowing that you create your own reality means that you also have the power to change and improve your reality. Fearing a job loss and dwelling on that fear only increases the probability of unintentionally creating that very occurrence. The problem is therefore intensified by your very fearful thoughts. Job loss becomes a result of your thoughts. The problem is really not a job loss but your very thoughts of fear of a job loss.

Problem = Fear of a job loss rather than an actual job loss. If you create the thought in the first place, you have the power to change the thought to a more positive and constructive thought.

Fear represents a destructive use of our creative abilities. Winners, successful people, experience fear but they never allow it to stop them. Concentrating on fear means focusing on the negative rather than the positive. Winners acknowledge various outcomes exist and then go to work with a laser focus on creating the positive result they desire.

Be willing to be creative: creative with your business, creative with your finances, creative with your life.

Wouldn’t it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could press “Ctrl Alt Delete” and start all over?

We know our economy is a mess right now and everyone points the finger at someone else as the responsible party.

How come we choose from 2 people for President and 50 for Miss America?

For a personalized positive approach to your life, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Life Off Track

2010-01-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

What is most important to you right now? More money, more freedom, more security?

When your life jumps off track, how do you restore your sanity? Einstein describes insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Success in a Tough Economy depends on persistence and consistency more than any other time. Everyone can succeed in a flourishing economy. Only the determined and resilient survive in a tough economy.

Remember being a kid with your first kite? Your dad said, “I have something new and fun for you. It’s called a kite and it will fly.” You looked at it a bit skeptical. It was only paper and sticks. Your dad helped you put it together, attached the string and told you to run. You could not imagine that it would fly but you wanted to trust your dad. He told you, “run!” You ran and it dragged on the ground behind you. You were so discouraged but you really wanted to believe your dad. Your friends were laughing at you and your dad kept saying “run.” You ran as hard as you could and the kite came up 5 feet and then 10 feet and then bounced back on the ground. Your dad kept yelling “run, don’t stop or you’ll have to start all over.” You ran and it sent up a few feet and bounced back on the ground. Your friends are laughing so hard they are rolling on the ground. You want to believe but the kite is still bouncing on the ground every few feet. Your dad keeps yelling “run.” You keep running and finally it goes up 10 feet and then 15 feet. You’re getting tired so you slow down and the kite drops to the ground again. You start running again harder and the kite finally goes up 15 feet and then 20 feet then 50 feet and you let out more string and it goes up 100 feet. Finally it is up 200 feet and you stop running and let out the string. The kite keeps going up and you aren’t doing anything but letting out string. Your friends finally stop laughing. Your dad pats you on the shoulder as you pant to catch your breath. The kite is flying. Dad was right. Keep running!

In a tough economy, only the persistent who keep running will ever get the business off the ground. Once you create momentum, the kite really does fly.

Regardless of your political views, the American economy is a mess right now. How come we choose from 2 people for President and 50 for Miss America?

In this time of economic turbulence, many people are off track with their lives. How far off track depends on how quickly you recognize a problem exists and take appropriate action. How badly do you want not only to survive but to thrive?

1900-1922 A world shattered
1929-1937 Great depression
1937-1938 Recession
1973-1979 From crisis to crisis
2008-? Here we go again – down & down

But there’s hope

Look who started in a bad economy . . . 16 of 30 of the companies in the Dow Jones Industrial average started in a bad economy

1902 – 3M
1906 – Kellogg
1906 - Honeywell
1907 – Alcoa
1908 - General Motors
1916 - Boeing
1923 - Disney
1925 - Caterpillar
1929 - United Tech
1939 - Hewlett-Packard
1975 – Microsoft
1970’s – Apple Computer
1975 - Chili’s
1976 – Famous Amos Cookies (division of Kellogg)
1978 - Home Depot
1980 – Applebee
1983 - AT & T
1983 - SBC Communications

Napoleon Hill said, “Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to cut all sources of retreat. Only by doing so can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a burning desire to win, essential to success.”

Time has come to start running and launch your kite – your own business. Over 69 per cent of all new businesses will start this year as home based businesses. Microsoft started in a garage.

For specific information on your personal economic recovery plan, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com today.

Fountains of Life

2010-01-10T21:23:00.000-08:00

Fountains inspire and delight us with their beauty. Streams of glistening water particles catch the sunlight and sparkle like fine crystal. The purity and intricate design of the spray fascinates us and mesmerizes us. The fountains throughout Europe are particularly ornate and plentiful.

Fountains present an image of serenity. How much of your life resembles a fountain? Are you sitting back as a casual observer watching the hours and days shoot up as streams of potential only to fall into the pool of water at the end of the day and dissolve into oblivion? Each hour possesses its own magic potential and yet we let it slip away almost unconscious of its passing.

Each one of us receives 24 hours per day. How we manage those hours determines the results of our day and ultimately our life. We profess the goal of happiness and yet far too often we sacrifice the long term happiness by indulging in momentary pleasure. Aristotle declared that the ultimate purpose of human life was to achieve your own happiness. I agree. The pointed question is what you are willing to sacrifice right now in this moment in order to achieve long term happiness.

You hear the auto mechanic or even your doctor say “pay me now or pay me later.” Focused concentration on your goals today will require some temporary lack of fun. Nothing worthwhile is delivered to you on a golden platter. You must work for it.

Either you eat nutritious food, exercise and maintain excellent physical and mental health now or pay the penalty of enormous medical bill later. Pay now or later. Either you perform minor routine maintenance on your vehicle or pay large repair bills later.

Vehicles and health represent essential elements of life for most people, but the most important element of career is swept under the door mat. How happy are you with your career? Do you truly feel fulfilled or are you just getting through the days in exchange for a pay check, a check which probably does not even cover your basic needs.

Gaze at the fountain again, are you allowing your life to shoot up as you awaken every morning and fall into oblivion every night? Unless your thoughts, feelings and actions are aligned, your life is slipping into obscurity as the droplets of water from a fountain.

Stephen Covey said, “Be sure that, as you scramble up the ladder of success, it is leaning against the right building.” When you reach the end of your days, will you sink into the “what if I can” thoughts or the “win or lose, I reached for all of my dreams” feeling? Everyone has been given a dream. Whether or not you stuff it in a corner or fill it full of hopeful warm loving intention is totally your choice. More people regret not having even tried than pedal to the metal effort regardless of the outcome.

As we begin this New Year, new decade and new week, listen intently to your intuition, your “whispering inner voice.” Determine what is truly important to you and design a plan to bring it into reality. Dare to dream big dreams. Dare to stretch for something which makes your blood churn with a red hot heat of passionate desire.

Bring that fountain of beauty and majesty into your soul and thrill to the excitement of new challenges and new potential. Allow the particles of enthusiasm to shoot up through your heart and mind and spread out to every part of your body.

Fountains represent beauty and potential or waste. You choose one or the other every day – by design or default.

To explore your true potential and goals, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Fountains of Marketing

2010-01-09T21:11:00.000-08:00

From a visual and aesthetic view, a fountain possesses grace, beauty and artistic appeal.
Viewing your business as a fountain implies you are all over the place without any specific focus. First you go this direction and then reverse ninety degrees. Even though there are many different approaches to the same business, attempting to pursue each separate direction simultaneously spells disaster. Successful business ventures require focus.

Apply this concept to marketing your business. Dabbling in pay per click, Google or Yahoo becomes a fast way to spend tremendous amounts of money. Google advertising requires concentrated analysis and focus. Your keywords must match the copy in your ad as well as the web site to which they lead. Most internet patrons possess a lightening quick “delete” button as well as a “rapid fire” back button reflex. Unless you are leading the clicker in precisely the path they desire and expect you are instantly history. You are ejected faster than an umpire ousting an argumentative player from a ball game. “You’re outta here.”

Not only does the internet patron reject you, but so does Google. Google changes their algorithms every four to six weeks. Since the FTC landed solidly on Google’s case in about October of 2008, they have been warning web site owners on a regular basis. This “slapping” procedure by Google has intensified to epic proportions throughout 2009. Unless the keywords tie perfectly to the ad and to the web site, Google unceremoniously ejects the web site. A slap is minor; Google simply suspends web sites now. No appeal, no discussion, no traffic, you are gone.

The multidirectional fountain approach may have worked in early 2008 and previously, but not any more. Keep it tight and consistent or forget it, you are off of Google.

Take a hint from Google; they are teaching a solid lesson. Learn one form of marketing. Become an absolute consummate expert at pay per click and give the internet searcher exactly what they desire and expect to see. Follow exactly the same theme from beginning to end. Google is sophisticated and precise. The learning curve becomes more extensive and more expensive for Google because you are aiming your marketing arrows at a moving target. Dabbling with Google becomes a rapid way to lose money. Learn it or don’t do it. Dabbling in Google is like dating a harem; sooner or later you are in big trouble.

Google represents only one form of marketing. If you currently have a less generous marketing budget, consider articles, blogs, press releases, social network sites and video. Once again each of these requires focus. Spreading your time, energy and marketing dollars by dabbling in several forms of marketing simultaneously yields more expense and frustration than positive results.

Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Linked In, Direct Matches, Digg, Delicious and Squidoo are only a few of the plethora of social networking websites. Each of his has their own special niche. Each requires a slightly different technique in order to maximize the potential. The one element in common is that they are social networking sites. Attempting to approach them as a bull in a crystal factory and immediately hammer people with your business opportunity will also trigger the rapid fire back button or the lightening strike of the “delete” button. They are social sites. Once a rapport has been established and interest generated, mentioning your business opportunity becomes acceptable and perhaps even welcomed. Skill and patience are necessities with social sites. Another good news aspect of social sites is the low to zero cost.

Google and Web 2.0, social networking sites, present opposite ends of the expense spectrum. Just like the fountain sprays water in 180 or 360 degrees, so marketing falls into each stream of the display. The secret is to pick one stream and perfect your skill before moving on to another stream of water from the fountain. Focus and concentrate.

Fountains represent lovely visual appeal but utilizing that approach as a new marketer yields financial disaster.

For additional tips on marketing and specific focus on each method, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Step Up and Take Action

2010-01-08T19:03:00.000-08:00

Do not be a sideline observer in your life. Membership in Procrastinators

Anonymous buys you a ticket to NoWheresville.

Normally there are 4 seasons in the year: Spring, summer, fall and winter. Consider the fact that some people have created an entirely different season which lasts all year long. This new season is called “Freebie” or “Do it for me” or “wait for someone to do it for me.” Now if you are fortunate enough to be part of the lucky gene pool and relatives will give you a handout, then you are part of the privileged minority. 99% of the population does not qualify for a free ride in life.

Sitting back and waiting for someone else to do it for you becomes an exercise in frustration and blame. First of all, they will do whatever they choose on their time frame. They are fee to not only stop at any time but they are actually free never to start in the first place. Who do you believe will do a better job of designing the life you want, you or someone else?

Now if you have a bit of a control issue that is a problem. Refuse to give someone else total control of your life. Sugar daddies may be fine for some people, but life with a sugar daddy comes with steel cable attached. Sugar daddy holds the cable and calls the tune. The only way to call your own tune, make your own decisions and reap the rewards of success is to do your own work.

Ouch! That word, work, throws chills up and down the spine of the members of the Freebie group. Before you start shivering uncontrollably, lets ponder a few points.

When did you stop standing up on your own two feet? It had to be sometime after you were a baby. You are walking, right? Did you stop when you started to school and found out that the teacher assigned homework? You did graduate from elementary school, right? At what point in life did you decide to stop exerting effort?

In network marketing there are so many who sign up and even purchase a product, but then they sit back and expect someone else to do the marketing for them. They expect their sponsor to hold their business hand by setting up the back office for them, writing all of the advertising for them, making the telephone calls for them and closing the sales for them. Wait a minute. What is wrong with this picture? If the sponsor is going to do all of the work, then the sponsor has a right to all of the income. Enthusiasm for a new business becomes a blame game and whine session when the money does not flow into the bank account.

Network marketing presents a fabulous opportunity to earn an excellent income with a low start up cost and low overhead, but it does require work. Any worthwhile business requires work. Every business requires some learning curve. How long or how difficult the learning curve depends on each individual. The drive, determination to succeed, the prior background and the current skill sets all influence the length of the learning curve.

The absolutely most important ingredient of success relates to determination to succeed. How hard are you willing to work? How badly do you desire success? How coachable and trainable are you? What work are you willing to do?

Network marketing, or any worthwhile goal, requires effort. Success never falls in your lap without work. Procrastinators anonymous members, freebie club members and the idle sideline observers are destined to failure. The members of the “blame someone else” club are equally doomed. Failure is not you sponsor’s fault, your parents fault, the economy, the politicians, or your circumstances in life. Look in the mirror.

Success belongs to the person who digs in, learns, works and persists until the goal is achieved. History abounds with examples of people who lacked education, who were born into poverty, who suffered numerous defeats on their journey and who overcame tremendous odds. The main ingredient in the success cake of life is taking action on a consistent and persistent basis. The people who achieve tremendous success in life never sat back and waited for someone else to do it for them. They took action.

No matter what your current circumstances, bar none, if you want success badly enough and are willing to work hard enough and long enough, you will be successful. Make 2010 the beginning of your new successful life.

For a personalized success action plan, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Life is a Postage Stamp

2010-01-07T20:13:00.000-08:00

Choose to be a forever stamp or a holiday stamp. Before you wrinkle your nose, squint your eyes or furrow your brow deciding that I’ve lost my mind, consider the function of a postage stamp. Unless you are a philatelist, the only function of a postage stamp is to stick to the envelope or package. This requires endurance.

This tiny piece of adhesive backed paper must remain so solidly affixed that it survives the shuffling and friction against other pieces of mail in the postman’s bag or truck, close encounters in various mail rooms as it gets sorted and rerouted and back out for delivery. Consider the obstacles and near brushes with death encountered by this tiny little rectangle of paper.

Forever stamps retain their usefulness even after postage rates increase. Holiday stamps have a fixed value and are most frequently used only for Christmas cards and other holiday mail.

Relate your decisions and resolutions to the sticking power of a postage stamp. How determined are you to stick to your goals and resolutions until you reach your destination? The persistence of a holiday stamp means that you give up before the holiday ends. A holiday stamp looks festive, appealing and appropriate for a few weeks before it starts resembling stale cut out sugar cookies.

Whether your new goal was to lose weight, launch a physical fitness program or establish a new business, it absolutely requires more than a casual effort for a few weeks. What are you willing to do to achieve your goal?

Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players to grace a court, was cut from his high school team. Practice, hours of practice, transformed him from that temporary defeat to an ace of the courts.

Bart Starr, most valuable player in the first two super bowls, sat the bench until his senior year in college. Bart was drafted into the NFL in the very last round of the draft. Not only that but he was given jersey 44, not even a quarterback number because he was not expected to make the team.

Norman Vincent Peale’s book, The Power of Positive Thinking, received rejections from publishers, his peers, and the public.

Andy Andrews published a book of 52 letters of now famous people who persisted through multiple failures to achieve their fame. “Storms of Perfection” became Andy’s own battle of persistence. He received 600 rejections before he received the 52 letters in the first book. Publishers refused to publish it. "Storms of Perfection" is the only book I know about which sold 100,000 copies before it ever graced the shelves of a book store.

Common denominator among all of these examples and hundreds of others was persistence. Each one of them possessed a dream which was more powerful than the obstacles and rejections received.

Persistence, consistent forward motion and sticking to the goal until it became a reality. Success does not always go to the swiftest, the strongest, the richest or someone from the lucky gene pool. Success is awarded to the last man standing. Hang in there long enough with forward motion and determination; success will yield to you.

The next time you hit a speed bump on your success path just remember the postage stamp. Choose to be a holiday stamp or a forever stamp. Success is rarely if ever an accident or a lucky break. Success is a decision followed by consistent and persistent action.

For the complete article and more fun and inspirational stories, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com

Snow is White Gold

2010-01-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

Flakes of white drifting down and covering the ground create an entirely new meaning living in a ski resort.

The long time ranching families shrug and declare,” we always get snow. The only questions are when and how much.” Snow means winter moisture to ranchers. Timing really is not an issue.

Timing to the ski resort and to the avid winter ski enthusiast is of paramount importance. Steamboat Springs ski resort typically opens slightly before Thanksgiving. When the temperature hovers around the 60 degree mark during October, the palms of the ski resort owners and key department supervisors begin to perspire. You see mounting tension as the temperature refuses to plummet. Staring at green grass on the slopes with only a few weeks until season opening strikes terror in the hearts of the owners. Well, more likely terror as they visualize their bank accounts bathed in red ink.
Steamboat installed snow making equipment in 1980 to stave off a disastrous ski season. The drought of 1977 forced the resort to close for a few weeks. No snow = no skiers = no revenue. Every effort commenced to avoid a similar economic disaster in 1980. The Industrial Company received the coveted contract to install the noisy cannon sized guns which transformed water into frozen particles resembling snow. In reality the product of those noisy massive guns resembled tiny granular ice chips. The good news was that the “corn snow” served the purpose of filling in the bare spots and allowing the mountain to function for winter sports.

Snow was more than desired, it was coveted as prevention of an economic disaster for the entire resort. Merchants relied on the fluffy white gold to bring tourists. Steamboat began its transformation from a ranching and mining community to guest oriented services on July 6, 1958 with the ground breaking of the first few trails. The merchants in the 1960s through the 1980s relied heavily on the tourist trade for the bulk of their annual income. Summer tourism at that point was minimal at best.

A skimpy snow year equaled little if any net profit for the year. Snow quickly transformed from a four letter word to “white gold.” As the ski area flourished, so did the merchants in downtown Steamboat as well as Ski Time Square at the base of the mountain. The ski resort, the merchants and the winter “slat rats” eagerly anticipated the white landscape.

The enthusiasm was almost palpable as the new “ski bums” arrived in town. A full season pass adorned the necks of the privileged and was displayed as a fine piece of jewelry. Actually with the 2009-2010 cost of a season pass at Steamboat retailing at $1299, it is equivalent to a fine item of jewelry.

The buzz intensified to the sound of a swarm of bees as the temperature dropped and snow flakes drifted to the ground. Normal night owls and bar stool warmers rushed home to bed in order to awake early. The goal became to arrive at the gondola fully dressed and ready for action before the line formed. Grab your water bottle, power bars, and anything else you might possibly need for the day. Arrive at the gondola in time to press your nose to the glass doors eagerly waiting on the massive bull wheels to turn moving the gondola cars up the mountain. The first ones to set skis or snow board to the slopes outside the gondola at the top of the mountain relished the fresh powder.

Snow became the delight of the ski resort, the merchants and the winter sports enthusiasts.

Anyone who has lived in a ski resort for even a few seasons never views snow the same again. Snow was almost revered as the white gold it represented to all those who relied on it for fun and financial security.

Resolutions Require Passion

2010-01-05T21:23:00.000-08:00

Change waves the flag of new beginnings everywhere we gaze. New Years resolutions lurk just around the corner; 2010 strolls into our lives within the next few days. Frequently people resolve to lose weight, make more money, exercise more, and spend more quality time with the family.

Resolutions officially commence on January 1 and all too frequently collapse by January 10 or even January 3. Review the "for sale" column of the news paper, Craig's List, or e-Bay and find fantastic deals on exercise equipment; ads appear in abundance by February. All of the well intentioned folks who requested exercise equipment for Christmas or purchased with high hopes for their New Years resolution have given up by February. What does that say about our persistence as a society?

The common joke in most gyms, particularly in a ski resort, is that the six busiest weeks of the year are two weeks before ski season, two weeks before bikini season and the two weeks after New Years resolutions. Our good intentions live a very short life span.

No wonder 97% of all businesses fail. Regardless of the type of business: franchise, brick and mortar, home based business, service business or retail business, only three per cent succeed. Look at our track record as a society. Persistence and resolve to commit to a goal until the goal has been achieved remains dismal at best.

Why do statistics reveal such a high failure rate? Examine the goals and the reason for stating them in the first place.

1. Did you set a goal you passionately desire to achieve or a goal you thought you should desire? Most people set goals they think they should set: lose weight, spend more responsibly, spend more quality family time, earn more money or start a fitness program. Guilt or responsibility fades much faster than a deep passionate personal desire.

2. Examine the language of your decision. Using words like "I'll try," "Maybe," "If," or "I'll see how it goes" set you up for failure from the beginning. Wishy washy words and luke warm feelings predict failure. Any time the statement "I'll give the business 3 months and see if it works" leaves the lips, failure waves the red flag of disaster.

3. Life offers very few guarantees. One steady rule of predictability remains true. If the goal is an absolute life threatening necessity, the odds of success skyrocket. People almost always get their "must" goals.

How seriously did you commit to your New Years resolutions? Examine your motivation for setting each resolution. Did you select goals you absolutely must find a way to achieve? Is your goal something you passionately desire? When you speak about your goals, what language do you speak and think? What feelings do you associate with each goal?

Our current economy entices many people to decide to start a new home based business. Good news about home based businesses is not only the low start up cost, but also the higher profit margin and faster return on investment. The bad news about having a lower start up cost is the lack of long term resolve because of a smaller loss of investment in case of failure. A large portion of the population wants to make more money and in many cases actually needs to make more money, but how many really commit to the follow through.

Regardless of the goal the bottom line remains the same. Weight loss, fitness, new business or any other decision, the more passionate the desire and the more solid the commitment, the greater the likelihood of success.

A new business or any other worthwhile goal requires an investment of time, effort and money. How badly do you desire success? What are you willing to do to achieve it? The more you desire success the more important it is to seek the help of a mentor to guarantee your positive results. Seek resources.

Snow - Fun Or Frustrating?

2010-01-04T21:18:00.000-08:00

Snow, in this reference, means that wet white moisture which falls on the ground from above. To a ski enthusiast and new resident of a ski resort, it means fun in all capital letters; pure unadulterated FUN. Powder hounds start howling as the first fluffy flakes drift down. The noise intensifies as the depth accumulates. 29 years of living among that pack and participating in powder rituals still inspires a chug chug and a double back flip heartbeat.

Snow takes on many descriptions and meanings:

Champagne powder means the dry fluffy powder which easily blows away with a good strong breath of air. This crisp powder resembles cool talcum powder. Wear your powder straps with this one because digging several inches or feet rummaging around seeking a lost ski is not only possible but probable. Not only the searching becomes frustrating but the loss of precious daylight powder hours is priceless.

Corn snow frequently arrives courtesy of the snow making equipment. If the sky reluctantly withholds the precious white moisture, massive snow guns generate artificial snow. Snow guns predominately appear early season when the ski resort panics at the lack of ground cover and the potential loss of skier revenue.

Dust on crust results after an inch or even a partial inch covers the hard packed base snow. Frequently spring brings warmer temperatures during the daylight hours causing slight melting of the base snow. Overnight this solidifies into a surface about as firm as pavement. Add a dusting of powder over the top of the asphalt-like base creates the delusion of powder. Make no mistake, a fall results in severe road rash.

Another term for the early morning conditions during spring skiing can be "sierra cement." Cement being the operative word becomes accurately descriptive of the firmness of the surface. Catch an edge and go down on sierra cement and your body thuds with an uncomfortable whack; no bounce or cushion results from impact on sierra cement.

Currier and Ives presented a commendable impression of the exquisite beauty of ice and snow covered trees enclosing the boundaries of many ski runs. Even the most skilled photographer struggles to adequately capture the magnificence of such a picturesque view.

Time on the slopes enjoying snow sports or appreciating the unparalleled beauty of a winter wonderland explains why the ski industry is a multi billion dollar endeavor.

The other side of that entertainment coin involves wrapping your cold hands around the handle of a snow shovel. Snow shovelers seem to fall into three categories depending on the density of the snow. Flingers lightly toss shovel after shovel off to the side of the driveway or off the deck; this method is most productive for champagne powder and the early snowfalls before the energy and enthusiasm level for shoveling diminishes.

Scoopers arrive on the scene with higher moisture content snow, deeper accumulations and less energy. Scoopers are personified by the slightly ruddy face, furrowed brow and occasional aching back grimace. Scoopers frequently have passed the point of pleasure with the thick white moisture. Scoopers appear at the edge of the newly cleared driveway immediately after the snow plow passes through the street depositing a foot or two of icy mass all across the driveway entrance. Being within ear shot of a scooper at this time, particularly mid to late season is highly unadvisable for ladies and small children.

Pushers have depleted all energy for the shoveling activity. No longer does the shovel lift above the pavement or deck floor; snow simply pushes ahead of the shovel hopefully to a reasonable distance away from a necessary vehicle or foot path. Pushers have had it. This becomes the time when a vacation to Florida feels almost like a life enhancing necessity.

Snow in a ski resort, particularly Steamboat during many of the last 29 years become so deep that residents were known to tie bicycle flags to their car antennas to extend the reach. At times the bicycle flag presented the only visual indication that a car was approaching the intersection. When the mounds of snow at intersections accumulate to that enormous proportion, "pushers" leave town.

Pleasure, pain, or sheer frustration describes the winter moisture we frequently term snow. How lovingly the term appears in spoken or written language depends on the quantity of time your hands form to the configuration of the snow shovel handle.

Snowinly yours, Elaine Love

Ready to Break All Your Barriers to Success?

2010-01-03T21:14:00.000-08:00

Headlines scream "danger" and everyone buys the paper. "Have a Wonderful Holiday" as the headline and people smile and walk on down the street. The biggest barriers, those boulders in your head and iron walls surrounding your heart never even merit a mention. Even worse, these issues are the 600 pound gorilla in our lives which we drag around with us. You pretend it does not exist and yet you are so attached to it that you mentally put a seat belt around it to be certain it stays close to you.

Why continue to lug that burden around? Just because your emotional crutch has traveled with you throughout your life, does not mean you need to clutch it like a child holding on to an ice cream cone. This does even taste or feel good. It is only familiar.

Stop covering it up with Lancôme makeup or wrapping it in Gucci togs. Figure out what caused it and get rid of it. Holidays bring out a variety of mental monsters. Your pet gorilla may have been born when your sister received a nicer doll on the fourth Christmas than you did. May your pet gorilla's birthday was when you did not get the bicycle you wanted for your fifth birthday. Maybe it was some grievous offense committed by one of your parents at some point in your junior high school days. It may be something which no one knows about except you. How can you expect someone to correct an offense which they do not even know they committed?

Even if they know about it, who is it hurting? Not them; they sleep peacefully snuggled in their crisp clean sheets and warm cuddly blankets at night. You are the only one wrestling with the gorilla pulling all the covers off the bed. Do you enjoy suffering? Maybe, you have done it for so many years. Do you really want to continue lugging that extra weight around?

Look your gorilla squarely in the eye. Determine exactly when and why he entered your life. Looking back on your life and putting the situation in perspective, is it really that significant to still be upset after all these years? Incidents which occurred within the first five or six years of our life took on a completely different perspective at that tender age than they do when viewed in the bright sunshine of an adult existence. Yes, I remember an extremely unpleasant incident with my father when I was three years old. I can still see the entire scene and hear his hateful words; however, they no longer hurt me.

My father passed away almost ten years ago. He can do absolutely nothing about those words now. For me to hold on to that pain and nurture it festering in my soul would only harm me and those who care about me. Why would I choose to give him or anyone else that power and control over my life? I am alive and thriving today. He said what he said for whatever reason he said it; incident closed. I have a wonderful life to live and enjoy. I choose to live free from old programming and old situations.

Look carefully at your old programming. What limiting beliefs or dented self confidence are you allowing to block your path to a healthy and happy future? 2010 edges closer to us every day. Why not make it your best year ever.

Dismantle that old gorilla; pull the stuffing out of him. Pummel him into the width of a snowflake. No longer allow anything or anyone to block your path to the delightful prosperity and happiness you so richly deserve.

A common New Years resolution is to lose weight. You have just been presented with a delightful and almost instant way to remove an unwanted and un-necessary 600 pounds from your shoulders. Whew! Feel the relief. Smile at yourself. You have just accomplished something only a minute proportion of the world ever does. You took off a huge amount of weight during the holidays and did it with a release of pain in the process. Congratulations.

Questions, Not Answers, Determine Success

2010-01-02T21:09:00.000-08:00

There are no dumb questions. Surprised? Your life and your future will be determined by the quality of your questions, both the questions you asked and the questions you did not ask but should have asked.

Analysis of questions reveals different styles of questions depending on the results desired. In order to receive quality answers, you must utilize a quality process.

If you want to know all the specific details about a product or service, you will ask a descriptive question. Comparisons between similar items require relational questions. Normal questions provide information but are "ho hum" in the excitement category. Clinical factual questions are fine for accountants and lawyers but seldom light anyone on fire with enthusiasm.

When you meet someone new, lots of opportunities at holiday parties for chance encounters of the intriguing kind, you will choose open ended questions. When your eyes light up and your heart starts to flutter a bit upon meeting someone, you want to know more about them. Ask an open ended question to encourage them to talk; people love to talk about themselves so give them a chance. Yes or no questions close off a conversation far too quickly. Open up the opportunity to learn more about this interesting new person. When you ask open ended questions, you also need to be prepared to answer some similar queries.

Particularly in a sales setting, the one who asks the questions how the power. Make no mistake about it, even in a social setting, you are constantly selling. Whether you are selling a product, a service or a potential social relationship, you are selling. The quality and intrigue of your questions determines the impression you project.

Growing as a person requires deep philosophical questions. So many of us have old programming holding us back from the success we desire and deserve. Holiday seasons and New Years resolutions inspire many people to determine exactly what they passionately desire in life. Even more than the determination of desire is the question of "what are you willing to do about those desires?"

Far too many people respond to the question of New Years resolutions with what they think they should want or what they believe others expect them to want. You are the only one who can live your life. My profound question to you is "What do YOU passionately want for your present and your future?"

At different points in life, spend intense hours of soul searching questioning passionate desires, deservability for success and roadblocks to that success. Intense quality questions asked and questions not addressed determine the future. Are those questions easy to determine? No. Even more so, they are not surface questions or comfortable questions. Does that diminish their viability or urgency? No.

Both the questions you ask yourself and the questions you propose to others have significance. Just as the questions to someone who causes your heart to do a "chug chug and a double back flip" must be open ended to encourage them to elaborate, so must the questions to yourself be open ended. Every probing question to yourself should cause you to write paragraphs and even pages in order to complete the answer.

Soul searching questions must evoke intense emotion in order to reach deep into your psychic core. Only through intense self examination will you break through the barrier of old programming, limiting beliefs and self imposed roadblocks.

What quality are the questions you are asking yourself and others? What questions should you be asking but are not asking? Why not? Are you afraid of the answer? Allowing yourself to slide away from a tough question does not change the importance of the question or change the answer. It simply prolongs the agony of not knowing the answer.

Questions you ask others must be open ended and respectful but not fluffy and insignificant. Questions you ask yourself still need to be open ended and significant but also probing. Veins of gold do not rush up to the surface to make it easy for you; you have to dig for them. Important questions about your goals, past present and future also require probing.

The rewards are so very sweet on the other side. Just like hitting a large vein of gold feels giddy wonderful, so do the aftermath of discovering you true desires and seeing them fulfilled. The New Year is a time of new hope. Make it your best year ever.

How Effective is Your Mentor

2010-01-01T21:01:00.000-08:00

Success leaves clues. On your first hike through a dense and possibly dangerous forest would you select a guide who did not have a map and had never been through that area? Of course not, that would be about as risky as calling a foreign country and saying, "Here's $20,000, send me a bride." Can you even imagine someone that desperate? Even worse, can you imagine a woman foolish enough to accept? Nelson Mandela fled to a foreign country to avoid an arranged marriage; even an arranged marriage had more potential for success than totally blind luck.

Two days ago I spoke to an intense and enthusiastic mastermind group about marketing their new personal development product. During the question and answer period, one wise man asked me a specific question. He was not being nosy or rude, just direct. "Are you a millionaire?" Since my website is the New Millionaire Blueprint, he had a right to ask. Not only that but he chose to confirm that he was receiving quality information.

Just as you would not take an inexperienced guide without a map into foreign territory, so you want to take business advice from someone who has been a top producer, is still a top producer and knows how to teach you how to duplicate their successful results. Many people knew how to produce decades ago but do not know what currently works. Others know how to produce but not how to teach someone to duplicate their results. Have all 3 elements increases your success potential tremendously.

When he asked me the question, he was verifying that he was receiving information from someone who met all 3 of the criteria. My quiet and confident "yes" provided him the necessary information. No offense intended or taken; I accepted it as a valid question of a person doing his due diligence.

So much has changed in the last ten and certainly the last 20 years. Thirty years ago, the internet was only a glimmer in the eye of a few tech savvy individuals such as Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Marketing on the internet has not received any prominence until the last 15 years at most. I had the first web site in Routt County Colorado which did any marketing. I started marketing reservations for my property management company on the internet in 1994; at that time such advertising was considered radical and untested. In fact, I completed my master's thesis on the subject in 1997 with three years of my company's history included. One professor asked me to produce my list of reference books for the paper; I could not as the only book out on the subject at the time was the new book by Bill Gates.

Internet marketing represents the bulk of the business advertising and certainly the most effective in today's economic culture. Pay per click marketing on Google, Yahoo and various other search engines as well as a plethora of social networking sites (Web 2.0) dominate most current marketing plans. Brick and mortar businesses, network marketing businesses, corporations, franchises and non-profit organizations all market on the internet.

The most effective means of marketing thirty, twenty and even ten years ago have radically changed from what proves most effective today. Some wisdom remains timeless but effective marketing techniques have dramatically evolved in the last decade and continue to do so consistently.

Top leaders and producers follow the advice of Albert Einstein, "Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value." Value to you as a follower means having a coach, mentor and advisor who has been a success, is still a success and knows how to impart that value to you. The long track record of success combined with today's success indicates a willingness to stay current with modern effectiveness.

Learning, knowing, and practicing effective advertising techniques in today's marketplace remains part of the essential criteria for selecting a mentor. Being able to personally achieve results is insufficient. In order for you to benefit, your coach and mentor must also be able to impart that knowledge to you in such a manner than you can duplicate that success for yourself.

Not everything works every time. Confucius said, "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do." Great leaders stretch over and over again in order to learn and grow. Not only learn from them, but duplicate that willingness to stretch and grow. Choose the best mentor and fall in step alongside them to forge your own path to success.

Marketing presents one aspect of business success. Learn all the elements of success. Choose wisely, your future depends on your choices.

Psychology of Colors

2009-12-31T20:52:00.000-08:00

A beautiful lady casually strolls down the street with a soft smile hovering over her pretty face. Her attire matches and coordinates impeccably from her stylish knee high leather boots to the pencil thin lamb leather black skirt which brushes the top of her boots, to the tone on tone black and white pattern silk turtleneck sweater. Is she marketing?

She absolutely presents a stunning eye catching image. What does the image represent to you? Do you want to know more about her? Are you willing to spend some of your precious time gazing at the pleasurable image? Absolutely. The first task of all marketing involves attracting the attention of the reader.

Until you make an impression on the reader with your presentation, your sales material has about as much viability as a snowball's chance in a Florida summer day. You have about three seconds to catch the favorable glance of the compulsive clicker on the internet or the page flipper in a magazine. Either grab their attention and hold it for a few seconds or your sales copy might as well have been written with invisible ink. The prospective buyer will be gone faster than a shopaholic hearing about a blowout at Nordstrom.

Headlines must sizzle and entice the reader to say "Tell me more." Colors, type face, well chosen attention words and pictures all contribute to that eye stopping reaction. Marketing colors significantly alter the impression of the reader. Perform an intense marketing analysis of your sales material. Would you stop and look at the ad if you were Billy Bob just browsing through the pages?

Colors convey various images to the reader.

Red - Emotional intensity, energy, danger, power, determination, strength, passion and desire. Stop signs, high voltage danger signs and red light districts reflect the image of danger and intense emotion. Deeper shades of red evoke more rage and wrath while graduating to the softer reds and pinks conveys the softer emotions of femininity and love. Red represents a dramatic marketing color.

Orange - Since orange represents a secondary color rather than a primary color, it combines the energy of red with the happiness of yellow. Ever see the logo of the sunny smiley face as anything other than shades of yellow with black eyes? Yellow and soft golden shades are associated with happiness. Orange inspires healthy thoughts and thus healthy appetites; use the marketing color orange to convey health. Because of its high viability, orange is also reputed to increase the oxygen supply to the brain.

Yellow - Yellow arouses joy, happiness and intellect with its warming effects. Yellow's transmutation from happiness to cowardice is as strange as its impression as a childish color to men. Yellow is sometimes regarded as unstable and spontaneous, thus not recommended as the marketing color for selling high ticket merchandise. Yellow and green are given as colors for baby shower gifts when the gender of the unborn baby is unknown; however, babies are reputed to cry more in yellow rooms. Yellow presents itself best as a pure color rather than shades; shades look washed out or dingy.

Green - Environmentalists love green; to them it represents nature and purity. Ever notice how a new green leaf on a plant seems lighter than the mature leaves. Green represents freshness, growth and fertility. Darker shades of green evoke thoughts of money. Use dark green as a money image marketing color. Green gathers in other colors such as yellow, blue and olive to create shades. Greenhorn means novice which may be encouraging since green in a traffic light also means go forward.

Blue - Sky blue and the deep blue sea convey depth, stability and loyalty. Blue shades represent trust, intelligence and tranquility. Since blue suppresses the appetite it would be better served as the marketing color in a diet ad than in a restaurant. Deeper shades of blue appeal to men and to more expensive products as well as high-tech products.

Purple - Royalty, nobility, luxury and wisdom combine in purple. Children respond favorably to purple. Since purple is rarely seen in nature other than fields of wildflowers, many people regard it as an artificial color. Personally I see purple as a combination of the characteristics of blue and red; it holds the wealth, mystery and magic of blue with the independence and fire of red. Purple marketing colors represent expensive toys: cars, boats, and airplanes; items you expect to see in the Robb Report.

White - Purity and light seem to be the predominant thoughts associated with white. White wedding gown for a virgin bride; white christening gowns for innocent newborn babies and the robes of angels are all pure white. White conveys simplicity and the sterile purity of a hospital. White as a marketing color displays well on a dark background such as white text on a black power point slide.

Black - Note the lady in the opening paragraph presented a picture of elegance, power and mystery. Just as white is the absence of all color, black is known to be the combination of all colors. Black can be sinister, evil or even the symbol of grief. Combining black with red or orange presents a very aggressive color theme. In the early days of web pages, it was considered disastrous to market a black page, now it is more of a statement.

Choose colors carefully to convey the mood most desirable for your product and image. Observe the packaging of products, the headlines which attract your eye and the colors which appeal to your personality. What color will be most appealing to your target audience? Are your colors sending the message you desire to present?

Grains of Sand

2009-12-30T20:46:00.000-08:00

How does an oyster create a pearl? A tiny grain of sand works its way in to the oyster shell and irritates the poor innocent oyster. Over time, the grain of sand transforms into a precious gem; pearls are created from friction and irritation.

Every life encounters irritation. The only way to avoid any friction in life involves hiding in a cave, avoiding people and avoiding any contact with life outside yourself. Even that existence could and probably does encounter loneliness, poverty, and the elements (life in a cave does not convey luxury and warmth to my imagination.) Bottom line - life has irritations and inconveniences.

Everyone, including yourself, chooses to have a better future than their present circumstances. You still have dreams and goals. If you have given up on all dreams and goals, we need to have a different conversation. You deserve a life you design for yourself. If you do not design your own present and future, by default, it will be designed for you. Who do you believe will do a better job of designing your ideal future - you or someone else? You were given a brain and expected to use it. I promise you that you were not given goals and dreams of a better life without a way to make them come true. It all depends on how badly you want that better life. What are you willing to do to achieve it?

Irritation happens in life; irritation is reality. The question which makes all the difference between the successful and the failures directly relates to how you handle that irritation. You can choose the curl up in a corner and cry "poor me" or stand up, dust yourself off and say, "Watch me." The pearl, the successful business person, persisted until victory finally waved "hello" from the top of the financial mountain.

Andy Andrews, author of the "Travelers Gift," found himself living under a pier in California at one point in life. He chose to visit the library every day, read everything he desired to improve his mind, make a decision to start improving his life, and take action on that decision. He chose to find a way to improve and actually do the work required to bring that improvement into reality. Was it easy? Absolutely not. Was it worth the struggle? Absolutely yes.

Every life encounters various size rocks. Rocks of Life spoke about the big rock in the field of our life. Attitude Rocks illustrated the importance of your attitude in every situation. Attitude plays such an important role with every size rock. Mindset determines how we handle these incidents in life. Frequently these rocks are gift wrapped and tied with a ribbon of guilt.

Sometimes others sent me on guilt trips.

Other times I was invited to go along with someone else on a guilt trip.

The worst guilt trip was when I purchased my own ticket.

Developing an attitude of, "What good can come from this situation" smoothes the path and eases the mental anguish. Seeking the positive in every incident in life relaxes the tension and allows a constructive outcome. Expecting a negative result predetermines the likelihood of undesirable consequences. More frequently than not, we experience what we expect rather than what we desire. Concentrating on prosperity and abundance rather than lack tends to produce more prosperity.

Your subconscious mind does not know how to distinguish good from bad or desired rather than expected. Program your subconscious mind to expect only the highest and best results for yourself. Developing a positive attitude and a positive expectation encourages life to provide desirable results. At the very least, it eases your mind and relaxes your creative abilities so that they can function at their highest level.

It is not what happens to us and outside of us which truly creates the difference; the significant difference is always created inside ourselves. Break up the big rocks and haul them away. Gather the medium sized rocks, the pebbles and the grains of sand into a bucket; seal the bucket and destroy it. No need keeping any rocks around to stub your toe of life. Deal with them once and for all and get rid of them forever.

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change, stated Dr. Wayne Dyer.

For more articles and inspiration, join me at http://www.elaine4success.com/

Management Issues

2009-12-29T20:41:00.000-08:00

Executives attend “Anger Management” classes after an incident in the workplace. Domestic violence situations require “Anger Management” class attendance. Children earn a trip to the principal’s office for anger management following playground issues.

Be realistic! Why would anyone choose to retain their anger and manage it rather than resolve the underlying cause? Anger destroys the person who clutches that nasty emotion to their soul. Anger rarely has any redeeming value whatsoever. Anger tears at the soul. Anger offends the peaceful spirit.

A wise elder from the Indian tribe instructed his grandson about the struggle within his heart. Within every man there are two wolves constantly at battle. One wolf represents hatred, war, hurtful words and various forms of evil. The other wolf embodies love, kindness, helpfulness, peace, thankfulness and joy. These wolves battle incessantly all day every day through the day and night. “Grandpa, wise one, which wolf wins the battle,” queried the boy. “The one I feed,” advised the elder.

We each contain a choice every day. We choose to feed the evil wolf or the gentle wolf.

Apply this same emotion and intensity to grudges. Maintaining an emotional death grip on a grudge hurts you even more than anger. Frequently the object of your displeasure may not even be aware of the offense they have supposedly so grievously committed. You are the only one suffering. Unless you are masochistic, grudges have zero value.

Debt management follows exactly the same ridiculous pattern. Our society’s emphasis on “instant gratification” propels us into debt. Rather than resolving the root causes of careless spending, we tend to pile debt upon debt until we amass a Mt. Everest stack of bills on a below sea level income. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to predict an impending disaster.

This isn’t a NATO project. You pretend you aren’t keeping up with the Jones family as you buy another new car which you really did not need. Do them a favor and stop the nonsense. They probably can’t afford you either. Piling up the credit card bills foolishly just to “look good in the neighborhood” makes about as much sense as wearing your ski helmet on the beach. Christmas “one upsmanship” provides the fuel for impending bankruptcy.

Debt management, or lack of financial responsibility, compounds the tension. More domestic arguments directly relate to financial issues. Debt issues spiral into anger issues. Anger management becomes the kissing twin of debt management. These siblings interact with the intensity of the atom bomb. One feeds on the other snowballing into an avalanche of red hot negative emotion.

Take a deep breath, step back, and view the cause of the anger and the cause of the debt. Resolve right now to take positive action to halt the nonsense.

Give gifts of the heart this Christmas. Spend time really loving your family and listening to them. Take the extra time to say “I love you.” Love salves many an angry spirit. Everyone, especially children, loves toys and presents at Christmas time. You might be surprised to discover that the gift they truly desire the most is actually your undivided time, attention and love.

Feed the gentle wolf. Anger management can be eliminated by dissolving the root cause of the anger. Debt management is minimized and brought under control by emphasizing love more than things as gifts this Christmas.

Anger evaporates when you feed the gentle wolf. Life becomes more peaceful. Managing anger is not the answer; resolving the cause makes sense. Debt management flows down the same stream as anger management. Resolve the cause; earn more income and spend more wisely. Feed the gentle wolf.

For more articles, wisdom and inspiration join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Rocks in Your Time Jar

2009-12-28T20:44:00.000-08:00

Time is NOT money. When you run out of money, there is always a few ways to generate more. When you run out of time as Bugs Bunny says, "That's all folks."

Ever reach the end of your day ready to put on you pajamas and discover that you really have not accomplished anything worth while all day? Ever face yourself in the mirror as you brush your teeth before bedtime and realize that you wasted your time all day?

You cleaned your desk, fiddled with papers, answered emails and surfed the web but did not do one concrete action to move your life and your business forward. Ever vow not to continue that nonproductive activity only to discover you did it again the next day? What did you do to change the pattern of activity? Nothing? "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result," said Einstein.

Resolve right now to make tomorrow not only different, but better. Tonight before you turn out the light and drift off to slumber land, write a list of five action items to complete tomorrow. These are your top 5 priorities for tomorrow.

Next write a list of the 5 next most important activities; these are the secondary tasks. The fine pebbles and grains of sand drift in last.

Every life encounters various size rocks. In "Rocks of Life" I wrote about the big rock in the field of our life. In "Attitude Rocks" I wrote about the importance of your attitude in every situation. "Grains of Sand" talks about the minor irritations in life which polish us into fine gems. The time has come for the rocks to be assembled in the jar of your life.

Set your priorities. What are the biggest and most important elements of your life? Is your family your primary importance? In this time of severe economic challenge, for some of you it may be earning a larger income, and for others it may be a physical or academic goal. Clearly define the five most important rocks; these major elements must consume the primary time block of your day. These are the 5 action items which you determined were the top priorities for the day. Put these large rocks in your life jar first.

Second what things would you like to do, time permitting? Community activities, social activities, and entertainment are the secondary time commitments. You set your own priorities and schedule your time accordingly. Secondary "to do" items must only be tackled after all 5 of the major "top priority" items are completely finished. No fair starting things, putting them down, picking them up and putting them down. Handling things does not count, only finishing counts. Only after the five major items are cleared and checked off the list can you even look at the second list of five. These medium sized rocks occupy the next layer in your life jar.

The top layer becomes the small pebbles and grains of sand. These are interesting and nice but not as critical to your success and peace of mind. These incidental activities drift in and around the major and secondary tasks. Trips to the kitchen for a cup of coffee and a meal are little pebbles in your day; important but certainly not instrumental in moving your business forward.

You only have 24 hours every day in your time jar. Fill the jar with the significant rocks of life first. Prioritize your day to be absolutely certain you block time for income producing activities first. Clarify your priorities and refine them into their significance within your life and your day.

One way to do this is to say to yourself, "If I were leaving town for a month tomorrow, what is the one thing that I must do before I leave?" If I have time for one more, what would it be? Repeat the process until you have your five biggies. The next five are important but absolutely secondary to the first five. No mixing and mingling. Top 5 first and then the next 5.

Layer the rocks in your time jar carefully. Unless you put the big rocks in first, there will never be room for them. Rocks are important regardless of whether they are hurdles in life or priorities to be accomplished. Attention to the rocks in your life creates success.

Rocks of Life

2009-12-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

My personal rock related to deservability. My mother, a gentle non-confrontational lady, always took the broken piece. When she served a cake or pie or anything, she always said "the broken piece belongs to the cook." Only the perfectly shaped and presented pieces were served to my father and brother. She always took the broken piece for herself. If there were two broken pieces, the second broken piece was automatically given to me; I was female, therefore, less than my father and brother. This innocent act impressed upon me that I was less deserving than the males. Females in our household were regarded as second class.

Who knows where this impression originated? The fact that it existed all during my youth and persisted through my adulthood formed a deservability issue in my soul. No malicious intent was intended. Perhaps my mother thought she was honoring my father and brother. Since she has passed away, I am no longer able to question her on her thoughts. She did not directly tell me I was inferior to my father and brother; however, the impression of my lesser worth impressed that fact upon my self worth. That feeling of inferiority existed as my emotional "rock in the field."

Throughout the next several years and decades, I struggled with deservability. Even though I worked hard and achieved, a plateau existed. It took years of intensive self examination and mental exercise to remove that emotional deservability rock. The fact that the rock no longer exists serves as proof that emotional rocks can be and should be demolished.

What emotional rock holds you back from achieving your dreams and goals? Have you placed a barrier in your own path to success? Identify each barrier and remove them. Self imposed rocks are removable. If you placed the rock in your own path for whatever reason, you are also capable of removing it. I'll gladly loan you my crow bar and ledge hammer. The relief experienced by demolishing that rock and carting it away to the dump feels like lifting Mount Everest from your shoulders and tossing it casually in a deep ravine never to be seen or heard from again.

For more inspiration, join me at http://www.elaine4success.com/

This series of rocks in your life will be continued. Let me assist you in clearing the entire field.

Instant Results

2009-12-26T20:23:00.000-08:00

I am currently listening to Rory Vaden's "Take the Stairs" presentation. Rory echoes the American tendency to take the easy way. When confronted with a choice between walking up the stairs or riding the no effort escalator, which one do you choose? Most Americans look for the easy way and ride the no effort escalator.

This "give me the path of least effort" mentality escalated the weight control industry and the fast food industry through the predominance of expanding waist lines. In our fast paced society instant coffee is a big deal, microwaveable prepackaged food is a big deal, but long term lifestyle changes emphasizing physical fitness are not a big deal.

In the Steamboat Health and Recreation facility we laughed that only 6 weeks per year were really busy: the 2 weeks before ski season, the 2 weeks before bikini season and the 2 weeks after New Years Resolutions. I have even heard, "I'm going to work out hard for a couple of weeks to get in shape and then I don't have to worry about it again." How foolish. Physical fitness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle means continual focused exercise. When do you get to stop? You don't. The only way to maintain health and physical fitness involves consistent, persistent and targeted exercise. Instant success does not exist.

A healthy lifestyle is exactly that, a lifestyle, not a one time event. Why even think that 20 or 30 years of incorrect eating habits, lack of exercise and lazy living could be erased in a few days or weeks? Would you tell your kids not to go to class or do their homework all semester; tell the kids to cram for the test a day or two before test date? Of course not.

Easy short cuts, get rich quick and escalator mentality handicap success. A plethora of "get rich quick" schemes exist on the internet today. Wikipedia describes easy money and get rich quick as "A get-rich-quick scheme is a plan to acquire high rates of return for a small investment. Most such schemes promise that participants can obtain this high rate of return with little risk....
It is clearly possible to get rich quickly if one is prepared to accept very high levels of risk - this is the premise of the gambling industry. However, gambling offers the near-certainty of completely losing the original stake over the long term, even if it offers regular wins along the way. Economic theory states that risk-free opportunities for profit are not stable, because they will quickly be exploited by arbitrageurs."

Note the premise of get rich quick claims low risk while actually containing extremely high risk. Every wealthy businessman has studied, practiced and perfected his craft in the process of creating wealth. Wealth creation requires a "take the stairs" mentality. Instant wealth, just like instant physical fitness or instant success is not reality. Study every "overnight" success and you will discover years of study, practice and work leading up to that magic moment.

Network marketing instant success stories usually reveal 6 to 12 years of trial and error before settling into the ideal company and system. As a college professor of mine said, "you can have 10 years experience or one year's experience 10 times." Learn from each of your experiences. Continue to grow as a person and a business professional. Adopt the disciplined "take the stairs not the escalator" mentality. Get rich quick and easy short cuts do not produce success; dedicated, focused, persistent efforts produce success.

Instant results work for coffee, mashed potatoes or even oatmeal but not business success. Commit to dedicated, persistent forward motion activities; you will achieve success. Develop the discipline of taking the stairs, not the escalator mentality.

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Attitude as a Rock in Your Success Path

2009-12-25T20:18:00.000-08:00

"Rock your world" implies a positive image. Everyone responds enthusiastically to having their world rocked in a pleasurable way. Surprises you receive on your birthday and Christmas present delightful thoughts. You expect birthday and Christmas surprises to rock your world in a happy manner.

When the boss says, "Come in to my office, we need to talk" that uncertain surprise conveys an entirely different thought pattern. Your first thought frequently hovers around the apprehensive as you anticipate that conversation. That little talk with your boss has the potential of being a rock in your career path.

The words are similar since both could "rock your world" but the instant mental image is 180 degrees apart. The difference is more than just the words; it is the tone and the particular setting. Birthday and Christmas are automatically anticipated to be delightful expectations. An encounter with the boss conveys apprehension.

How much of our life do we pre-determine through our expectations? Unconsciously we set the stage for our experiences. How much do we actually contribute to the rocks in our path to success? Are we constructing our own rock slide avalanche?

Our own attitude determines more of our results than we like to admit. We choose to expect positive or negative results from every situation in our life. Does the situation change? No, our attitude and expectation change with each situation. You may accidentally be constructing your own rocks in your success path due to your attitude.

Attitude Checklist
1. What decision have you made about your attitude for today?
2. Did you decide last night, early this morning or in the heat of the moment?
3. Describe your exact decision.
4. Write out the one discipline you must practice each and every day to maintain that positive attitude.
5. List the old programming, family history or events influencing your daily attitude.

Life revolves around your internal attitudes and feelings, not what happens in the outside world. What happens to you and what other people think is never as important as what you think and feel. Your attitude truly is within your control.

David Neagle went from a fork lift operator who possessed a rotten attitude about everything to a very positive person about everything. His income directly reflected his correlating attitudes. A bad attitude translated to a very low bank account; an extremely positive attitude reflected an extremely plush bank account. The one major difference was his attitude. Attitude is a choice. Every day and every situation you have the opportunity to select your attitude. Making a firm decision to maintain a great attitude in advance of a ticklish situation creates a much higher likelihood of a positive result.

A recent study of teens who chose to take drugs or avoid drugs revealed an amazingly simple fact. The teens were from similar neighborhoods, similar economic backgrounds, similar academic achievements and similar religious backgrounds. The only difference between the teens who took drugs and the teens who did not take drugs was one simple fact. The teens who did not take drugs made a conscious decision prior to the heat of the moment.

Making a decision to have a positive attitude directly relates to the choice to take or not take drugs. When a firm decision is made in advance, the positive results are far more likely. Decide right now to maintain a positive attitude and resolve to uphold that decision no matter what happens. The simple act of deciding in advance creates a stronghold for victory.

You have the ability to prevent some rocks in your path to success simply by choosing a positive attitude and resolving to maintain that decision. Will it remove all rocks? No, but why create unnecessary impediments? Success has enough challenges without creating your own rock blocks.

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God Winks

2009-12-24T21:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a religious holiday as well as a commercial holiday. The word “holiday” draws its meaning from “holy day.” For Christians all over the world, Christmas means more than shopping, holiday parties and sending cards to people we have neither seen nor heard from in a year. For Christians, the season of Advent and Christmas means the birth of the savior.

My faith is the core, the center of my life. No, I’m not going to preach to you. I am sharing my feelings which run very deep in my soul. Tonight our church presents “Lessons and Carols.” Lessons of the season from various authors and scripture readings as well as traditional Christmas carols entertain and inspire the audience. I thoroughly enjoy both the music and the messages.

I am reading tonight from James W. Moore’s “What Do You Want for Christmas?” My segment relates to Mary. “Mary was just a teenage girl from a poor family who lives in an obscure village in a tiny nation, which itself was subject to a despised foreign power. Then one day, out of the blue, an angel came to Mary with a message from the Lord: “Do not be afraid, Mary for you have found favor with God. And behold you will conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great. He will be the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.” And all of this was going to happen without Mary’s ever having been with a man.

Just imagine going out to lunch with the girls and telling them a story like this. How many of your friends would immediately think you flipped? Who would pull out their cell phone and start calling for the straight jacket and the reservation in the padded room? Who would start asking you to be honest and tell them the father’s name?

We are so skeptical and critical in our modern society that the automatic response would be total disbelief. Granted, to my knowledge and belief, there has only been one virgin mother. We are so closed to miracles and little “winks from God” that we tend to close off all possibilities. I believe “God winks” at us on a regular basis. We call it coincidence or accidental meetings or even luck, but I am convinced God speaks loud and clear even today. The problem with the sophisticated modern world is that we are so wrapped up in ourselves and taking personal credit for all of the wonderful unexpected events that we fail to give credit where credit is due.

Thankfully for the world, Mary did believe. She possessed real faith, real hope and real trust. Fortunately, Joseph her fiancée, also believed and trusted her: after his own angel visited him, he believed her. Mary willingly listened to God’s word, obeyed God’s will, and trusted her future to His plan. This entire situation put her in an extremely awkward and complicated set of circumstances. Even then, gossips probably had a field day at her expense.

None of us will ever be in Mary’s situation, but we are certainly able to open our minds and hearts to seek wisdom. We can and should ask for guidance and listen for the answer. Being a very strong, independent and self-reliant person, the act of relinquishing control has been a struggle for me. Wisdom and sage counsel comes from many sources. Open your mind to research, seek guidance, listen with an open mind and take appropriate action.

At times, I admit to saying to that still small voice, “No, that can not happen. That’s impossible.” When I finally relinquish and accept the wink from God, the result proves to be wonderful beyond my wildest expectations. I’m not egotistical, but at times I am quite single minded. I’m working on opening myself to wise counsel and listening for the times when God winks at me.

The second of Andy Andrews 7 Decisions from “The Travelers Gift” is seeking wisdom. I promise to open my mind to seek wise counsel, listen fully and intently for the answer and take action. God still winks and speaks. Our job is to listen and follow the guidance.

For more articles and inspiration, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Live Your Dreams

2009-12-23T20:21:00.000-08:00

During the hustle of the holiday season, people forget to stop and be grateful for our advantages. I am firmly grounded in my faith and yet I also fail to totally appreciate what I have at my fingertips.

Water flows freely here. We think nothing of long showers, running the dishwasher instead of hand washing dishes, watering plants or even watering the lawn in summer. There are people living in many parts of the world who do not even have clean water to drink and we are wasting water on a daily basis.

Holiday parties abound. In America we celebrate with numerous baked goods, special appetizers, dinner parties and lavish cocktail parties. We purchase special beverages and salute friends and family with a cup of holiday cheer. There are people in other parts of the world and probably some right here in our own country who go to bed hungry every night.

If we disagree with the government, we are totally free to express those opinions. No one restricts the books we read, the news printed or spoken, or our own individual speech. We are free to act and speak openly, provided we are not slandering the rights of others.

I live in Colorado where the typical winter temperature requires warm coats. No problem, we have the wardrobe which is appropriate for the temperature. We heat our homes in the winter and cool them in the summer. We are so very fortunate.

When the bills arrive or the income does not quite stretch to do all of the things we desire, it is easy to complain “poor me.” Nothing could be further from reality. In comparison to other parts of the world, we are still living in luxury.

Most American families have at least one car. Instead of being grateful for that car, it is not uncommon to hear someone fuss about the price of the gasoline.

During this holiday season, my focus centers on the blessings in my life. I have plenty to eat, warm clothes to wear, a roof over my head, a nice car to drive and wonderful friends all around me. Yesterday I shoveled the drive for my Toastmasters group to arrive; I am thankful for my health and ability to shovel.

When someone around you starts complaining, gently remind them of the number of blessings we enjoy every day. Gratitude deserves expression more than once or twice a year. Start by saying thank you to your family. Taking the time and effort to genuinely thank the people close to you for all the little things they do for you every day, makes them feel appreciated and makes you happier as well.

One of my favorite quotes reads, “You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you,” by Sarah Ban Breathnach ~ Simple Abundance.

I start and end every day with gratitude for the many blessings in my life. Focusing on the things for which you are grateful rather than the things you may lack, provides more peace in your soul. A grateful person continues to be a more desirable companion as well. Whiny, complaining people simply are not fun to be around. Jim Rohn, an icon in personal development, reminded us that there are people with whom you can spend an hour, but not a day. Other people whose company you may keep for a day but not a week. Associations and the attitudes of our associates does influence us. We guard the playmates of our children but neglect to use the same stringent rules for our own associations. Spend your energy being grateful for your life; associate with people who are also grateful for their lives. Gratitude is important. We have so much for which to be thankful.

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Gratitude for my Life

2009-12-22T20:26:00.000-08:00

Education Opens Doors

2009-12-21T14:26:00.000-08:00

Throughout my youth, I always heard ‘get a good education, get a good job and work hard.” In my case, the inference was a good high school education. My father believed there was no point educating a female beyond high school because she would not amount to anything anyway. He insisted his son attend college.

Fortunately for me, I had other ideas. Long story, short version, I not only graduated from college with honors but proceeded to earn masters degrees. No blame or “feel sorry for me” inferred. He passed along what he learned from the old country and from his parents. Even though I was a bit miffed at the time, I quickly devised a solution. The point of impact is that just because something was true several generations ago does not mean it remains valid today. Women hold prominent positions in industry and all professions in the 21st century.

Education served to change my life in numerous ways. My degrees opened doors for me which might have remained closed without those pieces of paper. Like education, talent also opens doors. Celine Dion’s talent captivated producer David Foster’s attention enough for David to invite Celine to sign a record contract. Talent opened the door.

I lived in Steamboat Springs ski resort for 29 years. In that period of time I became acquainted with scores of talented and highly educated individuals who were working as lift operators and restaurant or bar employees. Neither education nor talent alone propels anyone through life’s hoops and hurdles. Education proves to be a valuable asset. Talent attracts attention. Both of these elements assist a person; however, neither or both are enough to achieve the pinnacle of success.

Getting the door open with a degree or talent constitutes step one. Once that door opens even a small crack, persistence and passion must take the reins and drive. An impressive resume may entice a prospective employer to grant an interview. Unless you demonstrate desire and command of yourself and your professed skills, employment will not result. When you present yourself in a credible manner and your skills match their need, you may be hired. Now the work begins.

Many an employee has been the victim of their own bad judgment. Acting as if the duties or your fellow workers are beneath you causes tension and discord. The fault is not the duties, the employees or even the company. Look squarely in the mirror and view the problem. Education and talent open doors but bad decisions close doors.

Even though I jumped through many hoops and climbed over numerous obstacles to pay for my own college, once the degree is earned, it is totally up to me. Education becomes more than shelf development, buying books; true education requires implementation. In order to receive the full value of education, there must be self development. Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher, admonished us to “work harder on yourself than you do on your business.” Shelf development may impress visitors to your library, but life seeks evidence of self development.

Developing your education or talent into usable skills creates the true platform for achievement. Work hard on yourself and your skills. Maintain a congenial and cooperative attitude in the process and you will thrive. Education and talent may open the doors for you but once you step over the threshold, your attitude and performance take control. Many talented and well educated people fail to survive or thrive because they stopped learning, stopped growing and maintained a disagreeable attitude.

Education and talent open doors but lack of performance, bad attitudes and bad decisions close those doors. You control your present and your future. Anything you created in the past can begin its improvement in the present. Just as my father held old beliefs about educating women, so other people hold on to old beliefs and attitudes which no longer serve them or anyone else. They may hold old erroneous beliefs because they did not know any differently. Now you know. Your excuse evaporated. If your attitude and performance are not serving you profitably and productively, stop doing that and change to something which will work. Good attitudes and diligent work overcome a multitude of other deficiencies.

Education and talent open the doors but your passion, persistence, great attitude and diligent performance swing them wide open.

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A Surprise Christmas Daisy

2009-12-20T19:21:00.000-08:00

I grew up on a Kansas farm five miles from civilization, the nearest neighbor. Country life provided fresh air, wide open spaces and freedom. Anyone who has ever been stuck in a claustrophobic corporate cubicle or city traffic jams relates to the profound desire for freedom. Unfortunately as a child, I had no other point of reference. Freedom was my entire life.

Saddling our mare and riding across the pasture with my long curls flying in the breeze provided my daily activity. For a change of venue, it simply meant riding bareback instead of with a western saddle. Granted, my height restriction made it necessary to find a stump or some other object to climb up in order to mount. At least with a saddle, I could put my foot in the stirrup and climb up more easily. Ok, I admit to being a tomboy.

Riding across the fields of wildflowers down to the slate bed streams was taken for granted. After all, my playground consisted of 160 acres. Riding through the black walnut trees or the oak trees in the fall when the colors turned red, orange, and gold contrasted with the evergreens gave the appearance of the Ozarks. Freedom presented itself as normal.

After a few years in various other locations, I moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Steamboat felt more like going home than an adjustment. Granted the ski mountain provided a sharp contrast to the flat Kansas terrain, but the wildlife and fields of wildflowers provides the same open freedom. Even the evergreens and quakies, Aspen trees, reminded me of the black walnut trees and the natural Christmas trees of the farm.

The Kansas excuse for a town, Parker, brought rural to a new low. Parker, the closest town, was 12 miles away. The city fathers thought about a stop light on the main street but settled for a blinker. Since the town only included a population of 150, if you also counted cats and dogs, they couldn’t really justify a stop light. Steamboat was a thriving metropolis in comparison. Steamboat boasted of over 7,000 people in Routt County when I moved there in 1981. Steamboat consisted of two segments, a ski mountain and a ranching community. Both appealed to me, but the ranching element reminded me of the little Kansas tomboy with long curls bouncing in the wind.

One of my fondest memories of that simple and basic Kansas farm life revolved around horses. I remember coming downstairs one Christmas morning when I was maybe 5 or 6. My father was a stern old country German who never looked happy about anything. This morning he looked happy for some reason. Take every ray of sunshine you can get. He invited my brother and me to follow him. We went through the kitchen, through the living room with the old kerosene stove into the parlor. Remember when houses had parlors? Oh well, showing my age again. Wow, he was headed for the Christmas tree. All right, presents. Bummer, he passed the tree and went to the window. When he pulled back the curtain, there in our front yard was Roxy our gentle mare and a tiny spotted foal. This wobbly little filly had arrived on Christmas morning. We named our little present, Daisy. Where on earth we arrived at the name Daisy for a blue roan and white spotted horse is still a mystery. Daisy immediately became my favorite Christmas present that year.

Some gifts you plan and some just appear for you at the perfect time.

The gift of not only new life but a pet for Christmas highlighted everything that day. Freedom remains one of our dearest treasures, but a new baby filly ranks pretty high on the list. After all, she even made a tough old German smile and that takes some doing. Merry Christmas, Daisy.

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Games We Play

2009-12-19T19:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas time encompasses family time. Sometimes those family times include games. As a youth, we played card games and board games. Generally those games were at the kitchen table or kitchen counter with a friendly, most of the time, competition between my brother and me.

With my sons and now my grandsons, I used games to teach strategic thinking, sharing, friendly competition and family fun. Games appear on many levels. From the childhood games of “Old Maid” or “Go Fish” or “Sorry” to the adult games of “Bridge” or “Monopoly,” card games and board games provide family interaction and fun.

Card games and board games represent entertainment. Other games, such as the blame game, represent destruction. So many people write me for coaching, mentoring and general assistance on a daily basis. The “blame game” keeps rearing its ugly head. My heart breaks for the person who hangs on to old wounds and drags around hurt feelings.

In many cases, the individual who supposedly committed this egregious act has passed away years ago. If the offender has departed this earth, the only one left to make amends is the offended. In many cases the offender did not even know of their mental or emotional crime. Obviously they are no longer able to correct the problem.

First, the blame game never benefits anyone. Martyrdom is highly over-rated. Get over it. The deceased no longer suffers from this problem; the only one suffering is the living. Therefore, the only one who can relieve the suffering is the one holding on to hurt. Why hold on and suffer, unless you particularly like to feel sorry for yourself. You chose to feel hurt and you can choose to get over it and go on with life.

Hearing that you chose to feel hurt, offends some people. Sorry, feeling offended does not change the facts. You told yourself a story, repeated the story in your thoughts and words, and chose to believe it as factual. If you chose the story, thoughts, words and beliefs in the first place, you can choose to dismiss them in the present. You are in control. You choose to continue to suffer or you can choose to be happy and go on with life.

Many people come to me with woes about how their family treated them. They say I could not possibly relate. My childhood was 180 degrees from ideal but I learned to change my perspective, learn from those incidents and resolve never to repeat them. My parents did what they did for whatever reason they did it. It’s over and done. I am not a small child and they are no longer on the earth. Forgive, learn, grow and go on. Wayne Dyer, author, lecturer, professional speaker and motivation master, says, “Your friends are God’s way of apologizing for your relatives.” Cultivate and enjoy your friends. Heal, forgive and let go of your past. Live today in peace and joy.

This same “blame game” scenario goes on in business every day. People blame their boss or their sponsor or their co-workers. Reality check! You chose to accept the job or you chose to enter the business. You are responsible for creating your own success and happiness. Neither your parents, nor your boss, nor your sponsor has the obligation of making you happy and profitable. Few of us were handed a silver spoon or a trust fund when we arrived in this world. Few of us were handed a ready-made successful business. Building a successful business takes work, dedication, learning, persistence and consistency. Just as Suze Orman says, “If you want to know the best financial advisor for you, look in the mirror.” The same holds true for your business. “If you want to know who is responsible for creating success in your business, look in the mirror.”

The “blame game” eats away at your very soul. Blaming others hurts you and everyone who cares about you. Notice, when people do not care about your feelings, they do not hurt. You are probably only hurting yourself. Unless you enjoy being a martyr, get over it and go on. You are responsible for your thoughts, feelings and results.
For more articles, inspiration and self-examination, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Brick Walls

2009-12-18T18:03:00.000-08:00

Brick walls exist! Erroneously people believe those walls are to keep you out. Not so. Brick walls exist to help you determine exactly how badly you desire to achieve something.

Throughout my decades of life, I’ve encountered many brick walls. Some were worth scaling, tunneling under, or parting the brush to go around the wall. Other walls could have been a thin veneer and they just were not that important. Goals and obstacles reveal not only our character but our determination. Even more than the brick wall itself is the way we choose to scale the obstacle. Napoleon Hill once said,” Taking the path of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.”

The stronger my desire and determination, the easier it became to surmount the obstacle. Love and money top the list of motivators. When the object of your affection consumes your thoughts, causes your heart to beat faster and becomes almost an obsession, there is a strong likelihood you are in love. Love causes people to perform feats inconceivable under different circumstances. Strong independent men have been known to get down on their knees. Some have even gone so far as to utter words which defy the “bachelor’s creed” I remember observing my college senior son actually quake at the very thought of allowing the “c” word, “commitment.” E for engagement was about as likely as seeing the Amish drive up in a Hummer. Fast forward ten years and he is married and the proud father of two adorable little rascals, sons of his own. His brick wall of commitment crumbled in the face of the petite, athletic, intelligent Morgan.

Money forms its own brick walls of various thicknesses. One aspiring young rock star was so determined to start his own home based business that he actually listed his couch on e-bay. His passion for his music created such desire that he was compelled to do whatever it took to earn an excellent living and still have the time flexibility for his bass guitar. Happily I report that he now has both a thriving internet business but also performs concerts on stage with his brother and “the boys” on a regular basis. Determination, persistence, and consistency create results.

People constantly ask, “How fast will I make money?” Absolutely no one including a guru with a crystal ball can honestly answer that query. The star gypsy gazes deep into the crystal ball and says whatever thought pops into her head. Intuition, history, statistics and guess work still fail to make a reliable prediction. Be realistic, if some ‘far seeing genie” could really predict then we would not have 97 per cent of all new businesses fail. Notice that statistic flows across the board with home based business, franchise, retail business, service business, and any other conceivable money-making opportunity.

Everything comes back to brick walls. How inspired are you to find a solution to penetrating the brick wall? When your back presses against the wall and you must find a way to succeed in your business, you will. Regardless of whether your wall consists of debt, desire to provide for your family or simply an unquenchable fire within yourself to achieve, you will persist until your objective is obtained.

Brick walls may be erected in our minds or in reality. Either way, the wall is just as formidable. When the motivation is so strong, the why and how become easier. I can remember times when Doug and Dan were one and three; we were so broke we had to look up to see the financial basement floor. Nothing would have stopped me from penetrating that brick wall. All I had to do was peer into Dan's trusting blue eyes or Doug’s loving greenish eyes. Success was the only choice.

In this instance, both love and money played a significant role. No brick wall in history can withstand a mother’s love for her sons and her determination to provide for them.

For more articles and mindset personal training, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com

Christmas Traditions

2009-12-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a religious holiday, a commercial holiday and a family time. It is the season when perfectly sane, or so it would seem until now, adults attempt to correspond with 100 people they may not have heard from or seen all year. It’s a time to re-connect. Ideally, we write hand written letters to include in each card or at least a hand written note. Unfortunately many of us, myself included, write a general update letter and include a copy with every card. At least a general update letter conveys the news of the year. The letter represents a gift of communication.

Christmas is more than gifts, it is also traditions. One of my treasured traditions in Steamboat is the torch light parade. The entire ski school instructor staff, ski patrol and other privileged accomplished skiers perform the torch light parade. We started at the top of the mountain in pitch black. Zero lights on the slopes. We each carried a torch. When you consider 50 to 60 people with torches and sparks flying, you soon learn to wear something other than your favorite ski outfit. Imagine these skiers skiing down the mountain and performing various designs as they travel. Such a spectacular sight. We ski straight down the face of the mountain from the gondola in full view of a crowd at the base of the mountain. Skiing in the dark presents a challenge, add the fact that you are holding a torch in the air and skiing in and out of formations at the same time. Such a beautiful and precision sight, from the bottom, but a bit different when you are the one on skis conducting the moves. Fortunately I have never seen anyone slip and fall. This would not be the ideal time for a domino effect.

Another Steamboat tradition is the lighted man. The tradition started in the 1940s by Claudius Banks. Claudius started skiing down Howelsen Hill ski mountain with road flares strapped to his suit. The tradition started during the now-famous Steamboat Winter Carnival. His son Jon joined him in 1971 and the duo skied together until 1978. Jon has since moved away; however, he returns to Steamboat every year for Winter Carnival. It takes Jon 100 hours to rig his Nomex racing suit and another 100 hours with the pyrotechnic team to prepare for the 10 minute run. He has rockets shooting from a halo around his head, rockets from the back of both shoulders, lights from the toe of his boots all the way up to his waist, lights covering his ski poles and flares shooting from the top of his ski poles. The controls for all of these fireworks are located in the handles of his ski poles. Oh, he also skis down in the dark. Talk about lighting up the holiday and carrying on a family tradition.

Family traditions form the basis of so my holidays. One of my personal favorites consisted of cookie baking. I remember endless hours in the kitchen with my mother baking. Mom’s favorite holiday treats were fudge, divinity and peanut brittle; however, we also baked several varieties of decorated sugar cookies and other delectable sweet treats. Mom learned to bake without recipes so she taught me art of creativity and instinct for baking. It served me so well that later in life I actually owned, operated and did the bulk of the baking for a commercial bakery. Candy Mountain Culinary Creations occupied the location at the base of the Steamboat Ski Mountain in the 1980s.

Mom also taught me to sing acappella during our baking time. Amazing benefits from a family holiday tradition.

I carried the cookie baking tradition forward with my two sons. They pulled a chair up to the counter and “helped” by pouring in ingredients, mixing and dropping the cookies on to the cookie sheet. Not really certain if their favorite part was mixing, dipping a finger in to the dough, decorating or eating the warm cookies.

Whether you are celebrating Christmas in the mountains, or elsewhere, what a wonderful season to carry on family traditions or start new ones. Holidays are a great time to count your blessings.

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Scatty, My Christmas Surprise

2009-12-16T15:32:00.000-08:00

Christmas gifts arrive in many shapes, sizes and value.

A demure little gray tiger striped kitten with a white throat and 4 little white anklets came to live with me at Christmas time. She would sit in the center of the room very prim and proper and then suddenly take off like a rocket. That little fur ball would fly out of the room. My son named her Scat and the name evolved into Scatty Cat.

Since my kids were grown, I chose a large Douglas fir as my Christmas tree that year and placed it in the center of my bow bay window looking out at the Steamboat Springs ski mountain. I was elated to know that now I can finally use those beautiful antique glass ornaments I’ve been saving for years. I had saved the ornaments all these years until the boys were grown and it was safe to hang them. The lights reflected off the glass balls and made a lovely sight from inside and outside the house. A few days later I am in my office when a repairman who had been at the house came into my office and asked me why my Christmas tree was lying down. I said, “It isn’t.” He assured me, “Oh, yes it is.” Upon returning home I found the large Douglas fir was indeed prone and surrounded in a sea of shattered glass ornaments. Ever try to remove shattered glass from thick plush carpet? It's not fun. It’s like Christmas tree needles you keep finding them even months later.

I looked around, but no Scatty cat . . . She was finally located under the center of the king bed where she refused to budge for 2 days. We will never know exactly what happened. Did she try to climb the tree or attempt to go through it to sun herself in the bow bay window? One fact I know for certain. Scatty lived with me until just after her 20th birthday and never did I ever see her go within 3 feet of another Christmas tree. There was a correlation between the reclining Douglas fir and my little furry Christmas present.

Scatty could have been one of the most memorable and most expensive Christmas gifts I ever received when you consider the cost of irreplaceable antique glass ornaments.

Scatty proved to be quite a little challenge. Scatty was memorable in many ways – some expensive and some not. Not all memorable gifts are expensive.

Consider going to the Humane Center and adopting an animal for Christmas. Scatty was a “kitty of the streets” before she came to live with me. She adjusted quite well to being inside, warm, well fed, and loved. She did not seem to miss her former life on the streets.

Scatty continued to give love, as well as challenges, for the next 2 decades. She provided a warm purr and a friendly greeting when I entered the house. With the possible exception of times when I took a week business trip and she had a “kitty sitter,” she was happy to see me. After those long trips, she exhibited indignation that I would dare to be gone.

Normal kitty cats say “meow;” however, at times like those her vocal sounded more like “me now.” Keep in mind that her “kitty sitter” treated her to more tuna and kitty treats every day than I did and she was still greeting me with the feline attitude of paws on the hips. Scatty cat provided a great deal of love and companionship to me and I believe she felt all of that love returned to her as well.

During this time of Economic Challenge, why not give a gift of the heart? A pet provides a wealth of love to be given and gained.

For a more complete video on the subject of Scatty cat, see the video “The Fur Flew” on You-tube. That was a fun presentation before a live audience.
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Have an inspired and loving Christmas and New Year.

2009-12-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Sharing Christmas Memories

Christmas means different things to different people. We hustle about decorating the house. Some of the decorating is for us and some may be for the sake of the neighbors.

We bake all sorts of things which our hips and waist later regret, but they taste good at the time. We make gift lists and endeavor to purchase the perfect gift for each individual. My personal favorite is becoming a child again and purchasing toys for my grand children. I remember a trip to F.A.O. Schwartz in New York. It was like being in Santa’s workshop.

The giant slipper slide from the upper level to the lower level presented so much more fun than an escalator or elevator for adults and children. Holidays are magic. Restore the child in yourself. Play, laugh, love and live. Take a deep breath from all of the hustle and obligations of the holidays; take time to enjoy the moment. Refresh that inner child who laughs and plays “let’s pretend.” Pretend you are happy, carefree and uninhibited again. Set the example for your family and yourself that life truly is fun. Laugh, just to be laughing; you will find it infectious.

Ever remember your own childhood as you shop for toys for the kids? How many dads have purchased a train set for their kids and secretly enjoyed playing with it themselves? Kids give us a chance to be a kid again even for a few minutes. Mothers, play dress up with your little girls. Bake cookies with them; don’t worry about the mess, they are only little once.

We throw off the cloak of being professional and proper and get down on our hands and knees on a plastic sheet with finger paints. Mothers put a dab of frosting on a plastic placemat on the kitchen counter and let your toddler draw pictures with it. A steady diet of sugar probably isn’t ideal but a finger dipped in chocolate frosting truly delights a child.

We build snowmen and get in snowball pretend fights – we never really aim to hit them. Well at least that’s my excuse – poor aim. Lay down in the snow with the kids and make snow angels.

Christmas gifts or Hanukah gifts arrive in many shapes, sizes and value. The memories you create with your kids now will not only last them a lifetime but they will become your personal treasures as well. Just as you look back on these memories, you will also remember their handmade gifts to you.

How many of you still have an ornament or even a piece of pottery made by one of your children? Even though they were not a work of art, they are treasured as some of our most prized gifts. I just decorated my tree with treasured ornaments from the nursery school and elementary school days of my sons. My sons are grown with sons of their own and I still smile every time I gaze upon those treasured gifts. Those gifts made me so happy. I kept all of their little notes and cards too. It is amazing what a little note can mean.

The little “I love you Mommy” or “I miss you Gamma” notes are 24 karat gold to me. I have saved every note from the boys. Sometimes the letters were not perfectly formed yet or the words were not spelled correctly. What cares? Love notes from a child are what make life a true joy. The most precious memories of all are love shared openly and honestly. Never pass up an opportunity to tell a child you love them. Collect those precious notes.

Some gifts you plan and some just appear for you at the perfect time. You never know when your note to them or theirs to you presents the spark of encouragement so needed at that moment.

What are some of your favorite holiday memories?

Wishing you a fabulous holiday season and a life of treasured memories.

For more inspiration, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com

It’s Not Too Late

2009-12-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

Don’t resign me to a rocking chair because my chronological age passed 50. Referring to 50 as a half century has validity; however, that phraseology gives the appearance of being past tense. I beg to differ. Wisdom seldom materializes without time, experience and effort. If you are under 20 and you already know everything, more power to you. You’re exceptional.

Baby boomers unite; you have wisdom to share. We have learned a great deal about leadership, life and people. Granted, some of our wisdom we learned from making mistakes and some we learned from avoiding the mistakes others made and recorded for us. We are now able to share our successes and mistakes with the younger generations. This does not infer that younger generations will not make mistakes. I hope they will; we learn from stretching and making mistakes. The variance will be that they make different mistakes than we did. Business changes constantly; the economy and the requirements for a successful business are continuously evolving. Some basic principles hold true throughout history.

Today I heard a program by a recognized young industry leader in which he commented about it being too late for someone to contribute to society because they had reached the age of eighty. Ok, I agree that being an octogenarian does mean that you are past what most people consider as your prime years; it does not mean you no longer have value.

Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma Moses” started painting New York country scenes when she was in her 70s. Thus self taught artist not only became one of the most famous American folk artists but she continued painting into her 90s.

Julia Child was only a few months before her 50th birthday when she collaborated on her first book of the two part series on French cooking. Her “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and her television interviews catapulted her into the spotlight of the culinary world.

Colonel Sanders started Kentucky Fried Chicken when he was in his 60s.

Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote Little House on the Prairie at the age of 65.

Charles Darwin was age 50 when he published his complete theory of evolution. On the Origin of the Species sold out on the day it was released. He continued to write and publish for the next decade.

Henry Bernstein wrote his first book, “The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers” when he was in his 90s. He continued writing and publishing “The Dream.”

I earned my masters degrees at age 53 and 54 after being out of college for over 30 years. Sine then, I have gone on to not only enter new industries but also achieve the top leadership ranks. Note, totally new industries, new learning experiences. We are never to old to learn new skills as long as our mind remains active and our desire strong. In fact, learning new skills is one of the best ways to maintain and enhance an active mind.
I’m single and when a man tells me the first thing he plans to do is slow me down, my immediate thought is “goodbye.” Mentally and physically learning, growing, stretching and achieving creates a healthy life. I love my life. Rocking chairs are only attractive to me as a means to cuddle and assist grand babies in getting to sleep.

Read, create, ski, dance, and live life to the fullest. I am and I plan to continue doing so.

I have met people in their 20s who were mentally old; they essentially stopped growing. I have met many in their 50s, 60s, and 70s who were still young mentally and physically because they continued to expand their mind and exercise their body. How about you?

For more inspiration and articles, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com. Life is for living.

Instant Success

2009-12-13T15:05:00.000-08:00

In this day of instant coffee, fast food, and cell phones with internet attached to our hips, is it any wonder that people also expect instant business success? Monty Hall stated it best, “Actually, I’m an overnight success. But it took twenty years.”

We hear about actresses being discovered working at a soda fountain or network marketing sensations making tens of thousands in their first thirty days. Everyone wants that miracle instant superstar to be them. As Paul Harvey said every day on his radio broadcast, “now, for the rest of the story.” The rest of the story usually reveals that the “lucky instant superstar” spent years studying their craft and perhaps years in other related businesses learning, making mistakes, and perfecting their presentations.

Can it happen to be an overnight success? Yes, but the odds are about the same as winning the lottery – 50 million to one. The best advice you will ever receive centers on learning everything you can wrap your mind around, reading about your chosen field, masterminding with successful people in your industry and working on yourself. Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher, always reminded us to “work harder on yourself than you do on your business.”

Instant success rarely occurs. Mark Spitz, considered the swiftest swimmer of all time, did not jump in the swimming pool at age 22 and automatically develop the technique necessary to win seven gold medals at the 1972 Olympics. From the time he was a small child; he was swimming and winning medals. Success takes time, practice and dedication.

Evelyn Ashford, 1957 Olympic sprinter, won four gold medals. Evelyn’s high school did not have a girl’s track team. The football coach saw her running and enticed her to run against his star athletes in order to motivate them. The other kids were amused watching the boys struggling to keep up with her running. Even then, she was winning against all the boys. Motivation comes from many sources but success comes from continual practice and perfection of your craft.

The violin master performed a magnificent concert. An admiring fan rushed back stage to greet the master with the exclamation, “I would give my life to play like that.” The master quietly smiled and stated, “Madam, I did.” Success is not an accident, nor an overnight occurrence. The true masters of their craft have devoted numerous hours of intense focus and dedication.

Business follows exactly the same format. Study success. Read biographies of successful people in various industries, but especially your chosen industry. Read books written by successful individuals in your chosen field of endeavor. Listen to audio recordings of the top leaders when you exercise or drive. Attend live events to not only listen to their presentation but to have an opportunity to meet them personally. Take notes whenever you read or listen. Mastermind with other like minded individuals; fill your mind with positive thoughts from prosperity minded people.

Focusing on success means being highly aware of whose company you keep and whose words you allow to penetrate your mind. Consciously or unconsciously, the words and attitudes of those with whom you associate will impact your life. Success is a continual process of focusing your time, attention, thoughts and actions on forward progress toward your goal.

Remember the old nursery story of the tortoise and the hare. The tortoise won the race because of steady progress toward the goal. Success may involve sprinting if you so choose but it bears more resemblance to a marathon. Success is a journey rather than a brief dash. Instant success sounds delightful; however, reality depicts a steady progress toward a worthy goal.

For more inspiration and positive mindset, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Titles:

Instant Success

Success Strategy

Success Management

Business Success

Keywords: success, Instant Success, Success Strategy, Success Management, Business Success, Jim Rohn, Mark Spitz, Evelyn Ashford, Paul Harvey, Monty Hall, Elaine Love, www.Elaine4Success.com

Categories:

Business – Mindset

Career Advice

Productivity

Speaking & Writing – Motivational

Inspirational

Self Improvement

Self Improvement – Achievement

Coaching

Empowerment

Inspirational

Motivational

Risk Taker

2009-12-12T18:13:00.000-08:00

Every leader takes risks. Risk represents the only way to forge new territory. Without an element of risk, nothing would ever be accomplished. New lands would never have been discovered or settled. New inventions would never be created. Physical feats such as mountain climbing would never occur. Everything we do in life involves an element of risk.

For one person risk could mean jumping out of a perfectly good airplane with a parachute. For another person it could mean something as simple as preparing a new recipe for when your new boss comes to your house for dinner the first time. Risk to a young man could be as simple as asking a girl out on a date for the first time. Risk means different things to different people. Driving a car on a snowy mountain road at night involves risk. Some risks are avoidable and others help us to stretch and grow.

Business involves a risk. Whether you are starting a new business or working on a new marketing method within your current business. There is an element of risk. You can reduce the risk by doing some research to determine what has been successful for others in the past. Thorough research lessens the risk but nothing ever removes all of the risk.

When I lived in Michigan, I worked for a wonderful man. Together we built a large chain of Goodyear dealerships. The company grew from one store to five stores plus a corporate office. The business was extremely successful and the owner treated me very generously. Some of you might be thinking that I had lost my mind to leave such a situation.
As a single mother with two small sons, I wanted a better life for the boys. The influences of Detroit, MI were not compatible with my values and desires for them. We moved to a quiet little ski town. Well, it was quiet in 1981. Today Steamboat thrives as a world class ski resort.

I purchased a struggling bakery at the base of the mountain. I did not have any formal bakery training nor had I ever owned a business. Was this a risky move to spend our savings, move to a new area, open a new business (especially one for which I did not have any experience) and start a new life? Of course. Was it worth every minute of the learning curve? Absolutely. The risk paled in comparison to the potential reward of having the boys grow up in a healthy community.

Risk to reward determination forms the basis of the decision. Staying with an excellent employment situation in Detroit would have assured us of material comforts and a degree of financial security. Risking the move and new business provided potential rewards. The boys would grow up in a healthy atmosphere with plenty of fresh air, outdoor activities, friendly people, and wholesome values. I would realize a dream of owning my business and stretching myself to grow as a person and a business professional. The potential for long term gain always increases by owning your business. I had the opportunity to do so much more for them and for myself as a business owner than an employee.

Happily the results proved that the decision was excellent. The boys are happy, healthy, well adjusted and excellent athletes. I am now psychologically unemployable. I absolutely love being an entrepreneur. Once I experienced the joy and freedom of owning my business, I was hooked.

Henry C. Link expressed the fear of taking a risk, “While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior.” Reward comes in direct proportion to the risk involved. Remaining as an employee would have earned a comfortable living for me with very little risk; however, the personal growth both the boys and I experienced would also have been minimal. By stretching our wings and taking a risk, we experienced a new world of growth and opportunity. I continue to take risks and expand my horizons as do the boys.
How do you put a price tag on growth and potential for yourself and your family? We may feel as if we are out on the edge of the cliff sometimes, but the view is magnificent. For more inspiration and exploration of your potential, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com

Build Self Confidence

2009-12-11T16:44:00.000-08:00

Mindset determines your results. The lack of self confidence throws a massive road block in your path to success. With or without your intention, your self confidence or lack of it will transmit into your results. The vibration we emit to others directly relates to our degree of self confidence.

In the early years when I owned the property management company in Steamboat I achieved several high honors from the industry. My business prospered more and more each year. My situation parallels many other successful business people whose business declined in direct relation to the beginning of personal problems. Business success directly related to the success within their personal life. At the point I entered into a relationship with a very successful man, my business began to suffer. He constantly reminded me how small my business was in comparison to other businesses within my management association. He pointed out how other management companies in other states were far larger and thus far more successful than my property management company. I ALLOWED this negative comparison to erode my self confidence in myself and my business. As I allowed these negative thoughts to undermine my self confidence, my business soon began to decline.

Note that I take full responsibility for the decline of my business and the erosion of my self confidence. Never underestimate the power of the words, attitudes and influence of those around you. Not only does your income seem to become the average of the five closest people to you, but their attitudes and influence generally impact your attitudes and thus your results. Quite frequently business success parallels personal self confidence.

Personal attitudes, self confidence and financial results seek the same level. Just as water seeks its own level, so does your business success seek a level with your self confidence.

Examine your life, your results and your self confidence. You will probably find a direct correlation in your life. In this time of economic turmoil, lack of self confidence abounds. Solutions do exist. For me, it took some serious personal development to overcome the decline in self confidence. Yes, I also removed myself from the negative mental relationship.

Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher, remarked that there are people you can spend five minutes with but not five hours. There are others with whom you can spend a day but not a week. Guard your associations and their influence upon you carefully. Associate with people who challenge you to improve your attitude, self confidence and achievements. Spend your time reading empowering books, listening to positive cds, and speaking with growth and achievement oriented individuals. Rebuild your self confidence.

Success is an inside game. Every positive thought inspires another positive thought which forms a chain reaction of empowerment and encouragement. If a hesitant or negative thought creeps into your mind, immediately reframe it as a positive. Your mind exists as a marvelous tool for your good or your downfall; you choose which one by your thoughts and your associations.

Start every day and end every day with positive affirmations. Recall every success from your past no matter how small and celebrate them. Recapture that feeling of happiness and self confidence. Any time you experience hesitation recall that feeling of success and feel the joy all over again. At the end of the day write down every success, no matter how small, which occurred throughout the day. Each morning before you arise, refresh you mind with those successes and resolve to create more in the new day.

Your mindset and your self confidence propel you forward or backward. Focus on the direction you choose to go and your subconscious mind will assist you. Become the example of self confidence and success you choose for yourself. You will receive the bonus not only of your own success but also of providing the success path for others to follow.

For more inspiration, empowerment and encouragement join me at www.Elaine4Success.com

Dragging Your Past Around?

2009-12-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

People live in the present, the future and the past. Living in the present focuses energy on current tasks and enjoyment of the moment. Focusing on the task at hand always proves far more effective. Flitting around from one thing to another seldom accomplishes anything. Use the “one touch” policy. Pick a task and complete it before moving on to another task. Picking things up and putting them down over and over wastes time and energy. The “pick it up and put it down” method consumes all of your time without any accomplishment.

With your bills either pay them as soon as they come in the mail or put them in a folder out of sight and pay at the end of the week or on pay day. Avoid all unnecessary distractions. Bills staring you in the face all the time you are attempting to work only distracts you. Distractions do not make money for you or accomplish tasks. Distractions simply waste time.

Focus on the job at hand and complete it. Stay in the present.

Other folks live in the future. They are members of the “what if” and “when” club. Daydreaming and wistful thinking about the future does not accomplish anything in the present. Plan for the future, absolutely, but live in the present. Write out your goals of exactly what you choose to accomplish by what date. Be very specific. Be SMART about your goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. Write them out for one day, one week, one month, three months, six months, a year, five years, and ten years. Post them where they are highly visible. Check your progress to be certain you are staying on track to accomplish each step in your success goal.

Live in the present and plan for the future. Only by working diligently in the present will you reach your future goals. Daydreaming about the future without working in the present to bring those dreams into reality is foolhardy. Visualize your goals as already completed in your meditation time. Once meditation time concludes, get busy bringing those goals and plans into existence. Dreaming alone does not achieve goals. Action achieves goals. The dream and the plan to reach the goal simply direct your present action.

One of the worst things you can do involves living in the past. Living in the past frequently involves regret, blame and feeling sorry for yourself. None of these are productive.

In John C. Maxwell’s book Failing Forward, John speaks about turning mistakes into stepping stones for success. Learning from the past is wise. Living in the past is mentally, emotionally and financially destructive.

Some signs of living in the past:

1. Comparing how much harder it was for you than it is for others.

2. Justifying why you have a right to hold on to past problems.

3. Withdrawing from life as a form of self protection.

4. Regret over past mistakes drains the very life out of you.

5. Living in the pain of the past and becoming bitter against life.

“I booked my reservation of Wish I Had airlines. I didn’t check my bags—everyone carries their baggage on this airline—and had to drag it for what seemed miles in the Regret City airport. And I could see that people from all over the world were there with me, limping along under the weight of bags they had packed themselves.”

I caught a cab to Last Resort Hotel where they held the Annual Pity Party. The guest list included the Done family – Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda; Missed and Lost Opportunities; Shattered Dreams and Broken Promises; Don’t Blame Me and Couldn’t Help It as well as the entire Yesterday group. Hours and hours of entertainment by It’s Their Fault. (Paraphrased from John C, Maxwell.)

Living in the past not only destroys your present but also your future. Even worse, it destroys the present and future of everyone who cares about you.

Plan for the future but live in the present. You will be happier, more productive and much better company for those whose lives you touch.

For more inspiration and insight, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Secrets of Excellence

2009-12-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

The pursuit of excellence consumes the mind of every top achiever. An athlete who has the goal of participating in the Olympic Games strives to extract every degree of excellence and efficiency possible. Mediocrity never enters the mind of an Olympic bound athlete. Being average belongs to the playground athlete not the gold medal winners.

The story of a concert violinist also depicts excellence. A lady came back stage to greet the master after a magnificent performance. She exclaimed, “I would give my life to play like that.” The master smiled, thanked her and replied, “I did.” He devoted his entire life to mastering the skill and performance excellence.

Achievement of superiority in any endeavor requires intense dedication. Study the masters, study success, study yourself to refine and enhance every aspect. Excellence is never achieved without study and extensive effort.

The “Excellence” has hung on my wall for over a decade. Unfortunately, it arrived without an author’s name attached. I do not claim it as mine, but I treasure its wisdom.

“Excellence is:

The result of caring more than others think is wise

Risking more than others think is safe

Dreaming more than others think is practical and

Expecting more than others think is possible.”

Success magazine featured David Foster, the hit man, in the September 2009 magazine. David has achieved super star status not only as a performer but as a producer. He told his mentor about the first record he produced with the explanation/apology that one track was not his favorite and another track had a small part which was not perfectly in tune. His mentor snatched the record out of his had and pointed out David’s name on the label as producer. “Never put your name on something you are not proud of having associated with you.” From that day on, David adopted the philosophy of “good enough isn’t.” Always strive for the very best. This absolute pursuit of excellence has been one of the reasons David has achieved superstar status.

Your name depicts your legacy. How do you choose to be remembered – “as one who just got by” or as “one who excelled?” Perfectionism can be a handicap as well as an asset. The goal of excellence has more to do with “bettering your best” than paralyzing yourself with lack of action until everything is perfect. Take action and continue working toward your individual excellence goal.

Employees can be grouped in three categories: white knights, milk toast, and red ants. The white knights always go above and beyond their job descriptions; they help others and work to achieve the very best results for the company and all employees. The white knights strive for excellence.
The milk toast arrives at the last minute, do their job but no more and leave at 30 seconds past quitting time. This is a mediocre attitude.

The red ants are always causing discord in the work place and complaining about everything. Red ants get fired.
Strive to be a “white knight.” White knights understand excellence. White knights receive raises and promotions, but even more, they earn the respect and admiration of everyone whose lives they touch.

Always strive to be the very best you can possibly be and celebrate each achievement. Excellence is a journey and a process. The person who strives for excellence never settles for “good enough.” They thrive on the challenge and relish each new achievement. This desire for excellence permeates the atmosphere around them and inspires others to reach for their own personal excellence.

Create your own excellence mindset. Let me help by joining me at www.Elaine4Success.com.

Coping with Stress

2009-12-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

Economic challenges frequently lead to frustration. Coupling economic difficulties with the holidays overwhelms many people. Hearing that you need to be grateful at the same time you face a zero balance in your bank account, sometimes feels like the final straw.

Coping with drama in your life and devastation in your finances at the same time feels like the weight of Atlas on your shoulders. One of the best ways to manage the stress and remove Atlas from your shoulders is in doing something good for someone else. First, it diverts the attention from your own situation and second, it makes someone else feel good. No matter how dire our situation, someone has it worse.

Viktor Frankl comes to mind. His status changed from being a prominent German doctor, M.D and Ph. D, to living in a concentration camp. After the war, he wrote and spoke about his survival techniques. He committed himself to survival in order to tell the story. So many simply gave up hope and perished in those horrible circumstances. Somehow he managed to find beauty in his only meal of the day – a fish head floating in dirty water. Even though the Nazis’ did everything possible to break the spirit of the Jews, some survived. Viktor Frankl survived. His story, “Man’s Search For Meaning” was originally published in 1959 as “From Death-Camp to Existentialism.” Very few can even imagine the horror he endured. His story breathes hope into us today.

No matter what circumstances exist in our life today, nothing conceivable enters my mind which could possibly be worse. His coping mechanism was the determination to live in order to tell the story. My heart goes out to him and to all survivors of war and other tragedies.

We live in the greatest country in the world. No matter how strained the bank account may be at the moment, we always have hope. I just spent the Thanksgiving holiday with my son, daughter-in-law, and 2 adorable grandsons. Doug and I spoke briefly about how broke we were when he was little. There was not enough money for food, clothes or medical for my sons or myself. We made do. I remember buying scraps of leather at the fabric store and cutting out cowboy hats and other designs to place over the holes in the knees of their jeans. We took the little red wagon to walk to the grocery store rather than drive. Walking proved less expensive than gasoline. We made a game out of the experience. My coping mechanism was determination to stretch George, George Washington on the one dollar bill, until he provided basic needs.

Now we look at those days and they do not seem nearly as bad as they did to me at the time. As difficult as it was for us, we were in the lap of luxury in comparison to Viktor Frankl.

As minor inconveniences arise now, I look back and remember that we not only survived but came to thrive in the years which followed. This current economic situation will also pass as long as hope remains alive. Look at your life and determine where you find hope. Where do you find strength and peace and hope for the future. It truly exists, even on the darkest night. Remember that sunrise always follows even the darkest night. Find a ray of sunshine somewhere in your life to fan the flame of hope. As long as we live in America, there is always hope. If you happen to live in another country, allow us to lend you a spark of hope. Even the smile of a child or a loved one can yield a ray of hope. Maybe a moment looking out at the beauty of nature, a beautiful measure of music or the inspiring words of a book. Somewhere hope exists for all of us.

Someone begged Mother Theresa to let them help her. Her reply struck a chord in my heart. She told him to get up at 4 am. Go out on the streets of Phoenix and find someone living on the streets who believed he was alone; convince them they were not alone.

We can always do something to cheer someone else. In doing for others, we find hope for ourselves as well. Today do something good for someone else with the absolute knowing they could never repay you. Do a good deed just to be doing a good deed.

For a strong shoulder, more inspiration or a way up and out of difficulty, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com

Memory Lane

2009-12-07T17:15:00.000-08:00

Technology rules our lives. Ever look around today and you will observe every third or fourth person on a cell phone. We call, we text, we check our email on our Blackberry or I-phone or whatever clone you happen to have of those devices.

Now I am aware that this shows my age, but does anyone remember rotary phones? My number was Twin brook 8; it was dialed as TW8 and then 4 digits. Sorry, I don’t remember the 4 digits. Walk a little farther back down memory lane and you may have read about crank phones. Ok, this really shows my age. Growing up in rural Kansas, my first phone number was a long, short and a long. Mrs. Kempton was the local switchboard operator. It was considered courtesy to pick up the phone to be certain no one was speaking on the party line before you dialed. Dialing was turning the crank several times for a long and only once for a short. Everyone on the party line heard the ring and knew who was being called. Of course it was not polite to listen to someone else’s conversation. Did it happen anyway? You bet it did.

I remember once picking up the phone to call my aunt Essie who was on a different party line and being told by Mrs. Kempton that she would dial but Essie was out in the garden and could not answer. Talk about everyone knowing everyone else’s business. We think we have privacy issues now? Privacy issues are not new.

Back in those simpler times, people were very courteous of each other. Since everyone heard all of the rings, it was considered extremely rude to call before 7 am or after 9 pm.

When my phone rings now in the middle of the night because someone forgot about time zone differences or expected to reach an answering machine rather than a live person, I sometimes reflect with amusement at those simple times of old.

Answering machines, voice mail, pre-recorded sales messages, auto dialers, and so many other technological advances have changed our lives. My Skype line allows me to speak with people from all over the world at a reasonable rate. One of the frequently used links on my internet browser is the “world clock.”

We take these modern technological conveniences for granted. We are so “connected” with everyone now. Remove the cell phone or computer from us and we feel almost as if we are missing a body part. Our cars are equipped with “Bluetooth” so we can continue to enjoy conversations while we are driving; I use my hands free telephone in the car every day.

Oh the marvels of modern technology within my life time. My pre-school grandsons are so savvy on the computer and Blackberry. They play computer games, they listen and watch their favorite programs on the computer, and they even know how to login with their own passwords.

There are two major lessons here.
1. The world revolves around ever advancing technology.
2. We are never too old to learn new skills

Who would have thought 60 years ago that technology would advance this much in a few short decades? What advancements will the next decades bring to us? Learning, growing and continuing to be mentally vibrant provides an excitement to life.

Most of my co-workers in Wealth Masters are closer to the ages of my sons, but they celebrate our interaction. I encourage you to get in the game. Do not let life pass you by with a whimper and a sigh. Smile, step up to the challenge and have fun. There are so many baby boomers out there who have so much to offer. Join me. Step up to the batters box and play the game of life and business flat out. If I can do it, you can do it.

I truly love my life and thrill in re-inventing myself. We do not need to take a backseat to anyone or any age group. Life is open to everyone who is ready to step up and enjoy the journey.

Come join me at www.Elaine4Success.com. I love my life. Start loving your life.

Power of Decision

2009-12-06T15:28:00.000-08:00

A committed decision initiates forward progress. Positive progress occurs only after a firm decision. “I’ll try” provides a ready made excuse for failure. As long as you give yourself the option of quitting at the first little bump in the road, you have guaranteed the arrival of that bump. Any time I hear “maybe” or “try” I know the odds of success are severely handicapped. “I’ll throw up a marketing campaign and see what sticks” means that decisions are wishy washy. Proceeding with the campaign as a split test implies the expectation of good results with one segment of the campaign and better results with the other segment – a choice of two positives.

Not every decision will be an overwhelming success, just as not every marketing campaign will produce an avalanche of high quality leads. Some decisions will be better than others and some campaigns will be better than others. The key difference rests in the expectation of positive results. A choice between better and best feels far more constructive than “we’ll see what happens.”

Andy Andrews wrote about the 7 Decisions for Success in his book “The Travelers Gift.”

1. The buck stops here. I am responsible for my past and my future.
2. I will seek wisdom. I will be a servant to others.
3. I am a person of action. I seize the moment. I choose now.
4. I have a decided heart. My destiny is assured.
5. Today I will choose to be happy. I am the possessor of a grateful spirit.
6. I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit. I will forgive myself.
7. I will persist without exception. I am a person of great faith.

Notice the absolute commitment in each and every decision. He takes responsibility. He takes action and he follows through with a decided heart. Neither indecision nor hesitation exists. Only with absolute commitment will positive results occur. The subconscious mind can not begin to create the desired result until you absolutely decide on that specific objective.
Consider going in to a restaurant and ordering tomato soup, but before the waiter can bring the order you have changed your mind and ordered cream of mushroom soup. Change your mind a third time and ask for tomato soup with mushrooms and chicken. The poor waiter has no idea what to bring you because you have no clear idea of what you want.

Your subconscious mind fills the role of the waiter. You subconscious mind desires to please you and fulfill your chosen selection; however, the task becomes impossible until you clearly make a specific decision. Until an absolute specific detailed decision is made, you are aiming at a target in the dark with a scatter gun. Perhaps one pellet will strike the target by accident. Why not be clear, absolute and specific; center all of the shots in the center of the target.

Any time I have missed my goals in life, I can trace the cause to a non-specific goal or even worse too many goals headed in different directions. In every case, the center of the issue rested squarely on my shoulders.

Every time I set an absolutely specific goal with detailed criteria, I achieved it. The power always centers with a laser focus on the specific decision. A committed decision implies a persistence until the goal is achieved. Saying that you will work the business for a month or even six months provides the option for quitting. A powerful decision means persisting through whatever for as long as necessary to arrive at the objective.

Committed decisions provide power. In fact, power is only possible with a committed decision.

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