Do Your Goals Match Your Passions?

Making sure our goals are properly aligned with our passions only makes sense. If you have the wish to move up the corporate ladder, start your own business, or just about any other worthwhile endeavor you're going to make things a lot easier on yourself if you're working on things that get you personally excited and make you feel alive when you're working on them (i.e. following your passions). We hear this a lot I know... But have you ever stopped to ask yourself why this is?Hopefully this will help...A simple rule of thumb is to do the things that you'd do even if you weren't getting paid to do them.

Napoleon Hill, author of Think And Grow Rich often referred to this as doing more then you get paid for. In fact, he regarded this as a key to success. If the idea was good enough for Mr. Hill, I can assure you, it's good enough for me :-) The simple reality is that most any level of lasting achievement takes effort (even the over-night successes we sometimes hear about rarely happen exactly over night). Often it means going above and beyond the call of duty.

Going and doing just a bit more then may be expected of you in your job description. Foregoing something in return for the results you're sure you'll reap later on. Even if others might not see you as exerting quite as much effort as they are (I get this all the time since I "just sit at a computer all day and work from home"... ha ha). Even so, you're putting forth effort.

I can tell you I can't imagine how much I'd dread getting up each and everyday if what I was doing wasn't aligned with something I also have a strong passion for. Believe me, it's a feeling worth implementing into your own life.In summary, I believe that following our inner passion allows us to sit in a more natural path with regards to achieving our personal dreams and desires. Why is that? I believe it is because instead of counting the hours till we get off and can work on other projects, we'll be more excited about the task at hand. Which I believe in turn is a lot more likely to equate to more productive results. Wouldn't you agree? Not to mention, we're destined to have a whole lot more fun day to day (and I believe derive more lasting meaning in our lives)...

To your success, Josh Hinds(c) All rights reserved.
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Written by Josh Hinds of http://www.GetMotivation.com Sign up for my ezine at http://www.GetMotivation.com/ezines.htmlJosh is also the co-founder of http://www.AudioMotivation.com - which includes an abundance of self-improvement resources as well as exclusive audio interviews with leading experts in the areas of motivation and personal development.


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Lazy Way to Success - Free Report: Six Lazy Way Secrets
How to Do Nothing and Accomplish Everything

5 Kindness Motivation Tips

Author: Ginny Dye

Focus on Others to Feel Better Yourself -

Many times we can be guilty of focusing mostly on our troubles and worries. It can become an effort to do the everyday things like washing dishes, mowing the lawn, feeding the kids a decent meal. Is there a way to overcome these feelings that keep us down and unwilling to do the things we need to do? Is there a way to get back on track emotionally and make a difference at the same time?

One surefire way to get your mind off your troubles and to make a difference is to stop focusing on yourself and focus instead on someone else and their needs. There are countless people who very seldom receive any kindness or thoughtful treatment; many who need to know they matter to someone; many who need to know someone cares. You can make a difference and lift your spirits all at one time!

Once you've decided to take this step, what do you do? Below are five kindness motivation tips from the e-book, "101 Ways to Change the World".

1. Everyone needs friendship (even you).

Spend an afternoon with someone you know is lonely and don't make it just a one-time visit.

Decide to drop by on a regular basis.

Send them notes.

Become a lifeline for just that one person.

2. Find a kid who needs to know they matter - unfortunately, there are way too many of them.

Determine to make that kid know someone believes they are special.

Send a card or note every week (at least).

If you know what they are interested in, send them articles about it.

Send stories that will build self-confidence and inspire them to be all they can be.

Most of all let them know you care. Imagine how much it means to feel special - especially to a child who seldom receives any kindness, small gifts or hugs.

3. Share flowers or vegetables from your garden

Take some to an elderly neighbor who can no longer garden.

Take some to a friend going through a hard time.

Drop them off at a neighbor's house 'just because'.

4. Become an email Pen Pal with someone - it is so easy to send daily e-mails in order to make a difference in someone's life. You could email:

A kid in a detention enter

Someone in a Nursing Home

Someone with special needs who can't leave home

A foster child

Kids in an orphanage

5. Put gift certificates in a special card or note. Go to your local:

Bowling alley

Skating rink

Amusement park, etc.

Ask them to give you free coupons you can share with kids who need to know that someone cares and who need a little kindness.

Many of the bad things happening in our world are done by people who never believed they mattered. No one took the time to show kindness or let them know they are special. Just one act - changing a person's anger and sadness with your love - can have a far-reaching impact!

Use these five kindness motivation tips to start your own ideas flowing. For even more motivational tips, down load "101 Ways to Change the World" at http://www.101WaysSeries.com. You'll certainly make a difference to someone each time you use these motivation tips - because showing kindness is contagious!
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Author Ginny Dye shares practical acts of kindness that will make a difference in our world. Get 96 more tips on how you can make a difference. Go to http://www.101WaysSeries.com and request "101 Ways to Change the World".

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

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Lazy Way to Success - Free Report: Six Lazy Way Secrets
How to Do Nothing and Accomplish Everything

A Beginner's Guide To Weight Loss

Author: David Speringo

“I’ll start my diet today” you say to yourself for what seems the 485th time. But as the day wears on, you fall back into your typical eating patterns. These are the eating patterns which do not contribute to any weight loss either. Instead, you keep the vicious cycle going of either maintaining your current weight, or increasing it even more which may lead to health problems.

My personal journey started at a time when I was young and had trouble breathing. I even had trouble fitting into a pair of size 44 pants, and had trouble socializing with people because I thought of myself as a “fat person”. There came a time however when I took that first step towards positive weight loss, and a positive step towards changing my life.

But where to start? Which diet? Do I need to stick to any one diet, or could I make my own up? I was confused, because there was so much information out there about the newest weight loss diet gimmicks, and nutritional supplements which “GUARANTEED I WILL LOSE WEIGHT!!!!”.

It was all baloney. I found that I could not trust any marketing claim associated with a company trying to make money.

How did I start? By cutting down on the number of meals/snacks I was eating. I grew up in an Italian household where we were encouraged to finish our plate. You can only take so much of that as your waist lines grows. Today, however, I encourage people to eat 4-6 times a day. But to eat in small amounts. If you are a person who likes to pick at food, eat snacks throughout the day, and eat well after 8pm. My advice is to stop doing all of that (I know, easier said than done, right?).

5 Steps to starting your weight loss plan

Step 1: Eat 4-6 times a day, in small amounts. Make each time you eat a small meal. Sounds tough, doesn’t it? It is, but as you start doing it, you will change the way you eat food. The way you prep food, and the way you enjoy food (I still love food!).

The goal here is to force your metabolism to burn up the calories at the proper time. The more you have your metabolism working throughout the day, the more you are forcing your body to expend energy to burn up food! It IS as simple as that.

You have to realize that at first, it may seem like you are eating a lot in the beginning, when you are trying to lose weight. But remember, it’s all in the size of the portions you are feeding yourself. Don’t overdo it. Have a fruit salad in the morning, at 10 or 11 am, have a turkey sandwich, at 1 pm make yourself some chicken salad, etc..by doing this, you are not starving your body, and at the same time you are not feeding your body garbage!

Step 2: Drink a lot of water. Drinking water cleans out your system, that’s been known for a long time. It also has been shown to help in fat loss. How? Well, if you are generally a juice or soda drinker, and are now switching over to just water- you are cutting out those simple carbohydrate calories from your diet. And for some, that is a lot of calories. If you have troubles switching over to plain water- try some crystal light, or flavored water. Personally, I’m up to drinking a gallon a day. For many, this may seem a lot. Try to shoot for 6-8 full glasses of water a day. The key here is to make a habit of it.

Step 3: Exercise. So where do you start? If you have time to join a gym, by all means, do so! Join a step class, and/or lift weights. If you are overweight, do NOT feel like you do not belong in a gym. Many people who are overweight often feel like people are staring at them, thus making them feel self-conscious. My advice to you- Don’t worry about it! The gym is for EVERYONE to get in shape, no matter what size they are. Talk to a personal trainer when you go in there also, they will be your best source of information of reaching your workout goals. That’s what they get paid to do!

If you can’t afford a gym, or spend the time at a gym, there are alternatives. Places like Target, Walmart, and even on Ebay, sell exercise balls which come with videos or instruction sets on doing exercises. I feel as though exercise balls give you a greater range of flexibility and mobility. These are two very necessary things to work on when you are trying to lose weight. These exercises can usually be done in 15-20 minutes worth of time a day. If you are truly dedicated to losing weight, then make time for these exercises.

Other ideas for exercise include power walking, home video step workouts, hiking, riding a bike, or staying active for long periods of time. Even if you need to get a friend or family member to go along with you, this is time well spent. These exercises will give you a greater focus on your goal of losing weight.

Step 4: Talk to people about your diet. From my experience, the more I talked about my diet with people, the more support I was getting for my efforts. Do not underestimate the value of community support. Consequently, I run a website that specializes in online diet support ( http://www.dietdiscussions.com ) and I feel as though when people are given encouragement to stay on track, they feel better about themselves. Why do it alone when others are walking the same steps you are?

Step 5: Change the way you think about food. This is one of the hardest things to do, in my opinion. So often food becomes an object of comfort. We feel bad, we eat. We feel good ,we eat. The problem with this is that when we do eat, we are not consciously thinking about what we are putting into our bodies, and then we gain weight.

This mindset has to change. You can still enjoy food, but just pause before you eat something and ask yourself- Is it time to eat? Does this fall into my portion size for this meal?

These 5 steps are ways that I know that have directly helped people, beside myself. Use these steps to focus on what you are trying to do. There is so much information in the diet community about what works and what does not. What it all boils down to, is that it is not rocket science. There is a means and method to making it work for you. If you need any support for your weight loss diet plan, do not hesitate to contact me and ask a question or give me a comment. I have been through what you are going through, so I understand what you are feeling. Stay focused and stay on track, and you will find that you will start feeling better as the pounds start coming off!
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About The Author

David Speringo is the administrator and owner of www.dietdiscussions.com. He has personally encouraged 100's to continue in their quest to become leaner and healthier in whatever diet they chose to follow. For more information and articles like this one, please visit his site at www.dietdiscussions.com and join the community of hundreds losing weight every day. You can personally email him at contact@dietdiscussions.com. jeeplaw@yahoo.com





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Lazy Way to Success - Free Report: Six Lazy Way Secrets
How to Do Nothing and Accomplish Everything

Success, Abundance, Achievement & Prosperity

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Lazy Way to Success - Free Report: Six Lazy Way Secrets
How to Do Nothing and Accomplish Everything

Get Rid Of The Clutter

Author: Susan Young

You really can have a successful business and a great life. Often we get caught up in growing our business or climbing the corporate ladder that we put our personal lives on hold. Rather than filling up your calendar with work, organizations, commitments, and activities that don’t bring you joy, think about putting on your calendar the activities that you really want to do first. Make having a great life your top priority.

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

Think about your vision for what you want your life to look like and focus on creating your ideal life. Focus on today, not the past or the future. If you’re too much at once, you need to un-clutter your life.

ELIMINATE TOLERATIONS

Tolerations are the petty annoyances you put up with in your life. They drain you of energy. They may make you feel tired and stifle your creativity. The car that needs an oil change; the dentist appointment you’ve been meaning to make. Make a list of everything you’re tolerating. By writing them down and planning to eliminate them, you are taking the first step to having the life you really want. Select five tolerations you have been putting up with and take action on the first one as soon as possible – it will make a difference!

RAISE YOUR STANDARDS

Do you have an “ideal client?” List his seven qualities then focus on working with clients who reach those standards. Clients who are not ideal are taking up your time and energy that otherwise could be spent with people who bring you joy. Raise your standards and work with people who appreciate you and the services you provide.

SET BOUNDARIES

Boundaries are like a moat around your castle. The imaginary lines you establish around yourself protect your soul, heart and mind from the unhealthy or damaging behavior of others. A boundary simply defines what people can and can’t do to you. Once you know what your boundaries are, then focus on what to do when someone crosses them. Use this simple four-step communication model: inform, request, demand and, if still no result, then leave. When you protect yourself with healthy boundaries, you gain respect, grow emotionally and you will attract people who have a similar respect for themselves.

DESIGN YOUR IDEAL WEEK

You can design your ideal week, but it’s important to have a plan. Plan three different types of days: productive (work), practical (family) and play (yourself). Remember, you’ll need to be flexible. A productive day involves concentrating on moneymaking activities. If you’re in sales, it’s when you’re face to face with customers, or making presentations to a prospect. Plan on practical days in the office to catch up on phone calls, write proposals, organize your office, and do maintenance for your business - it’s much more effective. Then plan a play day. Block out at least 24 hours and don’t do any work - no voicemail, computer or paperwork. Just time for you!

SAY NO!

In order to have a great life, you have to learn to say “no” - even when you really want to say “yes.” Ask yourself throughout the day, “Is this the best use of my time, right now?”

UNDER-PROMISE, OVER-DELIVER

Often in our desire to please people, we tend to over-promise. An example: You’re asked to provide a report or proposal and you promise to deliver it in five days. You put yourself under pressure and it turns out that some information you need is not available. You complete the project in six days and no one is happy. If you know you can do it in seven days, promise it in 10. Leave buffer time for obstacles. When you deliver the project a day or two early, you look like a hero and the pressure has been minimal.

PRACTICE EXTREME SELF-CARE

You must take care of yourself in order to be successful and to have a great life. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be effective in business or in your personal life. Block out time on your calendar and plan on ways to nurture yourself.

DREAM IN A DRAWER

Do you have a dream? Is there something you would really like to do, but there’s never enough time? Most of us have a dream in our drawer. Take it out and take the first step to making it a reality. Hire a coach or have a friend help you with a plan. Set up steps of accountability and make that dream come true!
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Phyllis Sisenwine is a Master Certified Coach and Motivational Speaker. The founder of Powerful Solutions, Inc, a professional coaching firm based in Langhorne, PA., Sisenwine shares her success strategies with clients, coaching them to achieve exceptional growth in business and in their personal lives. She uses her 20 years of experience in corporate or outside sales to help her clients create effective plans and develop strategies that result in a focus for success. For more information, call 215-968-2424 or visit www.powerfulcoaching.com

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Lazy Way to Success - Free Report: Six Lazy Way Secrets
How to Do Nothing and Accomplish Everything

What is the basis for your self confidence?

Author: Charlie Badenhop

Do you find that your level of self confidence tends to go up and down like the stock market? Or perhaps it even goes up and down along with the stock market! Here is a story about a Japanese businessman that might give you a new perspective.

The man in my story initially had numerous bankruptcies. After his first bankruptcy he said, "Even though my business had failed, I did not feel like I had failed. I still had confidence in myself. I still knew that I could do something good. I didn't try to figure out all the details of what I had done right or wrong, I didn't try to understand whether I was a good business man or a bad business man. I just continued to believe in myself, and the vision that I had."

After this first bankruptcy he borrowed some more capital, and started a new business which he also ran into bankruptcy in a fairly short amount of time. Afterwards he said, "Even more so now, I still had confidence in myself. I had seen some flashes of brilliance, and I knew that I could do something good. Once again, I didn't focus on right or wrong, good or bad. I focused on what had worked and I concentrated on how I could borrow more money with the hope of finally fulfilling my dream."

He manages to borrow some more money and he also manages to go bankrupt again. After his third bankruptcy he said "At this point I had gotten the beginning taste of victory. I knew I was getting closer to getting it right." What a fantastic spirit this guy has! He has huge confidence in the face of big time short term failure.

Back out on the streets, he only managed to borrow a small sum of money. Not being able to start a "real" business with such a limited amount of cash, he rented a small Japanese pick-up truck. He shopped around in various wholesale markets and wound up deciding to only buy reasonable quality items that he could sell cheaply. He loaded his goods into the back of his tiny pick-up truck and parked illegally on a busy street where he hawked his wares to the passersby, and the launch of a new retail phenomena had begun. Over time he parleyed the success he had with his one tiny truck, into a chain of highly successful stores.

When asked to what he attributed his success, he replied "Believing in myself, and not picking apart all of my pluses and minuses." He said, "Right from the beginning I knew that I could be successful. I knew that dissecting what I had done right and what I had done wrong would eat up a lot of time and energy, and most likely not give me the formula for success. I knew that the formula for success was already inside of me, and that my job was to find a way to allow this formula to be expressed. I didn't try to understand what to do, I tried to get myself to the point where I was already doing what I needed to do."

To me this story offers a great deal of inspiration. The faith this man has in himself can be a gift to all of us. This story also reminds me of an article I read in a business magazine. The reporter interviewed a number of highly successful business people, all of whom had "failed" at least three or four times along the way. Each person in their own words said the following "I could not be the success I am today, had it not been for all of my previous failures!"

Do you have some "failures" in your life that possess the seeds of future success? I am guessing that we all do.
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Charlie Badenhop is the originator of Seishindo, an Aikido instructor, NLP trainer, and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist. Benefit from his thought-provoking ideas and a new self-help Practice every two weeks, by joining 7,000 subscribers to his complimentary newsletter devoted to Seishindo Somatic Life Coaching. You are also invited to learn more about the Seishindo approach to Anger Management issues, which draws from the wisdom of Aikido as well as scientific research. Participating in Charlie's on Anger Management Workshop can help you adopt the wisdom of Aikido to achieve a peaceful victory over anger.



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Lazy Way to Success - Free Report: Six Lazy Way Secrets
How to Do Nothing and Accomplish Everything