“The Good Life” courtesy of Architects 51N4E

Today I want to talk about five keys that will help you live a successful life.  These are five keys that I’ve learned over the years from studying successful people.  These lessons separate those who succeed from those who fail.

We’re all capable of greatness; however, we’re all not willing to reach for it.  This article contains some of the keys that will help you reach for greatness.  If you follow these keys, I believe your life will begin to change.

5 Keys to Successful Living:

1. Discover why you were created

Everything created solves a problem, my eyes see, my ears hear, my nose smells.  Doctors solve medical problems, lawyers solve legal problems, mothers solve emotional problems.  You were created to solve a problem, and your success in life is dependent on your ability to find that problem and solve it.

You see, you will only be rewarded in this life for the problems that you solve for other people, so it’s imperative that you find the problem you solve best, and solve it.

2. Commit to be a Success

Success begins with a decision!  Success does not start when you buy your first Rolls Royce, or your first BMW.

Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal!  Success is being all that “you” are capable of being.  Success is being your best, giving your best, and living your best.

Anyone can be a success, because anyone can decide to be successful, anyone can decide to give their best.

3. Have Faith in Your Possibilities

If you don’t believe you’re going to succeed, then …you’re probably right.  Faith in your possibilities is what gives you the strength to do the impossible.

If you don’t believe you will succeed, why should anyone else?  Why would anyone support you, if you’re convinced that your ship is sinking?  Work on your faith; learn to believe in the possibilities that lie ahead of you.

There’s nothing you can’t do!

4. Keep Your Life in Balance

What good is it to be wealthy and have no one to share your wealth with?  And it’s certainly not ideal to have people you love, who you can’t afford to give anything to.  Love finds its greatest expression in giving.

Work to keep your life in balance, you can have your cake and eat it to, but you have to plan for it.  Create a daily plan that allows you to be healthy, happy, wealthy, wise, and successful.  Never become so consumed with one area of your life that you let the others slip; labor to live a balanced life.

5. Help Others

To have “small” success, help a small number of people.  To have great success, you must help a great number of people.  Your success is dependent on your ability to help others.  Bill Gates has helped billions of people with his software and operating systems, so he has billions of dollars.  Michael Jordan has entertained millions of people, which is why he has millions of dollars.  To the degree that you help others will be to the degree that you succeed.

In Summary

It’s important to discover why you were created, this is critical; secondly you must commit to be a success.

Additionally, you must have faith in your possibilities, without this, you have no hope.

You must also keep your life in balance, and last, but certainly not least, you must help others.  …And you help others, not so that you can succeed, you help others because you were created to help others, and if you help enough people, the success that is your birthright will be yours.

Thank you for reading and be sure to pass this article along.

Mr. Self Development is a motivational author who teaches a practical guide to success and wealth. Please visit him at Mr. Self Development.com. If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, then you may want to subscribe to his feed, or read one of his most popular articles, “How I Manifested a Seven Bedroom Home at 24.”

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Someone e-mailed me the other day with the following question, they said:

“I would love to start meditating daily, but I can never seem to find the time. After I get home from work, I have dinner, one thing leads to another, and I never get to meditate; any suggestions?”

I want to answer the above question in this particular article. However, let me begin by defining “meditation.” After I define meditation, I’ll explain the benefits of daily meditation as well as how you can easily form this very important habit.

What does it mean to meditate?

To meditate means to purposely engage in “thought” or “contemplation,” it means to think, especially in a calm and deliberate manner. My favorite definition of the word “meditate” is to plan in the mind, or to intend. I like that, to plan in the mind, or to intend something; to lay a blueprint in your imagination.

The Benefits of Meditation

“Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.” – Buddha
Meditation is a way of clearing your mind; it offers you the ability to enter new levels of relaxation, it’s also a technique that can help you conceive new ideas.

I believe everyone should practice meditation daily in order to recharge their body and reignite their focus. Meditation is a way to get clear on what you really want from life, and if you meditate on your desires long enough, you will discover a way to manifest them.

Meditation (as far as I’m concerned) serves four main purposes:

• It serves to clear your mind
• Relax your body
• It also serves as a way to generate new ideas, and
• It helps you manifest your intentions

1. Let’s discuss the first purpose of meditation, which is to clear your mind. After a long day at work, it’s essential that you take time to relax your mind and reduce your stress. I like to say, time-out is better than burn-out. Meditation affords you the ability to significantly reduce your stress-levels because it gives you a much needed break from the hustle-and-bustle of life.

2. Meditation also relaxes your body. Through meditation you can leave your suburb or apartment and transcend to the shores of Hawaii. Just doing this for a few minutes a day will give you a higher-quality of life by relaxing your body and changing your mood.

3. The third purpose of meditation is to generate new ideas, if you’re struggling with a particular problem; meditation is a great way to come up with new ideas to solve your problem. How do you do this? Just think about your particular problem for a second; then begin to generate ideas in your mind to solve that problem, let your mind run free until it finds a solution to your problem.

4. Finally, meditation is a way to create your future. If you can believe what you see in your mind, your mind will also give you the instructions on how to attain your vision. Meditation is a great way to attract the life you intend to live.

Finding the Time to Meditate

You don’t need to meditate for hours, although that would be nice. You can accomplish everything that I mentioned above with just 15 minutes of daily meditation. We all have 15 minutes to spare!

Here’s what I suggest you do. Tomorrow after you get home from work, following your “first” major activity (maybe it’s having dinner, et cetera.), dedicate fifteen minutes to meditating in a quiet place. You can:

· Clear your mind of all distracting thoughts and go away to a beautiful island (in your mind), or

· You can imagine your future the way you would like it to be, or

· You can focus your mind on a problem that you would like to solve, et cetera

Fifteen minutes a day is a small enough commitment to convince yourself that you have the time to do it (if you have time to go to the bathroom, you have time to meditate). Once again, you should meditate immediately after your first major activity upon arriving home; you’re going to do this for two reasons:

1. So that you don’t postpone the task any further, and
2. So that you can connect this new habit to an existing habit

Forming the Daily Habit

In order to experience the benefits of daily meditation, you need to first form the habit of daily meditation. It may be a little tough to start the habit initially, so here’s what I suggest:

“Force yourself into the habit for the first week. Just do it. Commit to meditate for 15 minutes a day as soon as you get home from work, or at a convenient time that works for you (be sure to setup a reminder as well).”

Often times we have the time to meditate, but because we’re not in the habit of doing it, we don’t. Just go ahead and “swallow that frog.” If you can just spend fifteen minutes a day meditating, you’ll quickly find that you want to spend more time in this meditative state. However, start with fifteen minutes (it’s an easy commitment) that will help you form the habit.

Some psychologists suggest that over 90 percent of what we do everyday derives from our habits. From the way we brush our teeth, to the way we eat our dinner, including the activities we perform after we finish our dinner. If you start spending fifteen minutes a day meditating after dinner, daily meditation will be become second nature to you. Soon, you will be experiencing a more relaxed and fulfilled life.

In closing, daily meditation is a life-changing experience so be sure to do it.

Thank you for reading!

About the author: this guest post was written by Mr. Self Development. Please support Mr. Self Development by subscribing to his blog at mrselfdevelopment.com; Mr. Self Development is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth.

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A few years ago my grandfather died from prostate cancer. It was a very sad time in my life…it all happened so quickly. Shortly after he passed I began to research ways to reduce the risk of getting cancer.

This article is based on my research as well as the latest scientific studies; it lists 10 ways in which you can reduce your risk of getting cancer.

According to the American Cancer Institute (ACI), approximately 550,000 Americans die from cancer each year. The ACI estimates that one-third of these deaths could be prevented through relatively simple lifestyle changes, such as:

• Losing weight
• Eating healthier, or
• Starting an exercise routine

Below is an expanded list of things you can do to reduce your risk of getting cancer:

1. Enjoy Green Tea on a Regular Basis

A recent study suggested that drinking 3 cups of green tea a day can reduce breast cancer risk by 40 percent.

Green tea contains anti-oxidants which research suggests helps to rid the body of free radicals (which can cause cell mutation).

Green tea may also reduce your risk of rectum, liver, pancreas, stomach and colon cancer.

2. Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Sorry guys and gals, but research continues to suggest that higher alcohol consumption is associated with higher cancer risk.

It is recommended that women consume no more than one drink a day, and men, no more than two drinks per day. A drink is defined as:

• 12 ounces of beer
• 5 ounces of wine
• 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits

Studies suggest that drinking alcohol increases your risk for breast, throat, mouth, liver, larynx, colon, rectum and esophagus cancer. Women who are at a higher risk of obtaining breast cancer may choose to abstain from drinking alcohol altogether.

3. Protect Your Skin from the Sun’s Rays

Not only is skin cancer one of the most prevalent cancers, it’s also among the most preventable, which is good news.

The most common cause of skin cancer is:

• Unprotected exposure to the sun’s rays, which explains why skin cancer is typically seen on exposed portions of the skin (including your face and hands)

More good news:

• Virtually all skin cancer is treatable if detected in the early stages.

However, ideally you want to avoid getting skin cancer in the first place. Here are some tips to help you prevent getting skin cancer:

• Use a daily sunscreen
• Avoid tanning beds
• Avoid the sun’s rays between 10am and 4pm
• Wear light colored loose-fitting clothes that protect your skin

4. Drink Plenty of Water

This is an easy one.

Research suggests that drinking plenty of water may reduce your risk of getting bladder cancer. Why? Water dilutes the cancerous agents in your urine, thereby reducing the time period these agents are in contact with your bladder.

Additionally, drinking lots of water will aid in the elimination of toxins from your body.

Research suggests that consistent dehydration may be linked to urinary tract, colon, and breast cancer.

It is recommended that you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, more if you’re active.

5. Eat Lots of Fruits and Vegetables

The single most critical step you can take to reduce your risk of getting cancer is to consume a variety of raw fruits and vegetables (on a daily basis). The American Institute for Cancer Research suggests that two-thirds of your meal come in the form of fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables contain substances such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, carotenes, flavanoids and enzymes which protect your cells.

Fruits and vegetables also contain anti-oxidants (e.g. vitamin C, vitamin E, etc.) which help rid the body of toxic free radicals.

6. Lower Your Sugar Intake

Sweets and candy bars are filled with sugar, (salt and fat) that significantly raise your caloric intake while offering you very little nutritional value.

The “sugar” in these products are swiftly absorbed into your blood, raising your “blood-sugar” levels and consequently your insulin levels. High insulin levels may enhance the growth of some cancerous cells (i.e. prostate, lung, colon and breast).

Sugar also promotes obesity, which increases the risk of cancer.

Try to avoid foods with:

• Sugar (i.e. glucose, sucrose, lactose, fructose, maltose, etc.)
• Fat, and
• Salt

Also try to avoid soft drinks (e.g. Coke).

7. Eat Less Meat

Reducing the amount of processed meats you eat (e.g. hot dogs, bologna, and luncheon meat) and red meats (e.g. beef, pork and lamb) may help reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancers.

Research confirms that the higher your intake of meat and other animal products, the higher your risk of cancer. Meat lacks the antioxidants and nutrients that protect you from cancer, and it contains saturated fat, which damages your cell membranes, and other potentially cancer-causing compounds, like pesticide residues.

To reduce your risk for cancer, limit your intake to 4 ounces or less of red meat daily (which is approximately the size of a deck of cards).

8. Get Active and Maintain a Healthy Weight

Besides kicking the “smoking habit,” the best way to reduce your risk of cancer is to:

• Get Active
• Maintain a Healthy Weight, and
• Choose Healthy Foods

It is recommended that you workout for at least 30 minutes a day, on most days. Your workout may consist of:

• Working in the yard, and/or a
• Brisk walk in your neighborhood

Sustaining a healthy weight and exercising daily will aid in cancer prevention.

Remember, being overweight is likely to increase your risk of:

• Breast
• Kidney
• Stomach
• Colon,
• Esophagus
• Stomach, and
• Uterus cancer

9. Eat More Whole Grains

Try to get at least three servings of whole grain foods daily. A diet rich in whole grains may reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancers.

Here are a few easy ways to incorporate whole grains into your daily diet:

• Eat a bowl of oatmeal everyday
• Only eat whole-wheat breads and pastas
• Only eat brown rice

10. Limit Risky Behavior (Tobacco, Unprotected Sex, Needles [used by others])

Smoking or chewing tobacco significantly increases your cancer risk, so it’s obviously better to quit sooner rather than later.

Additionally, viruses (e.g. HPV, HIV, etc.) transmitted through unprotected sex, or from contaminated needles, increase your risk of getting certain cancers.

Lower your risk by limiting or avoiding these risky behaviors.

Get Screened

In closing, be sure to get screened. Although regular screening and self-examination may not prevent cancer, it can certainly increase your chances of early discovery. Early discovery is often helpful in treating certain cancers.

Your screening should include:

• Colon
• Mouth
• Rectum
• Skin
• Prostate – men
• Testes – men
• Cervix – women
• Breast – women

Thank you for reading and be sure to share this article with those you care about!

Resources: www.mayoclinic.com, www.health.msn.com

About the author: this guest post was written by Mr. Self Development. Please support Mr. Self Development by subscribing to his blog at mrselfdevelopment.com; Mr. Self Development is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth.

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4 Musts to Staying Committed To Your Diet

The Massive Benefits of a Healthy Diet and How To Make Yours Stick

If you’re ever going to achieve your ideal weight, you’re going to have to develop a diet plan that you can do “forever.” Of course, people often get excited when they first start a new diet plan, but this excitement often wanes within a few weeks.

They say “success leaves clues;” people who consistently follow their diet plan have several things in common. I’ve written this article as a way to identify the signs of a good diet plan.

If these signs are not present in your current diet, you may want to make some adjustments to your plan.

Here are the 5 Signs That Your Diet Plan Will Last:

1. You Love Your Diet Plan – Want to know if your new healthy diet plan will last? Ask yourself, “Do I love this plan?” If you’re excited about your daily food choices and how much you get to eat, you probably will remain on your diet for a long time.

However, if you have to force yourself to eat the foods associated with your diet, your plan will probably fail explicably. It’s almost impossible to consistently do something you despise. Why? Because the “raging current” of your desires will always pull you in their direction. The secret is to either change your desires, or find a plan that reasonably supports your desires

2. Your Environment Supports Your Diet – It’s easy for me remain on a raw food diet during the day, because my wife is on the same diet. When we go to the grocery store, we buy plenty of raw foods, there’s always an abundance of choices. I live in an environment that supports my diet plan. I even have friends who are on the same diet, being with these friends give me additional support.

However, if everyone I knew ate snacks and fried foods all day, everyday, it would be very difficult for me to stay on track. Not impossible, but difficult.

The key here is to find friends, family members, or associates who support your diet so you can create an environment where your diet plan can flourish. You don’t need everyone you know on the plan, but support is always beneficial.

3. Your Diet Produces Daily Rewards – If you’re not receiving daily or at least weekly benefits from your diet, why would you continue? Every morning when I eat my “kiwis or apples” and drink my “green tea,” it puts a smile on my face.

Additionally, when I weigh myself every morning, I can see results and the benefits of my diet. Benefits give you the motivation you need to succeed. These benefits may come in the form of additional energy, mental clarity, weight maintenance, weight loss or weight gain.

Your diet plan must consistently provide you with benefits.

4. Your Plan Includes a Workout Routine – A daily, or almost daily workout routine is a constant reminder, to keep your diet going and it also helps you to see the benefits at a faster rate, thus allowing you additional motivation to continue your diet program.

5. Your Diet Includes Personal Goals – Last, but never least, is setting goals. Your diet plan needs to be centered around your goals. Goals give you something to aim for, and they also serve to motivate you into action.

A goal of maintaining your weight in the range of 163-164 pounds (as an example), gives you reason to continue your diet plan. You know that if you venture off to far from your plan, you won’t make your daily goal. This constant reminder of having a goal will help to keep you on track.

In Closing

Now you know the secret to developing a consistent diet plan. If your current diet doesn’t include the traits above you may want to make some changes. Do your research and find a permanent (doctor approved) diet plan that will work for you. Just having a written plan of what you can and cannot eat will go a long way in keeping you on track. Thank you for reading.

If you have any additional comments please include them in the comments section below.

Mr. Self Development is an author who teaches a practical guide to success and wealth. Please visit him at Mr. Self Development.com. If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, then you may want to subscribe to his feed, follow him on Twitter, or read one of his most popular articles, “How I Manifested a Seven Bedroom Home at 24.”

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If you have plans on becoming great, you’ll want to read this brief article.

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

Here’s what I think we’d find:

We’d find people who discovered their talent and then showcased that talent to the world in a ”new” and creative way.

Most of the people we’d find wouldn’t be doing anything “new.”  They would be doing something that’s been done before, in a “new” and unique way.

There’s nothing new under the sun

Take Thomas Edison the inventor of the everyday light bulb as an example; many scientist of his day knew that a heated piece of carbon filament would produce a light.  However, the light would only last for a brief moment.

…So what did Edison do?

Did Edison come up with a new idea?  No; Edison improved upon an existing idea through creativity and concentration, by finding a carbon filament that would burn for over 1500 hours if enclosed in an oxygen free case.  It wasn’t a new idea, but his improvement on an existing idea made him great, while most people don’t even remember who invented the first electric light bulb.  It was Humphry Davy back in 1800, in case you were wondering.

William Faulkner said, “The artist is of no importance. Only what he creates is important, since there is nothing new to be said.”

Becoming Great

To become great we must focus our attention on developing our unique and dominant gifts.

The full unhindered expression of our creativity is what can make all of us great.

What do you do best?

“The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.” – Malcolm S. Forbes

Do you love to sing, fix broken things, talk to people, or sell?  Whatever it is, you must focus your attention on doing it to the best of your ability.  Give that dominant talent your focus, and allow it to develop through training.  Given enough time, and enough focus, we will consider you great.

Remember: There’s always room at the top for those who are dedicated to greatness, so whatever you do, do it well or not at all.

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Life is too short for you not to be great

I’m often criticized for telling people to go after their dreams.  My critics would say, “Get your head out of the clouds; face the realities.”  BUT, I believe life is too short to only give 50 percent.  You only get one bite at the apple, you only live once, why not live it to the fullest, why not play it to the hilt, why not die empty, with no regrets.

In the words of Paris Hilton, “Life is too short to blend in.”  It really is, you were born an original, don’t die a copy.

You can do it

Just like a seed, you have everything you need on the inside of you to succeed.  You just need to put yourself in the right environment so you can grow and become all that you were destined to become.  See you at the top!

“Life is too short to be small.” – Benjamin Disraeli

Mr. Self Development is an author who teaches a practical guide to success and wealth. Please visit him at Mr. Self Development.com. If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, then you may want to subscribe to his feed, follow him on Twitter, or read one of his most popular articles, “How I Manifested a Seven Bedroom Home at 24.”

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“Abundance” – courtesy of Geeart.com

If you don’t read any other book this decade on financial prosperity, you must read “The Science of Getting Rich.”  The Science of Getting Rich is a great (short) book which was written by Wallace D. Wattles back in 1910. It provides a basic roadmap teaching on how anyone can become financially free.

I will briefly share with you the major points of the book in this article.

The book starts off discussing how there are:

• Smart people that are rich, and
• Blockheads that are rich
• Intellectually brilliant people that are rich, and
• Mentally slothful people that are rich
• Big spenders that are rich, while
• Many frugal people remain in poverty

The authors point in making these observations is to note that riches are not contributable to luck, the right family, or the right neighborhood; but something else.

This article will recap the basic principles taught in “The Science of Getting Rich,” so that you can start practicing the science today, even if you’re a blockhead.

Here are the 4 major principles that the book teaches:

Principle # 1 – Visualization and Though Control

“Greatness is attained only by the thinking of great thoughts.”

The book tells you to take time daily to visualize what you want in great detail. The book states: …”do not do this as a mere dreamer or castle builder…,” but you must do it in faith knowing that your vision is going to become a reality.

The book requests that you do this whenever you have spare time throughout your day. It also asks that you be very specific and detailed in your visualizations.

My commentary: I recommend that you think about specific pre-meditated events that you want to occur in your life, and try to visualize them for at least 30 minutes a day.  You have to pre-play your future.  This will provide you with the motivation needed to accomplish your vision.  Motivation is the fuel to any destination you want to reach.

You have to see it, before you can have it.  As it is written, “without a vision, the people perish.”

Principle # 2 – Right Action

“Every day is either a success or a failure, and if every day is a success, you cannot fail to get rich.”

The book states that you should give 100 percent effort in your daily actions, and tells you to complete an honest day’s work every day. However, the book also states that you should never over work, because it’s not the number of items that you complete, but the importance of each item that matters.  If you complete enough important items you will succeed.

My commentary: Whatever your goal, be sure to give 100 percent effort towards it every day.  Complete the items that are sure to take you to your goal, postpone the busy work.

Never let a day go by without getting closer to the goals that you want to achieve!

If you have “a passion” to achieve a goal, then you have the power to achieve it.  Passion is power.

Principle # 3 – Avoid Bad News

“If you want to become rich, you must not make a study of poverty.  Things are not brought into being by thinking about their opposites.”

The book says you should diligently avoid all bad news.

My commentary: Avoid all negative media, videos, TV and movies showing poverty, doom, gloom and lack; you should also avoid conversations that include the above mentioned.  There is no reason to fill you mind with all of the negativity in the media.  Garbage in, garbage out!  You will become what you constantly give your attention to.  I recommend you give your attention to what you want to become, and to avoid that in which you do not want to become.

The book says that you should only talk of prosperity and the great possibilities when you speak.  Speaking of lack and poverty only hinder your ability to create prosperity…

Principle # 4 – Gratitude

“…faith is born of gratitude.  The grateful mind continually expects good things, and expectation becomes faith.”

Finally, the book states that you must remain in a state of gratitude at all times; for everything that you have.

My commentary: Always speak, think and feel grateful throughout your day for all of the “good” that’s in your life.  Place things in your environment which remind you to be grateful.  A grateful heart will attract great things.

These are the four principles taught in the Science of Getting Rich, memorize them, and put them into action; they will change your life.

About the author: this guest post was written by Mr. Self Development. Please support Mr. Self Development by subscribing to his blog at mrselfdevelopment.com; Mr. Self Development is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth.

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Everyday is either a success or a failure, and if everyday is a success, you cannot fail to get rich. - Wallace D. Wattles

Your days are like elevators; they either take you closer to or further away from your goals.

If you’re constantly moving in the direction of your goal with momentum, it is self-evident that the goal will eventually be achieved; it’s only a matter of time.

An Example

Currently, I’ve been training with weights; my goal is to reach have what I consider to be my “best-beach-body-ever” when I take my annual trip to Hawaii.

This process has not been easy, and neither is it over, but I’m getting closer.  The road has seemed long, and I have not made progress everyday.  Fortunately, I have had many more days taking me closer to my goal, than further from my goal.  The momentum has been a positive one (because as the saying goes, you can’t stroll to a goal).

You Have to Stay on Track

What separates people who reach their goals from everyone else is there ability to stay on track, despite the challenges.  Challenges will come; you can bet there will be opportunities for you to get off track just as sure as you’re reading this right now.  If you’re an athlete, it maybe an injury that causes you to miss multiple practices.  If you’re trying to get to a healthy weight, you may have to travel unexpectedly and stay with a friend who doesn’t like to work-out.  The point is, some kind of challenge will arise.

How we deal with these challenges separates the victims from the victors. You can use challenges as a stepping stone or as a stumbling block, you can use them to strengthen your vision or obstruct your view; the choice is yours.

If you’re the athlete, you may miss a few practices, but you should come back rested and work harder than ever before.  If you’re the person working towards their ideal weight, you may have to travel unexpectedly, but you should plan to work-out while you’re away from your home.

The challenges should serve to make you stronger and more consistent as you maneuver around each obstacle.  They should cause your roots to dig deeper, in search of a solution.

The Problem

The problem arises when you don’t expect the challenges, and you get blind-sided by them.  If you can anticipate potential problems and plan above them, you will build momentum and your belief in yourself will soar.

Your ability to stay focused and steer past obstacles is what will set you apart and allow you to achieve your goal.

You Can Do It
You are capable of a lot more than you think you are.  Start working toward your dreams daily.

Get started by writing down what your next step is to accomplish your goal.  Then get into action and expect the unexpected as you move closer to your goal daily.

In closing, consistency truly is the hallmark of a champion, successful people do daily what others are only willing to do on occasion.  Your goal should be to become a little bit better everyday; everyday you should ask yourself, “Did I grow today?”

Mr. Self Development is an author who teaches a practical guide to success and wealth. Please visit him at Mr. Self Development.com. If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, then you may want to subscribe to his feed, follow him on Twitter, or read one of his most popular articles, “How I Manifested a Seven Bedroom Home at 24.”

Don’t Forget To Follow PickTheBrain on Twitter!

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The Language of Success

A “factory manager” at a local factory called-in an “outside emergency maintenance guy” because one of his machines had “broken.”  The maintenance guy arrived at the factory shortly after receiving the call.  The “factory manager” then explained the problem he was experiencing to the “maintenance guy.”  The maintenance guy responded, “I know exactly what the problem is,” then he quickly replaced a screw in the machine, and the machine began to work like new.

The maintenance guy then said, “That’ll be $300.00!”  The factory manager responded, “$300! You just replaced one screw; that screw cost $1.00; I could have easily done that!”

The maintenance guy responded, “Yes, the screw did cost $1.00, but the knowledge of how to fix your machine cost $299, …and by the way, I only accept cash.”

What’s the point?  When you don’t know, you will pay the higher price!

This is why it’s critical to remain a student of life.  I’m always looking to learn and expand my mind, I’m always looking for leaders who’ve done what I’m trying to do, so that I can learn what they know.

Leaders are people with the knowledge you need, because they’ve been where you’re trying to go.  Hear me out, leaders aren’t necessarily “special,” they don’t “glow in the dark,” or wear a “halo,” leaders are just people who’ve experienced what you’re trying to experience.  They’re people who are a little further along the path that you’re traveling, and they have the knowledge to make your trip easier.

You follow leaders because they have knowledge.  There’s no need to worship them, or sing praises to their name.  You follow leaders because: “When you don’t know what they know, you will pay a higher price!”

Hang-out with Leaders

It’s good to hang around leaders; sit down with them, soak up everything they know.  What’s a “Level 10” problem for you maybe a “Level 2” problem for them.  Pick their brains (no pun intended), but don’t be caught “paying the higher price.”

You can access the minds of leaders by reading their web sites, reading their books, or having conversations with them.  Pursue leaders in your life; pursue mentors who are going where you want to go.  But before you can do this, you first you must recognize who those leaders are.  If you don’t recognize the leaders in your life, you’re like a kid who doesn’t recognize the father who has gone before him, and therefore doesn’t pursue the wisdom of the father.

This Reminds Me of a Story

I’ve mentioned before that I went to LSU, and my sister-in-law, who’s 19 currently goes to LSU.

About a year ago my wife and I visited her sister at school:

While my wife and her sister were busy having fun and talking in the dorm room, I told them that I would go and visit the “Student Union.”  My wife’s sister, who was 18 at the time, responded saying, “Do you know how to get there?”

I said “Yes,” but I was thinking, “…[chuckle, chuckle] excuse me, you’ve been here for 3 months, I have a degree from this university, I know exactly where I’m going…heck, I know a short-cut.”

What’s the point of my story?  The point is that you should recognize the people in your life who’ve been where you’re trying to go; lean on them for wisdom, …don’t offer them unsolicited advice.  What’s difficult to you, is not difficult to someone else, find out what they know.

Some people say, what you don’t know won’t hurt you, but the reality is, what you don’t know may be killing you; killing your potential, killing your drive, killing your focus and aborting your purpose.

When you don’t know: the quickest route, or the right contacts, or the right book, you will pay the higher price.  That price may be in dollars, in time, or in frustration, but there is a price tag for “not knowing.”  You don’t get to be ignorant for free.  So pursue knowledge, follow leaders who are going where you’re going, and the journey will be quicker and smoother.

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The Foundation Of Success

My sister-in-law was visiting my wife  just a few weeks ago and she mentioned to us a project that she was considering.  She was planning on starting a new club at Louisiana State University (LSU), which is the college she is attending.  She asked us for our opinion on her new project.

After listening to her ideas concerning the project, I told her that the project sounded like an excellent idea, I also let her know that we would support her in everyway possible!  Lastly, I cautioned her of three common roadblocks to success.  I said, if you can overcome these three roadblocks, you will be well on your way.

The following three roadblocks show up any time you decide to accomplish a major task; you should expect these roadblocks and overcome them.  These roadblocks progress from considerations, to fears and finally obstacles.  Each roadblock in this progression becomes increasingly more challenging to overcome, but if you can overcome them, you will succeed.

The Three Roadblocks to Success:

Roadblock #1: Considerations

The first and smallest roadblock in our progression is considerations.  A consideration is a subtle thought telling you that you shouldn’t proceed for a variety of reasons.  Some examples of considerations are:

• This project will take a lot of work
• The task will require lots of money
• No one has done this before

Considerations come to get you off track before you really begin.

Write down what your considerations are, they’re typically subconscious thoughts that will cause you to self-sabotage the achievement of your goal.  They will cause you to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  You must first recognize these thoughts and decide that you will not be governed by them.  Once you write down what your considerations are, you can more easily see how to overcome these insidious roadblocks.

Roadblock #2: Fears

Fears are even more of a challenge to overcome than considerations.  Fears are negative deep-seeded emotions that can paralyze you from moving forward.  While a consideration comes as just a thought, fears affect you on a deeper emotional, conscious, and sub-conscious level.  Some examples include:

• Fear that the project will fail
• Fear that no one will support you
• Fear that you will be mocked

Fear will rob you and stop you from achieving your goal.  Some people define FEAR as False Evidence Appearing Real.  Don’t let something that’s not real stop you from succeeding.  You must feel the fear and move forward anyway.

Roadblock #3: Obstacles

Obstacles are external situations that can hinder you from achieving your goal.  Obstacles are more than just thoughts or emotions.  Obstacles are “real-life” situations that need to be “handled,” if you’re going to succeed.  Some examples include:

• Not enough money for the project
• Unmet regulatory requirements
• No more positions available

Obstacles are situations that must be discovered and overcome.  You must grow bigger than your obstacles.

This is the most challenging  roadblock, so let’s discuss this one in a little more detail:

Obstacles are necessary, and the process of growing bigger than your obstacles prepare you for success.  Think of overcoming obstacles like getting a college degree.  Each semester is an obstacle, when you pass all eight semesters you get your diploma.  The diploma doesn’t define you; it’s what you went through to get the diploma that makes you who you are.  As an example, if you “give” someone a college degree, it doesn’t make them any smarter than they were before.  It’s the studying and late nights and group projects and dedication that give meaning to the degree.  This is what obstacles do for you, they are beneficial and they are qualifiers.  If you are willing to tackle the obstacles and overcome them, then you qualify for success.

…so there you have it…if you want to succeed, you must first:

1.  Write down your considerations, fears and obstacles; once you get these skeletons out of their closet, you’ll discover they’re not that intimidating

2.  Finally you must tackle each of these skeletons one-by-one

I told my sister-in-law, if you can overcome these three roadblocks, you will succeed!

Any thoughts?

About the author: this guest post was written by Mr. Self Development. Please support Mr. Self Development by subscribing to his blog at mrselfdevelopment.com; Mr. Self Development is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth.

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The Language of Success

“Would you tell me which way I ought to go from here?” asked Alice.

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get,” said the Cat.

“I really don’t care where” replied Alice.

“Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

- Quote from the Alice in Wonderland Movie

My brother called me the other day and asked me for some advice?  He was trying to decide between two job offers:

Job 1 – The first job was your typical 40 hour a week “office” job.

Job 2 – The second job was more of a career in the insurance industry, where he would start at the bottom, and after many years and many long hours eventually rise to the top (if he was good).  The second job did not pay as well as the first job (initially), but the potential pay-off of the second job was much greater than the first job.

So which job should my brother take?  Well the answer is…it depends.

Just like the Cat was trying to tell Alice, which road you take depends a great deal on where you want to end up.

Begin with the End in Mind

I asked my brother what was his life’s purpose.  He said his purpose is to “teach,” but he wants to make a lot of money first.

I told my brother to forget about the money, and I advised him to focus on his purpose.

I then asked him which job best supports his end result of “teaching.”  He said the first job best supports his goal because he would only have to work 40 hours a week, which would give him spare time to teach.

He continued on to say, but if I take job number two, I can work hard and make more money, then I can retire early and “teach” later in life. I again advised him to “focus” on his purpose, not money.

I cautioned him to think this process through carefully because things don’t end wrong, they begin wrong!

You Can’t Ride Two Horses Well

It would be very difficult to have a successful teaching career while you’re working 70-80 hours a week in the insurance business; no one can ride two horses well.  As they say, you can do anything, but not everything.

I recommended to my brother that he dedicate his time to achieving his life’s purpose, and I advised him to get started today by choosing the job that best supports that decision.

Tomorrow Never Comes

My brother was thinking that he could always start teaching later in life, but the reality is, tomorrow never comes.

Unless you decide right now to pursue your passions, they will probably never be fulfilled.  They will always be postponed until some nebulous time in the future.  You will eventually “miss out” in the one area where you could have had the greatest impact on the world.

You only live once, don’t go to your grave with one regret; don’t postpone your purpose.

The Money Will Come

My brother seemed to be overly concerned with making money.  I told him not to be anxious about making money.  The fear of not making money is the quickest way not to make it.

You will always have greater money making potential when you’re doing what you love.

In conclusion, whenever you’re at a cross-road, be sure to make the decision that best supports the overall mission and goal of your life.  If you do, then you will be well on your way.

What advice would you have given my brother?  What are some other cross-roads where this advice would be applicable?

About the author: this guest post was written by Mr. Self Development. For more information please visit Mr. Self Development at mrselfdevelopment.com; Mr. Self Development is a motivational author that offers a practical guide to success and wealth.

Don’t Forget To Follow PickTheBrain on Twitter!

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