Are You an Obsessive Fan or a Strategic Player?

How to Win the Games of Life

"All stars have a miserable beginning."

- Bishop David Oyedepo

If you're a student of science, you'll know that stars don't just pop out and shine from nowhere. A star is actually a mixture of unattractive gases which combine and form that meaningful thing you see at night. We really don't care about where they came from or how they're made. All we care about at that time is looking at them, wondering how they shine so bright and compare them with the other stars we see.

Just like these, we have our "earthly" stars that we look up at and compare with other stars. We grow to become their fans and watch their every move. The moment something goes wrong and they stop shining, we're the first to know.

Are You Nurturing Your Production Capability?

Nurture Your Production Capability

"Make every thought, every fact, that comes into your mind pay you a profit. Make it work and produce for you. Think of things not as they are but as they may be. Don't merely dream but create!"

- Robert Collier

"Use what you have to get what you want"- This is a popular quote that has been misused, misunderstood and underutilized by many people, including me. Society has made us believe that in order to make a name for ourselves, we have to follow the crowd and do what they do. This gives us the illusion of living the life when in actual sense, we're on the same bus with millions of others who are doing the same thing we do, using the same resources we use and heading for the same destination. When the journey finally ends, there will be no room for significance and this snaps us back to reality.

Excerpts From Great Minds- What Does Goethe Mean?

"To have more, you must first be more."

- Johann Goethe

This is the second part of the Excerpts from Great Minds series. You can read that of Socrates here.

I love this quote from Goethe and I wonder what his source of inspiration was. When I first read it, a picture came to my mind: I saw a small tea cup asking for the same amount of content as that of a jug. How possible is that?

The important thing the tea cup didn't realize is that it was limited.

Are you a tea cup asking to be a jug?

Be The First To Know That You Are Unique

"The person you see is the person you will be."

- Jim Cathcart

A few days ago, my brother and I were just chatting about how we missed those days when we were young with no responsibilities. We had nothing to worry about and had lots of childhood friends to play with. It was then that our family doctor came to my mind. His family were close friends with ours and there was a name my dad always called him which was peculiar to him alone. Whenever they meet or speak over the phone, he'd say "nobody like you". I never really knew why he gave our doctor that name, but I always wondered what it meant.

Excerpts From Great Minds- What Does Socrates Mean?

"An unexamined life is not worth living."

- Socrates

Hmmm... This quote sounds kind of harsh, right? I don't think anyone likes to hear that they're worthless. But, in the actual sense, I don't think it really means that.

Personal development gurus always talk about separating time to do some self examination. The reason for this is simply to know what you're made up of (spiritually, mentally, psychologically, etc.). I'm not talking about purpose here but just self knowledge. What do you have on the inside of you and what can you offer to the society? 

Worth simply means value. You only regard something as valuable if it's of use to you.
Take this scenario as an example:

A New Year Theme- Do You Have One?

“Your problem is to bridge the gap between where you are now and the goals you intend to reach.”

- Earl Nightingale

It seems like just yesterday when we celebrated 2011 as a new year, how time flies. It feels good to know that we passed through and experienced all the joy, troubles and challenges and now have the opportunity to say goodbye to all that and start anew. Like this year, we start every other year expectant and hopeful that the year would be the best year ever. As we know, this is not how the year always turns out to be.

Every year comes with a couple of life assignments for you to take home. These assignments present their own form of trials but your job is to complete and present them at the end of the year for assessment.

How did you do in your previous assignment? Did you achieve all you set out to do?

As for me, the answer to the above question is no, but I had a pretty good grade. It's a ritual for us as achievers to set New Year resolutions for ourselves. In 2011, mine didn't live to see the first of February. Why?

You Create Your Future (Part 3)

 "You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration"

-James Allen

 The Laws of Creation (Part 3)
We have finally come to the last part in this series. In part 2, I explained that no matter how confused you may be about what you want to create, a time will come when it'll all seem clear to you (Law of Illumination). You also got to know how critical it is to select the kind of people you interact with (Law of Environment) and how you must know when and when not to do certain things (Law of Times and Season) on the road to creating your future. To understand this last part, you should read the previous laws of creation if you haven't.

In this post, you'll get to know the final laws that led to the creation of the earth and how you can apply them in your life.

You Create Your Future

 "You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration"

-James Allen

The Laws of Creation (Part Two)
In my last post, I explained the importance of the 'how?' question and how it's related to forming the future you desire. I also introduced the laws of creation and explained the first three laws: The Law of The Source, The Law of Confusion and The Law of Meditation. If you missed out on that post, you can read part one of the series here.
I explained that you need to know where your vision is coming from (The Source), you need to think about the vision (Confusion) and you need to speak positively into your future (Meditation). Now, I'll be explaining the Laws of Illumination, Environment and Season.

You Create Your Future

"You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration"

-James Allen

The Laws of Creation

In my last post, 'Empower Your Vision with Skill', I talked about the importance of vision and applying what you know (skill) to what you have seen (vision) so you can get what you want (purpose) in a more refined way. But one important question is 'how?’

Whatever knowledge you have most times determines what you do when faced with challenges. It then depends on how you apply it, your skill that determines if you come out 'alive'.

Like the 'why' question, 'how' is also one question that requires principled answers. It's just like a kid asking you how to fish. Telling this kid the way to hold the hook and swing it won't answer the question. But giving him answers like the kind of bait to use, the time of the day to fish and the part of the river to fish from would make things a lot easier. The same thing goes when you're faced with the question of how to achieve your vision. You need to know the principles, the laws governing the whole process so you know what to do when you ought to do it.

This post is simply a product of a seminar I attended recently and in the next few sentences, I'll be sharing with you what's called the Laws of Creation.
You would agree with me that this world we live in didn't just emerge out of thin air. It was 'created' through vision, for a purpose by someone who knew He had the power to create it, just like we have the power to create our own world. Let's see a few laws on which this world was created.

1. The Law of the Source
The question here is who are you and where is your vision coming from? Is your vision as a result of your mind playing games on you or is it from a much higher power, a realm beyond your control? You really need to know the source of your vision so that you can decide if it's worth the investment. God had a vision of the earth He wanted to create and it was definitely from no other higher source other than Him.

2. The Law of Confusion
Sounds strange right? "And the earth was without form and void" (Gen 1:2). According to the Oxford Dictionary, void means 'completely lacking something'. Without form simply means not having any particular shape or arrangement. Whenever I feel that something is missing in anything I find myself doing, I can go haywire trying to find out the problem. What does this mean? You're bound to be confused when that vision first arrives. The question, ‘where do I start?’ fills your mind and you start wondering whether you're on the right track. Regardless of how confused the beginning appeared to be, God made something out of it. You'll do the same.

3. The Law of Meditation.
"And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." (Gen 1:2). This is just like strolling a few blocks to 'get some air' or to 'do some thinking'. I do this sometimes and it does help clear out all that confusion. What this really means is Think. Arrange all those broken pieces of thought and make a decision.
After thought comes action. "And God said..." (Gen 1:3)
Talk positively to the future you're about to create. This is called 'positive affirmation'. The world was created first with words, so start with that.

I'll be dividing these laws into parts (series) so you don't get overwhelmed all at once. In the next post, you'll get to know the next three laws (i.e. The Laws of Illumination, Environment and Season).

Creation may be based on laws but is everything in life based on established laws or principles? I'd love to hear what you think.

For this glorious festive season, I'll be giving away two quality ebooks by a respectable author for free. The first one, Power, Purpose and Service which goes for $9.68 on Lulu will be available for free download from the 24th to the 30th of December and the second, Droplets From Above, which goes for $7.10 on Lulu will be available for free download from the 30th of December to the 3rd of January. Don't worry, I'll write the reviews so you know what you're downloading.

Who would I be giving them to?
The download links would be specially sent to
•    my email subscribers,
•    followers on Google Friend Connect,
•    Networkedblogs followers and
•    Deep-Think's Facebook fans.

So if you want a copy, well I guess it's simple to get yours. Make sure you check this blog at that time so you don't miss out on any 'extra stuff'.
This is just my way of saying, 'Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year in advance!’ Enjoy the season!

EMPOWER YOUR VISION WITH SKILL

"Be sure that as you scramble up the ladder of success, it is leaning against the right building"

-Stephen Covey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Over time, I've heard some really interesting ways of how people discovered their purpose and how they ended up achieving it as if by magic. One thing I got to discover was that when you know the purpose for which you were created, your life seems to be 'engineered' in that particular direction. Out of these stories, there's one I really like which I would share with you. Sometimes we feel we know what is good for us not knowing that there's a higher power that knows better.

A young man once asked God to reveal to him what he would be in future. After constant prayers, God finally gave him a revelation. In his dream, he saw himself washing clothes. Being that the job of a 'washer man' is not considered a 'noble profession', he rejected the vision and prayed again. The following day, he dreamed again but this time, he was ironing the clothes he washed the previous day. That was the last time he prayed for purpose.
He went on to study Electrical engineering in the University and was really good at repairing machines. Sometime after graduation, a friend realized how skillful he was and gave him a few 'damaged' appliances to repair, one of which was a machine used for cleaning carpets. This young man repaired it fast and decided to sell it, but buyers were not forthcoming. Instead of dumping the machine, his business acumen awoke on his inside and he started a 'DRY CLEANING' business. All he had to do was get more damaged machines from his friend, repair them and use them in his business. Today, he not only washes clothes but suits, carpets, upholstery and more. Oh, and he's rich too.  

The reason why many of us who know our purpose tend not to appreciate it is because we can't see the future in it. Most of the time, visions and revelations are given to us raw; it's left to us to refine it.

One of the best ways to add value to what you do is to become someone of value. The young man in that story didn't want to bring himself down to the level he saw in the dream. Instead, by developing himself and learning something new, he unknowingly brought the purpose up to his level. Not everyone is lucky to discover purpose through dreams or visions but one thing is certain- we all have a purpose for which we're here on earth. It's up to you to determine how you achieve it. You create your own future, so start modeling it now so it becomes a MASTERPIECE later.

How did you discover your purpose? Was it through a vision, reading a book or just interacting with friends? Are there any steps you know in living a fulfilled life? Your comments are welcome.
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Ebooks you might want to check out:
Change Your Mind, Change Your Life
Power, Purpose and Service

What's Your Default Setting?

"Belief creates the actual fact. The greatest revolution of my generation is the discovery that individuals, by changing their inner attitudes of mind, can change the outer aspects of their lives."
- Anonymous

There are various ways to find out exactly the kind of person you are or the kind of people you deal with. One of the easiest ways is to know your immediate reaction to situations. It's just like carrying out a study on malaria symptoms. In order to know how a patient would react to the malaria disease, he must be a malaria patient first. You don't know how you would react to particular situations until you're in one yourself.

Like phones and many other electronic gadgets, we as humans also have a 'default setting'. This simply means that action we take or that attitude we go back to whenever we're faced with challenging situations. It's usually the first thing that comes to our mind to do even before the option of a second thought becomes visible.

Our reaction to situations is often influenced by our emotional and mental states. Our actions are sometimes so reflex that over time, they become a part of us without our knowledge. It's at this point that such actions become our default actions when faced with similar situations.

Understanding ourselves better is really important, especially if success in life, business and relationships is our main goal. It helps us know which emotions to suppress and which ones to build. Living a life governed by negative emotions only makes us do actions which we would only regret later.
Listed below are a few situations which we, at one time have found ourselves in.

1. When faced with a challenge, do you see it as outside your scope, or as an opportunity to learn something new? Seeing it as outside your scope only means that you're saying, 'I can't do it'.

2. When you're offended, do you DESTROY or do you chill out and think? When I say 'destroy', I don't really mean the things around you but that relationship you have with your 'offender'. This used to be my default action until I realized that I had broken more relationships than I had at the time.

3. When you fail, do you give up and stay down or do you try to get back up? Giving up makes you a quitter and in the future, you'll end up blaming others for your failure, forgetting that you're the major cause. This is one of the major 'symptoms' of negative emotions- refusing to accept responsibility.

These are just a few of the many circumstances that help us define and restructure our attitudes.
If you realize that keeping or restoring default settings would only make things worse, then activate the new ones. You'll be better that way.

Do you think it's possible to completely change your default setting? What default action do you regret and how did you rid yourself of it? I'd love to hear your comments.

If you enjoyed this post, you can subscribe here and receive new posts straight into your mail. 


Ebooks you might want to check out:
Change Your Mind, Change Your Life
Power, Purpose and Service

Think, Attract and Become

"The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to belief that it is possible."
-Richard Devos

Do you know that you can actually become what you don't want to be? No matter how strange it sounds, it's true. In my post; why you don't get what you want, I gave a few reasons why most of us get disappointed and how hard it is to let go of such. It's not just about thinking, but having the thought about what you want at the top of your mind. It's good to live by the day, but don't let nature do all the thinking for you.

To most of us, the terms 'luck' and 'coincidence' are not new. "You're either lucky or you're not" - how true is this? I've often wondered whether these terms exist or they were just given these names because we as humans don't know how they occur.

Everything that happens to you is as a result of your thinking and your state of mind. Most of us would know the saying, "luck is when preparation meets opportunity." When you get that thing you've always wanted, would you say you were lucky getting it or that you deserved it?

There's something I heard over the radio recently which I would share with you in this post. It sounded strange at first and I felt like giving the presenter a piece of my mind. But on second thought, it was true. It completely shows that nothing happens by chance.

Whenever we think of something over a period of time, that thought becomes predominant in our minds. In the physical, it appears as if nothing happens but in the 'other realm', a process starts. That thought becomes like an attractive light and it does only one thing- it looks for ways to satisfy its host who in this case is you.

This is just like the superconscious mind acting on what you have in your subconscious mind. That concept simply means two things;

1. The more you think about something, the more you give that attractive light something to look for. This in turn gives that light more eagerness to find it. Sometimes when I think of someone whom I haven't contacted for some time, it so happens that in a matter of minutes or hours he's standing in front of me and we're shaking hands. I'm sure this occurrence isn't new to you too.

2. You can either think your way to success or failure. The more I think about how bad I am at something, the worse I get. This is often caused by the presence of negative emotions. By thinking more about how good you can be rather than how bad you are, you give that attractive force something positive to look for.

You may not have a business to call your own, but you do know that you are the CEO of the only MULTIDIMENSIONAL company, which is your mind. You either lead it on the path of fulfilment or destruction. If you can think it, you can be it. Just make sure it's strong enough.

What do you think about chance? Do you believe that thinking is enough to achieve success? Your comments are welcome.

If you enjoyed this post, you can subscribe here and receive new posts straight into your mail. 


Ebooks you might want to check out:
Change Your Mind, Change Your Life
Power, Purpose and Service
How to Identify Business Opportunities

What Should I Do With This Baby?

Hey, guess what? I'm PREGNANT, and with lots of babies too! There's something I heard and learnt recently. Do you know that whenever a woman is pregnant, lots of things happen which are beyond normal human understanding? I didn't know this and I bet you didn't either. Read the following concept to know what I'm talking about.

During the early stages of conception, the development of the baby begins. It's at this point that something very important is needed by this baby. It will need a SOUL. It so happens that all souls have been created since the beginning of time. Whenever the baby needs the breath of life to start its human activities like breathing, it attracts a soul from the 'other realm'. The kind of soul it attracts is dependent on various factors like the kind of environment the baby is in, the mentality and character of the mother and the people around and most importantly, the spiritual standing of the parents.

I guess this is the reason most people find it hard to break away from the mentalities of their parents. This concept simply means two things; as an expectant mother, you've got to work on yourself and be careful about whom you move with.    

At one time or the other, we find ourselves pregnant with babies or ideas as the case may be. Most times, the idea is conceived but being delivered of it is not always the case. This is not always our intention but whenever it happens, we ask ourselves 'why?' The idea was so good, what could have possibly gone wrong? A lot of forces come to play here and it's our duty to protect this innocent idea from such. How?

1. Work on yourself.
Sometimes, we have ideas that are way beyond our abilities to achieve, or so we think. Once, in secondary school, I had an idea that could change the way students related to the school head but I had to be the student head before I could implement it. At the time, it was beyond my ability. I got that position eventually, but I had to do a lot of self reforming to achieve this. If achieving this idea is what you want, then you've got to work on yourself while incubating the idea. If you have to read more, go on a diet or travel, do it. As long as it's in line with your idea.

2. Don't share it with just anyone.
Influence has a big role to play when it comes to bringing your ideas into reality. Telling the wrong person could terminate it. Associating with like-minded people who could be instrumental to its success would help your new 'baby' attract the right soul. In case you don't know, people are watching you and like it or not, some are out to see you cry. Do yourself a favour and wait till it's born before you go blabbing all about it.

You can't hide an idea forever because just like pregnancy, it'll show. It's the early stages and foundation that matter. So, whenever you don't know what to do with your new 'baby', just use this tip: guard it with your LIFE!

Why do you think lots of good ideas don't get implemented?  There are lots of reasons. Your comments are most welcome.

If you enjoyed this post, you can subscribe here and receive new posts straight into your mail. 


Ebooks you might be interested in:
Change Your Mind, Change Your Life
Power, Purpose and Service

How High Can You Fly?

The human mentality is one aspect that we can't stop talking about. I guess this is because it is one of the major determinants of what we make of our existence. It influences the way we think, our perspective of life and the way we prepare ourselves for the future.

A lot of us see breaking forth as the act of forgetting the past and focusing on the new. But do we fully break forth immediately that first transformation is made? I saw the following butterfly concept in a blog post by Alexis explaining the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly.


"The butterfly most certainly does not still think like a caterpillar.  I have not once seen a butterfly crawling on the ground or in trees.  The only time I’ve seen them landed is when they are perched on flowers or plants for nourishment.
The majority of a butterfly’s existence is the opposite of the caterpillar.  They have a completely different point of view because their scope is much broader.  They are no longer focused on their immediate surroundings, only looking at the details of the ground and the branches that they climb on.  Instead, they are able to take in the infinite possibilities of their interesting, beautiful, and ever-changing environment at their whim."

After reading that, can you answer this question; 'Is it possible for a butterfly to be afraid of heights?' Sounds crazy right? It's already in the air, so how can it have a phobia for heights? This is where mentality comes in.

From that concept, you can see that the caterpillar's scope is much limited than that of the butterfly. Just as the butterfly won't hop on the ground or on trees, it also might not reach full potential in flight. I've seen butterflies that fly low to the ground when they just start out. The butterfly has been used to the caterpillar's scope so it digests its new found potential little by little.

Whenever we experience a breakthrough, everyone sees it. But unlike the butterfly, not many of us fully digest our new found potential. When this happens, using it maximally becomes impossible. The physical and mental transformation occurs but we still don't see the endless possibilities of this new gift. So we settle for less without even knowing it.

When the butterfly asks itself, 'What if I fly higher?’ it tries it and its scope widens. Curiosity and adventure opens doors we didn't know were there. The more you look for various ways to do something or solve a problem, your scope increases. The flowers at the top of the tallest trees become easy to nourish from. You surpass your peers and aim higher, thereby getting better results. You suddenly become the know-it-all and do-it-all without even trying.  

The more challenges you face at higher levels in life, the easier it gets to overcome them. This is the reason why it is always important to learn from mistakes and situations every day. Only then can your question change from, 'Can I do that?' to 'Did I do all that?' Well, of course you did it, there is nobody like YOU! 

To understand more about the butterfly concept, you can read Alexis' post on Finding Hope Within. By the way, she's my newest teacher. So you see, I'm still learning, are you?

Why do you think most people fail to fully realize and utilize our potential? There are various reasons; this is just one of them. Your comments are welcome.

If you enjoyed this post, you can subscribe here and receive new posts straight into your mail. 


Ebooks you might be interested in:
Change Your Mind, Change Your Life
Power, Purpose and Service
How to Identify Business Opportunities

Unemployed? What's Your Excuse?

   “When most people leave school, they leave confused and stupid.”
-Robert Kiyosaki.

When I saw this tweet on my twitter page, it sounded kind of insulting. After reading it over a few times, its real meaning came to me. But guess what? That "insulting tweet" is the reason I wrote this article.

Just in case you don't know, Robert Kiyosaki is an entrepreneur and author of the RICH DAD series. He's my mentor in the aspect of the human mentality and financial intelligence and I've read almost all his books.

Why did this tweet sound insulting? Well, I guess it's because I'm still an undergraduate but I'm pretty sure that I don't fall in this category. The truth of the matter is that some people do belong in this category and it's not just undergrads.

It is true that unemployment is an issue in most countries, especially the developing ones. Millions of college students leave school every year only to join the millions already out there. They obediently join the queue and the "wait for the job" syndrome flows down to them. Getting a job is not bad but waiting for the job to come to you is just not the best. That job you're waiting for is going to get to other people on the same queue before it gets to you. If the job eventually gets to you, what do you do? Do you let it also pass you by or do you counter it and make your position its dead end?

That tweet only becomes true when you don't do your part in securing that dream job. One thing I've come to realize is that no matter how high the level of unemployment is in any country, some guys just seem to have it going good for them. Within one year of graduation, they get jobs and steadily climb their way up the corporate ladder.
The important question to ask here is, 'how do they do it?' There must be something they know which the others don't. Sometimes it's not about having the right contacts or being impressive in an interview. Most times, it's about you. Does that sound strange? Well, it shouldn't. Let's see a few ways you can make those jobs come your way.

1. Become Employable.
From my part of the world, most people go to school with the mentality of getting good grades and then getting a job. Robert Kiyosaki calls this the "poor man's mentality". What they don't realize is that those grades are just not enough. Graduating with a distinction doesn't make you the only one with it. Millions of others have that same grade too. In a situation like this, the only thing that can stand you out is that extra thing that you know. Most companies today don't hire based on grades but on productivity. You'll need to learn something extra within your field if you want to make any headway. This will be a very good form of leverage, especially if your fellow interviewee only has school grades.

2. Look in The Right Places.
"The elevator to success is out of service, but the stairs are always open."
-Zig Ziglar
So many people want to get to the top of the stairs without climbing it. With our little qualifications, we target high positions and then blame the government when we don't get what we want. To dream big, you have to start small. This doesn't mean going for the lowest positions in a company but working on yourself before launching out. A lot of people leave school prematurely without even knowing it.
Looking for a job in a promising startup isn't such a bad idea. This will definitely assist you in gaining the experience you need for those high positions. Sometimes, working in small businesses are the best first steps you can make.

3. Be Your Own Boss
You can help reduce the level of unemployment by creating jobs for yourself and others. You could be that small start-up that a job seeker could gain experience with. The best way to do this is to have the ability to spot opportunities. You really don't need to join the millions of jobless people out there who just talk about their problems. Look around you for something that needs to be done and be the solution. By doing this, you'll be helping lots of people out there and you know what; you'll be happy doing it too.

Do you know better ways to reduce unemployment and make people realize that they create their own future?
Share your views and let others learn from you. Your comments are welcome.

Books Related To This Post:
How To Identify Business Opportunities
Guru, Greatness and You

You Are Better Than You Think

Most times, the cause of most of our problems in life is what we say to ourselves and not what others say or do to us. Not many of us know this and so we blame our misfortunes and disappointments on others instead of taking full responsibility. But the question is, "what makes us say things that limit us in almost every aspect of our lives?" The answer isn't far fetched.

Do you know that your self worth is determined by the beliefs, attitudes, opinions and feelings you have about yourself? The moment you realize this and take advantage of it, you'll have complete control over yourself and the world you've created. But how can you make your beliefs work for you? All you have to do is take control of your mind. That sounds pretty simple, right? Well, yes it is simple but I didn't say it's easy. Your beliefs are limited to your state of mind and your perspective of life. You can't tell a mad man that tomorrow, he's going to head a huge business empire. He'll think that you're the mad one and probably tell you to see a doctor.

Before you can change your beliefs, you have to find that reason why you think the way you do.
You do know that before you can find something, you've got to know exactly what it is you're looking for. According to research and experience, one of the main causes of our problems in life is believing and saying that we're not good enough. This feeling of inferiority is one of the most dangerous causes of failure and disappointment. Trust me; I know what I'm talking about. For a long time in my younger years, I was burdened with this feeling of inferiority. I didn't even know what it was then. Well, maybe I did but didn't know what to call it. A few so-called friends knew this and took advantage of me, in a negative way of course. I've forgiven them anyway because they helped me realize this flaw in me and I started working towards correcting it. Now, I won't say I’m completely 'cured' because I still see the scars but I have power over it. That to me is the most important thing, having power over any circumstance or challenge and not letting it overcome you.

This just shows that the way you think and feel about yourself can be completely changed. All you have to do is know its cause, find it and work on it. As I said, it's not easy. It'll take more than just a few hours of self examination to discover it. You'll need to have an open mind and learn from every mistake you make.
A word of caution here; Just because you occupy a high position or are successful in business doesn't exclude you from feeling this way about yourself. I was in a coveted position but still had issues. This means that you can be higher and better than you are now by getting rid of this feeling. 

I'll round off with this word from Richard Devos; "The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible."

What's been your most limiting belief in life and how did you overcome it? If you gained from this post, please leave a comment and get a free download from the 'free eBooks 4 u' page.

The Best Way To Get Rid Of Negative Emotions

As I said before, negative emotions should be your greatest enemies if your goal is to be successful and happy. By now, you know the causes of negative emotions and how to get rid of them. If you don't, you can read the article here. Do you know that the last cause that I'm about to mention now is one that each one of us has been guilty of at one time or the other?

The last cause of negative emotions is one of the greatest super villains of all time. Why do I say this? It avoids you from taking critical decisions and traps you so that it's hard to get free. This worst cause is the act of blaming other people for our problems. I wonder if it's possible to entirely stop blaming because I still find myself in the act sometimes. Getting rid of it might not be easy but it can be suppressed to a level where it has no power over you. Blaming others is so bad that even when you're fifty, you can still keep blaming your parents for things they did or did not do for you.

Luckily for us, this can be stopped by accepting responsibility for your actions and circumstances. You are where you are because of you and not someone else. The moment you realize that no one else is responsible, you automatically take charge. All the other three causes can be stopped and you can take control by simply accepting complete responsibility for your life.

How To Get Rid Of Negative Emotions

Negative emotions and success don't belong on the same team. In this post, you'll get to know the negative emotions and how to erase them so that your goal can be a success.

The reason why you do what you do now is because at the end, you want to be successful and happy. But do you have the right state of mind to achieve this? If success and happiness are your ultimate goals, then negative emotions should be your greatest enemies. Negative emotions hold you down and remove all the joy that was once present in your life.

To be truly happy and successful, your most important goal should be to free yourself from these emotions. I must tell you, it's not easy but it's possible if you learn how.
The negative emotions of fear, jealousy, hatred, revenge, greed, superstition and anger don't just occur on their own. They are caused by four factors, some of which most of us are guilty of. These emotions stop the moment you eliminate these four factors. Let's see a few of these factors.

1. Rationalizing and Making Excuses
This is simply defending an unacceptable action with an acceptable explanation. It's like trying to make an ugly duckling look like a swan. You create an explanation that sounds good even when your action was the direct opposite. This act keeps your negative emotions alive. The antidote for this factor is to refuse to rationalize and stop making excuses for your actions.

2. Oversensitivity
You'll realize that almost everything you do is to earn the respect of others or to avoid losing their respect. As a result of this, you end up being too concerned about the way people treat you. For some, their whole self-image is determined by the way other people interact with them. They base their value and self-worth on the opinions of others. If those opinions are negative, the negative emotions come into action. Whenever you begin to feel inferior or depressed, realize that this is the cause and learn to rise above the opinions of others about you. Start developing your own personal value and self image.

3. Justifying Your Feelings
Justifying that you are entitled to feel a particular way can make you negative. For example, you get failed for a test which you put a lot of effort into. Thereafter, you become angry with the examiner and you justify your anger by describing all the reasons why you shouldn't have failed. You even go as far as taking the matter up with higher authorities. As long as you do this, your negative emotions take control of you. The moment you say, "Well, I've failed this test but I'm not the first one to fail it. I'd better start preparing so I can pass the next one," your emotions disappear and are replaced with positive emotions that keep you focused on the goal. You become more effective once you stop justifying.

From now on, refuse to justify your actions or make excuses. Apologizing for a mistake makes things a whole lot better. Every time you blame someone or rationalize, you trigger negative emotions which don't affect the other person but you. You give that person power over your emotions, leaving you angry inside. If success is still your goal and this is not what you want, then I guess the answer is quite simple. Just don't do it. 

In my next post, you'll get to know the best way to get rid of negative emotions.

How else do you think we can get rid of negative emotions? I'd like to hear your views in the comments.
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You Can Make Money Writing

If you are the kind of person that writes for pleasure or business, you could also make money writing articles by submitting them to internet article directories like Goarticles and Ezinearticles. Some pay you depending on how much traffic your article generates (that is, the number of people that get to read your articles). One way to make sure your article generates good traffic is to make it keyword optimized.

There are also sites that I would regard as professional sites because of the fact that they pay you, not to do stuff but how you work. That way you develop an internet presence in the professional world. Getting a job as a professional in your field on the internet is similar to getting one here. You’ve got to have a good appearance, experience and an attractive portfolio. You could even build a reputation for yourself depending on how efficient you are.

One professional site is:
•Elance
With this freelance website, you get to become anything you want to be. Here’s how it works: After signup, the next thing to be done is to complete your personal profile, thereby selecting your area of specialization. It’s got to be attractive and professional so that clients would not think twice before hiring you. Once your profile is complete or almost complete as the case may be, you can then submit a proposal, but to do this you have to pass a simple, short, untimed, easy test. Afterwards, you’re good to go. You could get rich with just this website if you know what you’re doing and if you’re someone that gives quality services. You’ll be given a private workspace with which your clients watch how far you’ve gone with their job. It’s really similar to that of a normal corporate environment. Another freelance site like elance is oDesk, but the screening is kind of tasking.

Look out for my upcoming ebookn "DEVELOPING AN INTERNET PRESENCE" for ways to do what you are already doing on the internet and still earn a living. Check later posts for more ways to make money writing.

How To Get That 'A' In Your Test.

We all write tests at one time or the other. The result of that test is simply a product of how well you prepared, your state of mind during that test and how well you answered the test questions. Below are a few tips to help you come out with that ‘A’.

1. In order to get those scores you desire, you need to have a good comprehension of the material, including memorizing specific facts and formulas. One of the most common ways to remember something is by repetition over time, that is, reading the material repeatedly. To achieve optimal results from this memory technique, schedule periodic reviews of the material. You can review the information on an hourly basis if you have the time. Review the information the next day. Review the information the next week. Review the information a month later.

2. Being aware of your environment or reading in one of your memorable spots really help. You could read that material as you walk through a garden or place, associating each important topic with some location. Then, when in front of the test questions, you could mentally walk through the garden to recall each point. This system is called the loci system. Record what you need to know and walk through a park or down city streets as you listen. When you see an important part that you think should be remembered, stop to look at what's around you. This would work well, especially if you are someone that loves going out.

3. To do the best in your exams, your preparation must be long and healthy. Those include eating healthy foods, committing to take the time necessary to learn the material and getting regular high-quality sleep, but not too much sleep because this could reduce you mental capacity and make your brain lazy, not tired, during the test. You can include supplements in your diet. There are many things you can ingest that may help, but only a few are safe. Fish oil (or just eating fish) speeds up brainwaves and improves concentration as well.

4. Review past test questions. A sample test or previous version of the exam will help you know what kind of questions will be on it, so you can study the right things. Also, ask about the exam. The course lecturer will sometimes tell you where most people have trouble. Double-check answers in that part of the test and recognize questions that come with a twist.

5. Watch you anxiety. You can do this by getting to your test venue early or drinking a bit of coffee or something else that makes you calm. Getting to your venue early will reduce your anxiety and help you get used to the test environment, especially if it’s your first time of being there. Studies have shown that people score higher on written tests after taking a cup of coffee, but be careful. If you are a very nervous person, however, too much caffeine can increase anxiety.

6. Have a pre-test exercise for a few minutes. As little as ten minutes of exercise has been shown to speed up decision making time and accuracy in tests of mental ability. Take exercises that help your cardio system.

In addition to the comprehensions and preparation steps you can take, there are also things you can do during an exam to improve your score. Here are a few examples.
7. Before the test, imagine yourself confidently finishing the test early and without trouble. A bit of positive expectation works for most people, and can't hurt.

8. Take deep breaths. As you start the test, take several deep breaths and let the tension drain from your muscles. This will reduce anxiety and help you concentrate.

9. Concentrate on one question at a time. This reduces feelings of anxiety because you are not anticipating and worrying about the next one. Don't think about the other questions until you get to them.

10. Make notes as soon as you sit, just before the exam starts. Write down any information you might forget. If you "crammed" for the test just before taking it this can be really useful.

11. Read the test instructions just before you start and follow them. There are often penalties for disobeying rules.

12. When you first receive the test, review it and divide your time since most tests are timed. If there’s time, review the test once you’ve finished. In this way you'll know if you are on schedule or if you need to speed up. It’s always better to take on questions you find simple first, leaving the tough ones for last. This can save you a lot of time.

13. Take your time. Never rush or speedily answer your test questions. Why? Because some tricky questions appear easy to those who hurriedly do test but actually require more thinking.

14. If your test is in theory, answer all questions if you can. If you are doing a multiple choice test, there’s always room for guessing because, you never know, you might just be right. Eliminate the options you know are wrong and then joggle the others.

15. Check for unanswered or wrongly answered questions. Do this once you feel you have nothing left to put down.

It’s always better to find what works for you. To help you achieve your test goals faster, shrink that bogus material into something you can carry about with you for quick reference and learn to speed read. With all this said and done, that A will definitely be yours.