How To Create A Positive First Impression In Order To Establish Rapport And Make Great Conversation

We, as human beings are at times concerned with how we present ourselves to others. We understand that making a positive first impression goes a long way in determining how others will view us, potentially for the remainder of the relationship. As such, whether you are on the dating scene or you are trying to establish rapport and ultimately develop great conversation with business clients, it is imperative that we take the most effective steps to ensure a favorable first impression.

When preparing to make a great first impression, one needs to establish exactly what the other person is looking for? One thing you must always remember, and no matter how much you may disagree with it, people always judge you initially by the following four criteria:

1. Your Physical Appearance

2. Your Bodily Demeanor

3. What You Sound Like

4. The Content of Your Speech

Did you notice what was first and last on the list? That's right, people judge others, at least initially, by what they look like, their physical appearance. Conversely, the last component of the judgment sequence is what someone actually says. As I mentioned, you don't necessarily have to agree with this, but studies have shown this to be the case.

So, since we now know that making a positive first impression in order to establish rapport and ultimately make great conversation largely hinges on factors that don't even include talking, we need to determine what we need to do to create the ideal first impression.

For your physical appearance, make it a habit to always stay abreast of the dress code for any parties, networking events or dinners in which you plan to participate. Being underdressed or overdressed can absolutely kill your confidence as well as create the illusion that you are apathetic or "out of touch" with today's wardrobe trends. Also, concentrate on wearing clothes that accentuate or complements your body build. And as always, stupendous personal hygiene is a must!

For your bodily demeanor, it has been stated over and over again, but there are no truer words: Always, smile. It doesn't need to be some goofy, toothy grin, but a warm, open and genuine smile is always one of the best conversation starters and will certainly create a positive first impression.

Your sound. The natural tendency when we are meeting someone new is to be at least somewhat nervous. Consequently, our speech patterns tend to speed up, rendering some of our words incomprehensible. We must always be cognizant of this and make it a priority to enunciate our words slowly and with power and confidence.

Finally, the content of your speech. This is what we have been working to get to. Don't worry about it, this only accounts for about 6% of the impression you leave on someone. Remember, excellent communicators and great conversationalists most often have to speak very little.

Implementing these steps can ensure that you are able to create that positive first impression you are seeking.

Harness the Power of Subliminal Messaging

Scientific studies have proven that the human mind consists of two regions:

The conscious and the unconscious. The conscious mind plays the "active

part" which directs our actions, reasons out and accountable for the majority of

our activities throughout the waking hours. The unconscious (also called

subconscious) which "sits at the back," is the passive, unquestioning part

which controls our involuntary functions and in-charge of the more subtle

creative faculties of the mind.

Psychologists believe that any person can create lasting improvements in

oneself by accessing the power of the unconscious. However, this is not as

simple as it sounds. Most individuals have no indication how to even get in

touch with the unconscious, how much more for effecting improvements? This

is where subliminal messaging becomes exceedingly helpful and necessary.

The term "subliminal" is derived from the Latin words "sub" (below) and "limen"

(threshold), which basically means "below the threshold of consciousness." It

refers to anything that exists just beneath your conscious awareness (i.e. at the

unconscious level).

By using subliminal recordings you can bypass the conscious mind and

reprogram your inner self through the use of carefully crafted subliminal

messages. These messages can be created for a great many things like

reducing stress and inducing relaxation. Some of the best I have personally

known include:

- Leadership excellence
- Creative thinking mindset
- Perfect lucid dreaming
- Supreme self-confidence
- Razor-sharp wit
- Amazing memory
- Be decisive and get what you want
- Amazing public speaking skills
- Excellent speed reading
- Lose weight quickly, and others!

In these recordings, messages are planted using special technology, which

intends to communicate directly to the unconscious mind. These subliminal

messages bypass the critical-conscious realm and goes straight to the

unquestioning-subconscious, immediately starting to create desired changes.

How Exactly Do They Work?

Subliminal programs contain positive affirmations (subliminal messages)

focused on particular areas chosen by the listener, to accomplish a specific

aim. The mind "accepts" these affirmations without question, at the

subconscious level, immediately beginning the work of transforming the

messages into actuality in the person's life.

Since they bypass the analytical critical-conscious mind, these subliminal

messages facilitate the process of changing attitudes, skills and habits and

start to reprogram the whole being towards achieving a particular goal.

Subliminal messages are generally embedded in a piece of music or masked

with ocean waves and sounds of nature which are very soothing to the body

and spirit. These are called "positive affirmations" which influence individual

beliefs that are stored in the subconscious mind. They gradually and gently

replace limiting beliefs by new empowering ones. It is an automatic and

effortless method of changing yourself from the inside-out.

How Long Does It Take for Change To Happen?

You must be aware that most of your subconscious programming has taken

place over an entire lifetime and may not be altered in a few hours or days. It is

also likely that several issues overlap and require more than one subliminal

recording to reprogram.

Let's take the issue of self confidence as an illustration. Somebody who has

low self-esteem may listen to a subliminal recording to improve in this area.

Several weeks later, there seems to be little or no improvement despite the

effort. It would be easy to conclude that "subliminals don't work" and give up.

While subliminal programming is highly effective, there are factors to be

considered to ensure success. Some of the basics are outlined below:

- Embedded messages. Since it is almost impossible to determine the

messages used, it is always prudent to ask the source to give you a copy of the

script. In our sample case, the user needs to ensure that the subliminal

recording employs self-esteem affirmations targeting this area of concern.

- Requirements. Some subliminals are best listened to using headphones,

while others can be played just like ordinary music. This technicality must be

explicitly defined when you acquire your copy, otherwise you may be unable to

maximize the true potential of this wonderful tool.

- Frequency and duration. This should come with the instructions on how to use

the recording to achieve desired results. Once you know the details, you can

begin to determine your progress and adjust accordingly.

Reprogramming the subconscious takes time, and results are commonly

observed after about 21 - 28 days. As a rule of thumb, it is advisable to allocate

personal development tools at least a month before looking for real tangible

results.

The goal of subliminal programming is to effect transformation from within.

When this begins to occur, you may feel an unexplained discomfort or

uneasiness, a natural manifestation of resistance to change. It is a reliable sign

telling you that improvement is currently taking place. This period of adjustment

is important and becomes your defining moment of success or failure.

Like any other self improvement programs, you are presented with two roads to

take - the old familiar way, and the new unexplored path. If you hate discomfort

and stop doing it, you will find yourself back in your "old familiar way." This is the

deception of the "comfort zone" which is the cause of many failures. If you

resist and persist, you will soon discover the wonders of the "new unexplored

path." When you do, success can be yours!

How to Keep Control of Your Life by Setting Boundaries

Often people are severely stressed, not because of their hectic work schedules or busy lives, rather they are stressed because of other people. How so? When someone has people who are dependent on them for whatever reason, he or she is essentially giving up a piece of themselves. The best illustration is a parent - child relationship. Children depend on their parent(s) and so the parents are no longer living for themselves, but for the children as well.

However, this dependency is not only limited to children. It can be coworkers, friends or extended family members. Separate this dependency from that of a positional leadership role. This dependency is more or less when people seek you out for help because you are readily available. You are easily accessible. This might take the form of constant phone calls or requests for favors. Someone might be going through some rough times and they need you to be there for them. While it is a good thing to be there for others, and to help whenever you can, you must also keep control of you.

There is a line that separates being there for others and giving up control of your life to others.

The objective is to keep control. You release control of your life to others, when your time is spent meeting their needs. You can only give out what you have inside. If you are being depleted internally by trying to meet the needs of others, then stress is inevitable. You are essentially a pressure cooker, and the pressure is going to need to be released. Often the release of the pressure is not in controlled small increments.

To keep control of your life requires you to set boundaries. A simple illustration of a boundary is setting a time of the day or night when you will not accept phone calls. For example, there will be no phone calls accepted during dinner time from (5pm to 7pm) or after 10pm or before 7am. Setting boundaries may seem harsh to the other person. However, you are basically empowering them to solve their own problems. As long as you play the role of savior to others, they will treat you as such. That is never a healthy relationship. Even children are taught to solve problems on their own, so that when they leave their parents' home, they are equipped to make it in the world.

The small word, NO, is a very powerful word. The problem is that many people have trouble using that word. However, to keep control of your life, the word NO, needs to be used. If you loose control of your life, then the little bit of help you are giving to others is not of the best quality. That is because you are depleted. So it is not only in your interest that you keep control, but it is in the interest of others as well.

Can The Power Of Positive Thinking Really Change Your Outlook On Life?

While everybody has probably heard of the term positive thinking, not everybody believes it is something that can be used successfully. Most of the people who are skeptic about positive thinking power have never tried using it, so they just don't understand just how successful it can be nor do they understand how powerful positive thinking is. Positive thinking alone can change your entire outlook on life and so much more, if it is used correctly.

One of the best things about positive thinking being powerful enough to change your outlook on life is how much other stuff will change with it. People who sit back and focus on the negative aspects of life are often negative people; they are not very fun to be around. If you think about it, you probably have a few acquaintances that are always being negative, saying stuff can't be done. These people tell themselves often enough that things can't be done, so they have convinced themselves that it is impossible to do.

Something else interesting to note about positive thinkers is that they are the ones that people always want to be around. If you think about this, it probably already makes sense to you. Nobody wants to be around the negative people, but everybody wants to be around positive people. One reason why positive people are so fun to be around is that they are always happy and in an upbeat mood. These moods actually rub off and other people and make them feel good, which is why so many people like to surround themselves with positive thinking people. So in order to use positive thinking power to change your outlook on life you not only have to start using it, but you also need to surround yourself with other positive thinkers.

In order to begin using positive thinking to change your outlook on life you will need to learn how to use it effectively. Many people assume that all there is to using positive thinking is telling yourself a few positive words each day. However, in order to use positive thinking to its full advantage there are quite a few different things that you need to do. Positive thinking is more than just telling yourself that things are going to be fine, it is also about your attitude.

One of the most important things to do when using positive thinking is to only use positive words. This not only applies to your thoughts, but also any words spoken aloud. You want to avoid all of the negative words, such as cannot, will not, not able to, etc. Instead, focus on the positive words that make it seem like anything is possible. For example instead of saying I am not sure I can do something say I can do this. If you find a negative thought coming in, which is possible even if you are working hard, you simply need to redirect your line of thinking, kind of like that old saying "Turn that frown upside down."

Before you go out to do something, no matter how small the task might be, you will want to take the time to visualize what it is you will be doing. When visualizing the plan you want to visualize one that has a successful outcome, don't think about any kind of failure. Concentrating on the outcome that you want and having faith that you can make that outcome happen is the best thing you can do to ensure you are successful.

Moreover, most importantly you want to surround yourself with other positive people, but also other positive things. For example, instead of watching movies that make you feel sad or angry watch movies that make you happy. Reading inspirational books is another huge step to changing your outlook on life, but you can also read other books that make you happy. Just make sure you are reading one page of an inspirational book each day to help flood your mind with those positive and happy thoughts.

Now that you know how to use positive thinking effectively, you need to make sure that you are doing it properly. You are not going to be able to successfully change your outlook on life simply by spending a few minutes each day telling yourself that things are going to be fine, you have to put some time and energy into this process in order to be successful. So what are you waiting for go out there and get started!

Fantastic Opportunity - Unleash the Power Within 2014 - London - Buy 1 get 1 Free until end of May 2013

Just had to let you know about this event in case you did not already know, and until the 31st May you can buy one ticket and get one free.  Hope to see you there!

The Power of Decisions

I want to talk a little bit about the concept of decisions. When you think about any change that you've ever made in your life, didn't it really happen the moment you made a decision? Now sometimes we say, "Oh it's hard to change, it took me forever to change." Usually what takes forever is getting yourself to the point of deciding. It's the "getting ready to get ready to change" that's takes so long. You really didn't make any changes until you decided to change.

So you can say today, "That's it! I'm done. I'm never going to do that again" or "this is the way I'm going to be from now on." It's the power of a decision. No change was ever made in anybody's life without first deciding. Once you make a decision then you can move forward. A lot of times you say, "Oh it's so hard to change, it's so hard to do this, it's so hard to do that" but really it's not hard because you're really not doing it yet, you're really not making any effort until you decide.

The decision - when things begin to happen

Once you have made that decision, things start to happen in your life. Making that one single decision, saying from this point on, from this time, this minute, this second, I am going in that direction. I am no longer going in the direction I was going. I have turned my life. I am headed in a new direction and everything I do and everything I say and everything I feel is different. This gets you on the road. You won't totally change your life in a day but you will be amazed at how quickly you move in that direction.

Think for a moment about the story that Charles Dickens wrote, A Christmas Carol. Think about Scrooge. Think about what happened to him, how in an instant his life changed. After he was shown all the pain and misery of his past and the mistakes that he had made, and the person that he had become, and then as he looked into the future and was shown what his future would be if he continued on that path, if he continued in that direction - he made a decision, in an instant. He changed his direction. He changed his glasses, his lenses that he sees his life through. Suddenly everything changed.

Can you change in an instant?

Is it possible for a person to change in an instant? I believe it is. Think about Scrooge and how he changed in an instant. He totally changed his direction. He became a different person. Now, did everything change in his life all at once? No! But his direction changed and the lens through which he looked at life changed. The lens through which he made decisions, his feelings, his actions changed by changing that lens that he looked through or the direction that he was headed in his life. Everything changed and he was now on the road in a different direction to a different life, to becoming a different person. You can do the same. You can make that change.

Now you don't have to have spirits come to you in the night to show you the mistakes you have made in the past. You can do that on your own. Review the past, review the pain that you've had in your life by going the direction you're going right now. Think about all the pain you've suffered through, all the opportunities that you've missed because of the actions and direction you've taken in your life. Think about where you could have been now. Think about your future. Think about a year into the future.

Ponder your future

If you continue on the road that you are on now where will you be one year from now? Will you be any better of a person? Will you continue down hill? What about five years from now, where will you be if you continue on this road that you're headed without changing? What will your life be like? Is that where you want to be? Is that where you want to go? Experience the pain of this. Think about it. What kind of a life do you want? What kind of person do you want to be? Do you want to continue heading in the direction that you're heading right now? Is that what you want? No!

As you experience this pain of your past mistakes and what it will mean to you in the future if you don't make any changes - let it sink deep down into your heart, into your mind, into your emotions. Feel this pain and make a decision now, at this moment, that you will not put up with this any more, that you will not live another second in this world headed in that direction, that you are tired of tripping up, falling down, making mistakes, following the easy path and suffering the misery from this. You want better things in life.

You know deep down inside of you is a different person, a better person, a great person, a person with potential. The real you is deep down inside you. You know who the real you is and it's trying to get out. Why not let him out now? Defeat the old "you" and let the new "you" out, the real you out. You can do all this with the power of decisions.

Look Up! - The Power Of Expectations

"We will always tend to fulfill our own expectation of ourselves" - Brian Tracy

As we know, UP is a direction. More importantly, it is a direction that we want to go. The first step in moving UP is to set our sights beyond our current circumstances. Inherent in the definition of UP is that it never stops. There is always one more rung on the ladder, one more battle to fight, one more person to help, and one more analogy to make. So, wherever we are today, we have room to improve.

What's holding us back? One of the main things keeping us from achieving more is that our expectations are set too low. When an expectation is set, our minds are so powerful and complex that our actions immediately begin to line up with that expectation. Robert K. Merton coined the phrase "self-fulfilling prophecy" to describe this phenomenon in his 1957 book Social Theory and Social Structure. Wikipedia defines a self-fulfilling prophecy as "a prediction that, in being made, actually causes itself to become true".

My Fair Lady. In George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion, Eliza Doolittle is transformed from a Cockney flower girl to a lady. What made the difference? The image that she had of herself changed when others treated her differently. Colonel Pickering called her "Miss Doolittle," which Liza says began to teach her self-respect. She explained to Colonel Pickering, "The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she's treated. I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treated me as a flower girl, and always will, but I know I can be a lady to you because you always treat me as a lady, and always will."

We See It Every Day. Most of us have observed the power of expectations with a familiar example. A co-worker mentions to us late in the day that they think that they're coming down with a cold. We may respond with something like, "I've heard there's something going around". We could even say, "You look all right to me". It really doesn't matter what we say at that point as the person really expects to get sick. Sure enough, the next day, they call into work sounding just awful announcing that there is no possible way they could work today.

"You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them." - Michael Jordan

"Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact." - William James

Who Cares? Who cares enough about us to impose expectations upon us? The obvious answer is friends and family. Often, these expecations are normal and positive. For example, if our spouse expects us to be home to have dinner with the family, this could be a wonderful norm. Since we care about our friends and family, they have more power than anyone else to influence our own opinion of our ability. Frequently, well-meaning relatives will deter someone from pursuing their true life purpose.

One of the ways that this happens is by planting doubt. Let's say we truly believe that we have an ability to write. We also have a desire to pursue writing as a career. In subtle ways, some of our friends and family begin to plant doubts about our skills or the opportunities in this career path. They may think that they are protecting us; however, sometimes, the result is that we choose another path that we perceive to be less risky.

What About Me? That's right, we are the most important person in our lives in determining our place in this world. We are constantly comparing ourselves to others. We hear our own voice more than any other. So, what are we saying to ourselves? If we are saying that we can do it, we are much more likely to dismiss evidence to the contrary. Take one of the most famous historical examples, how successful would David have been against Goliath if he were talking defeat to himself? It's possible that he would have been unsuccessful if he had not been rehearsing his past successes in killing the lion and the bear with his bare hands.

Aside from the people in our inner circle of influence, there are others that have the ability to set expectations for us, if we give them the power. We just need to be aware that this occurs. Sometimes, we are more likely to change our opinion of ourselves because someone that we respect has a different viewpoint. Instead of taking their word for it, we must evaluate their opinion as objectively as possible. We don't want to close ourselves off from change, however, we do want to make sure that any change is a conscious choice.

When Did I Choose? Unfortunately for many, the past controls the present. For others, concerns about the future significantly impact their current view. If the past is controlling us, it is generally in the form of guilt. In the case of guilt, we don't feel worthy of success because of what we've done or haven't done. As hard as it may be, we must let go of our feelings of unworthiness. Additionally, we must forgive anyone for anything that is eating away at us. Unforgiveness doesn't affect the other person as much as it affects us. In fact, we would be shocked to find out how little time people think about us.

If the future is controlling us, it is generally in the form of anxiety. The Bible tells us with good reason in Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Fear of the future has the ability to immobilize us in the present. More than causing us to be ineffective, guilt and anxiety have been linked to many health risks including heart disease, ulcers, and degraded immune system.

From this, we surmise that the only appropriate time to set our expectations is in the present. While we must consider our experiences and education from the past as well as our dreams and goals for the future, the only time that we can actually take action is now. The great news in looking up from where we are is that we can change where we're going.

"We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake... by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. - Henry David Thoreau, Walden, from "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For"

Could You Learn To Unleash The Power Within?

Anthony Robbins' flagship seminar, Unleash The Power Within (UPW), might seem like it's a scam at first glance. I was certainly skeptical when I heard about this program. According to Robbins, every one of us has a power inside that can help us attain our dreams, as long as we know how to use it.

If you think that sounds like a lot of new age mumbo jumbo, you're not alone, but there's truth to that statement, no matter how silly it might seem when you first encounter it. Most of us look outside ourselves for answers, but that gives away our power. What we need to do is learn to look inside ourselves to find the power we could be using to reach our fullest potential.

Unleash The Power Within is Anthony Robbins' flagship seminar for a reason. Take a look at it to see what it could do for you. It can tell you a lot about the powers you aren't using to your fullest.

Did you know that what you believe could be holding you back? Lots of what happens to us, as well as the majority of things we do are based on the things that we believe about ourselves. These stories we tell ourselves are the thing that's holding so many of us back, because they bring insecurity, fear and doubt along with them.

No one should have to be a victim of their own stories. I've learned how to examine by beliefs and expand my sense of self worth to become a person with greater productivity and drive to succeed, as well as a better self image. It might not be the easiest path to follow, but I'd be pretty suspicious of any problem that says it has a magic fix.

Many people have changed their lives based on what they've learned from Anthony Robbins' UPW, allowing them to start their dream businesses, get out of debt, and make their lives better in general. There's more than thirty years of experience based around this seminar, and all of that experience can be a big help to us.

This is a seminar that helps people redesign their lives, instead of just leaving everything up to hope and change. We can forget the patterns we've locked ourselves into for most of our lives. Changing what goes on outside really can't happen until we've managed to change ourselves inside.

If you've been feeling like you're going nowhere, maybe you just need to discover how to use your inner power. Take a look at Unleash The Power Within to find out how to do that. Even if you're still not certain, you should take the time to find out more so you can make your own decisions.

Self Help Techniques For Self Development

There was once an old farmer in America's deep South, Who Struggled everyday to make ends meet. When The Oil Companies started to drill for oil in the communities surrounding his land, He was approached but refused them permission to drill. He didnt want his neighbours and fellow farmers to consider him desperate and willing to give up his core business for a chance for a quick return. However,the oil companies kept asking him and, eventually, after a particularly bad harvest, He Agreed. The Test driiling gave some good results, so they bore a hole and set up a well.Which was known as Spindle Top.

Apparently When you strike Oil, It blows the top off 'the derrick'. When Spindle Top Struck oil It destroyed 'The Derrick'. At that time is was the biggest Oil Find in American History. The Farmer became A Multimillionaire.

Here's the message. The Farmer was already a multimillionaire. He had been walking across millions of dollars of assets every single day of his life. His father had been wlking across millions of dollars of assets everyday. The diffrence came about when the farmer was persuaded to take action.

So the question is Do You Have A Spindle Top? What success story lies beneath you just waiting to be drilled and taken to market? What Are you missing because you cannot get out of bed early enough or drag yourself away from the Tv? If You Think 'If i knew i had a 'Spindle Top' I Would Find all the motivation i needed to get to work, You'd be correct and you'd flourish right up to the first challenge; And then what would happen. People who are motivated get things done, they find a way and they create energy.

One of the primary reasons people lack motivation is they believe they dont have the energy. Now Notice i said 'believe' they don't have the energy. Your Body and mind is amazing it stores energy. So even when you think your tired there is still loads of energy reserved. The Key is that when you think you cant change that is the moment you need to change? Say I Must, then physically move, give your fingers a wiggle, feet a shake, stand up and move around. Your mind and thoughts work in exactly the same way.Because the real key to motivation is to find a big enough reason 'WHY'Just think for one secound and see if you can think of the top three things that really motivate you in life.

Is The Fear of Change Holding You Back?

"Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and

discomforts." - Arnold Bennett

One of the biggest issues which have been cropping up consistently with my clients lately is that of accepting and even embracing change. Even when they know that the converting over to a new way of doing things will eventually in the long run save them time and money to say nothing of alleviating stress in their lives, they continue to kick and scream every inch of the way.

I believe the first thing you need to do in order to embrace change gracefully is to find out why you're experiencing such an adverse reaction to this new request. For example, are you afraid of failure? Having a hard time trusting yourself to go through with the process, as in "Why bother? Nothing ever changes." These conditions are all due to issues of low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, and resignation which you'll need to work on at some point, but let's take a look at the bigger picture here of why you're fighting this change so hard.

At what point in your life did you become so entrenched in the 'But that's the way we've always done it' dumpster? I know there are a lot of people who subscribe to the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" choir, but that saying has one major flaw in it: what IF it can be improved by making a few changes? Should you just sit blindly by and do nothing because you're afraid of the work you'll need to do to modify something? No way!

Here's the thing about change. With change comes confusion, uncertainty, chaos, and not having all the answers. And not having all the answers is the thing that really rocks our boat. Because when we have all the answers, we can deal with those changes and it feels safe. Ah, but herein lies the kicker....there's no room for growth there and you succumb to mediocrity and ultimately fade into the woodwork so to speak.

Change is the very thing that adds spice to our everyday life. Picture this: if you ate one kind of cereal every morning for 40 years, don't you think you'd be a little bit tired of eating it at around day 14,610? (By the way, that number includes an extra 10 days for Leap years.) I'm pretty sure you just nodded your head yes at that one, right?

Change is the determining factor between having a thriving and bountiful life and business, or one that is merely existing and taking up space on the planet. Yes, change is hard to adapt to, and yes, it's uncomfortable when you're going through it - most of the best things in life do cause us some twinges of pain - but you need to realize that the immediate discomfort will soon pass.

So, the next time you're faced with any type of change, ask yourself these two questions:

1. What will the end result look like once I embrace this change and reach the goalpost?

2. If I do this now, what added benefits will it bring to my overall life?

We're talking 'big picture' here folks. Think bigger - you just might like it!

Procrastinating because of procrastination

Not doing or delaying of a task which is most often directly linked to perfectionism. A consequence of procrastination is that it often makes us feel higher levels of stress and guilt. A procrastinator typically produces less than their colleagues and are able to make a calamity from thin air. In some cases they do get angry with others as they can't fulfill their commitments as agreed. It is not unusual for most people to procrastinate sometimes but it might become a problem if it starts to affect their normal every day functions in life. People who suffer from serious procrastination might be suffering from an underlying psychological or physiological disorder to.

The word procrastination originates from the Latin {words of|] "Pro" which means forward and "Crastinus" which means of tomorrow. Many people through history have produced quotes on the subject of procrastination, for example...Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.

The are various causes with the psychological type of procrastination but normally the person with the condition to experience the following:-

1. Anxious 2. Low self esteem 3. Self defeating mentality

Often a procrastinator will have a higher than normal level of conscientiousness based on their inclination to be perfect or being an achiever. This is in complete contrast to their appreciation of their obligations and potential are. Unfortunately this can mean that they sometimes unconsciously over or underestimate the scale of the project in hand.

Researchers have looked into the physiological aspects of procrastination. Focussing in relation to the function of the prefrontal cortex of the human brain. This is responsible for executive functions like planning, impulse control, and attention and,it also behaves like a filter by reducing the amount of stimuli that can distract other parts of the brain. Should there be damage or low activation in this area of the brain then it it is likely to reduce a person's ability to disregard such stimuli that is likely to distract them. The end result is that they are poorly organized, they are usually less attentive and their susceptibility to procrastination will be increased.

It is then that expectation which was once non urgent higher up the list of things to complete and will soon become a priority. This means the procrastinator will become subject to all tasks that are urgent and because he is unable to establish any prior ties in order to get complete any task. In this case such people are often to be found spending time on tasks which are neither urgent or a priority as an escape from the stresses caused by the important tasks they are ignoring.

The procrastinator needs to understand that only by organizing their work routine and planning every day before committing to any action. It is important that they allocate time first thing each day to create a plan of action {of|for|covering) the tasks that they {need|have) to complete the following day. If they can then divide these tasks up into smaller parts in order to get the job done. Finishing a project can help relieve the effects of procrastination that they are feeling, once a procrastinator completes a hard project it can help release their abilities, the biggest problem is getting them to that point.

What Is The Value Of One Great Idea?

What is the value of “one great idea” on personal development? Priceless in my opinion. When I really look back at the things which have helped me with success and happiness, it really comes down to a few key ideas and concepts that just “clicked” at one point in my life. The funny thing is that a life changing concept for me will often be practically ignored when shared with another. Everyone is unique as to what concepts are most needed in their life, and their readiness to receive it. Each of us needs to find those ideas which are going to take us to the next level in our own personal development. And I believe there always is a next level.

I don’t mean to diminish the importance of basic values, this is foundational to personal growth and happiness, and I believe having some spiritual beliefs is important here. But the key thing is that all these techniques such as affirmations, hypnosis, inspirational stories, motivational speeches, etc. only go so far. Real, substantial change only happens with a great idea which fundamentally changes the way you act and think. I don’t just mean a “nice idea”, rather one that just hits home with you, and helps you look at life differently or changes your behavior.

When I read a personal development book, I’m happy if I just get one great idea out of the entire book, this sadly isn’t always the case. Sometimes a great idea will hit me in the early part of a book, and I’ll set the book aside until I can fully process the idea in my mind. Great books are this way, full of so many great ideas that reading too much in one sitting is a bad idea! But great ideas don’t need to only come from books, they can come from so many sources, perhaps even a friend or co-worker.

How can we better leverage this concept in our lives? Keep a journal and write down special ideas as you come across them. Just trust yourself if an idea seems like it hits home for you. If it doesn’t feel right for you, just pass it by, even if it came from a super successful person. What’s right for one person may not be right for you, we are all unique human beings, although it’s wise to listen carefully to a successful person who you’d like to be like. Take notes about how this idea might help you in your own life. Otherwise you risk forgetting about it if you aren’t applying it regularly. My grandfather kept a little black book of ideas and quotes he wrote down, and when he passed away it meant a lot to me that I was able to have this and read the wisdoms he had collected during his long life as a minister.

I think one of the reasons people like quotations is because they sum up a great idea from a famous person in one or two sentences. Develop your own “life quotations” which express your personal great ideas and beliefs you wish to live your life by. Own these personal quotes by writing them down, and live them by practicing them.

A belief is simply an idea which you have 100% certainty in, so the trick is converting an idea to a belief through successful application of the idea. If you’re not sure an idea will work for you, just dive right in and give it a try, just thinking about it will usually get you nowhere!

Become Successful In Body, Mind, Spirit, and Skill By Using Personal Development

Have you heard of Personal Development Programs? Are you interested in taking the path to personal growth and success?

What is personal development? Quite simply, it is a focus on the self and the development of your mind, skills, body and spirit.

Personal development cleans out the dusty corners of procrastination and stagnation and replaces them with clean, well-organized plans for the future.

You can hire a Personal Coach to help you straighten out your priorities and focus on your strengths. You can hire a Personal Trainer to help you develop your body.

When you set a goal for personal development, you usually focus on a number of areas:

Time Management vs. Procrastination 
Learning to control your time by setting a schedule and listing action items to accomplish. Setting a schedule and sticking to it so you don’t keep putting things off.

Organization and Productivity 
Organizing your house and your life so that you can find things. Get rid of things you don’t need and never use. Get productive by delegating things YOU don’t need to do yourself, and by prioritizing the things you have to do, so that the important things get done first.

Goals and Milestones 
Establish WRITTEN goals and assign dates to the goals. If they are long-term goals, establish milestones along the way so that you can achieve smaller goals and work toward the long-term final goal.

Values and Ethics
Write down your personal values. What is it that you hold dear? What matters the most to you in life and what values and ethical standards do you want to preserve? Add to these as you think of more things you want to capture on paper.

Good Health and Fitness
Work on your diet, exercise and lifestyle to preserve good health. This good health preserves mental clarity and physical vibrancy so that you can achieve your other goals.

Spirituality and Relationships
Focus on your family, friends, and co-workers and envision how you want your relationships to grow and thrive. Consider your spiritual side and delve into meditation or study philosophy or Eastern religions as a way to expand into deeper thought and consider the meaning of your life and your journey.

A Personal Coach will help you structure your personal development program and guide you through the steps to achieve your goals.

But, you can certainly do this on your own. There are self-study programs and books and articles on the subject. Armed with nothing more than a list of the personal areas you want to address, you can make your own lists, and begin to record your thoughts about personal priorities and defining your own success.

Personal Self Development - Coaching Yourself

The fact that you are reading this article probably means that you have an interest in your own personal development.

You may have come to the realization that you only have one life and a very finite time to make use of it and that you are the architect of your own destiny.

Certainly the fastest way to learn and achieve anything is to elicit the guidance of a mentor or coach. Their experience and knowledge will shortcut a lot of the trial and error that you will go through in reaching your goals.

However, if you would rather guide your own personal development by way of coaching yourself you must first consider what advantages, benefits and roles that a life coach would provide. By identifying these you can acquire the knowledge and resources necessary.

The main advantages and benefits of a coach are:

1) Provision of information and advice.
2) Plan development and goal setting assistance.
3) Accountability.
4) Assistance in overcoming obstacles.
5) Also it is often difficult to ascertain your real personal development needs when coaching yourself as it requires a thorough and critical self evaluation. That is certainly the value of a good coach as they have trained to present a program of progressive development.

You can overcome all of these issues by implementing a few simple strategies in your own personal development strategy.

First though I would like you to understand that a complete holistic personal development program should include and strive to develop the following areas of your life:

1) The emotional self; self esteem, self confidence, motivation to name a few.

The first place that any personal development strategy should start is ensuring that your self esteem is strong. Since all decision making is controlled by emotions we must develop our emotional selves with a strong sense of self acceptance and self appreciation.

Accept your failures as just feedback, learn to handle criticism; if it is constructive learn from it, if it is destructive dismiss it by acknowledging that it is all about them (the critic) not about you.

Learn to self evaluate yourself without criticism, look constructively at yourself and move on.

2) The intellect and knowledge base.

Knowledge is power and gives us the ability to achieve our goals. The fuel that drives you along the path of personal development is knowledge. When coaching yourself you must develop a disciplined approach to acquiring knowledge.

The internet has made available a huge resource for sourcing personal development information by way of blogs, DVDs, CDs, discussion groups, online courses and websites, this makes information readily available and very affordable.

To get the most from these resources constantly review the information, strive to get a full comprehension and understanding and always check the accuracy of the source material by looking for peer reviewed references.

3) The physical self; diet, exercise, life enhancing habits.

Eat well and reduce the stress in your life. Learn to meditate and ensure that you get adequate rest and sleep to recharge yourself. Avoid cigarettes, drugs and excess alcohol. Develop a consistent exercise regime; if you are unaccustomed to hard exercise start slow and gradually increase the intensity as it is the intensity that pays the biggest dividends.

4) The spiritual self.

Develop a comfortable relationship with yourself, the world and the universe. Whatever your belief system be comfortable with it and live it, however, if it doesn't seem right then feel OK about moving on and experiencing some other way, remember it is your life. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

5) Relationships.

In order to fully realize your own personal development you must look at your relationships, the people you associate with, and develop relationships that are positively motivating and that grow you.

Surround yourself with supportive and positive people and groups. They will enrich your life and open up doors for you.

6) The wealth area of your life.

In order to free you from the constant battle to acquire the basic needs of shelter, food, clothing and security you need money in this world. The amount of money is relative the life-style you wish to lead and the location you choose to live in. Develop a strict regime for living within your means and invest wisely in your future.

Once you have an understanding of the areas discussed above set goals and develop step by step plans to reach them. By having a target to aim for we are better equipped to determine what resources and information are necessary to reach it.

Develop a disciplined regime to follow and stick to the plan. Set yourself goals short, medium and long term. Always ascertain the cost of achieving the goal so that you can make sure that you are prepared to pay the price for achieving it.

We really work best when we are in line with our values and our passions. We can determine these by asking ourselves what we value the most in life and what are we truly passionate about. Write down the first 7-10 answers and then compare them with each other by asking yourself if you could have all of one and none of the other which would you choose. Compare each answer to the others and put the highest value at the top and list the rest down to the least valuable at the bottom. This exercise will really get to your core values.

Here are a few additional tips that you should implement in your program of personal development when coaching yourself:

Learn to listen and read actively. Don't just hear the words or look at them think about what is being communicated, question it and fully comprehend the meaning. Learn to think between the words and to get to the real essence behind the information.

Appreciate yourself for your successes; keep a success journal and review it constantly.

Take personal responsibility and accountability for yourself and your actions.

Above all take action; all the talk, training, going to seminars will get you nowhere unless you take action. One of the ways to overcome procrastination is to just start to do something, by starting we tend to keep going.

Paying attention to these simple guidelines will go a long way in assisting you in coaching yourself in your personal development.