Monthly Archives: September 2011

Break An Egg For Creativity

Posted by admin on 09/29/2011 None comments

In 1420, the dignitaries of Florence held a competition.

They offered the enormous prize of 200 gold florins to the architect whose genius could span the unfinished dome of the Florence Cathedral.

This was a great challenge. Even the original builders of the cathedral in 1296 left writings hoping that God would offer a solution because they did not have one.

Filippo Brunelleschi was the answer to their prayers.

He proposed the radical idea of a dome supported by a brick vaulting system that balanced the opposing forces, but without the customary central supports.

The experts called him mad.

Brunelleschi sought to demonstrate his design with a challenge.

He could stand an egg upright on a flat surface. Could they?

All were unsuccessful.

Finally, Brunelleschi cracked the bottom of the egg and set it down.

It must have been a mess, but it stood upright and demonstrated his idea.

The experts protested, but Brunelleschi remarked that they could have

done the same if they had understood his design.

Of course, they did not. They didn’t understand creativity either.

They were too mentally confined by their concept of the possible. Figuratively and literally, the thought of solving the problem by breaking the egg never occurred to them.

One imagines their frustration trying to balance the round egg on the marble tabletop and their groans when Brunelleschi demonstrated the sloppy, but clever solution.

We all have eggs we never think of breaking.

These are the fixed states of mind that we accept without question as “the way things are.” These states represent the boundaries of our thinking and, therefore, our life experience.

Refuse to be confined by the eggs others never think of breaking.

Geniuses break eggs.

Break your share.

That’s why they make paper towels.

Copyright 2004 by Tony Papajohn. Tony writes and speaks on success. Subscribe to his free SuccessMotivator e-zine at http://www.successmotivator.com.

You Need To Start To Like Yourself

Posted by admin on 09/29/2011 None comments

If you have a very low self esteem or a lack of self-confidence you may be seeking help to gain extra confidence.

I was somebody who had a severe confidence crisis from the ages of four until the age of around twenty two.

At the age of twenty two I started on a mission of self improvement and to try to make myself increase happiness levels in my own life.

I started reading various books and articles on increasing confidence and gaining self esteem.

In one of the books, it had a chapter on what was named, “You have to start to like yourself”.

It started by saying that there are probably some things in your life and about your person that you are not happy with. Some of these you are unable to change, therefore however hard it might be, you have to accept them,

and even try to start to like them. Other things about your life or your person which you are not happy with you are able to change, therefore however hard it might be you have to work towards changing them.

The things I was not happy with was:My weight, this can be changed. Being overweight was mainly my fault, my diet and lack of exercise.

I had a bald patch on my head, this is something which I believed could not be changed, therefore I had to accept it.

I am quite short for a male, this is something which I am unable to change.

I had a severe stutter, this was something which after a lot of hard work I managed to overcome.

Stephen Hill

Stephen Hill is from Birmingham. He has a couple of websites at http://www.gain-confidence.co.uk and http:http://www.stutter-stuttering.com

The Next 3 Secrets to Boosting Your Creativity

Posted by admin on 09/28/2011 None comments

Last month I gave you my first three secrets to how I boosted my own creativity. I hope you have been taking full advantage of the information. Now I will reveal three more secrets that will bring your creativity up another notch. Are you ready?

Unlearn your creativity blockers. Our parents and teachers taught us what they thought was good for us and what they thought we needed to succeed. And most of the time, they do a great job. However, we live in a society where conformity is valued, and so in preparing us to succeed here, they also imparted lessons that block our creative spirits. So, if you want to boost your creativity, it’s time to unlearn some of these.

1. It’s good to be practical and sensible

Starting from early childhood, most of us have been trained to be sensible and practical. Now it is time to unlearn some of these lessons, especially if you want to become freer in your creativity. When you are working on coming up with a creative new idea, or a creative solution to a problem, you must suspend whatever judgment you have been programmed to make regarding the practicality of the idea until much later. A corollary to this point is to also ignore judgments of others while you are in the process of creating.

Do you wonder if people questioned Edison’s sanity when he started working on the light bulb? What do you think would have happened if Edison paid attention to what others were telling him? I am convinced that Edison himself at times doubted the practicality of his idea. But he didn’t give in to that judgment, and because of that, we are not still sitting here reading by candlelight.

You don’t have to boost your creativity to the level of Edison’s. However, I would not be the least bit surprised if you’ve had some pretty darn good ideas in the past you dropped because you felt they were impractical. Start giving these ideas some time to incubate and see what happens.

2. Be serious and productive

In his book, Roger Von Oech wrote: “If necessity is the mother of invention, play is the father. Use it to fertilize your thinking.” Obviously then, the advice

is to allow yourself to play with ideas.

Did you think you were more creative when you were a kid? I certainly thought that of myself. Recall the wonderful games and stories you came up with while playing with friends when you allowed your imagination to run free? It wasn’t hard to be creative then, was it?

I am not a computer game fan, but I have seen examples of some of them, and I believe the images in these games are definitely some of the most creative designs I have ever seen. There is just something about play that sparks our creativity. So, let yourself play with ideas and problems. Don’t ignore the fact that some of the most inventive ideas came from playing around with something and adapting it to a new application. So, take my advice, and spend time playing. You can be serious later.

3. Follow the rules

I am not advocating that you abandon all protocol and act irresponsibly. However, our training to automatically follow rules all the time is detrimental to the creative process.

Have you ever considered that most rules are made up in the first place and that the situation and conditions might have changed so much that certain rules don’t apply anymore? Question your assumptions and the rules you unconsciously apply to your situation and/or challenges and see what happens to your thinking.

What rules did Dell break? What about Google? If the leaders at these companies stuck with the old rules of business, would they be as successful today? So, don’t worry about breaking a few rules when you are focusing on creating something new and exciting.

This installment is focusing on unlearning lessons that block our creativity. I have one more installment in this series where I will share my last three secrets. Stay tuned. In the meantime, be silly, play and break a few rules.

Copyright 2005 Inez Ng

Are your business results suffering due to an ineffective leadership team? Find out what coaching with Inez Ng can do for your leadership team at http://www.Realizationsunltd.com You can receive helpful articles like this each month by joining her list. Want to know about saving time handling emails? Check out her ebook at http://easyemailstrategies.com

Managing Your Fears and Anxieties With The Help of God

Posted by admin on 09/28/2011 None comments

Dealing with fear and anxiety can be very difficult. As a result, using the help of God can be very effective in managing your fears. With this in mind, here are some suggestions on how a person can use the help of God in his or her own struggles.

The first step a person should do is to start talking and praying to God. A person can go to church or to a quiet place during the day to tell God that they are having a problem. They should tell God how they feel and ask God for some of his help. A person could also review the Bible and read some articles on trusting in God and then apply these concepts in their life. Each and every day, a person should make it up a habit to talk to God and ask for his help.

When using the help of God to manage your fears, a person needs to be aware of how God is working in their life. Most of the time God works in mysterious ways and the answers he provides might not be that obvious. A person must be aware of God being in their life even when they are dealing with their fears

and anxieties.

A person must also be sensitive to the answers God gives them. Some people think that the answers that God provides must be religious in nature. That is not always the case. God may provide the answers in a way that might not be religious in nature. These answers could involve basic psychology and cognitive techniques that deals with how to manage fear and anxiety. The point to remember is that although a person may use these psychology methods, its important to use God/Jesus as the center of everything in your life and in your struggle.

Finally, the most important thing is to continue praying and talking to God. Talk to God as if you were talking to a friend. Read the Bible and pray hard. Be persistent and be open in the avenues that God may provide to you in solving your problem. It is not always easy, however God is in control and he will help you if you ask him.

Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear” an easy to read book that presents a overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com

When Your To Do List is Longer Than Your Day

Posted by admin on 09/27/2011 None comments

Time management is not about managing time. Time is a constant, it does not change. The only thing we can change is the management of ourselves. So, if it’s the end of the day and you’re only halfway through your To-Do list, it is time to upgrade your self-management skills.

Are you being efficient as opposed to being effective? People typically do the small easy tasks first but often run out of time to then handle the larger more difficult and maybe the more important ones. Are there some days that you get through your list and feel like you haven’t been productive, and other days when you complete only 2 or 3 items and feel very accomplished? Those 2 or 3 things were probably the important ones.

The important tasks are the ones that move you toward your goals; these should be your priorities. The question to ask yourself is “What is the most effective thing I can do right now?”

As you go through your list, you have choices of what actions to take with each item. One system that works well is the 3D system – Do it, Delegate it, or Dump it. The Do items are those important priority items – your priority. Do them now. Do them completely. Completion is important, as most people spend major amounts of time and energy on things that were not previously handled completely. Everything from a cluttered office to damaged relationships are examples of incompletions. (How much time is spent looking for misplaced papers in that clutter, or thinking about what you should have said to that person?). If these things had been taken care of completely in the past, a lot more time and energy would be available to handle your priority items in the present. Awareness of what is not complete in your life is a good first step to becoming more effective.

You can choose to delegate some of the important items on your list, when you know that someone else can do them as well or better than you can. Know your strengths and surround yourself with people who are strong in your weaker areas; then delegate.There are people who have difficulty delegating because they want to rescue everyone, not burden them, and handle everything themselves. This can be exhausting for them and does not honor the

talents of others in the organization. It is a good idea, if possible, to replicate yourself in the organization. Train someone to fill your shoes before it is needed. You can then delegate to this person without having to manage them.

You can delegate to yourself until a later time, but make it a specific allotted time. Don’t just move the item to your next list, then the next, etc.

Outsourcing is also a great way to delegate when there is a project that requires special knowledge or resources and there is no appropriate expert within the organization. When a project is outsourced, you no longer own the responsibility for it and can move on to other tasks.

The last action choice for an item on your list is to dump it. These are the items that may be reappearing continuously, not getting done, and it doesn’t seem to matter. They may be things you are doing because “it’s always been done that way”. If you know a better way, use it. If you simply stop doing some of these things, see if it is noticed. You might be surprised.

Definite dump items are junk snail mail and unsolicited email. The 3D system works very well with email. Respond immediately, delegate it to yourself if you need to work on a response, or hit the delete key.

Another thing, which must be dumped from your day in order for you to be effective, is interruptions. Inform those around you when you are not to be disturbed, use voice mail, set aside time to receive and return phone calls, etc. Plan to have unscheduled time daily to handle any unexpected important items that may arise.

So, the not so secret keys to handling your To Do list are – keep your goals in mind, be effective vs. efficient, set up systems that work for you, do complete work, and get rid of time and energy drains. Take time at the end of each day to review and ask yourself if you are you closer to your goals.

Jean Charles is a business coach who mentors entrepreneurs, Couplepreneurs™, and independent practitioners to design their ideal business, create prosperity, and live their just right lives. She can be reached at jean@justrightcoach.com or on the web http://www.justrightcoach.com/. Check out her blog at http://www.prosperitythroughpartnership.blogspot.com.

Will You Be Part of the Bigger Picture?

Posted by admin on 09/27/2011 None comments

With all the media attention you’ve probably become aware that there is something huge going on in the world, but are you part of this bigger picture?

Day-to-day you’ll be busy contributing to your household: cleaning tidying, earning money and taking care of your partner’s and your children’s needs as best you can. On a home front you’ve probably got it sorted. The thing is, when you flick the TV on and catch the news occasionally, the images of this bigger picture flash up.

And you’ll probably not notice the bigger picture. This is because ordinary, everyday life can become ‘trance like’. When I say this I mean we do the same things at the same time of the day almost everyday of the week without even thinking – like Groundhog Day. It starts when we’re young and it’s what I call ‘conditioned logic’.

‘Conditioned logic’ can be stifling. It’s doing what you’ve been taught to do by parents, teachers, religious and political leaders, friends, peers and employers. And in this ‘conditioned-logic, trance’ we don’t really notice the bigger picture or even know what it is.

I coach many people. All of them come to me because they want to find their Life Purpose – that unique gift that they share in a distinctive way with the world. Once that’s been uncovered and they continue their journey with greater meaning and direction they become aware that they are not only a part of the bigger picture, but

have enormous power within it – in fact they become it.

People on a life purpose journey become some of the most powerful people around. As they resolve the issues and conflict within themselves they raise their consciousness to the cause and effect they have on their families. Their stroppy teenager becomes manageable, even helpful. Their stale relationships spark into new life and their career reaches beyond their dreams.

People on Life Purpose journeys become the bigger picture. They see the effect they are having in their community… or lack of it. They stop shutting their doors and hoping that neighbourhood problems will magically vanish. They become active – they not only participate in social change, they become the social change. Gently they lead others, by example or by voice, to newer and higher benchmarks and before you know it changes are happening personally, socially and environmentally.

Being part of the bigger picture and living purposefully is the most powerful way of living.

Will you be part of the bigger picture?

I hope so.

Best Wishes

Jo Ball

Coach & Founder, Unstoppable Life

Be part of the bigger picture. Join Jo Ball (LCA, Dip) at http://www.unstoppablelife.com and start to understand your life purpose. It’s simple to do. Her newsletter is full of tips stories, and tricks on living Life Purpose. It’s FREE to sign-up and she’ll send you an e-book, Simple Steps to Greater Happiness as a thank you for joining and give a FREE Life Purpose Report.

How to be a Leader at Work

Posted by admin on 09/26/2011 None comments

Whether you are a new manager or a master there is one rule you can’t disregard. You can not motivate someone. There is nothing you can do to motivate your associates. Either they are motivated or not. It is a stereotype but it’s true.

Motivation comes from inside, not outside. People are motivated as you. We all need food, clothes, benefits, good health care and security. Although you can’t do many things about benefits, you can provide to your employees performance standards clearly and honestly.

You can also give them freedom on how to do their job well and succeed at their work goals. Do not forget but it’s not only money people want in their job. They also want to feel appreciated, learn and master new skills and feeling that they contribute to the organization.

Your workers need some basic requirements in order to beeffective and produce results. They need proper equipment and tools, appropriate training and regular updates.

Be very clear about your expectations and objectives. Listen to your workers opinion and discuss every dicision has been made that affects their position and work. You must provide all the information to your workers and not hide anything.

Another extremely important issue is that you should fight, if necessary, with your seniors for your workers. Don’t let them on their own and fail. You will fail too as a result. Rewarding for their efforts is another way to gain their commitment and appreciation.

Actions are more effective than words. You should be theparadigm to your workers. Your behavior is that counts most, not what you say. Whatever you give to them the same you will get in your environment.

Be a

Leader instead of Boss. Leaders don’t push they pull. They don’t force, they persuade. The leader wins or loses with the team. The success of the leader is tied to the success of the team.

You authority will not come from your job title. It will come from people following you in the process by your example. You can’t claim yourself as a leader and ask to follow you. They decide to follow you because they want to go in the same direction you’re going.

Your goal is to create commitment not Obedience . Obedientworkers follow the rules work hard in front of you , do Only what it’s required to do and that’s it. When you leave, they stop working or do just the neccesary tasks and nothing more. Fear of yelling and rebuking is what leads their actions. You don’t want compliant subordinates.You want committed workers, who identify their self-interest with yours and with excellentjob performance. They’ll work just as hard and just as well when you’re not watching because they’re not working for you, they’re working with you.

You don’t want to control “subordinates.” You want to leadworkers. Subordinates require superiors. Workers requirecommitment and effort to achieve shared goals which leadersinspire.

Finally, You don’t give up your authority when you treat workers as equals and seek their commitment.You’re still in charge. You can’t evade your responsibilities as a manager even if you want to.

Christos Varsamis is a Business Marketer. Sign for your 15 day E-course at http://www.settinglifegoals.com. Get your other Free E-courses “How to Create Minisites That Make Money in Just 24 Hours Secrets of Internet Millionaires” at http://www.cbmallgr.com

Multi-tasking or Multi-excusing?

Posted by admin on 09/25/2011 None comments

I know you are familiar now with the excuses we put up for not getting things done, or worse, not even getting things started.

Today let’s talk about multi-tasking.

You know, the ability to use the same time period for completing one or more tasks.

It really is great. When you do it right.

And it also isn’t really new, though that particular term for it may be of a more recent invention.

Instead of thinking about this the hard way, just think of a stove.

You put a pot of water on the stove to boil. As it heats, the room also heats.

That’s multi-tasking. :-)

What bothers me most these days is the people who use multi-tasking, or the term anyway, as a reason excuse, for not getting things done, or not getting to other things.

And worse, as an excuse for not doing quality work.

It’s great to multi-task. And these days it’s almost a necessity,

but don’t hide behind it.

Here’s two things to consider before you multi- any task:

One: Can you really do this task as well, by only focusing on it partially instead of fully? And, is that good enough? — Might be. Sometimes is for me.

Two: Are you also multi-finishing?

If you are carrying on several tasks at the same time you should be finishing several tasks as well.

Get after it. Do lots of things. Tie them together when you can.

But make sure that the jobs that need your attention are getting that.

And that you are completing more tasks by doing this rather than using this as an excuse.

How about it?

Are you just multi-tasking?

Or multi-finishing?

Allen Williams is a professional educator, speaker and writer. Get a free subscription to the PowerMeUp Newsletter and Goal Setting and Getting Course with a bonus book for a limited time at: http://www.PowerMeUp.com Personal and Professional Growth

Adventures in Relieving the Stress in Your Home

Posted by admin on 09/24/2011 None comments

Energy from emotional and physical stress has a tendency to spread into your immediate environment. It can take away the feeling of sanctuary you need in order to relax and unwind. The good news is that you can get rid of that accumulation of negative energy. You can create a haven that you will feel happy, secure, and productive in. The following suggestions should help.

Let’s first define what your personal space is to you. It could be your entire home, apartment, bedroom, or even just the corner of your dorm room. For some, especially busy moms; the bathroom is the best space to retreat to for a few minutes of serenity. Whatever space you claim as your own, that’s the area we want to focus on.

Now we need to get a grip on any unnecessary clutter. Those ever-growing piles of papers and miscellaneous things to do won’t get any smaller until you take some action. Make a date with yourself, even if it’s only for 15 minutes a day and go through each and every item. Would you REALLY miss it if you didn’t have it? If your answer comes short of a very definite YES, then pitch it, recycle it, or donate it. You’ll be amazed at how much lighter and free you’ll feel once this is done!

When the de-cluttering process has been completed, get out your dust cloth and mop. Clean up all the spider webs and dust bunnies. Pay attention to windows too. Having a cleaner space will help you breathe easier and is a much healthier environment for body, mind, and soul. Please make sure you spend a little extra time in heavy traffic areas and the corners too.

Now that everything is nice and tidy, ask yourself what you have in your space that you enjoy looking at. Maybe it’s a beautiful view outside your window, or pictures of your family. Being able to focus visually on your favorite things will help encourage Happy Thoughts. Try to have at least one small item for this.

What about the lighting, is it harsh, or too dim? That is easy to adjust with either higher or lower watts of light bulbs. I’ve found 60 watt works the best for me, but you might want super bright 100 watt, or very dim 40 watt. It’s a matter of personal preference and is also very inexpensive to adjust to what you like the best. Nothing beats natural light through a window during the day, but you don’t have

to have a window to get the same effect. There are even light bulbs that offer a natural lighting feel in a room, though they are a bit more expensive. Candlelight adds some elegance and is excellent at burning away stressful feelings in a room. It also helps with aromatherapy; we will talk about that more a little later.

How does your space sound? Is there an accumulation of outside noises that distract you from being at peace? Sometimes running a fan or a white noise CD is the perfect block to outside noises. Try different types of music to enhance the ambience in your room. New age and classical music both have regenerative properties that work wonders on your mental state. I would suggest staying away from the television, especially during high stress times. Newscasts, soap operas, “real TV”, to name a few, will increase the levels of negativity in your environment. If you are set on the TV, try to pick the most positive programming you can find.

Aromatherapy is a vital element in creating your peaceful space. The part of your brain that detects smells is closely linked with the limbic part of your brain, which is your emotional center. Smells can evoke memories, good ones and bad ones; they can leave you feeling happy, sad, and every emotion in between. Aromatherapy goes back as far as Hippocrates, the Greek father of medicine, who strongly recommended the use of aromatic essential oils for their relaxing properties. A few relaxing, stress-relieving scents include:

· Cedarwood

· Chamomile

· Sage

· Rosemary

· Geranium

· Jasmine

· Lavender

· Lemongrass

· Orange

· Rose

· Rosewood

· Sandalwood

· Vanilla

You can use candles, incense, air fresheners of every different sort from sprays to plug-ins, or potpourri. Try a variety of types and aromas to see what works best for your own moods.

We have touched a little on how your room looks, sounds, and smells. These are important elements to consider in providing yourself with a mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy environment. You may want to think of the colors that are put in your room, the furnishings and how you arrange them. The temperature may need to be adjusted with fans or electric heaters. These ideas will set you on the way towards creating a peaceful sanctuary for yourself. What else can you think of to help yourself feel comfortable and relaxed? Get creative and have fun. Before you know it you’ll have your own piece of heaven on earth!

Tracy Togliatti is a Holistic Practitioner specializing in Energy Psychology and Reiki. She offers a free service at http://www.happyher.com/advice/index.shtml

Why Your Instincts Matter

Posted by admin on 09/23/2011 None comments

The late great Beat poet Allen Ginsburg advocated a decision-making process he labeled, “First thought, best thought.” Believing his optimal poetry efforts invariably came about when he stuck to his initial thought about how to express them, he worked hard at nixing the inner, nagging self-doubts that invariably crop up in a writer’s mind. As such, he rarely re-wrote i first drafts except for minor tweaking. Rather than agonizing over the merit of his first conceptualization for a poem, he just went with it, taking his chances that his readers would react to the work favorably as well.

How could Ginsburg’s process have anything to do with business or personal life decisions? Could “first thought, best thought” survive in our world of needs assessment studies and endless project meetings? Apparently yes if research emanating from Southern Methodist University (SMU) has anything to say about it. In a study of test-taking, published in the Journal of Educational Psychology, analysts there have observed that when one gets “help” from a test in the form of multiple-choice answers, more often than not such assistance actually leads test-takers astray.

Offered false multiple-choice alternatives, test-takers were found to be incorrect more often than when given tests asking for their answers only. Time spent mulling over suggested alternatives, even false ones, rather than trusting their own instincts, tended to generate self-doubts among test-takers. As a result, they frequently chose answers they hadn’t even considered when first reading the question.

“If you sit and stew,

you forget that you know the right answer,” explains Alan Brown, a psychology professor at SMU. Lesson learned? “Trusting your impulse is your best strategy.”

How useful might this be to improving your prowess as a manager or parent? Ask yourself how often, and for how long, you “sit and stew” over a problem, especially at work. How many alternatives and opinions do you typically consider? Have you ever regretted a big decision? Was it made on a “first thought” basis or via lengthy deliberation or rumination?

A creativity experiment I’ve conducted on occasion for my clients underscores this hypothesis. I give a problem-solving team two minutes to learn all it can about a particular problem. But 15-20 minutes is given another team. Consistently, the two-minute squad comes back every time with an array of more inventive solutions. The long-deliberating time tend to ask for more time!

So when you’re next facing a critical decision, consider attacking the problem the way Allen Ginsburg used to do. Allow yourself to choose your initial inner response, and go with (in other words) your gut! You may end up forgoing the time, expense and agony of more thorough evaluations and still get the job done right.

Ken Lizotte CMC is Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO) of emerson consulting group inc. (Concord, MA), which transforms consultants, law firms, executives and companies into “thoughtleaders.” This article is an excerpt from his newest book “Beyond Reason: Questioning Assumptions of Everyday Life”.

Visit ==>www.thoughtleading.com for more info.