The Success Factors - Seek Advice Properly By Michael Oksa

The world is full of people willing to give unsolicited advice. Sadly, there are almost as many people willing to take that advice, without taking the time to do it correctly. Even though people ask for it, ironically, most people feel advice is worth what it costs - nothing. This is probably true in most cases.

There is a way around this. You could pay for advice, which can be a smart thing to do. For example, you would be smart to pay an attorney to get legal advice. Do you want to know the ultimate secret about seeking advice? It is very simple, but often overlooked. Here it is:

Ask the most qualified person for the right advice.

Don’t let the sheer simplicity of this statement trick you. It is very powerful, but also easy to overlook. This technique works in any part of your life - health, spiritual matters, business, finances, relationships, and so on. Whether it is professional or friendly advice, the idea remains the same.

Let’s say you are having some small problem with your spouse. Would it make sense to complain to a divorced friend and then ask them for their advice? Or, would it make more sense to seek the advice of a couple who has been happily married for many, many years? Obviously, if you want to have a successful marriage, the latter choice makes a lot more sense, yet people tend to be carefree in asking for and giving advice.

This applies in the professional realm as well. It is normal for people to hold certain occupations in high regard. People tend to value advice from people in these professions, even though they would not be any more qualified to give such advice. As mentioned above, it would make sense to ask an attorney for legal advice, but that does not automatically qualify them to tell you what stocks to buy or how to fix your car.

Here is some free advice that could actually be worth something. Starting right now, try to ask yourself this simple question before seeking any advice.

“What makes this person qualified to give me advice?”

Asking, and answering, this simple question will help you to focus on finding the best person to help you. It may take some time to find the right person to ask, but keep trying. Now, to be fair to others, when someone asks you for advice that you are less than qualified to give, let them know and try to steer them in the right direction.

The one caveat here is that if you are asking someone who is qualified, then you have to be willing to follow their advice. Perhaps this is why people are lax in seeking out the best source to get advice. Deep down they know if they get advice from a qualified person, there is an obligation to follow it. On the other hand, when they get advice from just anyone - they can readily ignore the advice by claiming the one giving it didn’t know what they were talking about.

While it’s easy to be carefree in seeking advice, it is more productive to seek it properly. Make it a habit to ask the right person for advice, follow that advice, and you will soon find your life improving in ways you never thought possible.

Michael Oksa is the publisher of the Income Success Journal. Get your free subscription which includes frequent updates of tips, techniques, and success methods of the world’s most successful people. In addition, he includes a monthly newsletter at no additional charge.

Why is he giving this away? Because he lives by the words, “Success is not about moving up, it’s about reaching out”. Visit http://www.incomesuccessjournal.com now to take advantage of this generous offer.

Sponsored by: http://www.Indiainfotech.co.in

Book Mar This

Watching the Chatter Clears Clutter By Stephanie Bennett Vogt

Have you ever stopped whatever you were doing to simply observe your thoughts? Yes, to do nothing else but watch the nonstop activity of the mind–without doing anything to fix or change what’s going on in there?

If you took that experience and multiplied it by 24 hours and then again by 14 days, that basically describes two weeks I spent on the island of Patmos in Greece this past May. For practiced meditators like my husband, it’s called a meditation retreat. Depending on the day you ask me, a relative newbie to these closed-eye marathons, it’s called being-with-a-mind-that-won’t-shut-up… or, just plain hell.

This is not your typical ascetic experience where you sit in a lotus position for hours on end. This retreat is the deluxe version held at a beautiful hotel with sweeping views of the Aegean. Every day is a feast of fabulous 70-degree weather, gourmet vegetarian dinners, fun-loving participants, inspiring teachers, soul-feeding lessons in human consciousness. Two whole weeks where I am given permission (instructed, actually) to do absolutely nothing…and take nothing seriously.

Heaven, you might say, except for the fact that I feel completely consumed by the orgy of thinking that is taking place in my mind. Watching the gluttony of self-importance churning in my head is exhausting, even nauseating sometimes. And my whole body hurts. The fact that I happen to be on one of the most beautiful places on the planet is lost on me.

So why do something in paradise that is so not pleasing? I ask myself this question countless times, while I thrash about like an addict in rehab, ready to bolt at any minute. The answer: “Week two.”

Disarming the monkey mind (ego) and unwinding from a lifetime of spinning–”very important”–thought-bulletins like; “I need a cup of coffee…Caffeine is bad…My back hurts… I hate this…I love this… I signed up for this?! …Thirteen-and-a-half days to go… Everyone is ‘getting this’ but me…My back hurts … ” takes time.

It’s not the thoughts themselves, I discover, but the constant chewing (identifying, personalizing, feeding, attaching to) them that is so tiring. When I stop chewing, the relief is instantaneous. Like the relief you feel in your mouth when you finally remember to spit out the tasteless wad of gum.

Though the mind has no concept of this (and never will)–and employs a spectacular array of stealth tactics to charm us back into our old habits–the alternative to a “grasping” way of life is pretty darn sweet. It’s the magic that happens when we choose ease. Or take nothing personally. Or surrender to that deep silent space within us that simply knows.

By the end of my second week of mindful non-doing, something begins to poke through the noise and clutter of my mind. Nothing fancy or earth shattering, really. No fireworks or big revelations.

What comes into focus is me. Like those three-dimensional puzzles where the image pops in fully-formed when you soften your gaze: It’s the “me” that has been there all along. The me who hangs out in that timeless space where everything feels sparkly, uncomplicated, and clear.

Sponsored by: http://www.Indiainfotech.co.in

Book Mar This

Decision Making - 3 Observations About Making Decisions and Personal Success By Andy Hall

People struggle with decision making for a variety of reasons.

I hope to reveal insight on 3 of the reasons I have observed in my own personal journey.

1. Fear of Making a Bad Decision

This is probably the most difficult decision making obstacle. When we make a “bad” decision, we often feel like we have failed in some way, that we have not lived up to our own expectations in regard to our personal success.

What you must understand, however, is that no success comes without failure. No one has ever achieved personal success without failing at some point.

What you must learn to do is this: Embrace the results of your decisions whether good or bad. Either way you have something to learn from the experience and move forward. So rather than be fearful of making decisions, look for opportunities to make even more decisions. Over time you will develop, through experience, the ability to make better and more confident decisions.

2. Procrastination

Often times, people avoid making a decision altogether simply because they wish to avoid the action required of the decision.

An example could be someone who says “I’d like to lose 10-15 pounds,” but then never follows through, because the action required would involve diet and exercise.

Or a person who says “I’d like to make more money this year,” but doesn’t ever seem to get around to it because they “don’t have the time,” when in reality they don’t want to “sacrifice” the time they spend doing other things.

Procrastination is simply making a decision to stay where you are, to accept the status quo, and do nothing about your personal, spiritual, or financial situation.

3. Thinking That a Choice Doesn’t Exist

It’s easy to be fooled into thinking that there is no decision to be made.

I see people every day go to a job they hate because they don’t think any other options exist for them. Yet our possibilities are nearly endless.

Don’t like your job? Then do something else!

Don’t like where you live? Move somewhere else!

The point is, you always have a choice about your life. Most people are “satisfied” with living within the boundaries of society’s expectations, rather than living according to their own expectations.

I encourage you to make more decisions, commit to performing the actions required by those decisions, and remain conscious of your ability to change anything in your life with each decision you make.

Andy Hall is an internet marketer and home business owner. He currently teaches people to draw wealth from multiple streams of income, with particular focus on Global Resorts Network.

Visit http://www.Andy-Hall.com to learn more about Andy.

Visit http://www.HallpassToFreedom.com to learn more about his business opportunity.

Both sites feature free internet marketing training newsletters.

Sponsored by: http://www.Indiainfotech.co.in

Book Mar This

How to Make Real Changes in Your Life By Cassandra Washington

The most repeated word during the 2009 U.S. presidential campaign was “change.” Hillary had “The Strength and Experience to Bring Real Change.” McCain vowed “The Change You Deserve Is Coming.” And Obama offered “Change We Can Believe In.”

But here’s a slogan you may not have heard much during the election cycle: “Change Begins With You.” You will not see real change because you hope for it or vote for it. Change only happens when you change.

Here are five key points to remember that will help you make successful changes in your career and life.

You can’t expect overnight success.
We are constantly presented with a barrage of get-rich-quick schemes. However, change happens in small steps. So, if you feel you are not making changes as quickly as you should–go easy on yourself. Change takes place slowly.
You must do something different.
Ninety percent of what we do everyday is habit. To change, we must resist the pull to act in the same old way and discover new ways of doing things. Nothing happens until you do something different.
It is important to let go of excuses.
You will never succeed in life making excuses. Instead, take personal responsibility, plan your way, and start taking action toward where you really want to be. People who insist on using excuses seldom make the type of changes necessary for a rewarding life.
Decision is a moment in time; change is a process of time.
Change has four phases: deny, resist, explore, and commit. Moving through the phases can take weeks or months. Where are you in the change process? If you refuse to recognize the need for change, you may be in denial. Blaming others or complaining about a situation could mean you are resisting. Although resistance is normal, you overcome it by acknowledging and talking about it. You shift to exploration when you begin to see possibilities and look for alternatives. Finally, the commitment phase begins when you focus on new ways of doing things or adapt to new situations.
Change is easier when you have support and encouragement.
Some change is difficult to accomplish on your own. Surrounding yourself with supportive people makes change easier. Many successful people enlist the services of a coach. A coach will help you discover what you want, set realistic goals, overcome the things that get in your way, stay on track and stay motivated every step of the way. Everyone needs help; admitting it does not make you less successful.
Change is constant; you can’t escape it. Feeling overwhelmed and getting sidetracked is normal, but you can develop the skills to manage change successfully.

Cassandra Washington is a career coach who inspires clients to take action toward their goals. She is a veteran trainer, “how-to” author, and successful entrepreneur. Does your career need a coach? Visit http://www.expandmysuccess.blogspot.com for motivation and guidance for making the changes you want to make. You can also sign up for her FREE Career Success eNewsletter. For information about her company, Exceed Resources, visit http://www.exceedlearning.com

(c) Copyright 2008 Cassandra Washington. All rights reserved.

Sponsored by: http://www.Indiainfotech.co.in

Book Mar This

Being in the Success Zone By Damien Clarke

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “in the zone,” particularly as it applies to sportspeople or others who are unstoppable as they work towards their goal. Sometimes you can be in the zone regarding your success and nothing gets in your way; other times you can do everything right and find that whatever can go wrong, will. Here are 4 thoughts on creating the habits of successful thinking and getting “in the zone” for success.

1. Expect Success to be Yours
The road to success is always bumpy with many rocks and obstacles in your way. Regardless of what people think, the road to success is never smooth. Your true test of character, attitude and commitment will become evident when you hit those inevitable bumps in the road. All three character traits, if positive, will help get you “in the zone” or at least, keep you there.

2. Success Breeds Success
Success is contagious and has an ability to gain momentum and build on past successes. Most people are encouraged by the success they have (big or small) and it helps them believe that anything is possible. For some it is hard to believe without evidence. That’s why so many people have difficulty losing weight, as the picture they hold of themselves being fit and healthy doesn’t match current reality as the results are not being seen fast enough. We all need smaller goals within the bigger ultimate goal.

3. You Must Choose Success
We all have the power to choose the attitude we want to have for the day. We can choose to be happy and optimistic for what the day may bring, or we can be negative and pessimistic and quite frankly, not a nice person to be around. You can choose to look on the positive side, just as you can choose success. Too often we blame others for our lack of success, when we should be taking responsibility for our actions and choosing to be successful.

4. Experts Don’t Know Everything
Do you follow your gut instincts or intuition for when you have a plan, even though it goes against all conventional wisdom? Or do you listen to what the so-called ‘experts’ are saying? The ‘experts’ are quite often wrong. If all successful people had listened to all of the so-called ‘experts’ in the early days of their journey, it’s a fair bet that they would have given up on their dreams and gone against their gut instincts.

Remember - success is a mindset, it’s more than just wealth!

Damien Clarke has been delivering Personal and Professional Change Management programs to businesses for over 11 years. His delivery style and natural charisma make him a sought after speaker. His own ebook The Truth About Goal Setting is proving a real success with people all over the world.

Sponsored by: http://www.Indiainfotech.co.in

Book Mar This