5 more traits of successful people and how to apply them in your life
Published in Success & Lifestyle
July 7th, 2008 (0)
This is part two in a two part series on 10 traits of successful people and how to apply them in your life. Click here to read part one.
#6 - They are always willing to go the extra mile.
Successful people know the value of hard work. For the most part, nothing worth having is handed to you on a silver platter; you usually need to work for it. Sometimes, this means going the extra mile; going above and beyond the expected.
In this day and age, few are willing to do more work than absolutely necessary. Going the extra mile is a surefire way to set yourself apart from the masses and get noticed in your niche or cause, whatever that might be.
Ways to step out and go the extra mile:
- Offer certain things for free. (Read more?)
- Offer more of your time or resources, and expect nothing in return.
- When you see a need that you can fill, fill it. It might be an elderly lady struggling to load her groceries into her car, or a friend’s child struggling to learn a subject you excelled at. Acts of kindness done with no expectancy of repayment have a tendency to repay the giver anyway.
When a person puts in that extra mile with no hidden agenda, it shows a strength of character (see #10) not commonly found in people today. So many are only willing to do as much as is needed to get what they want, but that mentality never leads to true success.
As Napoleon Hill once said, “You can start right where you stand and apply the habit of going the extra mile by rendering more service and better service than you are now being paid for.” That’s what it means to go the extra mile.
5 simple ways to make your new year resolutions a reality
Published in Goal Setting, Success & Lifestyle
December 31st, 2007 (0)
“I don’t set new year resolutions anymore - they never work, anyway.”
Sound familiar to you?
Too many people set right resolutions the wrong way. They mean well, but without setting and sticking to their resolutions the right way, their chance of success is greatly diminished.
Using the following tips, this article will show you how your realistic, defined resolutions can become a reality by having a plan of action, committing to them, staying accountable to them and kicking them into action now.
#1 - Keep them realistic, defined, and bite-sized.
Too often, we set resolutions that are unrealistic, vague and too “large” for our current abilities. While our long-term goals should in no way be confined to our present abilities, new year resolutions are different. One year is not long-term.
Be very specific with your resolutions, but be especially careful to keep them realistic. Make sure your resolutions are the right “size” for you. For most, the foundation to successful new year resolutions are clear, defined, bite-sized goals.
On keeping your resolutions clear & defined:
Observe the difference between these two resolutions:
“I want to lose lots of weight in 2008″ and “I want to lose 30 pounds by the end of 2008 by exercising five times a week for at least 30 minutes and reducing my meat, fat, dairy and sugar intake.”
One is clear, defined and specific. The other is not. One has a plan of action for completing and achieving the resolution. The other does not. Which one do you think will be more likely to succeed?
On keeping your resolutions realistic and bite-sized:
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Look at your resolutions from a clear, logical, realistic point of view. Are they want you really want to achieve in this year? Are the defined and “do-able”, or are they vague and larger than life?
Keep them realistic. Keep them small, but powerful. Take your resolutions in baby steps, not elephant stomps. They are NOT long-term goals, but short-term commitments to change.
#2 - Have a plan of action.
The easiest way to design your plan of action is to ask yourself the following questions about each resolution:
Why do I want to achieve this resolution?
Write it down and keep it next to your resolution - It will serve as reminder and source of motivation when you slip off track. When the going gets tough(er), you need to be able to answer the simple question you will inevitably ask yourself: Remind me again - Why am I doing this?
5 traits of successful people and how to apply them in your life
Published in Success & Lifestyle
December 4th, 2007 (11)
No matter what your problem is, no matter what your situation is like, one thing constantly remains the same:
All change begins with yourself.
Successful people cultivate positive and empowering habits and traits in their life. Ask any one of them, and they will tell you that they didn’t just “magically” get to be the person they are today. Success doesn’t just ‘come’ to you; you need to go after it. With forced practice, successful people have developed key traits that have brought them to where they are today.
Best of all, every single one of these things can be cultivated in your life, no matter who you are or what your situation is like. You can start today - right now, even.
So what are they?
5 ways to talk to strangers
Published in Social Development
November 20th, 2007 (3)
Many people find initiating conversation with strangers in social situations awkward at best. What should I say? What should I do? What if can’t think of anything else to say? What if I’m boring? What if they’re boring? - What if this, what if that.
It’s time to ditch those what ifs. After all is said and done, fear of the “yet to happen” is only just false evidence appearing real. Instead of missing out on great opportunities to meet new people, try these five simple ways to talk to strangers next time you find yourself in such a situation.
#1 - Introduce yourself.
If you ever find yourself alone at a social event and near someone else who is too, take the first step and introduce yourself; a simple “Hi, I’m _______. How’s it going?” will suffice. You’d be surprised at how many people often forget this crucial point!
#2 - Make a comment about your situation or surroundings.
If you’re at a party, ask them how they’re enjoying it. If you’re at a wedding, ask them how they know the wedding party. If you’re at a funeral, ask them how they knew the deceased. If you’re at a school club or hobby meeting, ask them how they got involved with it or how they first heard about it.
5 ways to approach life more positively
Published in Positive Thinking
November 11th, 2007 (1)
#1 - Don’t let the negative penetrate.
We are constantly being bombarded with negativity—it’s all around us. In the newspapers, on the news, in the blogs we read, in the attitude of others… In order to be positive, you need to learn to tune out the negative and focus on the positive. This doesn’t mean you have to be ignorant of the facts, but rather, accept the present situation as it is and do something about it. Fired from work? Accept it as a chance to get a better job, not a “horrible” fate.
#2 - See everything as challenges, not problems.
Life is all in the perspective, or the glasses from which you see the world. Just like one man’s trash is another man’s treasure or how beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the difference between “bad” and “good” things is exactly what you make it out to be. Learn to change your perspective on life (a ‘paradigm shift’, as they call it) and it will change everything.
5 ways to sleep better at night
Published in Health & Wellness
November 9th, 2007 (0)
Photo by TeeRish.We live amongst a sleep deprived nation. In fact, according to statistics, around 40% of the American population is sleep deprived—that’s about 100 million Americans!
Besides sleep deprivation, many yet suffer from poor quality sleep. We toss and turn, have restless dreams, awake during the night, have trouble falling asleep… It’s an astonishingly common problem, so here’s five ways to improve your sleep situation.
#1 - Don’t eat before bed.
Your stomach and digestive system needs to sleep sometime too, and contrary to what you might think, they doesn’t just shut off when you do! Try to eat large healthy breakfasts, medium sized lunches and light dinners. If you can’t do that, make sure your last meal of the day is around 2 hours before your expected bed time.
#2 - Exercise during the day.
Exercising during the day is not only good for you (and makes you feel good), but it also helps you sleep better. Part of the reason for this is the fact that it burn excess energy and essentially “tires” out your body, making your body to want rest.
5 ways to make a difference in a stranger’s day
Published in Humanity & Good Will
November 7th, 2007 (0)
With life being as busy and fast-paced as it is, it is easy to forget about those around us. Here are five ways to make a difference in a stranger’s day, whether it be your post man, the waitress or waiter who served you, a local volunteer for a homeless shelter, a customer service personnel, a neighbor, or someone else.
In most cases, none of these take more than a couple seconds or minutes out of your day, so no matter how busy you are, everyone can (and should!) do it.
#1 - Show your appreciation for the little things.
People do nice things for us every day, and yet it often goes unnoticed by us. Identify the little things that people do for you (excellent customer service, holding the door open for you, taking an interest in your day, etc.) and take time out of your busy day to say thank you. Everyone appreciates being appreciated.
#2 - Treat everyone with respect.
This one should be a given, and yet it never ceases to amaze me how often lacking it is in today’s society. Some may say, “but you need to work to gain my respect” and that’s fine, but realize that there is a difference between respecting someone and treating them with respect: You don’t need to be in awe of the person and what they’ve done or do (which is often the case with people we respect), but rather, treating someone with respect is matter of common courtesy.
5 ways to retain customers in your network
Published in Network Marketing
November 6th, 2007 (0)
For most network marketers, getting customers is the easy part—retaining them, however, can often be a whole other story. In this article I will bring across five crucial points I’ve found to be vital when it comes to retaining customers in your network.
#1 - Follow up, follow up, follow up.
Building a networking marketing business and retaining it is all in the follow up; you can’t sell someone a product or service and expect them to reorder or stay with it if you never talk to them again or if you wait too long. Typically, you will want to follow up your sale with phone call or email (phone call preferred as it is more personal) within a week to a week and a half.
Things to ask:
- How did you enjoy [the product or service]?
- Do have any questions?
#2 - Periodically email customers new information.
If it’s a nutritional supplement you market, regularly send new information (research, testimonials, articles, etc.) by email. The easiest way to do this is to create a mailing list that doesn’t disclose any emails or names, then send out the information to everyone in your network with one click.
