If you missed this on my FB - see it here again!

Top 10 Strategies Of Highly Successful Professionals

Last Thursday evening, I was the guest of a group of therapists who interviewed me about how I’ve built my businesses over the years – both my therapy offices and my coaching business. Their probing, and very pointed, questions dramatically helped me clarify exactly what strategies have worked for me and my clients over the years. I hope you enjoy it. It is as solid and tight a summary of what has worked for me over the years as anything I’ve ever written. I’m quite proud of it, at least as an accurate reflection of what has worked for me.

 1. Clarify the vision.  Many of us have a tendency to be lazy about defining exactly what we want and where we want to be in a few years. Set your course as clearly as you can! A vague desire to "Work less and make more money" may be a comfortable day-dream, but it is not a success strategy!

2. Turn the vision into a mission.   Once you know where you want to go, you have to be clear,  get passionate, get DETERMINED to arrive! Develop a series of vital reasons, personal motivators, personal drivers that pull you forward. Why are you doing what you do? If you only want to make money, get a job! (It's easier!) What’s your driving purpose?

3. Get a mentor.  Hire a coach or create a frequent, steady, EFFECTIVE working relationship with someone who has been where you want to go, or perhaps more importantly, has a proven ability to help others get there. (Great sports coaches don't have to be great athletes! But they do have to know the game and be experts at helping their athletes win!)

4. Get a map and a compass! Develop a detailed, specific working plan. Work with your coach on this, and write it down! It doesn't have to be long and detailed, but it does have to make sense, and it has to give you direction and purpose for getting from where you are, to where you want to be. It should be detailed enough to tell you precisely what to do first, each Monday morning.

5. Improve the plan whenever possible.   There is a contradiction here. Use and trust your plan, and rely on it! At the same time, life will give you unexpected opportunities, sudden short-cuts, and amazing possibilities. Be ready at any moment to jump on a "real" opportunity, but be very cautious about running off on every whim or impulse. How do you know the difference? Check with your coach!

6. Hang-out with talented people.   Pick up the phone and introduce yourself to people who have achieved want you want to achieve. Read about them, get on their mailing lists or take classes from them. If they don't teach, develop a class and invite them to be your guest expert! But find people who are walking on the same, or a similar, path to your own, and follow in their footsteps, or walk beside them, or encourage them to catch up with you. Success loves company!

7. Work very hard.  Again, there is a contradiction here. To achieve a high level of success takes an ability to play very hard, sometimes for a long time. If you've defined your vision accurately, the distinction between "work" and "play" will begin to blur, and you'll find yourself willing (eager!) to work a lot. It takes sustained, efficient, focused effort to achieve great things. I know of no short-cut.

8.  Keep good records!  This means accurate accounting, a personal journal of what works and why, notes about your best customers and the coolest things your competitors are doing. Jot down ideas, keep track. Especially, monitor the money.

9.  Work smarter everyday!  I think the biggest single thing in my success is that my family has no history of being in business, and even making money is a bit "suspect", but they LOVE learning! Early on, they taught me that everything I could ever need or want in life was in the local library. Learn from the competition. Learn how they did it 100 years ago! Read "Wired" and "Fast Company" to see how it might be done next year. Take the best, and leave the rest.

10.  Always be planning your "next" million dollars.  Whatever you’re doing today is already becoming obsolete. By the time you read the book or attend the seminar, someone has already found a "better, faster, cheaper" way to do it. Always be looking over the horizon, seeking the next opportunity and figuring out how to incorporate it into what you already have and love. Keep growing!


"Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach.  Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success!  It's a great resource!  And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter!  Visit him on the web at:  http://www.philiphumbert.com"

Livsinstruktioner

1. Ge människor mer än vad de förväntar sig och gör det för att du tycker om det... 

2. Tro inte på allt du hör, spendera inte allt du får och sov inte så mycket som du skulle vilja.. 

3. När du säger: ' Jag älskar dig', säg det på riktigt... 

4. När du säger: 'Jag är ledsen', se personen i ögonen... 

5. Tro på kärlek vid första ögonkastet... 

6. Älska djupt och passionerat. Du kan bli sårad, men det är det enda sättet att leva livet komplett..... 

7. Förolämpa inte! 

8. Tala långsamt men tänk snabbt... 

9. Om någon ställer en fråga som du inte vill svara på, le och fråga istället: 
' Varför vill du veta det?' 

10. Säg prosit när du hör någon nysa.... 

11. Låt inte ett litet missförstånd förstöra en stor vänskap... 

12. När du upptäcker att du gjort fel, rätta till det genast... 

13. Le när du svarar i telefon, den som ringer hör att du ler :o) 

14. Spendera lite tid ensam... 

15. Öppna din famn för ombyten/förändringar, men släpp inte på dina värderingar.... 

16. Kom ihåg att tystnad ibland är bästa svaret... 

17. Lev ett bra och värdigt liv... 

18. När du blir gammal minns det som varit, då kan du njuta av det en andra gång... 

19. Tro på människor, men lås alltid din bil.... 

20. Dela med dig av allt du vet... Det är ett sätt att uppnå odödlighet..... 

21. Avbryt aldrig någon som håller på att visa dej sin tillgivenhet...

22. En gång om året, åk till ett ställe du aldrig varit på.... 

23. Om du tjänar mycket pengar, placera dem för att hjälpa andra medan de fortfarande lever.. 

24. Lär dej alla regler, och bryt en del... 

25. Närma dig köket och kärleken med djärvhet...

Some important lessons life teaches you...

Most Important Lesson

During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one:

"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'." "I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

Second Important Lesson

One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxi cab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away.

God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

Third Important Lesson

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied."

The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came

back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

Fourth Important Lesson

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear. But none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

Fifth Important Lesson

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz, who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her.." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?" Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

You see understanding and attitude, after all, is everything. Now you can do something. You have 2 choices now :

Make your own life lessons pay off by helping someone else.

Read this and think it was just a nice thought and you wish you had more time to do the things you want to do.

Work like you don't need the money.

Love like you've never been hurt, and

Dance like you do when nobody's watching

To your success~

Hur man kan öka sin business med hjälp av "gilla-knappen" på Facebook

En gång för längesedan, i landet Facebook, fanns det något som hette "Fan = beundrare". Man kunde bli en "beundrare" av en sida när man klickade på "bli en beundrare-knappen, på en specifik beundrarsida. Tidigare behövde man befinna sig på din sida för att bli en "beundrare", men med de senaste förändringarna i hur Facebook numera tillåter människor att anknyta till din sida, så har en helt ny värld av möjligheter öppnat sig och skapat gratis anhängare för din verksamhet, med kopplingar från hela Internet.

Det finns många fördelar med att anamma detta nya intiativ från Facebook:


1. När någon på Facebook klickar på "gilla-knappen" på din sida, så visas detta i deras nyhetsflöde på Facebook. Deras vänner kan se vilka sidor de "gillar" och kan "gilla" din sida de med. Din kundbas har ökat genom bara ett klick.


2. Du installerar och visar en "gilla-knapp" på din webbsida eller blog, där besökare kan klicka, som därmed automatiskt updaterar deras Facebook sida's profil, och de börjar följa dig utan att ens behöva logga in på sin facebook sida för att hitta dig. Användandet av en "gilla" knapp för att länka ihop potentiella kunder, eliminerar ett betydande steg i länkprocessen, ett steg som ibland kan resultera i att man tappar kunder om de har svårt för att hitta dig igen, eller om de tror att de kan hitta dig vid ett senare tillfälle, men de glömmer.


3. Eftersom du producerar innehåll, vare sig det är genom ett blogginlägg, en artikel, eller en länk, så kan folk "gilla" ditt innehåll. Detta visas på deras egen Facebook sida/sidor, och deras vänner får ett tillfälle att se ditt producerade innehåll. Detta kan bygga upp dig som ledare, och öka på följarantalet inom din egen niche.


4. Samlar alla dina kunder, webbsidebesökare, bloggläsare och andra potentiella intressenter på ett ställe, nämnligen Facebook. Facebook är ett ställe som representerar ett bra varumärke, ett ställe där människor spenderar en hel del tid varje dag, och ett ställe där du kan interagera med dem på daglig basis utan att behöva skicka dem otaliga långa e-mail. Människor har inga problem med att läsa rubriker om en ny produkt eller något som är till salu i en status rad, men de tröttnar snabbt på att få otaliga e-mail från ett och samma ställe/verksamhet (detta besparar dig tid också).


5. Gilla-knappen attraherar mycket mer uppmärksamhet till din blogg, webbsida etc. När människor delar dina länkar, så ökar din position hos sökmotorerna, som vidare ökar din verksamhets position på nätet.


Facebook's gilla-knapp är ett utomordentligt arbetsverktyg. Det finns en hel massa bra videon på YouTube som visar hur du kan installera detta verktyg. Denna förändring som till en början skapade kaos på Facebook, blev till sist en förändring som gjort det möjligt för potentiella kunder att "följa" dig, och därmed öka din kundbas (komma på din lista över potentiella intressenter), från flera olika håll på Internet. Därmed ökar också din intäkt i det långa loppet.


Frågan är inte längre: Vad är gilla-knappen för något?, utan: 

Hur snabbt kan jag installera den på mina egna sidor.


Jag gillar detta!!
Anne Bengtson

The Solutions to Life's 10 Biggest Problems!

Every day people tell me about their problems, often in great detail, and I've noticed patterns that show up over and over. For many people, life's problems are viewed as "not enough money" or "not enough time". For couples, the problems are often around " communication" or "parenting" or "sex". They think if only they had more time or better sex or a better job, things would be wonderful. But it doesn't work that way, because these things are not the BIG PROBLEM. From my experience, I suggest life's really big problems are:

1. Tunnel Vision. The tendency to focus only on the immediate crisis or sore spot. Under stress things look worse or more complex than they really are. The solution: Perspective. Ask if it will matter in 6 months. Ask what else is going on? How did I create this situation and, in an ideal world, what would I like to do about it?

2. Fear. The anxiety or terror that things will go badly, that we will fail or be embarrassed. The solution: Humor and Curiosity. Modern life has very few saber-tooth tigers. The situation is rarely life or death. Ask, What's the worst that can happen? What's the best? What can I learn? What would I do if I had no fear?

3. Confusion. The sense of being lost or unclear about our direction. The sense that we don't know our own priorities anymore. The solution: Responsible Choices. Choose your values and priorities and set your own path. Your life is yours. Check your moral compass, pick a direction and do something extraordinary!

4. Guilt. The belief that we have hurt or failed or sinned and deserve punishment. Guilt is either accurate, because sometimes we do behave badly, or it is false and simply an illusion. The solution: If we have transgressed, we must make restitution, ask forgiveness, learn from our error and move on. If it is false guilt, set it down as an unnecessary and irrational burden.

5. Shame. The belief that we are worth-less than others, that we have a terrible, incurable flaw. It is not that we have done something wrong (guilt), but that we are bad or wrong. The solution: Clear, rational thinking. Everyone has behaved badly, but no one was created badly! Any flaws only serve to make you stronger, more heroic or more compassionate toward others.

6. Loneliness. The belief that no one loves us, that no one cares and we must desperately cling to anyone who finds us attractive or acceptable. This creates dependency, not intimacy. The solution: Accurate Self-Assessment. Not everyone will love you, but many people will if they meet you, get to know you, and spend time working/playing along side you.

7. Resentment. Holding anger and refusing to move beyond real or imagined mistreatment in the past. Some people spend their whole lives as "victims", nurturing a terrible event in their past. The solution: Let go! Life is not fair and people do not always behave well or kindly. Use your trauma to make you wise, kind, gentle, and strong. Holding anger will not work.

8. Self-Doubt. The repeated, endless questioning of your own abilities, opinions or actions. The inability to take a stand, to act boldly, or to follow-through. The solution: Action! Think clearly, then take action and follow-through. Start small, but do it! You are the world's expert on your life! Use your wisdom to live well.

9. Stubbornness. The refusal or inability to re-assess a situation, change your mind, or admit you were wrong. The solution: Wisdom and Humility. Only a fool stays on a course that is headed for disaster! Search for new and better information, remain flexible, open and creative. When the situation changes, adjust accordingly and set a new course.

10. Addiction. Humans become addicted to drugs, but we also become addicted to our jobs, our opinions or our lifestyle. We can be addicted to people and need them rather than love them. The solution: Take a vacation! Periodically, walk in someone else's shoes. Break your habits, re-arrange your schedule, delegate those things that only you can do "right". Use habits and traditions to set you free, don't let habits enslave you!



"Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach.  Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success!  It's a great resource!  And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter!  Visit him on the web at:  http://www.philiphumbert.com"

En vän....

* En, enkel vän, de kommer till dig, agerar som en  inbjuden.
* En verklig vän öppnar ditt kylskåp och serverar sig själv.

* En enkel vän har aldrig sett dig gråta.   
* En verklig vän har sina axlar våta av dina tårar.

* En enkel vän känner inte till förnamnen på dina föräldrar.
* En riktigt vän har deras nummer i sin adressbok.
  
* En enkel vän tar med sig en flaska vin till dina  fester.
* En verklig vän kommer tidigt och hjälper dig och stannar sent för att hjälpa dig att diska.

* En enkel vän avskyr när du ringer efter det att  du har gått och lagt dig.
* En verklig vän frågar varför du har tagit så lång tid  på dig att ringa.

* En enkel vän tror att vänskapen är slut efter ett  gräl.
* En verklig vän ringer dig efter ett gräl.

Top 10 Ways to Use Attraction To Build Your Business

Most business people would rather have customers seek us out based on a strong personal referral from a satisfied customer, than go to the expense of mass advertising. It's called marketing through attraction. It's about offering phenomenal value. It's about being liked, about being respected, about having potential customers wanting to do business with us! It's very efficient, and it's very cool! The problem is that for most business leaders the specifics are often vague or confusing. Here are ten practical steps:

1. Have a Strong Personal Foundation.  People who are stressed, worried, tired or not having fun are very unattractive. Keep yourself rested and have some fun every day. Laugh, enjoy your life, and fix or eliminate the things that get in your way. It doesn't cost, it pays!
   
   
2. Do Stuff You Enjoy.  A huge key to attracting clients is to be in a business you love. If you love it enough, you’ll get very good at it. You’ll talk about it, connect with other people, and things will happen. Enjoy skiing? Run a ski resort! I’ve never met a business owner who works as hard as some people do on their golf game. Work with passion!
   
   
3. Superb Personal Boundaries.  It’s very hard to attract flies when you’re swatting mosquitoes! Be sure the people in your personal and professional life know what you need in terms of space, privacy, respect and honesty. It makes life easier, and living easy is very attractive!
   
   
4. Extraordinary Personal Standards.  Understand how you want to live, and settle for nothing less. Even in business, we are attracted to individuals who have chosen their path and are proceeding boldly. Your life is your own; live well, be bold.
   
   
5. Extreme Service.  Good enough, never is!  Even excellent performance is probably not enough to attract the clients you really want. Only extraordinary performance will draw the world to you! Give valuable extras, provide service before your clients ask. Learn from every mistake. Your customers, especially the unhappy ones, are your best R&D team! That attitude will draw the world to your door!
   
   
6. Delight in the Details.  Both heaven and hell are in the details. Even a fabulous gourmet meal, thrown on a paper plate and tossed at the customer would not be attractive. Pay attention to the presentation, the packaging, the delivery. Track the details! Little things count.
   
   
7. Avoid the cost of delay.  Arrange your business and your life so that you can respond to a great idea immediately!  Having reserves of space, time, money, energy and creativity allows you to make that call, sign a contract, form a partnership or start a new venture literally over-night. To attract the world to you door, answer promptly when opportunity knocks!
   
   
8. Risk nothing!  Or, to put it another way, take no significant risks, and always control the down-side. Having a reserve allows you to launch a website in a few hours’ time with a tiny investment. If it doesn’t work or you simply change your mind, you walk away with no significant loss. Arrange your business (and your life) so that when a great idea happens, you can respond quickly and easily. And if it goes sour, you simply smile and move forward.
   
   
9. Understand the Capillary System.  The old way was to network with a hundred people and advertise to as many as you could reach. Now, you can give away thousands of newsletters, a hundred free T-shirts, sponsor a contest or let 100,000 people visit your website! Some will try only the free stuff, some will buy a book or tape or take a class, and some will go for the whole deal. Understand about free samples, introductory specials, and first class presentation!
   
   
10. Understand the law of large numbers.   It costs no more to have thousands of people see your website every day than to have 6 visitors a month. A great website costs no more than a few newspaper ads, but a billion people can see it! No matter what you’re selling, only about 1% of the population is going to buy. But now, that one percent can still add up to millions of people! Understand the "law of large numbers" and use it to attract the customers you want!

You can build a business by selling stuff, or by serving people's needs.  Both will work in the short-run, but the really great fortunes, and the really great opportunities have always favored those who serve people.   Build a "better mousetrap", and let the world beat a path to your door!

"Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach.  Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success!  It's a great resource!  And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter!  Visit him on the web at:  http://www.philiphumbert.com"

Top 10 Tools to Reach Your Goals Quickly

We all have dreams and goals. Some of them are simply "wishes", like winning the lottery or sailing to Tahiti. But we also have goals that are vital to our futures and the well-being of our families. And yet many of us make little or no progress toward achieving our most important goals. We wait and hope, but get no closer to our dreams. It doesn't have to be that way! We all know people who soar from one project to another, achieving their goals and living the life they want. How do they do it?

1.  Clarity of purpose.  For a dream to become a goal, it must be specific. While it's fun to dream about being rich, it takes courage and hard choices to decide exactly how much money you want and how you are going to earn it. Being "thin" is an image; losing 23 pounds by your birthday is a goal. In life, we probably can't have it all. You can lose 23 pounds, or you can have the cake and ice cream. Your choice. Be clear.

2.  Commitment.  There's a story from ancient Greece about a general who landed his troops on the beach, then burned his ships.  He wanted each soldier to know there was no turning back, no retreat, no alternative to victory. Once your goal is clear, emotionally commit to achieving it. There are no alternatives.

3.  Talk about it.  This is called "accountability". Once you've defined your goal and committed yourself to achieve it, start talking about it! If you want to lose weight, don't blame your spouse for buying ice cream if they don't know and understand your goal! Talking about your goals makes them emotionally real and powerful. It allows people to help you reach your goal and support you along the way. Some people will also criticize or undermine you. Don't talk to them.

4.  Write it down.  This is basic, and one of the oldest, simplest and most powerful techniques for achieving any goal. Write it down! Describe precisely what you want, how you will earn it, when you will have it, and the benefits you'll receive from achieving your goal. Write the details. Write the colors, the shapes and the dates.

5.  Write it every day!  Every morning, use a small card or a corner of your appointment book to record a short description of your goal where you will see it all day long. Don't carry the same card day after day! If your goal is worth anything, it's worth a minute of your time to write a simple sentence describing your dream and focusing on your priorities. Do this every morning.

6.  Have a plan.  Create a map for getting there. And put dates on it! A goal to retire at age 40 has no meaning without a savings and investment strategy. A goal to create your own business is just a fantasy without a plan to attract investors, find a location, hire staff and sell your goods or services. The beauty of a plan is that it allows you to…

7.  Take action every day!  "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Any goal that is worthy of you, is worth a few minutes of your time and some of your energy every single day. To one day write a novel, write a chapter this week. To open your own business, read a business magazine today. To create a more loving family, give someone a hug today. To be salesperson of the year, make a phone call right now!

8.  Use constant affirmations.  One of my clients is a PGA golfer. From the moment his ball lands on the green until he sinks the putt, he repeats over and over "I will make this putt!" He repeats that phrase as many 200 times before every putt! Do you think he would be more, or less, successful if he spent those moments thinking, "I just hope I don't miss it."? Tell yourself what you want to hear!

9.  Review, and re-commit, often.  Never be afraid to review your goals, evaluate whether you are still 100% committed to them, and re-commit to achieving them. If your values, or your choices have changed, change your goals accordingly, and be honest about it! And if your goal still fits, run to it with all your heart!

10.  Celebrate each milestone!  Never wait to have a party! Each deposit in your savings account deserves a checkmark on the calendar and a hug from your partner. Each day without a cigarette deserves a smile and congratulations from your loved ones. Every step toward your goal should be documented and celebrated!   When you get discouraged or have doubts, your record of past successes will quickly get you back on track. Not sure about this? Ask any marathon runner whether they count each mile on their run to the finish line! Celebrate each and every milepost on your path to victory!

"Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach.  Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success!  It's a great resource!  And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter!  Visit him on the web at:  http://www.philiphumbert.com"

A Spanish teacher...

...was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.

"House" for instance, is feminine: "la casa."

"Pencil,"however, is masculine: "el lapiz.."

A student asked, "What gender is 'computer'?"

Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether "computer" should be a masculine or a feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men's group decided that "computer" should definitely be of the feminine gender ("la computadora"), because:

• No one but their creator understands their internal logic;
• The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;
• Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and
• As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.
  

(THIS GETS BETTER!)

The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be Masculine("el computador"), because:

• In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;
• They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;
• They are supposed  to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and
• As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

The women won.

WILL POWER

An old man lived alone. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation.

'Dear Son,
I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant  my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren't in the prison                                                         
Love, Dad'
............ .......

Shortly, the old man received this telegram:
'For Heaven's sake, Dad,don't dig up the garden!! That's where I buried the GUNS!'  

At 4 a.m. the next morning, a dozen police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.

Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened, and asked him what to do next.

His son's reply was:
'Go ahead and plant your  potatoes, Dad. It's the best I could do for you from here.'

Top 10 Keys to Attracting More Clients!

It’s always easier to attract the things we want in life than to chase them down and catch them. My grandmother used to say, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." I’ve never understood why I’d want a collection of flies, but there are many other things I do want.

One of the things many professionals and small business owners want is "more clients". While there are lots of strategies for getting clients, from Advertising to Workshops, one of the best (and fastest) is to be the type of person and provide the quality service that draws clients to you like flies to honey.

The following Top 10 Principles for Attracting Great Clients are borrowed from material originally developed by Thomas Leonard for Attraction University. I am a certified instructor at AU, and created the following list especially for readers of TIP’s. Enjoy!

1. Become incredibly selfish! Yes, it’s ironic, but as you take care of yourself, manage your time, your space and your life well, you have more to give and more to share. If you want more clients, take extremely good care of Client #1.
   
   
2. Over-respond to every event! This is the opposite of over-reacting. Respond immediately to phone calls, answer questions in full, take your time and thoughtfully and creatively go the extra mile.
   
   
3. Add value just for the joy of it! Do more, provide more, go further than you are paid for. Caution: Don’t just give more stuff, give more stuff that people really want and appreciate.
   
   
4. Market your talents shamelessly! Have fun with your marketing, be proud of what you do. Laugh and joke and yell and whisper, but tell everybody! If you aren’t excited, proud and energized by what you do, find another job!
   
   
5. Affect others profoundly. Abandon the roles and job descriptions we all have. Connect with people, question, respond, be silly, get "outside the box". Whatever it takes, make an impact on your world.
   
   
6. Eliminate delay. Time is expensive, and wasting it is unattractive and irritating. Think and plan carefully, but in the end, only action counts!
   
   
7. Thrive on the details. Pay attention to the subtleties, the small things. It’s the little extras that build you up, and little slips that bring you down.
   
   
8. Tolerate nothing! Clean up all the irritations, the daily frustrations and predictable annoyances of your life once and for all! Don’t just fix the problem, re-design your routine so those predictable irritations never bother you again!
   
   
9. Orient life around your values. When you spend your days living in harmony with your values, you become incredibly energized, peaceful, focused and attractive!
   
   
10. Develop more character than you need! Beyond being good at your job, and living with integrity, become very good at being YOU! Be a "real character", the unique, gifted, complex and unforgettable individual that you were born to be.

Have fun with this list, poke holes in it, expand it, even criticize it, but think about the idea that your professional relationship with a client must begin with a good personal relationship. When your clients experience you as a balanced, open, excited person who they enjoy being with...they’ll tell their friends! Count on it


Have a great week, and have some fun! 

"Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach.  Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success!  It's a great resource!  And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter!  Visit him on the web at:  http://www.philiphumbert.com"

Change your point of view

You've probably heard of Stephen Covey, author of "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People". He uses the word paradigm a lot, which simply means belief, or point of view.

Dr. Covey believes that you need to have a paradigm shift before you can make dramatic breakthroughs in your business success - or your life.

Here's a story I heard a few years ago that illustrates the point perfectly.

Imagine you are in London's Heathrow Airport. While you are waiting for your flight, you notice a kiosk selling shortbread cookies. You buy a box, put them in your traveling bag and then you patiently search for an available seat so you can sit down and enjoy your cookies.

Finally you find a seat next to a gentleman. You reach down into your traveling bag and pull out your box of shortbread cookies. As you do so, you notice that the gentleman starts watching you intensely. He stares as you open the box and his eyes follow your hand as you pick up the cookie and bring it to your mouth.

Just then he reaches over and takes one of your cookies from the box, and eats it! You are more than a little surprised at this. Actually you are at a loss for words.

Not only does he take one cookie, but he alternates with you. For every one cookie you take, he takes one.

Now, what is your immediate impression of this guy? Crazy, Greedy? He's got some nerve?! Can you imagine the words you might use to describe this man to your associates back at the office?

Meanwhile, you both continue eating the cookies until there is just one left. To your surprise, the man reaches over and takes it. But then he does something unexpected. He breaks it in half, and gives half to you.

After he's finished with his half he gets up, and without a word he leaves.

You think to yourself, "Did this really happen?" You are left sitting there dumbfounded and still hungry. So you go back to the kiosk and buy another box of cookies.

You then return to your seat and begin opening your new box of cookies when you glance down into your traveling bag. Sitting there in your bag is your original box of cookies - still unopened.

Only then do you realise that when you reached down earlier, you had reached into the other mans bag, and grabbed his box of cookies by mistake.

Now what do you think of the man? Generous? Tolerant?

You have just experienced a profound paradigm shift. You are seeing things from a new point of view.

Is it time to change your point of view?

Now, think of this story as it relates to your business. Perhaps you have been doing something the same way for years, but never stopped to think how it could be done better. A little bit of research and brainstorming may make you see what you are currently doing in a whole new light.

Maybe you have only been using newspaper advertising to market your business, and haven't been open to other methods of marketing.

Seeing things from a new point of view can be very enlightening.

Possibly, you have been annoyed at one particular client who may have complained about some aspect of your service, but when you actually take the time to understand his frustration and his point of view, you may suddenly experience an entirely different perspective.

After all, he may have just helped you to avoid problems with future customers.

Think outside the box. Don't settle for the status quo. Be open to suggestions. Be open to changing your point of view.

Things may not be what they seem.

by Joe Gracia

5 Days to A Simpler Life

Of all the Attraction Principles, the most popular class I teach is "Simplify Your Life - Yes, You CAN!"  Based on class attendance, articles in the press, and requests from clients, it's clear there is tremendous desire to live more simply, be more productive, and have greater peace of mind.   While the details are different for each of us, the central theme is:  "I want less stress, more time and more integrity, and I haven't been able to get it!"

The core of this article is that in the next 5 days you can dramatically simplify your life without avoiding your responsibilities or reducing your output.   In fact, as you simplify, your life will improve and you'll contribute more, not less, to your work and loved ones.   In 5 days, I predict you can reduce your sense of "hassle" by at least 50 items, and add one new practice that will solidify your gains forever!

Monday:  Clutter.   This Monday, take 10 minutes and clear out 10 items that bug you.   That junk mail on your desk?  In the wastebasket.   Those old magazines on the coffee table?  Trash 'em!  The plant that's almost dead in your office?  Water it or trash it.  Don't worry about it, don't debate, just deal with these things!  In a quick 10 minutes, sweep through your home or office and clean out, throw out, put away or fix 10 small annoyances and make your environment a cleaner, healthier place.  You deserve the best.  Don't put up with clutter!

Tuesday:  Tolerations.  Tolerations are slightly different than clutter, although they over-lap.   Tolerations are things like putting up with a dirty carpet, a car that needs repairs, or a favorite shirt you can't wear because it's missing a button.  Choose 10 items, list them, and make commitments to get them fixed or replaced.  You may not resolve them on Tuesday, but in 10 minutes take steps so you never have to tolerate these 10 items again.  Clutter and Tolerations undermine our enthusiasm, waste our time, they create doubt and they discourage us.  Get rid of 'em!

Wednesday:  Tasks and Errands.  If your life is stressed and hectic, my bet is that you're running errands and doing things you don't need to do.  Take 10 minutes and choose 10 tasks you will stop doing!  Combine errands, or delegate them to someone else.  Simplify your wardrobe, take a bag-lunch and avoid the rush to the cafeteria.  Renting a video requires TWO TRIPS!  Read a book or play with the kids instead.  Hire a housekeeper.  Most of these things are not "rocket science", they are simple things we ignore because they are so small.  But they catch up with us and destroy the quality of our lives.  In 10 minutes, commit to eliminating 10 time wasters!

Thursday:  Update Your Rolodex!   All of us have relationships and "friendships" that no longer serve us.  And, on the other hand, if you don't have a great doctor, a mechanic you trust, an insurance agent and other experts you can call when you need them, you are not prepared for the inevitable surprises of life. Take 10 minutes to run through your address book and remove obsolete or unneeded entries.  Clean 'em out!  Then, get the phone book and jot down the names and phone numbers of 10 experts for your "support staff".  If appropriate, schedule a meeting to get acquainted.  Simplify your life - have your team in place before you need them!

Friday:  Saying, "NO!"   Most of the items this week are about getting rid of the self-talk that we "should keep that", or "I should run that errand."  Most of the complications in life come from thinking we "should" do things that make no sense!  If you don't want to, or it seems stressful or unnecessary, Just Say NO!  Before you can say "YES!" to your own life, you have to say "NO!" to other people's ideas of how your "should" live.  If you want to say "YES!" to art, music, love, laughter, and joy, you must first say "NO!" to a thousand things someone, somewhere thinks you "should" do.  Make sure you say "NO!" at least 10 times today!  It could change your life!

And A BONUS:   Say YES! to peace and quiet.  Whether you prefer to call it mediation, prayer, quiet time, or whatever, the principle is to nurture and renew yourself with 10 minutes of peace and quiet every day.  Get up a few minutes early and walk slowly around the block.  Read for 10 minutes after the kids are in bed.  Write in a journal or sip a cup of tea.  If you are serious about simplifying your life, slow down and be quiet for 10 minutes at least once a day.  You deserve it!

Have a wonder-FILLED week!   Slow down, watch a sunrise, do something nice for yourself and for someone else.   Above all, be true to yourself! 

"Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach.  Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success!  It's a great resource!  And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter!  Visit him on the web at:  http://www.philiphumbert.com" 

25 Super-Practical Steps to Build Your Business!

For the past several weeks, we have focused on some wonderful but (to my way of thinking) rather fancy ideas about life. I wrote about motivation (I don't believe in it). I wrote about sorting out priorities (I do believe in that!). And I wrote about the 4 traits of highly successful people. I love that stuff! But I believe most of you subscribe to TIP's for help in actually running your office from day to day. Most of you have told me you're professionals in private practice, or owners of small businesses, or a manager. And that means you must attract clients or customers, serve them very well, and earn their return business - and do it every single day. So. Let's talk about some practical steps that my clients have used to build their referral business quickly and systematically. I call it the "5-by-5" process. Let's walk through it.

Monday:   Take care of, clean up, and get rid of 5 tolerations in your office or work. Make a list! Look around your space, your car, your desk or office, and commit to spending an hour taking care of at least 5 small, daily annoyances that have been bugging you, robbing your energy, or making life difficult. Do that filing! Repair that broken light, or throw out those old magazines. Buy a new desk chair, or a whole new desk! You can't afford to be distracted by these things. Fix them. Do it on Monday!

Tuesday:  Contact 5 former clients or customers. Send them a letter, call them, even send them flowers or a small gift in cases where that might be appropriate. Invite them back, offer them a free follow-up or consultation. Ask them to help you evaluate your service by completing a questionnaire or ask them to come in for an interview. Tell them you value them as customers and want them to come back - and refer their friends! You can do this! Schedule an hour and do it on Tuesday.

Wednesday:  Contact 5 current clients. Follow a similar routine from yesterday. Call them up, or send a card or letter telling them they are valued customers. Invite their comments on how you can improve your service or expand your business. Let them know you appreciate their trust and value their ideas. Do it nicely, with tact and sincerity, but ask them to help you build your business. You practiced on Tuesday, so you know you can do this. Schedule an hour and do it on Wednesday!

Thursday:   Contact 5 potential customers or clients who have never used your services, and make them an offer they have to respect. Go through your rolodex, your list of friends, colleagues, associates and members of organizations you belong to - use the Yellow Pages if you have to - but pick up that phone and invite 5 people to check you out! If it's appropriate, tell them you want to grow your business and offer them a free sample (who could turn down a free massage or a free oil change, or….?) If that's not appropriate, tell them you want to grow your business and you'd love to meet with them, buy them lunch, whatever it takes. You've been practicing for two days, so you know you can do this. Schedule an hour and do it on Thursday!

Friday:   This is the hardest one of all: Do 5 wonderful things for yourself! You've worked hard all week, taken risks, put the word out that you are ready and eager to handle more business. That means you need to be healthy, energized, relaxed and ready. So, go for a walk. Take a long lunch and visit a friend. Read a great novel - or a trashy one, your choice! Enjoy the sunshine, or relax and listen to the rain. Spoil a neighbor's kids, then give them back! Schedule TWO hours, and do it on Friday!

This week, take 25 specific, measured steps to create more room and build your business. If you wanted practical, this is it. Now, it's your choice. My advice? Go get 'em!

Have a wonderful, productive and delightful week! 

"Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach.  Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success!  It's a great resource!  And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter!  Visit him on the web at:  http://www.philiphumbert.com" 

The Top 10 Steps to Extraordinary Personal Wealth

I recently came across startling figures about the average American’s finances.  Only 4% of us have significant savings when we hit age 65, and a majority of Americans have less than $1000 in savings. Perhaps even more troubling, nearly one-fifth of us have a negative net worth, meaning that we owe more in debt than the total value of our combined assets.  In a land of wealth and opportunity, and in an age of unlimited freedom, attaining wealth is primarily a matter of choice and determination.  The following are my suggestions for rapidly increasing your personal income and wealth.

1. Develop a healthy awareness of money.  Most of us either ignore our cash flow and don’t have a budget, or we think of money as a "problem".  Instead, begin thinking of it as energy, as a resource and as a tool to be managed and used wisely.
   
   
2. Develop a healthy desire for money.  Money is neither evil nor the source of happiness.  It is a tool that can be used well or badly, but most importantly it can be used to achieve many of life’s dreams and priorities.  Having more of it increases your choices, and your responsibility.
   
   
3. Develop a healthy personal foundation.  It is difficult to attract or keep money if your life is in chaos.  To achieve significant wealth, pay attention to your attitude, your relationships, your values and your integrity.  Money tends to flow to those who are prepared to handle it well.
   
   
4. Resolve ALL addictions.  Substance abuse will obviously undermine any real ability to attract and manage large amounts of money, but other addictions are equally dangerous.  Addictions to shopping, drama and excitement, to power or sex or a need to have the newest gadget will all destroy freedom of choice, and your ability to handle money responsibly.
   
   
5. Spend less than you make.  An obvious point that most of us ignore.  Have and use a budget, track your cash flow, decide what you need compared to what you want.  Unless you use credit cards as a tool to monitor your spending, avoid using them at all.  If you’re living on credit, juggling one card against another, get professional help!
   
   
6. Save a significant amount.  Most experts recommend paying yourself first and saving anywhere from 5% to 20% of your income.   The amount or percentage that you save is probably not as important as the principle.  If at first you only save 1%, make that deposit every single week, do it without fail, and congratulate yourself!  Even 1% is a great beginning!
   
   
7. Cut your spending by 25%.  That’s a huge amount!  For most of us, it’s also entirely possible.  Take your lunch, buy less junk, rent a movie instead of going to the theater, make a picnic instead of dinner at a restaurant, re-cycle and repair rather than throwing things away and buying new.   Live cheaper, simpler and closer to the earth.
   
   
8. Learn the principles of investing.  Most community colleges have courses on investing in stocks, real estate, commercial property and even collectibles.  Pick your preference, study hard, buy smart, and let your money work for you rather than you always working for money.  But, never try to get rich quick!  We’re talking about investing, not speculating.
   
   
9. Develop long-term passive income.  Whether this is interest from bonds, profits from a business, or residuals from your last TV commercial, develop assets that will generate positive cash flow for years to come, whether you are working or not.  Rental property has been a favorite, but so are stocks and mutual funds.
   
   
10. Develop wealth consciousness!  This is a conscious, specific desire to be aware of money, to have money, and to use money to reflect your values and your priorities.  Some of us virtually choose poverty because of our refusal to take responsibility for how we handle money.  Others, live as misers and never use money to expand their horizons and develop their lives.  You can decide to have a healthy, exciting and profitable relationship with money.  Choose wisely.  Start today!

"Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach.  Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success!  It's a great resource!  And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter!  Visit him on the web at:  http://www.philiphumbert.com"

Top 10 Ways to Coach Yourself to Total Success!

Coaching is about being your best. It’s about performance, about “staying the course” and, in the end, about creating and living the life you really want. Many people use coaches to make more money, win the gold prize or do something dramatic. That’s fun, and when it’s right, it’s wonderful!

But most importantly, coaching is about living up to your own standards. It is, in Henry Thoreau’s famous words, about “marching to the beat of your own drum, no matter how faint or far away.” So, do I recommend you have a personal coach? Well, duh!

But if you can’t afford one, or aren’t ready for one, why not be your own coach? Here are a few suggestions:

1.   Write down your goals.  Review and re-write them once a week. This is old advice, but there is power and magic in writing your goals on paper! Write them down, then review them, think about them and up-date them every week. It may only take 20 minutes, but it will double your rate of success, I guarantee it!
 

2.  Show up!  Many of life’s most important achievements simply require that we show up, pay attention, tell the truth, work hard, go the extra mile, and do our best! Superior performance is not about the future, or the past. It’s about doing a superior job right now, on the work that lies right in front of you.

3.   Eliminate Distractions.  Keep your eye on the ball. Life is full of frustrations and distractions. Successful people do NOT tolerate the things that drive most of crazy – they take the time to stop, solve the problem and eliminate the distraction once and for all. Stay focused!

4.   Manage your environment.  Top performers know that space management is more important than time management, and they have neat offices, clean cars, orderly appointment books, and they keep an extra suit at the office, just in case. Make your office (and your home) a space where you can do your very best work.

5.   Read every day.  Read something useful, challenging or fun every day. If you only spend 20 minutes with a book that motivates, excites and educates you, it will make a world of difference. I promise! Aim to read at least one book every month!

6.  Attend a “University on Wheels”.  Listen to educational, motivational and fun tapes while you drive. At least listen to soothing, appropriate music, rather than the “terror of the day” on talk radio! Fill your mind with the BEST information you can find!

7.  Use a Master-Mind group.  The term refers to a group of people who are committed to helping you be successful.  Often, they meet once a week. Think of them as your “Advisory Committee”. Bounce ideas off them, ask them for advice, let them coach you!

8.  Focus on values.  Take time every week to review your values, the things that cost you nothing, but make life worth living. Write them down, share them with a friend, and remind yourself of what’s most important to you. Remembering your values will get you back on course!

9.  Play more!  Play a game of tennis, wrestle with the dog, shoot hoops with the kid next door. Laugh, get sweaty, have fun. It doesn’t cost; it pays!

10. Practice Gratitude!  Periodically, ask yourself how many “good” days you’ve had this week. Notice what made the good ones good, and do more of the good stuff! And, be grateful. "I was angry that I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet."

Even the most sophisticated modern cruise ships must constantly monitor their course. On our last cruise, Mary and I took a tour of the bridge, and were told the ship had no less than 5 automatic navigation computers, and that at least 2 officers were on duty at all times. Why the redundancy? Because having a cruise ship get lost, even briefly, is a very bad thing!

How many navigation systems do you use to guide your path? Having a handful of books, journals, friends and daily routines to “coach” you is not expensive, it’s the best investment you’ll ever make! Set up routines and use the best resources you can find to stay on course. Coach yourself to the top!

Here’s to your success!

"Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach.  Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success!  It's a great resource!  And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter!  Visit him on the web at:  http://www.philiphumbert.com"

Four more keys to Super-Success

Recently, I was asked to write a Top 10 list about the secrets of success, and I spent time thinking about the most successful people I've known. There have been a thousand books and tape sets written about the "Secrets of Success", so the challenge was to see if I could add something new. I think I have at least found a new way of thinking about successful people.


When I think about the most successful people I've known, both as clients and as colleagues or friends, the following key traits stand out:


First, they are insatiable learners, and some have lots of formal education. But I'm talking about something different. They are incredibly curious. They are like little kids who never stop asking "Why?" And perhaps more important, they ask, "Why not?" These people read "Popular Mechanics" and poetry. They take classes in art appreciation and learn to scuba dive. They buy books on quality parenting and take broken appliances apart to see how they work. They are permanent fixtures at their local community colleges, the public library, a favorite bookstore, and they watch PBS


Second, they use all this learning to build creative contexts. They see how things are connected, and they see opportunities in terms of history and popular trends and new technology. They see ideas in the context of people and they make connections between ideas, technology, and the needs of individuals. How do they do this? I'm not exactly sure, but highly successful people can be reading a novel, which reminds them of a new technology they saw in a magazine, connect it with an idea they saw on PBS, and call a computer programmer to check out the new business opportunities, all in less than 30 minutes! They see a broader context than the rest of us.


Third, they assess risk accurately. Impulsive people under-estimate the level of risk and rush into foolish ventures with inadequate preparation. Cautious people have great ideas, but fail to act, often because they over-estimate the risk of failure. Highly successful people seem to evaluate both the chances of success and the costs of failure accurately and quickly. Because they correctly assess risk, they experience fewer failures and are not shocked or caught unprepared when things don't work out they way they hoped.


Finally, extremely successful people respond quickly. They don't over-react, rarely lose their temper or lose control, and yet they are seen as decisive leaders, as incredibly creative and energetic people. They don't seem to move very fast, and yet they accomplish more than most of us. They never rush, and they rarely hesitate.   They respond appropriately and impact or change situations in the direction they desire. They simply get a lot done and they do it successfully.
Highly successful people hunger to learn everything, they see connections, they assess risk accurately, and they respond quickly. Skills I plan to develop!
And one more thing:  Successful people enjoy themselves! As I look out my window, I see the trees are in bloom and my lawn needs mowing. Spring is here! Have a wonderful week, get outside, stretch your mind and your body, do something nice for yourself and someone else



"Written by Dr Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach.  Dr Humbert has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for YOUR success!  It's a great resource!  And, be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter!  Visit him on the web at:  http://www.philiphumbert.com"