The Formula That Changes Everything

By Jack Canfield

It seems that everywhere you turn these days, you hear people talking about the economy.

What's interesting is that some people are scared to death about it, while others couldn't be happier. While I don't claim to be an economist, I do know one important fact. The economy is the same for everyone, it's how you respond to it that determines how you feel about it.

It's yet another example of what I've been teaching for years. . .

E + R = O
(Events + Responses = Outcome)

The basic idea is that every outcome you experience in life (whether it's success or failure, wealth or poverty, wellness or illness, intimacy or estrangement, joy or frustration) is the result of how you have responded to an earlier event (or events) in your life.

If you don't like the outcomes you are currently experiencing, there are two basic choices you can make:

1.) You can blame the event (E) for your lack of results (O).

In other words, you can blame the economy, the weather, the lack of money, lack of education, racism, gender bias, the current administration in Washington, your wife or husband, your boss's attitude, the lack of support, and so on.

If you're a golfer, you've probably even blamed your clubs!

No doubt all these factors exist, but if they were the deciding factor, nobody would ever succeed. For every reason it's not possible, there are hundreds of people who have faced the same circumstances and succeeded.

It's not the external conditions and circumstances that stop you -- it's you!

We think limiting thoughts and engage in self-defeating behaviors. We defend our self-destructive habits (such as drinking and smoking) with indefensible logic.

We ignore useful feedback, fail to continuously educate ourselves and learn new skills, waste time on the trivial aspects of our lives, engage in idle gossip, eat unhealthy food, fail to exercise, spend more than we make, fail to tell the truth, don't ask for what we want, and then wonder why our lives aren't working.

2.) You can instead simply change your responses (R) to the events (E) until you get the outcomes (O) you want.

You can change your thinking, change your communication, change the pictures and you hold in your head (your images of the world) and you can change your behavior (the things you do.) That's all you really have any control over anyway.

Unfortunately, most of us are so run by our habits that we never change our behavior. We get stick in out conditioned responses-to our spouses and children, to our colleagues at work, to our customers and our clients, to our students, and to the world at large.

You have to gain control of your thoughts, your images, your dreams and daydreams, and your behavior.

Everything you think, say, and do needs to become intentional and aligned with your purpose, your values, and your goals.

If you don't like your outcomes, change your responses.

Here's an example of how this works:

Do you remember the Northridge earthquake in 1994? I do! I lived through it in Los Angeles. Two days later I watched as CNN interviewed people commuting to work, The earthquake had damaged one of the main freeways leading into the city. Traffic was at a standstill, and what was normally a 1-hour drive had become a 2-3 hour drive.

The CNN reporter knocked on the window of one of the cars stuck in traffic and asked the driver how he was doing.

He responded, angrily, "I hate California. First there were fires, then floods, and now an earthquake! No matter what time I leave in the morning, I'm late for work. I can't believe it!"

Then the Reporter knocked on the window of the car behind him and asked the driver the same question. This driver was all smiles.

He replied "It's no problem. I left my house at five am. I don't think under the circumstances my boss can ask for more than that. I have lots of music and Spanish-language tapes with me. I've got my cell phone. Coffee in a thermos, my lunch-I even have a book to read. I'm fine."

Now, if the earthquake or the traffic were really the deciding variables, then everyone should have been angry. But everyone wasn't.

It was their individual response to the traffic that gave them their particular outcome. It was thinking negative thoughts or positive thoughts, leaving the house prepared or leaving the house unprepared that made the difference. It was all a matter of attitude and behavior that created their completely different experiences.

If we all experience the same EVENT, the OUTCOME you get will be totally dependent upon your RESPONSE to the situation.

If you want to take control of how you respond to life, you'll start noticing that your outcomes will be more along the lines of what you have always hoped. Remember, you control your destiny so make it a fantastic one!

© 2008 Jack Canfield

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Commitment And Success Strategies For Your Personal Life

By Lana Monnier

Having goals to make your life, the way that you want it is important. You should think about the different levels of success that you want and how far you are willing to go after them. Think about all the different methods you can come up with so that you are using your best interest to be as successful as possible.

Being committed is going to be something that anyone who is serious about his or her success should do. You need to be committed in life to thinking about all the different strategies that you can work up. Are you are able to be strong and determinate in life to be a huge success? If so then, you are ready to take the next step in life. This step is going to be one that takes you over the top and gives you the ability to be as successful as possible.

There is nothing in life that you cannot do. All you really need in life is to have a great determination and a strong personality. You should always be ready for what you need to do. Having goals is one way to make sure that you have the power to be a huge success and able to make dreams happen. Your dreams are very crucial to your happiness and all the goals that you have. Without goals, you are going to be a sad and very unstable person.

Being goal oriented is going to make you appreciate everything that you do in life. You should always think about the things that you do and how they are going to affect your life. Are you doing everything that you can to be as successful as possible? Make sure that you are doing all that you can to stay on top of what you need to do. If you plan something, the best thing that you can do is stick to it. You have to make sure that you are trying your best to bring all of your goals to the front of the line and make them happen for you.

Commitment to everything you do is going to be especially important. You should work hard at what you are doing and keep an open mind to all of the possibilities in life. Choose your thoughts carefully and be willing to go to the next step. You should always work hard and think about what is most important to you. There is nothing that can stop you when you have the right thoughts jammed into your head and thinking about it all the time. You will find more satisfaction in your life when you are sure of what is going on and how hard you have to work.

Others will see your commitment and what you are doing. Once you are recognized for all your hard work and determination, you are going to feel great about what you have achieved. You are going to have more success and know that you did what you had to in order to be a great success story in the end. Do not hesitate to be sure, of what you want in life. When you are setting goals and making commitments to certain things in life, you are the one that is going to be in control and choose what you do next.

Remember goals can be made everyday. You are the one that is going to be able to choose your goals and everything that you do. Make sure that you have something in mind for your life and then go after it. Do not let anyone stand in your way of making your dreams work for you and go after each and everyone. There is no stopping you when you keep all the power within yourself and use your goals to keep you committed to what is most important.

This article can be freely published on a website as long as it is not modified in any way including the author bylines, plus the hyperlink must be made active just like below.

About the Author: Lana Monnier coaches entrepreneurs and online business owners. Now the CEO of Classynet and direct marketer who specializes in developing new ideas and methods on Internet Marketing, she writes, speaks and consults on Marketing, Internet and Business systems.

You can get her ebook - "The Secrets Of Rich And Famous Internet Millionaires" at http://www.InternetMillionaires.info and grab your F-R-E-E Course: "How you can Turn your Hobby Into A Multi-Million Dollar Internet Business!" Send a blank email to course@internetmillionaires.info

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Success Is Not A Popularity Contest

By Dennis Harting

This is not an article about acting like a jerk. Nor is it a condemnation against being a nice person. However, in researching the most successful, it is quickly realized they are not always the most liked. Success is not a popularity contest. The qualities which make one a prom queen do not translate into heading a corporation. Making it to the top means that you will step on a few toes along the way.

Successful people make tough decisions. Any leader knows that it is impossible to keep everyone happy. The larger the number of people that any one person leads, the more individuals that will be upset with a decision. It simply is the nature of leadership. A certain percentage of the people will always be against the choices that are made. Of course, to be effective, their approval is not required.

Developing "thick skin" is a prerequisite for success. Consider the daily ordeal that anyone famous must endure. The pressures in dealing with the press whether one is an actor, entrepreneur, political figure, or athlete are enormous. These are people who are tops in their fields, yet are assaulted daily by critics. Like is always preached, "Nobody ever erected a statue for a critic". Famous people understand that someone will always be questioning their choices. However, they do no allow their success to be tied to the approval of others.

Let's be clear: everybody wants to be liked. That is a facet of our humanness. We, by our nature, are social beings. The interaction and approval of others is crucial to our survival. Very few people were ever able to live the "hermit" lifestyle without going literally insane. In fact, isolation is a technique that is often used to extract information out of prisoners during war. The need for other people is biological. However, the need to be liked and approved by all is neurotic. Extreme people pleasing is a disorder that often requires professional treatment. It is a sign of low self worth. Individuals who suffer from this usually do not have the qualities to be successful.

Do you want to be successful? If you answered in the affirmative, then it is time for you to raise your self esteem so that it is not dependent upon other's approval. The path to success in most any endeavor is already paved. There are people who went before providing a blueprint to follow. The question is whether you have the internal confidence to forge that path in spite of what other's think. This journey requires some risk, tough decisions, and courage to persevere through the down times. It is not a choice for the weak hearted.

Being true to oneself is one of the toughest principles to live by. It is said that life is not a popularity contest. This is definitely true when it comes to success. Again, consider some of the most successful people. What is their day filled with? They are confronted with difficult decisions that affects a fair amount of people. Periodically, their ideas are met with extreme resistance. This is especially true when dealing with communities or government entities. People begin to protest their dislike for a particular individual or company. Donald Trump and WalMart are prime examples of ones who regularly meet this disapproval. However, they do not back down. They believe in their cause which allows them to remain true to it regardless of what others think.

A healthy place to begin is with the realization that someone is always going to disagree with you. As you progress up the path of success, the number of people who fall into this category only increases. Monitor your self esteem throughout this process. Make your decisions based upon the goals you are trying to attain. Resist the urge to try appeasing everyone. It is a fruitless proposition. However, by doing this, you will gain the respect of those who you are leading in spite of their personal feelings. Successful people are not always the most well liked. Yet, if they act in an ethical manner, they are the most well respected.

When it comes to being like, it is helpful to remember that: some will, some will not, so what.

Dennis Harting is one of the leading authorities on success, motivation, and overcoming procrastination. All his programs can be found at http://www.yourrichlifeinc.com. He is also the founder of the highly acclaimed success forum http://www.freesuccessforum.com.

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Executive Coaching Guru Tells You What It Takes to Succeed

By Bud Bilanich

As an executive coach, I’m often asked for my best thoughts on what it takes to become a career and life success. I always tell my executive coaching clients to think systematically, to break success down into some manageable components.

Here is a bullet point summary of what I tell my executive coaching clients on how to become a career and life success. Put these points to use and you will succeed, just like my executive coaching clients.

My experience as an executive coach as taught me the simple, time proven common sense techniques are best for achieving the success you want and deserve. Take a look at these common sense ideas that I share with all of my executive coaching clients.

Do it yourself. Realize that no one is going to do it for you – not even your executive coach. You have to take personal responsibility for your success. Adopt the motto, "If it’s to be, it’s up to me."

Become an optimist. Believe that things will turn out well. When they don’t, don’t sulk. Learn what you can from a problem or failure and use it to your advantage the next time.

Don’t procrastinate. Procrastination is usually tied to fear. In most cases, when you procrastinate, you are doing so because you are afraid of something. Identify those fears and then do something to overcome them. Action cures fear. Act – even when, especially when, you are afraid.

Surround yourself with positive people. Jettison the negative people in your life. If you can’t rid yourself of them completely, do your best to minimize the time you spend with them. Negative people are an energy black hole. They will suck you dry if you let them.

Find a mentor or executive coach, someone who will help you meet your career and life goals. Mentors and executive coaches, by nature, are positive people. They can help you find the lessons in problems and failures and use these lessons to move forward.

Be a brand. Create and nurture your personal brand. Make sure you stand for and are known for something. Make sure that everything you do is on brand.

Look good. Be well groomed and appropriate for every situation. Always dress one level up from what is expected. In this way, you will stand out from the crowd. A good executive coach can help you with this.

Have manners. Learn and use the basic rules of etiquette. This will distinguish you as a person who is in the know. Social faux pas might not ruin your career, but they certainly won’t help it.

Make people comfortable. The best etiquette advice I’ve ever received is simple. In any social situation, do what makes the other person or people comfortable.

Become an expert. Master your technical discipline, and then keep learning. Become a lifelong learner. The half-life of knowledge these days is rapidly diminishing. Staying in the same place is the same as going backwards.

Aim high. Set and achieve high goals year after year after year. Use the S.M.A.R.T. technique of goal setting.

Get organized. Learn to use time to your advantage. Organize not only your time but your life and workspace. Sweat the small stuff. Success is in execution. Execution is in the details.

Become an excellent conversationalist. You can do this by listening more than you speak. Pay attention to what other people are saying and respond appropriately.

Write clearly and simply. Short words and sentences are best. Never use two or three words to say what you can say in one. Write in the first person. Use the active voice.

Develop your presentation skills. Adopt this simple formula for your talks: Tell them what you will tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them. Write your closing first, your opening next. Then fill in the content.

Get to know yourself, as well or better than your executive coach knows you. Use this knowledge to better understand others.

Get to know others. Use your knowledge of others to build strong, mutually beneficial relationships with them.

Give. Build relationships by giving with no expectation of return. When you help others because you want to, not because you believe they will do something for you, you’ll find that you will be repaid many times over. Giving of yourself, especially your time, is a great way to build strong, lasting relationships.

Use conflict as a means to improve relationships. When you find yourself in a conflict situation, focus on where you agree, not disagree, with the other person. This will help you develop creative solutions to your differences, and improve the relationship.

There is one last point I’d like to make here, and I make it over and over again with my executive coaching clients. You need to use this information. Hopefully, you have some more knowledge about becoming a success in your life and career after reading these quick points. But, as the U.S. Steel pencils used to say, "Knowing is not enough." You have to use this knowledge if you’re going to become a career and life success.

Remember, success is a journey, not a destination. Good luck in your journey. You have my best wishes for your continued success.

Bud Bilanich, The Common Sense Guy, is an executive coach, motivational speaker, author and blogger. He is the Official Executive Coaching Guide at SelfGrowth.com. Dr. Bilanich is Harvard educated but has a no nonsense approach to his work to goes back to his childhood in the steel country of Western Pennsylvania. http://www.budbilanich.com/.

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The Magic Formula to Success

By John Paul Dumas, Sr.

Success is the combination of many ingredients among these being...strength of character, passion for life, visualizing victory and having faith in yourself and the boundless abundance of the Universe.

Each of us has the ability to be, do and have ANYTHING we desire. You are the Creators of your ideal life. We are given at every turn in our lives the opportunity to access the path we are going on. Be smart, look ahead and ask; "Is this path of least resistance?" if the answer is no...make the change NOW.
You can have it all by doing these simple three things:

• Ask
• Believe
• Receive

That is it...that is all there is to it...Success is given to those who ask, act and are grateful for the gift given to them. Be open to all possibilities, you are only limited by YOUR believing in the positive outcome of any situation...it is a UNIVERSAL LAW.

I have so many instances of "creating my life" or situations or people who make make life closer to where I want to go. The first and foremost is meeting my wife, Amy.

I projected for many years before I met her the following affirmation to myself (daily)..I AM meeting the women of my dreams, who is all that I ask for; loving, beautiful, caring, considerate and most of all willing to be my companion on this journey through life. Yes, low and behold by ASKING, it was granted, I BELIEVED and in the end I RECEIVED. It works...it is all about vibrationally matching your thoughts to your desired outcome.

Decide here and now what you desire your life to be...set out to match your thoughts with your actions. Work daily on making it a reality, read books, study successful people and align your thoughts with your ideal life and be amazed and astonished at what will unfold before you...I believe in your power, so must you.

I wish you much success and continue to visualize victory in your life...Believe like you have never believed before!

To your continued success and purpose-driven life!

Coach John : http://www.chalktalk101.com/

John Paul Dumas Sr., better known as "Coach John". He is a motivational speaker promoting his self-growth series "ChalkTalk101"-Visualize Victory in your life! Coach John specializes in providing CEOs and individuals the tools needed to generate and create success in their professional and personal lives. Learn more about his guiding principles in life at http://www.chalktalk101.com/ To book John for speaking engagements email him at johndumas@bellsouth.net

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