Elaine Love - EzineArticles.com Expert Author

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Hi, My name is Elaine Love. Allow me to introduce myself. My entrepreneurial career spans over 28 years in several successful businesses. I am a top female producer, a member of the Executive Committee and a member of the prestigious Ethics Committee. I received a full page featured article in EMPOWER magazine and Consultant of the Month in Network Marketing magazine. I am a true leader who not only has come from zero experience to success ... [More]

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Grow and Prosper
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] You can not grow within and stand still in your life. Your personal life, financial life and business life absolutely prosper when you focus on your personal development. Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher, always declared the importance of working harder on yourself than you do on your business. A major key to living a successful life centers around personal development.

Broke Or Broken
[Self-Improvement:Achievement] Being low or out of funds may mean being broke; however, being broke represents a temporary situation. Most of the most successful people in the world have entered this economic state at least once in their career. The secret knows that being broke is only temporary. Being broke represents a situation which can be changed and improved. Being broken means no longer having hope or dreams of recovery. Avoid ever letting anything or anyone in your life, including yourself, ever bring you to an emotional state of being broken.

Setting Priorities
[Self-Improvement:Achievement] Life contains a series of choices. Each and every choice we make reflects our priorities. When the phone rings, some people look at the caller identification and decide whether to answer or allow the answering machine to take it. I have even known many people in the home based business industry to proudly acclaim that they do not answer their own telephone. Unfortunately most Americans and probably other countries as well, become so involved with their daily lives that personal communication falls off the priority list.

One Decision
[Self-Improvement:Achievement] Changing and improving your life hinges on one decision. Your next decision represents the turning point in your life. You have often heard that "today is the first day of the rest of your life." Today really can be a new beginning IF you decide that today will be different than yesterday.

Motivation to Succeed
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] Football stimulates many emotions. Fans maintain almost fanatical loyalty. As evidenced by the massive team jerseys, bumper stickers, and ever imaginable item in the team colors or team logo sold on a daily basis. Game day in Denver seems to turn orange and blue. I even knew a man who was so an avid fan that he decorated his Christmas tree in the team colors. Football teaches teamwork, sportsmanship (hopefully) and strategic planning.

Memory Lane
[Computers-and-Technology] Technology rules our lives. Ever look around today and you will observe every third or fourth person on a cell phone. We call, we text, we check our email on our Blackberry or I-phone or whatever clone you happen to have of those devices. Now I am aware that this shows my age, but does anyone remember rotary phones?

Attitude Counts
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] Saying early morning would be an understatement. In order to drive to the airport and catch my "oh dark thirty" flight this morning; it required getting up at 2:30 am. Normally I am testing my eyelids for light leaks at that hour. Yawn, stretch, jump in the shower and proceed. I answered a few last minute emails, packed up the computer, zipped the suitcases and headed for the airport. Even though I live in a suburb of Denver, the normal freeway traffic was non-existent.

Set Point
[Business:Career-Advice] In tennis, the final point which allows one player or team to win the set. A set is typically when one player or team wins at least 6 games and wins two more games than their opponents. Any one who has ever dieted also knows that their weight seems to have a metabolic set point. This is the mark on the scale which your body seems to return to time after time. Unless a significant change in behavior and eating pattern occurs, the weight always returns to the same number of pounds. Note the key difference becomes making a significant change in the type of foods consumed, quantity of food consumed and the behavior. Going on a diet and returning to the same behavior and eating pattern as before the diet is pointless. A significant behavior change must occur to keep the weight at the lower level.

Big Ego
[Self-Improvement:Achievement] Functioning in your ego? Being proud of your accomplishments is not only valid, but should be celebrated. Write major goals and minor goals on your goal sheet; having the fun of checking them off, is to be relished. Giving yourself a prize for accomplishment and a penalty for missing the mark serves to incentivize goals. I applaud goal achievement and reward.

Discover Your Passion
[Self-Improvement:Achievement] Find Your Passion Yes, I know writing about passion with a name like mine brings all sorts of images to the mind. Passion is the key to all the most important aspects in your life. A study of two groups of one hundred people each revealed some interesting discoveries.

Back of the Room Sales
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] As a professional speaker, I do more than speak. Marketing myself as a speaker insures that the opportunities to speak will become a reality. Even if it is "word of mouth" marketing, it is still marketing. Of course personal referrals are excellent and highly coveted, but even those can not occur until someone hears you speak.

Chasing Success
[Self-Improvement:Success] Ever watch a dog running in circles chasing his tail? Now I grant that most dogs do not have corporate level responsibilities, so it probably isn't important how productively they spend their time.

No Panic, Video is Easy
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Video-Streaming] Speakers delight in presenting information to live audiences. Audience interaction encourages speakers to perform comfortably before various size groups. Small stage, large stage or living room setting is insignificant as long as the speaker can gauge the audience reaction and adjust accordingly. Video attracts attention and personalizes your message. To the outsider, producing a video may seem even easier than speaking to a live audience. Not so to a professional speaker. We are people oriented.

Virtue in Planning Ahead
[Self-Improvement:Time-Management] November brings beautiful fall colors, Thanksgiving, the beginning of ski season throughout my beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Thanksgiving symbolizes a season of gratitude for all of our many blessings. We all have something for which to be thankful. November also signals the approaching Christmas season. Christmas represents not only a season of joy, blessing, appreciation, religious celebration and holiday festivities but also an extreme hustle bustle of schedule conflicts. Planning ahead proves to be the solution.

Power of 5
[Self-Improvement:Success] The first time I learned about the power of 5 was the five things every successful person does every day in their daily method of operation. I am certain you are familiar with these five action items...

Articles That Sizzle
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing-Articles] Speakers enhance their credibility by establishing themselves as an authority on their chosen topic. One of the easiest and most cost effective ways to accomplish this feat is through writing value laden articles. Delivering an effective, well organized speech requires preparation. An experienced speaker never stands in front of an audience and just starts talking. Lack of planning, preparation and practice mark an amateur, not a professional. Writing an effective article requires the same level of planning and preparation or even more. Why more? As the keynote speaker, you have a captive audience. As an article author, you must attract that audience to you.

How Big is Your "Why?"
[Self-Improvement:Empowerment] Every business encounters obstacles. Whether you use those as an excuse to give up or a reason to forge ahead and discover a solution depends on the strength of your "why." As a single mother with two little boys to care for, my "why" was powerful. My little guys were one and three when I found myself alone without any child support. Looking at those little faces provided a massive reason to overcome any and all obstacles. How compelling is your reason to persevere through challenges?

Be Consistent to Succeed
[Self-Improvement:Success] The winner is not always the fastest, the strongest or even the most intelligent, but always the most persistent. Being persistent and consistent proves to be the winning combination time after time. Study the history of successful people and you will find every one of them has endured challenges. Never ever throughout history will you find a highly successful person who quit at the first sign of challenge.

Success is Failing Forward
[Self-Improvement:Success] In John C. Maxwell's book "Failing Forward" he dispels the myth that failure is a bad thing. The man who has never made a mistake is taking orders from the one who made several mistakes. Sometimes what appears to be a failure at the moment is simply success trying to be born in a bigger and better way.

Effective Leadership Skills
[Self-Improvement:Leadership] Examine the root word "Lead" carefully. L - Learning all the information possible from great books, live seminars, cd recordings and personal interaction with other positive attitude, forward-thinking successful people.

Inspire Your Burning Desire
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Ask a small child what they want to be when they grow up and you will hear grand and glorious dreams. In fact, look around you at Halloween and see the imagination of a child as they become super heroes or princesses or even rock stars. Watch a child play dress up or lets pretend. I think back to my own childhood when my playmates and I spent hours designing our dream homes and describing them in glorious detail to each other. What happened to all of those grand dreams?

Paradise Isle
[Self-Improvement:Success] Is your tent pitched on "Someday Isle?" There are two different tents pitched there - content and discontent. John C. Maxwell wrote in his book, "Think on These Things" about Which Tent Do You Live In (chapter 27.) Regardless of whether you choose to live on Paradise Isle or Someday Isle, you have chosen to live a life of being contented or discontented...

Dust Off Your Dreams
[Business:Career-Advice] Yesterday is a cancelled check and tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is our current cash. Use today wisely. How happy are you with your current work and financial situation? Today is a new day and the opportunity for a new beginning. When I was young, I had a list of 100 things I wanted to do and places I wanted to see. Over the years many of those items have been checked off the list. How about you? How is your list doing?

Prosperity Thinking
[Business:Career-Advice] Current economic situations tend to place prosperity thinking at the bottom of a deep well. I am extending a golden opportunity for you to float those creative thoughts to the surface of the well. In fact, let prosperous thoughts overflow. Your thoughts are triggered by your beliefs. Those thoughts transmit into feelings and words. Your words influence your actions and your results materialize accordingly. Have a heart-to-heart talk with your core beliefs. Do you truly believe, absolutely know in your heart, that you are in the process of becoming a resounding success?

Due Diligence Checklist
[Legal:Identity-Theft] Life is learning and growing experience. Sometimes the experience delights the soul and sometimes it challenges the patience. I am still dealing with a pesky web site situation. What I learned after a visit to the FBI was that phishing, taking the contents of a web site and using it without the original owner's permission, is fairly common. The FBI agent was not only polite and very thorough, but truly concerned about my rights as a citizen. He diligently recorded the details of my situation and received copies of all of the documentation.

Entrepreneur Business
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] Success and life are a package deal. How many of us focus so much on one part that we neglect other essential parts? Probably the most common violation is the workaholic. Yes, we convince ourselves that it is our responsibility as head of the household to provide a living for our family, and that is true. Now before you get defensive, I have been totally guilty of exactly that logic.

Internet Fraud
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Security] Today became a challenge. If you have ever been scammed or had your identity stolen, you understand the frustration.

Dressing For Success
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Today I heard a delightful speech on dressing for success. A man in an expensive suit and tie appears more authoritarian than someone in jeans and a tee shirt when they are standing before the board of directors of a corporation. How many times have you ever seen someone address Congress wearing a polo shirt and Dockers? Probably not. There is an impression of authority when a man steps up to the podium in a suit and tie.

Think Like an Eagle
[Home-Based-Business:Network-Marketing] Ever watch a bird take off? They don't sit on the ground and flap one wing and then the other and walk away. They flap their wings and soar up into the air. Ever watch or feel an airplane take off? It goes full throttle and races down the runway and lifts off nose pointed up in the air. After it reaches cruising altitude, it levels off and cuts back the throttle a bit. You have that exact choice with your business.

Game On
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] The secret of victory resides in the practice before the game. The team who drills with serious planning and preparation for every possible situation during the days and weeks before the game, almost always performs better during the game. Most speeches are a success or failure before the speaker ever steps on the stage. Most sales presentations are closed or rejected before the presentation folder is ever opened. The key is preparation.

Enjoy - In Joy
[Self-Improvement:Inspirational] Truly enjoying your life and your career brings a sense of peace, fulfillment and productivity. Tap in to your feelings and energy level as you conduct your daily activities. Emotions relate closely to your energy level.

Soar With the Eagles
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Don't send a duck to eagle school. It will frustrate the duck and puzzle the eagles. Eagle flying school is designed for stretching the wings of the eagles so they can soar higher and faster.

Desire to Inspire
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] Jim Rohn, now a world renowned author, speaker and business philosopher, started his inspirational journey when he was 25 years old. At that point in his life, he was not only broke but in debt. Broke is a temporary financial state; however, poor is a state of mind from which recovery takes more effort. Almost every great leader and financial success has suffered from financial lack at one point. None of them ever considered themselves poor. Every great leader first developed self inspiration before they could effectively inspire others.

Emotional Detachment
[Self-Improvement:Success] Clinging to a lead or chasing a prospect gives an impression of lack and being needy. Needy is one of the fastest turn offs for a prospect. It tells them you are coming from a weak position. People prefer to work with a leader. Leaders present themselves from the standpoint of abundance.

Make Dreams Come True
[Self-Improvement:Success] Good news. If you have a dream in your heart, you also have the ability to achieve it. Something you passionately want, not just lukewarm desire. None of us were ever given a burning desire to reach a specific goal without the ability to reach that goal. You may be saying, "Oh yeah, but you don't know my circumstances." True, I don't know your circumstances, but I know my own. I also know many others who achieved despite adverse circumstances. They achieved because they kept searching for the solution until they found it...

Make a Difference
[Self-Improvement:Inspirational] You can make a difference in someone's life today. Making a difference can be as simple as allowing another car to merge into your lane on a busy freeway, holding a door for someone, smiling encouragement, or any random act of kindness. Sometimes the smallest gestures mean a great deal. Serotonin is the "feel good" chemical reproduced in mood enhancing drugs. Your body naturally produces Serotonin.

Leaders Are Dealers in Hope
[Self-Improvement:Leadership] Neither Winston Churchill nor Franklin D. Roosevelt were the greatest leaders in history; however, they both inspired their nations in a dark period of stress. Winston Churchill gave hope to all England during the battle of Britain in the Second World War. As Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, he was noted for his fiery speeches. As an acclaimed orator, his speeches became a great inspiration to the British people and embattled Allied forces. He breathed hope into a troubled nation and a world at war.

Go For the Gold
[Home-Based-Business:Network-Marketing] Why are you settling for pennies in an MLM? Money may not be the most important thing in life, that's true; however, living without it isn't fun either.

The Turning Point
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] There are many turning points in life. Or at least there are many opportunities for turning points in life. What you choose to do about those turning points determines your future. When I was a little girl in 4-H doing my sewing projects, we had original garments and made-over garments. Re-inventing yourself is similar to a made-over garment. In fact, I have re-invented myself several times over the last several decades.

Emperor's New Clothes
[Business:Career-Advice] Beware of the naked man who offers to sell you the shirt off his back. Remember the Danish fairy tale depicted by Hans Christian Andersen of the emperor whose delight and ego revolved around wearing the finest wardrobe? This 1837 story relates the tale of ego, vanity and swindlers. The crafty swindlers received the finest silk, most precious gold-cloth and large sums of money to weave the most elegant suit for the emperor. The secret of the con game was that anyone unfit for their office could not see the fabric.

Cost Calculation
[Home-Based-Business] Reality check! What is most important to you, the initial cost or short and long term value? When Jim Rohn was 25 and broke, his first mentor, Earl Shoaff, recommended that Jim purchase the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. Jim Rohn, now a multi millionaire, purchased the book from a used book store for 47 cents. Jim Rohn estimates that the book helped him to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars. He spent 47 cents and gained value which earned hundreds of thousands of dollars. I repeat the question. What is most important to you, the initial cost or the short and long term value?

Excuse Generator
[Business:Career-Advice] The current American economy has so many people holding desperately on to a thin fraying rope tied to the open tailgate of a small truck heading down a cliff. Time to stop clutching to the old job mentality and start taking charge of your life. If you think holding on to a job which may or may not even exist a few months from now represents security, good luck.

Creative Marketing
[Business:Marketing] Birds provide a valuable lesson for marketers. Go where the pickings are available. Go where the customers are located.

Poor Me
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] "Poor Me" whines the person who wants others to do everything for them. You recognize the type, right? They are the ones who invite you for coffee and step aside after they order until you pay. I really do not mind paying. My concern lies more in their mindset of lack and entitlement.

Overcoming Obstacles
[Self-Improvement:Mind-Development] Every great leader faced challenges. History abounds with stories of success being created out of adversity. How determined are you to reach your goals? What are you willing to do in order to reach that level of success?

Richest Man
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason reminds us that we each have talents and abilities which can be enhanced to produce wealth. Everyone has a special talent which will produce prosperity when properly implemented. "Beloved by millions, this timeless classic holds the key to all you desire and everything you wish to accomplish. This is the book that reveals the secret to personal wealth" is the quote from the back cover of the book.

Massive Action
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] Warren Buffett did not become wealthy by investing the loose change in his pocket. Bill Gates created Microsoft by daring to dream big goals. Walt Disney did not visualize one amusement ride. Olympic athletes do not spend time at the gym casually visiting and half heartedly doing one or two exercises. Every successful person takes massive action. Dare to dream big goals, choose to design a massive action plan to achieve those goals and commit to implementing that plan today.

Positive Mindset
[Self-Improvement:Mind-Development] Success leaves clues and those clues are frequently related to the mindset of the achiever. "But I want it!" declares the persistent child.

Rocking Horse
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] The rocking horse theory permeates small business. Far too many people who own small businesses or home based businesses confuse motion with forward progress. Rocking horses create motion, but zero forward progress. Busy and moving does not equal progress. Many new entrepreneurs confuse spending time in front of their computer with actually accomplishing forward moving business progress.

Gratitude Journal
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] Regardless of whether we like the President, the economy or anything else in our current lives, we still have so much to be grateful for every day. We live in a great country. We enjoy tremendous freedom. We are totally free to worship as we choose. Gratitude for our health or the medical professionals who are available to assist us in restoring that health must never be taken for granted.

Computer Cure
[Computers-and-Technology] Ever wonder if the cure feels more painful than the disease? Ever consider throwing your laptop out the window? We have become so dependant on computers to communicate and conduct our daily business. We carry our laptop on trips with us and treat it as if it were an appendage to our body. But wait! It gets worse. We carry our i-phone or Blackberry clipped to our purse or belt. Every meeting opens with the announcement to please turn off all electronic noise makers as a courtesy to the speaker. It is automatically expected that the majority of the audience will be packing electronic hardware.

Creative Speakers
[Writing-and-Speaking:Public-Speaking] "Speakers Speak," was the firm statement of a dear friend of mine. Joe holds many titles as an icon in the speaking industry. We were having a marketing discussion about the differences between the ways a speaker marketed themselves thirty or forty years ago and the way they market themselves now. When Joe started marketing himself, a speaker would telephone program chairmen to present themselves. As a follow up, a speaker might fax a short biography to potential organizations.

Tips For Success
[Self-Improvement:Success] Dogs don't bark at parked cars. Even an animal in the forest will stand perfectly still in order to avoid being noticed. You can have the most beautiful web site every created with fabulous pictures, graphics and compelling text, but until you take action to attract attention to it, it is worthless. The time tested success training tip is to take massive action. The scientific laws decree that nothing happens until something moves. This rule applies even more in business today.

Success Strategies
[Business:Sales] There is gold dust in the air. Fix your mind firmly on prosperity and abundance and the air surrounding you will be permeated with gold dust. Your attitude about a situation creates your reality. Wayne Dyer, international speaker and author, reminds us that when we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.

Creating a Vision
[Self-Improvement:Mind-Development] In "The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity" Catherine Ponder reminds us of the need to visualize your success. The success steps in this process are easy to do, but as Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher reminds us, they are also easy not to do.

Start a Business
[Home-Based-Business] Home based business is the fastest growing industry in North America and perhaps the world right now. Having owned several small businesses in a variety of industries, I truly know the contrast.

Marketing - Small Business
[Business:Marketing] Marketing budget, income potential, market area and knowledge all play a significant role in the choice of a marketing method. Marketing budget decisions present a major stumbling block for many new home based business and small business owners, or even "want to be" owners. When I started my first business in 1981 (yes I know that dates my age), the options for free marketing were limited to friends and family, free newspaper ads, bulletin boards, roadside signs and flyers. Oh and there was also the delightful option of cold calls. These methods worked. They were time consuming, frustrating because of the high percentage of rejection, and limited to the geographical area near your home.

Always Be Giving - Mentoring
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Mentoring comes in many forms. In Toastmasters, mentoring may be a simple as encouraging someone to quell the stage fright and relax. The butterflies do not always flay in formation. Even seasoned speakers still have "stage nerves" from time to time.

Life is a Staircase
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] We are either stepping up or down. Every thought, every word and every action either moves us up the stairs or down the staircase. Sometimes when it seems like the forces of life are conspiring against you, it is difficult to hold a 100% positive attitude and yet that is exactly what we must do. Every entrepreneur experiences setbacks and challenges. That is absolutely a part of life.

Dream Stealers
[Business:Customer-Service] Achieve the lifestyle you deserve. Overcome limiting beliefs and reach your full potential by working with successful problem solving coach.

Someday Isle
[Home-Based-Business:Network-Marketing] Call to action to take charge of your life and your finances. Learn the difference in each type of business - franchise, brick and mortar, or network marketing. Clarify the differences in the cashflow quadrant: employee to self-employed to business owner to investor. Someday Isle to Paradise Isle.

Is Your Bank Account Sobbing?
[Home-Based-Business:Network-Marketing] Compare the investment for various types of businesses with the potential return on investment. Learn the critical criteria to selecting the right business. Analyze the compensation system. Bring your bank account from a painful cry to a wide smile.

Entrepreneurs Pave the Path to Wealth
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump encourage wealth creation as an entrepreneur. 80% of the most recent list of billionaires were entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs embrace opportunity. Are you ready for wealth?

Time Trap
[Self-Improvement:Time-Management] Examine the things you want most in your life and prioritize your day accordingly. Tips, techniques and challenges for effective time management.

Target in the Dark
[Self-Improvement:Goal-Setting] Life without goals is like aiming at a target in the dark and expecting to have good results. Be specific, laser focused, consistent and persistent and you will be more productive, more effective and less frustrated. Learn specific tips and techniques which everyone can implement immediately.

Always Be Giving
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] We all know our ABC's. We learned them as children. In fact there was a book I read long ago "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." The basic principles are certainly there. As adults we need to step up our game a bit. I will be writing a multi part series about the ABG's. Always be Giving, Always be Growing and Always be Grateful. Giving. To some of us, it seems like we have been giving all of our lives. Yes, it is true that giving actually provides more for the giver than the receiver, IF the giving is done cheerfully with an unselfish spirit. One of the very simple things we can do every day is to do something good for someone today with the absolute knowing that they could never repay you. Do it with a willing heart where you not only do not expect them to repay you, but you do not even want them to repay you.

Always Be Giving - Acknowledgment
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] We give of our time by listening and helping people learn how to solve problems. By giving of ourselves in focused attention, we are demonstrating that they are valuable to us. Knowing that you are valuable to others and valuable as a person is extremely important. None of us live in a vacuum. We all appreciate being valued. Mark Twain said," To get the full value of a joy, you must have somebody to divide it with." Just knowing that someone else appreciates the little things we do for them makes a world of difference to you and to them. One of the problems I see so frequently in marriages and in the workplace is that people do not feel valued.

Always Be Growing - Books
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] "You will be the same person in five years as your are today except for the people you meet and the books you read," Charles "Tremendous" Jones. There are so many notable quotes encouraging us to read. Jim Rohn says, "You can always pass up a meal, but never pass up a good book," There was a story I heard once on a cd about a shoe shine lady who was reading novels. She had quite a pile of those paperback dog-eared books by her shoe shine stand in the airport so she obviously liked to read. The problem was that her daughter had won a cheerleading contest and he mother desperately wanted her to go on to the competition; however, there was no money for the uniform or transportation to the contest. What if that pile of books had included "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill or "The Prosperity Secrets of the Ages" by Catherine Ponder or "The Travelers Gift" by Andy Andrews or even "The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People" by Stephen Covey. How different her life and the life of he daughter could have been just by reading "mind stretching" books instead of romantic novels.

Always Be Growing - Focus
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Our focus determines so much about our entire life. Rich people have 24 hours a day and poor people have 24 hours a day. The difference is what we do with those hours.

Always Be Growing - Live Life to the Fullest
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Growing means stepping out of your comfort zone and learning something new. It is not about doing something because you think you should, but genuinely because you choose to stretch and grow.

Always Be Growing - Mind Candy
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] We all know that what we feed our body, determines our health, our weight and our energy. How much attention are you giving to your mind? What diet are you feeding your mind?

Always Be Growing - Pain Or Pleasure
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] What motivates you to do the things you do in your life? Most people are either seeking pleasure or seeking to avoid pain. It is generally accepted that people will do more to avoid pain than to seek pleasure.

Always Be Growing - Reach For Your Dreams
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] As I open my emails this morning there is a reoccurring theme from Brian Tracy, Napoleon Hill, Bill Harris of Centerpointe, and Mike Litman. They are all speaking on courage to follow your passion. Why do so many people let their dreams wither and die?

Always Be Growing - Reading
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] It is a common expression that if you are not growing, you are dying. So many people in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s, come to me every day seeking financial education and resources. It is my pleasure to help.

Always Be Growing - Visualize
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] When Walt Disney passed away, someone commented to his widow that it was a shame that he did not see his dream of Disney World completed. His wife replied, "Oh yes he did. He saw it completed in every little detail in his mind before they ever broke ground."

Attracting Highly Qualified Leaders
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Internet-Marketing] Probably my biggest frustration is attracting enough highly qualified prospects to my business. The first issue is highly qualified. I know that if I have the opportunity to speak to enough highly qualified people, I will attract leaders and producers into my business. This has been proven over the years in several different businesses. Leaders and producers want to work with leaders and producers. No top level business person seeks out the inexperienced newbie to join his/her team. That is just a fact.

Be Consistent and Persistent
[Self-Improvement:Success] In order to be successful, it requires being consistent and persistent. Whether you are pursuing a career in sports, music, business or any other endeavor, you must be consistent and persistent. There is the story of the violin maestro who performed an absolutely majestic concert. A lady went back stage to speak to the master. She told him, "I would give my life to play like that." The master replied, "Madam, I did."

Consistent Words and Intention
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] In yesterday's discussion we spoke about "giving makes you rich." Another key element to that theme is the mindset for prosperity. There must be consistency. If someone says, "I want to be rich" and at the same time condemns everyone who is rich, that is a conflict.

Discover Your Genius
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] In order to gain the maximum potential from my life, I have been paying close attention to my feelings and energy as well as my preferences. We each have one special gift or ability.

Dream Economics
[News-and-Society:Economics] It would be difficult for anyone NOT to be aware of the current economic situation in the United States. The collapse actually hit Wall Street even harder than Main Street initially. When the banking industry quivered and went into cold chills, America noticed. The real impact struck home when formerly middle and upper class families started losing their homes.

Energy Levels
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] High energy equals high productivity. High productivity equals high degrees of success. Obviously high degrees of success equals high degrees of income and profit. What creates high energy? Positive attitudes and thus positive thoughts always energize us...

The Entitlement Mentality
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] With the entitlement mentality, many expect someone else to take charge and do it for them. With weight loss, they want to do it with a pill rather than change their food intake and exercise routine. So many people expect someone or something else to do it for them. Even our healthcare has become an entitlement issue. There are far too many who expect the government to pay for their healthcare rather than taking responsibility for their decisions.

Your Happiness
[Self-Improvement:Happiness] What is happiness? What makes you truly happy? Some people think it is winning the lottery or some other external event. Far too many people seem to think that it is up to their spouse or parents or someone else to make them happy. Bottom line. You are responsible for your own happiness. Being happy is a decision you make.

Always Be Giving - Charity
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] In the book "Prosperity Secrets of the Ages" by Catherine Ponder, it states a profound secret: "The supreme prosperity secret of the ages is that your giving can make you rich!" This secret has been handed down from the ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Arabians, Greeks, Romans and the Chinese. Many of our modern millionaires such as the Colgate, Heinz, Kraft and Rockefeller families all used this prosperity secret. They credit this secret as the special formula which brought them riches.

I Hear Frustration Everywhere These Days
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] I hear frustration everywhere these days & it's primarily financial. That is certainly understandable with an uncertain stock market, job losses, companies pleading for bailout or even worse, just closing their doors. These are certainly trying times for most of America. There is hope. The best source of hope is absolutely in your control. It is your own attitude about your situation.

What is More Important?
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] As I sit here tonight, it would be so easy to curl up in bed and not finish the details on my "get it done checklist" for today. Have you ever felt that way? Of course you have. The difference between the highly successful entrepreneurs and the "just getting by" home business owners is such a slight edge. Those of us who truly are committed to success will stay up and finish that last detail before we call it a day.

Success is a Choice
[Self-Improvement:Success] I recently discovered a book of success secrets. Everyone knows the tremendous impact of "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. That book has become a light, actually more of a beacon,to illuminate the path of many an entrepreneur. Truthfully, it holds tremendous value for everyone regardless of age, profession or economic status. Its virtues are praised as much now as when it was first written decades ago. The world has undergone drastic changes since 1937 when it was first published but the principles still hold true today.

Increase Visitors to Your Site
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Internet-Marketing] If you are not getting enough visitors to your site (impressions), then it is your ads and keywords. If you are getting visitors but not leads, it is the appeal of your page. If you are getting leads but not apps, then it is either the follow through with the leads or the sales page.

It's All Energy
[Health-and-Fitness] Your energy tells you the truth. There are so many conflicting reports on absolutely everything today. One expert will tell you a high carbohydrate diet is great for you and the next expert will tell you that the answer is a very low carbohydrate diet. In the 60s they told people over 50 to avoid strenuous exercise. Now the recommendation is to continue to exercise to maintain strength, flexibility and cardio.

Actions Speak
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] You can make money or you can make excuses but rarely, if ever, can you make both at the same time. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people make excuses to explain why they did not succeed. It is far too common throughout the world for the unsuccessful to be excuse-makers. People choose to attempt to justify their action or inaction with words. The bottom line is that actions speak with such volume that the words can not be heard. Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher, said that "if your neighbor's pasture is greener than yours, then perhaps theirs is getting better care." It does come down to the actions.

Play the Match Game
[Self-Improvement:Mind-Development] Picture yourself ordering in a restaurant. First you order a chef salad, then you change your order to a pasta salad and then you change your mind again and order a hamburger. What are the odd that you will receive exactly what you want at the moment the food arrives. Slim and none and slim just left town. This is the way your subconscious mind feels when you keep changing your mind about what you truly desire to receive in life.

Leadership is Empowering Others
[Self-Improvement:Leadership] Leadership is empowering others to reach for their full potential. In Brian Tracy's "The Treasury of Quotes," he describes leadership as "... the ability to get extraordinary achievement from ordinary people." No one ever gets to the top alone. It takes the combined efforts of several for anyone to reach the top.

Change is Unavoidable
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Every one of us encounters change in some manner every day. There are basically 2 ways that most people handle change - fight or flight. You may choose to stand your ground and wage a battle - fight. Take the example of the termination of your employment. Many companies are downsizing right now or moving their offices off shore or even more permanent, closing their doors.

The Best Way to Value People
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] The best way to make a person feel valued and valuable is to listen intently while they are speaking to you. The common tendency with most people unintentionally sends a message of disrespect or disinterest in the speaker's words. People listen for a gap or pause in the conversation waiting impatiently for their opportunity to speak.

The Common Denominator - "Active"
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] You can debate the differences between being proactive, reactive or even interactive. The common denominator is active. Nothing happens until something moves. That is a basic law of nature.

Always Be Grateful - Be Proud of Your Age
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Whatever your age, be proud of the experience you have gained and the opportunity to continue to learn and grow. If you are in your 20s or 30s, great, you have plenty of time to create anything your heart desires. If you are more mature, great. You have the advantage of so many years of wisdom and experience. Saying you are too young or too old to learn something new is just an excuse you give yourself for putting off taking any action.

Always Be Grateful
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] Today is my 65th birthday and I still feel young in spirit. I am as excited today for my present and my future as I was in my 20s. Part of that is gratitude. I am so grateful for my life. Blessings and challenges abound every day.

Always Be Growing - Learning Curve
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Life is a learning curve. From the beginning we have a series of firsts: first crawling, first steps, first time to ride a bicycle, and first day of school. Life is a series of firsts. The problem is that once we become adults, we seem to stop experiencing those new accomplishments. As adults, too many of us resist learning new things. We balk at having a learning curve.

Always Be Grateful - Fear Holds Back Prosperity
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] Fear is false expectations appearing real. We all deal with fear on some level at various times in our lives. To say that you have never ever been afraid of anything means you are either one in ten million or perhaps not totally honest with yourself.

Notes of Appreciation
[Self-Improvement:Happiness] Writing notes of appreciation and encouragement is almost a lost art. It is certainly far less frequent than it was a generation ago. Now, of course, I am showing my age. We all dash a fast email now rather than sending a hand written note.

Time For Action, Not Excuses
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Yesterday we talked about "no excuses." Life happens to all of us. It is simply a fact. None of us have the perfect life where everything is always wonderful. It isn't what happens to us in our life that counts; it is how we respond to it. Life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90% our response to it. It isn't even totally what happens to us but the way we interpret the events. Sometimes as we look back on a situation, what we thought and felt at the time was more the story we told ourselves than what actually happened. Food for thought - right?

No Excuses
[Self-Improvement:Empowerment] There are so many people who inspire me in my life. One of the most significant in my life was Earl McCray, my grade school and high school music teacher. He believed in me when I did not know how to believe in myself. Just a bit of background which puts that in perspective.

The Secret is More Skills
[Business:Career-Advice] Our economy and business environment is constantly changing and evolving. The truly successful entrepreneurs are constantly growing and changing with the times. When I was in graduate school and someone first started talking about email, that sounded so foreign.

The Razor Thin Line
[Self-Improvement:Success] The difference between the results of the mediocre and the extremely successful is such a fine line. So much depends on receiving the right information at the right time and taking massive action. We know that the right information is available to everyone in WMI and CCP. We also know you are receiving it at exactly the right time. Regardless of the business or job you currently hold, the crucial question is "What action are you taking? Are you playing the game? Even more important, Are you playing the game to win?

Time Management
[Self-Improvement:Time-Management] Rich people have 24 hours a day and poor people have 24 hours a day. The difference is clearly how we use those hours. How are you managing your time? It is far too easy to spend time answering personal emails, organizing the desk, and answering calls which were not urgent.

Good, Fast and Cheap
[Home-Based-Business] As a rule of purchasing anything, reality dictates that we will only receive two of the three of these at any one time. If you want it fast and you want top quality, you are not likely to also receive the lowest price. By the same token if you want something at a very very low cost, you will either sacrifice quality or the speed of receiving the goods or services. This rule holds true in the home based business industry as well. Wise business decisions require quality and an investment of time, energy and money.

Head Games
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] Sometimes we unintentionally get in our own way of success. We allow the "monkey chatter" to instill doubts and hesitation. Our friends, family and co-workers add to that monkey chatter weakening our resolve to succeed.

Slight Edge
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Jeff Olson recorded a CD about "The Slight Edge." This audio clarifies the fine line between success and a mediocre life. The good news is that it really is a slight edge. You may be closer than you think to achieving your goals and dreams. For instance, he spoke about a nice shoe shine lady in the airport who read a great many books. Reading is excellent. Every great leader recommends reading. Brian Tracy and Dennis Waitley recommend reading for a minimum of thirty minutes per day. Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher recommends reading a book a week. In fact, one of Jim's weekend seminars teaches how to read a book a day. Every great leader is a reader.

Are You Busy Or Productive?
[Self-Improvement:Time-Management] Ever have days when you seemed to be busy all day long, but at the end of the day you did not have much to show for the time? There is a distinct difference between activity and accomplishment. Do you relate to that feeling? Me too. My solution revolves around time management. Each evening I write my "to do" list for the next day. Back in my property management days, it meant looking at not only new items to be accomplished but reviewing the completed work orders to determine what had been completed. Frequently it also involved a site visit to personally inspect the work performed. With a home based business, the buck stops right here at my own desk.

Juicy Slice of Life
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] Summertime may be drawing to a close but summer melons are still in the stores everywhere. Look at the juicy watermelon treat from a totally different perspective.

Fear is the Absence of Faith
[Self-Improvement:Empowerment] Fear gives all control to the negative aspects. You will always receive more of whatever you give your time, energy and focus. When you allow negative thoughts to creep into your mind, they become negative feelings and then negative expectations and thus negative results. Fear is nothing more than requesting negative results. That is not to say that none of us ever have challenges and setbacks. Of course we all do. The key is conquering the negative thought and replacing it with courage.

It's All in Your Head
[Self-Improvement:Motivation] I recently had an interesting and revealing experience. I was frustrated that I had set some very high goals and life seemed to be throwing up roadblocks right and left. Have you ever felt that way? Sure. If we are honest, all of us have experienced that from time to time. The scary thing is that if you dwell on that obstacle, it looms larger and larger. It is back to my constant reminder that you will receive more of whatever you give your time, energy and focus. The more you let your thoughts continue to swirl around the "poor me" and "why is this happening to me" pattern, the more you will add bricks to the top of that brick wall.

The 5 Factor Difference
[Business:Career-Advice] Enthusiasm is wonderful. There was a screen saver put out by the Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles which said "Catch on fire with enthusiasm and the world will come for miles to watch you burn." Yes, enthusiasm is an important factor but enthusiasm alone will not move your life and your business forward. Passion for your product and your company are also very important. You can not effectively present something you do not believe in and respect.

Passed the Half Way Mark in 2009
[Finance:Personal-Finance] How are you doing with your goals and plans? We are now entering the 8th month. We still have 5 months to go so it is not too late. Think about those New Years Resolutions you made 7 months ago. Have you looked at them lately? Many people start out the year with great intentions. Some resolve to exercise more, others to lose weight, and others to earn more. Finances seem to be a major problem for the majority of folks right now. At the start of 2009, over 80% of American citizens were upside down. Our entire government is upside down. People owed more than they owned. The people who used their home as an ATM were particularly hard hit. Many of them now find that their mortgage is higher than the resale value. That is if they could sell it anyway.

Weekly Awesomeness Awareness
[Self-Improvement:Mind-Development] Life is to be lived, enjoyed and appreciated. Every day is a day to be celebrated. Sounds like I am viewing life through rose colored glasses? No. I do have a life filled with gratitude. When you look at your life and choose to celebrate the good things, you will find that you receive more blessings. You will always receive more of whatever you give your time, energy and focus. Why not focus on the things you choose to receive?

Responsibility Erases the Blame Game
[Self-Improvement:Leadership] None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes. The mark of a leader and a mature person is the ability to step up to the situation and take responsibility for their part. Taking responsibility does not mean becoming a door mat or letting people walk all over them. It means accepting your rightful share of the results - good or bad. Jim Rohn, noted business philosopher, reminds us to accept the harvest of rewards without apology when the results are good and without complaint when they are not good.

Pay Attention to Your MVP
[Home-Based-Business] Sports fans will think of MVP as Most Valuable Player. Good thought, but not this time. In terms of your home based business, the term MVP means Most Valuable and Profitable activity. One of the 5 things every leader focuses on every day is income producing activity. These are your profit producing activities. Lead generation, customer needs focused conversations and follow up are crucial ingredients to any sales funnel.

Gratitude For Our Opportunity
[Home-Based-Business] Whether we like the current president or whether we like the current economy, pales in comparison to the advantages we enjoy in America. We live in the greatest nation in the world. We have the freedom to worship as we please. There are so many countries where people have to worship in secret. We ring massive church bells to say where we worship. Our religious books abound on every possible sect and religion. Celebrate our freedom of worship.

Life is Like a Garden
[Self-Improvement:Mind-Development] As a Kansas farm girl growing up, we had rich black soil. Everything we planted seemed to sprout up and grow happily. Years later I moved to Norfolk, Nebraska where we had hard clay. It felt like I needed a jackhammer to drill a little hole to plant a flower. The flowers choked for nutrition and struggled to survive.

Keywords Are Key
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:SEO] Targeting your audience is so important in marketing. It is the difference between using a scatter gun or a laser to hit your target. When you shoot a general blast from a scatter gun, the odds of hitting a specific target are slim and none.

The GO Factor
[Business:Careers-Employment] In order to go to the top of the leadership ladder, you must have help. No one gets to the top alone. There are always people helping anyone who gets to the top of the success ladder. There are those who climb to the top on the backs of other people. The most successful people are those who work with others and go to the top together.

Life is a GPS
[Self-Improvement] Anyone who owns a recent model car with a GPS system is familiar with the turn by turn instructions it provides. When you remain on course it simply tells you how many miles until your next turn and whether it will be a right or a left. If you are off course, however, it will either tell you to recalculate or make a legal U turn ahead.

You Deserve Prosperity
[Self-Improvement:Abundance-Prosperity] As a professional speaker and a seasoned entrepreneur, I have experienced various challenges and various attitudes in my career. As a professional speaker, it warms my heart to see audiences come alive. When people truly "get it" and understand that they not only can but should be happy and prosperous, it is so rewarding. One of the things which gives me so much pleasure is knowing that I am providing value, inspiration and enjoyment to my audiences.

The Sweetest Gift You Can Ever Give is the Gift of Yourself
[Self-Improvement:Personal-Growth] One simple gift is the gift of listening. Listening is a silent form of flattery. Maybe it is listening to a small child who wants to show you a treasure they find absolutely fascinating. When my mother was in the nursing home, I learned how very much the residents treasured having someone really listen to them. Most people listen waiting for a gap in the conversation so they can speak or listen for just enough information to present their point of view. How many times do we really focus and listen. Are you ever guilty of stopping listening to your spouse because you have been together so long you think you already know what they are going to say?

Marketing and Mindset
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Internet-Marketing] Marketing can be paradise or a deserted island to your business. Effective marketing generates an abundance of high quality traffic. Poor marketing or insufficient marketing provides either a high cost per lead or very few leads or a combination of both. High cost and low traffic for an extended period of time spells death to a business. How are you doing? How is your lead flow? Have you placed a strangle hold on the throat of your business?

When Life is Spiraling Out of Control
[Self-Improvement:Techniques] With the economy, the pressures of daily life and the impending holiday season, control teeters on a delicate balance. Demands for our time and energy press inward from all sides. Stop! Breathe! Relax your shoulders! Calm the swarm of butterflies in your system! Right now is the time to collect your thoughts and set up priorities. One of the age-old examples is a jar of rocks. Sort your "to do" list into three sections: major and urgent tasks, major but not urgent tasks and minor duties. The major and urgent tasks are the largest rocks. The major but not urgent tasks are the pebbles and the grains of fine sand are the minor duties.

Managing Your Challenges
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] Whether you are in a home based business and have been Google slapped or challenged by the economy, the fact remains that a challenge is a challenge. The end result is totally determined by your attitude. If you choose to label it as a "bad thing," it will be a bad thing. If you choose to look at your challenge as an opportunity for growth and change, it will probably be a good thing. Your attitude makes the difference.

Communication is Essential
[Relationships:Communication] Communication is a 2 way process. Communication is not just about speaking and presenting your point of view. Communication is also about listening. Too often we find people listening for a break in the conversation so that they can speak. Or people listen for just enough information to present their point of view. Very rarely do people listen for the intent and purpose of truly hearing the other person. Listening is a silent form of flattery. Being a focused and interested listener is a way of demonstrating the value we place on the other person. One of the sweetest gifts you can ever give is showing you are truly interested in the other person.

Roadblocks to Success
[Self-Improvement:Success] Are you building your future or a roadblock to your success? So many of us unintentionally build a wall blocking us from the success we say we desire. Holding on to negative feelings presents a major roadblock to success. Regardless of whether those negative feelings have anything to do with your business life or not, negative is still negative.