Key to success

Secondly, apply "reality-based" thinking to your negative thoughts. Our interior world dictates our outer circumstances. Negative thoughts such as, "I'll never amount to anything," can result in a sense of hopelessness and apathy. It can easily result in a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Instead, identify your negative thinking. You might want to write it in a journal. "I'll never amount to anything." Write how that makes you feel. Anxious? Fearful? Despairing?

Failure is the flip side of success. But too often, we personalize failure, attributing it to our character. What lethal thinking! Once we see ourselves as failures it becomes a smoke screen in dealing with problems, and overcoming them. Inherent in failure are lessons to help us reach success.

We simply need to listen to the correction, seek out others who can help us, implement new behaviors, and as a result, personally and professionally grow. Use failure to your advantage.

Associations are key to success. Positive relationships are uplifting and inspirational; we renew our energy and motivation in the presence of such people. However, there are other relationships that leave us emotionally and even physically drained. Perhaps, such a friend is critical of your aspirations or depressive

If you feel a knot in your stomach around certain friends, it might be a signal to precede cautiously. Spend less time with energy-draining friends or family members. Protecting your energy in order to pursue your goals, and coupling with like-minded ambitious people opens the doors to greater success.

For you to succeed, to be happy and fulfilled in your life, you must have self confidence. To make a presentation, to hold a meeting, to invite friends over to your place for a party, for you to attend a social networking event, whatever it is, you will need to have self confidence.

There is no other way; there is no escape, if you really and genuinely want to live a happy, successful and fulfilled life.

So the question now is how can you acquire that all-important self confidence?

To set the wheels in motion and embark on a life full of self confidence, you begin by trusting and having faith in your skills, talents and strengths.

The true core, the heart of self confidence lies in belief, the belief in your own abilities and attributes. Self confidence is having the courage to feel the fear, the discomfort, the doubt and still do what you want to do anyway.

By developing your confidence you are much more likely to expect a positive outcome.

Be kind and sympathetic to yourself. Do not expect to have all the self confidence that you want overnight. Even winners and highly successful people probably did not have all the self confidence that they wanted to reach their goals overnight.

One method I personally used to gain confidence is by doing things that I haven't done before, particularly things that scared me, that gave me goose bumps. I remember when I gave my very first seminar I was very nervous.

And the result: at the end of the seminar, as I was shaking hands with the attendees at the door on their way out, it wasn't just me patting myself on the back, telling myself I'd done a great job! Their comments literally rocketed my self confidence.

You see, I believed in myself and gave it a try; I did my first seminar. I knew that I had to start somewhere, and I also knew that my self confidence will get stronger and stronger after each seminar. And it did. I did not give in to my nervousness, fear and doubt.

I shared this story with you for a reason; that being that there are plentiful strategies and techniques that you can learn to apply so as to build your self confidence.

As you learn and begin to apply the techniques you will feel more confident to attempt things you haven't in the past.

A quick strategy: commit to face one situation a week that you do not feel confident about. By doing just that one thing, you will escalate your self confidence, and within a short period of time, you will notice that the things that used to make you nervous are much less than ever before

What does it take to be successful? What is success? How can I get there?

The answer to what it takes to be successful and how to get there is a bit longer: Success happens at that special intersection of passion, commitment, talent and persistence. Think of those four as separate paths that flow into one path - one powerful path that leads to success - in it's infinite variety.. It's a special place, that path.

That special path is different for each of us. It has to be - everyone of us is so special and different in every one of those four requirements. But we all have the capacity to arrive at our own intersection - again and again.

What an exciting thought - that each of us can combine and align our special attributes in such a way to be successful - as we choose to define success.

It's sad that so many people have had experiences that have taught them to be safe, to stay on the sidelines and watch, to hold their passions and commitments in check, to see how the wind blows.

What an enormous waste of resources,on a personal level and on every other level. Those are the people that are the subject of Henry David Thoreau's statement: " The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."

The idea that there is the potential to exceed anything yet accomplished through a process of self discovery, discipline, commitment and passion is really exciting - and scary. What's really scary is that it lies within each of our capabilities to grow and reach that intersection and do it again and again in our lives.

We can do it at any age, under any circumstance, at any stage - and it's not magic, it's not a silver bullet, it's not limited in any way.

Let's walk down each of these four paths and see how we can get them to join together to create a level of success greater than any yet experienced.

Passion is the first path for a reason. It's the emotion that leads to commitment. It's the feeling that comes from the heart and provides us with the strength to dedicate ourselves to people, places, things, ideas, processes

It's often the most difficult path to find, but once found, it can be the most sustaining and exciting. Passion is excitement, passion is enthusiasm. It's curiosity, it's wanting to share, it's that spark that lights the fire that leads to commitment. The path of passion runs very close to the path of commitment - their intersection is vital to creating the foundation for success.

Commitment comes in many forms. The qualities of commitment that we are looking for start with positiveness; the conviction that we are committing to a worthy cause; the belief that what we commit to will result in a positive outcome, and will improve our life and the lives of others. There is no place on our path for negative, destructive commitment.

Positive commitment sustains, negative commitment corrodes and destroys. Commitment requires that special feeling of being part of something bigger than self.

All sorts of things occur to help one

that would never otherwise occurred.

Talent is the path where the rubber meets the road - where things can be done - where action to create success occurs. The belief that anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it may be true at one level, but at the practical level of creating success, it hinders more than it helps.

And then Persistence, the centerline that keeps the forces generated in the paths of Passion, Commitment and Talent moving toward success. I have a framed saying from Ralph Waldo Emerson that I keep within eyesight . It's a powerful message:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not: unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.

Education alone will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

Passion, leading to Commitment, fueled by Talent, and Directed by Persistence - the formula for success. And in this time of uncertainty and bad news, it's so important to find or rediscover our passions and commit or recommit to them, develop the talent - the skills and abilities and motivators we need to make them happen - and then persist in meeting our goals.

It's time now to take your mind off of the past and to start believing in your dreams again. It's possible because anything is possible when you change your focus. You see, it's what we focus on, we get more of. Are you having lot's of financial problems and struggle right now? Well, its time to take your mind off of your problems and start focusing on your dreams again, what you do want. Begin today to make a commitment to yourself to start focusing on what you do want instead and I promise, th

It's really very simple, its just that we're not aware of what we truly are thinking about on a daily basis. For most of us, we focus on what we don't want which then in turn gives us more of what we don't want

But how do we become more aware of our energy and change our focus?

Well, I've put together a very powerful and amazing 7 Step process for you so that you can learn how to begin working with where you are now in order to learn how you can start to shift energetically from creating more of what you don't want to more of what you do want instead so that you can begin to deliberately and intentionally start creating the life of your dreams and goals.

1. Identify What You Don't Want:

The first place we need to start is where we currently are now. What are you focusing on? What is it that you don't want? Go ahead and on a clean sheet of paper, write out everything that you can think of that you don't want. And be very specific too, because in order to begin clearing out this energy and we must identify it first.

So let your pen or pencil get smoking and write whatever comes up for you.

ext I want you to identify what you don't want to feel. What feelings come up for you? Feelings of failure? Not having enough money? Running out of money? Here again, be as specific as you can because this is where and how the clearing process begins.

By writing out the feelings that come up for you on your sheet of paper you are releasing the old energy that has been activated and running the show for you in your life. You're giving these feelings their acknowledgement and respect they need, then you're releasing them for having served their purpose and now its time to take back the reins on your life.

Do you know what your dreams and goals are? Are you clear about them? If not, then first define what your goals and dreams are.

Everyone has thoughts about how they'd like their lives to change or improve. We all day dream, if you will, saying to ourselves "gee if only I had this or if only I could do that". Ask yourself, what does your dream really look like? Mentally picture it in your mind as if it really were possible.

This is your vision. Now make it clearer and more specific by writing it out. Make a list and be sure to include everything that came into your mind. There is great power in writing because writing produces clarity and clarity produces power because now the universe knows what you want.

Now that you've clarified your dreams and goals by mentally picturing them and then writing them out, I want you to think about why you want them.

This is really important here because the "why" is the energy of your emotions and has the power to actually activate the energy for you. So why do you think you want this particular dream or goal? Be specific and don't worry, it doesn't have to make sense either. It is enough that you just want it.

ou're probably starting to get the hang of this now.

But now that you've listed what you want, and why you want it, it should come easy for you to identify how it will make you feel to have it. Will you feel successful? Prosperous? Accomplished? Respected? As specific as you can, list every good feeling you can think of because here is where the rubber hits the road.

The truth is the success that we are seeking, no matter its shape, size or format, really begins in our feelings! So be sure to take conscious time to notice and really feel into the feelings that come up for you because what it is that we truly want, all begins right here.

You may have heard it said before, but the results that we currently have in our lives right now are actually a result of the current beliefs. And if we want to change and improve our lives, we're also going to need to change what we currently believe in order to get to that next level of prosperity or success.

So what new belief or beliefs do you think you would need to have in order for your dreams to start coming true? Make a list and don't worry, it doesn't have to be long either. Sometimes by making just a few simple changes in our beliefs, it can have dramatic effects on the results in our lives.

Last but necessarily least, if you've completed the first six steps, you're mind is probably already actively at work and you've probably already recognized that you're receiving all kinds of new possibility thoughts. That's what happened to me. Almost instantly after getting my mind off of what I didn't want, clearing out all that old energy and instead focusing on what I did want, my dreams and goals and really getting into the feelings of having them too, my mind immediately went to work on p

You see this is the "how" part. We actually don't need to worry about the "how", the Universe will work on that. We just need to focus on and be clear about what we do want because when we do, then the Universe knows how to start to make things happen by bringing us new opportunities, opening new doors and starting the process of moving us towards our dreams and goals.

For more quick & easy tips, tools and information so you can live a more natural, healthy, spiritual and abundant life, the life of your Dreams & Goals...

For more quick & easy tips, tools and information so you can live a more natural, healthy, spiritual and abundant life, the life of your Dreams & Goals...

believe our country is now receiving a heavy duty wake-up call. It's a call to shed the blinders and begin paying attention to what is going on in our country.

When things are going relatively smooth and seem prosperous, people tend to be near-sighted and ignore what's going on beyond their own small world. But when Wall Street crashed and the economy spiraled into chaos, people suddenly paid attention. The wake-up call reared its ugly head and became real because it was now relevant to their life, and it felt scary!

Here's how I see our current situation. Although there are a small percentage of individuals who have contributed in a major way to the situation we now face, the circumstances affect each of us. The economic meltdown that has enabled a depressed real estate market, lack of available money for loans, loss of jobs, a greater number of failing businesses, and anything that appears to be challenging our economy, has actually happened to wake us up.

As we face a crisis, we have the opportunity to become creative, and along with that creativity we receive an opportunity to rekindle our faith, faith in the belief that every challenge can be turned into something good and beneficial.

Our government, our leaders, our community, our legal system, our health system, our educational system, our financial system and on and on I could go, needs an overhaul. We've been hit with the cosmic two-by-four that says pay attention because it's time for change. It's time to re-group and re-create every aspect of our country in its present economic and moral challenges.

While this is much needed, the real re-grouping begins within each one of us. What have you learned from last year's situations and challenges? What do you want for your life in the new year? Are you willing to step up to the plate and follow through? When you are faced with a choice, how do you make a wise choice? How strong is your faith to keep you envisioning what you want? These are questions that you need to ask yourself if you want your life to shift for the better.

Most individuals will agree that 2008 was a year of crises and challenges. They also will probably tell you they don't want a repeat of it.

So the first step in creating what you want is to de-clutter and throw out what does not serve you any longer. What negative beliefs have you been holding onto? Have you been focusing on lack, what you don't have? Are you afraid of what the future holds in regards to financial security? Are you facing a relationship challenge, family issue, health concern, or a job change?

It's been said that insanity is simply repeating the same behavior but expecting a different outcome! You have to shift your thoughts which become your behavior in order to receive a different outcome. Clean out those old negative thoughts and beliefs once and for all!

Let's begin the shift. First and foremost, decide what you want your life to look like. Make it detailed and specific, and dream big. Pay no attention to your present circumstances for they can change in the blink of an eye.

Until you decide what you want the universe cannot bring it to you. So, grab a piece of paper and make your list, as detailed as you can, and read it over every day to remind yourself to stay positive and focused on what you truly want.

Second, go about your life as if what you want is already on its way to you, for it is! You see, the minute you place your desires out there, the universe begins bringing it to you. Remember that likes attract likes, and whatever you focus on is created in your life. It's that element about energy that no matter what energy you put out, that same energy comes back to you time and again.

It's a scientific fact that positive energy attracts only more positive energy experiences while negative energy attracts only more negative energy experiences. I am willing to bet that if someone taped your conversations or your thoughts throughout the day, you'd be shocked at how many negative thoughts and actions you have.

Those thoughts and actions are creating your life experiences every day. Second step then is to believe your desires will come to you and focus on that vision and belief. If you don't, you will stop it from coming to you, or at the very least delay its appearance.

hird, remember your essence. Spend time reconnecting with your source - get plugged in again spiritually. You were created out of love, in the image of God, and were born with an amazing power as co-creator with God to make your visions and dreams come true.

When you live in the state of fear - where the people in our country live a great deal of the time, especially right now - you cannot create good from that state. Love is the opposite of fear and creates all good. This doesn't mean you will never have a challenge come your way. What it does mean is that you will view them differently.

Instead of something that creates panic in you, there is instead an internal peace and knowing that this challenge showed up for a specific reason and is an opportunity to create something good from it. The challenge actually makes you grow stronger. This takes a great deal of faith to remain in this space when your world feels as if it is crashing down around you, but if you do remain there, you will experience an amazing outcome that is probably something you would have never thought of on you

What do we even mean by personal success? Hopefully you don't think it is all about appearing successful to others in order to feel good about yourself. So what if you have the things they all desire and you gain enough money and power to impress the world.

It may be true that it will cause some good feelings in you, and satisfy some lower nature that we all have. But this is a fragile and temporary success at best.

inding a "success" based on the standards and opinions of other people means you are forever dependent on the approval of those people. You are only as successful as they say you are. A financial failing, a change of public tastes or even just growing old and less attractive will leave you scrambling to get back into their good graces. That isn't personal success.

That's personal stress and spiritual corruption.

It isn't that there is anything wrong with money, homes on the beach or even fame. You can have all these things and be a successful human being too. But to base your life on a wealth that is defined outside you makes you a slave to both the whims of public opinion and your own mistaken ideas.

Hopefully you already sense the futility of chasing other people's dreams, but the latter - the following of the one's own bad ideas - that is what the following secret of personal success addresses.

The above may seem like a bold statement, or perhaps even rude, but let me explain what I mean. What you and I see as our "self" is often an identity created in our minds. I'm not talking about the conscious choice to maintain a certain "image." We all "play" roles at times. But how often are we conscious of the interior forces that "play" us. In other words, there are patterns of thought and ideas in your mind that pass themselves off as "you."

This isn't meant to be mystical in any way. I'm referring to a real phenomenon that you can verify for yourself, but to speak of these things requires a metaphorical understanding. So imagine for a moment that an invader has taken control of your mind. It tells you what you can and can't do, who to impress, why you should feel bad, and more.

Exams value your memories and your skills and ability to understand what you are studying. They make you prepare before hand and, if they are unseen, they make you cover a lot of topics as you do not know the questions

Examinations test a student's knowledge and understanding of a particular subject. They bring questions from an entire module together in a challenging environment.

It is wise to remember that exams are not there as punishment. Instead, they are a good way of testing to see how much information you have learnt.

I am always scared of exams, and I have exams coming up shortly. I always feel that in exams there is always not enough time. That actually sends me panicking.

Also, I always feel that I am not answering the question the way the examiner wants it answered. Despite this I still I have some tips which I think are useful.

Start studying early

Use your class notes and textbooks

Make a timetable for the period you are studying

Work together. For example, form a small group

Review all the materials at least once after your main study session

Think up a few questions you might be asked on you exam, and try answering them

Keep cool and calculated

Examinations are not really something to fear because, usually, if you attend to revising your subject you should not have to much of a problem when you get into the exam.