Self Improvement Articles | Bubble Planner

Getting Things Done (GTD) with Purpose

2012-02-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'll admit that I'm a fan of David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD), however, I'm not a cheerleader.

GTD addressed two bottlenecks in my own philosophy at the time of reading his first book several years ago. Since correcting these two flaws in 2003, I have seen incredible improvements in productivity. His system gives you ability to respond, not react, to everything.

GTD Secret #1 - Next Actions

The first key advantage of GTD is the filtering system. Understanding concept of Next Actions was a watershed moment for me. By insisting that "stuff" be broken down into the very next physical action, you add clarity to your objectives and have a plan for achieving them. It offers a clear path "eating an elephant" whatever that goal, project, or objective the elephant represents for you.

GTD Secret #2 - Group Next Actions by Context

In conjunction with breaking projects down into the Next Actions, GTD also recommends grouping actions into categories, or in the proper terminology, contexts. For example, all of your phone calls would be one category, while actions that need to be done on the internet would be another. These different categories, or contexts, enable you to focus on things that can be done when you have time to do them. It also reduces the time spent managing your "To Do" list. Before GTD, my "Master Task List" managed me, not the other way around. As I'm a lefty, one of the first products that we developed was the Left Handed Personal Planner to implement some of the GTD components, specifically, contexts and next actions.

The combination of breaking projects down into Next Actions and grouping them by context is a powerful combination to help you clarify what you need to do. Before GTD, my tasks had been ambiguous, which often caused procrastination. For example, my task "Weekly Spreadsheet" was really several tasks. My very next action should have been "Collect Source Data from Managers". With David's system, you do your thinking up front so you are free to implement whenever you want. Learning the GTD process is a little like learning to drive a car. It's an incredibly complex process with many variables; however, once you start doing it, your subconscious mind does most of the work.

Don't get me wrong, even before GTD, I was well-versed in time management techniques from Day-Timer to 7 Habits, I had read everything I could get my hands on. However, this was the first real solution to procrastination that worked for me. I was an adrenaline seeking, deadline junkie.

GTD Secret #3 - Create a Leak-Free System

Another critical bottleneck that GTD enabled me to correct was having a complete personal planner system. Having a complete system that prevents leaks is the only way for your mind to have confidence enough to let go of control. The Weekly Review gives you a chance to correct any flaws in your system every week and ensure there are no "open loops". The Left Handed Personal Day Planner uses a process called a weekly "Bubble Bath" that accomplishes this purpose. Essentially, everything that needs to be done is evaluated and addressed on a weekly basis. This ensures that you are not missing anything important. There are some things that come off of your "Bubble Maps" and some things that are added. In any case, you are making a conscious decision every week about what's important to you.

GTD - The Missing Ingredient - Connecting PURPOSE

While hard-core GTD cheerleaders will disagree on this point, it is my belief that the GTD system is ineffective in connecting dreams and visions to next actions. While it clearly talks about levels, i.e. 50,000 feet, there's not a defined path for taking something from a higher level and breaking it down to the runway. One thing that Stephen Covey covered effectively in his classic, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, was living with purpose. No one before or since was as effective as Covey in moving people toward self-actualization. Unfortunately, no system that I've found has effectively combined the Strategic (or effectiveness) aspects with the Tactical (or efficiency).

Unlike other personal planners, Bubble Planners combine Creativity, Purpose, and GTD into a practical daily time management tool. Try one today risk-free for 90 days.

How to Develop the Proper Time Perspective

2012-02-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

The power of your actions is limited to right now. That's not to say that the future and the past are not important (although for different reasons than you might expect); it's just that the present is the only place where you can DO anything. Let me illustrate the power of the present moment for just a second. Sometimes, in illustrations, it's useful to close your eyes and imagine.

The Hourglass is the Classic Presentation of Time

Instead of having you close your eyes (since you can't read with your eyes closed), I've added a picture of an hourglass, so, save your visualization for this next part. Now, here's the interactive part - imagine that the top half of the hourglass represents the Future, the middle represents the Present moment, and the bottom represents the Past. I know it's really not hard to imagine this since this is what an hourglass does, but bear with me this is going somewhere.

The middle of the hourglass narrows (we could also say concentrates its power) to allow just a few grains of sand to pass through at any given moment. The same is true with our lives. We convert the future to the past through the decisions that we make right now. In fact, only the decisions made in the present moment have any impact on our results. Don't get me wrong, the past and the future are critical in evaluating which decisions to make; however, an improper focus on either will prevent you from achieving your true purpose in life. Coincidentally, this is one of the reasons that day planners and organizers are more effective at managing time than history books and weather forecasts.

How Incorrect Time Perspectives Affect You

Too Focused on the Past. Many people try to hold on to the decisions they have made in the past. This usually takes the form of unforgiveness. Not forgiving others can result in bitterness, while not forgiving ourselves can result in feelings of guilt. When we put too much focus on the past decisions, circumstances, or results of our lives, then the present moment gets clogged or constricted. Imagine that the grains of sand get wet and sticky causing them to clump together.

By constricting the flow of decisions by holding onto feelings of bitterness or guilt, we can limit our future. Remember, the only way for the future to happen in the optimum way is for the sands to pass through the narrow opening. Focusing on the past can keep us from reaching our goals.You could say that guilt is rooted in condemnation. Either you condemn someone else or you condemn yourself. Which a simple dictionary search will show that condemnation is a result of judging yourself or others.

Either way, these feelings can cause serious health problems. The connection of health to forgiveness is illustrated when Jesus said to the paralytic in Luke 5:23 "Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?" Jesus in this example (and others) clearly removed judgment, which removed the affects of the condemnation. Modern medical literature says that at least 75% of all doctors' visits are stress related. Just Google "stress 75% doctor" and see tons of references to this fact. Many reference say as much as 85% are stress related. In any case, it's safe to say that stress is not good for your health. One major cause of stress is guilt. Another is anxiety, which leads us to the other incorrect time perspective.

Too Focused on the Future. Focusing on the future in a negative way usually results in anxiety or worry. Both of these feelings are rooted in fear. Sometimes, people have such a fear of failure that they are unable to take action on anything. This causes the granules of sand seem to enlarge to such a degree that they are unable to fit through the narrow opening. In other cases, people have a fear of success (you may not believe it but it's true). People will avoid attempting to try something new because of the change that will occur in their lives if they are successful. In both of these cases, a person's true vision and dreams will elude them.

Anxiety and worry will cause a person to either become angry or to withdraw. Both of these reactions will stop a person from moving forward. The first step in overcoming worry is to become aware that you are doing it. As odd as it sounds, people often live in denial.

To help you get the proper perspective on time and focus on the present moment consider getting a day planner and organizer designed to help you make better decisions today!

Transactional Communication

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

This morning a friend of mine introduced me to this term, transactional communication. I had never heard it before but after he explained it, many things really made sense.

Essentially, it means that you have to talk on the same level as the person that your talking to. My brother-in-law, Michael, is an expert at this. If you haven't done so, read his Billy Blanks is Trying to Kill Me blog. It is hilarious. Maybe the funniest thing that I've ever read.

Anyway, this made me realize that my writing tends to appeal to people that are like me, but, with the internet, I'm not sure who the reader is. Therefore, even though I can be strong-willed, I am going to change my ways.

Communication is only possible when there's a connection. People connect in different ways to different groups, which means there is only one way to be effective. That's where transactional communication comes in. Take my other brother-in-law as example (My wife has really talented brothers). He is an awesome salesman.

He is able to connect with anyone, and I mean anyone, instantly.

He is able to find common ground no matter who it is. I don't think that I've ever been anywhere with him that he didn't know someone. It's really freaky.

Be sure to visit MichaelWren.com to hear the Texas Country Music from the author of the Billy Blanks is Trying to Kill Me.

How to Avoid Procrastination with GTD

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

Wouldn't You Like to Turn the Clock Back?

Getting Things Done (GTD), the productivity methodology designed by David Allen, increases your productivity by removing the noise from your thinking. You know the constant mental interruptions of your mind telling you that you should be doing something else, anything else, than what you're doing at the moment. Sometimes, it's so bad that it becomes nagging.

How Do You Clear Your Mind of the Clutter?

The key to having a clear mind is creating a reliable system that you can trust. When you have a trustworthy time management system, your mind will be free to focus on the task at hand, thereby, making you much more productive. Additionally, your stress level will diminish dramatically.

While there are many aspects to GTD, one of the most important contributors to my own personal success is the idea of Next Action Lists. In today's dynamic society, known as the Attention Economy, simple 'to do' lists are not enough. If all you have is a structured plan, you won't have enough flexibility to optimize opportunites as they arise.

Why Not Use a Master Task List?

A List is fabulous for things that need to be done in order or to remember items of data. A list is primarily for storage and reference. A single list was never meant to be the instructions for your life. It is a tool to help you remember and find things when you need them. In fact, a list has several limitations.

First, it is linear, which makes it likely that you will attempt to complete the items in order. Often, this is not the optimum priority.
Second, one list for everything is overwhelming.
Finally, a list without actions is a major cause of procrastination. By combining the feeling of being overwhelmed with a lack of discrete actions causes most people to freeze and choose to do nothing or nothing important.

David Allen's solution to this is next action lists. Rather than plan out the day based on a simple all-in-one project list, you list the next-action items for tasks you have to do. These lists are segmented by context. Aristotle would have called this loci or physical location.

Additionally, as the name implies, David Allen recommends identifying each item by the next specific physical action. This forces you to think in advance. Therefore, working the list frees your mind to focus on execution. This alone enables you to insert a higher level of excellence into your work.

What's the Context?

The next step in Getting Things Done, is to move these next-action's into separate lists based on physical locations. This is what he refers to as context. Here's a sample of my contexts:

@Computer
@Home
@Office
@Phone

If you've used Bubble Planner Time Management Tools, you probably recognize these contexts as part of the CHOP method of organizing your next physical actions.

So, back to the question, why should you have separate lists?

Separate lists allow you to group your items together, which reduces the distraction time. The transition time between tasks is greatly reduced if the tasks are similar in nature. Transition time is expensive in both mental energy and opportunity cost.
Additionally, separate lists allow you to locate what you need to do faster than a single list. It is a way for your mind to keep your life organized without expending significant mental energy.

BONUS TIP: A way to supercharge your Next Action List is to lay them out spatially. One of the reasons that Aristotle taught The Method of Loci is that it works. People naturally organize their life around contexts, or their physical environment. Like the top of your desk, it is easier for our minds to maintain control when we organize in a visual-spatial manner rather than linear. Linear is for archiving while visual-spatial is for processing and doing.

Bubble Boy for President!

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

Tags: News, Politics, Humor

PRESS RELEASE

By Scrubbing Bubbles

LOS ANGELES, CA -- "In America we celebrate the virtues of the quiet hero; the one who does his duty without complaint or expectation of praise; the one who listens closely for the call of his country, and when she calls, he answers without reservation, not for fame or reward, but for love. He loves his country. Tonight, my friends, we come to celebrate such a hero, and bestow upon him the greatest honor our Party is empowered to grant -- our nomination for President of the United States.

"But our purpose is not only to give tribute, though a fitting tribute it is. Our purpose is much larger than that. Our purpose is our country's greatness which we mean to preserve by offering to this nation the leadership of the one created by Bubble Planner, makers of Organizers Planners that are Different.

"Tonight we ask Bubble Boy to answer his country's call, not for his sake, but for ours; not for his glory, but for the dreams we dream for our children, and for the dreams they will dream for theirs.

"We nominate Bubble Boy for President because he is a Cartoon of honor, a Cartoon of firm purpose and deep commitment to his country's cause. We nominate Bubble Boy for President because we will not take our leave of this century without affirming to the world that America -- blessed, bountiful, beautiful America -- will remain what she has always been the last best hope of earth.

Scrubbing Bubbles is the spokesperson for the Political Action Committee for Mostly Animated Nominees (PACMAN). This political ad was paid for by no one. It was posted for free without anyone's permission. In fact, most of it was plagiarized. The characters, Cartoon or otherwise, represented in this Press Release are fictional and not authorized for use, not even on this site. No Planners Organizers were harmed in the making of this press release.

Three Steps to Smarter Goals

2012-01-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

In the Big Bubble Organizer Planner Template, the Radar section is a big picture view of your life. It is critical to start from this perspective as it answers the question, “what do you want to be, do, and have?”

Step One: Write down goal setting ideas in the major categories of your life.
What are your major life categories? There is a great acronym that captures these. It's called the FISHES:

Family
Intellectual
Social
Health
Economic
Spiritual.

Use these as goal setting categories. The best way to clarify what you want is to spend time brainstorming what you want to be, do, and have in a focused direction. The FISHES goal categories is great method to provide that direction.

When you are setting goals, it's okay to dream. Also, when brainstorming, you should write down everything without filtering. Whether the goals are achievable or not will be determined in a later step.

Step Two: Complete a goal setting worksheet page for the most important goals.

Goal Worksheet from Big Bubble Planner

After writing down all of your goals, select the most important goal from each category and complete a Future Reality (see the Big Bubble Organizer Planner Template) page. This page clarifies your goals. The clearer the goal, the faster the manifestation. Here are the parts to the page:

What: Be as specific and detailed as possible. What is the end result? Add details, texture, sound, smells, feelings, or anything else that will bring the goal to life.
Start and Due Dates: Even if you change it later, setting a date is essential for creating a future reality.
Why: Each goal must have a reason. The best reasons extend beyond ourselves. For example, if you set a goal to lose weight, a reason may be to improve your health so that you will be there for your children and your children’s children.
Why Not: What are the barriers to achieving your goals? Often the reason that you don’t achieve your goals is fear. FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. If you give the fear a name, then you are in a position to address it.
SMART?: SMART is a checklist to determine if your goal is a good goal. To be an achievable goal that moves you closer to what you want to be, do, and have, your goals should be:

Specific
Measurable
Action Oriented
Realistic
Time Constrained

Step Three: Take action every day.

It's quite an accomplishment to even think about and write down what you want in the form of goals. In fact, 97% of the entire population doesn't even do that. Now, to ensure your goals become a reality, it is necessary to take action on your goals every day. Even if that action is just looking at your goal and imagining what it would be like to achieve it.

We have Organizers Planners designed with smart goal setting built into the design.

The Secret of Highly Productive People

2012-01-27T20:30:00.000-06:00

Getting Into FLOW

"Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry." (Proverbs 19:15)

There is one characteristic among highly productive people that is so common that you would think that it is common sense. However, in my experience common sense, though once prevalent in our society, is no longer widespread. The characteristic that I’m mentioning is “action orientation”. In other words, they tend to take action towards their dreams, goals, and objectives. This is a truth that is stated plainly in the Bible, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” (Proverbs 14:23)

Go To Work
The average person wastes time at the water cooler, surfing the web, and working on low value tasks. The highly productive person, however, thinks, plans, prioritizes, and gets to work. You will know their mindset even from the language that they use. While many people will talk endlessly about “why” something can’t be done, the high achiever will ask “how” something can be done. The presumption for a highly productive person is that they will be successful. The average person is looking for a way to fail, blame someone else, or let off the hook.

Getting into "Flow"
Brian Tracy talks about an awesome mental state that you can enter called “flow”. This is when you work on high value tasks quickly, continuously, and almost effortlessly. It is the highest level of performance and productivity known to man. It is marked by a feeling of elation and clarity. You feel energized, happy, and calm all at the same time, and the results of your effort are superb and accurate.

How do you get into "flow"?
Step 1: Develop a Heightened Sense of Urgency – By cultivating a habit of doing things quickly, you will start to develop a desire to get things going and keep them going until they are completed. Having a sense of urgency is one way to trigger “flow”.

Step 2: Create a "Tendency for Action" – Increasing your sense of urgency is an important first step in changing your tendency from inaction to action. You must stop talking and start doing more often. Here are two quick ways to start creating this tendency. First, when you feel yourself being lazy, say out loud quickly, “Do it NOW!, Do it NOW!, Do it NOW!” You may even want to stand up abruptly or clap your hands. The key is to break your pattern (yes, laziness is a pattern). Second, break down the most important task on your list to the very next physical action that needs to be done and do it immediately. One of the major reasons that people procrastinate is that they feel overwhelmed. If you change your mindset from, “I have so much to do,” to “what is my next action”, you will break your procrastination habit.

So, now that you know the secret, what are you going to do about it?

The Fulcrum Principle

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

If you want to grow beyond your current state of existence, you will need to learn The Fulcrum Principle. A fulcrum is the pivot point for a lever. Thus, if you want to properly use leverage, then, you will need to place the fulcrum in the proper place.

If you apply this to your current state, your fulcrum is where it is based on your knowledge, skills, and ability. the levers that you use (or the resources that you apply) are dependent upon these factors. If you want to use more leverage, then, you will need more of one of these to effectively apply leverage.

As an example, let's look at a manager. A manager has learned to do work through others. An effective manager has learned the proper knowledge, skills, and ability to manage employees. The level of each of these factors determines both the success at the current level and whether that manager can handle more employees. This ability affects the amount of money that manager makes and can make.

So, to move your fulcrum (thereby increasing your capacity to use leverage), you must acquire one or more of these factors. Knowledge is also known as relevant information. Skills are the activity knowledge or know how. Ability is the capacity to perform. In any endeavor, you must have all three to be effective. Your level of effectiveness will be limited if you are lacking in any of these three.

To apply The Fulcrum Principle, do this. First, assess where you are. Second, determine what information you need to acquire. Third, find out how to apply the information to your specific situations. Finally, practice applying the know how; thereby, improving your capability. By focusing on moving the fulcrum, you will be amazed at the benefits and opportunities that you will begin to see in your life.

Setting Your Baseline: Where Do You Spend Your Time?

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

"Time is money."

-Benjamin Franklin, Advice to a Young Tradesman

Time is probably the most precious resource that a successful person has. The President of a company that I worked for many years ago told me that the secret to resolving a customer service issue was to work your way up to a person in the company with more money than time.

Be sure to read this article until the end because I have a never before revealed secret formula for how much productive time you should have each day.

If you don’t know where you are spending your time, you are wasting money. One of the most profitable skills that I learned in my first job after college was tracking my time in 15 minute increments. I was working as a staff accountant for a local CPA firm and had to account for all of my time. If I didn’t track my time, then I didn’t get paid. In addition to tracking my time, the majority of my time had to be billable. This exercise taught me to be aware of where I was spending my time and to focus on activities that generated profit for the firm. In subsequent industry jobs, I realized that this skill gave me a significant competitive advantage. While others were engaging in “water cooler” conversations, I was getting recognized and promoted.

ROSE-COLORED MEMORY

One of the main reasons that we should write things down is because memory is a poor model of reality. This is true for a variety of reasons, here's three:

First, we all have a bias. Our memories must go through the prism of our experience before they are stored in our brains.
Second, many of us have a tendency to remember things in a positive light, especially our contribution to something. Psychologists call this an ego-centric bias. We believe that we are far more focused and productive than we really are.
Finally, our memories fade over time. In some cases, they change entirely as our new experiences and changing beliefs attach different meanings to them.

THE CURRENCY OF TIME

"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."

-Carl Sandburg

Time is the great equalizer. I had a wonderfully wise teacher in high school who would rebuke anyone coming to class late with this saying, “time, and time alone, waits for no man, and dang few women.” It’s a sobering thought when you consider that everyone has the same amount of time in each day, week, and year. Michael Korda, former Editor-in-Chief of Simon & Schuster in New York City once said, "Success has always been easy to measure. It is the distance between one's origins and one's final achievement."

The idea that we all have the same amount of time can be very humbling. This fact made an indelible impact on me in college while watching Andre Agassi at Wimbledon. Although he was only about a year older than me, he had already achieved unbelievable success. He had achieved wealth, fame, and numerous tennis titles. I would say that he spent his time wisely during his youth.

How are you going to spend your time? Isn’t this an interesting phrase, “spend your time”?

What accomplishments are you exchanging for your time? Are you wasting your time or investing your time?

Unlike virtually every other resource on the planet, time is irreplaceable. For example, if an employee leaves your company, you can hire another employee to replace them. By the same token, if you lose a customer, you can find another one. On the other hand, if you waste an hour watching television or mindlessly surfing the web, that time is gone. You can never recover wasted time.

One of the best ways to determine what your time is worth is to divide your annual salary by 2,080, which is 52 weeks at 40 hours / week. This will give you an idea of how much money you are investing or wasting each hour.

THE VALUE OF AN ACTIVITY LOG

Activity logs help you to analyze somewhat objectively where you spend your time. If you are like me, what you discover will surprise you. Since we too easily forget things like reading junk mail, personal phone calls, internet, daydreaming, etc., the activity log will bring these issues to the surface so you can deal with them.

So, what do you do? Our best day planners has a great tool that allows you to quickly track your time. It’s already set up so all you have to do is write down the category, i.e. Sales Proposal, Web Surfing, Customer Calls, then, bubble in the portion of the bubble that you spend on the particular category. Here is a picture of the Activity Log page. You can also do this in excel or on a piece of notebook paper.

By analyzing your activity log you will be able to identify and eliminate time-wasters or low-contribution tasks. So, here's the secret formula that I mentioned earlier. How much time should you spend on non-productive activities each day or week? I would say that God knows a little about time being the Ancient of Days. As such, I use his formula of 1 day of rest for every 7 days, which translates to 15% of rest each day. I call this the original 85/15 rule. This is similar to Deming's 85/15 Rule although his rule is about the value of processes. By keeping an Activity Log for several days, you will understand how you spend your time. Once you have logged your time for a few days, analyze the log. You may be alarmed to see the length of time you spend doing low value or unproductive tasks!

“I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, everyday, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success. I will act now. I will repeat these words again and again and again. I will walk where failures fear to walk. I will work when failures seek rest. I will act now for now is all I have. Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now. Success will not wait. If I delay, success will become wed to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place. I am the person.”

-Og Mandino

When It Comes to Goals, Start Small

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand. - Zechariah 4 (New Living Translation)

January first is the start of disappointment for many people. There have been many years that I've started the year with the best intentions, the most incredible resolutions, only to abandon them in a couple of days, weeks, or months. Whether it was the year that I was going to lose 20 pounds in 4 weeks or make a million dollars in one year, I have have watched in frustration as these dreams slip through my fingers.

Smart Goal Setting Requires Bite-Sized Pieces

It doesn't have to be this way. It's not that my resolutions were bad. In fact, they were great LONG-TERM goals. It's certainly possible for me to lose 20 pounds, just not in 4 weeks. It's also possible for me to make $1 million dollars in one year. However, there are many steps prior to achieving this goal, like making half a million in a year. So, these grand plans were not SMART goals.

January is a Great Time to Set Goals

I've heard many self help gurus say that new years' resolutions are a complete waste of time. I humbly disagree. The problem with goals on January first is not really a problem at all. In fact, if you listen carefully to your heart during this time of year, you will discover your dreams. The key is to break these dreams down into achievable goals. If a goal is not achievable, then it actually moves you further away from your dreams not closer to them. When you stretch and fall short, you've made progress. However, when you set an impossible target and give up, you have limited your future.

Be Honest with Yourself

There is an art to setting goals that require you to stretch (even to your maximum capacity) without stretching so far that you break your will. You know yourself better than anyone. This is both good and bad. In some ways, you will limit your expectations because you have been unable to achieve great goals in the past. In other ways, however, you know within your heart whether you are stretching or staying in your comfort zone. Knowing the right amount to stretch and the time period required to make this goal a reality will require creativity, determination, and courage. Most of all, it will require you to listen to that still small voice deep inside and to follow your heart.

Action Steps:
* Take one of your dreams and set a realistic goal that you can achieve in one week or less
* Make achieving this goal a priority
* Once you have achieved this goal, set another achievable goal
* Repeat the above three steps four weeks in a row

One other thing you should consider is buying a Smart Goal Setting Planner.

Be Thankful for What You've Got

2008-03-21T23:59:00.002-05:00

If you open your eyes and look around, you have a choice about what you see. You may think that you don't. In fact, many people say that what's there is there and you may as well face it. Is that a fact? If you were about town today, you most likely say cars of all makes and models. You probably saw hundreds of Hondas, if you live in a city, dozens of volkswagens, and probably a few high-end sports cars.

Now, how many of those brands did you notice? If you're currently considering buying a car or if you just bought a car, you probably noticed the brands that you want to buy. Yet, those cars were in your environment for weeks, months, or even years. Some experts call this activating your reticular cortex, others call it focus. Whatever you want to call it, you have the potential within you right now to decide, or choose, what you want to focus on in your surroundings. Furthermore, you have the ability to place meaning on those items.

Given that you agree that you can see what you want to see, why not see the best? Why not be thankful for the good things in your life. Many people believe that there is a law that says that what you focus on expands. Whether this is fact or not depends on your perspective. One thing for certain, though, is that paying attention to something makes it important to you. This is similar to courtship. Even the act of ignoring is deliberately paying attention to a potential mate and illustrating a desire to attract them to you.

By being thankful for the good things in your life, you give them the right to be there. You are giving them permission to be in your life. Additionally, you are inviting more things that are similar to appear (or at least for you to notice them). When more things are around you that you like, you will be happier. By focusing on the good things, you will truly appreciate your life. Try focusing on only the things that you want in your life and see what a difference it makes.

grateful, thankful, success

Be Yourself

2008-03-14T13:06:00.004-05:00

How do you see yourself? Do you see yourself through your own eyes or through the opinions of others? One of the most destructive habits that you can have is to measure yourself against the expectation of others. If you do this, you will ride a roller coaster that will cause undue stress in your life. When people think you are the best thing in the world, you will experience a feeling of euphoria; however, that feeling will be dependent upon their views, which are out of your control.

To establish a firm foundation, it's important for you to establish your own image of yourself. Your image may be dependent upon values and qualities that you see in others, but they shouldn't be the ruler by which you measure yourself. The opinions of other people change frequently and are formed on a variety of variables, which are colored by a myriad of biases. Given this shifting basis, the only opinion that should matter to you is your own values, your own integrity.

An example of someone who lived by their own values is Mahatma Gandhi. This is a man that changed the world so much so that in India, he is considered the Father of the Nation. it may surprise you that such a powerful man died owning only a pair of glasses, a pair of sandals, a few clothes, a spinning wheel, and a book. Yet, it can be reasonably argued that he lived one of the richest lives ever.

It's certainly not wrong to pursue material riches; however, true riches are fulfilling your life's purpose. Look within yourself and discover what you were meant to become. Like a caterpillar can become nothing other than a butterfly, you should seek to transform your outer self and environment to the inner image of who you truly are.

success system integrity transformation values

Look Back to Move Forward

2008-03-06T21:39:00.002-06:00

This may sound a little contradictory, but did you realize that it is necessary to look at your past before you can create your future? While you are not to be controlled by your past, it is essential that you learn from it.

It's been said that if you don't know history, that you will repeat it. This is great if you like your history and where you've been; however, if you don't like your past, then, you will need to change what you did.

Take Inventory
How do you learn from your past? The first step is to study it. In simplest terms, you want to find out what worked for you and what didn't. So, you need to make two lists. The first list is all of your successes. Don't filter yourself during this step. No matter how trivial the success may seem, write it on the list. Once you have recorded as many as come to mind, then write beside it some key drivers for these successes. Some examples may be perseverance, creativity, hard work, etc.

Now, make a second list of your failures. Go through the same exercise that you did with your successes. The causes for your failures may be something like not prepared, fearful, insecure, gave up, etc. The important thing for both of these lists is to be as objective as possible. You want to understand your root tendencies for both success and failure. Once you understand the patterns, then, you can take steps to minimize your weaknesses and maximize your strengths.

Discover Your Passion

2008-02-11T11:42:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, my wife and I were invited to watch a friend of ours in a high school production of "My Fair Lady". We gladly accepted as we know that Caitlan is very talented in both acting and singing. We were also interested since both of us were in our high school version (we'll just say several years ago) of the same play, except we called it "Pygmalion", and our accents could be described more as "hick" than "cockney".

We were simply amazed at how many talented actors there were in this play. Also, the production itself was exceptional. There was an orchestra, the costumes were authentic, and the singing was better than what I've seen on American Idol. Somewhere in the middle of this grand production, I contemplated how important it is to determine and develop your talents.

What are you good at? It is obvious that Caitlan is gifted in performing. She commands attention when she is on stage. Additionally, she has an incredible singing voice. It is equally obvious that I'm not gifted in acting and singing. However, I am gifted in other things.

Where should you focus? I could spend years developing my non-talent of singing and become, at best, average. In any case, I would never even come close to the level that Caitlan has already attained. If she desires, she could spend years and build a career on this talent.

For me, I could spend the same years developing my organizational ability (which is a gift of mine) or my speaking ability (another gift) and build a rewarding career. This would give me the best opportunity to be the best in a field. Additionally, I would enjoy this career path. For the most part, I find that I have a passion for activities in which I excel.

What do I do now? Although there are things that we simply must do in life, most of our activities are a matter of choice. If you will choose things that line up with your strengths, you will discover a desire, a burning desire, stronger than you ever imagined.

To ensure that I'm making the best choices at any given moment, I rely on my Bubble Planner. This system enables me to capture my passions and prompts me to take action to develop my talents.

A Career Built on Character - Part 2

2008-01-24T05:00:00.000-06:00

Learn the Rules

"Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you." ~Spanish Proverb

Watch What You Write or Say. Assume that anything you write or say will be read or heard by everyone in the company. E-mail makes it easy to respond emotionally. Before you respond to an irritating e-mail, take a minute to calm down, then, write the e-mail. If you have a tendency to send harsh messages, save a draft and review it sometime later to ensure the tone is business appropriate.

A corollary to this principle is Happy Hour don't go! There is a huge risk of saying something you shouldn't say, getting out of control, or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You should stay out of office politics. Don't say anything bad about anyone, ever.

Arrive Early and Leave Late, but Not Too Late. You want the reputation of a hard worker, but not one that can't get their work done. This principle also applies to taking work home. Over the long-term, you want to have a life outside of work. Maintaining a work/life balance will keep you engaged in your job; therefore, more productive.

Find Out What Your Boss Wants and Deliver. Regardless of your personality, relationships, or good looks, you must be productive. For your boss, it means doing what they want, no matter how silly it may seem to you. For example, I had a boss that wanted to know how many Dairy Queens between Dallas and Houston served a particular yogurt.

Always say, "Yes!" to a request from leadership. For your boss, there are ways to provide better solutions without damaging the relationship.

"Always do more than is required of you." ~General Patton

Give People Credit. Don't take credit for yourself. This is important for a variety of reasons. First, you need people to help you get things done. Second, when people recognize people who work for you, you get the credit as well. Third, it's the right thing to do.

Conclusion

When It Comes to Your Career

You're Responsible
Remember Who You Work For
Learn the Rules

As Bill Karnes put it, "Eagles don't flock; they fly alone. And eagles soar above the rest of their world. So, too, do people who start things, who lead groups or who otherwise set themselves apart from the crowd."

A Career Built on Character - Part 1

2008-01-23T05:00:00.000-06:00

"Personality can open doors, but only character can keep them open." ~Elmer G. Letterman

"The best job goes to the person who can get the job done without coming up with excuses or passing the buck" ~Napolean Hill

What About Politics?

Political Astuteness is something that you may not learn in school; however, it plays a significant role in success in business.

"Man is by nature a political animal." ~Aristotle

Take Control. It's important to keep in mind that you are responsible for your own career. Don't Expect the Human Resources Department to plan your career. In fact, don't expect anyone else to be concerned about it either.

There have been times in my career when someone has taken an interest in my promotion; however, it has always been in their own best interests to do so. Remember, companies are in business primarily to make money.

Dress for success. There is a clear distinction between how a President, a Senior Vice-President, a Vice-President, and District Manager dress. You should dress just a cut above your current level.

Above Everything, Have Integrity

"If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters." ~Alan Simpson

You will find that the concentration of integrity increases the higher you go in an organization.

Remember Who You Work For

Always Support the Company. It's true that where your treasure is, your heart will be also. There will be ample opportunities on a daily basis to bash your employer. Resist those opportunities. Keep in mind that (1) you chose this company, (2) they pay you, and (3) you can leave if you want. The leaders of the company will not be impressed by your ability to complain.

Make Your Boss and Your Boss's Boss Look Good. As a practical matter, you are most likely working to take your boss's job. Hopefully, your boss will be promoted, which will leave a vacancy. If your boss is not going anywhere, then the next level will have a major impact on your next position.

Who are the Leaders of the Company? Find out the background of the company executives. What career path did they take? Chances are, they will value those credentials above others. Take note of great people in the company and get connected to them. If possible, find a way to work for them. If not, establish a network with as many of them as possible. The best possibility is to ask one of them be your mentor. You will be surprised how many people will be interested in helping in this regard.

Bubble UP! is dedicated to helping you make better choices. We believe choices are the currency that converts the present to the future. Since the Information Age is filled with a blizzard of requests for your attention, traditional time management tools are no longer adequate. That's why Bubble UP! creates tools that Think Like You Do!

Life Doesn't Give You One Thing at a Time, Why Does Your Planner?

Visit us on the web at http://www.BubblePlanner.com - Organize at the Speed of Thought!

Leverage Your Talents for Success

2008-01-21T06:00:00.000-06:00

One of the most overlooked areas for success that I see is talented people not developing their talents. It seems natural for people to focus on what's wrong and try to fix it. However, if you are trying to break into the top 3% in your field, this is the wrong approach. I know many of you are bristling at this thought right now. Remember this feeling. Usually, the thing that generates the strongest reaction is the thing that you need most.

The Case for Confidence
Besides having many of the greatest self-help gurus (i.e. Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen) support the position that you should focus on your strengths, I'm going to provide you with two clear examples that will bring the point home for you.

First, think about any famous, successful person that you know. Now, think about why they are famous. For an overwhelming majority of these people, each had an uncommon ability to do something. For example, Tiger Woods is one of the best golfers of all time. Does he have any weaknesses? Undoubtedly, he does; however, that's not where he spends his time. Why? Because he is paid to be the best golfer in the world. If he lacks an ability to knit or write or anything else not related to golf, it simply doesn't matter.

Second, let me introduce you to the Law of Expansion. (This is closely related to the law of attraction). Essentially, it says that whatever you focus on expands. Thus, if you focus on your weak areas, those areas consume more of your resources. Thus, your strong areas receive less attention. There are many reasons that this occurs, but for now, just understand that it does. As an example, when I first started reading self-improvement books, my bookshelf was quite small. However, the more I read, the more I wanted. Even with giving many books away, my bookshelf has continued to grow. I like these books, I think about the techniques in them, and I give attention to what they have to say. This is the Law of Expansion in action.

Before I move on, there is one caveat to leveraging your strengths. If you have a weakness that is so severe that it is holding you back, you must correct this weakness. This type of weakness is called a limiting weakness. Most other weaknesses just fall into the non-strength category.

If you are still not convinced that focusing on your talents are not the way to success, then, I challenge you to prove me wrong. For the next seven days, focus on one talent that you have and do whatever you can do to improve upon it. After the week is over, consider how you can apply this improvement to your relationships, your job, and your goals.

Change UP! - Attitude is Everything

2008-01-15T18:30:00.000-06:00

Power of UP! Chapter 2

"Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact." - William James

Attitude is everything. I know that you've heard this before and either agreed or disagreed. Either way, you were confirming its truth. Attitude is a filter for everything going into your mind and everything coming out of your mind. Right now, I have no idea what you are thinking because your attitude is unique to you.

It's not a matter of having a bad or good attitude. Everyone's attitude is influenced by so many thoughts at one time that it is almost inevitable that your attitude is always a mixture of positive and negative words and images. While most people speak at 150 to 200 words per minute, research suggests that we think at about 1,300 words per minute. Additionally, many of our thoughts are images, which could encompass thousands of words at once. This research led to the design of the Bubble Planner, which helps you capture your ideas before they float away (http://www.BubblePlanner.com).

Like Herding Cats. I know this seems a bit overwhelming at the moment, but if you stick with me, it will become clear. As with most complex issues, there are many causes and variations within the issues. There can literally be thousands of permutations with any issue. However, as Dr. Phil said on a recent show, "while the problems are complex, the solutions are simple".

Don't Yell at the Computer. What I'm about to write may shock you, but here goes. There are really only three emotions: love, anger, and fear. Love draws you toward something, anger pits you against something, and fear chases you away from something. All of your feelings are a combination of these three emotions. Whether you're happy, sad, worried, anxious, depressed, afraid, or content, these feelings all stem from these emotions.

This is good news. If we can understand what's driving our thoughts, then we can change them. When you make a decision, you can trace that decision back to your thoughts at the time you were deciding. Even though you may not be aware, you are always talking to yourself. Some of you just said to yourself, "no I'm not".

The way to change your behavior is to change your attitude. To change your attitude, you must separate the stimulus from the response. Unlike animals, humans have the ability to choose their response to any situation. There is a space, even though it can be milliseconds at times, that we may choose how to react in every situation. Many people allow their subconscious to make these decisions, which is why they feel so out of control. We can take back control. In the next part of Change UP!, I'll show you how.

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on
life.
Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the
attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ...we cannot
change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ...we are in charge of our attitudes." - Charles Swindoll

Bubble UP! is dedicated to helping you make better choices. We believe choices are the currency that converts the present to the future. Since the Information Age is filled with a blizzard of requests for your attention, traditional time management tools are no longer adequate. That's why Bubble UP! creates tools that Think Like You Do!

Life Doesn't Give You One Thing at a Time, Why Does Your Planner?

Visit us on the web at http://www.bubbleplanner.com/ - Organize at the Speed of Thought!

Millionaire Mind - Part 3 of 3

2008-01-13T07:51:00.000-06:00

Just What I Thought

The rich and poor think differently. Here's a few of the ways:

#1 - Who's in Charge?

Rich - I create my life.

Poor - Life happens to me. 3 Clues you're playing the victim. If you blame, justify, and complain, you just might be playing the victim.

By the way, if you are complaining, you should know the law of attraction. The law of attaction says that whatever you focus on expands. If you are complaining, you are focusing on the negative. You are a magnet for negativity. If you know a complainer, GET AWAY NOW! If you are a complainer, STOP IT! Complaining is one of the worst things that you can do for your health and wealth.

#2 - How do you play the Game of Life?

Rich - Play to win

Poor - Play not to lose

#3 - What do you think about Rich People?

Rich - Admire and model other rich people

Poor - Resent rich people

Come to the realization that more money in your life will only make you more of who you are. Practice blessing rich people. Bless that which you want and what you bless will come to you.

#4 - How big are your Problems?

Rich - I'm bigger than my problems

Poor - My problems are bigger than me

Problems will come, but the question is how you deal with them when they do. Realize that your wealth can only grow to the extent that you do. When you stretch yourself, you create a vacuum. Any vacuum will be filled. If your heart is right, it will be filled by good things.

How do you stretch? The only way to grow is by stepping out of your comfort zone. If you are not uncomfortable, you are not growing.

This is the last Millionaire Mind that I'm going to do. I hope you enjoyed them.

Millionaire Mind - Part 1 of 3 OR Millionaire Mind - Part 2 of 3

Millionaire Mind - Part 2 of 3

2008-01-12T21:06:00.000-06:00

Process of Manifestation

Please read the part 1 if you haven't already or this may not make sense. In this installment, I'll discuss the process that reveals how the results that we are currently experiencing came into being. First, I'll lay a little groundwork, no pun intended. Just know the following:

* The visible is created by the invisible.

Take a orange tree as an example. We can see the trunk, branches, and oranges on the tree; however, these are all the results of something that we cannot see. What we see are all the results of what started beneath the earth. It began with a seed, that developed roots, that eventually grew into a tree that produces oranges. So, what is seen, oranges, came from what is unseen, roots.

Where is this Heading?

To put it simply, changing the results doesn't fix anything in the long-term. To change anything permanently in our life, we must address the cause. So, here's the formula:

THOUGHTS lead to our FEELINGS which lead to our ACTIONS which determine our RESULTS

T-->F-->A=R

Therefore, we must determine what is forming our thoughts and change them, if we are not getting the results that we desire..

Millionaire Mind - Part 1 of 3 OR Millionaire Mind - Part 3 of 3

Millionaire Mind - Part 1 of 3

2008-01-11T13:54:00.000-06:00

Last night, a friend of mine and I went to a seminar called the Millionaire Mind, which is a based on a book called the Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker.

We were both quite impressed with the information that was presented. These guys had great content and were very good at promoting their company and future seminars. Here are some highlights from the seminar:

Financial Blueprint

We all have a financial blueprint that was developed at an early age. Many people contributed to that blueprint. For example, parents, teachers, and preachers all spoke to us about money during our formative years. The emotions and words that were used in our youth about money (other things as well such as health and happiness) are now manifesting in our conscious and subconscious actions today.

Many of us heard phrases such as "a penny saved is a penny earned", "we can't afford it", "go ask your father", and "money doesn't buy happiness". You'll notice that these are mostly negative phrases. These words and the emotions surrounding financial discussions have played a large part in forming our attitudes about money.

Billionaire Blueprint

Consider a well-known example of a Financial Blueprint in action. Donald Trump could never be just a Millionaire. In fact, he would be quite unhappy with anything less than being a Billionaire. You may recall that in the 1980s Trump actually lost everything. In fact, he was worse than bankrupt, he was in serious debt. Now, not only has he recovered his Billionaire status, he has much more than he had before he went bankrupt.

There's a reason that most lottery winners end up with nothing after a few short years. Their financial blueprint has not changed, only their bank account. Until we change our blueprint, changes in our financial status will be short-lived.

Remember - How you do anything is how you do everything. How's that working for you?

Millionaire Mind - Part 2 of 3

Look UP - Part 2 of 2

2008-01-10T06:57:00.000-06:00

The Power of UP Series – Individual Upward Movement

Chapter 1 – Part 2 of 2

"Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact." - William James

In part one of Look UP!, we discovered the power of our expectations. In simple terms, we generally get what we expect. In this installment, we will find out who is creating our expectations and when they are created.

Who Cares?
Who cares enough about us to impose expectations upon us? The obvious answer is friends and family. Often, these expecations are normal and positive. For example, if our spouse expects us to be home to have dinner with the family, this could be a wonderful norm. Since we care about our friends and family, they have more power than anyone else to influence our own opinion of our ability. Frequently, well-meaning relatives will deter someone from pursuing their true life purpose.

One of the ways that this happens is by planting doubt. Let's say we truly believe that we have an ability to write. We also have a desire to pursue writing as a career. In subtle ways, some of our friends and family begin to plant doubts about our skills or the opportunities in this career path. They may think that they are protecting us; however, sometimes, the result is that we choose another path that we perceive to be less risky.

What About Me?
That's right, we are the most important person in our lives in determining our place in this world. We are constantly comparing ourselves to others. We hear our own voice more than any other. So, what are we saying to ourselves? If we are saying that we can do it, we are much more likely to dismiss evidence to the contrary. Take one of the most famous historical examples, how successful would David have been against Goliath if he were talking defeat to himself? It's possible that he would have been unsuccessful if he had not been rehearsing his past successes in killing the lion and the bear with his bare hands.

Aside from the people in our inner circle of influence, there are others that have the ability to set expectations for us, if we give them the power. We just need to be aware that this occurs. Sometimes, we are more likely to change our opinion of ourselves because someone that we respect has a different viewpoint. Instead of taking their word for it, we must evaluate their opinion as objectively as possible. We don't want to close ourselves off from change, however, we do want to make sure that any change is a conscious choice.

When Did I Choose?
Unfortunately for many, the past controls the present. For others, concerns about the future significantly impact their current view. If the past is controlling us, it is generally in the form of guilt. In the case of guilt, we don't feel worthy of success because of what we've done or haven't done. As hard as it may be, we must let go of our feelings of unworthiness. Additionally, we must forgive anyone for anything that is eating away at us. Unforgiveness doesn't affect the other person as much as it affects us. In fact, we would be shocked to find out how little time people think about us.

If the future is controlling us, it is generally in the form of anxiety. The Bible tells us with good reason in Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Fear of the future has the ability to immobilize us in the present. More than causing us to be ineffective, guilt and anxiety have been linked to many health risks including heart disease, ulcers, and degraded immune system.

From this, we surmise that the only appropriate time to set our expectations is in the present. While we must consider our experiences and education from the past as well as our dreams and goals for the future, the only time that we can actually take action is now. The great news in looking up from where we are is that we can change where we're going.

"We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake . . . by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. - Henry David Thoreau, Walden, from "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For"

Look UP!

2008-01-08T12:00:00.000-06:00

The Power of UP Series – Individual Upward Movement
Chapter 1 – Part 1 of 2

“We will always tend to fulfill our own expectation of ourselves” – Brian Tracy

As we know, UP is a direction. More importantly, it is a direction that we want to go. The first step in moving UP is to set our sights beyond our current circumstances. Inherent in the definition of UP is that it never stops. There is always one more rung on the ladder, one more battle to fight, one more person to help, and one more analogy to make. So, wherever we are today, we have room to improve.

What’s holding us back? One of the main things keeping us from achieving more is that our expectations are set too low. When an expectation is set, our minds are so powerful and complex that our actions immediately begin to line up with that expectation. Robert K. Merton coined the phrase “self-fulfilling prophecy” to describe this phenomenon in his 1957 book Social Theory and Social Structure. Wikipedia defines a self-fulfilling prophecy as “a prediction that, in being made, actually causes itself to become true”.

In George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, Eliza Doolittle is transformed from a Cockney flower girl to a lady. What made the difference? The image that she had of herself changed when others treated her differently. Colonel Pickering called her “Miss Doolittle,” which Liza says began to teach her self-respect. She explained to Colonel Pickering, “The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she’s treated. I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treated me as a flower girl, and always will, but I know I can be a lady to you because you always treat me as a lady, and always will.”

Most of us have observed the power of expectations with a familiar example. A co-worker mentions to us late in the day that they think that they’re coming down with a cold. We may respond with something like, “I’ve heard there’s something going around”. We could even say, “You look all right to me”. It really doesn’t matter what we say at that point as the person really expects to get sick. Sure enough, the next day, they call into work sounding just awful announcing that there is no possible way they could work today.

By now, it's clear to me that we get what we expect. In the next part, we’ll look into who sets our expectations and how we can change them.

"You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them." – Michael Jordan

Leave the Herd

2008-01-07T09:39:00.000-06:00

On the flight home last night from Boston, I sat beside a very nice IT salesman. He was charming, engaging, and quite polished. Though he was an Executive Platinum member with American, he willingly gave up his aisle seat for a young grad student that needed to walk around occasionally due to a medical condition.

He and I had a great conversation in which I showed him the Bubble Planner. He was impressed and offered some great insight for marketing on the internet. In addition to this, he offered such sage advice to the new Grad student beside him. It was so simple, yet, so profound that I thought that you would want to hear it as well.

What did he say?
He said that when she graduated she should consider a less popular industry for people with their MBA. Apparently, the majority of new MBA's choose industries such as Banking, Venture Capitalism, and Consulting. However, he asserted that there was greater promotion potential for people with their MBA in less popular industries. He said that if she selected an industry that has fewer MBA's that she could rise very quickly in the organization.

Why Would He Say That?
Since the herd is chasing the top companies for MBA's, the top companies are now taking advantage of this. Like the large public accounting firms in the 1980's, these companies are able to work these new graduates for 2-3 years 80-100 hours per week. Once this crop of graduates is burned out, they bring in the new crop. The best of the group move on to the next job as soon as a better opportunity presents itself. Eventually, the average of the group are let go as the company hires upper positions from the outside.

In the less popular industries, there would be less competition. It's simply a matter of applying the Law of Supply and Demand. Since there is less competition, it is easier to get hired. Additionally, promotion opportunities will come more quickly since she will have an edge over the other internal candidates. Furthermore, since the company values her talents, she will be treated much better, which will cause her to stay with the company. Her loyalty will pay huge dividends over time and propel her to the Executive Suite.

She was grateful for his advice and seemed to be genuinely interested in using his approach. This conversation made me wonder how I could apply the Law of Supply and Demand to the Bubble Planner. It reminded me of an illustration that my Macro-Economics professor used.

The Toll Booth Example
Have you ever noticed that when you are approaching a toll booth that some lines are longer than others? In fact, there are times when you can simply switch lanes and have no wait at all while the cars stuck in the longer lines. When a car approaches the toll booth, the driver is often attracted to the line with more cars. There are many reasons for this, i.e. they think there must be something wrong with the empty line, they were going too fast and couldn't change, or they weren't paying attention. In essence, this is the Law of the Herd. People are comfortable following other people because they think they know what they are doing.

The opportunity lies in doing something different. That's how this law applies to the Bubble Planner. There are dozens of planner companies that have essentially copied Franklin Covey. Did you know that our minds think in pictures? Of course, you know it and we know it. Why don't the planner companies know it? Bubble UP! decided to leave the herd and develop a planner that is based on the latest research. Finally, a planner that Thinks Like We Do!

If you want more information about the Bubble Planner, e-mail us at info@bubbleplanner.net.

Focus on the Solution

2007-12-30T06:54:00.000-06:00

One of the hardest things to do, but the most effective is to change our focus from our problem to our solution. This is easier said than done but it is critical for change to happen in our lives. In our subconscious minds, there is a self-defeating mechanism that is activated when we continuously focus on the negatives.

We must change what we look at to change how the subconscious works for us. The brain interprets our signals similar to this. If our house is messy, and we constantly focus on the messy house, the subconsicous believes that you want more mess. After all, we're giving attention to it, and reinforcing that attention with strong emotions. These are both motivators for our subconscious mind.

With just a little change in focus, the messy house can be changed. If we look instead at a vacuum cleaner, a mop, and some cleaners; our desire then changes to cleaning. Our subconscious mind, then believes that we want to use these tools. In the same way, if we focus on a part that is clean, we develop a desire for more of the same. The clean spot will than be expanded (through our actions).

Let's look at an example of Peter's change in mindset from the problem (no fish), to the solution (Jesus' promise of provision) in Luke 5:

1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a]with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down[b] the nets for a catch."

5Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Changing to a solution mindset will change our behaviors, which will change our results. The key is our focus. Try forcing yourself to focus on the solutions this week, and see what a difference this will make in your results.

Law of Attraction in Action: What is Cashmere?

2007-12-28T11:25:00.000-06:00

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." - Jesus (Matthew 7:7)

Unbeknownst to me, I saw the Law of Attraction proven in my life just a few weeks ago. I was shopping with my wife and we came across a beautiful Cashmere sweater. Cashmere is the Creme Brulee of fabric. Why I relate things to food, I don't know. It was so soft, I thought to myself, "where does cashmere come from?" After we left the store, I forgot about it.

A few days later, we were watching a TV program, and the host talked about how cashmere comes from a specific goat raised high in the mountains. While I was reading "The Secret" today, it dawned on me that this was the Law of Attraction in Action. Then, it dawned on me that I haven't been asking enough. If I have a question, I typically go looking for the answer (which also works). However, there are questions that can't be answered on the internet.

Why not ask Jesus? For example, Lord, how can I make $1 million this year? Lord, I thank you that you give me the desires of my heart. Since making $1 million dollars this year is a good desire, I know that it came from you. I pray that you will clearly show me what I need to believe, say, and do to make this happen. It's in Jesus' name that I pray. Amen.

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. - Proverbs 16:3

What to Do When You're Overwhelmed

2007-07-25T20:33:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had a day when you feel that you haven't accomplished anything, yet, the requests keep pouring into your e-mail, cell phone, voice mail, office door, and every other gateway you have? It's incredible how much life has changed in the past decade. Ten years ago, it was common for even mid-managers to have an administrative assistant. Now, even many executives no longer have this support.

One of the most productive times that I experienced in my career was when I had a gatekeeper named Jerry. He was a Golden Gloves boxing champion, and he was intimidating. His title was administrative assistant, but his role was gatekeeper. No one got by Jerry. Whether it was through the front door or the telephone, Jerry ran interference. When Jerry was working for me, I was able to focus on the task at hand and concentrate fully to achieve my objectives.

"Jerry" is what many of us are missing today. In the past, if you were in a certain position, your interruptions were limited to people you who had a relevant purpose for being in your life. The only "SPAM" that you had to contend with was Junk mail, which required little attention and not much time. Now, almost regardless of your position, anyone has the ability to grab your attention, including hundreds of low-life SPAMMERS every day.

We all recognize the cause of our feeling overwhelmed. What is less clear is how to solve the problem. Here are some strategies that you can implement right away to bring back some control:

Write things down. I use a paper planner so that I'm not drawn off of my agenda every time I receive a new e-mail. On the computer, slacking is just a click away. It is dangerous to your productivity to sit down at the computer without a very clear objective. Paper allows you to focus and define before you click.

Get SPAM Protection for all of your inboxes. In addition to SPAM Guard, get a disposable e-mail address. Use this address for any form that you complete on the internet. This will keep some of the unwanted messages from even coming to your inbox.

Control your telephone. If you are completing an important project, don't answer your phone. Unless you have a boss with a high need for contact, don't even look at the caller ID. If you are available to answer your phone, do so. If you are busy, don't. If you have people that you talk regularly, consider setting an appointment with them. This will be more productive for both of you as you will be more likely to stay on task.

Close your door when you really need to focus. In some offices, this isn't possible, however, if it is possible, this is a great way to concentrate. Be careful, though, not to do this too frequently as those who interrupt will start knocking, which is even worse than standing at your doorway.

If you will implement the techniques above, you will have your own personal "Jerry", and "Jerry" will give you back control.

Think and Grow Rich is Only the Beginning

2007-07-06T16:34:00.000-05:00

I recently read an article about the power of thinking. The article's main point was that the way to wealth is through our thoughts. This rings true for me and certainly seems to represent my perception of how the world works. After all, everything you see, i.e. buildings, cars, computers, wallets, started out as someone's thought.

Thus, it is quite easy to come to terms with the ability that I have to create my own reality by how I think. When I unpack this revelation, success becomes quite tangible. However, this hierarchy (the mind controls the physical world) also creates some interesting insight. For example, if thoughts control our body, or physical environment, what controls our thoughts?

In my view, our spirit controls the thoughts that we have. Sure, there is an exchange of information between our physical environment and our mind; however, what is stored and processed is determined by what we believe. This is why two people can see the same event but have two totally different interpretations. Our belief system is what assigns meaning to our environment. Thus, a part of changing our environment is changing our belief about our place in the world.

I get more of what I want in life by feeding my mind information that supports what I want. When I reach the tipping point (the supporting new information outweighs the old belief), I give my mind the authority to create a new world based on the new belief. More than ever, I am convinced that change comes from within based on what we do without.

The Power of Massive Immediate Action

2007-06-15T20:07:00.000-05:00

When you really want to get something done and done right, there's really only one choice. Have you ever known someone who is so excitable that it's like taking a drink of water from a fire hose? I have a friend who is so passionate about his business that he just bubbles over with enthusiasm.

Guess What! He's incredibly successful at what he does. His secret is very simple, he takes Massive Immediate Action (MIA). If you talk to any productive marketer, they will tell you that most people don't take action unless you force them to do so. All of the emotional ploys and aggressive pop up ads are all intended to get someone to do something.

So, just by taking action, you are ahead of 80% of the population. However, if you want to be a 3 percenter, you will need to learn how to take MIA every chance you get. This is basic. If you want to change your behavior, you have to break the habit of something that you are currently doing. Otherwise, you will just go right back to doing what you were before. The amount of effort that is required to break a habit is exponential compared to continuing with the status quo. Ask any rocket scientist, most of the fuel in a space flight is consumed during lift off.

Do this now, what is the one thing that you want more than anything? Write it down, then begin taking MIA. Don't stop there, do it for 30 days, then, it will be part of who you are.

How to Create a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word

2007-06-13T20:39:00.000-05:00

I had an occasion today to create a table of contents (TOC) for a book that a friend and I are currently writing. Upon doing a little research, I found an excellent tutorial from Microsoft. Setting your TOC up according to this tutorial is not only easy but it's powerful and self-updating.

Here are the basic steps:

Use styles such as "Heading 1" for items that you want included in the TOC
Put your cursor where you want the Table. On the Insert menu, point to Reference, then click Index and Tables. Click the Table of Contents tab. If you want a TOC in the default style, just click OK.
When you make a change, just click on the Update TOC button on the Outlining Toolbar

That's it. If you want to see the whole tutorial, click the link below.

Microsoft Table of Contents Tutorial

How to Answer to E-Mail Overload

2007-04-27T13:05:00.000-05:00

Check this out, ya'll. I'm very excited about this post today because I believe that I have solved a problem that has been plaguing me for quite some time. What I'm about to tell you is the Holy Grail of cleaning out your inbox.

It all started a couple of months ago when I acquired another job (without giving up my current one). Immediately, I started receiving over 300 messages a day, which is about 3 times my normal mail volume. My old method of processing e-mail was putting me further and further behind until my computer crashed, which took about a week. Essentially, my hard drive ran out of space, then, Outlook quit sending messages. It locked me out until I deleted files off of my computer.

So, here's what I did to dig out. Prior to my new rule, I allowed about 1 minute to read and respond to each message. Doing some quick math, I realized that it would take over 5 hours every day just to keep up with my e-mail. Thus, when I received my new computer, I implemented, The 10 Second Rule.

The 10 Second Rule

This solution is so simple, it's scary, but it works. First, check your e-mail at intervals and don't keep it up all day long. Constantly checking your e-mail is a distraction, at best, and a form of neurosis, at worst. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Extreme Multi-Tasking is a Mental Disorder (why would anyone in their right mind type on their CrackBerry while driving?). I recommend the following time table: upon arrival, 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 1 hour before departure.

Second, when you process your messages, allow no more than 10 seconds per message to filter. There are only three actions that you should consider in this step. I call them the Triple D.

1. Do - If it will take less than 2 minutes to resolve, do it right away.

2. Delegate - The Bubble Planner has an excellent tracking tool for items that you have empowered someone else to complete. Here's a sample of one of the forms.

3. Delay - If it will take longer than 2 minutes, file it in an action folder, add it to your Bubble List, and move onto the next message.

Stop Learning and Start Doing

2007-04-25T20:26:00.000-05:00

"time management", "GTD"

This may sound strange coming from me, but I must say that quitting has aided my success more than any other strategy. I actually had to go on a self-improvement fast. For a period of time, I would not allow myself to read, listen to, or watch anything new about time management until I implemented knowledge that I had already acquired.

This was incredibly hard for me. Think about it, I've been a student of self-improvement, life management, time management, accelerated learning, and virtually any other type of self-discovery that you can imagine for my entire adult life. (When my adult life started is a point of contention for some, but let's just say that it's been more than a decade.) This was as challenging as giving up coffee would be (or so I'm guessing).

I went through a week of withdrawals, but started the second week with a renewed intensity. This death of learning birthed new revelation. I discovered that the techniques I had been using were insufficient to get me to the next level. They were effective, efficient, and essential in achieving the level of success that I had acquired, but they were also holding me back. By eliminating the distraction of learning new time management techniques (if I'm honest, I wasn't learning anything new just hearing the same message from different messengers).

By looking inward, I found the problem. I wasn't looking for the right knowledge. I wasn't asking the right questions. The questions I had been asking were, "how can I do this faster?" and "how can I get more done?" The real question for me is a simple one, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" Taking a page out of Covey, I started at the end of my life and imagined what I wanted to accomplish and who would be there to share it with me. You know To Live, To Love, To Learn, and To Leave a Legacy.

So, give it a try, stop reading, listening to, and watching all time management techniques for a week, and discover the question that you haven't answered.

Stop Using and Start Living

2007-04-24T16:11:00.000-05:00

If you're doing drugs, then you need to stop. To help you stop, there are excellent drug rehab facilities available. Stone Hawk is a facility that is set in a beautiful setting. The main thing about quitting drugs is getting away from everything - family, "friends", and the environment that has been feeding your addiction. That's what this facility offers.

The facility itself is huge (almost 60,000 square feet), and the surrounding countryside is ideal for recovery. Nestled on a lake, surrounded by trees and hills. Added to the scenery is a stellar treatment center. Just five miles from Battle Creek, Michigan, the rehabilitation center evokes images of Dr. Kellogg, who believed in the power of a healthy body.

The program does not use drugs to cure the addiction, instead focusing on nutrition and supplements as well as education. The key to the education is teaching life skills that enable you to build a life without addiction. This approach boasts a higher rehabilitation rate with this specific location achieving a 70% success rate. It's a 4-6 month program depending upon the person and the situation.

If you are addicted to drugs or alcohol, you owe it to yourself, your family, and your true friends to get the help you need.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

Success Strategy: Strategic Incompetence

2007-04-19T10:01:00.000-05:00

I know an executive who is an absolute whiz at fixing computer problems. Regardless of what's happening around him, he always finds time to find the missing e-mail, help someone get their computer to boot properly, or eradicate the virus that the admin seemed to have acquired by playing online solitaire. The problem with doing this is that he often leaves other more important items related to why the company pays him undone. He has been in the same position for years while other less competent (in my opinion) people have been promoted ahead of him.

Why did this happen? He was missing a key skill that almost every successful executive I know has perfected, Strategic Incompetence. "Strategic incompetence isn't about having a strategy that fails, but a failure that succeeds", says The Wall Street Journal.

I have a friend who is a master at this skill. When I asked her to get me a cup of coffee yesterday, she exclaimed, "I don't know anything about coffee, I don't drink coffee, and I don't know how to make it". Even though there was a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen, she maintained her position that her lack of coffee knowledge completely exempted her from performing this task. Was I being lazy in asking her to get the coffee? Sure. Should I have just gone to the kitchen and fixed the coffee myself? Absolutely. Did I end up getting my own coffee? Yes.

What's the Point?
1. You get paid to do your job not someone else's. Regardless of how effective you were at planning the company picnic or helping Marketing with their powerpoint presentation, if you fail to meet your objectives then you will be removed from your position.

2. You deprive a junior member of your team to do something that they can do. If it's an important task, just not something that you should be doing, a junior member of the team will score major points by doing the job well. After all, you were promoted by doing the things that others would not do.

There are times that you should do undesirable tasks that are outside your scope. However, these decisions should be strategic as well. If it's something that will impress someone on a higher level or make someone who is important to your career look better, then do it. If it will add no value to you or your career, get out of it. Purity is achieved by what is taken out of something. Pollution is caused by what is added to something. If it is polluting, then remove it, you'll have more integrity in the end.

Some Quotes I Like This Week

2007-04-02T15:32:00.000-05:00

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." -Oprah Winfrey-

"We are only constrained by what we think we are." -Anonymous-

"Every young man should have a hobby; learning how to handle money is the best one." -Jack Hurley

"When I was young I used to think that money was the most important thing in life. Now that I am old, I know it is." -Oscar Wilde-

"It is a funny thing about life -- if you refuse to accept anything but the best you very often get it." -Somerset Maugham-

"It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through." -Zig Ziglar-

"Aim for success not perfection... Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make you a far happier and more productive person." -Dr. David Burns-

"The ideas that have lighted my way have been kindness, beauty and truth." -Albert Einstein-

"People forget how fast you did a job - but they remember how well you did it." -Howard Newton-

"In Eternity, everything is just beginning." -Elias Cannetti-

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -Aristotle-

Analytical Strategy That Works

2007-03-29T18:14:00.000-05:00

My mind is always working to understand things. Specifically, I want to know how things work, why things aren't working, and how they should be working. This is just how I think. Most likely, I've always had a skill in getting to the root causes of any issue; however, over time, I've been attracted to strategies to sharpen this skill as much as possible.

I consider root cause determination a key success strategy in any business. The closer you get to the root causes, the more leverage that you have in changing results. Many people waste days, weeks, and years trying to solve problems by focusing on the symptoms. Like treating the common cold, treating the symptoms will make you feel better, but it won't make you well.

So, how do you determine root causes? One strategy is called the "Top Down / Bottom Up" approach. This approach is a two-phase process:

Study the problem or issue from a high level. Identify all of the major components of the process. In this phase, you ask and answer general questions. What is the end result that you want to achieve? What needs to have to achieve this result and what is keeping you from achieving it? Who should be involved? Who is involved? Who will benefit from a solution? What do we have to gain? (Notice these questions are what and who questions primarily).
Focus in minute detail on one aspect of the issue that you suspect maybe contributing to the faulty result. What's at issue here is why things are being done in a certain way or why things are happening. Keep asking why. In fact, ask why five times to flesh out each detail. For example, (1) why is labor cost higher than budget? Overtime (2) why do we need this overtime? Too many things to do (3) why isn't the staffing level sufficient? There are too many customer demands. (4) why don't we hire more people? Not enough time. (5) why doesn't the manager see the problem with this logic?

By approaching a problem or issue from a broad perspective then from a focused perspective, key variables start to become apparent. This process conditions your mind to focus on both the big picture and the details. The problem is often identified in step 1. While the solution usually becomes apparent in step 2.

Try it and let me know how it works for you.

How to Manage Distributed Operations

2007-03-15T21:02:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed that more companies are more spread out than they've ever been? Even small companies seem to have satellite offices. So, how does a company keep it together across boundaries (even global)?

There are three key areas of agreement that must be present for an organization to function optimally over distance:

Align Strategy and Objectives - The first thing that must happen is for everyone on the team no matter where they are located to know and be in total agreement with the company's vision and goals.
Align Roles and Responsibilities - Surprisingly, in many organizations don't have clearly defined roles. If there are job descriptions, other disciplines are often not aware of them. Thus, there is a disconnect between what a person believes they should be doing and what others believe they should be doing.
Align Authorization Protocols - Who has the right to make a decision in an organization is an important consideration. Do the decisions get made unilaterally by the boss? Should the boss get input before making a decision? Should decisions be made by a group? These are important questions in establishing expectations for decision-making.

Pay Off Your Mortgage Early

2007-03-14T19:34:00.000-05:00

Now, this is an interesting idea! I've known for quite some time that paying off your mortgage early can save you hundreds of thousands in interest. I know that the argument for keeping a mortgage is that you can write off the interest.

This is certainly a valid reason to have debt on your house if you have no other debt. However, I would like to submit to you that it is better not to pay your house off. Depending upon your tax bracket, the interest on your house will save you 25-35% of the interest that you've paid on your tax bill at the end of the year. The problem with this benefit is that you have to pay someone (i.e. the mortgage company) more than the benefit you receive. You would actually be better off not paying any interest and not receiving any tax write off.

When it comes to debt, including mortgages, it is almost always better to keep it as low as possible. I say almost because it is possible that you have debt on assets that generate positive cash flow. Say, you're renting out the house that you have a mortgage. If the debt payments, taxes, and upkeep on the house are less than the rent payments that you receive, then, this is good debt. Thus, the general rule is to only have debt on revenue-generating assets. Even though many people find it necessary to have debt on homes and cars, the goal should always be to pay off the loans as quickly as possible.

OneAccount.com is a unique way of ensuring that you pay off your mortgage early. It uses your existing cash flow to help lower the amount of time that it takes to pay off your debt. It's an interesting idea and certainly one worth checking out.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

Productive Procrastination

2007-03-07T14:07:00.000-06:00

Did you realize that procrastination can be a good thing? You constantly see tools, books, and articles promising to end procrastination forever. I'm not sure that's a good thing. Let me explain.

Every day, we make choices about what is most important in our lives. In today's times, it's impossible to do everything that you want to do. If you agree that this is a fact, then you will leave some things undone. So, what you leave undone is often as important as what you do. At any given moment, you can only do a certain number of tasks (generally one). Thus, you have to procrastinate, or put off, the remaining tasks. Most people, put off tasks that are complicated or more involved. I submit to you that this is destructive procrastination as those tasks are precisely the ones that will have the most long-term impact.

So, how do you choose what to put off? Here are some questions to help you decide:

1. Does it move you closer or further away from your goals?
2. Is it urgent and important or just urgent?
3. Are you the best person for the job? (If not, delegate it).
4. Will it get done if you don't do it?

Here is another interesting article on procrastination.

Work without Wires

2007-03-07T13:45:00.000-06:00

My wife and I discovered wifi several years ago, and our lives have never been the same since. Before the days of wireless, logging onto the internet required dedicated time to go to our office with one desk. Eventually, we upgraded and had a desk and a credenza but only one chair so it had the same effect.

When wireless came along, everything changed. Now, we could be together surfing the web, watching television, and communicating about both all at the same time. Do you remember the days before multi-tasking? Simple times when people would finish a thought before moving onto the next one, then back to three threads prior? That last part wasn't supposed to make sense. If it did, then it's definitely time for you to invest in a Cisco router. I mention Cisco because they make the best (and have for years), routers and wireless products. If you want fast, secure, and reliable performance, then you want Cisco.

You notice I mentioned secure. Now, this is important. If you have a home networking system, and you don't have your router's security key enabled, then you are just begging for someone to hack into your network. Someone driving by or a neighbor wouldn't even need to know how to program to view your files. It's like you left your garage door open when you left in the morning and wondered why your big screen was gone when you got home.

Surf safe, surf Cisco.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

Eagles are Known for Their Vision

2007-02-22T22:26:00.000-06:00

You've gotta know that not all binoculars are created equal. Some are superior - that's what you find at Eagle Optics - Superior binoculars. Until I browsed their website, I didn't realize that many binoculars serve a specific purpose. For example, pentax binoculars, in particular the Pentax Papilio 6.5x21 Binoculars are exceptional at viewing nature close up.

If you're looking for a pair of binoculars that is perfect for viewing insects, plants, and any other wildlife at very close range, then you should try The Papilio (means butterfly in Latin). They are durable, comfortable, and easy to steady.

When you're buying high quality binoculars, you want the benefits that Eagle Optics offers:

Great Low Prices

Outstanding Customer Service

Excellent Selection

Free Financing on orders over $200

You want Eagle Optics.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

The Bigger Secret

2007-02-15T16:38:00.000-06:00

"The law of attraction is a law of nature. It is impersonal and it does not see good things or bad things. It is receiving your thoughts and reflecting back to you those thoughts as your life experience. The law of attraction simply gives you whatever it is you are thinking about." - From The Secret

"This is really fun. It's like having the Universe as your catalogue. You flip through it and say, `I'd like to have this experience and I'd like to have that product and I'd like to have a person like that.' It is You placing your order with the Universe. It's really that easy." - Dr. Joe Vitale

"When you visualize then you materialize. Here's an interesting thing about the mind: we took Olympic athletes and had them run their event only in their mind, and then hooked them up to sophisticated biofeedback equipment. Incredibly, the same muscles fired in the same sequence when they were running the race in their mind as when they were running it on the track. How could this be? Because the mind can't distinguish whether you're really doing it or whether it's just a practice. If you've been there in the mind, you'll go there in the body." - Dr. Dr. Denis Waitley

Everyone is talking about this book by Rhonda Byrne...and with good reason. It taps into a Law that God created called the Law of Attraction. We find this in the Bible in numerous places. One of the most famous is Proverbs 23:7, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...". Many in the New Age movement have discovered this Spiritual Law and have acquired many followers because there is power in using this principle. However, the power is limited, and I'll explain why in just a moment.

David Yonggi Cho is the Senior Pastor for the World's largest congregation. He writes in his book, The Fourth Dimension, the following:

"Then God spoke to my heart, "Son, as the second dimension includes and controls the first dimension, and the third dimension includes and controls the second dimension, so the fourth dimension includes and controls the third dimension, producing a creation of order and beauty. The spirit is the fourth dimension. Every human being is a spiritual being as well as a physical being. They have the fourth dimension as well as the third dimension in their hearts." So men, by exploring their spiritual sphere of the fourth dimension through the development of concentrated visions and dreams in their imaginations, can brood over and incubate the third dimension, influencing and changing it. This is what the Holy Spirit taught me" (Cho, The Fourth Dimension 1979:p40)

We are Spiritual beings having a physical experience here on earth. There are physical laws; however, they are superceded by Spiritual Laws. God is the creator of all of these laws. God is the Supreme Being. This is the part that is missing from the New Age philosophy. While there is some power in the Spiritual Law of Attraction that they've discovered, that power is limited to their own spiritual power. It's great to get manifestations on earth, but the purpose must be to give glory to God. Otherwise, the end result is death. Out of all of the spiritual leaders that have lived in the past, Jesus is the only one that escaped physical death. The Secret is your spirit and spiritual power, The Bigger Secret is the Holy Spirit and God's Spiritual power.

In future posts, I'll discuss The Fourth Dimension and The Bigger Secret in greater detail.

Personal Finance Carnival

2007-02-14T10:23:00.000-06:00

This month, My Bubble Life was honored by appearing on the 30s and 40s Personal Finance Carnival. If you're not familiar with this carnival, you really need to check it out.

The host site, makingourway, is a great place to find practical financial information. It's also neat watching their financial progress over time.

How to Recognize Levers in an Organization

2007-02-13T21:13:00.000-06:00

"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." -Archimedes, Pappus of Alexandria

Often people who are more powerful are bested by people who know how to use leverage. One of the rawest forms that this is exhibited is in sports such as wrestling. A smaller man is capable of defeating a much larger man if they are able to use leverage against the larger wrestler.

Physics refers to this phenomenon as Mechanical Advantage. Mechanical Advantage is the factor by which a mechanism multiplies the force put into it. This concept works as well for business or any endeavor of life as it does for Physics or Engineering. The key is to recognize the levers. Here are some common levers in an organization.

Structure - The hierarchy or org chart - formal or informal - relationships also come into play

Rules - Boundaries of acceptable behavior - norms

Resources - Who controls?

Thresholds - How much movement triggers change?

Feedback - Positive or negative from influencers

Identity - Reputation, Trust, Affiliations

By learning to recognize the possible levers in your environment, you will be in a position to gain an advantage. Aren't we always looking for an edge?

Anna Nicole Smith to Zoos

2007-02-12T21:37:00.000-06:00

Here's a site that has an eclectic blend of articles. The site is called EncycloCentral.

It describes itself as a site that "provides unique, original and informative content; much like wikipedia in a non wiki format."

As you gathered from the title, the first entry is Anna Nicole Smith and ends with Zoos although this could all change tomorrow.

The articles are quite informative and engaging. The design of the site is easy to navigate with each letter of the alphabet along the top and a useful search box if you have something in mind.

Apartments For Rent

Note: This is a sponsored post.

Jesus' Eyes

2007-02-11T21:19:00.000-06:00

This morning in church, an amazing thought hit me during Praise and Worship. What will it be like when Jesus looks at me? Will I be able to handle it or will I have to look away?

On earth, we know about someone just by how they look at you. You can see pain, fear, love, joy, lies - anything and everything - in a person's eyes. Someone once said that the eyes are the gateway into someone's soul. What's in your soul? What will Jesus see when He looks into your eyes?

What will we see when we look into the eyes of our LORD? We know who HE is from the Word, from His Spirit, and His voice. However, what will we feel when He looks you in eye?

Buy a Car Online

2007-02-10T18:06:00.000-06:00

Now, here's a website with Cars For Sale.

I took a little test drive looking for one of my favorite cars, the Lexus ES330 and found out something that I didn't know. They sell cars on EBAY! Of course, www.lemonfree.com consolidates more locations than EBAY. It is really cool to see these cars right near home:

Toyota Camry

Honda Accord

Ford F 150

Chevrolet Silverado

Ford Explorer

Honda Civic

Ford Mustang

Note: This is a sponsored post.

Learning to Listen to God

2007-02-10T18:01:00.000-06:00

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. - John 10:27

Have you ever tried to quiet your mind? I mean really try to think nothing? I tried this exercise recently and found it to be very difficult. I know there are various techniques that enable you to quiet your mind for a period of time; however, the quiet can't last forever.

The interesting thing about this exercise is that I realized that my mind communicates to me during my waking time primarily in voices. The voices are only audible to me; however, they are definitely a sound in my thought realm.

The bigger question is whose voice is speaking to you? Often the voice sounds like you, sometimes it doesn't. You know the voice sounds like you because you know the sound of your voice and what you would say. Do you know when God is speaking to you? The Bible refers to a still, small voice. If you listen carefully, you'll realize that God is frequently speaking to you.

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." - Psalm 46:10

You know the voice of God by knowing what God would say. How do you know what God would say? You must spend time reading the Bible. God sent His Word. If we will spend time in His Word, we will learn how to hear His voice. Then, all other voices will matter less.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:2

Finally, a Phone You Want for Free

2007-02-07T20:23:00.000-06:00

Have you noticed that as the price of cell phone plans have come down that the quality of the phone you get for F*REE has come down as well? Isn't it time to get the best plan AND the best phone? Now, you can find the best deals on cell phones at Wirefly.com.

User-Friendly Site
One of the things that you notice about Wirefly.com right away is how easy it is to navigate. While there's a lot going on on the page, the interface makes it easy for you to find what you want. Starting at the top, there's tabs for what you're looking for:

Phones

Service Plans

Family Plans

Accessories

Ringtones

Pre-Paid

Now, the best feature - along the left-hand side, you have the option to shop by Carrier, Phone, or Service Plan based on your zip code. It's all right there at your fingertips. This could save you hours of hunting on the internet or even worse actually going to the store.

Test Drive
I decided to take the website for a test drive, so, here's what I did. I entered my zip code, clicked on the hot new Blackberry Pearl, and there it is - FREE after mail-in rebate.

BAM!

They'll Send It to You
And that's not all, when you place your order, they'll send it to you. You don't have to go to the store to pick it up. The selection really is amazing. Here's a sample of the carriers they offer:
Alltel
Amp'd Mobile
Cingular Wireless
Disney Mobile
Nextel
Sprint
T-Mobile
U.S. Cellular
Verizon Wireless

Bonus
Check out the accessories pages. It's easy to find your phone and find out what's available. Last time that I went to the store, I almost left without a blue tooth because I couldn't find it on the shelf and the staff was so busy with customers that they couldn't assist. If this has happened to you, it may be time to switch online.

So, if you're in the market for a new phone (and we all are every time the new version comes out), check out the hottest plans on the internet.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

Equal Time - Achieve Planner Software

2007-02-06T20:12:00.000-06:00

With all of the time that I've devoted on this blog to the Bubble Planner, which is a paper planner system, I thought it only fair to review a time management software.

The thing that I like most about this software (and what's missing from Outlook) is the ability to plan a week at a time. Also, this product doesn't try to re-invent the wheel. Let's face it, Microsoft has the market, so why fight it? The Achieve Planner takes the best from Outlook and adds some critical components to it.

Specifically, using PROJECTS and PRIORITY is a huge leap over Outlook. When you are planning your week, you want to focus on the big rocks, i.e. PROJECTS. Unfortunately, Outlook forces you to look at pebbles, i.e. TASKS. Then, as we know, all tasks are not created equal. In fact, some tasks are critical while others are just "nice to have". The ability to use the ABCD method of prioritizes is a another differentiator of the Achieve Planner.

So, if you're someone who just loves organizing on a computer, download a free trial now.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

How to Learn from Your Reflection

2007-02-04T17:09:00.000-06:00

Did you realize that your physical world is a reflection of your mental world? Whoever you are on the inside is manifested on the outside. This knowledge is incredibly helpful in designing the "reality" that you want.

Attitudes and Relationships. How do people respond to you when you say hello? People will reflect or mirror the attitude that you are giving off. When you are not receiving the right response from your friends and those around you, take a look at yourself to find out how to improve these relationships. It truly starts with you. Consciously respond to others in the way that you want them to respond to you, then, over time, it will become automatic.

Wealth. Another area that is a reflection of who you are on the inside is where you are financially. If you are not where you want to be materially, you need to change the picture of who you are in your mind. Your mind (conscious and subconscious) will work night and day to manifest the image that you have of yourself on the inside. Shaping the inner image of yourself may take some effort, but you can do it. Whenever you find yourself doing something in the physical world that is at odds with where you want to be financially, you have uncovered a clue of the image you have. For example, if you are buying a lottery ticket, your inner image reveals that you believe that success comes by luck.

Change Exercises. Try these activities to improve your reflection.

1. Guard what comes into your mind. Once you have control on what comes into your mind, you begin to gain control on what is manifested. Over time, guarding your mind will change your thoughts, beliefs, speech, and action.
2. Consciously decide to look for things that are positive and in alignment with your goals and dreams. If you want more in life, surround yourself with images of the best things that life has to offer.
3. Visualize yourself having, being, and doing what you want. Engineer in your mind the perfect picture of success.

What You Want for Less

2007-02-04T16:51:00.000-06:00

In the past, I've avoided coupons because I end up buying things that are not exactly what I want just because it's a good deal. What a waste! By doing this, it actually makes me wish that I had never bought it in the first place.

My how times have changed, with the internet, you can get coupon codes, which are for places that provide stuff you really want, just cheaper. For example, you can buy shoes at shoes.com but at a 10% discount - just because you know the discount code.

So, before you make your next purchase, visit our friends at www.couponchief.com.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

All My Needs Are Met

2007-01-26T08:26:00.000-06:00

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19

Do you have any unmet needs? If you do, this scripture is excellent in building your faith. When I first realized that the spiritual realm controls the physical realm, it opened up a whole new world for me.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

"so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

While it may be true that you have unmet needs, there is a higher truth that says that God shall supply all of your needs. Since the Spiritual realm controls the physical realm, the higher truth will prevail if you believe (have faith that it will).

This concept is why Jesus said "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear..." Matthew 6:25. What needs will God meet?

God will meet all of your Physical, Mental, Emotional, Financial, Relationship, Health, Career, Spiritual, and any other needs. ALL means ALL. Say it with me, "My God is Meeting ALL of My Needs. ALL of my needs are met through Christ Jesus."

If You're Going to Do a Trade Show . . .

2007-01-24T20:08:00.000-06:00

Now that our company (The Best Planner Ever) is starting to pick up steam, we have considered going to some trade shows.

I have heard that if you are going to have a Trade Show Exhibit, you should really deck it out. Here are some of the designs that really pop.

So, if you want to attract the big fish, you've gotta use the best bait. Until finding this Trade Show Display site, I did not realize that most people find floor displays the most effective, and they feel they get the most impact for the money. I was really leaning toward a table top deal until seeing this. This is actually better for us since the star of the show will really be the Bubble Planner.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

Mind Your Own Business

2007-01-22T19:14:00.000-06:00

We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. - 2 Thessalonians 3:11

We live in a time when anyone can ask anyone a question about anything. The truly sad part is that most people answer. It's disturbing and alarming how much personal information we know about celebrities, neighbors, and co-workers. Really, I don't care whether you wear boxers or briefs. You can go commando if you want, I don't care.

Don't think that Christians are insulated from gossip, either. In fact, many prayer requests are gossip in disguise. "We need to pray for sister so and so that her husband will stop running around on her".

When I was in college, I accidentally received a response that I will never forget. I asked a co-worker a question (I don't even remember the question), but she replied, "I fail to see how that concerns you". Wow! You want to talk about hitting someone between the eyes. I stuttered and stammered backing out of the conversation as quickly as possible. This comment, though, marked me. It's not my right to know everything about everyone. In fact, knowing intimate details about others is often destructive.

It marked me in another way as well. I don't answer every question that is asked of me. Others don't have the right to ask me inappropriate questions, regardless of their position. It is my prerogative what I share about myself not theirs. Furthermore, when I hear that someone said something about me to someone else, I confront them with it.

Gossip is one of the areas that sneaks up on me unless I guard against it and cut it off up front. It often seems like a normal conversation, then, someone says something about someone else (not present, of course). At first, it seems innocent enough. I think that it's an issue that I need to take action on. Before I realize it, the conversation has turned into a dogpile on a co-worker or friend. To make matters worse, I was right there when everything was said. In these situations, it is best to speak up and say that I don't feel comfortable talking about someone when they are not here. If they persist, I leave. (Then, they probably talk about me - Oh, well).

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. - 1 Thessalonians 4:11,12

I Need a New Chair

2007-01-20T17:42:00.000-06:00

My office chair squeaks. I guess I could deal with it a little easier if it was comfortable, but it's not. So, it's time to bite the bullet and buy a new chair for my home office.

As more people office from home, I'm certain that it will be more important to find furniture that looks good (not like most office furniture), but is comfortable. After all, the couch is not the most conducive location for productivity. If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I like quality, but I will not overpay.

There is a place online (if you're working from home, do you really want to go to the furniture store?) that you can buy great quality at great prices. And we're talking quality here--Pulaski, Broyhill, and Lane--just to name a few.

So, if you like great furniture and like to save money, Great Priced Furniture may be for you.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

How to Remove Limitations

2007-01-20T16:57:00.000-06:00

No one likes to feel like they don't have control over their situation. However, many people find themselves in a position where someone else or their environment controls what they can do. This is a frustrating place to be; however, it doesn't have to be that way.

There is always a way out regardless of the situation you're in. In fact, they are often multiple avenues of escape.

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

So, what keeps people in bondage?

The Bible say in Hosea that "my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge". Whether it's a cycle of poverty, addiction, bad relationships, poor health, or anything else that is holding people in bondage, the answer is in knowledge.

The Power of References
From Wikipedia,
"In general, a reference is something that refers to or designates something else, or acts as a connection or a link between two things". References can be from experience, conversations, lectures, books, television, or anywhere you get your information. This is one of the reasons that it is so important to be careful what you watch or listen to. These references provide the data that we use to make decisions.

Our mind really does operate on the principle of Garbage In, Garbage Out (GIGO). Personally, I would like to change the meaning to Good In, Good Out. Part of improving your decisions, thus your options is limiting the garbage that you allow to come into your heart. For example, no one does drugs until they know they exist and where to get them. They have a reference that drug use is possible.

By the same token, the opposite is true. The more good knowledge that someone can acquire, the more references they have to model good behavior. If someone is raised in poverty, they may be completely unaware of the power of time and money. Consider the Latte Factor, just $5 a day can make anyone a millionaire. When you become aware that something is possible, then its just a matter of learning how to make it work for you. Increasing your references gives you options. No matter what you're facing, you're in a better position if you have more references to use in your decisions.

How Do You Acquire References?
There are numerous ways to acquire references. Here are a few:

Personal Experience
Other People
Media (Books, TV, Newspapers, etc.)

Thus, if you want to remove limitations, add more references. By doing more, meeting more people, and reading more books, you will have more options than you ever imagined.

Home Improvement for the Blinds

2007-01-18T22:09:00.000-06:00

If you want to feel a great sense of accomplishment, take on a home improvement project. My wife and I just completed brown paper bagging the walls in our bathroom, and it looks great. The walls actually look like leather.

This turned into quite a project; however, the payoff is wonderful. Our master bath now looks like a picture from a magazine. Of course, there are a few things left to do. For example, we have venetian bronze towel rods and accessories, but still have silver and gold faucets. Another thing that we may consider is honeycomb shades. These shades have great light control using a filtering effect. Another stylish new look is lace roller shades. And, of course, the mac daddy of privacy, interior plantation shutters.

You will be amazed how good you will feel by making just a few improvements.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

It's Not Mine Anyway

2007-01-18T05:53:00.000-06:00

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. - Luke 12:48

God commanded man to "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground" in the very first book of the Bible. It stands to reason that people who obey this command and are able to do this command will be given more of the earth to take care of.

Having this knowledge causes me to think more carefully about how I treat what I have. Am I making the best use of what God has given to me? If I am, then I should expect to be given more to put to use. Wouldn't God prefer to bless someone who will turn around and bless someone else as compared to someone who will hoard the money or use it for evil purposes?

Having chased money, power, and position for many years; the idea of stewardship is incredibly liberating. To obey God is to love God. Having these things is not even about me, it's about obeying God and refreshing others. I don't have to be concerned with acquiring, I just need to properly handle what I've been given. After all, it's not mine anyway, it's just mine to care for.

Family Friendly Sites

2007-01-17T22:05:00.000-06:00

It happens all of the time. You're surfing the web, click on a link, then, BAM! you hit with an image that you don't want to see. No matter how careful I am, there have been occasions when something appears on the screen that I simply don't want to feed my mind.

Coincidentally, one of the most common places that this occurs is the search engines. Even though search engines attempt to match what you want, they cannot interpret what you mean or filter out all of the sites that are meant to deceive. Fortunately, there is a directory that helps avoid this pollution. Visit Family Friendly Sites today to discover a safer way to surf.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

Goal Process - An Overview

2007-01-16T20:52:00.000-06:00

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. - Ecclesiastes 1:9

There is a pattern for success. People have been experiencing success in varying degrees since the beginning of time. Combine this thought with the idea that there is really nothing new, then it makes sense to find the plan that these successful people have been using. Speaking of patterns, here's a successful goal process pattern from Brian Tracy.

Decide What You Want
Write it down.
Set a deadline
Make a List
Organize Your List
Take Action
Do something every day

Work Anywhere

2007-01-11T12:53:00.000-06:00

Sitting in a coffee shop, listening to tunes, enjoying an Americano, and I'm not alone.

It is now possible to complete 80% of my work anywhere there is an internet connection and most of it can be done on my timeline (within the day, of course).

I'm saying this to let you know that ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH CHRIST!

Imagine your future - speak and act it into existence.

Get Paid to Buy Stuff Online

2007-01-04T22:15:00.000-06:00

This is a first for me. I've always imagined that there was a way to save money online at stores that you would actually use like target.com or buy.com. However, I never imagined that you could receive cash for buying things you were going to buy anyway. I found that dealking.com actually pays you to shop. The process is really simple:

1. Sign up for free at dealking.com

2. Login through dealking.com and click on the appropriate link for the store you want

3. Buy stuff

4. Get a check

The value in Deal King may actually be the design of the site itself. It is easy to navigate and pleasing to the eyes. If you want to get paid for shopping online, check out

Out with the Old, Then, In with the New

2007-01-02T19:23:00.000-06:00

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. - Philippians 4:8

I heard a famous TV personality comment the other day that he only thought about the good things in his life. This is a powerful way of life, and it's straight from the Bible. Since reading Norman Vincent Peale's, The Power of Positive Thinking years ago, I've been enamored with the power of the positive.

On Larry King the other night, Donald Trump said that he doesn't like to talk about failure. He even tried not to say the word. When I combine these two thoughts, it produces something really amazing.

Thinking negative thoughts keeps you from God's Best by taking the space that Positive Thoughts should occupy.

Make Room for the Best. Isn't it time to stop settling for the Good, or worse yet, the Bad? Isn't it time to stop settling and start enjoying the Best?

Boise Is Not So Noisy

2007-01-02T19:08:00.000-06:00

One thing that we all want in today's times is quality of life. With the recent advances in technology, many people are able to work from just about anywhere on the globe, why not make it a nice place?

So, why not Boise, Idaho? Did you know that Boise is called the City of Trees? One of the things that I look for in a city is whether it is growing or not. In my mind, if a city is growing, that is good. That means that people want to live there, which means that business will want to move there, which means cool, new stuff. Also, your home will appreciate in value. Are you tired of all the talk about real estate bubbles? If so, check out the Boise real estate.

When a place is growing this fast, it is hard for the supply of homes to keep up, which means that home prices go up not down. It's easy to understand why people want to live in Boise. Skiing is just minutes away, which means that hiking and biking are also close. And there's culture, too - museums, theater, and jazz.

Of course, if you want to learn more about the city visit Wikipedia's Boise or go straight to Boise home shopping and pick out a place to live.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

What Are You Going To Do with the Rest of Your Life?

2006-12-30T13:22:00.000-06:00

"Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life." - Psalm 39:4

We have an opportunity today that will never come again. We have the opportunity to decide what are we going to do with the rest of our life.

Yes, you will have the opportunity to make this decision again tomorrow, but you will never have today again to make that decision. Once the day passes, it is over. Would you behave differently if you knew that you only have a year left to live? I know that I would. What makes the days more valuable if you know how many you have?

Shouldn't we treat every day like it's valuable? After all, they are numbered.

Psalm 90:10
The length of our days is seventy years—
or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

This year, do this exercise and see if it makes a difference in how you treat your days. Take a clear glass jar and place 365 paper clips, marbles, or candy inside. Each morning take one out. When the paper clips, marbles, or candy are gone so is the year.

So, I ask you what are you going to do with the rest of your life?

Who Invented SEM?

2006-12-29T12:48:00.000-06:00

Every once in a while, I come across a blog that really catches my attention. This MSN Blog is a case in point. For many of us in the blogosphere, we enjoy writing; however, it would be nice if it paid as well.

There are many self-proclaimed "gurus" who will tell you the "secrets" of internet marketing, if you will just send not $549, not $399, but $99 to their PayPal account. If you've ever bought any of these programs, you know that they are only as good as the source, which depends on the credentials of the "guru". By the way, how does one become a "guru" anyway? (I'm sure you can find out for $99 to a PayPal account ;))

What I like most about John's blog is that he's a real person. You see the ups and downs not the sizzle and subterfuge. By reading his experiences, I'm gleaning a little insight in what to do and what not to do, and, by the way, I'm doing it for free. Check him out at SEM Guru.

Note: This is a sponsored post.

Attention: All Coupon Clippers

2006-12-27T09:36:00.000-06:00

The thing that has always bothered me about coupons is that they are hard to keep up with. If you find one in the mail that you might use, you have to put it in a place where you can find it again AND you must take it with you when you go.

I've now found a site where you can get a coupon code on demand thereby eliminating the need to keep track of the coupons yourself. The best part is that it includes places that you actually shop.

One of the places that it includes is Overstock.com, which is a place that I've personally used in the past. They have great customer service and speedy delivery.

Happy shopping!

Please Note: This is a sponsored post.

Karma, Law of Reciprocity, or the Law of Sowing and Reaping

2006-12-26T15:41:00.000-06:00

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." - Luke 6:38

Truth is truth no matter what words are used. Some refer to the Law of Sowing and Reaping as Karma. Others call it the Law of Reciprocity. Regardless of what you call it, we get what we give. There is a definite order is how this happens. We don't receive first, then, give. We give, then receive.

There is power in truth wherever you may find it. Like any law, it works whether you believe it or not. It also works whether you know why it works or not. For me, I prefer to know the source of the power behind the law of sowing and reaping. I believe that power is the authority of the words of Jesus. Other philosphies have discovered some of the laws that God created and use them effectively in this world. However, the real power is using them in the way God intended.

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:32

Online Bookkeeping - What Will They Think of Next?

2006-12-26T15:28:00.000-06:00

One thing that you probably don't know about me is that I'm a CPA. Before you start sending me tax questions, you may also want to know that I don't have any tax experience.

It's amazing what having a CPA has done for my career. It's even more amazing that I've never kept a set of books. It's not that I couldn't do it if I absolutely had to, it just doesn't interest me - not even a little.

That's why I thought it was pretty cool to find a website that does quickbooks accounting. If you have a small business, they have an excellent why use online bookkeeping page that will help you decide if it's right for you. Just a quick overview of the their pricing schedule makes it something that is pretty low risk to try.

Please Note: This is a sponsored post.

Forget What Is Behind

2006-12-22T16:25:00.000-06:00

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:12-14

Today, I feel like I'm finishing another chapter in my life. Thinking back to last year, I felt the same way. There is a natural rhythm to life that we all seem to feel this time of year. It's a great time to close out the old year and bring in the new year.

In a couple of weeks, many of us will be creating our resolutions for the new year. We'll be creating our goals, making new commitments, and feel the energy of promise flowing in our being. But that's in a couple of weeks. We are in the limbo period right now. The hectic push to get our Christmas shopping done is there, but there is also a slowing down before the year ends. We're wrapping up our business in many cases in expectation of a slow week to come.

Why don't we use these natural feelings to go a little deeper. Reflect on what went right and what went wrong this year. Then, put it behind you. Dig deep, get it all out. Write down your lessons learned but forget your mistakes. Holding on to things that you've done wrong is called guilt. Guilt is one of the major causes of illness in the world today. So, I know it's not easy, but it is time.

Remember, you have to let go of the rung you are on before you can reach the next step of the ladder. Here's to climbing higher in the new year.

The Art of Momentum

2006-12-19T18:27:00.000-06:00

I'm a huge basketball fan, and I absolutely love the Dallas Mavericks. The thing that I enjoy about basketball is how quickly the momentum changes, especially in the last two minutes of a close game. Watching great coaches like Don Nelson, Avery Johnson, Pat Riley, or Phil Jackson; provides valuable insight into how to shift momentum.

A couple of years ago, I noticed that Don Nelson, the 2nd-winningest coach in NBA history, would inevitably receive a technical foul when things were going bad for the Mavericks. This always irritated me until I understood more about momentum. At first, I thought, why can't this guy control his emotions?

I wasn't getting it. What he understood is that to shift momentum, you have to break the pattern. One of the techniques that he used was to throw a fit, which almost invariably shifted the momentum to his favor. Short of throwing a fit next time the momentum is against you, try breaking the pattern this way. Very loudly say, "I can do all things through Christ who loves me!" or "I'm more than a Conqueror through Christ Jesus!"

Another technique that works well is jumping up quickly and doing some jumping jacks. (You may want to make sure you are alone when you do this). The key is to enter a different mental state.

The Rule of 72

2006-12-19T13:28:00.000-06:00

Have you ever heard of the Rule of 72? Did you know that it was actually discovered by Albert Einstein?

What is the Rule of 72?
The Rule of 72 is a basic way of illustrating the power of compound interest. The rule says that if you divide 72 by the interest rate, you'll get the number of years required for your money to double. For example, if an investment such as a mutual fund grows at 12% average interest rate, it would take six years for your money to double (72/12 = 6).

How to Use Newton's First Law to Succeed

2006-12-17T22:14:00.000-06:00

Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy. - Isaac Newton

One thing I know about life is that it is harder to get something started than to keep it going in the right direction. Another thing that I know about life is that it takes effort to change the direction once it is off course. The amount of effort that it takes to correct your course depends upon the mass and velocity of the wrong direction.

Thus, if you are going in the wrong direction, you will need to take strong action to stop or shift your momentum. Sir Isaac Newton discovered this phenomenon in his First Law, "A body at rest remains at rest, and a body in motion continues to move in a straight line with a constant speed unless and until an external unbalanced force acts upon it."

Of course, he was studying planetary movement and not individual success. However, the laws that he discovered appear to be just as true for personal success. To take advantage of this knowledge, you need to know two things; what direction you are going and what direction you want to go. From there, it's just a matter of force - unbalanced force - to correct your path.

Have You Ever Been to Prague?

2006-12-17T22:03:00.000-06:00

I have never been to Prague. In fact, I've only been out of the country one time, and that was to Canada. However, one of my dreams is to travel the world. I was thinking the other day how much we are able to see that only a few years ago required a personal visit.

So, if you haven't been to Prague, take a peek.
Or, if you have been to Prague, then this site will help you take a trip down memory lane. The site is loaded with videos, maps, and panoramic views.

Be careful, though, because after you visit this site, you will most likely want to go although maybe not in the winter.

Are You Managing Your Money or Is Your Money Managing You?

2006-12-15T07:47:00.000-06:00

There are many people who buy into the the false statement that money is the root of evil. This is misquoting the Bible. Here's what the scripture really says:

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." - 1 Timothy 6:10

It's the LOVE of money not money itself that is a root of all kinds of evil. In my opinion, money should be viewed as a tool. It should be your servant not your master. For anyone who has ever been in debt, you know that money is a terrible taskmaster.

Just as money is a tool, you need tools to manage your money. The Thrifty Scot offers advice on how to save money using credit cards, loans, mortgages, bank accounts and insurance.

This site also includes the latest financial news as well as comments and opinions on events in the financial marketplace and how these affect the you.

Whether you need low interest credit cards, secured loans, a better mortgage, or one of the best savings accounts; the Thrifty Scot has what you're looking for. Oh yeah, they also have links for home insurance.

credit cards

Are You Pure?

2006-12-15T07:38:00.000-06:00

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. - James 4:8

It's not what is put into gold that makes it so precious, it's what you take out.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid

2006-12-14T09:39:00.000-06:00

If you have kids, how you're going to pay for college is probably top of mind. FAFSA is a website that offers advice in Federal Student Aid programs. They have the financial aid forms online (FAFSA form) for download.

It's nice how the web (FAFSA on the Web) is expediting some of these processes that used to take an Act of Congress to achieve (no pun intended). FAFSA online also offers step-by-step instructions to complete the forms.

This site would have saved me days, if not weeks, a few (ahem!) years ago.

Hope this is helpful information. Let me know your experience, if you decide to use this site.

FAFSA form

God's Will

2006-12-12T19:07:00.000-06:00

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I often hear people say, "if it's God's will" or "Lord Willing". When you consider what the Bible says, this is actually a very strange thing to say. In John 1:1, the Bible says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Since God sent His Word, then we can know what His Will is. Here's the catch, we must spend time reading what He has said to know what He Wants.

They Call it a Testament for a reason. Have you ever considered why the Old and New are referred to as Testaments? What is a Testament? The Online Dictionary (Wiktionary) defines it this way:

(Law) A solemn, authentic instrument in writing, by which a person declares his will as to disposal of his estate and effects after his death.

One of the two distinct revelations of God's purposes toward man; a covenant. . .

So, the Testaments are God's Will.

Lasik Eye Surgery Patient Advocacy Site

2006-12-12T10:18:00.000-06:00

I was legally blind 10 years ago, now I see better than 20/20. About 10 years ago, I wore disposable contact lenses and could not imagine functioning without them. I had worn some form of glasses or contacts for the 10 years prior. Then, I heard about Lasik.

When I went into the Doctor's office to have my eye exam, I had to wear my glasses. Since I had not updated my glasses prescription in several years, I could not even see to drive. So, my wife was kind enough to drive me to the doctor. With my glasses on, I was asked to read the letters on the eye chart. This is the amazing part. With my glasses, I was legally blind!

Then, they turned off the eye chart, asked me to take my glasses off, then, read the chart again. We sat in silence for several minutes. Then the examiner asked me to read the chart again without my glasses. I said that I would as soon as she put it back up on the wall. My wife nearly fell out of her chair because the eye chart had been on the wall the whole time. I couldn't even see the light.

When I had the procedure, the choices were much more limited than they are today. In fact, I had two choices on my list and left the first one after the initial consultation because I was uncomfortable with the waiting room. Who knows if the Doctor was competent, I just knew that I felt like a number.

With the number of choices available today, I would do my homework thoroughly before getting this done. Fortunately, there is a resource that will provide this information as well as equip you with the knowledge you need to feel secure. Lasik at USAEyes.org includes things like 50 Tough Questions for your Lasik Doctor and helps you find an approved Doctor in your area.

Which Bird Are You?

2006-12-07T13:43:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, each person has a dominant personality as well as a secondary personality. Hippocrates is credited for coming up with the initial four groups around 400 B.C. He called them humours. Aristotle not quite 100 years later called them the four sources of happiness. Galen called them the four temperaments. They all named them different things.

Thus, the concept has been around for quite some time. I'm not sure who is credited with calling them birds, but I like it so that's what I'll use (along with Galen's temperament names). For a nice detailed account of each visit the Four Humours.

Eagle (or Choleric) - Extrovert: This is a person with great vision. A dominant leader focused on bottom line results. Many CEOs have this temperament. They are driven by the "What" aspect of life.

Owl (or Melancholic) - Introvert: These are the problem solvers focused on results. They are driven by the "Why" aspect of life. Many CPAs and Engineers have this temperament.

Dove (or Phlegmatic) - Introvert: Doves are relationship driven. They are diplomatic, security-minded, and softhearted. They are often creative. They are focused on the "How" aspect of life.

Peacock (or Sanguine) - Extrovert: This is the life of the party personality. A spontaneous, people person with incredible creativity. Most salespeople and entertainers have this temperament. They enjoy the "Who" aspect of life.

So, which bird are you? Do you know any eagles, owls, doves, or peacocks? In the next installment, we'll consider the best way to work with each personality.

That's Why They Call It Looping

2006-12-06T15:43:00.000-06:00

"Another generation arose...who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord." - Judges 2:10-11

Patterns, or habits, play a critical role in determining our daily actions. I would venture to say that 90% or more of what we do on a daily basis is by rote. Just like putting the CD into the player, selecting the track, and pressing play, we live out scripts that were determined long ago.

You may have heard an alcoholic getting drunk refer to it as looping. Once the trigger occurs, the script plays. It goes something like this. "I worked hard today, I deserve a drink". Several hours later, the person is still sitting at the bar getting sloppy drunk. The next day, the person feels guilty for not being able to control their actions. They ask forgiveness of anyone that they offended the night before. Then, the trigger occurs. . .

You get the point, it is a cycle that happens over and over and over. This is the same cycle that the Israelites experienced long ago. First, they would rebel. Then, they would come under judgment or God would lift his hand of protection. Then, after the circumstances were too much to bear, they would repent. Finally, they would straighten up their act and be restored to right-standing with God. Unfortunately, often they would get comfortable in the shadow of the Almighty, let down their guard, and start the whole process over again.

To stop the loop, we have to break the pattern. Becoming aware that there is a problem is half the solution. We all have areas that we need to insert new behaviors. What area in your life needs a new script?

How We Learn New Stuff

2006-12-05T07:56:00.000-06:00

I've heard this a few times, so, it must be important. Like everything in life, there are stages to learning new information. One thing that makes life a little easier is the patterns that occur. Without these patterns, life would be impossible.

What do I mean by patterns?
If a farmer plants corn, corn will grow where he planted. He will not harvest beets or chickens where he planted the corn. This is a pattern. When we throw a ball up into the air, it will eventually come down. This is a another pattern. If you put a filet in front of me, I'm going to eat it. Well, you get the point.

Stages of Learning

Unconsciously Incompetent - This stage is blissful at times. We think that we know it all. Like a teenager who always knows better than their parent, we don't know what we're doing but we think we do.
Consciously Incompetent - When things consistently don't work out for us in an area, there's an awakening that takes place. We don't know what we're doing. Like the guy who starts fixing his plumbing only to flood his house, this awareness is a critical part of learning. This is the step that causes us to seek knowledge.
Consciously Competent - When we first acquire new knowledge, we really have to concentrate on making it work. We follow instructions precisely, perhaps, referring to a manual or other material.
Unconsciously Competent - This is where we all want to be. Like the professional golfer who just points to where he / she wants to hit the next shot, we want to get to the point where the individual mechanics are automatic.

So, next time you are learning something new, remember the process. Or, next time you think you know everything . . .

Apply "Think Globally, Act Locally" to Time

2006-12-04T08:41:00.000-06:00

"In Eternity, everything is just beginning." - Elias Cannetti

Sometimes, new cliches happen overnight. This was the case with "Think Globally, Act Locally". The philosophy behind this phrase taps into a truth deep inside each of us. That truth is that we must expand our vision to see the consequences of our actions.

I've often heard it said that when you pick up one end of the stick, you pick up the other. Another phrase that I hear misstated often is "everything happens for a reason". The real phrasing should be "every result has a cause". These are all part of the same concept. When we do anything, there are consequences. This is the law of sowing and reaping, or as some say reciprocity.

When we apply this principle to time, we find that we must take a long-term perspective. Every decision that we make in this moment will have a future effect. By considering what those consequences might be, our current moment decisions become better exponentially. For example, eating a piece of cake may be the right decision in any given moment; however, from a long-term perspective, it is generally the wrong decision (unless other variables besides weight and health are at play, like making your son, who is a chef, feel appreciated).

Until next time, "Think Future, Act Present".

"Think like a man of action, Act like a man of thought." - Henry Bergson

Distributed Cognition and Getting Things Done (GTD)

2006-12-02T11:11:00.000-06:00

Many people have wondered why Getting Things Done (GTD) is so effective at eliminating (or greatly reducing) procrastination. The explanation, I believe, is in Distributed Cognition.

Distributed cognition is a school of psychology developed in the 1990s by Edwin Hutchins. Using insights from sociology, cognitive science, and the psychology of Vygotsky (cf activity theory) it emphasizes the social aspects of cognition.

This is very similar to delegation within organization. When the load becomes to heavy to bear for the individual, tasks are delegated to others. Like great managers, our minds are able to juggle many different things at one time; however, there is a limit to how many things can be effectively managed at once. That's when we offload things. For managers, that means distributing part of their responsibility to others or buying tools (technology) that helps them extend their own personal productivity.

In the brain, by distributing processing tasks or responsibilities to other people or tools, it is freed up to do more of the strategic things that it needs to do to expand it's influence. This distribution of part of the brain's responsibilities is why the GTD method is so effective. Part of the brain has been freed up to move onto more productive tasks. Here is an article about Distributed Cognition.

Introduction to Personalities

2006-11-30T22:31:00.000-06:00

Let me start by saying that there are as many personalities in this world as there are people. We are all very unique. I heard Dr. Phil say one time (and I'm loosely paraphrasing) that even though a problem can be incredibly complex and difficult, the solution can be very simple.

This is how it is with personality types. Even though there are billions of combinations that make us unique, there are patterns that occur among groups of people. Understanding these patterns help you relate better to different types of people.

For example, have you ever encountered someone that asked you "why" so many times that you wanted to slap them? This is probably the same person that labels their sock drawer. Some of you may be this type (hint: the owl) and have been trying to figure out where I was going with this from the beginning. The reason that this happens is because there are a set of attributes that have been hard-wired into who we are. For sake of simplicity, I group these into four different types.

I've seen personalities presented in many different ways, but the one that is most relateable are the birds:

Eagle
Peacock
Dove
Owl

For now, think about what traits each of these birds have. Next time, I'll give you more details (for the owls in the group).

My Philosophy

2006-11-29T19:34:00.000-06:00

Ultimately, a leader’s strength (or weakness) of character will prevail. In their article, Kouzes and Posner quote an anonymous poem, recited by Thomas Likona, to illustrate this point:

Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words;
Be careful of your words, for your words become your deeds;
Be careful of your deeds, for your deeds become your habits;
Be careful of your habits; for your habits become you character;
Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny.

Even though I didn't write it, this communicates so clearly what I believe. For me, absolute integrity is when all of these are in alignment. The invisible container for each of these statements is choice. Choice is what separates man from animals. What choices are you making today? What choices are you not making?

Be Still

2006-11-27T15:33:00.000-06:00

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." - Psalm 46:10

It has been my experience that everything is stuffed the week after Thanksgiving. My belly is full, my inbox and mailbox are overflowing, and my task list is busting at the seams. So, what do you do to relieve the pressure that this overload causes? Be still. That's right. Be still.

God is in Control
This is a perfect time to realize that God is in control. Just like a garden that has been overrun with weeds, there is work to be done if you want to get everything back in order. The key is to get everything back in order with as little work as possible as fast as possible. That leads me back to the answer. Be still and listen for God's direction. He truly cares about you. Even in things that you brought on yourself, God is there to help you pick up the pieces.

God is Light
We know from the Bible that God is light. We also know of nothing that travels faster than light. So, it stands to reason that the closer we move to God, the faster we are able to accomplish things. Aside from the speed aspect, God is aware of everything. Thus, if there is a better way of doing something, God will know it. Mac Hammond discusses some awesome aspects of God as confirmed by science in Life's Big Questions.

Apply the Knowledge
Now, let's get practical about how to make this work for you. First, find a place where you can be alone and comfortably seated. Second, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Think about path that the air takes as it comes into your mouth and nose, down your throat into your chest, and back out again. Keep your mind focused on your breathing. If you have never done this before, it will try to wander, that's okay, just keep bringing the focus back on your breathing.

When you are still before the Lord, ask what, who, when, why, and how. What should you do (and what shouldn't you do), who can help (delegate), why these activities and why this order, and how should you do each thing. Be open to ideas and to God's voice. When you feel that you have the right direction, get to work. I find that sometimes I need to write things down but other times that is not necessary.

P.S. I am not advocating hypnosis here. The relaxation technique above is only to still your mind and get your focus completely on God.

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. - John 10:4

Be Aware of the Expectations that You are Setting

2006-11-22T08:53:00.000-06:00

We have expectations in all of our relationships. Expectations of ourselves and others greatly influence how we behave in any setting. When I go to my favorite donut place, everyone expects to wait in line patiently while one person at a time is helped. A couple of weeks ago, I took a friend of mine to get some donuts and the expectations were different. There were two lines. In the second donut shop, you had to choose your line when you walked in. Furthermore, when you got to the counter, you had to be ready to order. There was much more pressure to not hold up the line in the second shop.

Frankly, I like the first donut shop's product much better than the second one; however, I actually enjoyed getting through the line faster in the second shop. This illustrates another expectation. The customers in the second shop expect to be served faster while the customers in the first shop expect a better donut. (I'm a little biased - it is my favorite).

Take away the expectations, or structure, and people don't know how to behave. If any behavior is acceptable, then you will get any behavior. Be aware of the expectations that you are setting through you attitude, actions, and interactions. If you want to achieve more, set expectations high but not unachievable. In my experience, people want to meet your expectations, if at all possible.

The action exercise for today:

Write down the expectations that you and others are setting in your work, home, or other environments.
Now, beside each expectation, write down what you want the expectation to be.

Enter To Win An Extreme Home Makeover

2006-11-22T08:14:00.000-06:00

You've hear a lot of news lately how home values in some markets are starting to come down. For me, this is an opportunity. Think about it this way. Part of the reason that home values were rising so quickly was that there was a flood of "flippers" out there.

The shifting market will drive out the pretenders in the flipping market and bring the prices back to a state of equilibrium. So, how does that give you an opportunity? When the market normalizes, homes will again offer an investment vehicle. However, for the time being, the value in your home is holding onto it. This is the buy low, sell high concept that stock investors use so effectively.

In the interim, the key is to increase the value of your home without spending a fortune. One way that you can do that is to win an Extreme home makeover.

Voice Overs

2006-11-18T10:41:00.000-06:00

I love the Movie preview voice. It just sounds so ominous, exciting, and mysterious all at the same time. You've heard him, "in a world filled with pain, there is a ray of hope". Here's an example of the power of voice overs http://v2.voice123.com. Like public speaking, voice over talent is part gift and part development of the gift. If you want to connect to the most talented voices, stop by this site voice overs. Or if you have one of those voices that people pay money to hear, stop by this site voice over talent.

Every once in a while, I'll hear a voice and think to myself, "what a great voice". There's just such power in the spoken word.

Mouth Management: Overview

2006-11-17T09:59:00.000-06:00

Technorati Tags: Daily Life, Self Improvement, Success

I believe that it's important to listen to your inner dialogue; however, I believe that it's more important to improve your inner dialogue. One way to change your inner dialogue is by changing your speech.

"Don't look at where you fell, but where you slipped." - African Proverb

Thoughts come before your Speech, while Actions come after. Like the steering wheel on a car, your actions follow what you say. So, what you say is very important. If your speech is important to your direction, and thoughts determine your speech, what determines our thoughts? This is actually a very complicated question since we think so many things. While we have many various and sundry thoughts, there is a dominant pattern to your thinking. This pattern is created by your belief system.

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:17

What we say contributes to what we believe. How much it contributes is dependent upon a few things. First, how passionately did you say it? Emotion increases the likelihood that you will incorporate your words into your belief system. That's often why many people hold onto non-productive belief systems from their childhood. For example, if the father yells at the child that they'll never amount to anything, the child will internalize those words.

Second, how many times did you say the words? Just like creating a new habit, repetition of speech will create new beliefs. A corollary to this is how often you say the words. Compare creating a new belief to memorization. When you repeat things over and over and over for five minutes, you will remember what you have been repeating. The question is how long you will remember it. After placing the words into your memory, you need to support that memory with repetition that is spaced out over time. One methodology that is effective is to repeat the words enough to incorporate into your short-term memory (5-10 minutes), then repeat them from memory after 6 hours, then again after twelve hours, then again after 24 hours, then again after 48 hours. Each time double the amount of time between repetition.

The concept of spacing repetition out over time is similar to resting your muscles between exercise. When you create new memories, you are actually making new physical connections in your brain. If you rest in between repetition, those connections have time to establish themselves. Each time you repeat the words, the connection becomes stronger.

A Little Extra Cash

2006-11-15T23:54:00.000-06:00

If you have a few extra minutes and you like giving your opinion, you may want to consider filling out surveys for cash. Essentially, for giving your opinion, you get a chance to win cash - over 3 grand is awarded every day.

Since people no longer answer their phones, companies are starting to pay for a piece of your mind, which you used to give for free.

You can claim your cash here.

If you try this site out, leave me a comment about your experience (especially, if you win some cash).

The Impact of Words - Get Ready to Frame Your World

2006-11-15T23:30:00.000-06:00

"Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers."

— Anthony
Robbins

After reading this quote, I have no choice - I must dig deep into the power that words can have on your life. Over the next several days, I'll discuss how you can literally create your circumstances by the words that you use. (We will drill down into the power of confessions, questions, and metaphors.) I'll share a quick example of how words can change a circumstance with you from last night.

I was riding with a colleague of mine from Austin to San Antonio when we passed a cop. He immediately said, "I think he got me". I waited for a moment and casually glanced out the side mirror. He added, "yep, here he comes".

At this point, I knew that I had to turn the conversation. I said, "he's probably going after someone else". Of course, the policeman followed closely behind for a few miles then turned on his lights.

My colleague then said, "I'm going to get a ticket. I know I'm going to get a ticket. I always do."

I replied, "no, you're not going to get a ticket, you're just going to get a warning."

He then said, "it's been a long time since I've gotten a ticket."

The officer came to the window, asked for license and registration (we were in a rental), then, returned to his car.

My colleague said, "yep, I'm getting a ticket".

"No, you're just going to get a warning".

The officer returned and gave him a verbal warning.

I know that some of you will say that this is just a matter of luck, and I understand that. All I'm asking is that you keep an open mind and listen over the next several days. I believe something changed when I changed the words being spoken. Whether it was our attitude or something else, you don't generally get off with a verbal warning going 15 miles over the speed limit at night in a rental.

Re-Calibrate Your Conscience

2006-11-13T15:26:00.000-06:00

A wise man once asked me a question that changed my life and will change yours if you let it. "How do you know if a 100 dollar bill is fake?" Give up? The answer is to compare it to a real 100 dollar bill. Why are there NO counterfeit 3 dollar bills? Because there are NO REAL 3 dollar bills.

What does this have to do with your conscience? If your internal guidance system is not working properly, it is because there are lies, or counterfeit truths, that are guiding your thinking and behavior.

So, what's the answer?

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

To straighten out your thinking and behavior, you must change your thoughts and actions to line up with the Real Truth, the Truth that does not change. Every day, we must commit time and energy to re-calibrating ourselves to the only thing that we know to be true in this world, which is God's Word.

New International Search Engine Megaglobe

2006-11-12T20:46:00.000-06:00

Now that internet advertising is a real player in the advertising world (Megaglobe - New International Search Engine), the focus has quickly moved to making sure that the money is spent wisely. Since the predominate method of advertising on the internet is pay per click on search engines, it only makes sense that the search engine that can eliminate click fraud will have the advantage. Megaglobe is solving the problem of click fraud. Megaglobe Technology detects and eradicates click fraud.

As a small business owner, I definitely appreciate their efforts in solving this problem. I want to know that my advertising dollars are being spent on actual potential customers, and not some scam artist.

Megaglobe is also a reminder that it's the World Wide Web and not just the Web of America. If you have a site that you want to add, just click on the link above to register your sit. Megaglobe is a new international search engine coming up soon. It will be available in 45 languages and will represent the whole world. This will give you a common search engine regardless of the language that you speak. Megaglobe - New International Search Engine Ads (sponsor listings) will be available worldwide in 50 currencies.

This will give my small business the ability to become a large, global business. Now, more than ever, it's easier to reach customers regardless of where they live and Megaglobe will bring them even one step closer to your products.

I Can Do All Things Through Christ

2006-11-12T19:35:00.000-06:00

Philippians 4:13 (King James Version)
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Unless you train your brain, your thoughts will be much more negative than positive. Why? Your mind is typically trying to solve problems. Thus, it is generally focused on what's wrong. If there is nothing wrong, it's wondering why nothing is wrong. Don't get me wrong, there's a reason for our brain's concern. It starts when we are young. We get the harshest words when we run out into the street without looking or start to touch a hot stove.

Our parents will yell at us or even grab us in these instances. This leaves a mark, and helps us survive to be adults. When we become adults, we have become conditioned to "look out" for things that may hurt us. By the time we reach adulthood, we have been conditioned to avoid things like sticking a fork in a light socket. However, if we are not careful, we hold onto the fear but project it onto circumstances that don't require it.

Overcome Your Fears
One of the most limiting fears that can carry into adulthood is the fear of failure. So, how do you overcome this fear? You must change your mind. You need to be confident that you can succeed. This can come in a variety of ways. For example, if you have been successful in the past, then, you can replay that success much like David did when he replayed his success against the lion and bear before facing Goliath. Another way that you can get the confidence that you need is to acquire knowledge either through a book or another person.

“You are the same person one year from now except for the books you read and the people you meet” (Charles Jones).

One of the most powerful books that you can read to gain confidence is The Bible. This is why the title of this blog is "I Can Do All Things Through Christ". What I'm saying is that you can gain confidence by relying on God. When you realize your place in God, then your thinking will become much more positive.

Setting Your Baseline: So, You Want to Be Rich?

2006-11-10T13:23:00.000-06:00

So, You Want to Be Rich?

It seems everywhere you turn lately somebody’s got a plan to make you Rich. People seem to think money will take away their problems. Truthfully, it will not, but if money problems are keeping you up at night then something must be done. As the saying goes “Whatever you’re doing isn’t working”.

Let’s look at a big reason why some people become rich and most don’t. (more . . .)

Setting Your Baseline: How Are Your FISHES?

2006-11-09T22:51:00.000-06:00

FISHES is an acronym that represents a balanced life. On a scale from 1 to 10, Rank how happy you are in the following categories:

Family - Do you have peace in your home? Do each of your family members show others love and respect? Do you harbor any bitterness or unforgiveness against anyone in your family?

Intellectual - Is there anything that you'd like to learn? How many languages do you speak? How many do you want to speak? Do you feel challenged mentally?

Social - Do you have as many friends as you would like? Do you have close friends that you can count on? Do you contribute to your community in a fulfilling way?

Health / Fitness - Have you had a physical within the last two years? Are you happy with your appearance? Do you have enough energy to do everything that you want to do?

Economic - Are you saving and investing money on a regular basis? Are you better off financially than you were a few years ago? How do you feel about your financial future?

Spiritual - Do you have a strong, personal relationship with God? Do you spend time every day in prayer? Would you like to spend more? Are you connected to a church that is alive and growing with a strong foundation built on the Bible?

The categories will be the same but your questions may be different. The point of this exercise is to assess where you are as contrasted with where you want to be in every area of your life.

Today, spend 15-30 minutes meditating on each of these areas. If you sense that one area consumes more of your thoughts, that is probably the area that you need to balance the most.

This Week: Establish Your Baseline

2006-11-07T09:30:00.000-06:00

Galatians 5:22-23

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Last week, we took the opportunity to dream. Now, that you've seen what will be, let's take a step back and evaluate what currently is. Today, review the Fruits of the Spirit - are you bearing good fruit? If not, that's okay because it's not where you start that's important, it's where you finish. So, if you are not achieving everything that you want in life, the first place you need to look is within yourself. The way that you determine what is really within your heart is the fruit that you bear. If you are not currently bearing good fruit, don't be discouraged. Notice in the verse below, it says "make a tree good". This is truly good news, we don't have to continue producing bad fruit. We have the ability to change.

Matthew 12:33
"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit."