How to Transform Your Life in 6 Minutes a Day

Oh, you’re busy? Weird, I thought it was just me.

No matter where you are in life at this moment, there is at least one thing that you and I have in common: We want to improve our lives and ourselves. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with us, but as human beings we’re born with a desire to continuously grow and improve. I believe it’s within all of us. Yet most people wake up each day and life pretty much stays the same.

If success and fulfillment were measured on a scale of 1 to 10, it’s safe to say that everyone would want to live every aspect of their lives at a Level 10.

Here’s the catch: To create the Level 10 life that you ultimately want, you must first dedicate time each day to becoming a Level 10 person who is capable of creating and sustaining that level of success.

But who has time for that, right? Luckily, there is a method to do it in as little as six minutes a day.

Enter the life SAVERS, a sequence that combines the six most effective personal development practices known to man. While someone could invest hours on these practices, it only takes one minute for each -- or six minutes total -- to see extraordinary results.

Just imagine if the first six minutes of every morning began like this:

Minute 1: S is for silence.

Instead of hitting the snooze button, and then rushing through your day feeling stressed and overwhelmed, invest your first minute in sitting in purposeful silence. Sit quietly, calm and peaceful and breathe deeply. Maybe you meditate. Center yourself and create an optimum state of mind that will lead you effectively through the rest of your day.

Maybe you say a prayer of gratitude and appreciate the moment. As you sit in silence, you quiet your mind, relax your body and allow your stress to melt away. You develop a deeper sense of clarity, purpose, and direction.

Minute 2: A is for Affirmations.

Pull out and read your page of affirmations -- written statements that remind you of your unlimited potential, your most important goals and the actions you must take today to achieve them. Reading over reminders of how capable you really are motivates you. Looking over which actions you must take, re-energizes you to focus on doing what’s necessary today to takeyour life to the next level.

Minute 3. V is for visualization.

Close your eyes and visualize what it will look like and feel like when you reach your goals. Seeing your ideal vision increases your belief that it’s possible and your desire to make it a reality.

Minute 4. E is for exercise.

Stand up and move your body for 60 seconds, long enough to increase the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. You could easily do a minute of jumping jacks, push-ups, or sit-ups. The point is that you raise your heart rate, generate energy and increase your ability to be alert and focused.

Minute 5. R is for reading.

Grab the self-help book you’re currently reading and read one page, maybe two. Learn a new idea, something you can incorporate into your day, which will improve your results at work or in your relationships. Discover something new that you can use to think better, feel better and live better.

Minute 6. S is for scribing.

Pull out your journal and take one minute to write down something you’re grateful for, something you’re proud of and the top one to three results that you’re committed to creating that day. In doing so, you create the clarity and motivation that you need to take action.

Start today.

How would you feel if that’s how you used the first six minutes of each day? How would the quality of your day -- and your life -- improve? We can all agree that investing a minimum of six minutes into becoming the person that we need to be to create the lives we truly want is not only reasonable. It’s an absolute must.

 

08 Steps You Can Take Starting Today to Dramatically Increase Your Income

Zig Ziglar said “Money isn’t everything , but it’s right up there with oxygen.” The topic of wealth, income, and making money is often discussed and viewed in a negative light. Our society is afraid of being labeled as greedy or money hungry, but what must be understood is that money is a crucial part of freedom. I personally know what it’s like to have nothing, to stress about paying my next bill, and to feel hopeless. I also know what it’s like to thrive, and I’ve been fortunate enough to create some great income as well. Having money is a lot more enjoyable and fulfilling, but most importantly it gives you options.

Have you ever heard anybody say any of these?

“Money is the root of all evil.”

“Rich people are greedy.”

“Money won’t make you happy.”

“You don’t want to be one of those people.”

“I don’t need money.”

It's usually those who claim they don't care about money that are broke. Why not get wealthy? Why not become a millionaire? Why not focus on making as much money as you can?  As entrepreneurs, I know you have goals of increase your income. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, so those thriving financially  must be doing something different, right? Better yet, they must have a better perspective about money and how it’s earned? 

Let me give you eight very tactical and straightforward tips that can be used right away to catapult your income.

1. Stop doing what you’re doing. We all know the saying “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a difference result.” If you aren’t satisfied, the first thing you must do is stop doing what you’ve been doing because what you are doing is what is creating your dissatisfying, current reality.

What’s great about life is the opportunity to completely change your story and direction overnight. Regardless of your past decisions, you’re always one decision away from making the right one.

2. Don’t let money define you. Your self worth has nothing to do with your finances. Whether you have a negative bank account or $5 million in the bank, your confidence must never waiver. If anything, your confidence needs to increase when you are stressed so you are motivated you to never feel that stress again.

Being wealthy is a state of mind, but so is being broke. You are what defines you, not what you possess.

3. Start prioritizing your profits. When you set up your weekly schedule make sure you start with income producing activities. Of all your activities, 20 percent will account for 80 percent of your income. Figure out what those are. Really think about the the top two or three things you need to do to create income. Now put those in your schedule consistently to assure you are creating income.

Constantly ask yourself if what you’re doing is profitable. Focus on doing what you should versus what you feel. Never forget that impact drives income.

4. Start placing a higher value on your time. Time is more valuable than money. You can always get more money, but you can never get more time. It is possible to become twice as valuable, and make twice as much money in the same amount of time. There is nothing more valuable than time invested wisely. We all have the same 24 hours, and it’s what you do with them that determines everything.

5. It’s Ok to say no. Steve Jobs once said, “It’s what Apple said “no” to that ultimately made them successful.”

If you’re over-extending yourself and committing to too many things, this word will change your life. Say "no'' to everything that doesn't create income for you until you get your income to a place you feel confident and secure. Make a commitment to yourself that you will focus on income-producing activities versus tension-relieving activities. 

6. Proximity is power. Most broke people hang with other broke people and they usually stay broke, together. Elevate your peer group by reaching out to those playing the game of life at a higher level than you.

Find those people because you’ll become a lot like the people you spend the most time with. Their belief systems, their ways of being and their attitudes are contagious. You're either surrounding yourself with those who hold you accountable, or let you off the hook. Choose wisely.

7. Lower your excuses. As the excuses go up, the bank account goes down. The best excuse makers or “validators” have the smallest bank accounts. The energy and time you spend on creative excuses is better invested in thinking of actual solutions that move your life forward. Excuses are a disease and those who continue making them will continue to have money issues.

8. Shift your focus from victim to leader. Stop blaming the economy, stop blaming your past, stop blaming your boss or company, and stop thinking the world is out to get you. Charge more, switch jobs, become more valuable. My friend Hal Elrod says, “The moment you take responsibility for everything in your life, is the moment you can change anything in your life.”

The difference between ordinary income and extraordinary income is fast implementation. How quick will you get on your grind to start increasing your income? I assure you if you take these tips seriously, and want it bad enough you will create an income explosion the next couple months. I want you to realize that your bank account isn’t who you are, it’s who you were before you made the decision to focus on wealth.

 

10 Biggest Mistakes in Sales

Sales people, sales organizations and sales teams have to change the way they are handling customers today in this very competitive world. The old ways of selling are changing and require all sales people, sales managers and sales organizations to think differently.

Here are 10 essential selling principles that most sales people and sales organization either get wrong or don’t implement:

1. Not selling the solution

People and companies buy things only in an attempt to solve a problem. Sales people spend too much time on the offer rather than assuring the buyer that the product, company and individual will solve the problem. This typically results in presentations that are too long and prices that are too low. Focus on how your product and the company can solve the three most critical problems your client is trying to solve.

2. Too dependent on the “sales presentation”

I have seen sales people spend hours creating presentations and then become so dependent upon the slideshow and every detail that they are no longer aware of vital buying signals. You being present is more important than the presentation. Of course, you want a great presentation, but never become so dependent that you are unable to know what is important, who the influencers are and when you are getting the buy in and when you are not.

3. Not asking the hard questions

It is my experience that sales people miss opportunities to build trust by not asking the hard questions. This either comes from naivety or a lack of proper training to truly get in communication with the client. I was on a sales call with one of my top people and while he was presenting to the group I sensed that the decision-maker wasn’t buying what he was saying.

I interrupted, “you don’t believe a word of what he is saying, do you?” The client started laughing and said that was exactly what he was thinking.

Ask these questions: "How do you feel about our price?" "How do you feel about our term?" "Why would you do business with me when you have done it with our competitor for so long?"

If you don’t get the answers to the hard questions you will find yourself not closing deals and not learning why.

4. Believing price will solve your clients' problem

No one buys a price, ever! I have been in sales my entire adult life and have been tricked by thousands of buyers who said "price is the only issue." Your buyer may seem obsessed with price, demands your lowest price and claims the budget cannot be violated. Despite all this, every one of them will pay a higher price.

5. Presenting without the intention to close

When I start a presentation I make it clear to the prospect that my intention is to have the product or service being used by the client this week. “Thanks for your time today, my goal is to have my product to your company by the end of this week.”

The customer usually then tells me they have no intention of doing anything that quickly, at which point I simply say, “I understand. I just wanted you to know my intention.”

You have to present with confidence, not arrogance, and set the stage early that you know your product can solve their problems.

6. Not asking for the close early enough

I noticed my sales team was presenting long after the buyer had seen enough. So I took all of our presentations apart and broke them into five stages. At the end of each stage I require them to ask, “have you seen enough information to make a decision?” This worked like a miracle with customers saying, “no I haven’t,” allowing the sales person to continue with the presentation. In other cases the buyer closed 80 percent faster than previously or we found out we didn’t even have the right decision-makers in the room.

7. Waiting until the end of the presentation to share the price

Most sales people make this mistake because most of us were taught to build value, then show the price. This results in a buyer that, no matter how intrigued they might be by your presentation, is wondering the entire presentation what the cost is. This results in your presentation being interrupted over price rather than the customer being able to evaluate what your product or service will do and how that relates to the price.

After letting the buyer know my intention is to get the product to their company this week, I then share the price. “Before I demonstrate how my product will solve your problems, I want to share with you our pricing so that you have it while I present the product.” Initiate price -- don’t wait to answer “how much?”

They may tell you before the presentation, “that is too high,” at which point you can simply agree with the customer. “Of course it’s too much, you haven’t even seen what it will do. Allow me to show you why it’s this price and what it will do for you and why it is the best value in the marketplace.”

Bringing price up early makes you look confident, shows you have nothing to hide and takes out the mystery. Bring price up early then use the rest of the time building value.

8. Ignoring influencers

I have made the mistake many times where I put too much attention on the decision-maker and missed the influencers. Ask, "Who else other than yourself will influence your decision or that you would like involved?” Find out why they are important to the decision and what is most important to them.

9. Using a free trial to close a deal

Free trials without some timeline and commitment to invest money and energy almost never work and become cash flow problems for the company that offers them. Grow up and close the deal or go get another customer, because free will break your company.

10. Not practicing urgency

Too many sales organizations never insist on closing a deal for fear of appearing to be a nuisance. If you truly believe in your company, product and service, you must learn how to insist on closing the transaction now. I have made the mistake too many times of not practicing enough urgency and then having time and events beyond my control steal my deal. Your sales team should train and drill on how to press without being unprofessional or appearing to pressure.

 

08 Steps to become a Purposeful Millionaire

Money of course isn't everything. Not by a long shot. Where your definition of success is concerned, money may rank far down the list. Everyone’s definition of “success” is different. Here's mine:

"Success is making those that believed in you look brilliant."

For me, money doesn't matter all that much, but I'll confess, it did at one time (probably because I didn't have very much). So, let’s say money is on your list. And let’s say, like millions of other people, that you’d like to be a millionaire. What kinds of things should you do to increase your chances of joining the millionaire's club?

Here are the steps I'd suggest. They're neither fast nor easy. But, they're more likely to work than the quick and easy path.

1. Stop obsessing about money.

While it sounds counterintuitive, maintaining a laser-like focus on how much you make distracts you from doing the things that truly contribute to building and growing wealth. So shift your perspective.

"See money not as the primary goal but as a by-product of doing the right things."

2. Start tracking how many people you help, even in a very small way.

The most successful people I know – both financially and in other ways – are shockingly helpful. They’re incredibly good at understanding other people and helping them achieve their goals. They know their success is ultimately based on the success of the people around them.

So they work hard to make other people successful: their employees, their customers, their vendors and suppliers… because they know, if they can do that, then their own success will surely follow.

And they will have built a business – or a career – they can be truly proud of.

3. Stop thinking about making a million dollars and start thinking about serving a million people.

When you only have a few customers and your goal is to make a lot of money, you’re incented to find ways to wring every last dollar out of those customers.

But when you find a way to serve a million people, many other benefits follow. The effect of word of mouth is greatly magnified. The feedback you receive is exponentially greater – and so are your opportunities to improve your products and services. You get to hire more employees and benefit from their experience, their skills, and their overall awesomeness.

And, in time, your business becomes something you never dreamed of – because your customers and your employees have taken you to places you couldn’t even imagine.

Serve a million people – and serve them incredibly well – and the money will follow.

4. See making money as a way to make more things.

Generally speaking there are two types of people.

One makes things because they want to make money; the more things they make, the more money they make. What they make doesn’t really matter that much to them – they’ll make anything as long as it pays.

The other wants to make money because it allows them to make more things. They want to improve their product. They want to extend their line. The want to create another book, another song, another movie. They love what they make and they see making money as a way to do even more of what they love. They dream of building a company that makes the best things possible … and making money is the way to fuel that dream and build that company they love.

While it is certainly possible to find that one product that everyone wants and grow rich by selling that product, most successful businesses evolve and grow and as they make money, reinvest that money in a relentless pursuit of excellence.

"We don't make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies." ~Walt Disney

5. Do one thing better.

Pick one thing you're already better at than most people.Just. One. Thing. Become maniacally focused at doing that one thing. Work. Train. Learn. Practice. Evaluate. Refine. Be ruthlessly self-critical, not in a masochistic way but to ensure you continue to work to improve every aspect of that one thing.

Financially successful people do at least one thing better than just about everyone around them. (Of course it helps if you pick something to be great at that the world also values – and will pay for.)

Excellence is its own reward, but excellence also commands higher pay – and greater respect, greater feelings of self-worth, greater fulfillment, a greater sense of achievement… all of which make you rich in non-monetary terms.

Win-win.

6. Make a list of the world’s ten best people at that one thing.

How did you pick those ten? How did you determine who was the “best”? How did you measure their “success”?

Use those criteria to track your own progress towards becoming the best.

If you're an author it could be Amazon rankings. If you’re a musician it could be iTunes downloads. If you’re a programmer, it could be the number of people that use your software. If you’re a leader it could be the number of people you train and develop who move on to bigger and better things. If you’re an online retailer it could be purchases per visitor, or on-time shipping, or conversion rate…

Don’t just admire successful people. Take a close look at what makes them successful. Then use those criteria to help create your own measures of success. And then…

7. Consistently track your progress.

We tend to become what we measure, so track your progress at least once a week against your key measures.

Maybe you’ll measure how many people you’ve helped. Maybe you’ll measure how many customers you’ve served. Maybe you’ll evaluate the key steps on your journey to becoming the world’s best at one thing.

Maybe it’s a combination of those things, and more.

8. Build routines that ensure progress.

Never forget that achieving a goal is based on creating routines. Say you want to write a 200-page book; that’s your goal. Your system to achieve that goal could be to write 4 pages a day; that’s your routine. Wishing and hoping won’t get you to a finished manuscript, but sticking faithfully to your routine ensures you reach your goal.

Or say you want to land 100 new customers through inbound marketing. That’s your goal; your routine is to create new content, new videos, new podcasts, new white papers, etc. on whatever schedule you set. Stick to that routine and meet your deadlines and if your content is great you will land those new customers.

Wishing and hoping won’t get you there – sticking faithfully to your routine will.

Set goals, create routines that support those goals, and then ruthlessly track your progress. Fix what doesn’t work. Improve and repeat what does work. Refine and revise and adapt and work hard every day to be better than you were yesterday.

Soon you’ll be good. Then you’ll be great. And one day you’ll be world-class.

And then, probably without even noticing, you’ll also be a millionaire. You know, if you like that sort of thing.

 

05 Things You Should be Doing to Have an Insanely Productive Week

A productive week depends largely on what you focus on every working day and how much time you allocate to activities that take up your time (i.e. busy work). Working harder does not necessarily mean you are being productive. There will always be a better way to complete that task. Find it, work smarter and get more done in your working week.  

These are a few things can do to have an insanely productive week this and every other week.

1. Stop planning, start doing. 

It's okay to make time to plan what needs to be done in the week or month but when you get back to the planning table often, you lose precious productive hours.

So instead of plan, just do it. The option to work on a task in the future instead of now seem comfortable but not prudent. While you keep telling yourself you don't have to do it now, that task won't go away. And somebody will have to eventually account for it. So instead of procrastinating, get on with it and check it off your to-do list.

Also, are your meetings really worthwhile? Most people spend too much time in meetings, when they should be working and getting things done. To ensure you are making the most of your time, create a time budget. This will help you realize how much time you are losing to meetings or planning when you should be doing actual work. You will be surprised at how much you can get done every week if you start tracking how much time you spend planning or meeting.

2. You don't have to say "yes" to every request. 

“The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say “no” to almost everything.” — Warren Buffet.

Saying "yes" to a request seem easier than a simple "no". Yet every time you agree to do something for somebody that brings low or no result, it makes it difficult to have a schedule you can really control. You don't want that. You can achieve more if you know what you have to do, when you have to it and what you expect to accomplish. All that can be done in controlled schedule.

3. Don't be a perfectionist. 

If you keep chasing perfection, it could take you longer to get your tasks done – and you will most likely be less productive than you planned. The reason being is when you activity strive for perfection you spend more time on a single task than required, causing your other responsibilities to get pushed back. This will cause you to lose time and possibly annoy your immediate boss in the process. Perfectionism is even higher when you don't account to anyone but yourself, as the fine tuning never ends.

4. Get everything out of your head. 

Don't rely heavily on your memory. It will fail you when you need it most. Instead, write things down.

There are hundreds of options for taking notes -- everything from the good old sticky notes to applications like Evernote, Any.do, and Wunderlist. By jotting down everything that needs to get done in the week, you will have a better picture of what needs to be accomplished – and set priorities accordingly.  

5. Review and measure your accomplishments. 

Just before you close the week and prepare for next week, review your achievements, along with everything else that needed to be done, to see if you really got work done. Get back to your to-do list and check them off and find out what you were not able to do and why. Celebrate your accomplishments, take note of everything you postponed and learn from your mistakes. You will be better prepared for the following week. 

 

04 Entrepreneurial Lessons from Steve Jobs

He’s been deemed “the greatest marketer of all time.” There are countless stories of his outbursts and his stubbornness, but also of his iconic innovation, his inspirational personality (for some) and his revolutionary methods in everything from product design to branding.

Ever since I got my first Apple II when I was 12, I knew that someday I wanted to go work for “the guy who made that.” I dropped out of grad school after landing a job at NeXT and drove down from Winnipeg to sunny California. At the time I couldn’t have pointed out Silicon Valley on a map, but I knew in my gut that was where I wanted to be.

I began my career at NeXT, and then Apple. The time I spent there laid the groundwork for not only my entrepreneurial career path, but also my entrepreneurial DNA. It was the culture of Jobs’ companies that played the most crucial role in this development. Sure, there was an air of fear that I didn’t quite agree with, but I came out of that company learning lessons that I’ve implemented into every one of my companies.

Here are a few of the top lessons I learned that are relevant for any entrepreneur looking to start up.

1. Hiring is chess, not checkers.
When I led my first interview for NeXT, I was blown away by the amount of detail and procedure involved. It was creatively surgical. They knew exactly what they were looking for, but had extremely imaginative ways of making a candidate's true skill level and ideology become crystal clear. It was a well-oiled machine for selecting the best of the best, for one of the top companies in the Valley.

As I started putting together my first company, Hipbone, it became apparent why Jobs poured so much time and energy into hiring. Of course you want skilled workers developing your product, but it’s much more complex than that. As the saying goes: a rising tide lifts all boats. When you have great talent, it inspires others to produce great work as well. On the flip side, poor talent can repel the top tier talent you want and need.

Take your time when hiring. Gauge candidates’ skills by giving them problems to solve. Get a feel for who they are, how they live their life and, most importantly, what they want out of life. Remember: a lot of people are rockstar interviewers, but sub-par employees.

2. Strive for simplicity.
The first demo I had to present to Steve taught me more about developing products in five minutes that most learn in five years. He didn’t ask questions, no pre-brief, no manual… nothing. He just went up to our work station and began using the product. If it wasn’t simple and intuitive enough for Steve to figure it out without asking any questions, it usually was rejected.

Think about any Apple product ever made: you open the box, turn it on and get right to work. Every detail of these products was pre-meditated, organized and designed to be as simple as possible.

This concept is two-fold: simple products are obviously easier to use, and increase the chances of having repeat users. But if you have a simple product, people gain the ability to easily become experts. Allow users to quickly discover the value of your product, and let them become experts with ease, because your products’ experts are usually your biggest fans. You have to work hard to get your ideas clean and simple. But once you get there, you can move mountains.

3. Be a solution that adds massive value.
Apple was one of the first companies to offer people a comprehensive solution, not just a product. You weren’t getting a motherboard from one company, a processor from another and a video card, monitor and hard drive from random manufacturers. At Apple, all these parts came from the same place. It was a solution, not just a product, and that’s something that has become one of the cornerstones of my company, Vendini. We’re able to add much more value by offering a complete solution, rather than a single product.

The piecemeal approach is tapering off. People are opting for products and services that offer a complete solution, with multiple products that work together to maximize the effectiveness as a whole.

4. Let your employees play in the sandbox.
Not everything I learned from Jobs was based on things I agreed with. A big part of my company now is based on something I did not agree with.

Jobs was a fiercely loyal person, and demanded that his employees share that loyalty. But it led to a culture where employees were afraid to express interests outside of NeXT if they had anything at all to do with competitors. But as engineers, we’re constantly trying to learn new things and challenge ourselves to create new things. A friend of mine was nearly fired for helping a fellow developer on a project who worked for a competitor (on his off time, just for fun). I once won a contest, the Java Cup, and I was terrified that Jobs would find out and fire me on the spot, as I’d seen happen to others before me.

That’s not how it should be. If you’re hiring the right people, they’re going to be curious. That’s a good thing. If one of our developers is interested in learning a new programming language, I’ll pay for classes. We wound up implementing some hardware ideas that an employee dreamed up at TechShop. Let your employees get out there and play in the sandbox; often times inspiration strikes from throwing variety into the mix.

Starting up is hard, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But sometimes you just have to slow things down, be selective and make it simple. After all, that’s what Jobs did.

06 Ways to Say 'Yes' to Your Life

Self-sabotage comes in many forms: judgment, rejection, resistance, comparing ourselves to others, creating fantasy alternate truths, distracting our attention elsewhere. In what ways do you sabotage yourself each day? What strategies do you use to reclaim and redirect yourself in more uplifting ways? Here are some of my personal favorite ways to say "yes" to my life:

1.    Observation. The mere act of self-observation brings my consciousness present and provides the opportunity to claim my own truth and to make different choices, if appropriate. If I am not paying attention, then my negativity runs on autopilot, and I haven't got a prayer of doing anything about it. So, I pay attention, and once I see my negativity, I can choose to explore it and do something about it. An appropriate reminder here is Einstein's definition of insanity, which is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

2.    Naming the Experience. Somehow, labeling what is going on both within me and in my life gives me a starting point for finding a higher perspective. For example, simply noticing "I am really agitated" begins my process of exploring the source of my agitation and looking at the ways it is manifesting. Knowing that I am agitated rather than angry or exhausted expedites the process of finding a way out of the particular form of negativity being experienced.

3.    Welcoming Whatever Is Present. This one is from Tara Brach, and I find that practicing it can be quite amusing. At first, it seemed crazy to me to say, "Oh, I gained five pounds, and I feel ashamed of myself and hopeless. I should welcome these feelings! Come on in and sit with me. Have a cup of tea. What are you here to teach me?" In time, I've come to recognize that by embracing whatever is present, I am short-circuiting my autopilot negativity to what I don't like or want. Instead of allowing my judgments and resistance to escalate, I practice keeping my consciousness open to the possibility that even this thing I don't like is here for a purpose in my life. I ask myself, "How is this for me rather than against me?"

4.    Cultivating Neutrality. It is so easy to fall into the trap of embracing only what we like in life and doing everything possible to resist what we don't like. We all have our personal preferences. However, just as we might prefer a sunny day to a cloudy one, there will be days and experiences we love and those we can't wait to see end. To merely encounter the variations through the lens of personal preferences is to miss the point that all our life experiences offer us important lessons. Those experiences we avoid will just keep reappearing until we learn the lessons they are here to teach us.

5.    Accepting What Is Present. Denial doesn't make the truth disappear. It just postpones the possibility of dealing with it. Acceptance is not about saying you like what is happening. Rather, it is choosing to face reality. It is about calling a spade a spade. I tell myself, "This is what is happening. This is the truth of the matter." Then, I sit with that before allowing myself to respond.

6.    Exercising Compassion and Forgiveness for Myself and Others. When I notice that I am standing in judgment of myself, others or the circumstances in my life, I do my best to focus on replacing my judgments with compassion and forgiveness. It doesn't necessarily happen on the spot. However, by choosing to keep my heart open and present, I bring loving kindness into the equation.

 

0 5 Tips to Become More Positive

History has shown that those with an optimistic outlook on life are the ones who usually find the most success.

For me, changing my negative mental attitude to a positive one resulted in a completely different lifestyle, both personally and professionally. When I changed my mindset and increased my positivity, I went from multiple failed startups and a depressed state to starting a successful app business and being featured in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Here are five tips that have helped me release my negative mentality and become more positive:

Express gratitude. One of the easiest ways to increase your positivity is to express gratitude. Being thankful for what you currently have immediately releases any negativity that you might be holding onto. Gratitude instantly puts you in touch with the feeling of love. Where love resides, fear and all other negative emotions cannot.

The best and most effective way to implement gratitude in your life is to express it every morning. Upon waking up, express 10 things you are grateful for. This list can either be spoken out loud or within the confines of your mind, but they must be detailed and come from your heart. Closing your eyes can further help you feel gratitude.

Be a giver. Many times, negative feelings can be caused by focusing on the perceived negative aspects of your life. You can instantly shift this feeling by giving unconditionally to others.

Share your skills with the people around you. If someone is looking for advice, help them out. Do not hesitate or doubt your value. Even the smallest of gestures or thoughts shared can cause a massive shift in another individual's perspective.

Control your breath. It has been said that those who have the ability to control their breath have the ability to control their life. In many aspects, this statement is very true. Look back to a time when you lost control. What happened to your breathing pattern? In anger, your breath became short and quick. If you control your breath, you can understand and change your negative emotions.

Either in a quiet space or during meditation, practice following your breathing. As you take a breath in (through your nose), feel the air enter your body and go deep into your lungs. As it hits the deepest part of your lungs, feel it slowly leave your body (through your mouth) and release any and all tension.

Visualize success. Tapping into your ability to visualize or imagine can be used as a powerful tool to become more positive. Many of the world's greatest minds, including Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, Tiger Woods and Arnold Schwarzenegger, have been known to use the power of visualization to attract what they desire throughout life, so why aren't you?

Begin by closing your eyes. Think of a positive event that occurred in your past. In your mind's eye, see the event exactly as it happened. Place yourself within the event and feel the positive emotions as they occurred. When you open your eyes, allow yourself to stay in this positive state. The effects of visualization can be multiplied if meditation is practiced beforehand.

Meditate. Meditation is one of the most effective ways to increase your positivity. The practice of meditation expands awareness within the individual and allows for a clear connection between mind, body and soul. Through meditation, you can learn to release negative emotions that are holding you back and connect with your higher self.

Find a quiet and comfortable place to sit, lie down or do whatever feels right to you. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and allow yourself to relax. While breathing deeply, feel yourself letting go of all the emotions you are holding onto. With each breathe, let go a little more. As you let go, realize everything around you is made of love and allow yourself to live within this love.

If you implement these tactics and practice these techniques, you will be connected to the flow of life and you will find more "luck" than you ever have before.

 

10 Questions to Answer When Writing Your Mission Statement

In their book Start Your Own Business, the staff of Entrepreneur Media Inc. guides you through the critical steps to starting your business, then supports you in surviving the first three years as a business owner. In this edited excerpt, the authors explain the importance of your mission statement and offer guidelines that will help you write one for your new business.

When you're creating a business plan for your new business, you need to include a mission statement. A key tool that can be as important as your business plan, a mission statement captures, in a few succinct sentences, the essence of your business’s goals and the philosophies underlying them. Equally important, the mission statement signals what your business is all about to your customers, employees, suppliers and the community.

The mission statement reflects every facet of your business: the range and nature of the products you offer, pricing, quality, service, marketplace position, growth potential, use of technology, and your relationships with your customers, employees, suppliers, competitors and the community.

Your mission statement should reflect your business’s special niche. Studying other companies’ statements can fuel your creativity. Consider the statement one entrepreneur developed for her consulting business: “ABC Enterprises is a company devoted to developing human potential. Our mission is to help people create innovative solutions and make informed choices to improve their lives. We motivate and encourage others to achieve personal and professional fulfillment. Our motto is: Together, we believe that the best in each of us enriches all of us.”

To come up with a statement that encompasses all the major elements of your business, start with the right questions. Answering the following 10 questions will help you create a verbal picture of your business’s mission:

1. Why are you in business? What do you want for yourself, your family and your customers? Think about the spark that ignited your decision to start a business. What will keep it burning?

2. Who are your customers? What can you do for them that will enrich their lives and contribute to their success—now and in the future?

3. What image of your business do you want to convey? Customers, suppliers, employees and the public will all have perceptions of your company. How will you create the desired picture?

4. What is the nature of your products and services? What factors determine pricing and quality? Consider how these relate to the reasons for your business’s existence. How will all this change over time?

5. What level of service do you provide? Most companies believe they offer “the best service available,” but do your customers agree? Don’t be vague; define what makes your service so extraordinary.

6. What roles do you and your employees play? Wise captains develop a leadership style that organizes, challenges and recognizes employees.

7. What kind of relationships will you maintain with suppliers? Every business is in partnership with its suppliers. When you succeed, so do they.

8. How do you differ from competitors? Many entrepreneurs forget they're pursuing the same dollars as their competitors. What do you do better, cheaper or faster than competitors? How can you use competitors’ weaknesses to your advantage?

9. How will you use technology, capital, processes, products, and services to reach your goals? A description of your strategy will keep your energies focused on your goals.

10. What underlying philosophies or values guided your responses to the previous questions? Some businesses choose to list these separately. Writing them down clarifies the “why” behind your mission.

Putting It All Together

Here are some tips to make your mission statement the best it can be:

Involve those connected to your business. Even if you're a sole proprietor, it helps to get at least one other person’s ideas for your mission statement. Other people can help you see strengths, weaknesses and voids you might miss. If you have no partners or investors to include, consider knowledgeable family members and close friends, employees or accountants. Choose supportive people who truly want you to succeed.

Set aside several hours—a full day, if possible—to work on your statement. Mission statements are short—typically more than one sentence but rarely exceeding a page. Still, writing one isn't a short process. It takes time to come up with language that simultaneously describes an organization’s heart and soul and serves as an inspirational beacon to everyone involved in the business.

Plan a date. Set aside time to meet with the people who’ll be helping you. Write a list of topics to discuss or think about. Find a quiet, comfortable place away from phones and interruptions.

Start smart. Explain the meaning and purpose of a mission statement before you begin—not everyone will automatically know what they’re all about.

Brainstorm. Consider every idea, no matter how silly it sounds. Stimulate ideas by looking at sample mission statements and thinking about or discussing the ten questions noted above. If you’re working with a group, use a flip chart to record responses so everyone can see them. Once you’ve finished brainstorming, ask everyone to write individual mission statements for your business. Read the statements, select the best pieces, and fit them together.

Use “radiant words.” Once you have the basic idea in writing, polish the language of your mission statement. Your statement should create dynamic mental visuals and inspire action. Use offbeat, colorful verbs and adjectives to spice up your statement. Don’t hesitate to drop in words like “kaleidoscope,” “sizzle,” “cheer,” “outrageous” and “marvel” to add zest. If you want customers to boast about your goods and services, say so—along with the reasons why.