What is it that you are trying to achieve? Start a business, go  back to school, get that job or even get that promotion at work? It is within your reach. The world presents us with so many opportunities every day to achieve our dreams. Do we take advantage of these opportunities or we just allow them to pass us by? I believe you know the answer in your heart. Your answer is the exact reason why you are where you are today. If things are not unfolding as you would like, it means you have to take action and explore other possibilities.

Exploring possibilities is a personal task. No one can do it for you. While your parents (family, spouses, mentors etc) may be able to provide you with the platform you need, the main responsibility is on you. No one can help you to achieve your dreams. You know what you want and must be ready to pay the price to achieve it. People around you (mentors, boss, parents, friends etc) can only show you the way.They may be able to teach and advise you and enable you to become a wise and effective human being. But taking the actual steps is your responsibility.

“I do hope I have a mentor, but you still have to go through many things by yourself. The only person who can help you is yourself.” - Fann Wong

If you continually wait and hope for things to be different or for others to provide, then you will remain a victim of circumstances. And really, how much fun is that? And how much fun do you think it is for to be at the mercies of others? Believing that someone else is responsible, or making them responsible, for your happiness limits how far you will go. People can only do so much for you. Always remember that irrespective of what people tell you about being successful, you have to be willing to put in the time and effort. If you don’t have the drive to be successful, you are not going to succeed. So, here are some things that may help you move in the direction of your dreams:

1. Make the commitment to reach your goal: “One person with a commitment is worth a hundred who only have an interest” – Mary Crowley. Your goal is worth nothing without your commitment to follow through on it. You need to constantly remind yourself that nobody can achieve your goal for you. How committed are you to your goals?
2. Be prepared for change: Something are definitely not within your control. The foreign exchange flunctuation, radical changes in oil prices, inflation, interest rates, government policies etc. are things that you can not control.  Stick with your decision to move toward a goal – but be willing to change your direction to get there as conditions and circumstances demand.
3. Be accountable: Commit yourself to detailed accountability. Get a mentor that you know would be interested in you. Remember that the mentors are not there to help you achieve your goals. They are to ensure that you remain on the right track.
4. Give yourself no other option: Whether you will achieve your goals depends on how you respond to tough circumstances. Most people give up when all that they need is just to try one more time. Join the league of the few that succeed because they did not give in. Give yourself no other option.
5. Hang around with successful people: Being around successful people will make you want to be successful as well. Look for people that you know are going somewhere and engage them. You might need to go extra miles to build relationship with this set of people but it is worth the effort. Just remember that “iron sharpens iron”
6. Get back to reality: Spending hours in front of TV, watching movies and even playing games is a great way to escape from reality. This may be fun but it will pull you away from your goals. While you may have immediate satisfaction, you may be sacrificing your future at the same time. Concentrate on your long-term goals and don’t get caught up in things that take you away from reality.
7. Stop thinking and start acting: There is a limit to how far thinking can take you. The best laid plans, the most comprehensive preparation, can still lead to nothing unless you endeavour to take the necessary action. No matter how strong and promising your thought, plans and preparation are, once you fail to act, you would still be heading no where. The action step does not have to be perfect but ensure you start acting on things.
8. Read success stories: There are a lot of biographies of successful people and case studies successful entrepreneurs (business start-ups) who went from rags to riches. Lay your hand on these materials and learn from their mistakes and secrets. Following these people would help in motivating yourself.

Above all, remember, the first step is to know where you are going. If you do not know where you are going, you will undoubtedly end up somewhere else. You can do better, you can achieve more, you can be the best God has created you to be. Start now to make your dreams happen! It is never late to achive your dreams… Go for it!

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Are you ready for your winter? Can you say that you are better equipped to face your winter? It is not a question of “if” winter will come but rather a question of “when”. What you do today will determine the kind of experience you will have in winter. I will like to share a story I read some years ago. The story may be old but I keep seeing new applications each time I re-read it. So, join me on this storylane…

One summer day, a lazy grasshopper was chirping and sitting and playing games, just as he did every day. A hard-working ant passed by, carrying a huge leaf that he was taking back to the ant’s nest. The grassshopper said to the ant, “All you ants do is to work all day. You should be more like me and play, play, play.”

The ant replied, ” I’m storing food for the winter season. You should be working, for just the same reason. What will you eat when the weather gets cold? How will you feed your hungry household?” The grasshopper laughed, “All you ants do is work and worry. Slow down, don’t be in a such a hurry. Just look around, there’s plenty of food; don’t give me advice, that’s just plain rude.”

The ant kept working, the grasshopper kept playing, and winter soon came. The ant had prepared for the winter and had enough food stored in the nest to last through the cold, harsh winter weather. Now that winter had arrived, the grasshopper couldn’t find any food and soon became very hungry. He soon remembered the hard-working ant he had made fun of in the summer. The grasshopper went to the ant’s nest and asked for food.

The ant, who was still busy working at keeping the food clean and dry, said, “I toiled to save food for the winter freeze, while you spent the summer playing in ease. I stored just enough food for the winter, it’s true, but I can’t feed you all winter, or I’ll starve too.”

The ant, however, gave the grasshoper a few crumbs, but the grasshopper was cold, miserable, and hungry all winter. The next summer, the grasshopper worked hard to store food for the upcoming winter. That next winter, the grasshopper was well fed and happy! He learned to think ahead and plan for the future.

Can you pick any lesson(s) from this story? If not, I would suggest that you go back and read it again until the message sinks. However, I will like to share some of the lessons I have been able to pick from the story.

Lesson 1:

Winter is inevitable. Every human being and business will go through a winter period. The only difference is the timing. You might be going through your winter time while your friend’s winter is much later.  So, PLAN. Once you fail to plan, you are definitely planning to fail. No one can effectively achieve an objective that he or she does not have clearly defined. The ant’s main objective was to ensure that he had enough food in winter. This he planned to achieve. Likewise, you and I have to think things through, decide on the kind of lifestyle we want irrespective of circumstance, and write out our plan to achieve it.

“the depth of your plan determines the length of your success,” Rev’d Sam Adeyemi

So, if you really need to succeed, you need to embrace planning as part of your life. You need to plan very well so that you can sweat less. Only then can we do as Dr. Stephen R. Covey suggests, “begin with the end in mind.”

Lesson 2:

The  next important lesson is that the Ant prepared for the winter. There is no easy way out. There are basically two types of pain available – pain of discipline and pain of regret. So choose the one you want. You can either choose to be the ant or the grasshopper. The ball is in your court. Commit to learn new trade, study, practice, take that lecture, attend that seminar and go for that course.

Exercise, listen to those tapes, nurture a relationship, read that book (especially those written by people who have gone ahead in your chosen field). Someone somewhere has passed through your current path in your business or career. His/her experience has been packaged in a book / CD and is within your reach. Instead of you charting the course all over, grab the book/CD, digest the content therein and apply it to the situation at hand. You will be surprised at easy things will turn out to be. The important thing is to do something today that will make the path smoother tomorrow.

Lesson 3:

The ant did not stop at preparation. The ant performed. He worked every day during summer to gather his food. David Schwartz made this simple but profound statement,

“the only way to start, is to start.“

The simple fact is that the best laid plans, the most comprehensive preparation, can still lead to nothing unless you endeavour to take the necessary action. No matter how strong and promising your plans and preparation are, once ye fail to act, you would still be heading no where. The action step does not have to be perfect. They just  have to be taking you towards achieving your plan.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale observed,

“If you put off everything until you’re sure of it, you’ll get nothing done.”

One of my favourite passage in the Bible - Ecclesiastes 11:4 - even confirms this,

“He that observeth the wind shall not show; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap”.

The truth is that nothing would be achieved until you set out to act. We would only continue to make matter worse. The need to act the plans does not only become necessary but important. Nike – one of the top kit manufacturing company in the world – has the right idea in her simple slogan, “Do it!” So, I advice that you change your motto to “DO IT” now.

Lesson 4:

The ant was persistent. Discouragement came from grasshopper painting picture of a better way to live. But the ant did not let go of his goal / plan. Will the road ahead be smooth? Will there be any adversity on the way? Yes… The difference between the successful person and the one stalked by failure is not the adversity – everybody has that. What do you do when you are faced with obstacle on the way? Do you regroup and hit it hard again, or do you just lay it down and quit? Many people have made a u-turn when success is actually around the corner.

It is therefore normal for you to have obstacles before success. Even the dictionary puts the word obstacle before success. Obstacles are there to strengthen you and offer progressive measurement of your growing strength. Discouragement sets in when you misunderstand the purpose of obstacles. Persistence is a conscious decision. So, you and I need to train ourselves to be persistent persons.

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1st half of year 2009 will soon come to an end and whether we like it or not, year 2009 will come to an end like a breeze. Reviewing my activities versus my plan for 1st half of the year shows that there are still many things I wish I had done these past months. I didn’t fully match my actions with my words. One thing that became more obvious is that most of the people around me are still in the planning mood. They are still talking about what they would do in the course of the year. Are you ONLY a talker?

Talkers are those people that have great ideas or great intentions, but just never follow through. Anyone can be a talker, but to make a change in your life, you need to take solid action and follow through 100%. If you don’t, you will never see the results that are ultimately in your grasp. As this first half comes to an end, revisit your plan. Dust off your plans from where you have kept them and review everything you have written down. And if you don’t have any plan for this year, it is not too late to get down to work.

“if you do not know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.“

Once you fail to plan, you are definitely planning to fail. No one can effectively achieve an objective that he or she does not have clearly defined. We have got to think things through, decide what we want, and write out our plan. Then make a personal commitment to follow through.

If you want to succeed, you need to embrace planning and commitment to action as part of your life. It is one thing to determine the things that you have to do in order for you to achieve your objectives, it is another thing to commit to work on everything. Forget about what you have not done in the past months but choose now to act on what you have written down. If you don’t know where to start from, seek counsel. Attend a “How To” seminar. Pick up a book and listen to that message.

Someone somewhere has done something similar to what you plan to do. Some people have passed through similar situation as yours and have packaged their experience in books and CDs. These are within your reach. Instead of you charting the course all over, grab the book, digest the content therein and apply it to the situation at hand. It is time to  to do something today that will make the path smoother tomorrow. So, make a commitment to follow through on your plan(s).

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Why would a bank that is laying off some staff announce payment of bonus to the remaining staff if indeed the focus is on cutting cost?  The response of the CEO was shocking. He said, “the only way to keep their best staff is to pay them high bonus“.  What is the difference between the ones laid off and those that received bonus? The difference? The people who are seemed to be successful – those living their dreams – are those that have learnt to manage their future. They live not at the mercies of others. They are in charge of their destiny.

How do you take charge of your destiny? Manage your future and mind your business. I am not not saying that you should resign from your job or rather that you should start your own business now. Very few people are cut out for business. So, I will definitely not advise you to take that route if business is not passion. The challenge is for you to really be in charge. You don’t have to keep worrying that your job security depends on the whims or moods of your current boss. The kind of live you have always wanted to live is within your reach. You can even transform your current job into that dream job.

The starting point is to control what happens in your career. You must take charge of your work life. You will have to fire your boss mentally. You will have to determine your own value. You will be setting your own goals. You have to be in charge of selecting the skills you wish to attain. You will also have your own personal work plan.You may need to do the following:

• Write your own job description: Write a brief description of your job. However, do not align yourself with a certain company, profession or specialization. Reflect on what you do each day and each week.
• Give yourself a performance review: Find out what other people with the same job description earn. Also find out the skills that are valued in this certain field.
• Define alternate courses: After you have done the two steps above, you will realize that there are alternate courses available to you. Brainstorm about all the other fields and occupations that would suit the job description that you created.
• Put your plan into writing: Develop your own plan for your work life. Remember that your future plans should not hinder the alternate courses you have defined. Note down the new skills you need to acquire.

Where you are today is a direct reflection of the words, thoughts and actions you took days, months and years ago. No matter how much you continue to blame your parents, teachers, where you grew up, television, the government or anything else, the truth is that nobody got you where you are today but yourself. The longer you choose not to take responsibility for your live, the longer you will be living uninspired lives that you do not love.

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Technorati Tags: start your own business, job security, dream job

These are however interesting times, in fact, the best times to be alive! While many are already getting half salaries, while some are losing their jobs, and while some are yet to find, many unknown of and unheard of will keep prospering. Everybody wishes to be successful. Many want to be successful but few people really desire to be successful. The proof that you desire something is that you pursue it! The test of pursuit is commitment to paying the price. Are you ready to pay the price? The choice is yours.

If you are ready to take the next step and you live in Nigeria, I will invite you to join us at our weekly business opportunity meeting. All you have to do is to fill this form and enter my name (Emmanuel Oluwatosin) in the”Referred By” space. if you don’t live in Nigeria and want to take part in this business opportunity, we have you in mind. Do click here and you will have access to the same information. You will be able to attend the meeting online. If you need further clarification, you can send me an email and I will reply with further information that will enhance your understanding.

We are in an information age, and what you know can make a difference in your life. At these business opportunity meetings, you get information that can radically change your paradigm and your life. You are the same person you were 10yrs ago, but for two things

• The New People you have met
• The New Information that you have got

At these business opportunity meetings, you get to meet new people and get new information. These meetings are currently free, but you must book your seat ahead. Please complete this form (and remember to enter my name – Emmanuel Oluwatosin – as the referral) if you are interested in booking a seat in any of the Saturday meetings. You can also send me an email as soon as you book a seat so that I can confirm that you are booked. Take the first step now…

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‘Parties who want milk should not seat themselves on a stool in the middle of the field and hope that the cow will back up to them‘. Albert Hubert

Are you going after what you want? Or you are just complaining about your present situation without making any effort to change? Do you still think it is the responsibility of your employer to make you happy? Then, you need to have a rethink. What you become today is your responsibility and the outcome of the choices you made yesterday. You owe yourself a living. So, now is the time to take charge of your life.

You can live your life the way you want it. Believe it or not, it is now very easy to rule your world. Waiting for something just around the corner is merely reacting to life. If you are going to be a difference-maker, a maximizer, you need to be assertive and proactive in your thoughts and actions. You need to make things happen and not just wait for them to engulf you! You need to take responsibility for your life and future.

Your decision to take charge of your life is the starting point. Don’t just sit there! Do something! You need to focus instead on those items you can control: right attitude, right beliefs, and right commitments to action. By so doing, you will use your emotional energy in a positive way and actually move forward more quickly. Reactive people focus on the result. Proactive people focus on the principles.

Do you think you want that thing bad enough? But why do you still place your life at the mercy of others? I bet you will not henceforth… Make a commitment to living your the way you want it. Get started today. This is YOUR season if ONLY you will decide to face your challenge and go for your goal. Remember, excuses will take you no where. Take ACTION NOW.

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I have been spending the past few days to reflect and review my activities of the past and the plans of the future. I can boldly say that the future looks more glorious than before. Will the road ahead be smooth? Will there be any adversity on the way? Yeah…but everything is there to prepare you for what lies ahead. The truth that you are still struggling to achieve that goal confirms that challenges are meant to come. The odd against you succeeding is on the increase daily. The difference between the successful person and the one stalked by failure is not the adversity – everybody has that. The difference is how we all respond to the challenges we meet on our way.

What then is the way out? Do we regroup and hit it hard again? Or we just lay it down and quit? Many times we have made a u-turn when our success is actually around the corner. Calvin Coolidge said,

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

An average successful person has witnessed failures at one stage of their lives. Just name anyone and seek to understand their past. You would be surprised at how much of failures the person had been able to deal with. Failure is never an end – not the final destination. What do you do when you are consistently met with setbacks? Do you give in and just quit? Or you try one more time? You can either see setbacks as the foundations upon which you build future success or the final excuse for failure. The decision is yours. You make the choice to follow through or to quit.

“The history of free men is never written by chance, but by choice – their choice.” Eisenhower

What a powerful truth. You can, and do, write your own history. The history you will leave behind, the legacy that you will leave for your children, is the accumulation of the choices you have made all along the way. I have realized that in life the ball lies in your court. It is all about the choices you make on a daily basis. I believe that:

• Anyone can have as much money as they choose to.
• Anyone can have the level of peace that they choose to have.
• Anyone can do anything they choose to do.

Every successful person makes the choice to use their setbacks as springboard through which they launch out. They never allow discouragement to set in. They keep working on their ideas and goals. They are persistent. And the end result? Success that we all dream of. If you must achieve your goals, you need this virtue. The dictionary defines persistent as: to continue firmly or obstinately. Persistence is a state of mind. In the words of Thomas Edison,

“Just because something does not do what you planned it to do does not mean it is useless… Reverses should be an incentive to great accomplishment. Results? Why, man, I have gotten lots of results! If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is just one more step forward… There are no rules here; we are just trying to accomplish something.”

It is therefore normal for someone to have obstacles before success. Even the dictionary puts the word obstacle before success. Obstacles are there to strengthen us and offer progressive measurement of our growing strength. Discouragement sets in when we misunderstand the purpose of obstacles. Persistence is a conscious decision. So, let us train ourselves to be persistent persons.

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Technorati Tags: persistence, Education

He took some steps further and he discovered a lake that was bigger again. The frog eventually came to the lake and all he could see was water. It dawned on him just how limited his thinking had been. He thought everything he needed was down in the well, but that was a drop in the bucket compared to the things that were out there for him to enjoy.

Are you living today in your own little “well”, reluctant to leave your comfort zone, settling for a limited and safe existence while God has rivers “deep enough to swim in”? Wouldn’t you like to step out in faith, experience new depths and go where you’ve never been before? Do like the frog…Step out of your little  well and explore the world around you.

The enemy will do everything he can to keep you focused on your background, your lack of formal education, your appearance and your limited resources. But Bruce Wilkinson says,

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re short of money, people, energy, or time. What God invites you to do will always be greater than the resources you start with.”

You don’t have to let fear limit your vision when God is your source, because His supply is unlimited! One idea from Him, just one, can change your life and the lives of others. He’s got great things in store for you today – so start living outside the box!

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One day, he boasted that he could walk on water. Everybody in the village thought he had gone mad. Not only because they believed it would be an impossible task for the guy but also because nobody had done it before.

The fact that nobody has done it before does not mean that it can not be done.

The man made-up his mind that he would do it. He then went ahead fix the date when he would be able to show everybody that he could actually walk on water. The deal day came and to everybody’s surprise, the man walked on water. The village head later called the man aside and asked him how he was able to achieve this feat considering the fact that the river was deep. What the man said shocked everybody…

Anybody can walk on water if only he knows where the stones are.

The man told the village head of how he laboured almost every nights for many days to ensure stones were placed on a particular route he had carved out in the river. While everyone was asleep, this young man would go to the river and continued his work. He hided these stones on this route in the river but he was able to trace the path. So, the only thing he did on the day was to just place his legs on each of the stones and marched on as if nothing was happening.

This may sound like a story but the same can be applied to our lives. This is exactly the reason why some people succeed in whatsoever they do. They have not only been able to identify where the stones are placed on their path, they have also been able to harness the opportunities this presents to achieve their dreams. So, what is your dream? What are you trying to achieve? Set out to work NOW. And you will succeed. Give yourself no other option.

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Do you think you have got what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Then, our world needs more of you at this time. Entrepreneurs are the ones that will turn things around for good. If things would change, we need more entrepreneurs who are ready to face all odds and create solutions that we all have been waiting for. Entrepreneurs are known for their self-confidence, energy, flexibility and opportunism. They are accustomed to getting involved and expect positive results from their involvement. In other words, they are prepared to use energy and mental effort because they expect, and often receive, appropriate rewards.

If you are still thinking whether you are a born entrepreneur or you should venture into this route, I have identified some characteristics. These are often found amongst people who have successfully started a new venture:

1. drive and energy; 
2. self-confidence; 
3. high initiative and personal responsibility;
4. self-believe;
5. low fear of failure; 
6. risk-taker;
7. prepared for long-term involvement; 
8. seeing money as a measure of success;
9. effective use of feedback; 
10. pragmatic problem solvers;
11. Disciplined;
12. clear focus

Successful entrepreneurs have high self-believe. They believe that, to a large extent, what they do today determines the results they will get. Although luck may play some part but they believe that they can create their world. Are you ready to create your world? Do you think you have the traits required? Our world needs more of you. We need people who can take charge of their destiny and create the solutions that we have been waiting for. So, I will ask the question in another form…Are you ready for this experience? Do you have what it takes?  Stand up and be counted. We need to affect our world…

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A lot of things are happening at the moment. Companies are folding up. Jobs are being lost. People are loosing money. No investment vehicle can give you guaranteed returns again. But in the midst of things, some companies are still making money. People are still getting the kind of jobs they want. A lot are living the kind of life they want. So, what is their secret? They took charge of their lives. If you must succeed in your business or in your career, you have to take responsibility for your life. This is a choice you can’t do without.

“If you take responsibility for yourself you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams.”  Les Brown

Where you are today is a direct reflection of the words, thoughts and actions you took days, months and years ago. It is a matter of “Input and Output“. What you put in determines what you get. No matter how much you continue to blame your parents, teachers, where you grew up, television, the government or anything else, the truth is that nobody got you where you are today but yourself. The longer you choose not to take responsibility for your live, the longer you will be living uninspired lives that you do not love.

We are currently in a free society. So, you are at liberty to live your life at our own will. I challenge you to draw a switch board for your life right away if you don’t have any. Indicate all your right and wrong buttons – your positive and negative habits, your creative as well as time wasting activities etc. Then, make a firm commitment to yourself today that you will never again push the wrong buttons. Cross out all the wrong buttons from the switch board of your life.

Concentrate on the right buttons and let the doors of success open for you. Look for reliable people who are also taking charge of their lives then you can share your views with them. You can both encourage and motivate one another to work on the success plan of your lives. Above all, dare to succeed. Walk the pathway of success. Remind yourself that the responsibility lies with you. Start working on YOURSELF.  Sharpen your axe. The world does not owe you anything and the earlier you understand this truth, the better.

“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” Albert Einstein

In case you are still looking for job, don’t get a job that gives you the highest pay but rather one that matches your passion and allows you to express yourself. And if you are currently working, seek to understand your company vision and mission statement and then identify how you fit in. This should be your starting point. Always strive to be a person of value in whatsoever you do. As long as you keep improving and adding value to the business, your employer will do everything to keep your service.

Shift the focus from your employer and work on yourself. Stop the blame game. Put in the extra effort and take up the responsibility to be the expert in your field. Your skills will soon stand you out from the crowd. As a business owner, seek to add values to your customer. Filling the needs of your customers will ensure that you stay in business for a long time. So, start today to take charge of your life…

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Are you living your dream right now? Or you are waiting for the right time before you start living your dream? Millions each day have been taken over by the habit of procrastination. They find reasons daily to push forward what they would have done today. Yet, they profess to have a dream. Are you still part of this set of people? If you answer YES, then it is time for you to take charge of your destiny. Choose to live your dream from today.

Wait, how many times have you said, “Oh, I’ll do it tomorrow“? “I will do it when I have time?” Your motto may even be “I will do it as long as I can have someone to help out…” Procrastination will kill your dreams faster than you can even have them. When you procrastinate, you take no action and nothing is born. There is need for you to take action irrespective of what challenges you would have to face. It is your responsibility to ensure that you work towards living your dream.

What you call tomorrow or the future is actually TODAY. Tomorrow never comes. I believe it actually never exists. I used to get like a deer in headlights, frozen in my tracks, when it came to reaching for my dreams. The idea of going back to school seemed so daunting that I didn’t know where to start…! There was always something “more important” or “necessary” to do and my vision took a backseat… day after day after day.

I bet you know exactly what I’m talking about. You may even be experiencing the same at the moment. Make a commitment to pick up from where you last stopped and DO SOMETHING about it! What is is that you want to achieve? Go back to school? Start a business? Or even change your career? It doesn’t matter how poorly you think you would do. Just Do It.

Make a commitment to getting started today. This is YOUR year if you decide to go for what you want. Remember, excuses will take you no where. Take ACTION today.

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Time is running out. This is the plain truth. January is almost over and before you know what is happening, we would soon be in December. Have you just be living each day without carefully considering what you do with your time? Now is the right time for you to pause and reflect on the value of time and how important it is that you create priorities.

If you are yet to create plans of what you want to achieve this year, you may need to take out some hours to do this. It is never too late to put up one together. It is better to be late than to not to have one. One of the basic tenets of goal setting is that you choose, in advance, how you are going to allocate your time. This helps to ensure that you use it in the best way that will move you towards achieving your goals.

You may not have heard the phrase “the time value of money“. But I want you to consider this scenario carefully. A dollar in your hand today is worth more than a dollar in your hand a year from now. Why? The key difference is what you can do with that dollar next year. You can invest that dollar right now in any business or even in an interest – bearing project and have $1.05 at the end of the year. If you decide to take your money in a year, your opportunity cost (foregone investment) will be five cent. Not to mention what inflation will have done to your purchasing power within the time frame under consideration.

Now think about how many hours you are losing each time you engage in those irrelevant activities. Apply the same thought process to when you ARE actually working – maximizing your time. Decide what better use of your time IS every time. Having this at the back of your mind always will ensure that you always decide what the best use of your time will be. Time is money and money is time. So, choose today invest them wisely.

Meanwhile, let me leave you with this short movie.

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Technorati Tags: opportunity

Have you been burning with a desire to be your own boss? Do you feel the constant “temptation” to quit your job right now. You may feel enough is enough. Maybe you are even sick of working for other people. To be your own boss means controlling your own destiny, having your own time and no bosses to report to. Basically, you can do whatever you want. But before you really jump into a new territory of being on your own, you have to make sure that you are ready, well equipped and have the right motivation.

So, what drives your motivation? What are the reasons why you are starting that business? If your reason for starting a business is only money, you will definitely not last long. Study has shown that the successful startup entrepreneurs are not driven by money. They are driven by passion to transform the lives of people around them. Lifestyle entrepreneurs should not just be wealth accumulators. Your focus should be more on how many problems you would be able to solve through your solution and not how much you would accumulate.

I am not saying that accumulating wealth is not good but that should not be your main focus for starting that business. There is no way you will keep solving problems and money will not flow in your direction. So, take a second look at your motive before you drop that resignation letter. Along the way, you will be faced with so many challenges. These will happen when you least expect and they will test the motivation behind your business idea and your strength.

The only things that will sustain you will be your motivations – what drives you. Why did you decide to leave the comfort of a paying-job to embrace a life that is full of uncertainties? If money accumulation is the ONLY reason you are in business, it is most likely that you will not survive the storm when it comes. It is not too late to retrace your steps now. Take out some minutes right away, review your motivations right away and ensure that you are on the right track. If you feel if have had the wrong motivation(s), re-align yourself. So, what keeps you moving? Your decision to affect our generation or to enrich your pocket?

Look within and  re-assess the reasons WHY you are starting that business…

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Technorati Tags: motivation, starting a business, startup, business idea

I woke up this morning and saw a link from a friend - Ayobami Oladejo. He has just been named the world’s greatest business mind. And virtually all the news media covered the story. World what?…some people  might say. How can this be? You may still be thinking in your mind.  But that is the truth. The guy has just won the award. And you too can do the same at this moment. I have just won the award myself. Surprised? Watch the video on this page. Then, remember to create your own link.

Everyone has what it takes to become the world greatest business mind. You just need start by believing in yourself. Yeah…the starting point is for you to believe that you can indeed be the world greatest mind. What is it that you want to achieve in life? What is your dream? Do you believe they are within your reach?

One thing you have to remind  yourself every time is that every major achievement in life starts with a dream. The whole world started with a dream by God. There is nothing in existence today that has not passed through the dream stage. Some years ago, I read that Bill Clinton was asked what he would like to become when he was about age 3. His reply? Your guess is as correct as mine. He did not mince word in his response. He replied that he would like to become the president of United States of America. No wonder, he became one of the most celebrated presidents United States has ever produced.

I am sure someone will be saying that can only happen in America. What about the likes of our own Pat Utomi (Leap Frog, Lagos Business School and Bank PhB), Bishop Oyedepo (Living Faith Church), Bose Ayeni (Tantalisers), Bunmi Oni (formerly of Cadbury Nigeria), Sunny Ojeagbase (SuccessDigest), Ayo Arowolo (Moneywise Club), Larry Izamoje (Brila FM)? These are people who have achieved so much in their fields. Their dreams have come true. There is nothing you can achieve in life without starting with a dream.

DREAMS can then be said to be an important foundation upon which all achievements are built. Through dreams, we determine indirectly what our future becomes. PICTURES mean Pick-Your-Future. So, do you think you can become the world’s greatest business mind? Start today to determine the course of your life by dictating the pictures you allow to stay in your mind.  You may need to watch the video on this page again.

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Technorati Tags: business

If you would always reach an optimal performance each time you get to work, you need to take time out of your busy schedule to recharge. Regular relaxation is essential for a long life and personal effectiveness. Here are some techniques for relaxing physically that Brian Tracy shared in his book, “Getting Rich Your Own Way“.

Take Time Off Every Week: Work only five or six days per week and rest completely on the seventh day. This may be hard to achieve if you are just starting out in business. But as you work on building your business, put this in your plan. If God could rest on the seventh day, then you have no excuse. Create this time-off yourself and you will be glad you did.

Get Your Mind Busy Elsewhere: One good you can do yourself is to make this time-off really a time-off. Do not take home your work and there is no need trying to catch up on reports. Those reports will not run away before you return to work. Ensure that you do not do anything else that requires mental effort. Let your mind relax completely. This is may be a good time to get busy doing things with your family and friends. Whatever you decide to do, discipline yourself to shut your mental gears off completely for at least one 24-hour period every seven days.

Get Away on Mini-Vacations: Take one vacation as often as possible, and during that time, refrain from doing any work. This is one thing that most of us are not used to. There is always a believe that the business will not go on if you are not involved physically in the day-to-day running. This is not absolutely true. If your business can not survive outside you for some days, it shows that there is a problem somewhere. And you need to address this as soon as possible. Like I said earlier, time-off is not attempt to catch up on even a few small things.

Take Big Chunks of Down Time: Yeah, you read it well. You need to take at least two full weeks off each year during which you do nothing that is work-related. You will have to decide between working or relaxing; you can not do both. Whenever you carry your work to vacation, you are not recharging your mental and emotional batteries. The end result? Your guess is as good as mine. You will come back from your vacation just as tired as you were when you left.

Give Yourself a Break Today: Why not start today and take one-day off work. if you are in paid employment, ask you boss that you need a day off. Explain the need for you to recharge especially the impact that it will have on your performance at work when you resume at work. Put your immediate concern out of your mind. Choose not to think about it. So, give yourself the break you need now.

If you are thinking about how you can achieve all these, Brian Tracy also pointed out three action excercises. You may take a look at these and see how they apply to you. First, plan your weeks in advance and build in at least one day when you will relax from work completely. Make a commitment to keep this date. Some things will come up that will want to place a demand on you to change your plan. But stick to your plan. Refuse to give in to any distraction.

You may also need to reserve, book and pay for your vacations several months in advance. You can even think of a vacation programme that does not offer refund. The catch is this…Once you have paid the money, it is most likely that you would go on the vacation than put it off. Finally, decide that you will not work at all during your vacations. When you are at work, work. And when decide you want to rest, rest 100% of the time.

Do you have a difference approach on how to recharge? You can use the comment section to share your tips and helps. I am sure many other people will be blessed by your experiences. I am waiting to read your comment. Keep succeeding.

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Technorati Tags: business, business owner, success, Brian Tracy, vacation

I heard about a programme some weeks ago when it launched from the founder. I have some friends who have taken part in this programme and they have their testimonies to share. I have therefore decided to reproduce here an interview with the founder of the programme with the permission of the original author – Adeolu Akinyemi. The original post can be found here. So, if you are ready to make extra, $K, $2K or even $10K every week, read on.

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This morning I got a text message from a lady friend, and I felt really happy for her. Her message was “UNBELIEVABLE in the history of MLM. I now make $20,000 every 7 days in holidays and cash”. I find that alarming (even though I think 1% of that is ok weekly), being aware that the company has been in operation globally for less than 3months. Unlike I have done with many opportunities in the past, I will not give you my perspectives about this one, I’ll just present you with information direct from the horse’s mouth and give you an opportunity to take your own decisions. I’m sorry for one thing though, I procrastinated a bit in bringing this information to you, I did not want to share unproven information.

I’m presenting this interview to you to make your own choices. I met Michael in the early part of this year while he was Marketing Director for Clubfreedom. He in fact went to church with me, and we chatted for a while. I have a lot of respect for him, and believe he’s a strong marketer, the type that any Network marketing business needs for sustainability. I present you, Michael Faust and Holiday and Cash.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: Hello Michael, can you please introduce yourself? A bit?
Michael Faust says: Hi. I am a 45 year old entrepreneur with 25 years experience owning my own businesses, with 18 years of that being involved in the Network Marketing industry developing international teams, working at the corporate level, and consulting for the industry.  I am married with 2 children and live in Australia.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: Wow… 18yrs in Network Marketing! How will you say the experience has been, and what are your thoughts about the Network Marketing Industry?
Michael Faust says: I have been passionate about the industry from day 1 and it has changed my life in ways nothing else could have.  I entered it at time when a successful business I owned was booming and I had just invested a lot of money to expand it only to find outside that circumstances outside our control devastated that business in less than 2 months costing us everything.  We entered Network Marketing for less than $500 and were able to replace our full-time income from a part-time effort in less than 3 months.  It was amazing. I also entered the industry with a stutter, a speech impediment, where I could barely get my name out meeting people so I was NOT your typical stereotype to be successful.  When they told me to start making a list of 100 people and phoning them you may as well asked me to climb mount Everest…but I decided that I would not let my stuttering be an excuse.  So I created a goal to overcome my stutter and speak in front of an audience of people in 2 years.  A year later I spoke in front of an audience of 1000 people at our first company’s convention and hardly stuttered once!  You could say this industry made me the person I am today, a confident communicator who impacts the lives of thousands.  This industry allows people to DREAM BIG and achieve BIG by helping others.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: Wow, that’s a lot…
Michael Faust says: I believe there has never been a better time to be in Network Marketing because the world’s economic foundation is being rocked at the core.   Greed, the get rich quick attitude and put it on credit attitude have now failed people, businesses, banks and governments, so people are open more than ever to a better way to create success and live their lives.  Our industry allows people to get started with NO debt, convert spare time into a new income stream, and succeed by helping others succeed….it’s a new paradigm that’s time has come!

Adeolu Akinyemi says: You really do believe in the possibilities that can be created by the Network Marketing Industry
Michael Faust says: Absolutely

Adeolu Akinyemi says: I know you are the CEO and founder of Holiday and Cash… can you tell me what this is about, and how marketing this product can be beneficial to Nigerians?
Michael Faust says: Holidays and Cash is a new company that has a mission to help people access fantastic savings on all their travel needs and by simply sharing these great benefits they can qualify for weekly cash rewards that can pay for all their dream vacations year after year, as well as generate a weekly income stream that could pay for all their lifestyle choices.  We are passionate about helping ordinary people live extra-ordinary lives if they are prepared to dream, and put action behind those dreams following a proven, simple plan for success. In less than 10 weeks we have members in 43 countries with Nigeria being our most successful market so far where our top leaders are earning more than $5,000 USD a week!

Adeolu Akinyemi says: That’s great, Nigerians are very passionate people, anything Nigerians get involved in, is likely to have them on top. But tell me two things… How does this company affect Nigerians… and how can an average Nigerian get to earn this much
Michael Faust says: What do you mean by affect Nigerians?

Adeolu Akinyemi says: Simply put. Why should I as a Nigerian join H&C and how do I earn?
Michael Faust says: Whether it be a Nigerian or anyone else in the world people still have the same dreams.  They love to escape the day to day grind of life, take time off on a holiday with their family and visit the amazing places around the world that God has created.  We all dream of cruising on a cruise ship, sitting on a beach on some exotic island, staying in a luxury hotel, meeting new people and tasting new foods.  Holidays and Cash sells what is called a Privilege Pack that provides the purchaser with 12 months of unlimited access to savings on hotels, flights, cruises and holidays worldwide PLUS a host of other benefits.  It’s only $240 USD once a year with NO monthly recurring fees and no monthly recurring charges.  We distribute 60% of our sales revenue back through a unique rewards program that is paid weekly.  When members introduce others to H&C who purchase Privilege Packs and there people in turn tell others, the cash rewards are paid out, which can develop into a serious weekly income.  It’s a global opportunity too so you can expand your network of happy travellers anyhwhere in the world. The cash rewards are paid as 4 different income streams. The first one is on personal sales.  Every time you make 3 personal sales you can earn around $100 USD. #2 is paid on team sales where you can qualify to earn around $140USD on every 9 team sales.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: ok, go on… it’s sounding..(or reading ) intereseting
Michael Faust says: #3 is a royalty income where you can qualify to earn 10-20% of the weekly income generated by members you’ve personally introduced.  You might now be a rock star, a movie star, write a famous novel but now you can earn a weekly royalty income by helping others make money
Michael Faust says: #4 is the one everyone strives for. 4 times a year we hold a luxury 5 day retreat in an exotic location and take away our top leaders and spoil them paying their air fares, accommodation and most other expenses.  Imagine being able to go to exotic international destinations with your partner up to 4 times a year and someone else pays the bill…it doesn’t get any better.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: wow. And you said Nigerians are already the top earners in this company?
Michael Faust says: yes….I guess where the need is the most the desire is the highest

Adeolu Akinyemi says: What did they have to do to achieve this, and what does anybody have to do to gain a lot from Holiday and Cash.
Michael Faust says: The key is to consistently introduce H&C to new people every week, develop your personal sales, train your new members and teach them how to duplicate what you are doing.  The good thing is H&C has put together a comprehensive step by step, training and support system complemented by world class marketing tools so members do NOT have to be marketing gurus to succeed.  Each member receives their own professional website, powerpoint presentations, and weekly live online presentations hosted by top presenters that will leave no doubt in the minds of others that H&C is a genuine opportunity to save money and make money.  It’s NOT a get rich scheme but it is a get rich program IF you do the work.  We have members earning $100 up to $1,000USD+ in their first week and doing that consistently with consistent part-time effort.  We have leaders who are full-time who now earn more than $5000 a week
Michael Faust says: I meant is is NOT promoted as a GET RICH QUICK SCHEME.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: Ok
Michael Faust says: The way I look at it is people more than ever are going to work hard for the next 2-5 years in their current profession so by simply spending 6-10 hours a week part-time with NO risk to their current profession they can generate a new weekly income stream that can develop into a full time income and much more allowing them to go full-time with H&C if they choose and make money from home OR anywhere in the world.   They could ultimately be on PERMANENT vacation!

Adeolu Akinyemi says: Forgive me for comparing your company to another, but many people have participated in board based Travel oriented Networking business, and many have not earned anything? Is this really different?
Michael Faust says: They are worlds apart.  Let me explain. 1. H&C has a REAL travel product that is very diverse and our product range and benefits are being expanded all the time ensuring that the foundation of the company is a legitimate product. 2. The typical board program company allows (and often encourages) members to buy multiple purchases to advance in their compensation program. As soon as you purchase more than once trying to buy multiple positions you are playing these programs like a money game with little concern for the legitimacy of the product or the opportunity. The companies love it because they make more money but the poor member more than often just ends up out of pocket, embarrassed, and disappointed.  In H&C members only purchase ONE Privilege Pack but they receive THREE positions in the rewards program so NO one needs to buy multiple ids.  We are attracting a lot of high profile professional networkers because of this.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: Hmmm
Michael Faust says: 3.  Board programs entice people with the BIG carrot payouts but the reality is less than 3-4% at the most of members ever make money and the big carrot gets so far away most people lose hope.  In H&C we pay weekly and have MORE people earning MORE money MORE often. You can’t plan your life or dreams around a big carrot that may never come but you can make REAL plans and build a DREAM around weekly rewards that are consistent.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: hmm… sounds interesting. I know for a fact that you have participated in board based Network Marketing before, I know for a fact that you were the marketing director of Clubfreedom at some point. How is it that even though you have lots of people who joined clubfreedom through you and haven’t been rewarded, you are promoting a different program? What did you tell your people in CF and do you think this new program is the solution?
Michael Faust says: That’s a good question.  Board programs were very new and when I worked with CF it was my first board based program I had experienced.  CF had grown to over 100,000 members in 9 months  prior to my joining the corporate team which by anyone’s figures was phenomenal success so I was naturally excited about an opportunity to continue that expansion and add my consulting experience.  During my time with CF I spent a lot of my time enhancing communication between the company and the members, putting a public face behind the company, conducting events around the world, and creating more marketing materials.  However over time I observed that the board program had some fundamental issues that I would not fix and it was very frustrating.  It’s line any business you can focus on the problem or look for a solution.  I saw the only real solution was to start fresh and create an entirely new model that addressed all the areas of concern that had been raised by CF and other similar board programs which resulted in the creation of H&C.  The way to ensure that things were done as I knew they should is to be in control as an owner and not as an employee or consultant.  With H&C I can determine the direction the company takes and the choices it makes to ensure we learn from the experiences of others and offer better outcomes. Sometimes you just have to make a NEW decision on NEW information.  That’s what alot of CF members have done and they are reaping the rewards.  The results speak for themselves.  The boards programs are all stalling because people are seeing the flaws and recognising that big carrots are not as attractive if you never get to eat them.  We have nothing but GOOD NEWS stories from members.  But it’s not just the rewards or the money.  We have a culture with H&C where ALL members are valued, where leaders are cherished, and everything is done with a spirit of excellence.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: You already have a lot of old CF members that have joined H&C?
Michael Faust says: People want to be associated with a company that is laying down a strong foundation so they will be there for the long term.  This means that the effort you invest today will pay off in the future.  There is NO room for short cuts. We have members from many board programs joining H&C many very new to our binary type rewards program.  They are wanting a program that is genuine for them and for others.  We also have lots of people joining from traditional MLMs and also people new to this industry.  It’s a big market place and there are lots of people waiting to hear about H&C. Being a ONE a year purchase it is easy to make the switch and knowing they can earn WEEKLY rewards from ONE purchase makes the move to H&C much easier.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: I quite understand. With the state of the global stock markets, and few instruments to generate passive income from, it’s looking like Network Marketing is a way to go… but many are still very reluctant to try anything new, haven had a not so great experience with many of the board based programs. Do you have any word of advice for people like this?
Michael Faust says: Everybody responds to failures and challenges differently.  Some become defeated while others dust off their shoes and go again.  What’s the difference.  Firstly you to realise that failures are only stepping stones to success.  Every millionaire will tell you they failed many times before they became a millionaire.  Secondly you have to decide what you can learn from the past and make better informed decisions so you do not repeat the same mistakes.  Thirdly you have to have dreams that are BIG enough and IMPORTANT enough to get you past the failures.  Lastly you to decide what is your identity.  I was told by almost everyone I knew through my school years and early working years that I was a “stutterer” and would NEVER be a good communicator, that I would be able to take advantage of opportunities like others because of my stuttering.  I changed my identity from a stutterer to a person who stutters occasionally.  It’s the same with success.  You can become a ‘failure and a quitter” or you can recognize that they were important lessons to learn to prepare you for true success, and that you are destined for success, not failure.
Michael Faust says: People can keep looking backwards at their life wishing things were different or you can take decisive action based on NEW decisions made on NEW information and just get busy working a NEW plan for success.  We all have choices to make.  I encourage everyone to keep strong, keep their faith and belief in their dreams, keep their faith in people, and realise that anything is possible if you dream big enough and believe you deserve those dreams

Adeolu Akinyemi says: Standing by the sidelines and listening, I see a lot of H&C activity going on… I have no doubts it will be big in Nigeria, when is the best time to join, where can people find out about the opportunities and how much can the average person look forward to earning per week? …and for how long?
Michael Faust says: Best join to join is when a person is ready to commit to their success.  You can join at the start and do nothing and timing meant nothing.  I live near the beach where surf board riding is very popular so I look at it like this.  If you position yourself at the start of a wave and paddle hard at the beginning you can soon catch that wave and it will carry you all the way to the beach.  But if you wait too long you often end up under the wave.  Timing is critical.  Hardly anyone knows about H&C right now however if you wait many people you know would have already joined. People can find out more about H&C through each members website which has a great tour, videos, testimonials, samples of the travel deals, and live statistics of the rewards payments.  They can also access powerpoints, blogs, and even live online presentations held each week. There are no income guarantees except that if you do nothing you will earn nothing.  However we have many members earning $100 up to $1000+ uSD in their first week and building on that week after week consistently reaching incomes of as much as $5,000+ a week. How long can you make money?  I wish I had a crystal ball but I can say this.  In my 18 years in the Network Marketing industry I have not seen an opportunity like H&C that pays out such high rewards week after week for a once a year product.  We have put everything in place to be around for a long time and with the support of our members we will achieve that goal.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: So, as a parting shot… what will you like to say in one sentence to the over 40,000 regular readers of www.deoluakinyemi.com?
Michael Faust says: ummm….drum roll please. If you are tired of all the hype, empty promises, unanswered questions, and broken dreams, then they will find H&C very refreshing.  If you are serious about your success, are teachable, and a team player than H&C can become a home for you where you will be valued, edified, respected and your dreams will be cherished. Join us now and join a global community that is going to change the world, one person at a time.

Adeolu Akinyemi says: Thanks Michael for your time, I believe it’s very late in Australia now.. thanks for your time.

Michael Faust says: my pleasure…my bed is calling…have a good day!

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Following the interview to this stage shows your desire to make extra weekly income. If you want to know  more about this programme, visit Holidays & Cash. And remember to ONLY sign up if you are ready to do the work.

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Technorati Tags: DREAM

Millions each day (if not more) are afflicted with and effected by the habit of procrastination. How many times have we all said, “Oh, I’ll do it tomorrow”? Procrastination kills dreams faster than you can even have them. When we procrastinate, we take no action and consequently – nothing is born. There is need for you to take action irrespective of what you want. No obstacle is big enough to stop you from living your dream. God has deposited in you everything you need. No matter how big your goal is or the challenge on the road, you can achieve it if only you will take the first step today.

SO, GET STARTED NOW…Guess what? Tomorrow never comes. Yeah, it never does. Tomorrow only appears in the mind. Have you ever considered the fact that the tomorrow you were talking about yesterday is the today you are in now. I used to get frozen in my tracks, when it comes to reaching for my dreams. The idea of starting and running a successful business seemed so daunting that I didn’t know where to start… There was always something “more important” or “necessary” to do and my vision took a backseat… day after day after day. But I took the bull by the horn. I moved towards my goal. I started a business part-time but I ensured that I keep moving towards my goal. The steps may be small but I am definitely not stagnant.

I bet you know what I’m talking about too. You too can make the decision today to move towards your dream. First, have a clear picture of what you actually want. Then, make a commitment to do something in line with your goal every day. Give it everything you have got and ensure that you DO SOMETHING about it! It doesn’t matter how poorly you do it. Like Nike suggests, “Just Do It“.

Will you still watch your dream pass you by? Make a commitment to getting started today. This is YOUR season if ONLY you will decide to face your challenge and go for your goal. Remember, excuses will take you no where. Take ACTION NOW.

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Technorati Tags: Start a business, goal, procrastination, dream, successful business, dream

1. Make the commitment to reach your goal: “One person with a commitment is worth a hundred who only have an interest.” Mary Crowley. Your goal is worth nothing without your commitment to follow through on it. Lack of commitment is one of the reasons why many people do not [achieve their goals. Many have great goals and even wonderful plans to achieve the goals. But without a personal commitment, nothing will be achieved. You need to constantly remind yourself that nobody can achieve your goal for you. Your employees or your boss is only working at achieving his goals. So, how committed are you to your goals?

2. Be accountable: Commit yourself to detailed accountability. Look for someone that you respect and share your goals with the person. If possible, get a mentor that you know would be interested in you. Remember that mentors are not there to help you achieve your goals. They are to ensure that you remain on the right track. But I bet you this is worth much more than you can quantify. Also, develop the habbit of recording your progress toward your goals every night, and list the six most important things you need to do the next day. This daily discipline is not only key to reaching your goals but also gives you motivation to keep going.

3. Build your life on a sold foundation of honesty: A life and / or business built on strong character, integrity, trust, love, and loyalty is definitely going to succeed. The progress may not be visible but it will pay off. This foundation will give you an honest shot at reaching any goal you have set properly.

4. Break your intermediate and long-range goals into small bits: Imagine that your goal is to have a certain amount of turnover in your business within the next one year. While this is may be a great goal, the implication is that you will have to wait till the end of the year before you know if you achieve your goal or not. But if you break it down into monthly turnover, this is easy to measure. Moreover, you will be able to know on time if you are close to your goal or not.

5. Be prepared for change: Something are definitely not within your control. The foreign exchange flunctuation, radical changes in oil prices, weather, inflation, interest rates, government policies etc. are things that you can not control.  So, you have to consider this when setting your goals. Stick with your decision to move toward a goal – but be willing to change your direction to get there as conditions and circumstances demand.

6. Share your “give-up” goals: I can not over-emphasise the importance of sharing your goals with people. While this will help you stay on your toes, it will also do you much good. Assume that your goal is to give up drinking, being rude, or even procrastinating, you will surely see people that will encourage you. They can even help you track your action towards achieving your goals. So, don’t keep your goals to yourself only. Share it and get the help that you need.

7. Become a team player: Nobody is created an island. If God could create Eve and bring her to Adam, then you definitely need people. I have not seen any person who became successful alone. Just take a look around you. The people they are working with may not be visible but I bet you there is little they can achieve without the support they get from their team. One thing you need to consider when in working in team is what you are going to add to others. Focus on how you can help others achieve their dreams. The people you may be working with may even be your employees. Just have it in mind that they have their goals that they are trying to achieve. And if they can’t get to achieve their personal goals working with you, they will leave you and you might have to start over again. Always remember: “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. Zig Ziglar”

8. See yourself reaching your goal: The main reason why you set your goals is because you want to achieve them. It is, therefore, important that believe in yourself. Constantly put the goal before you.  In your imagination, see yourself achieving whatsoever goal you have set for yourself. Can you see yourself receiving that diploma, getting that job or promotion, making that speech, moving into the home of your dreams, achieving that weight-loss goal, hitting that turnover target? This is necessary if you will achieve your goals.

9. Document your achievement: One reason why you have to do this is the effect it has on you. Every time that you reach a goal, your confidence will grow. See your achievement motivates you to work towards achieving bigger and better things. After accomplishing any goal, make it a habit of recording it in your Journal, Weekly Planner or Palm Pilot.

10. Give yourself no other option: Challenges will come on the way. They are there to refine you. But whether you will achieve your goals depends on how you respond to tough circumstances. Most people give up when all that they need is just to try one more time. They give up when they would have hit their target in the next attempt. Join the league of the few that succeed because they did not give in. Give yourself no other option.

Above all, remember, what you get by reaching your destination is not nearly as important as what you become by reaching your goals – what you will become is the winner you were born to be! The first step is to know where you are going. If you do not know where you are going, you will undoubtedly end up somewhere else. You can do better, you can achieve more, you can be the best God has created you to be. So, start now to make your dreams happen!

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Technorati Tags: goal, business, achieve your goal, accountability, mentor, team player, dreams

If your parents are like mine, you would agree that they always have their own plans. Parents seem to know what is best for their children. Why the child keeps dreaming and looking forward to pursuing his dream, the parents would normally be working out their agenda for the child. You will hear statement like, “I want you to be a doctor“. “That my friend that is a medical doctor is doing very well“. “You have to be an engineer“. I am sure you heard something like this if not exactly the same when you were growing up as a child. You may be fortunate to make your final decision as regards the course you would study in the university. But the story is definitely different for most people.

You may have studied a course chosen for you by someone else but the choice is yours to make the best use of what you have got. You need to revisit your childhood dream. Wait…what are those things that you were dreaming of when growing up as a child? I believe this is the time to do some soul-searching to find out what you would rather be doing at the moment. Imagine for a second that you are living your life and suddenly missed out on what you were supposed to be doing. The truth is that this is exactly what happened to many people. Instead of living their dream, they result to following the route of least resistance. Many give reasons why they should continue doing what they have been doing – living someone’s dream.

Just as many successful people have had to realise that their parents’ goals were not theirs, you too have to find what makes you tick. Every successful person has had to set his goals and pursue them. The question I want you to answer now is, “if you are not living your life, then whose is it?” If you are not going to think about your life, then who will? The past may be beyond you now, but you have the power to change the present. Choice is a freedom we can all exercise. We are all in charge of writing our own movie and that movie is our life.

Imagine that you are sitting in front of a computer now and you are typing a scene as it comes to mind. What kind would you want to have? Somehow, I have a feeling that most people would not choose their present situation. It would not only be boring to write, it would be no fun to watch. So, why are you living out a script that you would never write? Give yourself a little freedom now to develop into someone you would actually like to be. The only person that can and that will give you a chance is yourself. Nobody can do this for you.

Too many people want status quo to remain the same and that includes you. So, you have to do everything to separate yourself from this group of people. If it means going for another course in the university, it is worth it. You have the ability to change your present situation. You are already equipped with what you need to move beyond mediocrity or whatsoever that may be holding you back. Make up your mind today not to follow the easy route. If you would really live your dream,  you have to do what the successful people normally do. Move beyond the common.

I will leave you with what Donald Trump said. “Write your own script. Then produce it yourself and find yourself living the way you want to. That is freedom; that is power and that is winning“.

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Technorati Tags: ideas, plans, dream, successful people, Donald Trump