Achieving Success: 10 Power Habits To Jump-Start Your Brain

"All men are created equal", they say, and some might think it's not true, because, obviously, there are some people who are born with sharp minds and the innate ability to absorb data and learn from their surroundings.. And others who seem to try and try and never reach their goals!

Yet statistics reveal that most successful people are stronger in EQ (Emotional Intelligence), BQ (Body Intelligence) and MQ (Moral Intelligence) than they are in IQ, and IQ doesn't predict success as much as motivation.

In fact, sometimes extremely intelligent people are at a disadvantage for achieving success in life because they tend to have difficulty in the social skills and self-confidence department.

No matter how much you might know, if you can't learn how to get along with other people, you'll never get anywhere in life!

Furthermore, many successful and well-known people have had no formal education:

Just to name a few: John Rockefeller, early 1900 billionaire with no formal education; John Glenn, one of the most famous astronauts in history, dropped out of college; Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computer, attended college for only six months, and the list goes on.

So now that you know your chances are just as good as anyone else's, what's holding you back from achieving success?

You know you have desires and beliefs pulling you toward your goals - toward abundance.

But as soon as you start to make any progress...

Your mind PUSHES you back!

So you feel like you're caught in this merry-go-round of life that won't let you get off and start achieving success. No matter how strongly you want to change, to improve who you are, what you own and what your stand for, your mind won't allow it!

Crap! Why would that be?

Because your subconscious mind is STRONGER than your goals, beliefs, passion... and even your action! It's like driving with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake. Your conscious desire to change is your foot on the GAS. But your brain's desire to NOT change is your other foot on the BRAKE.

So then what's the real secret to achieving success?

My suggestion is to use the power of habit to jump-start your brain. Without realizing it, we tend to think as we speak or act. If you let your brain just go off on automatic pilot, then, you're likely to be falling into detrimental habits that will keep you from achieving success.

"Successful people are simply those with successful habits."
- Brian Tracy: motivational speaker and author

Below are the ten Power Habits that will direct your subconscious mind towards achieving success...

1. Positive Affirmations.

The technique I advocate here actually goes further than simply stating an affirmation out load - the recent technique of incantations, taught by Tony Robbins, will actually transform your subconscious into believing, as you mind tends to follow your body.

2. Modeling after a successful person you admire to create a successful personality.

Align yourself with people who are successful in your field - attach yourself at the hip and study their every action.

3. Stay aware.

As you model yourself after someone who is successful and see yourself changing, stay aware of your new actions and take notes of how your friends, family and colleagues are drawn to you.

4. Personal development audios.

Utilize every minute of your time listening to audio books personal development - when you're driving to work, cleaning the house or any "brainless" activity. The technology of today enables us to download tons of stuff and listen on a smart phone or I-pod.

5. Clear your mind.

Mediate regularly and rid yourself of resentment (emotional clutter from the past) and fear (emotional clutter about the future). These are negative emotions that will keep you from achieving success! Focus on what your problem is or the person you resent, and say over and over in your mind, I love you, I'm sorry, please forgive me, thank you". This is a must do exercise to clear your mind and keep from sabotaging yourself.

6. Change your vocabulary.

Most people in an effort to sound more significant tend to use negative words without even realizing it. For example, "I feel like I've been hit by a truck", or "I'm livid about this". When you use dramatic words like this, your mind will follow for your words and decide to feel like as you speak.

And, if you've been following the law of attraction, then you're aware that you must keep your feelings in check. So change the words you might use often to a different word - "peeved" instead of "livid" and "concerned" instead of "worried". This will actually have a positive effect on how you feel!

7. Put yourself first.

When you treat yourself with love, you start to feel more love for yourself. People often tend to put their goals and agendas ahead of yours. While being kind and accommodating to others is important, you're no good to anyone unless you put yourself first. When your feel "loved" which comes from treating your like you love yourself, then you're likely to be more loving to others.

8. Get clear in your mind what you want.

When you medicate, ask your higher self what you really want. Then focus on that and practice visualization. Discover your real passion. Put up pictures of the lifestyle you desire to live - and make sure it's what YOU want - not someone else's dream.

9. Align yourself with your own personal values.

Many times people buy into the ideas that "money is bad" or "money is the route of all evil". These thoughts ground into your mind from childhood will keep you from achieving success. In fact, they can cause "fear of success".

Remind yourself and stay aware of wealthy people who are doing good in the world.. To name a few, Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey, Bill and Melinda Gates all have dedicated vast portions of their wealth to philanthropic causes.

10. Live your life on purpose.

Stop thinking about the money and what you need to do in your journey of achieving success. Instead, focus on living your purpose by adding value to everyone around you. Remember to stay in a state of gratitude for all good things drawn your way.

The power of habit is unbelievably effective with changing your mindset towards achieving success.

 With all types of personal development and people to model after. You deserve to have it all. Now be a good time to start your journey towards achieving success? 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7911968

SLAY THE MIND GIANTS TO BRING IN THE SUNLIGHT OF FREEDOM

Everyone wants freedom. Freedom from the outer-world strains of job pressures, relationship difficulties, financial issues or health concerns. Freedom from inner-world feelings of insecurity or oppression. In many people it is a combination of these desires. Whatever the case, whatever the stressors, every soul longs for freedom to experience love-to love and be loved.

Our true nature, the aspect of us that is the beneath the mind and emotions, is free and unencumbered. It is our innate knowledge of this deeper state which informs us a better state is possible. Yet we are conditioned to believe that our mind, not our nature, is telling us the truth.

Herein is the real issue we all face. Our vibrant, free nature is overshadowed by the loud voice of the mind. The mind limits us because it is a filter. It is not a source of love or happiness. That source is deep inside us. If the mind was the source we would not be grasping for more. We would not have thoughts such as, "If I have a relationship I'll be happy", "If I have more money I'll be happy." Thoughts like those point out that freedom is not in the realm of the mind. The mind can only grasp at ideas of freedom. True love and peace are found away from the mind, in the realm of the heart.

Love and Peace have always been within us. We've always been free, yet many people don't recognize this because of the overshadowing mind and its hunting nature. It is kind of funny really; we are searching for what we already have, what we already are. To find what we already have, we must stop searching and recognize it. This is a simple idea, but a challenging task. And before we can recognize our true nature, we must recognize the barriers to that true nature.

There are 2 Giant Barriers that block our experience of freedom.

They drain away precious life force, taking people away from their intimate experience with love and peace. They are habits that dampen aliveness and fuel illusion. They lower your state.

As these barriers are challenged and removed, energy that has been drained by these habits realigns and moves in the direction of raising your state. You begin to experience more freedom and connection with the love and peace inside of you.

#1 Evict Your Victim

Have you ever considered yourself to be a victim of life's circumstances, a victim of others or a victim of your own mind? If so, you are not alone. While most of us don't like to admit it, we all feel a little tortured by life at times. We have moments of feeling like a victim.

Most of us know what it feels like to have no power in a situation. Imagine calling a financial institution or the DMV, only to find yourself dealing with a system that seems designed to frustrate you. How do you handle this inside yourself? Do you feel angry or powerless? That is a common course that we take. Many of us become habituated to this response as the only option. Overtime, we become chronically powerless.

Chronic powerlessness, also called victim-stance, drains a huge amount of our life force. We find ourselves at the effect of life rather than being the one to create our experience of life. We feel that some force outside of ourselves always has the upper hand.

Often, victim-stance becomes ones identity. Victims visit and re-visit self-pity; feeling sorry for themselves, complaining and then gossiping about their 'woe is me' misery. They usually project an element of blame and drama. Victim-stance becomes both a coping mechanism and a communication style. They blame events, situations, others or themselves. In their world, people are often harsh, scary or unfair. Bad guys and good guys, villains and victims inhabit the victim's world.

It's true that we do not have control over situations and other people. What we do have control over is our attitude. If you are experiencing regular bouts of self-pity and blame, know that victim-stance is running your life and that you have surrendered your power. Shift your attitude to begin aligning with your true nature.

It is critical that you stop dwelling on the past. This is the trap that you must escape if you want to regain your power. It doesn't matter where the pattern of victim-stance began. The past is what must be surrendered, not your power. Understand that these two things are at odds with each other. If you dwell on the past, you will not be in your power.

Choose to evict your Victim: Give up these four tendencies

• Your Rules--Give up how people need to be for you to be happy. Allow people to be themselves, honor their uniqueness. Their purpose in life is not to make you happy.


• Blame--Release the past and use your power of choice here and now.


• Justifications--Why you are late, why you didn't do what you said you were going to do. Call a spade a spade! "I was late and I didn't keep my word." When you tell the simple truth you see yourself more clearly and you rest more deeply inside.


• Drama--Stop telling your 'woe is me' story over and over, do something differently.

If you are troubled by something; change it, or change your attitude about it, or choose to suffer. Your power is in the choice you make. Your power is in taking responsibility for your life.

Make a pact with power: "I am responsible for my reality." And then take new action to respond to your life.

This pact doesn't mean you have the ability to control life. Life is what it is and people are what they are. Being responsible - having an ability to respond to your life - means you become a master at choosing your thoughts, attitudes and actions. If you don't master this way of dreaming your life, you won't reach levels of freedom that offer you true happiness and contentment. You will stay stuck in unhappy or unhealthy relationships.

#2 Tame Self-Judgment

The second giant barrier to freedom is self-judgment. It is the taproot of needless suffering. Through self-judgment we fall prey to low self-esteem, shame, guilt, apathy and fear. The habit of self-judgment prevents us from honoring our true value. It separates us from self-respect.

Our culture is based on a system of reward and punishment, and its main training ground puts a value on everything. Our minds have been conditioned to operate in the realm of judgment, opinion and comparisons. When we put a value on ourselves, based on our image of perfection, we automatically engage self-judgment.

Using discernment to make choices as to what works and what doesn't work in our life is important. A constant need to make 'right/wrong', 'good/bad' judgments keeps the mind spinning its wheels. If you want to grow love and freedom inside, taming the judge is a necessary action.

Some people use self-judgment as a heavy hammer to knock themselves down, over and over again. It is one of the greatest obstacles to experiencing ourselves as worthy of love. When the hammer is at work we suffer. We become lost from our compassionate heart.

Our heart views life with compassion, while the mind views life by attempting to make sense of the world. Whether we judge ourselves based on our relationship status, financial condition or appearance, the attitude of judgment is destructive. It separates us off from our love.

One of the most loving things you can do for yourself is to recognize your inherent worth, independent of what you do or don't do. It requires taming the voice in your head that holds an image of perfection. It asks you to shift the mind from evaluating what you think, do, say or have, to valuing yourself for all you are.

Here are some of the familiar thoughts our judge sets up: "If you are good, you are worthy of happiness." "If you have what it takes you will be loveable enough to be chosen." "If you do it right, you will get what you want." These beliefs are nonsense. They are born of an ignorant judge who doesn't know the true reality.

Questions to ask yourself
Do you know you count in your world?

Do you know your life is worth something?

Do you feel worthy of being loved, loving and belonging?

Are you willing to let others see and know you deeply? 

The answers to these questions are colored by our past experience; the process of our domestication influences our answers. Our conditioning has taught us what to believe and what to do in order to feel safe, fit in and feel a sense of belonging in our world. Our experience of worthiness has everything to do with knowing we count.

High self-worth brings self-respect. We are gentle with our self and others. We engage in a life with heart and meaning.

With low self-worth we disrespect our self and put up with that same disrespect from others.

One of the most important understandings is that life is a mirror which reflects to us what we do to our self. Look at this reflection and what it is telling you about how you treat yourself.

When we choose to truly accept our Worthiness - our birthright - we value ourselves for being, rather than evaluate ourselves for what we do, think or have. We count in our world and we follow what gives us heart and meaning.

Instead of Worthiness, do you have a tendency to evaluate yourself with a hammer of: "Something must be wrong with me because I don't have a significant relationship; or a college degree; or enough money" Perhaps you're thinking "I'm not okay because I'm not like him." Or are you wondering, "When will I ever... ?"

If you carry one of these hammers, somewhere along your journey you decided to play the game. And all the other judges in the world are playing it with you to reinforce the program. Judgment arises in varying degrees in most everyone's mind. It is the nature of a mind, based in fear, to judge.

If you have a Judge taking up space in your mind and insisting on evaluating everything - including you - stop believing its nasty banter. It is the biggest thief of your life force and it separates you from experiencing the love that you are. When the judge no longer hooks your attention, you will experience how inherently valuable and worthy of love and respect you are.

Valuing yourself for being, rather than evaluating yourself for doing or having, is one of the surest ways to keep your life-force strong and burning brightly.

Tools:

Witness & Stop Believing

Begin a practice to witness the self-judgment voice that insists on evaluating you and your life. Give this force a name so that you can recognize its personal presence. When you catch it in action, make a choice to call this force a liar. With consistent practice you will develop the strength to no longer believe its made-up values. This is a tool that will create major transformation in your life.

Forgive Yourself Moment to Moment

As you learn a new way of valuing you-by not believing your Judge-you may notice that this voice still hooks your attention on occasion. If so, when you recognize it, immediately forgive yourself for judging yourself. To forgive yourself for judging yourself will shift you to You valuing You!

It Is What It Is!

Erase black and white judgmental thinking as it separates you off from the beauty and inclusion of all life.

Banish the words:

GOOD ~ BAD ~ RIGHT ~ WRONG

Replace those four black-and-white words with:

IT IS WHAT IT IS!

Instead of coming from judgment-which limits how you see the world-this statement arises from observation. Observation opens your vision to possibilities, and allows you to choose how to respond to what you see. This is a great mantra to hang in your environment to disarm the Judge.

When you put these tools into action, your tendencies toward hiding, shame, guilt and isolation will shift to greater self-respect.

Your State is the Great Magnet that creates your experience of life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7888882

HOW TO BREAK FEARS IN LIFE

"FEAR" is perceived as one of the most powerful negative emotions, but in fact is a very important and survival based emotion - if understood deeply. Fear seems to be/ and is taught as one of the biggest barrier towards 'Peak Performance'.

It is very important for one to understand the origin of FEAR. As in my workshop I say "Everything that one does is to get pleasure or to avoid pain. In short we are governed by these two primary forces - desire to get pleasure and the need to avoid pain". 'Avoiding pain' however is a much stronger force than the desire to experience pleasure as it's a 'survival' force - it's the primitive embedded reaction of fight or flight to avoid pain.

We have so many cases of people hurting others in a 'self-defense' mode once they perceive a threatening situation which could give them pain - the brain does everything to avoid pain even if it means to hurt the other person.

Now, if you have understood this basic nature, it's time to mull over the emotion - FEAR. People say FEAR is imaginary, I would say 'it's real' as an individual is facing it and experiencing it at that time. But the question is - why is the mind imagining it? If I make a statement - "FEAR is an emotion that surfaces up, if the mind anticipates PAIN" would you agree? Think about it. Only if the mind anticipates Pain it gives FEAR - warning you and probably not allowing you to initiate something that would have caused pain in the past!!!! E.g. Let's say, you got burnt with Fire when you were a kid (past), your friends ask you to play with candle flame now, the mind related to the PAST and anticipates (future) injury!!! So, the FEAR is in the 'NOW' but is using the past and anticipating the FUTURE to distort the PRESENT moment. However complicated this might seem now, it important to understand this. Some FEARS are necessary and good - like example of Fire, you bet you don't want to work on this FEAR to play with FIRE!!! Until and unless it's necessary for your growth or you intend to join the FIRE BRIGADE!!!!

Similarly, our past failures and painful memories would be utilized by our mind to anticipate the same and induce a FEAR, this at times might block our potentials and reduce our risk taking ability.

FEAR can be handled in different ways:

1. First list down all the reasons, why would you want to face the Fear- let the list reflect the benefits that you would reap if you face this fear. It could be Fear of 'Expressing'!!! List the possible benefits of expressing - how would it change your Life, what benefits would you get etc. This would give you the energy and bring in strong purpose to take action and take calculated risks. Envisioning the outcome will push you to take Action!!!

2. Evaluate the possible dangers and list it down - this helps us take calculated risks. Use techniques like NLP/ Visualization/Individual Coaching/Self Hypnosis to make the benefits bigger than the problem.

3. Strategy - When you face the FEAR ensure that you have a proper strategy in place. You need to be sure of an existing strategy to break the fear!!! Motivation alone without a strategy may not work. Even though there is no guarantee of success, following these steps increases the probability of succeeding. Make sure you have technique/strategy to handle the challenge!

4. Sometimes the FEAR could be intense and could come from childhood unconscious patterns. These are normally deeply embedded in the subconscious and might require therapeutic intervention. People live with these fears and fail to take support of powerful therapeutic tools like Hypnotherapy, NLP etc to break these Fears. Tools like these definitely work on the subconscious mind to overcome these patterns which help us accelerate our growth in all areas of Life. People are reluctant to ask for help, but if you want 'Accelerated' growth in Life, learn to ask and there are infinite solutions available including online coaching, hypnotherapy,and healing.

Even a 'Baby Step' is 'Progress' until and unless it's in the right direction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7889756

The 3 Keys - How To Master Positive Thinking and Wisdom

As a Wisdom Coach and Integral Philosopher, I deliver extremely powerful teachings about what wisdom is, and what positive thinking is. Here, I address the first three keys to an absolutely all-out, very simple arising of positive thinking. It's probably a lot easier to achieve than you thought it was.

In order to absolutely master positive thinking we have to first know what positive thinking actually is. So here's the first key. What is positive thinking?

1. What is Positive Thinking? Positive Thinking is truth-based thinking. It is truth and reality based thinking.

If someone says that they are "useless at everything", the reason that this is negative thinking is because it is not true.

If they actually literally were useless at everything, they would simply accept the fact and they would be working from a position of truth and reality. The reason we get upset is because we know it isn't true. We know we aren't showing all of our true selves and strengths.

Fear-motivated "Positivity"

What people call "positive thinking" is often rose-coloured glasses thinking, and more interesting is why one would be motivated to see things unclearly, even if seemingly overly positively.

Let's use an extreme example.

If we think that the view that we can't lift a ten tonne truck, or run 100 metres in a second, is negative thinking, then we have a distorted view of what positive thinking is, but why do we?

The resistance people have to seeing the truth and reality of a situation the way it actually is usually belies an underlying negative thought of their own; what is it that is so inherently not okay with my life that I have to take an overly - unrealistically - optimistic approach to things? What is driving the desperate need for unrealistic over-optimism... ?

The thing that's needed here is healing. But no-one thinks it's positive to admit that. If they do they can turn a strength into a weakness, a lie into a truth, a negative thought into a positive thought.

If something is a certain way, can you be okay with that in your sense of self? If so, that is a strength. If not, the idea that, inevitably, only so much can be achieved in a certain day, for example, might be met with resistance - resistance which masquerades as trying to be positive.

Positive thought never needs forcing - because it is truth based - it just gets uncovered! (big smile!)

2. Positive Thinking via The Overarching Truth of Wisdom. The truth of who you ultimately are is not to be found in objects, physical or otherwise.

So if positive thinking is truth-based thinking, and aligning ourselves clearly with truth and reality is the key to the positive thinking strength, then if there happens to be one truth which over-arches all others, then surely this truth requires some serious attention?

And there is.

The wisdom truth is that we are not our person-hood selves. Not ultimately. This is based on a piece of simple, pure logic; that of the relationship between Subject and Object. I'll explain;

A Subject is defined as "that which is aware of an object". So, for example, I'm aware of this chair, this keyboard, of my thoughts about finishing this article in time to go down the gym...

... so I'm AWARE OF all these things, physical or otherwise, therefore I'm NOT these things themselves! If I was, I'd still have to answer the question - "If I'm that thing, who or what is that part of me which is aware of that thing?!".

But people live in ignorance of this all the time, all the time trying to find themselves, find their sense of self, find their peace of mind in terms of self-acceptance in things.

Of course, this leads to trying to build a sense of self on shifting sands.

We give our power away to the things which we think define us ultimately, and this is essentially what is known as ego. We grasp for things, rather than attract and sensibly pursue them.

This ego a false-self, it's not based on the actual underlying truth or reality of the situation, therefore it's the source of almost all of the other negative thinking which follows:-

"I won't be a worthy person until... ", "I'm lost without you... ", "If I can just do or get this I'll be able to be really great after that... ".

The key to wisdom, and so the second key to positive thinking also, is to realise you are not your thoughts. You are not your emotions, your craven needs or your desires, even your healthy desires. You can take a perspective on all these things, so that the notion of them doesn't control you or make your actions towards them disjointed.

3. You are Where You Are. To beat yourself up for thinking negatively, or not so truthfully, is more of the same choice of negativity.

Answer?: So in a sense, just chill.

Wisdom is the very epitome of 'cool', because one is not self-consciously worried about one's sense of self - or even worried about one's performance at positive thinking - so it becomes a freedom which, paradoxically, gains great results.

If you find yourself thinking negatively, or not ready to admit your true power and resourcefulness to yourself, or if you don't feel confident about something, just accept and honour the fact. Don't judge yourself. Judgementalism  is the expression of ego and false-self thinking. Self-judgementalism is negative thinking.

And if you happen to keep judging yourself, that's okay too, just accept yourself for that. You can know that you're aware of the power and confidence in you, and that it'll show up when it's ready.

By doing this, by taking this approach, we can actually thinking positively ALL OF THE TIME and from NOW, because we are willing to see the truth of things as best we can, even the truth that sometimes we can't.

We aren't needing to resist the reality of the current situation, so this is positive thinking. It becomes a flow that can be allowed - as best you can - in every moment.

The phenomenon of positive thinking or negative thinking is played out moment to moment. In any moment, we are either allowing ourselves as we are, or we are not.

So you can think positively all the time, whatever level you are currently at. If you find your ego being negatively self-judging or limiting - just accept that that moment happened. That was okay! After all, if a thought arises, as soon as it's happened you cannot change the fact! So positive thinking is all yours now! You cannot fail to do as best you can at it!

Kind regards and best wishes for your positive thinking and wisdom,

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7925353

The Transforming Power of a Sixty Second Gratitude Spiral

Ever found yourself desperate to fall asleep, but all the bad stuff from your day keeps going round and round in your head?

Want to find an 'off-switch' for all that, which has the added bonus of helping you to create an abundant life that you love?

Then the Bedtime Gratitude Spiral could be just what you're looking for.

Sometimes in life, especially when we're stressed, it can be difficult to fall asleep. It's as though the worries of daily life just keep going round and round in your head.

We tend to fight those thoughts, wishing they would go away and resisting them with all our might. But that doesn't work - instead it feeds those thoughts and keeps them at the centre of your attention.

So what can you do?

Here is a simple technique that costs nothing, but can help you switch your Monkey Mind's radio station to a more upbeat frequency - as well as helping you to create the life you have been dreaming of.

Bedtime Gratitude Spiral

The last thing we're thinking about at bedtime - and the last emotion we're feeling - can have a major impact on the quality of our sleep and even our dreams. It's as though those final pre-sleep thoughts give our mind the unconscious message about what we want to focus on for the next few hours. It then tends to send us dreams that match the emotions we were feeling as we fell asleep - and we're also likely to wake up with those feelings, too.

So it makes sense that mindfully creating a happy mood as we fall asleep can make a big difference. And it's easier than you might think.

One of the simplest ways to achieve that is to think about things you're grateful for. It's amazing how quickly a couple of things you feel thankful for can grow - triggering other things you feel grateful for and creating an ever-growing spiral.

Note: It's not about pretending that everything is OK, when life is feeling tough. It's not about "rejecting" any worries or negative thoughts you're having. It is about mindfully allowing happier thoughts to creep in and have centre stage for a while.

1. As you relax in bed, think about something that you feel grateful for. This might be people, experiences, opportunities, weather - it's up to you!
2. Once you have identified something specific, allow yourself to gently rest in the feeling - the emotion - of feeling grateful.
3. Really dive back into the experience that you're remembering - seeing what you would see, hearing what you would hear, feeling the physical sensations you would feel.
4. Allow the intensity of your gratitude to ramp up, perhaps imagining you are turning a dial to increase it.
5. Then think of something else you feel grateful for and repeat the process. You'll notice that the more things you think of, the more things you can think of to think of!
6. Keep finding more and more things you feel grateful for until you feel the shift in your mood or - most likely - fall asleep. zzzzzzzz...

Once you're used to doing this, to help cement the new habit, reminding yourself to do it each night, pick something you do shortly before going to sleep to act as a trigger. For example, if you read a book before falling asleep, you might like to choose the act of closing the book and putting it down, to remind you, or maybe it's turning off your bedroom light, or putting your head on the pillow.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clare_Josa

5 Ways To Build Long Term Wealth

Many people seek long-term wealth. The challenge is that although yo know what you want, you may lack the knowledge and skills to put a plan in place and begin to work towards fulfilling your dreams. To create long-term wealth and live in abundance is within your reach and the most important thing to do is take action. Start somewhere! Implementing just one or two of the following tips can set you on your course to long-lasting wealth

Tip #1: Kill the Debt

No matter what economic level you are at, it is time to work on debt elimination. This may mean that you may have to cut down on some things so that you can afford to sustain yourself while paying back the debt you have. On the other hand, stop accumulating any new debt. This is even more important when you are being charged an interest on the debt.

Also, pay all the credit card debt quickly to avoid the very high interest rates that you may be charged. Paying off and avoiding debt will not only increase your chances of building long-term wealth, it will also help give you peace of mind, especially if some of that debt was owed to friends.

Tip #2: Invest Smartly

It is always advisable to invest your money in different portfolios. This has to be carefully thought and planned out. Depending on how much you earn, it may be advisable to start investing in areas such as the stock market and real estate. You can also invest in other money markets such as mutual funds or treasury bills.

Spread your investments in such a way that there are some investments which are more liquid than others. For example, it may take a day to sell stocks but may take longer to sell land. If you put up all your finances on land, you may get disappointed when a better opportunity comes by and you can't sell the land quick enough to get the cash to invest in the new opportunity. The assets which are less liquid will help you keep yourself in check.

This is because you will know that you have an investment somewhere but don't have immediate access to the cash. You will then motivate yourself to work harder to make some more so that you don't touch this investment. Do not also forget to invest in your retirement.

Tip #3: Start Your Own Business

It is not easy to start a business but it is worth a shot. This also needs to have a careful, well-thought out plan to make sure you start something you can sustain. The fact is that mostly when you are employed, you may make the company billions but only get paid a small fraction of it.

On the other hand, if are the owner of a business, you can reward yourself in proportion to what your business earns. Since the failure rate of new businesses is quite high, make sure you have all the necessary skills to run your business profitably. After some time, you can also sell your business off for a huge amount and start another one. The fact that you were already successful in business once may make it easier for you to be successful in your other business.

Tip #4: Think Long Term

When you compare the poor and the rich, there are certain common traits that you are likely to discover. One of them is the fact that the poor think short-term and day-to-day while the rich think-long term. For you to be wealthy in the long-term, you have to align your mind to that. This kind of thinking will always push you to work hard to meet your goals.

Tip #5: Be Smart With Your Money

No matter how much you earn, it is important to always take time to plan it out before spending. Do not be quick to spend your cash without planning carefully. This will help you to make smarter decisions and be able to remain wealthy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Myrna_F_Kirk

SETTING GOALS

Setting goals is much more than simply compiling a 'to do' list. Whether for personal or business reasons the method for achieving your goals, if followed correctly, is extremely effective.

It all starts with a dream

A goal is about fulfilling a dream. Using our wonderful human imagination we can envisage what we want as opposed to what we have. It might be a new home, a better car, giving someone you care for the option of not working, being fitter or slimmer or improving a relationship.

It is important not to restrict the scope of your dreams. If you can imagine it, you can achieve it!

Clarity is everything

It isn't enough to simply think in terms of the new home or the new car. You must sit down and write out not just the things you desire but a very detailed description of them. For example if a smart new car is your goal then describe it in terms of make, model, external colour, internal trim, engine type and size and any extras or modifications.

It is also vital that you set a definite date for achieving your goals and the reason for this brings us to the most interesting aspect of setting goals.

The power of the subconscious

You have a conscious mind, a subconscious mind and an unconscious mind. We are concerned today with the extraordinary relationship between the conscious and subconscious mind.

Have you ever found yourself trying to remember the name of someone famous or some other fact that you know you should be able to bring to the front of your mind instantly? Of course you have. Frustrated you dismiss the whole exercise and yet some time later the answer springs into your consciousness and you announce it to the world triumphantly.

What has happened is that your subconscious mind has been sifting through the billions of pieces of information that it has stored, found the relevant facts and pushed them into your consciousness

Tapping into the power of the subconscious mind

What if you programmed your subconscious mind with your goals in such a way that your brain accepts them as not merely vague desires but as a set of instructions to act upon within your time frame. In other words your subconscious will begin to provide your conscious brain with the information you need to actually achieve your goals.

This programming is accomplished by reading your goals every day. Do you now appreciate why they must be written and in great detail.

Self image

Your self image must not get in the way of setting goals. Your self image is your version of you and it starts to form from the day you enter this world. Your surroundings and the people you meet every day are instrumental in forming the person that you believe yourself to be.

If enough people tell you often enough that you can't sing then you begin to accept it as a fact even though there may be no reason why you couldn't sing. Not being able to sing becomes part of your self image. Unfortunately these self fulfilling prophecies can become so extensive that they can have a very negative effect on many aspects of you life.

You can change your self image

There is every chance that you believe that you cannot achieve many or all of your goals because your self image is telling you that they are simply not achievable by someone like you. The process that I have described above is not just programming for success but re-programming your subconscious to generate a new self image.

In truth there is nothing that the average person cannot achieve. Setting goals gives your life focus and meaning, achieving them will give a massive boost to your confidence and happiness.

Don't let anyone steal your dreams.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lawrence_Stainbank

RELEASE YOUR DREAMS

A dream without a dreamer is like a bird without wings to fly. While this may sound backwards to some, the reality is that dreams exist in an ever-growing number within the deepest realms of our hearts and souls. It is up to the dreamer to release these dreams into reality by taking a leap of faith to bring them to life. Our dreams rely on us, just as much as we rely on them. Without our dreams we exist within a hollow existence and without the dreamer, our dreams will never take flight. So how can we release our dreams into the world of reality?

In order for you to successfully tap into the true potential of your dreams, you will have to learn to explore your own existence. To look deep within yourself, in order to find your purpose and reason for being. What are your passions? What are your desires? What do you enjoy doing in life? What talents come natural to you? What do you have to work harder on to achieve? What do you want to share? Who do you want to influence? What mark do you want to make on this world? The answer to these questions and more will take deep introspection, which may either alter or compliment your current path in life.

It takes a lot of strength and determination to accept what you will find out about yourself. Some things may be expected, but others may shock you or even disappoint you at first. The sooner you accept what you have discovered about yourself, the sooner you will be able to sculpt yourself into the type of dream catcher you want to be. Oh, but the challenge doesn't stop there.

Once you have zeroed in on your purpose and can see your dreams within reaching distance, you must learn how to shape and master those dreams into a finely tuned instrument. It will not only take hard work, but sacrifices will have to be made in order for a dreamer to transform their dreams into reality. This hard work and sacrifice can cause some dreamers to lose hope, in the beginning, but later become the fuel that transforms their spirit into a dream catcher themselves. As their dreams develop all around them, it will be their introspection and preparation which will make their dreams become the reality that they are currently living. It is then that they have learned to release their dreams from the realm of impossibilities to the realm of possibilities.

Dreams exist whether we chose to acknowledge them or not. Without dreamers to release those dreams, those dreams will never have a chance to cross over into the realm of reality. It will be those who dare to reach within themselves and invest the hard work necessary to transform their dreams into a newly regenerated life, that will have the potential for a greater enlightenment of being and a happier life overall.  Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7929268

YOU ARE UNSTOPPABLE!! - 5 WAYS TO GET THINGS DONE NOW

Or at least get them started with the speed of light!

A little shift in your mind could create miracles. And the first step to create that shift is to sow the seeds of belief in your mind that you CAN create miracles. And once you realize that you are a channel through which success, wealth, prosperity and love flows; you get things done. Things that matter. Things that need to be done for you to reach your greatest success. So once you master the art of getting things done, you are unstoppable!

Here are 5 practices that have helped me create a shift in my thinking and empowered me to accomplish things that matter to me.

1. Be Proactive: Step out of your comfort zone!

I had been listening to this one since high school. But the one true way, to test the massive power of pro-activity, is to practice it.

What do you mean by being proactive?

Being proactive truly means to step out of your comfort zone. If there's one thing that's holding you back from your ultimate potential, it is your comfort zone.

Proactive people are achievers. They do not care what the weather is like. They get things done at the same pace on a cold rainy day as they would on a warm sunny day. They don't give power to their moods. They stay focused and they do whatever it takes to stay motivated. Proactive people do not rule out possibilities by doubting them. Proactive people take bold risks and they leverage the hours that average people waste away.

Being proactive is the quality where you finally step out of your comfort zone.

But here's the catch: Your comfort zone may not always be so comforting. Many of us are better off trying something or getting something done if there is an emotion of fear, frustration or anger prevailing our minds. We are comfortable to not do something that matters, when we think - 'what if I fail?' Or 'what if my application is rejected?' Or 'what will they think if I quit my grad school?' Or 'the system is such a waste! No way can I get this done!'

You see, all these thought patterns keep us from achieving our small day to day goals. And hence we sabotage the huge success in the bigger picture.

So I encourage you to stop being that way, if you are. Be Proactive. Be goal centered. Stop being emotion driven. Stop being environment and society driven. Because when you do, you will certainly be the best of you.

2. Stop using your willpower.

It may sound a little controversial when you hear this concept. But the word "willpower" holds with itself, a thought of resistance.

Think about this. Whenever we have been in a state of procrastination, we have often heard the phrase "USE YOUR WILLPOWER". So much so, that our subconscious has related the term will power to the emotion of struggle.

When I first learned about this, I had a huge paradigm shift.

Our subconscious mind doesn't know reasoning. It relates to thoughts and thought patterns. And every time I have been asked to use my willpower, I have a related thought pattern of resistance. Be it a resistance against the environment, a resistance against my own negativity or something else. But it's always been resistance.

You see, the seeds of creativity and pro-activity cannot be sowed in the soil of resistance. Resistance only builds thought patterns around the feelings of struggle. And you are doomed to those thoughts of struggle.

To get things done, you must impress upon your sub conscious a feeling of unlimited possibilities, support and love. This is when you unleash your true potential and then, none of your negative emotions will drive you. Because with love, hope and faith, you suck the soul and power out of every negative element that may be surrounding you.

So abandon the thought of willpower. And believe in your POWER.

3. Remember this: Every single moment of your life, you are making a choice!

The very thought of this gives ME the power. And not to my thoughts.

Most of the times, our mind is crowded by millions of thoughts. But the moment you truly realize that you are making a choice of choosing those thoughts (consciously or unconsciously), it empowers you.

Don't try to control the thoughts. Just plant the seeds of this most empowering thought in your mind: YOU ARE MAKING A CHOICE RIGHT NOW. AND RIGHT NOW. AND RIGHT NOW. AND RIGHT NOW..; and in the wise words of Napoleon hill, practice the concept of autosuggestion and let this father of all thoughts penetrate to your subconscious.

You will unfold a treasure within you. You will develop a clarity of thought. No situation will seem out of your control. Because you have a choice. A choice to give power to this situation or not. A choice to give power to a certain emotion or not. A choice to let something or someone disturb your peace of mind or not.

And this, my dear friend, is your key to achieving the proactive self within you.

I love power. Don't you? So know that you have a choice to make at every moment (especially when you're idle - because that's when random thoughts start pouring in and flood your mind). Make smart and wise choices that will give out powerful vibrations of love and abundance. And you will never worry about getting things done because you will choose to get them done!

4. Concentrate your energy

You have a circle of concern and a circle of influence. I love this concept framed by Stephen Covey.

Quiet often we give away extra energy to things that are outside our control. This is very critical to note. Because again, giving energy to, and building thought patterns around something that is not in our hands, drains our enthusiasm and imparts negativity.

According to Mr. Covey, each one of us have:

• A circle of concern: This includes people, situations and circumstances that concern us. Anything outside this is not of our concern. For instance, my application of a business license is within my circle of concern. A person sitting by the beach, sipping a margarita is not within my circle of concern.


• A circle of influence: This includes people, situations and circumstances that are within my circle of concern and have my influence. This means I can change them. My choice to apply for a business license is within my circle of influence. But getting it approved is not.

The truth is, most of us spend our energies worrying about circumstances and people who are within our circle of concern but outside of our circle of influence.

From what I have observed, giving energy to things that we can't control imparts feelings of worry and uncertainty.

But the good news is: By positive thought patterns and taking action at the right time (and not worrying about them), we can expand our circle of influence. All we need to know is that our persistence backed by true faith is the key to turn any situation or task in our favor.

So when you start focusing your energy and concentrate it on the right things, you will be unstoppable!

5. Clear out the clutter

This works. This really works.

I have personally observed that clearing out clutter and living in a clean environment imparts a feeling of tranquility. Look at a hotel room (a good one, of 'course). They are clean, well maintained and free of clutter. How do you feel when you enter one?

A clean, minimalist physical environment gives you a peace of mind as it soothes your eyes and makes you feel calmer. This is when you start thinking from the shoes of a true achiever within you. The positive thoughts and emotions get an easy access to your mind. No matter how hard your day might have been, coming back to your office or home fills you up with vast positivism and you are all set to relax and hit the stage again.

So believe me - before getting started to get anything done, try cleaning out the clutter. You'll see the difference for yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7916714

The 7 Simple Personal Development and Self Improvement Questions to Ask Yourself !

Sometimes, despite the fact that there are usually some real life issues to think about and to discuss, I quite often feel rather contented with my life. Having said that I also find myself aspiring to be more and to do more.

So, it made me wonder, "am I the only person who feels like this?" Probably not, I thought. So how DO you find out what it is you TRULY want. After examining many of my personal development and self improvement materials, I came up with a list of 7 questions to ask yourself when considering what path you should take along the way to becoming the best that we can be.

... and here they are... I hope you get as much benefit from them as I have.

1. What Do I REALLY, REALLY Want?

I dare say there are many things you want to do with your life, and like most people you find yourself with so little time during the day to even consider self improvement.
So, you really need to think about this one, as this is the key to persisting along the path you choose, and make it a BIG goal. You may as well, as it takes the same amount of effort to dream big as it does small. So REALLY MAKE IT BIG.

2. How Can I Really Make the Change?

Asking yourself this question really gets the mind working overtime. In most cases( if not all )the answer to this will be a resounding YES! Of course you can make the change, it doesn't matter how old or how young you are, Whether you are considered rich or poor. Anybody can change it is NEVER too late. So keep asking this question.

3. What is My Motivating Factor?

What is YOUR motivating factor? It's an answer you have to find for yourself. But you WILL have one. The thing that keeps me motivated and focused is my family, I want the best for them. Once you find your motivating factor you can become unstoppable. Part of the personal development and self improvement process is to discover what will motivate you, in order for you to keep going through the many tough times you will surely encounter along the way.

4. What Really Makes You Tick?

You can be just about anything you want to be, but you have to believe you can do it. If you begin to think that the goals you have set yourself are too difficult to attain, then you maybe giving up before you even start. Always remember, that self-improvement is not just about the personal development and physical or philosophical change you have to undergo, but it also has to be something that you really and truly desire to happen.

5. Have I Done Enough for Myself?

Have you, or is there something more you want to do? There probably is, but beware of discontentment. In order to achieve what you want, you must be grateful for what you already have. The Law of Attraction states that you attract what you think and focus on, so focusing on the things you are not happy with (discontentment) will only bring you more of the same. So focus ONLY on what you want and be grateful for what you have now!

6. Am I Operating Outside of my Comfort Zone?

Achieving what you desire usually means changing what you are doing. Einstein said "Doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity".

Nobody has ever said that changing your life and results would ever be easy, you will probably need to find something that will take you out of your comfort zone, this is the ONLY way to make the change of direction you are looking for. The personal development and self improvement route is littered with people who were unwilling or unable to challenge themselves sufficiently. So this is were you need to go back to point No 1 and make sure your goals are big enough to scare you then do it scared!

7. How Much Could I REALLY Have?

I suppose in this case there is no such thing as having too much or too little, it's more about how badly you need it. So exactly how much are YOU willing to work for it?

That's it, start your personal development and self improvement journey THE RIGHT WAY, by asking yourself the 7 questions above and you will start with a BANG!  http://Ezinearticles.com/7929506

HELPING WOMEN SUCCEED

Helping Women Succeed in Business... and in Life!

Empowering Women magazine is a specialized and focused national publication designed to inform, motivate and inspire individuals who are interested in supplementing their income and empowering their lives.

Each issue of Empowering Women spotlights a direct selling or party plan company. Readers are given an in-depth look into the featured company and how it creates opportunities for women to achieve success in life and in business. Every issue is packed with engaging articles designed to educate women on how to obtain success in their professional, financial and personal lives.

Content includes a variety of articles, some written byindustry experts (best-selling authors, motivational speakers and business leaders).

Empowering Women is distributed nationally on premier newsstands and in prominent bookstores. Pick up a copy today at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Staples, B. Dalton, Hastings and Books-A-Million and discover why business is booming in the direct selling industry  http://www.empoweringwomen.com/index.php

NEGATIVE THINKING

Habitual Negative Thinking: A Cause of Sickness

 Published on Wednesday, 24 April 2013 18:38

Commonly used thinking, known as habitual thinking, might cause an imbalance in an organism, if this habitual thinking is pessimistic or fearful. As a result, your body will produce more “bad hormones”, which will drive the organism out of balance, to the state of imbalance, or simply – disease. This is the simplest way to explain the correlation between thinking and health.

Thoughts that run through your mind will create chemical reactions in the body, and you will literally feel your thoughts. The process of human thinking is not just an intellectual process -- it is a chemical process, as well. By thinking, you create a body environment full of different chemicals, and your self-regulating system needs to take care of all these changes, just to keep your whole body in balance. This is not an easy job!

By thinking, you create your brain’s environment, and this environment will change brain activity. The brain is influenced by each of your thoughts. If you have the same thoughts for prolonged periods of time, you can change how your brain works, not just for a day or month, but possibly for the rest of your life. You have a choice to create your body’s environment according to your habitual thinking.

Whenever you think about very strong emotions, e.g. disturbing memories from your past, you are actually bringing these memories to life as though it is the same moment when you first started thinking about them. It does not matter if your strong memories are within you for a day or years, the physiological reaction will be the same. Your attention will bring the emotions back to life and seemingly current reality.  You will be in the same emotional state right now, as many years ago.

Do you know why? Because the subconscious mind experiences it in the present, you will react as though you are in the midst of the situation. In terms of emotions, the human brain cannot tell the difference between reality and visualisation or imagination!

Neuroscience explains that you form neurological structures by giving constant awareness to a particular way of thinking. Every word, thought, feeling or emotion will make new synapse -- the junction between brain cells in the brain -- and you are changed forever. You have changed your neurological environment by making more and more synapses. Brain cells are restructured by your life experience on an everyday basis.

The brain is changing, making you an unique individual. You are that kind of person because of the brain’s neurological settings. Never forget: you are YOU not just because of your parent’s genes, but also because of your peers, friends, family and your culture, that “contributed” to who you really are today. They shaped your brain’s neurological map, over the many years of your life, especially the first six years of your childhood.

Pay attention to your habitual thinking; it will shape your destiny. Choose your whole environment carefully, as much as you can. It will determine many things in your life.

Learn to think positively about yourself. The most important opinion about yourself comes from you because you shape your brain by thinking.

http://www.personal-development.com/yasha/habitual-negative-thinking.htm

COURAGEOUS LIVING

What Is Courage?

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.
- Ambrose Redmoon

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.
- Mark Twain

Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.
- John Wayne

I like the definitions of courage above, which all suggest that courage is the ability to get yourself to take action in spite of fear. The word courage derives from the Latin cor, which means "heart." But true courage is more a matter of intellect than of feeling. It requires using the uniquely human part of your brain (the neocortex) to wrest control away from the emotional limbic brain you share in common with other mammals. Your limbic brain signals danger, but your neocortex reasons that the danger isn't real, so you simply feel the fear and take action anyway. The more you learn to act in spite of fear, the more human you become. The more you follow the fear, the more you live like a lower mammal. So the question, "Are you a man or a mouse?" is consistent with human neurology.

Courageous people are still afraid, but they don't let the fear paralyze them. People who lack courage will give into fear more often than not, which actually has the long-term effect of strengthening the fear. When you avoid facing a fear and then feel relieved that you escaped it, this acts as a psychological reward that reinforces the mouse-like avoidance behavior, making you even more likely to avoid facing the fear in the future. So the more you avoid asking someone out on a date, the more paralyzed you'll feel about taking such actions in the future. You are literally conditioning yourself to become more timid and mouse-like.

Such avoidance behavior causes stagnation in the long run. As you get older, you reinforce your fear reactions to the point where it's hard to even imagine yourself standing up to your fears. You begin taking your fears for granted; they become real to you. You cocoon yourself into a life that insulates you from all these fears: a stable but unhappy marriage, a job that doesn't require you to take risks, an income that keeps you comfortable. Then you rationalize your behavior: You have a family to support and can't take risks, you're too old to shift careers, you can't lose weight because you have "fat" genes. Five years... ten years... twenty years pass, and you realize that your life hasn't changed all that much. You've settled down. All that's really left now is to live out the remainder of your years as contently as possible and then settle yourself into the ground, where you'll finally achieve total safety and security.

But there's something else going on behind the scenes, isn't there? That tiny voice in the back of your mind recalls that this isn't the kind of life you wanted to live. It wants more, much more. It wants you to become far wealthier, to have an outstanding relationship, to get your body in peak physical condition, to learn new skills, to travel the world, to have lots of wonderful friends, to help people in need, to make a meaningful difference. That voice tells you that settling into a job where you sell widgets the rest of your life just won't cut it. That voice frowns at you when you catch a glance of your oversized belly in the mirror or get winded going up a flight of stairs. It beams disappointment when it sees what's become of your family. It tells you that the reason you have trouble motivating yourself is that you aren't doing what you really ought to be doing with your life... because you're afraid. And if you refuse to listen, it will always be there, nagging you about your mediocre results until you die, full of regrets for what might have been.

So how do you respond to this ornery voice that won't shut up? What do you do when confronted by that gut feeling that something just isn't right in your life? What's your favorite way to silence it? Maybe drown it out by watching TV, listening to the radio, working long hours at an unfulfilling job, or consuming alcohol and caffeine and sugar.

But whenever you do this, you lower your level of consciousness. You sink closer towards an instinctive animal and move away from becoming a fully conscious human being. You react to life instead of proactively going after your goals. You fall into a state of learned helplessness, where you begin to believe that your goals are no longer possible or practical for you. You become more and more like a mouse, even trying to convince yourself that life as a mouse might not be so bad after all, since everyone around you seems to be OK with it. You surround yourself with your fellow mice, and on the rare occasions that you encounter a fully conscious human being, it scares the hell out of you to remember how much of your own courage has been lost.http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles/courage-to-live-consciously.htm

COURAGE TO LIVE YOU LIFE

The Courage to Live Consciously

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature,
nor do the children of men as a whole experience it.
Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.
Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits
in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.- Helen Keller

In our day-to-day lives, the virtue of courage doesn't receive much attention. Courage is a quality reserved for soldiers, firefighters, and activists. Security is what matters most today. Perhaps you were taught to avoid being too bold or too brave. It's too dangerous. Don't take unnecessary risks. Don't draw attention to yourself in public. Follow family traditions. Don't talk to strangers. Keep an eye out for suspicious people. Stay safe.

But a side effect of overemphasizing the importance of personal security in your life is that it can cause you to live reactively. Instead of setting your own goals, making plans to achieve them, and going after them with gusto, you play it safe. Keep working at the stable job, even though it doesn't fulfill you. Remain in the unsatisfying relationship, even though you feel dead inside compared to the passion you once had. Who are you to think that you can buck the system? Accept your lot in life, and make the best of it. Go with the flow, and don't rock the boat. Your only hope is that the currents of life will pull you in a favorable direction.

No doubt there exist real dangers in life you must avoid. But there's a huge gulf between recklessness and courage. I'm not referring to the heroic courage required to risk your life to save someone from a burning building. By courage I mean the ability to face down those imaginary fears and reclaim the far more powerful life that you've denied yourself. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of going broke. Fear of being alone. Fear of humiliation. Fear of public speaking. Fear of being ostracized by family and friends. Fear of physical discomfort. Fear of regret. Fear of success.

How many of these fears are holding you back? How would you live if you had no fear at all? You'd still have your intelligence and common sense to safely navigate around any real dangers, but without feeling the emotion of fear, would you be more willing to take risks, especially when the worst case wouldn't actually hurt you at all? Would you speak up more often, talk to more strangers, ask for more sales, dive headlong into those ambitious projects you've been dreaming about? What if you even learned to enjoy the things you currently fear? What kind of difference would that make in your life?

Have you previously convinced yourself that you aren't really afraid of anything... that there are always good and logical reasons why you don't do certain things? It would be rude to introduce yourself to a stranger. You shouldn't attempt public speaking because you don't have anything to say. Asking for a raise would be improper because you're supposed to wait until the next formal review. They're just rationalizations though - think about how your life would change if you could confidently and courageously do these things with no fear at all.http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles/courage-to-live-consciously.htm