Brain-Compatible Goal Setting - How and Why Goals Drive Motivation

Brain-Compatible Goal Setting - How and Why Goals Drive Motivation

By Brian Walsh

Tip! Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is important to write down your goals, since that action imprints them on your brain. Before writing your goals, identify what price you are willing to pay to achieve them. These may be material, emotional, or spiritual. At some point, expose your barriers and excuses; write them on a separate piece of paper. This list is not meant to be dwelled on; it is meant merely as acknowledgement - celebrate as you conquer each barrier or excuse.

Tip! Talk to get motivated. One of my favorite ways to create energy and motivation is to talk.

If you are finding it difficult to decide on what you want, you could consider what author Michael Losier advised in his book, The Law of Attraction.
He teaches a process of listing what you don't want as a prelude to making your definitive list of what you do want. Mark Victor Hansen co-author of Chicken Soup for The Soul said, "Once focused on the positive, you act as a magnet, to attract those things you hold in your mind."

You may have heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals. The acronym stands for specific, measurable, attainable/agreed on, relevant, and timely. My colleagues and I created an alternative formula. Here it is.

Your goal statement must always be succinctly worded in the present tense and in the positive. Use action and emotional words. Avoid negative words, future tenses, and comparisons (better, some). Let me explain why your goal statement must be positive and in the present tense. The powerhouse of enriched learning is the subconscious mind. It is highly literal, has no concept of time, and processes in images. If you use future tenses, such as "I will...," then the subconscious mind will not act on it since it only operates in the NOW. Since there is no picture for a negative word (not, never, won't), then it just ignores it. If you state, "I am not attracted to chocolate cake," the subconscious only processes, "chocolate cake." A better wording would be, "I love foods that contribute to my body's health and vitality."

Tip! INSPIRATION Inspiration is critical to getting and staying motivated. If you are not interested in your business, your motivation level will never be high and you won't be able to sustain interest for very long.

It must be realistic and a slight stretch. Push yourself just a bit.

It must be specific, yet your assessment of your success must be flexible. By specific, I mean avoid comparative words. If you state, "I will be more disciplined in my work assignments," that is far too vague. To the subconscious, the word more may be anywhere from .0000001 percent to 100 percent more. So be specific. Celebrate each of your accomplishments, even if it is not 100 percent of what you planned. In the book, The One-Minute Manager, the authors counsel that if you're off course, just do a course correction - don't jump ship! Use any slip-ups as opportunities to learn.

Tip! Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. ~ Lou Holtz

Your goal must be measurable. If you can't gauge how well you're doing, how will you know that success is actually occurring? Ensure that you pick a target date. It must also be paced so that you can recognize your achievements at specific points along the way. This is the step where you take your overall goal and break it down into bite-sized modules. This chunking-down can be by subject, time, place, or resource.

Tip! Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. ~ Jim Ryun

Once your mini-goals are established, create action plans for as many as you want. This is so important. Without an action plan, all you have is a wish-list.

Announce or share your goal with people who will be supportive. This emotional investment puts your reputation on the line.

The last element is In Your Face. Write out your goals, cut out magazine pictures, or draw them yourself. Paste and post the images all over your world, including your bathroom mirror. Keep it in your face and top-of-mind.

Most people don't set long-term goals, let alone write them down. Some fear failure and criticism if they are less than 100 percent successful. Others don't know how to set goals. The vast majority do not appreciate the value of setting goals. The benefits of written goals are simple. They provide direction, momentum, and motivation.

International speaker, Dr. Brian E. Walsh, is the bestselling author of Unleashing Your Brilliance. For much of his 30-year corporate career he was involved in human resources, specifically training.

While living in the arctic, Brian studied anthropology and Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), which prepared him for working with other cultures. He was then transferred to China where he served as his company's GM.

Tip! REWARD YOURSELF Small business owners will always have to work hard, but all work and no play is a huge mistake. Your motivation will soon begin to fall if you never take any time away from the demands of running the business.

After his return to Canada, he elected early retirement to further his earlier interest in NLP and hypnotherapy. He returned to formal study, and within four years had achieved his Ph.D. His dissertation, which focused on accelerated learning techniques, inspired his passion and his book, "Unleashing Your Brilliance". Information is available at http://www.UnleashingBook.com

Dr. Walsh regularly conducts workshops on accelerated learning. He is a master practitioner of NLP, an acupuncture detoxification specialist, an EFT practitioner, and a clinical hypnotherapist.

Tip! Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out... ~ Robert Collier

Subscribe to his monthly eZine, "Enriched Learning" at http://www.UnleashingBook.com

Creativity Management: the Role of Motivation

Creativity Management: the Role of Motivation

By Kal Bishop

Tip! Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out... ~ Robert Collier

What do creativity managers do?

Replace the word management with the word optimisation.

That's what creativity managers do: they optimise the quality of the idea pool (creativity) and the implementation process (innovation).

There are many methods of optimisation and the creativity leader must be aware of all of them, in other words, he or she must synthesise them for optimal effect.

Areas [within creativity] that need managing include motivation, organisational culture, organisational structure, incremental versus radical effects and processes, knowledge mix, group structures, goals, process and valuation.

Tip! Profits are better than wages. Wages make you a living; profits make you a fortune. ~ Jim Rohn

Areas [within innovation] that need managing include idea selection, development / prototyping and the art of commercialisation.

It is worth noting that 4000 good ideas result in 4 development programs, which in turn results in 1 winner.

The role of motivation

An individual may be 'creative' but if s/he is not motivated then s/he will not produce to optimal levels.

There are two general types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is that where a task is completed for its own sake. Extrinsic motivation is where a task is completed for an ulterior motive (e.g. payment).

Tip! Listen to your motivational tapes/CDs. Your car does not have to be the only place you go to get motivated.

Extrinsic motivators can be subdivided into those that aid the endeavour (synergistic) and those that hinder it (non-synergistic). For example, payment may - up to a point - be a synergistic extrinsic motivator in that it will increase your motivation. On the other hand, a dictate from a boss may be a non-synergistic motivator as it will just make you feel controlled and manipulated.

The ultimate question is how do we maximise motivation. There are a variety of factors that can be applied including, a) closing the gap between the real and ideal self, b) feasibility, c) peer recognition, d) competency expansion, e) fun or enjoyability and f) reward.

Tip! Have energy. Caffeine will substitute for health for a while, but one way or another, you need some energy to have daily motivation.

Learn more�

Download the MBA research, learn about this topic at http://www.creativity-management.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

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Download the MBA research, learn about this topic at http://www.creativity-management.com/

Coaching Skills and Positive Motivation

Coaching Skills and Positive Motivation

By Chris Stowell

Tip! Have energy. Caffeine will substitute for health for a while, but one way or another, you need some energy to have daily motivation.

There is one important point that is often missed in the discussion of Coaching Skills: Effective coaching is a great deal more than just problem solving. Many people misinterpret coaching as only a corrective process aimed at specific error and deficiencies of an individual. Actually, the use of coaching skills doesn't always have to be driven by problems. Challenges, opportunities, and obstacles that transcend any one member of the organization can be the motivating force. This type of coaching is very exciting to do. It is less personalized in nature and therefore not as stressful or tense. Although it does require certain skills, mindset, and approaches used in problem solving, it can be applied to positive coaching, which is designed to empower employees to go farther and contribute in new ways.

We have found it hard to motivate some leaders to take responsibility for positive coaching seriously. Many leaders tell us, "I don't have any problems with my employees. They are all good people, they work hard and pull their own weight, and frankly I can't think of a thing I would change or talk to them about."

Tip! INSPIRATION Inspiration is critical to getting and staying motivated. If you are not interested in your business, your motivation level will never be high and you won't be able to sustain interest for very long.

If I had a dollar for every time I have heard this comment, I would be basking in the sun on an exotic beach rather than writing this article. Managers think they are "off the hook" because they see nothing to change, correct, or improve upon. They couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, these fortunate leaders need to be as active in their coaching role as in the leader who is beset with enormous problems. In fact, wise leaders are extremely active when things are going well. They coach and confer with employee on how to maintain and sustain the current state of affairs or develop strategies on how to move closer to their visions and values. In short, good leaders are not satisfied with acceptable performance.

Tip! Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Leaders cannot be silent. To achieve the full potential and maximize employee contributions, leaders need some restless dissatisfaction with the status quo, to encourage others to reach new heights. Whatever leaders and their units achieve will be the product of the behavior of those who work for them.

The fact of the matter is organizations are downsizing. There are fewer promotional opportunities and more career plateaus with increasing numbers of professional employees. Still many organizations have many good performers with no specific performance problems. These are all realities of modern organization life that contributes to the need for positive coaching skills. Since problem-solving coaching sessions produce a certain amount of stress, it is easy to think that most of the manager's time will be spent in this type of session. This is not necessarily the case at all.

To put the two types of session into proper perspective, we believe effective mangers will spend 75% of their coaching time in positives session. The reason we emphasize the problem-solving session in our writing and coaching skills workshop is because this area is more challenging, confronting, and will tax the leader's skills and patience heavily.

Tip! REWARD YOURSELF Small business owners will always have to work hard, but all work and no play is a huge mistake. Your motivation will soon begin to fall if you never take any time away from the demands of running the business.

Steven J. Stowell, PhD is the co-founder of the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness.

To learn more about the 25 years of research CMOE has conducted around coaching skills, or to learn more about our books and program, contact our Regional Manager at (801) 569-3444.

Constructs of the World Needed for Motivation and Change

Constructs of the World Needed for Motivation and Change

By Christopher Jon Luke Dowgin

Tip! Profits are better than wages. Wages make you a living; profits make you a fortune. ~ Jim Rohn

Constructs? World is formed of such vastness that it is said in the movie Excalibur by Merlin to Arthur of the Dragon ".....if you would be able to see it and grasp it whole it would burn you alive!" So there is a natural need to limit and define the world for what is only called for by a person or society. Aldous Huxley mentions what he calls a reducing valve is what is needed in the brain for its survival of this influx of information. Imagine hearing the grass grow, every molecule split, all atoms spinning, every ones thoughts at once, or for that matter all sound. Like a chef, we follow recipes to put certain amounts of ingredients unto our food. For taste is dependent on the person and society. Nobody just throws every thing into the mix and expects it to be delectable or even healthy for you. Discernment happens so that certain goals are reached. This is what the reducing valve does.

Tip! Boost your energy. You need energy for self motivation.

Another point is that we adjust to the reality of other minds and not the world. The world is only the raw materials to construct the matrixes that society follows and believes as reality. We in the western world stomp a child's instinct to create imaginary friends, create other worlds, or fix themselves with magical powers they only see. In Hindu culture, adults take on the practice of making Tulpa's; imaginary friends. With constant thinking of these personalities, in time they and other people will see these beings. After they are created they become very resistant to being removed from reality.

Tip! Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. ~ Newt Gingrich

Then In the Movie Erik the Viking, when the longship is attacked by the serpent of the north sea, only the Christian monk does not see the serpent that the pagan Vikings do. He was of another world and its constructs. In Bali the initatory rites into adulthood consist of walking on fire that registers a thousand degrees. After some preparatory praying and fasting, most of the youths walk unscourged by the fire. A Baptist from the west tried to show his faith in his God was just as strong nearly burned his feet off. Why, these youths have been watching people walk on fire their whole lives. I always thought if a child was raised in a society in which every one flew, he would do so. Even if the rest of society hid the fact they were using jet packs. In the country of Senegal my friend was raised in a society that still had medicine men. One time one of his friends broke his arm, with a severe bent to it, playing soccer. He went unto the medicine man, who snapped a stick and laid the two pieces apart next to the broken arm and carefully merged the splinters back together again; the arm was healed. He had also had seen the God of the field who walked up to his crow tower three times assuming the size of a giant each time. His society was of a world of constructs that fostered these ideas since infancy, where we are like the Monk who can not see the serpent sinking the ship. People falling in a dream who see themselves hit the ground are thought to die in real life as well. In the movie Dreamscape, an assassin would kill people in their dreams. The constructs or reality were so strong that the people would die in real life.

Tip! INSPIRATION Inspiration is critical to getting and staying motivated. If you are not interested in your business, your motivation level will never be high and you won't be able to sustain interest for very long.

"You must give up your life to find greater."Jesus

But what does all this magical gobbly-gook have to do about bringing change into your life? Everything. In the world you want to bring change to; either it being leaving a spouse, a job, or quitting an addiction. You must change the constructs first. When one leaves prison he is advised not to see certain people or visit certain environments. Same with an addict, it would be harmful for him to enter a place of active users. People in the old world need you to justify their choice in society. No one wants to accept that their world has been a lie. They rather perpetuate their thinking forever if they could. Why because they are helpless to the fear and desire circle. Sometimes they are jealous. Parents scorn their children for their creative thinking that is not concrete. Either it be the magic and fun created by the imagination or doing those professions they did not have faith to try themselves. We force our children to verify our world and our views. But why are we so admiriant about it, because we know there is another way. Either we push our children to breaking point to bring us out of our reality, or hem them in so we do not have to change. First rule of control in Herbert's Dune series is; scorn all those who are different for they may see change is possible. Also a heretic is said to be one who sees with their own eyes open. The Indonesians believe the shadow cast by their puppets to be of the real world and ours but the true play. Shakespeare had said all the world is a play. When one consoles a friend when their father has died, he merely apologizes for his father playing dead. Life is what you make of it.

Tip! Talk to get motivated. One of my favorite ways to create energy and motivation is to talk.

That is why it is most important for your parents to justify and reassure your life goals. They either help you preserve your construct or break them down like a house of cards. They can be your strong stone and mortar to follow your dreams. Like Pavlov's dogs we respond to rewards and punishments to acquire our views of society that the whole agrees on. A child has greater needed to become part of a group than remain indifferent in its own world. Sometimes the group takes its constructs as holy and something that can not ever change. This leads to it strains and faults that are limited from repair within the system. But luckily the mind wanders away from this necessity whenever it can. It is for us not to scorn ourselves when it does. Nor should we let it get to far away from the group we intend to rejoin or even change.

Tip! Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. ~ Jim Ryun

Right brained conservative thinking is that of group thinking. Alexie Sherman in one of his short stories about a basketball player looking for pick up games had this commentary about Republicans and democrats. He would either play one on one with democrats or four on one with republicans. The democrat being more autistic left brained thinking could act independently, but the republicans needed the group to give strength to their opine or talents. The democrats are of the western thinking of the importance of the individual in society and the republicans are of the thinking of the east that sees more importance in the whole. They find the individual as a threat. For their egos act on the third chakra of self acquisition and not the fourth, so they fear themselves. In the army young men are taken out of the world of the individual to become a member of a team and then thrown back into the world of the me, me, me without the appropriate retraining. Someone said the real fall of man was the split between the thinking of the individual and that of the group.

Tip! Have energy. Caffeine will substitute for health for a while, but one way or another, you need some energy to have daily motivation.

All right you might think this is getting you no where and you would of been better off watching that final episode of Friends once more that you had taped from before. But wait; you do want to know how to bring change to your life and see where you are making mistakes that limit this from happening. It is all in the constructs.

In Joseph Chilton Pearce's Crack in the Cosmic Egg, he describes Jesus as one who has seen the world not as a distinct mechanical unit, distinct from the mind of man. But a matrix for continual resynthesis which is an agreed and practiced upon construct in a continuum of possible worlds. In Quantum physics they have observed the Proton turn into a negative Phi meson, disappear, reappear as a Neutron, turn into a positive Phi meson, and back into a proton. They also have observed in their math that an atom has as any dimensions as it has electrons times by four. Only when one of the possible actions of the atom has been observed, is it limited to only four dimensions. But Pierce also says Christ perceived that no solitary reality can be communicable by others unless by agreement by the participant's of the world. Only under special circumstances and for special goals would Jesus break from the old constructs upon the agreed upon world. He was there to restructure a specific problem area in an ordinary reality. He was able to look outside the box. His nonordinary states become shared ones by the constant needs of others, not only on his ego and its selfish goals.

Tip! The best motivation is self-motivation. The guy says, I wish someone would come by and turn me on. What if they don't show up? You've got to have a better plan for your life than that. ~ Jim Rohn

To attain these non-ordinary realities it only takes three or four people to agree upon them. As an artist you need to do a couple of freebies that result in a printed medium or a piece that is hanged in a respected place for others to be willing to pay you. But it first starts by not saying you will be an artist, but by breathing as one as you say I am. For when you become your own ego it is like you becoming your own god. For Yahweh means, I am. But to share this reality you must agree that every one else is a god as well. But to do this, the only way of receiving our new worlds is by doing. Just do it, But the action comes through rigorous reality adjusting changes to your life. It could start by wearing new clothes, taking a new way to work, changing your hours, visiting new places, or changing some small habits. These things should be performed arbitrary with no set ideas of which ones to change. That will stimulate your left brained thinking. This will help you balance the art of your life with that that can only be felt with the concrete reality which can be touched and qualified. For no system is the last word to anything. So nothing should be held so sacred that it can not be brought to change.

Tip! Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. ~ Lou Holtz

For Brahma created the all that is, was, and will be. It is for Vishnu to preserve what is helpful and Shiva to remove what is not. The universe is like a box of paints of all the colors of the visible and not visible spectrum before any painting is created. At this juncture, all paintings exist. Once the frame is put on, we are limited to that one only until the paint box is opened once more. Idolatry to Jesus is holding any product of reality as absolute. For him the process is the only truth. When a teen thinks he wants to be a guitar god, but realizes he prefers after all to tweak the knobs and levers on a sound board; should he be ashamed? No music was only the way to his truth.

Tip! Listen to your motivational tapes/CDs. Your car does not have to be the only place you go to get motivated.

But how do we get to bring change in our lives? It is in the gradual complete collapse of our certainty in every day life that will bring us into new realities as some ones new husband, a painter, a electrician, a plumber, or just as someone happy. This is the small death that William Blake calls for. It is the Ego Deaths, the Tower card, and Hagal's Aett. The components of our regular reality can be denied for its restructuring. Jesus said we must give up our lives so we may gain a new. Was this not what Peter and Simon did when they left behind their nets and boats to follow him? But then again did they, for did they not become fishers of men. This is the leap of faith and the walk on the swords edge. But he got thoroughly pissed if you believed he was the truth and not the way. Buddha felt he could not teach illumination either, but only the way. For it is for your own little god to grow up and to take it's place next to Christ at a large cosmos oriented round table with no center or head. Teachers want you always to surpass them. Pierce also says their is no being unless it is in the act of being.

Tip! Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly. ~ Stephen R. Covey

No w he also mentions the fact it was the poor and the handicapped who heard him the most. For the scholar, the Pharisee,and the rich man held much desire. For they gained allot and feared loosing what they established as their reality. What did the poor have to loose, but being poor. It was easier for them to give up something that did not work, for nothing seemed to work as of yet anyway. Jesus said that the holy spirit is the leavening that creates the spirit to enter the Kingdom. That God was not the judging condition of which way is right, but only the provider of infinite paths. God only responds. Man judges.

Tip! Life... It tends to respond to our outlook, to shape itself to meet our expectations. ~ Richard M. DeVos

Jesus did not break with logic, he just mentioned perfecting it in order to develop new constructs that bring new worlds of change. Change is a matter of choice and commitment. It is the person going back to the cave to tell the others about a world of light and what they fear is mere shadows of what is real.

In starting my career as a life coach, it was that of initiatory steps. It was no mere chance that my first client Kathryn was some one as well who was attempting to leave her career. For walking in the shoes of change, I would be able to pass them unto her to walk her path. This started by first making business cards. Then I proposed lectures to various churches so I could be accepted to speak in them. I then had brochures to be made for people to take home from the lecture. I hanged posters about the event. Adds were placed in local newspapers. Every one who read the posters, the adds in the paper or the people who had allowed me to lecture and place the adds; justified my being a Life Coach. I was in the process. It did not matter that no one showed for the first lecture and only four came to the second, for afterwards I made good money with my first client. I was being reassured and justified in what I am.

Tip! REWARD YOURSELF Small business owners will always have to work hard, but all work and no play is a huge mistake. Your motivation will soon begin to fall if you never take any time away from the demands of running the business.

The hardest piece was leaving the job I was in. It was paying the rent and delivering the food that the other did not start doing as yet. Well it was because I did not ask the other to be the source yet. I was still in the other world. That world had strict limitations and they were growing. My shadow was acting up more. I was getting angina and severe anxiety. It was a good world for what I needed to learn, but I had to give it up for better. Now the time had come. The door was opening and the river was flowing out of it. I took a week off and did not care about the bills or the money I was loosing. Then I knew there was another world without that one. I did not starve or get kicked out into the street. I was OK. But I had to go back to make the transition smoother. But this only created more anxiety. I was to leave for good in the next month, or else the shadow would create more and more anxiety because it knew that the old world was only bringing unhappiness. No longer was it an environment for learning, but a world asking for change, it needed someone to not only go out of the world of that Job and my world of little concrete worth; but to go without so I may find how to bring change to the wasteland. In the Hero's journey there is a calling, dissatisfaction with the old world, the entrance into the world of the mind, the challenge, the leap of faith ,giving up to something greater, the goal, and most important the return. Once I left the old world it was for me to interpret and justify other's desires for change and show them the path to aspiration. The longer we lie to ourselves, the more we hurt some part of the world. For one not to bring change is to hinder the rest of the universe. So as I change, like an atom splitting, I change the world. A butterfly flapping its wings can create a tidal wave across the world. May we all be in front of this next wave.

Tip! Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

But this only works in the spirit of all for one and one for all. To go to the seventh Chakra of the Holy Spirit and return to the fourth chakra where we find the self without opposition to others and the world. Only then will our universe grow. But what are other worlds, where is the goal? What are we leaving behind?

Christopher Jon Luke Dowgin is proprietor of Docspond Life Coach Services providing Individual Counseling, Group facilitation, and key note addresses that speak to the heart of the mission while delivering the bottom line finacial growth. Helping millions find their bliss and return meaning to success! Guaranteed 20% improvement in your quality of life after the first meeting!

Tip! Be generous with your motivational ideas and words, �so perfect are the compensations of the universe�.

Also is the propietor and designer at Norgeforge Illumination Studios that will SEO illuminated design giving Aesthetics to traffic driven sales. So get out of the cold and get Norgeforged!

Motivation for Life: What Would You Do if You Could Have a Do Over?

By Jeff Herring

Tip! Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly. ~ Stephen R. Covey

"The only thing it takes 365 days to change is a year" - Hypnotherapist David Block

"If at any time you make a mistake and want to change your selection, press the star key on the telephone pad." - AMC 20 Movie Theater recording

Both of the above quotes imply a radical shift in popular thinking about change. They imply that changes can be made quickly, and don't have to take a long, long time.

I am constantly searching for the very best "change tools" I can find to help the people with whom I work. I look for tools that offer rapid and effective change, and meet at least three criteria:

Tip! Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. ~ Lou Holtz

1) Simple - any one can use them

2) Profound - they work quickly and they last

3) Dependable - they work just about every time

Recently a friend shared with me a wonderful quote from professional speaker Brian Tracy that meets all these criteria and has the potential to be a very rapid and effective change tool. Here's the quote, in the form of a question:

"If you were starting over today, what would you do differently? Whatever your answer, start doing it now."

Tip! Listen to your motivational tapes/CDs. Your car does not have to be the only place you go to get motivated.

All of us would like to have a chance for a "do over" in some area of our lives. Well, maybe in many areas. Although we cannot change the past, this question offers great direction for making both the present and the future more like we would want it to be.

Let's look at several areas of our lives and some questions about what we might do over, and then start doing now.

In the area of relationships, would you:

Be closer to those around you?
Stay in touch with people?
Let those close to you know how much you value them?

In the area of family, would you:

Spend more time with them?
Go more places with them?
Throw out the ridiculous notion of quality time and replace it with quantify time?

In the area of marriage, would you:

Learn how to communicate more effectively?
Make sure, on a regular basis, that your spouse knows they are #1 with you?
Honor and cherish them. Remember those words?
Ask your self, what am I contributing to making this a cool place to be?

Tip! The best motivation is self-motivation. The guy says, I wish someone would come by and turn me on. What if they don't show up? You've got to have a better plan for your life than that. ~ Jim Rohn

In the area of education, would you:

Go back to school?
Find out about something you've always wanted to know?
Take a class you've always wanted to take?
Take the time to get really good at something?

Tip! Boost your energy. You need energy for self motivation.

In the area of health, would you:

Get in and stay in the best shape you can?
Get rid of some extra pounds? Remember, there's overweight people and there's old people, but there's not a whole lot of old overweight people.
Eat in a way that supports you?

In the area of finances, would you:

Design a life instead of just making a living?
Keep track of where the money goes?
Work and live within a budget?
Put away something for the future on a regular basis?

Tip! Talk to get motivated. One of my favorite ways to create energy and motivation is to talk.

In the area of attitude, would you:
Pay attention to yours?
Model an attitude you would want friends and family to model?
Find something positive in almost any situation?

I'm certain there are other areas of your life that you can apply this question. Remember folks, life is not a dress rehearsal, although most of us act like it is.

Here's the question again,

"If you were starting over today, what would you do differently? Whatever your answer, start doing it now."

Don't get caught up and stuck in "I wish I coulda-shoulda-woulda." Focus on what you can do now, and simply and profoundly, go do it.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

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There are virtually dozens of ways in which you can successfully create residual income online; however, according to AliB there are two things you must have: good ideas and the motivation to take action. While Ali doesn't claim she can give you the motivation to succeed, she can give you the good ideas and clear direction with an easy-to-follow, proven plan that anyone can follow. Visit her site to learn more: http://alib.ws

Money, Motivation, and Happiness

By Peter Vajda, Ph.D

Tip! Listen to your motivational tapes/CDs. Your car does not have to be the only place you go to get motivated.

The question of money as a motivator in the workplace is not new. Years of research, and countless books and articles on motivation include references to money. However, much of the focus on money and motivation points to superficial needs of people or points toward the immediate gratification that money seems to bring. The inquiry around money as a motivator must be explored more deeply if one is to truly understand the nature of the so-called relationship between money and motivation.

Tip! Be generous with your motivational ideas and words, �so perfect are the compensations of the universe�.

There are a number of perspectives relating to money and motivation. Some of these are:

1. "I'm not making as much money as I'd like (the "starving artist" concept), but I absolutely love my work, or the flexibility, or the control I have, or the opportunity for creativity, etc."

2. "I need to be in this salary range, make this much money, because I need to be seen as "somebody" as opposed to "nobody" in my circle of friends, acquaintances, family, etc. who view "money" as a merit badge of some kind."

Tip! Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome. ~ Samuel Johnson

3. "It's not the money, per se, but what the money "gets" me....i.e., possessions, stuff, materialism, etc., pointing again, for some, to "being somebody" and being recognized, and gaining self-recognition, based on their material stuff."

4. "I need more and more money as I'll never have enough, reflecting the "your expenses always rise to meet your income" syndrome...as I said to an attorney client of mine, "If you feel you cannot live on 2 million dollars a year, what makes you think you can live on 3 million?"

Tip! Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

5. Unconsciously filling the psycho-emotional "hole" of lack and deficiency...which subsumes one or more of the above...and is the driver of the obsession with having money and needing more money, and what money "gets" one in order to feel (albeit fleetingly) whole and complete. The illusion that money provides a sense of self, or a sense of one's worth or value.

Tip! Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. ~ Jim Ryun

At the end of the day, I, for one, subscribe to the intrinsic notion of motivation, that motivation is driven by one's values and so it's important to explore one's values and from where one's values emanate...from one's True and Real Self, one's Inner Core or from ego-driven needs for control, recognition and security...misguided values, the relentless pursuit of which, almost always leads to a living (certainly not a life) mired in the self-sabotaging thinking and behaviors reflecting frustration, resentment, anger, hate, rage, entitlement, misguided choices, and the feeling of never having or being enough.

Tip! Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. ~ Lou Holtz

When one comes from one's core values, one's Inner Sense of what is important in life and living, then intrinsic, or self-motivation, is at the heart of a life well-lived, at work, at home and at play...and is at the heart of creativity, self-management, self-responsibility, healthy behavior (mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, social, financial). Money, in this sense, has a different emotional and psychological energy around it, a softer energy, not unlike the energy reflected in one who says, "I love my work and I can't believe I get paid for doing this."

Tip! Profits are better than wages. Wages make you a living; profits make you a fortune. ~ Jim Rohn

Many folks, in the relentless pursuit of "money" actually lose sight of what it was in the first place that got their juices flowing...having the corner office occludes the initial love of the work, obtaining the title interferes with one's initial love of mentoring and supporting others...that the relentless pressure to make and have more money becomes more important than the joy one used to experience when one was focused on one's love of the work itself. Losing one's way along the way. The mid-life crisis...that now starts at 30.

Tip! Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out... ~ Robert Collier

Money as a driver then obscurates the clarity of one's choices and one often makes unfortunate and self-sabotaging choices when controlled by money. I, for one, see this all the time in my work with clients...some who have made self-defeating choices in their work life, social life and spiritual life because the lens with which they viewed their world and their place in the world had become "green."

Tip! Boost your energy. You need energy for self motivation.

For many of those who believe that "money" is the sign of success, or that money is what it takes to be "somebody", etc., long-term success is often unattainable; it's the "Sisyphean approach to living.

For many folks, it's when they have experienced enough anger, anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, terror, and loneliness, that reflected their need for money, and more money, and more money, that they then have the real motivation to change and adapt a life and lifestyle that is true Values-based, values that emanate from their True and Real Self, where money is important, but not an obsession (conscious or unconscious).

Motivation from this place is much different. Motivation from this place is not bounded by internalized pressures to have more, by rigid inner structures or beliefs, by paralyzing self-criticism that one is not (fill in the blank) for lack of enough money (whatever that is). That one's true worth and value is not financially driven. That one's purpose in life and the meaning one derives from work is intrinsically driven from one's Inner Core Values.

Tip! Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly. ~ Stephen R. Covey

From this place, one comes to one's world of work or play from the perspective of a whole person, as one whose choices, volitions, motivations and intentions are driven by a freedom that was heretofore restricted and constricted by the "value" of money.

Finally, I have crossed paths with folks who feel that money allows them to be autonomous. Me, I see just the opposite. That money has forced many of these folks to live in an emotional and psychological prison whose bars are the self-defeating, self-sabotaging and controlling beliefs and behaviors driving these folks to do, be, and have in a way that forces them into a lifestyle (again, not a life) mimicking the lifestyles of the folks living in their prisons on either side of them...the illusion of autonomy, not the actions of one living from the place of one's True and Real self.

Tip! Talk to get motivated. One of my favorite ways to create energy and motivation is to talk.

From this Inner Self, the energy of "I am", "I can", "I will", "I have", "I choose", "I love", "I create" and "I enjoy", that is, motivation and intention, flows with a sense of purposefulness, ease, grace, settledness and grounding that does not have a "price tag."

(c) 2005, Peter G. Vajda, Ph.D. All rights in all media reserved.

Peter G. Vajda, Ph.D, is co-founder of SpiritHeart, an Atlanta,
GA firm specializing in coaching, counseling and facilitating.
Peter's expertise focuses on personal, business, and relationship
coaching. He is a professional speaker and published author. For
more information about his services, email Peter at
pvajda@spiritheart.net

--------------------

There are virtually dozens of ways in which you can successfully create residual income online; however, according to AliB there are two things you must have: good ideas and the motivation to take action. While Ali doesn't claim she can give you the motivation to succeed, she can give you the good ideas and clear direction with an easy-to-follow, proven plan that anyone can follow. Visit her site to learn more: http://alib.ws

Kaizen For Self Improvement

Kaizen For Self Improvement

By Steven Gillman

Tip! A journey of personal development is about learning to see the world about you, not in terms of black and white, but in full colour. Your journey should open your eyes to the infinite shades, hues and intensities of colour that make up the world in which we live: you'll take the shadow puppet theatre world and transform it into the digital cinema technology we have today.

What does Kaizen, a Japanese method of production excellence and industrial efficiency have to do with self improvement? Can it be adapted to self-work? What is it, anyhow?

It began with the "continuous improvement" theories of efficiency expert W. Edwards Deming in the 30s and 40s. After the war the ideas were picked up by the Japanese and developed into "Kaizen," a method for creating quality products efficiently through many small and continuous changes. This is perfect for self-improvement, as Robert Maurer explains in his book "One Small Step Change Your Life:"

Tip! Profits are better than wages. Wages make you a living; profits make you a fortune. ~ Jim Rohn

"Your brain is programmed to resist change, but by taking small steps, you effectively rewire your nervous system so that is does the following:

* Unsticks you from a creative block.

* Bypasses the fight or flight response.

* Creates new connections between neurons so thet the brain entusiastically takes over the process of change and you progress rapidly towards your goal."

Kaizen is an alternative for those who have a hard time facing major changes, like quitting smoking all at once. For something like that, the kaizen way might be to stop smoking in your car, as the first small step. Then you could switch to a brand with less nicotine, stop smoking in the house, and so on.

Tip! You can be certain that little will ever be achieved without action � sustained, determined and committed action.

An important technique used in kaizen is asking "small questions." In factories this meant no more questions like "What are you going to do to improve the company profits this year?" That just elicits more fear than creative ideas. A better question might be, "What small change could we make in your department to reduce expenses (or improve quality)?" This approach was found to be far more productive.

For purposes of self improvement, this means asking small suggestive questions of yourself, like, "What could I do to free up five minutes for my meditation practice?" or "What small change could I make if I wanted to improve my relationships today?" Small questions tend to dispell the fear and intimidation that come with frontally facing the whole issue.

Tip! The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better. ~ Barbara Pletcher

Small questions, along with small, comfortable changes is the first important principle of kaizen. The second is to make the process a continual one. Just imagine where you'd be if you had consciously made one small change in your life each week for the last few years. Even better, imagine where you'll be a few years from now, if you start the process today.

Tip! The future depends on what we do in the present. ~ Mahatma Gandhi

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step." - Lao Tzu

Steve Gillman writes on many topics including brainpower, weight loss, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, generating luck and anything related to self improvement. Learn more and get FREE e-courses at http://www.SelfImprovementNow.com

Memory Improvement Tips

Brought to you by Ali Brown, http://alib.ws

By Tim Lee

Tip! Always opt for the personal improvement course that suits you and interests you. Grab one or two programs so you always have the right tools for the right challenge in life.

Everyone wants to improve their memory, whether it be to help them at work, home, or at school, memory is very important and the better you are at remembering means the more successful you will be. Because of this, many people decide to learn how to remember things better. This is a great strategy because most things we hear and learn we forget almost immediately if we do not focus on remembering. That is where this tips come into play. Whether you are preparing for a big exam or presentation, or just want to be able to remember people's names, try incorporating these memorization tips into your daily lifestyle and see how much you start remembering.

Tip! Keep trying no matter how hard life may seem. When a person is motivated, eventually he sees a harsh life finally clearing out, paving the way to self improvement.

Tip #1 Mnemonics

This is a fancy way of saying that you use different senses to help you recall information. This can be done through any of the senses, but words and pictures help. Also, when you are making up your associations the more bizarre they are the better they will work. So, when you are studying long equation formulas, lists of information, and the like, come up with some other word or pictures, even phrases that reinforces this knowledge and helps you remember.

Tip #2 Create a Story

If you are learning a long ordered list, then simply create a story or sentence out of the first letter of each word in the list. Then, when you need to remember the list you will have the first letter of each word to tip you off in case you forget. This is commonly used in math, for example PEMDAS for parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition and subtraction is frequently taught as please excuse my dear aunt sally to help kids remember the order of operations.

Tip! Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can. ~ Willis Whitney

Please visit my site for more memory improvement tips.

Memory Improvement & Attention - 7 Successful Strategies To Help You Acquire This Essential Skill!

Memory Improvement & Attention - 7 Successful Strategies To Help You Acquire This Essential Skill!

By Mickael Kerenterff

Tip! Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can. ~ Willis Whitney

Before you can expect to remember or memorize a thing, that thing must have been impressed clearly upon the records of your subconscious. And the main factor of the recording of impressions is that quality of the mind that we call Attention, which is the ability to focus and give meaning to a particular data or stimulus.

Here are some successful strategies to help you acquire this essential skill:

1. Turn your attention upon some uninteresting thing and study every detail until you are able to describe them.

This will seem boring or tiresome at first but you must stick to it. Do not practice too long at a time at first; take a rest and try it again later. You will soon find that it comes easier, and that a new interest is starting to manifest itself in the task. For example, pick a flower. Touch it. Smell it. Feel its texture. How many petals does it have? How long is the stem? What is the color and shape of the petals? By doing this simple task, you will be surprised at the quantity of little things that you will notice. This method, practiced on many things, in spare hours, will develop the power of voluntary attention and perception in anyone, no matter how deficient he or she may have been in these things. Begin to take notice of things about you: the places you visit, the people in the rooms, etc. In this way you will start the habit of "noticing things," which is the first requisite for memory development.

Tip! Your journey should open your eyes to the infinite shades, hues and intensities of colour that make up the world in which we live: you'll take the shadow puppet theatre world and transform it into the digital cinema technology we have today.

2. Eliminate distractions.

Even though you may have heard of multi-tasking, it is very difficult for people to do more than one thing at a time. For example, you're a law student studying for the Bar Exams. You wouldn't be able to absorb properly into your mind what you are studying if your radio is playing loud rock-and-roll music, or if you're hearing the video games being played by your kid brother. As much as possible, avoid any possible distractions such as TV, radio, or other people chattering.

3. Retain focus and concentration in the process of learning or memorization.

Let's say you're busy preparing for an important presentation tomorrow. A new employee was introduced to you while you are working. In this case, there would be much less chance for you to remember anything about that new employee because you are concentrating on something else which you regard as more urgent or important. If you want to remember something well, shift your focus on that one thing and willfully commit it to memory.

Tip! Learning from mistakes and problems is important aspect of self improvement and personal growth. This gives us the strength, experience and the wisdom that allows us to make better choices and achieve greater success in the future.

4. Keep track all of your thoughts.

Whenever you become aware that your thoughts are losing, yell "STOP!" in your mind. This will bring your drifting to a halt and redirect your attention to what needs to be done. Remember that good concentration breeds good memory. If you find that your thoughts are traveling, be conscious that your attention is drifting.

5. Get interested.

To have good memorization skills, you should also like what you are doing. To vividly memorize a visual, an image, or even text, engage yourself into it. You should put your heart in every activity you're working and doing. If you don't like to engage in a certain activity, there's a slim chance for you to remember aspects about it. Let's say your parents want you to become an engineer, but you dream of becoming a musician. If you studied engineering because your parents forced you to, you won't have the dedication or desire to retain information from your engineering books. Don't push yourself to do something that you have no interest in. As Leonardo Da Vinci said: "Just as eating against one's will is injurious to health, so study without a liking for it spoils the memory, and it retains nothing it takes in."

Tip! To start your day out on the right foot and stay in keeping with your self improvement plan this is practically a necessity. You need the energy this will provide you with to accomplish your daily tasks.

6. Get motivated.

Now let's say you want to become a doctor. Why are you familiarizing and memorizing into such ambiguous medical or biological terms? For one thing, you might want to be on the top of the class. Or you might want to be popular in your school. Or you might want to be a good doctor someday to help your community. Goals and timeframe nourish motivation. And motivation promotes a sharp memory. To further motivate yourself, reward yourself for any tasks that you have accomplished. Set a particular incentive for every objective. For example, treat yourself to your favorite restaurant after finishing a project. When you've accomplished a bigger task, go on a vacation. Just set something gratifying to indulge in after completing a certain undertaking. Remember: Man by nature is a go-getter.

Tip! We want to achieve but we are often not ready to follow the path success demands.

He will get whatever he aspires for. In a consumption-based and technologically-driven world, one should have a stake or goal to feed his symbolic ego. By rewarding yourself in every success you account for, you will aspire for more and will develop interest on your activity. In the process, your interest will make you more productive and successful.

7. Give your subconscious a mental command to bear in mind what you want to remember.

You may say, "Here, you take note of this and remember it for me!" You'll be astounded by what the subconscious can do for you.

Before you can memorize or remember anything, you should be able to perceive well through proper attention. Use the methods above and you're well on your way to a sharper memory.

Tip! The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better. ~ Barbara Pletcher

Author: Mickael Kerenterff. For more information, please visit my website at http://www.MemorySecretsRevealed.com where you can grab a free e-course about Brain Memory Secrets. You will Discover How to Easily Remember Names, Faces, Numbers, Events, and So Almost Any Infos Using Simple yet Powerful Techniques Even a 12-Year Old Can Apply! Tip! The future depends on what we do in the present. ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Self Improvement: Destiny or Journey?

Self Improvement: Destiny or Journey?

By Eldon Taylor

Tip! Your journey should open your eyes to the infinite shades, hues and intensities of colour that make up the world in which we live: you'll take the shadow puppet theatre world and transform it into the digital cinema technology we have today.

How high is up?

Have you ever asked yourself, "Just how high is up?" or
"Just how successful is successful?" or "Just how good is
good?" Have you ever thought about the different "Yous"
within yourself? Most of us have, at sometime, considered
our own path to personal growth and desired to improve
upon improvement.

There is a simple, yet powerful, way to evaluate many
personal characteristics and thereby gain additional access
to who we are and what we truly wish to be. If life is
essentially a school, which I believe it is, then we not only
have our course work cut out for us but our objective for
which our "learnings" specifically prepare us. Get a piece of
paper and try this little exercise.

First, write down all of your strengths, all of those
characteristics about yourself that are good. Begin with the
obvious, perhaps you're very honest, or friendly, or
cooperative and so forth. After you have completed this list,
write down some characteristics that you would like to
improve. Perhaps you wish to overcome some fear or stop
being jealous, or end gossiping or release anger and so
forth. So, you'd like to be more courageous or more
accepting and trusting, or more confident and so forth. Now,
with both of these lists completed, think about yourself as
having four inner aspects (IA) of the same you.

Tip! To start your day out on the right foot and stay in keeping with your self improvement plan this is practically a necessity. You need the energy this will provide you with to accomplish your daily tasks.

The first IA is your actual self--who you are, what you do, etc.
The second IA is your concept of an ideal-self. The ideal-self
for most of us is just that, an ideal�but usually too ideal to
be realistic. "Under no circumstances will I ever become
angry," may be one such ideal. Okay, the third IA is the
ought-self. The ought-self is that collection of things typically
foisted upon each of us during maturation. The collection of
"you ought to do this" and "you ought to do that" statements
we all have heard particularly from our parents and family
members. Last, but not least, is our desired-self. The
desired-self is attainable, not so ideal as to be impractical
as a goal. With these four IA's, take another sheet of paper
and write down characteristics that apply pressure to how
you feel about yourself, positive or negative, under each IA
heading. That is, use a separate column or sheet of paper
to list the items (including feelings) that you may have about
each category. When you're done, compare the categories.

Tip! Learning from mistakes and problems is important aspect of self improvement and personal growth. This gives us the strength, experience and the wisdom that allows us to make better choices and achieve greater success in the future.

The question, "How high is up" has no answer unless there
is some reasonable estimate as to the ceiling. Personal
improvement is much the same. Self-examination can
assist all of us in obtaining reasonable goals and that can
provide at least some clear steps on the way to our ceiling.

Fantasizing your way to your goals.

I related the research that showed one could obtain the
same gains from imaging exercise as from exercising in a
study I reported upon in my Wellness book (which is free to
download in our e-book library at www.innertalk.com))
where basketball players improved their free throw shots as
much by practicing mentally as the group that shot free
throws everyday of the thirty day study. Current research
tends to suggest that the scripts we fantasize, that is, our
daydreams, rehearse our worldview and in that sense
predispose our experience. Repeating themes such as
those around "getting even" and/or emerging victorious at
someone's expense, probably tend to create scenarios in
many peoples lives that may lead to violence, anger, and so
forth. In short, our mental daydreams may become
rehearsed scripts seeking an opportunity to be played out.

Tip! Just being aware of the incredible capabilities of our subconscious minds can help our self improvement � if we decide to pay attention to our hunches and intuition and act on them.

By contrast to the above scenario, whenever I have spoken
to a successful person, a champion athlete, or anyone else
truly at the top of what they do, they have informed me
repeatedly and universally that their daydreams were about
their success. You can choose what to daydream about and
you can end a daydream if it's not something you want
rehearsed and thereby a part of you.

Tip! If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences.

Knowing this, it is incumbent upon each of us to think about
the goals we wish to achieve. Look back at your lists, and
set up a day-dream that is truly self-serving�one that
rehearses your success and achievement according to your
goals�your highest best.

To your best and thanks for the read,
Eldon

Eldon Taylor, Ph.D. is the author of over 200 books and self improvement programs. He is a Diplomat in the American Psychotherapy Association and received the 2005 International Peace Prize for his work in teaching self responsibility (http://www.innertalk.com/eldon/index.html). Tip! You can be certain that little will ever be achieved without action � sustained, determined and committed action.

Memory Improvement Skills Can Be Yours Today

Memory Improvement Skills Can Be Yours Today

By Adam Eason

Tip! We want to achieve but we are often not ready to follow the path success demands.

Have you ever seen someone in town and you knew you should know there name but could not recall it? Have you ever gone to dial a telephone number that you dialled hundreds of times before and just could not remember? Did you ever walk into a room but forgot what you went to do?

In these situations we can sometimes feel useless, distracted and unable to connect with our brain properly. That phenomena that is often referred to as 'tip of the tongue.' Then maybe your memory improvement skills need working on!

Tip! If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences.

In July 1998 the University of Florida published some research findings that showed that elderly people should ignore stereotypes about memory loss.

Older people are much less likely to have major problems with their memory improvement skills if they believe in themselves and work to improve their recall, this University of Florida study finds.

The elderly are more likely than younger people to buy into the stereotype that they can't control their memory, and it affects not only their self-esteem but also how hard they try to remember, said Robin West, a University of Florida psychology professor who did the research.

In the study conducted by psychology graduate student Monica Yassuda, more than 200 older and young adults were divided into two groups. One group was told memory is a skill that can be improved with effort, and the other group that the ability to remember is fixed forever at birth, she said.

Tip! The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better. ~ Barbara Pletcher

"There is some indication in the literature that older people tend to see memory as something they can't control -- you either have a good memory or you don't," West said.

"The results show that we need to encourage older adults to think of themselves as a group that has the potential to have a better memory if they work at it," she said. Other studies, which were conducted by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, have found the belief that people can control part of their lives is a good predictor of whether they age well mentally and physically, West said.

This way of looking at memory improvement skills of course does not have to only be applicable to the older generation, of course it applies to us all.

Tip! Keep trying no matter how hard life may seem. When a person is motivated, eventually he sees a harsh life finally clearing out, paving the way to self improvement.

Let me give you some examples of things people say to me individually or in my seminars:

- "I do not have a good memory."

- "That is too much for me to remember."

- "I have a memory like a sieve."

Tip! This one step -- choosing a goal and sticking to it -- changes everything ~ Scott Reed

- "I am afraid my memory is failing now that I am getting older."

My Granddad said something to me recently that really made me think. He and I were in his local village pub and we were joking about the fact that my Nana gave him a hard time for coming to the pub and ordered him not to drink too much, despite over 65 years of marriage.

My Nana has been quite ill for a number of years and she does not go out much and I mentioned to my Granddad that I noticed her struggling for her words every now and then, or struggling to remember a name and he said that it was nothing to do with her age, they are both well into their eighties, but rather it was that she has very little communication with others anymore. That was his opinion.

Tip! Always opt for the personal improvement course that suits you and interests you. Grab one or two programs so you always have the right tools for the right challenge in life.

These quotes I just mentioned are beliefs but too often people say them as if they were facts. There are some very common misconceptions about memory and memory improvement skills: that it is an ability that cannot be changed; that you only have a certain amount; that it relates to age, and declines as we get older.

Memory is not about volume and it is not about content, it is about processes. It is about something we do, not something we have: it is about remembering.

Tip! The fastest way to get to where you're going is to join like-minded adventurers on your quest.

Remembering is dependent on the connections we make between things. Imagine you are constructing an index. If you have referred to a book, or a person, by only one attribute, you will have only one data point and hence only one way of accessing that information. If you have used a number of different data points, each capturing a different aspect, you will have more ways to access this information.

Anyone can achieve enormous memory improvement by focusing on two particular aspects of memory: encoding and storage on the one hand and recall on the other. Today I write about encoding, next week I write about recall.

Tip! Profits are better than wages. Wages make you a living; profits make you a fortune. ~ Jim Rohn

If you want to improve your ability to encode accurately and store information, you will need to check out your attitudes, beliefs and feelings:

Joan was an in-house business trainer who used to be great at remembering names. Over the past couple of years, she had come to resent an increasing workload and an ever-growing number of delegates. One day she was heard to say to a colleague: "There is no way I'm going to remember the names of all these delegates." Joan's feelings of disappointment and resentment were affecting her beliefs about how much she could remember - yet within her area of expertise she was quite capable of remembering vast bodies of information and new research. She did not actually want to remember the names of all the delegates, because in her view there were too many of them. Not surprisingly, she did find it difficult, though many years ago she had made it a matter of pride to learn all their names. But she had felt differently then.

Tip! You can be certain that little will ever be achieved without action � sustained, determined and committed action.

So, consider how you think and feel about what it is you want to remember.

Feelings can affect encoding and storage in other ways too. Do you remember your first day at school? Many people do, often in considerable detail. But what about the second day? Probably not. The reason for this is that day one at school is a special day: you may have looked forward to it, or dreaded it; you may have a had a wonderful - or an awful - time. The teacher may have been really kind - or expected you to be able to do things that you had not yet learnt. The playground may have been a great place to run around in - or a terrifying place where giants a whole year older than you rushed past you and around you, yelling loudly and playing boisterously. There may have been a lot of feeling - and strong feelings can make for vivid encoding.

Therefore, engage your feelings to make what you want to remember vivid.

Tip! At this point I must mention that there is also a difference between the terms self improvement and personal improvement. Self improvement is personally enhancing your self; for example, your health, appearance, education, and such like; whereas personal improvement goes deeper than that.

Routes to lost information; some memory improvment skills:

1. One way to recover information is to recall the circumstances in which you first gained it. Maybe it was the name of someone at a party? Or something you heard on the radio? Remind yourself of s many details as you can of that party, involving information from all sensory systems. Who did you talk to? Where were you sitting, or standing? What music was playing? And so on. As you fill in the context, you may find the detail you want pops up - or that search processes are triggered so that it pops up later.

2. Are you forgetting because you felt uncomfortable, uneasy or unhappy about something? If you need or wish to recover the information, pay attention to your feelings in the here-and-now and imagine they are like beads on a string. Very similar to the other times you have felt the same, feeling like this now is linked to all of the other times you have felt the same, feeling like this now is linked to all the other times and because the mind stores like things together, your attentiveness to these feelings now can lead you back along the string to the time and circumstances you forgot.

Tip! If we make the effort to clarify what we want, develop plans, take action and keep working towards our desires, self improvement and progress will certainly follow, and nothing can stop us.

Paying attention as an integral part of your memory improvement skills:

From this day forward, think about how you encode every piece of information and how you experience life each day.

How much attention do you pay to the information you want to store? One of the most striking things about people who claim their memory is not very good is how good they are at remembering poorly! Suppose you are introduced to someone but as you are told their name you are pre-occupied. When later you try to remember their name all you can recall is what was bothering you then and what they looked like. In such circumstances there is nothing wrong with your memory. Your way of remembering - the process of encoding that you employed - has faithfully encoded exactly what was going on.

You were preoccupied and this meant you had your own internal dialogue running. So any additional auditory input - like the person's name - would be competing with your internally generated auditory signal. What they looked like is more memorable partly because visual data is generally easier to recall - it is more vivid - but also that element was less cluttered with internal signals at that moment.

What you attend to will affect what you actually commit to memory. So often, poor encoding is confused with poor memory. Be aware of this when looking to enhance those memory improvement skills.

Tip! However, if you study the lives of successful and wealthy people you will be unlikely to find many, if any, that achieved their success with little effort. Most worked very hard for their success, and you'll find few, if any that didn't have one of the fundamental skills of self improvement and success � discipline.

Adam is a best selling author, consultant and speaker please visit his website for a vast range of personal development resources and to receive your free, instantly downloadable hypnosis session and amazing ebook: http://www.adam-eason.com Thanks.

The Memory Improvement System

The Memory Improvement System

By Adam Eason

Tip! The fastest way to get to where you're going is to join like-minded adventurers on your quest.

I have previously touched on the subject on enhancing memory by paying more attention to how we encoded information and experience. Here, I want to move on to how we retrieve information to enhance our memory. To heighten your awareness of your own memory improvement system.

Last week I spoke about encoding information better so that we can access it more readily when required to do so. Encoding information with your own memory improvement system of course means processing it internally; and internal processing involves your senses. A number of things emerge from this:

1. We tend to find it easier to remember using certain preferred senses. So if you are strongly visual, make sure when you are being introduced to someone new that you take a mental picture of their face - and perhaps see their name on their forehead, or like a badge or necklace close to their face. If you know you find it easy to remember sounds, hear the sound of them saying their name and make sure you record it internally alongside their image, so that when you see them next the visual image calls up the sound of the name. I always make a point of saying the persons name several times within the first few sentences out aloud to really get it in my mind. Looking in the appropriate direction to access the representational system you want to store the information in will help ensure you store the information in the most appropriate way too.

Tip! Your journey should open your eyes to the infinite shades, hues and intensities of colour that make up the world in which we live: you'll take the shadow puppet theatre world and transform it into the digital cinema technology we have today.

2. The more of your senses that are involved, the richer your internal representation and the storage will be. You can do this deliberately to help with encoding. Involve as many of your senses as possible, in order to make a memory really rich a retrievable by multiple routes. (Anything memorable about the temperature, moisture and pressure of their handshake for example)

3. Some things are best encoded using particular senses, which means attending in that system before attempting to encode anything. Consistently good spelling in English, for example, depends on visual processing. Researchers have investigated what good spellers did, and found that they all store mental "pictures" of how the words look. When they need to spell the word, they refer to that internal picture to get the right spelling.

Tip! Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can. ~ Willis Whitney

People who are good at physical skills will tend to store information about them kinaesthetically, and they may not be able to explain what they do in words. I know someone who is a genius at carpentry; he does lots of work for me. When asked by his friend to explain how to use a lathe, he found that he was quite unable to explain - or even remember how he did it. He had to sit down at the machine and actually work with it himself: his hands seemed to know what to do.

Tip! You can be certain that little will ever be achieved without action � sustained, determined and committed action.

When developing your own memory improvement system, you can develop a facility with any of your senses if you practise. This can seem remarkable to others who have not bothered to do so. And this is true of entire cultures as well. Any culture reliant on oral transmission, for instance, will have highly developed auditory memory strategies such as rhythm, rhyme and mnemonics. So while it seems amazing to us, it was perfectly natural in ancient Greece for epic poems - thousands of lines long - to be committed to memory and accurately recited. Such skills still exist in parts of Africa where literacy and computer ownership are low, and also in India.

Conversely, imagine how strange it would be trying to learn a dance by reading a book about it, or learning to sing by looking at pictures of people singing. You need the right tool for the job. So check if you have the right senses alerted for what you want to learn.

Tip! The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better. ~ Barbara Pletcher

Before I go further, here is a little quiz, to help you find out more about your own memory:

Exploring Your Memory:

- Get really curious about your memory. What do you find easy to remember? What do you tend to forget? Do your own patterns tell you anything about what is important to you and what is less so? Or what kinds of representation come most naturally and you store most easily? Or where your self-limiting beliefs are?

Tip! If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences.

- Find out how you go about remembering. Do you: make pictures of the information? Tell yourself stories? Hear someone telling you? Try it on and experience? Like to get your hands dirty?

- What has to happen for you to forget something? Does your mind "Just go blank"? Do you steer away from something and find yourself thinking of something else? Do you say to yourself, "I must not forget this" - in which case your wording itself is directing your attention to forgetting rather than remembering. "Remember this" is far more progressive by the way.

- How do your remembering and forgetting relate to your interest in the information and your feelings about it?

- What kind of things do you have a "poor memory" for, and why?

- Do you have a good memory for things you would rather not? I knew someone who easily remembered everything that went wrong and every time he was ridiculed by others. If you do, how are you encoding these experiences? Are you replaying a video? Listening to a tape? Feeling the feelings? See if you can pinpoint how you are doing this.

So let's get on to the subject of memory retrieval.

Encoding and retrieval are closely linked. Bruce Chatwin recounts a really good example of how the two processes interact in his book "The Songlines." Visiting Australia, Chatwin learnt how the Aboriginal culture and history was encoded and passed on through songs that related to invisible paths winding across the land- the Songlines. So the land itself and all its natural features, every hump and hillock, encoded the stories of the ancient Dreamtime from generation to generation.

Tip! A journey of personal development is about learning to see the world about you, not in terms of black and white, but in full colour. Your journey should open your eyes to the infinite shades, hues and intensities of colour that make up the world in which we live: you'll take the shadow puppet theatre world and transform it into the digital cinema technology we have today.

The Aborigines sing their Songlines as a series of couplets that match the length of time it takes to walk a particular stretch of land. So the land and song are one. In fact, according to Chatwin, they believe that they are singing the land into existence as they walk over it, in a wondrous mixture of geography and mythology. Each tribe has its own territory and Songline, and each knows about the history of its neighbour because of the way their Songlines interlink.

Tip! We want to achieve but we are often not ready to follow the path success demands.

While travelling in the back country, Chatwin gave a lift to a man called Limpy, who wanted to visit a place he had never been to, which was of immense importance on his Songline. After seven hours' driving, and about ten miles away from the valley, Limpy began muttering and gesticulating rapidly as he stared out of the window. He had begun to recognise places he had only previously heard about, and he was singing the Songline to himself. But he was forced to do this in great haste because of the speed of the car: the Songline he knew went at walking speed.

The Songline had been encoded through singing and walking through a landscape with close attention to detail, and in a linear sequence. Every note of the melody was linked to a feature of the landscape, and this made remembering the Songline - and passing it to all tribe members and down generations - much easier.

Tip! There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction. ~ John F Kennedy

When the car journey intersected with the Songline, Limpy's memory of the whole Songline was triggered, but where the man-made road deviated from the Songline Limpy "switched off" and only resumed the experience when the road met the line again.

A somewhat similar process was used by Roman orators when they memorised complex speeches. They would mentally link each heading of their speech in its correct sequence with the features of another sequence they already knew well - such as the "landmarks" of a particular building or route. By linking the sequencing of the newly created speech to a sequence they already knew, they "highjacked" an existing memory to help them remember the new speech.

If you want to use this pattern to help remember a story, or a presentation, think of a route you know really well. Take yourself along it in your mind, stopping at each major landmark and finding ways to link the sequence of the headings in your story or presentation with the sequence of landmarks. Inventing links will help you create the links you need, and the more ridiculous or vivid the links the easier you will find them to remember.

Tip! If we make the effort to clarify what we want, develop plans, take action and keep working towards our desires, self improvement and progress will certainly follow, and nothing can stop us.

Adam is a best selling author, consultant and speaker please visit his website for a vast range of personal development resources and to receive your free, instantly downloadable hypnosis session and amazing ebook: http://www.adam-eason.com Thanks.