And then there is the question of riches v wealth. I have heard people say that riches don;t make you happy but wealth does. In this case “riches” means all the material things.

I [...]]]> Many people say that they want to be wealthy, yet I find that this means many different things to different people.

And then there is the question of riches v wealth. I have heard people say that riches don;t make you happy but wealth does. In this case “riches” means all the material things.

I have also heard the two words used the other way around, and it really doesn’t matter which one you use. The bottom line is what does it means to you, and how do you achieve it?

I do believe that whatever material wealth you achieve, however many houses you own or businesses you run, if that is all you have you will still have a very empty life.

To me wealth is very close to abundance, and this is something we can all tap into.There are no real limitations in this world, only those that we perceive.

And ultimately what we all seek, if we are really honest, is love. In my experience the people who are happiest have an abundance of love in their lives. And when they have that they don’t “need” anything else.

And you know what the good news is? You don’t need anyone else.
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Refresh your memory about happiness here and here

When Sir John was Chairman of [...]]]> You will no doubt be familiar with Sir John Harvey Jones and his reputation as a respected businessman and advisor. Sir John had an elegant secret for deflecting customer interruptions – whilst still making the customers feel as though they were the most important people in the world!

When Sir John was Chairman of ICI and a customer rang to speak to him, his secretary would explain that, although Sir John was doing something else, he had left strict instructions that, wherever he was, he was to be interrupted if a customer wanted him. Most customers would say: “Don’t bother him now. But ask him to call me when he’s finished.” As a result, Sir John was rarely interrupted, and goodwill was always at an optimum. What’s more, his example helped to convince everybody else at ICI that they too needed to live up to the rhetoric of putting customers first.

It really pays to make other people in your life feel respected and important.

How could you apply this to your own business, or your life in general?

By asking “What Do I Love?” or “What would I love?” you bring the attention of your mind to that thing.

So whenever you are faced [...]]]> ..is a question that easily refocuses your mind. We hear so often that focus creates reality and this is a really quick and easy way to shift your focus.

By asking “What Do I Love?” or “What would I love?” you bring the attention of your mind to that thing.

So whenever you are faced with a dilemma or something not quite going as you would like, take a moment to step back and ask yourself “What Would I Love?”, and go with what comes immediately, don’t “think” about it too much. What pops into your head first will be the true answer.

Once you have this consider it, and how you can act so that you move towards it as your target, your end result.

Even if you don’t know “how” it doesn’t matter, focus on what you really want to happen. This is the first step towards creating the outcome that you want.

And it can apply to any aspect of your life and any situation.

He rushed home and in a three-day burst of creative output produced the first draft of the screenplay entitled [...]]]> Did you know that in 1974, Sylvester Stallone was a broke, discouraged actor and screenwriter. While attending a boxing match he became inspired by a “nobody” boxer who “went the distance” with the great Mohammed Ali.

He rushed home and in a three-day burst of creative output produced the first draft of the screenplay entitled Rocky.

Down to his last $106, Stallone submitted his screenplay to his agent. A studio offered $20,000 with either Ryan O’Neal or Burt Reynolds playing the lead character. Stallone was excited by the offer but wanted to play the lead himself. He offered to act for free. He was told, “That’s not the way it works in Hollywood.” Stallone turned down the offer though he desperately needed the money.

Then they offered him $80,000 on the condition that he wouldn’t play the lead. He turned them down again.

They told him that Robert Redford was interested, in which case they’d pay him $200,000. He turned them down once more. They upped their offer to $300,000 for his script. He told them that he didn’t want to go through his whole life wondering “what if?”

They offered him $330,000 for his script. He told them that he’d rather not see the movie made if he couldn’t play the lead.

They finally agreed to let him play the lead. He was paid $20,000 for the script plus $340 per week minimum actor’s scale. After expenses, agent fees, and taxes, he netted about $6,000 instead of $330,000.

In 1976 Stallone was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actor. The movie Rocky won three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing. The Rocky series has since grossed almost $1 billion, making Sylvester Stallone an international movie star!

Follow your gut. Stick to your guns.

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“Successful people realize their life long dreams by doing things that most people are [...]]]> There is one sure way to get what you want in life, but few people actually do it. Put this practice firmly into your day to day business activities and you will have an advantage over the rest of the crowd.

“Successful people realize their life long dreams by doing things that most people are not willing to do. If you can just do what is needed instead of what you want to do, you can accomplish a lot.

People that get what they want in business don’t just give 100% each day. When the day is through and you’ve done your best, it is now time to make the extra effort to accomplish one more small goal or to finish the day’s original goal. ‘Going the extra mile’ does not require a massive effort on your part. If you put forth only 5% of your daily effort, a small goal is easily attained. Doing this only three days a week can produce impressive results by the end of the month.

Do you have a problem getting things done? Then don’t be satisfied with another day gone and your goal not met. Put forth that small extra effort on a regular basis and you will begin reaching your goals.

Going the extra mile is part of a small business success mindset. It’s your business, you are ultimately responsible for the results. Setting deadlines for yourself and writing down your goals makes it easier to go the extra mile. You can see on paper the goal set for that day. Many times you will see that by the end of the day you are very close to meeting your goal. You can now go your extra mile because you know it is only going to take a small amount of extra effort.

Going the extra mile will enable you to reach more of your goals. This allows you to ‘raise the bar’ on your new goals, creating growth in your business. Growth does wonders for your attitude and makes the road to success more enjoyable.

What’s the bottom line on going the extra mile? More signups, more sales if you’re in business. And you’ll get what you want a lot faster when you are willing to do what others are not.

(thanks to Ken Leonard Jr. and Willie Crawford)

However, it doesn’t have [...]]]> Have you ever noticed how some days you wake up feeling fantastic and other days you just feel lousy? Does this affect the way the rest of your day goes? It often does, how many times do you hear people telling stories about the day starting badly and just getting worse?

However, it doesn’t have to be like that. You may have heard the phrase “its not the cards you are dealt, but the way you play your hand that matters” This is the same with our everyday lives, it’s not the circumstances we find ourselves in but the way we deal with them and the choice we make that determine our success or otherwise.

A useful tip I have heard a few times is to have a small card with two faces on it, one smiley and one sad. Put “what do I choose to be today” on the top, and Terrific and Terrible beneath the two faces (or other words than mean something to you). Then each morning make a conscious decision to be terrific, and have a good day. You’d be surprised at the difference if you do it every day!

If you have an office you could also put a card on your office door and ask staff and visitors to choose too!

Happiness is a choice, I choose it do you?

There are only so many ways to grow (a business) but the best concept supporting growth is positivity:

• The road to success is based on the choices you make. There will be many challenges. [...]]]> This was written for business, though applies equally well to life or any other project you may be involved in.

There are only so many ways to grow (a business) but the best concept supporting growth is positivity:

• The road to success is based on the choices you make. There will be many challenges. Face them one at a time, and you’ll go further and farther than you ever dreamed.

• Learn to see the invisible opportunities where other people only see visible limitations.

• You grow by building on your strengths. By getting better at the things you’re already good at. Become good enough and you become an expert. Experts stand head and shoulders above everybody else.

• Put enthusiasm into your work. Look forward – with excitement – to each new day. Be energetic. Enthusiasm is contagious. It affects your colleagues, your customers, your family and your friends.

• Say YES to your big dreams, and your whole world changes. You succeed when you do what it is you know. – Take action, and the purpose will be revealed.

• Expect and demand the best from yourself and those around you.

• You can be good, pretty good… or GREAT.

Here’s to your continued growth!

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1. Laughing so hard that your face hurts. 2. No lines at the supermarket, bank or post office 3. Taking a drive on a pretty road. 4. Hearing your favorite song [...]]]> Here are a few things that can lift your spirits. Think about them one at a time BEFORE going on to the next one…

1. Laughing so hard that your face hurts.
2. No lines at the supermarket, bank or post office
3. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
4. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
5. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
6. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
7. A good conversation.
8. Lying on a warm, sunny beach
9. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
10. Sharing a sunset with someone special
11. Running through sprinklers.
12. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
13. Friends.
14. Overhearing someone say something nice about you.
15. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
16. Playing with a new puppy.
17. Having someone play with your hair.
18. Swinging on swings.
19. Making chocolate chip cookies.
20. Holding hands with someone you care about.
21. Knowing you’ve done the right thing, no matter what other people think.