16 Things I Wish They Had Taught Me in School

16 Things I Wish They Had Taught Me in School
Published by Henrik Edberg April 2nd, 2008 in Productivity,
Relaxation, Personal Development, People Skills, Career & Work and
Success.
I am 28 now. I don't think about the past or regret things much these days.

But sometimes I wish that I had known some of things I have learned
over the last few years a bit earlier. That perhaps there had been a
self-improvement class in school. And in some ways there probably was.

Because some of these 16 things in this article a teacher probably
spoke about in class. But I forgot about them or didn't pay attention.

Some of it would probably not have stuck in my mind anyway. Or just
been too far outside my reality at the time for me to accept and use.

But I still think that taking a few hours from all those German
language classes and use them for some personal development classes
would have been a good idea. Perhaps for just an hour a week in high
school. It would probably be useful for many students and on a larger
scale quite helpful for society in general.

So here are 16 things I wish they had taught me in school (or I just
would like to have known about earlier).

1. The 80/20 rule.

This is one of the best ways to make better use of your time. The
80/20 rule – also known as The Pareto Principle – basically says that
80 percent of the value you will receive will come from 20 percent of
your activities.

So a lot of what you do is probably not as useful or even necessary to
do as you may think.

You can just drop – or vastly decrease the time you spend on – a whole
bunch of things.

And if you do that you will have more time and energy to spend on
those things that really brings your value, happiness, fulfilment and
so on.

2. Parkinson's Law.

You can do things quicker than you think. This law says that a task
will expand in time and seeming complexity depending on the time you
set aside for it. For instance, if you say to yourself that you'll
come up with a solution within a week then the problem will seem to
grow more difficult and you'll spend more and more time trying to come
up with a solution.

So focus your time on finding solutions. Then just give yourself an
hour (instead of the whole day) or the day (instead of the whole week)
to solve the problem. This will force your mind to focus on solutions
and action.

The result may not be exactly as perfect as if you had spent a week on
the task, but as mentioned in the previous point, 80 percent of the
value will come from 20 percent of the activities anyway. Or you may
wind up with a better result because you haven't overcomplicated or
overpolished things. This will help you to get things done faster, to
improve your ability to focus and give you more free time where you
can totally focus on what's in front of you instead of having some
looming task creating stress in the back of your mind.

3. Batching.

Boring or routine tasks can create a lot of procrastination and
low-level anxiety. One good way to get these things done quickly is to
batch them. This means that you do them all in row. You will be able
to do them quicker because there is less "start-up time" compared to
if you spread them out. And when you are batching you become fully
engaged in the tasks and more focused.

A batch of things to do in an hour today may look like this: Clean
your desk / answer today's emails / do the dishes / make three calls /
write a grocery shopping list for tomorrow.

4. First, give value. Then, get value. Not the other way around.

This is a bit of a counter-intuitive thing. There is often an idea
that someone should give us something or do something for us before we
give back. The problem is just that a lot of people think that way.
And so far less than possible is given either way.

If you want to increase the value you receive (money, love, kindness,
opportunities etc.) you have to increase the value you give. Because
over time you pretty much get what you give. It would perhaps be nice
to get something for nothing. But that seldom happens.

5. Be proactive. Not reactive.

This one ties into the last point. If everyone is reactive then very
little will get done. You could sit and wait and hope for someone else
to do something. And that happens pretty often, but it can take a lot
of time before it happens.

A more useful and beneficial way is to be proactive, to simply be the
one to take the first practical action and get the ball rolling. This
not only saves you a lot of waiting, but is also more pleasurable
since you feel like you have the power over your life. Instead of
feeling like you are run by a bunch of random outside forces.

6. Mistakes and failures are good.

When you are young you just try things and fail until you learn. As
you grow a bit older, you learn from - for example - school to not
make mistakes. And you try less and less things.

This may cause you to stop being proactive and to fall into a habit of
being reactive, of waiting for someone else to do something. I mean,
what if you actually tried something and failed? Perhaps people would
laugh at you?

Perhaps they would. But when you experience that you soon realize that
it is seldom the end of the world. And a lot of the time people don't
care that much. They have their own challenges and lives to worry
about.

And success in life often comes from not giving up despite mistakes
and failure. It comes from being persistent.

When you first learn to ride your bike you may fall over and over.
Bruise a knee and cry a bit. But you get up, brush yourself off and
get on the saddle again. And eventually you learn how to ride a bike.
If you can just reconnect to your 5 year old self and do things that
way - instead of giving up after a try/failure or two as grown-ups
often do – you would probably experience a lot more interesting
things, learn valuable lessons and have quite a bit more success.

7. Don't beat yourself up.

Why do people give up after just few mistakes or failures? Well, I
think one big reason is because they beat themselves up way too much.
But it's a kinda pointless habit. It only creates additional and
unnecessary pain inside you and wastes your precious time. It's best
to try to drop this habit as much as you can.

8. Assume rapport.

Meeting new people is fun. But it can also induce nervousness. We all
want to make a good first impression and not get stuck in an awkward
conversation.

The best way to do this that I have found so far is to assume rapport.
This means that you simply pretend that you are meeting one of your
best friends. Then you start the interaction in that frame of mind
instead of the nervous one.

This works surprisingly well. You can read more about it in How to
Have Less Awkward Conversations: Assuming Rapport.

9. Use your reticular activation system to your advantage.

I learned about the organs and the inner workings of the body in class
but nobody told me about the reticular activation system. And that's a
shame, because this is one of the most powerful things you can learn
about. What this focus system, this R.A.S, in your mind does is to
allow you to see in your surroundings what you focus your thoughts on.
It pretty much always helps you to find what you are looking for.

So you really need to focus on what you want, not on what you don't
want. And keep that focus steady.

Setting goals and reviewing them frequently is one way to keep your
focus on what's important and to help you take action that will move
your closer to toward where you want to go. Another way is just to use
external reminders such as pieces of paper where you can, for
instance, write down a few things from this post like "Give value" or
"Assume rapport". And then you can put those pieces of paper on your
fridge, bathroom mirror etc.

10. Your attitude changes your reality.

We have all heard that you should keep a positive attitude or perhaps
that "you need to change your attitude!". That is a nice piece of
advice I suppose, but without any more reasons to do it is very easy
to just brush such suggestions off and continue using your old
attitude.

But the thing that I've discovered the last few years is that if you
change your attitude, you actually change your reality. When you for
instance use a positive attitude instead of a negative one you start
to see things and viewpoints that were invisible to you before. You
may think to yourself "why haven't I thought about things this way
before?".

When you change you attitude you change what you focus on. And all
things in your world can now be seen in a different light.

This is of course very similar to the previous tip but I wanted to
give this one some space. Because changing your attitude can create an
insane change in your world. It might not look like it if you just
think about it though. Pessimism might seem like realism. But that is
mostly because your R.A.S is tuned into seeing all the negative things
you want to see. And that makes you "right" a lot of the time. And
perhaps that is what you want. On the other hand, there are more fun
things than being right all the time.

If you try changing your attitude for real – instead of analysing such
a concept in your mind - you'll be surprised.

You may want to read more about this topic in Take the Positivity Challenge!

11. Gratitude is a simple way to make yourself feel happy.

Sure, I was probably told that I should be grateful. Perhaps because
it was the right thing to do or just something I should do. But if
someone had said that feeling grateful about things for minute or two
is a great way to turn a negative mood into a happy one I would
probably have practised gratitude more. It is also a good tool for
keeping your attitude up and focusing on the right things. And to make
other people happy. Which tends to make you even happier, since
emotions are contagious.

12. Don't compare yourself to others.

The ego wants to compare. It wants to find reasons for you to feel
good about yourself ("I've got a new bike!"). But by doing that it
also becomes very hard to not compare yourself to others who have more
than you ("Oh no, Bill has bought an even nicer bike!"). And so you
don't feel so good about yourself once again. If you compare yourself
to others you let the world around control how you feel about
yourself. It always becomes a rollercoaster of emotions.

A more useful way is to compare yourself to yourself. To look at how
far you have come, what you have accomplished and how you have grown.
It may not sound like that much fun but in the long run it brings a
lot more inner stillness, personal power and positive feelings.

13. 80-90% of what you fear will happen never really come into reality.

This is a big one. Most things you fear will happen never happen. They
are just monsters in your own mind. And if they happen then they will
most often not be as painful or bad as you expected. Worrying is most
often just a waste of time.

This is of course easy to say. But if you remind yourself of how
little of what you feared throughout your life that has actually
happened you can start to release more and more of that worry from
your thoughts.

14. Don't take things too seriously.

It's very easy to get wrapped up in things. But most of the things you
worry about never come into reality. And what may seem like a big
problem right now you may not even remember in three years.

Taking yourself, your thoughts and your emotions too seriously often
just seems to lead to more unnecessary suffering. So relax a little
more and lighten up a bit. It can do wonders for your mood and as an
extension of that; your life.

15. Write everything down.

If your memory is anything like mine then it's like a leaking bucket.
Many of your good or great ideas may be lost forever if you don't make
a habit of writing things down. This is also a good way to keep your
focus on what you want. Read more about it in Why You Should Write
Things Down.

16. There are opportunities in just about every experience.

In pretty much any experience there are always things that you can
learn from it and things within the experience that can help you to
grow. Negative experiences, mistakes and failure can sometimes be even
better than a success because it teaches you something totally new,
something that another success could never teach you.

Whenever you have a "negative experience" ask yourself: where is the
opportunity in this? What is good about this situation? One negative
experience can – with time – help you create many very positive
experiences.

From "The Positivity Blog"

How Much to Give

BE SURE ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT FROM LIFE AND DOUBLY SURE OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO GIVE IN RETURN.

Examine the lives of successful people, and you will find that they have paid a price that is in direct proportion to the amount of success they have earned. Close examination will almost always reveal years of study and preparation before great success is achieved. This principle is consistent in virtually every field of individual achievement-in the arts, medicine, science, or business. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easily. As you consider your own goals, also consider what you are willing to sacrifice for what you expect to receive. You should be prepared to give generously of your time and talents long before expecting a return on your investment. Many "overnight successes" labored in obscurity for many years before they were finally recognized for their achievements.

Success Tips from a Puzzle Master

by Barbara Winter

For the past year or so, my granddaughter Zoe has been known (to her family) as The Puzzle Champ of Capistrano Court. She frequently dazzles the adults around her with her skill as putting a puzzle together in record time. I've studied her technique and theorized that her success is due to two things. When she's working a puzzle, she's completely focused. She knows her goal and heads for it. Her secret weapon, I thought, was her unwillingness to spend time with something that's not working.

The moment she realizes a piece she's selected doesn't go into the chosen spot, she discards it and moves on. I've never seen her struggling to make a piece fit in the wrong place.

Zoe's puzzle techniques are equally useful for our business success. Staying focused is always critical, but abandoning what's not working may be even more important.

Now at the ripe old age of 4, she is whipping together 100 piece puzzles that are quite complex. As I sat watching her the other day, I asked her why she thought she was so good at doing jigsaws. She gave me one of her patient looks and said, "Practice. I practice alot."

It's all too easy for adults to forget what Zoe already knows: nothing important gets done without on-going, long-term commitment to practice. In fact, the most successful entrepreneurs--or athletes or musicians or hairdressers--know that it's only when they make the things that matter most a daily priority, will they evolve, grow and improve. Focus. Don't waste time on what's not working. Practice. Just like The Puzzle Champ of Capistrano Court.

Pay Your Dues

TRYING TO GET WITHOUT FIRST GIVING IS AS FRUITLESS AS TRYING TO REAP WITHOUT HAVING SOWN.

The Bible states that we reap what we sow. The most fertile soil in the world is barren unless seeds have been properly planted, cultivated, and nurtured. The relationship between giving and getting is constant in everything you do. To succeed in any endeavor, you must first invest a generous portion of your time and talents if you expect ever to earn a return on your investment. You have to give before you get. It’s all a matter of attitude. You may occasionally be disappointed if you are not rewarded for your efforts, but if you demand payment for your services before you render them, you can expect a lifetime of disappointment and frustration. If you cheerfully do your best before asking for any compensation, you can expect a bountiful harvest of the greatest rewards life has to offer. - Napoleon Hill

Flip your Thoughts - The Key Habit for Success

This guest post was written by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits.

It was just a short 20 months ago when I discovered a very simple key that allowed me to finally quit smoking and become a runner. It was such an easy but powerful key that I then used it to eat healthier, double my income, become an early riser, run a marathon, become a vegan, lose weight, reduce my debt, save money, write a novel, complete a triathlon, and start a successful blog. What was that simple key to success? It was this: flip your thoughts.

Before I learned that, I would always start a goal with a lot of enthusiasm, and then run out of steam and eventually fail. After that initial burst of enthusiasm, the negative thoughts would set in on me: You can’t do this. It’s too hard. I’m too tired. It’s painful. Give in to the easier stuff.

Then I learned to flip my thoughts, and those negative thoughts became positive ones: You can do this. It’s hard, but the reward will be well worth it. You’re tired, but if you do this you can rest afterwards. It’s painful, so let’s take it a little easier, and focus on the benefits. There’s easier things you could be doing, but how will you feel afterwards?

Take any negative thought that hampers your goal, and find a way to flip it into a positive thought. Are you focusing on the difficulties of a goal or task? Focus instead on the benefits. Are you focusing on why you can’t do something? Focus instead on how you can, and why you should.

Actually, there is another key that must come first: you need to become aware of your thoughts. Many times we are thinking negative thoughts, but we don’t realize it. Start any goal by monitoring your thoughts. If you’re going to go running, for example, be aware of the thoughts that tell you to stop, that tell you that it’s too hard. Spend a day or two just being aware of those thoughts — and then try to flip them.

It’s a skill that takes practice, but trust me, if you get good at this skill, it will unlock any goal you set out to achieve. Let’s take a look at how to apply this key to some common goals. Some of these examples might seem corny and overly optimistic, but trust me, positive self-talk really works.

Eating healthier. Let’s say you’re trying to eat less fatty foods and trying to eat more fruits and vegetables instead. And you notice a common thought in your head: I really want that fried chicken. I really want that rich dessert. It looks so good and delicious! What do you do? Flip that thought: That fried chicken will clog my arteries and make me fat. So will that dessert. But those cut up fruits and veggies look delicious, and refreshing, and they will help me lose my gut! Think of the negative things about the fatty foods, and the positive things and the benefits of the healthy foods.

Exercise. The hardest part is actually getting out and starting the exercise. You might think: I’m too lazy right now. I don’t feel like it. I’d rather check my email. Instead, flip your thoughts: Exercise isn’t hard. Anyways, I don’t need to do too much today. I’m just going to put on my shoes and jog for 5 minutes, and see if I feel like doing more from there. And it will help me lose that gut!

Frugality. Monitor your spending urges, which typically come if you’re at a store or a mall or you’re shopping online. Your thoughts might be: I really want that gadget (or pair of shoes or whatever). I gotta have it. Now flip your thoughts: I don’t really need that right now, and it’s going to put me over my budget. Instead, I want to see if I can go a month without spending on anything unnecessary, so I can pay off my debts and be free of that burden!

Happiness. Negative thoughts are what get us down and spoil our happiness. There are so many in this area that it’s impossible to name them all, but again, learn to become aware of them … and then flip them. An example: I am such a failure. My life isn’t going anywhere. Flip those thoughts: Actually, I’ve done a lot in my life, and I have a lot to be thankful for (and here you should think of everything you have to be thankful for, including your material comforts, any loved ones, your health, or just life itself). And while I might not be doing as well as I’d like, I am going to take positive action and seek new opportunities. I can make this happen.

Career success. Negative thoughts are our main obstacles to success. Just one example: My supervisor hates me. I hate him and I’m not going anywhere in this job. Now try flipping those thoughts: I can impress my supervisor and his supervisors will a couple of stellar projects that will bring major benefits to this company. I’m going to take the initiative to start these projects and perform amazingly. And while I’m doing that, I’m going to look for other opportunities to get jobs that will give me the advancement I want.

Waking early. I wake up at 4:30 a.m. every day, and I’ve learned to love the early morning hours (read more about this here). While rising early isn’t for everyone, some people really want to wake earlier, but they have problems finding the motivation when the alarm goes off. Here’s a common negative thought: I’m so darn tired. I can just sleep another 20 minutes and there won’t be any harm. But try flipping those thoughts instead: I’m going to become an early riser and greet the day with energy! There are a few things I really want to do this morning, so if I get up now, I can actually get them done!

The Time Is NOW

Hello Everyone and Happy Tuesday!

This was not the blog that I had planned to write today, I had an experience a few nights ago that really inspired me to change my direction a bit (Warning: I am at home from school over the summer, so you never know what you are going to get).

Anyway, I had dinner plans out with friends. We went to this local fondue restaurant, which is an experience that I absolutely love (although how they can charge those prices for a place and you still have to cook your own food is beyond me!). So, if you have ever eaten at a fondue restaurant, you know that it can be a very long experience since you have to cook every single morsel of food yourself. If you haven't been to a fondue restaurant, let me give you some advice - only go with people that you really like because conversation is a must. As we sat there during our 5 hour dinner and a few glasses of wine, there was plenty of time for conversation. In fact, everyone at the table can just about share every live experience they have ever had over a 5 hour dinner. So, as always, the topic of the economy came up. WOW! I am sure that is a conversation that all of you have had with your friends, but it really is amazing to hear how much the economy - especially gas prices - have changed just about everything that we do. I knew I was cutting way back on everything, but didn't realize the magnitude to which people were altering their lives due to the elevated price of gas alone. One of my friends said that she was thinking of leaving her long time position with a company downtown so she could find something closer to her house. Another, a mother of 2, said she was so looking forward to the end of summer so she could stop driving her kids all over town for their summer sporting events. Everyone I know has already dumped their SUVs and high-end sports cars in lieu of more practical cars that are either hybrid or economy to save on gas. This dinner, 1 year ago, would have been filled with conversations of summer vacations, new cars, amazing purchases, remodeling plans, etc. But this year, no one is taking a vacation. The new car purchases are out of necessity rather than desire and everyone is holding back on spending at all costs - only the necessities!

Then, one of my friends said something that changed the entire direction of the conversation. He said, "WOW. this must be an incredible time for your business. I can't imagine that people aren't knocking your doors down looking for a way to make additional income. I have seen your ladies, and I know they must be making a killing right now selling and recruiting in this economy!" Of course it was then that I went and got a stack of bar napkins and a pen so I could jot down my thoughts so I could write this blog.

I hope we don't get stuck in the mindset that when the economy is weak, and prices are high that we are going to suffer a valley in our Heritage Makers income as well. We have so many things to offer women and men today - especially when the economy is weak.

Number 1 - we offer an amazing career opportunity for full time and part time jobs that can bring in as much supplemental income as a person desires. All too often I hear of people who are recruiting people so they can get the product at a discount. That is totally the wrong way of thinking about it. We need to be selling this career as a high potential for income rather than trying to recruit people to get a discount on their products. The opportunity to earn extra income from sharing and selling products that they believe in is one of the easiest ways make money – not to mention one of the most fun ways. I know so many people who are taking part-time jobs either at night or on the weekends just to afford the things that their full time job used to cover. People need to hear about "ATM - Anytime Money" positioning. We do have what people need right now. Don't be afraid to share it. It could be the smartest investment a person could ever make and one of the best things you could ever do to help someone. You have to admit, holding a couple of Celebrations is a lot more fun than getting a part time job as a weekend sales clerk at your local department store! And just think how little gas prices will matter when you reach the level to get your car allowance!

Number 2 - we have incredible products that transcend time and money – we offer people a way to preserve their heritage! I had a celebration last night and it was amazing – the women cried twice when I read “Connor Can” and the book my daughter made for me – THEY GET IT! They understand how important those words are in people’s lives. My host and the lady that she booked a party from were there and I hardly had to do any talking – they kept going on and on about how their dad, and their daughter felt when they opened the gift book that was made for them – I couldn’t have coached them better!

Number 3 – Another testimonial came from a person who has scrapbooked for years – she told the group that “This sure beats putting all that time, energy, and money into making those scrapbooks. Now I can sit down with no mess and no mistakes, and create books for all my family members. I will never scrapbook again.” Wow – how do you think this made the ladies feel who were seeing this for the first time feel?

Now is the time to talk to people about heritage. Now is the time to set up a little workshop in your home – even if you just have one computer and a scanner. Offer some bottled water and a little chocolate and invite people to come and work on their projects. I have been doing this consistently for a year and a half, and I cannot believe how many people are actually DOING their projects!

I also have a large number of people asking me to make their books for them. When we are at a celebration and they start saying that they love the idea, but where would they find the time, I just whip out my big Ziploc bag with a pad of post-it notes in it and my price sheet and tell them “Don’t worry – I will make your book for you. You gather your photos, put a post-it on the back with what you want to say, number them in the order you want them and give me a call. We will plan your book, I will scan, create it, and we will proof it together.” They are more than happy to pay for this service.

Again, all too often, I hear of people who are worried about asking for the sale with the economy the way that it is. Let me tell you, women are still
paying big bucks for the things they really care about with or without a weak economy. If we don't market ourselves as a retail channel and sell our products at their full retail price, we are not only cheating ourselves,
but we are diminishing the value of our brand (and when I say "brand" I mean YOU, INC. – in the consumer's eye's YOU are Heritage Makers). Economy or no economy, people still want to preserve their photos and stories! What makes it even better, is that they have the convenience of buying them from you – their personal consultant! No more running to the scrapbook store or photo processor, wasting gas. They can get them from you or order them online via their very own studio and have the convenience of home delivery and the expertise of their very own Consultant.

A good friend of mine who has been a long-time mentor in my professional life gave me some great advice. She said to me, "learn to own your power". What she meant by this was take control of the opportunity you have to market yourself and your talents, believe in what you have to offer and allow yourself to be successful. You have what people need - plain and simple. People WANT the best products at the best prices and they NEED to make supplemental income to off-set the crazy increases in today's cost of living. So, I would like to pass along those words of wisdom to all of you – OWN YOUR POWER. Believe in the opportunity that you have to offer. By sharing what you have with those around you, you can literally change their lives and improve their income. That's powerful!

(portions of this essay were inspired by other sources)

The REAL How to Get Things Done in 1 Minute

I finished reading David Allen’s unofficial productivity bible, “Getting Things Done” (GTD) about 2 and a half months ago. Since then I’ve made an asserted effort to implement his suggestions. The fundamental goal was to simply increase my daily rate of productive output.
I found that some of David Allen’s suggestions were instantly applicable, some needed a little tweaking to better suit my needs and others were a bit too rigid and were thus substituted for alternative methods. After 2 months of fine-tuning I’m happy to report that I have implemented a productivity system that works really well.

That’s what this short article is about. A crystal clear, 1 minute read on increasing your productivity by using the slightly modified GTD-based methods that have worked for me. Let’s get to it…

1. Create 1 Inbox (Entry Point) for All New Tasks – This should be the only place you record the new things you must get done and the only place you need to reference when you are ready to review them. I use my Outlook inbox as my GTD inbox. This will work well for anyone like me who receives a large quantity of tasks via email. If a task comes in any other format (snail mail, face to face meeting, phone call, etc.), I immediately send myself one email with a descriptive subject and body (more info below) for each new task.

2. Create “Work”, “Personal” and “Someday Maybe” Folders – I created 3 subfolders under my main Outlook inbox for this purpose. All work related tasks that must be done will be filed under “Work” and all personal tasks that must be done will be filed under “Personal”. Any less urgent tasks or miscellaneous ideas will be filed under “Someday Maybe” (these are open ended tasks like “learn Spanish”).

3. Completely Empty Your Inbox Every Morning – I completely empty my inbox every single morning without failure. This entails deleting any garbage emails, instantly completing the open tasks that take less than 2 minutes to resolve (more info below) and then filing all the remaining tasks into their appropriate subfolders.

4. Instantly Complete All 2-Minute (or less) Tasks – This is the most useful GTD method in the whole book. Every time you review new tasks (or new small parts of bigger tasks) ask yourself this question: Will this task take me longer than two minutes to complete if I start on it now? If the answer is no, do it now.

5. File All Remaining Tasks with Actionable Labeling – As you’re filing all the tasks that take more than 2 minutes to complete, verify that the subject and description (for me this is placed in the subject line of an email message) of the task is clear and action oriented. It’s easiest to think of this in labeling method as having two distincts parts, the task subject and the next action description. For example, “Design New Website Layout | Meet with the CEO to discuss my design ideas.”

6. Set Reminders in Calendar for Time Dependent Tasks – You should place a reminder in your calendar (for me this is the Outlook calendar) for any task with an associated time dependency. For example, a task entitled “Design New Website Layout | Design meeting Monday 10AM”, should also have a reminder entry placed in your calendar for 10AM Monday morning.

7. Review Every Open Task a Least Once a Day – Once your inbox is empty, read through all the tasks in your “Work” and “Personal” folders everyday just to review what you have in there. During this quick review process you will be able to remove tasks that have been completed, edit tasks as necessary with additional information and refresh your memory on all the open tasks you have. Note: Only review your “Someday Maybe” folder once a week at a set time.

8. Create a Short “Everyday” List for Complex Tasks or Projects – Create a short list of the things you must do everyday to ensure that you remain in control of a specific complex task or project (a group of related tasks). Review this list every morning or whenever you need a quick reminder. This especially helps me get into the groove of managing new, long-term projects that I have not yet fully mastered. An “Everyday” list might look something like this: Project X Everyday - 1. Meet with program managers, 2. Review active status reports, 3. Verify validity of open issues, etc.

Hopefully this 1 minute, GTD-based lesson will set you on the right track and motivate you to implement a similar system in your own life, a system for productively getting things done.

How to Get Things Done in 1 Minute

(from Marc and Angel Hack Life)

The Art of Entrepreneurship

The art of entrepreneurship

Regardless of the nation’s economic outlook, a good idea is recession-proof

Tom Breitling

Sun, May 18, 2008 (2:03 a.m.)

 

CHRIS MORRIS

The economic news is relentless. Home foreclosures. Teetering mortgage companies. Tottering airlines. Brands that once rode high are going bankrupt. Job losses. Dangerous levels of public and private debt.

If we’re not in a recession, there’s no denying that our economy does not feel good, which means this is not the time to be paralyzed in front of the TV. Look at the world in a new way, and build value for the future.

Which, the way I see it, means it’s a great time to be an entrepreneur.

One of the best moments in my career as an entrepreneur was meeting the singer Tony Bennett. This was a few years ago when my partner, Tim Poster, and I owned the Golden Nugget. Over lunch one day, Tony passed on a bit of wisdom that will never leave me.

Tony said he saw entrepreneurs as the artists of the future.

When he said it I was sort of stunned. I’d never really thought of myself as an artist. Yet here was one of America’s greatest recording talents — a man who has paintings hanging in galleries around the world — calling me an artist.

Over time, I’ve come to understand what Tony was pointing out. Entrepreneurs are always thinking creatively. The difference is we’re not working on a canvas that will express an intriguing idea or evoke a deep feeling as it hangs on a wall. We’re looking for a new way to solve problems and finding ways to make a business better and deliver a product or service that was previously unavailable.

The bottom line, in art or in business, always comes down to seeing the world in a new light.

Which brings me back to my point about its being a great time to be an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurial minds don’t stop thinking creatively just because the economy is hurting. This is when creative minds focus. When better to solve problems than when they’re big and staring you in the face? As the saying goes: Without a problem, there is no solution.

The news never tells the complete story. Opportunities exist. Let me give you an example that starts in the tech stock boom during the late ’90s and comes out on the other side of the Nasdaq meltdown of 2001-02.

My partner and I ran a hotel reservation business in Las Vegas that started in the early ’90s with a desk, a phone and a chair. Our timing was ripe. We were selling discounted hotel rooms in Las Vegas right after Steve Wynn produced an erupting volcano in front of the Mirage, the first major property built in Las Vegas in 16 years.

The crowds flocked to see the Mirage and it launched a new era for the city. Imaginative developers built other themed hotels and vacationers stormed the city, using our company to book rooms at discounted rates. We became an innovator in online sales. Our online reservation system sent our business — Travelscape — soaring and enabled us to expand worldwide. Then Expedia came calling.

Travelscape was focused on hotel and vacation package reservations in Las Vegas and around the world. Expedia was selling airline tickets via the Internet. Combining the two was like putting hamburgers and french fries together on a plate for the first time in history. We eventually sold Travelscape to Expedia for $105 million in Expedia stock. It was a great deal for both parties.

Unfortunately, the tech meltdown hit. The bottom dropped out of the entire stock market because many of the tech companies being trumpeted were not really viable. Fear gripped investors, much as it does now because of the mortgage mess. Our Expedia stock plummeted from $34 to $7 a share. We couldn’t sell our shares because of the nature of the deal. Our $105 million profit lost roughly 80 percent of its value.

But here’s the thing. I was still working with Expedia during this period, and I saw that the hamburger and french fries model was working. Expedia’s numbers were shooting through the roof. Its stock was being punished simply because investors were panicking and associating it with failing tech companies.

After the initial upheaval, investors took a careful look at Expedia and saw its growth. The stock recovered, and then soared from $7 to $150 (split adjusted) by the summer of 2003. It was a great company that was moving forward in a creative way, just as inventive minds in the mortgage world are right now assessing the damage and figuring out how to navigate past the current dislocation. When they do, profitability will return. Nobody should lose sight of the fact that lending money to people to buy homes is a very lucrative enterprise. Always has been. Always will be.

The creative minds will always come through. Those who are overcome by fear and who can’t see past the muck are never going to step out of it.

It’s all about thinking creatively — seeing business as art.

I recently wrote a book about the experiences my partner and I had at Travelscape and subsequently as owners of the Golden Nugget. While doing a signing at a local Las Vegas bookstore, a little boy and his mom came to the table and asked what the book was about.

When I told him, the boy’s eyes grew wide and he beamed: “I want to own a hotel and casino when I grow up!”

A spirit like that is never going to be deterred by bad economic times.

There is never a lousy time to dream big. This is an opportune moment; great products and services will come out of our current disruption. In a difficult economy and a tension-filled election year, America remains the land of opportunity.

My business partner and best friend and I come from humble backgrounds, and we didn’t go to Ivy League schools or get MBAs. We made it by creating and growing our own business and then living and breathing that business.

It is tough to be optimistic when people are losing their jobs and companies are downsizing, but the right idea, the right business and the right partnerships can survive the down cycles. There are emerging prospects to bet big on in the future.

The creativity and imagination of up-and-coming entrepreneurs will drive the economy forward. I believe this because right now my partner and I are spending a lot of time thinking about our next work of art.

Tom Breitling is president of Breitling Ventures and author of “Double or Nothing: How Two Friends Risked It All to Buy One of Las Vegas’ Legendary Casinos.”

Hanging On or Moving On?

From my dear friend Barbara Winter - author of "Making a Living Doing what you Love"
www.barbarawinter.com

Every few months, I get the alumni magazine from my college. I usually glance through the class notes to see if there's anyone I remember who has gotten mentioned. Most of the entries are a bit, well, dull, saying things like, "Now retired after 30 years teaching in the same school" or "Just retired from 40 years at the bank." Apparently, my fellow college students were big on staying put in one place.

This time, however, an entry caught my eye. It read, "Retired after 35 years as a social worker and probation officer. He now spends his time as a traveler in Africa and is a full-time freelance outdoors writer." I never knew the man so described, but I wanted to. I particularly wanted to know how he kept his adventurous soul alive for such a long time while toiling away in Cook County Illinois.

Leaving a familiar situation is a challenge that comes to all of us-sometimes several times throughout our life. Not everyone meets the challenge with ease. I remember a woman who had spent her life as a teacher. She had stuck with it long after the satisfaction had gone. Now she was ready, she said, to do something completely different. However, she wasn't at all certain what the new path should be. That happens, of course, when we become entrenched in a situation or relationship for so long that we forget that we have options.

I made several suggestions about how she could begin exploring. I heard from her again after about ten days and she was making remarkable headway. She'd even listed all of her teaching books on eBay-burning her bridges she said. Imagine my amazement when I opened her next e-mail which was obviously written in a moment of great panic. "I only have another week to sign my teaching contract," it read. "Should I sign it?"

I was flabbergasted and promptly replied that I didn't have the answer to her question. I suggested, however, that it might be a temporary lapse on her part and then I said, "So how are you going to tell your grandchildren that you once had an opportunity to create a truly adventurous life and you chickened out?" The moment I typed that question, I realized at a very deep level, how our acts of self-doubt don't just impact our own lives, but have a profound ripple effect. Take the low road and you'll have a procession behind you. What kind of legacy is that?

We might tell ourselves that staying in a stultifying relationship isn't really so bad or having a job that robs us of any creative enthusiasm is fine for now, but every day that we hang on we are losing precious time that could be spent building something bold and beautiful. On the other hand, our acts of courage beget courage in others as well. We never know who's watching.

While letting go can seem terrifying, think of the times you've done so and found yourself in a better place. It's no use tricking yourself into thinking that you'll make things better while staying in the bad situation, however. Doesn't work that way. As long as you hang on, you can't move on.

If you're in need of prompting, you might want to post these encouraging words from Ellen Goodman: "There's a trick to the Graceful Exit, I suspect. It begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, a relationship is over and to let it go. It means leaving what's over without denying its validity or its past importance in our lives. It involves a sense of the future, a belief that every exit line is an entry, we are moving on rather than out. It's hard to learn that we don't leave the best parts of ourselves behind, back in the dugout or the Capital or the office. We own what we learned back there, the experience and the growth are grafted onto our lives. And when we exit, we can take ourselves along. Quite gracefully.

Wise Words

WISE PERSONS ARE THOSE WHO THINK TWICE BEFORE SPEAKING ONCE.

Perhaps the greatest quality in a leader and the most valuable skill in building relationships is the ability to think before you speak. If you have a tendency to speak hastily in anger and regret your actions at leisure, the childhood admonition to count to ten before speaking will still serve you well. When you pause-if only for a moment-to consider the consequences, you may think better of what you were about to say. And if you must speak strongly, it’s a good idea to sugarcoat the words-just in case you have to eat them later.

How To Build Momentum and Stay Motivated Every Day!

by Lisa Jimenez, M. Ed.

I'm so mad at myself!" she said as we began our coaching call. "I made a goal to get ten new clients last week and I only got three," she lamented.

The frustration in her voice was something I used to experience, as well, until I came to a profound realization: Focusing on your results is dangerous.

I used to keep charts all over my office to fill in the names of the people who signed up for my coaching program and retreats. Even after hours of marketing efforts, I would feel defeated if I wasn't able to fill in all of those spaces at the end of the week.

My definition of success was only based on results.

I was placing all my focus and energy on something I had very little control over. Think about it; you really can't make your prospect buy your product or say yes to your opportunity.

So why give so much power to an element that you cannot control? What you can do is show your prospect enough intriguing information, in a passionate way, on a consistent basis, that will touch, move, and inspire them to make their own choice. The only factor you have complete control over is your efforts!

So let's talk about how you can shift your mindset, release the control over the results, and focus on your efforts.

First, decide how many people you are willing to share your product or opportunity with. Again, the only part of the sales process you have control over is your efforts and the quantity of prospecting attempts you will make.

What is that number for you?

Powerfully choose how many people you are willing to prospect and be fiercely committed to it.

Next, realize that the other aspect of selling you have control over is the number of no's you are willing to take without giving up; or better said, how many no's you're willing to take and still stay motivated, excited, and inspired.

The most effective way to do this is to embrace the Law of Average (L.O.A). Think of it scientifically. How many prospects do you need to share your opportunity with to get a yes? In other words . . . how many no's do you have to receive to get a yes?

For most salespeople that number is 10. When I realized this truth, I got freed up of the frustrations that come from 'getting a no.' Getting a no is just a part of selling. The more yes's you get and the bigger you want to grow your business, the more no's you've got to be willing to receive!

When I was in network marketing, I did an interesting experiment that helped me focus on my efforts and stay motivated. First, I knew that, on average, I made $500 on each sale. Then I divided that amount by 10, the number of no's I had to received in order to get a yes (L.O.A.). That meant I made $50 every time I got a no! I actually taped a $50 bill to my phone and every time I got a no, I'd hang up the phone and say, "Thanks for the fifty bucks!"

Free yourself up from trying so hard to convince, persuade, and control your prospects. Let go of the results. Put your energy and power into your efforts and you will be an incredible force. Your prospect will sense your unique and confident posture and will want what you have.

Think of how powerful you will be when you release what you don't have control over and fervently grasp what you do. The only factor you have complete control over is your efforts!

What this really takes is a shift in your mindset. Evaluate the goals you've set and discern if they depend on your efforts or results. Instead of setting the goal of five new business associates, set the goal to put 50 new prospects in your recruiting pipeline. Instead of setting a goal of selling 100 widgets, set your goal to put your widget in front of 10,000 new prospects.

The incredible success I have experienced since I shifted attention to efforts instead of results has been nothing short of amazing! And it will be the same for you . . .

The only factor you have complete control over is your efforts! And your efforts are all you need to get the incredible results you desire.

Per il vostro successo (To Your Success)

From Barbara Winter:

There's a popular notion that in order to be an entrepreneur you must be a card-carrying risk taker, but the average experience is closer to the truth. You don't have to be a big risk taker to participate in the Joyfully Jobless life, but you do have to be willing to experiment. In fact, the word "experiment" keeps coming up over and over again in people's stories.

The willingness to approach building a business as an experiment assumes that both success and failure will occur. That might sound somewhat unemotional and left-brained. It doesn't have to be that way. Handled properly, an experimental approach makes you smarter and more confident. You continually evaluate results, eliminate what doesn't work so well, have the fun and excitement of doing things in new and different ways.

Why don't you test this out? For the next 90 days, focus on creative experimentation. Challenge yourself to find one new approach every week. Or every month. Give it some time, then decide if you want to keep it in your portfolio or move on to another approach. Who knows what you might discover?

One of the things I know for sure is that when we honor our own dreams, we almost automatically want to support the dreams of people we care about. There are all sorts of ways to do that. I really liked the one that Patti Thomas from IL shared with me.

Patti writes, "For the past two years, my standard graduation gift for high school and college graduates is: a tool kit, a cookbook, and a copy of 'Making a Living Without a Job'. I feel these three items contain the basics for starting a young (or any age) person off on the right path to a future of 'get(ting) out of bed excited and happy about how we're going to spend the day.' I want my children, and my friends and their children, to feel the self esteem to become joyfully jobless."

Per il vostro successo,

Terry

Offer to Make Your Books

Hi Everyone - Happy Easter!

Boy, today is a far cry from Easter 2 years ago when the little girls raced around the lawn in their little strappy sun dresses and searched for Easter Eggs - it has been snowing all week, and although a balmy 34 degrees right now, not the type of weather you'd like to be tramping around the squashy, snow-covered lawn in.

I just added another service to my business - Celebration Storybooks - for those of you who either aren't "crafty", don't have the time, or don't have the inclination, I will create your beautiful storybooks for you! Here's how it works -

I will set up a time to meet - you should have some idea in your mind what type of book you would like - a theme or occasion, perhaps. You should gather your photos - electronically or physically, and when we get together we will decide on what type of book you would like me to help you make. I say "help you" because there's no way I can totally do it myself - I need your preferences, ideas, themes - and I will elaborate on them. I will scan your photos (if need be), put together all of your pages with beautiful art and embellishments, type in your text (we need to talk about that...), and bring the book to completion to be submitted to Heritage Makers for publishing.

Now, it may sound very expensive, but just think how much it would cost you if you did it in a traditional scrapbook (all those papers and putz), or if you do nothing and don't have a great storybook to display on your coffee table OR (heaven forbid) - something happens to your photos before you get your story told - that is the biggest tragedy of all!

e-mail me for a price sheet - it runs about once again the price of the book - and we will get started. Make sure to allow quite a bit of time - we want to do it right - but most of all - do it!
Get it started, begin, start, commence - whatever - you will be glad you did!

Storybooks can be seen at www.celebrationstorybooks.com.

Have a wonderful Easter!

Terry

Great Friends

Great Friends

I think deep down everyone has a burning desire to be great. They want to be the best plumber, the best carpenter, the best mechanic, the best engineer, the best lawyer. They want to be the best dad, the best mom, the best uncle, the best cousin and the best friend. They simply want to be the best - they want to be great. It's human nature to want more for ourselves and to want more for others. We simply want to be great.

The other day a good friend of mine gave me a call. We were talking about a recent promotion that I was passed up for. I work full time as a project manager and had been told that I was going to receive a huge bonus for work well done but the compensation didn't fall through. I was offered a title change but nothing else. I wasn't in the best place and my wife and I hadn't talked in almost 36 hours because of our conflicting schedules. It was in that 36 hour that I received a call from a good friend of mine - my friend Jason. I was really upset that I had been passed for promotion because I thought there was something 'wrong with me'. Jason didn't see it that way. He asked me what had happened and listened to my story.

While we were on the phone, something happened. I'm not quite sure what happened, but I felt a shift - I felt lighter. I shared my story with Jason and he just listened. When I was all done he just said the most beautiful words. He said, "Steve, with your skills and experience you can work anywhere you want. You're going to do great things." I told him how much I appreciated his call and he told me, "No Steve. Thank-you." My heart melted. I felt like crying but I didn't. In all the years of our friendship, he never said such a thing. It was in that moment I realized what a great person he is - and in his greatness I realized how great I am. If you ever forget who you are, stop and listen to your great friends.

Make great friends and keep them forever.. It's in their greatness that lies the greatness in YOU.

Stephen Martile

Turning Desire Into Dreams

February 22, 2008 Turning Desire Into Dreams A strong sense of optimism may well up within you today as you review your plans for the future. You may feel encouraged by recent successes and, as a result, more confident in your capabilities. Whereas once you might have considered all that can go wrong, you are now likely focused wholeheartedly on your positive expectations. You can make the most of this optimism by using it as inspiration when you visualize your future accomplishments. Thinking about what you hope to achieve as if it has already occurred can help you create the future you desire with a minimum of strife. Should you find yourself plagued by pessimistic thoughts today, simply remember that your thoughts can have a profound effect on your ability to apply yourself enthusiastically to your goal-oriented tasks. Because optimism attracts opportunity, maintaining a hopeful outlook can help you draw positive prospects into your life. People tend to focus on worst-case scenarios, ostensibly to prepare themselves for what the future may bring. However, our thoughts are the seeds from which our lives grow and take shape. Your optimistic thoughts will lead you to seek out the people and activities that will become the building blocks of the life you desire. When you are focused on the eventual realization of a bright and fulfilling future, you will be more apt to recognize the steps you must take to attain such a future. A hopeful attitude can serve as an everlasting source of encouragement. The optimism that has taken root in your soul today will help you craft the life of your dreams. From Daily OM

Outside The Comfort Zone

Things We Don’t Want To Do

Most of us have had the experience of tackling some dreaded task only to come out the other side feeling invigorated, filled with a new sense of confidence and strength. The funny thing is, most of the time when we do them, we come out on the other side changed and often wondering what we were so worried about or why it took us so long. We may even begin to look for other tasks we’ve been avoiding so that we can feel that same heady mix of excitement and completion.

Whether we avoid something because it scares us or bores us, or because we think it will force a change we’re not ready for, putting it off only creates obstacles for us. On the other hand, facing the task at hand, no matter how onerous, creates flow in our lives and allows us to grow. The relief is palpable when we stand on the other side knowing that we did something even though it was hard or we didn't want to do it. On the other hand, when we cling to our comfort zone, never addressing the things we don’t want to face, we cut ourselves off from flow and growth.

We all have at least one thing in our life that never seems to get done. Bringing that task to the top of the list and promising ourselves that we will do it as soon as possible is an act that could liberate a tremendous amount of energy in our lives. Whatever it is, we can allow ourselves to be fueled by the promise of the feelings of exhilaration and confidence that will be the natural result of doing it.

From Daily OM

Being Clear About Desires

Getting What We Want

The best way to get what we want from life is to first know what we want. If we haven’t taken the time to really understand and identify what would truly make us happy, we won’t be able to ask for it from those around us or from the universe. We may not even be able to recognize it once it arrives. Once we are clear about what we want, we can communicate it to those around us. When we can be honest about who we are and what we want, there is no need to demand, be rude or aggressive, or manipulate others that are involved in helping us get what we want. Instead, we know that we are transmitting a signal on the right frequency to bring all that we desire into our experience.

As the world evolves, humanity is learning to work from the heart. We may have been taught that the way to get what we want is to follow certain rules, play particular games, or even engage in acts that use less than our highest integrity. The only rules we need to apply are those of intention and connection. In terms of energy, we can see that it takes a lot of energy to keep up a false front or act in a way that is counter to our true nature, but much less energy is expended when we can just be and enjoy connections that energize us in return. Then our energy can be directed toward living the life we want right now.

Society has certain expectations of behavior and the roles each of us should play, but as spiritual beings we are not bound by these superficial structures unless we choose to accept them. Instead, we can listen to our hearts and follow what we know to be true and meaningful for us. In doing so, we will find others who have chosen the same path. It can be easy to get caught up in following goals that appear to be what we want, but when we pursue the underlying value, we are certain to stay on our right path and continue to feed our soul.

From - Daily OM

The Beginnings of the Abundance Fairy

The Abundance Fairy? Last spring, we were going to host the first ever A-MAY-ZING Heritage Makers training in Minneapolis in mid-May. I wanted it to be educational, rewarding, and most of all - fun. The teachers at our school had filmed a crazy video showing "things not to do in school" including frying bacon in the girls bathroom (this really happened), smoking in cars in the parking lot, not being late for class, etc. and it inspired me.

Anyway, we have a few students that are into movie-making, so I wrote a script and gathered the troops one afternoon (it was pretty urgent because our training was coming up very fast) and we filmed in the library of our school. I literally grabbed kids that were in the school at that time - I wanted Micalie involved in it, but she had a rehearsal at the other school that day, so every warm, willing body was fair game.

We ended up with 2 boys and 4 girls who played the parts of a new consultant and party guests who were doing all the wrong things, but of course, the Abundance Fairy saved the day and made the celebration a success! From then on, it was providence. The film made it's way to Utah and even a short showing at Reunion.

Stay tuned for the sequel.

Kids say the darndest things

I was cleaning out old papers this weekend and found all of my calendars from the 80's. I always wrote things on these that the kids were doing at that time. Here's one thing that made me chuckle -

Mitch was telling me that Nic and the next-door neighbor girl were being mean to him. I asked Nic "did you hit Mitch with that toy?" Without missing a beat, Nic responded "not yet!"

I love it.

How it all started...

I truly believe that everything I have done in my life up to this point has prepared me for what I am doing right now. I used to be apologetic about my varied career - it seemed like I was always doing something new, but now I see that I am a "start-up" person. I am the one that comes in - whether I am hired or just launching something new - get things up and running, work out all the bugs, do all the creative, inventing, and then when others start "working" the business, taking over some of the tasks from me (usually because I am doing more new things and run out of time to get everything done), I am ready to slowly start backing out, releasing tasks, and eventually working my way out of my job.

This has described all the jobs I have had to this point - working for others and working for myself. Along the way I have picked up skills and talents that have led me down different roads. I've always enjoyed my work, have been relatively successful, and have made a living.

To describe my work now, I would have to say I am a Heritage Maker Founding Director, a custom engraver, an administrator (New Century), a director (school play), a wife, a mom, a friend, and more. I am so happy and grateful for my full and happy life! I have a good husband, 3 beautiful children, a beautiful home, and many wonderful friends and extended family members. We are all healthy, happy and fine. Life is good.