I HAVE MOVED TO WORDPRESS!

That's right, I have finally made the move over to Wordpress!

I am no longer using blogger for my blog.

Here is my new blog... AronParker.com/blog

Jim Rohn Tribute Video

Special tribute for personal development philosopher and speaker - Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn has impacted so many lives over the years. Here is a brief video with just a sampling of the impact Jim has had on so many. Enjoy...

http://video.success.com/featured/jim-rohn-tribute

Daily Disciplines for Effortless Success

by JACK CANFIELD

Hand’s down, one of the most popular questions I’m asked by students is this… “Jack, what are your most important daily actions that you correlate with your success.”

In fact, Oprah Winfrey asked me a similar question just days before appearing on her show. She asked me to come up with some easy-to-apply steps for her viewers to start applying The Law of Attraction in their lives.

One of the basic first steps is to determine, write down and talk about what you do want, not what you don’t want. Be as specific as possible. Once you have clarified what you want, do the following each and every day.


1. Morning Intention, Visualization and Releasing

As soon as you wake up in the morning, take about 5 minutes to focus your mind on your desires, goals and intentions. Start by sitting in a comfortable position, closing your eyes and visualizing your desires and goals as already being fulfilled. Spend 30 seconds to a minute on each of your core desires and goals. You can also take a few moments to visualize your day going exactly as you would like it to.

When you do this, you will often find negative limiting beliefs that are the result of negative programming from your childhood will come up. You may hear thoughts like “I could never afford that,”“there’s no way I’ll ever get that,” or “who am I kidding?” coming up. If you do, use one of the many releasing techniques that are available (see the list below) to release the negative thought. Don’t fight or argue with the thought; just release it.

Remember to also spend several moments feeling the feelings you would feel if you had already manifested your desire in your life. The intensity of the feeling is what fuels the intensity of the attraction.

2. Use External Images to Keep you Focused on Your Desires and Goals

Keep yourself focused on what you want to manifest by surrounding yourself with visual images of the things and experiences you want to create in your life. There are many tools you can use for this, including creating a Vision Book from our Dream Big Collection

Cut out pictures of the things you wish to own (like your ideal car or home) and pictures that represent the experiences you want to have (like the perfect relationship, your ideal job, perfect health, being at your ideal weight, more joy, inner peace or balance in your life) to remind yourself of how you want it to be. Put them somewhere where you will see them every day—on the mirror, the refrigerator, or in your Vision Book.

For even greater impact, combine your pictures with words that reflect your desired outcome, such as abundance, romance, fun, vitality, etc. I think you get the picture.
When you look at any of these pictures, do what Bob Doyle, who is featured in The Secret teaches— think the thought, “THIS IS MINE NOW! THIS IS WHO I AM!”

3. Think a Better Feeling Thought

Start paying attention to the many times during the day that you have emotional responses (to other people, experiences, or your own thoughts) that are not in alignment with having or producing your desires. Pay special attention to when you feel disappointment, resentment, frustration or anger about your experiences and circumstances.

Remember, it’s your feelings (which are created by your thoughts, opinions, and beliefs) that are creating your current circumstances. You must make a shift by changing your thoughts to ones that make you feel better (i.e., raise your vibration). Remember that you must become a vibrational match for the things and experiences that you want to attract into your life.

It is especially important to focus your thoughts and behaviors on things that cause you to feel joy. Focus your thoughts on thoughts that bring you joy (your lover, your best friend, your grandchildren, your favorite vacation spot) and your actions on doing the things you love to do (pet your cat, work in your garden, listen to your favorite music).

4. Have an Attitude of Gratitude

It is critical to take time each and every day to focus on what you are grateful for! Some people do this in the morning before or after they visualize their desires; others prefer to do it in the evening. Focus on all of the things in your life (most of which you take for granted) that you are grateful for—your health, your children, your job, the nice weather, electricity, running water, a nice stereo system, your flower garden, your pets, your friends).

No matter what your situation, there are always things to be grateful for. The more you focus on what you are grateful for, the more things and experiences you will attract to be grateful for. You may wish to carry a “gratitude rock” like the one Lee Brower talks about in “The Secret”, or log your findings in a Gratitude Journal.

5. Take Action

There are two kinds of actions you can take. Obvious actions are things like, if you want a better car, going to test drive all of the models you are interested in and choosing the exact car you want to have, and saving 10% of your income in a “car account.” If you want to be a doctor, apply to medical school.

There is also what I call “inspired actions.” Once you begin to do the things described above, the universe will start responding by sending people, resources and opportunities you need to manifest your desired result. You are going to find that you have inspired ideas; you must act on them. You must follow those gentle proddings from the universe. Often these intuitive impulses will have no seeming connection to achieving your goal, but if you follow them, they will lead you down a path of wonderful fulfillment.

Here’s a quick way to know if the actions you’re taking are taking you closer to the fulfillment of your dreams and desires.

If you are feeling joy while you are doing them, then you are on the right path. Remember, joy is your internal guidance system, just like the GPS system in a car, telling you are taking the right actions. Follow your joy.

6. Acknowledge That it's Working

If you start to see something change for the better, acknowledge that it is happening. Appreciate it. When you find the perfect parking space, acknowledge it. When you get the table you want in the restaurant, acknowledge it. When you receive unexpected income, acknowledge it. When you meet someone who can help you achieve your goal, acknowledge that Law of Attraction is working. The more you acknowledge that it’s working, the more it will work. It’s that simple.

If you are attracting things into your life that you don’t want, remember that the Law of Attraction is still working. Instead of thinking or saying, “It’s not working,” ask your self, “What am I focusing on, thinking about, talking about, feeling or doing that is bringing this into my life?”

If you want to know what you are thinking about, notice the results you are producing in your life. To change those results, you will first have to change your vibration by changing your thoughts and feelings.

When you make a commitment to take these actions each day, you’ll start to move forward, with confidence, in the direction of your dreams. Believe that they are not only possible, but that they are already in progress.

I'll be back in two weeks with another edition of Success Strategies. Until then, see if you can discover ways to immediately implement what you discovered from today's message into your life.

- Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: FreeSuccessStrategies.com

The greatest secret of the rich...

There is one force in our life that makes everyone equal. You are given the same amount as Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey and Donald Trump. How you handle and treat this force is the single most important contributor to the income you will have and the lifestyle you will lead. This is why Jim Rohn called it the single “greatest secret of the rich.” The secret? The management of time.

Rich or poor, we all have 24 hours every day, seven days every week and 365 days every year. Time is life’s most precious commodity, and how it is managed separates the rich from the poor.

A few distinctions:

• The planet is spinning, the clock is ticking and the fuse of time is burning, despite what you do. It’s up to you to make your time count.
• Time is perishable; you can’t save it. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. You have to spend it. Spend it wisely.
• You cannot manage time; time marches on with or without you. All you can do is manage yourself.

Read entire article here: http://DarrenHardy.com

Have you or someone you know been laid off?

If you or someone you care about has been laid off or is currently unemployed, please be sure to watch this video and pass it along. James Ray outlined some specific action items for you to apply that will be extremely helpful during your time of transition...

(No, they're not the same old interviewing and resume tips you hear everywhere else.)

Click here to watch this message.

How to Create an Empowering Vision Board

You are the author... just add dreams!

In the last edition of Success Strategies we discussed how tapping into the powers of the brain with visualization so it will begin to function as if your goals are already attained.

Your brain will work tirelessly to achieve the statements you give your subconscious mind. And when those statements are the affirmation of your goals, you are certain to achieve them!

Creating a vision book is probably your most valuable visualization tool!

This powerful visualization tool serves as your image of the future - a tangible representation of where you are going. It represents your dreams, your goals, and your ideal life.

Because your mind responds strongly to visual stimulation--by representing your goals with pictures and images you will stimulate your emotions... and your emotions are the vibrational energy that activates the Law of Attraction.

Create a personal vision book that clearly depicts the future you wish to create.

Find pictures that represent or symbolize the experiences, feelings, and possessions you want to attract into your life, and place them in your book. Have fun with the process! Use photographs, magazine cutouts, pictures from the Internet--whatever inspires you. Be creative. Include not only pictures, but anything that speaks to you.

Consider including a picture of yourself in your book. If you do, choose one that was taken in a happy moment. You will also want to post your affirmations, inspirational words, quotations, and thoughts here. Choose words and images that inspire you and make you feel good.

You can use your vision book to depict goals and dreams in all areas of your life, or in just one specific area that you are focusing on.

Keep it neat, and be selective about what you place in your vision book. It's a good idea to avoid creating a cluttered or chaotic book--you don't want to attract chaos into your life.

Use only the words and images that best represent your purpose, your ideal future, and words that inspire positive emotions in you. There is beauty in simplicity and clarity.

If you are working on visualizing and creating changes in many areas of your life, then you may want to use more than one vision book. You might use one vision book for your personal goals and another for career and financial goals. You might even want to keep your career vision book at the office or on your desk as a means of inspiration and affirmation.

How to use your vision book.

Try keeping your vision book on the nightstand next to your bed. Leave it standing in an open position as often as you are comfortable with, and spend time each morning and evening visualizing, affirming, believing, and internalizing your goals.

The time you spend visualizing in the evening just before bed is especially powerful. The thoughts and images that are present in your mind during the last forty-five minutes before going to sleep are the ones that will replay themselves repeatedly in your subconscious mind through­out the night, and the thoughts and images that you begin each day with will help you to create a vibrational match for the future you desire.

As some time goes by, and your dreams begin to manifest, look at those images that represent your achievements, and feel gratitude for how well the Law of Attraction is working in your life. Acknowledge that it is working.

Don't remove the pictures or images that represent the goals you've already achieved.

Achievement of the goals in your vision book are powerful visual reminders of what you have already consciously and deliberately attracted into your life.

I recommend you write down the date you created your vision book. The universe loves speed, and you will be amazed at just how quickly the Law of Attraction responds to your energy, commitment, and desires.

Much like a time capsule, this book will document your personal journey, your dreams, and your achievements for that particular year. It will become a record of your growth, awareness, and expansion that you will want to keep and reflect back upon in years to come.

Final thoughts on using your completed vision book:

• Look at your vision book often and feel the inspiration it provides.


• Hold it in your hands and really internalize the future it represents.


• Read your affirmations and inspirational words aloud.


• See yourself living in that manner.


• Feel yourself in the future you have designed.


• Believe it is already yours.


• Be grateful for the good that is already present in your life.


• Acknowledge any goals you have already achieved.


• Acknowledge the changes you have seen and felt.


• Acknowledge the presence of God in your life.


• Acknowledge the Law of Attraction at work in your life.


• Look at it just before going to bed and first thing upon rising.


• I hope I've inspired you to create your own vision book and start implementing what you learned from today's message.

See it. Feel it. Believe it!
JACK CANFIELD

Donald Trump starts his own Network Marketing company!

Looks like the rumors are true.

Donald Trump is starting his own Network Marketing company.

The company name?

"Trump Network"

(Well, what did you expect?)

Here's the official website with an audio from Trump himself: => http://TrumpNetwork.com

For the record, I am NOT involved, I'm simply sharing the news.

However you may feel about Donald Trump, having 'The Donald' start his own Network Marketing company will most likely help take Network Marketing mainstream, especially in the public's perception.

And naturally, there will be plenty of one-liners... "If you don't qualify for a bonus, YOU'RE FIRED!" ;-)

There are NO limits to what we can accomplish when we stand TOGETHER!

By the way, I am involved with a 30+ year old, rock solid Network Marketing company that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Check it out... GetPaidDailyToday.com

Goals Create A Route For Success

What separates a motivated person from all the others? The answer is that he has goals. He has identified what he wants to accomplish to fulfill his purpose and maximize his potential. You see, on the success journey, the goals you set become your route. And to make progress, you need that – not because you’re hoping or expecting to reach some final destination, but because it shows you how to take the journey. On the success journey, the first part of the trip is just as important as the last part. The main thing is to be constantly moving toward your destination. And setting goals is the best way to make sure that continues to happen.

From: Your Road Map for Success
By: John C. Maxwell

The Power of Failure

Success doesn’t mean avoiding failure. All of us fail. As we travel, we all hit potholes, take wrong turns, or forget to check the radiator. The only person who avoids failure altogether is the person who never leaves her driveway. So the real issue is not whether you’re going to fail. It’s whether you’re going to fail successfully (profiting from your failure). As Nelson Boswell observed, “The difference between greatness and mediocrity is often how an individual views mistakes.” If you want to continue on the success journey, you need to learn to fail forward.

Unsuccessful people are often so afraid of failure and rejection that they spend their whole lives avoiding risks or decisions that could lead to failure. They don’t realize that success is based on their ability to fail and continue trying. When you have the right attitude, failure is neither fatal nor final. In fact, it can be a springboard to success. Leadership expert Warren Bennis interviewed seventy of the nation’s top performers in various fields and found that none of them viewed their mistakes as failures. When talking about them, they referred to their “learning experiences,” “tuition paid,” “detours,” and “opportunities for growth.”

Successful people don’t let failure go to their heads. Instead of dwelling on the negative consequences of failure, thinking of what might have been and how things haven’t worked out, they focus on the rewards of success: learning from their mistakes and thinking about how they can improve themselves and their situations.

From: Your Road Map for Success
By: John C. Maxwell

How Far Can You Go?

Given where you are now, how much good can you create for yourself? How far can you go with a new mindset? How successful can you become? All things are possible in the mind. Successful people through the ages have understood and used this truth. Walt Disney said, "If you can dream it, you can achieve it."

Whatever you can imagine, you can have. If you can bring up the image of yourself as a millionaire, living in a beautiful home, driving a Rolls Royce, in the most fulfilling relationship imaginable or whatever you want... then that's what you can have.

If you have a desire, the very fact that you have that desire means that you have the means to fulfill it. Everything in physical form was first a thought. The clothes you're wearing, the car you drive, the house you live in, this message... everything was first a thought in someone's mind.

How far can you go? As far as you LET yourself go. Decide to think big and unlimited just for this week and watch the results it produces.

To your continued wealth and happiness,
James Arthur Ray

Overcoming the Economic Storm :: Changing Times Create Opportunities

By: Jeffrey Gitomer the author of The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling.

Change is not in the air; it has hit the ground running, or should I say running rampant. If it hasn’t affected you or your business in some way, you are in the minority. Breaking news! Have you heard? The economy is down!

It hasn’t been this way, this bad or this low for 50 years. Companies are crumbling, and rules are being abandoned. The government is in scramble mode as never before. But that’s them.

What about you and yours? What’s happening to you? Change in business volume? Cash flow? Credit restrictions? Job status? Employment status? Work environment? Work requirements? Customers hurting? YIKES!

In many business sectors, it’s gonna get real, and it’s gonna get raw. It’s not “change”—it’s “drastic change.” Things are changing, and not for the better. How are you reacting to events? Most people are a combination of reluctant and resistant—a combination of scared and worried. You are not alone, but it doesn’t mean you have to join the afflicted or the paralyzed.

OK, enough of that. Below is part of why you’re having trouble adapting to the changing economic climate, followed by what you can do about it.

HERE ARE REASONS YOU RESIST CHANGE:

1. Your inability to face the reality that it’s actually happening to you. The news is always about someone else’s drama. That’s why you watch it. This drama is yours.

2. Your natural defensive posture. “It’s not my fault! Someone else did it.”

3. Your natural resistance to what’s new. “It’s always worked before, and I liked it that way.”

4. Your procrastination and inability to face reality. “I see it coming, but it may just go away. I’ll change later.”

5. Your previous comfort and present comfort. “I have a lifestyle and I don’t want it interrupted!”

6. Your unwillingness to abide by the new rules and the new standards. Resistance to self-improvement. Resistance to being measured by results. Resistance to being measured against others. This is especially true if you’re a longtime employee.

6.5 You think: “It can’t happen here.” Uh, Sparky, it already has. And it’s not going away anytime soon. Do something!

Is there a resolve? Is there a solution? Are there answers? YES—you provide it. YES—you create it. YES—you make them happen.

First, start with your resolve:

• Create more self-time and less TV time. The news is not great—especially people giving their opinion about what is happening—so watch less of it. Now is the time for action, not opinion.
• Study attitude for 15 minutes every morning. Give yourself time to read, think and plan.
  Relax mentally. Breathe.
• Do your best every day at work. You never have to prove your worth if you’re doing your best.
• Avoid attending the pity party. There are plenty of them.
• Don’t participate in the rumor mill; wait for the facts to emerge. Talk about what is, not what might be.
• Don’t participate in the grumbling. Just get to work and sell something.
• Make a projected cash flow. Cut now so you don’t run out of money in the near future.
• Sell more. No company ever cut their way to success. Cutting is fine, but you have to sell to have cash.
• Guard your customers. Your competition is gunning for them.
• Serve your customers better than ever. Earn their loyalty with value.
• Help your customers with their issues. Their situation is what’s causing your falling sales numbers.
• Give something of value to your customers. They will thank you and respect you.
• Select your top customers and invest in them. They will thank you and reward you with their loyalty.

For years I have defined change as opportunity. That definition is still accurate. This is not a time to “get over it.” This is a time to get on with it and take advantage of it.

Read the entire article on SuccessMagazine.com

What Are You Doing?

What Is Twitter???

Twitter in Plain English:



TED Talks: Evan Williams: How Twitter's spectacular growth is being driven by unexpected uses.

In the year leading up to this talk, the web tool Twitter exploded in size (up 10x during 2008 alone). Co-founder Evan Williams reveals that many of the ideas driving that growth came from unexpected uses invented by the users themselves.



Follow Me On Twitter: http://twitter.com/Aron_Parker

Failing Forward!

What do Van Gogh, Einstein, & Jordan all have in common?

Vincent Van Gogh failed as an art dealer, flunked his entrance exam to theology school, and was fired by the church after an ill-fated attempt at missionary work. In fact, during his life, he seldom experienced anything other than failure as an artist. Although a single painting by Van Gogh would fetch in excess of $100 million today, in his lifetime Van Gogh sold only one painting, four months prior to his death.

Before developing his theory of relativity, Albert Einstein encountered academic failure. One headmaster expelled Einstein from school and another teacher predicted that he would never amount to anything. Einstein even failed his entrance exam into college.

Prior to dazzling the world with his athletic skill, Michael Jordan was cut from his sophomore basketball team. Even though he captured six championships, during his professional career, Jordan missed over 12,000 shots, lost nearly 400 games, and failed to make more than 25 would-be game-winning baskets.

Failure didn't stop Vincent Van Gogh from painting, Albert Einstein from theorizing, or Michael Jordan from playing basketball, but it has paralyzed countless leaders and prevented them from reaching their potential.

At some point, all great achievers are tempted to believe they are failures. But in spite of that, they persevere. In the face of adversity, shortcomings, and rejection, they hold onto self-believe and refuse to see themselves as failures. Here are seven abilities of achievers that enable them to rebound from failure and keep moving forward.

by Dr. John C. Maxwell

Do you think being wealthy is not spiritual?

If you have been brought up to believe that being wealthy is not spiritual, than I highly recommend you read The Millionaires of the Bible Series by Catherine Ponder. In these glorious books, you will discover that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and Jesus were not only prosperity teachers, but also millionaires themselves, with more affluent lifestyles than many present-day millionaires could conceive of.

(From The Secret's Daily Teachings)

So what the heck is Twitter and how does it work?

I just started using Twitter a few months ago not really understanding what it was or how to use it and today I just got my 100th Twitter Follower. So, I thought this would be a good time to blog about it...

From Wikipedia: Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users' updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length. This is a cool application!

Here is my Twitter profile... http://twitter.com/Aron_Parker

Twitter is clearly the Next Big Thing. In the past couple of months, we’ve seen CNN adopting it as a way of giving living feedback during their shows, celebrities from Britney Spears to Demi Moore opening accounts, and hundreds of thousands of new users join the ranks of Tweeters.

Businesses are getting into the Twitter game, too, using it as a way to provide near-instantaneous customer service, to promote their services, or to maintain brand awareness by staying engaged in ongoing conversations about their products and their competitors’.

Whats been missing is a guide to actually using Twitter, a “best practices” guide that will walk people and businesses through the process of building up a core of followers and beginning to build a reputation on Twitter.

Well, here is that guide. If you’re on Twitter just to keep up with friends and find the best parties, this guide isn’t for you. But if you’re looking to promote a business, build a brand, or keep up with your customers’ problems using Twitter, these 10 steps will get you through the early phases – and hopefully build up enough inertia to carry you through the next ones.

Here it is... A Practical Guide to Getting Started on Twitter

Also check out TweeterGetter. It's a great free tool that will help you get lots of followers!

http://twitter.com/Aron_Parker

Focus on just one thing at a time

When you are beginning to create intentionally, it is often better to focus on one thing at a time. With practice you will have great power to harness your energy, and then you will be able to focus on many things at the one time.

Imagine your mind as a magnifying glass with the sun shining through it. As you hold the magnifying glass steady in one place, you will create a fire. There is no difference between a magnifying glass and the sun, and your mind and the universe.

(From The Secret's Daily Teachings)

The End Of The World??? Nope... just a movie!

"The IHC's comprehensive research has confirmed with 94% certainty that in the year 2010 cataclysmic forces will decimate our planet and much of its inhabitants."

"The mission of the Institure for Human Continuity is to ensure the survival of the human race beyond 2012."

When I saw this today on InstituteForHumanContinuity.org, I was actually a little shocked and nervious at the same time! That was until I found out that the site is owned and operated by Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and was createed just to generate buzz about their next movie... 2012

They sure do a great job of making it look real.

Click here to watch the trailer.

Thoughts on Obama's Plans

I am going to have to agree with Dave Ramsey 100% on this!!

This is from Dave Ramsey's January 2009 eNewsletter:

Well, we the people have a new president. It’s an exciting time for Americans, whether or not you agree with President Barack Obama’s plans. My hope is that our new president will instill some confidence in people, not necessarily set out to fix everybody and everything.

There are some bogus government strategies floating around to stimulate the economy and "save us from ourselves." Just because they’re all everyone talks about doesn’t make them true! Here are a few of the big issues:

Tax Breaks
These aren’t bad, and I would never turn them down. But to think that tax breaks single-handedly stimulate the economy is laughable. Remember last fall? Those stimulus checks didn’t fix the problem, so what makes us think it’s going to fix everything this time? Did you know it was your money to start with? They’re just giving it back to you and making you feel good about it. If you’re looking for $1,000 to change your life this year, you obviously don’t have a life to start with!

It may help you today or this month, but $1,000 will do very little for you in the long run. To win with money, you've got to think long term.

Patriotic Duty
The government wants you to spend, spend, spend—and many Americans are taking this advice while still in debt! No matter what the talking heads say, it is not your patriotic duty to spend money you don’t have. Your duty is to take care of yourself and your household with the money you earn from an honest day’s work.

If you have your full emergency fund and are in a position to buy something, now is the perfect time! You can get some fabulous deals, but don’t let the deals entice you if you haven’t planned ahead and don’t have the cash!

National Deficit
The dog is still chasing its tail.

Debt started the problem, so what is the current plan to fix the problem? More debt!
What really drives the economy? Is it D.C.'s programs or small-business people scattered throughout the country? This down economic time will begin to heal itself. Do we have to go $1 trillion in debt to do that? No way!

The good news is that our future as an economy isn’t coming out of Washington. Our future prosperity is coming out of the hopes, dreams and individual freedoms of the American people. When left alone, we have a tendency to prosper.

The healing of the economy will begin and end with you. Yes, you, the person you see in the mirror! You have to make your decision as to whether or not you’re going to take part in the recession.

As for our new president, if you’re not a fan, pray for him. He’s your president. If you are a fan, pray for him. He’s your president, not your savior. Your hope will be crushed if you wait for him and his administration—or anyone else—to fix your life and give you money.

http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/newsletters/company/013009.cfm

How To Make 2009 Your Best Year Ever

by Michael S. Clouse

The ball in Time Square has dropped, and brought to a close yet another year. Sadness for some—an ending, a conclusion, a finale. For others 'tis just the opposite... The beginning. A New Year. And indeed, one more chance to see if they can put it all together...

How about you? Were you able to kiss your true love as the clock struck twelve, or has life somehow left you wondering somewhere along the way? Wherever you find yourself, this can still become your best year ever. Even if you've broken a few New Year's resolutions in the past—even if you've broken them all!

Below you will find eight simple steps you can take to build a better life. And the good news is, that by investing about an hour per day—over the next 365 days—you can invent your own living masterpiece. After all, last year is history, and tomorrow without any planning will be a mystery... However, if you will go to work on the present, the future will be an incredible gift.

Design Your Year With The End In Mind

Your first order of business is to take out pen and paper. Next, go find your watch or some other timing devise complete with second hand in tact. And when I say "Go!" start writing everything you have ever wanted in life. For this exercise you're limited to just three minutes. Therefore, speed is your only concern. Try for 25 to 50 separate items like: the car you desire, that perfect home to call your own, perhaps some new friends, how much money you have in the bank, an amount of free time available to enjoy life, your contribution to society, church, or a foundation, the size of your organization, how many new business-builders will be joining you this year, etc. Now remember, keep this to exactly three minutes. Ready... Set... Go!

Welcome back... Now take a good look at your list, and by circling those items, choose the ten most important to you. Next, take out a clean sheet of paper, and rewrite each goal in present-tense language—as if it already were your reality. For example: "I drive a Crossfire. My car is jet black with gray leather interior, and is equipped with every dealer option available." Keep in mind that every detail you leave out must be filled in by someone else, so unless you want to "drive a different car someday" be specific. Complete this exercise for each of the ten goals you've selected, and then move on to step two.

Set Aside 15 Minutes to Dream

We've all heard the sayings: "Crystallize your thinking." "We become what we think about." "Visualizing is realizing." And on it goes... Because nothing is stronger than a dream that pulls you right into the future. And what's the best way to add that absolute feeling to your dreams? You guessed it. Actual photographs, with you taking center stage.

Take your camera and go find your dream home, car, and life. Come up with your own way of uniquely placing yourself into the picture, and then have the photo lab print out some 8x10's. Plaster a wall in your home with this compelling vision of your future. And from that moment forward invest 15 minutes daily in front of your wall seeing every detail. Focus on what you desire. Discover, and then rediscover every dream, allowing them to entice you, mentally moving you forward with each passing day.

Read Ten Pages of a Great Book

Take your ten best goals, and decide which is the most important to you. Then go acquire a book that by its very title suggests it will draw you closer to the new vision of yourself. Consume ten to fifteen pages daily, until you have devoured and absorbed the author's knowledge. And immediately apply everything you possibly can, enjoying all the success this brings into your life.

Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan

The Quakers have a saying "When you pray, move your feet!" How true. Having a written plan, and even possessing the knowledge to carry it out, won't necessarily take you where you desire to go. You need to apply the "all out massive action" principle. You need to set up your calendar with the days and times you will plan your future, then read, dream, and work your business. Because sometimes it's easy to get faked out—always busy, busy, busy. But we must constantly be asking ourselves, "Busy doing what?"

Therefore, each night before you retire, decide in writing the six most important things you will do the following day. And in the morning ask yourself this question, "What is the most important task I can accomplish today?" With your answer in mind, go to work. When you have finished that assignment, move on to the next most important item, and so on, and so forth.

Spend Less Than You Earn; Invest The Difference

Pick up a copy of The Richest Man in Babylon and discover why "Money is plentiful for those who understand the simple rules of its acquisition." The seven principles revealed in this classic include: Start thy purse to fattening. Control thy expenditures. Make thy gold multiple. Guard thy treasure from loss. Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment. Insure a future income. Increase thy ability to earn. Because the simple truth is, it's not how much you earn, it's how much you keep. So if growing your financial portfolio is of interest to you, go get the book.

Invest Your Drive Time Wisely

As a society, we spend far too much time in our cars. And for most people that time is sadly wasted. In order to make this your best year ever, select your second most important goal and pick up a set of CDs on the subject. Commit to listening, applying, and growing as this new knowledge becomes a part of the very fabric of your mind. If you desire to earn more, you've got to learn more, and there is no better place to invest in your most valuable asset—you—than traveling up the road of life.

Always Move Towards Your Dream

With every decision you make this year, ask yourself two questions: "Will what I'm considering push me further from, or pull me closer towards my goals?" Only do those things that will draw you in the direction you've decided to go. And if your first answer is a resounding "closer towards," try asking this powerful follow-up question, "How would the person I desire to become, do the thing I'm about to do?" Deciding to act as the person you want to be will elevate your decisions to greatness.

Believe In Your Future

In 1948 Claude M. Bristol wrote an amazing book, The Magic of Believing. With a forward from then Editor and Publisher of The Denver Post, Palmer Hoyt, Bristol's work remains to this day as timeless as it is profound.

In the author's own words you will find this commanding revelation: "Just believe that there is genuine creative magic in believing—and magic there will be, for belief will supply the power which will enable you to succeed in everything you undertake. Back your belief with a resolute will and you become unconquerable." And yet it was Eleanor Roosevelt who may have said it best when she uttered these now immortal words, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Indeed it does....

All the best,

MSC

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About Michael S. Clouse: In addition to over 50 published articles on the subject of Network Marketing, Michael S. Clouse is the author of numerous books and CD programs on the subject of Network Marketing. An internationally recognized Network Marketing expert, Michael is a well respected business consultant, personal success coach, and a dynamic educational speaker. His weekly newsletter is read by tens of thousands of Network Marketing Professionals around the world.