Archive for October, 2007

by blueboy
One great advantage of audio books is that they can use time to better advantage. For example, the time that most of us use in commuting to and from work, or the time that we spend in the kitchen preparing meals, can be used to learn a new skill or new information.

One thing we all can use new information on is in the area of time management. Very few of us have a schedule that could not be improved on, and any time saved would be a great improvement in our daily lives. I recently found two audio books that have some very good lessons in this area. Let me share several important tips that I got from these audio books.

One suggestion for time management is to schedule the most important tasks, and let minor issues go. When I first heard the audio book instructor come out with that I thought that all of my daily tasks were most important.

Then the instructor followed with several examples, and one of those examples on the audio book was a working mother in much the same situation I find myself in. I decided that this time management skill was something that I could practice every single day.

I pick four things that I really need to or want to do that day, and one that I have to anyway — go to work. I notice that after about ten days or so of making myself think about the day ahead and pick out the most important tasks, I start to do it automatically.

Repeating this time management skill has started to become second nature, and I can even do it when I am in the shower with shampoo in my eyes! The difference that this one tip has made in my life is worth the cost of the audio book ten times over.

Another simple tip on time management from the audio book is that I can frame my day, so that a little practice makes the beginning and the end of the day go much more smoothly. I’ve used this audio book tip to set up the three major things our family needs to do at the beginning and end of each day: wash, dress, and eat.

OK, one is breakfast and the other is supper, and one is outdoor clothes and the other is pajamas, but I don’t think we’ll get those mixed up very often.

Forcing this audio book tip on my family for two weeks has streamlined our days, and everyone takes more responsibility for their own schedules.

When I first ordered the audio books on time management I groaned inwardly. I had already failed with regular books on “how to unclutter your living room and your life”, and was not looking forward to a voice giving me unusable hints on how to better order my life.

However, I cannot thank that audio book developer for including a few examples to show how simple and effective a few time management skills can be in anyone’s life.

Talking Book Store is a fast growing audio book website offering both free and paid audiobooks. Their ever-growing catalogue contains over 8,000 titles.They make it easy to discover the engrossing world of Personal Development and Self Help through the audio book format.Numerous Time management titles can be easily downloaded without subscriptions at the site.Steve Hill also has a website at:stuttering treatment

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by David Peters
Do you find yourself longing for the evening, only to grab a pint of beer or maybe down a few stiffs? Are you the first one to ‘raise a toast to that’ or propose a celebratory drink? Do you find these occasions where you decide to indulge yourself with just a couple of drinks cropping up a lot more frequently than they used to? If all of these situations sound distinctly familiar, then it’s time to take a minute to seriously revaluate those drinking habits. For these are none but the precursors to the most pervasive addiction of the modern era Alcoholism.

When can a drinking habit be termed an addiction? Alcoholism or an addiction to alcohol can be determined as an overwhelming urge to partake of excessive amounts of alcohol, even when an individual’s consumption patterns begin to have physical and psychological implications on him. These implications could range from social to personal where the individual begins to negatively impact his social ties, begins to suffer from several physical illnesses which can be attributed to his intake of alcohol, and begins to neglect his social and personal duties and responsibilities as a result of his drinking excesses.

The most common, and also the most grave, symptom of alcoholism, is when the individual fails to see the damage his addiction is causing himself, as well as those around him, even when the effects become apparent to those he interacts with. He is unable to comprehend the fact that his drinking habit is indeed doing him harm, and deludes himself with the reasoning that he is in control. And this is what leads him to start drinking secretly, and making up reasons to justify his drinking patterns, simply because he believes that he is being unnecessarily nagged, or even victimized.

The most prevalent causes of alcoholism are as physical as they are psychological. An individual who has a family history of alcoholism is genetically more susceptible to addiction. Also, if he is known to suffer from bouts of severe depression, or if his stress-coping mechanisms are poorly developed, he may recourse to alcohol to blot out his despair. Also, if you drink as a means to simply while away your time, you are already reeling on the verge of plunging into the deep, dark void that is alcoholism.

The consequences of alcohol abuse begin right when you down that first snifter. Your liver it is worst hit as alcohol steadily leads to inflammation, which soon develops into jaundice, if you keep up with the intake and ultimately Liver Cirrhosis. Here, the tissue is scarred forever, a change which cannot be reversed. Alcohol addiction also causes severe malnutrition on account of the impairment in the absorption of number essential nutrients it is responsible for. The habit of heavy drinking in women is also known to cause several pre-natal birth defects during pregnancy, an irregular menstrual cycle or even Amenorrhea. Alcohol addiction is also wont to cause several behavioral disorders which can start with marital discord and eventually even criminal and antisocial behaviors.

The most important aspect of your treatment for alcohol addiction is to just talk. Your physician will be the best person to gauge your drinking patterns and can suggest an appropriate counselor as per your level of dependence. If you are just at the higher end of the indulgence phase, your counselor will recommend that you simply cut down on your habit. However, for later stages, absolute abstinence is considered mandatory. Your physician may also recommend medication such as Valium and Campral to help alleviate withdrawal symptoms like palpitation and nausea. The most important part of your treatment is the phase which follows your therapy sessions. Here, sharing your own experiences and learning those of others proves to be of invaluable support in encouraging you to stick to your decision. It is also essential that during the initial phases of your recovery, you avoid any situations which may involve a round of drinks like ‘nights out with the boys’ or even cocktail events. There are also several other alternative therapies which have been known to considerably aid the process of de-addiction like hypnosis or even acupuncture.

Once you’ve taken that first step, it is crucial that you stick to it at all costs. And when you begin to find other ways to deal with stress and involve yourself in more rejuvenating recreational activities, you’ll find that there’s no high you get from alcohol, that life itself can’t give you. Your first step is just the beginning down a long and healthy walk through life and once you’re down that path, you’ll find a world of opportunities open up to you with every step that you take!

Drinking Causes problems. Learning the correct info and the correct sources can really make a difference. Start finding up alcohol treatment centers.

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by
As a Life Coach, and after coaching many different clients, I have come to realize that to effectively manage time, we need to first realize that time itself cannot be managed! We all get seven days a week and 168 hours within those seven days. This cannot be increased or changed in any way. However, what we can change, improve and manage is ourselves. In essence then, true time management now becomes management of ourselves — “self management!”

So being aware of this, we now know that it’s not the amount of time we have that’s important; it’s how effectively we use that time that makes the difference. Successful people have exactly the same amount of time in the day as each of us. The only difference is they use their time differently — more effectively.

You might say “I don’t have the time to commit to learning some time management skills”. I hear this a lot during life coaching sessions, but the fact is if this were true, do you really think you have the time not to?

Time management principles and techniques are usually quite simple to learn. They do not require deep thinking, a high I.Q or lots of preparation. In fact if you were to put the search term “Time Management Resources” into a search engine you will get dozens of websites offering help, advice, tips and suggestions on how to manage and prioritize your time.

To sum time management up I would say you need to ask yourself two questions:

1. Do I physically have enough time to do the tasks that are required of me? We only have so much time. Sometimes it’s not always physically possible to fit everything in. If this is the case then you need to prioritize and drop some of the low priority task/activities to claim some time back.

2. Do I fully optimize and use my time effectively? If the answer is NO then you might want to learn and implement some time management principles and techniques.

Below is a list of some time management (self management) techniques and tips that I use during life coaching. You may find a couple of them helpful yourself. They are in no particular order.

• Figure out when (what time of the day?) you work most efficiently.

• Establish your priorities for what you want to get done. Identify the tasks and activities that are the highest priority and eliminate those of low priority.

• Allow more time than you think you will need. This makes your schedule flexible and allows for the unexpected.

• Get into the habit of using your odd five minutes here and there more productively. Don’t just dismiss it as only five minutes — they add up throughout the week!

• Accomplish one or two important tasks rather than lots unimportant ones.

• Keep a calendar/diary. Mark all your important dates/tasks.

• Keep a list of “Things to Do” and mark them off as completed.

• Every day make a list of what you have to do tomorrow.

• When possible do the unpleasant tasks first.

• Tidiness makes your life easier and reduces stress.

• Allow time to relax, recharge and do nothing.

• Leave time in your schedule for un-planned activities.

• Know your strengths, skills and weakness.

• Ask yourself, “What am I doing that someone else could do for me?” Delegate!

• Don’t be scared to ask for help

• Bin things straight away to reduce the clutter (junk mail, newspapers and spam email etc).

• Divide large overwhelming tasks into smaller chunks, and attack them one at a time.

• Complete at least one task each day that you don’t like to do, but know you should.

• Realize that all your email checking, surfing the internet and other procrastinations add up to hours of lost time each week (sometime even each day!)

• Watch less T.V. If you watch T.V for three hours a day from the age of five years old, by the time you are fifty five the amount of T.V you will have watched will be the equivalent to watching non-stop 24 hours a day for six years and three months. If you cut this down by just one hour a day, so then only watch two hours of T.V, you will have gained back over two years worth of time.

“Living is the constant process of deciding what we are going to do” (Jose Ortega y Gasset)

For more information on the author check out his website’s Startliving Life Coach UK and Find a Life Coach Coaching Directory

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by Donna Gunter
Time management advice is found in great abundance on the Internet. You can determine how to schedule your day, how to set your priorities, how to delegate, and how to tackle your to-do list.

As a service business owner, you face an enormous number of tasks and responsibilities each and every day. What I’ve come to realize in my years of self-employment that my most valuable asset isn’t my contact database or my marketing materials or my business plan.

It’s my time.

Most entrepreneurs are time-starved. It seems everyone wants a piece of you — your clients, your family, your prospective customers, your friends, your employees or subcontractors. For most service business owners, there always seems to be too much stuff to fit into too little day.

The most valuable time management question that time-starved entrepreneurs need to ask themselves before agreeing to do something is, “How will this serve me?” A business coaching colleague asks the same question a little differently, “Is what I’m about to do going to increase the confusion/complexity in my life?”

That’s it — pretty simple, isn’t it? So, before I’m about to embark on joining a new organization or committee, or before I’m about to think of another sideline path for my business, I just ask myself this one simple question.

The answer leads me to my next step.

Now, a word of caution here—don’t get caught in the “but crack”. If your answer is, “Well, yes, it’ll be good for my business but it’s…..”, you’ve just fallen into the “but crack”, which means that you’ve negated everything that came before the “but” in your thinking. If there’s a “but” attached to your sentence, more than likely what you really need to do is the opposite of what you’re saying.

So, in the example above, “Well, yes, it’ll serve my business well but it’s going to take the next 8 weekends to pull it off,” it may not be the great opportunity you think if you already are concerned about the havoc it might bring to your life.

What if you’re unsure of how this opportunity/task/chance will serve you? How do you make that determination?

I borrow a page from life coach Cheryl Richardson’s book, Take Time for Your Life, and create what she refers to as an “Absolute Yes List.” This is your list of the top 5 priorities in your life. For most of us that would include spouse/significant other, family, work or business, hobby, volunteer effort, and yourself. You did remember to include yourself, didn’t you?

Remember, your time is your most valuable asset. If you don’t create time for yourself and make that your #1 priority, I will guarantee you that no one else will do that for you. When I used to deliver my work/life balance speech to various women’s professional organizations, I would have the participants create their “absolute yes” list and then take a survey of hands to see how many had included themselves on the list. Typically less than one-third of any group put themselves on their list, and less than 5% of that number listed themselves first.

If what you’re considering doesn’t fit on your “absolute yes” list, then it’s an “absolute no.” If it does match your top 5 priorities, then give it the, “How will this serve me?” test.

Creating your list of your top 5 priorities and applying the “how will it serve me” question are the two best tools at your disposal as a service based business owner to regain control of your most valuable asset — your time.

Copyright (c) 2007 Donna Gunter

Online Business Resource Queen ™ and Online Business Coach Donna Gunter helps independent service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. To claim your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at http://www.OnlineBizU.com. Ask Donna an Internet Marketing question at http://www.AskDonnaGunter.com.

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by Kale Jones
Possessing the skill of speed reading is often a highly overlooked tool that increases the results and worth of an array of individuals, ranging from students to proofreaders to corporate executives. In such a fast-paced world where taking the time to read a collection of pages can truly slow down progress, increasing the rate of material absorption can actually improve comprehension in the process.

A couple of studies have already shown a connection between the speed of reading and the rate of comprehension. As a typical rule of thumb, one who is able to read faster will have a better chance of achieving a higher level of comprehension, while slow readers often suffer poor comprehension skills.

Many people feel they have accomplished a great deal when they are able to speed read a large book or block of text. While the skill is impressive, the real triumph comes when one can recall the majority of material they have just completed.

Comprehension is key, as it is what helps a student answer vital questions on their SAT exam or assist an employee on remembering how to operate a new piece of equipment after reading the manual. Without acknowledging the importance of comprehension when receiving speed reading training — the final outcome is tainted.

Good comprehension skills allow individuals to exercise their ability to decipher a block of text and extract the most significant points. It is important for people to note that comprehension does not hinge upon how fast one can read their text. In reverse, many speed reading software samples and other programs will stress that a faster rate of comprehension will improve the rate at which one can read faster.

In an attempt to improve both reading speed and comprehension, it is important to not get lost in concentrating on specifically grabbing the point out of every passage you read. This will only slow down your efforts to increase reading speed. It is also not good to boggle down the mind with the stress of focusing on achieving “good” comprehension.

As a result, the mind may shift from gaining a desirable balance between reading and comprehending to becoming completely fixated on solely comprehension. Despite the efforts, the majority of people experience slower reading rates, as well as poor comprehension. Therefore, in order to attain faster reading speeds and improved comprehension, relaxation is essential.

A good way to approach speed reading and comprehension exercises is to give attention to the function of reading and the effortless extraction of information.

In the end, you will find that the brain will deliberately acquire the right information as you continue to practice speed reading. It is also suggested to read freely, as you will experience final results in comprehension and speed reading that are quite welcomed.

One of the first rules of speed reading that many programs will emphasize is to stop rereading material, as it only weakens the ability to fully comprehend. The overall journey of speed reading helps to improve the skill of comprehension because the mind becomes better able to search for the information in text that matters.

Training the mind to read at a faster rate will aid in the sharpening of comprehension skills when an effective balance is achieved.

Overall, investing in a good speed reading program allows the brain to participate in a fulfilling mental activity. Everyday practice is important, as it ensures the skill does not go to waste.

Forget Those Boring Speed Reading Courses - Now You Can DOUBLE Your Reading Speed In Just 16 Minutes Flat. Discover The Fastest Audio Speed Reading Program On The Internet –> Visit http://www.nitrospeedreading.com

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by Sheri Graves
Procrastination is a lifestyle choice. You can choose to do what has to be done when it has to be done whether you want to do it or not. Or, you can choose to procrastinate.

It really is that simple; turning your life around after years of procrastination can be a long, hard road to travel.

That’s because procrastination can be so crippling that it leads to depression, anxiety and a feeling of hopelessness. If other people enable your procrastination by doing things for you that you could and should be doing for yourself, you might develop what therapists call “malignant procrastination,” where things keep piling up and the situation gets worse and worse until it chokes off all initiative and plunges the procrastinator into despair. The end result can be what psychiatrists call “learned helplessness,” a state where you feel so despondent and overwhelmed that you simply cannot function.

Don’t go there. It isn’t even a nice place to visit.

I once felt so overwhelmed; I decided suicide was the only option. I made a list of what to do before that fateful moment.

First, I would clean my house from top to bottom, including walls and ceilings. Second, I would do all of the laundry, fold it and put it away. Third, I would clean out and organize my cupboards and closets. Next, I would clean and organize the garage.

All of these chores were absolutely necessary, lest my mother, and maybe even strangers, find out how I really lived.

Finally, I would lose 30 pounds and buy a stunning new outfit in which to be found.

As I looked at my list, I started to laugh.

“If I get all this stuff done,” I asked myself, “what’s the point of killing myself?”

That was 35 years ago. Developing a sense of humor about your own shortcomings can be lifesaving. There are certain areas of my life where I still procrastinate. But I know now that I can’t let everything go at once.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “A stitch in time saves nine.”

In other words, it’s always easier to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done than it is to procrastinate until the proverbial molehill grows into a mountain of work.

Keep in mind: procrastinators don’t keep their resumes updated and aren’t prepared to land on their feet when the pink slip arrives. Procrastinators don’t get offered opportunities for career advancement. Procrastinators don’t get the big bucks.

If you’ve identified yourself as a procrastinator, there are two things you should do immediately:

Make an appointment with your doctor and find out if your lackadaisical behavior stems from a thyroid deficiency, hormone imbalance or other medical condition that can be treated.

Visit a psychiatrist or psychologist to determine if your ennui might be amenable to therapy. A prescription for Prozac® or other anti-anxiety medication might be indicated.
Once you have your medical and mental house in order, make a list of what you believe needs to be done. Then, choose a task and do it. It could be the easiest chore on your list, the most onerous one or just a “o-do item at random. Some people like to start with the task that will take the least time to complete. Others take a large task and break it down into smaller, more manageable ones in order to tackle something significant.

Somewhere along the way to your new non-procrastinating lifestyle, you may have to eliminate the distractions that made procrastination so easy in the first place. Is a lazy friend influencing your disorganization? What are you going to do about it?

Perhaps your procrastination is in one specific area of your life, such as education or upgrading of employable skills. These are areas where you can make the most headway in the most dramatic way. Your goals might be accomplished through the use of computer learning software. There are many ways to access free computer education. Availing yourself of Internet training can provide the skills necessary to access information from the World Wide Web that will serve you well in completing other tasks on your to-do list. The Internet is full of potentials outlets for learning - from free Microsoft Word training to Microsoft Excel training.

Completing a task that you’ve been putting off can provide an exhilarating feeling of triumph. That’s your goal. Once you feel good about what you’ve already done, you’ll start feeling good about your ability to complete what needs to be done.

Prozac is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company.

About Video Professor:
Video Professor, founded by John W. Scherer in 1987, is the industry leader in self-paced computer software tutorials. Tutorials are offered on CD-ROM and through Video Professor Online, an Internet-based program.

About the Author:Sheri Graves is a freelance writer living in Santa Rosa, CA.

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by Molten Marketing
With all that life has to throw at people, it is no wonder that many are turning to self-help books and seminars looking to improve their quality of life and the way they handle different situations. Self improvement ideas are, for a great number of folks, a great way to acquire the strategies necessary to better handle stress and interactions with other people.

Self improvement ideas are particularly effective if you know that there is something you need to work on to make life better for yourself and those around you. One of the most popular self improvement ideas has to do with managing stressful situations, and generally eliminating or reducing stress from your life. As far as self improvement ideas go, learning to manage time effectively and efficiently is by far the best way to get rid of unwanted stress.

Another area of life that can certainly benefit from self improvement ideas is the segment involving relationships. Whether you want to gather some self improvement ideas for your role as a friend, spouse, or employee, there are certainly ways to go about improving those aspects of your life.

Another aspect of our personalities that can be made more effective with self improvement ideas is how we react emotionally to whatever life throws our way. This rings especially true in relationships with others. Learning how to control reactions and become more proactive and calm can help keep your relationships in good standing.

Self improvement ideas are a good way to learn how to manage yourself and make all areas of your life become more positive. Whether it is a general, mental issue you need to address, or even if it is the way you interact in your various life roles, self improvement ideas can help you get on the track to a happier, more positive life.

Molten Marketing member, Adrian Pope, provides self improvement with this great home based business opportunity. Don’t wait, do both!

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by Colleen Kettenhofen
“Successful time management results in successful stress management.” Colleen Kettenhofen

The following time management tips for families are the same ones I discussed as a featured guest on the television talk show A.M. Northwest. These are simple, basic, easy-to-follow time management tips for both parents and children. And they are the same time management tips that have worked for me in my business as a motivational speaker and author:

1. Have white dry erase boards personalized for each person: Place one in the kitchen and one in each bedroom. The benefit of white boards in the kitchen and in each bedroom is that you and your kids will constantly see them and be reminded of what needs to be accomplished.

2. Write down tasks with specific time frames for each parent and child: Set aside specific times and stick with them. For example, you would write on the white board, “Brandon and Chloe, homework 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.” And for the mom or dad, “Mom/Dad cook dinner 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.” and so forth. This way you are constantly reminded of what to do and when. You will get around to completing these tasks sooner rather than later because by “seeing” them all the time, you’ll want to cross them off your list. Erase the tasks after completing them so you no longer have to look at them!

3. Color code for each family member: It’s easy to visualize who is supposed to do what when each individual has their own color. A lot of teams utilize this same technique in the workplace to help with time management.

4. Clear off your desk or work area: This helps you and your kids to clear out clutter so you can concentrate single-mindedly on those projects such as paying bills or doing homework.

Time management rule number one: do the thing you like least first.

5. Do the thing you like least first and plan a reward such as a fun family activity for afterward: We all have tasks that we have to do that we don’t want to do. It’s easy to procrastinate. Research points to the fact that the longer you procrastinate, the harder it is to get motivated. The hardest part is just getting started. And once you’re done, you feel so much better, lighter and happier. You and your family will feel deserving of a reward afterward such as fun time watching TV, playing games, or attending a Saturday picnic.

6. Be a positive role model: Teach your children to form good time management habits from the beginning. When your kids see you as self-disciplined and overcoming procrastination by doing things you’d rather not, it reinforces that behavior in them as well. It sets them up later in life to be good parents themselves, and better leaders at school and in the workplace.

Keep in mind that everything you procrastinate today only compounds tomorrow’s pressure. Decide what you want. What tasks must be done in order for you and your family to accomplish your goals, dreams and aspirations? Act now. Don’t wait another day. The future is now.

Colleen Kettenhofen is a speaker and co-author of The Masters of Success, seen on NBC’s Today Show. Topics: leadership, management, difficult people, communication. For free articles, e-newsletter or to order the book visit http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com Colleen is available for keynotes and seminars at (800)323-0683. http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com

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by Gail Metcalf
We are all familiar with the concept of “time”, but when you add the word “management” behind it, things can get a little cloudy. Simply put, time management is the process of managing your time. People can make this more confusing and harder than it has to be when they try to get too technical and start creating “time maps” and flow charts.

When it comes down to it, it is a lot simpler than that. We all have twenty four hours each day. By practicing time management strategies, we are deciding how to use those hours to accomplish all the tasks we have on our to-do lists.

Having a schedule is a fundamental part of time management. You can imagine your schedule as a road-map. It provides important information about where you are going and how you can get there. Without it, you may take a wrong turn somewhere and find yourself lost. Once someone is lost, it may take some time before they get back on track, and they usually arrive to their destination a bit later than they would have liked.

When you have a schedule, you can look at it and see what you need to do each day. You’ll know if you are on track, and if you aren’t, what you need to do to get back on course.

How To Make a Schedule

One of the first things to do when making a schedule is to write down all the things you have to do on a piece of paper. Some people keep separate work and family schedules, and if you decide that would work best for you, you can divvy those tasks up later. For now, simply write out everything that needs to be done on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis.

Once you have everything written out and in front of you, it’s time to start sorting between the common themes. You can do this by assigning a highlighter color to each theme (such as family, work, daily, monthly, weekly) or by taking out another piece of paper and writing those columns on it, and rewriting all the tasks into the appropriate column.

Now that you have all of your tasks sorted out, try to give a time estimate to each one. You may even want to time yourself for a week or two on these tasks, as you may be very surprised at how long some things take.

For instance, you may think it only takes 45 minutes to go to the grocery store, but in reality it could take an hour and 15 minutes. You may think it only takes 15 minutes to run up to the school and pick up the kids, but may find it actually takes 25 minutes.

In many cases, people underestimate the time it takes to do things, and this is one of the reasons they think they aren’t getting enough done. By timing yourself, you will get a visual picture of your time. When you see how long it really takes to accomplish your regular tasks, you will be able to see how many things you can fit into a normal day. You won’t constantly be trying to push yourself to do more.

Once you have written down your tasks and estimated the time it takes to accomplish them, you can start planning your schedule. Some people like to have a daily schedule that is very organized with certain tasks assigned to certain times and others prefer to keep a weekly schedule that is more flexible.

Gail Metcalf is a mom and a business owner who knows the importance of time management. Don’t spend all your time surfing for baby and toddler products. Visit the online baby store and save time by shopping over 20 merchants with over 2,200 products.

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by Wendy Jones
Many life and personal growth coaches highly recommend creating a personal development plan to help you overcome limiting beliefs and start building a better life - but not many actually cover the steps you need to take to develop your plan. Which is a shame as it is a relatively easy and painless task - if you know how to go about it.

It may seem a strange way of doing things, but a good life coach will always ask you questions about the areas you are trying to improve. Like “Why do you think that everything in your life is not going as well as you would like it to?”, or “Why do you think other people seem to find it easier to get what they want in life?”

The way I see it is this - the people who are able to achieve their goals and ambitions in life, with relative ease are much less inhibited, and even totally un-inhibited.

These people still get nervous and anxious when in demanding situations that take them outside of their comfort zone, but they have learnt how to control those limiting and dysfunctional emotions and behaviours and even eliminate them completely from their lives.

Successful people are constantly learning and adapting to methods that empower them. When they find something that works, especially where emotions and feelings are concerned, they repeat the behaviours that bring on those emotions until they become second nature.

If these people can learn how to not feel nervous and anxious in important situations, so can you.

If these people have learned how to remain calm and relaxed when they get into winning positions in sport, so can you.

If professional speakers can learn how to overcome their fear of public speaking, and present themselves in a manner which leaves their audience wanting more, so can you.

Successful people weren’t always successful - they learnt how to become successful. So if people can learn how to overcome their frustrations and focus on the actions they need to achieve their ultimate goals and ambitions - so can you.

Learning to use NLP does not require hours on end of your time to make a difference in your life. If you can allocate 15 minutes a day to practice some very simple, and very rewarding techniques, you can immediately start to take control of your fears and frustrations and turn them into a winning and empowering attitude that will continue to take you closer to your goals and ambitions.

Before you turn tail and run at the thought of learning some NLP techniques, or if you’re not really sure what it is, in it’s simplest form, Neuro Linguistic Programming is basically a method of helping you change the way you habitually react to any given situation. When you experience anxiety or frustration, you are simply reacting negatively to the situation that is causing those emotions. NLP teaches you how you can easily change your reactions to be positive and empowering.

To help you get started, there are two very simple exercises that you can start practising right away:

1. You need to become aware of all the situations and environments that make you feel nervous, anxious and inhibited. Carry a little notebook in your pocket so that you can make note of them whenever they occur.

The reason behind this exercise is that you need to be aware of your barriers in order that you can start to break through them further down the road.

2. The second exercise is even easier - you simply need to write down how you would like to feel most of the time, and what feelings and behaviours you want to eliminate from your life.

Take you time to do step two thoroughly - the more detailed your list, the better you will be able to focus in on those areas, and create a personal development plan that supports your goals.

Before you create your personal development plan, make sure you claim your free Building Confidence report and free video coaching from a renowned Master NLP practitioner and coach to top Fortune 500 companies.

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