Mark Twain once said: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started; and the secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”  More than a century later, this is still true and that’s why planning is so important.

Plans are crucial in developing and maintaining your ambition for success.  They’re also extremely helpful when you’re trying to reach a goal.  Whether you’re deciding to quit smoking, lose weight, begin an exercise routine or any number of health goals, a plan will not only help you reach your goals, it will help you stay motivated.  Here are a few items to include in your plan:

Goals

Of course you likely already have a goal in mind.  Maybe you want to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise more or feel less stressed.  A good goal is a goal that is measurable.  For example, how much weight do you want to lose?  How much do you want to work out?  Good goals are also timely.  When do you want the weight gone?  When will you absolutely have your last cigarette?  Your goal also needs to be realistic.  Does your goal make sense for your lifestyle?  If you want to run five miles a day but you work ten hour days, it might not be feasible.  How can you make your goals fit into your life?  Maybe instead of five miles a day, you run three miles a day during lunch and ten miles on Saturdays.

Rewards

How are you going to reward yourself?  Rewards are important for keeping the motivation alive.  However, they can also derail you from your goal if the rewards are inappropriate.  For example, if you’re on a strict, no sugar plan and you reward yourself for a week with no sugar by eating a piece of cake, then you just set yourself back.

However, if you reward yourself with a massage, a night out at the movies or a treat that you would enjoy that isn’t full of sugar, then that is an appropriate reward you can look forward to and feel good about.  Make the rewards fit the accomplishment.  If your large goal is to run three times a week and you’re starting with an initial goal of running once a week, reward yourself for running once a week with a smaller reward like a new song for your iPod.  And when you reach the goal of running three times a week you, reward yourself with new running clothes or a new pair of jeans.

Steps you’re going to take

Any large and lofty goal needs a plan, a plan that will include steps to take to achieve your goal.  For example, if you set a goal of losing 50 pounds, how are you going to do it?  Certainly losing 50 pounds cannot be accomplished overnight.  Perhaps a tiered plan of losing five pounds a month would be easier to achieve, with the end goal of losing 50 pounds in ten months.  Now you can break down each month into tangible steps. For example, losing five pounds a month will likely require dietary and physical lifestyle changes.  What will you need to change in your life to reach your goal each month?

What will you do when you have setbacks?

Setbacks will happen to most people, just like bad days will happen.  It can be extremely helpful to plan how you’re going to handle any setbacks.  For example, will you journal about the setback to help you understand why it happened?  Will you rally your support group around you when you feel on the verge of a setback?  How will you make setbacks okay?  How will you power through the tough times and keep working toward success?

What you’ll do when you attain your big goal?

This is the fun question, once you reach your goal - and you will - what will you do?  Will you celebrate by yourself or with friends and family?  Will you rent out a blimp and announce your success to the world in bright lights?  Will you document your success so you can refer to it when you feel the need to reflect?  Will you keep the ball rolling and set another goal to attain, now that you know how to do it like a pro?  Well, the answers are obvious, once you’ve got it, planning and winning become your second nature.

the importance of planning

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Communication is perhaps one of the most important skills in life. There are many techniques that can make you to become a good communicator, you can go though watching all the talk shows; listening to all the radio programs; joining clubs dedicated to public speaking; etc. There are certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words, although it’s your mouth that’s doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things when you talk. So the better way to start improving your communication skills is to know the very person closest to you: YOURSELF!

Here are 8 ways that can help you improve your communication skills:

1. What you know.
Education is all about learning and internalizing the basic knowledge, but to be an effective communicator is to practice what you’ve learned. Knowledge is only useful when it’s applied. Of course we all have our limitations, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn to keep up and share what we know. Don’t be afraid to share what you think as this becomes a habit, you’re shaping yourself up for a better communicator as well.

2. Listening.
This is perhaps one of the most difficult things to do for many people. Most people forget that they actually have two ears and one mouth. Learn to listen more if you want to be a better communicator. Sometimes listening to the sound of your own voice can teach you to be a little more confident with yourself and to say the things you believe in with conviction.

3. Humility.
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don’t be afraid to ask if you’re saying the right word properly and if they’re unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it’ll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.

4. Eye Contact.
Some people struggle to make eye contact with others, which is a basic component of social interaction. Failing to make eye contact suggests to some that you’re shy; to others, it indicates rudeness or boredom or you’re trying to hide something. Just look directly at the person in a relaxed manner.

5. Joke.
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom. This is especially true when making your speech in front of a group of people. With an appropriate joke, people will feel that you’re an approachable person, of course be careful with your joke. Stay away from jokes that are related to sex, ethnics, or religion.

6. Like to be around with people.
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You’ll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.

7. Me, Myself, and I.
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you’re at it you can spruce up as well.

8. Smile.
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There’s no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it’s a wake. You can better express what you’re saying when you smile.

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Words can cut like a sharp knife. If used correctly, it can be empowering, but it can also be very devastating when it’s used in a negative way. I’m sure you’d said something to someone that you wished you hadn’t. The words you use can have great impacts to yourself and others as well. What you say really does matter.

So please always remember NOT to use negative words. You also should not use negative words to yourself like “I’m fat”, “I’m useless”, “I’m an idiot”, etc.. because every word you utter is recorded by your subconcious minds. Try to fill your subconscious with positive words instead as they can help empower your self-esteem.

What you say to yourself over and over again can translate into a belief.  If you keep on utterring to yourself that “you will fail,” then it will become a reality because you are setting up a defeatist attitude.  When you begin a thought or a sentence with a negative word, you’re already starting on a wrong path.

Same thing applies to other people, if you call someone an idiot. The person on the receiving end of the insult may take it to heart even if you apologize later, the word has already been spoken; you can’t take it back.  Words can be used to attack, provoke or inspire and you always have a choice when it comes to using words. Learn to avoid bursting out with negative words. You can control your words if you learn to be patient, always think before you act!  And always remember the old adage, “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.”

It’s important to realize the effects words can have on people, especiall young children.  Children are most vulnerable to words, if you always use unkind or negative words as disciplinary measure for your kids, they will eventually grow up with low self-worth or self-esteem, or even feel their lives are not worth anything.

The next time you speak, think about the words you are about to express.  Choose them wisely when speaking to your peers, friends and cautiously when speaking to children.  Understand that words can positively or negatively affect both your life and someone’s life as well.

self improvement tips, the power of words

Looking for guaranteed success in life? You must trust the motivational theory. Learn this theory, trust it and apply it. You will definitely see a difference. There will be a positive energy development in you that would ultimately drive you to your destination. You will be more optimistic and happy to undertake your task. An enhancement of self esteem and confidence in you is also a result of following the motivational theory.

If you are serious about following the motivation theory in your life for achieving success, here are some important steps you must follow:

• Step 1: The driving force: vision

• Step 2: Define your goal: success

• Step 3: Action Steps: The plan.

Let us discuss the above mentioned steps in detail:

Step One:

- The driving force - Vision

Have you charged yourself up with self motivation? What is the force of motivation inside you? What makes you carry a task or play with full enthusiasm? What is the exact element that helps you to concentrate on a certain thing? Don’t get confused. If you want to know about your driving force, you need to sit quite, for a while, think deeply and answer some important questions. This will make you clear about certain forces that make you work towards your dream. Now, answer some of the questions given below:

• Are you really anxious about the idea of spending one whole day or full week at work in order to make efforts towards organizing a business meeting?

• Close your eyes and think about a great vacation you have recently had. How do you feel about it at present? Can you clearly recall vivid images of the water and sand in your mind?

Now as you picturize all the pictures related to your vacation vividly, you are practicing the skill of visualization related to motivation theory.

Step Two

- Defining your goal of success

This step can be referred to as the detailed version of the step one. Here, you tend to experience with other senses and motivate yourself to define the goal. Here, the goal is the ‘vacation’. You should use all your senses in order to progress towards the success goal. Keep on defining your success goal. Visualize your organization as the top manufacturer or producer of ABC products. Now, this will make you experience the excitement of being the top producer of ABC products. Now, as your senses start feeling the success make note of what you actually observe. Answer the following questions:

• What tasks are you involved in?

• What position have you acquired in your company?

• Do you own an office at the best location in the city?

• Do you see yourself sitting with the other board of directors of the company?

The whole process of answering the questions, visualizing as well as experiencing the achievement of goals will actually define your overall vision of success. Make a note of all that you fee, see, the location you are at, the attire you are wearing and other people’s reaction towards you. The more detailed is your version, the better you would be able to define your goal. For instance, if you want to be famous, you cannot reach your goal until you define being ‘famous’.

Step Three

- The plan of action and your steps towards it

Once you have your vision of what success is to you, you can start working towards your goal.

For more Articles, News, Information, Advice, and Resources about Motivation and Self Help please visit GET AND STAY MOTIVATED and MOTIVATION TIPS and MEDITATION ADVICE

Is it possible to stay happy when it all kicks off?

Can you remain positive and think happy things immediately after an argument?

How can you stay happy when bad stuff happens?

Trying to stay positive even when not so good stuff is happening appears like a massive challenge. It’s actually easier than you think, but it’s likely that you’ve just never practiced it before and therefore it will be new to you to begin with.

First of all, after you’ve had an argument with someone you’ve allowed your vibration (mood) to significantly drop then you will no longer have access to happy, bright and loving emotions and feelings. Pretending that all is well and that nothing happened isn’t going to do you any favors.

When you feel bad, you can’t hide it from the universe which listens to your vibration and not your words or thoughts. Trying to do so is futile.

Instead, the way to stay happy even when something bad has happened is to work your way up your emotional scale gradually.

Let’s say you’ve just had an argument with your mother. You feel miserable because she isn’t listening to you and she wants you to do something that you have no interest in doing what-so-ever.

Instead of going off in a huff and thinking about it continuously for the next couple of days, take a moment to stop in the moment and take a few deep breaths. After stopping for a moment you can now begin to work your way up your emotional ladder.

The idea is that you want to poke around in your mind and find a thought that feels better than what you were just thinking. That does not mean you are looking for “I’m so happy and I love everything” type of thoughts. You just won’t have access to them, so don’t even try and fake it.

Here’s an example.

“I feel miserable because my mother wants me to do something I don’t want to do”

Poke around and find a better thought… Here’s what you might come up with next: “I don’t have to do it if I don’t want to”

Now, does this thought feel better than the original one? If it does, then you’ve just made massive headway already. Although its only a subtle difference, you’re actually feeling a little bit better than you were doing a few moments before playing this game.

The idea is to continue on with this game until you’re in a happy place. Regardless of how long you think this game will take to get you into a happier place, I can assure you that with just a little bit of effort, you’ll be feeling TONS better than you did if you weren’t to play the game.

Let’s continue with our example…

“I’m glad I can make my own decisions and have the freedom to do so”

“Although I don’t agree with what she wants me to do, she was doing it for my benefit”

“Thank god I don’t live with her anymore!”

Can you see how we’re gradually working our way out of where we were before and stepping into a much better place. What you’ll find is that as you move up your emotional ladder you will no longer have access to those miserable thoughts that you had when you started, instead you will have access to the thoughts that you’ve immediately been thinking.

Whilst playing this game you may also notice that you’ll get thoughts that try to bring you down your emotional ladder. Instead of giving them your attention, continue to poke around in your mind to find thoughts that feel better. Take your attention away from those thoughts that don’t serve you and put your attention on ones that do.

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Success can not be attained overnight. But, still, it can be attained. Funny how people can be so impatient most of the times. Just observe students in the middle of their school life. Instead of being excited that they’ll soon finish education, they would complain of getting bored and wanting to stop schooling for work or, worse, play.  Employees and office people, by the time they think they have earned enough money for their family, would plan leaving work to just stay in the house.

With these kinds of thinking and attitude, how would one expect to reach his goals in life?

Life is too precious to waste living it without a plan or goal. It is too short not living it to the fullest.  But let’s say you have a goal, a dream or a wish you want to fulfill, would that be enough? The answer would be yes, as long as you have the assertiveness to reach it. It wouldn’t be called a goal if you don’t have the plans of achieving it, right? On the other hand, having a goal without the will to make it into reality is not enough.

Another problem regarding this matter is that people do have a goal but just don’t have what it takes to achieve it, or so they thought. Again, they become blinded by the negativity of their minds. Money, socio-economic status, race, age, gender – these are just a few factors that hinder individuals to think that they have what it takes to attain success that everyone has been dreaming of.

So what if you don’t earn a lot of money? Will that be reason enough for you not to attend school or find a job? How about if you are not among the authorities in your society? Or you’re of a different race? Or you’re still young? Or you’re a female? Should they even be considered reasons to discourage you in turning your dreams into reality? I don’t think so. It is only your mind that says so. Hence, fight it!

What you can do is put your mind into something you want to happen. Say, you want to be a writer. Therefore, think as a writer, feel as a writer, and be a writer. Practice. Read a lot. Grab all opportunities that would make you a writer. Like everything else that we wish to happen, in reaching for a goal, we should make sacrifices – time, effort, responsibilities, etc. After all, success does not come overnight. But eventually, it will. And before anything else, believe that  “You can reach your goals in life”.

how to reach your goals, reaching your goals

Stress is one of the main causes of frequent outbursts of anger, you will find that learning to de-stress can help taking away one of the major causes for you to become angry.

There are many ways in which you can de-stress yourself, below are some of the most popular and effective ways to get de-stressed.

Any and all of these will work if you just give it a try, and since there are so many different things which you can try, you should be able to find at least one that can help you.

• Meditation
• Using a worry stone
• Having a relaxing hobby
• Taking up a contact sport such as boxing or karate
• Listening to soothing music
• Having a relaxing massage
• Taking a few days away from it all
• Having short naps when things are getting too hectic

As you can see, if you really think about it you can find just about anything that will help you to take your mind off your stress and which can instead help you to relax.

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