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AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Team work STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/19/2007 08:13:09 AM ----- BODY:

Team – the word conjures up images of a cohesive unit of people intent on working towards the same set of targets and goals doesn’t it. But how true is this in most organisations today, and what can we do to make sure that “teams” we are working in, are actually working together?

Essentially there are two types of teams, Independent and Interdependent teams. An interdependent team comprises a group of people who cannot complete their part of the assigned task without the assistance of the entire team. A good example of this kind of team is a sports team. One person may score an individual goal, but it is the team who “wins.

An independent team of people, on the other hand comprises individual success, which impacts on the team’s success. For example, consider a team of sales reps, each individual has a target that they must reach. Together the monthly sales figures determine the state of the organisation as a whole.

But what happens if you decide to step into the role of team leader? Are you ready for that kind of challenge?

It can be bad enough starting a new position with a new organisation without having to take on a leadership role at the same time. Whilst we can be nervous, we can be confident in our abilities and walk into a new organisation, meet people for the first time and know that we have the skills and demeanour to help this team of people move onwards. It shows in the way that you smile, speak, shake hands and ask the right kinds of questions.

An arrogant leader on the other hand, tells “this is how it’s going to be”. Rest assured I am not suggesting for a minute that anyone reading this is arrogant, but I am sure you can tell me about people who walk in and decide to change everything overnight. It happens, it’s also true that teams can become fractured very quickly as a result of this kind of action.

So if you ever find yourself in a position of authority, here are a few things to consider:
· Create the right atmosphere. Teams cannot work in a vacuum, nor can they work in an atmosphere of dictatorship and fear of failure.  Ask the right questions, but then – listen to the answers that you receive, and be prepared to change your stance.
· You cannot force anyone to change, you can only change your own behaviour.
· Have vision.  Be clear about what it is you are hoping to achieve, and convey this to the team at all times.  If the priorities change it is vital that you tell the entire team, not just a select few.
· Establish common ground.  Your team should be pulling in the same direction.  Whilst team members will have different ideas and opinions it is important that everyone knows where the other people are “coming from”.
· Have the correct operational framework. Make sure that the methods of communication fit the team and the work being done.
· Take the time to create the team.  Good teams don’t happen overnight. Trust has to be established and relationships formed before the team can move forward as a unit.
· Be open to change and differing opinions. After all, who is to say that the way something has always been done is the correct way of doing something. Be willing to say I was wrong.
· Talk vs Action: Make sure that you don’t spend all your time talking. You will still need to get the work done. If you do your job properly you will know the best people to take the project/work forward. But make sure this responsibility is shared otherwise some people will resent and begin to undermine your efforts and others will assume the “dictatorship” approach. 
· Allow job movement and sharing of tasks.  This allows everyone a chance to grow and to develop.  It also means that people can join or leave the group without causing too many stresses or strains on the rest of the team.
· For a team to be effective, certain rules and conditions should be in place first. When teams fail, staff turnover is likely to be high, morale will plummet and those who are left will feel they are being asked to do more with less…again.

Stepping into an existing team:

As with the leadership role as we discussed above, stepping into an existing team anywhere on the corporate ladder can be a difficult period for you. It is important to remember that like a leadership role, you too will be expected to be confident in the skills and abilities that you have, otherwise why would an organisation have hired you in the first place. The first few days on the job will see you utilise those interpersonal skills you say you have in a very real and immediate way.

Establish your credentials, but don’t boast about the clients you have worked for in the past. Nor should you haughtily insist their way was better. Acknowledge that every organisation is different, yes the systems and processes may look similar, but the team dynamics can be the major factor of difference. Every organisation will do something differently, so adaptation is essential.

With many thoughts on building a successful team.
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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/


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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The Other Teams STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/20/2007 03:03:44 AM ----- BODY:

Our most important "teams" are those groups of people we interact with on a very regular basis. Reading yesterday's edition this morning, I was struck by how much of what I said could apply to the other parts of our lives, not just work.

Families:
Our first ever "team". Parents, siblings, the team of nurses and doctors who brought us into the world, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. Most people would have a group of people they call "family" and like all teams, especially those that lack leadership and understanding, will tend to be fractured. If one person in the family "team" is selfish, then then the dynamic of the entire team will be damaged. By selfish I mean they don't steal all the toast at breakfast time, but selfish in demands for more time/money/affection. They pout, they complain, they grumble, they whinge, they whine, they stay out all night. Yes you know who i mean.

Conversely those families that work together will have a sound team structure. There will be leadership, viewpoints will be heard and discussed. Opinions will be sought from those with the right kind of knowledge, work will be shared and the spoils of hard work will be shared also.

Friends:
It has been said that you can't choose your families but you can choose your friends. But it is important when looking at this "team" of people what the dynamic is. Do your friends look to you as a leader, or one that follows their example? Do you reinforce each others negative beliefs or positive ones? Do you enjoy griping about each other behind backs or do you find ways to ensure that each "friend" is doing what they should be doing, giving support and encouragement along the way?

Sports:
Perhaps the most obvious of other types of "teams". You know when the team plays well it is because everyone has their designated place and the entire team is playing their individual parts well. If someone is off, then the rest of the team has to compensate for their behaviour. Whilst this may not be too obvious to start with, resentment can creep in if it is felt that certain people are not pulling their weight. What happens then is that like all teams - dissent, gripes and a general lack of cohesiveness takes over and the other team usually wins.

Social Networks:
These are usually outside your inner circle of friends, but people you interact with at some level or other. It may be someone who you go shopping with on a regular basis, or you're part of a team of people who plays darts down the local pub. Again it is important to recognise what part these people play in your "team" structure. If you walk away from these encounters feeling drained because the dynamic is one-sided. People who are negative - and lets face it, they're not called energy vampires for nothing! It is important to assert your reason for being part of the group. If you cannot re-establish the team framework so that it empowers rather than drains, then it is up to you whether you continue to be part of the group or not.

Spiritual:
This includes the groups of people you meet and interact with at "church". But it should also include that which you consider to be "the ultimate power". I'm not sure what you call that higher power, so please replace the words here with whatever you deem appropriate. But I would consider G-d, Buddha, Allah, The Universe, The G_ddess, to be a team leader. After all He/She is what we look to for inspiration and support, especially in times of stress. We "pray" that everything will work out - and we know that we have to do our part in the process. It's no good praying for things to change if we continue with our bad behaviours is it?

A team of one:
And of course we should not forget ourselves. We are a team of one. We need to ensure that all the different parts of our lives are in balance, because if not one aspect of the "team" will overshadow the other parts, and we will find ourselves tired and out of sorts.

So if you spend all your time with your social networks then your sports life will suffer, so will home and the only praying you will be doing would be to making sure your head doesn't fall off. So check every team that you have in your life, and then you can determine if you are spending the right amount of time with each team.

With many thoughts
Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: We all need first hand experience to truly understand STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/18/2007 02:44:12 AM ----- BODY:

I am always amazed at the interconnectedness of things. When I overheard people talking yesterday about “yet another shooting in America” and “It can only happen in America” I wanted to go up to them and explain that I actually know someone who works there. Unfortunately until you have a first hand reason to experience the anxious wait for news, you are detached from the proceedings. We can carry on with our own lives as if something so far away cannot have an impact on our own version of the here and now. The “it can’t happen to me syndrome” is still very prevalent in today’s society.

Which of course got me thinking about what is really important. Unless you can “see it” and experience first hand what it is you want to achieve, your dreams and goals will remain on the drawing board. But if you apply what I term the “do or die” rating, either you do what you need to do or you or a loved one will die as a result of your inaction – the whole process takes on a whole new meaning.

This was brought back to me in a very real and fundamental way as I waited for news – what is really important?

And the answer to that question came from two very different people:

A fellow reader of the Daily Dose summed it up:

Hi Elle,
 
I just wanted to echo your sentiment, that life is short, and we
should be putting our effort into the things that matter.
Yesterday, my seemingly perfect world came crashing down
upon news that my brother has been diagnosed with cancer
and starts chemotherapy tomorrow morning.
 
All those insignificant things that we stress over and waste
time on, really manifest themselves when such tragic events
like these occur.  It's a wake up call in the form of a lightning
bolt up your spine; a chance to appreciate each thing according
to its true value.
 
I sincerely hope and pray that your friend is safe and well and
that you receive confirmation of this very soon.
A.S.


The second answer to my question came from Ray himself….

Lorraine,
Thanks for the kind e-mail.  We are all well, but society seems to have changed…..
All our best
Ray
Ray Dessy, Emeritus Professor
323 Davidson Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061


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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Make some better decisions STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/23/2007 12:55:17 AM ----- BODY:

You could have made a million wrong decisions, but that does not mean you need to continue making them.

Every day we are given a brand new opportunity, it's a cliche perhaps, it also happens to be true. Every day we are given a new chance to make some better decisions than those we made yesterday.

Some bad decisions are easily recognised:
too much alcohol last night usually means a hangover this morning
too much of the wrong food choices over a period of time and you could be carrying some excess weight around
not enough exercise and your skin and muscle tone will be slack and flabby
spending too much time at the office and your home life will suffer
spending too much time pretending to work and your performance review will not be very good

and then there are the not so obvious bad decisions we make:
we're angry at the kids because they have't done their homework, but they see you sitting on your butt in front of the television drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and hanging out with your mates. Two things - do not deal in double standards - don't expect people to do their homework if you can't be bothered to do yours. The second point is - do not deal in double standards. Yes I cannot make the point too many times. We are being looked at and we will be emulated. Do you want your kids to be miniature versions of you - hiint - they are - now - are these miniature versions of you, the kinds of person you want them to be? If not then you are going to have to change your decisions and behaviours first so these little people have something good to look up to.

We dress badly, we don't take care with our appearance the way that we used to. We figure that we have the job we want, the partner we want - so we don't need to make a good impression any more. We don't care if somedays we didn't leave ourselves enough time to have a shower before going to work, we throw on the clothes we wore yesterday, douse ourselves in deodorant and perfume and stagger off to the office.

We have dishes in the sink and laundry waiting to be done. Our homes are like toxic waste dumps, we cannot find anything, so we don't do those things we know we need to do but can't find amongst all the clutter.

We associate with people we know we shouldn't associate with. They're energy vampires, they drag you into situations and places you know you shouldn't be in. Sure their influence may be subtle, but day by day we become people we were never meant to be.

Every decision that you make today will impact on the next set of decisions that you are faced with. But the results of those decisions may not be noticed for months if not years down the track. As one cartoon writer put it - Doctor to overweight patient. "Do you want to spend one hour a day in your busy schedule exercising, or would you like to spend 24 hours a day - dead."

Today is the day you can start making some better decisions.


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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Living your dream one day at a time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/24/2007 04:40:49 AM ----- BODY:

Yesterday we spoke about those bad decisions that we make - some of which we aren't aware of. Today I want to speak to you about how to make some better decisions to the way your life turns out.

As regular readers of DDOMM are aware - it is a good idea to have some sort of idea where you want to get to. And like any road trip we embark on we need to know where the pit stops are going to be. However, if you don't know what your ultimate destination is, then any road will do, after all they do get you to somewhere.

Planning any kind of trip or holiday is easy though. We know where we want to get to and we plan our journey's based on some simple criteria. Usually where, when, how long for, what cost and who with. Then there are some things on our lists - those things we say we want, but have no idea of the starting point, let alone the end result. Those are vague, wishy, washy maybe one day if everything is alright, might happen. So we won't deal with those at the moment. I'm not saying we won't get around to them, but we need to work on those things that you KNOW you want.

For example:
You want a new car, a new house, a new piece of furniture. Now depending on the cost of the said item - it could take you a few months to save up for it, or it could take you years. So are there other ways you can realise your money sooner? Whilst you could get a second job, or rob a bank, have you considered using what you already have in a different way? The way my finances used to be structured meant that I was working for my money and there never seemed to be enough to do EVERYTHING i wanted to do. But talking to some financial planners, they have the know how to make my money work for me and consequently have assisted me to realise a couple of my early monetary goals. I had lots of questions, but did not know where to start to answer them. The financial planners did, and now those goals are progressing.

So the first thing you need to do is know what you want answers to. Once you have those questions worked out, you will find answers being presented to you. It sounds bizarre, but it's true. If your questions are vague then so will the answers be.

So - you want a house, a car a piece of furniture. We know we need to speak to some one with regards to the money we think we want. Now the next set of questions has to be - what kind of car? What kind of house? Where do you want to live? Would it make more sense to wait to buy the new lounge suite until you know the size of the rooms of the house, or do you have the layout worked out? Because once you start to visualise the rooms that you want, and what you want to have in them, you can start planning to acquire those pieces of furniture that you need. You will begin to see examples of the kinds of house that you want, and you will definitely know how much money you are going to need to buy it.

So as you are working on realising your house and car dreams, you will begin to see changes to the rest of your life also. If you have a house you need to sell, then you will begin to find time to clean and decorate the rooms. Hint, neutral colours work well if you are planning on selling. You will make the curtains and the cushions, you will weed the garden and spend time and energy on making the house stand out from the competition so that you can get a better price for it on the market.

And you may come to realise that you need to get another job, one that pays you a little more money so that you can get the deposit faster. So you spend time one evening and update your CV. And when you start to remember all those things that you have achieved since starting your present job, you will remember how good it felt to achieve those things that you did. How good it felt to be promoted, how good it felt to get the job in the first place. You will remember how much time and effort you put into your appearance on a daily basis. And then when you are cleaning out your closets you begin to find those beautiful suits you used to wear. And now with all the extra cleaning, tidying and gardening you've been doing - those suits actually fit now.

As you may have realised by now. Everything impacts on every thing else. If you don't feel good then chances are going to be excellent that your performance is good to reflect that. So the question has to be which comes first, feeling good about who we are, or doing things that make us feel good about ourselves. One thing I do know is this - as you do more, you will always find time to do more.

Work out what you want, spend some time and ask yourself some hard questions. Once you have those questions worked out, you will begin to find some answers.

Tomorrow we will look in more depth at those wishy washy vague goals, and how you can turn them into something concrete.

With many thoughts
Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Everything impacts on everything else STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/21/2007 06:50:01 AM ----- BODY:

if you spend all your spare time doing things that do little or nothing for you, then I can guarantee you will not achieve those dreams and goals that you say you want to achieve at some point in the future.

For instance, and you knew there was going to be a for instance.... if you have spent some time this weekend and worked out your time equation (see yesterday's edition if you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about) then you will have noticed how little time you actually have to do what YOU want. Everything else is taken up by other people's needs and expectations.

Your employer expects you to turn up at the office and actually do the work that you are being paid to do. But if you don't enjoy what it is you are doing, then you will hate every minute of it, and that will impact on the amount of work that you do, whether you "chuck a sickie" when you are not ill, what time you arrive in the morning, whether you smile and interact with your colleagues, whether you spend all your "free" time when you should be working, answering emails and surfing the net.

But that's not all - what happens when you drag yourself home at the end of your day? You whinge to your partner how bored you are, how so and so did something or other. What usually happens then is you turn to activities that comfort your troubled self. For some of you that may be food, others alcohol, cigarettes or other substances. You may spend every evening in a stupor in front of the television and the reason why is because you are not fulfilled in your job.

So today's task is harder than yesterday's - but extremely important.

The first thing I need you to ask yourself is this - are you happy? Oh I don't mean, you are grinning all the time and pretending that all is well with your world. But if you had to rate your current "life" on a scale of 1 - I would change everything, to 10 - I wouldn't change anything even if I won the lottery. Where would you sit on the scale?

You are going to ask me where I sit on my scale aren't you? Well at the beginning of the week I would say that my life was sitting at about a  3 or 4. But after a meeting with a financial advisor, and being told there was a lot to be done, and we could re-structure everything to give a better way of life for myself and the children, my personal rating went up to about a 5 or 6. You see, for me, money is the biggest factor, and I needed outside help to work out the next steps....The thing is - the expertise had always been there I just chose not to use it in the past.

So as you sit down over the next couple of days and work out your personal rating it is important to know that where you currently is not where you are likely to end up. However - it is up to you where you go next. You can continue to interact with the same people and hear the same stories over and over again. You can choose to read the supermarket magazines and live vicariously through other people. You can choose to overeat and not exercise and then complain how slow your metabolism is - but as you work out what is holding you back - bi it a perceived lack of money, that you feel that you may be carrying too mucj weight or emotional baggage, then you can start to work out the steps you need to take to rectify the problems.

But perhaps the important thing to remember is that everything impacts on everything else. As you start to recognise what is "wrong" with your current position, you will automatically start to rectify the issues. And as things start to change, then additional changes will also occur.  And for those things you can't rectify yourself, you can find other people who can help you.

With many thoughts for today

Elle
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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Eliminating doubt STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/26/2007 01:33:56 AM ----- BODY:

Doubt is one of the major destructive forces we face when we don't believe in ourselves and our goals.

But where does doubt originate?

Believe it or not, we weren't born with the ability to doubt ourselves, we learned the behaviour from those people around us. As babies we knew that we would be cared for. OK maybe we didn't KNOW but we learned pretty quickly if we let the big people around us know we were hungry or had belly ache, they would do something about it. As we began to waddle around on shaky legs, we didn't doubt that one day we would stand up straight and be able to walk around like the big people we craned upwards to see. When you are faced with a see of legs did you doubt they wouldn't be able to see you and knock you over. Of course not, we just learned to negotiate the legs and so what if we landed on our well padded rear ends. I'm sure that's why we wore nappies in those early days, so it wouldn't hurt when we fell over. And I'm sure we all fell over enough times. But did we doubt ourselves. Did we decide that we were not going to be able to walk, so we gave up? Of course not, we put our chubby fists on to the floor, and we pushed off the ground - time and time again. There was never any doubt in our minds, was there.

So what happened then?

Unfortunately those well meaning big people kept telling us to be careful. Don't do that, you'll put someone'e eye out. Our teachers told us that we didn't do as well as perhaps we should. My son who was in grade 2 at the time, got 17 out of 18 on a test. But rather than praising him, the teacher wrote "what a pity". I spent many hours on the telephone to the school trying to point out that the teachers words had destroyed his self-confidence. In fact 6 years on, he still remembers those words and others like them uttered by a woman in the wrong job.

We lose confidence in ourselves, we keep hearing the same things over and over again. You'll never amount to anything. You don't have your sister's brains. You'll never be thin and pretty like...., what are you doing that for? Why do you want to go to university, no-one in our family has ever gone to university before, who do you think you are.

Doubt. I can almost guarantee that as I have written these words to you, you are re-living every hateful word ever spoken to you, aren't you?

The question is, how can we get over these nasty, doubt causing words?

Well i would love to say that it was easy, you just think positive things and all will be well in your world. How good would that be?

OK, so if thinking positive things isn't going to work, then what is?

Now don't get me wrong, thinking positive things can help, but it cannot work on its own. What is missing is perspective, and the knowledge that it is just one person's opinion. Rarely are snide comments based on fact.

How many times did you in fact put someone's eye out?

Yes you went home with your pockets full of mud and your knees scraped, but so what. You had a great time, and you lived to tell the tale didn't you.

We need perspective that says. OK the last test wasn't great, but the teacher really didn't explain the subject matter all that well. And the test before that I scored well. So if I ask the teacher what he meant, I can perhaps understand it better. Or maybe there is a different book I can read that explains it differently. I know I don't always learn well by just listening to someone drone on and on and on about a subject.

Perspective that says I feel good about who I am, and someone paid me a compliment yesterday.

Perspective that says I did a damn good job on the Atkins report and the boss thanked me for it.

Perspective that says, you know what, I can do these things if I try. OK I've never ...... before, but that doesn't mean to say I can't learn, or find someone who can show me.

Put your life back into perspective and you will begin to eradicate the doubt. And once you have silenced the doubt, then you will be able to make huge changes to the way your life turns out.

With many thoughts

Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Rose Coloured Hindsight STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/27/2007 12:54:35 AM ----- BODY:

Our minds are amazing tools. We have the power within ourselves to be just about anything we want - if we want to put our minds to it.

We also have the ability to recall any event from our dim and distant past, we can embellish it "it (the fish) was THIS BIG".
We can make any memory more vivid than it actually was. We can see it all and relive it all in glorious technicolour detail.
We also conveniently forget about the slightly minor problems that also went with the memory if we want to. Of course there will always be someone who remembers all the bad bits rather than the good bits. But humour me here for a moment.
You remember the rainbow rather than the rain.
You remember the butterflies rather than the mozzies.
You block out the angry words and focus instead on a happier memory.

We do it all the time. And that's what we call "rose coloured hindsight."

The beauty of this though is that we can make it work for us. We can take any memory that we have and embellish it, relive it and our minds and our bodies react in exactly the same way as the first time we encountered it. You see our minds cannot tell real from imagined, truth from fiction.

But how can this be made to work for us?

Well think back to a time when you were extremely happy. It might have been the time you got a promotion, or the baby was born. It might have been the moment when you had saved up enough money to go and buy whatever it was you so wanted. Now go back to your memory and add a few new details. Add a couple of thoughts relating to your current goal list. Translate those thoughts into images and superimpose them onto the image you already have. Yes it's make believe. But if you want it, you have to be able to see it. If you can't see it, you need to spend some time and fine tune the image. Make it clear, rather like tuning the radio into a new station. You know when it's a little fuzzy around the edges. So make it clear, make it vibrant, make it alive to you.

Use your road coloured hindsight, it's one of the best techniques you can master, and once you start doing it, you will begin to see those new things start to appear. You will know what new steps you need to take in order to "get" it.

So get into your memories, it's a fun place to be.

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Understanding the true value of time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/28/2007 02:14:38 AM ----- BODY:

"Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried."
Anon

Time is more precious than money. We can always go to the banks and speak to them about getting more green stuff if we keep finding ourselves up to the neck in debt. But time, well the thing about time is that the only moment we truly know we have is now.

But it's interesting, if you can manage your time effectively you can manage everything else. You see if you knew the true value of your time on this earth, would you spend too long doing the unimportant, the trivial, the complete waste of time and money, or would you be more interested in making sure you did all that you could, now - today?

And it's not just the massive changes that have the biggest impact. Little acts completed regularly multiplied by time equals very big results.

This of course applies to the negative as well as the positive of course.

No exercise today, plus overeating = massive weight gain over 10 or 20 years.
Spending all you earn = not very much in the way of retirement plan
Saving a few dollars a day by not buying lunch = that trip to Egypt. And depending on what you used to spend, that dream could be realised in months rather than years.
Writing a single page every day on your novel can see an average length novel written in about a year.

Massive change can come about through the tiniest decisions, and we are making those tiny decisions on a second by second basis.

So never underestimate the true value of your time.

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

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(MMM1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: individual choices have a multiple impact STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/29/2007 01:25:26 AM ----- BODY:

Our individual choices have a ripple effect. Like the stone thrown into a pond, each ripple caused by the immediate action radiates outwards.

Take the contentious issue of drinking a couple of beers after work on a Friday and then deciding to drive home. We may not think that our reaction times have been affected, until we get to a stop sign and can't in fact stop. We run a red light and into another vehicle.

Depending on the size of the other vehicle, the speed in which both vehicles were travelling and where the impact took place will depend on the severity of the accident. We may all walk away with nothing more than dented cars and dented ego's. Or we may hurt or even kill ourselves and / or the other people. Imagine then the impact of our decision to drink and drive on our families and the families of the other people involved.

But it doesn't stop there, we also need to consider the impact our accidents cause on the police, fire and rescue and ambulance crews who now have to fix our mistakes as best they can before they take our bent and broken bodies to the hospital and / or the funeral home.

Of course your short-term choices may not have an immediate impact. We may in fact get home safely. But our short -term decisions of too much alcohol, cigarettes, over eating and using illicit substances - multiplied by time may cause just as much heart ache and devastation as our short term accidental ones. Our loved ones may have to watch us go through a series of treatments for a range of illnesses we had often heard about, but assumed we would never suffer from.

Or take the seemingly insignificant decision to delete all your work emails. After all, they're on your computer so they're yours - right? Actually if they are work related they belong to the company and should be treated like all the other records you generate. Imagine that you are asked to respond to a request by a judge to account for your decisions in the creation of a new and wonderful drug, of which you were part of the scientific team that helped generate the patent.

If you had deleted all your email records discussing the work that you were doing, how then are you going to be able to prove that you did in fact do the work when you said you had done the work. Imagine that a rival company had said they had created the same drug - and they won the right to the patent, all because you had made the decision to delete a few company emails that were clogging up your computer. How long do you think it would be before you were out of a job? Given that a new drug takes years to develop and can cost millions to create, something tells me you'd have trouble finding another position. Which of course would have the immediate impact on your family - what will they do for money?

Each minor decision that you make today will have a long lasting impact - and not just for you, so choose wisely. Ask - is what I am about to do going to have a major impact down the track? Who is it going to affect? Am I willing to continue knowing those facts?

With many thoughts
Elle

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: How do you spend your free time? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/22/2007 01:08:52 PM ----- BODY:

I am going to make the assumption that you have taken a look at the time equation and that you have a certain time each day to “work” and a certain amount of “home” time. It doesn’t matter whether you are at school or whether you work for yourself or for someone else; we all have a certain amount of “free” time each and every day. It may not seem like a great deal of time – but the question is what do you do with that bit of time you have between getting home from “work” and going to bed. How do you spend your free time?

I know that sometimes I can be incredibly nosy, but as you may have realized by know, it is those evening and weekend activities that you spend your time on are the things that make the difference between whether you are truly living the life of your dreams or whether you are living someone else’s dream.

What do you do when you get home from work? Do you immediately turn on the television when you walk in the door, and tell yourself that you will only watch a little bit of television and then get on and do whatever it is you said you were going to do? Well you may do, but the problem with the Television is that it is full of hooks to keep you watching long past the time you should have turned the box off. “Coming up after the ….” “Keep watching, this is going to be a very short break…”

The other big time waster is of course the Internet and email. You may try and convince yourself that talking to your friends on MSN and Twitter is not taking up too much time – but these kinds of activity can be addictive, especially if you have a dozen friends online and all wanting to waste your time as well as their own. You may also tell yourself that you are conducting important research – but lets face it, it’s not really is it? Do you really need to know the latest footie scores, or the latest news and gossip from Hollywood? Of course you don’t, but you have chosen to waste your time and your energy on things and people who do not care whether you exist, except in a superficial – come see my latest movie, buy my latest album kind of way.

Of course it is entirely upto you what you do with your time, but it is interesting to note that the people who always seem to be doing well – are the people who do not waste the few precious hours that they have every day watching television or spending hours and hours on MSN.

Working through the weekend’s activities should I hope have given you an insight into the balance sheet that is your life to date.

Every thing is a choice, a balance between what you know you have to do, and what you want to do. But as with all things, the question is, are you willing to pay the price of too much leisure time when you know you have assignments to hand in? Sooner or later you are going to have to pay the bill in full for your choice of activity, the clever people are the ones who make regular payments into their personal ledgers, so they have time to play with should something unexpected crop up.  How about you, what side of the ledger are you working on right now?

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Pretending you're invincible STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/01/2007 10:13:36 AM ----- BODY:

As a child you played make believe. You knew you could do anything you wanted and could be anyone you chose. You probably won every game you played, and if you weren't winning you changed the rules to suit yourself didn't you.

You were amazing

You were invincible

And believe it or not you still have those capabilities. Today there are no if's, but's or maybe's.Today I want you to remember changing the rules to suit yourself. Today I want you to remember what it was like to be invincible, because that's what we are when we focus on what we want. Nothing and no one gets in our way.

So my question for you today is this - What would you do today if you knew there was no way you could fail?

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What are you waiting for? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/24/2007 02:03:26 AM ----- BODY:


Are you living your life in limbo? Are you waiting for something to happen, at some unidentified time in the future to make a difference to the way your life turns out?

Do you feel that they don’t have to get a decent education, or get a job because sooner or later you are going to inherit the family fortune? Of course you may never admit to anyone that you are waiting for a relative to die, so you can inherit money, but it is obvious to everyone else that is what you are doing.

However, there is a second, much larger group of people who are living their lives in limbo. Every time you decide to do a little less than you could or should you are wasting your lives. Every time you utter the words, “I’ll do that when the kids leave home”, or “when I retire, I’ll do….” “I’ll go on the diet once we’ve eaten all the bad things in the fridge”. Every time you buy a lottery ticket and watch the numbers come through the chute with your fingers crossed, then you too are waiting for someone/something outside of your control to come to your rescue.

If you are waiting for some outside force to drag you out of the procrastination habit you find yourself living in, then you will be waiting a very long time. Aunt Doris may decide to leave the family fortune to the cat’s home because she is sick and tired of the infighting and the bickering about who gets what bit of jewelry and furniture when she’s died. And statistically speaking you are more likely to get run over by a car on the way to buy your lottery ticket than you are to actually win it.

The only person who can make a long-term difference to the way your life turns out is you. You and only you are responsible for the food that you put into your mouth, the amount of exercise and effort that you put into the activity that you have chosen to do, the amount of money that you earn, whether your business works or doesn’t. It is entirely up to you and the amount of energy you are willing to put into living your life.

Life is not a spectator sport; you actually have to contribute time and energy. And more often than not, sometimes the returns don’t come to you in one big lump sum.

You can make a million, but it may take several years of careful budgeting, moving house a couple of times, trading stocks and shares or building your business in order to get there. Or take the exercise discipline, if you are overweight, then consider how long it has taken you to reach your current unfitness levels and then once you have made the commitment to reduce your reliance on food stuff to fill whatever hole you are trying to eat your way through, then you need to consider that if it has taken you x number of years to reach this point, how on earth can you expect to lose all the excess weight in five minutes….and keep it off. Long-term change takes time and takes a concerted effort and commitment before you get very much in return. What kind of effort are you willing to put into living your life? Or are you still content to wait for things outside of your control to make the difference?

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Behind every cloud... STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/03/2007 02:26:34 AM ----- BODY:

there is a rainbow just waiting to appear, all you have to do is wait for the sun to shine through the rain drops, splitting each tiny droplet into a prism to create the vision that we see.

I love rainbows, I love the fact that you have to have both good (the sun) and bad (rain and usually lots of it) to create them. And isn't that true of life itself. We would never know "good" times if every day looked the same as yesterday. Of course you could tell me that every day is good for you - in which case, fantastic, what are you doing reading this? But we all know that some days are not good. For whatever reason our shoes hurt, the train was late, the guy on our left was talking loudly all the way into work, and we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. But if we stop and shift our focus a little, like shifting our focus from the rain clouds to the rainbow - we may see that the reason the guy was talking loudly was because he had a hearing aid in his left ear, and he couldn't perceive that he was talking any more loudly than normal.

As i got out of my car this morning, Russel the head of radiology (they have the offices downstairs) walked past and said - fishnet stockings - what's the occassion?

To which I replied - do you need an occassion to have fun in life? After all we only have one chance to live today, and I intend to have fun doing it.

Shift your focus. If your shoes hurt - take them off and walk around the office bare foot. Do something today that makes people stop and ask - why are you smiling? What's the occassion?

Remember you can focus on the rain clouds or you can look for the rainbows. 

rainbow%20over%20fre-o.JPG

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Pretending you are on a first date STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/04/2007 05:38:32 AM ----- BODY:

Do you have a significant other? Have you been together a long time and think you know everything there is to know about them? Or are you still learning what makes the other person tick, their likes, dislikes, taste in music and / or chocolate?

Have you noticed that as you move out of the "honeymoon" phase of a relationship, things tend to slot into patterns. You do the same things on the same days and in the same order. Patterns of course is another word for habits. Now I am not saying that we take our partners for granted, although some of you may do, just that we have become used to doing certain things at certain times with our partners.

Do you still take as much care in your appearance when you see your partner, or have things slid - just a little? OK, Ok, I can hear the mumbling from here....who has the time to get ready, put on makeup, do their hair...we've got kids screaming round the house, the dog needs a walk, the house needs cleaning.... it's alright for you.

Well I'm not saying that it's going to be easy, just something to think about. And isn't that what overcoming the procrastination habit is all about? Thinking about things in a different way and trying one or two of the suggestions. I do know that this is not a one size fits all kind of strategy, but - you will always find time to do things that you really want to do. And yes that is one thing I truly believe in.

So, a few suggestions:

Flirt a little. Do you remember thinking about the person ALL THE TIME? It seemed to be all you ever did, I'm amazed I used to get anything done sometimes. Did you write love notes, send cards, or in today's technologically driven society - send an sms or email during the day just to say "I love you, you know!"

Set the dinner table and get out the best china and glass ware. Sit down to dinner as a family if you are blessed with little people, or tuck them into bed with a story and a smile, so you can enjoy dinner. Hint, play some "soppy" music and your teens will be off like a shot.

Don't save your best perfume / aftershave for some point in the future...use it now, if you're not careful it will have evaporated by the time you come around to using it (assuming your teens haven't aqcuired it first that is).

Get the cookery books out and try something a little different, you know - like you used to.

What happens then? Well I can almost guarantee you will have one of the best days you've had in a long time. You will smile, you will make the effort, and when you make the effort in one area - ie., planning dinner, you will feel more like cleaning the clutter from the dining room. As you may have realised - once you start moving things in one area of your life, you will begin to see changes in all aspects of your life.

Have fun

:-)

Elle

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Looking at life through the eyes of another STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/05/2007 01:28:42 AM ----- BODY:

We all have our own view of the world, and each view is different based on many different criteria, including:

Your age
Your attitiude at any given point
Your gender
Your religious persuasion
Your upbringing

You may think you are right, you may think that the world owes you a living based on some or all of the above. When you may have closed your mind to new and exciting opportunities based on these same factors.

Take children for example. Do you remember being "little"? Do you remember seeing a sea of legs and shopping bags as your parents barreled through crowded shopping malls? Do you remember panicking, worrying about whether you were going to get your eyes poked out as people didn't see you? Shopping for little people can be a terrifying experience. Get down to their level if you can't remember what it was like to be small.

Life is like that. We need to look at everything from a variety of angles if we want to be truly open minded to change.

Do you have a business? Then ask - are you truly open minded to someone's needs that you hadn't thought about before.

The best example I know of are hairdressers. They cater to their younger clientele extremely well. They have booster seats so that the little people can see what it is the hair stylist is doing. And they offer lollipops to ensure the little person(s) sit still. How many other businesses cater in the same way for their younger market?
 
How many times have you been to look at a new car? How many times has the car salesperson shown you how easy it was to fit a chair restraint? Or demonstrated how easy it was to get in and out of the vehicle to put a baby in a car seat? Not many I would hazard a guess. OK you may not have a baby or young child. But I would hazard a guess not many car sales yards would ever think about showing potential buyers this kind of benefit when it came to buying their brand of car over another. Given that there are a lot of women with buying power these days, you may be losing business with old attitudes about "boys and their toys".

But of course this doesn't just apply to people with children. Consider those people who happen to get around in wheel chairs. Do you do all that you can to ensure that your business is accessible to these people as well as the more traditional shoppers? Or are you guilty of missing a huge chunk of the world's population because you didn't stop to consider that not everyone is the same as you.

When you do stop to consider every aspect of who you are and what you do, you will find new and untapped potential - if you are willing to think a little differently....don't stop at thinking outside of the square, try thinking outside the triangle, the circle and the big blue box in the corner. In other words don't be constrained at what everyone else thinks is "normal", that is just one view of the world, there are many more if you are willing to look.

With many thoughts for a more prosperous life and business

Elle


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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: If you don't believe in yourself, who will? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/25/2007 06:38:04 AM ----- BODY:

Long term change can only occur when you begin to treat yourself with respect. And respect comes from a belief that you are willing to make the necessary changes to your life. It also comes from the belief that you are worthy of more than you currently have or have achieved to date.

But belief is not arrogance. If you treat yourself and those people around you in an arrogant way, then you have not grasped the first point - the respect that you need to have for yourself.

Belief is certainty. Belief says that you will do everything that you can, no matter what the challenges you think may lie ahead. Belief means that you will be able to handle whatever happens along the way.

Those people who don't believe in themselves are the people who are still troubled by the procrastination habit.

I can see light bulbs going off across the world.... yes it is as simple as believing in yourself, you see if you believe in yourself and your skills, abilities and know that you can handle whatever life throws at you, you will not be dogged by the fear of success - you know you are worthy of achieving the items on your goal list. You are not afraid of failure - the certainty that you have means that you know you will do whatever you can to achieve those items. And you are certainly not afraid of change. In order to achieve more, you need to question everything that you currently do, and ask - how can I do this better. Once you are willing to believe in yourself, you will start to achieve those things sitting on your goal list.

So, today's task - hint - in order to break the procrastination habit, you have to be willing to do as well as read ! I would like you to pull out that scrappy bit of paper you have your goals written on and then I need you to cross off those things that you don't believe you can achieve.

Of the ones that are left - I need you to ask yourself this - are those goals that are still on my list - are they "my" goals, or are  they someone elses desires for me?
The second round of questions that you must ask is this: Are the goals reliant on an outside force (such as winning the lottery), or someone else to do their part before you can do yours? Are you willing to wait for someone else to make a difference to the way your life turns out or should you modify the goal or the part you are willing to play in them. Once you weed out those things that do not inspire you and replace those things that you really want, then you can make real progress.

If you believe that anything is possible, then you will discover that it is.

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Focus on what you do want, not what you don't STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/07/2007 05:48:43 AM ----- BODY:

If you spend all your time thinking about what you don't want, chances are going to be good you will never get past the complaints so you can decide what you do want.

Instead of saying "I don't want these damn bills" say - "I want more than enough money to pay my bills, and have some left over."
Turn your complaints around - "I don't want this headache" becomes "I want and need a clear head". "I want a stong back" "I want....

So what do you want?

And then write it down....in the positive. Think the words in a positive way.

I want prosperity
I want to eat out once a month with my family
I want to enjoy a holiday once a year to a new destination, one that we've dreamed about going to, but never sat down and worked out the steps we need to take to get there....and these are the places we want to go, this is what we need to do with our budget in order to achieve it.
I want to win the lottery....

OK time to stop right there.

Focus on what you want and what you can achieve. You cannot force somethings. Like you can want your neighbours to have more respect, but unless you go around and ask them to be quiet - nicely of course - then nothing is going to change for you. By all means buy a lottery ticket, but you should always have a backup plan in place for when your numbers don't come rolling through the shute.

Once you start to focus on what you want, you will begin to see the steps unfold in front of you.

So lets get started....start by writing down all the things you don't want in your life.

You need to do that, so you can get rid of the negative influences once and for all. Then I need you to turn each negative statement into a positive one. Use the examples i've given you above. Then throw the negative words and pieces of paper in to the bin. From today you will not focus on the things that you don't want in your life, focus on what you do.

Focusing on what you can do about where you are in your life right now will give you the mental and physical strength to do whatever it is you know you need to do. So you say - but i've got all this debt, my neighbours are horrible, the garden is a mess, i'm overweight, unfit and .....

That's who you were. That's not who you are now. Turn it around:

Today I am going to eat properly
Today I am going to save the money I would have normally spent on coffee and I'm going to put it into a jar for one of those bigger things I need
Today I am going to talk to the bank to see what they can suggest about restructuring my money
Today I am going to go for a walk
Today I am going to weed one garden bed
Today I am going to clean out one cupboard
Today I am going to say good morning to my neighbours
Today I am going to.....

What are you going to do today?

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

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(MMM1) (MMW1) (MMO1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Progress STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/27/2007 07:24:51 AM ----- BODY:
 "Progress is like a wheelbarrow. If you don't keep pushing it, it stops"
W.G.P.

 
But sometimes it is important to stop. Because it is only when you have stopped for a while, that you can tell how far you have come.

It's also true to say, that you may also never pick up the load again once you realise just how much further you have to go, but at least you are further ahead than when you started.

Have a great weekend, whatever you decide to do. I'll be back sometime soon
ElleGB
 
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  ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: More ups than downs STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/28/2007 08:58:09 AM ----- BODY:

When things are working for you, you will make massive changes very quickly. But there will be days when nothing seems to be working, and worse still - you're not in the mood to care whether things work or not.

What is happening at this point in our growth journey's is interesting. By the way Growth = Change, and usually lots of it. The problem is, growth also equals re-defining our zone of comfort. And it's sometimes scary out there, so we skid to a halt, like a child refusing to leave the sand at the end of a long day at the beach - he/she doesn't want to leave, and nothing you can say or do will get him/her to change his/her mind....

Well actually there is - and you do it with bribery and distraction.

Our zones of comfort are like that recalcitrant child. It doesn't like too many changes all at once, so it puts the breaks on, and tries to remind us that it's scary out there. We really were all right doing what we've done in the past - so why change now.

So next time you come to a skidding halt with your dreams, plans and goals is this....distract the guardian at the gate of the zone of comfort, by doing something completely different for a while. Which is why it is important to have more than one goal on the go at anyone time. Don't feel that you can move forwards in one area, then set it down, and pick up one of the short term goals that you know you can be working on....the completion will give you another reason to celebrate, and whilst the guardian is out partying - you can get back to the goal item you've stopped working on. What usually happens at this point - you will be able to pick up where you left off and whatever was stopping you will no longer be an objection and you will be able to make massive progress again.

You don't always have to be moving onwards and upwards in order to make progress, sometimes onwards and sideways works just as well.


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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: be better in the next five minutes... STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/01/2007 06:36:07 AM ----- BODY:

than you were in the last five. It is an interesting phenomena that we can always do something for 5 minutes that we would hate to do for days and weeks, and often years.

But it is also interesting to note, that if you haven't changed jobs in the last couple of years, you are more likely to waste those five minutes on a more regular basis, than those people who still feel that they have a point to make.

Do you remember what it was like in the first few weeks of landing your new job? You were so excited, you dressed to impress because you wanted people to notice you. You arrived early, you stayed back late, you were happy and you were happy to help.

Then what happened? Well, things got a little boring didn't they? You started to notice that your colleagues didn't dress as well as you - so rather than continuing to wear your good suit, you opted for the corporate standard. You did what you had to do each day, sure you got through your work, but you also spent a bit more time in the kitchen talking to your friends, gossiping about who did what with whom.
 
Now, things are starting to slide, you no longer care if the bus you catch to work is on time, in fact sometimes you long for it to break down so you have a ready made excuse not to be at the meeting. You can't remember the last time you ironed your work shirts, and lunch breaks got extended by a few minutes. Work was something that you had to do, and worse still you are now putting things off because.....

So what really happened in that time?

Well, complacency plays a part. You know your job and you do it well....well you did at any rate. You feel that you no longer have to make a good impression because you're not the newbie. The work bores you rigid, but you really can't be bothered to get another one because it would mean hard work, and we don't like hard work if we can get away without doing it.

Does this sound like you?

Does this mean that you should think about getting another job if you want to jolt yourself out of bored mode?

Well no, you don't have to do that, but it's not such a daft idea. But you can treat today like today is day 6 of your new job. Why day 6? Well the first week is usually taken up with information gathering and receiving...where is this, do this, this is where you find it....day 6 is usually the second Monday on the new job. and you're still trying to make a good impression. And when you are trying to make a good impression you always try and be better in the next five minutes than you were in the last....

And you can adapt this technique to all areas of your life and relationships. Imagine meeting your spouse again for the first time..... you will be amazed at the differences you can make to your current situation.
(MMW1)
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We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Think carefully STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/12/2007 03:34:56 AM ----- BODY:

Our thoughts have the power to create the worlds that we want to live in. Sounds like I am advocating that you live in a fantasy world doesn't it? Think enthusiastically about the things that you want, and lo and behold - the world will come to you....

err - no, not quite.

But the truth of the matter is, we all think about things all of the time. And I can guarantee that some of the things that you are currently thinking about relate to some form of worry....

The truth is that some of the things that we spend time worrying over - will never happen to us. And of those things that are left, we can't do anything about anyway. Can we dictate the weather - we worry that it will rain. Well consider this - there is no inappropriate clothing, just the wrong clothes for the weather that you are experiencing. When you start to look at life with those kinds of thoughts, you can shrug off most of the normal worries and focus on the things that really matter to you.

Do you want to spend all your time worrying about the weather or whether there will be a parking spot, whether you will be on time for a meeting, or whether you will be able to answer all the questions that a client will ask you.

So - are you spending quality time on quality outcomes, or are you still wasting time on the dross that makes us part of our every day lives. How many times do you need to check your email anyway? Do you really need to know whether Paris Hilton, Brittany Spears and Nicole Ritchie will be partying hard all weekend - again??? Of course it depends on what you consider to be really important. But I would suggest that unless you make money from writing about these kinds of people, I would stop following their every move. Check in in three weeks - same story - different day.

When you start to free up space in your personal memory stores for things that really matter - will you be able to think creatively. And when you can think creatively, you can also think properly. So think carefully about what you are thinking. Your future depends on it.

With many creative thoughts for today
Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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(MMM1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't let defeat stop you STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/03/2007 07:53:04 AM ----- BODY:

Defeat is an interesting word, because it can be used in both a positive way or a negative one. We "defeated" the opposition, or I was "defeated". You can imagine a defeated army, heads bowed, shoulders slumped, dragging their wounded behind them...whilst the victorious side is whooping for joy over the spoils of their hard fought labour.

Which then made me ponder if that is why we use the concept to describe our rate of progress (or not) with regards to goal setting. The old zero sum game - If someone has to win then someone has to lose. But have we ever failed so badly at something that we cannot hope to ever get going again? Of course not, but you'd think so, when we slope off to lick our wounds in the privacy of our pantries.

But who are we battling? Well, if you stop and think about it just a little more - we are rarely pushed off course by anyone - with the exception of ourselves. Nobody forces us to eat to excess, or to only run for 5 minues instead of 30. We are our own worst enemies when it comes to how much we eat, exercise or do each day. We find things to occupy ourselves and will only do that which we want to do.

We are not "defeated", we're the ones holding up the white flag. We're the ones running away from those things that we say that we want, we know all the excuses in the book about why we couldn't finish something, and guess what - we've probably used them all at some time or other.

So - what do you do with your opposing armies? By the way your armies are the non-conscious parts of your brain and the conscious parts of your brain - and together they try and pull us in opposite directions. So, time to take stock of where you are, and who is currently winning. And once you have done that, the two sides usually stop misbehaving, and you can talk peace. Because it's only when you get the two sides in complete agreement do you make any real progress. And you do that by going back to why you say you want something....the reasons you should have listed next to your goals, and if you don't have enough reasons, then your armies will continue fighting. (MMM1)

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: can you be depressed and busy at the same time? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/15/2007 12:27:21 PM ----- BODY:

Today's entry can be found at http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/its-hard-to-be-depressed-when-youre-busy.html

Enjoy

Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Challenging your thinking STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/16/2007 03:32:47 AM ----- BODY:

Information can come from anyone, at any time or anywhere. 

We listen, we watch, we filter the many sounds and sound bytes of text, images, touch and smells and file them for future reference. Use them immediately to enhance our position (when you are being chased by a wild animal the last thing you need to do is spend too long weighing up your options). Or discard the information as being of no value or use.

And the way we do that is based on our current educational levels, our attitudes at any given point in time, our ego’s and the person giving the information to you.

It is important then to be open minded to the fact that you may not know ALL there is to know on a certain subject. You may think you know more than other people, but that doesn’t mean you should discount some one else’s thoughts on the topic.

The problem with challenging your current way of thinking (and doing) is that it is very uncomfortable – which is why most people prefer not to think. Or think they are thinking, when all they are doing is re-arranging their ego’s, attitudes, prejudice and bias.

But if you are open minded to the thought that perhaps you don’t know it all, then – try reading something that makes you question, you can’t just read “inspirational” stuff. You may be inspired – briefly, but you’ve got to add those thoughts to your actions in order to benefit from the information. Speak to people you’ve never spoken to before. Watch a different type of movie, or television programme.

Only when you are willing to challenge your current thinking will you overcome the procrastination habit.

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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(MMM1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Reading is not doing STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/17/2007 02:54:50 AM ----- BODY:

Reading may be the first step, especially if you know absolutely NOTHING about the subject. But something tells me, you know SOMETHING about everything that you say you want, want to do, be or achieve.

Don't believe me? Well take an assignment you've been given, or a book you want to write, or a report that needs to be written.

You always write about what you know.
You fill in the details if you need to afterwards.

Can you imagine deciding to write a book on the inter-relationship of the honey bee in outer mongolia, you'd need to do some serious research to undertake that particular project. But chances are going to be good that you are not going to be asked to write that particular topic - ever.

So, if you think you suffer from writer's block, this is a good technique to try....

Take the keywords from the title of the book, project, assignment you've been given and then answer the following questions:

What do they want to know
Who wants to know about it
When do they need the answers by
Where does this take place
Why do they need to know this information

Of course the answers will depend on the piece you've been asked to write. A fictional novel will have a different set of criteria than a report on the outcomes of the board meeting of x,y,z company....but then again maybe not.

Each of your keywords will help you to answer the questions

Or take any other project - say for example you want to get fit and healthy. Where do you start? Actually you start with a good look in the mirror, followed by the fridge, the pantry and the cupboard. Then you start to write down what it is you consume each and every day. It's not rocket science, the problem is we're like 6 year old kids when it comes to feeding ourselves, we are swayed by packaging and advertising.

Once you have that information, you can then start to read the labels of the food stuffs you consume, total up the amount of kilojoules that comprise your current "diet" and you will see where you need to make adjustments. So far we have not looked at a "diet" book, and to be honest, in the main - we don't need to. We know that if we eat too much and don't exercise we'll put weight on. Simple equation. How much should you be eating? Well that depends on your Body Mass Index, Your height and weight. The book I would recommend is a calorie counter book - we have Alan Borushek's book in Australia - you'll find it at newsagents rather than a bookshop. He has a section at the front that tells you how many kilojoules you should be consuming for your height/ideal weight/size.

Then all you need to do is adjust your intake of food accordingly. No diet books to read or buy for that matter. No more reasons to procrastinate...i'll just start the diet when i've finished the book / ate the entire contents of the fridge /

And to gain more kilojoule's you add some exercise to your daily routine and you start to tone the body at the same time.....what kind of exercise...well any - walking is a good start. Depending on your level of fitness you may not be able to jog, but you can clean, you can garden, you can decorate and play with the kids. It's all exercise and it all adds up. Oh and one other thing, you won't notice your stomach is rumbling if you're busy !!

So, read by all means, but don't use it as an excuse for not doing.

With many thoughts

Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/


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(MMW1) (MMM1) (MMO1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Do you have above average enthusiasm? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/18/2007 01:08:10 AM ----- BODY:

Do you have energy to burn? Are you always on the go, busily working on your goals, projects and moving them forwards every single day? If that is you, then you are one of the rare kinds of people (about 2% of the population in fact) who have above average enthusiasm for life and what you need to do.

In reality, most people (the rest - namely 98%) don't have above average enthusiasm for every aspect of their lives. In fact some people think that talent alone will get them to where they need to go. Well it may do, but the people who tend to get there quicker, are the ones who are willing to do whatever it takes to get there, and will do it with a smile on their face and a bounce in their step.

As you read this, there will be a few of you shaking your head, muttering "what is this woman on?" well the answer to that lies in the fact that it is 7.30pm on a Tuesday evening and I'm writing to you. OK, you won't get this until Wednesday, but my question is - What do you do at 7.30pm on a Tuesday evening, or any other evening for that matter? You see I will always find time to write, sometimes you don't hear from me, I know that, but sometimes I don't talk to you deliberately - and the reason is because I ask you to do so much that I know it can take several days to catch up on some of the suggestions.

Most of the other "motivational" people I subscribe to (and yes I get most of them) don't ask you to do as much as I do. They offer some great ideas, but they're not the kind of people to say - hey have you made those phone calls yet? Have you done your homework? Have you ... I do. But that's because I am usually on the go most of the time and can't understand why other people do so little every day, and then whinge about what they do do.

And I'm sure that there will be a few of you reading this, nodding - going, yes I understand that, I do really well in some areas, because I enjoy doing them. It's a pleasure to work on ..... because I enjoy it, it makes me feel good. I enjoy speaking to people, passing on my knowledge to people that I will travel half way across the country so that I can see the people finally understand what I've been getting at. I really enjoy spending time in the garden, tending the soil, watching new shoots grow into vibrant plants. I enjoy walking it gets me out into the fresh air, and I get to keep my figure in trim... But, well I also know that I am a bit slack in other areas, and I know that if I slack off in one area, well I usually slack of all of them for a while.

Whatever it is you enjoy doing, you need to start to translate those kinds of feelings into other areas of your life, because people like you, with above average enthusiasm in one (or more) areas can easily translate that into other areas, far more easily than the eeyore's of this world....."Oh I don't know if I can do that"....

So take an inventory of your above average enthusiasm and see where you work best, then translate that into a new area of your life...or why not see if you can't make your above average enthusiasm for a certain aspect, pay for itself....

But I only enjoy walking - then become a dog walker, deliver newspapers, become a personal trainer...there are always options open for people with above average enthusiasm.

With many thoughts on how to get the most out of every day
Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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(MMW1) (MMM1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Writer's block: The ultimate procrastinators tool? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/08/2007 02:24:32 AM ----- BODY:

"I can't think of anything to say"
"I don't know what to write about"
You look at the computer screen's blinking cursor and your mind freezes over. The icy grip travels down your arms into your fingers gluing them to the keyboard.
"Do you want a cup of coffee?"
"Coffee, yes that will do it."
"What are you working on today"
You describe your latest ideas in fine detail for your listener.
"Sounds fantastic, I'd better not keep you then"
And like an pin hole in a balloon, your big ideas start to deflate. By the time you sit back down at your desk, the idea and the enthusiasm has disappeared.
The words "writers block" seep into your mind, and a feeling of dread washes over you.

But do you have writers block? If I were to ask you to write me a shopping list of everything that you needed to buy on the weekend you would be able to do it wouldn't you?
What about a letter to your mum or a friend in Baltimore? Again you would have no problems doing that.
So it's not writers block, after all you can still write....something.

But a letter to your mum doesn't help you to write a report or an assignment though does it? Actually it can help. Simply putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard and write/type can unfreeze your brain quite effectively.
But should you be writing personal notes in work's time? Well yes and no.

If you want a quick way to get out of the mental rut you are in, then yes - it is a valid technique to use, or you can waste the next two hours thinking about what you can't write down.

But you can also use the project/report/assignment that was the problem in the first place.

So a few suggestions, but remember, what works for you may not work for someone else. And what works today may not work for you tomorrow, so mix and match until you find a group of suggestions that work for you on a regular "more often than not" basis and you will be well on the way to knocking this particular procrastination habit on the head.

Note: You do not need to do anymore research. Most of the time, research is just another excuse to not write the report. In most cases you already know what you want to say, you just can't put the words onto the page.

1. Start where you are. Describe your settings, what can you see, what can you hear, your emotions, why you don't want to complete the assignment. Once you have downloaded that batch of information, then switch straight back to the document you were working on and you will find it easier to slot straight back into the writing mode.
2. Write down 10 things that you want to say in the article/report. Then turn those ten things into 10 questions. Once you have your questions, then think of three words that best describe the answer for each of them. Once you have those three words, you can then start. Use one of the three words and start the paragraph with that word, the other two words should appear in the same first paragraph. The answer to the question should take about 5 minutes to write, and fill about half a page. Then move on to the next question.

Would you like a for example?

Say I need to write an article on time management, one of the things I may want to talk about is meetings.

How can I keep meetings on schedule?
. Agenda's
. Time
. Chair

Agenda's are the key to keeping a meeting on time. However, it is the role of the Chair person to ensure that the attendees, keep to the agenda......

I'll speak to you again soon
Elle
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(MMM1) (MMW1)
If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Mundane STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/09/2007 05:19:49 AM ----- BODY:

 "Monday's comprise one seventh of your life"
Mike Edwards
Strategic Marketing Specialist


Which is something to think about the next time you think about wasting even one mundane monday....or any other day come to think about it....

BTW - I was going to save this until mundane, sorry monday, but thought it too good not to share.

With love and light
Elle
 
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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/


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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Stand up, speak out STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/22/2007 07:07:22 AM ----- BODY:

Do you like to chat? Do you wander into your colleagues office every now and then because you're bored and can't get started on what you know you should be doing.

Do others wander into your office when you're working for the same thing?

Almost goes without saying, but I will say it anyway - just for the record. If you want to get more out of every day, you're going to have to restrict the chat.

But how do you restrict the chat if the person wanting to chat isn't you, you're just the target for the verbal garbage?

Well one of the best ways to handle this, is to stand up whenever someone comes into the office to speak to you. They will assume that you are just about to go somewhere, or if they don't get the hint, say - I'm just about to go into a meeting, is it urgent? They don't know that the meeting is with yourself. The person will soon get the hint and move on.  Take the opportunity to go to the bathroom, fetch a glass of water. Your thought processes have been interupted anyway, so you might as well make use of the fact. Then go back and start again. Of course this doesn't work especially well if you work in a small office.

But it can work well for telephone conversations. There are some people you know who seem to spend ages getting to the point, you do don't you.

Two things: You can use words similar to the ones above.... or you can put your voice to voice mail. That way you get to work uninterrupted, then once you have completed whatever item you were working on - you can answer all your voice mail messages at the same time. Get in the habit of answering these messages just before lunch and just before the end of the day and you won't be tempted to chat either.

Elle
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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Have you worked out what you want yet? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/16/2007 01:41:27 PM ----- BODY:

Well May has arrived. That means we are already over one third of our way through 2007. So as we start to struggle with the thought that there are only 7 and a bit months to go before the end of the year....yes I did say 7 and a bit months, you can't count the lead up to christmas - you'll be way too busy doing other things to worry about goal achievement. So my question for you today as rush headlong into the next phase of your personal journey's....

Have you worked out what you want yet? And more importantly do you have any idea on how you are going to reach those goals and targets??????
 
For those of you who have heard me talk about this before, I do apologise....actually I don't. You see, if you are still struggling, if you haven't yet worked out the specifics of your goals, if you're sure of what you DON'T want, but not what you DO, then you and i need to have a serious talk. And for those of you who are new to the Daily Dose, thank you and welcome to the family.

So what's on your goal lists? Money was on mine, and had been for quite some time. I never seemed to have quite enough to do what I needed or wanted to do. Well, like all things, you can sort out the problem if you are specific enough...now when I am ever asked "what would you do if you were given a million dollars"....my answer would always be...I'll go and talk to Jason. Jason is my financial planner, and he has been able to decipher the sanskrit that is financial planning for me and turned it into something that I can now understand, and utilise.

So if money is an emotive issue for you, and is number one on your goal list....then you need to look at the thoughts that you have and the words that you have written on your pages.
 
“I want more money” – well 5c is more, $5 is more. How much do you really want? And just as importantly – why do you want it?
“Well I just want to be rich” – compared to who? Rich in what way? Rich doesn’t always mean having a squillion dollars in the bank.
“OK, well then I want to be well off” – again compared to who? What do you mean by well off? What does “well off” mean to you? If you’re talking about money, then give me a number here.
“I want to be well off so that I don’t have to work anymore” – so you want to quit your job, stay home and stop being a productive member of society? Why? What’s so bad with working anyway?
“I want to win the lottery” – don’t we all!! Why do you want to win the lottery? Did you know you are statistically more likely to be killed on the way to get your ticket, than you are actually likely to win it. Put it like this, if you are basing your entire future financial planning on an external factor over which you have absolutely no control, then chances are better than good, you will remain poor.
 
And what of those other vague statements that you have on your goal list....

I want to travel?
That's good. But where do you want to go? When? How long for? How are you going to pay for it? How are you going to get there? Are you planning on backpacking or would you prefer first class? Can you afford first class? Are you planning on travelling with anyone? Have you asked them?
 
“I want a bigger house” – Compared to what? Compared to whose house? Whereabouts is it? How many bedrooms? How many stories? What are the colours of the walls and tiles? Why do you want to move?
 
“I want to be happy” – Than who? Than what? Why? What difference will having an inane grin on your face have on your life?

Two things, stop using vague statements that mean little to you, be more specific, but don't limit your ceiling....and you do that by adding a disclaimer to the end of any "want"...something along the lines of - this or something better please, and a thank you would be nice too.

So time to get those goal lists out again, it's also time to spend some time working out just what you really want the next 7 and a bit months to bring. Because once you are truly clear about what you want, you will find ways to get there.

Speak soon
Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/


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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Choice is powerful STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/24/2007 01:32:30 AM ----- BODY:

Today anything can happen - how exciting is that?

We may be presented with an opportunity that we had never considered before.

We may be presented with an idea or a thought that makes you say - I hadn't looked at it like that, that's a mind blowing idea. Thank you.

We might get caught in the traffic and wonder why we didn't remember to have breakfast (that one happened to me this morning !!!). Everything that we are presented with is an opportunity to learn, to challenge our current thinking, our current actions.

Or not - you can wander through the day, blinkered to the possibilties that surround you - doing only enough to get by, doing only enough to earn the money that you currently earn. Wondering how you are going to get to the end of the month, wondering why other people seem to have all the luck.

Well one thing I am certain of, the more you do, the luckier you will seem to be. Things will happen for you.

But it is up to you.

Only you can decide how you are going to look at today. Only you can decide to be open to the possibilities. Only you can decide whether today is the day you are going to change.

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What's your motivation like? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/17/2007 02:39:58 AM ----- BODY:

My motivation to exercise has grown stronger as the results have started to improve. Like trying to get a bicycle working, you need to push hard off the ground to get vague wobbly movement, then you need to push hard to keep the momentum going. And if you don't then the bike quickly stops again, and if you don't put your foot down, you are going to fall off.

Exercise is like that for most people, they push hard to get going, but because it's hard they soon revert back to where they were, whereas if they knew just how easy the next bit is....they would pedal just that little bit longer. You see the laws of motion come into play - a body in motion stays in motion, a body at rest....well you get the idea. As the wheels begin to move, it takes less effort to keep the pedals turning, and soon you can begin to cruise. Which is OK for a while, but sooner or later, you are going to have to change the route or the speed at which you are  travelling otherwise you are not going to see any changes to your health, shape or anything else. We come to a point where we maintain our shape, weight and then boredom can set in....

But if you are willing to push just that little bit harder every now and again, the benefits and the results can be quite dramatic. Which is where the motivation to exercise comes in. And this is exactly the same for anything that you say you want to do, be or achieve...it's not just about exercise.

Unless you enjoy the journey and can get excited about the changes to your body then you are not going to execise. If you don't enjoy the day to day steps that you need to take in order to move your writing forward by a page at a time, then you are not going to finish the book you are writing.

You will remain on cruise control, or you'll stop pedalling and then 6 months down the track having lost all the muscle tone that you had gained, gained a few pounds,  you no longer feel capable of running up the stairs, your typed pages have curled and lie yellowing on the window sill. My motivation to exercise has grown stronger as the results have started to improve.

My goal of completing the City to Surf race this year has become my motivation to crank up my training to a new level.  And I have friends who keep me on course.  A girlfriend and I walk the bridges around Perth City on a weekend, thankfully she enjoys the exercise as much as I do. The chance to catch up after a long weekend at work is wonderful, but occassionally we get the chance to see something special. http://www.motivateme.info/display/ShowGallery?moduleId=666254&galleryId=57202
 
Have you lost sight of your dreams and goals? Isn't it time you checked your motivation levels?

"Not only are they (the people) tired, but they're spending the money they earned getting tired"
Sir Robert Helpmann


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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Expectations STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/25/2007 12:42:03 AM ----- BODY:

Yesterday we spoke about having a healthy respect for yourself. I also mentioned that others would look to you and emulate you - for good or for bad. What I didn't consider at the time is that thing we call "expectations".

What happens when we expect to be treated with respect by our children, our colleagues, our friends, our partners, but the person(s) fail to do so, after all we treat people with respect so surely it should come to be that we should expect similar - shouldn't we?

The interesting thing about human behaviour is the sometimes disconnect between our expectations about someone else, and that other person's own expectations of themselves.

What do I mean by that comment exactly?

Well take customer service for instance. We may feel that it is polite to answer emails and letters promptly when we receive them. We pay our bills on time and expect our suppliers and customers to do the same. So what happens when they don't? They don't answer our inquiries within OUR expected timeline, they don't return calls as fast as you would like them to. Do you get angry or down because of the lack of respect for your time? Or do you accept that sometimes your expectation may have been just a little bit higher than theirs.

The only thing you have complete control over is you. Your behaviours, your thoughts, your actions, the words that you speak. You cannot make people change to match your expectations of them. All you can do is ensure that your actions match your own expectations, and then hope that the example you are setting is so inspiring that others will follow your lead.

Expect the best and sometimes you might just get it

Elle
 
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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

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(MMO1) (MMW1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The Truly Educated Person STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/27/2007 05:34:00 AM ----- BODY:

is willing to question - everything.

Malcolm Forbes explained it best when he said -
“Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one”

And you just thought it was to fill it with facts so you could pass some sort of exam at the end of it didn't you !!

I consider that the truly educated person is willing to take whatever he/she has already learned and apply new information to that body of knowledge. In doing so, they are willing to challenge their thinking.

What happens usually though is that there are some people who read/hear or see something and if it doesn't fit with their current set of pre-conceived ideas, will discard the new information as being rubbish. If you've ever tried to have a conversation with someone who has very fixed ideas about something - "but that's the way it's always been" "But we've always done it that way" then you will know exactly what I mean.

How many times do you read the same book? I don't mean you read and read the same kinds of book, but the same book? Why should you read something more than once? Well there are many reasons, not least of which:

You don't pick everything up the first time.
You have different attitudes at different points in time, so you may dismiss something as not being important to you the first time you read something, but vital the next, because you have a different attitude towards yourself at the time of reading.
And of course, you read, you apply, you grow, you contemplate. Then you decide where you are missing some pieces to your personal puzzle, so you start reading again. Now you have a different set of life lessons to apply to the read through. Different lessons, different attitudes - every time. But leave a gap between reading sessions, simply because you will will read what you think you see....not what is actually there. And yes there are two "will"'s in that sentence.

The truly educated person I believe are not necessarily the ones who are talking the most, but the ones who are listening to what others have to say, and deciphering the messages based on their own body of knowledge.

The truly educated person may not be the ones earning the most money at the head of a corporation, although most leaders read more than the average person. The truly educated person will read and absorb the message, and then apply that to where they are now, and they may decide that they really don't need to earn a squillion dollars to live the kind of life they want to live.

The truly educated person knows they don't know everything there is to know - yet. Are you willing to become truly educated?


With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
MMW1  
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.


 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: How's the attitude? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/30/2007 06:38:27 AM ----- BODY:

Monday, the first day of the working week for many people. How has the start of your working week begun?

Have you begun with fire and passion, determined to get things done? You know what it is you have to do today, tomorrow and the rest of the week, and the day has unfolded as you knew it would. Every action has come about because of a determination and a thought that today you are not going to waste a single minute. Today is the day you are going to forge your success on.

Or have you arrived at work, tired and hung over. Tired and bored, or are you thinking that you really don't want to be here, doing "this".

Go on, be honest, if not with me - at least with yourself.

I know we can't always be positive, I know that sometimes life can deal us a dud hand. We may think that life is being unfair, why me, why me, why me?

Well you can carry on whining if you like, but you're hardly going to get anything done with that attitude now are you?

And that is one of the major keys to overcoming the procrastination habit - the attitude that you have. The better your attitude the more you will get done. Conversely if your attitude stinks, well guess what - everything, and I do mean everything will be a problem for you.

So take care of your attitude, it can be the difference between getting on or getting left behind.

 
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
   
MMW1
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Age is no barrier to success STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/31/2007 01:56:52 AM ----- BODY:

It doesn't matter how old you are when you have a good idea, a good idea is a good idea, what you need to do is get that idea working for you.

Colonel Sanders was "retired" when he came up with the recipe and the idea for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Larry Page and Sergey Brin were two PhD students when they created "Backrub" - Backrub became Google, and the rest as they say is money in the bank.

What sets people like Colonel Sanders and Page & Brin apart from the also rans is that they were willing to knock on doors, figuratively as well as literally until they found people willing to back them. They had faith in their "products" and more importantly they had faith in themselves. And in doing so, created the success that is talked about across the world. People also talk about "luck". Well, if the stories are true, luck comes to those people who are willing to work for it. Ask J K Rowling about life before Harry Potter was accepted for publication, or the many scientists and inventors who spend their lives trying and failing before they succeed. Is any of that "luck"? Personally I would call it sheers guts and determination.

What are you willing to stake your reputation on? What are you so proud of that you would be willing to do EVERYTHING and ANYTHING to get that idea off the ground?

Remember, every thing that you say and do has your signature on it, so why not create something that you are proud of.


With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
MMW1   
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Fear driven society STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/26/2007 08:27:38 AM ----- BODY:

"It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live"
Marcus Aurelius, 121 - 180 AD
Roman Emperor and Philospher

Fearful thinking surrounds us. Turn on the television and we are bombarded with murder, mayhem, kidnap, torture, bombings and that's before we watch the news or read the papers. Is it any wonder we are afraid to do anything or go anywhere?

When you fill your mind with fear in this way, or when your thoughts are constantly about what bad things might happen, is it any wonder we find it hard to break free and achieve those "good" things that are on our lists.

Now I am not saying that you shouldn't be informed, because we should all, always be informed, but please turn off the blood and guts that fill the TV these days, stop living your life admist other people's fear, and start wondering what would happen if you could be whatever you want to be.

Elle


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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Change can be scary STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/29/2007 05:33:59 AM ----- BODY:

And I'm not just talking about for ourselves. Today I received an email from a new subscriber. She was concerned that she was not getting help and support from her partner as she moves through a course of study. Whilst I have spoken to our reader directly, I just thought I would remind all our readers that change can be scary for those people we live with and love dearly.

Why should change scare them, after all we're the ones doing all the hard work. Pounding the pavements, eating nothing but salad, studying, putting in hard hours at our places of work.

Well the reasons why it's scary for them is that they can see the changes that you are making to your life, and they are afraid it will take you away from your place in their lives. They may have a fixed idea about you and what you should be doing, and when you break out of that constraint (now bear in mind it is their idea of what the constraints are, not ours) they really don't know how to handle it.

They may fear that if you are thinner, fitter and absolutely gorgeous you'll be off to find a newer model to replace them. Similarly if you are undergoing a course of study so that you can get a better job, they may not like it if now you earn more than they do.

Of course you may be thinking about trading in your partner for a newer model that as they say is up to you, and if you do get that brand new job, you can save money, you can travel, you can even buy that new car....

So what can you do?

Well - you could ignore the jibes and the whingeing if you can. Not many people I know are that good at compartmentalising. Or you could re-assure them that the reasons you have for change are going to benefit everyone. A healthy, fitter you means less medical expenses down the track. OK it also means a new wardrobe, but you know what I mean. It means you now have the energy to chase THEM around the bedroom, play with the kids, run that marathon you've always wanted to run....or whatever your reasons were for starting in the first place. Similarly the new course of study means that you can now have a better standard of living...together.

Work it out as a family. What are the benefits of change? What are the downsides of doing absolutely nothing different in the next 5-10 years.

With many thoughts
Elle
 
 (MMM1) (MMW1)
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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't settle for average STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/30/2007 05:02:11 AM ----- BODY:

Average is everyone else. Average is not you. You have your own story of life to write. And you need to find your very own creative voice and to speak it.

You may build the best brick walls, or write sermons that inspire. You may sweep the roads, and be the best sweeper of roads your organisation has ever seen. You may be just starting your own business, or you may be managing someone elses whilst you learn the ropes. But you can be the best manager your boss has ever seen and will lament the loss when you move on. Your creative voice doesn't mean you have to be a singer, or a writer - you just have to be the best at what you know you do best.

When you recognise that, doors will open for you. Those doors that you had merely glimpsed but didn't know you could get through before. Just like Alice, sometimes you just have to trust your judgement and take the odd risk to get through the creative doors of your life.

Find your creative voice and "speak" it. Don't settle for average.

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(MMM1) (MMO1)

If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Who / What are you waiting for? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/01/2007 03:59:26 AM ----- BODY:

Do you find yourself waiting for other people? They're never on time for appointments, they're late for meetings, they're late for dinner, they say they'll be there at 8.30 and 9.00 turns around and they're sauntering up the path.

They appear to have no respect for their time, so are quite happy to waste your time as well.

Yes we can get annoyed, but at what.

How many of us can honestly say that we are on-time, all the time? Hmm - not many hands going up that I can see.

Now there are a couple of things to look at with regards to time, yours and those people you feel are holding you back.

1. Always do what "you" can - right now. Don't wait for other people to show up and take part. You could be waiting an awfully long time.
2. Re-connect with your time log. If you haven't kept this before - there is a spreadsheet in the downloads and free stuff section on the website. Mark down what you did and when. If you are waiting for someone, write down who, why and what you could have done instead of sitting there fretting....sorry (Fret is an english word for worry). If you haven't kept this in a while, I would recommend that you do so for a couple of days, a week day and preferably a weekend also. But you have to be honest - otherwise what's the point?
3. If you are a manager and are being delayed by colleagues - they don't turn up on time for meetings for example - then start without them. And don't play catch up when they do walk through the door. Make the minutes available afterwards.
4. Don't be shackled by yesterday, what you did last week, last month or even what you did a minute ago. It cannot be changed. Your mistakes and your glories are all in the past, so leave them there and get on with living today, now.
5. Don't put things off - don't wait for the kids to leave home, don't wait until tomorrow to start the new eating plan, don't wait until you've eaten all the food in the fridge - you'll only have more weight to shift once you start. See - point 1 - do what you can - now.
6. If you are waiting for inspiration to strike you could be waiting a long time.

None of this is rocket science, but if you wait for others to join you - I can guarantee you will always walk to their pace, not your own. Set your own pace, your own standards. Don't try and beat other people, but make it a habit to try and better yourself. Others may decide to follow your example, or they may never start - but that's up to them. Don't wait for others to decide on how much you can do each day, only you can determine that.

Go on, get back to work
Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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(MMW1) (MMO1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Adding some urgency to your day STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/05/2007 02:12:59 AM ----- BODY:

Deadlines are important, especially ones that you know you can't get out of. You know you have to be at work by 8.30am or risk losing your job. You know you have a plane to catch, it will leave without you if you're not on it. You know you have a meeting to go to, and you know that you have to prepare for it.

When you are faced with an approaching deadline, you will move mountains to ensure that you don't miss "the boat", you do don't you?

So translate those feelings towards one of the areas in which you know you procrastinate. It may be that you need to write an assignment - but it's not due until the end of the month, so you tell yourself you'll just do the research, but a week later and you still haven't started the work.

And sure enough, 2 days before the assignment is due, you get started on the work.

So a suggestion, let's play "let's pretend".

Imagine that you've invited Great Aunt Doris over for dinner and the house needs to be spotless otherwise you'll be in BIG trouble.

Imagine that the tutor has told you that instead of wanting the assignment in after the school break, he wants it in before - because that way you get to have a holiday and not have to worry about school work.

Try it, it's a technique that works.

  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The conversation STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/08/2007 01:58:19 AM ----- BODY:

For the regular readers of the daily dose you will know that I advocate the use of what I call a "brain dump" a chance to get those things that are running around inside your head onto paper. Once you've done that, you can then concentrate on what is really important. If you've never done a morning brain dump, consider this - if you are constantly going over and over something, you are giving it energy and importance in your life only some of which may be of relevance to you as you go about your day.

Get yourself a notebook and then before you do anything else write down your thoughts. Yes it is different from journaling as this is done at the end of each day / week or whenever you write your journals. I do both. Once you have dumped the contents of your mind onto your pages, close the book and get on with your day. You can review them in a couple of weeks.

Why is it important to review them after a couple of weeks? Well a germ of an idea may appear to you caught up in the clutter. If that idea percolates through several days of writing you know it is something you need to pay attention to. Transfer this item to your ideas list/ goal list for consideration. It may show you that you that you need to move house, jobs, change careers entirely...yes these daily ramblings can be that profound. Which leads me into today's edition of the Daily Dose. What follows is a "conversation" I had at the beginning of May 2007.... which I thought i would transcribe and share with you.

---------------------------------

"I have a bit of time before I head off to start my day so I thought I would check in with you to see how you are doing?"

"That's nice"

"So how are you?"

"Who me?"

"Yes you, hiding behind those masks and layers you hide behind! You, the real you?"

"Well I find it's so much easier not to show my face, so much easier to hide than expose the 'real me' and then be ridiculed."

"How do you know you'll be ridiculed?"

"Well it's happened many times?"

"By whom?"

"I'd rather not say"

"Afraid to tell me?"

"Something like that"

"well unless you are willing to face the fact that they may not be riduculing you at all"

"Of course they are"

"Are you sure? They may just be scared."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of it like that before."

"So - how are you?"

"You asked me that before. I need new slippers."

"Stop changing the subject"

"I'm not"

"yes you are"

"I suppose, but you've challenged one of my major reasons for hiding and now that I'm having my doubts, it's harder to be afraid."

"And isn't that the point? We worry about so many things, few of which actually come true, that it's not funny."

"Yes it is interesting isn't it, when you are so sure of something, it's easy to move forwards. It feels like you could take to the air and fly to the moon and get it."

"So why don't you?"

"What fly?"

"Come out of hiding and go for what you really want"

"But I'm not sure what I really want."

"And therein lies another major problem. If you don't know EXACTLY what you want, how are you ever going to get anything?"

"OH"

"Imagine standing at a crossroads, every road has a potential destination, but you can't see far enough down the road, and you can't choose because from this distance the signs are a bit blurry"

"Blurry !! sounds like I need new glasses"

"Yes that's it, you do. Don't you see, that without clear vision you will never "see" and you will probably end up somewhere, but you're really not sure where."

"Having vague goals is like that cross roads then?"

"Yes it is, that's exactly what having blurred vision is like. So what happens, you wander off down the first road, and it may be the one you're after, but it may not. So you head back to the cross roads to take another look, but when you get there, you are faced with the same problem. Go back, go somewhere else, or do you set up camp and wait for someone to point you in the right direction."

"well that might not be a bad idea"

"What happens if no-one comes alone, you could be waiting an awfully long time"

"So what can I do?"

"Decide what road you are going to take, by that I mean - decide what goal you want to achieve"

"That's it"

"Yes it is as easy as that. Once you know what you want, you will know exactly what road to take."

"You make it sound so simple"

"That's because it is"

"OK"

"OK?"

"Yes, OK"

"so what are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to buy some glasses. Do you know any good optometrists?"

"You'll see more if you look inside?"

"Now you're confusing me. I thought you said I needed to know what goal i wanted to achieve."

"And so I did. But unless you know where to start"

"Oh, and I find that out from looking inside?"

"Remember those things you used to want to be "when you grew up?"

"Yes"

"Well that's the first place to look"

"Is there a second place?"

"What you do in your spare time is a good indication of what you should be doing full time"

"what cleaning the house?"

"no silly, after you've done all those chores, what would you do more than anything else in the entire world - if you had a spare five minutes."

"Oh"

"Yes Oh, that's what I mean"

"Well that makes it easier then, thanks"

"You're welcome, call me anytime you need to talk."

"Thanks I will"

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I hope you have a profound day
Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Happy and productive? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/10/2007 02:11:18 AM ----- BODY:
 "The happiest people seem to be those who are producing something; the bored people are those who are consuming much and producing nothing."
William Inge (1860-1954)
English Prelate and Author
 
One thing I have noticed is that when I am in tune with myself, I can achieve far more than when I am not. What does "in tune" with myself mean? Well I can liken it to those times when travelling and all the lights are on green. It is a state of mind that says "I can do anything today".

How do you get "in tune" with yourself?

Well I can't describe the steps you need to take.

Take one dose of happiness, mix it with a dash of contentment and shake well until laughter forms....

Sometimes there will be outside triggers that can help you achieve that state of mind. A letter from a loved one, an unexpected telephone call or compliment from a complete stranger, a rainbow on the way to work or a beautiful piece of music that allows your mind and body to enjoy each others company. Whilst outside forces are important, you will find you can sustain the feeling far longer if it comes from within.

With much love
Elle
 
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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Preparation is essential STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/09/2007 09:34:01 AM ----- BODY:

Do not start your day without planning it in some detail first. Never start your week without a broad outline of what is in store for you, and if you can - jot down those essential items that you HAVE to do during the next month into your planner as well.

Without this kind of preparation you will find yourself getting to next Friday wondering where on earth the time has gone to. I can't believe it is now April. One quarter of the year already finished. If you had planned your first couple of months in some detail you would be in doubt as to where you currently stand with your goal achievement. But chances are going to be better than good that if you hadn't planned your days, weeks and months in advance - you will be wondering how you are going to cram everything you said you wanted to do in 2007 in the 8 months that are left.

A few days ago I mentioned that i was planning on running the city to surf in August this year. Today the children and I walked the course. We parked the car in the city centre, and walked the entire course - all 12 km's of it. If you want to know how it went - you will need to read today's entry - http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2007/4/9/insanity-has-its-rewards.html. Then walked part of the road back - because most of the damn buses weren't running on the bank hollidays!!

Now I can plan the rest of my training based on this new information. But without having planned to orient myself, without the preparation that went with it, without the thought that it would be a fun day out (as I said to my kids - never say I don't take you anywhere !!) we wouldn't have done it. It would have been "too hard", and like most things we think of as too hard we just don't start, and because we don't start we don't have to finish anything either.

So - today is Easter Monday - you have a few hours left before you go back to work tomorrow, even more time if you are at school and have a couple of weeks off. Get out your planner, your goal lists and start blocking in assignments, due dates, project plans, big goals and end dates. Then work backwards until today - what can you do today to take you one step closer to reaching that goal? Then do it. Don't wait until tomorrow, after all who are you deceiving except yourself.

Best wishes
Elle


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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/


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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Going and going and going and going and... STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/09/2007 01:35:35 AM ----- BODY:

I have a confession to make, I have been accused of being like the "insert battery brand" bunny. I am forever on the go, and feel guilty when I stop.

Which is ironic given that when I do stop it's usually because it is forced on me...usually through illness.

I have had a week of coughs and colds, and it's been an absolute horror. the first couple of days, I was in denial, nope it's not going to happen to me, I'll carry on regardless, too much to do.

Today I actually stopped and unsurprisingly my body said "thank the goddess for that" and I slept for a couple of hours this afternoon...the cat thought it was wonderful and curled up on my lap and was happily snoring within seconds.

Before I stopped the only good thing I decided about having a cold (as far as I could tell) was that I now sound like Joss Stone....

But after an afternoon of doing absolutely nothing, I came to the sad conclusion, that I need to find better balance. I have said many times that I have trouble switchiing off the thoughts that run around my head, well this afternoon I didn't have ANY. They'd finally gone to sleep too.

So what am I advocating?

Well, if I need to find better balance, then something tells me that we all need to. Work when you are at work. Plan the next day and then just as importantly, decide what you are NOT going to do. You don't need to do it all today, so I am going to watch a movie later. The book can wait.

And then once you have decided what you are going to do, by all means get on and do it. But once you have completed those items, stop and re-assess where you are. And rest, recover for the next phase.

I lift weights as part of my exercise programme, and muscles are a good way of describing what this is like. Your muscles become fatigued when you are pushing weights. And sooner rather than later, they will run out of capability - you won't physically be able to push another weight....believe me, it's true. But if you wait a while, the muscle recovers and you can do another set or repetition of the same muscle groups. However, you won't be able to push the same amount of weight for the same amount of time on the second set. The muscle tires more quickly.

So please remember what I had forgotten - you get tired if you keep on going and going and going and .... it takes a damn sight longer to recover when you do. Therefore balance is vital.
   
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
   
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
   
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.


----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Step back and look STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/15/2007 07:46:32 AM ----- BODY:

As you go about your busy days, it is important to remember the simple things in life play an important part as well as those things that make you the most money, or make the biggest impact.

Life is about balance. You don't get rainbows without sunshine and rain. You can't appreciate a good night's rest if you have done little or nothing during the day. Taking your shoes off after pounding the pavement can be one of the most amazing things. But you have got to put in the hard work first.

Friday - the end of another "normal" working week. How did your week go? Did you do all that you could. Did you pound your metaphorical pavements this week? Did you spend time and improved a skill, completed a project, finished a major job. Or was your week filled with day after day of doing exactly the same things? Sometimes it can take weeks of laying one brick after another before the end result can be seen. We may feel that we are not getting anywhere, but brick by brick, wall by wall we can create the most amazing structures. The problem with doing the same thing day after day is that sometimes we lose track of the bigger picture. We coast a little more each day until every day is a clone of the one before.

So if you are guilty of treating each day like all the rest, remember life is balance - step back from your wall(s) and view the bigger picture. Only then will you be able to see what it is you wanted to achieve, only then will you be able to see how far you have come. Then and only then will you be able to tell if you could have worked differently / harder and then you can set the plans in place for the next day / next week. Step back and look, sometimes it's the only way.

Speak soon
Elle
 
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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Enjoy the process, not just the end result STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/16/2007 06:38:01 AM ----- BODY:

"Love not what you are but what you may become"
Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616)
Spanish Author

But remember to enjoy the journey along the way. Too many times we spend all our time and energy focus on the goal, we think that once we get "it" whatever "it" is we will be "happy", "rich", "wealthy"  or whatever we have deemed will be our "reward".

Whilst it is important to not lose sight of the end - if we focus solely on the next step and the next step without thought to the here and now, we lose sight of other things that may be just as important - just down a different street to the one that we are currently on.

Enjoy the journey, because if you do this properly, goal setting and more importantly goal achievement should be a life time activity. Otherwise what happens? well can you imagine getting to the end of your goal list and wondering what there was left for you to do?

WIth many thoughts for today and always

Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Turning of the year STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/21/2007 05:28:11 AM ----- BODY:

Today is a very special day in the astronomical year. It marks the turning of the year. I am of course talking about the solstice. Here in the southern hemisphere were are celebrating the end of short days and long dark nights and can look forward to longer, warmer days and of course shorter nights. But did you know that today was a day of both fear and celebration for our ancestors. They had harvested their crops as the sun dipped into autumn, stored them for the colder dormant months, and they waited for the sun to warm the earth so they could plant the next year’s crops. What they saw was day after day of less sun and more darkness. And on the darkest day of the year, they offered the gift of light in the hope that it would serve as a reminder to the sun to come back. This was the day the traditional Yule log was burned as an offering to the universe. Today we “celebrate” with plastic trees and artificial lights!! If you’ve ever wondered where the tradition came from, well now you know.

Today was the day our ancestors threw caution to the wind, and rather than fear the sun would not return to warm the earth, they celebrated, the feasted and they gave each other the gifts of attention (why do you think there are so many September babies (north) and (yes I’m one of them) and March babies in the South?). They shared love, laughter and with the burning of the Yule log, gave the gift of life to a dark world.

So why am I telling you about a pagan feast day?

Well it could be argued that every day is a special day if we choose to make it one. Today I am asking that you join the “pagan’s” of this world and celebrate the turning of the year. Whilst we live in artificial light and breathe artificial air most of the time, we can enjoy one day of candle light and no computers surely. And if you are fortunate to live in the southern hemisphere – given that the traditional northern yuletide celebration has been aligned with the the Julian Calendar and therefore the 25th - well "merry christmas" to you all.

And given that we in the southern hemisphere are about to start the astronomical new year, I wish for you a year of many completed projects and brand new opportunities to live the life you were truly meant to live.


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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: One day I will... STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/25/2007 08:59:34 AM ----- BODY:

You know - one day I'm going to........................ (please fill in the blank).

What's wrong with this statement is that most of us live our lives saying that to ourselves and everyone we speak to. They know as well as we do that nothing will ever come of these vague statements, so they nod politely and you feel "good" because they have just validated your "goal".

So the first thing is to stop yourself using those words. Easier said than done? Well like everything it takes time and practice. But it is possible - if you want to do it.

Remember that goal list you have? Well fish it out for me just for a minute and have a good look at the items listed on the sheet.

Now, looking at those goal items, the biggest test whether you will achieve these things or not is your desire to have, do, be or own whatever it is. If you can't summon up the energy to get enthusiastic about it, then you will not be willing to spend any energy to accomplish it.

So how do you rate your desire for those items? Now before you say, but they're on my list, so of course I want them. Well my question to you is what are you doing today in order to get that item? What did you do yesterday? What are you planning on doing tomorrow to realise that item?

You see, desire means you will do WHATEVER it takes to get it. You know exactly what i mean. Think back to a time when you were absolutely determined to get something, and nothing was going to get in your way? That's the kind of desire I'm talking about. If you can't get that enthusiastic about those "goals" on your list, then they're vague, wishy, washy - never will be accomplished items.

Of course you can also get completely excited about the wrong kinds of things. So before you rush headlong into doing something, there is a second set of questions you need to ask yourself. And they are:
What reasons do you have?

If you don't have concrete reasons as to why you want something, then again, you will not do the work that you will need to do in order to accomplish them.

If you truly want to get on in life you need to stop dealing in - one day i'll....

And finally I need you to tell yourself, what having, doing or being that item will give to you. It could be better self esteem, a better lifestyle or whatever it is you say you want. And then once you have that worked out you will begin to live in the way that means you will get what you want.

Start making some decisions as to what you really want, work out your reasons, and then you will know instinctively whether or not your desire is strong enough to get you over the line.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Growing pains or growing gains? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/15/2007 06:18:15 AM ----- BODY:

Change happens all the time, how we use those changes to determine where we go and what we do constitutes growth.

Now growth can be a painful experience, you learn by your mistakes. Or it can be an interesting, challenging and rewarding experience - if you are willing to allow yourself to be interested, challenged and ultimately rewarded that is. You see - most people aren't willing to think differently which is why they will never grow, will never get anything different from their days / weeks / months and years. Imagine what your life will be like in 12 months if you made no changes to your day-to-day life and existence. You ate the same foods, went to the same kinds of entertainment, read the same kinds of books, thought the same kinds of thoughts, interacted with the same kinds of people. Yes there will be differences - namely the number of candles on your birthday cake, and the date on the calendar, but that's about it. Imagine how tedious that would be if every day looked the same as the one before.

You don't have 20 years experience - you have one year's experience repeated 20 times.

So - assuming that you do want things to be different for you in the future, you have to be willing to ask yourself some things.

What did I do today?
What did I learn today?
How will that impact on what I will do or be able to do tomorrow?
How will that new information add value to the services that I am able to provide. (BTW - Services of course is everything that you do. To washing the dishes for your parents, to the clients you sell cars to and everything in between).

Where do I want to be in 12 months time? Five years time? 10 years? And if you don't know, then consider this - if you are 50 now, in 10 years you should be thinking about retiring from the normal work force - what plans have you got for life beyond "work".

If you are of school age, say 15 or 20 - what do you want to be when you "grow up"? Are the classes you are taking going to get you there? Goal setting is about deciding what changes you want to make within a specified time frame and then working out if the steps you are taking today are actually getting you there or not.

  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Laying the foundations STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/30/2007 06:17:55 AM ----- BODY:

Without firm foundations a new venture will always fail. Your new house will collapse around your ears as the sands beneath your feet shift. Your new eating plan will fail if you don’t have the correct foods in the house. Your new exercise regime will falter if you don’t start slowly and ease the kinks and strains out of your muscles first.

Some things cannot be rushed. Some things need careful planning otherwise you will end up going round in circles pouring more concrete into the hole – why because you forget to lay out the edges of the project first. And so it is with most goals. You can get faked out with pouring concrete, but unless you know and can define the parameters of the goal – you will never get to the point where you can start building.

Lay the foundations of your thinking. Know what it is you want to achieve. Know when you want to achieve it by. And more importantly than all those things put together, know why you want to achieve those goals. If you don’t know why, you will delay starting the project, you will find all sorts of excuses as to why today is not a good day to work on them. And if you don’t know why you want something, then you will have difficulty assigning a closure date to them.

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Dealing with conflicting priorities STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/20/2007 01:21:04 AM ----- BODY:

Good Morning I hope you had a good weekend, one that was filled with many completed projects and items ticked off the to-do lists.

Often though we can delay starting work on a new project, or even projects that we have gone some way towards completing, because we have competing priorities.

We don't know which one to start on first, because they all seem to be important.

So we delay starting on all of them, things get stuck, we get down and depressed, and end up doing even less. We hide behind busy work trying to blot out the fact that we're not doing what we know we should be doing.

We get given more and more jobs to do, compounding the problems that we are facing. We begin to think that taking a day or two "off sick" is the way to go, after all if we bury our heads in the sand for long enough someone will come and dig us out.

First of all, do not make the mistake of thinking that someone elses inability to manage their projects and time is anything to do with you. It's not.

Imagine that your life is like an hour glass, individual grains of sand fall through the narrow connection - our projects, tasks and problems are like those individual grains of sand. They can only be dealt with one at a time, in the order they are presented to us. We can however, give the hour glass a shake if things seemed to get clogged up, and the clogging is because you don't know which project to work on now.

Your focus - first and foremost is on those things that you need to do. However, if the person doing the delegating is a superior, then get them to make a decision. What projects take priority - and get the decision in writing. Once you do that, any associated stress is relieved. And you can focus on whatever task is at hand.

Of course if you are the one giving yourself multiple projects to do, so that you can hide behind the multiple project syndrome, then you need to ask yourself why.

What are you so afraid of that you don't want to complete anything. The sand in your hour glass is stuck and you are not moving anywhere.

Do not be afraid to make a mistake or two - no-one ever got it right on the first attempt, why should you think you could? If you don't believe me, then ask a scientist or two, or a writer. How many times does a writer re-write a sentence, edit the draft, re-edit the draft, check for spelling and punctuation?

So, throw the pen away - grab a pencil and some coloured crayons. Make a board - fill it with images of what you want to achieve, get excited about something - anything. But before you head off to your nearest art store, ask yourself one final question. Is the project that you have chosen to work on, the one that will get you closer to where you want to be in the next 5 years? Or is it just another time waster?

With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: An important time of the year STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/02/2007 07:02:28 AM ----- BODY:

Apologies to those of you who don't live "down under", but today is important for a couple of reasons.

Today is Monday, that means it is the perfect day to get set into creating a perfect new week. What has been and gone cannot be dragged back and re-done, so make the most of today and the rest of the week will surely follow.

It is also the start of the new financial year here in Australia. What better time to have a look at your financial practices, processes and spending habits than now. Or do you want to get to the end of the next financial year in exactly the same position you are now? So make a point of keeping an eye on the comings and goings, and try and ensure that more comes than goes.

But don't dwell on what you don't have - always focus on what you have and what you want, not what you don't. This way you focus on opportunity rather than negativity. People talk about - the law of attraction - what you think about you bring about. But I will take it one step further and say this - when you are focused on what you don't have, your mind does not have the space to think creatively. And we all know that the next great idea will have the makings of a new and better way of life for you and the family. How are you going to think of new things, when you constantly go over the old ways of doing things.

And finally it is half way through the calendar year. Oh my - where has the first half of the year gone? For me it has passed in a mass of blur and haste. If you have a diary or calendar system - check back to see if you have utilised your time as best you could, then endeavour to put into place a new system that allows you to get more out of the next 6 months. Remember there is a time log on the website for you to use....under downloads and free stuff.

Oh and if those three things weren't enough to contend with - it's also full moon. So a very powerful time indeed, and even more of a reason to make sure your thoughts and actions are positive.

With many positive thoughts
Elle
 
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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Because I can STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/22/2007 01:03:56 AM ----- BODY:

Because is an interesting word. Because, the word "because" can be a positive motivator or a negative downer.

I want to be fit and healthy "because" I'm fat, unfit and forty something....

I want to be rich and powerful "because" my family have always been poor.

You see when you start your sentences and thoughts with a positive, but end with a negative, you negate them both and you don't move forwards. You are not really focussed on being rich, fit, healthy or whatever else you say that you want to be, because you are still focussing on the what you currently are....

But if you use the word properly, you can make massive changes to the way that you think and act.

I want to be rich - because I have so many plans. I want to buy myself a house, a house for my folks in the country because they brought me up, cared for me, nurtured me and I want them to have a wonderful place in which they can enjoy life. I want to travel around the world and see all those places i've never seen before. I want to be rich because, money gives me choices.

Of course I could have said I want to buy a house for my folks because they're poor, they live in a flat in the city and the smog is killing them.

See the difference? The "because" in the latter statement is focusing on the negative, and all those bad things that surround you.

The way that you speak is directly influenced by the thoughts that you have. And the thoughts that you have are directly influenced by the beliefs that you hold about yourself. You see if you don't believe you can be rich you will always add the because - followed by what is wrong with your current life.

Now, I am not saying that getting rid of the word "because" out of your vocabulary will be easy, because it is a habit you have gotten into. All I can ask is that you try to get rid of the word. The more you practice the removal of the negative, the easier you will be able to focus on the positives.

   
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
   
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.


----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: When you believe, you will achieve STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/23/2007 01:13:44 AM ----- BODY:

If you believe in what you want, you will almost always achieve what you set out to do. Why almost always? Well sometimes we get to a point and discover that we don't need to go as far as we thought we did. Or we may decide that we didn't set our sights high enough, so we will move onwards, further than we had anticipated.

But if you don't believe, or have the odd lingering doubt about an aspect of whatever it is you say that you want, then you will have limited success. As we discussed yesterday, if you start with a positive, but add the because, or the word but to the end of the sentence, you don't really believe you are going to get it.

The why's are interesting.

We may think we don't deserve it - says who? You deserve everything that you work for.
We may think we aren't worthy - again, says who? You can use your negative past as a spring board to your positive future, or you can let the negative past hold you in the past. Never getting out of the mental state that has held you rigid for the last x years of your life. I know someone like that, too busy going back over the old hurts, the pain, the who did what and why that they are totally incapable of enjoying the now. And if you can't enjoy the now, well you certainly won't be able to enjoy tomorrow - will you.

I had an interesting discussion with someone the other day, he said that he wanted his football team to win so badly, that he focussed all his positive energy onto the game. And they still lost. How? He wanted to know?

Well there are several things wrong with that particular practice. The first one that I mentioned was that - he didn't really believe his team could win. Yes he desperately wanted them to win, but he knew they just weren't capable of doing so. So his positive thoughts, were drowned by the doubt.

The other major point in this is that you can only influence your own behaviour, you cannot influence everyone elses behaviour simply with the power of your thoughts. No-one is that influential.

Yes you can lead by example, you can fire up your team of players, but unless everyone on your team is willing to believe in themselves, their skills, their abilities and the skills and abilities of their team mates, they might as well have their own game of football going on, because they are not pulling in the same direction.

For example, if you don't think Fred is going to stop the ball, and you mutter loudly that Fred is the worst goalie your team has ever had, guess what - Fred is probably going to think to himself that - they're right, I can't save goals, especially when the defenders are rubbish, they don't give me any support. How am i supposed to save goals when they're standing around yakking. What happens then is that Fred has the worst possible game of the entire season, and is ready to quit at the end of the game. Fulfilling the prophecy everyone had decided in advance.

So imagine what the power your thoughts can have if you are in total alignment with your skills, abilities, desires, needs and BELIEF. And imagine how your team can win if everyone believed in themselves.

How do you get everything into alignment - well as we discussed in yesterday's edition. Belief stems from thoughts, and thoughts into actions and words. If you don't believe, you will find a way of negating the words, reinforcing the actions and ultimately the beliefs.

So it is vital that you remove the negative words from your vocabulary. And some of the biggest words you need to get rid of are - Because and But.

I don't mean to criticise - BUT
I want to be rich and famous - BECAUSE my folks have always been poor.

Every time you utter those words you give your belief a knock.

So, stop it. Right this minute....or I'll be round.
   
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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MMM1 MMW1
   
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.


----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Personal development lasts a lifetime STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/24/2007 06:15:17 AM ----- BODY:

You don't get to a certain point in your life and decide to yourself, that's it. There is nothing more to learn. No new insights to be gained. No new places to visit, people to meet or t-shirts to buy. You don't decide that if that really is it, you might as well go and sit in a corner, gathering dust until the day you die. You don't do you? I would hope not, not after everything we've spoken about.

But if you think about it, that's exactly how most people live. Or should I say "exist". They do the same things day after day, week after week, year after boring year. Can you imagine getting to the year 2012 and discovering you wear the same kinds of clothes, in the same styles, eat the same kinds of foods, been to the same place on holiday 5 times, hung out with the same group of people, and you still talk about the same kinds of things.

I'm sure there will be people reading this who would say, no, know way would I do the same things in the same way for the next five years.

No?

Well then it is time to take a good hard look at the last 5 years. Of the students reading this, please consider taking stock of the last 12 - 24 months of your lives, or look at the senior members of your family for evidence of behavioural patterns.

One of the best ways to do this is to get the photo albums out. What did you wear 5 years ago? What are you wearing now?
What size were you 5 years ago? Have you lost or gained weight?
What programmes did you start and fail to complete?
How many jobs have you had?
What new skills have your learned?
How many books have you read? Actually I can't answer this one properly myself - I just know that the answer lies in the hundreds...so you don't have to be that specific. Just a general clue as to whether you are taking your personal development seriously or not.

Consider that if you do nothing different in the next 90 days, chances are going to be good that the next 900 days are going to be the same. The only difference will be the date.

With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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MMM1 MMO1 

  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Find examples STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/27/2007 07:11:51 AM ----- BODY:

Have you ever wondered how you can start a project or visualise your better future, if you have no idea what to focus upon?

I know that I have said to you in the past, if you want a better future, then you have to start to "see it" in your minds eye. Once you can "see" it, you will know what steps you need to take.

Well I have a confession to make - I missed out an important step - sorry.

I can hear the groans from here "gee thanks Elle no wonder all this positive visualisation stuff isn't working".

SO WHAT'S THE STEP? I can hear you yell.

Well - you don't have to re-invent the wheel. You can find examples of things that you know you want, and you can use those to build your new future upon.

Do you want to write a book but can't imagine a book with your name on it? Then get one that is of a similar size and shape for the one you want to produce, then create your own cover. Voila, one book. Then all you have to do is fill in the pages. And yes it can be as simple as that. That's exactly what I did when I was struggling to imagine what my book was going to look like.

Find magazines, grab a pair of scissors and a big piece of card, or a pin board - find things that you want, cut em out and stick em up. Sounds too much like the secret? Well - all we are trying to do at this point is re-train your mind, so that it focuses on what you do want, rather than the lack of what you don't currently have in your life at the moment. Which is where most of us fall down. I'd like a so and so....but I don't have the money, can't imagine being able to live there, or whatever negative mantra you've gotten running around your head. All this does is focuses your mind on the positive things. Do not think about the positive and then negate it - as we discussed last week. Only think that you can achieve it.

Examples are the key to a better life. Find examples of people you admire, what do they wear, what do they sound like? How do they shake hands?

I was subjected to the worst kind of car sales man - greasy hair, body odour and the limpest hand shake you could possibly imagine. Add the classic "can you imagine yourself driving this" and you can imagine how fast I ran out of the car yard. Nothing wrong with the car, just the image of the person selling it to me would forever taint the driving of the vehicle from there on in.

Examples, we are surrounded by them. So choose the ones you want to cultivate, and then incorporate those traits, skills and abilities into your life. Find pictures, morph yourself into them - use photoshop if you can, or scissors and sticky tape - it doesn't matter. Once you have created the "you" you want to be - then you can begin to live up to that new image you have created in your minds eye.

Remember, everything that surrounds you - started off life as a thought.

So get thunking
  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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   MMM1

  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Raising your game STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/06/2007 01:17:56 AM ----- BODY:

Raising your game is essential if you don’t want to be beaten by your opponents.
 
You may think that because you are number one, people will be out to try and beat you. But you may also be under the mistaken assumption that no one can beat you at the moment. No one has the game plan they need to make you lose so they can win.
 
What you need to understand is that what worked for you yesterday may not work for you today, and if you don’t make corrections and raise your game then you will undoubtedly lose again tomorrow.

Your opponents on the other hand are trying to find ways to defeat you. They watch what you are doing to try and find ways through your defensive armour. They watch and look to find your flaws so they can exploit them. In tennis terms you may have a great forehand topspin but your second serve lets you down. So your opponent tries to make you play to your weaker backhand rather than your better forehand. They are hoping that you will make some mistakes, which they are hoping to further capitalise on by making you angry and annoyed, which may translate into missing one or two of your first serves. And if you miss your first serves, then they know you are more than likely to miss your second serve too.
 
What happens when they are trying to beat you, they practice the moves they need to make, and keep on practising so their new game becomes second nature to them. Now all they need to do is play you again, they have succeeded in raising their game, it may seem like yours has been lowered, when in reality yours has stayed the same.
 
One of the things I have noticed recently is how few of the people I’ve spoken to actually know what their competition is doing. How can you raise your game if you don’t know who’s out there in the marketplace let alone what they’re doing right now. Henry Ford thought he was invincible with the Model T. That was until General Motors came along, after which time it took Ford almost 70 years to catch up.
 
Are you guilty of not knowing what your current strengths and weaknesses are? Are you hoping that no one has a better game plan than you do? If that is the case I would suggest you take a good look at the game you are currently playing because it’s time you raised the level, after all if Henry Ford found out the hard way, so can you.

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

(MMW1) (MMM1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Life is an adventure STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/28/2007 11:55:50 PM ----- BODY:

We are born into a world that has no pre-determined pathways, every road can lead us to a million different places each going in opposite directions.

Is it any wonder that we can hardly get excited about going out of the front door into this vast, unknown world. I mean, we have no idea who or what we will become as a result of venturing forth.

Is it any wonder that we struggle with conflicting priorities. We have been told by many people we come into contact with - what path we should travel. Go into the family business. You'll never amount to much, the best you can hope for is working as a ...... fill in the blank.

We want to do something different from those plans and roads that others have laid out for us, but we don't know how to start, where the path begins, and what frightening dragons there may be on the way to our destination.

Do you remember seeing those maps - "there be dragons" it's always amused me, because the biggest dragons we fear, are our own self-limiting beliefs, and those imposed upon us by well meaning and totally incorrect elders.

Just because they didn't want to set forth on their grand adventure, content to sit on the pier and watch the ship taking everyone who did dare, away. They think that they have the right to tell you what is in your best interests.

whilst it can be a good thing to emulate those whose paths you admire, it is not such a good thing to be limited by one path or one person.

How do you decide which adventure is yours to live? Well you were born into a world of infinite possibilities. Those things that you should be doing can be found in those tiny moments of pleasure that you would do anything to do more of....

Determine what you would walk over hot coals for, and that my friend is the path you should take. But remember, leave your dragons at home.

  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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   MMM1 MMW1

   
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivating Others STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/30/2007 03:31:50 AM ----- BODY:

Motivating others can seem to be equivalent to pushing water up hill. I know I've tried. In fact I try every single day to offer you thoughts, suggestions and musings that you can incorporate into your daily strategies in the hope that you can get more out of your life.

So do I get frustrated and down when people don't take a blind bit of notice or unsubscsribe? Absolutely not, I consider the people who do unsubscribe to be either "cured", too busy or not yet ready to move on to the next level.

One thing I have discovered through the process is that you cannot change anyone, although most married couples I know of have tried, and in the main have failed. You see you have to want to change, you have to want things to be different for you. And so does everyone else for significant differences and changes to take place.

You can show some people a gold mine and tell them all they have to do is dig in order to get rich. But the people who don't want a better life will complain about getting their hands dirty or how much a pick and shovel costs.

So what can you do when faced with people who you know need to do things differently but don't seem to be incapable of doing so?

Well all you can do is be a better person yourself. That's it.

You can't force people to like each other and expect them to get on in a work place, so how can you expect them to do so on a self-made raft in the middle of a river? Answer - you can't, because you will only find resentment where you might have expected gratitude.

Someone I know has been trying to get their partner to stop smoking for years. Sure the person stops for a little while, usually because of illness or nagging, but then starts the process again - because they really didn't want to stop smoking in the first place. They were trying to change their normal behaviour for someone elses perception of what normal behaviour should be, and it didn't work. And yes that person is a highly educated one, and knows all the inherent risks of smoking, but chooses to continue.

As mangers and leaders this leaves us with an interesting dilemma. If we can't motivate others where does that leave our businesses?

Well the amswer lies in self respect, respect for others to do their jobs to the best of their abilities, to offer encouragement and training where appropriate and an environment that encourages creativity as well as productivity. If you get people to work for you who enjoy doing what they are doing, then you are half way there. But if you are struggling with someone elses legacy it may take some time to get people to change on their own behest.

As you know by now, change can be scary for some people.
  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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MMO1


 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Are you a winner or a loser? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/31/2007 06:47:16 AM ----- BODY:

"The losers put the shutters up, expect the worst, and wait for the inevitable slow down. The winners, expecting the best, look for new opportunities and inevitably find them."
Richard Keeves

Which are you?

With Many thoughts, 
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Focus on what you can do now STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/01/2007 02:05:19 AM ----- BODY:

Can you imagine being given a piece of paper on the day you were born. And on that several hundred mile long piece of paper were lists of things you had to do, places to go and people you were supposed to meet. How do you think you would be able to cope - knowing that that's what life had in store for you?

Would you wade in with both chubby feet and teeter off to the first item - "make a million dollars"

Assuming you haven't been born into a family of famous actors, or television producers I would say it would be extremely difficult for you - as a new born to be able to make a million. And that's just the first item on the list.

So why do we as adults expect that we are any better off than that newborn? Chances are going to be good that most of you reading this haven't seen a bank statement with that many zeros on it. Especially one that belongs to you.

So if "make a million dollars" is on your list, unless you have a fantastic "million dollar idea" and you know every step that you need to take in order to bring that million dollar idea to fruition, something tells me you might have to modify your short to medium term goal strategies.

You see if you sit on your butt all day doing the same things in the same way, then how are you ever going to make a million. You'd be lucky to make a living at that rate.

So - take a good look at your daily actions, are they taking you towards those long term goal strategies or are they not? And if you know they are not - then what are you going to do today to change that?

You see - if you focus on what you can do now, rather than on the list of a zillion items on your birth "to do" list you won't get dragged down by the sheer weight of what you are supposed to do with your life. You can tackle each tiny step as it is presented to you. And like the baby learning how to walk, talk, eat and dress - we can grow into our respective roles.


  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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 MMW1

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Stop thinking about yourself STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/02/2007 09:24:59 AM ----- BODY:

Today is father's day here in Australia, so I would like to extend my thanks and thoughts to all the dad's out there.

Whilst it could be argued that every man can father a child, not every man can be a "dad".

To my mind, dad's are those rare kinds of people who offer love as well as wisdom, safety as well as security.

Without our dad's - we wouldn't be the people we are today.

So today I would like you to focus on someone other than yourself for a change. I keep asking you to do stuff for yourself, today I would like you to do something for someone else. Namely your dad.

But it doesn't have to be your biological father, it can be anyone who you respect - and what would you do for this person? I'd like you to listen to them for a change. Stop thinking and talking about your plans, let them tell you of theirs. Their hopes, their dreams, their ambitions. After all you may still learn a thing or two.
  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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MMO1

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: September already STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/03/2007 01:29:37 PM ----- BODY:

2007 - September.

It's just occured to me that we are now into the 9th month of the year 2007. Yes I know I've been looking at the date all day, but - a cliche, but oh my goodness how true is this - where has the year gone?

Do you remember those new years resolutions that you set way back in January? You do? Then you are better than most? Do me a favour and go and find your list and have a good look at the things you said that you wanted 2007 to bring to you. How close are you to achieving those items? How many of those items didn't make it past January?

We have just over 3 months to the end of the year. 3 months to make a difference to ourselves, our family and our businesses - are you focusing on what you can do? Or on what other people are doing to you?

Remember we can only change our own behaviours, not those behaviours of other people, and not everyone wants to move forwards. Some people really are happy doing the same things every day, that way they don't have to worry, they don't have to change, they don't have to grow. Do me a favour, don't be like those people, choose a task and do it. Make some progress, because in just a few short days and weeks it will be 2008. And how scary is that thought?


With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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 MMM1

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Excuses, excuses, excuses STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/09/2007 11:40:41 AM ----- BODY:

Don't make them - excuses that is. It's easy to get bogged down with feelings of inadequacy, of feeling under par and not up to putting in a full day at work. It's easy which is why people do it. I know I've been guilty in the past of making excuses as to why I've not done something that I know I should have, because I've not "felt like it."

And that is the key to overcoming the blame game.

1. Take responsibility for your attitude. Only you can decide how you are going to feel at any particular point in time. Only you can determine how you let other people impact on what you are willing and able to do each and every day.

2. Take responsibility for each and every action that you make. Each decision that you make impacts on the next set of decisions and choices that you are faced with. Your decision to sit down and watch the television instead of working on your goals this evening means that you have filled your mind with someone elses dreams and not your own. We only have one chance to use these 24 hours that we've been given today. How are you using yours?

3. Accept that you don't always get it right. But you can try to be better today than you were yesterday - better tomorrow than today - better in the next five minutes than the last. I've said it many times and it bears repeating. Tiny five minute working slots can move a book forward by nearly half a page, you can clean a drawer in five minutes, you can - do almost anything you want - in five minute slots. All you need to do is know what you want to achieve further down the line and your five minutes take on a whole new meaning.

4. Ensure your life is balanced. You need to ensure that you have enough sleep every day. Sleep is one of the best kept secrets of people who get lots done each and every day. Sleep when you need to sleep, but don't rest when you don't need to. Resting for too long is for the lazy. You're not one of those people, so rest when you are tired, and only for long enough to recharge your batteries and revitalise your brain.

5. Ensure that you eat well. Our brains need a constant supply of blood sugars, but ensure that you eat a variety of foods that feed the brain. Starchy grains and foods that break down in the body over an extended period of time. So try and avoid the refined carbohydrates - the sugars, the biscuits, cake and pastries that are so readily available these days. If you eat well you will think well, and if you think well, well anything is possible.

6. Ensure that you make time just for you today. We all have commitments, so it is essential that you spend some time doing somethiing just for you. That may be - having a bath or reading a book, it may be reading a book in the bath, it may be going for a stroll (as opposed to a power walk). Whatever it is for you, ensure that you spend some time on you today. Life is balance, if you don't you will find that you resent the time you are spending on everyone else.

7. And finally for today, ensure that you make time to exercise. This is the 30 minute power walk we spoke about earlier. Get the heart pumping, get the muscles working. We need both kinds of exercise to keep our bodies toned. So get moving.....

If your day is well planned there will be no need for excuses.

With many thoughts

Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

 

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Do not limit your thinking STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/10/2007 01:47:02 AM ----- BODY:

Limited thinking usually has the words:

But
If only
Can't do that
I'd do.....if.... but you know none of the .....has ever done that so who am I to think that I can do that????

attached to the end of sentences.

Limited thinking stops you from achieving anything out of your normal zone of comfort.

- I'd like a $10,000 pay rise this year....but....

- I'd like to turn over $4 million in sales this year, but we've only ever done 1.5 in the past how am I going to.....

- I'd like to lose 30lbs by christmas - but I've never stuck to a diet before and I don't think I can.... maybe I'll lose 10, 10 will be OK, 10 is a good start....

10 is a cop out. Your limited thinking is stopping you from being true to yourself.

We all do it all of the time, and it's time to stop it. Only when you tell yourself that you can, will you achieve. The how's usually take care of themselves. Most of the time we know how, we just don't think we deserve whatever it is we want.

Deserve is an interesting word isn't it. You may think you'd like a $10,000 pay rise, so you don't ask. You settle for less than you are really worth because you don't feel you deserve it.

Well I'm here to tell you that you do deserve it. But you have to believe in yourself - when you start to believe in yourself, you will know you deserve everything you set your sights upon.

Now a caveat - this is not arrogance, this is not ego that makes us think we are worth more than others...I deserve it because I'm better than so and so....you deserve it because you are being true to you, you are being true to your potential.

And your potential is only limited by your current thinking. So what do you really want?

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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(MMW1) (MMM1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Days that are well planned are only half the battle STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/11/2007 02:24:18 AM ----- BODY:

interesting word isn't it battle, and sometimes it feels like we are waging war on ourselves and our circumstances. Well sometimes it's necessary.

Take technology for instance. The computers, the pagers, the faxes, the telephones, the landlines as well as the mobiles. We are more connected now than we ever were. This morning I was thinking about a television programme out of the UK called the missing postman - don;t know if you ever saw it, but basically the postie on his peddle bike, was told he was being made redundant - technology you see, so he decides to take the contents of the last post box and hand deliver the contents. Brilliant series, if you ever get the chance to watch it.

But technology has made us both productive and lazy - sounds like a misnomer doesn't it? Well it is and it isn't.

My home computer is third hand, my laptop second hand. I'm loath to throw things away and would sooner recycle something than chuck away a perfectly good - well anything. But with technology and computers in particular it is important to check to see if your recycling isn't costing you time and money.

I'm fortunate, the laptop I use was state of the art when it was bought, so it's still better than most of the laptops on the market today, but the home computer - well that's a different story - which is why the kids use it. Because I was wasting so much time, re-booting, waiting for programmes to load. Waiting, waiting, waiting, that someone finally took pity on me and gave me their old one that was gathering dust on the floor of their office.

One of the tech guys told me today that a mere 15 minutes of down time each and every day can amount to a brand new computer - your time multiplied by your hourly rate multiplied by physical time = a brand new computer every few months (or less depending on your normal hourly charge out rate)....in other words it will more than pay for itself over it's natural lifespan.

So if you have poor technology, and your day is not well planned to cope with the down time, then please consider that you are wasting your time by not replacing it, by thinking that you are being economical...you're not.

Unless you can multi task effectively whilst your computer is loading, and whilst you are waiting, please consider buying some new hardware....you will achieve far more each day, and you get the added bonus of not being completely stressed out whilst you are waiting.

With many thoughts

Elle


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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Remembering why STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/14/2007 06:32:03 AM ----- BODY:

Overcoming the procrastination habit can be as simple as remembering why you want something. On a day-to-day basis we can get bogged down with the details. Those little steps that are so very important if we want to achieve the end result. We may begin to question why we are exercising diligently or trying not to eat too much chocolate, or drink too many glasses of wine. We may resent having to put in long hours at the computer - writing, editing, editing some more and then writing again. So much so we lose sight of the "bigger" picture - the main reason why we should be working harder not allowing our habits to take over causing our actions to slide.

You know you should be washing the car, but you've decided on pizza and beer with the boys instead.
You know you should be adding another chapter to your book, but you've decided to watch re-runs of seinfeld.
You know you should be exercising today, but the thought of an early start on a weekend isn't what you actually want, you'd sooner lie in bed and dream about winning the lottery.

And the reason we do this, is because we have forgotten why we want what we say we want.

So if you are lacking motivation - check your reasons. If you don't have enough reasons, you won't get very much accomplished at all.

Reasons are the reasons - what are yours?

Elle


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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Do something completely bizarre STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/11/2007 05:23:45 AM ----- BODY:

Ruts - if you do the same things in the same way, virtually every day - then not only do you have a real problem with your habitual behavioural patterns, but you're also stuck in a very wide trench - otherwise known as a rut.

Before you jump up and down and whinge at me, I do know that some thing have to be done at certain times - namely sleeping, eating breakfast and getting ready to go to work etc... but there is still scope for change and more importantly fun.

Why is doing something fun important? Well, if you do something you enjoy you will put in the effort. Conversely - If you do something you hate, you will procrastinate and put it off forever. You will drag your heels and like a child not wanting to go to the dentist, will complain bitterly.

So today I would like to lay down a challenge for you, for this weekend. Or at least the next weekend, depends how much planning and effort you are willing to put into it. And how many friends and acquaintances you have.

OK, the challenge is - organise a themed party - could be breakfast, could be brunch, could be a teddy bear's picnic - and yes everyone would have to bring one - a teddy bear that is.

So, pick a theme and then create the invites, get people to bring a plate of appropriate food stuffs so that you don't have to do all the catering and away you go.

We hold at least one a year - called "because we can" parties - because we can, because it is fun, because it forces me to think about who, what, where, when, how and who will enjoy it. I've had adults crawling around on hands and knees building card houses - and they got to take goody bags home - a kids party for adults. We even made up new names and professions for them so they had to make up their back stories to fill in the gaps...and yes they had to stay in character for the entire event. Being someone else just for an evening....imagine being told that you were a world famous musician - would you still be willing to sit on the side lines or would you be the life and soul of the party? How about a mountaineer - telling the story about your climb to the top of Mt Everest! Or a model - strutting your stuff. We had a drug baron (Poppy Seed) and a High Priestess (Hellen Damnation), a pilot (Ayr Force) and a campinologist (Annabelle Rung), amongst many others.

Doing something completely bizarre helps to break the ruts that we find ourselves in, and the momentum can take you onwards - because you could re-live the memories, the fun and the laughter.

So my question is - are you willing to accept the challenge?

  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Amy EMAIL: IP: 130.13.41.242 URL: DATE: 10/07/2007 01:08:24 AM Wow, what a GREAT idea! Thanks! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 10/07/2007 10:27:46 AM Thanks Amy, I'll post some of the photos from the last one - in fact a midnight feast - which started funnily enough at midnight. We timed it for Halloween too, and asked people to come appropriately dressed. Pumpkin soup, mulled wine and lots of very tired people. Great fun

Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivation Kids Style STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/19/2007 01:22:10 AM ----- BODY:

Imagine my son's delight when I said he could help paint the spare room tonight. He was given the rather boring task of edging all the doors, seams and floor. Given that a brush is slightly less "damaging" than a roller, I decided to play it safe and see what his motivation was like.

To my surprise he finished first and was bemoaning the fact that he didn't have anything else to paint. So I said, actually there's all those walls you can draw on.

And we managed to complete the undercoating of two walls, plus the seaming in the time it took dinner to cook.

It's amazing what you can achieve:

When you want to do something
When you know what you want to do and achieve
When you have willing and motivated helpers
When you're having fun at the same time

When you fire yourself up with enthusiasm, lots of things happen. People will help - in this case, my kids removed carpets and vacuumed debris - because it was fun to do. My son was allowed to paint, because he was allowed to be messy, he had the best fun when painting the picture of his sister (who wasn't very impressed with his artistic impressions by the way), and we captured the moment - we can relive the fun and the laughter.

339277-925249-thumbnail.jpg339277-925225-thumbnail.jpg339277-925241-thumbnail.jpg339277-925234-thumbnail.jpgBefore I started the preparation and the cleaning I was tired, exhausted tired - if you know what that feeling is like. Lots happening at the moment - which I won't bore you with, but there are some things in my life at the moment that are not exactly smooth sailing. I've done what I can, and am now leaving the next steps to those people who need to do theirs. So instead of worrying, which I can be prone to do, I got busy. And if you have followed my suggestions from previous editions, you know it can be almost imposible to worry and be busy at the same time. So get involved with something you have control over, and do it.

When you inspire others to do something, you raise your own levels. When you have assistance from people who are willing and motivated to do their bit, things will get done much quicker. I'm very fortunate that my kids (now they have become teenagers) are still willing to help me. But that's probably because they know they're going to have fun doing it.

By the time dinner was ready, brushes and hands washed - the stress and tiredness had bled off and I was then able to get back into writing mode. Something I know I would not have been able to do had I turned on the computer as soon as I had gotten home.

When you feel stuck in one area of your life, don't throw up your hands in despair and do nothing. Change tack completely and you can move forwards in others.

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Making extra time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/21/2007 08:12:56 AM ----- BODY:

What would you do if you could have an extra hour a day? How would you spend this gift? would you take time to read a book or write a letter, go for a walk or have a bath? Or would you choose to have an extra hour of sleep?

As you and I know, finding an extra hour during the week in amongst our busy schedules can be impossible, imagine trying to find an extra hour a day !! yes something's are almost too hard to imagine aren't they!!

But the reality is - we can find an extra hour or two, if we know how we spend our time already, and know what we would use the extra time for. We may be able to gain an extra hour in 5 or 10 minute blocks, and those few minutes several times a day can make a massive difference to the amount of work that we can get done, the amount of exercise we can do, the number of pages we can write or number of drawers we can clean out.

But first you need to know what you are finding extra time for:

Assuming you do know, you will be wondering of course how -

Well the first and most obvious way to gain more time is to switch off your email, the internet and if necessary the computer. Technology has helped us so much, but it can also hinder us even more. You do not need to keep your email open every minute of the day, have an appropriate auto-responder on - if you run your own business, and answer all your emails in one go. That serves many purposes, but in particular - how much time you can save by not checking your email every time the message window pops up on your screen.

Get up when the alarm goes off. But set it for 15 minutes earlier than you would normally do. As you are getting ready, spend a few minutes planning your day. This is also the time you need to write down all those nasty thoughts that are running through your head. Write them down, transfer anything on to today's to-do list and then chuck the rest away. A goal, an idea, a to do item stands more chance of being accomplished once it's written down. Carry a notebook with you and add things to it as you go through your day. Don't trust your memory - it's got holes in it. And you save lots of time throughout the day because you won't wonder about what you need to do, you know what you need to do and you can then do it.

Do two things at the same time. I use walking and shower time as my thinking time. Plot lines, thoughts for the daily dose, if your mind is always on the go thinking about rubbish (see point above) how are you going to find time to think creatively?

You can also clean a part of the house whilst dinner is cooking, or write a chapter of your book, do 20 minutes on the stepper, re-connect with your family, write a letter. In fact you can move your stepper in front of the television and watch your favourite tv shows whilst keeping fit. I;ve just had to do this - as you know I am decorating my spare room at the moment, and the only space we had to put the rather large piece of torture equipment was in the lounge room....next to the television...now I just have to get on it.

Be selective in your television viewing habits. If you have a tendency to sit down at 7 and the only time you get up again is when you go to bed, I'd suggest that you need to work out what you really want from life, because obviously reading this is a complete waste of time for you. Remember, reading is not doing.

How can you make extra time during the day?

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: A thought or two on the power of thoughts STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/23/2007 03:13:37 AM ----- BODY:

I seem to spend a lot of time telling you to dig into your memories and your thought processes. Having just re-read several weeks worth of the Daily Dose, recurring themes come forward and thoughts seem to have been a dominant part. Why are your thoughts so important that I would spend so much time on them?

Well the thoughts that you currently have running through your mind are the key to your future.

If you focus on stuff that's already happened you will keep on re-living the same kinds of problems that you have already encountered. Of course you can remember the good stuff too, but i can almost guarantee that you spend more time thinking about the bad rather than the good. Go on you know i'm right.

You can also project into the future, where - dreams of knights on white chargers come to drag you out of the mess you may be in. Dreams of finding a tall, dark handsome man, dreams of winning the lottery. Day dreams can be fun, but they're not really productive though are they?

Or you can think about what your future might be like - based on the kind of work and effort that you are willing to put into it. It's no good trying to imagine a thinner, healthier you if you spend all your time eating donuts, drinking iced coffee with double cream and ice cream is it?

So, the first process in getting more out of your life is to imagine it. But now I want you to do something quite radical. I want you to get out a notebook and write it down. What can you see, what can you hear, what can you touch, are there any smells associated with your thoughts.

Then I want you to start adding some detail to those thoughts. For example - What size house do you want. Do you have any pictures you can find and cut out and stick into the book? How many floors, what sort of curtains do you have? Do you have a well tended garden or do you need to factor in a gardener? Do you know what area you want to live in? Describe it, do you walk to work, catch the train, cycle, or drive your car? Do you work from home - where? Describe your office, describe the chair you are sitting in. Does the chair squeak when you lean back? Do you have a cat rubbing against your ankles, is the air filled with the smell of fresh flowers, can you see next doors washing on the line? Go on these are your thoughts, get involved in the process of creating your future, after all that's where you are going to be living.

What are you willing to do today to make those images come alive for you?

Have you spoken to the bank about the kind of loan you can afford, can you pay cash? Have you visited the area you want to live in? Have you "driven home" just so you can experience the feel of it?

There is another technique that can help you - especially if you are stuck. you know you want to open a shop, but you're not sure about the immediate steps. So work backwards. What does the store look like, where is it, what do you sell, where did the stock come from, do you have a sign above the door, what does it say? Do you have a business name registered, and a business number? Do you know what sort of grants you may be entitled to? Tax breaks? Imagine walking through the door on the day of opening and greeting your customers - those ones you mailed and invited to come to the launch party.

Thoughts are important, yet we fill our minds with the detrius of yesterday - if you do that, then how are you going to find time to work on that business proposal, write that final paper for your course, write the book, deliver those training sessions, work hard on your job so you can achieve those wonderful images that you now have to focus on. Because once you know what it is you really want, you will achieve it.

With many thoughts
Elle

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Do you resent being told to change? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/15/2007 10:09:13 AM ----- BODY:

Most people do not like being told they have faults, and certainly they do not like being told that they need to change their habits and behaviours of a lifetime, even if they know deep down that the person is right.

We're all like that.

There are several things that can happen at this point.

We can get embarrased (depending on what we're being told is "wrong" with us)
We can get angry (How dare you tell me I need to.....have you looked at yourself lately?)
Or we can take the advice, however badly it is put to us and we can look at the suggestions objectively and decide whether we are going to implement any of them.

If you have ever been on the giving end of this kind of advice. A word or two of caution.

We all have our own set of reference points. These reference points are based on many things, namely - culture, upbringing, religion, political and social beliefs and what we are thinking at any particular point in time. In most cases, it is an opinion, nothing more or less, unless the person is arguing black is white, or the earth is flat. We all have a "what's in it for me" criteria that needs fulfilling.

So when offering advice and suggestions, or indeed receiving those same things. Remember this - only we can decide whether we are going to change, and how big those changes are going to be. Only we can decide whether to look at things from someone elses point of view or our own. Only we have complete power over our own thoughts and actions.

With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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MMM1

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Are you a perfectionist? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/25/2007 05:44:35 AM ----- BODY:

Perfectionism is an emotive topic. If you don't believe me, go to http://www.motivateme.info/habit-perfectionist-or-lazy/ and click on the comments section. If you have ever put off doing something because you fear that it will not meet your own standards. Or for that matter, you fear that the item in question won't meet someone elses standards, Or you keep on editing and editing your work because you are just not happy enough with it to submit it for publication, then you may have a deep rooted fear of simply not being good enough.

What I would like to say at this point, is - compared to whom? Yes we should all strive to be better than we were yesterday - after all I labour the point long and hard enough. But not to the point that we never finish anything, or worse still don't begin anything. Sometimes, we have to take a deep breath and let go. Do you remember learning to swim? Do you remember thinking you were going to drown if you didn't hang onto the edge of the pool. And when you did let go, you quickly learned to either kick your legs and stay afloat or you sank, swallowed a stomach full of water before you remembered what the teacher had told you and kicked your legs.

But you should just remember that - you are unique, you have your own unique set of gifts and talents and you should work to those strengths. In doing so, you should be able to develop the skills you need to work on those things you consider to be weaknesses. But never forget - sometimes - near enough for you, can be more than good enough for everyone else. Yes we should always strive for better, but not get caught up on being perfect. No-one is perfect, and if someone tells you they are, then they've just proven that they're not because they have a huge ego they need to reign in.

But if you would like to know whether or not you suffer from perfectionism or not, then you might be interested in the following, which was sent by a reader of the Daily Dose to motivateme.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/perfectionism/

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If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Are you apathetic or energetic? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/26/2007 06:08:37 AM ----- BODY:

We are all customers of someone else. Every single day through every interaction that we have. We all use products and services, which have to be purchased from someone else or some organisation or other. We have interactions with people within other departments of the organisation that we work for. So we are customers of some people, and we have customers coming to us for whatever it is we do/are planning on doing.
  
And in most cases there is a transaction based process that takes place - rarely do you get something for nothing.
  
  If you do this for me I will do something for you.
  
  We may exchange time for goods, services and money
  We may exchange goods for other goods and money
  We may exchange money for goods and services
  
And we have families and friends who look to us to provide us with something. Be it food, shelter, laughter, love, security and a whole host of other things associated with being close to other people.

But one thing we haven't looked at yet is the energy that goes into the equation. We always exchange energy with other people during the transaction process. We may enjoy whatever it is we are planning on doing with our time (usually spending time with our families, friends and loved ones, our jobs, voluntary work and hobbies are the usual suspects), or we may hate every minute of the time we are there. In which case why are you doing it?
  
Then there is also apathy, and at the other end of the spectrum - anger.
  
- Anger at the other person for whatever that person has or has not done, and

- Apathy because you may feel that you cannot do anything to change the transaction process to your favour. 
  
In order to break through the procrastination habit it is important to look at the energy equation with regards to the people you interact with.

List the main suspects in your life, then answer this:

What energy rating would you give that person? The ratings I would use are Positive / Negative / Neutral.

The trick is to get more positive interactions than negative ones, so if you find all your negative emotions are based around a certain set of people, then you can determine if you can and want to do soemthing about being with them. Or do you need to change your attitude rather than your job or spouse?

So next time you are speaking/interacting with someone, consider - what energy are you receiving, and more importantly - what energy are you giving.

Kind Regards
Elle

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  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
Elle
Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Step out of your past STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/18/2007 10:54:17 AM ----- BODY:

If you want to grow into your future self.

Every decision that you have made so far, every thought that you have had and every action that you have taken has led you to this point. Now.

So, it makes sense then to ensure that if you have made some "bad" decisions in the past, to not repeat those behaviours today. But begin to live the life of the person you want to be, not the person you used to be.

MMM1

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Review your day STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/19/2007 10:42:24 AM ----- BODY:

When you get to the end of your day, do you sit back and say to yourself "hey I did good today?" or do you simply fall asleep with a nagging doubt in your mind that you could have done a little better?

Just a quick reminder for today, there is a timelog on the MotivateMe website that can help you get more out of every day. Go to the downloads and free stuff page. Link Here. All you have to do to get more out of every day is to be honest with yourself. Whatever you do, write it down and how long it took you to achieve said item. Once you realise where you spend your time, you will be less likely to waste it tomorrow.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Simplify your life STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/20/2007 11:09:26 AM ----- BODY:

We are constantly surrounded by clutter either metaphorically speaking or in our physical environment.

As i write this, my daughter is typing on MSN and half listening to the evening soaps. My son has a friend over and they are arguing the merits of skateboard tricks. And if I dare to look around, I will find shoes and bags and a whole host of "stuff". But if I dare to look deeper I will find things stuck in cupboards that have never been used, books that have never been read and clothes that have never been worn.

How about you? Are you surrounded by "stuff". What can you clean out of your life to make things simpler? I'm in the process of re-decorating my house, and in doing so I am finally clearing out the last of the "stuff" I really don't use or need. And once I've done that I won't have any more excuses as to why I can't get on with the BIG goals I have set for myself.

How about you, are you willing to clean out the clutter so that you can get on with the really important things in your life? Hope so.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Angela EMAIL: IP: 71.161.26.240 URL: http://angelayoshiko.wordpress.com DATE: 09/20/2007 04:42:27 PM Clutter is a constant problem for me. My resolution has been to attack it little by little. Having to face an entire kitchen, house, or car to clean is overwhelming. So I have a simple attack - when I leave, I'll leave this place in better condition that when I got here. So when I get out of my car, I grab something that I don't need and put it away or throw it away. Little by little, the clutter disappears - and it's pretty easy to maintain with that simple trick. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Cramming for the exams of life STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/21/2007 11:42:23 AM ----- BODY:

At some point or other we will be expected to "take a test" as a way of proving that we have understood whatever it was we supposed to be learning.

It's interesting that most "teachers" still use the same methods of teaching, which means that some of us will do well, and others will do terribly. It doesn't mean that the ones who did badly - did badly, in my opinion it was the teachers who failed to teach properly. Because we all learn in slightly different ways.

One of the best ways to discover whether or not you understand a subject is to "teach" it. And then listen to the amount of questions that you receive as a result. So a suggestion - if you are at "school" in some shape or form, consider forming a group and taking it in turns to run a workshop based on the information that you have been given. Believe me it really does focus your attention on the subject matter if it's your turn to take class tomorrow.

Or consider trying a new method of revision. Use colour, use mind maps, use media files - watch and listen to the information. Write out flash cards. Get someone to "test" you. But whatever you do, never give up.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Tomorrow STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/23/2007 12:06:20 AM ----- BODY:

"Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the year"
Spanish Proverb

Did you download your copy of the time log?

Are you using it? Have you noticed just how much time you waste on the unimportant and the mundane during a normal day? Now I am not saying that you need to be busy ALL the time, but if you can convert some of those wasted moments into project time, you will achieve more than most other people.

Now, one more thing about the time log. Add another column to the end, and note when you eat something and what it is. One of the biggest things with regards to boredom is that we are more likely to eat when we are trying to avoid doing those tasks and things we really don't want to do. We will go and make ourselves another cup of tea, grab a couple of bikkies and ....

Remember - Everything impacts on everything else.

MMM1

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Start but not finish? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/01/2007 02:33:57 AM ----- BODY:

Unfinished projects, books half written, a to do list that never seems to be completed, and that's just me - how about you? Do you still suffer from the same problem that I do?

Do you get fired up by new and exciting ideas, you dash around trying to fit everything into your already packed scheduled, only to find yourself running out of steam before the first coat of paint has dried?

So how do you keep going when your mind and body says - you know what - this is boring, i don't want to carry on, why on earth did i start that? and now i've got all these other things to do as well....looks like that is going to have to be delayed whilst i work on something else for someone else.

There are some simple things to remember:

- Are you trying to do your job as well as someone elses? If you have people working for you and they are twiddling their thumbs - then delegate. Yes you still have to project manage, but that is less tiresome than having to lick the stamps yourself....

- Are you taking on too many projects so you can avoid a) going home b) doing what you know you should be doing. if that is you, then you need to ask yourself why.

- Is the job that you are doing going against your core values. Say for example that you enjoy health and fitness - but you work for a company that sells food stuffs that you know are contributing to the world's fattening waist lines. Or you are an environmentalist but you work for a chemical company and you're not sure that the burn off from the residue is causing damage to the ozone layer. Consider looking at what you know to be your core values and then look to see if the reason you are procrastinating is because the two are not in alignment.

- YOu like to be helpful. Well - don't we all. But you will gain more respect if you say no - politely. If you are always behind in your own tasks because other people are unable to manage their own time effectively and expect you to help them out. Explain that you don't have the time to help today as your own project is due.

- Similarly if people always look to you to provide the solution to their issues, then it is time to turn it around. "OK so that's the problem, what would you do to fix it?" You are not a director of problems, or a director of solutions, you are a manager of your own time and a leader to those you work with. If you are the person taking the problems to someone else, then you too should consider working out some of the potential solutions also. "This is the problem as I see it. Now these might not be all the solutions, but these are the ones I think are the ones that best fix it...." That takes away the problem you may encounter with regards to ego's....yours and theirs. Neither of you have to defend your position, which leaves the way open to find the best solution.

Finally for today, reassess your priorities. What is the number 1 thing on your list of things that you know you have to do today. What can you do in the next five minutes to get started on that particular project, or moving that project on a bit further?

Remember, we will be judged by not what we start, but on what we achieve. All you have to remember is that you don't have to finish it all today. If the task seems too big, then break it down - paint one wall. Write one page. Make one telephone call. Pay one bill. Walk 1km. Tomorrow you can do the same again, and sooner rather than later, you will have achieved many things - one step at a time.
 
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Work on one area at a time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/25/2007 10:37:57 AM ----- BODY:

Like a grain of sand slipping through the hour glass, our moment by moment focus should be on one thing at any one time.

Now I will give a caveat, there are some people who can do one thing with their bodies and one thing with their minds at the same time - namely, you can knit a jumper and read a book (don't believe me - i've got a photo to prove it), watch the tv and do the ironing, listen to your kids and wash the dishes, read a magazine and ride your exercise bike, you can listen to self-help tapes and paint a wall, you can walk and meditate. All of which are good to do, but

But in most cases, we need to be able to concentrate on those single minute decisions that we make. But chances are also good that as we know we should be thinking and focussing on one area at a time, we are usually thinking (or worrying) about something else.

Do I write that proposal or do I allow my mind to wander down to that email screen that's just popped up (hint turn off the email when you're working);
Do I work steadily for half an hour on a project that I need to work on, or do I sit here and wonder why my partner hasn't called / the woman in the next cubicle is always trying to take credit for my work / whether I have enough money in the bank to pay my bills...or whatever it happens to be that crosses your mind.

This is where your goal list comes in handy. This is also where you need to write down all those things that you are thinking about. Get them down on paper, get rid of them out of your current mind set and then decide whether you can do anything about them NOW, or whether you really should focus on what you know you can and should be doing. And save those other things for when you can focus on them properly.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The difference between outstanding and mediocre STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/26/2007 12:02:55 PM ----- BODY:

believe it or not comes down to a couple of minor points:

1. Your attitude towards yourself and
2. How much effort are you willing to put in.

That's it.

Of course those two points have a million and two points all sitting under each one.

For example under point 1 - attitude encompasses everything from how you dress, to how you speak, act, think, what you eat, drink, watch on television, listen to on the radio, how you interact with other people, and how you react to other people who you come into contact with.

under point 2 - effort means asking yourself are you doing everything you can to keep yourself fit and healthy or did you cut your exercise session down by a couple of minutes? how about the amount of revision you've done today? work on your books, goals, projects, are you willing to spend time practising your skills or are you going to have another night off?

As with everything - the choices are always yours.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Improvement STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/02/2007 07:39:49 AM ----- BODY:

Consider - if you make a 1% improvement on today's performance, over yesterday's performance, and continue to do just 1% more each and every day - by the end of 1 week you will have increased your performance by 7%.

And if you continue with the practice of doing something new / something different / something that moves you forward by just 1% - by the end of the month you will have improved yourself by an amazing 30%.  

If that is too hard to comprehend - I can't make a 30% improvement in one month, go back to the thought that you can make a 1% improvement today over yesterday.

What does 1% look like for you? Well we all have our own versions of life, and how much we do each and every day. But I can gurantee that there will be places where you know you can make some changes. It may be that you will drink 3 glasses of water over your normal 2. You know you should drink 8, but by adding a single glass of water to your total, by the end of a week you will be drinking 8 glasses of water every day without any trouble.

Or you want to run a marathon. Well adding half a kilometre to your run ever time you train means you will eventually be able to run the entire 48 kilometres  at some point in the future (depending on your level of fitness to start with of course depends on how long this will take you). But if I had asked you to go and run 48 kilometres tomorrow, you'd probably have heart failure at the thought.

Or instead of writing one page of your book you decide to write one and a half today, tomorrow you will write 2 pages. Over the course of a few days and weeks you will improve yourself and your output by a huge amount.

Of course like all things, it takes time and discipline to undertake this kind of progress....but you can if you want to, and know what you want to achieve.

How can you make a 1% improvement today over yesterday?

   
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
   
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
   
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Where do you keep your good ideas? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/03/2007 03:57:12 AM ----- BODY:

Do you have scraps of paper littering your desks, notebooks or notes on the computer? Or do you rely on your memory?

Writing down your good ideas is essential. It helps to cement those thoughts and you can then make a judgement call as to whether those good ideas are worth pursuing or not. Now it doesn't have to be words on a page, it could be a sketch of something you want to create, a torn off piece of magazine that you've glued onto card. What does need to happen though is that you need to put those thoughts, those ideas, those scraps of paper where you can refer to them on a regular basis.

And believe it or not, your memory - on it's own is not the best place for it.

I know I have said in the past, you need to see something in your minds eye in order to bring that "thing" to existence. But we have so much crammed into our minds, it can be difficult getting past the gatekeeper ego, the task list and the guilt to actually develop those ideas beyond something more than a flickering image.

Writing it down, and then going back over those things on a regular basis gives your non-conscious mind something to focus on whilst your conscious side is busy handling all the routine stuff that you need to do.

So get in the habit of carrying a note book, or using some form of note taking facility on your computer - but it has got to be something that you will refer back to and refer back to it often.

I have several places I put things. I have a box sitting on my desk for pictures, images and things that I would like to have or own. I also have a what I call a 'day book'. This goes with me everywhere and contains notes, thoughts, book ideas, quotes and lines from poetry. It's also the place that I have my to-do lists - "Remember to buy the ceiling paint, and a masonry drill bit". "Move money to the savings account" "Write to Rachel" (it was her birthday btw)

along with my medium range goals that I want to achieve.

Turn spare room into sewing room.
Acquire a sofa bed and tailors dummy.
I was also going to purchase a proper sewing table, but when I mentioned it to someone, they offered me one they hadn't used in 5 years....sometimes you just have to voice the need and yes, sometimes you will receive it.

Then I use the computer - especially for work related projects / ideas. As you know I use Yahoo for my mail. It's free and I can use it from anywhere - but rather than clogging up the inbox, I use the save as draft feature, which allows me to make a note of what I needed to do, once it is written down and saved I know I don't have to worry about forgetting to do something.

Once written down you are more than likely going to achieve whatever it is you are wanting to do. By the way - if you have win the lottery sitting at number one on the list - add, buy lottery ticket as the second item, and fetch lottery ticket as the third....
fourth - keep fingers crossed.

Write it down, reflect, write some details, reflect some more, work out the steps you need to take / do. It's amazing what you can get done, when you know what it is you want to achieve.
   
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
   
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
   
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Sit down - your resistance is futile STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/02/2007 10:20:22 AM ----- BODY:

"There's a secret that real writers know that wannabe writers don't and the secret is this: it's not the writing part that's hard. What's hard is sitting down to write." So said Steven Pressfield in "The War of Art"

Such a simple statement that literally took my breath away when i read it.

Why do we resist so hard to do those things that we say that we want to do, know we should do? Why are we making excuses as to why we cannot put in the minutes, the hours or the days that we need to start our projects, let along finish them? Why what is so hard?

One of the many reasons and I don't claim to know all of the answers - just some of them - is this:

We really don't want whatever it is we say we want.

Ok, before the arguments start - answer me this - why do you keep making excuses as to why you haven't worked on your projects, dreams and goals today if it's that important to you? Surely you would make time - if it was THAT important to you?

I've been called many things in my life "miss goody two shoes" for doing all that I do - that from a person who has failed to complete anything in their entire life and then blames the surroundings, the family, the government and anyone else they can think of as to why they couldn't work on their goal today. Me - I sit down and write - and those days that I don't....well those are the days that my inner critic is whispering in my ear telling me that I am no good at what i do. And when the little sprite is doing that, I know that it has won. So today I poked him in the eye with my pen....

We are capable of doing some amazing things - if only we sit down long enough to do them.

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Abdelbagi Alimam EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 76.25.175.193 URL: DATE: 10/03/2007 03:47:15 AM Hi Elli.

I love all what you say, that is why I am here. I dont have somthing specific to say other than just confirming that we humans are created in a way that we are the real superiors, everything else is created in this earth to make life easy for us.In other wards, evreything else is subordinate to our abilities. We can do anything if we just sit and do the work.That is what make difference between rich and poor, fortunate and the unfortunate.

Thanks.. Elle.
Sorry for my spelling mistakes; English is my second language. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Bite your tongue STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/03/2007 12:16:23 PM ----- BODY:

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
        -- Mother Teresa

-----------------------------------------

Words are powerful, they have the ability to empower ourselves and others, and they have the ability to destroy.

So as you go about your day, consider that the words you speak will have a lasting impact on those around you. Now the question is - if a person meets you for the first time today - how would you be remembered?

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Exercising self-control STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/06/2007 08:34:47 AM ----- BODY:

Today's edition of the daily dose can be found at http://www.motivateme.info/motivate-me-to-exercise/a-new-start-exercise-thinly-disguised-as-torture.html

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Lazy thoughts make lazy bodies STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/07/2007 11:16:45 AM ----- BODY:

and lazy bodies don't do anything very much do they. They make excuses rather than do the work.
They blame the fact that they are tired when they're really just bored and can't be bothered.

Habits are our lazy buttons. It means we don't have to think, not if we do the same things in the same way at the same time every day.

Sure we know we are fooling ourselves, but the answer is why? Why do we become lazy? The answer will take some working out because it is different for everyone. Everyone has their own set of lazy buttons.

So this week will be a tough one for you because I need you to find some quiet time and I want you to name your lazy buttons. Write them down in a personal journal, where no one but you will see it. Name them, because you can't begin to deal with an issue unless you put a name to it.
That's why alcoholics anonymous works - it makes you say what you are.....
I wonder if weight watchers do the same - hello my name is....and i'm a foodaholic.

Ok, so once you begin to name your lazy buttons - i then want you to work out what the benefits of that lazy button behaviour is.

Lets take the example of over eating - you know that you are going to have to work harder at the gym if you eat that cheeseburger with the large helping of fries at lunch time, but you eat it anyway. The immediate pay off is of course, hunger satisfied and it probably tasted damn good too. But what of the deeper payoffs? If you carry a bit of excess weight around - what are your benefits for doing so?

1. I don't have money for new clothes (stop eating take away and put the money to one side, shop in op shop stores)
2. All my family are "big-boned" /It's genetic why should I be any different - (really? what on both sides of the family?)
3. People won't like me if I change - ahh - now we are getting somewhere!!
4. Well I was out one night and I felt really good about who i was and what i was wearing and then someone said something really horrible about my size and I decided that if they were right, well it didn't matter what I ate or wore anymore. I mean who am I to think I could be pretty/good looking.
5. I hate doing exercise, to be skinny you have to eat lettuce and do a million push ups, and I've never been any good at running or team sports.

Once you have found your real payoffs (ie., what are your lazy buttons stopping you from achieving) you can start to determine whether or not you are willing to maintain your behaviours or whether it is time to change those lazy buttons for some different ones.
(MMM1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: It's never too late STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/04/2007 08:15:39 AM ----- BODY:

It's never too late to:

- start work on your project
- to learn something new
- to eat well today
- control your spending
- write a poem
- clean one room of your house
- save money
- say you're sorry
- meditate
- exercise

in fact it's never too late to do anything. Because once you have made up your mind, now is the right time to get started on whatever it is you have chosen to spend your precious time on.

You may think that you only have 10 minutes to go before you finish work, or 10 minutes before you need to leave the house. But those 10 minutes can be the most productive minutes of your day - if you want them to be.

Don't waste your life thinking that it's too late to start something, because it's never too late.


  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: How do you spend your time? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/06/2007 06:08:18 AM ----- BODY:

What books are you reading at the moment?
What television programmes do you watch?
What was the last movie you went to see?
When you go to the video store - what movies do you rent?
How much time do you spend surfing the internet?
How much time do you spend talking to your friends? Family members?
How much time in comparison do you spend working on your goals?

Life is about balance. If you spend all your "spare" time on what could be deemed to be frivolous activities, you wont have any time or energy left over for those things that you say are important to you.  

Of course it depends what you are reading and / or watching to determine whether these are indeed frivolous activities - only you can answer that one. All I am asking you to do is keep a wary eye on how you spend your spare time. And ask - is this the best use of the time that i have right now. Or could I be doing something else?

With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Monomaniac's on a mission STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/11/2007 10:52:13 AM ----- BODY:

Peter Drucker once wrote, “Wherever you find something getting done, you find a monomaniac with a mission.” You know that singleminded concentration on a goal or objective is absolutely necessary if you want to achieve most things in a timely manner.

What are you so passionate about that you will forget to eat, look at the clock and focus solely on that single task until it's completed?

Go on there must be something? Anything?

What do you stay up all night working on because you just want to see it finished? What do you wake up, diving straight out of bed and into the shower to do?
What excites you? What makes you smile and rub your hands with glee when you think about "it"?

It's that kind of passion we are talking about. That kind of excitement that we need to translate into our working days and our projects so that we can reap the rewards and the benefits of a job well done.

And if you are struggling today to get started, then it is important that you look beyond the task and work out the benefits and the payoffs you will receive. Until natural momentum takes over, sometimes we need an outside influence to get us going. So post them on a wall where you can see them. Then when you need motivation to continue just check the benefits and payoffs board. And if that doesn't motivate you - well something tells me nothing will.

 

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Be still and listen STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/07/2007 01:45:14 AM ----- BODY:

In our hectic, ever connected worlds it can be hard to find peace and quiet to connect to the one thing that really matters - us.

Why should I make such a bold statement, am I saying that we should be totally indulgent in our own needs over the needs of everyone else?

Actually no.

You see if we are forever running around, answering the demands placed on us by work, family, friends, obligations and commitments, we will never be able to find that inner place that we need to find, if we are to find our creative voice.

And we do need to find that inner place that makes us - US. That is the place where we write the best poetry, or paint a wall, or plant a rose garden. Where we can be the person we need to be, so we can handle the demands of everything and everyone else.

When was the last time you sat so still and actually listened to what was going on around you? But let me state at this point, i don't mean you could hear the music on the radio (in the background), the kids typing on MSN, the kids from next door or the cats running around like maniacs, I mean those times when you could actually hear yourself "think".

Some may call it centering, others still may call it meditation, personally i call it grounding. It's actually better if you can sit or lie on the ground to do this, but anywhere outdoors is best. Where you can lean against a tree, feel the sun warm your face or the wind rifle it's fingers through your hair. Your mobile phone is off for a change, and you are safe and secure in your own world. It may only be for a few minutes, but if you're anything like me it will take a little while to actually switch off the jumble of thoughts running through your mind. But don't panic if you can't stop them running around like a child high on sugar. As with all things it takes time and practice, but it is so vitally important that you do take the time to ground yourself.

Go to your special place and spend some time, see how much more refreshed you are after some quiet time. See how much more you can actually achieve. Given enough time practising the art of sitting still and doing nothing, you will then be able to create some of your best work. I can almost guarantee it.
 
 
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Procrastination is like fat - cannot be spot reduced STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/13/2007 06:13:27 AM ----- BODY:

A comment from a new subscriber made me think. The person asked me specifically to help with motivation at work. Fantastic I thought, now there is an honest person. I know a few of you have also asked for help in specific areas with regards to procrastination and motivation, so today I thought I would spend some time on the specifics of what makes us procrastinate and how we can translate that into motivation.

First of all, I can almost guarantee that if you procrastinate in one area of your life, you will find it easier to procrastinate in other areas too. You may think that is a load of bunkum, but having spent a good portion of my life researching my own life and what makes me tick at some times and not at others I can tell you that I am not alone. If you are slack in one area, it will translate into others.

Today is Saturday, I could have gotten up at 6, which is my normal body clock time, but I suffer from insomnia and that has translated into many sleepless nights this week, so I decided to lie in for a little while. But by 8 o'clock I had my day laid out and it was time to get up. One of the first items on my mental to-do list was exercise. As you know I have a new programme and I needed to work out some of the more embarrassing moves, there's this one exercise I am supposed to do, well no matter how many times Andy tried to explain it to me, it was only by making a complete idiot of myself in the comfort of my own home that  I was able to work it out. (By the way it involved running with both hands against a wall, high knees and the other leg out to the back - as in a lunge at the same time....) I finally got it, when I realised it was a skip at a running pace.

Then it was change and straight into the car and off to do the weekly grocery shopping, followed by putting it away and then straight into the garden for 3 hours of weed pulling.

I have to confess I don't enjoy any of those three exercises whilst I am doing them, but I know that if I put them off it just makes it worse, so I get up and get on with it.

And that is one of the keys to overcoming the procrastination habit

1. Work out your day
2. Get up and start work on them immediately
3. Don't stop until you have at least one completed task off your list. Today I have all my morning tasks sorted. I need to eat now BTW but that will be next.

So why is procrastination like fat? Well fat is stubborn, if you have the same problem that I do - as in too much body fat, then you will know it is absolutely impossible to do a million sit ups and expect your body to give you a 6-pack if you continue to drink a 6-pack every night, or do nothing to burn off the amount of overall fat that you have in your body. And so it is with motivation at work or any other area. If you struggle to get going in a morning, then you're hardly likely to enjoy getting to work and doing the work. Then when you get home you might whinge a little while about how bad your day has been and instead of being filled with joy at the thought of spending the evening working on your other items on your task list (BTW short term tasks should eventually lead to your long term goal accomplishment) you will relive all the bad moments and you will go over every hateful thing that everyone has ever said to you, and what you said to them.

OK, a tip, if your job is that bad - find another one. Some people aren't willing to change. You are, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this. But before you chuck your job in, do me a favour - when you go back to work on Monday, go back with the thought that today you are going to have a good day, no matter what. Another tip, pretend that tomorrow is your last day at work and you need to get some stuff done. You'd be amazed at how much more you get done as a result.

OK, that's it for today. You can't just work on one area at a time without it impacting on everyothing else, and so it is with procrastination.

To join in the discussion go here.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: It's character building STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/14/2007 02:53:27 AM ----- BODY:

"Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tones the spirit just as exercise conditions the body"
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Sometimes after a very hard and stressful day at work it can be easy to climb into the car and head home rather than going to the gym. But I know that if I can get beyond the fact that I am mentally tired and drained, and "make" myself go and exercise I reap the benefits in more ways than one.

The first of course is that my body is changing shape. Yes I know that round is a shape, but I would prefer you to consider that toned looks better!!
The second benefit is that the exercise helps to bleed off the stress that has ground me down. Not only does the endorphin rush reward me for a job well done, but I can pat myself on the back and reward myself with the fact that procrastination hasn't won.

Mental toughness and strength needs to be cultivated just like any other character trait. And those character traits are those things that determine whether we will put in the miles on the bike, or the pavement. It means that we will sit down and write the 2 pages or whatever we have determined is out word output to get the novel finished. You see it is easy to do a little less than you know you should, it takes a great deal of strength to do more than you were supposed to do.

Going just that little bit further, that little bit harder may mean the difference between a promotion or not. Or whether you make the amount of sales calls that you know you should make. It means that you don't take rejection personally, but that person was not the right prospect for whatever you had to sell to them. It means that you are willing to acknowledge that what may have worked for you in the past, may not be working for you now and be willing to do certain things in a different way to see if you can make a difference to the way your life turns out.

As we mentioned yesterday, everything impacts on everything else that we do or don't do. Once you begin to do just that little bit more, and begin to see the changes - be it in your shape, the numbers on the scale, or the amount of prospects that become clients. Then you will want to pick up the momentum and do more, but until those changes start to happen it comes down to your character traits. Do you have what it takes to stick in there until natural momentum takes over? Of course you do. You are an amazing person - and you should tell yourself so, on a very regular basis. No-one has your skills and abilities - except you.

So remember as you go about your weekly tasks, make time for exercise, even if you don't want to do it. The benefits are enormous, but the payoffs in other areas are astronomical.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Use your imagination STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/08/2007 04:29:07 AM ----- BODY:

Imagination is a wonderful thing. We actually use it all the time, in a myriad of different ways. This relates indirectly to your thought processes. But is entirely different, if you stop and think about it...

I know irony.

Imagination allows you to see a 5c coin and know that it is much, much more than a simple 5c coin.

For example, it can be used as a screwdriver,
stuck on a frame with a few others to make a decrative edging to a picture
it can be sewn into the lining of a curtain as a curtain weight
or discarded as worthless

When we begin to use our imaginations properly, we begin to see things in ways that we had never contemplated before.

A pen is only a pen if you need something with which to write.
You may consider that your current job / life boring, but consider that it is only boring because you haven't learned the art of seeing what you haven't noticed before.

Do you remember being a child? Do you remember playing? Do you remember building cubby houses out of sheets and blankets in the middle of the dining room. Do you remember lying in this cubby house and pretending that you lived in a mansion in a special location, where you had everything that you wanted or needed?

Well that's what your imagination is, and can still do for you if you want to play. Why should play be important? Well why not, it formed part of our lives as were growing up didn't it? Some of the older generation who surrounded us, kept telling us to "grow up" - personally i think those two words are the worst ones to use with children. We created our worlds, and nothing was impossible as children. We knew what we wanted and we did what we needed to do to achieve it. That's why imagination is so important.

Our thoughts form part of our imagination, they are not the be all and end all of our imagination. Our imagination is the bit that remembers being small and enjoyed the process of playing.

If you followed yesterday's advice on being still, today I want you to be the complete opposite, and I need you to play. It could be as simple as building a house out of cards, or getting the scrabble board out when you get home. Or you can use your imagination and find something to play. Now remember I am not talking about "adult" age games. But playing on the swings, flying a kite, nicking your kids bike or roller blades and making a complete fool out of yourself. Life is not meant to be 24/7 drudgery. Life - as far as I am aware is a one shot deal. So why shouldn't we have a ball whilst we are here.

You may be wondering why this is important in breaking the procrastination habit....

Well it's important for many reasons, not least of which, doing something completely out of the ordinary, out of character, out of order, starts to break the habits that surround us. We are creatures of habits, we are worse creatures of bad habits. Get out the finger paints that form part of your creative imagination and have some fun. Because if you are having fun, you won't be bored, you won't procrastinate about starting, in fact you will hate to stop, you will be having so much fun.
 
 
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: You are unique STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/13/2007 05:49:11 AM ----- BODY:

No-one is exactly the same as you. You are unique, just like everyone else. You have your own set of unique talents, so my question to you today - is why aren't you using them?

What is stopping you?

Surely, after all we've spoken about you are not afraid to show those unique skills and abilities that you have to the world? If you are - then consider this - someone you don't know may need a person with your skills and abilities. Would you deny that person a chance to meet you, to "use" your skills and abilities so they can grow and be better than they currently are?
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to my website, http://www.motivateme.info

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  Please note all back issues of this newsletter are available from - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive/

All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

(MMM1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Rubbish in, rubbish out STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/17/2007 12:59:38 PM ----- BODY:

Someone once said that the average CEO reads an average of 5 books a month. And I looked at that statistic, and then thought - wow - is that all? I must read on average the equivalent of 4 - 5 books a week. Reports, news stories, research papers, and yes - books as well. Now I am not telling you this to impress you. Just that it isn't hard to read the equivalent of a couple of books a week. What is hard is taking what you've read and translating those words into action within your own life.

If you want to get more out of life, you need to look at what you are filling your life with.

Now is a good time to take an inventory of what stimulus you put into your mind. What are you reading? What are you listening to? Who are you spending time with? What do you watch on the television or listen to in the car on the way to work? Everything impacts on everything else. Fill your mind with horror news stories and you will be feeling stressed all day - almost guaranteed, and most of the time you won't know why you feel stressed, but it comes from the things you feed your mind with.

Just as you know you shouldn't feed your body a steady stream of junk food, so you shouldn't feed your mind with the same. Not if you want a healthy mind that is.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Feelings, emotions and understanding STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/11/2007 09:57:23 AM ----- BODY:

The way we feel at any particular point in time can literally make or break a situation.

You know you have to make a dozen phone calls today, but you're really not in the mood. You drank too much last night, your head feels like it's going to drop off, and to cap it off you had a row with your other half. You might be able to sound all right. You might be able to make the client think that the product you are selling is the best thing since bread came sliced. But because your emotions are not in alignment with what you say you want (in this case, to make a sale or two) then you won't actually sell anything.

What happens then is that the constant client rejection "gets to you" and you start to "feel" worse. But you persevere. You have a quota of calls that you need to make, and you will make them. Unfortunately by the end of the day, the clients can tell you are in a bad mood. The facade that everything was fine, is cracking - badly. The clients to whom you already have a relationship can also tell - you're just not the same today as you have been in the past.

The words you use in your emails also reflect your moods, and your utter despair. Is it any wonder why nothing appears to be working today.

But is it just a case of think positive thoughts and positive things will begin to happen. Actually no. It's not quite as simple as that. You see, you can think positive thoughts all you like, but if your emotions and moods are not in the same place as your thoughts, the discord means that nothing will appear to be working.

So how do you bring your emotions into alignment with your thoughts? Well to be honest I haven't mastered the art of this one entirely myself. But there are some things that may work, some of the time.

Change your environment - by that I mean. Switch off the electric lights and light a couple of candles. OK, this may not be practicle for the work environment, but you can do it at home. Take the harsh glare out of your eyes and they will start to relax.
Turn off the phones, or if you can't turn them off for whatever reason - turn them down. You don't need to be startled every time the darn thing rings. NOTHING is that important you need to pick it up on the first half a ring.
Try switching from one cup of caffeinated beverage to a non-caffeinated version. Camomile tea has a natural relaxant in it and may help, when it gets too stressful.
70% or greater cocoa chocolate - you can only eat a little bit, but break a bit off and stick it into the roof of your mouth and let the chocolate dissolve. It gives an instant hit of the "feel good" factor. And you don't need to eat half a pound of calories to get the effect.
Change tack completely. Go for a walk. Listen to some music whilst you are working.

Then when you start to relax you can then ask yourself why your thoughts are not matching your emotions.

If you have discord it usually means that you don't believe in whatever positive thoughts you are having.
Your experience has told you that you have got to be joking, nothing has ever worked for you before.

So narrow it down, what don't you believe about your current thought statements that you are having.

Once you have done that, try changing the words that you are repeating to yourself in whatever mantra you have chosen. I am thin, I am rich, I am 6 feet tall and ..... to some that you do actually believe. I am becoming thinner and healthier. The better food choices are really making a difference. I am saving more money. My discretionary spending is getting better. I am 5 feet 8 inches tall and look great in heels.....

If you can't turn the words around, then you need to take one further step. I need you to remember a time when you achieved something. It could be something small like - learning how to walk when you were a child (did I say small !!) or learning how to read, the time when you sold your biggest order of oojahs to the dude in woop woop, the time when you walked down the street and someone smiled at you. Those kinds of days when everything was in alignment. Remember them and then write them down.

Once you get your emotions and your thoughts working together, you will begin to remember how good it felt when it happened, and you will automatically begin to make better things happen.

  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.


 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Down the corridor of life STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/22/2007 12:11:40 PM ----- BODY:

There are as many techniques to beat the procrastination habit as there are days in a year. Not convinced? Well a simple search of the internet and an online book store such as Amazon will prove my point. If you can’t be bothered to look then you will just have to take my word for it.

But why are there so many?

Every person on this planet we call earth is different. We are all unique – just like everyone else. We think, speak, react, and solve problems differently. We respond to stimuli in a multitude of ways – usually very differently.

So rather than blindly following the suggestions of one person (including me), it is time to have another look at the term “self-help”. Self-help means understanding what you did to overcome your own set of problems. By all means take the suggestions offered by people who have been there and done that, after all why re-invent the wheel when you can just go and buy one at the store. But use what works and discard what doesn’t. Do not attempt to fit their solution to your problems - blindly, without questioning. “Self-help” should be that, a way to overcome your own problems, and to do that you need to devise your own set of rules by which you live your life, not follow someone else’s.
Look at it this way, the reason why the techniques described by someone have worked for them is because it is their plan, and the method they have chosen to overcome a certain obstacle in their lives. And more importantly, they wanted it to work. They believed in it, they lived it, they modified it, and believe it or not they are still making changes to their own plan.

Do you remember going to school? Of course you do. Do you remember how as you “grew up” you had to move classes, learn new things, make new friends, and change schools? You outgrew those teaching methods, the chairs, and even the people you were friends with at the time.

As you make changes to your life, you will need to learn new skills. It is no good reading the Saturday paper and then deciding that you don’t need to read the news ever again, because nothing is going to change over the coming weeks. Of course things are going to change, and so it is with our own “self-help” strategies. It is important to challenge your thinking, and the way you look at things. You will need to rethink your strategies, and plan your goals for the next few months and years based on the knowledge you have now and the knowledge that you know you will have to have or achieve in order to reach them.

So how do you design a new life?

Change is not easy. It is far simpler to do the same thing today as you did yesterday. It is easier to do enough just to get by, to not challenge your day, your thinking.

Are you happy in your habits? Are they like a comfortable pair of slippers you wear and are afraid to throw away? Or are you not unhappy enough to change any of them? Do they serve your current needs and requirements?

The good thing about some habits is you don’t have to think too deeply about them. It allows us to listen to the radio whilst we are driving. Or iron our clothes whilst watching the television. We run on auto pilot, and only jolt ourselves when we hit a patch of turbulence. But we know that things will even themselves out again and we will be able to get back to coasting through our lives.

Imagine that every day you are given a blank canvas on which to work. Now are you going to be the kind of person who hauls out the same canvas day after day, re-painting the same lines? Re-painting the same picture.

Can you imagine getting to the end of your life and having to walk down a corridor with your daily paintings hanging on the walls? How scary would it be to see the same thing? Row upon row of the same picture, an endless stream of monotony, interspersed occasionally with the odd picture that stands out, a day that was “special” in some way.

You pause for a moment, to reflect on what made the day special, but then as you return to the walk down the corridor the paintings return to the same themes again and again. You stop and try to go back to that picture you saw earlier, but it’s no longer there. You have to keep walking, past picture after picture of drudgery.

Now imagine what it would be like to walk down a corridor where the walls are lined with vibrancy. You would walk quickly towards the next one, to see what new and exciting things you had done. You would smile, you would frown, and you would remember the happy times, the sad times, and the days of pure bliss. Each day the painting is filled with something different.

What would your paintings look like? 

And you can start to make a difference by doing one new thing a day, it's like trying a different kind of food, or wearing a colour you've never tried before. Change doesn't have to be massive, but it can be achieved one small change a day at a time. 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Appreciate the small things STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/23/2007 10:30:48 AM ----- BODY:

If you constantly overlook the little things, will you notice the big things even if you run full tilt into them? And more importantly will you truly appreciate them if you have forgotten how to appreciate those smaller things that fill our days.

What do I mean? Well in this ever increasing fast paced world in which we live, we can forget to say thank you, we can forget to smile, we can forget to reach out to another person who needs a hug. We are so focussed on where we want to go and what WE want to do that we forget that sometimes the flowers have been waiting for us all day to stop and admire them.

Can you imagine getting to the end of your journey - and say - hey I'm ready to smell the roses now, C'mon, where are you? And you look around and discover that in your rush and haste, you trampled those roses on the way....how would you feel?

Those flowers are the important things, the friends you never made time for, the phone calls you never made, the letters you never wrote, the books you never read, the sunsets you never got around to watching. You were so focussed on your "goal" achievement, that you forgot life was really about living whilst you achieved those other things you said you wanted. Yes it is important to set goals, it is even more important to achieve them. But the most important aspect of life is actually living today. Not drowning in the sorrow of yesterday, or living an imaginary future - but here, now, today. Do all that you can today, and that means taking time out to appreciate the little things in life, because it would be sad to get to the point where you reach your goal and have nothing and no-one to share it with - don't you think?

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: David EMAIL: IP: 59.100.180.165 URL: DATE: 10/23/2007 01:27:10 PM Take a large Jam Jar, some large stones, some small pebbles, some sand, some water and a pinch of salt.
If you put everything in but the large stones you don't get them in.
NOW the stones are the big bits, the important parts of your life. You decide which bits are important or not. SO the flowers may be a stone, goals may be a pebble.Appreciation of flowers may become a goal.Only you can decide. If you want something in your life get it in before it is pushed out by the pebbles sand and water - oh yes and the pinch of salt - you can only get that out when all the water has evaporated then who cares.
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: From A to B or here to nowhere STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/24/2007 09:49:49 AM ----- BODY:
Setting a goal and achieving it or not comes down to a few simple things as you know by now, but to use a bad travelling analogy - getting to your goal is determined by:
1. How well you plan the route in advance
2. How much time and effort you are going to put into the journey
You see if you knew that achieving your goal was as simple as marking out two points on a map, then deciding which road you want to take, well assuming that you follow your directions, you will get there. It is up to you whether you choose the scenic route, the side roads or the highway.
None of the ways is wrong, just different. The difference being, the amount of time and effort you have to expend.
Now imagine that you wanted to achieve a goal, but you didn't know where to start from or where the end point was going to be, you wouldn't know which road to take, nor how long you were going to be going on your journey would you?
In reality most people's goal setting is like the second scenario. Well I sorta kinda would like so and so, you know one day.
With that kind of self talk in goal setting is it any wonder you have no idea what your goal is, let alone how many days/weeks/months you are going to have to spend in order to get there. Is it any wonder most people drift off to other vague plans, wishy washy dreams and anything else that takes their fancy.
Consider that if you had a definite plan, you could still take those detours and side roads to check out the cool stuff on the way, but you still know the end point and you would have no problem getting back into your journey. But those people who are wandering through the hedgerows of life, simply scratch their heads, pick a direction and ....
I'm sure you get my point.
Set goals, set end points, and be prepared to check out the cool stuff on the way that we forgot to plan in advance and you have the basis for achieving any goal in life.
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: If not now - when? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/13/2007 05:50:07 AM ----- BODY:

What are you waiting for exactly?

Are you waiting for the right time?
An invitation from the universe to begin?
Approval from your family, friends and work colleagues?
Are you waiting for the kids to leave home, so you can travel?
To eat the food in the fridge before going on the diet, to buy new gym gear before you exercise, the moon to be in the right quadrant before.....

I'm sure you get the point.

There is no other time than now. Yes you need to plan the days and weeks ahead, but you still need to do something other than plan. You still need to do.

You see if you fall into the habit of saying - i'll do it tomorrow, you are giving yourself permission to procrastinate, to delay, to put off, to not start it at all....well I was going to start it today, but you know how it is, something else cropped up and ....

do me a favour, if you are not prepared to do something today, towards those things that you say you want to do, be or achieve, then you cannot want those things badly enough. Only when you want something badly enough will you do whatever you need to. And if you don't want something badly enough, well it's obviously not that important to you.

With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Consistency is they key STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/14/2007 09:52:08 AM ----- BODY:

You cannot treat one person in one way and someone else in a different way if you want to stay in business very long.

Why? After all you know and like Joe, he's always done business with you. You can have a laugh and joke with Joe, so you remember to give Joe a bit of a discount whenever he places an order.

But that Fred, well he's a different kettle of fish. Always busy, always in a hurry, never gives you the time of day. So you don't give Fred the discount, even though Fred has done business with you for as long as you can remember.

The problem with this kind of behaviour isn't the fact that you are playing favourites, even though you are. It is the fact that Fred knows just about as many people as Joe. In fact Fred told Joe all about you, you just didn't know that he had.

So what happens when someone speaks to Joe and he tells them what a great guy you are, always gives you a discount. That person - who also happens to know Fred, mentions it to him next time he sees him and what happens then? Well your name is mud. Fred decides to take his business elsewhere, one that is closer to home. He'd always used your company even though it was out of his way to do so.

Breaking the procrastination habit can be as simple as being consistent with your actions, and doing whatever it is you do extremely well. Without fail. You see, you never know who you are going to meet, or just as importantly who is observing you and your actions from afar. Nor do you know who will be recommending you and your services, or not as the case may be.

So before you treat customers differently, take the personality issue out of the equation and start treating everyone in the way that you would like to be treated, and you will automatically start to improve - not only your output, but your day also. You see if you only have nice things to say about your customers and clients, it will tell in your manners, the words that you speak and the actions that you take. Go on you know I'm right.
  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Television - Inspiration for life? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/30/2007 03:47:39 AM ----- BODY:

You can turn off the TV set but you can't turn off television's influence."
Dennis Waitley
 
Who are your role models?
Who do you turn to for inspiration, advice, and the mental food that keeps you alive with vibrant creativity?
 
Are you struggling to answer those two questions?
 
Every day we are bombarded with so many different stimuli, each competing for our time, energy, patience and in some cases money. Is it any wonder it is hard to feel inspired, hard to keep the creative juices flowing that may ultimately see us find the solution to our many problems?
 
But if you are always filling your mind with "problems" then you will find it hard to find a solution within the chaos that is your mind. Now you may turn around and say that you don't deliberately set out to fill your mind with problems. And I'm not saying that you do. But you may be feeding your mind in a non-conscious way, through watching the millions of television programmes that cover murder and mayhem that is reported and filmed in our societies. So, today all i would ask is that you limit your television watching for a little while and see if that makes a difference to the way that you feel.
 
And where do you find people you admire? Well there are lots of free books on the Internet that you can read and download. Go to the links page on http://www.motivateme.info/links and you will find a couple of resources that you may not have heard of. You may not be able to meet some of these people in person, but you can read their stories, their thoughts and their solutions.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Consistency and persistency STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/16/2007 08:49:49 AM ----- BODY:

A couple of days ago we spoke about the importance of treating customers with respect and in the same consistent manner.

Today I would like to speak to you about consistency with your other actions.

Consistency that says, I will eat well today. I know I ate well yesterday, and the day before that. But I also know that if I fail to eat well today, then tomorrow I might be tempted to eat that bar of chocolate or drink that extra glass of wine even though I don't need it. I know that if I am consistent with my eating habits I will gradually lose the excess kilos and re-gain my youthful figure.

Consistency means that you will exercise 3 or 4 times a week.

Where persistency kicks in, is where you really don't want to exercise today. You don't want to, you don't feel up to it. You can't be bothered. Persisting past the boredom, persisting past the repetition, persisting past those times when you just want to go home and eat your way through the entire house.

Being consistant means doing what you say when you say you are going to do it, every time, without fail. 

Don't compromise on your integrity with inactivity.

With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.


 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Start your day with the right kind of food STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/31/2007 11:40:22 AM ----- BODY:

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love”
Marcus Aurelius

It is so very important to start your day off with the right attitude. Most people think breakfast is the best thing you can do for yourself in the morning. Personally I think that deciding you are going to have a good day does far more for you than a piece of toast and a bit of jam.

Because once you decide that you are indeed going to have a good day, very little gets in the way of those feelings. So as you wake tomorrow and organise the food for your body, don't forget to feed your mind with positives too.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: writers write, painters paint STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/01/2007 03:43:37 AM ----- BODY:

It sounds like a statement of the blindingly obvious doesn't it. But humour me just for a minute.

I am a technical writer by day, and I write "other" things when I get the chance. But I would always, always class myself as a writer first, trainer and educator second. Of course when my children were little, I was "mother" first, second and everything else came in at last place. But they're growing now and need my input a lot less.

So how do i actually fill my days?

Well if I am working at work (and sometimes I do work from home) then my day is mapped out into a series of projects and goals. Website to look after, a technical manual to edit, a range of newsletters to produce, training courses to market. The list is endless and never boring.

But when I actually get time to write my own things, what happens? Well other things tend to get in the way. Sometimes it's important, like picking up the kids, supervising homework, dishes, feeding the creatures and the kids, exercising and occassionally I get to sleep too. And what of my writing? Well that comes a very poor second in most cases. I consider myself to be a writer, yet I spend most of MY time not writing.

As you may have gathered by now, I am working on me, just as much as you are working on you. Life is always happening, changing and we need to adapt and change otherwise we will look up and find that everyone has moved on and we've been left behind.

But my questions for you today, are:

1. If you had to use one or two words to describe who you really are, what would they be?

2. And are you actually fulfilling that description of yourself?


Because if you are not fulfilling that part that is YOU, you will always have conflict in your life.

So, who are you really and are you living that life properly?

And once you have worked those questions out, then you need to decide are you willing to sacrifice the real you for one that you don't really want to be? As always food for thought.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The only competition you should have is with yourself STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/21/2007 03:48:54 AM ----- BODY:

"The purpose of life is not to win. The purpose of life is to grow and share. When you look back on all that you have done in life, you will get more satisfaction from the pleasure you have brought into other people's lives that you will from the times that you outdid and defeated them."
Rabbi Harold Kushner

If you consider that your life is one of learning, growth and development, you will never be stuck. Never stuck for an idea, never stuck for an opportunity, never stuck for a chance to be better today than you were yesterday. You will never be stuck going round and round doing the same things and getting the same results. That's what everyone else does, not you.

So my thoughts and questions for you today - What did you do last week that will make a difference to the way your life turns out this?

What books did you read? What programmes / movies did you watch? What seminars / concerts / events did you go to? Who did you meet? What did you talk about? What work did you manage to complete? Did you find time to exercise your body as well as your mind? What did you give to other people as a result of the answers to those questions?

By that I don't mean - money or gifts, although it can mean exactly that. But I consider the gift of listening, the gift of attention, the gift of sharing an idea to be just as important, if not more important than something you can hold in your hand.

You see, the people that you interact with - be it face-to-face, over the telephone, via MSN or Email to be a wonderful way to pass on snippets of useful information to other people. You may have come across a fantastic new business and you know that your friends and colleagues would benefit from knowing about them. Do you keep that information to yourself, so no-one else discovers that wonderful quiet place where you can spend a spare half an hour? Well I would hope not, because if they relied on people like you for their new business they wouldn't be in business for very long.

Be known as a person who has valuable information to share, and no I don't mean you charge for it. And whilst we are on the subject of knowledge and information - I don't consider the sharing of tabloid gossip to fall into that category either.

Do not learn for the sake of learning. Learn because you take a genuine interest in your personal growth and development. You see, once you have decided that you will become better than you were last week, other people will see the changes you are making and will want to know what you are doing. And those who are ready to move on to the next level, will see and they will follow your lead.
 
Remember, life is not meant to be a competition with other people. You have some amazing gifts and insights to offer other people. So why not share some of them.
  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
  
  If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!
 
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.
 
All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

  To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
  
  Elle
  Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Do it properly STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/28/2007 08:35:19 AM ----- BODY:

What do I mean by properly?

Well with the right kind of enthusiasm and in the best way possible. Don't attempt to cut corners, you'll only end up taking longer than you first thought.

For example: Getting to the gym and then only doing half the prescribed number of repetitions, or only walking at a slow pace on the treadmill. You know - the sauntering kind of walk you see most people do. If you've ever tried to burn fat - you know that you need to work at about 80% of capacity for 20-30 minutes at least 3 x per week.

Or only making half the number of phone calls you need to make, so that when you get in to work the following day you have twice the number of calls to make and even less enthusiasm in order to do them.

So - do all that you can, in the best way that you can and you will achieve far more than those who just show up. I mean, who are you trying to kid after all?
  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
   
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Play time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/04/2007 02:32:31 AM ----- BODY:

Drudgery, boredom, every day looking like the last, and no hope of anything different in the future.

Amazing isn't it, when we were children, everything was one big adventure. We could be whoever we wanted to be, and we played our various roles to the hilt. Doctors, Policemen, Pilot, Train Driver, Nurses, Cowboys, Indians, Adventurer, Pirate, Teacher - we had fun and lots of it. We didn't want to go to bed at night, and couldn't wait to get up in the morning. We rolled out of bed ready to get stuck into another day of excitement.

So what happened between then and now?

Well as i have mentioned in many editions in the past, life happened, responsibilities, commitments, well meaning adults happened. Grow up, do as you you're told, don't do that - you'll.....

Can you imagine how different your life would be if your well meaning adult influences actually played the games with you? Encouraged you to play and enjoyed in the delight of being whatever you wanted to be?

Encouraged you to believe in yourself and your dreams?

Encouraged you to go for the not so safe option when choosing your career.

Well, believe it or not, it is still possible to do all those things - just think of yourself as one very big kid, with a taste for adventure. Remember nothing is determined until you decide. Everything is possible and you will begin to have the time of your life.

And isn't that what life should be like?

As it has been said by many other people - life is not a dress rehearsal - as far as we know, we have one shot at this thing called life. So what exactly are you waiting for?

Permission?

Well you have it, now go for it. I hope you have the best day.

With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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MMM1 MMO1


 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: How are you today? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/06/2007 10:48:24 AM ----- BODY:

Finding the right tone of voice

Whenever anyone asks you how you are, from now on your answer will always be in a positive way. Fine, wonderful, good, fabulous - "I'm good thank you, how are you?"

The reason is simple, saying things in a positive manner will make you feel better, more "up", more positive about yourself and your circumstances. And when you feel better about yourself, you will feel more able to do more, be more and enjoy yourself more. So - how are you feeling today?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't just share the bad times STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/07/2007 12:42:58 PM ----- BODY:

It's amazing isn't it, we find it so easy to whinge and go on when all is not well in our worlds. We expect our "friends" to put up with the fact that we have had a "bad" day, and go on and on and on and on about small, insignifanct happenings in our daily lives.

Have you got friends who do the same to you? How do you feel after their marathon whingeathon? Up and ready to get stuck into the many projects or ready to dive into a bottle of something to deaden the pain?

Imagine if you could a room full of people who were new prospects and all they could hear was your "bad" day? How much business is going to come your way do you think? Not much I would hazard a guess. Well life is like that, we never know who will be talking about us and to whom. So why not get them to talk positively about you?

Do me a favour, today I would like you to only speak about the good things that have happened to you today. No room for bad comments today please. And if your friends try and turn it around, politely ask them what about the good things that happened today.

If you have a group of upbeat friends and acquaintances you are more likely to want to spend time with them, and they with you, so why not share the good times rather than the bad.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: You are one step away from success STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/08/2007 09:22:48 AM ----- BODY:

That one step can be as simple as choosing fruit over chocolate, or exercise over sitting on the couch watching endless re-runs of some television show.

And that is what is so exciting about life. No matter how badly we have stuffed up to date, we have been given another 24 hours today to spend any way that we choose.

Imagine that. We stuffed up yesterday, but today we've been given another chance to do better things, make better choices, be a better partner, husband, wife, mother, father, friend, work colleague, leader. Today we can choose to sit down and get our goal lists out of the drawer and evaluate what it is we REALLY want to achieve from today and the rest of our lives. Now I don't know about you, but I have no idea how many more of those 24 hours I may have left.

I like to think i'm psychic but I'm not that good at predicting how many more days I have to my personal "dead - line". All I know is that today I have a chance to move my projects forward by 24 hours, minus a couple of hours for sleeping, resting and recuperating of course. Given that you have a whole 24 hours ahead of you to do what YOU want, what would you really be doing?

And why are you not doing it?

=================================================

“Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleled success. A Whole clear, glorious life lies before you." Andrew Carnegie =================================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Some simple job philosophy STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/05/2007 01:37:51 AM ----- BODY:

If you don’t have a job, then you should consider that looking for and finding a job IS your job, until you find a position.

But if you are half hearted in your attempt to find work – I’ll apply for that position tomorrow, I’ll re-vamp my CV later, then you will only get halfhearted results.  They say that you only get back what you are willing to put in.  Well I have to disagree with whoever “they” are to a certain extent, yes you get back what you put in, but I do think the “universe” definitely rewards those who take the time and the trouble to give – be it time, money, kind, knowledge. 

And the reward is usually far greater than you would reasonably expect to receive.  Some people say it is the three-fold law of three, some say it is karma.  Whatever your philosophy or belief happens to be; all you have to remember is that which you focus on is what you will receive. If you are focussing on daytime TV and books and movies that do little other than entertain, then you will not attract the job you want, the lifestyle that you want, the people that you want to be around.

As Zig Ziglar says “What comes out of your mouth is determined by what goes into your mind.”  If you fill your mind with positive belief that you will get the job of your dreams, but do not do the studying you need to get the qualifications required, or you spend time in the coffee shop with your friends rather than on your job application, then I have to say that you are deluding yourself.  Yes, you have to have positive belief in yourself, that is important.  But you must also back up that positive belief with positive action.

What are you going to do today to get the job that you want, and the career that you deserve? Who do you need to talk to? Where do you need to go, who do you need to see? If you are serious about your career and learning everything that you can possibly learn, then networking is just as important as the last job interview that you went on, possibly more so. 

Unfortunately there are some people who think that they have “made it” when they get their first professional position, and sit back and relax and put their feet up on the new desk, and assume that the promotions and pay rises are assured.

Like we have just said, what you put in, will come back to you. So working on your job and your career is just as important as getting a job in the first place.

There should be no room for complacency in your professional life.
 
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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(MMW1)

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Success STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/09/2007 10:22:03 AM ----- BODY:

Success comes in many shapes and forms. But the best successes are the ones we don't think we will achieve....

which is why I thought I would share the following with you

DSCF1073a.jpg

 

The photograph was taken outside Cino's, King St in Perth

With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Dealing with adversity STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/11/2007 04:20:32 AM ----- BODY:

I have noticed over the last couple of days, that my messages are taking quite a while to reach me....yes I send these messages to myself so that I can monitor whether you are receiving yours or not. In talking to my partner he happened to mention that one of the biggest spam attacks was under way and the subject line - which has always started in the same way - may be causing a few problems. So a couple of things. Could you please ensure that you add [email protected] to your white list. And the daily dose of motivational medicine email subject header lead in will forever be known as The DDOMM.

Thanks and regards
Elle

Now onto today's edition

Dealing with adversity:
How you handle adversity is one of the keys to overcoming the procrastination habit. If you cannot get up after a failure, and start the process of change again, you are going to be telling yourself that you are a victim. A victim of change, of circumstances, things like that always happen to me, it's not fair.

No it's not - get over it. Adversity happens to the best of us, it's how you handle it that matters. I am now into my third week of tonsillitis. Energy is at an all time low, but I get up every day and I start the process all over again. Certainly for the first couple of days when the doctor told me to go home, go to bed and give my body a chance to heal, I did exactly that. But then I made sure that I got up and worked as normal. I was told it could take a couple of weeks for my body to deal with the underlying infection (BTW did you know your tonsils are your first line of defence? me neither) - now I could have waited for a couple of weeks before starting again, but I didn't. Now you may not think that tonsillitis could be classed as adversity, but for someone who is as fit as I am, and constantly on the go, it is a BIG deal to have to deal with. I don't do illness.

And therein lies the second key, what you may find difficult - someone else would have no problem with at all, and vice versa. So one thing to remember, you do not have to do it alone. There are many people who have been there and done that before you, so why not take advantage of the fact. Of course you may not like the advice you've been given. But if that advice has worked in the past for someone else, then it stands to reason that it should (if followed properly) work for you too.

Deal with what you can deal with today. Do all that you can do today and the tomorrows will take care of themselves. Of course it also helps to have some long term plans in place so that you know where you are supposed to be heading, but you can only focus on one decision at a time. And whilst I think I can multi-task with the best of them, in reality all I am doing is making a series of very fast decisions and allowing those decisions to manifest whilst I am making others.

So how do you handle adversity?

Today's blog entry is available - would you be tempted to hang up your wheels?

================================

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
Dolly Parton

================================


With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.
-------------------------------------------------------

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Take a leap of faith STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/10/2007 02:05:35 PM ----- BODY:

"Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision."
Peter Drucker

They made the decision that they were going to live their dreams. They knew what they wanted to achieve and nothing and no-one was going to get in their way. Yes they probably had their share of doubt when things didn't go quite as planned, because in most cases we are reliant on other people to help us out. And sometimes we can choose the wrong people to help us.

By that I mean - say for example you need some stationery printing. You know what you want, but unless you own a printing press that will create
professional print material, and you also happen to be a damn good graphic designer, you are going to be reliant on the company you choose to help you. The problem is of course, they work to their own schedule and not yours. They too have their agenda's and problems - just like you.

So it can take nerves of steel and a great deal of negotiation and patience to get your business up and running. The difference between the ones who make it and the ones who falter at the first sign that the printer is not going to deliver on his/her promises -
and when that happens, sometimes we may be tempted to say - this is just not going to work, so I might as well give up now....are the ones who don't. They are the ones who say - I can only do what I can do, I can persuade other people to do their bit to the best of their ability but I shall only worry about my own part of the task. And if I've chosen the wrong printer, well I shall go and find another one.

Successful people look to themselves and decide whether or not they are willing to take a leap of faith. And when they have made those decisions, they jump in with both feet.

Are you willing to take a leap of faith, and believe in the beauty of your dreams?


With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need
to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
 
(MMW1)

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Indecision STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/13/2007 09:40:00 AM ----- BODY:

Don't be afraid of making a decision. Whether it is the right one or the wrong one, at least you are moving forwards.  By the way indecision is just another word for procrastination, you don't know which way to go, so you don't do anything.

What did they use to say "I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure"

OK it is a bad joke, but for most procrastinators the world over, the decision to make a decision or not can weigh very heavily, causing untold stress. So a tip - if you know what your goals are, and have worked out the strategies for starting the process, you will know what you should be doing. If you don't know what your goals are, then you are going to have to find some time to work them out. How do you know what your goals should be? Well that's up to you - but one of the best ways to work it out is - decide what you want and write it down. And yes it can be as simple as that. Start with that simple questions - what do you want to do, be, achieve, visit, see, who do you want to meet, what size do you want to be, how many sales do you want to make, what suburb do you want to live in. Get involved in the process - after all this is your life, so you should be making some major decisions as to how you would like it to turn out.

================================
“Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by traffic from both sides” Margaret Thatcher
================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Does your plan lack focus? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/12/2007 12:48:05 PM ----- BODY:

If you find yourself constantly distracted by other things (we call  this the magpie tendency), then your plan lacks focus.

Imagine that you need to use reading glasses, and you forget to put  them on, so you have to squint. What you think you are looking at - may be
what you think you need to work on, and to focus on, but - without  your reading glasses, you really can't be sure.

What happens then is quite interesting. Because you can't "see" what  you are supposed to be looking at, and working on, you will tend to get
distracted by other things.

Goals are like that. Because most of the time we cannot "see" what we  are supposed to be working on. Because we don't have our "glasses" on to
give us focus, we get distracted.

So how do you put your metaphorical glasses on?

Well you need to go back to the reasons "why" you want something. Once  you know "why" you will be able to focus. And once you can "see" it,
you know you can achieve it.

With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the  procrastination habit.
-------------------------------------------------------
MMM1

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Networking = listening with an open mind STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/13/2007 04:57:51 AM ----- BODY:

I was fortunate to go to a breakfast seminar this morning - Dr Stephen Lundin was presenting "CATS: The Nine Lives of Innovation" for the first time in Australia.

It was good for many reasons:

Someone else cooked breakfast !! always a good reason to go somwhere isn't it, when you don't have to do the preparation or the clearing up afterwards. It means you can focus on things other than whether there will be enough eggs to go round, or whether there will be enough coffee and croissants.

The speaker was able to impart his knowledge, and his experience in an intersting way to a wide variety of people. Whilst I'd heard some of the examples he'd used before, because he could relate those examples in a slightly different way, meant there were some "ah-ha" moments. "I hadn't thought of it in those terms before."

And so did the people who sat with us on our breakfast table.

Everyone has something to offer you - if you are willing to listen and absorb the messages and lessons on offer. Remember it is very hard to be half-open minded.

  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
(MMW1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: How badly do you want it? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/17/2007 07:06:40 AM ----- BODY:

What would you walk over hot coals for? What could you NOT live without?

When you have worked out the answers to those two questions, then you have the basis for setting and achieving your goals. If your answers are vague, guess what, so will the results be. Get specific, but determine your desire, because one without the other will mean that you will fail.

================================
 “Determination, patience and courage are the only things needed to improve any situation. And, if you want a situation changed badly enough, you will find these three things.” Anon
================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Drifting along or paddling? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/14/2007 06:53:01 AM ----- BODY:

Today is the last day of the working week. I know you know that. But my question for you as you head into the weekend is this:

Have you drifted along, going with the tides of life, trying to avoid and negotiate the whirlpools and the rocks as they appear. Or did you plan your journey on the river of life, so that you could negotiate the bends and rapids with east?

As you will have gathered by now, I am great believer in planning the day / week / weekend as much as I possibly can. I know what needs to be done, by when and roughly how long it is going to take me to achieve each item. That gives me the framework around which the rest of the unexpected hiccups can be placed.

Which means I don't drift through each day, get to the other end, tired and have no idea why or what i have achieved as a result of expending energy for approximately 16 waking hours.

Now that doesn't mean I plan to the nth degree, because I love doing the outrageous, spur of the moment things. But because I have planned most of my day / week / weekend it does allow me to know whether I can have a couple of hours to go and visit a museum, or write a chapter of my novel. Without the kind of planning to structure my day I would feel guilty about doing those sorts of things otherwise.

Some would call it work/life balance. Some would call it common sense. I don't care what you call it. It just makes sense to do it.

If you want to get more out of every day, then surely it makes sense to have some kind of plan.

But once you have set your plan, ask yourself - is this the best use of my time? Will these tasks I have set for myself take me towards my ultimate goal(s) or not? And if your day is filled with mundane, boring, routine, then I do have to ask - are you serious about this goal achievement thing or not. Because if you are, then you also need to factor in some time to work on those things that you say are important to you.

Do the important stuff first. And I consider eating well, getting enough sleep, spending time with the family, good grooming and exercise all to be essential not just important.

Why? Well when i "feel" good i am able to do more. So please remember to factor in those kinds of things that make you feel good into your plan too.  
 
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-------------------------------------------------------
MMM1

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Go outside STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/16/2007 07:01:44 AM ----- BODY:

Work/Life balance is more than going home without taking work with you at night or on the weekend. Work/Life balance, means taking regular breaks away from our "seat of operations" as well.

If you are anything like me, you spend a lot of time on your butt in front of a computer. Working in artificial light, breathing in recycled, artificial air. Eating when the clock says it must be time, rather than when our body's actually need food. Go on you know I'm right.

So what does taking a break away from your "seat of operations" actually mean?

Well, if you are concentrating hard on something, you can almost guarantee that you forget to blink. So do me a favour, look away from this just for a minute and blink - rapidly. Your eyes need moisture, and the moisture comes from the blinking, it distributes the "tears" over the eyeball stopping them from getting sore. The body is amazing isn't it?

Now, you've stopped reading this, hmmm - I'll wait a second -

OK - now I need you to go and drink a glass of water. I don't care if you have a bottle of water on your desk, I would like you to get up and get a drink of water, and drink it - in the kitchen. Rinse the glass and then come back.

Why? A couple of reasons, few if any of us actually drink enough water during the day. What you should do is set your computer to remind you once an hour to go and get a drink of water. Not tea or coffee - but water. The second reason is that if you've sat at your computer for a while, chances are going to be good that you are going to be stiff. It's also interesting to note that if you don't regularly move the legs you stand more chance of getting deep vein thrombosis - which if you didn't know - can kill you. So two good reasons to get up.

The next thing I would like you to consider is this - what do you do during your lunch break? Apart from eat that is?

Why not do something a little radical - if you can, go outside and eat your lunch away from the office desk. Breath some "proper" air. Or if you are fortunate to work in the city, choose a placce you haven't been to before and go and visit. It could be a bookshop, a fabric store, an art gallery or a museum. Spend a little while, just allowing your brain to recharge. Be a devil, leave your mobile phone in the office, or switch it to silent. Few things are that important you cannot have half an hour to yourself once in a while.

Then when you get back to the office, you will be much more awake, and will get more done than if you had sat at your desk, eaten your sandwich and thought about a snooze.

OK, you can go back to work now. Speak soon,


With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.
-------------------------------------------------------
  MMW1

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Work life balance STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/21/2007 09:41:29 AM ----- BODY:
Work / Life balance is relatively simple.
When you are supposed to be working - work.
When you are supposed to be resting - then stop working, turn off your mind and rest (I know easier said than done)
When it is time to play - make sure you do so.
Don't blur the lines between these activities. Plan your days to ensure that you have a good mixture of all three and you will be on the road to having an excellent work / life balance.
How you plan your days is entirely up to you, but you can do some simple things. For instance, leave your office / place of work during your lunch break and go for a walk. Eat your lunch in the park or visit a place you haven't been to in a while. If you work in a city, you have museums and art gallery's, bookshops and woolstores to fill your creative mind with, so why not use them.
Load up your mp3 player with whatever talking / motivational type books you have and use the walking time as your personal university. You can also use travelling time to and from places if you spend a lot of time on the road. Personally I find a mixture of music and e-books to be a good combination during my driving to and from the office. The drive home is a good time for music - a chance to turn off the brain....with the drive down a chance to fire up the brain so that when I get to work I am wide awake and full of great ideas.
And try not to eat very late at night. The body will spend the time processing the extra food it doesn't need, giving you a restless night, and nicely padded fat cells.
As always, these are merely suggestions, whilst they have worked for me, I do not advocate a one-size fits no-one strategy, besides I'm hoping you will have some good ones you can share with your fellow readers. To join in the discussion - go here

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"Live every day as though it's your last. One day you'll get it right!" Zig Ziglar
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: To change you must ACT STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/17/2007 07:32:31 AM ----- BODY:

You can plan and think all you like, but unless you take ACTION, you will never and I do mean NEVER achieve all those things that you have written down.

One action, no matter how small can be the catalyst you need.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: solving your problems one at a time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/24/2007 07:24:13 AM ----- BODY:

If you have a series of serious problems or issues to face and feel completely overwhelmed by the thought of having to deal with any of them, let alone all of them, then you should just remember one thing. You can handle it - you have the skills you need to deal with whatever you need to deal with. You may not think you do, which is one of the reasons why you feel stuck and overwhelmed. But consider this - most of what you worry over are created inside your head - by that personal computer you have ticking away - namely your brain. How many of the worst case scenarios ever came to pass? Few if any I would hazard a guess.

So if we have all the skills we need, and that includes knowing when to give the "problem" to someone else. For instance, I won't touch electricity, gas or water - so will offload my "problems" to those with the skills I don't have, to do the jobs they are capable of doing. I give the problem to an appropriate person and simply ensure the job gets done. And it is the same with most other issues - If you don't feel you have the necessary skills, then find someone who has and there you have it - "sorted". Why worry about trying to do everything when someone else can do it in less time with less hassle? You don't have to be a super person to be successful. In fact if you look at all the successful people, you will find they have perfected the art of finding people who are good at what they do, and allow them to do what they are good at. Sounds simple doesn't it - and it is.

Personally i feel that problems and issues we don't want to face allow us to wallow. Sometimes in self-pity, but mainly behind - worry. If we worry about something (usually something completely out of our control) we don't have time, space or energy to focus on what we should be doing - and that is moving forwards. Of course you could disagree with me and that is entirely up to you. But knowing what I know about my own life and observing those people I know - well I'd have to say I think I'm right.

Remember - It doesn't matter what your problems are - someone, somewhere will have the answers for you. Money worries - banks and financial planners can help you. Legal problems - well that's what lawyers and solicitors are for. Weight problems - dieticians, weight loss clinics and personal trainers. Health issues - doctors, nurses, specialists, surgeons are all there to help you.

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"First ask yourself, is this my problem? If it isn't, leave it alone. If it is my problem, can I tackle it now? If your problem could be settled by an expert in some field, go quickly to him and take his advice." Dr Austen Riggs
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Sowing the seeds for your future STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/25/2007 09:39:30 PM ----- BODY:

Every new day is a joy, a chance to be better today than we were yesterday. Every day we have the chance to make a difference to many people's lives. But the sad part is, most of the time all you see is people wanting to know "What's in it for me". If I do this for you, what will I get in return? The truth of the matter is - the people who live their lives with that kind of outlook on life have missed the point. The point is - that the more you do, the more you give, the more you get back in return. Of course it may not come from the same source - but it does come back in some shape or form.

We usually call these people "lucky" well it isn't luck or being in the right place at the right time. They have planted the seed, nurtured it with a daily dose of kindness and gathered in the results. Virtually every religion in the world speaks of this kind of spiritual planting. "As you sow, so shall you reap." "What ye sends forth, comes back to ye". Today you also have a chance to sow good, bad or indifferently. Everything has it's own rewards, now do you want those "rewards" to be good, bad or indifferent? Only you can decide.

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When goals go, meaning goes. When meaning goes, purpose goes. When purpose goes, life goes dead in our hands." Carl Jung
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Give yourself credit STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/24/2007 01:07:13 PM ----- BODY:

You have achieved so much already, isn't it time you gave yourself the credit you actually deserve?

I would like you to do 4 simple things today (and every day for that matter):

1. stop comparing yourself to others. You have your own sets of goals, dreams and disciplines. Make them work for you.
2. If you fall down in some way, remember you have the next moment to pick yourself up and start again. You don't have to wait until tomorrow or next week. Now is always the best time.
3. Remember why you wanted something. The biggest drivers we have are our own WHY's. Remember the WHY and you will re-discover your motivation.
4. Write down all the things you've achieved today - getting up on time, eating a healthy breakfast, starting work on time, getting to work safely, doing your homework, exercising or whatever it happens to be, and tomorrow i would like you to add to your list - it doesn't have to be anywhere "special" just somewhere you will see it and use it.

Why is this important?

When you focus on what you have done, you will want to do more. When you remember the good things, you will be less likely to dwell on the bad. When you focus on doing more and achieving more, you will do so far more easily than if you sighed and told yourself that you've "got" to do something.

(MMM1)

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Set your sights high STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/27/2007 09:51:40 AM ----- BODY:

If you associate with people who challenge your thinking you will begin to raise your own standards. Conversely the opposite also true.

If you want to get more out of life, you need to set goals that will also make you raise your standards. The bigger the goal, the more you are going to have to change so that you can achieve them. The reason why BIG goals are important is quite simple. Why would you want to set a goal that doesn't inspire you to get out of bed in a morning. I mean what would the point be. I need to find another job so that I can pay these bills. An admirable sentiment, but not very inspiring. A better goal would be - I want to find THE most efficient way I can help as many people as I can, and in doing so be rewarded. How I do that is up to me, but it will involve taking the skills and abilities I have now, and applying them to my current life. Learning new skills and abilities and adding them to my current knowledge base, and as I learn and grow I will have more opportunities and chances to help more people.

So set some big goals, after all you are here for the duration, so why not make it an interesting journey.

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"Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish" Michelangelo
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Sometimes you have to do more than just talk about it STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/27/2007 10:50:41 AM ----- BODY:

Over the last couple of days we have been running a 2 day course. Day 1 theory. Day 2 - get your hands dirty, put the theory into practice.

Day 2 the group was split into two. Group 1 - allocated tasks, leaders, managers and do-ers, and they got on with it. Group 2 - wanted to set up a sub-committee to discuss the various issues with regards to room size, number of people required to do the job, what additional resources were needed etc etc.

Outcome - Group 2 - did not put the theory into practice. Group 1 did, and Group 1 got the job done.

And isn't that the same for most people, especially groups of workers, teams, families. There is lots of talk about doing "stuff" but little in the way of turning that hot air into something substantial.

Are you guilty of talking too much and doing as little as possible? Well sometimes in order to achieve something you really do have to roll up your sleeves and get on with it. What can you do today to "get the job done?"

MMO1

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/01/2007 05:31:02 AM ----- BODY:

I've noticed over the last couple of days that all Yahoo email addresses are bouncing back to me saying messages deferred. If you could make sure [email protected] is in your contact/white list that would be great thank you.

So how are you today? I hope this finds you well and looking forward to another productive day. Yes I know it's the weekend, but those can be the days when you achieve the most. Do you know why? Well the days when you are not at work, or at school are the days when you do what you really want to do.....at least some of the time. My weekend so far has consisted of running around doing the grocery shopping, cleaning and washing - all necessary things. But I shall be taking some time off tomorrow to do some "me" things.

So as you go about today and tomorrow can you do me a favour and make a mental (or written) note of what you enjoyed doing. Because therein lies the key to breaking the procrastination habit. If you can leverage what you enjoy doing as a job that will pay you money, you will never again have to "work" at being at work.

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"Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else." J M Barrie (Scottish Novelist)
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Innovation is the space between work and play STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/30/2007 10:13:01 AM ----- BODY:

When you are struggling to find a solution to a problem, the more you sit and chew the end of your pencil, willing your brain to come up with the answer, the less likely you are to find one answer, let alone the dozen or so that you need.

Innovation, creativity and inspiration rarely comes when you brain is filled with the day-to-day detrius of working and living. And those rare moment we allow ourselves to "play" you can guarantee the answers will still elude you - because your mind knows you are "pretending" to relax.

A good case in point - I walked "the bridges" yesterday morning. (Pics are at the gallery if you want to see).

I needed some brain down time. My Mp3 player needed charging so I didn't have the abstract noise to allow me to tune out of the blah, blah of the other walkers and bike nasties that littered the pavement. Dodging speeding bikes, avoiding the dogs is hardly conducive to a relaxing walk...so I upped the pace and used is as pure cardio instead.

It was only after the endorphin rush kicked in, after my brain decided that "it" was sufficiently calm did it consent to offer up some thoughts on projects that I've got on the go.

Mental clutter is rife, when was the last time you gave yourself space to think? sat and relaxed under a tree or watched the waves crash on a deserted beach. Living so close to the Indian Ocean I was able to do both yesterday. The first time in a very long time I've not turned on my computer, or wrote in my notebook. But the sounds, the smells, the images were imprinting themselves on my non-conscious thought processes. Which is when this came to me - of course, if we fill our daily existence with "Stuff" how are we supposed to find that creative spark that comes with living a rich life?

So my challenge for you this week is this - in your schedule I would like you to find time to work, play - but the final key is to truly relax. And yes i know it may seem like an impossibility - I've got two teenage children, work full time, write this in my "spare" time and do a million other things, so I do understand how hard it can be. And this week I shall be practising what I preach. So the computer is going off as soon as I've sent you this message. Speak soon.

Elle

Let your fellow readers know how you "relax" - start the discussion here.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: James EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 58.165.50.41 URL: DATE: 09/30/2007 11:59:49 AM Ok so i am a virgin poster.... but this topic struck a nerve with me. I have a growing business with HUGE potential, and i could easilly fall into the trap of trying to unleash its potential.

But..... I also have 2 kids that need some time from their dad. I live in a seperated existence from their mum so the time i make for my kids is extra important.

So I do...and i admit it is hard some time!... Take the kids bike riding or do a proposal that might earn me $X 000 ???? hard choice huh?

But when my boys come and say to me "Dad, that bike ride was sick!" or " Dad you ride like a girl"..... i guess it sort of justifies my choice?

i'm a DDOMM junkie, i read most of L's posts several times.... some i agree with and some i dont... but this one was important enough for me to comment.

We all have lists and priorities... someone can write or say something that can make you reassess your list or priority.

Thanks L for making me realise that I am making some right choices.

James ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: jennie EMAIL: IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: DATE: 10/02/2007 06:40:55 AM Hi, i'm also a regular reader of the daily dose - and i have to agree, that sometimes Elle (L?) gets it bang on, and other times she is way off the bat...but maybe that's just where I am on my onw personal learning curve. Anyway just wanted to say that this is one of the best free resources for motivation - value on a daily basis.

Oh - and i do agree that sometimes it can be hard to switch off especially after a hard day - and yes i know we all have our own versions of what makes a "hard day", I've also notivced that some days I can relax by walking, other times by listening to something, but the best thing i've found is humour. It's hard to think when you're laughiing. Cheers jen ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Does success follow hard work? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/04/2007 09:35:40 AM ----- BODY:

Well it depends on your definition of success. I have to confess that sometimes it can and sometimes it can't. It depends what you are working on. If you are busy doing nothing in particular then it could be argued, success will struggle to find its way through the mess of "stuff". But if you know what you want, and are spending some time every day working on those dreams and goals, then I do feel that success is guaranteed.

If you feel that you are not being as successful as you should be, then it is time to re-evaluate what you are doing. If you are spending 5 minutes working on your goals, and 2 hours watching the television, something tells me your priorities are a little wrong.

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"The only place where success comes before work is a dictionary" Vidal Sassoon
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Turn a sour puss into a cheshire cat STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/08/2007 12:21:34 PM ----- BODY:

What good things happened to you today?

I know I can be incredibly nosy, but I do have your best interests at heart - really.

You see, that simple question is one that I often pose to people (especially my kids) after they have whinged for a little while about how bad their day has been.

Forcing them to look for something good stops the whingeing in the tracks.

They stop, they usually smile a bit and then they tell me just how good their day has actually been. Which is interesting in itself don't you think. That it is far easier to whinge and complain than it is to focus on the good things that have happened. We think we might get more in the way of sympathy if we tell everyone just how miserable we are because of "so and so" did "so and so" to us. Err not in my book. I'd sooner see you smile and be animated and happy about what you've been up to. Focussing on the negative just makes me depressed, even if it's you that's "down"

So a couple of suggestions:

If you are feeling a little down - ask yourself the question - what good things have happened to me today, and focus on those rather than the negative chatter that tends to fill our lives.

And if you are interacting with other people and they are the ones who tend to be the sour puss in boots, then ask them the same question, and see the change.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Finding a job is your job if you don't have one STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/06/2007 10:01:52 AM ----- BODY:

If you don’t have a job, remember that looking for and finding a job IS your job. If you are half hearted in your attempt to find work – I’ll apply for that position tomorrow, I’ll re-vamp my CV later, then you will get halfhearted results. They say that you only get back what you are willing to put in. Well I have to disagree with whoever “they” are. I think the “universe” definitely rewards those who take the time and the trouble to give – be it time, money, kind, knowledge. The reward is usually far greater than you would reasonably expect to receive. Some people say it is the three-fold law of three, some say it is karma. Whatever your philosophy or belief happens to be; all you have to remember is that which you focus on is what you will receive. If you are focussing on daytime TV and books and movies that do little other than entertain, then you will not attract the job you want, the lifestyle that you want, the people that you want to be around.

As Zig Ziglar says “What comes out of your mouth is determined by what goes into your mind.” If you fill your mind with positive belief that you will get the job of your dreams, but do not do the studying you need to get the qualifications required, or you spend time in the coffee shop with your friends rather than on your job application, then I have to say that you are deluding yourself. Yes, you have to have positive belief in yourself that is important. But you must also back up that positive belief with positive action.

What are you going to do today to get the job that you want, and the career that you deserve? Who do you need to talk to? Where do you need to go, who do you need to see? This month’s newsletter talks about the art of networking. If you are serious about your career and learning everything that you can possibly learn, then networking is just as important as the last job interview that you went on, possibly more so. There are some people who think that they have “made it” when they get their first professional position, and sit back and relax and put their feet up on the new desk, and assume that the promotions and pay rises are assured. Working on your job and your career is just as important as getting a job in the first place. There should be no room for complacency in your professional life.

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"Adversity introduces a man to himself" Anon
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Selling ourselves short STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/10/2007 11:54:32 AM ----- BODY:

Sales, no matter what job you do, or for whom, you are in the sales business. You may be selling a widget or an idea, but you are still selling something to someone else.

In fact, every phone call you answer and every phone call you make is an opportunity to persuade the person on the other end to do some kind of business with you. As the great sales leaders know, people will do business with those people they like and trust, and will refer people they know to them. Thanks Bob for that timely reminder (http://www.burg.com).

It was interesting, I ran a training course this morning, 75% of the people stated they came to the course because of the reputation of the company that I work for (during my daylight hours), and one person specifically stated they came because of a monthly newsletter that I issue - she said that if the newsletter was good, then the course was going to be even more so, because she "knew" and "trusted" my work.

Never underestimate the power of the words that you use, and the way that you use them. If you are feeling down, depressed, sad, happy, joyous, at peace with yourself and skills that you have, will show in the tone of your voice and the words that you choose to use.

So, given your current state of mind - would people want to "buy" whatever it is you are trying to sell? Or would they cross the street in a bid to get away from you?

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Bob EMAIL: IP: 61.69.133.161 URL: http://www.burg.com DATE: 10/10/2007 12:51:07 PM Hi Elle,

Thanks for the nice mention.

By the way, one of your recent issues is what re-motivated me to begin working out again and going back to a healthy eating lifestyle so . . . thanks!!

Bob
----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 10/11/2007 01:23:16 AM Hi Bob

Credit where it's due, I always look forward to reading your e-zines. But I am glad the words have struck a chord, and it's good to know that you are re-motivated with regards to health and exercise. I still ache after starting my new thai boxing regime !! Just don't ask me to run.

Have a great day

Elle
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Satisfied? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/13/2007 11:15:41 AM ----- BODY:

Are you "happy" with "your lot"? Or are you constantly griping about what you don't have?

The thing is - would you be happier with more stuff if you can't be happy with what you already own or have?

That may have elicited a response of "der! of course" but would you really? Or would you be off after the next shiny bauble, never stopping to appreciate just what it is you have just achieved / acquired.

Goal setting and goal achievement is like that. You need to appreciate the tiny steps each and every time you manage to complete one. Losing weight is not something that can be done by going without desert once in a blue moon, but tiny decisions we make throughout the day. Tiny decisions that say we use the stairs rather than the lift or choosing an apple over crisps and/or chocolate. Each tiny decision over time adds up to massive change. But if you resent the process - you are going to resent the outcome. And it doesn't matter if your goal is to lose weight, get fit, write a novel, build a network business or anything else we say we want.

As always something to consider as you go about your day.


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"He is richest who is content with the least" Socrates
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Impossible? No, it's a state of mind STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/12/2007 12:22:08 PM ----- BODY:

"All things are possible until they are proved impossible - even the impossible may only be so, as of now."
Pearl S Buck
American writer and missionary

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Enjoy the moment STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/18/2007 10:36:53 AM ----- BODY:

Can you look objectively at where you are, and what you are currently doing and say that you are enjoying the moment? Because you should enjoy every moment. Why? Well we have no idea how long we are going to be on this round rock we call Earth. We have no idea what lies beyond. There are lots of theories, lots of hypotheses, but we will never know who's right until we get there. By which time we can't tell anyone about "what's on the other side".

Which is a rather sobering thought when you stop and think about it. All that knowledge, all that experience, all that wealth we have accumulated over the years - and what happens to it? We have no idea? So doesn't it make sense to share what you have with other people now. And you know what happens then? well once you start to share, so more people feel comfortable in being able to share with you. But if you are like a clam, unwilling to open until "the time is right" well you may find that you've missed out big time because you weren't brave enough to open up.

So be brave enough to open up to the possibilities, brave enough to want to see, to experience, to live life as we know it to the fullest. Go on what have you got to lose?

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"There is no cure for birth and death, save to enjoy the interval" George Santayana, Spanish American Philospher and Poet
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Throwing in the towel STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/19/2007 10:42:52 AM ----- BODY:

When you play sports, do you go with the intention of throwing the game? Of deliberately losing? I would hope not, after all what would be the point of turning up, getting changed and walking onto the pitch if that was the case.

But that is how most people live their lives. Half-hearted attempts, projects started but unfinished. Heads down, ready to throw in the towel when the going gets tough.

Would you get up on Christmas morning, kids waiting to open presents that "Santa" has brought, only to find that "santa" forgot to go shopping. Again, I would hope not. The beauty about things like Christmas is that there are deadlines and consequences for not doing those things that you need to do.

The question then has to be, how do you translate those things on your to do list into workable, believable things that you can achieve?

The answer is simple, work out the reasons you need to do them, and the consequences of failing. If you don't have enough reasons, then the consequences are inconsequential. So change those clutter items into things that do mean something to YOU and you will have no problem achieving your goals.

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"Concentrate, play your game and don't be afraid to win" Amy Alcott
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Clothes maketh the man (and woman of course) STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/15/2007 11:28:14 AM ----- BODY:

I know I've asked this question before - but me being me, i'm going to ask it again.

When you woke up this morning, were you excited about the day and what was going to happen? Or were you wishing for another couple of hours sleep? I was listening to a really old song by the bangles on the weekend (just happened to come up on the radio) "Just another manic monday" and it did make me laugh - isn't that how most people live - "wish it were Sunday, Because that's my fun day."

How sad is that? That you're only allowed to have fun on one day of the week? Every day can be a fun day if you allow it to be. Sure we have our share of serious jobs that we have to do, you know policemen, firemen, the armed forces, doctors, nurses, morgue attendants - and goodness knows I couldn't do any of those jobs, but just because the job is a serious one, doesn't mean to say you can't enjoy what you do - otherwise why would you want to do it, day after day?

The more I study people, the more intrigued I get. I especially love Monday mornings, seeing people on the way to work. No-one I saw this morning had a smile on their faces, yet the day was beautiful, the sun shining, birds singing, not a cloud in the sky. Yet few people had taken the time or made the effort. Unwashed hair, creased and dirty clothes, shoes that didn't look like they'd seen a polishing brush - ever. Out of the 3 dozen or so people I saw this morning, only 2 looked like they were going to enjoy the day. One was a distinguished looking gentleman, and the other was a lady....long iron grey hair, scalp plaited. Yellow jacket and black pants. Yes she carried a bit of excess weight, but she looked very elegant, and very confident in herself and her abilities.

How about you, did you dress as if you were going to make a difference today, or did you decide "this will do, it's only work after all."
Well my question for you today, if you had to re-apply for your own job (and yes it happens regularly) would the clothes you have worn today, and the attitude that you are carrying around with you - do you more harm than good in your chances of re-gaining your job?

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 212.32.123.63 URL: DATE: 10/15/2007 04:25:02 PM Ooops! I think I just shot myself in the foot at interview! Nice post! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 10/16/2007 12:25:17 AM Thanks Chris but I hope you really didn't shoot yourself in the foot. But if the interview wasn't as good as you hoped, well at least there is a learning opportunity for you. And the good thing about WA is that there are more jobs than people at the moment tho'.

Have a great day
Elle ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Libby Tarian EMAIL: IP: 158.89.153.183 URL: DATE: 10/16/2007 12:46:16 AM Truthfully I did long for an extra 10 mins in my comfy bed - but later I picked up my camera to take to work in case there was something really special I wanted to capture.. spring flowers, cockatoos grazing, sun streaming through the olive leaves.. another beautiful day in Perth! Thanks for your daily thoughts. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 10/16/2007 11:05:05 AM Now that is something straight out of my own heart. My trusty digital camera has captured everything from rally drivers, through returning olympians and boats docked in the harbour at fremantle. If you can call The Rainbow Warrior and The QEII boats of course. Those crazy moments that we may miss if we are always in a hurry.
Thanks, Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Seasons Greetings STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/24/2007 06:32:45 AM ----- BODY:

To all the readers of the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine, I would like to extend my thanks to everyone for making the last 12 months an exceptional one. To everyone who has joined in the discussions on the many forums, thank you for taking the time to do so, it is very much appreciated.

I wish for you a festive season full of happiness and joy, of love and caring for one another and for yourself. Because you need to care of you, so your family and friends don't have to worry.

It might sound contrite when i say this, but having witnessed the aftermath of yet another traffic accident last night, you begin to realise just how fragile our lives really are. So please take care on the roads. You may be the most sensible driver on the road, just watch out for those who shouldn't be behind the wheel and are.

Merry Christmas one and all, and "may your Gods go with you" (Dave Allen)

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"Be a good human being, a warm-hearted affectionate person. That is my fundamental belief. Having a sense of caring, a feeling of compassion will bring happiness or peace of mind to oneself and automatically create a positive atmosphere."
Dalai Lama - Tibetan spiritual leader
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Back into the swing of things STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/28/2007 06:45:51 AM ----- BODY:

I hope this finds you well and enjoying the holidays / break.

Have you noticed how easy it can be to start a new program when you are not doing your "normal" day-to-day activities. But when "normal" kicks back in, how soon we forget we were supposed to be doing things differently!

That's why most New Year's Resolutions fail. We have great intentions to make a difference to ourselves and the lives we think we want to live, we manage very well with the changes, until we have to go back to work.

So a couple of tips on making those Resolutions work for you.

Take one goal at a time
Take one decision at a time relating to that goal and make the appropriate decision. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, your decision not to have christmas pudding is all well and good, but the people who make the biggest changes to their waistlines are the ones who make small decisions over a long period of time. They are also the ones who decide that in order to make the decision to eat less will also make the decision to exercise a bit more every day.

And get excited about the process. If you don't like the process of changing your lifetime habits, you are less likely to succeed than those who do enjoy the thought that each tiny decision - over time - can make a massive difference. And if you are still in doubt about that statement, how long do you think it took for the grand canyon to carve through the layers of rock?

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With time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown
Chinese saying
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: jessica g EMAIL: IP: 75.111.57.178 URL: DATE: 12/28/2007 04:12:21 PM weight loss seems to be a big one so here are my tips for maintaining a healthy weight. Easy changes that you likely won't even notice.

1. Drink more water - the sugar in juice, soda and other drinks contributes more than people realize. If you can't switch cold turkey dilute your juice. I try to drink an entire glass of water in the morning when I'm getting ready. It also has an added benefit of making your skin look great.

2. Opt for wheat or whole grain bread. Has high nutritional value and the fiber helps you feel full longer.

3. Hold the mayo. When I need to I just have dijon or spicy mustard on my sandwich or go with just a little mayo.

4. Hold the cheese (or same thing - use half what you would normally have).
5. Share. Sometimes we eat because we feel guilty about leaving it. So either share (my mom and I almost always do when we go out to eat). Or ask the waiter to box up half before they even bring it out (yay - lunch for tomorrow :)
6. Eat some sort of dairy once a day - I try for yogurt or a glass of lowfat milk. It also has an added benefit of helping your digestive system.
7. Eat an apple or other high fiber food - will help you feel full longer.
8. Snack (healthy snacks, but snack). Don't go too long between meals. A piece of string cheese or a handful of nuts or apples and peanut butter will all tide you to lunch or dinner and will help you from over eating because you waited too long.

9. Lift weights. I don't care if it is 5 lb dumb bells for 15 minutes twice a week - I guarantee you will notice a difference. Lifting weights helps your body burn calories longer. So even after you stop your body is still burning.

10. Eat breakfast. I used to be the worst (isn't that what coffee is?) but since I've eaten breakfast every day I don't have to pay as much attention and I function better. Even if it is just an english muffin with peanut butter or a bowl of cereal it will make a big difference. If you know you have a busy day - eat a little bigger breakfast - eggs and toast or a breakfast burrito. Do the same for your kids - you'll be amazed.

11. Get in some cardio - don't tell me you don't have time. I work two jobs, have two boys, play soccer and sometimes coach my kids sports. If you want to - you can find the time. Do it while you are waiting to pick one up from practice. Or get up a half hour early and do it before work. Or join a team. Most people quit because it is boring - that is why I play soccer. Fun doesn't feel like exercise and 90 minutes of hard soccer burns something like 1000 calories. Plus I make new friends. Just 20 - 30 minutes twice a week will do what you need. You may find that you like it. Added benefits - amazing outlet for stress, boosts your immune system so you are less likely to be sick and get over it more quickly than someone who doesn't do cardio.

Anyway, there is my contribution. Have a happy and healthy New Year! Stay Motivated. Thanks Elle for your e-mails. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris Sussex, UK EMAIL: IP: 90.201.240.35 URL: DATE: 12/28/2007 07:46:48 PM Thanks for the diet advice as I really need to lose some weight and Elle's message from today is very appropriate for me as I am making some major changes in my life.
Thank you and God Bless. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 12/29/2007 06:28:03 AM Thanks Jessica for the great advice. Chris you might like to check out the section on Motivate Me to Lose Weight section under MotivateMe....it has some good suggestions - well I suppose I would say that wouldn't I, as I wrote it. But it comes from a lifetime of trying and failing repeatedly, and finally working out what needs to be done.

personally I have upped the exercise component to tone the body. I've just learned how to do proper push ups and the difference it has made to the body in a short space of time is amazing. I've dropped an entire dress size, so am extremely happy.

OK time to write today's daily dose.

Keep well everyone, and thanks for taking the time to join in the discussion.

Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Watching your language STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/16/2007 10:56:27 AM ----- BODY:

I was talking to someone the other day and they said to me "you know, you talk like you write"
"How so?"
"Well you corrected yourself, when you said you didn't have time to do something."

And it was true, I had corrected myself, I said "I haven't had the time, sorry I haven't made the time to do... I chose to do something else."

The words that you speak to other people speaks volumes about yourself and what you are really doing. Are you still trying to blame other people or a lack of time for not doing what you know you should? Then it's time to correct what you are saying to yourself and others.

Speak soon
Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Carpe diem STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/01/2008 09:15:36 AM ----- BODY:
Did you party hard last night? Are you suffering the consequences today? Are you going to vow never to do THAT again?
Experience is a hard task master. Yet sometimes we can and do repeat behaviours that we know are not good for us, and the silly season is a prime example. After all, it's not called the silly season for nothing.
If you continue doing the same things in the same way it stands to reason that you WILL get the same outcome.
Well sort of.
Other things can and do make a difference and this is where "life" gets interesting.
If you choose today to make one small change to your daily routine, and continue to make one small change to your daily routine every day, over the next 12 months you will have made 366 changes to the outcomes.
So what are these changes that I am talking about? Well if you consider that every day you are faced with a million decisions that you need to make. Do you get up, do you shower and brush your teeth or do you slip on the old and dirty clothes that are littering your floor and tell yourself it doesn't matter. HINT - everything matters, and every small detail, every small decision impacts on the next set of decisions that you make. Because you decided to not shower and get dressed in clean clothes you have told yourself that it is ok to be a "slob" today. So instead of having the fresh fruit and yoghurt you had promised yourself - you opt for takeout on the way into the office instead. And because you chose your early options in a "poor" way, you may be tempted to continue the same "poor" choices throughout the day, culminating in another night filled with alcohol instead of water....
So as you start your new year, with or without headache - consider this. Take care of the details and your life will improve beyond comprehension. I can guarantee it. And why I say that is simple. If you take care of the details, you will "care" enough to continue that mindset into tackelling the bigger things....whatever they are.
With love and light
Elle

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"Carpe diem"
Horace
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Destroy the boxes STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/10/2007 01:42:58 AM ----- BODY:

What boxes are you surrounded by?

Boxes are those things that we label ourselves with. For example, wife, partner, husband, father, son, daughter, sister, brother, manager, leader, school teacher, janitor, hairdresser, sad, lonely, bored, depressed, happy.

Labels, we use them all the time in many different ways, and in most cases we are using them to define who we are - when that is not who we are at all.

The trouble with boxes is - they're comfortable. They are our zones of comfort, they form the edges that surround the periphery of our own lives, and the lives that others expect us to live.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Did you want to be an actor, an airline pilot, a school teacher. Did you want to design handbags or write several best sellers.

Did you get the support from your peers? Your parents, your teachers? Or were you expected to fall into the line designated by societal norms?

As my children are growing up, I am amazed at the opportunities that surround them. My daughter goes into year 11 next year, and has chosen psychology as one of her subjects....when I was her age, that was the realms of uni students, and way out of the scope of my schools teaching.

I have tried so many times to explain to my children, that they can be whatever they want to be when they eventually grow up. The important thing right now is to test the edges of their boxes to ensure that they don't fall into the habit of settling for whatever the teachers tell them they should be doing. Making them settle for average.

How about you? Have you settled into an average kind of lifestyle and existence? Have you considered what life would be like if you climbed out of the box you are currently in...do me a favour and climb out right now, Then I would like you to sit on it. Depending on how many labels you have, will depend how many boxes you need to climb out of, and then sit on. But unless you are willing to look at the pile of boxes that you are surrounded by, and deciding which ones you are willing to keep, then you will always be stuck in the same place, doing the same way - which means you will ALWAYS get the same result.

Which is both a good and a bad thing.

If your life is fantastic, then you have worked out what boxes you are willing to keep and which ones you are willing to destroy. It means that you are doing well at whatever you have chosen to do, and you will keep on repeating those things to ensure you do more of the good, to receive better results next time.

But if on the other hand, your life is in a bit of a mess at the moment, something tells me you are allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by your boxes. You don't know what you really want and so you sit in your box and wait for someone to throw you a lifeline. Well this is your lifeline.....are you willing to take it?

With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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  MMO1 MMM1

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: To be or not to be STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/25/2007 10:55:16 AM ----- BODY:

To be or not to be - the choice is yours.

I was going to leave today's edition there, but then I decided for the want of clarification, that there may be some of you who are still under the illusion (or should that be delusion) that other people are to blame for where you are in life today and what you have achieved.

Unless you are willing to accept your roles and responsibilities in this game called life, and accept that you may have been duped, swindled, lied to, encouraged to be more than you were, but that you made the final decisions. You may say "but I didn't have any choice, I had to do......"

You always have a choice, in those instances, you chose not to stand up for what you really wanted, so you fell prey to other people's issues, tricks and persuasion techniques.

So "to be or not to be" which will it be?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Dealing with the knockers STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/27/2007 07:57:17 AM ----- BODY:

"I was told over and over again that I would never be successful, that I was not going to be competitive and the technique was simply not going to work. All I could do was shrug and say “we’ll just have to see”.” So said Dick Fosbury who won an Olympic Gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Games for doing something that could quite conceivably have failed and failed miserably. Thankfully for the new breed of high jumpers the technique worked and worked so well they too were able to jump higher than ever before.

Raising your own standards, may mean that you get people who cannot see beyond their own limited beliefs, telling you that it won't work, that you are wasting your time after all it has never been done before so why should it work now, and as importantly - for you? Who do you think YOU are?

But if we didn't have people who were willing to question why? why not? why not this way? and if that doesn't work then why not some other way? Then we would never have anything new. No thoughts, no products or services. No new anything. In fact we would still be wandering around hunting for our food and hoping that we could still out run the predators.

So let them wander around in their oblivious state. That's not where we want to be, nor deserve to be. Remember Dick Fosbury who knew that his technique would work, after all he had tried it many times before he got it right, and boy did he get it right. But he also knew that he had to fail many times before he mastered his technique, but that didn't stop him from questioning his motives, his movements and his techniques many times before he succeeded.

Never be afraid to question, that is the one thing that stands us head and shoulders above the other creatures that inhabit this planet. Our ability to think, question and reason.

Have the courage of your convictions, and you will go far.


 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Your reputation is your resume STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/30/2007 09:13:29 AM ----- BODY:

Every day we judge people we see by a number of criteria, what they do and what they say. Of course, we also take a good look at what they "look" like and decide whether or not they have decided to make an effort or not. As we have discussed many times, your appearance can speak far louder than the words that you use.

But today I would ask that you consider the following - assuming that you "look good" and "feel great" it is the other two components that will speak for you. Namely your actions and your verbal communication skills.

You can look like a million dollars, but if the words coming out of your mouth are full of negativities or worse still, abuse, then it doesn't matter what you are wearing does it? Sarcasm, bad jokes, insults, poisonous barbs fill our lives, and it is not a healthy place to be. So if you have the nasty habit of putting people down so that you can feel better about yourself, I would ask quite simply that you try to stop the behaviour, because it is doing immense harm and damage to everyone including yourself.

The other aspect for today are your actions. A lack lustre performance shows. If you can barely get out of bed in the morning, struggle into work, hating every single minute of the job that you do - you are hardly likely to perform at your best are you? Consider that everything you do has your name on it, would you say you would be proud knowing that, or would you be cringeing with embarrasment at the thought?

Remember you may hate your job, think it is the most boring position in the entire world, but it gives you endless opportunities to hone your skills whilst you look for something better. But what would your new employer say if they heard you bad mouthing the old one? Or found out that you didn't work as well as you could have or should have, would they still be happy to employ you?

Remember your reputation is your resume. What would it say on yours?

"In a world full of people, only some want to fly isn't that crazy"

Seal

 

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Selling yourself short STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/09/2008 12:05:42 PM ----- BODY:
Actually what you are selling is not a thing, you may think it's a thing, whatever it is - widgets, software, cars, houses, insurance, books, consulting services. You may even argue you sell nothing because you are still at school, or are a homemaker.
 
What you are selling is far more profound than that. In my opinion you are selling two things:
 
1. You are selling benefits. If you think about it, you don't buy a heater because you want one, you buy a heater because you want warmth. You don't buy a drill, you buy the ability to make a hole. You go to the dentist to buy pain free teeth.
 
Now you may argue that you still don't sell anything, and those of you who are still in the education sector and / or at home bringing up a family may think they have a valid argument. But I would "argue" that you are incorrect in your assumption.
 
You see the second thing you are selling - every minute of every day is YOU.
 
And it relates directly to point number 1. What are the benefits you can offer to someone else? What is the reason why people speak to you, spend time with you, live with you? Because you are beneficial to them in some way shape or form.
 
Ok, you might say that you are richer than croesus and the only reason you have "friends" is for the money you can offer, and the things you can buy. But lets assume that's not the case, and your "friends" are the real thing.
 
So what do you "sell" to your friends, family and associates?
 
1. Your company - people enjoy spending time with you
2. Your ability to listening
3. Your ability to make a home and raise a family
4. Your ability to converse
5. Your ability to provide for your family
6. Your "other" abilities !!
 
Now imagine that you couldn't "sell" those abilities, how long do you think you would remain in business? As in, how long would your marriage last, how long would it be before the kids left home, how well do you think you would do in school if you annoy the teachers?
 
Now translate those skills into any business venture that you have running and you will notice that they are almost identical. People will buy whatever you are selling if you: 
 
1. Are genuinely interested in other people, their needs, wants and desires
2. Listen
3. Make your workplace attractive and welcoming, and that includes you - what you wear - both as clothes, but as facial expressions and body language as well.
4. Speak well
5. Make your business thrive - why would anyone want to buy from a business that cannot offer the extended warranty / customer service - because it looks like the business is on its last legs.
6. Go the extra distance - customer service is not just about a one-off sale, but establishing a relationship
 
Work on you, and you will see an improvement in every area of your life. I can guarantee it.
 
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 "I'm so optimistic I'd go after Moby Dick in a row boat and take the tartar sauce with me" Zig Ziglar
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Give yourself plenty of time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/12/2008 06:19:16 AM ----- BODY:

Today we are in the final planning stages for the trip back to England. I cannot believe how fast time goes when you need more of it. I can't also believe how many things I have managed to do in such a short space of time.

Which of course got me thinking about motivation and procrastination

I have a very definite deadline. I have a flight to catch.

I haven't travelled in England for nearly 12 years so cannot remember the roads I need to take, or how long it is going to take me to get anywhere, so planning, routes, timing, what to see, how long, where to from here. Trying to juggle the commitments with my family for dad's funeral arrangements, and believe it or not my brother's wedding at the other end of the "holiday". And yes I use the term loosely.

And then of course there is you - the readers of the daily dose of motivational medicine.

With 24 hours on the plane, plus another 4 hours of driving to look forward to, it does give me time to think and to write. But it does mean that the DDOMM will be sporadic at best, but I shall do my best to keep a travelog of what, when and where - and yes the digital camera is in the bag already.

So until we next speak, keep well, keep safe and remember - if you have some major event looming - give yourself plenty of time to get yourself organised.

With love and light

Elle

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"One today is worth two tomorrows; never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today" Benjamin Franklin
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Turn your habits upside down STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/16/2008 10:24:03 PM ----- BODY:
I hope this finds you well and looking forward to another day of achievement. It doesn't matter whether you achieve something big or small, it matters that you are achieving, fulfilling your goals and your dreams.
As you know we headed over to England on Sunday morning. And whilst I have been to sleep, my body is not convinced of the fact. I know we haven't spent much time at home, but even so, it feels like we have done more in two days than I normally manage to achieve in a week back at home.
Which of  course got me thinking. Our routines are completely upside down. The habits that we had in place have gone, replaced by new experiences, new sights, new sounds and certainly new smells. I'd forgotten what winter smelt like in rural England - woodsmoke mingled with damp earth. Wind whipped cold cheeks and a rosy glow that you can't get from anywhere else.
When you have a complete break, when something forces you to stop, to change what you are doing, and to re-evaluate EVERYTHING you have a chance to decide what you want to keep in your life and what you would like to get rid of completely.
Of course my mum is going to have to do that big time with dad gone. But being here in these first few weeks will allow her to transition, to put space and time between the trauma and remembering the good times she shared with my dad. And it is a pleasure to help her do that.
You don't have to wait for a major trauma or event to make a difference to the way your life turns out, anytime you decide you want to, you can begin to make small and deliberate changes that will, over time, make for massive change in the long run. As I said at the beginning, remember the small achievements, sometimes they can be more powerful than the big ones.
Speak soon
Elle
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: You don't need eyes to see, you need vision STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/02/2007 07:13:28 AM ----- BODY:

I have said to you a few times that your mood shows in the words that you write. Well a brilliant example came to me this morning. One of the regular readers of the daily dose said that he had taken a suggestion to eat better and exercise a little more and so far had managed to drop 9lbs. How awesome is that? I am completely overcome by the dedication someone has taken. One suggestion and look at the difference. A whopping 9lbs of difference. Just think what we can all do if we decide to take one tiny step today and another tomorrow at where we will end up.

But the point was the words that he had chosen to use. You could tell he was pleased as punch (and quite rightly so) from the choice of words, and the absolute pleasure he took in telling me of the achievement of the goal. Goal achievement should be like that. A pleasure, a joy, a realisation that you have put in the hard yards and the results are plain to those who care to look.

Which brings me nicely to today's topic. To see the future clearly, you don't just need eyes, you need vision. The quote came to me last night courtesy of a group of musicians / artists called Faithless.

How do you gain vision?

Well it starts by opening your eyes to the wonder that is around you.
But it really begins when you start to notice that what you have been doing in the past is wandering down dark alleys, round and round on the same roundabout (turning circle) going nowhere fast. Why? because you don't know where you really want to go that's why.

Whilst you can as Jack Canfield says drive from New York to LA in the middle of the night, only being able to see the next 100 metres in front of you. It does help to know where you are really going. Because if you fail to see the sign posts you might end up in Canada.

You see, you had your eyes open, but you didn't "see"

So, know where you want to end up at the end of the day / the week / the goal. What do you want to look like, what do you want to be wearing when you get the presentation. Where do you want to live? How much money do you want to be earning? Who do you want to help in order to reach that kind of monetary goal? It all takes "vision". Being clear about what you really want, not just what is in front of you right now.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Our view of the world STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/04/2007 08:55:11 AM ----- BODY:

“The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life” Muhammad Ali

In order to be more, you have to do more. In order to do more you have to think differently. So a challenge for you as you begin your working week - be willing to question why you are currently doing something in that particular way. And ask - are there better ways to do this? Are there other ways to do this? Why don't I try a new way, a new idea, a new direction - just for today I am going to do something differently.

Because once your mind has been stretched just a little, it won't want to revert back to it's original dimensions.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Aspire to be different STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/24/2008 05:18:31 PM ----- BODY:

Having come home for the first time in 12 years I am struck by how many people who live (and have died) in the same village where I was born and raised, do the same things day after day. I am not talking about eating breakfast at 7.15 am on the dot, but who have worked in the same position since leaving school, or gone on holiday to the same place every year for the last umpteen years. And it doesn't stop there. Yes we all need routines, but.

I started to wonder if it was just "my" village. Then I remembered logging onto the website friends reunited....and was again struck by how many people who stated similar things on their profiles. Now I am not saying it is a bad thing to live your life in one place, or keep the same job for ever and a day, nor how incredibly hard it is to move away and try something new, or break the habits of a lifetime. Just that you can if you really want to. For instance, my husband and I moved two young children 12,000 miles away. Whilst our marriage didn't survive the upheaval, I can't imagine moving back to village thinking.

So - something for you to think about over the next few days, what have you always done? Are you happy doing what you've always done, or are there some things you would desperately like to change? And no, you don't have to move 12,000 miles to make a difference to the way your life turns out.

With Many thoughts, 
Elle MotivateMe!
Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.
 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Getting "your" business in order STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/05/2007 10:15:53 AM ----- BODY:

If you are having trouble getting motivated on your projects today, and some days it can feel like nothing we say or do for ourselves will snap us out of whatever "downward" spiral we are in, you need to take a step backwards and consider doing something for someone else instead.

Ah, easier said than done, Elle. If I can't be bothered to do my own stuff how on earth am I going to be bothered to do something for someone else?

Well, unless you are self employed, a student, or retired, then chances are going to be good that you are going to be working for someone else. Consider that if you put your own emotions to one side for one minute and consider that you are being paid to do a job, and if you do a "good" job you will help a lot of other people. Then you will begin to see what I mean. Imagine that you are being paid for the amount of effort you are putting in (as the old factory workers were paid by the item they produced) how much would you have really earned today? Now, consider that - whilst this is a paper exercise at the moment, if you double your productivity and therefore your output, you have the potential of doubling your income....yes. Still with me on this one? Well sooner or later the people with the money (HR, the bosses) will see that you have gone over and above your duties and when there are payrises and bonuses to be had, guess who's going to be on the receiving end? Yep, those people who did the most, those people who made the most effort and most contribution to the company as a whole.

Now, consider that you are in the business of "you, inc." as in, everything that you do, say and achieve is part of the business of "you" surely it would make good sense to think of the time you invest in yourself, your education, your skills, your abilities to be the foundation stones for your future growth and income. And if that is the case, then what are you doing just sitting there? Or are you content to let your business slide into the red because of your inaction?

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Ideas are your currency STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/09/2007 09:44:42 AM ----- BODY:

Imagine life without ideas. Your ideas, your friends ideas, your bosses ideas, your kids ideas - it doesn't matter who they belong to, if it means that someone elses life is going to be better for hearing about it.

Your creative self is full of ideas, some of them good, some of them downright silly, the problem is for most of the time, they are sitting in a cupboard gathering dust.

I'll do that when I have more time to devote to it
I'll do that when I have more money to develop it
I'll do that when I retire
I'll do that when the kids leave home
I'll do that when I leave home, the "old's" won't let me....

Every time you postpone / delay / put off / procrastinate over your ideas, every time you leave them to gather dust in the cupboard you are denying yourself a chance to grow, to share, to develop, to make a million or two, to allow other people to make a million or two, to change your life for the better.

Ideas are your currency, they can be used, they can be exchanged, they can be worth more than all the money in your bank account - because that's all that money is....an idea that something small, green and rectangular is "worth" what it says on it.

So start by getting a notebook that you can carry around with you. Start by writing down questions, start by writing down your ideas, how can you develop those ideas into something more tangible? You ask yourself questions. All the great thinkers, writers, scientists, philosophers, inventors, all started by questioning the world they currently live in. And always with the same question - how can I make that a better place for me to live in? And of course in doing so, how can that knowledge make this a better place for you to live in.

What are your ideas worth? They can be priceless. But unless they are used, they are worthless.

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"An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it."
William Bernbach
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: When you know what you want.... STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/07/2008 11:50:37 PM ----- BODY:

When you have your heart set on something, and you know just what that something is, how likely do you think you are going to get it? I'd say the answer to that ranges from - "nothing will stop me" to "absolutely, no doubt in my mind"
 
A simple example perhaps - you're hungry, you need food and you know exactly what you want. Will anything else do? Of course not, and if you don't have it in the house, you will either get something else and feel cheated by having to succumb to "second best" or you will go out of your way to go and fetch it.
 
If only everything in life was as simple as deciding what you should have to eat at your next meal. But I'm sure you understand exactly what I mean.
 
So lets take a more complex example.
 
As you know I've been in England for a couple of weeks (yes, you've done nothing but talk about your trip to England Elle !!) - well bear with me because it's important. It was 12 years since I had last set foot on my home territory. 12 years of people, places and things to catch up with. How complicated was my diary for that time period? Answer = extremely. Everything was organised down to the last minute. I was not missing out on a single opportunity - unless fate decided otherwise. And it did on occasion - the children wanted to go on the London Eye - or the Eye Pod (for the capsules you ride in) as my mother termed it for the duration of the visit. Turns out the Eye Pod was not working for the 2 days we were in London - due to its annual maintenance. Did it slow us down? No, we simply moved up the rest of the day's activities and carried on regardless. Or take the fact that we couldn't get to Stonehenge on the way down to my sisters on the first Thursday due to a mess up at the funeral home, which made us late leaving home. Did we miss out on the opportunity completely? No, we just changed the day and went the following day on the way into London instead. Turns out we arrived just 15 minutes prior to closing - we could have said the money we paid to go around was not worth it for the 15 minutes....but we all knew that we would have felt cheated if we hadn't done it. We had a good excuse too, it was cold, wet and very windy - but we did not want to miss out on the experience.
 
Imagine if you were so close to reaching one of your goals and then you couldn't be bothered to get out of the car? How cheated would you feel then? How would you feel if you were so close you could "touch" it, but didn't?
 
Too many times I've given up on my dreams and goals because I couldn't be bothered to metaphorically get out of the car. Well not any more. One thing that recent events have taught me is this. You have to grab every dream and every goal with both hands and vow never to let go of them until you can touch them, feel them, experience the buzz of having done it, of saying - guess what guys...imagine the looks on our faces after we had gotten cold and wet as a result of visit Stonehenge!! were they dull and lifeless or did the smiles outweigh the cold and damp?
 
Grab your dreams, they're easy to find, they've been sitting on your shoulder whispering in your ear for years, the hard bit will be to decide which one to go for first.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Your brain cannot tell real from imagined STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/10/2007 02:54:00 AM ----- BODY:

Do you gravitate towards the same kind of reading material? Take a quick look at your own book shelves - what do they contain? How many of them have you read? How many have you re-read and which ones are they?

I used to have a huge fiction collection. I invested hours each day and a considerable amount of money on my favourite pastime. Added up it probably accounts for months if not years out of my life. And what have I gotten out of my investment? Pleasure - yes. A hole in my bank account - most certainly. Any new skill? Language learned? New ability - Nope, nada, zip, zilch.

Did I tell you I gave away 90% of my fiction collection? Well I did. I decided that there wasn't enough time left to read the "good stuff" especially if I was still reading "fiction".

Did you know your brain cannot tell real events from imagined ones? Well it can't. So consider this, if you fill your mind with a wide variety of material you will have more things to discuss, more things to consider, more areas to explore, more ways to fulfil your own life. And if money is tight,  treat your local public library like your own personal university, you don't need a piece of paper to be truly educated. And the beauty of a library is of course - if you don't like it, you can take it back. Try doing that at a book shop!! So why not re-visit your book shelves - give away those books that no longer serve you. Start clearing out your mind and your book shelves and make way for the new you.

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"The best effect of any book is that it excites the reader to self activity."

Thomas Carlyle

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Time slips away from the unwary STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/12/2008 11:45:19 PM ----- BODY:

Week 7 of 2008 is already here, which means of course that we are now half way through the second month of 2008.
 
If that's a scary thought, consider that we are also a mere 45 weeks away to the end of the year.
 
Why should I be telling you something that you could quite easily find out for yourselves if you cared to look at your calendar. Well, because I can.
 
No, the real reason is simple. If you allow yourself to drift through each day / week without consciously adding timelines to projects / to do items, you are more likely to extend the end date ad infinitum. You will always find something else that needs doing, other things you may deem to be more important, until you run out of time and you find yourself rushing to complete whatever it is you said you wanted to achieve.
 
Take any goal, be it, saving for a holiday, gaining new clients, losing weight, running a marathon, walking the kokoda track. There is no way you can say to yourself on day 1 - today I am going to lose 12 pounds  / increase my profit margin by 3000% / walk the entire length of the kokoda track / train for a marathon and run it tomorrow - and I want to do it all today. It's impossible. That's why they're called goals - they're going to take some time and some effort to reach the end. That's why they are worthwhile.
 
It's not necessarily the goal in and of itself that's important. But the daily disciplines that you will need to adopt in order to do so. It takes time, persistence and sheer guts and determination to achieve certain things. It does, you know it does, which is why some people give up before they start, they hide behind busy work.
 
Don't let that be you in 2008.
 
If you have found yourself drifting through the first few weeks of the year don't panic. You can make a difference starting today.
 
And you can make a difference with the next decision that you need to make. Do you work on your goal item or goof off and watch the television? Go for a walk or play video games? Cook a healthy dinner or buy take-away.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Whingeing doesn't change anything STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/13/2008 11:47:44 AM ----- BODY:

The temperatures in Perth are hovering around 100 degrees fahrenheit and have been for quite some time. Every year, Perth's summer is the same (with minor variations) guaranteed hot and sometimes humid to go with it. Every year I tell myself I will get ceiling fans fitted (I've even bought some), every year I promise this is the last year I will go without air conditioning. Every year I "forget" when the worst of the heat has gone from the sun. The difference with thiis year is - I have vowed to not whinge, whine and complain about things that I could have changed, but chose not to. It doesn't mean that it is any less hot, far from it....but I have no control over the outside temperatures, just the inside.

Are you guilty of complaining about things you have no control over? Like what the weather may be doing right now? Or whether you can find a parking spot, what your colleagues may or may not be doing, ow whether the right person gets into a leadership role. If you choose not to participate in your part of the process - ie., vote, arrange for air conditioning to be fitted, leaving yourself plenty of time to get to where you need to be, then you have no right to whinge, whine or complain....none whatsoever.

One thing I have noticed though is this...if you spend all your time looking for, and focussing on the negatives, you will struggle to focus your time and your energy on the positives.

Today I would like you to do me a favour, actually I would like you to do you a favour...and that is listen carefully to your reaction to events that unfold around you. Your thoughts, body language as well as the words that you speak, speak volumes about what you are focussing your time and energy on. Then when you have determined what the "chatter" is really about - ask:

Can I do anything about this situation?

If the answer is no - sometimes the rain does not stop just because you have washing on the line....then accept that somethings are just so, and get on with doing what needs to be done. But -

If the answer is yes - the you need to ask:

Am I willing to do anything about this situation?

If you are - fantastic, get on and do something now, don't wait for the enthusiasm and inspiration to pass you by. Now is the best time to deal with whatever the situation is.

If you are not, then now is the time to stop complaining and accept that you are happy being a passenger on this particular journey.

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"Realize that if you have time to whine and complain about something then you have time to do something about it"
Anthony J D'Angelo, College Blue Book
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Phillip Miller EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 74.235.220.237 URL: DATE: 02/14/2008 06:56:24 PM Dear Elle,

A friend of mine fits this posting to a tee. He lives in a constant state of anger and negativity towards those around him. He was abused (not physically) by his father when he was a child, and has carried this anger with him ever since. I have given him a few books on Buddhism lately to try and help him with it, but still his attitude hasn't changed.

Is there something else, besides blatantly telling him, that I can try,to change his attitude?

Phillip


----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 02/18/2008 10:45:04 AM Hi Phillip

All we can do is offer advice and suggestion (blatant or otherwise). It is up to the person to take that advice or not. It is his journey, his decision and as much as we don't like to see our friends and loved ones suffer, sometimes they do. And unfortunately sometimes when we do tell the other person what they should know, but choose not to see or do anything about, they can resent us for being the teller....a difficult decision.

Good luck
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Have fun STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/12/2007 12:34:55 PM ----- BODY:

In all seriousness, having fun is one of THE most important things that you should be doing every day. Because if you don't have fun doing what you are doing, why are you doing it?

Besides I'll give you a tip, when you are "happy" you look years younger, your skin glows and you can't help but infect others with your "good" self, and as an added bonus - the day goes much faster if you have something to look forward to.

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It is impossible for a man to be made happy by putting him in a happy place, unless he be first in a happy state. Benjamin Whichcote
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What price experience? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/14/2007 10:16:21 AM ----- BODY:

Do you have a mentor? How many do you have?

I am fortunate to have had many mentors throughout my professional career. As my career has progressed so my need to change mentors and teachers has had to change also. And the reason for my desire to continuing to grow, to change? Well, my desire to continue to grow and change of course.

I know that everyone on this earth has something to teach me, even if that "something" is how not to do something. You can learn from a good experience or a bad one. The interesting thing is that you can remember the bad times with all cringe worthy embarrassment. The sales call you flunked, the meeting where you arrived wearing odd shoes and a smudge of makeup down your face. Or you forgot to go to the meeting at all. Valuable lessons learned, each and every one of them.

But do you remember the "good" experiences just as easily? Well you should, because it is the good experiences that teach the best lessons. This worked, that worked, how can I leverage what I now know to make more, do more, sell more? Once you start to build on the good times, the good experiences you will see yourself grow in many different ways, you'll hardly recognise yourself.

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"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." Vernon Sanders Law
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Technological Time Wasters STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/15/2007 09:58:22 AM ----- BODY:
Do you have your email account open all day, every day? How about the internet?
Do your emails flash constantly with reminders advising that you haven't bought your Rolex or bottle of magic pills.
The availability of the Internet and how easily it is to spend hour after pointless hour searching for useless bits of information, and the social interaction sites that allow you to chat to your friends and acquaintances in 140 characters or less....it's called twitter BTW and yes I do use it (http://twitter.com) - so I can find out what the tech geeks et al are doing, but I hate to think how many other social interaction sites litter our working lives.
Well if you really do want to get more done, then you are going to have to limit these kinds of activities. Each break in concentration can take several more minutes to get back to where you were. So try it, turn the bits and bytes of software off that you don't need to do the job you are supposed to be doing, and see your productivity soar.
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"Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good; try to use ordinary situations" Jean Paul Richter
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Determining your productive time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/23/2008 04:46:57 AM ----- BODY:

How many hours of productive time do you have each day?

Be honest?

There are a few times that spring to mind:

Is it any wonder that your day is fragmented to the point where (when looking at the above list) you wonder how you manage to get ANY work done at all!

I know, it can be like that some days can't it.

So how do you handle the annoyances and time wasting techniques we all have and sometimes utilise?

Then once you know what time is your most productive, all you have to do is decide which of the items you are going to tackle first. Remember, if you know where you want to go / reach / be - by the end of a designated time period (end of day / end of week / end of month / end of 12 months / end of goal) then the choices become easier to make.

Bur remember - if you major in the smaller things, you won't have major time for the things that really matter.

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Every day is a new beginning
Stephanie Dowrick
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Do more than just turn up - participate STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/25/2008 12:29:05 PM ----- BODY:

To succeed you have to do more than just show up once in a while. You have to show up regularly.

Imagine if you would a team of players. Several months before the season starts, training takes place. Once, twice maybe more times a week, every week. And every week the training changes, new drills are put into place. New muscle groups are worked in unison. New skills are taught and mastered. Imagine then what would happen if a couple of those players preferred to sit on the sideline and talk about the rest of the team rather than joining in. Or exercises were only half completed and half-heartedly.

How well do you think the squad would do in its first game of the season. Well I suppose it depends on whether the coach decided to sit these players out of the game or not, or whether they were allowed to play. Would these people be able to last the distance of the entire match if they hadn't trained to do so? What would happen if the game went into extra time? Would the players who had only done just enough to get through the match be able to cope with the extra time?

We can all be guilty of showing up but not doing what we know we should be doing. We think we can pick up the slack again tomorrow.

Don't be caught out thinking there is all the time in the world to train - there isn't. Sooner or later you are going to be called in to answer for your actions, and to prove to the marketplace what you are capable of doing.

Would you be proud of today's performance, or is there room for improvement?

================================================
"Besides pride, loyalty, discipline, heart and mind, confidence is thekey to all the locks" Joe Patemo
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: In the beginning STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/27/2008 11:12:19 AM ----- BODY:

Your actions may seem to be stilted, you may be unsure of where you need to go and what you need to do. But you start on the road anyway. After a few tottering baby steps, you gain confidence and you walk the next part a little quicker. After a few days or weeks of moving faster you can sometimes take huge leaps. You don't need the same kinds of prompts, you know what to do, and you do it easily. Now you are really motoring, progress comes faster, problems are no longer problems because you have mastered the skills you need and you can adapt your patterns and behaviours to take in the minor bumps that you encounter.

Then one day - disaster.

Someone has built a nice brick wall in your path, and you didn't even notice.

So what do you do? Well you could stop and stay exactly where you are, or you could find a way around the obstacle. Can you modify your behaviour so that you can go around it? How about learning a new skill and burrowing under or climbing over it?

Have you noticed - life is like that.

It doesn't matter what you are doing - be it, building websites, or a new marketing company - you think you know all about your opposition, but you didn't see the new start up muscling in on your customers until they called to cancel the account. How did you not notice that coming?

For every business out there, there is another one waiting in the wings. So it is essential that you don't run madly along, without taking stock of what is going on around you. Are you running so quickly you forget to speak to your existing clients? Do you promise things that you have no hope in delivering in time? Or you do deliver but the quality is poor?

Or how about exercising - that brick wall tends to be a pulled something or other...no wall climbing until that heals please.

So what can you do?

For instance, if your brick wall is your inability to stop consuming things you know that are bad for you, then you are really going to have to find an alternative way of getting around your particular problem (usually weight loss followed by weight gain followed by less weight loss followed by .....). So what do you do? Well it goes back to how badly you want something. You could exercise more, put a lock on the pantry door and throw away the key or you could get advice from a nutritionist.

One thing I know for sure, only you are responsible for getting around your brick wall.

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"You can be whatever type of person you choose to be. Your habits, your behaviours, your responses, are all your choice" Anon
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Cruisin or movin? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/19/2007 11:37:29 AM ----- BODY:
Cruising is another name for habitual behaviour. We slip into patterns without realising we have done so. Every day we have a chance to do great things, different things. Yet I see so many people doing the same things in the same way, and sometimes the person who should know better is doing it too.
 
Having gotten over my recent bout of tonsillitis - thankfully the blood work came back negative, I had the opportunity to get back into my fitness routine. Oh boy was I stiff. But I completed the approx 15k walk in around 2 hours. I then (along with a couple of friends) walked for another 2 hours the following day through the John Forrest National Park -  down the railroad track, through a tunnel that was completed in 1895....I'll upload some photos for you - go to the gallery to check them out.
 
Of course, the cliche's flowed, there really was light at the end of the tunnel, which was a good thing because it was extremely dark and wet in places. And for a claustrophobe, one of the scariest things I have had to do in a long time. But it did give me an opportunity to marvel at the workmanship of the curved brick tunnel, and given the age of the structure, the lack of modern drilling equipment, just how hard it would have been for these people to have completed the job. And if truth be known, many didn't finish the job, the job finished them.
 
In the early part of the 21st Century we have so much. Every gadget known to man, woman or child to help us achieve whatever it is we decide we want to do. Which makes me wonder if that is part of the problem. We have many competing projects vying for our attention that we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.
 
So - and this is where the cliche's come thick and fast folks....it's time to get tunnel vision and decide what it is you are going to focus your attention on during the last few weeks of the year 2007. It is time to clear the decks of the old projects because come January 2008 I would like to see a plan for the next 12 months laid out.
 
What are you going to achieve in the next 52 weeks
What can you achieve in month 1?
Where do you want to be at the end of 26 weeks? That's the end of June if your maths isn't up to speed.
You see if you decide that you have 52 weeks to lose 52lbs - but you don't need to start on day 1, you will - and I can almost guarantee it, will reach month 9 with about 48lbs still to go.
 
And it is the same with everything.
 
You need to decide what you want, you need to work out how long it is going to take you to get there, and then you need to follow through with the plan, day after day. And there you thought I was going to say - here take these two pills and call me in the morning...sorry, can't do that.
 
So, take time to complete your 2007 to do list, then spend some time during the run up to christmas to decide what you want the new year to bring. Because if you don't, then you will be in exactly the same place this time next year, just older.
 
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"Plan your work and work your plan" Norman Vincent Peale
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Turn Blah, blah, blah into sell, sell, sell STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/02/2008 03:32:24 AM ----- BODY:

I am struck by the comment made by Jim Carrey - "Constantly talking isn't necessarily communicating" and how true it is. People love the sound of their own voices, and their own opinions. Which is a good thing if you're in the business of selling something to another person....ask a few questions about the kinds of problems facing them at the moment...and you're almost there.

Because it is so easy to get someone to say yes to whatever it is you are selling if you have a solution to their particular problem. Of course if you don't - don't talk for the sake of filling the void with noise...no-one likes to listen to blathering....but you may know someone else who can help them, so - while you may not get a sale, you could be helping forge a future partnership, not only with the person you are speaking to, but with the person you are referring them to...because what goes around will surely come back to you at some point in the future.

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"I cannot do everything, but I can do something. One person can make a difference" Anon
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Benefits = achievements STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/20/2007 09:40:53 AM ----- BODY:
Have you set some time aside in your diaries over the next couple of days to work out your plan(s) for the last few weeks of this year? If you haven't - now is the time to schedule it in. And the reason is simple, if you don't schedule it into your diary / time planner / organiser you will conveniently forget to do the work.
Don't believe me? Well how many of you rely on your memory to do things, then get to the end of the week and wonder what you spent your time on, AND didn't spend your time on? If it's not written down somewhere you can conveniently forget to do the work. So schedule the time....please, it's important.
For the new readers of the DDOMM I asked you to have a good look at what you need to do between now and christmas so that you can clear the decks for 2008....yes it is that close, and then to get on and do them. And if you don't want to do them and can't delegate or pay someone else to do the tasks, then they're obviously not that important to you, so cross them off your list and stop hiding behind clutter.
The reason why we need to clear the decks now is because of those pesky New Years Revolutions. January 1st comes round and we have a list of things we would like to accomplish throughout the forthcoming year. Have you ever noticed how similar this list was to last years? Hmm, time to stop going round in circles me thinks.
You see if you don't clear the decks now, the first things on the new list will contain all the old items too, and as we mentioned, if they're hardly inspiring, well you're not going to be enthused to complete any of the new items either are you?
So, clear the decks, clear the mind. Then decide what you really want to do during the next 12 months. One lady wrote to me today how she would like to lose some weight so she had more energy to play with the kids. Well it might be a catch 22 situation, but sometimes you need to move it to lose it. I have to say, having been there, it can be difficult to raise the energy and enthusiasm to build sandcastles and play ball, but the benefits are huge, and not just for you. You see, when you write your lists out, I don't just want a "list" of 32 items that you say you want to do, see and achieve. I want detail. I want to see the benefits achieving these things will bring to you. WHY do you want to achieve them? But remember other people may benefit also, so when you get specific, you need to factor in their benefits too.
With the case of our reader, the benefits are numerous. New games means new learning and deevlopment opportunities for the children. Busy kids (and parents) tend to eat less...a lot less. Planning activities with the children means they get to make decisions, and responsibilities. And please don't tell me that "little" people can't plan, of course they can - my two did, and they took responsibility for the choices they made. Of course if the suggestion was totally impracticle, I did suggest some alternatives, but that is important too.
And the most important one, when you decide to do more, you will do more. You will want to build on the successes and accomplishments. Some of the early activities we undertook when the kids were littlies are still spoken about....because they remembered the detail, the planning, the decision making and the fun that went along with it. And so it is with your plan, you will get more out of it, if you put a LOT more into the thought preparation. So get specific. Work out the real benefits and you will begin to see what you need to do in order to reach your goals.
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The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in the thing makes it happen" Frank Lloyd Wright
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Say thanks STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/22/2007 07:32:15 AM ----- BODY:
When do you say thank you? Who do you say thank you to? What do you say thank you for? What are you grateful to be able to do?
As it is Thanksgiving in the US I thought I would take the opportunity to pass on my thanks to those of you who have been with me from the very beginning of MotivateMe and the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine, the comments, the feedback, it has been a wonderful learning experience and a fantastic growth opportunity for me. And 2008 is going to be amazing, and yes you'll get to benefit too.
One thing I would like to say though is this - you shouldn't need a "special" day to say thanks and mean it. Every day is a special day if you greet it with a light heart and a smile.
Am I being flippant? When I was thinking about those questions I posed at the top of this piece, I started to write down some of the answers, which i thought i would share with you. If you do this also, you too will discover a lighter heart and a smile - it's amazingly infectious task. And once it's written down all you need to do is re-read your list when you are not feeling quite so happy about life to discover what good you have.
So here is my list:
Who am I thankful for?
My parents - I wouldn't be here without them
My siblings
My kids
My partner
My friends and work colleagues - for letting me be me....
My ex - the kids wouldn't be here without him !!
My teachers, mentors and people who have helped shape the person I have become
My fur kids - it's hard to be unhappy when you watch kittens at play
What "things" am I thankful for?
Having enough money to pay my bills and live a lifstyle that few outside the western world can enjoy
Living in Western Australia - what an amazing place.
Clean water, clear air, wildlife I used to dream about seeing in the wild when I was a kid....I'm here, living my dream
Rainbows, Rain, a starry night
Being outside and allowing the outside into my home - wonderful to work in that kind of environment
My rather interesting and eclectic wardrobe
My extensive book and music collection
My home and car - a zippy ford fiesta zetec - sports body kit, panther black with gold stripes
What else am I thankful for?
Eyes that allow me to view this amazing place and the people in it, to read, to watch
Ears that allow me to experience the wonders of music, nature, speech and laughter
Being in love and being loved - you can't beat that glow
Being able to touch and feel - and i include "things" such as the feel of sand between my toes, the warmth of the sun on my skin, the breeze in my hair, a child's hand in mine, a teenage son who still sits on my knee for cuddles
A smile and a stolen kiss
To speak, to write, to communicate, to share
To quote a very famous song "these are a few of my favourite things" what are you thankful for?
----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: RCB EMAIL: IP: 24.136.164.126 URL: DATE: 11/22/2007 05:23:52 PM Are you not thankful to God for all your blessings? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 11/23/2007 12:42:22 AM Hi RCB

I'm a little wary of using the term "G_d" as I do not want to offend those who believe in other higher powers....I actually like Dave Allen's way of putting it...."Goodnight, thank you and may your God go with you"

Hence why the spiritual dimension was missing from the list

Cheers, Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Defining moments STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/26/2007 10:29:13 AM ----- BODY:

What will it be for you? what trigger would allow you to "see" what you haven't seen before. The evidence has been all around you, but you hadn't noticed. You had gathered the data but it had not become information, and if you don't then take that information, internalise it and apply it to your life, then it will never become knowledge.

I was talking to a good friend and long time reader of the daily dose and he was quite excited. He had been stuck in an airport for a couple of hours, and had the opportunity to observe his fellow passengers at length. And as he put it, all the topics covered by the daily dose were there, walking around him. In the way they dressed, the way they spoke and interacted, the way they walked. He admitted that he had read the daily musings, thought - yes, that's a good idea, or no that doesn't apply to me. But had not taken the information he had been given, and used it.

As I have been saying for a long time, you can have all the theory in the world, but unless you do something with the theory, you will never change your life. What will be your defining moment? What will it take for you to make a difference to the way your own life turns out?

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In luminous flashes of sudden vision, we may discover jewels of wi sdom hidden within ourselves. These flashes might come in words (a powerful phrase or poem) or in a glowing visual image or both. When these insights reveal themselves to us, it is as if a veil of mist simply dropped away. Universal and timeless truths seem to emerge from the shadows and stand bathed in the light of deep understanding)" Lucia Capacchione, American Art Therapist

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Share the triumphs STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/08/2008 08:26:07 AM ----- BODY:

Just a quick note today. I wanted to tell you about a job I started about 5 years ago....well today I finished it. To finish the job took ten bags of insulation, a lot of sweat and a sore back, I'm also black from head to foot....but the job I started a long time ago is now complete. Why didn't I finish it?

Well it came down to a lack of money at the time, the seasons came and went, I have a fear of heights and I "conveniently"  forgot....Until I found one of my early goal lists, and right at the top was - complete the loft insulation.

So today I did...yay for me. Yes I still have a fear of heights, yes my back is sore....but it is one very big item off the to do list. The beer never tasted so good !!!!

Cheers

Elle

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"He got the better of himself, and that's the best kind of victory one can wish for." Miguel de Cervantes
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Pushing water uphill STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/10/2008 12:45:16 PM ----- BODY:

There are days when - for whatever reason, things just do not go to plan. Tonight is a very good example of that. My neighbours are a constant source of strife, trustees of modern chemistry with angst thrown in for good measure. Normally i can let it go, but i do object when my property and my way of life is threatened.

I will find a way to deal with it, just not when it's a dozen to one....in their favour as tonight. So rather than spend my time writing as I had planned, I am sitting in my rather warm house, doors and windows shut, trying to avoid the conflict overflow. 

Do you, like me sometimes find it incredibly hard to keep going, especially after a very busy week / weekend? When things don't go to plan? Personally I find it quite a normal circular process of highs and lows, especially after the kind of weekend I had, but I do find it hard to push water uphill, when my mind says - nope, need a break, can't keep on keeping on. Not today.

So, just for tonight I am allowing my subconscious thought processes to win over the rational part of my mind that says - but you have x, y and z to do. Tonight the water can stay at the bottom of the hill. Tomorrow I'll pick it up again and start working out the next steps that i need to take in order to achieve the next set of goal items. But for tonight, rest takes precedence.

And sometimes it is perfectly Ok to do that. Remember life is all about balance.

In the words of my mother "good night and god bless"

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Max Miller EMAIL: IP: 66.90.26.22 URL: DATE: 03/11/2008 11:56:54 AM Well said. Yep, that is how life is sometimes and the only thing we can change about it is our attitude ... or just "suck it up" ;-). I love your daily dose of motivation, keep up the good work. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 03/13/2008 01:02:42 AM Thanks Max

I must admit I do enjoy writing them, which probably explains why I do them :-) buckets of water picked up and hill climbing underway

Have the best day

Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Photographic evidence STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/28/2007 10:24:48 AM ----- BODY:
Photographs are an amazing self assessment tool. Go back through your photo album. Pick out all the photos of you - and take a good, hard and close look at them.
Do you look happy, sad, upset - can you remember what you were doing at the time?
What are you wearing? Does it flatter you or not? If it doesn't - next question - is that particular outfit still residing in your closet? Do me a favour - go and put it on. What do you look like in it now? If it doesn't fit, flatter you or looks downright dingy it's time to throw it out.
What does your skin look like - I mean - looking at the photos is a good way of deciding whether or not you should be spending more time at the gym or not.
Now be honest - do you look better or worse than the photos you have kept? 
In comparing those photos of yourself to how you are today, given that a few year's have elapsed in all probability - have you improved with age or no?
Now I am not saying that we need to be ultra skinny or wearing the latest in designer gear to look amazing. If you are happy in your skin, it will show, and it usually shows in your eyes, and the set of your mouth.
The proof is in the photographs....
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“If you look like your passport photo, then in all probability you need the journey” Earl Wilson
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Two facts of life STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/14/2008 09:58:49 AM ----- BODY:

1. You will always find time to do what you want to do

2. You will always delay starting those things that you do not

Always find a job that inspires you, challenges you and expects more of you, otherwise you will be revolving in ever decreasing circles of demotivation, apathy and can't be bothered.

Always choose goals that inspires and challenges you. If your goal(s) do not do that - you will not put in the time and effort to achieve them.

If you get excited about the life you are going to be living as a result of the effort you are about to make, you will get there a whole lot quicker and with a smile on your face. And that's got to be a good thing.

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"Failure is the line of least persistence" Anon
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Have a laugh STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/15/2008 07:20:56 AM ----- BODY:

Life should be full of laughter, joy and happiness because laughter is the essence of life.

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"Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive." Elbert Hubbard
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ralph Lovuolo EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 74.233.140.40 URL: www.mortgagemotivator.com DATE: 03/15/2008 02:39:45 PM Learn to laugh at yourself. By learning to laugh at your SELF, it allows you to see the terribly amusing things that are all around you. remove the serious side of your SELF.
work on it all the time. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Opportunities STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/02/2007 11:56:10 PM ----- BODY:
Opportunities are all around us, if only we care to see them. Never let it be said that you didn't answer the door when opportunity knocked.
 
"go away, I'm not interested"
 
Facetious? Actually no, because that's how most people live their lives. They see other people making money and being successful in a wide variety of ways, and instead of being inspired they're whingeing about how unfair life is. Life isn't unfair. Life gives equally to all, it's just that some people take more than their fair share, and the rest of them allow them to.
 
Take your opportunities, because they're there waiting for you. Don't take them and sure enough someone else will.
 
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"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" John Lennon
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Turning work down - are you mad? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/06/2007 09:57:37 AM ----- BODY:

Are you afraid to say no? Most people are, especially when it comes to turning a job down, they feel that by turning a job opportunity down they are:

This internal negative dialogue can be deafening, and most people are afraid of it, so they give in, reasoning that anything will do, and it will solve a few problems after all. In reality all this does is create more problems than it solves. You may start out by trying to do the right thing by your new boss, you arrive on time, you do what is expected of you – but no more, you don’t make the effort to fit in. Then what happens? You don’t want to get out of bed in a morning, your appearance isn’t as sharp as it used to be, you may take longer lunch breaks than you are supposed to. As things start to progress you resent those people who are “getting on”, receiving pay rises that you don’t seem to get any more, people don’t include you in their conversations or out of work activities, you may even start to take time off work because you hate the place and the people in it. Most people are afraid to trust their instincts that says – actually this job isn’t right for me. The job sounded great on paper, and that is why I applied for it. But it’s not really what I want to do at all. I know something better is just around the corner, one that will fit my skills and abilities far better, and be far more challenging than this role. So don’t be afraid to say no.

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"Work saves us from three great evils: boredom, vice and need" Voltaire
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: From despair to hope STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/11/2007 09:45:13 AM ----- BODY:

Perspective, hindsight and experience is a wonderful thing to have. It's so easy to say - "If only I knew then what I know now, things would have been so different." But have you ever stopped to consider that you are the person you are today precisely because of those things that have tested you?

Have you noticed though, if you've ever been down or depressed it can be hard to imagine, or remember the good times. We feel that the "good times" won't come back. We sink into the black hole and let despair wash over us.

What we should remember is that life is full of cycles. 

As you know, day follows night, winter follows summer and autumn. And good can follow bad - if you let it. 

We are coming up to a very stressful time of the year for everyone. Huge demands placed on parents to provide bigger and better "things" than last. Cooking dinner for a million people who arrive unexpectedly on your doorstep.

So a gentle reminder as we move into the festive season.

Christmas comes but once a year - so be grateful, accept that some things just are, and you will come out of it the other end with a smile on your face.

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"When we are flat on our backs there is no way to look but up" Roger W Babson - American Economist
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To join in the discussion - go here


With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Angela EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 71.161.19.217 URL: http://angie101in1001.wordpress.com DATE: 12/11/2007 06:21:05 PM I loved this message today, especially the quote at the bottom. It's eerie how often these messages coincide with events in my life. Thanks for another motivational message that helped to start my day out in a positive way. I really appreciate them, and after all my hours of searching online over a year ago, this has been more perfect than I anticipated. Thank you for all your hard work! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris Sussex, UK EMAIL: IP: 90.199.50.155 URL: DATE: 12/11/2007 08:10:10 PM I too loved this message which is very relevant to what is going on with my life. These words are of great strength and courage to me at this time. Its just perfect. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 12/13/2007 07:23:50 AM Hi Chris and Angela

Thank you for the thank you, it is wonderful to know that the daily dose continues to help, inspire, prod, cajole and occasionally ask you to do something. I must admit that I enjoy writing these daily messages because they also inspire me to be better today than yesterday.

Hope the rest of your day continues to be full of joy

Kind Regards
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Your future comes one day at a time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/17/2007 01:04:30 AM ----- BODY:

We are on the run down to the end of 2007. Did you achieve everything that you set out to achieve this year or is there room for improvement? I hope you said, "of course there is room for improvement, there's always room for improvement" because there is. We can always try to do things in newer and better ways. We can meet new challenges with the experience we have gained, and forge new paths. We can make the world of difference to our lives, one tiny decision at a time. Yes you need to know where you want to be "when you grow up" but, we can only tackle what is in front of us now.

As we move towards the new year, we will be discussing ways to get more out of your goal achievement program, notice I didn't say goal setting program. And the reason is simple. Anyone can set goals, not everyone is willing to do whatever it takes in order to reach them.

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"The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time" Abraham Lincoln
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Harnessing the power of Christmas STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/20/2007 11:51:38 PM ----- BODY:

Hands up those of you who've finished Christmas shopping? How about the food and booze (assuming you indulge) you will need to purchase for the few days when the shops don't actually open. How about wrapping the presents, writing the christmas cards and obligatory letters that go with them?
 
Have you stopped to consider that there is more time, effort and money spent on this one day each year than at any other time?
 
One of the reasons you do more at this time of year is because you know what you want, you've written it down and you know the steps you need to take to get it, whatever "it" is, . You also have absolute deadline. Everything is planned down to the nth degree and beware anyone who gets in your way down the shopping mall - you are on a mission and you don't care who knows about it. There is not one chance in a million that you will wait until the January sales to do your christmas shopping is there? Unless you are buying for next year of course, which lets face it, is unlikely.
 
So, translate those same skills and abilities into one of your other goals and see what a difference it can make.
 
But the final thought for today is this. In amongst doing everything for everyone else - consider that you also need time to rest, time to do "your" stuff, time to recharge your batteries ready for the next big push into the new year,
 
Consider what would happen if we could harness that energy, drive and enthusiasm for our other goals. As we said yesterday, if we don't do what needs to be done, we are going to disappoint a lot of people - including ourselves.
 
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"There is more to life than increasing its speed" Gandhi
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: How long have you got? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/27/2008 01:53:43 PM ----- BODY:

I overheard two friends talking to one another the other day. One was lamenting the fact that he was now chasing 60 and he'd better get busy otherwise he'd end up not doing everything he'd always wanted to do. I quietly congratulated him, not many people are willing to admit they've not done enough yet, and even fewer willing to step up and raise their game to do more, be more and achieve more. I'm not talking about you - the readers of the daily dose you understand because I know you already are. I just wish there were more of you willing to do that little bit more.

But to go back to the first point, and that is - how old he was and how long he might have left, the reality is, none of us know how long we've got left. So remember - don't chase after some obscure time in the future before you get stuck into living your life.

How many times have you said

I'll do it when....the kids leave home, i've eaten all the food left over from easter, i've bought my own home, the seasons change, the washing's dry, dinners cooked.....or whatever other statement you use on a regular basis to put off doing what you know you should be doing. As you know by now, that's procrastination - and we don't "do procrastination".

Remember me telling you a few weeks ago about my first pole dancing lesson? Well last night was week 4. At the beginning I couldn't spin, didn't have enough strength in my upper arms, hands or wrists to hold my body weight. 6 hours of class later,  all that has changed.  At the beginning I was afraid I was going to land flat on my butt, now I don't care. I still land on my butt occasionally, but the adrenalin rush, the laughter and the bruises are well worth it. I just wish I had started dance lessons years ago.

Don't do what I do - wish you had done something and were afraid to have a go.

As someone once said - life is not a spectator sport, so make today your day to truly participate.

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A news article that was sent to me today said that - low levels of physical activity could be the reason why people get sick - interesting piece - http://www.ohsonline.com/articles/60035/
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"Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The secret to success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can." Douglas Pagels, A Wonderful Resolution For the New Year!
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On a final note, we are getting a lot of bounce backs (mainly yahoo and aol) to advise that messages are being deferred. If you could remember to add - [email protected] to your white list if you haven't already done it - thank you - we might be able to avoid a few of them, which also means that you get your messages.

I hope today contains many opportunities for achievement.

Elle

 

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: A year of completed projects awaits STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/31/2007 04:35:12 AM ----- BODY:

I don't know about you, but when I look back over the year that was 2007, there were times when I hit the mark, and other times when I didn't. And the reasons why are numerous.

When I was successful I:

When I failed miserably I:

In other words, I am working on me just as you are working on you. I know that we cannot be on the go for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But life does need to be balanced.

We are coming to the end of an interesting year, and about to embark on an even better one. Why?

Because we are that's why.

A simple mind set that says, you know what - what's done is gone and I cannot rewind the clock, I cannot go back and undo those things I said and didn't say, do or didn't do. I can only move onwards and upwards from this moment.

So, my question for you as you start to think about putting on the dancing shoes is this:

Do you want to get to the end of 2008 in exactly the same situation as you are now? Or are you willing to say, you know what Elle, 2008 is going to be my year. The year when I finally start to cross things off the goal list. And if that's you - welcome, hang on tight, because it's going to be one heck of a journey.

With love and light for the next 12 months / 52 weeks /366 days of 2008

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: You will always be rewarded STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/31/2008 11:15:48 AM ----- BODY:

A little while ago I was asked to help a relatively new startup company find their voice. As a writer and author I know how hard it can be when faced with a blank screen and no ideas to translate the digital bits and bytes into something meaningful. So I offered some suggestions on how to start, structure and form, and of course content. I'm pleased to say, their words are flowing beautifully and I'm glad to have helped in the process. It took just a few minutes to do and I thought no more about it.  I hadn't asked for anything in return, and more importantly didn't expect anything. So imagine my surprise when the postman knocked on my door today - to give me a present from the company.

Rewards don't have to be monetary. My first reward came when I was asked to help another company. The second reward came when the person listened to the advice and has been enjoying the process of finding and using her voice. The third reward was the gift I received today.

Of course I am not saying you shouldn't charge for your time if its appropriate for you to do so. Just that for me, some things are better than money.

Today and every day you have a chance to make a difference to someone else. It may be something as simple as a smile, or holding open a door, giving up your seat on the bus or doing something unexpected for your parents. And it follows the credence that I try and live by

"what you send out comes back to you"

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"Politeness and consideration for others is like investing pennies and getting dollars back"
Thomas Sowell
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What messages are you sending out?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't let your future be a dead-end STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/04/2008 02:25:29 AM ----- BODY:

I would like to dedicate today's issue of the Daily Dose to my father - John Frederick Bradshaw who died on the 2nd January 2008. My father was 70 years old.
 
For those of you who don't know us - I was born into a family who had lived for generations in the same village in the heart of the Midlands. A rural town in the heart of England that boasts an entry in the Domesday book.

When my father was 19 he formed part of the army sent to Cyprus to look after the British interests there. Unfortunately for my father his career as a soldier came to an end when he was shot, and invalided out of the army and home. His career spanned less than a year. Thankfully after he recovered he met my mum, and the rest as they say - is history.

In my opinion, my dad lived a lifetime of regrets. Wrong place, wrong time. Bullets, war, sickness, dead end jobs. A heart attack when he was in his mid 50's and a battle with emphysema that eventually weakened his body and soul so much so he couldn't cope with English winters and the associated colds, flu and bronchial pneumonia that would eventually end his time on this earth.

One of the reasons why I do as much as I do, is because of my dad. I managed to escape the village some 12 years ago and made Western Australia my home. Dad liked it here. He could understand why we would want to live 12,000 miles away from "home".

My dad wished things could be different. I do things so I know things can be different. And I like knowing that I am doing my part in making a difference to the way people's lives turn out. To the way your life turns out.

So, as you start your new year, consider that while your past is important - after all - you wouldn't be who you are today without your past decisions, your past actions and your inherited family genetics and traits. It is your future that is vital. After all, your future is where you will live the rest of your life.
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"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards" Soren Aaby Kierkegaard (1813-1855) Danish philosopher and theologian
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Who are you? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/04/2008 08:26:34 AM ----- BODY:
Your one true goal in life is to find out who you are - once you know who you are, you can determine what you need to do to support that person. By determining who, you can determine why. By determining who, you can determine how. And by determining who, you can determine when.
How do you find out who you are?
First you need to look within. Dig deep for that is where you will find the answers. You are unique and have a unique role to play. Then -
Do what you enjoy doing, then you will always enjoy what you do. That is the key to finding out who.
But remember you are more than your profession. I am not just a librarian, a mother, a friend. I am me. And I like what I see.
How about you? Who are you?
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The importance of eccentric behaviour STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/20/2007 05:12:05 AM ----- BODY:

I have a fascination with word origins, and yes words in general. How they are used, and how misused they have become (in some cases).

Take the word "eccentric" for example. Centric could be described as "normal" by having a specified centre. Excentric then should be anyone or anything that is not nromal, or as someone once said to me "spinning of the axis". Which is interesting because being eccentric is "normal" for those people who by definition are supposedly not.

Which made me then re-consider - that when we are trying to change our "normal" pattern of behaviour for something that could be considered to be alien to us, means we are not spinning on our own "normal" centre of axis, which is why most people fail. They can't stand the "wobble" so they go back to what is ostensibly comfortable.

Normal of course are our habits. Those things that we do without thinking about them too greatly. We just do them.

So, something for you to think about as you continue to change any poor habits you may have for better ones, is that until the new patterns become "normal" to you, you will feel as though you are not on your normal axis. But if you are serious about changing the way your life turns out, then you are going to have to change the centric behaviour for eccentric behaviour for a while only then will you be able to accept change as being a normal part of your growing life.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Goal setting STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/07/2008 09:23:51 AM ----- BODY:

We can't start a brand new year without talking about goal setting. Well, it's traditional, like turkey and christmas pud.  We spend some time thinking about everything that's wrong with our lives and vow to change every single thing at the same time. Is it any wonder we collapse in a heap before the end of January. I don't call them New Year's Revolutions for nothing.

OK, first and foremost, there may be some things that need radical treatment. But not many people can go cold turkey and sustain the effort over the long term. So here are my suggestions for making a goal list work.

1. Write down everything that you would like to change.
2. Cross off anything that you cannot change - for example it is no good saying that you'd like to be 6ft tall when you are only 5.8"  - either that or aim to buy a pair of 4" heels and vow never to take them off. So be realistic.
3. Ask yourself what you are willing to change - different from no.1 - as this gets to the nitty gritty of whether you are going to stick to the choices you are making or not. Are you willing to give up the cigarettes and the booze, or are you going to be falling off the wagon so often you might as well be attached by elastic?
4. Choose one area - and do something in the next 5 minutes that will take you towards that goal.

What you will find is this - as you succeed in one area you will automatically begin to make some changes in the other areas on your list. Say you want to run a marathon, but you're a bit overweight and likely to have a heart attack before you put your shoes on. It is unlikely you will be able to walk out of your door and run for the 47 odd kilometres that you need to run to complete the distance, the very first time you try. But over time, you will be able to add distance and speed to your training days. Adding just 5 minutes extra each time you run will mean that by the end of week one, assuming you run every day - you will be running for 35 minutes. Given that it took Katie Holmes more than 5 hours to complete her first marathon - 35 minutes is an excellent start. And as you start to run, your body will begin to utilise the fat stores in your body and you will begin to tone up, lose weight and size....and as you lose weight you will be able to move more easily.

Remember, everything impact on everything else.

Success in one small area, over time, can lead to success in all areas of your life.
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"A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder" Thomas Carlyle
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: David EMAIL: IP: 59.100.186.240 URL: DATE: 01/07/2008 04:09:12 PM Thanks for the advice and help. Don't know how you can feel so positive having just lost your dad....but am thankful that you are. Your words keep me going, and i'm sure everyone else who reads this will feel the same way.

Cheers David ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 02/07/2008 04:40:06 AM Hi David, thanks for the comments. It isn't always easy for me to be upbeat and positive. But I was fortunate, I knew I was heading back to England to share this time with my mum and siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles and old family friends. Their strength gave me strength. Now, back in Perth, I keep in regular contact with mum, she is slowly re-building her life - one small decision at a time. It's harder for her, she has 46 years to "file" away in the memory banks.

As you will have realised by now, the trip was full and eventful, and certainly kept me busy. Time as they say is a great healer, it doesn't lessen the loss, but it does reduce the "pain". ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The most important thing about a goal is STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/08/2008 10:17:25 AM ----- BODY:

Having one

 

With love and light

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Imagine that.... STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/10/2008 10:15:55 AM ----- BODY:
Every day we re-create our world. Every day we wake up and we "know" what today is going to bring. Good, bad or indifferent. We "KNOW".

So this morning I am going to ask you to do something very "new age" - or you can call it talking positively to yourself if you like. I want you to tell yourself that today is going to be perfect. I want you to get out of bed and imagine what your day would be like if everything went to plan. And get specific, you know what you're going to wear to that business meeting. You know what you're going to say in the meeting, you just know that the day will be perfect - because you've designed it that way.

And then once you've done that, I need you to act on those thoughts and those images. Believe me, it really does work.

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"Everything you can imagine is real"
Pablo Picasso
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Employ your five senses STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/12/2008 06:27:16 AM ----- BODY:

When you walk into a new place, be it a cafe, a store or an office - what's the first thing you notice?

Well a couple of things actually - what it "looks" like, but just as importantly what it "smells" like. Imagine going into a cafe for some lunch and you could smell rotten cabbage or old grease would you still want to eat there? or would you be wondering if the roaches and rats got there first?

How about the reception area of an office block. You've gone to drop in your resume, but the overwhelming impression you get is that the receptionist should use more deodorant and less cologne to mask the clinging odour of cigarettes and garlic.

Does your office look inviting? Even better, does it smell inviting? There are a couple of old tricks employed by people who "know" that smell can be just as important as the look. One is car sales - we all know that "new car smell"....did you know you can actually buy it from a store? Handy if you're trying to sell one yourself. But make sure it's clean as well. And a giant super market chain in England, re-routes the outlet pipes from the baking bread back into the shop so that people follow their noses to the goodies being created. Yes it's sneaky, but it works.

How about you? Do you "smell" nice as well as look good? You can wear the most expensive suit on the market, but if it's creased, with last nights dinner down the front and reaks of stale sweat and tobacco - it's hardly going to impress - except in a bad way.

As we are coming up to a weekend, today is a good day to begin to employ your senses when it comes to your work places. In fact - Monday is the best day as your nose has had a couple of days off. When you get back into the office on Monday, make a note of what you can smell....if it smells bad to you, imagine what it would smell like to a potential client or customer.

Employ all the senses, it can really be an eye-opener.


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"Good temper is one of the greatest preservers of the features"
William Hazlitt
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Practice even when you don't feel like it STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/13/2008 03:46:03 AM ----- BODY:

There have been many times when I've not felt like exercising. The usual excuses run through my mind - i'm tired, i'm hungry, i've got other things I need to do, it's cold. it's wet, it's too hot, it's - just an excuse when all is said and done. I know that the benefits should outweigh the negatives, the pain, the monotony of sets, miles, drills. But sometimes the negative chatter can and does win.

Practice though really does pay off in the long run.

Week 5 of my short course, nothing went right. Nothing at all. I was hopeless, out of synch and unable to do any of the spins, curves - I was so tempted not to go the following week. The following day, sore, tired and bruised - yes the dancers injuries are many and varied - I began to practice some of the moves we had learned. I don't have a pole at home, but I do have a lot of floor space, so I used it to improve my abs, my upper body and arm and shoulder strength by doing push ups, and some of the many leg exercises that we were learning. Every day I would do something, whether I wanted to do it or not. The result - the last week of the course, everything went perfectly. It all came together, the added work I had done finally paid off and I will be moving up to Intermediates.

The bad thing is - the work I have done, is not going to be enough, I need to up the abs, push ups and leg work because we will be inverting - I have to admit to a certain amount of dread - but again I am determined that I will not be defeated - and I know I will get much better with practice and "home" work. Hmm - I wonder if I can my daughter to teach me how to do handstands!!!

If you want to get better, you need to be willing to push yourself a little harder, a little differently. And you do need to practice, even when you don't feel like it.

================================
"I know you've heard it a thousand times before. But it's true - hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice."
A J English
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't you dare put yourself down STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/15/2008 10:31:29 AM ----- BODY:

Dare to look me in the eye and tell me you're not worth it, not worth taking time over, not worth the hard work - because you are.

You have the infinite power to be whatever you want to be, and I am grateful to be here, to help facilitate that growth, to make you realise you are a fantastic and beautiful person, and one who is capable of so much.

Today, and every day, anything is possible.

================================
What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful.
Scott Westerfeld, Uglies, 2005
================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Kick start your goal achievement in 2008 STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/08/2008 09:19:23 AM ----- BODY:

The only way you are going to achieve anything different - is to do things in a different way.

Which is rather stating the blindingly obvious - but - what is interesting is that we become blind to the fact that we need to do things in a different way, we forget to see what we should be seeing and we overlook those things that are staring at us in the face.

Simple case in point - When was the last time you walked through your house and noticed what was lying on the floor, the kitchen counter, the books on the bookshelf, the clothes in your cupboard?

What about the chips in the paintwork and the dripping faucets? You noticed them once upon a time, because you were going to do something about them. But after a little while, we get programmed to seeing them, our minds "forget" that we were supposed to do something about them and focus on everything else.

It doesn't matter what it is, if you don't pay any attention to "it" you will soon overlook "it".

If you don't work on your goals today, you will soon forget that you were supposed to be making some changes. Our habits take over again, and sure enough before the end of next week you will be back into the old ways and routines you were convinced you were going to change. Don't believe me? Well how many of you worked on your goals today? Be honest - did you get up this morning with a burning desire to strap on your metaphorical (or actual) running shoes and get stuck into your goal list. Or is the piece of paper you've written your half-hearted wish list on turning yellow and curling at the edges?

THis is why most New Year's Revolutions fail. They fail because we don't work on them. They fail because they don't excite us, we stagger out of bed and into the shower, go to work and before you know it, another day has passed in a blur of - what exactly?

So - assuming you still have your goal list handy, I would like you to get it out and have another good look at it.

What did you say you wanted to achieve?
How excited are you about achieving said item?
What difference would it make to you if you did succeed?
What would your world look like?
What would your world look like if you didn't achieve them?

Now write down the answers to those questions and see if that makes a difference to kick starting your goal achievement for 2008.

================================
"Achieving starts with believing" Anon
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: New life STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/17/2008 09:55:56 AM ----- BODY:

In amongst all the heart ache over the last few weeks, there is some good news that I would like to share with you. Two members of my extended family are going to be parents, which is a nice reminder that even dark clouds can have a silver lining.

So how are you all? I hope that readers in our nothern hemisphere are enjoying the beginning of spring. After a long and sometimes never ending winter it can be a blessing to see new shoots, new life and warmer days. I do enjoy the longer days and a chance to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. It always seems like I can do more when the sun is shining and a new life is being breathed into the world around me. I want to get out my goals and begin to work on them...and I do.

Which is rather interesting given that it is now Autumn "down under". My goals and my project focus has to change slightly. In fact I can actually get out into my garden and do some of the jobs that I simply can't do during the heat of a Perth summer. But the days are shorter, so the opportunities less, and so my thoughts turn inwards to new projects that need my attention.

Yesterday I struggled, yesterday I allowed my mind and my body to grieve the passing of my relatives. Today I can begin to celebrate the new life that has been created. Today I can begin to refocus my attention on those things that really matter to me. And yes - given that my relatives died at a relatively early age, one of the big things I am looking at is my health and fitness....again. It doesn't hurt to look, you may be doing just fine. But it doesn't hurt to look, to try something a little different. And that is the same with any goal that you say that you want to achieve. If you haven't managed to get as far as you thought you should, try looking at it from a slightly different angle. Ask "what else can I do?" "What can I do differently?"

With love and light

Elle

================================
The greatest use of life is to spend it for somethiing that will outlast it
William James
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Happy Lists EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 71.161.8.224 URL: http://happylists.wordpress.com DATE: 04/17/2008 03:41:14 PM Thank you for having the courage to create your own bright light in your personally dark time. You are an inspiration, and I am so happy that you have this blog!! Thank you for all your hard work. You definitely make this world a better place! :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris -West Sussex UK EMAIL: IP: 90.204.114.24 URL: DATE: 04/17/2008 08:41:18 PM Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us at this difficult time. You are an inspiration at this time and a guiding light to help others facing a similar battle. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 04/18/2008 01:06:31 AM Thank you for listening and for sharing your thoughts and comments. I had hoped that by sharing my trials, troubles and problems, it may help others to know they are not alone - even though we may feel like we are. It's good to know it has helped, because it has helped me to re-focus and to get through the bad to see the good. So, deep breath - another day awaits.

Thank you
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Keeping busy STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/16/2008 10:47:53 PM ----- BODY:

It is very easy to keep "busy". Most of us do it without thinking too hard and too deeply about the consequences of being busy without achieving a great deal. For most people out there - being busy is the norm. But have you ever stopped to wonder just what it is you have achieved during your day?

 

We have had a lot of new readers to the Daily Dose since this program started who may not know about the time log that is on the site - go to - http://www.motivateme.info/downloads-and-free-stuff/ for your copy. Simply fill in as honestly as you can how you spent your days and nights and you will be able to see just where you spend your time. Of course, to those of you who have read the dose and have heard me speaking about the time log before - please repeat this exercise to work out where else you can save yourself some time, and in fact make time ever day.

 

Utilising those few minutes every day can make hours worth of difference to you over a week. And we can all do with an extra couple of hours each week, can't we. Well you can find them in a few minute slots each and every day.

 

We've been in Blighty for 3 days now and I am exhausted. I don't know how international travellers do this on a regular basis. My hat goes off to those people who spend their lives on the road. But i shall keep going fr my mum's sake. My day's are filled with so many things to do, so many choices to make. But you don't have time to dither, you make your decision and you go with the results of those choices. And so far, it's worked wonderfully.

 

We hit the road again tomorrowm. Stonehenge (Cos we've never been), Portland (where my sister lives, and Weymouth - where we will be staying the night). Then Friday we say goodbye to dad and head across to London for a few days. People to see, places to visit and no doubt t-shirts to buy, so will be offline for a few days.

 

If you fill in the time log, and notice that you have time to fill, please take the spare time (when you are not reading the dose) to make headway into the next phase of one of your projects. And yes you can move your projects on a word at a time, a brick at a time, a row of knitting at a time....once you know what you want.

 

And if you don't know what you want - well you and I need to talk

 

With Many thoughts, 

Elle MotivateMe!

Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

-

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: There's more to marketing than cold calling STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/21/2008 11:16:05 AM ----- BODY:

Marketing yourself and your business is an ongoing process (or it should be if you want to succeed), but it doesn't have to be hard work, cold calling customers to see if they are willing to buy whatever it is you are trying to sell. There is an important element in that you understand, but marketing your business it is not just about getting new people through the door.

Some things I would like you to consider as you go about your working week:

1. Your voice is one of the most important elements in sales. When you answer the phone, are you genuinely pleased to receive the call or is the person on the other end of the line breaking your concentration / annoying you by calling? Believe me when I say that your emotional state is evident in your voice, even if you don't think it is. So a hint - if you are having a bad day, turn on the answering machine, that way you won't lose your customers. Second hint - make sure the message on your answering machine sounds professional...or at least doesn't sound bored / stupid / arrogant....and if you don't know what you sound like - call your number and listen to the voice and the message - it can be very enlightening.

2. Your stationery. Imagine that every piece of paper that leaves your business is a marketing tool (hint - it is) what is your stationery saying about you? Cheap and nasty? Business like? Sophisticated? Add your corporate brand to the equation - do you ensure that your brand is on each piece of paper / quote / compliment slip / business card? Does it attract or detract from the message that you are trying to convey? The type face / font used. Imagine sending your resume to a prospective employer. Would you send a creased, dirty, poorly written, grammatically wrong document with a multitude of spelling errors? Put it like this - I hope not.

3. The words that you use. Are you over familiar with your clients, or straight to the point? It could be argued that you don't need to be "business like" with people that you know well. But unless you are related - would suggest refraining from being too friendly with your clients (if you know what I mean).

4. What you say - the old adage is true, never promise what you can't deliver. You will lose more customers in that way than you would ever have thought possible. And once you've lost them, you will forever struggle to get them back. It's called the leaky bucket syndrome. If you fail to look after your clients in a way that is mutually beneficial to you both, you will forever be looking for new customers to replace the ones you've just annoyed.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Mentors come in all sorts of guises STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/22/2008 06:00:43 PM ----- BODY:

Hello everyone, I hope you have missed me while we have been on the roads. We did finally get to Stonehenge, but not until Friday afternoon on the way into London. We also hit the main commuter traffic heading in and out of London on Friday evening. Everything is an experience - good or bad, and as you may have realised by now. I love adventures. OK sitting on the M25 London Orbital Road can hardly be classed as an adventure to some people, but for me and the children - as we had never experienced it before we had great fun watching the planes going over at Heathrow, and the irate drivers who were obviously late for tea.
 
Of course London was amazing. The kids were wide eyed with sights and sounds, and thankfully the  weather stayed relatively mild for our trips in and out of the underground...now there's an experience and a half. We were fortunate though, we had someone who knew the ropes, knew what tickets to buy and platforms to stand on. Which of course saved us endless time and reduced the stress levels quite dramatically. And we enjoyed the trip far more.
 
So don't be afraid to ask if you don't know something. Don't be afraid that you will appear foolish. Believe me, you won't be.
 
  With Many thoughts,  Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: In the moment STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/26/2008 08:01:27 AM ----- BODY:

With goal setting and goal achievement, we have a clear vision of what it is we want to achieve. We know that if we do x, y and z for long enough then sooner or later we will have what it is we said we wanted. But in looking so far into the future, sometimes we forget that "now" is the only moment we've got. But what are we doing with that moment? More often than not, your mind is off - going over old ground, old arguments, regrets about things not done, or off into the future, must remember to do so and so....and what happens if....

Well, some things to stop and consider

As you are sitting here reading this I would like you to take a moment and ask

. What can I feel?
. What can I see?
. What can I touch?
. How do I feel?
. What can I hear?
. What can I smell?

For me I can hear a fly buzzing around the house, a car that needs its exhaust fixing, a bird chirping outside, the hum of the computer, my fingers on the keyboard, my stomach rumbling.

I can feel the sun on my skin through the window, i can feel my forehead frowning....

I can smell incense and black tea

It may not seem like a lot, but it's an instant way of grounding yourself, of de-stressing, of enjoying the moment - whatever it is, experiencing it, revelling in it.

Some people call it, stopping to smell the roses, but i think this is a better way to describe it.

 

The following quote was sent to me, so i thought i would pass it on

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Don't just do something, sit there.
Buddist Society of WA (western australia) slogan
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: JerBear EMAIL: IP: 59.100.227.77 URL: DATE: 04/27/2008 01:20:49 AM For me I can hear The clock on the wall ticking, smell the cloths in the dryer drying, notice the shade of light as the sun comes up, hear the reduced sound of traffic miles away and the dog walking around up stairs and the children and dogs in the neighborhood beginning there day as I wind my day down to go to sleep.

It allows me to feel good and know the world is right, and should any of this become improper I will usually rise out of sleep and determine what has changed and does it need my action.


Thanks for verbalizing that for me. I have tried to explain all of this over the years to others, yet few "get it".

I knew I wasn't the "only". ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Choices STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/27/2008 02:26:05 AM ----- BODY:

Every day we are faced with millions of tiny decisions. Those choices we make today will impact where we will be tomorrow. Over time, each tiny decision can be the difference between success or failure, and sometimes life and death.

If that sounds a little dramatic, consider the fact that we know eating too much food - take aways, trans fats, sugars, salts and everything else that is manufactured so it smells great and tastes better, will have an impact on our waist lines, and for some people - whether they will get heart disease, diabetes and other diseases. We know it, yet we still eat it.

Similarly every cigarette that is smoked could be the one that gives us lung cancer

Or every glass of alcohol will tip our liver a little further over the edge.

Now believe me when i say I am not telling you you can't eat what you want, smoke or drink - those are personal choices and I am not about to say what you can and cannot do with your body and money for that matter.

But there is one thing I would like you to think about. If every decision we make creates another dimension....then imagine what it would be like if you could see the person who didn't have that accident - instead of living life sitting down because you didn't put your seatbelt on, you're living another life, one where you could be playing footie with the kids and running marathons. Or the person who has always wanted to be an actress but didn't dare go to drama school because of what other people might think about her....and you're watching the oscars and there she is....

Well those dreams, images and people are there, they're just us....if we had made different choices and acted on those impulses.

Now i'm not saying the life you have now isn't good....just different. So next time you are faced with a decision - you can consider it, based on a different view point. Are you happy to continue along the path you are travelling or are you ready to try something else?

As always something to think about.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Incentive schemes STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/28/2008 12:40:25 PM ----- BODY:

I don't know about you, but I find the idea of employee of the month to be one of the biggest demotivators around. Singling out one person a month for praise means that every other employee was - what? Rubbish, late, rude, bored, not doing their job properly, annoyed they didn't get the award this month? Given that an employee of the month award can only "honour" 12 people per year, it can be a real problem to get right, and even more problematic to keep going for the right reasons....after all as an employer you wanted to say well done for a job well done.

So a thought before you embark on something that may act as a demotivator to your staff is this:

If you pay the correct rate of monies for the job being done; if people enjoy doing what they are doing; if the atmosphere is one where creativity, innovation and fun is encouraged; where the boss has an open door policy or similar (suggestion boxes can work); personal and professional development encouraged; and where everyone is treated with respect; you won't need a specific incentive scheme. Because - you as a boss will be the one most likely to do the weird and wonderful such as:

closing the office half a day early...we have an answering machine and email...
sticking a couple of movie tickets into an envelope
or
organising a game of beach cricket

and the best thing about it is, you'll have people turn up and play !!

Where everything can be driven by the dollar, when it should be driven by customer service, we need to start with making sure we are looking after the people who look after the people....

So by all means reward your staff, but do it in a way that doesn't demotivate 99.99% of the rest of your people.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Responsibilities STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/28/2008 11:40:17 PM ----- BODY:

Who are you responsible for?
 
Most people think they can abdicate responsibility for their actions onto someone or something else....
 
I didn't do as well as so and so because they're richer than me, have better opportunities than me, are better looking than me, have better luck than me....ad lib til fade... to coin an old music lyric term
 
Well one of the things that I have discovered over the years is that I am totally responsible for "me".
 
I know that if I don't eat properly or don't do my exercise I will suffer down the track as a consequence. But that does not stop me from sometimes eating things I know are bad for me, or not working as hard at the gym as I know I should be.
 
I also know that I am totally responsible for every facet of bringing up my children to be the best they can be...that's an awesome responsibility for a parent to have. But I think I am doing an OK job on that score. Sure I know there are areas where I know that I could do better, but on the whole, I have provided my kids with an environment that encourages self expression, freedom to study and the freedom to be whatever they want to be or try. And during these few weeks away from their "normal" routines, habits, habitats and friends they have slotted into their new way of living without too many grumbles or gripes. Sure I know novelty plays a part, but even so, I am proud of my kids and the way they have behaved throughout this time away.
 
So next time you think that the world owes you a living, or that someone has had it better than you, ask yourself just what could you do differently today to make a difference tomorrow. Because it is those kinds of questions those people who do things and get on in life are willing to ask... how about you???
 
With Many thoughts, 
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The importance of planning STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/30/2008 10:19:27 AM ----- BODY:

Yesterday we spoke about dreams. Those thoughts that we have can inspire us to think about where we want to be, what we want to do, what we want to achieve. But as we also said yesterday, you still have to "do" something. So today, I'd like to know what changes you have made as a result of those thoughts and dreams that you had yesterday!

For some of you - yesterday was just an abstract process, it didn't sink in. So today I want to get specific.

Today I want you to think seriously about what you want to achieve this week. OK, I know that thinking can also be fun....but you know what I mean. Now this is where it gets interesting, grab a pen and a bit of paper and write down everything you say you want to achieve during the next 7 days. It's Wednesday today, so you can add in your plans for the weekend. This can take you some time....but it's important that you do it....Now once you have done this part I need you to find a plain, boring calendar out.....and I need you to slot those things into the days and times that you have - and I mean, add travelling time to and from work, time at work....then I need you to block out the time you normally spend asleep...how much time do you have left?

Now looking at those things that you say that you want to achieve over the next 7 days - do you have enough realistic time in your schedule to make those things happen? Or do you need to modify your plans and or the time that you spend on other things.

Bear in mind that you can multi-task, so use your car to listen to books or tapes...or buy a dictaphone and outline your book or training program. Can you get up half an hour early and do some exercise or can you slot a walk in at lunch time? When you know what time you have to "spend" you are less likely to waste it on things that do not matter.

With many thoughts

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Travelling the side roads to your destination can be fun STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/06/2008 11:15:08 AM ----- BODY:

Apologies for the lack of content to date, jet lag, a headcold and major reconstruction on a tooth I managed to break at London Heathrow airport has ensured that I have not had the energy or inclination to hook up the home computer. My body clock is still a little out of whack, the head cold is abating, and if only the injection sites for the anaesthetic would stop hurting - i'd be fine.

As you can imagine, the last few days in England were as traumatic as the first few. Thankfully we were not leaving mum with a completely empty household when we got into the car for the final leg down through road works and into London Heathrow airport.

Now I am almost back into the swing of things, I would like to re-iterate a comment I made in an earlier edition of the dose....I am going to have to learn to travel a whole lot lighter if I am going to hit the road as do some of the readers of the "daily" dose. But I suppose with time and practice, we can all perfect the way we do things, and that includes packing, organising and travelling. So for those who travel on a regular basis - I don't know how you do it.

As promised I will be posting a series of photos and notes from the trip back home in the not too distant future. But until then....

So how have you been while I've been away? I hope you have begun 2008 with a smile and a determination that says "this is it, this year is going to be massive, and I mean MASSIVE".

Of course what constitutes MASSIVE will be different for each one of us, so remember these are just suggestions, they are not a one-size fits all strategy. Take what works for you and keep on doing it. Slowly, decision by decision you will see changes begin to take place, which makes the next set of decisions easier to make.

As I have begun to reconstruct my life, I have made a few decisions on things that I need to do. And as I thought about these things, I wrote them down. Nothing new there, it's called a goal list...but with a difference.

I have allocated a couple of pages per area for things I would like to do, see, change. Before I've always lumped my goals into one big list....which can get a little overwhelming for me. But a list of any kind is good, if one big list works for you - then keep on doing what you do. Me, I like to try other ways to see if what I do, can be done better, smarter, faster.

What I have noticed as I have created these lists is this - most of my personal lists (as opposed to house and garden type lists) impact on each other.

Or should I say - the results of achieving those things will impact on my other lists.

For example, I have always been "hippy" but would like to trim down some of the excess inches off my lower half - but rather than say, go on a diet and lose x number of pounds - I wrote all the ways I would like to increase my exercise and forms of hip reduction....which includes believe it or not - learn how to dance. Now I just need a partner....minor point perhaps. You see reducing my waist and hip measurements will also impact on another one of my major goals and that is to reduce my body fat composition into a healthier range. Believe me when I say I am not fat by any means, but I could do with a tone up and a tune up. Which will also impact on the major goal for my life and that is to live forever - you will be pleased to know that so far it's working. (OK I stole that from Woody Allan) - but it does impact on the quality and quantity of your life span if you can reduce size. Note I did not say, lose weight that's just a nice benefit!

So, a thought for today. See how your goal list is structured. Which ones will impact on the others? What can you do differently to get the result that you want?

Personally I need to find some dancing shoes, and a class or two.

With love and light.
Elle

=======================================================
"Decide carefully, exactly what you want in life, then work like mad to make sure you get it!"
Hector Crawford
=======================================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: 10 signs you're a self-help junkie STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/12/2008 04:59:29 AM ----- BODY:
1. You have all the books from every program ever advertised but you haven't read any of them all of the way through.
2. You think reading is going to be enough to make a difference to the way your life turns out. So you haunt the bookstores rather than the gym.
3. You decide that you need to go to another motivational seminar to give you the inspiration you need to succeed in your own life.
4. You tell everyone how much you are going to change, but after a few weeks the cracks are beginning to show, and when asked how the program is going you mumble some excuse about not having time, being busy, sick, have pulled muscles.....or whatever other excuse you can think of
5. Your bank balance is the only thing losing size.
6. Your e-mail inbox is crammed with every motivational e-zine and free e-book you can find.
7. Your goal list is a "wish" list. As in "I wish I were thinner" "I wish I could win the lottery" I wish I could ....." fill in the blank.
8. Or your goal list is so unrealistic you have no chance of achieving anything on it. "I will lose 35 pounds in 3 weeks so that I can look fantastic on my holiday" "I am going to work 3 jobs for 3 months to pay for the holiday I need"
9. You've set some proper goals, but you can't get motivated to do anything on them today....you'll start tomorrow, after you've read the contents of your inbox, and finished some other "stuff" that needs doing.
10. You're still living the same life you were living before you started the program(s)
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Love can counter the curve balls STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/14/2008 09:23:47 AM ----- BODY:

"Love doesn't make the world go round, love is what makes the ride worthwhile" Franklin P Jones

=============================================

Today may be Valentine's Day, the traditional day where couples and those who would love to be in a relationship can show the world their true feelings towards the person they care about. My question to you of course, is why wait for a single day, when you have every day to make a difference to the person(s) you care about.

Every day you can smile at your kids and tell them that you love them. Every day you can leave your spouse or your loved one with a hug, a smile and a kiss. Every day you can phone people you care about and tell them - don't assume they know, and even if they do, tell them again anyway, write letters, do what people do and do well....connect with other people, share time, space and energy with people who (excuse the language) "give a damn".

The feeling of "love" (whatever that means for you) is one of the best feelings in the world - in my humble opinion. Knowing that you are loved, knowing that people care about you, knowing that you have support during good times as well as bad gives you strength to keep going, no matter what life throws at you. And we all know there's the odd curve ball out there with our names on it.

So give a damn and make someone's day - every day.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: When does a habit become a "holic"? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/18/2008 10:36:16 AM ----- BODY:

When you can't not do it

Alcoholic - someone who can't stop drinking even though they know it's bad for them
Workaholic - someone who thinks work will not manage with them
Chocaholic - someone who thinks they need to eat sugary laden cocoa to get through the day

Now, this could be deemed to be a facetious look at what can be quite a serious problem / condition. So a couple of thoughts:

You have to have a determination that goes beyond habits in order to reach some of the goals you say you want to achieve. You have to be single minded and determined. You have to say - I want this, and nothing is going to get in my way. Nothing is going to stop me. And if that isn't the behavioural characteristic of a "holic" then I don't know what is.

Of course you can correct me if you like...we enjoy a polite discussion here at MotivateMe!

Without that kind of determination and dedication to whatever you say you want to achieve, you are going to struggle to make major inroads into your goal list.

But where does the determination come from? While external influences can start you on the path, which can be achieved in a couple of ways. You can attend more motivational seminars, or you can wait for someone to scream in your ear. Whichever way you choose, only you can decide whether you are going to do the work or not, how fast you  complete the work, and what kind of attitude you have. As you know by now, if you
can't really be bothered, it shows in the results you get.

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The second half of a man's life is made up of nothing but the habits he has acquired during the first half.
Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821 - 1881)
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The three D's of unprocrastination STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/20/2008 09:52:05 AM ----- BODY:

Keeping my house clean is a little like painting the forth bridge...as in you get to one end and you have to start at the beginning again straight away. It's a never ending cycle of doing the same things. Ahh the joys of sharing my home with teenage kids and fur kritters.

What's that got to do with motivation, I mean who the dickens likes to clean all the time? One thing I have noticed is that if you only clean the surface you end up cleaning more and not less. You can skim clean anything, but unless you look at the underlying problems - you will never solve the problem of untidy houses, or businesses for that matter.

Why?

Well:

Clean out the clutter. Get rid of the things you don't need, will never use, will never get into again and make room for the things that really matter.

As you do clean each room / area, you will find that as you find time to clean and sort, other problems and issues will start to resolve themselves, especially if you decide to clean properly. And that means - tackling the "problems" as they arise. You may find that cleaning one room / area, will appear to cause more problems than it fixes in the beginning but that is because you've probably never worked in that way before. As with all good time management techniques - do what you can now, and then organise those things that will take a little longer into other areas....write them down, and then cross them off one by one. For instance, I have a sewing pile, a letter writing pile, a bills to pay pile. It makes life an awful lot easier if you are not having to go over the same ground every day.

Remember the three D's of unprocrastination:

Believe me it works

One final thought before you dismiss this as a waste of time....

What would your friends, family and relatives say if they were responsible for cleaning out your house when you pass on? And would you be happy about those comments?

As always food for thought.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Living your life by design STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/12/2008 12:28:26 PM ----- BODY:

Designing the life you want to live can be an exciting process. As you will know by now, your future starts with today's thoughts, and more importantly today's actions. Every minute decision may be the one that finally allows you to reach that goal you started all those days / weeks and months ago. But if you never start making those tiny decisions, then the bigger goals will be unobtainable.

Take buying anything large - a house, a car, a boat, a small island - you choose - remember this is your life we're designing. First you decide what you want. Then when it comes to houses and islands you have to decide where. Then assuming you're not related to Bill Gates or Conrad Hilton, you are going to have to speak to someone about financing the purchase. Easy, there are lots of lenders out there. And then of course comes the long process of paying off the debt. Every week / fortnight / month you make the scheduled repayments. Over time the interest is reduced and you begin to pay off the capital, until at some distant point in the future, you "own" your own place. Of course you could decide that you would prefer to party hard all weekend, every weekend, live at home with your parents and not buy that first property - but that's up to you isn't it.

And so it is with everything we say we want. It can take time to build up a portfolio of clients. It can certainly take time to learn a new skill, and it takes dedication to keep going when you can't see the end in sight.

But you can live your life by design - you just have to know what your life is going to look like, and then start taking those actions that will get you there.

Change your patterns of behaviour from ones that don't serve you, to ones that do and you will be amazed at how fast providence follows intent.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ben EMAIL: IP: 70.155.101.226 URL: DATE: 05/12/2008 04:37:08 PM love it. keep up the good work, Elle. always an inspiration. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 05/13/2008 10:21:11 AM Hi Ben, glad you enjoyed today's edition of the daily dose of motivational medicine. As always I wanted to make "you" think that anything is possible - and never give up living the life you want to live....hope it's working.
Let me know
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Deconstruct before you reconstruct STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/01/2008 08:05:14 AM ----- BODY:

To succeed in a new area, you must be willing to let go of another area that is holding you back. It may sound like a statement of the blindingly obvious and to some it may be. What may not be quite so obvious is that - most people don't do it. They try and patch a new discipline on top of old ones. The newer habit that says - I will go to the gym 3 times a week and work out, when 6 nights out of 7 they're down the local pub drinking copious amounts of beer and eating pretzels.

Don't worry, we've all been there and done that, we say to ourselves, I'll change the eating patterns once I've gotten the new exercise discipline going. I'll work harder when I get a better job, I mean why should I bother now....they have no appreciation for who I am and what I do, so I'll goof off and start work properly when I get a job where they appreciate who I am and pay me accordingly.

Actually it doesn't work like that. Unless you're incredibly lucky. They're not called habits of a lifetime for nothing. So before you add any new areas to your life, have a look at what you currently do, and then ask - are you willing to keep that habit or should you think about getting rid of it? Which as you know is easier said than done. If you decide to change the habit for another one, ask yourself the biggest questions of all

. Am I willing to do whatever it takes in order to achieve this?

. Why do I want to do this?

. Why do I want to put myself through the learning curve to achieve it?

. What will be my payoffs? And

. Are the payoffs big enough to get me over the line to success or not.

Believe me - if the payoffs aren't big enough, if you don't have enough reasons, you will fail 9 times out of 10.

================================
"A lot of successful people are risk-takers. Unless you are willing to do that....to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go, success won't happen" Phillip Adams - Australian author, writer and radio broadcaster|
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Thoughts and actions should be aligned STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/14/2008 10:18:05 AM ----- BODY:

Yesterday we spoke about consolidating your dreams and goals. It's also called "taking stock" of where you are and what you are doing.

Now bearing in mind that you should have done some kind of planning over the last week or so, you will be able to see where you have some "slack" time, time you can use to work on your goals, and other areas where you need to lessen the workload. No, I don't mean "slack off" just take stock. Re-assign your priorities and decide what not to do.

So

Are you where you should be on your goal plan for the year?

We're in the middle of May, so take off most of December for mad Christmas type rushing and preparation and you have 6 months left of the year....6 months or 26 weeks left to do whatever it was you had planned for 2008.

If the answer is yes, actually I am a little ahead of my game plan - well then something tells me you didn't set the bar high enough. A goal should be something that is just out of reach - something that will make you grow as you move towards it. If you have already reached your goal for the year and haven't set a new challenge, well - what are you going to do until January rolls round again? Goof off, sit on a lounger by the pool and sip cocktails? Actually that sounds great.....

If the answer is no - you should carefully look at the goal item. Do you still want to achieve it? Do you need to lower the bar a little (sometimes we set ourselves goals that are so far ahead of where we should be, that we can get discouraged every time we look at the darn thing)....Please bear in mind this is not an excuse for not doing ALL that you can, just that for some people earning a couple of million is an unrealistic target figure....drop it to 10,000 or 100,000 and see if you can realistically expect to achieve that figure, and then work like mad to get there.

You see - for every thought, there must be an action associated with it.

It's no good saying you want to be a writer - if you don't sit down and write.
It's no good saying you want to run a marathon if you don't strap on your shoes and hit the pavement - consistently over many months to build up the muscles and the practice times....
You can't tell yourself you want to be a millionaire if you have no idea how you are going to get the money - or you're not willing to pick up the phone and ask for the sales.

So makes sure your actions are consistent with your thoughts...and if they're not, then try making some adjustments to align them.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: AOL and Yahoo Messages being delayed - AGAIN STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/16/2008 03:08:22 AM ----- BODY:

Good Morning one and all

I just wanted to let you know that for some reason - and way out of our control - AOL and Yahoo are delaying messages - AGAIN.

If you haven't received a copy of the Daily Dose recently - NB Last posting was Wednesday 14th May - that may explain why. You may also like to ensure that you have [email protected] in your white list - or I may just end up in the junk pile.

Thanks

Elle 

 

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Luck STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/17/2008 12:56:50 AM ----- BODY:

The more aligned with your goals, dreams and desires you are, the more luck you will seem to have.

The more "luck" you have the faster you will move towards your dreams and goals....

Yes it is a circular agreement.

So get aligned and get "lucky"

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Believe in the power of your dreams STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/03/2008 07:14:43 AM ----- BODY:

If you don't believe that you can have something, you will not do the work. Always in the back of your mind is that old belief "I'm not worthy". Well I am here to tell you here and now, that until you believe in yourself, until you believe in the power of your dreams you will never be able to move onwards from where you currently are.

You know I'm right. When you know what you want, and you want that so badly - you believe in yourself and your ability to achieve it. So why can't we translate those feelings into everything we say we want?

Well not only does it come down to the feeling that we're not worthy, but that we don't feel we deserve everything we say we want. But the biggest thing that is holding you back is - you can't really see yourself having "it". Can you imagine what a difference it would make to your life if you did win a million dollars on the lottery? Can you imagine getting a job that paid twice as much as you earn now? Can you imagine getting a job where all of a sudden you're managing a dozen people? Can you imagine what it would be like on the speaker circuit - living out of suitcases and eating in a different hotel every night? Can you imagine what it would be like to spend 8-10 hours every day in front of a computer writing your best seller? Can you imagine looking at yourself in the mirror and seeing the thinner you? Can you imagine what it would be like to be free of cigarettes or alcohol?

. How would you feel?

. What would your day be like?

. What differences will it make to your life?

. What are you wiling to do today in order to reach those dreams? Because only you can decide. Only you can do the work. Only you can believe in your dreams, because if you don't believe in them how are you going to persuade anyone else to believe in them either?

With many thoughts

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"What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, belive that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" Mark 11:24
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Today's blog entry - it's been one of those days today.....

To join in the discussion - go here


With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Mi Kee EMAIL: IP: 124.169.131.29 URL: DATE: 03/03/2008 07:40:19 AM There's commonsense behind the notion that everything starts with a dream. I recall a course I was once 'sent' on by my employer. The presenter trotted out the usual hackneyed motivational dross, but then he said something profound that has stayed with me since that day. 'You can't do what you can't visualise', he said (perhaps he wasn't the author, but that doesn't matter). It was one of those reboot moments for me. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 03/05/2008 03:15:35 AM Thanks Mi Kee
I agree entirely with the comments - both the hackneyed - you can do it, yay, let's get going....and the main comment - you cannot do what you cannot visualise, while not impossible, it makes it a darn sight harder to reach the end point if you have no idea what "it" looks like. Having said that, sometimes i just start anyway, and then get the eureka moment usually followed by - der! why didn't I think of that before. But that's what experience and hindsight is for I suppose.
Hope you have the best day
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Defeating negative self talk STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/19/2008 01:22:32 PM ----- BODY:

It is so very easy to talk yourself out of doing something you don't really want to do.

I'll go to the gym tomorrow
I'll start the diet tomorrow / when we've gotten rid of all the goodies in the cupboard
I'll make those sales calls tomorrow, they're probably not at their desks right now
I'll .... (fill in the blank)

Talking yourself out of doing what you know you should be doing is just another phrase for procrastination. No, you may not feel like eating well or going to the gym - but you know you should do both. Similarly you stop doing those things you know will bring you financial rewards because?????

One of the reasons we sabotage ourselves with this kind of self talk is that we have no idea what it would be like to be successful. I mean, if everything went right kind of successful - no matter what we did. We would wonder when the brick was going to land on our heads. So we hide from the bricks and sure enough we don't get the success we think we wanted, but ....

If you are faced with doing something or not and the only reason you're not going to do it, is because you're talking yourself out of it .... then - ask yourself why. Why are you sabotaging your success with "I'll do it tomorrow" self talk. Do it now. Do it anyway. Do it because it will annoy the neighbours and that little critic whispering in your ear. And if you can't do it for yourself, then if nothing else, do it for me - then tell me about it....brag a little - hey elle you were right, i didn't want to ...... but I did and you know what I feel great / terrible / your advice sucks .... whatever - but at least you did it

Cheers

Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Lazyone EMAIL: IP: 59.100.194.53 URL: DATE: 05/19/2008 01:40:14 PM I have talked myself out of going to the gym so many times it's not funny. Then beaten myself up about not going, which of course makes me feel worse about everything - my weight, my lack of fitness, my self image. The stupid thing is, I know I'm doing it, yet can't seem to stop. And to make matters worse, I end up eating more as a result of not going. I'd love to stop this kind of self-defeating behaviour, I really would - just don't think i'm strong enough to talk myself into it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: N.H. EMAIL: IP: 67.169.214.244 URL: DATE: 05/21/2008 01:02:25 AM This is my big dilemma - Why can't I get up and do what I know I should be doing? What I know will make me feel better about myself? Sure there are lots of exuses why I can't make it today, tomorrow or whatever. I was watching Oprah today and she had a few ladies on there that had tough situations to get over in their lives and they just picked themselves up and remade themselves. It made me think about myself alot and the fact that we are what we make of ourselves. So what do I want to be? I don't want to be the person I am now - the one that gets a day off of work and vegetates on the couch all day feeling bad about the way I look and guilty for not doing any thing about it. I want to be a strong and confident woman. I want to be proud to show myself in a nice outfit. Because of that I am going to end this little note and get my flabby hiney to kickboxing which starts in 30minutes!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 05/21/2008 05:44:33 AM Hi N.H.
Hope you made it in time....I did a boxing class for the first time last night. Didn't have time to think about it, had to go home, get changed and get to class in about 5 minutes....well 15 actually. Sometimes having no time to think about it, helps. Now if I had put my sports gear into the car in the morning - I would have had all day to talk myself out of going. Or rather not going....
And tonight it's back to tall cylindrical structures that I need to wrap myself around.
Cheers
Elle
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: I did something radical last night STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/06/2008 09:18:44 AM ----- BODY:

I had enrolled in a new dance class. It had been something I had always wanted to do - learn how to dance, and I was disappointed by my complete lack of coordination, strength and agility compared to the other people in the class. It didn't help that I was taller than all bar the instructor, carried about 20 kilos more than all of them, and was at least 20 years older. I felt like I was having a mid life crisis. Except I wasn't.

I was fulfilling a dream, and a long anticipated goal by going to class last night. And for the next 5 weeks I shall be practicing, I shall be working hard to change my self-perception, self-image, my fear of falling on my face and my complete ungainliness.

But there are some other things I need to share with you.

Overcoming the procrastination habit can be as simple as picking up the telephone directory, finding a telephone number and giving the organisation a call. In my case it was a dance studio. For you it might be a doctor, a dentist, a nutritionist or an employment agency.
Booking the time into my diary and paying for the course up front. There was no way I was going to miss these classes, I'd paid for them.

Turning up last night - there was absolutely no parking - anywhere. Now what? Turns out a concert was being held in the football stadium in the street next to the studio and I didn't know. Perhaps I should listen to the local radio station a bit more often. But then again. So I find a spot - about a mile away from the studio and jogged figuring at least my muscles would be warm by the time I got there. And yes I was certainly warm, nervous dread and anticipation combined with an endorphin rush.

The class started and followed the usual pattern - expectations, course coverage, experience of trainer, what is expected of the participants and what will happen if it all goes horribly wrong....in the case of the latter - carpet burns...but I'll explain more about that later.

I had a feeling that my normal gym workout, plus the floor work that I had done (including boy type push ups - flat palm and knuckles) would stand me in good stead for what was about to occur. Turns out I was almost right, and I was not as fit as I thought I was. Looks like I am going to have to ramp up all the exercise components so I don't get left behind.

It also turns out I should have worked more on chin ups and bicep dips and finger strengthening and yet more abdominal work - but now I know I can adapt my training.

So I had a plan, I had put it into operation and then when I realised that I needed to change i did so. Which is standard practice for any goal that you are pursuing. And I know I have some "homework" to do if I want to keep up.

OK, I know you're wondering what carpet burn has to do with dancing...well we had bare feet and in some cases knees. But the strength and agility comes from trying to hold your body weight up using hand grips around a 45mm pole while trying to spin by gripping with just the back of one knee. Believe me I now have a healthy respect for people who do this kind of thing for a living. And no I don't intend taking it up as a living - just wanted to give it a go.

And the reason is simple. I have never been able to climb ropes or poles - I will learn how. I have never been able to do chin ups - I will be able to. I will lose weight - quickly, change shape, get fit, increase my cardiovascular capability, learn how to dance, reduce my body fat / lean body mass composition, reduce my BMI and challenge my thinking all at the same time, while having a laugh. In our case, complete hysteria as we all got it wrong, time and time and time again.

How many pre-conceived ideas are you willing to challenge in order to achieve your goals?

========================================
"What is now proved was once only imagined" William Blake
========================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Quitting is not an option now STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/23/2008 02:13:04 PM ----- BODY:

Quitting is not an option for me. Once I have determined my course of action, I do whatever needs to be done, until such time as I reach my target. OK, there are some days when I may be on a go - slow, but I chip away at whatever is causing my angst and eventually get back up to speed. You see i've learned my lesson - I used to quit when things got tough. I'd tell myself that I didn't really want "it" whatever "it" was. And then I'd pretend it didn't matter.

Until I finally got it. Everything matters, and everything impacts on everything else.

I had reason to test that resolve this week.

At the moment I am in week 4 of the 6 week intermediate pole dancing class. Unfortunately I managed to tear a muscle in the forearm whilst attempting a one handed spin to a two handed catch....which means I am going to have to stop. I am not going to be able to recover in time for next Wednesday's class.

So - do I accept that at "my age" I can't do something? NO WAY
Do I accept that it takes me longer to heal than my younger days?  Unfortunately YES
Do I quit and say - i'll take up something a lot less arduous?  I must admit the thought did cross my mind....BRIEFLY ....
What did I do? I strapped the arm, and phoned the dance studio - actually they phoned me - "I was going to call you today" - and I've re-set the classes - for a few weeks down the track - after my arm has healed. Shame - my fellow class mates are a great bunch of people, but no doubt, i'll see them again....when they re-do the classes too...just because it's so hard to get all the moves first, second and even third time around....there are a few re-takers....i'm just re-starting earlier.

Have you ever quit and then told yourself that you didn't want "it" anyway?
Did you regret making that decision a little while later?

Are you going to make yourself a promise that you will find a way around whatever obstacles are in your current path?

You should, and the reason is simple.

Reaching your goal is not the only important thing about having one in the first place. How you reach your goal can be just as important. What kind of a person do you need to be to take those first few faltering steps? And what kind of a person will you be when you get there? Something tells me you won't recognise yourself.

With love and light
Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Rob Wallis EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 75.26.195.110 URL: http://tigwallis.wordpress.com/ DATE: 05/27/2008 02:35:06 AM Oh my goodness, yes.I have regretted so many times that I quit too early, usully because something is hard. One thing that works for me is to do something, even is it's little, every day. Some kind of action, address an envelope, something. It works. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: George EMAIL: IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: DATE: 05/27/2008 08:03:27 AM But shouldn't you just accept that sometimes you can be too old, too inflexible, too injury prone to want to continue. I mean there's being sensible and being stupid!! especially as you get older. I know you don't say how old you actually are, but surely common sense has got to prevail at some point. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: DATE: 05/28/2008 03:37:00 AM Hi George
Absolutely, common sense has to prevail...which is why my arm is strapped, I stink to high heaven of deep heat or some such medication, I'm taking anti-inflammatories and I will only go back to class as and when the arm allows me to.
And yes I am old enough to know I should have got it checked when I did it.
Cheers
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Explore, dream, discover STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/24/2008 07:53:03 AM ----- BODY:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."  Mark Twain

As we have discussed through the many issues of the daily dose, your life can change in an instant. Your circumstances can change in an instant - and most of the time by things you have no control over. You can't determine the exact moment you will pass from this one to the next, yet you would think we had all the time in the world to do what we wanted. When as you know if you've ever had a close brush with death and / or serious injury, you will know how wrong that can be.

Remember this one lesson, because it is profound

We do not know how long we have left, so every minute counts, every decision counts, every experience counts. Only you can determine if those things will benefit you or not.

With many deep thoughts for today

Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Richard Duszczak EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 86.148.72.225 URL: http://www.motivationalcartoons.co.uk DATE: 05/24/2008 09:33:08 AM Hi Elle,
Great post! (I am subscribed to your email alerts - that love them!)
I have been in a state of drifting now for a few years and have now
given myself a good kick up the back side. I'm re-setting my goals
and starting to climb again before it's too late!
Keep up the brill' writing!
Best wishes,
Richard

http://www.motivationalcartoons.co.uk ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Do it now and improve your multi tasking rate STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/26/2008 10:30:10 AM ----- BODY:

Don't put things off that take little or no time to do....

Do them, get them out of the way - that way they won't be hanging around at the end of the day / week.

Do it
Delegate it
Dump it

It works. And even better if you can do more than one thing at a time.

Ok, these things can also be deemed to be "busy work" - but sometimes these things still need to be done. If I don't have time to clean the entire house in one go, I will pick something up and put it away on my way to somewhere else...namely the bathroom, or I take my laundry on the way down to speak to the children / wake the children in the morning....while dinner is cooking I will send the Daily Dose to you. While the Daily Dose is being sent, I'll put some laundry in, or check on dinner, supervise homework, pay some bills, get changed from "day work gear" into track gear...then before I eat dinner I will put on the running shoes and hit the pavement.....I don't sit and wait for something to happen.....but then I've always been good at multi-tasking....


And it works for any goal item. If you know what your primary goal is - and you have a few minutes whilst dinner is being cooked then ask what can you do in the next 5 - 15 minutes on that goal item?

I don't know anyone who wouldn't benefit from getting some of those annoying tasks out of the way...the ones you'll get around to at some point or other.....so why not give it a go.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Keeping track STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/27/2008 12:02:20 PM ----- BODY:

Monday, the first day of the working week for most people. I know you know that, I'd just thought I'd say it. I know today is Tuesday, i just thought you might like a reminder that as you go through the working week - you are more likely to do things on a Monday...and the reason is simple. Monday is definite point in time. Monday, the first day of the week.

Monday is usually the day that we decide we are going to do ..... and ...... oh and musn't forget to do .....

For instance, the gyms are at their busiest on a Monday, and by contrast - go in on a Friday night straight after work and you can almost guarantee to have the place to yourself. And it shouldn't come as any surprise to learn that more diets are started on a Monday than any other day of the week. Most of them are also finished by the time we get to Friday. We're tired, we're irritable, we're ready for some down time, so most things go straight out of the window by the time we get to Thursday and Friday each week. Go on you know I'm right.

So how can you work this to your advantage.

Ask a couple of simple questions -
If tomorrow were Monday what would I have to do to get ready?
If I had to plan my working week - starting today - what would I need to get done by the time I get home / end of the working week?

And then "play" pretend ... lets pretend that tomorrow is another Monday and see how much more we can get done.

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Take time to rethink, re-group and re-action if necessary STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/29/2008 10:26:59 AM ----- BODY:

Planning and execution strategies for any major goal can be time consuming, confusing and sometimes hard work. Therefore it is important to take time at the end of a major planning session to review what your action steps are - before you jump in with both feet.

Now I know that taking action is important. But this first review is only one of many you will do along your goal path and it could be argued the most important.

Have you outlined all the steps you need to take or just listed some high level moves you need to make?
If the latter - can you drop in a few, smaller action steps to make each of the higher level strategies become more meaningful to you?
If you've focused only on the small first steps, can you flesh out some of the broader strategies you will need to consider and implement as you get closer to your goal line?

And the reason we do this is simple - it makes you re-think what it is you say you want and want to achieve.

Take the goal to run a marathon. Admirable health and fitness goal. You know the marathon will be run on a certain day, and you've downloaded a recommended training schedule from the Internet (yes there are some I checked) and you've slotted the required training dates into your calendar.

You might say - but there isn't anything missing from this plan. I would "argue" there are several pieces missing from the plan itself. For example:
. Get a health check from your doctor first. This may involve some blood screening and / or x-rays to determine if that dodgy left foot will take the pounding from the training you are going to inflict upon it.
. Get a decent pair of running shoes. No, your "old" trainers will not do. It is recommended you replace your trainers every 3-6 months depending on the amount of exercise you do. And the reason is not to keep shoe manufacturers and retailers in business, but simply the material the shoe is made from only has a limited life span. So be prepared to buy a couple of pairs as you train.
. Have you considered what you will do if the weather turns (too hot or too cold / wet) - you may need to factor in some gym time and therefore expense.
. What are you going to have to give up as a result of the new training regime?  doubt that cigarettes and alcohol would benefit your health goal, and may put your training back if you don't consider your diet as well as your exercise.

As you can see, these are just a few extra things you need to think about as you plan. And as you can imagine, you may need to make some adjustments as you go along.

Wishing you luck with your additional planning and actioning exercises

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: A Question or two for you STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/31/2008 08:08:31 AM ----- BODY:

Never stop asking - why, how, where or what.

How can I do this better?

Why should I bother?

Who will benefit?

Where will it end?

And other similar questions. Each one will give you endless opportunities to improve and change your lifestyle, your business opportunities, your success rate and a myriad of other things in your life. The minute you stop questioning, asking yourself these kinds of questions is the time you stop growing, and the time you accept that what you have is all that you will ever get or be capable of. So never stop questioning.

With many questions for today and always

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Redefine the term normal STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/02/2008 11:25:05 AM ----- BODY:

I have been having one of those restless days today. It's a bank holiday here in the Western part of Western Australia. I don't know why, it just is, and that's probably the reason. The weather has been perfect, a great day for laundry, gardening and taking a long walk - of which I've done all three. But it's not what I would term a "normal" day.

Today is just one of those days, when my goal list doesn't inspire me. I have completed a couple of major items from it today, but it was a hard slog...and hardly one of those joyous moments you expect when you achieve something momentous. But sometimes life is like that...a hard slog to get things completed so you can move onwards. Today has been one of those days when I could have quite easily have curled up in my bed and told the world I wasn't coming out to play today...but I didn't. I got on and did it anyway. Does that make me barking mad or just determined not to let my non-conscious brain get the better of me?

I'm sure you've all had some of those days, when you can rationalise giving up, of not doing all that you can do. Personally I would say that's "normal". But the difference between those who get on and do, are the ones willing to redefine the term normal.

================================
Today's blog entry - sometimes I wish I were normal is here - http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/6/2/sometimes-i-wish-i-were-normal.html if you'd like to check it out.
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Let us begin STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/07/2008 07:02:20 AM ----- BODY:

If you struggle with motivation in certain areas you can improve the odds by finding someone who will push you in the right direction.

Coaches, mentors, exercise buddies, good friends, members of our own family - can be just the thing to make you want to get up and get on with it.

Say for example you need to exercise but don't have the discipline to go walking on your own. Then meet a friend and walk together. You will be less likely to call and say - can't make tonight, I just can't be bothered to put my shoes on.

If you are new to business and haven't got a clue as to what you should be doing next in order to make your business grow, then a business consultant or growth program can help you. Join a group of industry peers and discuss the many options you have open to you....you might also find new doors opening for Joint Ventures and Collaborative projects by doing this.

All the best people have a support group. Elite athletes and sports men and women have a range of people they use or meet up with to hone their skills so they can retain at the peak of their sporting prowess for as long as they possibly can.

The top business men and women are the same. They have a group of people who help them with supporting roles. Basically if you work for someone, you are supporting them and their business to be better / bigger than before. But they also have a group of people they look up to, so they can strive to move into new areas themselves. The best businesses have both.

While only you can determine the amount of effort you are willing to put into something, the ones who get the most done are the ones who are willing to accept help and encouragement along the way....so let us begin.

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"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong" Ella Fitzgerald
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: If you do nothing different today... STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/04/2008 06:02:00 AM ----- BODY:

How can you expect things to change for you if you do nothing different today?

======================================================================= 

But before we get into today's edition of the daily dose, just a quick reminder to all AOL, Yahoo and Hotmail email users and recipients... I am getting a lot of bounce backs so can you please ensure you have [email protected] in your white list, otherwise you'll be complaining you're not getting messages - when I have been sending them, just can't get through to you - thanks Elle.

======================================================================= 

So, to go back to today's question - if you continue to do the same things in the same way every day / week / month - then how are you ever going to change your life? Now I understand change can be hard, it can be extremely hard to sneak out of the zone of comfort without the guard of conscious thought standing in front of you asking "and where do you think you are going?" before dragging you back into the warmth of what you know and can do without thinking about.

So how do you sneak out of the zone of comfort without the guard catching you?

Well there are some simple things to try.

1. Distract him/her - feign confidence in whatever new enterprise you are embarking upon. Walk into a room with your head held high, even if you think your stomach is going to land on the floor in a big embarrasing puddle. Pretend it's "normal" for you and your guard will doze off and move out of the way.

2. Move slowly. Rather than taking a massive running jump into a new project - break it down into tasks you can complete in the next few minutes. The guard will notice what you are doing. But because you "stop" after a few minutes - he / she will go back to reading that magazine it found on the corner of the check out. Then when you think he / she is not paying attention take the next little task and do that as well. What do I mean by a little task? Well - take telephone sales for instance. Rather than blocking out an entire hour on your calendar and work yourself into a lather telling yourself that for the next hour you are going to make some calls...make just one. Write one letter rather than an entire address book. Write one chapter of a project you are working on. If that's too big, write one paragraph, write an outline, write the conclusion, draw a diagram...whatever takes you onwards whilst at the same time, fooling your guard of conscious thought. Believe me it works. And because you've completed the task without fear or striving, the guard will not have to worry about that particular task again...and will carry on reading that magazine in the corner by the door.

3. Or you can bash it on the head and tell it to go away - take that massive jump and say to dickens with you matey i'm off.... which can also work, it depends on the kind of person you are. But believe me when I say - you do have to have the courage of your convictions to do this one and get away with it....imagine your guard of conscious thought puffing up behind you and screaming - you'll know what will happen, don't come crying back to me when it all fails.....who do you think you are....

4. Give your guard a name.... go on - dare you. It's fun. Mine used to be called Gary!!

Have fun and do something different today.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Turn frustrations into learning opportunities STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/11/2008 09:25:42 AM ----- BODY:

It's a fascinating place to be - in frustration.

Frustration is a place where you can see the problem and nothing else.

So how do you leave the state of frustration?

Well you put your mind into the correct gear and you change direction - immediately.

Which is easier said than done, I know, I've been to frustration many times.

So lets break it down a little further.

Acknowledge what is frustrating you. If it's something like being stuck in traffic and you can't do anything about it, then what is the point of being frustrated? Yes you could have perhaps gone a different way or left a little earlier - but you know what - you didn't, so sit back and enjoy the ride, because you are going to be there a little while longer. Crank up your favourite radio station or better still an audio program and use the time to constructively, with the added bonus you lower your blood pressure at the same time.

Of course you could argue that you are on your way to a meeting, in another country and you've got a plane to catch. Dealing with this kind of situation is relatively easy - telephone the client and advise them you are going to be late and you apologise for the delay and inconvenience (the beauty of mobile phones). And if you are lucky, you get the people back at the office to do a quick re-work of your plane tickets. Or acknowledge the fact that you are going to have to work something out when you get to the airport yourself. Remember you will get back what you give out, so don't take your frustration out on the airport staff - it's not their fault you're late.

I look at things like red lights as a way of teaching myself patience and planning. I keep a notebook with me, so I can use the time to make notes. I make a note of time and day and if the same pattern is repeated, then I can change my route for the next time. In my case, Thursday is a particularly bad day for traffic on the way home, so I go home a different way on that day now. It could be because of late night shopping, it could be - anything, I decided I just didn't want to sit in traffic on a Thursday night, so I did something about it.

And then there is the frustration that you are not where you really want to be, or doing what you would really like to do.

If this is a regular state of mind for you, then i would suggest taking a good look at where you are and what you are doing when you feel the sense of frustration coming on. Patterns of behaviour give you the chance to change....if you want to.

Once you have isolated the frustration - then you can decide and determine what you are going to do about it. If you can change it, but don't - you need to ask why you are not willing to change? You need to ask what it is you are not acknowledging or what problem you are happy to live with. Because without asking these kinds of questions you will never get to the root cause and you will always be frustrated with where you are in your life at the moment.

And if you can change it and do, remember that sometimes the path to smoother times can be a little bumpy at the beginning, so don't get frustrated if you slip a little along the way.

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"Cultivate only the habits that you are willing should master you" Elbert Hubbard
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Asma EMAIL: IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: DATE: 03/13/2008 12:33:46 AM Hello Elle,

Thank you once again for your doses of wisdom. They help me tremendously.
Today's topic on frustration has sparked a question with respect to myself - and maybe others?

I have a very bad tendency - to procrastinate. But it is not a normal type... if procrastination can be in anyway normal.

I tend to let things pile up - many times it appears on purpose.
When crunch time hits - I knuckle down and complete a great many things.

In that completion I feel a sense of great accomplishment and pride in a job well done.

My question: Why the heck do I pile things up, and in doing so consistently beat myself over tasks uncompleted 9 times out of 10 nights and the 1 day I actually do something give myself (mental) high fives and back pats?

What is wrong with me????
Why would I not want to experience the high fives and back pats everyday?

Can you help by shedding some light to this senseless behaviour of mine?

With greatest respect
Asma.
----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 03/13/2008 12:47:33 AM Hi Asma

Thank you for your very interesting comments and questions regarding why you allow things to pile up before completing things.

In my opinion, your subconscious mind like the rewards and payoffs of completing many things quickly. Your mind has gotten used to the highs of the adrenaline rush that being late brings, and the "higher" state when you have averted a crisis. And because you averted the crisis, your mind takes that on board and tells itself that it works better under pressure.

Believe me you are not alone in this phenomena. A colleague likes to tell how often they have stayed late, often til the early hours of a morning so they can finish something. When in reality they've been at work all day but have filled their hours doing "stuff". Busy work that does not need doing. They enjoy the "sympathy" when they tell how tired they are because.....

Another reader tells that they are so busy with working in their business (admin is a great way of filling time), they don't have time to do anything else. Well - those people who own their own business yet fail to work on their own business may soon find they don't have a business to own and run.

These are all variations of the same thing. I think people like to procrastinate because of the subtle payoffs they get as a result. In your case, the high fives and slaps on the back for averting a crisis. My colleague for the sympathy and the other reader for not being able to do everything during the day, they just don't have the time to do anything else...."poor me" or "sympathy" vote again.

So, if you want to get more done, it may be a case of working out the payoffs you get and then working on finding alternative more healthier options to reward yourself.

Kind Regards

Elle


----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Round and round and round they go STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/16/2008 08:23:39 AM ----- BODY:

Thoughts that is. Encircling our lives. Your thoughts form the basis of everything we are, say and do. If you are feeling down and depressed, the thoughts you have are sitting in the back of your mind, nagging you - making you feel a whole lot worse. Conversely if you think you can do something, if you think you are going to have a good day - well 9.5 times out of 10, that's exactly what happens. So thunk good things, and you will be happier and achieve far more than if your thunks are bad.

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"Thoughts are like boomerangs" Eileen Caddy
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Andrew Chisholm EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 24.138.15.136 URL: www.thegoodkid.com DATE: 03/16/2008 06:21:45 PM This is very true. Thanks for sending out this reminder. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Affirmations can work, just choose your words carefully STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/11/2008 11:04:40 AM ----- BODY:

Most of the affirmations people use, fail at the first stage. They tend to give an unrealistic message to the subconscious mind, hoping for a positive response. If you are financially broke, and you say to yourself "I earn $100,000 per year", how will your non-conscious mind ever believe it? If your body is totally out of shape, and you say to yourself "I am very attractive", your mind will know you are trying to delude it and add the "yeah right" to the end of every sentence.

However, if you add a couple of simple words to each sentence - you can make a big difference to the way you mind thinks and ultimately believes.

Instead of saying "I earn $100,000 per year," say "I choose to earn $100,000 per year."
Instead of saying "I am very attractive," say "I choose to feel that people find me attractive."

And once you "choose" the right word(s) you are more likely to "choose" the right actions.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Help others by helping yourself STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/18/2008 09:39:53 AM ----- BODY:

Now I do not mean, put yourself first, middle and last and then think about other people who might cross your path. Just that if you want to help more people, you have to become "more" of a person yourself.

But what does that mean?

Well if you earn a lot of money, you can give a fair bit away. Whilst that is one way of helping people, it's perhaps not the be all and end all of living life.

Personally I feel that by doing the best you can do, at all times, you will inspire others to do their part. And isn't that one of the best ways you can help someone else? Inspiring them to do more, be more, achieve more.

Say for example you own a car dealership. You have a couple of employees who work for you on the showroom floor, and a couple of people who work in the office processing paperwork, answering phones and inquiries.

Imagine that every day you get to work, tired, late, untidy and hung over (ok we are going for maximum overkill on this example) You expect your employees to open up the shop and hose down the cars and get them ready for inspection. The girl answering the phone is filing her nails and chewing gum as she stares listlessly at the screen. The showroom staff members are talking amongst themselves unaware that a potential customer has just walked onto the forecourt, the clothes they have chosen to wear that morning are a little wrinkled from lying on the ground overnight and the shoes haven't seen a polishing brush in months.

Translate that scenario into virtually every business in every country, and with a few exceptions, you will find this scene being played out.

The few exceptions are those people who work on themselves every single day. They have a reasonable amount of sleep at night (lets face it, who really gets 8 hours every day), they've kept up their exercise routine and their waistlines down, they've made sure they've eaten breakfast (coffee and bagels don't really count), the clothes are cleaned, pressed and worn with a certain panache, they look the part and they are going to play it. They have confidence that when they walk into work the next morning, they will usually be one of the first there and be ready for the phones when they start to ring when the office opens....or in some cases, before the office opens. Meetings are scheduled in advance and projects and goals worked out. They know where they are going and what they need to do in order to get there.

And you know what, most of the time, their employees are exactly the same.

So, take a good look around your workplaces today. Are you helping others to help themselves? Are you setting a good example or a bad one? Do you need to work on you just a little bit more today so that you can be even better tomorrow?

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"Be at peace and see a clear pattern running through your lives. Nothing is by chance." Eileen Caddy
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Go for bold STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/13/2008 10:21:17 AM ----- BODY:

If you are ever faced with a decision and you are not sure which one to choose - go for the bolder decision. You will be amazed how much better you will feel.

Choosing the easy (easier) option is easy - yes and you can probably do it standing on your head, but it's hardly inspiring is it. It also signals to your mind that you are "cheap", willing to go with the "cheat" option.

So, always go for the decision that requires a bit of effort on your part. If you don't - you won't grow. What's worse than not growing? Not caring enough about your own personal and professional development to choose the harder of the two options.

So go for bold and make a dramatic difference to your outlook on life and the quality and quantity of the rewards you will get as a result of doing so.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Out of order comes new solutions STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/14/2008 06:32:38 AM ----- BODY:

If order breeds habits in us, then surely in order to break our habits, we need to move away from our orderly lives into the realms of chaos.
Now before you start to panic - bear with me just a minute.

Imagine that you don't know where you want to go, or what you want to achieve, sometimes your mind can freeze and offers no new suggestions. it just goes around and around going over the same problem and same potential outcomes.

But if you are willing to move into an open minded position (I call it chaotic thinking, others call it brain storming) then your mind is more likely to offer many alternatives.
Where chaotic thinking differs from brain storming (in my opinion) is you do it on your own...usually with pen and paper in hand. And the questions:
Who, What, Where, How, Why are always a great starting point
- How can I do this differently?
- Who can help me?
- Why should they bother?
- Why should I bother?
- What's in it for me?
- Where am I going - really?
- What do I want to achieve?
- If I did this, what would happen?
- If I did that, would it make any difference?

Try it, you might suprise yourself

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Remember STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/20/2008 10:59:14 PM ----- BODY:

We do tend to learn more from our failures, and the reason is simple - they can be very embarrassing. And as with most things that are cringe worthy, you remember every single last detail. You do don't you? Well in order to achieve more, you should also learn to remember the successes in the same kind of detail. What worked, why did it work, who else played a part? Remembering these kinds of details can be the bridge you need when starting out on a new venture. Yes I can do this - because I've succeeded at x, y and z in the past.

So as we move into the easter break, apart from consuming vast amounts of pummeled and re-constituted cocoa bean - start thinking about your previous triumphs, your successes, and then see if you can't apply those feelings and actions to your next set of goals.

And talking of Easter, be safe on the roads. Chocolate is not the only thing likely to be consumed in vast quantities this long weekend break. So a suggestion, do your health a favour - offer to be skipper.

With love and light

Elle

================================
"Why destroy your present happiness by a distant misery which may never come at all? For every substantial grief has twenty shadows and most of the shadows are of your own making" Sydney Smith
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Time to raise your standards STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development DATE: 06/17/2008 10:25:06 AM ----- BODY:

Today is a good day to raise your standards. It's time to expect more out of yourself than anyone else. After all the only person you can control is you, and what you do. And no matter how hard you think you have worked today, there is always something you can change. It may be that you are doing too much, so raising your standard by delegating is definitely the way to go. It also raises the standard of the person/s you are delegating to, by giving them more responsibility.

It could be a simple case of going to bed just that half an hour earlier if you can't get up in a morning, or eating more healthy foods rather than the fish and chips you were going to have for tea. Or drinking one more glass of water and one less glass of soda or alcohol. Raising your standards to creating a better you - now that's something worth thinking about.

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Note to all subscribers STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/24/2008 12:09:28 AM ----- BODY:

Good Morning

This isn't today's edition of the daily dose, just a message to all the readers of the daily dose of motivational medicine to let you know we are getting a lot of bounce backs. AOL appears to be delaying messages for days, and some are not getting through at all. So could you please ensure that you add [email protected] to your white list. Thank you.

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: A job well done, will generate more STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement DATE: 06/19/2008 10:17:10 AM ----- BODY:

Have you started cleaning out your "closets" of problem areas yet? One thing I have noticed as I have done this myself over the years, is how many amazing things I've found tucked away in drawers and cupboards. Things I thought I'd lost and things I'd forgotten I'd bought. I found a friends birthday present last night !!

Assuming you've completed at least one of the "problem" areas - have you noticed how good you feel afterwards? That self-satisfied pat on the back for a job well done.

Now, please bear in mind, I am not just talking about "cleaning things" as in places - but cleaning out old jobs you've been putting off. Calling those clients you don't really like. Admitting to someone you've made a mistake, knowing you are going to have to fix it. Getting rid of the dreaded filing in time for end of financial year tax audits (for those readers in Oz). Because if you are anything like me, you will have found things that need throwing away, mending / fixing (and fixed them), cleaned and dusted the office desk, picked up and re-filed all the spare pens, pencils and paper clips that always seem to litter drawers.

Is it busy work? Yes it is, but I'm not asking you to spend the entire day doing this - just enough time to cross one item off the problem to do list. Then when you get another 5 minutes later in the day you can tackle another of the items.

The classic three D's of unprocrastination kicks in:


So, don't allow another day to pass by without clearing one of your problem areas.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't wait for others STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Time Management DATE: 06/21/2008 02:36:14 AM ----- BODY:

Waiting for other people can be time consuming and frustrating process. You have your day nicely lined up, you know what you need to do and roughly how long it is going to take. And then you begin to encounter "other" people. They don't have the same concept of time management you do. You have to wait in line as they pretend to do their jobs. Take check outs and receptions as two very good examples of bad time management and customer service for the most part.

Rarely do they make eye contact with the people they are serving, and you can usually tell at a glance if you are interrupting their day - clipped tones, bad body language, vague directions and even less help. A note at this point - I did say for the most part - there are SOME good ones out there. But I can almost guarantee you will come across poor time management on the part of others when you are in a hurry, and need to get on.

So how do you cope with this interruption to your well planned day?

And that is a good question.

Of course, queues aren't the only time we wait for others, I'm sure you can name many times you've waited for phone calls that didn't arrive, people to turn up for appointments and so on. These moments are the times you can use to move your tasks and goals on, or you can use them as a way of stopping, as a "breather" in your busy day. Just remember - our expectations will always be different to other people's.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Champions dig deep STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/24/2008 12:44:24 AM ----- BODY:

Have you ever succeeded at something? Something big? Something major that you can put your hand up and say - yes that was me, I did that!

Before you say, no, I've never achieved anything so large, I can claim championship status over it. Well let me tell you, right here, right now, you are a champion in many areas of your life already.

Don't believe me?

Well, do you remember learning how to crawl and then walk? Do you remember learning how to talk? Do you remember learning how to read or tie shoelaces? Every one of those "things" that you succeeded at as a child was championship material. Why? Well you overcame everything to do it. You fell down so many times, but you still got up and had another go. Nothing was going to get in your way and you know what was even more remarkable was that you were encouraged, you were told you were a big "boy/girl" now, you were congratulated on a job well done when you succeeded. It's amazing how we forget those kinds of successes isn't it. But we shouldn't, because in order to succeed at anything worthwhile, you need to find that same determination you had then. You need to get over the fact that it might hurt if you fail. Your ego may get battered and bruised. But so what! Ego's need to be reminded now and again, they do not rule our lives (even if they think they do).

So as you start another working week, remember you are already a champion in many areas, now all you have to do is translate that into the things that you want to achieve today, this week, this month and this year and you will see major changes in your life. You see champions know they can succeed, so they usually do.

==========================

Today's blog entry - Motivate myself to eat less chocolate is here if you would like to join in the discussion.

==========================
"The ones who want to achieve and win championships motivate themselves" Mike Ditka
==========================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: 9 writing mistakes STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management DATE: 06/23/2008 01:38:45 PM ----- BODY:

1. Not sure who your market is. Your writing is not specific, nor is it personal.

2. Not sure what your prospects problem is. How can you sell something if you don't know what problem it is you are trying to solve.

3. You're not sure what your solution is. What can you and your organisation offer as a way to solve your prospects problem? Find the answers to questions 1 and 2 and you are on the way to working out whether you have a solution for them. However, if you don't understand what it is you are offering, if you don't believe in your solution - you will always have trouble selling it...especially in written terms.

4. Your writing style is not readable. Now I am not saying it's full of bad spellin and poor grammer but it is so full of jargon you need an interpreter to decipher it for you.

5. What you are saying is not 100% believable. Some of the most amusing ads I've read over the years occurs in heatlh and fitness magazines. For example our product strips fat 282% faster..... faster than what? Don't use it.

6. Your writing is lack lustre. It lacks any kind of passion. You couldn't convince an eskimo to buy a heater.

7. You've chosen to use testimonials that are so weak they might as well not be there at all. Of course it could be argued you don't need them at all, but if you do use them, make sure they say the right things about your organisation...in the right way.

8. Your offer is not 100% clear. Vague, wishy washy writing guarantees poor results.

9. You don't give them a reason to buy now....Time limited offers are OK, but what I mean is buy now - because you simply can't resist. Does your writing do that?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Make time to read STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 03/29/2008 05:37:11 AM ----- BODY:

It has been said that if you read for an hour every day, you will be able to read the equivalent of 50 books a year. Imagine what that would do to your information / knowledge banks? Imagine what would happen if you took just one of the pieces of information from each of those books and used them to make a change to the way your ran your business, or the way you managed the people who work for you. That's just one idea per book, imagine how much change you could make if you used 2 of the suggestions given, that would be over a 100 changes to your life in just one year.

So, next time you are reading, make a practice of writing down the good ideas in a notebook that you can carry with you. Then start to implement those good ideas. We don't call reading "food for thought" for nothing.

With love and light

Elle

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"Learn something new. Try something different. Convince yourself that you have no limits"
Brian Tracy
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Today's blog entry is here - motivate myself to clean.....

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 03/29/2008 06:24:15 AM In an additional comment to today's edition of the Daily Dose. I have personally read several thousand books, and owned more than a thousand. But in addition to "books" I have written many articles for peer reviewed journals, and read many more. I've written several books and technical manuals. Add all the incidental reading I do for my job and you can imagine the number of words I have read will be in the millions. Words have the ability to transport you to places you may never get to see. They have the ability to inspire, to move you to tears. Words are amazing and above all - we can read almost everything the world has ever written, and for not much money. How inspirational is that.

With love
Elle ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: my name is aaron EMAIL: IP: 66.240.27.39 URL: DATE: 04/02/2008 07:13:56 PM What about reading webformation? Does reading "insert here" knowledge count as reading if I'm reading lots of different things each day? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 04/04/2008 01:27:24 AM Hi aaron, ok - putting my "information managers" hat on here.

You don't read knowledge. What you do is read data. Those meaningless bits and bytes - imagine reading a shopping list or a single line of a poem. Until those seemingly meaningless words make sense, they remain data. When they do make sense to you then it becomes information. It doesn't matter what it is or where it comes from. It only becomes knowledge when you use the information and apply it to your life.

OK, what do i mean by that. Well - say you were reading a notice that said - warning this is hot. Single words becoming information. Knowledge comes from the fact that you KNOW it's hot, therefore you won't touch it.

So that's the first thing. The other point is - why are you reading? What benefits are you gaining from reading - and webinformation does count as reading of course it does...it just depends what you are getting from it. It's like motivateme and the daily dose of motivational medicine. You can read the stories, the news, the suggestions (information), but until you understand and apply a few of those things to your life - then it will stay as information - it becomes knowledge when you use it. So - why are you reading what you are reading. Of course it could also be argued that you are reading for pleasure, and that's fine too it's important to strike balance no matter what you are doing.

Hope this helps

Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Exercise differently STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/03/2008 10:53:18 AM ----- BODY:

As the seasons change, we tend to notice a change in the types, duration and intensity of the exercise that we do. A work colleague has a dog that needs walking every day, in fact twice a day. And she has said on more than one occasion the fact that "fair weather walkers" are always the first to say "I haven't seen you in a while". No, the truth of the matter is - whilst they were tucked up in bed when the rain was pouring down, the wind howling and the mornings dark, she and her dog were out getting exercise.

Whilst I am not saying that you should exercise when it is pouring down with rain or howling gales, you should consider doing something to ensure you don't lose the momentum that you have gained over the warmer days when the weather is less than favourable.

So a few suggestions:

1. Take the stairs instead of the lift. In fact, every time you get up and go to the bathroom, make a habit of going to a bathroom on a different floor to the one you currently work on. Sounds strange, but the additional few minutes of exercise you get each and every day as a result will soon become obvious.

2. Save money and lose weight by catching public transport. Taking the car to the office can make us lazy when it comes to food and exercise. When you know you have a bus to catch you can't sleep in, or if you do, you know you're going to have to run to catch it. Then when you get to the other end, you can't simply get out of the car - walk across the tarmac and into the office building. Walking from the bus stop to the office can increase the daily number of steps that we take every day. However, if there is a bus stop right outside the office door, then don't cheat - get off one or two stops before so you can get the exercise your body needs.

3. Walk as if you are late for an appointment - this one simple trick can up your walk rate intensity quite dramatically, and you burn far more kilojoules as a result.

4. Turn your house into a gym. Now I don't mean buy oodles of exercise equipment that you won't use, but consider some simple things. If you have a multi-level home, think about using the bathroom on the other floors to where you are currently now. Yes, stair climbing again. Do your own vacuuming - if you do it already, move to music and dance through your cleaning. Believe it or not, the faster the music, the faster you clean (well I do). Scrub the floors rather than mop them. This one is hard on the knees, but is a great all round exercise for the body.....and great for the floors too. And yes I do get on my hands and knees and scrub the floors - kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and everywhere there is a tiled floor on a regular basis.  Similarly - window cleaning can be a great overhead stretch opportunity. I have large picture windows, so during my cleaning spree I will clean at least a couple of them each week - inside and out. Whilst the entire house never gets done in one go (I don't have the time - no really I don't) the house does get a couple of sparkling windows each week.

5. When it's cold and wet outside - exercise indoors. There are some great places to exercise today. From ice skating rinks to indoor velodromes and dance studios. Sign up for a class or two and exercise with a difference. The added benefit of learning how to do something new also has an added effect - it exercises the mind too, and that can be a great way to prevent things like Alzheimer's....because your mind has to get active to learn the new patterns and movements. Oh and pay for the classes up front....that way you are guaranteed to go.

Make exercise a significant part of your every day life, not as something you HAVE to do and you will gain more benefit as a result. Why? well - it comes down to something we have discussed many times - you will always find time to do those things that you want to do and like to do. So learn to like exercise and reap the benefits.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 04/04/2008 01:09:40 AM I cannot believe how sore I am. I haven't pulled anything you understand, just using muscles that haven't been worked hard in years. Believe it or not, I have come to the end of week 5 of my 6 week course. WHilst I have managed to master some of the spins and dance moves, I haven't been able to manage all of them. This is both frustrating and interesting. It has emphasised a major point for me and that is - you cannot go to one class a week and be brilliant after 5. That's like expecting Tiger Woods to be brilliant after picking up his first golf club and whacking a few balls down the fairway...or Einstein working out the light bulb in the first experiment he made. OK, I'm not planning on taking up pole dancing or exotic dancing for that matter for a living, but I do want to master this - which means, I need to do some additional work. As it happens I am going to take in a second class tonight. And then I shall re-do the entire course. But in addition I need to up the basic work that will strengthen my back, shoulders, arms, hands and legs. So a concerted effort is going to be undertaken over the next few weeks to work through the aches and pains and to really get fit....and yes learn how to spin properly.

When you know what you want to do, when you know your goal, you will do whatever it takes. And it's obvious it doesn't matter what the goal is.

With love and light
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Put your questions to bed STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/30/2008 12:58:47 PM ----- BODY:

No matter how bad you think today has been, you will be given another chance tomorrow to make a difference.

So before you head off to your bed tonight, spend a few minutes and write down all the things that went well. Then one a separate sheet / page write down all the things you need to do tomorrow. Add any questions you need answers to, but don't attempt to answer them - just write down the questions that have been bothering you, then put the book down and focus on going to sleep. Let your subconscious take over as you go to sleep, and be prepared to have lots of answers tomorrow.

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"Live for ever or die in the attempt"
Joseph Heller

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Today's blog entry - what happens when you are motivated - http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/6/30/what-happens-when-you-are-motivated.html

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Will you or won't you? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/05/2008 07:26:31 AM ----- BODY:

"Will" is an interesting word. And whether you will or will not comes down to your conscious thought and deliberate action. We have freewill (well most of us do) to choose our own actions. But our willingness to do things comes from our attitudes and determination. And our determination comes from knowing what we want. People of strong will - will be more likely to succeed in their lives than those who have weaker characters. And the difference is in the attitude that you have towards your own life.

So develop your "will" and you will find the way.

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"My will shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man;s doing but my own. I am the force. I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny."

Elaine Maxwell
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Associate with drivers not anchors STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/06/2008 06:46:57 AM ----- BODY:

Waiting for other people, means you will "walk" to their time, pace and agenda, and not your own.

Therefore if you want to get on in life, you should associate with people with a natural drive and enthusiasm for getting things done.

On the other hand, if you associate with people who have little or no respect for their own time, let alone yours means you will spend a great deal of time waiting. Which as you know has the double effect of frustrating the heck out of you and stopping projects in their tracks.

So unless you want to do everything yourself, associate with drivers and not anchors.

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"If we did all the things we are capable of doing we would truly astound ourselves" Thomas Edison 1847-1931
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Compliments keeps the energy moving STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/03/2008 10:10:48 AM ----- BODY:

Whenever you receive a compliment - say "thank you".

Then stop.

Do not add any of your normal deprecating comments to the end of the sentence. You know those comments you always add - "oh but ...."

And it doesn't have to be spoken.

For example, if you get something you weren't expecting - say thank you. It could be a gift, a token from a vendor, a free sample, something you find on the sidewalk / pavement - always say thank you. People laugh at me for picking up small coins - but I have found several hundred of them over the past year or so and I always say thank you....because you never know what the next "gift" may be. If you stop saying thank you, the "universe" or whatever higher power you believe in, may deem it necessary to stop giving them to you because you were ungrateful.

So what do I do with my small coins? Well I usually find a charity pot and add the coins to that.....that way what i call "green energy" keeps  moving.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Trying times STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/16/2008 11:14:52 AM ----- BODY:

The start of 2008 has been a difficult and trying time for myself and my family. As you know, my father passed away on the 2nd January, followed by his elder brother on the 22nd February. Today I received a call from my mum to say their sister died yesterday. My dad, uncle and aunt - 3 siblings in 4 months. It does make me want to ask - what would be the odds on that happening? I'd have to say that it would be rare indeed (under normal circumstances).

Today I have to confess that I am struggling with it all.

Today I am very glad I have had a lot of work to keep me occupied and very busy. Busy work, hardly inspiring but it has kept me from brooding too much.

Apologies if today's edition of the daily dose is hardly motivational. But I would just like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that life is short, even at its longest. That your family, friends and loved ones can be taken away from you in a heart beat, and if you haven't spoken to them in a while, today should be the day that you do it. For no other reason than you can.

With love, light and a box of tissues

Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ralph Lovuolo EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 74.233.174.239 URL: www.mortgagemotivator.com DATE: 04/16/2008 04:40:24 PM i am truly sorry for your loss. each of them deserves special attention. and i believe you are doing the right thing by keeping as busy as possible. even if you have to invent things to do.
there is no magic in my words, there is however feeling an a sense of camaraderie having had those experiences. continue to share your feelings if you see the need, cause that helps also. remember the good times, they often wil carry you through.
continue to do what you do, cause you do it better than anyone. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 04/18/2008 01:13:05 AM Hi Ralph,

Thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot at times like this. And I would also like to say thank you for the work you are doing with your coaching. They are very lucky to have someone like you to help them.

All the very best
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/06/2008 02:36:55 AM ----- BODY:

Yesterday's message was eaten by virtually every canned meat substance filter known to man - so i'm afraid you will have to go to the site and read it, if you are interested....it was on the difference little things can make to your lives.

So if little things can make a big difference, why do we neglect the details? It's ok to be a big picture thinker - after all we do need to know where our ultimate destination is, but if you don't enjoy every step of the journey are you going to enjoy the end result?

As you begin to plan your next working week, take time to work out what you would like to achieve by the end of it - that is essential. Block the time into your calendars so you know what you are going to be doing and when. But then add the fine print. What can you do in the next five to fifteen minutes that will take you closer to achieving those items? Instead of surfing the social interaction sites that litter our lives, or chatting over the water cooler about what you did or didn't do on the weekend, take those normally wasted minutes and make an extra phone call to one of your clients, or write a letter, or .... i'm sure you get the idea. Time is the only thing we cannot get more of, so don't waste yours watching other people waste theirs.

Have a fun start to the week.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Exercise in disguise STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/19/2008 09:05:30 AM ----- BODY:

If you can't bear the thought of "going to the gym" but you need to lose size / spare tyre round the middle, there are other options. Note: I do use the gym a lot, simply because it's good for your bones (not to mention the muscles, skin and everything else). Bones get brittle as they age, but many studies have shown that lifting weights can prevent / slow down/ reverse this process especially in women. And no you can't end up looking like Arnold Schwarzenneger, we don't have that kind of physiology or testerone levels for that matter.

But if your bone health is still not a good reason to lift weights, then consider some other forms of exercise that aren't really exercise at all (in the normal sense of the word):
1. Ditch the car and walk to the shops to fetch your lunch. (Yes Mark I am talking to you!!)
2. Buy a pedometer (or borrow from someone who doesn't use theirs) and aim for 10,000 steps per day. This figure is touted by many health professionals as the ideal number of steps you need to lose weight. Wearing one for a day or two will show you how many steps you really don't walk every day - it's very enlightening.
3. Take the train or bus to work every day. Save petrol and get some exercise at the same time.
4. Take the kids to the park and push the littlies on the swings....this is a great upper body workout, but don't cheat - walk there.
5. Take the dog for a walk...twice a day. Don't have a dog - borrow one, or take the cat, hamster or goldfish instead. What am I saying - oh yes, get outside and move.
6. Take the stairs wherever possible. Great for the rear end.
7. Gardening. Spend several hours in the garden pottering about, pulling weeds, mowing lawns, every week can bring about massive changes to your overall health...and your garden will look much bettertoo.
8. Cleaning. Take one room each week and clean it - properly. I noticed last night that my very purple wall is dusty, so I shall get the dusters out, move the furniture around and clean over the weekend. A couple of weekends ago i rearranged the lounge. Took hours, wore me out - but the place looks much better.
9. Learn to dance. And if you take someone with you, they'll be fitter too.
10. Just move....If you want to lose it, you're going to have to move it.

Apart from a healthier, fitter you, you get the added benefits. Your skin looks healthier and you're more alert too. This is especially good if you're prone to the mid afternoon slump.

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Be strong and courageous and do the work
Chronicles 28:20
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Role Models STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/08/2008 10:22:28 AM ----- BODY:

Good Evening one and all,
 
A quick thank you first of all, and welcome to all our new subscribers to the daily dose of motivational medicine. I hope you manage to get something of interest and use from the contents.

Today I would like to speak to you about your role models. Who do you look to, to provide you with the information, the skills and the techniques that you need in order to get those things done that you need to get done. These are the people who will support you no matter what - but pull you up when you sink a little low. So who do you look to when you need inspiration?
 
I am fortunate to know some amazing people. The people I work with are experts in their own fields and I desperately play catch up on a daily basis to make sure I don't let my end of the bargain down. Now as a Librarian, Consultant and Information Manager, one might argue that I could offer a great deal to the mix, and I do - just that I am also aware that I still have a lot to learn. Then there are other people in my life who are remarkable. My significant other is always willing to challenge conventional thinking and is willing to try, try and try again something new in order to find out what works and what doesn't. I think it was Einstein who said "I have not failed 10,000 times, I have found 10,000 ways that will not work." My partner is like that.And then there is my family. My children have a lot to teach me, as dd / did - my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins - this year especially has taught me a lot about human nature.

And then of course there are your friends and acquaintances, your social groups and church groups along with your personal belief system, and your faith. If you have friends and acquaintances like mine you will have a wealth of people to inspire you, to challenge you, to nurture and support you as you pick your way through this debris field we call life. (BTW - a debris field - are things that get dumped in your path by well meaning people - usually those people who don't want you to change !!)

Here are a few suggestions for you (and you would be disappointed if I didn't give you some :-)
 
Your parents - you may not agree with all they do, but they will have instilled some disciplines into your way of thinking, and acting. If your parents are smokers - then you are 100% more likely to smoke than those who do not have parents that smoke. Frightening statistic. I had one parent who was a smoker and one that didn't. Thankfully I chose the non-smoking side to fall down upon.
 
Then there are your siblings and other relatives - not to mention those people you spend a considerable amount of time with every single day - yes your co-workers. Spend some time with them and find out what makes them the kind of people that they are. You may find things that you want to incorporate into your lives, but the other side is just as important - what don't you want to be/do "when you grow up?"
 
And talking of the people you work with - my first professional role was with a group of 70 other individuals - who all had a role to play in the organisation and I took the opportunity to learn from as many of them as I could, so do the same. Fastrack your own career by leveraging the knowledge of others. And no I don't mean stealing other people's ideas. Again - find out what worked and what didn't and make adjustments to your game plan accordingly.
 
The final point is this - what are you hoping to do and achieve? It may be, the people you need to emulate are not available to you (for whatever reason), so find as many books, articles and other writings as you can, and spend some time studying them. People like Churchill and Socrates are no longer with us, but their writings are. And people have devoted their lives to find out how other people live. So make good use of your public library. Be an avid reader of things outside your normal reading comfort zone - you never know what you will find.
 
However, I will make a point here - if you make a habit of reading the tabloids and gossip mags, guess what - your point of view will be slightly off colour (so to speak) so please make sure you read more than one - at least that way you may get a more balanced view.
 
Remember what goes into your mind, is likely to come out of your mouth...

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Retna EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 97.91.152.88 URL: www.laughingsuzuki.com DATE: 07/08/2008 05:04:02 PM Thoughts become Things!
(according to Mike Dooley)
I have this new thing I do where I make a list of things that I want but I write it in a specific format. It works!

I AM SO HAPPY AND GRATEFUL NOW THAT I have a new car.

(you write whatever it is that you want at the end of the sentence) BTW, the new car happened and it was GIVEN to me. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't stop studying STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/09/2008 01:45:58 PM ----- BODY:

Regardless of who you are and how old you happen to be, there is always room for "new" things in your life.

With the growth of the Internet, there is so much to see, read and absorb than ever before. I remember growing up - computers were the realms of nerds, and I NEVER thought I would be clever enough to be able to use one, let alone create software coding, websites and databases. Today of course, kids almost the world over know how to use and exploit computers and their network connections to find and use the information there is available.

There is one MINOR problem with this of course. Well, more than one problem - but we'll focus on the important one - (in my humble opinion) - what do you read first? There is just so much available nowadays - it's a case of what don't you read, so you can read more of what is important to you.

So a suggestion - remember your medium to long term goals - what do you want to do / be / achieve ? Then make sure your reading material can support what it is you want. It can be so easy to get caught up in reading for reading sake it can be hard to stay focused.

So another word on reading - make a note of those important items that pass through your mind, into your conscious thought processes. I keep a journal of good ideas, of thoughts, questions and quotes I find and read. But then I add a few more thoughts - how does this affect what I am planning on doing? How can I leverage what I currently know, with what I have just learnt? How will my new found knowledge help me do my job tomorrow / help me create a new life for me in the future?

And you thought reading was just a passive experience didn't you. Well, I don't call reading "studying" for nothing, because life is a study if you want to learn from your mistakes and move forwards.

How do you read? And more importantly what do you do with your new found knowledge?

As always something to think about.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Time management made simple STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/25/2008 07:25:25 AM ----- BODY:

Do those things that need to be done if they:
1. Move you towards your goal line
2. Inspire you to grow
3. Bring some kind of reward

A word about the last point....money is not the only reward, but it should be noted as a good friend of mine says "there is an endless market for free services". And if you let them, people can and do take advantage of you, and the worst culprits are people you know and / or work with.

"could you just help me do so and so...it'll only take a minute."
"I need a hand"

Bear in mind that we only have a limited amount of time to devote to those things that we want to do. If you spend all your time for no visible "reward" you do have to ask - what's in it for you? Yes you can bask in the knowledge that you gave your time for no reason (sometimes not even a thank you) other than to help someone else who hasn't managed to organise themselves very well. But is that really the best use of your time?

So time management made simple ....

1. Decide what needs to be done (based on the above criteria) then
2. Decide whether it needs to be done by you, or done at all
3. Decide what you are not going to do from here on in....so you can focus your limited amount of time to doing those things that you do need to do and will help you achieve your goals.

Then of course you need to pick one of your task items and get on and do it. As my pole dancing instructor says - sometimes you have to stop thinking and allow your body to do, and once you do that, you'll be able to....(in my case spin properly)....what are your thoughts holding you back from doing?

With love and many thoughts for the day

Elle

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One today is worth two tomorrows
Benjamin Franklin
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To add your comments - go here


With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.
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To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Multi-tasking STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/12/2008 05:53:45 AM ----- BODY:

I am attempting to get past S**m filters at the moment hence the change in msg headers. I'm also attempting to contact all the bounce backs individually to make sure you have me in your white list....sooner or later I will find a way to get these messages to you.
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You can save a great deal of time by doing the same kinds of jobs at the same time. For instance, I add all new readers to the newsletter just before I send out that particular day's edition of the newsletter. That means I don't have to wait for the program to open multiple times, I can process all the information and then move on to the next task.

Similarly I pay all my bills in one go, write the next weeks letters, cards and wrap pressies in one sitting, and read all my "funnies" - all those emails I get sent during the week - in one go (well most of the time). Believe me it can save huge amounts of time - especially in the online world - do what you need to do, then close the site / program down. That way you don't get distracted by the open windows.

It is I suppose classic time management made simple. If you have to find scissors, tape, paper and cards for one gift, and you know you've got to find them again in a few days - surely it makes sense to do both at the same time? Well it does to me !!

If you're cooking dinner, add a bit more to the pot and take left overs to work for lunch the following day (save yourself some money too). Or batch cook, store and freeze.

Take some time over the next couple of days and see what you repeatedly do and see if you can't combine the tasks. Then let me know how much time you saved as a result... I'm just nosy that way.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Thinking is the beginning STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/29/2008 10:34:55 AM ----- BODY:

No matter how badly you want it to happen, change will never result from thinking alone - you must take action.

But the truth of the matter is - the world is full of people who "dream" their way through life, wondering why things aren't getting better. So, whilst thinking is the beginning, those who are willing to take action are the ones who will achieve the truly remarkable results.

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If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them
Henry David Thoreau
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Shop online and save time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/14/2008 10:24:51 AM ----- BODY:
Are you the kind of person who doesn't like to go grocery shopping, and more to the point - doesn't have time to go and fetch food?

Have you noticed you end up spending more money when you don't go once a week to the shops/ store? You haven't? Well I can almost guarantee you will and the reason is simple. If you don't have ingredients in the house to fix lunch or dinner, you will be more likely to buy it ready made from elsewhere. Of course you may argue that not having to spend time fetching, preparing and cooking said meals can save you time and money - and yes it can if you are a single person - to a certain extent. You can still save money by cooking two dinners, putting one in a freezer container and saving it for a day when you don't have the time or energy to create something nutritious.

A couple of things about cooking your own dinners is this - you know exactly what is going into the meal. No hidden sugars, salts and fats. You know what's in it because you put it there.

OK, I can hear the whingeing from me - I don't have time to shop and cook. Well outsource the first part and get your groceries home delivered. There are a lot of stores and supermarkets that allow you to shop online and for a small fee will deliver it to your door. If you multiply the time you normally spend wandering around the shops trying to find stuff...I'm sure they've moved it again....against your normal hourly rate, you will notice you can save quite a bit of money using this one technique.

Do I shop online for my groceries? No I don't - but then again I like mooching around shops for different things to try out on the unsuspecting members of my family. But remember the caveat - you will always find time to do what you really want to do. And if shopping is a pain for you - then don't do it.

Of course there are other things you can outsource including:
gardening, ironing, housework, filing and bookkeeping and clothes shopping can be done online through many of the catalogue sites too.

If your "free" time is limited, then why not outsource some of those tasks you don't have the time for and generate some extra income for someone else. I know it works well for the people who do it.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Planning for success - Part 2 STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/01/2008 10:35:10 AM ----- BODY:

Planning for success - as we discussed yesterday can be as simple as working out the time you currently spend on things you do, then working out what you can realistically do in the remaining time that you have....bearing in mind there will always be contingency requirements (buses late etc etc).

There are several things I would like to add to this planning session you are undertaking at the moment.

1. Balance. Don't try and do too much - you will wear yourself out (been there, done that and bought the t-shirt on the way past) and you will struggle to keep up the momentum.

2. Book appointments well in advance, diarise them - that way you don't forget to go to doctors / dentists / get your car in for a service - it's called preventative maintenance....and it works.

3. Block time for the other important things....What kind of things? Well exercise is vital, yet it is usually the first thing to go by the by when "you don't have time" - block it in like any other appointment you have and when the time comes around, get up and get going.
"yeah, yeah, yeah, that's all right for you but you don't have...."
Actually I do know what it's like. I've got kids, I work full time, I have a home to look after just like you do. Case in point - last night I could have quite easily stayed home and gone to bed early - I was tired, a bad (and I mean ill) weekend had taken its toll - but I didn't. I got in my car and drove to the dance studio - yes - classes have started again...and boy am I glad I went. It was a hoot. We reviewed what we had already learned and added some new moves...try a backwards somersault around a pole....it's a trust thing - and believe me when I say - you don't land elegantly....but then again neither did anyone else....and then just when we had that one worked out....now try it forwards. Today my muscles are aching pleasantly and my mind is going - good job last night, woo hoo, well done girl. I want to try that one again - it was great fun.....will I miss next week - NO WAY in the world. I've found an exercise system that inspires me to want to do better....

4. Make a note of the time you spent on certain activities as opposed to the time that you wanted / needed to spend on them. The beauty with going to class is that you can't slack off. It's really easy to stop running if you're not training with anyone, or not do the required number of repetitions - especially if you don't write it down....don't rely on your memory, if it's anything like mine it's got more holes than swiss cheese. Time / distance / weights / reps / calories consumed / time spent on project. And if you think that's too hard - remember there is a time log on the site - just go to publications and downloads....

5. Review your goal list regularly. It's fantastic that you have your goals written down. But you do need to review the list regularly to make sure you still want "it" whatever "it" is for you. Do you need to revise targets? Do you need to revise time frames / collaborators ? Keeping the goal front of mind (by reading and reviewing the list regularly) makes you more likely to achieve them.

6. Have fun

Speak to you soon

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Off the air for a couple of days STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/18/2008 06:29:39 AM ----- BODY:

First of all I would like to apologise for being "off the air". A couple of weeks ago my external hard drive backup decided to move onto silicon heaven, a replacement was bought and the process of re-building the backup began. Last night, after downloading the latest fire wall - thanks to an update from a large software organisation that rendered the firewall unusable last weekend - and therefore no access to the Internet - this week - the final blow. The hard drive on the laptop gave up and joined its friend in silicon heaven.

Since then of course it's been re-building time. In terms of dataloss - because of the file synchronisation earlier in the week was minimal. In terms of loss of software and time to download all the unique pieces again, plus the time spent to rebuild the mailing list from scratch - in monetary terms about a couple of thousand dollars in wasted time alone.

Because I hadn't backed up the software programs, because I hadn't backed up the mailing list to the external driver - my workload has just gone through the roof. And it could have been prevented.

My fault.

Which is ironic given my profession. I am an Information Manager, and advise on disaster planning and how to manage your information.

Don't assume it can't happen to you - it can.
Don't assume you will be able to retrieve data from a dead hard drive - you probably could, but at what cost.
Don't assume you will be able to back up your files tomorrow - you might be able to, then again - you might not.
And don't assume your backup will last the distance either.

Before the days of thumb drives and external hard drives one of the tricks to long term digital archiving I used was to back everything of importance to an email account - courtesy of the internet. Now, thanks to Yahoo and more or less Gmail - you have unlimited storage, all you need to do is send yourself a message with the relevant attachment - make the subject line meaningful, so if you need to find something in a hurry you can, and away you go. It might take some time depending on how much old stuff you have in electronic form, but you can start the process right now with the work you are doing now, and you can add your personal archive as you get 5 minutes to attach and transfer files.

Or you could do as I am going to do and that is buy a second backup, back up the back up, synchronise the files once a month and then replace the backups every 12-18 months. It may sound extravagent, but then again it depends how much value you place on your information. As a writer, my archive is priceless.

Anyway, that is the latest tale of my electronic woes - actually it isn't - in addition to these two things dying a premature death I have a broken digital camera - the back broke - it can still take pics - you just can't see what you are taking. And I have a cd stuck in my sound system - that is going to have to go off to be unscrewed to get it out.

And as usual - these things usually happen when cash flow is a bit tight - time to curb spending on "pleasure" and make way for the business purchases that I need to make.

Speak soon - I promise

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: if at first.... STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/04/2008 11:32:33 AM ----- BODY:

you don't succeed, so what? you're probably running about the same as everyone else.

But the difference between you and everyone else, is this:

If at first you don't succeed....have another go

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What will you leave when you leave? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/25/2008 10:18:49 AM ----- BODY:

Sooner or later you will leave this place we call Earth and head off onto the next great adventure. Who knows what that adventure will be...but lets assume for just one minute that you will be given a chance to take a good look at the life you have lived and be asked the question - now do you want to go back down there and live that life all over again, or are there one or two changes you would make?

I would say that few if any of us would be happy enough to live our entire lives - over - in exactly the same way again.

But before you can make the decision, you are given a box. Inside that box is a collection of things. These things will vary of course from person to person...but in general terms, there will be love letters you've written and received. The children's school photos and certificates of merit. Your school photos and certificates of merit. A bank statement or two - with the donations circled in green, and the balance in red or black (your choice). Letters of commendation from your employers and letters of thanks from your employees. Pictures of things you've created, and piles of journals that contain the stories of your life.

You're given time to reflect on how much or how little is in your box, and then you notice another box sitting to one side. Curiosity gets the better of you and you ask - what's in the box.

The answer is disturbing.

The box contains nothing.

Nothing?

Nothing. You see - that box contains all the wasted opportunities you had to make a difference and you chose not to make the decisions you knew you needed to make. So, in effect the box contains nothing.

Every time you turned down a business opportunity - it became nothing.
Every time you missed a chance to be with your children.
Every time you were given the chance to read a book and you didn't, preferring to watch the day time soap operas instead - your personal development stopped happening.
Every time you spent hours gossiping with "friends" you lost time to work on yourself and your goals.

That box contains nothing because you chose the life you lived.

Would you be able to look at those boxes and be satisfied you'd done your best?

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Laure EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 172.163.206.127 URL: www.justiceinteriors.com DATE: 07/28/2008 04:06:27 PM This is lovely, and very thought provoking. I wanted to cry when I thought about my empty box. I am so grateful for the opportunity to work on filling that empty box. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 07/29/2008 01:13:10 AM Hi Laure
Thank you. Sometimes I think my box has a hole in the bottom - every time I think it's being filled with good things, I remember all the things I haven't managed to do yet.
Best regards
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Why can be more important than how STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/06/2008 08:49:28 AM ----- BODY:

How are the planning sessions going? And more importantly perhaps, are you beginning to achieve more as a result of the time you've spent?

In working out what you want to achieve, there is one important element that we should always incorporate into each and every planning session and that is WHY.

Why?

It's an interesting question isn't it.

Unfortunately most people don't have a satisfactory answer to the question WHY...which is why they will rarely get what they say they want.

I use the "because I can" phrase quite a lot. To me it gives me free reign to be outrageous, to try new things, to do whatever I want (within reason). But lets face it, it's not a proper reason is it.

And whilst you are working out the reasons WHY, there is something else I would like you to consider and that is this

What will your day / week / month / life be like if you did manage to do whatever it is you said you wanted. Are you willing to spend hours training each and every day for several months in order to be physically fit to run the marathon? Are you willing to spend a lot of time on the telephone asking for more business?

Spend some time and work out what your life will be like when you achieve your "goal" and then if you are willing to continue (and believe me when I have said this to my audiences in the past, most people feel very uncomfortable about what their days are going to be like from here on in) why not start acting as though you already had those new customers. Start working the telephone, meet your new customers as if they were the ones to bring in the most money to you (hint they might be). Start training like you mean it. Start living your life. Because a goal isn't the be all and end all, that's just an end point. Each and every decision you make can take you towards those things that you say you want, or away from them.

So to recap:

================================
"Awake, arise and stop not 'til the goal is reached"
Sai Baba
Indian Spiritual Leader
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Maintaining momentum is like pulling weeds STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/27/2008 09:40:55 AM ----- BODY:

I don't know about you, but sometimes I would prefer not to have to do so much. It would be so nice just to sit down and watch the roses.

But I know that if I stop for too long, I lose any kind of momentum I had built up over the last little while and I know I will struggle to get going again. It's like weeds, if you don't pull the weeds regularly - sooner or later, you go out the back - and wonder where on earth they all came from - again.

Take any part of your life, if you aren't keeping a keen eye on everything, sooner or later the weeds creep into the cracks.

For example - relationships. Do you remember what it was like in those first few heady days / weeks / months? Do you remember how you found time to do things together. You'd "go out" and you would have fun. Picnics, movies, dinners, wandering around parks, spending time together - because you wanted to. Then after a while, the phone calls would drop off, you wouldn't write those letters and notes, and if you happened to share a house with the person - you'd do your "thing" while they would do theirs.

Everything needs attention. Everything and everyone in your life, needs an eye kept on it for the weeds that accumulate.  Go on, admit it, you do let some things slide, don't you. You say - you don't have the time to do everything. Well as I have always said - you will always find time to do things you want to do.

So, are you willing to have a good look at where the weeds are in your life? And then of course, you have to decide whether you are willing to get in and pull them out, or whether you are going to let your "garden's" go to waste.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: only change what you can STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/08/2008 10:16:23 AM ----- BODY:

Carrying on with our session on planning and our reasons WHY we want something, have you noticed that the only things that you have any control over, is YOU. You can't change someone else, you might persuade them to your way of thinking, but lets face it, it's better to lead by example.

So, as you carry on refining your goal list, your reasons and the actions you should be beginning to implement, bear in mind that you can only change those things over which you have direct control. Namely - what you eat, what you drink, what you say (outloud), what you say (to yourself), what you are thinking (worrying) about and the actions that you take. Everything else is out of your control. It's like worrying about what the weather is going to do tomorrow or next week, or whether there will be a parking spot, whether your teacher will mark your assignment fairly, how the other team will play in the game.

All you can do is be the best that you can be, that's it. And when you realise that and internalise it properly, it makes life an awful lot easier to live.

================================
"There is little sense in attempting to change external conditions, you must first change inner beliefs then outer conditions will change accordingly"
Brian Adams, How to succeed
================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Victory over the rocks STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/12/2008 01:09:52 AM ----- BODY:

Success in any venture is our ability to keep going no matter what is thrown across our path. It is up to us, whether we choose to go around the rocks or to navigate through them.

Of course you could always stare at them and hope they move of their own accord or for someone else to move them out of your way. But if you really want to get on in life, I would suggest that waiting for other people to help you out, can be at times disappointing and others just another way of procrastinating - avoiding those things that you know you should do.

So move your rocks and get on with living your life.

================================
Victory - a matter of staying power
Elbert Hubbard
================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Consolidation STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/13/2008 10:17:23 AM ----- BODY:

As you move forwards, you will find there are times when you struggle with whatever it is you are trying to do. This is also the time when you tend to give up thinking it is all too hard. When in effect is the time when you should be readying yourself to reap the rewards of the early push.

Remember learning how to read? No - me neither. One day I couldn't. It was just a jumble of shapes that were supposed to form letters, which in turn were supposed to mean something. Then as if overnight something clicked into place, and I could read. It was as if a miracle had taken place in my mind.

Learning most things is like that.

I do remember the lessons I had to have before I was allowed to take my drivers test....endless lessons, wondering if I would ever get it....of course I did, but it took practice, practice and more practice. Every week consolidating what I had learned with the new skills that were being taught.

So if you are sruggling with a new discipline, a new way of eating, a new exercise program, a new language, a new job, a new school, a new - anything....remember the early lessons, build on them. Consolidate them in your mind and then you will be able to move forwards.

================================
"Don't try to force anything. Let life be a deep let-go. See God opening millions of flowers every day without forcing the buds"
Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The truth about success and motivation STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/17/2008 02:43:11 AM ----- BODY:

Is a mindset.

You can be motivated to do just about anything. It just comes down to what YOU WANT to do. Which means of course that you can be successful in just about any area you want to be successful in. And believe me when I say there is both a positive and negative side to this.

You can be a "successful" alcoholic, drug user and procrastinator if that's what you really and truthfully want to be. Take procrastination - sometimes it can take skill to not do those things that you know you should be doing - on a regular basis. Think of all those excuses people have used over the years to get out of doing something.

Or whatever else you choose to describe whatever it is you are doing instead of what you know you should be doing.

Now I am not saying these are not valid reasons, they're whatever you have chosen to explain your current mind set.

And the reason why some people are more "successful" on the positive side of life can be reasoned by the same answers as we've listed above.

- Because my father was an alcoholic there was no way I was going to go down the same road as he did
- Because I was abused as a child I am determined that my children will have a loving and happy upbringing
- Because I was bullied at work, I proved them all wrong and now I am managing my own division. The bullies are still doing the same job as they were doing, whereas I have moved onwards and upwards
- Because I hated my job, I got new qualifications and now I have a much better paid job and I am going to be getting a promotion in the next 12 months
- I'll be the first person in our family to get a degree, and then I can inspire my relatives to do more

Only you can decide what you are going to be a success in.

As always - something to think about.

================================
Today's blog entry - looks at how to overcome writers block - if you've ever struggled with finding the right words, you will understand how frustrating it can be.
================================

And just a reminder - AOL and Yahoo are still delaying messages. I am not ignoring you - just can't get through.....which makes that statement rather ironic - if you can't get them in the first place. But you know what I mean.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Get help when you need it STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/04/2008 10:00:42 AM ----- BODY:

Apologies for the lack of newsletters. As you know it takes something major to knock me off my daily musings, the last down time was computer related. This week I've been diagnosed with the flu. Major chest infection and testing for whooping cough...and yes I was vaccinated as a child - but apparently it wears off eventually. The question I have to ask is why couldn't they have happened at the same time?

Ah well.

But the reason for today's subject line is simple. In both cases I knew I couldn't "fix" the problem, so I called in the people who could help. Saves time and stress if you ask the people who know what they are doing and are willing to help you.

And isn't that the case with every "goal" item we are struggling with. Someone, somewhere will have found the solution to your "problem" and can shorten the time for you to ensure achievement.

Experts in everything from plumbing to computers. Medicine to Health and Fitness and everything in between you can think of.

I've been told many times I do things that most normal people wouldn't even attempt, and its true I do "silly" things. But there are times when I know I am defeated and these days I am not shy about asking for help. After all why worry and waste time when you can offload your problem, and then get on with those things that you can do well.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Laugh - you'll live longer STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 05/20/2008 12:49:31 PM ----- BODY:

Well I think so at any rate....

Had reason to crack up today... long story and I suppose you had to be there. But the feeling of euphoria has lasted longer than the actual time spent laughing.

Given there is so much happening in the world that can hardly be classed as "funny" at the moment, why not turn the TV and radio off - just for a while....rent a comedy, kick back with the family and have a good laugh.

Tomorrow we might just be able to see our problems with a new light.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris -West Sussex UK EMAIL: IP: 90.199.50.145 URL: DATE: 05/20/2008 05:59:30 PM I have a cure for a bad day- I watch Greys Anatomy on DVD which is not exactly comedy,it makes me think and I really immerse myself in the characters. If I am looking for comedy then I watch Airplane! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 05/21/2008 05:39:47 AM Hi Chris
Whatever works for you, then do it. I must admit it does depend on my mood - sometimes music works for me, other times a walk or a good book will do the trick and I can switch off. But the funniest movies I've seen in a long time included the Mike Myers - Austin Powers series. Didn't catch them the first time round...but that's what a DVD is for right.
Have fun
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Who boosts you? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/03/2008 10:12:48 AM ----- BODY:

Do you associate with people who naturally "boost" you? You know the kind of people who make you smile when you are feeling particularly down and stressed. Or do you associate with people who make you feel down and stressed?

Hint, if you want to feel better more of the time, associate more with the former and less with the latter. But that's not the point of today's daily dose. Today I would like you to say "thank you" to the people who have given you a boost over the last couple of days / weeks. It doesn't have to be a massive "thanks" just a heartfelt one. It doesn't cost anything and it makes both of you feel an awful lot better.

So for those people who have boosted me over the last couple of days - thank you. To all of you who send comments back to the website to generate discussion amongst the motivateme community - thank you. And most of all - thank you all for being part of the motivateme community. It's great to know this (almost) daily email is making a difference to you.

With love and thanks

Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Richard Duszczak EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 86.145.222.109 URL: http://www.motivationalcartoons.co.uk DATE: 06/03/2008 10:53:52 AM Elle,
You're an inspiration with your emails. Thank you very much for keeping me motivated. I always find something in them to give me a lift. I feel better already.
Keep 'em coming!
Best wishes,
Richard

http://www.motivationalcartoons.co.uk ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 212.32.70.67 URL: DATE: 06/04/2008 07:10:49 AM Hi Elle,
Just wanted to say thanks for that! I took the time to say thank you yesterday (made me stop & think actually!) and it really gave me a huge sense of gratitude for what I have & the people who love & care for me.
I always look forward to my daily dose, thank you so much & you really do make a difference.

Chris ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: DIANA EMAIL: IP: 63.160.16.236 URL: DATE: 06/04/2008 12:56:16 PM I ABSOUTLUTLY LOVE YOUR E-MAILS, THEY ARE SO APPROPRIATE FOR WHATS GOING ON IN MY LIFE PRESENTLY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORDS OF WISDOM ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 06/05/2008 08:37:00 AM Thank you Diana, Chris and Richard
Your comments made my day. It's really good to know they do make a difference. BTW - Today's edition is on its way.

Cheers
Elle ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Poonam EMAIL: IP: 86.141.162.67 URL: DATE: 06/14/2008 07:46:23 PM I love reading your emails Elle, they have really HELPED me! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Problem solving STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/08/2008 09:44:18 AM ----- BODY:

Problems. They come in all shapes and sizes. People, politics, finances, housing, relationships, health, weight, study. In fact every facet of our lives can be a problem to us - if we let it be. But I need you to take one of the more persistent problems you are facing at the moment and take some time over the weekend to think about it in perhaps a slightly different way.

  1. What are the benefit of having this problem?
  2. What is this problem allowing you to avoid taking action on?
  3. What is the problem protecting you from?
  4. What new skills and resources will you need to solve this problem?
  5. What will solving this problem help you discover about who you really are on a deeper level?
  6. What beliefs do you need to let go of for this problem to be resolved.
  7. Are you willing to let go of the problem?
  8. What beliefs would someone who'd already solved this problem need to have?
  9. Are you willing to cultivate these new beliefs?
This is not an easy task to do. It can be both confronting and liberating if you are willing to answer these questions honestly and truthfully. Of course you can let your fellow readers know what you are going through, or you can keep your notes to yourself. But it is worth writing both the problems and your current answers to them down.

As you know, problems can and do shape shift...so keep a wary eye on how they manifest and change and you will be well on the way to defeating them.

With love and light
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Are they your goals? Really? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/05/2008 08:25:50 AM ----- BODY:

Goals are important as you know. But one thing that may not have occurred to you, is that sometimes other people's goals and agenda's can get mixed up in ours. Someone may have wanted you to become a doctor, a dentist, a  boilermaker....they said it so often that sooner or later you "agreed" that's what you wanted to do as well. But then you start to flunk classes, you are beligerent, you don't hand homework in on time...and your "spare" time is filled with endless hours of doing things you really wanted to do.

So if you are getting hung up on something, and really can't get started then it is worth asking yourself this one question. Is this "my" goal or someone elses? Because if they were yours you would have reasons to complete them wouldn't you !

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Frequently asked questions - about finding balance STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/08/2008 03:01:55 AM ----- BODY:

Good morning I hope this finds you all well and looking forward to another day. A couple of things before we get into today's edition of the Daily Dose.

First of all, the bounce backs are still happening through AOL, Yahoo and Hotmail. And on occassion, Hotmail, being Hotmail have designated some of the subject lines to be SP*M categories....so to all new readers can you please ensure that [email protected] is in your white list. I'm not saying we can fool Hotmail all of the time, just that it would be nice to try.

And on the subject of new readers, I would like to welcome you all to the community. Thank you for taking the first steps to overcome the procrastination habit by signing up for the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine. As you know, change is not easy and having someone you can rely on to give you a boost on an almost daily basis is one way of ensuring those first steps are built upon, maintained and then you can move ahead with new found confidence, safe in the knowledge that you have someone walking alongside you, supporting you.

So why frequently asked questions? Well as you can imagine, our new readers don't have the same level of knowledge as those of you who have been part of the community for a while. I also know that the main site of MotivateMe is huge .... sorry I am rather prolific in the writing department. But a few quick links for you.

The newsletter archive can be found at - http://www.motivateme.info/ezine-archive
My personal blog also has an archive and can be found at  - http://www.motivateme.info/the-barrier-archive
There is also a timelog - if you want to find out how much time you waste on a daily basis - fill this sheet in for a week - and be amazed and horrified at the amount of wasted opportunities....and how quickly you learn to use your time more effectively...it is available from - http://www.motivateme.info/downloads-and-free-stuff/

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Finding balance isn't easy. How do you ensure the things that need doing are done well, and consistently when all around is chaos?

1. Do not do those things that do not need to be done. Write a "TO DON'T LIST" - I will not waste time reading forwarded emails....I will not spend all my spare time forwarding emails - with the exception of this one of course (just kidding)....when they arrive. Filter them into one of your folders so they don't have chance to hit your inbox, then you can spend 5 minutes at the end of the day, reading a few, and of course deleting the garbage. I have a couple of prolific forwarder onerers.... and these emails are sent straight to the folder - funnies and other stuff ... for when I need a bit of a smile.

2. Do not waste your time on the social interaction sites....my daughter is a big "fan" of messenger. How she can speak to several people at the same time, plus concentrate on her homework is beyond me....and believe me I have asked the question, made some suggestions, and even threated to take the modem away. But even she knows that in order to get on she needs to turn off the "net" and concentrate on the important stuff.

3. Use the timelog to work out where you spend your time. An alternative is to get creative. So get a large piece of paper ... A4 is good...and your kids crayons....or yours if you have them. Assume that piece of paper is a 24 hour block of time...a day in your life....now start colouring in....how much time did you spend sleeping? 8 hours is one third of the paper...colour it in. What's left? Work time? colour that in. Travelling. Cooking dinner. Watching TV.... every time you do something, colour in a section of your page....what's left is the time you have left over to do what you really want to do. Scary isn't it. And only you can change the colours and the amount of colour on your sheets. Do this for a day or two - if your sheets look the same at the end of the week, then something tells me you're not really ready to change, and you will find all sorts of reasons why you can't work on your goals and projects today.

4. Have your goal list, dream board and visual reminders front of mind. I have a cork board next to my desk, and I have all sorts of things pinned to it. Things I want to see, do, achieve, have, own. One of the biggest things on the board is a picture of bookshelves....a library actually. What can I say - I am a librarian by trade and profession and have a love of books and a thirst for knowledge....my current home is not big enough for all the books I own, so have taken to using them in strange ways. My writing desk - is actually a piece of toughened glass, with a wall of books holding up one side and a wall of bricks holding up the other. What can I say, I'm also into recycling in a big way....don't believe me, well I'll post a photo and you can see it.... http://www.motivateme.info/gallery/me-myself-i/

5. Start with the end in mind. Know what you want - write it down, then write the steps backwards until you get to the starting point....it's an interesting exercise - and one I would recommend doing if you aren't sure of the steps in a forwards kind of way. Then when you get to the beginning, take the first step and work on it. It's one of those techniques that really does work.

and finally for today - because I could keep going ....

6. Do multiples. If you need to buy one birthday card, buy 10....write them and where you normally stick the stamp, write the date - then put them in your out tray - saves time....same thing goes with bills. Write the cheques, date them for a week before the closing date, and then again, write the date in the stamp box....Buy the same gifts ... my folks live in the UK... I live in Perth, Western Australia, so they always get the same kind of gifts at Christmas and birthdays....this year is going to be - actually if i told you that, you might tell them and then it wouldn't be a surprise would it. Saves time, saves stress and you get to be organised.

Have a great day

================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: When you know more you will do more STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/14/2008 09:38:50 AM ----- BODY:

If today things seem a little bleak, remember one thing. When you know more, you will be able to do more. When you can do more, you can achieve more, and when you can achieve more - then you know you are moving towards your dreams and goals.

How can I be so certain of those things.

Because we have all been there at some point or other in our lives.

Our life is one of constant learning. Although sometimes we may not think so. I bet you don't remember learning how to speak your native language. But I do think you will remember the struggle you went through to learn your times tables, how to tie shoe laces, how to swim, read, drive, knit, poetry, piano, ballet - all those things we did as we "grew up".

When you started each of these new things, you had no idea how - you just knew there were rules to follow and sooner or later you would get it. Yes it took time, yes you had to persevere, yes you were determined. I mean can you imagine what your life would be like today if you hadn't been bothered to learn how to walk and talk. Think about those babies and you would not stop a baby from learning how to walk and talk now would you? Well I hope not.

So when you are beginning something new. Remember you may not know all the steps you need to take. You may have no idea how long it is going to take you to master the new skill, but sooner or later as you build on the steps you took yesterday and the day before, and the day before that .... each day building the next day - you will get there.

Re-capture that inner childs determination to succeed and you will.

==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme! 

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  

All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.
Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.



----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Focus STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/12/2008 10:44:26 AM ----- BODY:

Focus. It was a question raised by one of the readers of the Daily Dose recently. How could they become more focussed, yet find balance.

So as a first point, I'd like to borrow from a favourite online dictionary - dictionary.com the following:

Focus is:

1.    a central point, as of attraction, attention, or activity
2.    In Physics. a point at which rays of light, heat, or other radiation, meet after being refracted or reflected.
3.    the clear and sharply defined condition of an image.
4.    to bring to a focus or into focus: to focus the lens of a camera.
5.    to concentrate: to focus one's thoughts.

When you know where you are headed with regards to your goals, when you know what it is you want to achieve, then and only then will you be clear about what you need to do next. OK, you may not know the finer details, especially if you have never worked on that particular goal item before....but I can guarantee someone, somewhere will have - so cut out some learning time, admit that you need help and ask....and if you don't know of anyone personally - then "google" it.

But if you don't know what you want, if you are a little hazy with regards to what you want - then your vision will be hazy too. You will not be able to focus on the end result, simply because you don't know what that end result will look like and you will be swayed by other things just outside of your peripheral vision.

One other thing I will say about focusing on a particular goal...sometimes it can be the wrong goal, or not set far enough ahead. Imagine climbing a tree, getting to the top only to find you're in the wrong jungle. So remember to ask yourself WHY - what is the primary reason for wanting to focus on a particular something and not something else. Why are you hacking your way through the jungle in the first place? Remember, pots of gold are never found at the end of rainbows, and as far as I know - most lost cities aren't made of gold...for those of you who've seen the latest Indiana Jones movie!!! but it doesn't stop people trying to find them. Look by all means, but remember you may end your life very disappointed.

So what am I saying? Focus on what you are good at, and are willing to devote your energy to becoming good at. Focus on those things that mean something to you, and not on those things that live in the realms of dreams of when I win the lottery I am going to .... remember to stand a chance of winning, you still have to go and buy a ticket.
 
Kind Regards
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Today's issues are tomorrow's memories STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement DATE: 06/16/2008 10:40:55 AM ----- BODY:

We are faced with many issues, problems and concerns each and every day. We brood, we worry, we think, we wonder how it will work out and wonder when it's all going to come right for us.

But if you stop and think about it just for a minute, whatever it is you are concerned about right now, will form part of your memory bank in the next moment. Now it is up to us whether those memory banks will be filled with lots of good memories or regrets about not having done enough.

Well - as "they" say - you can't do anything about the past, you can only deal with the future. But one caveat at this point - remember the lessons you learnt otherwise you will be forever going over the same ground, doing the same things in the same way, and of course getting the same end result.

It's like buying 6 rolls of wallpaper to decorate a room in your house, only to discover you really only needed 4. Then when you decide to re-decorate, you forget this minor point and buy 6 - "I'm sure we bought six last time" ... yes you did, but you didn't use them. The kids used the remainder to crayon on.

Don't get to the end of today and find you only managed to cross a few things off the list - you spent far too much time surfing the net, reading emails and chatting to your online buddies to get your revision done, the phone calls made, the client meetings arranged, the orders shipped, the lines of code revised. You tell yourself that tomorrow you will knuckle down and do today's tasks as well as tomorrow's work. You understand that if you don't, you'll have questions to answer by the end of the week - but in the back of your mind, you've got a whole slew of examples and excuses lined up as to why you didn't manage to achieve everything....after all it's worked before, so why shouldn't it work for you this week.

But one final thing about today's message is this - it's not just about time and task management. We all have worries and concerns about the future too. What happens if so and so ... or I can't get the work done ... or

Now you can spend time and energy re-hashing the problem, failing to find another solution, or you can do what you know needs to be done. Rarely is a problem / issue so bad you can't sort it out with a little bit of creative thinking and a lot of honesty on your part. And by honest I mean with yourself first and foremost.


================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Change STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/18/2008 12:13:33 PM ----- BODY:
Did you undertake yesterday's writing exercise? Are you looking forward to receiving "your" letter? It's interesting - as a writer I often find I "find" new things in my writing after a gap of writing and re-reading / editing. Sometimes grammatical errors and spelling mistakes (but that sometimes happens even to the best of us). But more often than not - new insights, new ways of looking at something, and quite often the thought "wow, did I write that?"

So, yes I have to admit, I am looking forward to hearing what I had to say about myself and my personal state of mind when my letter arrives in the next day or so.

And the reason is both simple and complicated. It will tell me what I was focussing on at that particular point in time. It will tell me what I need to be focussing on and what changes I need to make. I do remember not pulling any punches when doing the writing part ... so am expecting to be whacked between the eyes when I get to read my thoughts again.

If you are willing to question, if you are willing to observe, and if you are willing to make one small change today, then tomorrow will be an opportunity to grow, change and develop even more.

Consider this amazing fact. If you are willing to make one simple change to your life every week for the next year - you will have made 52 life changes. What can those changes be? Anything from reading one book, going to bed a half hour earlier, watching one hour less of night time television, making a decision to eat dinner as a family, watching a movie you would not normally consider watching; to eating an apple extra a day, saving the money you would have spent on coffee this morning and saving it instead; to writing a letter to someone you haven't written to in a while; to deciding to say no to going out on a drinking binge. One change each week - its not hard to make one change each week. Of course if you would like to up the ante and make a change each day - well then you have certainly made a commitment to a brand new you.
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Tackle one problem at a time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement DATE: 06/18/2008 11:25:25 AM ----- BODY:

It can be easy to get overwhelmed by ongoing projects and things that need doing. To such an extent that sooner or later you no longer "see" the problem, just know that something annoys you. By not "seeing" the problem any more you can of course, avoid doing anything about it.

It may be you don't know how to tackle the problem, or the item is so big you don't know where to start first, or it may be just one of those things you need to do - like cleaning out your closet.

Today I would like you to look inside all the closets of your life. Talk a mental walk around your home, your place of work, your relationship, your garden, your kids and ask yourself what it is you are avoiding. What have you stuck in your mental closets so you don't have to work on the problems and issues. The thing is with metaphorical as well as real closets - sooner or later you can no longer close the door and things start to spill out.

It is up to you whether you write down the problems or just ackknowledge they are there. personally I find that writing them down, tends to make you do something about them - so humour me and write down all those things that you have been putting off doing and then I would like you to pick one and clean it up. We all have buttons missing off trousers and skirts, and drawers that need cleaning - so choose one of your "problem" areas and work on it - today. Tomorrow can take care of itself, but for today I would like you to stop avoiding one of your tasks and tackle it.

One thing I can guarantee is this - the problem is rarely a problem if you look at it and work on it., you just think it is. Take responsibility for today and the work that you do. And clean out one of your closets.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Re-booting STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Time Management DATE: 06/22/2008 08:13:36 AM ----- BODY:

Re-booting yourself is essential in today's fast paced and overly hectic lifestyle. After working a 70 + hour last week, my body and mind rebelled. It inisted on some down time and a system restore and re-bbot. It gave me a migraine. Today I am still going through the pain cycle, and expect it to last well in to tomorrow. But that is my fault.

So what does this tell me - I need to ensure I don't work another 70+ hour week - yes that goes without saying. But it also highlights to me the need to find balance. I decided to work rather than exercise - bad idea. So exercise is well and truly back on the agenda. And I need to find time to meditate rather than stare at a computer screen.

We all have habits. Some of them good and some of them bad ones to have. One of my bad habits is thinking I can carry on when in truth I shouldn't. What does your body do to you to remind you that you are well and truly overdoing it?

As always - something to think about.

Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Nick EMAIL: IP: 194.176.105.42 URL: DATE: 06/22/2008 08:25:39 AM Hi I am a British Junior doctor, I enjoy your emails - thank you - they do help... but I reg work 70+ hrs a week so spare time for excercise etc... not really an option... any tips for people like me? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: N.H. EMAIL: IP: 67.169.214.244 URL: DATE: 06/22/2008 06:54:16 PM I am a critical care nurse and I already have 12 hr shifts and on top of that I often work overtime because the unit is short staffed. My body absolutely reminds me that I've overdone it because it is exhausted after working long hours. Not to mention it is often my excuse the following day for not exercising - so it's a double whammy! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Rhia EMAIL: IP: 80.5.93.129 URL: DATE: 06/23/2008 12:01:45 PM I always know I'm overdoing it because my body craves junk food when I am taking on too much! I usually eat relatively healthily but when I'm putting my body through more than it can take it shuts down and refuses until its full of junk which ineviatbly leads to the start of a cycle of decline which needs determination to get back out of! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 06/23/2008 01:38:03 PM Thank you for the comments....boy did that one open a debate...thank you so much for taking the time - when you don't have a lot to spare.

Nick, N.H and Rhia - I empathise I do. Mine is / was self inflicted, so have no real excuse. Saying that, you'd think I'd learn from my mistakes, but it's now 15 hrs since starting my day and today's edition is just going out. As to how to handle your individual circumstances - oh boy is that a hard one. But one thing that may help is to get incidental exercise in...stomp up and down the stairs rather than take the lifts. On your breaks, take a walk through the grounds. It doesn't have to take a lot to re-boot yourself, just enough to shift the brain into other modes.

Good luck
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: "Because" is one of the keys to a more motivated life. STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/24/2008 03:31:37 AM ----- BODY:

Before we get into today's edition a couple of housekeeping issues:

1. I can only unsubscribe you using the address you subscribed with. Please do not get angry, annoyed or otherwise grumpy with me if I cannot find you. My list is not automated as I prefer the personal touch, and I'm sorry if that offends those of you who are used to automated impersonal services. That is not what Motivate Me is about.

1a. And talking of the personal touch. All emails and comments to MotivateMe - I do endeavour to read and respond to all messages sent directly to me, and those left on the site as soon as I can. All I ask is that you treat the site with respect and do not flame, blame or spam either me or anyone else. At the moment, the comments are not moderated before posting - however, after a spate of messages that I have had to remove from the site, this may change...this means it will delay postings a little but if that's the way it has to be to prevent the site being overrun by ill mannered persons then so be it. 

2. All Hotmail users - please adjust your filters so that messages can get through to you - yesterdays message was blocked for some reason known only to them. Sorry guys - but you will have to read yesterdays message on the site if you're interested. It was about bad business writing.

3. AOL users - again - your messages are being deferred...and I don't know why.

Thanks

Elle

 

=================================

Motivation is interesting. What motivates you one day may not inspire you the next. It's also true to say that what motivates you, may not motivate your neighbour, your children or your work colleagues. We are fickle creatures when it comes to motivation and more importantly procrastination.

So what can you do?

Well - accept that sometimes things just are. Emotions and moods play a huge part in our ability to get things done, and get things done in a motivated and inspired way.

You see, some people get motivated when they are angry. "I was so upset about so and so I marched round to their offices and gave them a piece of my mind." I'm sure we've all been there once or twice.

Then we are sometimes motivated out of fear. Fear that something will happen, or not.

Or

We are motivated out of a determination that today we will do better than yesterday. "They" will not keep you down. "They" don't know what you are capable of. We are determined to build a better life for ourselves - because we can, because we deserve it, because we are worth it, because our families deserve it, because our kids and spouses deserve it, because our community deserves it, because .....

Whatever your "because" is the key to a more motivated life.

So next time you are faced with an unmotivated moment or two - remember your "because"

 

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Rhia EMAIL: IP: 80.5.93.129 URL: DATE: 06/24/2008 11:38:26 AM "We are motivated out of a determination that today we will do better than yesterday"

Recently this has been my main motivator. I have been stuck in such a rut and I realised my day to day life can be so much more! Its keeping this feeling going that will be the main difficulty... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: elle EMAIL: IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: DATE: 07/01/2008 07:02:32 AM Yes I can certainly relate to that point Rhia. One thing to do is download a copy of the timelog on the downloads and free stuff page in publications. It is a very "in your face" way of telling whether you are doing what you need to do, or whether you can do a bit more, or do some thing a bit differently. Sooner or later, the things that you struggled with, will become easier and you will be gliding along gracefully. Imagine learning how to ice skate and you will know what i mean. And it is the same with motivation and overcoming procrastination. Today you may struggle, tomorrow who knows, but the foundations you laid today will make a massive difference.
Cheers
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Eliminating negative clutter STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/25/2008 02:08:33 PM ----- BODY:

We are a week away from the official start of spring down-under. Ah, the time we are supposed to dust off the cobwebs and shine the spiders....or something like that. But spring is a good time to think about opening doors and windows to let the fresher air into our lives and homes.

Of course spring is also a good time to think about everything that has gathered dust over the winter months. And I consider our minds and bodies to be a very good place to start first.

Negative clutter builds up, just like normal clutter builds up around our homes. We can be guilty of thinking bad things when the days are short, we're constantly cold and can't be bothered to cook healthful foods. Spring on the other hand is a chance to think about what you want to keep in your body, your life and your homes. So, just like you give away those things that no longer fit, or no longer serve you...spring is definitely a time to do the same with those thoughts that litter your mind.

And ask yourself - what do you want to focus on from here on in?

Of course for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, you will be thinking about hibernating for a while. Autumn and winter are a good time to spend time with loved ones. Break out the board games, play those games you used to play when there was nothing on the television. And believe me when I say there was a time when there were only 3 channels and no channel changers....does that show how old I am...well in a couple of weeks I shall be celebrating yet another personal milestone. And a few weeks after that my mother comes out for a visit, so I have another reason to ensure my house looks the part. Anyone any good at curtain tracks???

As the cycle of the year turns for each and every one of us we are once again given the chance to decide what we want to achieve. We are well and truly on the run up to christmas and the new year. Are you on target to reach your goals by year's end? I thought I was, but now need to work just that little bit harder to get there on time.

As always a little bit of personal philosophy that I hope you can use to think about things in a slightly different way. So, no matter what part of the world you are in...today is a good day to shine your spiders !!!

With love and light

===============================
What I am reading at the moment:
Esther and Jerry Hicks
The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent
===============================

Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!  

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  
All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.
To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.
Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivated by the unimportant STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 06/28/2008 07:35:28 AM ----- BODY:

A few days ago I received an unsubscsribe message from one of my readers. Trouble was I couldn't find the address they'd used to subscribe, so I sent a message back - advising of the fact and to provide the correct one. Then I wrote and sent out that evenings edition of the e-zine. WELL ! You'd think I'd commited armed robbery or some other heinous crime.

Rude, belligerent, every thing in capitals and to emphasise the point just a bit further - !!!!!!!!!!!!! yes a few of those thrown in for good measure. Thankfully the person had responded from the address they had subscribed with so was able to remove them from the database.

Several things crossed my mind:

Cured. I've cured one person of the procrastination habit. If someone can be THAT motivated to do this - surely they will not suffer from motivation in the future :-)

But the really interesting thing about this - is this - why can someone be so motivated by something so trivial.

Don't be motivated by the trivial...it's a waste of life. Get motivated over the things that really matter....PLEASE !!!!!!

Cheers

Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Phillip Miller EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 74.235.235.28 URL: DATE: 06/30/2008 05:15:50 PM hi Elle,
Just a reminder that there's an asshole in every group or crowd, or I should be more polite and say "there's one every crowd," but that's been said before.

Don't let the assholes of this world get you down.

Thanks for all your thoughts, advice, and good vibes.

Phillip ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: elle EMAIL: IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: DATE: 07/01/2008 06:58:19 AM Hi Phillip
Ah, what can I say - sometimes it does / or should that be, sometimes they do...as in get me down that is. When one does one's best, it does make me wonder what else one can do. Then I remember the very old cliche - you can't please all of the people all of the time, and if you did, you'd be worn out.
Thanks for the message, I really do appreciate it
Cheers
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: When to do lists don't inpsire you STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/01/2008 10:18:31 AM ----- BODY:

To do lists are generally just a nagging reminder that you've not done some kind of "busy work"

Whilst these things need to be done, they can distract you from major projects.

So, before ditching the list completely - a couple of things

Before you head off for your lunch break tomorrow, set aside 5 minutes and make the phone calls that need to be made. Book these pesky appointments into your diary and then cross them off your list. Make the appointments for when you know you've got time to do them, then you won't have to re-schedule them, and if you book them well enough in advance you can usually pick the times that are the most convenient to you.

Then tonight before you go to bed, take one of the items you need to do around the house - and do it. Most of the time, they only take a few minutes, and you can go to bed with the knowledge that you have gotten rid of another one of these time distractions off your list.

Slowly, over the course of a few days you can get rid of most of these "busy" items without them impacting on your work time, or your major project time.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Every day is special STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/28/2008 10:29:47 AM ----- BODY:

Do you have things tucked away inside cupboards waiting for the "special" days?

Well to me every day is special - after all - every day I wake up I have another chance to annoy the heck out of you :-) don't I?

Seriously - what are you waiting for - permission to enjoy your life? Well you have it - so go on and burn those 'special' scented candles, use the 600 thread count bed sheets and the "good" china and wear your fancy clothes now.

Stop waiting for a "special" occasion.  Every day is special.

And if you don't believe me then you need to re-read "tuesday's with Morrie" and "The Last Lecture"

With love and light and lots more occassions to share my own brand of weird and wonderful philosophy with you

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't be a "me too" STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/30/2008 06:57:38 AM ----- BODY:

A "me too" is a follower, a sheep.

They are busy working on someone else's dreams and goals and have little time, inclination or energy to work on those things they say they want. Every time you agree to some kind of busy work, you are being a "me too"

The people who get on are the ones who have worked out their dreams and goals and they have given themselves permission to work on them. They are willing to step outside the circle, and the big long box they've got standing in the corner of the room, and they are willing to try new and exciting things to see if they can reach their goals faster and more efficiently than the way they had been working before....and they're going to have fun doing it.

I can't remember the last time I saw a sheep having fun - but if you're not willing to do WHATEVER it takes to get your dreams and goals off the ground to create a new life, the life you say you want - then I'm afraid - you are a "me too".

Well if it's one thing I am not and that is a "me too"....are you willing to give yourself permission to get on and live your life? Because it has to come from you, it has to come from within - rarely will someone come knocking on your door and take you kicking and screaming into a better future. Sorry, that bit is up to you.

Imagine if you will a train. Are you on the train? The Platform - trying to decide? Or not even on your way to the station?

Personally I'm in the drivers seat and I'm waiting for you to make up your mind....are you coming or not? Only you can decide.

See you on the train - destination - success.


==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================

 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!  

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  
All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.
To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.
Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Learn by doing STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/31/2008 03:37:40 AM ----- BODY:

Reading and research are a very good place to start to build your new life. But it is all to easy to get caught up in the reading ...
"I just don't have all the facts yet ..."
"I'm not quite ready to take the next step ... I'll just do a bit more reading and then i'll be ..."

The word you are looking for is PROCRASTINATING

Sometimes you just have to take the world by the ears and take a huge leap of faith. I don't know who said it, but "they" said - you can only leap a chasm in one jump.

But if the thought of taking one massive leap of faith and hope the ground doesn't rush up to meet you is too much to cope with. You can learn to live your new life by doing one small thing that would allow you to begin the process.

And the reason is simple ... you can't learn how to do something by reading alone. Take driving a car as a good example. You cannot learn to drive a car by watching videos and reading manuals. The only time you actually learn is when you get behind the wheel of the car - preferably with someone who does know what they are doing - and drive the thing.

Your goals should be like that "learning how to drive" goal you set yourself. Can you imagine what your life would be like if you had never reached that goal? No me neither. So if your goals don't inspire you in quite the same way - then get some better goals. What can you imagine NOT having, or achieving?

Then get on and learn how to achieve them, and remember - you learn by doing.

==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!  

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  
All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.
To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.
Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: judy EMAIL: IP: 96.225.113.146 URL: so true DATE: 08/31/2008 04:10:37 PM This is where i am exactly...have been doing research and have not acted on it, so now is the time to act...thanks so much for your motivating words of encouragement. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Clear thinking STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/01/2008 11:45:45 AM ----- BODY:
Clarity - is the absence of doubt.
If you have no doubt about what you want to achieve there will be no fear.
If you have no fear about what you want to achieve, you will succeed - everytime.

Everything comes together when you are clear about what it is you want. Your words, your thoughts and your actions will be in complete alignment with each other.

But one caveat - make sure it is what you want - and not what you don't want - because when you say what you don't want, you will be focussing on the wrong thing.

So be careful about your choice of words they can make a huge difference to what you can and do achieve.

Change the negative to a positive...

I don't want to be fat becomes "I want to fit, healthy and 145lbs"
I want to quit smoking becomes "I want to have healthy lungs"
I want to pay off this lousy debt becomes "I have the money to pay my bills and have some left over to save / spend on ..."

To add your thoughts -

===================================
Today's thought for the day:
"Undoubtedly, we become what we envisage"
Claude M. Bristol
===================================
What I am reading at the moment:
Eat, Pray, Love: One woman's search for everything
Elizabeth Gilbert
===================================
Today's blog post:
To do lists and tasks - http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/9/1/to-do-lists-and-half-completed-tasks.html
===================================


Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme! 

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you. 
All contents Copyright (c) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.
To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.
Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Creeping complacency STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/02/2008 10:47:04 AM ----- BODY:

A friend was at Uluru a few days ago. Wow! i thought, and said so in a return email, it's a place I've always wanted to see and experience. To which he replied...."It's still there, it's just a rock"

I was flabbergasted, how can someone dismiss Uluru as "just a rock". But then I remembered the first time I saw the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. I was in a bus on the way to the hotel where the conference was being held, we rounded the corner and there was the harbour. My stomach did a back flip and settled - Wow ! That's the harbour bridge - AND the opera house, how blessed am I? A little while later, I happened to be in Sydney again - again the Sydney harbour, bridge and opera house - but not the same stomach flip. It was still amazing, but the "flip" had gone. What had happened? Complacency over something so amazing as the Opera House!! Hardly in my case, but I was expecting to see the bridge and the opera house and sure enough they were there.

When you see the same things over and over again, it is easy to become complacent. We think it will always be there. We think the people will always be there to speak to us, to love us, to care for us. We forget that sometimes things happen and we may not get to see them again for a very long time (if at all).

So today I would like you to consider all those things and people you take for granted. I know I've asked you to say thanks to the people who've made a difference to your life for whatever reason in the past. Today I would like to offer a challenge to you.

If you keep a journal - write down only those things that have made a positive impact on your life. Try not to dwell on the negative, the bad, the moods that threaten to engulf you whenever you think about a certain something or someone. It might sound easy - but as a journal keeper, it can be easy to whinge and whine when you think no one is looking. Well consider these journals as a legacy to your children - what would you prefer them to read? Now I am not asking you to never write down the bad - just consider there needs to be balance in your writing.

Then I would like you to get out your address book and choose a person you have not spoken to in a while and either pick up the phone and give them a call, or do as I do and put pen to paper and write them a note. I keep a supply of cards in my office just for these kinds of occassions, and I write to them. If you've ever gotten a hand written card / postcard you will know how good it makes you feel, so return the favour and make someone else feel good.

It can be easy to let complacency creep up on you, but today I would like you to look at your world with brand new eyes. What haven't you noticed recently? Take a good look at the people around you, the place where you work, the clothes you are wearing, the look you have on your face, the new lines, the grey hairs, the spare tyre that's formed around your middle.....yes they do have a habit of creeping up on you when you're not paying attention, then do what you can to make those changes you want to see happen. You may be happy with what you see, but you know what - it doesn't hurt to look.

With love
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The reason why we do things STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/06/2008 07:16:36 AM ----- BODY:

You may wonder about my lack of newsletters sometimes? You don't? Oh, well I won't tell you the philosophy behind the gaps then :-)

OK! I will anyway.

The reason I leave a gap in the daily dose is so you have time to think about, absorb and put into action and practice some of the suggestions that are being given to you. I am also very concerned that I may sound like your mother...you must do this, this and don't forget to clean your room, teeth, and behind your ears !!!! So I have to go away and give myself a stiff talking to.

I am an amazingly busy person. But most of the time busy and productive. I have my medium to long term goals in place and each of the daily activities (well most of them) are taking me to those goal lines. But I am also aware, that not everyone has the time, energy or inclination to do what I do each and every day....sometimes I can hear the muttering from here.

Remember one thing as you enjoy your weekend -

You will always - and I do mean ALWAYS - find time to do what you want to do. And you will fret and pout if you can't. Go on, you know I'm right. So what can you NOT do? What do you love to do, and can you translate that into your working life? If you're already doing it, congratulations - you are definitely in the minority.

Weekends and holidays are always a good time to see how and why you spend your time. In those times there is always the opportunity to see what it is you should be doing with your career.

As always many thoughts -

==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!  

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  
All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.
To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.
Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: That's your opinion STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 04/07/2008 12:22:12 PM ----- BODY:

Were you happy with your performance today? By performance I mean of course, the quality and quantity of work that you accomplished? What happens if someone - and it doesn't matter who - gave you feedback on the work that you did. Would you accept the comments, and yes maybe criticisms that perhaps the work wasn't as good as it could have been. Or are you the kind of person who bristles with anger that anyone would dare to tell you that your work wasn't up to standard?

Everyone is of course entitled to their own opinions, and yes sometimes opiniated people can be a little less tactful than perhaps they should be, then again they wouldn't be classed as opiniated if they weren't!! But in amongst the negative clutter, there is always a chance to learn and to grow - even if it's how not to do something.

A couple of things to note:

We can always, always pick up the pace a little. Few if any of us give 110% every single day of our working lives. It's just not possible as you know. Now this is not the case of working harder and smarter, it's just that we do have moments throughout our working day that is non-productive time. Wasted phone calls, pointless emails, people stopping by the office for a chat, over long lunch breaks and meetings that never seem to end. Utilising a few of these each day will see our productivity soar.

Always respect the other person's opinion. Be polite in your response. "Hey thanks for the feedback, I appreciate you taking the time to tell me."  Because within the suggestions and criticisms of our performance lie opportunities to see if we can make a change. Of course if we feel we are doing ok, then that's fine too. But you do need to be honest with yourself. It doesn't hurt to look occassionally.

================================
"To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing"
Elbert Hubbard
================================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Action STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/07/2008 12:14:05 PM ----- BODY:

Action is perhaps the most important key to getting more out of life. Dreams are important, but you can't spend your entire life "dreaming" about how good things will be when..... (you can fill in your own blanks).

Ask  - what can I do today? Then do it. And yes it can be that simple if you've done your planning.

Don't let doubt cloud your thinking. Don't let the naysayers put you off doing what you know you should be doing. Show, don't tell - how good your life will be when ...

And it all comes down to Action....well when you know what you want and why you want "it" of course.

Remember: Motive plus Action = Motivation

-------------------------------------------------------------
Today's final word - I hate to labour a point - but if you are a hot mail user and wondering why messages aren't getting through - well the new filters created by Live are stopping them. If you have another address you can use, can you please let me know, because it's very frustrating deleting hundreds of bounces every day.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Rise and shine STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/09/2008 10:37:24 AM ----- BODY:
MotivateMe! Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit

==================================
In todays issue:

* Today's Daily Dose - Set the alarm for 15 minutes earlier than normal
* Today's Thought to Ponder
* Today's blog entry - Hair dye and supplements

==================================
Today's Daily Dose: 9th September 2008
==================================

Set the alarm for 15 minutes earlier than normal

It may not seem like a lot, but those 15 minutes can be used in many ways to improve your day. For example:

  • Cook and eat a healthy breakfast rather than just grabbing a cup of coffee on the way out of the door.
  • Read a chapter from your favourite book.
  • Think, pray, meditate
  • Exercise - It's amazing how many miles you can do on a bike in just 15 minutes, or how many sit ups and press ups you can do.
  • Write your ideal day down in your diary / journal and then watch it unfold before you. Most people use journalling as a way of ending the day, I prefer to decide what my day is going to be like - before it starts. My journals are sometimes full of lists - Need to do, must remember, answers to questions that have popped into my mind as I've slept (you know when you have those Eureka! moments) and other questions that need answering. I write everything down so I don't forget. Do it regularly and believe me it need only take 5 minutes, but in the beginning - take as long as you need. One thing though - these are not just idle lists....within these pre-creation day lists are things that are really "bugging" me - too many of the same types of comments means that something really should be done about "it" and they become front of mind issues to deal with. Without my pre-creation day lists, my days seem to lack cohesion and structure, and I don't appear to get as much done as those days when I do write my pre-creation day lists.
Try one of the suggestions, try them all - they may not work for you - but if you don't try them you will never know. And one way to overcome the procrastination habit and beat it for good is to keep on trying new strategies until you find the ones that work for you.


==================================
Today's thought to ponder:
"You'll probably never rise in the world if you're too lazy to rise in the morning."
W.G.P.
 
==================================
Today's Blog Entry: Hair Dye and Supplements
http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/9/9/hair-dye-and-supplements.html

==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained in this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme! 

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add my e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you. 

All contents Copyright (c) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.

All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, we hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Autograph your work STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/10/2008 10:41:42 AM ----- BODY:
MotivateMe! Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit
With a daily dose of motivational medicine

==================================
In todays issue:

* Today's Daily Dose - Autograph your work
* Today's Thought to Ponder

==================================
Today's Daily Dose: 10th September 2008
Autograph your work


Would you be proud of the work you did today? Are you proud enough to autograph your work and claim it as your best yet?

I'm sure there are days when you feel you could do just that. You have a sense of pride, a sense of "YES !!!!" a feeling that you did your absolute best and everyone noticed and commented. Those days are absolutely awesome aren't they? When everything just clicked into place and things just seemed to happen.

Of course there will also be days when you wish someone else would take the "credit" for that particular mess. But it takes a strong person to autograph those kinds of days. Yes I stuffed up. Sorry about that I made a mistake, but you know what I am going to fix it. And this is what I am going to do.

Are you are willing to accept and autograph every day?

Because when you are, you will grow faster and go further than you ever dreamed was possible. You've recognised the good - and want more of those kinds of days. You've recognised and acknolwedged the bad - given we would prefer to have good days rather than bad ones, we know what we should be doing, and we are going to ensure we make some changes so that it happens.

To add your comments and your suggestions -

==================================
Today's thought to ponder:
If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing properly
Proverb
==================================

Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained in this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure the material is attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme! 

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family, friends and any other interested readers.  If you find this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add my e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you. 

All contents Copyright (c) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.

All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, we hope to see you again in the not too distant future.
----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Appointments STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/10/2008 10:31:18 AM ----- BODY:

How good are you at keeping appointment?

Do you leave in plenty of time? Make sure you know where you are going, where the nearest parking is, and whether you have enough change for the meter? Do you know who you are supposed to be meeting and why? Do you know enough about the organisation to make a decision if presented with an opportunity?

When you get ready for the appointment do you make sure you are dressed appropriately, wear enough makeup (if chosen) to impress rather than detract, how about cologne or perfume? Are you hoping the latter will disguise the lack of showering before you dressed, the stale cigarette smoke and the garlic you had with dinner last night? Are you busy chewing gum to assist with the after effects?

Every time we have to keep an appointment we usually go through a mental ritual of making sure everything is just so - well I do at any rate and I can hope you do too.

But how about those appointments you make with your partner and your kids? Do you keep those - or do you make excuses as to why you can't go to the ball game / movies etc even though you promised?

How about those appointments you make with yourself - I will have an early night tonight, I will go to the gym, I will make that dental appointment, I will have a shower and .....

Are you are good at keeping those promises? If you are anything like everyone else - the answer would be - not as well as those other "appointments" I make with other people.

A word of advice - you are the CEO of the business of YOU. So why don't you treat yourself with the respect YOU deserve and remember to keep those appointments.

As always something to think about

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The Words You Use Can Determine Your Future STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/16/2008 10:15:49 AM ----- BODY:

MotivateMe!
Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit with a Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine
---------------------------
In This Issue:
---------------------------
* Today's daily dose: 16th September 2008
* Today's thought to ponder
* Share this e-zine
---------------------------
Today's daily dose: The Words You Use Can Determine Your Future
---------------------------
What would you say if I told you that the words you say and write can determine the quality of your future?

Words are very powerful. The written and spoken words have been used since man (and woman) started walking this earth to convey thoughts and feelings, to express opinions. They have the ability to inspire and motivate yourself and those people around you, they can make you smile, and they can make you cry. Everything we say and write has the power to persuade others.

What about business communication? Believe it or not, it is the same thing. Every letter that you write, every email, telephone conversation or face-to-face interaction that you have is a chance to persuade other people to participate in your “business” and what you are trying to “sell” – the concept of selling is not limited to giving money for goods and services, but you are trying to sell something with every piece of business communication that you create. That selling could be something as simple as time, can you persuade someone to read your message, do you have something of “value” that will make the other person want to spend their time with you?

Let us take the example of job applications. If words are so very important, why do we not ensure that we choose the best ones that will persuade a prospective employer to meet us?

Do you have significant achievements listed for each job you have undertaken or is your CV a simple list of tasks you were supposed to do for a particular employer. Did you know that these powerful statements can form the basis for the answers to the selection criteria you will have to address?

Believe it or not, the words that you use can be linked to how well you liked a job, or not as the case may be. Think back to the worst job you ever had, how did it make you feel? – now have a look at your CV, were the sentences you used short and very to the point? Are they negative? What would a prospective employer say if presented with just that information?

Now think back to a job you enjoyed, and have a look at the words that you used to describe the tasks you were expected to complete. Did you achieve more when you worked for an employer you liked? Chances are the answer is yes.

Whilst I am not advocating that you fib about the time that you spent with a particular employer. The person undertaking the recruitment for the job that you are applying for, will be able to pick up on these not so subtle clues and may decide that you are not the kind of person they want working for them. If you are consistently not reaching the interview stage – you may want to have a look at your application from a slightly different point of view.

With many thoughts
Elle

---------------------------
Today's thought to ponder:
---------------------------
"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."
Sam Ewing
---------------------------
Share this e-zine:
---------------------------
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add my e-mail address to your safe senders list. Thank you.

All contents Copyright (c) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.

All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, we hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Move on STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/17/2008 10:33:08 AM ----- BODY:

MotivateMe!
Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit with a Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine
---------------------------
In This Issue:
---------------------------
* Today's daily dose: 17th September 2008
* Today's thought to ponder
* Share this e-zine
---------------------------
Today's daily dose: Move on
---------------------------
Will it matter next week?
What about next month or next year?
Will you still be reliving each moment in glorious technicolour detail?

I am talking about the hurts, the pain, the negative "stuff" that flows around us from time to time.

I'm sure you will have those moments you wish would go away and never come back. Those embarrassing moments and times you wish you could erase from your memory banks. Well there is one thing I have learned over the years - you cannot live your life backwards. You cannot spend all your time living in the past, if you want to move forwards. But a lot of people do. They go over and over the old hurts, they can't let go of the pain of regret and embarrasment.

Think about it, if you fill your mind with "old" there will be no space for the new. And more often than not, you will find the same things cropping up time and time again, reinforcing those same things in your mind. Ground hog day.

Now, it is important to remember the lessons, but at the same time it is also important to forget it and move on....ask yourself some of the simple questions we started today's edition with....will this matter tomorrow? Will it matter next week? Should you be thinking about this in five years time? The answers of course will depend on you. Will this matter tomorrow? - Only if you let it. Will this matter next week? - Only if you let it. Will this matter in five years time? - Only if you let it.

But how do you turn it around?

Can you think positive thoughts and good things will come to you?

Sometimes

But it's not a bad place to begin.

Once you have started to think about the good things you already have in your life, it is time to take things just a little further.

When you next have the opportunity - try and give more than is expected of you - to someone else.

It could be something as simple as a smile, or a compliment. Giving someone the chance to talk while you listen (without interrupting or offering advice - i know hard :-) ) or doing something for someone without being prompted or even without them knowing. If everyone decided that from today they would give more than was expected, can you imagine how good everyone else would feel? And of course you too would benefit, not only from knowing you made a difference to someone else. But that someone else made a difference to you.

And aren't those feelings and emotions ones you do want to remember next week, next month and in a few years time. When you had the chance to make a difference and you did.


With many thoughts
Elle

To add your comments -
---------------------------
Today's thought to ponder:
---------------------------
"To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe"
Anatole France
---------------------------
Share this e-zine:
---------------------------
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add my e-mail address to your safe senders list. Thank you.

All contents Copyright (c) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.

All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, we hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: what do you do in your spare time? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/13/2008 04:18:04 PM ----- BODY:

Before I get into today's edition I would just like to say thank you. Thank you to those of you who have answered my plea to add me to your white lists....and as a matter of interest - I can be found on Facebook if you would like to add me - Lorraine Bradshaw - long story - but that was my maiden name....and the Elle stands for L which is of course.... anyway, just let me know you're a reader of the DDOMM - we don't do randoms!!!!

The other thing I would like to say is this - thank you for taking Motivate Me to where it is today. In just 2 years readership has grown in leaps and bounds. Some of you have been with me from the beginning - so thank you. Thank you for being there, every single day listening to my hopes, dreams and sometimes fears. I do feel very honoured and humble to know this has made such an impact on people's lives.

So what of today?

Well today is my "day off" I must admit it's just gone midnight down under - and I really should think about going to bed, but I just wanted to speak to you first. I don't take many days off, about one a fortnight if I were honest. My day starts at 6.20am and runs through til about midnight most days. And most of those days are spent "working". As a writer one never quite switches off. And then of course it hit me. I wouldn't do it, if I didn't enjoy it.

What keeps you up way beyond "bed time"? what nags you to get up in a morning, saying, I should be doing so and so.....

For me, it is simple - my writing is the "thing" that keeps me up, and wakes me in a morning. It's probably also the reason why I class myself as an insomniac most of the time. There's just so much to see, think about and record.

What is it for you? Because once you know what that is, you will find the key to the person that is "you". And once you have found "you" will you have found the reason why you are here. Of course you may disagree with me entirely, and you know what, that's fine too. That's the beauty of this world - free will.

So as you think about starting your working week, make a mental note of what it is you spend a lot of your spare time doing, because in that is the key to your better life.

With love and light

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Bossy? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/20/2008 05:16:18 AM ----- BODY:

MotivateMe!
Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit with a Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine
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In This Issue:
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* Today's daily dose: 20th September 2008
* Share this e-zine
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Today's daily dose: Bossy
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Who was the best "boss" you ever had?
What qualities did this person have that you admired?
What were these people able to do - to bring out the best in you as a person?

Now do the same thing for the worst "boss" you had.
What did they do, or didn't do?
What did you do when you were working for these people?

Now, these are not idle questions. This is a get your paper and pencil out and write down the answers. Remember the word - ACTION - well this is one of those times I need you to do something for me...well for yourself actually.

You see, as you grow and develop as a person, a manager, a leader and an all round "good guy / gurl" you will take on the same kind of qualities you see and interact with....usually. I say usually because sometimes you can see it and still do nothing about making changes to yourself.

But one thing I know for certain is this - if you associate with people who spend all their time in the pursuit of pleasure rather than working and bettering themselves, chances are going to be better than good that you too will stay in the same place you currently find yourself. You may make all the right noises - one day I'm gonna ....

Well "one day" just isn't going to cut it I'm afraid.

Now going back to those people you admired as a leader. What did they do?

Well the best leaders I know are the ones who found balance. But they were focused. When they were at work, they worked, but they also went home and found time to be with their families and loved ones. They were also the ones who found time to exercise and eat well. Their lives were balanced, and more importantly so were their minds. They could inspire you, challenge you and they could see things we hadn't noticed (well it certainly was in my case). Good leaders are like that. They also put their faith in the team they had put together and the managers were able to translate the vision into workable, doable solutions that took the businesses far.

Of course I've also worked for organisations where the leaders and the managers didn't have a clue, sure they were setting examples - unfortunately it wasn't a very good one. And when I said they didn't have a clue, they had no idea why the rate of attrition was so high, or why people were always disengaged and ready to do their own thing.

These people tend to have the "other" set of qualities you've written down.

For example:
Poor time management
Poor communication skills
May take credit for other people's work
Lays blame when things don't go quite right

Those kinds of things.

So go back to your list of leadership qualities you have written down. Which set of qualities are you exhibiting more often than not? What kind of leader would you be?

With many thoughts
Elle

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All contents Copyright (c) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.

All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, we hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Finish strong STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/21/2008 08:00:17 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Finish Strong
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The winners are those people who finish strongly. The ones who win on the athletics track are the ones who train for beyond the winning line. They don't see the winning line and say - hey it's just there I can ease up now, I'll stop doing all I can and just coast a little - I deserve it...after all I've been leading this race from the beginning. Or if they do, they are beaten by the people who are prepared to go beyond the winning line before they consider stopping.

Take any of the team sports. The players don't just train so they can play for the exact length of time they have to play their games. What would happen if they went into extra time and had nothing left in the tank...who is the team going to win if that is the case? You got it...the team of people who had trained so they could run the extra few minutes to clinch the game.

In your business ventures - do you go that extra distance? Do you put in the time you need to ensure you are a success or are you prone to coasting at the crucial moments?

How about your personal fitness goals. Do you do all that you can? Or are you tempted to coast a little on the distance, the weights and the intensity of the workouts. Who are you cheating? Yes - you are cheating yourself by not doing all that you can.

Go that little bit further today. Stretch yourself and finish strong.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Richard Duszczak EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 86.128.253.191 URL: http://www.motivationalcartoons.co.uk DATE: 09/25/2008 10:18:23 AM Elle,
Another great article.
It inspired the following cartoon on my blog...
http://www.motivationalcartoons.co.uk

Hope you enjoy it like I did your article!?
Richard ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 61.69.140.254 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 09/30/2008 10:41:48 AM The cartoon is awesome thank you Richard. I love knowing my words can inspire people to do so much. Thank you so much not only for the feedback but the inspiration for me to keep on inspiring others.

Thanks

Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Spontenaiety or careful planning STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/23/2008 10:24:19 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Spontenaiety or careful planning
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Life should be fun. But it also needs to be carefully balanced. If you spend all your time on pleasure and no time working, doing homework or housework then your life is definitely out of whack.

But that's not what I want to speak about today believe it or not.

My question for you today is about the beginning of the week and the slide towards the weekends.

Do you start your weeks with great intentions, you eat well, remember to exercise and get plenty of sleep? What happens towards the weekends for most people, their good intentions start to go out the window. We tell ourselves we're tired and can't possibly cook a healthy dinner. We tend to drink and socialise more and any thoughts of exercise is gone.

Well with a bit of careful planning you can get through most of these hiccups.

At the beginning of the week when your commitment and energy is strong, why not cook an extra batch of dinners....and freeze them. That way you won't be tempted by the bad things on the way home. Fast food is hardly fast, you still have to wait in queues and wait for the food to be cooked...and because it's high volume, something tells me it won't be of the best nutritional quality. It tastes good though :-)

Its the same with exercise. If you stop and think about it, you can usually find all sorts of reasons not to do it. So get home, get changed and hit the road jack...or better still go to the gym before you get home, that way you can't not do the exercise...you're there for goodness sake. It's true of most gyms the world over....busy on a monday when everyone is feeling guilty, empty on a friday when everyone wants to play and have fun. Now I am not saying you can't play and have fun, just that sometimes it needs to be balanced.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Take yourself out of your natural surroundings STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/24/2008 12:47:53 PM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Take yourself out of your "natural" surroundings
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Your natural surroundings forms your zone of comfort. Everything is just fine and hunky dory in your zone of comfort. With nothing to challenge your mind and your body you can coast through your days and do exactly the same thing in the same way as you've always done. You're "happy" I mean why wouldn't you be? After all its comfortable in your natural surroundings isn't it?

The problem with not challenging your mind and your body is simple - it's boring. If you don't challenge anything, how on earth are you going to grow, learn anything new, eat anything different, wear anything different....can you imagine having the same hair cut between now and the day you die ... that's what being "normal" is. That's your zone of comfort...it's hardly inspiring is it?

Now I am not saying you need to change your hair cut - but you know what I mean. If you don't change - SOMETHING - then every day is going to be the same and we all know how today turned out. Now you may have had a brilliant day for all I know, but chances are going to be good there will be something you would change if given a second chance.

So do me a favour - try something different tomorrow, just one small thing..please. Stretch yourself just a little and then try something a little different again the next day, you don't know how far you can go if you don't at least try. And yes if it all gets too much you can always retreat into your zone - but something tells me you won't - at least not for long. Not if I have anything to do with it :-)

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What would you be doing? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/27/2008 07:04:54 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: What would you be doing?
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What kind of life would you be living if time and money were in abundance?
What kind of person would you be?

But before you add - the "ah but ....."

The third thing we need to add to that list is energy ...

What would you be doing if you had all the time, money and energy in the world?

The three usual excuses we find not to do things are time, money and energy - so - if they are no longer available to you to use an excuse - what would you be doing?

Personally I would be spending more time writing, travelling, training and meeting people just like you. Whilst I do a lot of that already, I would love to do it full -time not part-time, so am working my way towards that ultimate goal. How about you?

What would you be doing?

With many thoughts
Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: JT EMAIL: IP: 61.69.140.254 URL: DATE: 09/30/2008 10:38:10 AM Dreaming, we can't spend our lives just dreaming what it would be like - ACTION is the key.

Decide what you want, then get on and do it. I can't beleive people need this kind of motivational clap trap.

When there are more opportunities than ever, surely the hardest thing to decide is what not to do, so you've got time to do everything you really want to do.

And now I cannot believe i have just spent all this time getting grumpy over nothing. Scuse me, I've got things to do.

JT ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: SJE EMAIL: IP: 86.144.96.57 URL: DATE: 10/13/2008 05:10:05 PM JT, yes, action is key but there's no point being all revved up with no place to go. Dreaming - or visualising - what you would do is often a key step in really focussing your mind on what you want in the first place. How do you know what to do if you don't think about it first? You just end up starting things and never finishing them before you move onto the next! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Elle - Motivate Me DDOMM - Issue 17/07 STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/17/2008 10:21:30 AM ----- BODY:

Are you the kind of person who has a "can do" attitude? You know, when someone walks up to you and asks - can you do something for me? Are you the kind person who responds with an "of course I can"?

Now of course there are people who will take advantage of people who "can do" and do it well, but if you have the proper "can do" attitude, you will be able to say - Of course I can, I just have to finish .... first. Is that OK? That alerts the person to the fact that you have your own work priorities and you can help, but not to the detriment of what you should be doing.

Or are you the kind of person who snarls and whines when someone asks you to do something? "If I must" is the usual catchall phrase used by this kind of person. There's also a lot of sighing, pouting and complaining about the fact you've got all this work to do and now so and so wants to give you more...who do they think they are????

In my opinion, the people with the can and do attitude are more likely to happier about themselves, their jobs, their homelives, have better health and eat better than those who have a could and don't attitude. Why? because they know good time and project management, it is part of their normal lives, they know whether they have "spare" time and they know how to turn down a request politely.

So today is an attitude check day - are you the kind of person who can and does, or could and doesn't?

As always something to think about

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivate Me - Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine - Back on line STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/24/2008 10:20:36 AM ----- BODY:

It's been almost a week since my last posting to you. If you've been across to the main site at Motivate Me you will have seen a couple of posts explaining just what has happened. But for those of you who haven't been across, merely wondered where I had gone to - well the answer is a simple one. The hard drive on my laptop died just after sending last week's e-zine.

So, first and foremost, apologies for being off the air. We are well and truly back on line again. I must also apologise if in the re-building of the newsletter distribution list, you've been inadvertantly added back - after you'd asked to be unsubscribed. Just drop me a quick note (politely please) and let me know - and I can rectify the situation.

Of course being offline has given me plenty of time for thought. I've still been working you understand - just not on the laptop.... And if you would like to know what to do in the event of a "disaster" such as mine - then read the entry I posted after it had happened. But just to give you an idea of the scale of the problem. The laptop contained all the software I used to run the MotivateMe site, including the email send program I use to send these newsletters. I had backed up the mission critical documents and stuff and had saved them onto an external driver, but had forgotten the mail program. Consequently I could either load it up to the ancient desktop machine we have and hope it would work, or wait for the laptop to be re-built and re-load it onto that. I opted for the latter. The less that goes on the desktop machine the better.As I said in an earlier posting - don't assume it can't happen to you - it can.

Disaster planning and preparation is all about making sure you have enough "insurance" should the inevitable happen. Your back ups are your insurance.There is one other point to mention with regards to disaster planning - and that is - what do you value and would you be able to pick it up in a hurry if you were evacuated on a Monday morning when the firemen banged on your door and told you to vacate your premises. Yes that happened to us this monday - when my neighbours house caught fire. The firemen did a fantastic job, saving our house and those of our other neighbours. But given the speed and the severity of the fire, totally destroyed the house and everything in it. Would you be able to build from the ground up? My neighbours have nothing - bar the clothes they were wearing and what they could pick up on the way out of the door. Given that one of the children was burnt in the process it's not hard to see where your priorities
 should lie. But not everyone thinks the same way.

Are your "affairs" in order - would you be able to build again from the ground up and be back up and running quickly or would you struggle to know what you had, As always something to think about ElleMotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome theprocrastination habit.
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 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so.I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme! 

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy email address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  All contents Copyright (c) 2007 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We donot share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties. To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same email address you subscribed with for this to take effect. Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings,I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.   (c) MotivateMe! 2005/2008ElleOvercoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivationalmedicine.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Cleaning the clutter: Homes and Offices STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/01/2008 11:22:01 AM ----- BODY:

Today's daily dose: Cleaning the Clutter: Homes and Offices
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Do your living arrangements reflect the state of your mind as well as the state of your body?

Untidy, dirty and otherwise scruffy homes, houses and offices and everywhere else you spend your time is another major sign that you lack motivation in your life.

Cleaning?! Oh please.

Yes cleaning. I am absolutely serious. If your homes and offices were clean and everything was in its designated space you would be able to go straight to it and get started on whatever your project, task or goal happened to be now wouldn’t you?

This seemingly boring job encompasses every part of your life. Think about it, can you imagine getting dressed in a morning and not being able to distinguish dirty clothes from clean ones? To being able to put your hands on the documents and papers you need to complete your tax return. It even covers minor things like knowing where you stashed the paint brushes to your running shoes. If you can’t find it, then you can’t do anything about it now can you?

We conveniently forget where we’ve put our keys, wallets, bags and the files we need to finish off the writing project  we started aeons ago. Now which version were you working on again?

A quick look around your home and office, especially those desk drawers and cupboards are all very good indicators of the not so obvious signs that you lack motivation. So take one of those areas and get cleaning.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Cleaning the clutter: Clothes STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/02/2008 10:31:09 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Cleaning the Clutter: Clothes
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Do you wear the same clothes, styles and colours all the time? Is it because they look good on you, or you just can’t be bothered to find anything else?

Clothes are an excellent indicator of your current state of mind. The image that you portray to the outside world can mask what you are really feeling, but on the whole, your outer state is a direct reflection of your inner being. Now there are days when I can wear a black bin liner (and I have) and looked awesome, and other days have worn designer outfits and looked a complete mess. And it comes down to my state of mind more often than the quality of the clothes I happen to have put on that day. But here is the thing.

Do you wear the same clothes week after week? You may have a wardrobe full of clothes but few fit you and those that do fit don’t exactly inspire you. You know you’re in a rut when you wear the same kinds of clothes, the same styles, same colours regardless of where you are going and what you are doing. If you consider that you are a Director of First Impressions, what does your image say about you at the moment? Are you always immaculately dressed and groomed? Is you hair washed, brushed and trimmed or did you get up so late this morning you look as crumpled as you feel?
 
Now there are a couple of things I need you to do for me. I need you to go and have a good look at the clothes you wear. Go through everything from your socks and underwear drawers to the suits, ties and Little Black Dresses you have hanging up or thrown on the floor.

When was the last time you replaced any of it? Now a good quality suit/dress will last you years – assuming they still fit. So a good way to tell is to put them on. Go through your entire wardrobe and start trying them on. If you don’t feel comfortable in something – then put it to one side. There are a whole slew of second hand clothing shops that are begging for new stock.

Now what about colours? Is your wardrobe made up of the same colours – mine is - Black and Navy with the odd splash of colour in Jackets and Shirts. Why do I wear mainly black and navy? Actually there are many reasons, but the main one is - black never goes out of fashion AND is a slimming colour. Light and tight means you can see what you had for breakfast - and more often than not, that is not a good thing.

But if you can’t really decide whether you need to throw something away – then you need to be a bit more critical – are the collars and cuffs frayed? Are the colours faded, and when did you last wear it? If you haven't worn something in the last couple of years - chances are going to be good you won't wear in the next couple either. So clear the clutter and make space for the clothes you do wear.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Cleaning the clutter: Minds STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/03/2008 12:47:31 PM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Cleaning the Clutter: Minds
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What are you filling your mind with?

What do you read? Listen to? Watch on the television?

What are your thoughts saying right now? With a bit of luck of course you are reading this and thinking about those questions I've just asked. But lets take it a little further. What do your thoughts generally say? We are constantly talking to ourselves. We "speak" thousands and thousands of words to ourselves each and every day....in general terms, would those words you are speaking to yourself positive or negative? Listen in to your personal conversations - it can make fascinating listening.

And to turn the negative to positive?

Be mindful of what goes into your mind. Don't watch the news or listen to commercial radio - they enjoy sensationalism. The more gruesome the story the better as far as they are concerned. Bad news sells.... lots. It's the same with magazines and newspapers - they thrive on gossip - the juicier the better.

And of course its the same with soaps...they're drama's ... they want to suck you in, so the first thing you say to your work colleagues when you get in is - did you see so and so on the tv last night....shocking wasn't it.....

For those of you who know me well, will know I watch little or no television. The occassional news bulletin, or tv program, but in general terms, my life does not revolve around what's on the television next. I have way too much to do every day and night for that to happen.

It's 8.30 on a Friday evening and I am sending this message out. Followed by answering emails and queries. The boys are planning an early morning jaunt to the city for their skate boarding and the girls are enjoying the "who wants to be a supermodel" show...so my house is one of constant noise, so you can imagine what my mind is being filled with. But in normal circumstances I prefer music to television and bird song to music. So if my little people were at dad's this weekend I would be enjoying the sound of silence, and able to read and / or write. But for tonight I am going to have to put in the ear phones if I am going to get anything done..or I can just give it away for tonight and start again tomorrow. And sometimes that's OK too.

So why am I spending so much time talking about cleaning and tidying - EVERYTHING?

Apart from the fact that it's Spring down under - every day is a chance to take a look at your life and what you are happy to keep and what you need to remove from your life and minds and bodies. For me it is a constant process. What's working? What isn't working? What am I happy to keep and what do I need to remove.

With love and light and many cleaning opportunities


With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Cleaning the clutter: Food STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/04/2008 06:05:17 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Cleaning the Clutter: Food
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Unless your diet is perfect and you are the ideal weight for your height and shape, then you may want to have a look at the food stuffs you have sitting in your cupboards and pantries. Believe it or not, these are places that say everything about the kind of life you are leading right now.

If someone were to come into your home and offer to cook dinner using on the ingredients they found - what would they be able to make?

Would it be healthy and nutritious? Or processed and re-heated?

My next question relates to the first point I made when starting this piece - are you the perfect height for your weight? Or do you need to grow another six inches?

So lets look at the food you bought.

Is it processed beyond food recognition?
Did you buy it and not eat it?
Did you buy it to try it - and never got around to finishing it off? If it's looking like a weird science experiment - I'd be thinking about throwing that away right now. Do you want to finish it off (assuming no fur !!) then before you buy anything new, go through your cupboards and bring to the front - everything that has been stuck at the back.... and use it....or pack it into large cardboard boxes and take it to your local shelter where they can make use of all the unopened and still in date foods you no longer want.

Get out the cookbooks if necessary and start to use some of the "stuff" in your cupboards. If you don't like it - throw it away - and ask yourself - WHY did you buy it in the first place?

We can all benefit from this particular cleaning session. I complete this process once every couple of months - well with 2 children it can be easy to be swayed by popular opinion as to what they would like for dinner. As a consequence I can cut my shopping bill down quite a bit.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Experiences and expectations. STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/05/2008 12:38:43 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: experiences and expectations.
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A moment of choice is a moment of truth said Steven Covey. And how true is that statement. When you consider all the options that are open to you every single moment of every single day, your decisions are based on what you deem to be right for you at that point in time.

Whether you would have made that same decision or same choice another day is of course pure speculation. You have made your decisions today based on certain criteria - in particular how you were feeling at that point in time, and how that translated into your current knowledge and experience.

In other words there are no real right or wrong decisions, just variations in experiences and expectations.


With many thoughts
Elle

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Today's thought to ponder:
"It was a golden year beyond my dreams. I proved you're never too old to achieve what you really want to do"
Heather Turland, b. 1960 Australian Women's Marathon Gold Medallist (Commonwealth Games)
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Latest Blog Post: Weekend passions
http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/9/29/bank-holiday-weekend-passions.html
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The exercise side of things STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/06/2008 10:57:09 AM ----- BODY:

Today's daily dose: the exercise side of things
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Over the last few days we've looked at virtually every aspect that makes up our lives. From the food we have stuck at the back of the cupboards, to the clothes we just can't fit into anymore.

Today I would like to talk to you about exercise.

There are two major kinds of exercise. One is deliberate and the other is incidental.

So lets look at incidental kinds of exercise we do every day.

Incidental exercise includes things like, walking around the shops, gardening, ironing, cleaning houses and cars, playing with the kids and the cats and taking the stairs rather than the elevator. Basically any time you get off your chair to move to another location you are doing some kind of incidental exercise.

You'd actually be amazed at how much incidental exercise you can fit into your day to day lives - without it impacting too greatly on your time line. But to up the intensity just a little, try walking a little faster than normal - like you are late for an appointment, or running up the stairs. And believe me if you get a little breathless - that indicates a couple of things to me. The main one is that you are relatively unfit and should seek medical advice before undertaking a proper exercise program.

But lets assume you are reasonably healthy and would like to consider adding exercise to your time line. What can you do?

For me, variety is important. Not only can exercise be boring as bat droppings, you have a lot of muscles in your body and they all need working. Granted some need more work than others, but if your workouts consist of whatever you put into your hand to lift to put into your mouth I would suggest you need a bit of variation in your exercise program.

You should consider making sure you have some form of cardio (the stuff that makes you huff and puff a little), some core strength work - that's the stuff that enables you to have a decent waist line and six packs as well as strength work - weights. Weight work has been shown to be excellent for the bones - but they don't have to be heavy weights to be effective. And no ladies, you are unlikely to look like a gym junkie with light weights.

I try and do some kind of exercise every day. But "proper" exercise I like to do every other day. The day off in between helps the muscles to recover and a diet with adequate amounts of protein helps too.

But what happens when you know all the theory and know all the benefits but that still doesn't help you to get motivated and organised to "get fit"?

Well I know what that's like. When I know I should, but just can't be bothered!!! Sometimes I don't push myself, but more often than not, I just do it anyway. But there is one kind of exercise that works when nothing else does, and that is walking. I can strap on the mp3 player and hit the road jack. I can compose my training programs and books as I am walking. Or if things have been a little hectic and I am feeling more than a little stressed - I walk mindfully - as in I concentrate on the muscles being used and the breathing I am doing. Then I slow the breathing down, making the breaths deeper and longer is an instant de-stressor, and within a few minutes I feel much happier and far less stressed. The final thing I try and do as I am walking is to imagine what my life is going to be like as a "thinner" person. It gives you more incentive to keep going.

So - mix it up - but more importantly find something you enjoy - that way you are less likely to not find the time.

With many thoughts
Elle

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Latest Blog Post: Getting ahead
http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/10/5/getting-ahead.html
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Does visualisation really work? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/08/2008 12:42:09 PM ----- BODY:

MotivateMe!
Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit with a Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine

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In This Issue:
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* Today's daily dose: 8th October 2008
* Latest Blog Post: Intense, insane workloads
* Share this e-zine
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Today's daily dose: Does visualisation really work?
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One thing for sure - if you can "see" it in your minds eye, you are more likely to achieve it. That's almost a given. We know it, we do it - but usually on an ad-hoc basis.

And one of the reasons is simple - life and other people's issues get in the way of what you want to see, be and achieve.

We say we want something - we write out affirmations - "I am so happy and grateful now that I have ....." and then we carry on living our lives as we have always done. Then we wonder why things don't change. One of the reasons is because of the negative chatter that runs through our minds like static on a radio. "this stuff doesn't really work" "I don't deserve it" or whatever is your personal negative chatter. But those people who really know what they want, will go out of their way to focus on the end result, and every minute of every day they are finding ways to ensure they reach it. Case in point - recently of course - the Olympics. These athletes have spent the last 4 years (and sometimes longer) preparing for their shot at gold. Their lives revolved around this particular goal. Every thing they ate and drank. Every training session they undertook - was in preparation for this one shot at gold. Sure - lots of people didn't get to the gold medal position on the podium - but shooting for the moon and reaching the stars is not a bad effort if you think about it.

Are your dreams "real"? Can you truly visualise these things coming to you? If you can you stand far more chance of these things coming to you than if your vision for what you want is a little blurred around the edges.

Now you may or may not have seen "the secret" - remember the - visualise it and it will come, of course they missed one rather large component - remember you still have to do something.

For instance, Olympic athletes become Olympic athletes because they wanted it, and they worked hard at it. It was their reason for being, their entire focus for at least 4 years of their lives. They still had to turn up to every training session, and more importantly they had to go to Beijing and compete with every one else who had laser focus on becoming the gold medallist.

So yes visualisation does work, when you work at it.

Live your life in glorious technicolor detail - but don't forget to act on those "dreams" otherwise that's all they will ever be.


With many thoughts
Elle

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Latest Blog Post: Intense, insane workloads
http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/10/8/intense-workloads.html
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 78.144.143.187 URL: DATE: 10/09/2008 08:17:39 AM Hi Elle,
Totally agree with the post but I do have a problem! I have tried visualisation before but never really got anywhere because I can't "see" my vision at all (I am not a visual person, much more emotional / kinsethetic) & this frustrates me no end. Can you suggest or point me towards any techniques to learn / improve my visualisation skills so I can improve my focus?

Many thanks for all your hard work!

Chris ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Same old things STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/26/2008 08:26:43 AM ----- BODY:

"Hi, how have you been"
The man looked up - startled.
"Oh you know, getting by. And you?" he asked out of politeness sake, disappointed at being disturbed from his musings.
"Oh, really well thanks."
The man looked up again and saw the younger man smiling broadly.
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen you around for a while."
"No, I've been away, getting lots of new experiences with this company I work for."
"Oh, well that's OK then, you're obviously enjoying it?" The older man thought to himself 'it's all right for some, I've been doing the same job for ever, and no-one offers to send me around the world to get NEW experiences.'
The younger man could tell what the older man was thinking, and said "yes well I proved that I was willing to think outside boxes, squares, triangles and look at everything with a brand new pair of eyes, and it's paid off well for everyone."
"Oh"
"Anyway, I thought, I'd say stop and say hi, but I'll leave you to your day. Doing much today?"
"Oh you know, the same old things. It's Saturday, so I'm just going to sit here for a bit, enjoy a cup of coffee, think about some work I've got to do and then do a bit of shopping I suppose. How about you?"
"Oh well, you know me. Always busy. Nice to see you again."
"Yeah, likewise."

The older man sat for a while and thought about the man who had just left. He remembered him, had only worked for the company for a couple of years before he was off to another job somewhere else. More money. Always thought highly of himself, he thought. No the man corrected - he did know his stuff, but was a cocky little .... But they obviously liked him.

As the younger man wandered out of the coffee shop, he thought sadly about the man he'd left behind. He'd had quite a lot of potential, that was why they'd partnered him with him when he joined the company. But it was obvious the older man resented the younger generation - they were the ones getting the promotions, you could see it in their eyes and the words they used.

"Same old things"
"You know how it is"
"You've obviously done well for yourself"

He knew he'd had a lot to offer the older man, but he'd not been willing to listen, hadn't taken any of the courses and classes offered by the company, and whinged all the time. The younger man turned on his heel - well it might be Saturday, but he had things to do, and they certainly weren't "the same old things".



Kind Regards
Elle

Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.

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What I' reading at the moment

Natural Superwoman: The survival guide for women who have too much to do

Rosamond Richardson

So far: Somewhere out there is a balance between home and work, family and friends, space and sociability, exercise and rest, eating and health so that a balance of mind and body, work and fun, masculine and feminine elements, right and left brain function lead to a life which is fully lived

=================================

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ziggy EMAIL: IP: 58.165.35.36 URL: www.oakandmistletoe.org.au DATE: 07/26/2008 08:53:19 AM Speaking as a "busy one" I'd have to say that the busy ones always seem to be the ones that actually get things done over even though the less busy people appear to have more time. While there is considerable joy, peace and acheivement in not being busy, achievements coming from taking courage and giving it a go I reckon!
Smiles always,
Ziggy ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: SSilver925 EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 98.218.34.87 URL: DATE: 07/26/2008 01:27:16 PM Hi Elle
Today’s story starts in a familiar way.
In 1969 at 19, I went into the military got technical training, traveled round the world experienced many things. When war was over got out of the military and knocked about for a few years with different jobs always looking for bigger and better.
1980 got a job with a military contractor. Supervised an assembly line for a while, worked testing and design for awhile, then Field Engineer, traveling round the world, hot shot trouble shooter.
Got married a few years after that, still traveling 6 to 8 months of the year. Marriage started having problems. Quit the engineer job and stayed home with the family, started my own business so I could be home every day. Marriage disintegrated anyway.
Got a job with the post office so I could be in one place, easy to find me when needed.
Watched my family move from place to place over the last more than 20 years. I haven’t been called on yet.
My kids are getting into their mid twenties, they don't know me, as their mom kept moving to prevent my visiting.
I am still at the post office, will be till I pass or retire. I’m thinking 70 would be a good time to retire.
Young folk ask me why I don’t use my abilities to move to bigger and better things, more money and such. I explain, some grasp more than others why I stay. But even here there are excitements, activities and best of all relationships.
I stay in one place. I am still easy to find.
I did find a brother just this month that had been gone for 25 years. I have made contact and we are planning visits soon.
I stay in one place. I am still easy to find.
Perhaps I can gather them all in one day.

SSilver925 ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: sensitivejewel EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 69.182.45.35 URL: www.laughingsuzuki.com DATE: 07/27/2008 12:30:34 AM I'm 34 years old. I've already gone to college and trained in a career. But, I don't like what I do all that much. After much pondering I have come to the realization that we never have to stop growing. We can keep learning new skills, become exceptionally proficient in new things, no matter what the age. Believing this has set me free to pursue passions otherwise I might have given up, thinking, "It's too late." It is never too late. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Growth Curves STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/11/2008 05:55:29 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Growth Curves        
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When you begin something new - anything where you are unsure, you start off at the bottom of the scale. If you imagine a graph you are on the bottom left hand point - zero knowledge, zero ability. And then as you start to learn whatever it is, you start to climb the growth scale. Now depending on how fast you pick up new things, and how much effort you are willing to put into your new venture will depend on the shape of the growth curve. What you will find happens with all things, is you may find yourself plateauing out and you may even feel like you are going backwards at some point. But that is normal. Every time you go back to that particular "problem" or learning, you start again from a much higher starting point on the scale.

And as you know by now, everything impacts on everything else. So it gets easier to learn new things, because your mind is ready for the next set of challenges. Just as your muscles need variety, so does your mind. So stretch yourself a little today - who knows how far your growth will go if you don't try.

With many thoughts
Elle

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Today's blog post: Motivate me to exercise: Mix it up a little
This morning a couple of friends and I did something I've never done before, and believe me I am "suffering" as a result. Suffering in a good way though, because I used muscles that haven't been used in quite that way before. Read more at -
http://www.motivateme.info/motivate-me-to-exercise/2008/10/11/motivate-me-to-exercise-mix-it-up-a-little.html

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Can you motivate a lazy person? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/12/2008 08:46:59 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Can you motivate a lazy person?        
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In my honest opinion, you cannot motivate someone who doesn't want to be motivated. That includes those people we term "lazy". So, the quick answer to my own question is NO.

Now before you get all grumpy with me, consider this. I am like the energizer bunny - on the go ALL THE TIME. Compared to me, most people would appear lazy. So it is important to check your own levels of activity and decide whether or not you need to slow down a little or whether you need to advise said "lazy" person they really should pull their weight just a little bit more.

Take a good look at what you are doing, this is especially true for households. Are you constantly picking up after your younger people? Then don't. If they can't be bothered to put their dirty clothes into the laundry, then that's their hard luck when they run out of clothes.

Advise the people you share a house with (except very little people of course) they are to share in duties and if they are not done then there will be ramifications.

Take dinners and dishes as a good example. If your household consists of adults and teenage children, then there is nothing stopping you dividing up the days of the week with everyone taking their turn at cooking. Similarly those who are cooking, don't get to do dishes. If this breaks down, then no-one gets to eat.

With very little people, you can give them small tasks to do and they can "help" you prepare dinner. If you also stand a chair in front of the sink, they can be supervised whilst washing the dishes.

There are all sorts of ways you can get people to share the workload, but it generally has to come from them. Just like you can lead a horse to water, it is entirely up to the horse whether he/she takes a drink or not. So it is with motivation. If they don't want to be motivated - even when they know there will be serious ramifications if they don't do something, then that's up to them.

Take diet and exercise as a very good example. We all know that if we eat and eat and eat and take no form of exercise, we will end up like that gentleman who died of heart failure weighing half a tonne last week.

But I could go on and on and on....but that's the energizer bunny in me. So I shall leave you with one final thought:

Beware the self reference criteria.

We all have different things that motivate us. And what motivates us today may not motivate us tomorrow.


With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Procrastination and motivation in the workplace STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/13/2008 10:38:14 AM ----- BODY:
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Today's daily dose: Procrastination and motivation in the workplace       
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Do you enjoy the job you are paid to do?

If the answer is a resounding YES then you are fortunate. Most people I've spoken to over the years, have a few areas that they love to do, and other things they simply loathe. So much so, they procrastinate by doing other things, just so they don't have the time to do those things they don't like to do.

Sometimes called structured procrastination - we know the item at number 1 on our to-do list should get priority - after all, it got the number 1 position. The trouble is, you can't raise the enthusiasm to do it just yet. So you decide that you will do it after you've made a cup of coffee and read your emails. After all, there may be other "MORE IMPORTANT" things that need doing first. And yes there might be other things that need doing - but are they really MORE IMPORTANT, or a distraction from what you know you should be doing?

If you keep your email open during the day, chances are going to be good that you will find all sorts of excuses to keep opening your mail system up just to check to see if anything has been posted. Give over, of course there hasn't you're just procrastinating.

So a couple of things in all seriousness:
1. Check your email first thing. And yes the do it, delegate it, or dump it applies to your electronic mail, just as much as the paper that lands on your desk does. If you have a couple (or more) people who like to send you every joke they can lay their hands on, then you need to add a filter to these people and put these emails into a designated folder to read later....and I do mean later, preferably at the end of the day when you need some transition time between work and home. Then turn it off.
2. Telephones - switch them to voice mail if you can, or advise reception that you are in a meeting and can't answer your phones. The meeting of course is with yourself and the work that you need to do.
3. Calendars - Block out project time, and when it appears - then do the work.
4. Get a job you do enjoy doing - this one is a bit radical, but if you hate your job that much, then find one that you do enjoy doing. But a word of advice, check your attitude before you chuck your job in. If your CV reads like yellow pages because you didn't like a certain job - then you need to determine if it is you and your attitude that needs changing, or whether you need to move into a new line of work.
5. Pretend - act as if you enjoy every moment of the job you are being paid to do. Smile, grit your teeth if you have to, but smile. Tell yourself you are there to work, to be paid for that work and by god you are going to to do the best job you possibly can. Learn from as many different people as you can and when the times comes around for pay rises and assessments, you will be laughing.
6. Do it first - Whatever job you dislike doing - do it first and get it over with.That way you won't have it hanging over your head all day and possibly all week if you keep on procrastinating about it.

So what does motivate you at work?

Is it the people you work with? Is it the location? The fact that it pays well? The great coffee? The job itself? There has got to be something about the job you are currently doing hasn't there? Hint if it is that bad - go back and re-read point number 4 above.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kim EMAIL: IP: 202.36.179.66 URL: DATE: 10/13/2008 08:48:56 PM Number 6 is something I try and do all the time. If I get the big scary things out of the way, I can get through the rest much, much faster. Its far too easy to put more energy into avoiding the task than it would take to just do the damn thing! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 10/14/2008 12:24:37 AM Hi Kim
I agree and that is one of the reasons I get so much done. Do it - regardless of whether I want to, or whether I don't like to. Otherwise my brain is constantly beating me up - you should have done that you know....

Have a great day
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Inspiration comes in many different forms STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/28/2008 10:31:18 AM ----- BODY:
A timely reminder today about not wasting time. Some time ago I was fortunate enough to see a lecture. The lecture was entitled - The Last Lecture - normally a hypothetical one. What would you talk about if you knew you had one last chance to speak to your "students". Well the person who delivered the real Last Lecture, Professor Randy Pausch had terminal Pancreatic Cancer. I found out today Professor Pausch died last Friday.

Millions of people have watched the last lecture. Millions more have watched the reprised version on the Oprah Winfrey show, and quite a few people bought the book that was based on the lecture. If you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about - you need to watch the video - http://www.motivateme.info/motivational-movies - please it's important.

Some of you have asked what inspired Motivateme, well helping a friend who was in trouble. But what keeps on inspiring me to make a difference, is this man, and people like him. People who have overcome so much to do what they do. One of the reasons I read biographies and autobiographies is to meet people I would have never been able to meet, to read their stories, to find out what inspired them to do what they did.

But I am also fortunate to know an incredible person (well I know lots of incredible people) but James Wood is different. Yes James I'm talking about you today....

James is the first to admit he made one or two mistakes, and the biggest one landed him in hospital and unable to walk again. Given we are a few days away from the 2008 Beijing Olympics it is also a timely message. You see James chanelled the frustration at not being able to do what he used to be able to do, and after many years of training and competing, wore the green and gold for Australia, and has the medals to prove it. You see what follows the "normal" olympic games is the "special" olympics - and thousands of people who have had to overcome so many difficulties will be there, for themselves, for their team mates, for their families and for their countries. But fewer people will watch those games - but they're the ones we should be watching. Am I discounting the incredible hard work that able-bodied athletes put into their training? No, but there are two stories on the front page of Yahoo today that I would like to mention - one stated that over 60% of Australian athletes are expecting other competitors to "enhance" their performance somewhat. The other interesting bit of news, was the fact that someone failed a gender test and had his/her medal taken away...and gender testing is back for Beijing....

So - do all that you can, be an inspiration to others - you never know who's watching your "performance".

We who have so much, yet don't do all that we can still have a few lessons to learn - http://www.motivateme.info/motivational-movies

With love and light
Elle


----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Cutting back not cutting out STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/14/2008 11:14:17 PM ----- BODY:

MotivateMe!
Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit with a Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine
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In This Issue:
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* Today's daily dose: 15th October 2008
* Share this e-zine
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Today's daily dose: Cutting back not cutting out    
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As you get older your body's needs change. Unfortunately for most people, weight creep starts when they don't modify their intake for their less than energetic output. More nights spent in front of the television rather than playing with the kids or going to the gym. We don't realise that's what happening until it's too late and all of a sudden our clothes are feeling a little bit tight.

So what happens then is even more typical. People start cutting out all the bad things. The biscuits, the cake, the fizzy drinks, the alcohol, the high carbohydrate whatever - but instead of replacing these things with items that will fill AND satisfy the cravings, they tend to go "cold turkey" and what happens, our bodies - but more importantly our minds start screaming "give me food, and give me lots of it".
 
Now there are some sensible things you can do to stop the weight creep. Find foods that are filling but not fattening. A hand full of almonds can give your body so many essential nutrients and good fats - and the best thing about these little gems - they take so long to chew you aren't hungry afterwards. The longer you chew your foods, the easier it is for your body to know when it is actually full.

But if you have trouble giving up all the goods things in life (and lets face it - why should you), then try these suggestions.

Don't buy "milk" chocolate. It's mainly fat and sugar wrapped up to taste good. So if you need a chocolate hit go for the 75-85% cocoa version. Stick a tiny piece in the roof of your mouth and let it dissolve. Instant high with few calories.

Don't drink and work. This one is alcohol related. If you need a glass or two of wine to relax after work, but still need to work when you get home. Save the alcohol for when you have finished. Turn off the computer and enjoy it. Again it's a taste thing. Let your taste buds acknowledge the different flavours you are rolling over your tongue into your body. You will find you need far less of whatever it is you "need" if you actually take the time to taste it.

So - my advice, this is one thing I feel you do not multi - task. If you need to eat then eat. But don't eat on the run or eat when you are doing something else. Be mindful of what goes into your mouth. Don't make eating (or drinking) a habit. Your body will then tell you when it has eaten enough (yes it does if you give it chance to tell you) then stop and go back to whatever it was you were doing.

And then when your body signals to you it needs more fuel - you can decide whether or not it's genuine hunger or just your mind playing tricks on you. I try and drown mine first - water, wait 10 minutes - ok now you can have food.

This one really is food for thought.

Elle

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Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, we hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Self concept STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/18/2008 01:18:33 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Self Concept: Learning to value ourselves
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Quite often we do not give ourselves the credit we deserve. We don't think we've done as many wonderful things as everyone else. We put ourselves down, not only to people who try and pay us compliments, or congratulate us on a job well done, but we put ourselves down to the most important person in the entire world. Us.

Given that today is Saturday and most of us will be away from the working environment, I want you to do something for yourself. No, there won't be a test later, but I wish there were, because this one cuts to the core of who you are, and what you value most in life.

Take a portable writing device and move yourself into a quiet place. It needn't be in the home, but can be anywhere where you can "think". A church, a garden, a library - basically anywhere that works for you, and I would like you to spend some time and write down at least fifty items that you are proud of. Things that you've done, achieved and accomplished.

For me, my list includes:

1. Raising two healthy, intellectual and creative children
2. Learning how to knit
3. Doing 10 "boy" pushups (working up to 100) without falling flat on my nose
4. Creating motivateme
5. Being a published author
6. Finishing the beginners pole dance course
7. Helping people overcome the procrastination habit through my training programs and of course daily messages
8. Creating my 4metre long, ceiling high library mural
9. Exercising every day
10. Making every day a better one than yesterday

Once you have created your list, and please don't stop at 50 if you don't want to. I would like you to spend some time during this next week and review the items on the list. These items are proof you have achieved great things. And if you have achieved ALL of these things, what else can you achieve?

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivate Me - The Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine - Empty Shelves STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/29/2008 10:19:38 AM ----- BODY:
What are you reading?

No, I'm not talking about this e-zine. What are you reading? What do you have sitting on your bedside table? What do you have tucked away in your bag? What do you do when you are travelling to and from work? What is filling your mind?

For me, all reading is pleasure. Reading and what we choose to read is entirely that - a choice, our choice. and that makes me feel blessed. OK, there were times when we were asked to read something - for a school assignment, a research paper, an item of interest, but in general terms everything we read is our choice.

Can you imagine walking through a library that contained every book you've ever read?  Each title sits proudly on the shelf, next to its neighbours. Occassionally there will be a well thumbed one, the pages tattered and torn, spines cracked. There will be magazines falling over and gaps on the shelves.

Every book you've ever picked up and read is there, your personal memory.

I've worked out that my personal library would contain upwards of 10,000 books. That's not written to impress you, in fact it breaks down to reading between 4-6 books every week for the last 35 years. Assuming I started reading properly by the time I was 8. Which isn't very many at all when you stop and think about it. But a 10,000 item library - now that would look sort of impressive. Well I think so.

So imagine being able to take a walk through your personal library.

You'd find the cloth books still wet from chewing as a child. Card backed books with bright colours and simple pictures and large words. The adventure stories you read under the bed covers with a torch....and the adult mags you managed to buy and drool over when you thought no-one knew what you were doing. The school texts with bookmarks and high lighted passages.

And then you stop - the bookshelves keep on appearing in front of you - but the further you move through your library the fewer books there are on your shelves. In fact there are more gaps than books. Occassionally there will be a cluster - the odd health and fitness book, diet books and motivational program from someone who promised you the world for a down payment of $19.95 and three equal installments of .... along with things that interested you for a while. Those odd travel guide books, the books on train spotting, the knitting patterns and the crosswords, the print outs from the pages you've downloaded from the Internet, bound together.

An eclectic mix of thoughts, gathered together in your own personal library.

There's a chair in the corner, so you sit for a while. From this vantage point you can see every shelf. And because this is your library you can see all the titles....spanning across the centuries, the minds and the worlds you explored.

And then you notice something - a television is running through all the programmes you've ever watched....flickering images....no sound. Hour upon hour of repeats and re-runs, day time soaps and news stories, movies and laughter.

You can hear talking....sssshh it's a library - but the words jumble over themselves, and you listen a little more closely - voices you recognise, conversations you've had, every word recorded. Every word and image filed away - stored in our own personal computers.

Disturbed you get up and try to leave...but there are two doors. One is labelled CURRENT  the other FUTURE.

Which door do you choose.


----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: sue sundram EMAIL: IP: 71.233.79.51 URL: DATE: 07/30/2008 04:58:08 AM future ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: chetna EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 124.171.81.235 URL: DATE: 07/31/2008 09:27:31 AM Future :) ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Through the looking glass STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/20/2008 09:04:45 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Through the looking glass
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If someone were to make a film of your life, would it win an oscar for the best story line? Or would it win the award for the most people walking out after just a few minutes or sending everyone to sleep?

The truth is most people's personal story line wouldn't make for exciting viewing. Given that most people do the same things day after day, week after week and yes year after year it's hardly surprising.

If you keep a journal you can go back and check what you were doing on a certain date. Pick random pages and read the entries - now pick a few more, are you still talking about the same things as you were then? Are you still battling the same issues? Do you still have the same goals written down as you did a year ago, 3 years ago? Why?

If you don't keep a journal - it's a little harder to prove - but you will KNOW whether or not you are still dealing with the same issues.

So what can you do about it?

Well if you consider that tomorrow a film crew will be following you around all day taking stock shots of everything you do, would you still be willing to do the same things in the same way?

If you bear in mind that even some of the most colourful characters can seem deadly dull when viewed through the "reality" lens, just how bland would your film be if theirs is portrayed in such a boring way?

So tomorrow, pick one of the recurring issues - stop talking about fixing it, but take it apart, think about it, then write down 10 strategies you can take to beat it. Believe me when I say this - your "problem" will have 10, 20 or even a hundred different solutions to it, and more often than not, because we are usually focussing on the problem - and not how to fix it, it never gets fixed. So - go for the solution instead. What can you do - again the caveat - if time, money and energy were not an issue what would you do?

Then choose one of the "solutions" and start working on it.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Debs EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 86.138.216.97 URL: http://www.deborahdevries.com DATE: 10/20/2008 11:52:44 AM OK - that got me thinking hard! My life has not been dull but I wonder if some of the glamour of it is there to keep me from noticing that actually, I need to do some of the duller stuff to get to my goals. LIke now, when I am supposed to be putting names on my data base and part of me is planning a horseback safari. I'll think about this one for a while yet. Thanks. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't put off the hated tasks STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/21/2008 10:20:45 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Motivate Me at Work: Stop procrastinating over the little tasks
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Phone calls, there are some calls we just don't want to make. Our stomachs churn, we avoid looking at the instrument of hate and we fill every moment of our day with other stuff - even stuff we know doesn't need doing. Why? Because we are afraid of the ramifications of making that phone call.

Now what would happen if we didn't hesitate over that particular task. In fact it was the first thing we did when we got to the office? We picked up the phone, dialled the number and stated our purpose firmly, clearly and precisely. We didn't get mad, angry or upset, we acted in a professional manner and it paid off for us. Why? because we put their needs first as well. You respected their time as well as your own. You respected their needs as well as your own. And you got the outcome you wanted.

And guess what - you also got the dreaded task out of the way, leaving you a completely clear conscience and able to get on with all those other things you need to do today.

And of course it doesn't have to be phone calls, but personal - face-to-face meetings, emails you need to send, letters you know you need to write. We've all done it, delayed doing things we think are going to be massive issues. And they might be. But once you have made a firm commitment to clear up the problem, we can usually finish the task and quickly.

So, make the commitment to yourself today and clear up your problems first.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Happy Lists EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 70.110.33.139 URL: http://happylists.wordpress.com DATE: 10/21/2008 06:28:41 PM It is eerie how spot on your topics are sometimes! Just yesterday I was journaling about my fear to face phone calls. It's silly, but it's real. When I just do it and get it out of the way, the outcome is rarely as bad as what I imagine and I feel a whole lot more relaxed the rest of the day. Thanks for the encouragement and motivation! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 10/22/2008 11:39:18 AM Ah, now does that make me psychic or just going through the same kinds of issues you are going through?

But I'm glad it struck a chord, and I'm glad you found strength from the words and hope you have been able to deal with whatever problem you are currently facing.

All the very best
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Assisting people do great things STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/22/2008 11:39:31 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Assisting people do great things
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Today's daily dose of motivational medicine is a little different. I read a lot of material from other people in what I term, the industry of assisting people do great things. Today I was fortunate to read something from my "wingman" Lt. Col. Rob "Waldo" Waldman - he started his newsletter with these words...

"I've been getting countless e-mails and newsletters this past week from coaches and consultants capitalizing on the downturn in the market.

Their message is fear based. "The dow is down again, it's scary out there, layoffs are rampant!" Then they offer a $1,995 weekend seminar on wealth building or business growth that will solve all of your problems. These "compassionate coaches" become opportunistic vultures praying on the carcass of your fear.

Give me a break! "

Of course he carrieson, and if you would like to get some help and assistance from your wingman then visit - http://www.yourwingman.com/


I just had to respond to him, because I am in total agreement with everything he had to say. My message to him went like this


Hi Rob

Thank you so much for saying that...

It never ceases to amaze me how many "snake oil" salesmen there are out there - offering YOU the chance to line THEIR pockets.... thank you for being one of the few people - like me - who believe in offering truth rather than false hope and false promises, and offering valuable solutions to people, often for nothing more than a thank you....which can be some of the best thanks and payment a person can get.

So thank you, I really do appreciate today's message.

Yours Sincerely

Elle Raunston

Providing strategies for people to overcome the procrastination habit
http://www.motivateme.info

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Of course I also sent the comment to some good friends of mine. One of whom responded - and I also include with her permission - her response.

"How damn true! I've just had a conversation with someone in my office this morning about people jumping on the band wagon and trying to get something from other people without ever considering the value and credibility of what they're trying to sell. I read a book several years ago, the name of which has temporarily escaped me, but essentially it was saying that success in business and life is dependent not upon your business plan that revolves around profit making but dependent on your life plan that revolves around serving people. Profit comes as a by product of genuine service to others.

Elle, that book you recommended to me a few weeks ago, The Go-Giver talked about the same kind of principle. I've read it, lent it to others, encouraged others to read it and in fact had a call from a business friend last week saying they'd brought it read it and were blown away by it. This concept of selling to people to make a quick dollar isn't the right way to go. Life is about people, not about dosh so if we make dosh (and isn't that lovely!) if we genuinely serve people then great but our aim MUST be to serve people with quality products and services and then the profits come...

Big smiles,

Ziggy
www.oakandmistletoe.com.au

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So a challenge for everyone in the business of making money - please don't forget to offer service first, second and last. The more service you can offer to people, the more genuine recompense you can receive.

With love and light - and many thanks
Elle

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Today's blog post: Teachers make it memorable
http://www.motivateme.info/how-to-motivate-teenagers/2008/10/22/homework-assistance-teachers-need-to-make-it-memorable.html
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With many thoughts
Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Processing the information STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/25/2008 07:28:00 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Processing the information
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Yesterday, well last night actually I went to a seminar on Humanistic Neuro Linguistic Programming (HNLP) with Gary de Rodriguez. The sceptic in me says, well if only half of what he had to say was true - boy do I havea LOT of issues to deal with. The realist in me says, well if only half of what he has to say is true - boy do you have a lot of issues you need to deal with.

What I do know to be true is this.

Going into any kind of seminar or training opportunity gives you a chance to challenge your current way of thinking. You cannot be half open minded any more than you can be half pregnant. You either are willing to think things through, accept that the way you have always done things may not be the right ways or you can carry on thinking the world and its occupants are there for your own needs and be damned to anyone who tells you otherwise.

And that may offend some of the readers of the daily dose. But I hope not.

What may offend some of you is this - get ready for this one

There are no magic bullets. You want to lose weight? Great - eat less and exercise more. Want to get fit? - Great - exercise more. Want to learn new things? Fantastic - pick a subject and wade straight in.

One thing is certain - there are some things you can delegate. But I cannot ask you to eat well for me, or do an hour on the treadmill because I don't have time. I could get you to read outloud to me - but why would I do that when there are such "magical" instruments such as Tape and CD / DVD Players / Recorders out there. In fact this one I can multi-task (as you can) - strap on your MP3 player and go for a walk, or go the gym. Stick a CD in the car and learn your way to work.

Now this is usually where the "author" of most e-zines offer to sell you their program for x amount, so you can learn all about their particular system. But I don't have one yet :-)

But I'm sure you will have one lying around gathering dust somewhere. So instead of listening to the radio on the way to work, stick on in the car and have another listen.

I have always said - if you only learn ONE thing from a training session, book or CD program - then it has moved your thinking by 1 degree. If you read one book each week for a year and you get 1 thing from each book you will have moved your thinking along by a fair bit. But if you put one of things into action, you will benefit a hundred fold.Why? Because once you see what changes you can make and how easy it is - well who knows what you will be able to do.

When you process the information you receive, ask yourself - does this help me to understand myself and my issues any better? If not - what else do I need to know? By all means process the information, that is important. But don't forget - you cannot just read, you still have to apply the knowledge to gain the benefit.

With many thoughts
Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Multi-tasking vs the power of focused attention STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/26/2008 09:09:51 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: multi-tasking vs the power of focused attention
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The problem with multi-tasking is you can get many things done, but you can also lose yourself - and end up with many half finished projects. Why not take a quick spin around the house to test that theory if you don't believe me.

I do like multi-tasking certain things. I can do a load of laundry, put some dinner in the oven, clean the kitchen, take out the garbage and do the ironing all within the same time frame. Of course I could also sit and read several chapters of a book whilst the laundry is whirring and the dinner is cooking or I can write several chapters whilst the above is happening.

My problem is not that I can't multi-task - it's that sometimes I shouldn't. And in some cases, I know that if I really want to get something done and done quickly I need to focus my attention on the task.

For example - sales calls. You can't make sales calls and write a letter to someone else. You need to be able to listen to your prospect so that you can respond appropriately. Nor can you make sales calls and read your email, file your nails or .... I'm sure you get the point. Some things do need your undivided attention.

Take small children as a very good example. If you don't focus your attention on them, they will be off doing things they shouldn't be doing, and quite often to the detriment of themselves, the house, the household appliances and any pets you have.

And sometimes it is that kind of focused attention we lack when it comes to our projects. We get distracted by the other things that need doing. We say we are going to exercise today. We decide we will get up early and go for a walk. But we forget to reset the alarm clock, so we promise ourselves we will walk at lunch time, but then remember we have to do some shopping. We end our day, have a shower, put on our night attire and then we suddenly "remember" we were going to do some exercise today. We reason we'll have an early night and do it tomorrow.

If you haven't spent some time working on whatever project or goal you have set yourself - today, then something tells me you won't find time to do anything tomorrow either.

So - by all means multi-task what you can multi-task. But some things need focused attention to get them moving, and moving quickly. But that depends on you and how badly you want something doesn't it. Oh and remember those half-finished projects we mentioned earlier? Well why not choose one of them and spend some time and finish one or two of them off.

Now if you will excuse me, I've got things to do.

Speak soon

Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kat EMAIL: IP: 68.35.23.6 URL: DATE: 10/26/2008 07:02:51 PM This Ezine has to be the best one out there that really is a beneficial addition to learning something new every day. Even though I am known as the "multi-task Queen", I often wonder how often I shoot myself in the foot by doing so, or creating situations that I could have avoided by putting undue stress on myself by commencing too many things at once. For instance at this very moment, I am working on a paper for my MBA/Corporate Finance class, doing laundry, cooking a pot roast, and of course sending this response. My focus is disjointed and I know I have a level of ADD that has never been diagnosed but I am 50 so at this point I have obviously generated ways on my own to adapt. However, your daily dose of help also allows me to recognize issues that I know I have but also be creative in taking a step back and making adjustments to do things smarter and not harder. Thank you, I am enjoying reading your articles and I look forward to them. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 10/27/2008 06:40:59 AM Hi Kat
Thank you so much for the kind words. Knowing I am helping to make such a positive impact on people's lives really does make my day, so thank you.

Sometimes I do wonder if I sound like a real bossy boots "you must do this, and this and this in the order" kind of person. But I hope not (at least not all of the time :-o ) But I also hope that knowing I am going through the same kinds of issues as yourself, may make it seem less hard to do what we all know we should, and less of those things we know we shouldn't.

Have a great day
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Something to think about STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/30/2008 10:52:33 AM ----- BODY:

Just a quick thought for today:

If there were no problems in this world - we would have nothing to think about.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: You can't do that! Reverse Psychology Can Work Wonders STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/29/2008 09:33:13 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: You can't do that! Reverse Psychology Can Work Wonders
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Has anyone tried to tell you you couldn't do something?

I've had it thrown at me all the time. You can't do that - you're too old, you're unfit, you're a female, you're too fat, you'll just fail - just like you always do.

Now depending on my mood and my sometimes fragile ego, I will sometimes agree with the person. Which happened once when a doctor told me it was a) my age b) my hormones and c) that fact that I was a female and it was to be expected. Turns out the doctor was talking a load of bunkum and I did have a major problem that could only be cured by surgery. Amazing what happens when you say - I'm actually not happy with that answer I'm going to get a second opinion. Well it took me another 12 months of problems before getting my second opinion - but I did it in the end. And ended the problem once and for all. I know you're going to ask - Adenomyosis....For the curious I'll let you google the term.

But when I don't let my fragile ego doesn't get in the way, more often than not, I will say - well that's what you think - but i'm doing it anyway.

Now the people who are telling me I can't do something probably never heard of the term "reverse psychology" but telling me I can't do something (especially today) is like a red cape to a bull....out of my way I'm ....

Now this post isn't about being sexist in any way shape or form. As in the doctor was a male and I hate all men as a result. Not so. In fact, a friend of mine was told she would never amount to anything - by her sister. It can happen to all of us from time to time, quite often from people who like to think they have power over you and don't want you to change. Because if you do, that means you won't "like" them anymore. Or whatever their personal reasons are.

Believe me, it's so nice to be able to prove people wrong.

So, if your normal tendency is to agree with the negative comments and to slouch off to a corner and lick your wounds, today I would like you to say "thank you for your opinion, but I'm going to do some additional analysis and research on the topic and I will make up my own mind...."

Now obviously if you are the kind of person to hurtle headlong into a situation and find yourself struggling to keep your head above water, as in you tried and failed a zillion times (is that a number?) maybe you do need to listen a little more closely to any advice being offered. Just make sure the advice is coming from a source that is genuinely trying to help you as opposed to - just trying to stop you succeeding.

Remember, we don't fail because we don't keep on trying. We fail when we stop trying at all.


Speak soon

Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: judy EMAIL: IP: 96.225.104.106 URL: so true...except DATE: 10/29/2008 03:39:20 PM i now learned not to listen to negative people. The problem now is what i tell myself...you can't do that, they'll find out about you'...at this moment i am my own worst enemy...fear is holding me from my dreams...so i am determined to to forge ahead & face my fears head on, what have i got to lose? Perhaps my fear!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 10/30/2008 12:11:24 AM Hi Judy

Fear can be a many headed thing. You think you have one item sorted out, and another one rears up, which can kick the old one back into play.

Don't be afraid of fear (as strange as that sounds) IMHO all fear is doing is trying to protect you from being "hurt". It's like a having a nanny constantly watching over you.

When you work out what "it" is trying to protect you from, you can move ahead.

It does take some working out - believe me, but the relief when you do - its palpable.

One thing to do - go for a walk and work through your fears one by one, like peeling back an onion - layer by layer. The rythmn of walking is soothing to the body whilst the mind works. Sounds really new age, but it is a tool that works.

As you walk, talk to yourself ... then pretend you are your own trusted advisor and answer yourself. Sounds like a case for the men in white coats. Well given that we do talk to ourselves at the tune of about 60,000 words every day, why not make some of them work for you instead of against you.

And let me know how you get on.

Kind Regards
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: On reading and Mind Expansion STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/01/2008 02:56:31 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: On Reading and Mind Expansion
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Are you willing to question your thinking?

Some people are and some people are quite happy walking down a straight road between birth and death neither looking left nor right. This is my life, and this is what I've got to do. No - don't distract me, I'm not interested. Or the worst ones -

It never ceases to amaze me how much there is to read, learn, absorb and apply to my life. I am on a constant growth curve and shake my head when I hear people talking about the same things day after day after day. They may read, but it's gossip mags and the same fictional writers. And consequently - their conversations are usually similar too...did you see so and so on the television last night. Have you heard - blah, blah is pregnant - AGAIN. Shock horror - really? Well isn't that - not very interesting.

Call me a snob if you like, but I'm more interested in living my life to the best of my ability than watching other people live theirs through glossy magazines. That's the main reason why I don't watch reality shows such as Big Brother or soap operas.

It amused me one day - sitting in a waiting room - I started flicking through a gossip mag. Same people being talked about. Same issues - who's pregnant, who's sleeping with who. It also turned out to be quite funny when I read the date, saw it was from several years ago and virtually every "story" turned out to be just that. A story made up by the writers to sell the magazine.

Hint, if you are providing reading material for your clients - please try and make sure they are up to date. But please add some that challenge your brain just a little. Not everyone is into cars and female celebrities.

As part of my day job I get to read all sorts of information relating to marketing, web development, human resources, training, computing, libraries, information management, records management and conservation of material - especially digital resources. As a consequence I came across this gem and thought you I would share it with you.

"No matter how smart you get, there's always a page in there you haven't read, and on each page of consequence, there is a detail or source of inspiration that you've missed." and a bit further into the article - on reading software manuals and why he does it - "Don't go to documentation looking for answers. Go looking for knowledge, and the answers will come along for the ride."
Tom Yager
RTFM P10-11 Information Age October/November 2008

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Today's blog post: Mind Expansion
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You cannot be half open minded, any more than you can be half pregnant. You either are or you're fooling yourself.

Take any kind of event or training course or program that you are planning on taking or a new area you want to study in. Can you imagine how little benefit you would get from going to that event / training course if you went in with arms folded tightly across your chest with an attitude that says - I don't want to be here, I don't want to learn anything new, in fact you can't teach me anything new. My personal belief system says what you are saying is completely wrong and I just cannot believe what you are telling me. Read more at - http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/11/1/mind-expansion.html

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: "Home" Work STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 11/02/2008 02:51:48 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Home work
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I personally don't know anyone who doesn't have "home" work to do. Children, teenagers and students will have assignments they need to do after school hours. Parents and adults may run their businesses from home and will need to do work after what can be deemed to be "normal" business hours. And most people who own or rent a house will also have some form of "home" work to do.

Like all things, motivation comes down to a few things. Why do you need to do them and what's in it for you.

If you know the reason why you need to do something, then the motivation usually follows.

I say "usually" because it may seem like getting a good grade on a minor assignment is rather pointless. But the one thing I always tell my children. It is how you handle the smaller assignments and pieces that tells you how well you are going to be able to handle the larger pieces. If you don't give yourself enough time, then the piece will be rushed. There may be basic errors in it, which may bring your marks down. It may be that you don't like the subject in which case you have to ask yourself why are you studying it? Is it because you "have" to? In which case, do that particular piece first and get it over with.

We all have things we don't like doing, and it doesn't get any easier as you get older - believe me.

So, as with all things, it depends on your personal discipline as well as time and project management skills (oh and a great site I've come across recently which may help you keep all your projects together - my kids think it's great - http://www.corralmystuff.com - great piece of software)...apologies I digress but you know me, I never say I like something if I don't know it - and for the cynical of you out there - no I don't get kick backs for telling you about the things I find and you may find useful.

Where was I? Oh yes, if you are struggling - then set yourself up a routine. I get home from my day job about 6pm. Assuming I haven't had to pick up the children on the way home, the first thing we do is reconnect. How has your day been, what homework do you need to do. We turn on two computers and we start thinking about dinner. As the computers are warming up, any laundry is fetched in and folded, the cats are fed and I get changed. Then the kids organise their homework files and I always make sure they are OK or whether they need my help to understand whatever it is. Sometimes if a child is unsure about a topic, if they have to explain it to someone else - it usually helps them to understand what they need to do.

The children get to eat, I snap on my running shoes and I go and exercise. I eat when I get back, and start working on my own "home" work.

It is a routine that has become a habit and one that works well for us. Now I know that not everyone wants that kind of rigid, structured life. But I know that once the work has been done, we then get the rest of the night to do what we want to do. We don't have "HAVE" to do stuff hanging over our heads.

And like all things, it has taken some time and some tweaking to get the right balance. But we think we have it. How about you?

Speak soon

Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: I am unique: Just like everyone else STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Business Management CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination CATEGORY: Business Philosophy CATEGORY: Leadership DATE: 11/03/2008 10:42:28 AM ----- BODY:

No-one will have your exact same physiology, health issues, talents and / or problems. They may be similar - but no-one will be exactly the same as you. But taking a good look around you, you'd be excused for thinking everyone was alike. The "oh woe is me crowd" "the financial crisis" "why does this have to happen to me" And this of course works to your advantage.

Where everyone else may be tempted to do a little less than they should today. When everyone else is tempted to think they can't make a difference- you can stand out from the crowd in many ways:

Each one of those "little" things over time can make a huge difference to yourself and the outlook you have on life and what you can accomplish.

So don't be like everyone else - be unique, be different and make a difference not just to yourself but to everyone else you come into contact with.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kat EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 76.113.109.170 URL: DATE: 11/03/2008 03:38:35 PM This hit home today as I have begun work and school (all online). I have a new job working from home for the first time and I am having a tough time setting my parameters and getting in my work outs. Strange I have more time but I feel kind of scattered. However, this email helped me put things into a bit of perspective, thank you. As for the economic picture, the sky is not falling, look up it is a bad storm and you need to open an umbrella!. In other words, keep working and making things better for others and the storm will pass. Keep doing a great job or adding to the positive side of life and be ever greatful for every day you have your health and are on the planet! Have a most wonderful and productive day! and Thank You for the great words of wisdom! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 11/04/2008 05:03:04 AM You're welcome Kat.
As a person who has a day job and a home based job, I know how hard it is to set the parameters and then stick to them. I find this especially hard on a weekend, when I have to pull in the cleaning, the laundry and do some serious work on my business - AND find time to catch up on my exercise, reading and recuperation.

But I know little things over time can make a huge difference, so try not to let anything build up.

Good luck with it all
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Why having a goal sometimes it isn't enough on its own STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/31/2008 08:37:03 AM ----- BODY:

I know I've said one of the most important reasons about having a goal is that - having one. After all it should start you on your way towards achieving it - whatever it is. But sometimes the humps and bumps of normal daily life gets in the way and sooner or later the goal is all but forgotten.

You can of course, stick notes and post reminders - everywhere. You can repeat your goal mantra like - and for some of you - this may work....for a while. One thing I have noticed is this - sooner or later, you can fail to see these things....your eyes slide over them - but they no longer "see" them.

So why bother setting goals?

Well a goal isn't just about the end result - but the journey you have to take to reach it. If a goal doesn't inspire you to change in order to reach it - what's the point - you will have achieved your "goal" without much in the way of effort, or failed to achieve your goal at all. Which is more likely.

Imagine each goal you want to set and achieve is a destination. Like a holiday destination. But the "holiday" doesn't just begin when you reach your destination - but starts the minute you decide you want to go there, and start to plan it in all its glorious detail.

The "journey" is part of the goal. If you don't enjoy the journey you are less likely to be able to enjoy the end result.

So - lets take this apart a bit further.

Where do you want to go?
Why there and not somewhere else?
Where will you stay?
How will you pay for it?
How will you get there?
How many weeks do you want to be away for?
Who will travel with you?
Will you need transport when you arrive?
What do you want to see whilst you are there?
Are there things you want to see / take in on the way?
Where do you find information on the destination / journey / accommodation options?
Do you need to learn a new language?
Do you need shots?
Do you need to lose a few pounds?
Do you need to save a few pounds (or dollars or .....)
Do you need a new wardrobe?
Do you need a new suitcase?
How are you going to achieve it?
What are you going to do today in order to move the goal item forward?

Ask these kind of questions of any of your goals and you will soon be able to cement in your mind whether the goal is one that you really want to pursue or whether it is something you only think you want.

Each of these kinds of questions is a reason to ask yourself WHY? Why do I want this and not something else? Why do I want to go there and not someone else? What difference will it make to my life if I achieve this goal?

And perhaps the most important questions of all

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I DON'T ACHIEVE THIS GOAL?

WILL I REGRET NOT DOING IT?

WHAT IF I HAD JUST 3-6 MONTHS AFTER WHICH TIME THIS GOAL ITEM WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE TO ME....EVER AGAIN...HOW WILL I FEEL THEN?

Each one a powerful question - and each should give you a powerful reason as to why.

To comment -
=================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
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Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Rhia EMAIL: IP: 80.5.93.129 URL: DATE: 08/04/2008 11:10:00 AM WILL I REGRET NOT DOING IT?

This is the question that has motivated me the most in recent times. As a result I am leaving my job and my city to chase my dreams for a few months. To be honest I can but try and even if I don't succeed at least I will have no regrets! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Thinking is the beginning, but doing is the key STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement DATE: 08/05/2008 06:36:55 AM ----- BODY:

Gym's and personal trainers love the average person. You know the kind of person who decides after eating far too much over the christmas and New Year season they need to lose weight and get fit. First item on the New Year's Resolutions list is usually that...lose weight and get fit. Closely followed by - buy a gym membership.

What happens then of course is the gyms are at their busiest during January and the beginning of February. Get to March and only the "fittest" still go. We are now of course in August - and I can almost guarantee that few if any of those people who had "lose weight and get fit" on the top of their lists are still doing all they can to achieve that particular goal.

And the reasons why are many:

  1. You are chasing a negative. I want to lose weight is hardly the most inspiring of reasons to cut back on all those wonderful, yummy things you like to eat. Similarly "get fit" is not enough of a reason on it's own. Why do you want to get fit? Find the answer to that one and you will have a positive reason to go to the gym, with of course the added benefit you can almost always be guaranteed to lose weight as well.
  2. Life gets in the way. It's OK going to the gym, eating healthy stuff when you don't have the added pressures of going to work and maintain house and home. Most people have some time off during Christmas and New Year, and this is the time they usually think they could and should be doing more. But if you don't factor in "normal" life then you are always going to struggle to keep the momentum going.
  3. It's boring - believe me - been there and had several gym memberships to prove it. It's a necessary exercise plan for me, but even I get bored. Yes I crank up the personal music player - but you can and do find all sorts of reasons not to go.
  4. You're friends keep piking. One of the ways to counter not going is to go with a "friend" or family member - but unless they are as commited as you are to keeping fit, they too will find all sorts of reasons and excuses as to why they can't make it today.
  5. We don't associate with people who do exercise regularly. Chances are good - if you care to look at your friends and family - they will be just like the mirrors of yourself. Go on take a good look at the people you associate with - if they're doing something on a regular basis - I can almost guarantee you will be doing similar things. Now this could be a good or a bad thing, all I am asking is that you take a look. Now I am not saying you should get better friends - if they're the kinds who haven't picked up a book since they left school, or get out of breath climbing a set of stairs, but you will always achieve more if you associate with people who are achieving more.
So what can you do?

Well if we are just at the beginning of August that means there are what 5 months including August to achieve that goal item. Dust off the gym membership, book a session with the doctor if you need to, and your personal trainer and get started again. Remember you can walk anywhere in the world if you leave yourself enough time to do it in.

You should also remember there are no magic bullets when it comes to health and fitness. You need to change your lifestyle not just your eating habits. What can you do today? Are you willing to do it? With all the best will in the world you will only lose 1-2lbs a week - slightly more if you exercise a lot, but this tends to be fluid in the beginning. So regular rehydration is essential to give yourself the energy to keep going.

But do not dispair at that thought - once your muscles start to tone, you will begin to see a major change in your body shape. Muscle may weigh more than fat, but it takes up about half the space. A kilo of fat is about the size of a house brick!!

Keep a journal of the highs and lows. Remember what worked and what didn't and you can get through the lows and achieve more highs

With love and light
Elle



----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Creating balance STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Life balance CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 11/08/2008 05:29:41 AM ----- BODY:

Today is a good day to see if you're life is in balance. Well actually any day is a good day to make a brief check that all is well in your particular world. But a weekend is a perfect time to take stock of the last week to see if you achieved what you said you wanted to achieve, and how you feel as a result.

Jim Rohn calls it "playing the tapes again".

So - get your pen and paper at the ready, your major goal lists and any journals and time logs you have completed.

Or do you really trust your memory that much?

First though a quick mental check. On a scale of 1 (did absolutely nothing) to a 10 - nope can't fit any more into my working week - rate your week on a general level.
Now add a few more things to the list of things you need to run through.


Every day is a chance to do better than yesterday, but you have to have some kind of measure.

And now can you see why I asked if you thought your memory was THAT good !!

I've kicked in a new diet this week - and because I am watching the caloric input - I can immediately see why I've been unable to lose any weight. Yes I was eating healthy foods before - just too many of them. A week of proper measures and I can tell immediately how well I am doing...4lbs and counting. And yes I know most of that will be fluid to start with, although you'd never know with the amount of water i've been consuming. Before I was just guessing that I was doing OK, now I know I am.

Do as Jim says and run the tapes of your performance again. And make any changes you feel are necessary to make next week even better than this one.

With many thoughts

Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Dee EMAIL: IP: 90.198.142.122 URL: DATE: 11/28/2008 03:50:37 PM Hi Elle ~ Do you know I never actually thought about how much time I really 'waste' until I read your post. I started to 'track' what I was spending my time on and I can't believe the fact that I am basically just lazy and waste my time - then get angry with myself for 'not having enough time'. So glad I found this site. Thank you. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 11/30/2008 03:06:47 AM Hi Dee, now that's a very honest assessment of yourself. You may be interested to know there is a timelog in the publications sections - downloads and free stuff section, which you can use to track your time - it's an amazing tool.
Kind Regards
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: 13 principles of leadership STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Leadership DATE: 11/09/2008 07:41:45 AM ----- BODY:

John Brock, who teaches leadership classes at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, shared a list of thirteen principles of leadership he adapted from the United States Military Academy. Personally I think these 13 principles apply to everyone, not just those people who think they are leaders. As I have said many times, no matter who we are or what we do, we all have people who look up to us. Consequently we all lead by example, but are you a good example?

1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement.
2. Be technically and tactically proficient.
3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.
4. Make sound and timely decisions.
5. Set the example.
6. Know your employees and look out for their well-being.
7. Keep your employees well informed.
8. Develop a sense of responsibility in your subordinates.
9. Insure that the task is understood, supervised and accomplished.
10. Train your employees as a team.
11. Employ your team in accordance with its capabilities.
12. Set your priorities.
13. Take the initiative.


With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Through the looking glass: the power of old photos STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Success and Failure CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 11/10/2008 10:18:23 AM ----- BODY:

Through the looking glass: the power of old photos

OH boy did I have a wake up call today. I am in the midst of creating a powerpoint slideshow for a breakfast seminar we are running in a couple of weeks. One of the things I was asked to do was to add some photos of the staff and add job titles - so those people who don't know us, will be able to tell who we are (as opposed to just being a voice on the end of a telephone).

So why a wake up call? Well I was looking at some old photos of myself - well a couple of years old at any rate - and I've come to the sad realisation that I am still talking about losing weight / size as I was then. I've fallen off so many band wagons I'm surprised I'm not black and blue. But it's no wonder I feel like I've travelled this road before - I have. Cut back on exercise, gain weight, get discouraged, kick in with more exercise and better diet - lose weight - get bored / distracted / injured - cut back on exercise. An endless cycle, you'd think I would learn.

Now I know I'm not alone in this struggle, and of course it doesn't have to just apply to weight loss / gain and the amount of exercise we do or don't do. But anything - from attempting to stop smoking and using drugs and alcohol to building our businesses, getting them to a certain point and then not following through with the final piece that would take ourselves from average to outstanding. And you know how to take yourself and your business from average to outstanding? You do don't you - I do, now all I have to do is apply that to my life. The answer is of course:


Now I'm not saying you should get out the old photos - but I tell you, they can be a real eye opener. But take a good look at what you are saying to yourself day after day. I will go on that diet tomorrow. I will cut back on the (insert words), I will make more phone calls tomorrow, I will - no I promise I will start tomorrow.

Well after seeing my photos - I'm not waiting until tomorrow. My tomorrow is definitely today.

Don't believe me - well I've just dug a trench in my garden so I can sink some reticulation pipe, once this is on the way I shall be hitting the road jack. So, speak to you tomorrow.

And let me know which bandwagons you've fallen off.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Stop, Look and Think STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/07/2008 08:25:21 AM ----- BODY:

What are you thinking? What is running through your mind? Is it filled with the detrius of working life,things you have to do, places you have to go, stuff you ought to get? If that's the case - you're running about the same as everyone else. Too many "things" competing for our attention.

What do you do when you get home from work / school?

Do you turn on the television and / or radio? Do you chat with your kids / spouse about their days? Do you get stuck straight into doing more "stuff"?

Again I would say you are batting about average.

As you know, there is a problem with that. If all you see are trees, how can you tell if you are in the right forest?

I will leave you with that thought and one from Professor Morrie Schwartz, he said:

"We're involved in trillions of little acts just to keep going. So we don't get into the habit of standing back and looking at our lives and saying 'Is this all?' 'Is this all I want?' 'Is something missing?'"
Taken from Tuesday's with Morrie, p65 by Mitch Albom



----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Allocating time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/09/2008 07:34:57 AM ----- BODY:

Spending half an hour a day thinking positive thoughts and practising the meditation techniques is a start. But - what are you filling the remaining 23 hours and 30 minutes with?

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: SSilver925 EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 98.218.34.87 URL: DATE: 08/09/2008 02:15:09 PM For as many hours of the day that I am able I allow positive and uplifting music and teachings from my mp3 player or local radio station near Washington D.C. http://www.wgts919.com to run into my mind waking and sleeping.

For those few hours during the day that I do not have the incoming flood, my mind, speech and actions pour out positive helpful and uplifting help to the brothers and sisters I encounter as I go about my day, work, play or otherwise.

People that know me seek me out at work or in the community to hear a cheery word or listen to their story with a kind ear and respond with a pleasant word or advice.

I have become a refreshing place where ever I am to those around me. That in itself encourages me to be positive and uplifting in my being.

The world continues to dish out hateful crap, but I refuse allowing it to cling to me, and disband it with words and actions that leave those around me with calm and often joy from the experience. Those persons near me soon learn how to turn the sour parts of the world to pleasant and memorable experiences.

A water/refreshing source can be sweet or bitter, it cannot be both at the same time. it is a false well that tries to be both.

I choose to be sweet, and I will refresh all of the world I encounter as I am able. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: B Taylor EMAIL: IP: 70.129.132.157 URL: DATE: 08/15/2008 07:55:24 PM You are what you do! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine - Focus on positive change STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/12/2008 02:48:25 AM ----- BODY:

You can get far more achieved by having focus. Focus on what it is you want to achieve. Focus on what it is you want to see happen. Focus on what YOU can do for YOU.

You can spend a lot of time trying to persuade other people to do what you want them to do. But their focus is rarely on what you want. Their focus is on what they want. And if those items of focus aren't co-joined at some point, there will be conflict.

You see, we forget. We forget the one simple principle to any kind of change, and that is - we can only change ourselves. We cannot change anyone or anything outside of our direct control. We can only focus on what we can do and what we want to do.

Case in point. My mother has put on a bit of weight since dad died. It's not that she isn't active, in fact she does more now than she did when she was caring for my father. Mum put it this way. "I'm overweight because I can't control what I put in my mouth".

Now that is taking ownership of a problem.

Of course I explained to her it wasn't quite that simple. Hormones, ageing, the exercise / food equation.

To which she explained again to me slowly.... I am eating too much.

Mum knows it can be that simple. And she knows that the only person responsible for her current weight gain is herself. And she also knows there is only one person who can turn that around, and that is her.

Take your goal list for instance. Are you focusing on the positive or the negative?

I want to be a size 12, fit and healthy and full of vitality. Or "I want to lose weight".

I want to own my house in the next 5 years to give me more money to travel ... OR "I want to pay off this lousy debt".

I want to travel to exotic locations to soak up the culture and the cuisine twice a year OR "I am going to need to work 70 hour weeks just to save up enough money just to get to the east coast this year".

Your focus will be determined by the way you write your goals and the way you think about them. Personally I prefer to focus on the positive. How about you?

==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme! 

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you. 
All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Deadlines STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/15/2008 09:12:19 AM ----- BODY:

Today's little piece of inspiration comes from Douglas Adams, the author of the HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy ... amongst other things. He said

"I love deadlines, I especially love the whooshing sound they make as they fly by"

By all means set deadlines, they are important - otherwise you may be tempted never to finish anything. But when you are setting those time frames always make sure those deadlines are realistic.

How do you know a realistic deadline when you see one whooshing past? When you look at it and it causes mild panic to set in. Anything more than mild panic usually means you haven't left yourself enough time. The other good idea is to remember, do all that you can today, because who know's what other people have got lined up for you tomorrow.

With love and light
Elle

==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!  

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  

All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.
Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Supporting yourself STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/17/2008 02:28:17 AM ----- BODY:

There are some times when it may seem like you have no-one in your corner. No-one to turn to when you need to talk. Everyone has their own set of problems and issues and they're not interested in listening to yours.

So what can you do?

Well there are several options open to you:

I've tried all of the above over the years and believe me there are some times

 when each of these options are completely viable for wherever you happen to be in your life at any particular point in time.

But perhaps the one I use the most often is the last one. I am my biggest supporter, I am also my own biggest critic. For those of you who know me well, with attest to being more of the latter than the former however. And the reason was simple - I'd forgotten one basic principle. A supporter is one who is there for you. I've been missing in action for myself quite a few times. Those times when I've said one thing and done something else. Every time I wasted time doing stupid things instead of those things that mattered. A supporter is the kind of person who should pull you up and say "hey - you're being a complete idiot ..." as well as - "you know what, today you did a fantastic job - well done I am proud of you."

So here is an exercise for you. It's an amazing eye opener if you care to take the time to do this for yourself.

Do you remember being in love? Do you remember falling in love? Do you remember hand writing letters and notes to your lover? Do you remember spending every waking moment wondering how you can enhance that person's life and your relationship?

That's the kind of relationship you need to have with you.

Set aside half an hour to an hour. Find some writing paper, a pen and a place to write. Personally I find using the dining room table the perfect place to write. It's away from the main desk where the computer is so I can't get distracted by pop ups and abstract whirring. Then I want you to write a letter to yourself. Pretend you are looking at yourself through someone else's eyes. What do you "see", what advice would you offer that person? What words of encouragement would you use? What would you suggest that person does to get through a particular issue?

Write from the heart, address it just as you would any other letter you write to a person you care about, sign it, and then I want you to post it to yourself. That's right, put it in an envelope and I want you to put a stamp on it and put it in the mail system.

And the reason is simple. There will be at least a day between sending the letter and receiving it. When you receive it, open it and read it. And then I would like you to write back - I know it sounds bizarre, but believe me there are many insights waiting for you if you care to try this exercise. It's not the same as journal writing, which is something I also do - but a letter of support from me to me ... it's also sometimes  a kick  in the pants when I get something completely wrong.

And in my opinion it can only be done through the art of hand writing.



----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: We are our own cause and effect STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 11/19/2008 10:56:37 AM ----- BODY:

--------------------------
Today's daily dose: We are our own cause and effect
---------------------------
Our thoughts affect the effect

Or should that be - our thoughts infect the effect. After all if we pour doubt and worry on our grand plans we will eat away at the belief we had until there is nothing left but a mass of uncertainty.

But if we inject enthusiasm, time and energy into the thoughts we have, we will always have a better outcome. And as an added bonus we will have fun, we will complete the process far more quickly and we will achieve far more than we thought we could when we started out on our particular journey.

Never doubt what you are capable of, because you are capable of many great things. Just remember not to let the infectious thoughts of ourselves or other people infect the effect.

With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Starting the goal achievement process is essential STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement DATE: 11/22/2008 04:14:01 AM ----- BODY:

Those people who tend to achieve their goals on a regular or frequent basis do so because they tend to make a decision and ACT on the information they have at the time. They may not have ALL the information they need but they have enough to start the process.

It is also true to say that sometimes this can be the reason they fail more than most. But they never see failure as a reason not to start.

Jack Canfield likens this process to driving through the night. You can't see your destination, just enough to get you to the next stage of the journey. Think about it, if you liken your goals to driving through the night, you only need to know:

a) the ultimate destination
b) which way to point yourself so you are going in the right direction
c) the belief that the process will not stop because you don't know all the steps right now (just like the road will not run out at the end of the headlight beam) and
d) the ability to keep going no matter what.

So a few questions:

Are you willing to say - ok, lets get started?
Do you what you want to achieve?
Are you headed in the right direction or are your daily actions taking you away rather than to this destination?
Do you believe you can do it?
Are you willing to keep going no matter what?

Answer these questions honestly and then act on those answers and you will achieve where others still dream about achieving.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What is it going to take? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 11/23/2008 10:25:27 AM ----- BODY:

A few days ago we asked you to consider your actions and the consequences of those actions. Basically what that means is - everything you do, say, believe and think - impacts on everything else you want to do, say, believe and think.

It's not rocket science and I do apologise for stating the absolutely, poke in the eye - obvious to you. But someone has to and I guess that's me.

You can't say you want to lose weight, and then continue to eat junk food and do no exercise. Nor can you exercise enough every day to burn off the vast quantities of calories you consume every day - count them you'd be staggered at what you can eat in a single day. Now eating a chocolate bar may not be considered excessive, but it would probably take a bit more than that 30 minute stroll recommended by the health profession to burn it off. It's simple maths at the end of the day. Calories in vs. energy expended = gain weight, lose weight, stay the same. Of course as you and I know, fat weighs a lot less than muscle, but takes up more space. So you may look thinner but weigh the same - so don't just rely on the scales, use other measurements as another and perhaps better guide to how you are doing.

Now, that's just weight and exercise. One thing I can add to that is this. Check your expenditure. Do you have a column in your budget that says what you are spending your money on? Hint you should - because too much in the Entertainment and Food column usually means there is little going in the savings column. Am I saying you shouldn't eat what you want? No, but if you're always complaining there isn't enough money at the end of the month to pay the bills let alone save any money - then I would suggest one of two things. Get a better paid job and / or cut back on the entertainment and eating out, you'd be amazed at how much you can save. Put the eating out money to one side - and see your savings grow as you reduce your waist line (probably) and with that the reduced risk of all sorts of major health problems.

Not looking after yourself in one area and I can almost guarantee you will have "neglected" other areas of your life also. Because everything impacts on everything else. But you can't just take my word for it, only you can decide whether you are happy with things as they are, or whether you are willing to have a good look at your whole life and decide if there are one or two changes need to make. How you make those changes is up to you also. I can make all the suggestions on earth, but only you can decide if you are willing to do anything with those suggestions. And sometimes it can and does take a poke in the eye before you do.

What do I mean by that?

Well - take health and diet for instance. You know you should eat more fruit and fibre for health reasons, but it's not until you have a heart attack does it finally sink in that perhaps your current diet is not as good as it should be.

Or take money - if you are constantly spending to your credit limit every month - what happens if your car breaks down and there's nothing left to fix it? Maybe after walking to and from work for a while will be the poke in the eye you need to start figuring out what you need to do with your lack of a savings plan.

We are in the final throes of 2008 - which is quite a scary thought. Believe me when I say - January 1st is not the best day to start changing your life and the way you think about living your life. Today is the only guaranteed day you have, so what are you waiting for?

With many thoughts

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Getting prepared is all well and good STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 11/24/2008 09:08:00 AM ----- BODY:

Some people mistake planning with doing.

Have you ever bought the exercise equipment, the sports clothes and then completely ignored them? Sooner or later the gadgets become a gathering place to hang things on - disguising the fact they are in the house. Why do we do that? Are we trying to hide them, so we don't get embarrased that we spent all that money on trying to get fit and then failing miserably to actually use them?

I have a stepper, it's directly behind where I am currently sitting. It's been in every room of the house, and no matter how many times I trip over the wretched thing, I rarely use it. I do actually prefer to run / walk or dance my way to a thinner me - but if pushed will get on and do 20 minutes or so. Why am I being so brutally honest? Well I know what you're doing, because I've either done it (or similar myself) or know someone who has. I have some great friends who are perfect case studies for Motivate Me - don't I Mark and James?

Ok, that's it for today - just another reminder, that you have to do as well as think about doing. What have you bought and never used? Make today the day when you give it a go, who knows you might actually enjoy the process.

With many thoughts

Elle

To add your comments or joinin the discussion-

---------------------------
Today's thought to ponder
---------------------------
"I spent a fortune on a trampoline, a stationary bike and a rowing machine complete with gadgets to read my pulse, and gadgets to prove my program results, and others to show the miles I've charted - but they left off the gadget to get me started"
Dorothy Heller

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Thanksgiving STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting DATE: 11/25/2008 11:40:36 AM ----- BODY:

In a few days our friends in the USA will be celebrating Thanksgiving (Canada having celebrated this feast day earlier in the year).

Thanksgiving (or Harvest Festivals) saying thank you to the earth that produces the food we eat, a chance to lay down supplies for the long winter months - seems like a wonderful thing to do (IMHO). Although, with pre-packaged everything (or so it seems) we have no need to lay down vast food stocks to last us through the cold months. After all the stores never seem to run out, and if we want - we can get virtually everything we want - shipped in from other places.

So I shall stop being practical and over analytical, as you know that is my nature - and say - for those of you in the North - enjoy the fruits of summer, say thank you to the people who have looked after you during the year, and prepare for the colder months. Be prepared to do indoor projects and work on personal and professional development activities. Get socially active through the many sites that are open to you and the rest of the world. Lay your plans like seeds for spring and start thinking about what you would like your spring to look like. What plans can you "plant" now - for harvesting next fall?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Filling in the gaps in your timeline STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Time Management CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 11/28/2008 10:04:24 AM ----- BODY:

--------------------------
Today's daily dose: Filling in the gaps in your timeline
---------------------------
This week has been beyond hectic. I mean a 14-16 hour working day every day. Now I am not telling you this to brag, or to make me sound like "wonder woman" because I'm not. I just want you to know that sometimes your schedule can be like mine - beyond hectic, and then it comes down to what can you cut out to make way for what needs to be there.

I will be honest with you - I have neglected a couple of things this week - namely exercise. Normally Ischedule in several exercise sessions - but this week I have had to make do with a walk at lunch time - just to get out of the office, and to give my mind a chance to rest and recuperate. Now this may be "exercise" - but it's not - make your muscles work and cardio system work harder kind of exercise - just movement. Important, but not quite good enough.

Friday is a good day to reflect on what was the week that has just gone, and to see if there are any gaps in your timeline you could have used to do things just a little differently.

Hindsight - always a good thing.

So before you collapse in a heap in front of the television this evening, can you do me a favour - and go through your mental checklist of things you did, and did not do this week - and make yourself a promise that next week - which starts tomorrow - is better than this last week. Whilst we cannot do anything about the time that has already been used and cannot be undone and re-used in any way shape or form, with a little better planning we can do the most amazing things with the time we have been alloted to us each and every day.

I wish for you a week of many wonderful things and look forward to speaking to you again soon

With many thoughts
Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Associations STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/19/2008 10:27:37 AM ----- BODY:

Who are you around? Who do you spend most of your time with? Are they helping you achieve your dreams and goals or are they persuading you to be someone you'er not? Of course it doesn't have to be blatant as in "what are you doing that for?" "what are you reading that for?" "Why do you want to be fit / thin / healthy / rich for? I like you just the way you are." But it can be subtle.

Your friends and acquaintances are complaining about their lives, their jobs, their kids, their spouses and sooner or later you come away and you feel down and depressed, or worse still you joined in and agreed with them on a couple of points.

Let me put it this way - if you are talking to people who are always looking something / someone to blame, moan about, complain about or otherwise be negative about - do me a favour and find someone else to talk to because I can guarantee you will not be able to get fired up about your dreams and goals after that kind of session.

Of course there are also the dangerous kinds of associations - I found out on the weekend that one of my sons acquaintances has been exercising his artistic skills on a variety of outdoor canvases. Another of my sons friends let slip to his parents and she told me....well to say we were horrified is an understatement. You see, there is such a thing as guilt by association and we have advised our boys that if they see and watch and do nothing they can be found just as guilty as if they too had weilded marker pens and spray cans. Which rather shocked them. I've not seen the "artist" since this revelation but have to say I am immensely disappointed and will tell him so. Whether it makes any difference in the long run is another matter. As we all know - only he can change his behaviours. Only he can want to change his behaviours. Only he can decide whether his other associates are helping him or not. After all, he may want to be a professional artist...but I don't think so.

Make a note of your associates - are they positive, negative or neutral?
Then its important for you to expand your positive associations and diminish those with a more negative outlook on life.
But one final thought for today - If you had to add yourself to that list you just created which category would you put yourself in?

To add your comments -

==================================
Today's blog entry: Focus on your own personal development:
Are you guilty of doing the same things in the same way every day? Are they good things? As in - are these "things" allowing you to achieve your goals and dreams or are they just "things" you do without consciously thinking about them? Yes I mean your habitual behaviour. I have been focusing on entirely the wrong things of late. I know what. Yet I find I cannot switch my mind away from them very easily.....
Read more at - http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/8/18/focus-on-your-own-personal-development.html

==================================
What I am currently reading:
The Angel Inside - Chris Widener
Michelangelo's Secrets For Following Your Passion and Finding the Work You Love. Everyone loves a good story and this allows the author to pass on personal and professional development "secrets" through a teachers stories about one of the greatest sculptors the world has ever known. And how Michelangelo's skills as a sculptor and artitst can help you find your passion in life.

==================================
Today's thought for the day:

"And remember, no matter where you go, there you are."
Confucius 551 - 479 BC:
==================================

Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================

 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!  

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list. Thank you.  

All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.

All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Actions speak louder STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/20/2008 10:39:50 AM ----- BODY:

Do you say what you do and do what you say, or are you the kind of person who says one thing and does another? I love cliche's - but in this particular case they are the perfect choice of words, because today I would like to talk to you about those things you say and those things you do.

What kind of role model would you say you are?

Now, before you stop reading thinking this does not apply to you, please bear with me, because even if you don't think you have anyone who looks up to you, you are probably mistaken.

Everyone, in my opinion, is a role model to those people who they associate with. Do you do your homework? Do your friends do theirs or are they sloping off to chat on MSN or facebook?
Do you do all that you can during your working hours or do you take too many coffee breaks so you can chat to your colleagues?
Do you do things for other people without needing someone to reciprocate? Or are you the kind of person who keeps tally over what you give out and what you get back? And when you don't get back what you think you deserve do you get annoyed "I've done so and so for you and you never ...."
If you begrudge when you give - be it time, energy, money or gifts you will be waiting a long(er) time to recieve anything good in return. People prefer to give to people they like.

I am about to start reading a book called "The go-giver" by Bob Burg and John David Mann - and I am sure their story will match my own personal philosophy on life and that is - what you give out comes back to you - in spades....

So what are your actions saying about the kind of person you are?

Are you a giver and receiver, a begrudging giver or just a taker? Personally I feel there is more joy to be had in giving than taking, but I am learning to accept with thanks and a smile those good things that come my way. How about you?

Share your gifts of words with your fellow readers here at ...

Oh and if you want a copy of the The Go-Giver I got mine from Amazon - but I'm sure there will be more information at http://www.burg.com

With love and light
Elle

==================================
Today's thought for the day:
"Kindness is a language which the blind can see and the deaf can hear"
Anon
==================================

Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!  

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  

All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: John David Mann EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 24.151.143.190 URL: www.thegogiver.com DATE: 08/21/2008 12:27:09 AM Hi Elle --

Thanks for the kind mention! I can't wait to see what you think after you read the book!

Warm regards,

John ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: End of year final push STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Time Management DATE: 12/01/2008 10:51:34 AM ----- BODY:

Wehave just a few short weeks before 2008 comes to a close. Did you manage to achieve everything you had on your goal list for 2008 or are you planning on giving up for the year and hope to start again on January 1st?

Well before you say, that's a really good idea - let me just remind you of one minor point. If you discount December - that means you have shortened your working year to just 11 months. I don't know about you, but losing one twelth of my year just isn't an option. I have too much to do to think about putting 2008 into the archive just yet.

Now, before you groan and say - but (insert excuse here) - we are all tired, we have all worked hard and yes we shall all enjoy a rest over the christmas and new year break. But think of it this way - if you continue to work on your goals between now and the end of the year, you will be a whole month ahead of those "other" people - you know the ones who couldn't be bothered.

Once a day has gone, it has been lost to you - forever. So - are you still willing to waste a minute, let alone a whole day, or a whole month of days? I'm not.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Disappointment can be a thing of the past STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivational Quotes DATE: 12/02/2008 12:23:36 PM ----- BODY:

--------------------------
Today's daily dose: Disappointment
---------------------------

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain

With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Hellen EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.corralmystuff.com DATE: 12/03/2008 12:15:51 AM Ah, short and sweet today. But a profound message nonetheless. That's what I like about these daily newsletters, I never know what you're going to send.
Hellen ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Goal Setting: Working out what works for you STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Life balance DATE: 12/03/2008 10:30:21 AM ----- BODY:

Goal setting: Working out what works for you
---------------------------
Good evening, yes it is evening here in Perth, Western Australia. For those of you who don't know me very well, won't know I work full time and look after MotivateMe in my "spare time". Anyway, after a full day of work - I am the marketing manager, librarian and library consultant & trainer for an employment agency specialising in library and records management personnel...I get to work on my "other" job, where I try and persuade people to overcome the procrastination habit. I have to say I love the busyness of my working life. There is certainly never a dull moment - yes believe it or not - dull and libraries - not in my vocabulary any way.

Why am I telling you this? Well I am always trying to find balance in what I am doing. I know that what I do during my day will impact on what I can achieve at night and vice versa, and given the presentation last week to the new graduates (librarians) last week, know that the two can dovetail quite nicely. You can imagine the looks on their faces when I told them that one of they keys to getting that perfect job was persistence, along with the ability to motivate themselves to write that job application. You see it doesn't matter what profession you happen to be in, we all need certain skills and abilities and some of the most important (IMHO) are persistence when all you are getting is knock backs and the ability to motivate yourself to spend hours perfecting your skills and abilities.

This morning I received an email from a new subscriber - welcome by the way to all new readers - it's wonderful to have you with us. She said (and quite rightly) there is so much information on the website, she needs to find balance between reading everything (and procrastinating) and getting on with motivating herself to do more than she currently has managed to date.

Well I want you to be the first to know that we will be re-vamping the entire site during the first part of 2009 to make the information more accessible and we will be launching the first of what we hope will be a series of training programs to overcome the procrastination habit....but it is not going to be a one size fits no-one kind of program....for three easy payments of. Oh no-We do things differently here at MotivateMe!

But in answering our new reader it occurred to me that you too may want a little reminder of how to set goals and the sorts of questions you need to think about answering as you move forwards with the next phase of your life. I know this information is available on the site, but it may not have been obvious to you as you wandered through the site. So - apologies in advance if you have read this and already apply this information. But for those of you who have never read it, we hope you enjoy reading.

Goal Setting: It's not rocket science

What is a goal?

A goal is something that you say that you want. But is not something that you can achieve in a day or two – they’re classed as tasks. Now a task can take you towards your goals, but they can just as easily take you away from achieving them. What is the difference? Well a goal has to be both exciting and a little frightening. It has to take you out of your comfort zone into areas you’ve never been to before. Because – and this is the first key – achieving a goal is not just about the end result. But the person you will have to become in order for you to reach them. So when deciding whether or not you have a list of tasks or a list of goals, the first question is to decide whether your goals both excite you and scare you – just a little. But I’m getting a little ahead of myself. The next question has to be – How do you set goals?

How do you set goals?

And more importantly how do you set goals that inspire you? You may or not have set a list of New Year’s Resolutions. If you did, I need you to fish out the list. Does it contain the same set of tired objectives as last year? Or did you manage to cross one or two things off the list from last year.

Most people spend a minute or two deciding on things they want to change in their lives. High on most people’s lists are things like, earn more money, spend less, don’t buy so many shoes, eat less, exercise more, take a decent holiday, pay off the credit card debt. As you can see from this kind of list – it’s hardly inspiring is it? The problem is, most people haven’t been taught that to set goals that inspire, you have to do some real thinking first. And this is called – the do before you die list.

These are the things that you say that you have always wanted to do and see at some time in your life. In this list are those things that form the basis of an inspired goal list. If you haven’t spent time and written one of these before, spend some time over the next couple of days, get out a big piece of paper and start scribbling. It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that. On my list is re-learn the times tables (what can I say – we had an art teacher in junior school, we learned how to throw clay rather than learn math), do 100 push ups (up to 40 before stopping), and many different places I want to visit.

Once you have written this list, you might have a 100 things, or you may have 20 – it doesn’t matter how big the list is, so long as it has things on there that inspire you.

What items are on your goal list?

Now you have your list of things you say you want to do or achieve. However before we go on I would like to ask you a couple of questions. Have you looked at every area of your life? Believe me when I say it is no good just working on one area and neglecting the rest. Why? Because one area can be directly affected by another.

Do you have a problem with spending too much money on things that give you pleasure, for example coffee, chocolate, alcohol or cigarettes? Then how are you going to save up for that brand new wardrobe of clothes you say you want? What about that trip to Europe? Do you currently have a credit card debt that you can only just manage to service? Are you overweight because of your reliance on those things that you buy on a daily basis?

Chances are better than good that if you said yes to one area then you also said yes to most of the other areas too.

So when dealing with goal setting, you have to consider everything that will be affected by how you currently act and react, and only when you have decided those factors can you decide whether or not you are willing to take the next steps and work out how you are going to achieve those things.

How are you going to achieve those goal items?

This is usually where most people get stuck, they know what they think they want, but they don't think they know all the answers...which stops a lot of people from beginning the process. And their reliance on small daily pleasures can add up to a major problem at the end of the year. Don’t believe me? Then consider that you say you would like to save some money to go on a trip to Europe – but you never seem to have enough money to get through to the next pay day. Well here’s the thing. What are you buying on a daily basis that is stopping you from saving money? Do you buy a cup of coffee on the way in to work? Multiply that by the number of days in a working week for you, and then multiply that by an average working year.... OK I’ll do some math for you.

Average cup of coffee price $3.50 x 5 days x 48 weeks in a year = $840.00 (I cheated and used a calculator) – that’s half way to a ticket to Europe.

So, I was being serious when I said those tiny decisions on a daily basis can and do add up to major influences in your life.

When are you going to achieve it by?

Most people have a vague, oh I’ll get it done by so and so.... when it comes to goal setting and goal achieving.

Let me put it this way, a goal is just a dream without a proper time limit on it. But how do you set a time limit. Well it depends on the goal.

· Painting the house - An average size room can be stripped of furniture, cleaned, patched and painted in a weekend. Average of two days. If you only have the weekends - then each room will take you a weekend....4 bedrooms = 4 weekends....or 8 days.
· Planning and saving for a trip to Europe - will depend on your current level of debt and your ability to save. If you spend more than you currently earn, then you won't achieve the goal at all. The first issue with dealing with this goal isn’t just about your lack of ability to save money, rather your ability to stop spending lots of money a few dollars at a time. Work that one out and you can save up for anything.
· Weight loss - half a kilo to a kilo a week is do-able...any more and you run the risk of putting the weight back on as soon as you stop restricting your calorie intake. So work out how much weight you need to lose and you have the number of weeks it is likely to take you. 10 kilos = 10-20 weeks
· Writing a book - if you are working, then a thousand words a day is a good target, depending on how fast you write (or type) - an average novel starts at about 100,000 words - therefore a hundred days or 3 and a bit months (to get the first draft)

What are the benefits of achieving the goal items?

One of the major keys to goal achievement is the benefits you will gain from doing it. Not just reaching the goal – but the kind of person you will need to become in order to achieve it. Benefits are essential. If you don’t know why you want something then you won’t be motivated to take the steps that you need to take. Bryce Courtenay said it best when he said one of the things you need when writing a book is “bum glue”. You might have the best ideas in the whole world, but unless you are willing to spend a considerable amount of time in front of a computer or at a desk with a pen and paper, then you are not going to get the book written are you? So what are the benefits that you think you will get from achieving the goal item?

· Writing a book - you may get international or national recognition, and more money. You may simply have the satisfaction that you did it...
· Losing weight - may mean - better health, a whole new wardrobe, much better self-esteem and an improved bank balance.
· Travelling to Europe – you’ve managed to save the money, you have seen the land of your forefathers, everyone told you that you couldn’t possibly do it and you proved them wrong.
· The house will sell for more money, which means you’ll be able to move to the area that you want to live in.

What are your reasons for doing it?

Whilst benefits are a good way to motivate you, the best motivational tool you can use to achieve your goals are the reasons you have these items on your goal list in the first place. Why you want to achieve something can take you towards your goal. You can see it, you can feel it and you know why you want it. Imagine that you had to succeed with the goal – or someone close to you was going to die. How motivated would you be to get going on the goals on your list? I suppose it depends on how much you like the person I suppose, but if you really want something, you will move heaven and earth in order to achieve it.

So work out your reasons, and you will have all the motivation you need to get moving.

Renovating the house:
· The house is a pigsty and needs a complete overhaul;
· We've just moved in and we want to make it look like it belongs to us
· It's been years since these walls last saw a coat of paint - it's time !!
· That style of decoration went out 30 years ago (don't worry - wait a few more years and it will be back in again)

Weight loss:
· I have an unhealthy BMI and the doctor told me to lose weight or die
· I do not look very nice without clothes on !!
· I don't look much better with clothes on !!!!!!!!!
· I hide behind frumpy clothes to try and disguise the fact that I am fat and unhealthy
· I don't have any energy

Who will help you achieve your goal?

Every one needs help, and those people who say they don’t are usually hiding behind the lies so they can find all sorts of excuse not to do something. The richest, most powerful people in the world have armies of advisors to help them. Sports people have coaches and personal trainers to help them improve their game. Why should we be any different?

Believe me when I say, you will struggle to do everything you need to do by yourself. So enlist the people who can take your dreams forward:

· An author needs an editor and a publisher. Even if you decide to self-publish your work, you still need to get someone else to read it to make sure you haven't written drivel
· You may need encouragement to reach your new weight - in which case a personal trainer can be invaluable, or a weight loss consultant, a nutritionist, your partner and your kids can all help you to keep to the straight and narrow and encourage you not to buy and eat "bad" things.

What is stopping you?

Your belief in yourself may be your biggest stumbling block. If you don't believe you can do it, you may struggle to achieve anything.

· Lack of motivation is the other big factor - if you don't believe in your goals, if they don't inspire you to get started on them, then you will find all the excuses in the world not to get started.

Remember:
So, when you are working out your goal plan, ask yourself the questions:

· What do you want?
· How are you going to get it?
· When are you going to achieve it by?
· What are the proposed benefits of getting it?
· What are your reasons?
· Who will help you?
· What is currently stopping you?

Goal setting isn't hard - that is the first question in the above list....goal achievement is easier once you have the answers to the remaining questions worked out.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Goal setting and timelines STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Time Management DATE: 12/04/2008 09:10:35 AM ----- BODY:

I hope you managed to get something of interest and value from yesterday's post. I know it was long, and I know it meant you actually had to do something in order to gain the true benefit from reading it, but I hope the length didn't put you off either reading or applying the new information.

Have you noticed that there are some goals we can achieve far more easily than others? One of the reasons why has to do with the timing of the item. Take Christmas as a very good example. As you know I live in Australia. Most of my extended family lives in my home country of England, which means I have until the end of the first week of December to get the presents / parcels and cards I want to send "home" organised and into the mailbox. And by the first week of September if I want to send it by sea mail (yes there is still such a thing). Of course I could use any of the online stores to do my shopping and sending for me, but I prefer to buy gifts you can't get elsewhere - as in I send them Aussie bits and pieces. So I have to be organised. I have my goal and I break down the goal into easily achievable (lunch time) tasks - which occur over many days and weeks in the lead up to the deadline.

What happens if the deadline you set is an arbitrary point in the future - it has no real consequence if you don't achieve something by a certain day. Well in my experience, those deadlines are the ones we conveniently forget about. We put back the tasks we know we need to do eventually and sooner or later we jerk ourselves into awake and remember that somewhere in the dim and distant past of our minds we had promised ourselves we had to do something.

Are your goals like that?

Then it is time to get serious about your thought processes and your timelines. Ask yourself one very simple question - what would happen if you NEVER achieved that goal? And a follow up. What would you do if once you said you didn't want to achieve something - that option was forever wiped off your memory's white board. Like time iteself, once spent you cannot go back and say - wait a minute I was going to do so and so - come back there was a half hour I didn't use yesterday. How would you feel about that goal then?

I know that's not really going to happen in most cases - but remember we are all working towards the day when our own personal "dead line" meets us, and we won't be able to do anything anymore other than "sleep".... (and yes I know this will depend on your own particular belief system - but humur me just for a minute as we only have promises, and once on the other side, have no way of letting the folks back "home" know the truth).

So, once again I ask - if it were all to end today, would you be happy with what you have achieved?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Making more for yourself STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/21/2008 10:21:58 AM ----- BODY:

It's not very often I recommend books or restaurants, well you know what "they" say - you can guarantee neither will be as good for the person you've told as you yourself know them to be, but today I am about to do just that anyway - because in both cases they are excellent.

Yesterday I happened to mention I was about to start reading a book called the Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann - well I started it last night and eventually went to sleep about midnight - after finishing it. To say I am in awe of the writing is an understatement. I must have read every business parable book there is - and this one is by far the best I have ever read. Yes there are lessons to be learned and homework to do to really understand the principles, but believe me if you do, you will understand why this book is so powerful. As I mentioned yesterday - I was convinced the book would match my personal philosophy - and maybe that's why it resonates so well with me....because it did - totally. So, if you only read one book this year - then this is the one to read, because it is going to be a classic. As in - everyone will be quoting it for decades to come. Just like they do Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich or Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Buy it, read it and apply the principles - they will change your life. And that is a very bold statement to make for a Thursday evening. Oh and just in case you are wondering - no I don't get anything to endorse the book - except the knowledge that I have just added value to your lives by telling you about it :-)

And the restaurant? Well coffee actually. Next time you are in Northbridge, Western Australia go to a place called Source Foods, opposite the Brisbane Hotel. They do the best coffee (IMHO) in Perth. Now whether it's as good as Rachel's is another matter (BTW read the book) - but it's VERY good. But one thing, can you please make sure you don't all go a the same time - it's only a small place - so you may have to wait for your coffee if you do - but believe me when  say if there is a queue the wait is definitely worth it :-).

To carry on with today's edition of the daily dose of motivational medicine - sounds like a quote straight from the go-giver...but isn't (told you we shared the same philosophies) - go the extra mile whenever you can, wherever you can.

Are you in sales? Personally I think we are all in the business of selling something to someone. But just for the record there are the great service people, their customer service is excellent, their people skills are just phenomenal and you want to go back. I'm sure you all know places like that with people you would just love to have working with you. And there are those places who really shouldn't deserve your custom, I mean if everyone treated their customers in that way - what a sad and dour place that would be. Case in point - I needed to get my car serviced. So I searched the net and found the phone number - trouble was - a 1300 number ... please key in the post code of where you live - but I don't want my car serviced where I live, I want it serviced where it's most convenient for me, and I have no idea what their postcode is - please wait your call is important to us....no its not, otherwise you wouldn't make me spend 5 minutes getting through to the correct number. Needless to say I will be picking up a business card when I get there on the weekend so I can dial direct next time.

Make it easy for people to do business with you and people will. Make it a joy for people to do business with you and they will come in droves and refer their friends to you.

Sincerely
Elle

==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!  

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  

All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Goal Setting: Play to your strengths STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Success and Failure DATE: 12/06/2008 10:55:31 PM ----- BODY:

Play to your strengths
---------------------------
When I am assisting my clients develop the strategies they need to get on with their lives I always advise them to "play" to their strengths.

It's no good saying you want to climb mount everest if:

a) you don't like the cold
b) you don't like camping (where you can almost guarantee to be cold and wet at some point during your trip)
c) you haven't hiked let alone attempted to climb a mountain before
d) you're not willing to train to at least overcome your lack offitness
e) you would prefer to be sitting at your desk writing your novel

Whilst some of the above can be overcome by sheer determination - wouldn't it be easier to play to your strengths - and if you're not sure what those are - you need to observe your day, but better still get someone else to tell you (if you can't work it out). Actually it's not a bad thing to do - just to compare their reality with yours.

When you begin to play to your strengths you begin to see what is and is not possible. When you play to your strengths you get so much more done than if you are struggling to learn something new.

Am I saying you shouldn't learn something new - no, not at all, because the new stretches your mind. The more "new" you can add to your repertoire, the sooner you will find whether your new is your real strength amd that's where you should be devoting your time and energy.

It sounds like I am contradicting myself - but I'm not. Your goals have to be believable TO YOU. If you don't believe you would enjoy climbing Mt Everest, then you won't do the training, you won't do the conditioning and you won't be able to write your book about the experience when you get back.

So - play to your strengths when determining your first goal list for 2009 - spend some time between now and christmas working out just what it is you are good at - then ask - and what do I want 2009 to look like?


With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: View things in a different way STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/26/2008 04:56:40 AM ----- BODY:

In our busy worlds it can be hard to think about slowing down and smelling the roses once in a while.  Well today you get to do just that...well not roses, but the native fauna that adorns my little part of the world, and a few other images that may inspire you just a little

An Australian Winter

 


Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ben EMAIL: IP: 70.155.101.226 URL: DATE: 08/26/2008 01:56:59 PM Great as every day. Thanks, Elle!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 212.32.79.31 URL: DATE: 08/26/2008 04:06:23 PM Beautiful! Thanks ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: judy EMAIL: IP: 71.172.195.184 URL: DATE: 08/26/2008 08:41:38 PM thanks for sharing such beautiful thoughts and pictures...yes...it is very beautiful,, ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Spending time with those you care about STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Life balance DATE: 12/10/2008 10:35:24 AM ----- BODY:

In the mad rush up to Christmas you may neglect a few things and / or people. You say "ah well, that happens sometimes". Well yes it can if you're not prepared, and yes it can if you're not willing to compromise. We all have a lot to do between now and then, but one thing I will say which bears repeating mantra like - we only have this moment guaranteed to us. Tomorrow? Well who knows about tomorrow. Whilst it is always a good thing to get the tomorrow's lined up, you do need to make time in your calendar for those things that are important to you....today.

Have you told your significant other how much they mean to you? Today? What about your children, grandchildren, parents, friends, co-workers? If you have a personal belief system, have you spent some time reconnecting with that significant power? You should you know. It can only take a few minutes to reconnect with those people who are the world to you, but the feelings we get a) when we do it and b) when it happens to us are long lasting. It means you were thoughtful and / or thought about. It means you care and are cared for. It means "everything" when you stop and think about it, far more so than the new "thing" you just purchased.

I have a file of things that mean a lot to me, and I like to reconnect to these things because they do many things for me - for instance, destressors when I am feeling particularly rushed. Things that make me smile when I need a lift. Things that make me think and re-think about who and whatI am, and what I have been put on this earth to do. And occassionally I will share one of those personal treasures with you. And today - when all around we are hearing about job losses and economic this and sharemarket that - is important to spend a few minutes and reconnect with our higher powers.

 

http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/windowmovie.html


With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: How do you become motivated? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination DATE: 12/11/2008 08:58:27 AM ----- BODY:

How do you become motivated?
---------------------------
An interesting comment from a website passerby yesterday. He had been reading the section on weight loss. He said incorrectly that I had advised him to "just do it" and that nothing in the article motivated him to lose weight.

As I said to him, actually I didn't say anywhere in the piece he had been reading to just do it, but had been pointing out the usual myths associated with dieting and weight loss. Any of the programs work if you work them. But unless you retrain your thinking as well as your stomach you will gain weight again, and that's why the dieting and weight loss industry loves people like me (I have fallen off as many band wagons as everyone else). Lets face it there wouldn't be a dieting industry if we all ate what we knew we should eat.

But that's not really what I wanted to talk to you about - it was the cry for help, the "nothing on here motivates me" comment that really got me thinking.

Now I could be your usual cheer leader type motivational speaker - get you all fired up and inspired, but have you noticed there is usually little or nothingto back up the quotes and the told many times type of personal stories. Or I could carry on and do what I have always done and try and provide you with help, guidance, suggestions, head cracking (on occassion), whingeing at you - sometimes I feel like your mother when I do that though -

"Have you done your homework today? And why not? Now get inyour room and you don't get any supper until it's done."

And once I've given you that day's personal thoughts and action items, simplyask you to consider adding the new ideas or suggestions to what you are currently doing to see if that one thing will make the major impact you've been hoping for. That elusive silver bullet / magic pill we hope will fix our problems without us having to do very much at all. Now as I always say, what you are doing may be Ok, all I can do is ask you to take a look. Remember you can'tchange things in the long termwhat you don't measure in the short.

Of course if nothing in the message motivates you to do just that. How do you become motivated enough to make the first of many, many changes that you know you need to make but don't really want to do today. Tomorrow may be different, we may feel differently about tomorrow.

The answer is of course - if you can't motivate yourself day after day to keep on going - then you will stop. And that's where I come in of course. The daily proddings, the new suggestions, the have you thought about this kind of scenario. But I know that not even I can help everyone all of the time. Every day is a new challenge for me - will the message today strike a chord. Will it make people think and act differently. Will it inspire them to start the process of goal setting and goal achievement.

Now I know from some of the feedback I've been getting, that sometimes I do hit the mark. Several of you have left jobs you didn't enjoy to pursue new and exciting careers. More of you have started eating more healthily and started working out. And that's awesome. But I take the other comments just as seriously, everything is a learning opportunity and I am glad to have you teach me more than just a thing or two.

So - how do you become motivated?

Well in real terms it's either through a positive - I want to be a ..... do .... or ....

Or it's the negative - I've had enough of this, I'm fed up of doing .... and so on.

Both are positive motivators, but even those things can wear off after a while. So make sure your reasons for doing something are written in very big letters in prominent places. Use your computer screen saver if you like - I want to be .... and have it rolling across the screen whenever you stop working.

And finally for today - you need to know what you want and you need to know why you really want it. But don't make the reason wishy washy - make it bold, make it exciting, make it come alive for you and it will.


With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Happy Lists EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 68.238.136.181 URL: http://happylists.wordpress.com DATE: 12/11/2008 06:02:45 PM How true! It's silly to search for motivation when I don't know what I want. It seems like an obvious question, what do I want? But it takes some serious thinking. Thanks for the suggestion of writing it big on the screen saver, that's great! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Do you believe in luck? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Success and Failure DATE: 12/13/2008 08:02:22 AM ----- BODY:

Do you believe in luck or do you make your own luck?

It's an interesting question don't you think? Personally I feel that the more you take notice of the things that happen by chance, the more you will begin to see things start to happen. Is that luck or just being observant?

Well the ones who say - "well it's ok for you, you have all the luck" are the ones who also tend to whinge and whine about how bad their lives are, but then fail to make any changes. They're the ones least likely to find the $5 on the floor or take notice of a decent business opportunity when they see it. You see that business opportunity will require some work - be it talking to the banks or working out a business plan. It's hard to see busines opportunities when their head is stuck in the cloud of negativity that surrounds them.

Now saying you want to have good luck is like saying - I want to win the lottery and then never buying a ticket. Or saying to the banks, If you give me a decent interest rate I'll start saving some money. The lucky people are the ones who don't say they want to have more luck, they know that if they take the opportunities that come their way - the luck will usually follow.

Luck doesn't fortune the brave - but the observant and the interested.

 

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Keep your expectations realistic - weight loss STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 08/27/2008 10:48:35 AM ----- BODY:

Have you ever been on a "diet"? If you haven't you're definitely in the minority, and lucky to have been blessed with a better than average set of genes, metabolism and healthy respect for your personal shape, size and look. But if you are anything like the millions of people today who are on a "diet" did you expect to see dramatic changes to the numbers on the scale in a short period of time (after all the reality show contestant manage it so why can't you?), and did you expect to see an even more dramatic change to your body shape too.

How many times have you been promised the earth by some advertising gimmick and felt completely out of sorts, starving hungry and disillusioned with the whole health, diet and fitness industry when the promised results didn't happen?

No matter what anyone will tell you, there are no magic bullets, diet pills, creams or anything else that can offer safe and effective fat loss. Just a daily understanding of your bodies needs and the appropriate amount of exercise to ensure your body shape and size reduces in a healthy way. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but even with the best will and motivation in the world it can be hard to lose more than 1 or 2 pounds of weight per week, and the first of those will be water not fat. And lets face it we need to reduce "fat" our bodies carry and not just "weight".

So one of the biggest things to remember this is not a "diet" for a short period of time, but a changed way of life eating and exercise plan. Whatever you choose has to work for you - long term ... as in between now and the end of your life (whenever that is). So a few suggestions (from someone who has tried every short cut known to man, woman or fitness expert) - there aren't any:
1. Keep it realistic
2. Be consistent with your eating plan
3. Be consistent with your exercise. Weight loss and weight gain is an energy equation - to lose weight you need to eat less calories than you expend in energy. The greater the difference between the two and the more chances you will have of failing...that's right I did say fail. You see if you restrict your calories too much you will fall off the dieting band wagon faster than you can say chocolate....why? Because your body can only go on starvation mode for so long before it starts to get grumpy.
4. Set yourself realistic goals....
5. Reward yourself with something other than food or alcohol when you reach your target.
6. Your target weight is only the beginning - remember, when you have reached your target weight you have to find ways of staying there...and that comes from slowly reintroducing things back into your diet until your weight loss plateaus and stabilizes.

Remember, if you have a lot of weight to lose, just remind yourself now and again how long it took you to reach that point in your life and you will be able to cope with the time it takes to get rid of the problem once and for all.

Oh and photos are a great reminder of what not to do also.

Remember you are entirely responsible for what goes into your mouth and body, so lets make a change to our thinking and accept responsibility for everything we do, say and eat.

To add your comments go to - http://www.motivateme.info/daily-dose-ezine/2008/8/27/keep-your-expectations-realistic-weight-loss.html

==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme! 

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you. 

All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.
Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivating kids STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Motivating Children CATEGORY: Motivating Kids DATE: 12/16/2008 09:10:24 AM ----- BODY:

Today's daily dose: Motivating kids:
---------------------------
We have so many different topics to discuss when it comes to motivation, and that's because age knows no barrier when it comes to overcoming the procrastination habit. It seems we all suffer from the problem at some point during our lives. Today's message is a little different, because it comes from two angles, namely from the younger person's perspective and how we as adults need to think differently and perhaps a little more creatively when dealing with our younger members of our families, extended families, school children or anyone else you know of who occassionally utters the words "i'm bored, there's nothing to do". As my mum always used to say "there's always something to do if you care to look". So lets take a look.

Motivation Kids Style: My teenage son has several passions - his skateboarding and his street art. Thankfully he restricts his artistic talent to paper based products, his school books are literally works of art. So how do we get a street artist kid to clean his room in time for his grandmother and aunt who arrive in a few weeks time?

Well I think I've come up with rather an ingenious solution - but I know this won't work for everyone, but maybe it will give the parents who read this, some food for thought in the how to motivate the kids stakes.

My son has to clean his room, everything has to be looked at and then the 3 rules apply - Keep it, Recycle it or Dump it.

But where is the motivation in that I can hear EVERYONE cry.

Well if he cleans his room following the 3 principles, then between Christmas and New Year when I am off work, I will base colour paint his room, patch the walls, paint the ceilings so the room becomes a blank canvas...HIS blank canvas. He's already requested a chalk board wall (yes you can buy the paint to do that), I will buy him a range of colours (Sample pots and mis tints are a great way of doing this) and a range of brush sizes. He gets to pimp his room and I get what I want - a clean and tidy bedroom.

OK, there is work on my part, but that's fine, I'm rather strange as I use painting walls as therapy. It's also great for unknotting my shoulders and back.

And my daughter has caught on, because last weekend she cleaned out her wardrobe and used the 3 principles to great effect and was rewarded with a tin of paint and brush - she asked by the way - "mum can I paint my wardrobe it's boring"

"That's a great idea, I need to do a run to the recycling store anyway so let me know what you don't want to keep...."

So if you have kids and don't know what to do with them, get them involved in what you are doing - in my case, cleaning and decorating the house.

With many thoughts

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Improving your personal productivity time: Cards STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/17/2008 10:23:52 AM ----- BODY:

Improving your personal productivity time: Cards
---------------------------
You've probably already bought and sent this year's christmas cards, so this is something to think about for the new year.

Go through your calendar and work out how many cards you need to buy for the year. How many boy / men / girl / female / relatives / friends cards and then buy them all in one go. Whilst you are it, buy the stamps at the same time. Then spend one evening writing each card and addressing the envelopes. But instead of fixing the stamp on straight away, write the date of the person's birthday where the stamp should go.

Leave the envelope unstuck just in case you want to write a letter a little closer to the date.

And this principle applies to Christmas cards too. If you know how many cards you send each year, why not buy them in the sales - save yourself money in the first instance, and as you get time during the year, write the cards and address the envelopes. Believe me it can save hours of frustration.

One other thing I do at Christmas time is write one letter - well type it actually. Everyone gets the same Christmas letter, and my folks can't say "well she never told me that ...." (and yes believe it or not, they do do that). I've done the christmas letter in this way now for the last 5 or 6 years, and you won't believe how much time it can save you.

With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Nothing motivates me STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/02/2008 10:46:21 AM ----- BODY:

Actually when I thought about those words it dawned on me there are two sides to that statement:

Nothing motivates me:
- More than a looming deadline I can't get out of;
- More than being excited about something. I just can't wait to get out of bed in a morning so I can work on "it" and I don't want to go to bed;
- More than knowing I am doing something for someone else and they appreciate it (usually because its an unexpected something);

Or you can have the other side of this interesting equation
- Nothing motivates me
- Anymore
- I'm bored
- I'm sick to death of people putting on me, I'm tired, I'm fed up
- I need someone to motivate me

About that last point - people like me and sites like this one can only do so much. We can inspire, cajole, make suggestions, provide strategies to overcome the procrastination habit - but the rest is up to you.

You can get fired up by going to motivational seminars, hearing the good things people say, inspirational in most cases - but the true change has to come from within. You need to want things to be different. You need to decide what you want from life and be prepared to go all out to get it. Or you can be happy with your whining - hoping someone will become your entertainment manager, then you will never get on. You will always find some reason to procrastinate and nothing I nor anyone else can do will make you change your mind. Remember only you can do that.


==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!  

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  

All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.
Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Your new life STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/21/2008 09:34:27 AM ----- BODY:

Today's daily dose: Your new life
---------------------------
I'm sure there are many of you who are thinking about New Year's Resolutions. Those things we say we want to change in the next year. Well before you get out the same dusty list you found last year so you can change the date, I'd like to ask you to think about your life list in a different way.

What do you want to do between now and the day that you "die"?

Does that put a whole new perspective on the things you say you want to do, see and achieve? It should.

But a few other things as you determine what you want your life to look like

What does your new life look like? Where are you? What are you doing? Where are you living? Who are you living with? How manyfigures do you have in your bank balance? How much tax do you pay?

And a few more questions -

What if you never achieved those things? Ever? How would that make you feel?

Only you can determine those answers, only you can decide whether or not you will make the changes you know you need to make in order for those things to happen. Only you can determine whether 2009 will be the year you finally decide to say goodbye to procrastination once and for all.


With many thoughts

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Fill in the blanks STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/07/2008 12:28:56 PM ----- BODY:

Knowing what you want is like having a "picture" in front of you ALL the time. It's not a big sheet of blank white paper. It's got images all over it, and you can literally see it - in vivid technicolour detail.

Are your goals sitting in front of you, in your minds eye in vivid technicolour detail, or are you a leeetle short on certain points?

Take one of your current goals. Does it make you excited? Do you want to live that "dream"? Or is it a vague - on the scale of one to ten barely makes a 2? Let me put it this way - anything less than an 8 and you will not, and I do mean will not, never ever, even in a month of sunday's achieve whatever it is.

Assuming your goal is an 8 or above - you will have some very clear ideas about what it is you want. A 5 or 6 can be done, but these will take some work. So lets get going. Now for these 8 and above goals - add some details. Pictures, words, details, details, details. Want a new car - then what sort, style, colour, no of doors, what sort of gear stick does it have, what colour is the interior?????? See what i mean - details.

Have you factored in a visit to the guys with the money? How are you going to pay for it? Where and whom are you going to buy it from?

What about goals that aren't things? For example - getting fit - how are you going to do it? Do you need to organise a personal trainer, a gym membership, hour upon hour of pounding the pavement or using the stepper that's gathering dust in the spare room (oh no that's mine!!!)...

See what I mean - fill in the details - aim for 30 - 50 items, words, phrases and details that will make your dream come alive for you and see how much more fired up you are about achieving it.

I'll speak to you again soon

Elle

To add your comments -

==================================
Kind Regards
Elle
Overcoming the procrastination habit with a daily dose of motivational medicine.
==================================
 If you'd like to reproduce any of the material contained on this newsletter, please feel free to do so. I only ask that you ensure  the materialis attributed to me, and you provide a link to motivateme!  

We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message isgoing into the canned meat product folder can you please addmy e-mail address to your safe senders list.

Thank you.  
All contents Copyright (ac) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.
All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.
To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginningof the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.
Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, I hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Seasons Greetings STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/23/2008 09:07:28 AM ----- BODY:

Just a quick message today as we move into the holiday season.

Please be safe, I don't want to lose any of you.

It's a sad fact of life there will be many people who won't make it through the festive season. The sick, the elderly, the reckless, the ones who simply happened to be in the wrong place at the right time.

Promise me one thing, you won't get to the end of today without speaking to those you love and care for. Tell them, sometimes words do speak louder than actions.

The Daily Dose will be deliberately sporadic over the next few days. You probably won't want to sit in front of a computer screen reading messages from me during the festive season, so I won't clog up your inbox every day - just now and again.

Be safe, be well and be very very happy

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Thinking about the year ahead STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: New Year's Resolutions DATE: 12/26/2008 09:52:00 AM ----- BODY:

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas day (and for those of you who don't celebrate the occassion - I hope yesterday was special in its own way for you). I also hope you managed to spend time with those you love and care for, and if you exchange gifts - I hope they were everything you wanted them to be.

Today though is the day after Christmas - some people call it boxing day - and is usually another time to catch up with those people you ddn't see yesterday. For me though, the day was the start of my annual major project. Why today? Well why not today? Just because it is "Boxing day" and a holiday from work doesn't mean I can't begin the prep work for the major project.

To be fair though, between Christmas and New Year I don't have to go into work (day job) - so I have time to get stuck into something major. And I wasn't really planning to start today - we didn't actually start work on it until 3.30pm.

So that is another myth dispelled. You don't have to wait until 9.ooam on Monday morning to begin. You can begin making a change to your life now, today - no matter what the time is. And I sincerely hope you do.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Marc EMAIL: IP: 82.23.138.234 URL: DATE: 12/27/2008 11:35:02 PM I've never been here before.... but thought that was quite a nice way of looking at things..... I'll be back... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 12/30/2008 04:43:41 AM Hi Marc

Hope so...and by the way, it is now the 30th December and we are in the final stages of completing the project....my son's bedroom and I will add pics to the site once the room is completed.

All the very best and I hope to see you soon

Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Check your prosperity consciousness STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Success and Failure CATEGORY: Prosperity consciousness DATE: 12/27/2008 07:53:14 AM ----- BODY:

Today I would like you to play a game with me. It's quite simple and requires a few minutes of your time and a piece of paper and a pen. I do find it much better to write this down rather than type, as your brain has to work differently (IMHO) - but how you complete the game is up to you. All you have to do to win this game is to play it.

Now are you ready to start playing?

At the top of your page I would like you to write the word "MILLIONAIRE"

To complete the game all you need to do is write down all the things that spring to mind when you think about the word.

When I was asked this question and after I completed the game, I was a little embarrassed. You see to me the word "Millionaire" brings to mind people like Donald Trump and Paris Hilton - and we all know what other words are associated with these kinds of people. So I had to stop and really think. Are all millionaires like Donald Trump and Paris Hilton? Of course not. So I thought about all those brilliant people out there and thought about all the good things these people have done and will do, and that's when my prosperity consciousness kicked in. To me being a millionaire isn't about the numbers, it's about the good that can happen when you have a) helped enough people and b) all the good things you can do with your money now that it is coming to you.

One thing is certain, if you think about all the things you don't have - she earns more than me, she has more holidays than me, he drives a better car, their house is better than mine - then your prosperity consciousness is in the red. Think about what you do have and the good that you can do now and your prosperity consciousness will start moving into the black.

But don't take my word for it, you need to play the game to determine your own level of prosperity consciousness. Then if you want to take this another step - use the word "RICH" and then again for the job you are doing, and for the job you want to do. It's fascinating because we may think we are attracting wealth into our lives, when our prosperity consciousness is telling us the real truth.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Counting down STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: New Year's Resolutions CATEGORY: Change Management DATE: 12/29/2008 06:52:14 AM ----- BODY:

Are you still waiting for the start of the new year before tackling those things you know you should be tackling? One question - WHY?

Why today?

Well today is the best day to do anything.

Are you willing to start today?

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The power of belief STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/30/2008 08:23:47 AM ----- BODY:

I was talking with one of my fellow twitterers this aftenoon about belief - he said he no longer believed in himself...which rather shocked me, so I said "but if you don't believe in yourself, how do you expect other people too?"

Now it might just have been a throw away comment after all I don't know the person "personally" after all it is hard to convey emotion in 140 characters or less. BTW if you are on twitter and want to follow me - ellegb - then DM me so I can follow you back. And if that is pure gobbledegook, apologies, but it is one of the better web 2.0 social networking sites around (IMHO). I'm also on Facebook (Elle Bradshaw) if you want to join me and my other friends. Again, tell me you are a reader so I know its you.

Where was I?

Oh yes, the power and importance of belief.

It shouldn't come as any surprise to you to know that if you believe in yourself and what you are doing, then you will achieve whatever it is much easier and faster than if you doubt your every move. Sounds like common sense doesn't it. And it is. The problem starts in my opinion when we have one or two knockbacks, when things don't go quite as we had hoped. It doesn't help also, when the naysayers start... I knew you'd give up, You never finish anything, what are you doing that for? etc etc. I mean they don't mean to knock us back, but our newly acquired confidence can take a beating if we let it and if we listen to these people. It can take an immense amount of faith in ourselves to say, you know what - that way didn't work, so I guess I shall just have to give up and sit in a corner...no., I mean I will have to try a different way, a different way of thinking about this. Remember Eddison? He may have sat in a corner for all I know, but I also think he took a notebook and a pen with him :-)

I'll give you two very personal examples of the importance of belief in my life. I am one of those people who are annoying to the point of never stopping. You know - always on the go and never having a rest. The time between Christmas and New Year is my time away from my day job and a time when I can get one or two major projects completed. This year it is my son's bedroom which was looking very sad and a little tired....and untidy. Well the first of the pics are up - go to - http://www.motivateme.info/gallery/edens-bedroom-renovation-project-december-2008/i'm also in the process of making curtains for the house after getting some curtain tracks put up last month. So a busy, physical time for me. Last night after making and putting upmy daughters curtains, Ineeded to make the second curtainfor my son's bedroom. But the thread kept breaking - so I stopped and got out the notes for the novel I am currently writing notes for. This morning, after completing the third coat of base paint and the major paint job for the room - I then made the second curtain. The thread this morning was fine. Don't ask me, no idea. But if I had kept going and tried to persevere with it last night it would not have been a good outcome. So what am I saying - sometimes you do need to stop and rethink what you are trying to do. Have a break and then get back to it in the morning.

The other example I will give you involves my day job. I am the editor of a rather large legal manual. Now I have been asking to see if we can get this document - all 2,500 pieces of legislation and 700 pages of text into some kind of database, so it can be searched and put onto the Internet. One of the computer experts in the company had a look at it, and had a problemworking out the relationships between all the fields. So it sat for a while, whilst they pondered the problem.In the meantime Ire-created the book the "old" way as the deadline was fast approaching. If there is one thing you cannot procrastinate with is a publishing deadline. Anyway, towards the end of the year, when I had some time, I looked at the problem my way...and have created a spreadsheet of the fields we need for the major part of the database. To my mind, once we have the fields, we can work out the rest...and that is the way I have always created my databases....work out the fields, and then work out how to search it afterwards. Now other people may work differently, but that is the way I know works for me. Two people, two very different ways of looking at the same problem - both of them right.

What problems have you looked at once and given up with because sometimes they seem too hard, and then gone back to them a while later and you didn't have a problem with? The difference I feel is the belief we have in ourselves to achieve them.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The end of the year that was - the highs and lows - and a free gift for you STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Change Management CATEGORY: Ready to change DATE: 12/31/2008 06:04:35 AM ----- BODY:

2008 has come to an end. There have been many great moments during the year and many, many sad ones too. For those of you who have been with me since the beginning of the year will know that my father died after a long and protracted illness. My children and I headed back to England for the first time in 12 years to wish my father godspeed on his last great journey, and then a few short weeks later his brother and their sister also passed on.

It was then I decided that it was important to do many new things and gain as many new experiences as I possibly could, because as we all know it will be the experiences we remember when it is our time to go.

As of course I tried new things, you my wonderful personal motivators got to hear about them. You see, you inspire me every day to make a difference. Every day I wonder about what I should write and I agonise over the days when I can't find the words to express what I am feeling. But I give you so much homework I figure, you might be glad not to hear from me for a day or two.

The first part of 2009 will be a busy time for me personally as well as professionally. My mum, sister and niece will be heading down under. My sister and niece for their first ever trip, mum to come and enjoy some sunshine and a lot of Australian hospitality. They arrive the day before my daughter's 17th birthday, so the party will be a big one. If you are in the vicinity and would like to join in the celebrations that day - let me know (for catering purposes).

Professionally speaking I will be doing some work during the Christmas and New Year period, to finish writing my book (the training program is ready to go) and as a gift to you all, and apologies to those of you who have read this (it's a gift to all new subscribers) you get to listen to chapter 1 of the book of "ready to change".

Don't worry about the link (when you subscribe to the newsletter you get a choice - are you ready to change - yes or no - don't worry about the no part - the audio is available to you to listen to anyway : -) just go to - http://www.motivateme.info/your-choice-no/

And yes I still have my English accent after all these years "down under". Alternatively if you prefer to read - then there is a pdf version as well....

http://www.motivateme.info/storage/Ready_to_confess_-_Elle_G_Raunston.pdf

And as we mentioned, all new subscribers receive this gift, so just send them the link to the site and let your family, friends and associates decide for themselves if they are ready to change.

And as we mentioned recently, we are also hoping to revamp the website in the first part of 2009 and make the information more accessible - because there is a lot there.

So my wish for you as you head into the New Year's revelries is one of hope, of peace, joy and love. It is also my hope that together we will have many, many completed projects to celebrate and discuss. And if you want to have a look at the completed painting project for 2008 (which we started on boxing day if you remember) - then go to - http://www.motivateme.info/gallery/edens-bedroom-renovation-project-december-2008/

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Begin with the end in mind STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: New Year's Resolutions DATE: 01/02/2009 05:17:15 AM ----- BODY:

Happy New Year to you all, I hope 2009 brings to you many wonderful things and of course lots of completed projects.

Which brings me quite nicely to today's thought for the day.

As you count down to the 2010 New Year, that's right - when you get to the 31st December 2009 - what are you hoping you will have achieved during this year? What projects? What goals? Where do you want to be living? What do you want to be doing? Who do you want to be sharing your life with? What size do you want to be?

When you think about your goals in this way, as in - wow did I achieve ALL that in 2009 - how good do you think you are going to feel?

So, thinking about what it is you want to have achieved by December 31st - then you need to work out how long (roughly) it is going to take you to achieve those things. Then it can be as simple as getting out your diary and filling in the time slots with the work required to complete the item(s).

Of course some things are on-going - like eating well and exercising, making time to play with the kids / grand kids / animals or whoever else is important to you. And one final thing as you fill your diary with exciting plans and projects - remember there will be down time. You do need to find time to balance work / goals and pleasure time, otherwise you might find yourself with unexpected down time (illness), so balance your time now and you will be less likely to overdo things as you get stuck into those dreams of yours.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Little things can add up to be a great deal STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 07/05/2008 07:51:40 AM ----- BODY:

Remember those tiny coins I mentioned the other day - well there is five dollars worth sitting in a pot on my dresser as we speak, I've just counted it. 3 of which is 5 and 10 cent coins and the other is a single 2 dollar coin....which means five bucks will be going towards someone's needs this week.

Every one of those coins was picked up individually, and always when I am on foot - rarely do you find coins when you're driving of course !! Which means I spend a great deal of time out walking. Walking is one of my stress busters. Every single step may not seem like much but over the course of an hour or so you can walk between 5 and 7 kilometres depending on your speed and length of stride. Every step I take burns up one or two calories, again nothing much - but over the course of a single hour long walk I can get rid of upwards of several hundred calories which means of course, those calories aren't converted into stored fat, but the energy goes towards building better muscle tone and general levels of fitness. I also get to listen to the many countless hours of music we have stored as MP3's. Little by little I can listen to the entire collection - one walk at a time.

Every single phone call you make to your current clients is a step towards building yourself a better future. A single call may not yield much in the way of sales, but the next time you call, added value to the conversation may mean it does. Every single call builds trust in your client base and you will be seen to the person who made a difference, and sooner or later those single calls out will generate more calls in, and more money into your business.

Every single widget you make and sell, every single word you add to your book, every day you eat properly and healthfully, every single day may not seem like much - but over the course of a few weeks - what a difference it will make.

Consider those cups of coffee you buy in a morning on the way to work. Average of lets say 4 dollars a cup for takeaway. Over a 5 day working week, that equates to twenty, again it doesn't seem like a lot of money - but over the course of a year - assuming you work for 48 of those weeks - that makes believe me or not 960 dollars. What could you do with an extra 960 dollars in your bank account each year? And what about those other purchases you make - those lunches you buy because you couldn't be bothered to make your own, or get up in time to make your lunch? So as a bit of an experiment - instead of buying those cups of coffee and take out lunches this week - put the money to oneside every day you don't buy them. Take your food with you of course. Then count it up at the end of the week...and decide whether you are going to spend a few dollars - or save next weeks as well and spend a few more on something you've been promising yourself - when you have the spare cash. I look at it this way - 4 days of not buying coffee equates to one movie ticket. Little things over time, can add up to bigger, much bigger things.

As always something to think about.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: IP: 59.100.172.118 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 07/06/2008 01:37:13 AM This message was eaten by almost every canned meat substance folder and filter going....it saddens and annoys me when legitimate emails are blocked because of stupid people using the technology for nefarious purposes.

My rant for the day
I hope you have a good one
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: State of mind STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement DATE: 01/06/2009 11:56:05 PM ----- BODY:

"The state of your life is nothing more than a reflection of your state of mind"
Dr Wayne W Dyer

Today is the end of the first week of 2009. Of course one week down means there are only 51 weeks to go before the end of the year. So a few questions:

1. Have you set your goals and plans for the next 51 weeks?
2. Have you started implementing these goals and plans? (Are you working your plan?)
3. Have the changes started to make a difference to your attitude towards completing the items on your goal list?
4. Are the results making you work harder and faster?

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Trying your hardest STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Habits CATEGORY: Motivation techniques CATEGORY: Change Management DATE: 01/08/2009 01:33:51 AM ----- BODY:

"Success is a journey not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome. Not everyone can be Number 1"
Arthur Ashe

That doesn't mean you shouldn't try to be the best you can possibly be, in fact it is essential that you do try your hardest, otherwise what is the point of starting something. If you have a "ho hum" attitude towards life and living the life you say you want to live, well you're hardly going to be inspired.

In everything you decide to do, decide to try your hardest. Try to eat better today than you did yesterday. Exercise for a little longer at a harder intensity than the last time. Do 5 extra repetitions, push ups, chin ups or sit ups (or whatever you do in your exercise plan) -muscles need the same reminder as our minds, they also need to stretch in order to grow. Choose a different author and read something different. If you never read the economist or the harvard business review go to your library and spend some time and read something from a range of different publications. It doesn't matter what your profession - you will benefit from reading as widely as you possibly can.

Watch a different TV channel, or play a board game with your children, spend time meditating - learning to turn off your mind can be immensely beneficial in today's fast paced life.

Trying your hardest is never just limited to your profession, but everything you do. As we said the other day -trying your hardest and your best means autographingyour life with pride.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Why wait? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Action DATE: 01/10/2009 01:08:21 AM ----- BODY:

What have you set your hearts desire on? What is it you cannot NOT do? What is is you cannot live without? Then what are you waiting for?

We can wait until everything is perfect. We can wait until we are thin, the kids have left home, until we have finished our studying, until the food is out of the fridge so we can start our new healthy eating plan. We can spend our entire lives waiting and never actually getting around to doing anything we say we want to do. We say - I'll do that when ....

And then we wonder where the weeks, months and years have gone.

Don't say - I'll do that when ... say "I'll do that NOW" and see you life change - dramatically.

 

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Tips to make this the best year ever STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: New Year's Resolutions DATE: 01/14/2009 02:10:04 AM ----- BODY:

I don't know who first posted these thoughts, but whoever it was shared the Daily Dose philosophy, and if I can say thank you to whoever first wrote them - thank you for doing so and therefore allowing me to share them with you. Following these principles will almost certainly guarantee a great year.

  1. Count your blessings daily. Doing so will keep you in a positive state of mind.
  2. Surround yourself with positive, encouraging, successful people. They will pull you up no matter what the circumstances.
  3. Deliver more than you are paid to. Make yourself indispensable to others.
  4. Focus on your strengths. Find an arena you are suited to play in, have the courage to get started, have the courage to not quit, and decide you will give it all you've got for as long as it takes to get the job done.
  5. Don't neglect the details. Excellence comes from taking care of the details.
  6. Constantly ask yourself, "What is the number one thing I could do in the next 15 minutes to get me closer to my goal?" Then do it right away.
  7. Find a mentor who believes in you, who will support you, and who will push you toward your dream.
  8. Don't let others rain on your parade. Avoid negative people like the plague.
  9. Decide that you are willing to do whatever it takes to realize your dream.
  10. The past does not determine the future. No matter how many times you have failed, the next time you could succeed. If you don't believe me, just read Thomas Edison's biography.
  11. Take full responsibility for your results.
  12. Read biographies then model your life after the lives of successful people.
  13. Don't complain about your circumstances. Decide you will make your own circumstances.
  14. You only live once. Go for the Gold. Decide you will not simply exist. Decide to live an exciting life. Don't just take up space. Make a difference so you will be missed when you are gone. Decide to leave a legacy.
  15. Celebrate every small victory.
  16. Embrace change. Change brings opportunity to win.
  17. Live your life with passion.
  18. Make your dream so exciting that it takes your breath away. Then, be willing to fight for your dream and future.
  19. Every time you make an excuse, you give away control of your life. Stop making excuses.
  20. Don't live life through others. Be the hero in your own life.

 

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Cutting through the negativity STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Action CATEGORY: Dealing with procrastination CATEGORY: Law of Attraction CATEGORY: Role Models CATEGORY: Change Management DATE: 01/16/2009 12:37:41 AM ----- BODY:

It's very hard living and sharing your life with negative people. Especially if you want to get on in life and achieve many, many things. They're the anchor that drags you down, the "it's all right for you" crowd "but ...." I'm sure you know exactly who I mean. You've decided on your next goal and you're excited, you're ready to make some changes and so you do what a lot of other people say you should do and that's tell as many people about your goal as possible. The theory being they'll keep you accountable. That's OK as long as the people you tell are all behind you 100%. But how many of you can honestly say everyone you interact with are behind you 100%. They may say they are, they may initially sound enthusiastic - but little by little their jibes and undertones make you begin to question if what you are doing is correct and what you really want to be doing after all. And we all know what happens then - we plateau, we stop seeing the results and the slide back to where we were begins. A few months later and we're shaking our heads wondering what happened. So we do what we've always done - and that's picked ourselves up by the bootstraps and begun the process again.

Does this sound like your life so far?

But there is another more subtle issue at stake in this process and that's our own negative self talk. It's fair to say we can all be guilty of a little bit of negative talk now and again, "maybe they're right" "maybe I'm not good enough" "why do I want so and so"

So how can you get around the first problem and any kind of personal self sabotage?

The first problem is interesting, especially if you share you home with these kinds of people. I'm fortunate, most of the time I don't. I have my own space and certain times during the day / evening when I can do my work and work on my projects. But I've had a house full of people (visitors you understand) and it's been a little hard when one is being hostess to find the time, energy or space to do the work. So my first piece of advice is to make some space for yourself. I'm fortunate I have a laptop with wireless internet so I can now go anywhere, which means my work can go anywhere. But the rest of my personal fitness goals have had to take a back seat as I've played tour guide. But one thing I could have doneis get up a little earlier and exercise a) out of the heat of a perth summer and b) before the troops get up. Believe me when I say - there are ways around everything if you want to do something badly enough.

The second issue concerns ourselves and our own self-talk. There are two parts to this - it's no good saying positive things to yourselfand still not doing the work that will bring you closer to your dreams and goals. That's called delusion. Butyou can't do the work and tell yourself it's rubbish either. OK it may not be brilliant, but with time and practice many things are possible, so all you have to do is say - that was OK, but I'm sure you can do better. Telling yourself you can do better means you always have something to strive for, you haven't quite gotten to the A+ yet....but you're going to have a darned good go. The second way around this second problem is giving yourself enough good reasons to continue. If you haven't got a solid reason why you want something - you will not do the work you need to do. Work out your reasons and your motivation will come far more easily.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Making a difference STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/15/2008 12:11:04 PM ----- BODY:

MotivateMe!
Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit with a Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine
---------------------------
In This Issue
---------------------------
* Today's daily dose
* What I am reading
* Today's thought to ponder
* Share this e-zine
---------------------------
Today's daily dose: Making a difference one person at a time
---------------------------
If MotivateMe ! has a personal philosophy it is this. It is our aim to make a difference one person at a time.

Everyone we meet has the potential to impact on our lives in many ways. Only we can determine if that impact will be good, bad or indifferent.

And if that is the case, then we too have the chance to make an impact on everyone else. Now are you going to make a positive or negative impact on the next people that you meet and interact with?

Remember, each and every one of us has the power to make a difference. To ourselves, our families, our friends, our neighbors and our "enemies".

With many thoughts
Elle

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What I am reading:
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Well re-reading - The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann
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Today's thought to ponder:
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"Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them" p46
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Share this e-zine:
---------------------------
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add my e-mail address to your safe senders list. Thank you.

All contents Copyright (c) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.

All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, we hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Changes to government STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/18/2008 12:12:30 PM ----- BODY:

MotivateMe!
Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit with a Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine
---------------------------
In This Issue:
---------------------------
* Today's daily dose: 18th September 2008
* Share this e-zine
---------------------------
Today's daily dose: Changes to government
---------------------------
Unless you have been living in a cave or at the bottom of a pond, you will have noticed there is a series of elections going on. Political candidates of every persuasion (especially in Australia where I am based) advising us, the electorate they are the BEST and we must vote for them if we want to live a better life.

Now I am not trying to say these people don't have a role to play in how our countries are run, they do. How much tax we should pay, making sure the environment can sustain us for a little while longer and there are enough schools to educate our children and hospitals to care for our sick. But these people who form government do not have the power to decide what kind of life I am going to live. I am the only person to decide that. It is up to me how to behave, what I say, what I think, how much I should eat and drink, how much I earn and where I live. How I bring up my children to behave and live, how many businesses I own and run, how much exercise I do and who we elect to make sure our needs in the wider sphere are met.

Yes governments play a part - of course they do. But don't lose sight of what you can do - for you. Once you realise you have that kind of power over yourself, you will go very far indeed.

With many thoughts
Elle

To add your comments -

---------------------------
Share this e-zine:
---------------------------
We would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue onto family,friends and any other interested readers.  If you find that this message is going into the canned meat product folder can you please add my e-mail address to your safe senders list. Thank you.

All contents Copyright (c) 2005/2008 Motivateme.info except where indicated otherwise.

All rights reserved worldwide. No Spamming or List Sharing - We do not share, nor give out, our subscription list to third parties.

To unsubscribe just hit the reply button and add unsubscribe to the beginning of the subject line. However, you do need to unsubscribe using the same e-mail address you subscribed with for this to take effect.

Thank you for taking the time to read these daily musings, we hope to see you again in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Improving Productivity: EMails STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 01/20/2009 09:35:31 AM ----- BODY:

Email has become one of the biggest communication tools (IMHO) after the pen, except of course email is much faster than snail mail and pigeon post. And because we think it is quicker we tend to spend more time on it.

Well a couple of thoughts for you with regards to email.

Do you know how much your hourly rate is? As in - if you went out to a client and charged them for your time, what would be your hourly rate? Now are you still willing to waste that kind of money on emails that really don't matter? By emails that don't matter I mean the SP*M messages that have filtered through, the jokes and the funnies. Whilst we all need some down time, these items should be filtered into a special folder for the end of the day (and preferably the end of a working week) and not read in prime working time.

And then there are the main emails we receive that need action. If you choose to open an email - then you should apply the same principles to it as you do with paper. Deal with it, delegate it or dump it. I also have a read later file - newsletters (electronic) as I do with the paper based journals I receive.

The final thought I will leave you with with regards to wasting precious time and therefore money on email is this. You don't sit next to your phone staring at it waiting for it to ring - so why is your email on during the day? If you're anything like me, you will have several accounts. I can spend just a few minutes at the beginning of each day clearing out and answering the messages I receive and then they are closed down again. I don't have the popups disturbing my thought processes. Of course you may argue that you "need" to have it open to answer messages as they are received....I will say - well you need to sleep, eat and go to the bathroom - you don't have your email wired into your head at these times, so surely a couple of times a day would be sufficient to deal with any new messages you receive. And if you think about it - if we were still in the paper era - we would have to wait for the mail delivery and how many times a day do we receive snail mail?

As always - many thoughts for a better and more productive 2009

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Turn it off STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/29/2008 05:29:52 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Turn it off
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In today’s technologically driven world we are at the beck and call of clients, customers, friends and family members 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The Internet, Electronic mail, Meeting planners, Pagers, Personal organizers, Blackberry’s, Chocolate and every electronic gadget that we can lay our hands on to make our working and personal lives easier. The problem is of course, that the more you have the more there is to check. How many email accounts do you have?

Do you keep your electronic mail system open during the day? Most people do, reasoning that if an urgent or important announcement or task comes through you will be able to tackle it straight away. What happens in reality is that this just acts as a way to interrupt your thought processes as the annoying messages pop up on your screen. Similarly, there are all the web 2.0 applications available to us - Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Messenger and people online and quite happy to waste your time as well as their own.

So if you want to get more done, start by turning these things off. Have a set time of day to check your mail and to log onto the chat lines. Start instigating a closed door policy on your Internet and Email use - if people don't "see" you, they can't distract you, which means you can get more done.

With many thoughts
Elle

To add your comments -

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Today's thought to ponder:
"You have no control over what the other guy does. You only have control over what you do."
A J Kitt
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: JT EMAIL: IP: 61.69.140.254 URL: DATE: 09/30/2008 10:35:09 AM Ok, Elle I'm on a roll tonight - what about customer service. Dontcha think deliberately ignoring emails will be counter productive when it comes to keeping your clients and customers?

I mean if they get shonky service, they're gonna go elsewhere. So I have to disagree big time with this one. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Unexpected windfalls STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/30/2008 10:15:06 AM ----- BODY:

MotivateMe!
Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit with a Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine

---------------------------
Today's daily dose: Unexpected windfalls
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What would you do if you found a hundred dollar bill on the floor?

Would you spend it? On what?
Would you give it away? To whom?
Would you save it? All of it or just some of it?

What you do with unexpected windfalls says a lot about the kind of person you are.

If you spend all you receive, you will never have anything left for the "bad" times.
If you save all you receive, you will live your life in misery...where do you think the word "miser" comes from?

Now what would you do if you saw a small coin? What would you do with it? Would you pick it up? Or would you leave it on the floor?

I pick them up.

I consider the way I handle the small bonuses to be the learning mechanism for the bigger ones when they come along.

Have a plan for the smaller amounts and you will be able to adapt your plan for when the larger amounts start to appear.

I have found many things over the years. And yes I have picked up money off the street...not quite the $100 but that doesn't matter.

What do I do with it?

Well I consider myself to be quite fortunate, so I always give the "found" money away. I consider money to be energy. If it's sitting doing nothing, then sooner or later the source will dry up. My children are sometimes recipients, especially of larger amounts...but the smaller ones added up means several charities have benefited from my good fortune.

But it doesn't have to be money. Do you say thank you for the good things in your life? I personally think you should, after all, you are more likely to receive more if you say thank you for those things you have already gotten and received. But I am also of the opinion that you get as much pleasure from the giving as you do the receiving.

But that's just me.

So think about what you would do if you received an unexpected windfall and then when it does happen - do it and enjoy whatever you have decided to do.


With many thoughts
Elle

To add your comments -

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Today's thought to ponder:
Greatness lies not only in being strong, but in the right kind of strength
Henry Ward Beecher
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: JT EMAIL: IP: 61.69.140.254 URL: DATE: 09/30/2008 10:32:56 AM Nice sentiment - but would you really give away the hundred dollars you just found?

OK, call me cynical - but I must ask the question...I don't know anyone who is rich enough to give away that kind of money ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 10/01/2008 11:20:36 AM Hi JT
Thank you for your comment. I have never found a hundred dollar bill, but twice I have found $10 and I have split the proceeds with my kids. But yes I would give them the money if I found a hundred. They deserve it. And I consider myself to be rich in so many ways, not always in the bank account, but blessed nonetheless.
All the best
Elle ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Laure EMAIL: IP: 172.133.98.142 URL: DATE: 10/01/2008 09:23:52 PM I think I get what you're saying, and I totally agree agree that money has energy, but any time I find money I take it into the business I found it in front of and tell the clerk or manager where I found it and leave it with them in case the real owner comes back. I mean, I know for a fact it is not mine - though I've never been tested with a $100 bill - and I don't want or need negative energy from keeping something that is not mine - if the clerk decides to pocket it - then that's their bad energy/karma - not mine. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: DATE: 10/02/2008 05:08:44 AM Hi Laure
Ah, this is something different entirely. If it's obvious where it's come from (or likely to have come from) then it is always given back to the owner...similarly if I found it in a shop I give it up (including glasses, jewellery and bags) small coins I always dump in any collections jars/tips.
One day a guy in front of me pulled a wad of money out a back pocket and dropped a $50 - so i tapped him on the shoulder and gave it back - he didn't even say thank you !!
And yes I agree entirely with the karmic energy of things.
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Go hard STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Action DATE: 01/26/2009 03:34:29 AM ----- BODY:

Today is Australia Day and across the country people are celebrating the country, the people and the culture. As a migrant and now naturalised Australian I can appreciate the diversity that is Australia, which was very nicely demonstrated this morning at the Great Australia Day Breakfast put on by The City of Gosnells and helped by the Rotary Club and several Scout troops.

As we wandered through the massive crowd several things occurred to me. People have gladly given up their day off to help others have a good time. It takes huge amounts of planning and preparation to cook for hundreds (if not thousands) of people....to give you an idea they brought with them 1700 sausages and cooked 1625 of them... and apparently they ran out of eggs. These people had jobs assigned to them and boy were they doing them. Can you imagine spending 3 and a half hours cooking toast? How about buttering it or cooking hundreds of sausages? Each individual performed their own small but significant job - so they performed as a cohesive team. Consequently they were able to serve the hundreds of people who patiently lined up. We may think our jobs are insignificant - but together our small jobs can make a huge difference.

But it wasn't just about food. We were able to watch several very different cultural groups perform. We saw a young group of Serbian dancers and we were presented to (and apologies if I spell this incorrectly) Wudunga - A group of Aboriginal dancers who helped tell the story of Australia through the dream time. One of the dancers explained their philosophy when learning the dances and performing them in front of the thousands of people who have experienced this first hand - he said

"Go hard or don't bother at all"

Which is wonderful philosophy to have. so whatever path you have chosen to travel, whatever goals you have decided to pursue - "Go hard"

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't be afraid to try something different STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Habits CATEGORY: Motivation techniques CATEGORY: Change Management DATE: 01/28/2009 01:53:13 PM ----- BODY:

Be willing to expand your thoughts.

It's important to be willing to try something new - preferably every day, but I know first hand how hard that can be, so I do like to do / try something different at least once a week. It can be a movie I would never have considered watching, an author I've never read, a place I've never been, a food stuff I have never tried.

We are only limited by what we want to be limited by. Our thoughts, our normal patterns of behaviour, and yes, sometimes our family members and places of work contribute to that. But we are not at their beck and call 24/7 we can still do certain things differently (or in a different way).

And why is this important?

Well if you don't expand your thinking in some way, you will never change your current circumstances. Of course you may be happy with where you are and what you have achieved so far - but I doubt it. Not if you are a true student of life and motivate me in particular.

If you think about it this way - if you try one new food item each week this year, you will have excited your taste buds 52 times. If you read one book each week, you will have read 52 books - and how many books do you think your neighbours read? How well are your neighbours doing?

Since my mum and sister arrived, we have done so many new things - we've been to the races, we've walked to lighthouses across seaweed strewn beaches ( and most of the pics areposted on my facebook account - Elle Bradshaw if you've got an account and want to join me - and the others will join them when I get the time,) and the changes, the new things we've done has expanded my thoughts, my experiences and my feelings and that has got to be a good thing. Because lets face it, when we are at the end of our lives we will remember the experiences far more than the "things" we've bought.

So, try something different. Experience it, live it and see your life change one small step at a time.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Making progress with better lifestyle choices STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Motivation techniques DATE: 02/01/2009 03:49:14 AM ----- BODY:

"Most people would succeed in small things, if they were not troubled with great ambitions"
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

If your goal is too big and you are having trouble finding the motivation to start working on your plans every day. Remember this - every tiny decision you make right at this moment can make a difference in the long run. You can reach any goal - making the right kind of minute, minute-by-minute decisions.

You say you need to lose 40lbs - but don't want to diet for 20-40 weeks - well think of it this way - you will either be 40lbs lighter in 20-40 weeks or not. You should also bear in mind that a diet is not something you go on - it's something you live. Because as soon as stop dieting and start eating "normally" the weight will come back and then some. So, it's a lifestyle choice - not a diet.

And the same goes for anything - training to run a marathon - what do you do today? What do you do tomorrow? What happens the day after the race? Do you stop exercising completely? Or do you look towards the next goal item and start on that one?

Building a fortune starts with spending less than you earn, wise purchasing choices, joint ventures, compound interest and a desire to not spend the money. Again we are talking lifestyle choices.

What do you want your life to look like "When you get there"? Why not start to think about the different lifestyle choices you need to make in order to achieve that goal and then you will know whether what you are doing today is going to give you the lifestyle you say you want. Or not. It's your lifestyle choices that make the difference.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Lorraine EMAIL: IP: 61.68.254.217 URL: DATE: 02/02/2009 12:03:05 AM The first day back at school for the kiddlings - up at 7 for the first time in ages. Need to reset the body clock. And then off for a 30 minute walk. Muscles stiff. Air as humid as hades already, does not bode well for the heat for the rest of the day. Then back and time for breakfast - first time I think I've earned it this year.
Now its off to the city to do some work.
Small decisions every one - alarm went off, could have stayed in bed and didn't. Could have made an excuse about it being too hot to walk - but I didn't. Could have had an unhealthy breakfast - but didn't. 2nd day of February - but it feels like the first day of the rest of my life. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Friends and acquaintances STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/09/2008 10:35:35 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Friends and acquaintances
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There is yet another aspect of cleaning the clutter we haven't considered yet - those people we see on a regular or semi-regular basis. Those people we call friends and acquaintances. We won't look at "families" and other people we live with at this point, just those people with whom we associate occasionally.

What do you talk about when you get together? Is it positive, negative or you can't remember what the conversation was about because it was a whole load of bland?

Remember what we said about everything impacting on everything else, and the second major point - what goes into your mind you will a) focus on and b) will find it coming out of your mouth at some point in the future. Conversations may seem harmless, but the subtle tones and words used can make a huge difference to how much you can and do achieve.

Say for instance you have a goal to exercise more in a bid to get fit and maybe lose a bit of weight. What would your friends do if they heard that statement? Would they buy you the biggest piece of cake, with the words like - well you tried that before, so just eat already, or would they strap on their shoes and go with you?

We all need friends like - if you ever get stuck in a Mexican jail I'll come and bail you out...type of friends. We also need friends who can buoy us up when times are bad, and friends who are great listeners - but these are not (or shouldn't be) whinge sessions - despite the economic woes at the moment. And you need to be the same for your friends too.

Next time you get together, listen to what is being said and who is saying it. Then you have to make a decision - are these helping you to achieve your goals or not? And if they're not, well as hard as it is for me to say this, but maybe you need to limit your association with these kinds of people.

As always - just a thought or two.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivate Me to Better Health and Fitness STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Motivate me to exercise DATE: 02/02/2009 11:37:09 PM ----- BODY:

Doing some form of exercise every day is vital. It keeps your body fit and supple, the muscles firm, the skin healthy and clothes just look better on you.

I also feel something of a hypocrite saying that. I should know because it's the one thing I haven't done over the last few weeks and now my body is suffering. You see, health and fitness is not something that can be bottled and saved for a rainy day, as in those days you really can't be bothered to get out of the chair and into the gym or out into the cold, wet evenings. Or in our case, living as we do down under into the heat and humidity. What can I say - we all have weather problems that can impact on our desire to exercise.

My problem hasn't been weather related though, rather my self-imposed self-sacrificing that I do. What I mean by that is I always put other people's needs first - and in this case it has impacted on my health and fitness in more ways than one.

As you know I have been playing host to relatives in recent times. And there never seemed to be a minute when I wasn't organising something..be it food, entertainment or tour guide duties. I felt that if I took time out to go and exercise I would be neglecting my duties as hostess. I know - call me stupid, call me - anything you like. But one thing I have noticed is this - you have to have time for yourself to work. And I don't just mean to get some exercise - although that is a good start. But time away from the crowds to do what you need to do.

We all need our own space, and as you know my office is right in the middle of the house, which is open plan and I am constantly being interrupted...which is another good reason to get out of the house and do some exercise. Peace and quiet.

Please learn from my mistakes. Some things should never be compromised and your health and fitness is one, and peace of mind is another.

And yes, the last two days I have increased the amount of incidental exercise I do - quite simply I make my guests walk further. But I have also gotten up earlier and made exercising the first thing I do - not the last thing I think about.

And that's worth thinking about.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: She'll be right mate! STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/14/2008 10:15:53 AM ----- BODY:
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Today's daily dose: She'll be right mate!   
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It's a typical Australian saying - she'll be right. People who usually say it are those who have decided to settle for whatever comes their way - whether that's good or bad.

Are you settling for whatever comes your way? Or are you one of the few people who've decided that today it's not all right. In fact you're fed up with thinking things are going to get better, and doing nothing to make things better.

When you "think" but don't act on those thoughts by making the changes you know you need to make, not only are you denying yourself the opportunity to be better, to live a "better" life than the one you are currently living. But you are deluding yourself into thinking that thinking will get you out of the rut you find yourself in.

But surely that's not you, not after all this time.

Let others think "things will be right mate" when you take action, no matter how small - you can smile and say with confidence "you know what, you're absolutely right".
----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ben EMAIL: IP: 70.155.101.226 URL: DATE: 10/14/2008 03:28:40 PM Always, a pleasure, Elle!

Thanks for the quick "hold still for a second and look at the big picture" you are giving many days with your thoughts. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 59.100.241.151 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 10/14/2008 11:13:39 PM You're most welcome Ben
Have a great day
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Increase productivity: Stop worrying over nothing STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination CATEGORY: Breaking bad habits CATEGORY: How to overcome procrastination DATE: 02/07/2009 01:31:19 AM ----- BODY:

"Why is it, that no matter how busy we are, we always find time to worry" - P K Shaw

How many times have you spent sleepless nights worrying?
How many times did the thing you worried and agonised over never happen?

It's like waking up every morning and worrying what the weather is going to do today, or whether you will find a parking spot. We worry about what people think about us. We worry about what other people are doing. We are worrying about things we have NO direct control over.

When you stop and think about it objectively. You cannot control anyone but you. You can control your thoughts and your actions. And that's it. You can't control anyone else's thoughts or actions - at all. You may be able to influence them somewhat, you may bully people into doing things, or you may use the guilt thing - but that is never a positive way to influence people. Influence people by the way you act.

When you consider that your future lies in your hands and no-one elses - then the true changes will begin to happen. You will decide what it is you want to do, be and achieve, and you can do it if you stop filling your mind and your life with useless and wasteful worrying.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ben EMAIL: IP: 74.244.8.236 URL: DATE: 02/07/2009 09:08:09 PM I always enjoy your Daily Dose, Ellen. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kat EMAIL: IP: 76.113.109.170 URL: DATE: 02/08/2009 06:21:09 PM I had a full day yesterday with many different aspects of life from fun teaching dance class, to a memorial service, work related email asking for reports, back to a dance performance. So lot's of high's and lows. Exhausted I meditated before bed and went to sleep... 3:10 it all surfaced back and the focus was on work, but I have been working to set myself straight and know that only I have control of my situations and I can change my attitude and make things better. I know this and so I renegotiated with my worrying mind to assure I do not manifest the worst by bringing it to myself I would need to readjust my thoughts and go to the thing that was the best part of the whole day. This helped and I was able to quell the worrying and go back to sleep. However, this has taken months of continual practice to change my thoughts and not always successful based on past bad habits, I am getting better. Funny you wrote about this today...

Thanks as always you nailed it! KAT ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: IP: 61.69.133.214 URL: DATE: 02/09/2009 12:15:34 PM Thanks to both of you for those comments, it makes my day to read them and to know the Daily Dose is still inspiring you. Kat - I call it synchronicity - wherever we are in the world, there will be someone going through what we are going through, which makes our burdens slightly easier to bear.

Someone once told me that before she went to bed at night - she decided who she wanted sleeping with her. You see - every time you go to bed angry - that's the person you are taking to bed with you - which is something to think about.

Have a great day

Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Reviewing the old STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/19/2008 01:51:58 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Reviewing the old
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Yesterday I asked you to complete a personal writing assignment, I hope you managed to set aside some time and complete the task. As you all know by now, the only way to overcome the procrastination habit is by doing "stuff". But it's also important to remember to do the right stuff. We can all get excited about projects and run blindly down the road only to find ourselves at the end of a dark alley with no idea how on earth we ended up there.

That's the problem with planning, actually that's a problem with not planning, and just as importantly, not reviewing your plan on a regular basis. Sounds boring doesn't it. But consider this. You don't just get into your car, turn on the ignition and tell it where you need to go. Well I don't know of a car that can do that just yet. Even cars fitted with Sat Nav still needs you to do something. Namely "drive". And every second you are making minute adjustments to the vehicle as you go along. You have your ultimate goal, and you know what you need to do to get there, but it's never a straight road, and there will be holdups and delays and yes millions of minor course adjustments.

Yesterday's list was not just an idle exercise into remembering how brilliant we were /are. Take one of the bigger items on your list. You choose I don't mind. And remember the steps you took in order to achieve it. If you are anything like me, there was as much sideways movement, a lot of trial and error as I learned what I needed to learn in order to move forwards.

Take the website for instance. MotivateMe has gone through 3 incarnations so far and will go through another one very shortly. Each version has built on previous knowledge and completed work. I certainly could not have created the site you see today without some serious input from other talented people, plus the work that had gone before. Just like the old cliche - you need to learn how to walk before you can run, and crawl before you can walk.

But - with each completed task and achieved goal, your review time is much, much shorter. Once you have looked at a major goal, now of course it is time to get the new goal list out and apply the old learning to the new item and you won't find yourself running headlong into blind alleys - saying "how did I get here?" and having to turn around again. If there is anything that kills productivity dead, it's having to go back over old ground, and take many backwards steps....unless you are any good at wall climbing that is.

Reviewing your past achievements = less time taken to achieve new goals.


With many thoughts
Elle

To add your comments -

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Today's blog entry - On self concept
The concept of self is important. Our self concept is what makes you, you and me - me. It is the core of who and what we are and what we are capable of.
http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/10/18/on-self-concept.html
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Waiting for others STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 10/27/2008 10:57:51 AM ----- BODY:

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Today's daily dose: Waiting for others
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If you are waiting for other people, you will have to "walk" at their pace.

Take any kind of project which involves other people. The project will only move forward as quickly as the slowest person, or the lowest common denominator. If your entire team cannot see the benefit of moving the project forward quickly, it won't.

So what can you do?

Make sure your team know the reason for and the benefits to be gained from whatever task / project / goal you have set them. Everyone wants to know "What's In It For Me" - and workplaces are no different.

If you have a chronic malingerer - and you need the project to move quickly - then a replacement may need to happen.

Although you need to check project scope, time lines and deliverable dates before getting too grumpy. But you can almost always find someone in an office environment who drags the team down with excuses as to why they couldn't do something. We all know the kind of person we're talking about here, the one who always says "well it's alright for you, but I am so busy with - " you can fill in your own blank. These are usually the same people who find time to have extended lunch breaks and spend hours on the phone to random friends and acquaintances. But whether they get any kind of sustained productivity has always been open to debate.

Now, before we go on, please check your ego at the door and make sure you're not the project slouch.

Or if you know who the project slouch is, you might like a quick word in their ear about sharing the work load, doing their bit and the classic "team work" springs to mind. But sometimes, it doesn't matter what is being said to these people, they will do what they want and only what they want, regardless of the consequences.

Now am I saying if you want something doing, then you'd best do it yourself? Well no. But it's well worth remembering. If you work with other people, rarely will they work to your level. However, as we have mentioned, it is worth checking your own level occassionally as there will be times when we can still pick up the slack. And you know I'm right.

Speak soon

Elle

To add your comments -

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Today's blog post: Open Plan Living
I don't know whether open plan living spaces is uniquely Australian, or just a West Australian concept - but sometimes it would be nice to have doors on some of the rooms in this house. Read more at: http://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/10/26/open-plan-living.html
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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Rob Wallis EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 168.150.194.199 URL: www.thewalllisgroup.com DATE: 10/27/2008 10:48:41 PM Waiting for others to act is always something that has driven me crazy. your priorities are simply not the same as everyone else's. In order to get things done, sometimes you have to make your needs explicitly clear--Rob ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 10/28/2008 01:51:43 AM And isn't that the truth Rob. BUt i've known instances where they were stated, and the person still didn't do what they were supposed to...and they got away with it. More fool management I suppose.

Cheers, Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Which comes first - the energy or the motivation? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Motivation techniques CATEGORY: Motivate me to exercise DATE: 02/11/2009 01:07:38 AM ----- BODY:

Which comes first - the energy (aka motivation) to do the exercise or increased energy from doing the exercise.

Personally I feel that the answer is both are right and both come first...

We can motivate ourselves to do some exercise, and if we do enough at the right intensity we get the "serotonin" high. (BTW The serotonin high is also called the runners high.)

Quite simply - the serotonin high makes us feel good, which gives us the motivation and the to do other things.

Now, one thing I will say - and speaking from experience. I have always managed about 5 or 6 days of going hell for leather and then I have to stop. And the reason is an interesting one - It's because I have run out of fuel. When we decide to "eat better" and do more exercise it's usually because we've decided we need to lose some weight. What do we do - we cut back on food, and consequently our bodies run out of steam. We don't expect our cars to run without petrol, so why do we expect our bodies to work when we're not feeding it. Now we can probably all do with modifying our eating behaviours - cutting out some of the excess fats and sugars we find in so many processed foods - but we should be adding more natural foods to our diets. Foods that take longer to break down in the body giving us sustained energy for longer periods. Rolled oats are a good example.

So if you are looking to improve your diet, increase your energy levels and gain the benefits from exercising as well - remember - all things impact on each other. If you're running out of steam after a couple of days of increased activity - check to see whether you are eating enough good foods. And no I am not a dietician or a health professional - I just have a lifetime of studying my own body and its needs.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: On Motivation STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination DATE: 11/04/2008 09:21:25 AM ----- BODY:

A comment from a new reader prompted today's message, and is one of my all time favourite mantras.

If you have trouble motivating yourself, you will have trouble motivating others.

There are no magic bullets to this one. At MotivateMe we're not into offering platitudes that don't work - but if you come on our course at - fill in an exorbitant amount of money - but try and offer you practical solutions, that you can use today.

If you have people who look up to you, and they're not very inspired, you may need to look at yourself and your own energy levels and output as an indicator of the state of the general environment.

Now there is always a caveat - you cannot rely on external happiness generators to create the motivation. Motivation has to come from within.

What do you want, what do you want to achieve - and the final but most important question of the day - WHY. Without the why, you won't understand why you can or cannot be motivated to do something.

Find your why and more often than not you will find your motivation to achievement.

Kind Regards

Elle

To add your comments or join in the discussion-

p.s. I hope I haven't offended too many of you with today's message. But you should know me better by now. And you can always tell me how wrong I am if you like - politely please, no nasty messages tolerated.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Moving forwards: Yesterday is over STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Beat procrastination DATE: 02/12/2009 09:16:38 PM ----- BODY:

Yesterday is over. Finished. It will never and I do mean NEVER be repeated - and I don't know the Dr personally so can't borrow the TARDIS for you - so you can't go back and unsay those unkind words you uttered. Nor can you go back to yesterday and complete the work you were supposed to do, but never got around to because you spent too much time doing things you shouldn't have done.

The thing is, we don't treat our yesterday's with the respect they deserve. Nor do we appreciate these days for what they are. In the main they are lost opportunities. Lost because we didn't do what we know we should have done. Lost because we wasted those few precious moments to do what would enhance our lives rather than detract from them. Instead we treat each day as if there were hundreds or thousands of other days to come. But how long do we have? The eternal question - but one that is easily answered. If you treat today like it is your last day on earth - sooner or later - it will be.

If we have just one shot at this thing called life, and we won't know who has the definitive answer until we are on the other side - and by then of course we can't warn our friends and family members of what lies ahead...then surely we shouldn't waste a moment more. Not if we know what we want and are willing to do anything and everything to get there and achieve it. It may be that your goal is to be the best wife and mother / father you can be. Or the best doctor, or lawyer, or nurse or gardener. But how about - being the best person you can be. The best student, the best employee. With global downturns it is important to ensure we don't take anything for granted. So - today I don't want you to have regrets about yesterday. Today I want you to say - I did well yesterday, but today I am going to do so much more, and I am going to be so much better at it. So come tomorrow, when you look back at yesterday - you know you will be right.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: On learning a new skill STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Mentoring and Coaching CATEGORY: Leadership DATE: 11/05/2008 09:49:08 AM ----- BODY:

One of the quickest ways to learn a new skill is to be taught by someone who already knows how to do it.

Which makes me wonder why we always insist on doing things ourselves, in our own way - making endless mistakes before we finally "get it". Why? When we can shorten the learning process by asking someone to show us.

Are we afraid of being thought stupid by asking? Or are we quite happy to reinforce our inability to do something, and then throw up our hands in despair when we can't. What happens then is we have also just reinforced our mind's assumption that we always fail at new tasks, so why bother trying to learn anything new at all !!

So, lets assume you are afraid of asking someone - there are other ways of learning, so why not use one or more of them.

1. Read - what steps did someone take to overcome your problem or issue? Follow their "advice" and apply their knowledge and see what a difference that makes.

2. Watch - You can watch from affair - as in - peer over a person's shoulder. But sometimes you need to make the moves at the same time before you get it.

3. Imagine yourself doing it. As you watch - imagine that you can do whatever it is.

4. Get someone you don't know to teach you. If you are afraid of asking someone you know then get a "professional" to teach you. The world is awash with Coaches, mentors, teachers and trainers. The difficulty will be choosing the one who works for you.

5. Swallow your fear and ask them anyway. There is nothing more pleasing to be acknowledged as the "expert" in something and can you pass on your knowledge and skill to someone else. Put the shoe on someone else's foot. We can all see what other people need to do, so turn it around and see if those things apply to you as well.

6. Learn non-consciously. Listen whilst you are in the car. Read positive things before you turn out the light before going to sleep. Now I am not saying you should read affirmations - but consider that everything you put into your mind just before you go to sleep is what your mind will be focussing on during your sleep processing time, and it makes sense to turn the blood and guts off the TV a considerable time before you go to bed. I have a stack of books next to my bed, and I choose one and read anything from a couple of pages to a couple of chapters before turning out the light. And it can be everything from a how to manual to a business parable book. Choose the material you want to absorb and read it just before you go to sleep to gain the maximum benefit. That's why it's also important to make sure you don't fall asleep watching the TV and / or Radio (especially commercial radio).

We have so much capacity to learn new things, yet few people make the time to do so. Learning doesn't stop the minute you leave school or university - but carries on throughout your lives. Or should do. How many books / articles have you read this year? What new things have you tried?

Go on challenge yourself just a little. Believe me it's worth the growing pains.

Kind Regards

Elle

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 11/06/2008 01:25:25 AM As an aside and I should have mentioned this in the post - my son was trying to work out the rubix cube...but couldn't get any more than three sides (I only managed 2 the first time around) - until that is a friend taught him what to do. He had in turn been taught by someone else and so it went on. Now, no matter how complex I make the cube - he can solve the puzzle because he knows how to solve the problem as a whole and is no longer looking at the puzzle from a single dimension. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Simplify your life: Achieve your goals STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement DATE: 02/17/2009 09:45:17 AM ----- BODY:

If you can't find what you need when you need to find it I would suggest you need to clean up your life. Actually to be more accurate you need to simplify your life. Clutter allows us to procrastinate. The more "stuff" you have the more you are likely you are to waste time, cleaning, tidying, putting things away. The more time you spend cleaning "stuff" up, the less time you will have to work on your dreams and goals.

It may not be spring where you are - but any day is a good day to decide to get rid of the clutter and simplify your life.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Remembering those who served STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Philosophy DATE: 11/12/2008 10:05:05 AM ----- BODY:

Yesterday was "remembrance day". A day when we say thank you to those people who served in the many conflicts, trying to protect their countries, their fellow soldiers countries and the families of everyone back home (wherever that was). My father served in the Cyprus conflict and bore the scars to prove it. Every November 11 we stood (usually in the freezing rain - well it was England) in our uniforms (I went through the Brownie Guides and the Girl Guides - and yes gained my Queen's Guide) to say thank you for doing what you did.

Today more than ever, with conflicts raging across the globe we need to remember those who give up their time, their energy and oftentimes their lives so that we may enjoy our lives.

And if that is the case - when people are willing to die for us, are we not willing to do everything we possibly can to help ourselves be better today. Do better things today? And help our families, friends and our clients and customers.

So before you start whingeing about how bad your life is. Think about how different your life would be if you'd been on the "other side".

---------------------------
Today's thought to ponder:
"Wanting to be someone you're not is a waste of the person you are."
Kurt Cobain
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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivation: Deciding what is important to you STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination DATE: 02/22/2009 03:27:50 AM ----- BODY:

It's easy to get distracted by every day life. Only by deciding what is truly important to you will you make the decision to change self defeating behaviours to ones that work for you.

If you keep telling yourself you will go on that diet - when all the food is gone from the cupboard whilst absent mindedly stuffing a bag of chips into your mouth - you'll never do it. You can't keep fooling yourself into thinking things will get better when the time is right. There is no right time, the only time is now. So today I need you to decide what is important for you to achieve by the end of today. Are you willing to let distractions get to you. Are you willing to get to the end of today and say - well I sat on my butt and played xyz game all day. I improved my score but my homework didn't get done - but hey that doesn't matter. Only you can decide what matters.

And then of course, once you have decided what matters - will you get on and do what you need to do. You see if it matters to you, you will do it. If you can't be bothered to do it - then it obviously doesn't matter does it.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivate me to eat better - food as fuel STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health DATE: 02/23/2009 10:44:59 AM ----- BODY:

On my walk this evening I was thinking about the relationship I have with food. You know, the when and why of why we eat what we do and when we do it. And then as I was walking I started to shift my focus from food as something I need to fill whatever gap I think is in my life, to the simple idea of food as fuel, and how when I have tried to lose weight and get fit in the past - the first thing I would do would be to cut down my entire caloric intake to try and force my body to use the stored fat as fuel.

Sounds like a plan doesn't it, after all that's what a lot of the experts tell you to do. Well I now have a problem with that theory, given that I could never sustain the effort vs energy input for very long on the diet I was trying to live with.

Imagine your body is a car. What happens if you don't put fuel in the car? It doesn't move does it - unless you happen to be parked on a hill and can coast down a little. And that's what I was trying to do. I was trying to run my car on very little fuel. I could kick start the engine a little with whatever fuel was in the tank but sooner or later I would be running on empty.

And yes I would give in, say this isn't working and go back to what I was doing before. Which meant that at the other extreme I would be sitting in my "car" surrounded by fuel. It had over flowed the tank and I was drowning in it. It's very hard to exercise when you are surrounded by an excess amount of fuel, all you want to do is wallow in it.

So, how do you know whether you are filling your personal "car" with way too much fuel than your body needs to function?

Well the answer is quite simple. You can usually tell by the honest appraisal of what you look like with no clothes on standing in front of the bathroom mirror. If that thought fills you with dread, then check the labels on your clothes, the number of notches on your belt or the numbers on the bathroom scales. Now if you want to go back a few years to check out what you looked like then - get the photo albums out. And be honest with yourself.

So how do you determine what is the right amount of fuel for your body without calorie counting. Well this one comes down to trial and error - but why not up the exercise without cutting the fuel down. If you start to lose size and weight, then you're body is using more fuel than is being put in the tank - and depending on how many fuel cells your body has - this may be a good thing. But there is one more thing to remember here - fat takes up twice as much space for the same amount of weight as muscle. So you may be looking thinner, but weigh the same. But one thing to remember, once your body has nice lean muscle - it needs fuel to keep it moving, so change the exercise around a little, eat some more quality fuel and see the changes.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Planning ahead: Make each day a productive one STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/24/2009 09:36:53 AM ----- BODY:

You may not get stuck in traffic going to work. You may not miss your train / bus. You may not be kept waiting for an appointment or meeting. But then again you might.

Are you prepared for downtime that is of none of your making? Or are you just going to sit there and fume?

If everything seems like it is out of your control, and there is nothing you can do to change whatever circumstances you are faced with, then you need to think about being a little bit more organised for next time.

When will you know when there will be a next time. Well you don't - but that doesn't mean you can't be prepared for it.

  1. Make sure you have something good to listen to on the car stereo or your personal MP3 player.
  2. If you have little people with you, then just as you make sure they have food, drinks and toys to keep them amused - do the same thing for yourself.
  3. Carry at least one notebook and a pen so you can make plans and jot down suggestions for great business ideas, book treatments, or why not spend the time writing some letters.

As always many thoughts for a much more productive day

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Abhijit EMAIL: IP: 128.163.7.129 URL: DATE: 03/04/2009 09:05:52 PM Nice.. i luvd it.. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 03/11/2009 10:01:55 AM Thank you

All the best

Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Find the teachers, learn the lessons STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Business Management CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Business Philosophy CATEGORY: Motivational Books DATE: 02/25/2009 10:36:20 AM ----- BODY:

Words have the power to move you, to inspire you, to make you think and make you question, and depending on the author can bore you rigid and send you to sleep - but we're not talking about THOSE kinds, we're talking about the words that have made a difference to your life so far. The worlds wisdom condensed into easy to hold and handle formats. I prefer "books" to electronic versions. We spend so much time in our electronic worlds it can be nice to curl up in a chair and enter someone else's world - just for a while. Personally I find it hard to curl up in a chair and type at the same time. So, when I want to "read" I pick a book and delve into the depths.

I have had many books inspire me over the years. From classics to poetry, plays to haunting stories that I don't need to read again because the words have stayed with me (and sometimes for the wrong reasons). But there are a whole slew of books I have sitting on a shelf in front of my office desk - books that have inspired me in more ways than one to be a better person than I was yesterday, books that will challenge me every time I re-read them.

Yes I did say re-read. Every so often I start re-reading all the books on that shelf. It may take me a while and I am a fast reader, but I will go back through each one and find new information tucked away I hadn't seen the first time around. And that book shelf is constantly changing. I have books everywhere. As I was saying to a friend - I need to buy a different house so I can have a proper library this time instead of my painted one. And yes you can see where I love to work and spend time curled up in my chair reading, learning, absorbing, challenging myself and my business practices.

Do you re-read the books that have had a profound impact on your life already - don't you think they can do that again?

Are you serious about getting on - then you too need to become a student of life, and what better way than to find people who have already been there and given you a road map to show you the way.
I find those kinds of people in the contacts I have made - through facebook, twitter and LinkedIn and of course in person through the many different business dealings I have. And of those people I can't meet in person - either through geographical or historical reasons I find their printed words and read their stories, see what inspired them to be better,

Everyone you meet in person or read their words can be a teacher if you are willing to learn - are you? I know I am.

With many thoughts
Elle

 

p.s. I forgot to say the pics are in the gallery - http://www.motivateme.info/gallery/me-myself-i/

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The art of procrastination STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination CATEGORY: Action DATE: 11/13/2008 08:00:48 AM ----- BODY:

The art of procrastination

I'm sure we've all worked with people who have turned procrastination into an art form.

I worked in one organisation where one person would spend the first part of every morning walking around the 3 floors saying good morning to everyone. Now I'm not saying that person didn't work hard when they were at their desk, just that every morning I would see the person walking round hoping everyone would have a great day. I worked with about a hundred people in those days.

And then there was a gentleman who managed to explain why he couldn't attend any meetings because (insert excuse) - I actually don't know when this person actually did any work. But I do know he had learned the art of procrastination.

If you ever use the phrases:

Then I would say that you too are learning the art of procrastination, and it may be time to decide what it is you want to get out of life. Are you happy stopping other people doing their work because you couldn't schedule the task into your day (hint - customer service people especially in IT centres) then give a proper estimate of when you will be able to get to the job. WE do know what it's like to be busy and productive, so stop trying to make out your job is more important than ours. Oh and by the way, most of us aren't blond and will only call when we have a genuine can't do it ourselves reason.

Does this sound like a whinge? Well, yes and no. Just a reminder that we are all guilty of sometimes doing less than we should, and then pretending to be busier than we are. Another hint - everyone can tell.


With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Goal Achievement: Play to your strengths STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Action DATE: 03/02/2009 02:19:58 AM ----- BODY:

March is an interesting time in the calendar year as it marks the first quarter point. If you have set your goals for the year - and please tell me that you have set yourself some goals for 2009, then March is a good time to determine whether or not you are on track to meet your targets or not. Is the goal you set for yourself too low, have you beaten your target for the year already? If you have then you should raise the bar just a little higher and start work again, or are you going to spend the rest of the year on a desert island sipping cocktails? Actually that sounds like a really nice idea at the moment.

But what happens if your goal is way off, you didn't meet your target during the first 2 months of the year, and it doesn't look like you will achieve anything like the target by year's end. Well a couple of questions - did you set the bar too high? If you did, then you might want to consider lowering it - just so that it is just out of reach as opposed to over the hill and far far away. If you don't you will probably get very discouraged - and it's hard to stay motivated when you know you are battling through treacle.

Of course you may not be on target because your goal is too "ho hum" - it's an OK goal, and if I reach it - hey that's a good thing. No it's not actually - if your goal is so wishy washy you have trouble saying what it is - then it's not a goal, heck it's not even a dream - more of a well you told me to set a goal for myself and that was all I could think of. No, no, no, no, no! A goal has to be something that excites you, that gets you up in a morning and pokes you in the eye with the insistence that you do something on it NOW. It should play to your strengths, and builds on your skills and abilities, so that you grow as a person. A goal isn't just about the end point - but every single step you had to take in order to achieve it. That's what is important about having a goal - what kind of person do you have to become in order to reach that target? Do you have to become better in your telephone techniques? Do you have to take some more classes? Do you need some assistance? Do you want it? And I mean really want it? Are you willing to not do certain things so you can devote more time to those daily tasks you need to do today. Each task of course is one of the tiny steps we spoke about earlier. Each tiny decision we make impacts on the speed in which we reach our goals.

So as the beginning of March is here, now is the time to evaluate yourself and your goals. Are you playing to your strengths or are you swimming through treacle?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Stop procrastinating and just phone STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement DATE: 11/15/2008 08:09:05 AM ----- BODY:

Stop procrastinating and just phone

"Will you just pick up the phone and call him"

Well I just need to plan what I am going to say

"No you are just procrastinating, cos you don't think he's going to like what you've got to tell him and you're afraid"

OK I'm procrastinating

"And?"

OK I'll phone

So went a conversation I had with my daughter recently. She was not doing something she knew would be painful for her to do. But she also knew the problem was not going away or going to resolve itself until she had indeed picked up the phone and called. The conversation when it did happen took 2 minutes and wasn't an issue. But it took about 20 minutes of effort to avoid doing it.

Sometimes we can all be guilty of delaying things because we fear the outcome, and will spend many hours, days and months avoiding the task - only to find when it absolutely couldn't be put off any longer, when it was do now or else there is going to be serious ramifications do people get on and do those dreaded tasks, usually to find they were not as bad as they thought they were going to be.

When you let fear and doubt rule your life, you will never get anything done. And that is why one simple act may be all that is required to turn your life around. What one thing can you do right now that you know you've been putting off because you fear the outcome? So why not do it and see how easy it was to resolve.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The 7 principles of success STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Success and Failure DATE: 11/16/2008 02:33:27 AM ----- BODY:

Today's daily dose: The 7 principles of success

I've been going througha series of old notebooks recently and came across this. I thought wow - good job you were going through those notebooks, this is a gem. My second thought was - you really should have better record keeping (irony for those who know me) and my last immediate thought was - because you need to share these insights with your readers. Sorry it's taken me so long to find this one. My fault entirely. But I hope you think the wait was worth while.

The 7 principles of success

There are few things that make a successful person. It doesn't matter what job they do, these fundamental principles make the difference between the average person and the truly successful person, and the also rans from the average. Now you will probably have your own top 7 things that makes a successful person successful, but these are mine, and I'm sure you'll agree, if you follow these 7 fundamentals then you too stand a much better chance of being successful.

1. Successful people turn up


2. Successful people work when they are supposed to work and play when they are supposed to not be working. They don't mix the two. Where most people fall down is by mixing the two and spend more time socialising at work than they do working. Then when they get home, they're racked with guilt and start working when they should be at home with their families. Learn to work at work and you will succeed where most other people fail.


3. Successful people accept that sometimes things are going to fall over and fall off, but they accept that's what happens and they deal with it when it does. And they take responsibility for what has happened and they don't blame other people for their own errors in judgement.


4. Successful people don't see problems as stopping points. They take the time to re-assess the strategies that worked, and the ones that didn't. Then they make sure their new actions follow the former rather than the latter.


5. Successful people look to the future, because that's where they will be living the rest of their lives.


6. Successful people are mindful of the past, after all we need to remember the lessons. But there is a more important reason - they know that all the decisions they made yesterday and the many yesterdays that preceded it, are impacting on what they can do today and what they will achieve.


7. Successful people have a good support network. They know they cannot do it alone and don't even attempt to. They have mentors and coaches and meetings with like minded people. They have families and friends who support them and they have people who work with them and for them to allow them to achieve their dreams and goals. How good is your network?

Create your own 7 reasons for success, write them down, stick them onto a wall so you can see them and live your life according to those principles and you will see your success rate climb.

With many thoughts

Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Josh Hinds EMAIL: IP: 216.220.216.170 URL: http://www.getmotivation.com DATE: 11/16/2008 02:49:59 AM Good stuff Elle. All great points. #7 good support network was especially right on :-)

Thanks for what you do... Josh ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Consider the consequences STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Life balance DATE: 11/17/2008 11:31:18 AM ----- BODY:

Today's daily dose: Consider the consequences
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Today's message is one to consider as we move into what I term "the silly season". Remember, our choices and decisions can have a major impact on other people, and not always immediately.

Consider the consequences of going to drinks after work.

We may decide to have a drink or two and then decide to drive home. We don't think our reaction times will be affected, but we fail to take into consideration any of the other factors. Tiredness, other people's reaction times, the darkness etc, Occasionally we may get away with drinking and driving. We didn't have an accident, and we weren't pulled over by the cops. But there may come a time when we do impact on other people - in a big way when we do have an accident. We may hurt or kill ourselves and / or the other driver and his passengers or own passengers. We also need to consider the impact we will have on the police, fire and rescue and ambulance crews who now have to fix your mistake as best they can before taking the bent and broken bodies to the hospital or the funeral home.

You may lose your licence and / or your liberty. And all because of your decision to drink and drive.
Of course your short-term choices may not have an immediate impact. Too much alcohol over a long period of time. Cigarettes, food and illicit substances may not be obvious for months if not years but eventually the impact of each seemingly insignificant choice will be felt by members of your family as they watch you undergo treatment for the many health problems you now have.

At the end of the day - you have a choice. But please remember those choices will have an impact on other people. Question is - are you still willing to make those same choices now?

With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Achieving goals that matter STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement DATE: 03/08/2009 07:14:35 AM ----- BODY:

Anyone can set goals. Not everyone can be bothered to achieve them.

Those people who are always saying - one day I'm going to .... are the ones who's goals don't mean anything to them. They're not rich enough, or powerful enough to make them get out of bed in the morning. By rich I mean in detail. If your goal is rich in detail, how can you not be excited about them? Believe me when I say - if you're not excited about your dreams and goals - then how are you going to get anyone else to be excited about them either?

Goals need to matter to you. You need a big enough reason to set them in the first place but have the drive and ambition to complete them. People who don't know very much about goal achievement don't understand a goal is a road. The road may twist and turn or it may take you straight there. The difference is you and the reasons why you want to achieve them.

When the why is big enough, the how will take care of itself. And the road will be a smoother, straighter one.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Starting a new goal STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Time Management DATE: 11/29/2008 04:08:23 AM ----- BODY:

Today is the day. You've decided you're going to start working on that new goal. You know what it is you want. You've visualised the outcome and what it will look like after you've finished - and you have a sort of plan to get you through the maze.

And then reality sets in - you're not going to have time to do ALL that. No way will you have time to fit all the new tasks and bits and pieces in AND do everything you currently do. And that is where most goals fail. People see what needs to be done and quite frankly it scares them witless - so they decide (rightly or wrongly) that they're quite happy with what they've got thanks very much.

Now, there are some of you reading this who will have no idea what it's like to be faced with that kind of paralysing fear. They're goal setters and more importantly - goal achievers. Which can also be a bad thing sometimes when you have a fixation upon what you want to the detriment sometimes of everything else.

OK, lets just stop a minute. A goal doesn't have to be completed in five minutes - if it were, then you've just completed a task - not a goal item. A goal is a journey. You begin, you get diverted, you encounter road blocks and you keep on trucking for mile after endless mile. Take dieting and exercise - day after day of eating less than your body uses in fuel. Learning how to run a hundred metres, then two hundred...then a kilometre, then 5 km's - it takes time and it takes a lot of effort.

But to put any goal into any kind of perspective I use my house as a constant reminder. Every day I have to do some kind of maintenance on it. Dishes, putting shoes away - that sort of thing. And most goals are like that...you do a little bit every day, consolidating on yesterday's cleaning and tidying, and yes sometimes going back over the same ground until you are able to make inroads into whatever it is you are trying to achieve. But if you try and clean the entire house in one day, all you end up with is a sore back and frayed nerves (or is that just me?) - and you may be tempted to cut the corners a little.

So, break down your big goal (cleaning the WHOLE house) into manageable tasks (each room) add a little bit of time and effort and - goal completed.

So is today the day you "clean house"?

With many thoughts

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Asleep at the wheel STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 11/30/2008 03:00:59 AM ----- BODY:

What do I mean by asleep at the wheel?

Well, people who are asleep behind the wheel are headed for one thing - a full stop, a crash, a brick wall or a tree. Actually that's more than one thing, but they all mean the same thing. If you are not taking responsibility for the car in which you are sitting, then you are at the mercy of whatever comes up - and you can't do anything about it.

Now there are some people who enjoy this - they like being the victim of whatever gets thrown at them, and keeps getting thrown at them - you see victims like to think it's not their fault. Well of course it wasn't MY fault - I was asleep.

Of course it was YOUR fault - you couldn't be bothered to stay awake long enough to participate in this thing called LIFE. Your habits are your life, your life is a habit.

You see people who are asleep at the wheel don't like to make decisions, but they may not like the decisions other people or circumstances make for them either, so what happens with people like this - is they whine and whinge about how unfair life is, and how unfair their treatment has been.

When people (not you of course because you are already taking responsibility for your life) begin to respect themselves, and take responsibility for their lives, they can of course make choices about which direction they want to go in. They begin to drive their lives because it matters to them to do so. They're not content to keep hitting the same brick wall over and over again, but will start to make the decisions and choices that will make a huge difference to the way their lives turn out.

So what can you do with people like this?

Actually not very much - all you can do is point out that not making a decision IS making a decision, and if they don't like what you've chosen to do - then you can also point out you are not their entertainment manager, housekeeper or director of their lives, just your own. And if they don't like it, well then they are going to have to make some choices themselves - and walk away and let them get on with it. And the reason is simple, they will drag you down and force you into inaction because they don't like to think you're going to succeed - after all they can't so why should you.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Natural inspiration STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivational Movies DATE: 12/05/2008 09:44:13 AM ----- BODY:

When all around is doom and gloom - remember there are some things that can still inspire.

Today's edition of the daily dose takes just 4 minutes of your time, the movie was sent to me and I have permission to on-send it to my family and friends.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

http://www.naturesinspirationmovie.com/

Kind Regards

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Forming good habits STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 12/08/2008 11:57:02 AM ----- BODY:

It may seem easier to form "bad" habits than it does to form good ones, but the process is the same.

No really it is.

Take any of the "normal" bad habits - smoking, drinking, eating too much of the "wrong" thing. Why do we do them? Well more often than not it is because we enjoy them or the feeling these things give to you. So surely if we can form bad habits because we want to do them and we enjoy the feeling and the emotional response we get - surely if we change our thinking about those things we know we need to do - but don't do as often as we should, then it should stand to reason we can create any new habit we want.

If you enjoy it and want to do it, then you will carry on doing it. So - pick one of those areas you should be cultivating - and enjoy the process. And if that is hard in the beginning - then fake it til you make it.

Pretend you are enjoying the walk, feeling the breeze on your skin, hearing the birds and the bugs, watch the clouds scud across the sky. Use the walking time to catch up on your music or your talking books, compose a book with each step - if you talk into a dictaphone while you walk, each step will take you closer to the finished item.

Or if a more healthy diet is your thing, then stop what you are doing when you are about to start eating. Enjoy the process of crunching through the skin of an applie. Inhale the scent, lick the drips of juice off your fingers. Savour the sweet water as it slides down your throat. And close your eyes whilst you are doing it. Eating is one of our greatest pleasures, yet we eat on the run and whatever we can lay our hands on. And what's even worse than that? Most of the time we don't even know what we've just eaten. So, slow down the process for a while. Pretend it is the only thing in the entire world you have to do right now and create a new habit of enjoyment.

With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Hellen EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.corralmystuff.com DATE: 12/09/2008 05:40:56 AM Ah Elle, what poetry there is in this writing.... a delight to read. I could actually experience that apple as I read the words you so eloquently described.

I am so pleased to have found this site. One minute confronting and challenging, the next pure poetry and time to absorb each message. Because there are so many hidden messages within each "story" if you care to look.

Many, many thanks
HDN ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Seth EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 72.70.120.78 URL: www.thedatingpapers.com DATE: 12/09/2008 07:05:28 AM Thanks for the encouragement to begin forming good habits RIGHT NOW! I made a New Year's resolution to run a specific distance each week...for the weeks leading up to the new year. It's been a pain to schedule the time for the runs but by the time new year's rolls around, it'll be a habit!

I. wish. I. had. an. apple. You are a vicious writer. I am only stocked with oranges!

Best to you.

Seth ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: ME EMAIL: IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: DATE: 12/10/2008 05:37:30 AM And talking of oranges, John Steinbeck wrote in the grapes of wrath -

"There is a crime here that goes beyond denunciation. There is a sorrow here that weeping cannot symbolize. There is a failure here that topples all our success. The fertile earth, the straight tree rows, the sturdy trunks, and the ripe fruit. And children dying of pellagra must die because a profit cannot be taken from an orange. And coroners must fill in the certificates – dies of malnutrition – because the food must rot, must be forced to rot.
The people come with nets to fish for potatoes in the river, and the guards hold them back; they come in rattling cars to get the dumped oranges, but the kerosene is sprayed. And they stand still and watch the potatoes float by, listen to the screaming pigs being killed in a ditch and covered with quicklime, watch the mountains of oranges slop down to a putrefying ooze; and in the eyes of the people there is the failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath. In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage. (Chapter 25)"

which puts a lot of things into perspective. When people are forced off the land and onto the roads, yet their fellow human beings would prefer to see them suffer than help them, I wonder about the many displaced people in the world today and hope there will be enough oranges for all. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Synchronicty and the rule of exercise STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Motivate me to exercise DATE: 03/19/2009 11:38:05 AM ----- BODY:

I love synchronicity. Yesterday I spoke about my new training schedule and about the importance of having a trainer. I also spoke about one lady who had turned up but not tuned up.

Today I received a newsletter from Chris Widener, yes THE Chris Widener and yes I read everyone's words of encouragement and wisdom, just like you do. Anyway Chris mentioned his training sessions, and his friend and "spotter" Brian. Chris was being pushed to develop more muscle - and he mentioned how - by going beyond what you were used to doing. In Brian's words "more weight or more reps, possibly both".

And I would like to agree wholeheartedly with that statement. When I re-joined the gym I lacked a lot of muscle strength - strength I used to have, but had lost by not going and not using them. I could no longer do my 20 "boy" pushups or pull down 40 kilos on the lat pulldown bar. Nor could I run very far. How fast we lose the momentum. How fast we lose the fitness. And how - if you are not willing to push yourself a little more everytime you exercise or do something, you will stay in exactly the same place.

Now if you are at the peak of your fitness and you have no need to train because you are not into competitions, then it could be said you don't need to do any more than maintain your level of fitness. But is that the same for everyone? Is that the same for me? Is that the same for you and what you say you want?

Don't fool yourself into thinking you'll do it tomorrow, or you'll just do enough to get by, it's very easy to slide down into the "I just can't be bothered to write the newsletter today / run 3 km's / do 20 sit ups / read a good book - I'll do it tomorrow." And yes I have been guilty of thinking other things have priority, when in reality I should be working on everything at just that little harder intensity to build my muscles, to build my skills, to build my contact network.

One thing I do know is this - if I can't be bothered to do it, you can guarantee no-one else will do it for me. Just like I can't ask you to get fit for me, I can't get fit for you. We both need to do our own work and it is up to each of us as to how much and how well we do it.

So, how much work are you willing to do on yourself today?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Organizing your living and working space STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Planning & Organization DATE: 03/21/2009 02:37:21 AM ----- BODY:

Today's daily dose: Organizing your living and working space
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Every now and then I go through my cupboards and re-organize the shelves and the contents. I find things I had forgotten I had and it saves me money. Sometimes a lot of money.

Take your food cupboard as a for instance. When was the last time you cleared the shelves and had a good look at what you had stocked away? Believe me it is a real eye opener and is the key to saving money on the grocery bill this week.

Take everything out - wipe down the shelves and then put back the food stuffs into proper areas. Cereals together, tinned stuff in another. As you go through the process you can see what you do need to buy as well as those things you do not. My clean out today saved me about $20 in things I don't need to buy this week, and crossed the items off my list. And if that is the case for the food cupboard, what other things have you got lurking that you a) need to use up b) don't use c) will never use d) can sell / give away?

Why bother to do this?

Well, the first is the simple one - it saves you money when you don't buy things you don't need. And in these tight economic times, every dollar that we save now can make a huge difference in a year / two years.
Second - if you use / re-use / recycle - it helps other people and it helps the planet. We have become such a throw away society we seem to have forgotten that some countries the people would kill for what we have - and sometimes do.
And finally - cleaning out the clutter helps to organise your working and living spaces. You will be able to get rid of all those jobs that need doing - sewing buttons back onto clothes, turning up the hems, taking the clothes you don't need to the charity stores. And you will be able to make note of the ones that you can't so you can organize someone else to come and help you.

And before you say "I don't have the time" my food cupboard took just 20 minutes - and yes that 20 minutes saved me at least $20 - And besides, you don't have to do everything today. Take one drawer / cupboard / shelf at a time. As you know - every little thing you do, added up over time can make a huge difference to the way your life turns out.


With many thoughts
Elle

To add your comments or joinin the discussion-

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Website Update:
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Over the next few days / weeks I will be making some major changes to the Motivate Me website. First of all I am going to be re-categorizing (indexing) the pages so that you can find the information you need more easily with the creation of archives. It may not sound like very much - but there are a LOT of entries to be looked at and it is going to take me a little bit of time to do it. But I think the wait will be worth it. The second thing I am going to do is create a forum (or two) where you can join in the discussion - obviously with the usual disclaimers - posts will be removed if they are not on topic (read - rude, obscene, flame etc etc). But I will let you know when they are ready.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Improving your personal productivity: Taking care of yourself STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Life balance DATE: 12/15/2008 09:41:43 AM ----- BODY:

Today's daily dose: Improving your personal productivity: Taking care of yourself
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You may feel that your life is at the beck and call of everyone else, or you may feel like you have no idea what you have been put on this earth to do. Taking care of yourself is so very important, after all who else is going to do it? Now am I saying we should be self-centric to the detriment of all others? Absolutely not. But you do need to take care of yourself and especially at particularly stressful times such as in the lead up to exams and of course Christmas and other feast days.

What do I mean?

Well consider taking a minor detour on the way home and take a 20 - 30 minute walk. De-stress after a working day and before the evening activities begin. I find that if I do go straight home without a break between the office and my home I am far more stressed than if I have de-stressed on the way.

Work out what your major goals are for the next 12 months (this does not have to be done on January 1st) - then make a mental note of whether your evening activities are going to be helping you to achieve those items or not, and make some adjustments in your weekly game plan and your daily to do lists. Many times we can be guilty of being overwhelmed by our day to day activities we forget about the long term plans we should be making.

Plan your meals in advance. Have the ingredients for a couple of meals in the freezer / cupboard as stand bys just in case. Believe me when I say fast food is not particularly fast, nor is it as nutritious as home cooked meals tend to be. If your little people don't like veggies, consider hiding them in sauces and gravies etc. Broccoli, zuccini and cauliflower are easily smushed up and hidden for those people who don't like "alien veggies". By the time you've eaten the recommended serves of fruit and veg each day there is little room for sugary laden afters. And your waist line will thank you for it.

And don't cut out the fat entirely. Believe it or not your body needs some fats to maintain a healthy glow and glossy hair and perfect nails. But please try and avoid the trans fats (usually found in the cakes, pies, biscuits, chips, crisps and pastries we all enjoy) - a handful of nuts or some avocado are perfect examples of good fats to use.

Drink more water than you do booze. We all know the stats but it's a good habit to get into. And if you can drink it, a cup of green tea helps to keep things moving.

Take some time each day to reconnect with your personal belief system. Don't neglect the spiritual side of you, it's as important as everything else that helps to make you - YOU.

And try and get some decent sleep at least a couple of times a week. There are proven health benefits to sleep. Now with young children it may seem like you are unable to sleep through the night, so if you are at home with very small children, nap when they do, especially in the beginning. Don't feel like you have to throw in some laundry or clean the kitchen. And if the littlies are a little older then why not get them to help sort laundry into colours or get them to do their homework in the kitchen whilst you cook dinner.

None of this is rocket science, nor is it hard to do, and that's why we neglect to do it most of the time. So get into some better habits and enjoy the benefits.

With many thoughts

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The turning of the year STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/20/2008 07:22:22 AM ----- BODY:

Today's daily dose: The Turning of the Year
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Tomorrow we celebrate the turning of the year. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, the 21st December (give or take a bit in the astronomical calendar) is the shortest day of the year. The time when thepeople believed the sun would never return to the Earth and they would live in perpetual darkness. For those who wondered where the term Yule comes from - it marks the burning of the Yule log to symbolise the warmth generated by the Sun - in the hope that the sun would indeed return so they could plant their new crops and live another year.

Of course with the air conditioned air we breathe in, and the artificial light we use to lengthen our days it's hard to know what the natural world is really doing anymore. Few people in the developed world can see the night sky (light and other pollution prevent us), so we can't marvel at the heavens and what they are telling us. So is it any wonder few actually bother to mark the turning of the world through the seasons anymore. Of course the Pagans, the Heathens (those folk who are country dwellers and lived on "the heath") and the Druids will be marking this special day in their own way. If you get the chance tomorrow - pause for a moment and think how blessed we are with all the modern innovations that have enabled us to do so much more. No longer are we dependent on the seasons to grow our crops, we can grow things under glass and every day can be a feast day if we want it to be.

But if you can spare a thought in the run up to Christmas and the New Year - of how life would be if other people had not had the dreams and the ambitions to change their world and therefore ours. And we can be those kinds of people, if we choose to follow our dreams and our passions. You see I am of the opinion that the more we can help others, the more we can help ourselves. Don't hoard your skills and your knowledge, you are here to share, just as the people who invented the things we take for granted.

Of course for us in the Southern Hemisphere, we are going to now move towards the darkest part of the year. Hard to believe when we are just about to go into the heat of summer. But the days will be getting shorter and now is the time to capitalise on those "seeds" we had sewn during spring and will nurture during summer, so we have healthy crops to harvest for the autumn. Our plans and our ideas need time to nurture and grow, but we also need to tend these tender plants and don't get taken over by the weeds of "normal" living.

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Things that motivate me STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Motivation DATE: 03/26/2009 09:37:10 AM ----- BODY:

I suppose this could be sung along with the classic song "these are a few of my favourite things" but I wouldn't recommend it. But these are a few things that motivate me on a daily basis: And apart from items 1 and 2 - in no particular order

1. You
2. My children
3. Knowing my work and my words inspire others
4. Getting feedback
5. Positive self-talk
6. Doing it, even when I don't want to
7. Reading something inspirational
8. Listening to music, hearing the lyrics
9. Crossing things off the goal list
10. Dressing for success
11. Crossing things off the must do before I die list
12. My network of contacts
13. Seeing the end point of the goal come closer
14. Bribery when necessary to make myself begin a task
15. Reward based on achievement
16. Working out the start of the next project / goal
17. Celebrating / acknowledging each major step achieved
18. Feeling both excited and just a little afraid at the goal I've just set myself
19. Knowing that tomorrow will be better than today
20. Getting a good night's sleep
21. Eating well
22. Finding time to relax knowing I've done a good job today
23. Starting a hard task first and finding out it wasn't as hard or as complicated as I had first thought
24. My faith
25. My work
26. My work colleagues
27. My business partner
28. My writing
29. Hearing about your successes
30. Lending a hand when and where I can
31. Helping someone in need
32. Listening
33. Sharing time after work and school with my kids hearing about their day, the successes, the failures, the fun and the games
34. The cats - seeing their laser focus on what they have set their hearts and minds on - my little girl is a natural born stalker, cept I didn't teach her, and nor did her mother....so the instinctive nature that says "I am a cat and I love doing cat things"
35. Love

If you would like to add your suggestions -

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris Bower EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 90.208.121.76 URL: DATE: 03/26/2009 07:52:24 PM Here are mine!
- Reading an inspirational message.
- Having a nice hassle free drive to work.
- Driving a clean car.
- Completing another module for my degree.
- Learning something new.
- Overcoming an irrational fear.
- Being met by one of my two cats when I get home at the end of the day. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Planning and preparation STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 12/22/2008 10:12:24 AM ----- BODY:

Getting yourself organised the night before can save endless frustration in the morning, especially at this time of the year. Several times now I have had to double back because I've forgotten to do something. Simple lists are OK, they're even better if you look at them.

Prepare lunches, organise school bags and briefcases. Get clothes ready - including shoes, stockings and accessories. Gents this goes for you too - how many times have you mislaid the tie you were going to wear? It's also a good time to rub a polishing brush over your shoes. Remember first impressions count and clean shoes are the biggest indicator of whether or not you give a damn about yourself. If you take care with your appearance, your clients and customers will know you have attention to detail, something sadly lacking in a lot of customer service experiences.

You can guarantee if you don't organise yourself the night before, you will find the outfit you were hoping to wear will have lost a button or you will discover the hem is down. You were going to fix it after washing / cleaning but you forgot and hung it up again (been there and done that a dozen times).

It really does only take a few minutes of extra thought and preparation time, but can save yourself time and tantrums if you do this not only for yourself but for any "littlies" you have.

And one final thought for today, leave yourself a little extra time to counter the huge queues in the stores.

With many thoughts

Elle

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris Bower EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 90.201.240.126 URL: DATE: 12/22/2008 03:17:49 PM Being a chap, I always prepare my clothes for the next day before I go to sleep. Everything is there, tie etc as its amazing how bad your colour co-ordination is in the morning when you are half asleep. I also get my breakfast laid out and sandwiches prepared in the fridge. All of this helps me to get up, get ready and leave for work with the minimum of fuss and grief. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Rob Wallis EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 168.150.194.199 URL: www.thewalllisgroup.com DATE: 12/22/2008 11:09:19 PM "Simple lists are OK, they're even better if you look at them."--So very true, priceless information! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Great things can happen to you STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 01/04/2009 10:10:15 AM ----- BODY:

"I'm proof positive that great things can happen to ordinary people if they work hard and never give up"
Orel Hershiser

And never a truer word was said. Of course I would never suggest that you are in any way ordinary. Absolutely not. To me everyone is capable of so much, it's just that sometimes we need an occassional reminder that we are.

So, here's your reminder as you think about heading into the first full working week (for most people) tomorrow. Everything that you do carries your signature.

Sign your work with pride.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Personal development should come before personal time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Homework Motivation DATE: 04/01/2009 01:12:37 PM ----- BODY:

It is important, more so than ever, to consider where you are and what you want to do with your personal and professional lives. In today's tightening job market, professional development may mean the difference between landing that next position or not. But a word - Professional development is not something just for the "white collar" workers amongst us, the academics and those people who "work in an office type environment" - professional development is essential for everyone.

If you have not been on some sort of training course in the last 12 months, you are not serious about the work you are doing, or the work / job you say you want to do. And for those students out there, believe me when I say - if you want to keep on top of your chosen field, then be prepared to never stop studying and learning.

Can you imagine what would happen if a surgeon had finished his / her course of study and then never picked up another professional journal or went on courses to see the latest techniques and treatments? We might as well hit ourselves over the head and hope we stay out long enough for them to do what they need to. How many lives would have been lost if that had of happened? Really doesn't bear thinking about does it?

So, when was the last time you looked at your career and said, I need to ensure my current skill levels and abilities match the market place. What do I want to do, and do my skills match? If you are not sure how to do that - go to any of the online job boards and type in your preferred job / career. You can almost guarantee there will be a job on offer, so download the application / information pack and see what you need to be able to do, and what kind of qualifications you need to have. Then of course you can see where the gaps are - and you can do something about rectifying the situation.

I know money is tight at the moment - but there are a lot of free resources out there you can use. It doesn't cost anything more than time to go to your public library and browse the collection, and you can borrow them - and as long as you return them within the alloted time frame - they are free. The internet of course has become THE place to go for courses and items to read. We will never get through the vast swathes of information available online to us now, so be selective. What do you need to know in order to get you to the next level? Read it, study it, build on the information and knowledge you gained today and add it to what you will learn tomorrow, and the many tomorrow's after that.

Of course there will be people who will mutter they don't have time to read books or take courses, but they will always find time to go down the pub or meet with friends a couple of times a week or spend several hors every night watching television. These should be pleasure items after you have done what you need to do. Don't you say to your children when faced with torrid amounts of homework and a burning desire to go outside and be with their mates - homework comes first. Well, we should be as strict on ourselves as we are with our children. Homework and personal development first - unless you are happy doing what you are doing and don't intend changing that is. In which case - as you were, sorry I disturbed you.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Coaches: Following in the footsteps of giants STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Mentoring and Coaching DATE: 04/04/2009 05:44:14 AM ----- BODY:

Do you have a coach or mentor? If the answer is no - are you where you thought you would be at this point in your life?

Consider this - all the best people have a mentor and some have a coach as well, and it doesn't have to stop when you reach a certain age either.

I am constantly learning, constantly seeking ways I can make myself be better. One of the best things I did in recent times was to re-join the gym. This one is a little different from the offers because it offers free personal training (in circuit class style) to every member, every single day of the week. We do about 25 different exercises in each 30 minute class. As I said to the trainer Matt this morning - the main thing I like about the class is this - it is never the same, there is always something new to challenge your mind and your body. Coaches do that. They challenge you to be better, go harder, go stronger for longer. You can't bail half way through unless you have a damn good reason. Because, pride doesn't let you give up.

But it's not just in sports and health and fitness where we can benefit from having a coach and mentor - but every aspect of our lives.

Business leaders the world over form mastermind groups. They may be at the top of their game, but they want to stay there and so they challenge themselves and each other. One of the most influential business philosophers and speakers in America is Mr Jim Rohn - he has not been well, but yesterday I watched as the people he has mentored and coached, formed alliances and mastermind groups with, stood up and said - thank you, you made such a difference in my life. Without you I would not be where I am today. His legacy is the next generation. If you haven't seen it - you can watch it - here - http://www.jimrohn.com/tribute.asp

Remember, just as you are seeking new ways and new tools, so the people who look to you are doing the same thing to you. Be prepared to become the teacher, and you will learn new things about yourself and what you think you know. It's a fascinating and eye opening experience.

Find the coaches, find the mentors and let the people who need you and your skills - find you, willing and able to help them too.

With many thoughts
Elle

To add your comments or joinin the discussion-

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* Today's thoughts to ponder:
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Don't muddle through on your own - there will be someone, somewhere who has been in the same situation as you - so don't be afraid to ask for help.

Why re-invent the wheel - it's perfect as it is - observe and learn from the masters, apply their knowledge to your life and your situation and go beyond your wildest dreams and imagination.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Project Management: Using your spare time wisely STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Time Management CATEGORY: Planning & Organization CATEGORY: Project Management DATE: 04/06/2009 11:30:09 AM ----- BODY:

What you do in your spare time will determine how far you will go towards reaching your goals.

We all have limited time at our disposal to do what we say we want to do – unless you are fortunate enough to work in your dream job, in which case it could be argued you are not working at all.

But bear with me for just a moment or two.

If you are anything like “most” people, you will have a home to look after, a job to go to. And yes you can translate those things to any “normal life”. Students will have lectures, homework and rooms / houses to keep clean and tidy. And most students I know will also have at east one job to help pay for the course.

So, it stands to reason, that unless your major goal is to get your degree or work in a “normal” job – you will have some other goals you want to work on.

So – when do you find the time to do it?

For me there are some classic times when we can work on our goals:


And then of course there are:


Every one of these are opportunities to decide where our future lies.

So, next time you are faced with wondering why you are not getting on with regards to your goals and what you say you want to achieve, it’s time to take a good look at how you spend your free time.

Because as I have always said – you will always find time to do what you say you want to do

With love and light

Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What legacy will you leave behind? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Business Management CATEGORY: Success and Failure DATE: 04/08/2009 06:47:43 AM ----- BODY:

What legacy will you leave behind?

Most people would assume I meant - at the end of your life, what impact will you have made on the world? Whilst that is a good question, it's not the only time you leave a legacy behind.

Consider this:

Everywhere we go and everything we do forms part of our personal legacy.

So - a question - what kind of legacy are you leaving behind?

But before I sign off on today's message. There is one more thing to consider - well two actually. Arrogance and Ego.

I met a group of small business owners a few weeks ago. In the most part, very pleasant people. But one - well, I hope I never have to do business with that gentleman. Arrogant, egotistical and sarcastic. We were talking about a subject I knew very well and he obviously didn't. Every time I made a comment, or offered a suggestion he would cut me off and offer a sarcastic response. So much so, the last time he did it, I said – “now how did I know you were going to make that comment”. I also figured he could carry on paying some random company the extortionate fee they were asking, even though I could have saved him the money.

Why?

Because he wasn’t prepared to listen.

He wanted to speak and he didn’t care who his audience was, he was the STAR with an opinion about everything. So I left him to it and made my excuses and left to join a different group of people.

Every day we have the chance to make an impression on people who we may only ever see once. But what impression will you leave on them?

He didn’t know who I was, I could have been his bank manager with the ability to say yay or nay to his next business loan, or the person who could save his life on the operating table. I could also be the person who mowed his lawn – but to him I didn’t matter.

Would I ever do business with this person?

The answer is no.

I don’t care if he had the best, cheapest widgets in town – I would sooner deal with the person and the company who treated me with respect, even if his widgets were more expensive. Some would say that’s a bad way to conduct MY business, but to me – if one person can be seen to be less than honest in one aspect of his life, then what about the rest? Trust is everything in business.

So what am I saying?

Just this:

Treat everyone with the respect YOU deserve and the rest will follow automatically.

 

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Diet and health STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Success and Failure CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health DATE: 04/09/2009 07:16:07 AM ----- BODY:

With the Easter bunny just a few hops away, i thought it would be a good time to talk to you about your diet.


It's time to be brutally honest - and I am the first one to look in the bathroom mirror and ask - who the heck are you, and where did you come from? Adipose 5? (to all dr who fans out there !!)

Weight creep is easy – all you need is a few extra calories on a daily basis and not working them off, and you can gain weight. Of course, conversely the opposite is also true, it just seems to take longer to get rid of!

We may think we don’t have time to cook a “proper” dinner, but to be honest I know in my case, that’s being lazy.

One thing I’ve noticed is “fast food” isn’t particularly fast. If you are at home you have to make a conscious decision to go and fetch it. And then of course there is the wait whilst it's cooked – unless it is cooked and on a warmer - ugh. If of course you decide to eat it at home, there is the added drive back – plus the food is usually cold. By which time I’ve usually lost my desire to eat it – but because I’ve fetched it, do. And if you've decided to eat at the restaurant - there is a greater temptation to go back and get dessert. And you know I'm right.

So, working it out, it would take you less time to grill a piece of meat or fish and throw together a salad. Much faster than fast food, healthier and probably costs a lot less too. The difference of course it can make to our waistlines and our pockets – if we could be bothered to do it.

Now there will be some people out there who would disagree with me. A good friend of mine has access to some of the best curry on this side of the world, and within walking distance. But having made my own version last night – which fed 3 people (plus enough for lunch today) for a couple of dollars more, I stick by my point. And no, I don't have any more time than anyone else, just I choose to cook most of the time, and in doing so - choose versions that can take of itself whilst I do other things.

Now, there are a lot of people reading this who happen to travel a great deal. They rely on other people to feed them, and it may be a lot harder to make healthier choices when you don’t know what’s gone into the dish. But lets face it, if we cut back on the sauces, choose poached over fried and vegetables as opposed to chipped potatoes – we may well on the way to making healthier choices. And the silly thing about it is - we all know that.

But it all comes down to motivation.


Am I saying we shouldn't eat the hot cross buns and the chocolate eggs?

Not at all, just remember what Easter is - a spring, fertility celebration (BTW - that's where the link to bunnies and eggs comes from in case you thought it was yet another holiday dreamt up by the sweet manufacturers - :-) ). I know that personally I feel much better about the way I look when I tip the scales at my correct weight. And unsurprisingly my clothes fit better too.

So – get out the photos and the cookery books – we’ve got a long weekend coming up – why not use it to try eating in a different way. Try some foods you’ve never tried before. Treat your tastebuds and your waistline.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Live Life to the Full STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 09/08/2008 12:42:45 PM ----- BODY:

MotivateMe!
Providing Strategies to Overcome the Procrastination Habit with a Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine

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In This Issue:
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* Today's daily dose
* What I am reading
* Today's thought to ponder
* Share this ezine

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Today's daily dose: 8th September 2008
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Live life to the full - every day.

We had a letter from someone who used to work with us today. She told us her husband had been diagnosed with a fatal disease and has less than 6 months to live. They are hoping some radical treatments will help delay the end, but they both know the end is very, very close and are having to come to terms with that very large and painful fact. This couple are a long way from retirement age, but had hoped to be able to go part-time in the not too distant future so they could fulfil their dreams of travelling the world. That will no longer happen. Life is now taking on a whole new direction for these people, and her letter today is another reminder that age is no barrier to death.

Death may not seem like it should or could be a topic for motivating people. But it should be the biggest one there is. If we don't know how long we have left - surely you would want to use every single, precious minute doing those things you always said you wanted to do. And we wouldn't be wasting time on things that don't matter. The past hurts that still riddle our bodies and our minds. Those busy tasks that add little or nothing to our enjoyment of life.
We would be planning those dream holidays and ways to achieve them. We would be spending time with our friends and families and less time working long hours doing a job that few people appreciate. Unless you are fortunate enough to be working in your chosen industry - and being paid handsomely as a result of course.

We have a lot of school aged people reading these messages, and this one is for you. You have so much ahead of you. Dream big. Don't ever let anyone tell you, you can't do something. Don't ever assume you are not good enough. You are, you have the power within you. Yes you might need a little guidance now and then, but don't be afraid to ask for it, but don't be swayed by "well meaning people" who tell you - "no-one else in our family has ever ..... " just smile and say "then I will be the first and people will look up to me as the one who managed to do it"

Wednesday is the anniversary of my brother's death. He was 19 when he decided his dream was out of reach. Please don't ever let that be you.

I love my brother to bits, but if he were still alive I'd be telling him the same things I am telling you.

Dream big
Live bigger
Things change when you want them to change, and in my brother's case
You don't have to keep on doing the same things in the same way if you don't want to.

And believe me - He and I will have "words" one of these days !!

With many thoughts
Elle

To add your comments -

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What I am reading:
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Believe it or not I am still reading the book "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything"

Incredibly witty writing even whilst covering subjects that one cannot ever say are funny. But she certainly gave me a few Laugh out Loud moments last night, and for that I am grateful.

You may wonder why I am still reading it a week after starting. Well the reason is quite simple - I haven't had a lot of spare time. For the regular readers of the Daily Dose you will know I am on the count down to my mum (and now sister and niece in law) arriving, so I am scrubbing, sorting and tidying EVERYTHING. But to be honest the house did need it. I've also found a lot of things I have been able to recycle, and yesterday was able to find some curtaining material that will be perfect for a change of décor in my lounge room. Now all I have to do is find time to sew the curtains, buy the rod and get it put up and I will be "sorted".

But I'm interested - what are you reading at the moment? And when do you find the time to do it?

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Today's thought to ponder:
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"If you really do put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price."
   
Anonymous

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----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Are you making the most of the economic downturn? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management DATE: 01/19/2009 10:44:41 AM ----- BODY:

Now I am not about to jump on the bandwagon and offer you a brilliant program that will cure everything including the common cold for the down payment of and three equal installments of ... because lets face it - these people aren't really worried about helping you, they're more interested in lining their pockets by promoting your fear about lack - and its usually a lack of money. So before you part with more (although it is entirely up to you whether you do or not. and who you spend it with) - lets think about this in another way.

There will be some people who will be experiencing some significant downturns because of the economic crisis. Every day we seem to hear about big and sometimes big AND established companies biting the dust, and it seems to be across many different sectors. From banks to cars to pottery and glass manufacturers, so it appears no one is immune from closure and layoffs, but if you'll bear with me for just a minute, we need to consider what happens when we are in work - no matter what the economy is doing. And this to my mind is where the differentiation should be drawn, where we should be thinking about putting our time and our energies.

What happens when you are laid off - is you do everything in your power to find alternative work. i'm sure we've all been there and done that once or twice, I know I have. And then we work really hard to make sure we get through the necessary probation periods, we find our slot within the organisation we have chosen to work for and work on our jobs. And this is where we should stop and think about things. If you do the same job in the same way for 20 years, you don't have 20 years worth of experience - you have one year's worth of experience repeated 20 times.

So, always you should be asking, how can I make a difference to the organisation we work for? What difference can I make to myself? Am I doing all that I can? Am I making enough phone calls? Am I being responsive or reactive to the climate when I should be being pro-active? Am I delivering what I said I would deliver - when I said I would deliver it? (and we're not just talking about goods - but everything).

If you continue to work hard during the tough times, you will be creating excellent work habits when things start to grow again...that's assuming they're not already growing for you based on the work that you've done already. 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Continual personal and professional development is essential STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development DATE: 01/21/2009 11:12:36 AM ----- BODY:

Now before you click the delete button let me explain what I mean by that rather long and convoluted header.

Learning does not stop the minute you leave school or university after gaining the qualifications you think you need in order to get the job you say you want. You see, whilst qualifications will get you a job, it is the lessons you learn AFTER finishing "school" that will give you the life you want. How many of you were taught how to budget at school? No - me neither. How many times have you run out of money because of poor purchasing decisions - and not been able to make your repayments? And no I am not asking you for a show of hands - this is not about embarrassment - just a thought - if you had been taught how to budget and work with the money you currently earn, how much further on do you think you would be now? Now I know that having more money than you know what to do with can cause it's own set of issues and problems - accountants, bookkeepers, charitable donations, tax, extortion, blackmail and even what to do with the interest you will earn on the money you have - can cause problems if you don't know what to do with it. Budgets and plans are just as important to you if you have money as to those people who would like more than they currently have. You see if you don't learn to manage what you currently have, you will not be able to cope with unexpected income and windfalls when they do arrive. That's true education. And it is usually self taught, either through experience or by reading, research and asking the right people the right sets of questions.

And it applies to everything in our lives at present.

How many of you were taught about the risks of long term alcohol consumption, junk food binges and the effects of a poor exercise regime? You may have been taught the principles, but it is only through experience (either by ourselves or observing those around us, falling over and getting fat, undergoing gastric banding surgery or getting a quadruple heart bypass) that we begin to get the real education. Similarly - getting a low paid job (usually whilst you are studying) and getting all the rough shifts will ensure you work a lot harder at school to ensure you don't end up working in that low paid job for the rest of your life. I worked at a biscuit factory for 6 whole weeks before getting a job in information - can you imagine smelling like a cooking biscuit for the rest of your life? No me neither which is why I now work a lot harder on myself than I did BEFORE I got that job.

Our true education only stops when we decide we have ALL the information we need to live the life we want to live, which lets face it - will be a long way off yet - if you are a true student of life.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Getting organised: paperwork STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Planning & Organization CATEGORY: Procrastination DATE: 01/25/2009 02:09:06 AM ----- BODY:

Do you have to submit paperwork to obtain a tax refund every year? Here in Australia our tax year is July - June every year. Elsewhere across the world the tax years vary. Every year I vow I will organise myself better so that when July comes around all I have to do is wait for the odd pieces of paper (from various funds and organisations) and then make the appointment to get my tax refund done. Given that we have until the 31st October each year to submit the paperwork you would think you would have enough of an incentive to do the necessary paperwork and submit the information - especially if you know you are going to get some money back.

I have to admit that last year I procrastinated so much I didn't make the appointment until the 2nd week of October. And the reason why I procrastinated was I hadn't been organised enough during the year to know what I needed to claim for. Most of the filing was completed, I just had to do some working out and take it all in. After spending an entire weekend getting the paperwork in order I decided there had to be a much better way of keeping the information together, and of course there was - always had been, but I had never put the knowledge into practice before. So the day I got back from the accountant I sat down and created a spreadsheet for myself - what did I claim for this year and how much. I couldn't break it down any further - ie., by month (not without going back over the information) - and why waste time? So then I created a second worksheet - copied across the fields and then of course I created the months and totals columns.

As I have received the bills and statements for the year I have been adding the information to the spreadsheet. It's simple and effective and it also means I have been taking a good and hard look at my entire budget.

So there are multiple benefits to spending a few minutes every day on my finances - something that always seemed to be bothersome to me. My few minutes every day will save me endless hours of frustration at the end of the tax year, and I don't forget to claim for things I know I should be entitled to, just cannot locate when I need to.

Now I'm not saying my way is the only way OR the right way - just that it seems to work for me. And if you would like a copy of my suggested tax claims for yourself - then let me know I will send you a copy of the spreadsheet.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chetana EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 130.220.79.178 URL: DATE: 01/25/2009 04:16:41 AM Hallo Elle, I would like to have the copy of the tax claim that you planned for yourself at the least to have a look....... I have never done anything like that before, but would like to know now. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivational stories: Sally STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivational Stories DATE: 02/02/2009 12:08:04 AM ----- BODY:

IT's not very often I will deliberately repeat a newsletter from the daily dose of motivational medicine. But I have wanted to go back through each day to see the thoughts and the ways I have tried to motivate you. Sometimes I know I have failed, sometimes I know I have done what I had hoped and made you re-think what it is you are doing.

Some of you have been with me forever and I would like to say thank you for sticking with me. Some of you of course are very new to the Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine. What you may not know if you are a newcomer is the style of the posts vary - some days it will be suggestions to try, some days just a quote I have found inspiring, and yet others - things I have observed and experienced. Every aspect of our lives can be a reason for motivating ourselves to do better today than we did yesterday.

But today I would like to send you a post from a few years ago. This one bears repeating and you will understand why.

------------------------------------------

Sally's story:

I met Sally at the gym again today. A fey scottish grandmother who still bears the effects of a stroke almost two years on. It might affect her speech but not her spirit. Over the last couple of years, Sally and I have sweated over the small stuff (we're not into pumping heavy weights you understand). But she is more disciplined than I. Five days a week she gets up at 5am. Walks her dog, then walks to the gym. It doesn't matter what the weather is doing, or whether she wants to. She just does it.

Today I found out why.She has beaten cancer, gone through a heart operation to have a pace maker fitted, and she lost the use of one side of her body for a while. I also found out that she had retired from her job as a counsellor for the second time this year at the age of 68. But that is not what is truly remarkable about Sally. Added up it is more than most people ever have to deal with. You see as Sally is walking home she is gearing up for the hardest part of every day.

She is going home to someone who looks like the person she married all those years ago. Had children with and grew together as they grew older. But is now a stranger in his own body and his own home. He doesn't know that Sally still believes in those vows she spoke all those years ago - In sickness and in health, for better or worse.

How hard is it for Sally? How hard is it for her each and every day?

--------------------------------------------

I haven't seen Sally for a couple of years now (as I changed gym), so I can't give you an update. But something tells me she will still be at the gym every day as it opens, keeping her body and mind active and supple. Motivating herself to be the best person she can be.

How about you? Are you doing all that you can or are you guilty of only doing enough to get by? No-one knows what is in store for them, what challenges lie ahead, but today's lessons will give us the knowledge and the skills to rise to each of the challenges we may face. And therein lies our personal growth potential.

So - stand tall, be proud of who you are and what you have achieved so far and face the world with a smile and the knowledge that you can handle whatever comes your way.

With love and light

Elle

 

 

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Happy Lists EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 216.229.190.208 URL: http://happylists.wordpress.com DATE: 02/05/2009 12:14:07 AM Thank You for this dose of perspective. It was just what I needed to get me motivated to keep up the hard work. If Sally can do it, we all can do it! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 02/06/2009 12:23:42 AM Absolutely
Go for it
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Teamwork STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management DATE: 02/06/2009 12:19:15 AM ----- BODY:

Unless you are a hermit or live your life as a lighthouse keeper you will need to be a team player. You may say - but I am a student, I don't go to work, or the one I hear regularly -But I'm just a housewife, I take care of the house and the kids.

First of all there is no - I'm just a ......... We all have very important roles to play and teamwork forms a huge part of those roles.

If you have a house you know how important teamwork is. If everyone does their share in the household, then the jobs get done quicker. You wash the dishes, I'll dry and put them away. If we all pick up our own things and put them into our rooms we can all tidy the house in a few minutes.

Students and teachers are working as a team to pass on information and to gain knowledge. And yes it is (or should be a two-way process), just as mentors and mentorees learn from each other in the workplace. Sir / Miss I don't understand can you explain that in a different way, or give me another example....help me to relate it to what I know so I can abosrb it into my knowledge bank.

If you show me what to do I can help you.

On the production line, if you do your bit I can do mine and we can all make this "thing" work.

Project teams and focus groups have their own part to play to make a collective decision.

And if one of those bits is missing it's like having a football team without thestriker. Goals get missed. Imagine if the team didn't have a captain - how well do you think the team would function?

As you go about your day, check on your teams. Are they working together, or are there goals being missed because there is a vital piece missing?

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Just one thing STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development DATE: 04/20/2009 11:42:29 AM ----- BODY:

If you get just one thing from a book you've read or a training course you've attended then it was worth the time you spent.

If you get more than one thing - then just think how much better your life will be when you implement the ideas you've just been given.

Multiply those by the number of books you read or the training that you do - and you never know what will happen...and that's what's so exciting - there is always another book you can read or a training course you can attend. And if you borrow the books from your local library - they don't have to cost you anything but time (unless you don't return them :-) )

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What has expertise got to do with strawberries? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development DATE: 04/22/2009 10:01:52 AM ----- BODY:

Are you an expert in your particular chosen field?

Do you say you are, or do others say that of you?

But a couple of questions:


If you're not and you don't - your expertise will not last long. Like a ripe strawberry your expertise will turn to mush. Unfortunately we find people who still think they are, and guess what - their words and their ideas are verbal mush - with absolutely no substance behind them.

With technology changing at a breakneck speed it's not just the IT people who have to keep up, but everyone who uses it, and needs it to do their job. Can you imagine the scientist who thought the best invention was the pencil, closely followed by paper? What do I need a calculator for? I have my brain to do the workings out I need. And of course I would doubt there are many calculators used compared to the number of software applications that can do calculations to the billionth degree in a matter of seconds. And of course it's not just technology we need to keep up with.

Two things:

  1. Don't ever get to the point where you think you are "THE" expert on a subject - you're not - get over it. Remember the strawberry - we are the strawberry.
  2. If someone else calls you an expert - say thank you. Don't turn down a compliment - but remember - we are only as good as the last idea we had, and if you're not keeping up - your expertise will not be that at all - your expert-ease - it will get harder and harder to maintain. Remember the strawberry.


----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Re-arranging your life to overcome the procrastination habit STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Success and Failure CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination DATE: 04/25/2009 04:49:50 AM ----- BODY:

It may seem like a silly thing to say - change your environment. It may sound like I am advocating procrastination - change your environment, means you can waste time cleaning and not completing the tasks you know you should be completing.

No, that's not what I am advocating at all.

Changing your environment may mean closing the blinds in your office so you are not distracted by what goes on outside. I have my office blinds closed for two very good reasons
1) solar gain - 2 huge windows makes it very hot in my office during summer, if I'm too hot I can't work
2) glare - too much glare may give me a migraine.

So I keep the blinds closed during summer and open them in the cooler months.

I also rearranged my office so that the windows were over to my right, that way I didn't have to stare at them all day. I also (with permission from the boss) put pictures of wonderful scenes around the office, interspersed with a couple of boards for my creative output. When you are in the business of marketing a business you need space to be creative, so I do. Which makes me luckier than most - but until I took over the job - it was just a very normal office space - hardly inspiring at all.

Music - can change your mood in an instant. I rarely listen to country music, nor jazz and blues - especially when I am working....find something that suits your mood, uplifts your mind and your soul...and sing whilst you work....this one is good if you work alone, or work from home - some people don't appreciate how good singing can be!!! even if it's out of tune and out of synch - it doesn't matter.

Office furniture - You need to bear a few things in mind when it comes to ergonomics, but any good OH&S site will tell you what you need to do for your health and posture. But beyond that, move your desk around, choose a chair that supports you - you're going to be sitting in it for a considerable amount of time each day - so be comfortable.

Desks - If your desk looks like a snow storm (who said we were going to get the paperless office was obviously lying) then it's time to do the filing. I'm serious. One of the biggest things we hide behind every day (allowing us to procrastinate to our hearts content) is because we can't find things. Putting things away means we can find what we need, when we need it - raising productivity and profits.

Email inboxes - this may seem like a strange one to have in changing your environment - but it's one of the biggies. Apply the same principles to your email inboxes as you do to your paper filing trays....do it, delegate it, then file it and delete the rubbish. Get as much filed straight into folders - especially the canned meat substance variety....

Take a good look at the amount of open windows on your computer. How many are there - do you need ALL of them open, do you need to have 2 news and current affairs sites, all your email accounts and the weather channel? Make a new habit - especially with email - answer your important email first. Filter off any messages you don't have time to read - for the daily dose - yes it's important, but why not set up a folder and get them sent straight there. You can then make a conscious decision to set aside some time and read a couple of the posts. Do that with all your newsletters and e-zines - and you won't be tempted to delete without reading because you are too stressed and busy today. I do the same thing with a couple of friends who send me copious amounts of funnies - once a week, or when I need a giggle, I go to the folder and read a few.

Unclutter your life and you will find you won't be so overwhelmed you feel the need to procrastinate.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't tell me you're busy - show me the results STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination DATE: 04/29/2009 01:10:33 PM ----- BODY:

Don't tell me you're busy - show me the results
---------------------------
"Of all sad words of tongue or pen. The saddest are these 'It might have been' " - John Greenleaf Whittier

We can all get faked out with being busy. We think it's important to scan our junk email inboxes and read every message that landed there. That's why it's called junk - set up your filters properly and few messages will land in the wrong place, and by teaching your email system - who is legitimate and who isn't you can weed out the unwanted rubbish.

Don't have your email inbox open ALL the time. You don't have it on during the weekend - so why do you need it on for every single minute of every working day? Answer - so you can waste time flicking to the inbox every time a message flashes up - after all it might be important. Was it? Answer honestly - probably not, and not something that needed to be dealt with the second it arrived.

Turn off the Internet - unless you are using it for a legitimate purpose. Surfing does not count.

Stop wasting time talking to people about your weekend plans, what you watched on the television last night and what you're going to have for dinner - and by that I mean during "work time". Just to illustrate this point - tomorrow when you do go into work, a lesson in observation. See how many times people have the same conversation with other people. And if you ARE guilty of doing this - then stop - reclaim some work time and stop telling everyone how busy you are.

Sorry - if there is one thing that really bugs me - it's people telling me and me over-hearing them tell everyone else who will listen - how busy they are. You'll get more done, and reduce your "stress levels" by getting on with what needs to be done rather than talking about it.

And don't worry if you think you'll run out of work - believe me when I say - that will never happen. If you are in the business of business there is always something to do. New contacts to make, new markets to explore. But if you are constantly stuck in the same place doing the same things in the same way, you won't earn any new business.

Don't say - If I had more time I would ...

Stop doing those things you know waste an amazing amount of time and you will have plenty of time to do whatever you said you wanted to do.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Structured procrastination is like matching socks STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Structured procrastination DATE: 05/02/2009 05:48:14 AM ----- BODY:

A way to waste time

It's also too short to iron things like gym gear and most of your non-work clothes.... yet I know many people who think it's important to look neat and tidy when they go to work out. Why would you bother when if you are working at the right intensity the first thing you will do when you get home is to put your nicely ironed (but sweaty) clothes back into the laundry.

Structured procrastination allows us to waste time doing things we think are important, but aren't really. Every day we have another opportunity to stop doing those things that don't matter....and get on with doing those things that do.

But do you want to get to the end of your life and have a drawer full of nicely matched socks and folded underwear - or would you prefer to have created a lifetime of memories for yourself, your families and friends to look back on and enjoy.

Kindest thoughts

Elle

To add your comments or joinin the discussion-

p.s. for the business people out there - a suggestion - buy the same colour socks - so you can still look smart, but you don't have to spend time every week folding your socks into nice little bundles....

p.p.s - and just to prove my point - my choice of mis-matched socks for today - http://www.motivateme.info/gallery/me-myself-i/

 

 

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Organisation overcomes the procrastination habit STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Planning & Organization CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination DATE: 05/03/2009 04:07:57 AM ----- BODY:

I love being organised. Sunday's are to me the best day of the week for getting plans together. When I am organised on a sunday the rest of the week goes so much more smoothly.

In just a few hours today I have:

*Fetched in laundry, sorted, folded and put away (remember - no ironing if there is no need),
*Organised my clothes for work tomorrow, and my gym gear is packed and ready to go in the car.
*Organised my week of basic lunch staples are in another bag and ready to go (if you organise your lunch foods - you won't need to buy any - which saves you money)....so tins of tuna, crackers - fresh things of course will be picked up each day as I leave the house.
* Organised a parcel of birthday goodies for three people. But here is another time saver - I send them all to my mum and she gets to distribute them for me - saves postage too. Mum doesn't mind playing post person as she is a very fit and active lady and gets out to see the family at the same time. And I know mum is getting some exercise as well !! and
* Weeded some of the garden
* Organised some banking (online)
* And laid the plans for a new business idea for Motivate Me.

Each item didn't take more than a few minutes to do, but the cumulative effect is amazing. I have saved myself a considerable amount of time and money as a result - consequently I feel in control of myself and my environment.

Which means I can concentrate on you.

* What benefits would you get from being more organised?
* What simple things can you do today that would mean you are not rushing around tomorrow morning making yourself late for work - and putting yourself under immense pressure?

One final thought for this wonderful sunday - set your alarm for 10 minutes earlier tomorrow and if you don't already do this - make yourself a healthy breakfast. Kick start your working week in the right way and the rest of your week will slot into place.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Donald EMAIL: IP: 71.203.227.231 URL: DATE: 06/04/2009 12:37:57 PM I think this is a very helpful post. I truly desire to be more motivated and less of a procrasinator. My office looks like a cyclone hit it...so when I need to get something done in it I can never find what I need. I will work on getting it organized today. Also have a meeting at 12 so will be ready by 11:30 to leave for that. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The power of a single action STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Action DATE: 05/05/2009 10:41:17 AM ----- BODY:

Little things can be a major catalyst.


Great things can and do start with very small actions. All it takes is a determination that you will start and then continue until you have reached your goal.

What small things are you doing today that will make a difference to your life in a week's time / month / year or five years?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Let them help STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination DATE: 05/06/2009 12:40:27 PM ----- BODY:

When it comes to motivation and someone shows an interest in what you are doing, let them help.

In the workplace you will get far more achieved if you don't mind who gets the credit for the work that has been done. Of course, this should not come as detriment to the job these people should be doing, but in general terms - an observer can see more about your job and what you are trying to achieve than those people who are so blinkered by working "in the business" day in and day out. If you take your ego out of the equation and accept that perhaps the way you've always done things may not be the way to continue doing something - you and your organisation will grow in leaps and bounds. Don't be the person who says "but we don't do things like that round here". Believe me when I say it's a pretty big damp squib on a person's enthusiasm if you do that on a regular basis.

If you think about it, that's why we ask consultants and outside mentors to help us. We accept that we don't know all the answers, or we may need clarification that the way we are doing something is right - but if you don't accept and don't ask, then you won't know and you won't grow.

And it is the same with personal development - accept that we don't always know all the answers - and find the people who have the next set of numbers for our personal combination locks - you know the lock that when the numbers are programmed into it - we get that absolute "ah-ha" moment. Where do you find these people? Like I said, it could be the people you work with, the new graduates, the guy (or gal) who's been with the organisation for a dozen or so years. It may be the consultant, the mentor or the training course you get sent on. But it can quite as easily be a book or article you read, a video or film that you watch or piece of music where you listen to the lyrics for the very first time. Everything and every one can be a teacher - if you are willing to accept you don't know everything there is to know about everything. Granted you may be the "go to" person for answers - but I am agreat believer in the fact that

There is always something new to learn.

But it doesn't stop at the work place.

Your children learn by example, and what better example than seeing you do something and be successful at it. Let the kids help wrapping presents, writing christmas cards, building a successful business, keeping healthy by exercising regularly, cooking dinner. It makes life a whole lot more interesting for the child, and one thing I have known as I have raised my two teenagers:

1. You cannot deal in double standards ever (and to be honest this goes for any relationship - be it work or family). Your children will see you doing something and think it is good for them to do it too. Which is why (for example) parents who are overweight or who smoke, will have children who tend to be overweight and smoke. Don't believe me, then a quick walk around your local supermarket will bear at least one of those points out.

2. You get better understanding and buy-in from them if they have a stake in the outcome. In simple terms, would a child be more likely to eat salad and veggies if they can touch it, cut it and taste it? They will want dinner to taste fantastic, so will follow your lead and example in creating their dinner. Don't ever turn down an offer of help from a child, let them learn, let them grow, let them expand the way they think and behave - and they do that by emulation...that is - what are they seeing you do?

3. You learn more by teaching, than you do by just "doing it all yourself"

One final thought as I leave you to go about your day

What was the last thing you learnt? When was the last time you had that "ah-ha" moment - what brought it about? and the follow up question - can you recreate it so you can generate more "ah-ah" growth moments?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivation: Be prepared STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Planning & Organization DATE: 02/09/2009 01:42:36 AM ----- BODY:

This weekend we have seen some of the worst bushfires in Australia. First of all, to those of you who have been deeply affected by the tragedy, I would like to send my thoughts and prayers. I know the Government will do the best it can to rebuild those hundreds of homes that were lost, and rebuild the community. But what they cannot do is bring back those people who were caught in the blaze. Nor can they replace those personal items we all collect and treasure. All I can hope is these bushfires were not the result of someone's behaviour as is being speculated at the moment.

What has this got to do with Motivate Me and Motivating you in particular?

Well - everything actually.

If you saw a bushfire heading your way - would you know what to pick up and throw in the car? What important items do you have? What will you need to put your life back into some sort of order? Of course it could be any kind of "natural" disaster. Floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions - we live on an ever changing planet and sometimes we get in the way of the re-arrangement. As devastating as those times are, we can almost understand the natural selection process that goes on. But mindless destruction - no - I'm afraid I will never understand that.

Which is why I like to be prepared - as best as I can should we need to evacuate. And for those of you who have been with me awhile will know that actually happened when my neighbors house burnt down.

Cnsequently I have been spending a lot of my free time backing up files. Cataloguing my books and music, scanning old pictures and making sure my important documents are in one place so that should I need to - I can pick up the laptop and my briefcase and head out of the door chasing cats and kids.

Today I am going to ask you to do several things. One for me - and the rest for you.

Could you please add your thoughts and prayers to mine for those people who have lost their lives and the families who have lost everything.

Once you have done that - and thank you for doing that for me. Could you go through both your house and your place of work and make sure you have everything organised should you need to evacuate. Do you know your escape routes? Do you know where your important papers and documents are? Do you have copies of everything you deem important (and no I don't mean cloning family members and pets). How soon would you be able to rebuild your life?

Put it like this, if you know what you had - you can know what to claim through your insurance for. Oh and that's one final thought - when was the last time you had a look at your insurance. I upped my re-build costs as a result of my neighbours blaze as it had been several years since I had in fact looked at mine.

We may think it will never happen to us, but we can be prepared - just in case.

What I have found to be interesting is this - as you start this process - other things will begin to happen naturally. You will start to throw away things you don't need. You will (if you are anything like me) find old documents and papers you do longer need. You will begin to clean up the whole of your life as a result of determing what you deem to be important enough to pick up and run with.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: judy EMAIL: IP: 96.225.113.55 URL: so true DATE: 02/09/2009 05:16:34 PM prayers go out to the remaining people who lost loved ones in the fires in Australia ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: How strong is the belief in yourself? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 DATE: 02/09/2009 11:26:16 PM ----- BODY:

"I try not to get too caught up thinking about the task ahead. I just do what has to be done. I have the belief in myself that what I'm doing is right. Then I let the rest happen."
Eamonn Coghlan


How strong is the belief in yourself?

Either way you are correct if that is what you truly believe.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Today is the day STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Planning & Organization CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Habits CATEGORY: Motivation techniques DATE: 02/11/2009 11:39:48 PM ----- BODY:

There are so many things that can and do happen - every day. You may think you have all the time in the world - but as world events have shown - we know how wrong that is.

Today - not tomorrow. As in right now - today.

What are you going to do today?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Inspiration STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Motivation DATE: 05/14/2009 10:42:49 AM ----- BODY:

When I need inspiration and advice I return to the entries on the daily dose and then I tap myself on the back of the head and say "now practice what you preach"

"You must learn day by day, year by year, to broaden your horizons. The more things you love, the more you are interested in, the more you enjoy, the more you are indignant about - the more you have left when anything happens."
Ethel Barrymore (1879 - 1959)
American Actress

Where do you go for inspiration?

Let me know

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jayce EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 68.218.200.192 URL: DATE: 05/14/2009 01:04:37 PM I get inspiration from friends and family, people I look up to and admire, books and websites like "Motivate Me," through my faith and the Bible, and from the things I love to do and desire. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Alejandro EMAIL: IP: 67.63.43.147 URL: DATE: 05/14/2009 01:37:23 PM I get my inspiration from my wife, family and from my faith in god. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chetna EMAIL: IP: 124.171.78.233 URL: DATE: 05/15/2009 07:34:40 AM I usually get inspiration by reading beautiful self help books, but Larry Winget (author of 'Shut up, stop whining and get a life') told me personally :) (while reading his book) that if I continue reading self help books then I would get immuned to them, hence it is important to read variety of books. Thanks to Larry :) It indeed just comforts that uneasy and sad time of life which should not happen, because till I dont feel uneasy and or sad, till I dont get sick of doing what I am doing I wont change my habits as change seems so difficult. It's a fantastic book. Just reading doesnt help, its very important for me to really talk or comment on it and being an international student in Adelaide I seldom get this opportunity face to face. But there is this thoughtful soul (Elle) who has created this beautiful website where I get this chance to tell about all this. Hence my inspiration also comes from Elle :) with her lot of thoughts for sure :)) ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Work / Life Balance is achievable STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Work / Life Balance DATE: 02/16/2009 10:36:03 AM ----- BODY:

I know I talk a lot about trying to find balance, and I do know how hard it is to try and achieve it. But I feel it is something we should all try and find.

If your life is full of pleasure and little in the way of work - your life is out of balance, and so will be your bank balance and probably your waist line, health and fitness. You see balance isn't about one thing to the detriment of something else, but a whole series of things - that together form your entire life.

Is your life in balance? Or are you trying too hard in one area so that other parts are lacking commitment? When you stop and think about it objectively - it's called values. What do you say you value in life? And are you living up to those personal values. You can't say you value health if your diet consists of too many beers down the local pub every night. Nor can you value family and friends if you hardly ever see them. Do you value work? Do you do all that you can every day or do you find yourself slacking off a bit? Do you value rest and recuperation so when you wake in a morning you are fit and ready to go, or are you burning the candle at both ends and probably with a beer or two and half a bag of pretzels thrown in for good measure?

We all have a set of personal values - when our lives are out of balance it's because we are not living up to them.

If you know what your values are, you will know whether you have a balanced life or not.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Post it notes or wall sized billboards STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement DATE: 05/19/2009 10:48:35 AM ----- BODY:

When it comes to writing down your goals - a wall sized billboard is better than a post it note.

Goals should be front of mind, front of desk and not stored in a drawer.

When your goals are wall sized you can hardly miss them. They scream at you - hey - work on me, I need to be finished. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO STOP WATCHING THE TELEVISION AND DO SOMETHING?

Wall sized billboards are like that - they're loud, they're obvious and they're not going to let you get away without doing something about them. Whereas goals wriiten on scraps of paper, backs of envelopes and inside journals can be lost, can be put away and can be forgotten about.

How do you get wall sized billboards? Well there are many ways - but the best one i've found is this:

If your goal does not excite you, does not inspire you or motivate you to do something - then it's not YOUR goal, and it doesn't matter what size the letters are - you're not going to work on them - no matter what. So, get out your goal list - and decide if your list of goals for this year - bear in mind we have just over 6 months left of this year to go - and ask yourself some honest questions.

The Daily Dose of Motivational Medicine is my wall sized billboard - every day I need to come up with new ways to inspire you, prod you, cajole you. It is always front of mind and it is certainly front of desk - every day.

Do you have a wall sized billboard?

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Judy EMAIL: IP: 71.172.185.41 URL: DATE: 05/19/2009 03:26:51 PM I can relate to this, I just finished 2 graduate courses and i was procrastinating so much..I now think i was not inspired..i will reassess what my next job will be...I'll try a different position in nursing rather that go into social work..to get a MSW would be alot of $$ and a 15 thousand pay cut..That is definitely not inspiring ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chetna EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 130.220.79.178 URL: DATE: 05/27/2009 12:29:46 AM I dont really understand what's wrong, got 2 essays to submit today, have done nothing, cause few things i cant understand and i have observed that since past 2 weeks i try to do something else but working on these essays, now i am here, reading your inpirational tips so that i get into a little bit of comfort level, dont understand why i do so again and again, really tired of it....... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Hellen EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.corralmystuff.com DATE: 05/27/2009 07:27:00 AM bcause you can, and because you "got away with it" before, the grades you got were probably ok. In other words - unless there is a real reason to change, you won't...right Elle.

We see the same sorts of things - trying to help students with homework planners and the like, but it all comes down to you and how much you want it in the end.

Next time - start early
Cheers
Hellen D N ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chetna EMAIL: IP: 130.220.79.98 URL: DATE: 06/09/2009 06:07:34 AM :) to start early that is what is needed, and absolutely until there is not real reason to change things dont change..... so started with the rest :)) thanks Hellen and Elle for your comments....... ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Efficiency or deficiency? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management DATE: 05/22/2009 06:11:30 AM ----- BODY:

It doesn't matter what kind of business you are in. If you are dealing with other people, you are in the customer service industry. Can your customers rely on you in times of crisis, or are you only efficient when things are going well.

We all have bad times, it is how we handle ourselves during these times that prove what kind of people we are.

Every day someone, somewhere is affected by "bad times", be it storms, fires, floods, the loss of a job or a loved one. It is during those times we call on other people to help us get through our bad times - whatever it happens to be. The question is - if someone were to call on you for help - would you be efficient or deficient in your response?

Efficient companies organise their people and ensure the affected people are kept informed every step of the way. The ones who don't care, don't call and you are left in the dark wondering if you're ever going to have your house restored.

The efficient companies make it easy for you to do business with them. They know you're stressed, so they make life very easy for you, keeping you informed every step of the way.

The companies who don't give too hoots don't care if their inaction is causing you additional stress. They don't call when they say they will call, they don't send documents when they should, and they blame everything and everyone else for why it is not "their" fault.

People don't mind if there is a problem or a delay - so long as you tell them.

Efficient companies are made by the people who work there. They know first hand what kind of service they expect to receive from other organisations, and they instinctively do better than everyone else. They answer phone calls and queries efficiently. They let their customers know when their goods are on the way. They handle complaints with dignity and politeness and you can tell they enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done. Efficient people don't do it for the thanks, they do it because they love to help, they love to give assistance and they are firm and fair with everyone they deal with.

And just like efficient companies are made by their efficient employees, so too are deficient companies made by the people they hire. Even in today's poor economic climate where jobs are at a premium they turn up late or not at all. They spend hours on the phone, surfing the internet, filing their nails and chewing gum. They know you're waiting to be served, but they don't care - they need to finish their conversation first, you can wait.

Take this week as a good example. Are you efficient in everything you do? Or is there room for improvement?


On a personal level:


What didn't you do that you know you should have done this week?

If everything we do is a choice - including the attitudes we have towards ourselves, our work and our customers - then why would we choose to be anything less than efficient?


----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The real purpose of to-do lists STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Time Management CATEGORY: Planning & Organization DATE: 05/23/2009 05:05:46 AM ----- BODY:

The real purpose of a to-do list isn't to see how much you can get through in any one day. But to see what shouldn't be on there at all.

To do lists are a great way of organising one's thoughts and need to be written down to be effective. But once they're on paper, you can see most of the items for what they are - just stuff that needs doing - but not necessarily by you.

Get rid of the things that are stopping you from achieving your goals and dreams.

Or is that the problem? Do you like hiding behind "stuff" so it stops you from doing the important things?

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Curtis EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 200.77.20.17 URL: http://www.NewFreeMoney.info DATE: 05/29/2009 12:40:19 PM Elle,
I am afraid that perhaps I do "like" to hide behind "stuff" at times. Any words of wisdom to let the "stuff" go?
Thanks,
Curtis ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 06/02/2009 10:44:18 AM Curtis
It takes practice, but once you have identified you are hiding behind "stuff" it's usually easier to say - OK, I know I am wasting time on things that do not need to be done - but it's my choice to do them anyway. Over time as you create the new habit of conscious decision - you will stop.
All the best
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Oiling the nuts and bolts STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Success and Failure CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health DATE: 05/25/2009 01:11:11 PM ----- BODY:

The nuts and bolts are the fundamentals. Those things that keep our plans and our progress on track. But if we don't look after them they soon rust and get stiff with misuse. Take your mind and your body. The two most important parts of what makes you - you (in a physical sense). But do we take the time to look after them?

Be honest, most of us feed our minds and our bodies on a diet of junk, and we expect ourselves to be able to perform at peak performance every day. Is it any wonder we fail.

We talk about what we need to do on a daily basis to keep our minds and our bodies in good health, because without either - nothing can be achieved. Well, I suppose that's not strictly true. We can eat bad things day after day and we think our bodies are doing ok - until we have that first heart attack. You're sitting in the doctor's waiting room, wondering if you shouldn't have had the odd service over the years. The doctor appears with a large clipboard and a look on his face. "There's not much we can do - because there's been no maintenance over the years, the nuts and bolts are seized shut and you might as well trade in your old body for a new model - cos we can't fix the old one any more."

Today you have a choice - you can have a look at what you are doing. Today you can decide if what you are doing is ok, and we all know there is always room for improvement. We all have dreams and goals that we have not given much thought to today - and we know that if we don't - then tomorrow it will be harder to get started on those things we say are important to us.

Your goals are made up of millions of tiny nuts and bolts, each one adding to the bigger "engine" that is your new life. But if you don't take care of the nuts and bolts you're goals and dreams will seize shut and it will take a huge amount of effort to start the process again, which is why most goals and dreams falter. People forget they need to oil the nuts and bolts.

Don't forget to oil yours -

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chetna EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 130.220.79.178 URL: DATE: 05/27/2009 12:24:35 AM kind of started to oil my nuts and bolts by riding bicycle to my job....... o my thighs pain like anything and honestly my body is not at all tuned to exercise (no one's is i know :)) but such readings of yours make me feel ashamed a little though not very much at times.......
so oiling my nuts and bolts :)
thank u heaps for a buzzer....... ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Little things can add up to massive changes over time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Habits CATEGORY: Breaking bad habits CATEGORY: Motivation techniques CATEGORY: Change Management DATE: 02/21/2009 07:32:18 AM ----- BODY:

What you do today will have a profound impact on what you achieve - tomorrow and into the future.

If you don't think that saving a single dollar every day won't make a difference, consider $1 multiplied by 365 days = well I'm sure you can do the math. But you get my point. It may not seem like very much at the time - but day by day you can build on your successes and by the end of the week you can have moved on by 7% by the end of a month by 30%, and of course by the end of a year by a massive 365%. Money is the easiest thing to count, but it could be anything. Do 1 push up today, and add just one more tomorrow and one more the day after that - by the end of a week you should be able to do 7 - what difference do you think that would make to your body shape? Strength? Stamina? How toned do you think you will be if you add just one more to your count so that by the end of day 30 you'll be doing 30 without any problem at all.

What about eating one more piece of fruit than yesterday or drinking one less glass of wine. How about making one more phone call today or hand writing one thank you note to a client for doing business with you. If you do one a day, at the end of 30 days you will have touched the hearts of 30 clients and customers - and believe me in the days of electronic everything, spam and junk mail - who's not going to think good things about someone who has taken the time to hand write them a letter? Oh and don't use it as an excuse to stick a sales flyer in the same envelope - you will undo all the good work and good will you have taken the time to generate.

It may not seem like very much but making one small change today can see massive changes in the not too distant future.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: A soldier's motivation STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Motivational Stories DATE: 02/28/2009 05:51:15 AM ----- BODY:

What makes people do what they do?

Take a soldier for example. When you think about soldiers, what do you envisage? Personally I "see" people - mainly men and boys in far off lands, and a long way from their families and friends. They are doing what they have been trained to do "protect and serve". You hear of acts of bravery and courage and times when they give up their lives so that other's may live.

I am not going to talk about the rights or wrongs of war, but the acts of selflessness of not only the front line soldiers, but the support crews, the specialists and the medics. Each person a part of a specific team with a specific job to do. Each person a vital key to the whole. Unless you have been in that kind of situation yourself I doubt you would understand what it takes to be a soldier...or for that matter any of the defence forces. Can you imagine being away from home for months on end? Can you imagine not going home ever again? Can you imagine thinking that and still being motivated to do your job, the job you were trained to do?

Turn that into the job you are doing, the job you have been trained to do. Can you honestly say you are as motivated as a soldier - every single day, because if not - you or your team members may get hurt or even die? Are you still willing to say - I do everything I can every single day because I know that if I didn't - the job wouldn't get done, and we may lose if I don't perform my part to the best of my abiltiy? Would you be willing to give up your peace and comfort for someone else? How long for? A few hours, a few days?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Death of procrastination STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Project Management CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination CATEGORY: Habits CATEGORY: Breaking bad habits CATEGORY: Avoid procrastination CATEGORY: Avoiding procrastination CATEGORY: Beat procrastination CATEGORY: Conquer procrastination CATEGORY: How to overcome procrastination CATEGORY: How to stop procrastination CATEGORY: Procrastination help CATEGORY: Cure procrastination CATEGORY: Conquering procrastination CATEGORY: Dealing with procrastination CATEGORY: Stop procrastination CATEGORY: End procrastination CATEGORY: Procrastination CATEGORY: Change Management DATE: 06/02/2009 10:40:04 AM ----- BODY:

Procrastinators are always going to do something.

I'm going to:
* Lose weight
* Give up smoking
* Save money
* Spend more time with the wife and kids
* Write my bestseller
* Make all my sales calls today
* Catch up with my correspondence
* Go for a walk every day
* Read one business book a month
* Create my own business
* Learn a new language, how to dance, throw the biggest dinner party, speak in public..............

Or whatever else is on your - "one day I'm gonna do" list

I sometimes think procrastinators would put off death because they simply can't be bothered to move on to the next realm. Which is probably why that particular task has been given to someone else (in most cases) to decide when we go. But what if today is the day "they" decide it's your day to go? Do you want to get to the edge of life and scream - but I was gonna do so many things, I can't go yet.

Well, if you don't move your goals and dreams forward today - when are you? Or do you really believe you're going to live forever?

I have two lists - one is my must do before I die list....and the other - have achieved all this list

And both of them are impressive. I'm not going to ask you to create either list, because that's up to you to decide if they're helpful or not. But I know that when I need inspiration to get started on the next major item I re-read everything I've done so far and know that I can and will achieve my next goal.

How about you?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Your life is a bank account STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Life balance DATE: 06/03/2009 09:33:39 AM ----- BODY:

"Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future"
Alice Walker


Your life is a bank account. And like all bank accounts they can healthy, they can be overdrawn, or like most bank accounts - they contain just enough to keep you going until the next pay check.

Healthy habits and behaviours add to your bank account, whilst every bad habit and repeated behaviour takes away from your account. If you look at the balance sheet that is your life - would the positive overcome the negative?

Simply making a conscious decision to treat each transaction as a positive or negative amount to your personal bank account and balance sheet will (hopefully) begin the process of change.

It doesn't take many new disciplines repeated every day to make a massive change to your personal balance sheet. The question is - are you willing to make those changes?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Today is desk dumpster day STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Time Management CATEGORY: Business Management CATEGORY: Planning & Organization DATE: 06/04/2009 10:23:21 AM ----- BODY:

Desk dumpster day is otherwise known as lets get rid of the weekly clutter that's built up.

I got to my office this morning after a day off work - and wondered who's office I had wandered into. There was paper, files and "stuff" everywhere. Realising it was indeed my own office (it didn't take much working out you understand), I began to clean up the mess. Some of it was of my own making - and some of it related to a course that had been run and the remnants needed actioning.

So it began:

1. I checked the email - and actioned all important items. This took about 5 minutes. All non-urgent stuff did not get opened, did not get read and would be dealt with at a more appropriate time.

2. I organised the next training course, which is due to run next Tuesday - but involved a technological component. I needed to set it up today so it could be checked and be ready to rock next week. And the first real major task of the day.
2a. Manuals, papers, pens, handouts, notes, were organised.

3. I then went back into my office. And I moved everything onto one part of my desk - leaving me some working space. I don't know what it is about other people - but they must assume if there is a bit of clear space - they just have to fill it.

4. I then began to sort and file. Each item took a few minutes to sort.
4a. Do it now - anything that could be done within a 5 minute slot was actioned and dealt with.
4b. Dump it - it's not important, so why keep it.
4c. Delegation? No, nothing on the pile needed passing on - which left -
4d. Delay it. Delaying something is not procrastination - just a better use of time, energy and space. Delaying an item that will take more than 5 minutes to do (after you have done your initial sorting phase) is important as it gives you time to organise your thoughts whilst organising the do in 5 minutes or less items.

Once this phase had been finished, I then moved onto the calendar and worked out what was next on the project phase, and slotted in the "dealyed" items. Next week is a particularly busy one. We are running a number of training programs which need organising. Spreadsheets were updated - and within a few hours my life (and my desk) was back to normal.

It may seem like a boring and pointless thing to do, not to mention regimented - but if you don't spend a few minutes organising your day and as tomorrow is a friday - next week, then you will start next week not knowing where you are and what you are supposed to be doing. Can you imagine not scheduling time in your calendar to attend that important business meeting, or writing the report for that important business meeting, or making note of the visit to the dentist - which you've had to put off a dozen times already because you've forgotten about it.

It is also a good time to make sure all your bills are scheduled and ready for payment, and your ethical debts are paid (any birthday cards / presents are on the to-do list (buy, write, post), any phone calls you have been putting off are either done or scheduled and any letters are similarly handled).

Get in the habit of a once a week desk dumpster day and within a few weeks you will have made space in your life and your calendar for the important items - those major goals and ongoing projects we all have - and don't think we have time for. Don't believe me - try it for a couple of weeks and see if I'm not right.

Do you have any tips that will help your fellow readers cope with their desk dumpster day?

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Donald EMAIL: IP: 71.203.227.231 URL: DATE: 06/04/2009 12:43:53 PM My accountant is a truly organized man (though aren't most accountants). He suggest to spend 15 minutes a day clearing the desk.. filing everything that needs filed etc. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 06/05/2009 01:00:24 AM Donald - thank you. I've always said if you have a system that works for you - work it. Most people don't have any kind of system which is why they are always rushing around and in a mess. And no, my accountant is not the most organised man in the entire world - it always amazes me he can find anything. Sure the individual pieces of paper and in files, it's just the files are all over the place.
All the best
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The pumpkin test STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Personal development DATE: 06/06/2009 06:01:43 AM ----- BODY:

There is a little story about a big business idea that captured my attention called "The Go Giver" written by two amazing people called Bob Burg and John David Mann (you can connect with them and me on Twitter - @ellegb @bobburg and @johndavidmann if you're interested).

One of the premises of the book relates to the condition under which the "hero" of our story must abide by. The condition says (and I paraphrase) - he must put into practice the lesson he has learned on the SAME day he first hears about it - or he'll turn into a pumpkin (read the book you'll understand what I mean)...actually if he hasn't put into practice the lesson by the end of the day - the lessons will stop.

And that's when it hit me. We think we are doing OK, we think that by reading and going to courses we are getting on, we are getting ahead. Well yes and no. We may be buoyed up by the information, we make noises about how we're going to make changes to this, and this, and this. But we don't. A few days after reading the book or attending the course we've virtually forgotten we were going to do something.

Human nature says that unless there is a reason for implementing change, unless we have a condition imposed on us (the pumpkin test) few of us will make a difference to their current life plan.

Every time we read and don't put into action those thoughts and suggestions that resonate with us...we're failing the pumpkin test.

If you consider that every lesson is like a brick in a wall, each one laying the foundation for the next set of lessons, you can see how important it is to practice what we read.

Reading the books, going to classes and seminars - they are important - because that is where you will find the suggestions, the glimmer of something that will make a difference to you and your life plan. But you've failed the test if you don't implement.

So today's pumpkin test:

1. Did you read this post and dismiss the words as ramblings of someone who has probably lost the plot?

2. Did you read the message and recognize yourself?

3. Did you read the message and decide that next time you will do things differently? or

4. Did you read this and do something? (And hitting the delete button does not count).

Did you fail the pumpkin test?

With many thoughts
Elle

p.s. if you haven't got a copy of the go-giver - I got mine from Amazon

--------------------------------------------

Today's additional thought for the day - Do me a favor!

--------------------------------------------

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Ben EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 89.54.183.21 URL: DATE: 06/06/2009 03:20:32 PM I have been enjoying most of your posts over the last 6 months or so. This one, however, sticks out to the positive. Well done!! You're quite an inspiration. Thanks. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kathy UK EMAIL: IP: 81.111.14.116 URL: DATE: 06/07/2009 08:56:06 AM I am new to your posts, what you say makes sense. It made read this one twice!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 59.100.179.206 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 06/07/2009 11:20:12 AM Hi Ben and Kathy
Thank you - and I do know what you mean Ben...sometimes I can nail the posts, and sometimes they miss the mark - but this one - this one I must say was inspired....and not just by the go-giver, which is an awesome book and one I must have read now a couple of dozen times....
Hope you both have a brilliant and wonderful day
Kind Regards
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Imagine life without shoelaces STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation DATE: 06/08/2009 11:31:09 AM ----- BODY:

Can you imagine life without shoelaces? how about the eyelet holes that the shoelaces go through? Sure there are velcro straps and pull on boots, but shoelaces - who invented those?

Can you imagine a life without people who thought about things like shoelaces and other "mundane" things we take for granted. The endless hours of working out the correct length, type of material - and the little bits of plastic at the end - to stop the laces from fraying.

And can you imagine what other people would have said to the person who invented shoelaces....You're staying up all night to work out how we can keep our boots on? what for? we don't need shoelaces...why don't you get a life!

When you stop to think about everything that surrounds us, every thing we do - every single day is because someone, somewhere had this brilliant idea and stopped at nothing, and I do mean NOTHING to get the idea into being. The thought processes, the imagination, the sheer creativity of everything that surrounds us - is truly astounding. Never be afraid of your ideas and the difference they can make to the world. Imagine what life would be like without your idea, your creativity and your vision and you will stop at nothing. You will know exactly what actions you need to take to make your dreams a reality.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Jayce EMAIL: IP: 74.178.236.72 URL: DATE: 06/09/2009 03:49:46 AM The plastic bits at the end of shoe laces are called "aglets." ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 06/09/2009 04:37:51 AM I knew, someone would know what they were called...thanks Jayce ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: 8 days every week STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Time Management CATEGORY: Planning & Organization DATE: 06/09/2009 10:25:06 AM ----- BODY:

It never ceases to amaze me how much time people waste. But by following a few of these time management tips and tricks, not only can you get ahead of almost everyone else, but it will seem like you really do have 8 days in every week.

1. Start work on time, every time. If you are supposed to be starting work at 8.30 or 9.00 or whatever your start time is, don't waste the first 30 minutes checking the email, the internet, internet email, facebook, twitter and every other social networking site there is. These might be important, but not at the expense of the first 30-60 minutes of every day. Turn on, tune in and get on with the very important stuff.

2. Write down where you spend your time. It's time to be honest with yourself - if you had to charge out your time, how much money would you really earn today? Honest answer for most people - not that much.

3. Don't waste the last few minutes before morning and afternoon tea breaks (assuming you still get them where you work), but especially the time just before lunch, the time just after lunch and time just before you finish work at night. This is especially true of Friday afternoons. Imagine Friday is the last day before your holiday and you're off to somewhere nice on the weekend and won't be in on Monday...how much more would you get done? If you line up your jobs and projects, those few minutes we just mentioned can be used to do some of the mundane tasks you never get round to doing, but are essential to the smooth running of every office and organisation. So if you find yourself thinking about surfing the net for something to do - take that as your cue to do something more useful - the filing may not seem like the most important job in the world - until you need to find something that is.

4. Use the last 5 minutes of every day to organise the next. A friend of mine writes himself a note and sends it to himself as an email - no scrappy bits of paper that tend to get lost, and the first and only thing that gets opened in the morning.

5. Start work before everyone else. I love getting to the office early. I can organise my thoughts and get some serious writing done before the phones start ringing and before the interruptions begin. That may only be 15-30 minutes before the official working day starts - but it can move you ahead like few other things can.

6. Down time and breaks. One of the best pieces of advice I heard was this - if you are at work, then work. If you are at home, then be there. Although I have a home office that occupies my time when I am at home, when I am at the desk - that is work time, and everyone knows it.

7. Do similar tasks at the same time. If you have to hunt for something once, you can almost guarantee you will have to hunt for them again later. So, once a week I organise bills, letters, cards and presents, do the filing and reconcile the budget. I've got this down to a fine art now and it only takes me a few minutes to organise my time and I can schedule present buying and trips to the post office into the week.

8. If you are on a roll, then don't stop. As a writer I love it when the words flow and I hate having to stop because it's supposedly lunch time or some other random happening. So, if I have any say in the matter - if the words are flowing I don't turn off the faucet (tap to my Aussie and English friends). When you get to a natural stopping point - then by all means (and I do) stop and do something else. But stopping the flow of what you are doing just because it's "time" - is the best way of stopping your productivity and it will take you longer to get back to where you were.

How do you make the most of your time?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: If in doubt, focus on the three keys to success STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management CATEGORY: Success and Failure CATEGORY: Business Philosophy DATE: 06/10/2009 12:40:36 PM ----- BODY:

If in doubt - focus on three things:

* Distinction
* Excellence and
* Service

Distinction:
* What makes you different from everyone else?
* Why is that a good thing?

Most people haven't grasped the concept of niche. Niche means you know exactly who your market is and who you want / need / desire to serve. Believe it or not, you cannot be all things to all people all of the time (if at all). Take Motivate Me as a great example. You would think that Motivation would be easy - most people at some point in their lives need a little bit of help to get started on goals and projects. But Motivate Me has many different categories - people need motivation in many different areas of their lives - be it weight loss, exercise, geting on at school or work. They may even need to know how to motivate others - especially the younger generation. Which is why these daily e-zines cover such a wide variety of topics. Whilst some aspects can be translated across all areas, some ARE unique.

Excellence:
Do everything you do - excellently. Don't do things half-heartedly or because you think you should. Do it and do it well and you will succeed faster than most everyone else. Most people are content with doing just enough, few people go above and beyond. Be one of the ones who do. Believe me, people will notice and they will start sending other people your way.

Service:
This one should be imprinted on everyone's forehead - and in everyone's mind. It is the most important part (IMHO) of being in business. You may do things excellently - but if you are constantly telling your clients something will be ready soon and several weeks later it still hasn't turned up - it doesn't matter if the work was excellent, all they will remember is the poor customer service.

These three things provide the basis for everything we say and do. So if you are ever in any doubt about what to do - remember the three keys to success.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What is your company car saying about YOU? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management CATEGORY: Action DATE: 03/03/2009 09:53:10 AM ----- BODY:

Do you drive a company car? Does your vehicle have a logo of some sort on it?

Two things:

Now, multiply those questions by the number of cars / vehicles in your organisations fleet of vehicles. Are your drivers promoting or detracting from your business or not?

It may seem like such a petty thing, but the reason for the questions is simple. I was hounded by a car that had company insignia all over it. Worse still the car was battered and was in a terrible state of repair. Would I go to this business based on this organisations calling card? Absolutely not. And another major reason - the driver was prepared to take all sorts of risks, and there is no way - given the business he was promoting would I use a company that had such a cavalier attitude towards safety. I have said many, many times - everything that has your name on it, says something about you. Now is it saying good things or bad?

Now I'm not sure this message falls into the motivational side of things, but it certainly falls under the "oops, better check that one" category.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Your online public image STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management CATEGORY: Planning & Organization CATEGORY: Change Management DATE: 03/05/2009 09:15:19 AM ----- BODY:

 A day or so ago I spoke about your company vehicles and how they are mobile business cards. Today I want to speak to you about your place of business. What do your clients see when they visit your business? What do the passers by see? Would your business facade draw people in, or would the tatty, weed infested carpark and peeling paint ensure no-one wandered through your door?

But what about those organisations who have an online presence (a website) - what does that say about you and your work?

If you are still into the flashing whizz bangs and whirring wot nots on the landing page of your website, a word of advice - people aren't interested in that anymore. They want information and they want it quickly. There are many issues with regards to web design which we don't have the time or space to cover here, but if you are interested in what makes a website work then please visit (IMHO) one of the best - http://www.treble7.com - I used that advice to build my site, and now I know more, will be able to do more with the site. But what I wanted to add to the debate on website landing pages - if a client was searching for your business and didn't have a clue as to what your business was called - would they find you? Yes I know there is yellow pages, but humour me for a moment.

What would they be typing in to yellow pages to search for your business. Now translate that to a search engine query.

For example - mortgage broker and like yellow pages - limit the search by location. Do you get close to the top of the search engine rankings?

You see, your image - your personal look, the look of your business, the way you do business, the way you treat your clients isn't just limited to those face-to-face meetings you have. But to everything they see and hear about you.

So, a question - is it time you smartened up your public image? Or Can you sit back and go, yep - done that one Elle, bring on the next set of suggestions. In which case I'll speak to you all tomorrow.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: It comes down to this STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination DATE: 06/14/2009 06:52:54 AM ----- BODY:

1. What do you want?
2. How badly do you want it?
3. Are you willing to put in the hours, the practice, the sheer dedication and persistence you need to pull it off?

If the answer to the last set of questions is - well, maybe - I'd refer back to points one and two.

If you don't enjoy what you do, other things will always look more appealing. If you don't want something as badly as you think you should, then you will procrastinate, you won't want to get up in a morning, you'll spend hours on the internet "doing research". How long do you think the professional sports persons spend perfecting their skills? How long do you think it takes to write a book, paint a portrait, learn how to run a marathon, save a million dollars if you start today with just one dollar?

Every time you decide to put in some practice, every time you decide to save another dollar and every time you decide YOU want something badly enough will YOU decide you are willing to put in the time and the effort to bring it off.

And the beauty is, once you have decided to do something - things start to fall into place.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Take the hourglass approach to problem solving STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Success and Failure DATE: 06/16/2009 10:49:35 AM ----- BODY:

Life can be overwhelming, it may seem like there is just too much to do and no time do it in.

Well - consider the hourglass - only one grain of sand can move through the opening at any one time, the others have to wait their turn, but they will follow when the one preceding it has gone.

If you can see only problems then your "sand" will not move through the hourglass it will be stuck. But if you take just one item at a time and work on it, for just a few minutes, then you will have moved both "it" and you forwards.

But before you can do any of that - you do need to know what your problem areas are. And then you can find the solutions, because as soon as you focus on the solution rather than th problem, ways forward will become obvious. You may hear something, see something or read something that will help you, all you have to do is be open to the solution.

You see the beauty of the future, it comes to us one grain of a second at a time and each micro decision that we make can move us on by days.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: First impressions last STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management DATE: 06/17/2009 01:11:33 PM ----- BODY:

We are what other people see and hear.

If you are using technology, and especially the internet to promote your products and services - take a good and hard look (and listen) to what you can see and hear. Go to a public terminal and try and download the website on an average connection speed. Does it work? Whilst you will always think your own website and written work is awesome, sometimes the reality is a little different - so whilst you are on the research phase of determining what other people see and hear - ask for feedback.

What do people see when they "see" you in person? Are you in shape? Are you overweight? Are your clothes neat and clean? Do they fit with the market you are trying to work in? Whilst ripped jeans and sneakers may work in a studio, you may not be able to be taken seriously in a typical office environment.

How do you sound? Do you listen as well as talk? Hint - listening is as important as talking when you are communicating with someone else. If necessary take your ego out of the equation - if the client wants a pink one, regardless of what the research says, sometimes you have to provide the pink one.

We have one chance to make a good impression, so remember the key point - we are what other people see and hear. And that goes for our business too.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: When you need a hand STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination DATE: 06/18/2009 10:44:07 AM ----- BODY:

Remember this - you have some of your own.

We can be our own worst enemy when it comes to motivation and procrastination over tasks we just don't want to do. We say to people, I'm not sure what to do, can you give me a hand?

What you really mean is - I can't be bothered most of the time to work it out for myself - so if I ask you to help me I don't have to do all of the thinking and doing by myself.

Whilst it is good to get help (and I'm not saying you shouldn't) before you ask for help, ask yourself - what advice would you give another person if they came to you with the same issue / problem. And therein lies your answer(s) to your current dilemma. Then all you need to do is take your own advice.

Sometimes we don't give ourselves the credit where it is due and we opt for the easy option. Well today it's time to give yourself a hand and the responsibility to help yourself.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Pushed to the limit STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Mentoring and Coaching CATEGORY: Action DATE: 06/20/2009 07:02:49 AM ----- BODY:

If I asked you to do 200 situps now, how many would you be able to do?

Would you be willing to try?
Would you say "that's not possible and I'm not even going to try?"

How long would it be before you gave up?

The truth is, most people would be able to do 200 situps or ab crunches over the course of about half an hour. But I can almost guarantee if you had to push yourself to do them you wouldn't bother. I can almost guarantee you would give up when it started to hurt a little.

How do I know you can do about 200 situps or ab crunches in about half an hour? Well myself and my fellow trainees were pushed to do that this morning. Along with another 2 minutes of body bridge (plank) 15 minutes of cardio and another 15 sets of weight bearing exercises...all in about half an hour.

The difference is - we are trained in a group (circuit class style) by a personal trainer and he tells us what he wants us to do. Whilst he doesn't scream or yell he does motivate us to do the exercises, even when they do hurt and we want to stop. And that's the difference I feel. If we did everything ourselves without the support and motivation of someone like a personal coach, mentor or trainer we can easily slack off during the course of a day, let alone a week.

So - if you are having trouble in a certain area it is worth finding out if someone can push you on to the next level. I can do my bit of course and I will. But really it is now down to you.

What area(s) can you identify that needs a little extra push to get the results happening?

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Finding ways to stay motivated STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Life balance DATE: 06/21/2009 10:18:34 AM ----- BODY:

We all know how easy it is to be motivated when we're feeling good about life, the universe and everything - including ourselves. When we feel good, we know we can achieve anything and everything we put our minds to. But sometimes it can be difficult to get to that point. So here are a few suggestions to keep yourself in a good state of mind and body, so that you can roll through the "bad" times and onto the good - more easily and more frequently. Some of these may fall into the blindingly obvious I know, but it is the little things that makes some of the biggest differences.

1. Take opportunitites when they are presented to you. If you can't be bothered to open the door when they knock, they will go and knock elsewhere.
2. When you are faced with a decision and don't know which way to go - go with the bolder choice and stretch yourself.
3. Meet regularly with like-minded people, or even better people who will challenge you to do more, be more, achieve more and expect to see results from you.
4. Get a good night's sleep - every night. This is one I am trying to work out - as an insomniac I do struggle with sleep - but I am working on how to get between 6 and 8 hours of quality sleep a night - how can I expect to do all that I do without it?
5. Stick to your guns.
6. Keep the passion alive.
a. Do something unexpected
b. Do something on your own - because you can
7. Challenge your reading patterns
8. Watch a documentary on a subject that you know nothing about
9. Make time for your family and friends. These form part of your personal support network and are vital to your lifes balance.
10. Take care of yourself
a. Eat well, but try new foods every now and then
b. Drink in moderation
c. Exercise to keep your mind and your body in good health
11. Pay yourself first
12. Save money
13. Pay your bills
14. Play with your kids, grandkids and your pets
15. Have some downtime each day
16. Keep your appointments
17. Return phone calls, letters and library books

Remember a lot of your emotional well being determines your physical well being

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 78.150.151.220 URL: DATE: 06/21/2009 06:32:21 PM Hi Elle,
With regards to your insomnia, have you tried Pzizz?
Have a look at http://www.pzizz.com/ it worked for me!
I hope this helps you, it would be great to give something back to you after all the help & hints you have given me!

Keep up the great work,

Chris ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 59.100.198.89 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 06/22/2009 11:48:04 AM Thanks Chris, nope never heard of them....must be here in Aus as something else. Try not to use chemicals - may use valerian (herbal) if it's been too long between decent sleeps.
And thank you for taking the time to comment - I really do appreciate it
Cheers my dear
Elle ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Chris EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 78.144.162.169 URL: DATE: 06/25/2009 08:18:33 AM Hi,

It's not chemical, its audio! Download one of the tracks & take 15mins for a listen.

Chris ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 06/26/2009 07:13:50 AM Oops - that's funny.... then I will definitely find out !!
Thanks Chris
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Success stories that motivate you STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Success and Failure DATE: 03/07/2009 06:04:28 AM ----- BODY:

I love hearing from you. I love knowing that the odd suggestion I make resonates with you. I love knowing that you are making a difference to the way your life turns out. It's brilliant, it inspires me and it makes me want, no need to raise my game every day knowing exactly that.

What motivates you?

It may be you can see the changes you are making to your body shape or the way that you eat. Each decision to go to the gym and work out is a success story in the making. Each time you choose healthier foods over the quick and easy options - you are a success story in the making. Every time you pick up the telephone to speak to a client you are building your business and you are writing your own success story. We all know the stats with regards to sales calls, but every time you pick up the telephone and make those sales calls you are making a choice to make a major difference to two people - yourself and your client. Now why would 't you want those feel good moments more often?

I have a good friend who is always on the go. She has moved states, jobs, gained degrees and helped hundreds of people know their worth and true calling. She is a phenomenal person and is always raising the bar and re-writing her personal list of success stories. Both a go-getter and a go-giver in one (for those of you who know the story)....and a true inspiration to me. Given that we only have 24 hours a day - it does make me wonder whether she has her own time machine so she can fit it all in - and I'm sure you know people like that.

Now, before we go any further - a little bit of homework for you on this weekend.

It's been a while since I asked you to do this. But today I want you to begin writing your personal success stories. The blank page beckons - write down everything you have achieved this week. Write it in glorious detail. And then - because memories play tricks on us, go as far back as you can - and write down all the other personal success stories you have achieved. And please don't say you don't have any....if in doubt ask your mum - did you learn to walk and talk? How about tying shoe laces? They may not seem like a lot - but can you imagine never having learned to tie shoelaces? As you fill in your book - and this should be something you have at the side of your bed - an be one of the last things you do before turning out the light. Find something every day to write in your book.

So that when you do have a down moment or two. When you don't feel like rolling out of bed and going to the gym. When you don't feel like eating properly. When you can't be bothered - go back to your success book and re-read it. Allow yourself time to absorb the words, relive the success and like all good endorphin rushes - you will start to feel better and more likely to do what you were procrastinating over.

My successes this week include:

What will your success book look like? What good things have you done today / this week ?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Lessons I have learned STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Business Philosophy DATE: 06/28/2009 04:03:17 AM ----- BODY:

Lessons I have learned:

1. If you want to achieve great things it's no good mixing with people who are happy where they are, doing what they've always done.
2. The hardest step getting started on a project is usually the first one and involves "you" telling your mind that you want to do it.
3. It takes time, effort and patience - and there are no magic bullets to shorten the time, effort and patience needed.
4. There is an endless demand for free services, and the more you give, the more you are expected to carry on giving.
5. Friends are those people who would bail you out of a mexican jail. The rest are just acquaintances.
6. "The graveyards are full of indispensable men" I think it was De Gaulle who said that, and you know what "he" was right. Take a holiday now and then, and it doesn't have to be big, a long weekend can do the trick.
7. Make time every day to do what you want to do, otherwise other people will fill that time for you.
8. People who don't read are no different from those who can't.
9. Sleep is one of the best de-stressors around.
10. If you do something a little different today you can make 365 changes to your life in one year.
11. Habits are those annoying things we didn't think we had - until we tried to stop doing them.
12. Sometimes you just have to let people "go". If they are not on the same train as you when you decide to leave the station then that's their hard luck - not yours.

What lessons have you learned?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: My Inspirational Book List STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivational Books DATE: 03/09/2009 11:06:36 AM ----- BODY:

I have been asked by a few people, what books are on my shelf of inspiration, the books I can pick up and read when I feel the need to reconnect with who and what I am, and what I would like to do, be and achieve. So, I thought I would share my list with you. Now I'm not saying you should buy them, let alone read them - but if you do, then that's fantastic.

I read an interesting statistic the other day, i'm sorry I can't remember where it came from - just one of the many articles that pass over my computer screen each week. But it said - the average adult American reads less than one book a year. My first thought was - that's interesting. My second thought was - well if they're not reading books, what are they filling their minds with?

You see I am a firm believer that if you don't stimulate your thinking you won't grow, you won't learn and the next 5 years will be the same as the last 5. I am also a great believer in the thought that what goes into your mind comes whooshing straight out of your mouth.

So - a question as always - what are you talking about? What are you thinking about? Am I saying you shouldn't watch TV or read tabloid mags - of course not. But like all things your reading needs balance too. So make this week a week you will challenge your mind and read something a little different.

And before you say - books are expensive, there are lots of free resources. Check out the links at - http://www.motivateme.info/links - there's a list of links to free books online - about half way down. Oh and the other place to get free books - your local library. You do have to give these ones back, but imagine being given the chance to read hundreds and thousands of books for nothing more than your time to go and choose them.

Anyway I thought I would share with you a small part of my inspirational book list:

My inspirational books list:

Audlin: Circle of Life: Traditional teachings of Native American Elders
Boteach, S: Kosher emotions
Bryan, M and Cameron, J: The Artists Way at Work
Burg, B and Mann, J: The Go-Giver
Carnegie, D: How to win friends and influence people
Carnegie, D: How to stop worrying and start living
Chopra, D: Ageless body, timeless mind
Covey, S: First things first every day
Curott, Phyllis: Book of shadows
Fontana, D: Learn Zen meditation
Fripp, P: Get what you want
Handy, C: The empty raincoat
Hay, L: The power is within you
Hayward, S: A Guide for the Advanced Soul
Hicks, E and J: The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent
Hicks, E & J: Ask and It is given
Hicks, E & J: The Law of Attraction
Hill, S R: The Psychic Detective
Horne, F: Witch
Jeffers, S: Feel the fear and do it anyway
Jimenez, L: Conquer Fear
Johnson, S: Who moved my cheese
McGraw, P: Self Matters
Pausch, R: The Last Lecture
Peck, M S: In Search of Stones
Peck, M S: The road less traveled
Ravenwolf, S: The Solitary Witch
Reagen, R: The Reagen Diaries
Redfield, J: The Celestine Prophecy
Rohn, J & Widener, C: Twelve Pillars
Rohn J: The five major pieces to the life puzzle
Shulman, J: The Instruction Manual for Receiving God
Tolle, E: The Power of Now
Virtue, D: Goddesses and Angels
VIrtue, D: Angel Medicine
Waitley, D: Seeds of Greatness
Walsch, N D: Conversations with God and Meditations from Conversations with God
Wattles, W D: The Science of Getting Rich
Widener, C: The Angel Inside
Widener, C: Tee Art of Infulence
Wolf, N; The Treehouse
Zukov, G: The seat of the soul

Now this represents a very small part of my collection of books - and yes they were in order til I took them off the shelf to add to my list. As you will see, it's a wide and extremely varied collection. And if I can give you one piece of advice when it comes to choosing your "reading" books - choose things that stretch your mind, make you question what you currently believe. Isn't that the way we grow?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Change: Opening your eyes to the possibilities STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Change Management DATE: 03/11/2009 09:53:20 AM ----- BODY:

When you decide to change your life - you will. You will begin to see opportunities where you hadn't noticed them before. When you truly open your eyes and begin to see what is around you and what you have hidden away for so long things will begin to happen for you. Believe me, it's one of those trust things. But you have to be willing to open your eyes.

There is a line from a movie I liken to this that says "my friend, there is a fine line between coincidence and fate".

Can you be half-open minded? No, you either are or you're not. You can't say you want things to change, then blindly go about your day in the same way. And that is what I mean by opening your eyes to the possibilities.

Knowing what you want to change is the first thing. Doing something about it - that's essential. Now, you may not always get it right. But at least you are moving, at least you are trying something new - and sometimes that's all it takes for you to get off and running. And sooner or later you will wonder what on earth you were doing for all those years. How many times have you said "gosh I wish I'd done that sooner". Well being open to change is that wake-up call for you.

Like I have always said - you might be doing OK, and that's great - but it never hurts to look. To check what you're eating, drinking, reading, watching on the television, what seminars you are going to, how many sales calls you are making. Once you have a measure - you can see and you can do something about it. If you want to. Or you can shut your eyes right now and go back to what you were doing. As always - it's your choice.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Stop cleaning the same room: It's time to move on STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Project Management CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Action CATEGORY: Breaking bad habits CATEGORY: Beat procrastination CATEGORY: Motivation techniques CATEGORY: Change Management DATE: 03/14/2009 04:46:07 AM ----- BODY:

Imagine being given 3 balls and told to juggle them....properly - and without dropping them. Go on, off you go.

You stop and stare at me and say - but I don't know how - how am I supposed to juggle 3 balls at the same time without being taught, or without dropping them every so often....and no I can't juggle 3 so please don't even think about giving me 4 or even 5 to contend with.

So why do we think we can lose 15 kilos in 5 minutes, or save a million dollars in one year, or pay off the mortgage in 5.

Anything we say we want to achieve takes time....that or a) you've been shown the way by an expert or b) you are a natural. We don't believe in luck here at MotivateMe - we do believe in hard work, persistence and coincidence however.

Some projects take time, energy and a lot of persistence to achieve. That's what makes them worthwhile.

Or think about your projects in this way.

We have our project lined up. We know what the end result is going to be (as in we know what the goal is). And we know that in order to get there we need to do certain things. Yes? Good. Now the first problem is - we have set the goal way to far into the future or way out of our reach - it's hard to be motivated when that is the case. So we conveniently forget about our project. Now imagine if you would, that your project is your home. The place where you currently live.

Imagine what would happen if you didn't wash the dishes or put them away. Imagine what your house would look like with dirty clothes strewn across the floor or left over food congealing in the bowls on the stove. Cleaning up that kind of mess would take a lot of effort, and is very daunting. But if you do a little bit every day - the house doesn't get to that state in the first place and you have time in your schedule to work on those other things you say you want to achieve.

So take a project and break it down so there are several "rooms" and each "room" needs some work. Break down each "room" into what tasks need doing and then take one item and work on it until it is completed. Then once you have done that - you move on to the next room. Where some of us get hung up is we keep "cleaning the same room". We go over and over the same ground - repeating our behaviours, changing the colour scheme and the layout. Then we wander down the hallway - look into the bleak rooms that are left and we race back up the hallway to where we were - it's safe there, it's cosy - after all we've re-arranged everything so that it's nice and we don't need to leave.

Well today I am here to tell you that it is time you took a damn good look at those other "rooms" in your house and to take one and start work on it. And what better time than now.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivate me to exercise - Don't just go through the motions STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Motivation to improve diet and health CATEGORY: Action CATEGORY: Motivation techniques CATEGORY: Motivate me to exercise DATE: 03/18/2009 10:47:31 AM ----- BODY:

It was still dark when the alarm went off this morning. The morning had a chill in the air as I put on the clothes I had laid out the night before. But I needed to get to the gym and the circuit exercise class I needed to do. Needed - interesting choice of word - but I do need my exercise just like I need food and water. It is part of my life and I feel short changed if I don't do it. Which does make me wonder why I can go for months and pretend I don't need or want to do it.

I arrived with 6 minutes to spare. The trainers greeted me with a cheery - hey Elle good to see you - and I had to wonder what time they got up every morning. But instead of waiting for the class to start like the other trainees I got onto a bike and started pedalling.

When the trainer ended the last class and organised ours - I had to take a second and hard look at the people who were going to share this session. A mix of large and small, male and female. And one who arrived late and I had to wonder why she bothered.

Her heart and mind just weren't in it. Every exercise was done half-heartedly and with little or no passion. Bearing in mind each station lasted for just 60 seconds - she would pike half way through. I doubt she even raised her heart rate. Given the class was cardio and weight loss with some weights thrown in - It seemed pointless to me. The trainer did her best - she cajoled us, and pushed us...she even held the punch bag as I kicked the dickens out of it. But the person who had turned up and hadn't participated fully and properly - had wasted her time because she had gained no benefit from it, other than turning up. Is that enough? Personally I would say no - but you may disagree with me.

Are you guilty of just turning up?

Are you guilty of just going through the motions?

Then it is time you re-evaluated your reasons and your commitments to yourself and what YOU say you want to achieve.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Stop wasting a third of every year: Strategies on overcoming the procrastination habit STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Time Management CATEGORY: Project Management DATE: 03/22/2009 01:18:58 AM ----- BODY:

Do you want to move your projects and goals on in huge leaps and bounds, then use your weekends / time off.

Now don't argue with me about needing "down time" - that's what sleep is for. A chance to recharge the batteries so you can be refreshed to charge on with the next day's activities. But how often do you say to yourself "I'll take a couple of days of and get started on ..." well if you work a full-time job (usually Monday to Friday) you are given two days off every week. So why not use them instead of your annual leave?

Intersperse your "must do" weekend activities - mine are cleaning, grocery shopping and laundry with your projects and goals and see what a difference it makes, see how fast you can move your goals forward. See how fast you can complete them and move on to other plans and goals you have.

Life is about balance, we all know that. Yet most people waste 2 days every week - that's 104 days a year. That's almost a third of every year - wasted on "down time".

It's time to re-think your weekends and time off if you want to get on.


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Are you on twitter? - connect with me
http://twitter.com/ellegb
==========================

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Don't let your dishes stack up STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Time Management CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 07/09/2009 10:19:22 AM ----- BODY:

Say you will do it now...then do it immediately.

This is a good way to catch yourself when you say "i'll do that in a minute" because I can almost guarantee you won't be doing it in a minute. You will reach the end of today and chastise yourself for not doing those minor and often silly things you said you were going to do, but didn't.

Getting more done every day isn't rocket science, it's just using the time you have in a better way.

So if something will only take a few minutes to do, then get on and do it, stop having minor things hanging around the to do list. They should just be done.

And the why is simple.

Imagine not washing the dishes after dinner tonight. A minor chore, but you couldn't be bothered or there was a program you wanted to watch on the television. You tell yourself "i'll do them in the morning". What happens then of course you don't give yourself the extra few minutes you need to do them. You rush into the kitchen to grab some breakfast and groan. And now there are more dishes to be done.

Little problems can become major issues if we let them. So - don't let your dishes (problems) stack up, but tackle them when they arise - then it won't take as long to clear the backlog.

 

 

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 07/11/2009 04:41:34 AM Apart from the odd facetious comments I received about this post - one thing I want to say - sometimes the meaning of the post isn't the literal one. Sorry if sometimes my strange analogies confuse. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What are you doing that for? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management CATEGORY: Homework Motivation CATEGORY: Mentoring and Coaching CATEGORY: Business Philosophy CATEGORY: Leadership DATE: 07/12/2009 02:51:33 AM ----- BODY:

Business processes; the way you do things can be a result of many years of trial and error, of doing things that way "because that's the way things are done round here". But they can also be a result of deliberate thought and working out the best way(s) of doing things. But usually, the systems and processes we follow are as a result of a few things:

* On the job learning - especially if you are an employee
* Leadership - either as a leader yourself, or following your "leader" - and the vision that comes from great leadership.
* Management style. Some people need to be micro managed and others do not. Do you have the same style of management for each of your employees? Do your managers have the same style of management for everyone? As a good "teacher" will know - there are four learning styles, because not everyone can or does learn the same way. And so it is with management.
* Your personal working style

Each of these areas impacts ON your business.

* The way you answer calls and respond to emails
* The way you speak to / treat your customers
* Whether you work the process or it works you
* The way you handle change.

When was the last time you looked at your business processes and practices? When was the last time you sat down and asked yourself - if this was a new business how would I set it up? How would you do it differently next time?

There are ways to shorten the process of course. Mentors, coaches, peer groups and the people who have been there and done that. You can emulate other people's styles and working processes. No, not by stealing, emulation. Reverse-engineering something to see "how" they put something together. They may have an elegant solution to your particular stumbling block. Asking what worked and what didn't and how would they do it better.

Every day is a chance to look at what you do and ask:

* Are the systems and processes I have in place working for or against what I want to achieve?
* How can I do this better.

As kids we know we have to try many different ways of doing something before we discover the process that works for us. And as young kids it is usually instinctive. Do we stop learning how to walk when we land on our rumps the first time or the hundred and first time? Of course not because we practice and practice and practice.

Today I am going to give you some homework.

* If you own your own business, I would like you to look at it as if it were a new entity. If you were given a clean slate, how would you do things differently?
* If you are an employee of someone else's business I would like you to look at your bit. What do you do? How do you do it? How can you do it differently? How can you improve your own processes? Make the suggestions to management and explain why ... if necessary, just tell them Elle said so, and I can be contacted at [email protected] if they need clarification. Or ask them to give me a call and I'll come in and see them.
* If you are a student - then your homework is different of course. Do you always get good marks for the assignments you do? Or are you better at a particular subject than another? Hint, this is usually because you like the teacher and/or the subject. So - take one of your old assignments and look at it again. How can you do "it" differently next time? Now it has been marked, where did you go wrong? How can you incorporate the teachers ideas into your next piece?

With many thoughts
Elle

To add your comments or joinin the discussion-

---------------------------
An additional thought for today: Make today a Shay day
---------------------------
This little story was sent to me by Graham, one of your fellow readers of the daily dose. He explained, that we can all send round jokes and funnies, but this little story needs to be read by as many people as possible, and if you carry on reading, you will know why:

At a fund-raising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its
dedicated staff, he offered a question:

'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again..

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball . the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman' s head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay' Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!' As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy.

My note: Could you have done that? Could you make every day a "Shay day". I believe we can make that kind of difference to someone's world.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Raise your game STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Personal development CATEGORY: Success and Failure DATE: 07/13/2009 01:50:25 PM ----- BODY:

Take any sporting game. The reason you are on the field is to do your best and to win, otherwise what is the point in turning up day after day, week after week and going through the training. Of course you could say, we're building character by losing every game, but given the choice - most people would prefer to win. And you know I'm right.

If you are on the losing side, what do you have to do in order to win next time around? I'd say one of the best ways is to "raise your game". And the way you raise your game is by having better tactics, more and better training, more enthusiasm, a change of players perhaps - anything that says, we are committed to the next game / round / season and we're going to win.

But it doesn't just apply to sports, but everything we do.

You gain more and better customers by:
Improving your technique, the number of sales calls you make, having better / more products, having the skills and the confidence in yourself and your team, good management, better leadership, a vision to know how you can "win" in these market conditions.

And every day you can raise your own game:
You can improve yourself by doing more today than you did yesterday. You can practice your skills, you can perfect your technique. You can look at something you did a few days ago and if you think it was good - then I'd suggest you're not growing, not changing and not practising hard enough. But if you can look back on something and say, gosh that was terrible - I can do better than that now, then I would agree you can and you are willing to raise your own standards and raise your game. But please do not get me wrong. This is not about perfectionism per se, we still have to finish things and move onto the next level. But we can always strive for perfectionism, even though we will never reach it. The important thing is, we will have achieved more by raising our game than those who settled for average.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Question, think, plan and adjust STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Philosophy DATE: 07/16/2009 04:01:59 AM ----- BODY:

At the end of each day, take time to think, review and adjust your plans and your strategies to reach your goals - every day.

Do you take time to question, think, plan and adjust? If not - why not?

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Outside influences can make or break you STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Habits DATE: 07/18/2009 06:19:26 AM ----- BODY:

It looked cold and grey outside this morning. Did I want to get up, get dressed and hit the gym?

The answer was a whole-hearted "no"

Saturday morning, getting up at 7am is not my idea of THE thing to do after a 70 hour working week. But I knew that if I didn't, I would allow the usual excuses to overrule.

* I'm tired
* I'm injured
* I really can't be bothered
* And it does look cold and miserable out there

Every time we allow outside influences to influence our decision making process, we are not motivated enough to overcome the easy and dominant side of us.

* It's easy to stay home when it's cold and wet.
* It's easy to allow "well meaning" friends and members of our family to tell us our ideas are stupid, and what do we want to do that for?
* It's easy to be swayed by our "friends" telling us to forget our homework and to come out and "play"

Just as it's easy for our minds to wreak havoc with our plans; outside influences such as weather, other people's attitudes, other people's expectations, other people's requirements of us can overide what we say we want to do.

So - make a decision, that's the first thing. The second and perhaps harder part is of course to follow through with those decisions. Sometimes it might not be the right decision. It may have rained whilst I was walking - and given there is not a bit of shelter on the walk around the bridges, I would have gotten soaked. Given that I wasn't dressed for monsoonal downpours I may have caught a chill as a result. I may have damaged my right quad and left achilles even more. But it didn't and I didn't....and I got the photo's to prove it.

For my facebook friends - they're in the album marked "out and about"
If you haven't added me as a friend yet - www.facebook.com/ellegb

But if you're good I'll also upload them to the gallery.... walks around perth

As we begin the weekend and as we plan our next working week. Make a note of your thoughts. Are they helping our hindering your progress?

With many thoughts
Elle

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Photon EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 91.140.131.91 URL: http://Infiniton.co.cc DATE: 07/18/2009 08:09:28 AM It's true, we love to make excuses. We just do it naturally lol. But at the end we just have to "Just Do It!".
Sometimes you just aren't motivated, not even interested. Should that thing be done? Your mind says Yes, but your feelings are empty.
So, what's the fix? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 59.100.194.36 URL: http://www.motivateme.info DATE: 07/18/2009 09:33:53 AM Always the eternal question. What motivates you one day may not motivate you another, and what motivates you may not motivate me....
I'd be interested to know other's opinion on this one... ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Emulation is the key to success STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Mentoring and Coaching DATE: 07/19/2009 10:58:27 AM ----- BODY:

Who do you admire? Professionally speaking that is?

When we look at other people, especially those we like and look to, we are not just looking at "them" but their qualities, and their characters. Basically what makes them tick, what they do and how they do it. We can, if we want, emulate their actions (even if we don't know their thought processes) and achieve similar kinds of success. As you know, the best and shortest way to achieving many great things is to be "coached" by someone who has been there and done that and can show you how to do it too.

But when we talk about mentors and coaches, most people assume we are talking about people we can meet and interact with. But in reality, we can be mentored by many different people, most of whom we will never meet in person. Think about the books you have read or programs you have taken part in. Did you meet any of the authors in person? In most cases I would say the answer would be no. But you read their words and you may have taken some of their advice and wisdom and used it to facilitate your own growth and development.

These people are what we call "spiritual mentors". We may never meet them, but we can read their work, or we can observe their actions, and we can apply their philosophy to where we are.

"How would so and so handle this issue?"
"How would so and so answer this question?"
"What would so and so do if they were faced with this problem?"

The beauty of spiritual mentors is of course you can have as many different ones as you need. For example:

Tiger Woods for his dedication to his game. Would he miss a training session because it was wet outside? Would he stop practising because he thought he was good enough? Would he quit at the 16th hole because he thought he had the game in the bag?

Gary Lineker (ex Leicester City and England Football player) was never booked in a professional game (or any other for that matter that I know of). In other words - he played fair.

Or how about Socrates for his wisdom and ability to question - everything?

And I'm sure you can think of many other people who have qualities and characteristics you admire.

So this is where you take over as today's daily dose requires a little bit of thinking on your part I'm afraid.

Take a little bit of time and think about these things:

Who do you admire?
What characteristics do they possess?
Can you emulate them?
What kind of person would you be if you took on these new characteristics?
Is that a good thing?

What would you be able to do if you were not afraid of trying and maybe failing?

Once you have thought about those things. The next part of today's homework is simple:

If you had these new skills, abilities and characteristics how easy would it be to complete your goals, dreams and ambitions?

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Amethyst EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 58.169.246.47 URL: http://www.oakandmistletoe.com.au DATE: 07/19/2009 11:13:18 AM Excellent article, thank you. I think that as individuals we can be benefited immensely buy listening, watching or reading the work of others and using it as an example of best practice.
Your own example of limiting procrastination is a wonderful example of a spiritual mentorship.
Smiles,
Amethyst ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Set backs can inspire you to keep moving forwards STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Success and Failure DATE: 03/25/2009 09:51:16 AM ----- BODY:

It has been said many times by many different people that in order to succeed - we must fail and we must fail on a regular basis. After all, without failure and without the learning that comes from each failure we don't grow, we don't change, we don't adapt.Yes we can learn from success - but the lessons tend to be a bit more memorable when we fail, and fail on a regular basis don't you think? 

Of course there are those people who never learn from their mistakes and keep on doing things in the same way and wonder why they get exactly the same response. But we're not those kinds of people any more.

And then there are those other kinds of people who get completely off course, one tiny decision at a time. Take weight gain as a good example. You don't decide that one day you are going to eat so much food in one sitting you are going to gain 30 pounds from it. Not only is it impossible - it's IMPOSSIBLE. But you can get 30lbs over weight by eating a little more than your body needs at every meal time and not do enough exercise / physical activity to burn it off. It may take 30 days - but it's more likely to take 3-6 months. It may not seem like very much at the time. You order dessert every day when you know you shouldn't eat it. You have a second pint of beer after work with your mates instead of going home and hitting the treadmill - well you had a hard day and .... any excuse is a good one, if you need one.

And take those points above for any of your goals - you know you should, but you don't "feel" like doing any work on them today. You're "tired", you've got too much to do....yada yada yada.

So, how can you learn from your mistakes and move forwards?

Well, first of all accept that mistakes are going to happen. You are going to go off course. The first learning comes when you accept and acknowledge those facts and decide then to make better decisions next time.

The second way to understand this concept is as a car journey. You don't just get into a car and go from point a to point b without making any adjustments to the steering wheel, changing gear of moving around other people who are slower than you, who are in your way.

What have you failed at recently?
What are your repeated failures?
Why do you think that is?

Answering these questions - can give you the new learning, understanding and acceptance to move forwards and realise and overcome your blocks and problems once and for all.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Motivation: Positive or Negative STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Motivation DATE: 03/30/2009 06:23:55 AM ----- BODY:

A few days ago I posted an item about the kinds of things that motivate me - every day.

Over the last week I've had a huge wakeup call when it comes to getting things done. It's not because I wanted to do these things - as in - these were goal items and I was working my way to getting these things crossed off my list. No, these were things that had happened to me - and I had to get them sorted out. The motivation was simple - I was annoyed.

A week ago, some delightful person or persons unknown removed (ie stole) my rear number plate and bent one of my windscreen wiper arms. So, I had to do certain things. I had to get the car re-registered, fill in the required forms, signed affidavits that said my plate had been taken and where it had gone from. Then I had to go to the garage with new plates in the front and rear windows of the car to get them fixed back onto the car. For some reason - the car I own doesn't have standard holes - so the plates had to be drilled. The damage to the wiper arm assessed and the part ordered....which was fixed on saturday. All in all, a nuisance, and none of it my making, but I had to get it sorted. My motivation stemmed from the fact that I couldn't run a car without plates and trying to clear my windows was impossible.

Imagine then my utmost annoyance when i left my home this morning to find my car had been broken into and the windscreen damaged. And interestingly enough this time my car was parked in the carport of my home - last week it was parked on a street in a nice neighbourhood. My only consolation this time is the CD's they took were unlikely to be their kind of music, and there weren't many of them. Serves you right. Thankfully they left the $200 pair of runners I had in the back of the car.

So, again the motivation is there. Don't get me wrong I would prefer not to have to spend my time getting these things fixed, but I know I have to. I have to get the windscreen replaced. And I am now looking for companies that can fit garage and security doors. Things I had planned to do - just not NOW - today.

Well I have to do it all NOW because now it is important and urgent.

Now, translate that to every goal you have - are you as motivated to do those things on your list? Or do you only kick up a gear when you have no choice?

Like I said - I had - organise garage door and security screens on my list of household tasks - (and no they're not goals - just tasks) - saving for them might be the goal !! but organising the company to come round and do it - no, just a task.

They needed doing, but weren't urgent - whilst we can live our lives in a state of "what if" so and so happened.... it may be time to look at your tasks and goals in a slightly different way. What would you do if you HAD to get some thing sorted out - because not doing so would impact on your life in a negative manner? Would you be more likely to do the work?

I'll give you another "for example". You know you need to stop smoking and lose 30lbs - but you can't be bothered. And then the results of the doctors results come through.

Put a little urgency and a different spin on your goals - and see if that motivates you to get on and do them.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Goal Setting: What is your return on investment STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal setting CATEGORY: Success and Failure DATE: 03/31/2009 04:47:41 AM ----- BODY:

When you are planning your projects and goals do you stop and work out what the end result will be?

It is important that you do, because then and only then will you be able to determine whether the investment you are planning on making (in terms of time, effort, energy, and money) will be worth it.

In other words if you put all this effort + energy + time + money into project A, what will you receive as a return on that investment?

If you are planning on building a house, the end result is many things - not least of which - if you had planned to sell it straight away, what would the market pay for it? There are other returns of course - a nicer
home than the one you currently live in, a better neighbourhood for your kids to grow up in, satisfaction that you have achieved one of the biggest goals you can possibly have - building a house. And if you plan
on laying the bricks, piping the water and wiring the place as well - then you can really say you built a house - but you get my meaning, because managing the building process can be just as stressful as making
sure you have enough bricks and mortar and you're building the house so that it conforms to all the necessary standards.

Take a proper look at your goal list

What items are on it?
Why are they on your list? How do you feel about them? Do they excite you? Do they scare you just a little? What will your life be like once you have achieved them?

That final question is one of the keys to any goal - and whether or not you achieve them.

And it is perhaps the hardest one of all - whilst it is based in visualisation - what will your life be like when...? It is based in action. How do you know what your life will be like when you've achieved "it". Truth is - having a major goal and taking the steps to achieve it, will change your life in ways you had perhaps not dreamt about or even considered - but each time you take an action step towards your goal you are ensuring a good return on investment every time.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Changing your mindset about the task STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management CATEGORY: Motivation DATE: 04/13/2009 01:29:29 AM ----- BODY:

Overcome the procrastination habit by: Changing your mindset about the task

- If you loved what you did, would you do it? - then pretend you love doing "it" - it's one of those - trick your brain things that sometimes works.

But the one that I find works best is:

- Get involved in the process of completing the task (no matter how menial).
- Get involved - see it for what it is, can you do it differently? Can you do it better? Does the process need changing? Does the job need doing at all.

There are a lot of jobs we do, that really don't need doing at all. We think they do - after all we've always done them like that, but if you look at the workflow process properly, you can usually cut out a few of the steps AND get a better outcome.

So - this week, take a good look at every thing you do. And by that I mean, get out the procedures - or if you haven't got any procedures, your first task is to write some - simply write down the steps you take to complete the task, as in - if someone else were to do your job tomorrow, they would know exactly what to do, what buttons to press, where to find the stationary or whatever the task is. And as you write the steps down, you will soon begin to see how much waste you can trim from the process.

The other good thing about this is - you can go to your senior and say - "hey boss, I've been looking at so and so job, and if we do this instead of this, we can make a saving of .... time, percentage...." in times of down turn, organisations prefer people who can help them. WE know, they're in the business of making money, but if you help them, sooner or later they will be helping you - better jobs, better pay, more training - or whatever. And think - if you are lucky enough to work for yourself, by doing these kinds of things, will mean your personal profit margins will grow.

Doing it properly in this way, may mean you are taking a bit longer to do the work today, but tomorrow, your productivity will soar.

With many thoughts
Elle

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: The impact of stress on motivation STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Goal achievement CATEGORY: Motivation CATEGORY: Overcoming procrastination DATE: 07/27/2009 10:39:54 AM ----- BODY:

First of all let me say this:

What may stress you, may not stress your neighbour, and depending on your state of mind and body (yes they are related in the stress stakes) will also make a difference on your daily stress levels, and consequently your motivation and ability to get things done.

I'd also like to point out at this point, the information that follows is general in nature and I would advise you to seek professional help if you think you need to.

So! What is stress and how can you deal with it?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary that sits on my desk the definition of stress is "Effort, demand upon physical or mental effort"

Which is all very well, but that doesn't really help define what it really is and how it affects us. So I prefer to use what I term "body indicators of stress".

I know I am stressed when:


These are my indicators that all is not well in my psychological world and I need to do something about the underlying issues that are causing the stressors.

For other people, body indicators includes (but are not limited to):


If you identify with a couple of the above body indicators chances are going to be good you are feeling a little overwhelmed by something, or have felt that way in the past, and consequently may be (or have been) stressed.

But how do you begin to deal with stress? Personally you can't begin to un-stress I.E. relax, until you understand and identify what may be causing the stressors, so:

The following suggestions may help you identify and then deal with the problems of stress and their symptoms.

Triggers are interesting. You may not realise they are triggers until you do this part of the exercise. When do you start feeling stressed? Is it after a certain phone call with a certain person? Or after a run-in with someone at work? Are you feeling put upon at work? Are you feeling guilty because you didn't do something? Are you avoiding doing something - eg., paying your bills, avoiding your suppliers phone calls, immersing yourself in tasks that don't need to be done?

One thing I will say now - are you worrying over things you have no control over?

Go through your list of stressors and triggers and highlight them. If they are out of our control, i have to ask - why are we worried about them? What is the point of worrying about the weather or what someone else is thinking. We can't, all we can do (IMO) is to focus on those things we can control.

This entire process can and does take time to go through, but it is important that you do - because failing to deal with your stressors and triggers has a direct impact on what you can and do achieve, your motivation and why we spend so much time procrastinating over things.

Of course, once you have identified these things, it is entirely up to you whether you deal with them or not. Only you can change you after all, all I can hope to do is make you question what you are doing and why you are doing it.

There are as many ways to overcome stress as there are days in a year and each one will be as individual to you as are your personal stressors. You may find a nightly walk will help, or chamomile tea, a bar of chocolate, playing with the kids, listening to music or reading a book. The point is, you can't truly relax until you have acknowledged and determined whether you can deal with, cope with or eliminate your personal stressors and triggers.

This is such a big topic and one at the core of motivation and overcoming procrastination, so we will return to the topic. But in the meantime if you would like to add your comments, suggestions and hints then please go to -

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kelly EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 192.225.128.3 URL: http://www.subliminalsales.com/subliminalstress.html DATE: 09/28/2009 08:20:11 PM Stress has got to be the number 1 killer of all time. It is the culprit of premature gray hairs and stress lines and just a bunch of other negative factors that affect people. Overcoming stress should be the first step in getting your life together. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 09/30/2009 12:05:46 PM Thanks Kelly I agree entirely, and I have taken steps to get my personal stress levels under control...and interestingly enough people have noticed. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: New Year's Resolutions: Accountability STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: New Year's Resolutions DATE: 01/18/2009 10:54:15 AM ----- BODY:

Every January we see lots of people trying to keep themselves accountable to their New Year's Resolutions. In every gym across the country we see those individuals who have received gym memberships from well meaning family members - gritting their teeth and pretending to work on their health and fitness goals, which as we all know tend to benumber one on most people's NY resolutions list, closely followed by make more money and work less hours!! Why do I say "pretend"? The answer is quite a simple one - if "you" don't want to change your habits, then "you" won't. Nor will "you" enjoy the process - which as we all know is essential if we are to achieve many of our goals, health wise or not. Gym memberships purchased by anyone other than yourself will see you start off well, but by the end of February (and usually much sooner) attendance has dropped off and the excuses begin.

If you purchase your own gym membership you will keep yourself accountable - after all, they're not cheap, and what a waste of money if you don't go. Put it like this, if you have that kind of money to waste - you can send it my way :-)

But keeping yourself accountable isn't just about how much money you spend on certain items and whether or not you gain the full benefit from spending it. But everything you say and do. If you promise to someone something, do you ensure you deliver what you say and by when? Do you spend time with your family (as in you give them the attention they need and deserve?), do you spend time working on your dreams and goals or do you have a list of ready made excuses lined up? Every time you say you will do something and then fail to deliver (either to yourself or to others) you are not holding yourself accountable for your actions. And if you want to improve your lot in life, it is important that you do in fact hold yourself accountable.

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: ME EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 202.72.152.180 URL: http://www.corralmystuff.com DATE: 01/19/2009 01:52:01 AM Ouch, this is a hard hitter - having been in exactly this situation myself.... I will do better at the gym and elsewhere - I promise...
Hellen ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: Non-striving time STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Life balance DATE: 08/01/2009 07:44:14 AM ----- BODY:

In order to achieve many great and wondrous things, we need to find balance. In amongst my hectic lifestyle I NEED to find time to walk and to exercise. But when the view is this good - it's no longer exercise, but pleasure.

Find time to stop occassionally, your mind and your body will be grateful.

This is the view from the river side of the Kwinana Fwy between south perth and canning bridge...the view is of Crawley and the Swan River at 7.15am

It was cold, it was gorgeous and I wish you'd been with me to enjoy the walk.

I plan to get to the other side of Como Jetty next week (different starting point) let me know if you want to join me.

With many thoughts
Elle

 

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Kua EMAIL: [email protected] IP: 82.152.172.242 URL: DATE: 08/03/2009 07:57:51 PM Its so important to look after yourself :) I really love the website. I've been looking for a good resource to help me work on motivation for quite some time now. At last, I've found it. Keep it up! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR: Elle DATE: 08/06/2009 01:51:07 AM Thank you Kua
You are most kind and I hope I continue to inspire you and motivate you
Kind Regards
Elle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: What do you mean - you can't STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Action DATE: 08/03/2009 12:38:48 PM ----- BODY:

My mum always used to say "there's no such word as can't"

I never quite believed her though. All around me I would hear people saying they couldn't do this and they couldn't do that. "I can't". It ranks somewhere up with the words, "because" and "but" in my opinion.

as in - I can't do that because ....
I would, but ....

It took me years (I can be a very slow learner sometimes) before I really understood what my mother was trying to pass on, with the words

"There's no such thing as can't"

My mother never read the words of "motivational speakers" she just had a lifetime of experience and getting things done with little or no resources at her disposal. My mum knew that if she wanted something she was going to have to work out a way to get it. And that included bringing up 4 kids, and with the first 3 under the age of five, she made ends meet by making clothes, doing factory outwork and other random jobs she could get - working from home whilst my dad went out to earn the money that paid for the basics. Thanks to my mum's attitude of "I can do this" we never went without. We had a rich life in many respects. Home grown vegetables, hand knitted jumpers, hats and scarves and some amazing clothes - all made by my mum.

I am convinced now more than ever - we can all do amazing things. It's just sometimes we can't be bothered.

----- -------- AUTHOR: Elle TITLE: You are a writer, so write STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 1 CATEGORY: Business Management CATEGORY: Business Philosophy DATE: 08/04/2009 10:51:20 AM ----- BODY:

As a writer you have a very important job. You have to convey in words your ideas, strategies, and reasons why someone else should read what you have to say.

You didn't know you were a writer did you?

Well you are.

Every email you send, every letter you write, invoice you raise, advertisement, website, assignment, report, article and e-zines are ways you "speak" to your "audience".

Imagine then if your words had the power to make or break your business? Well I have news for you - they do. Just like we were pulled up for bad grammar, poor spelling and terrible sentence construction at school, so our audience is doing the same thing to the words they see. Words we have written.

Job applications with one or more spelling errors are not usually chosen by a recruiter. The reason is a simple one. If the job advertisement asked for "attention to detail" - you have proven with a single document that you do not have it. Did you also know that your application is used as a good (or bad) example of the answer to their question of - do you have good written communication skills or not?

Translate that into the workplace.

How many of you use e-mail as your primary source of communication with your clients? (Puts hands up). How many of you use the draft function - so you have a chance to re-read your e-mail before you hit the send button? How many of you use the spell-check function? Taking a look at the font you use, it is the same as the signature panel? I know it's pedantic, but it does jar if there are multiple colours, fonts and sizes in a single e-mail. If you are trying to impress a client, would they be impressed or not? Given that the words we use are only a small percentage of whether or not our message gets across to a potential client, can you now see why it becomes important to employ a few of the writer's tools. This is especially true for the students out there, a couple of other tips for you. If you really want to know what your words sound like (from someone else's perspective), then make a habit of reading the words aloud. You'd be amazed at how fast you can tighten up your writing, you will spot the not-so obvious grammatical errors and even pick up the spelling mistakes (correctly spelled words, used in the wrong places).

Is it time to take your written communication to the next level?

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