Business Development & Training Day

 

We spent the day in Ventura County with some of the top performers in our industry! Our team heard speakers discuss a variety of topics-- everything from priority management to mental toughness. Can't wait for the next time we meet up! 

 

Team Dinner at Korean BBQ!

We really enjoy some good food, and we really enjoy Korean BBQ! Thanks Management Team, for treating us to dinner!

Congratulations on your promotion!

Quick shout-out and congratulations to Khristina for hitting her marks and earning her first promotion with us! Can't wait to see what you achieve in the future!

Last week's management promotion...

But first we had to take a selfie!

West Coast Leadership Seminar!

The Be410 team spent a few hours at the Marriott in West Los Angeles over the weekend for their quarterly West Coast Leadership Seminar. The team heard from speakers on a variety of topics such as team development, business strategy, and new campaign development.

Our Summer Vacation--- In The Bahamas!

We had a great time at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort over the weekend! Our team spent their time soaking up the sun, participating in a charity volleyball tournament for Operation Smile, and hitting up every water-slide the park had to offer!

Our Regional Leadership and Marketing Conference

Check out the video from this summer's Regional Leadership and Marketing Conference in Los Angeles! We really enjoyed hearing from top performers and experts in our industry. After all the breakouts and workshops, we attended a great dinner and awards banquet. Can't wait for next year!

Enjoying Our Summer in Southern California!

We met up with a few other Be410 team members this weekend to soak up the sun, and cool off at Raging Waters, the water-park in San Dimas, California. We really enjoyed the lazy river, a few water fights and of course, all of the water-slides the park had to offer... Can't wait to do it again soon!

Top 3 Financial Mistakes Young Professionals Make

By Credit.com

Entering the real world is exciting. For young professionals this often means getting your first career-track job, moving into your own place and taking full control of your finances.

While everyone wants to get started on the right foot, there are some common mistakes young professionals make that can have long-lasting impact.

Figuring It Out Later

This is a time in your life when you may find yourself making many big decisions in a small amount of time.

Don’t say yes and figure it out later. Before you sign a lease or mortgage, determine whether you can afford it.

The easiest way to do this is to create a budget.

You may think you need to wait a while until your expenses “normalize” since when you first move into a place, there can be one-time costs like furniture and security deposits.

But if you wait a few months, you may find yourself already in some serious debt.

Do some research and make a budget immediately.

Then adjust your budget when you see how much money you are bringing home and how much you are really spending.

It’s best to start out tracking your spending right away, instead of playing catch-up later.

Assuming You Will Make More

You may be disappointed by your first salary. You may work in an industry where big bonuses are normal.

Regardless, plan your finances around the salary you are guaranteed right now. This gives you the freedom to make choices in the future.

If you are living beyond your means now, that raise or bonus will only go to paying off debts.

If you budget for your current salary, you can use that raise or bonus to boost your emergency fund, increase your retirement savings, or treat yourself.

Don’t spend your future self into a corner.

Read the full article online... 

 

Live, and Let Live…Spend, and Let Spend: What Does Living the Good Life Mean to You?

By Beth Kobliner

One of the biggest concepts in behavioral economics these days is the role that “choice” plays in our financial lives.

Sounds obvious, but it’s the simple idea that we have a finite amount of money, so we need to choose wisely how we spend it if we want to live a life that we consider good.

But what really is the “good life?”

In August’s Journal of Socio-Economics (yes, I confess that I read it for fun!) there was an intriguing book review of How Much Is Enough? Money and the Good Life by R. Skidelsky and E. Skidelsky, a father-son team—the dad: an economist; the son: a philosopher.

In the review, researchers Benjamin Nienass of Yeshiva University (New York) and Stefan Trautmann of Tilburg University (the Netherlands) outline those factors that the Skidelsky team believe to make up the good life:

“Health; security (low uncertainty in life); respect; personality (autonomy); harmony with nature; friendship (community, social capital); leisure (goal-less activity)…”

I thought this was a compelling list. Certainly more thoughtful than beef tacos and beer on a Sunday afternoon while watching football—many of my friends’ notion of living the good life.

But the reviewers then go on to say that this one-size-fits-all definition may not really be right. They argue that everyone’s view of the good life can be varied, and you can’t really account for the trade-offs that people are willing to make in such a list.

“A doctor,” the reviewers write, “ who feels called to help people may be willing to work 60 hours, sacrificing leisure and family life. Will he subscribe to this definition of the good life?”

This got me thinking about my own upbringing and the choices that my parents made in order to give us their version of the good life.

As I mentioned in my last column, my parents were frugal in a good way. They made smart decisions about spending money that allowed them to live the life that they wanted to live.

We certainly did not have everything we desired, but we definitely had what we needed.

Though they were careful with cash, they didn’t scrimp on those areas that really mattered to them. Healthcare was number one—damn the cost.

We saw the very best doctors even if we had to go outside the network of my dad’s healthcare plan. (Of course, 20 or 30 years ago, healthcare wasn’t nearly as expensive, but it was still a big cash outlay for my dad, an educator, and my stay-at-home mom.)

Weighing Priorities

Another priority: living in a comfortable home. That’s not to say that they didn’t hunt around for the best sale price on furniture or appliances. They sure did. (I recall many a Saturday evening trudging through a mall or department store as we compared prices on big-ticket items.)

But they believed that buying a quality refrigerator or a well-designed central AC system was incredibly worthwhile—even though buying such higher priced items was not routine in most families in the ‘70s.

Their logic—and mantra: We spend 365 days a year—minus a small, local family car trip here or there—in our modest home, which should be our family’s comfortable refuge.

Read the full article online. 

 

The Law of Contribution: 7 Tips to Cultivate an Attitude of Growing Others

By The John Maxwell Company

“Out of what I had received in my development, I was also able to give. The confidence I gained from personal growth gave me credibility and made me believe I could start developing others. And in that, I found life’s greatest joy and reward.” 

Isn’t one of the most satisfying things seeing the success and growth of those you invested in at one point? John Maxwell explains in The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth that by growing yourself, you’re enabled to grow others.

However, even when you are generous with your knowledge and skill, you must be intentional in your efforts to add value to others. Positive qualities we possess can be multiplied when we cultivate an attitude of contribution.

Check out this list of 7 ways to develop a mind-set dedicated to growing others:

1. Be Grateful
“I am the recipient of many benefits that I do not deserve and did not earn. Someone else paid for them. I am grateful! How do I show my gratitude? By daily pouring into others and passing on to them the things that will allow them to run far and achieve beyond what I have done.”

Something we know and believe is that no one succeeds alone. It is our calling to pass along the development and influence we have received over our lifetime. In paying it forward, we can multiply our efforts, trusting that those we lead will also work to grow others.

2. Put People First
“People continue on. What you give to help others builds them up enough that they are able to give to others. It’s a cycle that can continue on long after you’re dead and gone.”

When you think of successes in your life, what do you remember? Likely you remember the people with whom you shared those wins. People are a huge part of our lives, and as leaders, our actions impact so many. By building our people up and putting them first, we show that they are valuable and worthy of great growth.

3. Don’t Let Stuff Own You
“Contributors take the stuff they own and use it as an asset to make this world a better place to live. And they do this regardless of how much or how little they have.”

So many people pride themselves in what they own. This doesn’t bring joy or benefit to anyone. Instead, we must let go of what we have and give it to others. Time, attention, money and resources – all can benefit others in great ways.

4. Don’t Let People Own You
“It’s hard to give yourself away when someone else owns you. I wanted to be able to value people with no strings attached.”

Although we consistently benefit from others, we can’t become indebted to them. When we are “owned” by others, we don’t have the chance to give what and when we want. Instead, we must aim to be on the giving side of every relationship.

5. Define Success as Sowing, Not Reaping
“If you live life with the intention of making a difference in others’ lives, your life will be full, not empty.”

So often people sow with the expectation of quick returns and are disappointed when that is not the case. Instead, we must sow and be prepared to wait for the harvest in due time. During that time, take a step back and recognize the immense impact you have on others. That is the true reason for living.

Read the full article online...

Should You Save or Pay Off Debt?

By Sandra Block, From Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Saving for long-term goals tends to take a back seat to expenses such as child care, groceries and health insurance. And if you’re also paying off debt, saving for retirement and college may get pushed to the curb. 

But putting off saving for retirement until you’re debt-free could cost you the most valuable asset you have: time. Thanks to the magic of compounding, even small contributions to a 401(k) or similar retirement plan will grow significantly, especially if your company matches contributions. If you can’t come up with enough money to hit the annual limits, or even close to them, “at least contribute enough to get the match,” says Sheryl Garrett, founder of the Garrett Planning Network.

Saving for college isn’t as pressing as saving for retirement or paying off credit card debt, says financial planner in Charlotte, N.C. “It’s nice if you’re able to save something for your children’s education, but the biggest priority should be taking care of your needs. You can’t borrow for retirement. You can for college.” As for getting rid of the credit card debt, “I think that trumps saving for education.”

Cheryl Sherrard, a certified

To free up more money for savings, pore over your expenses for ways to cut; look at how much you pay for your cell-phone plan, cable package and restaurant meals. Use the extra money to “really attack your debt. Go at it with guns blazing,” says Garrett.

Prioritize your debts. Start with credit card debt, which you should pay off as quickly as possible. Paying off a card with an 18% interest rate is the equivalent of earning an 18% return. Be wary of transferring your balance to a card carrying 0% interest, says Garrett. Ask yourself whether you’ll have the discipline or ability to pay off the balance before the rate goes up; if not, you’re back where you started. “The only way I’d advise people to switch to a 0% or teaser rate is if they have a plan to truly attack the debt and get it paid off by the end of that term.”

Read more at http://www.kiplinger.com/article/saving/T025-C011-S002-save-or-pay-off-debt.html#IeFhGBmhrcldQ18T.99

Have More, Need Less: The Simple Guide To Saving

 Mitch Tuchman Contributor, Forbes.com

Do you save enough? Congratulations, no need to read the rest of this article.

Okay, for the 99.99% of you still reading, take heart. Saving is one of those things that’s hard at first, then becomes easier and easier in time.

Why so hard? Because saving is a form of self-denial. Yes, a vacation would be fun right now, but saving adequately means putting off that weekend getaway. A new car might drive a little better, but buying used or driving your current car longer is likely a better use of your money.

Take a look at your paycheck. You’ll notice that there are a number of fixed deductions built right in. Federal and local taxes, for instance. Social Security and Medicare payments.

Do you see a line that says “Your Retirement” on your check? You should. If not, it’s time to walk over to human resources and fix that. Getting an automated savings system in place is the hard part, but it will become easier, and sooner than you think.

Here are the three key steps to saving more for your future:

1. Pay yourself first

That’s the automatic retirement deduction into your 401(k) at work. People often aim for a percent of their paycheck, but be careful not to pick a comfortably low figure. Save enough that it actually hurts at first.

Over time you will adjust to a high savings number. You are also likely to get raises. You are unlikely, however, to voluntarily raise your savings level soon. Better to bite the bullet now.

2. Pay less taxes

This goes hand-in-hand with using a 401(k) or IRA to save for retirement. Every dollar you take out of your check now grows tax-free over decades. It lowers your tax bill today and, presumably, will result in lower taxes in the future when you begin to take retirement income out.

The assumption is that your cost of living in retirement will be lower, since you are not likely to be making fixed payments such as a mortgage or saving for college for your kids. It’s a win-win, and paying less taxes today makes it easier to set the savings bar higher, earlier.

Read the full article online.. 

6 Totally Unsolicited Tips for My Little Brother on Graduation Weekend

Nate Green, The Huffington Post

My little brother is graduating college this weekend, which makes him the first person in my immediate family to do that. It's a big accomplishment. So, naturally, I wrote him a list of six tips he didn't ask for and will probably ignore.

You know. To celebrate.

1. Learn how to make one amazing breakfast.

Why breakfast? Because you can eat it any time of the day.

Check it:
Breakfast -- Breakfast
Lunch -- Breakfast
Dinner -- Breakfast

In fact, breakfast for dinner is a truly amazing experience. Whenever I eat eggs and bacon at 8 p.m., I feel like I'm breaking some sort of antiquated rule and sticking it to The Man.

"Take that, society!"

But... what to cook? I suggest starting with scrambled eggs. But not the flaky, crumbly kind. I'm talking about the slightly-runny good kind.

A few tips:
Get a non-stick pan.
Use butter instead of olive oil.
Get a rubber spatula. (Not the kind you flip burgers with. Amateur.)

2. Learn how to make one amazing cocktail.
Why a cocktail? Because you can drink it any time of the day.

OK, I'm kidding. No cocktails in the morning. (Except for brunch.)

Anyway, knowing how to make a good cocktail is like having a superpower. One that makes you look cool in front of girls and livens up any party.

Plus, you'll have a valuable skill for when you're sitting at home alone trying to figure out what the hell you want to do with the evening (or your life).

Start by learning how to make a Manhattan. Why?

It's a classic cocktail, the ingredients are easy to find anywhere, and it's really, really hard to screw up.

3. Ask more questions (especially when you meet someone for the first time).

At some point you'll be in a situation where you'll have to talk to people.

Repeat after me: Small talk sucks.

So, a few rules: No talking about the weather. No asking how many brothers and sisters somebody has. No asking where they grew up.

Instead, show an actual interest in the person.

You're graduating with a degree in journalism for chrissakes. Put it to use.

Ask questions. Lots of them.

By asking questions and listening, people will begin to feel like you really understand them. They'll trust you. They'll see you as an ally.

That's important, because it gives you an opportunity to learn how to help that person and add value to their life.

And value for them means value for you. Eventually.

4. Once you find something you're interested in, go deep.

Maybe it's learning how to start a business or a blog. Maybe it's learning Spanish or yoga. Maybe it's learning something so crazy I can't even think of an example right now.

Whatever it is, if you're into it, go deep.

Learn everything you can about it. Research the history. Practice it incessantly. Find the best in the world at it and see how they do it.

It won't take over your life. Usually just a few weeks. Or months. Or years.

But by then, it'll be so second-nature it'll just bleed into other parts of your life and become a part of your identity.

That's usually a good thing.

Read the full article online... 

Are You Driven by Character or Emotion?

By John C. Maxwell

“The greatest gap in life is the one between knowing and doing.” - Dick Biggs

Life would certainly be easier – and success more simple – if all it took to achieve was to KNOW the right things and DECIDE to do them, right? But I think it’s more accurate to say that a decision is just one bookend of achievement. The other is discipline. Decisions can only help us start. Discipline helps us finish. That’s where character comes in. Emotion might drive us to make a decision. But character is what keeps us going, even when it gets hard. In Developing the Leader Within You, I wrote about some differences between character-driven and emotion-driven people:

Character-driven people…

1. Do right, then feel good.
2. Are commitment driven.
3. Make principle-based decisions.
4. Let action control attitude.
5. Believe it, then see it.
6. Create momentum.
7. Ask, “What are my responsibilities?
8. Continue when problems arise.
9. Are steady.
10. Are leaders.

Emotion-driven people…

1. Feel good, then do right.
2. Are convenience-driven.
3. Make popular decisions.
4. Let attitude control action.
5. See it, then believe it.
6. Wait for momentum.
7. Ask, “What are my rights?”
8. Quit when problems arise.
9. Are moody.
10. Are followers.

The late Louis L’Amour is one of the best-selling authors of all time, with over 300 million copies of his popular western novels and short-story collections sold. When asked the key to his prolific writing, he responded, “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” Allow character and discipline to drive you, and you’ll bridge the gap between knowing and doing. This will take you farther on the journey of success.

Read this article and others from John Maxwell online... 

Sun Tzu's 33 Best Pieces Of Leadership Advice

by Eric Jackson Contributor, Forbes.com


There was no greater war leader and strategist than Chinese military general Sun Tzu.  His philosophy on how to be a great leader and ensure you win in work, management, and life is summed up in these 33 pieces of advice.  They can all be applied by you in your job when you go back to work next week:

1. A leader leads by example, not by force.
2. You have to believe in yourself.
3. Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.
4. If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
5. The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
6. Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
   
7. If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things.
8. Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
9. To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.
10. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
11. Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can?
12. Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.
13. Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipate.
14. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
15. Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory:
    1 He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
    2 He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
    3 He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
    4 He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
    5 He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.
16. Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate.
17. Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
18. There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.There are not more than five primary colors, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen.There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted.
19. Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
20. When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move. 

Read the full list online...

The Hard Truth About Procrastination

by Maria Molfino 

 

There are deep psychological reasons behind procrastination. It’s not about willpower and laziness. It’s about fear and resistance. In observing my own tendencies, coaching, meditating, and leading workshops on this topic, here’s what I’ve learned:

Indecision is really about fear

When we trace back the root of indecision, we see that indecision is a manifestation of fear. Fear of what? Fear of making the wrong decision.

If there is a right and wrong decision to make, the thoughts are “If I choose the wrong decision, I won’t advance as much, I won’t get closer to the results I want, I won’t obtain my goals…I will fail.

Indecision = fear of making mistake = perfectionism = fear of failure.

If you’re in a period of indecision and uncertainty, move into any form of action, no matter how small the step. You will learn and then course-correct as needed. You may lose time (which sucks in a culture obsessed with speed), but at the end of the day, you have gained peace of mind. Indecision and worry just drains your mental energy. Stay away!

Unlink your work from your worth

Especially as creatives, designers and writers, we tend to put a kind of heaviness around the work that we do. That’s because we see our work as an extension of ourselves. And our work is very much an extension of a very deep part of ourselves: our personality, experiences, desires, dreams, values and fears.

But there’s a trap!

 

The trap is linking our work to our sense of worth.

This association can often happen on a very subconscious level. We receive feedback on a piece of work and we feel bad because we believe we are bad or not good enough.

Linking our work to our worth puts an intensity around the work. The more intensity and pressure you put on the work, the more likely you will procrastinate it. Find ways to make your work light. Learn to unlink the association between you and what you create.

You are much more than your design, job or career. Aren’t you?

Create more pause because it gives you more choice

Distraction and procrastination are best friends forever. Some distractions are definitely self-induced–you are resisting the task and so you are allowing yourself to be distracted, or you are even seeking out distraction.

We react to our own resistance, but aren’t aware that’s what’s happening in the moment. In other words, distraction is a problem with awareness and reactivity.

Throughout the day, create more spaces and pauses. Notice, observe, and choose differently. Pause gives you choice.

How to create pause:

• Develop a meditation practice. This will decrease your arousal/stress and increase your awareness and focus throughout the day, so that you can become aware of your tendencies of resistance and distraction.

• Practice holding your phone and looking at it without touching anything!
  
  
• Whenever something is loading and you see the loading icon, pause and ask yourself: Do I really need to do this right now? The loading icon would serve as a mental trigger for you to pose the question. Pretty powerful!

Work for less time. Eight hours is a myth! You don’t need to work for eight hours. You can work for far less time. But here’s the trick: design your day for concentrated bursts of focused work.

We tend to work in a very diffused way over several hours, where our attention is divided and we aren’t clear about what really needs to get done. We’re at the mercy of distractions. We have little output to show for the amount of time we have actually spent. But if you have periods of time that you’re concentrated and producing high quality work, you’ll have more leisure time.

One great strategy for this is called the unschedule. Schedule everything but work into your calendar. If you were to imagine your healthiest, most amazing self, what would you schedule?

Exercise, meditation, cooking time, friends, fun, festivals, hobbies, etc. Schedule it all.

The remaining time is your concentrated work time.

Experiment with the unschedule for a week and see how it goes! You’ll be surprised.
If you enjoyed this article, get email updates and exclusive access to my all-time favorite guided meditations (it’s all free).

Read the full article online...

 

How to Immediately Improve Your Life (Hint: It Starts With Improving the Lives of Others)

by Arianna Huffington

Last week a few HuffPost editors and I were treated to a visit by Bill Drayton and Mary Gordon. Bill Drayton is the founder of Ashoka and a longtime champion of social entrepreneurship, a term that he coined and that has now spread across the world. Mary Gordon is a former kindergarten teacher who founded Roots of Empathy, an organization dedicated to teaching emotional literacy and promoting empathy in children. She was also one of the first Ashoka fellows. Our visit started with talk of the newborn recently welcomed by one of our editors, Gregory Beyer, whereupon Mary presented him with a onesie with "Empathy Teacher" emblazoned on the front. But as Mary -- a great empathy teacher herself -- told us, it's a two-way street, and empathy is best nurtured by example. "Love grows brains," she told us. "We need to show children a picture of love as we raise them."

And giving not only nurtures empathy; it's an outgrowth of our innate capacity for empathy. It's also one of the key components of HuffPost's Third Metric initiative to redefine success beyond the first two metrics of money and power to include well-being, wisdom, and our ability to wonder and to give -- all of which are boosted when we give our time and effort to something other than ourselves.

Philosophers have known this for centuries. "No one can live happily who has regard for himself alone and transforms everything into a question of his own utility," wrote the first-century Stoic philosopher Seneca in his Moral Letters to Lucilius. And in practically every religious tradition and practice, giving of oneself is a key step on the path to spiritual fulfillment. Or, as Einstein put it, "only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."

Since Einstein, scientists have been trying to come up with the "theory of everything," which would explain our entire physical world by reconciling general relativity with quantum physics. In the study of our emotional world, there's no analogous theory of everything, but if there were, empathy and giving would be at the center of it. And modern science has overwhelmingly confirmed the wisdom of those early philosophers and religious traditions.
Empathy, compassion, and giving -- which is simply empathy and compassion in action -- are the building blocks of our being. With them we flourish; without them we perish.

In his book The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, Jonathan Haidt writes that "caring for others is often more beneficial than receiving help. We need to interact and intertwine with others; we need the give and take; we need to belong."

Read the full article online... 

4 Steps for Creating A Budget That Maximizes Your Happiness

by GoGirlFinance 

 

While the word budget makes many people cringe, budgets are just a tool we have available to consciously allocate our spending in ways that make us the happiest. Doesn’t that sound much better? Here’s how to do it in 4 easy steps.

Understand your “Pie”

 

At any given point in time, we have a certain amount of money available for spending. I call it our “pie.” Yes, that amount can increase through a promotion or raise, passive income or an inheritance, but for budgeting purposes, at this point in time, our pie is set.

The first step in making a budget is to figure out what you have available to allocate. What is your annual income? Do you earn any additional money from other sources? The total is what we have available to allocate to maximize our happiness. While we can reasonably expect that our income will be at a certain level, it’s never set in stone. Make a realistic forecast and adjust as needed. Protect yourself with a rainy day fund. While this doesn’t seem like the most fun use of your hard earned money, the piece of mind and financial independence might make you happier than you’d expect.

Ideally, as our pie increases we don’t lever up our lifestyle to meet it. For example, just because you receive a promotion at work doesn’t mean you have to live in a more expensive apartment or get a more expensive gym membership. Make a conscious choice to use the increase for your most important financial goals.

Figure out What Makes You Happy (and what doesn’t)

 

Sometimes we spend on things that don’t actually make us happy just because we think we should. How much of what you’re spending is for you and your goals? Do you actually hate shopping but feel pressure to keep up with the latest trends? Are you spending on fancy cable channels that you wish you watched less of? What are you spending on that truly bring you joy?

Here is your chance to reflect on your spending over the last year. What brought you happiness and what could you do without? Watching your student loan balance go down might bring you great joy and satisfaction. Saving for a down payment on an apartment might make you feel financially secure.

Rank or prioritize your current spending. What’s really important, somewhat important or not important at all? There might be things that would make you very happy that you’re currently not spending on. Add them to the list! Be honest with yourself. This is your opportunity to decide what’s important.

Read the full article online... 

 

How To Get Stuff Done And Avoid Lying Awake At 3am...

by Hollie Slade, Forbes Staff

Ever find yourself lying awake at night thinking simultaneously thinking about next week’s big pitch and remembering you forgot to buy cat food?

“Your head is for having ideas not holding ideas,” says David Allen author of bestselling, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. Thinking ‘it’s all up here’ or ‘I’ll remember’ as you go from task to task inevitably means things will fall through the cracks and cortisol levels will rise.

Externalize your thoughts

“Most entrepreneurs have somewhere between 35 to 80 projects they’re working on,” says Allen. Unfortunately, “your head is a terrible office,” and so grabbing a pen and paper and writing everything down is the first step in externalizing all the competing buzzing thoughts.

“Capture everything that’s got your attention,” says Allen. “Get specific about exactly what you’ve got to do and define your outcomes and actions.”

“Identify the steps involved in the processes you go through on a regular basis so you can begin optimizing, automating, and outsourcing them. This goes for everything from paying bills to social media to meal preparation at home,” says Ari Meisel, a serial entrepreneur and productivity expert.

Realizing exactly what you’ve committed to do is a great first step in organizing your thoughts in a coherent form. “It’s creating an inventory,” says Allen. That way you’ll have a map of all the things you’re focused on.

Lying awake at 3 am happens because you’re not being strategic about what you are and aren’t doing, says Allen. “The only way to be comfortable about what you’re not doing is to know exactly what you’re not doing,” he says.

A simple task like this goes a long way in defining exactly what your work is and you’ll know what you might need to outsource straight away.

“People hold on to things in their psyche,” says Allen. “But your psyche doesn’t think strategically and tactically. You can’t do anything about it lying in bed.”

“Create an external brain where you write down every idea you have regardless of whether or not you think it’s good,” says Meisel. “Clear your mind. My favorite tool? Evernote,” he adds.

The Two Minute Rule
If you can do anything within two minutes you should do it then and there, says Allen. Otherwise you’ll just spend more time organizing it into another work flow.

If you can’t do it in two minutes consider outsourcing it to someone else but keep track of what you’ve handed over to other people.

Don’t wait to “follow up when it blows up,” says Allen.

“Get a virtual assistant,” says Miesel. “Use fancyhands or Zirtual to hire a virtual assistant. It’s an educational process for you in terms of how to effectively delegate and communicate a task.”

Maintenance
From there the next step is to keep the backlog low, making sure you’re ready for surprise and change. Making time each week to reflect is critical, says Allen. Close the door and step back, this is forest management not tree hugging, he says.

“This not a have a walk around the rose garden navel gazing kind of thing,” says Allen. It’s making sure you’re focusing your energy where it needs to be. “If you’re unwilling or unable to do this, the symptoms are that either the loudest thing emotionally or the nearest thing is going to capture your attention,” says Allen.

Read the full article and others from Forbes online.

15 Best Leadership Books Every Young Leader Needs To Read

by Joe Vennare

Reading is an essential life skill. It’s how we record our history and share stories. Sure, there are countless books jam-packed from cover to cover with valuable facts. But there are also limitless volumes containing invaluable insights on the human experience. Generations of people have scribed their experiences and struggles, their emotions and confessions onto blank pages, thereby transforming them into rich resources. Given this truth, it’s disheartening to report that global literacy rates are in decline. Individuals young and old all around the world are reading less, less absorbedly.

According to author John Coleman, this lack of literature extends into the business world and all the way up the corporate ladder. In his experience, “business people seem to be reading less.” Which is bad news considering the fact that “broad reading habits are often a defining characteristic of our greatest leaders.” Perhaps it’s because reading has been shown to improve communication, emotional intelligence, organizational effectiveness, and to reduce stress. All of which are critical requirements for an effective leader.

Now that you’ve been sufficiently convinced of the importance of reading, especially for would-be leaders, you’re probably wondering what you should be reading. You might also be thinking that you don’t have the time. Well, the truth is that you do have the time:
“reading must become as natural as eating and breathing to you.” You don’t have to read 52 books in a year, but you do have to make time for more reading. And when you do, this list of the 15 best leadership books will inform and inspire young leaders.

Lead yourself.

Before you can lead someone else, a group, or a company, you must be able to lead yourself. That means discipline, self-actualization, sense of purpose, and humility.
  
1. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Gregory Hays translation)
Although Aurelius was writing for himself, the surviving text is a road map to living a better life. By removing the excess, Aurelius shows us all how to rise above distractions to maintain our principles. Rooted in Stoic philosophy, Meditations is practical advice for controlling your thoughts, emotions, and actions to remove stress from your life.

2. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankel

This book recounts Viktor Frankel’s experience in Auschwitz, the Nazi prison camp, during the Holocaust. Through all the pain and suffering Frankel was able to maintain perspective and conclude that there “must be meaning in suffering.” He reminds us that the meaning of life is to define that meaning for ourselves through action.

3. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Life is a journey. Each one of us should be trying to follow our own personal legend (that is, what you have always wanted to accomplish). The tale of Santiago, a shepherd boy, reveals what happens when we pursue our own legend: “the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

Define leadership.

After building your foundation from which to lead, it’s important to understand exactly what leadership is and how it’s applied. It’s also helpful to study other successful leaders and businesses.

Read the full article online.

6 Ways to Get Your Resume Past the Resume Filter

by Brian Penny

 Applying for jobs used to mean driving, walking, or taking public transportation all over town dropping off resumes and filling out applications. These days, you can apply for hundreds of jobs a day from your computer, as you have an internet connection. In the process of transitioning online, many businesses have automated the first few steps of the application process, and, just like any other automated process, you can game the system if you’re smart about it.

If you need help getting past the resume filter in the job application process, here’s what you need to do:

1. Read the Job Description

It sounds obvious, but it’s amazing how many people just read the job posting title, scan over the requisition, and go immediately to apply. This is how you end up at a job you don’t like. As much as you need money, you don’t want a job you completely hate. You will inevitably loathe certain aspects of your job, so don’t make it harder on yourself. Read the job description and make sure it’s something that: a) you want to do, and b) you’re able to do, competently. If you’ve only had a paper route and a McJob in high school, you have no business applying to be the Vice President of anything. Read the job description so you understand completely before applying.

2. Identify Required Qualifications

When reading the job description, check out the qualifications. Employers will list the minimum requirements that they’re looking for. These qualifications ARE the resume filters, so if you don’t meet these qualifications, you’ll be filtered out.
It literally works like this: if I’m only looking for people with a Bachelor’s degree, my resume filter will only show me applicants who have a Bachelor’s degree listed on their resume. Think of it as a multiple choice scantron – if the answer is C and you filled in A, you got the question wrong. There are no second chances with automation; if anything is listed as “required” or “qualifications,” you won’t get past the filter without it. It is very black and white, with no gray areas.

3. Identify Desired Skills

Many jobs list desired skills, as well. That’s letting you know that once your resume meets the minimum requirements to move past the resume filter and be shown to a human being, they’re going to show preference to applicants with the desired skills. A Bachelor’s degree may be the barrier to entry, but they’d love to see a Master’s degree. The Master’s degree is only “desired” and not “required” though, so make up for it in other ways. Companies are willing to train the right person.

Read the full article online. 

The Next Generation Of Leadership Gurus

Larry Myler, Contributor, Forbes

 

Who Will Replace Stephen R. Covey, Ken Blanchard, John C. Maxwell And Tom Peters When They’re Gone? 

Not to be morbid, but someone had to ask the question. We carefully plan for the replacement of key leaders who retire or are promoted within our companies. Nature abhors a vacuum, and the void left behind by departing leaders begs to be filled in any organization.

As our favorite leadership icons retire or pass on, we will of course miss them as dear friends and influential teachers. But that’s not all. We will also miss their thinking and creativity; their ability to conjure up powerful solutions to some of the most vexing and debilitating challenges in our business and personal lives.

So, to whom shall we turn for the next generation of solutions?

That’s not a rhetorical question. I’m asking you to name potential candidates for the job. Who do you know that has made a contribution to the field of leadership worthy of consideration as one of our next gurus? Your nominees should also have another 20-or-so years left in their careers, because we’re looking to the future. There are new problems coming and we need a steady supply of fresh solutions.

To get the ball rolling, I would like to offer a couple of names myself. The first person I think could do the job is Joseph Grenny of VitalSmarts. I’ve known him for decades. He’s a solid pick.

I just met my second nominee last Wednesday, as he wowed me with his speaking ability and leadership knowledge at an association conference. Dr. Jeff Magee is a prolific writer and consummate speaker and consultant. He would get my vote. Who would get yours?

Read the full article online. 

10 Lessons For Entrepreneurs From Coach John Wooden

Lewis Howes, Contributor, Forbes

 

Coach John Wooden, a.k.a. the “Wizard of Westwood,” is best known for his 27-year legacy at UCLA, where he led the Bruins to 10 NCAA national championships, and for coaching basketball legends such as Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

But his words and practices about what it takes to win don’t just apply to the basketball court; they apply to all areas of life – especially entrepreneurship.

Even though Coach Wooden was known for his simple and old school approach to practice and playing, the results speak for themselves.

This man knew how to win.

Below are 10 quotes from John Wooden.  I believe his words still have as much relevance in our digital world today as they did when he first spoke them.

Words Of Wisdom From John Wooden

1.  “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
There’s always going to be something “extra” that can enhance your business or potentially boost sales.

Maybe it’s a new technology platform or a social media strategy.  Whatever it is, I think Coach Wooden would encourage us to strive for those things, but don’t let them become an excuse for not doing our best with what we already have.


2.  “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything.  I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”

I think one of the biggest reasons why seasoned entrepreneurs stop innovating and taking risks is because they’re afraid of ruining a “winning streak.”

Nothing is for certain in the world of innovation.  You’ve got to remember that out of every failed innovation comes unexpected knowledge that sends us in a new direction or reveals something we would have never known.

3.  “It’s the little details that are vital.  Little things make big things happen.”

Once you realize the truth behind, “Little things make big things happen,” you’ll never again view the details of your business as boring or insignificant – especially when it comes to marketing.

Consumers don’t become loyal brand buyers by accident.  It takes strategic planning and execution to cut through the estimated 3,000 marketing messages the average American sees each day.

Every picture, every image and every email within your marketing has a job to do.

Read the full article online.

The distance between ordinary and extraordinary is shorter than you think!

By John C. Maxwell.

What do you think of when I say the word “ordinary?” These are the words that come to my mind: Common. Usual. Normal. Boring. Average. Something you see everyday.

What about “extraordinary?” I think of: Amazing. Incredible. Uncommon. Unusual. Special. Above average. New.

In the English language, only five little letters separate “ordinary” from “extraordinary:” extra. And while “extra” can be defined as “outside,” in English it also means “just a little bit more.”

The word we use is not as important as the idea: the distance between ordinary and extraordinary is shorter than you think. For too long, people have thought there was a huge gap between normal and special. They’ve assumed that “above average” was far above “average.” Unfortunately, once you believe that, it’s easy to conclude that since you’re “average,” you’ll never be anything else; that there’s no way to claw your way up to “above average.”

I’m here to tell you that you’ve made the gap too wide. In life, an extraordinary performance is often separated from an ordinary one by the slightest of margins. What if your ordinary life could become extraordinary with only the smallest of changes? Would it be worth trying?

Here are some “extras” that can help you close the gap between ordinary and extraordinary:

A little extra effort. There is a price to be paid for achievement. Sometimes it’s a large price. But sometimes just a little extra effort can yield significant results. What price are you willing to pay for success?

A little extra time. To give something time, we need something other than perseverance. We need patience with the process of growth. I believe that many of us overestimate events and underestimate the process. But we’ve got it all wrong. As I wrote in the Law of Process in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, leaders develop daily, not in a day.

A little extra help. I love this saying: “If you see a turtle on top of a fence post, you know he had help getting there!” Why do I love it? Because I’m a turtle on a fencepost. I know that I didn’t get to where I am in life on my own. I’m just not that smart, gifted, or fast. The truth is that those who reached “extraordinary” had help getting there. And many types of success can only be achieved with help. If you refuse to ask for – or accept – it, you limit yourself and your work to a lower level of achievement.

Remember that ordinary and extraordinary are not far apart. If you accomplish just one of the above “extras,” your work will begin to be above average in that area.

If Ordinary People …
Gave a Little Extra Effort,
Spent a Little Extra Time,
Sought a Little Extra Help …
They Would Become Extraordinary!

Read the full article online! 

In Debt…Again? How to Break the Borrowing Cycle

By Credit.com

You hate debt.

You got out of debt once and vowed you’d never let it happen again. But here you are – stuck in debt again.

It’s not fair! How did it happen so quickly?

And what can you do to create a permanent debt solution so that you never repeat the pattern again?

The Permanent Debt Solution

Defining the source of your debt problem is critical to solving it.

You believe your debt is a financial problem, but it’s actually a personal problem masquerading as a financial one. That’s why a permanent debt solution eludes you.

Treating debt as if it were a financial problem is similar to trying to cure the flu by blowing your nose. You relieve an obvious symptom but don’t address the underlying cause.

When you don’t address the cause, you don’t get better.

In other words, debt is often just a symptom of a much larger problem: an addiction to an unsupportable self-image and lifestyle that results in overspending.

Until you address the real problem, the symptom will recur, which may explain why you are in debt again.

What that means is debt’s real cause is often personal life habits and attitudes that result in overspending.

The rule is simple – you must spend less than you earn. There’s no way around it.

However, teaching a chronic debtor to spend less and earn more is like telling an overweight person to lose weight by eating less and exercising more.

Everyone already knows what to do. The difficult part is actually getting it done.

How to Slay the Debt Monster

Sure, you want to get out of debt as fast as possible, but superficial financial solutions result in repeat offenders.

Using debt consolidation, or transferring balances to a HELOC or a 0% credit card, or selling assets such as a house, boat or car does not address the root cause of the problem.
You are trying to relieve the symptom by looking only at financial issues.

Instead, what you must first do is figure out what is causing your debt.

What are all the ways you spend more than you earn? But there are ways to identify these habits and change them.

The permanent cure is to plug all the habitual ways you leak money so that you never go into debt again. This isn’t sexy, but it permanently solves the problem.


You must persist in plugging these leaks until you are spending less than you earn.

It may take you months (or years) to achieve this objective.

That’s OK.

Read the full article online. 

10 Tips to Turning Your Internship Into a Full-Time Gig

“10 Tips to Turning Your Internship Into a Full-Time Gig” was provided by POPSUGAR Smart Living.

For a lot of us, graduating from college was the easy part — it was finding a job afterward that made us wish we could start freshman year all over again.

This stage of life is an unfortunate time that every postgraduate must endure.

If you weren’t given a trust fund or poached by recruiters, then you know this “rite of passage” all too well.

Searching the web for hours on end, connecting on LinkedIn, and completing countless applications without any response becomes your daily routine.

I went through the same experience after I graduated college.

Even with four internships under my belt, I had no idea just how competitive the job market was.

I realized that the best way to get my foot in the door was to expand my search. I started looking for internships (that would accept recent graduates) with the hope it could lead to a job offer.

Lucky for me, it did!

Here are 10 tips on how to turn your internship into a job:

Make friends

It’s tough to be new in the office, especially if you’re an intern.

That’s why it’s so important to put yourself out there and get to know your co-workers.
Take an extra trip to the water cooler or bathroom — the more people you meet in these communal spaces, the better.

Here are some conversation starters!

Another great way to mingle with new co-workers is to join in on any company events.
Go to happy hours, game nights, and other office get-togethers to show your fun side.

Be professional

Just because you are one of the youngest in the office doesn’t mean you have to act that way.

Stay professional, and show that you are mature.


You can still crack jokes and have fun; just avoid talking about partying with your friends every weekend.

If your co-workers view you as responsible, then they will trust you with more projects.

Ask the right questions

After you receive an assignment, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if the directions are unclear.

You want to avoid completing a task incorrectly because you were too nervous to ask questions.

However, try not to bother your manager with tons of obvious questions if the answer can be found on the Internet or an office training manual.

You don’t want them to regret giving you the project when they could have done it themselves in the first place.

Read the full article online... 

10 Great Tips for Success in Both Life and Business

by Robert Chen IN Lifestyle, Lifehack.org
Sometimes what helps us to be successful in our professional lives is not such a great idea in our personal lives — competition is a quality that comes to mind. At the same time, we all have a limited amount of time each day to do the things that we want to do.

So for the sake of saving time and energy, I’m sharing a list of tips that will help you be successful in both life and in business.

1. Add Value

No matter what you do and where you go, you can’t go wrong with adding value. Simply put value is anything that people are willing to pay for. In your professional life, the more value you can offer the more money you can make. In your personal life, more value translates to closer relationships and strong personal growth. The best way to add value is to find the intersection between what people are willing to pay for and what service or product you can offer that is aligned with your values, strengths and goals.

How are you adding value to your employers and loved ones today? What can you do to increase your ability to add value?

2. Follow Your Passion

Reading numerous biographies on great people and from my own personal observations and encounters, I’ve realized that those who achieve greatness professional and personally follow their passion. The reason why great people are few and far in-between is because most people don’t even know what their passion is. For those that do figure out their passion, most of them don’t follow their passion consistently. This is one of the main reasons why people don’t reach their goals.

Do you know what your passion is? If not, what are you going to do to find out? If  you do know what you passion is, are you following it?

3. Be Extraordinary

If you do the same thing as everyone else, it’s hard to be successful. It is important to find the edge and then push past it. That is how you become noticed and get what you want. Whether it is money, meaningful relationships and/or a sense of personal accomplishment, the extraordinary person attracts them all.

How are you extraordinary?  If you feel just ordinary, what are you going to do to become extraordinary? For those who don’t know, you may want to check out articles on my blog and also How to go from Ordinary to Extraordinary.

Read the full article online...  

18 Tips For Success From Richard Branson

Melissa Stanger, Business Insider

Richard Branson founded Virgin in 1970 at the age of 20, and he hasn’t looked back.
He’s the only entrepreneur to have built eight separate billion-dollar companies in eight different industries — and he did it all without a degree in business.

"Had I pursued my education long enough to learn all the conventional dos and don'ts of starting a business I often wonder how different my life and career might have been," he writes in his new book, Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won’t Teach You at Business School.

We’ve compiled some of the best tips from his book here.

Don't do it if you don't enjoy it.

Running a business takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (and caffeine). But at the end of the day, you should be building something you will be proud of.

Branson says, "When I started Virgin from a basement in west London, there was no great plan or strategy. I didn't set out to build a business empire ... For me, building a business is all about doing something to be proud of, bringing talented people together and creating something that's going to make a real difference to other people's lives."

Be visible.

Branson received some timeless advice when building Virgin Airlines from Sir Freddie Laker, a British airline “tycoon.” 

“Make sure you appear on the front page and not the back pages,” said Laker. “You are going to have to get out there and sell yourself. Make a fool of yourself, whatever it takes. Otherwise you won’t survive”.

Branson always makes a point of traveling often and meeting as many people as he can. This, he says, is how he came by some of the best suggestions and ideas for his business.

Choose your name wisely.

The unique name and brand that Virgin employs is one of the things that has made the company a success. Branson makes sure that the name ‘Virgin’ represents added value, improved service, and a fresh, sexy approach.

Branson says that he is asked all the time about the origin of the Virgin name, back when Virgin was just starting. "One night, I was chatting with a group of sixteen-year-old girls over a few drinks about a name for the record store," he says. "A bunch of ideas were bounced around, then, as we were all new to business, someone suggested Virgin. It smacked of new and fresh and at the time the word was still slightly risqué, so, thinking it would be an attention-grabber, we went with it."

Read the full article online.

ell beyond your comfort zone. Action is

1. Identify where you are stuck in your life. Take steps toward getting unstuck, even if it means pushing well beyond your comfort zone. Action is the only remedy for fear.
2. Develop your observing ego by stepping outside yourself and seeing who you are during the day. How do you come across to others? Do you like what you see? If you don't, modify your behavior.
3. Identify your biggest strengths and make sure you use those strengths in your profession. If you do, it's likely you have found your passion.
4. Scared to speak up? Preparation and practice can help you pull off the perfect speech. Oh, and don't forget to give yourself a positive pep talk. You can do it!
5. Get a good night's sleep. Not only will eight hours keep you mentally sharp, but a full night's rest can keep your appetite in check too. Experts recommend eight hours for everyone.
- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/30-tips-to-take-control-of-your-life-now#sthash.XkO3Hhci.dpuf

1. Identify where you are stuck in your life. Take steps toward getting unstuck, even if it means pushing well beyond your comfort zone. Action is the only remedy for fear.
2. Develop your observing ego by stepping outside yourself and seeing who you are during the day. How do you come across to others? Do you like what you see? If you don't, modify your behavior.
3. Identify your biggest strengths and make sure you use those strengths in your profession. If you do, it's likely you have found your passion.
4. Scared to speak up? Preparation and practice can help you pull off the perfect speech. Oh, and don't forget to give yourself a positive pep talk. You can do it!
5. Get a good night's sleep. Not only will eight hours keep you mentally sharp, but a full night's rest can keep your appetite in check too. Experts recommend eight hours for everyone.
- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/30-tips-to-take-control-of-your-life-now#sthash.XkO3Hhci.dpuf

1. Identify where you are stuck in your life. Take steps toward getting unstuck, even if it means pushing well beyond your comfort zone. Action is the only remedy for fear.
2. Develop your observing ego by stepping outside yourself and seeing who you are during the day. How do you come across to others? Do you like what you see? If you don't, modify your behavior.
3. Identify your biggest strengths and make sure you use those strengths in your profession. If you do, it's likely you have found your passion.
4. Scared to speak up? Preparation and practice can help you pull off the perfect speech. Oh, and don't forget to give yourself a positive pep talk. You can do it!
5. Get a good night's sleep. Not only will eight hours keep you mentally sharp, but a full night's rest can keep your appetite in check too. Experts recommend eight hours for everyone.
6. Is the Web site for your business representing your company in the best light possible? If not, spruce it up.
7. Set benchmarks for the progress of your business. Are you holding yourself accountable for meeting them? You should be.
8. Write to achieve. Write down your goals and dreams to declare yourself in the game. It's like holding up an "Open for Business" sign for your life.
9. Keep a notebook with you at all times. If you wake up at 3 a.m. with a brilliant idea, write it down. A blank notebook becomes a suggestion box for your brain, opening you up to new ideas.
10. Think of a favorite memory. When your mind is on overload, recalling a great memory can relax your mind. And it just might make you smile too.
- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/30-tips-to-take-control-of-your-life-now#sthash.XkO3Hhci.dpuf

1. Identify where you are stuck in your life. Take steps toward getting unstuck, even if it means pushing well beyond your comfort zone. Action is the only remedy for fear.
2. Develop your observing ego by stepping outside yourself and seeing who you are during the day. How do you come across to others? Do you like what you see? If you don't, modify your behavior.
3. Identify your biggest strengths and make sure you use those strengths in your profession. If you do, it's likely you have found your passion.
4. Scared to speak up? Preparation and practice can help you pull off the perfect speech. Oh, and don't forget to give yourself a positive pep talk. You can do it!
5. Get a good night's sleep. Not only will eight hours keep you mentally sharp, but a full night's rest can keep your appetite in check too. Experts recommend eight hours for everyone.
6. Is the Web site for your business representing your company in the best light possible? If not, spruce it up.
7. Set benchmarks for the progress of your business. Are you holding yourself accountable for meeting them? You should be.
8. Write to achieve. Write down your goals and dreams to declare yourself in the game. It's like holding up an "Open for Business" sign for your life.
9. Keep a notebook with you at all times. If you wake up at 3 a.m. with a brilliant idea, write it down. A blank notebook becomes a suggestion box for your brain, opening you up to new ideas.
10. Think of a favorite memory. When your mind is on overload, recalling a great memory can relax your mind. And it just might make you smile too.
- See more at: http://www.success.com/article/30-tips-to-take-control-of-your-life-now#sthash.XkO3Hhci.dpuf