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... 

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

5 Financial Habits That Will Change Your Life

By Credit.com

With 2014 underway, New Year’s resolutions are a dime a dozen.

Study after study concludes that annual resolutions are rarely kept. In the words of Mary Poppins, resolutions are like a pie crust promise — easily made, easily broken.

Resolutions aim too high. While getting out of debt, spending less, and saving more are admirable goals, they do little to change our day-to-day actions.

Instead of lofty resolutions, we need to change our core habits.

Here are five habits to develop in 2014 to significantly improve your finances.

Track One Expense

A lot of people hate to budget. Tracking every dime spent is tedious and often unhelpful.
Just because one knows where they spent their money doesn’t mean their budget actually influences their spending decisions

Instead, develop the habit of tracking just one spending category. Pick an expense that you believe may be a problem area for your budget, and keep track of spending in just that one category.

Once you get spending in that category under control, start tracking the next expense that’s causing you to blow through your budget.

Audit Your Monthly Bills

We’re taught to check the batteries in our smoke detectors twice a year when the time changes.

Likewise, make it a habit to examine your monthly bills. You may find that you can get rid of services you don’t really need (e.g., 500 channels of cable you never watch) or at least reduce the cost.

I call this the One-N-Done method of saving because you make just one change that saves money month after month.

Automate Saving

One of the hardest habits to develop is saving and investing money.
Fortunately, we can easily automate this process, which makes developing the habit of saving much easier.

You can automate the building of an emergency fund by setting up monthly transfers from a checking account to a savings account that pays a decent interest rate.

Even better, sign up for your company’s 401k or an IRA and have money set aside each month automatically.

Learn Daily

Build learning into your daily routine. That may mean spending 15 minutes every day reading a book about finance or your career or a side business.
It could mean following blogs relevant to finances or your chosen career.

Successful finances and building wealth are about more than spending less than you earn and saving for a rainy day.

You need to learn how money works, and have a good grasp of the fundamentals if you want to turn your money into long-term wealth.

Track Your Progress

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. The measuring stick for finances is a personal balance sheet, which lists what an individual owns and owes.

Commit to updating your balance sheet every month. It takes just a few minutes, and this habit will cause you to refocus every month on your financial progress.

To make it even easier, there are free online tools you can use to track your investments and debts automatically.

In the words of Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” The same is true for financial freedom.

“5 Financial Habits That Will Change Your Life” was provided by Credit.com.  

Read the full article online.

How to Invest $100, $1,000, or $10,000-- from Mint.com

To start your day off with a happy hypothetical, let’s say you’ve been following our advice on how to build a buffer account.

It’s going so well that now you’ve got a little money you’d like to invest.
“Great—I’m going to get started today!” you think.

Then you Google “How do I get started investing?” and learn that you can choose from thousands and thousands of mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, bonds, brokerages, and asset classes.

“Hmm, I’ll get started investing tomorrow. Today: Candy Crush.”

I know how you feel. Last month I was in Japan, and my earbuds broke. So I went to a big electronics store, figuring they’d have a few to choose from.

Did they ever.

I had to contend with ten aisles that looked like this:

I spent over an hour trying out earbuds before buying a new pair of the same ones that broke.

I can’t help you choose headphones, but whether you have $100, $1000, or $10,000 to invest, I can help you get started.
In investing, as in headphones, “good enough” is better than driving yourself crazy figuring out the perfect solution.

I have $100 to invest

Buy one share of a stock market Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) and a good introductory book on investing such as The Elements of Investing, by Malkiel and Ellis.

Which ETF should you buy and where?

Let me make it easy. Open an account with TD Ameritrade. Opt into the commission-free ETF program. Buy one share of the Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT) for about $59.

Congratulations! You now own (a piece of) 5351 different stocks from about 50 countries.
Now, read the investing book and keep saving money.

Why TD Ameritrade? They make it easy to get started with a low balance without zinging you with fees.

Another option: Betterment.com has a extremely simple sign-up process and will let you invest the whole $100.

They do charge higher fees than TD and require you to invest an additional $100/month minimum until you hit $10,000.

Read the full article online. 

Tips for Making the Most of Your First Entry-Level Job-- from Monster

Karen Knight, Monster Contributing Writer

Your entry-level resume has landed you your first entry-level job! Now what? Read some MonsterCollege tips and tricks for succeeding in your entry-level job and get professional work advice.

As you step into your first post-grad work experience, there are a lot of things you need to know that your textbooks didn’t teach you over the past four years. Here is what you should be gleaning from your first adventure in the world of work. 

Your First Job Is Not Your Destiny

Your first job in no way predicts where you will ultimately end up. Talk to any mid-career worker, and you will be shocked where his career began. Your main task on your first job is to test your wings, learning how organizations work, how business gets done, and what makes people and organizations successful. Remember: Career (not job) changes are in your future as you learn, grow and change.

Watch Your Attitude

One of the biggest complaints about new college grads is that they often expect too much too soon and come across as thinking they know more than seasoned employees. Know that you will need to earn your stripes, as well as the trust of colleagues and supervisors, before being given more responsibility. Especially watch your attitude with support staff so as not to come across as arrogant or condescending.

Learn About the Various Kinds of Power and Influence

Observe how the staff members interact with each other and how things get done. Who really calls the shots, compared with what the organizational chart says? Who seems to have more power than might be indicated by his job title? Who is looked up to, admired and why? How are decisions made: top down, bottom up or a combination of the two?

Figure Out the Organizational Culture

Pay attention to the behaviors and results valued in your organization. Also, find out what the company stands for. Ask what the organization’s mission statement is and how it is different from the competition. Do you get a feeling of teamwork? What are the written and unwritten rules? What kinds of people seem successful, and why?

Know Yourself

Your first job is a chance for you to learn more about yourself, what you’re good at, what you’re not and what work you prefer and enjoy. Pay attention to others’ body language as they come in contact with you; this will help you understand how others respond to you. Observe the kinds of people who energize you and, alternatively, the types who drain you. Pay attention to the types of management styles that bring out the best in you.

Build Skills

Understand the new work paradigm is that you, not the organization, are in charge of your career. Gone are the days when the organization takes responsibility for moving you along from first job to retirement. Your task is to make a contribution to the company and develop skills you can take with you when it’s time to leave. 

What are some good ways to build skills? Volunteer for interesting projects, and keep your eyes open for any professional-development opportunities both within and outside the organization. Keep a skills portfolio folder, and as you learn, develop or demonstrate a skill, write it down and stick it in that file.

Ask for Regular Feedback, and Keep a Compliments File

Even if it’s not part of the protocol, ask for a three-month and/or a six-month evaluation. Stay on top of how well you are meeting expectations, and nip any problem areas in the bud. Always ask how you can improve your performance. 

Put any compliments you receive, written or verbal, in a file, including any good work evaluations. You can use these comments for impact in both future cover letters and job interviews.

Read Internal Job Postings

Internal job postings can be used as a way of understanding the breadth of work done in the organization and other positions that might interest you down the road, either there or somewhere else. Pay particular attention to understanding the job requirements. 

Read more online...