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This groundbreaking leadership research by has received extensive endorsements and enthusiastic reviews from well-known prominent business, political, and academic leaders who either participated in the study or reviewed the research findings. You will discover the proven success habits and secrets of people who, in spite of difficult or life threatening challenges shaped their own destiny to become successful, effective leaders. The full results of this research will be presented in the upcoming book by Dr. Howard Edward Haller titled “Leadership: View from the Shoulders of Giants.”
The nine initial prominent successful leaders who overcame adversity that were interviewed included: Dr. Tony Bonanzino, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, Monzer Hourani, U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, Dr. John Malone, Larry Pino, U.S. Army Major General Sid Shachnow, Dr. Blenda Wilson, and Zig Ziglar.
The data from the above nine research participants was materially augmented by seven other successful leaders who overcame adversity including: Jack Canfield, William Draper III, Mark Victor Hansen, J. Terrence Lanni, Angelo Mozilo, Dr. Nido Qubein, and Dr. John Sperling.
Additionally, five internationally known and respected leadership scholars offered their reviews of the leadership research findings including: Dr. Ken Blanchard, Jim Kouzes, Dr. John Kotter, Dr. Paul Stoltz, and Dr. Meg Wheatley.
This is a short biography of one of the principal participants who generously contributed their time and insight for this important research into the phenomenon of how prominent successful leaders overcome adversity and obstacles. This Anthony Bonanzino’s story:
Anthony Bonanzino was born in a lower middle-class Catholic family in West Haven, Connecticut. “My mother was a waitress, working two jobs; there was no, as I call it, ’silver spoon.’” Tony’s father worked the graveyard shift at the post office. Anthony was only seven years old when he lost his father.
He said his father’s death was “nothing unusual, it happens all the time; unfortunately he passed away when he was 44.” Tony indicated that he was totally devastated by his father’s death, and by his own admission he became incorrigible. He was expelled from a Catholic school in the fourth grade. He had gotten into some minor trouble with the law for mischievous behavior. Tony shared this story:
“Fortunately, there was a detective on the West Haven, Connecticut police force, who knew me well enough by that point, because I had gotten into so many minor troubles. He wanted to help; he found a school, a free, private school for fatherless boys, in Philadelphia.”
The school accepted Tony. The school demanded hard work and unquestioned respect for the teachers, and imposed strict discipline. When he arrived at the school Tony described having anger at the world, but he turned his life around in the eighth grade.
Bonanzino graduated from high school at Girard. He went on to junior college “for a year and played on the ice hockey team,” but he was not really focused on his education. He then “took a year off. I went to Boston University for a period, then I joined the Air Force.” He was trained for a year in Mandarin Chinese and then was assigned for a few months to translate military broadcasts, pilot-to-pilot, and ground-to-pilot communications from Mandarin to English.
Because the Vietnam conflict was over and the military was downsizing, Tony was allowed to leave the Air Force early, with full “G.I. Bill” benefits, including educational benefits. “At the time, full benefits meant full benefits.” He could focus on his studies. Tony graduated from college with a degree in Biology and a concentration in Microbiology. After working for four years, he returned to get a Master’s degree in Operations Management.
He then went to work for Bayer AG, the large German pharmaceutical company. Tony described a “heavily dictatorial” management style. He indicated that he was a “pretty unhappy person because the work violated my core values, my beliefs.”
He especially deplored what he perceived to be the company’s mistreatment of employees. Tony described his frustration when his attempts to “build the spirit and camaraderie” of his team within Bayer were thwarted by its “intransigent management.”
Tony said, “I was in a very challenging environment, not technically challenging, but emotionally challenging, because my core belief was based on respect of the individual.” But now he found himself in “an environment that was highly egocentric, debilitating in its treatment of people, and really, a violation of my core beliefs.”
Tony commented, “I prostituted myself.” Tony described the challenge of remaining in such “a debilitating, almost evil, environment for so many years, instead of having the courage to walk away.” He added that staying was “an extraordinarily difficult thing, and it takes a toll on you. It truly takes a toll.”
Tony was sent to Spokane, Washington for an assignment at the Bayer subsidiary, Hollister-Stier Labs, a small pharmaceutical and bio-technology company. When Bayer AG announced that it would sell Hollister-Stier Laboratories, Tony decided to lead a team to negotiate with Bayer for a leveraged buyout of Hollister-Stier Laboratories.
Bonanzino became the new President and CEO and immediately restructured the company, totally changing the firm’s management style. He indicated that he eliminated everything he perceived as employee abuse and invited input from his employees. In the process he turned an unprofitable subsidiary of Bayer AG into a strong and profitable separate company with its own corporate identity.
Tony also earned a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University, and continues to invest a great deal of his time in community projects and various non-profit organizations. He coaches young people in various team sports and still teaches one class each semester at the School of Business at Gonzaga University. He shared that his leveraged buyout of Hollister-Stier Labs is a case study at the Gonzaga School of Business. I initially interviewed Dr. Tony Bonanzino for almost two hours at his home in Spokane, Washington.
Dr. Bonanzino continues to run his successful firm, Hollister-Stier Laboratories, while serving in a number of leadership posts in the Spokane business community.
Copyright 2006 © Howard Edward Haller, Ph.D.
Howard Edward Haller, Ph.D.
Chief Enlightenment Officer
The Leadership Success Institute
www.TheLeaderInstitute.com
HowardEdwardHallerPhD@msn.com
Howard Edward Haller, Ph.D. is the Chief Enlightenment Officer of the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho based The Leadership Success Institute. His Doctoral dissertation in Leadership Studies at Gonzaga Univ. included interviews with prominent US leaders in business, politics & education.
The initial nine prominent leaders who overcame adversity included: Dr. Tony Bonanzino, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, Monzer Hourani, U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, Dr. John Malone, Larry Pino, U.S. Army Major General Sid Shachnow, Dr. Blenda Wilson, and Zig Ziglar.
Then seven more leaders, who overcame adversity, were interviewed including: Jack Canfield, William Draper III, Mark Victor Hansen, J. Terrence Lanni, Angelo Mozilo, Dr. Nido Qubein, and Dr. John Sperling.
Five internationally known and respected leadership scholars offered their reviews of the Dr. Haller’s research findings including: Dr. Ken Blanchard, Jim Kouzes, Dr. John Kotter, Dr. Paul Stoltz, and Dr. Meg Wheatley.
http://www.TheLeaderInstitute.com
Here’s something you don’t often hear - how are you dealing with ‘rifid’? OR RFID. If you DO often hear it, then this article isn’t for you, it’s far too simplistic. However, if you have never heard of RFID before, read on. It might just change your life, or at least the way you organize it.
Radio Frequency Identification or RFID is the use of radio waves to identify objects; in English, the ability to track items without coming into contact with them. This is accomplished by a microchip attached to an antenna called transponders or ‘tags’. The chip transmits ID information to the receiver which converts it to a digital format which is then read by a computer.
RFID isn’t new, its been with us in its current guise since the early 80s, and around since the 1920s - you know the tag that they stick on jackets in the clothes store to stop you stealing them… However, its just grown up; businesses can track products throughout the manufacturing process from start to finish. These items can be tracked while in trucks, on shelves, wherever.
The Benefits of RFID include:
1. The ability to eliminate time consuming bar-coding or other tracking processes. Instead, all data can be collected along the production line. This also helps to lower production costs.
2. Prevention of the distribution of counterfeit products.
3. Elimination or reduction of theft and loss.
4. Reduction of supply chain cost.
5. Elimination of data entry and other tedious manual business process transactions.
6. Increase in order fulfillment time
7. Less time spent in check out lines, as consumers will only have to push their shopping carts in front of the readers.
The predominant downside is the high cost of the RFID hardware. Where tags alone can cost twenty five cents each or more, many retailers won’t get much of a return, if any, on their investment.
It’s hoped that Wal-Mart, the Defense Department and others will start using RFID, which could cause the prices of the tags to drop to five cents each, making it a more affordable solution for many.
Jamie Hall is a middleware developer of RFID systems and Programmer for Big Blog Media. And writes for RFID Factfile
Fashionable medical identification jewelry is a perfect solution for those who suffer from critical medical conditions like epilepsy, stroke, diabetes, heart transplant, fainting fits, asthma, memory impairment or blindness, and need to wear Medical Alerts or health monitoring systems, but are also image-conscious and hence do not want to wear matter crude gadgets or bands around their wrists.
If you personally survey the market, by surfing the Internet or by wading through the Yellow Pages or newspapers, you find a baffling variety of Medical Alert bracelets, if a bracelet is what your doctor has recommended. In a critical medical emergency, when you become helpless and cannot explain your condition, it is the medical information embedded in the bracelet that identifies you, along with the medical problem that is afflicting you. While the symptoms appearing at that critical moment baffle those around you, the medical description engraved on your bracelet may facilitate an early diagnosis, and an appropriate and timely treatment may save your life. The information legibly engraved on the front and backside of the bracelet also mentions the contact numbers of your family members and your doctor.
These bracelets come in a variety of attractive designs and price ranges. You can choose one that suits your pocket. They are made of sterling silver, gold or high-quality non-allergenic stainless steel polished to give a jewelry finish. Medical ID bracelets are available in all sizes for adults and children. The bracelet chains are fitted with a clasp that cannot open accidentally.
You should consult your doctor concerning what medical description about your problem should be engraved upon your bracelet. These bracelets can also be artistically fitted with transmitter buttons; pressing them activates some radio frequencies that raise an alarm in the base stations of the monitoring agency, which in turn alerts your family members and the doctor about the occurrence of the problem. The monitoring system talks directly to you in a very loud voice so that everyone can hear. In this way, medical aid or your relatives and friends can be summoned.
Medical Alerts provides detailed information about medical alerts, medical alert system, medical alert bracelets, medical alert necklaces and more. Medical Alerts is the sister site of Cardiac Rehab.
Many spas and salons offer a process called “body wrapping.”
This procedure claims to remove inches from the waist, thighs, hips or other parts of the body.
The process includes the use of special wraps or clothing and can sometimes be used with special lotions or creams that are applied to the skin.
Customers are usually told that they can lose “inches” as opposed to pounds and that fat will melt away bringing about a loss of inches in about an hour. One of the claims is that wrapping will work because cellulite is “water logged fatty tissue.”
What overweight person wouldn’t love to find a product that will render them slim and trim while they sleep?
Unfortunately, many people think that body wrapping is a relatively “new” procedure and jump on the bandwagon quickly.
The truth is that the body wrapping craze has been around for some time.
Over two decades ago, government “watchdogs” reported:
“Who can blame the fretfully flabby for being lured by the promise of losing inches without doing anything more strenuous than popping a pill or wrapping up the offending flesh? Who can resist ads for body wraps that promise ‘to burn away fat even while you sleep,’ to ‘lose 4-6 inches the first day?”
What do these wraps consist of?
Some are plastic or rubber garments worn around the waist, some cover the waist, hips and thighs, and others cover nearly the entire body.
Some are to be worn while carrying out routine activities, others while exercising, and some while sleeping. One is inflated with air from a vacuum cleaner. Another uses an electric hair dryer to blow in warm air. Some are used after a cream, gel or lotion is applied or after the wrap is soaked in a solution.
The garments and wraps, with or without lotions and creams, say that they reduce body dimensions by removing fluids. Most medical experts agree that such treatment will cause a loss of inches and perhaps pounds due to profuse perspiration. But the reductions are temporary. The fluid is soon replaced by drinking or eating.
Remember, rapid and excessive fluid loss is potentially dangerous because it can bring on severe dehydration and can upset the balance of important electrolytes in the body. Reputable spas are aware of any potential hazards such as this, so do your homework and select a spa with a good reputation.
Some people have tried using “plastic wrap” as body wrap material. In fact, that was a very popular practice several decades ago.
Body wrapping has evolved since those days, becoming much more sophisticated. Prices for a body wrap range anywhere from $40 an hour up to as much as several thousand dollars at some of the upscale spas.
Some advertising claims that body wrapping will eliminate, or at the least reduce, cellulite but we’ll leave that up to you to determine. What we can tell you is that visiting a spa or salon for body wrapping may be a wonderfully rejuvenating experience, leaving you rested, relaxed and refreshed.
And who wouldn’t like to have a few hours being pampered and fussed over in a relaxing environment regardless if it helps the cellulite problem.
Some spas advertise herbal and other natural wraps. In fact, the methods and products applied are widely varied. Let’s explore some of the components that make up a good “wrap” experience.
Herbal wraps. Some of the higher end spas go so far as to grow their own “herbs” for use in their body wraps, but that isn’t necessary for a good body wrap experience. Herbs can be fresh, or dried and usually organically grown is best.
Each herb has a specific effect. Some increase circulation, another may soothe the skin and so on.
The herbs are steeped in very hot water (almost boiling) then special muslin sheets are soaked in the solution. It is these herb-infused sheets along with other insulating layers that wrap around the body.
How the treatments work is interesting. The goal is to create a condition not unlike your body when you have a fever. We all know that when we have a fever, our body eliminates toxins by sweating.
It’s the same principle with body wraps. The results vary. Some people report a very intense detoxification while for others it might be mild.
Methods of application and content vary as well. Seaweed, mud and salt are popular body wraps. Most often, the subject is wrapped from neck to toe with the arms set close to the sides of the body. This can be uncomfortable for someone who suffers from claustrophobia.
The easiest correction for this is to keep the arms free from the wrap. Most people who are claustrophobic find the works and that all they need to be able to feel free to remove themselves if they choose.
Whatever type of body wrap you select make certain that you feel comfortable with the spa and that a technician is always close at hand.
Care should be taken when selecting a salon or spa. Some things to consider:
How long have they been offering body wraps?
Do they have a licensed clinician whose sole purpose is massage and/or body wraps?
Where do their herbs and other contents come from?
Do they offer any special pricing for new clients?
Will they allow a tour of their facilities prior to purchase?
Have they had any unresolved complaints reported by the Better Business Bureau?
Do they have any package pricing for multiple visits?
Watch your local publications for coupon offers. This can be a good way to try out a service at a bargain.
Ask your friends if they have had a body wrapping experience and whether they enjoyed it and what kind of results did they experience. You may even want to check for “two for one” specials and try it out with a friend!
Whether the experience reduces your cellulite or not, if you follow the guidelines you are in for a pleasant experience. Who knows, you might just like it enough to include it in your long term personal care budget!
Rene Graeber graduated from the University of Munic in Educational and Sports Science and from the Paracelsus School of Medicine in Hamburg from Naturopathic Medicine. If you’re looking for the latest, helpful information about alternative medicine the visit his website in Germany at wellness-fitness-health.blogspot.com/
Flowers have been used for house decoration ever since there are houses to live in. Any room looks brighter with flower decoration having been carefully chosen and arranged in a specific place.
Flowers add to the lively ambience of a room, and they can also change the overall effect on the premises. Furniture and other hand-made decoration cannot be as stimulating to the aesthetic imagination as are natural flowers arranged in beautiful bouquets. Flowers and green foliage create an atmosphere of vivacity and make for the better mood of the people. Remember how your mood changed when you saw those wonderful floral arrangements in the lobby of a hotel or at a restaurant table. Public places are artistic decorative achievements, many businesses spend a lot of money to attain better look of their premises and to attract more flower adoring customers. It is not so expensive to have fresh flowers in your home on a daily basis. But even if you can afford to arrange some flowers only on weekends or on holidays, that is perfectly right. They will cheer you up and make your home more festive and welcoming.
Fresh flowers can have different variants depending on the seasons. There are many kinds of flowers in spring, autumn, summer or even winter. There is a large variety of flowers depending on whether you want to create a formal atmosphere in your home, or just arrange some casual uplifting and cheering bouquet. You can emphasize on specific areas or features of any room by just adding a flower arrangement in a special position. Kitchen tables, empty fireplaces, table tops beside cabinets, vanity shelves in bathroom are the perfect places for positioning your arrangements.
Flower arranging is considered to be fine art that is hard to learn by novices. That is an old- fashioned opinion, though. Flower arranging can be learned and practised by anyone, and it is really easy to do. Many people learn to arrange ideal bouquets by themselves. But you can always use some tips from books or magazines, until you come up with your own ideas for various combinations. One you have chosen special flowers and foliages and you have made the arrangement, consider where to place it so that it fits the color combinations of the particular area. Choose carefully the container where your arrangement will be placed. It is important for the final result.
You must stick to consideration about form and container, and about the exact positioning of the arrangement. Having these three pre-conditions in mind, you are sure to create the ideal floral arrangement that would best suit your taste.
Another tip is to keep record of the arrangement that attracted your eye and where you have seen them. Pay attention to small details, it is important in floral decoration. Keep your mental list of best arrangements and try to acquire their look by yourself. In the nearest future you will discover that you have grown perfectly aware of all the subtle skills that are required for flower decoration.
You must practise your taste in color combinations. Pay special attention to other people’s gardens, to fabrics and cloths, and to different types of flowers. You will gradually shape your own idea about how to combine a flower arrangement with the colors that you like most.
Find Flower Shop - the easiest way to locate a flower shop in your area.
Article by Robbie Darmona - an article writer who writes on a wide variety of subjects.
An interesting question, and there are many varied answers. There have been many books written about LOVE. Is LOVE real, is it a feeling, is it a desire, is it an act, or is it something that romance writers have invented? What is LOVE??
A friend of mine emailed a result that a group of professional people obtained when they posed this question “What does love mean?” to a group of 4 to 8 year old children. The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. Here are the some resultant quotes.
When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love. Rebecca-age 8.
Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs. Chrissy- age 6.
Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired. Terri-age 4.
Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is O.K. Danny-age 7.
Love is what’ in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen. Bobby-age 7 [WOW].
If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate. Nikka-age 6.
During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore. Cindy-age 8
My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night. Clare- age 6.
Love is when Mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken.
Elaine-age 5.
You really shouldn’t say “I love you” unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget. Jessica- age 8.
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbour was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry”.
So as you can see from the various answers that LOVE is not just a feeling or a whim. Love is an action. Something that you do for someone that you love. Is LOVE an action? What do you see LOVE as?
I believe that LOVE is a DECISION. You make up your own mind on how you see things and you act on it. LOVE is the greatest force on this Earth. People will move mountains for it, and even die for LOVE.
There have been many songs written about LOVE and one that springs quickly to mind is, “ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE” by the Beatles. The power of LOVE is Extolled and that LOVE is everything.
LOVE is many faceted, there is more than one type of love. C. S. Lewis has written about the various types of LOVE. For a small example love between husband and wife, mother and child, siblings, God’s LOVE, and many others.
LOVE the greatest force on this earth resides in every parent and child. This is why you see many parents go without some luxuries just to make sure that their children are fed and clothed. If there is any foreseeable danger the parents will put their lives on the line to protect and safe guard their loved ones. They will fight tooth and nail to defend their children in all situations no matter what the odds.
LOVE, like anything in this world needs to be fostered and kept alive in all families. All parties involved have to be vigilant. LOVE to young children is basically where you as a parent will have to get into a routine, where you and your wonderful children have some quality time together everyday. This can involve playing, reading, or just sharing about the day that you had. Doing little things that will please one another, does wonders in this environment.
Living in a loving environment will help a child to grow up confident, and have a great self esteem. You will be able to discuss issues and not have fights, for you will have respect for one another. Forgiveness will come easily and your household will be peaceful. Kids will feel secure to take risks without reprisals for they will know where they stand with their parents and how far they can go with certain actions. When LOVE is present there is no fear, children will be able to fulfill their potentials in life.
Andrew Borodin
http://www.parent-child-help.com
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Andrew Borodin is a retired teacher who helps people with their kids. He is passionate in seeing kids growing up to their potentional in life. |
Take a note from the movie industry on the value of building a
franchise. Franchises usually do a good job about building
cross-selling opportunities into everything they do. Two recent
franchise movies have taught me that some in Hollywood are very
talented in this regard.
“Star Wars” many moons ago showed us how successful movie
franchises could be.
Recently, there came “2 Fast 2 Furious.” They are offering
“Fast and Furious” car accessories up to and including the
“Fast and Furious NOS Kits”.
But the king was yet to be seen. By far the best job I have
seen from the Hollywood types is “The Matrix” trilogy. They
designed and had Samsung build products to be used in the
movie, from which could later be marketed to the die hard
loyalist fans of “The Matrix” trilogy.
It is like they have always said. The easiest sale a business
can make is to an existing and satisfied customer.
Put some thought into your own business and find ways to tweak
your ability to earn money from your existing and loyal client
base.
Copyright Bill Platt - All Rights Reserved. Reprints allowed with article and resource box unedited. If you post this article on a website, you must set the links up as hyperlinks.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bill Platt is the owner of http://www.LinksAndTraffic.com
This is not a link rental
system or a reciprocal linking scam. We Guarantee our results.
What is it like from a marketing perspective to be yesterday’s news? We rely on what is tried and true in marketing because it is usually safe, tried, and tested. It saves us time, as well, since we don’t have to put on our creativity cap to craft an innovative strategy.
But, there’s a certain attractive quality around someone who markets his or her business on the edge. They stretch their thoughts and ideas into new territories to create an innovative way of packaging or presenting their product or service. Shifting ourselves to be forward thinkers, one step ahead of everyone else when it comes to marketing our business might be something to consider when attracting new customers and clients.
Here are some ways to add some zip to your marketing.
1. Try a new mental environment. Involve yourself in new mental environments. Read different materials or magazines. Take a class in creativity or in an area completely unknown or outside of your general interest area. Or, better yet, find a coach who works on the cutting edge to experience their way of thinking.
2. Consider other industries and study how they market to their customers. How do pharmaceutical companies market? How do construction materials companies market to homebuilders and real estate developers? How do Realtors market to their home buying and selling prospects? What tools and techniques are they utilizing that you might capitalize on and try in your business? Consult trade magazines or make contacts in different industries and find out how they market to their clientele.
3. Take a look at fads. As a forward thinker, look at the current trends and see where they can take your business. When PDAs first appeared, all sorts of businesses were scrambling to create software that was compatible with this new technology. From those new innovations, many new types of software and other electronic devices were created. MP3 technology really pulled the invention of the IPOD forward. What new trends or fads do you see out there?
4. Stay one step ahead. There are many benefits to staying in the future with regard to marketing. You do this by reading widely, networking with people in a variety of industries, and spending quality time thinking about where you want to take your business. The future is all about possibility thinking. Let the future pull you forward to success.
5. Revise your vision. As you uncover new information that would be helpful to your business, make sure that you revise your vision of your business. It’s vital that you keep your plans for the future up-to-date. Review your business plan with frequency, no less than quarterly to ensure that it is still on target with your vision, mission, and most importantly with what your clients or customers most want.
6. Be willing to risk. Part of staying ahead when it comes to marketing is to adopt a mental attitude that you are willing to take risks, whether it result in great rewards, or equally great failure. While you should do the proper research, check facts, and craft detailed plans for all of your marketing efforts, you must be prepared for the risks associated with anything that you do. By engaging in future thinking, possibility thinking, you might be risking failure that your clients or customers just aren’t ready for it. But, at the same time, you’ll be making great strides if they are. You may become a trendsetter in the market place, a very nice place to be.
7. Stand strong. We can all agree that being a forward thinker involves a great deal of risk - both on the upside and the downside to your business bottom line. You also need to be prepared for the effect it might have on your ego. When you put yourself out there with new marketing ideas, you need to be prepared for not only the criticism that you will receive from envious competitors, but also the praise and congratulations that will come from others. Don’t take it personally. It’s just business.
8. Change your physical surroundings. It’s amazing how much our environments can influence not only our health and happiness, but also the thoughts that we think. Try changing your physical environment and see what new ideas might come to mind. Take a walk in the park or go for a drive in the country. If you can’t get away, enjoy a bubble bath by candlelight. Nature or natural settings are usually quite inspirational to most people and might be just what you need to come up with your next great idea.
9. Be ready. Forward thinkers have a natural mindset that is open to accepting great success coming their way. They don’t think about how or why they can’t do something, but how and why they can. Their attitude is one geared towards seeing the abundance in everything around them and to expecting more in the future. This momentum carries through into all of their marketing efforts.
10. Expand your vocabulary. As previously mentioned, forward thinkers read widely. Continually challenge yourself to adopt new words to describe what you do. At one time, computer IT firms were referring to themselves as factories. That seemed to appeal to their clientele at the time. What words from other disciplines or industries might add an interesting angle to your marketing? If you can’t find the right words to describe your product or service, try inventing some. Be creative.
11. Learn from the past. While forward thinkers do spend a lot of time in the future, they can also come up with great marketing ideas by looking to the past. Skim history books, read biographies of great men and women, or ask elderly folks about what life was like in the past. The new insight that you gain might be just the thing that leads to a new marketing campaign, product or service idea. While the future is where it’s at, there might be some valuable ideas in the past.
12. Be free of the burdens of the past. Acknowledging the past is great, but living in it as a marketer can mean the demise of your business. Free yourself from well-worn ways that don’t bring you the results that you need. If your industry is saturated with a particular idea or product, think of ways to re-invent it. Don’t do the same things that you did in the past if they aren’t getting you the results you desire. And, even if they are, what innovation might you make which would produce even better results?
13. Check your thoughts at the door. Forward thinkers look at each marketing challenge on its own merits. Don’t get mired in preconceived notions about the way the next marketing idea might turn out based upon your past results. Instead, look to the future with excitement. The future is yours to create - how it looks is up for grabs.
14. Continue to develop yourself. Strengthen your personal foundation. As you change yourself, you will change the thoughts you think and the things you create for your business. As you evolve, your business evolves.
15. Make change your friend. Forward thinkers embrace change. They know that to get from today to tomorrow that they will need to make changes in the ways they think about and market their business. Instead of fearing change, welcome it with open arms. You never know what incredible opportunity might await you.
© Copyright 2004 Alicia Smith Consulting & Training. All Rights Reserved.
Alicia Smith, a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping people Make Money Now.
This article is derived from just one of the 26 lessons contained in her audio program, Marketing Marathon Blunders From A - Z. To learn more about that course and her other products and services, please visit www.AliciaSmith.com.
Last year my father had a triple bypass. By all assessments he should have died. But he did not. A heart that had literally been energetically shut down for most of his life opened up & began to heal. It was truly miraculous to see him find love and joy in his life again. In the past 2 weeks we found him in the hospital again. While he laughed & joked, my mother prayed. The polyp they found was indeed cancerous. It was removed and the doctors gave him a clean bill of health. His doctor reminded him to live his life with joy & gratitude because he is truly blessed to still be alive. Had it not been detected now he would have been serious peril a few months down the road.
These situations led me to question what the central ingredient would be for change in a persons’ life. When confronted with a life changing event or a life altering decision, what makes a person change? Is there one central point of change that occurs? Energetically, spiritually, what shifts?
Reflecting on the past years events with my fathers’ health has taught me a great deal about the powerful force of COURAGE coupled with FORGIVENESS. Being courageous has been the factor that has literally flipped the switch in his life. It brings introspection, forgiveness, acceptance and a form of release. In such a dramatic set of circumstances it’s easy to see.
For the individual who is making choices each day the principle is the same. When you think about professional athletes and successful individuals most of them will tell you that they did what they did & have gained success by making a courageous choice or taking a courageous step. They make a choice or motion that goes against the grain. They think and look outside “the box” - which is to say, they look beyond their own limitations and fears. They are literally moving their vibration level UP & OVER with this feat - this creates change.
Did you know that vibrations levels have actually been calibrated with a logarithmic scale of 1 - 1,000? The higher the energetic vibration level, the higher the logarithm number. The lower the energetic vibration level, the lower the logarithm number. Higher levels are associated with bliss, forgiveness, trust, compassion & hope. These would be vibrations above 200. Anything below 200 corresponds to low vibration emotions such as anger, pride, guilt, hate, scorn & regret.
The break point is 200. What is a 200 vibration level? COURAGE! Yes, this is exactly where the “Map of Consciousness” (Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior by Dr. D.Hawkins) splits from low level, energy drains to high level, life changing movement. Courage comes first - even before forgiveness. Before you can even enter into forgiveness you must have the strength, the courage, to ask for forgiveness. It is the first step to change no matter if you need forgiveness (including dispelling your own fears) or simply asking the help of another human being.
Forgiveness is an introspective process first. Most humans are first & foremost their most fierce critics. Internal forgiveness for our shortcomings and failings is a critical step. To do this, we must be courageous enough to look within.
Practical Examples:
o How many times have you been afraid to interview for a job because you were intimidated? o Have you ever been in a situation where you feel guilt for something you've done or said? o How about a time when you harbored deep seeded resentment or anger towards someone?
Well, my friends, all these things: fear, intimidation, guilt, anger & resentment are all low level vibrations. To move your energy, and the folks that may be involved in your energetic web, you would need to have the courage to say “No, I’m not going to do this anymore!” or simply “I’m sorry” & move forward into the higher vibration levels of love, acceptance, reason, trust, bliss, forgiveness and illumination.
Today’s Challenge:
o Is there an area of your life where you're operating in low level vibrations? o Do you have the courage to change this situation? o Will you make the choice to live a COURAGEOUS LIFE by living beyond your self imposed fears?
Maria is a Holistic Health Counselor specializing in Energy Therapy
Equities finished mixed, in what was a fairly volatile week of trading. With
a clear absence of market moving news, stocks struggled to find direction. The
major theme was weakness in commodity and high beta tech shares. Meanwhile,
strength was actually seen in large cap tech for a change. The strength in
large caps stemmed from respectable results from Cisco Systems. More
importantly, the networking company’s management sounded the most upbeat over
business prospects in some time on the conference call. This gave investors
confidence that the long awaited IT spending pick-up was finally about to
unfold. The strength in large cap tech names also seemed to trigger relative
performance in other large cap shares. This allowed the Dow to outperform the
Nasdaq Composite and Russell 2000 by a wide margin.
In our trading we closed out one position for nice gains. We took a more
defensive posture in our trading, because of uncertainty over interest rates.
Our focus turned to industrial metal names as shorts, given that the momentum in
the group seemed to be fading. As always, we’ll be carrying a number of
positions into the week ahead that we remain comfortable with. A recap of our
performance for the week (as well as year to date) can be found at:
Much like we have seen over the past three weeks, equities struggled to make
much upside progress. Meanwhile, the downside was also limited due to hopes of
the Fed stopping their rate hikes. After last Friday’s jobs report indicated
that wage inflation could become a problem, expectations for two more rate hikes
seemed to become largely the consensus. However, with the sharp commodity
correction of recent days, the Fed could begin to tone down their hawkish talk a
bit. Furthermore, after homebuilding bellwether Toll Brothers issuing another
profit warning, if the Fed moves too fast, it could negatively impact the
housing market. With that said, hopefully the Fed will avoid over tightening.
If this is how things work out (i.e. the Fed backs off a bit on rates), we
believe the stage could be set for a very powerful move to the upside in
equities. Until further guidance is provided on the interest rate front,
equities will probably continue to remain range-bound. This definitely makes
trading more challenging. Therefore, it’s probably a good idea to keep cash
levels on the high side until some more attractive risk/reward set-ups
materialize.
All right then, that’s it for this weekend. We hope you have enjoyed this
edition of the free weekend report. Until then,
good luck in the markets!
Ray Johns is the founder and Senior Market Editor of Daytraders.com, Proudly serving day traders & short-term investors since 1996, at http://www.daytraders.com. Daytraders.com is the publishers of the award winning Morning Stock Market Report and the home of the Interne’ts finest real time trading desk. Ray has been on the forefront of trading and investing in the markets and has appeared as a guest on a number of radio and television shows including CNBC’s Market Talk. If you would like a free trail of the newsletter and the live trading desk log on to Daytraders.com. Comments and questions can be sent to marketing@TraderAide.com.