Take a quote from Abraham Lincoln, for example: “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” Wow, there’s a lot of meat in those few words. Standing firm…well, that makes sense. But how do you know whether or not your feet are in the right place? Now that’s intimidating!

How do we determine what’s “right?”  Do we benchmark that against others or ourselves? Is there some objective standard that we should be measuring ourselves against? Sure, there are societal and moral standards that we all should be following; these keep our society civilized and intact. But I’m looking at Lincoln’s statement in a more personal light.

Are we performing as we should be? Are we achieving all that we’re capable of achieving…and all that we want to achieve? Denis Waitley noted: “There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” This is where you have to determine what the “right place” is for you. And that can be scary.

Fear of making a bad decision can be a stumbling block to making what could be a good decision…or any decision at all! It is often easier to stay where we are than to risk making a change and go outside of our comfort zone. How do we decide how to proceed?

Do the next right thing! More on this subject to come….

“A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.” — Denis Waitley, motivational speaker and writer.

‘Fitting in’ may be a path to regret. Leaders don’t fit in, they stand out. People of impact are known for something. Their reputation establishes their identity and improves their impact.

What are you known for? When people see you, what do they think? If you aren’t known for something, do you lack creative vision? Are you focusing on “I don’t think I can do that?” Are you ‘spread too thin’ so that you don’t have the time to follow your passion? Are you worried what others will think if you try something new and don’t succeed?

Each new venture can be the springboard for personal and professional growth, no matter what the perceived outcome is. If others think you’ve ‘failed,’ learn to transform a negative into a positive.  Create solutions; don’t get stuck in complications and deficiencies. Learn from your mistakes and be bold to try a different approach.  Be known for positivity. Positive focus creates positive difference!

Being known for something is intentional, not accidental. Persistently repeat what you want to be known for!

One of my resolutions this year is to be much more consistent in my blogging. Blogging is a simple yet efficient way to reach a wide range of people. The 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle) indicates that 80% of one’s activities are trivial and only 20% deliver results. So here’s my resolve to raise that 20% productivity level!

It’s shocking to suggest that 80% of our time is available for richer activities. One may be thinking, “If 80% of my activities are trivial, then why am I feeling stressed out and time-pressured?” Perhaps one reason is we haven’t identified our trivialities. What are we doing that doesn’t take us where we want to go, that doesn’t deliver results?

Maximizing one’s time and energy requires clear direction, guiding values, planning, goals and objectives, prioritizing, scheduling, controlling, delegating, and more. 80% of our time is spent on trivialities because effectiveness and efficiency require persistent intention and focus!

In order to increase our effectiveness and efficiency, we should ask ourselves some questions. What are our most important tasks? What do we need (resources, support, and opportunities) to be successful? And how will we measure our efforts and results?

Effectiveness and efficiency begins with enabling ourselves and then other people. Spend more time delivering meaningful results and less time on trivialities!

In today’s post-meltdown economy, a woman’s contribution to her family’s finances factors more importantly than ever before. Many women who work in today’s employment-deprived world are grateful for even the crummiest minimum or low wage job. Certainly this is a statement on the times we live in. Nonetheless, their efforts are required to keep their families afloat, for many, they are working and raising a family on their own. Even women who make executive-level salaries find also that their financial contribution to the family budget often goes directly toward making ends meet each month.

To varying degrees, we are all captive to the central-banking monetary system based on debt with its personal consequences vastly unreported in the mainstream of life. As a result of systemic issues, no matter what the size of a person’s income, purchasing power at the cash register continues to fall while the cost of living skyrockets.

I’m just getting started.

In 2010 American women hovered somewhere around 50% of the workforce but appear to be on a treadmill to nowhere per a huge study done by World Economic Forum 2010 . Take gender-pay equality for example. Though cited as the biggest workforce worldwide, American women tend to be in the entry or middle level positions and rarely as a board director or in the management. To add insult to injury, they receive 78 cents for every one dollar earned by a male. Given the current economic environment, this gap has grown. Per the study, “Surprisingly, most of the companies that were surveyed said they were not even looking at income disparities between men and women.”

But wait there’s more!

On August 3, 2011, ABC News came out with an article A Year of Day Care More Expensive Than a Year at Public College. Based on a study released this same date, the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) took the mystery out of what many had suspected already.

“Last year in Maryland, families spent an average of $12,367 to care for one infant. To care for one infant during that same period, families in Connecticut spent an average of $12,755, $13,650 in Minnesota, $13,676 in New York and $19,000 in Massachusetts, according to the report titled “Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: 2010 Update.”

Less executive jobs, 20% less pay in general, forking out thousands or tens of thousands for childcare, depending on the number of children under school age and, of course, all your home responsibilities, to boot! Not to mention all those single working mothers with only their one income to do it all!

Okay, so here’s my point. The current economic money-in and money-out trends tell us something critically important: They are not sustainable! Sure, there are lots of misleading “work from home” opportunities, even some scams floating around, but if I were you, working woman with a family, I’d be digging around to find that diamond of an opportunity in the gigantic heap of coal. They are out there and worth the time it takes to find your perfect fit.

Stay tuned-to be continued…

Personal debt continues to be a major problem that plagues the people of many of the world’s developed countries as people find it harder and harder to make repayments plus interest on money they borrowed. Conventional wisdom, traditional financial planners, the media and often our families, tell us that it will take determination, good recordkeeping and self-discipline to become debt-free. Certainly, to become debt-free initially, maybe these qualities, alone, can go the distance. But they actually fall short for those wanting to remain debt-free over the long-term. That’s another story altogether.

Becoming Debt-Free is Not Staying Debt-Free

Without context (background) the daily effort needed to remain debt-free erodes over time. Eventually and perhaps gradually, many families and individuals, who, having worked hard to become debt-free, lose their resolve. Credit use begins and debt creeps back into their lives. At some point, they may find themselves back where they started like those on yo-yo diets.

Why? What Happened?

Insistent manipulation from media of all kinds targets every emotional hook they possibly can to get us to buy, buy, buy and “keep up with the Joneses”. In an ever-encroaching commercial world, we do have a powerful and lasting tool as a defense no one can take away.

The Secret Ingredient to Living Debt-Free for the Duration

The secret ingredient? Knowledge. Knowledge is power. A fully-informed thinking process about money and wealth makes all the difference. It fuels the ongoing motivation needed to do whatever it takes to remain debt-free. Such knowledge exists today in easy-to-understand language for anyone who seeks it.

The Twin Missing Pieces about Money and Wealth

Due to the abbreviated scope of this blog, I will first present the Reader Digest’s version and elaborate later. Money is actually a debt instrument. 95% of it is initially issued by a central bank somewhere in the world when it is BORROWED (Federal Reserve NOTE written on the back of the U.S dollar). It must be paid back with interest so there is never enough money in the world to pay back debt. Think: The children’s game, musical chairs. Interest compounds over time. Business owners add the cost of money they borrow (debt-service), on to the cost of their goods and services we all purchase. As a result, over time, central-banking money of every nation loses value and people lose purchase power (buy less with more). What was purchased in the United States in 1913 now cost over $21.00. You can confirm this fact on any online inflation calculator.

Wealth: We have been taught that first and foremost wealth is money. Yet the most prestigious English language dictionary, The Oxford English Dictionary, defines wealth with material abundance as the 3^rd and final definition whereas personal and spiritual well-being is the first.

Wealth (The Oxford English Dictionary)

1. The condition of being happy and prosperous; well-being. 2. Spiritual well-being. 3. Prosperity consisting in the abundance of possessions; “worldly goods”, valuable possessions, especially in great abundance: riches, affluence.

To be continued…More details ahead to flesh this out and that no one else will tell you.

Most of us have heard the saying “It’s a man’s world” because men historically have worked outside the home as leaders of industry and the family provider. Certainly times have changed with women as nearly half the workforce today. Women not only work outside the home but many also do double-duty; responsible for the domestic duties at home, as well. Such daily demands can take a huge toll on well-being and time previously available for home, marriage and children.

Women and men both face an additional challenge: the uncertainty of the current economy with stagnant employment statistics and rising prices. Since there can be no quick-fix for an economic system based on debt, in order to insure a sustainable personal income, outside-the-box thinking has become essential.

For women, working at home has never been a more attractive proposition. Why? Economic necessity and affordable start-up costs? Very likely. Tired of double duty? No doubt. Want to be more available for their children? Sure. Schedule flexibility? Absolutely. Yet these are just the more obvious reasons women turn to network marketing.

Network marketing is as much about building relationships as it is about business and women tend to excel as people-persons. They regularly develop, navigate and maintain all kinds of relationships with friends, colleagues and family. Often, honed listening skills allow them to hear and discern the needs of others. This makes them natural networkers when it comes to sharing and recommending places to eat, food to buy, places to visit, recipes, employers to consider, doctors, schools, etc.

But these reasons and qualities alone are not enough in an industry known for its high turnover rate. If a woman truly wants long-term success in a network marketing home-income opportunity, three important elements must be in place.

1. Passion. You must be passionate about the opportunity you choose. Your passion will become contagious and get others to pay attention.
2. Run a business. If you run it like a hobby, well, that’s all it will ever be.
3. Support. This is the all-important key to network marketing success. An environment of support makes the “make or break” difference to long-term growth and subsequent financial rewards.

With sincere passion for a product line, a strong work ethic and a company that can provide you an immediate environment of support, the possibilities of success are endless. Though not a magic bullet, a sound network marketing income-opportunity from home offers a unique fit for an inspired and ambitious woman.

One male leader who understands the needs of women working from home is Fred Hodgins. A dad of daughters, Fred understands the unique needs and interests that women have today. Fred works tirelessly to provide training and support for women willing to learn how to leverage their natural gifts and talents and therefore become wildly productive from home.

Women, in increasing numbers, have been sharing this open-secret. Join us!

1. Customize Your Leadership Style

There’s this idiomatic expression, “different strokes for different folks,” that perfectly underscores this tip. Your team won’t be composed of identical members—each person will have different traits, attitudes, and even strengths and weaknesses. You’ll have to adapt your approach and leadership styles to suit the personality of each member.

Of course, in order to do this, you really have to know your people as much as you can. Only then will you be able to identify how to properly lead each and every member on your team through customized leadership strategies.

2. Always Have Smart Goals

Having smart goals is one of the first things taught in leadership skills training sessions. After all, it’s up to you as the manager to identify the goals of the team so that the members can strive to reach that goal. That said, you need to craft a goal that has the following characteristics: specific, manageable, attainable, realistic, and timely—SMART for short.

For example, you can’t just tell your group that your target is to double your sales figures within just a week. That’ll just discourage and demotivate your troops. Instead, take an incremental approach if you must, or at least trim down the goal so that it is possible for your people to accomplish.

3. Always Provide Feedback

Feedback is an important aspect of leadership. It can be difficult when you have to give criticisms, but it’s still necessary in order to correct anything that needs to be corrected and to turn negative traits into positive ones that can help the team achieve its goals. That’s called constructive criticism.

Even the excellent performers on a team need to be given feedback. Some may still have some points of improvement to really reach the top tier, while others simply deserve that pat on the back so that they are acknowledged properly and so that they know that they’re doing the right thing as far as the team is concerned.

Good leadership will definitely get your team to work better and more efficiently, therefore allowing you to deliver solid results to upper management. Hopefully, these leadership tips really help you on your way to becoming a successful manager.

Earn Online

-        Many opportunities: Online options to make money without spending include those “win a free iPad 2” advertisements and answering surveys that may or may not require giving out your personal information

-        The key here is to sift through the pile to find a good offer that will help you make money without money

-        Do freelance work like writing, designing, and illustrating. If you’ve thought of a good niche, you can also start a blog without having to pay for hosting and try to earn off ads and even affiliate programs.

-        Everybody has an area of expertise, and the Internet is always a place where you can put that knowledge to good use.

-        Prepare to spend on: laptop or PC (if you don’t have one yet), Internet connection, domain registration and hosting

Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)

-        Involves direct selling and marketing as well as networking

-        Perfect for people persons that can really recruit

-        Offers bigger payouts as you grow your network

-        Can be tough at first, especially with those that require steep start-up costs

-        Prepare to spend on: initial investment on the product you will sell, contacting people to recruit for your downline

Focus Group Discussions

-        Interactive meetings or sessions wherein you are asked for feedback and opinion about certain products, subjects, ideas, and concepts.

-        Researchers will have some requirements depending on the type of study being made

-        If you get selected, count on a pretty good hourly or per-session compensation. At the very least, you should get a hearty meal for your effort.

-        Prepare to spend on: Transportation costs to and from the meeting places

Most of these avenues require a considerable amount of time and effort from you, but that’s what you need to give if you really aim for making money without money. Of course, some entail some initial financial investment to make them work. Still, in the end, you got to generate income for a minimal cost. The above are just a few opportunities out there, so keep a keen eye out for more.

“Why am I here?”, “Why am I doing this?”, “What’s all this for?”— If you ask yourselves those kinds of questions constantly, then you obviously have a personal motivation problem. Keeping oneself motivated is an important part of feeling good and having that sense of accomplishment, and it really helps drive success. So, if you have that nagging feeling of being demotivated, then here are a few tips that will surely help show you how to motivate yourself.

1. Cheer Up!

It all starts with you—your mindset, your approach, and your behavior. If, for example, you go to work already thinking the day is going to suck, then chances are it really will and you’ll find yourself not being productive. When you make an effort to act like you’re doing something you love, then your outlook will transform and you’ll see that it’s not so hard to get positive motivation.

2. Eyes on the Prize

We can’t stress it more: having a goal is very, very important. Goals are motivational tools in and of themselves, after all. Whether it’s as simple as meeting the incentive quota in order to buy yourself that new pair of kicks or a grander, longer-term one like eventually being the head of your department, you’ll be able to meet any task head on.

3. Get That Mojo Flowing

Often, long-range shooters in basketball find themselves in a slump. In order to break out of those, a simple trip to the free throw line can do wonders in bringing back the outside shot. It’s the little things—once you start to get the mojo flowing by accomplishing small things, you can go and take on the main task with confidence. Incremental results are better than no  results, and if you can’t even get small things done, it’ll be hard to maintain.

4. Enter Next-Play Mode

Failure can really crush all sorts of personal motivations. In order to avoid getting demotivated, you have to be able to let go of past failures. You can’t bring the bad vibes from yesterday’s botched proposal to today’s pitch. Just let it go and move forward. Take the new day as another opportunity to succeed.

Daily motivation is essential if you want to avoid being stuck in a rut, and it’s something that mostly comes from yourself. Others can only reinforce it or dampen it, but when you take these motivation tips to heart, you’ll find that you won’t be feeling demotivated for long and you’ll be able to embrace all the challenges that are in front of you.

In order to create a long and successful business, then you should know and understand the importance of networking. Building a good network around your business is an effective and inexpensive way for you to enhance your marketing activities, find new customers and suppliers, find potential business partners, and also build your company’s overall image and branding. In a nutshell, networking provides more opportunities, valuable contacts, and ultimately, more sales. Of course, you will have to do it right before you can hope to reap the benefits of networking. Here are some tips for effective business networking:

• First thing that you have to keep in mind is that networking is about building genuine and authentic relationships, with trust being the main foundation. The relationship is mutual—they help you and you help them. Forming such a relationship is a win-win situation for both parties.
• You need to practice how to select a group with which you should align yourself. Proper group selection is crucial if you want to reach a much broader market while remaining in line with your target demographic. Make sure that the network group you have chosen represents the market that you are targeting. This may require you to visit many groups that are associated with your interests. If a productive relationship with a certain group is not possible, then it’s time to look for another one.
• Think about building healthy, long-term relationships—a key element in networking. Once you have connected with someone, it doesn’t mean that you should immediately go over your business with him or her. This can be quite unpleasant and be a barrier to a long-term relationship. Try not to focus on your needs at first and just try to help people with theirs. Think about what you can do for them, not the other way around, which leads us to the next tip…
• You should be known as a powerful resource for other people. Build a reputation as the go-to guy. Make them remember that you are the person that can give them suggestions, ideas, names, and so on. This should keep you visible and referrals will surely keep coming.
• Whenever you are in a networking event, try to be as approachable as possible. This means you always have to wear a smile and make eye contact. Also, listen to what other people want to say, but don’t stay with one person for too long. Get their contact number and meet as many people as you can.