Every year, people resolve that this year will be different: "This will be the year that I write that book, start that new venture, double my income, take more time off to spend with my family," and the list goes on and on. However, when people think about pursuing their dreams, they often squash the idea because it doesn't seem practical. Does this sound familiar? You have a dream, but are afraid that if you pursue it, you would risk giving up what you already have. It is easy to put it off to a later date -- a time when there will be more money, more time, and/or when the kids have graduated from college. However, there is never a time when everything in your life is perfect for carrying out your goals. Don't wait for everything to be lined up. Once you actually commit to your dream, things will begin to fall into place. Know that is possible to live out your fondest dreams AND make a great living! After researching thousands of people across the globe making their personal and professional dreams a reality, I have found the following strategies to be most effective: * First, design your life around your priorities. Many people try to fit their dreams into their life and complain there are not enough hours in the day to make it happen. If you want your dream to become a reality, make it a priority. * Second, handle the basics (food, clothing, and shelter), then reach for fulfillment and self-actualization. If you can't stand your job any longer or have been forced out and you need a source of income, get a low-stress interim job to pay the bills while your pursue your dream. * Visualize every step of your dream and watch the magic unfold. For example, an experiment conducted by Australian psychologist Alan Richardson found a 23 percent performance improvement among subjects who visualized every day for 20 days. * Laser in on one idea, business, or income stream at a time. One of the mistakes people make is diversifying too quickly. This is true whether you are trying to build multiple streams of income or are just working on several different ideas at one time. The key is getting the first stream or idea up and running and having systems in place so it will keep running without you before going on to the next unrelated stream. * And last but not least, develop your resilience muscle by bouncing back from setbacks. You will very likely have setbacks along the way. Don't get stopped by these bumps in the road; learn from them.

Success is a decision That is true. Success is a decision. Most people struggle, and try day after day to create a life filled with financial security, fulfilling relationships and a sense of purpose. Others seem to easily achieve financial independence and happiness as they travel through the journey of their life. Why the two groups are different? Is it just luck? There are certain beliefs, attitudes and actions that, when embraced and followed, will pave the way for and lead to success. You can be successful regardless of your age, gender, profession or education. You can be successful regardless of your job or position.  We are all born the same and with the same potential of success. Success is a decision to act and not wait; learn rather than remain ignorant; live with passion and hope rather than despair. Successful people develop the required mindsets and do what’s needed. Failures don't know the traits to develop and resist acquiring the skills it takes to succeed. People fail when they find excuses to not live a successful life. They blame others, their backgrounds and environments or circumstances. They do not believe they can be successful. Life is not selective. It doesn't favor some people, and pick on others. Life is just neutral. It is a perfect example of cause and effect. Life always offers alternatives and options. People who succeed and fail come in all nationalities, colors, ages and genders. Relevant sayings: “Most people die at age eighteen, but we do not bury them until they are sixty-five.” Benjamin Franklin

You can’t succeed without this quality Sales people always wonder "What is needed to be highly successful and jump up the corporate ladder?"  Taking INITIATIVE will always be in the core of the answer. INITIATIVE has two sides an emotional as well as a behavioral. Looking at the emotional side, successful people have a burning desire to achieve and accomplish.  They are ambitious and highly enthusiastic.   Considering the behavioral part, they are committed to finish the task on hand.  They work hard and go the extra mile. They'll do whatever it takes to get the job done because they have self-discipline.  INITIATIVE is an essential ingredient of success; you can’t be successful without it.  If you want to be noticed and marked; do more than you're asked to do, and more than what is expected of you.  If you only do what you are told to do; you will never be asked to do greater things. I would like to share a story by A. Zimer, a business leader and training consultant. Sam, a sales man, learned that the hard way. Sam and Peter started work at the same company on the same day, doing the same job as sales reps.  They were both considered honest, hard-working employees, but within a year, Peter was promoted to a senior position while Sam was passed over. Sam felt unappreciated by the company and soon became so resentful of Peter's success that he submitted a letter of resignation to his boss. "Sam, this is a surprise to me." said the boss. "Well, I was pretty surprised at the recent round of promotions," complained Sam. "I see," said the boss thoughtfully.  "But I don't think you understand why.  Tell you what:  before I sign off on this, do me a favor and go across the street to the farmer's market. Find out if anyone is selling oranges." "Uh, well ... okay," said Sam as he started off on what he considered to be a strange task.  Minutes later, he returned and reported, "Yes, there are oranges for sale at the market today." Then the boss called Peter to the office and asked the same favor.  About 30 minutes passed before Peter came back to the office and reported, "There are only two vendors selling oranges today.  One is Danny.  He sells Florida oranges at $5 for a 3-pound pack. The other is Mark who sells a 5-pounder Florida orange pack for $8.  They're tree-ripened and sweet.  Both of them don’t sell by pound, it’s the complete pack. And they'll give you a volume discount for any order over 30 pounds.  Was there anything else you needed?" "No. Thanks." said the boss as Peter walked away.  He turned to Sam and said, "Did you still want to give me this resignation?" "No," Sam blushed with embarrassment. "I understand your decision now and I think I can be more like Peter.  Do you think he'd teach me how?" Action Tip: If you want to go places, you must either get behind and push or go in front and pull. If you stand by the sidelines, you won't go anywhere or far enough anyway. Find a couple of things you can do at work in the next week or so that are more than is expected and do them, and do them well. Pointers to Ponder: Now you could be reading this and wondering to yourself. “well I take initiative but then how come it hasn’t taken me far?” Well it could be one of or a combination of two things; either your initiative is not being noticed by the people who matter in which case you could work on the placing and timing of your initiatives, or you are simply stuck somewhere where taking the initiatives is not appreciated in which case do not let it discourage nor inhibit you from keeping taking the initiatives. If you think you have been doing so long enough and feel you are stuck in a rut, it is perhaps not a bad idea to consider packing your bags and bouncing off elsewhere where initiatives are appreciated.

We are passing through changing times ... challenging times ... and tough times.   And people are concerned more than ever before about the security of their jobs and their futures.  What makes the situation so much more difficult is the way some people handle such tough times. In view of frequent company downsizings and lay-offs, many employees say "I want to know what my union is going to do to save my job. How is the government going to make sure I don't lose my job?" And so on. No one is asking "what am I going to do about it?" Everyone has shifted the responsibility for job security or career progress to and pointed the finger at somebody else. And that is a risky position. We must not blame other people and external forces in our lives and begin choosing appropriate responses. So I ask you, are you taking responsibility for yourself, your job, and your future?  Or are you simply sitting on the sidelines, hoping things work out? Well I can tell you from experience, no highly successful person ever got that way by waiting for good things to happen. They take responsibility and actions for making good things happen. So what are the appropriate responses to these challenging, insecure times?  1.  Focus on your replacement value. In most of the cases; the size of a person's paycheck is determined by how difficult he or she is to replace. The more difficult they are to replace, the more indispensable they are, the more money they tend to make.  And the more job security they tend to enjoy.  What are you going to do to increase your value to your current employer as well as your future employers? How are you increasing your indispensability? Are you making yourself irreplaceable? What will you do to make yourself so valuable that you’re the least likely to be cut or the last to be cut? 2.  Cut the excuses. Stop finding excuses for NOT upgrading your skills, for NOT learning more, or getting better.  Stop saying, "I don't have time, I can't afford to, my employer should take on the responsibility of training me or It's the government's job to look after my future and me". Stop whining "If these classes are going to give me skills I'll use on the job, my employer had better pay for them.  And my company had better offer the classes during regular work hours.  And if I have to go to classes on my time, I should get overtime pay." 3.  Refuse to settle for "good enough." Good enough does not win championships or make people excellent, wealthy, or healthy. Champions know that "good enough" is never "enough." 4. Always learn and get more education. The greatest minds and highest achievers are committed to continual personal growth and self-development. You need to keep on taking classes and reading books.  It's one of the best ways to make you more valuable and harder to replace. And don't say you don’t have time.  Well we've all got the same amount of time.  It's just a matter of adjusting your priorities. Take one hour from TV time and go read that book.