Motivation – Go Do It!

By Sharon Eden

I’m cooking new things in my world about which I feel excited and energised. However, I also feel shaky and sometimes downright scared at the same time! What me? Ooooh yes! What if I mess up? What if people don’t like what I do? Or even… what if I succeed? No, not that! What will I do then?

And once upon a time those feelings would have deterred me. Once upon a time I would have, and indeed did, create excuses for not doing what I wanted to do because I was so frightened by the prospect of doing it. I sometimes even used my ex-husband as an excuse because, for sure, he disapproved of many of the things I already did. Hence the ‘ex’!

Continue reading

Personal Qualities Required To Be An Entrepreneur And Start Your Own Business

By Terry Cartwright

A lack of skill, ability and experience in certain business areas need not be a barrier to success and starting your own business. The personal qualities exerted by a small business owner overcoming deficiencies over and over again are vital and present in many entrepreneurs much more so that specific technical knowledge.

Not everyone is a master of all business attributes in fact very few are. Certainly being a master of all is a fantastic position but unrealistic while certain personal qualities are essential to fight the inevitable battles to come. Business battles the successful entrepreneur wins.

Businesses that have grown and become medium sized and bigger are not reliant on the business owner entirely. Employees are engaged with specialist skills and abilities to develop and grow the business. A sole trader just starting out has to settle for a comfortable living or have the ability to grow the business to the point where more specialist abilities can be added to the business.

Continue reading

Suggestions for Learning the Purpose Driven Life

Have you ever thought what are the tools and techniques needed to craft a purpose driven life? If not! You must! There are a few valuable suggestions for learning the Purpose Driven Life Though there are many factors required to find the purpose of your life, like leadership, perseverance, dedication, decision making skills, and meditation and so on. But in this article I would like to emphasis on decision making skills. Decision Making skill is a powerful tool which culminates and leverages your efforts and tactics to lead towards a purpose driven life. Anthony Robbins says: “It is in those moments of decision that your destiny I shaped”, how true that is, think about it! Therefore, how important do you think one’s Decisions Making skills should be as sharp as a razor blade?

* Work on Decision Making skills (DMs) *

How to make a right decision at the right time is yet another query that may pop up in your mind? Most successful people think from a very rational and positive point of view and this is the reason they are successful. They don’t do “different things” but they do “things differently”. There are two types of people. Type one are optimists and type two are pessimists. If you fall in the category of pessimists you need to work harder to change your perception towards viewing things around you. For example, if a half filled glass of water is kept before you, you may say “it is half empty” or you may also say “its half filled”. You need to be in the later category only then you can view your surroundings with an entirely different viewpoint. If your viewpoint of viewing the things is right only then you can take right decisions.

* Don’t panic, find alternate options available to you *

How could you do that? I cannot say it is that easy, let’s face the truth, however, it is far from being impossible, as well! You might have gone through the rough patch of your life. But sometimes the adversity takes a toll on your decision making power, and subjugates your flow of positive energy that is very important to take right decisions in life. I encourage you to not let this happen to you. When there is some trouble, there is a way out also. It is said when “one door closes, another opens”. Keep this positive approach in your mind and behave accordingly to deal with the tough and challenging days of your life. You will find that you are able to find out the second option available before you, if one has shut down.

There is no such adversity that cannot be passed through, bravely, with Faith and knowing there is a rainbow at the end of the storm!…Always! You need to be a bit tougher to brave the situation and need those guts of inspiration (or desperation it seems at times…), to find out the hidden way out to the terrible situation. It will help you look at important decisions from a number of different perspectives. It will help you make better decisions by pushing you to move outside your habitual ways of thinking. As such, it will help you understand the exact complexity of a decision, to spot issues and opportunities that you might otherwise not notice in the first place.

* Steps to make the right decision *

First of all, focus on the data available. Look at the information you have, and analyze what you can learn from it. Look for drawbacks in your knowledge, and either try to develop them or take account of them. After that, look at the decision using intuitions, gut reactions, and emotions. Also try to anticipate how other people will react emotionally, and try to understand the intuitive and immediate responses of people who do not fully know your discretion. Then look at things pessimistically, cautiously and defensively. Try to see why ideas and approaches might not work. This is vital as it will highlight the weak points in a plan or course of action. It will allow you to eliminate them, alter your approach, or prepare contingency plans to counter problems that arise.

* How good decision making skill can push you towards your life purpose *

This thinking strategy will help you make your plans tougher and more resilient. It can also help you identify lethal flaws and risks before you embark on a course of action. Taking this course of thinking your creativity will come forth and it will bloom your course of action a success. These are the steps and techniques for looking at the effects of a decision from a different point of view. It opens up the opportunity for creativity within Decision Making. It also helps persistently even the pessimistic people to be positive and creative. Moreover good Decision Making skill will lead you towards your life purpose also. In other words your life purpose can drive you to be a good decision maker.

Actually, life purpose and Decision Making traits are inter-related and cannot be separated. It is proved that a good decision maker is bound to approach his purpose of life smoothly and in a better way than that of a poor decision maker. In the same way, your purpose of life will make you stronger and intuitive to take vital and difficult decisions to reach the goal of your life.

That way, Decision Making skills and life purpose cannot be put apart. That’s because absence of any one of it, will frustrate the very purpose of life and its approach to it.

I am hopeful the above suggestions, for teaching the purpose driven life, will open up new avenues before you to lead a contented and purpose driven life.

I wish you all the very best you deserve. Find Your Purpose and Live it with Passion!


Nicolas Baron developed a system to help you succeed in Finding your Purpose in Life to experience a more fulfilled life and feel happier in general. These worksheets & exercises are incredibly helpful for self awareness and a greater understanding of the key principles to finding your life purpose. Discover more about how to Find your Purpose and Passion from his popular free e-Course, available at: => http://www.find-your-purpose-now.com

Creatively Stressed: Anxiety is NOT the Enemy!

1194315_plasterYou’re obsessed. You’re obsessed with your work, your craft. You think about your art, your character, painting, sculpture, upcoming tour, or screenplay seemingly every waking minute of every day. Heck, you even dream about it!

This fiendish infatuation with your craft, the passion that drives you to get out of bed in the morning is a wonderful gift. Why is it, then, that this fixation on what makes the earth move for you can also stop you dead in your tracks? Cold. Left abandoned by the “What if’s” or “I’m not enough’s” or any version of “I can’t because”.

What starts as a life-affirming energizer bunny within you becomes a taunting dragon that tortures you day in and day out. You feel like there is no escape. If you walk away from what your heart is calling you to become you trade desire for a lifetime of despair. Anxiety.

What is anxiety? Anxiety is worry, anticipation for a future misfortune. Anxiety is irrational fear. Rational fear is real. You fear fire if you’re in a burning house because fire will deliver great harm to you if you just sit there. Irrational fear is worry that your house might burn to the ground as you sleep when there is no sign of fire, no observable hint of a pending fire, as you rest your head on your pillow. Irrational fear is despair over potential bad reviews of your work. You spend your days in desperate anxiety over what you think will be a career, or life-ending, dose of criticism. You believe that your future will be ruined if your performance or creation doesn’t meet with high approval and reward. You think your life will be meaningless; you will have no value or purpose.


And, in your anxiety, you are stuck. You’re frozen on your path like the proverbial deer in the headlights. You Find Excuses And Reasons (F.E.A.R.) to put off moments of judgment. You never finish your painting, screenplay or composition. You blow off your audition because you think your boss won’t let you have the afternoon off. And then you beat yourself up over your procrastination and missed opportunity. And what you fear becomes even more real to you.

Nonsense!

Your anxiety can work for you! Anxiety is just a signal. It is a signal to your Higher Self that you are about to stretch out of your current comfort zone; about to grow. You are about to enter into unknown territory and that ego within you, the Inner Critic, is spooked. Just observe. Notice when your Inner Critic, the voice that delivers your self-doubt and fear, is freaked out. Know that in that moment you have a choice. You can give your personal power over to your Inner Critic, let him lead your choice and stay right where you are where it is ‘safe’. Or, you can recognize that you are about to take one giant step closer to the actualization of your dream.

Remind your egoic Inner Critic that whatever happens, you will be safe. If you are booed off the stage, publicly humiliated by an art critic or your screenplay is tossed in the round file you are still you. You still have meaning and purpose. And you get to learn something from that experience. These lessons are gifts for they are what ultimately deliver what you desire – the masterful expression of your full potential. Look around you. Those you admire got to where they are through a path of stretching, learning, growing, and mastering their craft. So can you.

Choose to maintain your personal power. Know that what you fear is also what you are here to do. There is only one way to mitigate your anxiety and that is to do the thing that makes you anxious!

Copyright © 2009 Valery Satterwhite


Valery is an Artist Mindset Mentor and Coach who helps creative people get out of their own way so that they can overcome the struggles that come packaged with the life of a visual & performing artist. Clients learn how to express their full potential to create more passionately, profoundly, productively and profitably. Empower the Wizard Within to actualize your full creative potential. http://www.InnerWizard.com Get Free Empowerment tips!

Conscious Business: How Vulnerability Helps Your Business Grow

827451_sunflower_funIf you’re reading this right now, it’s pretty safe for me to assume that you are (or want to be) an entrepreneur. You’re likely filled with creative ideas and numerous ways in which you want to share your gifts with the world while getting paid well. This, after all, is part of what makes you a conscious entrepreneur… you want to make money AND make a difference, big time!

One of the characteristics you may possess as a conscious business owner is strength. I know this is true for me. I’ve been through so much in my business that I have acquired a tremendous amount of strength, especially during the times of adversity. Let’s face it, it takes strength to wake up everyday and pursue your dream when the odds look like they’re stacked against you. It takes strength to stay focused on your goals when life throws you a curve ball. It takes strength to stay true to who you are, when other people pile their expectations on you. It takes strength to endure in what can be a very challenging and uncomfortable journey at times. But, as an entrepreneur, you wouldn’t have it any other way.

However, strength (as we commonly think of it) is an illusion. And, this is the next gift I want to share with you from Las Vegas.

Gift #2: Your strength comes from your vulnerability.

When I arrived in Las Vegas recently, my colleagues would never have guessed what was going on inside of me. On the outside, it was apparent that I’m experiencing a lot of success: my book The Freedom Formula was just released, my new website was launched, my clients are making great strides, I recently hired four new team members to help manage the growth in my business, I have a clear vision of the next phase of my company…. I’m living in the “sweet spot” where gifts are manifesting every single day in surprising and awesome ways.

You’d think my feelings of strength and confidence would also be at an all time high. You’d think I would have bound up to the front of the room when it was my turn to share and rave about all of the great things happening to and through me. Now, I certainly could have played that role when I was speaking to my colleagues, but something inside me knew I had to be brutally honest with myself, and with them. And, so I proceeded to share some of the “wins” I was experiencing… and then proceeded to be completely vulnerable (as I’m being right here, right now, with you) and share with them that my confidence felt like it was plummeting. After they picked their jaws up off the floor from the shock of my statement, they gently asked me to tell them more about what was going on. And, I did.

I shared the struggles, fears, doubts and challenges that were surfacing along with my victories and successes. I allowed myself to let go of any feeling of how I “should” be and showed up exactly how I was in that moment. And, as a result of being vulnerable with my trusted colleagues, we all engaged in a meaningful discussion about the common challenges we (as entrepreneurs) face. The challenges we discussed were not about the external aspects of our business like marketing, systems, websites, strategy, etc. Rather, the discussions were around our spiritual connection, mission, mindset, passion, purpose and our desire to EXPERIENCE ourselves at our best THROUGH our business.

Somewhere in the middle of our deep conversation, I could feel my confidence and strength being restored. All I needed was to be authentic, honest and vulnerable with my trusted colleagues. And, allow myself to receive the abundant gifts that came forth from our deep conversation. What I discovered is that I wasn’t alone in my feelings of fear and doubt. And, that all of us (at one time or another) face these doubts in order to move through them.

I think where entrepreneurs get in a real “pickle” is when they feel they always have to show their strength; when they force themselves to appear like they “have it all together”; when they don’t have a space to simply BE and SHARE their truth.

So, I invite you to create safe and sacred relationships with colleagues you know, like and trust. And when your feelings of fear and doubt begin to surface, rather than willing or forcing your way through it, allow yourself to be authentic, honest and vulnerable. It is in THAT space where you’ll receive the abundant gifts that arise around and within you the moment you BE exactly who you are.

Copyright © 2009 Christine Kloser


Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps small businesses put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to enjoy a purpose-driven business and a soulful life, send for my free Conscious Business Success Kit, which includes my report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Conscious Entrepreneurs and audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know Before Writing a Word, at LoveYourLife.com.

Motivation & The Blues!

960054_lilly_dot_comWhile I like to work swiftly with clients toward their outcome, I’ve never been one for what I call the ‘double jeopardy high-five’ motivational approach. Too much of the ‘wahooooooo!’ or ‘Yaaaay goferit!’ makes me want to puke.

I’ve certainly worked with clients who’ve come to me after seeing a ‘wahooo’ coach or attending a ‘wahooo’ seminar or training. And while the initial effect for them was ‘yay!’, like an old plaster peeling off round the edges, they soon plummeted down to earth with a rough bump.

I remember one corporate client telling me she felt more inadequate and unskilled than she did before the seminar. Clearly she was doing something wrong for the seminar not to have worked… which made her feel even worse about herself. Oh pleeeez!

Of course it hadn’t worked because her emotional, psychological and cognitive state was such that she was in a change process. Precipitous ‘wahooo-ing’ lays double-whipped cream over a cake that’s not yet been cooked. Pretty sloppy!

Another corporate client was very clear about what happened. He said he realised he needed to stop papering over cracks and encouraging other people to do so too. When we worked with what he needed it was time out for reflection and chilling as a way forward from his blues.

Down time rather than high up time which, of course, could come later if he chose.

Times of aliveness and dormant times are in fact the rhythm of nature. To our cost, we’ve discovered we’ve impoverished soil by continuously growing on it with artificial fertilisers. Just like the earth, we need time out to reconstitute and develop our potential.

So, be sure your motivation isn’t the hype type which pops like a balloon at the first pin it comes across. Motivation comes from purpose, passion & power… and the process of growth within.

So, what to do if you’re motivation has got up and gone? Here’s some tips…

***Accept it for now!***

It’s normal to have ups and downs. It’s all part of being human… and I just don’t believe anyone who says they’re never down. What?! Never?! If you tell yourself it’s OK and it’s just for now, you’ll be surprised at the inner relief and relaxation you’ll feel.

***Nourish Yourself***

This is a time for pampering. So go for fragrant baths, massage, or listening to inspirational music, or visiting an art gallery. Draw, paint, walk, write, dance… Do whatever it takes for excellent care of you, to give yourself grade A nourishment during this fallow time

***Monitor Your Language***

It’s so easy to fall into talking with negativity and self-abuse language. So monitor what you say to others and, most importantly, what you say to yourself! When you’ve caught yourself at it, reframe what you’ve said. Like, ‘I’m learning to write more courageously’ rather than ‘My writing’s a pile of doo-doo!’

***Vision Buddy***

And, if you haven’t done so already, entrust your vision of how you want things to be to a great buddy. Ask them to gently remind you from time to time what you’re working towards with encouragement and love. Because even in the down time you need to be reminded you’re still moving forward however static it feels!

Then, as all things pass, so will the Summertime Blues. And, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, you too can spread your wings newly invigorated and motivated from within.

© Sharon Eden 2009 All Rights Reserved


With 30 years’ expertise in personal & professional development, Sharon Eden MA is a Certified Coach, Registered & Accredited Psychotherapist & NLP trainer, and founder of Women of Courage. Take just 20 seconds to sign up for her Ezine rich with tips & techniques to boost your purpose, passion & power AND get her ’5 Day Energiser Plan’ absolutely free. Sign up now at: http://www.womenofcourage.co.uk

The Key Driver of Creative Success

1198531_lime_and_sodaWhat drives you to succeed as a creative person? Is it the dream of fame, wealth and recognition? Is the thought of seeing your name up in lights what propels you out of bed in the morning? Having such a strong and clear goal is a definite motivator and, if you work hard and pay your dues, you can absolutely achieve that goal. However, if you want to be successful without the feeling that you are battling your way through life your motivation to get out of that comfy bed in the morning has to come from somewhere else. There must be an even bigger motivating driver.

To have ambition and want to be successful is a fine thing but it isn’t enough. Ambition and want are just words that describe desire. To understand WHY you have such desires is quite another thing. True genius, true art in any form, comes from passion. Great actors aren’t great because of their technique. Anyone can learn technique. They move an audience as great actors because of their passion. Passion is the driver that motivates every bone and breath in your body to achieve.

“My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist. Drive is considered aggression today; I knew it then as purpose.” – Bette Davis

If your desires are not in alignment with your passion you can be successful but you will not be fulfilled, satisfied. You will live a rich famous life and still yearn for the elusive thing. You will get up in the morning wondering what is wrong with you. You have all that you desired yet you feel that there is still something missing. You are missing the nourishment that feeds your soul, your heart.

Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it. Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. Ask questions, then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart. When work, dedicated commitment, and pleasure unite to become one and you reach into that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible. Through the experience of devoted passion you will reap richer stores of knowledge than any text-book or course of study can give you.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

This dedication to authentic passion always and absolutely carries a demand and a responsibility. It is up to you to honor and stand centered in the truth of who you are. Speak and act in the direction of your innermost passions. If you do not, you are betraying your own authenticity. If you are Finding Excuses And Reasons (F.E.A.R.) why you cannot pursue your passion you are hiding your true estate. You are acting in bad faith. You are ‘dissing’ you.

Now it must be said that passion without action is just a dream. You actualize your passion, bring forth the dream into the world, you must do something! This is where the Inner Critic can, and often does, step in to hold you back. What if you really put yourself ‘out there’ and stood naked to the world boldly following your heart’s desire and fail? What will happen then? Will you just whither and die? If not, who will you be? Very scary thoughts!

You will not die. Your commitment to your truth and passion will motivate you to respect your actions and your reaction to the opinions of others. Failure is just a stepping stone on the road to success. Your passion will motivate you to look at the proverbial rocks you tripped over, examine them, and overcome whatever obstacles that get in your way. You will love the process of making mistakes, learning and growing as you expand and fully express your passion and talents that are your birthright. Whatever struggles you encounter will be met enthusiastically for they are definitely worth the ride of your life!

“Our passions are the winds that propel our vessel. Our reason is the pilot that steers her. Without winds the vessel would not move and without a pilot she would be lost.” – Proverb


Copyright © 2009 Valery Satterwhite; Valery is an Artist Mindset Mentor who helps creative people get out of their own way so that they can overcome the struggles that often come packaged with the life of a visual & performing artist. Clients learn how to express their full potential deliberately & responsibly to create more passionately, profoundly, productively and profitably. Empower the Wizard Within to express your full creative potential. http://www.InnerWizard.com Free tips!

Photo: micromoth

Niche Born from Your Interest and Passion

1160216_leafSelecting the right niche either in online or offline business is very important and it should be done at the first stage of your business. The best way to select the right niche is to select the product or service or industry that you are interested in and passionate about.

Taking into consideration these two criteria gives a higher possibility for you to achieve success in your business.

When you choose a niche that you are truly interested in and passionate about, you will know about the niche inside-out, find all the necessary information, always have good things to say and will always be interested in the niche under whatever circumstances.

The niche that you choose can be anything from your hobby, experience, expertise or even someone else’s experience. Whatever the niche you choose the important part is that you are interested in and passionate about it.

Remember what happened when you got interested in a person? Did you do everything possible to get to know the person i.e. their favourite colour, favourite food, the places they like to go and the things that they like? The same goes with your niche.

When you are interested in and passionate about your niche, you will do everything you can to get to know your niche by doing research, asking the experts and even doing the experiments yourself.

Knowing the niche and finding all the necessary information are important as you can use these in writing your sales page, product review, market your product in blogs or forums and even helping your customer solve their problems.

People will see you as an expert in your niche and this will help to eliminate any doubt about your product.


You also will always have something good to say about your niche and able to market your niche with passion and enthusiasm. By having passion and enthusiasm, you do not have to criticise other people’s products as a marketing strategy.

Truthfully criticising other people’s products will only damage your own image and product. What would happen if people find that your product is the same as or worse than the product that you criticised? No a good scenario isn’t it?

The best way to sell is to tell people about your product with passion and enthusiasm and people will be able to see how you feel about your product even if they could not hear you talking.

Passion and enthusiasm are contagious even through your writing i.e. your sales page. Even if you will never meet your customer, they will know you from your passion and enthusiasm that are shown in your website, sales letter, blogs etc and they will grow to trust you. When they trust you, they will want to purchase whatever you are offering.

The most important thing to remember about being interested in and passionate about your niche is you will be able to stand by your niche when things get tough. You will not easily drop everything when encountered with obstacles and roadblock. You will be determined to find a way to overcome any obstacles and roadblocks you encounter in whatever situation.

This character is important, as the path to success will not always be a smooth ride. There will always be bumps here and there. You see, the truth is obstacles and roadblocks are the ones that make you a better person and success will taste even much sweeter.


Copyright © 2009 Khadijah Ibrahim Khadijah is a certified handwriting analyst, internet marketer, author, trainer and NLP practitioner. Listen to her talks about building online business and positive personality in her blog and see her website that shows you how your handwriting could reveal a lot about your personality

Photo: Slawek Ujma


What To Look For In Starting Your Own Business

1184507_uncurling_fern

The focus of this article is to simplify the process of what to look for in starting up your own business. There is a great deal of information on what to look for in starting your own business.

In fact, most people get bogged down by having too much information. In their quest for clarity and as they get more information things start to get less clear. When things get less clear, they get confusing. And when they get too confusing, nothing happens.

In starting up your own business the first point is that you must be passionate not just about the idea for the business, but passionate about the delivery of the product or service. Enthusiasm will make things a 1,000 percent better. Too often I see people who fell in love with a business idea but who do not love doing the actual business.

Secondly, there must be a strong desire to succeed. Desire is the steam necessary to fuel the engine of business success. Small business growth must be planted in ground that is watered every day with of enthusiasm and desire. You may have the best marketing business plan in the world but it won’t happen without your desire and enthusiasm.

At this point check yourself on your enthusiasm and desire. If these are in order then let’s take a look at your reasons for owning your own business. Once again there are many reasons for wanting to own your own business. Here are a few that I believe are important.

First, in running your own business you want to make a difference. This will keep your enthusiasm and desire at a high level. And, when you want to make a difference you must understand that different isn’t necessarily better but that better is always different.

Understand how you are going to be better. That is what will attract your clients or customers. Growing small business is about who you will attract to use your products or services. People love something that is better.


Another important aspect to having your small business successful is knowing how you are going to market and sell your product. A successful performance strategy must include a plan for marketing and sales. It is at this point that you need to stop to check your assumptions and make sure they based as much on reality as possible.

Whether you are in a good economy or a bad economy makes no difference if you are lacking a marketing business plan and the ability to carry it out. It is at this point that you need to have a realistic assessment of your finances. Know what you will need to bring your idea or product to market. Also, know what you will need to live on. This may sound elementary but it is critical.

I have watched too many small businesses fail because there was not the money available for marketing and sales. After all, if you have a choice between taking care of your necessary needs or your business which will you choose? Obviously, your primary need is to survive. As a result, if funds are too limited, the business won’t have the necessary dollars to move forward.

To this point we have covered four areas to look for in starting up your own business.

1. Enthusiasm and passion
2. Desire
3. Marketing business plan
4. Finances

The last point to consider centers around “who” you are. If the business you are starting does not honor who you are then the preceding points are meaningless. After all, if you aren’t doing something that honors you and your gifts and talents then you will be unhappy. When you are unhappy, you are more likely to fail.

Why? You won’t have the enthusiasm, passion and desire to make the other things happen that you must have to make your small business successful. Think about this. I have observed many businesses where the money wasn’t an issue. But, they end up being closed down because the enthusiasm, passion and desire were gone.

Is money important? You bet it is. But without the strong positive emotions to support the logic and viability of your business on a daily basis the prospect of small business failure increases. It increases regardless of the money. Do what you want to do. That is where the true success is.


Steve Scott is a business design and development coach who collaborates with and supports business owners and professionals who are committed to having more from their businesses and lives. http://www.stevescottcoaching.com

Photo: Marja Flick-Buijs