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McDonalds does it, why shouldnt you? Life is filled with choices; why not choose to live life in a more satisfying way.

1. Say Yes to Life.

Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact. -Henry James

Saying yes to life allows wonderful blessings to come to you. Say yes to opportunity and success. Say yes to a life that you live by your standards. Say yes to making your own decisions and not seeking approval of others. Say yes to a fulfilling and rewarding career. Say yes to a relationship that energizes, supports and stimulates you. Say yes to a promising future. Say yes to living without guilt, resentment or regrets. Say yes to spending more time on your self improvement. Say yes to living an authentic life. Say yes to taking chances and freeing yourself from fear. Say yes to happiness and achievements. Say yes to a well-lived life.

2. Love Yourself and Others Unconditionally.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs…..

I Corinthians 13: 3, 5)

When was the last time you loved without hesitation or caution? Withholding love as a means of control only leads to distrust and resentment. Loving unconditionally means loving without judgment. Free yourself from unrealistic expectations and accept the person you love for who they are. Do not expect your needs and wants to be fulfilled by someone else. Allow those you love to express themselves without fear of rejection. Do not punish yourself or loved ones for past mistakes. People use the word love very loosely, but do not stop to think of the implications of using the word. Take the time to be responsible in how you show love. Allow yourself to love and be loved.

3. Take Risks

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. – Anais Nin

Everything in life involves a risk. Are you allowing fear of rejection and failure to dictate your life? Fear inhibits success. Take chances and free yourself from limiting beliefs. Taking risks empowers you to take charge of your life. Be curious about life; experiment and try new things. Set goals for yourself and take action. Step out of what is safe, comfortable and familiar to you. Examine what feelings emerge when you are thinking about taking a risk. Ask yourself, What am I afraid of? Concealing yourself in a safe container prevents you from exploring other possibilities. Embrace the unknown and anticipate success. You will never know the outcome if you dont take the risk.

4. Make the Impossible, Possible

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.- Winston Churchill

Think it cant happen; then it wont. It is possible to get through the difficult times in life. Learn from failures and take responsibility for your life. Listening to your inner critic can sabotage your dreams. Silence the critic by reaffirming all the things you are capable of doing. Dream big and be excited about your future. Find and release your untapped talents. Believe in your abilities and discover what you have to offer the world. Think about all the things you cant do and try to do them. Think back to a time, when something was difficult and you were able to overcome the challenge. Continuing to live life in a safe container doesnt help you gain anything in life. Take the necessary actions to achieve your goals. Stop assuming and start achieving!

5. Make Your Life Really Count.

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.

- Annie Dillard

Whats your legacy? How do you want to be remembered? The life you live defines who you are and the choices you make will determine what impact you will have on the lives of others. Never underestimate the power of your words and actions. You were uniquely created to make a contribution to the world. It is your right and your obligation to make your mark in this world. Surround yourself with people who are supportive, positive and encouraging. Show appreciation and gratitude to those around you. If you have a message to share, then share it with the world. Staying small and thinking small will not get you where you need to be in life. Starting today, have a new perspective on life. Start a new chapter in your life.

Marie Magdala Roker is a Personal Development Coach an Author of Successful Thinking for a Successful Life: How to Banish the Unhealthy Thoughts and Habits That Limit Your Success. Her Successful Thinking program is an affordable coaching resource that offers support and encouragement when there are roadblocks to success. You can find out more about the program at http://www.thinkandbesuccessful.com or sign up for her free Be Inspired newsletter at http://www.smartbeecoaching.com

While reading my latest book on politics and economics, I came across a reference to a bible story called “Parable of the Talents’. In this story three servants are each give talents (a monetary denomination used by the Greeks). To the first, the master gave 5 talents, to the second he gave 2 and to the third he gave 1 talent. The master gave each a different amount of money (talents), according to their ability.

Two of the servants doubled their money and the master was pleased with their results. The third servant, fearful of losing it, buried his money where no one benefited from it, including himself.

When the master summoned the third servant to get an accounting of what he had done with his talent, he was angry and displeased to find out the servant had simply buried it and where the money had no opportunity to earn interest.

The servant tried to explain to the master that he knew how exacting the master was and he did not want to lose His money. The master didnt buy it. He ordered that the one talent be given to the first servant who was able to convert 5 talents into 10. (Reference Matt 25:14 and Luke 19:12).

Although I believe the story or parable was strictly about economics and frugality, it can be extended to include, not only money, but true talents (i.e., ability).

The cornerstone of my book, The Logic of Success, is the premise that unless you find out what it is you were meant to do, true happiness will elude you. Finding out what it is you truly want takes time, patience and perseverance. In the first chapter I discuss how to create search patterns to find your true calling. (Get a Free copy at www.thelogicofsucccess.com).

Now, I want go beyond the obvious of telling you about your hidden talents (you already know you have one, two or more). I want to address the How talents were (and are) buried within us.

As children, we all loved to discover new things. We even did things when others advised us not to (e.g., touching the stove when Mom said it was hot). We wanted to learn, we wanted to discover for ourselves the world around us. Failure and pain were not yet transformed into anxieties.

As we got older, we were expected to act a little more responsible and accountable for our actions. Like in any soap opera drama, this is the scene in your life where society steps in and starts benevolently imposing its norms on your behavior. You are now expected to:

a) conform

b) be more realistic

c) put away childish things, and the most brutal of all norms,

d) STOP thinking about yourself first.

So, what do we do? Exactly! We abide by each one.

We start to conform by dressing like everyone else, and doing all the things normal people are expected to do. We even adopt their mannerisms, language and way of thinking.

We then stop dreaming and imagining ourselves doing wonderful things because were told we should be more realistic. So what happens? We no longer create alternative visions of how our life could be and settle (i.e., compromise) for what’s given; the mundane, the routine.

We then put away our childish ways because we need to be more mature and responsible. No more having fun like balloon fights, dancing when no ones around, throwing food in the air to catch with our mouth, seeing how many times you can burp on one sip of Coca-Cola, or who can do the longest fart (sorry, I went too far). You get the idea.

Then the final act is committed. And as we grow older we commit a form of individual suicide of the mind. This is when we begin thinking of others, and forgetting ours. We begin sacrificing our desires for what others (e.g., society) needs before our own. And every time we have the audacity to think of ourselves, we immediately castigate ourselves by reminding our inner world that we cant be selfish.

The long term result? You get a job, you stay at and as you get older you wake up one day to the reality most people experience at one time or another, Hey, Im not happy with my life. Youve done everything society has told you to do, but, youre still not happy. You have a great family, you have a decent job, the kids are doing well, and youre participating in all kinds of community events and fundraisers and so on.

Here’s something scarier. Youre unhappy but you dont know why or what it is you want to do with your life! You don’t seem to have a ‘real’ talent and life doesn’t seem to have meaning or purpose. Sound familiar?

Most people (i.e., societyagain) label this a mid-life crisis. Not me! Id like to label it: The Awakening. The quintessential moment in your life is when you wake up, rub the conformist eye gunk away and realize that your life is running out of time.

And heres why you cant find your talent. Over the years with every compromise and acquiescence of self, you were slowly burying your talents deeper and deeper. You now have the problem of having to unearth your talents after so many years of heaping selfless dirt on those childhood dreams.

Start now by giving yourself some time, a few moments in a day to remember, to think back on those things that gave you great joy and pleasure. Think about what youd like to do and would make you happy. Break the bonds of conformity and to hell with being realistic for the moment. What is it that youd like to do?

Now don’t get me wrong here. Im not advocating a nihilistic view of life where you revolt and jeopardize all youve built. Far from it. What I am advocating is that you remove the subjective barriers, limitations and begin to think about your possibilities, your wishes and desires. Then, formulate a blueprint which you can implement over time to help you excavate that ONE talent that lays buried within you.

If you were the servant in the parable and the master were to appear before you, would you be like the third servant who did nothing with the talent given? The greatest human tragedy is the death of potential, your gift, your talent, without you ever being aware of it.

Find you talent, and start digging today. Here’s a tip: start with fond memories and recall those times when you really enjoyed yourself doing an activity. That’s where X marks the spot.

Ready? Get set! Start digging!

Please forward this article; share it with a friend who may need a few words of inspiration.

Copyright 2004 by Victor Gonzalez All rights reserved. This article MAY be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, as long as the authors name, website and email address are included as part of the articles body. All inquiries, including information on electronic licensing, should be directed to Victor Gonzalez, victor@thelogicofsuccess.com.

www.thelogicofsuccess.com

Victor Gonzalez, top Hispanic motivational speaker and author of The LOGIC of Success. For more info go to: http://www.thelogicofsuccess.com or by email victor@thelogicofsuccess.com

One of the major obstacles to achieving goals is losing the

motivation necessary to finish them. Many times the initial

surge of energy is lost after the reality of hard work or set

backs sets in. Here are eleven things that can be done to

maintain high motivation.

1. Every day, write down your top three goals . This will keep

your goals constantly in your mind, creating an urgency.

2. Think about your top three goals and decide what one

thing you can finish today which will bring you one step

closer to your goals. By doing this 365 days a year, you will

be making constant progress toward your success.

Progress is a great motivation.

3. Upon awakening in the morning, mentally review your

day. If there is any challenge you have to accomplishing your

goal, mentally visualize yourself successfully working

through the challenge. This mental practice will give you

added confidence when encountering this challenge.

4. Keep a journal next to your bed. If you wake up in the

middle of the night with a means of more easily

accomplishing your goal, write it down. This saves you from

losing those great ideas we tend to think of in the middle of

the night.

5. At night, in your journal, write down the one thing you feel

best about that happened to you during the day.This

exercise will help you focus on

the positive things that happen to you as opposed to the

negative which seem to predominate our thinking.

6. Chart your progress toward your goal. Create a way to

visually see your progress through barometers, pie charts,

comparison charts or other means. Seeing your progress

helps you stay motivated.

7. Develop positive affirmations about yourself and your

goals.These will help you dispel negative self talk which

inhibits your success.

8. Visualize your success.Mentally practice seeing yourself

accomplishing your goal. This “skull practice” will trick your

subconscious into thinking you’re already successful,

therefore enabling you to act successful.

9. Review “why” you want to accomplish your goal.Your

reasons for wanting your goals are the motivational thrust

needed to get you through tough times. Identify what they

are and remind yourself daily.

10. Eliminate negative people from your life. Negative

people will look for ways to sabotage you. They influence

you with their negative talk.

11. Read books on self development and listen to

motivational tapes. Just as you work at your physical health,

you must work at your mental health. You must constantly

feed your mind positive thoughts

Margo Chevers, author of the books, What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? and How to Get Up on a Down Day, has been providing sales and customer service seminars and consulting to a diverse cross-section of industries for the past 15 years. To receive her free 10 top tips for exceptional customer service, call (800) 858-0797 or email margo@margochevers.com .

Ive been thinking a lot about what I believe to be the central challenge facing our clients right now, along with the rest of our society. Its not an original concept by any means, but more and more I come to believe that it is the key to unlocking every success principle in existence.

Discipline.

Discipline may seem like an odd thing to emphasize- but I see the results of real discipline every day. I also see the results of the lack of discipline every day. Heres what I mean:

Think about anyone who you would consider to have made it. You know the person- the woman who is the number one producer in your office and also has a family that loves her and is very close. Maybe you think of the guy who consistently outperforms everyone else and still has time to take numerous vacations AND train for a marathon. Perhaps you are envisioning the manager who genuinely loves developing the team and does a great job of it. Maybe you are considering your own track record right now. Whomever the example, picture clearly why they popped into your mind as an example of success. Now, if you watched that person very carefully, I guarantee you that you will see that nearly everything they do is purposeful, focused and disciplined. They are disciplined about setting goals and achieving them. They are disciplined about maintaining a great attitude, and theyre likely very disciplined about how they use their time. Youll notice that when its time to work, that individual WORKS- so that when its time to play they can do so freely and without baggage.

On the other hand, consider the individual who perpetually seems to get the short end of the stick. You may know someone who is extremely intelligent, or is very positive and upbeat, or perhaps has a great sense of humor and everyone loves them. Everyone either knows somebody or is somebody who seems like they should be extremely successful in Life, but for some reason they just keep struggling and scraping by. If you watch that person very carefully, the underlying cause is almost always a lack of discipline- about Goals, about their Attitude, about how they use their Time, or about how they communicate- or maybe all of the above. Either way, I notice more and more that the most frequently occurring theme in the lives of truly successful men and women is the theme of discipline. As Albert Gray says in The Common Denominator of Success, they have formed the habit of doing what unsuccessful people dont like to do. They are motivated by pleasing results rather than just pleasing activities. In other words, they are disciplined.

So then what I got thinking about was the question: What is discipline?

Well, I had heard once before that the word discipline has the same root as the word disciple. As in a follower. Now I didnt want to get all super-religious or cultish on anyone, so I started thinking about what it actually means to be a disciple. I couldnt really put my finger on it until recently when the answer was physically handed to me in church. The sermon was called Majoring in the Minors and the notes at the bottom read as follows:

a disciple is one who stays focused on what really matters, and is careful about letting other less important issues or concerns get in the way.

Says it all, really. Again, Im not trying to create some Cult of Personality here. I just encourage you as you begin this day, this week, this month, Your Life- stay focused on what really matters to you- at Work and in Life. Be careful about letting less important issues or concerns get in the way. I urge yoube a disciple of your own success.

Roger Seip is co founder of Freedom Speakers and Trainers http://www.deliverfreedom.coma national training company that focuses on memory training, goal setting, attitude management, time management and effective communication. He is an instructor as well as personal coach. Roger can be reached at 888-233-0407 ext 113 or roger@deliverfreedom.com

I recently was made aware of two comparative statistics that I thought you might find extremely valuable. I learned that the average American reads less than 2 books per year- one and a half to be exact, with almost two thirds of those going unfinished. On the whole, Americans have lost the habit of reading good books.

There is a notable exception, however. CEOs of Fortune 500 companies read, on average, roughly FOUR BOOKS PER WEEK! That equates to about 200 times the average for the rest of America,and I can guarantee that the vast majority of those books are good, meaty stuff that causes them to think about their business and/or their Life in a very healthy way.

Now I am not saying that you yourself need to start reading 4 books a week, but I will tell you this- I have personally seen that there is a direct and positive correlation between the amount of good reading an individual does and their influence and income. Unquestionably, the most life-changing habit you can develop is to systematically read good books. Charlie Tremendous Jones coined the phrase that Leaders are always Readers. Our friend Brian Tracy has seen it happen many times where an individual went from zero to 30 minutes a day of good reading and saw their income double, and weve seen it too. If you do not currently make positive reading a regular part of your Life- DO SO IMMEDIATELY!!!! Along with changing who you spend your time with, it is absolutely the most powerful way to change your life for the better.

Dont get me wrong- I realize that you need to work, spend time with your family and engage in all the great activities that you engage in, and you should. You dont need to become a full time student or some kind of hermit bookworm crazy person. All you need is 15 minutes a day, preferably right in the beginning or right at the end of that day. And dont give me any crap about not having 15 minutes a day- if I followed you around for one day, Id bet $1000 that I could find a whole hour that could be better spent reading and you wouldnt even miss it. Watching TV, surfing the internet, eating lunch, just zoning out, the list goes on and on- I dare you to take just 15 minutes out of those kinds of activities each day and invest it in a good book. I promise that over a very short period.

Roger Seip is co founder of Freedom Speakers and Trainers http://www.deliverfreedom.com a national training company that focuses on Memory Training, Goal Setting, Attitude Management, Time Management and Effective Communication. Roger is an instructor and personal coach. For more information email roger@deliverfreedom.com or call 888-233-0407 ext 113

As Christians we are often very independent. We try to do everything and often feel we do everything. Are there times when you are frustrated, tired, irritable, and have no energy? I am not selling you a vitamin supplement, so dont worry. I have recently realized this past week how little I turn things over to the ultimate Power Source – God. Lord, I cannot do this in my own strength. If the children argue one more time – I will scream. God, help me to know what to say without screaming. Lord, what is your agenda for me today – you know I all ready have one figured out. Do we see the many requests of our children as divine interruptions or just another thing to do on our list?

I know often I grow weary and God needs to fill my tank. We fill our tanks with junk food or junk TV for that matter, but do we go to the Ultimate Power Source?

Do you feel some of the things that bother you are really to small to talk with God about or not a big deal? I am convinced that God wants to hear the smallest details of our lives. I have found when I share my frustrations with Him I take a deep breath and calm down. I have more patience with my children, spouse, or work situation.

Please dont hear me saying I have it all together, I certainly dont. I am learning daily to stay connected to my Power Source. That could be a prayer on the way to work or a prayer on the way home from picking up my children. I encourage you daily to connect to your Power Source even if it is a quick prayer for strength, wisdom, or whatever your needs are for the day. I will supply all your needs, according to my riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

2004 Kimberly Chastain
About the Author
Kimberly M. Chastain, MS, LMFT is the Christian Working Mom Coach and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in helping Christian women make the most of their lives. She is the author of the on-line course, I Cant Say No and Pearls of Encouragement for Christian Working Moms, a free e-book. If you suffer from I Cant Say No Syndrome, visit Kimberlys site today for the details on an exciting email course thats sure to set you free! http://www.christianworkingmom.com/online.htm.
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My guess is first I’ll need some zippy flyers and a tri-fold brochure said an email from Matt last week. Sadly, he is not the only one thinking that the first step to building a professional business is printing fliers and brochures. After all, thats what everyone does, right? And it seems like a logical place to start, doesnt it?

Its interesting that while most people who call me about my marketing mentoring services are well established practitioners looking for a new edge, Matts message was one of the 14 emails I got last week from people who are just starting to build their practice.

They all wanted to know the best way to get started fast but seemed to be fixated on getting their fliers and brochures ready.

Fact is, “zippy flyers and tri-folds” are a bad idea when you are just starting out. They can be pricey if you want them to look sharp. But even worse – they are so “inflexible”.

If you are just starting out, I’m more than sure, that you will quickly go through several “adjustments. Ive seen people spent thousands on the “zippy brochures” only to find them useless in a couple of months.

So if getting brochures doesnt work whats the right way to go? Here is my sure-fire 10-step formula to quickly get started as a coach or consultant. And, if you are a well established practitioner, these ten tips may just give you the swift kick in the pants you need to re-invigorate your marketing.

1. PLAN.

Yes, I know youve heard this before, but still too few people take the time to do this.

Find out what makes you tick. Evaluate your own strengths, desires, skills. What are you really good at? What do you love learning about? If youve worked with clients before – what type of clients did you have best results with so far?

If you dont have at least your who (your ideal client), what (the problems you solve) and how (your unique solution) figured out, dont even bother moving to step two.

2. Find a hive.

This is a critical step that most people completely overlook. Youve got to find a market that WANTS what youve got (or what you want to learn.)

Ideally, people in this market should already be aware of their problem, have a real desire to solve it and the money to do so.

Evaluate if you can easily find and reach those people. Do they have an association, annual conference? Is there a list you can buy? If you can’t find a hive – look for a different target market or change your offering.

3. Listen and learn.

Talk to people you want to work with. Learn their language; how they communicate about their needs and problems. Ask them to tell you what solutions they are looking for and their preferred method of learning and solving problems.

4. Develop your Magnetic Marketing Message.

Learn to describe what you are offering in 15 seconds or less.

Make sure your message clearly communicates three things: who you help, their problem, and your unique solution. This message is about the people you work with not about you.

This is where you get your business cards. I recommend you name your business in a way that communicates what you do and get some basic business cards to start.

The ones from vistaprint.com are great. $10 or $15 will easily get you started, although I recommend you spring the extra five bucks and opt not to have their branding on the back of your cards.

If possible, make your card an invitation to contact you. For example, my own cards advertise my free marketing report and invite people to download it from my web site.

5. Create attraction tools.

Write a few “Top 10″ articles and a special report that address the biggest problems your potential clients are experiencing.

Here is a hot tip for you: if you dont think you have enough expertise on the topic you want to teach – start by interviewing a few experts.

6. Build a basic web site.

Dont wait for months or years. All you need are a few simple pages that communicate your magnetic marketing message, give you a place to post your articles and invite your visitors to sign up for your electronic newsletter or ezine.

Oh, I guess that would be step six and a half start your ezine! Its so simple to do, there is just no excuse not to have one. You can start with something like www.ezezine.com – it will cost your nothing to send a monthly message if you have fewer than 1000 subscribers.

If youve got a large list already, use something like www.kickstartcart.com (the system Im using.)

7. Start teaching!

Offer free teleclasses and build interest around what you are going to coach or consult on. This is an important step; it allows people to get to know you and “sample your services while it gives you an opportunity to test and tweak your content.

8. Help your first 5-10 clients.

Coach a few people in your target market for free or trade services with them to get started. This will allow you to get your first success stories fast. Make it a habit to collect testimonials from every client.

If you are having hard time getting your first few clients here is your clue – focus more on how to create more value for your clients and less on how to get clients.

9. Develop group programs.

Selling open-end coaching or consulting engagements can be tough. Its often hard to get people to see what they will get out of working with you.

You can overcome this by developing specific, close-end programs. They are easier to explain, offer more tangible outcomes and are more affordable since there are several participants paying for your time.

Those programs can become your great client incubator a place from which your larger/individual assignments and projects will come.

10. Keepem coming.

Once you get your first few clients its easy to get overwhelmed and stop marketing. But youve got to keep your marketing machine cranking at all time.

Most successful coaches and consultants learn that continuous education-based marketing (marketing by sharing their expertise) can get them more than enough business and establish them as undisputable experts at the same time.

You too can get similar results by writing and publishing articles, developing info-products and getting invited as a speaker to groups that attract your potential clients.

This is obviously only a beginning guide. But I guarantee that if you follow those 10 simple steps in just six months to a year you too can build a successful practice.

(c) 2004 Adam M. Urbanski

The Author, Adam Urbanski, a Marketing Mentor, helps Service Professionals and Small Business Owners attract more clients. For more free tutorial articles, hot how-to tips and a FREE 32-page marketing guide go to http://www.themarketingmentors.com

We own a home on the island of Puerto Rico nestled high in the mountains against the backdrop of the United States only national rainforest, The Yunque. To say that the trees, faunas and wildlife are incredible is an understatement.

Where we live there are only a few handful of houses spaced apart enough to enjoy ones own privacy. One of my neighbors is a wonderful retiree name Emilio. When you look at Emilio he reminds you of that favorite grandfather who would probably play pranks on you. Emilios humor and energy, if youre around him long enough, is contagious.

About six months ago as I was pulling up to our house, I saw huge piles of cement powder, boards and tools scattered about Emilios front yard. I went over to see what he was up to. Emilio had decided to build his own cement patio. Incredible, I thought. I asked him if he was going to do it himself and he said, Yeah, why? When I returned to Puerto Rico a month or so later he had finished the patio which extended wonderfully off a small dip in the valley giving him an even more spectacular view of the rainforest.

The next time I went to the island, I remember while sitting on my porch enjoying a cup of coffee and the view of the valley, I heard someone yelling my name, Victor, Victor. When I came done the road by Emilios house I saw him sitting on the roof of his house with his feet dangling over the edge and laughing. Apparently, while repairing some shingles on his roof, the wind came by and blew the ladder away and he had no way of getting down. After a few moments of laughter, on my part, I put the ladder back in place so Emilio could get down.

Last week we went up to the house in Puerto Rico again to find Emilio finishing up the installation of a hot water heater powered by a couple of solar panels he had installed. Apparently technology didnt scare this old guy either.

That night we sat down and chatted while sipping on a few cold ones. Emilios story of how he was raised and the adversities hes had to overcome made him even more amazing. One of the most recent challenges was the loss of his wife to cancer 10 years ago after 42 years of marriage. She died before their dream house there in Puerto Rico was finished. Emilio cant go for more than 10 minutes in a conversation without bringing up her name. To hear him speak of his wife, you think shes in the next room. A beautiful black and white photo of their wedding sits alone atop a desk and is the first thing you notice when you step inside his home.

Emilio still takes care of his house and continues to improve on it. I suspect that in his mind hes not building it alone. No. Whatever new task Emilio takes on, his wife is right there beside him in spirit. His vision for their dream house continues to motivate him on to the next project.

Unlike Emilio, many of us have lost our motivation. Weve lost that drive to bring about the life we once thought of having. Weve surrendered it to the past and have become apathetic in reclaiming it. Our will to pursue our passion, our dream, our vision has atrophied.

Many of us complain that its too late to start a career or learn a new skill. We think were too old to learn anything new. Think of Emilio. He learned how to build the patio as he wentat 78!

Many of us stop dreaming because of some tragedy or misfortunate event. Think of Emilio. He taught me to work through the pain, push on and give your life new purpose, new meaning.

And, many of us are afraid to fail or look stupid in the process of building our dream. Failure scares us. Think of Emilio sitting on the roof when the ladder was blown out from under him. I didnt find him on the roof depressed or belittling himself. Instead I found a big kid laughing at himself and the situation. From Emilio I learned that fallen ladders (i.e., things dont go the way we planned them) dont matter and its OK to ask (or in Emilios case yell) for help.

Emilio shows no sign of letting up. Hes a human Energizer bunny still going strong, still building on his dream, still holding steady to a shared vision.

Are you still holding steady to your vision of happiness?!

Are you still building?!

Remember to laugh when the winds of misfortune blows your ladder out from under you. And, dont be afraid to ask (or yell) for help. You may be surprised at who shows up to help support your vision.

Please forward this article; share it with a friend who may need words of inspiration to pursue their dream.

Victor Gonzalez, top Hispanic motivational speaker and author of The LOGIC of Success. For more info go to: http://www.thelogicofsuccess.com or by email victor@thelogicofsuccess.com

Somethings missing! As a Hispanic in this great country, I can walk tall knowing that our contributions to the American ideal is everyday becoming more visible.

But somethings missing!

Recent studies show that Hispanic purchasing power continues to increase at a healthy pace. Hispanics are opening new businesses and moving into the upper echelons of Corporate America.

But something is missing!

Hispanic women are making their presence felt in the marketplace and contributing in great numbers.

Still, something is missing.

I have it! I know whats missing! A celebration! I mean a celebration of finally being able to have a voice in Americaa real voice.

As we continue to make great strides, I believe its time to stop and acknowledge our growing U.S. Hispanic population with increasing Hispanic employment, educational attainment, and a total U.S. disposable income which grew from $7.8 trillion to $8.1 trillion in the last 12 months. Hispanic purchasing power represents more than 7.4 percent of total U.S. purchasing power, compared with 6.9 percent last year*. These are impressive numbers that shouldnt go unnoticed.

I think its time we celebrate the great distances weve traversed; from migrants and immigrants to contributing members of a great nation.

I want to us to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and the arrival of Hispanicus Economicus. More than just manual laborers, they are intellectuals, business people, educators, artists and so on, who are raising their voices and shaping the economics and politics of America.

Hispanicus Economicus is the next generation of entrepreneurs and business people whove crossed over not only borders and oceans, but into the 21st century with a proud heritage firmly intact. Yes, we should celebrate.

We should look back and not forget how hard it was for us to get this far. And then we should look forward and see the vistas of possibilities, not solely in the dirt fields, but in the cubicle acres of American business.

I love this country because it is a nation that stands together against adversity. In much the same spirit, the birth and objective of this magazine is to provide a vehicle for galvanizing the Hispanic spirit and celebrating our achievements.

Hispanicus Economicus has arrived. So, lets celebrate our successes and growing prominence on the American business landscape. Lets have a fiesta amongst ourselves to celebrate the possibilities of our collective collaborations. Lets formally announce our arrival and toast to each others successes.

*source: HispanTelligence

Victor Gonzalez, top Hispanic motivational speaker and author of The LOGIC of Success. For more info go to: http://www.thelogicofsuccess.com or by email victor@thelogicofsuccess.com

Everyone talks about how to be successful through hard work and effort. Forget that! Im going to take a different approach. Im going to show you how to lose all your hard earned money and fake your own death (I mean destiny), and be successful at it.

Step 1: Be a Sissy-

Being a sissy has nothing to do with physical strength and everything to do with mental strength. I know you want to be successful but youre too afraid to make a commitment to your dream. Youre scared to take chances. Youre scared to make choices. You want everything to be perfect before you can take a risk. Yeah, right! That day will come when Hell and my mothers famous spicy hot Sancocho soup freezes (authors note: my money is on Hell freezing over first). Nonetheless, dont do anything until one of the following has occurred: All the stars in the constellation have aligned themselves perfectly, youve spotted a once extinct Dodo bird, or someone absolutely guarantees you that you will not fail. Until one of these things are in place, dont do anythingbe a sissy.

Step 2: Listen to Stupid People-

Oh, this is one of my favorite. There are two types of people out there: successful and happy. By successful, I mean someone who has a career and is financially secure. By happy I mean someone who has found their happy place and enjoys where theyre at in life. The latter has less do with money, and more do to with life style. Knowing this, heres the key: never, I mean NEVER listen to successful or happy people. Theyll just make you nauseous with their ideas and strategies for getting what you want out of life. Instead, listen to friends and family members who are either broke or unhappy. That way if you fail, and chances are that you will, youll at a minimum have them for company. And we know that misery loves company. Also if you fail using their advice, you can always blame it on them (See Rule 9 for more details).

Step 3: Wait for Divine Intervention-

Yes, another strategy on how to lose your money and fake destiny is to simply wait for the invisible hand of fate to pass over you and bless you with immense abundance. Yes, go ahead pray and ask God (whoever and whatever that is to you) to rain down upon you all that you deserve. Sit back, do nothing and wait for something to great to happen. Yes, your needs far outweigh those of people in other countries who are dying from HIV, hunger, violence, etc. Dont feel guilty. Make your demand on God and if youre so inclined, you might want to give Him a deadline because youre in a hurry. But remember, dont lift a finger to help yourself, you might offend Him by being so impatient.

Step 4: Develop a Need to Mimic-

Desmond Morris wrote a fantastic book called The Human Ape. If you havent read it, you are depriving yourself of a primitive experience and pleasure. Morris talks about the need for humans to mimic in order to feel accepted or more worthy. So, what I want you to do in order for you to lose your money and fake your destiny is look around you and buy whatever your friends or colleagues are buying. But the extravagant cars, the luxurious museum (I mean house), take all the trips you want to exotic places. What about money? Who cares! The point here is that you want to mimic or copy what every one else is doing. Money and debt are nuisances you shouldnt have to worry about. What about credit card companies? So what you owe them money, theyre crooks who already have too much money; they dont need yours.

Step 5: Take advantage of People-

Heres a great tip. Forget about being considerate and to hell with the golden rule. If you can use somebody, do it. I you can take advantage of a situation, do it. Consequences?! Bah! Why bother with such silly notions; theyre so inconvenient. For all you care, youll probably never have to deal with them again. And if its in a work environment, all the better, screw them any way you can. They probably deserve it for being so dang nave. The basic premise is this, the next time you in a position to really abuse another fellow human being, dont think twice, just do it!

Step 6: Invent Your Own Reality-

Ooh, I like this one. To hell with reality, create your own. When someone says, Youre not being realistic, ignore them theyre an idiot. When someone tries to warn you that your overspending and your debts are mounting, just go out and shop some moreyoull feel better. Remember also that money is the root of all evil and no one should have to really save or keep any around for a rainy day. And, even when everyone is telling you youre wrong, ignore them because they ALL cant be right! And more than likely, they simply dont have the same bright, pink outlook on life you have. Dismiss those fools.

Step 7: Never Keep a Commitment Again-

The next time you make a promise, just remember that it really isnt a commitment. A promise is an agreement to do something but you reserve the right to change your mind without notifying the other party (aka The When its Convenient Rule). And yes, its OK to over-promise and under-deliver. The Convenient Rule still applies. When you tell someone youd show up to a meeting or an engagement, remember that its OK to change your mind, again, without the need to notify the other party. Commitments are so restrictive that you should allow yourself the flexibility to abide by or ignore them whenever you feel like it. What if others complain? Theyre just being insensitive to your spontaneity and free spirit.envious bastards.

Step 8: Blame it on the ISM-

The next time things dont go your way or you missed out on some promotion or raise, blame it on an ISM. There are plenty to choose from. RacISM, SexISM, AgeISM, etc. Remember its never your responsibility to be create wealth and opportunity. Someone should always look our for your because youve been handicapped (i.e., with an ISM) by the unfairness of society. Someone should also make amends and remunerations for your inconvenience should be made to you. Dont forge to always complain about how the man wont let you succeed. And always blame your failing on some corporate guy with a nice suite and tie. Theyre always guilty of something. Theyre all liars and cheats waiting to be exposed.

Bonus rule:

Step 9: Its Never Your Problem-

No matter how bad you perform or dont perform at all, it isnt your fault (Corollary to Rule 8). Its never your problem. Its always someone elses deal. And if you cant find a warm body to blame it on, use someone whos dead. Dead people are useful for blaming things on because they cant dismiss the accusation and you feel better since it isnt your fault. If you cant find any dead people to blame it on, use the ultimate trump card, the Universe (or Cosmos). Either one is good enough when it come to blame. Just blame your misfortune on some weird existential vibe thing that cant be defined. And if someone doesnt believe you theyre just being insensitive and ignorant of an existence on a much higher level where you cant be held responsible.

Follow these nine rules and I guarantee you that you will lose your money and fake your destiny with GREAT SUCCESS.

Please forward this article; share it with a friend who may need a word of inspiration.

Victor Gonzalez, top Hispanic motivational speaker and author of The LOGIC of Success. For more info go to: http://www.thelogicofsuccess.com or by email victor@thelogicofsuccess.com