Posts Tagged ‘dream’
Writing an eBook is Risk-taking Behaviour ? Choose to do it!
The choice to author a book isn’t one that just suddenly comes to you. It’s something that gradually happens. And it usually happens many times before you begin to take it seriously.
Are you the cautious person who takes few risks or are you a risk-taker? Are you the person who weighs the pros and cons over and over again refusing to address the obstacles to your goals and thus does nothing?
Are you the risk-taker who plunges ahead without thinking much about it and gets discouraged because of the obstacles that need to be overcome and the fact that your dream seems further and further away? Or worse still you fail and give up?
Somewhere between those two extremes lies the potential eBook author. The lesson may very well be that you must be realistic about your ability to embark on the eBook authoring journey and reach your destination.
Let’s take a brief look at these two extremes ? caution and risk-taking. One leads to change. The other is stagnation.
CAUTION
This article was written borrowing and adapting from material in Barbara Sher’s book, I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was, How to discover what you really want and how to get it. In her book, Ms. Sher has a quiz to determine if you are a cautious person which may be holding you back from achieving your goals. I have adapted her quiz to suit would-be eBook authors.
Answer these questions in relation to authoring an eBook.
Are you a person always in rehearsal? Have you been studying, taking courses, developing expertise, learning skills, and gaining wisdom but haven’t put it to its best use in an eBook?
Yes No
Are you constantly planning, preparing, talking about it, asking for advice, hesitating, ? without doing anything about actually writing the eBook?
Yes No
Do you hang on to dreams and goals too long without taking action in even a small way to move you toward your goal? In other words do you refuse to make short-term goals that will lead you to your dream?
Yes No
Do you use the excuse that you don’t have the time to work toward your goal of authoring an eBook?
Yes No
Do you find time to do some things that you don’t really need to be doing like watching too much television, doing things you don’t want to do, or “puttering” with something that could buy you time to write?
Yes No
Do you look at others pursuing their dreams and envy them the journey?
Yes No
Is your dream of authoring an eBook not important enough to you to begin the journey because it would be too selfish and other people and things deserve your time and energy? Do you habitually put other people and things ahead of your own needs and wants?
Yes No
Do you crave change and adventure in your life by authoring an eBook but it hasn’t gotten past the ‘daydreaming’ stage?
Yes No
Reflect and Write
Now go back to these questions and take the time to write a letter to yourself. Take the time in this letter to reflect on your “why” of your response. Be honest with yourself. You’ve got nothing to lose.
While you are reflecting on your “why”, include some positive ideas about how you could get started at the eBook authoring process. Consider those strengths you already bring to the process. Consider who or what could help you reach your goal.
As Sher states, “If you have said Yes to most or all of these questions then you’re a Sure Thing person and you’ve got some thinking to do.”
“Safety is riskier than you realize.”
Caution shouldn’t be thrown to the wind but without risks life isn’t an adventure.
“Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed.” ? Michael Pritchard
Time becomes so important in our lives once we are old enough to realize that we may not have made the best use of it in the past. The truly “lucky” person is someone who realizes that time is indeed running out and if authoring an eBook is in his/her plans then let’s get started.
Shoot for something And you will never achieve the impossible. But shoot for the impossible And you’re bound to achieve something.
RISK-TAKING
“Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?
- Ben Franklin
Is taking risks too risky for you? There are risks associated with eBook authoring. Specific risks in the eBook authoring process will be addressed in a future article but for this article we will focus on the general consideration of your attitude toward risk-taking.
Without taking calculated risks, your dream of authoring an eBook won’t be realized. Without this risk factor between you and your dream, you would already be living your dream. It’s what holds most people back. You must realize that ACTIONS are what make things happen not THINKING about actions. Any new behaviour comes through taking a chance and realizing you might not succeed ? the first time.
Realize also that there is always a solution to every obstacle you might encounter. The answers to all your questions are already out there. You may just have to find them.
From Do It! Let’s Get Off Our Buts by John-Roger and Peter McWilliams, “Be daring, be different, be impractical,” Sir Cecil Beaton advised, “be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.”
It takes courage to pursue one’s dreams. Banish fear by taking action. Failure is part of the learning process that goes hand-in-hand with risk-taking.
On a scale from one to ten, with one being cautious, and 10 being a risk-taker, assess yourself numerically where you presently stand in terms of authoring an eBook.
I rate myself a ___.
Well???
Reflection Time
What do you need to do about it, if anything? What actions are you going to take? What can you do within the next 24 hours to take that first concrete step toward your goal? What is it about your past and present behaviour regarding writing a book that makes you feel good about yourself? What bothers you? Who could help make a difference in your eBook authoring life if you chose to confide in them? Have you ever told anyone you wanted to write a book? Why? Why not? What good do you think it would do to begin telling others about your dream? What have you done in your past that you thought you would never be able to do? Why is authoring an eBook any different from that situation? What obstacles do you see to authoring an eBook? For each obstacle consider at least 3 ways you could overcome that obstacle. How will you feel when that eBook is published and the first copy is sold? What would authoring an eBook do to your self-esteem? Your life? Your confidence? Your career? Your income? Your future?
A poem for reflection!
Risk-Taking is Free
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feeling is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams, before the crowd is to risk their opinion.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But the risk must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by his certitudes, he is slave, he has forfeited freedom.
ONLY A PERSON WHO RISKS —- IS FREE – Author Unknown
© 2005 Paul Jackson
Paul Jackson is a retired educator with wide-ranging experience in self-help workshops for educators. His new-found passion of eBook authoring allows him to apply his reflective philosophy to the process of authoring an eBook. At http://www.ebookwritingandpublishing.com
Paul uses his philosophy of “Helping people help themselves” to assist individuals in reaching his/her dream of authoring an eBook.
Log Homes – Is a Log Home In Your Future?
Many people dream about a log home in their future but never get around to making their dream come true. Here’s how to get past the hurdles and start living your dream.
Finances are one of the most common reasons many people never live their log home dreams. The reasons may only be perceived or they may be real. But even if real, it may be possible to overcome the obstacles.
First, you’ll have to decide on a basic floorplan and house size. Selecting one of the standard plans from a log home company’s portfolio simplifies this process. The company can tell you the price of the log “kit” and may be able to give you a “turn-key” estimate for the finished house. If not, you can make a very rough estimate by assuming that the final turn-key cost will be between two and three times the cost of the kit. This estimate does not account for the cost of land.
Understand that this is simply a crude way of approximating the cost of the home of your dreams. The objective is to determine if you are even in the ballpark of a cost that you can afford.
Consider the home that you now live in and what price it might bring if you sell. Subtract the amount you still owe on your mortgage plus real estate commissions to determine your equity. This equity can be applied to the purchase of your log home as a down payment, or used to purchase land. Also consider any savings, investments, or inheritance funds you have that might be applied.
Use an online calculator or visit a bank to determine how much you might be able to borrow. This will depend on your current income and debt load. Most lenders use a formula that limits your future mortgage payment, plus taxes and insurance, plus your existing debt load (credit cards, car payments, etc.) to 36% of your gross income. This determines your maximum mortgage amount. Add your down payment and you’ll get the amount you can afford to spend on your dream home.
If you find that your dream home is affordable, great. If not, you might be able to scale back on your home plans or find additional funds, or both. Sometimes, simply waiting a few years solves the problem. Often, when you have a dream and are committed to it, you will be able to find solutions through sheer determination.
Al Hearn is owner and operator of Log Home Advisor (http://www.newsletterjournal.com) where log home enthusiasts can find helpful information, advice, cost calculators, and affordability calculators.
Bachelor Dream
Step aside Hugh Hefner. Elvis King is back in the building.
Bachelors, remember the guy in high school who got all the girls. Maybe he was the home coming king or the football captain. He’s Probably not getting the girls any more. I am sure he married the home coming queen and has four kids by now. And you should see the fat little wife he has. But not you and the Loverboy Bachelor, your eternal bachelors. Why a bachelor at 56? Because I love it. There’s nothing like the thrill of a new girl. A new date every single day. I hold the world record of beautiful young girlfriends 18 to 22 years old. (Girlfriends no pros) And I have came close a few times to giving it all up and marrying one of my dream girls. I frequent a few exotic fantasy islands. One of my favorite islands holds the Miss Universe crown. I laugh at poor Donald Trump knocking himself dead to find beautiful girls and he rarely gets lucky. And I know secret bachelor hide-aways where virtually no westerner has ever walked before. And If he ever was at one of my bachelor hide-aways he is probably one of those guys who just doesn’t know how to pick up girls and went home empty handed. Wouldn’t it have been nice if you could have been the best buddy of a rock star or a movie star who gets all the girls. Well you just got lucky. No rock star or movie star has ever had more girlfriends than your buddy Elvis.
I am not anscious to share my secrets or my dream girls, but Lucky for you I ran out of cash. If I hadn’t lost all my cash no one would ever know my secret. If you have always envied the guy who gets all the girls. Nows your chance to get even and get lucky. If you are a friendly, fun loving guy with deep pockets join me on my Bachelor Dream Tour. Give Elvis an email and we can talk about it. We’re not talking about taking 1000 guys to meet 100 girls. We’re talking buddies one on one hanging out with dream girls. Just you, me and the chauffeur and your dream girl of the day. Even my chauffeur has hundreds of girlfriends. Just the luck of the draw getting the right job with the right guy. Forget online dating, dating services, singles bars, and forget the singles groups and your blue haired mommys. Give Elvis an email and we can talk about it. For a week or a lifetime you owe it to yourself to hang out with the King, Elvis King. Your buddies back home will never believe your story once you take the Bachelor Dream Tour with the Loverboy Bachelor. Truthfully you may not ever want to go back home. You don’t have to be George Clooney or the perfect male model and the older gentlemen is welcome.
Elvis King specializes in finding that special dream girl or dream girls for the lonely, older man. His one on one Bachelor Dream Tours are becoming so popular that soon only the wealthiest men will be able to take the Bachelor Dream Tour do to the waiting list and popular demand. Email him at loverboybachelor@yahoo.com or join the group at http://www.msnusers.com/BachelorDreamTours.
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Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at loverboybachelor@yahoo.com
Elvis King was born in Missippi and grew up in Menphis, Tennesse. He is a retired actor and singer. Not to be confused with the other Elvis. Elvis Presley.
Bachelor Dream
Step aside Hugh Hefner. Elvis King is back in the building.
Bachelors, remember the guy in high school who got all the girls. Maybe he was the home coming king or the football captain. He’s Probably not getting the girls any more. I am sure he married the home coming queen and has four kids by now. And you should see the fat little wife he has. But not you and the Loverboy Bachelor, your eternal bachelors. Why a bachelor at 56? Because I love it. There’s nothing like the thrill of a new girl. A new date every single day. I hold the world record of beautiful young girlfriends 18 to 22 years old. (Girlfriends no pros) And I have came close a few times to giving it all up and marrying one of my dream girls. I frequent a few exotic fantasy islands. One of my favorite islands holds the Miss Universe crown. I laugh at poor Donald Trump knocking himself dead to find beautiful girls and he rarely gets lucky. And I know secret bachelor hide-aways where virtually no westerner has ever walked before. And If he ever was at one of my bachelor hide-aways he is probably one of those guys who just doesn’t know how to pick up girls and went home empty handed. Wouldn’t it have been nice if you could have been the best buddy of a rock star or a movie star who gets all the girls. Well you just got lucky. No rock star or movie star has ever had more girlfriends than your buddy Elvis.
I am not anscious to share my secrets or my dream girls, but Lucky for you I ran out of cash. If I hadn’t lost all my cash no one would ever know my secret. If you have always envied the guy who gets all the girls. Nows your chance to get even and get lucky. If you are a friendly, fun loving guy with deep pockets join me on my Bachelor Dream Tour. Give Elvis an email and we can talk about it. We’re not talking about taking 1000 guys to meet 100 girls. We’re talking buddies one on one hanging out with dream girls. Just you, me and the chauffeur and your dream girl of the day. Even my chauffeur has hundreds of girlfriends. Just the luck of the draw getting the right job with the right guy. Forget online dating, dating services, singles bars, and forget the singles groups and your blue haired mommys. Give Elvis an email and we can talk about it. For a week or a lifetime you owe it to yourself to hang out with the King, Elvis King. Your buddies back home will never believe your story once you take the Bachelor Dream Tour with the Loverboy Bachelor. Truthfully you may not ever want to go back home. You don’t have to be George Clooney or the perfect male model and the older gentlemen is welcome.
Elvis King specializes in finding that special dream girl or dream girls for the lonely, older man. His one on one Bachelor Dream Tours are becoming so popular that soon only the wealthiest men will be able to take the Bachelor Dream Tour do to the waiting list and popular demand. Email him at loverboybachelor@yahoo.com or join the group at http://www.msnusers.com/BachelorDreamTours.
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Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at loverboybachelor@yahoo.com
Elvis King was born in Missippi and grew up in Menphis, Tennesse. He is a retired actor and singer. Not to be confused with the other Elvis. Elvis Presley.
Hustle While You Wait
Everything comes to those who hustle while they wait -Thomas Edison
Thomas A. Edison was one of the most prolific inventors of all time. His inventions continue to shape our daily lives decades after his death in 1931. He fundamentally changed our lives by giving us indoor lighting, records, movies, batteries, and hundreds of other objects we have come to believe we can’t live without. He patented over 1,000 objects during his life. His advice to “hustle” while you wait gives us some insight into how he became a legend.
Many people who dream of changing their lives are in a “waiting” time in their lives. For financial or personal reasons they are not yet able to leave their current jobs, move to their preferred geographical area, or start that business they dream of. During these waiting times you can do much to lay the foundation for your dreams. Here are some ideas that can get you started as you begin to move towards a life you compose rather than one you fell into:
*Research your dream job or business. Learn all that you can about it. You can easily become an expert about any topic in 3-6 months. Read, search the web, interview people who already work in the field, and do all that you can to learn about the history, trends and topics that are important in your field. When the time comes to move forward, you will have a solid knowledge base.
*Develop your network. Meet others who are in your chosen field. Nothing leads to success faster than having a solid support network in place. Don’t fear competition, just meet as many people as you can in that field. This networking will help you understand what it takes to succeed and give you the support you need to make those first steps. Nothing increases learning faster than having a mentor who can show you the way. You will increase your confidence and your learning pace, and you may even get “lucky” and find a job or your first client.
*Lay the groundwork. Write your business plan. Draft a press release. Outline your book. Learn how to design web pages. Any progress is movement forward and that momentum can help propel you towards the life of your dreams. As you develop skills and create the platform for your new life, new ideas and opportunities will come your way.
No matter where you are in developing the life of your dreams, you can “hustle” while you wait. Even if you have no idea what you want yet, you can create a foundation that will support your new life. No effort is wasted. The skills and knowledge you gain will fit into your new life in some way.
As I searched for my dream and mission I researched dozens of topics. I am consistently amazed at how many of those “dead ends” have helped me to develop my current business. Learning how to edit, write copy, design web pages, research, and even cook have all helped me to build a stronger foundation for my roles as a life coach and infertility coach. Don’t wait for the perfect time to arrive, begin today to move forward and the universe will meet you with more opportunities than you can now imagine.
Julie Renee Callaway is a life coach and motivational speaker specializing in helping professional women overcome obstacles in their lives to discover their divine mission and create lives of meaning, beauty and fulfillment. You can get a free report “Seven Ways to Tell You Are Climbing the Wrong Ladder” at http://www.composeyourlife.com
Heal Thyself First
As I connect with more and more women I am seeing that many have a desperate need for a man. I had one woman tell me that her ex-boyfriend put a gun to her head and told her to get out of his life. Stop following him, stop calling him and leave him alone. This woman felt that he was just having a “bad day” and wanted to know when would be a good time to call him and tell him that she loves him. I was absolutely amazed. This is definitely a woman who doesn’t love herself. Why would she constantly pursue a person who clearly doesn’t want her?
I recently read that it takes 11 years to totally get over the hurt of a past relationship. Although you have moved on the pain still lingers on. So imagine if you leave one relationship for another relationship for another relationship, that is at least over thirty years of healing. Who wants to go through that many years of hurt and trying to heal?
I have learned from personal experience that when you go from one relationship to another, you are not allowing yourself time to heal. You go into the new relationship with the scars and battle wounds from the past relationship. Although you are thirsty for love you still cause drama because you are not able to let go of that past relationship. You are standing in a karate position waiting to block any situation that comes your way because you fear being hurt again.
Usually when you go from one relationship to another you are desperate and will allow the first man or woman to enter your life, knowing that this isn’t the person you would have given the time of day to in the past. So this relationship has started on a bad foot from the beginning because you are settling to fill a void in your life.
In order to heal, like in any situation you have to give it time. You must take the time to enjoy your own company again and learn to love yourself again. This is the time to start working on getting your finances in order so that when the right person comes you don’t have to be financially needy. Start working on your home so that you will feel good about where you live. Start working on your spirituality so that you will realize that you are never alone. Get a makeover so that you can feel good about yourself again. When we lose someone special we tend to believe it had something to do with us and then we develop a low self-esteem. Start working on your dream, whether it is going back to school, taking a vacation or jumping from an airplane. This is the time to make your hopes, dreams and wishes come true.
When you have created a life you are proud of then you are less emotionally needy. You can go to the next relationship feeling more secure with yourself because you have made accomplishments in your life without the help of a significant other. Once you are happy with self and feel that you truly have it “going on” then you are ready to allow love in your life again. In the past when I have felt the most content in my life is when romance has come to me.
Today I challenge you if you are between relationships to start working on you and start working on your dreams. I guarantee that once you are at peace with yourself then you will be ready for the relationship made in heaven.
About The Author
Rondell Demmings refers to herself as a Vision Coach. She assist individuals in envisioning the life that they want to live and then taking the action to make that vision a reality. After living a life that was not authentic to her, she took steps to create the life she wanted to live. After eighteen years of Federal Employment she walked away from her good paying job to pursue her dream of being a coach. She specializes in personal growth, self-awareness and life transformation. Through her program “How to Get Your Groove Back” conducted on an individual or group basis, she motivates individuals to make positive changes in their life and to live a life that is authentic to self. She also assists home-based psychic/tarot readers in building clients and profits through marketing, training and consulting.
Contact her for a free 45-minute coaching session.
Email: Rondell@visionsilluminated.com
Website: http://www.visionsilluminated.com
Phone: 216-478-0302 or 1-877-869-0306
Its Your Dream – Are You Using The One-Two Punch?
Have you ever noticed? There are some people who seem to know exactly what they want and how to get it. They move toward their targets with precision, and appear to achieve easily without goals or planning. They have a narrowed focus and motivation, reasons for doing what they do. They don’t even have a set of written goals, yet they move through life attaining what they go after.
Then, there are some of us that need the strategies, the written goals and plans of action, and great role models to follow. Neither is good or bad, right or wrong. There are just different needs for different people. This article is for those of us who need the latter.
What’s your dream? What goals do you have? What is it that you absolutely must have, or do, or be?
There are two steps that are supremely important to getting what you want in life.
Step One – Have you defined specifically what you want? Choose a goal that inspires you to go for it, a goal so large that when you get it, you automatically get all the other things you want in life. Have no conflicting goals, have all of them congruent with your definite major purpose in life. Make the chase exciting. The momentum will literally pull you forward to your goal. You will be on Autopilot! One Focus To Success!
Is it a car, a boat, a house, a travel vacation, a summer cottage, a great job, a new business, a relationship, a close family, more friends, better health, more energy, lose weight, run a marathon, have great clothes, make more money, be rich, just get the bills paid every month, be debt free, have more confidence, be happy, play pro sports, go to the Olympics . . . ? You know what you want, don’t you?
What do you want? Will it stretch you to capacity in order to get it? Do you have to improve somewhere? Are you excited about the prospect of having it in your life? Do you expect to get it? Positive expectation is vital to the achievement of your dream.
Do you seem overwhelmed, a little intimidated by the size of your dream? Unsure if you can do it? Many people that have attempted something great, have had their doubts at times. This is when powerful emotional reasons will blow you right on past these and enable you to take action again.
You can break it down into bite size pieces. Break it down into small actionable steps that will incrementally bring you to the desired outcome. Move forward daily and enjoy each small success. Decide to persist until . . . And you will get there! Remember that you can and you will achieve what you want! Only the timing and the strategy may vary. Believe and know this is true.
Step Two – Whatever it is that you want, you must want it with all your heart. it must be your ‘want’, not someone else’s. There must not be any conflicting feelings. By the way, logical reasons are helpful, but emotional reasons are absolutely the most powerful. If you have enough Why, the How will take care of itself! You will move mountains to get there.
“Your reasons why” must move you to action. It must make it easier to go for it than not. They are what will drive you when times get tough. Have a bunch of them! You must sell yourself on your goals’ merits. You must “fall” in love with it. Have you been, or are you in love with someone? If so, then you know that your mind is occupied constantly with your love. This is the feeling you must cultivate in order to get what you want.
You wake up thinking about it, you go to bed thinking about it, you think about it all day, how you can do more, be more, have more, give more, etc.
Sell yourself and Sell hard! If you can’t come up with good reasons, then make up some reasons to go forward. Act as if and soon you will believe what you tell yourself. Your body will become congruent with the dominant thoughts you keep in your mind. Remember that you can only focus on one thought at a time. Make it the one that will spur you on. You have direct and absolute control of your thoughts, if some negative sneaks in, feel it, evaluate it, and then move on.
These two steps in the goal making process are absolutely vital to your successfully achieving what you want. By spending the proper amount of time on them, you will be light years ahead of the average person, and you will find that getting what you want seems almost effortless. Invest as much time as you need to crank up the desire to a white hot, burning obsession. Do not move onto the next step until you have powerful emotion behind your decision. You will love the Journey. Good Luck!
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Exercise:
Clarify What You Want and Turn Up The Volume!
Take out a clean sheet of paper or use your journal if you keep one. Pick one thing that you want to have in your life, Start small, but make it something that up until now has eluded your grasp. Be specific. Write it down.
Why do you want this? Write down all the reasons you want and need this in your life. Brainstorm, write rapidly everything that comes to your mind. You can edit later. The more reasons you can come up with will determine to a great extent how voraciously you go after what you want.
Keep this paper with you and review it several times each day. Add more reasons as you come across them. Feel how badly you want and need to have this! Think about it constantly, and continually remind yourself that you will do whatever it takes. Take as much time as you need to gather as many reasons to push forward.
Then, do this exercise with another goal. Make sure that your goals are in alignment with each other, and build momentum when put together.
When you have enough reasons internalized and your desire burns hot, then, and only then, move to the next step. PLANNING
More on the “How To” later. That’s a whole other story.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Al Smith writes for and publishes The Realgoalgetter Blog, The Realgoalgetter Ezine and The Realgoalgetter Website. His articles deal with goal setting, self improvement, and motivation. Subscribe FREE to The Realgoalgetter Ezine at: http://www.realgoalgetter.com/ezines/
