Debra Moorhead . com

I’m writing today from Seattle, Washington where the sun is shining but the rain continues to come down!  I am so excited to be here as this is my first trip to Seattle.

As I was preparing for my trip yesterday, I realized that I have never shared with you my master packing secrets.  My husband gave up several years ago on trying to help me pack; I have this process down to a science and he simply cannot keep up.  I’m sure it will shock all of my regular readers that I use . . . a list.   

In addition to my list, which you’ll be able to download in a few seconds, here are my top success secrets for perfect packing.

1. Work from a list.  I created this list several years ago after getting tired of arriving at my destination without such necessities as, for example, a hair dryer, shoes to go with my most important outfit, and even underwear!  It’s in Microsoft Excel format and please change it to meet your needs.  I add to it as I see fit and will make temporary changes to it for special trips.  It is very comprehensive – which is exactly what you need.
2. Check the weather forecast for your destination prior to planning your wardrobe.  This will help eliminate trying to take too much “just in case.”  On this trip, the woman seated next to me on the plane had packed all shorts.  Seattle this week is expecting highs in the upper 60’s to low 70’s.  When the flight attendant mentioned being able to enjoy the cooler weather, the woman started to panic.  I, on the other hand, came prepared with spring outfits that include jackets.  I used our local forecast website but you can always use weather.com.
3. Use organizers.  My husband and I both have organizers for our toiletries.  It may seem like they add extra bulk to your suitcase, but they really do help the packing process.  You get used to using them and then you notice if something is missing.  It also helps when you’re settling in at the hotel because everything is located in one bag instead of all over your suitcase.  And if that bottle of shampoo decides to start leaking mid-flight, the organizer offers protection for your clothing as well.  I tried to find the one I use online, but it’s no longer available.  There are plenty of others to choose from, however, so happy shopping.
4. Use tissue paper.  You know how when you buy clothing items at nice stores they almost always nowadays wrap them in tissue paper?  Hang on to it to use when you travel.  I also buy extra at Christmas time (when it’s on sale) for this purpose.  Putting a layer of tissue in between your clothing greatly reduces wrinkling.  The tissue prevents the fibers of the clothing from rubbing together, which is what causes the wrinkling in the first place.  Try it – it works!
5. “Hang” as much as possible.  We have one suitcase that allows items to be hung inside for easy folding and removal.  Be sure to use hangers that are fairly flexible.  The reason I like this option is that once we arrive at the hotel, all I have to do is take the items straight from the suitcase to the closet.  I’ve even folded things neatly in suitcases that did not have this option and it worked just fine.  As long as you pack enough items around them so that they stay put, using tissue paper if necessary.
6. Think square.  For items that do not lend themselves to hanging, lay all of the items out, one on top of the other with tissue paper in between, then fold everything into a square.  Here are a couple of examples:  Pants – put them all together, with the tissue paper in between each pair, then fold in half or into thirds, depending upon the size of your suitcase.   Long-sleeved tops, blouses, and shirts – lay them out with the longest sleeves on the bottom, put tissue paper in between.  Fold the sleeves in first, then fold in half horizontally.  This size “block” always works with my suitcases, but you might need to work with it until it’s just right for you.
7. Treat yourself.  This might seem like a lot of work at first, but once you get your system down, it will work wonderfully for you.  I’ve learned that I pack a whole lot less and get a lot more of what I want in that suitcase.  I even pack little extras like my favorite English Breakfast tea and sugar so that I have the comforts of home!

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GET CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE NOW   If you’d like to read all my latest success tips and how I’ve applied 20 years of solid business principles and the law of attraction to acquiring the life of my dreams, and am helping others do the same, you’ll want your own copy of Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment.  It comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”  Both are downloadable, so you get them immediately, pay no shipping, and it’s only $19.95.

The path to manifestation begins with a crystal clear decision about what it is that you want.  Your manifestations will be unclear until you make such a determination about your desires – it’s impossible not to do so, since not picking something is a choice.

–Doreen Virtue in her book, Daily Guidance from Your Angels

Probably one of the largest sources of confusion in regard to the law of attraction and manifesting desires is that of knowing what we want in the first place.  Every time I lead a seminar, I have people tell me they don’t know what they want.  I understand that dilemma and I think everyone has been there at some point during their lifetime.

Part of the problem is that we want everything:  adventure as well as safety; opportunity and security; solitude and community; fame and privacy; change and stability; money and ease; and I’m sure you can add your own.

Many people stay in that place of never making a firm decision using the excuse that they want to “go with the flow” or “just accept destiny.”  Many people believe that the life they live is pre-determined.  Of course, if that’s what you choose to believe, then it is.  Just don’t complain when you don’t like the “cards you’re dealt,” or the results you end up with when going with the flow.  It’s like Doreen says, “. . . not picking something is a choice.”

Every once in a while, at least once per year, it’s a good idea to take some time to reflect on your long-term goals.  If you’ve been focusing on these goals daily, or at least weekly, you could find yourself attempting to acquire something you no longer want.  Sometimes we get into the specifics of a particular desire and decide we’re not willing to put forth the action necessary to successfully realize its accomplishment.  I often hear, “I want to make money, but I don’t want to work.”

The contradiction in that statement is so obvious to me now on so many levels I sometimes find it difficult to explain.  Old-style motivational gurus would tell you that you can’t have one without the other.  In many ways, they are accurate.  But it goes deeper than that. 

New Age philosophers would tell you that you need to work on your belief system – that there are ways of making money without working for it and you just need to tap into what the universe sends you in the way of opportunities.  The problem with that is when people spend their savings on get-rich-quick schemes they find on the internet.  And, it’s much deeper than that.

The latest “law of attraction teachers” tell us to find ways of “adding value” to the universe and we will be compensated gloriously.  I’ve tried that.  It seems to be taking an awfully long time!

Abraham will tell you to put your intention out in the form of “I want to find ways of making money that are compatible with me.”  That will work, but it still goes deeper. 

At some point when deciding what it is you truly want, you must make a decision as to the heart of your desire.  You must remove the contradiction by focusing on it until it no longer contradicts.  This is a little deeper than I normally go with the law of attraction, so let me give you an example.

“I want to make money, but I don’t want to work.”  What you’re really saying is, “I can’t have what I want because I believe that I don’t want it badly enough to do something that would make me uncomfortable.” 

The first thing you need to do is change your thought pattern to, “I can have whatever I truly want.”

The question I use in seminars to get around the contradiction is, “If money were no object, what would you do?”  (I’m sure you’ve heard that one before.)

So the participant will answer with something like, “teach.  I want to be a teacher.”

I’ll respond with, “And teachers don’t make money?”

“Well, not the kind of money I want to make.” (Participant)

Me:  “Okay, but right now you’re not making anything, and you’re not teaching.”

Participant:  “I’ve never thought of it that way before.  So you think I should pursue a teaching career?”

Me:  “How much money do you think teachers earn?”

The participant usually has a pretty good idea and responds appropriately.  Then I’ll say, “Would $30,000 per year make a difference in your life right now?”

Participant:  “Yes, it would.”

Me: “What was the question?”

All of a sudden this participant has a purpose, a direction, a path, and by the end of the seminar, a plan for action.

Whatever it is that you’ve been wanting but is not manifesting into your experience, take a moment to write out your statement of desire and look for contradiction.  More than likely, it will be there. 

Then ask yourself the question, “If _______ were not an issue, what would I do?”

The answer might surprise you, but then continue from there.  I use this process a lot and it helps, but it works best when I’m helping others – so enlist a friend if necessary. 

Start making crystal clear choices about your desires.  It’s okay if you don’t know how to reach the goal or what specific actions to take.  Focus on the overarching dream and the steps will come to you.  Getting the contradiction out of the way is the first step.

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GET CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE NOW   If you’d like to read all my latest success tips and how I’ve applied 20 years of solid business principles and the law of attraction to acquiring the life of my dreams, and am helping others do the same, you’ll want your own copy of Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment.  It comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”  Both are downloadable, so you get them immediately, pay no shipping, and it’s only $19.95.

Do you ever feel like you’re on the bicycle of life?  Just peddling along hoping that you’ll soon be able to stop and take a break?  Not really sure where the next rest stop is, or where your final destination is?  Right now, it really doesn’t matter because there’s nothing available here and you know you’ve just got to keep peddling?  Hoping to end up somewhere nice?  Hoping someone will come along and rescue you?

Have you ever worked toward a goal, and then realized a few months later that you somehow got sidetracked?  You got so busy “putting out fires” that the flames became your focus and you now you see nothing but smoke?

Wouldn’t it be great if we could find a way to put an “X” on the one thing, the main obstacle that holds us back from accomplishing our biggest goals and realizing our dreams?  Wouldn’t it be great if we could identify what that is so that we can eliminate it and get back on track?

I can do that for you today.  No, I’m not going to charge you any money.  Are you ready?

It’s you.

You are the biggest obstacle to your success.  You are what is holding you back. 

It’s not life, it’s not tough breaks, it’s not your destiny to struggle.  It’s just you.

The good news is, as I wrote in my last post, if you’re the problem, you’re also the solution.  Here are the three key areas where you are in your own way, and some suggestions on how to resolve the problem of you.

1. Control your attitude.  I’m tired of saying, “control your thoughts.”  Besides, most people misinterpret what that means.  It’s not so much that you need to never have a negative thought again, which is how some people think of control, but more about what you do when you have that moment of self-doubt.  The most popular comment I hear in my career development seminars is, “Well, I started to go after my goal, but then I had this thought that said . . .”  Sometimes the thought comes from a family member or well-meaning friend who is trying to protect you, but it is always the fact that you listened to that thought and allowed the fear to manifest that held you back, keeping you on the bicycle. The only way off the bicycle, is to stop peddling.  Eventually, you will lose your balance, and you will have to stop.  Stop listening to thoughts, friends, and relatives who want you to keep doing what you’re doing because you’re serving their purposes.
2. Control your actions.  Have you ever acted without thinking first?  Everyone has some kind of story about how, “I didn’t even realize I was doing it – it just happened.”   Most of our habits are performed without thinking, in fact, most people believe that’s what a habit is – something you do without thinking about it.  Wouldn’t it make sense, then, to form good habits?  In the post, The Beauty of Rituals, I discuss my method for getting myself going in the morning.  I’ve had many people e-mail me or tell me in person how much that post changed their lives.  And each person came up with dramatically different rituals, but the results were the same – life enhancing!
3. Live in the present moment, but stay future focused.  Knowing that you’re living your future right now is a happy thought if you know that what you’re doing in this very moment is leading to your ultimate goals and dream life.  Is it?  Do you know where you’re going on this bicycle ride?  If you’re on the bicycle and know where you’re going and that your path has a purpose, it’s an excellent ride.  But if you’re in the middle of nowhere, and you haven’t planned your final destination - you’re just riding around, stopping to take rest wherever there’s an opportunity - after a while, you begin to get distraught.  Then you think, “Why didn’t I plan this trip?”

In his book, Get Out of Your Own Way: The 5 Keys to Surpassing Everyone’s Expectations , Dr. Robert Cooper explains this about the human brain:

Under any kind of stress, the loudest signals your brain sends are about what’s happening right at this moment and how to survive it.  Anything that’s not immediately critical – such as moving toward your longer-term goals – gets drowned out.

Don’t let that happen to you.  Take control by planning ahead, and then deciding in each moment what is important for right now.  You’ll be amazed at how much this will change your life.  But if you don’t take time to think about it, you’ll simply react and stay on the bicycle.

You can subscribe to this blog here.

GET CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE NOW   If you’d like to read all my latest success tips and how I’ve applied 20 years of solid business principles and the law of attraction to acquiring the life of my dreams, and am helping others do the same, you’ll want your own copy of Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment.  It comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”  Both are downloadable, so you get them immediately, pay no shipping, and it’s only $19.95.

One of the most important personal decisions you can make on your road to success is to accept complete responsibility for everything you are and are currently experiencing, as well as everything you will ever become or experience.  This acknowledgement has been the defining moment for many successful people throughout history.  Personal responsibility is the paramount trait of leadership and the main source of high performance in every person and in every situation.  Let’s take a look at what it means to accept complete responsibility.

When you blame others for anything in your life that you’re not happy about, you’re giving them the power to create (or destroy) your happiness.  Accepting responsibility means that you refuse, even if it’s from this moment on, to criticize or blame others for any reason.  When you accept full responsibility for a situation, it means you have the power to create the solution.  Most of the time, you do that anyway, don’t you?  Start taking credit for all of your wonderful ideas by taking responsibility when things go awry.  From now on, no matter what happens, say to yourself, “I am responsible.”  It goes like this:

• I am responsible for this situation.
• I am responsible for my happiness.
• I am responsible for my well-being.
• I am responsible for my children’s well-being.  (Assuming they’re not adults.)
• I am responsible for performing well on my job.
• I am responsible for making my own way.
• I am responsible for providing for my family.
• I am responsible for my health.
• I am responsible for my energy.
• I am responsible for my growth in every area of my life.

Starting to get the picture?  Just saying these things to yourself and resolving to make them come true will increase your self-esteem.  When your self-esteem goes up, you accomplish more.  When you accomplish more, you feel more successful.  When you feel successful, you become successful.

For any part of your life that you are not happy with right now, say, “I am responsible for . . .” and complete the sentence in whatever manner makes sense to you.  Isn’t that empowering?  Even if you don’t know how you’re going to change things, just accepting the responsibility makes you feel better about it.

Steve Chandler calls this “making yourself the problem.”  Because when you’re the problem, you’re also the solution.  This analogy caused a major shift in my attitude several years ago.  I had all of these perceived problems that I was blaming on everyone else.  I felt powerless.  Once I accepted complete responsibility for my life and every aspect of it, even the parts I previously thought I had no control over, my life got better.

After I accepted responsibility and started to feel empowered, I first solved all my immediate problems.  Then I started creating my life.  In hindsight, I was powerless to create my life before accepting full responsibility for it since, after all, everything was everyone else’s fault.  I was giving everyone else power to create my life for me.  When they didn’t do it the way I wanted, (and they more than likely never will, by the way), I took charge.

Taking charge of your life by accepting full responsibility for everything that happens to you is the key to high self-esteem, self-respect, and personal achievement.  It is a very powerful feeling, and all you have to do to get it, is resolve to do so. 

You can subscribe to this blog here.

GET CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE NOW   If you’d like to read all my latest success tips and how I’ve applied 20 years of solid business principles and the law of attraction to acquiring the life of my dreams, and am helping others do the same, you’ll want your own copy of Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment.  It comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”  Both are downloadable, so you get them immediately, pay no shipping, and it’s only $19.95.

Have you ever wondered why successful people seem to be so good at what they do?  Think about this for a moment.  Does excellence follow success, or does success follow excellence?  In reality, the two go hand-in-hand.  Let me explain.

We can all spout off names of famous people who completely lucked into their success.  Likewise, we can all think of people who lost their stature by not maintaining excellence in their field.  I want to throw these two groups out of the mix for a moment, forget about naming names, and think about real people you know who are successful.

Successful people are known for being excellent in their field of endeavor.  If you were to ask them how they became so successful, you would get an answer similar to the following:  “I simply worked hard and never gave up.”  Even they can sometimes not put a finger on their success because the truth comes so naturally to them they overlook it.  The real reason successful people are successful is because they committed to excellence at some point (usually early on) in their career.

Now you’re probably saying, “Okay, great, Debra.  But how do I do that?  How do I become excellent when I feel overwhelmed and like I have too much to do already?”

Here are 7 ways to develop an excellence orientation:

1. Decide what you want.  Most people are focused in too many directions and that is what makes you feel overwhelmed.  It’s okay to have lots of goals and many things that you want.  But what is the one thing, the most important thing that, if you accomplished it, would lead to all your other goals?  Focus on that, and commit to becoming excellent and get out there and do the things you need to do to make that goal happen.  Brian Tracy says this:  “Life is very much like a buffet line.  Life is self-serve.  Nobody brings it to you.  You cannot sit at the table and bang your knife and fork for service.  You have to get up, accept responsibility, and serve yourself.”
2. Plan everything.  Plan your day, your week, your month, your year, the next five years, and the rest of your life.  Commitment to excellence means that you are willing to take the time necessary to make sure it happens.  The only way to do that is to set time aside for becoming excellent.  The only way to do that is to plan.  It doesn’t have to be a rigid plan, but something that you will stick to – excellence requires commitment.
3. Educate yourself.  Take courses, seminars, read books, magazines, whatever you can to constantly educate yourself in your field.  The highest paid professionals in America read 2-3 hours per day in their chosen field.  If you just committed one hour per day to this endeavor you would see a huge benefit in your career.  If you’ve read everything for the time being in your chosen career, attend a motivational seminar.  I’ll talk more about that in a moment.
4. Commit to personal development.  There are many websites now that offer success tips on how to develop yourself on a personal level.  Whatever skill or quality you feel you lacking, do a Google search on it and you’ll find tons of resources.  If you’re shy, there are ways to “overcome it” or at least ways to make sure no one would ever know.  My new friend Stoney revealed during our last visit that she is painfully shy.  We were all shocked!  She has learned ways to get herself out there because she knew it was important to her overall success in life.  She still, on the inside, feels shy.  So she can’t really say that she “overcame” the condition.  Maybe that’s where a lot of people go wrong:  we think that the insecurity will go away, that we are supposed to overcome our weaknesses.  In reality, all we have to do is act in spite of them.  As Dr. Susan Jeffers says in her famous book – “Feel the fear and do it anyway.” 
5. Commit to career development.  You might need to spend some of your own money to invest in your career skills.  Do it.  Your employer is not necessarily responsible for educating you.  I heard Jeffrey Gitomer speak last year at the National Speakers Association meeting.  He’s a very dynamic speaker with a background in sales.  He commented that he gets tired of hearing salespeople whine about things like, “They won’t buy me a computer, they won’t give me this, or send me to this training,” etc.  He says buy your own laptop, supplies, and train yourself.  Your can take your laptop with you when you walk out the door.  Training and just about everything else is the same way.  He goes as far as to say that if your company won’t give you an office and you believe you really need an office, set up shop somewhere close to your company – that’s right – pay rent to have your own office!  I agree with him.  I’ve heard women complain and say that if the company wants them to dress better, the company needs to pay them more.  What these women don’t realize, is that by not dressing the way company management wants with their current salary, they are shooting themselves in the foot.  In my experience, employers have only one word for employees who cause trouble at every turn, and that word is – replaceable. 
6. Develop self-discipline.  Doing what you need and should do when you need to do it is one of the most important skills you can develop.  Planning helps this process but the two go hand-in-hand really.  You need self-discipline in order to create and execute your plan, and planning will help you increase your self-discipline.  Again, there are many websites devoted to this topic.  One of my favorite articles is Self Discipline by Steve Pavlina.
7. Stay motivated.  Everyone has times when they want to give up.  When you’re facing challenges and having that feeling of, it’s just not meant to be, or, it’s not working out as I’d planned, maybe I don’t want this after all.  Remember your mission.  If what you’re getting ready to give up on is directly related to your mission, you’ve got to do something to re-motivate yourself.  Read a book, attend a seminar, buy a CD series to listen to in your car, something, anything, to get yourself back on track.  The biggest difference between successful people and non-successful people is that successful people have ways “in the ready” to motivate themselves when they need it.  When things are going well, it’s easy to say, Oh, I won’t need motivation, I’m inspired.   I love my work.  But then other things arise that you didn’t plan or think about ahead of time, or things occur that you had no clue about and “the going gets tough.”  If you take the time to seek out resources that you like ahead of time, before these things occur, you’ll have what you need when you need it.  By the way, it’s also okay to attend a motivational session when you’re feeling good – it just gives you more momentum.  I’ve heard many successful people tout the benefits of attending at least one motivational seminar per month.  If you live in a city and have the funds to do so, that’s an excellent idea.  For me, where I live in rural America, I take at least one day per month to read my favorite motivational authors.  That’s all I do on that day for at least 8 hours.  I also have disciplined myself to read one new motivational book per month, and one old one.  Why one old one?  Because I can always go deeper into that particular subject.  The first time I read a book, I see what I’m ready to see.  The second time through, I get different ideas and concepts, and the same is true for the third and fourth times I read a book.  I have books in my library that I have now read 7 or 8 times, yet still get freshly inspired ideas every time I pull them out.  I’m in a different place in my life every time I read them – so I see something new and interesting.

Become successful, and you’ll have the means and desire to continue to develop excellence.  Success and excellence go hand-in-hand.  So if you’re not already successful, cultivate your excellence. When you commit to excellence in your career and life, success is sure to follow.

You can subscribe to this blog here.

GET CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE NOW   If you’d like to read all my latest success tips and how I’ve applied 20 years of solid business principles and the law of attraction to acquiring the life of my dreams, and am helping others do the same, you’ll want your own copy of Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment.  It comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”  Both are downloadable, so you get them immediately, pay no shipping, and it’s only $19.95.

I’m not a medical doctor, but I am a very healthy individual.  By now, you’ve probably heard of the “mind-body connection,” enough to realize that there has to be some truth to it.  You may have even experienced evidence of the fact that when you think healthy thoughts, you feel, and therefore become, healthier.

Here are some ways I’ve found to maintain and improve our physical wellbeing.

1. Create your ideal day and follow it.  If you want to spend more time with your family, do that.  If you’d like to spend less time with complaining co-workers, do that.  It all starts in the imagination.  Imagine it, then live it.
2. Learn to communicate effectively.  Knowing how to confront issues in a healthy and positive way will allow you to resolve conflicts in an efficient manner. This one skill, once achieved would virtually eliminate the majority of stress.  Lower stress equals a healthier life.
3. Get help when you need it.  When you’re feeling overwhelmed, look for opportunities to delegate.  That can mean anything from letting the cleaners press your shirts to hiring a full-time assistant.  When someone asks if they can do something to lighten your load, let them!  Eat out.  Hire someone else to mow the yard.  Use your leverage.
4. Save time for resting and relaxing.  No, you don’t have to sit on the couch and watch TV.  Choose anything you like to do that gets your mind off of work-related activities.  This serves two purposes; one, getting your mind off of negative thoughts and emotions helps to put a better perspective on things and raises your vibration, and two, getting your mind even off of positive work-related thoughts helps the creative juices to flow more freely.  Participating in uplifting activities will improve your health in many ways.
5. Know that you are important.  Whether you are a mother, father, spouse, employee, boss, manager, community volunteer, or a combination of many of those things, you have an important role to fulfill.  We all need to feel needed.  Knowing that we make a difference improves our immune system and increases our self-esteem.
6. Give and receive love.  If you’re single, get a pet.  Or volunteer to help others.  We need social interaction every day.  And while we’re on the subject of love, remember to love yourself!  People who have a healthy perspective of who they are, where they’re going, and why they’re performing certain tasks live longer and have healthy bodies.  So love, love, love.
7. Get some exercise, every day.  Just a 20-minute walk, in nature or a park if possible, will greatly increase your energy level and help you feel better about your life.  Walking helps with sleep issues and increases immunity to certain diseases.  Walking with a smile on your face increases the health benefits exponentially!
8. Eat healthful foods.  And keep your calories at a healthy limit.  Being overweight decreases your energy level and often, your self-esteem.  And it’s not just a societal issue, either.  There’s something about carrying around extra, unwanted pounds that makes us feel “down.”  You don’t have to be stick thin or a size 8, you just need to feel good.  Do whatever it takes to make that happen.
9. Keep a journal.  And if you do it in this manner, your immune system will remain at its highest level, for as long as you can read, or hear well enough to have someone read to you!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

GET CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE NOW   If you’d like to read all my latest success tips and how I’ve applied 20 years of solid business principles and the law of attraction to acquiring the life of my dreams, and am helping others do the same, you’ll want your own copy of Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment.  It comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”  Both are downloadable, so you get them immediately, pay no shipping, and it’s only $19.95.

One of the most powerful tools successful people use on a regular basis is leverage.  Leverage means utilizing the strengths of other things, processes, and people to do a lot more than you could do alone.  Leverage helps you get the most out of yourself, because you free up your time to work on the activities that are most valuable to you.

The famous Greek mathematician, Archimedes, said:

“Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand, and I can move the world.”

If it’s time to move your world, here are five ways you can utilize the concept of leverage to improve your circumstances and get more of what you want out of life.

1. Learn from others. Remember having to listen to stories your parents told because they were trying to prevent you from making the same mistakes they did?  Successful people take advantage of such knowledge and wisdom wherever they can get it.  There are millions of books written by and about people who learned hard lessons in life and they put that knowledge in writing to share it with you.  Take courses, go to seminars, read magazines, do whatever you can to learn from others’ failures, and successes.  Join the professional organization for your field and attend their conferences.  I can’t even begin to tell you how much time, effort, energy and money I saved by joining the National Speakers’ Association, and there are many others who share the same sentiment. 
2. Outsource.  Use the energy and knowledge of other people to make your life easier.  This might mean hiring someone to clean your house, getting the dry cleaners to press some shirts, hiring a technical writer to prepare some necessary documentation you need, etc.  Most of use could leverage others’ businesses and energy and enjoy a lot more time off, or more productive time.  Your bottom 20 activities, those things you really don’t like to do or that just don’t contribute to your productivity should definitely be outsourced.
3. Utilize investment funding.  Your ability to borrow and tap into the financial resources of other people and institutions can enable you to accomplish many great things that would not be possible if you had to pay for them out of your own resources.  Always be looking for opportunities to borrow and invest money and achieve returns well beyond the cost of that money.  This requires planning and research, but the benefits are huge.
4. Make use of untapped brilliance.  One good idea is all you need to start a fortune.  Listen to others’ ideas when you are at parties and listen for things that, combined with your talent and resources, are viable business ideas.  In his seminars, Brian Tracy likes to point out that there are many examples throughout history where someone had an idea, expressed the concept of that idea at a social event, then a year later noticed that someone had produced the product or launched the business.  If you have such an idea, act on it.  If you hear of one, act on that as well.  I’m not talking about stealing someone else’s business plan, here.  I’m sure you’ve been out with friends before who thought of things that should be developed or you’ve heard comments like, “Someone should invent . . .”
5. Work “the system.”  The social networking system, that is.  If we are six degrees of separation from anyone in the world, then we are just six degrees away from the perfect resource.  Whatever it is you need to make your life more profitable and enjoyable, you know someone who knows someone who knows someone who can help you.  Make the most of all social events by getting to know someone knew.  It does you no good whatsoever to meet 30 new people whom you’ll never remember, nor will remember you.  But make one or two good contacts, and your power of leverage will increase.

Leverage is power, strength, and intelligence.  Begin today to utilize the leverage that’s available to you, and you’ll be amazed at the results in your career, and your life.

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One of the first comments I routinely hear in my Career Development seminar is, “I want to be more successful, but I’m not one of those ‘planning’ types.  I believe in just going with the flow.  I wanna see where life takes me.” 

This paradigm is very common - we tend to think most subjects are all or nothing - one way or the other.  Have you ever thought about the possibility that it’s not about one versus the other, but rather a wonderful balance of the two?  Let me give you a personal example of what I’m talking about.

I live a very inspired life.  I flow from moment to moment relying upon my inner being, or true self, to divinely guide me as to the best action to take in each moment.

I bet that comes as a shock to many of my readers. 

I also live a very planned life.  I plan my day, week, week-end, month, quarter, year, next five years, ten years, and even further down the road.

Confused?  Keep reading.

You see, I envision what I want.  I focus on the kind of life I want to live.  I visualize my dream home, the amount of money I want to make and accumulate, and the type of work I want to do.  Then, I live that.  I am a very deliberate creator.  Let me give you some examples of exactly how I go about achieving this.

First, I decide what I want.  Yes, it changes, and quite often as a matter of fact.  Some things remain constant, though. 

Once I’ve decided what I want I write it down.  I keep a special journal with each of my goals written on a separate page.  With each goal I have a sort of “deadline,” or more accurately, a time frame within which I would like to realize its accomplishment.

Next, I work my way backwards from these target dates, listing each step as much as is possible from my current perspective.  I don’t always know each step, so I just list what I know right now and trust that the rest will be revealed to me at the proper time.  (Are you starting to get a feel for where inspiration comes in?  Hint, hint.)

Then I pull out my Franklin planner and add the action required in the appropriate weekly/monthly time slots.

Before I do my weekly planning, I review my goals and make sure any necessary action has a time slot assigned to it.  This process feels slightly intuitive for me at this point, but I’m not necessarily receiving any divine guidance during the process.  The most important aspect of weekly planning is that it helps to identify areas where I am over-committed, or not focusing on my top 20.  I do a quick check to make sure that at least 24 hours of my time will be spent on my top payoff activities.

At the end of each evening, I review what I’ve listed as action items for the next day.  I take just a few minutes, and I’m talking 2-3 minutes, to visualize how I want the day to “play out.”  I like everything to flow in an easy and relaxed manner. I make a tentative schedule in my mind of how the day will run.  I don’t think of it in terms of an hourly time.  In other words, I do not sit and think, “I will get up at 6 AM, start writing at 7, drive to Maysville at 8:30, eat lunch at Noon,” or anything like that.  I think more in terms of, “I like to write first thing in the morning and I know I need about 90 minutes, so I’ll start at 7 AM.  I’ll leave for Maysville at 8:30 so that I have plenty of time to allow for traffic.  I expect everything in my seminar to flow smoothly.  After lunch I’ll work on my website and submit some posts to the carnivals.  Then I’ll fix dinner, have a nice relaxing dinner with BJ, and then water the garden.”

All of my major goals are addressed.  Now, here is where things start to get interesting.

Once my day has started, I very quickly start tuning in to my higher self.  You know what it’s like – you get an e-mail or a phone call from someone demanding immediate attention.  Or a new opportunity arises and you know you need to act on it now.  Whatev