Category: Be Your Own Boss

    Why Self Reliance is So Important




    There is plenty advice out there that tells us how to become more self-reliant and this alone might be something of an indicator that this is a desirable trait. But just what is it that makes being self-reliant so important and so crucial? Why is this such an important trait and who stands to benefit from it? Let’s take a look at some of the top reasons to develop self-reliance and to make it a priority in your life…

    Experiences

    Say you’ve always wanted to visit Hong Kong but no one will go with you… what do you do? If you are someone who is highly self-reliant then the answer will be to simply go alone and to have that experience anyway. On the other hand though, if you need other people to come with you, then you may find that you simply end up not going and that you never had that experience as a result.

    Skills

    The self-reliant person is someone who deals with their own boiler when it breaks and who may even try to repair their own car when it fails to start. In other words, the self-reliant person is someone who is very capable and that’s because their first impulse is to solve problems themselves rather than get someone else to. As a result, self-reliant people are more practical, capable and impressive than their reliant counterparts!

    Relationships

    Many people think that good relationships are defined by the time you spend with someone. Often though, the reverse is true and it’s actually the time you spend apart that will define how likely a couple is to make it. The reason for this is that being independent gives you more individual experiences and stories and so more to talk about. What’s more, being independent ensures no one becomes clingy or possessive and no one becomes resentful. To be happy with others, you must first learn to be happy alone.

    Free

    Ultimately, you need to be self-reliant and independent in order to be truly free. If you are only ever to do things with the help of others then that leaves you at their mercy. Being truly free means being able to drop anything and go travelling tomorrow if you decide to… and even with all the money in the world that requires a kind of self-reliance that many people never achieve.

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    What is Self-Reliance




    The idea of self-reliance is a broad one and one that covers many different concepts. Everyone has a slightly different idea of what constitutes self-reliance and there are many different types of self-reliance that apply more in different situations.
    You can be self-reliant in that you don’t need the accolades of other people, you can be self-reliant in that you are able to do things on your own without becoming lonely or bored and you can be self-reliant in as much as you’re able to solve problems without help. Self-reliance is none of these things and all of these things and as such, none of us are probably truly self-reliant though most of us strive to be more so in various areas of life.

    Read on and we’ll look at some of the different ways in which you can be self-reliant and some of the forms it takes.

    Independence

    Independence means being able to do things on your own, without needing the encouragement or the company of others. This means that you do things because you want to do them, without necessarily needing an escort or even someone to share that time with. This is a valuable trait because it means your options aren’t limited by what other people are willing to do with you.
    Many people struggle with independence and feel the need to be constantly with friends or to spend all their time with a partner. If you do this too much you can eventually end up losing your own identity.

    Resourcefulness

    Resourcefulness is a form self-reliance in as much as it helps you to cope in situations where the chips are down. This means being able to draw on a limited pool of options and still come up with a satisfactory solution.

    Financial Independence

    Financial independence means not relying on an employer or anyone else for your income. Most of us are financially dependent to at least some degree but simply having savings and the ability to gain alternative income makes you much freer.

    Self-Starting

    Being a self-starter means that you are self-motivated and able to drive yourself to achieve the things you want to achieve. Entrepreneurs are the perfect examples of self-starters as they motivate themselves to work without needing a boss. Being a self-starter gives you the ability thus to forge your own path.

    Capable

    Being self-reliant means being able to fix your car engine or take out the trash. It means not relying on someone else to do things and thus being ready for almost any situation.

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    Self-Reliance – A Valuable Trait Belonging to the Introverted




    We live in a society that very much seems to value and even prefer the extrovert. The extrovert is someone who is outgoing, talkative and who likes spending time with people. These are ‘people people’ and they are the ones who enjoy socializing and being the center of attention.
    Introverts meanwhile are the wall-flowers and the ones who are happy to sit quietly with their heads in books. As a result they often get passed up for job promotions and they often miss opportunities that are presented to their more outspoken colleagues.

    But introverts have a trick up their sleeve – and that’s self-reliance.

    Understanding the Introvert

    There is a common misconception that introverts are always shy and in fact the terms ‘introvert’ and ‘shy person’ are often used synonymously. In fact though, introverts are not necessarily shy but simply prefer their own company. The idea here is that the extrovert finds it easier to get energy from social interactions, whereas the introvert needs time alone to recharge their batteries. In fact, many people say that introverts may even be more ‘sensitive’ to psychic excitement, meaning that they need less stimulation to feel energized and potentially overwhelmed.

    Introversion as an Asset

    While this might mean that the introvert prefers to work alone and perhaps doesn’t thrive as much in meetings and presentations, it is important that organizations not overlook their unique skill-

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    set. Introverts are far more likely to spend a lot of time alone and this makes them far superior independent workers as a rule. Introverts are also more likely to have new and creative ideas because they will spend a lot more time reflecting on their own thoughts. And what’s more, they’re more likely to be self-reliant.
    Being self-reliant essentially means being capable to deal with problems on your own rather than needing assistance. It also means being willing to spend time alone whether that means going travelling without friends or whether it means living alone.
    This in turn means the introvert is more used to dealing with problems on their own rather than turning to others for help. They are thus likely to be more resourceful and calmer in a given situation.
    If you are an introvert then make sure you never think of this as a detriment to your ability. Introversion is an asset, as long as you recognize the particular strengths it offers and you know how to make the most of those.

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    Beyond the Hill

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    Have you ever wondered why you keep on with your dream of your own business?
    You can see it just over the hill. You know it is a sound idea and you know there are clients out there who need what you have to give. However, when you look at how far you have gotten towards that dream versus where you thought you would be by now in your business, do you get frustrated?
    We all do.
    I’m beginning to think that human beings have always looked beyond the horizon and we make goals that no human being could do with the time, life and things that come up in our life.


    For example, I had made the goal to create a membership site and have it ready by end of June but who knew that spammers would come and violate inside WordPress so I have to slow down in my forward motion.
    I had a good frustrated, grumpy day growling at my poor husband (who knows nothing about internet and WordPress) and snapped at clients. Luckily (my husband says) I can cry and get rid of the frustration and sit down, take a deep breath and ask “okay how do I fix this?”


    Well, three days later of research and contacting busy support desks, I may have resolved this issue and I can move forward again.


    What helped was deciding “okay, yes, I have this issue but what can I do else to get closer to the dream?” So, I moved one step forward by building a sales page. There isn’t a membership site to sell but …Wow! when that membership site is built , it will be amazing and I have an awesome sales page waiting for it.
    So, when you are feeling overwhelmed with life, time and challenges hindering your progress, ask yourself, what is one step forward today even if it is just a blog post or a video or something else you can create to move you forward.

    Categories: Mindset, Positive Attitude

    Does your job make you happy?

     

    Whether you have to commute to work or you work from home, are you truly happy with what you do?  It is a sad fact that many people are desperately unhappy with their job. When you are not satisfied with your job, this can cause a multitude of problems both at work and home. 

    When i worked as a drafter in my first job, the economy was up and down so I went from job to job. In my first job, I enjoyed the people i worked with and it was great having a pay cheque.  However, when the economy got slow, there was rumor that someone would be laid off (this was the days when jobs could be lifetime). In those months, I started having stomach problems and I even went for a scan.  I never made the connection until after I had been laid off myself and the stomach pain was gone almost instantly. Your work can affect your health. 

    Everyone in the house feels your stress. You feel miserable and your body aches. 

    It might be time to make a change in your life. You can see if you can change your job or make a transfer. You could see what or who is making you unhappy at work and see how you can resolve it. Or you can take a break from the stress by taking time away from work. 

    It may not be possible for you to take time off work or even when you do take time off and upon your return, you know that there is the same situation. Once your health start deteriorating, you really need to consider a change. 

    You could:

    • see if you qualify for a re-training program 
    • try a different field in the same job or
    • try a change in location with new people can make a difference.

    Depression is rampant in middle aged men and so is the risk of suicide. The death rates in the U.S. and Canada in this age group is high and happens far more frequently than you might think. 

    If you are truly unhappy in your job then talk to your doctor and take action before it is too late. Many people have made mid-life career changes so why not you? 

    A new mindset for you would be to consider changing the way you make the money for the lifestyle you want. Why go back to a job that is killing you?  

    Stay there at your current job  for awhile while you consider taking your life into your own hands and create a business that you enjoy doing.  Have you thought about what you need for the lifestyle you want? What income will sustain you and your life? Have you ever thought about running your own business? 

    The Business of At Home Business quiz and workbook would help you look at your vision for your life and the type of business you might be interested in doing.  So download the workbook here for free!   

    Take control of your life! 

    Categories: Be Your Own Boss, Mindset Tags: Tags: , ,

    Imperfect Action is Okay!

    It seems like every day is imperfect when working on my website and my business. 

    The reason may be my higher expectations of myself rather than my actual productivity output.  I say that I will do this, this and that today but in the end, I only do one of the items. Is that really so unproductive? 
    I think that as a human race, we put expectations on ourselves that are so high only because it is natural way for human beings to be. If Madame Curie didn’t strive to understand radioactivity and radioactive isotypes where would be today in nuclear medicine.  She died from overexposure to radioactivity from the samples she carried around.
    Expectations of striving forward are what has moved the human race forward so as I like to say, Imperfect Action is better than no Action  because you are always moving forward. It may not be as fast as you wanted but as long as it is progress forward, you should give yourself a Gold Star!

    Categories: Mindset Tags: Tags: ,

    James Altucher best advice to a teenage daughter

    You can’t lead a horse to water to drink.

    This is a great article on Medium by James Altucher about families and entrepreneurship.  As he said, he was always working even when he is young. For me, I was lucky to be in a middle class family so if I wanted something like  my first camera, I did babysitting to save for it.  

    However, you can tell others what they should do but if they don’t want to do it, they won’t unless they see the value of their Return on Investment (ROI).  By investing the time and energy into going out and telling people about your service and facing the possibility of being rejected,  this can be quite an intimidating step to take for people. 

    Maybe if entrepreneurship was taught in school (it is in some schools) then young people would be more open to the idea of controlling their destiny by starting their own business. 

    For you I would recommend reading some books by entrepreneurs on starting their own business like 

    Read further on how to setup a home-based business or even what kinds of home businesses there are in the world with books like:
    Start Your Own Home Business after 50 by Robert Bly
    Start and Run a Real Home-Based Business by Dan Furman
    The Smart Woman’s Guide to Online Marketing, Power up Profits by Kathleen Gage

    and download my workbook Be Your Own Boss here to start thinking about what business you want to be in to control your own future! 

    The Best Advice Ever To A Teenage Daughter Who Needs To Make Money

    Categories: Be Your Own Boss, Mindset Tags: Tags: ,

    What’s your vision

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    What’s Your Vision for Your Life?

    Vision: Something seen in a dream; a thought, concept, or object formed by the imagination; manifestation to the senses of something immaterial; the act or power of imagination; mode of seeing or conceiving; unusual discernment or foresight; the act or power of seeing
    • Does your life reflect what you really want?
    • Do you know what you really want?
    • What is your vision for your life?

    Here’s the kicker: Our lives already reflect our vision for our life!

    The sin of omission definitely applies here. Not having a vision means your vision for your life is not to have a vision.

    We are each accountable for our current condition.

    For a full year, I was focused on writing my new book. After the completion of the project, I had not taken the time to reset my vision and goals. That left me wandering and unfocused.

    That condition is common in Olympic athletes who spend years focused on their primary goal of participating in the Olympics. When they finish their final competition and have not yet established their next steps, they may feel despondent and even sink into depression.

    The challenge for many individuals is that they focus on their current condition, not on what they want.

    If you are out of shape and all you can think about is how overweight you are, your vision for your future condition is that you are overweight.

    To get back on track, I shifted my vision about myself from being overweight and out of shape to being healthy and slim. Today, I run about 36 miles a week and work out 6 days a week for 70 minutes. I shifted my focus from what I was, to what I wanted. In other words, I created a new vision of myself.

    So what about you?
    Do you have a clear vision of what you want?

     

    Perhaps you are struggling in your relationship with your partner. You are thinking negative thoughts about the situation. Well, don’t be surprised when you experience more of the same. You must change your thoughts and vision to reflect what you want – not what you have.

    Some of you might argue with me and say, “That’s the reality of what’ going on in our relationship. I just can’t envision a healthy and loving relationship.”  Fine. Have your reality. But don’t blame anyone but yourself for it. That advice comes from someone who has a lot of experience in that particular area!

    The purpose of having vision statements for all areas of your life is not just about getting what you want. It’s also about living a fully engaged and exciting life! Individuals with no vision have much less energy and passion for life. Why? As human beings, we need direction to feel fulfilled.

    Proverbs29:18 states, Where there is no vision, the people perish.

    Technically, visions are not goals. Goals are created from visions. A vision is an active and ongoing dream that you are striving to achieve.

    • I can achieve a weight goal.
    • My vision for my health and wellness never ends. It is ongoing . . . as long as I am alive.

    I agree with Dr. Wayne Dyer in Excuses Be Gone that people don’t get what they want-they get what and who they are. That means if you want a loving relationship, you need to be loving. You can’t act mean-spirited and expect to realize your vision of a healthy relationship.

    Your vision must be congruent with your heart and your actions.

    Vision is important for more than personal fulfillment. Families, teams, and organizations need visions, too. In Jim Kouzes’ new book, The Truth About Leadership, 1 of the 10 nonnegotiable characteristics of successful leaders is that they provide a vision for their organization. If the organization does not know where it is going, any road will get it there.

    Please ponder the Action Steps below, so you can start developing a vision statement in each main area of your life.

    Action Steps

    What’s Your Vision for Your Life?

    1. Does your life reflect what you really want . . . or something else?
    2. What is your vision in all areas of your life? 
      • Self
      • Family
      • Relatives
      • Friends
      • Learning
      • Spirituality
      • Public Policy
      • Social Life
      • Recreation
      • Physical Health
      • Community Service
      • Financial
      • Career/Calling
    3. If you are operating within a faith, use it to drive your vision statements.
    4. Your vision statements should stir your excitement, inspiration, and action. Pay attention to your emotional responses to your vision statements.
    5. “But Ken, I don’t know what I want.”   What do you not want? Then think about the opposite.
    6. The research is clear. Those who have a vision, dreams, and goals will be far more successful than those who don’t.
    7. The research further reveals that those with WRITTEN vision statements and goals do much better than people who simply carry those ideas around in their heads.
    8. Those who review their written visions on a daily basis are significantly more successful still. One study documented that everyone who wrote out and then read their vision statements daily all became millionaires. Where we put our focus every day bears fruit in our lives. That is not to suggest money is everyone’s goal. The power of focusing on a vision will help you achieve the results you want.
    9. Take the time to write 2 to 4 sentences (vision statements) for each category noted in Step 2 above.
      1. To clarify your values and style, complete the CRG’s Values Preference Indicator (VPI) and
      2. the Personal Style Indicator (PSI) to get to know yourself better so you are less influenced by others.
      3. To understand how your level of self-worth is affecting your success, complete theSelf-Worth Inventory.
      4. To help you understand your tendencies and what is important to you, read Why Aren’t You More Like Me?“!
    11. Make your vision statements accessible. Place a copy by your bedside, in your office, and in other convenient places for your review. Put them on your Smart phone so you can read your visions anywhere and anytime. Read them on a daily basis.
    12. It takes time to shift an image. As you reshape your thoughts and your focus, be patient. It is a redevelopment process. Some days, you will fall back into old thought patterns. Get over it and move on.
    13. Start now. Every day you delay is a day without the power of your new focus. The greatest gift you can give yourself is to be completely engaged in your life and inspiring others to do the same.

     

    Your life or business is your own to live.

    Until next time, keep Living On Purpose.


    Ken Keis

    For information on CRG Resources, please visit http://www.crgleader.com/home.

    Interested in Ken Keis speaking at your event? 

     

    Categories: Mindset Tags: Tags: , , ,

    Winners never quit!

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    Guest Post by Ken Keis of Consulting Resource Group

     

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    Winners Never Quit and Quitters Never Win!

    Quitter: One who quits; especially, one who gives up too easily; a defeatist.

    All of us at some time have wanted to quit on something or someone.

    Just yesterday, I was running in a 5 K race. I wanted so much to just walk for a bit, especially in the last mile. All the way to the end, I had to fight the urge to quit. It turns out that I won in my age category by only 2 seconds! If had walked even three steps, I would have lost that race.

    So, what are you? A winner or a quitter?

    If you quit, your life can be about a lot of near–misses and few victories.

    Quitting can apply to every part of our lives.

    Here are a few examples.

    Someone quits on a relationship because it is too much work to change. Over 50% of marriages end in divorce, so we have a lot of quitters.
    You are difficult to work with and continue to change jobs, not because of poor companies but because you are a quitter.
    You start your wellness program but, a few weeks or months into it, you stop eating properly and/or working out. Over 90% of individuals quit their diets. Many excuses are made, but the fact is they quit.
    You submit your book proposal to a few agencies and publishers; they all reject your work so you quit trying.
    You submit your résumé to 50 job openings but no one hires you. You think why bother and quit looking.
    You get the picture.

    Many of life’s best success stories are about individuals who never quit—especially when their peers gave up.

    In the past, I did some speaking engagements for Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of the bestselling “Chicken Soup” series. Mark said that the first book written by himself and Jack Canfield was rejected by more than 25 publishers before their concept for Chicken Soup for the Soul was accepted.

    Can you imagine being one of the publishers who said No?

    Success was not immediate for Mark and Jack. After their book was published, they did a radio interview every day for over a year before Chicken Soup caught on with the reading public. In other words, they did not quit.

    Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was available for several years before it made the bestseller list.

    Abraham Lincoln faced many challenges, defeats, and failures before he became President of the United States in 1860—but he never quit.

    Nelson Mandela spent 27 years incarcerated as a political prisoner before he was released and became the President of South Africa in 1994. Most of us would have quit long before 27 years.

    I mentioned in my previous ezine that many times during the year it took to write my latest book, Why Aren’t You More Like Me?™ , I felt like quitting. Even though I felt like it, I did not.

    I don’t know what you are facing but, in most cases, quitting is not the answer. Last week, I met with a colleague in Orlando, Florida. He shared that just 2 months prior to our meeting, he was unable to walk after a recent stroke. According to his doctor, the only reason he is currently walking, with the assistance of a cane, is his unwillingness to quit.

    Quitting or not quitting is a choice and a reflection on the character of the individual. Rarely does it have to do with education, intelligence, or opportunity, but rather your level of persistence, tenacity, determination, and commitment to a vision or goal.

    Now even if you have quit on something or someone and feel guilty about it, you can always change your mind and get back on the track of success.

    There are exceptions, where changing or quitting is a preferred direction. Choosing not to do something because it does not match your purpose, passions, or values is something different than quitting on a goal or a dream or simply giving up on something you desire.

    All of us face challenges. It is our response to our challenges that separates the winners from the quitters.

    Review the Action Steps to strengthen your resolve to triumph and achieve.

    Action Steps

    Winners Never Quit and Quitters Never Win!

    1. Would you call yourself a winner or a quitter?     Why?
    2. In what area(s) of your life would you like to stop quitting and start winning? We all have some area we would like to improve.
    3. Think about an area in your life where you just never quit. Why and how are you able to persevere?
    4. What do you do to stay focused and move forward when you feel like quitting?
    5. In what area of your life did you quit and regret it? Why did you quit? Do you still want to achieve that goal?
    6. Winners have no fewer challenges than quitters, but they make a decision to keep going. You can make the decision right now in one area of your life, you will not quit . . . no matter what!
    7. Success breeds success and failure feeds failure. If you have been quitting, focus on one area where you will stay on course and not quit. Use your success and fulfillment from that area to leverage other areas of your life.
    8. Not quitting comes from a deep desire to achieve and a strong connection to your goal or dream. Go back to What’s Your Vision and lock in your vision of what it takes to become a winner.

    Clarify your values and style using CRG’s Values Preference Indicator and Personal Style Indicator. They can help you make values-based decisions as you develop yourself and play to your strengths. To help you engage life on your terms, read Why Aren’t You More Like Me?
    Let go of any past failure. Learn from it and move on. Holding on to the past will not help you shape a bright future.
    Encourage and help others to keep going when they want to quit. Your words to them will help you in your times of doubt.
    Enjoy the journey along the way. It is the fullness of our experiences—not simply the achievement of a goal—that makes us who we are. Here’s to us all being Winners, not quitters.

    1. To clarify your values and style, complete the CRG’s Values Preference Indicator (VPI) and
    2. the Personal Style Indicator (PSI) to get to know yourself better so you are less influenced by others.
    3. To understand how your level of self-worth is affecting your success, complete theSelf-Worth Inventory.
    4. To help you understand your tendencies and what is important to you, read Why Aren’t You More Like Me?“!

    Your life or business is your own to live.

    Until next time, keep Living On Purpose.


    Ken Keis

    For information on CRG Resources, please visit http://www.crgleader.com/home.

    Interested in Ken Keis speaking at your event? 

    Categories: Positive Attitude Tags: Tags: , , , ,