Common Blocks To Success

Often in my business coaching I inevitably come across problems in the client's personal life that block their business success. Today, while sharing a few of these blocks, a friend suggested I post a few to help you overcome your own blocks to success through my advice at AspireNow. So, here they are:

Common blocks to success:

1. Time Wasters. People waste time with many activities. The biggest time wasters include the following:

• Gabby friends. Some friends will literally expect you to talk to them for an hour every day. Why do that? It is a huge time suck. If you have four such friends, you'll literally spend FOUR hours a DAY just talking about stuff with these friends. It's good to share with friends, but limit the time you spend to time face to face, if at all possible, as much as possible - especially when you're launching something new or exciting that requires extended effort.
• Television. Watching television is one of the biggest time wasters. You don't learn very much from watching television. You can learn much more surfing the net or visiting a bookstore. If you start timing your television watching, you might be alarmed. The average number of hours college students in America watch television is between two to three hours a day. Elementary kids often spend up to five or six hours a DAY watching television! How do you find time for homework when the television is on? Just asking! Try turning off the television. I went so far as to cancel television ENTIRELY. I do miss it when I want to watch Dancing With the Stars and select sports games. Now I have a reason to go to a sports bar. Usually, I'll connect with a friend or two, watch the last half of the game, but I avoid watching an entire day of football on Sunday. I just don't have time for that much television watching anymore!
• Commutes. This is mostly true in a big city, but also true for those who live outside their city but work in town further away from home. If you have a commute longer than twenty minutes each way, you're wasting up to five to ten hours a week just driving around! Try to select jobs near where you live, or live closer to where you work. Save yourself the time wasted on a commute and you'll be more productive.
• Internet. The Internet is powerful. You can keep in touch with thousands of people all around the Globe in instant time through IM, Facebook, Twitter, and other tools. I strongly encourage people to use social networks; however, I also encourage you to limit the time spend on each of these each day. Schedule Internet time, so that it doesn't dominate your life. In America, college students are now spending over twelve hours a week on the Internet. That's more than television! Consider how much time you spend online. Some of the people I know are online as much as twelve hours a day. Back down your Internet time to between one to two hours a day and watch your productivity skyrocket.

2. Attitude. The state of attitude can determine many things influencing success, including:

• State of mind. If you are in a positive frame of mind, you can do more.
• Negative talk v. Postive self-talk. Studies I've read indicate that those who are most successful use positive self-talk over 80% of the time, while those who do not succeed use negative talk about the same ratio. If you can switch your self-talk to talk that supports your activities, you'll succeed more often.
• Proactive v. Reactive. Have a perspective of doing it versus perspective of allowing things to be done to you. Control your life to the extent you can.

3. Clutter. The state of being of clutter can block your success, though:

• Tools. If it is harder to find your tools, you are less effective. Just as good website design is a sign of an easy to navigate site, your own office, house, garage, computer, and phone ought to be organized, tidy, and ready for work. (As I write this note, I make note to schedule organizing my own garage and computer!)
• Work space. If you cannot find what you need, what are you doing about it?
• Mental clutter. Worrying about things you cannot control is a block I see. Stop worrying about those things. Instead, focus on what you CAN do, right now, to make a difference.

4. Productivity Plan. Many people have simple task lists each day. But you can remove these blocks to productivity through a better plan:

• Power of Three. Focus on no more than three projects at any given time.
• Top 5. Make a list of the top five things you must to do to move that project forward.
• Who:
• Make a list of who you must talk to today who can help you move a project forward.
• Make a lit of who you need to follow-up with who can help move projects forward.
• Top 10: Then have your next "top ten" tasks after these lists. If you follow this plan, you will get more done on your core projects and not feel "stagnated" or "stuck" nearly as often.

I'm a big believer in clearing out messy stuff, getting things organized, then working hard on what you must do now to succeed. I am currently putting in a plan for #5 in my own life. My goal? Better health, optimum weight. We can succeed if we make the effort. Try following each of these steps and see if some of your own common blocks aren't removed so you succeed more often.

Do you have an idea of your own on how to remove a block to success and improve productivity? Share it here on our comments for the benefit of our readers. Thanks!
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How to Start a Company

Do you want to learn how to start a business?
Are you currently starting a company? Or, maybe you're launching a product or new service?

Join Scott Andrews, International Author, Speaker, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions, as he shares wisdom learned in starting AspireNow, ARRiiVE, and launching products and companies.

How to Start a Business
Avoid the Top 10 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make and

Learn Ways to Build a Successful Company

In this NO-COST, 1 hour tele-seminar, you will learn secrets to launch your business:

• Learn ways entrepreneurs sabotage success...find out what not to do!
• Gain insights from masters...grow wisdom to learn how to make it.
• Discover the differences between good and GREAT companies...build it right from the start.
• Why NOW?...Discover why NOW is a GREAT TIME to START YOUR COMPANY.
• Maximize your money...explore ways to stretch capital or bootstrap a business.
• And more!

About Scott:
As seen and heard on CBS, ABC, and Seeing Beyond (KEST), Scott Andrews' unique wisdom and ability to inspire people to action is second to none. Scott is a natural performer, but also possesses the power to take complex business and life development challenges and break them down into simple and actionable frameworks you can immediately apply to improve your present situation. Scott is a former Toastmaster and current board member of SLO STC and Cal Poly School of Journalism Internships. He created the first interactive self-help website: "AspireNow Advisor: Instant Self-help on the Web" in 2001. He has successfully launched or been involved in the launch of dozens of products and companies, including StoryAD Network, ElementsLocal, Instantis, numerous coaching companies, Cold to Gold (www.ColdtoGold.com), and he is currently launching the 1st SLO Jazz Festival (www.SLOJazzFest.org - September 25, 2010). He teaches both business and personal development programs and is often a featured keynote speaker to groups ranging from 20 to 2,000.

"Why waste months of time trying to launch a new product? ARRiiVE Business Solutions can help you get your program launched exponentially faster." -- Michelle Casto, International Speaker & Author of "Get Smart" series of books

"Scott helped my company through a critical growth period. He made a BIG difference!!!" -- Jim Vangelos, CEO, Polymer Logistics

"Scott has a commanding presence...he never fails to wow his audience with new ideas and dynamic ability to inspire people." -- Jessica Haynes, Author of "Get What You Want" and "GPS to Success", Business and Relationship Coach

"Scott is a strategic business leader able to launch unique solutions to grow revenue and drive stability." -- Grant Stellwagen, Owner, Stellwagen Insurance

Schedule this call in your Outlook/calendar now so you can attend this powerful no-cost 1 hour teleseminar:

Just call in at 5:00 p.m. PST on Wednesday, April 28, 2010.
See ARRiiVE.com for details or just visit this link to sign-up:

http://www.arriive.com/business_launch_teleseminar_signup.htm

I'm sharing this no-cost information today (Wednesday, April 28, 2010) at 5:00 PM PST, and it will be recorded, for anyone who is interested. You all are INVITED! :)

Thanks!
Scott

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Cold to Gold Mind Spark Session

Attention: the next Cold to Gold Mind Spark SessionTM is scheduled for April 6, 2010, at 10:00AM PST.

Registration for this powerful online workshop will close one hour prior to the start of workshop. Only 25 seats are available for this session, which runs each day from Tuesday through Friday next week, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. So, hurry while you can still get in!

Cold to Gold is a system of selling created by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions.

You'll gain access to the mind shift, techniques, and methods that help you get in the door, form better qualified meetings, and highly successful business relationships. These are the techniques used by Scott to land multimillion deals with IBM, EMC2, Data General, and other sales organizations. For example, Scott wrote Jay Leno a letter and Jay returned Scott's call personally. Scott never met Jay prior to sending the letter. You'll learn the techniques Scott uses to get responses like this. Can your business use a lift?

To sign up for this workshop, please visit http://www.coldtogold.com/
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Have You Met Brendon Burchard?

Hey everybody! Have you met Brendon Burchard? You gotta meet this guy!
I recently met Brendon at a seminar at Hotel Sofitel in Redwood City that ROCKED!!!

Have you ever thought about sharing your life's story and strategies for success with the world?

Have you ever written down four or five how-to lessons about life or business and thought, "Man, people would pay for this hard-earned wisdom."

If yes, then you're a lot more like the "gurus" than you might have thought.
(And you might as well get paid like them, agreed?)

Legendary trainers like Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, Deepak Chopra, John Gray, and Marianne Williamson all decided at some point to teach others. So did I.

Want to be the next guru in your field?

If so, you have to learn to position, promote, and get paid like one. Learn how in this complimentary video:

https://burchardgroup.infusionsoft.com/go/ExpertAcademyVideo1/Aspire

This amazing in-depth training video will teach you how Brendon Burchard went from bankrupt and unknown to $4.6 million in 24 months with just one assistant.

You'll learn:

* How he used an innovative (and simple) strategy to write a short how-to ebook and get it downloaded 117,000 times, making him an instant expert (and rich guy).

*How he skipped the speaking circuit advice of starting out at a few hundred bucks per speech and LEAPED to $25,000 per speech with one secret approach to getting
booked as a speaker.

*How he pulls in $500,000 plus paydays (that's net) in just one easy to create weekend seminar.

*How he gets coaching clients to pay $25,000 a year without having to work with them one-on-one every month.

*How a weird accident led to millions of dollars online with a ONE-PAGE continuity program. He calls it the "anti-membership" membership program - cool, huh?

https://burchardgroup.infusionsoft.com/go/ExpertAcademyVideo1/Aspire

Brendon is the go-to guy for authors, speakers, coaches, seminar leaders and online marketers. This insanely detailed and innovative training will show you why.

Tony Robbins, John Gray, David Bach, Brian Tracy, Frank Kern and Paula Abdul call on Brendon for his strategies. I'm using his strategies and love them so much I thought you can learn something from him too :)

ExpertAcademy - Click Here to Watch Video

Enjoy the training, Expert!

Scott
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Copyright © 1999-2010 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog. AspireNow may be an affiliate of Brendon Burchard and could be paid money for sending this email - true - however, I've been telling everyone everywhere about this stuff - I'm excited about it and asked if I could help promote him!

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Six Minutes to Success by Bob Proctor

I love finding new tools to help make YOU more successful. Today, I found such a tool:

Six Minutes to Success, by Bob Proctor

These are short, six minute or less success videos by one of the "gurus" from the hit movie, The Secret, Bob Proctor. To give you a little background, my friend Bob taught me more about the brain and law of attraction in six minutes than anyone else taught me over the last year. Watch six minutes to success and learn for your self...

Check it out and see how you like it:



How do you like this type of program/ Please let me know!

Scott

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Success Leaves Clues - 20 Questions to Help You Find Success

I just heard this quote while listening to a teleconference about the top five mistakes people make online and how to avoid them:

"Success leaves clues."

I believe the first person I heard say this was Tony Robbins. It's an interesting quote. The point is to look at how people or companies become successful and see if there are techniques used in their line of business that might be used in your line of business.

Some of the best ways to ensure success is to master techniques of those who win.

For example, to succeed online, you don't start and stop. You keep going no matter what. It is not easy to do when the rent is due and the bank account is low. SO, figure out your plan to ensure your success before you ever launch.

If you want to be successful, you've got to DO it. You can't just TRY it, you have to DO it. Remember Yoda (Star Wars) said "there is no try; there is only do or not do."

Commit! Don't start and stop. Get in and stay in.

What are you doing? Are you following the clues of those who blazed a trail before you? Even if you're blazing a new trail (a good idea) are you taking techniques used by people who succeeded in similar businesses?

I'm a sucker for documentaries, but especially documentaries about how great people, bands, companies, and leaders became great. What did they do? What challenges did they face? How did they overcome their struggles to succeed?

So, now, let's apply this right now in our own life.

Pick a mentor, say, Amelia Earhart. Or a leader of a company you admire, such as Steve Jobs and Apple. Now, start looking at what that person did when they succeeded.

Ask these 20 questions to identify the clues to your mentor's success:

1. Challenges: what challenge or need were they trying to fill or meet?
   
2. Commitment: when did they commit to meet the challenge and how did that decision impact their success?
   
3. Obstacles: what obstacles to success stood in their path?
4. Tools: what tools did they use to succeed?
5. Values: what were their values?
6. Differentiators: what made them different? How did they use their uniqueness to their advantage? What did they do that was NEW in their industry?
   
7. Copy/Creation: what did they copy or need to learn in order to create their solution?
   
8. Coaching: who were THEIR mentors?
9. Money: how did they finance their project or pay their bills when times were rough? How did they use money or create systems to fund their operations?
   
10. Value: what value did they give? At what standard did it match - 2x? 5x? 10x?
11. Public Relations: how were they unique in the way they spun their story?
12. Timing: in what ways did they put themselves in position to win?
    
13. Team: what type of team did they build? What made it unique or particularly adept at meeting the challenge? Who coached them?
14. Network: what type of network were they leveraging?
15. Competition: who were their primary competitors? How did competitors impact their ability to succeed?
16. Product (or service): in what ways was their product superior to any other product?
17. Failures: in what ways did they fail?
18. Coping: how did they cope with failure? What did they learn from their failures? How did they remain persistent when things looked bleak?
    
19. Wins: in what ways did they win? How did they capitalize on that success?
    
20. Gratitude: how did they express gratitude? How did they celebrate their wins?

Go back and study your leader and plug in the answers to each of these questions as you find them. See what I mean? These questions will help you succeed by identifying the key aspects of performance exhibited by WINNERS.

Take any great leader, team, group, company, or organization, and you can break down their success by asking these questions. Within the answers to these questions lie the clues for your own success.

Now, you'll be armed with INFORMATION to succeed.

But information is not enough. You must ACT.

When we don't just look for clues but actually use them, we're likely to find new success. So DO. Commit. Be who you want to be.

Bonus tip: look at ANY world class performer, leader, or player. Look at what they do to be successful. Look at who makes the least money. Look at who makes the most money. In almost every case, the person who makes the most money HAS A COACH.

Do you have a coach? I offer coaching, on a very limited basis one to one, but mostly in groups these days. Contact me through scott [at] aspirenow (dot) com to discuss coaching. Find someone who can mentor and coach you. Make sure that coach is someone who has been there and done that successfully. Get that person on board with you and start to use their pearls of wisdom.

P.S. this is NOT the way people should write articles!
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How To Get More of What You Want

In a "thought for the day" from a marketing blog, I received this quote from Seth Godin:

"The goal is to create a product that people love. If people love it, they'll forgive a lot. They'll talk about it. They'll promote it. They'll come back. They'll be less price sensitive. They'll bring their friends. They'll work with you to make it better."

As I read this, my thought process transferred from how we create products to the product of OUR OWN SELF. Are we creating a person people love?

I think this thought carries through to our own life in learning how to get more of everything you want:

If we're someone people love, they'll forgive us for a lot. They'll talk about us. They'll promote us. They'll come back to us weeks after we may have last heard from them. They'll be less sensitive to our negative qualities or challenges of seeing us. They'll introduce us to their friends. They'll work with us to make our life better and suggest ways to live our dreams we share with them."

Yep. Seems true to me. Are you frustrated with friendships? Maybe you're not being the love you want to find? You know the cliche "be the change you want to see in the world" right? Maybe it is time to make changes. Now, if our life IS full of all this love, then KEEP IT UP!

When we make it easy for people to love us we will inevitably have (a) more luck, (b) more friends, (c) more success, and (d) live more of our dreams than people who are hard to love.

How can we get more of everything you want and become an easier person to love?

Here's a list, for starters:

1. Be more fun! Have fun ideas to contribute to conversations and events.
2. Make people laugh. If you haven't learned how to be funny yet, study comedians, read joke books, and learn how to be funny.
3. Accept others without judgment. People hate being judged. Accept people for who they are and you'll find they love you more.
4. Look for commonalities. Have you ever noticed that when people are really good at making friends, they find COMMONALITIES. Rather than look for differences, look for what you have IN COMMON and expand upon those traits and positive qualities. You'll be sure to grow more love with those you can relate to... thus, the word RELATIONSHIP! :)
   
5. Include others in your life. People will often out to you if you reach out to them. Just make it a practice whenever you think of someone to reach out to them.
6. Accept other invitations. When people invite you - GO! They would not invite you if they didn't want you to be there.
   
7. Be more forgiving. I remember a friend once told me "Gosh, Scott, I sure like that you don't hold a grudge." My Mom says I've always been that way. Internally, I may feel angst, but I try to be cheerful anyway. I find that this is part of a forgiving spirit that helps me maintain the love in relationships.
8. Be grateful. An attitude of gratitude goes a long way. It feels great when a friend calls and says "Thank you for...." George Bush Sr. rode the art of writing "thank you letters" all the way to becoming President of the United States. Think those letters had something to do with it? Be grateful for the love others show you and the love you receive will grow, too.

There's my list of eight ways you can get what you want. Did I surprise you? Maybe you thought there was a magic pill you could swallow. And, yes, there is! It's called the LOVE pill! Ha ha ha!

Can you think of additional ways to get more of what you want by showing more love to others? Please share your ideas in our comments!
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The Very Best You: How To Be It

Dial in to the AspireNow: Seriously Fun Self-Help Show tomorrow (August 26, 2008) at 5:00 PM PST / 8:00 EST to learn "How To Be 97% More Successful Than Anyone Else" in this irreverently fun look at success.

Hosted by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow, this show will cover:
Why 97% of people suck, and how 3% blow them away... JUST KIDDING!

Seriously, we'll cover how, what, and peel back the onion of why certain people succeed more than others. Sure, 3% of people succeed more than 97% of everyone else. But do you know WHY? Are you happy with where you're at? Or do you want MORE? The simple secrets shared during the 30 minutes of this show broadcast will tell you how to get it. Have you found it? Dial in and Scott will guide the way!

It won't be a long show, unless you dial in or chat in questions during the show. So, dial in at 5PM on Tuesday: it's SIMPLE and EASY!

Visit http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/37792 or simply visit http://www.AspireNow.com. To call the show, dial (724)444-7444 and enter 37792 # 1 #

Miss the show? Listen here:

The Key To Success

I've discovered the KEY to success in life endeavors. Yes, upon evaluation, you will discover that this secret is, indeed, the root underneath pretty much all success in your life fulfillment.

Are you seeking success at work?
Are you striving for a happy relationship?
Are you seeking a healthy body?
Do you want more friends?
Do you want more money?

Guess what I discovered is the KEY to SUCCESS for EACH of these things we want in life?

PERSPECTIVE.

That’s right. It is our perspective that determines the outcome of success in any endeavor we pursue.

The statistics on the impact of perspective on our success can range from 42% to as much as 300% difference. In some businesses, 4% separates the best from the worst. In sports, it can be ONE GAME that separates the team that doesn't make the playoffs to the team that wins the title. And that ONE GAME can be turned by ONE PLAY.

Imagine a basketball team that lost half their games last year. They fire the coach. The next year, they bring in a new coach who implements a new perspective. The team adopts a perspective that they can win every game. They built a belief system that by following a basic basketball system, by practicing good basics and implementing discipline towards success, and by adopting an attitude that no matter what, they’ll be competitive in every game and can win ALL of their games. The next year, the coach’s team goes on to win 80% of their games and take the title.

What’s the difference?

Is it that one coach knew more about basketball than the other? Probably not. Usually, one coach just knows how to shift and implement perspective better than the other coach. When the team has a perspective that they can and will win their games, they usually work harder, practice longer, and initiate proactive disciplines (taking shots after a game where they missed the game-winner, for example) that produce more success than their opponents. It really is that simple.

Let’s take another look at two perspectives someone could have with a job at a company that is struggling to succeed. The environment is stressful and people have been quitting. The first perspective looks like this:

“This company is struggling, but still offers great services to our customers. Sure, several of my friends have moved on and left the company, but I’ll make new friends and they’ll probably bring in new people in the months ahead who can be my new friends, too. Although the company is struggling, I think this is an opportunity. The people who demonstrate a positive attitude and success now will be rewarded by management after we pass through this transition. I’ll focus on the positive and experience success in my job and this will bring good things to me in this career.”

Or the second perspective, which looks like this:

“This company sucks! Jon, Margaret, and Ed have all left. My friends are all gone. Putting effort into this company is going to be a waste of time when I could thrive in a different company by going someplace better.”

I, myself, was once in this situation. When I took the latter attitude, my job really did suck. One day, I decided that my problem wasn't the company, but more rather my perspective on the situation with the company. Yes, the company WAS in bankruptcy. Yes, 75% of the sales team had left for competitors and other opportunities. But, rather than change jobs, I adopted the first perspective and stepped it up at the company I was employed at. The difference? I turned it around from where I made $54K one year to making $128K the next. The difference in my success? My PERSPECTIVE.

Let’s say you’re in a relationship. Imagine two different perspectives. The first looks like this:

“This will never work. I have doubts about whether we can make it. He doesn't do this. He says this. He acts this way. I can’t feel like xxx with him.”

Or the second, which looks like this:

“This is going to work. Our love is so strong, it can see us through anything. Yes, we have differences, but I see the ways we’re in common as matching in so many ways, and our differences make us stronger as a team. Although he doesn't always do what I want, we communicate and we’re taking steps towards a happier relationship every day…”

Which perspective do you think is going to remain married and which do you think will end up in divorce or separation?

I see couples who use the first perspective, and guess what? They ALWAYS end up breaking up. The problem is the PERSPECTIVE the couple holds towards their relationship.

I also see couples, like my sister and her husband, who have the latter perspective. They just experienced their 25^th wedding anniversary this year. They have a perspective that they're good together, the love each other, and even when they disagree that they'll see it through. Their perspective is half the battle of success in their marriage!

If you’re in a relationship that is struggling, are one or both of you taking the point of view that it may not work out? If so, you've got a problem. On the other hand, do you see your relationship from a point of view of “Yes, we can do this, no matter what?!” If so, you’ll probably see it through until they plant you in the ground.

It is the same thing with losing weight or developing a healthier body. I noticed my own attitude towards my body was that I was just heavier and needed to work out and needed more exercise and needed to eat healthier, but I until I willing to make the change to make the shift from dream to reality nothing happened to make me look better.

When I shifted my perspective to realize the reality: “This food will impact how much I weigh if I eat it, and if I exercise a little every day, then I’ll reach my optimum weight and look better…” that is when I started to lose weight and get back in shape. Perspective matters with our body, too.

When I compare people who have many friends with people who have few friends, most of those with more friends reach out to people everywhere they go and see people as “basically good, helpful to know, and happy they are in my life” whereas those with fewer friends often have the attitude that “People let me down, hurt me, and judge me unfairly.” The person with happier, healthier friendships is the person who looks for the good in others and gives that same good out everywhere they go. Again, it is their perspective that create their good fortune in friendships.

If you want more money and financial abundance, I’d ask you, "What is your perspective on money?"

Do you believe that you don’t need money? Are you willing to risk all of your money for an endeavor? Then you might go through your money. Take the view point that you can succeed, grow money, and get the work you need to manifest abundance, and you’ll likely discover your bank account is fatter in six months, six years, or longer. Why? A perspective that money is flowing to you and you are growing richer every day will permeate through you and resonate with those around you who want more success, financially, too!

So, if you’re going through life and wondering why you’re realizing happiness and fulfillment or whether you’re struggling to get what you want from life, maybe the problem isn't so much the circumstances and challenges that come your way, but more rather the PERSPECTIVE you adopt towards maximizing your happiness and fulfillment. Adopt a perspective of a winner, of someone who CAN make it and WILL make it, of someone who is healthy, happy, and treated well by others, and you’ll get more of those things. As Jean Luc Picard, the Captain of the Starship Enterprise used to say on Star Trek, The Next Generation, “Make it so!"

This article is now recorded at The AspireNow: Seriously Fun Self Help Radio Show: Click the GREEN PLAYER to listen:

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How To Succeed More Often

Who are you?

If you can answer this question, you can likely find your way to succeed more often than you realize possible.

Which version of "you" are you living?

Recently, I noticed that there are two versions of "Scott Andrews" I've often portrayed to the world. One version is the Scott who I believe people want to see in order for me to be successful. This version puts an image out of hard-work, success is by following the steps, and by being serious I am more powerful. This Scott did what he was told growing up.

The other version is that Scott is a totally fun guy, dancing, playing, laughing, and cracking jokes irreverently left-and-right. This Scott broke rules, ditched classes growing up, and was often told "behave!" He was told he had to be serious, stop joking around, and get work done to be successful. This Scott was told that in order to be successful, he had to repress this playful nature and he would get what he wanted because he gave the authorities what they wanted. The truth is that this Scott is most powerful when he embraces his fun self.

The real Scott; indeed, the most powerful Scott, is the latter person. The first is an image. I'm good at putting it out there. But guess what? I've come to realize that when I want to be most successful I embrace the fun Scott. When I'm all serious, I stop writing deals. When I act like I could give a c*ap and joke around, dance, laugh, play music, and get other people laughing, crying, and feeling who they are, I notice my success - with life, love, work, play, and everything is just better.

Do you know who you are? Who is The Real Me?

I remember the song by John Entwistle of the band called, The Who which is called "The Real Me" where Roger Daltrey sings "Can you see the real me, can you, can you?" In the song, the artist asks his shrink, his mother, his ex-girlfriend, and finally, his priest, if any of them can see the real me. The feeling I come away with listening to The Real Me is that none of these "authorities" truly know the real you. Only YOU know the real you. If you've got multiple persona types you put out there or have developed by being told who to be and find yourself digging through that assortment of potential "you" to find your "real" self, I'd suggest you gravitate to the core of who makes you happiest and most fulfilled. Find the person who feels most happy, alive, and excited to be alive. After all, isn't fulfillment and happiness the ultimate goal we seek as human beings?

Embrace The Real Me! It's the real you!

Now, as you can imagine, the world has often told me not to be the real me. I've been told to follow rules. I've been told to work regular "jobs". I've been told to marry a woman and have kids and the white picket fence. I've been told all kinds of things. But these were all just stuff other people wanted or thought was right. They were not who I am. I decide who I am, after all.

You are blessed. You are supposed to be the real you. You must embrace your true self or risk losing your life and tossing aside your dreams. Nothing is worse than a dream abandoned without full pursuit of its end. Embrace your dream, embrace your life.

How to be most successful:

Embrace the self you feel is most in balance with life, spirit, and the Universe.

Can I ask you a question? If your best friend, parents, or even God gave you permission to be this self you feel is your true self, would you be that person?

We often need someone to give us permission to be who we truly are. If you're struggling with accepting the real you, and scared that the real you will fail, be ridiculed, or otherwise put down by society or your associates, I have a secret for you:

God - Spirit - the Universe - LIFE ITSELF - is calling you to be your best, true, whole self.


Do you need permission from God to embrace this self?

You have permission. It has already been granted you. As a messenger of that voice, I can share that you are most blessed when you are true to the core of who you truly are; when you embrace your full, whole self -- even in the face of convention, rules, or other's desires for our behavior, you will live your best life and succeed more often.
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Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

Write A Book And Be An Expert

THE WRITE-A-BOOK PROGRAM: HOW TO POSITION YOURSELF AS AN EXPERT BY WRITING A BOOK
by Randy Peyser

Want to be perceived as being a top expert in your field? Writing a book is one of the quickest ways to solidify your reputation, gain credibility in the eyes of your potential clients, and make yourself stand out above your competition. Having a book will help you attract more clients, extend your visibility and build your brand.
Your book can help you obtain media exposure, attract JV partners, and seamlessly get new prospects into your pipeline.

You can use your book for back of the room sales when you are speaking, at trade shows, or whenever you want to establish your presence as an expert. In the Write-A-Book Program, you will learn how to:

• Easily overcome objections to: "I don't know how to write or where to begin."
• Choose from 4 different formats that make it easy to write a successful book
• Compose a compelling title and back cover text "sell copy"
• Use your book to upsell your more expensive services and products
• Complete your book when everything else in your life demands attention
• Distinguish between your publishing options and choose one that is right for you
• Publicize your finished book online to a huge audience, and more!

"Listening to Randy Peyser is like having a book-minded Guardian Angel take you by the hand and lead you to the promised land of being a published writer. She's smart, well-connected, and passionately knowledgeable about the book business. She makes you believe you can do it; we know it'll be a lot easier with her help!" - Mary Reynolds Thompson, CPCC

Yes, you can write a book!
Purchase: The Write-A-Book Program!
Introductory Price: $149
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Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.

You Call The Shots: Succeed Your Way

A new book for entrepreneurs just came to my attention. This book was written by a guy who made his first $15,000 by the age of 9 and started an internet site more successful than most internet marketers by the age of 15. Inspiring?

Read it yourself and be the judge: http://astore.amazon.com/aspirenow-20/detail/B000WPMQHI/002-1778283-8772807

You Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way-- And Live the Life You Want-- With the 19 Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship By Cameron Johnson, John David Mann

One of my friends, Chris Howard, had this to say about the book:

"I really love the full title, though, because it really describes what Cameron is all about: "You Call the Shots: Succeed Your Way - and Live the LifeYou Want - With the 19 Essential Secrets ofEntrepreneurship." That's right, it's all about Living the Life You Want, and that's what Cameron will help you do through reading his book."

Click here to order your copy of You Call The Shots now: http://www.cameronjohnson.com/bookbonus?11"

Note: that link that Chris Howard provides is cool - they give you a bunch of BONUS products AFTER you just provide your Amazon order number. So, if you're like me, you'll keep your Amazon order number, then input it with your other email information in the bonus link at http://www.cameronjohnson.com/bookbonus?11. And, no, I don't get anything from the Bonus Link (maybe they'll throw back some kudos my way? hint, hint!).

I just ordered my own personal copy, so you know I'm intrigued!
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Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved.

Better Ways To Read Books

Are you seeking better ways to download your favorite blogs, e-books and things of this nature?

I am. And, particularly, I've been really curious about Amazon's Kindle electronic book reader.

I'm surprised Apple hasn't come out with an i-Reader or something like that which would blow Amazon away. But, as it turns out, Apple IS coming out with an i-Reader in July... so stay tuned on that one (I'll review it after it comes out)! Anyway, if you're interested in downloading AspireNow's own e-books, you can do that, but now you can read them with the Amazon Kindle!

What's great about Amazon's Kindle? Take it on the subway, take it in your car, take it to bed. Whatever is convenient for you. It doesn't run as hot as a laptop computer, plus, it's more convenient to hold in your hand and just scroll through your document, which is what you'll do, anyway. If you're a gadget geek, Amazon Kindle is for you. If you want to learn more about the Amazon Kindle, here's an interesting (and clearly unbiased review):




Although the Amazon Kindle has been backordered quite a bit since release, I do offer it through the AspireNow Amazon Store:

http://astore.amazon.com/aspirenow-20/detail/B000FI73MA/002-1778283-8772807

There's also a list of groovy accessories there, too:

http://astore.amazon.com/aspirenow-20/002-1778283-8772807?node=6&page=3

Let me know how the Amazon Kindle works for you. I'll be reviewing the i-Reader once it hits the shelves, too. One concern I have is that the Amazon Kindle is outside of Amazon's product focus. Instead of selling other people's products, they're trying to sell their own. That can be risky. Ultimately, I predict this product category may indeed shift to Sony and Apple. But, in the near term, Amazon Kindle is definitely something to check out.

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Copyright © 2008 by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow. All rights reserved.

How Bloggers Make Money

I launched a new program last on November 19 and forgot to share it here on the blog:

Profitable Business Blogging (www.howbloggersmakemoney.com).

Through this valuable course, which starts Tuesday night, November 27, at 6PM PST - 7:15PM PST (don't worry, I'll provide audio downloads of the teleseminars you might miss), you can learn:

How A-List bloggers built their blogs
How to launch your own blog
How to use blogging software technology
Powerful promotion strategies
How to get your articles Top Ranking in Google (what I call G-juice!)
And much, much more!

The information in this course is compiled from over 500 hours of personal internet research. If you're starting a blog, why invest all that time when you can learn what I know within one month? If your time is worth more than the cost of the course (less than the value of one day, for most people) then you will benefit from this powerful program. My focus in building the program was especially how blogers make money. This is a growing trend on the internet, yet, most bloggers haven't cracked the code to success with making money with their blog.

If blogging isn't your bag, but you know someone else who is launching a business, or trying to find ways to grow traffic to their business, then you might want to refer them to this program which will help them become much more productive in much less time.

One tip from Profitable Business Blogging:

"Did you know that when you search for a name on search engines, that domain hawks might be watching your search? This means that someone else might reserve the name before you do. Do you know which search tool lets you search for a name without tracking your search? Just this tip alone can help you protect the name you so dearly need to protect. (This tool link is provided in the program.)"

I've got about 1,001 more tips like this, and many of them worth immediate money to someone who is just getting into blogging. Even if you're an experienced blogger, you will find this course to be a valuable refresh -- not to mention that I'll be adding more and more resources to the PBB website every month - your course fee gives you access for a whole year to this valuable resource database.

If there is a way I can help make the program better, specifically, for you, please email me and we can discuss. I'm always seeking ways to improve my content of the programs I offer through ARRiiVE Business Solutions.
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This article is written by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.

You may republish this article only AS A COMPLETE WHOLE with ENTIRE LINKS and copyright messages attached. All rights reserved. To read more articles like this, subscribe to the A-Blog.

Tips on The Big Idea

Joe Vitale was interviewed tonight on The Big Idea, my favorite TV show.

For those who don't know, Joe Vitale was one of the stars of the hit video called The Secret. I've covered this video in depth before at my articles: The Most Powerful Law In The Universe and The Law of Attraction.


Anyway, Joe shared several "millionaire secrets" with Donny Deutsch, the host of the show. I liked Joe Vitale's points, but wished he had more time to elaborate. So, I'm going to run through each of his points, then provide further commentary for those of you seeking to learn more about manifesting, the law of attraction, getting what you want, and attracting the things you seek for a better life:


1. Know what you don't want. I found it interesting the Joe started with this. But, in my coaching, I've often found that when I ask people their purpose, they'll start listing off what they don't want. It is useful as a starting place, but you must recognize that you'll need to SHIFT from this VERY quickly to the other points on this list.


2. State your intention. This is important. It is vital to know what you DO want, and to state it as an intention. Many people complain about things and then wonder why they get more of that. Try the challenge to stop complaining for 30 days! If you can rid your complaining about aches, failures, pains, loss, blocks, and other things, you just might stop attracting that in your life. Instead of talking about those things, SHIFT to WHAT YOU WANT MOST. This is where life transformation occurs!


3. Get clear. It is vital to find ways to get clear on your intentions and eliminate anything in the way of what you want most.


4. Nevelize. I didn't understand this word, but I did understand what Joe was talking about regarding internalizing your dream into present reality. The importance here is to FEEL the process of your intention. Note, I said process, not result. Manifesting is about the process as much as the result, and the feeling is what we feel in the process. Writing down your intentions, creating a journal, a collage, a video, an audio, and making sure to associate the moment of what you want with how it feels to experience that. He mentioned how it feels to be on The Big Idea and smiled. I liked that and could relate. I immediately imaged how it would feel to sit across from Donny and share my own ideas about collaboration, software, helping people launch dreams, and make a difference (yeah, it felt great!!). This is an important step in manifesting that many people (especially skeptics) hardly ever take into account. How will you feel when you experience your intention? Write, record, imagine, think, and speak from this position.


5. Let go and take INSPIRED ACTION. This is where passion comes into play. People who are most successful are usually those who are most passionate about their dreams. Have you noticed this? It is for this reason that everything I do, I try to do with passion. If you act from inspired action, your actions will have more power.


These are all steps I've put in place at both AspireNow (http://www.aspirenow.com/) and ARRiiVE Business Solutions (http://www.arriive.com/). In fact, if you visit my blogs to those pages that I'm recommending and using these with the blogs, too.


Donny then asked Joe a few questions, having to do with "what if 'yeah, I heard all that, but I still haven't made it, or I'm struggling with my dream, or I'm doing things but it still isn't happening.' What do you say to those people?"


Joe accurately pointed out that what Donny was describing a problem with step 3 - getting clear. This is the biggest thing I've noticed with people in my life and business coaching: people block themselves! It is this inner critic (or even the critic from other people) that blocks the intention! Joe's advice was to DUMP the garbage and get clear. I loved it. How true that all of the critiques and naysayers - whether internal or external - are just garbage.


When we dump the garbage, we can get that positive feeling back that rejuvenates our soul! When we are clear of the junk blocking us we can manifest our dreams because we can truly act from inspired passion.


So, try these tips in your own daily life to manifest more of what you want. If you're finding your critic sneaking in - dump it! You don't want that, right? Get clear, restate your intention, feel how it feels to realize your dream, then let go and take the inspired action that will make it so!


Check it out: If you're seeking to learn more about The Secret, you might want to visit my article on The Most Powerful Law In The Universe and The Law of Attraction. I've also published products for helping people with their PURPOSE and GETTING WHAT YOU WANT called The Transformation Power Pack.


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This article is written by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. Portions of this article may be copyright Joe Vitale, the producers of The Secret, and The Big Idea by CNBC. No infringement intended.

You may republish this article only AS A COMPLETE WHOLE with ENTIRE LINKS and copyright messages attached. All rights reserved. To read more articles like this, subscribe to the A-Blog.

The Most Powerful Law In The Universe

Do you want to know how to Have, Be, Do, Or Get ANYTHING you want?

Today, I present you with an opportunity that is gaining momentum around the world:

What is our GREATEST CHALLENGE?:

We want TRUE LOVE. We want HAPPINESS. We want a BETTER BODY. We want a SOUL MATE. We want a HAPPY FAMILY. We want GOOD HEALTH. We want to BE RICH. We want to LIVE IN PARADISE. We want FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE. We want to MAKE A DIFFERENCE in the world we live in. We want to have MORE FUN. We want HOT SEX. We want to BUILD A SUCCESSFUL COMPANY. We want TO LOOK BEAUTIFUL. We want GREAT FRIENDSHIPS. We want to BE FAMOUS, Or have a BIGGER..... We want A GREAT JOB. We want to CREATE THINGS. We want to BE FULL OF JOY. We want to EXPRESS OURSELVES. We want to BE ACCEPTED AND LOVED. We want to LIVE A LEGACY.
We want to be AMAZINGLY SUCCESSFUL. We want TO HAVE THINGS IN ORDER. We want FREEDOM. We want A LUXURIOUS HOUSE. We want A FAST SPORTS CAR or LUXURY AUTOMOBILE. We want A BIG TRUCK.

We want LIFE: AND ALL IT OFFERS.

Do you know what you want?

Do you KNOW HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT?

How GREAT do YOU want to be?

The GREATEST PEOPLE IN HISTORY

The greatest people in history have learned how to get from life the things they want.

You've heard about the secret: how to have happiness, health, or wealth. You can have whatever you choose. What kind of business? To be a millionaire... healing in life, health, relationships.. and more.

I'll first explain The Secret that these great leaders knew:

1. We all work with one infinite power.
2. We're all guided by natural laws in our Universe. It is THAT PRECISE.
3. No matter who you are, you can have what you want, if you harness THIS POWER.

It all comes from one LAW: THE LAW OF ATTRACTION.

What you hold in your mind is what you attract to you.

LOOK: 3% of our population earns 97% of the financial wealth.

What does that meant to you?

To me, it means, 3% have figured out how to HARNESS the LAW OF ATTRACTION.

If LIKE attracts LIKE, then we will ATTRACT the most SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE TO US if that IS WHAT WE ARE FOCUSED UPON.

THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS

I wrote an article about the Law of Attraction before The Secret movie was released. I wrote this article in 2002. It was called OUR THOUGHTS MATTER and intended to illustrate the power of our THOUGHTS in our mind becoming our REALITY in our LIFE.

Are you thinking about debt, hurt, rejection, failure, or other things that cause you to get more of those things? Well.....???

If you focus on what you don't want, whether it is another bad relationship, being late for an appointment, or getting another phone call from a bill collector, then you're likely to attract those very things.

If you focus on what you DO want, such as a loving relationship, being on time, paying bills easily and effortlessly, then you're likely to attract THOSE more POSITIVE THINGS.

I focus on a successful website attracting millions of people to learn more about how they can love, live, grow, and experience more success, happiness, peace, joy, and love in their lives.

See what I mean? This is how it works... you are here now, largely because of this thought, this intention, that I have written on this page (thought becoming real).

By utilizing and harnessing the UNIVERSAL LAW of CAUSE and EFFECT, you will put yourself in position to maximize your abundance. That is because like attracts like. So, be like what you want, and it will come to you.

Your thoughts will DRAW TO YOU WHATEVER THEY ARE FOCUSED ON.

This is huge, isn't it?

Ask for what you want. Ask for it now.

Be who you want to attract. Be it now.

Ask for it with thought. Ask for it with FEELING.

Be it with thought, be it with FEELING. Feel GOOD. Build your frequency and focus on beautiful things.

If you want more material wealth, then FOCUS on MONEY coming to you. LARGE CHECKS. Print out blank checks. Write in what you want to attract. FEEL GOOD ABOUT CREATING AND BUILDING WEALTH.

Why not make a decision today to experience your goals and desires?

Do YOU want:
THE MAGIC CHECK or Universal Bank CHEQUE?

It's yours, brought to you by AspireNow and the creators of the Secret. Print this page out, fill this in, and put it on your fridge (you can't cash this one, but you WILL be able to cash a future check (cheque) that is soon to come your way. How much do you really want? The Universe is listening to YOUR COMMAND!

Start with GRATITUDE...

Here's an brief video on AFFIRMATIONS to get you STARTED:

I am so grateful for each and every person who reads this post. Whether you agree with this theory or not, I am grateful for you and send you L-O-V-E. Please pass the word and share positive things with those you love. Our life is so precious.

The following video is another great collection of aspirations and affirmations:

If you are someone who would like to learn more, you might gain further insight through these lessons from the teachers of "The Secret" that I can share with you here:

I have many more resources at AspireNow (see products) where you can find ways to Discover Your Life Purpose and implement ideas like this in your own life to create the success you've always dreamed about. Another way you can manifest more in your life is through collages, audio, and even more powerful digital storybooks.

Digital Storybooks are one of the coolest ways to create the Law of Attraction in your own life.

Has this post inspired you? I invite you to share it with others. If you have stories of abundance and ways you've manifested your dreams using the principles in this post, please share in our comments (below).

Learn more: Do you have a question relating to creating a Lifestyle of Abundance and how to implement the Universal Law of Attraction in your own life? Please email us at info (at) AspireNow (dot) com or contact us at 805-459-6939. Post by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow.

Note: this article contains information Copyright © 1999-2007 by AspireNow and Copyright © 2006 by TS Production and producers of the Secret. Used by permission without intention of infringement.

Do you want to receive information like this automatically? Sign up for the RSS FEED for the A-BLOG: Seriously Fun Self-Help. You'll get a variety of ideas to help you manifest your dreams. "Abundant Living Awaits You..."

When Others Lose Faith...What Now?

Have you ever felt like your safety net just dropped out from under you? You know, your husband, wife, parent, child, best friend, or other person close to you just RIDICULED or PUT DOWN or -- worse yet -- WITHDREW SUPPORT in YOUR DREAM!

I'm sorry. That's just not right. But, it happens.

Okay, so you're going along as (a) executive, (b) entrepreneur, (c) employee, or something like that, and for some crazy reason, or a set of reasons, your business or success is taking longer than you thought it would. So, you've drained more money than you thought you would. You have SOME signs of success. Money, customers, web traffic, phone calls. You know, the little signs of success.

But you're not getting rich (yet).

And, they've run out of patience. They think you're crazy. Perhaps, you've been called one of these names:

• Crazy
• Foolish
• Stupid
• Wasteful
• Stubborn

Now what? What can you do?

Do you feel like a failure? (yes/no)

If YES, WHY?

Before we go on. Let me ask you this? ARE THEY RIGHT?

YES? ____ NO? _____.

If the answer is YES, then follow their advice, and stop reading, because you already agree with THEM and don't need this article to help you make up your mind.

HOWEVER, IF the answer to this question is NO, then read on, baby!

Are you determining your success based upon someone else's barometer of success or on your own scale?

Personally, I would really be upset if I missed the answer to the following question:

Scott: "Did you live the life you wanted to live while on Planet Earth?"

Yes? __________ No? __________

There's only one way I want to answer that question: YES.

1. Notice, I didn't give myself a SCALE... on a scale of 1 - 10, to what degree would you say..NOPE. Just Yes, or No.

2. Notice, I also didn't say, "Scott: did you live the life your parents wanted you to live?" or "Did you make your spouse happy with you in your purpose?" or "Did you live the life your brother/sister/friend wanted you to live while on Planet Earth?"

See, because, although these people love us and mean well, sometimes they really don't know what it best for us. Sometimes, only we know that.

If it is an issue that is running between the first question and the latter, I vote in favor of the first. As William Shakespeare said, "to Thine Own Self Be True."

So, what is my advice?

KEEP YOUR FAITH. Have no doubt. BELIEVE in YOU.

Because, apparently, you're the most important person needed right now to believe in you.

How do I know this? Because you already said that the advice was wrong when you answered the first question, above. You already said they DON'T know best for you. In other words, you already know that YOU know best, you just needed me, as a messenger from God or the Universe or just the blogosphere space of the Internet, to remind you of it.

Now, get back focused on what is most important now, and go do it! Remember, as Lou Holtz, former pro coach of Notre Dame said, "to WIN is to do What is Important Now."

Post by Scott Andrews, author of "The Keys To Discovering Your Purpose" e-workbook and audio program. Copyright © 2007 AspireNow. All Rights Reserved.

Bootstrapping your dream

We've posted a couple of articles to help avoid the challenges of bootstrapping for Entrepreneurs that help you start a company or get a project off the ground with gusto:

http://arriive.blogspot.com/ click on Entrepreneur or Start a Company if you can't find the article.

http://www.squidoo.com/Bootstrapping_101/ - Squidoo is another cool tool for organizing your articles, related books, and other useful resources, all in one page. We're starting to post Squidoo articles on posts we believe the Squidoo audience may have interest in.

Aside from that, some random ideas that keep recurring this week, from entrepreneurs I've worked with:

1. If your business plan isn't together, you're not together.
2. If you aren't making any money yet, why should anyone GIVE you any money?
3. Can you tell me the top 3 BENEFITS of each of your top 3 products or services?

Notice, I didn't say Features, or Functions. OH, and let's go a step further. Try to phrase these benefits as how they would apply to your client's EMOTIONAL needs.

Remember, people buy from emotion, then justify with logic.

When you probe for questions, make sure you always ask "how would this make you feel?" or "what types of feelings do you have about your inability to provide..." or "how might that impact you, from a personal standpoint" then listen for emotion-laden responses.

When you're able to dig into the emotional reasons someone has a problem, then sell to that, your sales % will increase 10x. Try it - it works!

-- learn more at http://www.arriive.com/. Find more information like this at http://www.aspirenow.com/. Copyright © 1999-2007 AspireNow. All Rights Reserved.

Start Living Your Dreams!

What's stopping you from living your dreams?

Failure?

I recently spoke with a woman who wrote to me, "You're living the life I dream about."

I asked her, "What's stopping you?"

Her answer? "Money. Fear of failing, I guess."

Wow. Okay. That's honest. Can you blame her for staying in her secure job? It pays for her mortgage, her nice middle-class BMW car, and other necessities of life (shopping, food, etc.). But she isn't getting rich. Are you? And, she really isn't that happy doing her JOB. Are you?

The lesson in this is that what if YOU fail? There are many times you can launch your dream.

You could be considering launching your dream during any combination of the following:

Have a job now. Don't have a job now. Don't like my job now. Like my job now. Have money to last for two or three years. Don't have money to last for two or three years.

Guess what? People have started their company or launched their dream in ANY of the above stages. So, no matter what stage you are in, you can at least START SOMETHING!

David Kelley, the world's most celebrated industrial designer, urges creative people to "fail faster so they can succeed sooner." Amen. You see, when you start your venture, there is a high likelihood you will fail. I know, you don't want to hear that. And, you're smarter than those other fools who try, right? Well, guess what. I'm smart. And I failed. I failed a lot! But, with each failure, I've gone back to the drawing board, and continue to make a small tweak here, an adjustment there, drop this, start that, and continue to develop my programs and services UNTIL THEY SUCCEED. And, it is working. This is how most people make it, I have found out.

They START. They FAIL. They ADJUST. They START AGAIN. They FAIL AGAIN. They LEARN. They ADJUST. They RE-START, THEY WIN. They ADJUST. They FAIL. They ADJUST. They WIN. THEN... ONE DAY... They WIN SOME MORE.... AND MORE... AND MORE. Try it: it will happen for you, too! Who knows? You might even be one of the lucky ones who WINS out of the GATES.

You might be surprised what can happen in your life. Are you tired of living paycheck to paycheck and living other people's dreams? Start living YOUR dreams. The only way to live is to take action on DOING IT!

Don't be afraid of failure. Embrace it. And get it behind you as soon as you can, so that you can start winning.

by Scott Andrews, Author, Entrepreneur, and Founder of AspireNow (http://www.aspirenow.com/). Scott is the CEO and principal business advisor at ARRiiVE Business Solutions, helping executives start a company and launch a new product or service. His expert team helps executives navigate to save time, build interactive marketing, improve sales training with real-world advice, and focuses on helping enterprise leaders build empowered teams with Scott's dynamic SEMANTIC COLLABORATION models and tools. Learn more at http://www.arriive.com/.

Smashing The Goal Barrier

Are you hitting your goals?

If you're like me, you set MONSTER GOALS. And, monster goals are not always easy to hit. So, it is sometimes helpful to have some aids towards hitting your goals.

Here's a few I've put together for today's AspireNow: Seriously Fun Self-Help Radio Show over at NowLive.com:

1. First, you've got to envision it. I like writing my goals down. I also put them in a spreadsheet program. And, once every year or two, I create a DREAM COLLAGE to help me visualize my goals.
2. Get specific. My friend Shari Carr, who works with me and with Tony Robbins, recently told me that my dream collage wasn't specific enough. So, I'm working on a more specific one. That's right, with EXACTLY the specific house, the specific sports, the specific state of mind, the specific money I want per year, per month, the specific car, EVERYTHING will be the EXACT one I want. That ought be more powerful, don't you think? With any goal, start with a vision, then get specific about what the vision ought to look like, and actually be when you get it. This is the first part of SMART (Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely). I've written about those things before, but I think the most important of these is being specific. As far as measurable, achievable, realistic -- I think the answer to all of these is YES - just depending on the time you want to invest or time you CAN invest in each. So, that's the part where we have to be realistic, measure, and achieve accordingly. Timely? Just do something when you're supposed to do it and the timing will work itself out.
3. Hang out with SUCCESSFUL people. If you're failing at your goals, who are you hangin' with? My feeling is that if we're an apple, we ought to be next to other apples. So, hang out with other smart apples if you want to be smarter and more successful. If the people around you neg you out, ask "am I negative?" If you are, change yourself. If you're not, change your friends. It can be done. Just make sure you attract what and who you want in your life.
4. Become an EXPERT. It is amazing how much faster you achieve your goals when you become an expert about something. I find that the most successful people know the most about what they are doing. People often wonder why they can't play saxophone like Charlie Parker. Well, you might be able to. For one thing, he practiced 14 hours a day, when he was honing his craft. Do anything for 14 hours a day, and see if you get good at it. You'll probably find that after a year or two, you'll be considered an expert. And, with your expertise, you will be able to hit your goals more easily.
5. Know your PRIORITIES. You've got to be focused properly if you're to hit your goals. If your priority is to create a website for your business this month, then get software, learn how to self-publish, create a layout, and post your website. Or, meet with a creative designer who designs sites you like, find out if their price meets your budget, and get them started on designing your site. Whatever it is, take action. I recently thought of organizing a jazz festival in San Luis Obispo similar to the festival in San Jose, CA. Guess what, 4 days later I had the URL for http://www.slojazzfest.org up and running. You hit goals when you take action. Don't take action on things you DON'T want unless you're willing to settle for those results. Take action for the things you DO want, and see progress every day. In the past six months, I've launched two radio shows, two blogs, three websites, and helped numerous other people do the same for their own business. How do I do it? By doing a bit on each one every day. I've always noticed when I do the most I've focused on the things that matter most, and prioritized what really matters the most at the top of the list every day.
6. Make sure to revisit your goals regularly. I have monthly goals, that roll into my yearly goals. Every week, I evaluate my monthly goals, and schedule my week (and days) to match my weekly goals, by day. If you don't have a system, get one, and stick to it.
7. Break it down. I can't talk enough about the value of breaking down goals into smaller steps. For example, you might want to buy a mansion that costs $2 Million. But, practically, it might require you first buy a $500,000 house, pay that down, then upgrade to $800,000 when your income and savings grows. Then make the move to the big one from there. Sometimes, a goal requires steps to get there. I had a goal in 2003 to form a band. I first recorded a CD. Then I moved to SLO, and I went out every night and networked with musicians. I made friends. I played with anybody who wanted me to play with them. And, I found people started to ask me "When are you going to be able to play our room? We're jonesing for your band here, man!" The CD was good, so my advance promotion worked. Then, a band I'd joined broke up. I took the conga player, the bass player, added a guitar player from another project, and found a drummer the night of the first gig who the guitar player brought in. Breaking it down was a key to success. It's also used in music when you're trying to get to the crux of the groove, you "break it down" to get to the bass, drums, then build on top of that. So, start with something.

Count your wins. When you break it down, then notice when you get the small wins. Small wins lead to big wins. For example, by writing this article, I enabled myself to have specific content for tonight's show on Now Live. So, now I'll go host it, and share more there about this subject.

This article was written by Scott Andrews, CEO of ARRiiVE Business Solutions (http://www.ARRiiVE.com) and Founder of AspireNow (http://www.AspireNow.com).