Opportunity is a blessing and a risk. Smart individuals exploit them for great gain and honor. Foolish individuals squander them to poverty and shame. Smart individuals see a door of opportunity and rush through it with passionate zeal - they are gripped by the potential of extraordinary gain. Foolish individuals miss the door, or presume it will always be there, and head for home with lazy steps - they are dulled by the desire to play or sleep.
Opportunity is not guaranteed. Life is a changing scene of prosperity and difficulty. The agricultural cycle have a great opportunity during summer harvest. Smart individuals gathered all they can with extra effort and time. Foolish individuals dread the extra demands and could not see the reward, so they sought to avoid the hot fields. "There is a time to get, and a time to lose"; the smart individuals know when to get, but the foolish always lose! If you snooze, you lose!
When times are good, gather all you can for leaner times to come. Diligently accumulate much when it is plentiful, and you will have extra to fall back on when it is hard. You must provide for rainy days.
Diligently use opportunities to accumulate assets, because the foolish neglect of opportunities will bring poverty. Even ants know to work hard and save in the summer.
America is the land of opportunity, and it has been for a very long time. Smart individuals have taken advantage of this incredible land of opportunity, but foolish individuals have squandered it foolishly. Many have come to these shores with nothing, but through hard work and frugal savings they built comfortable estates. Others, born on these shores, think that prosperity is easy and squander the many opportunities here to their own poverty and shame.
Every individual, especially in this nation, has many opportunities in education, business, and investments for great gains. They must see the opportunity, be prepared for it, and capitalize on it. "Time and chance happens to them to all. Most opportunities occur in the earlier stages of life; young individuals have greater drive and flexibility than others; and the consequences of their laziness are greater; so this knowledge is primarily for young individuals, nevertheless, with enough drive, senior citizens can use it as well.
Young men and women, are you opening educational doors to gather knowledge, learn valuable skills, or acquire a trade? Are you using your present income with minimal expenses to accumulate the seed capital for lucrative future investments? Are you building relationships with your father's and other contacts for future references? Young man, are you working feverishly in a company known for promoting from within? Do you know that playing or sleeping now will cost you much more than playing or sleeping later?
Do not waste good opportunities. If you have a talent - of any kind, do not bury it! Remember, the greatest risk is not taking any.
Wednesday
Your Mind, Where All Activity Begins
Your Mind is a two-edged sword! It can cut away life's troubles and leave you happy on top of the world. Or it can bleed your body to where your pain cannot be described.
A wounded Mind is much more painful than a wounded body, as the Mind is more vital to our existence than the body. If you allow any difficulties, sorrows or failures to gain the victory over your Mind, the crushing pain can be intolerable.
Ruled and directed by good decisions, your Mind can help you survive any difficulty. Allowed to rule you when wounded, it is unbearable to you and others. Ruled and directed by making good decisions, you can be cheerful in any adversity. Allowed to run unchecked and unmonitored, it can and will drive even the very successful to suicide. Are you ruling your Mind today?
Men and women have done incredible things under horrible stress, pain, danger, and difficulty by a strong and courageous Mind. Their exploits are wonderful to read, but a good decision maker can do better! For the knowledge of present reality and future expectations, and the sustaining help of a strong and healthy Mind , are things the unsuccessful know nothing about.
Ruling your Mind is the best evidence of successful maturity. Fighting troubles on the outside is easy. Ruling a melancholy Mind on the inside is much more difficult. Nothing you do in life is as important as ruling your Mind. If you let it rule, you are a loser. If you rule it, you are greater than many, if not most, successful men and women in a city.
Will you crumble today from slow traffic? Too many projects at home? A disappointing career? A bad hair day? A frustrating day at the office? A few pounds overweight? A disappointing spouse or child? A fiery dart from somewhere that you are a loser? Let the shame of these questions drive you to joy and strength in your Mind.
Do you rule your Mind? Or do your spouse and family know the little setbacks of life put you in an irritable mood or silent depression, when you snap at others or ignore them in your selfish withdrawal? What childishness! Grow up, today! Rule your Mind today and you will benefit; and begin to Perform Beyond The Genius Level.
A wounded Mind is much more painful than a wounded body, as the Mind is more vital to our existence than the body. If you allow any difficulties, sorrows or failures to gain the victory over your Mind, the crushing pain can be intolerable.
Ruled and directed by good decisions, your Mind can help you survive any difficulty. Allowed to rule you when wounded, it is unbearable to you and others. Ruled and directed by making good decisions, you can be cheerful in any adversity. Allowed to run unchecked and unmonitored, it can and will drive even the very successful to suicide. Are you ruling your Mind today?
Men and women have done incredible things under horrible stress, pain, danger, and difficulty by a strong and courageous Mind. Their exploits are wonderful to read, but a good decision maker can do better! For the knowledge of present reality and future expectations, and the sustaining help of a strong and healthy Mind , are things the unsuccessful know nothing about.
Ruling your Mind is the best evidence of successful maturity. Fighting troubles on the outside is easy. Ruling a melancholy Mind on the inside is much more difficult. Nothing you do in life is as important as ruling your Mind. If you let it rule, you are a loser. If you rule it, you are greater than many, if not most, successful men and women in a city.
Will you crumble today from slow traffic? Too many projects at home? A disappointing career? A bad hair day? A frustrating day at the office? A few pounds overweight? A disappointing spouse or child? A fiery dart from somewhere that you are a loser? Let the shame of these questions drive you to joy and strength in your Mind.
Do you rule your Mind? Or do your spouse and family know the little setbacks of life put you in an irritable mood or silent depression, when you snap at others or ignore them in your selfish withdrawal? What childishness! Grow up, today! Rule your Mind today and you will benefit; and begin to Perform Beyond The Genius Level.
Monday
How to Avoid Blocking Wealth and Success
When you try to attract abundance, wealth and success with the Law of Attraction, your own thoughts can sometimes work against you. Three of the most common ways this can happen are described below, along with tips for turning those negative thought habits into more positive ones.
Turn Doubt into Open-Minded Optimism
Have you ever gotten a great idea that caused your heart to beat faster and you began daydreaming about how awesome it would be to accomplish such a thing? Then most likely the doubt and disbelief crept in. You may have thought, "I don't have the money or knowledge to do that; no one would take me seriously," and so on.
For many of us, the problem isn't that we aren't capable of achieving great wealth and success - but that we have closed our minds to the many great ideas that could put us on the path to such an outcome. Doubt and disbelief are symptoms of a closed mind - and wealth and success cannot come from that type of mind-set.
Instead, open your mind; let the ideas flow in, and then do whatever you can to follow through on them and see where they might lead.
Infuse "You" Into Everything You Do
Have you ever tried to model your actions after others who have been successful doing what you want to do? This is not necessarily a bad idea because it's true that you can learn a lot from others who have already accomplished what you want to accomplish. However, a problem arises when you try to squash down your own uniqueness in the process.
When you do this, you are not thinking for yourself but trying to become someone else - and that simply never works. You would do much better to embrace the qualities that make you unique and express them in every aspect of your work and personal life. You can still model your approach after the success of others - but do it in your own unique way.
Turn Negatives into Positives
You may be taking a "destructive" approach in improving your life by trying to blast the negative stuff out of your consciousness - as if hating something intently enough could remove it permanently. However, the more you focus on the negative the more you are going to keep perpetuating it in your life.
One of the most powerful techniques you can learn is the ability to switch the angle of your focus. Rather than trying to avoid focusing on the negative stuff, you can learn to see it in a different light - for example, imagining yourself being debt-free, rather than resisting the feeling of being in debt. It seems like such a small shift, but it can make all the difference in the world.
Can it be this easy? Is this all it takes to create wealth in your life? The answer will surprise you. Grab your complimentary "The 7 Biggest Mistakes People Make with the Law of Attraction and Money and How YOU Can Avoid Them" http://www.moneymagnetmeditations.com. Valerie Dawson is the Founder of TheDawsonMethod.
Turn Doubt into Open-Minded Optimism
Have you ever gotten a great idea that caused your heart to beat faster and you began daydreaming about how awesome it would be to accomplish such a thing? Then most likely the doubt and disbelief crept in. You may have thought, "I don't have the money or knowledge to do that; no one would take me seriously," and so on.
For many of us, the problem isn't that we aren't capable of achieving great wealth and success - but that we have closed our minds to the many great ideas that could put us on the path to such an outcome. Doubt and disbelief are symptoms of a closed mind - and wealth and success cannot come from that type of mind-set.
Instead, open your mind; let the ideas flow in, and then do whatever you can to follow through on them and see where they might lead.
Infuse "You" Into Everything You Do
Have you ever tried to model your actions after others who have been successful doing what you want to do? This is not necessarily a bad idea because it's true that you can learn a lot from others who have already accomplished what you want to accomplish. However, a problem arises when you try to squash down your own uniqueness in the process.
When you do this, you are not thinking for yourself but trying to become someone else - and that simply never works. You would do much better to embrace the qualities that make you unique and express them in every aspect of your work and personal life. You can still model your approach after the success of others - but do it in your own unique way.
Turn Negatives into Positives
You may be taking a "destructive" approach in improving your life by trying to blast the negative stuff out of your consciousness - as if hating something intently enough could remove it permanently. However, the more you focus on the negative the more you are going to keep perpetuating it in your life.
One of the most powerful techniques you can learn is the ability to switch the angle of your focus. Rather than trying to avoid focusing on the negative stuff, you can learn to see it in a different light - for example, imagining yourself being debt-free, rather than resisting the feeling of being in debt. It seems like such a small shift, but it can make all the difference in the world.
Can it be this easy? Is this all it takes to create wealth in your life? The answer will surprise you. Grab your complimentary "The 7 Biggest Mistakes People Make with the Law of Attraction and Money and How YOU Can Avoid Them" http://www.moneymagnetmeditations.com. Valerie Dawson is the Founder of TheDawsonMethod.
Thursday
Powerful Thinking
For a thought to be powerful two things are necessary. First, the full power of the mind should be used to create and develop it, and secondly, the forces of nature should support it. A thought will be at its most powerful only if both the thinker and the world around provide maximum power. If the full potential of the mind is behind a thought but the thought is not cherished by the surroundings nor welcomed by nature, then it will not succeed in maintaining its force to its ultimate fulfilment.
Keeping the mind still for only 10 minutes a day can create a state in which every thought is supported by the mind's full potential and enjoys the good-will of all laws of nature that will ensure your success in all moral, legal and ethical endeavors.
Powerful Thinking demands not only that thoughts should not produce a binding influence on the thinker but that they should also serve as a means of liberation from poverty and failure.
When the mind thinks, it is identified with the thought. This identification of the mind with the thought makes it imperative that the thinker engage in only positive thinking.
The purpose of Powerful Thinking is to create a state of consciousness that will free the thinker while accomplishing and enjoying the maximum in life, achieving the greatest good for oneself and others. Power Thinking also produces the most powerful thoughts with the least expenditure of mental energy. A thought should be expressed without strain or tension. This is Powerful Thinking: the least exertion and the maximum result.
Thoughts should not only be powerful but should also be right. Powerful Thinking does not allow useless or wrong thoughts to occupy the mind. Only virtuous and moral thoughts naturally fill the mind, thoughts that will help you to succeed.
Without Powerful Thinking, random thoughts will come at any time. Useless, wrong, weak, misleading or degenerate thoughts are a barrier to success.
Another aspect of Powerful Thinking is that thoughts come in such a way that they produce the greatest good for the thinker and spread harmony and success in his/her surroundings.
Keeping the mind still for only 10 minutes a day can create a state in which every thought is supported by the mind's full potential and enjoys the good-will of all laws of nature that will ensure your success in all moral, legal and ethical endeavors.
Powerful Thinking demands not only that thoughts should not produce a binding influence on the thinker but that they should also serve as a means of liberation from poverty and failure.
When the mind thinks, it is identified with the thought. This identification of the mind with the thought makes it imperative that the thinker engage in only positive thinking.
The purpose of Powerful Thinking is to create a state of consciousness that will free the thinker while accomplishing and enjoying the maximum in life, achieving the greatest good for oneself and others. Power Thinking also produces the most powerful thoughts with the least expenditure of mental energy. A thought should be expressed without strain or tension. This is Powerful Thinking: the least exertion and the maximum result.
Thoughts should not only be powerful but should also be right. Powerful Thinking does not allow useless or wrong thoughts to occupy the mind. Only virtuous and moral thoughts naturally fill the mind, thoughts that will help you to succeed.
Without Powerful Thinking, random thoughts will come at any time. Useless, wrong, weak, misleading or degenerate thoughts are a barrier to success.
Another aspect of Powerful Thinking is that thoughts come in such a way that they produce the greatest good for the thinker and spread harmony and success in his/her surroundings.
Monday
10 Tips For Making The Most Of Online Video
Online video delivers some of the best ROI of any advertising medium today and if set up properly, actually ranks higher than text now by the major search engines like Google.
1. Make Sure Your Video is Professionally Done.
This is an absolute must. The whole point here is to establish credibility and trust, but you'll do the opposite with a poorly executed and produced video. Yes, many of the videos you find on sharing sites are mediocre at best, but that is changing rapidly as companies begin to see the value of promoting themselves in this manner. In fact, a recent Permission TV survey found that 67% of 400 hundred top executives intended to focus their online marketing efforts on video in 2009. The rush is coming - find a personable, engaging interviewer and a top notch production crew to really stand out.
2. Submit Your Video to as Many Outlets as Possible.
While YouTube is the clear leader here, there are many other video sharing sites worthy of consideration. Here are some others you won't want to pass up:
• Google Video • Yahoo! Video • Daily Motion • MySpaceTV • MetaCafe • Revver • Veoh • Blinkx • Break
3. Embed Your Video on the Front Page of Your Site.
Don't hide what's going to become one of your most effective selling tools on a dusty inside page. Get it out front. Customers and search engines will love you for it.
4. Find Out What Search Terms Your Potential Clients are Using and Put Them in Your Video's Title.
If you don't know what words clients in need of your services are typing into Google and other search engines, get professional help or use some of the resources featured on this page. Once you've identified these terms, use the most popular in your video's title.
5. Make Your Tags and Descriptions SEO-friendly, too.
Most video sharing sites let you tag videos with keywords and post a short description, so get the most out of these by sprinkling in the search terms you've identified.
6. Don't Forget Your Thumbnail.
A thumbnail is a still shot from your video that appears along with search results. Don't waste this chance to present yourself in the best light possible - choose a key moment from your video, preferably one where you're smiling as you speak with your interviewer.
7. Link Back to Your Site.
Put your URL near the top of your video's description. You'll get a higher search ranking and potential clients will quickly learn where to go for more information.
8. Interact With Your Viewers.
Most video sharing sites allow viewer comments. Use this option to answer questions, respond to comments, and further promote your business.
9. Consider a Pay-Per-Click Campaign.
Natural search engine optimization, while effective, takes time to bear fruit. In the meantime, you might want to jump start the process with a pay-per-click campaign that gives you a sponsored search listing. You can learn more about PPC advertising at:
• www.google.com/intl/en/ads • sem.smallbusiness.yahoo.com/searchenginemarketing • advertising.microsoft.com/search-advertising
10. Add New Content Often.
Search engines look for it and so do potential clients. Keep your content fresh and up-to-date and keep visitors coming back for more.
With an ever-increasing stream of competition, it's more important than ever to stand out from the crowd. These days standing out means maximizing your online presence and leveraging the technology to present the unique advantages of you and your firm. There's no better way for a growth-oriented business to build a solid and secure future than by using effective and affordable online video. Use these free resources to get a handle on the terms that potential clients are using to search for you right now.
• Wordtracker • Google AdWords • Keyword Discovery • KwMap • Google Trends
About The Author
Diana D'Itri is co-owner of IDR, LLC, a media production and marketing company. Since 2002, Diana has helped business professionals all over the U.S. to differentiate themselves from their competition and improve web conversions through online and cable television broadcasting. http://www.idrbroadcasting.com/
1. Make Sure Your Video is Professionally Done.
This is an absolute must. The whole point here is to establish credibility and trust, but you'll do the opposite with a poorly executed and produced video. Yes, many of the videos you find on sharing sites are mediocre at best, but that is changing rapidly as companies begin to see the value of promoting themselves in this manner. In fact, a recent Permission TV survey found that 67% of 400 hundred top executives intended to focus their online marketing efforts on video in 2009. The rush is coming - find a personable, engaging interviewer and a top notch production crew to really stand out.
2. Submit Your Video to as Many Outlets as Possible.
While YouTube is the clear leader here, there are many other video sharing sites worthy of consideration. Here are some others you won't want to pass up:
• Google Video • Yahoo! Video • Daily Motion • MySpaceTV • MetaCafe • Revver • Veoh • Blinkx • Break
3. Embed Your Video on the Front Page of Your Site.
Don't hide what's going to become one of your most effective selling tools on a dusty inside page. Get it out front. Customers and search engines will love you for it.
4. Find Out What Search Terms Your Potential Clients are Using and Put Them in Your Video's Title.
If you don't know what words clients in need of your services are typing into Google and other search engines, get professional help or use some of the resources featured on this page. Once you've identified these terms, use the most popular in your video's title.
5. Make Your Tags and Descriptions SEO-friendly, too.
Most video sharing sites let you tag videos with keywords and post a short description, so get the most out of these by sprinkling in the search terms you've identified.
6. Don't Forget Your Thumbnail.
A thumbnail is a still shot from your video that appears along with search results. Don't waste this chance to present yourself in the best light possible - choose a key moment from your video, preferably one where you're smiling as you speak with your interviewer.
7. Link Back to Your Site.
Put your URL near the top of your video's description. You'll get a higher search ranking and potential clients will quickly learn where to go for more information.
8. Interact With Your Viewers.
Most video sharing sites allow viewer comments. Use this option to answer questions, respond to comments, and further promote your business.
9. Consider a Pay-Per-Click Campaign.
Natural search engine optimization, while effective, takes time to bear fruit. In the meantime, you might want to jump start the process with a pay-per-click campaign that gives you a sponsored search listing. You can learn more about PPC advertising at:
• www.google.com/intl/en/ads • sem.smallbusiness.yahoo.com/searchenginemarketing • advertising.microsoft.com/search-advertising
10. Add New Content Often.
Search engines look for it and so do potential clients. Keep your content fresh and up-to-date and keep visitors coming back for more.
With an ever-increasing stream of competition, it's more important than ever to stand out from the crowd. These days standing out means maximizing your online presence and leveraging the technology to present the unique advantages of you and your firm. There's no better way for a growth-oriented business to build a solid and secure future than by using effective and affordable online video. Use these free resources to get a handle on the terms that potential clients are using to search for you right now.
• Wordtracker • Google AdWords • Keyword Discovery • KwMap • Google Trends
About The Author
Diana D'Itri is co-owner of IDR, LLC, a media production and marketing company. Since 2002, Diana has helped business professionals all over the U.S. to differentiate themselves from their competition and improve web conversions through online and cable television broadcasting. http://www.idrbroadcasting.com/
Things You Can Do When You Lack Discipline
Follow these steps to achieve your goals
One of the biggest problems people face is the lack of discipline—they have goals or habits they want to achieve, but lack that discipline needed to stick with it. Then we beat ourselves up about it. We feel bad because we can’t stick with it. And that leads to more failure, because we’re forming a mindset that we don’t have the necessary discipline.
Here’s what to do when you face a situation like this:
1. Forgive yourself.
You aren’t perfect. No one is. Realize that beating yourself up will only make things worse. Take a few slow, deep breaths and let it go. Forgive yourself. And move on.
2. Realize that discipline is an illusion.
While discipline is a common concept, it doesn’t actually exist. It’s not a thing you can actually do. Think about it: people say discipline is pushing yourself to do something you don’t want to do. But how do you do that? What skill is required? There isn’t a skill — it’s just forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to do. And that requires… some kind of motivation. Without motivation, you won’t be able to force yourself to do anything. So motivation is the key concept—and this is something that’s real, that you can actually learn how to do.
3. Focus on motivation.
What’s your motivation for pursuing the goal or habit? How will you sustain the motivation when you struggle? Have very strong motivations for doing something, and write them down. Commit publicly. When things get tough, remind yourself of your motivation. Focus on it. It’ll pull you along—that’s more powerful than trying to focus on the push of discipline.
4. Make it easy.
Discipline is tough because whatever the task or habit you’re trying to do is tough. Instead, make it easy. Remove barriers. Having a hard time exercising? Make it ridiculously easy, by only exercising for 5 minutes. What use is exercising for 5 minutes? You’re creating the habit, not getting yourself into shape overnight. The 5 minutes of exercise will have only a tiny impact on your health, but it makes exercise super easy. If you can do that 30 days in a row, you now have an exercise habit. Hate waking up early to go to the gym? Do it at home. Do it during lunch or after work.
5. Focus on enjoyment.
It’s hard to push yourself—to have discipline—when you hate doing something. So find something enjoyable about the activity. If you don’t look forward to exercise, find some good music, or a workout partner who you can have a nice conversation with, or a peaceful setting in nature that is just beautiful. And focus on that enjoyable aspect. Hate doing your paperwork? Find a peaceful sanctuary where you can do the paperwork and enjoy yourself. Maybe have a nice cup of tea or coffee, play some nice music. And focus on the enjoyment.
6. Repeat.
You’ll almost inevitably slip up sometime, no matter how good you are. Unfortunately, people often take this to mean they don’t have discipline, and they just beat themselves up and give up. Well, it’s just a bump in the road. Get up, dust yourself off, and get going again. Start from Step 1 and start all over.
If you want something that you have never had you must do something that you have never done.
This article was written by Leo Babauta
One of the biggest problems people face is the lack of discipline—they have goals or habits they want to achieve, but lack that discipline needed to stick with it. Then we beat ourselves up about it. We feel bad because we can’t stick with it. And that leads to more failure, because we’re forming a mindset that we don’t have the necessary discipline.
Here’s what to do when you face a situation like this:
1. Forgive yourself.
You aren’t perfect. No one is. Realize that beating yourself up will only make things worse. Take a few slow, deep breaths and let it go. Forgive yourself. And move on.
2. Realize that discipline is an illusion.
While discipline is a common concept, it doesn’t actually exist. It’s not a thing you can actually do. Think about it: people say discipline is pushing yourself to do something you don’t want to do. But how do you do that? What skill is required? There isn’t a skill — it’s just forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to do. And that requires… some kind of motivation. Without motivation, you won’t be able to force yourself to do anything. So motivation is the key concept—and this is something that’s real, that you can actually learn how to do.
3. Focus on motivation.
What’s your motivation for pursuing the goal or habit? How will you sustain the motivation when you struggle? Have very strong motivations for doing something, and write them down. Commit publicly. When things get tough, remind yourself of your motivation. Focus on it. It’ll pull you along—that’s more powerful than trying to focus on the push of discipline.
4. Make it easy.
Discipline is tough because whatever the task or habit you’re trying to do is tough. Instead, make it easy. Remove barriers. Having a hard time exercising? Make it ridiculously easy, by only exercising for 5 minutes. What use is exercising for 5 minutes? You’re creating the habit, not getting yourself into shape overnight. The 5 minutes of exercise will have only a tiny impact on your health, but it makes exercise super easy. If you can do that 30 days in a row, you now have an exercise habit. Hate waking up early to go to the gym? Do it at home. Do it during lunch or after work.
5. Focus on enjoyment.
It’s hard to push yourself—to have discipline—when you hate doing something. So find something enjoyable about the activity. If you don’t look forward to exercise, find some good music, or a workout partner who you can have a nice conversation with, or a peaceful setting in nature that is just beautiful. And focus on that enjoyable aspect. Hate doing your paperwork? Find a peaceful sanctuary where you can do the paperwork and enjoy yourself. Maybe have a nice cup of tea or coffee, play some nice music. And focus on the enjoyment.
6. Repeat.
You’ll almost inevitably slip up sometime, no matter how good you are. Unfortunately, people often take this to mean they don’t have discipline, and they just beat themselves up and give up. Well, it’s just a bump in the road. Get up, dust yourself off, and get going again. Start from Step 1 and start all over.
If you want something that you have never had you must do something that you have never done.
This article was written by Leo Babauta
Thursday
Helpful And Imaginative Thinking
All thoughts use energy in life in a series of changes leading to improvement. If a thought is not helpful, the energy used is wasted. Its reaction on the surroundings will at best not be helpful and at worst absolutely harmful. Nevertheless, it is necessary for the mind to entertain only helpful and imaginative thoughts.
The skill of helpful and imaginative thinking lies in the regular practice of keeping the mind completely still for at least 10 to 30 minutes per day. In other words, do not do any conscious thinking during that period. This will cultivate a state of mind, which will always be consciously connected to Source Energy. Thus creating contentment in the mind that will allow you to entertain only helpful thoughts, thoughts that arise to fulfill the need of the hour for the thinker and the surroundings, thoughts that will fulfill the purpose for the development of the individual.
Daydreamers exhaust their minds on fancies. Such unproductive thinking is a huge waste of energy, robbing the thinker of the ability to think correctly and to make good decisions.
A helpful thought is one that is imaginative and has a good purpose in life. A thought is entertained in the mind so that it may be developed and used for the fulfillment of some desire. Thought is the foundation of action, if the thought is helpful and imaginative , then the action will be useful and productive. To have one such useful thought is far more valuable than to waste mental energy in entertaining many useless thoughts one after another.
This knowledge of skillful thinking will help you Perform Beyond The Genius Level.
The skill of helpful and imaginative thinking lies in the regular practice of keeping the mind completely still for at least 10 to 30 minutes per day. In other words, do not do any conscious thinking during that period. This will cultivate a state of mind, which will always be consciously connected to Source Energy. Thus creating contentment in the mind that will allow you to entertain only helpful thoughts, thoughts that arise to fulfill the need of the hour for the thinker and the surroundings, thoughts that will fulfill the purpose for the development of the individual.
Daydreamers exhaust their minds on fancies. Such unproductive thinking is a huge waste of energy, robbing the thinker of the ability to think correctly and to make good decisions.
A helpful thought is one that is imaginative and has a good purpose in life. A thought is entertained in the mind so that it may be developed and used for the fulfillment of some desire. Thought is the foundation of action, if the thought is helpful and imaginative , then the action will be useful and productive. To have one such useful thought is far more valuable than to waste mental energy in entertaining many useless thoughts one after another.
This knowledge of skillful thinking will help you Perform Beyond The Genius Level.
Wednesday
The Growth of Pay Per Post
The Concept
The concept of sponsored posts on blogs has emerged as recognition of the powerful collective voice that bloggers have and the effect that they can then exert on people’s opinions.
Therefore companies can now post ‘opportunities’ about which bloggers can write, in return for a small fee. It’s an interesting new way of creating buzz, spreading a message, or even trying to change public opinion about a company.
The concept of sponsored posts is not without controversy. Some bloggers see it as a threat to their viewed impartially, feeling that effectively they could become another marketing tool for large commercial organisations.
The main company in this field, PayPerPost, recognised this problem and has introduced rules whereby bloggers can mention that a sponsored post is in fact ‘sponsored’. This has helped to quell the groundswell of opinion against this form of marketing, and now offers bloggers an excellent way to earn money, and companies a useful tool to help create online buzz about their product.
Advantages
Awareness –
it’s a good way to spread a message, particularly if you have some important and interesting news, or are trying to spread awareness of a new idea.
Web Site Traffic –
sponsored posts can significantly increase traffic as many readers click on the company link to find out more if it sounds interesting.
Search Engine Optimisation –
many blogs have been around for a while and have a high Google PageRank. Therefore links on these blogs can have excellent search engine optimisation value, with the value of the link alone often being worth more than the cost of the post.
Chain Effect –
the blogging world is an interactive community, always looking for new and interesting news to write about. Often one blog post will result in a couple more posts as other bloggers mention the idea.
Costs
The cost of sponsored posts varies depending on the number of words you wish bloggers to write, along with how interesting the ‘opportunity’ is. Interesting opportunities make it easier for bloggers to write about them and as a result they will be willing to do it for less money.
However, ultimately the amount you are willing to pay per sponsored post is up to you – if you offer too little the worst that will happen is that only a few bloggers will take up the opportunity.
Cost per Post: $3 - $10
It’s worth mentioning that sponsored posts are generally not seen as a highly effective way to increase sales, especially as the ability to select a target audience is slightly limited. There is every chance that bloggers who mainly write about other areas may decide to write about your company.
In addition, it’s worth noting that on the vast majority of blogs it is possible to leave comments. Asking bloggers to spread false information is inviting trouble, and even when the information is true some competitors may take the opportunity to make negative comments or promote their business. Therefore always monitor what has been written along with any comments and enter replies where appropriate.
This article was written by Marketing Minefield
The concept of sponsored posts on blogs has emerged as recognition of the powerful collective voice that bloggers have and the effect that they can then exert on people’s opinions.
Therefore companies can now post ‘opportunities’ about which bloggers can write, in return for a small fee. It’s an interesting new way of creating buzz, spreading a message, or even trying to change public opinion about a company.
The concept of sponsored posts is not without controversy. Some bloggers see it as a threat to their viewed impartially, feeling that effectively they could become another marketing tool for large commercial organisations.
The main company in this field, PayPerPost, recognised this problem and has introduced rules whereby bloggers can mention that a sponsored post is in fact ‘sponsored’. This has helped to quell the groundswell of opinion against this form of marketing, and now offers bloggers an excellent way to earn money, and companies a useful tool to help create online buzz about their product.
Advantages
Awareness –
it’s a good way to spread a message, particularly if you have some important and interesting news, or are trying to spread awareness of a new idea.
Web Site Traffic –
sponsored posts can significantly increase traffic as many readers click on the company link to find out more if it sounds interesting.
Search Engine Optimisation –
many blogs have been around for a while and have a high Google PageRank. Therefore links on these blogs can have excellent search engine optimisation value, with the value of the link alone often being worth more than the cost of the post.
Chain Effect –
the blogging world is an interactive community, always looking for new and interesting news to write about. Often one blog post will result in a couple more posts as other bloggers mention the idea.
Costs
The cost of sponsored posts varies depending on the number of words you wish bloggers to write, along with how interesting the ‘opportunity’ is. Interesting opportunities make it easier for bloggers to write about them and as a result they will be willing to do it for less money.
However, ultimately the amount you are willing to pay per sponsored post is up to you – if you offer too little the worst that will happen is that only a few bloggers will take up the opportunity.
Cost per Post: $3 - $10
It’s worth mentioning that sponsored posts are generally not seen as a highly effective way to increase sales, especially as the ability to select a target audience is slightly limited. There is every chance that bloggers who mainly write about other areas may decide to write about your company.
In addition, it’s worth noting that on the vast majority of blogs it is possible to leave comments. Asking bloggers to spread false information is inviting trouble, and even when the information is true some competitors may take the opportunity to make negative comments or promote their business. Therefore always monitor what has been written along with any comments and enter replies where appropriate.
This article was written by Marketing Minefield
Friday
Business Blogs - Should You Have One?
"A blog, when used strategically, not only can directly generate revenue, it can be an effective way to communicate with prospects and customers and offer a call to action." Susan F. Heywood, founder of SellingStuffOnline.com
Blogging has seen such rapid growth because people enjoy expressing their opinions and communicating with others, whilst it’s also free depending on the blogging service that is used and is straightforward to set up. Unsurprisingly businesses surveyed this blogging phenomenon and identified it as a channel which could be utilised to grow their companies. Today many of the most informative and insightful blogs are those that are updated by businesses.
A business blog has a number of benefits. Through communicating and interacting with customers it can build loyalty as well as attract new customers because it’s an excellent way to illustrate your expertise in a certain industry, thereby establishing your credibility. Many companies also use their blog as a tool to create additional income, often through Google Adsense.
However, quotes such as creating a business blog will ‘turbo-boost your sales’ or ‘bring in huge amounts of additional income’ are extremely misleading. Building an insightful, interesting and ultimately a business enhancing blog is a long time-consuming process. Rarely updated business blogs can do more harm than good, as can blogs with incorrect or poorly researched posts.
The amount of time required to research and write each blog post should not be underestimated, and is the downfall of many new bloggers. If possible, dedicate the job to a member of staff with excellent writing skills; otherwise decide if you have a number of hours each week that you set aside to update your blog.
There is no doubt that when done properly blogs are excellent marketing tools. They foster relationships, enhance loyalty, and can become ranked highly in search engines, but think long term - instant results will not be forthcoming.
If you do decide to go ahead with a business blog then we’ve put together a number of tips to help you get the most from your blog:
Regular Updates -
no one likes to read a blog that seems neglected. Aim to update it at least twice a week and don’t launch your blog until at least 5 posts have been written. Before this any people that visit your blog will see it as being neglected or lacking information and are unlikely to visit again.
Great content written in your own voice -
avoid using corporate wording. Blogs are not like business presentations. They are being written for the general public who are reading it out of interest, not to be confused with the use of high-level technical terms. Think of your blog as an interactive forum, the human face of your business. For the content write about the latest news in your industry, product updates and interviews. Shorter, more frequent posts tend to work better.
Add social bookmarking tools -
have a list of bookmarking tools at the end of each post to enable your readers to publicise your content. You can even do this yourself for some of your best posts. Popular bookmarking websites include...
Feed subscription buttons -
allow users to subscribe to your blog by providing a Feed Subscription Button that they can use. This means that they will be notified every time you update your blog. As Susan F. Heywood, founder of SellingStuffOnline.com, says, "RSS gives customers control. As many consumers and businesses feel their e-mail boxes are out of control, even messages that customers subscribed to may be ignored."
Submit to blog directories -
this will help to increase the visibility of your blog, particularly in the search engines. See our Blog Directory List for a list of all the directories that you can submit your blog to.
For more information go here
Blogging has seen such rapid growth because people enjoy expressing their opinions and communicating with others, whilst it’s also free depending on the blogging service that is used and is straightforward to set up. Unsurprisingly businesses surveyed this blogging phenomenon and identified it as a channel which could be utilised to grow their companies. Today many of the most informative and insightful blogs are those that are updated by businesses.
A business blog has a number of benefits. Through communicating and interacting with customers it can build loyalty as well as attract new customers because it’s an excellent way to illustrate your expertise in a certain industry, thereby establishing your credibility. Many companies also use their blog as a tool to create additional income, often through Google Adsense.
However, quotes such as creating a business blog will ‘turbo-boost your sales’ or ‘bring in huge amounts of additional income’ are extremely misleading. Building an insightful, interesting and ultimately a business enhancing blog is a long time-consuming process. Rarely updated business blogs can do more harm than good, as can blogs with incorrect or poorly researched posts.
The amount of time required to research and write each blog post should not be underestimated, and is the downfall of many new bloggers. If possible, dedicate the job to a member of staff with excellent writing skills; otherwise decide if you have a number of hours each week that you set aside to update your blog.
There is no doubt that when done properly blogs are excellent marketing tools. They foster relationships, enhance loyalty, and can become ranked highly in search engines, but think long term - instant results will not be forthcoming.
If you do decide to go ahead with a business blog then we’ve put together a number of tips to help you get the most from your blog:
Regular Updates -
no one likes to read a blog that seems neglected. Aim to update it at least twice a week and don’t launch your blog until at least 5 posts have been written. Before this any people that visit your blog will see it as being neglected or lacking information and are unlikely to visit again.
Great content written in your own voice -
avoid using corporate wording. Blogs are not like business presentations. They are being written for the general public who are reading it out of interest, not to be confused with the use of high-level technical terms. Think of your blog as an interactive forum, the human face of your business. For the content write about the latest news in your industry, product updates and interviews. Shorter, more frequent posts tend to work better.
Add social bookmarking tools -
have a list of bookmarking tools at the end of each post to enable your readers to publicise your content. You can even do this yourself for some of your best posts. Popular bookmarking websites include...
Feed subscription buttons -
allow users to subscribe to your blog by providing a Feed Subscription Button that they can use. This means that they will be notified every time you update your blog. As Susan F. Heywood, founder of SellingStuffOnline.com, says, "RSS gives customers control. As many consumers and businesses feel their e-mail boxes are out of control, even messages that customers subscribed to may be ignored."
Submit to blog directories -
this will help to increase the visibility of your blog, particularly in the search engines. See our Blog Directory List for a list of all the directories that you can submit your blog to.
For more information go here
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