Become the Writer and Director Of Your life

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players� For some reason I have always liked that saying. It just seems to roll easily off the tongue. I can�t even tell you how many times I have heard other people quote it as well.

In the past I understood that quote to mean something totally different than I what I believe it means now. Back then (before my learning and studying) when I heard or thought about that quote, I took it to mean that I was merely one of the players taking �direction� from a higher authority �up there� and was just merely acting out a play that was being scripted without my input.

As I started learning more about the creative power each of us has and the Law of Attraction however, I started realizing that it was me, myself, that was writing and directing the whole production. I was the one hiring the actors, writing the scenes and designing the sets.

For example, the person I am married to was �hired� by me (after quite a few bad auditions by other actors I might add). The �set� has been designed by me. I realize as I look around me now that it was me who put up that mirror, painted the wall that color and picked those couches.

And I also realized that I am the one who continually decides which role different actors are going to portray in my play everyday, as well as where the scenes are going to take place.

So where is the exercise in this? It is time for you to see yourself as the writer and director of your own life.

If there is anything you are unhappy with in your life, it is time for you to rewrite the script.

With pen and paper in hand, visualize that you are in fact a writer and director sitting in an empty auditorium watching your �production� play out in front of you. What is working and what isn�t?

How does your main character (you, of coarse) look? Are you happy with their appearance? Is there something you would like to change? Thinner, healthier, different clothes, different style?

Are they optimistic and funny? Sarcastic or angry? Do they wallow in self-pity that annoys you to hear from your seat in the auditorium? Do they keep saying the same thing over and over again? Things like �this will never work� or �I�ll never get what I want� or �Why can�t I do this�? As an objective observer how does this sound to you now?

What about the other characters you created in their life? Are they helping the main character or doing more harm than good? Are they upbeat? Are they supportive? Do they help the main character along or hinder them?

What about the set? Is your main character living in a place that one would consider pleasing or dreary? Is it fresh and clean or a chaotic disaster?

Where does that character work? Is it someplace inspiring, uplifting,

with the potential of growing into something bigger? Does this job move the character�s story along? Or is it monotonous, boring and seeming to go nowhere?

There are two main objectives with this exercise. 1. To take a step back from your emotions and try to view your life from the perspective of an objective observer and 2. Remember that it is indeed you who is in charge of how this production plays out on a moment to moment basis.

Now that you have written down your observations (and be honest about what you are viewing - keep your emotions out of it this first draft) it is now time for editing.

Grab your eraser and erase the things that aren�t working for you. Better yet, physically cross them out - slash lines through them viciously - as you tell yourself �that is definitely going in the wrong direction� and rewrite what you would like to see happen.

Know as you do this that you are in fact taking back control of your own story; instead of letting your main character wander around in circles on stage just acting and reacting mindlessly to the actions of the other characters.

Remember that you are the director as well. Up till now your play has run amok with no direction. Jump into your directors chair and state step by step what it is going to happen next and how you have decided this play is going to unfold.

For instance: State that the main character (you) is going to walk into the job interview �scene� full of confidence. The main character is going to meet a great new employer character that is friendly and has a great sense of humor. See both characters hitting it off wonderfully. See the smile on your main characters face as they turn to the audience and give a jubilant �Yes!� to the audience that they have found the job they want with a person they like. Imagine the members in the audience applauding and laughing at the awesome display of excitement!

Then do this with your other scenes. Write down the great romance, the pleasant sets, the fun scenes with friends, the warm scenes with family.

As you do this, you will receive a clearer view of what you are wanting to create in your life as well as remembering that you are in fact the writer and director of your own life. Remember there is no one outside of you writing this play. It is all yours!

So go write the production you have always dreamed of. And believe with all of your heart that each scene you write will have no other option but to come to fruition. After all�you are the author. No one gets to write this story except for you!

Happy Creating!

Law of Attraction: Manifestation Exercise # 7 - How To Make Eliminate The Negative Past and Get A Fresh Start Today

Imagine that you have this friend. Your best friend. A friend who has been through everything with you in life, all of your ups and downs.

Now at times you think this friend is great! Who would you be without this friend? There is just one little thing though about this friend that drives you crazy. He or she just lives to criticize you.

They remind you of every embarrassing thing you have ever done, every mistake that you have ever made. They can make you feel guilty, jealous, and angry like no one else on the planet can.

They tell you that you will never be more than you are now. That you should just be grateful for what you have because what makes you think that you are so special and entitled to anything more?

They tell you to get real. That you will never get that dream girl or guy, they are way out of your league. They say you will never get that promotion because you are just not smart enough.

On and on they go everyday telling you what you cannot be, have or do.

Now you might be thinking, who on Earth would want a friend like that?

The answer is you if you are still letting that pesky thing called Ego run your life. Read the above statements again and see if that �friend� sounds familiar to you.

We originally created the Ego to help us stay focused on our own unique experiences while on Earth. Because we are in fact All One, we needed a sort of tuner to help keep us focused on our own station and have a way to �tune out� all the other traffic out there. Otherwise we would just be hearing all the other gibberish from all the other parts of ourselves (the millions of other people on our planet right now).

The problem however began when we started giving that Ego too much power and mistakenly started to believe that the tuner was in fact our �identity�. When we started to believe everything it told us was truth.

Our next mistake was in believing that everything that has happened up in our lives until today has now defined who we are going to be tomorrow. Another trick of that pesky Ego. It has now established our identity and it doesn�t want to give it up easily. It likes itself just where it is. It feels safe and easy�even if you are miserable.

So now when you say �I�m going to lose weight and get in shape over the next few months� the Ego says �Uh. Uh, Uhhhh. No we are not. I am comfortable here. I don�t like change. We have now established ourselves as a �slightly overweight person� and I don�t feel comfortable changing that label.� And then it goes into a whole bunch of reasons why you won�t be able to do it. It will tell you things like �You�ve tried it a million times before and it�s never worked so why even bother.� Or �you�re never going to find time to go to the gym a couple of times a week.� or �Eating food that is good for you is boring� or any of the one million things it will try to come up with. I am sure you can fill in any blanks from your own pesky little voice.

So now�what do you do?

You need to shake that little sucker up. Throw it off its tracks. Shock the heck out of it!

How do you do this?

You focus on the moment of NOW!

You see, the Ego can only survive on the past. All of the criticism, guilt, negative talk and thoughts all stem from things that it has made connections with from your past.

If you choose to live in this NOW moment there is nothing for it to feed off of anymore

You can be a new person as of this MOMENT. It does not matter a lick what happened in your childhood, or past relationships. It doesn�t matter how many mistakes you have made or how many failures you have had. That is in the Past. It�s over. There is nothing that can be done about any of that.

All that matters is right NOW. This moment. Right NOW you can be anything you want to be! And there is no one to tell you differently.

So what is the exercise?

Grab a pad or open a fresh page on your word processor.

Imagine that you just arrived on this Earth for the first time this morning.

You have absolutely no preconceived notions about anything.

Everything around you is fresh and new. You are amazed at all the unbelievable experiences you can have while you here on this planet. It is like the biggest playground you have ever seen!

Write down all your impressions. Even the smallest thing. Imagine you were writing someone �back home� and explaining all of the wonderful things down here on this planet there are to experience.

Tell them about the food! You discover there are at least 25 different places you can eat with hundreds of food choices within blocks of you. Tell them about the people! There are so many you can meet, have fun with, laugh with, share things with. Tell them about all the millions of ways people have to make money while they are here. Explain how you can�t imagine anyone not being able to earn a fantastic living while here doing something they love because there are just so many options!

How about where you live? Explain how cool your house and apartment are. Explain about cell phones, televisions, computers, etc.

For the next few days keep acting like everything you see around you is brand new Everything is possible for you because �you have never tried them before�.

And if that pesky ego tries to thwart your fun be sure to say to it �I don�t know who you are or where you get your pessimistic ideas little fellow but I know that I am entitled to experience every good thing down here just be being here. So I think you better move on and find someone to tell your silly fantasies to.

You will be amazed at how differently you will see the world and all of your possibilities when you look at them with fresh eyes.

Happy Creating!

Motivation-The 3 Aspects of Human Behavior You Must Know to Succeed

Motivation can be defined in numerous ways, but there are two basic definitions or descriptions. It can be defined as the main reason or reasons that individuals partake in a certain behavior, specifically human behavior pursuant to the study of psychology or neuropsychology. It can also be defined as the driving force that initiates and drives an individual�s behavior. It is the internal energy that propels us to achieve our goals. Typically, it is considered to be a dynamic state of mind not concerned with personality.

There are three aspects of human behavior that motivation is based and founded in:

1. arousal of behavior

2. direction of behavior

3. persistence of behavior

Arousal of behavior relates to a specific thing that activates behavior whereas direction of behavior relates to what is responsible for directing the behavior. Persistence of behavior relates to how the behavior is sustained.

What drives an individual to be successful is referred to as motive. Usually, all motives fall into one of three categories and are considered to be physiological or psychological in nature:

1. homeostatic motives � hunger, respiration, thirst, etc.

2. nonhomeostatic motives � curiosity about the environment, seeking shelter, etc.

3. learned or social motives � achievement, approval, power, social affiliation, etc

In any endeavor that an individual undertakes, motivation (or the lack thereof) is the key element behind the success or failure of the endeavor. It plays a key role in the workplace where the effective performance of an employee is concerned. Management or supervisory personnel have a direct impact and play a significant role in employee motivation in that they employ different motivational techniques to raise productivity levels. It also follows that this has a direct effect on the cooperation levels between the employer and the employee.

Motivation can also be classified as

1. negative or positive

2. obvious or subtle

3. intangible or tangible

Education or learning is also interrelated with motivation and instructors will oftentimes employ motivational techniques to get their students to learn. It can benefit the student by making them more competent as well as encouraging confidence and the ability to solve problems.

Self-motivation has also been classified into two different types:

1. Extrinsic � generated by external factors

2. Intrinsic � generated by internal sensations and is longer-lasting than extrinsic

Self-motivation is considered to be intrinsic in nature, and originates from an individual�s internal drives. It is the basis for overcoming obstacles in the path of achieving one�s goals. Additionally, certain external factors are responsible for driving a person into undertaking a new project or to move in a positive direction. Characteristically, self-motivation is comprised of three factors:

1. beliefs

2. desires

3. values

Since an individual cannot rely on others for motivation, self-motivation has to come from within. It plays a key role wherein the individual gathers the courage and strength to achieve certain goals, and is essential for developing new undertakings or making a positive change in one�s lifestyle. Training programs have been proven to be the best way to educate oneself in order to improve motivation and self-motivation.

Maximizing Your Price in a Soft Economy

Establishing maximum value for your price is never easy. In today's volatile economy, it's even more of a challenge. For most companies, costs are increasing, yet the ability to pass them along to the customer is fraught with numerous roadblocks. The customer's response to a price increase is rarely positive, with the usual line of objections that go along with it. In addition, there are the concerns that a competitor's price may undercut yours or that the customer may choose to go down a different path instead of buying from you at all. As big as these issues are, they pale in comparison to the number one roadblock to maximizing your price point: the confidence of the salesperson.

The main reason why companies do not capitalize on their potential revenue is because their salespeople do not have the confidence to ask for and receive the highest price point. If a salesperson is secure in what they are selling and in knowing how the customer will benefit from their products/services, then they will be confident in asking for and getting the desired price point. The problem is that many times the salesperson lacks confidence in at least one of these areas, resulting in their inability to make their sales quota.

To rectify this problem, it's important to examine how the salesperson first developed a lack of confidence in their ability to maximize their price points. Generally, it stems from a sale they perceived to be lost because their price had been too high. On the surface, their assumption probably appeared to be correct. However, in reality, it just seemed that way because the right price-value relationship had not been established. If the salesperson had executed a proper sales strategy that allowed both himself and the customer to see the product's/service's true value, this could have been avoided. It needs to be communicated that in a B to B environment, the benefits are to both the buyer and the business they're buying it for. In a B to C environment, the benefits are to both the buyer and to the person(s) who will actually use the product or service. When the salesperson and the customer understand this, it can help erase the uncertainty that the price may pose.

Let me give you two quick examples. If a person works for a mega-global company and is buying widgets, he'd have no problem spending a little on them if he knew he was buying them from a reputable company that has experience selling to other mega-global companies. In essence, the customer is looking for confidence and is willing to pay for it. In a B to C situation, because the customer doesn't want to look like a fool for their purchase, they want the salesperson to provide them with enough emotional benefit to allow them to convey to others that they made a great decision. In both situations, an inexperienced salesperson is going to lose the sale if they don't take the time to use questions that encourage the customer to fully express their needs. In general, new salespeople often lose the sale shortly after they've stated their price. Thus, it's only natural for them to believe that the price was the determining factor. However, when digging below the surface, the price was not what prevented them from closing the deal. Rather, they lost the sale because they didn't ask enough questions to fully establish the needs of the customer.

Top-performing salespeople ask questions that allow the customer to elaborate on their needs and then demonstrate their listening skills by asking appropriate open questions and probing deeper with great follow-up questions. They use the information that they learn to better explain how their product or service can be beneficial to the customer. In my 25 plus years of selling, I've learned that the customer's real needs, hurts, and wants don't often surface until you're demonstrated genuine interest in what their thoughts and goals are. Ironically, this means that you can throw out their initial comments, as it is rarely the need they are looking to fill. If you expect to base your price-value relationship on what you first hear, you'll never come close to achieving your maximum price point.

In summary, today's economy is full of opportunities for top performing salespeople to ask really good questions that get customers talking. This allows both the customer and the salesperson to see, feel, and understand what their true needs are. When the salesperson can experience this across multiple customers, they will begin to develop the assurance they need to be able to confidently convey the maximum price point their company expects them to receive.

Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit http://www.TheSalesHunter.com.

Selling With Your Personality

Anyone can sell if the price is cheap enough or if what is being sold is something people can't live without. However, for the vast majority of us, neither of these luxuries are part of the scenario. The difficulty of selling is compounded by the fact that most customers have a wide range of options available to them regarding what they can buy. Therefore, in order to close the sale, it becomes necessary for us to stand out from other salespeople. One of the best ways to be different is by displaying a confident personality.

A powerful sales tool that many of us overlook is our personality. It positively and negatively influences far more sales than we will ever admit to. I firmly believe that you should use your personality to impact every sales call. "CPP" is a concept I often teach to sales groups. It stands for "Confidently Passionate Personality" and it means to use your personality with a level of passion and confidence that allows the customer to believe you are genuinely interested in them and their success. Although it's not rocket science, it is a critical idea that is often neglected and is very useful in helping you gain sales over your competition.

Note that in order to successfully use your personality on a sales call, you have to be confident in how you can help your customers. Unfortunately, many salespeople are simply confident in what they're selling, not in their ability. There's a big difference. When you're confident in what you're selling, it means you're putting more emphasis on your products or services than you are on your customers. This misunderstanding eliminates a large number of salespeople from being able to use their personality to positively influence their ability to close. Confidence should not come across as manipulation. I'm sure we all know salespeople with infectious personalities that use them to bulldoze their way through with customers. On the surface, they're very successful, at least for the short term. However, those who have a manipulative personality will lull themselves into a false sense of security when, in reality, they're destroying their long-term sales potential.

A confident salesperson is willing to take the time to find out what the real needs of their customers are. They don't jump at the person's first comment and try to close the deal. Their genuine interest helps expose the underlying needs that the customer may otherwise not be willing to share. Confident salespeople believe so strongly in themselves and their ability to help that they're not concerned with making a quick sale. Rather, they want to make a great sale, which is usually much bigger and more profitable than a quick one.

Furthermore, when you're genuinely confident in yourself as a salesperson and how you can help people, it's impossible to keep from showing your passion. The word "passion" is usually heard in the context of someone being passionately in love with another person. This is not what I'm talking about. The "passion" that I'm referring to is showing genuine care and concern for helping the customer. This means that you're willing to not only take interest in what they are telling you, but to also dig deeper, even if it takes you down a line of questioning you had not planned on. The true test in demonstrating passion towards a customer is if after you've determined their needs and discovered that they are not in line with what you are selling, you would be willing to refer them to someone else. That's passion! Yes, it may mean giving up a sale, but I guarantee that if you truly are passionate towards your customers, you'll end up with far more sales in the long-run than the person who is not.

Finally, to successfully use your personality as a sales tool, you must be someone that people like to associate with. Negative or self-serving personalities will not see positive results. Your personality must be upbeat in both actions and words, and should be complimentary to everyone you come in contact with. Attractive personalities do not get easily upset with issues, are willing to help find solutions, and are optimistic. They are inviting rather than exclusive, and they cause others to be willing to share openly. Very simply, an attractive personality is one you would like to hang out with.

To determine your level of confidence, ask yourself the following two questions.

* Do customers call you for information that goes beyond what you sell?

* Do customers willingly refer you to others?

Although they are simple questions, the responses they elicit can quickly tell you if your personality is confident, but not arrogant.

Having a "Confidently Passionate Personality" is not something every salesperson can achieve. However, for the vast majority, it is attainable if they're willing to show genuine interest in their customers. The questions they ask and the service they provide will allow their personalities to be the effective sales tool that differs from their competition.

Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com.

Sources:http://www.valuablecontent.com/articles/35818/1/Selling-With-Your-Personality

COMMIT COMMIT! Where Discipline Meets Action

December 21, 1998�a brisk winter day in Saudi Arabia. I was stationed on my first combat deployment, flying missions to enforce the Iraqi southern no-fly zone. Inexperienced and quite nervous, I was scheduled to take off on only the fourth combat sortie of my career. It was a mission I'll never forget.

I was flying that day with my flight lead, Lt. Col. "Hos" Hyatt, the commander of the 79th Fighter Squadron Tigers. Our "2 ship" of F-16s were charged with "sanitizing" the airspace of any enemy aircraft that might be crossing the restricted area. It was a routine patrol. Or not.

Suddenly, our radios blared with an urgent call from the radar ground controller, "Viper flight, you've got an MIG-23 150 miles off your nose headed south � hostile, hostile!" This meant the MIG had crossed the no-fly zone and was headed toward us and the fuel tankers we were in charge of protecting. A split second later, my headset erupted with a call from Hos. "Viper flight, COMMIT, COMMIT!" Almost unconsciously, I pushed up my throttle to afterburner and started to climb, as I struggled to stay in perfect formation with Hos. There was no turning back. We were going after that MIG.

With those two words, "Commit, Commit," my destiny was set in motion. No time to think, simply time to react. I was trained for that moment and my instantaneous choice was clear: It was time to "commit."

My heart raced. The intensity was beyond words. Quite frankly, there was a part of me that asked, "Am I ready to do this? Will I get shot at? What if my engine fails?" Doubt crept in. But deep down, I knew I was ready and mentally and emotionally prepared. Otherwise I had no business being in that jet! Aborting that mission was not an option�period. I had a job to do. All my military training boiled down to this one moment, and I simply had to trust my wingmen, stay in position, and execute the briefed plan. It was time to act.

That moment may have come in the extreme of combat, but it was really no different than the "call to duty" we all face in everyday life and business.

Do you have the discipline and training to commit to action in your life�to "push it up" and go after your target with confidence? Do you have the discipline and training to commit to action in your life - to "push it up" Perhaps it's the challenge of raising a family, a new job opportunity, going for a promotion, embarking on a fitness regimen or a "serious" diet, or the trust and rigors that come from of a relationship. The actions you take once you commit will determine the quality of your outcome.

If you're not ready to commit, no problem. Perhaps it's not the right time, or you just need more time. But if you really are committed to take action in your life, you better have the discipline to do what it takes to commit with confidence and foster that level of trust others can count on.

True commitment only exists when it is aligned with action. Action based on disciplined preparation, laser-sharp focus and, most of all: courage. The sort of courage that says, "Even though I may get �shot at'�I will carry on!" This is the reality of flying fighters in combat, and it is also the reality of leading a life of passion that is based on commitment and action.

Bottom line: Before you commit to anything, you have to risk getting "shot at." You have to be willing to work and sacrifice. Let's face it, it's not easy to commit. If it were, everybody would be doing it.

My good friend, Dirk Jones, does 110 pushups every morning and he's in the gym more than I am. Dirk is 73. He's committed to staying fit and takes action to do so every day. I recently spoke to people from an amazing retail management company named Jones Lang LaSalle. Last year, a severe tornado ripped through one of their properties in Memphis�the Hickory Ridge Mall. Petrified, one of the employees refused to evacuate the building. Pat Jacobs, the mall's GM, stayed behind and risked his life to make sure the employee was safe. Another wingman named Barry Woods drove 8 hours and spent 3 weeks with his coworkers to help them recover from the disaster. Barry and Pat were committed to serving their wingmen at JLL. They took action and it made a deep difference for their company.

So here's the wingtip: The ability to face our fears, harness courage, and commit to action when the stakes are high is a lot easier when we act in service to others. More importantly, when we have a trusted partner on our wing backing us up, it gives us courage to press on.

Hos was on my wing. Who's on yours? (PS: The MIG aborted and went back across the border. Mission accomplished!)

Waldo Waldman builds team unity within organizations as a high-energy leadership/inspirational speaker. A former combat-decorated fighter pilot with corporate sales experience, Waldo brings an exciting and valuable message to organizations by using fighter pilot strategies as building blocks for peak performance, teamwork, leadership and trust. His clients include AFLAC, Hewlett-Packard, Nokia, NY Life, and Home Depot. To download Waldo's Top Gun Motivation mission briefing, visit Motivational Keynote Speaker at http://www.yourwingman.com or call 1-866-925-3616.

Sources:http://www.valuablecontent.com/articles/34270/1/COMMIT-COMMIT%21--Where-Discipline-Meets-Action