In business or your personal life the words you use can make a powerful statement. I once had a woman in sales tell me she couldn’t walk in to potential client offices and ask them for business. That’s when it dawned on me that there is a tremendous difference between can’t and won’t. I responded to this woman with “You can’t. So you are telling me that you are not physically capable of walking to the door, sticking out your hand, grabbing the knob, turning it, pulling the door open and walking through the opening?’ Of course with resistance she replied with “Well, yes I can do THAT”. That is the difference between can’t and won’t.

This isn’t to say it will be easy. It may be difficult. It may require some extreme mental discipline, or having a talk with yourself to make you do something you previously “couldn’t”. I never said it was easy, and sometimes you will have to psych your self up and literally force yourself do it. But you can. As soon as you take responsibility and the empowering position you will be amazed at the things you can and will do.

The next time you hear yourself saying "I can’t…” stop for a moment and ask yourself, it is really that I can’t, that I’m physically not capable, or is it that I won’t? If you determine that you could but you choose not too then it’s wont. At that point you can choose to change your way of thinkingScience Articles, step up to the plate and do it!

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Ok! Let us not talk about these great people. Let’s talk about the chair you are sitting on, the table your computer is kept on, or the computer itself, or the house you are living in. All this must have been somebody’s dream. Somebody must have thought how the chair will look like, what it will be made of, what will be the upholstery, what will be the color etc. This thought is nothing but a dream. And than, he must have started making it and would have given it the material shape, as you see it now and that is the realization of the dream.

You are working in an organization owned by someone else. Whose dream is it? Is it your dream or someone else’s? Of course! It is the dream of your top boss. That is why he earns more money than anyone else in the organization. That is why he lives in a better house, drives a better car, and takes his family to vacation in exotic places. The point is simple. The person with a dream has success. The person with a dream is the winner. You are working for someone else’s dream? There is nothing wrong with it. But why don’t you get your own dream?

Now, here no one is asking you to quit your job. What I am simply asking you is to get a dream. You already have it in you, to make it big. Believe me. You have been born with talents and gifts that make you unique. All you will need to do is use them and fire them with passion that comes from a dream. Even in jobs that you are doing, you can become more successful than others and reach the top. However, it is possible if uses your talents, gives you a sense of purpose and you feel passionately about the work that you are doing. Opportunities are not there in the job, but the person who is doing it.

Passion comes when you feel intensely and emotionally about something. It gives you positive energy, courage to overcome hurdles and motivation in face of failures. Look around you and you will find that people who are successful have a passion towards what they are doing and feel very emotionally towards it. This why the dream must be something that is emotionally backed up with a strong desire to achieve it, and that will translate itself into passion.

Obsession is different from passion. Obsession is born out of fear, greed, and insecurity. People who are obsessed are the people who become workaholic and suffer from stress, ignore relationships, and practically do not live a life. These people are not successful, even if they amass a lot of wealth. On the other hand the people with passion are positive. They do everything with an unselfish sense of purpose. Obviously, when they work, they do it with love and a go-give attitude. They enjoy good relationships, are open minded, enjoys good health and are truly successful.

Each one us has been gifted with the power to dream and visualize. But then why is it that only twenty percent of the people in this world are successful. Why is it that twenty percent of the people in the world control eighty percent of its wealth?

It is because most of them out there do not have the faith in their dreams. They are scared of their dreams not coming true and so they bury it deep inside. They do jobs that they do not like, are self-centered and are doomed to a life of mediocrity. They have never been taught the Principles of Success, or they have not learned them. Unfortunately, most of the schools that should be the place to learn these principles are simply a place for assimilation of hard facts and information.

The size of your success will depend on the size of your dream. In turn you will allow yourself to see a dream that is as big as your faith. It is dream coupled with your faith that will give you passion and motivation. Once you have these two, you will automatically attract the knowledge and wisdom that will catapult you to success. You are reading this article means that you already have the desire. Fortunately now a large part of the knowledge is available freely at www.success-atttitude.com

However, there is no free lunch. Even if the resource is available free, you will have to pay for your success with hard work, persistence, and sacrifice. But the price that you pay for success is far less than the price that you pay for failure. As Zig Ziglar, the great inspirational speaker and author say “You enjoy the price of success; you pay the price of failure.”

by Vivek Ray

There is no magic solution, however creating the best team for your organisation is achievable with some thought and care and an open mind. Follow the 10 steps to achieve your “dream team.”

BUILDING YOUR DREAM TEAM

Step 1 Define your dream
Each organisation will need something rather different. You would not hire rugby players to play basketball for example. Remember one person’s dream is another’s nightmare. Be careful what you wish for as first thoughts are not always the most appropriate – think of Midas.

Take the time to consider:

What does your organisation need?
How do you know?

Step 2 Create The Vision
Think of a lighthouse providing a beacon of light to keep a ship on course and safe from harm whatever the weather and state of the sea. Your vision should sustain your organisation in good times and when things get rocky or through changes of personnel. All those involved with your organisation internally and externally should know what your vision is where you are ultimately aiming for and why.

Consider:
What do you want your organisation to look like in 2 or 5 or 10 years time?
What are the core values you want to live by?
What are your ultimate goals? – personal and corporate
How are you going to create that vision – by yourself or with others?
What elements are negotiable and which are set in stone?
Identify the people you need to involve to make your vision a reality.

Step 3 Create The Culture
It is important to create the right culture for your organisation, ensure that it matches your core values. Consider the reward system you have, does it encourage collaboration?

Collaboration between your team rather than cut-throat competition can provide long-term benefits for your organisation and your customers.

Successful organisations are built on a culture of development rather than blame. Where honest, constructive feedback is given regularly, leading to growth and change. People are encouraged to evaluate their own performance and that of their team, where they strive for excellence and have high expectations of themselves and others.

You must show by example and be consistent in approach.
Articulate your vision, purpose, core values to all involved - regularly, it should be an integral part of your organisations daily living rather than a dog eared poster somewhere in the reception area or on your notice board.

Step 4 Consider your existing situation:
AUDIT –

Where are you now?

What is your decision making process?

People – what are their current roles and responsibilities?

What are your lines of communication? - through the organisation both formal and informal and with your customers and other stakeholders.

Current performance – how do you know how well things are going and people are doing? Don’t forget to consider your own performance.

Be honest with yourself and encourage others to be professionally honest. Ask others from both within the organisation and outside.

Step 5 YOUR VISION vs. CURRENT SITUATION
Compare things as they are with how they would be if your dream was a reality. As yourself the following questions:

What needs to be put into place to achieve your goals?
How can you achieve those things?
Start with: What is going well?
How do you know?

Identify your strengths – celebrate, and protect them, share the best practice within your organisation and within your industry.

What are the areas which need to be changed / developed?

Remember if you always do what you have always done - nothing will change. It is possible to become very successful at failing

Step 6 Create Your Road Map
Consider your existing staff
Identify their current roles and responsibilities.
Think about their potential for professional growth and their training, coaching and mentoring needs to achieve that potential.

Create a ‘perfect team’ plan on paper
Consider the roles and responsibilities needed within your ‘Dream Team’ to deliver your goals

Map your existing staff onto your Perfect Dream Team Plan

Match skill set/ experience / future potential of existing staff
Identify what is needed in the short, medium and long term

Step 7 Appoint Future Staff
Be clear about what you need to bring your dream closer and the role each person is to play within your organisation both as an individual and as a team player.

Consider the type of people you want and think about how they will live your dream. Ask yourself the questions:

“Will they complement m ‘Dream Team’? – What impact will they have on existing staff?

What needs to be done to ensure maximum benefit from the team?

When you appoint new staff have:
Clear expectations and boundaries right from the outset.

A detailed person specification which includes the skills needed to interact positively with the rest of your team and with all stakeholders.

Make sure your advert reflects your needs and expectations.

Create an interview process which will ensure you have the opportunity to see the candidate in different situations e.g. watch the candidate relate to others.

Step 8 Induction and Training
All staff need on – going training to ensure that they continue to develop their professional curiosity. Maintaining your “Dream Team” is a continuous process, it requires nurturing and supporting. This can be supported very successfully through the training and development of:

Individual – new and existing staff
Departmental
Whole organisation
Use of mentors
Preparation for delegation / promotion

If you are introducing a different culture or approach induct all staff as if they were new to the organisation. Better still involve them in the creative process. It engages people and gives them a real sense of ownership and motivation if done well.

Step 9 Making Time For Team Building
A team will become a cohesive unit if it is given the opportunity to form a positive professional relationship. Would you simply put a collection of individuals together and by simply calling them a football team or a choir expect winning results or a balanced harmony? In both contexts they need time to understand each other, their ways of thinking, working and learning. To maximise their potential they need time and structured opportunities to recognise their collective strengths and accommodate their weaknesses. In exactly the same way as groups of singers learn to listen to one another, to harmonise and to adjust volume, pitch and tone by rehearsing on a regular basis or footballers learn which foot their team members favour and who is best equipped to take each position on the field, your team must learn to interact successfully with each other.

There are lots of ways of providing the opportunity for team building:

Tandem Time: ongoing - integral to the daily activities
Specific team building activities:
Training / Social
Ongoing development

I have always been incredibly impressed where the responsibility has been given in part to the team itself to create and run activities to enhance the team building opportunities. Offering a budget or in-house time even a relatively small one can pay real dividends.

Step 10 Creating And Maintaining Effective Communication
The continued development and success of your “Dream Team” is dependent on the ongoing articulation of your organisational vision, core purpose and goals. The importance of a shared understanding is of paramount importance.

To achieve this be aware of the importance of listening and being open to the feedback given verbally and in other ways by your team. Consider both the formal and informal communication within the organisation – across and through and with stakeholders.

Offer opportunities for everyone to have their say, and to feel that their views have been listened to and acknowledged. That does not mean that everyone has to get their own way, rather that they need to understand their position in relation to the shared vision and the needs of the organisation. The best teams value all contributions. It is often a chance remark which will trigger someone’s imagination leading to a creative solution.

The Benefits Of A Successful “Dream Team”
The benefits of having a highly effective team who work well together in the best interests of the organisation are far reaching. The cross fertilisation of ideas, the support mechanism which allows both the individual and the group to grow in confidence and competence are well documented. Having a pool of talented people who are capable of taking responsibility can be an enormous boon to the boss. One of the huge benefits if having a wonderful “Dream Team” is the opportunity to delegate. (See the article on Effective Delegation”)

Effective Delegation, Why delegate?
By delegating effectively it will leave the Senior Management of the organisation time to really lead into the future:

Delegation offers:
Leaders the time to plan strategically
The chance for a shared responsibility and work load
Truly distributed leadership
Progression/ succession development

What is delegation?
So often you hear busy bosses say “If you want anything done properly you have to do it yourself”, or “I’m overloaded” or “I haven’t got time to do what needs to be done let alone time to think!”. “I have no work life balance – no time to myself”

As a boss you have to make conscious decisions are you prepared to spend all your time fire fighting or do you want time to think strategically? Do you want to create a dependency model or a delegation framework.

Which one do you want?

Why does it fail so often?

Effective delegation will only happen if there are a number of elements in place. It requires thorough preparation before hand. You would not expect or indeed want a surgeon to operate unless they were well trained and knew what they were doing, had all the necessary equipment in a suitable, sterile environment.

Delegation requires the person who delegates to prepare the way, an investment of thought and time in the first instance will pay huge dividends in the medium and long term.

Preparing for delegation:
Set out clear parameters of each delegation: desired outcome, time scale, budget,
Be clear about roles & responsibilities – of them and others.

Accountability – what will they be accountable for? And to whom?

Parameters of authority for decision making – this is the area where delegation often crumbles. Consider the consequences if the person doing the job constantly has to pass things up the chain of command for even the simplest decision. Conversely if the person has no terms of reference and is left entirely on their own it can be overwhelming or they can easily take decisions that are well beyond those you expect.

Act as a resource to your team, offer to be at their disposal as a resource rather than being seen as the decision maker. Advice can be self- limiting, far better to ask the right question to further their thinking. It is now that having a culture of development really adds value to the process. Questions are then seen as supportive to the learning process rather as a way to limit and control.

Firstly and finally if you want to maintain a “Dream Team” which is constantly striving to improve and develop, you need to consider your own role in creating and managing the team.

No room for ego.
The best leaders do not need to be the best at everything. They have the confidence to employ the most gifted and talented people they can find. They have the skill to identify good people and to help them grow. Moreover they create a team where one person’s success builds the success of the team. Model the behaviours and attitudes you want to encourage.

Give credit where it is due
Be generous in your praise where it is deserved. Acknowledge others ideas and contributions and take time to thank people for their contribution. Often a heartfelt thank you is worth a fortune, however thanks must be heart felt and genuine, paying lip service will very quickly backfire.

Celebrate success
We all respond well to positive reinforcement. If people know what success looks and feels like, they are much more likely to reproduce the conditions which make it happen. Think of successful dog trainers. They only reward good behaviour, but look for small increments – if these are rewarded behaviours are quickly changed for the better.

A celebration can take many forms, involve your team in determining how they would like their success to be recognised. Going through the motions will be quickly exposed for being false.

Rewards in line with core values
Think about your organisation’s core values with your team, consider the needs of your organisation and those of your team. The ideal is to create a win- win situation where the individual has a vested interest in the organisation and their colleague’s success.

by Gina Gardiner

But then is there any real difference between pessimism and optimism if, when it comes down to it, the results aren't any different? The short answer is yes, with an added but.

Pessimism will tend to lead to bad outcomes, whether it is because you just think things will turn out poorly and thus do not take any action, or because the pessimism will color your actions and choices and as a result you tend to do things that will make the result what you expected, the bad outcome.

Now where the but comes in with optimism is that the mere act of thinking either optimistically or pessimistically will for the most part produce not much difference in outcome, with perhaps a slight edge to the optimist. However, when you add positive, productive action to that optimism, this is when truly amazing things can happen. You can be as optimistic as you want that you will find a way to get the money for that new car or new house, but unless you are including the productive action that helps to push things to that end, you will never get there. The difference between only thinking optimistically and thinking optimistically while acting in a productive manner is kind of like saying to an empty fireplace "Give me warmth and then I will put some wood in you".

I once knew a woman who always said, "I would rather expect the worst and be pleasantly surprised on the rare occasion when good happens than be disappointed all the time". This pessimistic attitude of hers has brought her nothing but misery and strife, and yet she still thinks it has nothing to do with her. She does not realize that her pessimism is coloring her entire life and making the bad things she expects to happen actually happen. My response to her was always, "I would much prefer to expect the best and enjoy what life gives me than to constantly worry about how bad things are." For a long time, we had the same results. Then I realized that I needed to do my part and put positive, productive action behind my thoughts. And while I am not where I want to be yet, I have moved much closer to it and have been much happier along the way.

So I would say to you: be optimistic! Expect the best out of life! Expecting the best out of life is better than being miserably pessimistic. Above all though my optimistic friend, don't forget to do your part to not just think but also act optimistically.

Start with small steps that you can easily accomplish. As you accomplish your early goals, the momentum will build so that it is easier to complete tougher steps late on. As you complete each step, acknowledge your progress and reward yourself with something that isn’t going to detract from your overall goals. If your goal is to lose weight, don’t reward yourself with a candy bar for losing five pounds. Treat yourself to a movie or a new pair of shoes instead. If you don’t succeed in completing one of these steps, don’t give up; stay flexible and committed to achieving your ultimate goal.

How are you going to achieve your goals? Are you going to join a gym or build one in your home with a Bowflex system? Start a Weight loss program like Weight Watchers or Nutrisystem? Identify all of the support systems that you will need.

Execute Your Plan
Start NOW! Don’t procrastinate.

Get others involved. If you want to lose weight, find a work-out buddy or go start hiking with a friend. You will have someone to keep you motivated and you will enjoy spending the time together. Or have someone hold you accountable. If your friends know you are trying to lose weight, they help you to eat healthier with a little encouragement, or they may just give you the evil eye the next time try and order that burger instead of a salad.

Just telling someone else what your goals are will also make the more real. If you just keep it to yourself, you can always change your mind and it never existed, but once someone else knows about it, it is real.

Stay positive and flexible, but keep your eye on the big picture. You set the goal, it’s your plan, your life. Keep working toward on the big picture.

Remember, having a New Year’s Resolution without having a plan to accomplish it is just making a wish.

1. Those that tell you to be absolutely specific and follow processes like the SMART mneumonic (specific/measurable/action/realistic/time)

2. While others say be more general as specificity ruins your chance of success.

I believe good goal setting (like life) needs a balance between specifics and freedom. Trying to control every aspect of the process often complicates things. It can take the joy out of the dreaming and imagination. Goal setting is not about activating the rational mind, but it’s about the subconscious or higher self (whatever term you want to use for that mysterious force that guides us). Accessing that power is through joy, fun, excitement, and inspiration. If the goal setting task is laborious, lame, boring or difficult then forget about it.

3d pts Dream Achievement Process

So here was my challenge how could I make this section FUN, rewarding, challenging, engaging, inspiring, thought provoking, long lasting, and repeatable? OK GO WITH ME NOW, it may seem a little silly and childish but that’s where creation begins so let’s play pretend and let the imagination run wild – then you can return to the serious stuff again J.

Imagine strolling along you favourite beach and tripping over a smooth weather beaten dull green bottle. You pick it up and see it’s closed by a cork, thinking a message may be inside you decide to pull off the cork and out comes a genie wearing some Nike gym clothes and drinking a bottle of water as she floats out.

She says: “I am the wellbeing genie, name your ultimate health and fitness dreams.”

“Wow that is a bit overwhelming!” you say. “I have a lot of health and fitness dreams.”

Then the genie brings you over to a mirror and says: “This is my magical mirror – it reflects back what your health and fitness dreams are. You may see yourself energized upon waking in your desired body, youthfully playing with family and friends or even climbing a mountain.”

What do you see?

Genies know that for dreams to come true you need to be passionate about them, so she digs a little deeper and asks: “WHY do you really want to achieve this?”

What will this outcome GET for you and allow you to DO?

The genie then says: “Ask the mirror vision of you to pick up the paper that’s sitting on the table next to you. It has the date you will achieve this. It may be general or specific.”

What date do you see on it?

The genie then asks you: “Open the door behind you to reveal what RESOURCES and SUPPORT (including people) will be there to help you now?

Now says the genie: “I know that there are things that have held you back in the past from achieving your dreams and they are still holding you back from realising success.” She then proceeds to hand you a red bag: “Place every fear and disappointment in this bag, then tie it together and throw the bag into the mirror.” As you do you see the bag disappearing slowly out of sight.

Then the genie says: “Imagine yourself again in this healthy dream body, feel your fingers tingle with energy and excitement as you live your life with this body.” The genie proceeds to lead you through the day as you experience it with your healthy body full of vitality and abundant energy.

Finally the genie says: “Your wish is my command!”

Genie tips:

1. While you are in this state write it down. Words are an integral part of the thinking process. Words convey images, pictures, feelings, emotions to the mind. By clothing it in words you allow the thought to take form in body, shape, form, substance. Try writing it in the form that you already have it, for example: “I am so happy that I am…” It may feel strange and silly to start but it help to put you into the right state.

2. Get into this state as often as possible, including using techniques like visualization. Your subconscious mind doesn't know the difference between something that is real and something vividly imagined. It is a secret technique to high achievers especially in sports. Whatever picture (goal) you consistently think about will drive your actions to create that exact picture. When you continually see yourself in possession of your goal, your subconscious mind will move you into actions that align with the mental image you hold.

3. Believe. If you don't truly believe you can reach a goal, it will forever remain a pipe dream. In order to fully achieve anything, you must believe it is possible at a deep cellular level. For example if your goal is to achieve your ideal weight then buy the clothes now that you would wear when you are your ideal weight.

4. Have an attitude of gratitude. This will change you state from fear and disappointment to one of motivation. Be grateful for everything you have now. It may be the support of family and friends, or the ability to exercise. For an instant motivation shot please see this article and film… Strongest father in the world

People often make the mistake of making problems permanent. They are not. Rather, they are temporary situations that will be overcome. If the checking account is overdrawn, someday there will be a positive balance in there. If you are overweight, you need not be heavy forever. Alone? That does not mean that you will not meet the person that you will spend the rest of your life with. Any circumstance you are presently experiencing is a temporary situation and should be treated as such.

The old saying “down the road we will laugh about this” applies. Instead of waiting until a later time, laugh about it now. Tell yourself that no matter what is occurring, it will be alright. Practice faith in this statement in all that you do. It will help you laugh about it now.

Maintaining the long term perspective is vitally important. People have a tendency to allow minor circumstances to get them down. Use this outlook to keep things in the proper perspective. Too often, the things that we allow to get us down rarely has a large impact on our lives. In effect, we stumble over mole hills.

The key is action. However, often, before we can take it, we need to break the emotional stranglehold that we put ourselves under. Pumping a degree of hope into a hopeless situation frees us to take the necessary action to move forward. Remember this when you feel circumstances in your life are getting you down.

It Will Be Alright. Every problem, situation, or circumstance that you are now experiencing will be far in the past at some point in time. The overcoming of present challenges makes us stronger in the future. It is this growth that enables us to handle bigger events as time progresses. View these situations from this perspective and you will get greater results in your development.