Avoiding Disappointments in 2008

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. Explore. Dream. Discover."
-- Mark Twain

When I read that quote, I had my doubts. But the more I read it, the more I realize how true it is. This seems to apply in most areas of our lives. Think about it.

Concerning Relationships

What disappoints you most about the one who got away -- The fact that you didn't do anything and that person just slipped away from your life, OR that after you made your move, that person just didn't want a more intimate relationship with you?

Concerning Business

What was more disappointing -- The business idea that didn't become a reality because you never acted on it, OR the one that you tried to put together but crashed and burned?

Concerning Sports

Was it the tournament that you never dared to join, OR the one that you joined, and got eliminated in the very first round?

I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

We go through life once, and throughout our journey, we will be faced with many opportunities to be involved. But will we keep passing them by with different excuses? Too high, too low; too expensive, too cheap; too near, too far; too hard, too easy.

A guy once sat nervously in train terminal in a far Province. He was thinking of going into the big city to try succeeding as an athlete. After all, his friends kept telling him that he was fast and strong. When watching their sports favorite on TV, they kept hooting how he'd run circles around these big-name bozos.

But now that he was actually on the verge of putting his dreams into effect, he has been nervously postponing his decisions. He has allowed the previous trains to leave without getting on them. Now, the last train was leaving in 30 minutes.

He struggled to make a decision - should he go or not? To clear his mind, he decided to walk among the shops across the terminal. He drifted in and out of shops, had coffee in one, and struck up a chat with a shop manager. Finally, he made up his mind - he was going to go!

He ran back to the terminal. When he tried to buy a ticket, he was informed he missed the last train. He made up his mind 10 minutes late!

Because he dilly-dallied in deciding, the circumstances decided for him!

He never really went back to the terminal the next day. Something came up. Something always did. 40 years later, he sits watching his favorite sport on TV, wondering what would have happened had he gone when he had the chance. But he, you and I would never know now, would we?

Sucks right?

Avoid the disappointments Mark Twain talked about. Put into action your goals and plans. If things don't turn out the way you wanted, you at least have the satisfaction of knowing that you did something.

Target your goals. Plan your strategy to get there. Then go for it!

Cheers!
primeprojects

An Unrepeatable Success Recipe?

I remember a day when our Dad decided to surprise us by whipping up some "gourmet cooking." When we sat down to eat, we were amazed. What he prepared looked good, smelled good, and tasted really, really good! Compliments were abounding, and our Dad was beaming with pride.

Finally, as we were finishing the last pieces of this sumptuous meal, we talked about how to make this a family tradition meal for special occasions. Our Dad was grinning impishly when he said that this was a once-in-a-lifetime meal that was never to be repeated again.

So naturally, we all protested. Dad finally confessed that the reason we couldn't do the meal again was not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't know how to cook the same meal again!

Incredulous, we asked why he couldn't do it a second time after having done it the first time. Did he lose, misplace or simply forget the recipe? Sheepishly, he admitted that he couldn't remember the recipe because THERE WAS NO RECIPE!

He said that he suddenly had an idea what he wanted to cook for us. He didn't plan how to do it. He mixed ingredients without measuring how much of what should be put into the pot. He was, as he put it, simply experimenting.

If it turned out bad, that was the end of that experiment. But if it turned out well, then there was no way to duplicate his successful experiment.

It was an unrepeatable recipe -- a one-hit-wonder.

And it's basically the same with our lives. We can choose to set our goals and strategize how to accomplish them. Or we could just wing it as we go along, hoping we get things right.

But if, despite not having goals and plans and by simply chancing it, things do turn out successfully, how do we duplicate that success?

If we once overcame a problem successfully, what are the chances that we will do so again when the same problem rears its ugly head again? It's so easy to say, "Well, I licked this the first time around, I can do it again!" Yes, but how? Of the many things you did that made you successful the first time, what was it exactly that you did then that you need to redo now so you can succeed once more this time?

Not only that. How do we help others - say our friends and kids - when they need to know how we did it? What do we say to them? What can we teach them? What nugget of wisdom can we pass on to them?

The advantage of using proven success principles is that we can succeed, continue to succeed and help others succeed.

Cheers!
primeprojects

3 Things, Once Gone ....

I received an email today that makes you realize just how important life is. You should not allow it to just pass you by. For this blog's purposes, I would just like to comment on the stunning statement it makes ....

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back

Time

Time is an ever-flowing stream. Whether you want to or not, it's always moving forward. The minutes and seconds that pass you by are gone - forever!

In the TV series "Heroes," one of the characters called "Hiro" has the ability to stop time. When things are moving too fast, he simply freeses time, thinks about his options, and unfreezes time, continuing from where he left off. In the movie "Back To The Future," the characters are able to go back in time and make some simple changes that alter their present outcomes!

However, we don't have these make-believe abilities. We can neither turn back nor stop time. The only time that we have is our here and now. We can either waste it, or make the most of it.

Words

Ever spoken words that you wished you could have taken back? I know I have. Our words can either make us or break us. Much more sobering though is this truth - our words can build or destroy somebody else.

There are people with great potential that never amount to anything simply because they've heard all their lives, "You're a failure and will never amount to anything in life!" However there are those who have gone through some of the worst tragedies and have emerged victorious because they have heard encouraging words all their lives, "This failure is not final. You are greater than this. You will find a way to overcome. You can do it. I believe you can. I have faith in you!"

Opportunity

Was there ever a time you wanted to tell someone how much you appreciated them, but you let the moment passed? Funerals are full of these. How often I've heard people say, "I never told them how much I loved them."

Time is linked with opportunity. As time passes, so does the opportunity to maximize that time passes also. But just as there is coming time, so there are coming opportunities also. But there are differences. The opportunity you get today may be different from the opportunities you've had in the past.

What can we learn from this?

Use time wisely. Set your goals and zero in on them. It's possible to just drift through life, but why drift when you can optimize it, right?

Choose your words wisely. Speak healing words, not hurtful words. Speak them to yourself and to others. Remember, you have power over your words. And words have power. Use that power to work for you and others.

Use your opportunities wisely. Strategize for best results. Remember, plan your work and work your plan. Doesn't mean you can't be flexible. You can make adjustments along the way.

It's your life - maximize it to the fullest!

Cheers!
primeprojects

Get Financial Freedom So You'll Have Freedom To Enjoy The Important Things Of Your Life!

Resolutions Overload?

Many posts have dealt with having goals and resolutions for 2008. And this is good. Having these is Success 101.

But what about the other end of the spectrum? What about having too many goals and resolutions?

You've listed goal after goal and resolution after resolution concerning weight, career, money, travel, budgeting, online business plans, relationships, quitting smoking, quitting too much drinking, quitting gossip, quitting the tendency to quit resolutions when things get difficult, quitting this, quitting that, doing this, doing that, etc.

Dutifully, you've listed them as blogs, articles, talk shows and others have preached about the importance of them. But now, as you look at this list you have compiled, you feel a certain swelling of pride. But as your eyes jump from one goal to the other, that pride begins to change to uncertainty. From uncertainty to mild panic, and from that, to a full-blown sense of being overwhelmed!

You have to too much on your plate and you don't know where to start. Too many resolutions and goals have left you feeling swamped. Resolution overload is now threatening to shut you down.

What to do?

1. Take A Break

Sometimes, when things get too overwhelming, you need to distance yourself. Take a walk and clear your mind. Breathe in, breathe out. Quiet your mind. Let rest come to your spirit. This is probably one of those times when it would be good to sleep on it and face the task again with a fresh outlook.

2. Go Back To Your List With Calm Objectivity

Remember, the list you made is a tool to help you, not a master to enslave you. The Resolution List is your friend. You will not run away from it nor pretend it doesn't exist. You are its master and not the other way around.

3. Sort Your List

Determine as best as you can which are the most important ones. You could probably use a scale of 1 - 5 to help you in rating them. Try to do that until you could isolate the top 5.

4. Focus On ONE Goal

I know, I know -- each one needs to be done. But choose one to start on. Better to get 1 out of 5 done, instead of sitting around for 3 months not getting anything done because you can't make up your mind on which to start on.

5. Plan Your Strategy

Try to work out a plan how you're going to accomplish that goal. Write down a simple step-by-step plan how you're going to go about your plan. It doesn't have to be complicated. Just a simple plan you can follow.

Keep notes of this to help keep your mind on your plan. Post notes in your mirror. Keep notes inside books and notebooks you use. Use the digital equivalent if you're more tech-oriented.

6. Work Your Plan

Now that you've planned it, NOW DO IT!

The best plans are useless when they are not executed. Don't get cold feet now. Act on what you have planned. Action - your action - is what's going to make your plan come to fruition.

Plan your work and work your plan. Lights. Camera. ACTION!

7. Stay With It Until You Get Results

Give it your best shot and don't quit until you finish. So maybe you hit some snags along the way. Find solutions to those and persevere. And if you don't get exactly what you want, you at least achieved something. That's better than getting 100% of nothing because you never dared to start.

The point of this is to get you some momentum and help you gain the confidence that comes when you exert effort in accomplishing your objectives. Hopefully, this new-found confidence will spur you on to greater accomplishments of your other goals and resolutions.

Cheers!
primeprojects

We Can Help You Devise A Strategy To Achieve Your Goals!

When Things Go South ....

"Life Will Not Go According To Plan If You Do Not Have a Plan" - Gary Ryan Blair The GoalsGuy

How many have looked at the rising sun and have enthusiastically declared "My life is ahead of me!", only to look back 50 years later at the setting sun asking, "Oh, if only I had done it differently then ... why didn't I take a chance it when I had the opportunity?"

For many, they have chosen to just drift through life, hoping for the best and waiting for life to give them the breaks they feel they deserve. "This just wasn't the plan!" they would groan.

But if you'd ask them, "What was the plan anyway?"

Some would just stare at you with a shrug, while others would mumble, "Well, I dunno ... but it sure ain't supposed to be this!"

But how would you know? If you don't know where you're going, how would you know if you got there or not? If you don't know what you need, how would you know if you got it or not?

Without a goal or a plan, you would just drift aimlessly in life, ending up with things you really don't want or need.

I had a friend from a different country who visited us. He and his wife enjoyed their vacation here, and when the time to go home was near, they decided to buy presents here to bring back home. They decided to shop the day before their flight back.

After they finished shopping and arrived at the house, my friend plopped wearily down on the seat besides me. I asked if he was OK. He said he was fine ... except that he was a little upset and frustrated.

When I asked why, he answered that he and his wife decided to save time in the mall by parting ways. They had an understanding that they were there to buy presents for their friends. He was supposed to buy guy stuff for the men while his wife was supposed to take care of the ladies' stuff.

But while his wife was going around, she met with a couple of lady friends. Naturally, they had to have coffee and a chat. Naturally they had to visit the different bargains. And naturally they had to have those!

When he finally met with his wife and they were inside the taxi, his wife was telling him about all the steals and deals she bought for herself. When he asked what he bought for their friends, her eyes just grew wide, her fingers covered her lips, and only one word came from her mouth - "Oops!"

She forgot the plan. No wonder my friend was a little miffed. They couldn't go back. They'd spent their shopping budget. All they had left was what they needed to fly back home. They didn't want to go back. They were too tired to do so.

So does a plan really guarantee you'd get everything you want?

Not really. But planning and achieving only 50 percent of what you're aiming for is better than aiming at nothing and achieving 100 percent of that!

Remember that piece of conversation between Alice and the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland?"

"Chesire Puss," she began, rather timidly, ... "Would you tell me, Please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.

"I don't much care where -" said Alice

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.

Nuff said!

Cheers!
primeprojects

Do You Have S.M.A.R.T. Goals?

"Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage but simply because they have never organized their energies around a goal" (Elbert Hubbard - American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher)

How serious are you about your goals and resolutions? Are they worthy of your efforts?

Not many follow through, or even start at all. Why?Because they set goals in such a way that it wouldn't matter whether they're accomplished or not. For example, here are 2 common resolutions people make every year - to make more money and to lose weight.

Sounds like a plan right? But without going too deep, let's just ask some simple questions.

To Make More Money - What do you mean by "more money?" If you bought something for $1 and sold it for $1.50, would you consider having accomplished this goal?

To Lose Weight - Let's say you were trying to get 2 or 3 more gifts before the stores closed for the holidays, and that because the items you were looking for were at a low supply because of the strong demand for them, you had to criss-cross several stores for an hour just to find them. Sweating, you finally get home with those gifts, and before jumping into the shower, you weigh yourself.

Lo and behold, you've lost half-a-pound, or maybe even a whole pound! Would you consider yourself to have achieved this resolution of losing weight? What if you were 50 pounds overweight? Then you'll simply be 49.5 or 49 pounds overweight. So, have you really lost weight according to your resolution, or not?

See? Goals that are vague and ephemeral don't merit your consideration at all. And if they're not that important to you, they're not going to be acted upon.

Here's a simple and easy way to set goals that are challenging and specific enough to merit your serious attention and commitment.

When you set goals and resolutions, think S.M.A.R.T.! And that stands for,

Specific - This is when you clearly define your goals. It's easier to hit a clear target than a hazy one. Instead of "Making more money," you could say, "I'd like to make an extra $500 per month."

Measurable - This is the criteria that will enable you to track the progress you're making. Your $500 extra per month goal will help you see how you're doing with this objective. You might be making an extra $50, $100, or $400 per month, and while that's good and better than nothing, you at least know how near or far you are from your target.

Achievable - While goals shouldn't be too easy that they bore us, yet they should be challenging enough to engage us. If an extra $500 a month seems out of reach to you, then you could adjust it to something that you can attain within a period of time you've have set for yourself. You could go for making an extra $250 per month, but probably not an extra $1 per month (not challenging enough, even for kindergarten kids!).

Realistic - I know we should aim high in a way that our goals will stretch us and bring out our hidden potential. However, in aiming high, we should be realistic. It would be so easy to be swayed by the hype online and start fantasizing, "I'm going to make an extra million per month!" While that may be a realistic goal for some, it may not be for you. You may need to start somewhere in the vicinity of $500 before going aiming for $1,000,000. Before you can run, you need to learn how to walk first.

Timed - Project a time frame that lays out for you when you will start and when you expect to achieve your goals. When will you start making the extra $500 per month? It can't be "I'll make an extra $500 someday." Don't let "someday" pick the day for you, because "Someday" never comes!

There you have it! This 2008, have a great start -- live S.M.A.R.T.!

Cheers!
Primeprojects

"We'll Help You Get There, Backed By My 100% Guarantee!" - The Goals Guy

Have A Strategy To Achieve Your 2008 Goals!

Ok, I guess seeing that "Have a Blessed and Prosperous 2008" for 5 days is more than enough (I still do enjoy looking at it though!). But it's time to move on. It's time to go about making our dreams for 2008 a reality.

I was watching a movie about military operations liberate some hostages. In the planning room, the officer said, "Ok, men. These are our objectives and this is how we're going to do this!"

Now that we have named our goals and resolutions, it's time we make a plan to achieve them. If dreaming and wishing about them are enough to bring them about, then we don't have to go any further. H0wever, that's not the case.

We need a strategy to make our 2008 goals a reality!

While reading up on this, I found a guy online who helps others come up with a plan of action so that they can realize their resolutions. His name is Gary Ryan Blair. Man, does he know his stuff! He's like -- some kind of Goals Guru. Fact is, he's been nicknamed "The Goals Guy." Here, read what he's written about making goals and accomplishing them;

"Create a Personal Strategic Plan!
by Gary Ryan Blair

Success is not an accident. It begins with a well-conceived plan. You can and will achieve more in the next year than you have in the past ten with a disciplined Personal Strategic Plan.

Personal strategic planning is a disciplined thought process, which produces fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide who you are, where you are going, what you do, and how, when and why you do it. All of this is done with a focus on the future.

The purpose of personal strategic planning is to help you:

- Provide direction, meaning, and purpose for your life.
- Make decisions that positively affect your future.
- Focus your energies on what's most important.
- Achieve the greatest results in the shortest period of time.
- Significantly increase your level of performance.
- Enjoy more time, money, balance and freedom.
- Eliminate uncertainty, anxiety, doubt and fear.
- Leverage your skills more effectively.
- Enhance your quality of life, and overall peace of mind
- Be more, do more and ultimately to have more from life.

Personal strategic planning is based on the premise that life will not go according to plan, if you do not have a plan.

A successful plan must include the following:

Personal Philosophy: Every person has a personal philosophy, consisting of some rules adopted from one's parents, culture, religion, acquaintance and so on.

Generally speaking, these rules, as a body are not well thought out and contain a wealth of inconsistencies and contradictions.

Legacy Statement: Your legacy serves as your life's defining statement. It serves a two-fold purpose. First it provides an overarching framework for all mission statements and goals to follow.

Second it answers the question, "What do I want to be remembered for?"

Mission Statement: A mission statement is a declaration of who you are, why you exist, and what you intend to accomplish.

In business, the organizational mission answers the big question: "What is our business?" In personal planning, the question is "What is my life's business?" In both cases, the answer must define the reason for being.

Core Values: Our values act as our compass, guiding us through life's terrain.

One certain way of knowing that you are living in accordance with your values is by defining guidelines and measurements for value centered living.

Code of Ethics: Words quietly influence our attitudes and opinions.

Codes of conduct, personal creeds, and pledges all reflect an effort to make sense of things, to organize behavior, and to better understand ourselves.

Lifetime Objectives: Your objectives should be written within the framework of your Legacy & Mission Statements.

The key to any Personal Strategic Plan is to visualize your desired outcomes in advance. Be sure to write and rewrite your Lifetime Objectives as affirmations of the future you are working to realize.

Goals: The key in writing your goals is to make them measurable, specific, and time-bound.

Goals need to be written for each of the ten critical areas of life to include: Personal, Health, Recreation, Family, Friends, Community, Career, Financial, Household and Spiritual.

Personal Board of Directors: A personal board will accelerate your progress by providing both wisdom and support for the attainment of a specific purpose.

Maintenance & Performance Check-Ups: On a monthly basis, you should pause to evaluate your performance. What progress have you made? Where have your been challenged? What do you need to do differently or more of?

It is also important to step back and consider whether any of your goals are unachievable.

Personal Reason Why: You won't become successful until and unless you identify, support and empower your reasons why. Your why's provide fuel for achievement, and are the reasons behind all action and inaction.

The hallmark of all high achievers is a burning why. They know what they want, how and when they will achieve it, but most importantly they know WHY they want to become successful at achieving their goals.

In Summary

You can significantly increase the odds of success, if you know who you are, what you want, where you are going, how you will get there, and what you will do once you arrive.

The best way to predict your future is to create it. Therefore, a well-defined personal strategic plan, properly executed, is your meal ticket to success.

In order to best prepare yourself for success, I am delighted to introduce you to My Goals - Personal Strategic Planning program

This exciting program is like having an insurance policy on success. It will focus your thinking and challenge you to reach for new heights.

Happy holidays to you and your family, and my very best wishes for a prosperous, joy-filled New Year!

Everything Counts!

Gary Ryan Blair

About the Author: Gary Ryan Blair is a visionary and gifted conceptual thinker. As President of The GoalsGuy he has created a world-class library of products and services which are designed to inspire people to realize their full potential while making the heart sing, the mind expand and the spirit soar. Visit The GoalsGuy Shop for all of your goal setting and life planning needs."



This Goals Guy; He rocks, right?

Here's to making your 2008 goals into favorable outcomes!

Cheers!
primeprojects

Here he is again!

Have A Great 2008!

This 2008, I send you good wishes and positive hopes!

May you have clarity of sight to see the opportunities ahead of you,

May you have the courage to step out and act on these opportunities,

May you have the wisdom to convert them into profitable ventures both for yourself and others,

And may you have the determination to see them through to the end!

May your accomplishments and successes be great, all through 2008!

Cheers!
primeprojects

Build A Winning 2008 From Your 2007!

In a few hours, 2007 will become a memory and 2008 will become our reality.

I'm sure we all have had both good and bad memories behind us. And on the eve of 2008, sometimes we just want to take one last look at 2007 and give it one last kiss before moving on ahead. For some, they would rather forget everything altogether, and 2008 can't get here fast enough.

But instead of forgetting the past, let us build upon the past!

To forget everything is to begin from ground-zero again. To start from nothing might sound nice, but it totally neglects the wisdom that has been gained from experience. To begin again from nothing doesn't guarantee that we won't make the same mistakes again in 2008.

There are 2 simple things we can do to build a winning 2008 from our 2007.

1. Draw Inspiration From Your Accomplishments And Victories

This is probably the easiest thing to do! Who wouldn't want to remember those positive experiences. Why, if there were more who were willing to listen, we'd keep on retelling them, right?

Faced with difficult situations, we could draw strength from these past victories in tackling present challenges. We could be our own cheer leader and encourage ourselves by saying to ourselves, "We did it before; we can do it again!"

I remember an instance when I was in high school. There was no club for a particular interest I had then. When I inquired how to start one, I was met with different obstacles - "No interest; No budget; No time; No facilities ...." Pretty discouraging but I pressed on anyway and got that club going. Even after graduation, that club was still going strong.

When I remember that, I'm encouraged to deal positively with a difficult problems.

2. Learn Your Lessons From Failures And Disappointments

This is probably not as easy as the first point.

Fact is, we'd rather forget our mistakes, failures, and disappointments. Not only do we want to forget, we want those who witnessed our pain to forget too!

But if we forget our failures without learning from them, we run the risk of repeating them!

I was reminded of this while watching a fight on TV. After the bout, the winner was interviewed about a chance to challenge the title-holder who defeated him before. When asked about that defeat, this fighter said that, in a way, he was sort of grateful that happened.

Puzzled, the interviewer asked him why. The fighter said that that loss had shown him the particular weaknesses of his skills. No matter how hard he trained, and how good he thought he was, there was nothing like a humiliating defeat that exposed the holes of his game.

Armed with that knowledge, he has since converted those weaknesses into strengths. Now, he claims that he was a much better fighter because of it. He proved it too, when the rematch took place. He defeated the champion in a convincing manner!

Two simple things. Yet what powerful effects they could have for our lives!

Have a fulfilling and prosperous 2008!

Cheers!
primeprojects

P.S. - By the way, as a fellow blogger, you may want to check this out!

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

What Do You Want For 2008?

2007 is fast coming to a close. And as 2008 looms closer, different folks have mixed feelings towards the coming new year. Anticipation, relief, dread - these are some of the attitudes people have, depending on what they've gone through this 2007.

And for some, there is a vague hope that 2008 would be better than 2007 -- somehow ... someway. But this passive waiting and hoping that circumstances will be better the next time around, will not really do the trick for you!

While it's true that there are circumstances over which we have no control over, don't make the mistake of underestimating your role in influencing and shaping the outcome of events -- yes, favorable outcomes!

The good news is that for you to do this, you don't need the esoteric knowledge of Harry Potter, the genie of Aladdin, or the special luck of the Irish. Fact is, the tools to make things happen are within your grasp already. It's so simple that it's so easy to overlook.

Ok, what do people normally talk about or do when a year is ending and a new one is starting?

Yup, you're right - RESOLUTIONS!

However, the effectiveness of making resolutions depend on how you approach this.

Do you approach your New Year's resolutions like a kind of a game?

You know, you make a list made up of fantasies, half-baked wishes that you came up with at the spur of the moment, wants you're really not sure you want and have no commitment to, or cute requests you want to show to your friends just for laughs.

Or do you go about your resolutions with a serious determination to see them happen in 2008?

In other words, what do you want and need -- really, Really, REALLY want and need for 2008?

The problem with some is that when asked what they want for 2008, they just shrug their shoulders, smile naively, and come up with a shallow, wishy-washy, and vague answer -- something like, "Uh ... what do I want for 2007 ... well, uh ... let's see ... 2007 wasn't really that bad ... but 2008 could be better. But on the other hand, it would be ... ok if it doesn't ... get better ... I guess ... Hmm ... I wish I could be happier ... a laptop would be nice ... and uh ... oh yeah ... World Peace!"

They really don't know what they want!

People who don't know what they want won't really see much improvement in 2008. I mean, how will you know you've arrived if you don't even know where you're going, right? If you don't aim for something, chances are, you'll get nothing ... or something second-best.

So determine right now what you want.

What do you want to see happen, achieve and accomplish for 2008?

What is it that you're willing to exert effort and sacrifice for in 2008?

If you don't see it completed in 2008, are you willing to pursue that in 2009 until you see it accomplished?

It's so important to clarify to yourself what you're going for in 2008. Give it some thought, and don't just be flippant about this. Be serious in defining your goals and targets for 2008.

Because when you know already what you're aiming for, you can implement positive actions that will bring you closer to your resolutions - your goals and wants!

Cheers!
primeprojects

Want to increase your income for 2008? Make more in your spare time here!

Technorati Profile

When The Unexpected Threatens To Screw Things Up ....

Have you experienced planning things out as carefully as you could only to have things backfire on you? Ever gone through a series of steps that promised expected results only to come face to face with the unexpected? Happens, right? But the question is, what did you do when that happened?

Here's how a grade schooler reacted when the unexpected threatened to up his plans.

A grade school class was coming up with a Christmas play. Of course, the story of Joseph and Mary coming to the inn had to be told. There was one boy who wanted very much to play the role of Joseph. But when the parts were given out, Joseph's part was given to his biggest rival. Instead, he was assigned to be the inn keeper - the bad guy who turned Joseph and Mary away!

He was extremely upset about this. So during rehearsals, he kept scheming how to get even with his rival, who was playing Joseph. Then, it hit him! He knew what he needed to do to louse up his rival's performance.

Finally, on presentation night, Mary and Joseph came walking across the stage. They knocked on the door of the inn. The inn-keeper opened the door, and asked them roughly what they wanted.

Joseph then delivered his memorized and well-rehearsed line, "We'd like to have a room for the night." Suddenly, the inn-keeper opened the door wide and announced loudly, "Sure! Great! Come in! Come in! And I'll give you the best room in the house!"

For a few seconds, poor Joseph was bewildered and didn't know what to do. This was not in the script, and was definitely not a part of their rehearsals! An uncomfortable silence followed.

Refusing to let this unexpected turn of events to screw him up, the boy playing Joseph thought quickly on his feet. He looked at the inn-keeper, then past him, slowly and deliberately looking first to the left and then to the right. Then Joseph said, "No wife of mine is going to stay in a dump like this. Come on, Mary, let's go to the barn!" And the play was back on course again.

Ha-ha-ha ... I laughed when I first read it and can't help laughing while reading it now. But while thinking about the story, I saw some insights that could help us when the unexpected threatens knock us off our feet.

1. Don't Lose Your Composure

When the unexpected suddenly confronts us, it's normal to be rattled and confused. However, when this happens, it's important to get a grip on ourselves, and not let these initial feelings overwhelm us. When we don't shut the door to these feelings, other emotions like fear, anxiety, anger, hopelessness, depression can come in and further muddle up our outlook.

When emotions control us, our judgment is clouded. We really don't see clearly. How many of us have said or done things out of anger only to regret those things when we cooled off later?

Remember, we may not have any control over some of the circumstances that come our way, but we certainly can control how we face these circumstances!

2. Think Creatively

From the author of "Positive Thinking," I read that every problem has a weak point. He said that we need to look at the problem from different angles so that we may develop an idea how to conquer it. If we can't find a solution through traditional and normal means, then we could explore other unconventional and unusual ways towards a solution. You've probably heard people refer to this as "thinking out of the box."

We need to train our minds to think creatively when dealing with situations, so that when an unexpected emergency takes place, we will be quick to think fast on our feet!

3. Be Positive And Act Decisively

When you find the solution to your problem, don't hesitate and second guess yourself. A brilliant idea is impotent if not acted upon. Remember one of Newton's laws that states, "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

You will never be any closer to your goal if all you do is wish you were there. However, every step forward it will bring you that much closer to your goal.

Take action. Release the power of the idea by putting it to motion in your life!

And as we come near to 2008, these are good things to reflect on, plan on, and act on. When the unexpected comes along, these tips can act as secure footholds so that we can still have favorable outcomes -- just like the boy who portrayed Joseph!

Cheers!
primeprojects

Because of Christmas, Fear Not

Yes, because of Christmas, we no longer have to be afraid.

Yearly, as Christmas comes, we celebrate the event both in church as a community, and together with friends and family in our homes. As we gathered for our annual Christmas eve service, once more I heard the familiar words read from the Sacred Scriptures:

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:8-11)

For many around the world, this is what Christmas is all about. All other outward appearances - gift-giving, lights, carols, decorations, and general goodwill - are merely reflections of this spiritual truth.

But of the many things that could be discussed, what I appreciated is the fact that because of the Christmas event, the birth of the Savior into the world, we no longer have to be afraid.

Fear paralyzes us all.

A friend needed to get some supplies, and in order to do so, she needed to walk down a hill that wasn't that high or steep. She had a fear of heights, but as long as she was going up and looking up, she had no problem.

It's when she had to go down and look down. Her fear seems to magnify the distance from where she was to where she was going downwards.

She took a few hesitating steps to go down and suddenly froze in place. When we called out to her, she would answer us, but would never look our way. Her gaze was fixed on an imaginary place down the hill.

When we told her to back up, she'd say that she couldn't move -- either forwards or backwards. Finally, some friends had to go to her and help her out from her situation.

That's what fear will do to us.

It will stop us from doing what we know we should be doing, because of,

• The fear of failure
• The fear of looking bad and foolish
• The fear of not knowing whether we'd be able to sustain our efforts
• The fear of losing time and money

We can go on. Simply put, foolish fears are not good for us.

However, because of Christmas, we no longer have to fear. The wonderful gift that we have received has made it possible for us to succeed. In a manner of speaking, Christmas has stacked the deck in our favor!

And so, celebrate and rejoice! Because of Christmas, we have received another foothold that will assure us of favorable outcomes!

MERRY CHRISTMAS Everyone!

Holiday Cheers,
primeprojects

Get these gifts for your Christmas enjoyment,

(When you click the links below, they'll open to a webpage. Scroll a bit below and wait for the "Download file" to appear as the page loads fully. Click the "Download file" link to get your gifts. These are exe files, but don't worry, they're clean. No virus, spyware or any malicious scripts here.)


Download 12 Days of Christmas Here

Download 80 Seasonal Recipes Here

Having A Merry Christmas Depends On ....

While driving, I once again heard the familiar lyrics of a popular Christmas song.

I was familiar with the song. I liked it. It brought good memories and feelings. And normally, I'd just sit back, continue whatever I was doing, and just enjoying the song.

However, today was different. With the first two verses, I zeroed in on the what the words were saying. I sort of tuned out the rest of the song and just started thinking about the beginning sentences.

Here's the beginning of this Christmas Carol,

"Have yourself, a Merry Little Christmas;
Make the Yuletide gay ...."

I told you you'd recognize it.

Ok, read those words again.

Simple, right? Nothing complicated about the simple message, right?

Alright, let me ask you this - Who's going to make your Christmas merry and your yuletide gay?

Does it depend on the gifts you receive, the invitations to parties you get, the bonuses that come your way, or that your career turned out to be more successful than that of your friends and siblings?

It would be so easy to blame circumstances as reasons why your Christmas is not what it should be. But why go that route? Why make something worse than it seems? Anybody can do that!

Be different.

Focus on the good, not the bad!

I remember the story of a man who focused on the good even though something bad happened to him.

He was on his way home with groceries he bought from his take-home salary. Some bad guys mugged him and stole everything he had.

When he got home, he told the story to his family. Upset, his family started complaining and murmuring - something about life not being fair.

So the man said, "Hey, c'mon guys ... snap out of it. There's still somethings we can be grateful for!"

One of his kids said, "Yeah? Well, like what Dad?"

And he answered, "Well, though they got all I had, they didn't get my life. Even though they got our groceries and money, we can still replace them. Though they forced me to hand over those stuff, they didn't really hurt me. And the sooner we snap out of this gloomy cloud, the sooner we can go about replacing those things we lost"

He absolutely refused to let the negative circumstances to rob him of the joy of living.

And I believe we can learn something from him.

It's our choice whether Christmas will be merry for us or not.

We may not have much control over what circumstance comes our way, but we can choose how we will react to it.

We have a choice whether we will let things bother us or not.

Focus on the good - the things that will make this occasion merry - and go with it!

This is another foothold that will give us another favorable outcome.

Ok, with that thought in mind, let's belt it out once more, with feeling!

"Have yourself, a merry little Christmas;
Make the Yuletide gay ...."

Cheers everyone!
primeprojects

The Secret That's No Secret ....

I was going through the bookstore when a book title caught my eye. I noticed it because its author is one of the recognized successful marketers online.

The book title claims that its message is about, "The Greatest Marketing Secret In The World!"

Not "one of the greatest marketing secret," but "THE greatest marketing secret IN THE WORLD!"

Audacious, right?

I was intrigued!

Scanning through the pages, I was wondering what that secret could be. The author claims that "this secret," has given him a successful and profitable business.

Finally, I found the page where he reveals what the secret was. Keyed up, I thought he was going to say something that nobody, or only a very few, has ever discovered. And when I finally read what he claimed to be "the greatest marketing secret in the world," I was floored!

Do you know what he said?

He said that the secret that has made him successful and wealthy is - are you ready for this?

GIVING!

What?? Really? You're kidding, right? Can't be that simple!

I know ... those were my initial reactions.

And after coming out of my less-than-a-minute trance, I continued to read some more as he shared from his own experiences. After going through his stories, I was finally beginning to get it. I was beginning to see a pattern emerging.

In a nutshell, this is a summary of how he used this secret to succeed:

1. He had products and services to sell
2. He was facing formidable competition, many of whom had a big head-start over him
3. He needed something that would give him the ability to run with the big dogs
4. He started giving away valuable stuff his prospects needed
   
5. He developed a relationship with his prospects who began to trust him
6. His prospects reciprocated to his generosity and eventually became his loyal customers

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Simple, right?

And that's why it's a secret to many. Because of its simplicity, we tend to underestimate the value and power of giving. We fail to see what's always been there in front of us all along - hidden in plain sight.

But I'm glad someone pointed out to us what has been obvious all along.

The simple act of giving, is indeed a precious foothold that can result in favorable outcomes!

Cheers everyone!
primeprojects

Here are some FREE materials that I hope would help you with your endeavors,

Download The Internet Millionaire Code Here
Download Making Money Online - The Simple Truth, Here

Just wait for the download pages to load until you see the "download file" link. Click on that link and you're ready to go!

Christmas Wishing Only Works When ....

But before that ... Hello again!

Sorry for not being able to update this blog. But the reality of Christmas' hustle and bustle made its presence felt with the sudden flurry of urgent activities.

And I thought I could spend more downtime and catch my "zzzs" this season! I wish ....

Which brings me to what I'd like to talk about - Does Christmas wishing really work?

As kids, we made wishes for Christmas. We were all caught up with the notion that there was some sort of Christmas magic that made wishes come true. And I guess we've never really outgrown that. I still see friends and families making up wishes, no matter what their age.

But as grown-ups, we're more sophisticated. We call them wishlists. We see them at Amazon.com and other online stores that feature this. We see them posted at blogs and newsletters.

Nothing wrong with this. At least they represent our desires.

But merely wishing will not make things happen.

Wishes live in a hazy, dream-like, fairy-tale world. You know, the kind where when it happens, it's nice. But when it doesn't happen, well it was good while the dream lasted.

If we want see our wishes come true, then we need to these 4 ingredients.

• A Burning Desire

Wishes must cease being mere whims and fantasies. They must become concrete, doable and reachable objectives that you can clearly see in your mind's eye. More important than that, you must not only see these goals -- you must see yourself achieveing these goals.

When you see yourself possessing these objectives, how do you feel about that image?

Does it turn you on? Do you get so excited you could actually taste the reality of it? Do you feel it's something that's worth paying the price for?

Not that I'm telling you to over-obsess, but you must want it bad enough that you almost come to the point of not wanting to live without it.

I just read over at Yahoo how Amazon paid almost $4,000,000.00 for one of J.K. Rowling's earlier books. $4 million for a book?? That's how bad they wanted it! Now, that's what I'm talking about!

• A Committed Choice

Now that you know what you want, you must consciously and deliberately make a choice to act on your objectives.

It's not enough to say, "I wish I could earn some extra bucks to add to my current income." You've got to come to the point of saying to yourself, "I want to earn some extra money and I'm going to do something about that now!"

It should also be a quality and committed decision -- a decision you will keep even if you feel you may want to change your mind about this later on.

• A Willingness To Work At It

You must be willing to do what you need to do in order to achieve this.

I'm amazed at so many people who say they want a better life, but will come up with so many excuses why they can't make it happen -- "No time; It's just too hard; It's too expensive; It's too far; It's too complicated; It's too painful, etc."

But for everyone who comes up with an excuse, there are many out there who're looking for ways to make things happen. For example, if you were a grandpa in your late 40's securely established in your current profession, would you choose to start over professionally? Not for this grandpa!

Need an education? Get it!
No money for tuition? Work for it!

The point is, learn the skills you need -- whether it's driving a truck, setting up a blog, designing a website, speaking a new language, giving a sales presentation, writing articles and reports -- so that you can do what you need to do to accomplish your goals.

• A Readiness To Persevere Despite Delays, Setbacks, And Obstacles

Ah, if only we were living in a perfect world! Then all we would set out to do would end in "happily ever after."

But it's not a perfect world. Mistakes happen. Setbacks occur. Disappointments take place.

Just because you didn't succeed the 1st time doesn't mean you won't eventually succeed.

It is said of Thomas Edison when he conducted storage battery experiments, that he failed 10,000 times. When asked about this, know what he said? "Why, I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

10,000 failed experiments! Imagine that. How many would have even gone beyond 100?

When you fail, then simply get back up, and continue to press forward.

Don't worry, Champ, you'll get there!

Cheers!
primeprojects

P.S. - Have you finally decided to make some extra income online a reality? Avoid the pitfalls, know the basics, and stay with what works! You need to READ THIS FIRST!

Giving Your Way Out

I'm sure all of us want to get ahead.

If anyone's going to get the breaks, why not us?

If anyone's going to get the edge, why not us?

If anyone's going to get the advantage, why not us?

I mean, if anyone's going to get a big slice of the pie, why not us, right?

Problem is, there's about a million out there thinking the same thing. And because they believe they deserve to get what's theirs, they're all jostling for position, just to grab their piece of the action.

Now maybe it doesn't bother you to jump into this furious fray of elbowing, kicking, screaming, clawing, and spitting humanity, but there's a better way.

Instead of being a grabber, why not be a giver?

It's been said, "Give and you'll receive!"

Or maybe you're more familiar with what's being commonly used, "What goes around, comes around."

But however way you say it, the principle remains the same - the giver does not just benefit the one he gives to, but he also benefits himself. It works in all areas of life.

I know of a married couple who were on the verge of breaking up. Each one demanded their rights from each other. They were headed towards Splitsville until ... one of them stopped demanding and started giving to the other. Soon, the other one started responding, and started to give also. They ended up trying to outgive each other ... and stayed married to each other.

Even marketing people are beginning to get this. Ever seen the different giveaways going on?

I don't exactly know why or how they work- they just do!

So, in the spirit of the season, let's just go with the flow. Here are a couple of freebies and goodies you can avail of,

Giveaway # 1

Celebrate Christmas in Style! Click here to Download FREE Celebrating Christmas PDF Magazine. Packed with illustrated articles on holiday recipes, crafts, home decor, party planning tips, gift ideas and family fun activities for Christmas.

Giveaway # 2

Top Internet Marketers have joined together in a giant Holiday Gift Giving bonanza. It's their version of the 12 Days of Christmas. Get to this page now, and see what all the excitement is about...
The 12 Days Of Christmas Grand Giveaway

Giveaway # 3

The Internet Marketers Christmas Paradise - This site offers a free membership that has more tools and resources in paid sites that I have seen! You need to hurry though they are only accepting new members until January 2nd, 2007.
Enter the Internet Marketing Christmas Paradise Here!

Giveaway # 4
Get Everything You Need To Succeed - FREE! Are you looking to make it online? Tired of the all pay and no get ways of the net? Look no further - All the tools and resources you need to succeed are! All for free!
Get our FREE Marketing System And Tools Here!

Season's Greetings Everyone!

Recover What You Lost

And I thought I had lost this blog!

This was the result of a virus that corrupted and made my Harddisk unreadable! All my password data were wiped out.

And while I was just doing some online research, I came across my old blog -- preserved somehow by Google. Amazing, considering that many have complained that their Blogs have been misplaced, deleted or simply lost by Google. Somehow, this 2005 post escaped the purge!

This a cool case of having lost something and having found it back!

Which leads me to ask,

* Have you ever lost your desire to succeed online?

* Have you lost your focus and vision?

* Have you lost the sense of fun of earning online?

You know -- when things don't really turn out the way you expected. You lose money when you expected to gain some. Your family misunderstands your attempts. Some of your friends still stick with you with an expression of sympathy that they're trying to hide. And some people don't even hide their laughter and ridicule.

It's like a sharp jab in your gut, right?

But know what? There have been countless others who have experienced what you're going through right now. And the good news is - some of them have come out from their so-called failures and have eventually succeeded!

Here are some tips I've learned from their overcoming their struggles.

1. Take Inventory Of Your Situation

This is perhaps one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, things to do.

After a setback, we really don't want to relive the pain of remembering. Normally, we just want to be done with it and move on.

However, it's important to take a hard look of where we went wrong. Without learning from our mistakes, we will eventually repeat them in a never-ending cycle of failures and disappointments.

Determine where you are right now. Objectively, see what you still have and what you no longer have. Work positively with what you have.

I had just watched the testimony of a woman who lost both arms in an accident. After moaning for awhile, she decided that even though she lost both arms, she still had both feet. She worked with what she had, training her feet to do what she could no longer do with her hands.

Today, she drives her own car, buys her own stuff, takes care of her husband and son, and lives life as normally as possible.

2. Take Charge And Drop The Blame Game

It would just be so easy to sit down, blame everyone and everything, become bitter and have a never-ending pity-party.

Let's say you're right. Say you really were not at fault, and that others really screwed you. It doesn't change your situation, right?

You may have been victimized, but you don't have to remain a victim!

You can do something about your situation. And the sooner you rise up and do something, the sooner you'll stop feeling bad about yourself.

3. Learn From Your Mistakes And Take Right Actions

This is the reason Tip # 1 was important.

Now that you know what things you did wrong, you could set out to do the right things.

I'm sure we've all had our times of "how I wish I did it this way ...." or "If only I could go back in time, I would ...." But going through the "what ifs" won't change our situation, and will just reinforce feelings of self-loathing.

To change our situations, we need to take action. Wishing won't do it. But taking action on what we've learned will bring the help and change we need.

4. Be Patient And Persevere

He-he-he ... I know -- we really can't get out of the hole fast enough!

Just because the right actions are not producing the expected results according to your schedule (which probably is something like, "I want this yesterday!"), that doesn't mean these tips aren't working. Of course they are. You just need to give them time to work!

Despite a seeming lack of results, and other obstacles, don't just quit and give up. Make adjustments if needed, but continue to persevere. Everyone I read about who has succeeded had to stick it out in the worst possible conditions.

Remember, no matter how bad your situation is right now, never overlook the good things that are going for you. Activate those good things by applying the tips we've talked about. And I believe that as you apply them, you also will become a success story.

Advanced congratulations then, Overcomer!

P.S. - Here are some free tools to help you succeed in you online businesses and endeavors

Don't Let Them Make A Cow Out Of You!

Ever bought a Guru’s ebook, only to find out you need his pal’s software, his other pal’s autoresponder, his pal’s pal’s private site, his other pal’s pal’s mentorship, and their other assorted programs from their other "Guru buds" - and ALL FOR A FEE?

DON’T LET THESE GURUS MILK YOU DRY ANY LONGER!

What You NEED Is A System That -

... IS TRULY DEVOTED to your success!

... WILL HELP YOU get it done right the first time!

... WILL PUT THE POWER TO EARN online income right back into your hands!

... WILL ENABLE EVERYONE from the beginner to the seasoned professional to profit!


You Need The Professional Marketeers' Choice - The ISORegister System for Success!


In the past, I only used the internet for communication and for research. But when my kids started growing up (I have three), and one of them entered college, I decided that my income needed boosting. That’s when I explored the possibility of earning online.

Uninformed, I bought into the hype found on the net. I joined private sites, bought info products, joined downlines, purchased software, paid for marketing tools, submission services, ad-coops, and targeted advertising. But after two years, I had nothing to show for it except some occasional sales. Not even enough to recover half of my expenses.

That’s when I discovered and joined ISORegister. Instead of hype, I found HOPE!

I DON’T HAVE TO be scattered all over the net, paying different gurus for different services and products. With ISORegister, I have everything under one roof.

I DON’T HAVE TO pay for an ad-free autoresponder; ISOR provides unlimited ones for me through ISOResponder - FREE!

I DON’T HAVE TO pay for membership to private sites just so I could avail of their ebooks, rebrandables, discounted sales, resale rights, list-building give-aways; ISOR provides me all these through ISOResources - FREE!

I DON’T HAVE TO shell out hefty sums for mentoring and training; ISOR provides all these for me through their great support system and ISOTrainer - FREE!

I DON’T HAVE TO pay to have my ads tracked; ISOR provides unlimited tracking for me through Ad-Alyzer - FREE!

And there’s so MUCH MORE ISOR has freed me from; SO MUCH MORE ISOR has to offer YOU!

What different gurus sell you, ISOR gives you!

I get so many perks, benefits, and advantages by being an ISOR paid member.

And the good news is, SO WILL YOU when YOU CHOOSE TO JOIN ISOR!

So ACT NOW!

Stop being these gurus’ Cash Cow!

Do yourself a favor and sign-up now to find out what possibilities and benefits await you in ISORegister! (I’ll even give you Free Copy of "How to Manage and Sell Affiliate Programs" just for submitting your info)

Sign Up Here!


Looking Forward to Reaching the Dreams of Success with you!

Warmly,
Ricardo A.
ISOR System Of Success Member