Windows for Self Improvement / Online Marketing
How Clear Are Mine?
On the Road of Life there are basically three types of people. The first is the DRIVER, whose purpose and objective is to control the movement and direction of the vehicle. They are in charge of the situation as they have access to the gas pedal, the steering wheel, and the brake pedal. The second is the PASSENGER, whose choice is to be the person being taken somewhere. They basically sit there and hope the driver gets them where they wanted to go. The third is the BACK SEAT DRIVER, whose purpose is to let everyone in the vehicle know when to turn, to stop, and even to turn. Because they are not in control of the vehicle, they are basically a passenger, although their constant stream of directions would have you think that they are the one driving the vehicle.
Which of these three are you? On the road of life, once you know where you want to go it is a lot easier if you are the driver. The other two are passengers at best, with no real control of the vehicle. Use these online business ideas to add more impact to what you are working on as an online marketer.
The following list of Windows of Opportunity is designed to challenge your mind into evaluating the total picture; where you are today, with a bird’s eye view of where you want to go. The objective of the presentation is to give you a checklist of items that may be holding you back; in your career, your relationships, and general happiness in life. Look and evaluate each one objectively. This is a self-evaluation tool for your use in determining what needs to be done for a stronger self-image and easier approach to reaching all of your set goals. This list allows you to understand what works well for you and of course your shortcomings. The final evaluation should give you a good objective look at your strong and weaker areas of development, with the opportunity to become the DRIVER on your road of life. Visualization creates Realization. What you see, in your mind’s eye, is what you get.
You create your own reality. Take charge and march off. It doesn’t matter who you are, what line of work you are in, or what phase of life you are currently in. These windows apply to anyone and in particular the DRIVERS in life who are always looking to become better at who they are.
RESPONSIBILITY
Question to ask yourself: Am I willing to accept total control of my life? Many of us say we have control, but the fact is that it is always easier to point the finger at someone else. It’s their fault, not mine. You know people that think this way. They are in both our personal as well as business life. The only person staring back at you when looking in a mirror is yourself. This ultimately is the only person you are responsible for. You as well as everyone on the face of the planet are uniquely different. Our unique set of life experiences is completely different then others. Your world is unique to you, and everyone has one. Even identical twins, with some separate life experiences, will ultimately look at life differently. Once you understand how unique and different a person you are compared to the other multi billion humans on the planet, then change starts to take place. You are uniquely different. Be proud of it, and in doing so accept the responsibility for who you with the understanding that you can be whomever you want to be. If you are unhappy with your life, you are the only one that can change the status quo. Take the first step and take over the driving. It is your vehicle.
VISION
Question to ask yourself: Where am I going? Where are you going? Do you know or is someone else driving you there? Vision is a long-range view of where the road is going. Unlike bifocals that allow you to see things close up, you need binoculars to see the long view. Large companies look at their business up to ten years out. To see where they will be with the changing trends etc. You should be the same way, wanting to know how the end result will be, based on knowing what is down the road. When setting goals, they should be set one year out, three years out, and even five years out. Remember the old cliché Fail to Plan – Plan to Fail. Without the use of vision, we are working with the smaller picture. Great at the moment, but not useful long term because of the broader view needed of the bigger picture. With vision the road of life becomes straighter and easier to maneuver.
COMMITMENT
Question to ask yourself: What am I willing to do to get there? Stand for nothing, fall for anything. Is this you, or do you really believe in yourself so much that no challenge is too big to handle? Commitment is an internal mechanism that drives us to higher levels of performance. It is built on the principle that we understand and support what we believe in. Whatever the challenge, there is always a way to achieve the goal. The key words are Find A Way! The road of life is not always straight and smooth. We know that only too well, but once this is understood, we can reduce the bumps and potholes to minor inconveniences. Life is not a destination, but rather a journey. The journey has its ups and downs. The point being made is that once this information has made us aware of the road conditions, nothing will hold us back from preparing for the worst case scenario, and taking off for our destination.
ATTITUDE
Question to ask yourself: Do I have the disposition to achieve happiness? The disposition is the condition of your subconscious mind, approximately 88% of the total capacity, and a storehouse of life experiences. Compare this area of the mind to a file room of information that holds every bit of information that has come into your mind since birth. The other mind, the conscious mind is what critically analyses and makes our waking decisions. It is only approximately 12% of your capacity and clearly the minority when life decisions are made. If there is conflict between the conscious and sub conscious minds, the subconscious will always rule. That is why many times as an adult you question why you made the same decision numerous times, even though consciously it made no sense. The reason is that the subconscious mind with its strong file room of beliefs, emotions, and values over rides it. Your attitude is a direct reflection of the state of your file room. A long life of praise, admiration, and support will have given you a positive outlook on life. A long life of criticism, put down, and sometimes abuse will have shaped a negative view of life and your place in it. See the difference? The positive person is the optimist; the negative person is the pessimist. Can you change these factors? Of course you can. It takes a lot of the first window, Responsibility, with a commitment to change. Learn about hypnosis and in particular self-hypnosis. These tools allow you to change behavioral patterns or habits. Your tomorrow starts today. Become whom ever you want to be.
SELF IMAGE
Question to ask yourself: Do I feel, look, and act the part? I always say you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. People in general will create an opinion of another on a first meeting in less then ten seconds. If you are in sales, do you believe in yourself enough to create the impression physically as well as mentally? It is amazing how many people do not believe in themselves and lose credibility when involved with others. Your self-image many times is a direct reflection of your attitude. If you are the positive person we described earlier, you probably project that feeling outwardly with your personality, conduct, and even the way you dress. Work on mating the two, your attitude and self-image, as these are what people see as the person – you.
PRIORITIES
Question to ask yourself: Do I have a map to follow for the rest of my life? It is sad to say but many people on the road of life only plan one day at a time. Ask your friends, associates etc., where they will be in ten years and I am willing to bet that many of them will tell you, “How do I know?” I am not even sure of where I’ll be next week. Without a roadmap, how can you possibly find the shortest and most convenient route to follow from point A to point G.? A map makes a world of difference? This map should be looked at as your set of short, medium, and long range goals. Without setting goals or objectives, you are going out with less than a full set of directions and probably will get lost in the process. Learn to work with goals even if you start with short term ones. Get the feel for them; see that they do help in reaching the objective easier and faster. Then move into setting longer ones. Learn to break dreams down into specific goals that can be measured and evaluated. This is the key to driving on the road of life with less stress and heartache. Before setting goals, set your priorities. The road of life changes as we move down it. As teens our mantra was “Party”, as more seasoned drivers – education, families, and other developed experiences become the priority, and in our mature years it is security. Our drive on the road of life changes as we age and season. Priorities at different points in life change. Change is the only constant. Become more aware of where you are today and where you want to go tomorrow. Don’t forget; plan for it – the way you want the outcome to be. You will be surprised at what your mind can achieve.
NETWORKING
Question to ask yourself: Am I sharing my experience with others? It is said that no man is an island. The point drawn from this old cliché is that we are always in contact with others. Whether in business or social life, we interact with other humans, sometimes daily. Remember from an earlier statement, we are all unique individuals. Our individuality stems from our life script or full life experiences. What we bring to the table in any relationship is that unique application and world full of our experience, that when coupled with another’s can create synergy and dynamic performance. Never sell yourself short. You bring a lot to the table. At the same time become aware that the other person has the same, yet different qualities. You can benefit from them as well as they can benefit from you. It now becomes a dance, following a rhythm that both of you create. Life progression is about sharing life experiences for maximum benefit. It happens in business as well as in our ordinary social lives. Become a networker, challenging yourself to meet new and interesting people on a regular basis for a broader view of life and your specific place in it.
EVALUATION
Question to ask yourself: Am I willing to constructively criticize myself for continued growth? In reality the two most important windows of opportunity on this list are the widows of Responsibility and the window of Evaluation. If you have accepted total responsibility for yourself, then it makes sense that on a regular basis you look at the big picture and challenge yourself to change. Change brought about by your growing life experience, circle of friends and associates, career path, etc. Remember you are the only one that talks to yourself on a regular basis. Even while reading this report your mind is wandering and sometimes chattering to you. No one really knows your world well enough to make constructive evaluations but yourself. If you are going to grow as a person, as an active member of society, then it falls upon your shoulders to constructively evaluate your life performance on a frequent basis. This might be done quarterly, semi-annually or worst-case scenario, at least once a year. I recommend that you do it monthly for best effect.
James Hobart, an industry leader in the Professional Beauty Industry for more than 40 years at every level, has certification in hypnotherapy. His insight and experience have helped many companies and individuals with their growth and development over the years. His book, Happiness Is Your Birthright, supports his philosophy on life and is a practical handbook to create positive change throughout one’s life.