Tony Robbins: Musts vs Shoulds

Absorb and enjoy!

Tamara Aw

Footprints in the Sand Video

This song and video cause me to bawl like a baby. I am speechless and can only give thanks to Him for blessing me as He has. We all need to be thankful and recognize the blessings He bestows upon us. Sometimes it takes witnessing the suffering of others to realize just how often He hands His blessings down to us. People, we are blessed and this video shows just how much.

If you are reading this in relative comfort, be it in your living room or in a coffee shop, then consider yourself blessed. If you are reading this in relatively good health, then consider yourself blessed. If you are reading this while your kids run and play in the background, then you are blessed. If you are reading this from the job you absolutely hate, but show up for because it pays the bills, then consider yourself blessed. We are absolutely blessed and must remember that.

Hope you enjoy the video and reflect on its message.

Does Attitude Really Count?

by Michael Beck

For as long as I've been a professional I've heard that a person's attitude makes a difference. You've probably heard all the cute sayings about attitude - "Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude", Attitude is Everything", "The Only Thing You Can Control is Your Attitude". Every sales manager talks about attitude. Every leader talks about attitude. Every entrepreneur hears about attitude.

Let's face it. No one is against having a positive attitude. It's kind of like mom and apple pie. There's nothing to be against. But anyone who has worked with me knows that I don't go with the crowd. I tend to be an independent thinker and as such, often see things differently than others. Over my professional career, I've been a student of human nature, and one of the areas I make note of is attitude.

Attitude has an interesting dynamic around it. I've observed, for instance, that people with a positive attitude tend to hang out together and people with a negative attitude also hang out together. Of course, each group tends to support the views of each other person within their group. The positive people see themselves as optimistic and forward thinking. The negative people see themselves as realists. Additionally, each group tends to view the other group somewhat unfavorably. The people in the positive group tend to look at the negative group as complainers, while the negative group tends to view the positive group as naïve, unrealistic, and/or overly "cheery". I guess it's a matter of your perspective. Each group feels they have an accurate view of reality - or more precisely, THE accurate view of reality.

One thing I'm sure of in life is that a person's perspective determines their reality. And here is where these two groups begin to differ. I've noticed very different behaviors from people depending on their attitude. You see, attitude not only determines how a person sees things, but also affects their consequent actions as well. Our attitude determines our perspective, which in turn determines our reality. How does attitude and perspective affect our reality? Let me share a story as an example of how this happens. A number of years ago I had a friend who became focused on the potential problems surrounding the change of the millennium (Y2K). As he began to "research" the topic, the foretelling of upcoming disasters became his reality. In fact, the more he listened to radio talk shows the more he accepted their topics as "reality". The more articles he read on the subject the more he accepted the writings as "reality". The more websites he visited about Y2K, the more he accepted their perspectives as "reality". By the time the end of December came around, he had stockpiled water and food, and was pleading with me to move up to the mountains to escape the impending terrorist attacks, falling planes, food shortages, crashing cars, and lack of water. January 1, 2000 came and went without incident. He never spoke to me again.

Obviously none of us are worried about Y2K any longer, but this story underlines how our attitude definitely affects how we conduct ourselves and our life. Our attitude creates our reality. But be clear, it's OUR reality, not THE reality.

I've observed that positive people tend to view challenges as speed bumps while negative people see them as obstacles standing in the way of success. Positive folks often face the same challenges as negative folks, except that negative people have their thoughts and energies focused on the problems and the consequences of the problems, while the positive people focus their thoughts and energies on succeeding despite the problems. (Yes,... including rate increases.)

Does attitude really count? Can attitude really change your reality? I guess it all depends on your perspective...

Destiny's Calling, by Dewall

This video and song are absolutely inspiring and uplifting. I am proud to say that I know this extremely talented man and I am happy to share his talent with you all. Enjoy!



Most humbly yours,
Tamara Aw
Director
MEG Staffing LLC

Does Positive Thinking Work?

By Joyce Shafer

http://www.freewebs.com/joyceshafer

I received an e-newsletter with a comment from a highly successful individual arguing that positive thinking doesn't work and why. He also claimed that when he expresses this opinion, some people get their knickers in a knot, especially those who've spent decades reading the books and attending seminars and, he added, without any significant change in their lives. Here are some other points he made.

* No amount of positive thinking will create a shift for a couch potato.

* Nor for someone who has deeply held negative feelings about what they can accomplish.

* The 20% for whom positive thinking works were achievers to begin with.

* No amount of positive thinking will ever shift how life is experienced for a pessimist.

He makes some good points; but I'd like to look at and expand on them.

Positive thinking and repeating or writing affirmations without taking action is like looking at ingredients in your kitchen and wishing for a particular meal to happen. Now, it's possible you could feel hungry for something in particular, say, lasagna, and a neighbor invites you over or brings you a serving of lasagna. These are delightful occurrences; but more often than not, you'll have to get into the kitchen and cook.

If someone identifies their nature (some of it learned) as pessimistic, that's a huge step in the right direction. A pessimist doesn't need to become an optimist; he or she just needs to acquire, develop, and rely on tools that move him quickly to where he prefers to be. The writer of the article is correct about positive thinking not working because what we attract to us is based on our deeply held feelings. And, thank goodness. If the average person thinks over 12,000 thoughts each day, we could really get ourselves into some unpleasant situations if all of them came true.

I don't know if the commenter is correct about the 20:80 ratio but more than likely, some of the 80% he placed into non- or underachiever pessimists have probably had some successes in their lifetimes. What he feels will create results is visualization. My thought is that positive thinking, affirmations, and visualization work if and only if an individual can touch a feeling of having it.

Previously, I wrote that my triggered reaction (learned behavior) falls into the category of pessimist. Because I decided that it doesn't feel good to sustain this feeling, I've developed tools that help me move away from it so I can feel the way I prefer. My biggest motivator, and not just because someone wrote or said it but because I live it, is that whatever I feel the strongest is what I expand more of into my life. A significant distinction to get here is that this doesn't mean I never have challenges enter my life, it means I choose my thoughts, words, actions, and feelings about everything.

It's okay to identify what you don't like or want then identify the opposite or what's appropriate for you. The key is you have to let your feelings about what you prefer be stronger than what you want to change. Otherwise, your feelings stay on what you don't like and you get more of that.

You have to intend what you prefer. You have to commit to it, no mater what it takes. Think about anything you've ever been determined to do. You did it, right? Go ahead and write your vision or goal down. Visualize it. Affirm it's yours. But if you really want to charge it up, you're going to have to believe it will be yours and allow it.

How I get in touch with a feeling is to recall a moment when I felt a particular way, let's use successful as an example. I may start out bringing to mind what was going on and who was there, but I end up at what it felt like to know I'd chosen a target, taken aim, and hit it. I "stand" in the middle of the feeling until it's so familiar I can call it up at will.

Some of the actions you take may not work. Those are called Lessons about How Not to Do It. If you're committed to success about anything, your mantra can be, "There's a way and I'm going to find it or create it."

The way to do positive thinking may be to state, "I'm positive I can choose to feel differently at any time. I'm positive I can choose to be open to good things happening in my life. I'm positive I can find the actions that create the outcomes I choose."

It's not about what comes to us in life, it's about what we choose to do with what we have, who we are, and who we intend to be.

CCG & Associates

By Tamara Aw, Director of MEG Staffing

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Fredia Pryor, Owner/CEO of CCG & Associates. CCG & Associates is responsible for helping hundreds of business owners acheive their dreams.

What sets CCG & Associates apart from their competitors is that they cater to small businesses, they care about more than just the bottom line and they offer true one-on-one support to their clientele. Having started off as a client of CCG & Associates, I personally vouch for their effectiveness and must state that although I was one of many clients, I honestly felt as if I were the only one. My calls never went unanswered and the personalized attention I received was priceless. Additionally, the CCG team provided more than business advice, but also provided the emotional and mental support that was necessary to push me to the next level. Whenever self-doubt started to creep in or distractions threatened to become too much, CCG & Associates was there to steer me back on track.

The interview with Fredia Pryor, Owner/CEO of CCG & Associates follows.

Tamara: Can you tell us a little bit about CCG and the services you offer?
Fredia: CCG & Associates is a business consulting firm that specializes in both the development of the entrepreneur and the development of the business. The services we provide are geared to target key areas to are vital the success of not only new businesses, but established business as well. We provide services that assist with the start-up of a new business, to services that help obtain and retain clients.

Tamara: How did the idea for CCG come about?
Fredia: CCG & Associates started initially as a resume preparation business. The services provided were solely for the advancement of the jobseeker . As time passed, CCG Staffing evolved into consulting and coaching. CCG Staffing has now grown in to an independent staffing agency that has recently partnered with Meg Staffing, LLC.

Tamara: I notice that you focus on small businesses, what do you say to people that think you should target large companies?
Fredia: CCG & Associates targets the start-up, newly established and established (less than 5 years) businesses. I am asked often why not target large companies, and my answer is this: Larger companies have more opportunity to succeed than that of the smaller businesses. The aspiring business owner may not have the tools available to him/her that the larger , more established owner would. My role is to provide assistance where it is needed most.

Tamara: What gave you the strength to step out there on your own?
Fredia: I have always had a niche for planning and organizing. I always knew that my position was to help others succeed and that is what I have been successfully doing since 2003.

Tamara: If you could pass on one piece of advice to a budding entreprenuer, what would it be?
Fredia: If you have an idea, make it happen. Don't think about what you need to for a long period of time, you will only talk yourself out of it. Document everything you want to do, prepare a timeline for accomplishing your goal(s), have a realistic schedule and FOLLOW IT!

Tamara: What can we expect to see next from CCG and Fredia Pryor?
Fredia: Next, I plan to expand CCG by providing another service that will be beneficial to my clients. Right now, I operate Career Consultation Guide, which is focussed soley on Entrepreneurial Coaching & Development. There is CCG Staffing with has now partnered with Megstaffing to provide a personal approach & a cost-effective solution to staffing for small businesses (50 employees or less). CCG also provides Entrepreneurial Benefits at very affordable rates to ensure the unemployed and the small business owners are able to receive healthcare coverage for their families. The next venture will be a seperate entity , but will remain under the CCG umbrella. It will provide an additional solution to the issues plaguing small businesses, their owners and their success.

http://ccgandassociates.com/

The Seven Simple Secrets of Naturally Lucky People

By Charles Burke

Charles Burke is the author of "Command More Luck," a book offering powerful suggestions for getting more cooperation from life, luck, and your own mind. Whether you call it synchronicity, serendipity, or just plain old luck, you CAN become more "naturally lucky." Learn more at www.CommandMoreLuck.com

We've all seen people who are just naturally lucky. They're the ones who manage to sail through life with more unexplainable "lucky breaks" and fewer disappointments than most people get. Success just seems to come easier for them.

Where most folks have to struggle just to get ahead, lucky people regularly have opportunities just plop down in their laps. Of course, they work hard, but that doesn't fully explain the special treatment that life seems to reserve for them.

It almost appears that they were born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouths. Or born under a luckier star than most mere mortals.

Well, cheer up; neither stars nor spoons are at work here. All they have is seven simple secrets. These secrets are easy little things that you can begin applying in your own life. And when you do, things will start to change for you. Your career will begin to blossom in unexpected ways. And one day you'll realize that now everyone has started calling you naturally lucky, too.

Ready to command more luck in your life? Here are the seven simple secrets of naturally lucky people.

SECRET #1: LUCKY PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN LUCK

I recently interviewed ten unusually successful business people for a book I was writing about the role luck plays in the lives of successes.

Nearly every one of them stated plainly they don't believe in luck.

In the next breath, however, they told about unending streams of "serendipitous" or "synchronistic" events that routinely happen in their daily lives.

I believe they don't like the word "luck" because it implies there's no way to control it. They've learned that there is.If you prefer to call it serendipity or synchronicity rather than lucky, that's okay. The message here is not which term to use. It's about what you can do to get these kinds of things happening for you. When they do happen, you can call them anything you want.

SECRET #2: "BAD" STUFF HAPPENS TO THEM TOO

There are several ways to have good luck. The most common (and the most useful) is to find opportunities in problems.

Let's say you and I are neighbors, and our whole city has a common problem. Maybe it's infestation with insects. Or it could be a serious pollution problem from a nearby plant.

While almost everyone is griping and complaining about the problem, you might decide: "Hey, if I can solve this problem, it will help my neighbors, and it can also make a profit for me." Your neighbors only saw the problem, but you looked deeper and found an opportunity.

All great fortunes have been built upon solving great problems. That's probably the most common and the most controllable way to generate your own luck.

SECRET #3: MORE PEOPLE QUIT THAN LOSE

If you knew ahead of time without a doubt that your success was guaranteed, how much would you go out and do?

Would it make any difference in the kind of things you would attempt? How much higher would you direct your aim?

Well, a funny thing happened to me a few years back. I was sitting and feeling sorry for myself one day because of all the failures that I had been through.

Then it suddenly occurred to me that one particular case hadn't been a real failure. I admitted to myself (reluctantly) that I had simply quit too soon. I had quit before I'd really had a chance to fail.

Then I thought of another non-failure. Then another.

And before long, I was buried under an avalanche of similar cases. In fact, I couldn't think of a single time when I had actually kept on trying long enough to fail. In other words, I had never experienced failure in my entire lifetime.

Only quitting.

A realization like that will realign your reality. After that, it's hard to consider yourself a failure because you've never failed. Who knows what you might really be, down inside?

I began to wonder: what would have happened if I had stuck with even a few of those situations just a little longer? What if I stopped being so ready to throw in the towel and surrender too soon? Would I start seeing the number of clear successes in my life begin to grow?

I started finding a new resourcefulness within myself. My "keeping-on" average began to go up, and my "failure" average started declining.

I count that one realization among the most important in my life. Not because it solved a problem, but because it identified one. Once I could see that the problem wasn't even what I thought it was, I was then able to work on doing something else instead.

And you know what? My luck began improving.

SECRET #4: BETTING ON LOSING HANDS MAKES LOSERS

Successful poker players don't play every hand they're dealt.

If you keep count, the hands they fold far outnumber the hands they hold.

That's because a good card player knows the odds for every possible card combination. They know whether a flush beats a full house and which is more likely to occur. Good players don't bet on risk, they bet on probability.

Lucky people are very similar. They know longshots when they see them, and they may bet, but it's a calculated bet.

Lucky people are some of the most tenacious people on earth when it's appropriate. But they're also some of the quickest quitters when the odds don't favor them. In fact, they'll usually opt out of most situations before they even begin because they have learned to recognize and rank opportunities.

What makes a good opportunity? First, does it solve a WIDESPREAD problem? Second, do the people with the problem have enough money to pay for solving that problem? Third, is it easy to reach the people with the problem? Fourth, is the solution a really good one?

If they don't find all four factors, a lucky person will walk away because they know it's a losing hand, no matter how much they personally love the idea.

So if a lucky person sees he's holding a losing hand, he quits quickly and cuts his losses.

SECRET #5: MOST GOOD LUCK COMES THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE

Good luck almost never happens in a vacuum.

Several years back I read a book by Max Gunther titled "The Luck Factor." Most of the details in that book have dimmed, but I've never forgotten the core idea: Most lucky breaks are brought to you by other people.

Few people find significant amounts of money on the street or buried in the backyard. Perhaps even fewer win lotteries. Instead, luck comes more often in the form of opportunities.

You're with a group of ladies (or guys) who are sitting around complaining about how it's hard to find respectable men (women) to date. Everybody is really getting into the problem.

The person next to you leans over and whispers, "Don't you wish everyone would just quit whining?" But instead of complaining about all those complaints, a little lightbulb clicks on in your head. You realize a good computerized screening service for romantic introductions would fill a real need here.

You don't say anything, but weeks later, when you announce the new service, and you're flooded with calls from singles all over the city wanting safer introductions, all your friends whisper, "She's so lucky. Where did she get that great idea?"

You know where the idea came from, but you're not telling.

A great deal of "good luck" is manually created out of discomfort often someone else's.

SECRET #6: GOOD LUCK FAVORS THOSE WHO HAVE PREPARED

Let's say you're appearing in an amateur play in a little theater in your neighborhood. A big-name producer from Hollywood is visiting a sick relative, hears about the play, and for a bit of distraction decides to attend.

She sees a spark of something special in your performance, asks to meet you, and offers you a screen test. Okay, freeze the frame for a second.

Are you prepared for this big break? Have you done all the study and the practice and the foundation work it takes to be a professional? Will you have the technique and the skills necessary to do the job?

Or are you going to try and fake your way through it?

If you're prepared, you're likely to do well. This means a giant step toward your dreams.

And if you're not prepared... well, good luck with your day job.

SECRET #7: YOU CAN ATTRACT GOOD THINGS, TOO

All this talk about finding opportunities in "bad" events and developing your skills is important, but there's a more sunny side to luck as well.

Internet entrepreneur Joe Vitale terms it his "Magic Escalator through Life," and award-winning author John Harricharan has titled it "The Power Pause."

I interviewed both of these men recently, as well as eight other fascinating people, about how they manage to stay so consistently successful.

Every single one of them has techniques for keeping their mind tuned to the things they want. And they attend to this "mind tuning" every day. They're not casual about this. Oh no, they put regular effort into it. Their successes and their luck are not accidents.

If you're tempted to greet this with a dismissive, "Oh yeah, I've read those positive thinking books," then you need to think again.

The hardest part of Secret #7? Taking responsibility for the bad stuff in your life. If you've got uncomfortable situations right now, you'll never have the power to change them until you accept the fact that you created that mess... exactly as it is right now.

Admit to yourself that you created your own problems, down to the last tiny detail, and only then will you take command of the power to change those problems. Fortunately, it's not as impossible as it sounds at first.

Your mind is like a bucket. If the bucket is filled with muddy water, all you have to do is start a steady flow of clear, fresh water into the bucket.

Soon, the bucket (or your mind) is filled with clear, fresh contents.

Steady daily input of clear, fresh thoughts will change the things that appear in your life, without the need for major renovation. It just happens. You work on the inside, and the outside takes care of itself.

This means you don't fight the old thoughts. You give them minimum energy. You don't resist, you don't struggle. Instead, you put your attention as much as possible on the good things you want to appear in your life.

The lucky things you spend your time thinking about just start happening for you, and one day you wake up and realize, "Hey, I'm a pretty lucky person now. When did that happen?"

Be Positive For Once In Your Life

By Hani Al-Qasem

Hani Al-Qasem is the co-author of "Self-Confidence Building in 7 Steps." He is proud and passionate about his dream and vision to help inspire, motivate and support adults and children, of all ages, to be the best that they can be in all areas of their lives.

"You are so negative. Why not try being positive and appreciative just for once in your life?" cried a disgruntled employee as she glared across her general manager's wide desk.

Then she turned on her heels and sternly walked out of his office, shoulders back, eyes wide open, a hint of a smile at one corner of her mouth, feeling especially proud of herself.

The general manager embarrassingly outlined this event to me a few days later, and I could clearly see that he was shocked and taken aback by her reaction. She had always been a calm, level-headed person.

Up until that particular moment, he never considered himself to be a negative or disapproving person, whether at work or at home. And he certainly was convinced that he appreciated all of his staff most of the time.

All the same, that outburst from one of his managers made him sit back and reflect on the event of the past few days, so as to backtrack his steps in an attempt to identify where he might have seemed negative or unappreciative.

After much consideration and unhurried reflection, he was unable to ascertain where and when he might have gone wrong. He even thought he was more appreciative than normal that particular week!

In an effort to clearly and openly study his thoughts and actions, I enquired if he was prepared to do a little test for me. I asked if he would undergo an inventory of his thoughts and actions for the next three days.

I told him to carry a pocket sized notebook with him at all times, and he was to make sure that this notebook was always visible to him where ever he went; this way the notebook would constantly remind him of the exercise.

Under normal circumstances, he would not be alert to his negativity; however, the notebook will bring to his awareness the times he was not positive or appreciative.

The idea was for him to immediately place an 'X' any time he felt or said anything negative, or any time he felt unappreciative. Everything had to be recorded no matter what, and for this inventory to be all that more effective, he was to include a weekend day.

He will more than likely miss quite a few negative or unappreciative thoughts or actions, yet we will still get a pretty good idea.He took on the exercise with great humour, almost betting me that he was by far more positive than negative; that manager of his merely overreacted.

At our next meeting, we tallied up his negative thoughts and unappreciative moments. We found them to be rather high, in fact, very high."The first step in tackling anything that you wanted changed or corrected is to be aware and acknowledge that it is there in the first place," I explained to him.

The next step is to take action. In this case, the general manager was to practise being aware of his thoughts from that point on. He was to think twice before he would say anything. And when he forgets to think twice, he should notice any negative thoughts that he had, preferably as soon as he started it.

As soon as a negative thought came to mind, he was to stop it and, more importantly, he has to turn it into a positive statement. If for some reason he could not think of a positive statement or comment, he was to turn the negative thought into an appreciative thought.

When he notices he was having a negative thought, one powerful method to stop and counter that is to say, "CANCEL THAT," and then think of something positive or appreciative to think or say.

If you were to catch yourself thinking, or talking negatively about someone or a situation, stop yourself as soon as you can, say the magic word "Cancel that," and change that negativity into something positive or appreciative.

For example, I am grateful for the steady income I have, or I am happy I have a loving husband or wife, or perhaps I am grateful for the food I always have.

Say it with affection and you will definitely reap the rewards.

Mambo Sauce Believes in Miracles

The song Miracles, by DC based Mambo Sauce, is an uplifting and inspirational track that is on regular rotation in my life.  Lyrics such as "Do you believe in miracles?  Maybe we can change the world.  Maybe we can make a better life.  Can you see the light?" are a refreshingly positive vibe, stretched tightly over a rhythmic drum beat, that helps me truly believe in the possibility of the impossible.  

I find myself playing this song on a daily basis, many times on repeat, especially when I need an extra boost to step further out of my comfort zone and into greatness.   Other Miracles lines that particularly speak to me include:

• "No matter what you go through to get through it, you gotta get to it."
• "Hey, they say that we can't do the impossible and I'm like damn, why can't I try?
• "Truth is the proof is in the pudding.  The truth is you get back what you put in."
• "The difference between win and defeat is "N" apostrophe "T".  Either you can or you can't, you do or you don't, either you are or you ain't, you will or you won't."
• "Well me, if I conceive it, I can achieve it and if I dream and believe it, then I can be it!"

Turn up your speakers, press play to view this video and allow your mind to soak in the inspirational spirit of Mambo Sauce's Miracles.  Lay back and enjoy the spiritual bath.

Very truly yours,

Tamara Aw

Director

MEG Staffing

megstaffing@gmail.com

information@megstaffing.com

Zena Contreras Has Partnered with MEG Staffing!

The MEG Staffing family is happy to announce that the incredibly enlightened Motivational Speaker, Life Coach and Author, Zena Contreras, has partnered with the MEG Staffing team.

EACH and EVERY Tuesday night, at 6:00 p.m. PST, Zena will bestow her wisdom and inspirational spirit on lucky callers during FREE 30 minute weekly Coaching Sessions. Do not miss your chance to speak one-on-one with Zena Contreras.

The topic for February 2008 is "What I Know..."
~ Feb 12th - God is Real
~ Feb 19th - I Deserve/Require
~ Feb 26th - Visualization Session

Conference calls require a FREE one time registration. Upon successful completion, the call-in number and access code will be sent to you via email. Click here to register.

The Power of Belief

By Rod Low

Belief is just one principle of success. You can't succeed in life without first believing you can. Thing is, 'belief' is not the only factor you need to succeed. There are, according to Napoleon Hill, 17 principles that form the building block of Success.
In another book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Kiyosaki introduce a formula with belief in it. He call it the 'Be - Do - Have' formula. According to him, Be = Belief, Do = Action and Have = Reward. So yes...you need to believe before you can do before you can have.

Key question: How to cultivate the 'Belief' in you? Answers can be found in the word, 'Autosuggestion.'

Autosuggestion is a technique to 'trick' your mind into believing that what you want is tangible. You see, our mind is split into 2 groups, the sub-conscious and the conscious. For example, those who can't cycle will have to learn how to cycle using the conscious mind. However once you know how to cycle, your sub-conscious mind took over. You no longer pay attention with your movement...it becomes natural. (It's also true with habits)

Same thing happen here. You constantly play a mental picture in your mind the things that you want, over and over and over again and eventually, your sub-conscious mind will believe and make it happen.

If you have doubt about this technique, ask yourself, have you been thinking about the things that you don't want constantly and get it? That's the biggest reason why most people usually don't get what they want. They keep away from things they want and play in the mind about the things they don't want.

But if you can have a very clear mental picture of what you want and keep replaying it on your mind, you will find that the belief in you increase, your confidence increase and opportunities starts to present itself.

Fear of Inadequacy or Fear of Success?

I recently stumbled upon the Marianne Williamson quote you see below and find it to be incredibly true. This short paragraph, brimming with wisdom, summarily resolved my own struggles with fear, self doubt and self worth. I am sharing it with my readers in hopes that it frees minds and releases fear that causes untapped potential to stagnate. Enjoy!

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people wont feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. "

Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles," 1992 (commonly misattributed to Nelson Mandela, 1994 inauguration speech)

How to Remove Obstacles to Growth and Progress

By Davis Goss

For more than 50 years, Davis Goss has been a creative consultant with particular expertise in problem solving for a widely diverse client base that has included many of the giants of American business. His latest book, "The Science of LIVING BETTER FOREVER", details his unique scientific problem solving techniques that, unlike any other, are based solely on proven scientific laws and principles.

Any success oriented person with an eye to the future is always alert to exploring those methods and procedures that others have proven to be successful. My professional experiences have shown me that there is only one thing that prevents us from realizing new profits and more positive personal and professional growth experiences is some barrier or obstacle that seems to exist between where we are now and where we would like to be.

People experience resistance to growth because they have been taught that they are the victims of negative situations that have been imposed upon them from some outside situation over which they have no control. This is where the struggle begins. They instinctively feel compelled to confront the situation with sufficient force to beat it into submission. This confrontational approach is the cause of all stress, pressure, anxiety and fear.

It is a self-evident fact that in a universe that functions in perfect balance and harmony, without any help from you and me, there are universal laws and principles that maintain and support their irrevocable continuity and perpetuity. Through my reasoning process, I can accurately conclude that I am an integral element in this system and partake of its perfection and non-confrontational, productive existence. If I am not consciously experiencing this right now, it's my own fault.

The key to resolving any negative, obstructive situation is not buried in some long lost archive. It is found in our own dictionary. It's found in Webster's definition of natural laws and principles which he states very simply as "the creative and controlling forces of the universe". By definition, these natural laws and principles cannot be negative, destructive or be flawed in any way. They are absolute, irrevocable and all-inclusive and are no more subject to debate, challenge, alteration or circumvention than the suggestion that "5" has a rightful place at the end of 2 + 2.

The only action worthy of our attention when confronted with a problem, obstacle or barrier of any kind is to recognize that the harmony or solution is already embodied in some natural law or principle. And if we will keep our thought open and receptive to these laws in operation, and away from the problem's destructive negativism, we will be letting these "creative and controlling forces of the universe" enforce their own nature and we will be a witness to our problem's disappearance.

Think about this. Realize that the only thing that will solve your problems, remove that "glitch" in your world and allow you to break free of any restrictions that may inhibit your business or personal and professional growth, is by allowing natural laws and principles to guide and govern your actions and mind-set. NOT money. NOT technology. NOT academic achievement. NOT personal opinions. NOT intellectual theories or philosophical abstractions. The only thing you can do is to release your own personal feelings and opinions, keep your mental focus on the irreversible operation of "the creative forces of the universe" and allow this mindset to manifest in improved events and circumstances that define your life experiences.

Fear of Failure

By Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?" and "Healing Your Aloneness." She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process.

Failure! What do you feel when you think about failure? Inadequate? Unworthy? Unlovable? It is so sad that you might have learned to link failure to your value as a person.

Most people who are successful in their work and their relationships have experienced many failures along their road to success. Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric bulb, is often quoted regarding failure:

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

"I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward."

"Many of life's failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

"Show me a thoroughly satisfied man, and I will show you a failure."

If Edison has been afraid of failure, or believed that failure meant he was inadequate, he would never have invented the light bulb!

In order to achieve success in any area of your life, you need to redefine failure. Instead of seeing failure as an indication of your inadequacy or lack of worth, you need to see failure as a stepping-stone to success. Some of the most financially successful people experienced repeated failures.

* Walt Disney was a high school drop out who suffered bankruptcy and repeated financial and business disasters.

* Milton Hershey, chocolate maker and founder of the famous Hershey Foods Corp., found success only after filing for bankruptcy for his first four candy companies.

* Henry Ford filed for bankruptcy for the first car company he started. He didn't succeed until he started his third company, Ford Motor Company.

* After P.T. Barnum, American showman, went bankrupt, he joined forces with circus operator James A. Bailey to found Barnum and Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth.

* Quaker Oats went bankrupt three times, as did Wrigley from Wrigley's Gum. Pepsi-Cola went bankrupt twice. Other famous companies that also went bankrupt are Birds Eye Frozen Foods, Borden's,? and Aunt Jemima.

* Albert Einstein did poorly in elementary school, and he failed his first college entrance exam at Zurich Polytechnic.

* Winston Churchill had a lifetime of defeats and setbacks before becoming prime minister of England at age 62. All of his greatest accomplishments and contributions came when he was a senior citizen.

* Sir Laurence Olivier, one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, tripped over the door sill and fell headfirst into the floodlights the very first time he had ever set foot on the professional stage!

* Woody Allen flunked motion picture production at New York University and the City College of New York and failed English at N.Y.U.

* Astronaut Ed Gibson flunked first and fourth grades.

* Lucille Ball was once dismissed from drama school for being too quiet and shy.

(From http://www.joesabah.com/dseibert/008.htm)

If these successful people had been afraid of failure, they would never have offered the world their talents. They were able to go on to success because they saw failure as a learning opportunity rather than as an indication of their inadequacy.

Are you ready to change your concept of failure? Are you ready to let go of worrying about what failure says about you and just learn from it? Are you ready to free your soul to do what you really want to do?

If the fear of failure is stopping you from doing what you really want to do, I want to encourage you to change your concept of failure. I want to encourage you to let go of your old way of seeing failure and start to envision failures as learning opportunities on the way to success. Just as Thomas Edison did, I encourage you to see every failure as a step forward!

Things to Remember

The following list has made its way around cyberspace quite a few times. It is a favorite of the MEG Staffing team and we share it with you in hopes that it will inspire you to live to your potential and bolster your confidence. Tape it to your bathroom mirror, carry it around with you in your pocket, make it one of the last things you read before going to bed at night, re-energize your mind and strenghten your fortitude.

Savor and enjoy!

Did you know...

• There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
• At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
• The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
• A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
• Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
• You mean the world to someone.
• You are special and unique.
• Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
• When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
• When you think the world has turned its back on you take another look.
• Always remember the compliments you received.
• Forget about the rude remarks.

Is The Law of Attraction Bringing You What You Want?

By Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?" and "Healing Your Aloneness." She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process

Many people on a personal and spiritual growth path have read about the law of attraction. Simply stated, this law says that like attracts like, which means, in a general sense, that happiness draws happiness and misery draws misery. The law states that whatever we think about, with strong feelings, is what we manifest. If you think about what you don't want - especially with a strong emotion like fear, then you are manifesting what you don't want. What many people do with this is attempt to think happy thoughts and visualize what they do want, only to find that things stay pretty much the same as they always have.

What is the problem here? Is this law not true?

No, the law is absolutely true. The problem is in understanding the "frequency" that is necessary to manifest what you want.

Your frequency is the energy level at which you are vibrating. A low frequency - which comes from operating from fear, anger, hurt, jealousy, judgment, anxiety, depression, and so on - is like a closed door regarding your ability to manifest. In other words, the universe is bringing you want you want, but hits the closed door of your low frequency.

A high frequency, coming from feelings of love, inner peace, and joy, opens the door for the manifestation of your dreams.

The deeper challenge here is in understand intent, because it is your intent that determines your feelings and your frequency.

There are only two possible intents in any given moment:

1. The intent to be loving to yourself and others, and to learn about what is in your highest good.
2. The intent to avoid pain with some form of controlling behavior.

The intent to learn creates a high frequency, while the intent to avoid pain/control creates a low frequency. When you are trying to manifest what you want, the intent you are coming from will determine the outcome. Many people believe that thinking about what they want will give them control over getting what they want. However, their intent to control is lowering their frequency and preventing the manifestation.

When you are trying to manifest what you want in order to be happy, you will generally fail. When you try to have control over getting what you want in order to be happy, you are making something external responsible for your happiness. The truth is that your deep inner joy is determined by your own thoughts and behavior toward yourself, not by what happens externally. Manifestation occurs when your desires are an extension of your joy, rather than making your success in manifestation the cause of your joy. In order to manifest, you need to be stating what you want and visualizing what you want from a place of deep inner peace and joy. You need to already be happy to manifest!

When your basic intention in your life is to be loving to yourself and others and you take full internal responsibility for your own pain and joy, that is when you will be able to manifest your dreams. Instead of spending lots of time in affirmations and visualizations, you will serve yourself better by becoming conscious of your intent to control.

It is unfortunate that many people try to use the law of attraction as just another form of control. Actually, anything can be used as a form of control when that is your intent. The experience of spiritual support occurs when you shift your intent from controlling to loving yourself and others. Since our learned unconscious choice is always to control, this shift in intent needs to be a moment-by-moment conscious choice.

When you practice consciously choosing the intent to learn about loving and take loving action for yourself and others, you will not only feel joyful and peaceful within, you will be able to manifest your dreams!

Give Up Excuses

By Leslie Gail

Leslie Gail is a Certified Life Coach that helps her clients achieve personal and professional success without compromising their values. Leslie appears regularly on KOSI radio show, publishes her articles in The Rocky Mountain News and appears on TV.

So, we all have excuses in life that we fall back on time and time again. Maybe because of difficult upbringings, or hardships, certain beliefs have laid their imprint on you. Excuses keep you from venturing forward, in that they keep you safe from possible heartbreak. Having an excuse excuses you from facing the truth, while keeping you in your comfort zone. Maybe someone uses the excuse that they never have enough time. Sound familiar? Then, they create a lifestyle that feeds into this excuse. They keep extremely busy, they over commit themselves, they take on far too many responsibilities. Then they tell themselves "See, I told you I never have enough time". Well their wish is granted. Others tell themselves that they will always be overweight, it's just in their genes. Because they believe this excuse, they continue to eat unhealthy foods and stray from exercise. Why bother, they tell themselves, if they are always going to be out of shape anyway. This plays into the victim mentality. Not very empowering. What if you didn't have any excuses to fall back on? What if you took responsibility for all of your choices and all of the subsequent consequences? Would this make your life harder in that you would have to venture out there and face some of your fears? Or, would it make you stronger and more confident because you would be taking responsibility for all of your actions? You wouldn't be using excuses as your safety net. In order to move past your excuses, you first have to admit you have them in the first place. This is the difficult part. Once you've admitted that you don't need to be overweight for the rest of your life, then you need to do something about it. Something to think about.

ACTION STEPS FOR THE WEEK:

1. List your top excuses
So, what are the top excuses you use? "I'm always going to be single, so why bother" or "I've always struggled with weight, so what's the point" or "With young children, my life is just going to be chaos for a while". Just list the top excuses that you use in your life. Again, you need to acknowledge these first before you can break free from them.

2. Foresee possible outcomes
Now you need to list possible outcomes if your excuses were no longer true. "If my excuse regarding________were no longer true, how would my life be different?" Write down 2-3 things that would be different if your excuses were gone. This will help you see the possibilities that exist when the excuses don't overshadow your life.

3. Brainstorm
Pick one of your main excuses first, and brainstorm ideas of how you can get rid of it. Let's assume your excuse was that you are going to be overweight for the rest of your life. If this excuse was gone, what could you pursue first? Work with a nutritionist to offer advice and help in regards to eating healthier. Ask some friends to meet you for walks? Set small attainable goals for yourself to keep you on track? Just the mere act of ridding yourself of the excuse will begin to push you in the right direction.

Choose the Life You Want for 2008

By Gini Grey

January is often a time when people are reflecting on the past year and setting goals for the new year (or for some, beating themselves up for what they didn't do last year, cringing at what they did do and begrudgingly stating that they're never going to set goals again!). But setting goals is really about making choices. Choosing to continue on the same path or choosing a new direction. It can be specific choices like choosing a new job, choosing to do your job differently, choosing social and recreational activities to take part in and so on. Or it can be less tangible like setting your intention to have more ease in your life, more money, more time for yourself etc. and being open to the opportunities that support this.

I've discovered that in order to do this, I need to acknowledge that where I am right now is a choice - even with the places, people and situations I'm not happy with. When we're not consciously choosing where we are, we can be stuck in resistance or caught in victimhood. A lot of energy gets sapped in either of these two states. Think about it - if you're resisting something you're in effort, and if your feeling like a victim of your circumstances your energy is weighted down in hopelessness. In reality, wherever we are right now and whatever we're doing is a choice. And we can choose again at any time.

Sometimes we want to deny that we have a choice, but then we feel powerless. Even if our options seem limited, there is still a choice - it may be between the lesser of two evils, but acknowledging that you are in the role of choosing feels more empowering. Then your energy is freed up from resisting or complaining and can be used to create new choices in your life.

Here are some insightful questions to ponder:

* What are you choosing in your life right now that you are happy with?

* What are you choosing in your life right now that you are not happy with?

* What choices would you like to make for yourself this year?

* For the choices you are happy with, what must you believe about yourself in order to have created this in your life?

* For the places where you feel stuck in your choices, what are your underlying beliefs about this situation? What are your underlying beliefs about yourself?

Here are some inspiring ideas to try:

* Often our choices in life arise out of our belief systems. You've heard the saying "if you believe you can you will and if you believe you can't you won't". Once you've explored your beliefs (particularly core beliefs about yourself) that are positive and support you in having what you want in life, you can build on this by reminding yourself about these. Try writing them down and then have them ready to read over when your feeling disempowered - it's a great way to pick yourself up again.

* For the beliefs you uncovered that are negative or limiting you in what you want to have or do for yourself, ask yourself where these came from and if they are really true or not. Beliefs are another thing we can choose. Most beliefs have been passed on to us from our families, teachers and society or from early experiences as we were growing up. Many of them are unconscious and run the way we live our lives. Once we become conscious of them, we can re-choose what we want to believe and what we know down deep is true for ourselves.

* Try making a list of what you want to believe and imagine moving into the future with these beliefs. What will your life be like, how will you feel? Reading over this list regularly will help to de-program the limiting beliefs you hold and reset your certainty and confidence for creating what you truly want in your life.

"We are what we thinkAll that we are arises with our thoughtsWith our thoughts we create the world"Buddha

The Art of Relating

By Keith Varnum

Keith shares his practical approach to transformation as an author, radio host, and "Dream Workshops" facilitator. Keith helps people get love, money and health with his free Prosperity Ezine, free Empowerment Tape and free Coaching.

I cringed at every loaded word in the title of Dale Carnegie's celebrated book, How to Win Friends and Influence People! My mother-God bless her!-made me take the Dale Carnegie Training forty years ago when I was in junior high school. The idea that I had to change myself to "win" friends and "influence" people felt manipulative and distasteful to an idealistic teenager. But once I absorbed the authentic attitude of Carnegie's way of connecting with people, I heartily embraced his approach. He encourages us to "learn to love, respect and enjoy other people." He emphasizes methods for interacting with people without making them feel manipulated.

The essence of the Dale Carnegie can be captured in this revealing statement: "Wouldn't you like to have a magic phrase that would stop argument, eliminate ill feeling, create good will, and make the other person listen attentively? Yes? All right. Here it is. Begin by saying: 'I don't blame you one iota for feeling as you do. If I were you, I should undoubtedly feel just as you do.'"

I only now realize how profoundly my life has been molded by those evenings spent with Carnegie's spirit. I see now that I did assimilate his wisdom on a deep level and have since used his insights every step of my path to success and happiness.

Carnegie's book might be more accurately entitled "The Art of Relating." Awareness of self and awareness of others are his two guiding principles. His sense of "influence" is not about getting our own way. Influence to him is an art. Influence is about seeing a mutually harmoniously way to achieve a desired outcome. The heart of Carnegie's work is about getting excited about others. Carnegie encourages us to see other people as wonderful tapestries adorned with luxurious threads of experiences. At this point techniques cease to be techniques and begin to become a genuine, natural aspect of how we relate to each other.

Dale Carnegie was a pioneer in public speaking and personality development. He was born in 1888 in Missouri and educated at a small state teachers college. As a salesman and aspiring actor, he traveled to New York and began teaching communications classes to adults at the YMCA. In 1912, the world-famous Dale Carnegie Course was born. He wrote his now-renowned book How to Win Friends and Influence People in 1936. His work was an overnight hit and has sold more than 15 million copies. Carnegie had an understanding of human nature that will never be outdated. Carnegie's tome to people skills is every bit as relevant today as it was when he first wrote this gem. Currently, there are over 2,700 professional instructors that offer the Dale Carnegie Training in more than 75 countries in 25 languages.

Dale Carnegie teaches that life achievement is due to "the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people." His Carnegie Institute of Technology conducted investigations that found about 15 percent of a person's financial success is due to technical knowledge; 85 percent is due to skill in human engineering-the ability to lead people. He teaches these skills through underlying principles of dealing with people so that they feel important and appreciated.

For example, if you have employees, co-workers or family members who aren't doing their duties responsibly, you have many options available to you. You can scold them or hound them. Those of us who have tried this approach find that it rarely works, especially in the long term. Dale explains what techniques do work reliably in these situations. The book expands your roster of options, so that when you hit life challenges, you have a variety of pragmatic, effective tools to apply.

Carnegie is also a master of communication skills. You feel a human being is talking directly to you. You know that a heartful person wrote this book. He has a crisp, lively style that keeps you involved. He initially engages you in each chapter with practical questions and relevant stories. He'll first explain the issue, and then give real life examples of how handling the issue properly helped a real person in a real world situation. He illustrates his points with anecdotes of historical figures, leaders of the business world, and everyday folks. His suggestions are all straightforward, simple, doable tactics. Once you practice and master them, they can make a powerful difference in how others interact with you.

How to Win Friends and Influence People! covers several essential areas of everyday life such as arousing enthusiasm among your associates, learning to make friends easily, cultivating positive emotions, being tactful, solving problems, and learning to speak effectively. For over 70 years the rock-solid, time-tested advice in this book has carried thousands of now famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives.

The book offers 3 basic techniques for building harmonious personal and professional relationships:

1. "Don't criticize, condemn or complain." Most people don't respond very well to condemnation or complaint. Positive reinforcement works better.

2. "Give honest and sincere appreciation."

3. "Arouse in the other person an eager want."

Carnegie offers 6 winning "ways to make people like you."
1. "Become genuinely interested in other people ... you'll be welcome anywhere!"
2. "Smile. A Simple Way to Make a Good First Impression!"
3. "Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest sound in any language."

4. "Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves."

5. "Talk in terms of the other person's interests."

6. "Make the other person feel important-and do it sincerely."

Carnegie presents 12 effective ways to promote cooperation and "win people to your way of thinking."

1. "The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it."

2. "Show respect for the other person's opinions."

3. "If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically."

4. "Begin in a friendly way."

5. "Get the other person saying 'yes, yes' immediately."

6. "Let the other person do a great deal of the talking."

7. "Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers."

8. "Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view."

9. "Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires."

10. "Appeal to the nobler motives."

11. "Dramatize your ideas."

12. "Throw down a challenge."

The book proposes 9 powerful ways to "Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment."

1. "Begin with praise and honest appreciation."

2. "Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly."

3. "Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person."

4. "Ask questions instead of giving direct orders."

5. "Let the other person save face."

6. "Praise the slightest improvement. Abilities wither under criticism; they blossom under encouragement."

7. "Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to."

8. "Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct."

9. "Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest."

What is the principal message of this book?

Live the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." How do you do this? Through empathy. Take an interest in other people. Understand their concerns and motives. Give them praise, encouragement and appreciation. Understand that one of the greatest human needs is to feel important and appreciated.

Dale Carnegie's concept of valuing humanity works as many wonders today as it did in his day. How to Win Friends and Influence People! is a book to be contemplated and practiced. It's a book that keeps on giving. It's a book that makes us more compassionate and successful human beings.