Hi

If you read "think and grow rich" type books, they tell you that one of the ways to become successful is to copy what successful people have already done.

Fair enough - you ideally wouldn’t want to take financial advice from a pauper. Or perhaps you should. One thing a pauper can teach you is what not to do with your finances. People do learn very important lessons from painful experiences.

This is why, I keep an open mind and try to listen to what people have to say even if they are not successful in the particular area they are talking about.

Case in point - my maternal grandmother who passed away 6 years ago. She was not a very educated woman - in the academic sense.

As a matter of fact, she didn’t have a high school or college education. She was a good communicator but her reading and writing skills were - less than average.

Nonetheless, she instilled in all her children and me, the value of getting a good education. I can remember her quarreling with me many times for not reading enough.

She would make me rehearse my times tables daily, or have me read something to her and ensured that I did my homework as soon as I returned from school.

If I didn’t do what she asked - from time to time a spanking would be on its way. So very rarely would I defy her.

I didn’t fully understand at the time why she would get upset with me for not doing my school work at the exact time she wanted me to do it. However, as I matured, I realized that she was just trying to ensure that I would have more options that she did when I grew up.

This brings me to the issue of "pain avoidance." I find it a very powerful motivator and something you could use to spur yourself into taking action - just like it did me when I didn’t want to get spanked by grandma.

How can you use the "avoidance of pain" as a motivator in your life? Here is an example.

Say you want to do a degree or course but you’re procrastinating. Think about the negative things that could happen if you continue to procrastinate or perhaps the bad things that are happening right now.

Lower salary, lesser scope for promotions, settling for a crummy job or boss, lower self-esteem, no vacation, family pressures due to low income, lack of freedom etc.

Imagine the pain you felt when you couldn’t afford to buy your little son or daughter that toy. A toy which perhaps, wasn’t very expensive in the first place.

Feel the pain, get angry and use that momentum as a catalyst to take action - not as a catalyst to get depressed and give up as many people often do.

Best Success

David

Hi

One of the worst things in life is working in a crummy job or career you absolutely hate or have no passion for. I have been there.

If I would venture a guess, the vast majority of people are in this position.

My best solution to this problem is to start a business, especially an internet business . Its relatively inexpensive and easy to do so. If you do it the right way, you could be on the way to an early retirement. Take a look on my online business here.

However, if you feel that starting any kind of business isn’t what you want to do, then choosing the right career is absolutely essential. This applies whether you are already working and looking to change careers or if you are about to enter college. This is where career planning comes in.

You need to first identify your interests and seriously think about what career fits your personality. Total self-honesty is required here. Many people choose careers based on just the salaries or what their parents tell them. However, they have no passion for it and end up being miserable.

There is nothing wrong in wanting to be a plumber or electrician for example, rather than being a doctor. If that is what you really want - then go for it. I know of electricians who make a good living and on top of that, they work whenever they feel like.

I would recommend doing a occupational test which would help you identify a list of careers best suited to your personality and skills.

After you get this list, then you need to start narrowing it down to one or two potential jobs. You’ll need to do some research to find out what exactly these jobs involve.

You can do this by speaking to people already in the field, researching the job on the internet, doing an internship or by getting the Occupational Outlook Handbook, which lists details of jobs from A-Z.

After you have decided on a career, the next step is to put together a plan that will enable you to get the education required to enter that field. Make sure you know what admissions requirements are, the tuition and the duration of your courses.

You may need to get college financial aid or do your courses via distance education because of time constraints. All these things should be factored into your plan.

Make it a great day

David

Hi

One day, a friend of mine accompanied me to a small shop to pick up some items. After we left the shop, my friend commented that I looked rather unhappy. I jokingly said that whenever I have to spend money as opposed to earning it, I feel unhappy.

Had I seriously felt that way, that would have been a very counterproductive outlook on life. If you need something that will make your life better in some way - then get it. That is the purpose of money - to make life sweeter for you.

Many people take the opposite view when it comes to investing in their education. They want the benefits education can bring - be it a better career, stronger relationships or a more profitable business. However, they are not willing to invest the time and money to achieve it.

They’ll think nothing of spending 100’s on dvds or a night on the town but reading a book or taking a course that can deeply impact their lives - is just too much of a stretch.

If you really want to improve your life in whatever area, chances are that there is a course or someone out there that can help you do it.

Ask questions, read a book, do a course at a community college -whatever it takes - invest in your education.

If money is a concern, you can save towards your education, work overtime, start a home based business, cut down on some of your expenses or get government financial aid if you want to do a college degree.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

Make it a great day

David

Hi

Taking exams are a necessity for college students although it isn’t a perfect system for testing knowledge.

Exams force many students into the habit of time wasting because they know it is possible to cram the night before, regurgitate it the next day and achieve passing grades.

Cramming however is not only stressful but more importantly, it is a very inefficient way of studying. Proper study techniques result in better grades and by extension, students with better grades are more attractive to employers.

Here is a study technique that will help you to utilize your time more effectively and allow you to prioritize the material in a way that relates to how you will be asked to use it in an examination.

1. Preview: Look at the headings and sub-headings in a chapter you want to learn and cross-reference it with the objectives for that chapter as outlined in the syllabus.

2. Question: Look at past papers for questions that relate to your topic and also ask your instructor to help you formulate questions that you need to be able to answer, that is related to that topic.

3. Read: Read through your textbook, handouts and other reference materials that relates to the topic you want to learn. Pick out the information that helps to answer the questions that you have previously gathered.

4. Summary: Organize and summarize the notes gathered in the previous process. You could write notes on flashcards or notebooks, draw diagrams, make a recording or any utilize any other technique that you’re comfortable with.

5. Test: Do a self-test by answering the questions gathered in part 2. Get feedback on the accuracy of your answers from your instructor or a student who has excelled in that area.

This technique isn’t a magic pill but by approaching it diligently, your academic performance should improve.

Make it a great day…

David

Hi

I just got back from an English speech competition at a university, where 24 Chinese students gave speeches on their experiences in college.

There were varying degrees of fluency and originality but one thing that was a common thread throughout all the speeches was the concept of "no fear."

These students gave everything they had. It was evident they prepared well, but to come before a panel of judges (many of whom were foreigners) and an audience and actually deliver their speeches - that took lots of courage.

On top of that, they had to answer impromptu questions from the judges and that too they did admirably.

I thought to myself, these students have no fear. Bear in mind, that they live in a mid sized Chinese city with very few Westerners and little opportunity to practice English. Yet, despite this drawback, they held their heads up high and spoke with pride. If they were nervous, they hid it well because I didn’t see it.

You see this same attitude in other aspects of student life and indeed Chinese life. If there is a party for example, when all the foreigners would shy away from singing, Chinese people wouldn’t hesitate to run up on stage and sing no matter how good or bad their voices are.

This brings me to the idea of "doing your best." You have to at least attempt whatever it is you are trying to achieve to be able to "do your best."

Many people never get to the "taking action" stage because they are stuck in the fear stage. They’ll never know if their "best " would have been good enough. It is like wanting to win the lottery but not buying a ticket. That won’t work.

So if you wanna be successful in any aspect of your life here is what do can do today.

First, quit being fearful, get off your ass and take inspired action. Inspired action is where you’ll copy what other successful people have done. Make sure you do your best and learn from your mistakes.

Make it a great day

David