Archive for the 'self-help' Category

Week 1: Weightloss progress report

July 16, 2007

If you are going to commit to a project, it helps if you put yourself into a postion that requires you to post your progress. The following are my stats to date:

  • Initial weight – 200 lbs
  • Today’s weight – 197.5 lbs
  • loss for the 1st week – 2.5 lbs
  • overall loss – 2.5 lbs

O.K. This is a good start, but it’s only a start. We have 14 more weeks in which to average a two pound weight loss each and every week. Let’s all keep up the good work. If you have any questions, put them into the comments sections.

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What are you selling and is anybody buying it?

June 16, 2007

The article will begin below this paragraph

soupornuts is moving!!! In order to have more control over my blog (how it looks, plugins, etc.) I have decided to move soupornuts.wordpress.com to soupornuts.com. When you come to soupornuts.com, you will see my new postings along with updated and edited versions of most of my old articles. Don’t panic if the site looks different the first couple of times you visit. I am trying different themes to see which I prefer.

 Have you ever thought of trying to make your living by selling? If you are very good, your income potential is unlimited. But, you must have thick skin. That means that you must have little or no fear of failure and you must be able to absorb rejection without taking it personally.

Few realize it, but everyone is a salesperson. That’s right. Everybody is selling something. Does that sound like a broad statement to you? It is a fact that is so obvious we tend to overlook it. Want proof? Consider these examples:

  • A suitor tries to sell himself and his attributes to his potential bride.
  • A wife sells her husband on the idea of taking a Disney vacation before the children become too old and are no longer impressed by the magic.
  • A child tries to sell his/her parents on the idea of going to a party that “all the kids are going to.”
  • A teacher sells his/her students on the need to and the joys of learning.
  • Bosses sell increased production, higher efficiency, fewer accidents and less scrap.
  • Preachers sell religion.
  • Bankers and credit card companies sell money.
  • Entrepreneurs sell ideas, products and services.

Everybody is selling something to somebody. It’s called the art or science of persuasion. You are trying to persuade someone to believe in you, believe in something you can do, believe in something you can provide or believe in something that you believe in.

Here are a few ways to increase your persuasive ability:

  1. Believe in yourself. This is the number one prerequisite for selling anything. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one will believe in you. Without a strong faith in yourself, you lack conviction. Without conviction, you will not be taken seriously.
  2. Believe in what you are selling. This is implies that you must have a good working knowledge of your product. There are very few people who cannot recognize B.S. when they hear it. If you don’t believe in your product, you will not be able to convince anyone else to believe in it.
  3. Create a pleasant atmosphere. Don’t be pushy. No one likes to be sold. Simply speak plainly in laymen’s terms. Describe the product or service, make the benefits known and explain why they need it.

I’m sure that there are more or better techniques, but this is my short list of no pressure persuasion tips and these seem to work for me.

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Six obstacles to your success

June 12, 2007

The article will begin below this paragraph

soupornuts is moving!!! In order to have more control over my blog (how it looks, plugins, etc.) I have decided to move soupornuts.wordpress.com to soupornuts.com. When you come to soupornuts.com, you will see my new postings along with updated and edited versions of most of my old articles. Don’t panic if the site looks different the first couple of times you visit. I am trying different themes to see which I prefer.

What is holding you back? Why haven’t you achieved your potential? Simple questions – not so simple answers. Here’s a short list of obstacles that prevent you from achieving greatness:

1. You are scapegoating through life.

All of your problems are caused by someone else or something else. Everything (at the very least, most things) are beyond your control.

Man, it depresses me just to write this stuff down. I can’t imagine how someone who truly believes this must feel. Napoleon said, “I create the circumstances that affect me.” This is true. Stuff happens to everybody – You are not special in that sense. The universe is not picking on you. Crap hits everybody. Make up your mind to deal with it and then deal with it.

Accept responsibility for your actions or more likely your inaction. Decide that you are not going to take it anymore. Then don’t take it anymore. The simple fact that you are reading this is evidence that you are searching for direction. Here it is: You have every right to be successful in life. Make it your quest to soar above your present situation. Once you make a decision, begin to search for answers and the help you need will be revealed.

Decide to be the master of your destiny or relegate yourself to being pushed around by circumstances beyond your control. It’s really up to you.

2. You are self-absorbed.

You know who you are. You get bored when someone else is getting the attention. You have the best stories (we’ve heard you one-up everybody). It’s always all about “you”.

Here is a wake up call: You are boring and dull. The only reason we listen to you is because either we are too nice to walk away or we realize that the politics of the organization we are a part of would be violated.

Your potential is diminished because you don’t understand that you cannot influence others when it’s obvious that you don’t care about them. Zig Ziglar said, “You can get anything you want, if you help enough other people get what they want.”

In order to help yourself, you must help others. There’s no better long-term strategy to achieving your success. As Dr. Phil would say, “It ain’t about YOU!”

3. You allow others to make your life decisions.

You know how it goes; someone (Mom, Dad, or whoever you deem as influential) says you should do “this or that” with your life. Why? How do they know what you want? Or how you feel?

The family needs you to become a lawyer, or doctor, or accountant, or football star or whatever. If you want me to pay for your college, then you’ll major in what I tell you to major in.

To some of us, this seems absurd, but it happens. Really. Here’s a secret, if you are not happy, then you will not be able to make anyone else happy. The only thing that is sure is that by compromising you desires for someone else you will be filled with resentment and hurt.

Eventually, those emotions will be revealed. Why not cut to the chase and deal with it now? You’ll be happier in the long run and probably save a heap of money in psychoanalyst fees.

4. You are filled with subconscious self-doubt.

You are filled with doubts and thoughts of inadequacy. You feel undeserving. If you don’t believe in yourself, then why should I? Or anyone else?

The short answer is that no one will believe in you. Therefore, by the simple act of thinking, you have defeated yourself, regardless of your abilities.

Everyday, average people just like you and me have fantastic, original, creative thoughts and ideas. But just as quickly, they are dismissed and discarded for the simple reason that they must be of no value if a simpleton like you thought of them.

People tend to overestimate the talent, ability and intelligence of others and then compound the problem by underestimating their own attributes.

Read “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. It is a classic and deserves to be. Learn some meaningful affirmations and use them. Become a true believer – in yourself.

5. Your are afraid.

I am not even going to attempt to list the wide variety of fears that hold people back.

You must think of fear as the fence that keeps the herd in the pasture of mediocrity. You were not built for mediocrity. You are unique and you have unique abilities – use them.

6. You have no clear goals.

At least you are not alone. Studies and statistics that have been repeated many times prove that only 3–5 percent of the population have a tangible, written set of goals. Remarkably, this is the same percentage of financial independent people in the U.S. and world.

Do you think there is a correlation? It’s a no-brainer. Write down your goals and go over them daily. It will change your life.

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Unlock your potential with these 4 “key” skills

June 5, 2007

The article will begin below this paragraph

soupornuts is moving!!! In order to have more control over my blog (how it looks, plugins, etc.) I have decided to move soupornuts.wordpress.com to soupornuts.com. When you come to soupornuts.com, you will see my new postings along with updated and edited versions of most of my old articles. Don’t panic if the site looks different the first couple of times you visit. I am trying different themes to see which I prefer.

I have a friend who is a character. You know the type; smart, witty, comical and loud. Loud in an obnoxiously funny sort of way. If you don’t know him very well, then you don’t know whether to take him seriously, or not. But above all, he has the gift of gab. He can grab your attention and hold it.

My friend has had the opportunity to return to school to pursue his degree and as such, has had to take many liberal arts classes that seem to offer very little to an adult already living in the business world. During a recent discussion, he commented that he had to take a public speaking class and did not see the relevance. He asked me what my opinion was and what classes did I feel were important to a student’s future success.

In my opinion it is not necessarily certain classes you must take, but classes that increase your skills in certain “key” skill areas. So, any class that can increase your competence in these “key” skill areas are classes that you should enroll in. The following is a list of the “key” areas that I think are important.

1. Public speaking

I know that no one wants to hear that, but it is true. If you are to succeed in your future adventures, public speaking will almost certainly play a role. If you work for someone else, then at some point, your boss will look to you to make a presentation about some concept, new product or service, how to cut costs or something as equally boring. If you are self-employed, you will almost certainly have to present your goals to a group in order to secure financing for the growth and development of your business or to sell your ideas.

It is to your advantage to do whatever is necessary to overcome your inhibitions and fears of speaking to a crowd and dive into developing this skill. Most people ( the majority ) have this fear. For some it is paralyzing, but it can be overcome.

As a high school student, I was terrified. If I could get the teacher to go along with it, I would take a lower grade to avoid this misery. Later, I realized that in order to convey my message, I would have to develop the ability to stand before a group and explain to them the thoughts and ideas that I had. With much practice and encouragement, I was able to rise above my fears. If I can do it, anyone can do it. That’s a fact!

2. Writing skills

Along with being able to speak in public, you must be able to outline and explain yourself through the written word. Being able to write well enables you to spread your message to people that you may never meet. Perhaps your company has an office or interests on the other side of the world and you need to inform them of some new agenda. How well you write can help you or it can hurt you.

If you are well read ( you read a lot ), then writing is a skill area where you are probably proficient. Most people who read a lot write very well. So, one way to increase your writing ability is to read more. Of course, you can take classes. It is up to you.

3. Human relations

How you deal with people in one-on-one situations is what I consider to be human relations. I guess it can also encompass how you present yourself to a group. Whatever your definition, how you deal with people is probably the most important skill area affecting your ability to reach your potential.

In conversation with others, what is your demeanor? Do you listen well? Do you pay attention? While they are talking, are you preparing your response? Are you ready for them to shut up so you can get to the “important” stuff? Are you empathetic to the speaker? What is your body position? Does it matter?

Most of the time, how we act and react to others will determine the extent of our successes. If you are a “people person” then you will be more highly thought of by your peers and subordinates. This translates into: support for your ideas and projects, help with problems and people speaking to others about you favorably.

You cannot spend too much time or effort in developing your people skills. You can read and/or take classes, but by simple observation, you will learn more than in any other way.

Choose to watch people that you know have excellent people skills. What do they do that is different than what you do? Then watch people with poor people skills. Those people with excellent people skills will show you how to inspire trust, hope, hard work and dedication in others. Observing those with poor people skills will teach you how to develop contempt, anger, distrust and a lack of cooperation in those you deal with.

Become a people watcher – the dividends can be unlimited.

4. Computer skills

There is simply no way around it. If you are to succeed, then you must be comfortable and proficient with your computer. You must know your way around a computer and the internet. You must know how to use computer application software. You must keep up with emerging computer technologies and how you may exploit them.

Fortunately, computer technology and computer application software is becoming more and more user-friendly. This translates into shorter learning curves. Usually, the biggest holdup is our own apprehension. Dive in and get started. You can always reboot and start over if all else fails.

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Lack of intelligence is almost never the true reason for inaction

June 3, 2007

The article will begin below this paragraph

soupornuts is moving!!! In order to have more control over my blog (how it looks, plugins, etc.) I have decided to move soupornuts.wordpress.com to soupornuts.com. When you come to soupornuts.com, you will see my new postings along with updated and edited versions of most of my old articles. Don’t panic if the site looks different the first couple of times you visit. I am trying different themes to see which I prefer.

It seems as though every other day someone will approach me and ask what kind of projects I am involved in. Being the obliging sort that I am, and because I like to help other people reach their potential, I will begin to explain what I’m working on and why in hopes of inspiring them to action.

After listening for a few minutes, question start coming my way. How did you get the idea? How did you know where to start? What are you going to do next? Do you think it will work? Is there a market for your idea? So forth and so on. I try to answer as best and honestly as I can.

At some point in the conversation, the person I am talking with will remark, “I’m just not smart enough to do anything like that.” In reality, lack of intelligence is almost never the reason for a person’s inaction or lack of accomplishment. Most often this is an excuse that is hiding a:

1. Lack of commitment.

No matter what the likelihood of success, some people just will not buy into a project. They like the sound of the potential return on investment, just not their investment of time, effort or finances. You simply cannot motivate them to do anything. They want to be involved, but only to the extent that they can reap the profits.

2. Negative attitude.

Some people can see nothing but problems with every project, whether those problems are real or imagined. You can recognize them by their constant catch-all phrases, “but what if such and such happens?” or “I just don’t see how we can do this or that”. Their favorite words are: don’t, can’t, won’t and any other word that can convey a negative meaning.

3. Poor work ethic.

These people are positive and committed. They are positive that someone else can do the job better than them and they are committed to letting them do it. These kind of people are and will always be a “thorn in your side”.

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Maximize your thinking skills: 4 steps toward mental excellence

June 2, 2007

 The article will begin below this paragraph

soupornuts is moving!!! In order to have more control over my blog (how it looks, plugins, etc.) I have decided to move soupornuts.wordpress.com to soupornuts.com. When you come to soupornuts.com, you will see my new postings along with updated and edited versions of most of my old articles. Don’t panic if the site looks different the first couple of times you visit. I am trying different themes to see which I prefer.

There is a conversation that is constantly going on in our heads, yet we seldom take the time to consider how great an impact it has on our lives.

“You are what you think about all day long.”

“You are the sum of your thoughts.”

“Your tomorrow is based on today’s thoughts.”

These are quotes that most of us who study inspiration and motivation recognize and have heard or read many times. I can’t remember who said each one of them, but I believe that they are factual statements. I believe that our thoughts produce our lives. Something that is not tangible (our thoughts – you cannot touch one) creates something that is tangible (our lives). Something being created from nothing. That’s a post for another time.

Can we overstate the importance of developing our thinking ability? I don’t believe that we can. But many people blindly rush through life without any idea that they can and do control their own destiny. We’ve all heard, “your future is in your own hands.” However, I think it would be more accurately stated, “your future is in your mind” or in how you use it. Here are four ways that you can use your mind to increase your thinking skills.

1. Expose your mind to good input.

I don’t advocate television, but I realize that it is a fact of life and we have two in our home. I do believe that they can be used to increase your thinking skills. If you must watch TV, then watch the channels and programs that will promote your thinking. National Geographic, Animal Planet, TLC, Science, Discovery, HGTV, PBS, business and financial programs.

Just as lying around on the couch is detrimental to your physical condition, so to does watching crap lead to mental ineptitude. Read more books, blogs, magazines, and technical manuals. Find a topic that interests you and become an authority on it.

At the very least, ask yourself, if you were at a dinner party, “Could you hold up your end of an interesting and stimulating conversation” or would you be relegated to nodding and smiling, all the while hoping that no one asks you your opinion? Television seldom provides subject matter for stimulating conversation.

2. Get out of your comfort zone.

Visit a museum, then visit another. Take your kids to the zoo or a planetarium. Discus science, technology, politics or religion with your family. Set aside a specific time each week for all family members to present something new they learned during the past week. Then talk about it in detail.

Show your children that you are a multi-faceted individual who has thoughts, ideas and great thinking skills. Children emulate what they see and who knows, you may inspire a future Nobel prize winner.

3. Spend some time with good thinkers.

This is almost a no-brainer. You become like those you hang around. How many times did you hear your mother say that? Guess what? She was right.

I am fortunate in that I am part of a group of thinkers who constantly force me to keep up or get left behind. These are my inner circle and they poke, prod and test my thinking. Each one is very intelligent and each has their own special interests. But we all make it a point to expect great thinking from each other and typically, you get exactly what you expect.

Good thinkers provoke good thinking. They don’t just ask for your opinion, they expect you to justify and defend it. Because of my group, I am a better thinker.

Look at the people who occupy space in your life. Do they encourage progressive thinking? If not, you don’t need to get rid of them, but you do need to seek out people who will stimulate your mind and add them to the people you associate with.

4. To stimulate creative thinking, get out of your rut.

By rut, I mean your unconscious, habitual ways of drifting through your daily life. If you stop to think about it, I’ll bet:

  • you get dressed in the same way everyday

  • you brush your teeth and comb your hair with one or the other hand, but always the same one

  • you take the same path to work

  • you arrive at about the same time everyday

  • …you get the picture.

Being habitual is not conducive to creative thinking. Being different is. Make it a point to do any and everything differently. This forces your brain to get off of autopilot. Do you remember the act of brushing your teeth this morning? What were you thinking? Chances are, you don’t remember because you were on autopilot.

Anytime that you do things differently, you force your brain into action. It has to adapt. Create new neural pathways. Validate actions.

Brush your hair with your less dominant hand ( you can go back over it with the other one later ), change priorities, change pathways, change your life.

It has been estimated that we have about 60,000 thoughts a day. How many do you remember? How many were remarkable? Isn’t it amazing how our mind transitions smoothly from one thought to the next? Each new thought is seamlessly and effortlessly tied to the previous thought and provides the springboard for our next thought.

Take a moment to think about your thinking skills and realize that it is your greatest asset. Your thoughts today will produce your life tomorrow therefore, mediocrity is not acceptable!

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The buck stops here – accept responsibility for your life

June 1, 2007

The article will begin below this paragraph

soupornuts is moving!!! In order to have more control over my blog (how it looks, plugins, etc.) I have decided to move soupornuts.wordpress.com to soupornuts.com. When you come to soupornuts.com, you will see my new postings along with updated and edited versions of most of my old articles. Don’t panic if the site looks different the first couple of times you visit. I am trying different themes to see which I prefer.

Do you remember the little old lady in the Wendy’s commercial? The one that was always asking everyone, “Where’s the beef”? I’m going to tell you! Are you ready? O.K. Here’s the beef – you are responsible for your life!

I know for a fact that “bad” things have occurred in your life. Well guess what, I know because “bad” things happen in everyone’s life. Most people spend their lives blaming someone else for their lot in life. Maybe we should all have a “pity” party and moan and groan to each other about how bad, hard or difficult our situation is.

If there is one person who has faced the same (or worse) trials that you face and they were able to overcome those trials, then you do not have a valid argument for wallowing in self-pity. If they succeeded then you can to. How?

  1. Make up your mind to overcome – the first step is the hardest step, but you only have to take it one time. It is also the most rewarding step because with that step, you realize that you can accomplish the next step. You will begin to rebuild your life into the kind of life you want, one step at a time. The key is to make progress daily. No matter how small that progress is. Eventually you will be where you want to be.
  2. Establish or find a support system – find a group of like-minded individuals (people who share the same issues as you). Learn when and where they meet. Go to their meetings. Sit in. Become accustomed and participate. Tortured souls typically find peace with each other because they can relate. Allow yourself to be helped, then in turn help another.
  3. Share your experience – Once you’ve crossed the abyss, give something back. Record your thoughts and share them. Look for opportunities to listen and be available to those who remind you of your former self. It is when we are giving that we are truly human.

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Definitions, plans and excuses for success

May 31, 2007

The article will begin below this paragraph

soupornuts is moving!!! In order to have more control over my blog (how it looks, plugins, etc.) I have decided to move soupornuts.wordpress.com to soupornuts.com. When you come to soupornuts.com, you will see my new postings along with updated and edited versions of most of my old articles. Don’t panic if the site looks different the first couple of times you visit. I am trying different themes to see which I prefer.

Everyone wants to be successful. However, if you ask 100 people to define success, most of the time, 95–97 of those who answer, will be extremely vague. This is not unusual since studies have shown time and again that only about three to five percent of the population will ever define what success means to them and then map out a goals program with the associated plans for attaining their goals.

1. How do you define success?

Success is unique to you. How you define success is based on:

  • your dreams
  • your hopes
  • your present situation
  • your past experiences
  • your knowledge
  • your passion
  • your drive to do or be
  • your family situation
  • your age
  • your belief system

…and there are probably a host of other things that can and will influence your definition of success. The point is for you to begin to think about what you want. Make notes when a thought “pops” into your head. Then, set aside a quiet time to go through your thoughts, taking into account your unique situation, and then develop a definition of success that suits you.

2. Develop a plan to achieve your definition of success.

Since your definition of success is unique to you and your situation, then your plan must be unique. Points to consider:

  • do you need more education?
  • is it formal or informal education? (do you need to return to school or do you need to do research?)
  • is your spouse/family on board with your new goals? (if so, great. if not, how will you deal with the situation?)
  • are you willing to devote the time needed to grow? (growth requires change – you can’t grow and stay the same)
  • can you see problems? (how will/can you deal with them?)
  • can you live in the minute? (what can you do “right now”, “this minute” to achieve your goals?”
  • do you deserve success? (if you don’t feel that you deserve success, you will do things to sabotage yourself)

3. Excuses: our illogical reasons for lack of success

The first response to any program of personal growth and development is the production of a number of excuses of why you can’t become successful. Here is a short list of often expressed excuses:

  • I’m too old. Really? Grandma Moses was in her 80’s before she ever painted. Colonel Sanders was in his 60’s when he began trying to market his “original” recipe.
  • I’m not smart enough. Really? The fact is that most people are within single digits of the vast majority of the world’s population when it comes to a measurement of intelligence. We tend to overestimate the intelligence of others while at the same time underestimating our own intelligence.
  • I don’t know where to start. Really? You don’t have to know where to start, you just have to start. You determine where that is. The point is to just begin, the way will reveal itself once you begin to look.
  • I’m worried about what my friends and family will think. Really? If they really care about you, they will stand behind you. If they don’t, you have to wonder what their motives are. Are they jealous? When you succeed, what will that say about their efforts?
  • I’m just not that kind of person. Really? What kind of person are you? The kind that is destined to fail? The fact is that most people are more alike than they are different. We all deserve success, but we each determine our own destiny. We are where we are today because of the choices we made yesterday. We made our choices based on our thoughts. Therefore, it stands to reason that if we can change the way we think, we can change our choices and thus change our future.

These are not valid excuses for you or anyone else because someone has faced these situations and overcame them. If they can be overcome, then you can also overcome them.

Get your mind right —– Mediocrity is not acceptable!!!

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Children don’t fear failure: a lesson for would-be entrepreneurs

May 26, 2007

The article will begin below this paragraph

soupornuts is moving!!! In order to have more control over my blog (how it looks, plugins, etc.) I have decided to move soupornuts.wordpress.com to soupornuts.com. When you come to soupornuts.com, you will see my new postings along with updated and edited versions of most of my old articles. Don’t panic if the site looks different the first couple of times you visit. I am trying different themes to see which I prefer.

Ask any person who has ever considered becoming an entrepreneur, why they have yet to launch their business enterprise and you will hear a litany of excuses. When boiled down to the basics, the majority will admit that it is due to a fear of some sort; fear of ridicule, fear of what others may think or say, fear of success, fear of the unknown. The list of fears can be endless, but the overwhelming majority will say that the number one reason for their inhibition is the fear of failure.

Have you ever stopped to consider where these fears originate? Were you born with them? The answer is no, with the exceptions being; the fear of falling, the fear of loud noises and in some people, the rear of snakes. All or our other fears are learned, ingrained and habitual.

As a child, we had no fears of failure. We tried to walk, we fell, made adjustments and then tried again and again and again. We kept trying and making adjustments until we found we could take one step and then two steps, all the while adapting our technique. This trial and error procedure allowed us to become proficient and we used the same techniques when we learned to ride a bike, swim, play sports or anything else we learned as a child.

Our parents never shook their heads and said, “Poor Johnny, he’ll never walk”. They picked us up, dusted us off, gave us some encouragement and told us to give it another try. Failure is nothing to be ashamed of. We’ve all failed (no one ever learned to walk, swim and so forth, on the first try ).

As children, we never worried about failure until we reached an age when we became concerned that others would think we were inferior if we failed in our current quest. The truth is that everyone must first fail in order to learn how to succeed.

The point is to let you inner child run free. Think like a child. Experiment. Attempt new things. Spend less time occupied with what others think and more time on freeing your spirit and expanding your mind. Try. Fail. Learn. Try again. Succeed.

It’s not like I’m asking you to hold a snake.

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3 ways to develop new ideas

May 25, 2007

The article will begin below this paragraph


soupornuts is moving!!! In order to have more control over my blog (how it looks, plugins, etc.) I have decided to move soupornuts.wordpress.com to soupornuts.com. When you come to soupornuts.com, you will see my new postings along with updated and edited versions of most of my old articles. Don’t panic if the site looks different the first couple of times you visit. I am trying different themes to see which I prefer. 

I was recently discussing one of my web site ventures with a close friend of mine when he commented that “he wouldn’t know where to start”. Well, I didn’t know where to start when I started, but I knew that if I didn’t do something about my idea, it would die on the vine. But that’s a topic for another time.

I consider this friend to be well above average in both aptitude and attitude, so I knew that intellect and motivation were not the reasons for his idea block syndrome. The problem, I think is that most people don’t invest enough time in the planting, growing and harvesting of their ideas.

Where do ideas come from?

1. There is the “find a need and fill it” idea.

This is the theme we most often envision when we think of “coming up” with an idea. How many times have you seen a new product or service and asked yourself, “that’s obvious, why didn’t I see it before?” Probably because you never took the time to examine your needs. We just tend to blow them off and assume there’s nothing we can do about it or assume that somebody else could do it better or quicker than we can. All of these are false, defeatist attitudes that discount our value.

In reality, ideas are not pursued to fruition due to:

  • fear of failure

  • fear of success

  • fear of what friends and family will think

  • lack of dedication of time or effort or both

  • poor self image

  • lack of education (where do I start?)

2. New ideas are provided by new technologies.

As new technologies emerge and reach the marketplace, they often arrive before a market has been created for their use. Think personal computer circa 1982. Everybody thought they were great, but didn’t have the faintest idea how to put them to productive use.

Thankfully some visionaries did see the potential and they got busy creating products and services that could and would exploit the advantages of the computer.

Have an open mind and try to think in ways that are beyond or outside the norm. Read Seth Godin’s book, “Free Prize Inside” and create a “purple cow”.

3. Use an old technology in new way.

Items that have become obsolete and disposable to us, may have or may be able to be put to an alternative use for someone else. We don’t use phonographic turntables anymore, but DJ’s mix albums with them. This is putting an old technology to a new use.

The point is that if we will use our imaginations and give ourselves time, we can create and develop new business ideas. What’s your big idea?

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