http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/from-attorney-to-alcoholic-to-adventure.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/from-attorney-to-alcoholic-to-adventure.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:09:09 -0600
In his autobiography, Rutger recounts events from his bizarre life such as buying a $6,000 billboard to memorialize his dog Clifford, blowing what he called a "Biblical Blood Alcohol Level" of a .316 (named for the famous verse John 3:16), and spending a week in jail thinking of it as a vacation. His portrayals are found in The Alcoholic's Guide to Adventure from Booksurge (www.booksurge.com).

"I cannot even imagine a better vacation than jail, given my life situation at the time," wrote Rutger, who was jailed for 7 days after his second DUI conviction.

His real life had been a downward spiral involving creditors, lack of work and a darkness that resulted in binge drinking until he'd pass out, so spending a week not having to deal with the real world was a relief for him. During that week in Pinellas County, Florida's minimum security lockup, he made friends, played chess, watched many "Reba" sit-com episodes on the Country Music Channel, and talked to many of the regular inhabitants of the 49th Street Jail.

"It seems to me that if you are in a downward spiral like I was, you should be allowed to check yourself into jail in advance of driving drunk to get there," he wrote. "Just like Otis in The Andy Griffith Show. The main difference between jails and college is that jails don't have mascots. If I had to go back to jail, I would form a fraternity and we would call ourselves the 49th Street Filers, prepared to take on all comers."

Rutger balances the humor of his unique journey with remembrances of his father and son, who both passed away at different times in Rutger's life. In the book, Rutger writes letters to them that he cannot read to himself without breaking down into tears.

He also remembers his dog, Clifford, by reprinting a St. Petersburg Times article about the billboard Rutger bought to commemorate his dog's passing at age 14 (98 in dog years). In the article, Rutger described how Clifford had become more of a fixture in Anclote Key bars than most of the patrons.

"Clear Channel wasn't quite sure what to think of me when I made the request for the billboard," he said. "And that's just fine with me. It's like the t-shirts I had printed and started selling recently that say ‘Your dog is an alcoholic.' People who have always been sober don't know what to think. For me, it's a symbol - you know you've hit rock bottom when your dog hits rock bottom with you. Rabbits walk right by his nose and he just sighs and looks away. ‘Don't bother me, you rabbits, unless you've got a beer.' "


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Rachel Friedman is a staff writer for News & Experts.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/self-help-how-to-achieve-success-in-life.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/self-help-how-to-achieve-success-in-life.html Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:28:27 -0500
The first step in self help on how to achieve success is setting your goals and targets. You can attain a far greater degree of success if you have a set target and goal to achieve. Setting out a target and taking steps or actions towards your goal will make you come closer and closer to your goal every time you take a step towards it. Each of your action will result in your progress towards your goal.

Gaining knowledge about your field of activity will make you more and more confident. You should make it a point to gain some knowledge about your field everyday. Studying all publications about the field and interacting with other people in the same subject and exchanging ideas with them will help you gain more and more knowledge about the field. Knowledge and success are directly linked with each other and if you have knowledge about your field there are rare chances that you can be cheated or fail in your attempts for success.

Another major tip of self help in achieving success is to learn from your failed attempts. If you fail in any of your attempts it is not wise to quit making attempts, rather you should make failure your learning ground and analyze what went wrong. Try to correct your mistake and take another attempt and you will find that you are one step closer to your target.

Examining your thoughts and raising your thinking on the positive side of an aspect is an important aspect of self help for gaining success. Negative thoughts blow things way out of proportion and make you lose your confidence. Keeping away from negative thoughts and lifting your thinking towards the positive side of each aspect help you leap towards your goal. Take charge of your attitude and do no allow yourself to be carried away with negative vibes. Positive thoughts are said to be productive and lead to success and attaining your goals. Thinking about positive things will help you lift your spirits and gain rewards for you.

Doing what you love to do is a stepping stone for your success. If you are doing something which does not interest you, you may not be able to put in all your heart and spirit into your work and thus may not be able to achieve maximum benefits. Chances of being successful are far more in case you are doing something that you love.

Living life to your fullest at the current moment is the best self help tip for achieving success. Living in present by worrying for the future and regretting the past will do no good to you. You should live for the present and try to enjoy every moment that you have. Take time out for your family and friends and have fun in your life. Count your blessings and do not brood over your failures or shortcomings. Learn to enjoy your success but do not regret your failures, rather make it a learning ground and stepping stone for your success.


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You can have access to articles about self help in portuguese language from page Self_Help

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/six-self-help-tips-to-achieve-maximum-success-in-life.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/six-self-help-tips-to-achieve-maximum-success-in-life.html Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:42:27 -0500
These questions have puzzled many people and prompted them to find their peace of mind in religious options, psychological treatment therapies or alcohols. But, as long as you are not satisfied with your inner self, it is almost impossible for you to get true success in life. And the best way to overcome all your worries and get going with your life is `Self Help`. This is the theory that has transformed inherent personalities of many people and helped them achieve success. The concept has also molded many disappointments into achievements. So, what self help is all about? How it can help you achieve success in your life? Well, the discussed tips are some of guidelines that can help you improve your self-esteem and achieve your objective of life.

1. Have faith in yourself:

Believing in the self is an inspiring and active force of life that can take you to places. Unless you trust yourself, no one else will trust you. Have faith that you have the ability to do something. This `self help` will help you find your ways to overcome many hurdles. When you believe that you have the potential to achieve your goals, you can unleash your strength and give shape to your dreams.

2. Recognize and nurture your strengths:

All of us have a special ability that can make us stand out among others. But, unless you realize that special quality, which is your forte, you can hardly give efforts to improve it. Therefore, instead of brooding over things that you lack in yourself, exercise your strength to make it stronger and more useful for you.

3. Judge yourself, but not based on others` opinion:

Often, people feel disheartened if someone gives negative remarks on them. Try your best to keep yourself away from this feeling. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Be proud of what good qualities you have and judge yourself based what you know about yourself. This is a crucial self help tip that can save you from depression.

4. Prioritize things you love to do:

Spend as much time as possible doing things that you really enjoy. Of course, here I mean doing constructive things that aids to your self-esteem and self development. Often, people excel doing their favorite activities. For instance, you can perform your best when you are in a job that you love to do. This self help will make you feel better and you will come closer to your success.

5. Select your friends group carefully:

People surrounding you make a lot of difference to your life. Often, they affect your lifestyle, thinking and activity. Hence, it is vitally important that you select right kind of people in your circle. They should contribute to your success and vice versa.

6. Positive thoughts attract positive result:

Your thought has a direct impact on your actions and the results you get. Think positive and speak positive thoughts to yourself. Focus your thoughts on things that your desire to achieve. You will find the energy of self help dragging success towards you.

Your achievements of life depend mostly on your efforts. Hence, boost your self-esteem and lead a successful life with the self help tips.


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You can have access to articles about self help in portuguese language from page Self-Help

Joana Furtado works as IT consultant for Polomercantil


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/time-management-for-business-owners.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/time-management-for-business-owners.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:00:05 -0500
Do you manage your time everyday with a high degree of efficiency? If so, you do not have anything to worry about as you are probably on the right track. Of course, there is always room for improvement. Even if you think you are using your time wisely, you never know when a few changes here and there could make a big difference.

As the owner you need to learn how to become the best time manager in your company. You are in charge of everybody from your right hand man down to the newest employee on your payroll. For this reason, the way you manage your time is very important.

Fortunately, there are ways to increase your time management proficiency. Not to mention the fact that practice makes perfect. Once you are in the habit of making the most of your time, you will continue to do so day after day without even thinking about it.

How do you feel about your time management skills? If you have any room for improvement, and you probably do, now is the time to do something about it. Soon enough you will find yourself working more efficiently and having more time available than ever. This is sure to make you a better business owner, while helping to increase profits.

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Visit www.effectivetimemanagementforpropertydevelopers.com/ for information about effective time management. Be sure to submit your details to receive an absolutely free report "11 Fatal Time Management Mistakes and How To Avoid Them".

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/why-time-management-is-important.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/why-time-management-is-important.html Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:59:59 -0500
Here are three reasons why time management is so important:

1. Helps you to lead a more efficient life on both a personal and business level. No matter what part of life you are dealing with, good time management skills will definitely help you along the way.

2. For many, more time means more money. If you own your own business or can make more money by freeing up additional hours, as you learn to better manage your time you will see your income increase.

3. Cuts out stress. Do you always feel like you are in a rush? If so, this probably brings a lot of unneeded stress into your life. When you better manage your time it becomes easier to lead a stress free life. And who doesn't want to do that?

As you can see, time management is very important. It does not matter who you are, if you are not properly managing your time it is going to show through sooner rather than later. Once you get on the ball and realize that managing your time is important, both your at home and work lives will improve.

It may take time to learn the proper time management skills, but in the end it is well worth it.

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Visit www.effectivetimemanagementforpropertydevelopers.com/ for information about effective time management. Be sure to submit your details to receive an absolutely free report "11 Fatal Time Management Mistakes and How To Avoid Them".

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/success-secrets-a-few-thoughts-for-your-reading-pleasure.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/success-secrets-a-few-thoughts-for-your-reading-pleasure.html Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:05:02 -0500
It was so jam-packed, I had to add two additional Q+A sessions to insure everyone's questions got 100% answered. And that was on top of the usual hour of Q+A at the end of every week's regular class. The content, questions and group mastermind elements were unimaginably energetic and value-laden.

The seminar ended the week before Xmas and, over the phone and via an outpouring of emails, the group was clearly disappointed for the course to come to an end. These few dozen completely committed writers and producers participated every week from Canada, Australia, all over the U.S. I'll continue to mentor quite a few.

The best part: I consistently receive emails delivering more incredibly good news - real world results - from quite a few of the screenwriters and producers in the course. The majority has taken major action based on tailored strategies, and I see more good news is just going to keep coming in.

It just didn't matter where they're from, what age they are and what level of experience in the film business. Knowing how to be an effective ‘advocate' for their film projects only depends on their willingness to get in the game. And this teleseminar proved that in spades.

Using simple strategies, learning how to network in a very targeted way, how to truly get in the door (via phone, email, social marketing and beyond) and get ‘heard' and get read… that's the stuff of moving a creative career forward. And that's precisely what happened and continues to happen.

So the course truly motivated me to launch back into the book and get it done. It proved to me the power and value and need for this very focused approach and set of step-by-step tools for anyone who wants to drastically increase their likelihood of making it in Hollywood.

I was so amped up and inspired by the teleseminar, by the massive response and results being reported, that it lit a fire in me to spend most of the holidays working on my manuscript. I've only a couple of more chapters to revise, a few more dynamic tools to layer into some of the various sections, but overall the book as a powerful set of career-advancing tools has clearly come into full focus.

I'm incredibly grateful and appreciative of the many who just spent the better part of two months with me. They deserve enormous kudos for their dedication to growing their careers, for jumping into action, making half an hour a day available to master simple but powerful techniques.

They showed me just how realistic it is to transform valuable information into smart action and quickly achieve results. In less than one year, I plan to publish a series of success stories from this group and celebrate their ‘wins'. I feel genuinely honored to know them and to have mentored screenwriters and producers with this level of commitment.


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Gary Goldstein is author, speaker and Hollywood movie producer. The skills Gary brought to bear in climbing the ladder from newcomer to up-and-comer to mega-success in his business can be used to empower any business or career path. Check out his screenwriting blog and start taking your career the next level. Learn creative strategies and exponentially grow your business on his business coaching website.


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/time-management-skills.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/time-management-skills.html Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:28:04 -0500 Time management training is the need of the time.

Managing time is a need of the day, though some time it appears almost impossible to manage it but it is not that hard, all you need is to set your priorities and follow some rule in you life. To manage your time according to your need all you have to do is to allow three "d" in your life and trust me it can be very helpful for you.

First is decluttering your work area. Sounds monotonous and usual, you will be thinking everyone says it but if you are busy in work how will you get the time to mange the clutter? If you really want to improve your productivity and use your time then you have to spare some time for it. Unnecessary junk always distract your attention as a result accuracy of thought diminish and more time is needed to conclude any decision be it small or big one.


Secondly find out the interruptions that hurdle your activity, point out the people or situation that could raise hurdle in your smooth flow of activity and destroy it before it comes in your way. Manage your time the way you want it not as by others want it to be, if it is your working time do not get involve in chatting, either on phone or personally, finish your work on time then rest time is yours, spend it in socializing with your friend but protecting your time from unnecessary wastage should be your first priority.


Device a system to keep you on track, proper time management is not possible without proper planning, the better you plan your schedule, the more time you earn for your self, unplanned ventures will consume more time and energy, so save your time and save your energy with proper planning. Managing your time in right way is the best help you can offer to your self.


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Visit jimclemmer.com, and know more about time management participate in time management workshop organized by Clemmer group and earn more time for your personal as well as for your professional life.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/success-what-hold-you-back.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/success-what-hold-you-back.html Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:46:59 -0500
Commitment

Chances are if you are loosing your drive and focus there are some habits, which are causing this, and not some fixed character flaws:
There are several reasons why we might lose our focus or drive.

Perfectionism: Perfectionist sometimes gives up before they even start. Their standards are so high that starting new tasks is difficult because there is no way to master something and begin it at the same time.

Should's: Some people have come to believe that there are absolutes that are guiding their life. For example: a person believes that he or she should be an accountant instead of an artist because being an accountant is more responsible.

Taking yourself out of the solution: People often think that their success depend on their ability to do it the way that others have done it even if they are completely unlike the others in every way.

Wrong direction: Sometimes the lack of follow through has to do with having the wrong goal. Why work for something that underneath you are not sure if you want?

Timing: Perhaps, the steps you have planned to reach your goal are good but their order
and timing is not. Sometimes things become difficult or get dropped because of this.
What you can do about it?

Sometimes just being aware of what we are doing helps us get back on track. Other times it is helpful to have a few tricks to help us. If you see some of these traits in yourself, think about what you might do differently. If you are still stuck, check out my post Breaking the Habits that Hold you Back for how to overcome these habits and get what you truly want.


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Kate Siner Francis has been training and practicing healing and therapeutic work for the last 15 years. She has her Ph.D in humanistic and transpersonal psychology. Her studies includes:bodywork, expressive arts, shamanic healing, ritual, counseling methods, and counseling theories. Dr. Francis is currently working in her personal practice, Larger Visions, and is the director of Priestess Path. Please visit www.largervisions.com to learn more about her

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/the-power-of-relationships-in-life-training.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/the-power-of-relationships-in-life-training.html Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:40:08 -0500
Twenty-two year old Albert Einstein and like-minded friends met regularly in each other's homes or took long hikes, and sometimes they talked all the way through the night. These proverbial conversations had an enormous impact on his future work. The group dedicate for academic pursuits was ''The Olympia Academy.''

The world's richest philanthropist Bill Gates met often with other computer geeks when he was fifteen years old, entitled ''The Lakeside Programmers Group.''

A notable Benjamin Franklin met every Friday for decades on end with a diverse group of civic-minded thinkers called ''Junto.'' Many of his great accomplishments were a result of cross-pollination from this group. Ideas beget ideas from great thinkers.

C.S. Lewis met with a group called ''The Inklings,'' twice a week. They often spent their evenings reading their manuscripts aloud to get input from each other.

The collaboration of several minds produces infinite wisdom waiting to be harnessed than the sum of these same minds working separately. Are you letting synergy work for you ... or do you go it alone? We all need the synergy and creativity that comes with relationships! The "whole" really is, more than the sum of all the parts!

A three-fold cord is not easily broken! Unity builds confidence and durability!

The laws of nature entails such a notion time and time again which has been repeated all through history! Here are some examples.

A few winters ago, heavy snows hit North Carolina. Following a wet, six-inch snowfall, it was interesting to see the effect along Interstate 40. Adjacent to the highway stood several large groves of tall, young, pine trees. The branches were deformed due to the heavy snow, almost seemingly bending over to the side.

Unfortunately on parts where the trees were stood a far from each other was a sight for sore eyes. The branches had become heavier and heavier. Since there are no trees to lean against the branches snapped. They lay on the ground, dark and alone in the cold snow. They ... are like people ... they need support.

I've read a story once on the subject of a certain kind of mushroom that grows in the barren deserts of Arizona. Pods of these spores gregariously pop up almost everywhere. Strangely they are all far apart. Alone and solitary there was no reason for them to survive in these dire conditions.

But strangely, something beautiful is going on underground. These mushrooms lengthily sent out their roots systems covering a great distance. As a matter o fact, they do so until they encounter another of their species. They then bind their root systems together. This is happening for miles and miles. They all "hook up" and link together, in order to survive amidst these harsh conditions. So, when some of then get rain ... they all get rain! Their "relationships" are paramount to their survival.

This same principle applies to us; "relationships" are paramount to your survival. You absolutely need other people! Here's one more example!

I used to be confused when I would hear reports on the news about earthquakes. They would say ... this quake measured 6.6 on the Richter Scale. They would show tremendous damage. I'd seen reports before on a 5.6 earthquake that caused minimal damage. I wondered why a 6.6 was so much more destructive than a 5.6!

A little research opened the door to my understanding. A Richter Scale number is exponential in relationship to the number before it. Each number goes up ten fold. Here's what I mean. A 4 is ten times as strong as a 3. So a 6.6 is 10 times as strong as a 5.6. Or 10 times as powerful ... to the tenth power, if that makes sense.

I remember an ancient text that said ... one would put 1000 to flight but two could put 10,000 to flight. That sounded just like the Richter Scale. So, I don't believe I'm stretching it when I say that 2 people working in unity are not twice as strong ... they are 10 times as strong. Again... it is an accepted maxim that the whole is much stronger than the sum of the parts.

Relationships are vital not only to our success ... but to our very lives as well.

Throughout the course of history alliances are vital for a kingdom to survive... This keenly applies to us both personal and professional. In times of war we depend on our allies to watch our back. We need to have people in our lives that will "get in the foxhole" with us. When the bombs of life are dropping ... when the sun isn't shining ... when the fair weather friends are heading for the hills… we really find out who we have a strong relationship with. When they rise to the surface, we need to celebrate them. We need to cultivate that relationship because when it is forged in the pit of adversity it will stand the test of time.

But one thing to keep in mind you must see to it that those people you build relationships with are truly worthy of your time and effort.

Work on your relationships! They are worth it! Another Life Course to
work on not only building skills but building a solid foundation for success. Work
it out.


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Gary Eby, a member of the Jim Rohn Speaker Bureau, is gifted to teach deep truths in a clear and easily understandable style. His messages are power-packed and often filled with laughter and practical illustrations. He has shared the stage with great speakers such as Jim Rohn and Les Brown. Not only is Gary a sought after speaker, but he is also an author whose personal development book Lefthanded Soldiers has received worldwide attention. You may receive a free copy at http://cli.gs/garyeby



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/central-texas-profiles-brenham-texas.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/central-texas-profiles-brenham-texas.html Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:19:35 -0500
If you are considering bankruptcy, then your debts have not had the attention they needed. It could be due to many factors - e.g., medical emergency, divorce. Regardless, you need to look at this as an opportunity to get your financial life in order.
You will need to address several specifics in order to get a grasp on your debt and forego bankruptcy. Complete the checklist and subsequent activity below to get started:

* Do a budget. If you don't already have one set up, you need to do one now. Make note of all your expenses and income from the 1st to the 31st of the month. Put it all in one place, whether you put it in Excel, Microsoft Money, Quicken or some other software. Make sure you keep expenses separate from income. Note the amount you have left over.

* Obtain a copy of your credit report. All three major credit reporting agencies are required to provide a free copy of your credit report to you every year.

* Note any discrepancies. Notify the credit reporting agencies of any incorrect information, including any inquiries to your credit report that you did not approve.

* Identify all accounts that are late. Organize them from the accounts that show the most months not paid to the least months not paid.

* Settle your debts with your creditors. This will be your strategy. Your final frontier will be to settle your debts to affordable payments every month. What is left over from your budget? You will divide this out to pay on each of your outstanding accounts with your creditors.

* Calculate what it will take to offer a settlement of 30% for each of your past due accounts.

* Call each creditor and make the offer. It is important to include in the offer that the creditor will delete all negative notations to your account and indicate that it is being paid on time for the duration it takes to pay off the debt ... as long as you are making your payments on time.

* Don't be discouraged if your creditors balk at your first offer. In a week or two you'll receive a letter from the creditors you called with either an acceptance or counter offer. Don't budge from the 30%, unless it becomes apparent over several weeks' time that they will not accept it. The more time that lapses since your last payment on the account, the more your creditor will work with you.

* Keep copies of all communication with your creditor. If a phone conversation, make note of the date/time of call, representative's name, content of discussion and anything they agreed to do.

* Don't pay anything until you receive it in writing ... and signed! Your exchanges with your creditors have paid off and you've come to an agreement. You receive the agreement in the mail. Is it signed by the creditor AND does it indicate that this is the final settlement amount of your debt AND does it state that the creditor will delete all negative notations to your credit once you start paying on the settled debt amount? If not, send it back for corrections. Don't sign anything until it contains all agreed upon discussion and the creditor has signed on the dotted line.

* You've signed the agreements, now what? Do not pay your payments out of your own bank. Do not let your creditor know where you bank or where you work. Get a money order from another institution other than your own bank to pay your monthly payments. You can buy USPS money orders for $1.05. That way if you ever become delinquent on your payments, no creditor can garnish your checking account or your paycheck.

* Pay your payments on time all the time. If you stick to this rule, you'll be successful in staying out of bankruptcy. Eventually, you will even become debt free in the process as long as you don't apply for any more credit.

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Jill works with Inside Realty a firm working in the Houston real estate market. Their site is focused on provided information on the Houston real estate for interested buyers and sellers. It also provide statisics on surrounding markets like the Humble real estate and Pasadena real estate markets.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>