Think Yourself To Success

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What are the sharpest tools in your toolkit? Is it your business website or brochure? How about your press kits or pitch letter? Often solo entrepreneurs first think of a technological tool since technology allows us to "do more with less cost". The truth is your sharpest tool is your mind which is where every action is first created. Consider the following ways to sharpen your best tool.

A Fish Tale

A favorite fish of many hobbyists is the Japanese carp, commonly known as the koi. The fascinating thing about the koi is that if you keep it in a small fish bowl, it will only grow to be 2 or 3 inches long. Put the koi in a larger tank and it will reach 6 to 10 inches. Put it in a large pond and it may get as long as a foot and a half. However, when placed in a huge lake where it can spread out, it has the potential to reach sizes up to 3 feet. The point is pretty clear. The size of this fish is directly proportional to the size of the pond. A comparable analogy can be made concerning people. Our growth is determined by the size of our world. Not the physical dimensions, but the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical opportunities we experience. Realizing that our growth comes from the inside, we better understand that that unless we expand who we are, we'll always have what we've got. Think of it this way, SUCCESS BEGINS WITHIN.

HEADLINE New York Times, 1991 "Optimism Emerges as Best Predictor to Success in Life"

Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, reported on this groundbreaking research conducted at the University of Kansas. What was discovered was this: People with high levels of hope share several attributes:

-- They turn to friends for advice on how to achieve their goals.

-- They tell themselves they can succeed at what they need to do.

-- They believe that things will get better as time goes on.

-- They are flexible enough to find different ways to get to their goals.

-- If hope for one goal fades, they aim for another. Those low in hope tend to become fixated on one goal and persist even when they find themselves blocked.

-- They show an ability to break a formidable task into specific, achievable chunks.

People who get a high score on the hope scale have had as many hard times as those with low scores, but have learned to think about it in a hopeful way, seeing a setback as a challenge, not a permanent failure.

This study proved what wise people knew all along - YOUR ATTITUDE AFFECTS YOUR ALTITUDE.

It's All About Attitude

You hear that all the time, but what does it really mean?

-- Expecting the best in everything--not the worst.

-- Remaining upbeat--even if you get beat up.

-- Seeing solutions in every problem--not problems in every solution.

-- Believing in yourself--even if others believe you have failed.

-- Holding on to hope--even if others say it is hopeless.

Here's the good news: Positive attitudes can be learned. One of the fastest ways to transform our attitudes is with our language. These are the words you want to eliminate from your vocabulary: I can't­. I don't have the time. I'm afraid of. I doubt it . These are the words you want use more of every day: I can..I will make the time..I am confident. ­I expect the best. YOUR WORDS SHAPE YOUR ATTITUDE.

SUCCESS BEGINS WITHIN. What are you willing to do differently as you create your next success? Close the gap between KNOWING and DOING by taking a single action each day. Challenge yourself to raise the bar and enjoy the possibilities! TAKE ACTION NOW!

Copyright 2004, Charlotte Farrior

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Charlotte Farrior of Coaching Connection (http://www.corporatecoaching101.com) and Founder/Team Member of Solo-E (http://www.Solo-E.com) is a corporate and professional coach. She works with professionals, entrepreneurs, directors, and executives to define and achieve the personal and business goals they set for themselves. She coaches in the areas of goal setting, skill development, priority management and career transitions.

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