When I started my internet business three months ago by joining the pluginprofitsite I wasn´t aware of the fact which kind of a huge global market I had tapped into.Fighting the overall common information overload of a newbie and trying to stay focussed I learned as much as I possibly could to be able to get the big picture.

My passion for working from home had awakened to my own surprise almost overnight and had exploded like wildfire into my daily activities. My whole life changed. I was determined to make this work whatever it might take. I was ready to sacrifice my time, my money and my energy. Funny thing was that all of a sudden I had strength and I knew it was the right thing I was doing. I trusted myself on this and failure was not part of my plan.

A few things went wrong, of course and I had to pay for it. My autoresponder account at aweber was terminated without prior warning because of a few spamming complaints. And I lost a six months worth subscription right after 3 weeks.

But I decided to wander a new path other than wasting my valuable time in pursuing matters that were already lost. Yes, time management is a very important factor if you want to be effective with your work.

Every day you have to make decicions about what to do and what not. It´s very easy to get distracted and hung up on technical problems. It always helped me to get back to the big picture and I took notes every day what I had spent my time with.

My experience was that with every day in business it became clearer to me how I wanted my business to be and which tasks were most important to be taken care of in order to make progress. And that´s what a business should do: Make progress.

I want to build a team of passionate `homebizzers´ on a global scale. I want to learn from those guys who already live up to their expectations and I want to pass on the knowledge to those who come after me. My mentor earns money when I earn money and I earn money when I build a team under me and they build a team under them, these are the basics of MLM. A great opportunity.

As an affiliate the most important thing to do is drive traffic to your affilate gateways and thereare quite a few different methods to choose from such as traffic exchanges, PPC, posting in forums, ezine ads, blog, email marketing, submitting a site to the search engines, exchanging links, JVs and article writing. Some of them are free and some aren´t but all have one thing in common. Success doesn´t come overnight. It takes a while to figure out how things work and to find the method that one enjoys doing the most.

In the beginning it´s always kind of hard because everything is new and collecting the knowledge required brings frustration sometimes. When frustration or disappointment arises one should be immediately aware where this state of mind is going to lead you. In my experience my energy tends to go down, negative thoughts come up and feelings of uncertainty or fear of failure prevail.

These moments occur in everybody´s life once in a while and in business maybe more often. It is immensely important to watch the mind and where it wants to take you. You might not want to go on that road but it seems like you can´t help it sometimes.

That´s not true. You can! Just try this little experiment: Close your eyes for a few minutes and watch your thoughts and feelings that arise within you. Stay aloof though don´t get involved. After a while you´ll notice that something changes or has changed. You have brought awareness to the process - it´s like bringing light into a dark room -and everything changes.

The negative feelings might have gone or are changing, you might realize while you are watching your thoughts and feelings that you feel more calm and quiet than before and the mind has loosened it´s grip. There are a whole bunch of interesting things going on inside you.

The best way to deal with these kind of situations is either giving as little attention as possible to the distracting thoughts and feelings or if they are too persistent and bothering just take a few minutes break and give it all your attention - just watching, doing nothing. Then you can go back to work.

Once you´ve gained watching experience and got to know yourself better it´s much easier to manage your own mind and decide for yourself which mindset is right for you.

The mindset of an entrepreneur is like an arrow, always aiming at progress and improvement. He is in charge of everything and if he fails the responsibility is all his. Strength and trust in himself will help him rise over weakness, uncertainty and fear.

By: Niru

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Resource Box: Ingrid Nirupama Grzeskowiak contributes regularly with her thoughts and insights about various issues of human life. She has helped people solve their personal problems as a teacher and personal development coach in Europe; she has 20 years experience in meditation technics and yoga which helped her to regain and maintain her inner balance. Just recently Ingrid added her passion for home business to her favorite activities. You can “meet” her at her homepage at Go4yourMoney.com

Today we have more stress in our lives than ever before – good stress, bad stress, red stress, blue stress (my little ode to Dr. Seuss). No matter what kind of stress it is, a real crisis or an imagined one, stress is incredibly harmful to our body, mind and soul.

Here are my favourite self-care habits for dealing with stress:

1. Get in the habit of noticing.

Take an inventory of all the things that just don’t feel right in your life or that you know are causing you stress. For example, when you approach certain people, places or situations do you feel more stress and tension? Once you have your list in place, look at what you can change yourself, and do it. You can also use this list to predict stressful situations before they occur.

2. Get in the habit of asking for help.

For what you can’t change yourself, you need a team. Build a team of experts to handle your list. A coach, at the top of the list, will help with the big picture and will keep you honest about your efforts. Other team members might be a family doctor who listens to you, a financial planner, a massage therapist and an exercise partner.

3. Get in the habit of bouncing back.

Think of Plan A as your basic self-care plan while stress is under control. Now imagine something happens and you are under stress. Instead of abandoning all self-care because you can’t do it all, have a Plan B ready beforehand.

4. Get in the habit of relaxing.

If you practice relaxation techniques (breathing, meditation, imagery, music) every day, then when stressful situations come up you’ll have the tools at your fingertips.

5. Get in the habit of gratitude.

Our attitude comes from our emotions and our emotions come from our thoughts. Thinking about what we’re grateful for and what we’re good at can keep things positive. It’s not about shying away from what’s challenging you – it’s about approaching life from a place of strength and not as a victim.

6. Get in the habit of creating.

Experiment with a new recipe in the kitchen, write a poem, bang a drum, do a craft, take a dance class or do something else that feels creative to you.

7. Get in the habit of putting your stuff away.

Physical clutter can really impact on mental, emotional and physical health. Get rid of things that don’t make you happy when you look at them. Organize your stuff. Find a place for everything and keep it there.

8. Get in the habit of breathing.

This is the simplest and quickest way to relax yourself in a stressful situation. The minute you focus on your breathing it automatically gets slower and deeper.

9. Get in the habit of daydreaming.

Take yourself away on an imaginary holiday. Just close your eyes and go! Picture somewhere you’ve been or somewhere you’ve dreamed of.

10. Get in the habit of giggling.

Laugh out loud every day.

Don’t let your stress get the better of you! Which one of these strategies can you apply this week to manage your stress?

Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services. All rights reserved.

We are currently living in a capitalist society where money and power rule. Therefore, many of us have become workaholics and often overlook signs of tiredness in order to stay on track. I am not saying that people should stop working hard to achieve their goals. However, there is a slight problem we do not know how to manage our stress, which is definitely not a good thing! Stress has been linked to mental/emotional (depression, anxiety, and anger) and physical illnesses (weakens the immune system). Therefore, it is more than important that you constantly work on reducing your stress level in order to maintain your overall health. The bottom line is, if we are not healthy there is no money or power that will make things better. So, take care of yourself. Below, I have added six stress releasing tips.

Exercise: even if you go for a walk for 15-25 minutes four days a week it will help your body to get rid of adrenaline and produce endorphins (a natural tranquilizer). Not to mention you will not only feel better, you will also look the part.

Yoga: Many ramble that practicing yoga is the best way to manage or release stress. It focuses on breathing techniques, exercises, connecting with the universe on a spiritual and mental level. If this option seems interesting to you I suggest you do some research in order to learn the principles and decide if it is for you.

Stretch: People often stretch before and after a workout. However, learning stretching and flexing exercises to use as a way to relieve tension on many different areas of the body can help a great deal.

Massage: We all know how massages can help us relax and release tension. Prices start around $40 for 30 minutes; it all depends on what extra relaxation techniques you would like to add to the massage such as aromatherapy, oils, etc. There are also different types of massages so this will also affect the price. I actually found a therapist that charges $33 for a 30 minute session. It sounds pretty good to me. We waste money in so many different ways so investing on a massage once in a while will not kill our pockets.

Laugh it off: Rent a funny movie and laugh out loud. Go out with friends or host gatherings. Tell everyone to bring a platter. Remember the key is to release tension not, add to it. Use paper plates and plastic cups to reduce the amount of work.

Take a break- Take time to relax, sleep, and maybe even take a vacation if you can. Your body does not only need it; you deserve it.

Live stress free,

Kenia Morales

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Stress relief and management

Recognizing stress symptoms can be a positive influence in that we’re compelled to take action. The sooner the better. It’s not always easy to discern why the stress in each situation but some of the more common events that trigger those emotions are the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, a job promotion, or a new relationship, we experience stress as we readjust our lives. Your body is asking for your help when you feel these stress symptoms.

In so adjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or hinder us depending on how we react to it. Some of the symptoms are headaches, indigestion, tight muscles, fatigue, skin breakouts, too much sleep, or sleeplessness.

On the emotional side signs of being moody, abrasive or hostile, depressed and over anxious are pretty strong indicators as well. From a mental point of view extra attention should be given too disorganization, lack of interest, negative self introspection, poor judgment, confusion and math errors. None of these signs are conclusive but certainly warrant your attention.

This symptom list is based on a compilation of information relating to stress and anxiety found in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), copyright 1994, American Psychiatric Association.

Children of all ages are also seriously impacted. Lack of attention, poor school grades are some of the early warning signals and should be taken head on immediately. In talking and working with children you’d be surprised on what’s going on in their heads. Probably more than you even thought about.

They are various techniques and ways of stress management. Counseling is the most common. Medical and psychological health providers often rely on medications as well. There are also various natural and holistic approaches that confront the stress symptoms quite well. Quick management is important and yields big benefits. Don’t sit around second guessing but take a positive action today. You’ll be glad you did.

Do you feel stress at work? Do you carry your stress home with you at night?

Here are some tips that will help you achieve success over stress. You can reduce stress on the job.

1. When making phone calls, as you pick up the phone and dial, take three slow deep breaths. Concentrate on pushing tension out of your lungs as you exhale.

2. Sit down to eat. (Do not eat while standing or driving in your car) Focus on relaxing and enjoyable talk at lunchtime. If co-workers only insist on rehashing all of the negative stuff at work, insist on eating alone.

3. When you drive your car to your business or your job, listen to something enjoyable or motivating.

4. On the way home from your business or your job, listen to enjoyable or relaxing music.

5. Take a few minutes each day to thank God, in whatever form is consistent with your belief system, for the glorious sunrise. At sunset, do the same. If you are at work while the sun is setting, take a quick break to watch the sun set and again, thank your concept of “God” for the glorious sunset.

6. Take a few minutes at work to think of people who may have harmed you in any way. Breathe deeply, relax, and push out all of the tension surrounding those thoughts. Fill your hear and your lungs with forgiveness for the person or persons who have harmed you. Wish for them the same success and happiness you wish for yourself.

7. Live today as if it where your last day. Make your last day, your best day!

Summary:

Use the seven tips to relieve stress at work and enjoy your job and your life.

Workplace stress is on the rise and it’s costing corporate America a fortune. Some estimate that 80% of health care costs are stress related, and these expenses go right to the bottom line.

According to CNN-Money.com, Americans spent more than $17 billion for anti-depressants and anti- anxiety drugs in 2002, up 10% from the year before and nearly 30% over a two year period.

The Institute for Management Excellence reports that American industry spends more than $26 billion each year for medical bills and disability payments with another $10 billion for executive’s lost workdays, hospitalization, and early death.

In addition to these staggering figures, stress takes its toll through the added costs of quality control, legal challenges, lost opportunities, poor performance, bad attitudes, and training.

We cannot do much about the skyrocketing costs of medical care and prescription drugs, but we can take immediate action to control the top ten causes of stress as identified by The Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health.

The countdown is:

10. “Workload” – Employees report that they are often stressed when they have too little or too much to do. Managers need to divide responsibilities and help employees prioritize work that must be done. Make sure you understand the impact before shifting responsibilities. Take into account the cost of stress before you increase anyone’s workload or hire more people.

9. “Random interruptions” - Telephones, pagers, walk-in visits, and spontaneous demands from supervisors all contribute to increased stress. Time management, delegation of responsibilities, and clarification of expectations can reduce these stressors. 8. “Pervasive uncertainty” – Stress levels increase rapidly when people are confronted by new requirements and procedures. Keeping people informed controls stress and increases productivity. Put details in a memo so they can review the facts following your explanations.

7. “Mistrust and unfairness” - These situations keep everyone on edge, create bad attitudes, and lower productivity. It is important to keep an open line of communication to avoid misunderstanding and know what people are thinking about your decisions. Managers must consistently build trust and give equal treatment - just do the right thing.

6. “Unclear policies and no sense of direction” - Lack of focus causes uncertainty and undermines confidence in management. You need more than a well-written policy manual. Enforcement of policies and clear communications are essential.

To make sure everyone gets the message, you can repeat your explanation in a variety of ways – repetition and feedback are important. Reinforce policies through memos, articles, bulletin board postings, personal meetings, and small group discussions.

5. “Career and job ambiguity” - If people are uncertain about their jobs and careers, there is a feeling of helplessness and of being out of control. In addition to the trusted job descriptions and annual personnel reviews, people need to understand a broad range of issues that affect the company.

News of mergers, consolidations, plant closings, and restructuring contribute to a feeling of helplessness. Management must keep people informed about situations that will affect their jobs, or the rumor mill will add to an already stressful situation.

4. “No feedback - good or bad” – People want to know whether they are meeting expectations. Consistent, written and verbal, personalized feedback is required. Some people need more attention than others, but everyone’s performance is enhanced if leaders frequently affirm individual efforts.

3. “No appreciation” - Failure to show appreciation generates stress that endangers productivity throughout the company. There are many ways to demonstrate appreciation, but the most effective is a sincere comment about how much the person means to you and the company.

2. “Lack of communications” - Poor communication leads to decreased performance and increased stress. Management memos and announcements work well for distributing information, but two-way conversation improves communication and solicits ideas and suggestions while reducing stress and complaints.

1. “Lack of control” – Workplace stress is at its greatest when employees have no say regarding things that affect them. You can decrease sensitivity to all the other stressors and give a sense of being in control by involving employees in operating and administrative decisions and acting on their input. Frontline employees know what they are talking about. Listening to what they have to say reduces stress and increases productivity.

Effective managers understand that stress control is a leadership responsibility and give it just as much attention as any other management function. For those who want to explore stress control further, a free 3-session e-course is available by email request at stresscontrol@sendfree.com

Grasping the concepts and reducing stress one step at a time can have an amazing impact on your bottom line –and on the lives of those who do the heavy work.

Do you feel tense and anxious at work? Do your co-workers and/or boss make you crazy? Is your personal life less than blissful? If so, you’ve got stress. If you’re like most people you’ve sought refuge from this situation by trying a quick fix or two like calling a friend, walking the dog, or going away for the weekend in an attempt to escape it all. While these strategies may serve as temporary diversions, nothing in your life changes when you return to your routine.

Stress is internal, which explains why it can wreak havoc on your health. It feels awful…it’s the sense that you’re not in control. The easiest way to mitigate its effect is to take charge of the one and only thing you have the power to control…YOU, and let go of what you can’t control. The beauty of this recipe is that by taking control of your life, external or outside things will change in response to your internal changes. Here are 10 steps to destress for your present and future:

1. Heal yourself.

Dr. Bruce McEwen, who wrote The End of Stress As We Know It, suggests that eliminating stress comes right from your grandmother’s journal. He says the most effective steps you can take are the simplest: exercise, a healthy diet, regular sleep, moderate to minimal alcohol intake, and no smoking. This, he notes, is the most sophisticated, up to the minute, cutting edge science available!

2. Get organized.

Physical clutter reminds us of things that need to be done and that’s stressful. Remove your physical clutter and you’ll eradicate your mental clutter, plus you’ll feel energized. Please go to http://topten.org/public/AG/AG306.html for a simple organizing solution that will work on any space.

3. Set boundaries.

Boundaries act as a filter to keep you safe from the hurtful behavior of others while allowing in the love, support and nurturing actions we all need. Set your boundaries by: (a) determining what others cannot do to you or in your presence and (b) sharing this information respectfully with anyone who is stepping over one of your boundaries.

4. Take time for yourself.

Put together a list of all the things you love to do but haven’t regularly made time to do. Put your list in priority order and enter the top five to seven items into your daily calendar. Your list may include things as simple as journaling, reading a great book, taking a bubble bath, yoga, etc. You’ll be more successful getting to these activities when you give them a time and place on your calendar.

5. Be positive.

William James, the father of modern psychology said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind.” In other words, what you say and what you tell yourself impact the present and create your future. Love yourself and use the power of positive words, pleasing thoughts and affirming beliefs to live the life you want to live.

6. Work in a career you love.

If you’re like most people, you spend the majority of your waking hours at work. You’ll know you’re in the right profession when: you wake up anxious to go to work, you want to do your best daily, and you know your work is important.

7. Surround yourself with a supportive community.

You are who you spend time with. Hang out with people who love and accept you just the way you are, are interested in you (not what you can do for them), lift you up (not wear you down), solve problems quickly, don’t gossip or complain, and know how to have fun. Anything is possible with the right support.

8. Learn to say, “No.”

We’ve all been influenced by people in our life who tell us we should do this or we ought to do that. As a result, we may end up living a life that others have decided for us versus living the life we want. So, the next time you think of something you ought to do or someone else suggests you should do, take a breath and ask yourself if it’s something you want to do. If not, just say, “no” or “no thank you.” When you say no to things you don’t care to do, you are saying yes to you and this will free up your time and energy for the things you choose to do. Bottom line - you’ll be happier.

9. Zap tolerations.

A toleration is something that irritates you and drains your energy because it needs to be done, fixed, removed, or changed. If you’re like most people you may be tolerating 100 or more things! Put together a list of all the things that bug you, e.g. a dripping faucet, money concerns, your weight, shopping and running errands, not enough time, computer files out of control, your hair, a room that needs to be painted, etc. When your list is complete, group like items and see if one solution will eliminate multiple tolerations. For example, if you have piles of clothing in each bedroom, dirty windows and dust bunnies on your floor, hiring a housekeeper will zap all three tolerations. Line up a housekeeper, today. Then, commit to spending a chunk of time each week to zap your other tolerations. If you have a toleration that you don’t have the skill or know-how to fix, consider calling an expert or seek out a skilled professional to trade services with.

10. Get your needs met.

A “need” is not an option, it is something you must have to function fully. It is differentiated from a “want” in that a want is optional. Unmet needs can drive you to distraction and worse. Determine what needs you have that aren’t being met, if any, and then take the appropriate action to get them fulfilled. Example: If you’ve taken a big hit and are going through a career transition, ask a good friend to call you two or three times a week to check in with you and give you support. Other options include calling your own voice mail and leaving supportive messages or hiring a coach who specializes in career transitions. When you acknowledge and satisfy your needs, you will be free to focus on other areas of your life.

If you want to be happier and more successful, focus on the things you have the power to control.

This article will help you check yourself for burnout. It helps you look at the way you feel about your job and your experiences at work, so that you can get a feel for whether you might be at risk of burnout or not.

1. Too much to do in too little time.
Take a look at your lifestyle and your workload. Do you feel overworked? Are you are being too accommodating. Should you let people know that you have too much work to do? Should you be politely turning down new work that people pass you? Remember that you will have to say “no” at some stage, otherwise your commitments will get bigger and bigger. You must learn to say no to commitments that you should not take on, otherwise you will be in severe danger of becoming intensely stressed and exhausted.
Check that you are using all the resources that are available to you in your work place. You may find another employee has an intern and you are entitled to one too. You could take a time management course.

2. Avoid exhaustion.
Exhaustion is one of the main reasons people become burnt out. The importance of sleep and rest is vital if you feel you are on the verge of burning out. Going on a good long holiday is a great way to avoid burn out. Be well prepared so that you do not have to bring your lap top or mobile. Ensure it will be as relaxing as possible without the distractions or pressure of work. Forget about it all for a week and enjoy the sun. It will do you good!

3. Protect your passion for the job.
Another major factor in burn out is disillusionment with your work, especially if you are somebody that gets great satisfaction out of their job. It is important to protect the parts of your job that give you the most satisfaction. Think of the people you serve. If you burn out, they will not get the benefit of working with the enthusiasm that loving your job creates.
There is a lot of things you can do to avoid becoming burnt out. The first thing though, is to check if you are at risk, and if so, take this seriously and take action.

Secret to Success

The Secret to Success is first and foremost a challenge to define what “success” is. For your consideration, is the success that you pursue related to money, health, well-being, career, relationships, life satisfaction and purpose, development of spirit, travel and adventure, productivity, or security? You can not achieve success without knowing what it is. This is often easier said than done… Do not assume that this is an easy challenge. This process of defining success is often difficult but by far the most critical step. Many people will lack clarity and then chase too many goals at one time to allow for success in any of these areas. Secret: Do not spread your resources too thin… Keep a tight focus, for a better chance at success.

Knowing whether your definition of success is realistic can be another conundrum. Is it achievable with your available resources? If not, can you acquire the necessary resources? Sometimes this is very hard to know because you may have no control over other important people, situations, or conditions. Being difficult should not be a reason to stop pursuing your dream, but a good understanding of the steps to accomplish your success can be essential. I say this because many people have a naïve attitude regarding what it takes to be successful. Most people do not stumble into success.

Appreciating your success is also a major factor in achieving satisfaction from all your hard work. A lack of integration of mind, body, and spirit can lead to less desirable outcomes. In other words, if you are not really taking good care of yourself it is very difficult to celebrate your successful accomplishments, and may in fact, sabotage your success.

Self-satisfaction is extremely important, but often sharing your success has even great value. Do you have people to share your victory with? Will they really understand your efforts and your needed level of commitment to reach your goal? What will you be able to do now that you have achieved your success that you could not have done before?

A final question, are you interested in achieving success and satisfaction by assisting other people to be successful? For some people, there is no real need to breed success in other people. For some, teaching, mentoring, or coaching other people, or teams, to success is the pinnacle of satisfaction.

Look for our follow up articles to break down each of the main ingredients for achieving your most important successes.

After working for many years with entrepreneurs in all walks of business, I find that what separates the successful from the not-so-successful is attitude. Entrepreneurs who are going to make it big need to have moxie. Make no mistake; I am not saying that entrepreneurs need to be arrogant. No one wants to be around someone who is conceited, but a good dose of cockiness is in order for an entrepreneur to become wildly successful.

Without having a certain amount of moxie, an entrepreneur won’t have the guts to take a risk, go to an event or try something new. If you have a personality that is wary of risk and prone to playing it safe, starting your own business may not be the right path for you.

If, however, you find that you are dynamic and confident in new situations and you are comfortable in different and unfamiliar situations, entrepreneurship might be your calling. There are exceptions to every rule. For instance, many people can quickly gain confidence with something new by letting go of their fear of being wrong and unleashing their playful curiosity and creative problem solving abilities. This kind of person would also be a good entrepreneur. The time it will take them to achieve a flourishing business will be dependent on their learning curve and how soon they will be willing to make a bold move.

If you believe that entrepreneurship is for you, then you are right. If you also know that you can be timid and overly worrisome where your career is concerned, I suggest upping your moxie level by listening to self-help tapes. These positive voices can live in your head long after you are finished listening to them. Do activities to overcome your fears like taking an improvisation class. Attend seminars focused on confidence building and motivation. Get involved, and take leadership positions. Do daily affirmations. Committing positive thoughts and goals to paper can boost your morale and your self-esteem.

Anyone can own their own business, but to become a successful entrepreneur it takes a good amount of moxie. Thinking that you will succeed creates an aura that is tangible and attractive to others. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy that creates success. For more information about how you can up your moxie level, visit www.flourishingbusiness.com .

Someone sent me an email the other day. Supposedly General Colin Powell’s Rules for Success. Now, I don’t know whether they really are or not, but as I read them, I thought they really should be called “15 Rules For Success In Your Home Business”. So, here they are:

Rule 1 - It ain’t as bad as you think, it will look better in the morning

If there’s one experience universal to ALL home-business owners, particularly those running a business on the internet, it’s the occasional feeling that you’re just spinning your wheels, and not getting anywhere. The number of people who give up on their businesses just as they approach the brink of success is staggering. So hang in there and remind yourself, when things look bleak, that tomorrow is another day, things really aren’t as bad as they seem and things really WILL look better in the morning.

Rule 2 - Get mad, then get over it

OK, I concede this is more general advice than home-business advice but it applies in your home business just as it does anywhere else. Resentment and unexpressed anger really don’t hurt anyone but the person feeling resentful and angry. Have you ever noticed how completely unproductive you are when burdened by resentment and anger? So feel it, express it (constructively) and then move on. As the man said, “get over it”.

Rule 3 - Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls your ego goes with it

Over the course of my career I have, from time to time, met people whose identity and sense of self-worth is so enmeshed in what they do for a living that they literally don’t have an identity outside of their work. Because they rely on an external source for their self-esteem and confidence, they find it necessary to continually and relentlessly bolster their personal positions, often at the expense of others, often resorting to political maneuvring in the workplace to maintain and improve their supposed ’status’.

These people are the ‘empire builders’ you sometimes find in organizations. They jealously guard their power base all the while gathering unto themselves more and more responsibility, beyond the point of being able to do everything they take on.

Because their identity and sense of self-worth depends upon their position within their organization, what happens when their position disappears, such as in a corporate downsizing? It freefalls.

Don’t let this happen to you. Remember that you are something separate and distinct from your business. Sure, you can be proud and pleased with your accomplishments but don’t define yourself through them. Your self-worth is something that comes from inside your human self, not your business.

Ironically, keeping a professional detachment is more likely to secure the ultimate success of your business. Detachment brings perspective, objectivity and clarity, which helps you make better quality decisions.

Rule 4 - It can be done

Don’t allow self-imposed limitations to restrict what you can and will do. You can do anything if you set your mind to it. Well, of course, it must be something that is within your power - you can’t just set your mind on growing a third arm, for example.

But for anything that is within human power and capability, the saying “where there’s a will is a way” is so true.

Get into the discipline of planning your life and where you want it to go. By setting goals and planning the steps that will help you reach them, you can achieve literally anything your heart desires.

Rule 5 - Be careful what you choose, you may get it

Following on from this, it should go without saying that what you set for your goals is something you truly want because if you do practice the discipline of goal setting you will surely get it.

Rule 6 - Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision

Keep your eye on the prize and don’t be distracted by what’s happening on the sidelines. Sure, you may not have entered the marathon had you known there were going to be 1,000 other runners but does that mean entering the marathon was a bad idea? No.

Make your decisions based on quality information and what’s in the best interests of your business. If someone else comes along who represents competition for your business, don’t be put off your game. Just run your own race. There’s ALWAYS a way to distinguish yourself from your competition.

Rule 7 - You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours

IGNORE your mother when she tells you you’re crazy for chucking in your nice SAFE secure little job to start your own business. Follow your dream, no-one else’s.

Rule 8 - Check small things

Like the fine print in contracts. Like the URL in that sales letter you’ve just put the finishing touches on. Like your spelling and punctuation. In other words, pay attention to detail.

Rule 9 - Share credit

You’ve heard the saying, “no man is an island”. No woman is either. Remember and acknowledge the people who have helped and continue to help you get where you want to go. Acknowledge the achievements of others.

Rule 10 - Remain calm, be careful

Frenzy and recklessness are hardly the prescription for long-term success in your business. In the face of unexpected challenges, unexplained downturns in business or failure to achieve the results expected, recognize that these are just part of the thrust and parry of business life and use a calm, methodical approach to the problem.

Don’t just react blindly or chuck away all your hard work and try something completely different unless a thorough, calm and careful investigation convinces you that you are completely off-beam.

Calmly analyze your situation and use your intelligence to correct the situation. Sometimes a one degree turn of the wheel is all that is required to get back on course, not a completely new rudder.

Rule 11 - Have a vision, be demanding

This rule goes hand in hand with rules 4 and 5. In order to set goals and plan ways to achieve them you must first set your vision. Think big, be brave. There is nothing you can’t achieve so make sure your efforts are going to be for something truly worthwhile.

Rule 12 - Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers

All of us have moments of self-doubt or even fear when embarking on a journey to an unknown destination. If what you have planned for yourself brings with it feelings of anxiety, nervousness, even fear, pay attention to them but don’t take their counsel.

They are symptoms of grand thinking, of stretching beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone. As the book says, feel the fear and do it anyway.

Rule 13 - Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier

This rule is closely related to rule 1. Believe that things will work out, that they will look better in the morning, that everything’s going to be OK. Repeat the words to yourself as a mantra if you must but instill a spirit of indomitable optimism in your outlook and you will attract success into your life.

Rule 14 - Sometimes being responsible means pissing people off

You can’t please all of the people all of the time so don’t waste your time or energy even trying. You have a responsibility to the ultimate success of your business and to your own personal success. If that means you occasionally have to say no to people to stay true to your objectives, do it. If it means you have to alienate some people because they don’t personally agree with what you are doing, that’s their problem.

In other words, stay focused on your plan. If others don’t like it or agree with it, too bad.

Rule 15 - You never know what you can get away with unless you try

If you don’t ask you don’t get. And if you don’t take you don’t get. Leave nothing on the table. If an opportunity comes along, take it. It may not come again. And remember, in chaos there is opportunity. While everyone else is running around like chooks with their heads cut off, you just bring up the rear and clean up on all the opportunities that are just lying there for the taking among the chicken scratch.

Hindsight truly is 20/20, no doubt about it. Perhaps, like me, you’re thinking that if you’d known then what you know now, you would have gone a lot further a lot faster. But as with any form of progress, it’s the journey, not the destination, that provides the education and creates the experience and, through it, wisdom. And that’s something no book can teach you and money can’t buy.