6 Reasons Why Rebellious Kids Turn Out To Be More Successful

Does your child get sent home with a note from the teachers because of disobedience, defiance or maybe talking back to almost everyone? Here’s a silver lining for parents of rule-breaking children: such surly kids with a classical defiance to authority could end up being very successful in life.

A new study published in Development Psychology suggests that your naughty child will probably grow up to have more occupational success and earn more than his/her well-behaving peers. The researchers measured occupational success by using an index that ranks careers based on prestige and socioeconomic status.

The notion that well-behaved kids don’t always finish first over the long run is not unheard of. Previous studies have found the character trait of “agreeableness” is negatively correlated with income and earnings. Perhaps on cue, these findings echo the popular Americanism attributed to legendary baseball manager Leo Durocher: “Nice guys finish last.”

Rebellious children tend to have higher incomes as grownups

Researchers with the University of Luxembourg, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the Free University of Berlin tracked data on 745 people in Luxembourg from the time they were about 12 years old in 1968 until 2008, when their average age was about 52. They discovered that those who defied authority as children tended to have higher incomes as grownups.

In other words, after accounting for the impact of IQ-level and class background, the researchers found that “rule-breaking and defiance of parental authority” was the best predictor of which students ended up making higher incomes. The writers called this a “surprising finding” and admitted there were reasons to be cautious about it. But they did float theories on why this might be the case—theories that align with what other experts have said on the matter.

Keep in mind that many of what we see as disobedience or illicit activities in children is actually just natural, curious, exploring, learning behavior. Ross Levine, co-author of another paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research that identifies a number of characteristics in youths that tend to be associated with entrepreneurial success later on in life, says: “Those people who become the most successful entrepreneurs tend to have the unique combination of cognitive and non-cognitive traits.”

Here’re six reasons given by researchers why rebellious children often turn out to be more successful.

1. They are more willing to be more demanding during critical junctures

“We might assume that students who scored high on this [rebellious] scale might earn a higher income because they are more willing to be more demanding during critical junctures, such as when negotiating salaries or raises,” explained the Researchers with the University of Luxembourg, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the Free University of Berlin. This means that a rebellious child can grow up to be more heard in the workplace, especially when decisions need to be made quickly and efficiently.

2. They have higher levels of willingness to stand up for their own interests

Another reason rebellious kids succeed as grownups might be that childhood troublemakers “also have higher levels of willingness to stand up for their own interests and aims, a characteristic that leads to more favorable individual outcomes—in our case, income,” said the researchers with the three universities. Making yourself heard in the workplace definitely leads to a higher salary.

3. They tend to push boundaries and reach for more and/or better

Alison Roy, lead child and adolescent psychotherapist at East Sussex Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in the UK suggests that these “rebel” kids not only stand up for their interests, but also push the boundaries and engaged in “risky” activity. “Children who have been responded to, led to believe – in a healthy way – that their voice is valued, that all they have to do is object and action will be taken – they will push boundaries. And this is really healthy behavior,” she is quoted saying. Rebellious children question the status quo, which can lead to serious progress!

4. They tend to stay in school longer and are more likely to pursue higher education

It turns out that kids who defy their parents stay in school longer and are more likely to pursue higher education, according to the study in Development Psychology. This can be taken to mean that the kids are better qualified and thus better placed for higher pay and occupational success. Even those kids who drop out of college don’t necessarily fail. The paper for the National Bureau of Economic says 54 percent of these college dropouts tend to have entrepreneurial success without college degrees. Just ask Mark Zuckerberg and Larry Page who dropped out of college to start Facebook and Google respectively.

5. They tend to be more likeable, even after meeting them for just a short time

Other studies have found that people who are more likely to break the rules are more likeable, even after meeting them for just a short time. Likeability can lead to success because even secondary connections that are memorable lead to friendships, professional relationships, and more. In addition, likeability is not usually associated with more extreme anti-social behavior, such as violence or intimidation. Interestingly, studies estimate that between 40 and 60 percent of the population carry the “rebel” gene linked to rebellious behavior.

6. They may be more successful for unethical reasons

Researchers in the study published in Development Psychology point out a more concerning reason that children who exhibit rebellious behavior can grow up to be more successful. “We also cannot rule out that individuals who are likely or willing to break rules get higher pay for unethical reasons,” the researchers wrote in the recently published paper.

In view of these findings, it is important to ask ourselves two important questions: firstly, is an obedient child cause for concern or celebration? Secondly, and this is important, is an obedient adult cause for concern or celebration? Obviously an obedient adult is not quite so attractive.

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20 Quotes From Steve Jobs To Help You Get What You Want At Work

It is hard to deny the brilliance of Steve Jobs. Not only did he pioneer Apple to become a revolutionary company, but also to be the most valued brand of its time. Steve Jobs thrived on many different philosophies to make him as successful as he was. If we can tap into his mindset and explore these thoughts, the inspiration may trigger positive action towards becoming the best definition of ourselves in our careers. To help you get inspired, here are some of his quotes.

1. “I’m convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”

2. “We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die, you know? And we’ve all chosen to do this with our lives. So it better be damn good. It better be worth it.”

3. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

4. “My model for business is The Beatles. They were four guys who kept each other’s kind of negative tendencies in check. They balanced each other and the total was greater than the sum of the parts. That’s how I see business: great things in business are never done by one person, they’re done by a team of people.”

5.“Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”

6. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”

7. “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

8. “Getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”

9. “That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex; you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.”

10. “We’re just enthusiastic about what we do.”

11. “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

12. “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow know what you truly want to become.”

13. “My favorite things in life don’t cost any money. It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.”

14. “Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”

15. “When you’re doing something for yourself, or your best friend or family, you’re not going to cheese out. If you don’t love something, you’re not going to go the extra mile, work the extra weekend, challenge the status quo as much.”

16. “I was worth about over a million dollars when I was 23 and over ten million dollars when I was 24, and over a hundred million dollars when I was 25 and… it wasn’t that important — because I never did it for the money.”

17. “I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.”

18. “Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.”

19. “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”

20. “Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.”

Featured photo credit: OiMax via flickr.com

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8 Reasons Millennials Have The Potential To Be Highly Successful

Some have said millennials are lazy and they are not ready to become responsible. People have said generation Y is so different from previous generations. Yet it is important to understand the valuable assets this generation has and rather than underestimating them only to see that they have redefined the meaning of success and self-worth. Here are reasons why millennials have the potential to be highly successful.

It is never about face time

Millennials are so consumed with the benefits of technology they do not see why a person has to meet face-to-face with an employer or a client. It is not about being social or not, they just believe face time or physical presence is more impactful when it does not have to be a major part of the day. The benefit of this to the millennial is that instead of having regular meetings and engaging in face time discussion they can sell results, not hours on the meter or time in the building.

They are not ruled by the conventional

Millennials are not prisoners of tradition; rather they want to define a new channel and path. While in the past, farmers were prisoners to their jobs on the fields and industrialists were prisoners to their factories, the millennials understand that there are limitless possibilities in today’s world. They know that more can be done with their devices and gadgets than fists and muscles. The millennials were born into a digital world where a playroom, a research library, a movie theater, and the yellow pages for the entire world could fit into their pockets. This taught them that sometimes the unconventional is possible.

They believe in values than wealth

According to a Pew Research Center study, millennials want to be an ideal model for their kids. For them it is not about achieving fame and a high-paying career but rather in making a difference and contributing to their world. Although they may not be as religious as people of previous generations, in a sense they are very spiritual and are concerned about developing good values. They see value in changing the world not increasing their bank balance.

They are focused on learning from the experience of others

Millennials tend to look up to people who have trudged the same path they want to take. They see such people as role models whether they be formal advisers, role models or industry icons. This is why they can read through articles and stories of people who are more experienced in the industry they are interested in.

They believe in living the moment

Millennials are not concerned about “what the world is turning into,” rather they are prepared to build their ideal world. They are willing to take risks and chase after their passions no matter the odds against them. They are enthusiastic and energetic about almost everything they try to accomplish, from building a career to starting family or becoming business leaders.

They believe in continuous learning

Unlike previous generations who want to show you certificates and physical proof of accomplishments, millennials are focused on learning and committing themselves to the process of personal development. Millenials believe that learning is a continual process and much can be gotten from surfing through the internet, whether it is You Tube or Wikipedia.

They don’t see borders or boundaries

Millennials are getting more connected than ever. They are having friends across international borders and destroying boundaries to build kingdoms. They are willing to hop on a plane or get engaged through Skype so they see the potential in using this technology to find the answers they need.

They are focused on happiness

At the end of the day millennials want to be happy, whether they are taking the traditional route or not. They simply want to answer the questions rather than wait for those questions to be answered by another generation. That is why they can chase their dreams rather than deadlines, they can travel the world rather being caught up in an office, and break hearts rather than fulfill vows.

Featured photo credit: http://www.photopin.com via photopin.com

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Strength and Weakness: What Type of Leader Are You?

Some people are born leaders. However, not all leaders operate by the same modus operandi. It’s important to know what type of leader you are in order to maximize your potential, as well as the potential of your team or company. Are you a creative thinker, or more traditional in your problem-solving methods? Do you like to have a solid gameplan, or would you rather jump into the fray and fix things on the fly? Do you act on emotion, or through carefully thought-out logic? Depending on how you answered these questions, you probably fall into one of the following categories, according to Inc.com:

1. Envisioner

The Envisioner is always dreaming up big things for his team. He isn’t limited by conventions. When others say we can’t do things that way, the Envisioner asks, “Why not?” He approaches each problem with a unique perspective, and will think outside the box when given an especially difficult task. The Envisioner rarely meets a problem he can’t solve with his creativity.

However, problems can arise when the Envisioner thinks too big. His ideas might be too creative, in that he ends up utilizing too many resources, or realizes he didn’t think his solution through to the end. The Envisioner’s idealistic nature sometimes blinds him from the reality of the situation, and he’s left dreaming in the clouds while the rest of his team is working on a grounded way to get things done.

Envisioners work best as artists, musicians, or any other profession in which their worth is determined by their creativity. If you’re an Envisioner, you might find it difficult to work in a position in which you have a budget and other limitations holding you back from your dream.

2. Analyzer

The Analyzer is programmed to look at each and every problem she faces systematically. While the Envisioner has lofty, unrealistic hopes for the future, the Analyzer stays grounded and sees things as they truly are. The Analyzer doesn’t waste time trying to reinvent the wheel; rather, she subscribes to the old axiom, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” She is more than happy to stay the course, as long as things get done to the best of a team’s ability.

Of course, this means the Analyzer rarely introduces innovation to the team. The Analyzer tends to shy away from new ways of doing things, and is incredibly skeptical of those who try to be creative in their solutions. Unfortunately, since the Analyzer doesn’t take many risks, she actually runs a bigger risk of allowing her team and company to fall behind others who come up with modern spins on old traditions.

Lawyers and judges are, of course, analytical thinkers. Their jobs require them to work within the law rather than to bend it as they see fit. They don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but instead must be sure the machine stays afloat.

3. Feeler

The Feeler is an emotionally-driven leader who sees his team as people first, employees second. He’s empathetic to his teams needs, and understands that a good team can’t function unless their basic needs are met. The Feeler won’t be the boss requiring his employees to come in on Saturday to finish up work that should have been done Friday, because he understands they need down time in order to be effective come Monday morning.

However, when you’re the leader of a team, there are times when you can’t be everyone’s best friend. The Feeler often has trouble laying down the law when things aren’t going the way they should be. In an effort to appease everyone, he may end up failing the company by not enforcing a “strictly business” policy in the workplace.

The Feeler is best fit to work as a counselor or psychiatrist, as he is able to work with others on an personal, emotional level rather than focusing on business.

4. Doer

The Doer is strictly results-oriented, regardless of the cost. According to the Doer, if something needs to get done, it better get done immediately and without hesitation. The Doer doesn’t waste time analyzing possible solutions. When she makes a decision, she sticks to it and expects everyone else to fall in line. Unlike the Feeler, the Doer might have her employees come in on Saturday if they didn’t get the job done Friday.

But the decisions the Doer makes aren’t always the right ones. Since she tends to make quick decisions and jump into projects, she often loses sight of the big picture. Unfortunately, the Doer is also very rigid and stuck in her ways. Regardless of whether her initial plan actually works or not, she will stick with it to the end. This can result in a drop in morale, especially when she ignores her employees’ innovative contingency plans.

Athletes are the epitome of Doers. They know what their goal is, and they know how to accomplish it to the best of their ability. The best athletes never let anyone else stand in the way of their goals.

Not sure what type of leader you are? Check out this handy test on Inc.com and let us know in the comments what your leadership style is.

Featured photo credit: 2nd Annual Learning Leaders Conference at Harley-Davidson Museum® / Dirk Tussing via farm8.staticflickr.com

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10 Reasons Why People that Spend Time Alone Are More Successful

To our spirituality and functionality, perhaps what every one of us needs is some vindication of who we are. We want to be in charge and identify with ourselves sometimes. Connections with our inner selves can be lost in the constant distraction from friends, gadgets and unnecessary demands. Against the popular notion that being alone is weird, we search for moments of peace with ourselves. Such moments have triggered great ideas for successful icons like Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton. It is important to consider how solitude could increase and boost your level of success.

1. They are relieved from anxiety

Stress builds up in our lives and it is difficult to differentiate between ourselves and what is within. Spending time alone offers us the opportunity to slow down, catch a deep breath and set our minds straight. During this process we rid our minds of thoughts that are negative and unnecessary. Less anxiety allows for time of innovation and self-searching/

2. They have better memories

According to a Harvard study people are able to form lasting and pleasant memories when they are experiencing something alone. A dose of solitude gives someone the right perspective and sets an individual in the right mood.

3. They tap into their creativity

Time alone allows creativity to flourish. Solitude allows you to listen to yourself and focus on what you really want. Sometimes distractions can alter our thoughts and stop us from getting thinking out of the box. Spending time alone offers us the time to reflect and tap into our artistic self. Ideas and progress happen in times of individual creativity.

4. They understand who they are

The reality is that we were born alone and are meant to die alone. Some solitude offers you the opportunity to discover this reality; that you are unique and you do not need any comparison with anyone. Success can come from understanding who you are and what you want out of life.

5. They have better relationships

Spending time alone offers you a better understanding of yourself and what you desire in life. You can identify the relationships that will make you better and that are necessary to your growth. Also the relationships are better appreciated after you spend some time alone.

6. They are more focused

According to a study, students who studied alone fared better than students who studied in groups. Such study identified that students who spent time during solitary reflection had a more improved concentration. Better concentration leads to success in school and in your professional life.

7. They can recharge their energy and boost their productivity

The human mind was designed to take breaks and recharge so one’s body can replenish itself. Without distraction and spending “alone time” allows you to clear your mind and think more clearly. Your body also takes advantage of this time to revitalize and energize itself.

8. They are able to make smarter decisions

Solitude gives you the opportunity to think through every action you are about to take. You can be willing to stand for anything you want to commit yourself to. Solitude helps you find your own voice and your identity instead of following the pack.

9. They can attack problems effectively

No one’s life is free of problems or challenges. Yet, through the constant noise and distractions it is difficult to have a clear head as to what actions should be taken. You need some time to analyze and actualize. Solitude makes you see problems as temporary setbacks rather than becoming overwhelmed in them.

10. They appreciate the simple things of life

Solitude makes you see life from a clear perspective. You are not looking for sophistication or ambiguity rather do you desire them during solitude. However you can appreciate your being, your time and such details that you may never have been aware of. You can sift thoughts and cherish what is valuable.

Featured photo credit: http://www.pixabay.com via pixabay.com

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This Is Why You Shouldn’t Focus On Success

We all want to be successful, yet many of us focus on the prize of reaching the ‘success finish line’, rather than on the race itself. We consider success a destination and blind ourselves to the fact that success is more of a structure, a system, and a practice. Check out the many successful people in our society who stick to a stringent set of practices daily to be at the top. They do not limit their ideology to the notion that success is an endgame. No. Rather they see it as something that requires consistency and ongoing effort. And here is why:

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out” – Robert Collier

Read on to find out why success shouldn’t be your main focus in life:

You won’t be happy

Everyone deserves to be happy. But the journey towards success shouldn’t be dependent on the notion that you will only get to be happy if you reach your destination. For example if you aim to lose 300 pounds in three months, your happiness should not depend on whether you lose it or not. Rather your happiness should be in the daily effort of working out and going to the gym. Your daily life will only become full of worries and fatigue if you aim at success and don’t reach it. However when you find joy in the process of constant daily practices leading to you reaching your goals, you will become unstoppable.

You won’t grow

Success doesn’t happen suddenly. Neither will yearning for particular results lead them to occur overnight. Rather we have to put in the work and sustain our efforts over the long haul: growing resilience and strength in the process. Focusing on success as an end goal doesn’t make us cherish the process of making mistakes, learning from them, adapting to new ways of working, and improving on our existing strengths. If we want to be successful some personal development is involved. This sometimes challenging process means that we are willing to commit ourselves to the task, the moment, and the process at hand.

You won’t make discoveries

Why do we want to be successful? Is it for the money, the fame, or the acknowledgement from others that it can bring? Solely focusing on success can keep us from discovering new opportunities, life less lessons, and experiences. Aiming for success also does not test us on what is really motivating us to want to be successful. At the end of the day what success should mean to us is that we are making an impact or a contribution, not simply taking from our world. Focusing on our values and what we discover along our journey towards success helps us to attain meaningful rewards in life. Throughout this process we also learn to  embrace challenges and own up to the responsibility of making needed differences to our world.

You’ll miss out on opportunities to be thankful

Viewing success as a journey offers you moments you will always cherish. You will thankful for those people you meet along the way, the vulnerable times, and those periods when it all seemed so daunting that you never thought there would be a way out. If success was your sole aim, you would not have gained an appreciation for the tests and trials you endured. Rather, you would likely fixate on them as merely failures. You appreciate success more deeply when you take it one step at a time. This process also offers you  a fuller perspective of where you are coming from, and where you are heading to. Thankfully, opportunities to be thankful occur often when you are able to attain what you may never have thought possible through daily, consistent efforts.

We live in a world where the media puts it spotlight on seemingly instantaneous success. But you would not benefit from this kind of success in the same way that you would if you had worked for it over time. Learn to grow with every passing moment and enjoy the thrill of the journey rather than the overwhelming allure of the destination. Your daily efforts will become your legacy.

Featured photo credit: http://www.flickr.com via flickr.com

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11 Unique, Useful Tools for Freelancers That Make You More Productive

Freelancing is almost the perfect job.

I’m saying “almost” because it does have its own unique challenges, and isn’t exactly as joyful, stress-free of a career as many people believe it to be.

Freelancing can be tough. You need a lot of resilience, self-discipline, and an overall ability to work effectively on your own terms. In other words, you need to learn how to remain productive. If you’re not, your career will be short-lived.

That’s where various tools come into the picture!

But since you’re probably already familiar with the Evernotes and the Google Calendars of the productivity world, today let’s focus on some non-obvious tools. However, although they might be less known, this doesn’t make them any less valuable, which you’ll realize in just a minute.

1. E.gg Timer

E.gg Timer is a very unique tool. Basically, it’s an easy to use and nicely configurable countdown timer. For example, to set the timer to 25 minutes, all you need to do is visit http://ift.tt/1wxkfrN. Setting any other countdown is just as simple.

Why use it?

E.gg Timer is great as a Pomodoro clock (http://ift.tt/Rf2ank) or for any other kind of task that requires you to take part in it for a specific period of time. Working with E.gg Timer is certainly a lot more efficient than constantly looking at your wristwatch.

2. Toggl

Another time tracking tool, but this one is meant to help you keep up with specific work / projects / client tasks. To use it, just install it locally, click Start and assign a name to whatever you’re doing.

Why use it?

With Toggl, you can assign projects to given time slots. This lets you track the exact amount of time you’re spending working on individual client projects. Toggl also notifies you when you come back after being away from the computer, and asks if the time should be discarded or kept (in case you forgot to turn the timer off).

3. Bidsketch

Bidsketch is the best client proposal tool available on the web today. With it, you can create, edit, and then send client proposals. After that, Bidsketch also notifies you if and when the client viewed your proposal.

Why use it?

It helps you figure out one of the most time consuming parts of the freelance business. Proposals and pitching clients your services are incredibly important for your bottom line. So why not use an advanced tool that can remove a lot of the headache from the equation and simply let you work more effectively?

4. Trello

Trello provides you with a visual way to organize various projects going on in your life. Trello works through what’s called Trello boards, lists and cards. You can re-align cards on each board through drag-and-drop, edit each card individually, add images, text, and simply let the board work alongside your own process.

Why use it?

Trello doesn’t force you to adapt to their way of organizing. The tool is flexible and can adjust to your own individual needs. You can use it to manage client projects, ideas, tasks for individual projects, and everything else you see fit.

5. Grammarly

Grammarly is an advanced grammar checker tool. Don’t mistake for standard spellcheckers you can find in Word though. Grammarly goes a lot further. It checks whatever you write against common grammar issues, style issues, and a lot more. There are actually 250+ types of errors that Grammarly can recognize.

Why use it?

This isn’t only a tool for freelance bloggers or writers. Grammarly works everywhere, which means that through a web browser plugin, it can also help you write emails, forum posts, blog comments, or whatever else. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how important it is to always send grammatically correct emails to your clients!

6. Lightshot

Lightshot is my secret screenshot tool. It works on Mac and Windows and it’s more than easy to use. It hooks up to your system’s native screenshot functionality (e.g. on Windows it’s the Print Screen key, on Mac it’s Command+Shift+9). So when I press Print Screen, Lightshot takes over and lets me select the area I want in the screenshot. Then, I can annotate things with arrows, borders, custom text. After that, I can save the image, share it on social media, or copy it to clipboard.

Why use it?

Taking screenshots is probably something you’re doing fairly often. Either you want to show something to your client, include an image in a proposal, or even post it on a blog, no matter what it might be, taking screenshots without a dedicated tool is a hassle. With Lightshot, it only takes a couple of clicks.

7. Swipes

Swipes is a simple, yet effective to-do list app that somehow manages to stand out in a crowded marketplace. There’s more than enough such apps out there, but what makes Swipes different is its ease of use, and its integration with Evernote. You can create new tasks in Evernote and then act on them in Swipes.

Why use it?

The problem with to-do list apps is that they are only somewhat integrated with other tools. On one hand, you can export your things from one tool to another, but you can never be sure that some single task won’t get lost in the shuffle every once in a while. Swipes was built specifically to talk with Evernote, so the integration works without any hiccups.

8. Ninja Outreach

Ninja Outreach is an advanced outreach tool. This means, it helps you discover people worth reaching out to (for various purposes), check their reputation, and then even contact them directly.

Why use it?

Outreach is an integral part of being a freelancer – no matter if we’re talking client outreach or blogger outreach. The downside of outreach is that it can take a lot of time. First you have to find a sufficient number of contacts, then evaluate their reputation, then find their contact data, and only then you can actually send them a message. With Ninja Outreach, each of these steps can be taken care of quicker and in a more efficient manner.

9. LastPass

LastPass is the best free password manager on the market. As simple as that. In short, it lets you manage all your passwords (for apps, services, tools, etc.) and make them accessible to you through browser plugins and mobile apps.

Why use it?

As a freelancer, you’re likely working on a couple of different devices and probably have your user accounts on tens if not hundreds of sites. Then, there are also profiles related to your client work, for instance, your profiles on their websites where you need to submit your work. You can’t have weak passwords set on those, yet remembering a complex one is impossible. This is where LastPass comes into play. It takes care of keeping your login credentials in a safe place and gives you access to everything through one master password.

10. CoSchedule

CoSchedule is your top tool for creating and managing a publishing schedule and then setting social media updates for each publication you release. It offers a lot of advanced features that every editor will appreciate.

Why use it?

Granted, this one is more useful for freelance writers, bloggers, and businesses working with websites on WordPress. Where CoSchedule stands out is delivering you a smart scheduling feature that focuses on building a whole marketing strategy around the content you’re publishing. This is something your clients will surely be interested in.

11. Shopify

Let’s skip to the “why use it” part right away.

Shopify is perhaps a surprising entry, since it’s an e-commerce solution, but it can actually be very useful for a freelancer. Among its many features – just see the reviews – Shopify lets you sell not only products, but also services. This means that you can create a handful of standardized services that are the most popular with your clients.

During your proposal and negotiation process, you can send the client over to your Shopify store and let them choose the services they need. Keep in mind that you get to use all the standard e-commerce features here, which can help you improve your conversion rates. For instance, you can offer discounts, coupons, or anything else an online store owner would do.

What should find its place as the entry #12 on this list? Feel free to share your picks in the comments.

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7 Hidden But Powerful Qualities of Successful Students

Student life can be one of the most important stages in a person’s life, everyone is getting into a race now a days to become top in their field. It is essential to being a lifelong learner in order to move ahead in life. But unfortunately, we stop formal learning after we complete school or college and then we complain why things are not changing. But, if we effectively pursue some of the good habits right from the student life, mastering any skills and getting ahead becomes much easier. Here are seven habits that good students have:

1. Curiosity

Ask any successful person in this world and they will tell you that the first way they started any worthwhile project was by getting curious. This is the most understated yet essential quality for getting ahead in life. Curiosity leads to discovery and innovation. For students, start with being curious about subjects and absorbing information as it is presented to you.

2. Observation

When you are curious about any person, observe how he does what he does. When you curious about any work, observe how it is being done. And watch how mistakes are made, rectified, and corrected. Observe how successful decisions are made. After observing, you have to apply those lessons to yourself and get feedback. For students, observe how the successful students in your class does, how do they excel, and how are their habits different from your own. Once you have observed this differences, you should know exactly where to start.

3. Ask questions

When you are curious and you observe something, there comes a time when you don’t understand how it is being done or some of the basics are not clear. At this time, you have to ask questions like, “How is it done with so little effort?”, “How can I start doing this in my life?”, “What can I learn from this?”, “Which people I have to meet to start doing this in my life?”

When you ask questions like this, you stretch your imagination; you discover things about yourself which you didn’t knew previously. For students, ask questions to your teachers, parents, friends and any person you meet. Asking questions is a natural, yet essential, part of learning. All good students know when to listen and then when to probe for further information.

4. Willpower

When you observe with curiosity and ask questions, you will uncover things you never had before. But there will be times when you don’t feel like doing it and let it go. At such times, you have to use your willpower and decide to get things done. You have to believe in yourself that you’ll get answers no matter how much are feeling low or rejected. When you use your willpower and keep going, you’ll see amazing results. Learning something new takes willpower and persistence.

5. Discipline

Because mastery is found in consistently taking disciplined action. Learning a new language, studying a new subject, or learning about a career all takes discipline. You can only master something with persistent effort. Some good students stick to a schedule, like setting aside a specific number of hours per day to study.

6. Take action

When you take action, you learn a lot more than you learn with just reading or listening. Even if you act without thinking, you learn a lot about the subject compared to everyone else who just reads. You have to be fearless about taking tests, getting feedback, and improving yourself day by day. The most effective way to learn is by doing. You can only read so many books about swimming until you simply have to jump in the pool.

7. Remove distractions

No matter how you condition yourself for success, you will still have to remove everyday distractions to get ahead. These days our attention spans have gone short because distractions are always there to stop us to focus on our work. But successful know that in order to benefit most from their habits, they need to remove distractions effectively, they need to channel their energies in a way that they get most from their effort. Simple tasks like putting away your cell phone or not watching TV while studying all help you get ahead.

Apart form all the old age advice of hard work, keep your focus on developing these seven attributes and you’ll be soon heading toward a successful career as a student.

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7 Super Unproductive Habits Most People Have

We all have those moments when our brain simply refuses to work, but more often than not the lack of productivity can be closely associated to a number of poor lifestyle choices, which can be changed with a bit of effort. These 7 habits are decreasing our productivity level without us even realizing it. Go through these points to find out if you have adopted some of them, and how to effectively remedy the situation.

1. Desktop madness

If your job requires the use of a computer, you need to keep it organized in order to avoid situations where you cannot find a certain document or a folder. We all tend to name our folders different names that aren’t really related to the content inside them, and we sometimes end up naming folders random letters in a hurry – “jdakdndji,” sound familiar? You have definitely done this before while thinking – “I’ll get back to that later,” and you have never changed it. As the works piles up, the folders pile up on your desktop, which makes you waste your time on finding the one you need.

Everyone thinks: “This is my organized chaos, and I know where to find all the things I need.” However, what happens is that you aren’t aware of the negative impact of this chaos. When you start this desktop madness, you start getting used to it, which reflects on the other tasks you perform. Moreover, the fact that you decided to come back to that task, and never did, shows that you are prone to procrastinating. In order to fight this bad habit, you need to start from smaller tasks. Also, you’ll feel much better when you have your working tools organized, which will subconsciously influence your productivity level. This happens because you create a strong work drive, which makes you organize all the other work, and you feel eager to finish all the tasks.

People forget about all the junk in their computer, which decreases its performance. Having constant issues with your software such as malware, interrupts your working process, which leads to having your project cut down into lots of small pieces. This makes you feel stressed out and you lose your focus, so try to keep your PC fairly well organized and protected – there are simple tools that you can use to clean up your computer efficiently – which will enable you to speed up performance and keep it safe.

2. Searching all the time for the best songs

Before you start working, you start searching for the right music to keep you on track and motivated. In fact, music can really help us focus and work without feeling stressed out or anxious. However, what happens in most cases, is that we spend hours searching for the right playlist, which is a waste of time. Moreover, when you play a certain playlist, there is always at least one song that you’ll want to change. Then you see other songs and start skipping all of them, and then it’s back to the beginning – you start searching for another playlist. This is something we all do and it makes us unproductive during working hours, as we lose focus easily and need more time to get back to work.

Also, many songs which you love can distract you from the tasks because you are listening to the lyrics. Therefore, if you need to have some music playing, include some jazz or classical music in your playlist, instead of catchy pop songs. These genres will keep you focused and productive during the entire day. Try it out and compare your performance.

3. Always being easy to reach

Social media has become a huge part of our lives – we are constantly posting photos, updating statuses and chatting with our friends. There are so many ways to reach someone such as Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, Skype, Twitter and Snapchat, and of course regular calls and messages. It wasn’t until I started listing all the ways you can reach someone on their smartphone, that I realized just how many possibilities there are. They are very useful when it comes to communicating with friends and family who live in other cities and countries, sure, but because we are all addicted to technology, we forget when to limit its usage. This is why a lot of people keep getting messages and funny pictures while they’re at work, and this is only making them less productive.

If your work is constantly interrupted by different updates from your friends, it’s no wonder your performance and quality of work suffer. You should plan small breaks when you will allow yourself to check your private e-mail, inbox and all your social media pages. However, be careful not to get lost in the virtual world, as hours can pass without you noticing it. In fact, it is perfectly normal to always be there for your colleagues, but constant questions and favors can distract you from your work, and you’ll lose your focus. Because of that, you need to learn to say no, and offer to help only when you are truly free, except for urgent situations.

Let’s play a game – turn off your personal smartphone when at work, and turn only the business one. If someone needs you urgently, they’ll definitely call you on your business number. Try this for a week, and compare results.

4. Bad posture while sitting at the desk

Having a bad posture when sitting and standing can decrease your productivity, as you are constantly bothered by the pain caused by slouching. If you are experiencing chronic back pain and headaches, then you probably have bad posture. It affects your overall appearance, as well as your health, but it also has a huge negative impact on your productivity. When sitting improperly your body gets tired and you start to feel pain in some parts of your body such as the back, neck, and shoulders. This leads to you feeling stressed, which in turn affects your overall mood and concentration.

The more your body feels tired, the more your mind refuses to focus. To avoid adopting a bad posture when sitting you need to have a comfortable chair and a foot rest, which will help in supporting your back. Moreover, you should pay attention not only to the chair and height of the table, but also the position of your whole body.

Bad posture is usually caused by not exercising, which is of great importance if you lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle. Working out will improve your posture, and also improve your productivity because you will feel more energized and confident.

If you really have problems when trying to focus on a task, you should take up some yoga classes as the exercises are meant to improve your concentration and make your body flexible. Put your smartphone to better use by tracking the number of steps you take each day or the distance that you’ve ran. If you are competitive, this will make your running and walking an interesting game. No matter how busy your schedule is, you can always find 10-20 minutes to exercise, which will improve your overall health and increase your productivity levels.

5. Wearing smart, but uncomfortable clothes

Everyone wants to look good and fashionable at work, especially if in contact with clients and business partners. However, the fashion industry comes up with some clothes that are uncomfortable when worn for hours on end, because they don’t allow you to move freely. That pretty new dress or sleek suit can look really good on you, but if it makes you feel uncomfortable and is only causing difficulties when sitting, then you might consider purchasing something else. This doesn’t mean you should go to work in your sweatpants, but just buy clothes that are both trendy and comfortable.

Sitting for 8 hours in an office while wearing tight and uncomfortable clothes can make you nervous and distracted. So, if you thought that clothes don’t have any influence on your work, you were wrong. Moreover, when you are wearing something that you feel good and attractive in, you will certainly be more productive.

6. Working from home

If there is a deadline or you didn’t manage to finish all of your tasks during the working hours, people have a tendency to work from home in order to finish everything on time. But, is it really helping? Are you really improving your productivity and the quality of your work? When working longer hours or from home, you are losing the time which should be dedicated to your private life. It is impossible to be productive during the entire day.

When you push yourself to do more than you comfortably can, you are only tiring yourself out, and you won’t be prepared mentally for the next workday. This causes your productivity levels to decrease with each passing day. Work should be done during the working hours, and after that you need to dedicate time to yourself and your family. If you haven’t finished the task today, you’ll finish it tomorrow – no big deal. Therefore, put your mind to the test and find out when you are most productive.

So, the answer to the question is no, it is not good to bring your work home or work longer hours. Some days you will finish just one task, and some days it will be three tasks. You cannot control your mind, but you can train it and learn to intelligently utilise the hours when your concentration is at its peak.

7. Having breakfast at the office

Not waking up early to drink the first morning coffee and eat breakfast at home is the mistake many people make. In order to sleep more, you can have breakfast at the office. When you come to work you need to be ready and in mood for working, and not still sleepy and grumpy. Also, eating at the office usually means eating fast food and junk food, which isn’t healthy for you, especially if it is your first meal of the day. It is recommended to have a healthy breakfast, because it gives you energy and charges up your brain.

As food has a direct influence on your cognitive performance, you need to eat healthy and regularly – skipping meals will cause poor decision making, as our body needs glucose to keep us focused. Small snacks like beef jerky, chicken salad, bananas or peanuts can help keep the hunger away, but it is always best to stick to organic and free range food options, as they have the most nutrients and are ethically produced.

If you get up earlier, you’ll have time to take the first sip of coffee in your peaceful home and have a healthy breakfast. This will prepare your body and mind for the work challenges and improve your productivity.

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10 Reasons Why Emotionally Intelligent People Are More Likely to Be Successful

Emotional intelligence is a basis requirement for success. It doesn’t offer the same results as IQ, and that was why when observed, it became the quality that distinguished the performance of those with an average IQ and those with the highest IQs. Emotional intelligence is a combination of two skills—personal and social competence—that brings about excellent results for success.

This soft skill, although so important to personal and professional success, has failed to be discussed appropriately and expansively. The results it provides are essential to adapting and thriving critically in life. Here are some things that cause the success of emotionally intelligent people.

1. They can manage healthy relationships.

Managing healthy relationships means that you can remain positive and calm regardless of the situation you are in. During setbacks or emotional outbursts from the person you are dealing with, you do not react but are understanding that there is a reason for such negative emotions. Emotionally intelligent people can relate with other people’s challenges and upheavals and see beyond their present state. Thus, they can make the best out of whatever relationship they are in.

2. They are curious about the way others approach their lives.

They want to know why people live the way they do. Learning is important to an emotionally intelligent person. That is why they would go out of their way to meet new people and try to spark something interesting from a random discussion.

3. They want to experience the moment.

To an emotionally intelligent person there is nothing to live for in the past. What has happened before is gone and even the future is a dream. They do well to focus on the present and how they can manage their present situations positively.

4. They are calm during tough situations.

While others panic and fret when faced with crisis, the emotionally intelligent person is balanced, confident and assured. They can manage tough situations because they demonstrate a leadership attitude of being confident. Thus they do not display a sense of insecurity or impulsiveness when pushed to take charge of a situation.

5. They can understand other people’s emotion.

Emotionally intelligent people are active listeners and observers. They are not simply passive but have an understanding of different personality types. With such knowledge they can understand why people act the way they do.

6. They focus on personal development.

They know that they are not a finished product. They want to constantly improve every facet of their lives whether it is their career, relationships or character. Emotionally intelligent people know the reason why they have to make continuous progress and never be stagnated.

7. They are self aware.

They know their strengths and flaws and how to manage them both to become excellent at what they love doing. Not all things will make you great or are suitable for you; emotionally intelligent are focused on tiny bits of their lives that need to be polished and improved.

8. They are not distracted by external influences.

It is not as if emotionally intelligent people are not attentive to what is said or done in their environment, whether from their peers, friends or relatives. Rather, listening to these things doesn’t define what actions they will take because they will ultimately search for purpose, solutions and consolidations from within.

9. They are emotionally tuned to everyone.

You can relate with people’s setbacks and you are deeply concerned about their problems or challenges. Even if they haven’t experienced such difficulties, they are not emotionally distant. They can perceive and understand other people’s struggles.

10. They can communicate their emotions.

They do not hold back or store any negative emotion. They are quick to channel how and what they feel to other people. Thus they are able to handle issues head on without giving a cause for delay or allowing such issues to linger on.

Featured photo credit: http://www.pixabay.com via pixabay.com

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Illustration Shows Why The Eight-Hour Workday Is An Outdated Concept

How productive do you believe you are in your eight-hour workday? There may be a few ways to define the answer:

Semi-productive: you’re halfway there but you still slack occasionally.

Mediocre: you don’t really try, but somehow you get things done.

Or,

Top-level: you like to keep yourself super busy.

Well, no matter which one you most identify with, the truth is that you could probably be doing better.

Eight hours a day at an office desk is not the definition of productivity. You can thank the British Industrial Revolution for it. They worked out that this allotted time would yield higher outputs within a fixed schedule for factory workers. This may have worked in the 1800s, but today it has become an outdated logic which needs to be reworked.

Podio has broken it down in this infographic. They explain how squeezing as many hours as possible into one workday to be “productive” can be counterintuitive. In the end, everything depends less on time and more on your focus, motivation, and overall well-being — all of which link directly to your energy levels.

“My goal is no longer to get more done, but rather to have less to do.” — Francine Jay

OK, procrastination break is over. Time to get back to work.

Featured photo credit: Podio via podio.com

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10 Reasons Why Some People Always Seem To Know A Lot

Ever come across someone who really seems to know everything? They can answer questions about any topic, any field and any place. They have general understanding and can explain either in brief or well detailed how and why?

Most of the time, these kind of people make a really good impression and they seem to be doing pretty good for themselves professionally and in their private lives. They seems to progress really well and pursuit excellence in all they do. Here are 10 habits they have adopted to possess this rare skill.

1. They tend to read… A LOT

These guys are on a mission to finish every book written under the sun. They read about everything and anything. From science fiction, textbook to business and romance. This habit opens up your brains to understanding and processing information easier and quicker. Not only that but it also forces your brain to challenge the status quo as you read from one publication to another that carry opposing views. Bill Gates is an avid reader and great promoter of reading

This can be achieved by setting targets for yourself to read at least 20 pages a day every day, in 1 year that is approximately 7300 pages which is an equivalent of? Lots and lots of books.

2. They are curious about other people

Dale Carnegie said you can make more friends being interested in other people than in yourself. When you open your ears to other people’s lives and experiences it can shed so much light into your own life.

The best people to listen to are people who share a different perspective than yours. Most human beings tend to be dismissive to people who don’t see life the way they do but hearing them out can be the most effective learning you can come across.

Achieving these skills usually requires a lot of patience and maturity to learn from people you do not always see eye to eye, but gave others a try as we all have something to bring to the table

3. They teach other people

This isn’t just about qualifying as a teacher or being a university professor, but they always take the opportunity to inform others. Whether they are the one explaining complex problems in the study group or the ones ready training technical skills in the work place, they have that need to pass it on as there is no better way to learn and discover limits to your knowledge than through teaching.

You can do this by volunteering to teach, train informally or tutor someone.

4. They participate in group discussions

Is this a dumb question? They are not afraid to look dumb for one minute than preserve and be dumb forever. They raise their hands and ask questions where they need clarity, they tackle other members reasoning just to broaden their own understanding of a specific topic.

5. They play board games

Nothing gets your mind working out quite like a Scrabble game, 30 seconds, Sudoku, Monopoly and millions of the board games that force you to think during relaxation.  This is a fun way of learning and you can do this by inviting a couple of your friends over for a games night in.

6. They watch documentaries on things that have shaped the world

The best thing about this one is, there is no need to read or have a pen and paper out in front of you. You just need to sit back and give your 100% concentration. These documentaries are very informative and provide in depth logic of things. They have scholars and experts in the fields who discuss certain topics.

This can be achieved by ditching Netflix and other celeb reality TV show once in a while and switching onto the Discovery Channel, National geographic or the History Channel.

7. They network

Attending business conferences and sermons is not just about the awesome “free food” and getting to skip a day off work, but it’s about meeting different people. The misconception out there is that networking is only to be done with people who can bring you business or benefit your company. This is not the case, you can network with people outside your industry and even those who share nothing in common with you. This is a great way to open your circle as you never know when the opportunity will arise to do really great things together.

This can be achieved by joining different groups on LinkedIn or other meet ups online.

8. They work on their self-development

None of this would matter if you had no interest to develop yourself. Smart people care to get to the next level in their own personal lives; they eat better, work out, work smart and educate themselves.

You can take it upon yourself to learn a new language, get a new hobby, learn a great skill or even just to improve in your current field and be the best that there is.

9. They never get comfortable

Most people tend to do what they do all day and every day without the slightest thought to change themselves or work on themselves. Some people reach the “I’ve made it” mental state when they’ve reached a certain goal or make a specific amount of money. Yet this is counterproductive as it gives no meaning to go on and aim higher and strive for better.

You have to constantly be learning and keep an open mind to possibilities you never knew existed. You have to be daring enough to try rocket science type stuff. In this competitive world, there just is no room for complacency.

10. They have the utmost belief in themselves and their abilities

So what does it take to be the smartest in the room? You have to believe that you are. None of these things matter if you do not believe in yourself and what you are capable of achieving. Before anything, you must believe that you can. You shouldn’t shy away out of fear or feeling embarrassed. What you have to say is worth it and someone will benefit from it. You have been equipped with everything you need to fulfill all those dreams inside of you. Don’t expect less from yourself and don’t expect it from others. Give it your all and the world will place gold at your feet

Featured photo credit: shujaat khan via 1.bp.blogspot.com

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6 Secrets To Upgrading Your Professional Images

Many people feel that we are living in a more casual world these days, and that it isn’t as important to have a professional look as it once was. Actually, it is more important than ever, and those who look professional are going to be more successful than those who don’t care about the images that people see and don’t take the time to make themselves look professional in their images. Here are some tips to help you make your images more professional.

1. Your Goals

Knowing your goals will help you decide if it is time to change your images. For instance, if your images show you as a fun-loving type and you want to be taken more seriously, then it is time to make some changes to your images. Or, you may appear too serious, and you want to appear more spontaneous and fun. Your images should reflect your goals. Remember, if you want to make waves in the business community, your images shouldn’t show you riding the waves or doing other un-businesslike activities.

2. Timing

There are certain times when it is a good idea to upgrade your professional images. For instance, if you are moving into a new line of work, taking on a public role within your company, etc., this is a big change, and your images should reflect that. Or, you may just be bored and feel that you are stuck in a rut, and changing your images may be the thing to help you get out of that rut. Talk to friends, colleagues, etc. and find out how they see you, and ask if they think you need to upgrade your images at this time.

3. Your Context

Take a look at your environment, and ask yourself what the norms are within that environment. What shows status in your community? Who do you want as your audience? How do others that you admire present themselves? The more you understand the context of your appearance in your images, the better able you will be to change the images to those that work for you and make you look like the professional you are.

4. Uniform

For instance, if you wear a uniform for your job, you can add to your professional images by using customized patches on the uniform, rather than direct embroidery, which is much more expensive. Learn more about patches at WikiHow, PatchSuperstore.com and YouTube.

5. Working with Pros

Before you go out and have new photos taken, you need to put together a team of people who are going to ensure that your images are exactly what you want them to be. Your team should include a personal stylist (or a free styling service such as one from J.Crew) and a hair stylist instead of a traditional barber. Your photographer should be a professional, and not just a friend or family member who takes good pictures.

6. Efficiency

In addition to upgrading your images, you should be upgrading your overall style. Make sure that you do this with efficiency. The whole point isn’t to be vain, but to find standard clothing that you can wear regularly that become somewhat of a uniform. Take your stylist with you and buy everything at once, instead of making multiple shipping trips by yourself and just buying one or two pieces at a time. This way, you will tend to get clothing that all mixes and matches and becomes your personal uniform.

You might be surprised at what upgrading your style can do for you, and for your career (not to mention your love life). Just look at the Trivago guy. Just last year, he was considered “creepy” by many. Now, he is cleaned up and has a more professional look, and “creepy” has turned into “hottie”. You can do the same thing with a stylist and efficiency.

Featured photo credit: Chris Zerbes via flickr.com

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5 Actionable Ways To Find Your Life Purpose

The best ways to prepare and manage your life moving forward is knowing what your purpose is. We all have a dream purpose – a footballer, an entrepreneur, a TV star – but what is your genuine purpose? The one that is most likely to be the thing that you do with the rest of your life? To work this out, you need to identify some key factors along the way. To move along the right path, you need to know how to identify this purpose so that you can start building towards making that purpose a genuine part of your life for years to come.

1. What Excites You Most?

We all need to do something in our lives that we feel comfortable, happy and confident about. For many of us this can be a sport or even a musical thing; what you need to do is just find the things in life that excite you most. Look into what makes you feel passionate and see how likely it is that you could one day work within this industry. This might just be your purpose in life as we are usually destined to work with something that we truly love and believe in – and why should you be any different? The best example of this tends to be sports stars and musicians but it can be anything from a games designer to a farmer. Whatever excites you most in life is likely to be your calling card!

2. Childhood Memories

A great way to work out what you should be doing with your life is what you did as a child. Personally, I loved going on large field trips and this eventually led me to working in a job as a tour guide for a large piece of local land. Getting to see this big hill that I used to run up all the time, and now having the opportunity to show a new generation the same thing, was an incredibly enjoyable experience for me. It was the most fun I have ever had when talking about things like employment and what my purpose in life was.

3. Survey Your lifestyle

Do you spend much time going around in circles and dealing with various problems? Then you need to look at your lifestyle and see why. Something in there is too chaotic and it could be what is stopping you from finding your calling and being able to give yourself the kind of kick start in life that you deserve. Look at the way you live right down to what you eat, what you do for a hobby, who you hang around, even where you shop. Something in here could be the clue that you need to find the next level of personal growth.

4. Create a List

The best way to start preparing and studying your calling in this world is to create a list along the way. It will help you break through some conventional problems and will probably help you get used to what makes you feel busy, yet happy. Look around for these little features as building up this list could be just what you need to start making a significant set of changes in the future. It just takes time and a bit of investigation – what you are destined to do in this world won’t just jump out at you!

5. KISS!

Have you ever heard of “Keep it simple, stupid?” Well, in this case, that is what we want to do. Avoiding these problems is vital to the long-term prosperity that you seek and the easiest way to find that would be to keep things simple. Don’t look for some overly complex life goal like “Being a God” or “Starting a new Civilization”!

Look at realistic goals that match well with your lifestyle, your learning ability, your overall confidence and the general way that you think about situations. It will be far more beneficial to you in the long run, helping you get the help that you need in finding your own purpose in life. Whether it is like my own, a tour guide who loves the outdoors, or you are destined to program something special, is up to you!

Featured photo credit: http://ift.tt/1NjekOj via carolinelifecoaching.files.wordpress.com

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8 Basic Skills All Successful People Have

A successful person is someone who has achieved what they have set out to to do an often exceeds expectation entirely. Some examples of successful people are Warren Buffet & Bill Gates, both of which have amassed billions of dollars from their efforts in two different avenues of prosperity, but what are the core basic skills that all successful people have?

1. Motivational Skills

In the words of ET the Hip Hop Preacher, “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful.” Now you may not think that a burning desire to achieve is a skill, but it in essence it is the skill that carries us through to the end, to our final glorious destination that we can then look back and revel in. Lighting your burning desire and keeping it lit is the skill.

2. Communication Skills

As you begin your success journey (once you’ve lit your burning desire dynamite wick), for the most part many people will realize quite soon that as fantastic that we all think we are, we need other people in some way shape or form. We need to take to other people, communicate with people; communicating with people can be in the form of writing copy for your ebook, enticing a client to buy your “platinum package,” thanking/acknowledging the lady who cleans your office or even the drunk stranger you might meet in a bar who gives you some overwhelming enlightenment about what you’re doing wrong in your career/business.

Personally I am a very independent, slightly introverted person, but despite this, I (and so should you) am well aware that two heads are better than one.

3. Organisation Skills

The world is full of distractions, from TVs, to friends, to families, to adverts on the internet. If you go ahead with your dream or your plan, unless you have some guru-like focus, you will need to organise your life. Organizing your life is difficult if it’s a mess, at least for the first few days, but once you’ve got your house cleaned, start writing down all the things that you need to do each day and complete them all, as soon as you can and to the best of your ability.

Take a shot writing lists for a week, everyday write down a minimum of 5 important things that you know/want/need to do and put a time by all of them, once the clock strikes that time then force yourself to do it; you could do various things, whether its sell your old stuff on eBay, write a blog post, push out 10-20 pushups, it doesn’t matter, break your goal into smaller objectives, write them on paper and complete them step by step. You will see a seemingly magical improvement which in itself will motivate you to continue to organize, achieve and be successful.

4. Emotional Intelligence Skills

Think about someone successful, put yourself in their shoes, and think about a hard decision they will have made and ask yourself whether you would have cowered away due to fear. For example, take Usain Bolt, think about the decision to become and continue being a sprinter, with a potential lack of employment opportunities looming over him and more negatives, would you have cowered away for fear of being broke? Yes, of course, everyone fears the future, but again, fuel your burning desire to achieve, communicate and get help, organize your life and then conquer your fears and other success suppressant emotions.

Throughout life we are bombarded by ups and downs but if you want to be a successful person then you will have to learn to grow exponentially on the up’s and continue to fight through the down’s. Arguments, fights and negativity from other people only slows you down when you deem them to be stronger than you, at the end of the day, emotions are simply bio-chemical fluctuations in your body and you need to see them as such and understand that the “feel” of them will pass.

Thomas Edison’s teachers said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” He was fired from his first two jobs for being “non-productive.” As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” As you read through these basic skills you will begin to see what mindset successful people have, you should take this attitude on.

5. Confidence Skills

You don’t have to be confident to be successful, so before you think “okay, I’ve failed, I’m not social nor will I ever be confident,” just wait a moment. You just need to learn to be confident in yourself, and in the fact that you as a person can build something. Many people are blessed from a young age with being a raving extrovert, but the skill comes “secondarily” when you push yourself into new situations, scary or not and do your best to complete what it is you set out to while taking the failures on the chin.

Imagine you are standing on a burning building and you know that you able to jump the distance to the next, but it’s simply really high… Simply find certainty and know that you are able to jump that distance and would be able to do it 999999 times out of every 1000000 attempts on the ground, just take the jump and you’ll feel a damn sight better on the other side. This “complex” can be used in both social and business situations, never shy away from an opportunity and never hold yourself back because you “won’t fit in,” when you “don’t” fit in then sure, throw yourself whole heartedly into something new.

6. Self-efficacy Skills

Successful people complete what they start… That’s why they are successful. It doesn’t take a genius to work out the if you set out to make £1,000,000 and you only make £20,000 that you were unsuccessful, but if you leave what you started at £20,000, you then you are only ever going to be unsuccessful. While we can’t achieve everything that we set out to attempt, what splits the successful people from unsuccessful in the long run is the learning, improving, challenging and overcoming.

Successful people also know when to stop, for example, a boy tries in vain to grow a wheat by planting a pebble on a sandy beach, of course he could take the principle of “successful people finish what they start,” but he’d be there for a few millenia until the universe shifts and transforms pebbles bits into Eukaryota cells that may, just may, sprout something plant like, but at which point… the boy will be dead. The easier thing would have been to take skill 2 (communication) into thought and sought advice from a farmer.

7. Time Management Skills

Successful people and people that are on track to becoming successful appreciate one thing as the scarcest resource, and that’s Time. Time is the only thing we can’t get more of once it’s spent, money comes and goes, but time once spent, never comes back.

Given the above analogy, successful people not only manage their time correctly, by cutting out things such as soap operas and drugs that take up a lot of time but also cut out people that waste their time. Many of us have people in our lives that we can’t say no too, but to free up more time you are going to have to learn to politely tell them to “f” themselves and get on with what you need to do. Once you have your new found time, make sure you don’t waste it watching TV, plan, be organised and communicate with other people to make things happen.

8. Luck Attraction Skills

Luck, yeah, it’s “random,” but successful people attract luck by working hard and sticking to what they do. When you compile all the above skills, you’ll find you attract more luck, like the successful people you aspire the join and supersede.

But most of all, successful people know what they want.

Featured photo credit: Paxson Woelber via flickr.com

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