How to Speak Well... and Listen Better

10 ways to be better at both sides of the conversation

There are two sides to every conversation, and both are essential to the art of communication.

So, how are your conversation skills? Think about it: Are you a smooth talker, or do you ramble? Are you an attentive listener, or do you tend to interrupt?

Here’s how to master the art of conversation—both sides of it:

When it’s your turn to talk…

1. Get your thinking straight. The most common source of confusing messages is muddled thinking. We have an idea we haven’t thought through. Or we have so much we want to say that we can’t possibly say it. Or we have an opinion that is so strong we can’t keep it in. As a result, we are ill-prepared when we speak, and we confuse everyone. The first rule of plain talk, then, is to think before you say anything. Organize your thoughts.

2. Say what you mean. Say exactly what you mean.

3. Get to the point. Effective communicators don’t beat around the bush. If you want something, ask for it. If you want someone to do something, say exactly what you want done.

4. Be concise. Don’t waste words. Confusion grows in direct proportion to the number of words used. Speak plainly and briefly, using the shortest, most familiar words.

5. Be real. Each of us has a personality—a blending of traits, thought patterns and mannerisms—which can aid us in communicating clearly. For maximum clarity, be natural and let the real you come through. You’ll be more convincing and much more comfortable.

6. Speak in images. The cliché that “a picture is worth a thousand words” isn’t always true. But words that help people visualize concepts can be tremendous aids in communicating a message.

But talking, or sending messages, is only half the process. To be a truly accomplished communicator, you must also know how to listen, or receive messages.

If you’re approaching a railroad crossing around a blind curve, you can send a message with your car horn. But that’s not the most important part of your communication task. The communication that counts takes place when you stop, look and listen—a useful admonition for conversation, too.

So, when it’s your turn to listen…

1. Do it with thought and care. Listening, like speaking and writing, requires genuine interest and attention. If you don’t concentrate on listening, you won’t learn much, and you won’t remember much of what you do learn. Most of us retain only 25 percent of what we hear—so if you can increase your retention and your comprehension, you can increase your effectiveness.

A sign on the wall of Lyndon Johnson’s Senate office put it in a down-to-earth way: “When you’re talking, you ain’t learning.”

2. Use your eyes. If you listen only with your ears, you’re missing out on much of the message. Good listeners keep their eyes open while listening. Look for feelings. The face is an eloquent communication medium—learn to read its messages. While the speaker is delivering a verbal message, the face can be saying, “I’m serious,” “Just kidding,” “It pains me to be telling you this,” or “This gives me great pleasure.”

3. Observe these non-verbal signals when listening to people:

• Rubbing one eye. When you hear “I guess you’re right,” and the speaker is rubbing one eye, guess again. Rubbing one eye often is a signal that the speaker is having trouble inwardly accepting something.

• Tapping feet. When a statement is accompanied by foot-tapping, it usually indicates a lack of confidence in what is being said.

• Rubbing fingers. When you see the thumb and forefinger rubbing together, it often means that the speaker is holding something back.

• Staring and blinking. When you see the other person staring at the ceiling and blinking rapidly, the topic at hand is under consideration.

• Crooked smiles. Most genuine smiles are symmetrical. And most facial expressions are fleeting. If a smile is noticeably crooked, you’re probably looking at a fake one.

• Eyes that avoid contact. Poor eye contact can be a sign of low self-esteem, but it can also indicate that the speaker is not being truthful.

It would be unwise to make a decision based solely on these visible signals. But they can give you valuable tips on the kind of questions to ask and the kind of answers to be alert for.

4. Make things easy. People who are poor listeners will find few who are willing to come to them with useful information. Good listeners make it easy on those to whom they want to listen. They make it clear that they’re interested in what the other person has to say.

http://www.success.com/article/how-to-speak-well-and-listen-better

Yes, You Can Be Happy While Pushing Yourself to Success

Most of us, at some point or another, think that we will be happy once we achieve a particular goal.

I'll be happy after I...

• graduate from college
• make a million dollars
• get married
• lose 40 pounds
• get a job

...and so on.

To be clear, I have been guilty of this as well. There have been plenty of times that I have assumed that satisfaction and success would come after I won a championship or after I built a successful business or after XYZ goal.

Society tells us that this is a good thing. We hear about athletes that are never satisfied until they have reached the top. We hear about entrepreneurs who worked like crazy to build a business that changed the world. The basic idea is that to be driven, you also have to be dissatisfied. Dissatisfied with second place. Dissatisfied with average.

Then you have the other side of the equation: people who are happy with life as it is. They say that you need to develop the skill of "not wanting more." That you can be happy where you are right now. That you are already perfect.

The Problem

Here's the problem: I want both. Maybe you do too.

I like being happy. It's fun. I don't want to delay happiness until I reach some milestone. But I also like getting better. I don't want to settle for less than I can do in life. I'd like to be happy along the way and achieve my goals.

For a long time, it bothered me that being happy (being satisfied) and being driven (being dissatisfied) seemed to be at odds with one another.

I still don't have a lot of this figured out, but the more I study people who have had a great deal of success, the more I think that it's possible to be happy and driven.

Here's how...

Driven and Happy

Let's start with being driven. If you want to maximize your potential, then you will need to continue to work to become better both before and after you achieve a given goal.

Why would someone do that?

For example, if your goal was to make a million dollars and you made it, why would you keep working hard after that?

The answer is a little more complicated than you might think.

The Law of Diminishing Returns

In economics, there is a fundamental principle known as the Law of Diminishing Returns.

Here's the short definition: as you get more of something, it becomes less valuable. This isn't just economic theory, a similar trend happens in real life.

If you have zero money and you make $10,000, then it's going to be a big deal. But if you have already earned $1 million, then making another $10,000 doesn't seem as significant. Making each dollar means a lot in the beginning, but less over time.

If you have never won a championship, then that first one is going to be incredible. But if you already have five championship rings, then adding a sixth isn't going to be as sweet as getting the first. Standing at the top means a lot in the beginning, but less over time.

If you are starting a company, then getting your first customer is an incredible rush. But if you already have 100 paying clients, then adding one more doesn't provide the same thrill. Landing each client means a lot in the beginning, but less over time.

In other words, the goals and results that seem so valuable to you in the beginning actually become less valuable as you achieve more of them.

How to Stay Driven

So, if the results mean less as you achieve more of them, how do you stay driven?

By loving the practice of what you do. It's only the people who embrace their work as a craft and fall in love with the boredom of doing it day in and day out that stay driven over the long-term.

Here are some examples...

Richard Branson is already a billionaire. He has already built hundreds of companies. He's not still doing it because of the money. The money stopped meaning a lot to him a long time ago. He's doing it because he loves the practice of doing it.

Nick Saban has already won four national championships (1 with LSU and 3 with Alabama). He makes over $5 million dollars per year. He's not coaching football for the money anymore. He's not coaching to "make it to the top." He's coaching because he loves the process (and he talks about process all the time).

Jack LaLanne was setting fitness records for 40+ years. He wasn't working out to lose a few pounds. He exercised every day because he loved it.

Summary: the only way to stay driven before and after achieving goals is to love the practice of what you do.

How to Be Happy

Guess what? This answer is now easy. If you love the practice of what you do, if you love the daily work, then you can be happy before and after you achieve your goals.

When you learn to love the process of what you are doing and not focus so much on the goal, you automatically find happiness while staying driven.

If you learn to love the practice of working out, then you'll be happy right now and you'll see results later. If you learn to love the practice of marketing your business, then you'll be happy right now and you'll see results later. If you learn to love the practice of supporting your friends and family, then you'll be happy now and see the results later.

Happy and driven. Just one more reason why the system is better than the goal.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230968

Transform Your Vision Into Action With These 3 Steps

What's the coolest thing you've always wanted to try but haven't done?

Have you always wanted to live in Florence? Try an open-mic night? Take a class on ornamental horticulture? Climb Mt. Everest? Take a six-month sabbatical?

Here’s a question: Why haven't you?

If you deeply desire to turn that long-held dream into a reality, these three steps will help you transform your vision into action:

1. See it clearly. It starts with two simple words: goal clarity. If the end result appears fuzzy to you in any way, then you will struggle to accomplish it. Most people simply do not spend enough time defining what "success" really looks like.

There are two ways to mentally make a plan for climbing the metaphorical mountain:

Option 1: Stand at the bottom and look up. Scary, is it not? The mountain looms ominously with the summit densely shrouded in fog. You can hardly see past the very first step.

Option 2: Stand at the top of the mountain, look back down, and ask the question, “What steps did I take to get here?”

Looking back down the mountain from the summit gives you the goal clarity you need.

For example, I started playing ice hockey recently and my goal is to join a local league team this fall. There's one problem: I can barely skate. So I signed up for lessons and I practice routinely. I find it a difficult and challenging endeavor, but the vision remains crystal clear. 

I see myself putting on the jersey of my future team. I picture myself celebrating after a goal or, even better, following a hard-fought win. I see it before it happens and I find my motivation within that clear vision.

2. Believe it passionately. You must also fervently believe in your endeavor. Passionate beliefs give you a sense of purpose, dedication, direction and endurance.

I play hockey, but I don’t play ragtime piano. Don’t get me wrong. I loveragtime, with its jaunty tunes and the physical dexterity required. 

But I’ve also counted the cost and, at the end of the day, I simply do not feel passionate enough to justify the countless hours it would take to accomplish such a feat.

Count the cost and plan your priorities based on your personal values and passions. But don't settle for pursuing any less than that which you know you are capable of.

As Nelson Mandela said, "There is no passion to be found playing small -- in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."

3. Pursue it aggressively. Vision paints the picture. Passion fuels the fire. But action alone gives life to our goals.

I felt embarrassed in my skills that first night of hockey class, but I fervently decided right from the start to simply outwork everyone else (even those who were 30 years my junior!). I immediately hired a private coach. I ingeniously installed a makeshift surface on my garage floor. I routinely answer the 4:30 a.m. alarm clock to make the 5:15 a.m. practice even when I'm dead-ass tired. And I'm having a ball!

Here’s the good news: When the vision is clear and when the belief is passionate, then the action becomes a joy -- not a chore.

What is it for you, my friend? What vision awaits a bold and decisive move? What life adventures await you?

Answer those questions, and you will change the world.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234928

The Crucial Question You Must Ask Yourself Regularly

               
There are a lot of different questions you should be asking yourself on a daily basis. Asking what the weather’s going to be like helps make sure you wear the right clothing. Asking what’s on your daily schedule keeps you from missing important events.

These kinds of questions are important, but it’s easy to get so bogged down in daily details that you forget to ask yourself about the bigger picture. You forget to look around and really take stock of where you’re at in your life and whether or not that matches up with your expectations.

So, from time to time -- maybe, say, once a month -- ask yourself the following question:

Are you happy with your life and your job, or do you want more?

When you wake up in the morning, are you filled with joy or with dread? Do you get out of bed excited about everything you have planned for the day, or do you get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you look at everything on your calendar?

If your answer to this question is “No,” don’t feel bad. I’m guessing that 99 percent of the people reading this article would say “No” to that question - and the other 1 percent don’t need my advice anyway!

But what’s really fascinating is that, of those 99 percent of readers, probably 98 percent of them are going to forget they even asked themselves the question and go back to the life they hate. They’re going to go to the job they hate, in a city they hate, with coworkers they hate. And they’re going to do that again and again, because they’re either too afraid to change or because they don’t know how to do anything else.

But that other 1 percent of people reading this article? They’re different. They want more out of life, and they aren’t going to let anyone stand in their way or stop them. All they need is a little education or a push in the right direction.

So, what should you do if you fall into this group? The answer is, start building the life of your dreams. If you have the sneaking suspicion that there’s more out there in the world for you, take the following steps to start building a life you can be truly happy about.

Step 1: Brainstorm your ideal life.

My dream lifestyle involves luxury mansions, exotic travel and sports cars. What can I say? I’ve got good taste, and I’m not afraid to do whatever it takes to create that lifestyle for me and my family.

Your dream might involve luxury experiences like mine, or it might be completely different. Heck, your “dream” might just be to pay off your debt so that you can invest your paycheck each month instead of sending it off to line other people’s pockets.

Now, before you start getting too bogged down in the details of what it’ll take to make your dream life a reality, I want you to take some time to really visualize what you want. Ask yourself:

• What city, state or country would I live in?
• What kind of house do I live in?
• What do I do for work?
• What does my daily schedule look like?
• What do I do for fun?

Make your dreams as real as possible. You’ll need this crystal clear vision to find the motivation needed to turn them into your reality.

Step 2: Define your dreams.

Now, it’s time to get specific. The scale of your dreams determines what it’ll take to achieve them. My lifestyle is pretty pricey, but your dreams might require much less to make them a reality.

Don’t believe me? Suppose your dream is to own a luxury sports car like the Porsche 911. At a cost of just over $101,349, your monthly payment on the loan is going to be about $1,215.

Sure, if you’re living paycheck to paycheck, that might sound a lot, but there are tons of ways you can make an extra $1,200 a month. Giving even one of them a try puts true automotive luxury within your reach, no matter where you are in your life right now.

Step 3: Build a game plan.

At this point, you should know what you want out of your life, as well as what it’ll take to achieve your dreams. Your final step is to build a game plan to make it happen.

Start by identifying the gap between what your dreams require and what resources you currently have access to. If the gap is small, you might be able to fund your dreams by cutting back on some expenses or asking for a raise at work.

If it’s large, a more dramatic change may be in order. Can you take up a profitable side hobby, like freelancing or trading penny stocks? Can you go after more education to qualify for a better-paid job?

Just don’t tell me it’s impossible - that the gap between your dreams and your reality is too large to overcome. Anything is possible, and the people who don’t give up on the idea of living the lives of their dreams are the people who ultimately come out successful in the end.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/247482

7 Do’s and Don’ts for Entrepreneurial Success

Quick but valuable advice from Darren Hardy’s 'The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster'



                           

1. DON’T want what you don’t want. It’s easy to fall under the spell of someone else’s dream or be seduced by the scorekeeping of other people’s goals. Don’t. Follow your own path—not the Joneses’. Don’t let fear, envy or social pressure cloud your vision.

2. DON’T miss the point. Bigger is only better if it makes the smile on your face wider and brighter, and fills the journey with joy. Live today as you want to be remembered in the end.

3. DO the right thing. When faced with the choices that are the hardest to make—when your dreams, ambition and drive are begging you to do one thing while your conscience is telling you to do another—remember that the only way you’ll have an enduring smile is if you uphold your values.

4. DO trust your gut. Don’t wait until you’re 80 and filled with regret. Be the person you “could have been” now.

5. DO keep your resolve. Many entrepreneurs fail not because of their idea, their skill or the market, but because they give up when the summit is within reach.

6. DON’T forget why. Business will change you. Don’t forget who you are right now. Don’t forget who you were the day you decided to ride the entrepreneur roller coaster.

7. DO seek your greatness. You have been given incredible gifts. You are capable of awe-inspiring achievement and significant contribution to the people and world around you. You have a responsibility to use the potential you’ve been given, to apply it and grow it. 

http://www.success.com/article/7-dos-and-donts-for-entrepreneurial-success

It Only Takes 5 Minutes a Day to Keep Your Brain Healthy

Starting in your 20s, your brain starts to wither—but you can change that. Here’s how to breathe your way to a healthier brain.

With so much to do in so little time, it’s hard, seeming next to impossible sometimes, to squeeze in some TLC. But, especially for the on-the-go types, creating Zen space is not only good for de-stressing, it’s also good for maintaining good brain health.

A recent study shows that starting from the mid- to late 20s, the brain begins to wither and starts losing some of its functionality. “The brain starts to get smaller from the mid-20s onward,” says Dr. Florian Kurth of UCLA’s Department of Neurology. “It’s probably not something that we notice for a long time. People start to notice this later in life when they start to forget things.”

His team, headed by Dr. Eileen Luders, ran a test between 50 meditators against a control group of 50 non-meditators. The meditators beat out the non-meditators in keeping their brain mass, whereas the non-meditators showed less brain mass in the scanned images.

Harvard Medical School neuroscientist Dr. Sara Lazur and her team also did a longitudinal study on meditation. It showed that meditation changes the brain after eight weeks. A scan image showed increased thickening of four brain regions in the non-meditators after just eight weeks of participating in the meditation program.

A healthier brain is good reason to start a meditation practice if you haven’t begun already. So what first steps can you take?

1. Find a meditation style and make it a habit.

“Meditation has been associated with improved cognitive abilities and reduced stress levels,” Kurth says. “While we may not immediately notice the long-term protective effects of meditation on normal brain atrophy, one may still get these quicker benefits from meditating.”

He suggests finding a style that works for you (whether that be something like Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction [MBSR] or yoga) and keep up the practice rather than find a perfect style and not keep it up. Lazur mentions doing even a little every day is a good thing, and some studies suggest 5-10 minutes a day.

2. Schedule time for it.

As busy as we are, who has time to meditate? Think of it like brushing your teeth—you take five minutes to brush every day so your teeth won’t decay. In the same way, think of it as a way to preserve your brain’s health. You can spare a few minutes either at your desk, in your car, on quick walk outside or sitting on a park bench. Think of spaces in your schedule where you can take a few minutes off.

3. Start with these simple exercises.

Certified Yoga and Meditation Instructor Alexis Pierce of Lotus Life Yoga Center in upstate New York suggests breath awareness helps focus the mind and concentration over time. “It's incredibly effective to gently bring the mind back to the breath and the body. It connects you to this moment, which allows you to release the stress and anxiety of the past and future. You may discover calmness, feelings of lightness and elation, and a quieter mind.”

Ready to get started? These calm meditative techniques can be done in five minutes or less:

• V-Shaped Breath Exercise

Close your eyes. Focus on the point between your eyes and imagine air coming in and out in the shape of a wide “V.” Bring it above the forehead, and as you’re inhaling the breath in, have it come wide across the forehead as a “V.” Then exhale it down across the forehead to that point between the eyes.

By starting and ending at this point between the eyes you’re activating the command center calming along the frontal lobe, which is responsible for decision-making. You’re getting oxygen to that area and helping it feel calmer by focusing on the point between the eyes.

• 3-Part Breath

Close your eyes. Start inhaling deep in the belly, air rising to the chest then upper chest near your upper collar bone. Hold briefly, then exhale three counts out the upper chest, chest and belly.

Feel the air moving into the belly, chest and upper chest as you’re breathing in and out through the nose. Relax and feel all the movements. Do this for a few minutes, feeling the breath pass throughout the body, similar to an ocean wave moving then receding as the body softens. (Watch how to do it.)

http://www.success.com/article/it-only-takes-5-minutes-a-day-to-keep-your-brain-healthy

Avoiding Comparisons and the Conquest of Happiness

Comparisons can deny us the full pleasures of life

If you want to enjoy to the fullest all the many goods things in life, avoid making comparisons. Comparisons can lead you to devalue, needlessly, what you have.

Bertrand Russell captured this process well in his engaging and useful book, The Conquest of Happiness

(link is external)

The person thinking in comparative terms says, 

"Yes....this is a sunny day, and it is springtime, and the birds are singing, and the flowers are in bloom, but I understand that the springtime in Sicily is a thousand times more beautiful, that the birds sing more exquisitely in the groves of Helicon, and that the rose of Sharon is more lovely than any in my garden.' And as he thinks these thoughts the sun is dimmed, and the birds' song becomes a meaningless twitter, and the flowers seem not worth a moment's regard. (p. 88)"  

Russell viewed this is a "fatal" habit, both "pointless and foolish," ruinous in its effects on a person's capacity to enjoy life. 

Contemporary findings in psychology, especially the work on the powerful effects of gratitude

(link is external)

on happiness, support Russell's observations. Grateful people are usually happy people. Envious people are often unhappy. 

And so, avoid comparisons. You will probably discover that many things in life create pleasure rather than disappointment -- from the delights found in your backyard, the vintage of wine in your wine glass, to the features you see in the person with whom you are most intimate.

When you look back at the road sign marking the path you have travelled, it might just read: HAPPINESS. 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/joy-and-pain/201502/avoiding-comparisons-and-the-conquest-happiness

Micro Actions Can Lead to Macro Changes: Make Your Bed

To change your life in a big way, find some small wins.

                 
                  

Who among us has not vowed with absolute sincerity and conviction to change a bad habit—only to fail miserably? I don't want to underestimate the challenges of self-change, but here’s an idea: Start making your bed. 

Successful major changes often result from taking small, repeated actions first. 

Sometimes we set our goals too high: We want to lose weight, and so we vow to cut out all desserts, completely. We want to get into shape, and so we plan on getting up at the crack of dawn every day to go running. Maybe we are so disgusted with some aspect of ourselves that we think this intense feeling will sustain such plans. But for a multitude of reasons, we still fail. Our commitment vanishes as if our emotionally-charged vows were mere puffs of hot air. With each successive failure, whatever resolve we thought we had seems more hollow. Soon, even our disgust with ourselves is disgusting.

Small, consistent actions are more reliable. We have the ability and resources to complete and continue small actions. Any form of success, even if trifling and incremental, is important at first. Momentum builds on any success; nothing succeeds like success, and it feels great, too. Disgust and its memory soon dissipate, as these positive changes spill over into other domains needing and waiting for growth.

Starting small has a long history in different arenas; William James discussed it in his writing on habit

(link is external)

For an innovative contemporary take, I recommend Charles Duhigg'sThe Power of Habit. He cites evidence suggesting that the simple action of making one’s bed, when performed consistently, starts “a process that, over time, transforms everything” (Duhigg, 2012, p. 100). He calls such actions “keystone” actions.

A recent study by social psychologist Sung Hee Kim supports this idea. Kim advises undergraduate psychology majors at the University of Kentucky and has a keen interest in finding ways to help students follow good advice. To that end, she surveyed the various “micro” actions—those requiring little time, effort, or resources—that students engaged in which resulted in positive “macro” life changes.

Often, students recalled small actions, performed consistently, that they believed produced lasting, broader changes. The kind of micro actions ranged from getting up a bit earlier (10–20 minutes) in the morning and briefly reviewing course material, to writing down plans and assignments in a planner. Positive changes associated with getting up earlier, for example, included finding time to eat breakfast, reducing stress because of full class attendance, better grades, and enhanced self confidence.

On average, students reported that it took 21 days to notice such changes. Most students also reported that they had continued the action for an average of 9 months and believed the action was highly likely to continue. Although this study relied on self-reports, it provides thought-provoking material. These students’ small actions, requiring so little time and effort, seemed to foster good habits quickly and substantial self changes long-term.

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/joy-and-pain/201506/micro-actions-can-lead-macro-changes-make-your-bed

The Best Time to Plant a Tree Was 20 Years Ago, No Matter

Take the advice contained in an old Chinese proverb and start planting today.



It's easy to believe that life has passed you by. Your past can seem littered with bad choices and squandered opportunities. Now it feels like the end game, the downward stretch toward an utterly failed life. With your face pressed up against the glass, you see a parade of happy people doing happy things. 

I like the inspiring wisdom found in this old Chinese proverb:

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

Let's take a more specific example. Imagine that you have just recently discovered the joys of reading great fiction. But you're over 40, even 50 (any age, in fact), and there are so many books. At a recent gathering of highly cultured folks, your ignorance seemed palpable. What's the point in even trying to catch up? You find yourself wallowing in self-pity and envy.

Well, start reading. Forget about all the books you haven't read and enjoy the one you have before you. 

Think about it this way. A college degree takes four years, but, if you major in English, maybe less than half your courses will actually be English courses. Plus, many of the books you read will have been assigned to you, and, many, you may not actually get around to reading anyway—college life being what it is. I'm figuring that you could acquire the equivalent of an English major's reading in fairly short order—and you will have total control of the selections! My figuring may be way off, but this is not the point, is it?

I repeat: 

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

There is huge amount of wisdom in these lines. I am sure most people have heard variants of this advice from other sources. Remember, in the Lion King, when Simba is moping about the past, and Rafiki hits him over the head with his stick?

Simba says: Ow! Jeez, what was that for? 

Rafiki replys: It doesn't matter. It's in the past. 

Simba says: Yeah, but it still hurts. 

Rafiki continues: Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it. 

Let's return to the reading of fiction. These days we have the option of listening to great novels using electronic devices. What a fantastic option, especially for those of us who have lengthy commutes or who like to walk or run. But is this reading? The writer, Pat Conroy, who has written a book on his experience as a reader, resisted audio books until it struck him that fiction writing emerged from oral traditions anyway. I agree. I find that a great novel told by a great narrator is hard to beat. Now, I look forward to my commute.

Listen, start reading.

One more time: 

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 year ago. The second best time is now."

www.psychologytoday.com/blog/joy-and-pain/201504/the-best-time-plant-tree-was-20-years-ago-no-matter

Yes, You Can Manifest Money By Following Your Passion. Here's How

Make money and not loathe your job? That's dreamin' big, am I right? When I was younger, I thought people who went to work and actually enjoyed it were harboring some kind of secret. How was it possible to love what you do and making a living from it? I truly believed only the athletes, the movie stars, and the very lucky were able to accomplish such a feat.

After years of soul-searching, failing, struggling, and — finally — accomplishing, I now am one of those “lucky” people who turned a passion into a career path.

What’s the secret? How can you crack the code or reveal the hidden formula for making money doing what you love?

The truth is that it won’t happen overnight, but it also doesn’t require a handbook. Here are four simple ways to start moving toward your own passion-based business and manifest the life you’ve always dreamed of:

1. Make “free” your motto.

If you’re just starting out, accept the fact that you’ll have to provide free “samples” of your services or products in order to attract attention to your business. For example, before I became a paid copywriter, I spent a long time writing free and low-cost content for various websites to build my portfolio.

Make every effort to give people a taste of what you have to offer so they are enticed to ask for more. The law of reciprocity will ensure you get back what you deserve, as many of your “free” customers will likely turn into paying clients.

2. Network — at least a little.

Truth be told, I’m not a huge fan of in-person networking events. (Who is, really?) More often than not, they feel forced and stressful.

But putting yourself out there and showcasing your talent to the right people is the only way your dream customers will find you. Whether your business is home-made crafts or health coaching, utilize sites like MeetUp.com to connect with people who share your interests or goals.

And remember that, in the beginning, marketing and growing your business will be entirely on your shoulders. Don’t be shy, because word of mouth is one of the most powerful ways to start gaining traction.

3. Build an online presence.

If you want to turn your passion into a career path, you’ll ultimately need a website and social media presence to grow your brand. This is where a lot of people cringe, but you don’t have to be fake, stuffy, pushy, or “salesy” to accomplish this.

Some type of online presence is necessary, since the Internet is often the first place people go to find the types of services or products you may be offering. Showcase some type of online identity where people can easily find you and retrieve information about your brand.

4. Invest in yourself.

One of the biggest things that will hold you back from making money from your passion is an unwillingness to invest in the process. While there are many free resources available for aspiring entrepreneurs, hiring help is often necessary in the beginning. So whether you need a business coach, or someone to design your website, spend the money and don’t think twice about it.

It’s absolutely true that you have to spend money to make money, so use the talents you have to grow your business and let others help you in the areas you aren’t so strong.

Lastly, don’t expect instant success. People who make wild claims about making large sums of money because they followed “System XYZ” or “Formula 1-2-3” are likely withholding critical information from the story (like the fact that they struggled for years to make ends meet before they struck it rich).

Don’t ditch your dream, but understand that like all things worth waiting for, manifesting money will take some time. Be patient and, above all, trust yourself.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-20437/yes-you-can-manifest-money-by-following-your-passion-heres-how.html