REPLACE DECISION WITH CURIOSITY

Instead of making definite decisions about a career path, I believe you should get curious. Get curious about the way the world works. Notice your own interests and find small ways you can exercise passion in something. Even if you can’t find a way to make money off of it yet.

The bridge from passion to money-maker can’t be made hastily. Interests often get discarded because they cannot be immediately relayed into a source of income. And therefore aren’t as important as work that does.

Blogging is a great example. I know many bloggers who want to go pro. They want to take the interest they have and turn it into a passionate source of income. But blogging isn’t easy. Even the most rapid successes I’ve seen, took over a year before the author could claim blogging as more than a hobby. And those were due to writing talent, luck and an incredible amount of work.

Patience is a necessary ingredient in evolving a passion. But even more, you need to be open to other possibilities.

Interest to Income Isn’t a Straight Path

80% of new businesses fail in the first five years. But more interesting, is that of the 20% that succeeded, most didn’t do so in the way they had expected to.

Before setting up his immensely popular website by Steve Pavlina believed he would make most his revenue through products and workshops. But close to five years later, he makes all of it from advertising and affiliate sales. A revenue prospect he downplayed when making his business plan.

Similarly, I don’t believe that most people’s passions follow a straight path. Scott Adams began with a degree in economics and a position in a bank and now he is the successful cartoonist who created Dilbert.

Seven Steps to Evolving a Passion… and Making it Work

Step One – Gather Sparks of Curiosity

Don’t have an inferno of passion driving your actions yet? Don’t worry about it. Most people I know don’t. And if you are under thirty, you are probably in the overwhelming majority.

The first steps is to simply invest your energy into whims. Those little sparks of interest where you don’t know enough to make them a passion. Ben Casnocha calls this seeking randomness. For me, it has been a process of finding my intuition and using it to make small investments in things that are potentially interesting.

This means reading different books, taking on different activities and meeting different people. Broad associations gives a lot of chances to stumble on a passion that can work.

Step Two: Fan the Flames of Interest

After exposing yourself to a lot of randomness, you need to cultivate the successes. Build upon the little sparks of interest that come by your life. If you read a book about physics and like the subject, try taking a physics class. If you enjoy some basic programming try a small software project.

Step Three: Cut Out Distractions

Cultivating whims and exploring new passions requires time. One of the reasons I’ve placed such an emphasis on productivity with myself, is that without it I couldn’t explore these options.

If your interests are genuine and worth exploring, it shouldn’t be too difficult to eliminate the non-essentials. Distractions such as television, excess internet usage and video games only take a bit of conditioning to free up. The hard part is reallocating time you don’t believe is yours.

Step Four: Living Minimally

If you already have a job you aren’t passionate about, work only as much as you need to keep going. Valid passions need time to grow into income generating skills.

I don’t suggest becoming a starving artist and racking up huge debts. But avoid expanding your life to fit a bigger and bigger paycheck if you aren’t living your passion. Otherwise you simply trap yourself into a life that is comfortable, but otherwise dead.

Leo Babauta, author ZenHabits is a great example of this. With six kids, freelancing work and another job to help support his family he found ways to cut expenses and focus on his passion. His website has quickly grown to become incredibly popular, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a stable source of income for him in a few years. Live minimally, and avoid getting trapped into a comfortable, but unsatisfying, life.

Step Five: Make a Passion that Creates Value

If you have a skill that creates social value, you can make money through almost any medium. Monetizing a passion takes skill, as any entrepreneur can tell you, but without providing legitimate value it is impossible.

You need to transform your developing passions into a skill that can fill human needs. Some passions are easy to translate. An interest in computers could allow you to become a software designer. Others are more difficult. A passion for poetry, may be more difficult to meet a specific human need.

Step Six: Find a Way to Monetize That Value

Once you have the ability to create social value, you need to turn that into a repeatable process for gaining income. This could be in the form of a job. As a programmer you could get hired by Google. Or, it could lead to becoming a freelancer or an entrepreneur.

Monetizing value isn’t easy. It requires that you learn how to market, sell yourself, and find ways to connect human needs. Whether you intend to work in a job or own a business makes no difference. You are the CEO of your life, so you need to know how to connect your passions with serving other people.

Step Seven: Go Back to Step One

Describing this process in steps is misleading. It implies that there is a destination. There is no destination. The process of following whims, cultivating passions, turning them into valuable skills and then finally earning revenue from them is lifelong. I have some passions that are in steps one and two. This blog is in the midst of step six. In ten years I may have gone through them all with a completely different passion.

Not all your passions will or can finish the sixth step. But as persistent as the myth you need to decide what you want to do with your life, is the myth you can only have one passion. I’m at a point where cultivating passions has meant I have too many options. Too many possible paths that could lead to enjoyable and fulfilling careers. Don’t obsess over one failed attempt.

What do you want to do with your life?

Your life doesn’t need to go through a predictable story arc. It doesn’t have to start with a dream, follow through hard work and end up in a nice home with four bedrooms. Instead it can twist and travel. You don’t have to know the final answer, you just need to act on the next step.

By: Scott H. Young

MOTIVATION AND HOW IT CAN BE STRENGTHEN

Motivation is the inner power which pushes you to take action so as to achieve you Motivation is the inner power which pushes you to take action so as to achieve you given goals. It is fueled by desire and ambition

Sometimes, you might have the desire to get something done, or to achieve a certain goal, but if the desire and ambition are not strong enough, you lack the push, the initiative, and the willingness to take the necessary action. in these cases, you lack of motivation and inner drive.

When there is motivation, there is initiative and direction, courage, energy, and the persistence to follow your goals.

A motivated person takes action and does whatever it needs to achieve his or her goals. Motivation becomes strong, when you have a vision, a clear mental image of what you want to achieve, and also a strong desire to manifest it. In such a situation, motivation awakens inner strength and power, and pushes you forward, toward making your vision a reality.

Motivation can be applied to every action and goal. There can be motivation to study a foreign language, to get good grades at school, bake a cake, write a poem, take a walk every day, make more money, get a better job, buy a new house, own a business, or become a writer, a doctor or a lawyer.

Motivation is present, whenever there is a clear vision, precise knowledge of what you want to do, a strong desire, and faith in your abilities.

Motivation is one of the most important keys to success. When there is lack of motivation, you either get no results, or only mediocre ones, whereas, when there is motivation, you attain greater and better results and achievements.

Compare a student who lacks motivation and who hardly studies, to a student who is highly motivated, and who devotes many hours to his studies. Each student will get absolutely different grades.

Lack of motivation means lack of enthusiasm, zest and ambition, whereas the possession of motivation is a sign of strong desire, energy and enthusiasm, and the willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve what one sets out to do.

A motivated person is a happier person, more energetic, and sees the positive end result in his or her mind.

What can you do to strengthen your motivation?

1.        Set a goal. If you have a major goal, it would be a good idea if you split it into several minor goals, each small goal leading to your major goal.

By dividing your goal into several, smaller goals, you will find it easier to motivate yourself, since you will not feel overwhelmed by the size of your goal and the things you have to do. This will also help you feel that the goal is more feasible, and easier to accomplish.

2.        Understand that finishing what you start is important. Hammer into your mind that whatever you start you have to finish. Develop the habit of going to the finish line.

3.        Socialize with achievers and people with similar interests or goals, since motivation and positive attitude are contagious. Associate with motivated people, who share your interests.

4.        Never procrastinate anything. Procrastination leads to laziness, and laziness leads to lack of motivation.

5.        Persistence, patience and not giving up, despite failure and difficulties, keep the flame of motivation burning.

6.        Read about the subjects of your interest. This will keep your enthusiasm and ambition alive.

7.        Constantly, affirm to yourself that you can, and will succeed.

8.        Look at photos of things you want to get, achieve or do. This will strengthen your desire and make your subconscious mind work with you

9.        Visualize your goals as achieved, adding a feeling of happiness and joy.

THE THIRD EYE

There is an eye which is far beyond the two ordinary physical eyes. An eye with the potentials to see the future, I call it the THIRD EYE. The third eye focus on the future, it is an eye of sensitivity, an eye with great powers to see far what the physical eye cannot see.

The physical eye is used to see the present unlike the third eye which is use to project into the future. The Third Eye is one unique weapon given to few unique beings by the Lord God of nature. It has its component like the physical eye which is listed below:

VISION (Having a clear goal) is one component of the Third Eye with a synonymous function of the Cornea - a component of the physical eye. Vision enables you to have a balance and proper plan, helping the Third Eye to gain balance and protection.

FOCUS is another component of the Third Eye which serves the function of the Sclera (the white part of the human eye). It gives structure and safety and ensures that the Third Eye is free from distraction.

IMAGINATION serves the role and function of the Pupil and Iris which gives light to the eye and allows the eye to project further. Imagination adds beauty and colour to Third Eye, giving it inspiration to see ahead.

WISDOM is the component of the third eye which plays the function of the Retina (lens), with ability to capture object. Wisdom allows future images and pictures to be captured and seen on a close range

ATTENTION is like the nerve or tissue of the human eye called the Conjunctiva. It helps the third eye to receive messages coming from other components of the Third Eye.

The Third Eye is not common to everyone but very powerful than the Two Physical Eye as your action and success depends on it.

If inspired by this, like and invite your friends to like this page for further subjects

Shallom!

By: Eze Peace

Top of Form

SOLUTION TO LACK OF MOTIVATION

There is no simple solution for a lack of motivation. Even after beating it, the problem reappears at the first sign of failure. The key is understanding your thoughts and how they drive your emotions. By learning how to nurture motivating thoughts, neutralize negative ones, and focus on the task at hand, you can pull yourself out of a slump before it gains momentum.

Reasons We Lose Motivation

There are 3 primary reasons we lose motivation.

1.        Lack of confidence – If you don’t believe you can succeed, what’s the point in trying?

2.        Lack of focus – If you don’t know what you want, do you really want anything?

3.        Lack of direction – If you don’t know what to do, how can you be motivated to do it?

How to Boost Confidence

The first motivation killer is a lack of confidence. When this happens to me, it’s usually because I’m focusing entirely on what I want and neglecting what I already have. When you only think about what you want, your mind creates explanations for why you aren’t getting it. This creates negative thoughts. Past failures, bad breaks, and personal weaknesses dominate your mind. You become jealous of your competitors and start making excuses for why you can’t succeed. In this state, you tend to make a bad impression, assume the worst about others, and lose self confidence.

The way to get out of this thought pattern is to focus on gratitude. Set aside time to focus on everything positive in your life. Make a mental list of your strengths, past successes, and current advantages. We tend to take our strengths for granted and dwell on our failures. By making an effort to feel grateful, you’ll realize how competent and successful you already are. This will rejuvenate your confidence and get you motivated to build on your current success.

It might sound strange that repeating things you already know can improve your mindset, but it’s amazingly effective. The mind distorts reality to confirm what it wants to believe. The more negatively you think, the more examples your mind will discover to confirm that belief. When you truly believe that you deserve success, your mind will generate ways to achieve it. The best way to bring success to yourself is to genuinely desire to create value for the rest of the world.

Developing Tangible Focus

The second motivation killer is a lack of focus. How often do you focus on what you don’t want, rather than on a concrete goal? We normally think in terms of fear. I’m afraid of being poor. I’m afraid no one will respect me. I’m afraid of being alone. The problem with this type of thinking is that fear alone isn’t actionable. Instead of doing something about our fear, it feeds on itself and drains our motivation.

If you’re caught up in fear based thinking, the first step is focusing that energy on a well defined goal. By defining a goal, you automatically define a set of actions. If you have a fear of poverty, create a plan to increase your income. It could be going back to school, obtaining a higher paying job, or developing a profitable website. The key is moving from an intangible desire to concrete, measurable steps.

By focusing your mind on a positive goal instead of an ambiguous fear, you put your brain to work. It instantly begins devising a plan for success. Instead of worrying about the future you start to do something about it. This is the first step in motivating yourself to take action. When know what you want, you become motivated to take action.

Developing Direction

The final piece in the motivational puzzle is direction. If focus means having an ultimate goal, direction is having a day-to-day strategy to achieve it. A lack of direction kills motivation because without an obvious next action we succumb to procrastination. An example of this is a person who wants to have a popular blog, but who spends more time reading posts about blogging than actually writing articles.

The key to finding direction is identifying the activities that lead to success. For every goal, there are activities that pay off and those that don’t. Make a list of all your activities and arrange them based on results. Then make a make an action plan that focuses on the activities that lead to big returns.

Keeping track of your most important tasks will direct your energy towards success. When my motivation starts to wane, I regain direction by creating a plan that contains two positive actions. The first one should be a small task you’ve been meaning to do, while the second should be a long-term goal. I immediately do the smaller task. This creates positive momentum. After that I take the first step towards achieving the long-term goal. Doing this periodically is great for getting out of a slump, creating positive reinforcement, and getting long-term plans moving.

Remember, if you must fulfill your dream you must stay motivated.

THE LITTLE STILL VOICE

An unwanted Guest always knocking at the door of your heart, knocking at the wrong time when you feel the need to act the best way you want, when you feel the need to satisfy your emotion and desires. A voice so still, soft and gentle but speaks so harshly to stop you from walking out of range.

Most times you felt like not wanting to hear this voice which speaks contrary to your opinion, you wish you could be left alone by this voice even for just a moment so you can satisfy your angst and prove to your offenders you're not stupid, you wish you could prove your bravery and put the wicked in their rightful place.

There are times you had strategized in your imagination a perfect way to take revenge, a perfect plan to deal with offenders, you waited patiently for that perfect time only for that Little Voice to surface, telling you: Peace Be Still.

Sometimes you worked hard to raise some fund for a project, believing God to help with some certain amount to add to what you had; Suddenly appeared someone with an urgent and more crucial need which is half or one-third of what you've raised, and this Still Voice so unfair, asking you to sacrifice from the little with you; and then you give it out with a smile on your face but your heart is like: Why will you come to me at this time?

In anger, you thought this still voice as unfair and unpleasant to hear.

Not everyone is privilege to hear this voice, not everyone understands when it speaks except the Special's. You are Special to hear the Voice of Sacrifice urging you to let go so you don't get your honour soiled by mere fantasies. Even when you murmur to obey this voice, deep inside you is a smile of gratitude for guiding you and making you defend your virtue to mankind.

Those times you thought yourself as weak, you were actually brave. It takes bravery to pay the price of sacrifice which is most difficult; For every Sacrifice is a Crown. You are brave because you conquered the expectation of those who provoked your anger and waited to see your fierce reaction; You conquered those many thoughts flashing through your mind giving you thousand reasons why you must compromise; You conquered by suppressing your frowns with your precious Smile; You conquered the barrier and test to trample upon your honour.

Just listen, listen to that Little Still Voice... the voice of the Master... saying: Peace Be Still.

Cheers!

By: Peace Eze