The Secret in the Geode - and the Link to New Success

I got this thought hook from a recent email from the Napoleon Hill Foundation.


A CLOSED MIND STUMBLES OVER THE BLESSINGS OF LIFE WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THEM.

To the untrained eye, a geode looks pretty much like an ordinary rock.

But a trained geologist knows that inside the geode there is a beautiful crystal lining.

The story is the same for those who refuse to examine new possibilities because their minds are closed. Life’s greatest opportunities, like the geode, often come in ordinary packaging.

Do not allow yourself to become such a creature of habit that you simply go through the motions and let life happen to you. Just taking a new route to work, putting together a jigsaw puzzle, reading a newspaper instead of watching television, or visiting a museum at lunchtime will stimulate your thought processes and may help you open your mind to new possibilities.

Have a great new week!
and make it a GREAT day today!

Mt Gravatt Mountain Coffee Shop Finally Open

Jethro and I grabbed a coffee today on Mt Gravatt Mountain.

The coffee shop is FINALLY open!

Power Tower in the Sunshine @ Bulimba

I snapped this photo by the Brisbane River yesterday.

Arvo Tea @ the Baxter's Lakehouse @ Loganholme

Check this out for an afternoon tea!!!

And with a view!

My Mind is a Distillery - Paul E Grant

This is a great poem by a real hgero of mine, Paul E Grant.  I have written about him many time sin my blog.

Over to you now, Paul, for another potent poem....

MY MIND IS A DISTILLERY



My mind is a distillery
Separating all kinds of elements,
A depot also, storing deliveries
Of many kinds of rudiments


My mind becomes a clearing house
A kind of encyclopedia
In which I’m challenged to examine
Items from all kinds of media

Daily and hourly, incessantly,
Details invade its capacity,
Each of them demanding attention,
Data of wondrous diversity


God made this amazing organ,
A body-top computer,
Programmed to function for our good
It becomes a kind of tutor


It helps me to distinguish
The important from the trivial,
It also helps me segregate
The evil from the moral


It challenges me to discovery
To exploring things unknown,
To ascertaining accuracy
To accept or to disown

I’ve learned to give priority
To things of enduring worth,
For really and truly we have only
A very little time on earth

So I learn to distil the mysteries
Of God’s wonderful creation,
Best of all the provision
Of his amazing salvation

This world quickly passes away
That which is seen is temporal,
The things I really love to distil
Are the things that are eternal

Paul E. Grant
May 2009

My WEALTH Thinkmap

I have been working with the richness of the word "wealth" recently... and have developed a thinkmap... and got some help from the visual thesaurus people.

Here is it......

How to Approach Your Work Today!

The good book again provides some great wisdom about how to negotiate your work day TODAY.

And after the last season in my life I am very grateful that I have a GREAT job!

Here goes:

Don't give up your job when your boss gets angry. If you stay calm, you'll be forgiven.

Ecclesiastes 10:4 (CEV)


A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble; it's vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.
Proverbs 10:26 (MSG)


Bad work gets paid with a bad cheque; good work gets solid pay.
Proverbs 11:18 (MSG)


The diligent find freedom in their work; the lazy are oppressed by work.
Proverbs 12:24 (MSG)


Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table.
Proverbs 14:23 (MSG)


Diligent work gets a warm commendation; shiftless work earns an angry rebuke.
Proverbs 14:35 (MSG)


Put God in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place.
Proverbs 16:3 (MSG)


Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism.
Proverbs 18:9 (MSG)


Blockheads shouldn't live on easy street any more than workers should give orders to their boss.
Proverbs 19:10 (MSG)


If you care for your orchard, you'll enjoy its fruit; if you honour your boss, you'll be honoured.
Proverbs 27:18 (MSG)


Committed and persistent work pays off; get-rich-quick schemes are ripoffs.
Proverbs 28:20 (MSG)


Hard and honest work earns a good night's sleep...
Ecclesiastes 5:12 (MSG)


Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift!
Ecclesiastes 5:19 (MSG)

Character Isn't and Is .....

Character isn’t something you were born with and can’t change, like your fingerprints.
It’s something you weren’t born with and must take responsibility for forming.”


— Jim Rohn: Entrepreneur, Author and Speaker

Book Publishing Myths - Dale Beaumont

In the last view weeks I have been devouring Dale Beaumont's material getting ready to write my first book.

Here is a sample of one of his punchy motivation video clips from his YouTube site

Over to you, Dale



If the video does not pop up in auto click the link here.

Dale Beaumont is a best-selling author, international speaker and creator of the 'Secrets Exposed' series.

Dale's career began at the age of nineteen when he co-wrote his first book titled: "The World at your Feet". Since then, Dale has run self-development and life-skills programs for over 15,000 young people across four countries.

In 2005 he created the 'Secrets Exposed!' series; a selection of books that takes you up-close and personal with hundreds of Australasia's most successful people, in a range of topic areas.

To-date a total of fifteen Secrets Exposed book have been successfully released into bookstores and over 250,000 Secrets Exposed books are now in print. The series is now sold across Australia and throughout South-East Asia receiving exceptional feedback from readers everywhere.

Dale has been interviewed on Sunrise, Today Show, Mornings with Kerri-Anne, ABC Radio, Radio 2UE and well as being featured in over one hundred newspapers and magazines, including Wealth Creator, My Business, AFR Boss and Virgins In-flight magazine.

How to Set Your Kids Up For Success!

I was inspired by this quote that I found recently

"A man who gives his children HABITS of INDUSTRY provides for them BETTER than by giving them fortune."

Richard Whately

This adds to some other great biblical wisdom:

Discipline your children; you'll be glad you did— they'll turn out delightful to live with.

Proverbs 29:17 (MSG)

Our children and their children will get in on this as the word is passed along from parent to child.

Psalms 22:30 (MSG)
What are some of the valuable "habits of industry" that you have taught your children?

Can You Give GOD a Loan of Money?

Some of you saw me write this during the week on Twitter - but the thought is still sticking with me.

Can You Give GOD a Loan of Money?

Proverbs 19:17 says you can.

Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full.

Proverbs 19:17 (MSG)

Jill and I gave $32 this week to the Christian Blind Mission.  We just had to when we heard their story. 

$32 and a 10 minute operation restores someone's sight.  That's a MIRACLE.  We both have glasses, but that is nothing compared to a lifetime of blindness.

That's an INVESTMENT in mercy.

Change Schizophrenia - My Head Says "Yes" & My Heart Says "No"

Lee Colan wrote something great recently.......

As humans, it seems like we are hard-wired for comfort. As a result, change does not come easily. As the saying goes, "Change is like rain. Everyone knows it's good for you, but nobody wants to get wet."



We resist change so much because we overestimate the value of what we are clinging to and underestimate the value of what we are moving toward. Sometimes, we need to turn our world upside down to see a new perspective.

Good one, Lee.

This is a short post because I need you to think about this for a bit again...

"we overestimate the value of what we are clinging to
& underestimate the value of what we are moving toward."

Is this how you see it?

I would be very INTERESTED if this is YOUR experience!
 
Have a think about it and post a COMMENT - thanks. 

Which President Makes Me the Most Money - Great Question but the Wrong Question

I really enjoyed this recent article from Dave Ramsey about investment returns under various US Presidents. 

Here is a snapshot....

The truth is, investment success depends more on the resilience of the U.S. economy and your dedication to a long-term goal than on which candidate or party is in the White House.


Presidential Performance


For fun, let's say you made a hypothetical investment in the first year of each president's term. Ten years later, what kind of average annual return could you expect for investments made under the different administrations?

Good question. Let's start with President Bill Clinton. During his tenure, the economy experienced phenomenal growth, so you would expect a stellar average annual return. Ten years after Clinton took office, the S&P 500 was averaging 12.5% returns each year. Annual returns averaged 10.1% after his second term.


Now, let's look at President Jimmy Carter. His term saw the energy crisis and a tough recession—not the best and brightest of times. But the average annual return 10 years after he took office was16.4%, topping performance during Clinton's administration by several points.


The best 10-year average annual return occurred after President Ronald Reagan took office—17.4%. The worst was 4.8% after President Richard Nixon's first term.


Remember you can read the full article here.

You Must Get Busy Doing Something About Going the Extra Mile!

I really enjoyed this thought recently from the Napoleon Hill Foundation.

It’s well and good to feel as though you have changed the attitude with which you render extra service, but if that service is in truth no more than anyone else’s, then you aren’t doing yourself much good. You need to examine your co-workers and competitors to understand just what it is that will make you stand out.

If there are job performance standards, exceed them. If you’re fulfilling a contract, make sure you offer more than you promised. You cannot confine extra-mile service to your work alone. You must make it part of your philosophy for dealing with every person you encounter.

Imagine how others will be delighted to find that you are the type of person who not only does what is promised but even delivers more. The true benefit of going the extra mile is in teaching yourself to strive always for better and greater achievement in all that you do.

SO.....  YOU MUST GET BUSY DOING SOMETHING ABOUT GOING THE EXTRA MILE.

A man’s ledger does not tell ______________

I really enjoyed this POTENT quote:

A man’s ledger does not tell what he is, or what he is WORTH.
Count what is IN man, not what is ON him, if you would know what he is worth-whether rich or poor.



-- Henry Ward Beecher

What do you reckon you are worth?  Just a thought!

Wisdom from an Entreprenuer - Peter J. Daniels

I first heard Peter Daniels speak in approx 1984 as a young man.  He made a big impact on my life.  I think he may have been the first Christian entreprenuer I heard. 

Peter J. Daniels came from the other side of the tracks with every reason to become a victim and statistic of life. Yet, he chose to go the other direction becoming a success story. As you watch, you will remove all your reasonings and handicaps to move forward in becoming what you were created to be.


Click the link here to view part 1 of one of his keynote addresses. 

Have You Got "A Mind to Succeed" - A Great New Book by @stevepenny

I have just been sent a copy of the new Steve Penny book, "A Mind to Succeed."

And it is VERY HARD to put down!

Check out some these quotes:

Success comes from the inside

Success comes from successful habits
Your thoughts are building your world
Everything you presently are – you built
What you think, you are
You will instinctively choose to walk in the direction of your dominant thoughts

Here are some more:

What you consistently think about will produce spontaneous actions

Your thoughts control everything you do
Thoughts are the language of your inner world
Thoughts are God’s way of communicating with us from His eternity

You can check out Steve here - http://www.stevepenny.org/

And his books are here with an online shopping cart - http://www.stevepenny.org/products-page/

Your mind is greatest untamed frontier of humanity. So many of us want to live a life of success, but we think success comes from the outside. Learn how to live from your inner world out – rather than from your outer world in – and discover the ETERNAL PLAN for you. Your life here on Earth will only be fulfilled once you gain control of your inner world.



Your mental attitude is the X factor that determines your destiny. You can’t improve your outer world until you’ve renovated your inner world. When you control your mind, you control the way you live. When you renew your mind from wrong thinking, a whole new way of living begins to materialize before your eyes.


This book reveals simple steps that will show you how to bring your thoughts into subjections to your will. You can control your thoughts. You can enjoy a life full of, love, joy and peace.


So make up your mind today that you want to be in control of the real you – your mind. Take the first step now to change your mind… to change your world!

How You Can Say "I am the Greatest!" - Muhammad Ali

World champion boxer Muhammad Ali was asked "what would you do if you were not a boxer?"

He replied, "If I was a garbage man I would be the best garbage man in the world."

If you are wildly passionate about becoming the best then you will always be looked after.

Over to you, go now and be the best at what you are doing!

PS - here is a clue - it will cost you/require and investment!

How to Really Connect - Using The Conversation Prism - Brian Solis

If you want to be more effective as a communicator or you are wanting to understand the strategic impact of social media then this post is for YOU!

I came across this very useful model recently called The Conversation Prism developed by Brian Solis.

It is all about the "art of listening, learning and sharing.

It is well worth clicking on this image and having a very close look at the diverse components.

Solis notes that "understanding that the Social Web is far more extensive than Twitter, blogs, and Facebook.... brand managers search across the entire Web using listening services or the methodologies rife within the Conversation Prism to locate where influential dialogue transpires."

You can check more about the Conversation Prism here - http://theconversationprism.com/

I Haven't Seen BOM Radar Look Like This for Awhile!

SE Qld is blanketed by rain - I like to see that!

The "Why" and "How" of 2010 being THE Year for Social Media

This post will really help you ride the wave of social media and understand what you can do now.

Interested?  Well then read on.

I was reading an article recently by Brian Solis.  He said this:

2010 is designated as the year Social Media proliferates mainstream businesses. Indeed this year will showcase the transformation of business acumen while also shifting the culture and the communication that embraces an inward and outward flow for listening, interacting, learning, and adapting.



Social Media Marketing is exhilarating to behold as it evolves “media” from a broadcast platform to a sophisticated network of connections and rewarding engagement. We learn that through participation, we ultimately eradicate the myths that initially fueled skeptics and prevented early experimentation. The perceived loss of control was in actuality, the ability to realize public sentiment and the gatekeepers who could help us actively steer perception. It is a chance to actually gain control rather than simply possessing the illusion of it.

As 2009 raced to an end, Social Media marketers realized that listening to the proverbial conversation offered very little in terms of influence. In fact, it was the listening that would eventually set the stage for intelligent participation.

 It was the realization that listening would only engender empathy. But, in order to truly shape and guide market sentiment and hopefully one day empower advocacy and a new workflow, a supporting infrastructure would require construction.

We are only as relevant as our ability to not only realize the state of affairs, but also have the prowess necessary to define and also adapt along with it.


The next stage of Social Media Marketing will mature from one of listening and unguided participation to one of strategic observation, analysis and informed engagement. It is how we can shift from a state of awareness to one of intelligence, setting the stage for relevance and affinity. It is a new age of “unmarketing” inspired by purpose and vision.

As Social Media evolves, behavior and intention modifies, mirroring the depth of learning and confidence that develops with experience. In New Media, we are always learning and as such, we are forever in pursuit of the next stage.

Brian then goes on to write about The 10 Stages of Social Media Integration in Business.
 
Click here to keep on reading and get the "gold."
 
The Conversation Prism in stage 4 is well worth looking at!
 
I'll also do a blog post about tomorrow.

10 Really Useful Blogging Tips

I did a blog post back in August 2009 about "10 Blogging Tips."

You can click the link here
or click on this link http://andrewstaggs.blogspot.com/2009/08/10-blog-tips-mark-batterson.html

Why I Blog

I am talking to a group of pastors Tuesday night about social media and social networking.  I will put some resources up on the blog to help them along a bit.

So here goes!

Here is a post I did August 2009 called "Why I Blog". 

Click the link here to read it or
click this link http://andrewstaggs.blogspot.com/2009/08/why-i-blog-mark-batterson.html

If Ever A Picture Was Worth 1000 Words...

If Ever A Picture Was Worth 1000 Words...

So how is your day going?

Email Sanity - How to Clear Your Inbox Before You DROWN In It - Leo Babauta

The following article was written by Leo Babauta..

The beauty of an empty inbox is a thing to behold.

It is calming, peaceful and wonderful.

An inbox that is overflowing with actions, calls for responses, stuff to read ... it's chaos, it's stressful, it's overwhelming.

A friend recently posted: "Help! I'm drowning in email!"

Let's look at how to get your head above water first, and then how to get safely to dry land.

Head Above Water

You need to give yourself some breathing room. A flooded inbox is overwhelming, and you don't know where to start. So here's where we're going to start:

1. Create an "actions" folder or label in your email system. This is where you're going to store any emails that you need to take action on (other than just replying or filing or whatever).

2. Pick the most important. Go through your inbox and check off 10-15 that are the most urgent action emails, and file them in this new folder. If you don't get to the sections below right away, you can at least work from this folder for now.