The Invisible Mentor

Archive for October, 2009

Do you create your own luck? Professor Richard Wiseman from University of Hertfordshire in Britain, conducted a 10-year study to determine the nature of luck, and published his findings in a book called The Luck Factor: The Scientific Study of the Lucky Mind. Professor Wiseman has outlined four principles to help one increase their good fortune:

1. Principle One: Maximise Chance Opportunities
   Lucky people create, notice and act upon chance opportunities. How do they do this? They network, adopt a relaxed attitude to life and are open to new experiences.
2. Principle Two: Listening to Lucky Hunches
   Lucky people make successful decisions by using their intuition and gut feelings. In addition, they take steps to actively boost their intuition, for example, by meditating and clearing their mind of other thoughts.
3. Principle Three: Expect Good Fortune
   Lucky people’s expectations about the future help them fulfill their dreams and ambitions because these expectations become self-fulfilling prophecies by helping them to persist in the face of failure, and shape their interactions with others in a positive way.
4. Principle Four: Turn Bad Luck to Good
   Lucky people are able to transform their bad luck into good fortune by seeing the positive side of the bad luck. For example, they spontaneously imagine how things could have been worse, do not dwell on the ill fortune, and take control of the situation.

What are your thoughts on the four principles?  How can you use the four principles outlined above to improve your personal and professional situation?

My Related Reflections

• Accomplished people are self-motivated, and most spot opportunities, which they act on, and that’s why they are successful, and appear lucky. Many also work harder, and some have workaholic tendencies. According to a quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”
• Are you in a job which feeds your soul? Are you ready to start your day when you arise in the morning? Does your job feel like work? Would you be doing what you’re doing if your weren’t getting paid?
• Do you take time each day to reflect? You know all the answers, but you have to shut down the chatter to hear the answers within you. What techniques do you use to focus, to go into alpha? Do you know how to go into Alpha, to quiet your mind?
• What is your outlook on life? Is the glass full or empty?
• In every disaster there is a related opportunity. When disaster strikes, do you throw up your hands in the air and ask, “Why me?” Or, do you seek the opportunity to win?

Here is a simple technique that I use to go into Alpha:

1. Close your eyes
2. Take a few deep breaths, breathing deeply into your lungs by flexing your diaphragm (you know that you are breathing deeply when your stomach pushes out when you are inhaling)
3. With your eyes still closed, look upwards, and focus on the point between your eyebrows
4. When you feel a slight pressure, start counting down slowly from ten to one. When you reach one, you are now in the alpha state

The Alpha Brainwave State is where creativity occurs. Whenever you are in alpha – there are four known brainwave states – you never worry. If you have to study for a test, or want to remember large amounts of data, be sure to go into the alpha state before you begin. When you are ready to use the information, go into alpha again and you will retrieve/remember all the information that you studied.

Let’s keep the conversation going, please comment. I am trying to grow my readership so please spread the word if you like what I am doing and trying to do. Recommend your friends to subscribe to the Invisible Mentor Blog.

Source: The Luck Factor: Change your luck – and change your life, Dr. Richard Wiseman

Photo Credit: via Apture

Russell Herman Conwell, a lawyer for about fifteen years until he became a clergyman, relates a story told to him by an Arab guide. The story intrigued Conwell so much, that he subsequently used the theme as a basis for his many speeches.

According to the story, as told by the guide, while Conwell was travelling down the Tigris and Euphrates rivers with a party of English travelers, there was a farmer, Ali Hafed, from ancient Persia now known as Iran. Ali Hafed was very wealthy. He owned a very large farm with orchards, grain-fields, and gardens. He was wealthy and contented.

One day, a Buddhist priest visited Ali Hafed. During the conversation, this wise priest from the East told Hafed about diamonds. The priest told Ali Hafed that if “he had one diamond the size of his thumb, he could purchase the county, and if he had a mine of diamonds he could place his children upon thrones through the influence of their great wealth.” Ali Hafed heard all about diamonds, and how much they were worth. Though Hafed’s situation hadn’t changed, he went to his bed that night feeling poor and discontented because of envy and greed.

Ali Hafed decided that he wanted a diamond mine, and the next day he rushed to see the priest and asked where he could find diamonds. He explained to the priest that he wanted to be immensely rich. Hafed sold his farm, collected the money, left his neighbour to take care of  his family, and went off in search of diamonds.

Hafed wandered around Palestine and Europe until he ran out of money. He was in rags, feeling wretched and now truly poor. He stood on the shore of a bay in Barcelona, Spain and when a great tidal wave came rolling in, he threw himself in, and was never seen again.

Meanwhile back at the farm, one day the new owner picked up an unusual rock about the size of an egg and placed it on his mantle. A few days later, the same old priest visited the farm and immediately realized that the unusual rock was indeed a diamond. The priest and the new owner rushed outside to the place where the owner found the unusual rock. That day, they discovered the diamond mines of Golconda.

Ali Hafed had been standing on his own “Acres of Diamonds” until he sold his farm.

In Acres of Diamonds, Conwell relates countless stories of people who went in search of what they already had. For example, a farmer in Pennsylvania sold his farm for $833 and went to work for his cousin in Canada, collecting oil. Shortly after, the man who purchased the farm found oil worth millions of dollars.

Common Sense Ideas

1. Each of us is right in the middle of our own Acres of Diamonds, if only we would realize it and develop the ground we are standing on before charging off in search of greener pastures
2. Opportunity does not just come along – it is there all the time – we just have to see it
3. In life, when we go searching for “something,” we should know what that “something” looks, smells and tastes like so that we can recognize it when we find it
4. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side
5. Before we give up what we already have, make sure that what we’re getting is better than what we already have
6. Your family comes first, they are part of your support structure and will help you through the most difficult times

Whenever I read Acres of Diamonds, for some reason I am reminded of the biblical Parable of the Prodigal Son. The Prodigal Son was much wiser because he at least had the common sense to return home and beg forgiveness.Your diamonds are not in far-away mountains or in distant seas; they are usually in your own back yard if you will take the time to look for them.”

What are your feelings toward Ali Hafed? Do you sympathize with him? How might you apply this story to business? We always think that the grass is greener on the other side, but it is seldom that case. In what instances could the grass be greener on the other side? I have thinking about this question for some time, but in the context of problem solving, so look out for a post that deals with that.

Let’s keep the conversation fluid, please leave a comment. I am ready to grow this blog, if you find The Invisible Mentor Blog useful and educational, please encourage your contacts to subscribe.

Click on the links below for electronic complimentary copies of Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell. I recommend Acres of Diamonds because of its timeless moral.

http://emotional-literacy-education.com/classic-books-online-c/acrdi10.htm

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/rconwellacresofdiamonds.htm

Photo Credit: Flickr “Dreaming of Diamonds” via Apture

Ted Nicholas, a very successful entrepreneur and copywriter, has always stressed the importance of continuous learning. Recently in his ezine, The Success Margin, he shared “21 Books I’ve Read That Changed My Life.” I would like to share his list with you. Mr. Nicholas also considered these 21 books to be his life mentors. I was ecstatic when he referred to the books as his mentors.

1. Atlas Shrugged – Ayn Rand
2. Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl
3. A new constitution for a new country – Michael Oliver
4. Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill
5. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff- Richard Carlson
6. Foreign Tax Havens – Marshall Langer
7. Economics in One Lesson: The Shortest and Surest Way to Understand Basic Economics – Harry Hazlitt
8. A Tale of Two Cities: 150th Anniversary (Signet Classics) – Charles Dickens
9. How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: A Handbook for Personal Liberty – Harry Browne
10. The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie and The Gospel of Wealth (Signet Classics) – Andrew Carnegie
11. An Intimate Story of Milton S. Hershey- Joseph Richard Snavely
12. The Wanamaker Diary – John Wannamaker
13. Five and Ten the Fabulous Life of F. W. Woolworth – John K Winkler
14. The Alger Series – Horatio Alger, Jr. (There are many books in the series)
15. Scientific Advertising – Claude C. Hopkins
16. Confessions of an Advertising Man – David Ogilvy
17. Making Ads Pay – John Caples
18. The Robert Collier Letter Book – Robert Collier
19. How I Made $1,000,000 in Mail Order-and You Can Too!- E. Joseph Cossman
20. The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway
21. The Little Engine That Could – Watty Piper

I like this list because it does not contain many of the usual suspects. Think and Grow Rich is on Mr. Nicholas’ list, and is one of the books that influenced many. I’ve read Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich and I’m embarrassed to say that I preferred Earl Nightingale’s summary of the book. There you have it, I’ve wanted to get that off my chest for a very long time. I have read about five of the books listed and another five are on my list to read. I am always fascinated to see the kinds of books that influence highly accomplished individuals.

How many of the 21 books have you read, and what are your thoughts? What would your 21 books be? I had prepared a list of 15 books for my Facebook wall. I will add to that list and let you know what my 21 books are.

Please keep the information flowing, please provide comments.

Links for books are affiliate links.

Over the weekend I read Exploiting Chaos: 150 Ways to Spark Innovation During Times of Change (Affiliate link) by Jeremy Gutsche and at some point I will do a proper book review. While I was reading, several phrases struck a chord with me, and I wanted to share them with you, however, one overarching idea throughout the book is that we should open our eyes, never limit our thinking, and expand our view point.

7 Great Ideas

The “old way of doing things” and fixed expectations are the enemies of adaptation

When you are looking for honest feedback, instead of asking, “What do you think?” instead ask, “What’s wrong with it? How can I make it better?”

Win like you’re used to it, lose like you enjoy it

Creating an environment of innovation can encourage people to break routine and pursue revolutionary ideas

When you move at a speed that makes you uncomfortable, you eliminate wasteful steps

Contentment, complacency and comfortableness leads to ruin

Fight as if you’re right, listen as if you’re wrong

How might you use the seven great ideas listed above? Do you agree with them? How do you exploit the chaos that is around you?

Jeremy Gutsche presented three important questions that Peter Drucker asked. I would like you to ask and answer the three questions to improve your products and services:

1. What is our business?
2. Who are the customers?
3. What does the customer value?

Regularly exploring these question will help to prevent you and your business from becoming irrelevant.

Let’s keep the conversation going, please leave a comment.

This is a springboard from Alex Shalman‘s post “Building Self-Esteem (or, Why Are You Worth Feeding?).” We are usually very tough on ourselves, I know that I am. While I was reading Alex’s post, I felt that I should explore the topic further. Fully exploring the question is a process in self discovery. The related questions, which popped into my head include:

Why should anyone hire me?

What is my unique selling proposition?

Why should anyone listen to me?

Why should anyone support me?

Why should anyone value me?

Why should I put myself first?

How would you answer these questions? At the very least, answering the questions allow us to get to know our selves better, as well as identify what we “bring o the table”. Many times if we took the time, we would discover that there is more to us than meets the eyes, and I think that this knowledge would definitely be a self-esteem booster. What are your thoughts?

We are unique  and we all have something unique to offer, so believe in yourself and know that you are a beautiful soul. Every now and again do not take yourself so seriously. I am writing this post as much for myself as I am writing it for you. So, whenever someone asks you why you are worth feeding,  always keep in mind the L’oreal slogan, “Because I am worth it.” Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment.

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Related Post

Building Self-Esteem (or, Why Are You Worth Feeding?)

Photo Credit: Burt Everson

On many blogs you have the option to subscribe by email or RSS Feed. But what is an RSS Feed, and why is it important? Here is a YouTube video “RSS in Plain English” which explains everything, simply and clearly. It has had over 1 million views so far.

Readers of this blog may have figured out by now that I am a voracious reader, but what some of you may not know is that I often integrate what I have read into my personal and professional life. Reading is a way for me to expand my body of knowledge. In How to Read a Book , the authors Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren suggest that there are three reasons for reading – for entertainment, information and for understanding. I read for all three reasons. What are your reasons for reading?

However, when I read, I do not read in a vacuum, I build on what I already know, so I am continuously furthering my knowledge. This has served me well as a writer and researcher because I am able to question things that do not look right to me. This has also served me well when working on projects. For instance, while I worked on a project for an association where I had to write 15 stories for an Anniversary Booklet, because I read extensively and broadly I had a large pool of knowledge to draw so I was able to do a good job and make the stories very different.

Recently, I have found myself writing many articles, and studies have shown that over 80 percent of people read an article because of the title or headline. So how can you increase the chances that your information gets read? To answer this question, I will demonstrate how reading has helped me tremendously with writing good headlines. I am not a master headline writer, but the more I practice writing headlines, the better my headlines, and the more they grab attention.

In the 1926 book The Art of Thought, Graham Wallas, an American psychologist, adopted and expanded, Hermann von Helmholtz‘s process to develop an idea. In the book, Wallas describes a four-stage process for generating great ideas – preparation, incubation, illumination and verification. (I have mentioned this book before)

In the preparation stage, a period of study and fact-finding, you gather information to resolve any issues, challenges or problems that you may be facing. This phase includes activities such as reading about the subject matter to identify what’s been done before, interviewing subject experts and any other means of collecting opinions or ideas on the subject. When you become stressed, bored, overwhelmed, or distracted, or feel that it’s futile to gather more information, it’s time to take a break. Stop thinking about the problem(s) and let all the information incubate. Mull it over for a while. Though you are not consciously working on your issues, challenges or problems, your subconscious or other than conscious is busy working at connecting the different pieces of information to form ideas, creating something different and new.

When you least expect it, you have a sudden flash of insight, an “aha” moment where the new ideas to resolve your issues, challenges or problems surface to your conscious mind and you suddenly become illumined – the light bulb goes on. The great ideas that surface could be implemented the way you conceived them, or you may have to refine them so that they’re workable.

So, even though The Art of Thought was written to help people generate new ideas, I have expanded that concept to help me generate better titles and headlines. I prepare myself by knowing the material that I am writing about inside out. I also have a list of 52 headline archetypes and a headline file I have been building with some of the most successful headlines over the past 100 years. I practice using the archetypes to write my headline. Sometimes I will write at least 100 headlines as practice for coming up with the right one. When I feel as if I have done enough, I forget about it and move to another task. Incubation is a very important stage for the appropriate headline to form. Suddenly the light bulb goes on and I have the right headline. The time it takes to move through this four-stage process varies. For me, it has taken as little as under an hour to as long as two months. One thing is sure is that the process works.

So, the next time when you are reading, have a notebook and pen handy. Think about what you already know on the topic that is covered in the book, so that you bring it to the forefront of your mind. While you are reading, capture interesting and useful information in your trusty notebook for further use. Combine the new infromation with what you already know because ideas are formed wheb you unite elements in unique ways. Practice this technique until it becomes second nature and remember that nothing exists in a vacuum.

How do you create great headlines? Let’s keep the conversation going, please comment.

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Summary of a Technique for Producing Ideas

Reading in Motion

How to Carve Out Time to Read in a Busy World

To Read Or Not to Read, Now That’s the Question

Photo Credit: Flickr Free License

I have often heard it said that reading, working on puzzles, learning a word a day and other such practices help to prevent dementia and Alzheimer.

Seven years ago while studying the program Lead the Field, Earl Nightingale stressed the importance of learning and growing. He suggested reading a book a week and learning a word a day. I mastered reading a book a week and now read on average eight books a month.

Initially, I had problems learning a word a day. I subscribed to a website that sent me a word every morning, and I purchased vocabulary builder books but I didn’t stick to the programs because either the words were so ridiculous that I didn’t want to waste time learning them. Or, the system was not easy to use and too time consuming.

Later, I purchased the Vocab system on tape, but didn’t stick to it because I believed it was too much of a hassle to rewind the tape, and I often didn’t remember all the words. But, while reading the book Superlearning 2000: New Triple Fast Ways You Can Learn, Earn, and Succeed in the 21st Century, I discovered that the best way to learn words is to hear them on a tape, while playing 60 beats per minute baroque music in the background.

I purchased Hemi Sync‘s Baroque Garden for Concentration and Vivaldi‘s The Four Seasons. Rewinding the tape was no longer a hassle because I noticed that if I counted to 15 while I rewound the cassette tape I would be exactly where I needed to be. It’s amazing how easy we can find solutions when we are truly inspired and motivated to accomplish our goals.

Even though I wasn’t exposed to classical music while growing up, like most things, the more you are exposed to them, the more comfortable you become with them. I used to have problems performing work which required concentration while the music was playing, but now it does not bother me. I guess it’s the type of music that has made a difference to my level of concentration. Listening to music stirs my heart and moves my soul and also makes me more alert. Does listening to music have an impact on you?

Now that I have developed the habit of learning a word a day, I do not have to listen to music while learning the word. I subscribe to A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg, which gives you the pronunciation, meaning, root and usage of the word.

What techniques do you use to build your vocabulary? Let’s keep the conversation going, please comment.

Download a copy of the white paper How to Build Intellectual Power from the Resources page of this blog.

I have often heard that each of us has at least one book inside of us, just waiting to bust loose, what is your one book? Each of us knows something that others don’t, is it your obligation to share it? What are your thoughts?

A psychic once told me that I have at least 10 books to write. I have written Tales of People Who Get It and there is an accompanying workbook Journey to Getting It, does that count as two books or is that one? It took me 4 1/2 years to write Tales of People Who Get It, what are my chances of writing the 10 books at that rate, if I listen to the psychic?

Writing a book is an investment of your time, and most people will never devote the time to actually write their one book. How do the benefits of writing a book stack up to the costs?

A few years ago I asked some authors, how writing a book help their businesses. Here are the responses.

Andrea Nierenberg, “The Queen of Networking” and the author of Nonstop Networking: How to Improve Your Life, Luck, and Career, Million Dollar Networking: The Sure Way To Find, Keep And Grow Your Business, and Savvy Networking: 118 Fast & Effective Tips for Business Success responded “It is very easy, my books have simply been the best calling cards I could ever ask for, I give away a ‘book a day’ and it has tripled my business.”

Heather Resnick, author of Women Reworked Empowering Women in Employment Transition responded, “Writing a book is my business! Generally speaking though, writing a book makes you an “Authority” in the eyes of the public. It opens doors for speaking engagements and people are genuinely impressed that you have actually written a book, knowing the amount of research/time involved. Books are regarded with esteem!”

According to Gail Blanke, “First, Between Trapezes: Flying into a New Life with the Greatest of Ease (as with Wildest Dreams and Taking Control of Your Life and [Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life]) provided a marketing platform for my business. Books describe your point of view and what makes you unique and provide the media with much needed angles and content for their particular communications vehicles. Second, potential clients and customers can access you through your writing and are motivated to buy whatever product or service you’re selling. Finally, it’s close to impossible to make money (other than recovering your costs) from a book. That’s not the reason to write them. In addition to the exposure they provide, disciplining yourself and refining your message are invaluable. You learn a lot about yourself from writing a book. And that can be priceless.”

Chris Widener author of The Art of Influence: Persuading Others Begins With You, Four Seasons, The Angel Within, and co-author of Twelve Pillars, had this to say, “It has been the best promotional tool, business card, advertising I could do!”

Will you write your one book? Do the benefits outlined above match the time investment? Let’s keep the conversation going, please comment.

Note: The links for the books are affiliate links.

Photo /Video credit: Image/Video via Apture

How important is it to have a job that really matters and makes a difference? Or, is money the most important thing at this stage of your life? As we grow older, our focus and priorities change, and also based on our situations, our priorities change as well. When you hear the term meaningful work, what springs to your mind? It doesn’t have to be lofty. For me, meaningful work is work that services a specific need, that I am passionate about.

When was the last time you reflected on your life? Are you happy with where you are, and what you have accomplished? If you and I were sitting here three years from today, what would have had to happen, for you to feel happy, fulfilled and satisfied with your your life? Think about this.

More and more I find myself wanting work that really makes a difference. I enjoy writing and reading, and I am interested in books that were written a long time ago. I have this theory that there is really nothing new under the sun. Yes, there are new inventions, but the inventors likely used pre-existing information and technologies and furthered them. What are your thoughts?

I have another related theory that we can use old ideas to solve today’s problems, so I am on a quest to find some of those old ideas by reading books written a long time ago. Is this meaningful work? I would like to think so. What if I discovered a technique to solve some of those pesky problems that plague our world today?

As a note of interest, people are finding work that matters in the second half of their lives. If this is something that you would like to further explore, please read “On Your Bookshelf: Encore – Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life.” In the review, they mention some programs in place that interested professionals can participate in.

Let’s keep the conversation going, please comment.