The two most frequent causes of this state of affair are: the mind is on overload or there is a lack of clarity regarding the purpose.

The mind will go on overload when it tries to grasp too many elements at the same time. Case in point. Let’s say that you want to write a letter to a friend to give some news, inform about a project that you’re working on and give the latest on the state of your health. You sit in front of the computer, type in the email address, write the words, “Hi John” as the subject matter, but when it gets to start writing the message, nothing comes to mind. A blank, the minds goes numb.

The problem here is that you’re trying cover to many subjects at once. The solution is simple. Concentrate on only one of the areas that you want to cover and then move on to the next. The same principle applies whether you are writing a letter, planning to build a house or looking for a new job. No matter what the undertaking is, cut it down to bite size and focus only in one area at the time. The process is called “chunking.” You are actually chunking a subject into palatable bite size.

Lack of clarity is also a frequent cause of mental blocks. How can we solve a problem if it is not clear what the problem is? The ideal way of getting out of that situation is to take a pen and paper and actually write down what the problem seems to be. Putting down our thoughts on paper has a way of shedding light on the situation.

Now, our first attempt at stating the problem might not prove to be the precise description that we were looking for. If so, simply scratch whatever has been written and write another statement and repeat the process until the clarity that you seek is found.

There are some cases when the above solutions will not work. In that case the omniscient brain approach can be used. Loosely defined the omniscient brain approach theory would be that the mind is infinitely wise and that it already knows everything and all that we have to do to get the answer that we want is to ask the right question.

Whether the theory is valid or not matters little. It is a well known fact that no matter what question we ask the mind, it will supply an answer. The answer may be accurate or not but at least it gives something to work on. And, again, if the answer that we get from the mind is not the one that we were looking for, all that we have to do is to formulate the question another way. Sooner or later, we should find a combination question/answer that works.

There is also a variant to the omniscient brain approach that can be tried. The brain works in very mysterious ways. Sometimes a flash of insight will flash during our sleep and it will be so powerful that it will wake us up. Should that happen, whatever solution has been provided by that dream induced inspiration should be immediately written down. Even if it seems to be so vivid that there are no way that we could ever forget it – chances are that, when morning comes around, it will be nothing but a blur and if it is not written down, it will be lost forever.

Another solution that could help in getting unstuck would be found in the master mind principle. That is, simply discuss the situation with friends and acquaintances. Someone could very well come up with an angle that has never been considered before and could prove to be the ideal path to follow.

Lastly, there is the laterally gravitational approach. Like the mountain climber who is faced with a insurmountable obstacle, the only thing to do is to start moving laterally. That is, instead of trying to forge ahead with the initial undertaking, some optional related subjects is explored. The would give the mind a rest and something unexpected might come to mind that will provide the inspiration needed to resume the undertaking.

The mind is a magnificent tool. Its potential is said to be virtually limitless. We should trust it more and never give up on exploring it. It will always amaze us by sooner or later giving us whatever answer that we were looking for. Perseverance is the key. Where there is a will, there is a way.

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Huge and very important decisions that will influence our life certainly play a major role in the direction that our life will take however they are only a small part of the overall picture. As an example, deciding to get married was a huge decision however the everyday distinctions that we make regarding the way that we treat our spouse will be the determining factor in how well or how bad the union will turn out.

The importance of small distinctions should never be overlooked. Not only the small distinctions regarding the way that we conduct ourselves but also the small distinctions as to what we will focus on, what is important and most of all what will lead us closer to our intended targets or objectives.

In order to increase the quality of the small distinctions that we make everyday, we must have a working knowledge as to how the mind operates.

At every given moment, the mind is bombarded with stimulus and information. If all that information was allowed to reach the conscious we would be overwhelmed so there is a mechanism that is set to filter what information will be allowed and what will be blocked out.

That mechanism is called the RAS or the Reticular Activating System. The RAS is finely tuned to our areas of interest. It knows what is important for us and what we focus on, so it will select, from all available information, what is most important for us and allow it to get to the conscious.

So, if we are eager to improve ourselves in small distinction making to improve the quality of our life, we should decide to make it a high priority item. That way, when we come across anything that could be of assistance, the RAS will give it preference and allow it to go through to our conscious thoughts.

As a large and magnificent edifice is composed through the harmony of individual quality components, so is a successful life. The major decisions that we take will form the structure of that life however it is the quality of the small distinctions that we make on a daily basis that will make the difference between a masterpiece and an abject failure.

Greatness is the result of quality decisions. Success is obtained and failure is averted by making those quality small distinctions throughout our life. We are the artisan of our destiny. As the master sculptor, we must adroitly execute the small incisions that will eventually reveal the work of art that we want to become. That is done through a multitude of small but quality distinctions.

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Have you ever said anything, or come up with an idea that was simply brilliant? A time when you were so proud of yourself? And can you remember times when you said something that was silly beyond beliefs? Of course you can. So, what made the difference between these two incidents?

The difference was due to the state of mind that you were while those occurrences were taking place. In the first case, the one that you were so proud of, you were in a great and empowering state of mind. In the second case, where you could not believe how silly you could have been, you were simply in a silly state of mind.

The state of mind is the regulator of our performances. That is what makes the difference between acting brilliantly and being just plain dumb.

That fact is seen every day in professional sports. Two teams of almost equal talent and ability will compete and the team that will win will be the one who’s player had the best attitude or the best state of mind. It is true in sport, it is also true in everyday life.

The state of mind is the determining factor in the quality of of every performances. A great state of mind will produce fantastic results while a so-so state of mind will produce questionable results.

The question then becomes, “how can we increase the quality of the state of mind that we are currently are in?” How can we change a low key state of mind into a dynamic, energetic and most empowering one?

The state of mind is most influenced by three factors.
1. What we focus on.
2. What things mean for us.
3. Our body posture.

If we focus on something that is positive, exciting and uplifting, those neurons in our brain will get all fired up and our mood will follow suit. Our state of mind will also be positive, excited and uplifted. On the other hand, if we focus on the bad and the ugly, so will our state of mind.

Shakespeare said, “Nothing is either good or bad but out thinking makes it so.” We get to decide what things or events mean for us and if we chose to color positively any situation, the quality of our state of mind will automatically be uplifted.

And, last but not least, one of the most effective way of empowering our state of mind is, through body posture.

At any given moment, small receptors throughout our body are sending signals to the brain signaling information about our posture. If we are standing straight and erect with an air of confidence, that’s the message that the brain will receive. On the other hand, if we stand and have the posture of someone who is down and defeated, that’s also the message that the brain will receive.

By altering our body posture we can directly affect our state of mind. Great posture, great state of mind. Great posture accompanied by well chosen focus and a positive outlook on whatever is affecting us in the present will create a fantastic state of mind. That state of mind will then determine the quality of our performances.

It’s not always how intelligent, how smart or how educated we are that matters most in how we perform. All these factors will be under the influence of our state of mind. So, if we want to perform to the highest level that we are capable of, the first thing that needs attention is our state of mind. The quality of the performance always depends on it.

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Not one will dispute the fact that in order to acquire wealth, goals have to be set, plans have to be established and massive action has to be included to make the dreams realities. However these steps have little chances of succeeding if another element is not taken into consideration.

And that element is the fact that we must be, before we can do, before we can have. That is, we must become the type or person who can do the deeds that must be done before we can have the things that we want.

Even with the best possible intension in the world, a person who earns $30,000 a year cannot suddenly start earning five or ten times that amount. It has been tried zillions of times and failed. It cannot be done.

To earn half a million dollars a year, a person has to be, or become, the type of person who can earn that type of money. Low income people do not think and do not act like people who become millionaires. It may be a hard fact to swallow but denying reality will not change it.

It has been said that if all the wealth was redistributed equally among everyone on the face of the earth, in less than five years everyone would be right back where they started. The people who where wealthy before would be wealthy again and the poor would be poor again.

You can recognize a tree by its fruits. We cannot produce differently than what or who we are. That’s a law of nature and it’s also a law that governs mankind.

So, it is well and good to have dreams, to make up goals and plans but, first and foremost, we must work on who we are if we ever hope to succeed financially. And the best way to do that, if wealth is our objective, is to read the biographies of financially successful people. Study and learn how they think and how they behave and then emulate them.

Again, we must be the kind of person who can do the things that needs to be done in order to acquire the things that we want. There are no escaping that truism. Many people have tried and most have failed. Don’t let that happen to you. Start working on yourself now. You are the source, you are the generator, you are the creator of your future.

You are the element that will produce wealth but before you can produce that wealth, you must become the type of person who can do it. Don’t let anyone fool you. There is no other way. You must be, before you can do, before you can have.

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What these complainers did not understand is that Tony’s time is probably worth ten of thousands of dollars an hour. In case you did not know it the guy is worth in the neighborhood of a billion dollars. So, when you navigate in that stratosphere you have to prioritize your time. You have to concentrate on the major and forget the minor.

Being productive requires prioritizing the available time first and then it means being on focus. A definite objective needs to be established followed by a specific plan and finally, a controlled execution of the plan has to be directed.

The main roadblock to productivity is procrastination. In any major endeavor there will be some stumbling blocks and some major problems. That’s when procrastination shows it ugly head. Taking the easy road is the natural thing to do, so, when facing a stone wall, the natural tendency is to be distracted and concentrate on matters that are not relevant to the progression of the project on hand.

Work does not necessarily mean productivity. I have coached many up and coming young lions who were committed to succeed in business or in their professional life. One of the major point that had to be stressed with these guys was that there is a huge difference between business and busy-ness. Fussing over which tie should be worn today is not productive time. Planning an important phone call that could result in a big contract is quality and productive time.

Time and energy are restricted assets. They must be well invested. To accomplish that productively we must take on two roles. We must be the director and the manager of our time. The director’s role is to determine to road or path that will lead to the objective sought and the manager’s job is to make sure that we stay on that path.

Lastly, if we want to be productive, we must concentrate on our sphere of influence and not on our sphere of concerns. This needs a bit of explaining. We are surrounded by things over which we have control, that’s our sphere of influence and we are also surrounded with things over which we have no control and that our sphere of concerns.

Needless to say that whatever time spent worrying over our sphere of concerns or the things that we cannot change is a total waste of time and energy. To be really productive, we have to be disciplined which also means having control over our mind and the best way to exercise that discipline is by staying focus on what we can change and stop worrying over what can happen to us.

To succeed in any endeavor, we must be productive and to be productive we must be proactive in prioritizing, in managing procrastination and in exercising focus control. Time is money and the way that we use our time will determine the amount of money that we will earn. Simple application, huge results.

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We have limited time and just so much energy therefore we are also restricted in our efforts so both time and efforts have to be invested as judiciously as possible.

There are three ways of investing time and efforts that stand out way above any others because, in each case, the returns are inestimably profitable. None of these three types of investment are more important than the other so they will not be described in order of their importance because that evidently cannot be done.

The first that I would like to talk about here is the time invested in our close relationships, that is, our immediate family or our spouse and children but especially in our spouse.

The couple is the nucleus around with all human relationships revolve. A good, solid and loving relationship between the two partners is central to a happy and rewarding life. So, if it’s so important, it stand to reason that time and effort should be devoted to make it flourish and grow.

Nothing in life is static. It either blossoms and grows or it withers and dies. The dynamic of the couple needs to be nurtured and fed. Time and efforts have to be invested if we wish to see it remain solid and growing.

Another investment that pays untold dividends is the one that we make in our education or to put it another way, the time and effort that we invest in a quest to personally expand and grow.

The quality of our experience of the world depends on the debt of our general and specific knowledge. Appreciation and enjoyment depend on comparison. The finer things in life cannot be really appreciated if we have nothing to compared them to. That is where general knowledge comes into play. A well garnished intellect is a prerequisite to really appreciate what life has to offer.

Knowledge will also guide us in making those small but very important distinctions that will guide our path to prosperity and happiness. To take wise decisions, first, we must be informed. Another basic premise to successful living.

Lastly, but just as important, is the time and efforts that we invest in our health. Hygiene, nutrition, exercises and stress control are the pillars upon which health is best preserved and protected.

Without health, nothing else really matters. So, again, it deserves quality time and efforts. Nature has been generous with us but it will not withstand continuous neglect.

Bottom line, if you really want to be rich in a way that your life will keep on acceding to higher and higher plateaus, invest time and efforts in your spouse, yourself and in your health. No greater dividends can be found anywhere else.

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First and foremost, writing is a wonderful way of expressing ourselves. There is no “pacing” as we see in conversation. That is, we can stop in mid-sentence and evaluate where we are going with our train of thoughts. We can stop for as long as we want to chose the exact word to convey the precise meaning of the message.

Expressing ourselves through writing also give us the opportunity to stop writing at any point in order to do the researches necessary to confirm a notion or extend our knowledge on a particular subject.

We can also scratch anything that we have written so far and start anew with a different point of view, a different optic and even a different position on the subject.

These are all reason why writing can get to be so fascinating but the most important reason of all is the fact that putting down our thoughts on paper or other medium helps us to clarify our thoughts.

Even if we know instinctively about a great number of subjects it does not mean that those opinions are clear in our head. If someone asked me if I love the form a beautiful female foot. The answer would be immediate. I do love to look at a pretty lady’s foot but if I was asked why, I would be dumbfounded. That’s when writing comes in so handy.

During my career I’ve had to give talks on a great number of subjects. Most of these subjects were very familiar to me but I found that if I took time to put my thoughts on paper first, before giving the lecture, my opinions would be much clearer, more specific and easier to convey to others.

Writing is also a wonderful way of learning. The simple act of copying an important passage from a text or a book will help to clarify and impregnate the crux of the message in our reference of information.

Great thinkers were also prolific writers. They knew and appreciated the power of the written word even if it was their own.

We learn from repetition and we learn from experience. And the best way to learn is by combining the two modes and by using different variations of the two modes. That is through the visual, auditory and kinesthetic which means reading, hearing and writing.

Bottom line is, writing is one of the most effective tool for self-growth and personal development yet it’s also probably the least used option. That may be something that we should think about… and maybe write about.

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Charisma is a very elusive trait. It can be found in the most diverse characteristic qualities but it is not attached to anyone of those qualities.

According to Wikipedia the word charisma refers to a rare trait found in certain human personalities usually including extreme charm and a ‘magnetic’ quality of personality and/or appearance along with innate and powerfully sophisticated personal communicability and persuasiveness.

Most of us would certainly like to acquire a higher level of charisma but since it is such a elusive trait, it is not easy to accomplish. However, all is not lost. There is one possibility and that is, having a sense of mission.

The masses are just begging for leaders. They want individuals that can be relied upon to show the way. People who can offer hope of a better future. In one word, there is a need and a want for someone who is on a mission and the person who can fulfill this need will be seen as being charismatic.

This simple truism can easily be seen in something as mundane as a singer. Most of the times very few people in the audience will know much about the singer but the simple fact that he is leading the audience on their quest for entertainment will be enough to convey to that person the characteristic of charisma.

Though it is very often repressed, the need to lead, to be the alpha, is one of the most fundamental and basic urge. So, when we see this leadership quality displayed in someone else, an attraction toward that person is formed and that attraction is what we call charisma.

The formula to acquire that elusive quality known as charisma then becomes relatively simple. Develop a sense of mission for a cause. Exert leadership for that mission and the inevitable will happen. You will be seen as having charisma.

Granted that, even if the formula is simple, implementing it is not easy. It requires a burning desire, perseverance, passion and energy. But it is a working plan and one that almost anyone can use successfully if it is so desired.

It has been said that charisma is a gift of the gods. That may be true in some cases but for those of us who have not been so blessed, there is something that we can do about it. We can find a mission, lead in that mission and become blessed with the aura of charisma.

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When we read the biographies of great men and women we find that they all had one thing in common. They were all deeply involved in something that they felt was larger than themselves. They were serving a cause. That is what gave them the inspiration and the energy to accomplish so much.

Even someone like Donald Trump, who seems to personify the self-serving attitude, said that he wanted his life to be a statement.

One can wonder what he meant by that. My guess is that he wants to show the world what a person is capable of if he puts his mind to it and dares to accomplish great things.

In his own way, he has been a role model for millions of people and he knows it. It was said that his show, The Apprentice, received over one million applications from people who wanted to be contestants. That says something about the influence that he’s having on up and coming young wolves.

Another great example of someone who achieved greatness by being involved in a cause that was larger than he was is Dr Robert H. Schuller who built the Crystal Cathedral in the city of Garden Grove, California in 1977.

Even if he had no money, Schuller was able to built this $17,000,000 magnificent glass Church. He had a cause. He had imagination and nothing else. It took three years but he achieved what seemed impossible at the time.

Books are filled with the stories of people who achieved the impossible by investing themselves in a cause that was larger than themselves.

People have achieved greatness by devoting themselves to music, the arts, medicine, research, politics and a world of other great causes.

The door that opens up to super-achieving and greatness it the one to leads to causes that we are passionate about. Causes that are greater than we are. Life gives us a choice. We can focus on the self and be limited in our achievements or we can focus on the greater good for all and see unlimited opportunities open for us.

Dare to be great. Get involved in a cause that is greater than you are and watch miracles happen.

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Basically we are not pragmatic creatures of logic. Dale Carnegie said, “When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.” Whether we like it or not, Carnegie was basically right. We start out primarily as emotional being but it does not mean that we don’t have the capacity to evolve and grow.

Growth is essential if we have any hope of influencing others into our way of thinking. A statement inspired by anger has no chance of being taken constructively. The anger comes through but the rhetoric falls flat. The message becomes overshadowed by the spirit that formulated it.

Effective communication is difficult enough that it does not need to be clouded any further by emotional knee jerk reactions.

People will be further swayed into holding previously held beliefs by emotional appeals but that technique will be counterproductive if a change of perspective is sought.

Anger is such a powerful emotion that the message that it sends completely obliterate the effectiveness of the words that accompanies it. Anger represents the possibility of danger and warding off that danger becomes the priority.

When trying to convince, the mature mind will reach beyond the world of negative emotions to get its message across. The mature mind understand that anger implies a sense of inadequacy and insecurity. Anger is the last resource when everything else has failed and danger is eminent. Not the hallmark of a strong and resourceful person.

Cerebral and not emotional. Reason before passion. The keywords in debating, the keywords when seeking to advance an agenda, implementing a point of view or changing someone’s mind. That is what great leaders do and they do it because they know that it works.

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