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How to Get On Achieving Success--GOALS

Some people read all the books, watch all the DVDs, and listen to all the CDs on being successful, yet -- day after day -- success for them is just an illusion. Maybe that's the problem...they read, they watch, they listen, but they fail to set goals and take action. You would be surprised to know just how many people do not set goals. Last time I checked, it was something like 90-95%! Wow! Is there any wonder that the vast majority of society lives in a fog, arriving at retirement broke, busted, and disgusted?

So, what are goals and how do you achieve them?

Goals are representations of your visions about you and your future. They are where you see yourself next week or next month or next year.

How can you Get On Achieving Success? Follow these simple steps and watch your life change right before your very eyes!

1. Work backwards. In his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Dr. Stephen Covey calls this "beginning with the end in mind." Let's say you're a 30-something receptionist who has grown tired of making just enough money to get by. You're living from paycheck to paycheck, so you've decided you need to get your Bachelors degree. Well, the end for you is graduation. Visualize that and answer these questions: What was your major? Are you getting a degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Computers? Next, what school are you graduating from? How many credits do you need to graduate? Get it? The benefit of working backwards is that it allows you to create smaller, bite-sized goals that will keep you encouraged along your journey. For example, you get registered for your first class -- a milestone! You get through your first semester -- another milestone! Before you know it, you'll have all the coursework done and you'll be graduating.

2. See it, speak it, seize it. Like a runner training for a race, you have to set your mind for peak performance. This is the mental work that will help develop the proper mindset for a clearer vision of you achieving your goals. If you are vying for promotion in your workplace, it is important that you see yourself already in the position you want; visualization is the 'see it' part of the equation. If you leave this out, you won't be motivated enough to follow through.

Speak it. I'm a firm believer that "the power of life and death is in the tongue." Affirmations come in handy because they serve to remind you, on both a conscious and subconscious level, that you can and will achieve your goals. Your voice is powerful, and when you hear yourself saying things like: "I am happy and excited walking across the stage to accept my Bachelors degree in Business," your subconscious mind goes to work to help make that statement a reality. Remember this, you subconscious does not know nor does it care if what you're saying is reality; if it isn't, it will start to help you make it reality. How cool is that!

Seize it. To use a few cliches here--take massive action, just do it, get 'er done, go for the brass ring, etc. Success comes through action not dreams... A-C-T-I-O-N! If you want something, you've got to do something. Our receptionist cannot expect to get that degree if she just simply hopes for it. She has to get off her duff and make strategic steps to achieve her goal, and so will you!

When you take these simple steps I've outlined for you, I guarantee you will get on achieving success!

Until next blog/vlog post,
Dr. Angela aka 'The Purpose Professor'
http://www.lifeonpurposellc.com
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

Seed Money In Action, Part 3

Money and How to Get More of It, (Seed Money, Part 2)

I'd like to continue sharing my thoughts on the concept of seed money and how it can revolutionize your financial status. I'm reading Seed Money In Action by Dr. Jon Speller and Kathleen Shedaker. It is a must read!

My Ah Ha! moment for this blog post: Love money for the good that it can do. What a mental shift for me. Like I told you yesterday, I've been working through this whole "money is evil" mindset that's held me back for more years than I want to mention. Anyway, when I read the statement: Love money for the good that it can do, I had an epiphany! Speller and Shedaker go on to say that money is just energy. Money is neither good nor bad; it's just money. Like an airplane is neither good nor bad; it's just an airplane. It can be used to do bad things (i.e., 9/11) or it can be used to do good (getting me to my seminar in Grand Rapids, MI on time -- just thought I'd throw that in since I'm a frequent flyer!) So, in essence, thinking of money as energy and focusing on the positive things money can do releases us from unfounded feelings of guilt and shame we sometimes associate with having or not having it. Listen, there is no glory in poverty. Just ask a homeless person.

I don't know about you, my dear readers, but I love the fact that money can help my elderly parents live more comfortably because I can exchange it for a home health aide. Or what about exchanging it for the steaks I love to order at Texas Roadhouse? Or exchanging it for the joy of knowing I'm helping an elderly Jewish person in Russia get medicine or food when I sent $50 to The International Federation of Christians and Jews? When you put it into perspective, money--because of all the good it can do--is a lovely thing; don't you agree? What good can you generate in your world, the world of your loved ones, and the world of people-at-large by simply making an exchange? Think about it!

Join me in spreading hope through The Peoples Program, a sure-fire way to get you some more money so that you can make some awesome, life-changing exchanges!

Remember: "Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Dr. Angela

3 Hot Tips to Building Effective Relationships

Let's face it, relationships take work! It doesn't matter the kind of relationship...work, family, love...if they're going to be successful, we have to work! Wonderful relationships can provide security, be long lasting, and withstand trials.

Here are a few tips to help you work on those important relationships in your life:

OPENLY EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS

Effective and efficient relationships require open expression on the part of all concerned. You have to express your feelings and positions on all matters pertinent on the relationship. It is not a good practice to just assume that the other party understands your needs.

RESPECT IS THE FOUNDATION

Respect is the key to relationship. You show respect by listening, understanding the other person's concerns, and acknowledging their efforts. Efficient relationships cannot exist in an environment where people form quick judgements based on unfounded facts and prejudice. Respect is the very foundation for a great relationship. This also means respecting your self and others.

BE DIRECT

Another important practice is to directly talk to your loved one, co-worker, child, etc. to settle differences. Doing so will help you both work towards a win-win solution. This can be achieved when at least one of you acknowledges the importance of the relationship. Remember, when you fail to express whatever is on your mind, it can get in the way of building an effective relationship.

Relationships are important to everyone. Everyone is connected, very much like the saying "No man is an island."

"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

Dr. Angela

Seed Money, Part 1

For years, I've been searching for something I could do online to make some extra money. I have practically every program hyped up to "make millions on online," etc. You get my drift; right?

Anyway, I concluded that most of the problem was mental. The programs worked fine, but I had all kinds of mental blocks keeping me from succeeding. So, I did the only thing any self-respecting self-help blogger would do...I found a book on the subject! Someone once told me "leaders are readers"; I believed it!

The book I found, and the one I want to share with you over my next few blogs, is Seed Money In Action by Dr. Jon Speller and Kathleen Shedaker. As spiritually oriented person, I found this book an eye-opener. For starters, it addresses the guilt some people feel when they expect, want, or need money. For too long people have misquoted the Bible and said that money is evil. Money is not evil; it's just paper! My background would suggest that if I sowed a seed, expecting a harvest, somehow I was "using God." Speller and Shedaker point out on page 13:

"It is very important in order for you to practice Seed Money Principles successfully that you first erase the concept that giving and receiving is 'using God.' You must give in order to receive, but you must also receive in order to give. It is a cycle of Good, no way 'using God', but obeying God's laws."

After this revelation, I put the seed money principles in action last Friday (10/20), and I sowed $200 into someone's life. I consciously created a cycle for good. The next day I did what I thought was a pro-bono seminar for a local church. But guess what? The conference hosts decided to "bless" me with a $200 cash gift! WOW! It hadn't even been 24 hours!

I have to tell you, guys, I'm very excited; because I know--without a doubt--that when practiced correctly Seed Money principles work! I found a great program to help me to continue creating cycles of good and I invite you to join me.

Make Room

The thought of "making room" has been playing around in my head all day. What does that really mean?

Well, it's a proven fact that if your hand is balled up in a fist nothing can get in it; by the same token, nothing can come out of it either. To receive in that balled up hand you first have to open up or make room for whatever it is you stand to receive.

Making room, from a spiritual standpoint, means:

• Cleaning out the negative nooks and crannies in our thought life because thoughts become things.
• Replacing and repairing those negative mind posts with positive energy because our worlds are nothing more than manifested thoughts given positive or negative energy.
• Having faith that God wants to give to you that which you desire; He just needs you to let go of the old so that He can bring in the new.
  

This is a huge leap for many of us, because we often become so stuck in our comfort zone we inadvertently turn it into a complacent zone. We are afraid of the unknown and petrified to be, do, or have more than those in our immediate circle because we don't want to be different. The problem with all of that is this: we end up living lives far beneath our potential.

I want a newer car. I've prayed about it, meditated on it, visualized it, and given it to God. Or at least I thought I had until this morning when I felt impressed to sell my car! In other words, make room!

What do you want in your life that you currently don't have? Are you willing to unclentch your fist? Will you make room?

"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

Dr. Angela

Raise Your Sum & Change Your Life!

Jack's Book

3 Power Thieves To Get Rid Of Now!

Six Lessons From The Bucket List

Roll Over!

Okay. I admit it. I'm a proud Nana showing off the 4th of my grandsons...Hunter William Johnson! My daughter-in-law, Kristin, sent me this video and it made me think about how much we lose when we become adults. Let me explain. You see how Hunter has discovered he can roll over? Once he figured it out, though, he didn't stop short of rolling because ... What if I can't do it again? What if nobody likes me now that I can roll? What if this is all I'll ever be able to do? What if the other babies call me a 'show off'? Nope! Hunter is just going with the flow and tapping into his natural ability to roll over with a little coaxing from his mom.

What about us? What have you and I figured out that we can do if but for just a little determination? What's holding us back from tapping into our own God-given talents and abilities to make a difference in the world around us? How many times have we just needed a little encouragement to enable us to conquer a brand new world? How often have we "poo-pooed" someone's pep talk and stubbornly stayed stuck? Mmmmmm..........

I believe as we grow older we forget just how much we really can do. We stop discovering and get stuck in mediocrity. So, my friends, my word to you today is this: BE CURIOUS, GO WITH THE FLOW, GET YOURSELF A SUPPORT SYSTEM and just like my grandson, Hunter, let your natural abilities rise up and ROLL OVER!

YES!

How To Find Your Purpose

Keep The Glass Full!

In practically any interpersonal or soft skills seminar I usually talk about the importance of having great self-esteem. So, what is it? Well, it's the way you see your whole self, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Sadly, depending on the lens you're using at the time, that view can oftentimes be askew. Check out some of these statistics that suggest people don't accept themselves the way they are, so they're constantly trying to change something:

• According to the Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank, there were over 10 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed in 2008, with surgical procedures accounting for approximately 17% of the total, resulting in a 160% increase in the number of procedures since the late 1990's. This startling statistic comes from The Plastic Surgery Group.
• 80% of American women are dissatisfied with their appearance (Smolak, 1996).

Why do people suffer from low self esteem? While there are many reasons, some individuals suffer from poor body image and focus on all the negative traits of their physical appearance. Others have emotional issues that have caused their self-esteem to drop or feel themselves unworthy of any praise. Go ahead and take the self-esteem test to see where you stand, just remember whatever reasons your self-esteem may falter, the key to building it up again is to find the root of the problem.

Imagine for a moment a glass filled with water, let's call that you filled with positive self-esteem. Now, visualize a pitcher of water, let's call that the fountain of self-esteem. You came into this world filled with good self-esteem, but life keeps happening to deplete you. That's why you have to keep going back to the fountain--you have to keep your glass full. Remember, the only one who can make you excel is you and no one else. The same goes for self-esteem. The only person who can build up—or consequentially tear down—your self-esteem is you. Although other individuals may aide the process, the end decision is yours.

Many individuals look for help for their low self-esteem in books or seminars. The number of available options on the market is phenomenal, and you are sure to find one on a topic that deals with your specific issues. Check out your local library or book store and explore their "self help" section for a book that you may find helpful. Here are a few of my recommendations:



Negativity plays a tremendous role in depleting your self-esteem. Negative thoughts can pervade your confidence and crumble your self-esteem. If you find yourself surrounded by negative people or in a negative situation, try to best remedy the problem. Often, individuals in a abusive relationship have their self-esteem shattered when a supposed loved one constantly berates them and questions their worth. Similarly, a negative workplace environment can lower your self-esteem with colleagues or bosses finding fault with your work. Maybe you have a friend who is consistently negative with all surrounding him or her. Whatever the source, distancing yourself from the negativity will help you re-fill your glass of self-esteem. Strive to surround yourself with positive people. If you are going through a rough time in your personal life, you may wish to join a support group. Similarly, there are support groups available for individuals with self image issues. These groups will allow you to meet other individuals like yourself and provide a forum for you to sound your hopes and achievements.

However you choose to begin building your self-esteem, do so today! Be thorough and consistent with the process and be aware it may take a while. You should not become impatient or despondent if you find your self esteem slipping. Remember, you are an important and worthy person and should treat yourself as such.

Keep the glass full!

The Gift of Change

How to Get Unstuck

Are you stuck? Do you find yourself doing the same thing over and over again? This quick 6-minute video will help.




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What Do You Believe...Really?

A friend of mine has a saying, "What you believe governs how you behave." Think about it for a moment and let it sink in, because it is soooo true! Watch this!

No Seed...No Harvest!

Have you ever met someone that you knew needed help but they were too smart to know it, so they just dismissed you and/or your advice?

I see it all the time...people attending my seminars because they want to, say, learn how to be a more effective leader. They walk in with the expectation that all it will take is six hours with me, and presto, changeo, bam--all better! That is so not reality!

Growing is a process, and growth occurs through certain strategic moves on the part of the one who plants the seeds. I'm no gardener, but I believe the process goes something like this:

• Get the soil ready.
• Select the seed.
• Plant the seed.
• Water the seed on a continually basis.
• Check and pull weeds periodically.
• Wait patiently for the cycle of growth to run its course
• Enjoy the end result, i.e., a rose bush, window sill herbs, hyacinths, etc.

Oftentimes, people want to skip all of the processes and go from seedtime to harvest. And when I tell them it's not going to happen like that, they dismiss it! I explain that real leaders read and invest in themselves to assist in the growth process. They look at me and say, "Well, I can't do that if my boss doesn't approve it!" WAKE UP! Your life is yours! Your career is yours! Your growth (or lack thereof) is also yours!

Listen, if you want something different then do something different. Quick whining and complaining about how unfair life is and how you're always mistreated, overlooked, abused, misused and whatever! You cannot and you will not get the harvest as long as you're unwilling to plant the seed!

style="font-size:0pt;">Until next blog, Dr. A aka "The Purpose Professor" http://www.lifeonpurposellc.com/ "Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

Choose to Get Over Your Past!

If you're still nursing a wound of failure ... you've got to see this!

Protecting Your Hot Button

Ever wondered how you can effectively deal with those people who like to press your hot button? Here are 4 ways to keep your sanity!

Doggone It! You're Good Enough!

Saturday Night Live is one of my all-time favorite shows. Last year's Sarah Palin spoofs were hiliarious! The thing about SNL is sometimes you can even learn something if you pay close attention.

For example, remember Al Franken's character, Stuart Smalley, looking into a mirror affirming, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and doggone it, people like me!" So many people pooh-pooh the idea of affirmations; however, I've learned that what you say to yourself matters more than what others say to you. Why? Because your voice and your opinion carry the greatest weight in your subconscious mind.

Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said, “The most influential person who will talk to you all day is you, so you should be very careful about what you say to you.” Wow! What are you saying to yourself all day? Most of us cannot answer that question. I know I couldn't until I started to pay attention. Imagine my horror to hear myself saying things like, "stupid me!" or "I'm so crazy."

To those of you who're saying, "Dr. A, I'm just playing. I don't mean those things. Girlfriend, you just need to lighten up!", did you know that Proverbs 26:18-19 says, "Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, 'Iwas only joking."' Think about this: if a lie to a friend is a deadly weapon, what about the lies you speak to yourself in the form of negative self-talk? So here's a three step process I learned from one of my mentors, Jack Canfield, that I want to share with you to help you monitor your negative self-talk:

1. Identify your negative self-talk
2. Cancel that negative self-talk
3. Replace the negative self-talk with positive self-talk (that's where affirmations come into play)

I teach this in some of my seminars when we talk about self-confidence and self-esteem. You see, it's important what we say about ourselves and think about ourselves. Yet, most of us are going around in a negative self-created cloud unable to realize our goals and dreams because we are in our own way.

To anchor this behavior, I've put together a quick little video from one of my seminars to show you how to do this. Have fun with this. (It's not the best video quality. It was jerky, but you can still get the essence of it).

And remember ... You're good enough. You're smart enough, and doggone it, people like ya!

"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Dr. A
http://www.lifeonpurposellc.com/

C+I+A=S

One of my new favorite authors is Stuart Wilde. I've been reading his book The Trick to Money Is Having Some and my inspiration for this post comes from Stuart. Stuart said on page 167, "I know that in old religions it is popular to think that God is up there pulling strings, deciding who's going to make it and who isn't. But that idea is tribal and childlike. The fact is, the Great Spirit is impartial and allows us to be as silly as we want to be for as long as we want. It does not decide for us. People who have clarity and intention make it in life, those who lack those qualities usually don't make it. It is as simple as that."

Clarity defined is being clear about something. If we are to achieve any level of success in our personal and professional lives, it's going to take clarity. Are you clear about your life and the kind of legacy you'd like to leave behind? What will you be remembered for? It's going to depend on the clarity you have right now ... or the lack thereof!

Intention is just as important as clarity. I think Stuart put those two words together to emphasize the importance of determination. And that makes good sense to me! Think about it, you can be crystal clear about what you want, but if you lack the determination to take action you're no different than the famous frogs on the lily pad story I often hear in seminars. It goes like this: 3 frogs were sitting on a lily pad. 1 decided to jump. How many were left on the lily pad? The answer? Three! You see, deciding and jumping are two different things.

The last part of this equation is action. Unfortunately, that's where many of us fizzle out! I know I do, sometimes! Like the frog, I'm still deciding instead of doing. Too afraid to just do something! But to overcome this, we simply have to do it afraid! In the words of Nike: "Just Do It!" Because I'm a big fan, my next read to help in this area is Do it Afraid!: Obeying God in the Face of Fear. I'll give you my thoughts on it after I read it.

Do you want real, tangible success? Follow this simple equation and watch your life explode with success: C (Clarity) + I (Intention) + A (Action) = S (Success).

Until next post,
Dr. Angela aka "The Purpose Professor"
"Life with no purpose is no life at all"
http://www.lifeonpurposellc.com/

Get Yourself A System

I heard a very wealthy person once say that to achieve any real level of success in our lives, we needed to have a blueprint -- a system. Then he went on to say a S-Y-S-T-E-M means: Save Yourself Time Energy and Money. However, most of us are constantly reinventing the wheel and working hard not smart because we don't have a system. Consequently, we don't see the value of a good book or an audio program designed to help accelerate our personal and professional growth.

Has anyone recommended a good book to you lately? Have you gotten an invite to a seminar or been invited to listen to a informational CD? I know you have because we are constantly being exposed to ways to change our lives; sadly, most of us are too busy to realize that the help we so desperately need keeps showing up -- we just don't recognize it!

Use the acrostic S-Y-S-T-E-M to increase your awareness and to put yourself on the fast track to living a purposefully rewarding life. The next time one of those books, invites, CDs or DVDs shows up, ask yourself if I read/listen/watch this is there a remote possibility that I may learn something that can save me time, energy and/or money? If the answer is yes, buy that dang book, listen to CD, and take the time to watch the DVD. Then put whatever you learned into action and watch your personal and professional life change for the better.

Remember ... "Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

Dr. Angela aka "The Purpose Professor"

The Power of Choice

Wow! I just finished listening to one of my mentors, Jonathan Budd, talking about the concept of self-worth, value and leadership. It was powerful and it made me think about the idea of choice.

In the end, our lives will all boil down to the choices we've made -- little choices like passing on that "sure-fire-gonna-make-you-rich-now" idea of your uncle's which turned out to be a ponzie scheme. Big choices like marrying him or her because no one else caused that lump to form in your throat or your heart to skip a beat like that. Medium choices like picking up a certain book from some obscure author that has revolutionized your life. Choices!

What all this means then, my friends, is that we must be careful with our choices, because like I said... in the end our lives will all boil down to the choices we've made!

Peace,
Dr. Angela aka "The Purpose Professor"
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Life On Purpose LLC

Does Silence Have A Purpose?

In a world of iPhones, video blogs, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace -- all designed to get information to you f-a-s-t -- I think it's safe to say that we are a busy and noisy society. Plus, we are a very communicative society; we like to talk! So have you ever noticed how irritating silence can be? Or how much it bothers us when no one is talking? Or when we don't get that person on the phone immediately? Or ______ -- you just fill in the blank! It all boils down to noise. We like noise.

Is there a purpose in silence? I think so. In fact, I believe that learning to be silent is a prerequisite for learning how to listen. Because we like noise and we like to make noise, oftentimes we just flat out don't listen. To help us reframe our thoughts on silence, I offer you this tip: Cease to think of silence as irritating and start to think of silence as active listening.

Active listening defined is learning to tune in to the person speaking. An even broader definition is learning to tune in to our environment which may or may not include a person. Make a note of the five steps of active listening:

1. Ask yourself what is the real content here?
2. Ask yourself what is the real intent here?
3. Pay attention to the nonverbal cues of the person you're listening to.
4. Pay attention to your own nonverbal cues -- what vibes are you sending off?
5. Listen just to listen -- discard judgments and be emphathetic

When we learn to listen actively utilizing the five steps we will discover that silence does, indeed, have a purpose!

Until next post,

Dr. Angela aka "The Purpose Professor"
http://www.lifeonpurposellc.com"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

One Way To Deal With Change

I'm sure you know as well as I that change is inevitable, it's continuous and it cannot be ignored. That being said, why is it so difficult for us to deal with it?

Well, this is certainly not a scientific answer, but I think we are such creatures of habit until we just hate disturbing the status quo. The vast majority of us do certain things a certain way all of the time. To suggest doing those things differently is to upset our apple cart, so to speak, and we resist it.

Maybe change wouldn't be so hard to deal with if we were to examine and adjust (change?) our view and attitude. Let me explain, change has the potential to bring some wonderful opportunities into our lives. For example, losing a job could result in someone going back to school and getting a degree.

So, here's one little tidbit of information to help you handle change more effectively: find a way to focus on the gift inherent in the change, rather than the negativity attached to it. Evaluate the change and determine how will it affect you. This will help to remove the emotionalism and replace it with rationalism.

Change happens, but it's up to us to see the potential otherwise we're sure to fall into the pothole!

The Art of Self-Discipline

If you recall, I blogged a few months ago about small changes making a big difference. Well, I have to admit that I failed to follow my own advice after a while, and that same principle started to work adversely! My small change was a large Peanut Butter Avalanche every day from The Dairy Bar. In a matter of one month, I packed on a whopping 10 pounds! It certainly made a big difference! So that's what leads me to today's blog post -- self-discipline.

Self-discipline takes a made up mind. Speakers and trainers often refer to Benjamin Franklin and his famous 13 virtues he committed to work on all of his life. Key word committed. You may be familiar with his story, but here goes in case you're not. A young Franklin first pinpointed his weaknesses then he set out to strengthen them. His thinking was left unchecked his weaknesses would ultimately lead to a life of failure. How true!

Deciding the qualities most important to cultivate, he created a daily log and focused on a different virtue every week. His list: Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity and Humility. Then he set out to work on that virtue, ultimately seeking to have a "check-free" record each week which signified his success at practicing that particular virtue. It's been said that Franklin is the father of self-improvement. He certainly set the tone for self-discipline.

What Ben Franklin teaches us is this:

• We can change
• We have to stay focused on what we want to change
• Self-discipline is an art to be practiced, otherwise the habit of failure will kick in

Hey, I'm preaching to me today, friends! Are you up for the challenge of perfecting this art form? I am!

Until next post,

Dr. Angela aka "The Purpose Professor"

"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

The Power of Forgiveness

I preached a sermon once called, Forgiveness: From Scabs to Scars based on the very graphic illustration of picking at a wound and not allowing it to heal. When we leave it alone it scabs over and heals itself naturally, then the scab falls off leaving a scar. The scar says, "I got wounded, but I'm healed and it doesn't hurt anymore!" How many of us, though, keep picking at the wound refusing to let it heal?

The other side to that is choosing to forgive, to let something go and move on. Those of you who follow me on Twitter and Facebook know that I'm shouting from the rooftop about my uncle, Ronald Cotton and his new book, Picking Cotton. You also know that Uncle Ron was positively identifed as a rapist. He spent 11 years in the NC prison system before DNA helped to free him.

What impresses me most about my uncle is his ability to forgive. He could have been a bitter man, and hated Jennifer Thompson-Cannino (the woman who accused him). Think about it. Because of her positive I.D. and eye-witness testimony he spent 11 years in jail. Instead, he forgave her. He let the wound turn into a scab so that it could turn into a scar. His forgiveness has been so powerful it has perpelled them into a world neither of them ever thought they would be in, i.e., motivational speakers, best-selling authors, and friends.

Who do you need to forgive? Yeah, I know it hurt. Yeah, I know you can't believe they would do something like that to you -- but they did -- they wounded you. But will you keep picking at it or will you let it scab over so that it can become a scar ... a badge of honor, if you will, that says, "Hey, World! I got hurt, but I got over it!"

Until next post,
Dr. Angela aka "The Purpose Professor"
"Life with no purpose is no life at all"

Plug In Your G.P.S.!

As many of you know, I travel a great deal. I would be lost (literally) without my handy Garmin Nuvi. Whenever I'm in a state and city I know very little about, I just put in an address and within a matter of seconds Nuvi begins to direct to my destination. How cool!

Well, what about life's destinations, otherwise known as goals? Where do you want to go in your life? How will you get there? I'm a big Brian Tracy fan and in his program, The Psychology of Achievement, he says that "less than 3 percent of Americans have written goals, and less than 1 percent review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis." In other words, 97-98 percent of us (if you're American) have no clue as to where we're going. We're just going -- moving along in life without a real destination. Then we find ourselves in the "coulda, shoulda, woulda" mindset looking back over a life partially lived. Oh, we might grow older but in many ways without goals we're stuck. How sad.

So, my friends, here's some inspiration for you today: plug up your G.P.S., your Goal Pointing System. Sit down and decide where you'd like to go in your life. What would you like to accomplish? Write it down. Review it. Revise it. And watch your life change!

Until next blog,
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Dr. Angela aka "The Purpose Professor"

How do YOU define success?

I know a few successful people ... or do I? Well, I think it all depends on your definition of success. Was Steve McNair successful? Michael Jackson? What about Sara Palin? President Barack Obama? What about you?

Does the size of your bank account and the cars parked in your garage measure your success? I think those kinds of things are the trappings, but true success comes from within -- who are you really when the world is not looking.

The question stems from a conversation I had with one of my sons. He reminded me that when they were little, I made sure that they knew their grandparents and great grandparents. Even though I was a single mom living in Texas, every year they spent time with both sides of their family. He put success in perspective when he said, "Mom, you gave us such a gift ... the gift of knowing our grandparents."

It made me think about success and what it really means to me, and it's this:

"Living every day without regret and taking every opportunity to make real connections -- connections with family, connections with friends, and even connections with strangers. Success is lying down at night, grateful for the chance to live, learn, and love just because."

And yes, Michael Jackson was successful -- Paris proved that to the world yesterday!

What say ye?

Until next post,
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Dr. Angela

The Attractor Factor

I just finished reading Joe Vitale's The Attractor Factor and I can't say enough good things about it. Talk about "life-altering"!

Here's a little tip I want to pass on to you from Joe's book... Get clear of old events, hurts, memories and beliefs (p. 155). Joes says that getting clear gives you more energy to attract what you really want out of life. Now, let me tell you how this one concept helped me.

For a while I've struggled with money, i.e., not having enough of it! Last year was ... well ... I don't even want to go there. Anyway, Joe suggested that I write down how I felt things were. He suggested using all my emotion and describing the pain, the hurts, all of the "stuff". When I did this, I started crying and really began to feel all of that negativity. Then, on Joe's suggestion, I wrote how I wanted things to be. It was descriptive and I made it real. I could see my checking account deposits. I imagined eating out and leaving a huge tip because I have more than enough. After I finished, I went outside and took the first one, set it on fire, and watched it burned. WOW! This exercise was so liberating!

From that day (about two weeks ago), I noticed my entire attitude had changed. I am happier in my seminars. I am drawing positive, upbeat, and enlightened people to me. And .... drum roll, please--money is coming to me like never before. For example, I checked my account and found out that I had made an unexpected $600 in commissions from a job.

Joe's book will help you become deliberate about your own personal development. Run, don't walk, get a copy today and change your life!

Until next blog,

"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Dr. Angela aka "The Purpose Professor"

The Challenge of Delegation

General George S. Patton once said, "Don't tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and let them surprise you with the results." For most of us, however, our mantra is: "If I want it done right, I have to do it myself!" Right? Wrong!

Here's a quick tip I picked up from a little book called Managing People - Secrets to Leading for New Managers. When you delegate, give instructions not orders. Instructions silently say to the person you've giving them to, "Hey, I believe that you're capable of participating, learning, and doing. I also want you to have a say in how things are done." Orders on the other hand also send a silent message, and it goes something like this: "There's only one way to do this, and it's my way! Your independent thinking is neither needed nor will it be accepted."

Wow! What a difference, right? This is the point, as the delegator we should focus on results -- getting the project done. Think of all the benefits of adopting this delegation technique:

• Thanks to you, the delegatee becomes more capable of doing more
• You and your delegatee experience higher rates of productivity
• You gain the time and freedom to focus on more pressing activities

Looks like a win-win for everyone!

Until next post remember, "Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

Vision - How Do You See It?

You know the old adage about some seeing the glass half-empty while others see it half-full? The point being your vision is nothing more than a filtered perspective. Whatever we create, whatever vision we have for ourselves--personally and professionally--must always make its way through the filters we have crafted to keep us safe.

This became apparent to me in one of my seminars on Public Speaking. Every person that signs up for this seminar has this in common: they are fearful and have very little confidence in their abilities to stand and speak in front of others. You see, their fear is the vision they hold of themselves. How did it become their fear? (emphasis on their to indicate ownership). It became their fear as they continually passed the idea of public speaking through preset filters. Those filters may have been created from a past experience where they felt scared, pre-judged or ignorant. With those kinds of filters in place, it's little wonder that the vision is one of fear and trepidation.

The only way to change the vision is to replace the filter. And the only way to replace the filter is to acknowledge that it exist. This helps to explain the sound advice of the Proverb that states: "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Think about it. People are perishing or living beneath their priviledge because their filters keep them from even having a vision of a life different from the one they have right now. One filter can make the difference between poverty and prosperity; love and hate; happiness and sadness -- you get my point, right?

What is your vision? How do you see it? Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? What filters do you have in place keeping you safely in your little corner when there's so much you could experience if you were to venture out?

I know. I know. I'm bombarding you with a lot of questions! Now, take a few minutes and answer them, and be completely honest with yourself. Afterall, this is your life and you don't want to perish now do you?

Remember,
Life with no purpose is no life at all!
http://www.lifeonpurposellc.com

Blessings,
Dr. Angela aka "The Purpose Professor"

Six Techniques to Avoid Distractions

Let's face it, distractions are designed to take you away from the task at hand which generally means ... time waster!

Here are a few techniques to help you avoid becoming distracted:

• Ask yourself, "What is the real issue?" Whenever we give in to a distraction, we are avoiding completing the task we're working on. For example, I'm working on getting ready to teach a new seminar topic for one of my clients. When my sister calls and I decide to talk to her for an hour, I need to ask myself "why?" Is it because I don't like preparation time (propably). You have to get to the root cause.
• Ask yourself, "Does this distraction fit into the priorities I've set for myself today?" Sometimes a distraction is a good thing, but if it adds to the task you're working on.
• Do you like mini-diversions, you know, little breaks from what you're doing? Again, be real! My sister has a new love interest, and the truth is that I want to know what's going on, so I welcome her calls.
• Before giving in to a distraction ask yourself, "What do I stand to lose if I give in to this distraction?"
• Remember, just because it seems urgent doesn't mean that it really is urgent! Don't get sucked in to someone else's priority.
• Be flexible, and change your priorities if you feel that this distraction warrants a higher priority than what you may be doing.

So, if you want to live and work in a stress-free environment, take control of your distractions and don't let distractions take control of you!

Until next blog,

Dr. Angela

"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

Five Steps to Overcoming Overcommitment

I teach people how to manage their time, and one of the biggest culprits to mismanaged time is overextending or overcommitting.

This is the definition: Trying to get more done than there are hours in a day to do. Here's my simple test to help you determine if you are overcommitted: "no" does not exist in your vocabulary! If that's you, help has arrived as long as you will commit to following these five simple steps:

1. Write down everything you have committed to, both personal and professional.
2. Write down everything you should be doing, but -- because of overcommittment -- cannot do.
3. Go over your first list realistically and decide, based on your available time and your priorities, what should you really be doing.
4. Come up with a way to get out of all the things you identified in step #3.
5. Commit to a specific time to begin each of the items you identified in step #2.

Remember this: "Devoting a little of yourself to everything means committing a great deal of yourself to nothing."

Two great resources to help you manage your time:

• Prioritize, Organize - The Art of Getting It Done by National Seminars Group (National Press Publications.
• Work Less, Do More - The 14-Day Productivity Makeover by Dr. Jan Yager

The key to managing your time begins with a decision to do just that!

Until next blog,

Dr. Angela

"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

Slow Down

Peace to you!

A short blog today.

Sometimes we move so quickly through life -- rushing here, dashing there -- everybody's in a hurry. Well, today I want to remind you to take it easy. Really. Take the time to appreciate the sunset. Stop and inspect all the newness that this new season is bringing: buds on the trees, native birds returning, squirrels trying to figure out how to steal the bird seed, Easter lilies, the grass turning green ... my list could go on. Busyness can rob us of the beauty of the simple. If you want to release some stress, lower your blood pressure, and lift your attitude, slow down! I guarantee you this: you won't miss a thing and it will be there when you get there!

Until next blog,

Dr. Angela
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

You Really can C-A-N!

Here's an encouraging thought for you: whatever you think you can do, you CAN do!

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "“Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning.”

CAN is such an empowering word because it speaks of ability. Don't you just love that word "ability"? Your "able to do"! From that perspective, we CAN dream and achieve. We CAN keep going when we want to give up. We CAN stay focused when we want to wander. We CAN apologize when we want to remain angry. We CAN get outside of our comfort zone even though no one else has done it before! With CAN the world becomes our playground! I believe that's why President Obama's simple campaign slogan, "Yes, we can!" was so powerful. Every time people chanted those three one-syllable words, emphasis on CAN, they were reinforcing their ableness (I made that word up) to do it -- to turn this country around, to make life better for their children, to recover this country's greatness, to dream and achieve again.

Can only becomes a limitation when we add the word "not". So, I challenge you to start thinking and speaking on purpose about what you CAN do. Think of this way: every time you hear that thought of can't and decide to turn it into CAN, you just decided to Counter All Negativity! Yes, you really can C-A-N!

Until next blog,

"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"

Dr. Angela

Small Changes, Big Differences

It's been a while since I've blogged. Don't worry! I won't give you a bunch of excuses as to why.

This blog has to do with an extraordinarily simple concept: small changes over time make big differences. I know. I know. Some of you are reading this and going, "Duh!" Indulge me, okay? I knew it, too; at least from a mental standpoint. It just took me some time to implement it. So, here's what I did.

Back in December I celebrated a birthday. (None of your business which one!) I decided to move my body at least 20 minutes 6 days a week ... a small change. Well, it's March and here's my big difference--drum roll, please--I've dropped an entire dress size! My clothes fit better, and I feel better.

Here's another example. I bank at Bank of America and signed up for their "Keep the Change" savings program. Every time you use your debit card, BofA rounds up the charge and puts the change into a savings account. Well, in less than 2 weeks I noticed I had accumulated a little over $7. It's small change, but over time it will make a big difference.

So, what small change are you willing to make? Just a few suggestions, how about:

• Getting off your bus stop or subway stop one stop earlier and walking every day?
• Drinking one more glass of water than you normally do every day?
• Getting up 5 minutes earlier every day so that you can have some quiet time to meditate and center yourself.
• Moving your body 20 minutes a day

This is the point. If you and I make up our minds to do something, then by definition we are doing that thing on purpose. However, oftentimes our zeal and excitement lasts for about a week, then it's back to the same old, same old. Just make a small change. Don't upset your life or routine too much. Then before you know it, right before your eyes, you'll see the fruit of that small change ... you will experience a BIG DIFFERENCE!

Until next blog,

Dr. Angela reminding you: "Life with no purpose is no life at all!"