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The Motive of Motivation

Motivation is an individual’s desire or enthusiasm for a particular goal. For instance, if Jane asks John to run down to the market to get their groceries, the achievement of that particular goal set by Jane for John is highly dependent on how motivated John is to accomplish that fact. If John perceives the task of going for groceries to be inconvenient, chances are he will be demotivated to take on the chore and it won’t get done.

Even if John decides to get the groceries, he may do so with much delay and with no enthusiasm that he may not do a very good job of picking up the groceries. Despite this though, if the fear of acquiring Jane’s wrath is stronger than John’s perceived inconvenience for actually taking on the task then chances are, John will be highly motivated to accomplish the task and he will do so with the right competence. Whatever the case may be, you will realize from this simple example that motivation is a temporal state of mind and is absolutely not a character trait.

An individual’s motivation toward something is always a result of a complex decision making procedure that can take only a split second for our minds to process. Although you will hear people refer to some people as highly motivated individuals as compared to others, this usually means that, that particular individual is highly motivated to succeed in terms of how society defines success. The fact that another individual may not be motivated toward the same goals doesn’t mean that, that person is not motivated at all. In fact, that individual who lacks the drive to succeed based on societal norms “fails” not because he is not motivated, but because he is indeed highly motivated to achieve the opposite.

So you see, motivation is intrinsic in each individual. The fact that one may be demotivated towards one thing means he is motivated towards an opposite end. Everyone is motivated all the time. Parents and employers are on the constant quest to motivate their children and employees, respectively.

With children, parents may decide to use coercion, positive reinforcement or whatever other method available to them, to motivate their children toward a certain behavior. An employer will offer his employees with attractive employment packages that will continue to motivate the workers to perform well and be productive all the time. It is in the fact that we are conditioned to see motivation as something external that gets us into trouble.

For instance, we often blame another individual, entity or institution for our lack of motivation. We blame our spouse or partner for not being a certain way, therefore unable to provide us the motivation we need to stay in the relationship. We also blame our employers for our unproductive behavior, claiming that work conditions are the cause of poor job performance.

The truth of the matter is, no matter what the case is, we are responsible for our own motivations. We should never resort to blame or any negative over emotion because this affects our clarity. This lack of clarity affects our ability to decide the outcome of our motivations. Sometimes we get motivated towards something for the wrong reason and this behavior serves us more harm than good. Motivation is a human tool for self development and actualization and should be used accordingly.

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How To Find Your Passion So You Can Fulfill Your Destiny

Many people struggle with finding a sense of purpose in life. They work a job they don’t love, live in a city they don’t enjoy, stay in a relationship without love. Why do they do this? Why do they tread water without going forward?

As a child, the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” is often asked. Most children have an answer. They want to be doctors or astronauts or firemen or actors or whatever their young minds can think of. The entire world is theirs for the taking. Anything is possible at this point. What happens along the way to stop them from fulfilling their childhood dream?

The first deterrent is other people. Parents, peers or anyone that makes a negative comment about the child’s dream can have a devastating effect on their attitude. It is difficult enough to follow a dream without a psychological hindrance in the form of nay saying. It is necessary to grow a thick skin early in life to avoid giving up before even beginning. Nothing should stand in the way of doing what you love in life.

What about people that don’t know what they want to do? Some people feel lost and do not know what they want out of life. They are content to work at a regular job, get paid, retire and then die. Life passes them by without so much as a thought. Do not be like this. Live the life you have always imagined by finding your passion.

Finding out what makes one passionate is not always so easy. Most often, whatever the object of desire is, it seems out of reach or impossible. A child dreaming of becoming an astronaut or the President soon finds this dream is a difficult endeavor to accomplish. But what comes first? Is it societal pressure or peer pressure that discourages the dreamer? Or is it themselves that are to blame for giving up hope before they even begin?

Society often states what is possible and what is not. When Christopher Columbus had a dream of discovering a new world, he was jeered at and sneered at. People said it was impossible to sail around the world. His peers told him not to try or he would die in the attempt. What course would the world have taken had he listened to the doubters?

When face with adversity, one can either storm forward unafraid or quit. Most people quit. They figure they should not have tried in the first place and this failure is a manifestation of that glaring reality. Failure is only an opportunity to begin again in a different direction. Do not let fear of failure stop you from trying and ultimately succeeding.

So what is passion? What makes people who live for their passion different from others that do not? Passion is very simply what makes you happy. If growing a garden makes you happy and a large amount of time or energy is spent tilling a garden, this is a source of passion. The same can be said of music, both playing or listening. Knowing what is a source of passion in one’s life is an easy matter of being honest with yourself.

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Key To Success: Motivation

Motivation is not a new concept to most of us. We have felt that first burst of enthusiasm. Perhaps it was an ad or news story on TV, an article in a magazine, a chance remark, or an embarrassing moment that brought us that sudden rush of certainty that something needed to be done…could be done. We felt a strong, perhaps overwhelming desire to DO SOMETHING…something that would change what had been or create something new. Often, this is accompanied by a clear and certain knowledge of what to do, how to do, and what the result would be.

Maybe we decided to lose weight, start a business, or write a book. Still bolstered by our reaction to what we had seen, heard, or felt, were certain of success! We would start that exercise program, or open that savings account tomorrow; we would begin writing a chapter a day…tomorrow. No! Tomorrow was too far away! We knew what we wanted and how to get it and we were going to start today!

Nothing could stop us!!

Of course, we know what happened over the next few hours, days, or weeks.

The clear image we had of our success dimmed and blurred; perhaps disappeared all together. The daily exercise routine, became a couple of times a week, and then was dropped all together. We quit making the deposit, or the notebook we bought for writing our great novel suddenly seemed too full of blank pages to ever fill.

The dream ended. If we were lucky, that’s all that happened…it ended. For some, however, it lingered on as one more reminder of all the unfulfilled dreams and became part of our self image. It was another defeat to add to the stack.

So! What happened and how do we change it?

What happened was a combination of life, human nature, and personality or character.

Life supplies us with a constant stream of information, events, and opportunities. It is difficult to keep sight of the goal and the process while maintaining the initial level of motivation which burned so brightly when it was the new kid on the block.

Human nature has defense mechanisms and weaknesses which combine to cause us to lose the fervor we felt…before we begin to become aware of the obstacles in our path. Sadly, an obstacle does not have to be real to be effective. The well-intentioned doubts of friends and family, whether real or imagined, are both equally effective in extinguishing the fires of desire.

As with many things in our lives, our personalities and characters have a great impact on our success or failure in any given situation. Whether they contribute to our success or become obstacles does not, however, define us as failures! It is also important to note that the factors of personality or character which may be in the way are NOT always set in stone and may be altered so that success becomes a more common state.

Ways to maintain motivation keep our dream clear, bright, and fresh after the first giddy rush of elation we felt when we first felt we knew “the answer”. We cannot change life in general, but we can change how we live it and alter the human nature and circumstances which would rob us of success.

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Using Self Motivation Techniques To Keep Your Goals In Focus

No matter what goal you are aiming for, staying motivated is a challenge for everyone at times. Even though you have set those goals for yourself, it will be hard to stay focused at times. Using self motivation techniques is a great way to ensure that you stay positive and have the mental attitude needed to achieve your goals. One of the best things that you can do is to map out a plan detailing your goal and the steps that you will take to achieve your dreams. It is also a good idea to regularly reassess your plan and make sure that you still feel that your original strategy is the best one. There is nothing wrong with changing your plan if you feel that changes will improve it, the plan is not carved in stone and should always be considered as a flexible tool. Life is full of unexpected surprises and this can mean your initial steps will no longer lead you to where you want to arrive, you can change your written plan to take any surprise changes into account.

Making your written plan is the first step. After that, you might find that you still need sources of inspiration and encouragement. Self motivation techniques such as breaking your plan into small tasks that you can achieve daily will help give you a sense of accomplishment as each task is finished. This is a great technique and will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed or feeling that your goal is too hard for you to accomplish. Remember, the way to eat a whole elephant is one bite at a time. Make a written list of tasks for each day and cross them off one by one as you complete them. Each time you cross off a completed item, your spirits will get a boost that will encourage you to tack the next task on your list.

Rewarding yourself after you complete your tasks will also help keep you feeling mentally positive and optimistic. The reward can be anything, eg a coffee break or ten minutes to chat to a friend on the phone. The reward doesn’t need to be anything big but, by giving yourself an incentive, you will have something to help motivate you to take the next step towards reaching your goal.

Procrastination is called “the thief of time” for very good reasons. Procrastination is an easy habit to adopt and a very hard one to break, so it is best to have a scheme in place to avoid it all together. Avoiding procrastination is one of the simplest and biggest ways that you can increase your motivation and remain focused on taking the necessary small steps towards achieving your goals.

Making written lists (and following them!) is an excellent way to avoid procrastination. Try taking your yearly goals and breaking them down into manageable monthly chunks. Next break the monthly lists down further into weekly parts. Finally make daily lists that involve small steps towards your yearly goals. By working on your yearly goals in this step by step fashion, you will reduce the opportunities for being tempted to procrastinate. Once you get into the habit of following your daily task list, the temptation to put things off will be overridden by the desire to see all the items crossed through by the end of your working day.

When you finish your daily tasks, be sure to reward yourself. If you finish earlier than normal, award yourself some extra time off to spend as you please. If you are keeping to your step by step plan, there is no need to put in extra hours. The days of procrastinating and then needing to work longer hours will be over. List making sounds simple (and it is) but it is a powerful way to keep yourself on track day by day to accomplish your ultimate goals.

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A Teacher’s Gift

A teacher’s legacy of positive thinking inspires a student to achieve her dream. Through a new friendship and a chance encounter, a gift multiplies its grace and comes full circle.

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” (Henry B. Adams)

Kaitlyn began school today. The stunning miracle who had amazed and amused the Connolly circle, who had introduced the clan to the wonder of new life and fresh beginnings enthusiastically stepped into her new world.

Only her mother, Kelly, hesitated. The reluctant gift-giver tightened her grip on the tender hand and prayed Papa’s wish for Kaitlyn would come true. Now present only in their hearts, Papa wished, as a lifelong educator would, for the ideal first-grade teacher: a nurturing lover of learning whose unconditional acceptance, enthusiasm, and warmth would foster her curiosity and embolden her educational path.

After her second child was born, Kelly had started feeling a bit of cabin fever. A way out, she thought, was to connect again with adults outside the family circle and neighborhood. By returning to food service part-time, she could socialize and at the same time earn extra income for her growing family.

The staff at the restaurant down the street warmly welcomed her, the young woman for whom every childhood day had been the Fourth of July. Soon, Kelly and fellow waitress, Teresa Salerno, became friends and confidants. They supported each other through Kelly’s loss of a beloved father and the challenges of Teresa’s potentially-serious medical condition. They shared the joys and tribulations of balancing, for one, work and young parenthood and, for the other, work and education. Terry, whose dream to become a teacher had started years before at a local community college, was approaching the realization of her goal.

Through a chance encounter at the restaurant, Kelly was introduced to Teresa’s dad. Instantly, Kelly caught a glimpse of her own father. Simply serving coffee and exchanging a few words had convinced Kelly: Here is a good man, a special man, who dearly loves his family. Teresa must meet my own Dad.

The next day Kelly brought into work her father’s book, a collection of his writings. She slipped the book into Teresa’s locker and waited for her return to work. This was the first and only time Kelly had given away this cherished memento. The handsome face of her father smiling so enigmatically on the cover and his voice so clearly heard in his writings would surely give Teresa an insight into the father she cherished.

Later in the week, Kelly would learn, a gush of tears had greeted her gift. This is the man who changed my life, Teresa would say. He was my favorite professor and I didn’t want his class to end. He believed in me and my dream when no one else did. Just this week I completed my teaching certificate.

Shortly afterward, the two friends lost touch. A difficult pregnancy requiring extended bed rest forced Kelly to leave work and the companionship of her friend. All energy was devoted to keeping mother-to-be and the first male child healthy. After several hospitalizations and five weeks before the due date, the miracle baby Jack arrived. Just in time for the beginning of the new school year.

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Personal Growth through Sacrifice and Discipline

Sacrifice of self to self. What does it mean? It means letting go of the old self for a new and better self. This is a hard thing to do as we get comfortable with whom and what we are. Our old self is familiar, seems safe, and is relatively effortless to maintain.

Change takes us beyond our boundaries, challenges us to what is not familiar, and forces us to give up well-worn habits. It requires effort and sacrifice of things we have learned to enjoy. Those are things that are pleasant but stand in the way of highest good.

We think we are a mind and a body and do what we can to satisfy the desires of mind and body. Seldom do we step beyond. Being stuck in a limited perception, the selfish do not sacrifice.

Do you want to live forever? Well, maybe you do live forever, but not as you are now. Death means new beginning. Sometimes we are not ready for it. Other times we feel stagnant and embrace it.

What does it mean to die daily? It means sacrificing your immediate wants to affect a future result or metamorphosis. Actually sacrificing of self to self, quite often to the benefit of others as well. Totally surrender your self and you will find your true self.

Giving is a virtue. You’ve no doubt heard that it is better to give than to receive. But oh, how we all like to receive! Receiving is good too. Exchange cannot take place without both present. One cannot take place without the other, and it is not just a one-way exchange.

There is a law of compensation. If you give, you get. We do not live in a vacuum. Our actions always bring results of one kind or another, whether we immediately realize it or not.

What I am saying is do not ever feel frustration when trying to improve your self. Any efforts you make do not go wasted; so do not think there is such a thing as wasted effort. You are creating ripples and building a store of experience that will eventually bear fruit.

Do a big thing, or do any little thing many times toward your goal. Know that fulfillment will happen through persistence. If you give up and stop persisting then simply start again.

There may be something you want to have or something you want to be. That is your goal. You’ve no doubt thought about it and how to obtain it. Let’s go further and write the goal down on paper to give you more focus. Put it at the top of the page in pen.

Grab a red marker and draw an arrow pointing up toward your goal. Now go back to your pen and write along the line of the arrow. Write things you can do to work toward achieving the goal and how you can make arrangements to put in the work.

Review this paper often. This is your action plan. It has one direction and one intention – your goal. You are the archer with your bow drawn and arrow pointing toward your target. Now let go the string.

Your new self is the you that has attained the goal. The old self may try to stand in the way of reaching it. You sacrifice your old self by keeping discipline, for discipline is what sacrifices require. Goal achievement often is a process of personal growth.

Sometimes discipline means not trying to get the whole thing at once. Anxiousness and impatience are not qualities of discipline, and neither is selfishness. You may have to put in effort a little at a time over a long period. Don’t worry about it, worry destroys discipline.

Don’t get angry about it either, but if you do get angry, then be happy. Why? Because having anger means you have lots of energy. Channel that energy toward your goal rather than just blowing off steam and maybe you just might get the whole thing at once.

Discipline makes the difference. It means you have an ideal that you are willing to sacrifice for.

Got Discipline? Just keep regularity in your efforts and you will find that discipline builds from there.

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We Are Not One Function Machines

Researchers tell us that we stop using our minds when we reach 30 years old.

Researchers also are telling us that we should go back to school or college when we retire. They claim that we use what we have learned over the first 30 years to carry us over the next 30 years. What a poor realization for such a wonderful resource. The mind is like the body, it needs to be exercised. The human mind is limitless in its creation-it never stops thinking. Our minds are capable of moving past the necessities of life, and into others realms of awareness and understanding.

From the time that we are born, we are taught that we can accomplish anything and that our minds a limitless. Yet, the people that tell us these things do not empower us to move out of the box and do great things. As soon as we come up with great ideas and make them known, we receive a new label. We are called strange, weird, dreamer and many other things. The status quo does not want us to do these things, they do not want to be left behind, and they need reassurance that what they believe is valid. If you come up with something out of the ordinary, then they have to re-think their position. Most people feel comfortable in not examining their own circumstances.

We are taught about human behavior and other’s expectations from the time we are born. There are certain lines we do not cross and it is not good to rock the boat. There are certain expectations of us from those that have power over us which we must respect.

Humanity ‘is’ limitless energy, and for the most part over centuries of existence it has been held captive in a limited understanding of what he really is and what he is capable of doing. Man dreams big and produces small. He dreams of building skyscrapers then goes through a whole process of why he cannot do it. He dreams of other worlds, and then busies himself with his own world. He dreams of peace then goes to war to try and create it. Humanity has the capacity and power to create anything that he desires on demand, but he is afraid of his power and therefore does not use it. Man has a built-in governor that is self installed to limit his power, power governed according to need as on a lawn mower.

This is not a criticism of humanity-it’s just a realization of his potential to create anything and to limit his own creations. It is an awareness of potentiality and unlimited access to power, that is and always has been at hand and within our own control.

It is appropriate that we are concerned with our lives in the physical world and on this planet-it is our home. However, with the awareness that we have the potential to create and explore other worlds we do not have to be so serious about exploiting our own planet and the peoples on it. We should be able to experience and share more abundance on this world knowing that we can get more anytime that we wish. With the realization of our own power to produce abundance on demand, we should not have to carry the burden of having abundance and trying to sustain it.

Our focus may be on our own little worlds, but it doesn’t mean that we have to stay here. It simply means that we have chosen to do so. Because we have such huge potential to create, we do not have to be as a single function machine that was build to do one thing only. It is thoughts of limited creation and potential that keeps us limited. Although our purpose is to experience all things physical, physicality extends past our own sand box. With the hope of moving to another and the realization that there are many, we would be more inclined to leave our own in good condition, knowing that we will be replacing others in their sand boxes as well. With the realization that we will be coming back to our own many times, we would want to insure its future and well being. We would want to leave it in good hands. We would educate those that follow to steward with the same respect.

As thinkers moving out of the box, we would understand that it makes no sense, and does not work to burn any bridges, as we will be crossing them again. It would make perfect sense to improve them and make them easier to cross next time.

Mankind is a multi-level thinker, dreamer and creator. He can build and explore others worlds while still being focused on this one. It works to experience peace at home, a place to rest, and a refuge. As a creator of all that is and the one that will experience it physically, it makes good sense to extend good stewardship to all places that he visits.

Man’s hope for the future comes with in the realization that he creates and experiences all the circumstances of his life. He has the power to change at will, he isn’t just a machine that eats, sleeps and dies. His awareness is universal and he will experience in the future what he leaves behind in the past.

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Exercise Tips: How to Develop Unstoppable Motivation and Willpower

Do you have trouble getting motivated to exercise?
Do you wish there was something you could do about it?
Do you think it’s your willpower that just doesn’t measure up?
What if there was a way for you to develop your willpower?
What if I could give you a few little secrets that you could use to create motivation and put to use to reach your fitness goals? Well if you’re willing to supply just a little bit of desire and a little bit of effort, I’ll teach you how to develop an unstoppable motivation and willpower that your friends will envy.
The key to your success is a simple five letter word… and that word is habit. This is our number one goal! Yes! Our number one goal is to create the habit of exercise and our improved fitness will be a by product of accomplishing this. How are we going to do this? We are going to break this down as far as necessary. And you will be the one who determines just how far that is. What do I mean by that? Well virtually all exercise consists of either steps or repetitions. Think of your favorite exercise. Is it walking? Then it can be broken down to steps… (or time spent) right? Is it push ups? Then it can be broken down to repetitions. Get the idea? So if we are to succeed at creating the habit of exercising, technically we only need to take “some” steps or to do “some” repetitions on a regular, consistent basis.
You might be thinking, Don, come on now… how is taking a few steps or a few repetitions going to help me reach my fitness goals? Stay with me for a minute. Most people who fail at reaching their fitness goals, fail because they lack motivation. And the reason they lack motivation is because their holding the wrong picture in their mind. You know the one… that one long grueling workout that seemed to last forever? If we’re going to hold a picture in our mind of an entire grueling workout, most of us are going to be whipped before we start.
I begin by telling myself that I am going to do “one set” of my favorite exercise (the bench press) and then after giving myself two or three minutes to recover from that set, I will then ask myself if I want to do more. Nine times out of ten I do! And if I don’t I can still feel good that I did that set and strengthened the habit of exercise. Surely anyone can do a “single set” of their favorite exercise and create the habit of doing so. Make the goal creating the “habit”… not the workout!!! We can always increase the steps, the reps, the number of sets, the exercises and the time spent anytime we want to! And I encourage you to do so… whenever you feel like it!
We need to keep in mind that not all workouts have to be maximal. Start each workout with just one set of your favorite exercise. Wait 2 or 3 minutes and while you’re waiting, praise yourself for accomplishing that set. You’ve just included some exercise in your day. Doesn’t that feel good? You have taken the first step to creating a habit… a very good habit. And each time that you do this you are strengthening that habit. Now, ask yourself if you feel like you want to do more. If not… stop. If so, repeat.
Many people get to the gym and turn around and go home because they just don’t feel up to working out that day. But many of us have found that if we just submit to doing a set or two of something, we begin to feel like doing more.
Denis Waitley is one of my favorite authors and to paraphrase something I heard him say is that habits begin like flimsy cobwebs at first and are strengthened day by day to become like unbreakable cables to shackle or strengthen our lives. What happens is once you get started, you will begin to feel the endorphins rush and most of the time you will “feel” like doing more. I kid you not! It’s amazing! It works for me virtually all the time. Try it!

Here is a poem that I read many years ago that I found to be very profound and seems appropriate for this article. I hope you enjoy it.

Who am I?

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do you might just as well
turn over to me and I will be able to do them
quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed –
You must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want
Something done and after a few lessons
I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great men;
And alas, of all failures, as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine,
Though I work with all the precision
Of a machine plus the intelligence of a man.
You may run me for a profit or run me for ruin –
It makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me,
And I will place the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I? I am habit!
– Anonymous

Read more: Exercise Tips: How to Develop Unstoppable Motivation and Willpower

Building Self Motivation

Motivation is sometimes tough to maintain, particularly for those who suffer from low self-esteem. However, motivation is integral to our ability to accomplish our goals and even complete tasks throughout our lives. We require daily motivation at work, at home, at the gym and even at play. Sometimes depression can rob us of our motivation and we stagnate. It is a difficult cycle as lack of motivation keeps us from completing tasks, which equates to failure to most people. This failure, in turn, causes people to have even less self-esteem. In order to prevent this, a motivation strategy must be implemented to achieve motivation success. It can be done, but it takes work. It is also important to recognize and overcome some common motivation killers.

Depression is a major motivation killer. People who are depressed will experience a significant decrease in motivation. In order to combat this it may be necessary for the person to use medication therapy to treat the depression. Depression may cause the person to experience a lack of desire to even get out of bed. It may be difficult for the person to leave the house or even to complete daily tasks. A motivation strategy to combat this is for the patient to first get a physical to make sure that the depression is not a symptom of an underlying, serious health condition, and then seek psychological counseling and possible medication therapy. Motivation success is possible if proper steps are taken to seek treatment.

Another condition that will rob a person of their motivation is insomnia and fatigue. Being sleepy all the time can distinctly impact daily motivation. Insomnia can cause excessive daytime sleepiness, or EDS, which can zap a person of their energy, thus destroying their motivation. When lack of motivation turns into failure on projects or daily tasks, a person’s self-esteem can be further robbed. He or she may feel like a complete failure and that frame of mind spills over onto other aspects of their life. Of course, treating the insomnia can have a dramatic affect to the person’s daily performance. In best-case scenario, motivation will return naturally. However, once the habit of procrastination and lack of motivation is set, it is difficult to break. Motivation success can be accomplished by time management and set time schedules to complete projects. It is important that a person be evaluated by a physician to ensure that the insomnia is not caused by a more serious health issue.

Perhaps the greatest robber of a person’s motivation is low self-confidence. Low self-esteem can cause a person to feel that they are unable to effectively complete projects or that if they try they will only fail. This is the most common barrier to a person’s motivation success. This goes far beyond just “sucking it up and moving on,” it becomes a physical inability to complete or sometimes even begin tasks. Sometimes the project may be too large or overwhelming or the person may lack the organizational skills necessary to be effectively self-motivated. This could range from cleaning a closet to working of a multi-million dollar project at work. All the talent in the world is useless if motivation is lacking. Organization is a good motivation strategy because it breaks down the task into parts that can be accomplished. Another motivation strategy it to set small goals over short periods of time. Try setting daily goals, weekly goals and monthly goals as well as long-term goals. Once you see that you can accomplish your daily goal, you will see that you are not a failure. Success feels good and it a great motivation booster.

Psychological counseling can help a person suffering from lack of motivation and low self-esteem. This is not the “head shrinker couch” that you see on TV. Those are exaggerated versions of counseling and you won’t likely have someone peer intently at you are ask repeatedly, “Now, how does that make you feel?” Instead, your therapist is likely to become a major player is increasing your self-esteem and motivation. Counseling can help you achieve motivation success. The counselor will walk you through exercises to increase your self-confidence which, in turn, will help your motivation increase. Additionally, the counselor can give you motivation strategies and if you follow the direction and work with the counselor, you will boost your self-confidence and achieve motivation success.

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8 Ways To Motivate & Improve Staff Performance

A stronger economy means more opportunities for you, and your staff. How do you keep them from looking for greener grass? Provide staff assistance, opportunities for enrichment, and an environment that increases enthusiasm. The processes of involvement, observation, interaction, and feedback build the foundation necessary for staff engagement, involvement, and motivation. The key is to create a staff-keeping environment now. Here are 8 key steps to take:

What you do vs. what you say.
You are the company compass and barometer. What you say, indicate, espouse, or demand of others must match what you do. Being an involved, observant, available, and caring manager or owner sets the standard of behavior for others.
1. Share goals
If you hate to be on the outside looking in, don’t you think others might feel the same? Bring staff in by sharing departmental or company goals. The journey you have in mind may be one that creates excitement and enthusiasm in them too.
2. Solicit feedback
They say two heads can be better than one. Sometimes we can be too close to a situation to see it from multiple angles. Soliciting feedback can offer different perspectives. It also provides staff with an opportunity to actively participate in company planning and changes, and allows you to experience different aspects of them, and vice versa.
3. Observe
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” What you see when staff are working, relaxed, celebrating, or operating to meet a deadline are the scenes that truly describe how your organization works. The ways in which people act (and interact), speaks volumes about an organization. Observing, allows you to see what’s working, and where change may be needed.
4. Cross-training
Walking a mile in someone’s shoes not only allows you to experience what they experience, but it can be the root of empathy. A cross-training program allows workers to experience other responsibilities and departments within the organization. It also prepares the organization for staff shortages, and allows workers to take a break from the routine of their regular tasks.
5. Relate to individual goals
Organizational goals can often be in alignment with the goals of individuals within the organization. Support individuals toward attaining their goals. The direction they are headed, may be exactly where you have a current or future need.
6. Open communication
It is important for staff to feel they can communicate their suggestions, concerns, successes, and misses, without fear of retribution. Assure staff they will be heard, acknowledged, and supported. Then, make sure you do exactly that.
7. The Final Piece
In a recent study conducted by Nelson Motivation Inc, “78 percent of employees indicated that it was “very” or “extremely” important to them to be recognized by their managers when they do good work, and 73 percent said they expected that recognition to occur either “immediately” or “soon thereafter.” Of the top 10 recognition factors staff ranked as important when they did good work, 4 were types of praise – personal, written, electronic, public – generated by those they hold in high esteem.”

Read more: 8 Ways To Motivate & Improve Staff Performance

Terrorism – A Major Concern Worldwide

In an already insecure society dominated by crime, conflict and injustice, terrorism has a major impact on global level, having the ability to generate panic, chaos and destruction of indescribable proportions. Terrorism adds even more tensions between nations guided by territorial or political interests, increasing the risk of armed conflicts both regionally and globally. Although the major political powers of today are struggling to solution any emerging disputes peacefully, on diplomatic ways, elaborately and carefully planned terrorist acts can even trigger a new World War if they are not timely anticipated and neutralized.

With so many terrorist attacks of major impact that have taken place in various corners of the world during the last decades, governments are constantly trying to develop more effective means of discouraging, preventing and overcoming such events. Government authorities worldwide have properly mobilized against such acts and are ready to intervene in case of emergency. With the help of experienced, properly trained teams of professionals, as well as new technologies and equipments, the nations exposed to the highest risk of becoming the target of terrorist attacks declare to be prepared to deal with a wide variety of scenarios.

In order to successfully predict terrorist attacks, countries from many corners of the world have joined forces in an attempt to gather data regarding the existing sources of terrorism, their origins and their distinctive traits. The authors of terrorist acts are most often fanatics driven by extreme religious, philosophic or politic beliefs, aiming to generate mass hysteria, conflicts and insecurity. Terrorist attacks can be either random (poorly organized but more difficult to predict, they are often planned by small, anonymous terrorist groups) or carefully planned (elaborately developed, having a well established goal but being easier to predict and neutralize, such acts are often carried away by declared terrorist networks). Regardless of their nature and radical beliefs, terrorist groups are undoubtedly powered by diabolic minds that seek to impose their conceptions through fear, panic and inhuman acts.

While some government authorities primarily aim to accumulate data on past terrorist acts and identify valuable leads for investigations, others work to annihilate suspected or declared terrorist groups and networks. Considering that even a poorly planned and organized terrorist attack of small proportions can take many innocent lives, cause substantial material damage and generate global panic, government authorities are nowadays focusing on forecasting such inhuman acts and catching their authors unharmed in order to provide the government with valuable information needed for dismantling larger terrorist networks. Government representatives inform that the fight against terrorism is on, and assures us that in the near future the world will become a safer and a more secure place, free from terrorist attacks, innocent victims, fear and destruction.

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Developing A Self-Motivation Strategy

For many people, self-motivation can be a task in itself. Not everyone has the self-discipline to accomplish a task without constant supervision; however, in both education and employment, it is the most important part of the learning process. After all, beyond the middle school development, a student must begin the process of training for the “real world,” and part of this process includes developing self-motivation.

Self-motivation begins in school as you learn how to complete assigned tasks on time, especially those that require time outside of the classroom. You cannot expect the teacher to be the motivator all the time, so therefore, you must learn how to motivate yourself. Without that ability, your life will be much more time-challenging since you will not have a clue how to complete projects without a predominant reason to do so. In other words, you may clean your home because guests are coming, but you will not do it unless something motivates you to do so because you do not know the art of self-motivation.

The best way to approach the answer to this dilemma is to make a list of motivation tips. This should consist of things that customarily motivate you to do things that need completed. One thing that motivates many people is the possibility that something will come up to prevent them from completing something on time. It doesn’t matter what it is – school project, chores, work details, or personal errands – if you condition yourself into understanding that failing to do things now may mean the inability to do them later, your self-motivation will take over so that you accomplish the tasks in a timely manner.

There is no better motivating factor than facing the possibility that some pre-driven force will prevent you from doing the task if you don’t do it right now. For example, if you put off cleaning your house until you expect guests, it opens the possibility of unexpected guests arriving or of something breaking down, and you need to call a repairman. At work, that motivation may be that another more important project arrives on your desk, so now you have two priority projects, and you can’t go home until they are completed. There may be other ways, but creating your own stress is the one of the best motivation tips that anyone can offer.

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Flex Your Motivational Muscles

Self motivation is like a muscle, it needs exercise to keep strong and in good shape. If you fail to exercise a muscle it will gradually atrophy until it becomes completely useless. If you allow this to happen, it takes a great deal of extra effort to restore the muscle to full power and to regain your previous fitness level. Self motivation is needed when the wear and tear of daily life slows you down and you need to give yourself an extra push to keep going. Getting into the habit of daily exercise will ensure your motivational muscles won’t let you down when you need them.

Whether you are aiming to improve your work productivity, trying to break a bad habit, or if you want to make a big change in the direction of your life, you can benefit from performing self motivation exercises. Motivation is the force that drives you to achieve your dreams, realise your plans, and reach your goals. There will be times when the ordinary pressures of life wear you down. Stress, anxiety, and fatigue can sap your energy and rob you of your joy and passion for life. A self motivation exercise or two will help to reverse the effects of those negative forces, and give you the power to reshape your future.

A simple but effective self motivation exercise that you can perform anywhere and at any time is creative visualization. To implement this technique you literally picture yourself achieving your dreams, carrying through your plans and reaching your goals. A good time to carry out the visualization exercise is when you are falling asleep at night. Alternatively you can set aside some time when you won’t be interrupted to perform the visualization in a relaxed atmosphere. You should concentrate on your mental picture of you reaching your goal. Once you have the picture clear in your mind, imagine the feelings that accompany your achievement. Feel the elation, happiness and fulfilment you are feeling at that moment in your visualization. Practice this visualization every day and over time you will find that just conjuring up the picture will bring with it the positive feelings associated with reaching your goal.

To enhance the effect of these positive thoughts, you can add a further exercise: positive speaking. This exercise, however, is best done in a place where you won’t be overheard, otherwise your exercise might be mistaken for eccentricity. Once you have your vision in place, say positive and encouraging words that promote and affirm the picture you are imagining. If you are overcome with self-doubt, then speak aloud the opposite of your negative emotions. Speaking the opposite of the negative words associated with your feelings will empower you and restore your self-belief.

If you allow your mind to dwell on negative thoughts, your attitude will become negative but the damaging effects of negative thoughts and feelings can be eradicated by positive thinking. By repeating the exercises daily, you will achieve a positive mental attitude. As Aristotle said: “We are what we repeatedly do”. These exercises, although simple, can have astonishing benefits and by using them you can change your life.

If you believe that you can reach your goals and make your dreams come true then you will.

Read more: Flex Your Motivational Muscles

How to Become a Motivational Speaker

Quite simply, the only way to become a motivational speaker is to train with someone. To begin with you have to decide what market you want to target. You must choose from a field that includes but is not limited to finance, real estate, investing, religion, teen speakers, sales techniques and many more subjects of interest to companies and groups of people around the globe.

Pick your area of expertise or at least the subject you would like to speak to others about. Then seek out and pursue the best motivational speakers in that arena. Go and hear what they have to say and how they go about getting their message across. Are they keynote speakers or just the warm up guys beforehand? You won’t start out as a keynote speaker until you have some sort of following, some type of record behind you. But if you are gifted and you study and work heard, learn the basics, you have a chance to go to the top as quickly as anybody else does.

Leading motivational speakers often offer classes as well as books and other teaching aides to create new motivational speakers. This may sound strange. Why would a person at the top of his profession offer instruction on how to be a competitor? For the simple reason that the more people who are out there in the world, speaking about his teaching methods and using his motivational speaker training techniques, the more you work the more in demand he will become as a keynote speaker. You have to start somewhere and taking your training as a student of the guys at the top is the quickest way to get yourself hired to speak at someone’s convention.

When a simple seminar or evening of lectures is not enough to achieve desired results, some companies hire extreme motivational speakers to come in and deliver a heavier blow. These people concentrate on one thing and one thing only – making businesses more profitable from the minute the speaker is done speaking. Like all motivational speakers, the extreme speakers also offer extreme motivational speaker training designed to make you one of the foot soldiers who can go out and espouse his methods of generating more sales, or collecting those receivables, or capturing a bigger market share or whatever his particular slant is, to a number of businesses. The market is almost limitless for extreme motivational speakers, the more the merrier, and a good student always help to make a teacher look even better.

Read more: How to Become a Motivational Speaker

Motivation for Internet Marketers – Donald Trump’s Persistence

I was at Border’s bookstore and I was reading Donald Trump’s new book, “We Want You To Be Rich.” And as I was reading it, Donald Trump’s father told him a great story which gave him the persistence to become a multi-billionaire. And luckily, it also inspired me to write this article for you.

It was a great story and I think it will help you have the right mindset if you want to make a living with internet marketing. I don’t have the book in front of me right now (I didn’t buy it yet) but I’m going to tell it to you from memory. I don’t know if this is a true story or not, but the underlying principle is there. Okay, here it goes.

About a century ago there was a man who loved soda. He drank that stuff like there was no tomorrow. He had it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When he was dying of thirst, he would choose soda over water.

Sodaman would hear of nothing else when it comes to drinking a beverage. So one day Sodaman thought to himself, “Wow I love this stuff so much, maybe I can make some money creating and selling a brand of my own.”

He worked for three years saving up all his money and within this period he spent it only on food and soda so that he can survive. During those three years at his job, he had saved enough to make his dream come true.

He created his great tasting soda. And since his favorite number is four, he named his soda FOUR-UP. Unfortunately for Sodaman, the market didn’t like his soda and he ended up being the only one drinking his soda.

But luckily for him, he had some cash stashed away under his pillow. So he fired his current marketing team, and hired a brand new one. The team suggested FIVE-UP as the new catchy name for his soda.

So they went to the streets and evangelized FIVE-UP as if it were some wonder tonic that will enlarge men’s penises and improve a woman’s hourglass figure. Unfortunately the market wasn’t ready for that and the business failed miserably.

Sodaman threw in the towel…for a few years, only to return again because of his true passion for soda. This time, he truly gave all his effort pushing his new soda SIX-UP, working twelve hours a day and on weekends to make this damn thing work – even if it killed him! Unfortunately, the business flopped again. And this time Sodaman completely abandoned all hope and started working at his miserable job.

Interestingly, Sodaman’s former business partner (which he fired from FIVE-UP) got a shot of inspiration to start the soda business again. This time he called it 7-UP and the rest we know is history!

You’ve all had obstacle that have temporarily prevented you from achieving your goals with internet marketing. Being human we will make mistakes. And I think what Donald Trump wanted to communicate is that even though you are set back temporarily by whatever factors you may have in your life; you need to persevere with your internet business because your success may just be around the corner!

Read more: Motivation for Internet Marketers – Donald Trump’s Persistence

Anthony Robbins- The World’s Greatest Motivator

If you have ever heard of the concept of neurolinguistic programming, or NLP, which was originally conceived by linguist John Grinder and Gestalt therapist/computer programmer Richard Bandler, you will remember that it is basically a bunch of positive thinking techniques that has become popular in recent years by Anthony Robbins. Anthony Robbins explains the meaning of “neurolinguistic programming like this:

“The name comes from neuro, referring to the brain, and linguistic, referring to language. Programming is the installation of a plan or procedure. NLP is the study of how language, both verbal and nonverbal, affects our nervous system. It is in our ability to do anything in life which is based upon our ability to direct our own nervous system. Those people who are able to produce some outstanding result do so by producing specific communications to and through the nervous system”.

One of the most popular methods for doing this is called modeling. This method basically states that behaviors can be installed into a person much in the same way that you would insert software onto a computer. You can use language to program the human mind with productive beliefs and behavior rather than bad ones. All you have to do is pick a successful person to serve as the model, and then imitate them. He believes that by doing this you can program your mind to successful habits. Anthony Robbins says that a key aspect to NLP is that all human beings share the same basic neurology. This means that if anyone in the world is successful at doing a something, any other human being can do the same thing if they run their own mindset in the exact same way. That is where the term modeling came from because you are modeling your behavior after them. You can also take advantage of personal development affiliate programs like SkyQuestCom or Success University

If you want to achieve success, all you need to do is find someone to model yourself after and all will be fine. The hard part may just be finding that person to start with. The best part about Anthony Robbins method is that you can apply it to any aspect of your life. For example, you can be a better parent, athlete, chef, student and any other aspect of your life that you want to be successful in. Anthony Robbins methodology might sound too simple, but that is part of its brilliance as it makes it easier to understand and apply to your life.

Read Anthony Robbins Life Story Here

http://www.greatwebucation.com

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Washington Divorce and Child Custody

Most people believe that child custody refers to which parent gets the children. In fact, custody refers to three parenting roles: The first is a question of residence. Where and with whom will the children live?

The second is a question of nurturance. Who will take care of the children on a daily basis? Who will see that they are fed, clothed, and otherwise nurtured?

The third question is one of guardianship. Who is in charge of the children? Who will make important decisions concerning their welfare? Custody is in other words, about parenting. Yet the term has come to stimulate fear and anxiety and to signal the disenfranchisement of one parent. The reason for this reaction is in the win/lose portrait of the adversary system. In the past when divorce was fault-based and trial labeled one of the parents as “guilt” a custody award to the winner gave that parent absolute power over the children. That power could be used to punish the other parent by cutting him or her off from the children.

Today, courts take a more benevolent approach to the issue of custody. Even when custody is awarded to one parent, the law requires the judge to protect the parental role of the other parent with adequate rights of visitation. Over the prior ten years, some states have altered their custody laws to eliminate the win/lose connotation of custody. Eleven states at this time and the number is growing, have adopted laws expressing a clear preference for joint custody, an arrangement in which the full parental rights of both parents are preserved and enhanced. Some states have gone as far as to abolish sole custody. Others have made joint custody a legal presumption. Washington State divorce laws do neither.

For now, the important thing to know is that as a couple you can negotiate any parenting arrangement you wish as long as the arrangement takes care of the children. How you label the arrangement is not important. You do not have to use the words “custody” and “visitation.” The most important thing is that you negotiate a parenting agreement that realistically reflects your strengths and needs and the needs of your children. If you can negotiate such an agreement and are able to live by it and be committed to it, the court will accept it with open arms. Judges do not like making decisions about your children and prefer that you can make them.

Three concepts you need to understand

sole custody: this refers to a custody arrangement in which one parent, the sole custodian parent, is essentially in charge of the child. Typically, the child live with that parent full time, except when visiting the other parent. The sole custodial parent has the exclusive right to make important decisions about the child and is the only legal guardian of the child.

Joint custody: this concept became popular in the late 1970′s and most states now recognize it. Joint custody means that neither parent is the sole custodial parent. Custody is literally with both parents. In a genuine joint custody arrangement, both parents share equally, parental rights and responsibilities. The children alternate their residence between mother and father according to a negotiated schedule, and both parents concur on important decisions.

Read more: Washington Divorce and Child Custody

Yellow Ribbons Of Hope

Incidents of ribbons worn on collars, backpacks, cars, or hanged on house doors have been first seen when various people attempted to envision a better future and inspire hope. Wearing and otherwise displaying ribbons of various colors to remember loved ones far away or to identify with a particular cause is a contemporary custom that has its roots in both popular culture and folk tradition. Today, ribbons continue to appear on people’s garments or on their doors and cars since their symbolic meaning motivates, inspires and mobilizes people.

During the last decade, no single form of expression documented in the Archive of Folk Culture has stimulated more sympathy letters, more phone calls of compassion, more in-person inquires on the issue than the yellow ribbon. After reporters asked the US Congress to comment on the yellow ribbon frenzy that came into being in support of Americans being held hostages in Iran, between 1979 and 1981, the need to find the initiator of this ribbon-style symbol of hope and support was overwhelming. Eventually, a body of information accumulated and the story that reemphasized the yellow ribbon symbolism belonged to Penne (Penelope) Laingen, the wife of Bruce Laingen, one of the hostages in Iran during the US Embassy Tehran incident.

Bruce Laingen was serving as the charge d’affaires of the United States Embassy in Tehran when Iranian student revolutionaries seized the Embassy on November 4, 1979, and held the staff working there hostage until January 20, 1981. A few days after the incident, Penne Laingen hung a yellow ribbon around an oak tree in their house yard in Bethesda, Maryland, as a symbol of support for her husband and other American citizens who were held hostages by the Iranians. She later stated that her action was a way to bolster her own strength and that of their three sons throughout the crisis. Years after the end of the incident, in 1991, the Laingens donated this yellow ribbon to the Library of Congress. The existing collection today contains sound recordings and photographs from that donation ceremony, apart from an interview with both Penne and Bruce Laingen.

During that hostage crisis, the use of a yellow ribbon transferred to the outside world a symbolic significance that has been acquired even earlier than the US Civil War. The late Gerald E. Parsons, in his article “Yellow Ribbons: Ties with Traditions,” attempted ten years after the Iran hostage crisis to explain how this act of compassion and encouragement came into being. His founding was shocking, as it was not a custom, or a song that gave yellow ribbon its significance. It was a folk tale–a legend, actually. However, the contemporary recreation of the folk tale helps people keep their spirits up during a crisis and can indeed awake the public interest on issues some cannot and will not ever forget. Today, yellow ribbons remain symbols of peoples’ hope and support.

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The Red Ribbon Story

On February 7, 1985 at 2:00 p.m. the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was attacked by five men while opening his truck doors intending to drive and meet his wife for lunch. The beige Volkswagen where he was forced in disappeared that warm winter afternoon in the streets of Guadalajara, Mexico. One month later, Camarena’s body was found savagely and grotesquely murdered.

When Camarena joined the US DEA, after having served as a Marine and becoming a police officer, his mother tried to convince him to resign, but he was determined to make a difference. In 1974, he was transferred to Guadalajara, Mexico, the center at the time of the drug trafficking empire and working as an undercover agent was investigating a major drug cartel believed to include officers in the Mexican army, the police and the government. A firm believer of the notion that even one person can make a difference in this world, Camarena, at the age of 37, sacrificed his life to prevent drugs from entering the United States schools and streets.

Honoring his memory, family and friends from his hometown in Calexico, California began wearing red badges of satin signifying his battle against illegal drugs. Soon, coalitions were formed and adopted the symbol of Camarena’s memory: the red ribbon. In 1988, three years after his torture and death, the National Family Partnership organized the first National Red Ribbon Campaign in an effort to reach million of US children and expand Camarena’s dedication to prevent drug use around the world.

Since Camarena’s murder, the Red Ribbon Celebration and every associated campaign has touched the lives of millions of people each year. Annually, during October 23rd to 31st, more than 80 million young people and adults show their commitment to a healthy, drug-free life by wearing or displaying the Red Ribbon. This nationwide effort has become a major force for raising public awareness and mobilizing communities to combat alcohol, drug and tobacco use among youth.

Years later, the red ribbon gained international appeal as a symbol of the fight against AIDS when it was worn by Jeremy Irons at the 1991 Tony Awards. Created by the New York-based Visual AIDS Artists Caucus, this visual symbol demonstrated compassion for people living with AIDS and support to their families. Inspired by the yellow ribbons honoring American soldiers servicing in the Gulf war and the US hostages of the American Embassy in Tehran, the color red was chosen for its connection to blood and as a symbol of passion. After becoming a politically correct fashion accessory, the Red Ribbon is worn on December 1st, each year in memory and support of the HIV/AIDS victims and also to increase public awareness and thus, research funding.

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How to Make Money Selling on eBay – The Best Listings Sell Products

So is there a secret as to how to make money selling on eBay? The answer to that is that there are several key actions that all come together and lead to long term success. One of those secrets is that the very best listings sell more products.

We can all use periodic reminders about the quality of our listings. If you know how to make money selling on eBay, then you know that the quality of the listing can determine not only whether you receive bids for items that are at auction, but they also are critical in determining the final sales price that you will receive.

Creating powerful eBay auction listings is really an art. Many sellers may treat it like a science, with specific data and formulas being required. I suggest that you try to create your listings not only with the facts and data, but also with your buyers in mind.

There is a science to creating auction listings. That science of listings is built around the need to create a listing title with no more that 55 characters. That needs to be followed by a listing body that provides the specific data about the product that you are listing for sale. It is true that all of this data is required.

We feel that those are the rules that we must follow in the art of creating a powerful listing that will sell our products. We know that if we exceed 55 characters in our listing title, we have a problem. The art of the title is to convey as much truthful information to as many potential buyers as possible. The art is knowing there are more people searching for ‘bed-in-a-bag’ than there are searching for ‘comforter sets’. The art is creating a title that will be seen by BOTH GROUPS of potential buyers!

The art of creating the body of the listing is about creating an interesting and exciting description of not only the product, but also other important information such as shipping costs. The art is in creating a listing that flows in a smooth and user-friendly order. The art is in creating a listing that answers as many of the prospective buyer’s questions as possible. This minimizes questions that you will be asked to answer. This also increases the likelihood that viewers of your listing will become immediate bidders rather than just moving on to other auctions.

Poorly written titles and descriptions don’t pull prospective buyers to your auction. They may pause, but soon move on. Worse yet, delays in bidding caused by having to email questions will decrease the total number of bidders. Some bidders will just plain lose interest. Other bidders will move on to other seller’s products. Some bidders will even just simply forget about your product as they await your answers to their emails.

Auction listings are critical to auction sales success. Complete and interesting auction listings are a key step in the process of how to make money selling on eBay. Be sure that you recognize and comply with the science, but never forget the art involved in creating your auction listings.

To Your eBay Success!

Read more: How to Make Money Selling on eBay – The Best Listings Sell Products