Imagine for a moment that you are at a party and you are chatting to someone who you’ve only just met. After discussing the decorations and the food, they pause and ask, “So, what do you do?”

Your answer to this simple question reveals an incredible amount about your personal sense of identity.

When faced with the question, “What do you do?” most people automatically respond by stating their 9 to 5 occupation.

The problem with this response is that it immediately defines you in terms of your job and places you in a pigeon hole that is often filled with stereo types associated with your profession.

For example, Claire is a receptionist who is working at a doctor’s surgery, however, her real passion in life is painting. When she is not working, she spends every spare moment surrounded by her canvases and paints.

For a long time, whenever someone asked “So Claire, what do you do?”, Claire’s response was, “Oh, I’m a medical receptionist.”

Almost inevitably, the person she was speaking to then asked about what it was like to work in a doctor’s surgery.

Then one day Claire made a decision.

She decided that she was no longer going to define herself as a ‘medical receptionist’ who enjoyed painting in her spare time. Instead, she was going to define herself as a ‘painter’ who was currently working at a doctor’s surgery in order to pay her bills.

This simple decision had a big impact on Claire’s sense of personal identity. She realized that it was important to tell people who she really was rather than automatically reciting her job title.

A few weeks later, Claire was at a friend’s housewarming party. As she stood by the fire with a glass in hand, she met a guy named Matt who asked her, “So Claire, what do you do?”

Claire responded by saying, “At the moment I’m working at a doctors’ surgery but what I’m really passionate about is painting.”

As soon as she said these words, Claire realized that this was exactly what she was looking for. It was a completely honest statement but did not place her into the ‘medical receptionist’ pigeon hole.

Instead, it conveyed a sense of who she really was and opened up multiple options for conversation.

To Claire’s delight, Matt asked her about her painting and they had a really interesting conversation. Matt was a web designer and he told Claire that a lot of artists were now selling their work directly to customers over the Internet rather than dealing with galleries.

This was a revelation to Claire who had never really heard of Internet business before.

As she was driving home from the party, Claire realized that her new sense of identity was already having an impact on her life. Instead of talking about being a medical receptionist, she was now discussing her painting with others and discovering new opportunities to explore.

Today I’d like to encourage you to think about the question, “What do you do?” and make the decision to no longer be automatically defined by your occupation title.

Instead, develop a response that is honest, reveals who you really are and opens up multiple avenues for conversation.

You’ll be amazed by how many doors this simple technique will open for you.

Until next time,
Dare To Dream!
Anthony

There is a wall that separates each of us from our most important goals in life. The strange thing about this wall is that it is a barrier which we create for ourselves.

We construct this wall in our minds using bricks of doubt and fear.

Let’s take a look at how this wall is created:

When you set a new goal, it is natural to have a small amount of doubt about your ability to achieve your objective.

Initially as you start to work on your goal, you get a boost of self confidence because you are taking action and your level of doubt decreases. However, after you’ve worked on your goal for a little while, you come to the Point of Clarity.

The Point of Clarity is the point at which you first fully understand how much work and effort is actually involved with achieving your goal. It is usually at this point that the bricks of doubt and fear start to build.

The next thing that happens is that you encounter a significant problem and immediately your doubts and fears increase which adds to number of bricks in your wall.

You then become aware of another problem:

And then problems seem to come at you from every direction

With each problem you encounter, your doubts and fears increase. You start thinking things like:

“I’m not smart enough to do this”
“I’m not capable of doing this”
“I don’t have what it takes to achieve this”
“I’m too old for this”
“I’m too young for this”
etc.

If you ever catch yourself saying things like this, it’s important to remember that

“When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubts.” – Author Unknown

Unfortunately, many people give so much power to their doubts that the wall in their mind becomes insurmountable and they walk away from their dream.

However, something truly remarkable happens to the small group of people who continue to meet these problems head on and persevere in the face of adversity.

Eventually they come to realize that facing and solving these problems is an important part of the process of achieving their goal. With experience they also realize that they ARE capable of meeting and overcoming these challenges.

With this realization, they cross over to the Point of Self-Confidence

Once you reach the Point of Self Confidence, everything changes.

You continue to face problems, but now each problem you solve makes you more confident in your ability and you begin to eliminate the bricks of doubt and fear from your mind.

You solve a problem and remove a layer of bricks

Then you solve another problem

Each time you solve a problem your remove another layer of doubt and fear.

Finally you solve the last problem that stands between you and your goal – Your self confidence soars and the final bricks of doubt and fear disappear.

You then look back to find that the wall of doubt and fear is gone – In fact it never really existed at all.

So today I’d like to encourage you to never give in to the doubts and fears that stop most people from achieving their goals. Always remember that the wall that stands between you and your objective only exists in your own mind.

Instead of walking away from your dream, focus on solving one problem at a time. As you gain experience, your self confidence will grow and the wall of doubt and fear will gradually disappear.

Until next time,
Dare To Dream!
Anthony

One of the most powerful ways to increase your personal productivity is a technique I call Single-Point-Focus.

The easiest way to understand the concept of single-point-focus is to think of your mind as a desktop computer. If you use a computer regularly, you’ll know from experience that when you open ten different applications at once, your computer slows down and becomes less responsive.

The same thing happens with your mind. Just as a computer runs applications, your mind runs ‘thought processes’ and when you try and run multiple thought processes at the same time, your mind becomes less responsive.

1. The report that is due in two days time
2. The argument you had with your husband last night
3. The problems with your father’s health
4. Your son’s difficulty with making friends at school
5. Renovating the upstairs room

With all of these thought processes running concurrently, your mind slows down and becomes clouded. You’ll also find that continually running multiple thought processes also leads to mental and physical fatigue.

So what’s the answer?

Well… just as your computer becomes more efficient as you reduce the number of applications you are running, your mind becomes more efficient as you reduce the number of thought processes you are trying to run simultaneously.

This means that one of the best things you can do to increase your productivity is to learn to close down your extra thought processes until you have a single-point-focus.

In the example above, when you’re at work, your single-point-focus would become ‘The report that is due in two days’ and you would close down all the other thought processes that are clouding your mind.

Then when you go home, you can close down the thought process relating to your report and change your single-point-focus to your relationship with your husband.

As you practice having a single-point-focus, you’ll find that you gradually eliminate the fog that clouds your mind and your effectiveness and productivity will increase exponentially.

So today I’d like to encourage you to develop the habit of asking the following question:

"What should my single-point-focus be right now?"

As soon as you have an answer to this question, imagine closing down all the other thought processes running in your mind as though you were closing down applications on your computer.

Finally, direct your full and undivided attention on your single-point-focus and watch your productivity soar!

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

Generally speaking, most of us fear things which we don’t understand. Often, when something is unfamiliar, a negative part of our mind begins to imagine terrible scenarios based on our lack of understanding. However, fear can also be a valuable tool for achieving success if you learn how to use it properly.

The best way to utilise fear is to view it as a sign post to identify the areas of your life in which you need to acquire more knowledge.

Here’s an example to show you what I mean…

Sean was an electrician who was starting out in his own business. He was so busy trying to stay on top of his day-to-day appointments that he somehow never got around to understanding the Tax system properly.

Deep down, he knew that he didn’t understand how the tax system worked and this led him to constantly worry that he would receive a letter from the Tax Department demanding money.

Eventually, Sean realised that his fear of the unknown was holding him back from achieving success in his business, so he booked himself in for a weekend Tax workshop which was specifically designed for new business owners.

By the end of the weekend, Sean finally understood how the Tax system worked and had a list of simple processes that he could use to run his business effectively.

What really surprised Sean was the huge boost in confidence that this new knowledge gave him. He was no longer worried about receiving letters from the Tax department because he now knew how the system worked.

This experience taught Sean a valuable lesson that he never forgot:

"With knowledge comes confidence
and with confidence comes success"
- Anthony Fernando

Today I’d like to encourage you to treat your fear as a signpost to identify the areas of your life in which you need to acquire more knowledge.

When you take action and acquire that knowledge, you’ll find that not only will your fear disappear, but you’ll also receive a huge boost in self confidence as you move closer towards achieving your goal.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

One of the most important personal characteristics necessary to achieve your goals in life is the ability to be decisive and to follow through with your decisions once they are made.

Often we become paralyzed by analyzing the possible outcomes of a decision and in doing so we waste a great deal of time and mental energy. If you have ever agonized over a decision until you were physically and mentally exhausted you will know exactly what I mean.

A useful strategy to help you make decisions is the concept of regret minimalization.

The aim of regret minimalization is to reduce the number of decisions in life that you end up looking back on with regret.

The steps to using regret minimalization are as follows:

1. Project yourself into the future and visualize yourself at the age of 80
2. Imagine that you are looking back on your life
3. Ask yourself which of the options you are trying to decide between will you be more likely to regret missing out on?

Here’s an example to show you how this works:

Liz was a newly graduated teacher who had worked hard at university and had done well in her course. While applying for jobs in her local area, she came across a program that involved teaching in Japan, which was a country she had always wanted to visit.

Three weeks later, Liz received a job offer from a local primary school which was only 5 minutes away from her home. In the same week she also received an offer from the overseas training program.

Liz was faced with the decision to either stay in her familiar surroundings and take up a position at the local school, or to venture into an unknown environment in a foreign country. After much soul searching and advice from family and friends, Liz examined the situation using the regret minimalization strategy.

When she was 80, which option would she be more likely to look back on with regret?

1. Missing out on a position at her local school
2. Missing out on the chance to visit Japan

The regret minimalization strategy helped Liz to make the decision to take the job in Japan. She knew it would not always be easy and that she would be homesick at times but she did not want to look back and regret missing the opportunity to travel and experience another culture.

The next time you’re faced with a decision, I encourage you to use the strategy of regret minimalization as an additional way to examine your options in order to make a considered and well-informed decision.

Until next time,

Dare to Dream!

Anthony

One of the surest ways to achieve success in life is to become a leader in your chosen field. Many people shy away from the thought of being a leader because they don’t feel that they have the natural confidence or ability to lead others, but there is a secret to becoming a great leader…

The secret to becoming a great leader is to understand that most leaders started out by being ‘intelligent followers’.

An intelligent follower is someone who:

1. Chooses the right leader to follow

2. Listens and learns from the person they are following

3. Takes actions and applies the things they learn

Once you start using this process you will discover that leadership is a skill like any other and that you can learn to be a great leader.

So today I’d like to encourage you to make the decision to become a leader in your chosen field.

Start by identifying someone in your area who has achieved the position you want to achieve and who conducts themselves with integrity. Next, learn as much as you can by observing and listening to the person you have chosen to follow. If you don’t have personal access to them, subscribe to their blog and follow them on Twitter to gain an insight into the way they think.

Finally, the most important step of all is to apply the ideas and strategies that you learn. One of my favourite quotes of all time is this:  

By being an intelligent follower, you will rapidly gain the skills and experience that you need to become a great leader in your own right.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

In order to achieve your most important goals in life, you will need to confront and solve a number of problems. Some of these problems will be small and easy to solve while others may at times appear insurmountable. One of the most powerful strategies you can use to overcome these problems is Subconscious Incubation.

As you may know, your mind has a conscious component which contains the thoughts you actively think and a subconscious component that regulates the processes that occur automatically such as breathing and blinking.

Here’s how the process of Subconscious Incubation works:

Step 1: Fill Your Conscious Mind

The first step to solving problems using Subconscious Incubation is to fill your conscious mind with all the details of the problem you are facing. The way I like to do this is to read, analyze, discuss, brainstorm, mind-map, and draw pictures to examine the problem from every possible angle. The best time to do this is a few hours before you go to bed.

Step 2: Switch Off Your Conscious Mind

Having filled your conscious mind with the details of your problem, the next step is to switch off your conscious mind so that it doesn’t get in the way. If you don’t switch off your conscious mind you will probably find that you keep thinking about your problem and toss and turn all night.

My favorite way to switch off my conscious mind is to shut down my computer, close the door to my study and go for a walk on the beach. A change of scenery, fresh air and exercise is a great way to relax and switch off your conscious mind. If you don’t have a beach nearby, try a park or even a stroll around the block.

As you turn off your conscious mind, the details of your problem pass down into your subconscious mind for processing.

Step 3: Incubate

When you come home from your walk, have a warm glass of milk or tea and go straight to bed. Don’t watch television or do anything else to reactivate your conscious mind.

Step 4: Revisit The Problem

When you first become conscious in the morning, don’t rush to get out of bed. Instead, take a moment to keep your eyes closed and revisit the problem you are trying to solve. Often in that magical place between sleep and consciousness you will find a sense of clarity and discover new insights into solving your problem.

So there you have it!

The process of Subconscious Incubation takes a little bit of practice but it is a very effective way to confront and overcome the problems that stand between you and achieving your most important life goals.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

One of the most important steps to achieving your goals in life is to develop a strong sense of self confidence. This does not however involve becoming loud or arrogant. On the contrary, people with genuine self confidence are usually calm and self assured and do not need to ‘big note’ themselves.

Here are my top ten tips for building your self confidence:

1. Visualise Yourself As The Person You Want To Be

Each morning spend a few minutes visualising yourself as the person you want to be. Think about the way you dress, the way you carry yourself and the way you interact with other people. Seeing yourself as the person you want to become is the first step towards building self confidence.

2. Self Confidence Statement

After visualising yourself as the person you want to be, read the following statement out loud:

"I know I have the ability to achieve my major goal in life. Therefore today,
I demand of myself persistent and continuous action towards achieving my goal"

Reading this statement out loud is a great way to start your day in a confident state of mind.

3. Dress Well

One of the most effective ways to instantly improve your level of self confidence is to dress well and to make the decision to always be well groomed. This does not mean you have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. Instead, just focus on gradually building up a small collection of good quality clothes. Also remember that simple accessories such as a tie clip or necklace can make a big difference to the way you look and feel.

4. Positive Posture

Another powerful way to build your sense of self confidence is to stand up straight and lose the slouch that many of us have acquired over the years. While you may be able to make a change to your posture by simply becoming aware of it, the best way to make a long lasting change to your posture is to practice yoga or pilates.

5. Move With Purpose

A simple but effective tip for increasing your levels of self confidence is to always move with a sense of purpose. In his book ‘The Magic of Thinking Big’, David Schwartz recommends walking 25% faster than normal. Having a spring in your step lets people know that you have important things to do and actually makes you feel more confident as you go about your daily business.

6. Become A Participant

Have you ever noticed that in most meetings or groups, people immediately head towards the back of the room so that they can remain as inconspicuous as possible? A great way to increase your visibility and sense of self confidence is to make the decision to always sit towards the front of the room and be a participant. When you have something to say – don’t be afraid to say it.

7. Connect With Confidence

Another way to quickly improve your self confidence is to practice making a strong first impression. When you meet someone face-to-face, look them directly in the eye, smile broadly, shake hands firmly and say, "Hi Jim, nice to meet you".

Similarly, you can sound more confident on the phone by answering, "Good morning Carol Jones speaking" instead of simply saying "Hello…"

8. Build Your Success File

Occasionally your self confidence will take a hit when something doesn’t work out the way you hoped. One of the best ways to repair your self confidence in this situation is to keep a folder outlining your past achievements and successes. You should also include any positive feedback that you’ve received from others.

As you review your success file and fill your mind with positive comments, your doubts and insecurities will quickly disappear and your self confidence will be restored.

9. Preparation

The BIG secret to being self confident that people rarely talk about is – preparation. The more you prepare and practice for an event, the more self confident you will become.

If you are worried about an upcoming event, use your apprehension as a stimulus to take action and practice, practice, practice. The simple but powerful truth is that self confidence grows through repetition and experience.

10. Toastmasters

My final tip for developing self confidence is to join a Toastmasters group.

Toastmasters is a non-profit organisation that helps people from all walks of life to develop their public speaking and leadership skills. In my experience Toastmasters offers a safe and relaxed environment to step out of your comfort zone and develop the invaluable skills of being able to think on your feet and speak in public.

So there you have it!

If you implement some or all of these 10 techniques you’ll gradually develop a greater sense of self confidence which in turn will help you to pursue and achieve your most important life goals.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

One important strategy for achieving your goals is to identify role models who have already achieved the success that you aspire to. Our role models inspire us and give us a glimpse of what is possible in life. However, there is one important point relating to role models that is often overlooked…

When you find a role model that you admire, it can be very tempting to want to be ‘just like them’. This can lead to the mistake of thinking that in order to be successful you need to be more like your mentor and less like yourself.

The reality however is that pretending to be someone you are not never leads to long term success.

One of the most valuable success lessons I’ve ever learned is this:

Learn from others but be yourself

Here’s an example to show you what I mean:

Alison was studying to be a teacher. As part of her training she visited a school where she was assigned a mentor who was an experienced teacher named Mr. Holden.

The first thing Alison noticed when she sat in on Mr. Holden’s class was that he started each lesson with a brain teaser which was a great strategy for gaining the student’s attention. Alison was also very impressed with Mr. Holden’s teaching style. He was naturally entertaining and constantly had his students laughing during class.

When Alison started teaching she used Mr. Holden’s strategy of beginning each class with a brain teaser and found it to be very effective. However, when she tried to be funny and entertaining she did not get the response she was hoping for.

Over time, Alison came to realise that she should not try to be ‘another Mr. Holden’. She discovered that the best way to improve her teaching was to incorporate the tips, strategies and techniques from her mentors in a way that suited her own personality.

Whatever goal you are currently pursuing, it is very important to realise that the best way to obtain success is to learn from others but always remain true to yourself. Instead of trying to become someone you are not, focus on being more of who you really are.

When you combine the tips and strategies of your role models with your own unique personality you will have a powerful recipe for achieving success. So always remember to learn from others but be yourself.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

One of the best things you can have on your desk at work or on your kitchen table is a pot plant. Not only does it look great but, believe it or not, it can also be a valuable tool for achieving success in every area of your life.

So how can a simple pot plant help you achieve success?

One of the fundamental laws of nature is this:

Anything that does not receive regular
attention will deteriorate over time.

If you think about this for a moment, you’ll see that this law holds true not only for a pot plant but also for every area of your life:

• If you do not pay regular attention to your health, it will deteriorate over time.
• If you do not pay regular attention to your relationships, they will deteriorate over time.
• If you do not pay regular attention to your finances, they will deteriorate over time

Having a pot plant on your desk is a great visual reminder of this fundamental law because if you don’t water it regularly it too will deteriorate.

As you water your plant every few days, use this action as a trigger to remind yourself to review your health, relationships and finances on a regular basis.

A good way to reinforce this idea is to place something like the following on the base of your pot.

Sometimes as you water your pot plant you might realise that you haven’t done any exercise for a few weeks.

At other times your may become aware that its been two months since you and your wife/husband have had some quiet time together.

Alternatively, your pot plant may also remind you that you need to review your finances.

As you can see, a simple pot plant sitting on your desk or kitchen table can be a great reminder to pay regular attention to the things that are most important to you.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

One of the most important lessons you can learn on your road to success is that failure is not a final destination, but rather a place you pass through on your way to achieving your goals.

Here is a picture to show you what I mean:

This simple picture illustrates a number of very important points about the relationship between failure and success:

1. There is only one road to Success City

2. The road to Success City passes through Failureville

3. One of the main reasons people never reach Success City is because they are so afraid of driving through Failureville that they never begin their journey.

So what does this mean in the real world?

It means that failure is not the opposite of success as many people assume. On the contrary, failure is an important part of achieving success. In fact, it is usually through the process of trying and failing that we learn the lessons we need in order to ultimately achieve our goals in life.

My favourite quote regarding the relationship between failure and success comes from the legendary basketball player Michael Jordan:

When you understand the fact that success lies on the other side of failure you will be much better prepared for the journey that leads to achieving your most important life goals.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

In difficult times it can sometimes help to adopt a new perspective. Be sure to watch the entire video.

If for some reason you cannot see the video above, please CLICK HERE to watch the original clip on YouTube.

On our journey through life we all encounter periods of pain. Sometimes this pain is physical, sometimes it is emotional, but in either case it’s very important to have a strategy for dealing with painful circumstances.

If you are dealing with a painful situation at the moment, I’d like to share with you a quote that has helped me get through some of the most painful times of my life. The quote is this:

In 2002 I was involved in an accident in a karate dojo and faced several months of rehabilitation. During this time I printed out this quote and stuck it next to my bed. I read it every morning and every night and I believe it played a big part in my recovery.

When we are faced with pain we each have a choice to make. We can quit and accept our circumstances, or we can make the decision to fight with all the resources we have at our disposal.

Today I’d like to encourage you to draw on the support of those who love you and adopt the view that your pain is temporary.

When you adopt this perspective, you will start to turn your focus towards the future and begin to look beyond your current pain. I hope this quote will help you as much as it has helped me.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

Around the world today there is a new feeling permeating the air. From the small village in Africa to my home town here in Australia, the feeling that is bringing the world together is an unprecedented sense of HOPE – Hope for ourselves as individuals, hope for our families, hope for our nations and ultimately, hope for our global community.

As we move forward, many will begin to ask – "How can we transform this sense of hope into real and long lasting change?"

I pondered this question in the early hours of the morning and gradually formulated the following picture. I sincerely believe that this diagram is as applicable to individuals attempting to transform their personal circumstances, as it is to nations attempting to transform their destiny:

As you can see, this Cycle of Change begins with elevated hopes. When we have hope in our hearts for a period of time, we begin to believe in the possibility of a brighter future. This sense of belief is the fuel that then drives us to take action.

Through repeated and sometimes difficult action, we gradually achieve visible results. Over time, it is these results that lead to long lasting change. The true magic of this cycle is that when we see and experience tangible change, our hopes are elevated to a higher level and the cycle begins anew.

Today I’d like to encourage you to nurture your feelings of hope and be willing to believe in a brighter future for yourself and your family. I encourage you to use your sense of belief to propel yourself into action. Start today and begin to accumulate the results that will lead to real and lasting change in your life.

When you truly understand the Cycle of Change there really is no limit to what you can achieve.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

Melinda sat near the edge of pier 20-08 anxiously awaiting the arrival of her boat.

Around her were gathered a collection of bags. The first suitcase contained four years of painful memories from her relationship with her now ex-partner Peter. The second suitcase contained the bitter arguments she had last month with her sister regarding the best way to care for their elderly parents. There was also a backpack filled with feelings of betrayal which she’d received from her workmate Sarah during the last round of promotions at work.

In the distance Melinda heard the sound of a foghorn. She looked up to see the bow of a beautiful old schooner slicing gracefully through the morning mist. From the mast of the boat fluttered a flag bearing the insignia ‘2009′. The ship approached quickly and before long was docked alongside the pier. A ramp was lowered to allow access to the deck and Melinda was surprised to find that she was the only passenger boarding.

With a heavy sigh, she picked up her bags and struggled towards the concourse. At the top of the ramp stood a white haired old man wearing a captain’s hat. He watched as Melinda struggled up the gangway but did not offer to help which Melinda found a little odd. As she approached the ship’s deck, the weather-worn lines of the captain’s face dissolved into a broad smile and he asked, "Do you really want to bring all that aboard with you ma’am?"

Melinda stopped in her tracks. She looked down at the bags she was carrying and realised that there was really no good reason for her to carry the negative thoughts and feelings from last year onto the boat.

She looked up at the ship’s captain who nodded his head slightly.

Melinda turned back to face pier 20-08 and in a moment of clarity, made an instant decision.

She let go of the two suitcases and kicked them down the concourse. The suitcases rolled down the ramp and clattered noisily back onto the pier. Next Melinda removed her backpack and flung it as high as she could. The bag arched upward, reached the top of its trajectory and then came crashing back down onto the pier.

With her bag and suitcases gone, Melinda suddenly felt light and free. She hadn’t realised how big a burden her pent up negativity had been. Melinda turned back to the ship’s captain who gave her a wink and said, "Welcome aboard ma’am and Happy New Year".

—

The New Year is a wonderful time for letting go of negative thoughts and feelings associated with past events. As 2009 begins I’d like to encourage you to check the mental and emotional bags that you are carrying into the New Year.

Are there any negative thoughts or feelings that you should kick down the concourse and leave on the pier of 2008?

If like Melinda you are able to let go of these emotional burdens, you will find that the New Year brings you a real chance to make a fresh start and a new beginning.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

Have you ever wished that instead of learning life’s lessons the hard way, you could take a short cut and find out what really works? One of the best ways to do exactly that is to read the biographies of successful people.

I became a huge fan of biographies when I realised that they offer a way to access a lifetime of experiences and lessons in just a few short hours of reading.

A great way to read a biography is to keep a notebook by your side to jot down the following:

(1) Success Factors – Every time you read a biography you’ll discover some nuggets of wisdom. For example, here is a quote from Fred Astaire’s autobiography that struck a chord with me:

"What counts more than luck is determination and perseverance.
If the talent is there, it will come through. Don’t be too impatient.
Stick at it. That’s my advice." – Fred Astaire

(2) Mistakes Made – Another valuable thing about biographies is that you not only learn from what people did right, but you also learn a great deal from reading about the mistakes people made during their lives. For example, Beatrix Potter did not receive regular accounts from her publishers and in 1917 she discovered that one of them had been siphoning off money to fund a fishing business in the Channel Islands. The lesson I took away from this was that you should never blindly trust anyone with your finances.

At the end of reading a biography in this way you’ll be left with a few pages of notes that distill the essence of each person’s success.

Another important aspect of reading biographies is that you’ll discover that even the most successful people have the same insecurities as the rest of us. For example, although Sir Edmund Hillary had the courage to conquer Mount Everest, he did not have the courage to propose to his wife! In the end he asked his prospective mother-in-law to propose for him. In his biography he writes, "What a coward I was, but I was mighty pleased with the result."

Reading biographies is a great way to uncover the real people that exist behind the legends. In every case you’ll discover a story of a normal person just like you or me who pursued their dream and persevered though difficulties in order to achieve success. Their inspirational stories will also give you the additional confidence you need to go after your own goals and dreams.

If you’re not sure where to start, here are some of the biographies I’ve enjoyed recently:

• ‘Mao’s Last Dancer’ – Li Cunxin
• ‘It’s not about the bike’ – Lance Armstrong
• ‘Ian Thorpe: The Biography’ – Greg Hunter
• ‘Steps in Time’ – Fred Astaire
• ‘Beatrix Potter’ – Linda Lear.

As you can see, this selection reflects my interests in dancing, art, writing and sport so my main suggestion is that you identify the people who you already admire and read their biographies to discover the characteristics that made them successful.

Biographies of the world’s most successful people are a great way to develop the mindset you need to achieve success. They are also an incredibly interesting way to learn how other people have approached this amazing journey we call life.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

Long ago, in a distant land, there lived two sculptors named Seb and Matthias. One day they each received a Royal proclamation inviting them to take part in a sculpting competition to be held at the Royal Gardens.

Both Seb and Matthias were extremely excited by this opportunity and immediately started preparing for the seven day journey.

Seb set out on a bright Monday morning with his chisels and hammers packed in the back of his horse-drawn cart. At the end of his first day of traveling, he made camp in a clearing by the side of the road. After a simple meal, Seb noticed a large rock on the edge of the clearing and decided to get in some practice for the upcoming sculpting competition.

He took out his tools and began to chisel away at the rock. Several hours later, Seb stood back to look at his sculpture. It was a statue of the Princess Rebecca, but while he was reasonably happy with his attempt, Seb realized that the statue’s hands were too big. He made a mental note to be careful of this in the future and went to sleep.

The next morning, Seb continued on his way leaving his statue of Princess Rebecca by the side of the clearing. At the end of his second day, Seb found another rock to practice on and created another sculpture of the Princess. This time he got her hands right but made her legs too short. He made a mental note on how to improve next time and moved on.

Seb continued this pattern throughout his journey. Each night he found a rock to practice on, created a sculpture of Princess Rebecca, made note on how he could improve and then moved on the following morning leaving the sculpture where he created it.

By the time Seb reached the Royal Gardens he had made seven practice sculptures that were each a little bit better than the one before. On the day of the competition, Seb created his best sculpture ever and to his delight, he was awarded the coveted ‘Golden Hammer’ award which was presented by Princess Rebecca herself.

Now you may be wondering what happened to the other sculptor, Matthias, so let me tell you his side of the story…

Matthias also set out on the seven day journey to the Royal Gardens to compete in the sculpting competition. Like Seb, Matthias made camp on the first night and found a large rock to practice on. He too created a statue of the Princess Rebecca but found that he made her feet too big. Matthias was angry at himself for making this mistake and the next morning he heaved the statue onto the back of his cart so that he could study his mistake later.

At the end of his second day of traveling, Matthias found another rock to practice on and created another statue. This time he forgot to include the princesses head dress and he became furious at his mistake. The next morning, he heaved the statue onto the back of his cart and continued slowly on his journey.

Each night Matthias repeated this same pattern. He created a statue, became angry with himself when he made a mistake and then loaded the statue onto his cart before moving on.

On the seventh day, Matthias woke up early and prepared for the final leg of his journey, but when he prompted his horse to get underway, the poor animal strained at his harness but could not move an inch. Matthias jumped down from his seat and went to the back of his cart.

There he found all seven practice statues of the Princess Rebecca which were weighing the cart down and making it impossible to move. Matthias complained bitterly as he looked over the statues in detail – too big, too short, too tall…the list of mistakes went on and on. The unhappy sculptor sat down on a tree stump and continued to stare at his statues for hours, and as a result, he never made it to the Royal Gardens to compete in the competition.

This simple story illustrates an important lesson that can often be the difference between success and failure. The statues in the story represent the mistakes that we all make in life. The difference between Seb and Matthias was the way in which they responded to their mistakes.

When Seb made a practice statue he made a mental note of any problems and then he left his mistake where he made it and continued on his journey. As a result, he gradually developed his skills and eventually achieved his ultimate objective.

Matthias on the other hand approached his mistakes in a different fashion. Each time he made a statue, he loaded it onto his cart and took it with him. Each day his cart became heavier and heavier until eventually it would not move at all. Instead of leaving his mistakes where he made them, Matthias carried the weight of his mistakes with him and the weight of these past mistakes eventually prevented him from reaching his real objective.

On your journey to success, understand that you too will make mistakes. Some small, some big. Each time you make a mistake you have a choice. You can either learn from your mistake and move on like Seb, or you can carry your mistake with you like Matthias.

The danger in harboring regret and continually analyzing your past mistakes is that, like Matthias, you can eventually get stuck and can jeopardize the achievements that are waiting for you in your future.

Today I’d like to encourage you to reflect on the story of Seb and Matthias and make the decision to leave your mistakes where you make them. In this way, you’ll be able to learn from your mistakes but will still be able to move forward to achieve your ultimate objective.

Until Next Time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

One of the most important things to understand when you are working towards achieving an important goal is the concept of the plateau.

Many people expect there to be a direct relationship between the amount of effort they put into achieving their goal and the progress they make. This ideal situation is illustrated in the following diagram:

It would be nice if things worked like this, but in the real world, the relationship between effort and progress usually looks more like this:

When you start working towards achieving a goal you are usually very motivated and make good progress. However, if you’re like most people, after a while your initial enthusiasm wavers and although you continue to work hard, it begins to feel like you are getting nowhere. This feeling is a good indication that you have reached a plateau as shown in the above picture.

It is VERY important to understand how to approach this situation because most people who give up on their dream, do so when they are in the middle of a plateau. They become tired of working hard and making little progress, so they give up before achieving their objective.

Successful people on the other hand expect to encounter plateaus on the way to achieving their goal and they know that the secret to pushing through a plateau is to:

focus on the process rather than your progress.

Here’s an example that illustrates what I mean:

Ann’s dream was to write and self publish her own book. When she started writing she was very motivated and made great progress, but after a few weeks she began to feel as though she was getting nowhere and was very tempted to give up – She had reached a plateau.

In order to push through this plateau, Ann decided to focus on the process rather than her progress and committed herself to write for four hours a day come what may. After four weeks of this routine, Ann realised that she had completed the first draft of her first chapter and felt as though she suddenly jumped to a whole new level.

In the months that followed, Ann repeated this pattern of progress, plateau, progress until the incredible day when she finally held her printed book in her hand.

Today I’d like to encourage you to approach your goals with an awareness of the plateaus that you will encounter on your way to success. If you are currently in the middle of a plateau, make the decision to focus on the process rather than your progress and continue to push forward.

If you adopt this approach you will soon come to the end of your plateau and feel yourself make the leap to a new level of achievement. This in turn will give you the momentum and belief you need to overcome future plateaus until you reach that magical day when your dream becomes your reality.

Until next time,

Dare to Dream!

Anthony

Have you ever talked to someone who was really passionate about a certain subject? If you have, then you probably noticed the gleam in their eye and the enjoyment they derived from having a passionate interest.

So how do you go about finding  your passion in life?

A great place to start is with something I call the Passion Equation. Here it is:

Interest + Information = Passion

The Passion Equation is simple but extremely powerful. If you apply the formula, you will find that it can bring a great deal of happiness and personal satisfaction into your life. Here’s how it works:

Step 1:

Find a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed, take a piece of paper and jot down some of the things you were interested in as a child.

Step 2:

Take your childhood interests and spend some time on the Internet doing a little research into each area. While you may no longer be interested in all the things you were as a child, chances are you will find at least one area that ignites your curiosity to learn more. As you find out more about an area you cannot help but become more interested.

Step 3:

Decide on an area that you can see yourself becoming passionate about and gather more information. Go the library and borrow books relating to your area, hire movies relating to your area. The more information you gather, the more passionate you will become.

Here are two examples of how the Passion Equation works:

Margaret’s Passion

As a young girl Margaret loved to read Beatrix Potter’s picture books. When Margaret found out about the Passion Equation she spent some time online and discovered that Beatrix Potter was not only an author but also an artist, scientist, entrepreneur and conservationist. Margaret rented the movie ‘Miss Potter’ which she loved and then borrowed a copy of Beatrix Potter’s biography from the library. As she learnt more about Beatrix Potter’s amazing life, Margaret discovered a passion that brought her many hours of enjoyment and pleasure.

James’ Passion

As a young boy James used to dream about becoming an astronaut. When he heard about the Passion Equation he spent some time on the Internet finding out more about the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions. He then bought a copy of ‘From the Earth to the Moon’ on eBay. As he watched the DVDs and learnt more about the personal stories of the astronauts, he developed a passion for space exploration. He set himself the goal to one day own the signatures of each of the 12 men who have walked on the moon.

As these examples show, an interest combined with information is a great recipe for developing passion in your life.

When you use the Passion Equation and combine an interest with the magic ingredient of information, your interest will blossom into a passion that can enrich your life for many years to come.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

On top of a hill overlooking a babbling brook stood a dilapidated stone well. The wooden frame which had once been used to raise water was broken and a discarded bucket sat on the ground nearby. The only thing that made this old well special was a small tarnished plaque that carried a three word inscription which read ‘The Wishing Well’.

One morning a young man named Richard came upon the well and read the small plaque. Richard was a cynical young man and he scoffed at the idea of a wishing well. However, he was also very greedy so he closed his eyes and wished for a large pot of gold…just in case. He opened his eyes and looked around but nothing had changed.

As he prepared to leave, Richard happened to glance down into the well and to his amazement he saw a huge pot of gold floating at the bottom of the well. He immediately tried to reach down into the well but he could not reach the gold. Next he tried to use a piece of wood to retrieve the gold but again he had no luck. After many frustrating attempts, Richard finally gave up. He cursed the wishing well and walked away. Instantly the pot of gold disappeared.

The following day a young man named William came across the well and he too read the small plaque that identified it as ‘The Wishing Well’. What William wanted more than anything else that morning was an engagement ring so that he could propose to his sweetheart Rebecca. He closed his eyes and made his wish. At first he saw nothing, but then as he glanced down into the well he saw the most beautiful diamond ring floating in an ebony box at the bottom of the well. Like Richard, William first tried to reach down into the well and then tried to use a nearby piece of wood – all to no avail.

After a great deal of frustration, he sat back and reviewed his situation. Then suddenly, in a flash of inspiration he knew what he had to do. He picked up the old bucket and walked down to the babbling brook at the base of the hill. After filling the bucket with water, he walked back up the hill and poured the water into the well. To his delight, he noticed that the level of the water in the well rose ever so slightly.

With a hint of success to spur him on, William began transferring bucket loads of water from the brook to the well. He worked steadily all day carrying buckets of water up to the wishing well. With each bucket of water he poured into the well, the ring floated closer to the surface. Finally as the sun was beginning to set, William poured in another bucket of water and the ring came within his reach. He grasped the stunning diamond ring and with a spring in his step he set off to propose to his Rebecca.

——-

The best part about this story is that the Wishing Well really does exist and is available to each and every one of us. Whenever you set a goal, your objective instantly becomes a ‘possibility’. It is as though it appears in the bottom of the wishing well. You can see it, but it is beyond your reach. Many people like Richard look for a quick and easy way to reach their goal but they inevitably get frustrated and walk away.

Those who achieve true success understand how life’s Wishing Well works. Like William, they recognise that they must put in the time and effort to fill their well before they can collect their prize.

Today I’d like to encourage you to decide what you really want from life’s wishing well and commit yourself to the process of filling your well in order to transform your dreams into reality.

Until next time,

Dare to Dream!

Anthony

Often life whispers to us to warn us of potential problems that may lie ahead, but frequently we are so busy with other things that we ignore these warning signs. One of the best ways to reduce the number of problems in your life is to learn to listen and act on life’s whispers.

Here’s a true story that illustrates the concept of life’s whispers:

David was an emergency physician who faced life and death situations on an almost daily basis. He worked long hours and lived his life in a high stress and high pressure environment.

One afternoon as he walked up the stairs to his car, David felt a tightness in his chest. As he was only 41, he dismissed it as heart burn. In the days that followed, the tightness returned but David was too busy to take much notice. Then he realised that life was whispering to him. He knew that if a patient came to him with the symptoms he was experiencing he would tell them to have some tests.

To cut a long story short, David booked himself in for a checkup and discovered that one of his coronary arteries was blocked. He had a stent inserted and was able to return to his normal activities within a few days.

By listening to life’s whisper and taking action, David avoided a life threatening situation.

Today I’d like to encourage you to take a step back from your daily routine, and find a quiet moment to stop and listen for life’s whispers.

Is there a health issue you should get checked out?

Is there someone you should touch base with?

Is there something you know you should do but haven’t got around to?

When you take the time to listen for life’s whispers you will discover that they are an incredibly valuable tool that will help you stay on track and avoid many of the pitfalls on the road to achieving your most important life goals.

Until Next Time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

As I’m sure you already know, on Sunday August 17th 2008, Michael Phelps achieved one of the greatest sporting records of all time by winning an incredible 8 gold medals in a single Olympic games.

Michael’s performance was seen by millions of people around the world and we can all learn a great deal about achieving our own goals by analyzing his accomplishment. Here then, are five secrets of success that helped Michael Phelps to transform his dreams into reality.

Secret #1: Think BIG

The first step in Michael Phelps journey was to make the decision to pursue a dream that many people considered impossible. Instead of thinking negative thoughts and limiting his potential, Michael allowed himself to think big.

"If you dream as big as you can dream,
anything is possible."
- Michael Phelps

Your Turn:

In order to discover your real goals, let your imagination run free to dream as big as you can dream. Resist the temptation to limit yourself with negative thoughts. It is only by freeing your imagination that you can discover what it is that you really want from life.

Secret #2: Break it Down

Having identified his ultimate goal, Michael and his coach created a series of short term goals that would eventually lead him to his ultimate objective. In between the Olympics came the National championships, the Pan Pacific championships and the World championships. Each race of each event was a carefully planned stepping stone that would eventually lead Michael to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming the most successful Olympian of all time.

Your Turn:

After identifying your long term goal, take some time to break it down into a series of achievable short term goals. As you move forward, focus on achieving your short term goals one step at a time.

Secret #3: Use the Power of Visualization

One of the most powerful techniques used by elite athletes to achieve their goals is to visualize themselves succeeding each and every day. In his book ‘Beneath the Surface’, Michael Phelps writes, "When I’m about to fall asleep, I visualize to the point that I know exactly what I want to do: dive, glide, stroke, flip, reach the wall, hit the split time to the hundredth, then swim back again for as many times as I need to finish the race".

Your Turn:

Visualizing your goals before you sleep is a great way to program your subconscious mind. The more you visualize your dreams as a reality, the more motivated and determined you will become.

Secret #4: Put in the Hard Work

No matter how naturally talented Michael Phelps may be, the main reason he achieved his goals was because he was prepared to put in the thousands of hours of grueling hard work necessary to compete at the highest level. According to Michael, "In the four years between the Athens and Sydney Olympics I probably took four or five days off and none of those were holidays"

Your Turn:

Be prepared to put in the hard work required to transform your dreams into reality. There really is no such thing as getting something for nothing. In order to make your dreams a reality you will have to work hard.

Secret #5: Monitor Your Performance Metrics

Every elite athlete understands the importance of using metrics to monitor their performance and progress. Michael’s coach Bob Bowman constantly monitors and reviews Michael’s split times down to the hundredth of a second. This provides them both with tangible evidence of how Michael is progressing towards achieving his goals.

Your Turn:

As you work towards your goals, figure out your own key metrics. For example, if you are studying, record how many hours of productive work you do each day. Or if you are building a business, record how many potential customers you contact each week. Whatever your goal may be, you will get there faster by recording and constantly improving your performance metrics.

While you may not be pursuing an Olympic gold medal, always remember that your life goals are just as important. I’d like to encourage you today to use some of the same techniques Michael Phelps used to achieve his goals. If you can

(1) Think BIG
(2) Break it down
(3) Utilize the power of visualization
(4) Work hard and
(5) Monitor your performance metrics

you too can conquer the challenges that stand in your way and make your dreams a reality.

Until Next Time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

One of the most liberating realisations you can have on your road to success is that your past does not dictate your future.

Many people make the mistake of referring to their past in order to obtain a prediction of their future. They say things like:<

"My last two business ventures have failed so I guess I’ll never have a successful business"

Or

"I’ve always had problematic relationships so I guess I’ll never meet the right person"

It’s very important to realise that no matter what has happened in the past, your future is still an open field of possibilities.

Many of the world’s most successful people have achieved their success after perservering in the face of hardship and failure. For example:

• The Beatles were turned down by the Decca recording company but they went on to become one of the most successful bands of all time.
• Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basket ball team but he went on to become one of the most successful basketball players in the world.
• Joanne Rowling struggled through a collapsed marriage and occasionally had to skip meals to make sure she had enough money to feed her four month old baby but she went on to sell over 400 million copies of her books and become the highest earning novelist in history.

As these examples show, past failures and hardships do not exclude you from future success. In fact it is often through failure that people develop the skills and strength of character they need to succeed.

No matter how many times you have failed in the past, always remember this important fact:

Your Past Does Not Dictate Your Future

As you read this article, your future is filled with endless possibilities – there are new opportunities waiting to be discovered, new relationships waiting to blossom and new adventures waiting to begin.

So I encourage you today to turn away from the failures of the past and instead look forward to creating your future success.

Until Next Time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony

Another great reminder of what is really important in life. (Video duration 6.32)

When you are facing a difficult period in your life, one of the most helpful and motivating things you can do is to identify your ‘Reason Why’.

Most of us don’t enjoy working hard just for the sake of it. Usually we work much better if we have a compelling reason for doing so.

Here’s an example that illustrates the power of finding your ‘Reason Why’.

Cathy was working hard to complete her engineering degree. Her final project thesis was due in three weeks and she had several major exams at the end of the month. In the middle of this already stressful time, Cathy learned that her father was ill and had been taken to hospital.

Since Cathy and her father were very close, she found it almost impossible to concentrate on her studies and considered deferring her course so that she could look after her father. When she spoke to him about this, Cathy’s father told her that more than anything, he wanted her to complete her degree and asked her to do it for him.

Instantly, Cathy discovered a powerful ‘Reason Why’. Drawing on her love for her father, she found the motivation to get up early and work harder than she had ever worked before. When she got tired, she taped a picture of her father above her computer to help her focus on her ‘Reason Why’.

Cathy completed her degree and a few months later, her father was able to attend her graduation and watched proudly as she received her certificate.

Today I’d like to encourage you to find your ‘Reason Why’. Perhaps you’re working at a job you dislike in order to give your children opportunities you never had, or maybe you’re building a business in order to obtain financial freedom for yourself and your partner.

Whatever challenges you’re facing, when you identify and focus on your ‘Reason Why’ you will discover a reservoir of motivation that will help see you through even the most difficult times.

This Week’s Action Steps

(1) If you are currently facing a difficult situation, spend some time in quiet thought to identify your underlying ‘Reason Why’.

(2) Paste a picture of your ‘Reason Why’ in a prominent position.

(3) Whenever you need motivation, focus on your ‘Reason Why’ and use this inspiration to recharge your batteries and do what you need to do.

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony