Articles by Carmen Brandt Wolf on ArticleSnatch.com

How to Banish Those Self-Limiting Thoughts

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:15:41 -0400

Do you know what the biggest obstacle, most destructive reason and greatest sabotage weapon is for making the goals we set fail? Would you believe Self-limiting Beliefs? That's it! It's not sloppy planning, a non-workable plan, not dotting all your "I"s and crossing all your "T"s, not setting up a "time line," etc. The culprit is simply self-limiting thoughts and beliefs. When we set strict limits on what we think we can do, we are underestimating ourselves. We don't believe in ourselves. We believe we are inadequate or inferior in areas such as intelligence, ability, talent, personality, creativity, etc. We've gotten so used to thinking and talking negatively to ourselves that we've convinced our subconscious mind that we are all of the above, and maybe some more. These are your "limiting beliefs." You are condemning yourself to a life far below what you are capable of accomplishing! Remember the statement, "We use, at the most, only 10 percent of our mind's capacity." So, let's begin to have fun. Imagine for a moment that there are absolutely no limits on anything. **End Summary** Topics: Negative thinking]]> goal setting]]> achievement]]> failure]]> Peter Drucker]]> positive thinking]]> setting goals]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business and personal success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

Success: What Does That Mean to You?

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:54:39 -0400

Ahhh, that illusive term, "Success." What does success really mean? Does it mean the same thing to everyone? Of course not. Each of us is an individual, and because of that, each one of us has a different concept of what it means to be successful. Hmmm, what determines how we interpret success? Well, it could be how we were raised or the things we enjoy. Maybe it's what we learned in school or church. Whatever it may be, our interpretation of success is personal to us. No one else can tell us what success is in our mind. Now let's take that a step further and apply our interpretation of success to our profession . . . business success. I caught some of you on that, didn't I? If you are like me, you immediately associate business success with success in general. But, others may look at a broader picture. They may look at how successful their family life is, or their hobbies, or their relationships. Maybe they base their success on popularity or how many widgets they have collected. You see, it doesn't matter what we identify with when we think of success. **End Summary** Topics: Success]]> personal success]]> business success]]> achievement]]> goals]]> goal setting]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

5 Tips for Effective Communication

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:32:55 -0400

Communication is an integral part of everyone's daily activities. Whether you are talking with co-workers, your family members, or by phone or e-mail, effective communication benefits everyone. The problem is, we are usually in such a hurry we don't think about how what we are saying is being interpreted by the recipient. In fact, there may be times when what we intend is not what the person receiving the message hears. This is even more prevalent with e-mail. Here are some areas to consider as you evaluate your communication style. 1. Be respectful to everyone: The best way to stop the communication flow is to be disrespectful to the person you are talking to. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, whether it is your boss, your kids, co-workers, the cleaning crew, etc. No one is better than anyone else - treat everyone as you would like to be treated. There is a side benefit here as well; you never know when you might need help, and you will be much more likely to receive it from people you were nice to in the past. 2. Listen: You have something you want to say and you know you are right. **End Summary** Topics: Communications]]> communication]]> interaction]]> speaking]]> talking]]> conversations]]> effective communication]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business and personal success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

The Real Scoop on Network Marketing

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:44:54 -0400

The word seems to be out that network marketing or Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) isn't what it used to be. Some people are saying "yeah!" and others are saying "oh no!" Network marketing is just that; it's marketing. Marketing is an ever-changing commodity. It's influenced by media, advertising, transportation costs, customer demand, supply, climate, etc. Marketing is ever changing. Our world is ever changing. So, why should MLM be any different? One thing that will always remain constant, however, is that it is based on developing relationships, and that is what makes it different from conventional marketing (manufacturer to wholesaler to customer). This type of business is very appealing to anyone who enjoys interacting with people and wants to create another income stream. And, you certainly can't argue that it's a pretty sensible system - manufacturer directly to the customer. The internet has had a major influence on MLM. Some have grabbed the explosive opportunity and run with it, and others are still wondering "what happened?" The internet is a tool that allows communication at levels that have never been seen before. There is an endless supply of systems, sales pitches, opinions, etc. **End Summary** Topics: Network marketing]]> multi level marketing]]> starting a business]]> home business]]> making money online]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

3 Foundational Steps to Achieving Your Goals

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:42:27 -0400

Are you one of the many who think they need goals but never get serious about them? Or are you one of the very elite few who actually realize the incredible benefits to be gained by getting VERY serious about setting goals. The increase in income alone is a major benefit of goal setting and should be enough to make anyone take a serious look at it. However, there are many, many additional benefits that can't be measured in numbers that improve the overall pleasure of life. So, put the two together, and wow, think about what this could do for you. To make goal setting really work for you, there are things in your life you need to throw away right now - you don't need them, you don't want them, they are doing great harm to you. 1. Anger: This is rampant now more than ever because of the collapse of our economy and the devastating effect this has had on the lives of so many people. We want to blame someone for what has happened to us - we're angry at everything and everyone that upset our life. **End Summary** Topics: Goal setting]]> goals]]> success]]> achieving goals]]> achievement]]> anger]]> self pity]]> excuses]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want goal setting tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

Setting Goals - Is it Really That important?

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:46:41 -0400

How many times have you heard that setting goals is the most important ingredient in your quest for success? Have you taken it seriously, or instead thought "That's great for other people, but I don't know how to set goals, I don't know where to begin." The "setting goals" statement is THAT IMPORTANT!! Tom Hopkins, sales trainer, says "Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement." Research has found that the 3% of college graduates that have clear, written goals earn ten times as much as those who have no goals or have unclear, scattered goals. Now that's pretty compelling and certainly a strong motivation to start writing clear, concise goals. Yes, it has been proven over and over again that writing your goals down on paper brings much more success than just having them roaming around in your head. It becomes REALLY exciting when you think about these facts: 1. You have more natural potential than you could use in a lifetime. A Stanford University study found that the average person uses only two percent of his/her mental capacity, with 98 percent being unused and wasted. 2. **End Summary** Topics: Goal setting]]> goals]]> achievement]]> success]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want goal setting tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

Tips for Creating an Enjoyable and Functional Home Office

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:39:10 -0400

An enjoyable work place has a huge influence on our success as well as our emotional and physical health. Perhaps the most important reason for placing such importance on this is the influence it will have on your stress level. There is compelling evidence everywhere that stress damages our bodies as well as our relationships which, in turn, diminishes our productivity and success. Finding the ideal location for a home office is sometimes not easy since it requires enough space to move about comfortably and have the necessary equipment to operate efficiently. Some entrepreneurs combine a guest bedroom and their home office. If you do not have a lot of overnight guests, this could work very well. Adding a desk, small filing cabinet and bookcase are often all that's needed to turn a guest room into a functional office. Other possibilities are a small area in a family room, dining room, etc. Depending on your climate, even a small area in your garage would work to get you started. And, if you have an extra room in your home just waiting for "someone" or "something" to claim it - there you go! That would be the ideal situation. **End Summary** Topics: Home office]]> small business]]> organization]]> office organization]]> efficiency]]> stress reduction]]> ergonomics]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

Golden Rules of Prospecting on the Phone

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:51:05 -0400

Phone prospecting is often a "scary" thing for people who are in positions where this is part of their job or if they have their own home-based business and this is critical to their success. There are several very important things to take into consideration when you on talking to prospects on the phone. First of all (and this is VERY important) you must be in the right mindset whether you are talking to leads you have purchased, if you are calling a client base or if you are making cold calls. Go through the reasons in your mind why you are calling this prospect and what result you want from the call. It's a good idea to make a list of pros and cons of the type of people you want in your organization or as a client. Take a piece of paper, put a line down the center and write the pros on one side and the cons on the other. Read this list often - it will become an automatic sorting tool for you, and you will not waste your time on people who do not fit your criteria. **End Summary** Topics: Cold calling]]> selling]]> network marketing]]> prospecting]]> home business]]> phone marketing]]> sales]]> communication]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

How to Pick the Perfect Business for You

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:17:43 -0400

Finding the right business for you. Some of you may know exactly what kind of business you want to start, or you may have already started it. Others may have an intense desire to start a business, but they don't know what type of business. Deciding what your business will be is a critical step in your journey to business and financial success. To begin, take a piece of paper, a pen or pencil, or open a word processing document and start listing all or your skills and talents. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? What skills have you learned throughout your life? And most importantly, what are your passions? It is important to be objective because often we don't give ourselves credit for the skills and talents we have. We just assume that if we can do it everyone can. That is definitely not the case. If you are having problems doing this ask family members, coworkers or friends to tell you what your skills and talents are. We are seen much differently by others than we see ourselves. Once you have determined what your strengths are, it is important to truthfully identify your weaknesses. **End Summary** Topics: home business]]> small business]]> entrepreneur]]> franchise]]> network marketing]]> multi level marketing]]> MLM]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

How to Retrain Your Mind to Get What You Want

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:32:39 -0400

By now I'm sure you have heard about the Law of Attraction and the movie The Secret. The thought of being able to "create" your dream life has been an inspiration for millions, but has also caused extreme frustration at the same time. When you hear or read about the Law of Attraction, it sounds so simple. Yet, when you actually apply the principles, you realize it can be very difficult. To effectively practice the principles of the Law of Attraction, you have to look inside yourself, and you could face some uncomfortable things. There may be memories or perceptions you have held and guarded for many years. You may have based your belief system on them. They have become such a part of you for such a long time, you probably don't even realize you have them . . . and if and when you do, you may have no idea where they came from. But they are yours . . . you are used to them, and they make you feel comfortable even if they make you unhappy. You have probably heard this before, but I'm going to remind you again. Your external life is a reflection of your internal thought process. **End Summary** Topics: law of attaction]]> the secret]]> negative thoughts]]> control your thoughts]]> visualize]]> subconscious mind]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

7 Ways to Empower Your Communication

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:31:14 -0400

Most of us spend a good part of our day communicating with people. We may be talking to our kids, spouse or co-workers, or we may be talking to a classroom full of not-so-eager students. The way we communicate touches every aspect of our lives. In fact, we spend so much time communicating, we rarely take a step back to evaluate our communication skills. Here is a list of 7 communication elements that everyone can use for self-assessment. 1. Your knowledge To be an effective speaker, you must have experience in the field in which you are speaking. An effective speaker will not try to "snow" everyone into thinking he/she is knowledgeable by using unfamiliar concepts or words no one understands. Effective speakers work very hard at delivering the content of their message in a manner their listeners can understand. 2. Listen Listening is just as important as talking. Listen to what your audience is saying before you launch into your presentation. The epitome of rudeness is cutting people off in mid sentence because you assume "you are smarter than they are, and you already know what they are going to ask. **End Summary** Topics: public speaking]]> leadership]]> communication]]> personal development]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

Network Marketing - what Is It?

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:48:18 -0400

Multi-level or network marketing is nothing more than a distribution process where a company chooses to distribute and sell its product through independent sales representatives (distributors) instead of spending mega dollars on mainstream advertising, marketing and distribution costs. The independent distributors are the advertising, marketing and distribution departments, and they benefit by being paid the money that would have gone to traditional advertising, marketing and distribution. This method is much more effective in getting a product into the mainstream in a timely manner because it works at the grassroots level. People are much more likely to make purchases when the products are introduced and recommended by someone they know or have a relationship with. These companies do not allow their products to be sold "over the counter" in retail stores. Of course they don't - they would be sabotaging their sales force (distributors)/advertising department. And, it takes much longer to get a product on the market, recognized by shoppers and marketed in retail stores (many years) than to print promotional material and build a marketing team. **End Summary** Topics: network marketing]]> mlm]]> make money]]> start a business]]> making money online]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com .

How to Find Errors in Your Writing Before it's Too Late

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:42:38 -0400

It has happened to all of us whether in an e-mail, a presentation to a group, or in a formal proposal. We go through everything with what we think is a fine-toothed comb to catch all the errors. Yet, as soon as it leaves our control, a mistake is blatantly apparent. How could this happen? We were so careful! Here are some tips you can use to proof your material. These tips are very easy to incorporate into your daily writing process. If you are composing or typing on a computer, the best way to catch errors is to actually print out your document and proof it on paper. By viewing the text in a different medium, it is easier for your eye to spot the mistakes if there are any. When you are used to seeing something in a certain way, your mind tends to "make up" for any errors, which is why you miss them as you proof. It is very important to be able to focus entirely on what you are doing. Make sure you have eliminated as many distractions as possible. Make your environment comfortable . . . for example, good lighting and a comfortable temperature. **End Summary** Topics: grammar]]> mispelling]]> mistakes]]> errors]]> writing]]> catch errors]]> spelling mistakes]]> grammar mistakes]]> writing m]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

How to Control Those Pesky Negative Thoughts

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:18:29 -0400

If you have spent any time studying the movie "The Secret," or "The Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace D. Wattles (which the movie is based upon), you are aware of the importance of controlling what you think about. You are probably also quite aware of how difficult that is. It sounds easy on the surface, but once you try to make it a practice to only think positive thoughts - only about the things you want in life and not the ones you don't - you realize what a daunting task that is. Of all the elements in the theory behind the movie "The Secret," it is likely this is responsible for most of the frustration experienced by people who truly want to make positive changes in their lives. The good news is that there are techniques you can employ to master your thoughts and transform them into positive and productive tools. It is extremely important to remember, you are the one in control. It is YOUR mind and YOU ultimately have control over what happens in your mind. **End Summary** Topics: negative thoughts]]> prosperity]]> law of attraction]]> control thoughts]]> the secret]]> abundance]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

Key Element for Home-Based Business Success

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:06:52 -0400

"I can work in my pajamas all day if I want." WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! This is often a pitch people use when they are selling a home-based opportunity. Does that give you energy, drive or enthusiasm? I think not. After all, you've spent the last eight hours in your pajamas - would you want to make it 16? If you have a home business or your company allows you to do work at home through the means of technology, don't fall into the trap of "I can work all day in my pajamas if I want." Does that make you feel great and successful? Not me! I would want to feel on top of my game at all times regardless if I worked for myself in my own business or if my company allowed me to work at home. Before you get out of bed in the morning, give gratitude for all the wonderful things you have in your life. This could take awhile because we all have many things to be grateful for. And when you get in the habit of doing this, they will increase, just as the abundance in your life will. **End Summary** Topics: Home-based business success]]> business success]]> success]]> work at home]]> dress for success]]> daily routines]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

4 Essential Traits of a Successful Entrepreneur

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:38:51 -0400

It seems like almost everyone I talk to has some "can't miss" idea for a new business. Yet, I rarely see any of them actually following through on their idea. That used to puzzle me, until I started studying successful entrepreneurs versus "talkers." After spending several years observing all types of people, I came to the conclusion that there are four essential traits required for a person to be a successful entrepreneur. There is great satisfaction to being a successful business owner, but it is important to understand the personal traits that contribute to success. 1. Guts! Some call it chutzpah, but to be successful as a business owner you have to be able to handle the ups and downs of running a business, especially a small business. It is inevitable that there will be troubles along with successes, especially in the beginning. The true entrepreneur is one who can stomach the bad times and contain the good times, keeping everything in balance. Someone who can keep their burning dream alive even during difficult times. 2. Flexibility This is very important. **End Summary** Topics: entrepreneur]]> business success]]> business]]> profitable business]]> new business]]> success entrepreneur]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

7 Ways to Conquer Procrastination!

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:17:34 -0400

Do you find yourself constantly juggling deadlines, never seeming to be able to "catch up"? Do you put off starting new projects because you are so far behind on existing projects? Are there times when you just want to find a time machine to give yourself more hours in a day to finally get on top of all your projects? You are suffering from Procrastination! Procrastination is the largest contributor to lost productivity and missed deadlines there is. If you want to get out of your procrastination sinkhole, here are seven steps to help you become a productive, reliable and calm person. 1. Create daily schedules - This is so important! Create a daily schedule for yourself which outlines routine tasks that must be done on each day. We always have tasks that must be completed by a certain time. By setting up a specific time of day or week to complete these tasks, you will no longer have them hanging over your head, nor will you have to worry that you could inadvertently forget about them, and their deadlines would come and go. **End Summary** Topics: procrastination]]> efficiency]]> work place]]> anxiety]]> missed deadlines]]> goals]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want business success tips, tools, and info sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the Powerimage.com Business Success e-zine and receive lots of free tools, tricks and resources to help you achieve your goals and become the person you were meant to be. Sign up at: http://www.powerimage.com/sign-up .

3 Essential Rules for Successful Negotiating

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:31:33 -0400

Do you realize that we engage in some form or negotiation every day of our lives? Surprised? Think about it! Did you have to convince your kids to do their home work last night and get ready for school this morning? Did you discuss with your spouse who was going to make dinner tonight? Did you set completion goals for a new project at work? Did you talk with a disgruntled customer or employee today? How did it go? Did you achieve the results you desired? These are all examples where a learned process of positive negotiation would be helpful. I was surprised the first time this was pointed out to me. I always thought of negotiation as a formal affair between high-powered professionals beating each other up to get what they wanted. That is a misconception held by many people. Every aspect of your life can be simplified just by understanding and implementing the essential elements of negotiation. Here you will learn some of the essential negotiation elements to use when you are faced with situations that could become difficult if they're not handled correctly. 1. Communicate Clearly This is the most important element on the list. **End Summary** Topics: negotiating]]> negotiation]]> communication]]> body language]]> arguing]]> meeting]]> meetings]]> business]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Do you want relevant business success tips, tools, and information sent directly to your inbox? Subscribe to the powerimage.