motivation : 12 Powerful Motivational Tools That Guarantee Success

The standard for success across the globe is having a
vision that compels you to succeed. Motivation is the key
in accomplishing all your goals.

No matter how many years you spend in a classroom or from
what social class or lifestyle, motivation is the common
factor among those who are high achievers.

Finding the tools to put meaning and purpose in your life,
developing a vision, and becoming highly motivated can lead
you towards a successful and exciting life.

Here are 12 motivational tools that can bring you success:

1. Recognizing obstacles and learning to remove them can
make your vision a reality. The individual who is
extremely motivated and successful has been motivated by a
vision.

2. The quest for freedom is the basis for motivation.
Total freedom is not necessarily desirable or possible, but
the pursuit of that ideal is what motivates us to succeed.

3. People who develop a vision control their own life and
destiny. With no vision, your life and destiny are
controlled by outside forces.

You must change your thinking habits in order to change
your life, and you change your habits by keeping the
desired results in sight.

4. Develop a major goal, but take a specified path to get
there. You'll have many smaller goals to reach before you
get to the final result.

By learning to accomplish these smaller goals, you'll be
motivated to take on the larger challenges.

5. Get into the habit of finishing what you start. An
unfinished project is of no value. Leaving things
unfinished is a habit that must be changed.

6. Find support through friends, acquaintances, and
co-workers. If you surround yourself with motivated,
visionary people you will naturally develop the attributes
that helped them get that way.

Mutual interests and like-minded associates can be
excellent motivational tools.

7. Another motivational tool is failure. Failure teaches us
to keep trying until we get it right. No one ever became
successful without prior failures.

Failure is a by-product of imagination and creativity. It
challenges you to take risks and teaches you to keep trying
until you get it right.

8. The fear of failure is a common factor among those who
procrastinate. If you want to succeed in reaching your
goals, you must be willing to take a risk and lose.

Many people trade joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment for a
job that is considered conventional and safe.

9. The unfulfilling job is not the failure; not pursuing
your dreams is the real failure. Developing a vision
requires conquering your fears and finding motivation from
within.

10. The power of your dreams is the primary factor in
becoming motivated. Productivity will be the result of
developing habits and attitudes that keep you on the right
track.

11. By changing bad habits and focusing on your specific
goals, motivation will come to you even when you wish you
could quit and times are tough.

12. By identifying the behaviors that you need to change,
developing a vision of what you would like to achieve, and
striving to attain that goal, you will become a naturally
motivated, highly efficient, productive person.

Do not let fear of failure stop you from having the freedom
to choose the lifestyle and destiny you desire.

True motivation is not only a learned skill; it is
developed due to a need or desire to make our dreams a
reality.

If you want to find inner motivation, you must identify
your goals and set out on an unwavering path to achieve
them.

Overcoming procrastination is perhaps one of the most
important steps you can take to improve your life and
become the motivated, successful person you are capable of
being.

You have to let go of your old personality and ways of
doing things to change, quit procrastinating and get
motivated!

by Peter Murphy

motivation : 10 Quick Tips To Stay Motivated

Lack of incentive and motivation in running a home based business
will soon lead to big time business losses. Check out the
following motivational tips to keep the "fiz in your biz!"
Adapt them to fit your unique situation.

1. Change your routine. Do you hit the keyboards at noon? Try
working early mornings or in the evening. A simple change in
routine might be all you need to stay motivated.

2. Learn something new. Learning new things will drive up
that attention meter. Now is the time to flex that learning
muscle. Have you always wanted to learn a foreign language?
How to write computer programs? Rev up those brain cells
and get busy.

3. Network. Find others in your local community or Online
who are in the same profession. Exchange ideas or simply
correspond. This will give you a fresh prospective on
your business.

4. Join a group with similar interest. Are you into party
planning sales. Join a party planning or sales group
Online. Exchange sales ideas and new marketing techniques.
Check out relevant message boards.

5. Stay current. Read all the latest news on your business.
Return to school, take workshops. Study all the latest
gadgets, widgets. Your mind will be too busy to be bored.

6. Expand your business. That's right. If you design
websites. Why not teach others to design websites.
Expanding the business might lift you out of the
old "I'm bored" syndrome.

7. Get Techie: Learn all you can about new technology.
Stay current with the latest trends in computers, electronics.
Find ways to apply your new tech knowledge to your business.

8. Teach others/Become a mentor. Experience a new zest
for your business. Share your ideas with young eager minds.

9. Improve a skill. This is a good one! Everyday try to
improve on a work habit. Write down several things that
you would like to improve. If you type 60 words per minute,
aim for 70 words per minute. Learn how to write a marketing
plan or a new business plan.

10. Vacation-Vacation-Vacation. You read it right! Give
up (at least for a few days or even hours.) Take a short
vacation away from your business. Get out in the fresh air,
interact with real live people instead of Internet contacts.
Enjoy the outdoors! Share quality time with your family.
Afterwards, you will certainly feel like a new person and
ready to settle down and manage your homebased business
with flair, style, and of course, lots of good old motivation!

by Holly Cotter

motivation : 10 Ways To Stimulate Employee Motivation

Today's fast-moving business environment demands that the effective manager be both a well-organized administrator and highly adept in understanding people's basic needs and behaviour in the workplace. Gaining commitment, nurturing talent, and ensuring employee motivation and productivity require open communication and trust between managers and staff.

1. Understand their behaviour

People at work naturally tend to adopt instinctive modes of behaviour that are self-protective rather than open and collaborative. This explains why emotion is a strong force in the workplace and why management often reacts violently to criticisms and usually seeks to control rather than take risks. So, in order to eliminate this kind of perspective and to increase employee motivation, it is best that you influence behaviour rather than to change personalities. Insisting what you expect from your employees will only worsen the situation.

2. Be sure that people's lower-level needs are met.

People have various kinds of needs. Examples of lower-level needs are salary, job security, and working conditions. In order to increase employee motivation, you have to meet these basic needs. Consequently, failures with basic needs nearly always explain dissatisfaction among staff. Satisfaction, on the other hand, springs from meeting higher-level needs, such as responsibility progress, and personal growth. When satisfaction is met, chances are employee motivation is at hand.

3. Encourage pride

People need to feel that their contribution is valued and unique. If you are a manager, seek to exploit this pride in others, and be proud of your own ability to handle staff with positive results. This, in turn, will encourage employee motivation among your people.

4. Listen carefully

In many areas of a manager's job, from meetings and appraisals to telephone calls, listening plays a key role. Listening encourages employee motivation and, therefore, benefits both you and your staff. So make an effort to understand people's attitudes by careful listening and questioning and by giving them the opportunity to express themselves.

5. Build confidence

Most people suffer from insecurity at some time. The many kinds of anxiety that affect people in organizations can feed such insecurity, and insecurity impedes employee motivation. Your antidote, therefore, is to build confidence by giving recognition, high-level tasks, and full information. In doing so, you only not refurbish employee motivation but boost productivity as well.

6. Encourage contact

Many managers like to hide away behind closed office doors, keeping contact to a minimum. That makes it easy for an administrator, but hard to be a leader. It is far better to keep your office door open and to encourage people to visit you when the door is open. Go out of your way to chat to staff on an informal basis. Keep in mind that building rapport with your staff will effectively increase employee motivation.

7. Use the strategic thinking of all employees.

It is very important to inform people about strategic plans and their own part in achieving the strategies. Take trouble to improve their understanding and to win their approval, as this will have a highly positive influence on performance and increasing employee motivation as well.

8. Develop trust

The quality and style of leadership are major factors in gaining employee motivation and trust. Clear decision making should be coupled with a collaborative, collegiate approach. This entails taking people into your confidence and explicitly and openly valuing their contributions. By simply giving your staff the opportunity to show that you can trust them is enough to increase employee motivation among them.

9. Delegate decisions

Pushing the power of decision-making downward reduces pressure on senior management. It motivates people on the lower levels because it gives them a vote of confidence. Also, because the decision is taken nearer to the point of action, it is more likely to be correct. Consequently, by encouraging them to choose their own working methods, make decisions, and giving them responsibility for meeting the agreed goal will encourage employee motivation among your staff.

10. Appraising to motivate

When choosing methods of assessing your staff's performance, always make sure that the end result has a positive effect on employee motivation and increases people's sense of self-worth. Realistic targets, positive feedback, and listening are key factors.

If you follow these simple steps in increasing employee motivation, rest assured you will have a good working relationship with your staff at the same time boost you company's productivity. Just bear in mind that people are employed to get good results for the company. Their rates of success are intrinsically linked to how they are directed, reviewed, rewarded, trusted, and motivated by the management.

About The Author:
For more great employee motivation related articles and resources check out http://employeemotivation.hrhaven.com

Copyright Paul Graham - http://employeemotivation.hrhaven.com

motivation ; 10 Motivational Triggers That Make People Buy

1. People want to make more money. They may want to start their own business, get a higher paying job or invest in the stock market. This will make them feel successful.

2. People want to save money. They may want to invest for the future or save for a big purchase. This will make them feel more secure.

3. People want to save time. They may want to work less and spend time enjoying life's pleasures. This will make them feel more relaxed.

4. People want to look better. They may want to lose weight, tone their body, or improve their facial features. This will make them feel more attractive.

5. People want to learn something new. They may want to learn how to change their car oil or build a deck. This will make them feel more intelligent.

6. People want to live longer. They may want to get in shape, eat better or gain extra energy. This will make them feel healthier.

7. People want to be comfortable. They may want to relive aches and pains or want to sleep in a more comfortable bed. This will make them feel relieved.

8. People want to be loved. They may not want to be lonely anymore or want to start dating again. This will make them feel wanted.

9. People want to be popular. They may want to be a famous celebrity or be more popular in school. This will make them feel praised and admired.

10. People want to gain pleasure. They may want satisfy their appetite or sexual desires. This will make them feel more fulfilled.
motivation

Copyright 2005 Rudy Cline

motivation ; What's Your Motivation Style?

Motivation is the force that draws you to move toward something. It can come from a desire or a curiosity within you or can be from an external force urging you on. In either case, you make the decision to seize or to skip a chance to learn. Motivation styles vary for different situations and topics but nonetheless, you draw on them all the time, especially when you try to learn something challenging. If you can recognize your predominant motivational style you can identify the situations that best satisfy your needs. Likewise, you can’t motivate anyone else. All you can do is invite them to learn.

Take a few minutes to complete the following questionnaire assessing your preferred motivation style. Begin by reading the words in the left-hand column. Of the three responses to the right, circle the one that best characterizes you, answering as honestly as possible with the description that applies to you now. Count the number of circled items and write your total at the bottom of each column. These questions have no right or wrong answers. Your response offers insight about how you’re motivated to learn.
If you’re goal-oriented, you’ll probably reach for your goals through a direct and obvious route. This might lead you to a reference book, your computer, or to call an expert—whatever means is available. You usually prefer meeting in-person when it’s the most effective method and don’t find learning, itself, much fun.

© Copyright 2005. Ageless Learner. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

motivation : Specific Classroom Management Methods

In my studies to become a teacher, I often found that many concepts were explained from a theoretical standpoint, but lacked the practical ideas that could be used in a classroom. This page contains specific ideas one can use in their classroom to implement some of the ideas this web site discusses. Please click on an item below to learn more about how to implement it in a classroom:

provide choices

During reading time, provide a selection of books from which they can read. Reading groups can then be formed from those students who have selected the same book.
Give students several options for completing the same project. For instance, if studying the Civil War, allow students to do research reports, construct models, write plays, or compose songs.
If assigning a series of tasks, allow students to determine in what order they would like to complete them in.

minimize pressure

Encourage group work or cooperative learning. The Jigsaw method is effective for eliminating competition. For instance, the class is studying trees; a group of students studies bark, another group studies roots, etc. Then new groups are formed with each group having one member of the original groups; hence, each new group has a member who is responsible for a different part of the tree. The members of the new groups compile their knowledge to have a complete knowledge base about trees.
Do not emphasize grades. Work with each child to create a portfolio that they feel reflects their best work. Focus on progress and demonstrated learning in their work.
When transitioning, do not single out those who are still finishing their work. Start a song or a short game that tells everyone you are switching activities.

allow alternative solutions

When solving problems, allow children many methods. There is not only one way of adding 2+3. Allow those who want to use manipulatives, their fingers, or mental math do so. As Meyer and Middleton (1993 ) state, "...there should be choices regarding solution strategies so that all students, regardless of their ability.

encourage originality

Allow opportunities for self-expression; this is what fosters creativity and hence originality. Specifically, when developing creative lessons, include room for students' personal ideas and concerns (Strong, Silver, and Robinson 1995).
Alter the audience. Instead of having students produce work that is shared with the class, have children write, perform science experiments, or read for people outside of the school, for instance, nursing homes (Strong, Silver, and Robinson 1995).
motivation

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=26401322

motivation : Factors That Encourage Intrinsic Motivation

When a classroom is run on children's natural motivation, emphasis is on learning and being part of the environment, not on rewards and other external reinforcers that take away from the essentials of school. Much research has been done to determine which factors encourage intrinsic motivation in a classroom community. This page describes these factors; for specific classroom ideas, please click here. The following areas are all valuable in creating a learning environment in which intrinsic motivation is fostered (please click on one to learn more about it):
The style of a teacher can have a powerful effect on a student. In the case of teacher control, students' intrinsic motivation is often related to the control orientation of the teacher. Valas and Sovik (1993) studied seventh and eighth grade math students and found that students who believed their teachers allowed more student autonomy tended to have higher intrinsic motivation in math than students who believed their teachers were more controlling. The students with higher motivation also perceived themselves as more competent in mathematics, in addition to having higher achievement scores.
In order to create a learning environment in which students' needs are addressed, teachers must really understand their students interests, beliefs, and concerns: in short, their motivations. Middleton (1995) found that teachers often struggle with predicting their students' motivational constructs. Kohn says it well, "We need to stop asking 'How motivated are my students?' and start asking 'How are my students motivated?'" (Brandt 1995, p.16). Strong, Silver, and Robinson (1995) address this issue in their article, "What Do Students Want (and what really motivates them)?" They discuss four issues which are essential to meeting children's motivational needs: promoting success, arousing curiosity, allowing originality, and encouraging relationships. Success can be developed by clearly defining what success is, valuing it in the classroom, and helping children see how they can attain it. Curiosity can be aroused by making sure that lessons offer fragmented or contradictory information, which puts children in an active role by solving the unknown; in addition, meaningful issues also awaken curiosity. Originality can be promoted by allowing many opportunities for students to express autonomy. Finally, by encouraging relationships, children's innate need for interpersonal involvement is fostered. When factors like these are included in a classroom, children are naturally involved and driven to learn because their intrinsic motivation is heightened.
Often children's intrinsic motivation is affected by the nature of the task itself. Hence, the curriculum plays a valuable role in maintaining children's natural interest in school. A child will assess an activity's motivational value in determining if intrinsic interest exists. Perceived fun, arousal, and control, interact to influence a child's interpretation of an academic activity as intrinsically worthwhile. Arousal is achieved through challenge, curiosity, and fantasy, while an optimum control level is obtained when a child perceives free choice in the activity and the task itself is challenging, but not too difficult (Middleton 1995). Matthews (1991) found that children who felt they had more control in regards to decision making and the general functioning of school had higher intrinsic motivation in reading, social studies, and science.

http://web.archive.org/web/20040303221013/seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~jimbo/RIBARY_Folder/factors.htm

motivation : Lack of Reinforcements

If you don't show up at work and do the job, your boss cares -- you don't get paid, and you'll probably be fired immediately. If you don't show up at university or do the work, no one cares (after all, you are the one who is paying, in this case). Diligent studying has few immediate reinforcements (and research indicates that long-term ones don't really help with motivation).

You may find it useful to give yourself short-term rewards for good studying, as described in our handout, Controlling Your Own Study Behaviour

An ideal situation exists when the work you are doing is interesting in its own right. It may never be so interesting that you will pass up a party to do homework, but studying itself can become rewarding if you can get on top of the material by mastering the fundamentals, and if you apply strategies for active learning and critical thinking.

Perhaps the most effective way to build in consequences for your study behavior is to arrange the "context" so that it demands high levels of performance. The context will usually involve other people (fellow students, tutors, TA's, profs) who expect you to demonstrate evidence of learning. For example, a Study Group where members meet regularly to quiz one another, to share notes, and to discuss the course content, can be an efficient context. If you are prepared, there will be natural rewards for your preparation. When you make a commitment to study that involves significant others, it's a strong motivation for action.

Copyright © 1996 - Counselling Services - University of Victoria

motivation : Increasing Motivation

Motivation is a complex issue, with a number of causes and solutions -- many of which are of interest to university students, who usually know what they should be doing, but occasionally complain that they "lack the motivation" to do it.

At this point, you get to do a little "self-diagnosis," so we can point you in the right direction. If our first guess about what you need isn't any help, be sure to check the other sections.


"I did fine in high school and/or at work -- I wasn't late and I was able to get things done on time, even if I didn't enjoy doing them. But here, I can't seem to get organized." If this is you, click here.

"I get fed up with school. I tend to be apathetic, and procrastinate a lot. Sometimes I feel alienated and school loses meaning for me." If this is you, click here.

"I get distracted a lot. There is always something to do other than school -- and usually, it's more fun." If this is you, click here.

"Sometimes I wonder why I'm even doing this. I don't enjoy it: it's not 'me'" If this is you, click here.

"I get bored with studying. Often when I'm reading, my eyes are tracking along, but nothing is sinking in, and before I know it, my head is down on the table and I'm asleep." If this is you, click here.

"I have had a terrible term: something happened that was totally out of my control (e.g. I was in an accident; my partner dumped me; I was involved in a court case, etc.) and I was so upset or distracted that I couldn't do my school work.

Copyright © 2003 - Counselling Services - University of Victoria

motivation : Motivation is a piviotal concept

Motivation is a piviotal concept in most theories of learning. It is closely related to arousal, attention, anxiety, and feedback/reinforcement. For example, a person needs to be motivated enough to pay attention while learning; anxiety can decrease our motivation to learn. Receiving a reward or feedback for an action usually increases the likelihood that the action will be repreated. Weiner (1990) points out that behavioral theories tended to focus on extrinsic motivation (i.e., rewards) while cognitive theories deal with intrinsic motivation (i.e., goals) .

In most forms of behaviorial theory, motivation was strictly a function of primary drives such as hunger, sex, sleep, or comfort. According to Hull's drive reduction theory, learning reduces drives and therefore motivation is essential to learning. The degree of the learning achieved can be manipulated by the strength of the drive and its underlying motivation. In Tolman's theory of purposive behaviorism, primary drives create internal states (i.e., wants or needs) that serve as secondary drives and represent instrinsic motivation.

In cognitive theory, motivation serves to create intentions and goal-seeking acts (see Ames & Ames, 1989). One well-developed area of research highly relevant to learning is achievement motivation (e.g., Atkinson & Raynor, 1974; Weiner). Motivation to achieve is a function of the individual's desire for success, the expectancy of success, and the incentives provided. Studies show that in general people prefer tasks of intermediate difficulty. In addition, students with a high need to achieve, obtain better grades in courses which they perceive as highly relevant to their career goals. On the other hand, according to Rogers, all individuals have a drive to self-actualize and this motivates learning.

Malone (1981) presented a theoretical framework for instrinsic motivation in the context of designing computer games for instruction. Malone argues that instrinsic motivation is created by three qualities: challenge, fantasy, and curosity. Challenge depends upon activities that involve uncertain outcomes due to variable levels, hidden information or randomness. Fantasy should depend upon skills required for the instruction. Curiosity can be aroused when learners believe their knowledge structures are incomplete, inconsistent, or unparsimonious. According to Malone, instrinsically motivating activities provide learners with a broad range of challenge, concrete feedback, and clear-cut criteria for performance.

Keller (1983) presents an instructional design model for motivation that is based upon a number of other theories. His model suggests a design strategy that encompasses four components of motivation: arousing interest, creating relevance, developing an expectancy of success, and producing satisfaction through intrinsic/extrinsic rewards.

http://tip.psychology.org/motivate.html

motivation : Seven Rules of Motivation

1 Set a major goal, but follow a path. The path has mini goals that go in many directions. When you learn to succeed at mini goals, you will be motivated to challenge grand goals.
2 Finish what you start. A half finished project is of no use to anyone. Quitting is a habit. Develop the habit of finishing self-motivated projects.
3 Socialize with others of similar interest. Mutual support is motivating. We will develop the attitudes of our five best friends. If they are losers, we will be a loser. If they are winners, we will be a winner. To be a cowboy we must associate with cowboys.
4 Learn how to learn. Dependency on others for knowledge is a slow, time consuming processes. Man has the ability to learn without instructors. In fact, when we learn the art of self-education we will find, if not create, opportunity to find success beyond our wildest dreams.
5 Harmonize natural talent with interest that motivates. Natural talent creates motivation, motivation creates persistence and persistence gets the job done.
6 Increase knowledge of subjects that inspires. The more we know about a subject, the more we want to learn about it. A self-propelled upward spiral develops.
7 Take risk. Failure and bouncing back are elements of motivation. Failure is a learning tool. No one has ever succeeded at anything worthwhile without a string of failures.

Copyright 2000 by Robert L. Webb

motivation : Get through it

When there's an obstacle directly in front of you, it can appear difficult, complicated and forbidding. Once you get past it though, you may wonder why you ever hesitated to take it on.
Is there some challenge looming on your horizon that seems insurmountable? The good news is that it is not nearly as difficult as it first appears.

Yet the only way you'll know for sure is to step right up and meet it face to face. Once you start to do that, you also start to grow stronger, and as you do, the challenge becomes more manageable.

If you hide and cower in fear when confronted with a difficult situation, your response only makes the situation even more difficult. By making the choice to stride confidently forward, you raise yourself to a higher level of performance.

As you work through the difficulties, your wisdom, strength and effectiveness grow to meet the demands of the situation. And all the time you'll be creating real, lasting value.

Though the challenge looks big and forbidding, remember that it's well worth the effort to get to the other side. For when you get in the habit of seeking and working through challenge, you can go anywhere you choose.
motivation


-- Ralph Marston

motivation : Maintaining Motivation

When I went solo, one of the first of many things that hit me like a kick in the teeth was consistently being able to get into a work mindset when I sat down at my desk. The workplace was now my apartment, where all my fun diversions live, and the staff was now me. When I would go to work before, the change of scenery and addition of new faces would instantly put my mind into work-mode and I would get down to business. Currently, I have three cats that don’t pull their own weight and a picturesque view of a sink full of dishes. Not the most potent inspiration starters. So, I was forced to really reflect on the way I do things. It wasn’t going to be as easy anymore to just sit down and start working. I would have to learn how to motivate myself in a new environment.

There are many ways to get things done, ways to stay organized, and ways to keep things running smoothly. But, they really don’t mean shit if you can’t find something to love about what you do. One of the toughest things to do is stay motivated on a day-to-day basis. Not every project can be the luscious imaginative playground that keeps you up at night. Sometimes they can be the droning, soul-sucking horror that keeps you awake at night. Ideally, you won’t ever have those projects, but realistically you will from time to time. After all, you need to eat. Even when I am feeling beaten down by a project or client, these are some of the ways I can pick myself up to pull through it. Some of these tips may seem obvious, but how often do you actually do them? These are skewed more towards my self-employed situation, but can easily be applied to other situations too.

Exercise
Some days exercise for me is sprinting down four flights of stairs to meet the FedEx man before he presumes I’m not home and walks away. Don’t you see the apartment number next to the bell you rang?! Hey FedEx guy, it takes time to get downstairs! My own problems aside, I suggest you get out of the house; go for a walk or a bike ride. I love going out for an afternoon by myself to ride or walk around and take photos. It’s a great time for my mind to wander and reflect on problems away from my work situations. By the time I get back to work, I am refreshed and ready to go. Free your ass and your mind will follow.

Stay Organized
Being unorganized affects your mood and makes tasks seem insurmountable. When you walk over to your desk and can’t find the keyboard under all the papers and clutter, or are constantly sifting through an inbox of hundreds of client emails, you are causing yourself undue stress. Come up with a scheme to organize your information. Sort your inbox intelligently. Get a filing cabinet.

Set Your Goals
Have goals in mind when you work on things, and plot out time in your mind (or better yet, on a schedule) that you can allow yourself to spend. Make lists, even of the small things. Recognizing successes and accomplishments, however small they may seem, helps to keep your morale up and your motivation pumping. “Write new post”, check.

Make Time
Along the same lines as “pay yourself first” when you get start making some money, you have to make time for yourself first. This is time that no one else can touch, it’s yours and yours alone. Use it to do whatever you like, read, shop, watch movies, catch up on sleep, whatever makes you happy. If you feel like all you do is work, you will begin to resent what you do.

Keep Busy
Even if client work is on hiatus for a day or two, there are ALWAYS things to be done. You are in business, re-assess your website, brainstorm new ways to promote yourself, write something on your neglected site. The plain fact is, your job is never “done”. Try to stay comfortably busy. Comfortably busy is having enough work so that you don’t slack off and play video games all day.

Walk Away
When a design problem has really got me hung up, the best thing to do is to get my mind off it, at least my conscious mind that is. I go escape into something else; and by the time I get back to work, the problem has incubated in my subconscious long enough that I probably have a solution or at least a game plan.

Copyright © 2001-2006 Jason Santa Maria

motivation : Understanding Employee Motivation

At one time, employees were considered just another input into the production of goods and services. What perhaps changed this way of thinking about employees was research, referred to as the Hawthorne Studies, conducted by Elton Mayo from 1924 to 1932 (Dickson, 1973). This study found employees are not motivated solely by money and employee behavior is linked to their attitudes (Dickson, 1973). The Hawthorne Studies began the human relations approach to management, whereby the needs and motivation of employees become the primary focus of managers (Bedeian, 1993).

Motivation Theories

Understanding what motivated employees and how they were motivated was the focus of many researchers following the publication of the Hawthorne Study results (Terpstra, 1979). Five major approaches that have led to our understanding of motivation are Maslow's need-hierarchy theory, Herzberg's two- factor theory, Vroom's expectancy theory, Adams' equity theory, and Skinner's reinforcement theory.

According to Maslow, employees have five levels of needs (Maslow, 1943): physiological, safety, social, ego, and self- actualizing. Maslow argued that lower level needs had to be satisfied before the next higher level need would motivate employees. Herzberg's work categorized motivation into two factors: motivators and hygienes (Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman, 1959). Motivator or intrinsic factors, such as achievement and recognition, produce job satisfaction. Hygiene or extrinsic factors, such as pay and job security, produce job dissatisfaction.

Vroom's theory is based on the belief that employee effort will lead to performance and performance will lead to rewards (Vroom, 1964). Rewards may be either positive or negative. The more positive the reward the more likely the employee will be highly motivated. Conversely, the more negative the reward the less likely the employee will be motivated.

Adams' theory states that employees strive for equity between themselves and other workers. Equity is achieved when the ratio of employee outcomes over inputs is equal to other employee outcomes over inputs (Adams, 1965).

Skinner's theory simply states those employees' behaviors that lead to positive outcomes will be repeated and behaviors that lead to negative outcomes will not be repeated (Skinner, 1953). Managers should positively reinforce employee behaviors that lead to positive outcomes. Managers should negatively reinforce employee behavior that leads to negative outcomes.

by James R. Lindner

motivation :Problems With Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation is encouragement from an outside force; behavior is performed based on the expectance of an outside reward, such as money or praise. Extrinsic rewards can be abused to bribe or coerce someone into doing something that they would not do on their own. Unfortunately, these types of reward systems are often found in classrooms in the form of stars, red-light green-light, or WOWS, to name a few. Ryan and Deci (1996) describe these rewards as task-contingent; the rewards are contingent on the completion of the task. The problems with these types of extrinsic motivators are numerous

by Ryan and Deci

motivation: Extrinsic rewards reduce intrinsic interest

Lepper, Greene, and Nisbett (1973) found that rewarding children with extrinsic rewards can actually reduce their intrinsic interest in something. The researchers observed preschool children drawing. They then randomly selected some of the children and asked them to draw some more, promising rewards for the best participants. The rest of the children just drew pictures, without the promise of a reward. Two weeks later, the drawing behavior of the children was observed and the researchers found that those who had been rewarded before drew less, but those who had never been rewarded still drew at the same rate. Hence, the rewards had reduced the children's interest in something that they had previously enjoyed.

Deci (1971) found similar effects with using money as the extrinsic reward. He offered college students money for solving problems, while another group of students just solved the problems without any external reward. Deci found that the unpaid students were more willing than the rewarded students to solve the problems later on in the study.

A common rebuttal to this is that although extrinsic rewards may reduce intrinsic interest, extrinsic rewards are still useful when there is no intrinsic interest to start with; then it is okay to use extrinsic forces to motivate a student. An example given by Chance (1992) is that as adults we recognize the importance of knowing how to add, like when we need to count change, but as children they have no intrinsic interest in knowing what 2 + 3 is. WRONG, children have many intrinsic reasons for knowing what 2 + 3 is. If mom brings home 2 pizzas for dinner right after Domino's just delivered 3 pizzas that you and your brother ordered, how many pizzas are you having for dinner? If children can not find intrinsic interest in something that is covered in school, then it is the teacher's job to help the child make the connection between what seems like an abstract problem to something that is meaningful and applicable to this big world that they are trying to understand.

Furthermore, if teachers bribe children with extrinsic rewards to do something in school, then what is that saying about the activity? It is telling them that the activity must not be very important if one has to be coerced into doing it; the activity must not be exciting on its own. By motivating children with extrinsic rewards, then the intrinsic value in the task is undermined by the task-contingent reward. As Kohn (1993) describes it, "extrinsic rewards turn learning from an end into a means" (p.785).

http://web.archive.org/web/20031005092224/seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~jimbo/RIBARY_Folder/problems.htm

motivation: Motivation turns to challenge for the leader of the Feds

RAMAN Singh is a lawyer by profession, but he doesnt hesitate to admit that politics is the greatest motivating factor in his life.

Its an inheritance passed on to him from his late father.

Ram Jati Singh represented Vanua Levu in Parliament from 1965 to 1980 under the banner of the National Federation Party.

I was following my father so thats how I got interested in politics, says Mr Singh.

My father is my hero and I give all the credit to him.

Mr Singh followed his fathers footsteps well and last year, became the president of the party his father was a part of.

But what would then have been a source of pride could now well be a major challenge for Mr Singh.

For, after two winless general elections in a row, the dilemma facing the party is a major one.

It has gone from being the oldest Indian political party in Fiji to one that is facing a desperate crisis of confidence among its one strongly loyal Indian electorate.

The crisis is one of identity.

Unlike its rival the Fiji Labour Party, the NFP is seen as moderate.

But how it will fit into the politics of race and the ethnic-based voting pattern that the results of the latest general election clearly demonstrate, is the question.

As Ro Teimumu Kepa puts it in our feature on page 4 on the challenge facing the party, NFP members need to reinvent themselves. What they are offering is not marketable and is something the voters are not able to identify with.

Asked to comment on the reasons behind the partys performance in this general election, Mr Singh was hesitant.

He said he preferred to wait until after the government was formed.

In an interview with The Sunday Times before the general election, Mr Singh allowed some insight into the challenge that faced him after being elected party president at its annual general meeting in October last year. With the new position came more responsibilities especially when the elections is to begin soon. It remains a big challenge for me because as it is we do not have any members in the parliament, he said.

But Mr Singh was confident at that time that being the oldest party, the NFP still had committed members all over Fiji.

He said the party would not like to lose the peoples trust.

Another big challenge for us is to convince the Indian community to vote for us, he said then.

Whether Mr Singh and his party colleagues are able to translate the once proud, post-independence NFP legacy to any useful contribution in the post-coup era in Fiji, will be an interesting exercise.

The decade-and-a-half old political legacy of Mr Singh himself was borne out of a desire to bring change. Mr Singh entered politics in 1992 when he won the Bua Communal seat in the general election of that year.

Mr Singh says the 1990 Constitution, which was in force at that time, was a key reason he entered the political arena.

My interest in politics came because of the 1990 Constitution which was very discriminatory and this gave me a challenge to go to Parliament and make improvements.

I wanted to stand up for the Indian people who were being discriminated against and to correct the situation, he said.

In 1999, Mr Singh took a break from politics, saying he wanted to give a chance to others who also wanted to participate.

In the 2001 election, he stood for the NFP again this time for a larger constituency comprising Bua and the larger parts of Macuata.

But then, as with the 2006 general election, the party was unable to win a single seat.

Still, in his comments prior to the general election, Mr Singh said his biggest achievement would be when the instability in Fiji is over.

Our party wants everything to be steady and running smoothly in the country and the day this is done, I would count this as my biggest achievement.

RAMAN Pratap Singh was born on June 6, 1950. He is originally from Bua where he attended classes one to six at Bua Indian School, switching to Dilkusha Boys School in Nausori for classes seven and eight.

Mr Singh completed high school at Lelean Memorial High School in Davuilevu and did his foundation studies at the University of the South Pacific in 1969.

He moved to Suva to complete his education at the suggestion of his family, who wanted him to take advantage of the better opportunities in the capital city.

Mr Singh is ninth in a family of 12 children.

After completing high school, he went back to his family in Bua and did farm work for a year after losing interest in school work.

But eventually, he realised the importance of getting a good education.

I knew very well that if I dont move out of Bua, my education level would remain stagnant in my academic life. Thats when I applied to some of the universities around the world to study law. These were universities from New Zealand, Australia and England. I always wanted to go towards the English side of doing something so I decided to do law. Most of the universities had accepted me but I chose to go to the University of Auckland because it was closest to Fiji.

His father supported him all the way, for which Mr Singh was grateful. But he didnt want to depend entirely on him.

I did some part time job in Auckland to support myself better. At that time things were cheap in Auckland and I had worked as a labourer in a beer company.

He finished his legal studies at the age of 26 and returned to Fiji in 1977.

But before coming to Fiji, he got married at the age of 26.

New Zealand was an interesting place and thats where I picked up interest in rugby and started drinking beer and it tasted very good, he said.

He then worked as an associate lawyer for the next four years for two law firms in Suva first at William Scott and Company and then for Kato and Company.

In 1980, Mr Singh opened his own office in Labasa Town.

His involvement in social and community work saw him becoming a member of the Rotary Club of Labasa in 1981.

A year later, he became club president, a position he retained for the next three years.

In 1985, he became a Sugarcane Growers Council director and was appointed a member of the Sugar Commission of Fiji in 1991, during which time he was involved in the negotiations of the Master Award.

From 1980 to 1996, he served as a lawyer in Labasa.

Mr Singh opened a law office on Suvas Cumming Street in 1996. A branch of the Kohli and Singh Barristers and Solicitors office remained in Labasa Town, run by his partner, Ami Kohli.

The transition to Suva was a smooth one.

Mr Singh said he had no difficulties finding clients after the move because most of his clients moved from Labasa to Suva at about the same time.

He has been involved in commercial law, civil litigation, criminal cases and family law as well.

A lawyers life is interesting and we come to face new cases everyday and get a lot of cases as well, he says.

It is an interesting profession but a lot of reading is required and time will just pass without you even realising it.

Speaking to The Sunday Times before the election, Mr Singh said he was thinking of moving away from his law career to devote all of his time to politics.

I am thinking of getting out of law practice because it is very hectic.

I want to be a full-time politician and feel very strongly about my party, he said.

He said that a lawyer was well suited to a politicians role.

Lawyers look after the law while politicians make the law.

We, as lawyers, are able to know the current status of any Bill put in parliament and if that bill has a constructive contribution in that area of law.

So it is very much related. Elections is especially a very important time to inform your party about the policies and how things are done, he said.

He says it is very important for politicians to make strong connections with people at the grassroots level.

Another time, another place and people

SOME of the most exciting memories of Raman Singhs childhood have to do with watching horse racing the most popular event in Bua in the 1950s and 60s.

He said the event was something that brought their rural farming community alive.

Mr Singhs entire family used to be involved in the event. They owned a family horse named Siro, who usually won the race.

The most popular event during that time was horse racing and it brought the people and different communities together, Mr Singh says. My family was very excited at this event because my dad and elder brother took part in it so it was a big thing for us and we used to win every year.

We took a lot of interest in feeding and washing and training Siro. We had two horses who took part in the race.

It was a very exciting moment for the rural community and something very different from the normal everyday life. There were about three to four races held every year, he said.

Mr Singh says he was amazed when he came across people who still remember the horse races and his familys involvement in them.

He was attending school in Suva at the time and during every holiday, would go to Bua especially to see the horse race.

He remembers the Bua of that time as a friendly, multi-racial community that lived in peace and harmony.

There were about 20 Fijian villages and 15 Indian settlements in of Bua back then.

It was a very mixed population and we all were good friends, Mr Singh recollects. Even though most of us have moved out of the place, the friendship bond is still there and the love remains in our hearts.

He says Bua is still a quiet and isolated place with most people involved in farming.

Mr Singh himself knows a lot about farming and takes an interest in it. His family was involved in copra and rice farming. He says he owes a lot to his parents who have died.

He has a family of his own and is proud of his three daughters, all of whom live in Australia.

His wife stays with their three daughters in Sydney but visits Mr Singh often. He misses the Bua environment and atmosphere and is still attached to the place.

Travel, sports some of his faves

RAMAN Singh loves travelling as way of gaining knowledge about different countries.

He likes watching rugby and soccer, especially overseas matches.

He doesnt know how to cook.

He does not smoke but is a beer and whisky lover.

He takes a keen interest in athletics and admires athletes.

He believes in grabbing any opportunity that life has to offer in order to succeed.

He believes in equality and fairness.

He believes people should speak up if they feel that injustice is done to them.

Mr Singh is a very patriotic person.

He said he loves his country and is proud of it.

Copyright © 2006, Fiji Times Limited. All Rights Reserved.

motivation: N.H. felon 'understands' killer's motivation

A New Hampshire man who set fire to the homes of at least seven sex offenders and stabbed another with a 14-inch kitchen knife says he can relate to Stephen Marshall, the young Canadian who shot and killed two sex offenders in Maine.

"I understand perfectly why he did it," Lawrence Trant told the Bangor Daily News in an interview at the New Hampshire State Prison, where he is serving a 10- to 30-year sentence.

When Marshall, 20, of North Sydney, Nova Scotia, put a bullet through his head on a bus in Boston on Easter Sunday as police closed in on him, he apparently took with him his reasons for the killings.

Marshall had researched Joseph Gray of Milo, William Elliott of Corinth and others listed on Maine's online registry of convicted sex offenders, but state police said hard drives collected from Marshall's computers failed to yield additional clues as to what precisely had motivated him to kill the two men.

Paraphrasing his own motives for his vigilante-style crimes in 2003, Trant said Marshall "felt that every child who was molested was an offense against him personally. He was just sick and tired of it."

Trant said he not only understands the young Marshall, but mourns his death far more than those of his victims. I don't feel too much pain for the people he killed," Trant said. "I don't feel we have the right to do that, but it's not a great loss to our society."

Parallels have been drawn between Marshall's case and those of Trant and Michael Anthony Mullen, 36, of Bellingham, Wash., who was sentenced to 44 years in prison for killing two convicted sex offenders he found on his state's online registry.

Both Trant and Mullen had been in and out of prison before their violent outbursts, mostly for such offenses as theft and check fraud and receiving stolen property. Marshal had a run-in with the law as a juvenile when he used a gun to break up a fight at his father's house when they lived in Idaho.

Mullen, like Trant, said his violence against sex offenders was spawned by disgust for their crimes and his wish to protect children.

Trant said he was sexually abused as a child by a youth worker at his church. Mullen was abused by a neighbor while in elementary school, according to his brother.

There has been speculation that Marshall, an introverted dishwasher, also had been molested, but police have uncovered no evidence to support that theory. Trant said that based on his own past, it was a possibility.

"People don't just take that kind of stand for no reason," he said.

William Stokes, who heads the Maine attorney general's criminal division, said Marshall's stand was vigilantism at its worst.

"Let's not make this kid a hero," Stokes said. "He was clearly a sick kid, but he's still a murderer and that's how he should be viewed. We may never know what made him tick, but there's nothing positive about it," Stokes said.

Trant, who now spends much of his time writing to legislators to ask for harsher penalties for sex offenders, said, upon reflection, that he agrees with Stokes' sentiments about vigilantism.

"I'm not ashamed of it, but I'm not proud of it," Trant said of his crimes. "I did it for a reason. I'm not a monster. The monsters are the ones who victimize children."

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

motivation: Zuni High School celebrates

We were born with a path set before us...we have come a long way from the start. We have overcome the minor obstacle of life. We cannot determine where our paths will lead us, but we can be certain that with the light and guidance of others our paths will lead us to many wonders, and the knowledge we have gained and the understanding of how we have grown our future paths we will be able to pave."
ZUNI — Family, friends, and school staff filled the Zuni High School gym yesterday night to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2006 graduating class.

Eighty-two seniors sat surrounded by decoration colors in the class colors of black and silver as community leaders, teachers, and peers shared words of wisdom and encouragement. Following the presentation of colors and the national anthem, Jerrold Lahaleon, Jr. began the commencement with the invocation, and senior Joni Ghachu, class secretary, introduced the guests in attendance.

Among the guests was Governor Bill Richardson, who offered words of motivation and advice.

"Learning is a lifelong ," said Richardson. "Remember that your educational experience doesn't end today."

Richardson urged students to explore the world around them, grow, and always strive to learn something new. He also emphasized culture and traditions as integral parts

of the students lives, and how they will someday contribute something be able to
make a positive impact within the community.

By Natasha Kaye Johnson

"I'm asking that you give something back to Zuni, to your high school," he said. Among the many things said, Richardson talked of education and its importance to not only the community, but the country.

"It's the ticket (education)," said Richardson. "Not just for your career, but for your country."

Motivation: Motivation123

Motivation123. If you're looking for hundreds of free, fresh, and fast ideas to help you experience more happiness and success in your life, you've come to the right place. But as you'll soon discover, we're not about motivation as usual.

We take an entirely new approach to the age-old subject, believing the ability to control your motivation to be the single greatest skill in life. A skill? That's right. Just like riding a bike, controlling your motivation is a skill that can be learned and mastered - and that's exactly what we're going to help you do.

In place of motivational cliches or catchy sayings, we'll give you concrete solutions to achieve your goals and greatly improve the quality of your life. And it all begins with our Free Motivation QuickTips Pak. Filled with dozens of our most powerful and effective tools and techniques, our free info-pak is guaranteed to help you start making changes today.

I sincerely thank you for your visit and welcome you to a new and exciting approach to creating the life you've always wanted to live.

by Jason M. Gracia

Motivation: Theories of motivation

Many of the theories of motivation address issues introduced previously in these materials. The following provides a brief overview to any terms or concepts that have not been previously discussed.

Behavioral

Each of the major theoretical approaches in behavioral learning theory posits a primary factor in motivation. Classical conditioning states that biological responses to associated stimuli energize and direct behavior. Operant learning states the primary factor is consequences: the application of reinforcers provides incentives to increase behavior; the application of punishers provides disincentives that result in a decrease in behavior.

Cognitive

There are several motivational theories that trace their roots to the information processing approach to learning. These approaches focus on the categories and labels people use help to identify thoughts, emotions, dispositions, and behaviors.

The first is cognitive dissonance theory which is in some respects similar to disequilibrium in Piaget's theory of cognitive development. This theory was developed by Leon Festinger (1957) and states that when there is a discrepancy between two beliefs, two actions, or between a belief and an action, we will act to resolve conflict and discrepancies. The implication is that if we can create the appropriate amount of disequilibrium, this will in turn lead to the individual changing his or her behavior which in turn will lead to a change in thought patterns which in turn leads to more change in behavior.

A second cognitive approach is attribution theory (Heider, 1958; Weiner, 1974). This theory proposes that every individual tries to explain success or failure of self and others by offering certain "attributions." These attributions are either internal or external and are either under control or not under control. The following chart shows the four attributions that result from a combination of internal or external locus of control and whether or not control is possible.
In a teaching/learning environment, it is important to assist the learner to develop a self-attribution explanation of effort (internal, control). If the person has an attribution of ability (internal, no control) as soon as the individual experiences some difficulties in the learning process, he or she will decrease appropriate learning behavior (e.g., I'm not good at this). If the person has an external attribution, then nothing the person can do will help that individual in a learning situation (i.e., responsibility for demonstrating what has been learned is completely outside the person). In this case, there is nothing to be done by the individual when learning problems occur.

A third cognitive approach is expectancy theory (Vroom, 1964) which proposes the following equation:

Motivation = Perceived Probability of Success (Expectancy) *
Connection of Success and Reward (Instrumentality) *
Value of Obtaining Goal (Valance, Value)

Since this formula states that the three factors of Expectancy, Instrumentality, and Valance or Value are to be multiplied by each other, a low value in one will result in a low value of motivation. Therefore, all three must be present in order for motivation to occur. That is, if an individual doesn't believe he or she can be successful at a task OR the individual does not see a connection between his or her activity and success OR the individual does not value the results of success, then the probability is lowered that the individual will engage in the required learning activity. From the perspective of this theory, all three variables must be high in order for motivation and the resulting behavior to be high.

Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retri

Motivation: Motivation to Learn

The following definitions of motivation were gleaned from a variety of psychology textbooks and reflect the general consensus that motivation is an internal state or condition (sometimes described as a need, desire, or want) that serves to activate or energize behavior and give it direction (see Kleinginna and Kleinginna, 1981a).

internal state or condition that activates behavior and gives it direction;
desire or want that energizes and directs goal-oriented behavior;
influence of needs and desires on the intensity and direction of behavior.
Franken (1994) provides an additional component in his definition:

the arousal, direction, and persistence of behavior.
While still not widespread in terms of introductory psychology textbooks, many researchers are now beginning to acknowledge that the factors that energize behavior are likely different from the factors that provide for its persistence.

Importance of motivation
Most motivation theorists assume that motivation is involved in the performance of all learned responses; that is, a learned behavior will not occur unless it is energized. The major question among psychologists, in general, is whether motivation is a primary or secondary influence on behavior. That is, are changes in behavior better explained by principles of environmental/ecological influences, perception, memory, cognitive development, emotion, explanatory style, or personality or are concepts unique to motivation more pertinent.

For example, we know that people respond to increasingly complex or novel events (or stimuli) in the environment up to a point and then responses decrease. This inverted-U-shaped curve of behavior is well-known and widely acknowledged (e.g., Yerkes & Dodson, 1908). However, the major issue is one of explaining this phenomenon. Is this a conditioning (is the individual behaving because of past classical or operant conditioning), a motivational process (from an internal state of arousal), or is there some better explanation?

The relationship of motivation and emotion

Emotion (an indefinite subjective sensation experienced as a state of arousal) is different from motivation in that there is not necessarily a goal orientation affiliated with it. Emotions occur as a result of an interaction between perception of environmental stimuli, neural/hormonal responses to these perceptions (often labeled feelings), and subjective cognitive labeling of these feelings (Kleinginna and Kleinginna, 1981b). Evidence suggests there is a small core of core emotions (perhaps 6 or 8) that are uniquely associated with a specific facial expression (Izard, 1990). This implies that there are a small number of unique biological responses that are genetically hard-wired to specific facial expressions. A further implication is that the process works in reverse: if you want to change your feelings (i.e., your physiological functioning), you can do so by changing your facial expression. That is, if you are motivated to change how you feel and your feeling is associated with a specific facial expression, you can change that feeling by purposively changing your facial expression. Since most of us would rather feel happy than otherwise, the most appropriate facial expression would be a smile.

Explanations of influences/causes of arousal and direction may be different from explanations of persistence

In general, explanations regarding the source(s) of motivation can be categorized as either extrinsic (outside the person) or intrinsic (internal to the person). Intrinsic sources and corresponding theories can be further subcategorized as either body/physical, mind/mental (i.e., cognitive, affective, conative) or transpersonal/spiritual.

Valdosta State University. Retrieved

Motivation: Motivation

Ask any person who is successful in whatever he or she is doing what motivates him/her, and very likely the answer will be "goals". Goal Setting is extremely important to motivation and success. So what motivates you? Why are you in college? If you are in college because that's what your parents want, you may find it difficult to motivate yourself. Sure, it's possible to succeed with someone else providing the motivation for you. ("If you graduate from college, I'll give you a car!" or worse "If you don't graduate from college, you won't get a car.") But motivation that comes from within really makes the difference.

Certainly, you need some intelligence, knowledge base, study skills, and time management skills, but if you don't have motivation, you won't get far. Think about this analogy. You have a car with a full tank of gas, a well-tuned engine, good set of tires, quadraphonic CD system, and a sleek, polished exterior. There it sits. This car has incredible potential. (Have you heard that before?) However, until a driver sits behind the wheel, puts the key in the ignition, and cranks it up, the car doesn't function. You guessed it; the KEY is MOTIVATION.

Interest is an important motivator for a student. So is a desire to learn. When you link these two things together, you create success. Often success in an endeavor leads to more interest and a greater desire to learn, creating an upward spiral of motivation toward a goal you have established.

So be honest with yourself. Are you genuinely interested in being in college? Have you set realistic goals for yourself? How can you develop the internal motivation that really counts? When it comes to motivation, KNOWING is not as important as DOING.

Page URL: http://www.d.umn.edu/student/loon/acad/strat/motivate.html
Page Coordinator: Paul Treuer

Motivation:Ten Thousand Dollar Business Building Giveaway

Ref: Why Would A Sane Man Give Away $10,000 Of
His Expert Time & G-Zillions Of Dollars Worth of
Proven Business Growth Strategies... All Gratis?

Some people may think Jay Abraham is crazy to
invest freely in you. But he thinks you and your
business are worth it.

He grows businesses and builds bottom lines for a
living. He does it by finding you overlooked
possibilities, hidden assets and under performing
activities in whatever business you do. He does
it by improving the marketing you use and
changing the strategy you follow.

Jay can show you how to mine windfall bonanzas
from situations you don't currently take
advantage of. You'll learn to engineer more
success and profitability into every action you
take. You can make better bottom line-boosting
decisions. Jay Abraham has, can, and will show
you how to do it all --- with no fee to you.

Could your business efforts be overlooking the
obvious? Jay has helped people double, and
redouble their business' income. Just by better
maximizing every action, expense, or time
commitment they make.

His ideas have produced over $7 billion of income
increases for famous business people around the
world. His past clients have included Tony
Robbins, Brian Tracy, a founder of Fed Ex, the
creators of Chicken Soup For The Soul, three
major business publications, and twelve of Inc
Magazine's top entrepreneurs of the year.

Typically -- clients pay Jay $5,000 an hour for
his time. But they receive literally tens of
g-zillions of dollars worth of
business-increasing concepts, tactics, and proven
strategies in return.

Success, Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur and
Investor's Business Daily ALL wrote articles
about Jay's mind or methods.

Now Jay would like to multiply YOUR business
income, too-- totally at his expense.

Join Jay, as my guest, on a special 2-hour
teleclass he's doing gratis.

There, he's promised to give you the same $5,000
an hour-worthy: concepts, strategies, and revenue
increasing insights to turn your ordinary
business into an extraordinary money-maker... at
absolutely no fee to you.

The size of your business doesn't really matter
to Jay. What matters is the potential for your
business to grow and prosper. The type or
industry you’re in doesn't stop Jay's concepts
from working, either.

He's helped retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers,
distributors, service companies, professionals,
high-tech, start-ups, publications, you name it.

How you currently sell or market makes no
difference, either. If you want more income,
certainty, control…and less stress, let Jay
Abraham give it to your business --- totally
gratis.

So why would Jay want to give YOU these valuable
and proven insights--- gratis? Is he insane? Is
there a catch? The answer to both questions is a
resounding "No!"

You see, the reason Jay is conducting this
extensive two-hour teleclass -- without fee to
you -- is very straightforward:

He has found that educating high energy,
growth-oriented business owners and professionals
(at Jay's expense) is good for his high priced
seminar business. And in early May, Jay is
conducting a once-a-year SuperSession, three day
live event. So he wants to introduce you to his
concepts, today.

But whether you become an attendee or not doesn't
really matter to Jay.

You see, many people listening in on the telecall
WILL become attendees and receive a six figure or
seven figure financial windfall from attending.

But some of you will prefer to simply listen,
learn and freely use Jay's ideas and strategies
to multiply your business income on your own. And
that's alright with Jay.

Why? Because, as your business revenues and
earnings start to explode --- people all around
you will ask how you've done it. You’ll tell them
about Jay Abraham. Then they’ll turn into
attendees for Jay's seminar next year and in
years to come.

Also, you may decide to take part in Jay's appealing
Home Study version of the program, instead.

Maybe now you can see that getting you "monster"
business success is in Jay Abraham’s best interest.
When you succeed, Jay succeeds even more.

Now that you understand the method to his
madness, you can see that not only is Jay Abraham
NOT insane, but he might be the sanest person in
the room. Let me explain.

First, realize that when someone of Jay Abraham's
status invests his expert time, experience, and proven
knowledge in you --- great things usually happen.

You'll vastly expand the marketing approaches you
use. The selling systems you apply will be
better. The marketplace opportunities you go
after will expand.

Your business revenue, income, success,
bottom-line wealth will ALL significantly
increase: because Jay Abraham extended himself
and acted as your mastermind marketing mentor.

You will learn to come up with breakthrough ideas
that catch your competition totally by surprise.
Jay will help make your business the recognized
innovator in your industry or market. .

All this from the two hour teleclass call Jay is
doing for us --- FOR YOU... totally gratis.

So it seems logical that the only people who do
not take advantage of this…gratis, no downside,
two-hour teleclass (containing literally
g-zillions of dollars worth of proven action
oriented, earning-certain business strategies and
concepts)... must be insane.

As a business owner, you probably have no idea
how much more revenue you are leaving on the
table in overlooked windfalls or hidden earning
possibilities.

That's why --- to ignore this rare proposition
--- could be a sign of a mental disorder.
Because… you'd have to be crazy NOT to listen to
Jay's ideas from the comfort of your office or
home telephone.

The business press says Jay goes right for the
bottom-line jugular in everything he does…and
they're right! Call him crazy, but to people like
Jay Abraham --- business building is a serious,
no-nonsense, perpetual business.

People come to Jay for breakthroughs in
marketing, strategy, moneymaking and competitive
advantage.

When you use what Jay wants to teach you ---
gratis --- in his two-hour teleclass, you could
realize the same stratospheric and impressive
financial results.

Think about it: who else is offering you
money-for-nothing: marketing lessons for no fee.

My challenge to you is a follows.

Don't just assume that your business situation,
earnings forecast or income level has to remain
the way it is. You should question the approach
you're taking, the strategy you're following and
the promotion or marketing methods you are using.

The point most people miss is that your
possibilities, assets, activities and capital can
produce far greater results---IF you improve the
way you use them.

If your business income-prospects have seemed
somewhat disappointing lately—that can quickly
change.

If you want to start generating better-than-expected
bottom line earnings every month (earnings that can
realistically multiply every year), you'll be generously
rewarded by being on Jay's teleclass call. Indeed,
while many of your competitors are forced to take
pay cuts your income can grow and prosper.

Jay wants to turn your attention to the
money-making processes that do the most for your
bottom line. .

He'll tell you what activities really matter most
and where you're wasting time and effort.

These thoughts and ideas are normally only shared
with Jay's high-paying, private clients. But this
one time --- Jay wants to share them with you ---
totally, gratis!

If your business has been stressful, erratic or
challenging lately---come on this teleclass call
and discover marketing methods that have created
business fortunes.

Realize this: propositions like Jay is making to
you don't come along every day.

So if you'd like to learn the system Jay Abraham
uses to turn ordinary businesses into true
fortune makers for their owners---be on this
teleclass call.

One more point. And it's important.

Since Jay's goal here is to convince you to
attend his seminar in early May, he ALSO wants to
send you 12 different business building gifts.
These marketing "presents" will come separately
over the next ten weeks. They are prosperity
tools, each capable of earning your business more
than the entire cost of attending Jay's event.

Jay wants to do everything in his power to pay
for your seminar attendance for you --- before
you ever have to decide, commit or attend!
motivation

Motivation:I'm losing money

I have to admit that I'm losing money for
the past few days.

Nah, it's not because of my businesses were
not doing well but it's because I'm now in
Melbourne, Australia for holiday!

If you want to see some temporary
pictures, go to:

http://esuccessmastery.com/images/auspics.html

But the reason why I'm telling you this
is because I want to share with you the
secret how most of the successful people
can achieve their goal.

They always take a break and work harder
and smarter later when they're ready.

This is the time they "sharpen the saw".

You see, it's better to take the time
to sharpen the saw to cut down a tree
than using that extra time to cut it down
with a blunt saw.

You have to work smart.

I may be losing some money for the past few
days but when I'm back 'working', I believe that
my income will be doubled easily the next month.

Time is very valuable but if you do not have
a crystal clear direction of what you want to
achieve, then the time allocated for you is
useless. For instance, a diamond is useless
to you if you're in the desert. You need water
in desert. So no matter how many diamonds
you have in hand, they are all worthless to you.

If you have plenty of time but do not know
how to use it, it's worthless.

Take your time to plan what you want to
achieve. Then, take a break if you need it
before focusing all of your energy to achieve
your goal.

Besides, a good break will help you to clear
the "blocked" mind and creates more joy in
your life for success.
motivation

by Patric Chan

Assembling the right equipment for a home stereo system

Many people like watching movies and listening to music while at home. A good home stereo system can add to your enjoyment in both endeavors, and assembling one does not have to be a technically difficult or expensive experience.

The first step is to analyze what you want to use the system for once you have completed it. For a given fixed budget, different choices must be made as to where to allocate funds when purchasing components. If you will be watching movies more than listening to music, you may wish to allocate funds for a good stereo (left and right channel audio) VCR and/or DVD player as well as to the other, audio-only components, or perhaps even for a new TV if you are unhappy with the size or quality of your current television. Conversely, if you have no interest in video, you may choose to spend more on the components that deal solely with sound reproduction.

To choose wisely, the first motto you should keep in mind is that in most cases decentralization is good, in that it allows you to upgrade on the component level rather than on the system level. As an example, most radio tuners are now part of the amplifier, which is fine, as AM/FM technology has not changed significantly in the past several decades, but if your amplifier, CD player, and speakers are part of one of those all-in-one cabinet systems, you have little choice if you want new speakers or a new amplifier but to swap out the whole system.

The following setup would be more then adequate for a beginner's needs, and would be sufficiently decentralized that they would be able to evolve relatively painlessly as time progressed and their usage patterns changed: a good amplifier, which is the heart of the system, with an integrated radio tuner (sound clarity should be emphasized over raw wattage), a 5 or 6 disc CD player (a single would do but the cost differential is typically not great), speakers (here again sound quality should be emphasized over raw power as distortion is bad for your hearing as well as your esthetic sensibilities; whether you should get 2 or more speakers and what particular specializations you should get (sub-woofers for bass, centers / surrounds for video surround sound) depends on your usage plan), and optionally a method of video playback. One often overlooked piece of equipment would be floor cable minders (the rubber or plastic devices that hold cables in place and keep people from tripping over them), which would be available at any office supply store.
Having described generally what you should look for, now you should begin looking for the specific items you plan to purchase. Going to chain electronic stores can be a very good way to comparison shop between brands (I personally have had good luck with Best Buy), but don't neglect the web or local pawn shops as other potential sources of good equipment deals. Going to specialized home audio / video stores may also be worthwhile, as the sales staff tends to be much more knowledgible, but you do run the risk of paying more money, as they typically do not stock the less expensive mass market brands.

I will include a few general suggestions of brands to look at in each category that I or close friends have had positive experiences with in the broad categories I've mentioned so far, but these should not be treated as gospel, just potential starting points in the wide field of choices:

1) amplifier / receiver: Sony amps tend to be pretty good, and are widely available. I personally like Onkyo amps (another Japanese brand that is less well known, but they tend to make exceptionally good amplifiers with high clarity and prices not much more than those of more commonly available brands).

2) speakers: I use a brand called KLH for my two main speakers, and JBLs for my smaller (center and surround) speakers. Both companies have good product lines and are widely available. Cerwin Vega's are also moderately easy speakers to find, and provide excellent quality. Infinity speakers are quite nice, but tend to be the priciest speakers in most electronics stores.

3) cd player: Again, in my honest opinion, most any one would do. I have a Sony 6-disc player, which has worked well during the time I've owned it.

The issue of price is bound to arise. Unfortunately in the home A/V world, it is possible to spend exponentially more money for each marginal increment of additional enjoyment you derive from the equipment. (Personally I find that a CD player sounds about the same as any other, for example, but that spending an extra few hundred dollars on a good set of speakers and on a clearer-than-average amplifier makes a very large difference.) As a rule of thumb, your first system should probably cost no more than $1500, unless you are sure that you want to go further. $600 of that will probably be for your amp, and $400 for your speakers, with the remainder being for a CD player, possible video playback equipment (DVD players really are worth the extra money), and the miscellaneous other audiophile paraphernalia like cables you'll need.

Having purchased all of your components, take the time to browse through any manuals for them before you begin assembling everything, which sounds self-obvious but the urge to dive in will be strong. Having a knowledgible friend present if one exists also helps during the assembly process. After putting the system together for the first time, turn it on and put in a favorite piece of music or a favorite movie, and allocate time to relax while simply enjoying the fruit of your labor.

This site is published by PageWise

Pioneer VSX-1015

Pioneer’s VSX-1015 provides every feature a home theatre enthusiast could require. It is the world’s first THX Select2 certified AV receiver, and includes decoders for Dolby’s Digital EX and Pro Logic IIx, DTS 96/24 and DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 and Matrix 6.1. An additional bonus is Windows Media Audio 9 Professional compatibility, allowing playback of PC-based digital surround-sound content. All channels employ 192kHz/24-bit DACs and there are 7x 150 Watts of power on tap. Yet the VSX-1015 wields this power with a friendly face, courtesy of an automatic set-up routine which configures speakers and matches system sound to the acoustics of the listening room.

COPYRIGHT © 1992 - 2005 EISA

French Roulette

The Game
The French Roulette game at Pharaoh's Casino is based on internationally - accepted odds and game standards. The most obvious difference between French and American roulette is the game table layout and, of course, the odds! While an American roulette table displays both a single zero and a double zero, the French table displays only the single zero. The colors of the numbers on the French roulette table are white, while all numbers except the zero and double zero on an American table are either red or black. The locations of the numbers on the roulette wheels in the French and American games also differ.

The player odds in French roulette are much, much better than the odds in American roulette! Not only does the French game have just one zero, but players loose only 50% of their even-money wagers if the wheel stops on zero! This is known as the "La Partage" rule.

The multi-player French Roulette game at Pharaoh's Casino has these features:

Up to 4 players can join the same game and chat with each other.
You can select a private table to play alone, or select the players you'd like to join.
You can select a table with the desired bet limits: $1-500, $10-5000 or $25-2,000.
You can select the maximum betting time (30, 45, or 90 seconds) when you open a new table.
Call bets!
You can observe a game without joining.
How It Works
Select a vacant seat at a public or reserved table by clicking on one of the illuminated JOIN buttons. You can take any vacant seat at a public table, but to join a reserved table, you must first ask permission of that table's sponsor. If you click JOIN at a reserved table a "Request To Join" dialog box will open. Enter your request-to-join message in the box and press SEND. The sponsor of the reserved table will receive your message and accept or decline your request to join.

Move along all multi-player tables that are currently active by clicking the "next" and "previous" arrows above the tables.

You can open a new public or reserved table by clicking on the START NEW GAME button under either the "Public" or "Reserved" tab. If you open a reserved table, you will become the table's sponsor and all request-to-join messages from hopeful players will be directed to you.

To observe the action at a specific table before you decide to join and play yourself, click on the table itself.

"Game Settings" allows you to alter the settings at a private table or at a new public or reserved table that you open. You can alter your table's betting limits, the time limit each player has on placing wagers and your own seat position at the table. (In "Game Settings", you can also choose to turn off/turn on the casino music and sound effects as well as customize your screen setting for all casino games.)

How To Play
Use your left mouse button to click on the value of the chip that you wish to wager. Then place the chip on the roulette table by clicking on the desired betting area. You can regret a wagered chip before the game begins by clicking on the wagered chip with your right mouse button. When you have placed your bets, press the DONE button. If you are alone at the table or all other players are done placing their bets, the DONE button will activate the roulette wheel.

Betting
There are a variety of different bets in French Roulette. Each bet covers a different set of numbers and has a different distribution, as shown in the "Winnings Diagram" section.
Inside Bets:
Straight Up
A chip can be wagered on any individual number, including zero (0). The chip is placed directly on the individual number.

Split Bet
A chip can be wagered on any two adjacent numbers, by placing the chip on the line dividing the two numbers. Note that a chip can also be placed on the line dividing zero (0) and 1, 2 and 3.

Street Bet
Street bets cover three numbers. Place the chip on the outer right boundary line of the roulette table next to the corresponding row of three numbers. Pharaoh's Casino now offers two new street bets: 0, 1, 2 and 0, 2, 3.

Corner Bet
Street bets cover three numbers. Place the chip on the outer right boundary line of the roulette table next to the corresponding row of three numbers. CASINO NAME now offers two new street bets: 0, 1, 2 and 0, 2, 3.

Line Bet
A line bet covers two street bets (i.e. the six different numbers in two rows of three numbers. For example: 4,5,6 + 7,8,9). Place the chip on the closest boundary line of the roulette table where it is intersected by the line dividing the two rows.

Announce Bets
Announces are call bets in French Roulette. There are several types. Voisins, orphelins, and tiers divide the wheel into four areas. Finals are numbers ending with the same digit, and split finals are pairs of numbers ending with the same digits. Below you see an example of the graphics the game uses to call your announce bets:

Pharaoh's cascino

Motivation: Generation Y and MLM products

As the purchasing power of the youth increases by the day in today's world, they are a critical segment of buyers for any business venture. To be able to influence them is crucial for your business doing well. The question is whether the Generation Y can be targeted for MLM products, and if do how.

Before we start working on MLM and Generation Y it would make sense if we get a proper idea about who these Generation Y people really are. By Generation Y we mean all those who were born between 1977 and 1994. It would be interesting to know that about 25% of America's population belongs to this age group. That is a significant number.

It has been documented that Generation Y does not consume media in the same way as did their predecessors. This makes advertising your product or communicating to them a challenge. But interestingly, the method to which they respond is an unique mix of the latest communication technology and one of the oldest ways of communication. Of course you have to focus on internet marketing. You will have to advertise on targeted sites, exploit key word buys, and even provide consumers a motivation to visit you online (contests, discounts, etc.). But one thing which really draws the best results is the traditional mail. Although it is a bit difficult to believe initially, but the truth is that Generation Y are extremely receptive of the sales messages that are mailed directly to them.

Research shows that 87% of Gen Y checks their mail box every day. Of all those who got coupons in the Gen Y section 73% used their coupons. An astounding 75% consider delivered mails as important, even when they come form a business house.

When you are marketing your products timing can be crucial. Suppose you are dealing in tax software. In such a case if you offer your product after April 15, there won't be too many interested. What you need to do is understand the audience's need and the time when he needs it. Strike the iron when it is hot. You cannot afford to be late. Neither can you afford to be too early. So pick your time right.

You should develop a better understanding for the Generation Y. You should have a clear picture as to what they want, what are their needs. If you have that knowledge you would be in a much better position to address their needs.

While communicating with your audience not only should you mention the features of your product but the benefits too. This way the consumer would know what is in it for him. He has to be convinced that the product he is buying will improve the quality of his life.

Generation Y of course can be treated as a potential section of buyers. And with the increase in the purchasing power of the youth and their ability to influence the decision of family purchases, they are mighty important to any one who is into MLM business.

Spyware

Spyware, adware, browser hijackers, and dialers are some of the fastest-growing threats on the Internet today. Spyware and other unwanted software refers to software that performs certain tasks on your computer, typically without your consent. This may include giving you advertising or collecting personal information about you. The most important step you can take is to secure your system.

Powerful Information About Spyware Cleaner: http://www.spyware-cleaneronline.com/

Great Resources MLM Consultant. http://www.mlmconsultantsite.com/


Copyright © 2006 Lena Hilltorp

Motivation: Career as a Six Sigma Professional

Job pages in newspapers and on jobsites clear doubts in anyone's mind about Six Sigma career opportunities. As companies place emphasis on quality and cost management with process improvement being the underlying foundation, Six Sigma is coming to the forefront because of its overall applicability in a business environment. With it comes an upswing in the demand for Six Sigma professionals.

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities are on the rise in the Six Sigma sector at various capacities. For experienced professionals, launching their own venture can also be very lucrative. However, job opportunities probably exist within your organization as well as outside of it.

Within Your Organization

You can enhance your career within your own organization as a black belt or a green belt in Six Sigma discipline by appropriate Six Sigma training. Organizations that decide on Six Sigma implementation usually hire a professional in consultative capacities for initiation. They will not be playing decision-making roles for strategic reasons. Upper management obviously prefers to use its own employees at all levels beginning with green belts at execution levels, black belts at problem solving levels and master black belts at the highest levels.

Outside Your Organization

A keyword search for "Six Sigma" in any of the popular job portals reveal the number of available jobs and related information like the level of employment, salary etc. Both freshly trained as well as experienced black belts are in demand; however, the ratio seems to be slightly skewed in favor of those having implemented at least one or two projects. Certain companies place more weight on prior work experience in a relevant field even with freshly trained candidates.

Another interesting statistic is that black belts are in a rather higher demand than green belt Six Sigma professionals. This is obvious from the fact that, as green belts form the lower rungs of implementation program, they have the obligation of having to divide their time to their routine work as well. It is normal practice to identify people from within the organization for this position.

Six Sigma Training

One unfortunate thing about Six Sigma training is that the methodology is not universal and not standardized. Because of this, there is an inconsistency in teaching, subject material etc. It is important for organizations to confirm through references, employment bureaus/counselors and future employers who recognizes which institute. The fees are another major cause of concern for many candidates.

Many corporations have in-house training facilities for their employees. Candidates may need to undergo Six Sigma training as a condition their continued employment. Some professionals see this as detrimental to their career prospects due to the heavy workload involved.

Aptitude Of A Six Sigma Professional

Black and Green Belt candidates must have open minds and strong analytical abilities. They must possess the ability to question all things with a view to making a core contribution. Above all, self-confidence and a high degree of motivation are necessary. Black belts need to focus more on the analytical and problem-solving aspects and dedicate 100% of their time to the implementation. Green belts can't dedicate 100% of their time, as they have to also focus on their routine responsibilities within the organization. What is expected of them is studiousness, flexibility, understanding of statistical tools and interpersonal skills.


Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.