Abundance + Curiosity vs Judgement – 3 Thoughts

  1. Abundance: Being Abundant and Living in Abundance is NOT always financial success! Dollars are not always the prosperity that makes you happy. Look at the Billionaires who are insecure and still trying to achieve satisfaction and happiness. I grew up in a wealthy community and most of the inhabitants were so busy making money or guarding their properties that they were anxious and many were driven to alcohol or drug challenges. So Abundance may be better defined as the joy, love and energy which flows through you. (Thank Wenty our “Fairy Godmother”) Friends are often the greatest source wealth and happiness. Sharing your love, finding & working YOUR purpose, and fully living is the blessing of true abundance. “Follow YOUR Bliss” is a quote by Joseph Campbell that bears consideration. Once you find your purpose and your bliss, SHARE it! Teach others. Embrace your role of service. Share the gift of your abundance and it will return to you, many times over.
  2. Judging has been a huge challenge that I struggle with in my pursuit of consciousness. Why do I/we judge other pilgrims? Why do I seek to compare and then separate myself from my Divine partners? In reflection it may be better to view with wonder and curiosity the different approach that the person in front of you may take (to learn their lessons.) Be curious and ask why is that person doing it (or believing it) in the differing way that they are? What is their lesson? More importantly, What is MY lesson in bumping up against this dissonance? There is a reason that this person/challenge has touched my world. Is it here for me to provide a teaching counter-point or am I to examine my specific learning? The perfection of the Divine Spirit stands in front of me in a form that triggers my deeper emotions, so what am I to remember and how can I grow in consciousness?
  3. I am exploring the concept that “thoughts” and words are “lies.” The “Truth” lies in the “Knowing” and the “feelings” of what the Divine Wisdom embraces us with. Oneness, unconditional love, no boundaries of time and space, and connection to the source of all wisdom, Love, can be “known” and felt, but not put into words in a way that does this justice. Words and thoughts can create a framework/structure for human interaction to begin communication. It can create a foundation for sharing which can lead to “Knowing.” We are born into human form to communicate and to remember our Divine Wisdom. How we choose to communicate can be frustrating because very few languages have words for the deepest feelings and the full spectrum of emotions. As an example, how do find words for the flavor of the best sauce you have ever tasted which will convey this to a person who is not there to taste? How do you describe there essence of Divine Grace to someone who has not had a near death experience? The descriptions are shallow and superficial (just as these written words as you read them.) Thank you for your attempt to understand my burgeoning insights.

Each of these topics could be a full blog/article. These are in process and not fully formed. More about these in the future. Please contribute your words and thoughts until we can all find the truth in feelings and the “Knowing” and the “Remembering!”

Blessings to you in our search.

Paula Forget has added these thoughts to consider…  “My thoughts about Knowing are:

Knowing comes as a flash of recognition. (It is not learned.)

It often comes during meditation as an intuitive understanding that is perceived beyond words. It is an indisputable Truth.”
Paula Forget, author of “Guided to the Higher Realms

If you wish to discuss these topics, find more resources, or get support for your own pilgrimage, consider the Masters of the Journey’s website or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney. Take good care of yourself and find ways to serve other seekers you meet along the way.

Achieving Your Financial Goals: A Secret to Success

Part I:
Do you have a goal to your financial success? Do you have a plan for reaching this goal? If you are like most people, you desire financial security and higher levels of financial success. The dream of financial freedom and a demonstration of business acumen are quite common as a precursor to reaching your ultimate vision, but how do you actually reach your objective? It all starts with a well conceived goal.

Have you ever worked on a major project like building a house, writing a book, creating a successful business venture, taking a extended trip, developing a larger community project or fund raiser, or created a large event (like a wedding, rock concert, class re-union, etc.)? Any of these projects can not reach success without a solid plan.

A “Dream” of wealth or financial success is different than a well thought through plan. Planning starts with goal setting. It requires that you spend the time necessary to gather information, outline the necessary steps to achieve the project, develop a workable timeline, acquire the resources, and take the steps to move down the path to your goal.

These are simple concepts. Why do so many people have dreams that are never fulfilled? What steps must you take to achieve your dreams? You can not plan without a viable goal. You can not succeed on a large, important goal without sustained action. You can not achieve success without commitment and focus. If you are not “driven,” can you accomplish your larger goals? Can learned attitudes or beliefs sabotage your success?

Part II:
Most people do not do the “work.” The work is goal setting, planning, gathering the necessary resources, and the focused follow through for their success. People want the benefits of financial success without committing to the real required work. Sometimes the required work includes the “work” on oneself to understand and then overcome ones own resistance to financial success. It is hard to attract money and financial success if you actually fear or loath wealth. Many people stand in their own way to achieving success. These people say that they want to succeed but do not believe that they will succeed. Many people who have not done the “work” will reach financial goals and then sabotage their long-term objectives because they are not really ready for success.

A necessary secret to success:

If you are serious about achieving your financial goals, you must get serious about dealing with your deep resistance to success.

You may require support and coaching. In some cases you may have to go further and get good therapy to get to the source of your negative attitudes or beliefs. If you have not reached your highest levels of productivity and success, then you may have to get “outside” perspective to overcome your barriers. If you think that you do not require extra support or coaching, and you want to make the same mistakes over and over, then do not make any changes. It will be more comfortable to do it the “old” way, but do not expect better results. If you really want to gain the success that you desire then it is time to “knuckle-down” and get to work. Be excited about the possibilities and as open as you can be to the new insights that will help to drive your success.

One resource for you to create some awareness about your possible sources of resistance and some new behaviors that you can adopt that will lead to financial success can be found in a book titled “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth” by T. Harv Eker. I learned a lot by reading this book. Eker claims that there are 17 behaviors that are common for financially successful people that can be missing in less successful people and by modeling these behaviors you can move more easily toward your financial goals. You may want to take action and review this type of information.

Along the way, remember to make time to take good care of yourself. Financial success means nothing if you have compromised your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling “Guide to Stress Reduction.” Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website at http://www.dstress.com for articles, free blog, and learn about the new retreats & telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833.

7 Steps to Prosperity and Wealth

3 P’s (Productivity, Performance, and Prosperity) Process: Life Prosperity Program

What is prosperity and wealth to you? If you are willing to work and you can find the correct vehicle to create financial success, then here are the seven steps to attain your goal.

I qualified the offer because this is not a get rich quick scheme or a win the “Lottery” fantasy come-true article. It requires that you have a desire to work for the success that you deserve. Sometimes a key to success is to find the business or service that you are most passionate about and a way of presenting this to potential consumers. There are other articles and coaching that can lead you to the discovery of the best financial endeavor for you…

The 7 Steps are:
1. Set Your Goal
2. Overcome your barriers to success… Take Responsibility!
3. Create your plan… Map your path
4. Visualize your Success (and Create Affirmations that lead to your Goal)
5. Work Your Plan… Dedicate some time and energy to Achieving your dream
6. Let Go of Expectations that will Prevent your Success
7. Show Gratitude for your life and Success and find a Positive way to give “Back”

Are you ready to get to work? This will be your basic outline of the steps you need to move to success.

1. Set Your Goal
Think Big! What do want to achieve? How do want to be living? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? How much money do you want? How soon do you want it? Can your business endeavor allow you to reach these goals? For example, if you are working part time at WalMart can you expect to acquire $3 Million Dollars by Christmas? Probably not! You will need to find and develop another financial vehicle to get you to your dream, and to do this by the upcoming Christmas Season may be a challenging time frame.

Without a solid, articulated and specific goal, you can not get in the game. Many people require assistance with this first step. There are small business support organizations and business mentors from an organization known as SCORE (look for score.org to find a local office in the United States.) Do not let them steal your dreams, but get advice regarding how your business might start or how to enhance your venture’s operations. They can even help you develop funding after you create a solid business plan. (Do not be afraid to ask for help or, at least, feedback from people who know business These people will be your Role Models or Mentors, or Coaches or possibly your partners…)

Do not skip through the first step! You will need to establish a Goal to set your sights on. The more specific you can make this, the better, and faster, you will get your best results.

2. Overcome your barriers to success… Take Responsibility!
If you have never been financially successful before…. WHY? You would really benefit from knowing why. What are your limitations? What have you learned from the past? How can you accept responsibility for any obstacles that you have encountered in past endeavors? You may even have to ask the hard questions about why you needed to “attract” the past lack of success. If you look to blame external sources, you may be missing an opportunity to learn how to control these situations in future situations. Taking Responsibility is difficult for the people who need this the most. It is too easy to quit when you can find a reason or excuse that is beyond your control… I repeat, this is easier said than done, so be prepared to reach out for assistance overcoming limitations and barriers.

For many people, their fear of success or distrust of money (or wealth) can be major barriers to achieving success. Do not become a victim to past programming or childhood experiences. You are ready for success and you deserve the benefits of financial security and wealth. Do not give in to negativity or bad habits. It is time to behave like a winner! This is a challenging, but important, step that often requires personalized attention.

3. Create your plan… Map your path
You need a “road map” that will take you to your goal. You need to break down the small steps that will lead you down the pathway to your success. Some people forget these details. They might act too quickly and fail without a good, thoughtful plan. Some people over plan and do not act. You need to find the balance. Create a workable time frame. Get the resources you will require to execute your plan.

Reward yourself for each small achievement. Celebrate the steps that you take on the path to your success. If you are moving toward your first $1 Million dollars, you should celebrate your first $100, then your first $500, and your first $1000, etc. I did not say go out spend all your profits, but you need to acknowledge the victories along the way. Let these help to build your momentum.

Also, remember that along your path, you may find alternatives or additional sources of revenue that will get you to your goals more quickly. Be open to these and be flexible.

4. Visualize your Success (and Create Affirmations that lead to your Goal)
After you have created your plan, then you must visualize this plan succeeding, not in the future, but as if it were happening NOW!. It is best to visualize, or see, success coming to you. Also, FEEL the success. Feel all of the excitement and joy. Bask in these great feelings as you desire the success, again, as if it were already occurring. HEAR the sounds of success. What would this victory sound like to you?

There are skills that you can learn and use for creating positive affirmations. You repeat these several times throughout your day. The affirmations are the positive advertising that you need to develop the unconscious habit patterns that will lead to your success. Powerful affirmations that are in the present, positive, and emotional will work the best for achieving your goals. Build a “Vision Board” with pictures of your desired lifestyle and post this where you will view it daily.

5. Work Your Plan… Dedicate some time and energy to Achieving your dream
You have to get out there and work your plan. Talk to everyone. Network. Market. Sell! Produce your product or service… Demonstrate your passion, skill, and enthusiasm. Do not miss an opportunity to share your dream and visualize your success. When you are exercising, visualize your plan and its success. Before bed and right after waking, say your affirmations. Make your calls. Send your letters or e-mails. Learn about the things that you can do to better market yourself and your product. Learn about additional successful strategies that you see your successful role-models using.

Habits can be difficult to change. We do not like change, most of the time, but we have to gradually allow ourselves to push through to new habits of success. It can take time, so DO NOT GIVE UP! Getting discouraged and quitting is all too common for many of us. People like to work very hard and then succeed though hard work does not guarantee success. However, you may be surprised how easily your success will manifest when using these 7 steps.

6. Let Go of Expectations that will Prevent your Success
The harder you TRY, the more challenging success can get. Have you ever NEEDED a job or NEEDED a relationship? Did it seem like the more you needed or wanted your desired outcome the more obstacles seemed to appear? The more you push, the less success you get. You must learn to have powerful visualizations but less “Attachment” to the outcome. Be pleasantly surprised and try to drop your expectations. Expectations screw things up! Learning to “Let GO” physically, then emotionally, and then spiritually, will serve you well, but again, is easier said than done. Our Ego gets in the way and does not allow the success to flow freely to us. Our Ego wants to push and to “Own” the success. When our dream arrives or our goal is achieved, it will be more a “gift” from the universe… A gift you must celebrate… A gift that you deserve!

7. Show Gratitude for your life and Success and find a Positive way to give “Back”
Be grateful for all the blessings you have, no matter how small. Appreciate the assistance and guidance that you get along the way. Celebrate and share your prosperity by assisting others. This does not mean giving all your money, or all your time, or all your resources away, but be willing to support and honor, with respect, any and all travelers you meet along the way. We are all in this together, on some level, and we must be willing to “give back” in some way…

Mentoring others can be a great networking opportunity and a way of giving support.

These 7 steps work best when you get them tailored to your specific requirements. You may need to find mentors or coaches to assist you developing and executing your plan. You may require an accountability partner (or coach) to help keep you focused. You may want to develop a supportive Master Mind group that will assist you in moving toward your success. Very few of us can make it through all of these steps alone, so consider the assistance that you require to clarify these steps and then to help you to maintain your focus as you move down your path toward your goal.

Celebrate your Productivity, your Performance, and your Prosperity.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling “Guide to Stress Reduction.” Since 1977, he has offered Success & Executive Coaching and Training. His new “Life Prosperity” retreat process guides his clients to personalized success strategies that lead to increased productivity and prosperity.

Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website at Stress, Stress Management, Coaching, and Training for articles, free newsletter signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833.

6 Keys to Sales Success & Personal Prosperity

Sales Prosperity – Success Tips
Including Tips for Sales Managers

#1 Know Your Strengths and Challenges

If you want to more productive and prosperous in your sales activities, you must begin by knowing where you are strong and where you have challenges. You will not benefit from “sticking your head in the sand.” By knowing and understanding what you do well and what requires more attention, you can improve your productivity. There are several ways to gather this information.

Assessments which are specific for determining skill levels in the sales process can be very helpful. This works especially well when we can “benchmark” the top performers in your organization, so you can compare your skills with the most effective sales personnel. Assessments which measure your behaviors and motivations can also be powerful tools to better understand your unique skills and motivators. These behavioral assessments will also tell you about your style of communication and can assist you in learning how to be more effective in communications with your clients. Interviews with clients and people who know you and your work can also be useful for this assessment process.

#2 Know Your Product

Any good sales people know that product knowledge and understanding your “USP” (unique selling proposition) is essential for setting you and your product in the best possible light thus enhancing the sales process. New sales personnel do not always have to be “experts” but they do need to know the strengths of their product and how it might compare with major competition. Developing relationships and getting the information you may not be able to answer to your clients questions becomes essential when you are new or are developing new relationships.

#3 Know Your Customer

Understanding your customer, in general, is important. Understanding your customer, in specifics, can be the difference in the sales process. You can not be lazy or make assumptions to have long term success. A tailored proposal based on your client’s specific requirements is necessary to close the deal, so do your homework. If you do not know THEIR “hot buttons” then they will not pay attention to you or buy your product or service!

Knowing the attitude and style of specific customers will be very useful when you put your presentation together. For example, your client may be a “detail” person, or perhaps a “cutting edge” person. Your sales pitch will vary to best connect with the unique character of your client. You can be coached in how to be the most effective in building your targeted presentations.

#4 Know How to Communicate Benefits to Your Customer, Effectively!

Understanding your client is essential. Knowing how to best communicate your “USP” in ways that solve your clients’ challenges will help you to most successful. So, knowing your product’s benefits, and your clients requirements, packaged for the unique communication style of your client will lead to sales. This is easier said than done, but can be learned and then practiced for the greatest levels of success.

#5 Know How to Focus and How to Follow-up

Understanding the sales process and setting goals is important. Perhaps even more important to sales success is knowing how to stay focused and releasing the distractions which can get in the way of your positive efforts and waste your precious time. Focus is a skill that can be coached and developed. If you have time to waste then this skill is not as important, but most successful people are very busy and need to be able to keep themselves clear and focused on their goals.

Appropriate follow up with clients provides the experience of professionalism, respect, and customer service that helps to build long term successful relationships. Great follow up will also lead to referrals and testimonials that will generate future business. Over performing in your follow up activities will be seen as exceptional service and this leads to greater productivity and prosperity.

#6 Know How to Prepare Yourself for Prosperity and Success

Wanting to be rich and successful is not enough to create this higher level of success. Preparing yourself for achieving your goals requires time, effort, and often feedback. Attracting success and prosperity has become a recognized part of the sales process for the most successful sales performers. You can read books on this topic or go to trainings. If you wish to take the quickest path to prosperity and to overcoming any personal blocks to success, you may want to consider getting coaching that is designed for your specific requirements. Everyone wants to be successful. Not everyone knows how to get there with some extra support from an accountability partner. (It can cost you some money to be successfully coached, but it can also pay major dividends to have this additional support.)

Sales Success Tips for Sales Executives-Managers-Owners

Do you want to get the most out of your sales force? Would increased productivity help your organization’s bottom-line?

Benchmarking your best producers is very useful. Knowing their skills, their motivations, and their behaviors will help you to avoid wasting time and money when filling your critical sales positions. Understanding your weakest performers can offer you the information you need to develop these low performers or to avoid hiring them for your unique sales situation. With your best sales performers benchmarked, you will be able to develop the most effective training programs to increase productivity in all your sales team. Each organization is unique so do not get outside consulting or training that does not fit for the specific requirements that you have.

Would you like to pay coaches or trainers based on your teams success and not on a flat fee basis? If a trainer or coach could help you or your sales team increase sales by 20% would you be willing to pay a 2% of this increase or 10% of your increased profit for this service? This is similar to a 10% “finders fee” for a productive referral. Besides benchmarking, your success may require coaching and training for your sales team. Consider a lower cost coaching/training model with an incentive driven compensation system. In some situations, I will coach sales teams and get paid a percentage of the increased sales business. For this to work, we need to do an assessment of your sales staff, research the market, and better understand the unique selling features of your product or service. If we can both profit from this sales development program, then we can discuss the percentage of compensation and the time lines for compensation. There are some fees for the assessment process which cover the costs of research and for program development.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the country’s leading stress management expert and the author of the best selling “Guide to Stress Reduction.” Since 1977, he has offered Success & Executive Coaching and Training. His experience in guiding sales teams and individuals has succeeded in increasing profits and productivity. If you want to be more successful, call Dr. Mason for a proposal.

Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website at http://www.dstress.com for Stress, Sales Management, Coaching, and Training for other articles, free newsletter signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833. www.dstress.com

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the http://www.dstress.com for Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.