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Find and Pitch the Perfect Guest Posting Opportunities

posted from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ProbloggerHelpingBloggersEarnMoney/~3/PY10HSNlLSk/

Find and Pitch the Perfect Guest Posting Opportunities

Today ProBlogger Subject Matter Expert Ali Luke is guest posting about guest posting.

So, you’ve realised that guest posting has loads of benefits for you and your blog, but you’re not quite sure how to go about it.

Maybe you’re worried that you don’t have enough experience.

Perhaps you haven’t even got an active blog of your own right now.

That’s absolutely fine. Most host blogs just want someone who can write reasonably well.

(It’s also OK to guest post even if you don’t have your own blog: some authors do this to promote their books, for instance, and freelancers do it to promote their services.)

If you’re worried about whether your writing’s good enough, ask a blogger friend to help you edit your guest post: a second pair of eyes can be invaluable here.

Choosing a Blog to Target

Where should you post? It makes sense to aim for a well-known blog with a big audience, though if this is your very first guest post, you may not want to go straight for the top. (Some bloggers do, though – so if you’re feeling confident, try it!)

Great blogs to guest post for are:

#1: Blogs that you already read regularly. This is definitely the best place to begin: after all, you already know these blogs well, and you may have left comments or shared posts, meaning there’s a chance the host blogger is already familiar with you.

#2: Blogs that are new to you, but well-established in your niche. I’ve been blogging for 9 years and I still keep coming across great blogs I never knew about! Check out the blogs that big-name bloggers in your niche link to (either in posts, in their sidebar, or on social media).

I don’t recommend Googling “list of blogs to guest post for” and choosing a list with hundreds of blogs on it. Guest posting isn’t a numbers game: it’s much better to write one or two great posts for one or two great blogs.

How to Know if a Blog Takes Guest Posts

The first thing to look for is a page on the blog titled something like this:

  • Guest post guidelines
  • Submission guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Submit a post

(Check the navigation menu, the sidebar, the About page, and the Contact page for these. Or you can type into Google: guest post guidelines site:

[URL of the blog] to find any page/post on that blog that mentions “guest post guidelines”.)

If there aren’t any guidelines visible, look to see who’s writing for the blog. Are there any recent guest posts? Anything written by someone who isn’t the blog owner / editor might be a guest post … though if the same names keep coming up again and again, they’re probably freelance writers.

Once you’ve found a blog to target, it’s time to come up with your idea.

Coming Up with an Idea

If you generally find it difficult to come up with ideas for blog posts, you might want to check out the six months of blogging prompts (free).

When you’re pitching a guest post, your idea should be:

  • In the right niche. I know this sounds obvious, but there’s no point in sending a post about credit cards to a blog about parenting toddlers!
  • A good fit for the audience. Copyblogger and Helping Writers Become Authors are both excellent blogs with an interest in good writing … but Copyblogger is about copywriting and Helping Writers Become Authors is about fiction.
  • Not too similar to other recent posts on the blog. You might want to find a category on the blog that hasn’t had many posts recently, and come up with an idea to fit that category.
  • Appropropriate for the tone of the blog. Most blogs, for instance, won’t be keen to publish an angry, ranty, sweary post. (Of course, on some other blogs, that would work perfectly.)

I’d suggest coming up with two or three ideas for the blog: personally, I like to offer one main idea and a couple of alternatives.

Note: We’ll be going into more detail about guest post ideas next week and providing extra guidance on how to shape these not only to the blog itself but also to your own objectives.

Developing Your Idea into an Outline

Before you pitch, your main idea should be fleshed out with a brief outline or idea of what you’re going to cover. A list (with or without bullet points) is fine here. For instance, for this post, that list might look like:

Title: Finding Great Guest Posting Opportunities and Pitching the Perfect Post

This would cover:

  • Where to find blogs to post for (and what NOT to do)
  • How to come up with ideas that are a good fit for your target blog
  • A sample email for pitching your ideas
  • The importance of following guidelines

A quick list like this makes sure that the host blogger’s expectations line up with what you plan to deliver.

Occasionally, you may find that a host blogger likes your idea but wants you to cover different or additional points – it’s always easiest to get this clear up front, rather than to write a whole post only to end up making substantial changes.

Should You Write the Whole Post Before Pitching?

Some blogs like to have the pitch alone (title plus outline); others prefer to see a finished post. Check their guidelines to see what they specify.

There’s nothing stopping you, of course, from writing the whole post before you pitch (and just keeping it to yourself): if you’re feeling a bit anxious about doing justice to your pitch, this can help! You may, though, have to make changes based on the blog owner’s response to your pitch.

Writing a Pitch Email to the Blog’s Editor

This is where many would-be guest post writers get stuck! It can be really daunting to sit down and email a big-name blogger who you’d love to write for … what if you screw it up?

If it’s any comfort, that big-name blogger probably gets dozens of terrible pitches from SEO companies every single week.

To stand out from the crowd, just:

  • Present an on-target idea (you should have that already!)
  • Be clear and concise (don’t give detailed paragraphs about your backstory)
  • Use correct spelling and grammar (ask a friend to proofread for you)

You don’t need to have any special credentials … you just need to show that you can write decent English and that you won’t be horrible to work with.

In case you think I’m setting the bar too low here, this is a real email I received a couple of weeks ago, for my blog Aliventures (my tagline there is “master the art, craft and business of writing”):

Hey,

I am content writer specialized in Health & fitness niche, and I chanced upon aliventures.com. I must appreciate that the content of your website is par excellence and exceptionally useful.

I’ve been a blogger for about 10 years, with special interests in Health & fitness, Ayurvedic counselor, and Sexologist. Today I am a recognized expert in the subject, and over the years, have consistently contributed articles and blogs to top sexologist related sites.

I am looking forward to attaching myself as a guest blogger to your site by contributing an article to aliventures.com. I assure that the article will be highly informative and educative to your audience. While I am not looking at any monetary benefits, instead we could consider the possibility mentioning my site/resource just once within the article.

Do let me know if this sounds good and works for you.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

[name removed]

Content Writer & Editor

I’m sure you spotted some of the glaring problems with this pitch:

  • It’s clearly been sent to lots of different blogs. You can tell because it doesn’t address me by name and it has my URL instead of my blog’s name in the first paragraph (which means the writer likely has a long long list of blog URLs that they’re contacting).
  • The topics are completely irrelevant to my blog on writing. I have never posted anything on Aliventures about health and fitness (or sex)!
  • The writer doesn’t pitch an actual topic at all, but they assure me the article will be “highly informative and educative”. I’m not convinced.
  • It’s pretty clear their aim in guest posting is purely to get a link.

Trust me, you can do a million times better than this.

Sample Email to Use When Pitching a Guest Post

Here’s an email you can use for your pitches: just fill in the [bits in square brackets].

Subject: Guest post submission:

Dear

10 of the Best Tips to Stop Yourself From Multitasking and Focus More Effectively

posted from https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/10-of-the-best-tips-to-stop-yourself-from-multitasking-and-focus-more-effectively/

While multitasking is often thought to be an added skill, it tends to cause more harm than good. Focusing on one task at a time is more effective than having a pile of tasks to do. Researchers argue that you are more poised to increase your productivity by boosting your focus and avoiding multitasking.

The reality is that you end up lowering your work quality when you focus on more than one thing at the same time. The issue is that multitasking can get very addictive and not many would be willing to stop.

Here are a few tips to help you stop multitasking and increase your focus:

1. Get rid of distractions

Most of the interruptions people face nowadays emanate from mobile phones and other technological devices. These are an embodiment of our daily lives to the extent of interrupting tasks. 

It seems like people these days can’t control their desire to check messages and other notifications, primarily because of the increasing social media presence. However, there’s a trick to help you avoid succumbing to this pressure. Switch off the phone or toggle the silent button. As simple as this may seem to be, it goes a long way in helping you avoid multitasking.

2. Make a to-do list

You cannot avoid distractions when you don’t even know what to do as a task. A to-do list will help you plan your day’s activities so that you can avoid getting any distractions. Remember to include a few minutes or hours for rest as you still need to take breaks. You can utilize this free time to check your phone and respond to other distractions.

3. Avoid talking to colleagues during work time

When you’re working and having a conversation, you are vulnerable to messing up on the job. After you’re through and start going through the task, you will realize several flaws that you might have avoided if you kept silent and focused.

4. Have a tidy and serene working environment

Cleanliness is mostly overlooked but is a prerequisite for success in job completion. When your working area is in a mess, you will not think straight, and chances are that you may fall victim of slight distractions. 

For example, you might be typing on your desk and hit a glass off the table. You will need to clear the mess before getting back to work, which is time-wasting because you’ve deviated from the job.

“Multitasking is like constantly pulling up a plant. This kind of constant shifting of your attention means that new ideas and concepts have no chance to take root and flourish.” – Barbara Oakley

5. Boost focus

Learn to concentrate on one thing without thinking of another at a particular time. For example, if you are working on a job report, put your mind to it alone, without thinking of the appraisal forms you need to fill out. This will help you clear one task rapidly and with accuracy, before moving onto the next one.

6. Learn about your habits

The best way to diagnose a problem is to find its root cause. Sit down and evaluate your workday by seeing what takes the majority of your time. Self-evaluation will go a long way in making sure you don’t get distracted while working on any task.

7. Do one thing at a time

It’s crucial for you to remain focused on one thing at a time. It is wrong to believe that multitasking helps you to get everything done quickly and appropriately. If anything, you are wasting more time than you will save when doing things in a particular sequence.

Also, carrying out different tasks at the same time often leads to rework or shoddy results. While you might think that you completed the task at hand before time, you may be required to start over again if someone else checks your work. In the end, you will waste more time than you can save.

8. Work in intervals

You cannot work from morning to evening and expect your brain to be alert throughout. The typical human brain can only work for a certain amount of time. You need to take frequent stops to refresh and boost your focus. When you work without breaks, your mind may start drifting away, causing you to multitask.

Some people claim they don’t have proper time management skills. If you cannot manage your time well, then come up with a to-do list that will act as a guide. Scientists have proven that the human brain functions optimally when given breaks. This tip will equally help you increase your focus when working.

9. Avoid checking out other sites not related to the work you are doing

Unfortunately, this is a huge problem that many people face in their daily activities. For instance, someone will be researching the web for information on real estate and quickly take a glance at the Facebook or Twitter tab. As much as this may only take five minutes per check, you will end up checking more than once. Put together; you will realize how much time you have wasted in your day.

While you thought it was one innocent check that didn’t even go past one minute, the reality is that you probably spent an hour – plus an inconsistent result on the task you were handling. To solve this problem, you can opt for a browser blocker that will hide all the sites that you are used to checking frequently. Alternatively, if you’re disciplined enough, close all the unnecessary tabs on your browser.

“Most people have no idea of the giant capacity we can immediately command when we focus all of our resources on mastering a single area of our lives.” – Tony Robbins 

10. Start with the hard ones before heading for more manageable tasks

Most people begin with easy tasks before the hard ones, and this can derail your focus. If you work from the morning hours, you need to look at the challenging tasks first and then later you can handle the easier ones.

Wrapping up, you have seen what to do to alleviate multitasking and boost focus instead. Remember to avoid multitasking as this can lead to inconsistency and poor performance at work. Finally, make sure you are taking enough breaks to refresh the mind.

Do you struggle to remain focused on your daily tasks? If so, how do you remain focused and not feel the desire to multitask? Share your thoughts with us below!


By |October 7th, 2019|Blog|0 Comments

What Helped Me Reclaim the Creativity I Loved as a Kid

posted from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tinybuddha/~3/9uMcajXaZTc/

“Absolute attention is an act of generosity.” ~Simone Weil

When I was a child, I used to write poems as presents for my parents on birthdays and holidays.

I’d sit quietly and think of what I wanted to say. Then I’d try to turn that into musical language. I’d write those words on the page, and then I’d draw a picture to go with it.

It didn’t occur to me to even ask whether my parents would like my poem or not; I just assumed they would.

Then I got older. I stopped giving my parents poems for presents. I stopped writing poems.

I didn’t write poetry again until I was in college, and then I began to wonder whether my poetry was “good.” Were my poems “good enough” to get me into the advanced poetry workshop? Would they dazzle the teacher? Would the other students like them?

I paid more attention to the way the words sounded on the page than to what I actually was saying. The depth was covered up by surface. And after all, I wasn’t sure I wanted to really bring my depth to the surface for other people to see.

I didn’t write poetry very much again until I was pregnant with my first child. Then what was inside me—literally—was calling my attention. I started to put it on the page.

But there was still this concern about whether what I was creating was “good enough.”

I’ve been dancing with that “good enough” question for many years. I see now that that question is not just about my writing, but about myself, about my own interior life, and about the relationship between that interior life and my external life: Can my depth come out on the surface? Is my surface appropriate for my depth? Will I be seen, appreciated, understood? And how can I develop myself to the best of my potential, showing up and not shying away from who I am and want to be?

Now, many years later, I’m a creative writer and a creative writing teacher, and I see my students similarly worry about whether their work is “good enough.”

I often tell them that their concern, that comes out in relation to their writing, is really a deeper question of how they approach themselves.

I tell them that, yes, the writing for so many of us brings out these insecurities, uncertainties, and learned patterns of thinking about ourselves that otherwise would lie buried. But that the writing doesn’t create those insecurities, uncertainties, or learned patterns. They’re there within us—and all around us.

From the time we’re little, we’re given messages about what it means to be a worthwhile person: people are expected to act a certain way, to look a certain way, to speak a certain way.

For women, our bodies often bear the brunt of these expectations about our physical selves: are our bodies “good” enough, thin enough, pretty enough, light enough, curvy enough, straight enough…

And for women and men, our writing often comes to be the place where our intellect is valued: our writing is judged in schools; our expression is given grades. We measure ourselves against others.

But if we’re always being judged—in body and mind—there is no space to be and to become.

The question of whether we are “good enough” comes from feeling judged, and this restricts us. We experience ourselves as lacking, and a sense of lack leads in turn to our not being able to inhabit our full selves, to our making poor decisions and to living in constricted ways.

So what happens when we put aside our judgment and allow ourselves to be with ourselves and with our creative voices?

What helped me overcome my worry about being “good enough” (or mostly overcome it) is being a mother and seeing what it’s like to love my children unconditionally.

When I am with my children, it never occurs to me to ask whether they are “good” or “good enough.” Those questions seem absurd and meaningless.

I know that my children were born—as I believe all children are born—as wonderful light beings, miracles with unimaginable potential and unique personalities and gifts. They are, like all people, uniquely themselves.

I also know that my children were born with the capacity to grow in countless ways. And this potential to grow and learn never stops.

My children are “good” but that does not mean that they were born good at walking. They needed to learn, as we all do, how to walk. They needed to crawl and then learn how to pull themselves up, needed to learn how to take one step and fall down and then another. At times, also, my children, like all of us, learned how to be more self-aware, how to say they were sorry, how to think about how their actions impacted others.

We all have room for growth—throughout our lives. We all have room for greater awareness and more skill. But as we mature and grow as people, our essential “goodness” does not change.

I try to take the same attitude towards our creative acts: of course, we can learn how to be more skillful writers. But each of us is also born a creative being with a unique creative voice, and more skills will enhance the voice, but won’t essentially change what it has to express. Furthermore, our work is an expression of that voice that is appropriate for who and where we are at the moment that we create.

As a poet, I needed to learn the skills to take my inner world and put it more effectively on paper. I learned from reading others and from having others read and comment on my poems.

As I wrote more poems, my poems got more understandable, more moving, more skillful. But I don’t think I was ever asking the right question when I was asking whether my poems were “good” or “good enough.” Because that question was like cutting the life force off that was full of life and growing

Similarly, as a teacher, I can help my students have more skills. I can show them writing that inspires them and that they can learn from; I can give them tools to use in their pieces. But it’s never my job to judge them or to suggest that their creative expression isn’t worthy.

We are all creative beings. Not everyone is given legs to walk, but everyone is given a unique story and a unique perspective and a unique voice. And who are we, any of us, to say that one story is “good enough” and another is not? Would we ever say that one birdsong is worthy and another is not?

Perhaps some people will like my poems. I know some will.

Perhaps some people will not like my poems. I know many won’t.

But I don’t set myself up waiting breathlessly to be “liked” or not. I set myself up to do my best work and to accompany myself, whether I fall down or walk across the room.

When my children were little, I delighted in the freedom with which they played, danced, drew, sang. I want them to be able to be themselves as fully as adults, and to love themselves in the process.

And I want that for all of us, even for myself. For I know that if I want something for my children, then I need to be able to at least try to model it, otherwise what message am I really sending?

I tell my students: you might not write your most captivating poem this time around, but if you cut off your breath, then you will never will write at your full potential. So take a risk: go for it, and keep trying. Read, write, learn from what you love and engage fully, and keep listening inside and allowing the process to move from the inner to the outer without judgment.

I started writing as a gift to my parents, but now I write as a gift to myself—and to the world.

For me, poetry is an act of love, attention, and presence. When I show up fully and listen, then I can create a passage from what is larger than me through my interior self and then out onto the page.

Absolute attention is an act of generosity,” the philosopher Simone Weil wrote. When I pay attention to the world around and within me and to the language that I use that is an act of generosity and grace—to myself and to the world and perhaps, also, I can hope, to some of my readers.

About Nadia Colburn

Nadia is the founder of Align Your Story Writing School and Coaching, which helps women unlock their full creative voice. She's the author of the poetry book The High Shelf and her work has been widely published in The New Yorker, American Poetry Review, Kenyon Review, etc. For free recorded meditation and writing sessions, writing prompts, yoga and writing videos, and other free resources for writers, visit nadiacolburn.com.

Get in the conversation! Click here to leave a comment on the site.

The post What Helped Me Reclaim the Creativity I Loved as a Kid appeared first on Tiny Buddha.


By |October 7th, 2019|Blog|0 Comments

How to Prevent Your Anxiety from Rubbing Off On Your Child

posted from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pickthebrain/LYVv/~3/DahFVQC4gWg/

You're reading How to Prevent Your Anxiety from Rubbing Off On Your Child, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Sometimes, it seems like our kids aren’t learning anything from us—but that’s simply not the case. Kids absorb all the information around them and learn by example. While that can be a good thing, it can also be a problem if you don’t want to pass on certain behaviors you’re modeling for them, like anxiety.

If you’re struggling with anxiety, first remember that it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of people have trouble controlling their anxiety. But it’s also important to realize that your behavior is bound to transfer to your child and could cause them to develop anxiety problems of their own.

With that in mind, it’s essential to address problems with your emotional health as soon as you possibly can. According to a pew research study, 70% of teens struggle with anxiety and depression, which can start when children are much younger.

So how can you avoid passing on the anxiety that’s causing you nothing but distress? Here’s what you need to know.

How Does Anxiety Affect Children?

It shouldn’t be too surprising that children are sensitive to the emotions their parents may be experiencing. They pick up on even subtle cues and shape their world view of what’s “normal” by watching their parents. Kids can pick up on anxiety in the home and may be more prone to developing an anxiety disorder if one or both of their parents struggle with anxiety.

There isn’t one main cause of anxiety in children, but both the child’s environment and genetics come into play. Parents can’t change their children’s genetics, but factors like modeling anxiety-promoting behaviors can make the risk go up. Parents who have an anxiety disorder will need to work hard to reduce the impact of their own anxiety on their children, which may include measures like behavior modification and therapy.

Anxiety in America

If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, you’re far from alone. Many Americans have dealt with anxiety or depression at some point during their lives. Pressure from school and work are common triggers for racing thoughts, anxiety, stress, and overwhelm.

Even young adults, who should be enjoying their college years and focusing on learning and growing, often struggle with anxiety. In fact, anxiety and depression are the top two reasons that college students seek mental health services, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health.

Across America, anxiety disorders affect 18.1% of the population—40 million adults—making them the most common mental health disorder in the country. Although the problem is so common, many people never get a diagnosis or seek out treatment for the issue. Instead, they suffer for years in silence and often transfer the problem to the next generation.

Anxiety disorders include:

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Phobias
  • Social Anxiety Disorder
  • Panic Disorder (PD)
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Brain chemistry, environment, upbringing, genetics, and life experiences all have an impact on the development of anxiety disorders. Not all of these factors can be controlled, but most people who have an anxiety disorder can benefit from treatment and find some relief with talk therapy, medications, and other therapies. Many people with anxiety have also struggled with depression one or more times.

Putting a Stop to Anxiety Transference

If you think that your anxiety is starting to rub off on your child, then it’s time to take steps and put a stop to anxiety transference in your home.

The first step is to understand which behaviors might be putting your child at risk for developing an anxiety disorder. Do you talk about things that scare you in front of them repeatedly, like spiders or merging onto the freeway? Do you react poorly to being startled or when you’re stressed out by changing plans or situations you weren’t expecting? Do you avoid situations that scare you and explain to your child why you’re not comfortable in those situations?

These are all small, subtle ways you may be transferring your own anxiety to your child.

Other signals you may not even have considered is warning your child over and over to be careful when playing or limiting how high they can climb or jump. By repeatedly warning them about hazards in their everyday life, you may think that you’re teaching them to be safe, but you may just be teaching them to be anxious.

Of course, it’s important to keep your children safe. But it’s also important for them to take a few risks and to have the freedom to explore the world around them. Play should be playful, not cause anxiety. A few cuts and scrapes along the way are to be expected. You should absolutely warn your children about truly dangerous activities, but when it comes to normal “kid stuff” it’s important to keep your own worries to yourself.

Using a journal to note your triggers can be helpful in modifying your behavior. You can also practice mindfulness and breathing exercises to start minimizing your anxiety for a more peaceful life.

It can be very helpful to work with a mental health professional both in getting treatment for your own anxiety and for learning strategies you can use to avoid transferring your worries and fears. Sometimes, therapy for your child may be necessary if they’re showing signs of anxiety themselves. There is no shame in reaching out for help and it can make your efforts much more successful.

Putting Your Own Feelings (and Fears) Aside

Anxiety doesn’t serve you, and it’s definitely not something that will serve your kids. The key is learning to put your own feelings and fears aside for the sake of your kids’ mental health. You may be terrified that they’ll injure themselves or have the same fears that you do, but by hovering over them, this is actually more likely to happen.

Kids need to face their fears. If they don’t, they may become much more worried and prone to anxiety in the long run. Protecting your kids with your own anxiety just doesn’t work. For a happy, healthy family, you need to let go (just a little bit) and face your own fears.

You've read How to Prevent Your Anxiety from Rubbing Off On Your Child, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you've enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.


By |October 7th, 2019|Blog|0 Comments

7 Key Elements to Changing Your Mind to a Business Mindset

posted from https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/7-key-elements-to-changing-your-mind-to-a-business-mindset/

Self-development is important and if you’ve decided to work on yourself, you’re already on the right path. The important thing to know is that it’s absolutely possible to become a completely different person if you put in enough time and effort.

Here are the 7 key elements to changing your mind and life:

1. Mindset

The way you think about your life and yourself will determine the success of what you do. It’s about changing the way you think fundamentally rather than temporarily. Entrepreneurs are risk-takers, but even if you aren’t one, you can still be an entrepreneur.

You should understand you are the one who decides the way you will think and act throughout your life. It’s entirely up to you to have a certain attitude towards this or that. If you see that what you are doing or the way you are thinking isn’t helping you, change it.

Stop meekly accepting whatever life throws at you. Rebel if you need to. Get things to be done your way. The long-term success of your business depends on your ability to adapt. Find something you love doing and fight for it. Your life depends on it.

2. Determination

One of the most important personality traits of any successful businessman is determination. It’s not just about being strong enough to endure the challenges you encounter or having a strong will and persistence, but also about being prepared. Planning your strategy is essential to succeed.

Of course, you will often need to alter your plans and sometimes you will get into situations that couldn’t have been predicted. This doesn’t mean that you should go in unprepared every single time. You don’t want to be “blind” as this will only increase the probability of everything going utterly wrong.

If a person is determined, they are truly ready to stand by their decisions and do all the necessary hard work to achieve great things in their life. No famous person simply sat and waited for success to fall into their hands just like that. You need to act.

“I learned that if you want to make it bad enough, no matter how bad it is, you can make it.” – Gale Sayers 

3. Relationships

Just like anything else, business is about relationships. Building strong and lasting relationships is one of the most essential aspects of success both in business and in life itself. If you can connect with people, they will connect with you too.

Successful entrepreneurs and businessmen are usually the ones who know how to build relationships as these are crucial for growth and survival. If you are an introvert and aren’t used to communicating with people a lot, it may be a bit harder for you to do that.

Once you establish a relationship with someone, you must not forget to grow it and continue developing this bond in some way. Otherwise, it may fade. Strong relationships with your family, friends, colleagues, and business partners are all equally important.

4. Leadership

What does it mean to be a great leader? There will be many answers to that question and they will be different because being a great leader involves many different things. You have a lot of responsibility when you’re a leader.

Leadership is about taking risks and keeping the morale of your employees high. It’s about thinking fast and coordinating everything in a way that is most effective. A good leader values their people and knows when to recognize the achievements they had.

Leadership is about teaching and learning. It’s about doing things instead of asking. The majority of successful businessmen are leaders who know how to adapt, take risks, act fast, and stay optimistic.

5. Business Knowledge

It’s a popular misconception that successful businessmen manage their businesses well just because of how charismatic they are. While that may be true to an extent, it’s a largely inaccurate picture. Knowledge is power, and this statement is especially true when it comes to business.

A good entrepreneur will know their business in and out. And not just the business itself but also the industry and the competitors. You want and need to be aware of everything going on around you even when others don’t see something crucial to the case. Read between the lines and get different perspectives.

Logically, you can’t possibly know absolutely everything. After all, we are only human. This is why you need to educate yourself continuously. Experience is great, but theoretical knowledge is also very important. Read books, take courses, and practice self-education.

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin

6. Swimming Upstream

There is a phrase people often use to tell someone to figure out the situation and just roll with it – “go with the flow.” As a businessman, you will often notice you need to go against the current and swim upstream. Things don’t always work the way everyone thinks they do.

Throughout your life, you will need to change direction many times. Maybe you’ll need to change your image, your job, your strategy, or even your life. That’s absolutely fine because that’s what life is about. Just keep fighting for what you love. Remember that you have an aim, and if you don’t, set one for yourself and work towards it. It’s for your own good that you are working right now. Don’t quit and don’t give up. When the whole world is telling you to move, turn around and say, “No, you move.”

7. Resolution To Succeed

Don’t forget this very important step which is setting yourself up to succeed. You can succeed in anything, but know It won’t be easy. Resolve yourself to achieve something, so that nothing can stop you. Allow yourself to dream a little and give yourself hope. If you really understand that you can succeed and persuade yourself that it’s possible, you will be able to do things that you didn’t even know you could do.

To summarize, becoming successful in life requires patience, dedication, and hard work. Follow the advice in this article to become a better version of yourself and change your mind and life into a business focused one.

How do you stay determined to reach your goals and aspirations? What suggestions would you provide for people reading this article? Share your advice below!


By |October 7th, 2019|Blog|0 Comments

Marlon Wayans Net Worth

posted from https://wealthygorilla.com/marlon-wayans-net-worth/

  Introduction  Marlon Wayans is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film producer from New York. Wayans is best known for starring in films such as ‘Scary Movie’, ‘Scary Movie 2’, ‘White Chicks’ and ‘Little Man’.  As of 2019, Marlon Wayans’ net worth is roughly $40 Million dollars.    Early Life Marlon Lamont Wayans was […]

The post Marlon Wayans Net Worth appeared first on Wealthy Gorilla.


By |October 7th, 2019|Blog|0 Comments

How to Be More Self-Aware and Strive to Be a Better Person

posted from https://www.lifehack.org/849510/be-self-aware

On a scale of 1-10, how self-aware do you think you are? If you don't know how to answer this question, you aren't alone. One study estimates that only 10-15% of people are truly self-aware.((HubSpot: The True Meaning of Self-Awareness (& How to Tell If You're Actually Self-Aware)) If self-awareness is so important, why do so many people struggle with it, let alone understand what it means? A big reason is because we live in a world where we are conditioned to operate on autopilot. This busy mindset doesn't leave room for much self-reflection and introspection. By not taking the time to connect with ourselves, we stop paying attention to what is going on internally. As you can imagine, this can be a recipe for an emotional disaster.

What is Self-Awareness?

Self-awareness is the foundation for personal growth. It involves understanding your own needs, desires, failings, habits, and everything else that makes you tick.((Lifehacker: The Importance of Self-Awareness and How To Become Self-Aware)) If you want to strive to be a better person, you need to get intimate with yourself, meaning you've got to know who you are and who you are not. Moreover, you've got to be able to accurately monitor your inner world, as well as accept who you are with an open heart. This is where a lot of people get stuck. It takes courage to go deep with yourself and look at messy emotions that you don't necessarily want to acknowledge, let alone work on. Let's face it... growth isn't always pretty. In fact, it sometimes feels like an uphill climb. However, it is the one thing that is required if you want to level up your life and become more of who you want to be.
"Self-awareness gives you the capacity to learn from your mistakes as well as your successes. It enables you to keep growing." -- Lawrence Bossidy
The benefits of self-awareness are far-reaching, some of which include, greater empathy and listening skills, improved critical-thinking skills and decision making, strengthened relationships, and enhanced leadership capabilities and capacity.((Institute for Public Relations: Know Thyself: Examining The Benefits of Self-Reflection))

How Do You Know If You Are Self-Aware?

Many people think that self-awareness is this grandiose skill that only super smart people understand. This is far from true. If you have fallen victim to this type of thinking, I want to share some signs that you may be more self-aware than you actually think you are.

You're Unapologetically Yourself

If you aren't afraid to speak your truth, for fear that others won't accept you for who you are, the chances are you've got a high level of self-awareness. Self-aware people live from a place of integrity. They are unapologetically themselves, in the sense that they don't allow the noise of others' judgments to veer them off track. In other words, they know how to stay in their own lane.

You're a Master of Your Emotions

When life doesn't go your way, self-aware people don't react and throw in the towel. They understand that irrational behaviors only make you spiral into a negative hole. Hence, they stop and think before they respond to challenges. They know that if they don't master their emotions, their emotions will master them. By becoming aware of their emotions, they are able to maintain a sense of clarity and peace of mind, no matter what is going on in their environment.

You Listen to Yourself

Self-aware individuals pride themselves on their ability to pay attention and tune into what is happening inside of them. Your intuition rarely ever lies. I have yet to meet anyone who has said to me, "My gut is a liar." Self-aware people listen to what their gut tells them. When something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. By trusting the messages or feelings that they are receiving, self-aware people are better able to make decisions that positively influence their lives.

You've Got Strong Boundaries

Self-aware people don't let others walk all over them. They know that they can't be all things for all people, which is why they establish strong boundaries with others. Setting a boundary is the ability to recognize the need for a healthy separation between your thoughts and feelings and the thoughts and feelings of others.((HuffPost:10 Great Things That Happen When You Set Boundaries)) By taking care of their emotional needs first, self-aware people are better able to take care of themselves.

How to Become Self-Aware

Becoming self-aware is the first step in the creation of your ideal future. It's the personal commitment to yourself that you are ready and willing to upgrade your current reality. Once you are more aware of your thoughts, emotions and behaviors, you become empowered to make changes that serve your highest self.

1. Keep a Journal

One of the most powerful tools for building self-awareness is through journaling. This is a great way to get to connect with your inner world on a deeper level and communicate with any subconscious feelings you might be overlooking. The act of writing provides a space for unexpressed feelings to be acknowledged. The question is.... what do you write about? I would suggest that you focus on one area of your life where you currently feel stuck. At the beginning of each day, do a brain dump and express, in writing, all of the random things that you've been thinking about. This approach has the potential for getting your creative juices flowing and reduces the influence of your rational thoughts.((Life Skills That Matter: The #1 Self-Awareness Habit))

2. Practice Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness on a daily basis can help you fully experience the totality of your emotions. When you are mindful, you have greater control over your emotional self. In turn, you will feel more calm and less stress. This quiet time is a perfect opportunity to reflect on your feelings in the present moment. Increased mindfulness influences our ability to think about our choices, as well as our ability to experience pleasure, reduce emotional reactivity and increase attention.((Presenting Yourself: Use Mindfulness To Increase Your Self-Awareness and Effectiveness)) Your body is always communicating with you. The question is, are you listening to it? A lot of people are too stuck in their heads, which in turn, disconnects them from their bodies. A great self-awareness practice for getting more in touch with yourself is by doing a body scan. Take some time every day to close your eyes and notice how each area of your body feels. By connecting with your body intelligence, you will feel more grounded overall.

3. Ask for Feedback from Others

In my opinion, honest and constructive feedback is the most valuable way to develop a greater level of self-awareness. We all have blind spots. What are yours? If you don't know, it's time to ask someone! Feedback is a great way to discover your strengths and weaknesses so you can figure out how to harness and or improve them.((Lifehacker: Asking for Regular Feedback Can Boost Your Self-Awareness)) This will require that you get humble and drop you ego. By asking others for their input about how they perceive you and your actions, you will feel empowered to change those parts of yourself that may be holding you back from becoming the person whom you aspire to be.

4. Challenge Yourself

A great way to practice self-awareness and work on becoming a better person is to undertake something significant. True growth comes from stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking risks. That is when your figure out who you truly are as a person. All of this is easier said than done. Change can be hard, especially if you have behaved one way for most of your life. This is why staying in your comfort zone feels so good. It is a space where your activities and behaviors fit a routine and pattern that minimizes stress and risk. Security is "nice" but it will kill your productivity. Challenging yourself and putting everything on the line helps propel you forward and fuels your personal growth. If you want to be your best self, you've got to be willing to test your limits and free yourself from who people think you "should" be so that you can figure out who you were meant to be.

Final Thoughts

Self-awareness is the key to self-mastery. By making the commitment to discover new truths about yourself, you will grow and improve every area of your life. When you know who you are, there is nothing you cannot do. You cannot improve yourself if you are not self-aware. In the words of Eckhart Tolle,
"Awareness is the greatest agent for change."
What actions will you take today to grow your self-awareness muscle and change your life for the better?

More About Self-Mastery


By |October 6th, 2019|Blog|0 Comments
,

Would you be interested in a guest post titled

? It would cover:

  • [Key point 1]
  • [Key point 2]
  • [Key point 3]

If that’s not a good fit, would either of these suit you?

I blog at [name of your blog] and I’ve also written for [any other blogs you’ve guest posted on, if applicable].

Many thanks for your time,

[your name]

If there are specific guidelines about how to submit, make sure you follow those: for instance, if you’re asked to include links to samples of your work, do that!

Tip: Some blogs have quite detailed guest posting guidelines, and I find it helps to print those out and go through them point by point so I don’t miss anything.

Following Up on Your Guest Post Pitch

If you don’t hear back (and there’s no Out of Office reply or similar), follow up after 2 weeks. Anything sooner looks a bit pushy – remember that big bloggers will get a LOT of requests, and if you press too soon, it’s easier for them to say “no” rather than take the time to review your post.

Don’t leave it forever to follow up, though: it’s embarrassing for a host blogger if they lose your email and only find it again two months later. (I’ve had this happen not only with guest post pitches but also a magazine article submission: trust me, it’s best for you and for the editor if you follow up politely rather than assume that they didn’t want it…!)

Here’s an email you can use when following up:

Sample Follow Up Email

Dear [name],

I just wanted to check if you received my guest post pitch on [date]? I’ve copied that email below just in case it went astray.

No problem if it’s not quite right for you, or if you need some time to think about it.

Thanks very much,

[your name]

(Make sure you do include the original pitch. Don’t expect the blogger to trawl through their inbox for it… and there’s always the possibility it ended up being eaten by a spam filter.)

Guest posting is one of the best ways to boost your blog’s traffic and to build your own profile within the blogging world. Pitching can be a little scary – but once you’ve done it a few times, it does get much easier!

Have you written any guest posts yet? If you’re nervous or if you’ve got questions about finding opportunities, coming up with ideas and pitching your post, just leave a comment below.

Guest Posting Series:

Next week, we’ll be covering writing the guest post itself: making sure you’ve got an idea that’ll work for your host blog and for you, using your bio wisely, including links, and even including visuals.

So far:

7 Powerful Non-SEO Reasons to Try Guest Posting

The post Find and Pitch the Perfect Guest Posting Opportunities appeared first on ProBlogger.

      

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By |2024-02-27T11:22:45+00:00July 6th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments