It's all in the preparation!

If you want to build a house, a wall, anything at all really, they say that the quality of the finished product is all in the preparation and laying a solid foundation.

How often in life do we get an idea and want to run off, 100 miles an hour, in the direction the idea is taking us but without any real preparation?

Over my 42 years of life I have learned one simple wisdom. To sit on my ideas and wait to see if they are seeds of greatness. For if I run off after every idea, I will not have the energy or resources when it most counts. It is far better for me to conserve myself, that the impact of what I do may be far greater, than to spread myself too thinly on the ground and not do anything well

I guess it all comes back to my favourite concept at the moment - the word focus. Focus means to concentrate on a particular thing or an aspect of that thing and to clear your vision. How many of us need to clear our vision, so that we can have maximum impact in our lives?

If you are chasing your tail, chasing after the prize but not really feeling like you are achieving anything of worth because you are running off in all different directions, my advice is to stop and listen to your heart. If you still your soul, you will hear clearly what you are meant to be doing.

Conserving your resources by focusing your energies in a particular direction, allows you to have more to work with when it really counts. Like a race horse, it is critical to harness the raw energy and to channel it into running the race at the right time, rather than jump starting out of the blocks.

Take the time to lay a solid foundation for whatever you do. This is achieved by researching your idea thoroughly, by not being pressured into jumping before you have all the information and a clear idea of the direction you are wanting to jump and by setting clear goals so you know what you want to achieve. You don't have to have the whole picture to start something, but it does help if you have a detailed analysis of the part of the picture that you do have, as this will help you to attract and identify the missing pieces when they eventually arrive.

To focus is to love yourself, for when you narrow your options you limit the amount of stress that exists in your world and give yourself the opportunity to master whatever it is you are putting your hand to.

Remember, masters get paid a whole load more than jack-of-all-trades do! It pays to become a master.

Getting the job of your dreams!

So how do you conduct an 'effective' job search that produces the job of your dreams?

The word 'effective' has become a cliché and has kind of lost its impact. According to the online Encarta dictionary, it means "producing a result, especially the expected or intended result" and "to produce a favorable result". If you want your job search to be 'effective', then you may want to know what your expectations and intended result are.

Tip 1 - Work out exactly what you are looking for in a job.
Make a list of all the things that you are interested in - location, dollar value, opportunity for advancement, skills development, recognition, etc. Everything you value in a job should be on that list.

Tip 2 - Look for jobs that fit your list.
There is no point in applying for jobs that don't fit what you are looking for as you are just wasting your time and the potential employer's time. To find the jobs that are on your list, you can sign up with some of the job search engines. Seek.com and CareerOne.com are just two of many job search sites. Most major recruiters also have their job search databases, so it’s worthwhile visiting them and conducting a specific search. Government career sites and larger companies advertise positions vacant online. Go to the website and look for employment or job vacancies links. Use keywords in your search to filter out unsuitable jobs. You can also use some of the features on these job search engines, like email alerts, that keep you informed of particular groups or categories of jobs. This can save you a lot of time and effort.

Remember to make the most of your social networks. Often it is not what we know but whom we know that makes all the difference. Social networks can be very fruitful in finding work as you let others know what you are looking for.

Tip 4 - If you feel as though you have a 75% or above compatibility with the job, apply for it. You always want to be stretched just a little to maintain interest in a job, so don't be put off if you don't match the criteria perfectly. Historically, employers choose an employee based on how they see them fitting in with the company values and work team ahead of whether they currently possess all of the skills or qualifications. You can teach a person new skills, but you can't change their personality or attitude.

Tip 5 - When applying, make the most of every communication opportunity to demonstrate that you have the skills they are looking for. In the covering letter, using bullets, notate your quality selling points that make you competitive for the position. Use their keywords in your description of these points. The employer, reading your covering letter, will be mentally ticking off that you have what they are looking for and this is before they even get to your resume.

Tip 6 - Follow up your application with a phone call where possible. Ask to speak to the person directly and say, "I'm just checking to make sure you received my application as I am very keen to be considered for the position. While I'm on the phone, I was wondering if you could describe what a day in the job looks like?" Make the most of the opportunity to be personable without being painful. You want to connect a positive image of your personality to the two dimensional resume you have sent in. It is harder to ignore a real live person.

Tip 7 - Be prepared for interview. Once you have gotten to the interview stage, be prepared. Research the employer, after all they are being interviewed just as much as you are, as you will be giving them a commitment of your time and creativity which is very valuable. Have a list of questions that you would like to ask to make sure that you fully understand the job role. Without going overboard, get as much information from them as possible about the position so that you can make a balanced decision. As you listen to the answers to your questions, mentally check the job against your list of what you value.

Tip 8 - Once you have an offer on the table, go back to your list and make sure that you are making a decision in keeping with your values. It is easy to be swayed by personalities, by fantasies of how fabulous you are going to feel in the new office, but the harsh reality is that lovely view in time will fade into the background of a job that you will either love, endure or hate!

If you are having trouble getting started in your job search, there are agencies that can support you. In Australia, we have the Job Network where you can register for assistance and work with a Case Manager who will assist you to find a job. There is also funding available for people while they are job searching. Make the most of the opportunity to dedicate yourself to finding the right fit for you. Failing these options, there are also employment agencies that can place you in temporary employment so you can "try before you buy" into a permanent employment relationship.

At the end of the day, this is your life and it is too short to be involved in a job that you don't enjoy. Spend the time, do the research, put your best foot forward and reap the rewards of a job you love.

Setting your Goals

According to the Encarta online dictionary, goal means aim, something that somebody wants to achieve. The question is, how do you know what to aim for and how do you know when you have achieved it? Following on from the article on page 1 (download the whole Motivational Magic newsletter by clicking here), it is easy to have lots of ideas, but goals are the process by which you are able to focus those ideas to make them achievable.



Here are the main points why goal setting is a good idea:



1. Knowing where you are heading empowers you. If you can see the finish line, you know exactly how much effort is required for you to cross it and that is empowering.



2. Recording your goals also empowers you. By writing them down and giving them a timeframe to make them measurable, you go through the mental process of figuring out exactly what you are going to need to achieve them. Giving them a date to be achieved by helps to apply the pressure necessary to motivate you to action.



3. Visualising your goal in your mind, helps you to adopt the mental attitude necessary to achieve your goal. Imagine yourself doing whatever your goal is. The clearer you can see it in your mind, the more achievable it will become.



4. Talk positively about your goals and eliminate negative self-talk in relation to them. Every goal will have it’s issues but by being solutions focused, the issues will fade into the glory of achieving your goals.



5. Break your goals right down into achievable bite size chunks. The more detailed you are, the more probable your success will be.



6. Protect your goals from what are called the “dream stealers”. These are people that want to discourage you by pointing out all the obstacles and problems associated with your goal.



7. As you are working on your goals, adopt a “do-it-now” mentality. If something is annoying you, do something about it. Take action.


8. Make lists. If you rely on your brain, you will miss important things out. Buy a notepad you can carry everywhere with you and make lists of what you want to achieve, then tick them off as you go.

9. Make new goals regularly. A goals list is a fluid document. It needs to be visited daily and updated as things come up.



10. No more excuses, take action now! You can only guarantee success if you start the journey.




Achieving your dreams



You now know what goals are and how you can set them and you have been given the keys to setting and making your own goals. But is there another process that is missing that ensures that you achieve your goals?



I would like to suggest that there is. You know what you want to achieve, you even have created a visual board for yourself where you have images of what you want to achieve, with all the description and dates of your goals. But what it is that takes the dream off the page and converts it to reality?



Here are my three factors for making it happen.



1. Belief—Do you believe that it can and will happen to you?



2. Faith—Do you have the faith to step out and test your vision to prove it’s worth?



3. Focus—Are you prepared to make your goal the focus of your life?



If you can firstly, believe in your dream; secondly, have faith in yourself and any spiritual power that you may believe in; and then thirdly, place your focus on attaining that dream, amazing things start to happen! Without these your dream will fail before it has even lived.

Progess requires effort

I find that it is easy to start something but much harder to finish it. Along the way, there are the little things that become big things, that sometimes seem insurmountable. However, experience has taught me, that if you keep going and perservere, you eventually breakthrough and make progress.

So what do you do when you start to feel the pressure on you? Do you cave at the first resistance to your idea or your movement forward?

I was a professional dancer and often there was a pain threshold that you would reach after doing a class for 30 minutes. You are just up to the part where you have to spring into the air over and over and your legs are screaming at you to stop and the idea of of just stopping right there is almost enough for you to revolt. I mean, I became the guru of escape. I had to suddenly go to the toilet when they were up to their 16th spring in the air. I had to do up my ballet slipper that had mysteriously just come undone. There is always some excuse that we can find if we want to but what happens if we push through?

Well, I can tell you from watching The Biggest Loser, Australian Series, tonight that I saw the results of perservering. On the television I watched a guy called Cosie take 90kilos of weight on his shoulders and outstand five other competitors that hardly even got over the 40kilos marker. What kept him standiing on that little elevated platform with almost the same as his body weight sitting on his shoulders? The knowledge that if he perservered he would make it over the line and have another chance at the Biggest Loser title. I think that if there was any doubt in anyone's mind about him winning it was all sorted out right there. This is his moment to shine and quite deservingly, he was selected by the trainers to go through to the next round.

So what is there in your life that feels like an insurmountable mountain of opposition to your plan or your progress? Are you going to give up just before your breakthrough or are you going to tough it out, to dig deep and pull on every ounce of energy that is left in you to make your dreams come true?

There is a bible story about Jesus Christ when he was praying in the garden the night before he was crucified. It says that he sweat drops of blood. That was the level of his anguish in preparing himself for his death. There is a scripture that the new testament that says, "You have not resisted in your battle against temptation unto the point of shedding blood." I am asking you, in your desire to achieve your dreams, have you gone to the level of your ability or have you piked out just before your breakthrough? Next time you are tempted to give up, I challenge you to hold in there and tough it out and see what happens.

Feel free to comment. I'd love to hear your feedback on this thought.

Tips for Kicking Procrastination to the Kerb

Have you ever wondered just how to break out of that negative behaviour called "Procrastination"?

The big 'P' word can be the cause of many a job being left undone, which is a major cause of stress in our lives.

I know when I am on a 'bender' - that is, a week where I just can't get myself into gear, the big 'P' word takes over. The washing, the dishes, the kid's rooms (I have four under 11 years) just seem to become major disaster zones and I finish my bender more and more determined not to let it ever get that way.

So how do I, and how do we, tackle this major robber of peace, order and organisation in the home, the workplace, the general community?

We've all heard of the Nike advertising, "Just do it". I believe this is a principle that goes across every aspect of our lives. As my dear old mother would say, "Work never killed you, Hayley. It is just the thought of it." I think having a Nike attitude is the type of attitude that you have to adopt to beat procrastination.

I know for me, if I let things slide it is just that much more difficult to get things back to good working order. It is much easier to beat myself up for a few seconds a day with the "Just Do It" message and get the job done, than to let things go for a few days and live with the guilt and lack of peace that is a much heavier burden to bear.

My son brought it all to a head for me recently. He is sharing a room with his sister who is 18 months older. They are aged 5 and 7 years. Well, they'd managed to get their room looking like a bomb had hit it. There were clothes on the floor, toys, books, bags and discarded shoes. That room was wall-to-wall clothes carpet. Now I have a policy with my children that their rooms are their responsibility and I try as hard as I can not to rescue them from their own mess as I want to teach them to clean their own space. But what happened was my five year old son refused to come home from school oneday and when I asked him why he didn't want to come home he told me it was because his room was "disgusting", which he said with the emphasis as I would use. It actually was affecting how he felt about living in the house, as he kept asking to move out and go to live at his Dad's house.

It was then that I realised just how important order was to his feelings of security and peace. He craved order just as much as I did. So I got in and I cleaned that room and it took me all of 15 minutes. Now I had put up with that room for over a week being disorganised and it has weighed very heavily on my heart every time I went to that end of the house. I could no longer procrastinate because my procrastination was having a significant impact on my son's peace and happiness.

How many times do we succumb to the big 'P' word and then pay the price for days. I know that this is particularly true of doing projects that I don't really want to do. If I leave the large items that I know are going to be big thinking tasks until last, guaranteed I am going to run out of time and be stressed out. So I've learned to move these difficult tasks to the top of the pile and to get them off my pile so they are not playing on my mind. The same with phone calls you don't want to make, with visits you don't want to make. Just do it and you will feel so much better.

I have a little jingle I use with my children when they are struggling with motivation. We chant together, "You can do it, you can do it, if you put your mind to it." It works for them!

Tell me what works for you. Leave a comment.

The Power of Passion

Every day I wake up and the first thought I have is, "What is there that makes it worth getting out of bed today?"

Fortunately, there are so many wonderful things that I have happening in my life that are related to my passion that it is a pleasure to get out of bed.

However, when I was depressed following the birth of my fourth child, daily I struggled to think of one thing that motivated me to get out of that bed. All my thoughts were negative. It was as though I had no fuel left in my tank and no spark in my ignition system.

Fortunately, something happened to me that changed my life and I will never be that person again. What happened to me was that I connected with my passion - people! And that passion for people energised me and changed my life.

Passion, as described in the Encarta dictionary, means 'intense or overpowering emotion' or 'intense enthusiasm' and is closely related to the word 'zeal' which means 'energetic and unflagging enthusiasm'

I connected with the energising force of passion and my life has never been the same since.

So how do we tap into that 'intense or overpowering emotion that causes us to have intense, energetic and unflagging enthusiasm'?

By connecting with what it is that lights our candle. What is it that makes us happy, that gives us a buzz, that we can connect our thoughts to as a creative energy?

There are many beliefs about the power of thoughts and I do believe that thoughts are creative, after all, doesn't an artist visualise the painting before they paint? If we are passionate about our lives, we live life to the full and experience the full gamut of emotions and experiences.

I see that passion has four purposes in our life:

1. It pressures us to pursue our destiny - there is this urge that keeps trying to move us towards our passion.
   
   
2. It points us in the right direction - like a compass, it leads us towards our destiny.
   
   
3. It energises us to perform tasks - like the fuel in our tanks it energises us for the journey.
   
   
4. It propels us to be successful - like the spark plugs in our engine, passion starts the reaction that motivates us to be successful in attaining our destiny and goals.

I guess when you think about girl/guy relationships and that type of passion you can see that these four principles are true. Passion pressures us in our relationships to desire intimacy, it attracts us to the other person, it energises us to engage in a relationship and it moves our relationships forward. Where there is no passion, a relationship is missing an energising ingredient and so it is with our lives. Where we have nothing that we are passionate about, we are half living life.

Today, connect with your passion. If you are doing a job that you don't enjoy because you feel you have to, I say, think again! You spend so much time working in life that it is such a waste to not be actively involved in something that you love doing.

I have always been passionate about my work and that has produced results in my work situations, with incredible opportunities coming my way. But I have been lucky to early identify what works for me, what lights my candle and to focus my energies in those areas.

Spend some time getting to know yourself, then connect with your passion. Like a light bulb going into a powered light socket, your life will start to glow if you do!

Job Searching is like shopping for a marriage partner.

If you know what you are looking for and where to look for it, it’s just a matter of letting them know what you’ve got to offer and making yourself look as attractive as possible!

An unsuccessful search is usually because you are not offering the right bait, looking in the right places or never meant to be. Sometimes there simply is no chemistry!

Alternatively, a successful search prove fruitless if you blow it by not doing your homework thoroughly enough, so it always pays to put as much, if not more time, into your job search preparations as the actual event.

My sure fire tips for finding a job that has your name on it, gleaned from my experience as an Employment Consultant working with long term unemployed where I was ranked in the top 4 out of 40 consultants, are:

1. Know yourself

Take the time to sit down and evaluate your skills, abilities, experience, knowledge and ambitions. The more you know about the product, the easier it will be to sell it to someone else. Make some plans – they can always be changed as more information becomes known – it is good to know where you want to be in 2, 5 and 10 years from now. The problem is that if you don't have a plan, you are likely to be like a rudderless ship. You may be successful in interview, but will you be a stayer and if you are not a stayer, are you just wasting your employer's time and your time? Isn't it better and more effective to know where you are headed and hit all the bases in the journey to your destination? The more you know about what you want to achieve, the less time you will waste finding out what you don't like.

2. Prepare a great resume

A great resume is honest, accurate and demonstrates to a prospective employer the benefits of employing you. Qualify what you say by describing how you learned the skills you say you have. For example, “Highly experienced in waiting tables”, should be accompanied by a descriptor of how and when you learned these skills. For example, “with 5 years hands-on experience delivering silver service to customers in an up market restaurant.” Quantify your claims by describing the level of experience or the manner in which you complete tasks. For example, “Highly experienced in waiting tables, with 5 years hands-on experience delivering silver service to customers in an up market restaurant where I was awarded the staff member of the month award six months in a row.”

3. Resist the urge to machine gun apply for jobs

You have a great resume and you are just itching to get it out there. Now it’s important to hold back until you know where you want your resume to go. Your resume, in the hands of the right person, can mean a job straight away. Whereas the time, effort and cost of machine gun style applying for jobs not only is ineffective for you, it is also a waste of the employer’s time. Take the time to select a handful of jobs that have everything you are looking for in a job. Critically evaluate yourself against their selection criteria and job description. Try to get as close a fit as possible, with a little bit of room for a stretch to allow you to grow. However, never let a selection criteria item that you don't have stop you from applying for a job, as many times employers will accept someone who is the right fit for the company over someone who has everything they are looking for.

It may help to make a list of criterion by which you will judge positions The criterion you use for judging should include a list of things like Access to Child Care (if you are a parent), Distance from Home, Level of Income, Benefits, Job Satisfaction, and Opportunity for Advancement etc, as this information will help you to know clearly, what you value in the position. Before the interview use this list to judge whether or not to apply for a job. After the interview, use the list to judge whether the job offer is the right job offer for you. If you take the time to do this you will save everyone time, effort and disappointment.

4. Market yourself over the phone, in person, in writing

Marketing yourself over the phone involves calling those companies that you are interested in working for and once you are speaking to the right person, the person that makes the decisions about who they employ, sell them on your three top quality selling points. A quality selling point is how you can add value to their business. For example, if it is a sales business, your quality selling point may be that you already have an established relationship with a range of clients that would be interested in the business you are applying for a position with. At the very least, from every phone call you make, you should get the correct details for the person you need to connect with. You may not get an interview on your first phone call, but at least you will know whom to approach.

Marketing yourself in person is a little bit more frightening, but remembering how selective you are being in your promotions, it affords you the opportunity to go into the workplace and observe what the business is really like. By making an appointment to see the appropriate person or dropping by on the off chance they may be available, you are demonstrating to the employer that you are keen to work for them. If you visit the site and the appropriate person is unavailable, ask when would be a good time to catch up with them. Resist the urge to leave your resume with the receptionist, as she will not do as good a sales job as you would if you presented it in person.

Marketing yourself in writing is where you prepare a covering letter that clearly outlines your skills, knowledge and experience relevant to the type of work you are seeking. The letter should be concise, using appropriate language and present a clear case of the benefits you would bring to the employer. Always finish the letter with a call to action, eg “Please phone me as soon as possible to discuss an interview.” Once you have a letter that emphasises your quality selling points, you can send it, accompanied by your great resume, to the employers that you have selected. This is what I call a “primer”. It may not get you the job, but it will give you a reason to call and to ask to speak to the right person. Once you have them on the phone, you have another opportunity to make a positive impression. Always follow up your application with a phone call approximately 2-3 days after they would have received the letter. You may also want to send a Thank You card after the interview to firmly secure your name in their mind.

5. Put your best foot forward at interview

Interviews are that awful place where you feel like a bug under a microscope. Make sure you turn up early, 15 minutes is a good amount of time to allow yourself to calmly arrive and mentally prepare yourself. Make sure your breath is fresh, your clothes are clean and neat and that your hair is in place before going in for the interview (don't pull a face, some people don't do this and first impressions are so important!).

Be prepared, with a list of potential questions you could ask the employer, including some intelligent comments that demonstrate you have researched the business and know what they are looking for.

Shake their hand firmly but not too tightly. Give good eye contact and mirror the employer’s body language during the interview, as this will set them at ease. Use a clear voice and minimise distracting habits like playing with your face, hair or other body parts. Listen attentively and provide feedback in your responses. For example, if the employer asks, “How many words can you type a minute?” Repeat the question in your answer and add a positive attitude statement to your response, for example, “ I type 80wpm and I really enjoy typing, especially when I get the job done correctly the first time.”

Finally, try to use the employer’s name during the interview as it shows attention to detail and ask intelligent questions if given the opportunity. No employer is going to be upset if you quickly scribble down their name or ask them to repeat it. It shows interest in them.

Finally, you can achieve a successful job search through thorough preparation and attention to detail as you prepare job applications and ultimately attend an interview. Include appropriate follow up in your job search strategy – a phone call to see how a resume is tracking will make you more than just a name on paper. If you can strike up a rapport quickly, it will endear you to the employer and bring your resume to the top of the pile.

I guess the proof is always in the pudding – if you land the job, then you have been successful in your job search. The final key is to never, ever give up! A closed door just means that there is always another standing wide open that is more suited to you.

Stretching Your Marketing Dollars Further

Marketing can be very expensive if you are unaware of the range of low-cost marketing techniques that are available at your fingertips and telephone!

The first step in working out what's right for you is to come up with a ball park figure on how much you have to spend. It will cost you something, whether it the cost of the internet, paper, printing or phone calls, but everyday presents itself with a marketing opportunity for you. Here are my top 10 ideas:

1. Use your God given talent to speak. Everyone you meet is a potential customer. Be it friend, service provider, family member or a stranger in the queue at the local supermarket. If you can talk, you can market your business simply by sharing positive stories about how your customers have benefited from your business.

2. You have a body that goes everywhere, dress to impress and wear signage on your clothes. A simple badge with the logo of your business, or a printed T-shirt, tie or scarf, are a form of marketing that does not require any bravery on your part. You can be a human billboard and so can all of your family. Print some t-shirts for your kids, especially good looking clothing and before you know it they will have the parents of their friends wanting to use your business.

3. If you drive a car, you have another billboard for advertising your business. Simple magnetic plates to stick on the sides or back of your car are not that expensive and can be taken off so your car can be used for dual purposes. Or you can put some bumper stickers on. Not only are you advertising your business but it is tax deductible.

4. Local papers can also be a source for drawing new customers. A small ad can get them coming in the door, however, over time this can be quite expensive.

5. Fliers that you can letter box or hand out at train stations is another way of generating business. 1000 fliers may cost a few dollars but is money well spent if you are able to distribute them. Once again, if you have children, harness the energy and enthusiasm they have for your business and make distributing them a family outing.

6. Websites are only useful if you get people to look at them. You can do a very low cost website by doing most of the work yourself using a service provider who has well designed templates. For as little as $100AUD a year, you can have a website that people can log onto and verify that you are a legitimate business. Remember, the role of advertising is to let people know you are in business and what products or services you offer and the best way to contact you. Having a website does make this whole process a lot easier for those who use the technology.

7. Business cards are also handy as they help you to network. I know of at least one free online printer that will allow you to make up 500 business cards and you only pay for the postage to your home. This is an easy way to kick start your networking promotions.

8. Giving away some products is also another good way to get people to notice your business. Choose a few products, wrap them nicely then advertise the contest. One or two posters in the window of your business and people will be happy to take a look if they have a chance to win something for free. The same goes for special offers, either discounts or two-for-one sales.

9. A newsletter, distributed via the internet is another very low cost marketing tool. If you have writing skills, marketing via a newsletter is simple and effective.

10. Faxing or emailing to potential customers your price list and services, then following up with a phone call is also another way to promote a business. When I set up a home maintenance business in 2000, this is how I generated business. Within a very short time, I had our business booked out up to 3 weeks in advance simply by using this method. The same method worked when I was an Employment Consultant trying to get people work. It's magic. The phone call makes them locate the document and look at it. Even if they have discarded it, they don't want you to know that they did it, so you have them on the back foot straight away.

There are so many other ideas, like having a business launch, putting on special sessions for valued customers, sending birthday letters, distributing fridge magnets (great for business cause people need and love them), right down to standing on a busy corner wearing an A-Frame billboard.

You can do it low-cost, if you make the most of what you have!

How to set realistic goals for your home business

As I was unpacking my things after a house move recently, I found a piece of paper from a business I had started in 2004. On the piece of paper were listed my five top goals for the network marketing business, written at a goal setting seminar where I was told to dream big and pretend that money was no object. As I read them today I laughed because I finally realized that I had been sold a lie. The goals were neither practical nor realistic. This is what I have since learned about goal setting that has really made a difference to how I make things happen in my life.

1. Write the goals down and break them down into small achievable pieces. For example, the goal may be to gain a acquire a new skill that you need for the business. The goal may be written, "Acquire new skill. Contact training centers. Find out costs, times. Book a course. Pay for the course. Attend the course." As each of these small goals is completed, tick them off your list. Having to write down your goals causes you to do two things: Think about the goal and encourage yourself as you complete each step.

2. Surround yourself with things that remind of your vision. For example, your goal may be to earn enough money this quarter to take a vacation. Find pictures of the location you want to go to for the vacation. Write down how much money it will cost. Write down a date that you will achieve that goal by. Find interesting pictures or articles about that destination and stick them up with your goal. Then plot a time line and how much you need to make at points along that time line. Check off your progress by coloring in along the line as you reach each target. There is power in seeing the vision, in getting the finite details written down so you can consider all aspects of your vision.

3. Commit to a time frame. So many people say they want to do things but are too conservative to commit themselves to a time frame. A time frame can be a motivating force all by itself. Remember, plans are made to be changed but a starting mark will get your engine firing.

4. Set realistic goals. My goal to be financially debt-free and able to purchase a home within two years was a little unrealistic when starting out a business with no capital. I certainly didn't plan for my partner to have an accident and injure his back a short time into the business, meaning that I had to go back to work. Try to consider some of the things that may go wrong so you have a contingency plan.

5. Pace yourself. Not everything has to happen overnight. When you are setting the goal, imagine all the barriers to you achieving it, then put a time frame that is relevant to those barriers.

6. Have a plan. A plan is your way of measuring your progress. If the goal can't be measured, you are unable to measure your progress. For example, if your business is a modeling consultancy and you're a little overweight, your questions when goal setting may be: You want to lose weight? How much and by when and how much does that mean you'll need to lose each week and what can you do to make that happen?

7. Review your goals. If you don't know if your goals are realistic, get someone else to have a look and ask questions. I love the question, "How?" I have often said to my husband, "Nice idea. But how?" If he has thought the idea through and set real goals, he is able to tell me not only how but when and what the cost will be.

Goals can be tremendously satisfying or deathly disappointing, depending on whether you remember to make them SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound). Be SMART and reap the rewards of goals realized.

Need some low cost marketing ideas for your home business?

Marketing can be very expensive if you are unaware of the range of low-cost marketing techniques that are available at your fingertips and telephone!

The first step in working out what's right for you is to come up with a ball park figure on how much you have to spend. It will cost you something, whether it the cost of the internet, paper, printing or phone calls, but everyday presents itself with a marketing opportunity for you. Here are my top 10 suggestions:

1. Use your God given talent to speak. Everyone you meet is a potential customer. Be it friend, service provider, family member or a stranger in the queue at the local supermarket. If you can talk, you can market your business simply by sharing positive stories about how your customers have benefited from your business.

2. You have a body that goes everywhere, dress to impress and wear signage on your clothes. A simple badge with the logo of your business, or a printed T-shirt, tie or scarf, are a form of marketing that does not require any bravery on your part. You can be a human billboard and so can all of your family. Print some t-shirts for your kids, especially good looking clothing and before you know it they will have the parents of their friends wanting to use your business.

3. If you drive a car, you have another billboard for advertising your business. Simple magnetic plates to stick on the sides or back of your car are not that expensive and can be taken off so your car can be used for dual purposes. Or you can put some bumper stickers on. Not only are you advertising your business but it is tax deductible.

4. Local papers can also be a source for drawing new customers. A small ad can get them coming in the door, however, over time this can be quite expensive.

5. Fliers that you can letter box or hand out at train stations is another way of generating business. 1000 fliers may cost a few dollars but is money well spent if you are able to distribute them. Once again, if you have children, harness the energy and enthusiasm they have for your business and make distributing them a family outing.

6. Websites are only useful if you get people to look at them. You can do a very low cost website by doing most of the work yourself using a service provider who has well designed templates. For as little as $100AUD a year, you can have a website that people can log onto and verify that you are a legitimate business. Remember, the role of advertising is to let people know you are in business and what products or services you offer and the best way to contact you. Having a website does make this whole process a lot easier for those who use the technology.

7. Business cards are also handy as they help you to network. I know of at least one free online printer that will allow you to make up 500 business cards and you only pay for the postage to your home. This is an easy way to kick start your networking promotions.

8. Giving away some products is also another good way to get people to notice your business. Choose a few products, wrap them nicely then advertise the contest. One or two posters in the window of your business and people will be happy to take a look if they have a chance to win something for free. The same goes for special offers, either discounts or two-for-one sales.

9. A newsletter, distributed via the internet is another very low cost marketing tool. If you have writing skills, marketing via a newsletter is simple and effective.

10. Faxing or emailing to potential customers your price list and services, then following up with a phone call is also another way to promote a business. When I set up a home maintenance business in 2000, this is how I generated business. Within a very short time, I had our business booked out up to 3 weeks in advance simply by using this method. The same method worked when I was an Employment Consultant trying to get people work. It's magic. The phone call makes them locate the document and look at it. Even if they have discarded it, they don't want you to know that they did it, so you have them on the back foot straight away.

There are so many other ideas, like having a business launch, putting on special sessions for valued customers, sending birthday letters, distributing fridge magnets (great for business cause people need and love them), right down to standing on a busy corner wearing an A-Frame billboard.

You can do it low-cost, if you make the most of what you have! The key is to be consistent, as advertising begins and ends with the big E word - effort!

It is hard to find a good manager these days!

Ever been on the receiving end of an ineffective manager?

I'm sure you know the type.

They rush into your work area and brain dump, thinking that's a form of delegation; ignore you all day, until they want something; get mad at you when you fail to fulfill a task that they haven't even given you access to the resources for;or simply drown you in work until you are falling apart from stress!

I'd say it's easy to find a bad manager, but much harder to find a successful one. So what makes a manager successful? I did some research and this is what I came up with. My top ten qualities of a successful manager are:

Demonstrates integrity
A manager should walk the talk. The old saying, "Lead by example" is the first quality that makes a manager a stand out and that goes for owning up to errors!

Deals honestly and diplomatically
A manager, who owns their mistakes, deals openly, and honestly with others, earns the respect of those they are trying to lead. Equally, a manager that understands that people can have issues is a definite plus!

Demonstrates flexibility
A manager who is responsive to the needs of the business AND the needs of employees is able to keep their team on target and yet achieve the goals of the business.

Shows commitment and reliability
A manager who delivers their promises shows their team that they are reliable and promotes trust.

Listens effectively
A manager who 'seeks first to understand, then to be understood' (Dr Stephen Covey) is a manager who will always have their finger on the pulse of the business. A good negotiator
A manager who comes to the table prepared to give a little that the outcome is a positive one for everyone, will not only earn the respect of his employees but be guaranteed of the opportunity for further negotiations in the future.

A thorough planner
'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.' This saying is especially true for managing. A manager is a coach to their team and the team are looking to them for the game plan. Is fair
A manager who doesn't take sides, show favoritism or victimize those they are supervising, will earn their trust and in turn, will have more personal power to influence their team for good.

Knows how to have fun and has a good sense of humor
A manager who is able to promote a safe and happy work environment where appropriate fun is braced, will ensure the retention of staff.

Seeks to understand those they are supervising
A manager who is able to accurately assess the skills, abilities and personalities of their work team, will be able to develop individual managers to maximize their effectiveness and help them reach their potential, whilst focusing their efforts on the goal.

How does your manager rate? Get them to read this blog and rate themselves against the criteria.