Mike Moorewww.motivationalplus.com

Introduction

My name is Mike Moore. Each year I travel extensively throughout

Canada and the USA speaking to companies and organizations on the

Power of Humor, Positive Attitude and Self Confidence to promote

health and unleash human potential.

Do you know that we humans only achieve a tiny percentage of our

enormous untapped potential in our lifetime? Some say it's between 2

and 5 percent?

Can you imagine the self improvement possibilities that could be open to

us if we even increased that percentage to 25%? We could literally

transform our lives and our world.

I would like to share with you in this special report my self

improvement seminar notes on the subject to help you live more

confidently and explode your untapped potential.

You owe it to yourself and those you love to become all that you can be.

Explode your human potential NOW!!!

LET”S BEGIN!

Barriers to Achieving Human Potential and Self Confidence

* Shyness

* Fear of failure

* Fear of looking foolish

* low self esteem and self image

* negative self talk

* Embarrassment

* You love your comfort zone

How to Overcome Shyness and Connect with People

The one thing that is vital to achieving your potential is overcoming

shyness and the one thing absolutely necessary to overcoming shyness

is DESIRE. You must want to, badly.

POSITIVE SELF TALK

We must begin to talk to ourselves about ourselves in a more positive

way. Instead of defining ourselves negatively we must define ourselves

positively.

Tell yourself that...

* I am equal in dignity to anyone else.

* I have a lot to offer other people.

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* People are not my enemies.

* I am intelligent and nice to be with.

* I can do anything I put my mind to.

* I am loveable and capable just the way I am right now.

Many times through the day stop and say something like, " Every day, in

every way, I am becoming more comfortable speaking with people."

REMEMBER... that every person is a unique gift. There is no other

person like you on the planet. There has never been another like you.

There will never be another like you. So treat yourself like the rare,

unique, precious gift that you are.

The Art Of Confident Conversation

When I first started speaking for a living I had great difficulty

participating in one-on-one conversation with members of my audience.

I could speak before 2500 people and enjoy every minute of it, but when

I was expected to mix and mingle my tongue became all thumbs. I

decided to get to work improving my conversation skills and researched

the topic thoroughly. My efforts paid off for now I can speak with

anyone, anywhere for any length of time. Let me share with you what I

learned.

* There are three fundamental principles upon which good conversation

is based. 1. It is better to be interested than interesting

2. There is nothing as flattering as the undivided attention of another

human being.

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3. People long to talk about their favourite topic which is "themselves."

Keep these in mind and you can't fail in becoming a great

conversationalist.

* Assume the responsibility for starting and maintaining the

conversation.

* I usually begin with a friendly " Hi, I'm Mike Moore and I'm from

Canada" Usually the response is " Hello, Mike I am ____________ and

I'm from___________. (Away you go.)

* Use the person's name throughout the conversation. It shows that

you're interested in and focussed on the other.

* Let the other be the center of attention.

* Show a genuine interest in the one you're speaking with. Maintain eye

contact.

* Ask questions that require more than a one word answer.

* When you ask a question listen attentively to the answer and be quick

to ask another question arising from the response to the first. You learn

what to say by listening carefully to what was said.

* Put the other at ease by smiling and nodding frequently throughout the

conversation.

* Talk in terms of the other person's interests.

* Don't feel the need to disagree until you get to know the person better.

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GREAT CONVERSATION PHRASES

* " That's interesting. Tell me more."

* " Give me an example of what you mean."

* " How would you like to see it turn out?"

* How did you feel when that happened to you?"

CONVERSATION STARTERS

* Give a compliment.

* Ask for advice.

* Seek help with something.

* Give praise.

* Seek an opinion.

I keep six honest servants

They taught me all I know.

Their names are what and why and when

And how and where and who.

R. Kipling

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Do This and Really Start Living www.motivationalplus.com

I have come to the conclusion that there are far too many people living

lives of drudgery. Whenever I speak I meet nice people who have

simply given up on life. Not that they want to end it. They just find life

such a heavy burden. They tell me sad stories of their pain and

disillusionment; stories that are filled with failure, negative self talk,

sadness and rejection. It reminds me of what George Bernard Shaw

once said, “Some people should have inscribed on their tombstone, “

Died at 30. Buried at 82.” I agree with Sam Butler when he says that

our main task in life is to enjoy it.

Life is short and we only go around once so I want to make sure that my

life is a joyful, fun experience in spite of the inevitable pain and

suffering. I also want to make sure that , before I take my last breath I

have come close to actualizing the enormous untapped potential that is

ours as human beings.

Here are a few suggestions I use to bring joy, laughter, peace and self

actualization to my life. I hope they do for you what they have done for

me. Remember that the key to making them work is commitment to

their application.

Becoming the Gift that You Are

* Commit yourself to putting the fun back into your life. Whatever it is

that’s fun for you do it, and do it often.

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* Laugh more. Become a laughologist. Watch funny movies and sit

coms, Collect and display funny cartoons. Isn’t that what a refrigerator

door is for? Hang out with humourous people. Frequent the humour

section of your public library. LIVE BETTER, LAUGH MORE

* Develop a strong sense of E.S.P. (The Enjoyment of Simple

Pleasures) Life is full of simple pleasures if we would only slow down

and look for them. Just last night I stood at the front window

overlooking the golf course and watched a full autumn moon rise in the

eastern sky. I stood in silence taking in the awesome beauty of a

moonlit night. I was filled with peace, stillness and an overwhelming

sense of joy. A perfect example of E.S.P.

* Go for a brisk walk in nature. You will feel good and you will put

yourself in touch with your lost sense of wonder. There is nothing that

lifts my drooping spirits faster than a nature walk.

* Reach out and help someone. I believe that we are never more fully

alive than when we reach out to help another human being. True

happiness comes from investing your energy in caring for others and

creation.

* Take time each day to examine your life. What did you do that your

were proud of? What could you have done better.? What new ideas did

you learn? In what ways did you force yourself to leave your comfort

zone? How are you a better person today than you were yesterday?

“Laughter destroys all limits to your thinking. When you laugh you

are open to all possibilities.”

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Climbing the Listening Ladder

I wrote in my book " Embracing the Mystery " that there was nothing as

flattering or as rare as the undivided attention of another. The fact is

that people just don't listen well. I think it was Mark Twain who wrote

that a bore is someone who wants to talk about himself when I want to

talk about myself. How many times have you experienced someone

asking you a question, not out of a genuine concern for what you have

to say, but rather as an opportunity for them to flood you with their

thoughts and opinions on an issue?

People have a hunger to be listened to- to have someone care enough to

suspend their own agenda in the interest of another's. Sadly, such

unselfish, attentive people are few..

I once had a man at a party come up to me and say that my wife, Carol

was a terrific conversationalist. On the way home that same evening I

told Carol what he had said and asked her what she did to give him that

impression. She thought for a moment and said, " All I did was ask him

questions about his life and listen to his answers. From his answers I

asked more questions." Therein lies the secret to good conversation

...LISTENING WELL.

From Carol's insight I have developed what I call the listening ladder.

Climb the listening ladder and you will be on your way to improved

social interaction.

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The Listening Ladder

L. Look at the person speaking to you.. This alone sends out the

message that you are focussed and involved.

A. Ask additional questions flowing from answers given to your

original starting questions. Remember that you learn what to say by

listening to what has been said.

D. Don't interrupt. The only time an interruption is acceptable is when

you require clarification.

D. Don't change the subject. The speaker will indicate when they are

finished their story.

E. Empathize with the speaker. Short phrases such as, " How

interesting." How exciting." " You must be so proud." Send the speaker

the message that you are an empathic, caring listener.

R. Respond to what is said verbally and non-verbally. A simple nod or

leaning slightly toward the speaker indicates interest and attention. Add

to this such phrases as, " I see." "Really?" " Is that right?" and you

enrich your response.

In conclusion I want to make something clear. Conversation is a two

way affair. Most conversations are monologues conducted in the

presence of an observer. If, after a reasonable period of time, the one

speaking isn't willing to ask you a question and become a listener then

conclude the interaction and move on. I usually give the one speaking

ten minutes. If, after that time, they haven't asked me a question or my

opinion I say something like, " It was nice chatting with you.

Conversation MUST be reciprocal.

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I like the story of the self-possessed Hollywood star who was heard

saying to an admirer, "Enough about me talking about me. I'd like to

hear you talk about me for awhile." There is a great deal of truth in this

little story.

Good luck climbing the Listening ladder. The view from the top is

fantastic.

Mike Moore: a speaker with a difference

http://www.motivationalplus.com

How to Develop Confidence Through Public Speaking

1. Public speaking builds confidence. When you experience the thrill of

holding an audience in the palm of your hand and receive their

appreciative applause your confidence soars.

2. Public speaking boosts your self esteem. When you see the audience

relate to you as someone who really knows what you are talking about

your self esteem increases. And we all can use an increase in self

esteem.

3. People start looking at you in a more positive way. Even if you never

use your public speaking skills in giving formal presentations, people

will notice that you are more articulate and confident in expressing an

opinion or sharing an insight. You will discover that they begin looking

to you for advice and opinions on many issues.

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4. It helps you become a more organized thinker.. Planning, writing and

delivering a well researched , well organized presentation has an

overflow effect in other areas of your life. You begin to plan and

organize your thoughts more effectively.. This is especially helpful in

your career or business. When your manager or supervisor asks your

opinion on some work- related issue you are better able to express your

ideas in a clear, concise and well organized manner.

5. Public speaking begins to alter your self perception. As you begin to

use the skills involved in public speaking you will notice that you begin

to start talking to yourself in a more positive way. You begin to see

yourself as capable and confident.

6. By accepting the challenge to speak in public you begin to explore

and actualize your own potential. Many of us go through life not

realizing how much we are capable of achieving. Public speaking is an

effective tool in the process of self discovery.

7. Public speaking gives you the courage to break out of your comfort

zone. I believe that the comfort zone is the enemy of human growth.

When we are too comfortable where we are we tend to become

stagnant. Speaking in public pushes us out of the comfort zone and

reveals to us our enormous capabilities.

If you feel compelled to share your expertise or message with others do

so. Start slowly and start small but start. The benefits and rewards are

tremendous.

Mike’s speaking resources at www.speakforprofit.com

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Attracting Terrific People to Your Life

I remember asking my Dad, when I was 16, how I could become

charming. I must admit that my motives were hormonally inspired at the

time, but what he said to me has effected my life and relationships ever

since. He looked at me and said, " Son, you become charming by

making another person feel better about themselves when they are in

your company." What wisdom!

With my Dad's wisdom ringing in my ears I offer you a few suggestions

on how to do just that- make someone feel better about themselves

when in your company.

* Be alert for any chance to praise another.

* Be fun to be with.

* Be genuinely concerned about what's going on in the life of the other.

* Suspend your agenda in the interest of the other's.

* Encourage and affirm your friend at every opportunity.

* Listen twice as much as you talk.

* Give genuine compliments, frequently.

* Accept the person as they are and not as you want them to be.

* Ask questions and listen to their answers. There is a difference

between prying and being interested.

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* Be enthusiastic.

* Be a friend without conditions.

There is nothing more flattering or rare than the undivided attention of

another.

It is more important to be interested than interesting.

Ten Terrific Self- motivating Tips

No one can motivate anyone to do anything. All a person can do for

another is provide them with incentives to motivate themselves. Here

are ten very effective strategies to help you get up and get moving

toward actualizing your enormous, untapped potential.

* Be willing to leave your comfort zone. The greatest barrier to

achieving your potential is your comfort zone. Great things happen

when you make friends with your discomfort zone.

* Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Wisdom helps us avoid making

mistakes and comes from making a million of them.

* Don't indulge in self-limiting thinking. Think empowering, expansive

thoughts.

* Choose to be happy. Happy people are easily motivated. Happiness is

your birthright so don't settle for anything else.

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* Spend at least one hour a day in self-development. Read good books

or listen to inspiring tapes. Driving to and from work provides an

excellent opportunity to listen to self-improvement tapes.

* Train yourself to finish what you start. So many of us become

scattered as we try to accomplish a task. Finish one task before you

begin another.

* Live fully in the present moment. When you live in the past or the

future you aren't able to make things happen in the present.

* Commit yourself to joy. C.S. Lewis once said, " Joy is the serious

business of heaven."

* Never quit when you experience a setback or frustration. Success

could be just around the corner.

* Dare to dream big dreams. If there is anything to the law of

expectation then we are moving in the direction of our dreams, goals

and expectations.

The real tragedy in life is not in how much we suffer, but rather in how

much we miss, so don't miss a thing.

Charles Dubois once said, " We must be prepared, at any moment,

to sacrifice who we are for who we are capable of becoming."

Happiness in life comes from loving people and using things, not

from loving things and using people.

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Potential Power Through Appreciation and Praise

While doing some research for a seminar on maximizing human

potential I came upon this interesting piece of information. Appreciation

and praise are more powerful motivators in the lives of people than sex

and money. I always knew that appreciation and praise were powerful

motivators, but I didn't realize just how powerful. More than sex and

money?????

How to Use Appreciation and Praise to Achieve Potential

1. Listen more than you talk. There is nothing more affirming than the

undivided attention of another.

2. Always use the first name of the person you are addressing.

3. Be polite and respectful.

4. Ask for solutions to job-related problems and then use the suggestions

given.

5. Don't give orders. Ask nicely.

6. Be positive.

7. Be generous with encouragement and affirmation. If you find it

difficult to express affirmation and encouragement face to face then write

notes of appreciation.

8. Apologize when you have been impatient, sarcastic etc. It will happen.

You're only human.

9. Always correct someone in private and never when angry.

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10. Give credit; don't take credit.

11. Laugh with the people you work with.

12. Keep your people informed.

13. Be flexible.

14. Ask about their lives outside of work. Ask about their children,

hobbies etc. There is a huge difference between being interested and

prying.

15. Smile a lot.

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The Simple Secret to Happiness

After a talk I gave in Niagara Falls recently a woman approached me and

shared her father's secret to happiness. She said, " My Father believed

that there were four requirements to happiness.

TO BE HAPPY ... 1.You must have someone to love.

2. You must have something meaningful to do.

3. You must have something to look forward

4. You must have someone to laugh with.

A pretty sound philosophy!

Happiness doesn't depend on being in a certain set of circumstances,

but rather on having a certain set of attitudes.

Happiness is discovered when we leave loving footprints in the lives

of others.

Count lost that day whose low descending sun

Views from your hand no act of kindness done.

Anon

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Attitude is Everything

If we are the products of our attitudes then it is important for us to

examine our attitudes, both positive and negative, to discover the impact

they are having on our lives. This is even more important if we are

determined to maximize the potential that is ours, a potential which, in

the vast majority of us, remains grossly underdeveloped.

Positive attitudes release a power to achieve that will astound you,

while negative attitudes severely hamper our becoming the people we are

capable of becoming. It become the central task of anyone interested in

actualizing their enormous potential to become involved in the process

of attitudinal transformation.

Attitudinal transformation takes time, effort and determination but

it can be done. Don't expect perfection, just progress. It took a long time

to develop negative attitudes and it will take time to transform them. It is

also important not to concentrate on more than one or two negative

attitudes at once. If you overload your agenda for change you run the risk

of becoming discouraged and giving up.

Once you have identified the negative attitude you wish to

transform, commit yourself to the process of becoming conscious of that

attitude cropping up throughout the day. You will be surprised at how

quickly you will become aware of your target attitude. When you are

focussed on the attitude, visualize it leaving your body and flying off into

the great beyond. Now replace it with a positive attitude and give

yourself the suggestion that from now on this will be your dominant

thought pattern. Whenever your old negative attitude creeps back into

your mind engage this process of thought replacement. Soon the new

attitude will become dominant and you will find yourself enjoying its

positive power in your life.

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Be gentle with yourself when you fall back into the old pattern of

thinking. Believe that the change you desire will come more frequently

and it will. It might help to remember that human beings use between 2

and ten percent of their mind's potential so you have a huge reservoir of

unused potential to help you over any periods of discouragement.

Don't forget to continue to use humour to keep your spirits up and put the

entire process in perspective. HUMOR MAKES GOOD THINGS

HAPPEN.

* Pain in life is inevitable, misery is optional. Anon

Ten Humorous Power Attitudes

The ability to achieve our enormous untapped potential is directly related

to the attitudes we possess. Positive attitudes empower us to achieve

while negative attitudes tend to keep us rooted where we are.

A Harvard study followed a group of graduates over an extended period

of time and found that 85% of what they achieved in the areas of wealth

and position was the result of attitude while 15% was the result of

aptitude.

I think the message is clear. Change your negative attitudes to positive

and great things begin to happen.

Here are a few stories of people with power attitudes. I hope that in

reading them you will begin to see that your life can be more enjoyable

and productive by committing to a change of attitude.

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* Walt Disney once said, " Never forget that all this started with a

mouse."

* The great thing about being old is that you can sing in the bathroom

while brushing your teeth.

* Anyone who says that money can't buy happiness just doesn't know

where to shop.

* If a cat could speak it would probably say, " Hey, I don't see a problem

here."

* Thomas Edison once remarked, " I haven't failed ten thousand times. I

have successfully discovered ten thousand ways that didn't work."

* On older woman looking in the mirror was heard to remark," Isn't it

wonderful that wrinkles don't hurt?"

* We can all learn a great deal from the young, beautiful, confident nurse

who deducted ten beats per minute from the pulse of every one of her

male patients.

* After examining the knee of an 80 year old patient, the doctor

concluded that the pain she was experiencing was simply due to age. The

patient looked at the doctor and said, " But my other knee is the same age

and it doesn't hurt."

* I like the story of the 85 year old woman who, upon looking into the

mirror at her wrinkled face, remarked, " They sure don't make mirrors

like they used to."

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* When Agatha Christie was asked how she like being married to an

archeologist she replied, that it was wonderful because the older she got

the more interested in her he became.

As I say in my talks on the power of a positive attitude, Change your

attitude and you will change your life. Remember that we are the

products of the attitudes we possess. Good luck.

Three Weeks to A More Positive Attitude

It takes 21 days to develop a new habit and attitudes are nothing more

than habits of thinking formed over time.

To change your attitude just follow these simple steps.

1. Identify the attitude you want to change.

2. Examine the reasons why you want to change this attitude.

People can more easily change an attitude when it no longer works for

them or is causing discomfort.

3. Identify the new attitude you want to develop.

4. Mentally picture yourself with the new attitude.

5, Start acting as if you already possessed it.

6. Affirm your new attitude by saying out loud or in your mind

“ Every day, in every way I am becoming more _____________.

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7. When the old attitude creeps back use thought replacement and

picture the new attitude throwing the old attitude out of your mind.

8. Mentally feel the emotions the new attitude brings.

Expect a change of attitude and it will come. We tend to become what we

expect and affirm.

Thoughts to Keep in Mind

* Attitudes are external manifestations of your dominant thoughts.

* Attitudes are learned and therefore can be unlearned.

* All human behaviour is attitude in action.

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The Healing, Motivating Magic of the Night Sky

I love the night sky. Not only does it motivate me to live more fully

and happily, but there is something comforting, mysterious and hopeful

about standing under a canopy of swirling stars. Each summer I go

camping alone in Canada’s beautiful northland to satisfy a hunger for

solitude, wilderness and the night sky. Away from city lights there is

nothing more awe inspiring than a star studded sky in the stillness of the

wilderness.

I usually set up camp beside a lonely northern lake providing me

with a long horizon and an uninterrupted view of the heavens. As

darkness approaches I begin to sense an overwhelming closeness to the

mysteries of the universe and a strong connection to the source of all that

is. I become aware of an alternate rhythm to life - a rhythm which is so

easily lost amidst the frenetic pace of contemporary existence. Embraced

by darkness, with stars too numerous to count and comforted by the

gentle lapping of the waves I begin to realize how much I miss living in a

city with its incessant, invasive brightness. It is as if I am rediscovering

an enormous part of a lost spiritual heritage.

When sleep begins to engulf me and my eyes start to close, I

reluctantly move toward my camper not wanting to miss a moment of this

celestial display but realizing that I can’’t resist the call to slumber any

longer. In the warmth of my sleeping bag I let the silence and stillness

lull me to sleep with the immortal words of Sophocles gently echoing

across the centuries, “ Mortal I know I am, short lived. Yet whenever I

stand and watch a multitude of swirling stars I no longer tread this earth,

but rise to feast with God and enjoy the food of the immortals.” And so to

sleep.

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* “ The sea never sleeps and in its vigil there is consolation for the

troubled soul.” Gibran

* To unleash our potential we must take time to listen to the universe.

* The main objective in life should be peace of mind. M.M.

To really make things happen in your life make friends with your

discomfort zone.

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How to Stop Wasting Precious Time

Twenty four hours a day minus the eight hours we sleep leaves us

with 16 productive hours to accomplish things that need to be done at

home and at work. Of these 16 hours, a lot of time is wasted due to

distractions, interruptions and disorganization. We just don't manage our

time well.

The Top Six Time Wasters

1. Television: We average four hours a day watching television. If we

live to be 72 it works out to 12 solid years wasted watching TV. This

doesn't include time spent on the internet. SOLUTION? Go on frequent

television fasts.

2. Emailing back and forth: Email becomes time consuming when you

consider how often we check it and how frequently we are involved in

sending back and forth messages. A survey was done by the American

Management Association with these results: Of the 400 business

managers polled.....35% use email to communicate with clients...26%

prefer the phone...15% would rather have face to face meetings.

Interesting results when you consider the time email consumes.

3. Junk mail of the traditional kind. Too much time is wasted opening and

then trashing unwanted mail.

4. Drop in visits: When you are in your office with the door open you are

an open invitation to those with nothing better to do to drop in for a chat.

When they do, they eat up a lot of your precious time. SOLUTION?

Keep your door closed. If you don't want to close your door arrange your

desk in such a way that people passing by can't see you and drop in for a

visit.

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5. Reading every word of every document that crosses your desk. We are

living in the age of information and it seems that much of it ends up on

your desk each day demanding your attention. If you don't learn how to

scan it quickly and either discard it or place it in your " for further study"

pile you will end up overwhelmed and stressed.

6. Phone calls that are too long and too frequent. Some people just won't

get off the phone and let you get back to work. SOLUTION? Let people

know that it is a bad time and then give them a better time to call when

you can spare a FEW minutes. Before they call back get an egg timer and

put it on your desk. As soon as their call comes in get the egg timer going

and then see if you are able to bring the conversation to a conclusion

within the three minutes provided by the timer.

The message is clear....take back your time or you will never get anything

meaningful accomplished.

We will never find time for anything. We’ve got to make time.

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LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE AND BE HAPPY

Life is a mystery to be lived and celebrated not a problem to be solved

and endured.

Motivate yourself to live life to the fullest.

1. For the next 24 hours, deliberately speak and think positive thoughts

about people and events.. If a negative thought enters your mind,

visualize it leaving and replace it with a more positive one.

2.Look for the good in people. Overlook the bad.

3.Make time to relax your mind and body. Think of a beautiful scene, a

sunset, a moonlit night, the ocean etc. Let the scene quiet your mind and

relax your body

4.When tense and uptight about people and situations, take three deep

breaths. Visualize the tension leaving your body as you exhale. Recall a

happy event and enjoy the feeling.

5.Listen to quiet music and be still. Let it soothe your anxious spirit.

6.Learn to be amused by the weaknesses of yourself and others. Don't let

those weaknesses upset or distract you.

7.Don't take yourself, others, or life too seriously.

8.Remember that good health requires a healthy body and a healthy mind.

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9.Health of body, mind and spirit is within your control.

10.Learn to laugh and let laughter heal your spirit. Laughter is the best

medicine.

11.Love your work and enjoy it. Change your attitude toward your work

and the people with whom you come in contact and joy will return to

your life in abundance.

12.Love others as they are, not as you want them to be, and your world

becomes a much more joyful place.

13.Remember that worry and fear are destructive. They rob you of

happiness and joy. Let go of worry and fear and trust in a power greater

than you.

14.Count your blessings each day.

15.Live fully, laugh heartily, relax daily, love completely and enjoy the

journey.

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Thoughts to Move You

I will always include an author’s byline if the author is known to me.

If there is none you know I haven’t a clue who wrote or said it.

* I think it was George Bernard Shaw that said, “ Some people should

have on their headstones, DIED AT 30, BURIED AT 82..

* We all die but very few of us really live.

* Make sure you die living. Don’t live dying. Kuschner

* Thoughts rule the world. Emerson.

* The mind can make a heaven out of hell or a hell out of heaven. Milton

* We choose the attitude with which we face our fate. V. Frankl

* We are what we think about all day long. ( I said this to a group of

teenagers awhile back and one young guy stood up and said, “ If that

were true I would be female.)

* Sow a seed of kindness and reap a harvest of friends.

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* There are no fixed limits to human potential.

* The future arrives before we are willing to give up the past.

* You’re never too old to become what you might have been.

* Life is meant to teach us not overwhelm us. M. Moore

* Laziness: the habit of resting before fatigue sets in. J. Renard

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* Worry is like a rocking chair. It will give you something to do but

won’t get you anywhere.

Becoming Assertive

Our failure to unleash our human potential is frequently the result

of not being motivated to do so and our lack of motivation is often due to

the fact that we are afraid to assert ourselves. We are frequently

reluctant to assert ourselves because we hunger for approval, acceptance

and belonging. If we do assert ourselves we might lose what we hunger

for. I say if you fear losing the approval and acceptance of the person

you are confronting they weren’t worth having in the first place..

Go ahead. Assert yourself. Take the risk . Remember, you don’t exist on

this planet to be someone’s doormat.

1. Don't avoid expressing your negative or critical feelings. They are not

bad or improper, they are just your feelings and you are entitled to them.

2. Feelings aren't facts. They are just feelings.

3. Use "I" Language to indicate that the feelings you are expressing are

yours. You are not accusing or judging anyone.

4. You don't have to justify your feelings, you only need to state them.

5. Assertive behaviour discloses your wants, needs ,preferences and

opinions. Aggressive behaviour discounts, ignores and over-rides the

wants, needs, preferences and opinions of others.

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6. Assertive behaviour supports your own dignity, while aggressive

behaviour demeans the dignity of others.

7. Toxic people usually put others down when relating to them , with a

look of distain, a sarcastic remark or direct verbal bullying.

8. You must have the courage to be assertive.

We receive the kind of treatment we tolerate.

Note If we can’t motivate ourselves to assertiveness can we motivate

ourselves to anything?

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Anything Worth Doing is Worth Doing Badly

Our culture seems to have elevated the quest for perfection to the status

of virtue. When someone is described as a perfectionist they are

frequently admired and envied. A perfectionist, in my opinion, is

someone living in a constant state of dissatisfaction and that isn’t healthy.

To perfectionists, no one, including their spouse, children, family, friends

and themselves ever measures up to their impossible standards.

Perfectionists spend their lives never being happy with what they have

accomplished, always wanting things to be perfect. I could have or

should have done better becomes the motto by which they live.

Can you imagine the anxiety involved in living with a perfectionist? I

recall teaching a bright highschool senior whose mother was a

perfectionist. After receiving an A in my subject she looked rather

emotionless. I asked her if she was pleased with the mark she achieved

and she said, “ Yes, but my Mother won’t be. She’ll want to know why it

isn’t an A+.”

I don’t know if full blown perfectionism can be changed without

psychological intervention ,but I do think that it can definitely be avoided

by adopting more reasonable expectations of yourself and others. How?

* Make friends with your imperfections and those of others. Sure it is

important to strive to do well in what you attempt ,but if your best efforts

don’t result in what you wanted to achieve, don’t be too hard on yourself.

It is more important to strive to improve than to insist on perfection.

* Strive to find pleasure in what you do, not perfection.

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* Believe in the old saying ANYTHING WORTH DOING IS

WORTH DOING BADLY. If you enjoy playing the piano but play it

poorly, keep playing for the sheer pleasure it gives you. It isn’t important

how well you play. It is more important that you get pleasure out of

doing it.

* Never let your urge to do something well become a compulsion to do it

perfectly. Just commit yourself to the joy of doing and enjoy the thrill of

improving at it.

* Live by the law of expectations rather than by the law of perfection.

Not only is perfection stressful, it’s also boring. Imperfection evokes

humour and laughter while perfection evokes stress, frustration and

anger. One promotes health and well being; the other, anxiety and dis-

ease.

* Learn to laugh at yourself and your imperfections. If you don’t, you

leave the job to someone else.

* Human beings, by nature, are imperfect so relax and enjoy the fact.

I want people to feel motivated but I don’t want them to become obsessed

with perfection. If we feel compelled to perfection and then never

achieve it ( because no one ever does) then we risk not even trying to

achieve anything.

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Five Ways to Beat the Blues

As Neil Diamond sang in his song "Song Sung Blue" “ Me and you are

subject to the blues now and then...” Awe the blues!! Those feelings of

joylessness, hopelessness, and blahness. They usually occur after a happy

event, on the occurrence of something sad or simply for no other reason

than it’s winter and we’re tired of it. They can also be brought on by a

nostalgic trip down memory lane especially at Christmas or New Years.

When we remember with fondness the “ good old days” and remain too

long with our memories we run the risk of a bout with the blues. I always

say that the past is a wonderful place to visit but a dangerous place to

live. Whenever the blues come they can suck the joy out of life and give

new meaning to the word “down”.

Here are five ways to effectively combat the blues and win every time.

1. Put the blues in perspective.

It helps to remember that the blues are merely feelings - feelings that

flow from our dominant thoughts and just like any other feelings, they

pass. When we feel affectionate it passes. We don’t feel affectionate all

the time. When we’re angry, the anger passes. The same applies to the

blues. You’ll find that they pass more quickly if you don’t dwell on them.

Just relax and wait for them to pass. While waiting here are a few

effective strategies you can apply to ensure their quick passage.

2. Thought Replacement

If the blues come from our negative thoughts and we are able to control

the thoughts we have then whenever we have a fearful, disturbing, lonely

,or depressing thought visualize it leaving your mind and being replaced

by a happier more enjoyable one. Create a bank of happy, pleasant

thoughts to use as replacements.

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3. Forget yourself in the service of others.

I think it was Tennyson who said “ We must lose ourselves in action lest

we wither is despair.” He was suffering the loss of a dear friend and

found that serving others helped him forget his grief for awhile and

helped him heal. There is nothing more effective than forgetting yourself

in the service of others to banish the blues. “ I had the blues because I

had no shoes when upon the street I met a man who had no feet.”

4. Learn how to relax.

Frequently the blues make an appearance when we are stressed and over-

extended. Physical and mental relaxation help restore calmness and peace

to our frantic lives and in the process enhance our resistance to the blues.

By the way laughter is an excellent way to cut stress in half and promote

healing relaxation. It is impossible to worry when we laugh and worry is

one of the major stress inducers.

5. Look for the comedy in your chaos.

Funny things happen to us everyday. When they do most of us give a

brief chuckle and move on with life. In my book “ Light Up With

Laughter” I teach the art of “Mining the Moment” whereby I encourage

my readers to extract every ounce of humor from the funny things that

happen to us daily. When you do this and give yourself permission to

laugh heartily and enjoy fully you reap the many therapeutic benefits

laughter provides. It helps to constantly recall that life is just too serious

to be taken seriously.

As the song says, the blues come to us all now and then. They are just

part of the human condition. The next time you have the blues try some

of these suggestions and experience how you too can combat the blues

and win.

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The Law of Expectations

The Law of Expectations states that we move toward and eventually

realize what we expect from life. If you expect to be successful, if you

work hard to achieve success and if you never give up, you will achieve

your expectations.

When you combine the law of expectations with visualization you

compound your possibilities. If you expect to be successful and visualize

yourself as successful the likelihood of you achieving success is certain.

Remember, we tend to become what we expect to become.

When applied to everyday situations it looks like this. Let’s say

you have a job interview. Prior to the interview you start expecting it to

be a sparkling, enthusiastic success. Visualize yourself as an interesting,

witty, well informed master of your domain who totally enjoys the

opportunity to shine. Hold this expectation and vision in your mind

firmly. Don’t let go of it for anything. Repeat over and over, “ I tend to

become what I expect to become and achieve what I expect to achieve.”

If you commit yourself to this process you will begin to see

improvement in every aspect of your life.. You will be on the way to

becoming the confident and capable person you want to become. What’s

more, people will want to listen to what you have to say and your

charisma quotient will increase significantly.

I believe this to be true because it worked in my life as a speaker.

When I stand in front of an audience I put the Law of expectations to

work for me. The results have been remarkable.

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The Power of the Mind to Unleash Your Potential

and Create the Life You Desire

Here are a few things to think about, digest and apply to your life.

* Thoughts rule the world.

* All you achieve or fail to achieve in life is the result of your thoughts.

* Our thoughts really do shape our lives.

* “ The future is fashioned upon current thinking. ” Og Mandino

* Self mastery begins with thought control.

* When you change your thinking you begin to change your life.

* We are magnets attracting people and situations that are in harmony

with our dominant thoughts.

* Always reject self limiting thoughts.

* There is no limit to human potential.

* Stress is the #1 cause of illness and stress begins with negative

thinking. A situation isn’t stressful. Our response to it is.

* Negative thoughts and emotions can cause illness, positive thoughts

and emotions can result in health. Choose positive over negative.

For more on this read “ The Secret ” by Rhonda Byrne

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Meditate or Relax to Unleash Your Potential and live Confidently

I believe that any significant attitude or life change is more easily

achieved when we employ the power of suggestion using meditation

relaxation or self hypnosis. When we are in a relaxed state our

subconscious mind is more open to receiving and acting upon

suggestions given to it. I personally mediate/relax at least once a day for

between 15 and 40 minutes per session.

How to Meditate/Relax

* Sit in a comfortable chair.

* Select your focus( a sound, phrase or image)

Your image can be a flame, flower or quiet beach in the moonlight etc.

* Some people prefer to focus on their breathing. Keep in mind that it is

the process of focussing, not the object, that is important.

* Hold your focus. If you choose to focus on an object in the room rather

than in your mind your eyes will begin get heavy. When this happens

close them and hold your focus mentally.

* If distractions come, and they will, don’t try to resist them. Just let

them pass through your mind and return to your focus.

* You will know that your have achieved the meditative or alpha state

when you feel a sense of deep peace, detachment, relaxation and

serenity.

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* Before emerging from your meditation give your subconscious mind a

positive suggestion like “ I am becoming more relaxed and confident

with each day.” Repeat it a few times.

* To emerge from your meditation count backward from 5 and say “ I am

now and will remain refreshed and relaxed.” then open your eyes. Stay

still for a minute or so.

There you have it. It isn’t rocket science but it does work.

I credit meditation for literally transforming my life and my attitudes.

If you want more on this subject try searching for relaxation or

meditation on the internet.

Overcoming Fear

Today, more than ever, we need to learn how to handle fear. We are

definitely a frightened people and our fear seems to be increasing every

day. If we don’t learn how to confront and control fear, we risk losing

our emotional and physical health and ultimately the joy of living.

A life of fear brings with it anxiety, stress, frustration and anger which

inevitably result in a loss of joy and hope. Prior to September 11 weth

lived in fear of many things- getting old, losing our hair, heights, water,

mice, speaking in public etc. All these seem rather trivial in light of the

terror experienced on that insane day in September . Now we seem to be

engulfed by a fear which is depressing and brings many to the brink of

despair. We MUST do something about it.

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I Refuse to Live Engulfed by Fear

In my talks and seminars throughout North America I tell people that,

while they have no control over the events of life, they have total control

over their response to these events. This is where we begin to wage our

battle with fear.

Here are a few suggestions I have found helpful in my fight with fear.

Reflect on them, select those you find appropriate and prepare your own

battle plan. YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE. Don’t let fear

of failure, rejection or perceived threat prevent you from going for the

gusto.

* Say this many times throughout your day. “ 95 percent of what I fear

will never happen and the five percent that does happen will never be as

bad as I envision.”

* Picture yourself living fully and happily in the midst of turmoil. We do

tend to live out of our vision.

* Take all reasonable precautions and then get on with the business of

living well.

* Say to yourself, “ I REFUSE TO BE RULED BY FEAR.”

* Make humour and laughter a huge part of your daily life no matter what

circumstances you are in. Laughter is good therapy and a very pleasant

diversion..

* Search your Holy Book for inspiration and hope.

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* Think thoughts of peace, not thoughts of affliction.

* Lose yourself in action or you will wither in despair.

*Remember, we might be forced to live with the shadow of fear, but no

one can force us to live in its shadow.

* Never stop believing in the power of your potential.

I would like to close with these words from Eleanor Roosevelt...

“ You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in

which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to

yourself, “ I’ve lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that

comes along.” You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

“ Don’t dwell on what you fear but rather on what you hope for.”

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Goals for Conquering Adversity

Live in peace,

Live in joy,

Live in love

Live in hope

And you can conquer any adversity. Mike Moore

10 Ways to Relax During Your Busy Day

We all know that we live in a highly stressed society and that stress is

behind a lot of serious illness. We must learn how to manage it if we

are to unleash the potential that is ours.

1. Take three deep breaths slowly. It really works to relax the body and

mind.

2. Relax the tongue. Usually the tongue is held tightly against the teeth.

Free it up in the mouth so it can just rest there without tension.

3. Take one minute vacations. In your mind visit places where you find

peace and stillness. Picture yourself there soaking up the beauty and

solitude.

4. Relax your facial muscles. When we are tense we frown and squint

which adds to the tension. Tell your facial muscles to relax and they will.

Try to maintain this relaxed face throughout the day.

5. Move slowly. When you find yourself rushing for no reason, SLOW

DOWN.

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6. Laugh more. Laughter cuts stress and promotes relaxation.

7. Listen to beautiful music. Mozart calms the restless spirit.

8. Watch and enjoy the sunset.

9. Visualize yourself as a balloon being inflated. As you breathe in, the

balloon fills with your stress and tension. Then breathe out all the stress

and tension leaving yourself limp and relaxed.

10. Enjoy the rhythm and beauty of nature for its lessons are patience and

peace.

RELAX FOR EASY POWER.

REMEMBER THAT RECREATION ISN'T RELAXATION, IT'S

DIVERSION.

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The Healing Power of Laughter

Laughter isn't just fun and enjoyable, it's good for our health. Each month

modern medicine is discovering more about the therapeutic dimension of

humour and laughter and is encouraging us to add them to our wellness

program.

The Health Benefits of Laughter

When we laugh we...

* lower our blood pressure.

* promote relaxation and reduce stress.

* increase the oxygen level in our blood giving us more energy.

* increase the endorphin activity in our body resulting in a sense of well

being.

* are able to keep things in perspective

* banish boredom

* are more socially attractive. People enjoy being with those who laugh

easily and often.

* increase our enjoyment of life.

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The message is clear: To live better....Laugh more.

If it feels good to laugh then laugh to feel good.

The Social Benefits of Laughter

* Social GlueLaughter has been called social glue because it bonds us to one another.

* Social LubricantLaughter reduces friction in human relationships just as oil does in an

automobile.

How to Use Humor to Improve Your Relationships and Give You

Confidence

Humor has long been considered one of the most effective tools to judge

the quality of any relationship. If there is laughter present you can be sure

the relationship is a healthy one. When the laughter ceases the relationship

is on the down slide. If you want to have more fulfilling relationships at

home and at work you might want to consider sharpening your sense of

humor as a great place to start.

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Remember that a sense of humor is what we find most attractive in others.

Here are five ways to improve your sense of humor, your relationships

and develop your confidence in the process.

1. Begin to cultivate an atmosphere of humor and laughter in your

relationships by focussing on the funny things in life and enjoying the

laughter they evoke. Soon you will be seeing humor all over and enjoying

it fully.

2. If you don ’t laugh as much as you used to and want to correct the

situation start associating with humorous, fun loving people and avoid the

downers.

3. Learn to laugh at yourself. If you don’t you leave the job to others. So

many people are unable to laugh at themselves because of their own

insecurities and fears. We are afraid to look foolish in the eyes of others

and appear to be incompetent. It is important to realize that we all make

mistakes and when we do a good laugh makes the mistake seem trivial

and human.

4. Collect cartoons and jokes and put them on display on the fridge or the

bulletin board for all to see and enjoy. Make sure to avoid racist, sexist or

filthy humor. There is plenty of good clean humor to go around without

resorting to these. Remember that there is a difference between dirty and

earthy humor. I personally like earthy humor. I don’t appreciate dirty

material.

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5. Use humor to neutralize conflict in your relationships. When things get

tense use self deprecating humor to lighten things up. I remember one

evening having an argument with my wife, Carol. In the heat of the

moment she said something totally out of character. She said something

hurtful. In my surprise I looked at her and said, “ Carol, when you say

things like that you stoop to my level.” She started to laugh and so did I. It

wasn’t long before things were back to normal.

Remember that a sense of humor is learned, not inherited. You can

sharpen your sense of humor if you really want to. When you do, you will

find that your relationships become richer and more rewarding and that

people find you more attractive and fun to be with. This alone will make

your self confidence soar.

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Links

View a 5 minute video of Stress and Humor

http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?video

Subscribe to Mike's FREE newsletter Lifeline at

mailto:sendlifeline@sendfree.com

Committed to the enjoyment of life

A funny, stress reducing photo

http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/y.cgi?huron

To explore the exciting world of Professional Speaking

http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?speakbiz

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CONCLUSION

I really do believe that, while we have no control over what

happens to us in life, we have total control over how we respond to what

happens to us. It is within our power to make a “ heaven out of hell” as

Milton so eloquently says.

I hope this e-book helps you realize that life is a gift to be treasured

in spite of its obvious pain and suffering. It isn’t something to be

endured and tolerated. As a great saint( whose name escapes me at the

moment) once said. “ What you are is God’s gift to you. What you

become is your gift to God.”

Become the greatest gift you can become.

“ The tragedy in life is not in how much we suffer but in how much we

fail to achieve” Carlyle

Do Take care and Live Your Potential.

Mike Moore

www.motivationalplus.com

If you are ever in need of a speaker with a great message in a fun package

give me a call.

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