Power of Words

Power of Words
“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me!”
We all heard that saying when we were children, and, like so many other childlike chants, it was a great myth. Words do have power, immense power, and they can cause much pain, because when they are repeated in negative fashion, people, especially children, may end up believing them. “You’re a bad boy,” “You’ll never amount to anything.” “You’re a loser,” “Does your face hurt? It’s killing me.”

These are only slight examples of the negative language we often hear. We have all heard them, and unfortunately have been guilty of dishing them out as well.

During the 1980′s ( my dad told me) there was a big push for building self-esteem, and workshops were available everywhere teaching us how to make people ‘feel good about themselves.’ This 180 degree turn seemed valid in theory, but what happened in many cases was positive feedback became the new mantra, and yet the effect didn’t always achieve the desired results. Why? Because recipients only benefited from the praise if they believed it was genuine.
This brings us to an important point. Self-talk and self-belief are the keys. No one can ruin our day without our permission, and always feeling good about ourselves is impossible. I hold this to be true – that self-esteem and self-worth are not synonymous. Self-esteem is having pride in oneself and generally feeling good about who we are. I don’t know about you, but I certainly have had moments in my life when I wasn’t too proud of my actions, and without question I have had times when I didn’t feel good about me.

This moment of “lack of self-esteem” would indicate that something is terribly wrong. Contrary to the education of self-esteem, nothing is wrong – we are simply human.

Self-worth, on the other hand, is acceptance of who we are – all of our strengths and weaknesses, all of our abilities (or lack thereof), all of our joyful moments as well as those times of sorrow; our contributions and our refusals, etc. See a pattern?
We are worthy simply because we are His creation, and we are loved for every part of us.
Whether we are in a good place or a bad one, whether we are contributing or contaminating, whether we have done something to be proud of or something to be embarrassed or ashamed of, nothing diminishes our worthiness.

The negative actions and the ensuing consequences may affect our self-esteem, but it has no impact on our self-worth!
Be the person you were born to be…believe, use that tongue to encourage, to build people up, to help, to empower…your words can mean something and can be tremendously powerful….understand the power of speaking good….the power of words !

Family Quotes

I don’t care how poor a man is; if he has family, he’s rich. ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford, “Identity Crisis,” M*A*S*H

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons. ~Johann Schiller

The family is a haven in a heartless world. ~Attributed to Christopher Lasch

Nobody has ever before asked the nuclear family to live all by itself in a box the way we do. With no relatives, no support, we’ve put it in an impossible situation. ~Margaret Mead

Families are like chocolate fudge – mostly sweet with a few nuts. ~ Leslie Choudhury

Family: A social unit where the father is concerned with parking space, the children with outer space, and the mother with closet space. ~Evan Esar

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck

When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses. ~Joyce Brothers
In some families, please is described as the magic word. In our house, however, it was sorry.
~Margaret Laurence

Family quarrels have a total bitterness unmatched by others. Yet it sometimes happens that they also have a kind of tang, a pleasantness beneath the unpleasantness, based on the tacit understanding that this is not for keeps; that any limb you climb out on will still be there later for you to climb back. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic’s Notebook, 1960

You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu
An ounce of blood is worth more than a pound of friendship. ~Spanish Proverb

Blood’s thicker than water, and when one’s in trouble, It is Best to seek out a relative Whose arms are always open. ~ Leslie Choudhury

The happiness of the domestic fireside is the first boon of Heaven; and it is well it is so, since it is that which is the lot of the mass of mankind. ~Thomas Jefferson, 1813

To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there. ~Barbara Bush

When our relatives are at home, we have to think of all their good points or it would be impossible to endure them. ~George Bernard Shaw

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. ~Jane Howard

In a houseful of toddlers and pets, you can start out having a bad day, but you keep getting detoured. ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

There is no cure for laziness but a large family helps. ~Herbert Prochnov

Family quarrels are bitter things. They don’t go by any rules. They’re not like aches or wounds; they’re more like splits in the skin that won’t heal because there’s not enough material. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald

Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted. ~Paul Pearshall

The great advantage of living in a large family is that early lesson of life’s essential unfairness. ~Nancy Mitford

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family. ~Thomas Jefferson

Sometimes our hearts get tangled
And our souls a little off-kilter
Friends and family can set us right
And help guide us back to the light.
~Sera Christann

And thank you for a house full of people I love. Amen. ~Ward Elliot Hour

The family – that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to. ~Dodie Smith

Family life is a bit like a runny peach pie – not perfect but who’s complaining? ~Robert Brault

The great gift of family life is to be intimately acquainted with people you might never even introduce yourself to, had life not done it for you. ~Kendall Hailey, The Day I Became an Autodidact
In time of test, family is best. ~Burmese Proverb

Family is just accident…. They don’t mean to get on your nerves. They don’t even mean to be your family, they just are. ~Marsha Norman

The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works is the family. ~Lee Iacocca

Friends are God’s apology for relations. ~Hugh Kingsmill

They… threw themselves into the interests of the rest, but each plowed his or her own furrow. Their thoughts, their little passions and hopes and desires, all ran along separate lines. Family life is like this – animated, but collateral. ~Rose Macaulay

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life – to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories. ~George Eliot

At the end of the day, a loving family should find everything forgivable. ~Mark V. Olsen and Will Sheffer, Big Love, “Easter”

If the family were a fruit, it would be an orange, a circle of sections, held together but separable – each segment distinct. ~Letty Cottin Pogrebin

The informality of family life is a blessed condition that allows us to become our best while looking our worst. ~Marge Kennedy

The family is one of nature’s masterpieces. ~George Santayana, The Life of Reason

We cannot destroy kindred: our chains stretch a little sometimes, but they never break. ~Marquise de Sévigné

Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family. ~Anthony Brandt

Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future. ~Gail Lumet Buckley

If minutes were kept of a family gathering, they would show that “Members not Present” and “Subjects Discussed” were one and the same. ~Robert Brault

I don’t have to look up my family tree, because I know that I’m the sap. ~Fred Allen

The lack of emotional security of our American young people is due, I believe, to their isolation from the larger family unit. No two people – no mere father and mother – as I have often said, are enough to provide emotional security for a child. He needs to feel himself one in a world of kinfolk, persons of variety in age and temperament, and yet allied to himself by an indissoluble bond which he cannot break if he could, for nature has welded him into it before he was born. ~Pearl S. Buck

Choudhury’s 5 C’s in Communication

“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – Anthony Robbins
Truly successful professionals are managers or leaders who have mastered the art of effective communication. They are well-liked by colleagues (including subordinates and superiors), company’s clients seem to love them too and they always seem to close the major deals.
It may seem like these individuals were blessed with a natural talent for speaking well – and maybe some of them were. But everything can be learned, including how to speak like a world class speaker.
Apply these 5 C’s of effective communication to enhance your relationships and get on the road to greater professional success:

1. Clarity
If your listeners can not understand what you are saying, your message will never be effective. The easiest way to instantly improve the clarity of your speech is to slow down. When we get nervous or stressed our rate of speaking often increases. And these are the times when calm eloquence and tact are most needed. Take a deep breath, slow down and speak clearly.
I speak in many countries where English is not their first language, and people always come up to me and say they liked my pace, and were able to follow me completely.
It is also important to formulate your thoughts in a clear manner so that other people can understand your message. Stick to your main point, be as concise as possible and back up your main message with examples and stories that make sense to your listener.
“If you wish to converse with me, define your terms” – Voltaire

2. Correctly
Whether you like it or not, you will be judged based on how you speak. Individuals with poor grammar and sloppy speech patterns are often viewed as being lazy, uneducated and even disrespectful.
Make proper speech a priority. Polish up your grammatical skills and build a healthy vocabulary. Read as much as you can, ask your friends, family or colleagues for help or join a grammar refresher course.
You may not see this as a very important point, but as our world becomes more global, just speaking English isn’t enough. You need to speak it really well. In the earlier part of my career, I cannot tell you the number of times, the way I spoke got me the job, the deal, the date, better service, or simply better results!
“First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.” – Epictetus

3. Consideration
Before you even open your mouth, focus on being considerate towards everyone you meet. Make eye contact with people when they approach you. Have a good attitude and show your winning smile.
Show that you care for others by asking questions and showing interest. Remember personal details that are important to them, and build a relationship that consists of more than just the work at hand. Limited small talk is imperative to building rapport and stronger relationships in the workplace.
If you are considerate towards others, they will also treat you with care and respect. We all like working with people we like, so your goal should be to be well-liked by others. The way you achieve this is by being friendly, considerate and showing you care.
One the simplest ways to show consideration is to use people’s names.
“The sweetest sound on the face of the earth is your name on someone else’s lips.” I take the trouble to learn the name, the proper annunciation of it and then use it liberally when conversing with the person. It works wonders.
“A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.” – Winnie the Pooh

4. Compliments
In addition to being considerate, another way to build instant rapport is to give sincere compliments. Recognize those around you for a job well done. Show interest by congratulating others on their accomplishments.
If your colleague mentions that he finally finished that big project that you know he or she was slogging over for months, respond with a sincere “Great job!” or “Super job, expected nothing less from you!” These types of remarks are always appreciated. It sinks in deep.
Keep in mind that compliments should be subtle and appropriate and the closeness of your relationship also determines how a compliment will be received. Commenting on a colleague’s physical appearance for example, may not be acceptable in the modern workplace, unless you are also very close friends outside of the office. The key element is sincerity, timeliness and what is appropriate for the situation.
“A compliment is verbal sunshine” – Robert Orben

5. Confidence
“If we are strong, our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak, words will be of no help.” – John Fitzgerald Kennedy
A successful communicator is a confident communicator. It is hard to take someone seriously who doesn’t seem to believe in his own words.
Confidence does not just come from what you are verbalizing (saying), but also what you are vocalizing – in other words, the pace, pitch and volume of your voice. A calm, steady voice we can hear always sounds stronger and more confident than a quiet, mousy squeak.

Confidence is also demonstrated non-verbally, by the posture you assume, the energy you exhibit with all of your body.Your visual appearance can also exude confidence or draw from it. Make sure you stand straight and make firm eye contact when you address other people. The old saying clothes make a person is to a certain extent true. When a man or women dresses sharply, with the right cut, with the right lines that match their body shape, the right style and colours appropriate to their industry, they stand out and without a word communicate confidence.
One of the most common questions I get asked is “Leslie why do you wear a bright red jacket?” The point being in the edutainment industry, I can, and it is not subtle, it screams out, it is confident, attention getting and as most of my classroom participants will tell memorable! Without saying word people perceive my confidence.

“You can communicate words, but how you say it, the expression, the posture, the clothes,, and how you made them feel is ultimately the goal in effective communication.” – Leslie Choudhury
Leslie Choudhury has been a GM or CEO of 4 different corporate companies in 4 different countries. He has won countless awards for his ability to motivate, influence and inspire changes in staff mentality and results. His awards include: Westin Business Innovation award, the President’s/CEO’s award for running the best Sales team in the world for Sheraton Hotels, Best Service Company of the year award in Singapore, and “EBIT & ME Personality Award for Asia & Pacific”. A consultant to Cendant International (the world’s largest service provider). Choudhury holds a BBA from the University of Hawaii, Manoa, USA and is certified in Directive Communication psychology, recognized by the American Institute of Business Psychology, the only person in Asia awarded with ‘CITE’ status; and the author of two self-help books – ‘Once Upon A Time’ series. Leslie was also voted as the world’s number 6 Communication Guru by Gurus International. Leslie Choudhury was just recently recognized by the Princeton Premier 2009 Honours Edition and Global Who’s Who publication recognizing his Training & Consultation prowess and accomplishments. Leslie is the CEO of Dreamz Image International and Director for Directive Communication International ( ASIA) Pte Ltd. For more info see www.lesliechoudhury.com

Mistakes

Tom Watson Sr. was the guiding hand in the success of IBM for forty years. He knew the risks associated with business and the value of learning from mistakes. One year a young executive was given responsibility for a project that cost over $10 million. As it turned out, the idea failed, and when the young man was called in, he offered his resignation.

“You can’t be serious,” said Watson. “We’ve just spent $10 million education you!”

When Thomas Edison was trying to invent the electric light, he made thousands of “mistakes” before he had any success. The discovery of rubber vulcanization was made by accident. Gail Borden made countless business blunders before achieving success with condensed milk. Levi Strauss made the mistake of selling his entire supply of dry goods, leaving him with only canvas to make pants from. Milton Hershey failed more than once in the candy making business before finding success with the Hershey bar.

Almost every enterprise has experienced its share of mistakes. Mistakes are a tool of learning. Although repeating mistakes is foolish, a legitimate try that turns sour should be accepted as part of the process moving forward to a better idea. Those who adhere to the old adage, “If you are not making mistakes, you are not making progress” are frequently the persons who make the biggest advancements in business. We have a natural tendency to avoid trial and error, and often find risk-taking to be unsettling. Yet, it is those who take calculated risks who reap the benefits. As Edward J. Phelps so aptly stated, “The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.”
I have made mistakes, tons of them; but is a mistake really a mistake? Or is it a question of how you respond accordingly. In hindsight, when I left Westin Hotels, people thought I made a career mistake! but I went on to make a great career with Sheraton Hotels! When I left Sheraton many thought it was a mistake, but i made my mark in the Tourism business with Jetset & Toureast, in fact gaining more international exposure and man-mangement experience than ever before.

When I left the hospitality and tourism business, and went into the Edutainment business, people looked at it as my biggest mistake. This included my father.  Today, I am earning far more than I could have in the hospitality business, whilst working much less and having more time with family etc. 

Consider this: Are you so afraid of making mistakes that you are shielding yourself from success?  We made a supposed mistake in investing in a property in the 80′s, which we sold evntually in the 2008 for 800k + profit without counting significant monthly rental income along the way. I could go on and on, and yes there were mistakes that hurt, both pride and money but determine to learn from it. We can become wiser from them, we can become stronger, the choice is always ‘ours’.
Mistakes will always be made, learn from them and become a better person.

Having a Vision

Having A Vision

Whether you liked his politics or not, much can be learned from the life of former President Clinton. Grolier’s “New Book of Knowledge” reports that as a teenager “Clinton thought of becoming a doctor or a reporter or even a musician. But after a fateful meeting with President John F. Kennedy, while still in high school, he made up his mind to enter politics.” At that moment a vision was born that he would hold onto – that he would glorify in his mind over and over – for the next 30 years, until he himself was elected President at the age of 46.

Jay Leno, who succeeded the venerable Johnny Carson as host of “The Tonight Show,” first envisioned that he would be the host when he was just 22-years-old and unknown and unproven as a comedian, much less as host of a show of such regard. For twenty years he enthroned in his heart an ideal that most people would have thought was “foolish, outlandish and impossible.”
The ancient writer tells us in Proverbs that “Without a vision, the people perish.” And Thoreau told us that “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” No doubt because the masses are without a vision for their lives.

What is your vision for your future, your ideal life? Is it written down? Do you review it and think about it often? Have you “enthroned” it in your heart? Is your life organized around goals and objectives that will ensure your vision is reached?

Wallace D. Wattles, wrote “There is no labor from which most people shrink as they do from that of sustained and consecutive thought; it is the hardest work in the world.” And yet it is the “sustained and consecutive thought” about our vision that is the first and primary labor of achievement.
Thoreau also wrote one of my favourite passages of all time. And it gives us the best reason there is to stop what you’re doing today and identify the vision for your life. “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

And that’s worth thinking about!

The Mountain Story

A son and his father were in the mountains walking when the son falls, hurts himself and screams: “AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”
To his surprise, he hears a voice repeating, somewhere in the mountains: “AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”
Curious, he yells, “Who are you?”
He hears the reply, “Who are you?”
Angered, the son then screams, “Coward!”
He receives the answer, “Coward!”
He looks to his father and asks, “What’s going on?”
The father smiles and says, “My son, pay attention.”
Then he screams to the mountain, “I admire you!”
The voice answers, “I admire you!”
Again the man hollers, “You are a champion!”
The voice replies, “You are a champion!”
The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Finally the father explains: “People call this ‘echo’, but in fact, this is ‘life’. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more friends, be a friend first. This relationship applies to everything and all aspects of life. Remember, life will give you back everything you have given to it.” 

Your life is not a coincidence-it is a reflection of you. 

What are you communicating?

You Were Meant to Succeed !!!

God intended every individual to succeed. It is God’s purpose that man should become great. It is God’s will that man should not only use, but enjoy every good in the universe. The Law of God denies man nothing.

Man (this includes woman too) was born to be rich. The powers inherent in him/her are inexhaustible. Each normal person is endowed with a complete set of faculties which, if properly developed and scientifically applied, will ensure success, ever-growing success.
Man is made for progress. Every man contains within himself the capacity for endless development. Advancement into all things is the Law’s great purpose. By learning to work with the Law in promoting that aim, man may build himself into greater and greater success.

All the processes of Nature are successful. Nature knows no failures. She never plans anything but success. She aims at results in every form and manner. To succeed in the best and the fullest sense of the term we must, with Nature as our model, copy her methods. In her principles and laws we shall discover all the secrets of success.

Infinite resources are at man’s disposal. There are no limits to his possibilities. He focuses and individualizes the elements, forces, and principles of the whole world. He can develop a wonderful intelligence; thus, all life’s questions may be answered, all Nature’s secrets discovered, and all human problems solved. Nothing is impossible.

Higher faculties, remarkable talents, superior insight, and greater power are dormant in all, and by special psychological methods, these exceptional elements can be developed to an extraordinary degree for actual and practical use. Every mind can develop greatness. It is simply a matter of knowing how. True self-help, self-discovery, self-knowledge, and the proper instruction in applying one’s faculties and using one’s forces will advance any person. Practice will ensure efficiency; use will bring forth results. Success, therefore, is within the reach of every aspiring man.

Do you wish to succeed? You can. You possess all the essentials within yourself; all you need is to gain a right understanding of the principles and laws upon which success is based, and then to apply the right methods of operating these causes until success is earned!

Leslie Choudhury – Int’l Speaker, Trainer, Consultant and Author
Serious fun for serious business
www.impactfulpresentations.com
www.directivecommunication.com
www.choudhury-consultancy.com
www.lesliechoudhury.com

http://twitter.com/LeslieChoudhury

CEO – Dreamz Image International
Director – Directive Communication International
Associate Director – ADMC Pte Ltd
CEO – LC International ( BVI)
65 96347354

http://www.communicationgurus.net/Next_Speaker_communicaton.php

http://www.lesliechoudhury.com/what-people-say.html

Connect to me on http://www.facebook.com/leslie.choudhury

Get a New Attitude

One of the first and foremost things to do to change your life is to change your attitude. Attitude is fundamental to the success or failure that we experience in our life.

Are you less successful than you would like to be? Do you have the money you want/need? Do you have the family/guy/gal you want? Do you have the job/career that you want?

If you answered “no” to any of the questions above, then you may want to take a look at your attitude, because so much depends on it!

“Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it,” says Irving Berlin. It is true. Now don’t get me wrong, that 10 percent is M-A-J-O-R, but even bigger than that is what your attitude is. So, do everything that you can — action wise — to make your life an absolute success.
But when you are done acting, you will only have what you have. It may be big and it may be little. But it is what you have to live with. Now the biggest key will be what your attitude is toward what your actions have brought to you.

One person will work and be happy with it. Another will work, achieve the same thing, and have a terrible attitude about it. Who will achieve the most successful life? My bet is on the one with the best attitude.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “To different minds, the same world is a hell, and a heaven.” It is all in what value you give to it! You see, you may look at one thing and say “That’s terrible,” while another person may say, “That’s great!”

A simple example would be a half a ham sandwich. Now, if you are used to filet mignon, you are going to think, “A measly old ham sandwich? Is that it?” But a starving person would have a very different viewpoint! They would think, “I won the lunch lottery!”

Another reason to keep in mind that our attitude is so very important is because oftentimes the attitude we demonstrate is exactly what we will get back. The great Earl Nightingale said, “Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude toward us.” Think about it. You walk into a store and say to the clerk, “Hey lady, do you think you could get off your butt and tell me where I can find the milk?”

What kind of attitude do you think you will get back?
Instead, we should go in and say, “Excuse me, but would you be so kind as to tell me where I could find the milk?” You will get a good attitude back from that! The same is true in every area of our lives.

Do you find that others have a bad attitude toward you? Then maybe you have a bad attitude toward them. The old saying is true that you reap what you sow; if you are reaping bad attitudes, you are probably sowing bad attitudes. Take a closer look, and you may find the key to turning your life around.

“There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.” – W. Clement Stone
Let’s face it; there is little difference in people physically or intellectually. But what does make the difference is the attitude. You can take two people of similar background, education, skill and intelligence and find that one is the kind of person you are looking for because of a positive attitude, while the other is a complete dud — the eternal pessimist! Your attitude is the big difference.
What is your attitude? Is it positive or negative? Are you an optimist or a pessimist? I guarantee you, no matter what your attitude is, it is affecting you — and your success.

Take this test: Purposefully upgrade your attitude for 90 days and see if life doesn’t begin to change for you! Pick a few areas where you can make a change. For example, begin to trust people and believe the best in them and see if your relationships begin to change!

If you’re stuck or if you just want to go to the next level of success, it’s time to “Get a New Attitude!”

Leslie Choudhury – Int’l Speaker, Trainer, Consultant and Author
Serious fun for serious business
www.impactfulpresentations.com
www.directivecommunication.com
www.choudhury-consultancy.com
www.lesliechoudhury.com
http://twitter.com/LeslieChoudhury
CEO – Dreamz Image International
Director – Directive Communication International
Associate Director – ADMC Pte Ltd
CEO – LC International ( BVI)
65 96347354

http://www.communicationgurus.net/Next_Speaker_communicaton.php

http://www.lesliechoudhury.com/what-people-say.html

Connect to me on http://www.facebook.com/leslie.choudhury

BOOYAA !!!

To each and everyone of you . . . have a very very pleasant day!!!

 What would most of us do without our friends, confidants, mates?

Let’s celebrate each other for each other’s sake!

Be happy! And remember…

Someone will always be prettier / more handsome
Someone will always be smarter.
Someone’s house will always be bigger.
Someone will always drive a better car.
Someone’s children will always do better in school.
And someone’s wife / husband will be more hospitable, handier, fix more things around the house.
So let it go, and love your partner and your circumstances.
Think about it.
The prettiest woman / handsome man in the world can have Hell in her/his heart.
And the most highly favoured woman / man on your job may be unable to have children.
And the richest woman / man you know…

He / she’s got the car, the house, the clothes…might be lonely.

And the word says if “I have no Love, I am nothing.”

So, again, love you.

Learn to Love who you are or becoming.

Look in the mirror in the morning and smile and say

“I am too blessed to be stressed and too anointed be disappointed!”

“Winners make things happen. Losers let things happen.”

Be Blessed my dear, and pass this on to encourage another friend.

“To the world you might be one person,
but to one person you just might be the world.”

To all my friends out there, you do mean a lot to me….

BooYaa !!!

Sëcrets of Success !!!

“My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging.”   - Hank Aaron, Hall of Fame American Baseball Player

Don’t read this if you’re looking for touchy-feely, warm and fuzzy, hug a pillow type, personal achievement psycho banter. There is   plenty of that nauseous fluffy stuff around to get us through the 21st century. (If you don’t believe me go to any garage sale/book store clearance and chëck out all the leftover personal motivation tapes and books there for sale!) I want to share with you some of the practical/real world advice that has enabled someone who grew up with his family in Singapore that went from rags to riches to rags, yes the full cycle! Where a son eventually had to look after his Dad, Mother and yes even his elder brother at times! More about that in future blogs …possibly.

Yes, that includes fïnancial frëedom, quality of life, health of body, spirit of mind and just  plain enjoying each day of life. Some of the items on my list you will not agree with and others might outrage you. I can only tell you that they worked for me and they just might work for you. OK, herë we go :-

 #1: If your Life Stinks, it’s your fault. (Hey, I warned you!)  Success begins when you take full, unmitigated, unequivocal  TAKE  RESPONSIBILITY for your life. You stop blaming others or circumstances, luck, the economy, etc   How many times do  we hear from others how it’s always someone else’s fault? Your Success  ALWAYS begins and ends with you.

    Sëcret #2:  Walking on Hot coals will only give you a hot foot! There are more silly ways for you to spend monëy in search of success than ever before. How many people have literally spent tens of thousands on gimmicks. You don’t need  to find your center, eat tofu or wear some crystal from Africa or go to a Feng Shui master. You just need to learn simple principles of common sense and apply them.

Sëcret #3: If you hang around or take advice from losers you will become one, too! You are a product of your environment. Oh boy, this  is a toughy, but let’s go for it. I discovered a long time ago that when I hung around with losers I became a loser, too. How many times  do you find yourself wanting to hang out with people who have no desire for greatness, just recreation, gripping sessions, whining and the  like. The good news is that if you surround yourself with Wïnners you can become one, too. You must create an environment of Success. It’s that simple.

Sëcret #4: You can’t petition the Lord (simply for wealth without effort) with Prayer.  NO,  trying to  pray to the Almighty to wïn the  lottery or 4D etc  isn’t what spirituality is all about. Save your talks with the big guy for stuff that’s really important. I believe in the power of prayer but simply asking for wealth isn’t the way forward!

Sëcret #5: You have to be your own Cheerleader.  What I mean herë is you have to be in your own corner. Success is about having  self esteem, believing in yourself, having a little respect for YOU. Sure people, can help here but it has to start with you. If this sounds self centered then you’re correct. It’s all about you, your confidence, your attitude when you really get to the bottom of it.

Sëcret #6: Character does Matter. No matter what you see and hear from the world. It really is smart to do the right thing at the right time. I know this sounds corny, but when you do the right thing at the right time you feel good about yourself, you nevër have to look over your shoulder, you nevër have to remember a lie you told. Ask yourself this question. If you were walking down the street with your child and you found a wallet with the owner’s ID intact would you have the character to return it or would you hope your child forgets about it and you pocket the loot? What would you do if you were alone?  How can you expect anything more of your kid  (or anyone else) when you, as their role model, can’t lead by example?

Sëcret #7: Find A Mentor. Mentor defined: A wise and trusted teacher.  I know of no other technique of Success that has given me greater results faster than having a One-On-One relationship with  wïnners.  The positive influence, guidance, teaching, motivation and laser like  focus is what Success is made of. This technique goes all the way back to ancient Greece and has stood the test of time. Seminars, books and tapes are fine starting points, but there is no substitute for an ongoing supportive, role model relationship. Decide what it is you would like to do, learn and accomplish with your life, then find someone who is already doing it Successfully to help you to discover your greatness. Don’t start from scratch or reinvent the wheel when you can have the life you want beginning today with the right Mentor.

Sëcret #8 : Become a Coach or Mentor. Enabling others to stay focused and motivated is such a great feeling! There is no greater joy than sharing in the success of another person who you played a part in helping. Specialized niche Coaching & Mentoring is becoming the höme busïness opportunïty of the 21st century. Find a Mentor and Become a Coach or Mentor and make a difference in your life and in that of another person.

 Sëcret #9 : You have everything you need right nöw to Succeed. You are endowed with the same seeds of greatness as anyone you have ever envied or admired. It’s just a question of finding your passion, discovering your greatness and pursuing it with a disciplined HUNGER. So many people accept mediocrity as their standard when they are capable of so much more. Don’t settle for less; excel and find the life you deserve, your greatness within and the life you are destined for. You have everything you need right nöw! So just go for it!

 All for now ….chew on it !!!

Leslie

One Person, One Decision Can Cange Your Life !!!

BooYaa!!!
You have something in common with every single person on this planet and it only takes one person to forever change your life.

Don’t worry.

I have not gone crazy…. well maybe just a little.

Yes, you are unique.

Yes, there is no other human being on this planet with your exact DNA, and life experiences.

Yes, the thoughts in your mind are unlike any other persons thoughts.

While this is all true, I want you to think about an amazing fact.

You have something in common with every person that is living and breathing right now on this big spinning ball we call “Earth.”

It is your understanding of this commonality that all humans have that will forever change the way you think about people.

It is your understanding of this commonality in the human race that will forever change the way you talk to, interact with, and respect people.

The way you love people.

The way you develop friendships that will change your life forever.  

What is this commonality, this sharing of common attributes that all human beings possess?
It is very simple.

Every person that is alive and breathing on this planet at this exact moment has “this” in common with you.

They are all living and breathing and going through the experience we call “LIFE.”

We are all sharing this “LIFE” experience together because we are all “ALIVE RIGHT NOW!”

When someone treats you badly, remember that they are only human, they have faults just like you and me.

Remember that anyone can have a bad day.

Always remember that it is impossible for you to know exactly what is going on in a person’s mind at the exact moment you are interacting with them.

Maybe they lost a loved one recently.

Maybe they just lost their job.

Maybe they on the verge of a divorce.

Always remember that they are struggling to make it through the up and down days of life… JUST LIKE YOU &  ME.

If you make it a habit to remember that they are just trying to be happy and prosperous in life, just trying to make it through another day, you will look at them in a different way.

There will be a huge paradigm shift in your thought patterns. Let me encourage you to embrace a new way of looking at things in 2010!

You should have compassion where none existed before.

You will forgive those you thought you could never forgive.

You will create friendships where a friendship was never possible before.

You will love where you have never loved before.

I want you to look back on your life right now.

Can you identify one person who forever changed your life? (Now, now…. focus on the positive ok!)
Maybe it was a friend who introduced you to your spouse.

Maybe it was a person who gave you advice and encouragement when you needed it most.

Maybe it was a stranger who told you about a company that was hiring, you applied with that company, and got a job that changed your life.

When I was about 16 years old, (yes 13 years ago!) my friend Ravi suggested looking for a job to earn some money for the holidays.

My parents thought I was nuts, but I wanted to earn money for just me, something I did not need to ask them for! They wrote-off this idea and me in an instant! However I had someone that didn’t!

Ravi found in the Straits Times Newspaper  classified ads a job he thought we should apply for ….SALES….it said make lots of $$$!

Out of curiosity I picked up the paper, and began looking as well.

We were young and naive, but enthusiastic.. we found a job description that to  16 year old boys sounded ‘pretty cool’ – “ Huge Potential Holiday Earnings for those with the Right Attitude!” 

He called the company, we went in for the interviews, and we got the job! Yup, it was a door to door sales job for Britanica Encylopedia!

When I came home that Saturday, all excited, I told my mom and dad and now they knew I was crazy for sure!.

They clarified, you are not being paid a salary, no allowance, you are working at night 6pm till 9pm every night and you only make $ if you sell something.. Yup they concluded I was indeed ‘crazy’!
The circling of the job listing started a chain of events that forever changed my life. Ravi was one of the many people that changed my life. Why? He instigated me to do something I would not have done on my own. He believed we could do it! He believed in me! I went out and for the 1st 5 nights in a row, every single night, I sold a set of Britanica! I quit after 5 nights, cause my objective was to earn some holiday cash, and I achieved in a week what most people would earn in a month! I started to understand, ‘Trying,  is something worth doing!’ we cannot succeed if we do not try, and the ‘belief of another individual’ is a powerful tool! Who believes in you? Have you thanked them recently? Who do you believe in? Have you let them know that recently? ( Family, Staff, Friends; all applicable.)

Let me ask you another question.

What if that “ONE” person that was about to provide you with life changing information/ sentence/ word, was having a terrible day on that one fateful day that you met him or her?

Would you have detected the stress in their voice as they talked?

Would you have had empathy for their struggle?

Would you have given them a chance to get beyond their frustration?

OR

Would their attitude on that one day have caused you to distance yourself from them?

Would you have pushed away from a person who may have been the “life changing” domino in your life or vice-versa?

Make it a habit to recognize that EVERYONE is going through this adventure called “LIFE.”

Make it a habit to look into the eyes of people even complete strangers and “SEE” their struggles.

“SEE” their passion.

“SEE” their sorrow.

“SEE” that they, like you, are imperfect, and judge them not. Instead ‘Reach Out & Ignite!’

Take the extra step to help them in their life struggles, someday they may do the same for you or someone else!  

The One Person That “Forever” Changed Your Life

Someday, the person you least expect to change your life will become the one person who starts a change reaction of events that will “FOREVER” change your life.

That person could be waiting around the next corner.

That person might be someone you meet “TODAY.”

Be the “ONE” to push the first domino in a line of 1000′s  of dominos! Do you want to be the “ONE”?

Become the catalyst for change in another person’s life!

Become the person that someone will identify years into the future as the person that started a series of events that made their life infinitely better.  

Become a life changer!

Make it a habit.

It is a habit that will serve us well.

I pray that my words will always leave you in a better place then where you were before they entered your mind.

You  know that we all have people that believe in us, and people whom need to know you believe in them! God has given you tremendous potential and gifts as an individual, use them fruitfully! Expect greatness this year, reach out and ignite greatness in others around you! To me, Investing in people is the most satisfying, gratifying, and worthwhile use of my life. Thank you for being a part of it, let me encourage you to also invest your life into others! Will you join me?

As always, I wish you, my extended family on planet Earth continued Success!!

Leslie Choudhury – Int’l Speaker, Trainer, Consultant and Author

Serious fun for serious business        
                          






CEO – Dreamz Image International
Director – Directive Communication International
Associate Director – ADMC Pte Ltd
CEO – LC International ( BVI)
65 96347354



Achieving Goals !!!

In achieving any worthy objective, there must be consistency in the amount of hard work you put in; a day here and there just isn’t going to do it. A week of sustained effort isn’t going to do it either!

So what am I saying?

I’m saying if you want to achieve your goals, you must remain focused on exactly what it is you want.

Starting the process is usually quite easy, especially when you have that initial excitement about a new objective or goal you’ve just set for yourself.

Here are ten ideas to assist you in reaching any goal you care to set:

1) The Right Reasons (personal to you). Doing things for the right reasons is easy; having strong, powerful emotions for reaching your goals will give you the “Get Up and Go” that is needed when things sometimes get tough. If we’re excited and full of enthusiasm for reaching our goals, then the energy and vigour naturally follow. If you don’t have a strong enough reason for doing something, then it becomes more of an effort, requires more discipline, and uses more energy.

2) Think In Ink. Use pen and paper to write down clear, concise goals. When your eyes see your goals written down, it becomes a new permanent picture in your subconscious mind for you to recall any time you choose. 

3) See It, Be It. Visualize what it is you want; feel the strong emotions you associate with your goals — the smells, the tastes, the happiness, the sense of achievement.

4) Say It Loud, Say It Proud. Speak to yourself in positive, present-tense terms. I am, I have, I earn, I do, I can. The more emotion you put into this exercise, the more powerful they become, and the more energy you will feel.

 5) Destination, Station. You can’t travel in the right direction unless you know where to start and exactly where you want to end up. Your route can change in many ways; the journey will almost certainly not be a straight one, so look ahead for the blind corners before you get to them.

 6) Measure Your Treasure. Your goals are something to be treasured; if they’re not, then you probably don’t have “The Right Reasons” in the first place. So measure your progress. You can only adjust your route if you find out where you are; otherwise you will waste a lot of effort to end up a long way from your intended destination.

 7) Peer, Steer. Associate with as many positive, motivated, and focused individuals or groups as you can. Meet with them, talk on the phone, in email, or by fax, or join news groups. Set up your own newsgroups if you can’t find any on your particular goal.

8) Fewer Goals, Fewer Tolls. By this I mean you should concentrate your efforts on just a few goals at any one time. You can have as many goals as you like, but only have a few priority goals to work on at any point. Don’t pay a higher price en route.

9) Pay Every Day. If you have “The Right Reasons,” you already have a powerful driving force to motivate you to do something every single day to move toward your desired goals. Taking action every day means you can break down your BIG goals into small manageable-sized pieces. You wouldn’t try to eat a whole week’s groceries in one meal. So why bite off more than you can chew?

 10) Celebrate and Congratulate. When you achieve milestones, reward yourself and celebrate, even if only in a small way. You’re on the road to overall success, so congratulate yourself on your achievement. The more you do this, the better you will feel; the better you feel, the more likely you are to do it all over again.

Communication

George Bernard Shaw wrote: “The problem with communication … is the illusion that it has been accomplished.”

This quote could not be more true, and is further compounded by the ever increasing introduction of modern technologies, the send and forget type emails, Skype, MS Messenger, facebook, SMS, etc!
For those of us who receive up to 50+ emails a day, how many of us read them in detail and really try to understand what they are trying to say? Probably few. How many of us are prepared to go back to the sender and clarify some of the ‘grey’ areas with questions? Definitely few.

Is email the best way to get your message across? That is a question that we should constantly ask ourselves. Other channels of communication can be far more effective. It’s too easy to either ignore or not give emails the attention they deserve. This is not the case when you are communicating face to face or over the phone.

One dictionary definition of communication is “the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs”. Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? Well, if you think about it, all business communication should have a purpose, whether it’s just ‘FYI’ (for your information), i.e. reading to learn about something, or encouraging a response or action on something. The challenge we are faced with everyday is keeping messages simple enough to ensure we get them across clearly, and more importantly, get the response we are looking for as a result. Dr. Robert Cialdini, the famous author of “Influence – the Psychology of Persuasion”, wrote: “Our best evidence of what people truly feel and believe comes less from their words than from their deeds.”

So how do we achieve the response we want? This is where influencing comes into play, and starts with planning the outcome. Try asking yourself what’s the purpose of this communication? What information is critical and what’s less important, how will I structure it for maximum effect? What’s the best way to communicate it? It all starts with getting the message right!

The second step is to understand your constituents or recipients. What is their attitude towards the subject? Working through both of these factors weighs heavily on the successful outcome of your communication. If you don’t have a good relationship with the receiver, they are less likely to give your communication the attention it deserves.

The third part of the process is in analysing the response. It is critical that time is spent asking if the communication was effective? Was it really understood? Are they buying into the idea? Does their response appear sceptical or confused?

A recent report estimated that over seven trillion emails were sent worldwide last year! The average office worker now gets between 60-200 messages a day. While no one denies the obvious productivity gains we’ve realised from the efficiencies of email communication, many people find themselves drowning in all these messages.

Six general email dos and don’ts:
1. Do understand that good quality subject and header lines are important as these will be the search headings that you’ll be using later to find specific emails in your archive folders.

2. Do make sure you are clear and concise in the content of your message. Cover what it is you want to happen, i.e. the action/response, in the very first line. For example, right at the top of the email, put your ‘action’, what you expect your recipient to do. And then structure the background of your message around it. Recipients will take note that they need to do something and then spend more time making sure that they understand the context of the message.

3. Do realise that your message can be forwarded to anyone and it says something about you. Make sure you re-read it and are comfortable with how it reflects on you. Be careful when sending confidential information by email as again it can be so easily forwarded. If you have to, make sure you word your message in as factual and balanced way as possible.

4. Don’t respond to an email in anger… Practise the 24-hour rule when you’re upset. By the next day, you might save yourself from dramatic over reaction. Remember, it’s the right response that you are looking, not revenge!

5. Don’t put a hyperlink to additional information at the top or even in the middle of a mail. Put it at the end. Why? Well, it’s human nature to click on it as you read. Your reader may miss all the important text that comes after the link.

6. Don’t ‘cc’ the world – Ask yourself who really needs this information? It’s too easy to copy everyone, even if they don’t really need it. Don’t expect a response from someone who was cc’d.
At the end of the day, the backbone of successful communication lies even deeper. Great communication is about a high level of transparency, trust and honesty. With these ‘environmental’ values in place, communication and teamwork can really flourish.

Leslie Choudhury – Int’l Speaker, Trainer, Consultant and Author

Serious fun for serious business

www.impactfulpresentations.com
www.directivecommunication.com
www.choudhury-consultancy.com
www.lesliechoudhury.com
http://twitter.com/LeslieChoudhury
CEO – Dreamz Image International
Director – Directive Communication International
Associate Director – ADMC Pte Ltd
CEO – LC International ( BVI)
65 96347354

http://www.communicationgurus.net/Next_Speaker_communicaton.php

http://www.lesliechoudhury.com/what-people-say.html

Connect to me on http://www.facebook.com/leslie.choudhury

The Key to Sales Success

The Key to Sales Success

Learn to Listen Well
A vital key to sales success is listening. The ability to listen well is absolutely indispensable for success in all human relationships. The ability to be a good listener in a sales conversation is the foundation of the new model of selling. It leads to easier sales, higher earnings and greater enjoyment from the sales profession.

Being A Good Talker is Not Enough
Many salespeople have been brought up with the idea that, in order to be good at your profession, you must be a glad-hander and a good talker. You have even heard people say, “You have the ‘gift of the gab’; you should be in sales!”

Focus On the Other Person
Nothing could be further from the truth. As many as seventy five percent of all top salespeople are defined as introverts on psychological tests. They are very easy going and other-centered. They would much rather listen than talk. They are very interested in the thoughts and feelings of other people and they are quite comfortable sitting and listening to their prospects. They would much rather listen than talk in a sales situation. Poor salespeople dominate the talking, but top salespeople dominate the listening.

Practice “White Magic” With Everyone
Listening has even been called “white magic.” It is too rarely engaged in by business people. When a salesperson develops a reputation for being an excellent listener, prospects and customers feel comfortable and secure in his or her presence. They buy more readily, and more often.

Practice the 80/20 Rule
You’ve heard it said that God gave man two ears and one mouth, and he is supposed to use them in that proportion.

Top salespeople practice the “80/20 rule.” They talk and ask questions 20 percent or less of the time while they listen intently to their customers 80 percent or more of the time. They use their ears and mouth in the right ratio.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, resolve today that, from now on, you are going to dominate the listening in every sales conversation. Become comfortable with silence.

Second, practice the 80/20 rule in every sales conversation. Listen 80% of the time and only talk and ask questions 20% of the time.

All I can say is I have always closed more, sold more, been more effective when i have listened more…..

Leslie Choudhury – Int’l Speaker, Trainer, Consultant and Author

Serious fun for serious business

www.impactfulpresentations.com
www.directivecommunication.com
www.choudhury-consultancy.com
www.lesliechoudhury.com
http://twitter.com/LeslieChoudhury
CEO – Dreamz Image International
Director – Directive Communication International
Associate Director – ADMC Pte Ltd
CEO – LC International ( BVI)
65 96347354

http://www.communicationgurus.net/Next_Speaker_communicaton.php

http://www.lesliechoudhury.com/what-people-say.html

Connect to me on http://www.facebook.com/leslie.choudhury

The Power of Stories

I want to share with you about how writing your personal story can help you in your life journey.

You’ve probably read a story that was both entertaining and insightful. For me when I was a child of 9 (20 years ago!) it was David & Golliath. When you discover stories that connect with you personally, you hold them and their lessons in your heart for your entire lives.

For centuries, people have told short stories to enlighten and inspire others, and counting the stories that Jesus and others have told might take a life time. In fact, it would probably take several lifetimes to fully integrate the wisdom within those stories. And the reason people continue to tell, and love, short stories is because stories are the most effective way to communicate incredibly powerful ideas.
Plato understood this in 388 BC when he asked the City Fathers to ban story-tellers, and today’s spiritual leaders, political leaders, business leaders, also understand this power and continue the story telling tradition.

Stories are powerful because they mirror the way you naturally think.

Whether you’re consciously aware of this or not, you intuitively think in narrative structures. This could be talking about your day, connecting with a friend, or reflecting on your experiences. In fact, a month-long study of the language patterns of an infant discovered that before going to bed, the infant’s seemingly irrelevant babbling revealed a powerful secret:

Even before she could speak, the infant’s language patterns showed that she was babbling about what she had done that day and was even plan¬ning what she was going to do the following day! Now take a moment to imag¬ine that in your own life – Like that infant, you intu¬itively under¬stood your daily expe¬ri-ences as sto¬ries before you knew the words to com¬mu¬ni¬cate them to others.

As you can see, sto¬ries imprint them¬selves into our brains nat¬u¬rally from your ear¬li¬est years. Sto¬ries are how you under¬stand best, so when you write sto¬ries you directly access the deep¬est parts of your psy¬che and soul. You can reach inside and pull out the sub¬con¬scious imprints that are most valu¬able to your per¬sonal devel¬op¬ment, and then put them on paper for your con¬scious mind to see and work with. This process of bring¬ing your sub¬con¬scious into the con-scious can result in rapid and sig¬nif¬i¬cant per¬sonal transformation.

But the truth is…
Most peo¬ple never try writ¬ing sto¬ries because they don’t think they’re good enough. It’s a clas¬sic para¬dox because with¬out try¬ing they’ll never feel good enough. Hav¬ing fears about writ¬ing is nor¬mal for most authors, it took me too long to really come up with my 1st article and even longer for my 1st book! It is rare to come across a writer with¬out fear. My own fears were only over¬come by actu¬ally writ¬ing… by “being” a writer.

The thing about writ¬ing is that none of us are writ¬ers until we are writ¬ing. “Who” and “what” we are changes from moment to moment. We may iden¬tify with what we do in life; for exam¬ple we may call our¬selves com¬puter engi¬neers, energy heal¬ers, writ¬ers, teach¬ers, or the many other labels we give our¬selves based on what we do.

But we can only asso¬ciate with that label while we are doing the asso¬ci¬ated action!
Think about that for a moment. While dri¬ving a car, are you a writer? No. You’re a dri¬ver. Under¬stand¬ing this dis¬tinc¬tion is imper¬a¬tive to over¬com¬ing a new writer’s most basic objec¬tion: “I’m not a writer! I’ve never even writ¬ten a story!”

And you’re right.
Until you’re writ¬ing, you’re not a writer. So the first piece of advice I offer is to ignore any fear and just start writ¬ing because every sin¬gle fear you might have about writ¬ing is based on your belief that some¬body will judge you.

Read that sen¬tence again. Maybe read it sev¬eral times. After¬wards, chal¬lenge your¬self to find a sin¬gle fear you have about writ¬ing that does not dis¬till down to the fear of judgment.
Also real¬ize that one sim¬ple per¬spec¬tive shift elim¬i¬nates that fear instantly. You see, not all sto¬ries are meant to be read. Some¬times writ¬ing a story is like a jour¬nal and you might write it as your own inter¬nal mono¬logue to help you work through issues you’re hav¬ing or to explore top¬ics you’re curi¬ous about.

“Write for the plea¬sure of writ¬ing. As the pen traces out words on the paper, your anguish dis¬ap¬pears and your hap¬pi¬ness remains. For this to hap¬pen, it is nec¬es¬sary to have the courage to look deep inside your¬self.” – Paulo Coelho

As long as you write first and fore¬most for your¬self, every sin¬gle fear dis¬ap-pears instantly.
Under¬stand¬ing the more per¬sonal ele¬ments of writ¬ing enables us to get past fears you might have about being a “good” or “bad” writer. Only after the story is writ¬ten does the ques¬tion arise, “Do I want to share this?”

“Some¬times the story finds the sto¬ry¬teller. Not the other way around.”
– T.L. Pear¬son, from the movie Neverwas

The other biggest rea¬son why peo¬ple never write sto¬ries is because they say they’re “not inter¬ested” or because it “isn’t for me.” I know that all too well because I never intended to write sto¬ries either. I had absolutely no inter¬est in it; but what I dis¬cov¬ered over time is that there were sto¬ries within me that wanted to be told.

I had expe¬ri¬ences that my heart wanted to share with the world, but because I wasn’t “inter¬ested” –and– because I didn’t iden¬tify with the label of being a “writer,” I dis¬missed those heart’s wishes. In fact, it wasn’t until I came into con¬tact with friend / mentor that I even became aware that my heart had sto-ries it wanted to share.

With¬out any prior knowl¬edge of story struc¬ture or writ¬ing, I stum¬bled through this process of con¬vert¬ing my heart’s wishes into words on paper. I fum¬bled with my own writ¬ing, and I bat¬tled with my doubts and fears until I finally accepted that there was a sto¬ry¬teller inside me who I never knew. It took me sev¬eral months of writ¬ing sto¬ries before I also real¬ized how much this process of writ¬ing sto¬ries was trans¬form¬ing me into the very per¬son I wanted to be.

What I dis¬cov¬ered is that writ¬ing sto¬ries is an expres¬sion of our selves con-nect¬ing both with our selves and some¬times oth¬ers. It allows those of us who have never con¬sid¬ered our¬selves to be “story writ¬ers” to find great enjoy¬ment and mean¬ing in writ¬ing our own stories.

One of the assur¬ing aspects of writ¬ing sto¬ries is that it’s a guar¬an¬teed win¬ning sit¬u¬a¬tion. In the worst case, you gain some expe¬ri¬ence and throw away a story as most authors do hun¬dreds or thou¬sands of times. The best case is that you write a famous story that impacts the lives of mil¬lions of peo¬ple. Usu¬ally you will write a story some¬where in between—one that impacts your¬self in a mean¬ing¬ful way and also touches the peo¬ple who are close to you.

You can even start your first story today by coming back with a com¬ment here or about what I shared at COPA and shar¬ing a bit about yourself.

What’s your story about who you are?

Why are you who you are?

I look for¬ward to being of assistance to you.

“All of us have experiences or stories, write them down, and begin to share them, and realize that as human beings we are meant to impact each other for the better!” Leslie Choudhury

Your Part¬ner in Trans¬for¬ma¬tion

Leslie Choudhury – Int’l Speaker, Trainer, Consultant and Author

Serious fun for serious business
www.impactfulpresentations.com
www.directivecommunication.com
www.choudhury-consultancy.com
www.lesliechoudhury.com
http://twitter.com/LeslieChoudhury
CEO – Dreamz Image International
Director – Directive Communication International
Associate Director – ADMC Pte Ltd
CEO – LC International ( BVI)
65 96347354

http://www.communicationgurus.net/Next_Speaker_communicaton.php

http://www.lesliechoudhury.com/what-people-say.html

Connect to me on http://www.facebook.com/leslie.choudhury

Why I am still 29

Why I am still 29 ?
It saddens me when I see people in their fifties or sixties moping around talking about how “it’s not easy getting old.” On the other hand, I am inspired when I see an older person, someone in their eighties or nineties, living a vibrant and productive life. It gives me inspiration and further proves my theory that there is a huge difference between aging and getting old.

So what’s the difference between these two groups of people? Why are some, still in mid-life, seeming to be on their last legs while others, old enough to be the parents of the first group, still going strong?

The answer really boils down to a couple of key differences, as outlined in the “Ageless Living Method” to make the rest of your life, the best of your life.

1. Challenge the myths of aging
“You’re getting on in years — you’d better slow down,” “At my age, I’d better be careful,” “Act your age,” “We’ll all wind-up in a nursing home sooner or later,” “I’m just having a senior moment.”
All of the above statements are nonsense. There’s no biological connection between age and poor health. If you want to break down these beliefs, find references of older people living vibrant, productive lives. They’re all around us. People like Hulda Crooks who became the oldest person to climb Mt. Fuji in Japan at 91 years of age. Author Phyliss Whitney, who passed away in 2008 at the age of 104, said in an Associated Press interview when she was 85 that “I’ve slowed down in that I only write one book a year. A writer is what I am.” I’m on my 3rd & 4th book currently!
I just started playing squash actively again (Zack was my inspiration) late last year 2009, so its now 2x a week of squash in 2010 plus morning walks with my lovely wife Cecilia … despite my occasional moans and groans …I love it! Yes even the morning after and all my muscles are aching …. YES …when’s the next game!

2. Ignite your passion
Older people who are living vibrantly are passionate about their life. Their outlook is positive and they are motivated by something outside themselves. They have a purpose. They are engaged in life and are pursuing something that matters to them. Whether a career, a hobby, a cause, or something in between, they have dreams and goals and are living life to it fullest. Cecilia and I have written our goals and they are also incidentally our prayer list for 2010!

3. Create your vision
If you were living your ideal life, what would it look like? In your journal, write a vivid description the life you dream of living. For now, don’t be concerned with how you will do this. What are you doing and with whom? Where do you live? Where are you vacationing? What type of work are you engaged in? Who are your friends?
Write your vision in as much detail as possible, making sure to include the feelings you are experiencing and engaging as many senses as possible. Smell the ocean if you’re at the shore. Hear the sounds of the people in the city where you’re visiting, and so on. If it’s a dream home you desire, see each room in vivid detail. What do you see when you look out the windows? We are planning our new home in JB …all 5,000+ sq feet o built-up space with my new training center and more…..

4. Change your beliefs
The only thing stopping you from having whatever you desire is your belief about your ability to achieve it. What beliefs are standing in your way? Do you tell yourself, “I’m too old,” “I don’t have enough education,” “I’m not smart enough,” or some other variation on this theme?
Challenge those beliefs that are not serving you. Find references of someone just like you doing whatever it is you want to do. Override your limiting beliefs with positive affirmations.

5. Reclaim your power
Spiritual Power: A regular practice of prayer and meditation, the former, talking to God and the latter listening, will help you create and maintain a strong connection with your Creator.
Emotional Power: You can strengthen your emotional power by devoting some time each day visualizing your ideal life. Sit quietly, close your eyes (assuming you’re not driving), and create a “mind movie” in which you’re living your ideal life.
Mental Power: You can strengthen your mental power by paying attention to your self-talk and replacing any disempowering thoughts with positive affirmations. Read positive and uplifting information daily to maintain a more productive state of mind.
Physical Power: Of course, without physical power and energy you’re not going very far. It is essential, as we age, to take an active part in maintaining our health. Invest the time to learn about health and nutrition. Of course, exercise is important too. As a society, we do not move enough. Our high-tech lifestyles have enabled most of us to expend the minimal amount of physical energy in our day-to-day life.

How you age is up to you. You can live your life vibrantly and productively, or you can just get old. It is really your decision, your choice…it will determine how you live the rest of your life. The Bible says “I come that you might have Life more abundantly.” Choose to live Life to the fullest!

Leslie Choudhury – Int’l Speaker, Trainer, Consultant and Author

Serious fun for serious business

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