HOW TO IMPROVE YOURSELF AND ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS

SELF IMPROVEMENT - THE KEY TO ACHIEVING AND ACCOMPLISHING YOUR VISIONS.

From dawn to the time you the sun sets, we are usually faced with myriad of issues that need our attention. Whether at home or at our places of work, the tasks required of us can be overwhelming. In order to ease the day's activities it is important to plan your day, in short prioritize. Planning is absolutely vital for self development. If you do not plan then achieving success in life will always remain a mirage.

It is important to be alert and be able to forecast what will be trendy in future. Constantly, the world is changing in all fields and it therefore becomes important to change with the times in order to remain relevant now and in the future. Successful people in society are those who can foresee or predict what will be needed if future and go ahead to plan on how they will take advantage of the situation.

Prudent planning also involves setting goals and having a vision for tomorrow. Some people like saying that "tomorrow never comes," I completely disagree with them. This notion makes some people not to plan claiming that tomorrow will take care of it's self. Having achievable goals will direct you to the path that will lead you to your vision.

It will be futile to plan and not take steps to implement what you have set to do. Do you have plans that you have shelved arguing that you are waiting for favorable conditions so as to execute? I would suggest that you take the initiative and put the plans into action today.

Five Reasons Why people don’t take action into actualizing their dreams.

Many people read books, listen to tapes, make plans and set goals but never take action. On another front, most people often take action but never are consistent with the action taken. It is not the one time action taken that creates the result that you anticipate. It is consistent action that is congruent and toward your desired outcome that will produce the kind of results that you envisage. Your action must not be taken haphazardly if lasting and meaningful results are to be achieved. Consistency therefore, must be built into the action taken toward your goals or objectives.

The question is why is it that most people do not take the necessary action on their goals and objectives?

1. Lack of focus: This is one single factor why most people do not take action to do what they are expected to do in order to achieve the result they so much desire. In our world today there are so many things vying for your attention and the ability to stay focus on those things that will move you in the direction of your goals is critical to your success. A basic truism that I have discovered over the years as a pastor and success facilitator is that where you place your focus, the rest of your mind and emotions will gravitate.

2. Lack of clarity: Clarity is vital if you are ever going to take any meaningful step to accomplishing your objectives. When your ideas are fuzzy and unclear it only but diminish and affect your desire to take action. The truth is that most people do not have clarity of what it is they want to achieve which in the final analysis prevents them from taking action. Consequently lack of clarity disempowers a lot of people from taking action on their goals and objectives.

3. Ideas are not organized into doable: Most people that I have worked with all have brilliant ideas and great thoughts of what it is they want out of life but fail to act on them. As a result, these ideas and thoughts are never actualized because these individuals never take action on these ideas. This is so because these ideas and thoughts are not organized into doable activities. Organizing your thoughts and ideas into doable activities will help propel you into action.

4. Procrastination: This is one of the enemies of any action oriented activity. This is the tendency that most people have. They refrain from pushing forward or putting activities that should be done now on hold. This leads to a pile up of activities to the point where the task to be accomplished become daunting leading to a situation where action is never taken to do what ought to have been done to achieved the anticipated expectation.

5. Lack of a develop plan: Not having a developed plan of action will hinder any significant action taken to achieve anything. The action steps to be taken in order to get things done must be written down. This will serve as an incentive to actually do what you have to do to achieve your goals and objectives.

It is imperative to understand that what you are bringing into your life and the measure of success you will achieve are all being decided by the action you are taking right now. With that thought in mind go to work today and start taking the actions that will move you closer to achieving your goals.

You will get there!

12 REASONS WHY ONE CAN FAIL IN BUSINESS AS AN ENTREPRENEUR

Welcome to another edition of our moment of motivation, today we are going to be looking at some aspects of our daily routine as it relates to us and business world.

You have letters of intent, letters of endorsement and some high-powered personal references. Your powerpoint presentation is professional. You're getting in front of people who have lots of money, but no one is ready to give out a dime.

If this sounds like your situation, you're definitely not alone! Raising capital is not an easy task. It often takes more than just numbers and a slick sales pitch to win investors over.

Here are some less obvious observations that may be causing you to have a challenge:

You're Not Passionate About Your Business

People can tell when you're just going through the motions. It doesn't matter if the numbers show a huge financial windfall for potential investors. Many people want to see the fire in your eyes before they write the cheques.

You're Passionate About Your Business, But It Is Not Being Conveyed Strongly Enough

This could happen for several reasons. May be you've rehearsed your pitch so much that it sounds canned. May be you are so anxious to get the money that you come across. It may be as simple as trying so hard to be professional that you hide your excitement about what you're doing. Let loose, have fun, and let your excitement

become contagious!

Your Team Is Not As Strong As It Needs To Be

Do you or someone else on your team have extensive experience in your industry? Do you have a chief financial officer who knows how to protect your investor's money? Are your legal documents drawn up by experts in their respective fields of law? Be sure that you have covered all of your bases and left nothing to chance.

You Aren't Presenting Your Opportunity To The Right People

For example, people in your industry are not always the best people to approach. This may be because they know the real risk involved in what you're planning, or perhaps because they are constantly presented with safer, more secure investments. If there is a "mission" driving your company, such as saving the environment, it might be best to look for people who buy into that mission, regardless of whatever industry they are in. On the other hand, depending on your industry, people in it might be your most willing investors. This is especially true if they have contacts or resources that can help you be successful, or if your success will somehow improve their bottom line.

Friends And Family Are Often Hard To Sell

This might be because they know all of the "dirt" on you from years past. They might be familiar with other risks you've taken that failed for one reason or another. They may have trouble seeing you as the CEO of a billion naira company. Don't take it personally. It is just human nature. Seek out people who will respect you for what you are doing now!

You Lack Convincing Power

This may be your lack of confidence in your ability to take the company to great heights, or just your nervousness in making the presentation. You not only have to convince prospective investors that the company and the plan are solid, but that you are also the right person to lead it. If you are not the right person to fill the CEO position, find someone else who is. Just remember that no one is going to have the same kind of ownership mentality that you do.

Something You Are Doing Or Have Done Is Out Of Sequence

Building or growing a business requires adhering to a proven formula. Experienced businesspeople and investors know this. They know the formula as well. Changing some things in that formula is like frosting a cake before you bake it. The result can be a mess that is either difficult or impossible to clean up. Be sure that you are doing everything in the right order so that you maximize your chances for success.

You Haven't Taken Enough Of The Risk Out Of The Venture, Or At Least Shown How You Plan To Do So

The primary job of an investor is to assess risks. If an investor sees that you've put safeguards in place to protect their investment, such as protecting your intellectual property or building a strong executive team, they will be more inclined to invest. At the very least, show how you plan on using their money to minimize risks and protect their investments as much as possible.

Your Timing Is Off

You may be trying to enter an industry that is about to undergo radical changes that will leave you in the dust. You may be approaching real estate investors just as that market is hitting rock bottom.

You're Relying Too Much On Your Own Knowledge, Skills And Talents, And Not Enough On Those Of Your Team

Your inexperience shows. Be sure to emphasize how teachable you are. Tout your desire and ability to surround yourself with people who are wiser, smarter or more experienced than you are.

Your Original Ideas Are Either Not Protected, Or Not Protectable

Many investors won't put large amounts of money into an invention that is not already patented, though you can often get seed capital to pay for the patent application. There may be doubt as to whether or not that your idea is unique enough to be protected. Be sure to consult with an intellectual property attorney and get their opinion about protecting your idea in writing.

You Have Not Done Enough Market Research

There may be questions about whether enough people will want your product or service, whether your price point will be too high to be accepted by consumers, whether your competition has the market locked up etc. Be sure that you have done a thorough market study, you have documented results, and you have developed a strong and feasible marketing plan.

Master the delicate balance between confident businessperson, passionate owner, capable leader and masterful presenter, and you will greatly increase your chances of attracting investors.

You will succeed!