How to Take Risks and Abandon Your Fears

I have a little secret. Hmmm… should I tell you? What will you think of me?
You may know me as a recording artist, speaker, world traveler and songwriter. I appear on television. People think that people like me walk on water. Some think that we’re different than other people because we are in”full time ministry.” We walk through airports and some people even know our names. We must have connections and courage that most people just don’t have.
Of course, that’s all pretty ridiculous and couldn’t be further from the truth!
You see my little secret is that years ago, even while singing around the world, I lived so much of my life in fear.
Afraid of what people thought of me. How can they not like my chubby little face? LOL!
Afraid of failure? Hey, nobody wants to be a loser.
I was even afraid of success. You see I didn’t want anybody to think that I thought I was better than they are.
So for many years, I had some success, but never lived up to my God given potential. I used to pray, “God, if you will please just take away all my fears, I can do great things for you. If you take away my fears I can accomplish all the dreams that are hidden in my heart.”
But God never removed the fear.
You know why? Because God does not remove your fears. However… He will give you the words, courage and boldness to walk through your fears! You can overcome your fears.
Paul said, “Praying always with all prayer …. for all the saints and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, —Ephesians 6:18-19
If the Apostle Paul prayed for boldness and the right words to say, how much more do we?
I no longer fear people’s opinions. Sure I want to be liked, but it will never, ever hinder me from God’s plan for me. Failure? It happens. But if I fail, and we all do, I’ll just get back up, seek God’s way and keep moving ahead. Success? It’s a good thing. Put wealth and influence in the hands of the righteous and they’ll build God’s Kingdom.
So here are just a few ways to learn How to Take Risks and Abandon Your Fears. God will always do His part. Here is how we do our part.
It’s quite comfortable to sit back and keep the status quo. After all, if you don’t rock the boat, you can’t fall into the sea. But without risk, there are few rewards.
Abandon Your Fears
You already know that taking risks is risky. To build up the courage, you need to master your fears. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds. If you’ve spent the better part of your life with fear, it could be deeply engrained in your subconscious, but it’s not impossible to change. All you need now is the willingness to overcome your fears. If you really want to abandon your fears, there’s nothing that can stop you!
Here are some tips to keep fear at bay:
1. Recognize Your Fears. Recognize your fears for what they really are. You’ll soon discover how your fears are limiting you by your reactions to them.
• Let’s say you’re afraid of driving, if you’re ever in the driver’s seat your response might be a quick “Oh no! Get me out of here!” If you continue this pattern of thinking you’ll always be afraid. Accept that the fear is real, but challenge yourself to approach the situation with courage and inner strength.
2. Overcome Your Fears. Many times we’re afraid of something because it remains in the unknown. We might label something as risky because we don’t yet know or understand what’s going on.
• An example would be avoiding college because you’re afraid of meeting new people, the workload, and so on. To overcome this fear, you can get familiar with the college, the courses, and the people so you can feel more comfortable and confident. Doing so will ease the fear of the unknown and give you a sense of relief.
3. Change Your Thinking. If you can alter the way you think about a certain situation, you’ll then act differently. Your fears may overwhelm your thoughts at times, but your job is to put a stop to this.
• For example, if you think you’ll never be able to achieve your goals, you won’t. But if you believe in yourself, you’re far more likely to succeed!
How to Take Risks
Once you overcome your fears mentally, it’s time to take risks. Whether you realize it or not, you take risks everyday. Most risks are quite minor, but risk accompanies nearly every decision you make.
Follow these pointers to help you get into a risk taking mindset:
• A “risk” may sound negative; instead, think of it as more of an “adventure” or “journey.”
• Visualize a positive outcome.
• Consider the reasons why you’re hesitant to take a risk.
• When you have a set plan in place, taking a risk is a whole lot less threatening.
• When you’ve taken the leap, evaluate your experience so you can improve in the future.
• Self-confidence is the most important ingredient to success.
Putting it all Together
If you’re feeling tentative about the whole thing, get your feet wet with small steps. You can’t expect yourself to change drastically overnight, but at the same time you have to believe in yourself and believe that change is possible.
Overcoming fears and taking risks go hand in hand. Start small and dream big. You only have one journey on this earth, so you might as well make the most of it!

by Alvin Slaughter and resource team on September 22, 2009

WHAT FIRES YOUR ENTHUSIASM?

Everyone’s life; is driven by something.
What drives you is whatever you allow to guide and control your life.

There are several things that people allow to drive there life where are:

Guilt: They dwell on all the sins they have committed. Both the ones they committed consciously and the ones they were compelled to. In fact, they dwell more on the one they were compelled to and there after finds it very difficult to forgive themselves and others.

Anger and Unforgiveness: Many people dwell on anger and unforgiveness, I agree with you, that you have been hurt and in fact people will continue to do so as long as you are still on this planet. But it begins to drive your life when you continually dwell in it, you allow yourself to be distracted and you gradually with your own hands, remove yourself from all that God have prepared for you.
Many people use words like

I can’t let go of this hurt,
I can’t forgive this fellow.
The truth is that the more you keep those hurt in your heart the more you are pulling yourself out from what God has plan for you.

You have to realize that your past is past and there is nothing you can do about it and I am so glad that you still have the opportunity to change your tomorrow no matter how your yesterday and today has been.

PEOPLE’S APPOVAL: These set of people seek the approval from parents, spouse, teachers, friends, siblings and children if possible. They won’t take a step on their own; they expect people to tell them how to live their life.
You have to look and think beyond getting people’s approval, because God created you for a purpose and you have to fulfil it. The truth is that on the day of Judgment, God will ask you what you did with what He gave you and how you lived your life and I believe you won’t tell God that your brother or sister stopped you.

Dreams and Eternity: some people are driven by their dreams, they have in their heart they have planned how they want their life to be, or they think of is how they can make do it better, they think of the next step to take, to enable them come out with excellent result.
Some are driven by eternity, they watch what they say, do, wear, stay, go and how to live their daily life knowing that life here in earth is temporary.

BENEFITS:
When your life is driven by focus, it will give your daily life a meaning because you will wake up with so much joy in your heart knowing that you are going somewhere.

It won’t allow others to come in and dictate how to live your life. you won’t have to wait for someone to tell you move before you take a step.

It will motivate you; it will help you push forward; it will encourage you even when it seem as if your dreams are turning to nightmares, it will help you stay on the way and keep your hope in God when everyone around you have turned their back on you it will help you do more than your best and it will give you the boldness to declare to yourself that anywhere above the sky is your limit.

BEFORE YOU SAY, "I DO"

Secrets To Marital Success
In this part of our discussion I promised to look at the critical issues that my friend, his ex and all those in same shoes should have thought about before they rushed to say, "I do." Yes if I were given the opportunity before their marriage I would have wanted my friend to evaluate his readiness for marriage. I would also have assisted him in being able to identify key topics for discussion prior to the said marriage.
My first act would have been to give him a pre-marital assessment to find out if he was really ready for Marriage. I would have given him a couple of questions to rate each statement from 0-10, 10 being the best and 0 being the worst. The questions would be something like: My dear friend,
1. Do you know what you really want? Do you have a clear vision for your lives together? Do you have a clear picture of the goals that would keep you motivated to move forward when the exigencies of married life call?.
2. Do you feel happy and successful? Do you enjoy your life, your work, your family, your friends and your own company as a matter of fact? Are you living the life that you really want, and are you planning to marry out of a desire for companionship and not out of desperation and need?
3. Do you have effective communication skills? Do you understand the dynamics of relationships, can you maintain closeness and intimacy, can you negotiate differences positively, can you allow yourself to trust and be vulnerable, and can you give and receive love without emotional barriers?
I would also like the couple to answer some pertinent personal questions which they would have to answer in the context of their personal knowledge of each other. It will be something like:
4. Are both of you ready for an intentional and exclusive commitment? Do you have any emotional or legal baggage from a previous relationship? Will your present schedule, commitments, and lifestyle allow you to build a new future with each other?
5. Are each of you satisfied with his or her career? Is your work fulfilling, will it support your lifestyle, and not be too stressful for the relationship? Do you enjoy your work, and maintain a comfortable balance between work and play?
6. Are you healthy in mind, body, spirit and pocketbook? Are you very sure that your physical, mental, emotional and financial health will not interfere with having the life and relationship you are planning to have?
Again, I would like each of them to answer personally from their own self awareness that their personal financial and legal issues were under control. Each of them should be able to say:
7. I have no financial or legal issues that would interfere with my marriage. I am not expecting my partner to rescue me from any legal or financial problems."
8. I understand my financial obligations. I understand my own money issues and I am working on them. I am striving to achieve balance in my financial life.
9. I am comfortable with my spiritual beliefs. My partner and I have discussed our religious beliefs.
10. I am committed to a life apart from my parents. My partner and I understand the importance of parents in our lives, but also have discussed the need for building our own traditions and values.
A 1997 Statistics on Marriage and Divorce have shown that 7.2 years is median duration of marriage. The same stats also proved that 50% of first marriages end in divorce while 60% of second marriages end in divorce also.
Abraham Lincoln once said, "Marriage is neither heaven nor hell, it is simply purgatory."
I think the most pertinent honest question one has to ask oneself honestly before one says I do is, why do I really want to get married? There are as many unhealthy reasons as there are healthy ones. Are you getting married to: avoid Loneliness, to cope with sexual frustration or to avoid bad family situations? Or are you getting married for love and commitment, sharing a life together and intimacy and companionship?
There are certain things one needs to know before getting married. One truly needs to know oneself. You must understand what drives you. You must be aware of your strengths and limitations.
Jonathan Jackson, son of Rev. Jessie Jackson, and a commodities trader at the Chicago Board of Trade stated that the best pre-marital advice he received "was not to look for the right person, but to be the right person. You can't wish someone would be a certain way. Either she is or she isn't." (Ebony, Aug. 96)
You must endeavor to know one another. You must know the dynamics of your relationship. It is like the wisdom of a 10 year-old. "You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and the dip coming." You must have good communication. You must be aware of how well you communicate with one another. David Snead, General Superintendent of the Detroit Public Schools stated, "if there is a magical secret to a successful relationship -communication is it." (Ebony, Aug 96)
In summary you must think of your religious preferences, parental relationships, family traditions, careers, emotional issues, finances, leisure time,
Marriage is a wonderful institution that can bring a lasting sense of personal fulfillment and joy, but it requires two healthy individuals, who are willing to be honest and committed to it, regardless of whatever comes their way. And this begins by asking yourself the question: Have I considered the things I need to do before I commit by saying, "I DO?" Source: internet

Five Secrets to Business Success

Five Secrets to Business Success
I am often asked if I have found a secret - or at least a consistent answer - to successfully building businesses over my career.
So I’ve spent some time thinking about what characterizes so many of Virgin’s successful ventures and, importantly, what went wrong when we did not get it right. Reflecting across 40 years I have come up with five “secrets.”
No. 1: Enjoy What You Are Doing.
Because starting a business is a huge amount of hard work, requiring a great deal of time, you had better enjoy it. When I started Virgin from a basement flat in West London, I did not set out to build a business empire. I set out to create something I enjoyed that would pay the bills.
There was no great plan or strategy. The name itself was thought up on the hoof. One night some friends and I were chatting over a few drinks and decided to call our group Virgin, as we were all new to business. The name stuck and had a certain ring to it.
For me, building a business is all about doing something to be proud of, bringing talented people together and creating something that’s going to make a real difference to other people’s lives.
A businesswoman or a businessman is not unlike an artist. What you have when you start a company is a blank canvas; you have to fill it. Just as a good artist has to get every single detail right on that canvas, a businessman or businesswoman has to get every single little thing right when first setting up in business in order to succeed. However, unlike a work of art, the business is never finished. It constantly evolves.
If a businessperson sets out to make a real difference to other people’s lives, and achieves that, he or she will be able to pay the bills and have a successful business to boot.
No. 2: Create Something That Stands Out.
Whether you have a product, a service or a brand, it is not easy to start a company and to survive and thrive in the modern world. In fact, you’ve got to do something radically different to make a mark today.
Look at the most successful businesses of the past 20 years. Microsoft, Google or Apple, for example, shook up a sector by doing something that hadn’t ever been done and by continually innovating. They are now among the dominant forces.
No. 3: Create Something That Everybody Who Works for You is Really Proud of.
Businesses generally consist of a group of people, and they are your biggest assets.
No. 4: Be a Good Leader.
As a leader you have to be a really good listener. You need to know your own mind but there is no point in imposing your views on others without some debate. No one has a monopoly on good ideas or good advice.
Get out there, listen to people, draw people out and learn from them. As a leader you’ve also got to be extremely good at praising people. Never openly criticize people; never lose your temper, and always lavish praise on your colleagues for a job well done.
People flourish if they’re praised. Usually they don’t need to be told when they’ve done wrong because most of the time they know it. If somebody is not working out, don’t automatically throw him or her out of the company. A company should genuinely be a family. So see if there’s another job within the company that suits them better. On most occasions you’ll find something for every single kind of personality.
No. 5: Be Visible.
A good leader does not get stuck behind a desk. I’ve never worked in an office - I’ve always worked from home - but I get out and about, meeting people. It seems I am traveling all the time but I always have a notebook in my back pocket to jot down questions, concerns or good ideas.
If I’m on a Virgin Atlantic plane, I make certain to get out and meet all the staff and many of the passengers. If you meet a group of Virgin Atlantic crew members, you are going to have at least 10 suggestions or ideas. If I don’t write them down, I may remember only one the next day. By writing them down, I remember all 10. Get out and shake hands with all the passengers on the plane, and again, there are going to be people who had a problem or have a suggestion. Write it down, make sure that you get their names, get their e-mail addresses, and make sure the next day that you respond to them.
Of course, I try to make sure that we appoint managing directors who have the same philosophy. That way we can run a large group of companies in the same way a small business owner runs a family business - keeping it responsive and friendly.
When you’re building a business from scratch, the key word for many years is “survival.” It’s tough to survive. In the beginning you haven’t got the time or energy to worry about saving the world. You’ve just got to fight to make sure you can look after your bank manager and be able to pay the bills. Literally, your full concentration has to be on surviving.
Obviously, if you don’t survive, just remember that most businesses fail and the best lessons are usually learned from failure. You must not get too dispirited. Just get back up and try again.
© 2010 Richard Branson

8 Steps to Taking Control of Every Situation in Your Life!

8 Steps to Taking Control of Every Situation in Your Life!
By Terry Rich Hartley

Like it or not, we are all gladiators. We go to sleep and wake up in a social arena from which there is no escape. Challenge upon challenge confronts us, walls restrain us, and a mob of spectators mocks, sneers, or cheers us. Each and every day brings new battles whether we want them or not and whether we're up to them or not. Life forces us to face one skirmish after another - no choice in the matter.
What we can choose, though, is which kind of gladiator to be, victor or victim.
Being a victim in this social arena translates into having bad relationships.
Most people are victims - victims of their own perceptions.

That's because people don't develop and listen to their own unique, authentic self. Rather they allow their mental spectators - those little tyrants rattling around in their heads - to tell them second by second how to fight their battles, what they can and cannot do. These tyrants applaud and they hiss, they encourage and they discourage.

These mental spectators are the memories of the judgments of real-life people. For example, it's the memory of your aunt saying, "I hope you marry someone rich, because you're not going far on brains." It's the echo of your father growling, "You've got a back problem - no spine."

And their influence over your relationships can't be overestimated.
Millions of people accept the judgments of their mental spectators as the truth and, therefore, the mediocre results that come from believing those judgments.
With so many people living this way, the question becomes, is this the way I have to live? Fortunately, the answer is not unless you want to.
Once you identify your mental spectators - and your interactions with them - you can move beyond victim and assume the role of victor.

What it takes are eight steps for getting command, eight steps you can apply to most any situation you want altered. You can positively influence your relationships, your employment options, any aspect of your life.
Let's look at the steps.

1. Define What Ails You.

Ask, what's my problem? Am I a jealous weasel, troubled that others have what I want? Am I ticked off most of the time? Am I sad and whiney? Anxiety ridden? Moody? All of the above? Without this step, you're doomed. It will take personal courage, but you won't get results without identifying what ails you.

2. Discover the Effects.

Ask, how are my problems affecting my life? Am I a lousy parent, a friendless dork, a backstabber, a slut, a drunk, a junkie? Am I none of the above, but someone who is less than I could be? This step requires absolute self-honesty, but the truth will help set you free.

3. Seek the Source.

Ask, from where are my problems coming? Who are my real and my mental spectators? What do my mental spectators look like, say, and do? Exactly who or what is keeping me from taking command of my life? This could be one of the most incredible experiences of your life. You will look into the abyss and see who is looking back.

4. Identify Your Role.

Ask, how am I contributing to my problems? What is my responsibility in all this? Did I decide to be a garbage disposal? Do I beat myself to death trying to please others? Do I expect things of myself that are unfair? Do I treat myself as a friend or an enemy? Do I allow my mental spectators to drive me to distraction, depression, anger, anxiety? Recognizing your role in your own problems is a positive - but scary - step toward knowing yourself and gaining personal command.

5. State Your Desires.

Ask, what do I specifically want to do about my problems? Do I want to be a doormat, a slut, a drunk, a friendless geek? Or do I want to rule my mental spectators? Do I want to stand up to a spectator, real or imagined, who puts me down? Do I want to take command of my education, my bank account, my relationships? Until you can actually list your desires in the order of their importance, you will be a victim. However, once you do this, you are on your way to being a victor.

6. Seek Options.

Ask, what are my options, and in what order should I place them? What is the first option I should concentrate on? The second one? The third? If you have a soul-sucking hangover most mornings, you might opt to give up your booze buddies for some real friends. Secondly, take the money you normally spend at bars and deposit it in a college fund for yourself or your kids. If, instead, you're a workaholic and you want to spend more time with your kids, then DO IT. Very few people on their deathbed have said, "If I could live life all over again, I'd spend more of it at work and less with people I love." Choices are involved here, but by weighing options and alternatives, and then making personal choices, you are taking command. Do this and you'll begin to gain real power.

7. Learn Winning Techniques.

Ask, how do I rule my real and my mental spectators? Must I collapse in a heap when they point thumbs down? How can I learn to take charge on every level and get a grip on my life? There is no "magic" involved, but you might feel as if there is. Unlike a vanquished gladiator falling at the whim of spectators, you decide your own course.

8. Master Your Relationships.

Ask, what more can I do to master my relationships by strengthening myself and my perceptions? How do I take command right now in developing my own identification and self-worth? Congratulations! You're working on the one person in the entire world you can work on - YOU! And any improvements in yourself can't help but enrich your relationships with other people and the world around you.
Although this is only a brief overview of each of the eight steps for jump-starting your relationships and taking control of your life, you'd be amazed at how significant the effects of a few minor adjustments in perception can be.

The Immutable Secrets of Prosperity

The Immutable Secrets of Prosperity

Texts: 3 John 2, Mat. 6:24-33, Joshua 1:8

INTRODUCTION:
In the Bible the Apostle John says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” 3 John 2

What is prosperity?
A. One dictionary definition of prosperity is: "a state of being prosperous, wealth or success". Having money can be part of the equation, but not always. Prosperity isn't about what you have or own, but what you feel about what you have or own. It is about recognizing life's abundance.
B. Prosperity is not only money—in your pocket, in the bank, in your stock portfolio and CDs. True prosperity is the sense of abundance—the sense that you have the right to live an abundant life, that you are a child of a wealthy Father and Mother who love you and want to give you all their riches.

C. Prosperity is your true inheritance. It is health, wealth, happiness, joy, peace, faith, hope, wisdom, being in tune with the flow of the universe and ability to accept the abundance of God.

D. Prosperity is defined as success, good fortune, abundance or wealth. It's a word that often immediately conjures up images of money in the minds of most people. But did you know that money is only a part of what it means to be prosperous? Prosperity is inclusive of your state of mind, your health, and your finances and your spirit.
E. There are instructions set forth in the Word of God to teach men how to live a prosperous life. True prosperity is the ability to apply the power of God to meet any need-spiritual, mental, and physical.

F. Prosperity is abundance. The Lord Christ, when he was teaching in Judea, said, “I AM come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

PROSPERITY PRINCIPLES AND LAWS
1. Seek first God’s Kingdom thru Jesus Christ-Mat. 6: 33
2. God is the Source of all things: Jam 1:17; Deut 8: 18, Ps 75: 6, Ps 50:10-11
3. Take God As Your Partner-Many so-called "captains of industry," not only Mr. Le Tourneau, have used this important secret of prosperity to bring success to their business enterprises. Taking God into your business as your partner is a formula that always brings not only abundance but also peace of mind to those who faithfully use it.
4. Depend and Trust in God
This means we don’t look to people as our source of supply. When I first started this activity with the masters’ help, we had a woman worth more than sixteen million dollars in the organization. We thought she was really going to be of great assistance to us—the human thought that. We were never more disappointed in our lives, and probably justly so.
5. Give Something, No Matter How Small
Another secret of prosperity is to give of the little bit that thou hast. Some people have very little money. They say, “Well, I hate to offer The Summit Lighthouse ninety-eight cents; it’s too belittling to me.” But Mr. Rockefeller gave people only a dime, didn’t he? All he gave away to everybody was ten cents. He was always handing out ten cents as his charitable contribution.

So don’t feel that it is belittling to give a small amount. God knows exactly what you have. No one else has to know. Look at it this way: it is more blessed to give than it is to receive. And you will receive, because giving is a secret of prosperity. People who dam up the flow by saying, “Oh, I’m afraid,” generate fear in their worlds.
6. Use the Gifts God Has Given You
This fear was illustrated in the parable of the servant who received one lousy talent. Before his lord left for a far country, he entrusted some of his goods to his servants according to their abilities. To one servant he gave five talents, to another servant he gave two talents and to a third servant he gave one talent. In those days, a talent was a valuable silver coin. When the lord returned, he wanted to know what they had done with their money
7. Give in Secret
Many years ago Lloyd Douglas wrote Magnificent Obsession. In this book he revealed one of the great secrets of the masters: keep your mouth shut about what you do. This is why some people come up to me and whisper in my ear and say, “I’ll give so much money to your university.” They don’t want anybody else to hear it, because they know that if they give in secret, their supply will return to them and will also be multiplied.
As Jesus said, “Verily, they have their reward.”
There is a place in the Bible where the secret is given: “When you give,” Jesus said, “don’t sound a trumpet before yourselves as the hypocrites do. But give in secret.”
8. Give Ten Percent of Yourself to God
Another secret of prosperity is to give ten percent of yourself to God. There is no law that says you can’t give more, but I think to give less is to deplete the seed.
The word tithe literally means one-tenth. It is an Old English word that was used in the King James translation of the Bible in the year 1611. It is incorrect to assume that a tithe of money is all that the law requires. There needs to be a tithe of time and energy, possessions and ability as well as actual supply.
"When we stop to think about it, we realize that the tithe is really not ours to give; it already belongs to God...."
Giving a tenth is what is known as a tithe. Today I received a revelation concerning the word tithe. I didn’t hear it as tithe. I heard it as tie thee. The ten percent is the portion of the divine talent that becomes a seed to tie you to your God Presence, to God, the Great Source, so that the next cycle of the decimal system will grow. It’s the zero, you see. You come one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and then you “tie thee”—tie thee to the Presence.

“Tie thee” means a tie, a link, a union with your Source, the source of your supply. And by giving that tenth, you’re planting the seed that makes your supply grow into the next cycle. If you deny it to God, you actually don’t gain at all. By holding it back you lose, because you don’t have any seed to make it grow in the next cycle. According to the law of tithing, if a man gives God 10 percent of his wealth, then God will return to him 100 percent. Thus, if you have a dime and give God a penny, God will give you back a dime. If you have a dollar and give him a dime, he will give you back a dollar.
"The tithe is an inexorable law that has been tested and proven over time. It will not fail."
9. Never Dam Up the Flow of Your Energy
The possession of money itself does not make a person better or worse. Not at all. Money—like every talent and gift of God—is responsibility. And when you have a great deal of money or even a little money, it is a form of prosperity that should not be dammed up like the Dead Sea.
The River Jordan flows down toward the Dead Sea and empties into it, but there is absolutely no outlet in the Dead Sea. This has been used a lot in Sunday schools to illustrate certain spiritual laws. Whenever you have anything that continually takes in and never gives out, it’s a symbol of death or stagnation because there is no flow and there is no movement.
Blood flows through the whole body and returns through the heart for oxygenation in the lungs. We all know that’s basic physiology. But here’s something that’s almost frightening: the moment you dam up an artery, you really have trouble.
10. Live a Holy and Righteous life- Ps 92: 12-14-The righteous shall flourish
11. Sow/invest your seed- Gen 26: 12-14-Isaac sow in the land and reap bountifully and became great.
12. Develop Prosperity Consciousness, Thoughts and Actions-Prov 23:7; As a man thinks in his heart so he is. Our thought must be positive towards prosperity that flows from God. Nothing outside you can stop you. You choose. Keep this in mind. Prosperity consciousness comes totally from within. Back prosperity thoughts with actionable steps.
13. Deal with Mentality of Negativity- Our lives are stuck by the negativity we are drawn to in our daily lives. A large percentage of persons want to outdo their co-workers or friends with the amount and magnitude of problems that they have. Most of us live our lives in total lack and shortage and that prevents us from achieving true prosperity.
14. Set SMART goals for your self- The reason why some people do not succeed is because they set unrealistic goal which is outside the will of God for themselves. Nothing we achieve is outside the will of God.
15. Deal with Fear- 2 Tim 1: 7- Fear that no one has made it in your family must be destroyed by trusting in God. The fear of unknown enslaves us to take a step. Every success requires taking a risk. Fear stops us from taking risk-fear of failure. False Evidence Appearing Real. This one 4-letter word prevents us from going forward to achieve all that we desire. What will our family think? Will our friends still like us? A very high percentage of persons fear success because of how it will affect us and our relationship with others.
16. Take advantage of opportunity- There is always an opportunity everywhere that we can take to make us prosper. There will always be a need to be met somewhere. Identify it and met the need then you are on your way to prosperity.
17. Finally, Ask God according to His will: Mat 7:7-8, Luke 11:9-10

PRAYERS
1. Thank God for His promise of prosperity in our life
2. Ask Him to forgive us where we have disobeyed His commands
3. Father, I pay back every generational sin that has hindered my blessings and prosperity-Jer 5:25
4. Father, by your power accelerate my journey to divine prosperity
5. Father, because I am planted in your house, I shall flourish in all areas of my life
6. Father, prosper the work of my hands this year
7. Father, destroy every anti-prosperity spirit and power programmed against my life
8. Oh God arise and destroyed every power that harvest my blessings
9. Father, destroy by fire every evil basket programmed against my prosperity in Jesus name
10. Father, reverse every victory that the enemy has had over my finances
11. Father, break every natural and spiritual laws that has hindered my financial breakthrough
12. Father, destroy every strange hands and power that has being pulling me down from ascending my throne
13. Father deliver me from every power in my father/mother’s house that has put me under yoke and burden
14. Father lift me up beyond my own dream and the expectations of men
15. Father, destroy every power postponing my day of celebration and glory
16. Father, take me beyond the point at which others are failing in life

10 TOP TIPS TO TURN YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE INTO A 6 FIGURE INCOME

10 TOP TIPS TO TURN YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE INTO A 6 FIGURE INCOME
So you want to be a freelance consultant, trainer or coach? Do you have special knowledge about something which you have either learned through education, training, or experience? Have you been tempted by the questions ... how can sell my knowledge? How can I run my own business? Do you have a passion and a drive to be financially independent? Or just to be free of being reliant on employers? Even if you already sell your knowledge to an employer in exchange for a wage, you must have wondered if there were other ways you could do this, and for more money and by being your own boss? Well, there are, and that is what we are all about. I help people to start and develop a freelance consultancy or knowledge selling business.
If you really want to explore the possibility of starting your own freelance knowledge business, then you have started in the right way by downloading 10 Ten Top Tips to Turn Your Knowledge and Expertise into a 6 Figure Income'. These are things that I have learned over the last 15 years and if I can pass on my experience and knowledge to you then I will count that a success.
You may be aware of some of these things already, but if not take note of these common themes that I see my customers and clients make all the time when starting or developing their consultancy or specialist knowledge business. So, here are the 10 things. They are not necessarily in order of priority as each will apply to different people in different ways and at different times. They are:

1. Find out the need for what you are offering
2. Learn how to market your offering
3.Learn as much as you can about your niche
4. Developing a 'micro-niche'
5. Don't undervalue what you know
6. Keep it simple
7. Don't be a perfectionist
8. Be aware of how others see you
9.Be aware of procrastination
10. Sell products as well as time

Here they are in more detail:
1. Find out what the need is for what you are offering
If you work with local companies ask them what they need. If you have clients already ask them what they need. Ideally, and especially if you're marketing on the internet (which consultants, trainers and coaches are beginning to do more of), you should know what the need is around the areas that you are offering then seek to fill that need. Most people come up with an idea, a concept or a product first and then they try to find people to buy it. Avoid this! Don't make the mistake of just thinking you can take your knowledge directly to the public and that they will buy it. Find a niche that you can respond to. A niche is a group of people looking for the solution to a problem but not finding many satisfactory results. Locate such a group, find out what they need, respond to their problem and you'll have a business. Learn some key techniques about how people search to solve their problems then set yourself up to respond to this need.

2. Learn How to Market your offering
You may have an ad in your local phone directory or have some business cards that you give out. But there is so much more that you need. As I said finding out what people wantis the most important marketing activity you can do. But also, tell people what you do, set up appointments with prospective clients and customers. Don't be afraid to ask for business, put other ads out, join forums, and speak to your local Chamber of Commerce. But avoid national newspapers and magazines unless you want to throw a lot of money away very quickly. If you are selling to businesses and companies make appointments with them. Even if you just get the contact details of 5 or 10 and have their permission to send your sales letter to them this will be more effective than an expensive ad that no one will read.
You really need to be thinking about online activity too. Lots of people with a website think they are doing Internet marketing. They aren't! They have a website. That's it! Knowing about keywords, site engine optimisation, pay-per-click, article submission, directory submission, social networking sites, and many other things, then taking action on these things is what marketing on the internet is about. In order to raise your profile, and certainly if you want to make sales online, you need to learn about these and many other techniques before you can say that you are optimizing your marketing strategy.

3. Learn as much as you can about your niche
A key component to the previous point is your niche. Understanding this is critical. This is so especially if you are relying on the internet to get known and to sell your knowledge. It is also important even if you are only selling to local businesses in your area through traditional methods. The reason most businesses and sole-trader consultancies fail is because they don't have a clear niche, a specific problem that the set out to solve. Don't try to be all things to all people. Many start with an idea or product then try to sell it without finding out if anyone actually wants it! A niche is a group of people with a problem and not being able to find a solution to it. This problem will be specific hence the term 'niche'. You will need to find what this problem is. Yes, it involves effort and a bit of detective work to find what this might be in the context of your interest but it's worth it. The niche needs to be in your area of interest (as you are most likely to stay with and remain excited with a business designed around that than if it was something you didn't really care much about). If you are selling to businesses in your area, do a quick survey of 10 or 20 companies and find out what they want. If you are working online then go to Google Keywords and learn how it works this will help you a lot in defining a niche for your knowledge. Experiment by typing in terms that you think people will use when looking for your kind of solution.

4. Developing a micro-niche
A micro-niche is a niche within a niche which lies within a particular industry. There may be enough business for you within a micro-niche. Sometimes the more specific your market - the better.. Here's how it goes:
Industry Niche Micro-niche
Sport Golf Golf swing
Investment Trading Options Trading
Marketing Online Marketing SiteEngine Optimisation


Get it?
Having a micro-niche is critical if you are relying on the internet to get known, or even if you are marketing offline. The more specialist you are the more your customers can identify exactly what it is you offer. Another reason many businesses and sole-trader consultancies fail is because they don't have a niche or micro-niche. They start with a general idea or product then try to sell it without knowing exactly who wants it! A micro-niche is an even more specific group or problem that you target. It is of course possible to combine a number of micro-niches. A vibrant micro-niche can be all you need to make a lot of money.

5. Don't undervalue what you know
A few weeks ago something went wrong with my computer. A friend who knew a bit about computers agreed to come round to my house and have a look at it. I'd be struggling all day to try to fix it, it took him less than five minutes. I was so relieved and grateful. I think I made him feel embarrassed because I went on about how 'genius' I thought he was. He said it was just a small thing. But to me it was the technological equivalent of the magic touch. He was so insistent that what he did was 'nothing'. In other words, in my view, he undervalued what he'd done. I'd have happily paid a lot of money to someone to fix my problem. It seems that for those to whom certain knowledge comes relatively easy and those for whom a certain kind of knowledge is taken for granted, there is a tendency to undervalue it! However mundane you think your knowledge is do not assume it is equally mundane for everyone else. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that just because you easily understand something and have knowledge about it that others do too. When we have specialist knowledge we assume it is known to others too or at least is easy to get. It isn't! Be utterly confident that the knowledge, information, insight, and skill you have is rare and highly valuable and that people will pay you well to disseminate it and use it to help them. You need to believe this before you start.

6. Keep it simple
The funny thing is my computer friend who fixed my computer told me what was wrong and how he fixed it but in a way that I just couldn't understand. We've all experienced the I.T. geek, the medic, the mortgage advisor, the HR manager or whoever it is, that speaks in riddles, in a way that is perfectly understandable to them and their colleagues but it is complete nonsense to the rest of us. When we become highly conversant and proficient in a professional language as most knowledge professionals do, we assume that others also know our terminology and acronyms. Don't make this mistake. Assume nothing when trying to provide help to your clients and customers. The more they understand you the better chance you have of doing business with them. The more you baffle them the more you'll turn them off! Learn to communicate very simply in laymans terms how you can solve a customer's problem.

7. Don't be too much of a perfectionist
It is uncommon to meet a knowledge specialist (an academic, teacher, writer, gardener, hairdresser, dentist) who is not also a perfectionist of some kind (in the best sense!). Given that specialist knowledge can be detailed and complex it is not surprising that an element of perfectionism is integral to it. The problem is that your attitude needs to be much more relaxed when it comes to starting your own business or consultancy. I thought I could be perfectionist when I started but found that competitors were far quicker than I was. I'd argue that their work was of inferior quality but their response was it's good enough. This was true, they sold more business than me. Remember, your prospective buyers are not looking for absolute perfection they are looking for competence and work/knowledge/information that is 'good enough' to solve their problem. And that is what you have to aim for not perfection as you might in another aspect of your work but when engaging with commercial clients offline or online it simply needs to be 'good enough'.

8. Be aware of how others 'see' you
If you have specialist knowledge of something - beware! You may be viewed with suspicion by non-specialists even those who are prepared to buy from you. Certainly as a former academic I found there were certain barriers I had to break down before I persuaded clients of the value of what I had to offer. But this is related to the point I made earlier about communication and not speaking in a way that clients and customers couldn't understand. I now know how to do this but I became very quickly aware of how others perceived me as having specialist knowledge about something they needed. So, whether it is I.T. engineering, counselling or management issues, the specialist comes as both a rescuer but also a potential threat (being too technical or ready to rip them off!). Do all you can to maximise the former and to avoid the latter. Be prepared to coax your potential buyers with free information in the beginning, and listen as much as you can to them, find out what they want, then offer a good solution in a way that they understand and appreciate the value of.

9. Beware of procrastination
Oh yes! This is rife among knowledge specialists and consultants. The temptation to say: 'I'll get around to it'. 'I'll do that next week when I have more time' is all too strong when starting or developing your business. The fact is you will probably never have 'more time'. Life is always busy and there are always a ton of things to do. Saying that 'we'll get around to it' or will 'do it another time' is a classic form of procrastination. What it really means is that we are not prepared to prioritise what needs to be done. Simple! If you aren't prepared to prioritise something then your desire remains a mere 'interest' and nothing will move forward. The best cure for procrastination is actually to do something about it NOW! Do something to move the idea forward practically rather than in your head. It doesn't matter how small it is just do something.

10. Sell 'products' as well as 'time'
Many in the specialist knowledge business sell their time rather than products. Think about changing this. Okay, let's be more accurate. Knowledge specialists tend to sell their knowledge in packages of time (hours, days, weeks, etc). They give so many hours of their week and the buyer will pay them so much in return. But what if you could convert some of that time/knowledge into single products that could be sold over and over again? The e-book on your website, the e-course, the coaching programme, the seminar or workshop, the CD or DVD, could all be things you can sell over and over as products. Years ago, I thought that there was no way my knowledge and time could be turned into 'products' which would give me repeat (often passive) business. How wrong I was! Over the last few years I have sold not just my time but workshops, CDs, audios, ebooks, and teleseminars - all products that can be sold over and over.