The buck starts when you're ready

Lots of people say they need to make money because they're broke or an unfavorable financial experience left them in debt.  You may have heard whiners complain yet, do nothing.  You may imagine nothing better could happen to you right now than being blown out of your own financial troubles, only to land in a fortune that would leave you, as they say, 'high and dry.'  The lottery?

Imagination alone is unlikely to blow you anywhere.  Even winning the lottery would require you to go out and at least  buy a ticket. But even then, what are your chances?  Creating financial success in your life will happen only when you not only think you're completely ready for it, and expect it, but also when you have learned from what you've done or chose not to pursue before. Devoting time and exerting effort is meaningless if you have no sense of direction or plan.

You may have heard the phrase, "the buck stops here." This may stem from the poker card game in which a process using a marker or counter indicates the person who is next to deal. If this player doesn't wish to deal, he can pass responsibility by passing the "buck," as the counter came to be called, to the next player. In reality, you hold responsibility for your life and this isn't something that can be passed over to anyone else. You must be willing to do what it takes to move ahead yourself. This includes defining what moving ahead financially or otherwise means.

Consider these 7 tips to get the ball rolling in your favor:

1) Write a business plan. Whether or not you had a business that ended, you'll need some kind of feasibility study to map out what you plan to do next, why, for whom and the projected costs.

2) Conduct research. You may begin with Internet searches, but clarifying your business strategy would benefit from networking, joining associations, reading trade journals and seeking mentors. What has been done in your area of interest before? How would you stand apart from the crowd?

3) Reflect on past experience. Determine the hard lessons you have learned when situations have not evolved in ways you had envisaged. Why do you think that happened? What will you do differently next time? How could you apply this experience to benefit your new project?

4) Identify your assets. Regardless of your background, you have developed transferable skills. What do you think they are? Examine your strengths and weaknesses and how they would apply to your new venture. What advice will you need to compensate for your lack of expertise?

5) Isolate potential investors. If you have money saved, you may be your own financial backer. However, many businesses require an influx of capital. Consider prospective lenders, look into which details they would require in a proposal. Look into the kinds of risks venture capitalists and other investors have made and why. Don't be afraid to ask what motivated past decisions.

6) Discuss your idea. Seeking advice and feedback from outsiders can be useful. Not everyone will understand or approve of your tentative business plan. Yet, these people are the ones who could assist you most to fine-tune your ideas into a feasible strategy. Share with people you trust.

7) Build your confidence. One of the most effective ways to gain support and encouragement for your endeavours is to believe in them. As you finalize your plans and set out to make your dream a reality, remember you're your biggest fan. Reflect the enthusiasm you seek to attract.

No such thing as coincidence

You may believe in 'being in the right place at the right time.'  Yet, is there really such a thing? Some people think that what happens to you is directly related to what you choose to see or what you're ready to see happening in your life. If events are unfolding all the time, why is it you feel compelled to approach certain strangers, to notice and apply for certain positions, to attend a specific meeting you saw advertised for the first time on a community bulletin board? 

There may be no such thing as coincidence, but rather, a sense of evolution that enables you to take heed of useful information.Who knows, if you don't feel quite right about someone, guardian angels may even act to draw your attention to some hidden element of fraud.  Who or what triggers your sixth sense? What if everything you notice has perfect timing?

We feel compelled to walk and take other action at particular times because of instinct. And yet, there may also be an element of faith, or clues which draw our attention to incidents we initially brushed past, thinking they were insignificant. While exiting from a movie theatre, you meet a stranger who turns out to have something in common with you and you make a new friend. Do you ask yourself, "what are the chances?" When you realize you forgot your wallet and have no money to park, yet discover someone has left a paid hour, do you assume this is your lucky day? If you have a disagreement with an employer,and find yourself redundant with rent to pay, what happens when you find a new job the next day? Does it mean something is looking out for you?

Such incidents raise questions about your belief in yourself and your ability to move ahead in your life. Invisible helpers may indeed open doors and windows of possibility without you knowing. It's up to you to develop self-confidence and alpha thinking to know you always receive what you need.  Contact us to explore our tailored options for life coaching.

"Coincidence is the word we use when we can't see the levers and pulleys." - Emma Bull 

Saving the world is easier than you think

If you wish to save the world, begin by taking a closer look at yourself. State of mind relates to the state of the world around you.  As you sense what you think, feel and how you act is reflected in the exernal world, you begin to realize saving the world begins with being kind to yourself.  Show compassion. Just to notice thoughts and ability to focus is empowering.

Ask yourself what makes you believe the natural world needs saving. Are you listening to fear-based opinions and allowing this to impact how you feel and what you see? The mind plays tricks to convince you something is wrong where the heart knows everything is actually unfolding perfectly.  Thus, you could recognize that if you think the world needs saving, you are allowing your focus to be controlled by the mind and its limiting filters.

Another perspective is offered by Michael Norton.  He shares a book called 365 Ways to Change the World: How to Make a Difference - One Day at a Time. It draws attention to the importance of how we feel about our individual life choices.  Feelings determine what we see.

This book is full of ideas, some of which you may have heard before as well as others that may surprise you. For example, ever thought of using recycled toilet paper? Maybe not. Yet, rest assured, this doesn't necessarily mean wiping with leaves or sandpaper. Why not become a virtual volunteer and share your lessons learned? What prevents you from giving away items that clutter your home and your life? It's not as hard as you think to help reverse bio-piracy or silently react to Internet spam. Identify how your consumer choices affect wider, natural resource management.

Imagine benefits of performing anonymous acts of generosity, planting trees, watching only non-violent movies, choosing not to buy blood diamonds or products that perpetuate sujugation. Support local craftspeople and fair trade agricultural products, and make a living will. Readers can consult http://www.365act.com for other ideas and inspirations based on key book sources.

If you're solutions-oriented and aim to help the planet, consider these tips:

1) Plant a tree weekly. If everyone on the planet did, we could reverse key destructive processes.

2) Drive less to reduce your carbon emissions. Favor and use alternative energy forms and avoid or minimize carbon producing materials like aerosols, not burning leaves, vegetation or garbage.

3) Re-think your position on water projects, such as dams and other means of redirecting existing water supplies. Favor clean-water generating plans, conservation practices and surveillance. of ground water flows so rain will be more effectively captured to supply underground water.

4) Support urban plans that include more vegetation. Organize petition for council.

5) Rather than favor expanding cities, encourage rural living, explore Internet-based business and other sustainable practices in harmony with nature.

6) Increase self-sufficiency by growing food in backyard gardens and composting.

7) Raise awareness about local environmental issues which affect you directly. Discuss options with other people you think are affected. Cooperate to devise and implement solutions.

8) Encourage education on family planning to and share information about global over-population.

9) Reward children and adults in community/ business as they reduce waste and increase recycling.

10) Learn about the land and balance of local ecosystems. Heed fire bans and prevent bush fires.

11) Support wildlife reserves, conservation an preservation charities and nature associations

Strategies to get over hurdles

Risk-taking is sometimes compared to thrill-seeking in such sports such as rock climbing, deep-sea diving, spelunking, hang gliding, bungy jumping or parachuting from planes.  Of course, gambling and feeding addictions or obsessions describe very serious and perplexing problems in societies. A need for safety is fundamental, so are risk-takers illogical? irrational? or somehow mentally ill?

People who take a chance to lose things recognize value can be found in a hazardous situation.  You may find yourself in a position where you're unsure if you're willing to do what it takes to get the adrenalin flowing or to redefine an acceptable or menaingful life.  You may hear people telling you all those reasons why they think you should or shouldn't, when a voice inside whispers what you really wish to do.  Consider these questions when contemplating how to proceed:

1) What is your confidence level? Sporting risk takers tend to have high self-confidence they can manage the risks involved, and friends also choose to take fatal risks. Physical challenges in extreme altitude or temperature may trigger fight or flight response, although because confident people believe they're in control of the risks, they sense high arousal as excitement rather than fear. If you're a sporty sensation-seeker with a track record, go for it! If you have no record, but you have attitude, confidence and emotional support, that's a good sign.

2) How would you describe your anxiety level? No matter what you wonder about, from those potential job changes, developing or leaving a relationship, to making other decisions you've never made before, it's natural to second guess yourself, at least initially.  Your own conscience you may seize your attention to ensure you think before you act. If fear and doubt grab your attention, only you determine whether you permit them to control you for good reason or if your imagination runs wild. Consider the impact of prospective decisions on other people and if you act with self-interest or for the greater good.  Refer back to the principles and values you've been taught, on how you evolve, and on the future you desire.

3) Could you afford to lose? Where health or financial stakes are high, consider the worst case scenario. If you bet your life savings on one horse race or a handful of companies in the stock market and you lost, would you be able to live and survive with the consequences? If you know substances from smoking to illicit drugs will lower your life expectancy, and you take them anyway, how does this impact family and friends? If you're willing to take serious health risks, you go beyond rebelling against social conventions and rules and risk physical well-being and your life.

4) Are you in line with your priorities? The nature of the risk you ponder may not "fit a specific profile." Think about your personality in relation to your view of risk-taking behaviour. You may not know anyone who has taken risks you contemplate.  You may desire to be a pioneer, or do things no person in your family has done.  Generalisations of what is or isn't a good risk may not apply.  Reassure yourself about exceptions.  Profiles of desireable risks for certain types of people need not be your reference.  If you research pros and cons of taking the risk or not, you will have to decide if the possible sacrifices and rewards would be worth it.

5) Could you live with yourself if you didn't take the risk? Your circumstances may be humble, and you're offered the chance to try out for a professional sports team in another country.  Your life may be hanging by a thread, and you're given the chance to test a non-proven drug which could save your life.  Your young child has the chance to accomplish significant in life but it goes against what you know. Do you pass guardianship to a foreign coach and send the child away?  You're nominated for a position that would enable you to enrich your community, but it would require compromise and sacrifice beyond your current limits. You may be in love with someone and feel shy about sharing how you feel. What if they never know? Taking the risk to step outside your comfort zone, to do something uncomfortable or scary has the potential to change your life or the life of someone you are about. Reflect on the power of control and ego and the benefits of making trade-offs.

Expand possibilities with Aussie-based SKA

When you think of outer space, you may consider how it inspires your imagination. Most people have dreams of some kind. We ponder our limits, projects to work toward, and the sorts of initiatives they would require. Space enables us to learn more about who we are, where we came from or what may be next. If we desire a future on Earth, it makes sense to learn to better look after it. By studying and comparing other parts of the universe, we expand our views.

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project will be a radio telescope with a collecting area of one square kilometre. The potential of this concept is revealed in the 1997 science fiction film Contact with Jodi Foster. You may know this was adapted from the popular novel by Carl Sagan. The film echos how humans desire to talk with and understand other planets, and how we also wonder if other civilizations exist in the universe. The 305m Arecibo radio telescope in Puero Rico seen in the film, and rows of satellite dishes are small beans compared to the billion dollar project which may soon be built in Western Australia. Who says dreams don't evolve into reality?

Groups in several countries around the world submitted proposals to host the SKA. Australia’s proposal of Mileura Station, in remote Western Australia, was a finalist along with a location in South Africa. The final decision will be made in 2008 by members of 17 countires on the SKA Steering Committee. The broad mission of the SKA will be to address fundamental questions in research on the origin and evolution of the universe. The SKA design criteria calls for a large central collecting array and additional receivers spread over continental distances. The SKA is planned to operate over a frequency range of about 100 MHz to 25 GHz and have 50 to 100 times the sensitivity of the best radio astronomy receivers currently in use. That is quite an impressive new point of reference.

The Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is bidding to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), an international undertaking to build the world’s premier radio telescope. The Australian Government supports this bid, and the creation of an Radio Quiet Zone (RQZ). Appropriate regulatory support from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the Western Australia (WA) Government, will strengthen Australia’s bid for SKA.

Although its too early to determine the final decision for the international SKA site, its notable levels of signals from ground-based radio-communications transmitters are very low in the selected area of Western Australia. This is favorable since little “noise” interference for radio astronomy receivers exists. Security also isn't an issue like it could become in South Africa.  The CSIRO has indicated that, should an a RQZ be implemented in Western Australia, it will likely lead to other significant facilities developing in the near future. This is great news for everyone who hopes to expand a vision of the future of our planet. Looking ahead begins with each of us.