Explosive Anger Disorder

It has been shown in recently conducted studies that more folks are affected by enraged outbursts that was previously thought. More than 7% of people in the US are experiencing this anger disorder known as "intermittent explosive disorder". It means they respond to certain situations with anger in appropriately at some time in their life.

Anger disorder is highly prevalent in people younger than 25 years of age. There was about ten percent of this group that reported experiences of additional outbursts at leat three times in their life.  The average age for this disorder may be 14 years of age.

There may be many more cases than this as many people don't want to talk about it. Some doctors also avoid discussing these things with their clients because they are not sure they can treat such disorders. There are many ways to treat this type of disorder and this is increasing.  Psychotherapy is one way in which patient is asked to deconstruct the root causes of their anger.

Previous studies have suggested that violent, aggressive outbursts are due to decreased levels of serotonin in frontal parts of their brains. Therefore the Physicians advocate the consumption of drugs used for depression called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Most people are misdiagnosed as psychiatric illness instead of anger disorder.

There is still many things that we don't understand about anger disorder or IED. Now new studies show that IED starts at early age of adolescence. So if it is possible to treat anger during the teen years, it might reduce an individual's risk of developing other mental health problems later in life.

Repeated instances of unprovoked anger can be a serious mental health problem. If you see somebody experiencing uncontrollable anger you may come to know that he or she has not been treated or even diagnosed. You may not want to suggest this to the person as he will not be happy, more important is to help him.

Hence it is worth to dare to suggest it. As such when condition becomes better understood, more and more patients and physicians become aware of the disorder and more opportunities for treatment will emerge.

If not attended at early period IED may be destructive. Folks may start to disturb opther peoples day and this ends up affecting everyone. Sometimes the person attacks somebody and the victim has to be admitted to the hospital, for example. In addition the persons health is also affected who has anger disorder. Let us cut to the chase and say that anger disorders (IED) can be treated with professional help and medication.

For more free resources including articles that address issues such as Anger Disorder and Understanding Anger Disorders please visit my website called The Anger Management Guru.

Anyone Can Win Trophies And Awards

trophy presentation

Life would be boring without competition. Competition would be meaningless without trophies and awards. We love winners and they love the honors, which spur them to keep performing better and better. Awards recognize the talent and efforts of winners. In addition to cash prizes, trophies are the best way to frame a memory on the wall of time. Trophy winners cherish these memorable events. Awards gain importance because of the honor and value attached to them. Their intrinsic value may not be much, but the prestige and value they carry in society is what makes them so coveted.

There are many occasions when awards are conferred. Graduation, career achievements, military service and excellence in sports; all are recognized with trophies, awards and medals. War heroes are decorated with medals and no sports event would be complete without awards and trophies. Sports trophies are given away in different categories, such as for baseball, hockey, soccer, football, tennis, golf and billiards etc. There are even events such as cooking, fishing, darts, cheerleading and bowling for which awards are given. The trophy presentation ceremonies are dignified affairs with elaborate arrangements. It is a moment of joy and excitement to receive awards. Recipients cherish these special moments throughout their lives.

Creativity in the production of trophies and awards allows for the use of a variety of materials, such as glass awards and acrylic awards. The shapes also offer a wide range of choices, such as plaques, cups, bowls and plates. For every event that you can imagine there is bound to be trophy. Whether it is a cheerleader bubble-head doll or golf awards, the choices are mind boggling. Words can also be inscribed, as per your specifications. Crystal awards are the rage in sales and marketing fields for recognition of sales talent.

It isn't just the well known super achievers who deserve trophies and wards. People in regular walks of life also deserve to be recognized for their contributions and efforts, especially if they possess merit or perform outstandingly. A champion athlete may have a room stacked with trophies and awards, yet a single medal or trophy would go a long way in encouraging a hardworking student, teacher, sales person, nurse, policeman etc. to strive to maintain a record of sterling performance. There are thousands of people working in jobs where appreciation is hard to come by for their sincere efforts. For them, being awarded a token "thank you" would do wonders.

Quick Guide To Anger Disorder

It has been shown in recently conducted studies that more folks are affected by enraged outbursts that was previously thought. More than 7% of people in the US are experiencing this anger disorder known as "intermittent explosive disorder". This means that in certain situations the individual shows inappropriate displays of anger at some time in their lifetime.

People who are younger than 256 years of age are more prevalent to anger disorder. There was about ten percent of this group that reported experiences of additional outbursts at leat three times in their life.In has been established that the average age for this type of disorder is approximately fourteen.

Ther causes can remain unknown as people do not want to discuss it. There are some Physicians that tend to want to avoid talking about these issues with their patients due to the fact that they are not 100% sure how to deal with such disorders. The ways to treat this type of disorder is on the increase on a daily baisis.  Psychotherapy is one way in which patient is asked to deconstruct the root causes of their anger.

Previous studies have suggested that violent, aggressive outbursts are due to decreased levels of serotonin in frontal parts of their brains. So the doctors prescribe antidepressant drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Most people are misdiagnosed as psychiatric illness instead of anger disorder.

We are still uncertain about a lot of aspects of anger disorder or IED. Now new studies show that IED starts at early age of adolescence. If we can find out what is wrong with a young adult at an early age we then reduce the chances of them developing more serious mental health problems later on in their life.

Repeated instances of unprovoked anger can be a serious mental health problem. If you see somebody experiencing uncontrollable anger you may come to know that he or she has not been treated or even diagnosed. You may not want to suggest this to the person as he will not be happy, more important is to help him.

Hence it is worth to dare to suggest it. As such when condition becomes better understood, more and more patients and physicians become aware of the disorder and more opportunities for treatment will emerge.

If not attended at early period IED may be destructive. People may disturb others life and this affects everybody. A good example would be if someone was attacked in a bodily way resulting in the unfortunate victim being hospitalized. In addition the persons health is also affected who has anger disorder. In short, IED or anger disorder can be treated with medications and counseling.

For more free resources including articles that address issues such as Anger Disorder and Anger Dissorder please visit my website called The Anger Management Guru.

Why Are Trophies Plaques Important?

awards and trophies

A trophy winner displays his trophies plaques proudly in a trophy cabinet. Why not? After all, winning the coveted plaques trophies is not easy. They come after years of dedicated work. Every word inscribed on the award or trophy is earned. The winner deserves the words of praise. The recognition and the adulation that follows winning a coveted trophy are worth striving for. Whatever the field of activity, awards go a long way in boosting the spirits of the functionaries in that field.

The system of collecting awards and trophies goes back to the ancient times when the cave men hunted down animals and kept their horns, heads, skin and fur as trophies. The larger the number of trophies, the greater was the power of the person. In fact, in Greek civilization, the helmets of the vanquished were kept as trophies. The term 'trophy' is derived from the Greek word "tropian" and the verb "trope" meaning - to rout. Trophies and plaques gradually signify recognition of achievement in different fields, like war, arts and sports.

At a certain point, recognition of hard work and talent becomes imperative for higher productivity in corporations. Without such recognition, it becomes difficult for employees to perform well. Trophies and plaques provide easy solutions. Plaques don't cost much to provide the necessary morale boost. Trophies plaques can be presented in a fun trophy presentation ceremony and will be a cherished moment in any employee's life.

Almost all academic achievements are honored with trophies plaques. Scholastic achievements can be recognized in style with plaques trophies. With the low cost of certificate plaques it is easier to honor meritorious students and hard working teachers in large numbers, yet the value of awards is not calculated by their price. It would be akin to measuring the value of a degree by the cost of the paper it is printed on. The Olympic Gold medal is made of silver and contains only six grams of gold. But its value is immense. Trophy winners know the value of their medals and plaques.

Trophies And Awards Are Achievements For Life

acrylic awards

Work hard and be the best. Our parents influenced us to be the best we can be. The trophies and awards we receive throughout our life live inside of a trophy cabinet for all to see. It shows the dedication we had in the past, and how we continue with our efforts into the future. Awards that businesses love to give hard working employees are sought out for the respect they garnish from the workforce. The competition is not the same as the ball game down the street, and the awards plaques and acrylic awards that come from a job well done come with more than just a pat on the back.

History shows us that the awarding of prizes for endeavors in education, sport, spirit, and work are rewards that are given to the people who have given the most effort toward achieving the best results. Performing well in competition will continue to offer the best players a chance to win awards and trophies for being the best. In every household you can find a selection of trophies and awards that have been won by the family. When rewarded for a job well done, the participant looks forward to achieving more than they already have. A great prize for winners of competitions and triumphs has always been the trophy.

The leaders who put together the trophies and awards for competitions recognize the high performers from within and look for great ways to offer an award for excellence. Recognition award sales have continually climbed through good and bad times. Competitions for children, as well as competitions in the business world continue to give rewards for a great performance or a job well done. The effort must continue to be great as the position can and will be taken by others who look to be the best and hold onto the trophy and the rewards for themselves. The competition to be the best will never stop and the achievement of success shall be rewarded.

The trophies and plaques you hold dear will remain with you throughout life. The kids, grandkids, friends and all of your family will remember the day you achieved your success on the field or at your workplace. The things we cherish most are the memories of when we were at our best, and nothing represents that emotion better than a quality trophy or award that came with the success. Continuing the tradition of early competitors, we will always offer great rewards for the winners of great competitions.

Power - What Good Is It?

Although we all want power, few of us freely admit it. It is common to think what one would do if he or she was a king or the president. We imagine that we would do good things; better than what is being done now. We think of power in personal terms too, as when we imagine that enough money or control over others would enable us to solve most of our problems.

The latter may be partly true. With enough money you probably could solve many of the problems you have now. But it's also likely that you would have even more new problems. As for our "if I was emperor" fantasies, what makes us think that all the presidents and kings of the world haven't shared our thoughts? They too undoubtedly planned to use their power for good. And in their position we would be subject to the same corrupting influences as them.

How, then, do we arrive at a power which is good and useful? We'll get back to that in a moment. First, let's look at some of the specific tools of power.

The Tools Of Power

Money is an obvious one. It is easy to imagine what could be done with large amounts of it. On the other hand, I have seen money come into peoples lives and wreak havoc. Not only did it not bring the beneficial changes they anticipated, but it put them further in debt and more stressed out. I have also seen people try to help others with money, only to make matters worse. Having money without proper knowledge and understanding is like having a car without a steering wheel - it's a wreck waiting to happen.

Suppose you study subliminal influence over others, and learn powerful techniques. Then what? You use your secret techniques to win the love of a woman or man, but perhaps the relationship adds only pain to your life. Or you use your mind power to get a job, and learn years later that you not only hate it, but you passed up a carreer you would have enjoyed. Isn't it common to find that our best-laid plans often get us not what we want, but more trouble?

There are other tools of power. Political connections, knowledge, and charisma come to mind. But they all have the same limitations that are hinted at above. Obtaining them is like putting more guns and knives in the hands of an infant - as long as we are in some ways like that child. This gets us to the real source of a good and useful power.

Self Knowledge

You cannot be powerful in a good sense without a high degree of self knowledge. You have to first exercise a kind of personal power to observe yourself honestly and come to understand who you are, what you need, and the nature of your relationship to the rest of the world. This is easy to understand intellectually if we use a simple example, like a man who has the power to build a kingdom - but not the wisdom to see that it is really a personal hell.

One definition of power is "The ability or capacity to perform or act effectively." This view sees that the "engine" of a car is meaningless without a steering wheel and good driver. It raises the natural question, "effective for what?" In other words, we have to truly know what our highest values are, or the specific manifestations of power become self-destructive and destructive of others as well.

To return to the metaphor of the infant with a knife: He does not understand his own body, or the danger of a knife to that body and others, or how to use it and for what purposes. He has to grow and learn more before it is appropriate for him to have a knife. We are always that infant in some sense, because we too can have the tools of power put in our hands before we are ready to safely and wisely use them.

If what money you have now is not used wisely, why would having more change that? If what influence you have over others has not brought about great results, why would more be better for you or them? If the knowledge you have has not been very helpful in bettering the life of yourself or others, why would knowing even more of these things improve the odds?

The personal power to understand and be in charge of oneself is where we have to begin. Getting tools we are not ready for will only cause more harm. Seeking a better understanding of ourselves and the world is the path to True Personal Power.

Immediate Anger Management Steps

Anger is pain against some unexpected and unwanted events.  Anger may result in physical action or shouting loudly. Everyone gets angry. Many individuals will show a quick reaction to perceived pain. Others may not.

May be some lose their coolness and hit the roof. How to identify and deal with these very strong displays of abnormal emotions is the most difficult part of the equation. If anger is not expressed in a proper way, it may result in worst thing.

You should not lose control if you get angry. Solution will not come by taking it out on others. This will not be positive, firstly you need to look at yourself and admit that you have an anger issue and that you need to get to the root cause as to why.  Talking about your anger with somebody such as a parent, teacher, relative will help a lot. By starting to talk you will find that those bad feelings will dissipate to some degree.

Face facts, it is nigh on impossible never to show angry emotions. Stop and consider how you have acted in the past and the effect it had on the situation, this is a starting point for controlling your anger. This is what is known as anger management.  There are good chances that if you have a problem with anger, know it. You might need help to find out the ways to deal with this problem. Anger management is doing the same thing. Discuss your anger concerns with someone who you deem close to yourself. You may do anything of below given activities to manage your anger. 

You may do many things when you start to feel angry.

1. Count to 10
2. Attempt to display your anger by sketching a picture
3. Go for a ride on your bicycle - go on -dust the cobwebs off it
4. Think about good subjects and experiences.

Exercise should transform your mood quite fast. Simple exercises like walking are ideal for this. It will help you calm down and also allow you thinking time. Generally speak if individuals understand and feel that they are not isolated when dealing with an anger management problem they will open up about how they are feeling.

If you join any anger management camp then you will come to know the success stories of other people. Support groups will be located. You still have hard work to do BUT by following the activities listed above you will find solutions to the issues you are experiencing.

The best way is to understand why you are angry. If you can remove that cause then there is no need to be angry. Once you are used to do dialogue with yourself then anger management is easy for you.

For more free articles and discussions about issues such as anger management group activities and anger management activities please vist The Anger Management Guru.

Quickly Overcome Your Shyness By Using Powerful Subliminal CDs

Shyness is a euphemism for a lack of self confidence! Shy people avoid speaking in public or even interacting with strangers because they feel self conscious. So, the only way to overcome your shyness forever is to build up your levels of self confidence. The following tips ranging from positive affirmations to subliminal learning may help:

Positive affirmations

Practice the following affirmations everyday, as many times as you can.

“I love and accept myself the way I am”

“I feel free to express my feelings”

“It’s safe for me to share my opinion with others”

“I am at peace with myself”

Practicing these affirmations regularly will help bring about a change in your self-perception. A person’s lack of confidence is generally a result of his/her negative self talk or the negative or belittling messages he/she has been exposed to repeatedly.

For instance if an individual is constantly criticized for his looks and he will start repeating the same message to himself. He will start believing that he is ugly. Or on the other hand he were to appreciate and accept himself for who he is in spite of what others told him, he would not live with the belief that he is ugly, but instead he would be happy and content with his looks. This is the power of positive affirmations.

Subliminal messages

Our subconscious directs our so called “natural behavior”. Our “natural behavior” is made up from our long held behavior patterns and our negative beliefs.

Subliminal messages can modify our behavior as they have the power to influence our subconscious. Subliminal messages when used regularly will do wonders for eliminating your shyness - the first thing you should notice is a lessening of general social awkwardness, and feeling calmer in social situations - with continued use you will lose your fear of approaching new people, you will feel less embarrassed and nervous when conversing too.

This might sound too good to be true, but in reality it is a mild form of hypnosis, and works by sending information to your mind in a similar way – but without putting you into a trance.

Shyness is just a state of mind, change your mind and you can lose your shyness forever and become more talkative and much more outgoing!

How to Improve Memory Skills – 4 Tips To Improving Your Memory

Have you ever tried going to a room and then you completely forgot the item that you are supposed to get? Or have you been talking for quite a while with someone but his or her name has slipped your mind? Or perhaps you have seen someone familiar but just can´t recall who he or she is.

It all sounds common to most people and there are many methods you can use to improve your memory power.

A person´s memory is categorized into three parts—imprint, retention, and then recall. Imprint talks about any piece of data that you prefer to keep in your memory bank. Retention, on the other hand, is the intensity of the information which makes it truly memorable or worth discarding.

And the last is recalling which talks about your mind´s capacity to recollect that piece of information. If any of these components fail, then the end result would be memory loss or memory lapse.

Therefore, take note of these tips on how to improve your memory.

1. Pay enough attention. If you put in less attention on certain information, then chances are it will be easily discarded by your memory and will not be imprinted in your memory bank. Usually, those things that interest you get most of your attention and that is why they are best remembered.

2. Associate or relate one piece of information with another. Physical association generally helps in recalling things. It helps if you can associate a picture with the object or person you want to remember. Our brain works better remembering pictures rather than letters and numbers.

3. Get adequate rest. Don´t deprive yourself of rest and sleep. When the physical body and the brain are overworked, the tendency is for all these to become less attentive. That is why students should be adequate sleep before their examinations. Never burn the midnight oil the night before your examinations.

4. Oxygenate and hydrate. Memory loss is mainly prompted by the lack of water and oxygen in the body.

Learn how to improve memory fast with Darin Hunter Master Your Memory guide. Learn how to improve your memory fast using simple techniques you can learn instantly.

Good Metaphors - What They Do For Us

Good metaphors, apart from just sounding nice to the ears, do at least two other things. First, they make it easier to think about something. For example, if you were to try to explain to a first-time computer user that bits of electricity create binary code which then... well, I can't explain it actually, except to say that a computer has "memory," at which point the user nods his or her head and says, "Oh, I get it." The metaphor "memory" immediately suggests that information can be stored and retrieved.

Good metaphors also expand our ways of thinking about things, and in so doing suggest new ideas. For example, if we say that time is a river, we think of it flowing along, perhaps with us in it. That suggests the possibility of swimming upstream, against the current of time - in other words traveling into the past. Most physicists think that time travel (in one direction or the other or both) is possible, and their theories are not unrelated to the metaphors they use to understand it.

If we think of time as a dimension, we might note that the measurements of things in other dimensions can change, as can their relationships to other things. We can make a piece of paper wider, taller, and thicker. We can also put it further to this side or that of a cup of coffee, or above or below it. This also suggests the question of whether events or things can be similarly moved around in time.

Now, if time is an eternal "book," with events each taking their place in its pages, we are less likely to imagine those events changing places. We are less likely to imagine moving ourselves around within the book. On the other hand, this metaphor of a book suggests a reader, who would be presumably outside of time - perhaps a god?

Good Metaphors Are Tools

The subtitle above is a metaphor, of course, and a good one I think. Tools are something you use for specific purposes. When you have a new purpose, you reach for a new tool. If a better tool comes along, you drop the old one and use the new one.

This is why it is much easier to say which metaphors are "good," yet difficult to claim that one is "best." For example, if we want to explore all of the perspectives on time, as above, we need to use more than one metaphor. We want to use as many as we can think of that might add something to our understanding.

Let's look at one more example. What metaphors can we use for a fearful state of mind? We can choose to see that certain negative thoughts are seeds. Plant a fear seed and what grows? A fear tree. This suggests that there may be something nourishing the fears that grow within us, as water and nutrients nourish a tree.

Perhaps it is our attention to those thoughts that feeds them. This immediately suggests that if we withdraw that nourishment, the tree will begin to die. This, by the way, is not just a fanciful idea. My experience and that of others confirms that this is a good metaphor for how our minds actually work.

In fact, if instead of thinking of negative thoughts as your "self," you saw them as "invaders," "impostors," or even "conspirators against you," you might immediately trust them less. This can change your approach to life - and therefore your results in life - fairly quickly. That makes these not only good metaphors, but powerful tools.

Crazy Ideas Can Be Valuable

Sometimes it is just fun to create and share crazy ideas. For example, I recently read about one man's idea to give away free gas. The catch was that there were remote-controlled paintball guns with cameras on them, connected to a web site on the internet. People would pay to fire paintballs at drivers as they filled their tanks. Apparently this gentleman even went as far as to ask city officials if they would allow such a business. They wouldn't, but it was worth a good laugh in any case.

Apart from the humor and fun, though, there is often something to be gained from exploring crazy ideas. The more obvious examples are ideas that eventually lead to practical solutions for business, like the idea of eyes on shoes that lead (by a circuitous route) to safety reflectors which make joggers more visible at night, so drivers don't hit them. But there are also important questions of philosophy, psychology and morality that can be profitably explored from the perspective of an unusual idea. The following is an example of that.

The Thousand Mile Hole

One day I had a crazy thought. I imagined that somewhere in an isolated forest, a hole a thousand miles deep and several hundred feet across is discovered. Rather than ignore this idea, I worked with it a bit. It wasn't long before I imagined falling into the hole, and I realized that because of air resistance, I would soon reach a terminal velocity of around 120 miles-per-hour. That meant I would have eight hours before hitting the bottom and dying.

Put yourself into this scenario. You can't have a much more certain countdown to death. You know you have roughly eight hours to live. What do you think about? Does it matter? If you can hold a pen and piece of paper against the wind, what would you write?

If you assume for a moment that someday your remains will be discovered, you might actually still have something to offer the world with your writing. That's an intriguing thought, isn't it? Being the first person to fall a thousand miles to your death would generate enough interest that people would surely read what you had written as your final thoughts. What insight would this eight hour journey provide? What could you share that might help others?

But what if you had no pen? You are simply going to die, and nobody will ever know what happened during these eight hours. In that case, does everything you think or do become irrelevant? We like to think that with even eight months left to live what we do matters, but what about eight hours? Would you still try to live the "good" life for that remaining time? What would that mean? Thinking loving thoughts about others? Trying to see the bright side of life?

I explored these questions in my own mind for a while. One question in particular that came to mind was about the reason for morality. Is thought or action morally good only on the basis of an expected future outcome? There is hardly a future when falling eight hours to one's death. Is there a moral value to thoughts and actions that is in the moment, in the action itself?

I also wondered at the metaphorical value of the above scenario. Is there a "thousand mile deep hole" that we can fall into? Do we gain a new spiritual perspective in the process, with which we are "reborn" after the fall?

The Value Of Crazy Ideas

When we allow crazy ideas to arise, they may come from unconscious places that are trying to show us something.  Even if the "trying to show us" part is not strictly true, these images and thoughts from the unconscious mind are an opportunity to look at things from a new perspective. For example, imagine a new creature, the "deniaphant,"  an enormous being who is human-like but with elephant-like feet which were so large that he regularly steps on and kills people. This makes him very sad, so what is his solution? He stops looking down.

It's a silly thought, and yet it immediately suggests itself as a metaphor for what we humans actually do. We stop looking at the pain and suffering we cause others, because that's much easier than watching where we step. If we were to develop the story of the deniaphant further, we might see what the consequences of such an approach are, and perhaps what could be done about it. Examples like this hint at the value of crazy ideas when they are explored with an open mind.

Memory Tips You Can Use Today

The following memory tips are for all ages. Although memory loss often comes with old age, that does not mean it is a necessary result of aging. In fact, there are often specific causes, and a declining ability to remember things can be reversed in many cases. Here are some quick tips to get you started.

1. Avoid cigarettes. Smoking is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Even before there is a diagnosis, there may be reduced blood flow, and therefore reduced oxygen to the brain. That decreases brain function in general, and memory in particular.

2. Avoid toxic drugs. This includes most illegal drugs, but also many prescription drugs. The following have been associated with memory loss after prolonged use: Lithium, digitalis, reserpine, Inderal (propanolol), Aldomet (methyldopa), and Tagamet (cimetidine). Some high blood pressure medications have been linked to memory loss as well.

3. Relax. Chronic stress releases cortisol, which at high levels interferes with the part of the brain that handles recent memories. This part of the brain has even been shown to shrink after long periods of stress. Take several deep breaths through your nose several times daily, while letting the tension drain from your body, or practice regular meditation.

4. Get proper nutrition. There are probably many nutritional factors that affect memory. It is known that brain function can be negatively impacted by a deficiency in vitamin B-12, folate and niacin. If you suspect that memory lapses might be due to deficiencies, you can have a blood test to check the levels of these vitamins in your system. Or you could try taking some good supplements to see if that helps.

5. Treat your head well. It is well known that severe head trauma can cause loss of brain function, but the evidence is growing that the cumulative effect of repeated minor injuries can do the same. Wear a helmet when bicycling or in any situation where you might hit your head on something.

6. Keep exercising that memory. This may be the easiest of these memory tips to put into practice. Just start learning something new, or start an intellectually challenging hobby. Even doing crossword puzzles regularly has been shown to slow the decline of age-related memory loss.

Feeling More Confident And "Alpha" In Your Dating Life

By Dean Cortez

I’m sure you’ve heard the term Alpha Male before. Some guys associate this term with the animal kingdom: the bad-ass lion or monkey that rules over the others and gets first crack at the food and the most desirable females.

For other guys, the term Alpha Male has a negative meaning. It means the football captain who used to swagger around their campus, intimidating the underclassmen and snatching all the hot chicks.

Or, you might have an Alpha Male in your workplace: a “man’s man” who radiates confidence and energy, and always gets what he’s after. He might be a pain in the ass to work for, but you gotta respect the guy.

Either way, most guys suffer under the belief that some of us are born as Alpha Males, and the rest of us are doomed to be “shy guys” or “nice guys” who can only have the leftovers and don't even know how to get a girls phone number.

But the truth is, we’ve all got an Alpha Male inside of us. Right now I want to give you  three quick tips on displaying your Alpha side. These come from recent experiences in my life... 

#1 Displaying your Alpha Male side means showing confidence and charm with men AND women. Always expand your social network! This is SO important...

Look, I’ve seen lots of guys who study “pickup” because they want to learn how to meet single girls. A lot of them become more successful with talking to women and can occasionally pick up a girl, yet they continue to feel intimidated or hostile towards other guys – especially guys who they think are better-looking or cooler than they are, or guys who are getting more attention from females.

I know that when you go out, the main goal is to meet girls, but making new friendships with “Alpha” guys is going to help your long-term game. Make this a habit: when you’re at a bar, club, or party -- and you see guys who have cool, positive energy and are having a good time (and getting attention from women) -- introduce yourself to them. 

Walk up to the coolest-looking dude in the room and tell him, “Bro, I’m impressed. The girls into you, what’s your secret?”

There is a 90% chance that he will shake your hand, want to know you, and now you’ve got this guy as a friend and wingman.

As you expand your network of Alpha wingmen, the social benefits are huge. These guys will invite you to bars, parties, etc. that you didn’t know about. They might know girls they want to hook you up with. And when you’re hanging out with your Alpha buddies in social environments, you automatically have social proof in the eyes of the women. When women see you hanging with these guys, it shows that you have high social value. 

If you normally go to the same old bars, with the same old friends of yours (the guys who DON’T approach women), it’s time for you to “upgrade” and start hanging out with some guys who are super-social and give you extra motivation.

#2  My second quick tip is that you need to be decisive. Don’t be wishy-washy. Women respect men who lay out a path for them to follow. It may sound chauvinistic, but it’s true. She really doesn't want to have to decide which movie to go see, or where to have dinner tonight...you’re actually making her a bit uncomfortable when you show indecisive behavior. Women need to feel that their man is emotionally strong and able to provide security and protection.

Whenever there is a decision to be made, YOU need to step up and express how you think it should go. Even if it’s as minor as deciding where to go eat or have coffee. She might not always agree, but she will respect the fact that you have a definite opinion.

WEAK MOVE: “Um, if you’re not busy, maybe we could hang out sometime and do something…”

ALPHA MOVE: “Tell me your favorite romantic comedy, and I’ll rent it -- we’ll watch it  Friday night at my place while I cook dinner for us.”

Or, “You mentioned you love Italian food. I know about an Italian restaurant that most people around here aren’t aware of, and I want to show it to you. I'll come pick you up Friday night at 7pm.” 

#3 My other tip is, leave them wanting more. The top Alpha Males – whether it’s a business mogul, or a Hollywood star – are very busy people. They’re not going to grant you endless amounts of their time. Your attitude should be the same with women. YOU want to be the one ending the conversation first, whether it’s a conversation at a bar, or a phone call to set up a date.

The average guy will talk…and talk…until the woman finally says, “I have to go find my friend” or “it’s was nice talking to you, but I need to be up early tomorrow…” As an  Alpha Male, you must ALWAYS have a goal in mind when you converse with a woman, and achieve that goal before the conversation ends.

At a bar, the goal might be to get her phone number and email address. Or, if you’re calling her on the phone, the goal could be to establish when you’re going to see her next. The bottom line is, you’ve got to have a plan, a strategy, and a way to execute it.

NEVER drag it out to the point where she has to leave first. She’ll assume you’ve got nothing else going on in your life. When YOU end it first, you leave her wondering… “hmm, he isn’t like most guys I’ve met. What other things are going on in his life? What other girls is he seeing? Why is he always too busy to talk on the phone?”

Nice. Now you have her right where you want her. Check out my programs at MackTactics.com for more info.

Your Wingman,

Dean Cortez

 

 

How To Boost The Power Of The Mind

There are many ways to boost the power of the mind. Some of them are proven by science, some soon-to-be proven, and others that work for one person and not another. That is why I advocate the "shotgun approach" to increasing one's mind power. Unlike rifle shells, shotgun shells have many pellets instead of one bullet. When fired, these spread out, so you don't have to be as accurate in your aim. In other words it makes hitting the target easier and more likely.

What does this have to do with the power of the mind? Actually it is a useful metaphor for almost any goals we have, especially when the correct course of action is a bit uncertain. Try many things at once and one of these "pellets" is likely to hit the target. When you need a brain boost, then, and you are not sure what will work best, do more than one thing at a time.

For example, you could sit up straight, breath deeply, tell yourself you're mentally powerful, have a cup of coffee and take a ginkgo biloba supplement. If one of these "hits the target," you're better off right? And if three out of the five of them work, you'll be thinking much more clearly. When there are cheap and safe things to try, I advocate the "shotgun approach." With that in mind, here are five more things to try.

Try A New Perspective

Try a new perspective when thinking about things this week. For example, imagine what your actions would look like to a being from another planet. Do they make more or less sense from that perspective? Or think about your income in terms of how much you make per hour or per day, or per action. Each of these ways can suggest different alternatives. New perspectives give you new insight.

Walking Conversation

You have probably heard about the benefits of exercise, and in particular walking, for the brain. You also probably know from experience how much a good conversation can clarify your thinking and help you generate new ideas. Why not combine the two? Take a walk with someone who you can have an intelligent conversation with. It will will be good for your body and the power of your mind.

Do Something You Enjoy

There isn't much scientific evidence for this idea yet, but fully engaging in an activity you love seems to rest the brain and refresh it. Sometimes your mind is racing here and there - until you focus on something you enjoy doing. This might include building a birdhouse, playing a game of chess, downhill skiing, or a hundred other activities.

I used to get my brain-rest by chopping firewood. Afterwards, I always felt like I could think more clearly. The idea here is to take a break by doing something that fully engages your attention in an enjoyable way. Then you can get back to work, able to use your mind more effectively.

Eat Less

For clearer thinking, try eating less, or eating more smaller meals. The research shows that "brain fog" or the "sugar blues" is a real phenomenon, often caused by eating too many simple carbohydrates. But in addition to this, most of us have the experience of eating too much of any food and feeling mentally sluggish. Try a light food day, to see if you feel more mentally awake.

Solve Your Problems

Every day for a week pick a real problem and solve it, using any of the many creative problem solving techniques, or whatever your own routine is. These can be very simple or minor things, like fixing a sticky door, or finding a new way to organize your desk. This exercise isn't about mentally inventing things - unless you can make a prototype today. Just creating new ideas can be good mental exercise and entertaining too, but the idea here is to train yourself to be a problem solver, and to relate that thought process to action. This is a powerful way to boost the power of the mind.

Anger Before It Controls Your Life

Anger is normal human emotion. It's healthy when under control. Human beings rarely act physically expressing the anger. We have language hence we use verbal abusing and then only physical rage is followed if anger is not controlled. It can lead problems with family members and work place.

Anger is an emotion accompanied by physiological and biological changes. When you are angry you see an increase in your blood presure and your heart rate also goes up. As well as your energy hormones, adrenaline and noradrenaline will increase.

People get angry for many different reasons be it an event that took place or at a specific person for something said or done or worry about some personal issue. Bad memories and events can trigger feelings of anger.  Naturally anger is expressed aggressively.  So there are fights and hence we defend us if we are attacked. We can not physically attack every person or object that irritates us or annoys us. Norms of social behavior should be followed.

Three main approaches to anger are suppressing, expressing and calming. When you express your feelings in controlled manner it assertive manner and it is healthiest way. It is difficult to do this. Of course you will need to identify your needs and how to obtain them without the need to hurt other folks. It means showing respect to others and yourself.

When anger is suppressed, it is not allowed outward expression and it can turn inward on you. It may cause hypertension, high blood pressure or depression. If anger is not expressed it can create other problems. It creates either passive or aggressive behavior which fails to build successful relations with others.

Finally if you can calm down inside your responses internally heart rate, blood pressure and outward behavior will be controlled. Someone or something will be hurt should these techniques be unsuccessful. Anger can be controlled by simple techniques. Relaxation tools such as deep breathing can help calm down angry feelings. Breathing deeply and repeating soothing words like "take it easy" will enables you to reduce angry feeling. Practice this technique daily. Slow yoga and meditation is another way to relax.

Alternatively change the way you think. Angry people sometimes curse, swear or speak in highly colorful terms. When we are angry our thinking is exaggerated and extra dramatic. If we replace it with more rational thoughts it will help us. You have to remind yourself that getting angry is not going to solve anything.

Ultimately you don't feel better but worse. We try to find out solution of our problems but sometimes that is not possible. Hence we get angry. Instead of that we have to learn to face the problem. When we are angry we come to conclusions which are often wrong. If we slow down and think carefully about what we want to say before answering it will solve the problems.

For more articles and information on anger management such as Anger Before It Controls You and Courses For Anger Management please vistit The Anger Management Guru.

Creative Problem Solving Technique

There are many creative problem solving techniques, and each will lead you to different kinds of solutions. One of the simplest, though, is the "add, subtract and change" technique. What follows is a basic explanation of how to use it to generate more creative solutions.

Add

Whatever you are working on, whether a scientific experiment, a business concept, or a personal issue with family, this technique can help. It starts with the simple question, "What can I add to this?" Open your mind up in answering this. If designing a new vehicle for people who love the outdoors, it's easy to imagine things to add; a tent platform on the roof, a skylight for star viewing, windows with screens, etc.

With other problems you will have to think more widely. For example, if you are trying to find a way to travel to India, you may not immediately think of things to "add" to the problem. Money does come to mind, though, and something as seemingly meaningless as "a group of people" might trigger the idea to go free as a guide, or to get a reduced fare for selling a tour to friends. Let a few random thoughts enter here, and see how adding this or that might lead to a new solution.

Subtract

The second step of this creative problem solving technique is also very easy if you are just working on product innovation and invention. What can you take away from a television? How about half of the buttons on the remote, or half the weight? Look at what is there and ask what would happen if you subtracted it (or part of it). The screen? You might have a television receiver that displays through the user's computer screen.

With a business problem, like how to gain more repeat customers for your restaurant, you have to think more broadly. What if you subtract payment? Hmm... Customers order from a "subscribers menu," which includes the fast meal at a set price, billed monthly. They don't have wait for the bill. Subtract the menu? Perhaps for a discount customers would prepay for tokens good for specific meals, to be redeemed anytime. They just hand a token to the host when they walk in, and get their meal fast. Once they prepay, they have to come to your restaurant to redeem the token, thus guaranteeing repeat business.

Change

This is the fun step, where you ask what you can change about the problem or the current situation. If you are looking for a way to increase the value of your home before selling it, you ask what you can change about the home, the way you advertise it, the terms of the sale, and anything else you can think of. But to make your problem solving more creative, get a bit crazy in your questions. For example, ask, "What can I change about the buyer?" This may seem silly at first, but it also might suggest targeting a market with buyers who are willing to pay a bit more.

Look for all the things that might be changed, and all the ways you might change them. As with all problem solving techniques, the idea is to generate as many different ideas as possible. Only afterwards do you look at them more critically to find the good ones.

For example, John had a neighbor with too much junk in his yard. It was lowering the value of his home, and he planned to move in a year or so. He asked what he could change about his approach, where he lived, where the neighbor lived, the junk itself, the view, and so on. Asking about changing where the neighbor lived was not so silly as it first seemed. As it turns out, he was a renter, and wanted to move, but was short on cash. John loaned him a few hundred dollars, figuring that even if he was never repaid he would gain ten times that on the increased sale's price of his own home. That's a creative solution.

What can I add? What can I subtract? What can I change? Just ask these three questions and be open minded in answering them. That is the basis of this simple problem solving technique.

Real Genius - IQ or Creativity?

What is real genius, and how do we cultivate it in ourselves? A common dictionary definition is, "Extraordinary intellectual power especially as manifested in creative activity." Some definitions refer to a high IQ as well, but that doesn't seem to be an important component. Both intellectual power and creativity can certainly exist without a high level of intelligence, as I will explain.

Real genius, then, whether in the sciences, arts, or business, is about finding new, creative and effective ways to do things. How high a man or woman scores on some test of intelligence is not so relevant. How productive he or she is in producing new ideas is the most defining factor.

Genius Is In The Software

If we look at the brain and mind as a computer, we can see that the physical part, made up of neurons and such, is the hardware. This is the computer before we install the operating system and various programs. If it is potentially more powerful, that's great. But it isn't enough. In order to realize that power, to use it, we need the programs. What would the computer on your desk be worth without any software? The same is true of our brains.

The software, then, consists of our ways of thinking. These are developed starting in childhood, but they are not static. We can continue to add new "programs" throughout life, and the right ones can dramatically increase one's creativity. This is why a less intelligent man can be a genius at something, while a man with a much higher IQ may add little in the way of new ideas, thinking or products to the world. It is all about the software.

What about these "programs?" What are they, where do you get them and how do you install them? The bad news is that they do not install as easily as programs do on your desktop computer. You have to work with them for at least several weeks to make these new ways of thinking habitual. The good news is that once they do become a habit, they work for you almost effortlessly.

A "program" might be as simple as "the exploration of creative alternatives by looking at purposes." This is something anyone can do, but few do it systematically or habitually. Work with this enough consciously, though, and it becomes a regular part of your thinking. You look at a textbook from a school, for example, and your mind asks "What are the purposes, and what does that suggest for alternatives?"

You see that a textbook is supposed to impart knowledge to the student. The questions that naturally arise include, "Does it do that well?" and "What else might suit this purpose?" The question of effectiveness makes you wonder what you would find if ten different textbooks on the same subject matter were used to teach students, and then we tested the students to see which group learned more. That leads you to the idea for a textbook testing service (currently, textbooks are often chosen according to the preferences educators, rather than by effectiveness). The "what else" part could get you thinking about making educational material into video games.

Other creative ideas will start to come to mind as you look at the matter, at least if that is the way your brain is programmed to work. And the "program" above is just one example of many techniques for creative thinking which you can "install" in yourself. A higher IQ could be helpful, and raising yours may be possible, but that is not nearly as important to developing real genius as changing the ways in which you think.

Unleash Your Creative Notions

People seem to have the misconception that only a select few are able to unleash a steady flow of creative genius. That is not true at all. The fact is, creativity is very much like a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to consistently give out great results. If you don't practice harnessing creative thinking, this skill will very much atrophy into nonexistence. But keep working and this skill will soon come to you in a snap.

So how do you unleash your creative thinking? Well, the first thing is to become a human leech. No, we're not talking about just sucking the blood out of every living being available, we're saying that you should take in as much knowledge and learning as you can find. Read everything available -- good and bad, and keep your mind open to the infinite possibilities of the universe. The more you know, the more you'll want to know, and the more your faculty of wonder will  be exercised. Prepare to be amazed at little facts that add a bit of color to your life.  

Focus on a creative activity everyday. Yes, it's an effort. Even doodling is a creative activity. Don't let anything hinder you. Mindlessness may be a creative activity, but for people who are just starting out to unleash a little bit of creative thinking in their lives, it is helpful and encouraging to have concrete evidence, that, "hey, what I'm doing is getting somewhere." So why don't you try it. Practice drawing for a couple of minutes each day. Bring out your old camera and start snapping photos like crazy. Keep a journal and make a point to write in it religiously. Another cool idea is to write by describing something with your five senses. Try to avoid vague adjectives like "marvelous," "amazing," and "delicious." Before you know it, you'll have built yourself a tiny portfolio, and you'll be amazed at the growth you've undertaken after amassing all those works of art. Who knows, you might actually take to liking those things you do everyday. Pretty soon those things will become a part of you and you'll be addicted to these creative exercises.

Think out of the box -- or don't. Sometimes, constraints are actually a good thing. Limitations discipline you to work within your means. It enables you to be more resourceful. Creative freedom is great, but limitations enforce discipline.

Try something new everyday and let your experiences broaden your perspective. Explore a new district in your neighborhood. Spend an afternoon in a museum to which you've never been before. Chat up someone on the bus. Open up to the people around you. As you thrust yourself out of your comfort zone more and more each day, your sense of adventure grows and so does your zest for life. Think about it. When was the last time you did something for the first time? If it's been a while, I tell you, you've been missing out on a whole lot of experiences that could've added to your growth, emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually. Why don't you try bungee jumping today? Not only will you learn, but you will also have plenty of stories to share, enabling you to practice your storytelling skills and making you the life of the party.

Embrace insanity. No, not to the point of practically admitting yourself into the mental ward. As John Russell once said, "Sanity calms, but madness is more interesting." Exactly! Every creative thought was once deemed insanity by other "normal" people at one time or another. Luckily, that didn't stop the creative geniuses from standing by them. The thing is, sanity or being normal confines people to think... well, normally. Within limits. Creativity is essentially breaking through barriers. Yes, this includes the bizzarre and the downright strange. I'm not saying that you yourself should develop a creative personality. That might go haywire. An example of a creative personality would be George Washington, who often rode into battle naked, or James Joyce, who wrote "Dubliners" with beetle juice for an intense fear of ink, or Albert Einstein, who thought his cat was a spy sent by his rival (or in thinking creatively in this case, the term could probably be "archnemesis.") It's important that your creativity doesn't get you detached from the real world completely.

I hope this article has inspired you to start thinking beyond your "limits." If you follow these steps pretty soon you'll be living a life full of interesting adventures. Unleashing your creative thinking  will bring about a new zest for living life.

For more info on this and other articles in the self development field, please go to:
http://amilliondollarincome.com/patbel643.htm

Anger Management Techniques: 5 Really Easy Anger Management Tips

Sure, you get angry. Maybe your anger is occasional. Or maybe you're angry almost all the time.

The good news is, it's not your fault that your anger surfaces. It's all those events around you. And those awkward people! You know, the ones who deliberately drive slowly in front of you. The people in line who spend forever getting the right change out of their purse. Your boss at work who always gives you the hardest jobs with the shortest deadlines. It doesn't matter why you've become angry. It's what to do to get rid of your anger or at least manage your anger that counts.

Just what things can you do to help manage your anger?

1 - Count to ten. Slowly.

Sure, your parents likely told you to do this when you were younger. And you're not a child any more. Want to know a secret? It works just as well now (maybe even better) than it did when you were younger. If it helps, swear under your breath with each number you count. When you count to 10, make sure you count slowly. It isn't a race. Time your breaths to coincide with your counting and make each breath long and deep. Exactly the same when you exhale your breath.

2 - Take a long, deep breath.

Ideally, more than just one. Taking between 5 and 10 long, deep breaths will start to make a noticeable dent in your anger. Give it a go now, while you're calm and collected. Breathe in. Slowly. Pay attention to the air as it starts to fill your lungs. Next, hold your breath for one or two seconds. Then exhale slowly, again paying attention to the air leaving you. See your anger leave your body on the crest of this air and watch it dissipate into thin air.

3 - Talk about your anger.

Maybe with your shrink. Or talking with a colleague from work or a friend you can trust one hundred percent. Use this talking to express your thoughts. Ideally not at the top of your voice. Quite often your anger is caused by the straw that broke the camel's back and can be triggered by something relatively trivial. Talking about it and maybe not taking yourself too seriously in the process can be a great way to diffuse the anger.

4 - Reward yourself with relaxation time.

Anger often works hand in hand with stress. Relaxation is a fantastic way to relieve your stress. In turn, that will begin to calm your angry feelings. Or at least reduce the amount of time that you're feeling angry. Relaxation (a lost art in our modern society) takes many different forms. Decide on one that you think will be best for you. Whether it's a walk in the park. Or a long soak in the bath. Or a specific relaxation track you've downloaded from the web.

5 - Use hypnosis to help manage your anger.

Using hypnosis can be an easy way to help reduce and manage your anger. It works with you to help change how you react to situations that would have previously made you angry. It's remarkably inexpensive and totally discrete. Check out this hypnosis anger management track for more information.

The Masters Are Gathering With Harv Eker

Harv Eker Part of The Masters Gathering Event

The Masters Gathering - Harv Eker

Harv Eker seems to be in the media spotlight a lot recently, but I thought I would give you some background on this extraordinary individual.

More about Harv Eker and His Inclusion in The Masters Gathering Course?

Harv Eker is a near perfect example of an individual who's tenacity led him to live The American Dream. Harv's childhood was spent in Canada, the son of immigrants from Europe, and then moved to the United States.To get by, Eker worked many different jobs.

However, that struggle is how Eker got the inspiration to start his own business. Eker's foray into the business world resulted in a series of failed investments, It took him some time to get a handle on what had causes the failures, and how to prevent this from happening in the future. He started thinking about the ways we all react to money and what we do with it, and how that relates to whether or not we succeed.

Eker maintains that our success is more dependent on what is happening for us internally, than our external efforts. Luck is not in the equation, our internalised financial blueprint weighs heavily on our decision making process in respect to money. These internal blueprints are developed during our socialisation and heavily influenced by our parents, schooling, friends and the media.

On a positive note, a negative or unhelpful blueprint can be changed if you are prepared to put the work in. In all honesty, moving away from long held internalized processess connected to money can be quite challenging. In fact, if you’re not willing to go through the process and give up your pride, you should probably avoid what Harv Eker has to say.

However, with hard work, determination and the right mindset, success can be achieved. Eker discussess his success orientated teachings in his book , Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind as well as in other programs, books and workshops. Attending one of Eker's transformational workshops or reading his books will set you up for a major change in your thinking and well on your way to success.

There are plenty of things we can all learn from Harv Eker, including the fact that we have to stop acting from envy and fear. If happiness and contentment is our over-riding base emotion then there is every chance that we will be able to act and thrive on any and all opportunities that life presents. Without the belief that success is a possibility, then failure is the most likely outcome.

Harv Eker is an inspiration to millions of people all over the world who have chosen him as their mentor. They have followed his advice and transformed their lives from mediocre to magnificent as a result

It comes as no surprise that T.Harv Eker is one of the many Masters invited to participate in The Masters Gathering later this year.

 

 

One Of the Simplest Subliminal Techniques

You may think you're not susceptible to subliminal techniques, but the research says that virtually all of us are. And of all the various techniques out there, one of the most common is a simple trick called "anchoring." Here is a look at how it is used on you.

Suppose I were to ask you and a room full of others to make your best guesses as to when Thomas Aquinas was born. If you didn't have any idea other than "sometime in the middle ages," the average guess might be the year 1200. But what if I first announced, "Claudius Ptolemy was born in the year 85," and then asked when Aquinas was born? Would that change anything? It seems that it shouldn't, since it is irrelevant. But it almost certainly would change the guesses.

They would be much earlier, perhaps around the year 800. You and the others might not be aware that the first statement is affecting your estimates. You also probably wouldn't suspect that subliminal techniques were being used on you, in this case a simple trick called "anchoring."

Anchoring As A Subliminal Technique

Researchers actually do tests like this, and consistently get the same effect. Anchoring, in the terminology of behavioral economics, is our tendency to give weight to whatever facts or figures are introduced - regardless of their relevance - if we have insufficient information. Obviously, if you knew the date of birth you would not be swayed by this technique. However, "insufficient information" is a common occurrence in life, isn't it? That's why this subliminal trick works.

As you might guess, since the term is used by researchers in the field of behavioral economics, that the trick is used in financial matters. It is. In fact, the simplest example is one you'll recognize immediately. Before you can form an opinion about the value of a product being sold on late night television, the announcer says something like "This normally sells for $189, but order right now and it's yours for only $59."

There may or may not be evidence provided as to why it is worth $189. The truth is that just saying it will increase the perceived value in listener's minds. If you had to previously place a value on it, you might have said just $19 - if you had nothing for an "anchor." But now that you have heard it is worth $189, it seems like a great deal at $59.

This trick is used in negotiations all the time. For example, you might think your house is worth the $285,000 you're asking, but there is almost always insufficient information to be certain. So when a buyer offers $239,000, you say no, but you're suddenly even less certain about the value. Then when the first buyer's secret partner later makes an offer of $260,000, it seems reasonable. The only offer you've had was $239,000, and with that as an anchor, you may be happy to get $260,000, so you agree. You may never know that with time the house would have sold for $20,000 more.

Employers can use subliminal techniques like this too. For example, a furniture store owner might mention to the sales people how much they make if they sell 70 items per month. If the employees have no idea what the monthly average is for the industry, they'll probably now guess that 70 is normal. They'll work to achieve that, not knowing that selling 40 pieces of furniture monthly is closer to the average.

Besides protecting yourself, there is another reason to learn about these subliminal techniques: You can use them on yourself. If you want to write, for example, get to know prolific writers. If you know a writer who writes forty pages daily, this will affect what you believe and therefore do, versus knowing one who writes just five pages daily. Though you may not write that much yourself, you have an "anchor" that will probably encourage you to do more than you would have.

How To Be Smarter

Here is the quick lesson on how to be smarter: Do something that has been shown to improve brain function until doing so becomes a habit. Then do another thing that boosts brainpower until that is a habit. Then eat something that is good for the brain. Then eat another brain food. With enough of these brain boosting practices and substances and habits you'll be noticeably smarter.

For the sake of this article I will use one example: exercise. Recent studies reported on at the annual Meeting Of The Society Of Psychophysiological Research in Montreal recently show immediate benefits from exercising, as well as long-term effects. It seems that exercise helps your brain work more efficiently right now and actually makes you smarter in the long run.

Subjects were tested beforehand in order to measure their thinking abilities. Then they ran on a treadmill for thirty minutes. When their heart rates returned to normal resting levels they took follow-up tests to compare with the first set. Participants were also connected to an electroencephalogram (EEG), in order to track their brain waves during the testing.

Exercise had increased the speed of their decision-making by a fraction of a second on average. It was enough to be considered significant. Scoring the tests also showed that the subjects answered more accurately after the exercise than before. Naturally, faster, better decisions could be considered a sign of faster, smarter brains.

Although the subjects were in their twenties, researchers think the findings will hold true for other age groups. Other research involving exercise has demonstrated that just ten minutes of moderate exercise each day can improve mood and reduce fatigue. Intelligence wasn't specifically tested, but it seems likely that less fatigue can mean clearer thinking. Make exercise a habit and you'll be helping your body and mind.

The Best Exercise To Be Smarter?

The science has mainly focused on jogging, but it's likely that running, bicycling, swimming, dancing and any other aerobic exercises will have a similar effect on brain function. Ten minutes of exercise is apparently enough to have effects on the brain, and it's not clear how much more benefit there may be with longer periods. Interestingly, though the scientists probably expected to confirm other research that has shown we get better brain function from long-term exercise programs, the study using treadmills showed an immediate effect too. Get up and run around right now, and you can be smarter in ten minutes. Do it several times weekly and the effect will be more lasting.

How do we determine the best exercise to do if you want to be smarter? You can wait for more research, but in my experience, walking is one of the best. Any aerobic exercise will increase blood flow and therefore oxygen and glucose delivery to the brain, which may help explain the results shown in the studies, but I think there is something more to walking. Perhaps it's the rhythmic and relaxing nature of it, but myself and many others find that our clearest and most creative thinking happens when taking a walk.

Walking, like other aerobic exercises, gives you better sleep, a healthier immune system, easier weight control, and a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes as well. The research now suggests that you can add better brain function to that list. Why not get out and take a walk today? Then, in accordance with the plan laid out at the start of this article, get busy with the next brainpower booster.

What Is Brain Fog?

You may have heard the expression, or even had the experience, but what is brain fog? It is that state of mind when you can't quite focus or think clearly. As for how to cure it, that depends on the cause. There are two basic kinds of causes.

Physical Causes Of Brain Fog

A lack of sleep can make it difficult to concentrate. Sleep requirements vary, but the bare minimum for almost everyone is somewhere around five hours, and many of us suffer if we sleep less than seven or eight hours. Some research indicates that after a minimum quantity, the quality of sleep is more important to the normal functioning of your brain.

Too much sugar can cause brain fog. To prove this to yourself, eat a piece of sugary cake on an empty stomach and try to do math problems thirty minutes later. What you'll experience is commonly known as the "sugar blues," and can leave you tired and irritable. Avoid eating too much sugar if you want mental clarity.

Certain prescription drugs can cause brain fog. Illness, alcohol and even brain damage are possible culprits too. Some of these problems can be remedied on your own, while others will require the help of medical professionals. You may have to experiment a bit to see what helps (talk to your doctor if this means quitting or reducing a prescription).

Mental Causes Of Brain Fog

Specific thoughts and worries can make it tough to think clearly. I refer to these as "mind irritations." They can easily get in the way of your attempts to focus. Such unresolved thoughts or feelings are often just below consciousness. Just as it would be difficult to concentrate on work in the middle of a chaotic group of people, it is tough to focus a mind full of unwanted thoughts and feelings. An unmade decision that is hanging there, a conversation that wasn't quite finished, thoughts about the future, and many common worries could all be sapping your brainpower.

A simple mindfulness technique can take care of this problem. Start by watching what's going on in your head until you become conscious of the "noise" and "characters" in there. Perhaps a thank you card you need to write has been quietly bothering you all day, for example. Maybe you're worried about an upcoming job interview, or continually reviewing what someone said to you three hours ago.

Pay attention for a minute or two, and once you become aware of these "mind irritations," do something to resolve each one. You might send that card, for example, or just put it on your "to do" list so your mind can let go of the thought for the moment. If nothing else, bring a problem to full consciousness and tell yourself something like, "There is nothing I can do about this until Thursday." This categorizing of things as "nothing to worry about now," will often stop unconscious thoughts from repeating themselves.

Once you have done this a few times, you'll find it becomes easier to recognize what's just below the surface, irritating you and preventing concentration. If you take care of those things, clearer thinking is almost guaranteed. Finally, one last suggestion: Taking several deep breaths through your nose and letting the tension drain from your body can sometimes clear that brain fog in seconds.

Subliminal Messages and The Law Of Attraction

All of us want our lives to be perfect. We all want money, success, love and happiness, yet how many of us actually get it all? Unfortunately most of us spend a better part of our lives thinking about what we don’t have. We see people who’ve got things we believe we deserve and let jealousy slither into our minds. We feel sorry for ourselves and end up convincing our minds and hearts that perhaps this is what god intended for us. The truth is that the higher powers want the best for us. Our negative thoughts and actions stop us from experiencing the higher joys of life. There is a simple law of the universe behind it; it’s called the “Law of attraction.”

What is the Law of attraction?

What is the law of attraction? “The secret” talks about it, Oprah believes in it. Intellectuals are debating about it. The law of attraction simply means that we get what we focus on the most through our thoughts, feelings and actions. More bad luck will come to you if you constantly think about how unlucky you have been before. If we feel jealous of what others have, we’ll continue to invite more jealousy into our hearts and minds. If we cheat someone, the same shall happen to us!

The “Law of attraction” is not some new age principle, if you open your eyes and ears and look around you’ll realize that almost every religion in the world talks about it in one way or the other. Aren't we always told that what goes around comes around? The problem is that we always assumed that’s it only our actions which have repercussions and didn’t realize that more than actions it our thoughts that shape our lives. After all we spend a major part of our waking hours, thinking.

How to make the law of attraction work for you

Think Positive

One way to attract what you want into your life is to stop yourself whenever you find emotions like jealousy, self pity or negative thoughts creeping into your mind and force yourself to think positive. However this would require a lot of self control and effort.

Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations can also help you attract good fortune into your life. Telling yourself everyday that you deserve the best and visualizing a fulfilling life are powerful techniques, which can make the law of attraction work for you.

Work with the subconscious

Working with the subconscious mind can also help you reshape your thinking process and attract whatever you want into your life. This can be done through several methods, but two common approaches are either hypnosis or subliminal messages. Both involve giving suggestions to the subconscious mind. In the former suggestion are given by a trained therapist after inducing a hypnotic state and in the latter suggestions are given through messages embedded in music, text or video. Audio Cds are the most commonly used instruments for transmitting subliminal messages (for self help purposes). In these law of attraction subliminal Cds messages/suggestions are either hidden behind music or are played in reverse. Often, subliminal messages are moved above the level of human hearing (above 20,000 Hz).

Clinical hypnosis or even a law of attraction cd is not mind control, these techniques can only help if you believe in the law of attraction and are willing to live by its principles - the will help you, but if you give up all of your conscious efforts and simply rely on these methods you will not achieve the success you want. They are just one tool that you should use, but you need to think about it still and work towards your goals just as much.

Get Your Thinking Out Of The Box

What is thinking out of the box? It is getting outside the usual ways of looking at things (that's the box) to arrive at new and useful ideas. How do you do it? Here is one of the many ways.

How To Get Your Thinking Out Of The Box

One of the simplest techniques for "out of the box" thinking is to identify each of the elements of the "box" and consider any alternatives that come to mind, even crazy ones. Most of these will not be useful, but work with them and some may be made into ideas that aren't so crazy after all. Once in a while they may even lead to great innovations. Let's look at a specific example to see how this works.

Suppose you want to stop smoking, and you are looking for a creative new way to do this? First, you need to identify the ideas, assumptions and solutions that are common. These are the basis of the "box." They could include:

- It is a matter of willpower.

- This is a personal goal.

- You'll pay for some program to help you quit.

- You have to stop smoking.

- It is difficult to quit.

There are certainly other common ideas and solutions, but these are enough to show how the process works. Starting with the willpower issue, you might ask, "Why does it have to be a test of willpower?" This leads you to consider the easiest ways to quit. Perhaps hypnotism could help. It also suggests not being around others who smoke for a while, so there is no temptation. There is nothing too creative here, so you move on to the next item.

It is natural to assume that this is a personal goal, but not necessary to keep that perspective. Many people want to quit, perhaps even a few of your friends. Is there some way to make this a group goal? While that thought is in your mind, you challenge the next item with the idea; "What if a program paid me to quit?" That leads to an out-of-the-box solution: A group challenge and bet.

You arrange with three friends who want to quit to each put a thousand dollars in a pot. After one year, those have not smoked a cigarette get to split the pot. If two of you succeed, you'll each be a thousand ahead. If only one succeeds, he or she will make three thousand dollars. There's some real motivation, and the competitive nature of the challenge may help as well.

What about the assumption that you have to quit smoking? Is there a way to continue smoking without the health problems? You might switch slowly to cigarettes with less nicotine. You might find that the sensation of the cigarette in your mouth is as important as the nicotine, and you can eventually just "smoke" them without lighting them. These ideas may work, but are not too new, so you move on.

What about the idea that it is difficult to quit? You ask yourself, what if it was easy to quit? That gives you nothing, so you play with the idea and ask, "What if it was difficult to smoke?" Now that is an out of the box question, and it immediately suggests some ideas. How do you make it difficult? Perhaps you and your spouse could pay five dollars per cigarette into a special account to be split at the end of a year. Whoever smokes less will gain the most, and the pain of the high cost will make it tough to smoke much.

The most potentially profitable idea, though, may be that of having a drug that causes you to get immediately nauseous when you smoke. That makes it difficult to continue. It would be something like the drug "anabuse" which makes alcoholics vomit if they drink. It would be even better if it was in the form of an injection that lasts for a month, so you can't "forget" your pill.

You can see the basic process here. First define the "box," by listing all the usual ideas and solutions. Then consider these one-by-one. Attack them, alter them, look for opposites, and do anything else to find a new perspective. There are many ways to have more creative ideas, but this is one of the simplest and most systematic techniques for getting your thinking out of the box.

Attract Money and Prosperity With Mind Penetrating Subliminal Messages

All of us want more money. We all yearn for financial freedom. Almost everyone dreams about winning a lottery sometime in life. Howrver, there are only a few people who appear to get lucky with money. Why is that? Business acumen, academic background or sound financial knowledge are certainly some of the factors which make a few of us richer than the others. But the fact is that luck plays an important role in attracting money as well. So what is luck? God’s gift? Destiny? Karma? Or simply coincidence? Perhaps each word can be used to describe luck, but the connotations that these words carry have led most of us to believe that good luck is bestowed on only a small minority of the human race. Good fortune is available in abundance, and we are the only ones who can bring it into our lives.

How to attract prosperity, wealth, and riches in abundance

Rhonda Byrne's multinational book "The Secret" brought "the law of attraction" into mainstream, modern culture. The law of attraction means that whatever you think of most of the time you will attract in to your life. The same law applies to money as well. You will attract good prosperity into your life if you repeatedly think about it. But, if you focus on your lack of money, or your debt you will never bring money to you - you will only compound your lack of money and bring more debts to you.

To be able to train your mind to focus on positive thoughts about money, you need to attune your subconscious to your conscious actions and desires. For instance you could be taking all the right conscious steps, however if you subconsciously you believe that you won't be lucky, then your mind is focused on a fear of loss, and your conscious action might be in vain. There are many different ways to reprogram your mind to manifest your desires into money in abundance and financial freedom for life. One of the simplest methods is listening to subliminal messages.

Subliminal messages are audio messages, but beyond the perception of tour conscious mind - but they are still picked up by the SUBconscious mind and have a powerful influence over it. These messages could be in the form of video, text or audio. You can use an attract money subliminal cd in which the messages are often hidden behind music or are played in reverse (mixed with music). By changing their thoughts and focusing more on attracting money 1000s of people have done exactly that - you get what you focus on, and with the help of such CDs thousands have done just that and brought money into their lives

Apart from this, you can also make conscious efforts to attract money in abundance. Visualizing yourself with all the money you desire and consciously focusing on attracting money are also powerful techniques which can help you attract good fortune into your life.

Brain Training 101

Regular brain training - even a little - can go a long ways towards better thinking. There are easy techniques for better or more creative thinking, such as brainstorming or just getting a good night's sleep. The idea here, though, is to train your brain in new habits. It can take some work, but once good habits are established, there is little extra effort involved in your new higher-level of thought.

There are many brain training routines you can work with. Here are two to get you started.

Train Your Brain To Create Examples

Have you ever read something and only "almost" understood it? Often, this is because the author didn't use good examples, or perhaps not any at all. Suppose I tell you, "The reticular cortex is a part of the brain that discriminates among sensory inputs and stimuli to make you aware of those which are important." You might nod your head, especially if you've read about this. But your understanding may be a bit hazy.

It would be much clearer if I added, "For example, if you are looking for a business to buy, and you give some attention to that goal, you are essentially 'programing' the reticular activating system to bring anything relevant to your attention. Your eyes still look at the same scenery, and the same sounds enter your ears, but the non-essential is screened out, while the reticular cortex makes you notice the 'for sale' signs on stores or helps you 'tune into' conversations about business."

Now you understand better. A few more examples would probably help as well. If you want to really understand things, then, you need to have examples, and the simpler the better. If the speaker or author doesn't provide them, create your own. In fact, don't move on until you do.

Do this with your own ideas as well, whether you are explaining them to another person or just thinking to yourself. Make them as simple as you can, but not too simple. Think of several examples, as though you are preparing to explain the thought to a variety of different people. It could be argued that if you cannot give good examples, you don't fully understand an idea. Create examples until doing so becomes a habit, and you'll find that this kind of brain training leads to a better grasp of everything you learn.

Train Your Brain To Be More Self-Aware

Being self-aware may not seem so important to effective brainpower, but it is. When you know yourself better, you can avoid the usual effects of ego and emotion in your seemingly "rational" thinking. Or you can at least take them into account.

Watch yourself, especially as you explain things or argue, and you'll become aware that much of what we call reasoning is really rationalization. You'll also see how common it is to try to win an argument or make a point at the expense of digging deeper and understanding something better. This probably can't be completely overcome, but being aware of what your mind is doing makes it possible to "correct course" and think more rationally.

Observe yourself. As with other types of Brain Improvement, the goal here is to repeat this process until it becomes a habit. The self-awareness that results will prevent you from getting into a rut in your thinking. For example, if you are aware that you have a strong desire for certain beliefs to be true, you'll question whether you've lowered the standards of evidence for them. Then you can explore the alternative views more rationally.

Brainpower Games Anyone Can Play

Brainpower games are those games which exercise your mental capacity. My personal favorite is Chess, but there are many others, some of which you probably already play or have played. Here is a look at a few of the more common ones and how they may help your mind.

Crossword Puzzles

For many years people have noticed that older folks who regularly did crosswords seemed to stay mentally sharper as they aged, compared to those who didn't exercise their brains in similar ways. Recent research has supported this idea. As a mental exercise, one of the primary advantages of doing crossword puzzles is that it's a brainpower game you can play by yourself.

Chess

Historically THE thinker's game, chess is not - contrary to what many think - just a left-brain analytical contest. Playing well requires both hemispheres of the brain. Your left-brain will be analyzing possible moves and predicting responses of your opponent. Your right brain will be grasping the spatial relationships on the board and providing an intuitive grasp of good positioning. An interesting note: many top players are also musically talented, and handling music is right hemisphere function in most people.

Scrabble

You may think that this classic word game is all about vocabulary, and it can really help you learn a lot of new words, especially if you play with an open-dictionary rule. But to really play well, you have to learn strategy. You have to figure out where to place your words, and how to make multiple words in one play. A good understanding of how to score the most points on each turn can make you a better player than an opponent with a larger vocabulary.

Sudoku

Sudoku has recently become very popular, with the puzzle books appearing in most bookstores now, and even at grocery-store check-out displays. Though it's all about numbers, it isn't really about math skills as much as it is about deductive reasoning. Like crossword puzzles, it also has the advantage of being a one-person activity, and a small book of these puzzles can be carried with you anywhere.

Poker

Whether played for money or just chips, poker is one of the best of the brainpower games because it requires so many different kinds of mental skills. You need to understand probabilities and how to analyze a hand in relation to all the other information you have. You need to be observant to gather that information from the players around you. Learning to "read" other players is a big part of the game too. Poker is directly useful in training you for real life decision making, because it develops your intuitive grasp of what a "good bet" consists of.

Boggle

While not as popular as it used to be, you can still buy a Boggle game in many department stores. It is a word game based on observation and fast thinking more than vocabulary. Attempting to quickly find words in the letters is great for training your mind to look for patterns. Once you notice an "s" for example, you can look at every noun thereafter to see if the "s" can be connected to it to create another word and more points. It is a vocabulary game in part, but decent pattern recognition skills are the best advantage you can have.

Some Other Brainpower Games

The game of dominoes can be very analytical if you play it well. Card games like gin rummy are good for developing pattern-recognition abilities. The classic board game, Monopoly, or the pricier "Cash Flow" game by Robert Kiyosaki, are both good brainpower games, as well as being good for learning real estate investing principles and habits. All of the games mentioned here are great brain exercises in one way or another.