Friday, September 12, 2008

Invest in Yourself First

Investing in yourself is about the best investment you can make.

The reason for this is when you invest in yourself, you are increasing your true personal worth. When you make investments in savings debentures, bonds, stocks, property or anything else that might give you are return on your money, you may be increasing your personal financial worth, but this does not necessarily mean you are increasing your true personal worth.

Your true personal worth transcends your financial worth, just the same as a person who learns how to fish is worth more than the fish that are caught. The values are different. You know that you can eat the fish and survive, but cannibalism is not a consideration, so a better illustration is a chicken. A chicken lays eggs which can be eaten, or hatched to produce more chickens. Therefore to kill the chicken is not necessarily the best idea if you are hungry. It is better to get the chicken to lay eggs and eat the eggs. Because one chicken is worth many eggs. Similarly, you don't kill the goose that lays the golden egg.

Investing in yourself is how you generate true personal wealth, because, even if you were to lose all your material wealth, you would still have the knowledge to overcome your adversity, survive, and become wealthy once again.

One of the problems that occurs when people obtain material wealth, without having to learn how to obtain it, is if they tend to lose it; this is because they were poor and not wealthy at all, and they will most likely remain poor unless they acquire the knowledge of how to be rich. If you do not know how to do something, you have to learn, and if you haven't learnt what to do, then you will not be able to do whatever it is that you need to do. When it comes to accumulating material wealth, you need to learn how to do it, just in case someone takes it away from you. And, never think that you cannot lose the wealth you have, because the people who are most likely to lose wealth are the ones who did not earn it, or learn how to obtain it and then keep it.

Sometimes, events can be such that you get caught with your pants down and unexpectedly find yourself losing what you might have spent a few decades accumulating. This can happen through marriage breakdowns or through bad business relationships or a series of disasters that were out of your control, like natural disasters, criminal sabotage, government decisions, and global economic factors. However, if you have truly invested in yourself, you will overcome your circumstances and bounce back very quickly. Once you have learnt how to do something like accumulate wealth and understand the principles required, then you will find your true value.

Value is something that is always recognized and appreciated for what it is. Knowledge is the most valuable thing you can possess, providing it is experiential knowledge. People of value will always be able to get what they are worth.

You might think that you are undervalued, but so are diamonds which have not been found, recognized for their value and cut. If you think you are undervalued, then you probably haven't learnt sufficient to be able to demonstrate your true value to other people. You may need some other skills that you have not yet possessed. In which case, you are probably like a diamond that has not been cut and polished.

One of the best ways to learn how to get the many facets of your true value to shine is to invest in yourself and find a mentor who can guide you in what is good, right and true for you. What you need is a source that will help you to find your true value by investing in yourself.

Happy Riches knows how to show you how. Happy Riches also runs an educational membership club which has a focus on people becoming healthy, wealthy and wise. Happy Riches can be found at http://www.happyrichesclub.com

How to Get a Photographic Memory Fast

The adage that knowledge is power rings true ever more. Companies are looking for people who are intelligent, and able to apply this intelligence to their work. Having a photographic memory comes into play here, as the advantages of being able to recall every minute detail as if you had the object right in front of your eyes is a skill that cannot be more strongly emphasized.

This is an extremely useful tool to have, and one that is not quite that easy to pick up. If it was, everyone would have it, and where is the advantage in that? However, you too can start on the path to acquire a photographic memory with these 2 simple methods, also known as the visualization and association method. Once you have mastered this, you will find a significant improvement in your memory, and you will be halfway there on getting a photographic memory!

Method 1: Associate hard words with easy ones

Ever had a list of foreign mambo jumbo staring up at you from a piece of paper? Worried about forgetting the jargon that could make or break a meeting or a presentation for the big boss? This method will ensure that you will never again have problems in keeping those tough words rolling off the tip of your tongue, making you appear to be the expert on the topic. All this involves is breaking the word down into similar sounding words that you use in everyday life. For example, the word eschew can be broken down into similar sounding words of “a shoe”!

Method 2: Associating hard words with Images

This method can be used in addition to, or as a standalone from method 1. All it requires is an imagination, and the ability to assign a picture to a word. Using the earlier example of eschew, you could imagine yourself ducking to avoid a shoe being thrown. This will help you to remember both the word, eschew, and its meaning.

Often times, there is a very simple explanation for our lack of ability in recalling information – we never learnt it in the first place. Sure, we’ve heard it said once, or seen it on paper, but it did not register into our long term memory. By using these 2 methods, you will be able to impress the information into your mind and you will not have any trouble in recalling the words or information that you need to anymore!

http://www.photographic-memory.org/

How to Pass an Interview!

Nine Steps to Interview Success

These days, the average person changes their career seven to ten times within their life span. This means that the average person is going to send out several hundred copies of their resumes in their lifetime…and yes, they’re going to have to go through several interviews in their lifetime.

Scary, huh?

If the interview process makes you nervous, well, you’re not alone. But right now, it’s time to stop worrying. You’re about to learn the nine vital steps for interview success…how to pass any interview you face!

Step 1: Research the Company that you are being interviewed for:

It’s a pretty obvious trick: research the company you’re interviewing for and be prepared to show off what you know about them. Way too many people show up for an interview without having the first idea about what the particular company stands for. The truth is that you should know at least something about the company’s mission, its general business process, and its particular needs. Know how long the company has been in business and whether they’re financially sound and profitable. Research the company with a view to determine what you can do to help them achieve their goals. Be prepared to say specifically how your personal goals and experience are going to be valuable to the company.

Step 2: Know your resume:

In virtually any interview situation, you’re interviewer is going to ask you questions about your resume, about your experiences and even about the quirky stuff you’ve listed to pad it out. You should read your resume over and over, and know the details of it because you never know when you’re going to be asked about your chess playing experience or your interest in literature. Make sure there’s nothing detailed on your resume that you’re uncomfortable talking about.

Step 3: Dress for Success:

Appearance can become nine-tenths of the law if you don’t pay attention to it. For every interview, make sure you wear garments that are professional and appropriate the position that you’re seeking. Your clothes should be comfortable, clean, and pressed. Don’t create a crisis for yourself on the morning of the interview when it comes to your clothes. Pick out your outfit and make sure it’s ready the night before your big interview.

Step 4: Make sure that you wake up early and are on time:

Just as you shouldn’t let your wardrobe run you down on the big day, you shouldn’t let traffic or public transport delays upset you either. It’s also crucial that you don’t get lost on the way so have directions –and confirm them if you have to – well before you set off. These days, with MapQuest, you have no excuses. Make sure you leave the house early, and plan to be at the interview at least ten minutes early.

Step 5: Review interview questions:

Interviews may be pretty scary but they’re also pretty predictable. It doesn’t take much to predict the basic questions you’re going to be asked. Here are some examples:

Tell me about yourself?

Tell me about a time you failed miserably in your career?

What is your greatest strength/weakness?

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

What are your salary expectations for this position?

Why should we hire YOU?

Prepare sample answers to these questions. Memorize a couple of key responses. Remember that no matter who you’re interviewing for or with, if it’s a job interview, the basic focus is going to be on your experience, your goals, and your potential to contribute to the company. Be sure you can argue a case for yourself on these key points.

Step 6: Let the interviewer lead you:

The interviewer is the one running the interview but you can set the pace. Wait for the interviewer to ask the questions. Take your time to listen to the questions. Give your answers carefully; make sure they are considered. That said, each of your answers should be given with an energetic and enthusiastic voice. Above all, smile and enjoy the interview. Be courteous and always thank the interviewer at the end of the interview. Tell them that you’re well qualified for the job, and that you will prove it to them upon being hired. Don’t be afraid to be confident in yourself and your abilities.

Step 7: Ask for the next step:

The interviewer will ask most of the questions but you will have a chance to get a word in shortly. Find out what will happen next, and what you should expect after the interview. When should you be hearing from them about the job? When will the hiring decision be made?

Step 8: Send a thank you note:

Everything you do regarding your interview has consequences. Just as a good sales person follows up on a lead, after each interview you attend you should be sure to send a thank you note to the employer and the interviewer, thanking them for their time. Going the extra mile in this way will generally show that you’re qualified for the position, or at least that you’re a serious and diligent person.

Step 9: Follow-up:

Of course, sending a thank you note is something you do immediately after the interview. A reasonable period after, usually a week or two at least, you should take one further step to follow up. Call the company offices and ask if you can speak to the hiring manager who interviewed you. You can start the conversation by asking if they received your note. Then you can ask them if any decisions were made and, if not, approximately when you should call back or otherwise expect to hear from them. Don’t be pushy; above all, be polite and courteous, even if a response is not forthcoming.

WHEN YOU’RE HIRED…THINGS TO THINK ABOUT…

If you are hired, remember that you need to stand up to your promises. You should always be putting 110% effort. An unspoken trick to get comfortable in interviews and to always get the job you want: in every job you accept, make yourself shine. Regardless of how much you are paid or how much responsibility and work you’re given, take the initiative to do more. The more you’re prepared to do for your job, the future each of your jobs will take you. Don’t worry about being rewarded, just keep working hard, and it will pay off. I guarantee it.

http://www.zohrasarwari.com/