Personal Development

Motivation

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 08:10:00 +0000

If you are, or have ever been, in a position of responsibility within an organisation, you may have had to ask yourself the question: how do I motivate people? Sometimes I even come across forum posts asking: how do I motivate myself? If you have ever thought about this type of question, or contemplated the question yourself, you may have concluded that the subject of motivation , and how to go about to motivating people, is a funny old business.

In the One-Minute Manager, a classic by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, the authors state that motivation comes from within; and, that, I think, is absolutely true. We are all motivated by something and if you can't find the necessary drive to get off your backside and start putting in the appropriate amount of effort to ensure you to achieve your goals, then no amount of listening to motivation al messages (perhaps, even this is a form of procrastination) will get you going. The bottom line is: if you can't motivate yourself, then nobody else can do it for you.

In the classics of New Thought, the thinking to which many people round here seem to subscribe – Think and Grow Rich, Science of Getting Rich, Master Key System etc – quite a lot is made of the importance of 'desire' in achieving goals. Well, desire, of course, is the root of motivation ...

Desire: 'the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state' Motivation: 'the internal condition that activates behaviour and gives it direction'

You either want something or you don't. If you really want something, you have the necessary 'desire' and that is where the motivation to achieve that goal will come from. You want it badly enough to do 'whatever it takes' in order to achieve it.

Understanding your inner desires is an important key to achievement.

Your Life-Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:17:00 +0000

The meaning of life is one of those sought after quests that can never truly be answered. There are just too many opinions and personal definitions for any one meaning to be true for everyone.

Also, there are certain topics in life that can simply never be fully described with mere words, such as true love and true self.

Some will say that discovering the meaning behind true love and your true self is the meaning of life. What do you think?

Discovering Your Life-Purpose

While you might feel a bit confused, you can start to find meaning in your life by discovering your true purpose. For some, this comes easily but for others it may take some deep soul searching. Your true purpose is not necessarily a job or something concrete, although it could be. There are no rules to follow, just the rules set out by your heart.

Try some of the following activities when searching for your true purpose:

1. Brainstorm. Find a time and place where you can have some quiet self-reflection. Just start writing down ideas on what you think your true purpose might be. You may not arrive at it at first, but you'll eventually come across something that hits the nail on the head.

2. Activities and hobbies. Reflect on your favorite activities and hobbies. Can you turn any of them into a life's purpose? Some people feel that if they take their hobbies further it'll start to feel like any old job. This won't be the case if you've truly found your purpose.

3. Skills and intelligence. If there are certain skills and abilities that you're good at, perhaps you should try pursuing those, even if you didn't think you wanted to before.

* Also, you might want to look into a theory called Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner. Gardner describes how everyone has a type of intelligence and it might not always be what is typically accepted as intelligence, such as a high IQ.

4. Happiness. Ask yourself whether or not you're happy in your current life situation. If you are, p! erhaps y ou've already found your life's purpose or you're on the correct path to it. If you're unhappy, see if you can isolate the reasons why. Once you know why, you can take action to correct the imbalance.

5. Regrets. Make an effort to let go of your regrets. These never serve a positive purpose in your life. However, if you identify your regrets, perhaps you can use them to help you discover your purpose. Perhaps there's something you regret that you can correct. Often times, it's not too late to make a positive change!

* For example, if you're in your 50s and you always wanted to go to college, you shouldn't let anything stand in the way between you and your dream.

6. Religion. If you're a religious person, it's likely that your religion discusses life and meaning. Search through religious books or seek out a spiritual advisor to learn more about the meaning of life.

Follow Your Bliss

To put it quite simply, if you're following your bliss, you're on the road to discovering your true purpose. You'll also be discovering your personal definition for the meaning of life.

Remember, you'll always have outside influences when it comes to finding life's meaning, but following your heart is the only true answer.

How To Set Clear Goals

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:11:00 +0000

The planning phase is the most important stage when it comes to reaching your goals. Planning might come easy or hard for you, but one thing's for sure, without planning the end goal may not even exist at all. While it's important to set up your own system that works for you, there are some simple goal setting strategies you can use to make your planning easier.

Consider the following tips for finding clarity in your goals:

1. Decide what you want. Whether your goal is lofty or little, decide exactly what it is that you want. If you want money, how much? If you want to lose weight, how many pounds? If you want success, how do you describe your vision of success?

* Don't be afraid to take your time to figure out what you want. At some point you'll need to eventually sift through your thoughts and take action, but make sure you're acting on what's most important to you!

2. Be specific. Be very detailed as you develop every part of your goal. Instead of a goal like "I want to be better at sports," consider a goal like "I want to perform exceptionally well during spring tryouts so I can become the all-star point guard for my high school basketball team." Just being "better" at sports is too vague. There are too many options and avenues to take that your mind can't focus on any one route to your goal.

3. Write it down. Write down your ideas and decisions. It doesn't matter if you use pencil and paper, a computer, or even a cell phone. What's important is the fact that you can keep track of a large amount of specific information instead of trying to remember everything. After all, goals only seem real when you see them clearly before you.

4. Break down your goal into increments. If you have a lofty goal, it'll become manageable if you break it down into smaller pieces. Smaller pieces will make your goal seem less complex. Plus, it'll be easier for you to achieve your goal if everything is set out for you as mini-goals, instead of just one huge feat.

5. ! Repeat t he process. Once you've found a good system, it's time to repeat the process. Clarify your other goals that you'd like to achieve.

* For example, if you'd like to "spend more time with the family," which is too vague, make a list of specific family activities you'd like to do together, and then make more lists that detail how you can make those goals a reality.

Don't Wait For "Someday"

Some of the reasons why people tend to keep their goals vague is that they're actually afraid of achieving them. It's true!

After all, it's a whole lot easier to put off your goals and do nothing, than to take action to achieve it. But what good is a goal that merely resides on paper?

Once you've decided on a clear goal, it's time to take swift action to make it a reality. Don't wait for someday to achieve your goals. There's no time like the present... so get moving!

How To Live Without Regret

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:08:00 +0000

It's hard to keep regret out of your life. No matter where you find yourself today, there's a chance that you'll have certain things you wish you did differently. When you strive to look at your situation with a different perspective, you'll gain a better understanding about life and you'll learn to live without regret.

While you won't be able to completely eliminate regret in your life, you can take steps to reduce it. Strive to keep your life organized and live your life your way.

Establish Your Priorities

One way to begin living without regret is to sort out your priorities. Ask yourself what ultimate goal you're working towards. Are you happy with where you are and where you're going? If you're living your life according to plan and you're happy, then you have nothing to regret.

If changes need to be made, taking small steps may be of help to you. Once you've made decisions that you're comfortable with, you may feel as if a weight has been lifted from your shoulders. This is regret leaving your life!

Live By the Golden Rule

Everyone can benefit by living his or her life with the golden rule in mind. The golden rule is known in all of the world's religions. It's special because it's a concept that we can all agree on, despite our differences.

Simply stated, the golden rule is: "Treat people the way you'd like to be treated." If you do this, you'll definitely keep your regrets to a minimum. You'll be learning how to treat people with kindness no matter what. You'll be learning how to treat people fairly and you'll gain empathy. When you put yourself in someone else's shoes before you act, you'll be less likely to engage in an act that you'll regret later.

Take Swift Action

The next step is to take swift action in your life. You only have one life and the time is now. If your goals are clear and you know what you want, what are you waiting for? A common regret is not doing the things that are truly important to them. You need to do these! things instead of putting them off until tomorrow!

Have you always wanted to start your own business? Start one! Would you like to get back in touch with your father? Do it! Yes, it's difficult, yet it's also simple once you've made the commitment to act.

Spend Time with Loved Ones

Spend all the time you can with your loved ones. If they live far away, visit when you can and call often.

Make time for your immediate family by scheduling dinners together or family nights out. Delve deep into the relationships you have with your family. A common regret is sticking to surface topics when it comes to your family. Find out the hopes, fears and even regrets of your family members. Sharing your regrets can be another way of coming to a resolution!

Forget Regret

Ultimately, it always comes down to the fact that you can't change the past no matter how hard you try, nor how often you think about it. All you can do is take action now to change what happens in the future.

Regret clouds our current thinking and stands in the way of a happy future. But you have the power to blast through regret and move forward with your life!

How To Become More Passionate

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:01:00 +0000

When you have passion, you have a life energy that allows you to achieve your dreams. Passion helps you get out of bed in the morning and seize the day! But what can you do when you feel like you've lost your passion?

How Passion Benefits You

There are many benefits to being a more passionate person. With an invigorating passion for life, you can enjoy sustainable energy that motivates and inspires you. You'll also enjoy more leisure time, quality relationships, and people will be drawn to you. You'll also enjoy an enthusiasm for life that can last a lifetime. It all starts with this simple thing called passion!

Developing Greater Passion

Everyone has their own unique path to developing greater passion in their lives. Experiment with different strategies to find something that works for you.

Keep the following tips in mind as you seek your passions:

1. Follow your dreams. Following your dreams is not a fairytale; it's what you're supposed to do in life! If you've lost your passion, chances are you've been working towards a goal that's not your true goal. It's time to evaluate your priorities.

* Once you're on a path to your true dreams, you'll find your passion again.

2. Consider religion and spirituality. Maybe it's time to get more in touch with your spiritual side. Many faiths deal with life's tougher questions and they also provide purpose. When you discover your purpose and feel it, you'll also find passion.

3. Develop relationships. It's always a good idea to delve deeper into your relationships with your loved ones. When you keep things fresh and try new things, you may also discover your passion. You'll look forward to new life events when everything is not as mundane.

Get To Know Yourself and Your Values

If you're still confused when it comes to finding your passion, perhaps it'll help to take stock of your true values. Take a moment to write down your values. It might seem like a silly exercise, but when you see ! everythi ng written down on paper it may provide you with some clarity.

Everyone will have a different set of values; it's what makes a person unique. Once you've narrowed down your values, you can begin to see how you can honor them each day.

Add Spice to Your Life

Are you too caught up in preparing for a better future?

When you only care about having a good life in the future, you forget about the now, which is discouraging and burdensome. Your happiness doesn't reside in the future - it's right here, right now!

Even though you may be an extremely busy person, it's important to make yourself a priority. Commit to taking a portion out of each day for yourself. It could be as few as 15 minutes, but it'll make a difference.

Initially, you can use this time to plan out how you can follow interests that you feel passionate about. Build a plan and take action. It can be difficult to get past the planning stages, but following through with your plans is the most important part.

Small Steps to Something Big

Your small chunks of time spent pursuing your passions can result in spectacular results. When you actually see the proof of your dreams realized, it'll feed even more passion into you. Your new goal will be to avoid breaking your successful new pattern. Keep making yourself a priority and you'll re-discover the passion in your life!

Becoming A Creative Thinker

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

While it's true that some people are born with a creative mind, it doesn't mean that creative thinking can't be learned and developed.

You may even believe that you don't have a creative bone in your body, but this simply isn't true. If you weren't capable of some type of creative thinking, you'd be a robot!

Believing In Yourself

The first step toward creative thinking is the belief that you can acquire and develop the skill. The truth is that, if you continue to set up a mental roadblock and tell yourself that you can't think creatively, you'll never get past this first step.

When you truly believe in yourself, you also open up doors. The possibilities are endless just because you decided to give creative thinking a shot.

Developing Creativity

In order to foster creativity in your life, start thinking about where you want to apply your newfound creativity. It'll help, at least at first, to have a specific goal instead of the broad goal of just "thinking" creatively overall.

You might start with discovering better solutions to common problems at the office, or you might want to broaden your horizons with an artistic goal in your free time.

No matter what your goal is, try applying some of these creativity boosting tips:

1. Spend time brainstorming. When looking for ideas for a project - or solutions to a challenge - write down everything that comes to mind without holding back. Don't worry about logistics or staying organized; just let your mind go free.

* Another form of brainstorming that might be worth a try is free writing: just pick up a pen and let your mind go wild on the topic of your choice. Tell yourself that you can't pause or put the pen down; you must keep writing. You'll be surprised at what you can unload from your brain during a free writing session!

2. Change your surroundings. You may have noticed that your patterns of thinking change when you're in different places. If you find that your mind is stuck, try ! changing your environment. Go out for some fresh air or hang out in a coffee shop. It may be just what you need in order to discover a new and exciting idea.

3. Take notes. Always carry some kind of note taking device with you, whether it's paper or a mobile device. Record your ideas as they come to you, no matter where you are at the time. Creative thoughts can come and go, but if you write them down you won't forget them.

4. Research your topics. Even though it may seem boring, you can do some research online. When you do, you'll learn that knowledge is power and it'll enable your brain to get to a place it wouldn't normally have gone.

* Enjoy the journey and always follow your love of learning. Research will always provide you with new angles of thought.

Consider Other Perspectives

While everyone comes with their own unique set of abilities and opinions, when you develop your creativity, you learn how to come up with new ideas and solve problems from different points of view.

No matter what challenge you're faced with, spend time considering the perspective of others. While you might not share the opinion of another, see if you can figure out how or why they have that view. Think about how they feel. Developing this empathy will keep your mind open, which will always foster creativity.

When you get into the habit of using these tips often, you'll be pleased to see outbursts of creativity!

No Time like the Present

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:44:00 +0000

Sometimes you feel like you've got all the time in the world to accomplish your dreams. Yet there are reminders every day that our time on Earth is short. Unfortunately, there's no way to predict how much time you've got left, which is exactly why there's no time like the present to make your dreams come true!

Concentrate On The Positive

It's vital to start with positive thoughts. When you think positively about yourself and your dreams, you'll begin to believe that you can achieve anything. These initial positive emotions can lead to a dedicated drive and enthusiasm that'll help build lasting momentum.

Remember that nearly everyone feels overwhelmed when you're about to embark on a long journey. That's exactly why it's so easy to fall into negative patterns of thinking, but you must fight these thoughts. It can be hard to imagine that so much can be achieved simply by having positive thoughts, but it's true!

The truth is, when you think about something as scary as "I could die tomorrow," it's hard not to be drawn into a panic. But instead of worrying about how much time you and your loved ones have left, concentrate on making the present moment as productive as it can be towards your true calling.

Careful Planning

Once you've decided to take action, and you've battled your negative thoughts, it's time to make some feasible plans to get you where you want to be.

Keep these tips in mind as you go through your planning phase:

1. Get into realistic goalsetting. If your goal is going to take years, give yourself years. You can't expect everything to happen overnight. 

2. Be specific. Include all the details in your plans. If you stumble along the way, you'll be comforted in knowing that you have your detailed plans to help you stay the course. 

3. Reward yourself. When you've made progress towards your goal, give yourself a reward. Even if your ultimate goal is far off, it's fun and motivating to enjoy rewards as you complete steps tow! ard your goal.

Action In Small Steps

One of the biggest tips when it comes to following your dream is to break down your actions into small, manageable steps.

For example, your goal could be to become an airline pilot or you might want to start your own business. Both of these goals are hefty and have the potential to take years of work and training.

When you first think about these goals, it's easy to be scared of how daunting they seem. Instead of resorting to fear, try breaking down these goals into dozens or even hundreds of small steps. Chances are that each small step is not nearly as overwhelming as the big picture.

At the same time, always keep the big picture in mind. When you visualize yourself reaching your end goal, it can be an image that gives you the drive to keep going during tough times.

Inspiring Others

Once you've achieved your goal, consider inspiring others to reach their goals, too. Perhaps you have some friends or family members who say things like, "I've always wanted to do that," but they remain working at their dead end job.

Help them take action!

You'll know from experience that, while it may be a risk, the reward is more than worth it.

Yes, following your dreams is even a reward in itself! It brings you joy in the present and hope for the future. So carpe diem - seize the day!

6 Tips For Success

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:26:00 +0000

Dr. Joe Vitale, motivational speaker and author, often says: "the fastest way to get where you want is to be happy with where you are." Believe it or not, this mindset works! It may take some changes and soul searching on your part, but in the end, it'll be more than worth it to adopt this positive mentality.

While you should strive to make your dreams come true, concentrate, also, on yourself and your journey. When you spend less time wishing things were different and more time accepting what you've got, you've already found a sense of peace and happiness right there.

Here are some tips that can help you become who you want to be right now:

1. Feel gratitude. When you concentrate on the big picture, it's easier to exhibit feelings of gratitude. When you're grateful, you remain positive and appreciative of every joyful moment in life.

* Sometimes people get too caught up in a sense of entitlement, which leads to negative feelings. Concentrating on gratitude, instead, will get you where you desire.

2. Be optimistic. Some say that life is all about optimism. And it's true! An optimistic attitude is one of the few things you need to succeed.

* If you're trying to achieve a concrete goal, optimism will help you accomplish it. * If you're trying to change your mindset, optimism will make the task easier. * Optimism can be the driving force that keeps you going.

3. Exhibit the traits you desire. It was Gandhi who said that you should be the change you want to see in the world. With these wise words in mind, you can replace wanting with some bold action. With some persistence and perseverance, you can make it happen.

4. Adopt the success mindset. Take a moment to determine what prosperity means to you. Are you hoping for money, a fulfilling career, or a relationship that lasts a lifetime? Know what you want, then adopt the right mindset. Once you do, you've then set yourself in the right direction toward your goals.

5. Find the silver lining.! As you go through life, you will no doubt realize that things are not always going to go your way. But even in tough times you need to keep your chin up. Instead of allowing negativity to consume your life, seek out the silver lining. This fresh attitude can be the difference between being held hostage and achieving your goals.

6. Take small steps. When the place you're going seems far away and unachievable, it's important to break it down into small steps. Give yourself an achievable goal with a realistic time frame. Break that one down into smaller goals.

* When you avoid getting overwhelmed, you'll gain the confidence to persevere.

You're Already There

It's a good idea to practice one of these tips at a time until you've incorporated them into your life. Perhaps you can spend a week perfecting one strategy and, then the next week, add another one to your repertoire while continuing with the first one. Soon enough, you'll be a natural at all of them!

Once you choose a powerful and positive mindset, you'll find that you've already achieved much of what you want. Just remember: You already have the traits, mindset, and lifestyle you desire, and you know that success is inevitable, but only when you have the will to break through the obstacles in your mind!

Our Rebrandable Books

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:32:00 +0000

All these books are completely free and most of them are Rebrandable so you can make money simply by giving them away. See the bottom of this post for details on rebranding.

Power of Gratitude

Panic Attacks

Binaural Beats

Time Management

Quit Smoking

Reaching Your Full Potential

Advanced Hypnosis

Excellence

Eating for Success

Confident Kids

Home-Schooling

Raising Children who Succeed

4 Symphonies of Stress

Exploring EFT

Simple Weight-Loss

The Toaster's Handbook

If you want to rebrand these books (all rebrandable except the Toaster's Handbook), simply visit the following page to download the Zip files ...

Free Rebrandable eBooks - Self Improvement - Master Resale Rights

Enjoy!

Make Your To-Do List More Effective

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:05:00 +0000

You already know that to-do lists help you get focused and organized throughout the day. When you have your to-do list in hand, you're freeing your mind from all the disorganized thoughts and, instead, getting them down on paper.

However, this technique can go awry if your to-do list isn't organized as well as it should be. You might lose your motivation and drive and, at the end of the day, you may notice that most of the things from your list are not crossed off.

Follow these tips to create an effective to-do list:

1. Clarify Priorities. It may help you to develop some sort of ranking system for your to-do list. Certainly every item on the list can't be equally important. You can even use a number system and rank them from 1 to 5. Items ranked 1 might have a lower priority, while the 5s are tasks you should attend to first.

• You should also clarify your priorities in the sense that you need to leave yourself detailed instructions. Figure out the: who, what, where, when and why of items that may be complicated. This way, when it comes time to tackle the task, you won't skip over them simply because they seem too complex to complete.

2. Pare Down the List. You need to complete tasks or part of tasks one step at a time. If you have 15 minutes to spare, find something on the list that you can complete in that time period. It's common to tell yourself that 15 minutes is not enough time to do something, but all those 15-minute chunks add up to something huge. At the end of the day you'll be surprised how much you've accomplished in small increments.

3. Include Flex Time. If your to-do list is too rigid, it simply won't be effective. You absolutely need to include some flexibility and breathing room in your day. Try not to jam pack your day with unreasonable goals, otherwise, you'll be at risk of disappointment.

4. Add in Something Fun. Your to-do list is no doubt full of things you may not be looking forward. That's why integrating fun activities and tasks should also be a priority! When you add in a fun item it doesn't feel like work. It may even feel like a break. When you return to the less desirable items, you'll be more motivated to actually get them done.

5. Don't List Too Much. It's vital not to overwhelm yourself. While some days might be action packed in order to reach certain deadlines, you need to avoid this level of stress on a regular basis. If there's too much on your plate, or you have to work too fast, you can't possibly enjoy yourself and you'll only end up frustrated and overwhelmed.

6. Keep It Organized. Your list needs to be organized in a way that makes you feel comfortable. There are many options nowadays, especially with digital devices. However, the old-fashioned pen and paper method may be what works best for you. You can also opt for using the internet or even your cell phone or mobile device to keep your list organized.

Keys to Success: Perseverance

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:01:00 +0000

Achieving your goals is hardly ever an easy journey. If it were easy, we'd all already be there. One of the keys to success is, without a doubt, perseverance. With improved perseverance you'll have that extra push from within to try, try again.

Humans have the tendency to want to control everything. Since there are always situations that can't be controlled, suffering occurs. Unfortunately, this suffering can't be escaped. Your goal should never be to avoid mistakes at all costs and seek control. Your goal should be to strengthen your perseverance by effectively dealing with the situation when things go awry.

Keep these tips in mind as you strengthen your perseverance:

1. Never Give Up. When you have an ultimate goal, you owe it to yourself to completely follow through. There are going to be plenty of bumps in the road. Don't let any of these bumps bring you down. Always be seeking new ways of approaching problems.

2. Seek Out the Positive. When things have become overwhelmingly negative for you, seek out positive things in your life. You might want to surround yourself with loved ones or watch positive movies. You definitely want to seek out situations that'll promote your optimism and enthusiasm.

3. Take Action and Responsibility. Do whatever you can to inspire yourself to take bold actions toward your goal. Fight the urge to procrastinate or settle for less. Thinking about your goals is simply not enough; you need to start somewhere in order to get yourself there. You can't wait for some sign or higher power to get you to where you want to go, you must be willing to take action!

4. Get Help When Needed. Be wise enough to know when a situation warrants help from others. You don't need to take every single thing into your own hands. Instead, choose to follow advice from the people you trust or the experts in your chosen field. Flat out ask them how they've maintained the drive to keep going.

5. Know Your True Self. Knowing yourself and having organized thoughts can improve your perseverance. When you know where you're going and the steps you need to take to get there, that's half the battle. That's why you need to take the proper amount of time for self-reflection. Know the true ins and outs of what you want and exactly why you want it.

6. Stop Bad Habits. Do everything in your power to put a stop to bad habits. If there are certain behaviors you've identified that are keeping you from achieving your goals, you need to get rid of them. This could be simply negative thinking or you might be fighting procrastination. When you concentrate on each bad habit individually, you'll be better able to deal with the problems that might exist.

7. Concentrate on Stress Management. Stress management and your level of perseverance are definitely related. When stress overwhelms you, it clouds your current thinking and brings on negativity. Your perseverance can't flourish in a negative environment. You must first conquer any problems you have with stress so you'll be better able to reach your goals.

Step By Step

Perseverance is likely already a part of your life. You just need to bring it out and strengthen its existence. It all boils down to the power of thought. When you think you can, you will. When you think you can't, you won't.

How to Discover Your Talents

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:56:00 +0000

You'll never know what you're truly good at until you give different things a try. When you take action to find your strengths, you just might surprise yourself. Perhaps there's something you've always wanted to try, but you think that you wouldn't be any good at it. You simply won't know until you try!

When you discover your talents, it can be an eye opening and fulfilling experience for you. The things you're good at are often things you enjoy doing the most. Your talents could even stem into a full-blown career where you wouldn't only be helping yourself, you'd be helping others too.

Finding your talents may be tricky, that's why we came up with 6 simple tips:

1. Follow Your Current Interests. A great place to start is to reflect on your current interests. This will guarantee that you'll enjoy what you're doing when you discover your hidden talents. An example would be if you love music, consider pursuing an active role in the creation of music instead of just remaining a fan. You could take up an instrument or learn more about the technical aspects such as sound mixing.

2. Step Outside of the Comfort Zone. Of course, stepping outside of your comfort zone may be difficult at first. No one likes to feel vulnerable, but you'll also hear people saying that they're glad that they stepped outside of their comfort zone. The fact is you won't be able to discover new talents if you're not open to new things and experiences.

3. Travel. Traveling around the world or your home country can open you up to new experiences. It's a great way to step outside of your comfort zone and take in other cultures. When you travel, you'll get new ideas and make new discoveries, but if you stay at home, your thinking may be limited by routine. Some things you might discover are artistic or athletic talents, or you may even be inspired to pursue new career goals.

4. Reading. Travelling may not always be an option. It can be pricey and time consuming, but reading is a great way to open up the creative juices while staying home. You can read books on any subject that piques your interest. Also, don't forget about the power of the internet and all of the reading materials that are available only a search away.

5. Take Community Classes. Community classes are an excellent way to discover talents for quite a few reasons. One is the fact that they're so close and accessible to you. Also, they're usually offered at affordable prices. Once you've chosen a class to attend, you'll get a good idea about the subject over the span of the course. At the end, you can decide whether or not it's right for you. If not, you can move on and try a different course until you find one that meshes well with your needs and desires.

6. Talk With Friends. Keep open dialogues going with your friends and colleagues. Talk about how they discovered their passion and what they did to sharpen their skills. Perhaps you'll find that you have similar interests among your friends, and if so, you can then pursue theses interests together.

Don't Give Up

In the end, the only thing you need to discover your talents is the will to keep trying. Once you've found your true talents, you'll enjoy fulfillment, success, fun, and happiness. Who wouldn't want a life filled with that?

Inspirational Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:22:00 +0000

Today we added a whole range of beautiful wallpapers to the site. These inspirational, desktop wallpapers can brighten-up your Desktop instantly. You can even download the entire set and use them as your own inspirational screensaver. At present we have 20 images, which are all available in 1024x768 resolution, but we may add higher resolution versions if there is sufficient demand.

Just use the link below to browse the images. When you find the one you want, right-click and then'Save Picture As' to save the image to your Desktop in the normal way. Once the image is on your Desktop, you can add it as a Wallpaper by right-clicking in the Desktop Area on your PC, then choosing 'Personalize', 'Desktop Background'.

Alternatively, you can change both your Wallpaper and/or Screensaver from the Control Panel which you can access via the Windows Start Button.

Get your Inspirational Wallpaper/Screensaver here ...

Inspirational Wallpapers

What is Personal Development?

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:58:00 +0000

When I first became interested in self growth, there were hardly any books on the subject at my local bookstore. Today, there is a large section full of personal development resources and dedicated to this most fascinating subject. However, despite this fact, when my friends discover that I run the leading personal development website - White Dove Books - they will still often ask me the question: what exactly is personal development? So, in this article, I want to provide an answer.

Let’s start off by talking about who you are and who you think you are. They are probably not the same thing. As John Wooden once said, ‘you should be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is who you really are whereas your reputation is merely what others think you are’. It’s a great quote of course, but it also says exactly who you are. The inner-person – your true self - is your character; the outer-person is your personality.

There are many ways we could define personality, but it is simply your social mask – the person most people think themselves to be. But you are much more than your personality. For each of us, therefore, there is a personal journey to be made. It is this spiritual journey to find and listen to our true self that is the essence of personal development. I confess I have not always believed that life holds a definite purpose for everyone, but it is something I have come to believe over the course of time.

With an understanding of your life-purpose, it is a natural next-step to be thinking in terms of mission and goals – in other words, how do we achieve our life-purpose? And that is what much of the material around this topic is mainly concerned with; what we might call ‘success literature’ which, according to Stephen Covey - author of the 7 Habits of Highly effective People - has been around in the USA since 1776. Interestingly, as Covey himself points out, much of the early success literature was character-based; whereas much of the more recent material is personality-based.

So there we have it: personal development is about that most interesting of subjects ... you! It concerns your personal journey to discover your true-self and your life-purpose. At our main site, we have lot’s of great resources to help. But I suggest you start with our free book the 7 Keys to success which is concerned with the subject of life-purpose.

You can download a free copy here ...

The 7 Keys to Success

Public Domain Profits

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:38:00 +0000

Perhaps you have heard of the Public Domain, but just in case you have not, let me tell you that it is a huge repository of creative works including books, films, audios, pictures, graphics, music and just about anything else you can imagine that can be created - and they are all freely available for distribution by anyone.

Now when I use the word 'distribution', that means you can absolutely do whatever you want with such information - entirely legally. That means you can package it, transform it into other works that can legally bear your own copyright or you can sell it or give it away. It turns out that there are many people on the internet who are making quite a killing out of recycling Public Domain material.

Of course, you need to be careful to ensure that any information you distribute is truly in the Public Domain - otherwise you could end up with legal issues, but this body of work is a real treasure that can be used very effectively by webmasters. One other word of warning: just because a 'text' is public domain, don;t assume the format you have it in is also public domain. Always check and double-check before using this material.

We have a nice little guide available here (free) ...

Public Domain Profits

Rebrandable Books

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:16:00 +0000

We have just added a brand new Rebrandable Books page to White Dove Books. Firstly, the books included on this page are all brand new, specifically written for the site; and they all have great new graphics too!

The books are on the following subjects ...

The Power of Gratitude

Panic Attacks

Binaural Beats

Making Time Work for You

Quit Smoking Forever

Reach Your Full Potential

Raising Children Who Succeed

Just in case you have never come across the idea on rebrandable eBooks before, I'll explain how they work. You can earn commission (50%) just by giving them away. The steps are really simple ...

1. Download the Books (use the links above)

2. Unzip the Folders (right-click, extract)

3. Run the ReBrander App (supplied)

4. Drag & drop the PDF into the Rebrander Window

5. Enter Your ClickBank Nickname

6. Click 'Brand'

7. Click 'Save'

8. Delete the Unbranded PDF

9. Rename the Branded PDF (remove the 'Signed' text - Optional)

10. Zip the Folder (right-click, zip)

Give away the Zip Folder to earn 50% commission on products offered in the book!

NB Instructions are also in the 'read-me' PDF included in the download.

Public Domain Riches

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 06:08:00 +0000

Do you know the quickest way to start your own business on the internet? What would you say if I told you it is by packaging and reselling Public Domain information? Can you believe that people are actually becoming rich on the internet by doing just that? Well, it’s amazing but true!

In case you are not familiar with the Public Domain, let me tell you that it consists of books, articles, films, graphics, music – in fact, a whole body of creative works of every kind and in every media format you can think of – all of which are out of copyright. And, because these works are out of copyright, you can legally, reproduce them and sell them for 100% pure profit.

Once you know where to find Public Domain works and how to check their copyright status, all you need to do is package them into digital format and sell them as a download over the internet. People love digital products because they are instantly available after making payment; and I certainly think they are the best products to sell on-line because they don’t cost you anything once they are created. You can just sell access to your download page over and over again.

Here are just a few famous examples of people who have profited from the Public Domain. Walt Disney repackaged the wonderful stories written by the Brothers Grimm to make a whole series of remarkable and memorable movies. Billy Joel used Beethoven’s music for his song This Night and Procol Harem similarly used a Bach composition in Whiter Shade of Pale.

Did you know that the movie Little Shop of Horrors is in the Public Domain? Did you know that the popular classic The Science of Getting Rich is in the Public Domain? Did you know that the children’s classic Peter Pan is in the Public Domain - in America, as least! Did you know that you cannot copyright a recipe? That means ALL recipes are in the Public Domain. You just cannot reproduce the author’s additional comments – but you could write your own!

You can easily become the on-line distributor of a whole range of classic works, which you supply digitally at no cost to you. Think of companies you already know who are doing this with the great canon of English Literature – pretty much ALL in the Public Domain. Think of TV companies who show classic movies; some of which do only that. Why? Because of the great wealth of classic movies which are royalty-free and now in the Public Domain!

Let’s consider books for a moment. There are on-line repositories of Public Domain works readily available. With an ebook compiler, you can quickly and easily create your own derivative works. The secret to selling this type of book is to do exactly what Rebecca Fine did with The Science of Getting Rich – her website (http://www.scienceofgettingrich.net) is entirely based on this Public Domain book. You write your own Foreword and Introduction – adding value and thereby producing your own Derivative Work which can legally bear your own copyright.

Rebecca’s site is not the only one to have been based on Public Domain works, Vic Johnson’s site (http://www.asamanthinketh.net) is based on another classic work of Self Improvement – James Allen’s As a Man Thinketh. Both Rebecca and Vic have done very nicely using the above approach. If you have a favourite classic, your website could easily become the on-line authority – that’s what has happened to both Rebecca’s and Vic’s sites.

There are very many ways for you to profit from Public Domain works. For more information, see my ebook Public Domain Riches, available as a FREE download below …

Public Domain Riches

5 Rules for Wealth

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:51:00 +0000

Let’s discuss wealth and how to become prosperous for a moment. Let’s be clear what I am talking about before you try to answer the question below. Supposing, within your present career, you finally got to the top and became the very best at what you currently do. How much could you possibly earn if everything went really well for you?

For example, if you were a Lorry-Driver, what does the very best Lorry-Driver earn; if you are a Baker, what does the absolute top Baker earn; if you are a Teacher, what do the very best Teachers earn etc? Try to put a monetary value on the salary you would be earning, in your current career before you read any further - if you were to become the very best at it. OK. I hope you were able to come up with a figure.

Now, if you have a job or career and you did the estimate, you should be able to see why you will never become rich doing what you currently do. The plain facts are that even if you became the very best at it, you would simply be paid the market rate for what you do. Society, for the most-part - is simply not organised in such a way as to reward you to the level of achieving riches within a salaried profession or job. Sure, you can become very well-off, but you won’t become rich.

And that’s why – if you are serious about becoming wealthy – you really need to start your own business because there is absolutely no top-level limit to which your earnings will rise and then stop – as there is within a salaried occupation. Now, the internet has made this very possible for many people because of the very low start-up and operational costs, so I hope you will think about this idea seriously. We have a nice little book on the subject right here (free, of course) ...

5 Rules for Wealth

The Path to Prosperity

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:57:00 +0000

Finally, for a proper balanced view of seeking financial success, you should read The Path to Prosperity. This book is a public domain work available on the internet completely free.

James Allen is perhaps better known for his book As a Man Thinketh (also in the public domain). However, in this book, he provides an excellent discussion on the futility of seeking happiness by pursuing riches.

This is how the Foreword begins ...

“I looked around upon the world, and saw that it was shadowed by sorrow and scorched by the fierce fires of suffering. And I looked for the cause. I looked around, but could not find it; I looked in books, but could not find it; I looked within, and found there both the cause and the self-made nature of that cause. I looked again, and deeper, and found the remedy.”

So you can see that, just as with As a Man Thinketh, the ideas in the book are basically derived from self-reflection. He basically concludes that ‘the law of love’ is the basis for living a meaningful life. All-in-all, an excellent read and you can get your free copy below ...

Get a free copy here ... The Path to Prosperity

As a Man Thinketh

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:27:00 +0000

“For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” – Proverbs 23:7

You will, no doubt be aware that the title of James Allen’s classic book – As a Man Thinketh – comes from the above quotation taken from the book of Proverbs.

It is an interesting thought, and the central premise of the book, that a person is the sum-total of everything he (or she) has ever thought. By the way, the gender-specific pronoun used in the title, at least in my opinion, encompasses females - man is effectively used as a shorthand version of the word mankind.

The authors purpose in writing, in his own words, is ’to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that they themselves are makers of themselves by virtue of the thoughts which they choose and encourage’.

His central analogy is that of a garden. If you sow poor-quality thoughts (weeds) you will reap a poor harvest, but if you sow good quality thoughts (truth, love, tenderness, concern) you will reap a harvest that is bountiful, wholesome and profitable.

You can get a free copy of the book here ...

As a Man Thinketh

Acres of Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:18:00 +0000

Recently, I was listening to an old Paul Simon track called Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes. You may remember the song; it was from the album Graceland and it had a line that went ...

She makes the sign of a teaspoon. He makes the sign of a wave. The poor boy changes clothes and puts on after-shave to compensate for his ordinary shoes.

You can see the video here ...

And I could say oo oo oo as if everybody knows what I’m talking about. As if everybody would know exactly what I was talking about.

Well, I got to tell you Paul, that everybody did not know what you were talking about!

Anyway, it did remind me of a famous talk, and book, by Russell H Conwell called Acres of Diamonds. It is a personal development classic; and you can get a free copy in our free ebooks section.

The message of the book is that opportunity not only surrounds you right now, it is literally under the soles of your feet. So perhaps there really are diamonds on the soles of Your shoes if you care to look for them.

And, you know what? Read this book and you will know what I’m talking about. Or, in the words of Paul, everybody will know exactly what I’m talking about.

Get your free copy of Acres of Diamonds

Think and Grow Rich

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:56:00 +0000

It was 1937 when the classic work by Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich – was first published. Ever since, it has been right at the top of the list of Personal Development books that are considered as by many to be a must-read for any serious student of the subject.

There is no question about it, the book has influenced a great many people over the years and it is claimed it has created more millionaires than any book ever written. People like F.W. Woolworth, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, George Eastman, Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson – pretty much all of the extremely successful people of their time – testified to the correctness of the principles explained in the book.

As someone once said, I think it was Bob Proctor but I can’t be absolutely sure nevertheless, it’s indeed true, “it ain’t a classic for nothing!” The work took Napoleon Hill over twenty years to complete.

Here's what the man himself has to say about where to start ...

So think about those things. Here are those lists again ...

The Riches You May Enjoy if You Take Possession of Your Own Mind and Direct it to Ends of Your Own Choice

1. Sound Health

2. Peace of Mind

3. A Labour of Love of Your Own Choice

4. Freedom from Fear & Worry

5. A Positive Mental Attitude

6. Material Riches of Your Own Choice and Quantity

The Penalties You Must Pay if you Neglect to Take Possession of Your Own Mind and Direct it

1. Ill Health

2. Fear and Worry

3. Indecision and Doubt

4. Frustration and Discouragement throughout Life

5. Poverty and Want

6. The whole flock evils consisting of Envy, Greed, Jealousy, Hate and Superstition

You can get a free copy of Think and Grow Rich here ...

Think and Grow Rich

Secrets of the Rich

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:51:00 +0000

If you think about it for a little while, would you say it's true that rich people must know something that other people, who are not rich, don't know? Most people, I figure, would agree with the proposition. So, in this little article, we are going to consider that question: what do rich people know that other people don't?

It has been said many times that if you were to redistribute all the wealth in the world equally so that everybody had an exactly equal share of it, within about five years, all the previous rich people would again be rich; and all the previously poor people would be poor again. And, personally, I think that statement is very true.

The reason the wealth would be redistributed again in the same disproportionate fashion is that rich people do actually know things that other people don't. This is the subject of the best-selling book by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter, Rich Dad, Poor Dad.

Rich people behave differently because of what they know. For example, they don't buy things that are a liability unless it cannot be avoided - like, perhaps, buying a car which is, essentially, a liability. Instead they prefer to buy things that are investments - perhaps a vintage car.

Poor people have large televisions; rich people have large libraries. There's a great deal of difference between the two mind-sets. Another example might be a preference for antique furniture - an investment; rather than fashionable furniture - a liability.

If you are ready to find out a little bit more about the secrets of the rich, we have a little book on the subject; and you can get it here (free) ...

Secrets of the Rich

Now What Was I Going to Write About?

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:25:00 +0000

Now then, I do remember that I wanted to post something here, but what on Earth was it now? Ah yes ... I remember, it was about how to go about improving your memory.

You know something? There are psychologists who believe that we never actually forget anything. We may have difficulty retrieving information, in other words, problems with the recall mechanism, but we don’t actually forget as such. That is why techniques like hypnosis can be so effective in helping people to recall things they thought they had forgotten of course.

At present, my mother is having quite a bit of difficulty with her memory. It happens to many people when they get older. However, you can definitely improve your ability to remember things by engaging in a course of study and exercising that old grey matter. In fact, I - here and now - resolve to complete my masters when I have retired. I should have a bit more time for it then. And, as I said, it will keep the devil at bay; and, by the way, the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.

It’s an interesting subject: memory. To commit something to long-term memory requires repetition of the important information over time because, in order to remember, your brain needs to physically grow connections. These new connections between brain cells (neurons) just don’t happen instantly, but you can train yourself to remember.

The ability to retain and recall important information is a key skill upon which, to a large extent, the degree of success you will attain is dependent. You therefore owe it to yourself to spend a little time working with your mind to improve that ability. And, of course we have a little free book that can help you. You can find it here ...

Powerful Ways to Sharpen Your Memory

The Laws of Success

noreply@blogger.com (The White Dove Partnership) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:48:00 +0000

Whilst, in recent years, The Secret and the Law of Attraction, in particular, has come to pervade the success marketplace, Napoleon Hill is famous for his work on the Laws of Success. That’s laws - in the plural. Success is not dependent upon a single law like the Law of Attraction; there’s also, for example, the Law of Cause and Effect to consider.

However, in this article, I want to focus on what, exactly, is meant by the notion of ‘law’. After all – as far as I know – there is no law that says you are going to become successful is there? The best way to understand what is mean by the word ‘law’, when used in this context, is to consider the Law of Gravity. We all know what it is and how it works so I won’t explain that but if we think about it, is it really a law? Personally, I think the answer is ‘yes’: it is a law that cannot be broken and it, therefore, operates whether we like it or not.

So too is the Law of Attraction – the basic idea is that whatever is turning-up in your life right now has been created (or attracted) by you somehow. When you think about it, the above statement encompasses both the Law of Attraction and the Law of Cause and Effect because the effect is whatever is turning-up in your life; and the cause(s) is/are the methods you used (usually unknowingly) to attract it.

So, we can see that the basic laws of success – just like the law of gravity – operate whether we like them or not. The concept of obeying the law is exactly the same as for the law of gravity. We do not walk over the edge of a cliff, for example; that is how we obey the law of gravity. Similarly, we obey the Laws of Success by acting in a manner that is consistent with the way the law operates and the results we expect to ensue.

But before we can even begin to operate our live in accordance with the Laws of Success, we need to know what they actually are. And, we have a little book on that subject. It is, of course, completely free; and you can get your copy right here ... The Laws of Success