3 Powerful Steps To Improve Your Life

By Paul Mascetta On October 14th, 2011

Being able to keep a commitment is essential to achievement, improving the quality of your life, and empowering you as an influencer.
Yet many people don’t understand the difference between decisions and commitments, and they don’t realize that this difference is why they may fail to meet their goals.
Understanding and being able to use the mechanisms behind commitments can not only help you reach your goals, it can give you great power in positively influencing others as well.
Our destiny is shaped by our decisions. Our decisions are guided by our beliefs. We formulate a belief about something which will then prompt us to make certain decisions based on that belief.
For example, let’s assume that you believe that you are overweight. That belief brings you to a decision that you have to lose weight by doing what most people do to lose weight which is to change your eating habits and exercise.
And so you do that for a few weeks and you may even see some results . But for some reason you slow down and eventually stop.
The result is that you wind up in the same state that you began in, if not worse.
So the question that I ask myself is “Why?” Why do people change their decisions from something that can benefit their lives (such as exercising, or eating better, or stopping smoking, or drinking alcohol) only to go back and do it again?
The answer is simple. It’s their belief system.
You see, it’s our beliefs that prompt us to make a decision. It doesn’t matter whether that decision is positive or negative.
The only difference is the belief. So my theory is, the reason why people seem to fall back into bad habits even after they’ve formed positive ones is because their beliefs changed somewhere along the way.
For example, consider a person who decides to quit smoking.
At some point they formed the belief that smoking is bad for them, and that if they kept it up, they would eventually have huge consequences to pay. So they stop. But eventually they start smoking again. The reason this happens is because the belief changes.
That belief could change into millions different things depending on what the original belief was. If the original belief was that there are huge consequences to pay for smoking, maybe the new belief is that those consequences only happen to certain people.
Or maybe it’s that those consequences can be fixed with the help of doctors or medications, or that those consequences take time to develop and by the time things get bad, they’ll have already quit.
Or maybe even it’s that while those consequences are serious, the reward or temporary enjoyment that they get from smoking outweighs those consequences.
Beliefs change, decisions change, and ultimately the results change.
So how do we keep the beliefs from changing? Can we even prevent beliefs from changing?
Much depends on the individual. Moreover, there are many different answers to questions and with each answer comes a new way of doing things.
One surefire way that I can I think of to stay true to a positive decision whether your belief changes or not is through making a commitment.
A true commitment is different than a decision. A decision can be changed but a true commitment cannot. Otherwise, it’s not a commitment!
I think many people have a problem with this.
They “think” they’re making commitments but in reality they’re just making decisions.
Making a commitment to stop smoking means you can never smoke again and are committed to everything that comes with it. Deciding to stop smoking means you can decide to go right back.
The point is, commitments are final and should not be changed (unless they are negative).
Here are 3 steps to quickly and simply set your commitments:

1. Write them down. Until it’s written down, it’s not real. It’s merely a thought that is circulating in your mind from time to time. Once written down however, it becomes to materialize into something of substance and only then can it stand a chance of being followed through on.

2. Next, choose 3 goals that if achieved would ensure that this commitment is being followed through on. Again, you must write them down for the same reasons listed above motioned above. These goals must be S.M.A.R.T. which means specific, measureable, attainable, realistic and timed. This will further ensure that these goals are achieved.

3. Finally, you must form the habits needed to support the attainment of these goals. We all have habits. The key is to form habits that will impact your life positively rather than negatively.

If you can make commitments that are broken down into goals which are driven by habits, you will keep those commitments alive and well. And there is no greater feeling than making a commitment and sticking to it.
One proven way to have a positive influence on other people is to show that you stick to your commitments. When you’re able to do that, you are automatically perceived as someone who has strength, focus, discipline and credibility.

How To Create Change For Others (and Yourself)

By Steve Jones On October 14th, 2011

Have you ever had a dream that felt so real that when you woke up, you thought the dream was your reality?
The reason this happens is because the mind does not understand the difference between reality and imagination.
In other words, it cannot distinguish the difference between what you visualize in your mind as opposed to what you actually experience in life.
This is extremely powerful knowledge, because all things in life are nothing more than energy in vibration.  Energy attracts energy of the same kind.  Therefore, if you can effectively visualize yourself doing something, you will at some point attract that reality into your life.
The second reason why this fact is so powerful is because every time we do something we become better at it.  Experience enables us to be better prepared every time we come across a challenging encounter or situation.
And since the mind can’t tell the difference between a “real” situation and one that you’ve imagined, if you continuously visualize that situation, you will be well-prepared for it when it takes place in reality.
Now imagine how powerful it would be if you could help other people create a crystal-clear vision of themselves in the future doing what you want them to do.  This would be extremely helpful in influencing people and gaining compliance.
Ever heard of a technique called Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)?
It’s a very powerful technique that you can use to create that vision in another person, and influence them to live into the future you have shown them.
One NLP technique is called future pacing. Future pacing is when you take the person that you’re speaking with and mentally bring them into a future event, where they can clearly see themselves doing something.
To make the best use of future pacing, it’s helpful to know whether a person is auditory, kinesthetic, or a visual thinker. Let me explain that a bit…
Let’s assume that you’re talking with someone who is an auditory thinker and you are trying to sell them a car. One of the most effective ways to get them to purchase that car is to tell them to imagine themselves in that brand-new car driving down the highway listening to the rev of the engine and their favorite music playing in the background.
If you are dealing with a visual person, you would tell them to imagine themselves driving the car seeing the sunset and watching the trees blow in the wind as they got closer to the beach.
And if they were kinesthetic, you could tell them to imagine what it would feel like to be in the car smelling the brand-new leather and feeling the sun gently warm their skin as they cruise down the highway.
You have now done two things; first you have begun to align their thinking with the future reality that you want. So the attraction process has now begun. The second thing is that you’ve tapped into their representational system and created a presentation based on that information. You have created a strong desire that this person will now want to bring to reality.
You have embedded change into this person’s future and you have given them the opportunity to experience what you’re offering in a positive manner before they actually get to that point.
Now, the key is to show what you have to offer can help fill the desire that you have created by helping the person visualize the future.
If you can effectively do that, the person with whom you’re speaking to will be genuinely interested in what you have to offer, because they see value in it.  And the reason why they see value in it is because you’ve created a desire within their mind and presented the solution that will help them in the form of whatever it is that you’re offering.
If you enjoyed this article, then perhaps you would like to learn more about NLP. It’s a powerful system of tools and techniques that can help you enhance your life and the lives of others.

6 Tips to Reduce Your Stress

By Jason M. Gracia On October 14th, 2011

Stress is serious business. It can break down our bodies just as quickly as it breaks down our minds. Try a few of these tips to see if you can limit its negative effects.
1.It’s the Little Things
Major events have a way to bringing out the crazy in us. But did you know that small annoyances can actually lead to bigger problems?
Clinical professor at the University of Colorado, James Ehrlich, MD, says, “For some people, the little stressors we face every day are more damaging to health over the long term than the really big things, like a death in the family or a car accident.”
The reason, Ehrlich says, is that “Today, many people live in stress mode all the time, and the constant release of steroids like adrenaline and cortisol can lead directly to diseases like diabetes, heart disease, depression and cancer, and indirectly to bad health habits like undersleeping and overeating.”
A messy house or tiff with a friend might seem like a small matter, but it’s not. Take care of these little concerns and you’ll go a long way in cutting down on stress, protecting your health, and ratcheting up your happiness.
2. The Truth About Fog
I just found this statistic and had to share it with you. Not only is it interesting, but it can also help you regain perspective when things start to unravel.
According to the Bureau of Standards, “A dense fog covering seven city blocks, to a depth of 100 feet, is composed of something less than one glass of water.”
Can you imagine? Something so big actually fitting into a drinking glass.
It’s a lot like our worries. They seem enormous, but are actually much, much smaller. In fact, studies show that 92% of the thing people worry about: never happen (40%), can’t be changed (30%), are needless health concerns (12%), or are trivial worries that don’t actually matter (10%). Just 8% of what you worry about is worth all that worry. A mighty fog has been pushed into a tiny glass.
3. A New Route to Work
Here’s a simple tip you can use later today. Researchers at Ohio State University found that students who viewed a driving video of a scenic pathway through a park showed less signs of stress than students who watched videos of highway driving with strip malls and billboards.
It might take a bit longer, but a scenic drive to and from work may be just the break you need to wash the stress out of your system.
4. Quick Fix
Need to relax in a hurry? Lynn Ponton, MD, suggests lying on the floor with your hands under your face, breathing deeply and slowly, for five minutes. With how good it feels to relax, I think it’s worth a shot.
5. Ancient Wisdom
India’s 5,000 year-old medical guide, the Ayurveda, speaks of ‘marma’ points in the ears (aka. acupuncture points) that correspond to particular parts of your body. For instant relief, rub the outer edge of your ears with each hand. I’ve tried it. It works.
6. The Best Medicine?
Laughter has long been touted as nature’s best medicine. Not a bad thought, given the facts about laughter’s effect on the body. Did you know that laughing has been scientifically proven to reduce muscle tension, get the heart, lungs, and diaphragm working (easy exercise!), and increases the production of endorphins (natural painkillers)?
It’s true. And there’s more.
Not to go technical on you, but medical research scientists Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine found that laughing also “lowers serum cortisol levels, increases the amount of activated T lymphocytes, increases the number and activity of natural immune system killer cells, and increases the number of T cells that have helper / suppresser receptors.” In other words, you boost your immune system when you laugh.
Who would have thought the class clown could make you live longer?
Now, you could wait until something strikes you as funny. Or you could be proactive. With all of the benefits, why not put yourself in a situation that is likely to make you laugh?
Read humorists (I like Ian Frazier and S. J. Perelman). Page through comics (Calvin and Hobbes fan here). Listen to comedy albums (Bob Newhart, anyone?).
Watch funny movies. Learn new jokes. Go to a comedy club, spend time with a funny friend, or actually open one of the forty-seven forwards your co-worker sends you every day.
You could also fake it. Just as a forced smile can improve your mood, fake laughter can trigger the same benefits as the real thing. Go ahead, give it a try.
So, what about you?

ensure that you fully understand the complexities of equity dilution, so you can structure funding arrangements that don’t leave you and your inventors with a shrunken stake and a big faculty relations problem. Mike Drzal is a veteran attorney who chairs his firm’s venture capital practice and handles equity deals from the corporate side of the table, and Zach Shulman is a Cornell business school professor, attorney, and managing partner of a successful venture fund. Both understand the importance of addressing equity dilution in your funding strategy, as well as the key strategies you must follow to ensure you don’t get burned. Now, in this hour-long session, they are ready to share their expertise with you. Here’s a quick look at what they’ll cover:

• Who owns University IP
  • Corporate structure/corporate ownership
  • Faculty (employee) to University (employer) relationship
  • Assignment agreements
• University Spinout Creation
  • Having the right team
  • Faculty involvement in management
  • Managing conflicts with faculty
• Key licensing terms that impact financing
  • Royalty rates
  • Exclusivity and minimum royalty payments
  • Scope of license
  • University equity position
  • Milestone payments and sublicensing fees/restrictions
• Protecting the University from future dilution
  • The “Future Funding” clause
    • Appropriate thresholds for change in equity percentage
    • How dilution affects valuation and pricing
    • Avoiding “us versus them” with founders
    • Simple terms that assure fairness
  • University’s rights to further investment
• Protecting founders from dilution
  • Terms to carefully consider:
    • cumulative dividends
    • full ratchet
    • multiple LPs (keep it 1X if you can)
    • participating PS (often hard to avoid)
    • too large and too early distributions
    • funding milestones tied to valuations
    • stock option plans

婚姻幸福美滿的秘密，可能並不複雜：只要妻子比丈夫纖瘦。一項最新研究指出，如果女性的身體質量指數（BMI）較伴侶低，伴侶雙方都會比較快樂，較能維持美滿婚姻。

體重相對論 體胖亦快樂

美國田納西大學研究人員挑選了169對35歲以下夫婦作對象，每6個月填寫問卷一次，歷時4年。研究發現，BMI（體重（公斤）除以身高（米）的平方）較妻子高的男性在婚姻中較快樂；而BMI較丈夫低的女性，相比其他女性明顯較快樂。

研究人員認為，這是因為男性普遍認為纖瘦伴侶較吸引，因而樂於保持關係；較纖瘦的女性則會覺得伴侶仍然喜愛自己，會較有自信及感覺被愛，因此較快樂。研究人員推測，男性比女性更重視伴侶外表和體重，丈夫對體型的不滿在婚姻初期或已出現，並因而令妻子日益感覺不快。

不過，研究結果顯示，影響夫婦關係的主要是相對體重，體型不同的女性只要找到合適伴侶，亦可有快樂關係，並非必須要纖瘦。專家又指出，男性在婚姻關係中，如在收入、教育程度、身高或體重等範疇較有能力，會令女性更有安全感，男女雙方都會更快樂

Google Buys G.Co To Create An Official URL Shortcut For Google Products

Alexia Tsotsis

Monday, July 18th, 2011

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Alexia Tsotsis currently works for TechCrunch as a writer. She is also a blogger who attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA. She majored in Writing and Art, moving to New York City shortly after graduation to work in the Entertainment/Media industry. After four years of living in New York City and attending courses at New York... → Learn More

Google joins Internet biggies Twitter (T.Co) , Overstock (O.co) and Amazon (A.Co, Z.Co and K.Co) today in taking over the G.Co domain name, buying the TLD in order to build the official URL shortcut for Google products like GMail, Documents and Photos. While representatives from the .Co registry wouldn’t comment on the specific pricing of the deal, .Co-founder Juan Diego Calle recently told Reuters that in general single letter domains costs more than $1.5 million.
Google says it will use the domain in order to create a shortcut for all its products and services using the format g.co/[XYZproduct/service] and that the domain will be live sometime later in the afternoon today. ”You can visit a G.CO shortcut confident you will always end up at a page for a Google product or service,” said Google VP of consumer marketing Gary Briggs in a release.
Run out of Colombia (and with the support of the Colombian government), the .Co domain is hard core targeting itself towards tech companies big and small. Also announced today is the 500 Startups‘ .Co rebranding; the incubator will be moving from 500Startups.com to 500.co this fall. While not as mainstream, the 500 Startups move is probably just as monumental as the Google news, as it give the domain street cred and solidifies that idea that the “Co” in .Co means companies.
Emphasizing this point, 500 Startups co-founder Dave McClure said that he recommends the .Co domain to all his now 150 startups, ” “With .Co, startups can launch businesses and brands on a short, cool, credible domain name — without having to shell out a million bucks to do it.” “CO is quickly becoming the hot new geek TLD in Silicon Valley,” he said.
The .Co domain registry is two days away from the first anniversary of its public launch and most recently hit 1 million registered domains after ten months of existence. Its marketing and advertising push has been aimed at tech companies who have thus far had to settle for a lame mainstream .com domains — i.e. no vowels, weird spelling, etc — or have had to shell out tons of VC cash for the domains that they want. The new enough .Co offers a viable alternative.
“We want to be inspiring people with big dreams and big ideas to do it on a .Co.,” .Co  Director Lori Anne Wardi told me about the registry’s aspirations on the phone earlier, “We want to be a platform for the world’s next great businesses.”

Tags: .Co, 500startups, google

By John Addison (original post at Clean Fleet Report)
Your heart sinks as you watch your missed plane fly away while you are trapped in gridlock. Parking lots are full. More parking lots attract more cars. Streets jam and more gridlock. Public transit, airport buses, shuttles, and taxis can all help.
The best ground transportation solution that I encountered was when I attended a meeting in Chicago. We landed at O’Hare International Airport, walked to our meeting at the Airport Hilton, and then flew back to our homes after the meeting. The next best solution was at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport where I took the escalator up from baggage claim, boarded the Marta rail system, and returned to my home in the suburbs. Actually, the best solution was the web conference and collaboration that eliminated the need to fly.

London Heathrow Podcar PRT

People are continuing to fly in record numbers so better ground transportation is a necessity. As London readies for record travelers during the 2012 Olympic Games, Heathrow airport is installing a personal rapid transit in the form of six seat cars that take you from terminal to parking garage on dedicated pathways. Heathrow’s podcars are like horizontal elevators – no driver needed; just push the button.
David Holdcroft, BAA’s (formerly British Airports Authority) PRT Manager states, “This innovative system forms part of BAA’s plan to transform Heathrow, improve the passenger experience and reduce the environmental impact of our operation through the development of cutting edge, green transport solutions.” The Heathrow system is scheduled to start running in spring 2010 and expand to 18 pod cars with 3 stops over a 2.4 mile path.

San Jose Personal Rapid Transit

By 2015, San Jose plans to have a more extensive PRT system (map) that connects major hubs within two miles of the airport including connections to VTA bus rapid transit, Caltrain rail that connects to the cities within Silicon Valley and terminates in downtown San Francisco, Santa Clara University, major hotels, major employers, and the Kiss N Ride lot. By the end of the decade, also important will be nearby connection to BART and the new 800 mile California High-Speed Rail system.
Yesterday, I shared an hour discussing transportation with San Jose’s Acting Director of Transportation, Hans Larsen. San Jose is the nation’s tenth largest city. With a million people, it has four times the space of nearby San Francisco. With less urban density, get high numbers of people to walk, bike, and use transit. Yet, San Jose plans major increases in all those areas as it plans for a population expansion of 400,000 people by 2040. PRT will be important to connecting people at the airport and major regional transportation systems. San Jose Transportation
Back for the International PRT Conference in Sweden, Mr. Larsen is impressed with the feedback from other PRT implementers and with a test ride of one system. Conference Videos
Mr. Larsen now has a budget of $4 million to assemble a team of PRT experts, start plans, and evaluate alternative systems. Half the money will be for matching funds for the public and private partnerships necessary to get the first phase of San Jose Airport’s PRT system up and running. The $4 million funding allocation is from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), the transit agency, and countywide transportation planning agency for the San Jose Metro area (the 15-city area within Santa Clara County).

Global PRT Projects

A 2010 personal rapid transit conference is being discussed. San Jose would like to host it. Presenters are likely to include early implementers of PRT such as London, Masdar, Suncheon, South Korea, and Sweden where four cities are competing to be the first selected.
Globally PRT is under consideration in a number of areas where high numbers of people can be moved within a few miles such as airports, university campuses, corporate campuses, industrial parks, and city centers.
Different cities require different solutions. Some are best elevated; others can be kept on the ground. Some will use dedicated roadways designed for self-guided vehicles. Others will use tracks under the pods, or elevated guideways above. Some will use battery electric vehicles; others will always be connected to the electric grid – back to that horizontal elevator comparison.
No doubt that some will dismiss PRT as a short-term waste of money rather than a long-term investment to accommodate San Jose’s 40 percent population growth. Nearby are some innovators that were initially dismissed for having solutions that were limited, buggy, or expensive compared to the incumbent. Their names include Intel, Google, Cisco, Adobe, and EBay.
Innovation is a key to better transportation. We need intermodal choices. The modes need to be connected.
Today, many feel that the car is their only choice. In the future, we will have many choices, especially if we make connections fast and convenient.
Our transportation future will be increasingly intermodal. Each day our web or smartphone app will suggest the best way to meet our preferences. One day it could suggest car pooling to work, the next using the plug-in minivan to take the kids to a game, the next a connection of transit to PRT to rail.
John Addison publishes the Clean Fleet Report and speaks at conferences. He is the author of the new book - Save Gas, Save the Planet - now selling at Amazon and other booksellers.
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