So you are quickly finding out that exercising and proper training takes a lot of work and effort. Most starting out a fitness program can at times find it difficult just trying to do the same pre-set workout routine every day or every week for that matter. The worst part is that you think the whole process will eventually get boring and then you will stop doing the fitness or exercise program altogether. There are thankfully a lot of ways that will help you in avoiding this, and thus making and keeping exercising fun and exciting.

One of the first and most important things with any fitness regime and sticking with it is having the proper motivation. If you’re not motivated to exercise, it won’t become a habit and thus will make any fitness program unworkable and unbearable. Then you will not be able to be around long enough to do any fitness routine and get any results from the activity.

Being, getting and staying motivated is something that doesn’t happen right away. It’s something that you initially need to work at and develop. While there are some that can get easily motivated, you can also just as easily lose focus and just stop working out altogether. The majority of your effort should be focused on psyching yourself up and keeping it going before it wanes.

How To Get And Stay Motivated
The basis of finding the right motivation for your exercise regime begins with the very reasons why you originally started to work out. So if you wanted to lose weight, or build up a good physique and body tone, then that’s your primary motivation to follow and continue that exercise and training program to reach that goal and get the results that you want. Then just keep on reminding yourself on a daily basis why you are training or doing what you do, and what your ultimate goal is.

One great way to remind yourself and thus maintaining and keeping that motivation is by having a visual cue of what you want to achieve after a certain exercise regime or program. If you want to lose weight, have a realistic visual image of what you would look like when you hit those goals. You may also want to have, say a poster of the type of body or figure that you wish to have after losing the weight.

Another way to develop or keep your motivation high while on an exercise program is by having someone else to workout with. You might want to bring along a friend or partner who may also have the same type of fitness goals as you. This way, you’ll have someone that can push you to do better and vice versa. Having a workout partner can help provide you with the motivation that you need to keep going and to reach your fitness goals.

Also keep track of your workout progress by writing things down. Keep a record of your starting weight or size measurements and then keep track of the improvements on a daily or weekly basis to show the pounds you have lost or the inches that have melted away due to your hard work. Just by keeping track and knowing the positive changes in your body should motivate you to do and achieve even more.

Drinking pure clean refreshing crisp water is vitally important for a healthy diet. Did you know that if you don’t drink enough water, that you may not be helping with the progression of your diet at all? Current research proves that new dieters unknowingly suffer from mild to chronic dehydration, and yes, that may just apply to you. So it’s important keeping yourself hydrated is the first step to being healthy and productive.

Drinking lots of water and thus replacing the fluids that you lose, is the first essential plan for effective weight loss. Pure fresh water is required as it plays a role in the body’s biochemical process. So here is what drinking the required amount of daily water does specially for you as a dieter.

Your body to function properly needs to metabolize your body’s stored fat into energy. This is so important that, your entire body’s metabolism can slow down by even mild levels of dehydration. And as you know, the slower your metabolism is, the slower your weight loss is, and it also causes you to become tired easily. Then with further lack of water, your body and weight loss program will eventually grind to a halt! This is commonly known as the dreaded ‘diet plateau’.

Water also functions as a natural appetite suppressant. With a healthy hypothalamus, which is the region in your brain that controls and regulates your appetite and craving for food, also regulates hunger and thirst and since they are right next to each other, at times can overlap. This has its advantages as well as disadvantages for the dieter. What happens is chronically mild dehydration confuses the brains mechanism, leading it to feel hunger, rather than thirst. But it also means water can be used to reduce appetite. A recent test showed that when drinking a glass of water actually reduced nighttime hunger cravings for those on diets.

Adequate water in the body also is essential to the natural process that enables your muscles to contract, thus aiding in better muscle tone. A better defined muscle tone means better looking tone, and isn’t that what we all strive for?

Water also helps if you have sagging skin, especially after weight loss, as water nourishes and plumps the skin cells, giving your skin a younger, naturally healthier look.

Another benefit of drinking enough water is it helps rid the body of unwanted waste. During a diet, the body accumulates a lot of waste that it needs to get rid of. So the water assists in flushing out the bad.

Water can also help with constipation. When your body gets too little water, it siphons the water that it needs from within, particularly from the colon. This in turn leads to constipation. But normal bowel function returns to normal with adequate water intake.

So as you can see, having mild dehydration can cause a number of health and potential health related problems, in addition to it slowing down your diet plateau.

Symptoms Of Mild Dehydration Can Include:
- Periodical Headaches; including feeling light headed, as dehydration can interfere with normal body processes, like waste disposal
- Fatigue and Tiredness; as your body’s metabolism slows down - mild dehydration can cause daytime fatigue
- Constantly Being Hungry; these cravings are caused due to a weakening of your thirst mechanism
- Too Much Fluid retention in your body as it tries to naturally hold on to the water it already has
- Frequent Constipation; as your body tries to conserve its internal water sources

Once you have restored the water balance in your body, you have then reached the “breakthrough point”, a concept which was pioneered by Dr. Peter Lindner, an obesity expert. He says, “Once you have reached your breakthrough point, the fluid retention then eases, your liver as well as the endocrine system starts to function more effectively. You will then start to regain thirst and your hunger pangs and cravings will be reduced significantly. And this is where you will reach and sustain the breakthrough point and your body will be able to metabolize fat more effectively.”

So How Much Water Should You Be Drinking Daily?
Here are a few basic principles:
1) The easiest way to tell if you’re drinking enough water is check the color of your urine: It should be a clear stream or a slight pale yellow in color. (keep in mind that some supplements or medication you may be taking also affect the color).
2) Just get in the habit of drinking adequate amounts of water on a regular basis. Never wait to drink water when you’re thirsty, because once you’re thirsty, that means dehydration has already set in!

So adequate water intake for a normal average-weight adult when the weather is cool, is recommended at 8 x 8 oz glasses, and more when the weather is hotter, as you will perspire more. Also drink more water when you exercise. Most athletes will try to enhance their performance by maintaining optimal fluid balance while exercising, which is approximately…6 to 10 oz of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes. Even if you are not that concerned about your athletic performance, that much water should be drank when exercising in order to maintain peak hydration.

Another important thing you should remember; if you happen to be overweight, you will also need to add an extra glass of water for every 25 pounds you are overweight, as the extra weight creates extra metabolic demand.

So you’re wondering how you can drink so much water’ Well, diet experts say you should drink 3 glasses of water with every meal. Meaning 3 glasses with breakfast, 3 at lunch, and 3 with dinner. Plus the additional requirement of regular water between meals or when you’re exercising.

If you happen to be dieting, and are currently stalled on a weight loss plateau, you may be suffering from some classic symptoms of dehydration. Before you do anything else, make sure you have adequate water intake. It could be the missing ingredient in your diet plan and it can be fixed as easy as drinking 3 glasses of water with each and every meal.

Remember water acts as a natural appetite suppressant. So use it to your advantage. If you happen to be out shopping, take a bottle of water with you. If you want a late night snack, you can drink a glass of water. If you want a bit of a change, you can add a little bit of lemon juice to the water. The importance of drinking enough water cannot be expressed enough. So drink up!

If you are like most, then you have this tendency to wait for other people to fill in your needs. “Waiting for others”, to do something for you is not a very good trait to have, and it causes pain and stress in your relationships.

Stop Relying So Much On Others
At the beginning of any new relationship, it seems like you are getting the full undivided attention and everything else you’ve been longing for. Something that you’ve experience since early childhood: affection, love, tenderness, excitement, attention, and energy.

You think that you have finally found your ultimate match, and thus all your problems and needs are fulfilled forever, you think… “Once Upon A Time They Lived Happily Ever After.” You grab that very moment and hope that this new excitement and feeling will last forever, and that its unconditional and you do not have to do anything else in order to keep receiving this love and energy from your new significant other.

Then reality hits you. After time, the love seems to be dwindling, the full devoted attention you once got, after a while begins to fade and you begin to wonder why? What are you doing wrong?

You begin to panic. What’s going on? Does the person not love me anymore? Did you suddenly become fat and ugly or boring? You try to figure out why the once constant stream of energy pointed at you is no longer there.

You then decide that you won’t allow this to happen and you demand that, that person continues to give you the full undivided attention they gave in the beginning. You are strictly focused on what you want and are entitled to receive, and strictly on what he/she “should” be giving you.

So What Are You Doing Wrong?
You should be focusing on what YOU can give back. Why be so stubborn and self centered to believe that everything you want should be immediately given to you at request? Why should you wait for that other person to give to you what you need? Why not just give it to yourself? And why not go the extra mile and give to the other person what YOU would like to receive for yourself?

You have nothing to lose by giving, by reaching out. Yet you will have a lot to gain: the affection, the love, tenderness, excitement, attention, and the energy. That’s right! The exact same things the other person freely provided you with in the beginning!

YOU can give what you want to yourself, and to the other person. First, giving is the only sure fire, fail-safe way to make sure you receive back. So try to understand this. If you are constantly waiting for someone to give you what you want, you can then be waiting forever, and there’s a very strong possibility that you will never get it.

Why does this work? Because when you give something, you are opening yourself up to the energy frequency of giving. Let’s say, as an example, you need more attention, so instead of examining the other persons behavior, try detecting why you’re not getting that attention. So instead, you can try giving the attention back! Be genuinely interested, and chances are, that person will be interested in you too. Once you give the attention, and you will get the attention back… guaranteed!

So you want love? Well, Give love! You want some solid advice? Then Give Advice FIRST! Do you need some energy? Then go ahead and boost someone else energy level and when doing so, you’ll feel your own energy level rising! Do you want people to listen to what you’re saying? Then begin with listening carefully to someone else who wants to be heard. Are you looking for more friends? Then be proactive and befriend others!

So, To Get What you Want, Give It Out First
Instead of waiting for someone to give you love, give the love out first. Instead of waiting for your kids to respect you, start by respecting them. Be an example as they can learn from you.

Instead of dreaming of that promotion or that great job that satisfies your aspirations and income levels, be great at your current job first! Instead of waiting for peace to stabilize in your life, why not create the inner balance needed to feel that peace?

It’s all a matter of energy and vibrating it. Start by giving out what you really want to others, you are then tuning into the vibrational energy of what it is you want. If you want love and respect, give it out to others first, create the energy. Giving love in return makes you feel that love and then attracts more love into your life. Giving attention and respect does the same.

This works for anything you want. You will get what you want by simply giving it, and you will also be less dependent on others. You’ll empower yourself with being in charge of your own life!

Trading Commodities for a living is not what it seems. It may appear to be a cool occupation of predicting what the price of coffee or orange juice will be next month. But Beware! If you want to quickly lose $5,000 in 10 minutes, you may then enjoy trading commodity futures contracts. There’s a well known saying amongst commodity traders: “It’s really easy to make a small fortune trading commodities… You just have to start with a large fortune!” This is not a vocation for those who are or can be emotionally attached to their money. Yet, there are thousands of so called average “investors” that get lured into trading the commodity markets year after year. Why you ask? Well it’s because of the potential and possibility of making quick high percentage gains, while taking advantage of the built-in leverage that’s available for commodity futures traders.

Commodities that are available to trade include: corn, wheat, pork-bellies (the stomach area that makes bacon… if your wondering) soybeans, silver, gold, heating oil, orange juice, coffee, lumber, and numerous other common staple items.

Huge producers and companies use commodity “futures” contract prices to lock in their future selling price for the commodity in question in advance of its delivery. This is known as “hedging.” As it is a zero sum game, the other side of that transaction is the commodity trader, who speculates (educated guess) on whether the price of the commodity will rise or fall before that contract is due for delivery. Because futures contracts are purchased using leverage, these instruments lend themselves to speculation.

As an example: Controlling a corn contract that’s worth $5,000 may only require the trader $500 of actual cash, or approximately 10% of the face value of the contract. If the corn rise in value, and the contract say is now worth, $5,500, the commodity speculator has just made a $500 profit on his $500, for a 100% return. Now compare this with the stock market, which limits leverage to only 50%, so $5,000 worth of a stock requires a minimum capital of $2500. If this stock goes up to $5,500, the $500 gain goes against the $2,500 invested. So the return is only 20%. The 100% return trading commodities sure looks a lot better, right?

You can see why traders in search of quick money are hypnotized by the glamor and simplicity of commodity futures trading. The problem however, is that this leverage works in both directions. Because of this, traders can lose their entire trading account in a matter of mere minutes due to the wild price fluctuations that can occur in the volatile futures markets. Let’s say for example that the same $5,000 contract drops to $4,000 in value instead of it increasing. Not only do you lose the original $500 margin for the contract, but an additional $500 to boot. Yes, you can easily go broke.

So why do more and more people line up to trade the futures market? Well, most traders do not wake up one morning and say.. “Okay, I think I’ll start trading commodities today.” What really happens is, they will receive a sales pitch from a so called commodity trading “guru” who’s claiming to have a no-fail “system” for generating and guaranteeing sure-fire profits in the commodities markets. These “systems” can range from $250 up to $10,000 or more, and all promise almost instant “huge profits” from a small starting investment.

The headings for their ads usually scream… “Turn $5,000 Into 1 Million Dollars In Less Than A Year.” Greed takes over. The commodity system then goes into a long sales letter spiel that describes something like a winning time tested method that can win “9 out of 10″ trades or something similar.

Of course, with experience, it is possible to correctly win 90% of the time, and it is possible as some traders do and have amassed millions of dollars in a very short period of time. So why are they selling their super-duper, no fail $195 or $1995 trading course giving away their secrets? Because they probably haven’t made a cent with the trading program or actually trading the market! It’s a lot easier and a lot more ’safer’ money to be made selling these programs to others wanting to and getting into commodity futures trading.

There is no proven ’sure-fire’ way to consistently make gobs of money in the markets, simply because the underlying commodity prices are too unpredictable and can swing back and forth without reason. That’s why the only ones making money in the commodity markets are… the brokers and the program ’systems’ seller. Brokers are those who collect a commission for executing trades regardless if it wins or loses.

But keep in mind there are a handful of ultra successful professional traders who make a great living trading these markets. But, the vast majority (in the high 95%++), who trade the commodity futures market lose money. Unfortunately, with the glamor associated with huge returns and easy money, newbie traders enter the markets each year, only to quickly lose their entire accounts.

Obviously, you don’t want to be one of them! Study and paper trade as much as you can before you plunge into the markets by opening a live account.

Privacy is and always will be an issue on the inter-web, and it is and should be a right for anyone who surfs the internet. Heck, that’s why bathrooms have doors and locks, debit cards have PIN codes, libraries have cubicles… all to protect your privacy. So it’s really no surprise that everyone expects privacy and security when surfing the Internet. A lot of people actually think their online browsing activities are entirely anonymous, because after all, no one can really see you on the World Wide Web, right? Well, no!

Unfortunately, that is far from the truth. Internet surfing is not exactly an anonymous thing, even though you sitting at home or in your office in complete privacy, may seem to be. First, your Internet Service Provider or ISP has the complete ability and tracking ability to log all the site you visit based on your IP (Internet Protocol) address. Your IP address is your footprint on the web and it’s how your computer connection to the internet is identified every time you use it. Also, the websites that you happen to visit can also easily track your IP address, and it can also log it for future reference. Your IP address however does not specify your actual name, but it’s not really that difficult for the owner of a website you’ve visited to link your particular IP address to your ISP.

How Safe Are You?
So it’s safe to say most internet users want and value complete anonymity online, making it a truly unique and private experience. The internet is a melting pot where all walks of people from anywhere around the globe with internet access can instantly connect, communicate and share information with each other… in real time. Usually on the internet, your alias is your only identity. The thought of remaining anonymous has allowed people to practice complete freedom of speech and use the web as a tool of complete unbiased expression.

When the activities are legitimate, the Internet creates an open forum where anyone can correspond with each other who share similar interests, and openly discuss issues, that if spoke face to face, may cause embarrassment, reprimand, or even persecution in some cases. The web truly can be at times the worlds largest bathroom wall. The Internet also offers a resource to research unbiased sensitive topics, such as rid of acne, hair or weight loss, without having to reveal your identity. So it’s quite easy to see why everyone would want to protect their true identity.

Yet another reason why some may want to remain anonymous online may be protection from their employers, government or corporations. Businesses for example use anonymous surfing to spy or research on their competition without getting caught, while lawyers use it to visit sites to help them make a stronger case for their clients without leaving a digital footprint. You at home may want to surf anonymously just to stop aggressive marketing companies collecting your online information.

How Can You Go Anonymous?
So you’re wondering,how do you surf anonymously? The only way is to hide your IP address or ‘cloak’ it by using anonymous web browsing technology. Anonymous web browsing programs entails the use of what is know as a proxy. Proxies are placed between your IP address and the particular website you are wanting to visit. What happens is your computer connects to the proxy server instead of connecting directly to the website. The proxy server then “reconnects” to that website, effectively hiding your IP address. The website in question only sees the proxy servers IP address. It’s important you use a proxy server that is reputable and one you trust since the proxy server will know your IP address.

Although the only method of anonymous surfing involves using a proxy server, there are several different ways to go about it. The first is through another website. You visit the website offering the proxy server and then just type the URL of the website you want to visit. You will then be forwarded to that website through the proxy server.

Another method using a proxy requires downloading a software application. This is a program, usually in .exe format that handles everything associated with the proxy server, so all you have to worry about is browsing.

The third option is using an anonymous web proxy service. This entails you having to configure your browser so you’re using the anonymous web proxies Ip, but once done, it should be hassle-free anonymous surfing. These services are all are public, free or for a fee.

If you decide to use a web proxy service, here are some things to be aware of:
1. Reputable services should set up a dedicated TLS or SSL tunnel for you. This means that network sniffers won’t be able to track your surfing habits.

2. Choose a proxy service that supports the protocols that you want to use. Some services only offer FTP, while others only support HTTP. Some may also offer HTTPS, but not all. So check.

3. A good proxy service should go beyond hiding your IP address. It should also remove websites that use: pop-ups, cookies, banners, and referrer information. It should also be an option for you to configure which of these elements you want or don’t want to block.

Regardless of what proxy method you choose to surf the internet anonymously, you will surely feel a lot more safe knowing your privacy isn’t being compromised every time you surf.

So you went to University? Well big deal. Many do and a lot more fail. You are quickly finding out that, they don’t teach you everything you need to know in school. You need to have a true sense of what you want to do with your life and the motivation to follow through. Condition yourself to take what you learned and maximize it to its full potential. In other words, don’t be lazy and listen. You’re arrogance is stopping you dead in your tracks.

What do you want to achieve? Some have this preconceived notion that because they have post secondary education, everything will work out for them and everything will just fall on their laps. Well not true. Welcome to the real world kids.

So before you actually decide what you want to do with your personal or your work and business life, establish and review where you are going, and be clear about it.

Take the time to think about what you want to do and write down your ultimate end goals for your yourself? Where and who do you want to be.. 5 or 10 years from now?

Take The Effort To Write It Down
Research actually shows that there are only around 3% of the population who actually sit down and write out their goals, and also on average, these are the people earn 10X times more than those who don’t care to have goals. The same research also shows that people who date and constantly update their written goals are 500X more successful than those who do not map out a plan by writing down a time line for their goals.

It’s also important to write down separate goals, one for your business or workplace and on for your personal goals, and keep them separate.

Are They SMART Goals?
Make sure that the goals you write down are realistic and SMART. What does SMART mean? It stands for:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Timed

Make Sure That You Apply These Five Steps To Each Of Your Goals
What do these goals mean to you in reality or realistic terms?

Once you have written down your goals as a SMART goal, think about the consequences that it would pose if you didn’t achieve it. What is the end result that you and those close to you will experience if you don’t reach your goal, for example… bad health, unhappiness etc. This is important as noting the end consequences is a huge motivator to reach that goal and making sure you don’t fail.

Also write down what you’ll gain if you reach that goal: wealth, better health, ultimate happiness, early retirement etc. What will you see, or hear or feel like once its achieved? Make sure you write down the key steps and things you will need to do in order to achieve that goal.

Repeat the same process using a brand new sheet of paper for every single goal you want to achieve.

Make Sure You Prioritize
Prioritize the goals that you have written down. Lay out all these goals and then decide which are the most important to do first, then list and put in order which are less important or not important at all.

Starting from the most important goal, write out a plan on how to reach it, then further break it down into smaller components to make it easier to manage.

Plan an accurate as possible timetable to do each step, then write them down into your ‘ToDo’ folder or daily planner. This way, you can make reaching these goals a part of your daily activities.

Keep Track Of Your Time
It’s important to look at how you currently spend your time… at the moment, and comparing this to how you want your life to happen. Then you can easily fit these goals into the plan as well.

To accomplish this, note the personal goals that you set out and then list out the areas of your present life that are the most important to you: friends, family, business or work, health and fitness, money and saving money etc. Then make a note of the amount of time that you’d like to spend on each of these areas. Estimate the approximate percentage of your waking time during the day you think can actually spend in each area.

Taking The Next Steps
Think carefully about what you have written down and what you have prioritized. What the implications are for what you’re doing in your personal, work or business life - and what further you should be doing?

Just Do It
Rewrite the things you want to accomplish in an action planner. Keep this handy for easy reference. Make sure you read it every daily to remind what you want to achieve.

If you want, contact a mentor, adviser or coach to discuss how better you can do to achieve your goals. It’s always better go through this with a third party, who can be objective and offer constructive criticism, to help you focus on the right things.

Always Review Your Plan. Always Prioritize It. Start Taking Action!

Keep in mind, no matter how good your ideas and intentions are… they mean absolutely nothing, unless you put them in action.

So the most important focus is taking ACTION. Start Today!!

So have you ever wondered what those truly ultra successful people have or do, that makes them successful? Or wonder why and how those top salesman in your company manage, month after month, get the most sales or the most recruits, the largest bonuses, the biggest paychecks? And why is it that month after month, it’s always the same individuals?

Well here’s a bit of a secret. No one really starts out as a champion performer. Most of these people started out quite modestly.

So What’s The Difference Between A Champion And A Chump?
Champions have an unique attitude, they all share a distinct mindset that sets them apart from the crowd. Most of these qualities however are not really that exceptional and thus attainable by anyone.

It’s true that each and every one of us possess the same qualities when we are younger and just starting out in life. But somewhere, somehow, along the way, some of us tend to lose that quality and that effectively diminishes our potential.

To Become A Winner… Learn To Become A Kid Again
1. Champions are always Willing to Learn New Things.
Kids like us come into this world with a built in, innate desire to learn, to understand how the world works around us.

They are absolute sponges while observing and then absorbing every thing they see, every reaction. It’s a built in feature as their survival depends on it.

One of the key and most often repeated qualities we all need to succeed in business is, a strong willingness to learn - to be able to be teachable.

To become a winner, you must be willing to be constantly learning, thus reinventing yourselves to new methods. You must be open and able to read about, learn and then absorb everything you need to know, even if concepts are completely new to you.

If You Don’t Do This… You Are Doomed To Failure

2. Winners are always Willing to Act
Have you ever noticed how kids completely gear themselves towards action and constant forward momentum? As soon as they learn something different like a new skill, they want to immediately put it into action.

Most winners are the same. They instantly put their newly learned skill to immediate use without thought. Anything that will take them to that next level.

They know that they must be on top of the game and immediately act on what they have just learned, even if they haven’t perfected it yet. They do a lot of trial and error testing.

3. Winners are Not Afraid to Fail
Just as kids will pick themselves up again and again, every time they fall or fail while taking their first steps, winners are also not afraid to fail and fall down and look forward to it as a building block.

They know that failing at something is the best teacher and the closer to the next attempt which may be a winner. They learn quickly from their mistakes and constantly fine tune their method or system until they succeed.

Champions have the built up courage to fail and then fail again and not be discouraged. They just pick themselves up without a second thought.

4. Winner are always Willing to Adapt
Darwin in his wisdom got it wrong.
Survival actually does not happen to the Fittest, but to those who are the Most Adaptable.

When we were kids, we were able to adapt to long term change quite easily. We were willing to accept new and different situations and then adapt our behavior accordingly.

Unfortunately, as we all grow older, we become a lot more rigid in our thinking, unwilling to be open and accept that yes, there may be a better way of doing things.

As business is a constantly moving and changing target, resistance or ignorance to change makes us obsolete. We end up losing to the players who has an understanding of changing trends.

Winners are those who are able to adapt themselves and their business to constant change.

5. Winners are Willing to Innovate
Kids are amazingly and extremely inventive beings. They start out in life with no absolute preconceived notions of how to do things. In their minds, they know no limits to what they are able to do or how they can do it.

Winners apply the very same principles to take their business to the next level.

They are not only able to learn from what has been done in the past, they also find new ways of doing it better and more efficiently, or cheaper, or more successfully.

But keep in mind that you don’t have to be a kid in all respects to be successful. It’s really probably not even desirable.

But if you feel that your preconceived notions, or fears and hesitations are stopping you from reaching your ultimate goals, try then looking at the world through the eyes of a child.

You will then be able to improve your chances of success in business, and at worst, you’ll remain young at heart.

“The 11 Forgotten Laws That Make The Law of Attraction An Unbreakable Force”

If you listen and believe everything you hear in the media, there seems to be an awful lot of viruses going around. No, not the human body type, but the viruses that enter via the internet and play havoc on your computers operating system. Oh yes that type.

What mainstream media, radio, print or television news reports often don’t bother telling you is that the majority of these so called “viruses” are not really viruses at all. They would rather capitalize on the sensationalism.

So What Really Are Computer Viruses
One of the main reasons why the mass media will always raise alarm bells about viruses is because they will just group any ‘malicious’ type of computer program and call it a virus. In reality, there are at last count eleven or so distinct types of malicious programs, better known as malware affecting computers out there today. The most common of these types are known as worms, Trojans, and spyware, yes they do sound nasty.

So, is there and what’s the difference between certain computer viruses and other types of malware? Malicious computer viruses are solely responsible and capable of completely shutting down a computer and cause obvious damage to the hard drive. The most common types of malware, including: worms, Trojans, and spyware are detectable only using specialized scanning software.

So What Are The Real Danger of Computer Viruses
Most types of malware are unobtrusive and does not really harm your computer, so much so in fact that as mentioned, they can only be detected using special scanning software. So you’re wondering, what’s the big concern then? Well for starters, these class of programs are called ‘malicious’ for a good reason. They actually can and are designed to cause some type of damage on your computer.

Worms are known to cause extensive damage. They are capable of disrupting and destroying entire computer networks, if these ‘worms’ are planted on the host computer. For example, worms have been known to be used by rival website owners to shut down another website by sending say an overwhelming amount of requests to the computers server that happens to host that website, thus shutting it down. Worms are also capable of sending out viruses to other computers by infecting the host computer, thus effectively killing the network.

Trojans can be evil as well. They are often downloaded onto your computer without you knowing, which in turn inserts and spreads worms and malware on your computer. This can happen even if the Trojan itself doesn’t do any damage.

Okay, so you don’t care about what happens to someone else’s computer? You should then still be concerned about another other kind of malware: which is known as spyware. Spyware is a type of malware that, collects data from your computers hard drive and silently sends it back to the remote host.

Most spyware is however interested in only monitoring your internet usage or preferences, so it can communicate with other programs, such as adware, which decides what type of advertising ‘pops-up’ on your computer. However, there are malicious types of criminal spyware programs out there capable of stealing say, financial data or rifles through your personal data to perform identity theft. We all have some type of critical personal data stored on our computers. Some spyware programs contain what is known as a keylogger, a program that simply copies every keystroke, usually designed to grab passwords. Even if you don’t keep financial information on your computer, if you ever do any online shopping, the keylogger can retrieve your credit card number and address.

So Why NOT Blame the Media?
Given the various dangers of all these different types of malware, the mass media just feeds to the hysteria of it all. They do this by grouping the various types under one umbrella… and call worms, Trojans, spyware, and other malware “viruses”.

What all this does is just a classic case of bad news reporting that does more harm than good. It promotes a common myth about ‘viruses’ that goes something like this: “The only type of malicious software is called a virus. What viruses do is damage your computer. Therefore, if your computer is working OK, then that must mean your computer has no malicious software. And you only need to scan your computer for ‘viruses’ only when there is a problem.”

Because of this, most computer owners allow their anti-virus software to go out of date or expire, not bothering to update. What is just as bad is most computers don’t have the proper software to combat the different types of malware that’s not covered by the anti-virus software.

The best fix is when the mainstream media start educating the public about the importance of their computers being scanned at least once a day. Preventative maintenance is what’s required rather than running hysteria stories about evil “viruses”. But that’s the nature of the media which is to spread fear, as they will sell more newspapers and TV advertising space that way.

When creating a online ad, such as for Google AdWords, Yahoo or MSN, online advertisers usually spend the majority of their time creating the actual ads themselves, or researching effective keywords. There is often very little thought going into where the visitor will be sent to… when the ad generates a click to your destination.

Most often the advertiser will send the visitor directly to the home page of their website, hoping that the website will do the job. These advertisers however are neglecting a very large and important part of their online ads campaign, which is creating an eye catching, killer landing page. An effective landing page is just as or at times more important than: the ad, good keyword selection and strategic bidding on the networks. When creating a landing page that works, advertisers can exponentially increase their conversion rates, making the campaign a lot more competitive and profitable.

When building the landing page properly, make it specific and directly related to the ad that is sending you the traffic. The landing page is your online salesman, so it has to be highly targeted. If the visitor clicks on an ad expecting to find… gold plated golf clubs, then the corresponding landing page has to be just that. There is nothing worse than having a visitor interested in your product and s ready to buy, but are unable to do so.

The role and job of your online ad is to get the clicks to your site. The role of your online salesman, the landing page, is to convert those targeted clicks into leads or sales. There is a rule that you must be able to convert your visitor within 3 clicks or less to the money. If your visitor has to click more than the 3 times to buy your product or service, you will most likely lose the sale. The ideal process is the visitor clicking only twice. Once on your online ad, once on your landing page, to get to your order page. It’s that simple. The more clicks you force your visitor to do, the less sales and conversions you make.

Remember that most visitors are generally impatient and at times lazy. You need to give them a reason to lead them to what they want, with as little or no effort as possible on their behalf. So it’s always important to keep your original objective in mind, which is high conversions, done by: using specific keywords, a call to action on your ad, creating an attention grabbing ‘killer’ landing page.

The landing page as mentioned, is your direct online salesman, and thus where your best graphic and copy-writing skills are needed. Remember the goal of your online ad is to generate the click, and the goal of your landing page is to get the sale. Your ad lists the features, where your landing page explains the benefits of your product or service.

Once The Ad Does It’s Job
Once your ad does its job by generating the click, your landing page should have enough ‘hook’ to motivate the visitor to buy. The most obvious and best way to do this is a good effective headline. The headline should captivate the visitor by appealing to their self-interests, and what your product can do for them. What’s in it for them? How will your product benefit them or solve their problem?

Continue to test and expand on your headline to list the benefits of your product, and assure them that they made the right decision by clicking on your ad. Then support the benefits by listing the features of your product or service. Continue to do this throughout your landing page copy, benefits and features, using subheadings. Keep the visitor interested by build excitement using graphics of your product or service. After all, a picture tells a thousand words.

Keep it simple, use plenty of arrows or bullets and use lists as much as possible in your copy. Bullets work as effective mini headlines. Bullets are used to summarize the features your visitors will gain from your product. They can also be used to summarize the problems your visitors are experiencing and how or why your product or service is the solution to those problems.

So use effective eye drawing headlines, subheadings as well as bullets on your landing page. Remember that visitors are impulsive and impatient at all times. They are always in a hurry and are looking for instant gratification, so captivate them! What the average visitor does is they will often just scan your landing page, and while scanning, they will just read the headline, and at times the subheadings. So its vital that you list the important benefits for the visitor in your headlines, subheadings, and bullets.

There are occasionally visitors who will read your entire landing page, so providing good crisp error free copy is essential, with exact details and precise information the visitor needs to make a decision on the spot.

Graphics and Pictures
They truly do speak a thousand words. Use pictures and graphics as they are very effective, especially when selling a product. Make sure that your visitor gets a good, clear visual of your product. Since the visitor cannot touch or smell it, it’s essentially important that they get as much information as they need based on the picture. The copy should then support the graphics and vice versa.

The landing page should explain exactly what the prospect is looking for. So if your visitor is looking for gold plated golf clubs, then once they click your online ad, the landing page should show a picture of a gold plated golf club, and only the exact text that describes the features and benefits of gold plated golf clubs.

You will also need to ask for the order. This needs to be done on your landing page. Do not ask the visitor to click through to yet another page in attempts to close the sale there. Close the sale NOW… ask for the order directly on your landing page. The only action your visitor should have to do after reading your landing page is click through to your opt-in page or your order page to provide their credit card information. If you are only looking to collect email addresses or just generate leads, make sure you have the form they need to fill out directly on the landing page.

Arguably the landing page is just as important or more important than your ad in your online advertising campaign. You should spend as much time creating an effective landing page as you would generating keywords and creating the Adwords ad. A good landing page plays an integral part of your search engine marketing arsenal and should not be neglected.

Well, it’s definitely that time of year, the time when for all those who don’t like shopping, are being forced to get out there and do the holiday gifting thing. Although in some places, it may still be warm outside, but the store displays now feature Santa Claus, Christmas trees and ‘Silent Night’ blaring from the speakers, hopefully putting you in the mood. So it may be wise to set up a plan to refine your shopping techniques for this holiday season. Try not to make the same mistakes that you’ve made in years past, such as: standing in those dreaded long line ups, fighting and scratching the massive crowds, spending more than what you budgeted for, waiting until the very last minute and avoiding being trampled fighting for that last discounted camera or flat screen TV.

Instead, play it smart this year…
Here are the Top Ten shopping tips as outlined below. Follow these and you will not suffer the consequences of the holiday shopper’s nightmare, which may include: shortage of cash, higher credit card debt, large crowds, longer line ups, and no product inventory.

1. Try To Use Cash At All Times
Using good ole cash makes it a lot easier to stay within your budget. This does not mean using your debit card, as you can easily spend more on a particular gift provided there’s enough money in your checking account. Set strict spending limits, and pay with cash. When the cash is gone, then there’s no more gift buying. This obviously takes a bit of self-control and that’s difficult to do during the hype of the holiday season, but if you set out $200 for buying gifts, then don’t go over that budget and spend $201. This is tempting as you get into the Christmas spirit with its lights, music, and other holiday shoppers taking home their large shopping bags. So paying with cash will help you stay within your budget.

2. Keep Track Of Your Credit Card Spending
If you absolutely must resort to using a credit card, then use the card with the lowest interest and be absolute sure you are going to pay off the balance the following month. Carrying balances over can cost more than what the item cost itself. So, that great bargain you got during the holidays is not really a bargain 120 days later. Plan to pay off the purchases as soon as possible. Stick to you budget, know exactly how much you’re spending on your credit cards.

3. Be As Patient As Possible
There’s no joy in waiting in a long line up and having to endure repeated price checks and declined credit card holders arguing with the cashier. These things are bound to happen, so stay calm and be patient. If possible leave the kids at home and set out more time than usual. Try to go the first thing in the morning or late at night.

4. Try Shopping Earlier In The Year
No point waiting until the very last moment, but you know a large segment of the population do. Start your Christmas shopping earlier this year. The malls and box stores aren’t that overcrowded then. Most are not really thinking about holiday shopping yet and the prices at times are lower.

5. Choose Less Expensive But Creative Gifts
No not those arts and crafts gifts found at a craft sale, but how about one gift suitable for the entire family? That would definitely save you money. If your entire family loves movies, than buy a few of those. Or how about a great gift basket with several favorite movies, some popcorn, hot chocolate and candy, and maybe a blanket. That would be a lot less expensive than trying to get individual gifts.

6. Have A Shopping Game Plan
In order to get all the must have or hard to get items, have a shopping game plan. The game plan describes when to buy the items, setting a budget, and where you can get the items. Don’t leave your house without one that outlines exactly where you’re shopping, what you’re going to buy, and how much you are going to spend on it. Also know what alternate gifts you can buy if your target gift may not be available.

7. When Shopping… Be Safe Out There
Be safe first. Keep an eye on your personal belongings at all times. This includes your handbags or wallet, your purchases, and of course the kids. Make sure you pay particular attention at the cash register when you can be easily distracted with the transaction. If paying cash, make sure the price and the change are correct. Make sure you get all receipts and if paying with a debit or credit card, make sure you get the card back. Also unfortunately at this time of year, this is when thieves are at their busiest as well. So be a safe shopper!

8. Make Sure You Get Enough Rest
Holiday shopping can be a tiring and a grueling experience. So a part of your shopping game plan should be getting a lot of rest the night before. Try starting out early in the morning to beat the crowd and wear comfortable shoes. Christmas shopping trips can at times be way longer than anticipated, so go shopping alone and not with a friend, as that will save you time as well.

9. Don’t Forget About The Bargains Elsewhere… Such As Outlet Malls
Check out one of the outlet malls in your area for holiday bargains. You may need a car, but the lower prices and smaller crowds can be well worth the drive. You may find bargains on upscale designer merchandise in Outlet Malls.

10. Avoid The Massive Crowds At All Costs
Shopping earlier in the day or first thing Monday morning will help avoid the crowd during the weekend. Or shop later in the evening as most stores have extended holiday hours. Most like to be at home during these hours.

Note: The best alternative of course, is you can do all your shopping online but for most, it takes the “fun” out of the whole holiday shopping experience.