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Do you know what you want out of life? Or do you have trouble answering this question?  

Do you know anyone who seems constantly lost in a fog of confusion? They go one way and then another. Sometimes, they latch on to something as if it's the solution to all their problems, only to downgrade it a few months or weeks (sometimes days) later and move on to something or someone else. They just don't seem to know what they want.  

Maybe you're a bit like this yourself. If so, perhaps it is time for you to get back in… >>>

Do you believe that opposites attract? There are opinions on this very subject, from both sides of the answer. Today, let's look at one possible answer.

One of the ways we build alliances and strong relationships with others is to build on what we have in common. Abraham Lincoln once said, "If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend."   

How do you do this? Well, first of all, by feeling like a sincere friend. As a rule, friendships are built on common experiences, common backgrounds, and common values. Now, when… >>>

Today, let's look at a way to ask questions that will help you change your focus from problems to solutions.  

If you want to make your communications as effective as possible, and if you're interested finding solutions to problems rather than becoming bogged down in them, here is a suggestion that will help. If you ask the right questions, you can direct your communications to get answers that are genuinely helpful.  

For example, if you ask someone, "What's wrong?" you will get an answer - often a long one - which will focus on the problem. But if you ask,… >>>

How flexible are you? Now, we're not talking about your body, though that is important. What we want to consider is, how flexible is your thinking?  

Flexibility is something that all effective communicators have in common. They know how to change their behavior and their style until they get what they want. They know that they can't pressure someone into understanding their point of view or hope, by forcibly repeating themselves, to get through to another person. They also realize that, "If you always do what you've always done, you will continue getting what you've always gotten."  

Now, flexibility doesn't… >>>

How well do you wait for things? Today, let's talk about what happens when we're forced to wait for something. 

These days, everywhere you look people are in a hurry. Timesaving devices are cropping up as fast as weeds in an empty lot, because, as we all know by now, time is money, and we're all in a mad rush to either save it or spend it.

But what happens when you are forced to wait for something? You have a 4:00 dental appointment, but you don't get in until 4:45. You are on the end of a line that… >>>

Today, let's focus some attention on one of the secrets of being a good communicator.  

If you take a look through the leadership programs available, you will see at least one common denominator, and that is typically "communication." Very often, leadership style, or a lack of leadership style, revolves around the ability to communicate effectively. 

How can we be more effective communicators?  A really complete answer would require more time than the space for this email, but there is one thing anyone can do to make a quantum leap in the ability to communicate, and that is to become a… >>>

Are you a perfectionist? Do you know anyone who is? Today, let's talk a little about the drive to be perfect and what it can cost you.  

What's so bad about being good?  Nothing at all, but trying to be perfect can cost you a lot in terms of mental health and harmonious relationships. You see, people who can mobilize themselves in the face of tough problems are usually folks who don't worry about being perfect. They're happy to move ahead with a partial solution, trusting that they'll invent the rest as they go along.  

Now, perfectionists will try to… >>>

Sometimes, "a lick-and-a-promise" is a lot better than nothing and can keep you from feeling overwhelmed. It's an old phrase, but still can have applications today. 

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by a huge task that is facing you? Do you ever feel paralyzed because you can't see your way through to the other side? Henry Ford once said that any task, no matter how large, is manageable if you break it down into small enough pieces.  

A very busy and wonderfully efficient woman says she belongs to the "lick-and-a-promise" school of housekeeping: because of her busy schedule, she doesn't… >>>

Do you have dreams? No, not the ones that happen while you're asleep. The ones that inspire your life. How are these dreams doing? The ones you had as a kid or as a young adult, the ones you have now - dreams that inspire you and give a sense of passion and purpose to your life.  

Erma Bombeck once said, "There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say 'Yes, I've got dreams - of course I do!' Then they put the box away, bring it out once in a while to look inside and,… >>>

For most of us, our families come first, before all the other important things in life. But does our behavior reflect that belief?  

Although most people would say that nothing is more important than their families, day-to-day behavior can tell another story. As Jennifer James, a former Seattle columnist, once pointed out, "When we're moving fast, sometimes the relationships we care most about get short shrift. We think those we love will forgive us if we spend most of our time on other things. But a child may grow up before we notice that hours of being too busy have… >>>