Interesting Facts...

10 Skills You Need to Succeed at Almost Anything

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What does it take to succeed? A positive attitude? Well, sure, but that’s hardly enough. The Law of Attraction? The Secret? These ideas might act as spurs to action, but without the action itself, they don’t do much.

Success, however it’s defined, takes action, and taking good and appropriate action takes skills. Some of these skills (not enough, though) are taught in school (not well enough, either), others are taught on the job, and still others we learn from general life experience.

Below is a list of general skills that will help anyone get ahead in practically any field, from running a company to running a gardening club. Of course, there are skills specific to each field as well – but my concern here is with the skills that translate across disciplines, the ones that can be learned by anyone in any position.

1. Public Speaking

The ability to speak clearly, persuasively, and forcefully in front of an audience – whether an audience of 1 or of thousands – is one of the most important skills anyone can develop. People who are effective speakers come across as more comfortable with themselves, more confident, and more attractive to be around. Being able to speak effectively means you can sell anything – products, of course, but also ideas, ideologies, worldviews. And yourself – which means more opportunities for career advancement, bigger clients, or business funding.

2. Writing

Writing well offers many of the same advantages that speaking well offers: good writers are better at selling products, ideas, and themselves than poor writers. Learning to write well involves not just mastery of grammar but the development of the ability to organize one’s thoughts into a coherent form and target it to an audience in the most effective way possible. Given the huge amount of text generated by almost every transaction – from court briefs and legislation running into the thousands of pages to those foot-long receipts you get when you buy gum these days – a person who is a master of the written word can expect doors to open in just about every field.

3. Self-Management

If success depends on effective action, effective action depends on the ability to focus your attention where it is needed most, when it is needed most. Strong organizational skills, effective productivity habits, and a strong sense of discipline are needed to keep yourself on track.

4. Networking

Networking is not only for finding jobs or clients. In an economy dominated by ideas and innovation, networking creates the channel through which ideas flow and in which new ideas are created. A large network, carefully cultivated, ties one into not just a body of people but a body of relationships, and those relationships are more than just the sum of their parts. The interactions those relationships make possible give rise to innovation and creativity – and provide the support to nurture new ideas until they can be realized.

5. Critical Thinking

We are exposed to hundreds, if not thousands, of times more information on a daily basis than our great-grandparents were. Being able to evaluate that information, sort the potentially valuable from the trivial, analyze its relevance and meaning, and relate it to other information is crucial – and woefully under-taught. Good critical thinking skills immediately distinguish you from the mass of people these days.

6. Decision-Making

The bridge that leads from analysis to action is effective decision-making – knowing what to do based on the information available. While not being critical can be dangerous, so too can over-analyzing, or waiting for more information before making a decision. Being able to take in the scene and respond quickly and effectively is what separates the doers from the wannabes.

7. Math

You don’t have to be able to integrate polynomials to be successful. However, the ability to quickly work with figures in your head, to make rough but fairly accurate estimates, and to understand things like compound interest and basic statistics gives you a big lead on most people. All of these skills will help you to analyze data more effectively – and more quickly – and to make better decisions based on it.

8. Research

Nobody can be expected to know everything, or even a tiny fraction of everything. Even within your field, chances are there’s far more that you don’t know than you do know. You don’t have to know everything – but you should be able to quickly and painlessly find out what you need to know. That means learning  to use the Internet effectively, learning to use a library, learning to read productively, and learning how to leverage your network of contacts – and what kinds of research are going to work best in any given situation.

9. Relaxation

Stress will not only kill you, it leads to poor decision-making, poor thinking, and poor socialization. So be failing to relax, you knock out at least three of the skills in this list – and really more. Plus, working yourself to death in order to keep up, and not having any time to enjoy the fruits of your work, isn’t really “success”. It’s obsession. Being able to face even the most pressing crises with your wits about you and in the most productive way is possibly the most important thing on this list.

10. Basic Accounting

It is a simple fact in our society that money is necessary. Even the simple pleasures in life, like hugging your child, ultimately need money – or you’re not going to survive to hug for very long. Knowing how to track and record your expenses and income is important just to survive, let alone to thrive. But more than that, the principles of accounting apply more widely to things like tracking the time you spend on a project or determining whether the value of an action outweighs the costs in money, time, and effort. It’s a shame that basic accounting isn’t a required part of the core K-12 curriculum.

What Else?

Surely there are more important skills I’m not thinking of (which is probably why I’m not telling Bill Gates what to do!) – what are they? What have I missed? What lessons have you learned that were key to your successes – and what have you ignored to your peril?

10 Small Changes Can Make You a Multi-Millionaire

Saving for your retirement, your children's education or just improving your standard of living can be impossible unless you know what to do. Small changes in your spending can achieve $1-2,000,000 over your lifetime.

10 Small Changes in your Spending Habits: 

1. Save your change - this can be as much as $50 a month.
2. Stop buying soda, coffee, and junk food when out - $50-100 per month.
3. Take your lunch to work - $250-350 per month.
4. Cancel your cable TV - $50-150 per month.
5. Use coupons at the supermarket - $50 or more per month.
6. Shop at discount stores for clothes - $50-100 per month
7. Use the Internet to shop significant purchases - savings up to 40-50%.
8. Increase insurance deductibles - $200 per year.
9. Lower thermostat in winter and raise it in summer - $25-100 per month.
10. Pay bills online/automatic bill pay - $15-20 per month postage.

You may look at these suggestions and say, no way can I change or live without it! Your next step is to find something else that yields the same or more savings. For example, I cannot give up cable, so it is part of my entertainment. I use group discount movie tickets to achieve similar savings and more selective how often we go to the movies. Remember the goal is saving $750.00 or more a month, the specifics are up to you.

By conservatively investing the approximately $750 savings monthly in 30 years it could grow to $2,000,000.

Sorry about the lack of posts lately!

I've been really busy with college. essays, projects, homework .. ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I will get to yall tomorrow and friday

Have a nice day!

Smart Select Your Next Car

Just the thought of owning a new set of wheels is exciting enough to get carried away for a bit. While it’s natural to want to explore the market to see what all you can squeeze around a loosely estimated budget, there are more practical ways to go about buying your car so that you don’t lose too much money on it, or end up being dissatisfied in the long run.
Assess your needs before hand - This is probably one of the most crucial factors while looking out for your next car. Consider carefully what you want to use your car most for, to arrive at a right fit. Do you want it for small local trips or long outdoor runs; will it be used by a single person, or multiple drivers; how many passengers and how much luggage will it be carrying mostly?

Decide whether you want a new or a used car –This is completely dependent on your savings. While a new car may last you longer and require less immediate maintenance, an older car will set you back by a lesser amount initially and if maintained properly over the long run, maybe a more economically savvy decision. Is there an old car that you plan to trade in and how much more will you need to put in from your personal funds, are some important factors to consider here.

Research on models and prices – We all usually have a “dream car”, and this is where all practical thinking stops. Every vehicle will have many unique features which differentiate it from the others, however research shows that 90% of the time, we shortlist a car based only on one or two features. Obviously, it’s practical to research all options built around our needs in the market and then take an informed decision. With the Internet making research so easy, use websites that give you information on different models, features, comparative studies and car prices to shortlist cars that fit your budget. 

Check cars for comfort, performance and on-road safety – Anything that’s a small irritant at the time of buying your car, might turn into a major grievance once you start using it regularly; so it’s important to check the car you are interested in for factors like performance, comfort, economy, appearance, dependability and car safety .

Consider long term costs – Though economy has been mentioned earlier as a checkpoint while considering a car, it’s important enough to discuss in greater detail. The money you spend on your car will not be a one time expense. Consider factors like ongoing maintenance and spare parts, registration and car insurance costs. Many websites compare these factors on various car models to give an average cost of maintaining a car. You can have a pretty good idea about what you should expect to spend on your car on a regular basis before you decide to buy it.

Do you plan to finance your car? Research options on finance and dealer discounts – This may involve some legwork on your part but is definitely worth it. It’s important to shop for money, BEFORE you start shopping for your car. If you’re looking for a loan, your credit union might be the best place to start. It’s easy but not really smart to go with the dealership finance options as you might not get the best deal there. If you can get a preapproved loan, that will help you negotiate better for your car. 

Finally, Stick to your price - Don’t get carried away with “I’ll throw these mats in for free” pitch by your dealer. Stick to your price, especially if you’re not trading in your old car. Because of a weak market, it is often easier for a dealer to sell you a car for a slimmer profit than get loaded with an old car, which he may not be able to dispose off easily.

All You Need To Know About Credit Cards

In current times, credit card has become an integral part of everyone’s life. People use these plastic cards for nearly every financial transaction today, from paying their phone bills to purchasing items in grocery stores. No matter where a person goes, credit cards serve as a substitute for cash. Often these cards are referred to as plastic money. 

Having a good card allows you to enjoy a large number of benefits. Firstly when you have the card you do not have to carry a huge amount of cash with you when you go out shopping. Sometimes people find something while shopping which they need. Unfortunately they are not carrying enough cash to pay for it. When you have a card you can simply buy using the card and pay your dues later. While shopping online the easiest way to pay is via card. For most travelers and tourists the card has come as a boon since in foreign countries the card takes care of the trouble of converting travel funds to local currency. 

Credit cards are issued by various banks to its customers. When the holder buys something with the card he actually borrows the money from the bank and later pays it back. You do not have to pay interest on the borrowed money if you pay it back within a stipulated time. Beyond this time you need to pay interest at defined rates. Each card has a credit limit which is the amount of money you can borrow and a mandatory minimum amount, based on your total purchases, which have to be paid every month.

Before you go ahead and get yourself a card you should be clear about a few things in your mind. How much can you borrow using the card before you run into serious debt? For what purpose are you taking the card and how will you use it? 

There are innumerable card providers in the market, each offering a different package regarding credit card rates and various other benefits. You are to decide which the card most suitable for you is. A friend or relative maybe happily enjoying a card which has certain benefits but this does not mean that you will need the same card since your requirements maybe different. If you do not get the card which is most suitable for you, there is a chance that you can incur a financial loss.

Well there are business credit cards which are tailor-made for people who are running their own business. They have a higher credit limit because usually business overheads are paid using them. Zero interest credit cards have zero interest in the introductory phase and then later switch to normal rates. The introductory phase can stretch from 6 months to one year. Low interest credit cards have the lowest possible interest rates but they do have certain drawbacks like an annual fee or a very low credit limit. You may get a huge number of benefits for using Reward System cards like airline mileage points, gasoline points and hotel reward points. These are just some of the various types of cards which are available.

You can compare the benefits of each type of card from various banks at their Websites based on their interest rates, balance transfer rates, annual fees and other added benefits.

3 Helpful Ways To Become Successful In Your Career

Becoming successful in your career takes so much effort. Here are three helpful ways to achieve it:

1. Have the passion - Being successful in your chosen career requires you to have the passion for it. You need to love what you are doing and what you are in to. You need to be consistent and know what your true desires are. When you have the passion for your career, you would always want to make and give out all the best for it. You put in much effort because you know you want it. Your passion and desires would lead you to take risks. If you really fight for what you know makes you happy, then it is very possible to become successful.

2. Have goals - You should know how to make goals. Make plans and aim to achieve something. Your goals serve as your inspiration and motivation to make your career a successful one. You must have a clear vision and aims on what you want to see in your life and in your chosen path. You efforts and character defines your future and the success of your career. Characterize what you want, when you want it and learn the effective ways on how to achieve it.

3. Be futuristic - It is important to be futuristic. Have an advanced thought on what you want in your life and career. You should know how to foresee your life in the future. Think about it and view it in different time frames so that you will know how to deal and cope with some unexpected changes you might encounter. Although you are not the ultimate author of your life, it is still necessary that you have some visions of your life in the future.

Not everyone succeeds in his or her chosen career. It is not as easy as it seems, but it is not impossible to make it happen. Be guided with these three helpful ways and be successful!