5 Steps to Kickstart Your Confidence

5 Steps to Kickstart Your Confidence
by Craig Wagganer Self-confidence is important to growing a successful business, but it's something many people have to work at to achieve. Use these 5 steps to give your confidence a boost.

Image source: Photospin.com

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines confidence as:
1 a: a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances <had perfect confidence in her ability to succeed> <met the risk with brash confidence> b: faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way <have confidence in a leader>2: the quality or state of being certain: certitude <they had every confidence of success>

Confidence is a mesmerizing quality. When we have it we don’t think about it. When we don’t have it we want it, and when we observe it we admire it. (To a point, anyway.)

True confidence is displayed in a way that begets trust in those that observe it. But some confidence (false) shows up as overplayed, overstated and down right arrogant. Most people have little trouble distinguishing between the two. But often times we wish we had confidence, genuine confidence so we could move forward and be les intimidated by those around us. The sad fact is that we begin to compensate, or even worse, we are taught to compensate by acting confident, instead of learning to be confident.

Here are some simple steps to increase your confidence in yourself, in a genuine way that will help you deal with issues in your life when confidence is at stake.
1. State Your Purpose. More easily said- what do you value? Find out what is really important to you. Make a list of what you want others to think about you. This isn’t an exercise to find out what you think impresses others, but rather to discover what is really important to you that you want others to understand and see in you. Simply make a list of the character qualities you want others to notice in you. In other words, when people talk about you behind your back, what do you want them to be saying?

2. Talk to Yourself. Train yourself to think concerning those values you have listed. Find motivational resources that will help you develop those qualities. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t- have a positive attitude about what you are becoming. Make your progress a matter of choice, not default. Take charge of your input. That is to say, make sure the things in your environment enhance you and don’t reduce you. Commit yourself to learning and growing. Don’t take it for granted but be intentional on what you are becoming. Be in control of your expectations and raise them.

Related: Improve Your Self-Talk

3. Be Nice. This may sound a little strange, but being good to those around you helps you feel better about yourself. When you hold the door open for someone, offer to carry heavy packages, help someone pick up things they have dropped, let a car go in front of you, give someone your place in line, drop extra change into a help bucket, make a donation to a charity… all these things make you feel better about yourself and increase your confidence. Be generously generous. Try this and see how it makes you feel. The next time you go through a restaurant drive through, buy the person behind you their meal. Next time you’re in line at your favorite coffee place, by someone else their coffee as well. When you go through an automatic car wash, pay for the next person in line. When you go through a toll way pay for the person behind you. If you have a “buy one get one free” coupon, find someone to receive the free one. Be nice and practice generosity- it will make you fell better about yourself and increase your confidence. One big thing to remember, expect nothing in return.

Related: Why You Need to Give Compliments

4. Don’t Just Do It, Do It Justice. Remember your mom saying, “If a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” It’s true. Don’t just do it, which is merely getting it done because it is a responsibility, or you feel you ought to. But do it justice. Always make sure your work is marked with quality. Don’t do the best you can, increase your capabilities, work a little harder and do better than expected. Don’t go the extra mile, go two. Remember, to make an impression you have to exceed expectations. When this becomes your attitude, people will notice and your confidence in yourself and others confidence in you will increase.

5. Stay In Motion. I believe Sir Isaac Newton said something about an object in motion stays in motion and an object at rest stays at rest. Keep moving forward. When you find that you confidence has increased, don’t stop- keep moving forward. It has far-reaching effects. If you get to the point where you think you have achieved confidence, then it won’t take long that resting in that your confidence will become an act, superficial and arrogant to those around you. If you keep growing, your confidence will be in yourself, not what others think. And, paradoxically, your confidence will be in helping others and making a difference to your community and those you come in contact with.

If you are a leader, or aspire to be one; maybe confidence is what is holding you back. Try these steps and see yourself grow, enjoy the journey and keep it up. Maybe you’re confident in some things, but have a lack in other areas. Try these things and you will become confident about yourself and not things. Even if public speaking (a regular on the top five things that people are afraid of) displays your confidencelessness, these things can help, because it builds you and affects every area of your life. That’s right, make these things a part of your everyday life and it will even help you public speaking.

For confidence to be authentic and appreciated it must come from within. It comes from a genuine, honest and authentic integrity.

Craig Wagganer is an instructor and personal coach for The Leaders Institute, Management and Supervisor Training. His classes focus on overcoming the fear of public speaking, building confident and autonomous leaders, and improving employee morale. He can be reached toll-free at 1-800-872-7830.

These are steps I take all the time when it's time to work my home business.  If you are in need of an home business and want to make anywhere from $500 to $2000 a month or more depends on your desire.  Contact me at 813-730-7612 or visit my website at http://www.1-2-3-bedebtfree.com.  Join an ethics based home business team that takes pleasure in your success.

 

This article was taken from:  http://www.businessknowhow.com/growth/confidence.htm

Silent Dangers in Your Finances

www.1-2-3-bedebtfree.com

There is no denying that the economy has made a tremendous turn around over the past few years.  Many Americans are riding high and once again are letting their guards down on their finances and not realizing the “Silent Dangers in Your Finances”.  Many studies have shown that many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck instead of saving.  What if the bottom was to fall out of the economy again…….Will you be prepared? 

That is a question that many can answer with an astonishing “No”.  What are things that we can do to prevent ourselves from falling for economic tragedy again?  The one thing to do is to be prepared and while times are good start to save.  No one is a fortune teller and will ever predict when the economy will fall again so find ways to save. 

Many people don’t realize what they can do to save themselves some extra cash.  Here are three of many ways to save money and recognize what to do.

·         Recognize what the actual cost for owning a car in your state.  We all just get in the car and drive, but forget about monitoring how much it cost for gas in the car, tune-ups, tires, and state fees for things like your tag and insurance which is a must in most states.  The average cost to own a vehicle in America is $3500 per year.  This is based on average use so if you are one that drives around more than most this cost will cost you more.  To cut this cost down is simple, stop casual driving and go where you need to go with a very fuel efficient route.  If you and your friends are going out or just hanging out in the same place then alternate who picks who up. Of course not all the time but every little bit helps.  To save on fuel don’t be a speed demon and take your time.

 

·         Cell phone bills are a big danger.  Cell phones have taken off over the years and get more and more expensive.  With companies like Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon holding us hostage with rates which they raise every year does not help the consumer to save money.  Most Americans are starting to use their phones for everything.  The standard bill is not the problem.  It’s the data plans and all the apps these phones come with.  These apps get our attention and I have to admit myself that you could lose time when you are using them.  As you lose your track of time on these apps your data plan has taken a big hit and most of these companies can charge anywhere from $.20 to $1.00 per minute.  That can really add up, so be careful of your minutes.

 

·         Cable Bills are another budget killer.  When you sign up for cable, you most likely got the best package they had.  Now do you really need every movie channel?  I mean look at the movies they show over and over and over.  It’s like the same movies every month.  Now with the movie package your bill will jump up to $100 a month or more.  Now a great solution to that is to get a membership on Hulu, Redbox, or Netflix for under $10 per month.  They show the same movies that are on cable and you can watch them when you want on your time.  Now $10 per month for all the movies and television series you want, or $100 per month and they pick what they want you to watch.

 

Well these are just a few examples of Silent Dangers in Your Finances.  If you could just cut back on these, it will save you a great deal of money over the year.  Now think about the things that you spend a lot of money on and see how you can cut cost doing that and I am sure you will free up hundreds of dollars per month.

About the Author

My name is Andre Hardy and I love to help people achieve their financial goals by way of a “Home Business”.  If you have any debts like student loan debt, credit card debt, or you may just need an extra 500 to a 1000 dollars a month.  Contact me and find out how you can do this or fill out the form on my website.  http://www.1-2-3-bedebtfree.com

Come by and like my Facebook Fan page:  https://www.facebook.com/HomeBusinessConsultant

 

 

Thinking Twitter? These tech IPOs paid off big

Thinking Twitter? These tech IPOs paid off big

10 Causes of Debt 5-10

Causes of Debt #5 Car loans: $768 billion

 

Outstanding auto loans totaled $768 billion in the third quarter of 2012, the highest amount in nearly four years, according to the Fed. Also, auto-loan balances increased for the sixth consecutive quarter.
New auto loans rose for the third consecutive quarter, to $85.8 billion, an increase of 4.4% over the prior quarter.
The percentage of auto-loan debt that is 90 days or more delinquent was roughly steady versus the prior quarter, at about 4.2%.
The rise in auto debt, along with the stability in auto-loan delinquencies, is seen as a positive sign for the health of the overall economy.

Cause of Debt #6 Credit card debt: $674 billion

 

Credit card debt in the United States totaled $674 billion in the third quarter, up $2 billion from the second quarter, but down significantly from its peak of $866 billion in the fourth quarter of 2008.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York also reported that there are 382 million open credit card accounts, down slightly from the second quarter.

The average credit card debt per borrower was $4,996 in the third quarter, according to the credit reporting bureau TransUnion. That is up 0.5% from the second quarter of 2011 and up 4.9% from the third quarter.

Credit card debt in 2012 followed the same pattern as the previous year, TransUnion reports, with balances declining in the first half of 2012, then increasing in the second half. That seasonal trend is also reflected in the national credit card delinquency rate (the ratio of borrowers with payments 90 days or more past due), which increased from 0.63% in the second quarter to 0.75% in the third.

 

Cause of Debt #7 Home equity loans: $573 billion

 

During the height of the real-estate bubble, Americans relied on the equity in their homes to support their lifestyles in the face of falling or stagnant wages. The viability of that approach evaporated in the wake of the financial meltdown that occurred in late 2007, but home equity lines of credit have remained a significant source of personal debt for U.S. consumers.
On the plus side, that exposure has mainly declined since 2008.
Balances on home equity lines of credit dropped by $16 billion, or 2.7%, to $573 billion in the second quarter of 2012, the Fed reports. The delinquency rate (90 days or more) for such lines of credit has remained steady at 4.9%, as of Sept. 30, 2012, the Fed states.

Causes of Debt #8 Medical debt: Estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars

 

Not all credit card debt involves discretionary purchases. Many Americans use their cards to pay for medical expenses not covered by health insurance. Reliable figures for what Americans collectively owe in health care debt are not available, but recent surveys suggest it's a big problem.
According to the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit health care research foundation, 24% of Americans ages 19 to 64 have medical debt they are paying off; 25% of them owed $4,000 or more.
A survey by the research and advocacy group Demos found that 62% of low- and middle-income households with credit card debt reported that medical expenses contributed to what they owed, adding an average of $1,679 to their balances. And 30% of the households surveyed had medical debt, averaging $6,476, that's not on their credit cards.
Amy Traub, a senior policy analyst at Demos, says about 62% of personal bankruptcies in the United States in 2007 were linked to medical bills or illness, and past-due medical bills make up 52% of accounts reported by collection agencies.

Cause of Debt #9 Gambling debt: Estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars

 

One particularly toxic kind of debt that frequently ends up on credit card balances stems from the losses racked up by problem gamblers.
Here, too, hard data is lacking, but new casinos and the availability of online gambling sites appear to be giving people more ways to get in real financial trouble.
The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that about 2 million Americans in any given year could be considered pathological gamblers, and an additional 4 million to 6 million could be considered problem gamblers.
Those with gambling problems can rack up serious debts. Gamblers seeking help from Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services reported an average debt of $28,158, the department reported in 2011. If that level of debt were shared by half of the pathological or problem gamblers in country, it would amount to between $84.5 million and $112.7 million in total gambling debt.

Causes of Debt #10 Personal business and farm loans: Several hundred billion dollars

 

One form of debt that is generally considered positive is the kind taken on by people who are starting or expanding business.
So, it can be considered good news that the U.S. Small Business Administration's loan programs posted their second-largest dollar volume ever in the 2012 fiscal year, which ended on Sept. 30. The agency's loans for the year totaled $30.25 billion, which works out to about $97 per American, and the SBA says the growing pace of its loans is a positive sign for the economy.
Agriculture remains an important part of the economy, too, and farm loans (which, like small business loans, are typically made to individuals rather than corporations) represent another arguably positive form of personal debt.
As of year-end 2011, the U.S. banking industry had extended nearly $130 billion in farm loans, according to the American Bankers Association's latest Farm Bank Performance Report.  You have to understand that when you start a small business you have to budget yourself and make sure you have a serious plan on how you are going to profit in this business.  Information gathered from (MSN Money)


Hello.  My name is Andre Hardy and I am part of a “Home Business” that is an affiliate of Dave Ramsey and we preach being debt free.We are offering Dave's "The Total Money Makeover" for free to anyone that joins our team and start their journey to being debt free.Click the link below and see what we have to offer.
Click to see how to get the "Total Money Makeover" for free

6 Stages of Facebook Envy by Dave Ramsey

6 Stages of Facebook Envy

Facebook envy.
There aren’t any forms of positive envy, but Facebook envy might be the worst.
What is it? As we explained in our article earlier this year , Facebook envy happens when you see a “friend” post about a vacation, a restaurant or a new car—anything that you can’t have—and you immediately feel inadequate because you don’t have those things.
Maybe you’re trying to get out of debt, or maybe you’ve recently lost a job and had to cut way back on spending. You’re in a tight spot.
Meanwhile, most of your friends are walking the credit card wire. They might fall any day now, but they’re going to look good on the way down! They love to show off every part of their extravagant, seemingly carefree lifestyle.
So how do you know if you suffer from Facebook envy? Let’s walk through all the stages using an example.

Let’s say your friends Mike and Sally recently bought a brand-new, two-story, four-bedroom house just outside the city. It’s the perfect house—the house you’ve always wanted.
Three hours after closing on their house, Sally posts this Facebook status:
“We are so blessed! Mike and I just bought our dream house! We can’t wait to start our family, grow old together, and live the life we’ve always dreamed of in this perfect home! We are so blessed! I love this house, and I love you, Mike! We are so blessed!”
Of course, the status update isn’t enough. Sally also posts a photo, and, no surprise, the house is beautiful.
For you, the process of Facebook envy now begins.

1) You see the status update. Wow, that’s a beautiful house, you think. I’ve always wanted a house like that, you think. Mike and Sally, they’re such a cute couple. They seem to have everything.

2. You compare. This is where Facebook envy really starts. You compare your little studio apartment to their 3,000-square-foot, four-bedroom home. While looking at the photos, you realize your bedroom would likely fit inside their master bedroom closet.

3. You feel inadequate. Look at their house, and here you are living in this tiny apartment. You begin to feel sad and depressed because you thought you and your wife would have your own place by now. But some bad financial decisions have set you back and delayed your first home purchase. And there are Mike and Sally, living the life and rubbing it in on Facebook.

4. You consider making a change. You’re now inspired, but not in a good way. Before, you wanted to get out of debt, and you were willing to do whatever it took to reach that goal. Now you’re considering abandoning that plan. You’re inspired to keep up with the Joneses—or, in this case, Mike and Sally. You hop on a real estate website and start looking at comps. Right now, you could probably only make a 5% down payment—nowhere near your 20% goal—but you’ve got to have a new house because you want to make your own Facebook post!

5. You start taking active steps to make that change. You call a real estate agent. You visit a couple of open houses. You meet with a mortgage lender and look at some “creative” (in other words, terrible) loan options that will keep you in debt for 30 years. You are in full-on Facebook envy mode now. You’re considering changing all your plans, and your entire future, over a case of Facebook envy.

6. You (hopefully) realize you’re about to make a bad decision. Finally, you hear a voice, maybe Dave Ramsey’s, say, “What are you doing?” You snap out of it. You realize this has all been one terrible case of Facebook envy, and you back off your crazy change of plans. Or you move forward and make a terrible decision that will cause major regret a year from now.

Now, this is an extreme example to make a point.
You might not get Facebook envy over a house. For you, it could be your friend’s food pictures, their vacations, all their group photos or even their always-smiling faces.
So how do you curb Facebook envy?
Simply realize that no amount of stuff will bring you happiness. Understand that, if your Facebook friends are like most Americans, a lot of their glamorous, showy lifestyle is thanks to debt.
You’ve chosen to avoid debt, right? So, one day, you can have the house and the vacation—and, most importantly, the legacy for your family—without mortgaging your future.
So if you have an out-of-control case of Facebook envy, maybe it’s time to take a break from social media. Let your “friends” all show off the stupid decisions they make with money, while you stay above it all. You’ll be much better off that way.
Have you ever had a case of Facebook envy?

Many of us buy things because we want to be like the Joneses.  Well I will like to thank Dave Ramsey for this article.  You may have read it or you may not but I felt you needed to read this and understand that you are you and they are them.

Here is a tool to help you get out of debt faster.
 

10 Causes of Debt #4: Student Loans

Student loans: $914 billion

Outstanding student loan debt stood at $914 billion as of June 30, 2012, according to the latest quarterly report on household debt and credit by the New York Fed.
While most other forms of household debt have been on the decline, debt related to education has increased by $303 billion since household debt peaked in the third quarter of 2008. (Other forms of debt have declined by a combined $1.6 trillion since then.) In fact, student loan debt was $10 billion higher in the second quarter of 2012 than in the first, and delinquency rates also increased.
The percent of student loan balances 90 or more days delinquent increased to 8.9%, up from 8.7% during the prior quarter.
The rising cost of education is likely to blame. The Institute for College Access & Success, an advocacy group, says the average student debt rose to $26,600 for the class of 2011, up from $25,250 in 2010.

Dave Ramsey Giveaway

Many of these lessons are taught by Dave Ramsey in his best selling book “The Total Money Makeover”. These lessons in this book will teach you how to be prepared.

Dave Ramsey’s lesson: “Design a sure-fire plan for paying off all debt---meaning cars, houses, everything. Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths (these will kill you). Secure a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement!” These are just some of the things you will learn in this book. It has changed the lives of millions including myself.

I am part of a “Home Business” that is an affiliate of Dave Ramsey and we preach being debt free. We are offering this book for free to anyone that joins our team and start their journey to being debt free. Click the link below and see what we have to offer.

http://www.1-2-3-bedebtfree.com/

 

10 Causes of Debt #3 Payday Loans

Payday loans: $38.5 billion

 

If you're living paycheck to paycheck, an unexpected expense -- such as a car that needs urgent repairs -- can be a real problem.
Payday advance loans offer a solution of sorts, offering small loans that borrowers pay back when they get their next paychecks. You pay a flat fee of about $15 to borrow the money, which you pay back when you get your next paycheck.
At any given time about $38.5 billion is loaned out this way, according to the Commercial Financial Services Association of America, the trade group that represents such lenders.
The borrowers are about 19 million households that are experiencing short-term cash-flow shortfalls, the group says. That amounts to about $2,026 per borrowing household.
Skeptics say the loans come at a high price. New York state, which does not allow payday advance loans, says on its banking department website that the short durations of such loans often means that borrowers have to extend them, racking up additional costs. The banking department adds that the interest rates on such loans can amount to 400% or more per year.
www.money.msn.com

Dave Ramsey Giveaway

Many of these lessons are taught by Dave Ramsey in his best selling book “The Total Money Makeover”.  These lessons in this book will teach you how to be prepared.

Dave Ramsey’s lesson: “Design a sure-fire plan for paying off all debt---meaning cars, houses, everything.  Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths (these will kill you).  Secure a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement!”  These are just some of the things you will learn in this book.  It has changed the lives of millions including myself.

I am part of a “Home Business” that is an affiliate of Dave Ramsey and we preach being debt free.  We are offering this book for free to anyone that joins our team and start their journey to being debt free.  Click the link below and see what we have to offer.

http://www.1-2-3-bedebtfree.com/