Surround yourself with positive people that will encourage you to do your best

If you want to grow personally & professionally, you need to surround yourself with positive people who will keep you motivated when you are feeling down & give you that extra push when you need it. If you have kids, I'm sure you've probably heard that positive reinforcement is good for kids. Well guess what? It is also good for adults!

Negative people are really draining. Try to stay away from them as much as possible.

BTW, I am not saying that you only need to be around yes people. You should also avoid these. You need positive people who will be candid with you about what you are doing & provide you with constructive criticism that will help you keep going forward.

Good luck! I'm sure you will have a successful new year (especially if you read this blog regularly :)!

http://www.eMarv.com

Spy Kids

Start training them early!

From 12/28 MIT's Technology Review: The National Security Agency's "CryptoKids" website uses cartoon characters to recruit future codemakers and codebreakers. http://wwwnl.technologyreview.com/t?ctl=1058652:429BE90

Investments you can make in your future

I just bought Todd Duncan's book, High Trust Selling. Even though this book is geared toward salespeople, I thought that a lot of it applies to anyone that wants be successful.

I came across The Law of the Shareholder chapter & thought I'd share the investments he describes. Here they are: 1) Invest in your relationships with those you love 2) Invest in a long-term personal-development program 3) Invest in a ... coach 4) Invest in a competent right-hand assistant 5) Invest in your personal image 6) Invest in a personal financial plan - get a great accountant 7) Invest time in an exercise program 8) Inesst in a client-retention program - for those not in sales, think of your client as the person or organization you work for 9) Invest in a library 10) Invest in technology

Time Traps

I started reading this book yesterday & I've got to say that I've already had some good ideas about what I need to do to manage my tasks (not time). The primary one is that I need to expand my team.

I currently am in need of a part-time assistant that can help me with real estate related activities. Know of anyone that is high-energy that could help in the Baltimore area? Feel free to email me.

Squidoo - Where everyone's an expert!

I recently found Squidoo and thought that the concept was interesting. I think this might comparable to Yahoo 360 but Squidoo is probably more for professionals.

Take a look and let me know what you think.

http://www.squidoo.com http://www.emarv.com

About SinceSlicedBread.com

from SinceSlicedBread.com Since Sliced Bread is a national call for fresh, common sense ideas. A call for ideas that will strengthen our economy and improve the day-to-day lives of working men and women and their families. It’s also a place where ordinary Americans and experts alike can discuss the important economic issues of our times. Our goal: An America where the American Dream is alive and well in the new global economy of the 21st Century. Global competition and the fast-changing world of work create opportunities and challenges that require bold thinking from political leaders. Not only is Washington not delivering, but policies are made without talking to ordinary Americans — yet who is better equipped to offer common sense ideas? Since Sliced Bread seeks ideas that are original and creative, have the best chance of practical success and would most effectively: * Grow the economy * Create good-paying jobs that allow people to raise a family, afford health insurance, pay for their children’s college education, get additional training and save for retirement * Encourage existing companies to expand and entrepreneurs to start new ones. Finally, keep in mind who should benefit from the ideas — whom this contest is about. Since Sliced Bread is also changing the way Washington works. It’s an unprecedented effort to give ordinary Americans — people who are rarely asked for ideas on how to fix the economy — the chance to offer theirs. We’re serious about wanting to change the way policy ideas emerge. Since Sliced Bread is so serious about finding and rewarding good ideas that a panel of respected thinkers and community leaders will choose 21 finalists and public voting will determine the top three ideas. The winner receives a grand prize of $100,000 and our commitment to work to make the idea a reality. The two runners-up take home $50,000. All 21 ideas will be featured in a book to be published in 2006.