The History of Tacit Blue and One of the Greatest Test Pilots in Aviation History - Book Review

We all know that being one of the greatest test pilots of all times is a dangerous and demanding job, but have you ever considered what it would be like to live the life of a test pilot? I mean the whole life, from the time you caught the flying bug, until you really couldn't even get into an aircraft any longer? Most test pilots do not live that long to tell about it. But one did, I feel as if I knew him.Let me recommend a very good history book that dives into the life of that test pilot and the aviation history he made along the way:"Hell of a Ride - A first Person Biography of the 'Gutsy' Test Pilot, Richard G. 'Dick' Thomas, Notorious for His Bold, Daring and Dashing Flight Test Escapades" by Cynda Thomas and Velvet Thomas; iUniverse, Bloomington, IN (2008).All I can say is wow, what a great book. You see, I've been to the Wright-Pat Museum and seen Tacit Blue up close and personal. One look and you see the similarities in so many of the current latest aerospace designs.
Thomas, was a test-pilot's test pilot, who made a huge contribution to aviation. Interestingly enough, I met Cynda Thomas, the author at a Bookstore, and she told me of the story, I bought the book on the spot. I then proceeded to read it after dinner.It is 3:00 AM in the middle of the night, and the book was so good, I felt compelled to write a review, I read it straight through, and I definitely recommend this book to you. Coming from an aviation family myself, well, let me tell you this is authentic. Buy it, you will be pleased, I am. I am going to mail this to my father, who is also been in aviation all his life and almost became a test pilot himself; I am certain he will love it too.

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Harry Potter - Boy Wizard

There has been no fictional character in the last decade that has made as much of an impact as Harry Potter. Often credited with single handedly bringing kids back to books, J.K. Rowling's boy wizard is without a doubt the most popular fictional character of the last decade, and has made Rowling the most well known author of the last decade. Harry Potter trivia will show that his first appearance was in the book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".A Harry Potter Quiz will show that this wizard was the primary character in seven novels in the Rowling series. Those books were: "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", "The Chamber of Secrets", "The Prisoner of Azkaban", "The Goblet of Fire", "The Order of the Phoenix", "The Half Blood Prince", and "The Deathly Hallows". Each of the books became a best seller, and the later in the series were among the top book launches of all time.Harry Potter trivia shows that the books have also been transitioned into a film series.
An interesting piece of trivia was that one of Rowling's demands upon selling the film rights was that British actors be given the British parts. There had been a recent trend in Hollywood to cast American actors in British literary roles, and Rowling did not want that happening to her characters. Daniel Radcliffe has become famous worldwide for his portrayal of Harry Potter. Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have also become household names for playing Harry's friends Ron and Hermione.A Harry Potter quiz will show that the franchise has given birth to a whole legendary mythos surrounding the series. Things like the uniforms the wizards are seen wearing in the movie have become the most popular Halloween costumes. Quidditch, the fictional wizarding game has become popular in video games. The series and the character have essentially become cultural institutions since they emerged.The success of Harry has no recent parallel. J.K. Rowling has emerged as the most well read living a
uthor, and one of the richest women in the world based on the success of the series. Over 400 million books have been sold, and the total worth of the franchise is estimated to be over $15 billion, a far cry from the 1500 pounds she was paid initially for the first book.

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Think & Grow Rich - Really?

Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is widely recognised as being one of the most influential books of the last century. It was praised by politicians,educationalists and business leaders alike for it's clarity of principle and the underlying philosophy which can be applied by all.If you are in search of material wealth, peace of mind, understanding or even spiritual harmony then this book contains the knowledge you need, and if applied as directed will bring you what you most desire."Think & Grow Rich" is based upon Napoleon Hill's Law of Success Philosophy which is actually a philosophy of common sense. The underlying principle of the philosophy was said by F W Woolworth - the founder of 'Woolies' - to be a monument to the success of the Woolworth's empire itself.The book describes, in detail, the experience of 500 men who, starting from scratch with nothing more than THOUGHTS, IDEAS and ORGANISED PLANS, accumulated vast personal and corporate wealth.Perhaps you don'
t need all that is described - none of the 500 did - but you may find just one idea, plan or suggestion that sets you on your way to your goals. This book contains the secret, after having been put to the practical test by thousands of people in almost all walks of life.Ther is no such thing as something for nothing, but if YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT then this book will tell you how to get it provided that you understand the message. Education does not enter into it, the information serves equally well all who are ready for it.The only way forward is to get hold of the book and read it carefully with an open mind. Perhaps then you can join the thousands who have already benefited. Get hold of your own free personal copy in PDF format by visiting http://www.ebookdownloads.biz/ and following the link on the home page.

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Old Man's War by John Scalzi

I was taken a bit off guard by No Man's War, I'd seen Mr. Scalzi's name whilst tramping about at the Science Fiction Awards Watch Website. I noticed that Mr. Scalzi wrote this book mostly online then sold it as his very first work.  Zoe's Tale is the fourth book in this saga, and I see that it has been nominated for the Hugo this year, so I have at least three more of this epic to look forward to.  I say I was taken off guard because Old Man's War is a very fine work!  I read the whole book in just three days.  Mr. Scalzi has a very good sense of character, in many ways it is 'what he leaves out' that distinguishes him.  He keeps the book at a good clip and doesn't waste our time with superfluous embellishments that lesser writers of the Genre tend to fall for.Old Man's War begins with essentially an old man, John Perry, who is 70 or so and a widower, he lives on an Earth that has the ability to colonize the star systems of outer space.  The catc
h here is that to enter into that outside you have to be old and you have to leave the Earth, for good.  You can't come back.  There is an interesting separation from the CDF (Colonial Defense Forces) and Earth, the CDF is in charge of the entire outer space colonization and doesn't share anything with Earth.  This is an interesting twist as one can imagine that Earth wouldn't be happy with such an unknown operating without its jurisdiction!  Once an old person joins the CDF they are given new bodies and this is what John Perry does... but with the sad note that his beloved wife 'Kathy' has died, as they had planned to join up together.  The just of this 'second life' is that you get a whole new life with the 'nothing to lose' attitude.  Scalzi doesn't go into the dimensions of this choice... he just has John Perry on his way to the CDF, where he will get a new body (green) and will have to fight for ten years a host of alien invaders for Planet
s to colonize.  The just of this is that it's not a safe environment out in space, with a number of other life forms all interested in a relatively small collection of planets.  So to earn his new body and life John Perry has to join this war.Scalzi gets the ball rolling very well here as we see John Perry grow through a number of troubles into a really crack and respected member of the CDF.  As the book continues there are some troubles at times where John has some battle shock and there are notes throughout the book of the people he has lost who came up with him, this 'family' he trained with and has kept in touch with.  The survival rate as a soldier isn't very good, about 30%... which is about right, so many of his friends have died.  The book really picks up as John and his troop must fight the Whaidians at the Battle for Coral... a planet where the human colony was decimated by the Whaidians and the CDF's Armada is destroyed by a 'superiour' al
ien race's gift to the Whaidians, John Perry survives this assault being rescued by a 'Ghost Brigade' these are soldiers like John but from the dead DNA of people who signed up for CDF on Earth but died before they could enroll... like John's wife Kathy.... and of course that is what happens, as John's wife is suddenly before him but she isn't really his wife but an artificially engineered persona named Jane Sagan.As the book continues John gets to know Jane Sagan and it's pretty interesting in that John (and two of his old friends) are the only soldiers to have survived the assault to get Coral back.  So it is pretty much a disaster for the CDF as they try to understand how the Whaidians learned of where they would be entering Coral Space.  And this forms the last part of the book as John becomes a really important part of the Colonial effort as victory and heroism become him.  Mr. Scalzi really has a good thing going, as he very deftly handles the book.John
Scalzi won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer for Old Man's War, and it was well deserved.

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The Shallows - What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains

The new electronic world in which we are living in is where everyone can gain access to every type of information at the click of a mouse. No need to go to the library and spend hours reading through every reference cited. General topic teachers are becoming less useful, only specialist teachers in the future will probably survive this brave new world.
Is this constant exposure to electronic stimuli good for us?
Are we able to use all this information?
Are we swapping deep understanding for shallow distractions?These thoughts are answered in Nicholas Carr's book, The Shallows.Nicholas Carr believes that the internet is having a huge impact on our behavior. The constant exposure to fast data and the new "multitasking" culture may be changing the way our brains are wired. This alteration is because of the inherent ability of the brain to rewire its connections based on different processes and stimuli. As a result this may affect our abilities to retain and absorb the knowledge and information that we used to acquire through reading or story telling. The author brings a lot of research to back up his claims which makes this book a very interesting read for all.Mr Carr accepts the fact that technology is now a dominant force that has both positive and negative aspects. The internet is a remarkably useful tool to find information, the downside of this is that we are not required to exercise our brains in doing so. He argues tha
t we need deep analysis and some mental exercise to achieve the best results, a great perspective of this internet issue that no one else is talking about. The Shallows is a fascinating exploration delving into philosophy, neuroscience, history and the inevitable consequences of this new revolutionary Internet based world.

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What is Reality in Physics?

Reality used to be a concept dealt with by philosophy and not science. This was changed by Galileo, when he divided physical phenomena into two classes. The first of these, what he called the "primary qualities", were suitable for scientific treatment and analysis, because they did not depend on the presence of a person. This independent existence freed them from the vagaries of individual observations Such subjective observations could be affected by health, ability to concentrate and a host of other personal factors, which affected the "secondary qualities" and made them unfit for scientific study. These secondary qualities did require the presence of a person and applied, in Galileo's opinion, to all observations made by the senses of smell, touch, hearing and taste.Galileo's primary qualities were very few in number and Rene Descartes later reduced them to just two, matter and motion. These qualities were independent of people. Their reality was therefore objective. On th
e other hand, the secondary qualities, which needed the presence of a person to register them through the senses mentioned, were subjective. These two realities, subjective and objective, were deeply embedded in philosophical traditions, dating back thousands of years to the ancient Greeks and beyond. In these philosophies, all physical phenomena in our world of nature, which needed our senses for their perception, were of merely subjective reality. This reality was considered very inferior to the objective reality of the divine world, which of course was beyond the direct perception of our ordinary senses and thus also beyond the need of our human presence to exist. This divine world was not just a world of religious belief in these philosophies. It was a world of real existence and the realm of all "true" knowledge. It could be accessed by people specially trained for such contact, such as oracles, seers and mystics.Galileo's revolutionary thinking can now be fully appreci
ated. He had the audacity to take the concept of objective reality, as a property of the divine world only, and tack it on to his two primary qualities of matter and motion, which were properties of the lowly world of nature. Matter and motion were now the exclusive subjects of his new science, physics. They formed the basis of all Newton's great synthesis of natural laws. They were the foundation concepts of a philosophy, scientific determinism, and of a model of the world that ruled physics until the 1920s, when it had to be abandoned.The consequences of Galileo's actions in these matters were quite extraordinary and have lasted to this day. While he himself was careful to limit objective reality to only his two primary qualities of matter and motion, as time went on scientists began to treat all natural phenomena, perceived by all our senses, as having an independent existence of their own. This allowed them to postulate that the history of nature was quite independent of
the history of man, so that it could be extrapolated to the earliest periods of this earth's existence, long before the appearance on the scene of man. It may seem extraordinary to us today, but this method of perceiving the geological history of the world is no older than Galileo. Before him, at least in Christian times, the world started in 4004 BC. There was also another consequence. This independent matter was now perceived as the primal substance, from which everything else that has appeared on earth, such as life, feeling and consciousness, has evolved by means of purely natural, random processes.Objective reality disappeared from physics in the 1920s, when scientific determinism, based on the total predictability of cause and effect, had to be abandoned as it no longer represented the facts discovered by the new branches of physics, especially quantum mechanics, which required the inclusion of Heisenberg's Principle of Uncertainty. For the last eighty or more years,
therefore, physics has operated on the basis of subjective reality only. It no longer recognizes Galileo's division of natural phenomena into two classes: for modern physics, all perceived natural phenomena are of a subjective nature, because they require the apparatus of our senses. Galileo's attempt to make some "qualities" of matter objective has simply been ignored by modern physics, which is not interested in philosophical errors of hundreds of years ago. As the divine world was eliminated by science, so its objective reality has also been removed. In this, modern physics has recognized that Galileo made a fundamental error when saying that his primary qualities did not need the presence of a person. Matter and motion still had to be perceived in order to be dealt with by science. The sense of sight was therefore involved and the sense of sight is still a physical sense and thus subjective.All these developments in physics have left loose ends dangling about. If matter
is now no longer considered objective, must we not alter our assumptions about the very early eons of the earth's existence, before the appearance of man? Philosophically speaking, how does the absence of objective reality affect us in our relationship with nature? If we only accept subjective reality now in our science, does this not mean that we must regard ourselves as the creators of the world? Only to the creator is everything around him subjective, because he himself has created everything! Then again, if matter is merely a subjective appearance, of which we are aware only through our sense perceptions, can it really be the primal, independent substance from which everything else has been derived?All these musings about the nature of reality are beginning to be important because of recent developments in particle physics. What, for instance, can be said about the reality of a string particle? This particle is defined as the ultimate, irreducible matter particle. It is
also defined as having only one dimension, length. Our sense structure is not built to perceive an object of only one dimension anywhere in our physical world. So we cannot call the string particle subjectively real, like other physical phenomena. But if matter is considered to be subjectively real, should not the origin of matter, the ultimate, irreducible particle of matter, also be real? Here again, the absence of objective reality in physics today is becoming a problem.Subjective reality is becoming interesting to physics in another line of investigation being followed. The old question, posed by Bishop Berkeley and others, about the existence of the world if we are not there to perceive it, can now be investigated scientifically. The results of two such investigations have recently been published, one conducted in Japan and the other in Canada. Both used photons as the particles being observed and then not observed. The last part was achieved mathematically by not compl
eting the procedures under observation. The results in both cases indicate that the world does indeed continue to exist when we are not observing it, but some of the results were nevertheless startling. Some of these photons, which should have been somewhere, simply disappeared. The Japanese experimenter called this result "preposterous".Galileo's Shadow is a book that deals with these conflicting concepts of reality within physics. It suggests a way to reincorporate objective reality back into science, as well as many other problems in physics that are becoming increasingly urgent. One of the aims of the book is to make physics accessible again to a broader audience, where it used to be in the age of Newton, when ordinary educated people could understand its broad concepts even if they were not mathematical geniuses.

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What to Wear For the Rest of Your Life - No Closet in Style Without It

It can be the most special and protected space in every well-dressed woman's home. No, not the kitchen or the great room. It's her closet. No matter the size it is in many ways the one space that comes closest to defining her persona, past, present and even future. In this nearly hallowed space you'll find side by side her special occasions, her everyday, her triumphs, and even her disasters. And of course there you'll find the fondest held memories and some she should just let go.Such is the perspective of What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life: Ageless Secrets of Style, by former Ford Model and fashion editor Kim Johnson Gross. Is this fact of modern life true for you, too?For many women, the answer is a definite "Yes!" That nearly sacred space in your home is often a chest of dreams, treasures, hopes, fairy tales, flops and fashion failures complete with the inevitable and dreaded closet crisis. Who hasn't rolled out of bed and walked blindly into a hopeless moment, or two
, of fashion desperation. There you stood in the middle of all your apparel, yet feeling that you had absolutely nothing to wear? Alas, you languished in the throe of another closet crisis?Chin up! With What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life, Kim Johnson Gross not only delivers expert help to reconsider your closet identity, but also offers relevant tips to discover who you want to be.To illustrate her points, Gross shares her own personal journey as well as the intimate, poignant and often humorous stories of the dozens of women she interviewed across the country for her book.Gross, of course, has filled this book with smart fashion advice and tips about how to choose the appropriate yet flattering apparel for any woman's size, shape and style. But it is the authentic stories of clothes, and wearing them, from various women that will engage and inform every woman who wants to evolve with grace and style through the major stages of womanhood.There are stories and advice for
wives, mothers, empty nesters, and even for globe-trotting adventurers. There are stories for whatever role a modern woman chooses during her life. The reader can see in fashion savvy detail how to apply style to her identity, using it to unveil her unique beauty.With uncanny insight and wit, What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life is as entertaining as it is informative.. This collection of fashion tips and advice is delightfully, accented also with many unforgettable, if not profound, quotes from the fashion giants, icons, and sophisticated fashionistas and fashion leaders of the modern eras, Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Diane von Furstenberg and even Michelle Obama. It seems now no closet is complete without a copy of What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life.(c) Copyright - David Eikon. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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A Humorous Look at Traveling and Living In Southeast Asia

Tom McLaughlin's new book, Borneo Tom, could be a travel guide through Southeast Asia - but it's also much more than that. You'll get the entire scoop on what it's like to travel through Borneo, Malaysia and Southeast Asia, live among the orangutans and develop a serious relationship through it all.The sketches in Borneo Tom help to tell the tale of how a middle-aged, retired science teacher decided to take off and blaze new and never-before tried experiences. After caring for his parents during the years before their end of life, Tom impulsively decided to move to Borneo and travel through Southeast Asia. What happens next will captivate you.His daring may seem a bit radical to some, but to Tom it's part of his personality and adventurous spirit. After getting to know people of the Islamic faith in Southeast Asia, McLaughlin decided to write Borneo Tom to try and educate people and reduce the bigotry and prejudice against them. Tom writes about his experiences with people of
the Islamic faith and portrays them in a different light than the mainstream media.The plight of the orangutan is also featured in Borneo Tom. Efforts to help these magnificent creatures are mentioned in the book, and McLaughlin has even designated a portion of the proceeds from the book to benefit this worthy cause. The illustrations of orangutans in Borneo Tom portray them and how they interact with humans in a hilarious way that will endear them to readers and make them want to learn more.Illustrations sometimes make a book and the ones in Borneo Tom will make readers smile and create a true picture in their own minds about the life McLaughlin lived during his time traveling through Southeast Asia. A man called Waterfront Niki created the sketches. Niki lives near the Sarawak River in Borneo and on the walkway there, he sketches portraits for tourist of all nations and has gained fame throughout the region for his work.Borneo Tom is for anyone who always wanted to escape
the norm and try something new - a new culture, new relationship, scenery and way of life. It took courage and determination to make such a lifestyle change work, and Borneo Tom proves that Tom McLaughlin succeeded in his quest.McLaughlin found love with a local girl in Southeast Asia and a miracle occurred when she became pregnant in spite of the vasectomy Tom had gotten a few years before. The story of their newly found love permeates the book and turns Borneo Tom into a travel guide/love story/life changing tale.

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The Mayan Prophecies: 2012 - The Message and The Vision by Gerald Benedict

This book describes the 21 Prophecies that Benedict has drawn from a variety of sources, mainly from the Chilam Balam Books. I will comment on the ones most relevant to 2012. Please note that these Prophecies do not predict the end of the world.The Maya are of interest as we approach 2012 because a) December 21, 2012 is the end of their Long Count calendar and b) sunrise on that date marks the end of the cycle of the precession with an alignment of the Sun and the Milky Way, which happens only every 26,000 years.The most important role of the Chilam Balam, the jaguar priests or shamans, was prophecy. These priests received their prophecies in a trance. Shamans were the mediums between the material and spiritual world. They were connected to the jaguars because these animals could roam between night and day, thus representing the idea of journeying between the two worlds.Some of the Prophecies:1) The Emergence of Contemporary Mayan Masters and TeachersThe emergence of these te
achers is to help people acquire "cosmic wisdom." Not all of the teachers will be Maya, however, but will represent all religions, cultures, and ages and will be concerned with problems from a materialistic education, the negative influences of technology, and our separation from nature.2) The Return to Mayan Ceremonial Sites This refers to the need to recover our awareness of and sensitivity to places with spiritual energy and knowledge in our current environment not just in designated places. This relates to the discussion on energies mentioned in Barrios' book above.3) The Return of a Supreme BeingThis predicted return is not the return of the ancient god Quetzalcoatl, also called Kukulcan, but a time when each of us becomes divine with new knowledge. We are Quetzalcoatl or Kukulcan. The point is to seek connection and union with the divine. This is similar to the Second Coming that many Christians expect. Is it possible that this Second Coming, or return of a supreme bei
ng, is very different from what is currently believed by many? Is it possible that this return is similar to the Mayan view that each of us is becoming aware of our own divinity? Is it possible that we are all more closely aligned in our views that once thought?4) Galactic SynchronizationThis means the Earth and other planets of the solar system will be in alignment with a point in the Milky Way. This marks the beginning of a new world age.5) Transition to a New AgeRelated to the Prophecy above, the 5th Mayan world is coming to an end in 2012. Other cultures have similar 4 or 5 different worlds, each time a new phase starting after the completion of the previous one. This is not an end of the world, but an end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one.6) The Unity of MankindRaces, religions and classes will be drawn together.7) The Recovered MemoryThis period is referred to as the "great forgetting" but the new time coming will be when we will remember and gain a wisdom abou
t the universe.8) The Destruction of Earth and Earth changesThis is a time of earthquakes and volcanoes, huge winds and storms. There will be no sudden end of the world but local, natural catastrophes will occur. Of course, we are seeing such disasters already in 2011 in many parts of the world. The effects of the energy won't wait until December, 2012.9) Transcending Technology Does today's technology contribute to the quality of life? While the Internet connects us, has it gone too far as we tend to worship it as the answer to life? Has technology become an excuse to create a more separate, material life allowing no alone time? This prophecy talks of our need to reconnect with nature and not allow technology to control us.10) TimeWe must change the way we view time. 3-dimensional space and linear time are too limiting. This is not the end of time, but the end of our current way of thinking about time. There is a problem with linear time. We need to see it differently and r
econnect with natural cycles, or natural time. Mayans were obsessed with time and measuring time, especially long cycles, and their ability to do this remains a mystery.Benedict provides dates and history of the Mayan Civilization, beginning with Preclassic 2000BCE - 250CE, Classic 250CE - 900 CE and Postclassic 900-1520. The photographs of the Mayan ruins and art are spectacular, along with the illustrations. There is also detailed explanation of the calendars. The majority of the book is a discussion of 21 Prophecies. He has also written a second book called The Maya 2012: The end of the world or the dawn of enlightenment? that further discusses the prophecies.This book does not resolve the question of 2012, but Benedict provides valuable research and data to help lead to some answers.

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Book Summary - Innovation Is Everybody's Business - Written by Robert Tucker

This is an interesting book. I am writing this summary two days after the passing of Steve Job's. Here is a man that epitomized Innovation. This is what caught my attention with this book. Everybody thinks of innovation being delivered from the top down. This is true in some cases but not true if you want to cement your value for the organization you work for.Why is this important to me? I am not going to waste your time. Let's face it - most people work for somebody else and this is where this book can really help you in your career. I will put a spin on the ideas and share with you how I act when my teammates demonstrate these traits. I can tell you that they get rewarded even if we disagree. I need unique thoughts, innovations and opinions to keep our organization winning the game.The number of people sleep walking through their jobs is heartbreaking. I would not wish that upon my worst enemy because it is a waste of time and energy. A Towers Perrin study shows that just 2
1% of employees are engaged in the work they do and 38% are totally disengaged. This equates to below average results, bad customer service and no profit.The cornerstone of innovation is a pretty simple idea and that is to Eliminate. If you consider the design of the IPOD you see elimination at work. Compare it to a standard Casio MP3 player and look at the differences in packaging, buttons, sturdiness and usability. The IPOD has a lot less and is worth much more.Robert's book is broken down into 7 different Innovation or I-Skills. For the sake of time, I am going to highlight three major points and give you my spin on why they are important from a business owner's perspective.1. Annoyances - Annoyances provide unlimited opportunities for innovation. Think about every time your customer calls in with a complaint there is an opportunity to think about the complaint and fix it so it does not happen again. This is an iterative process that yields results. The key is to put a so
lution into place and start it.2. Eliminate - People buy for two reasons either to eliminate pain or gain pleasure. In order to have more pleasure than eliminating the non-essentials becomes critical. Creating value and focusing on value oriented work is the staple of a successful organization. Thus the nonsensical work needs to be identified and eliminated. The key is to schedule time and take note of what you are doing. Think about these stats - the average manager receives 150 emails per day, knowledge workers get interrupted on average, every three minutes and 25% of workers say their meetings, emails and voicemails are unmanageable. How much of this busy work truly adds value? Answer that question and you can contribute to making a great organization.3. Action - Innovation is a mindset that simple requires you take action. Assuming that nobody cares or nothing will ever change is a cop out and excuse to stay disengaged. I can tell you that if you show potential as an in
novator there is one person in the organization that will care and that is the one who signs your checks.For your review, below are the seven I-skills. I won't go into detail on them in the summary but want to share them so you get a flavor of the book.Embrace the Opportunity MindsetBecome an Assumption AssaulterCultivate a passion for the end customerThink ahead of the curveBecome an Idea FactoryBecome a Standout CollaboratorBuild the Buy-in for New IdeasInnovation truly is Everybody's Business. Engage in the thing that most people won't and watch your career blossom. Henry Ford said - "Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably why so few engage in it. I hope you have found this short summary useful. The key to any new idea is to work it into your daily routine until it becomes habit. Habits form in as little as 21 days. One thing you can take away from this book is to Eliminate. Take inventory of the things you do each day for one week and see where your tim
e goes. Are you spending it or investing it? Focus on the investment side and your career and life will change.

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The King James Bible

I heard Kenneth Copeland say that the Bible is the atlas to life. I agree with that. It's true, The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It's the greatest seed which will produce the greatest harvest. It's alive. It is the incorruptible seed that will harvest for the believer. It's an everlasting promise for all life. It's forever settled in heaven. It's thee book of books that you can find an answer for your problem within it.The word of God is capable of changing your life. Honestly it is the atlas of life. Whatever you allow into your life you are allowing it to conduct your entire life, your entire being, your entire destiny. The Bible is 100% True.If you are full of lies, guess what you are full of confusion, blindness, hindrances, lack, hopelessness and ultimately the curse of the law. Jesus can take that burden away and bless you with a wealth of hidden truths when you make HIM Lord over your life.When you are full of the truth, you are FULL OF REVELATION, BREAKTHROUGH,
ABUNDANCE, PEACE, LOVE, LIFE and LIGHT AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!The Bible is a guide for living life to the fullest until it overflows into others and it go's on and on to your children lives. It gives us a road map and guides us through life to go higher and higher in life, further and further in life.It is the atlas of life's ocean and all along the voyage we find out that it is also our anchor.It is a Holy treasury of insight as to who we are and who we are not.It is a blessed storehouse of wonderful books and stories for children and grownups for insight, strength, education, declaration, peace, deliverance, salvation, wisdom, healing, growth, joy, hope, increase, breakthrough, abundance, protection, Holiness, direction, guidance, trust, love and just about everything you can think of, Praise God.In the Divine, and Holy inspiration of all 66 books of the Old and New Testaments as originally given that The Word Of GOD guarantees to the believer that with their total trust in t
he Word of the living God has absolute authority in their life. In their life faith in the greatest book ever written for all time.As I have heard from a friend Dave Matthews, He said the Bible is not just an atlas, but a history text, a Directory for problem solving, a teaching aid for life studies and social studies, a day planner, for our daily needs, and to remind us of all that is important in life and in general and more. Wow, he hit it with that one.Do you honor and value His Word? I DIDN'T AT ONE TIME, BUT I DO NOW! Yes I didn't value the greatest book in history for a few years but I wisely woke up from my slumber and now that's all I talk about.I give The Bible 2 thumbs way up since (I think) it's the most valuable book in all history.

View this post on my blog: http://www.yourgamebook.com/the-king-james-bible.html

Ultimate Goal Setting - "The Midas Method" by Stuart Goldsmith

I have been aware for many years of the benefits of setting goals. Corporate Managerial Training Courses and books that I had read featured a variety of different approaches to the subject. I understood that the majority, if not all, of successful people used Goal Setting as one of the most important weapons in their armoury to get to where they wanted to be. I even had Goals for myself, or at least I thought I did.I have only just realised that even though I have had ideas and aspirations about what I wanted to achieve in life for a many years now I have never managed to transform them into a serious Goal within my subconscious mind. Unknowingly, I had never understood how to turn a dream into a Goal.I bought The Midas Method only a few short weeks ago and read it cover to cover in one day. It was written by Stuart Goldsmith twenty years ago but the only thing dated in it is the income levels he talks about in those days and the suggestion that an intermediate goal may be to
own a "new VHS video recorder type JVX 1600PD"!!It is not just about Goal Setting. He goes into detail about how two different types of belief systems have been programmed into our subconscious mind since birth, affecting our potential to achieve our Goals. There is a consensus from all authors on this subject that you will not achieve your Goals, you will not be successful, unless you have belief in yourself.Belief that you are worthy of being successful- this he calls Positive Self Image belief and belief in your ability to be successful- I-CAN belief. There is a short test to see where your strengths and weaknesses lie and some simple exercises to work on them. The aim is to retrain the subconscious mind that has been holding you back after many years of programming of irrational fears and doubt.In the Goal Setting section there is a defined process to be followed. He maps out how to set the initial goals, gives examples of the level you should be aiming at, the time sca
le and how to visualise what you will achieve. This process is very important as you will need to start with more achievable goals for your mind to accept at first before hitting it with the "I will be a Millionaire by the time I am 40" goal.He warns you not to be too bold with your first Goals but I did pitch mine slightly above the level that he suggested. One was quite an easy DIY job to complete (although it had been outstanding for three years), another was to run a route of about a mile everyday for two weeks (I don't like running and hadn't done any for about 15 years) and the last two were business related. One of the business Goals was very tough and I did worry half way through if I was going to succeed, but I did. It was a great feeling. But it was my following experience that I found most remarkable.At the time of writing, I finished those Goals ten days ago. For one week I did not replace those Goals, I kept meaning to get around to it but never did and didn't r
eally achieve much for the whole week. Three days ago I finally sat down and wrote four new Goals, at a more challenging level, and almost immediately, like a light switch being flicked on, I felt charged and totally focused once again.For a long time I have realised that the conditioning of the human mind rather upbringing or education is the reason for our success or otherwise in this world but, until now, I never had a system that I could choose to make it work for me. This is just one version of many out there that may make it work for you.

View this post on my blog: http://www.yourgamebook.com/ultimate-goal-setting-the-midas-method-by-stuart-goldsmith.html

An Enemy Called Average - No Not Me

I read an inspiring book. The headline reads: "WARNING this book can be hazardous to areas of mediocrity in your life" An Enemy called AVERAGE by John Mason.This grabbed my attention. I do not want to settle for an average life, I want to go past the middle and go right to the top.As humans we all have the natural built-in desire to be different, to excel, to go higher, to contribute, to grow, to move forward, to be above average, but the challenges and hassles in this world drags us back. At least so was the thinking, until I made the decision that enough is enough to remain a victim of mediocrity.I've always tried to defend my present position and situation and got me nowhere until I was told by my close friend that we all have a role to play in this world and I should move away from being defensive and become more offensive.I've noticed that all whom I was acquainted with fell in two groups, they either fit in the defensive type (and not too popular) or the offensive type
and contributed favourably to many pressing issues of life. I observed my own style did not contribute, but was looking at the problem rather than solution. This book challenged me to read it then to make a decision within.A good strategy is that when your feet touch the floor in the morning you mentally think offensively, today I'll take control of the challenges, because God has given everyone the power to control our minds. If we don't then the problem will control us, the choice lies within.God has given us talents and gifts they lie dormant in our minds. The seed of talent never germinates, but an active decision gives it water which makes it to grow. Think like a person of action and act like a person of faith. The more we use these gifts and talents the stronger it grows. It has to grow, it is a law. If we don't water it, offensive people will naturally help other offensive individuals to reach their goals, while defensive people will be left behind. That is a law. Ju
st begin with a million dollar worth of determination. The postage stamp consists of the ability to stick to an envelope until it gets there. Persistence and endurance guarantees a change from within.When I asked myself; What ONE decision would I make if I knew that it would not fail? I realized that successful people with an "offensive mind" gained control over their time and time did not control them, neither did their obstacles. They went around the obstacle, they went over then or they broke it into pieces. It is the first thing to decide upon in the morning and the last thing before sleeping that a decision must be made that we have the talent and the gift to persevere and not to be content with mediocrity. The solution is within; it is in the decision process. The future arrives an hour at a time for every living being. The decision then - make a decision today I will be assertive and use my offensive ability to go through this obstacle, it will not role over me, never
.Wishful thinking is mediocre thinking, but offensive thinking and decisive thinking is to commit to ones dreams. Success is on the horizon, strength is generated by the seed you are watering within. Help arrives even at the last minute.The more I looked backward the less I could see forward, my defensive mind pulled out the yesterday failures until I realized that offensive minds seeks to get answers. The choice was mine and so it is for every living human being, we have choices. I chose to be offensive and rejoiced about it. If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done, never. We are called to make progress not excuses. I choose to operate with an offensive mind.To have a defensive mind is to have fear in the mind and fear is a blunt tool to carve out tomorrow. Fear is an ENEMY. Fear and worry are interest paid in advance on something you may never own. Whereas offensive minds casts out fear and move forward. Worry gives a small thing a BIG shadow.
Worry will lead from somewhere to nowhere, the choice is within each one of us.Words are important; it plants seeds into other people's lives. A defensive mind plants seeds of weeds. An offensive mind plants seeds of food for the soul that is uplifting to others. Every day we make decisions, we choose one or the other:"Growing or dying, Trying or committing, Destruction or development, Resisting or receiving, demanding more or excusing ourselves, Progress or regression, Solutions or problems"Our Creator does not give up on anyone who does not quit, but will see us through till the end.Say to yourself, I will write down my vision and pursue it daily with an offensive mind. Say it out loud; claim it as if it has been achieved already. Write it down on paper. By writing ones' vision down will start a fire inside you. Believe in your vision. That is an offensive mind. The ENEMY of mediocrity will flee and the higher offensive mind will launch itself into top position. The offens
ive mind will zoom onto the written goal, the vision and the excitement of the heart. With this inner commitment the outer goal becomes easier. If you can't see the mark, you can't press towards it.An offensive mind sees the possibilities in others, an offensive mind smiles a lot, it is happy most of the time. A smile adds value to the face, it improves ones' personality, it builds character.A smile is a powerful weapon, it is very contagious if combined with an offensive mind it can move mountains and stop wars.People always get sent to cross our paths to help us when we need help. The words written in this article are crossing your path right now, view it, internalized it and take it to heart. It is powerful.Decide for yourself, learn yourself and answer yourself. An offensive mind is a winning mind. A winning mind gets up after a knock down; we are obliged to learn from it. Successful people had more failures than mediocre people, those who never try, never fail, but neve
r wins either. God sees us as learners, those who never hold onto past failures. No chances also means no advances, aim high, have an offensive mind and mediocrity will give way to success.Rising above mediocrity never just happens; it is always a result of faith combined with works. There is always room at the top for anyone who is willing to say, I'll serve. Before looking for a way to get, look for ways to give. A goldmine has no value until it is being worked on. Work on the inside and the glitter will appear on the outside. In the eyes of average people, average is always outstanding. It is not so for the person with an offensive mind combined with faith.We are called to stand out not to blend in, it only happens when you climb above mediocrity.We must be moved by what we do not see; rather say, I've had enough of this challenge. Now is the time, I'm going to get through this what I see and move towards my vision with faith.Say NO to many good ideas coming to you or els
e you will spread yourself so thin that you are mediocre in everything and excellent in nothing. An "offensive mind" can say NO and focus in on generating results only. It does not mean "never", but it means not right now. There is power in the word NO. It can free you from burdens that you really don't need to carry right now. YES and NO are the two most important words that we will ever say, it determines the destiny in our life.Everything big starts with something small and we all received small talents at birth. When we grow and use these talents we qualify to receive bigger talents, it never ends, keep growing.Learn to grow where you were planted. Choose to think eternally, but act daily, this attitude comes from an offensive mind. No obstacle will ever leave you the way it found you, you either will be better or you will be worse. Mediocre people tend to become tamed and subdued by obstacles, great leaders rise above obstacles. Your mind decides and the choice is yours
.An offensive mind is normally a leader and it is always full of praise. It says thank you and it is growing. It makes others feel better, it is a servant it does what is right not what is popular.We should look for opportunities to invest ourselves in others and to help make them better.A real home-based business on the internet offers such an opportunity to anybody around the world. It is exciting, it is educational to you and to others, it takes patience and persistence. It makes a leader to become a servant. Leaders invest in others and believe in that person.The call in my life is not to be a copy in life, but to be an original. An offensive mind will never compare himself with other people; each person is unique in its own right.Persistence into a certain direction is God's way to speak to us and is not just an idea that comes to mind and this makes each person unique. Direction is a matter of fact; ideas are a matter of opinion.Take solitude time for yourself, you wil
l hear much more clearly about how to go ahead. Silence is an environment in which great ideas are breathed, a place of refuge, it is to "retreat to advance" it is a time to focus from within. Spend this quality time often in our Creator's presence and share your loftiest dreams with Him while in His presence. Yes, Retreat to advance.When you stop your bicycle ride, you will fall off. There are three types of people:(1). Those who make things happen (2). Those who watch things happen(3). Those who wonder what is happening.Our call in life is heard not seen, divine direction is heard not seen. Learn to distinguish between the voices that come your way, especially the foggy voices. Learn to "hear" on the inside, not what we "see" on the outside. God's presence is more valuable than His presents. His presence offers joy, it offers light, it offers divine protection and finally it offers great peace.When wisdom reigns, it pours, but we should expect wisdom to be given. Wisdom is
seeing everything from God's perspective. As humans we have available to us the wisdom of the Creator of the universe. We can drink from the fountain of His wisdom for free.We stand tallest when we are low down, we will get wisdom when we ask for it.There are two kinds of listening: hearing and interact with humans and hearing the spiritual voice of God. We need to learn to listen aggressively, but we must try harder to truly listen and not just hear when people talk. A person gains spiritual wisdom when you listen and hear the voice of your Creator. An offensive mind will remember that it is not the absence of problems that gives us peace, but it's God's presence with us during our problem that gives us peace.An offensive mind never looks back, it looks forward. A mediocre mind becomes stale and never expands. A mediocre mind is an enemy to society, it settles for an average life and nation starts to stagnate. An "offensive mind" operates with decisive thinking and it comm
its to the requests of the dreamer with great joy.Reading this book was inspiring and is highly recommended for any person who believes that there is an enemy called Average. When you become aware of this enemy and take action to raise your bar a higher insight to life becomes more exciting.

View this post on my blog: http://www.yourgamebook.com/an-enemy-called-average-no-not-me.html

An Enemy Called Average - No Not Me

I read an inspiring book. The headline reads: "WARNING this book can be hazardous to areas of mediocrity in your life" An Enemy called AVERAGE by John Mason.This grabbed my attention. I do not want to settle for an average life, I want to go past the middle and go right to the top.As humans we all have the natural built-in desire to be different, to excel, to go higher, to contribute, to grow, to move forward, to be above average, but the challenges and hassles in this world drags us back. At least so was the thinking, until I made the decision that enough is enough to remain a victim of mediocrity.I've always tried to defend my present position and situation and got me nowhere until I was told by my close friend that we all have a role to play in this world and I should move away from being defensive and become more offensive.I've noticed that all whom I was acquainted with fell in two groups, they either fit in the defensive type (and not too popular) or the offensive type
and contributed favourably to many pressing issues of life. I observed my own style did not contribute, but was looking at the problem rather than solution. This book challenged me to read it then to make a decision within.A good strategy is that when your feet touch the floor in the morning you mentally think offensively, today I'll take control of the challenges, because God has given everyone the power to control our minds. If we don't then the problem will control us, the choice lies within.God has given us talents and gifts they lie dormant in our minds. The seed of talent never germinates, but an active decision gives it water which makes it to grow. Think like a person of action and act like a person of faith. The more we use these gifts and talents the stronger it grows. It has to grow, it is a law. If we don't water it, offensive people will naturally help other offensive individuals to reach their goals, while defensive people will be left behind. That is a law. Ju
st begin with a million dollar worth of determination. The postage stamp consists of the ability to stick to an envelope until it gets there. Persistence and endurance guarantees a change from within.When I asked myself; What ONE decision would I make if I knew that it would not fail? I realized that successful people with an "offensive mind" gained control over their time and time did not control them, neither did their obstacles. They went around the obstacle, they went over then or they broke it into pieces. It is the first thing to decide upon in the morning and the last thing before sleeping that a decision must be made that we have the talent and the gift to persevere and not to be content with mediocrity. The solution is within; it is in the decision process. The future arrives an hour at a time for every living being. The decision then - make a decision today I will be assertive and use my offensive ability to go through this obstacle, it will not role over me, never
.Wishful thinking is mediocre thinking, but offensive thinking and decisive thinking is to commit to ones dreams. Success is on the horizon, strength is generated by the seed you are watering within. Help arrives even at the last minute.The more I looked backward the less I could see forward, my defensive mind pulled out the yesterday failures until I realized that offensive minds seeks to get answers. The choice was mine and so it is for every living human being, we have choices. I chose to be offensive and rejoiced about it. If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done, never. We are called to make progress not excuses. I choose to operate with an offensive mind.To have a defensive mind is to have fear in the mind and fear is a blunt tool to carve out tomorrow. Fear is an ENEMY. Fear and worry are interest paid in advance on something you may never own. Whereas offensive minds casts out fear and move forward. Worry gives a small thing a BIG shadow.
Worry will lead from somewhere to nowhere, the choice is within each one of us.Words are important; it plants seeds into other people's lives. A defensive mind plants seeds of weeds. An offensive mind plants seeds of food for the soul that is uplifting to others. Every day we make decisions, we choose one or the other:"Growing or dying, Trying or committing, Destruction or development, Resisting or receiving, demanding more or excusing ourselves, Progress or regression, Solutions or problems"Our Creator does not give up on anyone who does not quit, but will see us through till the end.Say to yourself, I will write down my vision and pursue it daily with an offensive mind. Say it out loud; claim it as if it has been achieved already. Write it down on paper. By writing ones' vision down will start a fire inside you. Believe in your vision. That is an offensive mind. The ENEMY of mediocrity will flee and the higher offensive mind will launch itself into top position. The offens
ive mind will zoom onto the written goal, the vision and the excitement of the heart. With this inner commitment the outer goal becomes easier. If you can't see the mark, you can't press towards it.An offensive mind sees the possibilities in others, an offensive mind smiles a lot, it is happy most of the time. A smile adds value to the face, it improves ones' personality, it builds character.A smile is a powerful weapon, it is very contagious if combined with an offensive mind it can move mountains and stop wars.People always get sent to cross our paths to help us when we need help. The words written in this article are crossing your path right now, view it, internalized it and take it to heart. It is powerful.Decide for yourself, learn yourself and answer yourself. An offensive mind is a winning mind. A winning mind gets up after a knock down; we are obliged to learn from it. Successful people had more failures than mediocre people, those who never try, never fail, but neve
r wins either. God sees us as learners, those who never hold onto past failures. No chances also means no advances, aim high, have an offensive mind and mediocrity will give way to success.Rising above mediocrity never just happens; it is always a result of faith combined with works. There is always room at the top for anyone who is willing to say, I'll serve. Before looking for a way to get, look for ways to give. A goldmine has no value until it is being worked on. Work on the inside and the glitter will appear on the outside. In the eyes of average people, average is always outstanding. It is not so for the person with an offensive mind combined with faith.We are called to stand out not to blend in, it only happens when you climb above mediocrity.We must be moved by what we do not see; rather say, I've had enough of this challenge. Now is the time, I'm going to get through this what I see and move towards my vision with faith.Say NO to many good ideas coming to you or els
e you will spread yourself so thin that you are mediocre in everything and excellent in nothing. An "offensive mind" can say NO and focus in on generating results only. It does not mean "never", but it means not right now. There is power in the word NO. It can free you from burdens that you really don't need to carry right now. YES and NO are the two most important words that we will ever say, it determines the destiny in our life.Everything big starts with something small and we all received small talents at birth. When we grow and use these talents we qualify to receive bigger talents, it never ends, keep growing.Learn to grow where you were planted. Choose to think eternally, but act daily, this attitude comes from an offensive mind. No obstacle will ever leave you the way it found you, you either will be better or you will be worse. Mediocre people tend to become tamed and subdued by obstacles, great leaders rise above obstacles. Your mind decides and the choice is yours
.An offensive mind is normally a leader and it is always full of praise. It says thank you and it is growing. It makes others feel better, it is a servant it does what is right not what is popular.We should look for opportunities to invest ourselves in others and to help make them better.A real home-based business on the internet offers such an opportunity to anybody around the world. It is exciting, it is educational to you and to others, it takes patience and persistence. It makes a leader to become a servant. Leaders invest in others and believe in that person.The call in my life is not to be a copy in life, but to be an original. An offensive mind will never compare himself with other people; each person is unique in its own right.Persistence into a certain direction is God's way to speak to us and is not just an idea that comes to mind and this makes each person unique. Direction is a matter of fact; ideas are a matter of opinion.Take solitude time for yourself, you wil
l hear much more clearly about how to go ahead. Silence is an environment in which great ideas are breathed, a place of refuge, it is to "retreat to advance" it is a time to focus from within. Spend this quality time often in our Creator's presence and share your loftiest dreams with Him while in His presence. Yes, Retreat to advance.When you stop your bicycle ride, you will fall off. There are three types of people:(1). Those who make things happen (2). Those who watch things happen(3). Those who wonder what is happening.Our call in life is heard not seen, divine direction is heard not seen. Learn to distinguish between the voices that come your way, especially the foggy voices. Learn to "hear" on the inside, not what we "see" on the outside. God's presence is more valuable than His presents. His presence offers joy, it offers light, it offers divine protection and finally it offers great peace.When wisdom reigns, it pours, but we should expect wisdom to be given. Wisdom is
seeing everything from God's perspective. As humans we have available to us the wisdom of the Creator of the universe. We can drink from the fountain of His wisdom for free.We stand tallest when we are low down, we will get wisdom when we ask for it.There are two kinds of listening: hearing and interact with humans and hearing the spiritual voice of God. We need to learn to listen aggressively, but we must try harder to truly listen and not just hear when people talk. A person gains spiritual wisdom when you listen and hear the voice of your Creator. An offensive mind will remember that it is not the absence of problems that gives us peace, but it's God's presence with us during our problem that gives us peace.An offensive mind never looks back, it looks forward. A mediocre mind becomes stale and never expands. A mediocre mind is an enemy to society, it settles for an average life and nation starts to stagnate. An "offensive mind" operates with decisive thinking and it comm
its to the requests of the dreamer with great joy.Reading this book was inspiring and is highly recommended for any person who believes that there is an enemy called Average. When you become aware of this enemy and take action to raise your bar a higher insight to life becomes more exciting.

View this post on my blog: http://www.yourgamebook.com/an-enemy-called-average-no-not-me.html

An Enemy Called Average - No Not Me

I read an inspiring book. The headline reads: "WARNING this book can be hazardous to areas of mediocrity in your life" An Enemy called AVERAGE by John Mason.This grabbed my attention. I do not want to settle for an average life, I want to go past the middle and go right to the top.As humans we all have the natural built-in desire to be different, to excel, to go higher, to contribute, to grow, to move forward, to be above average, but the challenges and hassles in this world drags us back. At least so was the thinking, until I made the decision that enough is enough to remain a victim of mediocrity.I've always tried to defend my present position and situation and got me nowhere until I was told by my close friend that we all have a role to play in this world and I should move away from being defensive and become more offensive.I've noticed that all whom I was acquainted with fell in two groups, they either fit in the defensive type (and not too popular) or the offensive type
and contributed favourably to many pressing issues of life. I observed my own style did not contribute, but was looking at the problem rather than solution. This book challenged me to read it then to make a decision within.A good strategy is that when your feet touch the floor in the morning you mentally think offensively, today I'll take control of the challenges, because God has given everyone the power to control our minds. If we don't then the problem will control us, the choice lies within.God has given us talents and gifts they lie dormant in our minds. The seed of talent never germinates, but an active decision gives it water which makes it to grow. Think like a person of action and act like a person of faith. The more we use these gifts and talents the stronger it grows. It has to grow, it is a law. If we don't water it, offensive people will naturally help other offensive individuals to reach their goals, while defensive people will be left behind. That is a law. Ju
st begin with a million dollar worth of determination. The postage stamp consists of the ability to stick to an envelope until it gets there. Persistence and endurance guarantees a change from within.When I asked myself; What ONE decision would I make if I knew that it would not fail? I realized that successful people with an "offensive mind" gained control over their time and time did not control them, neither did their obstacles. They went around the obstacle, they went over then or they broke it into pieces. It is the first thing to decide upon in the morning and the last thing before sleeping that a decision must be made that we have the talent and the gift to persevere and not to be content with mediocrity. The solution is within; it is in the decision process. The future arrives an hour at a time for every living being. The decision then - make a decision today I will be assertive and use my offensive ability to go through this obstacle, it will not role over me, never
.Wishful thinking is mediocre thinking, but offensive thinking and decisive thinking is to commit to ones dreams. Success is on the horizon, strength is generated by the seed you are watering within. Help arrives even at the last minute.The more I looked backward the less I could see forward, my defensive mind pulled out the yesterday failures until I realized that offensive minds seeks to get answers. The choice was mine and so it is for every living human being, we have choices. I chose to be offensive and rejoiced about it. If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done, never. We are called to make progress not excuses. I choose to operate with an offensive mind.To have a defensive mind is to have fear in the mind and fear is a blunt tool to carve out tomorrow. Fear is an ENEMY. Fear and worry are interest paid in advance on something you may never own. Whereas offensive minds casts out fear and move forward. Worry gives a small thing a BIG shadow.
Worry will lead from somewhere to nowhere, the choice is within each one of us.Words are important; it plants seeds into other people's lives. A defensive mind plants seeds of weeds. An offensive mind plants seeds of food for the soul that is uplifting to others. Every day we make decisions, we choose one or the other:"Growing or dying, Trying or committing, Destruction or development, Resisting or receiving, demanding more or excusing ourselves, Progress or regression, Solutions or problems"Our Creator does not give up on anyone who does not quit, but will see us through till the end.Say to yourself, I will write down my vision and pursue it daily with an offensive mind. Say it out loud; claim it as if it has been achieved already. Write it down on paper. By writing ones' vision down will start a fire inside you. Believe in your vision. That is an offensive mind. The ENEMY of mediocrity will flee and the higher offensive mind will launch itself into top position. The offens
ive mind will zoom onto the written goal, the vision and the excitement of the heart. With this inner commitment the outer goal becomes easier. If you can't see the mark, you can't press towards it.An offensive mind sees the possibilities in others, an offensive mind smiles a lot, it is happy most of the time. A smile adds value to the face, it improves ones' personality, it builds character.A smile is a powerful weapon, it is very contagious if combined with an offensive mind it can move mountains and stop wars.People always get sent to cross our paths to help us when we need help. The words written in this article are crossing your path right now, view it, internalized it and take it to heart. It is powerful.Decide for yourself, learn yourself and answer yourself. An offensive mind is a winning mind. A winning mind gets up after a knock down; we are obliged to learn from it. Successful people had more failures than mediocre people, those who never try, never fail, but neve
r wins either. God sees us as learners, those who never hold onto past failures. No chances also means no advances, aim high, have an offensive mind and mediocrity will give way to success.Rising above mediocrity never just happens; it is always a result of faith combined with works. There is always room at the top for anyone who is willing to say, I'll serve. Before looking for a way to get, look for ways to give. A goldmine has no value until it is being worked on. Work on the inside and the glitter will appear on the outside. In the eyes of average people, average is always outstanding. It is not so for the person with an offensive mind combined with faith.We are called to stand out not to blend in, it only happens when you climb above mediocrity.We must be moved by what we do not see; rather say, I've had enough of this challenge. Now is the time, I'm going to get through this what I see and move towards my vision with faith.Say NO to many good ideas coming to you or els
e you will spread yourself so thin that you are mediocre in everything and excellent in nothing. An "offensive mind" can say NO and focus in on generating results only. It does not mean "never", but it means not right now. There is power in the word NO. It can free you from burdens that you really don't need to carry right now. YES and NO are the two most important words that we will ever say, it determines the destiny in our life.Everything big starts with something small and we all received small talents at birth. When we grow and use these talents we qualify to receive bigger talents, it never ends, keep growing.Learn to grow where you were planted. Choose to think eternally, but act daily, this attitude comes from an offensive mind. No obstacle will ever leave you the way it found you, you either will be better or you will be worse. Mediocre people tend to become tamed and subdued by obstacles, great leaders rise above obstacles. Your mind decides and the choice is yours
.An offensive mind is normally a leader and it is always full of praise. It says thank you and it is growing. It makes others feel better, it is a servant it does what is right not what is popular.We should look for opportunities to invest ourselves in others and to help make them better.A real home-based business on the internet offers such an opportunity to anybody around the world. It is exciting, it is educational to you and to others, it takes patience and persistence. It makes a leader to become a servant. Leaders invest in others and believe in that person.The call in my life is not to be a copy in life, but to be an original. An offensive mind will never compare himself with other people; each person is unique in its own right.Persistence into a certain direction is God's way to speak to us and is not just an idea that comes to mind and this makes each person unique. Direction is a matter of fact; ideas are a matter of opinion.Take solitude time for yourself, you wil
l hear much more clearly about how to go ahead. Silence is an environment in which great ideas are breathed, a place of refuge, it is to "retreat to advance" it is a time to focus from within. Spend this quality time often in our Creator's presence and share your loftiest dreams with Him while in His presence. Yes, Retreat to advance.When you stop your bicycle ride, you will fall off. There are three types of people:(1). Those who make things happen (2). Those who watch things happen(3). Those who wonder what is happening.Our call in life is heard not seen, divine direction is heard not seen. Learn to distinguish between the voices that come your way, especially the foggy voices. Learn to "hear" on the inside, not what we "see" on the outside. God's presence is more valuable than His presents. His presence offers joy, it offers light, it offers divine protection and finally it offers great peace.When wisdom reigns, it pours, but we should expect wisdom to be given. Wisdom is
seeing everything from God's perspective. As humans we have available to us the wisdom of the Creator of the universe. We can drink from the fountain of His wisdom for free.We stand tallest when we are low down, we will get wisdom when we ask for it.There are two kinds of listening: hearing and interact with humans and hearing the spiritual voice of God. We need to learn to listen aggressively, but we must try harder to truly listen and not just hear when people talk. A person gains spiritual wisdom when you listen and hear the voice of your Creator. An offensive mind will remember that it is not the absence of problems that gives us peace, but it's God's presence with us during our problem that gives us peace.An offensive mind never looks back, it looks forward. A mediocre mind becomes stale and never expands. A mediocre mind is an enemy to society, it settles for an average life and nation starts to stagnate. An "offensive mind" operates with decisive thinking and it comm
its to the requests of the dreamer with great joy.Reading this book was inspiring and is highly recommended for any person who believes that there is an enemy called Average. When you become aware of this enemy and take action to raise your bar a higher insight to life becomes more exciting.

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Interview With Sherry Brantley, Author of "Best of Friends"

Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is happy to be joined today by Sherry Brantley. Sherry is here to talk to us about her new book "Best of Friends," ISBN 9781411645455, reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (4/07)Sherry Brantley is an inspirational author and a public speaker. Sherry's purpose in life is to assist others in their own empowerment process by sharing with them tools, skills, and techniques that can be used immediately. Her workshops, seminars, and retreats are fun, lively, entertaining, and interactive, as she takes you on the "never-ending journey of power." In 1994, she was sworn in by President Bill Clinton as an inductee in his Americorps initiative program. Her powerful poem "What Americorps Means To Me" was a national favorite among her Americorps Team. In 1995, she was given recognition as an Outstanding Americorps Member by the Michigan Community Service Commission, headed by Gubernatorial First Lady Michelle Engler.Tyler: Welcome, Sherry. I'm happ
y you could join me today. Obviously, your book's title tells us what the book is about. Will you tell us a little bit about the "Fabulous Five" characters who compose the group of friends in the book?Sherry: Certainly Tyler. The book tells the tale of the personal crises that a group of female friends face on a daily basis, and details how they support one another through it all, individually and collectively. In short, they've got each other's back! The characters are dealing with: A family death, being out of the workforce so long that one character wonders if the proverbial glass ceiling will be a challenge, divorce, dating challenges women and men face today, struggling between doing what is legally right and what is morally right, and going to meet your prospective in-laws. Although serious issues, the characters handle them with aplomb and humor and it's just fun to see their perspectives and how they come to have the views they have. If readers aren't careful, they
just may learn something about themselves in the process!Tyler: Sherry, where did you come up with the idea for "Best of Friends"?Sherry: Actually, the story is based on many actual events that occurred with me in my own life. Exciting, melancholy, and with a few unique twists, it has characters that are easy to relate to, and is just a fun read. Readers have written to say it's a true page-turner, and readers have told me they didn't put it down until they had completed it. It's really exciting to see the personal growth that the women experience overall. The comments from readers can be found on the site where the books can be purchased directly, at: Tyler: Sherry, there have been many books and films that focus on female friendships. What sets "Best of Friends" apart from others, such as "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" and many other female friendship books?Sherry: Well, Tyler, it starts out with a bang, with the lead character getting a phone call that her
mom, who was not sick, has suddenly passed away. The action just builds from there. I'm sure you can imagine how challenging it is to have the matriarch of a family pass away, and believe me, weddings and funerals are the two places where family members really show their true colors. I've been told by many of the readers that all of the characters were so down-to-earth, so graphically depicted with their personalities and physical attributes, that people told me it was as if they really knew them. Also, many of the readers have left positive comments on the book on my website, which is at: , and they've said they're waiting for the prequel because they want to know how the Best Friends became such good, loyal friends.Tyler: Do you envision yourself writing that prequel, or possibly a sequel?Sherry: The prequel to 'Best of Friends,' is almost complete, and just let me say, readers will be excited at how the then-young women of the 'Fabulous Five,' first meet in their youth,
and the readers will really get to experience first hand, how the group becomes such a tight-knit close group of friends. They'll be able to see who were friends first, and see the dynamics of how the group separates over time, and comes back together after a period of years. In addition, there'll be a section when someone tries to manipulate and destroy that friendship, but they'll be able to weather the storm. But true to the nature of my writing style, there will be a 'secret' that binds the group together, and the nature and the culmination of the truth coming out, will be revealed in the sequel of the book. Also, many readers are asking finally to hear the tale of the 'Massah's Hatchet,' which is referred to several times in 'Best of Friends,' so I'm busy working on bringing that part together as well.So yes, it's a planned trilogy with the 2nd one, slated to be titled, "Before Best of Friends," completed shortly, but in the interim, prior to the finality of the sequel
, my poetry book and one of the 'Sweet Potato Pie for the Heart,' series of books are scheduled to be completed. But don't despair, the finality of the much-anticipated trilogy, will be well worth the wait! Tyler, as you can tell, I'm just having SO much fun with it all! And that fun & excitement gets translated to the readers through the pages of the books.Tyler: The characters in "Best of Friends" all have their own problems and difficulties. Would you tell us a little bit about some of those difficulties and why you chose those specific scenarios?Sherry: Well, the scenarios were actual events from my own life. And the amazing thing is, I've had such a wild ride of a life, not just socially, but personally and professionally, that as people get to meet me, they go: "You're kidding! That really happened? It's like a scene out of a movie!" And then when they meet my family and my friends later, they can almost actually see, who's who from the book's standpoint. One ch
aracter as I've said earlier, gets an unexpected phone call that her mom, who wasn't even ill, has passed away. The family dynamics and drama surrounding that entire situation were unbelievable to behold. Had I not experienced it, I wouldn't have believed it myself! And as I started to talk to other people, I began to hear horror stories of all kinds concerning greed, ignorance and just plain meanness. Another character marries a man and then discovers that he has O.B.P. Obsessive Behavior Pattern. The drama that unfolds the night she really discovers this full-force is rather humorous, but the way she handles it is another matter. Another character is a bit nervous as she has to have mammogram tests to see if she has breast cancer, so readers, especially those who have had those types of tests or similar ones, are truly able to connect with the different emotions that overwhelm her during that time-frame. And there's the romance of the book. A character meets what appears t
o be a Southern Gentleman in the park one day, and has a climatic part in the book where she has the opportunity to 'meet the parents,' and as women, we all at times, have dreaded that, simply not knowing what the outcome will be. Not necessarily wanting them to love you to death, but certainly not wanting them to despise you.Tyler: You mention that many of the events and characters are taken from your life? Do you find there is one specific character who is portrayed to be like you? As a writer myself, I find there is a little piece of me in each of my characters, and I can see myself acting just like them if placed in the same situations I create for them. Would you say that experience is true of your own writing?Sherry: I really believe the majority of authors write a piece of themselves in each character they develop. Unbeknownst to the readers, the lead character, Elizabeth Caliente, is the character who represents me. I was the person who received a late night phone
call that my mom had passed away. She wasn't ill at the time and in fact, I was in the process of going to visit her once a month, to record her life story of growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas. Well as the events that unfold in the story shows, all hell breaks loose within my family and approximately 99.9% of what Liz endures is what actually occurred with me. Right up to the point of my redirecting my thoughts and wondering why I didn't cling to my newfound beliefs of 'peace within equaling to a peace with 'out,' instead of reverting back to my years of growing up in Detroit and it being an 'every man for himself' type of mentality. I must admit, there were several instances there, when I didn't choose peace, and I still wonder, what went wrong? What could I have done, said or thought differently? But ultimately, all of our life's experiences are for our highest good eventually, so I learn not to beat myself up about it. I poured my energies into the writing of how I fel
t about it all, and the result of that is the "Best of Friends," trilogy of books. And Tyler, people may think we can't top what occurred with the passing of my mother, but my father passed away this past February 2007, and believe it or not, the dynamics at that time, were even worse! This time, though, I remained true to my 'self,' and while I was about to get reeled in once again, with my family's antics, I decided to step back and allow all things to occur without my presence. There was a major disagreement about where, when and how to bury my father, that resulted in once again, authorities being called, his body waiting for three weeks to be shipped back home, and his remaining estate has an upcoming court date for a final settlement. It is a total mess. I guess that will culminate in a different trilogy of books! : )Tyler: Sherry, how have your own female friendships influenced the writing of "Best of Friends"?Sherry: Quite honestly Tyler, many of the incidents tha
t you'll read about in "Best of Friends," occurred with them! So as they're reading the book, I get calls and they're going: "I can't believe you wrote about that. That was really funny and you described it so well!" Of course, I've changed the names to protect the innocent...as well as the guilty....Tyler: Sherry, of course, writers have to be careful if they use real experiences in their books. How have you balanced between fiction and reality in your books? Has anyone you've known been upset with the books and how did or do you respond to that type of reaction?Sherry: Of course it's true you must walk a very thin line when interspersing your actual life's events with writings that you make publicly known. And it was difficult writing this story as it unfolded with the events getting wilder by the moment. I have a niece who was reading it as it developed and she said to me: "Auntie, you're gonna be in trouble when your family reads this!" But ultimately, I wanted family
members simply to see what we had created collectively and individually with the advent of this situation with the hope that it would allow some of us to see the light. After some reflection though, I came to realize I am not here to save the world and all its inhabitants. Some people live and learn and some people just live, and I can be okay with that. And if my siblings were to write their perspectives on how they experienced the same events, I'm sure that would be a totally different read, as we all experience life through a different set of rules, a different outlook, a different world view. My response to people being upset, offended, or taken aback by my perception of the re-telling of events for me is to understand that they have a right to feel as they do, and I certainly have a right not to allow it to affect me in a negative way. My writing allows me and many readers to heal in whatever areas we may be hurting or feel the need to be strengthened in, and there is
never a need to apologize for becoming healthy and whole. My wish is that we all strive to do so, in whatever positive ways we can.Tyler: You are yourself African-American as are your characters. Do you see yourself writing in an African-American literary tradition?Sherry: There will be some of my literary works that will clearly be in that direction, but my first book, "Choices--The Power is Within You," details the powerful, literal, Universal Law of Attraction, and by the way, it was out before the ever-popular "The Secret" book, and it is designed for those who are seeking personal, financial and spiritual growth. It is done in a workbook style format, so that readers can comfortably work at their own paces and challenge themselves to begin to realize their goals. By setting them, and developing steps to achieve them. With the techniques of that book, I was able to become a full-fledged published author.Tyler: I'm interested in your answer because, while I'm aware
of "The Secret," I'm more familiar with the Law of Attraction from the Abraham-Hicks material on the subject. What influences in regards to the Law of Attraction have influenced your writing and how has it worked in your own life?Sherry: Tyler, I'll probably never get this type of question again, so forgive me if I'm reading more into it than you anticipated, but there is something important about my writing that needs to be said at this point. Everyone is sort of using the phrase 'The Law of Attraction,' but people need to know that it is a literal, Spiritual Law. It is in effect. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And it simply states that: What we think about, we bring about--and if the truth be told, if people REALLY KNEW that, we would all be experiencing life abundantly in all areas of our lives. But we also know there is a difference between knowing a thing and doing a thing. In all of my writing, there will always be a similar thread throughout. And that is: Characters e
xperiencing the types of situations, events and lessons that compel them, in some cases force them, to take a long, in-depth look at what they're really creating for themselves. After reading the Abraham-Hicks materials, I got so excited that I began a MAJOR metamorphosis in ALL areas of my life, and it will continue throughout my stay here in this particular lifetime. You see, I reach a totally different reader with my "Best of Friends" books than I could ever reach with my "Choices--The Power Is Within You" books. But after struggling with that I realized it is time authors included readers who may not necessarily be familiar with the Tony Robbins, or the Esther and Jerry Hicks, or the Gary Renards and the Les Browns of the world. There are literally millions of people who simply have not been exposed to terms such as 'aligning your chakras, going within, and meditating with your higher guides.' They're busy with dealing with their own everyday issues, never knowing that a
s they continue to focus on those issues, they continue to create them. So while my books may be witty, fun to read, and entertaining, my characters will always give my readers pause to see--really see themselves unfold in the telling of the events and allow them to redirect their thoughts either consciously or subconsciously to strive for a better 'me' (them). And if I can do that while tackling challenging issues such as dysfunctional families who can't even see past the dysfunction, chaos amidst important family events, marriages that fall apart and loves that are being renewed while introducing an entire group of readers who otherwise would never hear those types of terms in that kind of format, then I've done what I've set out to do, which is: Give the readers of mainstream genre, chick-flick books, and female literature, a place not only to be able to read a great fictional novel where they're connecting with the characters, but also give them the opportunity to be exp
osed to a whole set of ideas that they're not familiar with, and wet their appetite to pursue those avenues of interest. One reader of "Best of Friends," asked me what 'chakras' were, and this gave me the opportunity to share the messages of Abraham-Hicks and define what the Law of Attraction really means, and how she could incorporate that concept into her own life. There are not many books in that genre that can do that and do it as well as I've been able to do in "Best of Friends." Readers are loving how those characters grow and can see themselves having the same type of growth.Tyler: Sherry, readers have commented on the spiritual side of your writing. Would you tell us a little bit about the spirituality included in "Best of Friends"?Sherry: I'm glad you asked about that, because many readers have said to me: "It was such a pleasure to see the women in the book grow from the places they started out from. The main character, Elizabeth Caliente, is known as the peace-
maker and the person who resolves conflict, so it comes as a shock to her family, friends and certainly to readers when there's a point when she comes to the line drawn in the sand, and instead of backing away from it, she defiantly crosses it. I won't spoil the plot-line, but afterwards, she does some real soul-searching, asking some really tough questions about human nature, why we act and react in the various, sometimes self-defeating ways that we do, and how we can really rise above our knee-jerk reactions and create something beautiful in our lives--even amidst our personal tragedies. Readers are so able to connect with her because all of us on this planet are doing one of three things in our lives: We're either wishing to make adjustments and improvements in our lives, or in the process of making improvements in our lives, or having made them, looking back at them and being pleased with the journeys we've created for ourselves. And Elizabeth goes through such an ordea
l from the first page of the book to the last, that you just marvel at how she now looks at life, and how quickly and readily she's ready to make major changes in her life. It isn't melodramatic, it isn't supernaturally done, it isn't some surreal event. She literally takes readers through all of the ways she is able to view events and shows how just changing the emphasis of a word, a phrase, or by using some positive body language, how everything could've been different. And she's willing to step to the plate and see where her responsibility in all of the chaos is and sees what she could've done differently as well. But it's not done in a preachy, right is right and wrong is wrong sort of way. Life generally isn't like that.Tyler: I understand you are also a public speaker on spirituality and owning your personal power? Would you tell us how you became interested in trying to help others?Sherry: My company is called S.T.E.P.P.--Start To Exercise Personal Power. I used to
teach parenting classes for Michigan State University, as well as Conflict-Resolution at the middle & high schools in Lansing, Michigan. But prior to that, people, including total strangers, would come to talk with me about crises that were occurring in their lives personally. I always seemed to be given insight that I could share with them, to assist them to visualize something different for themselves--should they choose to do so. My parenting skills enabled me to tap into my own spiritual power, and once I saw how magnificent that was--in all areas of my life, there was no holding me back from sharing it with others. But I want to clarify. "Best of Friends" is not a book based on spirituality. It has adult women, in adult situations where sometimes, what is commonly known as adult language is used. It's a fun book filled with situations that adults encounter and while relatively challenging, is told in a humorous and entertaining way.Tyler: Besides, "Best of Friends
" we mentioned you've written a non-fiction, spiritual book "Choices: The Power is Within You." What do you find are the different challenges and rewards between writing fiction and non-fiction?Sherry: Tyler, this is my FAVORITE question! You see, people will read "Choices--The Power is Within You" and get that it's about spirituality, reaching within to hear that still small voice within you, and people are expecting me to be in some sort of an 'inspirational box,' and then they'd read "Best of Friends" and go...: "The same person wrote this book? But these women have sex, they have challenges, they have fights and strong language in the parking lot. Are you SURE you want to do that kind of a book?" Listen, Tyler, like all humans, I'm multi-faceted. I can be very spiritual, meditating, and aligning my chakras one day, and the next...if my car isn't ready when I've been told it would be... for the third day in a row, then there's a 'Vicious Vicki' that comes from outta left
field. And believe me, you don't want to be there when that happens. Of course, these days, that is few and far between, because as a result of my experiences, I've learned how NOT to go there. But it's not always peaches and cream. As an author, it's been a great ride writing both very different kinds of books, because I now have the opportunity to work with many varieties of readers. In addition, I am currently working on a book entitled: "Sweet Potato Pie for the Heart." This will be a compilation of true, inspiring, uplifting stories that I collect from the public to inspire others. For readers interested in submitting their stories or learning more about that project, they can visit Tyler: Thanks for that honest answer, Sherry. I know exactly what you're saying. We try to be spiritual, but we all have our bad days. Sherry, which authors or other public speakers have had a major influence on you?Sherry: That is one of my most difficult questions, Tyler, only because t
here are SO many: Maya Angelou, Amy Tan's "Joy Luck Club" was a phenomenal book and a great movie! Terry McMillan, Bebe Moore Campbell, Zora Neal Hurston, Les Brown, of course Oprah Winfrey, Bill Cosby, Sidney Poitier, Tony Robbins, Zig Ziegler, Dale Carnegie, and many more.Tyler: Sherry, would you tell our readers what your website is and what additional information they can find there about your works?Sherry: I'd love to. My website is . They are able to order both my books, "Choices--The Power is Within You" and "Best of Friends." They will also get information on the guidelines of how to submit their own inspirational, true story for my "Sweet Potato Pie for the Heart," series of books. In addition, a book of poetry is currently being completed. This book will include all types of poetry. Love poems, Inspirational Poems and some let's get in 'yo face, telling you like it is,' poetry. Again, I'm multi-faceted, so it won't all be the pie-in-the-sky-by and by when you di
e, type of poetry. My life has not been like that and my writing doesn't reflect that. And once you've completed "Best of Friends," you'll be able to see the evidence of that. Also, I've begun a springboard from my "Best of Friends," book whereby I have what is called: "Best of Friends Celebration Invitations": Here, people are able to purchase invitations that are made from the cover of the book, inviting a group of their friends who have purchased and read the book, providing them with the opportunity to have me come out to do a personal reading and book signing for their group! So I have many wonderful projects in the works!Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Sherry. Before we go, what advice would you give to people who are themselves going through difficult situations like those of your characters, or who are unsure how to find their personal power?Sherry: This advice is important and inspirational, so listen carefully: Purchase as soon as you can, "Choices--The Po
wer is Within You." It details a time in my life when I was newly divorced, had three young daughters, and was suddenly homeless, car-less and jobless. I share that with readers so they can see this is not just another motivational speaker who hasn't seen rough times, but talking and acting as if she had. If you're really serious about beginning to change your life, "Choices" has the exercises contained within it and the probing questions one must ask, in order to assess really where you're at in life, and develop a simple, easy-to-do plan to change your life in a smooth, almost effortless way. I say "almost effortless," because there will be some struggle--there always is when we're talking about change. But there's a saying that goes: "If you think education is expensive--try ignorance." And we all can use more education in our lives whether we're focusing on health, spirituality, academics, finances, etc. People find in the long run, ignorance tends to be a lot more costl
y in all areas of your life, for your entire lifetime. Change starts from within, but you must first recognize that change is needed. "Choices--The Power Is Within You," allows you to look at yourself, without judging, without condemnation, without blame. Just as a factual vehicle and way for you to make change, whether it's minuscule or on a grand scale, that will impact your life. And while they're developing themselves personally, they may want to purchase "Best of Friends," for the times they want to take a break and just do some 'fun reading.'Tyler: Thank you, Sherry, for joining me today. You've given us lots to think about and make us feel inspired. Best wishes with your books and your public speaking.

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