Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Do You Need a High IQ to Be Successful?

Do you know your own IQ? Do you know what it means?Although the IQ test is very widely used, and the results are almost synonymous with our idea of intelligence, there has also been a lot of criticism of the test, and of the way the results are used. Does having a high IQ score guarantee success in later life? No, it doesn’t! It doesn’t even guarantee success in school.A Canadian television . . .

How You Can Boost Your Creativity

Would you like to be more creative? Do you think that increased creativity is something that would improve your life?Before you answer yes or no to that question, take some time to explore what the word “creativity” means to you. If you think that creativity is something that you only need if you’re an artist, while you happen to be a middle-manager in a corporation, you may decide that incre. . .

Make Learning The Tarot Easier Part II

Key Meanings Cards Depicting Drugs, Alcohol Use 7 of Cups and Temperance ( Reversed ) Cards Depicting Transportation, Travel and Journeys (Literal or Spiritual) The Chariot, ( A New Car, Travel by car ) Wheel of Fortune ( A New Vehicle ) , The World ( The start or end of a journey, long distance travel ), Six of Swords ( Relocation, travel by sea, going on a cruise ), Eight of Wands, ( Travel B. . .

Make Learning The Tarot Easier Part I

Like anything else that is complex, the Tarot can take years to learn. If you plan to do readings for others you must learn them as completely as possible. This will help ensure that you don't mislead someone by interpreting the cards wrongly Giving a reading is a great responsibility. A person coming to you for guidance tends to look up to you and trusts what you tell them. You don't want to m. . .

You Can’t See Your Own Eyes

My friend called me this morning from her favorite coffee shop. She was taking a break from work. I sensed frustration in her voice. Something clearly was on her mind. After a few minutes of small talk I invited her to tell me what was going on. She took a deep breath and told me that she was once again, dissatisfied with her job, and for that matter – her life. This information, or should I s. . .

Does Prayer Really Work?

As a young Christian, I felt that there was no spiritual activity more beneficial for my success and well being than prayer. After all, the Bible emphasizes that God is personally involved in the intimate details of our lives. Christianity is not a religion of rules, but a relationship of love between a heavenly father and his children.My belief in the power of prayer was based on the teaching. . .

100 Top 2005 Secrets to Success

After all the things I have shared with you this year on what is needed to feel good about yourself, your potential, and your chances of realizing your desires, here is a quick list to review your progress. Remember, you are a success no matter what. The fact that you are checking off your accomplishments indicates that you are ready to climb the next peak. During this year, through other ar. . .

I'm Not A Christian, But I Play One On Sunday

After more than three decades of church ministry, I have come to one unsettling conclusion. Actually, I've come to more than one conclusion, but this one is the most depressing.That conclusion is simply this: all who say they are going to Heaven are not actually on the right path, going in the right direction. Most, of course, have the best intentions, but good intentions don't make up for goin. . .

"Do NOT Judge" is a Place, Not a Verb

The admonition, "do not judge" has been taken to ridiculous lengths in modern life. Even the most absurd, inappropriate, or self-serving behavior rates a PASS by those determined not to criticize. Discernment is jettisoned willy-nilly to avoid the appearance of being judgmental or reluctant to understand.We’re all the poorer for it, since relevant nuances of thought and behavior go determinedly. . .

Do You "Work To Live" or "Live To Work"?

Let’s be realistic here - hands up all of you who bounce out of bed every single morning, raring to get to work and enjoying yourself every minute of the day? If you didn’t put your hand up (even metaphorically), you’re not alone. There have been so many articles published recently about working statistics in the UK - that Brits work the longest hours in the EU, that we have higher risks of h. . .

Percussion Show Solutions "Shake Well Before Use"

One of trickiest situations a drummer/percussionists can find themselves in is that of a pit orchestra for a Broadway style show. Tricky because, among other reasons, he or she is often faced with a part that leaves little or no time to switch to a "proper" mallet.Additionally, they may be asked to combine two percussion parts into one in order to provide the most percussion for the production.. . .

Relationship Habits

How many of you have ever been involved with a significant other who wanted you to do something you didn’t want to do? I doubt that I’m the only one. By virtue of a significant other relationship, there will be times when our partners will want us to do things we don’t necessarily want to do and conversely, there will be times when we will want our partners to do things they don’t want to do.Th. . .

Mid-Life Perception: It’s Your View That Counts

This is the third in a ten-part series exploring the “Ten P” model developed by Craig Nathanson, The Vocational Coach, to help mid-life adults discover and do what they love.When Murray and Heather Rand of Canada sold their St. Thomas, Ontario, home and moved permanently aboard their sailboat, lots of people – including their children – thought they were crazy. The fact that they’d never sailed. . .

Do You Have SAVI© or Are You PASIV©?: The Answer Could Ch...

What do these two terms mean and do you know the difference between them? Of course you would not have seen these two acronyms before, because I recently made them up! Charlotte Church's boyfriend, Kyle, broke up with her over two years ago but he is still selling stories of their love life to newspapers. The money involved might be a significant factor but my guess is that acquiring something . . .

Is Wealth For Me?

Have you ever believed that success was for other people? I know I have. It’s an easy trap to get into. We study hard in school, get good jobs, play by the rules, but at some point we get stuck. So we look around and decide that things aren’t so bad, really. The kids have a roof over their heads and we’re not missing any meals…what more do we have a right to ask for? And besides, look at t. . .

Oh the Woes of Tax Time – Fear Not, Get Organized and Bre...

It’s tax time folks – there is no time to waste – you got to organize. There’s no better way to organize than to follow a proven method that will have those tax blues behind you while you spend the extra time doing the things you love. That’s why I wrote It’s Your Time, to help people believe in their own abilities to organize and gain more “fun” time.It’s never too late to start preparing fo. . .

Do You Love Reading The Daily Horoscopes Part II

How many time have you felt an instant attraction to someone you’ve just met? Well, the explanation is simple…you have encountered the powerful forces of the Zodiac. It is all revealed in your daily horoscopes. The intensity of the love you feel in your relationship is influenced by the twelve Zodiac signs.More important are that the signs of the Zodiac are divided into four categories known. . .

Giving Thanks... A Universal Gift

In the USA we celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November every year. However, I've come to understand that there is great, POSITIVE power in having an "attitude of gratitude" all year long, that can create measurable differences in your life.No matter where in the world you call home, and whether you traditionally take a day to celebrate the idea of giving thanks, or not -- let t. . .

How To Overcome FEAR

Dr. Joe Vitale's new book comes out this week. Here's a brand new article he wrote, which he is giving you as a gift to share with you, or (if you have one) your list and your website visitors. If you have any questions, let me know.-Jason MangrumI'm in Chicago attending a Dan Kennedy event. At the first break a young man stops me, saying he is one of my subscribers and a big fan. I'm flattered. . .

5 DIY Anti-Aging Tactics.

Do you want your life story to be a long and joyous one, without having every line written on your face? Yes, we all do! Is there anyone who doesn't want to look as good as they can, for as long as they can? While there are some very quick fixes such as, minor to major cosmetic surgeries, there are some less extreme measures that you can use to look and feel younger on a daily basis. (1) Check . . .

Find The Hidden Goldmine Within You

The Power of Impractical Ideas When thinking about success in life, I asked myself what is the main thing that has held me back. If you had to trace all your major successes and failures, what is the one thing that you feel caused the difference between succeeding and failing? If you really look deep inside yourself, you will realise one surprising thing. It is: you have probably had many ideas. . .

Time in a… Shoe?

Looking to find more time to do the things you enjoy most? Try looking in your closet. No, you won’t find that extra 15 minutes shoved in the left toe of your favorite pair of shoes. But, you might just find it in the time it takes you to dig out that pair of shoes. A cluttered closet will rob more of your time than you realize. How often do you spend 15 minutes shuffling through piles of . . .

How Jealousy Impacts Your Personality

Dear friends here we will charge up our mind with the information of jealousy, Meaning of jealousy, causes of jealousy & effects of jealousy on personality.Meaning- Jealousy is an form of emotional stress. Jealousy comes form the feeling or insecurity & inadequacy in situations the person regards as curcial to his happiness & welfare.Causes – Jealousy develops in early adolescent. specifically . . .

Flying in the Slow Lane

Dogs distrust hot air balloons. I gathered this tidbit as my husband and I floated over the mountains in a wicker gondola, listening to the barking chorus that followed us even 3,000 feet into the air. The burner evokes canine protest -- but we had no problems, as we drifted with the currents and contemplated the silent fog in its morning retreat over the hills. We learned that a mere a six foo. . .

Body Language Secrets You Need to Know

Some body language experts claim that only about 7% of our messages to other people are communicated through the words we speak. The rest of our messages are conveyed through our body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions. During your entire life you have been sending messages to others through your posture, gestures, and facial expressions. Even if you never say a word, your face a. . .

Sticks and Stones

The cyber bully needs a life.Bullying has gone into the depths of cyber world. These grown adults are the same children from the school playground that called you kindergarten baby and took your milk money.Internet users are creating web sites that target other online users. Can you imagine someone creating a web site centered all on you, which says how much they hate you? An entire website ded. . .

E-mail Magic

Is an overabundance of e-mail stealing precious moments of your time? If it is, it’s time to take some of those moments back so you can start enjoying life instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the e-mails you need to sift through. E-mail is a powerful communication tool, but it’s also powerfully taking up a lot of our time. Many of us spend almost a quarter or more of our workday sifting throu. . .

Time Management

Can’t find the time for time management? You’re not alone. Most of own at least one book on time management, many of us own several but all the books in the world won’t help us alleviate our problem, in fact in an ironic sort of way collecting time management books will only serve to increase our stress level instead of lessening it.It’s important to understand the value of time but the answer . . .

Pecked to Death By Ducks

Ever been in a situation where it seems like minor criticisms are all you hear? Sure, there are things you could improve, you know that . . . but a constant peck, peck, peck of negative feedback sure doesn't motivate you to change! One of my mentors called this gradual chipping away at one's self esteem, "being pecked to death by ducks."How to deal with it? There are ducks outside my window as . . .

Organize Everything

Have you taken a step back and surveyed the space around you? Are you a piler or a stuffer? Do you cram everything into one drawer only to waste valuable time later in search of that one thing: “I just know I saw it here last week?” If so, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty and organize everything. It sounds worse than it is, in fact, once you get started, you’ll find that keeping yo. . .

When Your Reasons Why Are Bigger Than Your Excuses, You W...

A lot of times, people are a lot better at coming up with excuses for not accomplishing things than for coming up with ideas to achieve their goals.How about you?(let that question sit for a while, and answer it honestly)Whether this applies to you, or not, here's something to think about, and to internalize into your subconscious mind.****When your reasons why are bigger than your excuses, you. . .

Strategies To Help You Believe In Yourself

Your mind is the most powerful supercomputer in the world. It’s a pity if you would not be able to explore and utilize its vast potentials. Many people are using just a very tiny portion of their mind’s abilities. Be different and learn how to use your mind’s capacity to the fullest! In the mind, positive and negative thoughts are always in conflict. What wins among them is shown through our . . .

Building Trust in the Workplace: A Valuable Topic for Lea...

Trust is the foundation of all successful interpersonal relationships, both personal and business. Trust is the confidence or belief a person feels toward a particular person or group. Trust is, therefore, one of the primary binding forces in any interpersonal relationship. It permits people to overcome doubts and unknowns and enjoy peace of mind. The absence of trust causes confusion, worry, i. . .

A Lesson on Halloween

Halloween never has been my favorite holiday. As a kid, growing up on the farm, trick-or-treating meant getting in and out of the car (often on very cold nights) and wearing coats over our costumes. I certainly liked the candy, but it never made much sense to me. As a father, I must admit I have warmed to the holiday, but I still have a problem with all the focus on witches and ghouls and such.. . .

Make Choices, Not Excuses

When you don't want to do something, it is very easy to make excuses. For some reason, excuses provide the illusion of getting you off the hook, or making it okay not to do whatever you committed to or planned to do. Excuses are, however, just excuses - not really a reason to not do what you said you would do. Instead of making excuses, make the choice. Excuses render you powerless, while choic. . .

Mind and Self Hypnosis: A Short Introduction

IntroductionFirst, I want to suggest to you that all hypnosis is fundamentally self hypnosis. This idea is not new from me, for one of the real pioneers of modern hypnosis, Dr. Milton Ericcson made this statement many years ago. The fact is, hypnosis is based on suggestibility and you must be willing to accept the suggestions or their is no so-called trance state to follow. Now, that is not to . . .

What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

Everybody has blind spots.You have certain tendencies that you are not aware of but others can see. These are your blind spots, and they often cause big problems.You may not want to accept that your life style is responsible for your high cholesterol and that you are courting a heart attack. You may not want to know that your defensiveness cost you a promotion.Over two hundred years ago, Scotti. . .

Knowledge Or Action?

It's been said that knowledge is power. While that's true to an extent, it isn't the whole truth. Knowledge without action is almost useless. It doesn't help to be a genius if you never do anything with the knowledge. I tend to think of knowledge as ammunition and action as a gun. (It's a typical guy thought, I know but it works for me.) Think about it. If you have bullets and no gun, they're p. . .

Your Personal Power: Cultivating and Sustaining It

As the pictures of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath dominate the airwaves alongside the perpetual drone of other world conflicts in the background, it is enough to make anyone veer off what is still discernible of their spiritual path or to at least question its relevance. These are understandably trying times for many of us even if we haven't been directly affected by recent hardships- aren't we. . .

7 Public Speaking Survival Tips

I used to be terrified of public speaking - now it’s natural and fun.Dry mouth, fast heart, sweaty palms, blank mind - yeah I’ve been there! It’s easy to fear public speaking. But I was never just content with overcoming fear. I wanted to be a great speaker. What I needed was a way of calming down and applying simple techniques and strategies to talk like a pro.When I’d learned to relax (more o. . .

Find Happiness By Giving Happiness

Have you ever heard this quote? “There is a wonderful, mystical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life- happiness, freedom, and peace of mind- are always attained by giving them to someone else.” It’s so true, isn’t it? I don’t know who it was who first said those wise words (if you do know then please tell me), but I have no doubt they lived a very happy life, because they h. . .

The Truth About Body Image

Have you ever considered how much your body image - your personal packaging, contributes to your business and personal success? The multi million pound cosmetics industry is acutely aware of the value of packaging. You'll know this if you've ever bought anything from those glamorous ladies whose counters are always just inside the front door of Department Stores. However, from time to time we'r. . .

Psychology of Motivation

Anything a person does is driven by some certain desire to acquire a predetermined goal. Cognitive psychology theorists endeavor to study and to fully conceive the nature of motivation or desire. People do one thing in order to achieve a specific goal; however understanding that doing one thing is necessary to achieve another thing is insufficient for a person to start doing the “one thing”. Th. . .

A Legacy of Warriors

There lies in the heart of every man a quiet hunger. A longing for an earth shaking significance. It can be heard in the quiet, most unedited times like when our head hits the pillow at night. As the pressures of the day fade away the voice catches our attention. “I was meant for more than this, there has got to be something more.”This calling catches us by surprise at the strangest times. We h. . .

How to Overcome Anxiety and Fear With Women

One of the most common scenarios students present me with is this: “I do fine if I am introduced to women or already know them. But walking up to a stranger, dead cold, in any situation, scares the bejezus out of me. I just can not do it. What can I do to resolve this?” Over the years, I have seen this question or variations on it more times than I can count. If you have felt shy, anxious or ev. . .

Surround Yourself With Support Systems to Keep Your Aspir...

In these troubling times, it is especially important to be surrounded by a strong system of support to keep our aspirations alive. A message I've heard countless times is that in order to strive effectively for peace in the world, we must also nurture a sense of peace with ourselves. To hold peace within ourselves is so much easier when we have the support we need.Many years ago, I experienced . . .

K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Sweetie

We live in such a fast paced world and finding ways to simplify your life can help to create a more relaxed and satisfying life for you and your family. Simplicity involves freeing your time, money, and energy so that you can pay more attention to what is important to you. Here are just a few tips on how to simplify your life: 1 - Control your time. Take a good hard look at your dialy schedule . . .

Sleep-Aid / Relaxation Tools

For those of you who haven't tried the sleep-aid / relaxation tools on the soundsleeping.com website, this article will describe the tools and give advice on how to use them. For those who have used the tools already, the following tips may help you to use them more successfully.The two Sleep Aid/Relaxation Tools can be found at:www.soundsleeping.com - Drumming toolANDwww.soundsleeping.com/vibe. . .

How Important is Your Resume?

Getting hired is tough in today’s world of job layoffs, downsizing, outsourcing and cost crunching. Businesses no longer have the money to view people as simply bodies to fill a position. Instead they look for the most qualified candidates and screen their employees well. So much so that drug screens, criminal checks and employment history help companies avoid poor workers. Resumes are another . . .

Work From Home and Take Action!

When you work from home, it is very likely that you are self employed and more likely an entrepreneur. If you are working a job from home this article will not have the importance or impact that it will for the entrepreneur. If you are an entrepreneur that wants to work from home, then I would hope that you’ve done a bit of homework (pardon the play on words). In your homework, you hopefully. . .