How to Become an Ideal Leader

When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.

Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.

Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.

You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.

First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.

Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.

First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?

People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.

You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.

Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.

Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.

Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.

The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.

Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.

Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.

Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.

It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.

Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.

You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.

Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.

So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.

Age Differences In Dating

Some people are attracted to members of the opposite sex that have a significant age difference from them. They may prefer dating someone that is younger or older. This is often a matter of personal preference and there are many reasons that people choose these relationships. It is dependent on the individual person and their life.

In most cases, women are attracted to older men. This may be due to the fact that women mature at a younger age than men. In order for women to date a guy that is as mature as they are, they have to resort to older men. For some women, younger men that are less mature are not an issue.

They enjoy having a relationship with them and it all works out fine for both people. However, for some women having a mate that is less mature is almost like having a child. They do not want to have to mother their partner. They want the compatibility and the even keel. Again, this is all a matter of personal preference.

Men also have attractions and relationships with females that are a different age than them. Again, the reasons are just as diversified. They may seek an older or younger woman depending on their preference. They may also look for someone that is around the same age.

Some men that are less mature like to find a woman that is closer to their maturity level. In this situation, they would most often date a woman that is younger than them. This would help them to feel that they are fulfilling their role as the man of the relationship.

It is hard to present yourself as a strong man and as being capable of caring for your mate in a relationship, if you are not mature enough to fulfill this role. However, there are also some men that seek older women to have a relationship with. They want the mothering type of relationship and they want to be able to act a little less mature and be taken care of themselves.

For some people age has no influence on them at all. They date people based on their attraction or traits that they are looking for. They are compatible with a person and want to spend time with them. There are times that they will not even know how old the person that they are talking with is for awhile. They are not worried about age. There is no factoring of age to consider.

These people are sometimes the happiest and in some cases have the best relationships. This is due to the fact that they are not into trivial things and they are really looking for personality and internal traits. They are not worried about looks, age, or other trivial factors.

Every person is different. You may have to date people of different ages to determine what is best for you. If you are new to the dating scene, it is especially important to determine what works best for you. This is important to determine before you try to get involved in a serious relationship. If not, you are setting yourself up for failure and misery.

Selecting an Online Budgeting Tool

It's easy to get intimidated with the idea of making, and sticking to, a household budget. But the truth is that it really isn't that hard, sure there are many online budget planner programs that can be very involved with a lot of bells and whistles, but many people don't need all that and there are just as many simpler, easier to use programs that can help you get a handle on your finances once and for all.

Before you start your search for a online budget tool remember to take some time and consider the things you need, or want, to include in your budget so you can make sure to find just the right program for you and your needs.

Here are some things to consider when you're looking for just the right planner:

1. Keep your skill level in mind when looking for a planner. If you don't have a lot of experience with computers and / or budgets you should only consider getting those planners that are fairly simple and easy to use. Unless you own a business you probably don't need some big elaborate affair. Just make sure that it has the basic features you want and need. Make sure that whatever you find can be downloaded and even printed out.

2. Try to stay away from those planners that have limited personalization. If you don't have dividend income than you don't need a category for that. Keep it simple and try to find a planner that will allow you to add, or subtract, categories so you only have the ones that you need.

3. When you're just starting out creating a budget, it's almost always better to start off very simply. If you find that you need to add certain categories as you get going you can, provided you pick a planner that has a high degree of customization available. The more complicated it is the less likely you'll be to use it. The best planner in the world won't do you any good if it is such a hassle to use that you simply don't use it.

4. Don't lose sight of how important creating, and using, a good budget can be. Many people are very surprised to see just where their money is going. Once you've gotten all your categories filled in you can easily subtract the amount of expenses you have from the amount of money you make. This will give you a clear picture of whether or not you are living beyond your means. If you find that you are spending more than you make, you will have all your expenditures right in front of you in black and white so you can easily see what areas you need to cut back on.

To find the best online budgeting tool for you and your needs, you have to know exactly what those needs are before you start looking for your planner. Take a few minutes to make a note of some of the basics categories you will need so that when you start your search you'll already have a good idea of just what you need. If you view this process as liberating instead of a hassle, you may just find that you actually enjoy the process and have more money in your pocket at the end of each month!

Any And All Things Are Possible!

Everyone, at some point of his or her life, has dreamed of being somebody special, somebody big. Who hasn't fantasized about being the one who hits the game-winning homer? Who hasn't dreamed of being the homecoming queen? And how many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful, or happy with our relationships?

Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams remain just that – dreams. And our aspirations easily collect dust in our attic.

This is a sad turn of events in our life. Instead of experiencing exciting adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the humdrum of living from day-to-day just barely existing.

But you know what? Life could be so much better, if only we learned to aim higher.

The most common problem to setting goals is the word impossible. Most people get hung up thinking I can't do this. It's too hard. It's too impossible. No one can do this.

However, if everyone thought that, there would be no inventions, no innovations, and no breakthroughs in human accomplishment.

Remember that scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee. Theoretically, they said, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. Unfortunately for the bumble, bee no one has told it so. So fly it does.

On the other hand, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. The result? Broken dreams, and tattered aspirations.

All of the top self help books will tell you that if you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream.

Try this exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down some goals in your life. Under one header, list down things ‘you know you can do’. Under another header, write the things ‘you might be able to do.’ And under one more, list the things that that are ‘impossible for you to do.’

Now look at all the headers strive every day to accomplish the goals that are under things ‘you know you can do’. Check them when you are able to accomplish them. As you slowly are able to check all of your goals under that heading, try accomplishing the goals under the other header-the one that reads ‘you might be able to do.’

As of the items you wrote under things I could do are accomplished, you can move the goals that are under things that are ‘impossible for you to do’ to the list of things ‘you might be able to do.’

As you iterate through this process, you will find out that the goals you thought were impossible become easier to accomplish. And the impossible begin to seem possible after all.

You see, the technique here is not to limit your imagination. It is to aim high, and start working towards that goal little by little. However, it also is unwise to set a goal that is truly unrealistic.

Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned.

On the other hand, if you told someone a hundred years ago that it was possible for man to be on the moon, they would laugh at you. If you had told them that you could send mail from here to the other side of the world in a few seconds, they would say you were out of your mind. But, through sheer desire and perseverance, these impossible dreams are now realities.

Thomas Edison once said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Nothing could be truer. For one to accomplish his or her dreams, there has to be had work and discipline. But take note that that 1% has to be a think-big dream, and not some easily accomplished one.

Ask any gym rat and he or she will tell you that there can be no gains unless you are put out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, “No pain, no gain”? That is as true as it can be.

So dream on, friend! Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those dreams. As you step up the ladder of progress, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible.

How To Do A Self Breast Exam

How To Do A Self Breast Exam

Self breast exams are one of the most important tools around for detecting breast cancer, and they are still how most breast lumps are detected.  While annual exams and mammograms are important, doing a monthly self-exam can help find less obvious problems or spot changes sooner when they are more easily treated.  That’s why it’s important for every woman to know how and when to do them.

While most people think self-exams are all about feeling for lumps, the first step is to simply look at your breasts.  Do this by looking in a mirror, first with your arms down, then with them raised.  There are several different things you need to look for:

* Changes in shape or size.  While it is common for breasts to be two different sizes, watch to make sure one isn’t growing faster than the other.  This could be a sign of a problem.   Also look for visibly lumpy or uneven breasts.

* Changes in color.  Look for general color changes as well as rashes on the skin.

* Texture changes.  Examine each breast for rippling, dimpling, or bulging.  You should also note the shape and direction of the nipples.

* Discharge.  Check to see if there is any liquid or gooey discharge coming from the nipples.

The next step is to feel for lumps in your breasts.  This needs to be done twice, once while standing up, and once while laying flat on your back.  Many women prefer to feel for lumps while in the shower because it’s easier to move soapy fingers across the skin.

Put one arm behind your head as you examine the breast on that side.  Slowly move your fingers in a circular motion applying soft, medium, and firm pressure to each spot to ensure you examine deep and shallow tissues.  While different women use different patterns around the breast, the key is to make sure you cover every spot. 

Remember, most breast lumps are not cancer.  Pay attention for lumps that persist more than a month, or that grow or change shape with time.  You doctor can perform tests to determine if a bump is cancerous or benign; so you should see them with any concerns.

It is important to perform breast self-exams regularly, not just once or twice.  This is because a breast exam is looking more for changes rather than problems that are noticed with one exam.  You need to know how your breasts look and feel normally to determine if something has changed or is changing.  This means keeping it up regularly to find problem.

If you have breasts with a more lumpy consistency, or if you’re just not good at remembering your breast texture enough to notice changes, you might want to start keeping a journal.  This way, you can make notes or even draw a quick sketch to help yourself remember.  If you do notice changes, you can simply take the journal to your doctor to help find the problem. 

Now that you know how to do a self breast exam, let’s focus on when you should do one.  Because your breasts change somewhat during your cycle, perform exams at the same time every cycle.  While some people pick a day every month, this will gradually move to different times in your menstrual cycle.  A better time would be to perform is right after the end of your period every month.

While mammograms and annual exams are also essential, the self-exam is your most powerful tool in detecting breast cancer.