Where do you exercise your imagination? What is it you do to create? Do you do it as a conscious choice, as say, an artist or musician? Or... Do you do it subconsciously? Without thinking about it, in say, a business environment, by being payed to solve problems or create templated solutions.
The truth is we are creative instruments, it is our unique imagination that is key to our creative expression. Once you become conscious of your true creative expression, it becomes a powerful way of existing or being, it becomes a tool to consciously apply to any area of your life to construct the ultimate experience, the ultimate reality.

How many of us take the time to discover our true self, to really clarify our beliefs and values that are unique to us, not the ones that we have inherited from those closest to us but the ones that we came into this world with. When we start to uncover these and start combining action with a conscious purpose and commitment then we start to feel the alignment of the various parts of our being. 
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We've all heard of that famous quote "Doing the same thing repeatedly and wanting a different result is the definition of insanity" supposably said by Albert Einstein, yet how many of us just continue to do what we've always done but dream of a different future.
I believe the key is to bring that dream into focus, then use our imagination to unlock details of what the future we desire entails, use our creativity to build a plan based on our dream future. By using the imagination in conjunction with our inherent creativity we are able to put together a plan with milestones we are closely associated to, supported by a plan of actions that we have mapped out and discovered ourselves giving us the ownership we need to stay committed to. As long as we then work this plan we will then begin the journey towards our dream future.
Happy Wednesday :-) 

The choices we make every day create an outcome in our individual world. Our individual choices has a degree of influence on our family, which in turn has an influence on local, community, state, nation etc... My point here is not the affect of our choices but the ownership of our ability to create. The truth is we are giving away our creative power by the choices we make subconsciously on a daily basis. I want to see us all own that power, make it our creativity by our choice! AC

Article source:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/01/21/7-reasons-you-wont-ever-be-successful/

 Author: Jayson DeMers Contributor 

Dear Business Owner,

I’m sorry I have to be the one to tell you.

It would have been better coming from one of your close friends, but since they didn’t do it, I guess it falls on me.

You see, you have a number of nasty habits that are keeping you from being the successful business owner you always thought you would be. And it’s ok; I don’t blame you. We all fall into these ruts, and can use a good kick in the pants from time to time.

So consider this YOUR kick in the pants.

Here are 7 reasons you won’t ever be successful (and how you can prove me wrong).

1.    You Spend Too Much Time on Facebook.

I know you need to be on Facebook for your business; we all do. The problem is that you’re not using it for business; you’re mindlessly thumbing through updates that make no difference to your life, falling victim to one of the biggest time sucks known to man.

But of course I’m not just talking about Facebook here…you know your social network of choice. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Twitter, Instagram, Vine or even MySpace (you know who you are).

According to research by Social Media Examiner, 62% of marketers are on social media for 6 hours or more per week, and a whopping 17% are on more than 20 hours per week.

And in case you’re saying, ‘but I’m not a marketer!’ Well, you’re not off the hook. Other research shows that the average American user spends 3+ hours on social networking each day.

That’s a lot of time you’re never going to get back.


2.    You Think You’re Working Hard. But You Aren’t.

I’m really proud of you for putting in your 8-10 hours a day! I really am. The problem is that breaks, interruptions and distractions are actually eating away a HUGE chunk of your day. Way more than you even realize.

Have you ever used Rescue Time to measure how productive your day actually is? This software program measures the amount of time you spend in each software program throughout your day. It’s easy to think you’re working hard, but if you actually track how and where you’re spending your time online, you may be surprised at what gets revealed.

Is there something you dream of doing one day? Maybe a side business you’ve been working on here or there?

What do you do when the workday ends? Do you spend your evenings on the couch watching TV? That’s time you could be spending working on your business idea, side project or personal brand that could one day become your full-time job.

If you have a dream, invest your most valuable personal asset – your time – and that dream could come to fruition way sooner than you ever thought possible.

3.    You Aren’t Efficient.

Okay, so you’re telling me you do track your time, and it appears you’re working harder than I originally thought. Your time tracking software seems to indicate that you’re making good use of your time, and not letting distractions make too much of a dent in your workday. Well done!

But – and I hate to have to tell you this – you could be doing much better. Yes, you’re working hard, but there are ways your hard work can be even more productive. You know the saying: It’s not just about working harder, it’s about working smarter.

4.    You Give Up Too Easily.

So today stunk, hey? Things didn’t go your way? People aren’t appreciating you? You’re feeling unmotivated and uninspired?

Join the club.

Welcome to the life of an entrepreneur. In the words of Newt Gingrich, “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did”.

True entrepreneurs work hard, and don’t give up when things don’t go their way. They keep working, they keep trying, they keep banging their heads against the wall until they break through, if they have to.

YOU are a true entrepreneur! You can do this!

5.    You Can’t Imagine Payoff Years From Now for Work That You do Today.

Tasks that you can complete in a day or two, and that have immediate payoff are AWESOME. Addictive, even.

But every successful entrepreneur knows that in order to build something strong and sustainable, you have to invest time now; and the results often don’t manifest themselves for years.

If you can’t deal with that, you simply aren’t thinking long-term enough. If you can only think about short-term rewards like what your next paycheck will look like because of work you did this week, it’s time to reevaluate your goals.


Some of what you do will have short-term results, but much of building a sustainable business is doing grunt work now, and reaping the rewards far off in the future.

6.    You Aren’t Taking Risks.

I get it. It feels way better not to stick your neck out and do stuff that you could fail at. Playing it safe is warm, cozy and comfortable.

But, (you know what I’m going to say here, right?), there are no rewards without risk. I suppose it’s possible that some good things can happen without risk, but how often is a business built on pure luck? On things being handed to you on a silver platter?

Taking risks is part of the job description, and while failing doesn’t feel very good, you know what does? Failing, failing, failing, and then suddenly, SUCCESS. Now you don’t feel so bad about your failures, because you see that it was only through the failures that you learned the right way to succeed.

7.    You Don’t Take Opportunities.

Finally, dear business owner, it’s not just about not taking enough risks. Strangely enough, taking opportunities can also be difficult. And it’s not just because opportunities come disguised as risk.

Have you seen the movie ‘Yes Man’? The main character, Carl Allen (played by Jim Carrey), decides to escape the loneliness and humdrum-ness of his life by simply saying ‘yes’ to every opportunity that comes his way – even simple ones.

Once he starts saying yes, amazing things start happening to him. Things he couldn’t have imagined. And all because he simply said, ‘yes’!

I’m not saying you need to run yourself ragged saying yes to everyone and everything that comes your way. What I am saying is sometimes the greatest rewards come from saying yes to opportunities that may be slightly scary or uncomfortable.


Look for opportunities in unexpected places, and you just might be surprised at what you find.

I hope this didn’t come across as too harsh. I know you’re trying, and that you mean well.

I actually totally believe you can be successful; you just need to get a handle on these 7 bad habits.

Love,

Jayson

RISE and shine! Morning time just became your new best friend. Love it or hate it, utilising the morning hours before work may be the key to a successful and healthy lifestyle.
That’s right, early rising is a common trait found in many CEOs, government officials, and other influential people. Margaret Thatcher was up every day at 5am; Frank Lloyd Wright at 4am and Robert Iger, the CEO of Disney wakes at 4.30am just to name a few.

I know what you’re thinking – you do your best work at night. Not so fast. According to Inc. Magazine, morning people have been found to be more proactive and more productive. In addition, the health benefits for those with a life before work go on and on.

Let’s explore 5 of the things successful people do before 8am.

1. Exercise. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. Most people that work out daily, work out in the morning. Whether it’s a morning yoga session or a trip to the gym, exercising before work gives you a boost of energy for the day and that deserved sense of accomplishment. Anyone can tackle a pile of paperwork after 200 ab reps! Morning workouts also eliminate the possibility of flaking out on your cardio after a long day at work. Even if you aren’t bright eyed and bushy tailed at the thought of a 5am jog, try waking up 15 minutes early for a quick bedside set of pushups or stretching. It’ll help wake up your body, and prep you for your day.

2. Map Out Your Day. Maximise your potential by mapping out your schedule for the day, as well as your goals and to dos. The morning is a good time for this as it is often one of the only quiet times a person gets throughout the day. The early hours foster easier reflection that helps when prioritising your activities. They also allow for uninterrupted problem solving when trying to fit everything into your timetable. While scheduling, don’t forget about your mental health. Plan a 10 minute break after that stressful meeting for a quick walk around the block or a moment of meditation at your desk. Trying to eat healthy? Schedule a small window in the evening to pack a few nutritious snacks to bring to work the next day.

3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. We all know that rush out the door with a cup of coffee and an empty stomach feeling. You sit down at your desk, and you’re already wondering how early that taco truck sets up camp outside your office. No good. Take that extra time in the morning to fuel your body for the tasks ahead of it. It will help keep your mind on what’s at hand and not your growling stomach. Not only is breakfast good for your physical health, it is also a good time to connect socially. Even five minutes of talking with your kids or spouse while eating a quick bowl of oatmeal can boost your spirits before heading out the door.

4. Visualisation. These days we talk about our physical health ad nauseam, but sometimes our mental health gets overlooked. The morning is the perfect time to spend some quiet time inside your mind meditating or visualising. Take a moment to visualise your day ahead of you, focusing on the successes you will have. Even just a minute of visualisation and positive thinking can help improve your mood and outlook on your work load for the day.

5. Make Your Day Top Heavy. We all have that one item on our to do list that we dread. It looms over you all day (or week) until you finally suck it up and do it after much procrastination. Here’s an easy tip to save yourself the stress – do that least desirable task on your list first. Instead of anticipating the unpleasantness of it from first coffee through your lunch break, get it out of the way. The morning is the time when you are (generally) more well rested and your energy level is up. Therefore, you are more well equipped to handle more difficult projects. And look at it this way, your day will get progressively easier, not the other way around. By the time your work day is ending, you’re winding down with easier to dos and heading into your free time more relaxed. Success!

This article originally appeared on Forbes.
Five things successful people do pre-8am
BY JENNIFER COHEN
Forbes
November 05, 2013 12:00AM

Goals are simply a plan to reach a destination in life, similar to planning a walking trek or a road trip. When we plan either one of these we set a time that we are going to leave (Where we are at this point in time). We plan to get to a destination (Our Specific Goal), how long we are going to take to get there (Timeframe), in some cases we would measure the trip either by a food budget or a fuel and accommodation budget (Measurable). In both these cases we would make sure that the trip was both (Achievable) and (Realistic). 

Why is it then, that when it comes to setting goals for what we want in life that we find it hard to set goals?