Are you making the kind of money you want to be making in your current job? Chances are, your answer is no. But when you know how to get a raise, everything can change.

If you feel like you should be making more — but don’t want to have to apply for new positions at different companies and start all over somewhere else — getting a raise can be the answer.

Today I’d like to share my top tips on how to make more money where you are right now and propel your career in the direction you want to go. 

Add More Value

My first tip is to create and add more value to the company. 

What can you do to help the company make or save more money? How can your efforts help to boost the organization’s results or reputation, or fulfill the company’s mission or objectives? What can you do to make your manager’s or coworkers’ lives easier? 

Look for needs that aren’t being met — either within the organization or your clients’ or customers’ needs — and meet those needs to add more value wherever possible. That’s the first, and biggest step you can take to make yourself more deserving of a higher paycheck. 

In today’s fast-paced work environment, achieving a work and life balance can seem impossible. Technology makes most workers accessible 24 hours a day. 

The stress of never taking a minute off can compound to hurt your health, your relationships with loved ones and friends, and your overall happiness. 

The stress you deal with day to day can easily bleed into your home life if you let it, so don’t let it. The trick is to follow set principles that allow you to keep that stress in the office where it belongs.

Today, I want to talk to you about how to find your perfect work and life balance so that you spend less time working and more time doing the things you love.

Everybody wants to enjoy a certain level of wealth and success in life. But so few of us actually manage to create the life of ease and abundance that we long for.

So why is that? Well, one big reason is that we don’t cultivate a healthy relationship with money. We develop beliefs, attitudes and habits about money in our youth that hold us back from being able to generate wealth and enjoy the financial freedom we desire.

But the good news is, once you’re able to identify these “money roadblocks” in your own habits and behaviors, you’ll be able to overcome them once and for all — and finally be able to make more than enough money to create the life of your dreams.

So today I’d like to talk about five big obstacles that are keeping you from experiencing the wealth and success you deserve and the solutions to overcoming them.

It took her only two months to finish her book after that. Her mantra became, “Write or die!” The power of being committed made decision-making easier for Susie and she accomplished her goal in record time.

So, today I want to tell you why the secret to success is making a 100% commitment to everything you do.

Being Committed 100% Is Easier Than a 99% Commitment

In every aspect of life, if something is worth doing, it’s worth giving 100% of your effort to it. Because a 99% commitment isn’t going to cut it.

Having any leeway at all in your convictions is inevitably going to lead to frustration, failure, and disappointment.

Why is it that 100% commitment is the key to success, while even a 99% commitment is a recipe for failure? Is there really that drastic a difference between a person who is 100% committed and someone who is 99% committed?

The answer is yes. There’s a huge difference.

“No” doesn’t have to be the end of the story. You can learn how to reject rejection, and look at it as an opportunity to progress forward and even excel at the very thing you were rejected for.

Today I want to talk to you about how to reject rejection—and how to use it to launch yourself even closer to your goals.

Rejection Does Not Mean Failure

If I were a betting man, I’d wager that you don’t like being rejected. Of course not, it’s not a good feeling. Who among us looks forward to being told our idea wasn’t good enough, that we didn’t quite measure up to the task, or we ourselves are somehow flawed?

Each year, enlightenment seekers embark on pilgrimages to Buddist temples or remote villages in China, Japan, Korea and other zen-centric locales. They’re searching for a way to find themselves, create balance in their lives and understand how the forces of the universe can bring them peace, enhanced intuition and prosperity. 

But what if I told you that you can achieve the same benefits of zen without leaving your front door? Today, I want to share with you how to create a zen space in your home. 

This is a special space in your home or office that is strictly dedicated to meditation, deep contemplation or prayer. It’s where you’ll be able to pause from the pressures and stressors of your daily life and where you can unplug, meditate and reflect in peace and quiet.

The physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga and tai chi are limitless. Each discipline requires some time, but each is incredibly rewarding.

Capable of helping you feel more relaxed, centered, and in touch with your life’s most natural state, stretching is much more than a de-stressing technique.

That’s why today, I want to give you a few tips to help you learn about some of the benefits of yoga and tai chi.

Personal Goals

One of the goals I have for this year is to be more flexible. There is a picture on my vision board of a man in a yoga posture.

Yoga

I started doing yoga in my late twenties, and it has been something I attempt to do on a daily basis.

As I have gotten older, I have sustained several injuries – a ruptured disc in my lower back, and a major shoulder injury to my right shoulder – which caused a lot of tightness in my lower back, neck, and shoulders.

The power of persistence

Over the years, I’ve spent some time learning how to practice persistence. Some of this has come with hard life lessons, and other valuable insights I’ve learned by watching the inspirational journeys of others.

The power of persistence is so important for achieving success in all aspects of our lives, so I want to make sure I share it with you.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Calvin Coolidge, who once said:

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

This quote is so powerful because it’s true. It doesn’t matter how much money you were born into, or how smart or talented you are. It doesn’t even matter how ambitious you are.

If you don’t have the necessary willpower and drive to keep moving forward to your goals no matter what roadblocks appear on your path, you will never unlock your true capacity for success.

So today I’d like to talk to you about the importance of persistence, and how your ability to persevere in the face of any obstacle is the key to your success in life.

Chasing perfection reminds me of a dog chasing his tale — you get dizzyingly exhausted trying to make it happen, but it’s always just out of reach. And if you do end up catching it, was it really worth it after all?

It’s easy to get caught up in chasing perfection, or the idea of a “perfect” life. It comes with the perfect income, the perfect house, the perfect family, the perfect body, and whatever “perfect” seems to be. But in reality, those who spend all their time and energy trying to make sure their lives are perfect are usually the unhappiest people I know.

So today I want to talk to you about the difference between chasing perfection and achieving happiness — how to create a life that truly brings you joy and fulfillment.  

Dare to Ask for What You Want

My first mentor, W. Clement Stone, the author of “The Success System That Never Fails,” taught me many things, but one of the most important being able to ask for what you want.

He would repeatedly remind me, “If there is something to gain by asking and nothing to lose by asking, by all means ask.” This one principle has reaped great rewards in my life, and it can do the same for you.

That’s why today, I want to discuss the importance of asking for what you want in order to reach your full potential.

How to Ask For What You Want

Unfortunately, many of us are not great at asking for what we want. For any number of reasons stemming from childhood conditioning to traumatic rejections later in life, we have become afraid of the word “no.”

To be successful, you have to be willing to ask and keep asking for what you want until you get a “yes.”

Rejection is just part of the journey to finally getting to a “yes.” And it only takes one “yes” to radically change your life forever.

Former president Theodore Roosevelt once said “Comparison is the thief of joy.” What I say is, “Comparison is the fast track to misery.” I want you to take a minute and think about this. Have you ever compared yourself to someone else and came out exactly even? I doubt it. It never or rarely happens.

Today I’d like to teach you how to stop comparing yourself to others so you end up feeling great about yourself and what you do have in your life, instead of bad about what others have and you don’t. 

Comparison is Natural

We almost always compare ourselves to someone that we think is better, smarter, thinner, taller, shorter, more attractive, better dressed, more popular, more famous, wealthier, or more successful.

The power of a positive money mindset.

Financial success starts in the mind and there are incredibly simple affirmations that can help you attract wealth.

If you have a good attitude about money – if you like thinking about it, and reading about it, and managing it effectively – you can learn how to attract money more easily.

But if you have negative ideas around money – it’s hard to make, you’ll never have enough of it, and you don’t like checking your bank account because you’re afraid of what it’s going to tell you – guess what?

You’re going to find it very difficult to make, save, and manage your money.

And you’ll probably never get to a place where you are entirely free from financial worry.

The good news is that there are simple and actionable affirmations that you can do every day to help you change your perspective of money and attract wealth.

The best tips for focusing

If you were to ask someone like Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey, or Elon Musk why they have managed to create such incredible success in life, they would probably credit their achievements to one thing: their ability to FOCUS. 

Today I’d like to teach you some of the best tips for focusing that I’ve learned from the highly focused and successful people I’ve met and worked with, so you can put their methods to work in your life – and achieve your goals much faster and much more efficiently. 

We Are Prone to Distractions

Being able to focus on the task in front of you and get it done, no matter what is happening around you, is like a modern-day superpower. Most of us aren’t able to do this.

We lose countless hours of aimlessly surfing on social media. We check our phone hundreds of times a day and allow ourselves to get pulled into online conversations that take us away from the more important things we should be doing.

We spend our evenings and weekends bingeing on the latest popular HBO or Netflix series, and then we wonder why we haven’t gotten any closer to accomplishing our goals! 

Face it: we all experience lack of focus from time to time.

“No” as a Tool for Success

Have you ever felt like everyone around you wants a piece of you? Learning how to say “no” to these people will allow you time to focus on yourself, and your own priorities.

That’s why today I want you to make the commitment to saying “no” more often – and I will teach you how to easily and effectively communicate this to those around you.

We’ve All Been There

Suppose your kids want you to drive them everywhere or they want to borrow the car, screwing up your own plans for the day.

Or your coworkers want your help on projects that aren’t really your responsibility.

Maybe your boss wants you to work overtime to finish a report you could have completed days ago if he had just given you the information you needed when you needed it.

Your sister asks you to take her kids for the weekend. Your mother wants you to come over and take her shopping.

It feels like you never get a moment to yourself to focus on what YOU want to do!

So how do you combat all the demands on your time and energy? Especially when it’s so easy for people to reach you at any time, no matter where you are, by phone, text, instant messaging, facetime, email, social media, or video chat?

It’s simple: you learn how to say “no.”

To grow and achieve greater success, you have to risk something.

Fear is the single biggest thing that holds people back from achieving their goals and dreams. It’s one of most common reasons why people procrastinate on taking action toward their goals.

We fear failure, loss or rejection. We feel fear of being embarrassed, of being disappointed of getting hurt, or fear angering other people. So we play it safe and avoid taking risks or trying new things.

That’s why today, I want to discuss how you can overcome those fears that are holding you back from greatness.

Where Does Fear Come From?

Fear is natural. It comes from us – from our own minds and imagination.

It’s important to remember that, as humans, we’ve evolved to the stage where almost all of our fears holding us back are now self-created.

We scare ourselves by imagining negative things are going to happen in the future. But just because we imagine these things happening, that doesn’t mean they WILL happen, or that they will be as painful as we think.

F.E.A.R.

That’s why psychologists like to say that fear stands for ‘Fantasized Experiences Appearing Real.’ Because fear is all about what we think or imagine MIGHT happen – not what WILL happen.

How Mind Mapping Will Help You Achieve Your Goals

Mind mapping is a powerful way to create a dynamic to-do list. It’s simple to learn and use, too.

That’s why today, I want to discuss how you can leverage the power of mind mapping to achieve your goals and succeed at anything you choose!

Why Try Mind Mapping

Are you ever daunted by the question of where to begin? You’ve set a goal and know it’s the right path for you to take, but the steps you need to take are not fully clear and in no particular order.

Where should you start when everything seems equally important? You could certainly talk to others who have pursued the same goal, buy a how-to book, or begin to learn the skills you think you need.

I’ve been in that spot before and know exactly what you might be feeling.

I’ve found one technique that helps me carve out the key steps to take and get all that thinking out of my head and other paper. I’ve created books and many products by using mind mapping.

How to Heal Your Inner Child

Once you learn how to heal your inner child, you can begin to overcome your deepest blocks and finally show up as your best self.

Your inner child is the part of you that was formed by the experiences you had in your childhood and that has a powerful influence on how you show up in the world as an adult. If you find yourself engaging in self-destructive behavior or sabotaging yourself with negative self-talk, or reacting too impulsively to situations with anger, frustration, jealousy or fear, that is almost certainly a function of your wounded inner child acting out in anger or pain.

Tips for Overcoming Fear That You Create

Fear is the single biggest thing that holds us back. Overcoming fear is an essential step in achieving our goals and dreams.

“Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain.”  – Ralph Waldo Emerson

It’s one of most common reasons people procrastinate on taking action toward their goals. We fear failure, or rejection, or being embarrassed, or disappointing or angering other people, or getting hurt.

So we play it safe and avoid taking risks or trying new things. That’s why today, I’m going to provide you tips and strategies for overcoming fear and overcoming negative thoughts with ease.

The Connection Between Visualization and Motivation

There is a powerful connection between visualization and motivation.

Today, I want to explain how “creating the right pictures in your head” can increase your motivation to achieve anything you can imagine in life.

Visualization

When some people hear the word, “visualization,” think it means sitting around daydreaming. But that’s not all it is.

Visualization is a powerful tool that can help you achieve any goal, such as writing a book, getting a promotion, making more money, paying off your debts, becoming financially independent, taking that dream vacation you want, losing weight, or improving your golf game.

Visualization is the practice of intentionally creating detailed pictures in your mind – both still pictures and movies – of the outcomes you want to achieve.

Visualization is a powerful tool that can help motivate you to achieve any goal — such as writing a book, getting a promotion, making more money, paying off your debts, becoming financially independent, taking that dream vacation you want, losing weight, or improving your golf game.

Visualization helps you achieve your goals for several reasons.

How to Overcome Fear of Rejection and Achieve Success

Learning how to overcome fear of rejection is a critical part of reaching your goals pursuing your dreams.

Nobody enjoys asking for something and being told “no.” But rejection is an inevitable part of life for all of us, and is usually a good thing, even if we can’t see it at the time.

I’d like to give you some tips on how to overcome fear of rejection and achieve the success you deserve.

Fear of Rejection is Natural

For some, rejection may come if the form of not being picked for the team or don’t get the part in the play. Or when you don’t get the job or promotion you wanted, or your manuscript is turned down by a publisher, or you get laid off or fired.