Today’s success tip comes from Simone Preston.

As Founder and Managing Director of Business Women Connect, Simone has combined her dual desires of running a successful business and empowering like-minded women to fully develop their potential. One and a half years after this business started, ÔBWCÕ has grown into five major regional areas and is forecasting a multi-million dollar turnover in 2007.

Can you offer some tips to people who want to start or have just started networking?

* Business cards - have professionally-designed and printed business cards.

* Give without expectation - do things for others without receiving anything in return.

* Competitors - seek opportunities from your competitors.

* Names - always make a mental note of people’s names (hint: say their name three times in a conversation as you will be more likely to remember it).

* Functions - be strategic in which networks work best for your business.

* Sell - don’t hard sell to people you have just met.

* Relationships - build relationships with other networkers on a personal and business basis.

* Meet and greet - make sure you meet and greet at least five people at any given function (don’t make the mistake of getting caught with the one person for too long).

* Confidence - fake it until you make it. If you are nervous, tell the host so that they can introduce you to others in the network.

* Body language - maintain good posture, don’t fidget and wear the appropriate clothing.

* Introduction - have a 15 to 30-second introduction about yourself (short and sweet).

* Listen - listen to what others have to say.

* Handshake - always shake hands with a woman or a man.

* Kiss - to kiss or not to kiss? Assess each occasion as it happens.

This website contains even more great tips from Simone Preston.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE NOW.

Today’s success tip comes from Andrew May.

Andrew runs Switched On, a consulting company based in Sydney and
London. He is one of Australia’s leading experts on performance
and gives keynote presentations around the world and coaches CEOs
and senior managers. He also runs PT Plus, a mentoring and
coaching business.

What types of management do you use to increase productivity?

Priority management - managing priorities is not about getting
everything done, it is about deciding what is most important and
getting that task done. It is about getting more done in less
time.

When I started working on priority management, I suddenly noticed
that I was getting a lot more done in less time. I started to
feel much more in control, and friends, family and work colleagues
commented that they noticed something different. Each day I sat
down for ten minutes before starting on the ’stuff’ and
prioritised the five most important things to accomplish for the
day. I stopped creating massive ‘to-do’ lists at the start of
each day and made a ‘will-do’ list and started on what was most
important. This also helps avoid time wasters, the things we do
to put off doing the hard tasks that we know deep down need to be
done. This approach has had a big improvement on my productivity
and has allowed me to get more done.

When I coach people on this topic it is interesting to note that
many people don’t really know what’s important. I mean they do
know deep down, but they just haven’t allocated valuable time to
thinking about the bigger picture. The key is asking yourself,
‘What is the most important thing I can be doing with my time
right now?’

Energy management - the highest level of productivity is achieved
by managing energy. If you are a morning person (gazelle) then
get into work early and do the high-end cognitive tasks while
your brain is in top gear - avoid getting to work and doing junk
emails for the first two or three hours! If you are an afternoon
or evening person (bear) then it might take you a few hours to
warm up and hit your straps. I know some bears who don’t
actually get into work until 10.30 or 11.00am but they stay back
later when they are more productive.

Defining the best time of each day and each week, when your brain
works at its peak, and undertaking high-end cognitive tasks during
these times is a key strategy to optimising performance. Then you
can do lower-end activities when your energy levels plateau or
take a dip.
This website contains even more great tips from Andrew May.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE NOW.

Today’s success tip comes from John Fitzgerald.

Since becoming a property millionaire in his mid 20’s, John as helped thousands across Australia to achieve personal and financial success.

Goal setting seems to have been extremely important in your achievements. What does it mean to you and how do you do it?

Goal setting is the most important thing. As Friedrich Nietzsche said, ‘He who has no goal, has no direction’. You really can’t do anything without having the desire. In fact, it’s often said that you need a burning desire. To me, having a burning desire is setting a goal and making it a priority to achieve that goal.

Here’s my very simple three-step process for goal setting.

1. First, I start by identifying the goal. I ask myself if it sits well with my core values, if it’s something that I believe in and will be willing to take the time and effort to achieve.

If it is, I know I’ll be better able to hold onto that goal when the going gets tough.

2. Then I try to clearly visualise what achieving my goal will look, sound and feel like. I really believe that if you can’t ’see’ it, you won’t make it happen. Tiger Woods visualises every shot he makes before he makes it and ’sees’ the ball going into the hole on that last putt.

Many other successful sports and business people do the same thing. I practise my visualisations often. It may be a little fuzzy at the start, but it gets clearer and clearer. That’s when you begin to find that ‘providence moves’.

When you are tuned into your goal it’s amazing how opportunities and resources seem to come to you.

3. Finally, I take the time to consider what obstacles may be preventing me from achieving my goal and I develop plans and resources to overcome them.

This contingency planning gives the rational or critical part of my brain something to chew on, as well as the creative side.

Today’s Success Tips come from 7-time World Champion, Shelley Taylor-Smith. Be inspired as she reveals to you “The 7 Taylor-Made Steps To Setting And Achieving Your Goals In 2008″!

In every book, tape or seminar on goal setting, there will usually be the part that gives you the 3 or 7 or 10 steps to effectively setting and reaching big aims in life. If you just follow these principles, it would appear that you couldn’t fail…

…So why do 97% of all people fail to reach any really important objectives, only succeeding (if ever) on the 27th attempt… after years of trying and failing?

It’s not for lack of information. The “how-to” is everywhere.

In 2008 do you want to:

• Start your own company and will soon be able to fire your boss!
• Write that book that is within you
• Launch a website
• Start selling products on eBay
• Propose to your long-suffering girlfriend or boyfriend
• Learn to drive

Or come Dec 31st 2008 be able to say:

• I started a diet…and stuck with it
• I paid off all my debts
• I finally took my family on that holiday I’ve been promising for so many years
• I took control of the family financial security
• I cleared “the million and one things” that I wanted/needed to do.
• I’ve achieved more in the last 12 months that I had achieved in the previous years …WITHOUT ANY EFFORT!

While it’s true that there are proven steps and principles to setting and achieving even the most challenging of goals, you first have to be mentally ready and willing to do what you need to do to get all your outcomes in life.

Every day. Every hour. Every minute…

…And Setting and Achieving Goals installs the inner drive of the world’s biggest goal achievers into your being.

To be effective and happy, you must become someone who can persuade yourself to do the “dirty work” so you can get the rewards you want.

Because it’s only when you can convince yourself to do what you must that those “7 Proven Steps” to effective goal setting will ever come into play.

Only then will you be able to persuade others to help you, make a difference, get what you want and become who you want to be.

Now here are…

The 7 Taylor-Made Steps To Setting And Achieving Your Goals In 2008

1. Identify your goals – in the 5 key areas of career, finance, health & fitness, family/relationships and personal growth.
2. Ask yourself: “What benefits will I achieve reaching this goal?” Eg. Losing 5kgs – increase in energy, able to keep up with the kids, able to fit into my favourite pair of jeans or that special outfit.
3. What are the major obstacles to overcome to reach your goal? – Eg. Cut back on junk food – 1. Check your fridge & cupboards for junk food 2. Go shopping on a full stomach as opposed to when you are hungry (you will be amazed at the difference of your food in your trolley and the money saved in your pocket.)
4. What skills or knowledge is required to achieve your goal? Eg. Health & Fitness – reading up on personal trainers, costs, program types, gym memberships.
5. What are the individuals, groups or companies and organisations to work with to achieve your goal? Eg. Finance – clear credit card debt. Tell a friend, find a buddy who will hold you accountable and will support you with your goal.
6. Completion Date – when do wish for your goal to be achieved?
7. Celebrate Success – how are you going to celebrate achieving your goal?

Thanks Shelley for sharing such great wisdom.