Smokend Info Blog

For the most creative solutions you need to get your mind looking in new directions. One of the most systematic ways to do this, is with a list of words, primarily adjectives, to create “what if?” scenarios. The process starts with the question, “what if it was…” and then you insert a word from the list. “It” in the question is the problem you’re working on, or the current solution or situation.

Let’s explain the process with an example or two.

Example one: You have is an unpleasant co-worker. You aren’t sure how to deal with him, so you ask about the problem, “What if it was…” and insert from the list “smaller.” How could you make the problem smaller? Spend less time with that person? Get reassigned?

“What if it was… fun?” makes you wonder if being annoying yourself might keep the other person away from you. “Closer” makes you wonder if this person might be nicer to you if they knew you better. You continue down the list and work with each word a bit to get new ideas, which you will look at more analytically later.

Example two: Your house is too crowded because you’re running your business from it. You ask, “What if it was…” and insert from the word list, “smaller.” Your house is already too small, but could the business be smaller? The word “divided” might give you the idea to keep the business in just one part of the house.

Since most words on the list won’t help, you can go through the irrelevant ones quickly. But don’t automatically dismiss them without a few seconds consideration. “What if it was hopeless?” may seem like a useless question, or it may make you realize that you just can’t keep the business in the house any longer. Moving into a rented office might be the most profitable of your creative solutions.

The Creative Solutions Word List

Feel free to create your own list of words. You’ll want to use adjectives, descriptive phrases, and any words that can change your perspective. Here is a short list to get you started:

What if it was… larger, smaller, farther away, closer, sooner, later, easier, more difficult, higher, fat, rich, short, black, certain, hopeless, newer, boring, casual, subtracted from, cheaper, common, divided, more interesting, extravagant, subtle, or fun?

Just as with most problem solving techniques, it’s important to allow the ideas to flow without judging them initially. You don’t want to stifle the creative process. Take notes, then evaluate your ideas later, when you have a page full of creative solutions.

Steve Gillman has been studying brainpower and related topics for years. For more on How To Increase Brain Power, and to get the Brain Power Newsletter and other free gifts, visit: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com

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Easy, quick and painless. If your Credit policy is flowing smoothly, it is probably all of these.

“Become the Squeaky Wheel,” a new book written by a leader in the debt collection industry, Michelle Dunn, explains that Credit policies are a must for any business. Her book will give you the tools you need to collect more money and prevent bad debt in the future.

Some steps you can take to make your credit policy, Easy, quick and painless are:

1. Make it easy for the customer to get credit with you. Have packets paper clipped together at the front desk, include the credit application, automatic payment permission forms and anything else you want filled out before opening an account.

2. Make it quick, by having these packets ready and waiting for anyone who comes in. Have pens and clip boards available so they can be filled out immediately.

3. Make it painless, by either having them wait and running the credit application while they are still there or responding to them within a certain time period, say 24 hours.

“Consumers today, like everyone else, are expecting convenience and speed,” explains Michelle Dunn. “If you make opening up a credit account difficult or are unorganized, you might lose the customer.”

“Customers that are approved for credit, will buy more if they can pay later, so make the process as streamlined as you can,” says Dunn.

Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years. She owns and runs Credit & Collections.com a free online community for credit and business professionals.

She has written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series. For more information on Michelle’s services or to order any of her books please email her at michelle@michelledunn.com or visit http://www.michelledunn.com & http://www.credit-and-collections.com

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Do you dream of establishing your own online business someday? Or are you already maintaining one? How would you like to transform that online business into a money-making machine?

Do you think it’s impossible to do so because you’re establishing or maintaining only a small business? Of course not! In fact, many of those well-known and flourishing online businesses started small.

Would you believe that Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon.com, laid the foundation of his now multibillion dollar business in his very own garage? Starting out with improvised gadgets and furniture and with just himself and his wife as the first employees of his company, Amazon.com is now one of the leading companies in the industry of online retailing. Bezos was even recognized as the “cybercommerce king.”

Your online business can follow the footsteps of Amazon.com and you can be like another Bezos. Whatever field you wish to venture into, you can always turn it into a money-spinner. You just need to be familiar with and follow certain steps and then you will learn how to parlay any online business into a million dollars — even more!

It is said that the one essential key to Bezos’ astounding success is the fact that he dared. He had a courageous heart and he was determined to succeed. Would you also dare to achieve success in your online business? Don’t be afraid and just follow these steps!

*Don’t be afraid to start small.

As mentioned earlier, a modest investment will not necessarily yield modest earnings. In fact, you should learn to spend your monetary capital wisely and maximize other resources as you start up your online business. Make sure, however, that you do not scrimp on necessary materials. For instance, your computer may not be of the latest model, but be sure that it can perform well and deliver the results that you want.

*Don’t be afraid of rough times.

In any business, you will surely face various obstacles and problems that will certainly test your perseverance. Don’t let these hardships dampen your spirit. Motivate yourself even more. Also, don’t be afraid of criticisms. Did you know that in the beginning, only Bezos believed that his business goals could be attained in a span of only one year? But he did so and so did he surprise everyone!

*Don’t be afraid of changes.

As change is the only constant thing in this world, you will definitely face changes in the course of maintaining your business. Don’t be afraid of these changes and instead, learn how to benefit from them. Keep up with the changing times and adjust the way you do business according to society’s trends.

Furthermore, don’t be afraid to widen your horizons and expand your business. Always look for more innovative techniques to make your business prosper even more.

*Don’t be afraid of consistency.

Welcome helpful changes but be consistent with certain things. For instance, if you started with an every-other-day updating of your web content, make sure you do follow your updating schedule religiously.

*Don’t be afraid of technology.

As your business is an online venture, you should be the very first one to welcome technology. Be updated with the latest technologies. Then evaluate them and decide which ones will help you make your business grow faster and easier.

*Don’t be afraid of multi-tasking.

Since you are your own boss and you call the shots in your online business, you should be ready to handle several responsibilities at the same time. Although you are not expected to be a jack-of-all-trades (and it is not advisable for you to be one), you should have at least some knowledge and skills about every aspect of your business. Remember that the success or failure of your business is practically in your own hands.

Now, here are some of the things that any online business should have for it to succeed and rake in more earnings:

*Products and Services

Obviously, your business will not have any purpose if it does not have any product to sell or any service to offer. Make sure you choose products/services that are of the highest quality and are easy to promote.

*Website

Since yours is an online business, your website — next to your products/services — will be the most crucial aspect of your venture. Your website is also the most evident representative of your business. Thus, make sure that you develop and maintain a professional-looking, user-friendly, engaging website.

Here are some website must-haves that can attract more visitors and make them stay:

>A statement clearly indicating the purpose of the website

>Interesting web content and other articles (in the form of newsletter, e-zine, etc.)

>Easy to use, prominent features for searching and purchasing items

>Attractive but relevant photos and graphics

>Entertaining features such as audio clips and video clips

>Interactive elements such as feedback forms, surveys, quizzes

*Affiliate Program

The very system that made Amazon.com the giant that it is today, an affiliate program enables you to have innumerable marketing arms and promote your online business easier, faster, more extensively, and more effectively.

*Offline Marketing

Having an online business does not necessarily mean that you are limited to online marketing strategies. Effective offline marketing techniques for an online business may include displaying your website’s address (url) on flyers, posting your url on vehicles, and advertising your business on newspapers and magazines.

*Special Offers

Everyone wants freebies and special offers, right? Your customers/clients will surely be happy to know that they can save money when they purchase your products or avail of your services. Offer these specials regularly and generously.

Now that you know the steps to parlay any online business into a million dollars, will you transform your online business into a money-maker? Only you can answer that! Remember: Success is right in your hands!

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Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.

There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.

There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.

Personal Creativity

How can individuals maximise their idea pool? Some powerful techniques include:

a) Creative versus critical thinking. Adopt an uncritical frame of mind in order to generate a large set of ideas. Then apply reductive thinking, which involves being logical, practical, focused, conservative and feasible.

b) Break the task into smaller, manageable parts. Creativity can be problem identification, idea generation and the idea pool can be measured against the number of ideas, the diversity of ideas and the novelty of ideas.

c) Be prolific. It can be declared with great certainty that quality positively correlates with quantity. The single best creative product appears at that point in the career when the creator is being most prolific.

d) Engage in the process, which includes: identifying the problem, intensely investigating, seek stimuli, use techniques to force idea generation and engage in unrelated activities to trigger a variety of cognitive forces.

e) Import competencies to frame break, bridge and counter parochialism. Experience, tacit knowledge and intellectual cross pollination is the raw material of the idea generation process.

f) Set incremental and final deadlines. Targets produce more output than simply “do your best.”

These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop MBA, is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/

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The human body needs calcium more than any other mineral. A man weighing 70 kg. contains one kg. of calcium. About 99 percent of the quantity in the body is used for building strong bones and teeth and the remaining one percent is used by the blood, muscles and nerves.

Calcium performs many important functions. Without this mineral, the contractions of the heart
would be faulty, the muscles would not contract properly to make the limbs move and blood
would not clot. Calcium stimulates enzymes in the digestive process and coordinates the
functions of all other minerals in the body. Calcium is found in milk and milk products, whole
wheat, leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, and cabbage, carrots, watercress, oranges,
lemons, almonds, figs and walnuts.

A daily intake of about 0.4 to 0.6 grams of calcium is
considered desirable for an adult. The requirement is larger for growing children and pregnant
and lactating women. Deficiency may cause porous and fragile bones, tooth decay, heart
palpitations, muscle cramps, insomnia and irritability.

A large increase in the dietary supply of calcium is needed in tetany and when the bones are
decalcified due to poor calcium absorption, as in rickets, oesteomalacia and the malabsorption
syndrome. Liberal quantity of calcium is also necessary when excessive calcium has been lost
from the body as in hyperparathyroidism or chronic renal disease.

To learn more about the energy principle in healing, please read:

Cost-free Miracle Asthma Cure
Overcome Type I Diabetes and Type II Diabetes Naturally
Alternative Treatments for Incurable Diseases made easy

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Have you ever wondered what your life is all about? Why you are here? What you are supposed to be doing with your life? Who you really are? The answer to these questions lives in your purpose. And we all have one – a purpose in life, and a unique one. To the degree that we know what our purpose is and direct our energy toward living and expressing it in what we think, say and do and in who we are, to that degree we will be fulfilled and live fully with deep meaning and joy.

Imagine waking up in the morning eager for the day, ready to take it on, saying, “Yes,” as you get out of bed, “this is my life and I love it. I love this day.” If you’re not already waking up this way, it is possible. It’s possible if you get clear about your purpose and live it.

If you don’t yet know what your unique purpose is, you can begin with a universal purpose such as the one I mentioned in the last newsletter – to add value to life and to experience and spread more love, joy and aliveness. Simply focusing on any one aspect of it such as experiencing and expressing more joy in your life will begin to turn your life around and transform how you get out of bed in the morning. And you’ll be able to look back at the end of the day and say to yourself, “This was a good day!”

Our unique purpose incorporates using our natural talents and gifts to fulfill a universal purpose in a way that speaks to each of us personally, that is compelling and alive for us. It will be unique because we each are.

First, be assured that you have a purpose – you’re here for a reason. The nature of the universe is that every living thing is created for a purpose that serves the greater good, that contributes to life in it’s continuing growth and expansion. Your purpose has to do with “being” and “doing” for yourself and others. With this in mind, the most important, and practical, part of all of this is to have one, today.

Discovering your life purpose can be really simple. The simplest way for now is to decide what your purpose is. Right now. choose a really good one, one that deeply moves you, that makes you light up and that is compelling. It might be something like to love and be loved, to develop my natural gifts and talents to the max, to make a difference to everyone I come in contact with, no matter how small, to only speak the truth, to do what I love and support others to do what they love… It can be as simple as “joy.”

Stop reading now for just a few moments, keeping in mind the essence of what “purpose” is. Close your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths. Ask yourself, “What is my purpose?” And smile as you allow an answer to your question to arise, or as you decide on a purpose. Open your eyes, congratulate yourself and repeat your purpose silently or out loud. Then write it down. Congratulations!

I suggest you write down the purpose you chose, or your purpose as you know it today, and look at it every morning. Write it down as a positive statement beginning with “My purpose is…” and filling in yours. Remind yourself of it during the day by repeating it silently or out loud. You could, of course, sing it, or dance it, or write it on your bathroom mirror. It’s most important that you keep it alive – it will exponentially return the favor.

There are other ways to explore your own unique purpose. The start you’ve just made – you have made one haven’t you – will begin to create a synergy that will help you to grow and evolve your purpose over time. For now, you have a way to live on purpose each day. So “Live on Purpose!”

You are free to reprint and use this article by simply including the copyright and full resource information below.

Reggie Odom LICSW, CPCC, PCC founder of Inspired Works, is a Life Coach, inspirational speaker, and lecturer at the Simmons College School of Social Work. She is considered a master teacher and unforgettable speaker. Reggie coaches professionals and small business entrepreneurs who want more joy and greater aliveness. She can be contacted at (617)524-6153, reggie@reggieodom.com or you can visit her web site at http://www.reggieodom.com.

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Numerous betting fans will likely have seen the phrase “offshore sports betting” recently, but a few may not be altogether assured what that refers to. A foreign gaming site primarily performs outside the jurisdiction of a particular land or else it can also mean an internet gambling site which has their file servers inside the borders of a nation where web based gambling is not currently vetoed. In summary then, it can be represented as a wagering business operating outside the nation of the player. Computer accessible gaming web sites are in the main modulated by means of 3 institutions. They are the OSGA (the Offshore Gaming Association), IGC (Interactive Gaming Council) and the Fidelity Trust Gaming Association (the FTGA).

The OSGA is an autonomous bureau which checks the current overseas sports gambling trade, they want to offer sports gaming fanatics access to quickly identify honest enterprises to play gambling games with. It attempts to champion client’s rights, additionally they charge no association charges.

The agency are a professional and objective third party agency who convey nonpartisan information, based on your feedback, impartial study, discussions, insider prompts and dispenses inside gossip.

The IGC is a not-for-profit organisation. The administration has been designed to supply a forum for curious individuals to discuss issues and in addition to advance relevant matters in the global interactive gaming industry, to ensure sportsmanlike and also effective commercial standards and patterns that raise consumer faith in world wide web based sports gambling products and utilities, and to serve as the overseas gambling trade’s inclusive procedure representative and the council also works as a data base of operations.

The IGC has built up a distinction for encouraging dependability, stability also sincerity due to the industry ethics it displays, also its appeal for credible sports betting sites. The IGC regulates offshore sports gambling by means of employing a special 10 point code of conduct and also bills gaming business concerns a price for using their logo. Disenchanted gamblers may, should they like, report their disagreements to the Interactive Gaming Council.

The Fidelity Trust Gaming Association has been formed in order to construct a benchmark to raise the actions of internet gaming operations. The authority believe that carrying on business exclusively with enterprises of honorable standing, they are able to establish a membership of the most ethical and professional online betting businesses internationally.

So, there are councils who exist to regulate the conduct of internet betting and which should hopefully aid to mitigate any misgivings experienced by cynics. Internet based sports gaming web sites are at present absolutely dependable, in that private details are not submitted and also the dividends not to mention the gambling odds should be exactly as balanced and fair as in a standard Vegas-style stake. They lessen traveling, but retain of a casino, but nowadays you may wager in your home.

place sports bet

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Effective communication is vital if you wish people to understand your viewpoint. It becomes even more crucial in professional settings, as fierce competition means that customers must be convinced that your products are superior to your rival’s. Unless you effectively communicate the features and advantages of your product, your customers are likely to walk out the door. Communication is equally important in your interactions with suppliers, coworkers, managers, and investors.

The following six rules will help you communicate more effectively, reduce conflict in your organization, and become a better leader.

Rule #1: Organize your thoughts.

Jumbled thoughts lead to incoherent speech. Organizing your thoughts systematically is the first step to effective communication. You should be clear about the message that you want to convey, and it is helpful to have a framework for the conversation. Communication is a dynamic process, so you need to organize and re-organize your thoughts accordingly as the conversation progresses. This presence of mind is essential.

Rule #2: Plan the conversation ahead of time.

When you think through a subject, try to envision what sort of reaction you will evoke. Plan out the different directions that the conversation may go, and prepare your ground accordingly. It helps to consider the personality and behavior of the person with whom you are dealing. How does s/he prefer to work, what is his/her behavioral style? Answering these questions allows you to tailor your approach accordingly.

Rule #3: Be aware of your nonverbal signals.

Did you know much of our communication happens through nonverbal signals? The message you convey through your gestures, body language, and facial expressions will play a huge role in the response you elicit. For this reason, your verbal and nonverbal message need to be consistent; otherwise, you will send mixed signals and not achieve the outcome you desire.

Rule #4: Be succinct.

As they say, less is more. This holds true for communication as well. Your goal in communication is to convey a message and create a certain response. Emphasize your key points simply, and respond to questions directly. Repeating yourself and reiterating your points will only detract from your message.

Rule #5: Demonstrate how the other person will benefit.

When you show how the other person will directly benefit from your offer, you are very close to convincing him/her. To do this, you must highlight the rewards of your offer, and explain how they will improve his or her life. For example, instead of explaining that a new product is more efficient, you might emphasize how much time or money the customer will save. This is the fifth great rule for becoming a good communicator.

Rule #6: Be a good listener.

The importance of listening to the other party and understanding his/her viewpoint is often overlooked. Effective communication is two-way process; if you adopt a one-way attitude, you will fail to create a rapport with your counterpart. By making the other person feel that you value their participation in the conversation, and that you are addressing his/her needs, you make him/her much more willing to accommodate your position. In practice, this means that you must listen patiently and converse accordingly.

Barbara Stennes, CSP, is president and owner of Resources Unlimited, a consulting firm based in Des Moines, Iowa. Since 1980 she has conducted training sessions or facilitated meetings with 70,000 people throughout North America, South America, and Europe. Barbara is known for down-to-earth, practical solutions to business issues (team building, customer service, creativity and innovation).

To learn how Barbara can help your organization, please visit Resources Unlimited and de Bono Online.

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A lot has been written about the Unconscious in psychology literature. During my own training, I found it hard to understand the intricacies of the Unconscious. But over the years, I have learnt something more than what the books taught me. This article is about my own experiences and my own understanding of the Unconscious.

The part of the nervous system that controls our internal organs and is affected by and regulates our emotional state is the Unconscious. Initially made popular in the Western world by Freud, the Unconscious has been an accepted phenomenon in Eastern cultures for a long time. References to the Unconscious have been made in Bhagvatgita, a holy book for the Hindus. Arjuna, the protagonist, in Bhagvatgita, is advised by Krishna, to rise over the emotions and anxiety that he is experiencing in the battle-field. Through cognitive therapy, Arjuna is advised to deal with his physical and emotional state first, before he fires an arrow at his enemies.

Recently, it has been scientifically shown that a part of the nervous system called the ‘limbic system’ is responsible for controlling emotions in the humans. The limbic system is located in the center of the skull. It gets its input from the sensory organs. It is connected to the ‘logical’ cerebrum on one side and on the other it is connected to the nerves that control the functioning of internal organs like heart, lungs, stomach, liver and the kidneys. It is also connected to the master gland of the endocrine system- the hypothalamus.

The limbic system gets its information from the senses, the logical part of the brain and also the internal organs. As soon as we think of an event, or become aware of an event in our environment that causes emotional arousal, the limbic system stimulates the endocrine system. We feel emotional due to the production of particular hormones in particular quantities. The impact of these emotions depends on what the limbic system has observed (by preconditioning) of how the event is perceived- threatening or non- threatening.

The Unconscious determines our behavioral responses to the environmental cues. To change our behaviour, it is the Unconscious that needs to be trained to respond in a different manner. This can be done either by using reason or by dealing with the emotions that are experienced in a particular situation. The interesting part of the change process is that once the emotions, relating to a particular event are experienced fully, the nervous system becomes tired of them and changes the behavioral responses of the person.

This is the reason why counseling, hypnotherapy, emotive therapy and cognitive therapy work. If someone does not get well with these therapies, it is not that the particular therapy does not work, but because the emotional experiences have not been concluded.

Pradeep K Chadha is a psychiatrist who specialises in helping patients with meditation and imagery using little or no medication. He is the author of The Stress Barrier-Nature’s Way To Overcoming Stress published by Blackhall Publishing, Dublin. He is based in Dublin, Ireland.His website address is :http://www.drpkchadha.com

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