New Year 2012 – Give Yourself Three Invaluable Gifts!

I hope all of you had a great 2011.  If you answered with an yes, set bigger goals.  Do more in 2012.  If not, nothing to worry.  You can begin again and get great things done in 2012.

Give Yourself Three Invaluable Gifts

As I do every year I begin the New Year by giving myself a message.  I also share this message with friends who appreciate my thoughts. This helps me set my perspective for the oncoming year, overcome limitations of the past year and move forward in new directions and set new ways of thinking.  We all know that if we continue to do what we did, we will get the same results what we got last year.  So let us begin the New Year with new positive thoughts.  There is so much to do, so much to achieve, so much to learn and so much to enjoy and be happy about.

To be absolutely honest, I have never got around to fulfilling most of my New Year resolutions any year.  I believe this is so with most of us.  If everything went on perfectly like clockwork much of the thrill of the achievement would be lost.

Where did I go wrong?  How could I set easy resolutions that are important enough for me to achieve them?  And what qualities do I require that I achieve my New Year resolutions?

I realize now that the rigidity of the resolutions and the strict disciplines of executing the goals regime weaken the fun element.  Instead of enjoying the journey of personal development and achievement we end up more stressed with the New Year resolutions.

I think most of us lack the one quality that can help us achieve all our resolutions – COMMITMENT.  At least that is the truth for me.  I get excited at the possibilities that a new year offers – possibilities of better health, progress in my career, earning more money, better relations with my family, friends and peers.  But the as the year progresses, the hard knocks of life weakens the resolve and somewhere down the line we lose the commitment to our new year goals and objectives.  The routine sets in and we forget all about it till the next year.  Get committed to dream big dreams, turn the dreams into vision and vision into actions goals into achievements.

Give yourself 3 gifts during this New Year 2012.

1.  Dreams

“The future you see is the future you get” said Robert G. Allen.  The very recent history is proof that people who had wild dreams were the people who made world a different place than what it could have turned out to be.  As recently as the 18^th century no one could imagine flying at great speeds and reach distant places in hours which took days and even months.  No one could imagine hearing and seeing people far and wide by just flicking a switch.

Such progress is the result of men who saw a future beyond logic and common sense, and dreamt of things that were a flight of fancy and fairy tales.  Although their thoughts transcended logic, science helped turn their wildest dreams into reality for these men.

The message of history is clear.  Dream big!  As Pablo Picasso said “Everything you can imagine is real.”  Dream unreasonable and dream the impossible.  A big dream is one that is not quantifiable; it is timeless, has no geographic boundaries, transcends religion and inspires not just you but the world.

When you can create a dream that is big enough it will be liberating and make you soar into skies of fame and wealth.  It will entail risks, but excite you into action and achievement.  It will be rewarding and propel into a new dimensions of happiness, fame and riches.

Do you need any more reasons to gift yourself Big Dreams in in the New Year 2012?

2.  Fearlessness 

When you walk the path of Big Dreams, you will be confronted with fear.  Fear of losing it all.  But the ancient text of Rig Veda says “Fearlessness is the gateway to success. One should therefore shun all kinds of fear.”

Fear is a demon which keeps whispering messages in your ears preventing you from doing all the things that you would like to do and dissuade with countless reasons for not doing what is right.

Fear can stop us from achieving our dreams and aspirations.  Learn to understand the negative state, which is the originator of all fear.  Confront your fears and decide on what is right.  Don’t let the negativity and fear cloud your judgment of the right and wrong.  If you are right let nothing come in the way of your decisions.  Be prepared to face the worst for doing the right things.

Fear is the worst enemy of all dreams.  Make the new year 2012 fearless to pursue your dreams.

3.  Health

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity – World Health Organization

To accomplish all our dreams, to be fearless, we need a body which is brimming with health, a mind full of energy and positive attitude towards our fellow human beings.

Good health is the backbone of life.  Whatever your accomplishments, if you are not keeping a good physical or mental health, life would not be worth living and there can be no happiness even if you have all the riches of the world.

Start the New Year 2012 with a good plan for your physical health with an exercise and physical fitness regime.  It is easy to achieve good mental health by building positive attitudes.  Read extensively and learn new things to nourish your mind.

Go for your dreams with fearlessness and build good health to fuel the energy required to make all your dreams come true in the New Year 2012!

Time – The Raw Material Of Success

Time is the mysterious and unexplained raw material of everything the world has to offer us.  With time you can achieve everything.  Without giving adequate time you can achieve nothing.  The miraculous part of nature is as you wake up in the morning your bags are filled with 24 hours of all the potential that universe could offer to man.  It is yours.  A highly precious possession with which you can spin whatever you want.

The wonderful part is no one can steal it from you.  No one can take from you.  The best part is it is equally given to all.  No one receives more or less of it.

In the realm of time there is no aristocracy of wealth, there is no distinction of rich and poor.  Whether you are highly qualified and endowed with the best of intellect or merely an illiterate you will be given an equal amount of time by nature.  No one is rewarded more because of his power or position or merit.

Some have used time more effectively than others and many have squandered it, whiling it away in small gossip, unnecessary and unproductive pursuits.  Some have brilliantly exposed the perfect usage of time to amass wealth, name and fame rising from abject poverty and unequal backgrounds.

We all have 24 hours to this day.  Let us make the most of it!

Srinivasan Gopal

Successful Men of Business – Andrew Carnegie

I always wanted to write about some of the greatest men of business who really made a difference to the world.  These are the great men who not only contributed to the economic development of their nations, but a left a legacy endearing and useful forever for the development of society and human thought. I am starting this series of articles with the man I consider the foremost in his contribution to the mankind.

If you have read the legendary book on life success “Think & Grow Rich” you might remember Andrew Carnegie.  He was the inspiration behind one of the highest selling motivational and self development book in the history of publishing perhaps next only to Bible.  The book is a lasting legacy of a man who lived life to the fullest and fulfilled all that he desired.

At the time of his death in 1919 most of his remaining wealth of $30,000,000 was given away to charities, pension funds and foundations apart from few millions and his real estates which he left for his family.  He had already given away approximately 4.5 billion dollars adjusted to 2005 figures to various charities and donations.

Andrew Carnegie symbolized everything that you may call as success.  He was flamboyant, highly ambitious, lived a life that only one can dream of, owned businesses across many continents and countries, worked hard and played hard.  He carried power within governments and in public.

He is said to be the second richest man in history.  He built one of the largest and most powerful steel conglomerates in the world and finally sold it to donate most of the proceeds to charity.  Among other institutions he created the Carnegie Mellon University

Andrew Carnegie rose up from poverty with a fierce ambition and embodies all that a self development Guru would dream about.

Andrew Carnegie migrated to America from Scotland with his parents to escape poverty due to destruction of the crafts practiced by his parents by the Industrial Revolution.  The abject poverty of his childhood created a steely resolve to overcome poverty and earn the riches that he owned later.

Starting $1.20 a week, he slowly moved up the ladder and became a private secretary of legendary Thomas A. Scott of Pennsylvania Railroad at a princely salary $ 35.

During this time Civil War had broken out.  The military requirements were driving the steel Industry.  Once the Civil War was over Andrew Carnegie decided to quit his work and enter the Steel Industry.

“I think Carnegie’s genius was first of all, an ability to foresee how things were going to change,” says historian John Ingram. “Once he saw that something was of potential benefit to him, he was willing to invest enormously in it.”

His move up in the industrial world is well documented.  However what is not much known is his thirst for knowledge and philanthropic leanings.

Carnegie Institute At Pittsburg

“I propose to take an income no greater than $50,000 per annum! Beyond this I need ever earn, make no effort to increase my fortune, but spend the surplus each year for benevolent purposes! Let us cast aside business forever, except for others. Let us settle in Oxford and I shall get a thorough education, making the acquaintance of literary men. I figure that this will take three years active work. I shall pay especial attention to speaking in public. We can settle in London and I can purchase a controlling interest in some newspaper or live review and give the general management of it attention, taking part in public matters, especially those connected with education and improvement of the poorer classes. Man must have an idol and the amassing of wealth is one of the worst species of idolatry! No idol is more debasing than the worship of money! Whatever I engage in I must push inordinately; therefore should I be careful to choose that life which will be the most elevating in its character. To continue much longer overwhelmed by business cares and with most of my thoughts wholly upon the way to make more money in the shortest time, must degrade me beyond hope of permanent recovery. I will resign business at thirty-five, but during these ensuing two years I wish to spend the afternoons in receiving instruction and in reading systematically!”

He sold his steel empire at the age of 64 for $ 480 million and became the richest man in the world.  Thereafter he turned his attention to giving away his fortune which was one of his avowed wish mentioned in the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’.   While he was highly philanthropic he detested charity.  He donated most of his money to establishing libraries and institutes of higher learning.

Andrew Carnegie ardently believed in helping people to help them selves.  It is said that hundreds of the richest and powerful men in the world have claimed to have become rich and successful after reading the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’. He inspired the writing of Think and Grow Rich which remains to this day the classic of motivation and self development.

Internet Marketing Tips That Could Save You Years of Wasted Effort

As we all know the internet marketing field is very competitive. The big boys in the internet marketing community are very friendly and tend to work together to further each other’s careers. This show definitely that joint ventures are an important aspect of the internet marketing business. Join forces with more internet marketer and create mutual admiration to make more people notice you.

The main online marketing strategy that I have used very successfully is Article Marketing. One very simple way of advertising your expertise to the world is to submit written articles to various article sites. Not only will this help others see you as an expert, but any links in your article that point back to your website have the added benefit of increasing your link popularity.

The best way to get the most social intensity is by using “traditional” Internet marketing to inspire non-traditional responses. An interesting and well-targeted advertisement is still a must — but now it needs the added “wow” factor that inspires a blogger or a group of friends. Once you’ve created an ad such as “GIVE ME 10 SECONDS AND I’LL SHOW YOU THE BEST SITE FOR 100 Download Products With Resale Rights.?” gets that buzz going, you’ll get better ROI, more links, and more online visibility without spending more money.

The ultimate way to get all the newest and best internet marketing tips as well as internet marketing information is to subscribe to Google alerts. You will be sent an endless stream of content everyday.

Digg could be best resource for creating back links as well as get free traffic to your site. One of the ‘Net’s most popular news-sharing websites, members post links to their favorite news articles and then comment and vote on the ones they like best. If you get a good rating on an article that includes a link to your site, you could see a huge rush of traffic overnight.

When you list out your product on the Internet to be sold, you’ll obviously have to win your prospect’s trust in order to grab the sale. If you want to convince people to try your product, one of the best ways is to show them that your past customers were impressed by your product. You can easily do this by asking for testimonials from your old customers, if not, you can ask experts within your niche to review your product and give a testimonial.

Another easy method is, you can ask experts within your niche to review your product and give a testimonial. Nothing works better than a balance and impartial review to bring focus on the product and presell the features of the product. Once you bring the customer to the sales page through your review, the merchant takes care of the sales.

If you want to get into the internet marketing field you can’t be afraid of failure. In this business you have to fail many times in order to succeed. Don’t get discouraged by trying all the scams and get-rich-quick programs on the net. Do your research and figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Make New Year 2011 The Best And Greatest Ever!

I write a New Year article every year just as a way to gather my thoughts and prioritize what I would like to do in the coming year to make it more positive, achievement oriented fun.  Many are the goals which we plan every year but never get around to doing.    Making New Year Resolutions is fascinating trend or I should say tradition, globally practiced irrespective of the nationality, geography and religious beliefs.  It is not unusual to find many people buying up notebooks and diaries to write down their year’s goals, dreams and things to do every New Year.  These self-declared vows to improve, revive, or otherwise completely overhaul our lives, are one of the most interesting part of beginning a new year.

So to begin my own new year resolutions for 2011 I started by asking my children what New Year resolutions they were planning.  Both my children are in their teens.   My son who is the younger of the two simply said I don’t know.  He was playing his hand held game boy and I think he was too much in the present moment to bother about an uncertain future.  He was making the most of his moment of joy.

It was moment of truth for me. I was just beginning to form an insight into a new way of looking at New Year resolutions.

I then asked my daughter the same question.  She had a very different answer which amazed me still more.  She said “Why should I make new year resolutions.  I just think of what I want to do every day and start doing it immediately.  Another knockout for my old fashioned thinking of setting goals and plan lots of things and never getting around to do many of them.

So here are the two valuable learning for the new year from the younger generation who believe in being more practical, pragmatic and have the ‘just do it’ attitude.

New Year Insight 1:  Live in the present and make the most of it.  You never know if tomorrow will ever come

New Year Insight 2: Plan what you want to do and the moment you decide something you need to do and just do it.  You need not wait for the right time or place.  You need not write plenty of goals and objectives.  Set them on the go, get on the road and keep correcting your course as you go along.  You just decide and do it.

So I just threw out my goals list and decided I will live every moment to the fullest and just do the things I wanted to do as I planned them or stop planning about it if it wasn’t practical to get started immediately.

But just to make the New Year 2011 the greatest ever I thought I will add two more insights which I feel can really help make life enjoyable. So here is my own new insights on the new year resolutions.

New Year Insight 3: It is always a little difficult to set time up for yourself whether just to get away for the weekend or enjoy a couple of hours on your own.  You can feel fully charged if you spend a couple of hours playing with your kids, walking aimlessly absorbing the life around and be with yourself, reading up what you always wanted to read but never got around to it or sharing some loving moments and mutual thoughts together with your life partner every day.

So take the time for yourself as frequently as you wish.  That urgent appointment can wait.  The business is not going to run away.  If it going to fall apart in your short absence, you are not the owner of your work or business, nor in control of it.  You are only slave labor to your work and business.

Remember you are working to make life happy.  Personal moments of joy lost is adding to the regrets of what you lost in your golden years.

New Year Insight 4: It is always good to spend time to learn something new.  May be it is never too late to learn to play the Piano, Guitar or whatever other instrument you fancy.  Maybe it could be even better if you could get back to school and get that course you often felt you must do.  You could even go back to collage and get a new degree you always fancied.  Learning is always fun and helps keep you young, vibrant and knowledgeable.  All work and no play…is not for the year 2011.

Wish You All The Best and The Greatest New Year 2011!

Is Affiliate Marketing a Good Business Idea?

I just came across a very interesting post at Dave Taylor’s blog on the affiliate business model.  The comments posted were as interesting, insightful and fit for a good amount of debate among the affiliate marketing community.  While I may be a bit late I still thought I must share it with all my affiliate friends due to its relevancy even today.  I am giving below my own comment which in itself could be likened to an article on the subject of affiliate marketing.

I think you have literally kicked the hornets nest and most of the comments here are very interesting as well as the posts are knowledgeable.

I thought I would add my bit albeit a bit late.( I hope that rhymes well) because the issue is still current after a lapse of 4 years..  As far as the affiliate model of business goes, it is a genius of an idea if it serves the original purpose – that anyone can start the business with low investments and find an alternative living to the 9-5 option.  However as your own PPC budgets suggest it is not within the reach of most of the aspirants.

While on the subject of PPC spending 9350 to earn 650 is not a sound business idea as some posts have made to be on the basis of returns.  One may well keep in mind that the investments are not in any assets but on notional values (ad rates) which may or may not give a return.  If it does give a guaranteed return of $650 consistently then it may be a risk worth taking.  But there are no guarantees on the consistent return.  I don’t think any Wall Street whiz kids would even touch it with a barge pole.

This business cannot be compared to the brick and mortar retail business which serves a different segment of the market that are looking for the product to be bought and walks into a store.  In the online world the need is created to a potential audience by persuasive copy and he may decide to buy the product as it may meet a certain need.

Here too to reach the potential audience a lot of work is done at considerable investment to create traffic through various sources.

While this is a most interesting subject to debate, I feel affiliate marketing could be the right business model if the tools of the trade are within affordable reach of the majority of the wannabe entrepreneurs and deserves to be developed.”

I urge my readers to read the article of Dave at his Intuitive.com as the topic of ” Is Affiliate Marketing a Good Idea” is still relevant today and for some useful insights.

The Online World Of Srinivasan Gopal!

Hi,

I’m Srinivasan Gopal and I write this blog on Internet Marketing.
I am a managerial professional and motivational & success trainer but passionate about internet marketing.  I would like to help aspiring entrepreneurs to make the transition from failure to successful internet entrepreneurs.  Internet marketing is filled with many pitfalls in terms of overcoming the technology gap for the non techies, sharks in the guise of internet marketing gurus selling
failed and outdated programs, outdated information which make you buy product after product that may never lead you to the elusive success and the dream of an internet lifestyle.

I started SrinivasanGopal.com in 2010 after encountering all these problems and thousands of dollars down the drain. Now I have many websites earning me some income . SrinivasanGopal.com is an effort to save my fellow travellers on the internet journey all
the pain and wasted money. It is my personal assurance that in this site the suggestions given or products recommended will be the best.

To contact me, please email srinivasan@Srinivasnagopal.com