How Do We Fall in Love ? 10 Psychology Studies on What Makes a Relationship Work

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

 


From the initial moment of attraction to growing old together, here are 10 psychology studies that all lovers should know.

 


 

1. Falling in love takes one-fifth of a second

It takes a fifth-of-a-second for the euphoria-inducing chemicals to start acting on the brain when you are looking at that special someone.
Brain imaging studies of love suggest that 12 different areas of the brain are involved.
When looking or thinking about a loved one, these areas release a cocktail of neurotransmitters across the brain, including oxytocin, dopamine, vasopressin and adrenaline.
The brain gets a similar ‘hit’ from love as it does from a small dose of cocaine.

 


 

2. Brain map of love and desire

The first study to look at the neural difference between love and sexual desire finds remarkable overlaps and distinct differences.
The results showed that some strikingly similar brain networks were activated by love and sexual desire.
The regions activated were those involved in emotion, motivation and higher level thoughts.
This psychology of love suggests that sexual desire is more than just a basic emotion, but involves goal-directed motivation and the recruitment of more advanced thoughts.
Love is built on top of these circuits, with one key area of difference being in the striatum. This area of the brain is typically associated with the balance between higher- and lower-level functions.

 


 

3. Kissing helps us choose

Two new studies of kissing have found that apart from being sexy, kissing also helps people choose partners–and keep them.
In a survey, women in particular rated kissing as important, but more promiscuous members of both sexes rated kissing as a very important way of testing out a new mate.
But kissing isn’t just important at the start of a relationship; it also has a role in maintaining a relationship.
The researchers found a correlation between the amount of kissing that long-term partners did and the quality of their relationship.
This link wasn’t seen between more sex and improved relationship satisfaction.

 


 

4. Couples look more similar after 25 years together

People who live with each other for 25 years may develop similar facial features.
One study on the psychology of love has found that over 25 years of marriage the facial features of couples became more similar, as judged by independent observers.
This may be because of similarities in diet, environment, personality or even a result of empathising with your partner over the years.

 


 

5. Long distance relationships can work

Contrary to the received wisdom, long distance relationships can work, according to new research.
Two factors that help keep long distance relationships alive are that these couples:
Tell each other more intimate information.
Have a more idealised view of their partner.
As a result, those in long distance relationships often have similar levels of relationship satisfaction and stability as those who are geographically close to each other.

 


 

 

6. Four things that kill a relationship stone dead

For over 40 years the psychologist Professor John Gottman has been analysing the psychology of love.
He’s followed couples across decades in many psychological studies to see what kinds of behaviours predict whether they would stay together.
There are four things that kills relationships stone dead: repeated criticism, lots of expressions of contempt like sarcasm, being defensive and stonewalling, which is when communication almost completely shuts down.

 


 

7. Modern marriages demand self-fulfilment

The face of marriage has changed significantly over the years, according to new research.
It used to be more about providing safety and solidity, now people want psychological fulfilment from their marriages.
More than ever people expect marriage to be more of a journey towards self-fulfilment and self-actualisation.
Unfortunately in the face of these demands, couples are not investing sufficient time and effort to achieve this growth.
The study’s author, Eli Finkel explained:
“In general, if you want your marriage to help you achieve self-expression and personal growth, it’s crucial to invest sufficient time and energy in the marriage. If you know that the time and energy aren’t available, then it makes sense to adjust your expectations accordingly to minimize disappointment.”

 


 

8. A simple exercise to save a marriage

If your relationship needs a little TLC, then there may be no need to go into therapy–watching a few movies together could do the trick.
A new three-year study finds that divorce rates were more than halved by watching movies about relationships and discussing them afterwards.
The study’s lead author, Ronald Rogge, said:
“The results suggest that husbands and wives have a pretty good sense of what they might be doing right and wrong in their relationships. Thus, you might not need to teach them a whole lot of skills to cut the divorce rate.
You might just need to get them to think about how they are currently behaving. And for five movies to give us a benefit over three years–that is awesome.”

 


 

9. The post-divorce relationship

Even after divorce, relationships don’t necessarily end, especially if there are children.
A study of co-parenting post-divorce has found it can go one of five ways, the first three of which are considered relatively functional:
Dissolved duos, where (usually) the father disappears.
Perfect pals, where parents continue to be best friends.
Cooperative colleagues, where couples move on but remain on a good footing with each other.
Angry associates, where the fighting continues after the divorce.
Fiery foes, where children become pawns in the fight and usually suffer as a result.

 


 

10. It’s the little things

Finally, as we live in a highly commercialised world where we’re encouraged to think love can be bought and sold, it’s worth remembering that often it’s the small things that can make a difference.
A recent survey on the psychology of love of over 4,000 UK adults found that simple acts of kindness are often appreciated the most.
Bringing your partner a cup of tea in bed, putting the bins out or telling them they look good naked may all do a lot more than a box of chocolates or bunch of flowers (although these won’t hurt!).
Psychology of love
As the German poet and novelist Rainer Maria Rilke said:
“Once the realization is accepted that even between the closest human beings infinite distances continue, a wonderful living side by side can grow, if they succeed in loving the distance between them which makes it possible for each to see the other whole against the sky.”

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Depression Isn’t Always What You Think: The Subtle Signs.

Depression doesn’t always “present” as it should. Prolonged sadness, lack of hope, or loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities are the most commonly mentioned symptoms on mental health websites and in antidepressant ads, and they can certainly be the most affecting. But sometimes the disorder is subtler, and harder to identify, since it can make itself known in stranger ways than we’d like. Below are some of the less obvious, but nonetheless important, symptoms of depression – those you should be aware of (and which you should make your psychologist/psychiatrist aware of, if you’re seeing one). Knowing that depression can play out in counterintuitive ways is important, since knowing that you’re depressed is the first step in seeking help for it.

 


 

Externalized Symptoms

Depression can poke through in unexpected ways, both physical and behavioral – it’s kind of like depression is finding a way out, if it isn’t being acknowledged otherwise. “Some people, particularly men, are more likely to externalize their depression,” says psychologist and author of When Depression Hurts Your Relationship, Shannon Kolakowski, PsyD. “Depression symptoms come out through excessively drinking alcohol, seeking out an affair outside of the relationship, becoming aggressive, or withdrawing from those you love. Similarly, physical symptoms like backaches or low sexual desire are less recognized as depression because they’re externalized.” Extreme fatigue – both mental and physical – is a common symptom (of course it can be indicative of other things, so it’s important to get checked out), as are changes in eating habits (not eating, or conversely, overeating) or sleep patterns.

 


 

Lashing out

This is an extension of the one above, but worth highlighting, since it’s more specific, and may actually indicate a more severe form of depression. Sometimes the disorder can emerge as irritability or anger – when some part of you is at a loss internally or feeling helpless or hopeless, it’s easy to lash out. “Experiencing irritability, hostility, anger, and being sensitive to rejection are all common symptoms when depressed,” says Kolakowski. “Less well known is the fact that not only is irritability a sign of depression, but that it often signals a more severe level of depression. Hostility and irritability are also linked to a higher likelihood of having other mental illness, like anxiety. Other emotions such as sadness, shame, or helplessness often underlie the irritability, but irritability is what shows up on the surface.” If you’re noticing that you’re very short-tempered, or yelling at your spouse or kids a lot, or otherwise lashing out, take some time to think about what might emotion/s might be driving that behavior.

 


 

Perfectionism

Perfectionism and depression have been long connected to each other, and research studies have underlined the association for years. “Having all-or-nothing, rigid, and exceptionally high or unrealistic expectations are all symptoms of perfectionism, and can all contribute to depression,” says Kolakowski. “Perfectionism in depression tends to belie the idea that others will only love and accept someone if they’re perfect.” Self-esteem is what seems to mediate the link between perfectionism and depression, since perfectionists often think that they must be “perfect” to be acceptable, both to peers and themselves. “To perfectionists, to make a mistake is a sign of a personal defect or flaw, rather than the fact that it’s human to make mistakes, and that we all make mistakes. To counter the self-blame, fear of failure, and shame that comes with this, practicing self-acceptance and compassion are essential.” That may be very hard to learn to do on your own, so might need the help of a capable psychologist.

 


 

Inability to Concentrate

Everyone has problems concentrating from time to time, especially if something specific is on your mind. But pronounced concentration issues – so much that they affect your work or relationships – can also be a sign of underlying depression. “Concentration difficulties are a common symptom of depression, yet one that people may not associate with depression (think ADHD),” says psychologist Jon Rottenberg, PhD, author of The Depths: The Evolutionary Origins of the Depression Epidemic. “Many of the symptoms of depression are private experiences like sadness or feeling worthless, problems that people can conceal from others. What’s striking about concentration difficulties is that they directly impair functioning – these difficulties make it harder to work or go to school. Concentration problems can make people miss assignments or deadlines.”
He adds that it’s often these issues that prompt a person to get help in the end, since they’re less easy to hide from one’s coworkers, boss, or family. Concentration may be compromised because of another serious symptom of depression – rumination – in which a person turns certain topics over and over again in one’s head (past regrets, future worries), which can be time-consuming, futile, and depressogenic itself. And it can severely compromise one’s ability to concentrate on the present.

 


 

Extreme Guilt (about Ridiculous Stuff)

Guilt is obviously a natural sensation at times, but sometimes a deep feeling of guilt about many or most areas in your life can signal depression. Rottenberg calls it “pathological guilt,” and says, “what’s different for the depressed person is that the guilt can become all-consuming. He or she scans the past and sees only a series of failings. Sometimes the guilty thinking can become quite fanciful. The depressed person can feel guilty for being born, guilty for having had depression, and be unable to think of any major life role (friend, son or daughter, parent) without being consumed by feelings of regret.”

 


 

You Don’t See ‘Smiley Faces’

Being a “Debbie Downer” is sort of a funny joke, but there’s a much more macabre side to it: When you immediately pick out every negative element of a situation, and roundly ignore the positive, this pattern can escalate till it’s sabotaging. Humans are primed to pick up on negative cues, because they might indicate that action is required in the face of danger. So in a sense, negativity is an occupational hazard of being human – but when finding the negative colors your entire life, it starts to blur into depression. “It is striking that recent research suggests that someone with depression is less likely to visually focus on happy faces than a non-depressed person,” says psychologist Suzanne Roff-Wexler, PhD, founder of CompassPoint Consulting. “If we observed carefully, could we notice how a depressed person avoids happy faces or situations while being more ‘comfortable’ with the opposite? I wonder if someone with depression is even aware of this visual bias toward the negative.”
Being a “realist” can subtly shift into being pessimistic which can subtly shift into being negative and even feeling “at home” with depression. Watch yourself for how you react to neutral or even good news – does it seem good, or do you immediately discount it because it will surely turn out poorly in your mind?

 


 

Toggling

This is a critical one, because the “toggle” can be a big clue that something more serious is going on. When you’re depressed, a happy event can take you out of it, and things can seem fine, for a little while – but the depression typically returns once you acclimate to the event. “An interesting ‘symptom’ of depression that may not be well known,” says Roff-Wexler, “is when someone with depression is temporarily lifted out of that state due to a positive event, opportunity, or interpersonal connection. The depression is real and does not go away with a positive experience but it seems briefly alleviated, later to return. Think of it as toggling between being depressed and then not feeling depressed given outside circumstances.”

 


 

Self-Medicating

This is not such a subtle symptom, but is definitely worth mentioning. Depression often carries with it the comorbidity of addiction – people with depression are more likely to drink alcohol heavily, smoke, have eating disorders, and have other dependencies and addictions. After all, when you’re depressed, it’s natural to want to use the tools at your disposal to cope with it – the problem is that we’re not very good at picking healthy tools. It’s much easier to smoke and drink than to go to therapy and exercise. Of course, the former methods will ultimately make the depression worse, while the latter two will put you on track for recovery. If you notice that you’re engaging in any kind of substance or behavior more than you used to, or so much that it’s messing up your life in other ways, think seriously about talking to someone about it.

 


The subtler symptoms of depression definitely deserve attention if you’re experiencing any (or several) of them. Talk to a friend, or even better, reach out to a psychologist if you think you might be depressed. There’s no magic bullet for depression, but there are certainly treatments that are effective. It’s often just a matter of finding the right one, or the right combination. And remember you’re not alone: Lots of people deal with and recover from depression – and the more people talk about it, the easier the road to recovery becomes.

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3 Mental Tricks to Ride Better.

Cyclists often talk about having “good legs” or “bad legs” to describe any given race or ride. But evidence is mounting that the muscle between our ears holds just as much, if not more, power over how well we’re going to turn our pedals. Research shows that when your head is tired, your legs are too. Likewise, when your brain is revved up, you can go further than your legs might have you believe. Here are three ways to train your brain so you have “good legs” on every—or at least most every—ride.

Recharge Your Noggin

Mental fatigue makes physical exertion feel harder. No kidding, right? But most of us still don’t really appreciate how a taxing day on the job can slow us down on the bike. A few recent studies put it in perspective. One from 2009 found that cyclists could hold 80 percent of their peak power for 12 minutes and 34 seconds during a time trial test when mentally fresh, but for only 10 minutes and 40 seconds (that’s a 16 percent decline) when their brains were fatigued. Most recently, a study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that runners ran considerably slower after taking a series of mentally taxing tests compared to when they just chilled out with a movie for the same amount of time. Of course, most of us aren’t sitting around watching “The Hangover” at our day jobs. So what to do?
When you’re mentally fatigued, your exercise effort feels harder, explains study author Mitchell Smith of Australia’s University of Technology, Sydney. “Anything that reduces perception of effort should combat these negative effects.”
If it’s not too late in the day, a little java could help. Caffeine gives your brain a jolt and helps exercise feel easier. Personally, I like to fire up one of my go-to iPod playlists, which is like audio espresso and energizes me nearly instantly. “Another simple strategy is positive self-talk,” says Smith. A 2014 study found that cyclists reported significantly lower levels of perceived exertion and pedaled an average of two minutes longer during an endurance test when they simply gave themselves a little pep talk. Feeling a little draggy? Cue up your favorite Spotify tracks, maybe grab a little joe, and say, “You’ve got this.”

See Yourself Getting Stronger

When you first start riding, you make big gains fast. The same is true for strength training and most physical exercise. It’s not that you grow muscles or build vast capillary beds overnight; it’s because you make neuromuscular adaptations pretty quickly. Put simply: your brain communicates with your muscles more effectively and efficiently, leading to better strength and performance before you really build any muscle.
Turns out you don’t even need to move those muscles to get some of these benefits. That’s right. By just using your brain, you can improve your ability on your bike. Take two studies as evidence. One from a few years back found that volunteers who just imagined exercising their biceps five days a week for 12 weeks improved their strength by more than 13 percent, though they never actually moved a muscle, while those who did no imaginary exercise reaped no strength gains. Another study published last month in the Journal of Neurophysiology involved a group of men and women who wore wrist casts for four weeks. Half the group was told to perform imaginary strength training with their wrists five days a week, while half did nothing special. At the end of the study, the visualizers lost half as much strength as those who were immobilized and did no imaginary exercise.
Sean McCann, PhD, a sports psychologist with the US Olympic Training Center, explains it best, “When you visualize an action, your brain maps it out in your body so your muscles are primed to perform,” he says, noting that he often has athletes “train” through injuries using this type of visualization. Personally, I use visualization to prompt my muscles into action before any difficult task. Before doing pull-ups, for instance, I’ll imagine my lats and biceps and deltoids lighting up and firing in a beautifully synchronized feat of strength. Before races or hard training rides, I picture myself starting strong, pedaling fluidly, and effortlessly getting out of the saddle to charge up steep pitches or clear challenging obstacles. Does all this make me bionic? Nope. But I do believe it helps me ride and race better.

Encourage Yourself

A recent study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that cyclists pedaled three to five minutes longer when happy subliminal messages like smiley faces and positive action words like “Go” were flashed on a screen in the lab than when sad faces and negative words popped up.
Aside from trying to pull off this trick with some Google glasses (please don’t), there’s no real-life application of this research yet. But I believe that non-subliminal messages help too. Try taping motivational phrases or photos to your top tube. During a long race, I’ll cut out the course profile and draw little stars and happy faces and jot down a word of encouragement or two for myself at key points along the way. I’d be lying if I said it always made me faster or stronger. But it does make me smile, and that never fails to make even the hardest ride feel easier.

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7 Things Remarkable People Think About Everyday

If you have ever wondered why some people seem so happy, fulfilled, and completely successful in their lives while others seem unhappy and even downright miserable in theirs, you are not alone. While there are many factors that may play a role in why people’s lives turn out the way they do, a key element for success is how you think. The thoughts that run through your mind on a regular basis can influence your actions, words, and goals. Many successful and truly remarkable people have certain thoughts in common. By making an effort to change the way you think, you may enjoy a remarkable difference in your life. Consider some of the thoughts of successful people:

1. You Have to Work Hard to Get What You Want

It is not enough to simply want something. Almost everyone has goals, desires, and wishes in life. Remarkable and successful people are those who understand it will take hard work to achieve results. More than that, they are individuals who are willing to put in the time and effort to achieve their goals.

2. Focus Most of Your Time and Energy on What Is Most Important in Life

You can spin your wheels and make yourself absolutely stressed out and exhausted if you spread yourself too thin. A good rule of thumb is to determine what is most important in your life. Certainly, you cannot give up your job to spend time with your family and friends unless you have the financial means to do so. However, within reason, your time and energy should be focused on the things that are most important to you. This will help you feel more fulfilled and grounded.

3. Surround Yourself With Positive, Motivational People

If you are like most people, you have a few friends and even family members who are rather discouraging. Their negative thoughts can eat away at your will and motivation. Limit your time with these people, and make the decision to spend time with people who have positive energy and who will motivate and encourage you to be your best.

4. You Need Courage to Move Forward With Your Goals

You may have a list of goals you would like to achieve, but something is probably holding you back. While there may be tangible hurdles you need to jump, such as finding the time and money to make some of your goals happen, the bottom line is that many people lack the courage to take that first step. Once you find the courage to get started, you can jump over the tangible hurdles and negotiate the roadblocks that are preventing you from achieving success.

5. Take Time to Meet With Friends and Colleagues Regularly

Some people will pass over opportunities to network with friends and colleagues when they get too busy or stressed or when finances get tight. However, friends and colleagues can provide you with support and encouragement at all times. They can give you insider information and tips that can help you make plans, and you can bounce ideas off of them to get great feedback. Each networking event is a great opportunity that you do not want to miss, and this includes even a casual coffee date or a beer after work with a friend.

6. The Popular Line of Thinking Is Not Always Right

There is comfort associated with going with the flow and staying with the pack. However, some of the most successful and remarkable people over the years have deviated from the norm. They have developed their thoughts and opinions independently, and they have had the courage and conviction to stick with their beliefs even when they were not always popular.

7. You Need to Break Big Projects Down to Smaller Parts

If you have lofty goals, they may seem completely unattainable. The belief that something is too hard or too time-consuming may be holding you back from moving forward with your plans. However, keep in mind that most projects can be broken down into baby steps. You may consider getting started with your plans by creating an outline of the steps you need to complete to reach your target. Then, simply take the first step to get the ball rolling.
Remarkable people are those who seemingly have everything they desire in life, from health and happiness to financial and professional success. If you are not as happy or successful as you would like to be, consider adopting the above ideas into your everyday thoughts to see life-changing results.

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What Makes an Ordinary Person a Successful Entrepreneur : 12 Everyday Habits to Gauranteed Entrepreneurial Success.

Here are 12 Distinct Daily habits of successful entrepreneur that differentiates them from everyday employee that you find at work.

1.  They have calm, consistent morning routines.

Too many books and courses on personal success act like we’re robots, and completely overlook the enormous power of our emotions.  The less frenzied emotions we have at the start of the day, the less we will have all day.  Because when we start the day in a calm, mindful state, it’s easy to focus and get the right things done.
But when we wake up and stress is already upon us – phones ringing, emails and texts dinging, fire alarms going off – you spend the whole day reacting, instead of being proactive.  This means you’re not in the driver’s seat working on your priorities – the things that drive success – you’re simply responding to what gets thrown at you, whether it’s important or not.
Try to have the first hour of your day vary as little as possible.  A trusted routine can be extremely effective in helping you feel in control and non-reactive, which reduces anxiety and stress, and therefore makes you more mindful and competent.  The bottom line is that how you start the day has an enormous effect on your overall effectiveness.

2.  They eliminate all needless busywork.

At some point we all wonder, “Why is it so impossible to get everything done?”  But the answer is stunningly simple: We’re doing too many of the wrong things.
Several research studies have shown that people never get more done by blindly working more hours on everything that comes up.  Instead, they get more done when they follow careful plans that measure and track key priorities and milestones.  So if you want to be more successful and less stressed, don’t ask how to make something more efficient until you’ve first asked, “Do I need to do this at all?”
Simply being able to do something well does not make it the right thing to do.  I think this is one of the most common problems with a lot of time-management advice; too often productivity gurus focus on how to do things quickly, but the vast majority of things people do quickly should not be done at all.
If you think about it, it’s actually kind of ironic that we complain we have so little time, and then we prioritize like time is infinite.  So do your best to focus on what’s truly important, and not much else.

3.  They do what needs to be done, TODAY!

While everyone else is talking about it, successful people are quietly doing it.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: It doesn’t matter if you have a genius IQ and a PhD in Quantum Physics, you can’t change anything or make any sort of real-world progress without taking action.  There’s a huge difference between knowing how to do something and actually doing it.  Knowledge and intelligence are both useless without action.  It’s as simple as that.
Successful people know that a good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed someday.  They don’t wait for the “right time” or the “right day” or the “right (impossible) circumstances”, because they know these reactions are based on a fear and nothing more.  They take action here and now, today – because that’s where real progress happens.

4.  They Ask Questions and gradually turn life’s obstacles around.

Many of the most iconic novels, songs and inventions of all time were inspired by gut-wrenching pain and heartbreak.  Therefore, the silver lining of these great challenges is that they were the catalyst to the creation of epic masterpieces.
An emerging field of psychology called Post-Traumatic Growth has suggested that many people are able to use their hardships and traumas for substantial creative and intellectual development.  Specifically, researchers have found that trauma can help people grow in the areas of interpersonal relationships, contentment, gratitude, personal strength, and resourcefulness.
When our view of the world as a safe place, or as a certain type of place, has been shattered, we are forced to reboot our perspective on things.  We suddenly have the opportunity to look out to the periphery and see things with a new, fresh set of beginner’s eyes, which is very conducive to personal growth and long-term success.

5.  They are fearless and learn by stretching themselves to their limits.

You learn best when you’re stretching yourself beyond your previous level of comfort.
Sure, getting into a routine is great.  “Flow” is great too.  But neither is the best way to learn.  You want to be stretched to the edge of your ability sometimes.  It needs to be hard and uncomfortable.  That’s how your brain grows.  We learn when we’re in our discomfort zone.
When you’re struggling, that’s when you’re growing stronger and smarter.  The more time you spend there, the faster you learn.  It’s better to spend an extremely high quality ten minutes growing, than it is to spend a mediocre hour running in place.  You want to practice at the point where you are on the edge of your ability, stretching yourself over and over again, making mistakes, stumbling, learning from those mistakes and stretching yourself even farther.

6.  They turn to their intuition when making tough decisions.

Intuition is very real and something that is never wise to ignore, because it comes from deep within your subconscious and is derived from your previous life experiences.  If everyone else is telling you “yes” but your gut is telling you otherwise, it’s usually for a good reason.  When faced with difficult decisions, seek out all the information you can find, become as knowledgeable as you possibly can, and then listen to your God-given instincts.
Successful people know that trusting your intuition is equivalent to trusting your true self; and the more you trust your true self, the more control you have of making your goals and dreams come true.

7.  They mindfully focus on the positive.

As Shawn Achor describes in his book The Happiness Advantage, a recent scientific study showed that doctors who are put in a positive mood before making a diagnosis consistently experience significant boosts to their intellectual abilities than doctors in a neutral state, which allows them to make accurate diagnoses almost 20% faster.  The same study then shifted to other vocations and found that optimistic salespeople outsell their pessimistic counterparts by over 50%.  Students primed to feel happy before taking math tests substantially outperform their neutral peers.  So it turns out that our minds are literally hardwired to perform at their best not when they are negative, or even neutral, but when they are positive.
Of course, that’s not to say that successful people never get upset, but your effectiveness in all walks of life will fare better if you’re able to mindfully accept and let go of negative emotions, rather than dwelling on them.  Think a little less about managing your problems and a little more about managing your mindset.  Keep it positive.

8.  They create visual reminders of their long-term goals.

You want to lose weight, but when you’re tired, it’s easy to rationalize that you’ll start exercising and eating right tomorrow.  You want to build a more profitable business, but when you’re caught up in the daily grind, it’s easy to just do what’s familiar instead of what’s required for growth.  You want to nurture your closest relationships, but when you’re busy, it’s easy to rationalize that you really need to work on that client proposal instead.
Few good things come easy, and when the going gets tough we often take the easy way out – even though the easy way takes us the wrong way.
To combat this, successful people create tangible reminders that pull them back from the brink of their weak impulses.  A friend of ours who has paid off almost $100K of debt in the past five years has a copy of his credit card balance taped to his computer monitor; it serves as a constant reminder of the debt he wants to pay off.  Another friend keeps a photo of herself when she was 90 pounds heavier on her refrigerator as a reminder of the person she never wants to be again.  And another fills his desk with family photos, both because he loves looking at them and because, when work gets really tough, these photos remind him of the people he is ultimately working for.
Think of moments when you are most likely to give in to impulses that take you farther away from your ultimate goals.  Then use visual reminders of those goals to interrupt the impulse and keep you on track.

9.  They keep some kind of personal notebook.

Oprah keeps a journal.  Eminem keeps a journal.  J.K. Rowling keeps a journal.
Successful people track their progress, set goals, reflect, and learn from their mistakes.  And they often use some kind notebook to accomplish this.  If you want to get somewhere in life, you need a map, and this notebook is that map.  You can write down what you did today, what you tried to accomplish, where you made mistakes, and so forth.  It’s a place to reflect.  It’s a place to capture important thoughts.  It’s a place to be able to track where you’ve been and where you intend to go.  It’s one of the most underused, yet incredibly effective tools available to the masses.

10.  They have mentors they observe and consult with.

Regardless of what you’re trying to achieve, you cannot do it alone.  It can be hard to learn from books.  And sometimes the Internet makes it difficult to separate truth from fiction.  You need someone who has been where you want to go to show you the ropes – your own personal mentor or coach.
Yes, 10,000 hours of diligent practice can make you an expert, but what makes you dedicate 10,000 hours to something in the first place?  The answer is having a great mentor or two.  If you study the lives of enough successful people, it becomes obvious that most world-class performers in all fields – athletes, musicians, entrepreneurs, artists, etc. – had incredible mentors, coaches or role models who made the activity of practice worthwhile and rewarding.
And sometimes just observing a mentor works wonders too.  When we observe someone we want to learn from and we have a crystal clear idea of what we want to create for ourselves, it unlocks a tremendous amount of motivation.  Human beings are socially inclined, and when we get the idea that we want to join some elite circle up above us, that is what really motivates us to achieve greatness.  “Look, they did it.  I can do it too!”  It may sound overly simplistic, but spending time studying people who are great can be one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself.

11.  They welcome honest feedback and criticism.

“To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”  That’s what Aristotle said.  And obviously, he was being facetious.
If you are being criticized for doing, saying or thinking something that’s out of the ordinary.  Good.  That means you’ve taken a stand for something sometime in your life recently.  And that’s a huge part of being successful.
Follow in the footsteps of enormously successful people by learning to effectively process the criticism you receive.  Hateful and negative criticism should be received, assessed, and then let go, while constructive criticism should be evaluated and acted upon.  Solicit feedback from people whose opinions you value – people who have been where you want to go.  And remember to be gracious when receiving feedback; when you are, all the people around you will be more likely to give you their support and honest insight in the future.

12. They keep their pride in check.

Last but not least…
To admit they made a mistake.  To say they are sorry.  To know that they can’t possibly know it all.  To have big dreams. To admit they owe their success to others too.  To poke fun at themselves from time to time.  To ask for help when they need it.
To make mistakes and fail.  And to try again, willingly.
There are no permanent jobs or absolutes on this planet.  We are all just interning and exploring here.  Learn from everyone, remain humble, and don’t forget to have a good time along the way.
That’s what successful people do.

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20 Common Habits That Successful Entrepreneurs Always Avoid.

Successful people lead their lives on purpose with uplifting truths, empowering habits, and strong principles. Their life of success is a direct result of their conscious choices and healthy habits.
Here are 20 habits people unintentionally pick up, that successful people make it a point to consciously avoid, always.

 


1. They Don’t Define Success With Money.

Most successful people define their success with happiness, inner peace, and positive contributions – more than money. Being financially secure certainly can help open opportunities, relieve stress, and offer some piece of mind. But successful people realize that all the money in the world cannot make you happy if you are unable to feel happiness from within.

 


2. They Don’t Start Their Day Without a Purpose or a Plan.

Not only do successful people have crystal clear short and long-term goals, they also know exactly what they must accomplish each day to feel fulfilled as well as bring them closer to their goals. They also take full advantage of the “Golden Hour” which is the first hour after you wake up in the morning. What you do mentally, physically, and spiritually during this first hour, sets the tone for the entire day.

 


3. They Don’t Set Perfection as a Goal.

Successful people practice progress over perfection. The danger in focusing on perfection is, you become so consumed in finding imperfections to fix, you will have little or nothing to show for in the end except unfinished, imperfect work. By understanding it’s not about achieving one perfect goal, but the skills you develop from reaching several goals, you allow yourself to make constant improvements while living a life of accomplishments you can learn from and be proud of.

 


4. They Don’t Surround Themselves With Negative People.

There is energy in everything, and that includes human beings. As such, it’s fairly easy to absorb negative energy when you are around toxic people who are always complaining, procrastinating, and making excuses. Instead, successful people surround themselves with other positive and proactive people who inspire them to achieve great things and live full out.

 


 

5. They Don’t Focus on the Negatives.

Successful people don’t entertain self-defeating negative thoughts. When faced with difficulties, they’re quick to identify the benefits from the experience and remind themselves they’ve successfully overcome many hurdles before, so they can certainly overcome it again. Successful people don’t focus on what “could” go wrong, but on what they must do to succeed, as well as the lessons they will gain from the experience to help improve their lives.

 


6. They Don’t Dwell on Failures.

Successful people accept that failure is an essential part of growth. They look at these bumps as opportunities to learn, grow, and become even better for an even bigger win ahead! They know that no matter how many times you’re knocked down, as long as you get right back up and use your new strength and knowledge to improve, you haven’t really failed.

 


7. They Don’t Dwell in Problems

When you focus on the problems you’re facing, your behavior agrees with the resulting stress, hindering your progress while bringing on even more problems. However, focusing on actions to better your current situation produce clarity and positive thoughts, opening you to the possibilities of new solutions. Successful people don’t dwell on problems. They quickly process any negative feelings and move on, because they know they’re most effective when they focus on solutions.

 


8. They Don’t Concern Themselves With How Others Judge Them.

Successful people do not base their worth on how others think of them because they’ve set their own values, goals, and principles without having to depend on anyone to validate them. Everyone sees through eyes of personal life experience and individual interpretation. As such, successful people understand that when someone makes a judgement about you or your life, it doesn’t make it a reality unless you agree with it.

 


9. They Don’t Make Excuses.

Successful people are proactive – they get things done. While they realize outside forces may interrupt their flow, successful people take full responsibility for the attitude they choose in situations over which they have no control. They look forward to the pleasure and benefits of accomplishing their daily tasks and life goals and they do whatever it takes to avoid the pain of falling through and giving up success.

 


10. They Don’t Get Jealous Over Other People’s Victories.

Successful people believe that there is enough supply of “wins” for everyone. They know that the more successful and happy people there are on our planet, the stronger, more positive energy our world will be filled with. If another person succeeds at something they have not yet been able to achieve, successful people show gratitude for their win because it can now serve as added motivation for them to reach that goal as well!

 


11. They Don’t Take Their Loved Ones for Granted.

Successful people agree that work is important, but never as important as experiencing life with the people you love most. Success starts from within, so make time to give your undivided attention to those who mean most to you – including yourself!

 


12. They Don’t Underestimate the Power of Fun.

What’s the point of all the hustle if you’re always left feeling exhausted and frustrated? Successful people know how to relax and have fun. They know the importance of taking breaks to recharge their batteries by enjoying all that they have in their life right now.

 


13. They Don’t Neglect Their Health.

With good health comes the freedom and energy to fully enjoy one’s life. Successful people are aware that unless they’re mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy, they cannot perform at their very best when serving those who count on them.

 


14. They Don’t Set Blurry Goals

Successful people set clear, specific, and measurable goals. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there, and crafting a clear plan of action helps declutter your thoughts and relieve some stress as you move towards the results you want. Having clear goals and actions also allows you to measure how far you’ve come and how much more you have to go, so you’re not left wondering when you’re supposed to begin seeing some results.

 


15. They Don’t Make Flimsy Decisions

Successful people decide what they want, then burn the boat. Once they make a decision, they set their minds to do whatever it takes to make it happen. This habit also helps build confidence in a person by proving to themselves that they’re dependable and have the ability and drive to make things happen just as they said they would.

 


16. They Don’t Allow Themselves To Be Victimized

When affected by someone else’s poor choices, successful people quickly process any negative thoughts and feelings, then choose to free themselves from the damaging energy by forgiving and letting go. They place a high importance to their right to happiness and inner peace, and understand they have complete control of their thoughts and actions, and ultimately responsible for their own happiness and victories.

 


17. They Don’t Live in the Past

Successful people realize the past has already happened and that moment no longer exist. If you keep dwelling in what was, you will be unable to fully be present for what is, thus negatively affecting what’s to come. If you suffered in the past, try to recognize that you are here today, and you are OK. Your past does not define you or limit what is possible for you to achieve from this moment on. Practice your freedom and power to proactively design a better future that you so deserve.

 


18. They Don’t Resist Change

Plans, strategies or tactics might change, but instead of getting upset and frustrated, successful people quickly shift paths because they know there is more than one way to reach their goal.

 


19. They Don’t Stop Learning

Successful people have mentors or coaches to inspire and motivate them when challenged, and keep them accountable to their decisions and goals. They are always learning and keep themselves open to making improvements in themselves and their lives.

 


20. They Don’t End The Day Without Giving Thanks.

Successful people are grateful for both the big and small blessings in their lives. Reflecting on the positive things from each day before going to bed can boost your mood, motivate you to keep going, and help you unwind.
Have you ever unknowingly picked up a habit that did nothing but drain you of time, energy, and happiness? Are there more you’d add to the list? Share in the comments below!

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The Top 20 Motivational Quotes of All Time

Suffering from a bad case of the Mondays, or heartache, or herpes? Hang in there! Here are 20 of the most inspiring things human beings have ever said. Let these inspirational quotes get you back on your feet, and walking down the lighter side of the street.

1. It is never too late to be what you might have been.

-George Eliot

 


 

 

2. What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

-Henry Stanley Haskins

 


 

3. Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind.

-Emily P. Bissell

 


 

4. I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.

-Thomas Edison

 


 

5. You must be the change you want to see in the world.

-Mahatma Gandhi

 


 

6. Remember that happiness is a way of travel, not a destination.

-Roy M. Goodman

 


 

7. A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him.

-Sidney Greenberg

 


8. The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.

-Mark Twain

 


 

9. Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.

-Eleanor Roosevelt

 


 

10. If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today.

-E. Joseph Cossman

 


 

11. In between goals is a thing called life, that has to be lived and enjoyed

-Sid Caesar

 


 

12. Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.

-Henry Ford

 


 

13. The only thing worse than being blind, is having sight but no vision.

-Helen Keller

 


 

14. Defeat is not bitter unless you swallow it.

-Joe Clark

 


 

15. I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.

-Bill Cosby

 


 

16. Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.

-William Bruce Cameron

 


 

17. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

-Martin Luther King, JR.

 


 

18. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

 


 

19. Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.

-Anonymous

 


 

20. There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

-Edith Wharton

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100 Incredible Quotes from Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs have been quoted as saying some of the most inspirational words in the world, and they have some of the most successful companies in the world too! Their words encompass their experiences, successful and failed, and their work ethic; without this motivation and hard work none of them would have been able to start their company. Whether you need a motivational, inspirational, life, moral or hard work push in the right direction these quotes are sure to trigger innovative ideas and keep you going in the right (successful) direction.

On Motivation

To become an entrepreneur you must be determined and ambitious. Motivation is a social or psychological call to action or an innate drive for success – success requires motivation.

1. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

– Steve Jobs, Co-founder, CEO, Chairman Apple Inc.

2.“My biggest motivation? Just to keep challenging myself. I see life almost like one long University education that I never had — everyday I’m learning something new.”

-Richard Branson, founder Virgin Group

3.“Every time you state what you want or believe, you’re the first to hear it. It’s a message to both you and others about what you think is possible. Don’t put a ceiling on yourself.”

– Oprah Winfrey, media proprietor

4.“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

– Steve Jobs, Co-founder, CEO, Chairman Apple Inc.

5.“I knew that if I failed I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.”

-Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO Amazon

6.“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t — you’re right.”

– Henry Ford, Founder Ford Motor Company

7. “Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” 

– Mary Kay Ash, Founder Mary Kay Cosmetics

8.“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over.”

– Richard Branson, founder Virgin Group

9.“When you find an idea that you just can’t stop thinking about, that’s probably a good one to pursue.” 

Josh James, co-founder and CEO Omniture, founder and CEO Domo

10. “It’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen.”

– Scott Belsky, co-founder Behance

11.“Entrepreneur is someone who has a vision for something and a want to create.”

– David Karp, founder and CEO Tumblr

12.“The only thing worse than starting something and failing… is not starting something.”

– Seth Godin, founder Squidoo

13.“When I’m old and dying, I plan to look back on my life and say ‘wow, that was an adventure,’ not ‘wow, I sure felt safe.’

– Tom Preston-Werner, co-founder Github

14. “The fastest way to change yourself is to hang out with people who are already the way you want to be.”

– Reid Hoffman, co-founder LinkedIn

15. “I don’t look to jump over 7-foot bars — I look for 1-foot bars that I can step over.”

– Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO Berkshire Hathaway

16. “In the end, a vision without the ability to execute it is probably a hallucination.”

– Steve Case, co-founder AOL

17. “Fearlessness is like a muscle. I know from my own life that the more I exercise it the more natural it becomes to not let my fears run me.”

– Arianna Huffington, president and editor in chief The Huffington Post Media Group

18. “Embrace what you don’t know, especially in the beginning, because what you don’t know can become your greatest asset. It ensures that you will absolutely be doing things different from everybody else.”

– Sara Blakely, founder SPANX

19. “Risk more than others think is safe. Dream more than others think is practical.”

-Howard Schultz, Starbucks CEO

20.“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

– Walt Disney, founder Disney

21. “High expectations are the key to everything.”

– Sam Walton, founder Walmart

22. “Don’t be afraid to assert yourself, have confidence in your abilities and don’t let the bastards get you down.”

– Michael Bloomberg, founder Bloomberg L.P.

23. “There’s lots of bad reasons to start a company. But there’s only one good, legitimate reason, and I think you know what it is: it’s to change the world.”

– Phil Libin, CEO Evernote

24. “Everything started as nothing.”

– Ben Weissenstein, founder and CEO The Entitled Group

25.  “The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.”

– Debbi Fields, found Mrs. Fields Cookies

26. “You shouldn’t focus on why you can’t do something, which is what most people do. You should focus on why perhaps you can, and be one of the exceptions.”

– Steve Case, co-founder AOL

27.  “Empower yourself and realize the importance of contributing to the world by living your talent. Work on what you love. You are responsible for the talent that has been entrusted to you.”

– Catharina Bruns, Founder WorkIsNotaJob

On Hard-Work

Building a company from the ground up and successfully running it is hard-work. Without the right work ethics your business will never thrive and grow.

1.“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

– Vince Lombardi, executive, head coach, player NFL

2. “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”

– Steve Jobs, Co-founder, CEO, Chairman Apple Inc.

3.“If you’re passionate about something and you work hard, then I think you will be successful.”

– Pierre Omidyar, founder and chairman eBay

     4.“Make every detail perfect and limit the number of details to perfect.”

– Jack Dorsey, founder Twitter

   5. “Ideas are easy. Implementation is hard.”

– Guy Kawasaki, co-founder Alltop

 6.“I never took a day off in my twenties. Not one.”

– Bill Gates, co-founder Microsoft

 7. “So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard.”

– Caterina Fake, co-founder Flickr

8.“It is always the start that requires the greatest effort.”

– James Cash Penney, founder and CEO J.C. Penny

9.“If hard work is the key to success, most people would rather pick the lock.”

– Claude McDonald

10. “Have the end in mind and every day make sure your working towards it.”

-Ryan Allis, co-founder and CEO iContact

11. “The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer not a dreamer.”

-Nolan Bushnell, founder Atari and Chuck-E-Cheese’s

On Mistakes, Failure and Success

Mistakes, and failures are remarkable learning mechanisms, especially when it comes to business. Most successful entrepreneurs will tell you that they didn’t get to where they are now without hitting a few bumps in the road.

1.“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

– Thomas Edison

2.“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”

– Winston Churchill

3.“Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once.”
   

– Drew Houston, co-founder and CEO Dropbox

4.“Fail often so you can succeed sooner.”

– Tom Kelley, founder Ideo

5.“The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake – you can’t learn anything from being perfect”

– Adam Osborne

6.”Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently… A business absolutely devoted to service will have only one worry about profits. They will be embarrassingly large.”

-Henry Ford, founder Ford Motor Company

7. “Ive learned that mistakes can often be as good a teacher as success.”

– Jack Welch, chairman and CEO General Electric

8.”Show me a person who never made a mistake, and I will show you a person who never did anything.”

– William Rosenberg, founder Dunkin’ Donuts

9.“The secret to successful hiring is this: look for the people who want to change the world.”

– Marc Benioff, CEO Salesforce

10. “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.”

– Dale Carnegie

11. “The most dangerous poison is the feeling of achievement. The antidote is to every evening think what can be done better tomorrow”

– Ingvar Kamprad, founder Ikea

12. “Once you say you’re going to settle for second, that’s what happens to you in life.”

– John F. Kennedy

13. “When times are bad is when the real entrepreneurs emerge.”

-Robert Kiyosaki, founder Cashflow Technologies Inc.

14. “Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure.”

-Napoleon Hill

15. “If what you are doing is not moving you towards your goals, then it’s moving you away from your goals.”

– Brian Tracy, CEO Brian Tracy International

16. “Success is not in what you have, but who you are.”

-Bo Bennett, founder eBookit.com

17. Failure is not about insecurity, it’s about lack of execution.”

– Jeffery Gitomer, business trainer

On Business

Having an idea is one thing, running a business is a completely different thing. It is always helpful to have a basic understanding of business ethics and principles when starting your business.

1.“What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone, know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed.”
   

Dave Thomas, founder Wendy’s

2.“Make your team feel respected, empowered and genuinely excited about the company’s mission.”

Tim Westergen, Pandora Founder

3.“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”

-Bill Gates, founder and CEO Microsoft

4.“If you just work on stuff that you like and you’re passionate about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play out.”

–Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO Facebook

5.“Wonder what your customer really wants? Ask. Don’t tell.”

–Lisa Stone, co-founder and CEO BlogHer

6. “Money is like gasoline during a road trip. You don’t want to run out of gas on your trip, but you’re not doing a tour of gas stations.”

– Tim O’Reilly, founder and CEO O’Reilly Media

7. “Chase the vision, not the money, the money will end up following you.”

– Tony Hsieh, CEO Zappos

8.“Get big quietly, so you don’t tip off potential competitors.”

– Chris Dixon, co-founder and CEO Hunch

9.“Don’t play games that you don’t understand, even if you see lots of other people making money from them.”

– Tony Hsieh, CEO Zappos

10. “Always deliver more than expected.”

– Larry Page, co-founder Google

11. “We are really competing against ourselves, we have no control over how other people perform.”

– Pete Cashmore, founder and CEO Mashable

12. “You just have to pay attention to what people need and what has not been done.”

– Russell Simmons, found Def Jam Records


13. “No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team”

– Reid Hoffman, co-founder LinkedIn


14. “You can’t ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.”

– Steve Jobs, founder, chairman and CEO Apple Inc.


15. “Hire character. Train skill.”

 

– Peter Schultz, founder and director GNF


16. “The difference between a boss and a leader: a boss says ‘Go!’ – a leader says, ‘Let’s go!’.

 

-E.M Kelly, U.S Army


17. “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.”

– Henry Ford, founder Ford Motor Company


18. “It’s almost always harder to raise capital than you thought it would be, and it always takes longer. So plan for that.”

-Richard Harroch, Venture Capitalist


19. “The things we fear the most in organizations- fluctuations, disturbances, imbalances – are the primary sources of creativity.”

– Margaret Wheatley, management consultant


20. “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.”

-Jim Rohn


21. “Stay self-funded as long as possible.”

– Garrett Camp, founder Expa, Uber and StumbleUpon


22. Turn a perceived risk into an asset.”

– Aaron Patzer, founder Mint


23. “It’s more effective to do something valuable than to hope a logo or name will say it for you.”

 

– Jason Cohen, founder Smart Bear Software


24. “Don’t worry about funding if you don’t need it. Today it’s cheaper to start a business than ever.”

– Noah Everett, founder Twitpic


25. “Data beats emotions.”

 

– Sean Rad, founder Adly and Tinder


26. “Be undeniably good. No marketing effort or social media buzzword can be a substitute for that.”

 

– Anthony Volodkin, founder Hype Machine


27. “Make your product easier to buy than your competition, or you will find your customers buying from them, not you.”

-Mark Cuban


On Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurs are typified by high self-esteem, risk-taking personality, aggressiveness and above average intelligence.
1.”Don’t be cocky. Don’t be flashy. There’s always someone better than you.”
–Tony Hsieh, CEO Zappos

2.“All humans are entrepreneurs not because they should start companies but because the will to create is encoded in human DNA.”
– Reid Hoffman, co-founder LinkedIn

3.“Don’t take too much advice. Most people who have a lot of advice to give — with a few exceptions — generalize whatever they did. Don’t over-analyze everything.  I myself have been guilty of over-thinking problems. Just build things and find out if they work.”
– Ben Silbermann, founder Pinterest

4.“Before dreaming about the future or marking plans, you need to articulate what you already have going for you – as entrepreneurs do.”
– Reid Hoffman, co-founder LinkedIn

5.“An entrepreneur tends to bite off a little more than he can chew hoping he’ll quickly learn how to chew it.”
– Roy Ash, co-founder Litton Industries

6. “Nobody talks about entrepreneurship as survival, but that’s exactly what it is and what nurtures creative thinking. Running that first shop taught me business is not financial science; its about trading: buying and selling”
– Anita Roddick, founder The Body Shop

7.“But as an entrepreneur you have to feel like you can jump out of an aeroplane because your confident that you’ll catch a bird flying by. Its an act of stupidity, and most enrepreneurs go splay because the bird doesn’t come by, but a few times it does.”
– Reed Hastings , CEO Netflix

8.“Chase the vision, not the money; the money will end up following you.”
 – Tony Hsieh, CEO Zappos

9.“Openly share and talk to people about your idea. Use their lack of interest or doubt to fuel your motivation to make it happen.”
– Todd Garland, Founder BuySellAds

10. “Experience taught me a few things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper. The second is that you’re generally better          off sticking with what you know. And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don’t make.”
-Donald Trump

11. “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
-Steve Jobs, founder, chairman and CEO Apple Inc.

12.“As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.”
-Donald Trump

13. “If you want to be an entrepreneur, its not a job, it’s a lifestyle. It defines you. Forget about vacations, about going home at 6pm – last thing at night you’ll send emails, first thing in the morning you’ll read emails, and you’’ wake up in the middle of the night. But its hugely rewarding as you’re fulfilling something for yourself.”
-Niklas Zennstrom, founder Skype and Kazaa

On Ethics and Morals

Running a successful business also requires that you are keeping your customers and employees happy. Running an honest business is the mark of some of the best entrepreneurs of all time.
1.“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
– Mark Twain

2.”Your reputation is more important than your paycheck, and your integrity is worth more than your career.”
– Ryan Freitas, co-founder About.me

3.”Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company”
– Booker T. Washington

4.”It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”
– Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO Berkshire Hathaway

5.“How you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.”
– Yvon Chouinard, founder Patagonia

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8 Ways To Secure Your WhatsApp

WhatsApp chats are more than just simple texts. We all know it. We share photos, videos, personal details, contacts and every thing else. And with so much personal data, if you take privacy and security of WhatsApp for granted then its jackpot for wicked minds.
ESET advices WhatsApp users by providing top security tips to stay secure on their personal chats. WhatsApp recently announced that it has more than 700 million monthly active members, sending a combined total of 30 billion messages a month and that’s an enormous volume of personal information being communicated.Even though WhatsApp now encrypts all of its messages and data, it pays to be secure with your chats. Here are eight top WhatsApp security tips:

 

1) Lock WhatsApp:

One of the best WhatsApp security tips is to protect the app with a password or PIN. WhatsApp itself doesn’t offer such a function, but there are third-party apps that do. It might seem cumbersome but if you lose your phone, it’s going to prevent anyone else accessing your chats. Smart App Lock, Vault are the perfect examples of these third-party apps.

 

2) Block WhatsApp photos from appearing in photoroll:

It’s fair to assume that your WhatsApp conversations might occasionally take on a distinctly ‘personal’ note. If you’re sharing images with your significant other, the last thing you want is for those images to appear in your general photostream, popping up when you let a friend swipe through your holiday snaps.
On iPhone, it’s easy to fix: Go into your phone’s Settings menu, then ‘Privacy’, ‘Photos’, and deselect WhatsApp from the list of apps whose images are fed into the photostream.
Android users will have to get under the hood a little bit. Using a file explorer app like ES File Explorer, find WhatsApp’s ‘Images’ and ‘Videos’ folders. Create a file within each called ‘.nomedia’. That will stop Android’s Gallery from scanning the folder.
Secondly, if you exclude WhatsApp images from your photoroll, and lock the app as above, it provides another layer of security if your phone is stolen or hacked into – but it won’t be a 100% bulletproof solution.

 

3) Hide ‘last seen’ timestamp:

Not sure you want people to know when you’re coming on and offline? It may not seem like vital information, but if a scammer already knows some other things about you, adding that last piece of contextual information could prove useful to them – whether you’re awake or not; at home or overseas; coming out of the cinema or getting off a flight. Or you just might not want contacts – especially colleagues, or your boss – to know you’re checking WhatsApp at your desk. You can disable or restrict who sees your ‘last seen’ time in WhatsApp’s ‘Profile'; ‘Privacy’ menu, in Android, iOS, Windows or Blackberry. Be aware though, if you turn it off, you won’t be able to see other users’ ‘last seen’ times either.

 

4) Restrict access to profile picture:

Is your profile photo one you’ve used elsewhere – on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter? Maybe it’s even on your company’s website somewhere. If it is, and your WhatsApp sharing is public, anyone you’ve ever spoken to – even if you’ve just replied to an unwanted message – can download your pic from your WhatsApp profile and, using Google Image search, very quickly find out more about you. Set profile picture sharing to “contacts only” in the Privacy menu.

 

5) Watch out for scams:

WhatsApp itself will never contact you through the app. Also, WhatsApp does not send emails about chats, voice messages, payment, changes, photos, or videos, unless you email their help and support to begin with. Anything offering a free subscription, claiming to be from WhatsApp or encouraging you to follow links in order to safeguard your account is definitely a scam and not to be trusted.

 

6) Deactivate WhatsApp if you lose your phone:

WhatsApp offers users simple and effective security tips to keep control of your account if your phone is lost or stolen. As well as locking your SIM card through your network provider, WhatsApp recommends that you immediately activate WhatsApp with the same phone number on a different phone, with a replacement SIM. The app can only be used by one number on one device at a time, so by doing so you instantly block it from being used on your old phone. If that’s not possible, WhatsApp can deactivate your account.

 

7) Remember to log out of WhatsApp Web :

WhatsApp recently made a lot of noise with the launch of WhatsApp Web. The mirroring service makes life easier while working on PC. However, most users are unware that they should ideally log out of WhatsApp Web on Google Chrome browser either from their mobile or the browser. Just imagine your collegues reading your chats on a large screen while you stepped out for a coffee break.

 

 

8) Be careful what you talk about :

Last but not least, use the same common sense you would with any form of digital communication. Don’t send personal information if you can possibly avoid it – addresses, phone numbers, email addresses – and never send your bank, social security or credit card details, or your passport or other identification details.

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The Dark World

India, the pivot point of morality, culture and tradition, whose nook and corner exhibits its rich and dynamic heritage. The birth place of eminent personalities like Rani Laxmi Bai describes India. The land which has witnessed the valor act of courageous women like Indira Gandhi, Kiran Bedi, Sarojini Naidu to count a few. In India Goddess Durga the embodiment of power is worshiped. But this is not the real India.

The real India is the land where women are treated as inferiors. Its the so called ‘dark world’ for them here, there still exists a huge room for the stereotypes in the heart of some people and those people effect the whole society. Contrary to popular belief the Indian society hasn’t developed from the inside, Indian women are subjected to a pitiable predicament. In India women have to condemn to the atrocious treatment of the society. Here, at India usurpers usurp the rights of women tyrannically. Indian women are a prey to evil predators like rape, domestic violence, acid attack, immoral trafficking and what not. In India a girl child is killed voraciously before she opens her eye in the world. Indian women are struggling to acquire the much coveted and much deserved dignity as well as reverence.

It’s high time now. Till what instant of time shall we sit and pretend like we are not witnessing the evil and harsh treatment meted by women in India. It’s the need of the hour to provide women with the respect and position that they deserve to behold. The land is shouting with its myriad tongues

“PROTECT WOMEN, SAVE THE WORLD FROM DESTRUCTION”

because they are the one who control the metabolism of the universe. They are the creator of good and destroyer of the evil. Women are important agents of social transformation. Empowerment of women is a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.
We the youth can play a crucial role in this issue of women empowerment. It’s the perfect time for us to raise our voice. Rather than depending on the dormant government and the governing bodies of India. We shall take necessary steps on our own and transform India into a safer place for women to live in.
Be the change you want to see.

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