Body Language Tells All

The body language of confidence is always the look of energy. Drooping shoulders, a protruding stomach, a sagging jaw, or half-closed eyes are never signs of confidence.

Assume the energy position - tummy in, shoulders back, chest out, chin up, a smile on you r face, and the glint of success in your eyes. It is true that none of us can always present that energy, but doing these things will increase the energy you burn from day to day...

n an ideal world nobody would be shy, have facial ticks or apply for jobs when they'd rather be down the pub. But it isn't. So how can you make sure you sail through the interview process? You could hire an actor to stand in for you at your interview (method actors have got the body language game sewn up). Or you could just teach your body to behave itself.

It's not as hard as it sounds - after all, you've already learned not to spit or clutch your privates in public (footballers are a special case). All you need is a mirror, a video-camera and a cat.

Most people have no idea how other people see them. They don't see their habitual expressions and they can't tell if their words are backed up by the tone of their voice and posture.

When you prepare for an interview it's important not just to practise what you have to say, but how you say it. The best way to see how you appear to others is to practise in front of a mirror. If you can, you should videotape yourself and ask friends for feedback. If there's nobody around, practise with your cat. The more prepared you are, the more relaxed and confident you'll feel - and appear.

When it comes to the interview itself, adopt an open posture. Sit up comfortably and lean slightly forwards so you look alert and attentive. Breathe slowly. And make sure your clothes aren't too tight: it won't give a good impression if you make a gesture and your jacket buttons fly off. Just remember the mnemonic 'ROLE', which stands for relaxed, open, leaning and eye contact.

You have more control of your body language above the waist, so beware of 'leakage' lower down - such as picking your fingers or twitching your feet. This type of behaviour can make you look unconfident. And yes, it is a good idea to visit the loo before your interview, particularly if you're nervous.

There is no point attempting to lie - or exaggerate - in an interview. Just be yourself. If you say what you mean and mean what you say your verbal and non-verbal communication will match. Any interviewer worth his salt is interested in who you really are.

Source

Steps to A Succesful Business

"No one is rich or poor who has not helped himself to be so." German Proverb

Understanding Yourself - Do You Know Who You Are?

Do you wonder why there are those charmed individuals that the gods seem to favor? What is it they have that others don't? Is it some mystical charm, the right fortune cookie, or something more down to earth such as knowing who they are and what they want out of life?

Here is a clue to your future success as an entrepreneur - can you predict how you are going to react to stress or success? Most successful people can. Psychologists are quick to tell us that before you can accomplish your goals you must have some understanding of who you are - your strengths, your limitations, and your ability to apply yourself to get what you want from life.

Whatever you dream of doing, remember you will bring your personality to your adventure. Your habits, your views on life, and your attitude are the luggage you will carry with you. Before starting out, take some time to find out who you are.

Let me tell you about Roger, who, after losing his job, borrowed from his parents to start a business. A year later, the sheriff padlocked the front door. As Roger came to understand later his motivation to start a business was an emotional need to prove his employer wrong, not the challenges and freedom of self-employment.

Before you can get the world to respond to your wants, you must discover what turns you on. Are you focused or do you meander through life hoping for a miracle to bring you riches and fame? Are you in the audience or on the stage? Do you lead or follow? Do you want betterment or comfort? A successful life can be yours once you define your desires and drive.

Starting and managing a business is not easy. It is full of challenges and problems, and it is how you will react and cope with disappointment, frustration, and the emotions of success that will determine your success or failure. Before you undertake a pile of problems, you should be aware of your coping skills. Don't wait until you have the problem before finding out if you have the talents to solve it.

To understand yourself is to know how you will behave and react to situations, pleasant and unpleasant. For example, I thought I could easily handle change, but after a number of instances, I found just the opposite. I have learned that the successful outcome of my problems depends on my ability to cope.

Your success will follow your actions, the right actions if you understand yourself, and you will have an inner sense of how to react to challenges and rewards. Test yourself. How do you relate to the following questions?

1. Do you understand your motives for your actions, or do you just act on impulse? Impulsive action in business can lead to failure.

2. Do you want something because others have it or are your wants based on reality and real need? Envy is not good business sense or rational behavior.

3. Do you know what leadership is or do you have some romantic notion of leading the charge?

4. Can you accept disagreement or does it escalate to an argument to prove you are right? Not a good sign of management skills.

5. Can you stand confrontation or do you say yes when you really mean no? Success in business means saying no when the demand is not in your best interest.

6. Do you need the glory of success to feed your ego? If so, your insecurities are showing.

7. Can you share or do you need all the marbles to feel important? Teamwork builds a successful business not monarchy.

8. Can you make decisions or are you afraid of making a mistake? Fear causes procrastination and can lead to failure.

9. Do you follow through or just assume "it " will happen? The lack of follow up is typical of poor performance.

10. Do you give up too soon? If you do you may miss out.

11. Do you look for shortcuts to success, putting effort and honesty aside? There are few shortcuts to long-term success, only eventual failure.

Do any of these questions touch home? If so, you have your first assignment.

Getting what you want in life is knowing why you do the things you do - what drives us to accomplishment or self-destruction. When we uncover these hidden forces of our personality we have taken the first step to an adventure in success. You will find that self- examination is a lot less painful than failure.

by Dr. Paul E. Adams. Syndicated by Paradigm News, Inc.