This is a guest post that I did for Jeniffer Karas over at The Thirty Day Year. The post covers 2 of the most important (if not THE most important) success factors - Desire and Belief.

This guest post is part of an awesome series that Jeniffer has been running called The Achievers. In the series, there have been many empowering authors who have shared their secrets to success, and each of the posts in the series is worth checking out.

You can view all of the posts from the series by clicking this link to The Achievers, or you can click the link below to go directly to my guest post. If you see value in my post and/or any of the other posts at The Thirty Day Year, be sure to help Jeniffer out by adding those posts to Digg, Stumbleupon, or your favorite social bookmarking site. Enjoy!

Open The Success Floodgates by Tapping Into Your Burning Desires and Belief

Unless you are independently wealthy or have found a way to make a living without doing any actual work, your financial success is going to depend on providing some type of product or service. Something as important as your financial success should be based on your own desires and values, however, not by the type of work that is available.

We've all done it. We decide to find a new job, or start a business, and the first things that we think about are the types of work we are qualified for, what employment is available, or what type of business we think that we could succeed at. How is it possible that an entire culture so completely ignores their own desires when it comes to making career decisions?

Am I saying that you should ignore the facts and try to sell surfboards in Siberia? No. However, if you lived in Siberia and you really wanted to sell surfboards, you COULD find a way!

There is an almost global self-limiting belief that our ability to make money is dependent on factors that  - in truth - are merely side notes to a wealth creation plan, rather than being the main considerations:

• To do a certain type of work you need a certain type of education. I call B.S.! Actually, what you need is experience, and the only way to get experience is to do the work. Ask any college grad under the age of 25 who is out looking for a job right now how effective their degree has been in landing them a high-paying position.
• The economy has a lot to do with the success of any given business model. I call B.S.! Yes, the economy is a factor, but if the economy is the main consideration, why are people still buying Jaguars, Ferrari's, 5-figure pieces of jewelry, cinema-like home entertainment systems, and why are they still taking vacations to the Bahamas?
• A proper business plan is needed to ensure success. I call B.S.! When I ran my own personal training business, I shut it down at the height of my success when I would have made $100,000 that year. My entire business plan consisted of a website and one monthly advertisement that I paid less than $10 per month for.

There is only one factor that should be your prime consideration when you are trying to decide what you want to do for a living, and that is what you want to do. No matter what it is that you truly enjoy doing in life, there is some way that you can make money by doing it.

• People get paid right now to go bar-hopping with tourists on paid "pub crawls".
• People get paid to design, test, and play video games.
• People get paid to eat at the finest restaurants, and then write about it.
• People get paid to write smarmy content on the Internet even though the content is given away for free.
• People get paid to travel all over the world and film themselves enjoying the global culture.
• People get paid to go diving and snorkeling in the most beautiful waters that this planet has to offer.

I could go on and on, but you should get the point by now. You can get paid to do what you love, no matter what it is that you love to do.

Pretty cool, huh?

The fastest way to determine whether or not your present career or a career that you are considering is going to be successful over the long-term is to write up a Personal Vision Statement for your career, and then simply compare your career options to that statement.

In order to write up your Personal Vision Statement, you simply need to ask yourself:

1. What do I truly enjoy doing?
2. What parameters have to be a part of (or absent from) my career?

That's it! Don't turn it into an 8-page dissertation - this is just an outline that you can use as a sanity check when you are considering your career options. Here is my example:

• What do I truly enjoy doing? I enjoy empowering people to create success and happiness in their lives.
• What parameters have to be a part of (or absent from) my career? The majority of my work has to be able to be done from anywhere in the world, and my work has to include residual sources of income.

Do you see how this is an outline that I can use to compare career options, rather than it being a business plan? Whenever I come up with an idea for a business, or when I am offered a job, or when I consider getting involved in a joint venture, all I have to do is compare that opportunity to my Personal Vision Statement. If the business idea, the job, or the joint venture does not fit into my Personal Vision Statement, then I do not get involved in it.

This is not rocket science, people, so please don't over-think it. Ask yourself those 2 questions, and then give yourself honest answers based on what you want - not on what you think is possible. 

What is possible is limited only by what you believe that you can do. Create that belief by being passionate about your desires, and success will be a natural - and glorious - side effect.

Acknowledgment: This post was inspired by Shama Hyder's free report, Online Marketing Plan. Thanks, Shama!

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Is it possible to manifest a miracle? To answer the question Can you Manifest a Miracle?, you must first answer one simple, yet all important question:

Do you personally think that it's possible to manifest a miracle?

If you personally don't believe that some universal energy (God, the Law of Attraction, Buddha - whatever your definition is) has the capability of creating what you ask for, then you can stop reading right now. No amount of information about how to manifest a miracle is going to help if you don't believe that it is possible.

Photo Credit: LilGoldWmnAlso, the question of what exactly constitutes a "miracle" is obviously another question that will be subject to each individual person's belief system. Are we talking about a Divine Intervention here, or are we talking about something more "down to earth," such as changing a life of squalor into a life of splendor?

Personally, I believe that anything and everything is possible, and that the term "impossible" describes nothing more miraculous than something that we have not yet figured out how to do.

History is replete with examples of so-called "faith healing" and "miraculous" cures for terminal or debilitating illnesses. Scientists and medical doctors admit that there is no proven method of repeating these amazing occurrences, but a lack of an explanation does not change the facts of those stories.

Whether you believe that a religious deity of some kind is behind the wonders of the human race, or if you believe that all conceivable wonders are merely the result of having a proper understanding of the laws of the universe, one fact remains clear in all cases: 

In order to manifest a Miracle into your life, you must first BELIEVE that miracles are possible.

Now the question becomes what is it that you have to do in order to create a level of belief that allows you to harness the universal laws, or to take control over the divine powers that govern your life? What do YOU have to do in order to manifest a miracle?

I personally believe that human beings are capable of literally anything, and that it is our doubt about our abilities that limit us, not the abilities themselves.

So, in order to tap into whatever you personally call the power that works miracles, you must first remove the self-limiting doubt that is keeping you from wielding or directing that power.

When people watch movies like The Secret, You Can Heal Your Life, or What the Bleep Do We Know?, they are often not so much looking for the methods of creating miraculous lives as much as they are looking for proof that doing so is even possible.

In that regard, other than The Secret itself, no product has ever convinced me more of my own infinite power - or should I say reminded me - than Gary Evan's Manifest a Miracle.

No, Gary is not some prophet, messiah, or even the graduate of some high-profile school of spirituality where they teach you how to wield the hand of God or any such nonsense. What Gary is, however, is someone who has proven conclusively that "if you do the work, you get the reward".

In Gary's own words:

"A pot of gold isn’t going to fall out of the sky and fall on your lap. Realistically you’re going to need about 30 minutes every single day to follow the Manifest a Miracle proven formula." 

I checked out Gary's "proven" formula, and it boils down to this: If you have the faith, and you do the work, then you get the reward.

Most people who buy "life-changing" products will then read the book, watch the movie, strap on the audio, etc., but then they don't follow through. They get all wired for success, but then they never plug themselves in!

Those same people, consequently, are the people who say that miracles are impossible. I don't know about you, but I see a correlation there…

Is Gary Evan's Manifest a Miracle program the next best thing to chomping on Eucharist wafers and praying to your Lord on bended knee? No product made by man will ever take the place of the word of God, for people who believe in such things.

However, right here on planet Earth (as opposed to the promised land), there are ways to manifest miracles, and Gary has a pretty firm grasp on how us common folk can actually get the job done.

p.s. - Although I obviously believe in Gary and what he teaches other people, I am also a "commoner" just like you. If you go through Gary's Manifest a Miracle program, yet you still think you know of a better method than Gary's to bring about miracles, not only will I personally reimburse you, but I'll buy whatever product you claim is better than his, and I'll give that product a review right here in front of God and everybody.

How's THAT for a ringing endorsement?

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Is your quest for personal development fueled by the desire to attain some specific goal, or are you merely on a quest to "better" yourself?

Most people have something very specific that they are striving for as they walk down the path of personal development, even if an overall betterment of themselves is a welcome side effect to the process. I submit to you that despite the often discussed value of specific goal setting, that it is the general betterment of ourselves that is actually the hidden driving force in our personal development efforts.

Photo Credit: lusiYes, there tends to be a specific end result that we are after, yet by allowing the goal itself to be the motivating factor, we put an implied limit on who we are, and what we can accomplish in life. Are we to allow ourselves to be defined by the accomplishment of a measurable task, even if that task is huge in its scope and its potential influence on ourselves, or even the world at large? Or, would we be better off to dig deeper; to find our own personal buried treasure, with the attainment of our goals being merely one of the results of our efforts?

The Million Dollar Mindset program talks a lot about how our personal growth is the true desire that is being expressed when we chase after things like financial success, career advancement, fulfilling relationships, etc. After all, once we've obtained all of those things, what is next? Would we then just sit back, smug and satisfied in our success, and give up trying to do anything else with our lives?

Hardly. Rather, it is an integral part of the very human spirit to expand beyond our present capabilities, and to constantly be reaching towards the next step in our individual evolution, as well as the growth of our race as a whole.

In order to do that, however, we must dig deep within ourselves, and we must do the very things that are the most difficult for us personally. After all, if Harmonic Wealth^® - the successful attainment of wealth in all areas of our lives - was easy to attain, wouldn't everyone already have done that?

Here is a 3-step process for finding your own buried treasure; your own seeds of Greatness!

1) Don't listen to other People

Give up the notion that any other person on the planet knows what is best for you, or what you are capable of. You are the only person who has ever known - or ever WILL know - your life as intimately as you do.

Yes, there are people who can help you, advise you, and mentor you. Yes, there are other people who you can look up to, seek counsel from, and even emulate. Yes, there are other people who will be a part of your success, or perhaps even partner with you.

However, in the end, there is not another soul alive who can predict what you are capable of. By listening to other people's beliefs about what you can do, you will be denying the very truth of your own limitless ability to have, do, or be anything that you desire.

We are unlimited beings!
             - Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith

2) Look to the Past

Although I personally hold the Tony Robbins inspired belief that there is no such thing as failure (we always succeed in attaining a RESULT, as Tony says), I also know that all people have points in their lives when the result they obtained wasn't exactly what they had planned for.

Those are simply areas of your life where you have not yet unearthed your treasure!

• If financial independence is one of your goals, but you have not yet attained it, then there is plenty of growth potential left in that area of your life.
• If you have yet to find the fulfilling and joyous relationship that you have dreamed of, then there is plenty of room for growth there as well, and plenty of happiness to be had, too!
• If you have tried many times to find your "place" in the world, or your "calling," yet you are still struggling in a career that doesn't bring you joy, then that is obviously an area where can still allow your true gems to shine their magic.

Find areas of your life where you have sought success in the past, yet not been 100% successful, and you will also have found areas of your life where your hidden treasure is still waiting to be brought to the surface!

3) Ignore your Inner Demons

As you now consider striving for success in any given endeavor, you will probably have some unwanted company along the way in the form of self-limiting beliefs.

Self-limiting beliefs are conscious as well as subconscious feelings that cause us to lose confidence in our ability to attain whatever it is that we desire. These self-limiting beliefs are especially strong if we have tried to accomplish something in the past, yet were unable to attain the level of success that we had hoped for.

The more times that we try to do something, but then don't manage to do it, the stronger our self-limiting beliefs become. In fact, many people have self-limiting beliefs that are so strong that they will eventually give up trying altogether.

However, like all beliefs, our inner demons are completely of our own creation. They have no tangible presence in the world, and they can be permanently vanquished by the simple act of consistently believing the opposite of whatever the self-limiting beliefs are trying to tell us.

Consistency is the key here, however. Making a "stand" against your self-limiting beliefs is almost a complete waste of time. Most self-limiting beliefs have been ingrained in our conscious and subconscious minds for a very long time, so undoing them will take more than just a fleeting effort.

Affirmations and visualization are both extremely powerful allies in your quest to vanquish your inner demons. Use them often, and use them with feeling. Before long, you'll wonder how you ever believed in anything other than success!

Does all of this mean that you shouldn't set timed, and measurable goals for yourself? Of course not.

However, the next time you fantasize about that dream car, that perfect relationship, that big promotion, or that financial success, take the time to ask yourself:

Do I really want all of that stuff, or is it that I want to be the type of person who can have those things?

The answer might surprise you!

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Quotable Quotes and Merchandise for the Offline World

Do you think that it's possible to become wealthy in only 30 days?

Most people will answer a question like that with any one of a number of negative thoughts or beliefs, and in most cases, those same negative thoughts or beliefs are the very reason why those people aren't wealthy.

Yes, there are certain "real world" circumstances that human beings create in order to experience financial abundance, but as with all things, the process needs to start in our heads before any progress can be made out in the real world.

One of the Senior Thought Leaders at Personal Development Partners has a great eBook that discusses these types of concepts, and after reading the book just now, I wanted to share some of the highlights with you. The book is called 30 Days to Wealth, and it was written by the indomitable Shauna Arthurs of Follow Your Path.

Shauna's book is basically a "point A to point B" trip that takes the reader on a 30-day journey of self discovery as well as real-world action that changes the reader's understanding of their relationship with money, and ultimately with themselves.

Overall I was impressed with the book, and despite my own abundant mentality, I found several nuggets of information that helped me with my relationship with money, and several timely reminders as well. Things that really struck me included:

• The fact that the book is all about creating a certain way of "being" rather than a mindless "map to riches". The book talks about and describes methods for becoming wealthy on the inside so that wealth manifests automatically on the outside.
• There were several very practical exercises that teach the reader how to invoke the feelings of wealth, even without actually having it. Learning to have those feelings, of course, then causes the creation of actual wealth out in the "real world".
• One of the best lessons in the book involves how to deal with our desire for wealth by describing a selfish vs. a selfless situation. I found that to be some valuable insight, since so many people think that wanting money is a "bad" thing.
• There was also a unique time line exercise about making note of things that we regret in our lives for the purpose of releasing the self-limiting beliefs that we created as a result of those events.
• Another great exercise included a method for noticing the things that create negative reactions for us. This is powerful because as we figure out what creates negativity in our lives, we are instantly empowered to release our attachment to those beliefs or concepts, thus breaking their hold over us.
• One of my favorite features was an awesome list of pointed questions that help to identify a person's true inner beliefs about wealth (or lack thereof), actual motivations behind wealth building efforts, and also whether or not certain actions are truly in alignment with stated desires for wealth and abundance.

Also, one "bonus" lesson outside of the stated 30-day regimen is the very act of focusing on wealth and abundance every single day for 30 days straight. That in and of itself is a valuable exercise that seems simple, but ask yourself how many times you have actually done it.

Overall, I was impressed with 30 Days to Wealth, and I saw it as a valuable tool for creating the "wealth mindset" which in turn creates actual wealth. Great job, Shauna!

If you would like to get your hands on a copy of 30 Days to Wealth, it is one of over a dozen free product downloads that are available to all Premium level or above members of the Personal Development Partners website, or you can purchase the eBook directly.

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