Do you have the goal of becoming a published writer?  If you do, you may be curious as to what steps you need to take to achieve your goal.  When it comes to getting a book published, there are multiple steps that you will need to take; however, some are much more important than others.

The first thing that you will need to do is write your book.  If you haven’t already done so, be sure to proceed with caution.  Don’t make the mistake of assuming that any book will do.  Do the research to determine which genres are popular or what types of books publishers are seeking.  Another common mistake that many new authors make is aiming for children’s books.  If you truly want to write a children’s book, go ahead and do so.  However, do not make the mistake of assuming that it would be easier to make more money with children’s books because they are easier to write and shorter in length.

If you have already written your book or as soon as it is completed, there are steps that you will want to take before sending your completed manuscripts off to publishers.  You will want to proofread your book, then proofread it again, and one more time for safe measure.  If you are not using the services of a professional editor, it may be a wise idea to ask a small number of trusted friends or relatives to review your book for you, give you input, and make note of any errors.  For longer books, consider giving those that you know a few chapters to review.

Another step that you will want to take involves looking into literary agents.  When writing adult books, you will find that a good percentage of well-known publishers only deal with authors who have professional literary agents in their corner.  With that said, you are not required to use the services of a literary agent, but it may result in more work for you.  Even if you are not sure if a literary agent is the right choice for you, consider giving a few a close look.  When doing so, examine fees, feedback, client testimonials, and success rate.

If you decide not to use the services of a professional literary agent, you will need to find and examine book publishers yourself.  When sending your manuscript out, be very careful.  You will not want to make some costly, but easy to avoid mistakes.  That is why research is important.  Purchase a writer’s guide or book, such as the Writer’s Market.  You can also use the internet to find similar information online, although this approach can be time consuming.

As for why researching publishers is important, you will find that many have rules and restrictions.  For example, do not waste your time by sending your books to publishers who only deal with literary agents if you do not have an agent.  Examine dates, as some publishers only accept manuscript certain months of the year.  Can you submit your manuscript to other publishers at the same time?  Some have rules, restrictions, or recommendations that encourage you not to do so.

Another important step that you will want to take, when looking to get a book published, is to not give up.  It is rare for a publisher to accept a book on the first try, especially if you are unpublished author.  Do not give up. Try different publishers.  If you receive ten or more rejections, it may be time to recheck your book.  Are there any storyline changes or layout changes that can be made to improve your chances of getting your book published?  If so, experiment.

When looking to get a book published, the above mentioned steps are just a few of the many that you will want to take and should take.  These steps, however, are ones that all authors should take, as they should be able to help you improve your chances of getting your book published.  As a reminder, it is important to do the proper amount of research before you start submitting your book.

Do you have a problem with time management?  If you do, you have two main options.  One of those options and often the most popular is to continue on with your normal activities.  Unfortunately, doing so may have a negative impact on your personal life, as well as your work life.  The other option is to make a change.  The good news is that there a number of steps that you can take to improve your time management.

As for what you can do to improve your time management, you will see that a number of different approaches can be taken.  Goal setting, to do lists, limiting tasking, prioritizing, and outsourcing are all effective ways to manage your time, but they are also just a few of your options.  As for why you should learn and practice proper time management, there are a number of reasons why, five of which are outlined below.

1 – It Is Easy To Do

As previously summarized, you have a number of different options when looking to make better use of your time.  These options are all easy and cost effective ways.  In fact, creating goals and task lists for yourself is free of charge.  Since it is easy for you to learn and practice proper time management techniques, why would you want to do anything else?

2 – It Is Important To Your Personal Life

As previously stated, having a poor sense of time management has a number of serious consequences, one of those being your personal life.  If you regularly pay your bills late, don’t make contact with friends, or arrive home later than normal, you may be hurting your personal relationships and often in more ways than you could have ever imagined.  Friends, spouses, and romantic partners will likely not want to put up with this behavior for long.

3 – It Is Important For Your Job

Poor time management will not only negatively effect your personal life, but your work life as well.  If you do not know how to properly manage your time, you may get easily distracted.  This may result in you wasting company time.  If you are caught doing so repeatedly, you may find yourself terminated from your current position.  This can also have a negative impact on your personal life, as it may leave your finances in serious trouble.

4 – It Is Something That You Can Only Benefit From

Taking the time to learn and practice successful time management techniques can only benefit you, your work, and your personal relationships.  Since no money technically needs to be spent on time management tools or training, you have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.  It is also important to ask yourself again the important question of “why not?”  Why not improve your life with the learning and practicing of time management techniques?

5 – The Options That You Have

Once again, it is important to focus on the options that you have when looking to learn and practice proper time management.  Creating a set of goals and a task list is easy and free to do.  Alarm clocks and timers can also be used to help you make better use of your time.  You likely already own a traditional alarm, but your cell phone, computer, and television may also come equipped with alarm clocks as well.

As a reminder, there are a number of other time management tools and techniques that you can easily learn and practice all from the comfort of your own home.

The question is: “Are addictions actually bad habits?”  According to the habit model of addiction, they are.  This theory of addiction states that the only reason to say there is a difference is to persecute “addicts.”

People with bad habits of smoking often feel much persecuted.  While smoking is not illegal (at least not yet), it is shunned by society as a whole.  At first, you could smoke anywhere.  Expecting fathers smoked in the maternity waiting rooms.  Then, you could smoke in buildings, but only in a designated smoking room.

Then there came the designated smoking area outside the building.  Now restaurants, bars, and whole cities are going smoke-free.  It seems that a lot of people have given up their bad habits.  However, they do not seem to remember how badly they were addicted before.  The truth is that in a way, they are still addicted and always will be.   That is how addiction works.

In an effort to save others from the ill effects of their second hand smoke, many people have switched their bad habits to smokeless tobacco.  Just because the tobacco is not smoked, though, it does not mean the nicotine is not addictive.  It is said to be just as hard a bad habit to break as cigarettes.  People quitting it use patches and nicotine gum or Zyban, too.

Sleeping pills are bad habits to get into as well.  They can be so addictive that you need a higher and higher dosage to fall asleep.  Eventually, they will not help at all.  Some people overdose in an attempt to reach a dose that will put them to sleep.  It usually takes intervention by a doctor and/or a sleep clinic to straighten you out.

Alcohol can be a bad habit if you drink to excess.  For some people with certain physical conditions, it can be risky anyway.  It can be dangerous if mixed with particular medications.  However, if a person is addicted to alcohol, they will not be concerned with that.  Neither will they be concerned about their jobs or their relationships.  It will all be about the next drink.

Drugs pose a variety of bad habits.  There are so many illegal drugs that they are too numerous to count.  They have different affects and cause different levels of addiction.  Some have fast and devastating results.  Others do little damage in the short run.  Yet, they are all bad habits.

There are club drugs, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and hallucinogens.  All these drugs can be nasty.  There are also legal drugs that people get into bad habits with by starting with an injury or other medical condition.  These can be pain pills like percocet, or muscle relaxants.  They are also very addictive bad habits.

If you have an addictive bad habit, you probably need some form of help to get over it.  In fact, once you have a serious addiction, experiencing the sights, smells, or sounds of your addiction will start your brain in that addictive mode again.  It is no wonder that people struggle for years with addictive bad habits.

Have you had that experience when all of a sudden you just had this huge hunch that something is about to happen, and to your surprise, that intuition was eventually translated to reality?

When you feel strongly about something without logical basis to it, that’s called intuition. It comes in three impressions: clairvoyance or “the third eye”, sensing clearly and feeling through listening.

Clairvoyance is when your eye goes beyond what it can see. This is when you know what is happening somewhere.

Sensing clearly is basically what we refer to as “hunch” or “gut feel.” This is the time when you are overwhelmed with a feeling and you can’t explain it and all you can say is “I just know.”

On the other hand, feeling through listening or clairaudience is being able to “listen” between the lines. Intuition also happens at times when a certain sound, whatever it is – be it a car’s honk or a bird’s twitting – ushers in an intense feeling.

They say only a number of people are gifted with intuition. Astrologers even insist that people born under the Scorpio or Pisces signs are naturally intuitive it almost borders on E.S.P. But studies have been sprouting left and right that proclaim that anyone can develop intuition.

Why the need to develop intuition, you ask? Why not let your emotional and psychological state as it is? First and foremost, intuition promotes good communication. It makes you more sensitive to the people around you; it often keeps you from hurting those you love because you are intuitive enough to understand them. Intuition also makes you far more creative than ever. Intuition means releasing more creative juices for any means of expression. Lastly, intuition has a healing power. This healing power is not in the physical sense, but in delving deep into your soul to eradicate some negative energy buried in it.

With that being said, are you ready to develop your intuition? Here are some ways to unlock this gift:

1. Hypnosis

Oh yes, get yourself hypnotized. Hypnosis is not limited to watching a pendulum move back and forth. Perform self-hypnosis or you can avail of hypnotic programs that can strengthen your intuition.

2. Meditation

Meditating means finding peace in yourself. If your mind and heart are cluttered with too many baggage and hurt,  you wouldn’t be able to quiet down that part of you that could eventually initiate intuition. There are so many ways to meditate: take a yoga class, or just simply practice some breathing that could bring you straight to Zen.

3. Think positive!

A worry-free, fear-free state could do so much to improve your intuitive ability. By staying positive, you attract good energy that would be able to easily recognize imminent feelings and events.

4.  Just let go.

What does this mean? If you are on the brink of making a huge decision, let go of all the inhibitions and head to a quiet place where you could find out where the letting go has brought you. Sometimes you just have to listen to the voice within you, and that voice wouldn’t come out unless you let go.

5. Never expect.

After letting go of the inhibitions and all those things that stop you from thinking and feeling clearly, never expect for an answer right away. Never expect that the “hunch” would fall on your lap immediately. Give it a little time then you’d just get surprised that — wham! — now you have your answer.

6. Believe in your first impressions.

When you see someone for the first time and think that he is a bit too arrogant for your taste, chances are that impression actually holds true. Most of the time, first impressions are brought by intuition.

7. Stay happy!

See? All you need to be intuitive is to stay happy! Happiness attracts immense power and such power includes intuition. In tapping your intuition, your motivation must be happiness and contentment. Given that premise, intuition will fall to you easily.

Intuition is helpful, because sometimes it leads you to something that cannot be achieved otherwise. A lot of lives have been saved by intuition alone. Decisions are easier done if armed by this gift. Develop intuition now and reap benefits you have never imagined.

Be all you can be, but it’s not always in the Army. I often see myself as somewhat contented with my life the way things are, but of course it’s hard to think of anything else when where are real issues to be discussed.

Still I aspire for something deeper and more meaningful.

So we’re all pelted with problems. Honestly it shouldn’t even bother or even hinder us to becoming all we ought to be. Aspirations as kids should continue to live within us, even though it would be short-lived or as long as we could hold on to the dream. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks… or can they?

1. What do I really want?
The question of the ages. So many things you want to do with your life and so little time to even go about during the day.

Find something that you are good at can help realize that small step towards improvement. Diligence is the key to know that it is worth it.

2. Should I really change?
Today’s generation has taken another level of redefining ’self’, or at least that’s what the kids are saying. Having an army of teenage nieces and nephews has taught me that there are far worse things that they could have had than acne or maybe even promiscuity. So how does that fit into your lifestyle?

If history has taught us one thing, it’s the life that we have gone through. Try to see if partying Seventies style wouldn’t appeal to the younger generation, but dancing is part of partying. Watch them applaud after showing them how to really dance than break their bones in break-dancing.

3. What’s the bright side in all of this?
With so much is happening around us there seem to be no room for even considering that light at the end of the tunnel. We can still see it as something positive without undergoing so much scrutiny. And if it’s a train at the end of the tunnel, take it for a ride and see what makes the world go round!

4. Am I comfortable with what I’m doing?
There’s always the easy way and the right way when it comes to deciding what goes with which shoes, or purse, shirt and whatnot. It doesn’t take a genius to see yourself as someone unique, or else we’ll all be equally the same in everything we do. Variety brings in very interesting and exciting questions to be experimented.

5. Have I done enough for myself?
Have you, or is there something more you want to do? Discontentment in every aspect can be dangerous in large doses, but in small amounts you’ll be able to see and do stuff you could never imagine doing.

6. Am I happy at where I am today?
It’s an unfair question so let it be an answer! You love being a good and loving mom or dad to your kids, then take it up a notch! Your kids will love you forever. The same goes with everyday life!

7. Am I appealing to the opposite sex?
So maybe I don’t have an answer to that, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try it, though. Whether you shape-up, change the way you wear your clothes or hair, or even your attitude towards people, you should always remember it will always be for your own benefit.

8. How much could I have?
I suppose in this case there is no such things on having things too much or too little, but it’s more on how badly you really need it. I’d like to have lots of money, no denying that, but the question is that how much are you willing to work for it?

9. What motivates me?
What motivates you? It’s an answer you have to find out for yourself. There are so many things that can make everyone happy, but to choose one of the may be the hardest part. It’s not like you can’t have one serving of your favorite food in a buffet and that’s it. Just try it piece by piece.

10. What Really Makes You Tick?
So? What really makes you tick? You can be just about anything you always wanted to be, but to realize that attaining something that may seem very difficult is already giving up before you even start that journey. Always remember, that self-improvement is not just about the physical or philosophical change you have to undergo, but it’s something that you really want.

Learn how to improve yourself on http://about-scholarship.com

When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don’t seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.

Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn’t unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.

Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.

You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.

First of all, let’s define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.

Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.

First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?

People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don’t follow me, I’m lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you’re headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.

You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization’s goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.

Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It’s about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you’re subordinates must be.

Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.

Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.

The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.

Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.

Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.

Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.

It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.

Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.

You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.

Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.

So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.

Visit: how to improve your knowledge and leadership.

Sometimes, when all our doubts, fears and insecurities wrap ourselves up, we always come up with the idea of “I wish I was somebody else.”  More often than not, we think and believe that someone or rather, most people are better than us.- when in reality, the fact is, most people are more scared than us.

You spot a totally eye-catching girl sitting by herself at a party, casually sipping on a glass of Asti Spumanti. You think to yourself, “she looks so perfectly calm and confident.” But if you could read thru her transparent mind, you would see a bunch of clouds of thoughts and you might just be amazed that she’s thinking “are people talking about why I am seated here alone?… Why don’t guys find me attractive? …I don’t like my ankles, they look too skinny… I wish I was as intelligent as my best friend.”

We look at a young business entrepreneur and say “Wooh… what else could he ask for?” He stares at himself at the mirror and murmur to himself, “I hate my big eyes… I wonder why my friends won’t talk to me… I hope mom and dad would still work things out.”

Isn’t it funny? We look at other people, envy them for looking so outrageously perfect and wish we could trade places with them, while they look at us and thinks of the same thing. We are insecure of other people who themselves are insecure of us. We suffer from low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence and lose hope in self improvement because we are enveloped in quiet desperation.

Sometimes, you notice that you have an irritating habit like biting off your finger nails, having a foul mouth, and you – of all people, is the last to know.

I have a friend who never gets tired of talking. And in most conversations, she is the only one who seems to be interested in the things she has to say. So all of our other friends tend to avoid the circles whenever she’s  around, and she doesn’t notices how badly she became socially handicapped – gradually affecting the people in her environment.

One key to self improvement is to LISTEN and TALK to a trusted friend. Find someone who you find comfort in opening up with even the most gentle topics you want to discuss. Ask questions like “do you think I am ill-mannered?”,  “Do I always sound so argumentative?”,  “Do I talk too loud?”,  “Does my breath smell?”,  “Do I ever bore you when were together?”.  In this way, the other person will obviously know that you are interested in the process of self improvement. Lend her your ears for comments and criticisms and don’t give her answers like “Don’t exaggerate! That’s just the way I am!”  Open up your mind and heart as well. And in return, you may want to help your friend with constructive criticism that will also help her improve her self.

One of Whitney Houston’s songs says “Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.” True enough. In order to love others, you must love yourself too. Remember, you cannot give what you do not have.

Before telling other people some ways on how to improve themselves, let them see that you yourself is a representation and a product of self improvement. Self improvement makes us better people, we then inspire other people, and then the rest of the world will follow.

Stop thinking of yourselves as second-rate beings. Forget the repetitive thought of “If only I was richer… if only I was thinner” and so on.  Accepting your true self is the first step to self improvement. We need to stop comparing ourselves to others only to find out at the end that we’ve got  10 more reasons to envy them.

We all have our insecurities. Nobody is perfect. We always wish we had better things, better features, better body parts, etc. But life need not to be perfect for people to be happy about themselves.Self improvement and loving yourself is not a matter of shouting to the whole world that you are perfect and you are the best. It’s the virtue of acceptance and contentment. When we begin to improve ourselves, we then begin to feel contented and happy.

It might take a little coffee or probably a few rounds of beer or any other booze you could get your hands on when it comes to relaxing after a hard day’s work. Well, yeah I’m guilty about that one as well, unless I’m caught dead wearing a lampshade over my head after a few rounds of vodka… half-naked! Okay, bad example and I apologize to everyone reading this after getting nightmares about me in that state of drunken stupor.

Just don’t ask how it happened, please.

But what’s really interesting is that how do people go through the usual part of life when faced with vein-popping stress? I mean, the new age thing like Zen or yoga is one of the good things and it actually works. Is there room for the intellectual side of people who can actually smell the roses-in-a-can while on the move? It kind of had me thinking that there really must be something in this ‘mind-over-matter’ thing.

Humor is indeed the best medicine there is whenever you are. I mean anyone can pay good money to listen to a comedian just to make you wet your pants after laughing so hard. Despite of what’s been happening, and to those who has gone though the ordeal, it’s better to just laugh while facing the troubles with a clear mind than anger with a clouded vision. One of my favorite celebrities of all time may have to be Woody Allen. Now this is one guy who gives you the in-your-face bluntness that he pulls out with gusto, even without even trying. You can talk just about anything with a man, and he’s bound to mock the subject and you’ll end up laughing rather than being upset about it.

Woody Allen has this to say:

1. “Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.” It sounds good to me, I mean the practicality of all things does involve money but it doesn’t have to take an arm and a leg to get it.

2. “I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it’s the government.” ‘Nuff said.

3. “There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?” This happens to be one of the classic ones. I mean the issue about life’s little problems isn’t all that bad, until ‘he’ shows up.

Sure, relationships can get complicated, or does have its complications that probably any author about relationships is bound to discover it soon. We follow what our heart desires, unless you’re talking about the heart as in the heart that pump blood throughout your body.

4. “Love is the answer, but while you’re waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions.” And if you want more, just keep on asking!

5. “A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to go to bed with me, she said ‘no’.” It sounds, ‘practical’, I think.

And when it comes to everyday life, he really knows how to make the best out of every possible scenario, and it doesn’t involve a lawsuit if he strikes a nerve.

6. “Basically my wife was immature. I’d be at home in the bath and she’d come in and sink my boats.” I never had a boat in my bathtub before. Just staring at it while soaking in hot water makes me seasick already.

7. “I am not afraid of death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” If it rains, it pours.

8. “I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.” It could get worse when you’re guzzling on beer… or mouthwash, and it happened to me once!

9. “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” At least he doesn’t smite us with lightning, and I’m thankful for that.

And despite of what may happen to all of us in the next ten, twenty, or even thirty years, I guess we all have to see things in a different kind of light and not just perspective. I can’t seem to imagine life without any piece of wisdom that could guide us. Whether we’re religious or not, it takes more courage to accept your fears and learn how to deal with them is all that matters when it comes to even just getting along.

And to sum things up, here is the last nugget of wisdom to go by… however, whenever, and wherever we may be.

10. “The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don’t have.”

Ciao!