Connections are Essential

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul. ~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

The people you surround yourself with show your character and the way you want other people to view you as.  The connections you create with people, whether it be in personal relationships, business aspects, school or even family connections are what shows you and others what you value the most. Creating meaningful connections with others is an essential key component that most everyone should develop in life.  It can give you advantages in potential opportunities you might reach or even develop yourself, to exude what others around you are doing, good or bad. On Inc.com they had an article that specifically addressed the way to help people make connections within a business setting titled, "8 Tricks to Make Connections That Will Pay Off" and those tricks are...

1. Figure out who matters the most.

2. Pick your next tier.

3. Find easy ways to engage with everyone else.

4. If you want to connect with someone, find a way to help them.

5. Be intriguing.

6. Think people, not positions.

7. Give before you ask.

8. Be generous.

What I am trying to get across is, that if you truly want to gain the full potential you can reach within yourself, you will learn to engage and make those essential connections with people you may not even know is important. You may not know the opportunity that awaits until it is introduced in your life, so go searching and don't give up on making those important connections!

http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/8-things-power-networkers-do-make-connections.html

#motivationmindset #motivation #connections #business #successful #potential 

Demonstrating Integrity, People Will Soon Notice!!

When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid. ~Audre Lorde

Integrity defined in the Webster's dictionary is "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness."  I believe that this is a true characteristic in life that will make you stand out from the crowd and accomplish goals for yourself.  Having this characteristic doesnt mean your better than anyone, by no means, but what it does mean is that you hold yourself to a higher standard that you can succeed at anything you set your mind to. In addition to integrity comes other characteristics that people who are motivated towards their goals will most likely have, extruding those onto other, motivating them, helping them as well. I found an article that listed really great characteristics that everyone should develop and the article was titled "10 Characteristics Traits Worth Devolping" and the traits are..

1. Be honest.

2. Demonstrate integrity

3. Keep promises

4. Be loyal

5. Be responsible

6. Pursue excellence 

7. Be kind and caring 

8. Treat all people with respect 

9. Be fair

10. Be a good citizen

I am not saying by any means that you have to develop all of these characteristics, but what I am saying is that most of us have these characteristics we just need a little reminder that there in ourselves.  So pursue excellence and strive to demonstrate integrity, people will notice. 

http://www.essentiallifeskills.net/charactertraits.html

#motivationmindset #motivation #integrity #beanexample #positivity #goals #excellence 

Online Learning

As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others. ~Bill Gates

Technology is growing rapidly everyday, coming out with new and more complicated systems that we as the modern day citizens must keep up with, to keep our positions in society. The topic of online classes or an online education is something that most colleges have available to students to enroll in. In a previous blog I mentioned for profit schools that are completely based online and what a horrible system they run. Well the online classes that I am talking about are the classes that are online in universities and what a benefit they have provided students with. They allow students with little to no time to complete homework, tests, discussions and other various activities that you would do in a normal class setting except with the convince of doing it online. Personally I am taking two online classes through my community college and I love them. They provide me with ease and convince to either get ahead of work or to just complete it at my own time. On my favorite website Forbes.com they provided a list of "8 Things You Need to Know About Online Education," which provided a great insight to some topics that might help a student decide if online is the way to go. The things you should know is...

1. Online learning is here to stay.

2. There is no significance difference in learning outcomes.

3. Online learning is widespread.

4. There is no single form of online learning.

5. MOOC'S (Massive Open Online Courses...aka For-Profit Schools) are not an example of high quality online learning.

6. Online learning is well suited to adult learners, but not necessarily traditional- aged students.

7. "Institutional" cost savings from going online are less than often acknowledged.

8. Online learning could soon become the norm for “post-traditional” and graduate students who cannot afford the opportunity cost of traditional programs.

With taking into consideration that our society around us is constantly changing with technology we must learn to adapt.  Meaning that when we have kids, most of their education might be online, scary thought to think about! But its true, in order to keep up with everyone around us we have to adapt and learn to learn with technology. 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomlindsay/2014/10/08/the-top-eight-things-you-need-to-know-about-online-education/

#motivationmindset #motivation #college #online #humpday #goals #technology 

How to Beat the Mid-Semester Blues!!

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was ending, he turned into a butterfly. ~Proverb

If your anything like me, you'll know what I mean when I say, I am going through those mid-semester blues BIG time.  I am so close to transferring that this semesters seems to be dragging on.  Yes I am still dedicated and motivated in my classes to do well, but I still have that lack of true drive that I have had in the years prior.  So I've decided to look up some ways to specifically conquer my mid-semester road block...

1. Reward yourself (even in little accomplishments you achieve)

2. Practice time management

3. Don't sacrifice your health

4. Take time to relax, don't feel guilty about doing it either

5. Take a step back and breathe!

With these simple tips, I know that I personally can overcome my thoughts of that midway mark, make it the best year and continue with my mindset towards motivation.  Goals are something that I strive for and seeing all of my hard work pay off is another way I will continue to do what I am doing!

http://www.collegefashion.net/college-life/5-tips-to-beat-the-mid-semester-blues-stay-motivated/

#mindsetmotivation #motivationmonday #college #blues #midterms #achieve #goals 

Accepting Challenges...Bring it ON!!!

To be successful you must accept all challenges that come your way. You can't just accept the ones you like. ~Mike Gafka

We have all faced a challenge before that we thought we could never overcome.  Well if you take a look at where you are now, you have overcome that challenge and rose above.  We often question how we did that by looking back and questioning ourselves how.  But if we can recognize at the time when we think we have a challenging struggle we can use "Six Tips for Overcoming Any Obstacle in Life." We can...

1. Stay focused on the positives and not the negatives.

2. Dont ever give up!

3. Challenge yourself and try new things everyday.

4. Each day you should ask yourself if your happy.

5. Smile :)

6. Don't compare yourself to others and find time to celebrate your little accomplishments.

With these tips, you can fully harness a challenging time, by fully comprehending it and learn to grow from what you go through.  Remember that, yes there will challenging times, but thats what separates the best from the average... Is the persistence and motivation to accomplish our goals we have set!

http://mariashriver.com/blog/2011/10/six-tips-overcoming-any-obstacle-your-life/

#motivationmindset #motivation #challenges #college #smile #persistence  

Sowing Seeds That Benefit Others

Success is...knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others. ~ John C. Maxwell

I believe that in order to have the mindset to motivation for life, you in some way have to be a leader to others.  Leadership for me is one of the best qualities that someone can have, it shows they are confident in what they are doing and can project an image of what they see to influence others.  Leadership can guide not only others in what you believe, but it will allow yourself to have such a powerful influential feeling knowing that you contributed to something or someone else's end result.  So you may be wondering what are ways that I can become a leader? Well Forbes magazine is one of my favorite websites to visit because it provides such an influential insight on certain issues that can capture your thinking.  They had an article that listed the "10 Qualities That Make a Great Leader" and they were... 

1. Honesty

2. Ability to delegate

3. Communication

4. Sense of humor

5. Confidence 

6. Commitment 

7. Positive attitude

8. Creativity

9. Intuition 

10. Ability to inspire

I think that all of these points are essential in any way to have a positive mind in life.  Inspiring others by leading them is something truly amazing and will help you to develop a mindset that will allow you to lead, ultimately playing a huge part in your own life.  

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyaprive/2012/12/19/top-10-qualities-that-make-a-great-leader/

#mindsetmotivation #sundayfunday #motivation #dailythought #inspire #leadership #lead  #maxwell #quote

How to Pick a College Major

Lately I've been having a bit of a struggle on what major I should obtain while in college.  I have a direction on where I want to go, but the major I have been aiming at isn't the right one that I'm supposed to have for the career I want. (Which in case anyone was wondering it's becoming a corporate employee within Chick-fil-A) I don't really know what I should be doing, so whenever I have question I always do my research and ask my closest friends for their opinions.  Most of them said that I should continue with the degree I set out for (double major of sociology and economics), but I have so much reservations because what if I apply for the position at corporate and they deny me for my degree I have.  It would be a huge disappointment if I were to go to college, striving for this position and not get it.  However I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason.  I know that the path that I am on is one that I am supposed to follow, the only thing that I am truly afraid of is the wrong decision.  So with everyones thoughts and opinions on what I should do, I decided to stick with my plan and whatever happens is supposed to happen for a reason.  So what makes me choose my degree plan is because it makes me happy and allows me to interact with others, impacting their lives.  With this thought also comes with the "5 Ways to Pick the Right College Major"....

1.  Wait until college

2.  But don't wait to long

3. Curiosity won't kill you

4. Make sure its your passion

5. Be aware of the expectations to the rules that your major follows

I think that without a doubt choosing a major to follow while in college is the first huge decision most people will face, for some its easy, for others its hard.  Take it with a grain of salt, because what makes you happy is what you should strive for.  There is a deeper purpose to where and what your purpose in life is supposed to be.  Once you find that thing that makes you happy, you can put your mindset to that goal and go full speed ahead! One thing I realized today was, I am going to do what makes me happy and if the career that I have in mind works out, then thats perfect, if not then thats fine to.  Overall I know my life has a greater meaning to everyone around me and I am ready to fulfill those goals I have for myself with the major I have chosen.

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/09/19/5-ways-to-pick-the-right-college-major

#motivationmindset #tgif #college #career #goals #happy #motivation #dreams 

My Philosophy for a Happy Life...Sam Berns

"No Matter Your Obstacles, Live a Happy Life." -Sam Berns

If you think that you have a hard life or that you can't accomplish something, Sam Berns is living proof that you can do anything you set your mind to.  He has Progeria, which is a condition that makes his body a lot older than it really is, dying at the age of 17, because literally his body thought it was 90 years old.  He accomplished so many things in his young life from being the lead in his percussion part of his high school marching band, to becoming an Eagle Scout and even talking on the TED talk before he recently died.  He set his mind to a goal and accomplished it, without boundaries and without limits.  While watching this TED talk I was thinking, what if we lived everyday as if we were to die tomorrow? I know this term is widely used in some shape, but really what if we were to live as if we were to die tomorrow? Sam did this because he really knew he was going to die young and wanted to accomplish all of the goals on his list before he did.  He had a powerful mindset and used that to attain everything he did.  If we were to harness this mindset, just think of all the things you could possibly attain. So the philosophies that Sam lived by was three important ones that he valued everyday, and of course the last one he threw in there...

1. Be okay with what you ULTIMATELY can't do, because there is so much you CAN do. 

2. Surround yourself with people you want to be around.

3. Keep moving forward.

4. Never miss a party if you can help it.

I encourage everyone to watch this TED talk because it will truly inspire you to do anything you set your mind to!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36m1o-tM05g

#motivationmindset #motivation #TEDtalks #happy #accomplish #goals

Goals vs. Objectives

Good things come to people who wait, but better things come to those who go out and get them. ~Anonymous

"Goals are changing mindset and direction. Objectives are establishing a series of concrete steps." I think this is a common misconception of two different directions people could be headed in.  For me I have goals and objectives.  Objectives for me change over time because life happens, which means things may not always happen the way you plan out for them to be.  This is where my goals come into play because when my objectives get scattered, I go to my goals I have set and rethink my objectives for a certain situation.  I think both of these can help us achieve where we want to be in a few months, years or even decades.  With these two attainable prospects we can have the mindset to succeed and attain the things we set out for! 

	Goals	Objectives
Definition	Something which you try to achieve	A specific result that a person or system aims to achieve within a time frame and with available resources.
Time Frame	Usually long-term.	A series of smaller steps, often along the way to achieving a long-term goal.
Magnitude	Typically involves life changing outcomes, like retiring, buying a home or making a major career change.	Usually a near-term target of a larger expected outcome, such as passing a course as part of completing a degree program.
Outcome of immediate action	Actions tend to advance progress in a very general sense; there is often awareness that there are several ways to reach a goal, so specific outcomes aren’t necessary.	Very specific and measurable, a target is established and victory is declared only when the target is hit.
Purpose of action	A goal if often characterized as a change of direction that will ultimately lead to a desired outcome.	Objectives tend to be actions aimed at accomplishing a certain task.
Example	“I want to retire by age 50”	“In order to reach my goal of retiring at age 50, I need to save $20,000 by the end of this year”
Hierarchy	Goals tend to control objectives; a change in a goal could eliminate one or more objectives, or add new ones.	An objective can modify a goal, but will seldom change it in a fundamental way, even if the objective isn’t reached.

http://www.investorwords.com/article/goals-vs-objectives.html

#motivationmindset #motivation #goals #objectives #humpday #workhard #positivity 

"Perseverance Begins With the Right Attitude...an Attitude of Tenacity."

“If you think you have arrived, then you’re in trouble. As soon as you think you no longer need to work to make progress, you’ll begin to lose ground.”- John C. Maxwell

John C. Maxwell is a well know author, who has great motivational books that will get you hooked! He wrote a book called Beyond Talent, which dives deep into "Eliminating 5 Enemies of Perseverance." Which can help you to push to attain that higher education or job career you want to attain. 

1. Lifestyle of giving up. (Don't give up! Persist!) 

2. A wrong belief that life is easy.

3. A wrong belief that success is a destination.

4. A lack of resiliency. (You can go through the tough times!)

5. A lack of vision.

A huge piece of being motivated is to have perseverance and to get through those tough times.  Realizing these points will help you achieve greatness! I recommend you to read the Beyond Talent, or any book by Maxwell, if you haven't already he's great and can change your thinking.  He changed mine tremendously!

http://www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/going-beyond-talent-eliminating-5-enemies-of-perseverance

#motivationmindset #motivation #tuesdaytip #perseverance #maxwell #dontgiveup #goals

Self-Motivation- SMILE

Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice. ~Wayne Dyer

According to dictionary.com Self- Motivation is the "initiative to undertake or continue a task or activity without another's supervision."  I think that this is the most important motivation there is.  Without ourselves to push our own mind, who else will do it? The answer is no one.  Yes there will be support groups, family, friends and others around you who will help to motivate you.  But at the end of the day you are the only one who will truly be able to motivate yourself towards your goals and accomplishing them.  Whether it is studying, saving up for something, working out, going to work, anything really you are the only one who is in control of your motivation.  So SMILE today is your day to be motivated!

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/self-motivated

#motivationmindset #motivationmonday #motivation #smile #selfmotivation #goals 

Goals vs. Dreams

 All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them. ~Walt Disney

Goals and dreams.  They are the same right?  No, both are different in some way and it may help explain how your mindset is in constructing in completing those tasks that we have set.  This sounds cheesy to say but Time Management Ninja quoted that "Dreams occupy your mind. Goals take over your reality." This phrase is so true, because often times people set up a hope to accomplish something either with no way of achieving it or no plan on how to get there.  I am not saying dreams are not a bad thing to have, because I have many dreams.  However I know they are dreams because they are very far out there, not saying I might not accomplish them one day, but I do have many goals that are far out there, that I can definitely attain.  So the "10 Differences Between Goals and Dreams" according to Time Management Ninja are...

1. Goals are something you are acting on. Dreams are something you are just thinking about. 

2. Goals have deadlines. Dreams are just, well, dreams. 

3. Dreams are free. Goals have a cost.

4. Goals produce results. Dreams don’t.

5. Goals have a finish line. Dreams never have to end.

6. Dreams can inspire you. Goals can change your life.

7. Dreams are imaginary. Goals are based in reality. 

8. Goals must have focus. Dreams don’t. 

9. Goals require hard work. Dreams just require your imagination.

10. Dreams stretch your imagination. Goals stretch you.

Now please don't get it confused that I am saying dreams are bad, all I am trying to get across is the difference between goals and dreams.  Many people don't understand the difference and I think with this perspective it can help you focus on what is truly important in your mindset to motivation towards what you want to accomplish in life. 

http://timemanagementninja.com/2013/04/10-big-differences-between-goals-and-dreams-that-you-must-know/

#motivationmindset #motivation #goals #dreams #workhard #college #positivity 

Stress

Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if you’re not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were. – David Rockefeller

Stress...Its an emotion that everyone hates.  Its something that can consume our thoughts and actions in a normal day.  Relating to my last blog, on the subject of midterms coming up, I also looked up ways to reduce stress levels.  It is different than taking on the big project task, but it still relates how to get through a hard time.  Because I mean sometimes I get stressed instead of staying focused on my goals and motivation, the stress consumes me.  So the "10 Simple Ways to Reduce Stress" is...

1. Listen to music.

2. Call a friend.

3. Talk yourself through it

4. Eat right.

5. Laugh it off.

6.Try tea.

7. Be mindful.

8. Exercise.

9. Sleep better.

10. Breathe easier.

With these ways to reduce stress it could help you stay focused and allow you to not let the little things get in your way of accomplishing your goals.  Motivation is a key player, don't let it get taken over by stress, because you can conquer anything you set your mind to!

http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/10-ways-to-relieve-stress#promoSlide

#motivationmindset #motivation #stress #relax #stresslesssaturday #goals #midterms 

Every Marathon starts with planning, training...and one step

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Thoughts are things! And powerful things at that, when mixed with definiteness of purpose, and burning desire, can be translated into riches. – Napoleon Hill

 Midterms are coming up for me next week and personally, I feel so overwhelmed with so many big tasks and assignments, I don't even know where to start.  I don't want stress to overtake my thoughts in my head because I know I can succeed if I put my mind to doing well.  However, do you just come across tasks, that you just don't know how to get started on?  Well, if you have never felt like that before, you its overwhelming! There was this article that came up on Entrepreneurs website that mentioned "6 Steps to Conquering Those Big Projects that Drive You Nuts," of course I read it because I feel the same way right now and need some motivation to get through all of my work. So the ways to crack those nuts and hustle to the finish line are...

1. Remember why your doing this to yourself.

2. Settle down, it will get worse.

3. Shut out all necessary distractions.

4. Every marathon starts with planning, training...and one step.

5. Meet your new best friend...discipline.

6. Find your own secret ingredient.

They are straight forward ways to help you push to get those overwhelming tasks completed.  By the end of the project you feel so overcome with relief that all you can do is pat yourself on the back.  So remember to keep going and don't get distracted by things that seem so huge you can't get started with.  You can do anything you set your mind to, these are just helpful ways to stay motivated!!

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/238172

#motivationmindset #motivation #midterms #college #entrepreneurs 

Pedagogy vs. Andragogy

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

My sociology teacher recently used the word "pedagogy" and I had no idea what that word had meant, so I looked it up in the Merriam dictionary, finding out that it is a word used to describe "the art, science or precession of teaching."  With this new word, I looked up different articles about the subject of pedagogy in our nation.  There are actually two opposite sides of this term.  Andragogy and pedagogy. This chart explains both words so perfectly.  In my thoughts the two terms seem to match up perfectly.  I personally would describe myself as an andragogical person because I am a self-motivated person.  I think which ever category you place your self under you should be able to succeed the best under and work with opportunities that only allow you to grow in school to become the best.  Motivation to do well in school will come from factors that you, yourself can only gauge.  So be proactive and accomplish goals you set.  Anything is possible!

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/05/awesome-chart-on-pedagogy-vs-andragogy.html

#motivationmindset #motivation #pedagogy #andragogy #education #college #goals

Have You Started to Save for Retirement?

Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, you ought to set up for a life you don't need to escape from. -Seth Godin

Okay I know that this is a really odd question for me to ask even myself.  I am only twenty years old, of course I haven't started saving for retirement, I'm just trying to save for my next vacation with my friends.  However, I did read an article the other day and it said that "if you put away $3,000 for 10 years from the age of 25-35, then stopped after 35, by the time you reached the age of 65, you would have $472,000(8%annual return rate).  But if you didn't start saving until the age of 35, you would have to keep saving $3,000 a year until 65, you would still only end up with $367,000(8%annual return rate)."  WOW, is my first thought! I want to have enough money by the time I retire to do the things I want and enjoy myself after all my hard years of working.  I know this is a far out concept, but if you start thinking about the future now, you won't have to stress about it later when it sneaks up on you.  For me I definitely want to have a career and lifestyle that will allow me to be able to save money for not only the things in life that I work hard to get, but for my future family not having to worry about the struggle.

http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/basics_basics.moneymag/

#motivationmindset #motivation #retirement #college #workhard #humpday 

Growth Mindset

I like thinking big. If you’re going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big. – Donald Trump

Growth vs. fixed mindset is something that is very important to realize the difference between the two.  Growth mindset, as the one pictured below shows that people with that mindset "Leads to a desire to learn," whereas the fixed mindset "Leads to a desire to look smart."  The growth mindset accepts failures, which are a huge part of life, while the fixed mindset doesn't accept failure and looks at situations like they can't be changed no matter what.  I think it is very important that everyone stays in a growth mindset because if not, how will we ever grow and learn new things?  I always push myself to learn something new everyday, yes I am in school so obviously I will learn something new, but I push myself to understand a new concept, incorporating it in my life for the future.  Without having an understanding that its okay to fail sometimes, people can become way to hard on themselves over any little incident that happens, that doesn't go the way they plan it to.  However if your in the growth mindset you will understand that not everything can be perfect.  Growing and learning off of the mistakes and lessons you learned is life.  Its like a flower, in order to reach the sun for light you have to grow.  I encourage everyone to push themselves to have a mindset that will allow you to grow, reach the sun and take hold of the lessons you learn, you never know what you could encounter!

http://chrishildrew.wordpress.com/2014/03/21/becoming-a-growth-mindset-school/

#motivationmindset #motivation #growth #goals #pushyourself 

What Will You Create to Make the World Awesome??

"What if Michael Jordan had quit?" -Kid President 

"Keep going, keep going," as said by the famous Kid President on YouTube.  I watched this video this morning and all I could do was smile the whole time!  "A Pep Talk from Kid President" has over 30 million views on YouTube, by one single kid who helps encourage not only kids to stay motivated towards their goals, but adults also.  This video not only makes me smile every time I watch it, but it also makes me think, "wow I can accomplish my goals," because of the simple fact that I want to create something that the world will remember me by.  I encourage everyone to watch this video because, hey we all need a little pep talk sometimes, even if it is from someone a lot younger than us.  Stay motivated towards your goals of finishing college, pursuing your dream career, or even saying up for your next car.  The mindset you put yourself in determines ways you can capture the motivation needed to accomplish those goals! "Your gooder than that," as said by Kid President himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o

#motivationmindset #motivationmonday #kidpresident #smile #goodday 

For-Profit Schools...

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. – Charles Darwin

My sociology teacher recently gave us an assignment where we watched a video on for-profit school and let me tell you, I was shocked with what I watched.  I have had personal experience with for-profit school myself like, the University of Phoenix and Grand Canyon University, but never did I think that the schools went to the extent that this movie portrayed.  It was a horrible thing to watch because students in the movie would be lured into these for-profit schools trying to attain a degree, yet they would come out with thousands, if not hundreds of thousands dollars worth of debt, to find out essentially their degree is worthless to most.  So after watching this movie I did some research and I found out that the average debt a for-profit student has after graduation is $40,000 according to the Institute for College Access and Success.  As compared to  $29,000 that the statistics showed for University graduates.  Also according to the College Boards Trends in College Pricing found that tuition was on average at a cost of $15,130 for the for-profit schools, $3,264 for community college and $8,893 for Universities.  This doesn't make sense to me because these for-profit schools are supposed to offer a fast and cost effective way to obtain a degree.  The rest of the article showed the 3 Facts for Students to Know About For-Profit Schools and they are as followed...

1. For-profits are expensive.

2. For-profits graduates often find an even harder time attaining a job after graduates, than that of normal University graduates.

3. For-profit students borrows default on their loans at higher rates.

This is literally the tip of the ice berg when it comes to the for-profit schools scheme to make an obvious "profit" and scam students.  So my advice is always do your research before you make and hasty decisions regrading your education future and you will end up on the right path. 

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2014/10/01/3-facts-for-students-to-know-about-for-profit-colleges-and-student-debt

#motivationmindset #motivation #forprofitschools #college #success #debtcrisis 

New Jobs Are Hard

                          Every accomplishment starts with a decision to try. – Unknown

Have you ever started a new job and you just feel so lost?  Well I can say that I have definitely felt overwhelmed in a new job setting.  Even a new position in the same job setting, its a very difficult experience when you start something new that has to do with work related affairs.  So with the thought of motivation always in the back of my mind I realized that during and after college a lot of us will have this awkward experience.  I thought that this directly relates to not only a work environment, but in everyday life also.  We all get a little nervous when we have to do something for the first time, however instead of thinking in that mindset, why not be positive and confident! There was an article that listed 5 Ways to Stand Out in Your New Job and I thought perfect! With these five ways you can use the mindset to be confident and make an impression to your new coworkers...

1. Believe in yourself.

2. Dont let adversity stand in the way, give it your best shot.

3. Stay cool when under stress.

4. Communicate openly. 

5. Master the influence you can hold and persuasion.

With the five key points listed in the article, before you know it you will be so comfortable with your new work setting, you will consider it like your second home!

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/10/01/6-ways-to-stand-out-in-your-new-job?int=9f5009

#motivationmindset #motivation #newjob #confidence #mindset #goals

Is College Worth It?

In Apr. 2013 the unemployment rate for college graduates over 25 years old was 3.6% compared to 7.5% for high school graduates.

When I think of reasons for doing something I normally make a pro and con list.  There was this great article I found that made a list of pros and cons of attaining a college degree.  Now for myself I have outweighed the cons and my thoughts are focused on the pros, but I thought I would show a list for everyone to see both sides. I'm only going to name the top five in my opinion, because there was a long list...

Pros: 

1. College graduates make more money.
2. More and more jobs require a college education.
3. College graduates, often have more retirement and healthcare plans.
4. College graduates live longer and are healthier. 
5. College exposes students to diverse people and ideas.

Cons: 

1. Students loan debts are staggering.
2. Many people succeed without college degrees.
3. College degrees sometimes don't prepare a person for a job.
4. To many people attaining bachelor degrees, has dulled the value of the degree. 
5. A college degree does not always guarantee someone of health benefits.

Now you may ask why put the cons, this blog is supposed to be reasons to be motivated towards higher education.  However if I didn't put both sides of the thought, you would already make a list yourself.  I like seeing topics from both sides and I think that this article really showed both sides on a non bias approach.  So whether you see it from the pro or con side, I just encourage you to see it from both sides. Life is risky, so don't worry, everything happens for a reason, stay motivated towards your goals and they will happen.  Work hard!

http://college-education.procon.org

#motivationmindset #motivation #college #pro #con #goals #success 

How Will You Be Remembered?

Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day. – Gary Vaynerchuck

Ambition is just like motivation it drives us to accomplish our goals.  We can't just think that without hard work things in life will appear at our doorstep.  We have to have ambition and not just luck or talent to give us everything we want to attain.  Working hard for the career, college or even car we want, requires hard work that won't come easy.  Their will be days that we think that we just can't take anymore and want to give up.  So as  I was reading articles, I found this article about Ambition is More Important Than Talent and in the article there was some questions that really made me think about my life and ambition. They were..

1. What are you willing to give up to accomplish it? 

2. How many hours a day, how many days a week, how many missed vacations missed and unattended parties are you willing to give? 

3. Where do you see yourself?

As a full time student and full time worker, I often don't have extra time for anything and if I do, it has to be meticulously times out.  So when these questions were raised I really started to question my ambition.  Yes, I know I have motivation but these ambition questions seemed so much more in depth relating towards my personal life.  I answered these questions myself and I encourage you to do so as well, you might be surprised what you really find out about your ambition within yourself. How will you be remembered? 

http://elitedaily.com/money/entrepreneurship/ambition-important-success/

#motivationmindset #motivation #ambition #goals #hardwork 

Mike, Mike, Mike...Guess What Day it is?!

Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked. – Warren Buffett

It's hump day everyone! In case you haven't watched the famous hump day commercial, your missing out on the hump day motivation people get from what Wednesday brings to people every week.  I think that little things like a simple video can make someone happy, getting them through the tough day ahead.  Sharing and encouraging others throughout the day, doesn't only bring happiness to others, but it improves your mental thoughts as well.  So if you haven't watched the hump day commercial watch it and I promise you will laugh! Have a great day and don't forget that each day you promote motivation in your life, you are one step closer to attaining your goals.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GGKPEPZuKc

#motivationmindset #motivation #humpday #hilarious #greatdayahead #littlethings #happy 

Endorphins Make People Happy!

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose. – Dr. Seuss

Endorphins in simpler terms are chemicals in your body that are released when you workout, making your mind happy. I am a huge promoter of physical activity because it not only provides a better outlook on your physical body, but it also transforms your mental state. For example if you say that one of your goals is to lose ten pounds and you ultimately succeed because of the hard work and dedication you put into that goal, it will reflect other goals you may have personally for your career or education goals that you set.  Because you know you can accomplish it, so in turn will be more motivated by other successes (losing ten pounds) to accomplish those goals set. By working out it reflects on your school, work and lifestyle because overall people who take care of their bodies by working out, ultimately have a healthier outlook on life.  They seem to be more motivated and in tuned to what goals they want to accomplish because when they go to the gym, they create a sense of framework of what and how to achieve that fitness goal.  Dont get me wrong I'm not saying that people who don't workout, don't have any motivation towards their goals; however what I am saying is that with the constant framework that working out provides people, carries into their everyday life of motivation.   On top of getting those happy endorphins, you also start to change physically and exude confidence about yourself that others will see.  So the top reasons why you should workout during college according to Youniversitytv.com is...

1. Relieves stress.

2. Feel good.

3. Feel productive.

4. Generate energy.

5. Make the brain stronger.

If you haven't taken any biology classes before, I will inform you that the brain is a muscle and just like our arm or leg muscles it requires constant growth or it will simply stay the same.  So by working out we can gain all of the five reasons stated above while still becoming healthy and motivated in life towards our goals!

http://www.youniversitytv.com/news-sports/5010-the-benefits-of-exercise-while-in-college

#motivationmindset #motivation #exercise #confidence #healthymind #goals #endorphins #happy  #college

10 Reasons Why College is Important

For all of its faults, it gives most hardworking people a chance to improve themselves economically, even as the deck is stacked in favor of the privileged few. Here are the choices most of us face in such a system: Get bitter or get busy. – Bill O’ Reilly

College in todays society is almost a must in any job you want to grow into a career with.  According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 59%, of college students actually end up graduating with a bachelors degree. This is so shocking to me because we place such a strong emphasis on attaining a higher education, yet this number of students who actually succeed in college is very low.  I personally think that a lot of the problem has to do with lack of motivation to accomplish the degree and the overwhelming debt most college students acquire in four years.  Most students become discouraged, dropping out and settling for a job that they are comfortable with, not pushing themselves on an everyday basis.  So I looked up some reasons to keep motivated and continue to attain that bachelors or masters degree.  The "10 Reasons why College is Important" are...

1. Learning how to learn.

2. Dealing with adversity.

3. Better earning potential.

4. Increased chances of advancement.

5. Learn skills before employment.

6. Life experience.

7. Secure future opportunities.

8. Personal satisfaction. 

9. Feeling a sense of power.

10. Change the world!!

Okay so don't get me wrong the last reason is a little out there, however if you have the mindset that you can conquer the world, you can! I believe that all of these reasons are in addition to your lifestyle goals that you have everyday, adding to the constant drive of motivation to conquer the world!

http://www.financeplaza.org/10-reasons-a-college-education-is-so-important/

#motivationmindset #motivationmonday #education #college #drive #goals