Neel Raman, Creator of

"Focused On Productions"

and Author of

"Hoops and Freedom"


Sharing Powerful Insights!

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Giving Before Receiving

In recent times, it has been very pleasing to observe just how beautifully the laws of the universe work. There have been numerous cases where good things have happened to people who willingly and graciously give of their time and service.

Having attended numerous networking events, at one particular event held every month, the person who has offered to be the photographer at every event, has won a lucky door prize 3 out 5 times so far. At the last meeting, people in the audience joked that the draw was rigged.

Also, at another event, the guest presenter won a free copy of my book, "Hoops and Freedom", and his immediate reaction was to have the prize re-drawn. But I along with the audience, insisted that he should received what he had won.

It has been suggested through the ages that you give before you receive or you sow before you reap. That law works all the time! It is a lesson for us.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

The New Era of Attraction

The following article is from the current issue of the Succeed Magazine.

The guru of The Law of Attraction, Bob Proctor, believes our leaders are missing the point when it comes to climate change and other problems facing the world's six billion-plus inhabitants. "The current problems we have in the world are the results of ignorance; we need to elevate our awareness so that change comes for the better. Increase our awareness and things will change," says Proctor.

Proctor says the Law of Attraction, is always working – always – so what mankind is experiencing is the result of what mankind attracts to it and at the moment it's ignorance. "Leaders are like most people – they may be brilliant in one area but ignorant in another. Just because they are a leader doesn't mean they know anything," says Proctor.

"Look at the history of global warming – global warming has been around for decades and some people such as Al Gore (former US Presidential contender) were warning us about it 10 years ago and only now are people starting to listen and respect him.
Proctor says whenever someone or something new comes along it is standard human behavior to mock – new technology, new music, new thinking are challenges to our accepted sense of how we are, so in many cases it's easier to be ignorant rather than embrace new thinking, or at least consider it. "If someone is enlightened in a certain area we tend to laugh at them because we don't understand them. At the moment our awareness as a race of people is in the wrong place," says Proctor.

Bob Proctor has been teaching these messages for more than 30 years. He has built a multi-million dollar business spanning the globe based around the principals of the psychology of wealth creation and happiness.

The Law of Attraction, features strongly in his teachings because he believes that people attract to them the things and relationships they are most aware of. We don't need a great education or genetic makeup to succeed.

This Law works in strange ways, for example, if a person is worried about debt it is most likely that their awareness is constantly on debt and thereby creating negative emotions and propelling the person into more debt. What they are really saying is 'give me more debt'.

The solution here is for the person to change their awareness to wealth and abundance and not just be a little aware – they need to believe, ask and be prepared to receive. They also need to take action because "nature hates a vacuum." Proctor believes in paradigms. We are all programmed or conditioned from a very early age to believe in and expect the things and outcomes that we do. This is a limiting set of beliefs that inhibits creativity and act as a self-imposed prison to a person's potential and capacity in all areas of life.

"Some people lack the awareness to create or be happy and are controlled by what is going on around them and this starts in school," says Proctor. "The report card controls what we think – it tells us if we are a good or bad person but what it really tells us is what we were like for a brief period of time several weeks before.

"People are learning and a global shift is happening. The Secret is impacting upon the entire world and the fact that is has such an impact is a symptom that the world was ready for this type of information," he concludes.

Bob Proctor's paradigm: No more effort or energy is required in order to aim high in life, to demand abundance and prosperity, than is required to accept misery and poverty. The difference between the two lies in your level of awareness. The information I'm about to share with you is extremely powerful and, in many cases, could set you free from the constraints that keep you from realizing your full potential, and freedom to all of the good you desire.

Yet you cannot be free until you know exactly what it is that governs, shapes, and directs your behavior and ultimately, your results. If you're not careful, your thinking and results can be controlled by your paradigms.

Paradigms are your mindsets. They are your ideas; the little habits that your brain has developed over the years. The 'operating system' on which your mental processes run. Your paradigms create the prism through which most people view and make sense of the world around them. Information is presented to your mind in one-way or another. Your mind runs through all of the things it already knows about that piece of information and figures out where it fits in with the bigger picture. Your mind then makes a determination whether the information is good or bad, desirable or undesirable, possible or not — all of which can be influenced by your existing paradigms. Like most things, paradigms in and of themselves, are neutral. If your paradigms are positive, you will have a happy, growth-oriented life, a healthy self-image, and the ability to adapt successfully to changes, upsets and unforeseen events.

Conversely, negative, limiting paradigms can keep you stuck in old ways of thinking that can be very limiting. Negative paradigms keep you as imprisoned as do a cell and a set of iron bars. Maybe even more so, since it imprisons you in the place where all true freedom resides: the mind. It follows, then, that if you want to create change in your life and start getting new and different results—you have to change your paradigms.

How do you go about that?
Step One: Write down one thing -- that goal, dream, challenge that you have not yet resolved in your life. The subconscious mind thrives on detail, so describe it to yourself as vividly as you can.

Step Two: Write down every association that you connect to this thing: everything you think about it, good and bad, everything that the thought of it brings to your mind. One approach I have found extremely effective is to 'map' it in much the same way writers come up with plot concepts.

Draw a circle around the words or sentence you came up with in Step One. Then, in the space around that circle, write down your associations as they come to you, encircling each one and connecting it with a line to the original encircled goal. When you feel like you've come up with a substantial number of associations, take a good look at what your mind has shown you.

Step Three: It's time to address your paradigms and ask 'why?' I suggest that you zero in on a few of the most powerful paradigms, the ones that have the biggest negative impact.
Ask yourself, "Why do I think this? Where does it come from? Where did I get such an idea?" Keep on digging until you've exhausted every possible scenario. And finally, now that you know what your paradigm is on any given topic, create an affirmation that will assist you in re-programming your mind, something that is the opposite of your paradigm.
For example, if your paradigm is you'll never earn a lot of money, your affirmation might be: I am so happy and grateful now that money comes to me on a continual basis through multiple sources of income. I am a magnet to money; I now have all that I want.
Write your affirmation on a 3x5 card and repeat it daily, as many times as possible. In time, you'll begin to notice yourself thinking and acting in a different way. And, just when you think you've got it, it will be time to work on another paradigm!

Timing is Everything

When coaching teams and individuals I'm often asked 'Why do some people achieve so much while I struggle just to get by?' The latest psychological research into personal productivity and time management shows that the mindsets we apply can pay big dividends in how much we accomplish. In fact, they are far more important than the number of hours we invest in any given task.

Here are 7 Taylor-Made Champion Mindsets that will help you increase personal effectiveness in your personal and professional life. The more mindsets you adopt, the more automatic and effortless time management will become for you.

1. The 'GO FOR IT' MINDSET!
In your job, do you consciously seek ways to challenge yourself and stretch your skills? If you're a terrific time manager, you probably answered 'yes'. Working at your 'cutting edge' and finding ways to extend yourself increases productivity and willingness to manage time effectively. (It increases your value in the job market, too!)

2. The 'WANT TO' not 'HAVE TO' MINDSET!
Do you tackle tasks at work because you want to or because you have to? Most people agree that approaching something from a 'have to' point of view results in an unwilling attitude, lack of satisfaction and a mediocre outcome. It also leads to procrastination and poor time management.

3. The 'CAN DO' MINDSET!
Do you expect the best of yourself, for yourself, and from everyone around you? Unless you believe you have what it takes, you'll never improve time management or achieve the things you want to achieve. Set high standards; 'expect the best' is a good motto to adopt.

4. The 'PRESENT' MINDSET!
Do you ever feel in a rut with your job; that it's just the same old thing, day after day? 'We've always done it this way' thinking leads us to just go through the motions in a rigid and automatic way. And it's very easy to burn out when we face the same old problems without solutions.

Terrific time managers don't get into ruts. That's because they're mindful that there can be multiple solutions to almost anything. They keep thoughts, words, deeds and mental pictures sharply focused on what they intend to achieve. This prevents burnout and leads to better time management. Keep looking for better, easier, more efficient ways to achieve results. Ask yourself 'How can I streamline this? How can I add more value'?

5. The 'WELLNESS' MINDSET!
If we feel energetic, we're more likely to have a go at tasks that, if we're tired, might overwhelm us. This is important, because it's not the tasks we've completed that make us tired or wake us up at 2 am; it's worrying about the tasks we haven't done! Exercise boosts stamina, strength and suppleness, and reduces stress. It also increases self-confidence and self-esteem, improves your mood and, as a result, you can achieve more. Experiment to find the level of exercise that makes you feel physically and psychologically 'raring to go'. This is the 'WELLNESS' mindset.

6. The 'GOAL GETTER' MINDSET!
Do you routinely establish both long- and short-term goals for your business? Do you have a business plan? Study after study has found that goal setting – more than any other technique (including pay rises!) – increases productivity in terms of both quality and quantity. Setting explicit, worthwhile goals can help you accomplish anything. Short-term goals make long-term goals seem more realistic and achievable. They're also easier to meet, so start by breaking your large, long-term goals into weekly and daily goals. Create daily or weekly 'To Do' lists and use them as a guide to manage your time.

7. The 'TAKE RESPONSIBILITY' MINDSET!
Who's driving your bus? Are you calling the shots? Poor time managers are often obsessed with being busy. But if this is unfocused it can lead to poor goal achievement and low productivity. Don't let your environment or other people dictate your activities. It's a recipe for stress. Know your priorities – anything that moves you closer to your goals – and work to them. The more you control your environment, the more you'll achieve.

For more details about the Succeed Magazine, please click here.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Starting Your Day Like A Champion

The following article is by three-time Olympian, Ruben Gonzalez - Starting Your Day Like a Champion - The Power 30 Minutes

The quality of your state of mind determines the quality of your results in whatever you do. The things you do first thing in the morning set your mental tone for the rest of the day. Neel I challenge you to get radical for the next 30 days. To do something you have never done before.

If you do this for the next 30 days, you will dramatically change your attitude, your focus, your intensity, and will be a different person. Your friends and family will ask you "Neel What happened to you?"

Trust me - if you do this for 30 days, you'll want to do it for the rest of your life. What do I have to do you ask?

For the next 30 days:

1. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier - no more late night TV.
You'll need to get up early tomorrow.

2. When you go to bed, think about how it will feel when you realize your dream.

3. Get up 30 minutes earlier. Don't turn on your computer. These first 30 minutes will set the tone for the rest of your day, and the rest of your life.

4. Take a minute to write down your goals and dreams. You must write your goals down every day. Writing your goals down is an act of commitment that focuses your mind to take action (and in to be successful, action is the name of the game). (1 minute)

5. Take 3 minutes to write down WHY you want those dreams. What's driving you? Get specific.
If your WHY is big enough the How will take care of itself. (3 minutes)

6. Get in front of a mirror and read your Champion's Creed Card. You can refer to it below.
Read it with power and passion.
Like you mean it. (1 minute)

7. Close your eyes and vividly imagine what it will feel like when you actually make your dream a reality.
Get all your senses involved and allow yourself to get passionate. (5 minutes)

8. Write down the three most important things you must do today to get you closer to your dream - then, do them sometime today! Many people get great results by doing this step the night before. (3 minutes)

9. Read 15-20 minutes from a positive, inspiring, motivating book. (15-20 minutes).

10. On the way to work, rather than listening to the radio, listen to a positive, inspiring, motivating self-development tape (Zig Ziglar, Les Brown, Denis Waitley, Brian Tracy, Ruben Gonzalez).

Let me ask you something. Do you think that if your kids started their days this way they might be more motivated, focused on their dreams, and happier?

If it's good enough for your kids, then why don't you do it too? No time? Go to bed earlier. Rule number one of success is no excuses and no whining!

So do something that will set the tone, and set a great example in your home. Start your day with the Power 30 minutes. You'll be glad you did.

I guarantee that if you do this for the next 30 days, your life WILL change. Because your attitude will change.

"The Champion's Creed"

I am a champion.
I believe in myself.
I have the will to win.
I set high goals for myself.
I surround myself with winners.
I'm cool, positive, and confident.
I have courage. I never give up.
I'm willing to pay the price of success.
I love the struggle and the competition.
I stay relaxed and in control at all times.
I focus all my energy on the job at hand.
I vividly imagine what victory will feel like.
I am a champion and I WILL WIN!


Ruben Gonzalez is the author of "The Courage to Succeed," and the co-star of the blockbuster motivational movie "Pass It On." His experiences as a three-time Olympian, business owner, and professional keynote speaker give him a unique perspective on how to conquer the corporate struggles of today. Ruben will inspire and equip the people in your organization to maximize their potential.

For booking information, visit "www.OlympicMotivation.com" or contact him at 832-689-8282.

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

The Rules We Set Up For Ourselves And Others

Today, I attended a Business Expo where there were three speakers who gave short 20 minute presentations on various aspects of business. The Expo was conducted in a large building where numerous business owners had tables set-up for showcasing their products. During the last presentation, I found myself getting agitated because a man at the back of the room was talking to another person. Although he tried to speak quietly, it was still loud enough to be disruptive. At one stage, the presenter thought someone was asking her a question and paused to find if anyone actually had asked a question. But it was the man at the back talking away.

He was oblivious to the fact that he was so loud and I glanced at him a number of times hoping to make eye contact but to no avail. I felt agitated because one of my rules were being violated. According to my rules, when someone is presenting, everyone has to be perfectly quiet and paying attention to what was being said. After two or three minutes, the man had finished his conversation and moved to another spot to talk to another person.

This made me realize that we all have rules that we have set up for ourselves and allow ourselves to let those rules dictate how we feel and what we experience. It would have been so easy to ignore the man and just focus on the presenter but I found myself wanting my rule to be satisfied first before focusing on what was going on. How interesting??

It raises the point of what other rules have I got that does not really serve me... It will be a good exercise to go through my values and rules and get an understanding of what is determining how I feel at any moment in time. Might also be a good exercise for you as well.

To find out how to get out your values and rules, get a copy of my book, "Hoops and Freedom", where I go through it in more detail. Click here to get yourself a copy now.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

The Body Does Not Lie

Just recently, I attended a seminar which had a number of prominent speakers conveying their ideas on marketing and using the Internet as a source of income. During one of the presentations, one particular speaker was talking about the latest marketing concepts to the audience of around 500 people. An area in front of the stage was reserved with empty chairs and they were for people who were interested in what was being offered even before the offer was made.

During the 2-hour presentation, a handful of people were brave and took a seat in the reserved area. As the speaker was getting towards the end of the presentation, the main offer was pitched, and the speaker used the analogy of airline companies offering cheap seats. The more people sat in the chairs in the reserved section, the cheaper the offer would be. To my surprise and I guess everybody else's surprise, when the audience was asked if anybody wanted to take up the offer, nobody moved to the front. The only people in those chairs were the 10 or so people who had moved there during the presentation. I think the non-responsiveness of the audience surprised the speaker as well and the audience was asked, "So, nobody wants to take up this offer?" Again, nobody moved. The speaker then responded with, "Excellent!!!"

To me, that was not an excellent situation because nobody was taking up the offer. The speaker's body language certainly did not convey that the situation was excellent! I must admit, I felt for the speaker because the presentation had been informative and anybody who was willing to try out the product that was being offered would have got great value from it. But my guess is that the audience assumed that the price would be too high and nobody was prepared to find out more about it. After the presentation was over, I managed to get myself into those reserved chairs just to find out the price of the package. And I was right, it was a very expensive mentoring program!

The lesson here for me was that the way you hold your body, that is your physiology, has a huge bearing on the energy you give off and how people respond to you. The premise here is that our body does not lie. It will reflect what is going on in our mind. That is a lesson for all those who are public figures, whether that be platform speaking or managing co-workers at a company. It is easy for people to know if you are congruent with what you are saying.

For more insights, get a copy of my powerful self-improvement book, "Hoops and Freedom" today.