Your attitude
One of my teachers I had when I was 15 years old changed a lot how I see things in life. He always talked about positive thinking and how your attitude to things forms you.
When I graduated he gave me a sort of diploma for following his advice, and on this piece of paper he had written 9 of the things he thought was the most important.
I agree with him on most of these and though I should share them with you.
1. Do not think you are the best, you may be wrong.
2. Do not just think about your own feelings, you should also think about others.
3. Show appreciation to other people.
4. Do not give up, you always have more to give.
5. If you want something done, do it yourself.
6. Be proud of who you are and what you believe in.
7. Think first, then speak your mind.
8. You can not do better than your best.
9. Respect is nothing you just get, recpect is something you deserve.
The power of online communities
This blog post is sponsored by:
Stock Market Charts
Communication between persons is a fundamental element in a social setting. With the passage of years, communication has taken on many, different forms. It began with the telegraph, progressed to the fax machine, and is now conducted mostly through cyber space. It is then easy to understand how social groupings have changed to fit how we communicate with each other.
In the 21st century, the main form of communication is through the Internet. As such, there are now in existence groups of people formed by this kind of interaction.
The definition of an online community is somewhat general. According to Harold Rheingold, a virtual community is group of people who may or may not meet each other personally or face to face, and yet exchange ideas through the use of computer bulletin boards and networks. In other words, an online community is really a group of people who communicate on the Internet, who are not necessarily bound by strong relationships, but who exchange information freely nevertheless. Online communities are dependent upon this kind of exchange among its users. And, like the cultural groupings that characterize world communities, different online communities have sprung up. These units, made up of people who share passions, beliefs, hobbies, or lifestyles, vary only in the degree of participation of its members. Exchange can range from a simple posting of a message on a message board, to commenting on a blog, to going so far as to compete in online competitions. It is imaginable then that the power of these communities can be great.
While the proliferation of online communities and this growing phenomenon has brought up such worries as social disintegration, emotional crippling, depression, and alienation, evidence has shown otherwise. Users who belong to online communities have shown several positive uses for communicating in groups over the Internet. Increases in American Internet usage post September 11 showed virtual communities veering away from initial posts of outrage to discussions about how to deal with grief and fear to a renewal of patriotic fervor. In line with this, online communities then can function as a way to rebuild social order and faith after instances of attack or grief. On a more microscopic level, online communication is also being used to boost community closeness. Local church meetings and functions, gatherings, political rallies, to looking for the schedules of local merchants is communicated through virtual communities in small towns across the United States. On an individual basis, the existence of virtual communities can in fact work in the opposite manner than the fears that have been laid out. Fragmentation, segregation, simple isolation because of race, gender, or status issues disappear in the virtual world. Individuals are accepted for their thoughts and ideas, and confidence is built through acceptance. And therein lies more power.
Online communities come together out of a shared need or interest, and are thus a powerful tool in creating relationships that can develop into something beyond the sphere of social interaction. The future of online communities is another reason why it is such a powerful entity. The Internet hosts a myriad of untapped markets. Soon commerce online will become commonplace. Making money from virtual communities is not a far off reality. And the list goes on.
So, is there power in online communities? Yes, there is, in many different ways. Perhaps the thing to take note of is not if there is power, or even where this power lies, but that it is here to stay. Much like the omnipresent Internet, virtual communities are the present and the future.
Setting up a budget
This blog post is sponsored by:
Blog of links
If you are a struggling web entrepreneur that need to turn every coin to survive, this guide how to set up a budget might help you get som structure in your personal finances.
Here are a few tips for easy budgeting.
1.Keep it simple
The thing a person must do to get started is to make a list of your monthly income, or your salary in short, and your expenses. Just stick with expenses that you can easily quantify. For example, the mortgage, car loan, credit card minimums, groceries. As the months and days pass by you can always add more detail.
2.Determine your “real” monthly income
To have a real and authentic budget you have to determine how much you will actually be taking home after all the taxes have been subtracted. In addition to this, you might have extra income. A part-time job, a weekend gig, alimony, child support, etc. You will definitely want to add this to your total.
3.Expenses
This is actually the tricky part. As you probably will notice, you always have more expenses than income. There are always more items on the ‘to spend’ list than the ‘income’ list. You also may have hidden expenses. Just be sure to always keep your monthly list updates so as to always have the right figure to subtract from your monthly take home pay.
4.Keep accurate records and match monthly expenses with monthly revenue
You need to always make sure that the amount of money spent is reflected within the proper time frame. Do not list an expense as being paid on the month that you paid but rather based on the month where the expense occurred. For example, you get your regular electric bill on the 28th of the month in question but are not due for payment until the 3rd of the next month. Say in June you paid on the 28th and in July you paid on the 3rd of August. That would mean that you would not have an electricity expense for July. This would make your monthly income inaccurate. And accuracy in terms of balances is always important in keeping a balanced budget.
5.Estimate big expenses
This is the easy part actually. After a month or two you can more or less gauge how much you will be spending on food or power and these figures you set aside. These are the big estimates with which you work your other expenses around.
6.Keep track of your expenses
Coupled with estimating expenses and having an accurate picture of the amount of money your really have every month, you must also track how much money you actually spend. This is easy for the big stuff. The challenge will be keeping track of the little expenses like Starbucks coffee, the latest Harry Potter book, or a night out with friends. And again, this all boils down to accuracy.
In the end, these 6 simple tips will give you a better way to plan the money you earn, making it possible for you to spend on some things you want and enjoy without sacrificing the things you need to survive. And, hopefully, this way you’ll save a little as well.
What is web 2.0?
This post is sponsored by:
PfTown.com
For the technologically-challenged, another tech term floating around isn’t the best news. Just when one has finally managed to understand the many workings of the World Wide Web, one now has to deal with what appears like another version. But ignorance is never bliss in this ever-changing world of innovations. So, one is forced to ask the question : What is Web 2.0?
Experts appear to be debating the actual definition of this term but there is a basic explanation that most accept at present. Coined by Tim O’Reilly in 2005, Web 2.0 refers to a supposed new generation type of Web-based services wherein the focus is on online collaboration and sharing amongst users. It is using the Internet as a platform that uses all kinds of connective devices the advantage of which is that these tools and sites get better through the richness of user experiences. Developers use Web 2.0 tools to build on sites because they are free, user-friendly, and shared with others. The most common and well-know examples of this are Wikipedia, My Space, YouTube, and blogging in general. Nothing is being sold, users need not purchase anything, and instead use these tools and sites to link up with other people. Basically speaking then, the Web 2.0 definition for idiots is a more collaborative Internet where the increased participation of users is the primary ingredient in the improvement of sites and tools. It’s about all the average Joe’s and Jane’s using the tools on the web and being the fuel that powers these tools and makes them better.
So, how does this affect a person who is trying to catch up in the fast-paced world of modern technology? It just lets that person know that, at least, for Web 2.0, it is all about the user.
Will you get one?
This blog post is sponsored by:
Spy Reviews
Today I was surfing around on some gadget blogs to check for new cool stuff and I came across this awesome product:
When you first see this technological wonder, you have to say that it is a great product. For any busy executive or for someone in the field duty or someone in stores - this is the product everyone will wish to have. Atleast I would.
Before going into the details about the Brand Value or the product quality, I would say that just think about the utility. You have the phone in your wrist, which gives you the freedom from taking extra care of the phone separately. The chance of leaving the phone at office desk and reaching home or leaving the phone in restaurant and later driving back to collect the set will not be there.
This phone is a product from SMS technologies Australia. The M300 is perhaps one the smallest mobile phone in the world. At least I have never seen any phone which fits in a wrist. This phone support MP3, Bluetooth, USB connectivity, Dial-up Networking, Games, Real Tones and a whole lot of other feature as well. It will be having 80 hours of standby time which should give the user enough time to talk.
The screen is also very sleek and shows the time just like a normal watch. So I bet my buddies will be surprised when it will start ringing. I suggest you can think of surprising your family members or your friends with this technological wonder.
It is expected that the phone will be shipped from March onwards. I am sure this product will touch the imagination of many.
I will get one for sure. Will you?
Read more: I4U News
10 ways to get returning readers to your blog
This blog post is sponsored by:
Rate CD
In this day and age, having a blog would be the equivalent to keeping that scrappy journal under your pillow. The difference is, these days we don’t only want people to read our deepest, most insightful thoughts but to keep them coming back for more. What then are some ways to keep your readers and to make the number of hits to your blog rise steadily?
Outlined below are 10 easy ways to make this happen.
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You CAN judge a blog by its appearance.
Streamlining your blog to reflect what you want to project is very important. Much like first impressions last, what a reader sees, a reader remembers. And a great way to keep your blog embedded in a reader’s mind, therefore making your reader want to keep coming back, is to have it look great and be designed well.
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Post spotlight-worthy titles.
Great catch phrases or snazzy openings is a sure-fire way to get people to keep returning to your blog. And, chances are, if the titles are good, the texts are even better. So, you are sure not to disappoint!
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Be creative.
The best way to get a point across, no matter the subject, is to be as creative as you can about it. Support your entry with a quote from your favorite author, or you can include trivia, or perhaps connect your content to insightful lyrics. What is wonderful about creativity is that it is limitless. And creative blogs are those that keep their readers.
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Be an Original.
This goes hand-in-hand with creativity. Expound on your catch phrase or famous quote with your own ideas and insights. Inside each of us is a possible Socrates waiting to be unleashed. Letting your readers in on some consistently fantastically written original work is soul food for the blog lover.
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Be a Problem-Solver.
Whether it be an answer to a common software or hardware problem, a new-found code to a hot online game, or your own conclusion to one of life’s many profound questions, a solution is a solution. And people like answers. This will certainly keep the hits coming.
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Keep your blog updated.
The worst thing you can do to your steadily growing and loyal following is to stop sharing with them. Keep your posts regular. A couple of posts per week is enough.
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Travel and leave a mark.
Regularly make the rounds. Visit other people’s blogs. Comment on what other people are sharing. After all, if you want readers to visit your thoughts, it should not hurt to return the favor. And, what goes around, comes around. This is a good way to get readers to participate in your blog and to become frequent guests as well.
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Make it easy for other people to leave their mark.
Make commenting easy for your readers. Do not make your readers jump through hoops to read comments left by others and to make comments themselves. Get a fabulous anti spam tool to protect your blog, if this is a fear, and you should be able to interact with your readers on a regular basis, stress-free.
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Do not be afraid to Link.
Linking to other sources adds more meat to what you are trying to say. Because of this, the likelihood of other’s linking to you increases. Adding more punch to the content of your post will make your blog one reader’s will want to return to.
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Make yourself known.
Writing articles for submission is one way of putting yourself out there for people to know. Advertising serves this purpose as well. Include your link it at the end of a presentation or make it a part of your email signature when it is appropriate. The more you are exposed, the more interesting your blog becomes. Generally, the most interesting blogs are the ones that keep their readers coming back for more.
There are many other ways to get readers to come back and visit your blog. Outlined here are just some of the easiest, most practical ways to make this happen
Here’s to having your readers stick with you!
Believe in yourself
This blog post is sponsored by:
Michael Bennett
Starting a business or setting up your own shop is exhilarating, liberating and frightening all at once. You are investing your hard-earned or hard-loaned money. You are responsible for the business; its success, its failure. It is only natural that self-doubt, hesitation and even a strong desire to turn back while you still can will start to permeate every pore of your being. Do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by these doubts or negative feelings. Just think that Rome was not built in a day. It sounds cliché but it is a lot more logical than most people give it credit; and in moments of extreme uncertainty, logic can go a long way.
Every great business starts with an idea, an inspiration. No one is ever 100% certain on how to actualize or execute that great idea; more often than not the execution part will involve a great deal of trial and error.
There are ways to minimize trial and error; you can enroll in short business courses or buy self-help books or biographies written by people who have succeeded in their own entrepreneurial endeavors. These courses and books impart valuable lessons learned by others who at one point in their lives were facing the same doubts and obstacles that you are facing now. More importantly, you learn how they conquered these obstacles and the processes they adapted to arrive at their unique solutions.
Formal studies such as a master’s degree, reading business and financial literature and constant exposure to business programs can increase your confidence level. You become more familiar with the industry jargon; you become more adept at analyzing your business’ potential and industry from an armchair perspective; and you gain more knowledge generally speaking.
Attending seminars and trade fairs do more than just broaden your social circle. Important networking can be gained from these events. The right connections can bring a certain number of benefits; it can bring raw materials and other necessary supplies at lower costs; penetration into new markets; improved distribution of goods; publicity and promotion; and new customers.
There are concrete steps or measures you can undertake to increase your knowledge in business. No matter how many books you read or courses and fairs you attend, if you do not have the guts to support all the theories you have acquired nothing will be gained. The key to success is belief in yourself; faith in the knowledge that you are the captain of your ship called destiny. As you steer your ship towards success, your actions are the product of theories learned from the past by you and others – but the will to steer and continue, that is solely yours.
A balanced life
This blog post is sponsored by:
Internet banking Facts
When starting a company you must remember many things. When you are
working at home especially there is many different things that may affect
how well you can cope with your job. When you are working at home your hours
are not scheduled and you can chose to work when you want, but you still
have to stay focused.
When working at home, it may become difficult if you have other household
. members, especially children as you have a limited amount of hours you can
work everyday and not everyone can perform to their best at late hours of
the night.Entrepreneurship is only successful when there is a healthy balance of
keeping yourself on task while still having a life outside of your work.
Since you can choose your own hours you get the chance to do other things
during the day that at most jobs you couldn’t. Although this may interfere
with your work so you have to guarantee yourself that you will always stay
on task while working and not skip a task every once and a while because it
all adds up in the end.
If you are running your own online business then it is essential that you
have a positive working area. Make sure your “office” is in a quiet room so
you are able to focus on your work while you are supposed to because if you
can not focus on what you are doing the chances are you will have a mistake
or two.
It is not just about managing your life and your work that is important
though, rather you actually take into consideration that ventures do not always succeed. I would recommend that you have another income on
the side (ie. Part time job) so you do not solely rely on your own business.
(Especially in the beginning stages)
It is a must that you don’t let your work interfere with your
personal life and that is why going into business with a friend or family
member may be a key to failure in the end and is not suggested.
If you are starting a new venture make sure you have the access
to the technology you are using, you have enough time to complete your work
each given work period, you are solely focused on your work, and you
understand not to just rely on your company as not all starting
companies will succeed.
Most people however think that successes come overnight although that is not true. Do not give up if you don’t see results right away, especially with a internet business.
Much going on . . .
I have a lot going on now and that is one explanation why my blog has not been updated for a long time.
I am again trying to sell off some of my sites, to get to focus more and get some money to invest in my main projects. This time I have recived more and better offers than the last time so know I am probably getting a few sites sold.
Project Updates
Get A Community is still going steady, but not enough to let me focus 100% on it. I have some ideas to improve it and I am also developing a project manager script to make it easier for the staff and the customers to work on a project.
Inbox Motivation is catching up some traffic and returning readers but I really need to get more flow on the content and get some link exchanges to increase the reader base. My plan now is to monetize this blog and make it profitable.
Blandade Klipp is a swedish site where you can share video clips. The site was offiicialy launched on the 1st of January and the first month resulted in about 5500 unique visitors and most of them are now returning. About 100 of these are now registered members and almost 200 clips has been uploaded.
I am climbing quite fast in the search engines with some of the most important keywords for my niche, where almost 100% of my visitors comes from.
This site is really something I believe in.
Thats alll for now!
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About Andreas Bard
My name is Andreas Bard and I am a web entrepreneur, writer and blogger. On this blog I write motivational articles and aim to help you on your way to success with your business venture.
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