As a young or lost soul, finding the motivation to do just about anything and everything can be pretty tricky. When you dont have the motivation you need, you let yourself or even others down. You lose track of yourself and what really matters.

But theres good news for you; there are many ways to find motivation. Ill share some with you.

1. Look at yourself in the mirror (or not) and give yourself a pep talk.

2. If youre not so great at pep talks, ask for someone you know who is to give you one.

3. Reward yourself after your deed. Its not only kids who need to be really convinced to do something they dont want to do; adults definitely need some convincing. Treat yourself to that piece of cake you said you wouldnt eat.

4. OK, so maybe youre working out and you cant eat some chocolate cake. Spend a little cash on a new nice workout outfit. I saw some really cute running shoes and leggings at Nike when I first became a runner. Guess what happened? I bought those leggings and shoes and it somehow motivated me to start running every week just so I could show them off.

5. If its something you actually want to do but caught yourself in a slump, use time as your motivator. I find it useful if I give myself a time limit and do my best to abide by it. Not many people are disciplined enough to do this, but you could teach yourself.

6. Think of the future. This seems a little clich or funny to say, but who you want to be and the goals youve set for yourself will play a huge role if you constantly keep it in mind while you do your task.

7. Have a small task like doing the dishes? Fine! What do you like to do, listen to music? Dance? Include a hobby of yours while you mop the floor or do your homework. Not everything you have to do has to be boring.

8. Speaking of boring, one thing most people really like to do is play games. You can make a game out of pretty much anything. Cool teachers do it all the time. Create a game you know youd love and enjoy and mix it up with the activity you hate. That activity will turn into something you love.

Tasks dont have to be chores; we just choose to make them so. Life is for enjoyment, and finding the motivation for them is part of it.

http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com

The Habitat at Fort Collins is conveniently located in the heart of Fort Collins. Just minutes away from all major shopping areas,...

The Dakota Ridge Townhomes are situated in Akron, Ohio and are designed to provide quality affordable living. For those desiring the...

This one bedroom apartment comes furnished and is less than 5 minutes away from Kennesaw State University campus

We offer comfort, convenience and luxury at Bridgetown Lofts. Barbecue on the rooftop deck and enjoy a rousing game of mini golf or corn...

Continued here:
8 Ways to Find Motivation - Uloop News

A long day spent sitting at work can leave you tight and stressed out. Pilates may be a solution.

KARE 11 Staff , KARE 8:37 AM. CDT August 28, 2017

How do you get moving after a day of nothing but sitting at your workplace? Pilates is one option.

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - We've heard how sitting all day really isn't good for your health, so how about making up for it when you get home at night?

The average office-based worker spends an estimated 80,000 hours sitting throughout their working career. And those who spend a majority of the work day sitting are more likely to spend a significant amount of time sitting outside of work and on non-workdays. For the working adult, it has become more difficult to create an active lifestyle largely due to the advancement of technology and industrial innovation and these modern lifestyles are the biggest indicators of these health issues.

Preston Rogers, Pilates Coordinator at Life Time Athletic St. Louis Park, stopped by KARE 11 Sunrise to show us the the best stretches and exercises to do to keep moving, along with some simple changes to your routine::

Rogers also recommends Pilates as one of the best things you can do for your body, especially if you sit for a majority of your day. Pilates elongates and strengthens the body, as well as improved mobility, which in turn improves muscle elasticity and joint mobility. A body with balanced strength and flexibility, which you gain from doing Pilates, is less likely to be injured and face the negative effects that come from sitting for long periods of time

2017 KARE-TV

Read more:
Motivation Monday: Stretching out after sitting at work - KARE

It may arise in the context of learning what they need to do to level up in their firms, or to support the amount of income that they want, or in some other context. But whatever the context, when this demand presents itself they generally feel that they have no choice but to satisfy it and they have no idea how to do it.

In most cases these lawyers have never before had to turn their minds to expressly identifying the things that they find satisfying about the practice or to envisioning what a fulfilling, satisfying practice would look like to them. They have gone about the work that they have been given, been successful at it, spent a lot of time at it and that is as far as they needed to go. Moreover, because they have always defined their value by the technical aspects of the work they do, they havent thought about who their clients might be who they serve beyond a vague sense that their clients could really be anyone within a certain geographic area that has a problem or need that falls within their general sphere of practice.

So, when they come to me, they often dont feel themselves to be in the best position from which to start building a business. And they are right. It extremely difficult to build a business if you are going to market with a vague mindset and an overly broad definition of who you are targeting. Moreover, any practice that you do manage to build on that foundation is unlikely to be one that will be satisfying to you and sustain itself over the long term.

You improve your chances of success significantly if you start with a narrower and more specifically defined focus. You can expand from there as time goes on, but starting with more specificity makes taking the action that you need to take more manageable.

The question then becomes how does one narrow the focus?

It starts with figuring out what you WANT to build, instead of trying to figure out what you SHOULD build, MUST build or what is EASIEST to build.

The secret to figuring out what you WANT to build lies in figuring out what drives you what motivates you intrinsically. Why did you go into law? What do you get out of it? What lights your fire about it and drives you forward?

Contrary to what many people might think, for lawyers and others in knowledge-based enterprises that require creativity, problem-solving, decision making and higher-order thinking, your intrinsic motivator likely isnt money.

With that possible motivator off the table, you have to look farther and wider to uncover your intrinsic motivator(s). The framework that I use to help direct this inquiry with clients is rooted in the thesis of a book called Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us by Daniel Pink.

Though presented in a different context than the one addressed in this column, Drive expounds on the proposition that when people are engaged in knowledge-based enterprises, like the practice of law, their performance is best and their satisfaction is highest when their work provides them with a sense of autonomy, mastery and purpose the motivation trifecta. If your work delivers those three things, you will feel more connection to what you do, and get more fulfillment from it.

Unpacking these terms, I think you will agree that a practice hallmarked by these elements would be satisfying indeed:

Autonomy Independence; the ability to be self-directed in our enterprise. Autonomy causes us to pursue our work with a sense of personal commitment and engagement to it, rather than just putting in the time and fulfilling our obligation with no spark or passion.

Mastery The compulsion or desire to continually grow, stretch and advance our knowledge and skills in an area that matters to us. Continued growth is a human need that is fundamental to our feeling of fulfillment.

Purpose The knowledge that our work serves something larger than ourselves a greater good. Finding meaning in one's work has been shown to increase motivation, engagement, empowerment, career development, job satisfaction, individual performance and personal fulfillment, and to decrease absenteeism and stress.

While they are all important, the last of these may have the greatest impact on business development success for lawyer. When we believe that our work is contributing to a purpose or cause that has significance and is greater than ourselves, we enjoy the highest levels of motivation and fulfillment, exhibit greater resilience and grit in the face of adversity and will overcome more or less any hurdle thrown our way in service of contributing to an outcome that we care about.

The contrary is also true. It will be very difficult to maintain a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment in your practice, and overcome the challenges that are inherent in the practice of law, over the long term if what you are doing doesnt motivate you naturally and you instead have to rely on external motivators fear, money, rewards, recognition, status etc. to keep you going.

Start as you mean to go on. Factor these three elements in when you are cultivating your business development mindset and choosing the strategies and tactics you will use to build your practice. This will help you pursue relationships and opportunities that will be connected to the people and values that are important to you and set you on a path that will give you the best chance of coming out with a business that excites and ignites you, that you feel inspired and compelled to grow and build and that incorporates all of the things about the profession and the practice that have meaning for you.

Read the original:
Autonomy, mastery and purpose: The 'motivation trifecta' at the heart of a successful and fulfilling practice - Canadian Lawyer Magazine

ATLANTIC DIVISON

Boston College Eagles

Last year's record: 7-6

Key returning players: DE Harold Landry, RB Jon Hilliman, C Jon Baker, LB Connor Strachan

Key losses: QB Patrick Towles, CB John Johnson, LB Matt Milano, RB Myles Willis

Reason for optimism: Landry has the ability to change games with his presence on the outside, and the offensive line should be vastly improved and help the Eagles get back to their physical run game.

Cause for concern: There's still no decision on a starting quarterback between Darius Wade and Anthony Brown, and game-breaking ability with the skill position players remains a question mark.

X factor: RB AJ Dillon. The former Michigan commit became one of BC's top signees in February and is working to find a role in the backfield. His frame (6-foot, 240 pounds) makes him an ideal fit in Steve Addazio's offense.

Game to watch: vs. Notre Dame, Sept. 16

Clemson Tigers

Last year's record: 14-1

Key returning players: WR Deon Cain, OT Mitch Hyatt, DT Christian Wilkins, DT Dexter Lawrence, LB Kendall Joseph

Key losses: QB Deshaun Watson, RB Wayne Gallman, WR Mike Williams, TE Jordan Leggett, LB Ben Boulware

Reason for optimism: Clemson returns what should be another elite defensive group, led by an aggressive, relentless line that will have the opportunity early on to set the tone for the defending champions.

Cause for concern: Any time a team loses a once-in-a-generation player like Watson, there are questions about how he will be replaced. Kelly Bryant takes over with new faces to rely on at running back, tight end and receiver.

X factor: Ray-Ray McCloud. One of the fastest players on the team, McCloud has spent time taking reps at cornerback in fall practice. Whether he plays both ways, or moves permanently to defense, he's one of the most intriguing players on the roster.

Game to watch: vs. Florida State, Nov. 11

Florida State Seminoles

Last year's record: 10-3

Key returning players: QB Deondre Francois, S Derwin James, DT Derrick Nnadi, DE Josh Sweat

Key losses: RB Dalvin Cook, DE DeMarcus Walker, WR Travis Rudolph, LT Roderick Johnson

Reason for optimism: The Seminoles return nine starters on defense, including the versatile James and three starters up front. Plus, Francois returns after a redshirt freshman season in which he threw for over 3,000 yards.

Cause for concern: The offensive line, shaky for much of last year, remains a work in progress. Depth at receiver beyond Nyqwan Murray and Auden Tate is also a concern headed into the season.

X factor: Cam Akers. With Cook gone, Jacques Patrick and Akers look to take on the rushing responsibility. Patrick is the more experienced player, but Akers comes in with the hype after an outstanding prep career in Mississippi.

Game to watch: vs. Alabama, Sept. 2

Louisville Cardinals

Last year's record: 9-4

Key returning players: QB Lamar Jackson, LB James Hearns, CB Jaire Alexander, WR Jaylen Smith

Key losses: LB Keith Kelsey, RB Brandon Radcliff, LB Devonte Fields, TE Cole Hikutini

Reason for optimism: Two words: Lamar Jackson. Even though the last three games of 2016 were less than ideal, Jackson won the Heisman for a reason. He spent the entire offseason working on improving his overall game, and is motivated to show the results.

Cause for concern: If the offensive line and Jackson can't work in concert, the Cards won't show anything in the way of improvement. Depth must also be developed on the defensive line and at linebacker, as a new coordinator works to instill more discipline.

X factor: DE Trevon Young. Young has made a remarkable comeback since a major hip injury nearly ended his career in the 2015 bowl game. Young was second on the team in sacks that season and is cleared and ready to go for 2017.

Game to watch: vs. Clemson, Sept. 16

NC State Wolfpack

Last year's record: 7-6

Key returning players: QB Ryan Finley, HB/TE Jaylen Samuels, DE Bradley Chubb, NT B.J. Hill

Key losses: RB Matthew Dayes, S Josh Jones, DB Jack Tocho

Reason for optimism: NC State returns 17 starters from a team that was only a few plays away from beating Florida State and Clemson last season. More than that, its strong defensive line ranks among the best in the nation.

Cause for concern: The Wolfpack have yet to prove they can get past the upper echelon in the Atlantic Division, so overcoming that hurdle is vital. Can the passing game improve to the point where explosive plays can be made down the field on a consistent basis?

X factor: Samuels. Everybody knows Samuels, but NC State coaches have all said he must take on a much larger and varied role in the offense with Dayes gone. That means getting more reps and taking more snaps in the backfield and as a tight end/receiver.

Game to watch: vs. Louisville, Oct. 5

Syracuse Orange

Last year's record: 4-8

Key returning players: QB Eric Dungey, LB Zaire Franklin, RB Dontae Strickland, WR Ervin Philips

Key losses: WR Amba Etta-Tawo, CB Corey Winfield, WR Brisly Estime

Reason for optimism: If Dungey is able to stay healthy and play the entire season, watch out. The Syracuse offense returns most of its speedy, athletic playmakers and will be in Year 2 in Dino Babers' system. Dungey already has raved about how the difference is evident in practice.

Cause for concern: If Dungey can't stay healthy, the optimism might drain away. The defense is still relatively young. And the schedule is the toughest in the ACC, with games against LSU, Miami, Clemson, Florida State and Louisville.

X factor: Philips. With Etta-Tawo gone, watch for Philips to take charge among the receivers. The speedy Philips has game-breaking capabilities and came oh-so-close to a 1,000-yard season a year ago.

Game to watch: vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 7

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Last year's record: 7-6

Key returning players: QB John Wolford, QB Kendall Hinton, TE Cam Serigne, DE Duke Ejiofor, S Jessie Bates

Key losses: LB Marquel Lee, S Ryan Janvion, CB Brad Watson, LB Thomas Brown

Reason for optimism: The Deacons are headed into Year 4 under Dave Clawson and boast the best depth and talent since his arrival. Wolford beat out Hinton for the staring quarterback job and with experience on his side, Wake Forest hopes to vary its approach and be less one-dimensional.

Cause for concern: The run game remains a work in progress. Do the Deacons have enough returning to improve their passing game with much-needed big, explosive plays on offense?

X factor: WR Scotty Washington. Wake Forest has worked on stretching the field with its receivers during fall practice, and Clawson is banking on a big year from Washington, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound sophomore with vast potential.

Game to watch: vs. Duke, Nov. 25

COASTAL DIVISION

Duke Blue Devils

Last year's record: 4-8

Key returning players: QB Daniel Jones, WR T.J. Rahming, C Austin Davis, LB Ben Humphreys, LB Joe Giles-Harris, CB Bryon Fields

Key losses: RB Jela Duncan, WR Anthony Nash, DT A.J. Wolf, DB DeVon Edwards, DB Deondre Singleton, CB Breon Borders

Reason for optimism: Jones might be the most underappreciated quarterback in the ACC. While the rest of the Coastal is trying to figure out life with a new starter at the position, Duke has quietly developed a rising star.

Cause for concern: Last year's defense allowed 8.9 yards per pass -- 125th nationally -- and yet Duke fans are more concerned about the lack of presence up front. In other words, the defense needs to make major progress all around.

X factor: No player earned more praise from coach David Cutcliffe during the offseason than safety Jeremy McDuffie. He has track-star speed. If he blossoms into a true playmaker, he could be the steadying force Duke's secondary desperately needs.

Game to watch: vs. Northwestern, Sept. 9

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Last year's record: 9-4

Key returning players: WR Ricky Jeune, OL Parker Braun, AB Clinton Lynch, DE KeShun Freeman, CB Lance Austin, CB Step Durham

Key losses: QB Justin Thomas, RB Dedrick Mills, OL Freddie Burden, LB P.J. Davis, DE Patrick Gamble

Reason for optimism: Georgia Tech might have been the nation's quietest nine-win team last season, and Paul Johnson returns the bulk of what was a sturdy defense to go with his always reliable option offense.

Cause for concern: The loss of Mills, just days before camp broke, is big. He was a powerful runner. While Johnson's offense allows for some level of plug-and-play in the backfield, Mills was a difference-maker.

X factor: Freshman linebacker Bruce Jordan-Swilling could see early work, and at a position where Georgia Tech doesn't have a ton of experience he could prove to be a boon for the defense.

Game to watch: at Miami, Oct. 12

Miami Hurricanes

Last year's record: 9-4

Key returning players: RB Mark Walton, WR Ahmmon Richards, TE Christopher Herndon, LB Shaq Quarterman, DE Joe Jackson, DT Kendrick Norton

Key losses: QB Brad Kaaya, WR Stacy Coley, OL Danny Isidora, CB Corn Elder, S Rayshawn Jenkins

Reason for optimism: The defense employed four true freshmen in starting roles last season and was still one of the top units in the country. Miami returns enough talent up front to play with anyone.

Cause for concern: The quarterback spot was the biggest topic of offseason conversation, but the lack of depth behind Walton at running back might be an even bigger concern. If Walton gets dinged up, Miami could be in trouble on offense.

X factor: Dee Delaney. If there's a knock on Miami's defense, it's the lack of experience in the secondary. Delaney transferred in from The Citadel, where he was an FCS All-American, and he could easily blossom into one of the ACC's better defensive backs.

Game to watch: at Florida State, Sept. 16

North Carolina Tar Heels

Last year's record: 8-5

Key returning players: LT Bentley Spain, WR Austin Proehl, LB Andre Smith, LB Cole Holcomb, CB M.J. Stewart, DE Malik Carney

Key losses: QB Mitch Trubisky, RB T.J. Logan, RB Elijah Hood, WR Ryan Switzer, WR Mack Hollins, WR Bug Howard, CB Des Lawrence, DL Nazair Jones

Reason for optimism: The defense, long an Achilles' heel for UNC, appears ready to turn the corner. Up front, a bevy of talented youngsters will get a chance to prove the unit is for real.

Cause for concern: It's rare that any offense loses so many parts in one offseason, and aside from Spain and Proehl, there are virtually no established holdovers to build around.

X factor: QB Brandon Harris shouldered much of the blame for LSU's offensive struggles. Now that he's at UNC and working in a more wide-open offense, Tar Heels fans are hoping he'll finally make good on his obvious talent.

Game to watch: vs. Notre Dame, Oct. 7

Pitt Panthers

Last year's record: 8-5

Key returning players: WR Jester Weah, WR Quadree Henderson, OL Alex Officer, OL Brian O'Neill, CB Avonte Maddox, S Jordan Whitehead

Key losses: RB James Conner, QB Nathan Peterman, TE Scott Orndoff, WR Dontez Ford, DE Ejuan Price, LB Matt Galambos, DL Shakir Soto

Reason for optimism: QB Max Browne, a transfer from USC, should provide a steadying force for an offense that still has lots of weapons and was among the most potent in college football a year ago. Plus, Pitt can build off beating Penn State and Clemson last season.

Cause for concern: The defense, particularly on the back end, was brutal last season. While that unit has gotten younger -- and arguably more talented -- it's the defensive front that has tons of questions after Price graduated and Rori Blair and Jeremiah Taleni were dismissed from the program.

X factor: Defensive end Dewayne Hendrix arrived as a transfer from Tennessee three years ago with great promise, but a redshirt year and a season-ending injury have limited him to just a handful of snaps. He'll be essential this season if Pitt's defense is going to turn things around.

Game to watch: at Penn State, Sept. 9

Virginia Cavaliers

Last year's record: 2-10

The rest is here:
ACC preview: Defense keeps Clemson strong; Lamar Jackson gains motivation - ESPN (blog)

Sam Tomkins will try and harness the nauseating feeling of defeat at Wembley - to ensure their Super League campaign doesnt meet the same fate.

Wigan have little time to mull over their 18-14 Challenge Cup Final loss to Hull FC.

They travel to St Helens this Friday knowing defeat would see their top-four hopes recede.

Wigan and Saints are locked on points, a point behind fourth-placed Wakefield, with four rounds to go.

And Tomkins hopes Saints feel a backlash from their Wembley agony.

Weve got to remember the feeling in that dressing room, he said, moments after full-time on Saturday afternoon.

Its not a good place to be. Its horrible, I feel sick.

Weve got to remember that, we dont want to feel that again, so weve got to go and bounce back and smash Saints on Friday and win the next four.

Weve got to do that - otherwise our season is over with, we can all go on holiday and be depressed for six weeks.

Well kick stones for a couple of days, but come Monday were back in work.

Win four games, weve got a semi. Win that and weve got a Grand Final.

Tomkins says it was no comfort that they played their part in an absorbing Challenge Cup Final, which went right down to the wire. Joe Burgess had a match-levelling try in the final minute ruled out, correctly, for a forward pass.

Theyre fine margins, thats why we have a brilliant game called rugby league, added Tomkins.

Thats what people want to see, tight games which can go either way and that was one.

Unfortunately we were on the losing side.

See the rest here:
Tomkins to use Wembley loss as motivation - Wigan Today

Gurdjieff Books

1. Views from the Real World Recollections by Gurdjieffs pupils of early talks in Moscow, Essentuki, Tiflis, Berlin, London, Paris, New York and Chicago. Within this book is an essay titled Glimpses of Truth, an account, written by one of his Russian pupils, of a visit to Gurdjieff near Moscow before the revolution. This essay was occasionally read in Moscow as an introduction for people meeting Gurdjieff for the first time, as is related by P. D. Ouspensky in In Search of the Miraculous.

2. Life is Real Only Then, When I Am The long awaited third and final installment of Gurdjieffs exposition published in 1976. This books opens a unique window into Gurdjieffs personal work that is uncommon in other works. The prologue gives a most interesting disclosure of the inner world problems which Gurdjieff had to face and the process of his own spiritual evolution. The final chapter, called the Inner and Outer World of Man is incomplete, and it stops tantilizingly when Gurdjieff is about to disclose the secret for the prolongation of human life.

3. Meetings with Remarkable Men a purported autobiographical description of key moments in Gurdjieffs formative years. Intriguing and colorful. Map of pre-sand Egypt. Gurdjieffs father as Ashokh. It is clear that Gurdjieff wrote this. It is less clear whether it actually happened the way he wrote it. J. G. Bennett, who sought to trace Gurdjieffs sources after his death, claimed that most of these stories weremetaphoricaland the figures alluded to pseudonymical.

4. Beelzebubs Tales to his Grandson Written in an obscure and lengthy style that neutralizes the readers normal cognitive pathways, Gurdjieff paints a galactic canvas unlike normal expository narrative. Gurdjieff spend seven years writing this magnum opusas he himself said, sparing himself neither day nor night, constantly writing and rewriting. It appears that Gurdjieff, having decided to throw open his ideas to anyone who chose to buy his books, wished to safeguard their real significance by making them accessible only to those who were prepared to make a very big effort. In doing this, however he fell between two stools. On the one hand, he was anxious that Beelzebubs should be widely read. On the other hand, he was impelled to write more and more obscurely.

5. Herald of the Coming Good Gurdjieffs first and relatively short narrative reflecting Gurdjieffs initial and somewhat naive enthusiasm. This book would be of profound interest for understanding the development of Gurdjieffs thinking; but, at the same time, it represents an unfortunate episode which he afterwards wished to bury. Only a year or so later he wrote that if any of his readers had by their good fortune failed to read The Herald of the Coming Good, he advised them not to do so.

1. In Search of the Miraculous a cinematic narrative in Ouspenskys own words of his experience searching for the miraculous and finally crossing paths with George Gurdjieff in Russia. Published posthumously and after the manuscript had been reviewed, praised and authorized by Gurdjieff. To this day, In Search of the Miraculous is the best-selling doorway into Gurdjieffs practical, theoretical and philosophical teachings.

2. The Psychology of Mans Possible Evolution the most concise exposition of the core of the Fourth Way. An easy read written in lecture form, read before an audience by Ouspenskys inner circle, with Ouspensky taking notes and revising over a period of 6 years. Save for the historical narrative of In Search of the Miraculous, this would be our #1 pick for best introduction to the Fourth Way. These first two books are the only ones edited by Ouspensky himself. The books below are compilations from meeting transcripts.

3. Conscience The Search for Truth a compilation of five essays based on more of P. D. Ouspenskys talks and answers to questions. Thiscompilationis centered around the development of conscience, although subject range through all Fourth Way ideas. The contrast between morality and conscience was a popular idea to which Gurdjieff periodically returned. In Conscience the Search for Truth, Ouspensky explores Gurdjieffs ideas in depth.

4. The Fourth Way a well indexed and accessible exposition of the Fourth Way, taken from notes of those attending Ouspenskys lectures. this book was not compiled by Ouspensky, but elaborates in great detail on what The Psychology of Mans Possible Evolution outlines. Each chapter is dedicated to a series of related Fourth Way topics, beginning with an introductory compilation of Ouspensky on that topic and continuing with questions and answers from his meetings.

5. A Further Record further notes from Ouspenskys lectures, written in a similar form to The Fourth Way, but including material that was left our from that compilation. This book would not serve as a good introduction to Gurdjieffs ideas, but as an inspiring addition to the books listed above.

Originally posted here:
Gurdjieff Books | Gurdjieff Becoming Conscious

EMINENT spiritual scholar Ravi Ravindra is to give a talk on the pilgrim soul.

Prof Ravindra, originally from West Bengal, India now based in Canada, is a leading international speaker on religion, science, and spirituality.

His lifelong search has led him to the teachings of J. Krishnamurti, G. I. Gurdjieff, Zen, Yoga, and a deep immersion in the mystical teachings of the Indian and Christian classical traditions.

He is the author of several books on religion, science, mysticism, and spirituality and is able to articulate the connections between all faiths with great clarity.

This talk asks What is a pilgrim soul? What are the attitudes and characteristics of a pilgrim on a spiritual journey? Are they different from those of a religious believer? Can we be exclusively committed to one religion? said Katie Lloyd-Nunn, Hawkwood programme manager.

Ravi makes complex concepts accessible to those with a general interest, or deeper knowledge. He encourages people to bring their questions to the talk,

It takes place at Hawkwood College on Friday, September 1 and starts at 8pm, tickets are 10 (8 concessions) - to book call 01453 759034 or visit the website at bit.ly/2vahAWD

Go here to see the original:
Spiritual scholar Ravi Ravinda to speak at Hawkwood College in ... - Stroud News and Journal

In the West we see cults. They have a very long history. Christianity itself started as a cult. It became religion through Roman power. The most destructive cults in recent memory have originated from the vision of apocalypse and Armageddon, which are an integral part of Christian worldview. Jonestown massacre/mass suicide of almost 900 people (1978) was crafted by Jim Jones, who preached apostolic socialism a variant of liberation theology encouraged by the mainstream Church to create militant movements in post-colonial countries.

In 1993, Brach Davidians, a Christian religious group, believing in the second coming of Jesus as being near imminent went up in flames in Texas killing 70 inmates including women and children in an apparent mass suicide after an armed confrontation with law enforcing officials. Heavens Gate cult (1997) performed a mass suicide with their vision that combined a cocktail of UFO-Armageddon beliefs. Between 1994 to 1997 Order of the Solar Temple cult, which aimed at unifying Christianity and Islam, effected mass suicides of more than 25 people.

The only Eastern cult which did such a gruesome mass murder was Aum Shinrikyo. Originally a yoga movement that combined Buddhist and Hindu thoughts, it became a doomsday cult after incorporating in it the vision of apocalypse from the Christian Book of Revelation and prophecies of Nostradamus. Obsessed with Biblical vision of the Doomsday, they struck the Tokyo subway in 1995 with poison gas killing 12 and damaging the visions of 5,000 people.

Another movement that combined the elements of guru and cult was the Rajneesh movement. When in Oregon, establishing their own township, the group got into conflict with local administration as well as Christian and Islamic fundamentalists. In 1983, Jamaat ul-Fuqra, an US and Pakistan-based Islamic fundamentalist group bombed a hotel with a Zorba the Buddha nightclub run by Rajneesh group. In 1984, Rajneesh organisation tried to sway local elections by, if had gone undetected, what could have been the largest bio-terror attack in United States history. Rajneesh Chandramohan then Bhagwan Sri Rajneesh pleaded guilty and escaped imprisonment. Then he made a complete image makeover.

Alleging CIA-Christian conspiracies against him he became a genius of pop-spirituality. Today, Acharya Rajneesh alias Bhagwan Sri Rajneesh alias Osho is associated with absolute freedom and not Uzi-wielding private militia and centralised surveillance of every member of the commune much less a bio-terror attack. Osho commune has also cultivated the art of associating with those in power. In 2004, when United Progressive Alliance came to power, they did not hesitate to offer the project of building meditation hall at Osho Commune of Pune to a little known engineering firm Backops, whose 85 per cent shares were then owned by Rahul Gandhi. Rajneesh (1931-1990) is now well entrenched in the mainstream spiritual legacy of India. Many of the so-called corporate gurus today can be considered as Rajneesh-clones none of whom, nevertheless could never match his original brilliance.

Rajneesh movement provides a good case study into how a guru phenomenon can transform into a cult and then retract back to become the guru phenomenon in the modern socio-political context.

Go here to read the rest:
Of Gurus, Cults And The Future - Swarajya

A vegetable seller in a rural Sri Lankan village

Sales is activity related to selling or the amount of goods or services sold in a given time period.

The seller or the provider of the goods or services completes a sale in response to an acquisition, appropriation,[1]requisition or a direct interaction with the buyer at the point of sale. There is a passing of title (property or ownership) of the item, and the settlement of a price, in which agreement is reached on a price for which transfer of ownership of the item will occur. The seller, not the purchaser generally executes the sale and it may be completed prior to the obligation of payment. In the case of indirect interaction, a person who sells goods or service on behalf of the owner is known as a salesman or saleswoman or salesperson, but this often refers to someone selling goods in a store/shop, in which case other terms are also common, including salesclerk, shop assistant, and retail clerk.

In common law countries, sales are governed generally by the common law and commercial codes. In the United States, the laws governing sales of goods are somewhat uniform to the extent that most jurisdictions have adopted Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code, albeit with some non-uniform variations.

A person or organization expressing an interest in acquiring the offered item of value is referred to as a potential buyer, prospective customer or prospect. Buying and selling are understood to be two sides of the same "coin" or transaction. Both seller and buyer engage in a process of negotiation to consummate the exchange of values. The exchange, or selling, process has implied rules and identifiable stages. It is implied that the selling process will proceed fairly and ethically so that the parties end up nearly equally rewarded. The stages of selling, and buying, involve getting acquainted, assessing each party's need for the other's item of value, and determining if the values to be exchanged are equivalent or nearly so, or, in buyer's terms, "worth the price". Sometimes, sellers have to use their own experiences when selling products with appropriate discounts.[2]

From a management viewpoint it is thought of as a part of marketing,[3] although the skills required are different. Sales often forms a separate grouping in a corporate structure, employing separate specialist operatives known as salespersons (singular: salesperson). Selling is considered by many to be a sort of persuading "art". Contrary to popular belief, the methodological approach of selling refers to a systematic process of repetitive and measurable milestones, by which a salesman relates his or her offering of a product or service in return enabling the buyer to achieve their goal in an economic way.[4] While the sales process refers to a systematic process of repetitive and measurable milestones, the definition of the selling is somewhat ambiguous due to the close nature of advertising, promotion, public relations, and direct marketing.

Selling is the profession-wide term, much like marketing defines a profession. Recently, attempts have been made to clearly understand who is in the sales profession, and who is not. There are many articles looking at marketing, advertising, promotions, and even public relations as ways to create a unique transaction.

Two common terms used to describe a salesperson are "Farmer" and "Hunter". The reality is that most professional sales people have a little of both. A hunter is often associated with aggressive personalities who use aggressive sales technique. In terms of sales methodology a hunter refers to a person whose focus is on bringing in and closing deals. This process is called "sales capturing". An example is a commodity sale such as a long distance sales person, shoe sales person and to a degree a car sales person. Their job is to find and convert buyers. A sales farmer is someone who creates sales demand by activities that directly influence and alter the buying process.

Many believe that the focus of selling is on the human agents involved in the exchange between buyer and seller. Effective selling also requires a systems approach, at minimum involving roles that sell, enable selling, and develop sales capabilities. Selling also involves salespeople who possess a specific set of sales skills and the knowledge required to facilitate the exchange of value between buyers and sellers that is unique from marketing, advertising, etc.

Within these three tenets, the following definition of professional selling is offered by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD):

Team selling is one way to influence sales. Team selling is "a group of people representing the sales department and other functional areas in the firm, such as finance, production, and research and development". (Spiro) Team selling came about in the 1990s through total quality management (TQM). TQM occurs when companies work to improve their customer satisfaction by constantly improving all of their operations.

Marketing and sales differ greatly, but generally have the same goal. Selling is the final stage in marketing, which also includes pricing, promotion, place and product (the 4 P's). A marketing department in an organization has the goals of increasing the desirability and value to the customer and increasing the number and engagement of interactions between potential customers and the organization. Achieving this goal may involve the sales team using promotional techniques such as advertising, sales promotion, publicity, and public relations, creating new sales channels, or creating new products (new product development), among other things. It can also include bringing the potential customer to visit the organization's website(s) for more information, or to contact the organization for more information, or to interact with the organization via social media such as Twitter, Facebook and blogs. Social values also play a major role in consumer decision processes.

The field of sales process engineering views "sales" as the output of a larger system, not just as the output of one department. The larger system includes many functional areas within an organization. From this perspective, "sales" and "marketing" (among others, such as "customer service") label for a number of processes whose inputs and outputs supply one another to varying degrees. In this context, improving an "output" (such as sales) involves studying and improving the broader sales process, as in any system, since the component functional areas interact and are interdependent.[6]

Many large corporations structure their marketing departments so they are directly integrated with all lines of business.[7] They create multiple teams with a singular focus and the managers of these teams must coordinate efforts in order to drive profits and business success. For example, an "inbound" focused campaign seeks to drive more customers "through the door", giving the sales department a better chance of selling their product to the consumer. A good marketing program would address any potential downsides as well.

The sales department would aim to improve the interaction between the customer and the sales facility or mechanism (example, web site) or salesperson.As Sales is the forefront of any organization, this would always need to take place before any other business process may begin. Sales management would break down the selling process and then increase the effectiveness of the discrete processes as well as the interaction between processes. For example, in many out-bound sales environments, the typical process includes out-bound calling, the sales pitch, handling objections, opportunity identification, and the close. Each step of the process has sales-related issues, skills, and training needs, as well as marketing solutions to improve each discrete step, as well as the whole process. In many cases becoming a salesperson is a default career as not many people aspire to be a salesman but rather fall into the job due to circumstances. It can be highly rewarding as you receive remuneration in the form of a salary and also commission.

One further common complication of marketing involves the inability to measure results for a great deal of marketing initiatives. In essence, many marketing and advertising executives often lose sight of the objective of sales/revenue/profit, as they focus on establishing a creative/innovative program, without concern for the top or bottom lines a fundamental pitfall of marketing for marketing's sake.

Many companies find it challenging to get marketing and sales on the same page.[8] The two departments, although different in nature, handle very similar concepts and have to work together for sales to be successful. Building a good relationship between the two that encourages communication can be the key to success even in a down economy.

The idea that marketing can potentially eliminate the need for sales people depends entirely on context. For example, this may be possible in some B2C situations; however, for many B2B transactions (for example, those involving industrial organizations) this is mostly impossible.[citation needed] Another dimension is the value of the goods being sold. Fast-moving consumer-goods (FMCG) require no sales people at the point of sale to get them to jump off the supermarket shelf and into the customer's trolley. However, the purchase of large mining equipment worth millions of dollars will require a sales person to manage the sales process particularly in the face of competitors. Small and medium businesses selling such large ticket items to a geographically-disperse client base use manufacturers' representatives to provide these highly personal service while avoiding the large expense of a captive sales force.

Another area of discussion involves the need for alignment and integration between corporate sales and marketing functions. According to a report from the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council, only 40 percent of companies have formal programs, systems or processes in place to align and integrate the two critical functions.

Traditionally, these two functions, as referenced above, have operated separately, left in siloed areas of tactical responsibility. Glen Petersen's book The Profit Maximization Paradox[9] sees the changes in the competitive landscape between the 1950s and the time of writing as so dramatic that the complexity of choice, price and opportunities for the customer forced this seemingly simple and integrated relationship between sales and marketing to change forever. Petersen goes on to highlight that salespeople spend approximately 40 percent of their time preparing customer-facing deliverables while leveraging less than 50 percent of the materials created by marketing, adding to perceptions that marketing is out of touch with the customer and that sales is resistant to messaging and strategy.

A sale can take place through:[10]

Agents in the sales process can represent either of two parties in the sales process; for example:

Since the advent of the telephone, a distinction has been made[13] between "inside sales" and "outside sales" although it is generally agreed that those terms have no hard-and-fast definition.[14] In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act defines outside sales representatives as "employees [who] sell their employer's products, services, or facilities to customers away from their employer's place(s) of business, in general, either at the customer's place of business or by selling door-to-door at the customer's home" while defining those who work "from the employer's location" as inside sales.[15] Inside sales generally involves attempting to close business primarily over the phone via telemarketing, while outside sales (or "field" sales) will usually involve initial phone work to book sales calls at the potential buyer's location to attempt to close the deal in person. Some companies have an inside sales department that works with outside representatives and book their appointments for them. Inside sales sometimes refers to upselling to existing customers.

See the article here:
Sales - Wikipedia

Which Sales Performance Issues are Your Sales People Facing?

Receive a FREE Sales Capability Assessment for your team by contacting KONA today at info@KONA.com.au, or call 1300 611 288

If you need your sales people to consistently hit target, and be seen as an industry resource and strategic partner instead of a product flogging, price quoting, problem solver, KONA Groups Hearts and Minds sales training will develop your sales people to be able to:

KONA customise every Sales Training and Coaching program to our clients business and teams, and are facilitated by experienced professionals.

We do not run generic, off the shelf, by the manual sales training courses, delivered by theoretical trainers or academics

So if you need to increase your sales, profits and performance contact us today on 1300 611 288 or email Glenn@KONA.com.au

Contact KONA to discuss how Hearts and Minds selling will change your sales peoples results.

Call:1300 611 288 | SMS:0425 200 883 | Email:info@www.kona.com.au

Read more from the original source:
Sales Training & Coaching - KONA Group