Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Find the energy you need to succeed with strong goals and clear vision

Find the energy you need to succeed with strong goals and clear vision


By Matt Alderton, Writer, Editor and Media Consultant, Logolepsy Custom Content and Communications
Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. Nobody said it would be. But if being self-employed is more difficult than you’d imagined, hang on; you’re not alone. All small business owners struggle with running their companies. Some lack enough money, some lack enough planning and some lack enough ideas. At some point or another, however, all of them lack enough motivation.
If you find yourself losing interest in your business—if you lack the energy and focus you once had—don’t fret. All it takes to get and stay motivated for the long haul is determination, patience and commitment. And once you’re properly motivated again, you’ll find you have not only more energy and more ideas, but also more
1. Time

2. Money

3. Opportunity

4. Success

5. Satisfaction
Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Make a schedule

If you're self-employed, chances are good that you could benefit from some structure. Don't just wake up and work when you feel like it, for instance; instead, set a regular start and stop time for your workday. Having a daily agenda will help you get things done.

I recommend: Stay on schedule with the help of business calendar software. Try Microsoft Outlook with FranklinCovey Time Management Solutions or Mozilla Sunbird. Or, for a simple, budget-friendly alternative, consider using an online calendar tool like Google Calendar or Yahoo! Calendar.
Set goals

Make daily, weekly, monthly and annual checklists of things you want to accomplish; then, cross them off your list as you achieve them. Doing so will give you a sense of accomplishment that is sure to motivate you when you're feeling sluggish.

I recommend: Visualize your goals—literally—by putting them on paper. Collect magazine clippings, quotes and images that represent your goal and display them on a bulletin board for inspiration; you can find a variety of display boards at Blick Art Materials. Or, go the high-tech route with Picasa and make a digital slideshow or collage of goal-oriented photos for your computer.
Embrace variety

Stay productive and avoid boredom by mixing up your work routine. Rather than doing eight straight hours of the same task, make sure you fill your workday with a variety of projects designed to hold your interest and stimulate your creative muscles.

I recommend: If you’re stuck in a workday rut, take a break to exercise your brain. Do the New York Times Crossword Puzzle or try one of the many puzzles and brainteasers linked to at About.com. A little play might be all you need to find your muse again.
Be social

When you work from home, it's easy to get tired of your own company. Maintain contact with the outside world by seeing your friends, volunteering or joining a local sports team-anything that gets you out of the house long enough to recharge your batteries.

I recommend: When you own your own business, there’s no water cooler to gather around with co-workers. You still need a support system of peers, however, to motivate you when things get rough. Join a Small Business Meetup to network and socialize with other entrepreneurs in your area. Or, consider finding a business mentor by registering with Advance Mentoring.
Be professional

When you spend your days working in front of the television in your bathrobe, your coffee table serving as a makeshift desk, it's easy to lose sight of your business goals. Maintain a professional environment-complete with a proper home office and a respectable dress code-in order to remind yourself that you have a job to do.

I recommend: It can be hard to stay focused and motivated amid chaos. Avoid clutter by organizing your home office; The Container Store has a number of solutions for the home office.
Reward yourself

Work can't always be fun. When you're overwhelmed or annoyed, keep yourself going by planning rewards for yourself, such as a nice dinner or a weekend getaway.

I recommend: Reward yourself with regular breaks and an occasional vacation. Sam’s Club’s Business Members can take advantage of special travel discounts while Expedia Business Advantage members get access to exclusive, business-friendly travel rates.
Take care of yourself

Keep your mind fresh by keeping your body strong. Embracing a routine that includes good nutrition, regular exercise and even habitual powernaps will go a long way toward refueling both your personal and professional tanks.

I recommend: Visit Entrepreneur.com’s Health and Fitness section for tips on keeping yourself—and your business—healthy.
Stay positive

If you've lost your business mojo, get it back by actively searching for encouragement, ideas and advice. When you hear what you need to hear, you'll see that there is, in fact, light at the end of the tunnel.

I recommend: Try to always be optimistic, even when the going gets tough. Redirect your negative energy in order to avoid slides and slumps; affirmations, such as those on products from Successories, can help.
Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
Remember that motivation comes from within. If you lack the focus and opportunities you seek, take control; it's your life and your business, and only you can make changes.

If you lack inspiration, keep in mind that opportunities exist everywhere, all you have to do is look for them.

Don't let a dry spell discourage you; be persistent and patient to reap the motivational rewards you seek.

If you lack motivation, find out what's causing it. Perhaps you're working at the wrong time of day, or dealing with problems at home. Keep a journal and look for patterns; when you see problems, search for solutions.

Fight procrastination with deadlines. Sometimes, accountability is the only motivation you need in order to get things done.

Mortgage Rates in U.S. Match Record Low Set in April

Mortgage Rates in U.S. Match Record Low Set in April (Update2) Business
By Brian Louis
Nov. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Fixed 30-year mortgage rates dropped for a fourth consecutive week, matching a record low set in April, in a decline that may further support increasing sales in the battered housing market.
The rate dropped to 4.78 percent from 4.83 percent last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac of McLean, Virginia, said today in a statement. The average 15-year rate was 4.29 percent.
Low mortgage costs and a tax credit for first-time homebuyers are helping increase demand for property, putting existing home sales on pace to hit 6.1 million this year. A falling number of unsold homes is also beginning to stabilize prices. The S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index rose 0.27 percent in September from August, the fourth consecutive gain.
“When mortgage rates track down to well below 5 percent, that is a key threshold that generates a lot of interest in terms of new purchases and refinancing,” said Brian Bethune, chief financial economist at IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Massachusetts. “The market is gradually pulling out of this huge hole, this huge recession it was in."

Purchases of new homes in the U.S. rose 6.2 percent in October to an annual pace of 430,000, the highest level since September 2008, the Commerce Department said today.
A Federal Reserve program to buy up to $1.25 trillion in securities backed by home loans is scheduled to end the first quarter of next year.
Yields Fall
The bond purchases from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae, which buy mortgages from lenders and package them into bonds, brought yields on the securities down this year and allowed lenders to reduce mortgage rates while still selling the securities at a profit.

Yields on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage securities fell to the lowest in more than six months yesterday.

Fed officials have agreed to gradually slow the central bank’s buying “to promote a smooth transition in markets as the announced purchases are completed,” according to minutes of their Nov. 3-4 meeting released yesterday.

President Barack Obama signed legislation this month to extend and expand a homebuying tax credit, which may further boost property sales.

The tax credit for first-time buyers was set to expire Nov. 30 and may have sparked an increase in existing home sales in October. Purchases of existing homes rose 10.1 percent to the highest level since February 2007.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Louis in Chicago at blouis1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 25, 2009 10:47 EST
Photo ID Cards for Real Estate Sales and Broker Professionals
An amendment to subdivision 6 of section 441-a of the real property law, in relation to Real Estate Brokers and Real Estate Salespersons is as follows:
The department shall prepare, issue and deliver, with the assistance of the department of motor vehicles, to each licensee a pocket card in such form and manner as the department shall prescribe, but which shall contain the photo, name and business address of the licensee, and, in the case of a real estate salesperson, the name and business address of the broker with whom he or she is associated and shall certify that the person whose name appears thereon is a licensed real estate broker or salesperson, as may be. Such cards must be shown on demand. In the case of loss, destruction or damage, the secretary of state may, upon submission of satisfactory proof, issue a duplicate pocket card upon payment of a fee of ten dollars.
In order to comply with this requirement, please complete and send the DMV Consent Form found at the link below to the Division of Licensing Services at P.O. Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201.
DMV consent form (pdf)
If you do not have a NYS driver license or non-driver ID card, you must visit a NYS DMV office to have your picture taken. Please download and review the Request for Photo ID form found at the link below for further instructions. You must bring this form and acceptable proof of your name, date of birth and signature with you to DMV to have your picture taken.
Find DMV’s general requirements for proof of identity here: http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/forms/id44.pdf (pdf)
Request for Photo ID (pdf)
Below is some very important information regarding system upgrades related to the implementation of Photo Identification Cards:
The Division of Licensing will now begin issuing Photo ID Cards to real estate licensees. Licensees will be issued their Photo ID Cards in one of two ways:
Upon approval of an original or renewal application, a licensee will be issued a Photo ID Card or,

Upon approval of a change of association, change of business address, change of name, change of branch location or duplicate Photo ID Card transaction, a licensee will be issued a Photo ID Card
In order to successfully perform any of the above transactions, you will need your DMV ID Number on file with our office. This number is the nine digit number located on your driver's license or non-driver’s ID card. For those of you who have recently provided us with this number, you do not need to take any action. For those of you who have not yet provided us with this number, there are three ways in which you can provide our office with this information:
You can log into your account. Select the Maintain User Profile link, click on edit button in the NYS DMV ID Number section and enter your DMV ID Number.

If your license is within three months of expiration, you can log into your account and select the renew license link. Within the online renewal application, you can enter your DMV ID Number into the space provided.

You can download the DMV Consent Form at the following link and mail the completed form to our office: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/forms/licensing/dos1398-a.pdf.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please feel free to email eAccessNY@dos.state.ny.us.