Napoleon Hill

Need something positive to read about today?

Then read about the life of Napoleon Hill, a man who was born in poverty. His life changed after he interviewed industrialist Andrew Carnegie in 1908. Carnegie at that time was one of the most powerful men in the world and he provided Hill letters of reference to interview over 500 successful men and women, many of them millionaires, in order to discover and publish their formula for success.

The 20 years research resulted in the book, Philosophy of Achievement and in 1937, its distilled version "Think and Grow Rich" was published. That was his most famous and best-selling book of all time.

Here is a video of Napoleon Hill where he talked about his meeting with Andrew Carnegie.

Success attracts successful people

If you take time to read the newspaper, you will notice that successful people are very willing to share their success stories. In their success stories, you will likely read that they built up their businesses based on the success of other businesses.

Lim Ching Choy is the Chief Executive Officer of Magna Prima Bhd. His company builds high-rise apartments with lifestyle shops, signature office, retail mall and hotel to meet his country's urban city development.

How did he manage to rise from his days as a banker into property sector successfully? He shared that he always look at successful companies in other sectors to learn.

He looked at McDonald's system and management to fine tune his company's customer service. He look at banks and media companies to seek the kind of public relations standards he could emulate for his company. For leads to profitability, he reads Fortune magazine and its annual ranking of America's 500 largest corporations.

This successful developer vibrates towards and attracts success in his life. What are your leanings?

Need a break to think about it? Then pop by to this cafe if all you need is cuppa of ideas by gutsy entrepreneurs.

Restaurant Makeover? A wide-open secret.

You are very lucky if you have a restaurant that is not doing well in Canada. Why? You have an award winning team of chefs and designers to help you do a "Restaurant Makeover".

"Restaurant Makeover" is a television series which airs on Food Network Canada and HGTV Canada. The producer of this programme will match funds restaurant owners can provide, by up to $15,000, to transform their struggling restaurants into a winner. Restaurants involved get free publicity when the makeover processes are aired on its TV network and on channels in over 16 countries worldwide. And if you take the time to watch the series, you will notice that each show always ends with a good critic about the food and ambiance of the outlet aired.

So, when the going gets tough, the tough works on the law of rhythm and think only of good times to come; take the challenge and do a makeover.

If you are in the restaurant business that needs some tweaking, check out the designer work carried out on restaurants and the refined recipes created that brought them back to life.

You can find links to some of these restaurant on Wikipedia.

Accelerated Learning

I heard about "accelerated learning" from my friend and was curious about it as I have two school going children. I was thinking that if it is useful, I am going to introduce them to it. So, I did a search and came across an article, "The Secret To Improving Your Technique" posted on About.com: Swimming.

The idea about "accelerated learning", to improve what you would like to pick up, is to watch how the experts or others are doing it correctly. Then imagine yourself doing all those right moves. Close your eyes and visualize these movements at least five minutes a day. Keep at it and one day you will realize that you have perfected the skills.

I did not know that I have practiced "accelerated learning" when I was younger. I used to work in a hotel during the '80s. Regular male guests used to invite a group of my front desk colleagues to discos and sometimes I tagged along on their invitation.

I was from a small town and a very shy person then. I would just sit around watching as the rest do the moves. But while sitting there watching, I imagined that I will do one better the next time I am invited and when I do, everyone will be watching me instead. After a few months of watching and imagining, one day (I mean night), it just clicked. I stood up and did it. And yes, I got everyone watching, amazed, while I danced to the beat.

So, images that you hold in your mind most do materialize in life according to "The Law of Perpetual Transmutation". So, visualize your way to success.

Need affirmation? Go to Cafe Gratitude.

A hungry man is an angry man and taking a good meal may help lighten up your spirit some.

However, if you have started your morning badly and would like to be positively recharged, you may want to consider taking that meal at a place like Cafe Gratitude, if you are in San Francisco.

With drinks named like "I am renewed" or "I am rejuvenated" and dishes that clearly affirmed that you are living in abundance, reading their menu should be a good start for a "pick me up". Then to be served and affirmed by the waiter that you are what you have requested, as he serves you each dish, labeled with your name...

Did I mentioned that they serve only healthy, organic vegetarian dishes?

Talk about The Law of Vibration and Attraction; if you are down and need something pleasant to think of to give you good feelings, Cafe Gratitude has all the right words for you.

Go towards the Northlight.

The NorthLight School in Singapore uses the acronym "STAR" to represent their students to remind them that they are "Special, with Talents, Aspiration and Resilience". These are children with low self esteem as they have repeatedly failed their PSLE (Primary 6 or Grade 6 education in USA). They are also low in social emotional competencies and many lack strong home support.

The school’s Principal, Ms Chua Yen Ching, tailors its programme to forge a living and learning community. It is conducted in smaller groups so that relationship is given lots of attention. It's mission is to provide education with values and career-oriented. That it should be engaging and relevant for these children to promote lifelong learning and enhance their employability.

The "SHINE" core values the school has adopted are:

Sincerity
Honesty
Innovation
Network
Excellence

Parents of the students are encouraged to "SMILE" for their children and that is to

Support
Make time
Interact
Love & Praise
Encourage

While the teachers "SERVE" with

Sincerity
Exemplary conduct
Real in their relations
Valiant efforts
Engaging thoughts

The efforts of Northlight School have attracted communal support. A doctor from a clinic near the school has been providing free medical consultation to pupils who are in financial need. A manager of an in-line skating school is coaching students of the school at cost because he could relate to them being a late bloomer himself.

As I read about the school, I am reminded of one of the natural law of the universe that one will go through and, that is, "The Law of Rhythm". As night follows day, there will always be good times and bad times. Just know that good times will come and think of them.