In order to manifest what you want in life you are to first become what it is that you so desire. You must first deem your own self worthy of being or having what you want. No one will ever knight you worthy. This is only in the fairy tales.

The greatest secret of life is that you must first know your own self and the workings of your own character as well as your mind. No one else can know you more intimately than you know yourself. Yet most if not all fail the greatest lesson of life. To know your self is the lesson and only lesson. After all, everything you experience in life is a reflection of your own projection.

Everything you desire to manifest in your life is designed to show you who you are. All that you desire is only a reflection of who you truly are. Your wanting is designed to lead you deeper into the heart of your very own person. No one else can journey into such a sacred place but you. Only you have the key.

In order to manifest the life that you desire you must first become so intimate with yourself, you simply cannot master manifestation otherwise. Allow your desires to pull you deeper into yourself and help you in understanding more deeply what it is you want and why it is you want what you want. There is also the dilemma of why you do not have what you want. Perhaps you are waiting for someone to decide that you are worthy enough in order to give to you what you so desire. This is the flaw!

Become worthy in your own eyes. Take what it is you so desire first in your own mind and the world will throw to you more badges of honor. The medals that you seek will be given to you only after you have become aware of your own worthiness.

Have fun life is meant to be a joy!

Chrisanthia Pierre has authored several resources on Manifesting one of which is: http://www.thesecretplace.biz and http://www.thesecretplace.biz/Manifesting.html

Recently, I wrote on virtues and wasn’t quite sure where it would go. But, it ignited an underlying passion that I hadn’t felt in a while, so I’ve decided to make it a series. Virtues fit so well with the concepts in my book Zooch the Pooch, My best Friend, how we treat each other, how we raise our children and how we see ourselves in this very interesting world.

I covered three virtues in the previous article: politeness, fidelity and gratitude. I’m going to examine only one this month…humility and being humble.

According to Mr. Webster, to be humble is to: not be proud, haughty, arrogant or assertive. Synonyms were lowly, meek or modest. Not to be proud caught my eye. Webster said proud meant showing or feeling superiority over others.

I felt a stab in my stomach when I read how proud was described. I had always been taught to be proud of my accomplishments, not rub them in the face of others or be showy or arrogant about them, but to be pleased and develop confidence from it.

Many of the self-help and motivational books out today tell you to acknowledge your successes and celebrate them so you become accustomed to being successful. I agree with the descriptions of haughty, arrogant or too assertive, but pride, at least in today’s world, and to me, needs to be a part of our lives even if only a small part.

When it comes to children I think it’s hard not to be proud. We take pride in their accomplishments as they learn, is that considered wrong? Not if you don’t hold it over another child or parent. We take pride in our local sports teams, is that also wrong? To the sports fanatic no, but to the rest of us who observe over-the-top enthusiasm which destroys property, public drunkenness and the foul language that often goes with it, then yes, I think it is wrong.

How do we share these differences with children? Parents need to take time to point out the behavior which is acceptable and that, which is not. Children will take your lead if you are giving them life’s lessons from the heart. If adults are the one’s who act inappropriately their children will emulate that behavior, resulting with a child who will in all likelihood repeat your mistakes instead of avoiding them.

I feel that we can take great pride in different things in life and still be humble. It is when we become too assertive, over-bearing or disdainful that we exhibit traits that beg for some discipline and virtue.

Our media and entertainment industries today have led young people to believe that the more extreme you are the more “cool” you are. More extreme sports, language, music, and lurid public displays are deemed “in” and encourage our kids to outdo each other with even more outrageous acts. Outrageous has become the name of the game.

This attitude is leading kids toward a big let down as they discover that it may be cool when you are still in school, but that in the outside world it won’t get you very far. Unfortunately, it results in a poor overall education, leads to less than desirable jobs, relationships and experiences.

Instead of raising our standards in America, we are lowering them to a level of the uncouth, uneducated and unprepared, combined with mean and ordinary. That’s not the America I want…do you?

So, how would a modern person display humility or humbleness?

They would be a person who was strong of character and integrity, living life to it’s fullest, but not flaunting it, one who carries no conceit, yet receives everyone with equality and benevolence. He or she would be honest, happy, confident, friendly, accepting, and focused.

Teaching ourselves to live in this manner, as well as our children, will result in a society that sees itself as unassuming, yet polished, proud, yet, unpretentious.

Virtues are interesting when you look at them this way. We can see how, by some simple changes in our actions, we can improve the lives of our children and ourselves. Pick one day in which you will watch yourself to see if you are living your life in a virtuous manner or if you need some adjustment too. Many of us do, we aren’t perfect, but we can shoot for it, right?

Anyway you look at it; it’s one man’s opinion, mine.

Keith E. Renninson is a motivational speaker and co-author of the popular parenting tool and illustrated storybook for children, “Zooch the Pooch, My Best Friend”. Through the 1990’s with much self-examination, academic study, bicycle racing, and mountain climbing, he discovered a renewed zest of life, which included a love of metaphysics, philosophy, humor, and writing and speaking. As Keith says, “Some days you’re the pigeon and some days you’re the statue…it’s all in what you make of it.” You can read more about “Zooch the Pooch” or his new book “101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life” or to contact Keith go to: http://www.zoochthepooch.com

Bass Boats have gone through a tremendous evolution to get to the point where they are today. The first “bass boat” was considered to be a hulled out canoe made from chippings off of very large trees. The Caddo Indians of east Texas and western Louisiana are credited with this type of boat “invention.”

They used these boats to fish to provide food for their families. Bass during that time were the number one food choice to enable families to survive. Fortunately for these families, bass were found in very large supplies in the swampy waterways of the southeastern United States, exactly where these tribes were located. Thus began the evolution of the bass boat as we know it today. Below are present day considerations and tips for purchasing a bass boat.

Consider your Towing Vehicle:

Bass boats and trailers with a full tank of gas and loaded with all the fishing gear easily weighs over 3500 pounds. Before you consider your purchase of a bass boat, make sure your towing vehicle can handle to the load. Also, remember to take into consideration towing up mountains and hills.

Bass Boats:

There are key questions that an angler looking into buying a bass boat needs to ask themselves. Where are you primarily going to be doing your fishing? What is the size of the body of water? Will it be small lakes and rivers? If so, perhaps all you will need is a small boat with a small outboard motor. If you are planning on fishing in larger bodies of water, a minimum of 19-foot boat is your best choice. Overall, the three main characteristics recognized and looked for in the bass boat of today are shallow draft, maneuverability and stability of the boat.

Lastly, if this is going to be your first bass boat purchase, you might want to consider buying a used boat. This way you can gain more experience and have a better idea of what you want in your next new boat purchase.

Aluminum Bass Boats:

Aluminum boats are much less expensive than fiberglass boats. Additionally aluminum boats are much more forgiving of occurrences that inevitable happen on the water; banging into a dock, running up into shallows, hitting submerged rocks or stumps and so forth. The downside is that aluminum bass boats ride much rougher than fiberglass boats and are easily blown around by even the slightest wind. Again, the size of the body you plan to bass fish on is clearly a tremendously important component in the decision making. If you are intending to fish in a small lake, a 16-17 foot aluminum bass boat would likely be a good choice.

Fiberglass Boats:

Fiberglass bass boats are much more expensive than aluminum but clearly there are reasons for this. Fiberglass bass boats are capable of handling rougher and bigger bodies of water, they give the boater a much smoother ride and they can go much faster than aluminum bass boats. Experts suggest that if you are considering going with a fiberglass bass boat that you purchase one with a 4-stroke outboard engine as opposed to a 2-stroke engine.

The reasoning is that even though they cost a bit more, they cover much more water as far as fuel is concerned, they are much quieter and much cleaner than a 2-stroke. The reduced fuel cost is estimated to pay-off for the additional cost of the engine in the long run. To give you an idea of the cost of a fiberglass bass boat, they usually range from $20,000 to a $40,000 top of the line boat.

New vs. Used Bass Boats:

There are advantages of buying a used bass boat. Clearly they will be less expensive than a new one and historically, used bass boats hold their value much better than a new one. Also, as mentioned above, is this is your first bass boat purchase, buying a used boat will give you a better understanding of what you may or may not want if you ever decide down the road to purchase a new bass boat. There are also disadvantages of purchasing a used bass boat. In the simplest way to state it, you may be buying someone else’s headache.

Outboard engines, as are found on bass boats, are known to be short lived and it is difficult to determine this on a causal inspection of the boat. The best suggestion is to either buy from someone you trust or have a professional inspect the boat and engine before purchasing. Lastly, just as in purchasing a car, the seller needs to be willing to negotiate on price with a used bass boat sale.
Obviously, the biggest advantage to buying a new bass boat is warranties and the sheer joy of owning a brand new bass boat!

Boat Handling:

Whether you decide to purchase a new or used bass boat, learning to handling it is a process that takes time. Every boat has its own “personality” and handles differently in every way. From launching to retrieval to water handling, bass boats are all different. A few examples of these differences are the sounds your engine makes when it is trimming, the way it pulls out and into shallow water and the correct engine positioning and trim tab positioning to get it up on plane. Bass boats are all different. Realizing this and knowing that it will take time to learn your boat will encourage you to spend more time on the boat and enjoying the wonderful sport of bass fishing!

For more information on boats, try visiting http://www.boatassistance.com - a website that specializes in providing boat related tips, advice and resources to include information on bass boat.

Have you been dreaming for the last 5 or 10 years about how you really want your life to be? How about deciding when you are going to finally start working at the job that really satisfies you? I speak to many people on a daily basis that continue to promise themselves a new experience but find it difficult to do what it takes to “just do it.” Time seems to be the biggest obstacle to getting the results we want in our lives.

So why is time so hard to manage? For many it is hard to say NO to requests that drain our time and energy. We all have choices. Some of them may be very difficult: like breaking a commitment or canceling an appointment, leaving a job that demands too much, ending a relationship that drains your energy. But don’t confuse tough choices with no choices.

If you are like most people you probably say yes to things that are not a priority for you. For example, you may agree to go to have drinks with a coworker because you feel it is politic and you have refused several times before. You may get a call from a friend in the middle of dinner and neglect to say you are enjoying your meal and will call back later. Instead you get aggravated and frustrated that they go on and on about their personal problems. How about when you take on more and more committee assignments because you want to be viewed as the “go to person” by your social organization? These are choices that rob us of the gift of time.

When you are clear about your priorities and keep your vision in front of you, it is a great motivation to “just say no.” Awareness is the first step. Pay attention to how often you do things that you’d rather not do. Then you can start making decisions based on what you want. It is helpful in managing time and making decisions about things you do or do not want to do, to give yourself some time between the request for your time and your response. Do not give an immediate answer. Ask for time to get back to them. Then think about where that request is on your priority list. You will be surprised at your response.

For many people, saying yes is an automatic response. It’s an easier response. When talking to clients I ask them what keeps them from saying no. I hear such responses as:

When I say no, I feel guilty.
If I say no, I may disappoint others.
If I say no, people won’t like me.
If I say no, people may stop asking me.

The common theme in all of these statements is fear. Saying no brings up a fear of disappointing others, missing opportunities and making mistakes. You do not have to see yourself as rude or ugly - there are many ways to say no. No can be “I can’t help you this time”, “I can only do it next month”, “that’s not my strong suit” or simply “no, thanks”.

Make a quality decision this month to look at your schedule and see where you are saying yes to activities or commitments that do not support your goals. Then, work at saying no to them so you can say yes to more important things. Remember, saying no means saying yes to you and your priorities!

Betty LaMarr is an Executive Coach for Nadisa Associates, a business and professional coaching company. Nadisa Associates is coaching women to change the world through personal choices and leadership. For more information please email: betty@nadisa.com and check out the website at http://www.nadisa.com/

There are several reasons people find themselves evaluating their careers. Perhaps you lose interest or you find something that interests you more. Perhaps your company is downsizing. The first step to take is to make sure what you really want to do is change careers. Following are 10 considerations to ensure a path toward career change success.

(1) Assess your likes and dislikes – A lot of people change careers because they dislike their job, their boss or their company. Identifying the dislikes and examine your likes. What do you really like doing when you are at work, when you are at home – in your spare time? What are you passionate about? If you are not sure, consider taking a career assessment test.

(2) Research new careers – Spend some time researching the types of careers that involve your passions.

(3) Transfer skills – Leverage your current skills and experiences to your new career. There are many skills (i.e. communications, leadership, planning, etc.) that are transferable and applicable to what you want to do in your new career.

(4) Training and education – You may find it necessary to update your skills and broaden your knowledge. If the skill you need to learn is one you could use in your current job, see if your current employer would be willing to pick up the tab.

(5) Network – One of the keys to successfully changing careers will be your ability to network. People in your network may be able to give you job leads, offer you advice and information about a particular company or industry and introduce you to others to expand your network. Even if you don’t think you already have a network, you probably do - consider colleagues, friends and family members.

(6) Gain experience – Keep in mind that you are essentially starting your career again from square one. Obtaining a part-time job or volunteering in your new career field not only can solidify your decision but give you much needed experience in your new career. Also, consider temping in your new field to gain experience.

(7) Find a mentor - Your mentor may be able to help you by taking advantage of his or her network.

(8) Change in or change out - Some people change careers, but never change employers. Remember not to start asking about a job switch until you are completely ready to do so.

(9) Job hunt – Prepare your resume, cover letter and references. Contact those in your network. Seek recruiters and search for job openings in newspapers and online.

(10) Be flexible – A new career may involve anything from accepting a lower salary at first to relocating to making a lateral move as a springboard for a bigger career change. Also, consider starting your own business or consulting as other avenues.

Use these tips and do some research to determine if you are truly interested in a career change, or simply interested in changing employers.

Hilary Basile is a writer for MyGuidesUSA.com. At MyGuidesUSA.com (http://www.myguidesusa.com), you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life’s major events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you’ll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com. Find employment tips and resources, such as resume and cover letter development, interviewing skills, and information for those considering a career change at http://www.myguidesusa.com/jobs

Are you driving your spouse insane with your snoring, or is your partner doing that to you? If so, you’re not alone. About 40% females and 60% males snore once in a while. And 23 out of every hundred people suffer horrible from constant snoring.

You know as well as I, it’s not just the irritation of staying awake night after night or the shame of waking up again and again from your spouse’s nudging. You know that not getting enough sleep is frankly life threatening.

You know that it can be life threatening when you loose focus driving in heavy traffic or crossing street.

It’s also life threatening because your whole emotional and physical balance will suffer. Nerves breakdown, stroke, and heart-attack are only three examples.

But most likely you are aware of this and have tried several things to cure the snoring, with very limited success.

To be able to cure your snoring, you must know what causes it.

There is only one underlying cause for snoring. There are always some kind of blockages in the breathing passages, which make the airflow irregular.

The irregular airflow causes the soft tissues in the breathing passages to flap. And that flap causes the snoring sound. It’s like a door slamming in and out in a wind.

The noise becomes really bad when the soft palate (a flexible part of the back of the roof of the mouth) also begins to vibrate. Sometimes, if the soft palate is weak, then the tip of it will bang down on the tongue (which may be dropping into the throat at the same time) like a bongo drum.

It can be very complicated to cure snoring despite the fact, it only has one main cause. The reason is that the blocks vary so much. And what’s worse, most people have more than one type of block, causing their snoring.

Here are just few examples of what can cause your snoring…

2) Weak tongue also falls into the throat and block it. This is very common if you sleep on your back but can also happen when sleeping on your site.

2) The tongue often falls into the throat, when it is too weak, and blocks it. This may happen even if you sleep on your side.

3) If your jaw is tense, then it may press on the breathing passages and narrow it. You are probably not aware of tension in the jaw muscles till you manage to relax it.

4) I mentioned the soft palate before. If it is weak, then it will flap around more easily and make the snoring sound. Notice that most of the time, the soft palate is not too big. It’s too weak.

4)The Soft palate may be too weak and not firm enough and will lay too close to the tongue, making it very easy to flap around and make the irritating snoring sounds.

6) Finally, anything that builds up in your throat will work as a dam for your breathing passage. The most common dams are fat or cigarette tags in the throat or allergy in the nasals.

6) Anything that might gather in the throat, like fat or tar from cigarette smoke, will narrow the throat and cause snoring.

These are only 6 common blocks but there are many more.

Of course there can be endless other kinds of blocks in the breathing area.

The real question is; how can we eliminate these blocks?

So How Can You Get Rid of the Blocks That Cause Your Snoring ?

I guess when you look at it, it’s just a common sense. I’ve found that you can train this part of your body like any other part. Working out the breathing passages.

Using few exercises, each focused on one area in and around your throat, will remove ANY block you have. No matter what’s causing your snoring.

You’ll get your whole breathing passage in shape!

Training the tongue will strengthen in and by doing that, prevent it from dropping into your throat when you sleep.

Loosing up your Jaw muscles stops it from pressing on the breathing passage. You’ll be amazed how much more easy your breathing will be after you train your jaw muscles.

This is only small example how you can exercise your breathing passage.

How much effort you want to put into this is up to you. Training for as little as 3 minutes will do the trick.

For even quicker and better results, commit to 7-12 minutes a day and see what happens. The results are permanent, so once you’re cured, you never have to do this again.

I recommend committing to 7-12 minutes a day for quick, permanent results. After you cure your self, you never have to do the exercises again.

It’s nothing as joyful for me as opening my email program and read the emails from my clients. Most of them are simple thanking me for giving them their life back. At least giving them their sleep back. I hope I receive one from you soon.

The most pleasurable thing I do is reading emails from people who have used the exercises to successfully cure their snoring.

If you want to learn more about these exercises and try some out for FREE, then You can find the exercises program I developed and has helped so many people to stop snoring here…

http://www.TheStopSnoringExerciseProgram.com

Christian Goodman is the founder of The Stop Snoring Exercise Program ( http://www.TheStopSnoringExerciseProgram.com ). The program has helped thousands of people to stop snoring without having to undertake dangerous surgery, dental implant or having to buy and use drugs every day.

Bringing the best of messaging features to the users, Nokia once again hit the nail on the head by introducing Nokia 6822. All the essential things of a compatible mobile phone has been retained in the Nokia 6822 to present it as one of the very best handsets among other innumerable phones. Actually, the rigorous competition in the mobile market has forced mobile manufacturers to introduce new and innovative handsets to live up to the ever-growing expectations of the users. Hence, Nokia has always been the forerunner, when it comes to innovation and embracing the new in mobile technology. Like the earlier Nokia phones, the Nokia 6822 also comes with an enticing design. All you got to do is to open its design and then comes full messaging keyboard with documentation and richer messaging options.

As such the Nokia 6822 comes with a new model, which also features an advanced VGA camera. Moreover, its camera can support 65K colours to ensure that larger than life viewing experience. The Nokia 6822 also supports the reliable GSM, GPRS and EGPRS networks, which keep you connected all across the globe, besides offering seamless Internet access. Moreover, the Nokia 6822 also allows five party conferencing with popular voice commands and an in-built speakerphone. Moreover, it has been endowed with an exhaustive range of e-mail and instant messaging features with easy-to-use Personal Information Management (PIM) capabilities – make the most and feel really good. Besides, it also allows wireless data synchronization, which lets you get access to unlimited data in the easiest possible way. Thus, you can easily synchronize this cool gizmo with any other device or PC to transfer all the desired data. As far as configuration is concerned, it is as easier as possible, as all the over-the-air settings can be availed from the most network operators.

Besides that, the Nokia 6822 also supports the popular email solutions with IMAP4, POP3, SMTP and SyncML, which are too good features, when it comes to business. There are other convention synchronization features with calendar, contacts, notes and to-do-list – keep all important things in control. Bring your Nokia 6822 and give that desired edge to your mobile life.

Carly charu is an expert author and the webmaster of Mobile Phones. The website having details of latest phones like Nokia phones available in UK

If I am day trading the stock and futures market, why would I want to move into day trading the forex as another additional trading avenue? Are there any special features of day trading the forex market that appear more appealing to stock traders to attract them to trade the forex as well?

In the pursuit of prosperity, we are always looking for ways to create personal wealth, and day trading forex offers much more opportunities to create wealth than say trading stocks and shares and commodities. Why is this so?

Forex Markets open 24/7

The stock markets and the commodity markets have set times that they are open for trading. In contrast, the forex markets are open 24hours a day, seven days in the week, giving much more trading opportunities to the day trader to trade. At the same time, convenience is a key factor, as anyone can trade at any convenient time with a web based trading platform provided free by his forex broker.

Higher Liquidity

The day trader is always conscious of liquidity. It is liquidity that allows a day trader to move smoothly into a day trade instantaneously at the best identified price without lag which will lead to a poor executed price. When he wants to buy, the day forex trader is able to get into that trade almost instantaneously due to the higher liquidity in the forex market and when a day trader wants to sell, he can get out of the currency at his price without delay. Where the difference in a fraction of a cent is important, this characteristic of very high liquidity makes forex trading very attractive. More so, it has been proven that there are trading systems that allow day traders to trade for only an hour or two, freeing them to do whatever they like for the rest of the day after pocketing profits. These are day traders who professionally trade for a living.

Lower Trading Costs

Forex trading seems like a dream to many day traders because there are no exchange fees, no commissions paid to brokers, and low transaction fees. In contrast, the day traders in stocks and shares and futures market all incur fees and commissions paid to licensed dealers and brokers, all of which will result in less profits.

Ability To Earn From Referrals

The active day trader can enter into arrangements with some forex brokers to earn a referral commission from the trades of people he introduces to the forex broker. Now while this is another separate activity, it cannot be denied that this is an added advantage for a day trader to earn something extra from his efforts in introducing or recommending friends to trade as well.

All these features make day trading the forex an attractive and possible replacement income source for those who work from home trading for a living.

Be sure to read Part #2 of this article which reveals the powerful tips on how you can still make money trading forex even though you are undercapitalised and lack skills. Click Here To Read Mini Forex Trading Part #2; or visit my blog http://1forex-trading.blogspot.com

No doubt about it, ATV’s, or quads as they’re also known, can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. When shopping for cheap ATVs make sure that you’re not sacrificing quality and safety for the sake of a few bucks.

Some people pay more than twenty thousand dollars for their ATVs, equipment, and accessories and add-ons. That doesn’t mean you have to, and as a matter of fact, ATVing doesn’t have to be expensive. Comparative shopping, know what you want, and then going on an ATVS for cheap hunt is the best way to get started.

Keep in mind that in addition to the ATV or quad you choose, you’ll also need something to haul it in if you don’t own a truck. You’ll also most likely need, or want, accessories and tools and supplies for the upkeep and maintenance of your ATV. Riding gear can also be an extra and necessary expense, so by the time most people start shopping for a particular type of ATVs for cheap, they want just that: cheap.

What you spend on your ATV will depend on what you’re riding for. Are you intending your ATV to be used primarily for pleasure, seasonal hunting expeditions, or are you thinking of entering races and cross-country competitions? If you’re wanting to ATV for pleasure, then a model without a bunch of extra bells and whistles will suit your needs. Otherwise, hold onto your hat and be prepared to take a hit in your wallet.

The cost of your ATV will depend on the size of the machine you’re looking for, in addition to tire size. Many cheap ATVs can be had for less than $1500, though many will be in the $2,000 to $3,000 dollar range. Watch your newspaper and the Internet for sales and clearance blowouts to help keep expenditures in check. If you’re shopping for more than one ATV, you might find a deal and score cheaper ATVs when buying two to four models at a time.

Hydraulic shocks, brand and size of tires, automatic starts, manual or automatic transmissions and automatic engine shut-offs all cost money, but don’t sacrifice safety and convenience for the sake of a hundred dollars. To get the most out of your ATV, it pays to think ahead.

Carrying capacity, in addition to bumper guards, grills and other options will affect your price range as well. Frame size, width and materials will also determine the cost of your machine, and knowing what type of machine is good for each particular ATV is important so that you obtain the quad that will suit your skills and needs.

Shop for comfort as well as price, as it won’t matter a bit if you save thousands of dollars when no one wants to ride your ATV because they’re so uncomfortable. Buying ATVs for cheap is possible when you do your homework ahead of time and know roughly what you’re looking for before you hit the first showroom. Remember to think safety first, buy smart and then go out and have yourselves some fun!

For more ATV uses please visit http://www.atvexcitement.com a popular ATV website that provides tips, advice and ATV resources. Try visiting our latest information page on cheap ATVs.

The following are tips to help you master preparation for executive presentations. “Executive Presentations” are those presentations intended for introducing new ideas or reviewing performance for management within an organization. These suggestions are intended for optimizing powerful and focused communications.

Be Brief, the Ten Minute Rule

Regardless of the amount of time that you may have scheduled for your meeting, make sure that you can convey your complete message in ten minutes or less. Strip away conjecture, comments or perceptions to convey the core message as quickly, accurately and concisely as possible. If you have additional interesting materials, place it in an appendix for leisure reading. (Do you know many executives who have time for leisure reading? If your audience is not going to read the material on their own spare time, then don’t put it in the heart of your presentation.) Would you rather present to a Board of Directors, or board directors?

Bullet Points, Numbers, Dollars, Graphs, Charts and Pictures

Can you convey your message in five bullet points or less? Can you substantiate your message with numbers, dollars or a graphical representation? Then do it. A picture is worth a thousand words, but dollars can common sense will get the most attention. Graphical and financial representation of data and trends changes what you “think” into what you “know”. Do not waste time discussing opinion, but rather provide substance to generate meaningful conversation about interpretation of the facts.

Who

Be prepared to name the resources required and the individuals, organizations, departments or customers who will contribute or be impacted. Be prepared to respond to the worst case scenario impact by person or area, and the countermeasures.

What

Try to state what you are presenting in seven words or less

When

Be prepared with a timeline, plan, milestones and metrics of measurement. If you are proposing an idea that has fiscal impact, demonstrate the key milestones as points in the process that can be measured and compared for progress. Don’t wait to measure at the end of the project, know how you will measure from the beginning and through the entire process. Identify the critical path elements that could delay a project or strategic direction, as well as points in the process at which a project could be completely stopped, if necessary.

Where

Is your presentation related to specific geographical or demographical area? If so, it may be appropriate to indicate the limit or scope of the topic. It may not be necessary to include this in the presentation, but you should be aware. It is equally important to recognize if your presentation or proposal specifically excludes a particular geography or demographic. For example, does your idea benefit end-user customers at the expense of corporate customers? Is your global strategy equally relevant in Latin America as it is in Europe?

How

This can be included with the ‘When” of your planning process. If you are presenting a plan, proposal or change in strategic direction, then show your plan. How you plan to implement or improve should be integrated with timelines, milestones and measurements. It is much easier to review a plan than to discuss a concept.

Why

Unfortunately, far too many presentations are completely focused on the intent of the message. It is reasonable to assume that the purpose of a presentation is some benefit. The benefit may be associated with reduced cost, risk avoidance, strategic initiatives, revenue generation, compliance or planning. Whatever the benefit may be, it is important to balance the benefit message with substantive facts and responses to the above mentioned details as applicable. The benefit statement in your presentation should also be concise, easy to understand and very focused. State the purpose of your message in one sentence.

Alternatives

Every presentation or ideas has alternatives. The alternative to change is to remain status quo. Although remaining status quo could be a substantial competitive disadvantage for most organizations, sometimes it is better than the risk associated with proposed changes. Enhance the power of your presentation by offering a few bullet points that demonstrate investigation of the alternatives and the potential comparative impact.

Method

Use an appropriate manner of communication to accommodate your audience. This may be a Power Point presentation, a single sheet of paper with bullet points and graphs, or a documented study with an executive summary at the beginning. The most important element of your presentation is the content. Convey your message quickly. Be prepared to substantiate your message with facts, a plan, impact and alternatives. If a conversation erupts about your message, embrace it and use the communication as an opportunity to engage the audience. A conversation is infinitely more interesting than a presentation. Deliver your material in a manner that fosters thoughtful interactive dialogue with active participation for best results.

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Words of Wisdom

“And, of course, you have the commercials where savvy businesspeople Get Ahead by using their MacIntosh computers to create the ultimate American business product: a really sharp-looking report.”
- Dave Barry

“I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.”
- E. B. White

“I have always found that in preparing for any presentation that the plan never applies, but the preparation does.”
- John Mehrmann, Executive Blueprints Inc

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John Mehrmann

John Mehrmann is a freelance author, industry expert and President of Executive Blueprints Inc, an organization dedicated to developing human capital and personal growth.