Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Economics of Happiness

The Economics of Happiness

A growing number of economists are bravely asking: What factors make people happy?

By Tom Green / Source: Adbusters


In the last few years, a growing number of economists have been discovering happiness.

It's not that they are spending more time admiring flowers, helping old

folks cross the road, dancing on the street or baking pies for neighbors.

In fact, these happiness economists are working long hours in soul-numbing

ways, torturing data with their latest econometric techniques to force

deeply buried facts to the surface.

What is different is that these economists are revisiting old assumptions

and asking new questions. They're not taking the neoclassical model of

rational economic man for truth. They have been willing to learn from their

colleagues in psychology. They have given up on the old assumption that the

more you consume, the better off you are; instead, they are actually

looking at the question empirically.

Most importantly, they are bravely asking, "What factors make people happy?"

It's another sign of the coming revolution in economics.

Not everyone is welcoming this new research program. The results are

terrifying Milton Friedman's disciples. Consider this: once people have an

annual income of about $10,000 per capita, further income does little to

promote happiness.

Worse yet, economic growth in most industrial nations, which has tripled

or quadrupled our wealth since 1970, hasn't made us noticeably happier. 

In some countries, despite all this vast increase in wealth and consumption,

folks are less happy than they were a generation ago.

I talked to Rafael Di Tella, an Argentinean economist at the Harvard

Business School who is deeply involved in happiness research. Speaking from

Buenos Aires, he explained, "Some of the very basic things we assumed in economics are not consistent

with the evidence. This idea that income is so important to happiness is

not correct. All the evidence seems to be pointing in the direction that we

are working too much. In fact, we're happy if we work less. We are spending

too much time on work and too little time with friends and family. So there's a mistake in the economic models that suggest happiness will come

from more income."



How worried are those who believe society is but the sum of all the

(selfish) individuals (with insatiable appetites) who square off in the

market against powerful corporations freed of government control? Very

worried. The Cato institute, a think tank based in Washington, DC, issued a

41-page brief attacking happiness research and its potential to undermine

the "libertarian ideals" embodied in the US socio-economic system. It

countered with a creative interpretation of the data:"The happiness-based

evidence points unambiguously to the conclusion that those of us lucky

enough to live in the United States in 2007 are succeeding fairly well in

the pursuit of happiness."

Perhaps Cato also interprets the stats showing the millions of Americans on

anti-depressants, the number of kids who show up at school without having

had a decent breakfast, or the proportion of African-American men spending

their days in prison as other signs their ideals are succeeding.

Unfortunately for advocates of laissez-faire, the happiness evidence keeps

knocking over more and more of the most cherished economic beliefs.

Lord Richard Layard is a distinguished British economist, Member of the

House of Lords and a committed advocate for reorienting public policy

towards the promotion of happiness. After reading his recent book on the

economics of happiness, I could not resist calling him up to learn first

hand what his research would imply for Chicago-school economics.

"Economists often fail to think of the social externalities of the policies

they promote," he noted, "Many economists suggest workers should be ready

to move to where the high paying work is, since this would increase income.

Workers who move a lot would destabilize the community and family life.

This would tend to decrease trust and increase mental illness.

"Another example is when one person works harder to improve their income,

and feels extra well-being from greater consumption. At the same time, they

make their neighbors feel worse off, because the neighbours' relative income

has worsened. Not only that, but the pollution caused by the extra

consumption enabled by higher income also decreases happiness for the rest

of society. So most economists worry about how taxes discourage people from

working, but in fact, taxes can be encouraging people to have a less

feverish pace of life and to focus more on time with friends and family

rather than consumption."



The Key to Happiness is Appreciation

It seems almost unimaginable that economists would be now thinking of ways

to design the tax system so that we work less, consume less and value each

other and the planet more. But Layard would not stop there. (Advertising

executives be forewarned.)

"One of the keys to achieving happiness is to live appreciating what one

has, rather than wanting more. It is important that we not be totally

focused on wanting something that we don't have – that makes for unhappy

people. So it's not at all healthy for children to be bombarded with

stories on the box that make them feel that they have to have this

particular brand of clothing or this particular toy or train or whatever it

is, as if they can't be a decent human being without it." 




Layard even pointed to the value of Sweden's law prohibiting advertising to

children.



The folks at Cato and their brethren at the Vancouver-based Fraser

Institute are most alarmed by how economists are now training the happiness lens to examine the gap between rich and poor. As Layard explained, 

"It's a very simple fact that an extra dollar is worth more in terms of happiness

to a poor person than to a rich person. We now have evidence that shows the

extent of the difference, which is roughly that a dollar is worth 10 times

more to a poor person than to a rich person whose income is 10 times

higher. The value of an extra dollar to somebody is roughly inversely

proportional to their income, such that a little more or a little less

money makes so much more difference in happiness to a poor person than it

does to a rich person."

For a 21st-century economist, what an outlandish idea! By spreading the

wealth around a little more equitably, society's total happiness can go up.


After all, a CEO who takes home $50 million a year could have 90 percent of

it taxed away without their total number of smiles dropping by more than a

couple dozen, while that same money would be enough to improve the lives of

the entire population of a small city in Africa.

No wonder the folks at Cato and other neocon "think" tanks are fearful.

Might we actually deal with the legions of homeless in rich countries more

generously then dropping the odd coin in the soiled paper cups they hold up

to us? Might we find a way to transfer some of the wealth that has flowed

for so many decades from South to North in the opposite direction? Imagine

a world where everyone lived on at least $4 a day, while a few people lived

slightly less extravagantly. Might we increase the total happiness on this

planet?



Brought to you by: Lawyer Asad


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Real Winners

Real Winners

Nobody loves motivational quotes more than I do. But be very careful because every once in a while you'll find a quote that might sound good but isn't true. And if you believe that quote, it might actually do some harm.

Let me tell you a story...

It was the most important Little League game of Eric's life. He was 11 years old and his team, the Pirates, were playing the Giants in the championship game.

It was the bottom of the sixth innings and the Pirates were ahead 2-1. But the Giants had the bases loaded with two outs and their best hitter was at bat.

He hit an easy fly ball to Bobby, the Pirate's right fielder. Bobby circled under the ball as everyone held their breath. The ball fell into his glove and then bounced out. Bobby scrambled for the ball, but by the time he decided where to throw it, two Giants had scored.

Final score:
Giants 3
Pirates 2

It would be "wait until next year" for the Pirates.

As the Pirates moped off the field, something totally unexpected happened. Their manager started yelling and screaming at Bobby. "You lost the game for us. You cost us the championship!"

Crying, Bobby ran off the field and vanished into the woods.

After the game, Eric went to meet his parents in the parking lot, but his dad wasn't there. His mom said he had something to do. On the drive home, a dejected Eric saw something that startled him.

Way in the distance, Eric saw his dad walking Bobby home. His dad had his arm around the kid who probably felt like he didn't have a friend in the world.

Eric never forgot the kindness his dad showed that evening.

As the years passed, whenever Bobby saw Eric's dad, he always greeted him warmly and enthusiastically because he never forgot, either.

So whenever I hear stories like this one, I think of this quote:

"Winning is not the only thing, it's everything."

This quote makes my blood boil because the manager in the story actually believed it. He believed that winning a Little League game was "everything" and that the feelings of a fragile 11 year old boy were "nothing."

The truth of the matter is that winning is not the only thing. Winning is not everything.

Real winners don't necessarily hit home runs or make spectacular catches. Real winners know how to be kind. Eric's dad was a winner.

Here's a quote that is true and will make you a winner if you believe it:

"Winning is not the only thing, but kindness is everything."

Rob Gilbert
From Bits & Pieces

Brought to you by: Lawyer Asad

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Does Aloe Vera Help Acne? A Time Tested Way to Treat Acne

Does Aloe Vera Help Acne? A Time Tested Way to Treat Acne

Does aloe vera help acne symptoms to clear up? the solution is yes to the question will aloe vera facilitate acne symptoms to clear up.There are several merchandise on the market that claim to revive your skin to it original beauty. several of those merchandise claim to clear your skin overnight or among days.

These claims are true to some extent, it depends on the severity of the acne. during this article we'll reassess the advantage of and the way to use aloe vera. you'll use aloe in its natural plant kind.

Acne is the result of clogged pores and growing facial bacteria there are many forms of acne.
Does Aloe Vera Help Acne

Acne ranges from mild to very severe, from one or two pimples to cysts, nodules and conglobated acne which is one of the most sever forms of acne.

When it comes to soothing inflamed pores and preventing the spread of acne aloe vera is one of the best natural home remedy out there. Aloe Vera stands out among the rest of the claims to clear up acne. No matter what condition your acne is in this product will help you to clear up your acne.

Aloe Vera is one of the oldest home remedies on record. There are over 300 different types of aloe plant grown around the world. This plant is one of the most popular of all herb. This herb has many uses and treating acne is only one of them.

Aloe Vera soothes and smooths the skin and reduces healing time of any injury. Put it on after sunburn and it will heal the burn and prevent the formation of blisters. Aloe is so kind to the skin it is included in many over the counter cosmetic products.

You can drink the juice of this plant to correct digestive ailments, inflammatory bowel disease, along with arthritis, diabetes, and constipation.

The gel that you put on your acne comes from the center of the leaves. If you have the plant growing around the house you can take a leaf and cut it down the centered. Scoop out the gel and put it on the pimples and blemishes. You can also gel aloe gel product at health, pharmacy, and grocery stores. Make sure that the gel contains a high concentration of aloe gel, at least 80% or higher.

To get aloe juice, herbalists remove the gel from the center of the leaf and dilute it with water. A product called aloe bitter latex or drug latex this comes from the rind of the plant that is just under the surface of the leaf. Aloe bitter latex is a very powerful laxative. Take one teaspoon of this juice daily and work up to six teaspoons a day.

So as you can see aloe vera is quite an amazing herb with many uses. when using the gel make sure to wash your face before applying the gel. Use your fingertips to rub the gel into the skin in a circular motion. Leave the gel on your face a while than rinse it off. You can do this a couple times a day and before long you will see a improvement.

Side effects are very rare when you use aloe vera on the skin. However with that being said there are a very small part of the population that can have an allergic reaction to aloe gel. If your skin reddens or become itchy just stop using it. To much of the juice can cause diarrhea. Always check with your doctor before trying new product in the effort to clear up your acne.

Is the question does aloe vera help acne symptoms to clear up facts or myth? Aloe vera works well on treating acne symptoms and will reduce the visible symptoms of acne, the pimples and blemishes on the skin. Imagine your acne is gone for good, never to come back.

This will only happen if the whole acne problem is addressed. You need to treat acne from the inside as well as the outside. This means changing your diet, drinking more water and use other techniques. When everything is combined you can be free from acne for good.


Source : http://smartgirlconsulting.com/2011/07/does-aloe-vera-help-acne-a-time-tested-way-to-treat-acne/



Circulated by: Lawyer asad

BANANA - INTERESTING FACTS

BANANA - INTERESTING FACTS

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BANANA - interesting FACTS

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!...
This is interesting. After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

DEPRESSION:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS:
Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

ANEMIA:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

BLOOD PRESSURE:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure So much so, the
US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

BRAIN POWER:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school (
England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

CONSTIPATION:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

HANGOVERS:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

HEARTBURN:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

MORNING SICKNESS:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

MOSQUITO BITES:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

NERVES:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system..

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in
Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

ULCERS:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL:
Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In
Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has FOUR TIMES the protein, TWICE the carbohydrate, THREE TIMES the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A BANANA a day keeps the doctor away!'

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

 

 

Contribution : Rakesh K Dhall on Facebook



Circulated by: Lawyer Asad

Monday, May 28, 2012

Accumulation of Riches

Accumulation of Riches


One of the greatest success principles of all is called the Law of Accumulation. This law says that everything great and worthwhile in human life is an accumulation of hundreds and sometimes thousands of tiny efforts and sacrifices that nobody ever sees or appreciates.

This law says that everything accumulates over time and that you have to put in many, many, many tiny efforts that nobody sees or appreciates before you achieve anything worthwhile. It's like a snowball. A snowball starts very small, but it grows as it adds millions and millions of tiny snowflakes and continues to grow as it gathers momentum.

Learn What You Need to Learn

There are three areas where the law of accumulation is important. The first is in the area of knowledge. Your body of knowledge is a result of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of small pieces of information.

Any person with a large knowledge base has spent thousands of hours building that knowledge base one piece at a time. And what you see when you meet the individual is an expert in his or her field, with that high level of knowledge that makes him very valuable in the marketplace.

Save Your Money

The second area where the Law of accumulation works is with regard to money. Every large fortune is an accumulation of hundreds and thousands of small amounts of money, and the place to start is to take any amount of money that you can right now and begin to save it. When you begin to save money, it sets up a force field of energy and it triggers the law of attraction. As a result you begin to attract to you even more bits of money to add to your savings.

Attract Riches Into Your Life

And I've spoken to many, many successful people and they've told me the same story. That as soon as you start to put savings aside, it starts to attract into your life and into your work all the money that you need to achieve your goals. The reason why most people retire poor is they never put the initial savings aside to start with.

Get The Experience You Need

The third area where the law of accumulation applies is in the area of experience. You'll find that successful people in any field are those who have far more experience in that field than the average. And there is nothing that replaces experience. Whether it's in business or entrepreneurship or management or parenting or selling or anything else. Many people do not take the risks that are necessary to move out of their comfort zone because they're afraid it won't work out.

Everything Counts

But the fact is that until you move out of the comfort zone and get the experience from making the mistakes, it's not possible for you to grow and become capable of earning the kind of money that you desire. Now here's the key to the law of accumulation. It says that everything counts. Everything that you do counts. The biggest mistake that people make is they think that only what they want to count, counts. That when you read a book, when you listen to an audio program, when you go to a course, when you go to bed early and you get up early and you work, it all counts. And it's all going on the plus side of your ledger.

Use Your Time Well

But when you watch television, waste time, hang out, fool around and so on, all of that counts, as well, and it's going on the negative side. A person who has a great life, by the law of accumulation, is a person who's accumulated far more credits on the credit side than debits on the debit side. And here's an important point. If what you are doing is not moving you towards your goals, then it's moving you away from your goals. Nothing is neutral. Everything that you're doing is either moving you toward the things that you want to accomplish in life, the person you want to be, the wealth you want to accumulate, or it's moving you away. Everything counts. The law of accumulation says that everything counts.

 Action Exercises

First, begin today to build your knowledge base in the subject that can be most helpful to you in achieving financial independence. Whether it takes a week, a month or a year to become thoroughly knowledgeable, it doesn't matter. Just get started today.

Second, get as much experience as you can in your chosen field. Start a little earlier, work a little harder and stay a little later. Take risks and try every different way you can think of to achieve your goal. This experience is invaluable and it accumulates over time.


Brian Tracy


Circulated by: Lawyer Asad

Sunday, May 27, 2012

What Recruiters Look At During The 6 Seconds They Spend on Your Resume

What Recruiters Look At During The 6 Seconds They Spend on Your Resume

Although we may never know why we didn't get chosen for a job interview, a recent study is shedding some light on recruiters' decision-making behaviour. According to TheLadders research, recruiters spend an average of "six seconds before they make the initial 'fit or no fit' decision" on candidates. 

The study used a scientific technique called "eye tracking" on 30 professional recruiters and examined their eye movements during a 10-week period to "record and analyse where and how long someone focuses when digesting a piece of information or completing a task."

In the short time that they spend with your resume, the study showed recruiters will look at your name, current title and company, current position start and end dates, previous title and company, previous position start and end dates, and education.

The two resumes below include a heat map of recruiters' eye movements. The one on the right was looked at more thoroughly than the one of the left because of its clear and concise format:

recruiters resume

With such critical time constraints, you should make it easier for recruiters to find pertinent information by creating a resume with a clear visual hierarchy and don't include distracting visuals since "such visual elements reduced recruiters' analytical capability and hampered decision-making" and kept them from "locating the most relevant information, like skills and experience." 



Brought by: Lawyer Asad

Friday, May 25, 2012

Free Book Shows You How To Make Friends With Anyone Anywhere.

Free Book Shows You How To Make Friends With Anyone Anywhere.

I got the rights to give away this great
ebook and would like to share it with you.

It's called "The Befriender" and you can
download it here:

http://20daypersuasion.com/befriender.htm

With it, you'll learn various useful ways
to make friends with anyone, anywhere.

Note: There are a few grammatical errors
in the ebook (which I can't change), but
the content is very much worth reading.

Download it now at:
http://20daypersuasion.com/befriender.htm

Hope you benefit from this ebook and please
let me know if there's anything I can help
you with.

Kindest Regards,
Michael Lee

Circulated by: Lawyer Asad

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Monitoring and Refining Your Reputation Online: How NOT to Screw It Up

Monitoring and Refining Your Reputation Online: How NOT to Screw It Up


Sometimes it amazes me that people don't realize how tarnished their
reputation can become in the online world quickly. A very good example is
related to a chain restaurant in my local area that has a wonderful
reputation overall. This particular restaurant is part of a small chain of
Italian eateries that I typically love to frequent. However, the one
closest to my home has a very bad reputation when it comes to customer
service, cleanliness and food.

This restaurant was one of my favorite places to go when I used to work in
a different area of town a lot. I would go to the restaurant, get great
customer service and tons of food for the money. Their food was excellent,
and I always wished that they would open up location near my home. Fast
forward a few years, and I saw the sign going up near my house. I was so
excited because I absolutely love their food and had eaten at several of
their locations over the years.

As soon as they opened up, I went to the restaurant. We didn't get very
good service that night and the food wasn't nearly as tasty as I had
remembered it being. However, I chalked it up to being a new restaurant
that was probably trying to work the kinks out.

Now, the restaurant has been there for about two years. I regularly see my
friends updating their Facebook status saying not to go to the restaurant
because of the terrible customer service. Friend after friend has posted a
status just like this, and I don't have an enormous amount of friends from
my area on my page. That means that many people are probably posting this
and I'm not even seeing those.

Then, today, I received a notification on Facebook from a local newspaper.
I subscribe to their page, and they regularly post the health inspector's
reports for the week prior. I noticed that they had a big headline that
said one restaurant had such a bad inspection that they were forced to shut
down immediately and had their operating license revoked until they got
things cleaned up. You guessed it - it was this restaurant. They got a 46
out of 100.

Now what can we learn about on line reputation from this? This is a great
example of a business potentially going under because they didn't get the
hint from their own customers for over two years. I don't know who's
running this restaurant or whether it's a franchise or company-owned, but I
do know that no one is paying attention at the wheel.

You see, dozens of people that I know personally have posted about how
horrible the service was at this place. I've heard lots of people talk
about how the food doesn't measure up with the other locations in the
chain. People have stopped going there in droves, yet this restaurant
seemed to make no changes. In fact, their health inspection scores have
gone down and down.

Now, their health inspection has been posted on a social media site. What
do you think that's going to do for business?

The lesson in all of this is that business people have to monitor their
reputations online. Whether you are the owner of a chain restaurant or a
small mom-and-pop accounting firm, it really doesn't matter. You need to
monitor what people say about your business online and make the changes
necessary to overcome any negative comments.

What this restaurant should have done is either have a social media
reputation manager in place, or at least periodically Google their own name
and check the various review sites. Then they could have noticed these
customer service complaints early on, and made sure that changes were made
within the restaurant to take care of them. They should have offered
coupons and other discounts to compensate unhappy diners. They should have
made sure that their health reports were top notch as they know they're
being posted each week. They should have had more customer service training
or hired new employees to improve their standards.

There are so many ways to protect your reputation online, but if you're
screwing up in your business it's going to be hard to do. The changes
should start inside your business so that no one has any reason to complain
on social media sites. But, if they do, you should have mechanisms in place
to clear up any misconceptions and repair your reputation immediately.

Dedicated to your success,

Greg Pitstick & Bill Brown

Brought to you by: Lawyer Asad

How to Experience the Dream of Life

How to Experience the Dream of Life

By Jason and Skye Mangrum, 
Authors of 
Uberman! Almost Super Human

In this life, there are two kinds of beings…

There are victims, and things happen to them. And there are creators, who create as they observe.

At the deepest, sub-nuclear level, we are one. There is no separation, as drops of ocean water existing in an infinite ocean… a boundless sea of possibility…

All we have ever experienced has lived inside the visual cortex of the brain. The outward projection is an illusion.

Our sense of touch is but an electrical impulse… A wave of focused light energy with information in the carrier-wave… a set of instructions for the brain to decode.

To feel. To see. To smell. To taste… these are illusions. Things are not as they seem. This is the veil shrouding the great mystery of life and creation… of consciousness.

You are existing right now, in your Mind.

These words you are reading, are in your brain, as every sight, every sound, every texture, every smell… but it goes deeper. The body is a projection of the Mind.

Though these concepts are difficult to grasp, they are the truth of your existence. All you experience, must be filtered through the Mind to be perceived.

The entire universe is quite literally within you.

You already understand this on some level, for when you dream, the Mind constructs vast landscapes, places actors and extras, props and plots into your reality…

They all seem external; outside of you, don't they?

And yet, you've lived your entire life knowing they too were illusion, as you were comfortable in your bed… your body in a state of deep sleep, resting and relaxing.

Those who "wake up" while in the dream, realize they gain an amazing amount of control over it.

When lucid, things no longer happen to them; they create all they observe… and can begin to direct their dreams in any way they desire… the dream world becomes their playground… they become creator.

So the act of using Mind Power is learning to "wake up" in this dream world we call physical reality. To realize that if we are one, and all we have ever seen, heard, tasted, smelled or touched has been an illusion within an electrical matrix of information and light energy…

Then we can go lucid while in this waking-state…
We can wake up and understand our place and purpose…
And we can use our Mind Power to control this dream.
If you have a Mind, you can use your Mind's Power
.

It is but a term we can use to describe the amazing phenomena we can observe as a result of utilizing the power and capabilities of our Mind, to its full potential.

Most people are so "stuck"… so caught up in this physical dream and all its external affairs that when they begin to use Mind Power, they try to change the external world…

They want a bigger house, a fancier car, more money in the bank… a love relationship… a trip around the world.

So often, they have great difficulty in manifesting these things into their dream… their inner-world remains unchanged, and so cannot be projected by the illusion into the external reality they are experiencing, inside the visual cortex of their brains.

It's like trying to change the reflection in the mirror without changing its source, you.

But once it is announced to all aspects of the Mind… proclaimed from the inner-mountaintops of your highest being that YOU are creating as you observe, on every level and in every way… then you gain access to the control room… you can now create your reality.

Outer illusions seem to fade away into the vast sea of infinite potential… as does any concept of limitation.

So the real use of Mind Power, is using it to change your inner-world; the inner-qualities you wish to possess… the ones that create winners, masters of their destiny…

Self-confidence, greater focus, better memory… an open imagination, strength of Iron Will… higher intelligence… access to the deepest dimensions from within…

These are the hidden keys to the Kingdom, and they are already present inside of you… waiting for you to discover them and activate them fully and consciously.

For once these inner qualities are developed; exercised and mastered… you can truly begin to Know Yourself.

All the external things you want begin flowing to you.

You become the success you have been seeking, because you are now fully controlling the waking-dream world.

You are now manifesting from the inside-out.

As you create in your Mind, you are using its power to "out-picture" what you observe in the physical world.

But seek first these inner-qualities, the real treasure.

This is a meditation.

The Dream of Life and How to Life It

Be in this moment, and observe what you are creating.

Know that it is not what it seems to be… as your entire concept of space and time are both as false, and as real as the space and time you experience while dreaming.

To the Mind, there is no difference.

And so to you, the conscious, intelligent awareness inhabiting a temporary body… you are dreaming.

But this dream allows you to have anything you want.

It is a continuous dream, so you can experience it fully.

You are creating, and you are observing your creation.

It is both in the same moment, since there is no time.

Awaken and learn to operate with this understanding and you will become an active creator of your reality.

All Mind Powers begin and are developed from this secret.

Mind Power techniques are instructions you can consciously give to the brain that allow you to unlock the Mind's power.

There truly are no limits, but the ones you create for yourself and reinforce through your beliefs, be them for or against you.

So expand your boundaries… become boundless in your thoughts and actions, as an infinite sea of potential energy only knows abundance.

Then, you are using Mind Power to its fullest capabilities.

This manifesto is also a meditation. As you read it, your understanding of the world inside you manifests with crystal clarity.

You become the NOW. You immerse yourself into this moment and are awe-struck by the immensity of it all… the wonder of your creation.

For you ARE the infinite sea of potential, experiencing itself in every conceivable and inconceivable way… in every life of every individual… not just human, but all of creation is within you.

Jason & Skye Mangrum are authors of the new book "Uberman: Almost Super Human". Download two free chapters here for more secrets, tips and techniques to unlock the power of your mind.


Edited by: Lawyer Asad

 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Psychologists Find That Superstitions Can Improve Your Life

Psychologists Find That Superstitions Can Improve Your Life

Embrace the Supernatural: How Superstitions, Placebos and Rituals Help You to Achieve Your Goals

By Thorin Klosowski / Source: LifeHacker

Michael Jordan wore his college team's shorts underneath his Bulls uniform because he believed it brought him good luck. If six NBA championships can be considered proof, his superstition worked. It sounds silly (well, it is silly), but it's not all magic.

Absurd as superstitions may seem, psychologists have an explanation for why it's not so far-fetched to believe a lucky charm can make you perform better.

Superstitions can range from small behavioral choices (like always putting on your right shoe first) to more extreme decisions (say you avoid the number 13 at all costs). The most curious thing about these superstitions is that they actually work and can alter your behavior, boost your performance, and help you achieve your goals.

To get a grasp on why we believe in superstitions—and how superstition and placebos manage to have measurable positive effects—I talked with Dr. Stuart Vyse, Professor of Psychology at Connecticut College, and author of Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition, and Matthew Hutson, science writer and author of The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking: How Irrational Beliefs Keep Us Happy, Healthy, and Sane.

Let's start by taking a look at why we believe in superstitions to begin with before we move onto the reasons why you should sometimes embrace them (and be wary of getting too attached to them).

Why Superstitions and Placebos Change Your Behavior

We should get a working definition of superstition here, because on its own, it's a broad term that encompasses a whole slew of magical thinking. Both Dr. Vyse and Matthew Hudson provided similar definitions, so we'll cobble them together into one:

A superstition is a belief or behavior that's inconsistent with conventional science and attributes functional mental properties into non-mental phenomenon. Essentially, a superstition is a belief that the universe is always watching you and changes depending on your actions or what you're holding. Sounds ridiculous, right? So let's look at why we believe them.

Why We Believe in Superstitions

At their core, superstitions are self-fulfilling prophesies. You plant an idea in your head, allow yourself to believe in magic, and then believe doing something in a particular way or wearing a trinket will help you perform better. This seems insane, but it's a common phenomenon. We have different theories as to why we believe in superstitions, even though most people know they're entirely made-up. Dr. Vyse explains:

There are a couple primary reasons. One is that people teach them to us when we're young. They're part of the lore of any culture. The basic process of socialization is a major part of it.

Also, we live in a world where there are always going to be important things in our lives that we can't completely control and their outcome is uncertain. Superstitions tend to emerge in those contexts. You do everything you possibly can to ensure that things will work out. Superstitions are employed as one more thing to help you bring [a desired outcome] about. They're maintained in part by a phenomenon psychologists call the "illusion of control." In certain circumstances if you perform some action that can't possibly affect the outcome in any real sense, you have the feeling that you have control and that feels good—better than just sitting and waiting.

Another theory is based on the idea of the "illusion of control," but as Hudson points out, it's about making sense of the world:

One common theme is pattern-recognition. People are very good at seeing patterns in the world. It's how we learn. It's how we get by. We're so good that we see patterns even when they're not there. Coincidences pop out at us all the time, and we immediately try to find an explanation for these patterns. Oftentimes we rely on these mystical forces that try to explain the things we see. Maybe you made this thing happen or the universe made this thing happen as a sign to you to improve your life.

As far as the origin of these beliefs, one thought is that we evolved to believe in superstitions based on these pattern recognitions. In an article in New Scientist evolutionary biologist Kevin Foster suggests we learned superstitions based on the need to survive:

In general, an animal must balance the cost of being right with the cost of being wrong. Throw in the chances that a real lion, and not wind, makes [a] rustling sound, and you can predict superstitious beliefs.

Essentially, you have superstitions because you want to believe that you can change your fate, that a little magic in your routine can change the outcome of an event, and because you need a little confidence boost. It's not a bad thing to believe in superstitions and as we'll see in later sections, believing in them can actually boost your performance.

How Placebos Can Boost Mind and Body Performance

It's worth talking briefly about placebos here because superstitions can almost be thought of as placebos. This is especially the case when an object is imbued with properties to heal or give you luck. When you take a placebo your brain can respond by releasing dopamine. On top of other things, dopamine triggers the reward center of the brain and in turn can change a mood. Having a reaction to a placebo is commonly referred to as the placebo effect, something everyone's heard of.

Like superstitions, the placebo effect can generate a subjective outcome. If you believe in an outcome then when it happens you'll connect that to what you did before (wore a good luck charm or took a fake-pill). In some ways the difference between a placebo and a superstition is tiny. Take, for instance, people's insistence that Vitamin C and Echinacea prevent colds, despite no scientific evidence existing for either. Dr. Howard Brody explains this to Psychology Today:

We know that among the variables in human function that appears readily able to respond to the placebo effect is IgA-the immunoglobulin that is present in mouth and nose mucus that provides the first line of defense against germs like cold viruses. So we might postulate (but cannot prove) that these "placebos" stimulate IgA production, and thereby actually do help reduce the number of colds people suffer, without any "direct" chemical effect taking place— i.e. the placebo effect at work. So in this instance we have a clear mechanism by which placebos could work for prevention.

Additionally, as the author at Psychology Today, Steven Kotier points out in his own story, the differences between a placebo and a superstition are hard to define sometimes:

When I was fifteen years old, I split my patella in a skiing accident. There's nothing to do for a split patella other than wait. And don a knee sleeve. I wore mine clear into my thirties. Whenever I went skiing, the sleeve went with me. Nevermind that the patella was all healed up by the time I got out of college; I found that on the days I went naked, the knee consistently throbbed.

The point is that when you believe doing something to make a difference in an outcome—like taking a fake pill, alternative medicines, wearing a knee sleeve, or knocking on wood—it can increase the chances of a positive outcome. You can actually trigger certain responses in the brain and body that help you meet a certain goal.

When Rituals Turn Into Superstitions

So we have a good understanding of why we believe in superstitions and in turn, how placebos work in a similar fashion. What about those of us who didn't grow up with complex superstitions, but still feel like we have them? For instance, I have to walk to the end of a block, pause for two minutes, then return to an entryway before I have to give a presentation or speak publicly. That sounds like a ritual, but when do these rituals become superstitions? I asked both experts what they thought and they both agreed: it's when you imbue a ritual with magical power. Dr. Vyse explains:

There is a clear psychological value to establishing a routine—coaches often tell players that if they don't have a pre-game ritual they should try to establish one simply because it focuses your mind in a mantra-like way to keep the anxiety away. That's quite rational. It becomes a superstition when it moves over to magical thinking. So when you think you have to step on the line three times before you go out onto the field or that sort of thing. It has gone beyond the ritual aspect of it and has moved on to some incantation—a magical feature.

The difference between a ritual and a superstition is in the expected outcome. If you believe that performing your morning ritual or your pre-game routine can alter the outcome then it's a superstition. If you just do it to calm yourself before taking a plunge into an important event, the ritual continues as a ritual. The interesting thing, as Dr. Vyse noted, is that while routines have a psychological benefit, so do superstitions.

Stop Being So Rational and Embrace Your Superstitions

We have a good idea as to why we believe in superstitions and it's partially to help up make sense and feel significant in a massive, confusing world. Can believing in a superstition—whether it's routines or lucky charms—really help us perform better? It turns out, yes. Hudson explains:

Superstitious rituals can give us a sense of control when we're feeling anxious or when we don't have a lot of control over a situation. This illusory feeling of control can enhance real control and boost performance in some situations.

For instance, a study (published in in the journal of Psychological Science) gave golf balls to all of its subjects. Half of them were told the golf ball was lucky. These subjects made 35 percent more successful putts. Feeling lucky gave them a better sense of self-efficacy (a belief in your own competence), which then enhanced their performance with the golf playing. The same researcher did several other experiments where she crossed fingers for them or the subjects had lucky charms on them. Their superstition helped them perform better on certain cognitive tasks, memory games, and physical tasks.

The benefits likely come from both the placebo effect and the illusion of control. When you wear a lucky pair of shorts or perform a ritualistic dance before you give a speech, you trigger different parts in your brain that make you more receptive to the changes in the world around you. Wearing those lucky shorts, for instance, gives you a confidence boost. It also makes you visualize a positive outcome. 

When you prime your brain with that you're more receptive to opportunities and you project positivity in a way that people respond to it. Imbuing objects and routines with a the magical power of a superstition is essentially a way to prime yourself to act a certain way. It's not magic, but it's pretty close.

The Dangers of Superstition (and What You Can Do to Keep Your Relationship Positive)

It's not all positive. Believing deeply in the power of superstitions can have negative effects and believing in unlucky superstitions, like Friday the 13th, black cats, or the ill effects of walking under a ladder have no positive effects whatsoever. In fact, believing in bad luck can have a negative effect because it increases your anxiety for no good reason. Dr Vyse explains:

I don't see any benefit to teaching people the unlucky superstitions—the number 13, black cats, and so forth—these are superstitions that merely increase anxiety and force you into situations where if it comes along you have to think about whether or not you want to deal with it.

Any good superstition can have a downside if you become dependent on it. If on some occasion you forget to do your superstition you feel horrible. There's a delicate balance to keeping it positive.

Overdoing your positive beliefs can also have major, life-altering repercussions. Hudson explains:

It's possible to be overconfident. Stock traders might have too much confidence so they start making wild trades when they have no control over what they're doing. Or people invest a lot of money in lotteries thinking they can influence these things with rituals and luck. It's good to boost your perception of control beyond reality a little bit, but everything needs to be within reason. If you invest too much faith in these things then they can increase anxiety, like, "nothing will go right if you don't wear a certain tie." Then you lose the tie and you think, "Oh my god my life is ruined now."

Like most things in life, the key here is moderation. The fact that stock trading goes down on Friday the 13th, as does travel, financial deals, and even movie releases isn't healthy. Dr. Vyse has never had a patient call and complain about superstitions taking over their life, but he also stresses that they're best used in tandem with real preparation. For example, a lucky charm on a test is helpful provided you also studied for the test.

The real takeaway here is that despite the fact that most people won't admit it, many of us are superstitious to some degree. Believing in these superstitions isn't a bad thing as long as you use them as a part of larger plan and integrate them into your life in a healthy way. Best of all, believing in superstitions can provide that subtle, but useful boost to your performance on all sorts of tasks.

Edited by: Lawyer Asad

Monday, May 21, 2012

Stunning Free ebook Reveals 'world first' Mind Power Research

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Circulated by: Lawyer Asad

Sunday, May 20, 2012

40 Top Tips to Become a Successful Lawyer

40 Top Tips to Become a Successful Lawyer

By Attorney James P. Hentz

1. Be honest with your potential client. If your client does not have a case where he/she can 
have a favorable outcome, do not take the case. If you do, then you are opening up your 
client and yourself for unrealistic expectations that will lead to discontent.  If you are honest 
with your client and you do not take their case when he/she thanks you says "Don't thank 
me- send me a referral." There exists an ugly stereotype surrounding attorneys.  I have 
found that  people  can be very apprehensive of attorneys, they think  that  lawyers are 
dishonest, in some cases due to past experiences or "hear say".  They believe that lawyers 
will take their money without question.  Most people believe that attorneys do not return 
phone calls. Be different and you will differentiate yourself from everybody else.

2. Care for your client.  If you care for your client, it will show and your client will like you. How 
do you show your client you care? See number 1. Caring for a client is something that has to 
come from within. If you do not care for your client it is likely you will not perform as well as 
you should have. Many times, your client may not recognize and appreciate what you do for 
them. But if you are passionate about what you do, the rewards are sure to follow.  I had 
my first SSDI case and we won the case after my client tried twice to get SSDI herself. In an
SSID case the Federal government will pay a percentage and it has a cap. Unfortunately, I 
did not put on the contract "whichever is lower"; therefore, I had to bring my client in to 
sign a paper to get paid. My client's husband thought I was trying to pull a  "fast one."
Everything I had done was for free and if I did not win the case I would not have  gotten 
paid. I was disappointed that in an eight months span my client thought I was not honest.  
Always remember to stay true to who you are.

3. Give your cell phone number to your client and you will avoid getting a call from the BBO
(Board of Bar Overseers). In this day and age of cell phones, email, Facebook, My Space, and 
Linked in, etc., you must be accessible. This generation wants to speak with you in real time 
and on demand. If you do not answer your phone and do not return a phone call within the 
same business day or weekend the potential client will call another lawyer and you will lose 
business. The biggest complaint to the BBO is that an attorney is not returning a phone call. 
You can show your client that you care by returning his or her phone call in the same day

4. Be Likeable. See number 2. One of the ways to make a connection with a potential client is 
being warm, friendly and ask questions about them and their family client a little first then talk about business. The client will be more at ease  and it will 
demonstrate to them that you care.  Try to add humor to the first interview; it will put both 
you and your client, on a friendly and even playing field, which is always a great place to 
begin.  If you are meeting with a client, it usually means that they are in trouble and need 
help fast.  If your client likes you, he will trust you and if he trusts you the client will hire you
(and very importantly will refer you.) Remember the client is meeting you for the first time 
and they are nervous about giving any sum of money to an attorney to fix their problem.  If 
they cannot see the value of your service and trust that you will do what you say then the 
client will not hire you. You have to engage the client and ask a lot of questions for them to 
open up to you.

5. If you ever take a case where you do not know what you are doing and it "blows up" give 
your client their money back, immediately. Early on in my profession, I took an immigration 
case from a client and spent $2,000 in fees. Once I realized that I had made a mistake by 
taking the case, I gave back the $2,000 to my client and referred her to a new attorney. She 
won her case and two years later she called me and thanked me for helping her stay in this 
country. At the time I did know the case was beyond my abilities but I soon realized my 
client needed more help than I could give. It was tough giving the money back, but I avoided 
a malpractice claim and had a happy ex-client.

6. Never take a retainer less than $1,000 because your time and experience is worth more 
than that. Some cases you only need a $1,000.00 to get the job done. In my criminal law 
practice, when a client has committed a crime,  he or she will come  to you for legal 
representation. Read the police report and the complaint. Then  give your analysis of the 
strength and weakness of the government case. Refrain from saying "it is a slam dunk you 
will win this case at trial" First, a trial is too unpredictable to make that claim and it is 
unethical to guarantee a win.  What you do is tell your client that based on your experience 
what typically happens is you plea out the case and estimate it will cost $1,000.00. Then you 
can give your opinion of any motions you could file to help his/her case and an analysis of 
the chances of winning. Let your client make the decision. You are managing expectation. 
So if the case "goes south" you warned your client.
  
7. When I take a phone call and that person on the other line asks "How much will it cost me?" 
I respond, by asking "Am I the first attorney you called?"  Regardless of whether the answer 
is yes or no, my response is, "You are not shopping at Wal-Mart- you get what you pay for" 
Then listen to how he/she responds.  Chances are he or she is "shopping around" and you 
would not want to do business with him/her anyway.  
mind can become a big "pain in the butt."  You have to explain to the client that it is not 
about time, but experience and getting the job done right the 1st time.

8. If you are out of the office have your office phone forward calls to your cell phone. Lawyers 
are always on the go and half the time you are not in your office. Therefore, it is imperative 
that you be available to your current clients and potential clients. It has happened on more 
than occasion a client has hired me because I picked up the phone. Sometimes, I was the 
third or fourth attorney that they called. It shows the potential client that you are accessible 
and want their business.

9. Have your web site on your business card because people will be able to find you. In this 
day and age you must have a great business card and a web site. The first thing I did was to 
design a "killer" business card with my picture, cell phone, web site, areas of practice, fax 
number and e-mail address. If you do not have that on your card then you are "dead in the 
water."  Try to have as much of that information as possible.  Set yourself apart from the 
crowd.

10. Have your emails sent to your cell phone and then answer your emails first chance you get. 
This way, you will always be in contact with your clients. Attorneys spend half of their time 
out of their office and you need to be connected.  If you are in court and you check your 
email you can respond right away instead of waiting to get back to your office. It is about 
customer service and keeping in contact with your clients.

11. Return your phone messages before the end of the day. That shows your client that you 
care and your client will love you for it. This is another example of providing excellent 
service to your client. The word will get out that you respond to phone calls and emails thus 
you can achieve a following and break down the stereotype of the attorney that never 
returns phone calls.

12. If your potential client calls you on the phone determine as quickly as possible if you can 
help him or her. If so, make an appointment as soon as you can. The longer you put off the 
meeting the less likely you get the new client. If you cannot make an appointment within
three days you will lose this client. He or she will change their mind and find a reason to 
come up with the money for a retainer.

13. If you can't help him then refer him to someone that can. He will thank you and remember 
you. If a potential client calls and I do not practice that area of law I will refer him or her to 
an attorney that I know. If I do not have an attorney in mind then I will refer them to the 
Laywer.com, Worcester Bar referral or the Massachusetts Bar referral. Be a resource to the 
community.

14. Sign a contract with your client so you and your client are on the same page. There will not 
be any misunderstandings. In my contract, I have three types of ways I can earn a fee
 The first method of payment is one with a retainer with an hourly rate and that is 
reserved for my private criminal matter, and private civil matters
 The second method of payment is a contingency fee agreement for my personal injury 
cases which is the standard rate of .33% of any settlement of a car accident case. Every 
attorney has the same rate for attorney
 The third method of payment is a flat rate fee which means you have a retainer for the 
entire process. I utilized that method for my immigration clients and my simple Wills 
clients. People like the flat rate because they know there is a cap for legal fees. You 
must know how much time and effort the particular case will take because if y6ou 
estimate "too low", you lose money, "too high" and you might not get the case. Find out 
the going rate so that you do not price yourself out of the market by calling other 
attorneys and getting a quote.
    
15. Give a detailed invoice on the 15th
and the 30th of the month because your client will 
understand where their money is going. Also, your client knows you are working on their 
case. Clients are very apprehensive when they give you their money and one way to 
eliminate that is to explain that they will get a bill on all the work that you have done q and 
it will be documented. The bill will have the trust amount so it keeps the client in the loop. 
The client will not get the bill and wonder where their money went and it will cut down on 
unnecessary phone calls.
 
16. Send an email, letter, phone call to your client every 30 days. See tip #6. Keeping your client 
informed and being proactive will cut down on unnecessary phone calls that will allow you 
to work on your case. If you need something that is important keep it on a two day dairy 
until you get the information that you requested. Always "cc" your client on all paper work 
that you send out. It will let your client know you are working on his/her file   
17. Exceed expectations for your client.  For example, "I will get your immigration paper work in 
30 days" and get it done in two weeks. When a new immigration client is in the initial 
interview they will ask many questions but the most important one is how long will it take. 
Depending on the nature of the case, I would say usually six months on average. I will 
explain my goal is to have the paper work out the door in 30 days from the hiring interview 
then it will take another five months for USCIS to process the paperwork. It will take that Law Office of James P. Hentz
long to get the paper work from your client and fill out the proper forms for USCIS. Get the 
paper work within 30 days.

18. Have a computer program for tracking your time, billing, diary and monthly reports. After 
starting to get my web site done, I bought PC LAW, the software system that will track time, 
client, diary your court dates, print out invoices, breakdown your monthly expenses and 
profit for tax time. I made more money faster because of the PC LAW features. It is your 
practice online. If you are a solo practitioners it will save you a vast amount of time and 
earn you money.
  
19. Find out where the client got your name and if it was a referral, send a thank you note! In 
general people like to help other people and to have more referrals, send thank you notes, 
it demonstrates gratitude.  The other attorney or former client will appreciate your effort 
and send you more clients. You must track your marketing efforts so you can spend your 
money on marketing that works.
   
21. During an interview, if you have something in common express it at the right time. I do a lot 
of immigration work, and I mention that my wife emigrated from Panama. I mention my 
great grandmother came from Spain  

22. Put a picture of you on your business card because you will stand out. Most attorneys' 
business cards have name, address, work telephone number, and maybe their web site. My 
business card has my photograph, web site, cell number, email address, areas of practice 
and it has some color and that makes it stand out. You can have a 20th century business card 
or one for the 21 century it is up to you.

23. List out the areas of practice on your business card so people will remember what areas of 
the law you practice. To expand on this idea most people that you meet will not remember 
what area of the law you practice. To overcome this gap, put your top 4 areas of practice on 
your card. So when a person needs your service they will look at your card and call you

24. If you are in law school and have no intentions of practicing law, rethink your strategy, you 
may be wasting a lot of your time and money. If you think it will help a non practice career, 
consider a master's degree. Law school teaches a way of thinking not a way to help your 
non-legal career. Law school is a lot of money, time, and effort to get your degree and not 
practice. I went to law school at age 32 and my single intentions was to practice law. I had a 
career as a claims adjuster and wanted more out of life. I love to help people and earn a 
living practicing law. You must love the law to become successful at it  

25. Take time and experiment different areas of law and practice those ones that you love and 
the money will follow. The old saying goes if you love what you do then you are never working. Depending where you live will have an effect on what you practice. If you are on your own it is easy to determine what areas of practice you are going to do. You just have to 
market to where you think your clients are. If you are going to work for someone else you 
might have to work based on what your boss wants you to do. If that is what you have to do 
then do it. But I would then market in an area of practice that the firm does not do so you 
can develop a book of business and take the lion share of the money

26. Base your fee on the ability to pay your client and the complexity of the case. If your client 
wants to plead his case out on the first pretrial hearing then charge him/her $800 dollars. If 
he/she wants to try the case charge him/her $5,000.00.  Give your client options about the 
strength of his/her case as to going to trial or pleading out his case. State the "good, bad 
and the ugly" when going over his or her case

27. Let your client know he has a great case to win but might never get what he wants. For 
instance, the cabinet installer screwed up the installation and it cost your client $5,000.00. 
Tell him he can win his case but it will cost him about $5,000. 00 to win his case. You might 
win the case but it could be hard in collecting the judgment.  Manage the expectation

28. When someone asks you "What kind of lawyer are you? Tell them "A great one."  When 
they ask again, tell them "I solve legal problems at a fair and reasonable price" when they 
ask you what law you practice, tell them. You will always be battling the stereotype 
attorney.  It is so important to set yourself apart from the other guys

29. Refrain from vices like over drinking, attending strip clubs, gambling, cheating on your 
spouse, etc., because this leads to trouble.   Partaking in negative activities can lead you to 
thoughts of wrong doing.  Never take your client's trust money- it will lead to disbarment. 
The best advice that the first and only law firm that I worked for said to me was not to have 
the vices mentioned above or the like, because it is too tempting to spend the trust money 
and get disbarred   

30. Never be intimate with your client- no matter how attractive the person. This tip was from 
my first semester of law school. It is just in bad taste and if the result is not a favorable one 
then it will lead to a complaint to the BBO. The client will stop paying you while you are 
doing the work
  
31 Think twice before taking a family member's case, because they may not be happy with the 
outcome. It can be difficult to separate yourself- there can be a lot of emotion which will 
prevent you from being objective while handling the case. A family member of mine is 
getting a divorce but I referred the case to another qualified attorney.  My family member 
received a discount and hired an objective attorney.
member to a good attorney. If the case goes "south "he/ she will blame that attorney and 
not you. Another reason not to take a client who is a family member is because at every 
family function the case will come up and it will drive you crazy
32. Always get the retainer up front.  This will allow you to focus your work without worrying 
that you will not be paid.  Try to get the retainer as close as you think it will cost your client 
to the end of the case. This rule applies to every attorney but for a solo-practitioner, it is 
vital. The retainer will keep you in business 
   
33 If you are in law school because your parents want you to be a lawyer, rethink this option. 
You may never be truly happy. A lawyer is not something you do, but it is what you will 
become. A passion for the law is the most important aspect of becoming a successful one. A 
passion for helping people will help your cause

34. Have a professional web person to host your web site not a family member. The website is a 
reflection on you and it is your branding of yourself. A one page web site will not captivate 
your audience. Have some creativity with your web site because it is the first thing a new 
client will see

35. The one case you do not take is the best one, because it would have been a malpractice 
case. If the client has gone through three attorneys, that is a red flag. If the client wants you 
to take a case on a contingency and it is not a personal injury case do not take it. If the 
potential client is really cost conscious he or she will be more of a pain than the fee you will 
earn

36. Be polite, friendly and say hello to the people that work in the clerk's office. There is a 
saying "A judge can hurt you but the clerk's office can kill you." The clerk's office is made up 
of individuals that are over worked and under paid. It is your job to make friends with them 
because they are very knowledgeable and dedicated to the cause and most importantly, will 
help you when you need the most. For example, I work as an independent contractor for 
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a public defender. On days when there was not a 
criminal docket, I sometimes got called in to do a bail in front of the judge. I was left a 
message from the court to come in. I called them back and they still needed an attorney. 
However, I was dressed in business casual attire.  I told the clerk I was out of my office and 
came directly to the courthouse. He explained the situation to the judge and after the 
hearings the judge thanked me for coming in instead of lecturing me on my business casual 
attire 
       
37. Get an American Express card. It is sign and an image of being successful.

38. Dress for success. Buy the $500 dollar suit and the $50 shirt with the $30 dollar tie. I just 
bought a three piece suit that looks great and I stand out from the other attorneys. The 
shirts and ties should have some color and be fashionable. Be noticed.

39. Create a Marketing Plan.  Keep track of your initiatives, due dates and predecessors to each 
task.  When you start your practice, begin by marketing little by little and increase your 
marketing budget with the increase in income. You may not have a lot of money when you 
start your practice but two things I did right away were to have a professionally done 
website and signing up with Lawyers.com. As you begin to earn money invest in your 
business because you need to spend money to make money. Keep track of where your 
clients are coming from so you will know where to spend your money.  If a marketing 
campaign/ strategy you implement does not pay for itself in 6 months, move on to "plan B."  
Always keep marketing at the forefront of your business.  Marketing does not have a 
completion date.  It is ongoing to keep up with the changing times and demands

40. Start a self employment retirement plan and try to save 10% of your income. Save your
money for retirement.

41. The most important lesson to remember is to do the job right (do the right thing) and 
success will follow then the money will be sure to follow you wherever you go  
That's it.  That's all for now.  I wish for you the very best in all that you do.  May you have all the 
success the world has to offer.

Circulated by: Lawyer Asad