Luckily for me she sent me a link for her Fascination test. In just ten minutes I found out my fascination score and realized that I needed to share this fascinating test with the world. I passed a link on to some of my friends and co-workers. Soon I was finding out what made my friends fascinating.

To tell you the truth, what I found out was absolutely and truly FASCINATING!

I’m sure by now that you are wondering where you can take this test. But before I give you the keys to your own score, I want to list out the seven fascinations that you can be…

1. mystique
2. prestige
3. power
4. alarm
5. trust
6. vice
7. lust

While the titles themselves are fascinating, the video descriptions may intrigue you even more.

So take a few minutes

Clear your mind

And take the fascination test.

When you are done, please leave a comment with your results…

BTW… my top fascination is prestige

Question: What makes you fascinating?

Update: Listen to Sally as she finds out what fascinates Chris Brogan.

Really want to be fascinated… get the book!

But here is the rub, if you can’t see them on a regular basis you’ll soon forget them. The key is to put your written goals in a visible place where you will see them during your day. I have two ways that you can do this.

1. Written Goal Cards: The first is to download our Goal Setting Toolkit and print out the template on business card stock. You take the resulting cards and write down your goals. Once you have them on the cards, you can place the cards in easy view at your desk, in the car and anywhere you’ll see them during your day (on the refrigerator door works well for diet goals ).

Here is an example card for long term goals…

Here is a daily card that you can carry with you…

As you can see, their handy size will let you put them almost anywhere.

2. Goal Word Cards: While specific goal cards are great, you may not want the whole world knowing that you are hankering for the CEO position in 10 years. Chris Brogan, the social media guy, has a great solution. He usually sets three primary goals each year, and gives each goal a one word title. The word instantly brings up the goal in his mind, but the word only means something to him. His words for 2010 are ecosystems, owners, and kings.

I personally like this system as a word is much easier to remember than a detailed goal statement. This is where our motivator cards come in. The default template has motivational words on it that you can print out and keep in sight. All you need to do is take your goal words for the year and replace the words on these cards in MS Word.

Here is the cool part, you can take your three words and make a goal tower right at your desktop, with a clothespin, two micro clips and a pencil. All items that you probably have handy.

Once you have this setup you’ll see your words all day. Your co-workers may ask about them and you have the choice of telling them the whole story.. or not.

And there is one last caveat, the motivator cards have a remember me card that will remind you to bring home the milk. This is one goal that will get you brownie points in a hurry!!

Here are five simple action steps that you can take today to make your dreams come true. Goal setting should be fun, so find a comfortable quiet place and spend a few minutes and do at least one right now.

1. Set Time Aside: The first step in setting a goal is to design in some time in your coming year when you can actually take action to complete your goal. I suggest you find a block of time during your usual workday that you can set aside for just this purpose.

If you are a morning person, find time early in the day. If you like to stay up late at night, carve out some time in your evening. Aim for an hour of uninterrupted time. This may mean giving up some TV or getting up an hour early, but if you really want to be successful, time is a must. Do not go to step two until you have determined a time block you are willing to set aside.

2. Paint the Big Picture: Visualize in your mind completing your goal. Picture the book you are publishing or the marathon you are running in. See yourself on the scale twenty pounds lighter. Whatever your goal is you need to experience it with all five senses in your mind. You want to hear the roar of the crowd, taste the wine, feel the rush of excitement, smell the fresh air flowing in your face, all the while seeing the finish line coming at you.

It’s helpful to have printed pictures of others who have gone before you and been successful. If a marathon is your goal, cut or print out pictures of others crossing the finish line, if a book is your goal, create a mockup with your title, for weight loss, find pictures of actual people who have had success. Once you vividly experience yourself achieving the goal in your mind, you can move on to the next step.

3. Choose the Words and Write Them Down: Popular social-media expert, Chris Brogan, has a great technique for goal setting that is real helpful. He chooses one word that describes each goal. The word needs to be big enough to encompass the entire process, not just the action. I think this is a great way to keep your goals fresh in your mind.

Just take the vivid picture that you painted in step two and set aside a word or word combination that has meaning to you. Then take a card or sheet of paper and write it down in bold letters. You may have to do a little experimenting to find a word that is all encompassing. For example, “Run” might be a word that works for a marathon, but “Finish-Line” is stronger and more encompassing. The word “Chapter” might work for writing a book, but “Blockbuster” would be more motivating.

Underneath your main word you can write down two or three action words that describe the steps to complete your goal. But the main thing is to come up with ONE word that works for you and WRITE IT DOWN. The act of writing it down will cement it in your mind and you’ll have a quick point of reference. Don’t go on to the next step until you have your word where you can see it in bold letters, written down on a card or sheet of paper.

4. Give Yourself a Deadline: Goals without deadlines are just dreams. The secret to successfully achieving your goals is to set deadlines and milestones, but allowing yourself to be flexible enough that the unavoidable time conflict doesn’t ruin your effort.

Some goals naturally come with a deadline, such as a marathon. You sign up for a marathon and it is run on a certain day. End of story. Writing a book is a different event altogether. With creative endeavors you may not have a true idea how long something will take.

This is the power of setting time blocks. Your “goal” is to write for a certain time period a day. As you progress, it will become apparent for example that you are completing a chapter a week. This will give you an idea of the completion date. You need to be very diligent about your time block, but flexible on the end date.

Here is a common New Year goal that many people will have trouble with…

I want to read through the bible in a year.

The accompanying literature has the daily chapters that you need to read every day to accomplish the goal. The problem here is the end date is fixed and you have no buffer days. If you miss a day of reading you have to read twice as long the next day to catch up. Instead of 15 minutes you now have to spend 30. If you miss three days it’s 45 minutes etc.

The one thing I can guarantee is that there will be days during the year that you will be sick, or some type of emergency will come up. Goals like this are so inflexible that people soon have to miss a few days and then give up because they do not have the larger time block to catch up.

Setting a goal that has a time block will be much more successful.

I will set aside 15 minutes a day to read my bible during the next year.

In this case if you miss a few days, you can just start back up and continue from where you left off.

Common deadline time periods that work well are one year, twelve weeks, and weekly. A common technique is to schedule an end date earlier than the true end date. For example, if I am doing a presentation on the 10th, I’ll set my deadline a week earlier on the 3rd. If something comes up I have a 7 day buffer. This reduces stress and allows for the inevitable conflict or delay.

On your goal card, write down a realistic deadline for your goal underneath the word(s) that you chose above. Allow buffer time. Underneath the deadline, write down the time block you will use to accomplish this.

5. Bring In a Mentor: The real success I’ve found in goal setting is to develop a mentor. Someone who has accomplished the goal you are striving for. They have been there and done that.

While it is best that this is a real person, it can also be a book or program. For example, let’s say you want to lose 20 pounds. You can join a gym and hire a personal trainer. While this may be somewhat expensive, your chance of success has really increased because you have someone training you and holding you accountable.

You can do a similar thing by buying the book, Body for Life, and following the 12 week program. You can sign up online and connect with others in the same program to hold you accountable.

If you are writing a book, a personal editor will be very helpful, but for less money you can join a writers group, where everyone critiques each others work.

To complete your card, write down the name of a mentor that can help you achieve your goal underneath the time block you wrote above. Someone that is willing to hold you accountable. If it is a program or organization, write that name down.

Finishing Up: Now you should have a goal card with a meaningful word at the top, a realistic deadline underneath, the time block you will use to achieve it, and a mentor to hold you accountable.

Put this card where you can see it. You now have completed one written goal for the new year. Be sure to touch base with your mentor and keep the word picture in your mind.

Realistically you can have up to three of these cards at one time. Just be sure that the time blocks are doable and do not overlap.

Insuring Success: To help you with your goal, try using the Power of 48 Minutes technique. This is a simple single tasking exercise.

Here is how you do it…

Set a timer for 48 minutes. Close out all distractions (e-mail, web etc) and work continuously for 48 minutes. When the timer goes off, get up and stretch, get coffee, use the restroom etc, in the following 12 minutes. Repeat as necessary.

We also have the following downloadable tools that may help…

Goal Setting Toolkit

Five Minute Diet Planner

Daily Goal Sheet

Good luck with your goal setting activities!

I can only imagine how many great works of art, best selling novels, and immensely successful websites that won’t be created because of fear.

Yet there is one simple way to overcome this fear. There is one simple way to write your book, create your website, or start your business.

Just get started…

It may sound crazy, but that is really the secret to success. Will you fail along the way… of course you will. Will people tell you you can’t possibly do it… they most certainly will. In fact some people will give you multiple reasons why anything you try will fail.

But just get started…

Don’t you need a complete business plan, fully stocked inventory, and multiple helpers to get started? No. In fact if you do have those things you may not get started at all…

The secret is just taking that first scary step.

Just pick up that pen, or guitar, or hammer and nail and go.

It won’t be pretty… but you will have done something that thousands of other people have been to afraid to do…

Get started.

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Here is some inspiration from someone who did just that.

I work in a K-12 educational environment in Southern California. The state budget crunch has made things difficult for many people in education. Programs are slashed and continuing education programs have mostly been eliminated. It’s easy to hunker down and put dreams and aspirations on hold.

Yet in reality, this may actually be the best time to improve your skills, revise your resume, and set a path to the future. After all, if your competition for that job promotion or business start is now in a holding pattern, it opens many doors of opportunity for those with a positive vision.

As an inspiration, I would like to tell you a story of two people who have made it through a track full of hurdles and finished strong. Their stories have helped me see that problems are just opportunities in disguise.

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The first person is my long time friend and mentor, Jeanne Nelson. Jeanne has worked as our library and media coordinator in our school district for many years. Providing text books to over 22,000 kids a year and opening and maintaining numerous school libraries, Jeanne always finds herself in a whirlwind of projects.

The letters and numbers on her computer keyboard are worn off from frequent use, and her constantly ringing phone are a reminder of her overwhelming workload. Yet over the last three years, Jeanne has done something incredible. She pursued her doctorate in education and through thick and thin made it through with a dissertation on the viability of technology in education.

This spring she made it successfully through the program, defended her dissertation, and received her diploma and is now known to us all as Doctor Nelson. In the last three years, Jeanne gave up many of her weekends and spent a lot of time and money on research and project materials.

Through it all, there was one thing that I noticed and many other people commented on. Through thick or thin, Jeanne was determined to complete the program. There was no doubt in any of our minds that she would do it.

It was this determination that saw her through. And it was her determination that makes her such a role model for others. Even in the midst of opening a new High School and Middle School, Jeanne never gave up!

Determination will see you through!

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My other role model for success is someone that I met a few years back through Toastmasters International. The gentleman’s name is Dilip Abayasekara, and his dream was to go the full distance in this incredible organization. Dilip is such an inspiration to many of us in Toastmasters. He completed the entire speaking and leadership program and went on to become the International President.

Along the way Dilip helped many people, including myself, to see that big dreams can come true. Like Jeanne above, Dilip pursued his education and received his doctorate. He is also the author of a popular book, entitled The Path of the Genie.

Dr. Dilip showed me that setting goals, working hard, and having an undying determination to see a project through can take you to places that you never imagined.

He showed me how to finish strong!

With the inspiration and guidance of Dr. Dilip and many people in my local Toastmasters club, I was able to make it through the complete Toastmasters Leadership and Communication program back in 2005 and received the Distinguished Toastmasters designation. When I started in my local club in 1999, I would never have imagined that it would be possible.

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We all need role models and Dr. Jeanne and Dr. Dilip are two of the best. With determination, hard work, and a focused vision you can go incredible places. Just be sure to develop great mentors like Jeanne and Dilip!

Human spark plugs are wonderful people. They provide “Ignition” at the dullest of parties and can make a boring meeting into a lively and exciting event. You don’t forget a spark plug when you meet them, and the good ones won’t forget you.

They will take your business card or write your name on the back of a napkin, and for sure they will get back in touch with you. They always have friends you should meet, and the usual outcome of meeting them is at least one new contact or business acquaintance.

There are also people that are “Technology Spark Plugs.” They always know the latest gadgets, the coolest software and the most interesting web sites. If you hang around them for any length of time, you’ll end up with a new app on your cell phone, a new program in your computer, or a new shiny gadget in your hand.

I would like to share with you today, three “Human Spark plugs,” who have changed my life, introduced me to hundreds of their friends and made my life considerably more interesting.

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The first spark plug is my good friend Karen Robertson. I’ve known Karen for over 15 years and she always amazes me with her energy and willingness to take on the craziest goals. Over the years, Karen has become Ditzy the Clown, a public speaker, a personal coach, and just recently a stand up comedian.

In each step along the way, Karen has involved her friends and family and if you meet her she’ll drag you into what ever she is doing. If you want to get a project done, Karen is the one to talk to. She took on a building project at our church and tirelessly interfaced with city council members, building planners, and a maze of bureaucrats to get our church building built.

This year Karen decided she wanted to become a stand up comedian. While Karen is an outgoing person, a stand up comedian seemed like the last thing she would ever be. After all, she is a strong Christian, and I just couldn’t see her in a comedy club, in front of a bunch of rowdy people, telling jokes. But that is just what she did. She became a clean comedian in 2009 and even performed along with her friend Steve Matley, on a Sunday night at the Improv in Hollywood. Wow!

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The second spark plug, is my friend Phil Gerbyshak. Phil is know as the “Make it Great Guy, and he always brings a positive attitude and will introduce you to a cadre of successful and positive people.

Phil’s book, 10 Ways to Make it Great, is a fun and interesting read. It’s simple yet easily do-able positive philosophy on life is embraced by so many of his friends. But what makes Phil stand out from the crowds, is his tireless energy.

If you log into Phil’s web site, he always has something going on. Whether it be a contest or course or a new motivational video, Phil always has something to motivate you to improve your life and truly make your day great.

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The third spark plug on my list is my longtime blogging friend, Dwayne Melancon. Dwayne has written in his blog, Genuine Curiosity, for over four years. Dwayne is a Technology Spark Plug, and you’ll find reviews of the latest gadgets on his blog.

The thing I like about Dwayne, is his in depth personal analysis of products, software, and places. Dwayne travels intensively on his job, and his insights on carrying different gadgets, computers and a wide variety of wireless phones on airplanes has been invaluable.

He’ll give you a true reading of battery life, portability, and ease of use. His latest reviews on the popular iPhone have been very insightful. I’ve wanted one since they first came out, but his latest reviews reveal that now may be the best time to buy one. Apple has finally fixed his pet peeves and made a truly remarkable product. My iPod Touch is certainly better after Dwayne’s recommended 3.0 Apple software update.

If you use technology on your job and especially if you take your technology along on your travels, Dwayne’s site is one you should bookmark. A word of warning though, Dwayne’s reviews are so good, that you’ll find yourself spending considerable time reading through them. After a few minutes, your wallet make take a debit from the purchase of the latest recommended item on his list. Dwayne has certainly cost me a few dollars with his recommendations!

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Human Spark Plugs can ignite a fire, help you make your day better, and truly help you find that special gadget that will make your life better. Check out the web sites above, and as Phil says… Make Today Great!

The three items are…

1. Deep Practice: This is the key ingredient. It’s the 10,000 hours of experience and the over and over daily practice routine that lead to greatness.

2. Ignition: This is the motivation to get started. The spark that ignites a person on to an uncommon life of talent and creativity.

3. Master Coaching: Disciplined and committed coaches provide help, feedback, and guidance to create a World class talent.

Combine deep practice with motivation along with a good coach and watch out. Talent can certainly be created with this powerful formula. Pick up the book and you’ll be amazed how powerful these principles really are.

Happy New Year everyone. 2008 is now a memory and for many of us a memory we would rather just forget. 2008 was a tough year for investments, real estate, job prospects, and business in general. Here in America, we are entering 2009 with high unemployment, a stock market that is at 10 year lows, record home foreclosures, with many businesses and our entire auto industry struggling for survival.

Yet in times of trouble there are almost always bright spots. I have found in my life that if I take the time to take a step back and inspect the situation there are always things to learn. Many times there are simple changes that can be made to turn things around and improve the situation.

Tough times often present unprecedented opportunities for people willing to take a risk or are prepared for change.

In the section below, I’ve taken 12 synonyms of the word change and listed something positive for each one that may help you improve your situation in 2009.

Convert: Television Time To Learning Time.

Here is a simple tip that can have a major impact on your attitude. If you currently watch the evening news on television, why not replace this depressing and negative time with something positive and uplifting. Pick up a couple of motivational books and read for a half hour every evening instead of watching the never ending stream of bad and depressing news reports.

This simple conversion can make a major difference in the way you feel and view the world. You’ll find yourself sleeping better, doing better on your job, and you might just learn something along the way.

Diverge: Go From Debt To Savings

In 2008 the world imploded from too much debt. As businesses de-leveraged, their values plummeted and over-leveraged subprime loans ended up in massive foreclosures.

A simple goal that can make an incredible difference over time is to diverge your budget to the positive side. Many people spend more than they make by using credit cards and other forms of debt. Over time this debt can snowball into an almost insurmountable amount.

In the graphic above you can see that by restructuring your budget to save $100/month instead of overspending $100/month, the divergence is $2400 in a year. Multiply this out over time and this small amount per month can have major consequences later. When you add in compounded interest, moving to the saving side can have an even greater impact. A great book on the subject is Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover.

Redo: Your Resume

Many experts say that it is a good idea to revise your resume on an annual basis. You may find as I have, that your resume is sorely out of date. In the current economic climate, it might be a good exercise to redo your resume to include updated skills and employer information. That way when an opportunity comes up you’ll be ready to go.

It’s also a good time to create or update a Linked-In profile so that employers and career professionals can find you when that perfect job comes up that only you can do.

Transform: Fat into Muscle

The new year is a great time to get into shape and improve eating habits. One of the best ways to quickly lose weight and feel better is to employ weight training in your exercise routine. Weight training will help you convert fat into muscle. The more muscle you have, the more fat you’ll burn.

Weight training can be done at a gym or you can pick up some simple resistance bands or barbells and workout at home. I have had great results with the strength training program listed in Body For Life. This is a great book to help you start an exercise program that will truly help you get results.

Modify: Your Drive Time

If you drive or commute to work, you’ll probably find that much of that time is wasted. Many people listen to music or talk shows on the radio or just pass the time daydreaming. Why not turn this unproductive time into a positive learning experience in 2009. It’s easy with audio books.

Many different business, motivational, and productivity titles are available on CD or by download for your iPod or MP3 player. Suddenly your commute is transformed into a classroom and you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll get through the latest titles. If you download from iTunes or Audible you may also save money over buying the printed edition in a bookstore.

Replace: Unhealthy Food with Healthy Alternatives.

The new year is a time that many people turn to diets of all types to try and loose weight. Unfortunately most of them are so radical that many lose interest instead of weight. Instead of dieting, why not try replacing unhealthy food choices with healthy and tasty, lower fat and calorie versions.

In many cases you can substantially cut calories by just making some wise choices. David Zinczenko has written two books that can help you make the best selections in both restaurants and while shopping in the supermarket. Called Eat This-Not That, these books give you side by side comparisons of popular food choices. If you want to lose weight in 2009, this is a great place to start.

Reorganize: Your Workday

For 2009 why not make your workday more productive. Managing e-mail, phone calls and personal visits can be time consuming. We have some free downloadable tools that you can print out to help you save time and organize all the communications that come your way.

While you’re at it, take a look at our 48 minute strategy for focused time management and find out more about David Allen’s masterful work, Getting Things Done.

Renovate: Instead Of Replace

With the economy in the doldrums currently, it might be a good thing to renovate or rejuvenate an older item instead of buying new. For example, you might be able to get another year out of your older car. Now that gas prices are down, that rush to buy a Prius might not make as much sense as fixing up your old SUV or truck.

Instead of putting a new item on the credit card or taking out a loan, use cash to rejuvenate an older item and put any extra into your savings account. A great book that will have you stretching every penny is the Tight Wad’s Gazette

Revolutionize: Your Goals

One of the best things you can do in the new year is to take a few minutes and write down your goals for the year. The actual act of writing them down will give you a much greater chance of success.

An easy way to do this is to download our Goal Setting Toolkit. This simple selection of printable cards will give you a place to write down your long term and short term goals. The cards are easily carried around and you can easily display them on your desk or work area for quick reference.

If you have trouble coming up with long term goals, our Top Five Goal Worksheet may help. This is a questionnaire designed to help you see what is really important in life and help you take steps to get there. It takes about 30 minutes to complete, but you may find that it brings some things to mind that are really important in the long term.

Remove: Obstacles To Success

Here is a quick exercise that you can do that may help you reach a major goal faster and easier. Take a sheet of paper and write your goal at the top and then write your top three obstacles to completion along the left side. Underneath each obstacle list three possible solutions to the problem.

When you actually write down the obstacles, they become less intimidating. If you can’t come up with solutions immediately, leave the paper out by your bedside. Many times the greatest ideas/solutions come in the middle of the night. You can also use this sheet with others as a brainstorming exercise. Other people bring a different perspective and may just come up with the perfect answer to the problem. I’ve created a downloadable template in MS Word, but a regular sheet of paper will work too.

Restyle: Your Wardrobe

With unemployment running high and more and more jobs disappearing it’s important to look good on your job. One of the best ways to tell your employer that you care about your job is to dress for success. This is also very important if you are job hunting or interviewing for a new position.

Professional career counselors say that a smart career goal for 2009 is to bump your wardrobe up a notch. If you currently wear jeans to work, consider upgrading to business casual. For guys, you can replace jeans with khakis or dress pants for a new look without spending much money. For gals, the jeans can be replaced with business oriented pants or skirts.

If you are currently in a business casual environment a bump up to collared shirts and possibly a tie will help you stand out from the competition. Remember that what you wear communicates visually about who you are.

Revolutionize: Your Life

In a new year when the news is negative most people hunker down and look for security. Yet truly this is a time to look for new opportunities and to change your life for the better. When you think about it, 2009 is a much better time to invest in many different things since valuations are at multi year lows. Look at the price of houses, stocks, commodities, and most consumer products. All have been beaten down over the last year.

It’s also a great time to learn new skills, since many of the companies that are laying off people now will be rehiring in the near future. But as Seth Godin says, the real key in 2009 is leadership. 2009 is uncharted waters and many of the old ways of doing things have been shattered. Why not make a pact with yourself and the rest of us to be one of the leaders that will change things for the better in the coming year. Create something different… maybe even remarkable… and revolutionize the way we do things in the future.

After all … the future is truly in your hands!

Have a great and successful 2009!

I’ve been well meaning and even set aside time, created an outline, did some research, but month after month and year after year the project has gone un-started.

That is until this labor day weekend.

I did something unthinkable.

I started writing.

And the words flowed and the first chapter came into being.

This became exciting and pictures started flowing in my mind, characters were created, and dialog was put on the written page.

My first book is on its way.

The interesting thing is it’s totally different than I thought it would be.

The story is created in my mind and the words just flow.

As the chapters have come together, I realized that I wanted to take this thing called writing to a higher level. I want my chapters to be more colorful, the characters more exciting, and the places more vivid.

I searched the bookstore for help and picked up a few books on writing. After buying a few of them I became frustrated. I knew what I wanted, but I just had trouble creating it. And these books really didn’t help.

Then I saw it, a simple little six dollar book called The Lively Art of Writing, written in 1965 by Lucile Vaughan Payne.

This book, in just a few hours has revolutionized how I write. It has taken my sentences, and made them more complete. It has opened up a vast world of active verbs that add color, action, and vivid description.

And it has given me a new confidence. A confidence that I can truly put on paper the vivid pictures and stories in my mind

Pick this little jewel up and add it to your library.

Soon your writing will shine like the spit shined shoe of a Marine!

You have to make a decision.

Do you get on the freeway that everyone else is on, or do you take the road less traveled?

In our time starved world, it is easy just to get on the freeway of life and travel down to our usual destination. Many days we don’t even think about it. But how about stopping at that intersection today, and turn right instead of left. Take the road less traveled… and see where it goes.

Maybe you’ll be a few minutes late to work. Maybe you’ll meet someone new. Maybe you’ll see a wondrous place you have never seen before. Maybe life will change for you.

Those few minutes of peace may make all the difference!

Take a turn for the better.

Take that small significant turn… today.