One of the very best ways to continue to improve and develop is to listen to audio books and trainings. You can listen in your car, while you exercise, or even as you are doing basic work around the house.

Today with digital technology, music and even audio books can be downloaded very easily. For audio books that can often mean a substantial price reduction. One company that you can use for purchasing audio books at a good price is called Audible. I haven’t been using them long, but I am impressed with what I have found.

One of the neatest things is the ability for authors to have their own partner page, where they can feature their books and recommend others. Seth Godin’s page is excellent. Not only are his books excellent but he recommends some important books as well.

You can check out Audible and Seth’s page here:

http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/template/ext/landing.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&pac=Seth+Godin

What are your favorite audio programs?

Danny

What is the best thing you could do to grow your website, blog, or business, if you had 2 hours a day but no money? Recently a number of top bloggers were asked how they would market their site for free if they had 2 hours a day. The resulting comments were very insightful.

You can read the article here:

http://jonathanfields.com/blog/top-bloggers-reveal-how-to-build-traffic-off-blog-without-spending-a-dime/

Danny

One of the big advantages of having a home business is the ability to use a portion of your home expenses as a tax deductible write off. This is a great benefit. Unfortunately many people do it incorrectly.

Here is a great article from CNN about how to correctly write off your home as a tax deduction:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/worklife/10/12/home.office.taxes/index.html

Blessings,
Danny

Here is a great post by John Jantsch from the Duct Tape Marketing Blog about having a clear picture for what your business will be like when it is done.

I think it brings up two interesting points. First of all, having a clear picture of the outcome of your business is valuable – it will help you work harder and smarter. It will give you a deeper motivation and help you work in the proper direction.

Secondly, it means that your business should have an end goal – that doesn’t mean you have to stop working your business – but if you know your end goal you can work towards it AND be happy when you get there. Too often one goal is replaced by the next and by the next and no one is ever satisfied with the work they have done. While you should always have goals in life you also need to be content and satisfied when you achieve the goal you are working towards.

This is a tough balance to achieve – having goals to propel you forward, and being content and able to celebrate goals that are achieved. Any thoughts?

You can read the article here:
http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/10/03/whats-the-picture-of-your-business-when-its-done/

Danny

Are you thankful? If you are thankful, do you live like it?

Today we are often victims of two forces that push us towards unhappiness and living a life without gratitude.

#1 – Always striving for more – Now setting goals and working towards more is not a problem – in fact it can be very healthy – however, many people do so at the expense of forgetting all of the great things they have today. Is your goal to grow your business so you can experience more with your family? If so, then remember to appreciate the times you are able to spend with your family now.

#2- Taking things for granted – We also often take many things for granted. If we would stop and think through how much we already have we will be filled with gratitude and be more happy.

Taking the time to be grateful leads to happiness.

Here is a great post about the topic:
http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2007/09/living-in-grati.html/

Danny

Here is a great article about having the characteristics of an effective leader. Do you have these characteristics?

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/do-you-have-the-characteristics-of-an-effective-leader/

I especially like the quote from Dwight D. Eisenhower

Blessings,
Danny

One of the biggest benefits for having your own business relates to the cost your commute takes on you. Many of the costs you do not even realize. Tim Ferris has a great post today on determining the cost of your commute. He emphasizes the ability to work from anywhere at any time. I love my home business because I can move and it moves with me, and because I can travel and still keep things moving.

Here is the article:
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/

Danny

It is easy to let your internet control you. Instead of being a valuable tool for productivity and connectivity, the internet can zap your time, and overload you with information and activity. The internet may be controlling you if your inbox is filled with more than a hundred messages, or if you have so many sites that you need to check each day that you lose an hour of your day before you are done.

I’ve been there. Fortunately, I’ve been working to simplify my internet usage. Here is a great post to help you do just that.

http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/01/how-to-simplify-your-online-life/

Danny