TipsForSuccess: January 2009

TipsForSuccess: "Work is a Game"

Work is a Game

"Any job is a game." "A game consists of freedoms, barriers and purposes." -- L. Ron Hubbard from The Problems of Work

Yes, your job is a game! Making money is a game. Succeeding in life is a game. And it can be as fun as playing a card game, a football game or a video game.

If you know your job is a game, you become more successful. You win more often if you understand and take advantage of the three parts of a game: FREEDOMS, BARRIERS and PURPOSES.

Three Parts of a Game

FREEDOMS are opportunities to succeed. Anything that helps you win the game are freedoms. Examples: your education, your hard work and the support you get from others.

BARRIERS are the problems you must solve or get through to win the game. They include the rules, problems and competitors.

PURPOSES include the goals, the accomplishments and the rewards.

For example, in a football or soccer game, if you are running down the field, and someone tries to stop you, he is a BARRIER. Your strong legs, teammates and the open field are your FREEDOMS. If you get past the other team, you will score a goal which is your PURPOSE.

As another example, if you want to earn more money at work, the BARRIERS may include a product that no one wants to buy, a competing business or your own laziness.

The FREEDOMS at your work may include a bonus plan that pays you for your hard work, a bright idea of how to improve the company's products and a new list of customers who will buy the products.

Your PURPOSES may be to double your income, pay for some training or pay off your debts.

If you do not increase your pay, you feel unhappy as you lost the game. However, if you double your income, you feel great! You won the game!

So how can you use this concept to succeed?

Three Steps to Winning

You improve your chances of winning by examining and handling the three parts of the game.

1. First of all, you cannot get upset about the BARRIERS. Barriers are included in all games.

For example, if you were a football player, you would not get mad because the other team showed up (a barrier) or because the referee enforced a rule (another barrier). You would not run away nor make up your own rules. You would know that to win the game, you simply play by the rules and do your best.

The same thing applies to your work. You do not get upset because of barriers, like rules, laws, competitors and other barriers. Instead, you get smarter than the barriers.

You do not beat up the competitor, ignore the barriers or cheat. You face the barriers, understand the barriers and figure out how to win the game, despite the barriers.

2. Next, concentrate on the PURPOSE. Have you ever seen a football player run to the wrong end of the field? He forgot his purpose!

The same thing can happen at work. If you have no purpose or you forget your purpose, you make no progress. You make bad decisions. You do the wrong things and fail.

To win the game of work, you need a purpose and you need to follow that purpose.

3. Finally, you can strengthen your FREEDOMS. You improve your current freedoms and add new ones until you win the game of work every day.

So what are your freedoms at your work?

Your mental strength is one freedom. Just as you exercise your body to build your strength for a football game, you train your mind to do your job better than ever. You take courses. You read books. You constantly learn.

To win a game, you listen to your coaches: your boss, your parents, a successful friend, a consultant or a financial advisor. Your coaches can be everyone who wants to help you.

Anything you do to prepare for the game is a freedom. For example, if you eat well and get a good night's sleep, you do a better job than if you stay up all night drinking.

Create Your Game Strategy

1. Write down your PURPOSES for working. Why are you there? What do you want to accomplish?

2. List all the BARRIERS. What do you dislike about your work? What gets in your way to accomplishing your purposes? What is not going well?

3. Make a list of all your FREEDOMS. What do you like about your work? What makes it worthwhile? What is going well?

4. Go back through each list. Add more purposes, more barriers and more freedoms. Make sure every part of the game is on the list. Just sorting out these three parts of a game can give you a boost of excitement to win your game.

5. Work out how you can stay on your purposes all of the time. If you are not excited to accomplish your purposes, consider more interesting purposes, bigger purposes or more beneficial purposes.

6. Work out how to handle the barriers. Sometimes you can dance around the barrier, use a different solution, or even turn the barrier into a freedom!

7. Work out how to strengthen the freedoms on your list and add even more freedoms. Taking more responsibility, recruiting people to help you, increasing your stamina, building your confidence and facing your fears are more examples of freedoms you can increase.

8. Continue to work on all three parts of your game until you are winning as never before.

Take a few minutes and give it a try. You might be surprised to find your game is much easier to win than you thought!

Provided by TipsForSuccess.org as a public service to introduce the technology of L. Ron Hubbard to you.

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TipsForSuccess: "Three Ways to Handle People"

Three Ways to Handle People

Your sister has a serious drinking problem which is ruining her life. Her husband left her and her children are being neglected. You and your other family members decide to meet with her to get her to stop drinking.

Your brother wants to use "tough love." He thinks everyone should attack her and criticize her, ". . . for her own good."

Your other sister wants to force her into a rehab program. She calls a few places to see if they will come out and kidnap her. She says, "Maybe if they give her some kind of an injection, she'll go quietly."

You don't feel comfortable using either approach and feel there must be a better way.

Three Methods

To understand the three ways to handle people, read these three definitions:

1. Enhancement: to improve or make greater
2. Domination: to control with authority or power
3. Nullification: to make something invalid

"The methods of handling others could be assigned to three general categories. The highest category would be one of enhancement, where the individual seeks by example and good reasoning to lift the level of those around him to the point where they will partake of the projects of living with him."

"The second category would be that of punishment drive, or domination. Here the individual uses alarm, threats and the general promise of pain unless compliance is given by the others around him."

"The third category is that of nullification, wherein the individual seeks to minimize individuals." "This category would rather see a man sick than well, because sick men are less dangerous than well men, according to the 'thinking' that takes place on this band." -- L. Ron Hubbard from Science of Survival

For example, if you have a boss that manages you with the nullification method, he wants you to be a slave. To make you feel you are nothing, he might say "Sometimes you're just as stupid as a dead dog." The less alive you feel, the less of a threat you are to him, and the more easily he thinks he can control you.

If your boss uses the domination method, he wants to overpower you. He might say, "Get your work done by noon or you're fired!" He might also lie and say, "I can't afford to pay any bonuses this year." He wants you to feel afraid of him, at all times.

A boss that you handles you with the enhancement method lifts you up. He sets an excellent example. He explains things to you. He makes you want to work with him.

He says things like, "Let's make this one of our best days ever, okay?" "I can get 50 files done in a hour. Can you?" "If you get the project done before you go home, I'll bring you donuts in the morning!"

Tough Love

Tough love is not loving. "We love you, but you're a total idiot! You've ruined your life and your kids' lives. If you don't change, we're never speaking to you ever again!"

Trying to force someone to change or improve themselves backfires. For example, if you force your alcoholic sister into a rehab program against her will, she might cooperate, at first. But sooner or later, she will rebel and either drink more than ever or refuse to speak to you again.

The staff of "boot camps" for difficult children will convince parents that they will force their kids to straighten up. Their "therapy" includes beatings, sleep deprivation, emotional abuse and public humiliation. However, these domination and nullification approaches do not work. In fact, the U.S. Justice Department reports these boot camps are as bad as prison; none of the children get better and many get worse.

True Love

To help your sister with the enhancement method, you use reason, respect and admiration. Your intention is to improve her perception of the world; to increase her own control and responsibility for herself and her family; to help her live a better life.

You communicate. You have unlimited patience. You are friendly and optimistic.

"I love you and want to help you be happier and healthier. I'd like to help you be a great mother again. Can we have a private dinner tonight and just talk?"

You use logic. You carefully point out the good and the bad. You work out plans that your sister agrees to do.

For example, you start taking vigorous walks together. You talk on the phone each day. You have family events each month.

Even when she fails, you continue to try to help her, even if it takes years. You never punish or criticize her. Your love is stronger than the obstacles.

She recovers because you find and strengthen the good in her. You bring her up to your level and she decides to stop drinking and succeed.

Exercises

1. Imagine how your life would be if everyone handled you with enhancement, not domination or nullification. Imagine how your family would be.

2. Imagine how your work would be if everyone there handled each other with enhancement and not domination or nullification.

3. Imagine a country where the government handled its people and other nations with enhancement, not domination or nullifcation. What would the world be like if everyone did this?

4. Notice how people around you handle others. Do they try to nullify people? Do they dominate them? Or do they enhance them?

5. Notice how you handle others. Do you ever feel like nullifying people? Do you try to dominate certain people? How often do you handle others by enhancing them? What is the result?

6. Use enhancement as your main method of handling others for a few days.Use good reasoning and communication to get others to join with you. Even if you do not see immediate results, persist.

As a result, you will set a good example. You will help others succeed. They will support you and appreciate you. And you will make a giant leap toward your ultimate success.

Provided by TipsForSuccess.org as a public service to introduce the technology of L. Ron Hubbard to you.

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TipsForSuccess: "Where to Find Great Advice"

Where to Find Great Advice

How do you form your opinions? Do you use other peoples' opinions . . . or your own?

How do you make important decisions? Do make them based on what others want you to do . . . or on what you want to do?

You might be happy to know that when it comes to successful living, the person you need to listen to is YOU!

"Be your own advisor, keep your own counsel and select your own decisions." -- L. Ron Hubbard

When someone asks you for advice, what do you do?

First, you would consider that person's problems and needs. You might do some research and put some thought to your answer. You would consider several options for this person.

Once you knew the right advice to give, you would give it clearly and with confidence.

You can and should be an excellent advisor to yourself. You advise yourself just as carefully as you would advise a good friend. As a result, you gain more confidence in your own opinions.

When you keep your own counsel, you keep your ideas and plans to yourself. You privately consider your needs and wants. You work things out alone.

When you make a decision, you do not go around and asking people what you should do. You decide for yourself. You base your decision on what is right for you. You then stand firm on the decision you make because it is yours.

Recommendations

1. Write down a problem for which you need advice.
2. Write down what you would do or say if someone else asked you for that advice.
3. Do those steps or take that advice.

For example, you need advice on how to handle your finances. Your bills are growing faster than your income. You ask yourself, "If a friend of mine had this problem, what advice would I give?"

You instantly know what you would say, "Hey now! You need to earn more than you spend! You need to make more money! And stop spending money on stupid things. Get those bills paid off, too!"

You laugh that you already know the best answer. You take your own advice and write a plan that straightens out your finances. You keep your plan to yourself and just do it.

You are being your own advisor, keeping your own counsel and making your own decisions.

Provided by TipsForSuccess.org as a public service to introduce the technology of L. Ron Hubbard to you.

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TipsForSuccess: "Abundance"

Abundance

"In life, the only real guarantee of survival is abundance." -- L. Ron Hubbard from Self Analysis

For example, George needs $3000 per month to pay his bills and he earns $3000 per month. George is stressed and at risk. He cannot guarantee that he'll have $3000 to pay his bills every month.

He may get sick and miss work for a week. His company may ask him to reduce his hours. He may have forgotten about his tax bill and actually needs $3500 per month.

Donna also needs $3000 per month, but before she allowed her monthly needs to grow to $3000 per month, she figured out how to earn $8000 per month. If she misses a week of work or needs to give her sister an emergency loan, she can do it.

Even though she can afford a fancier apartment or a new car, she keeps her monthly needs at $3000 per month. When it comes to money, she is relaxed and confident. Her chances of survival are much better than George's.

The greater the abundance, the greater your success.

More Examples

Salesman Pete needs to sell 10 cars per week to keep his favorite work shift. He plans on how to sell 30 cars per week. By working hard to sell 30, he always gets at least 10.

Executive Chris absolutely needs to be in New York for a meeting tomorrow morning. She makes a flight reservation on two different airlines. As soon as her first plane takes off, her assistant cancels the extra flight.

Computer programmer Nick loses a full day of production when his computer crashes. To increase his chances of success, he buys two identical computers. He installs his software programs on both computers. He keeps his files synchronized so if one computer ever fails, his production never stops.

Marci wants to get married, but after breaking up with the first boyfriend last year and breaking up with the second boyfriend this year, she decides to make a change. Instead of going out with just one fellow at a time, she decides to form friendships with five gentlemen. Within a few months, Marci is engaged to be married.

If you need one job, apply for 10. If you want to find the perfect house, go look at 25 houses. If you want to lose 10 pounds, dedicate yourself to lose 30 pounds.

If you want a stable career, learn twice as many skills as you need. If you need three hours for an important project, schedule five hours. If you need one great assistant, hire three.

"In life, the only real guarantee of survival is abundance." -- L. Ron Hubbard

Recommendations

1. Write down what you need to succeed. As well as your financial needs, what else do you need?

2. Ask yourself, "How can I get three to ten times more than what I need?"

3. Plan how to get that extra abundance and go for it.

By getting the abundance, your success is guaranteed!

Provided by TipsForSuccess.org as a public service to introduce the technology of L. Ron Hubbard to you.

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TipsForSuccess: "Have Some Fun!"

Have Some Fun!

"An individual who can freely and with a clear heart do things because they're fun is a very sane person." -- L. Ron Hubbard

What can you do today, simply because it's fun?

Ten Suggestions

1. Call someone who enjoys laughing with you, just for fun.

2. Watch a comedy television show or a funny movie, just for fun.

3. Act way too dramatic about a problem, just for fun.

4. Do a monkey dance, privately or publically, just for fun.

5. Find some new jokes on the Internet and use them to make the people around you laugh, just for fun.

6. Go roller skating, fly kites or go bowling with your family, just for fun.

7. If you are a perfectionist, deliberately make a mistake, just for fun.

8. Make some loud, enthusiastic sounds. For example, yell "WONDERFUL!" when you hear some good news, just for fun.

9. Take some kids to the zoo, a park or a water slide, just for fun.

10. Find a reason to give someone a high five or a back slap, just for fun.

Improve your sanity by having some fun today!

Provided by TipsForSuccess.org as a public service to introduce the technology of L. Ron Hubbard to you.

To subscribe, buy books, contact us or learn more about TipsForSuccess.org, click here.

TipsForSuccess: "Work is a Game"

TipsForSuccess: "Three Ways to Handle People"

TipsForSuccess: "Where to Find Great Advice"

TipsForSuccess: "Abundance"

TipsForSuccess: "Have Some Fun!"

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