One of the most overlooked and—what I believe to be—misunderstood concepts is that your presence is your brand, meaning: how you present yourself is how others perceive you.

You have probably heard the saying that “You are who you hang out with the most.” This is because you are known by those with whom you associate. However, you are also known by what you say, do, and represent on a daily basis.

For example, I used to have a friend that ran ten miles a day (5 to 6 days a week). A slow day for him was 5 or 7 miles. He always had energy and was in great shape. I began to notice that everyone I bumped into around the neighborhood formulated the opinion that he was generally healthy and an all-around good fella. Why? Because his “presence” of discipline and doing something healthy every day lead people to the assumption he was a disciplined person and that he was a man of great conviction. By the way, this all came from people who really didn’t even know him all that well. They only knew the actions he took every day.

We, too, have the same opportunity to have others judge us in a profound way by the daily actions that we take and the “presence” they see, hear, and feel from us when they meet or see us.

The truth is…you have a sub-conscious presence that I like to call a “default” presence—it just automatically happens for us. We also have what is called the conscious presence of what and who we want to be and represent to the world. Most people live through their default un-conscious presence, and that is a shame.

Now, it does take the power of self-discipline and your ability to re-train your actions so that the healthy and rewarding actions become automatic habits for you. Yes, you can fuse the two un-conscious and conscious presences together—and here’s how.

Once an action has been determined to be a pathway to success (and/or health and happiness) it can then become an automatic habit that produces a good flow of what you want and need in your life.

Example: As a student in the Martial Arts, I learned movements and was told to allow my techniques to become automatic so that I can react quicker without my thoughts slowing down my actions. When the technique is right for the situation—and works by producing the required affect—it is a good thing. But, it takes conscious action to get the good automatic reaction to appear and be there reliably. So this is why it’s crucial to be able to create a conscious presence of what and who you want to be in life.

The ability to consciously create who and what you want to be in life is a powerfully life changing tool and is absolutely required in order for creative change to come about. So, decide who you want to be and why you want to be that character or “presence.” Start taking the conscious actions to make that presence real and you will change yourself, your life, and how others brand you.

“Empty your mind.
Be formless, shapeless, like water.
If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup.
You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle.
You put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Water can flow, and it can crash.
Be like water, my friend…” – Bruce Lee

There is little doubt about the contribution that Bruce Lee made to the world of Martial Arts. And my goal of this particular blog is not to point out the great Bruce Lee’s flaw in his concept, but to make it clearer. Let’s start with the first “Empty your mind” statement.

“Empty your mind” means leave behind all beliefs and thoughts about the concepts that you think are real and unreal. It means to completely quiet the mind until there is only a feeling of complete stillness and oneness. There is no inside or outside stimuli. No rush or feeling or thought to do or not to do something. There is only the moment of perfect stillness and no anticipation of anything. You just flow into the present of what is. It can make you feel spatial and very calm. It is the perfect time to enter all that is and to leave behind all that you think there is or is not. It is the perfect release.

The next statement tells us to “Be formless, shapeless, like water.” Water has no apparent form until it is added to a structure and then it assumes the form of the entered structure. So your mind is free of ideas, concepts, and beliefs. It is ready to form to any structure that it enters at any moment. The water does not judge the structure, it just feels the structure. It is perfect with the structure and assumes doing as the structure’s being.

“If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup.” No it does not…it becomes the mode of the structure of the cup. It becomes the substance that fills the structure and formulates its dimensions and becomes the dimensions of the structure. The same hold true for the next two statements: “You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot.” The water will become the substance of the structure—and in some cases like the teapot with other ingredients added—will become another substance all together like tea itself.

“Water can flow and it can crash.” Water can certainly do both of those, and if you were to focus it, it can also cut through things. Water will crash and look for other ways to continue its flow. If no other way is present, it will become the substance of the structure. But water is always ready to change structure and reformulate itself. That is the true power of water (and your mind). Be like water my friends.

There is no doubt in my mind that change can be—and is—one of the scariest things for people to face. I do understand the challenges in changing yourself because I, too, have had to re-invent myself as well.

When making changes in yourself, oftentimes it feels as if you are leaving behind an old friend. This is because oftentimes you have become so accustomed to how you feel and look that it feels like you truly are losing a part of yourself.

When people say things like “you should accept me as I am,” they are really saying that they are simply unwilling to change—whether for themselves or for you.  There are times when changing is absolutely a needful thing. But how do you make the changes, and why?

People are slow to accept change in themselves or others. However, here is a list of times when change is needed and should be accomplished.

1. When there is a consistent pattern of people not liking you and they’re being very negative against you. The pattern is always repeatable and you find yourself without friends or family wanting to be around you.
2. You can’t find work in your related and trained field and you refuse to learn new skills in order to compete.
3. You feel unhappy and sad all the time and feel that everything is always another’s fault.
4. Your life has stayed the same and not changed and you are not happy about that.

Of course, you have to be the one to make the decision to change, but you are going to need help. To start, I suggest reading books on personal transformation, emotional control, and mental management, which are crucial to long term success.

Naturally, I recommend getting involved in some form of direct learning and training program, because a personal development training course—like Creotology Personal Development (with learning tools and procedures)—can help you make meaningful transformation. At the very least, find another similar type of course to ours that is proven to work.

Making the changes you need, no matter the fear that you have towards the subject, will go far in making you feel happy and in flow with yourself. Here are some ideas to help you make the life changes you need.

First, ask yourself… “What new skills do I need in order to compete in the marketplace that also raises my value to my employers and to the degree that I desire money and power?”

Second, “What new skill would make me feel more comfortable around other people and more in flow with the crowd?”

Third, “What changes could I make that would make me—and my loved ones—happy? (This makes a mutually beneficial change for everyone.)

When you really want to change your life, you are more likely to do it, but, again, you will probably need help. This is when you turn to personal development training for the help to do so. Change can be the greatest thing in your world, providing you give yourself the chance you deserve.

We, at Creotology, are in your corner and believe that you can change. In fact, you are already changing simply by reading this article. Now, it’s time for you to believe that you can change and finally make that transformation. You can do it!

“Knowing what matters and what does not is the key to happiness.” —Brady Cameron

It’s been my belief that most people feel and believe that they themselves have been placed here (in life) with a format for learning that has been assigned to them by some higher power or force. In other words, they feel compelled to discover and find the “meaning” to a life that has already been created for them by another entity or divine force of some sort. To me, this creates confusion and allows others to easily manipulate people into doings they don’t want to do otherwise—or wouldn’t want to do.

Essentially, what I’m talking about is taking control of your life and the ability to create into your life whatever you chose. I understand that it takes a big leap of faith to believe that you are in charge of your life and that it’s up to you to make the difference in what you want to experience firsthand. I know this is a scary thought! However, the road to your happiness—and the true meaning to your life—is found along the pathway of your desires and what you want to experience from life.

Remember, you are the cause-and-effect that makes all things in your life happen. While it’s true that you cannot control all things in your life, it’s better to focus on what you can control. Although this is not a complete list, here are some examples of what you can control in your life:

1. You can control what you believe, why you believe it, and what you will do with your beliefs.
2. You can control what you act upon in your life.
3. You can control your responses to others and to life events.
4. You can control what you eat and how much you exercise daily.
5. You can control your learning in life and why you are learning.
6. You can control your directions in life and why you want to go in that direction.

So, for sure you get the idea by now.

If you want to find happiness and the true meaning and purpose of your life, you need to create that meaning in your life and then enforce it. That’s right! You have to define and enforce your personal meaning in life. You are the only one that should assign yourself the meaning and purpose of your life. After all, it is your life to live. And the only life worth living is one for which you have passion (one that has a road with your heart).

Furthermore, no one should dictate your life path for you (except for you, yourself). So, figure out what you want from life and how you want your life to feel to you. Then, get busy with your personal development training so that you have the needed skills to make your life the one you want to live—and enjoy doing so.

“If there is a better investment in your future than the study of personal development and education, I have not discovered it.” —Brady Cameron

I read an article (The 12 Greatest Entrepreneurs of Our Time and What We Can Learn from Them) in the April, 2012 edition of Fortune magazine, written by John A. Byrne. Much to my delight, I found this article to be short and to the point—as well as very informative about the beliefs of each of the great leaders Byrne spoke about in the article.

What I took away from the article was the fact that each entrepreneur was well versed in their own belief system about business and about how to succeed in business. While there were some major differences, there were, however, several common denominators, as well. For example, several entrepreneurs believed in surrounding themselves with intelligent people who could challenge their assumptions and ideas as well as tear down their ideas, which really helped evolve their original idea. In large part, it was about finding the flaw and then fixing it, which in turn made their original idea stronger.

Most notable in their personal development was that they had many discoveries about business and what it took to run one with great success. Another common denominator was customer service. They all believed in making sure the customer was happy at all costs. Service the customer with respect and happiness—and be willing to truly help them—in order to leave a happy and fulfilled customer. I think this procedure is excellent advice for all business people to follow.

Additionally, they also talked about having a product and/or service at an affordable price. I guess, however, that depends on the level of business you want to run. In other words, do you want your pricing to be like a discount store or a specialty store?  For example, if you are looking to run a large-volume retail outlet (like a Wal-Mart)…cheaper prices may be great. However, if you are running a low-volume higher price point type of product or service, customer satisfaction should still be your number one priority; however, understandably, the product and/or service may be priced higher, as well.

For a few entrepreneurs highlighted in the article, isolation was a major contributing factor for their success because this allowed them to get away in order to think of more ideas and to go outside the box, thus thinking differently.

For example, Steve Jobs, in the face of conventional thinking, did not believe in market research for his products. He believed that the customers, not fully knowing what was available to them, could not give a fully informed opinion.  In other words, Jobs, thinking outside the box, thought of and put his products into motion because of what he envisioned and believed. Now that is a man of strong convictions. That’s a great ability to have; however, it takes time to develop it through regular personal development training.

The biggest take-away message from this article for me was the fact that all of these great entrepreneurs each had strong convictions and powerful belief systems behind their products and services—and they would not stop at anything until their products and/or services were complete and successfully brought into the market place. What was amazingly evident to me was how their personal development training came through the fire and brimstone of the often harsh business world and how they were willing to lay it all on the line for their success and happiness in order to change the world.

Do not be afraid to get your personal development training the same way these great entrepreneurs did…through belief, action, and a “never stop” attitude. Now that you know some of the rules, it’s time to go play the game and win!! J

Well, here is my reason for why you should open a Creotology Personal Development Institute. For far too long, I have witnessed thousands of people attend personal development workshops and seminars, only to become pumped up and motivated during the event and then leave and go home, losing their enthusiasm for their original goals set in the first place. I, too, am an individual who has done this.

However, it was a Martial Arts seminar that changed my perspective and helped me make the changes needed to truly help people (especially me). Let me explain!

Once, I attended a weekend Martial Arts seminar in which I learned a few new things and met several nice people. However, when I returned home, I noticed that I had forgotten a lot of the material that was covered, and furthermore, I had no one to consult with over the forgotten lessons. I wasn’t sure that what I was practicing at home was 100% correct and accurate. It got me thinking, however, because, this is what I had experienced at several personal development workshops and seminars, too.

The idea came to me that I should start personal development institutes that operate “like” martial art schools but only teach personal development skills (rather than fighting skills), and make them schools for life success. The idea would be that you can receive constant training, motivation, and advice on how to achieve your personal and business goals.

For starters, you will have hands-on personal development material and lessons that are practiced during class. In addition, you will be assigned small amounts of homework to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom in real life training situations. This allows you to practice your personal development skills and definitively prove to your instructor (but more importantly…to you, yourself) that you truly know and understand how to apply the personal development skills in your life.

“A skill is only worth having if you can apply it when needed in order to achieve your desired goal.”

You see, too many people leave personal development workshops and seminars just to go home and forget why they went there in the first place—or even worse, they become discouraged that personal development training does NOT work.

Now, before you discard personal development altogether, remember that it’s not your fault if your personal development training doesn’t initially work—nor is it the fault of the personal development technique, itself. The problem typically lies within the set-up and delivery of the information.

Follow-through is what’s needed to make your personal development skills complete, as well as your life transformation. However, you need a qualified instructor, proper motivation, and the correct skills. In addition, properly understanding your motivations and practicing your personal development skills in real life situations demonstrates your ability to wield such skills.

Just know the Las Vegas Creotology Personal Development Institute will be ready to properly deliver the life changing information you need, this summer. Once open, you can receive real life personal development principles delivered over a six month training schedule in which you attend one class a week.

If at the end of your first level Initiate graduation you want to open your own Creotology Personal Development Institute and teach others how to succeed in life, you may qualify for a business license; however, you must complete your second level Adept training.

Keep in mind, it’s inexpensive to start your own institute and you are your own boss. Furthermore, you are protected by a growing business model and a family of Creotology licensees (entrepreneurial-minded people who think alike and help each other succeed).

Go to Creotology.com and download your free Initiate book. Your life transformation can begin right now!