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If you’re trying to escape the nine-to-five grind, the most important consideration is your net worth. The amount of capital you have working for you is the greatest predictor of your freedom. The more the merrier.
The reality, though, is that most people have no idea what they’re worth. If you asked them, they couldn’t tell you. And that’s a problem. Freedom is all about increasing the amount of money that you have invested that works for you. To rid yourself of your day job, you need at least five figures per year in passive income. Of course, the question for many is “how do I get there?” But first, you need to know what you are worth. Calculating The Value Of Your Assets To figure out what you are worth, you need to first calculate the value of your assets. Assets are basically anything you own or anything that other people owe to you. Here’s a list of assets that you might have:
If you’re not sure how much a particular asset is worth, you can get help. An expert witness is someone with experience in valuing assets and telling you what they’re worth. Liabilities Of course, assets are only one side of the equation. On the other hand, you have liabilities. Liabilities are everything that you owe other people. This includes your mortgage and all other debts. You should also include any depreciating assets you own in this category too. Net Worth Once you have figures for both your assets and liabilities, you need to subtract liabilities from assets. The resulting figure is your net worth, hence the word “net.” If your net worth is above around £1.5 million, you’re said to have a “high” net worth. About 2 percent of the UK population fall into this category, and they tend to be much older people with an average age well into their fifties. The average household net worth in the UK is around £250,000. That’s even when you subtract people’s mortgages. However, that may change if there is a housing slump. Net worth is something that tends to grow exponentially over time. As people get older, the rate at which their net worth increases accelerates. That’s because you have more capital working for you every year. Once you get past the £100,000 mark, life starts to get easier. And once you hit around half a million, that’s when you can really get the party started and think about taking a break from incessant work. For the most part, increasing net worth is a long game. You need to commit to doing it for many years before you’ll get the big payoff you want.
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When you no longer feel rewarded in your career, it can be pretty hard to stay motivated and focused on the work that you need to get done. So what can you do to find that motivation and feel rewarded by your career once more? It’s a tough question, but it’s one we’re going to explore in a little more depth today because it certainly is possible if you make the right moves next, so read on.
Set Some Goals Setting some goals might be what you need to do first of all if you want to make it easier for you to feel fulfilled and motivated in the workplace. When you have some concrete goals to work towards, it can make such a big difference to how you view your work and how you feel when you arrive in the workplace each morning. Remind Yourself of Your Work’s Significance and Impact It’s sometimes necessary to remind yourself of what you’re doing. When you get into routines in your career, you often lose touch with the wider impact of what your work is actually achieving, so it can be a good idea to remind yourself of the good you’re doing and the impact your work is actually having. Collaborate with Others More Collaborating more with the people around you can make you feel more rewarded in your work because you won’t feel like you’re going it alone so much. That’s important because it’s never very much fun to work on your own and feel isolated throughout your working day. So why not do something to change that? It could be what you’ve been looking for all this time. Make a Switch to a Job That Makes You Feel Rewarded Sometimes, you simply have to accept that it’s time to change direction in your career and that the path you’re currently on is no longer capable of making you happy. That’s a situation that many people find themselves in, so you shouldn’t feel too daunted by the prospect. Maybe you can do a job that’s more about helping people if you want that rewarding fulfillment. Medical or care jobs might provide you with that. Challenge Yourself Finally, you should think about whether there are some new ways in which you can challenge yourself to achieve more. When you have something that you feel challenged by and that’s not just mundane and dull, it can definitely make you feel much more rewarded and interested in your work, and that’s what you need when you’re lacking motivation. You could talk to your boss about creating a new challenge for you to work on. As you can see, there are lots of steps you can take if you want to start feeling a little more rewarded and motivated in your career. A lot of the time, you simply need to change your mindset and the way in which you approach your work if you want to get more out of it. Or maybe a bigger change is needed.  Image credit: Alexandra Koch from Pixabay If you want to make sure that your child achieves the most in terms of their academic performance, it’s important to play your part in that process as a parent. You can’t simply expect them to succeed if you’re not supporting them in the correct ways.
But what does that look like and what can you do to make sure that your child’s grades are as strong as they possibly can be going forward? We’re going to talk about all of that today, so read on and find out more. Take an interest in their education First of all, you should try to take a more active interest in their education and the path they’re taking. When you know what they’re doing at school, what they’re learning about, and which subject areas they most want to pursue, you’ll be closer to your child and also get better at helping and assisting them with their learning. So this is always the first thing you need to do if you want to support them better. Listen to their struggles It’s also important to be there to listen to the things that they’re dealing with. From the point of view of a parent, this is something that’s useful for a number of reasons. When you stop to listen to what they’re going through, you can support and reassure them. You can also find new ways to help them with those specific struggles in mind. It’s always easier to help as a parent when you know what your child is actually struggling with. Help them set goals Setting goals is something that can be very helpful for them as well. When you set goals as a team, you can make sure that you help them understand what their goals should be and that they’re staying on the right track. Most children don’t do well with planning ahead and setting goals, so as a parent it definitely makes sense if you help them as much as possible with this whole process. They then have something to aim for and work towards. Coordinate with their teachers It can be hard for you alone to understand how your child is performing at school because you're not there seeing it play out. Their teachers, however, are. And that’s why you should always try to stay in regular contact with their teachers and why you should listen to the feedback that they’re giving you regarding your child’s performance in the classroom. You can use the information they give you to help you do more for your child at home. Find them the right tutor Sometimes, all it takes is a little extra help and support outside the classroom. When you can make the right decisions regarding their tutor and the kind of help they get, they can push ahead and exceed the expectations of their teachers. There are so many benefits of tuition that you might want to explore before you decide whether or not this is something that might benefit your child and what they’re able to achieve in terms of their grades going forward. Encourage interests and activities outside the classroom It’s always important for your child to have interests and pursuits outside of school too, and that’s something you definitely shouldn’t overlook. If you want them to make progress and get the grades that you feel they deserve to achieve, they’ll need a degree of balance in their life. And that comes from doing fun things and spending time on the things that interest them too. There’s nothing wrong with that can be very healthy. Establish some healthy routines Finally, you should try to establish some healthy routines that help your child to stay on the right path with their education. When they get out of bed early, start the day in a healthy way and feel alert and focused during school hours, that’ll really benefit their education and make it more likely that they’ll achieve the grades they’re ultimately capable of achieving. So those routines really are essential. So if you want the very best for your child and their educational attainment going forward, be sure to make the most of the tips and ideas that we’ve shared here today. Each of them will help your child reach their full potential and get to where they want to be in terms of their education. So be sure to make the most of them and do your best to support your child.  Image credit: Gerd Altmann from Pexels Are you looking to achieve success in your career? If so, you're not alone. Many people are looking for ways to make their careers more successful. This blog post will discuss three quick tips that will help you achieve your goals and be successful in your career!
1. Outwork your competitor One of the best ways to achieve success in your career is to outwork your competition. If you want to be the best, you have to put in the work. Outworking your competition will not only make you better, but it will also make them respect you more. Competition is a good thing - it helps us push ourselves and be the best that we can be. If you find yourself in a competitive environment, use it to your advantage and work harder than everyone else. One of the most important things to remember if you want to be successful in your career is that there is no substitute for hard work. If you want to achieve your goals, you have to be willing to put in the hours. 2. Studying helps more than you realise Studying can help you more than you realise when it comes to career success. Many people think that they can just wing it, and they'll be fine. However, this is not the case. If you want to be successful in your career, you need to work and study hard, preferably with a recognised university in a good schooling country, like the United Kingdom, for example. When applying to university, don't take it lightly. Approach all communication and application with seriousness and professionalism. After all, your future depends on it. It is advisable to look for help where you can find it and learn important formats like UCAS personal statement examples. If you're interested in joining a particular university, consider reaching out to alumni for advice. In addition to studying at a recognised university, another way to make sure you're on the right track is to get internships and work experience in your field of interest. This will give you a leg up when it comes time to apply for jobs. 3. Get a Mentor One of the best ways to achieve success in your career is to find a mentor. A mentor is someone who has been successful in their field and can help guide you to success. They can offer advice, support, and guidance when it comes to making decisions about your career. Mentors can be found in many different places. You can ask family and friends if they know anyone who would be a good mentor for you. You can also look for mentors online or through professional networks. Once you find a mentor, nurture the relationship and take advantage of their wisdom! In conclusion, if you want to succeed in your career, you need to outwork your competition, study hard, and get a mentor. Just by starting with these three areas, you'll stand out above the rest and be on your way to a successful career!  Image credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels No one ever said being an entrepreneur would be easy, and for many people, failure is just a part of the journey. In fact, according to Forbes, around 90% of all startups fail. So if you're an entrepreneur who has experienced failure, know that you are not alone. This blog post will discuss some ways to handle failure as an entrepreneur.
#1 Accept it First and foremost, it is important to accept failure. This may seem like an obvious statement, but in order to move on from failure, you must first accept that it has happened. Denial will only make the situation worse and make it harder to learn from your mistakes. So how do you accept failure? An excellent way to start is by taking some time to reflect on what went wrong. Once you have identified what went wrong, you can begin to develop a plan for how to avoid making the same mistake again in the future. #2 Learn from it One of the best ways to handle failure is to learn from it. As mentioned above, taking some time to reflect on what went wrong can be helpful in this process. But learning from failure goes beyond just understanding what went wrong; it also involves understanding why it went wrong. For example, let's say you launch a new product, and it fails miserably. In order to learn from this experience, you need to understand not only that the product was unsuccessful but also why it was unsuccessful. Was there a problem with the product itself? Was the marketing campaign ineffective? Did you misjudge the target market? Once you have answered these questions, you can begin to develop a plan for how to avoid making similar mistakes in the future. There are many ways to learn from failure, but one of the most important things to remember is that failure is not permanent. Just because a venture has failed does not mean that you have failed as an entrepreneur. It is crucial to pick yourself up and try again. If you are finding it difficult to motivate yourself to keep going through the failures or to find the lessons to be learnt consider hiring the help and services of a business coach. Award winning business coach Peter Boolkah emphasises that business coaching is all about you, the business owner, and how you manage, run and react to your business. Business coaching can help you develop and improve in such a way that your business will reap the rewards. It will give you a means of accountability to put those mistakes to good use and learn from them going forward. Business coaching could be just the drive to turn your mistakes into opportunity. So don’t let those mistakes go to waste. #3 Use it as motivation Another way to handle failure is to use it as motivation. When you have experienced a setback, it can be easy to feel like giving up. But if you use your experience of failure as motivation, it can be a powerful tool for helping you achieve success - Krissy Jones’s story is a great example! Think about what you want to achieve and let that be your driving force. Use your experience of failure to remind yourself why you are doing what you are doing and what you are working towards. Let it motivate you to keep going even when things are tough. #4 Don't dwell on it Finally, it is vital to not dwell on your failures. Yes, it is important to learn from your mistakes, but dwelling on them will only make things worse. Once you have accepted and learned from your failures, it is time to move on. Focus on the future and what you can do to achieve success. Use your experience of failure as a lesson and a reminder of what not to do in the future. But don't let it hold you back from moving forward and achieving your goals. Failure is a part of being an entrepreneur, but it doesn't have to define you. By following the tips above, you can learn how to handle failure in a healthy and productive way.  avi_acl from Pixabay Arguably, the hardest thing for anyone who is in a position of leadership, whether they are about to launch a new business venture or are already in the midst of some form of panic is to become a leader that's motivational while also inspiring in equal measure. Leaders in the modern-day need to win cooperation, and the two main ways of doing this are to motivate and inspire. While the two are often used interchangeably, they will mean different things, depending on what you need to achieve, so how can you motivate or inspire your people or become inspiring to others?
Understand the Sacrifice When you are of the approach when you're telling people to do what you tell them but you're not actually practising what you preach, this can be a very difficult situation to navigate. Therefore, you have to share the sacrifices. If people are going to work over the weekend, you've got to be able to put roll up your sleeves and put in the effort. The fact is that when it comes to being a leader or a motivator, you've got to experience the hardships yourself. Whenever people book motivational speakers for events it's about inspiring people from a perspective that truly has meant the speaker has gone through the mill. Perhaps you can think about getting into public speaking yourself, and having a lectern designed for you by Luminati. In this way, you’ll have a much better understanding of what you need to know and how you need to be. When you focus on that sacrifice and you've gone through the tough stuff, this makes it more tangible to others to believe in what you are trying to get them to do. Remember the Limits When you're trying to get something done you may want people to give 110% of their time all of the time, but the reality is that people are only human after all. Rather than asking people to give their all constantly, you've got to get the balance right and this means ensuring that limits are there so people can rest and recuperate. Use Emotions to Appeal (without Using Fear) If you resort to using the fear factor this can demotivate people. Positive emotions are vital if you want to be a great leader. The sense of belonging or the thrill of achievement is far more palpable than threatening people throughout a process where they have to give their all. We have to remember that if somebody is fearful they are not going to invest themselves wholeheartedly. Offer Multiple Reasons for Their Input The best reason to get people involved is always a personal one. You can always offer incentives, but you have to remember that everybody will do something for completely different reasons. When you are looking to inspire, you can talk about the challenges that you have faced and this can give them an idea of what has made you who you are. But not every reward has to be tangible. Sometimes, it can be all about personal satisfaction but you've got to pitch it right. If you are looking to be a big motivator and inspire, you've got to remember that values combined with challenges make for stellar results.  Image credit: Ryderwear Everybody has asked themselves about their life purpose at some point. The pandemic has put a lot of things into focus, and for those people who are looking to improve their sense of livelihood, it's important to choose a line of work that aligns with your life path. So what can we all do when we get that little voice inside us that says “don't?”
What Have You Got to Lose? So many of us stop before we start. But the fact is that now is the ideal opportunity to try something out. Economically, things are starting to look up, depending on who you ask, but even if you keep waiting for things to “get better,” you would be waiting forever. These days, if you're looking to start your own business, you have an abundance of information at your fingertips. What’s more, with the amount of cheap web design services and support out there, for anybody who is looking to start their own business there is plenty of support. What do you really have to lose? Are You Trying to Please Someone Else? Sometimes we stop ourselves before we start because we worry about what others will say. While disapproving family members are one thing, if there's someone in your life that would actively discourage you from doing this, you've got to ask yourself if this person has your best interests at heart. Sometimes, we can find we try to please others rather than ourselves, and this is only going to result in regret. Following our life path is about focusing on ourselves. Sometimes we get in relationships with people who will try to discourage us, and it may very well be that they are looking out for us, however, it is our choice to make and if we make a mistake, at least we have learnt from it. Is Failure the Biggest Fear? Everybody fears failure. And now it is such a cliche that it is almost irrelevant! But it certainly makes sense why people are reluctant to do anything. There are issues with the economy, we've just lived through a pandemic, and there is no end in sight as of yet. But while it makes sense to be cautious in one respect, we've got to remember that if we are being cautious to the detriment of our happiness, we are only going to be regretful. And what's more, we are going to resent ourselves. Sometimes, making changes in life is not necessarily about the big, bold decisions, but it can be about improving the quality of your life. Sometimes, you've got to get more out of what you already have. And sometimes this means you need to look after yourself better, and actually focus on yourself. Your life purpose is something that you should never put off. Some people don't discover their purpose until later in life, and it has made everything worthwhile. So if there's ever a little voice in your head that tells you not to do something, always remember that your happiness is the priority.  Image credit: Daniel Reche from Pexels From time to time, just about everyone finds themselves in a situation where they want to make some significant change in their life, whether that means setting a New Years’ Resolution to get in better shape, or whether it means creating a startup business.
Whether you are considering a foray into the field of Digital Marketing, want to get more fit, or are interested in seeing more of the world, however, one thing that can end up getting in the way of a planned life change is a simple lack of energy. If you feel exhausted and unmotivated on a regular basis, actually moving forward and making any substantial kind of life change can seem very daunting. Here are some tips for getting the energy to make a life change. Use a habit tracker, and start by forcing yourself to go through the right basic steps each day At the start of any new endeavour, you're likely to find it difficult to consistently turn up and put in the effort required – and this could seem to drain your energy significantly more than it would otherwise. Particularly when you're feeling as though you don't have as much energy as you would like, however, using a habit tracker and starting off by forcing yourself to go through the right basic steps each day, can be very helpful. It's a good idea to start simple here, rather than to allow yourself to become overwhelmed by trying to do too much in one go. Consistency, and gaining momentum, is very important. Both for making a life change, and boosting your sense of energy. Put yourself in an environment that helps to encourage and motivate you When you put yourself in situations that help to facilitate the kind of behaviour you're trying to adopt, and especially when you surrounding yourself with individuals who embody the kind of change you're looking to make, you will tend to find that you are much more energetic and driven to move forward in the right direction. If, on the other hand, you want to get in great shape but don't know anyone who's into fitness, you are just going to tend to find it harder to be energised and to take the steps required to move in the right direction consistently. Take steps to surround yourself with the kind of people who can help to keep you motivated to make the change you're looking to make. Find energising hobbies and pastimes to add to your daily routine There are various hobbies and pastimes that you can adopt that are likely to help you to feel more energised on an everyday basis. Find which of these hobbies and pastimes work for you, and then make sure to add them into your everyday routine. Some of the kinds of things you might want to explore could include a yoga routine, regular outdoor strolls, or a chat with a loved one who always helps you to feel more upbeat.  Image credit: Estee Janssens from Unsplash What's important is how you accomplish it. You will be able to change your behavior if you can change your goals.
When you take the time to write out your goals in the first instance you're going to have a better chance of achieving them. Here's what I do to help me accomplish my goals. 1 - I always begin by writing down why the goal is important to me. If I really don't have a good reason why, my goals will most likely not get accomplished. In that case I'll try to come up with some kind of solution that will keep me motivated to keep working toward achieving my goal. 2 - I always look at all the reasons why the goals aren't being accomplished. There is usually going to be many reasons why one goal will be done quicker than another. 3 - I don't accept that I am the only one who doesn't know how to work toward achieving their goals. There are going to be many people in many parts of the world who don't know how to achieve their goals. In that case they need to learn how to work toward achieving their goals. 4 - I look at what I've accomplished thus far in my life and see what I've needed to learn how to work toward achieving my goals. I always try to take a look at what I've accomplished thus far in my life and think about what I've done so far and see what I need to learn how to work toward achieving my goals. By looking at what you've accomplished thus far in your life, you'll be able to see what you need to learn how to work toward achieving your goals. As you accomplish each goal you set for yourself, you'll be going on to the next goal. That's what has the MO MO - more is more. It's best to set big goals for yourself. It's also important to make sure you are realistic with your goals. Realistic means something that is easy to achieve. That doesn't mean easy to obtain either. You have to work hard to get the goals accomplished. You're going to have to be patient. As you start working toward achieving the next goal you'll also need to manage your expectations. Your goals should be realistic enough that you'll have no problem getting the achievement of the goal. Then they should be big enough so that they are attainable with some effort. That they are big enough so that you're going to be proud of your accomplishments once you get them. The biggest mistake people make is setting unrealistic goals. It's important to break your goals down into smaller goals so you'll be able to get to the next goal and get to the next goal and so on. That way you'll be able to build up your confidence each time you accomplish a smaller goal so that you can take on bigger goals.  Image credit: Wallpaper Cave 2020 will always be known as a tough year and for some people, the toughest. Whether is was work, relationships, mental health, or physical fitness––we all learned a lot about ourselves and how we react to massive disruptions to our daily lives. The Rock Dwayne Johnson recently took to Instagram to share his thoughts on 2020. You can find the link via the feature in Men's Journal...
 Image credit: Burst on Pexels Your blog is a place where people come to read interesting content and regardless of genre, a lot of blog sites can end up turning into full-time businesses. It’s important to think about the ways that you can improve your blogging, whether you’re still in the early days of your blog or if you’ve managed to finally go full-time with your blog. Here are four ways to improve your blogging business.
Define Your Audience When you’re blogging as a hobby, paying attention to your audience’s demographic might not necessarily be on your radar. Perhaps you’ve been writing for a while and write for the enjoyment of the topics you cover. It might be that you write for a specific industry, and you know somewhat about what your audience likes and doesn’t like. When you’re blogging professionally, it’s important to define your audience because the more content you create that your audience likes, the more views it’s going to get. When you look at your analytics, it’s worth implementing Google Analytics if you haven’t already implemented it on your site. Whatever host platform you use, it’s likely to give you at least some degree of knowledge on who your audience is and what they like and don’t like. Look specifically at things like bounce rates, which tell you how long they stay engaged on your website and specific pages. Get Promoting Every Aspect Of Your Business When you’re a business, you need to be promoting yourself from every angle. Whether it’s promoting the content via your personal social media pages or through paid advertisements on other high-ranking websites. Try to promote in every way you can, even during those occasions where you might be invited to conferences or events. These custom printed banners can be a great way to showcase your work and who you are as a business and individual. Never be ashamed or afraid of promoting yourself! Network With Other Bloggers Networking with other bloggers is important because there’s a lot that you can learn from other people within the industry. For example, if you’re just starting off in the industry, then you may find that networking with bloggers who have been established for a while, have plenty of advice to give you. You also never know who might be able to help you on your way up the career ladder of blogging. Always be grateful and appreciative of others you meet and collaborate with. You don’t know someone until you meet them properly. Focus On Quality Not Quantity Quality is a lot more important than quantity when it comes to blogging. Your audience wants to read high-quality content and not something that’s been thrown together without much thought. If you do that, then you’re likely to lose your following and your loyal followers are the ones that are the most important. Improving your blogging business is important and so it’s good to use these tips to help get the most out of it where it’s possible.  Image credit: Thabang Madnsela on Unsplash In an age where the average attention span is thought to be worse than that of a goldfish, doing nothing could be the secret to happiness (and success). Never have those two little words “I’m bored” been uttered so much by all ages than in 2020. The Sun has more on why boredom could be the key to success...
 Image credit: Jason Yuen on Unsplash Every Christmas, Ryohei Ando gathers his family together for a holiday tradition. Just like their father did as a child, his two children will reach deep into a red-and-white bucket and pick out the best piece of fried chicken they can find.
Yes, it’s a Merry KFC Christmas for the Ando family. It may seem odd anywhere outside Japan, but Ando’s family and millions of others would never let a Christmas go by without Kentucky Fried Chicken. Every Christmas season an estimated 3.6 million Japanese families treat themselves to fried chicken from the American fast-food chain, in what has become a nationwide tradition. You can read about this KFC Christmas event over at BBC.com!  Image credit: Gundula Vogel on Pixabay We all have to live in this world that runs on money and, for as long as that is true, that means that we do need to take our money management seriously. However, there are a lot of people to whom any potential financial issues, even small ones, can become a heavy weight that can drag them down, paralyse them, and prevent them from chasing what they want, whether it’s to invest in a business, buy assets, or otherwise. If your financial anxiety is dragging you down, it’s time to think about why that is and see what you can do to let that weight go. Get to know where you’re really at If you feel like you’re constantly on the back foot when it comes to your finances, it can help to gain a little perspective. Indeed, you might be right that, for instance, you owe more than you own. But you won’t know and thus you won’t be able to accurately implement any solutions until you get an actual idea of the situation. Put a list of all of your assets together, all accounts owed to you, and any debt you owe. Subtract the debt from the assets and money owed to you in order to get your net worth at the current time. Make some plans for the future Anxiety is mostly a sense of fearing the worst possible outcome when it comes to the future. These outcomes in your head are rarely based on real logic but more a kind of fear. However, that doesn’t mean that common sense solutions can’t help you dispel them. If you’re worried about being destitute in the far future, then make it a priority to put together some retirement savings as soon as you can. Put together annual savings goals after figuring out how much you need to put aside each year for a healthy retirement, and stick to those financial goals as well as you can. Don’t forget to budget By far one of the most useful pieces of financial advice that anyone can ever offer you, and one that can transform how you look at your money situation, is to put together a budget. A budget effectively looks at how much money you have to spend in any given period of time and helps you find out where you should be spending it. For instance, the 50/30/20 budget involves putting aside 50% of your money ahead of time to pay for the essentials, such as your home, groceries, bills, and so on. 30% of that is for discretionary purchases, such as new clothes, nights out, entertainment and so on, and 20% is for financial planning, such as saving towards emergency funds or investing. You don’t have to follow that specific example, but having a set plan for where your money is going and then ensuring your money does just that can offer a sense of security. Searching for those discounts and savings is a great way many people can help their budget spending. Couponing websites can help customers find coupons for retailers such as Kohls and many others. Websites that offer home improvement coupons (see this website as one example) help you to make big savings on your next purchase!  Image credit: Chris Pastrick on Pixabay Start building from scratch again You might be feeling a little low because a recent cost, such as a car repair, home repair, or major bill has knocked your finances for six. Your savings might have had to have been recently emptied, setting you back more than a few steps in your future plans. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s all pointless. There’s a good chance your situation would have been worse had you not had those savings to rely on. It’s time to pick yourself back up again after life knocks you down and get started with your savings once more. So long as you are a step in the right direction next week compared to where you are now, you are doing your financial health a world of good. Don’t get paralysed by debt A lot of us owe some sort of debt or have done in the past. When your debt is at its highest point, then it can feel almost pointless to think about what life would be like without it. However, the only bad decision to make when facing more debt than you can currently pay is to ignore it. You could get in touch with your creditors to talk about repayment plans and let them know about your situation. You can also look to other solutions, like debt consolidation that can make it easier to pay off the sum of what you know. However, the longer you wait, the more your debt will build. Take the time to research your options, but don’t put off the situation. Put some protections in place In future, you want to prevent yourself for having to raid your savings or to fall in debt. There’s no way to prepare for absolutely everything the future might through your way, but investing in a few protections can do you a world of good. Informally, having an emergency savings fund could help, but in a more formal sense, you should take a look at what kind of insurance you might need to protect your current lifestyle and assets.  Image credit: Jan Vašek on Pixabay Address your habits
Do you have some bad financial habits that either fuel or are caused by your financial anxiety? If so, they can keep you from building the financial protections that can serve as a long-term cure. There are a host of habits that can be destructive to your sense of money security. Overspending is an obvious one, but cost-tracking apps can help you identify cases of overspending so that you’re less likely to do it again. Excessive frugality and hoarding can be just as financially unhealthy since they often involve sitting on money that could do more good if you’re saving it for a specific goal or using it to pay for some manner of security. Take a close look at your financial habits are and learn which ones you should curb. Being conscious of your finances is all well and good, but if it’s getting to the point that it’s stopping you from taking action, it’s time to rethink your money situation. Hopefully, the tips above help with that.  Image credit: Jonathan Petersson on Pexels Life will always find a way to knock you down at various times, but it’s how you respond to these things that matter the most. You need to always be willing to get back up again, no matter how many times you get knocked down or what life throws your way. We’re not saying that it’s going to be easy, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that you may need to do when life has knocked you down, so keep reading if you want to find out more. Sort Out Insurance The first thing that we’re going to look at is getting insurance. Now, you may need home insurance, car insurance, contents insurance and a number of other policies. The best thing that you can do is look around online until you find a company who can offer you the insurance cover you need at a price you can afford. Now, keep in mind that if you are a higher risk, the premium is going to cost you a lot more than it normally would, and you need to be prepared for this. It’s for this reason that you might need to think about only getting the insurance that you 100% need right now. For example, if you need car insurance but you are struggling to get cover, you might want to consider one sure insurance or another company like this. Health insurance right now has probably never been more in demand. In America for example, Medicare is a federal insurance program designed to help people over 65, younger people with disabilities, and even those living with some life-changing conditions. You can learn more about medicare assistance provisions and policies by reaching out to an insurance expert in your local area. Enrolling for health insurance of any kind can be an overwhelming process, but an insurance expert can talk you through the entire process in detail.  Image credit: Pixabay on Pexels Another thing that you may need to do is save some money. It’s often the case that life comes along when you least expect it and then takes everything that you’ve got. All your savings have to go on something, and you’re back to square one. It’s super disheartening when this happens, we know, but we’ve all been there, and if you haven’t, you probably will get there at some point. The only thing that you can do is pick yourself back up and start building up your savings once again. Make sure that you’re employing all of those money-saving tips and tricks you’ve got, and live within your means rather than wracking up a debt.
Find A New Job Or, it might be the case that you have recently lost your job. This is never a pleasant experience for anyone, but there’s nothing that you can do about it now. The only thing that’s left is to move on and find something else. It’s not always easy, and it might be the case that you have to take something temporary while you look for something permanent, but you’ve got to be willing to do this. Employers are more likely to hire you if they see that you are hard-working, and if you’re working a job you don’t particularly like to ensure that you’ve got a means of income, this is going to speak volumes to your potential employer.  Image credit: Pixabay on Pexels A blog is a great way to generate revenue from advertising and product placements, as well as an effective way for companies to increase engagement and secure high SEO rankings. However, if users aren’t returning to your blog more than once, you won’t reap these rewards. To increase your online success, take a look at the top reasons that stop users from coming back to your blog:
There’s no new content If you don’t update your blog with fresh, new content regularly, there’s simply no reason for users to return. A high bounce rate may signify that users are checking your blog and immediately going elsewhere when they realize nothing new has been posted. If you want to ensure users keep coming back to your blog, you need to give them a reason to return, so be sure to upload new content on a regular basis. It takes too long to load Page loading speeds have a major impact on user experience and SEO rankings, so it’s vital to optimize them. From switching your web hosting provider to using a different content management system, there are various ways to keep page loading times to a minimum. Remember – page loading speeds should be low on all devices, so be sure your site performs optimally on a range of devices and operating systems. It doesn’t work on mobile devices If your blog doesn’t load properly or doesn’t look visually appealing on mobile devices, then you’re going to miss out on website traffic. The majority of web users now rely on mobile devices, which is why Google introduced mobile-first indexing. While it’s important to ensure that your blog is functional on desktops and laptops, mobile functionality should be your top priority. The content is repetitive If you’re churning out the same content week after week, users don’t have a reason to keep returning. Being innovative and creating original content that excites, informs, or entertains is vital. Creating a content schedule is one of the most effective ways to ensure your posts are varied, particularly if you tend to cover similar topics. Posts take too long to read If your blog only features long-form content, then it might be time to change things up a little bit. While longer posts do have their advantages, users don’t always have time to read an in-depth article. By combining shorter posts with alternative formats, like video, images, and infographics, you can ensure that users are able to enjoy a variety of posts every time they visit your site. Increase the Popularity of Your Blog If you want to boost your business or generate income via a blog, it’s vital to cultivate a loyal following. By producing unique and original content, you’ve got the basis of a great blog. However, it’s vital to promote your content via social media, PPC ads, and SEO if you want to increase your reach. By doing so, you can engage your target audience, monetize your content, and give people a reason to keep people coming back for more.  Image credit: S O C I A L. C U T on Unsplash Social Media Marketing can be a real headache for plenty of people just starting out and while one guide you read will tell to do something one way, you can guarantee another guide will tell you the complete opposite! But the good people over at The Guerrilla Agency have 'the' guide for you!
 Image credit: pixelcreature on Pixabay When you’re running a blog for your brand, the number one priority should be producing good quality content that has value to the readers, and also helps to contribute to your goals, whether it’s growing recognition or generating sales. But what about when you’ve successfully done that and notice a post taking off, outperforming both your expectations and your other posts? Should you simply let it enjoy the spotlight or is there some way you can capitalize on it? Make sure it leads to something good
If you haven’t already connected your successful post to something that translates to value for your business, now is the time. You can use it to increase blog traffic by following up on it if that’s your aim. However, for many businesses, their mind is going to be on conversion first and foremost. An edit after it has taken off, just slipping in a call to action towards the end might be all that it takes. Grow from it First of all, find out whether or not your content is evergreen. This means it’s not likely to lose value or purpose over time, rather than being particularly pertinent in a moment in time. It doesn’t always work, but you can work with content writers who can find new ways to iterate on that content over time, adjusting it to suit different business periods or topics, for instance. Convert it into even more engaging content Aside from making your content evergreen, you can also look into translating it into forms of media that tend to be even more successful. If a text post version does well, just imagine how well it might work as an infographic or, better yet, a video. Turning a good post into a video isn’t simply as easy as reading it out over imagery, but working with a professional video production agency can help. The better you translate it from one form to the other, the more likely it is to keep the momentum going. Build a personal brand off of it Not only does the brand of the blog, website, or business benefit from a really great and insightful post. It can help position you, the writer, as a person of authority, as well. If your post goes viral due to the insight it offers, then you can seek out other media opportunities, such as guest posting on respectable publications or attending talks. Adopt elements of that post in others If a post does well, it’s often not only because the topic hit the nail on the head for the audience. There’s a good chance it was written and formatted in a particularly engaging manner, as well. To that end, try to find what was great about your post and take elements to incorporate in other posts. You can even try different combinations of stylistic, language, and formatting choices, keeping an eye on your analytics to see if it results in a bump in engagements. A post that gets a lot of reads, generates conversations, or even goes viral is an opportunity just waiting to be taken.  Image credit: Miguel A. Padrinan on Pexels Are you thinking of becoming a blogger? If you are, then there are a few things that you need to know to be able to do this. Some people have no idea how they should go about starting a blog or what they can do, but we’re here to give you the information that you need. So, if you want to know more about this topic, then keep reading down below. Something You’re Passionate About
If you’re deciding to go with something that is based on passion, you’ve got to think about what you’re passionate about. What do you love enough to dedicate an entire blog to it? When you’ve answered this question, you can start writing content. Some blogs have a number of topics on them, and there’s nothing wrong with this as it provides that little bit of everything. However, some people are searching for a more specific type of blog that caters to a certain audience. If you can manage to insert yourself in one of these places, then this is going to be great for you. You will be able to build up a following of people who are interested in what you have to say, and you’re filling a gap. Never know how it might end up, you could end up getting paid for your blog depending on how successful it is. Something You Have Extensive Knowledge Of Or, you might want to write about something that you have extensive knowledge of. The good thing about this is that you are providing something useful to those who are searching for a specific type of content. We bet that some industries or even certain areas of industries don’t have a lot written about them, but you could be the exception. For example, if someone needed to know about pneumatic systems, then you could recommend Tameson pneumatic cylinders or whatever you think is best for the individual problem. You will give them a specialized account of why you’re saying what you’re saying while giving them the advice that they are looking for. You never know when your area of expertise can come in handy, and you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to share your knowledge if you want to. How To Set Up Your Blog You’re also going to need to know how to set up your blog. This is going to include ensuring that you find a domain to host your site, then setting up the background theme, how you want the layout to be and so on. It’s not just going to be a case of bang, and then you’re done, it’s going to take some time. You are going to want people to be drawn to your blog, and if it looks generic, then that’s not going to happen. We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now understand some of the things that you need to know if you want to be a blogger. Good luck, and have a lot of fun!  Image credit: Mohamed Hassan on Pixabay Increasing traffic on your blog is one of those eternal aims that never goes away. But how can you make it happen? Well, luckily for you, it’s not rocket science. And with a little hard work and time, you’ll be able to get your blog traffic numbers to where you want them to be. Find out about how to do that and which steps you can take by reading on now and finding out what you need to know. Write More
The first thing you can do is start writing a little more. When you’re blogging, consistency really matters a lot. If you aren’t keeping your blog consistent and regularly updated, you’re going to face problems, so try to write more and keep that content flowing. It’s something that you’ll need to plan out and it often helps bloggers to create a schedule as well. Publicize Your Content More Effectively on Social Media It’s important that you publicize your content and get it out there via social media. This is essential because if you already have a base of interested people following your social media accounts, this could be your number 1 source of blog traffic if you use those platforms effectively. Just make sure you’re using the right social media platforms for the audience you want to reach. Nail Down Your Niche If you have a niche approach, you’ll be able to foster a more loyal community of readers, which is the way it should be. If you haven’t yet managed to nail down a niche, that’s something you should definitely work on. A scattershot approach is never going to work out the way you want it to, so it really does pay off to focus on one niche and then stick to it. Understand SEO Better SEO is one of the things that matters most when it comes to reaching people. Understanding all of the key SEO metrics and knowing how search engines work will make a big difference when it comes to reaching target customers. If it’s something that you’ve struggled with and failed to get to grips with, put in the effort now because it really will provide you with long-term gains. Allow and Encourage Social Sharing As well as sharing your own content on your social media profiles, you also need to encourage other people to share your content as well. Social sharing is made possible by adding sharing buttons to the pages of your website, making it possible for people to share content with the click of a button is really helpful. It could make a big difference to the reach of your content. When it comes to the health and success of your blog, there are few more important factors or more relevant indicators than blog traffic. The ideas above will help you to get more people heading to your blog and taking an interest in what you have to say. And your blog will grow in success from there.  Image credit: geralt on Pixabay Developing a new product is the cornerstone of any successful business, especially startups. You need to create something that meets the needs of consumers while also turning over a healthy profit for you. Getting to that point, however, can be a challenge. Building a product isn’t just a matter of getting out there and doing the work - it requires time and patience to get right. The failure rate for new products and services is notoriously high. In some quarters, it is north of 90 percent, meaning that that majority of new products on the market fail. So what’s the key here? How can you nail your product development cycle and deliver something that will generate substantial profits? Start By Satisfying A Need New products don’t just emerge out of the ether - they come from the fact that they solve problems that consumers have. We already have a highly sophisticated economy, churning out millions of different goods each year for these needs. So there is a lot of knowledge already about what customers want. The market is already excellent at determining their needs and satisfying them. Any new product, therefore, needs to fit into this context. It must understand how the market is currently failing consumers and how the new product can compete. And it needs to improve on whatever is already out there in some way. The most successful products, therefore, aren’t always something entirely novel. Instead, they find a way to improve on an existing formula while preserving their competitive advantage. Find Out How Much The Opportunity Is Worth You might have an excellent idea for a niche product, but if the market for it is small, you might not make a return on your original investment. Ideally, you want to figure out which market segments are most likely to consume whatever you build. Then you need to determine whether you will generate sufficient revenue for it to be worth your time.  Image credit: Mohamed _hassan on Pixabay User research platform, Userzoom, says that companies should try to understand the needs of users before building a new product or service and then validate prototypes. This approach helps to reduce risks and ensure that there is a feasible market out, therefore, for the products when you finally decide to scale.
Working out the size of the opportunity is, therefore, vital. You might have a product that a particular niche wants, but if there are too few people, you’ll ultimately wind up out of pocket. Figure Out How You Will Develop The Product The best way to work out how to develop a product is to look at how the market operates already. Look at the methods that companies already use to ship new goods and services to their customers and actually make it happen. Ask yourself the following questions:
Test Your Prototype In As Many Ways As You Can Prototypes are an essential stage in producing a successful product. They are the point where you find out whether you will be able to deliver something the market will accept or not. Companies tend, however, to look at their products through rose-tinted glasses. They see them as to how they want to see them, rather than how actual customers will. Regular people are the harshest critics of what you sell. If there’s a slight weakness or flaw, they’ll find it and let you know in online reviews. Prototyping, therefore, is your opportunity to wipe out as many of these concerns as possible. Be brutal with your product. Test it to its limits. If you find a flaw, plot a course of action to fix it. Ask yourself whether the product is robust enough, fast enough, or sufficiently flexible. Be honest with yourself about whether it offers customers enough features, or if there are too many. Also, question whether you can deliver it to the market on time. Many companies work to strict time constraints. There is a window of opportunity that they must exploit if they want their enterprise to thrive. If they miss it, then the profit opportunity will vanish. A prototype, therefore, could have all the bells and whistles imaginable. Still, if it is going to take years to bring to scale, then it is not fulfilling the needs of the business. Long development cycles are often what kills new companies. The chance for the product to shine passes. Figure Out How To Position The Product Once you’ve designed the product and studied your market thoroughly, the next step is to position it ready for launch. Companies need to have a good sense of where their product fits alongside the other options available in the marketplace. Positioning the product is essential and usually requires some pretty savvy marketing. For instance, is your product designed for a premium audience? Or are you looking to target people on a budget? Does your product offer superior technology than its competitors? Or does it do the same thing, but at a lower price? Finally, how will you use your brand image to sell the product? Will you use a value-driven approach where you talk about the broader benefits of your product? Or will you tap into different customer philosophies? Remember, your advertising doesn’t have to focus on product features. Instead, you can simply focus on how your company makes people feel. Coca-Cola, for instance, doesn’t talk about the high sugar content of its drinks. Instead, it just associates its brand with having a good time.  You can post as much inspirational and motivational stuff as you can but sometimes, taking a look into what the real world looks like for someone that dedicates their day to being the best they can will have a bigger impact. Mark Wahlberg revealed his daily routine back in December 2018, this followed after Wahlberg was named the highest paid Hollywood actor in 2017. BBC News had the story back then..
 While your blunt friends might come across as a little embarrassing from time to time, overall they’re probably the best friends you have. They come in handy for a number of reasons and are almost always there when you need them, aren’t they? Awareness Act has a great feature to tell you more!
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Author - Chris
Author, Editor, Creator of Learn Develop Live Archives
July 2023
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