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From Pivotal Inspiration – Choose to Finish Strong

When faced with adversity, do you lie down or do you fight?

Do you make the most of each day?

What will your legacy be?

When adversity strikes, it's not what happens that determines our destiny; it's how we react.

You have to believe you can do something and then have the courage and determination to see it through. That's what Finish Strong by Dan Green is all about. The book is filled with amazing stores about people from all walks of life who, in the face of adversity, against all odds...finished strong!

Finish Strong is more than a statement...it's an attitude. Today, I'd like to share one of the stories from the book about Miles Levin, a teenager, who despite his terminal cancer chose to persevere and inspire thousands by making each day count.

=> http://bit.ly/eKmDGk

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Newbery Award winner – Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Moon Over Manifest

by Clare Vanderpool

Winner of the 2011 Newbery Medal

The movement of the train rocked me like a lullaby. I closed my eyes to the dusty countryside and imagined the sign I’d seen only in Gideon’s stories: Manifest—A Town with a rich past and a bright future.

Read  ... more about the book, an excerpt, how to buy the book or alternative formats.

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Thought for the day – the dangers of "should"

“Should is an ordinary, everyday word -- except when it is used to indicate an order that may not be refused. Then should becomes a finger waving under the nose. …Should users build prison cells for themselves. They are so focused on what they should do -- that they cannot think about what they can do, what they might do in the future.”

-- Dr. Arthur Freeman and Rose Dewolf

An interview with Bryce Courtenay

Bryce Courtenay has written 21 novels since the Power of One was published in 1989, that's a novel a year.

While he's clearly a prolific writer, reading is an important part of his life too, despite a childhood of deprivation in South Africa where he was brought up in an Afrikaner orphanage, and banned from speaking English or reading English books.

For our Off the Shelf segment of favorite books, Bryce Courtenay tells us how books saved his life as a young boy.

Listen here => http://bit.ly/fxoLQG

Tuesday's tip for public speaking success – creating the image

Last week I posted about defining the wow - the impact you want your presentation to make. And part of that definition has to be what you want your audience to remember of you. What image do you want them to take with them?

Everything the audience sees needs to reinforce that image – clothes, facial expression, stance and gesture. At its most basic this means projecting confidence and sincerity. Unless you decide otherwise, the audience needs to know that you are comfortable with your message and believe in it.

If you are also using this presentation to present yourself as the face of your business, or as a candidate for a position, then take that into account as well. You need to be seen as trustworthy, competent, at ease with your material.

Books & Bars: L.A.’s Thirst for Literature (and Style)

When you think of Los Angeles, books and literature are probably not the first things that come to mind. Possibly sun, beaches, earthquakes, riots and even screenplays enter your imagination, but certainly not bound hardcover classics that create an atmosphere of intellectualism and sophistication. Maybe not even pulpy paperbacks that sell for a shiny quarter at Goodwill.

So perhaps it comes as a surprise that there is currently a trendy movement occurring in Los Angeles that has seen the marriage of books and bars.

http://bit.ly/i96rBS

10 Tips for Giving a Great Keynote

Actors want to direct. Directors want to produce. And consultants want to be kick ass speakers. And why not? The pay is good. It doesn't take much time. And it's a lot less heavy lifting than most consulting gigs.

Easier said that done, however. Delivering a kick ass kick ass is not as easy as it looks. If you want to get into the game, begin by reviewing the following guidelines to see if you have what it takes.

http://bit.ly/g3pH27

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Brian Jacques, beloved children’s author of the ‘Redwall’ series, dies at age 71

Brian Jacques, the beloved British author of the Redwall series,died of a heart attack over the weekend at age 71.

Hailed as one of “the best children’s authors in the world,”Jacques’ 21 Redwall books were translated into 29 languages and sold 20 million copies worldwide. His novels — despite centering on anthropomorphic woodland critters, such as mice, otters, moles, and squirrels — told epic tales of good triumphing over evil and never spoke down to their young audiences.

... more =>  http://bit.ly/hGh7vP

Brian JacquesBrian Jacques was a merchant seaman

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Six Keys to Being Excellent at Anything

If you want to be really good at something, it's going to involve relentlessly pushing past your comfort zone, as well as frustration, struggle, setbacks and failures. That's true as long as you want to continue to improve, or even maintain a high level of excellence. The reward is that being really good at something you've earned through your own hard work can be immensely satisfying.

Here, then, are the six keys to achieving excellence we've found are most effective for our clients:

http://bit.ly/i9x7U4

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Your weekend read – Use visual stories to connect with your audience – Resonate

Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

by Nancy Duarte

Reveals the underlying story form of all great presentations that will not only create impact, but will move people to action

Presentations are meant to inform, inspire, and persuade audiences. So why then do so many audiences leave feeling like they've wasted their time? All too often, presentations don't resonate with the audience and move them to transformative action.

Just as the author's first book helped presenters become visual communicators, Resonate helps you make a strong connection with your audience and lead them to purposeful action. The author's approach is simple: building a presentation today is a bit like writing a documentary. Using this approach, you'll convey your content with passion, persuasion, and impact.

  • Author has a proven track record, including having created the slides in Al Gore's Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth
  • Focuses on content development methodologies that are not only fundamental but will move people to action
  • Upends the usual paradigm by making the audience the hero and the presenter the mentor
  • Shows how to use story techniques of conflict and resolution

Presentations don't have to be boring ordeals. You can make them fun, exciting, and full of meaning. Leave your audiences energized and ready to take action with Resonate.