Write in English, Why Not?

by Tata Danamihardja

Yes, just write in English, even if you're not an English speaking person. Why? Because we have to admit that a lot of people in the world speak English more than any other language. Considering this, any idea written in English will be much more 'readable'. Imagine that your ideas spread out wider compared with those written in 'local' language. Isn't that nice?

Of course it's not easy actually to express what we got in mind in a foreign language. For those whose English is not their mother tongue, there will be some obstacles that are simplified into 4 points:

• lack of vocabulary
• afraid of making mistakes
• not sure if anybody will read what we write
• feel comfortable with our 'status quo'

Now let's see if these are real obstacles or just our imaginative shield to stay safe without having to try something new.

Lack of vocabulary

This is natural because we are obviously not English speaking person. If you are an Indonesian but you don't speak Bahasa Indonesia, there must be something wrong with you. If you are Indonesian, speak a little bit English with limited vocabulary, that's a very good point to start writing in English. All you have to do is improving your vocabulary and it's not as hard as you thought. Learn a lot, read a lot, write a lot. Practice.

Afraid of Making Mistake

Tell me who has never made mistakes? It is one of many ways to learn something new. Look at the baby who is trying to walk. They never think of falling even they fall again and again. Focus on what you want to achieve and do that. Never be afraid of something uncertain and maybe only exist in your imagination. Even when you finally do some mistakes, you won't be killed and you can still learn from your mistakes.

Who Will Read My Article?

Believe me that there are many people out there who want to read your article. At least people who know you will be curious to read. Let say that you write a bad article. People at least will read your first line and we still can call him/her our reader. In some cases, people are often curious to prove how bad your article is by reading until the last word. What I want to say here is there's no need to ask such a pessimistic question. Be sure that your article will be read by someone, at least the editor :-) Just take it easy!

Feel Comfortable With Our 'Status Quo'

Now back to your childhood. Remember that everything was comfortable. Mom, Dad, and everybody in the family served you. But you didn't just stay enjoying your easy life. You even learned a lot. You tried to walk yourself though you fell many times. So many things you learned with trial and error until you finally reached what you want. If you are now afraid of trying something new, then you are the real loser even in a baby's eyes.

So, why don't you try to be 'the real' you? Write down your ideas in English to get more readers. Don't just be satisfied by having many 'local' readers now. Try something new. Get more 'international' readers and let your ideas spread out all over the world. This is serious challenge. Do you have a brave to answer this challenge?

The Long-lost "Ancient Secret" to Success

By P.G. Wesu

 

The ancient secret to success is embodied in what is called the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that appeared on various lists of late antiquity.

 

Can you list all of the Wonders or name at least one them? No?

 

The original seven Wonders, notable objects if you will, were built between 3,000 B.C. and 476 A.D. It was the Greeks who originated the idea of making a list of notable objects. But in order to qualify for the list the object had to fulfill two criteria:

1. It had to be created (built) by humans… not gods.
2. It had to be of great size, that is, monumental.

But the Romans, who followed the Greeks, granted credibility to the list by suggesting that it only include beautiful, colossal, and memorable objects that travelers would regard with awe.

 

The oldest and best preserved of all the ancient Wonders are the Egyptian Pyramids which were built as tombs for the pharaohs.

One of the largest pyramids which stands 450 feet high and occupies 13 square acres at the base is the Great Pyramid. It took decades and thousands of workers, equaling an enormous amount of work-hours, to build.

 

The other members of the Magnificent Seven were: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon; the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus; the statue of Zeus; the Mausoleum at Halicarnusus; the Lighthouse at Alexandria; and the Colossus of Rhodes. All these structures were built by hundreds, sometimes thousands of men laboring for thousands of hours.

 

The Eighth Wonder of the World

 

What principle had these ancient civilizations mastered to succeed in building such colossal structures? Or is it a long-lost secret?

 

In fact, Albert Einstein, who knew something about mathematics, referred to it as the "Eighth Wonder of the World."

 

Do you care to hazard a guess what it is?

 

I can tell you, if this principle had not been used these Wonders would have never been built. Its power works the same way today as it has been for thousands of years.

 

The secret?

 

MULTIPLICATION….

• The ancients knew the secret to any successful endeavor…
• They multiplied their efforts…
• Done not by them but for them!

This principle teaches you never to underestimate the value of little efforts magnified by multiplication – the "ancient secret" to success.

 

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About the author: P.G. Wesu is a broker consultant in the cash flow industry.

Take a personal tour to see how you can harness the awesome power of multiplication and put yourself on the path towards success… http://proof.sitesell.com/closesales.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=P.G._Wesu

7 Ways To Radically Change Your Life

By T Young

We all have moments in our lives when we feel as though we are in a rut, where nothing seems to go to plan and we feel like not doing anything at all. Most often it's just due to the fact that we have gotten ourselves in the rut but haven't yet figured out how we are going to get ourselves out.

 

Here are 7 ways that you can radically get your life back on track.

1. Change your image. Often changing your wardrobe can give you a radically different outlook on your life. We all know how our image can affect our perception of our selves and what we want to portray to the world. If you haven't changed or updated your wardrobe for quite some time then this is as good a time as any. Go to your wardrobe and throw out anything you haven't worn in a few seasons. You can't make room for the new unless you first create space. Now it's a matter of going on a shopping spree and spice up your wardrobe with new outfits. Give yourself permission to be bold and if possible take along a friend who you perceive as fashionable. Why not give yourself a new haircut and treat yourself to a facial. The results will surprise you and may even give you a new found lift in your day.
2. Get out and travel. Traveling gives you an opportunity to see how other people live. You learn to appreciate other cultures and in turn may even give you a new sense of appreciation for what you have in your life. If at all possible you would want to take time off and just see the world. It needn't be expensive. Take an opportunity during your travel to pause and reflect as to where you are and where you want to go. You will be able to see your life from a totally new perspective.
3. Get a new job. We spend quite literally a third of our waking lives at our place of employment. So if you aren't being inspired or you don't enjoy your workplace then you will want to make it a priority to look for another job. A new job can give you a new routine and a new environment may also give you an opportunity to break out of your rut. We all know how excited we are when we start something new and a new job can give you that feeling. It's not to say that every time you get into a rut you find a new job, but if you find that your job satisfaction levels are quite low and you feel it is due to your work environment then why not change it. After all life is too short to spend it in a place where you aren't growing.
4. Take up a new hobby. If you are like many people, your daily routine would involve you coming home from a days work and plonking yourself down in front of the television so that you can unwind. We literally can waste away as much as five hours a day just watching mindless television. That's thirty five hours a week and not all that far away from the amount of hours you spend at work. Why waste that time in front of the TV set when you can instead spend that with your family or doing a hobby. Join a club or create activities where your family can go.
5. Find new friends. Often we get caught in our familiarity, we spend time with the same friends because it's familiar, we follow the same route to work because it's familiar. Familiarity has it's place but if you are in a rut then it may be doing more to hold you back then helping you to progress. One way to create a new buzz in your life is to find new friends. They will be able to give you a new perspective on things and the enjoyment of building up a new relationship can be rewarding.
6. Read inspiring books. Research has shown that many people after they complete their schooling never touch another book again. Yes, trashy magazines and fictional works don't really count. You want to read inspirational and motivational books that can really get you thinking about your life and where you want to go. There is a whole section in many bookstores on self help and many give you great suggestions on getting yourself out of a rut in your life. Why not look to others to give you answers then blindly hoping that the answer will one day hit you in the head.
7. Volunteer for the homeless or a nursing home. Learn to appreciate your life and the importance of living. By spending time with people less fortunate or lonely you can not only bless their lives but they in turn may inspire you to make more out of your life. In the end everyone wins. Find a good charity near where you live and why not set aside a few hours a week. You can certainly find a few hours out of your week to help others in need.

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For more personal growth articles visit: http://www.personalgrowthunlimited.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=T_Young

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