This morning, on TV, I was amazed to see how a house could be transformed by experts. They were allowed to use only ?500 (or $1100 dollars) and they had to complete the work in two days.
The owner wanted to sell his house but had had no offers so far although about 8 people had visited the house.
The reasons were fairly obvious. The house was large with great potential and the gardens were beautiful. However, inside the house, the carpets were shabby and needed removing or steam cleaning. The colours were drab; you would probably need counselling after living in the house for too long. The windows were dirty and obscured by net curtains which looked liked discarded bloomers.
The experts juggled the furniture around the sitting room until they found the best arrangement. They compared it to solving a jigsaw puzzle. Keep moving the chairs and sofa around until the pieces fit. They made the conservatory look 'unbelievable' according to the owner.
They used colour combinations which were similar to the most attractive colour combinations of food. Strawberries and cream, for example, not only taste good; they look good.
They used simple things like candles, tapestries and blocks of paint to create a magical effect in the rooms.
The owner was stunned but delighted by the changes and he learned fast. He had to show the first prospective buyer (who arrived after the changes) round the house. He pointed out the benefits of the changes like a professional. The buyer was impressed.
It was obvious that, with a little training, the house owner could himself become an expert at making over houses for sale. It has been said that if you train for an hour a day for six months in anything you can become an expert.
Of course, this would not apply to those who wish to be heart surgeons or astronauts but it would apply to many areas of expertise.
I was recently delighted by the work of a copy writing expert who lives in Italy. I asked him to write the sales page for my recent book. He started by suggesting a much improved title for the book.
I had called the book 'Awesome Acronyms About Achieving Your Aims'. He thought this was boring and changed the title to '36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now!" I think he was right!
He brought some stories into the sales copy and used powerful and exciting words which showed off the best points of the book. He made me impressed with the book I had written and he was also able to say things about me which I would have been too modest to say about myself.
His changes were often small but made a big difference to the copy.
Where I wrote: "Lose Weight But Avoid Losing Money", he used a more positive phrase like : "Lose Weight But Keep Your Money!"
He empowered readers by using imaginative metaphors or pictures. For example, where I wrote "Three Words That Can Achieve All Your Goals", he wrote 'Three Words To Help You Take Flight And Achieve All Your Goals."
His version is much more imaginative. You can visualise yourself flying through the air like an eagle rather than plodding along like a donkey.
His expertise transformed the sales copy but it also made me realise that I could do the same myself if I really worked at it. I have since joined Trevor 'Toe-Cracker' Crook's copywriting website and plan on becoming an expert myself. Trevor, incidentally lives in Australia.
Copywriting is something you can do from any location in the world. So is golf.
You can improve your golf swing greatly by having just one session with a golf pro. They can teach you all sorts of ways to improve your swing. You can attach a light to your golf club, for example, and use the beam to make sure you swing the club along the correct arc.
You can improve your putting by hitting a wooden tee placed upside down. The size of a hole on the green is about 30 times the size the top of a wooden tee. The experts will provide you with all kinds of tips but if you learn these tips yourself, you could become an expert as well.
I encourage all my martial arts students to aim to become instructors. They will continue to learn themselves by teaching others. I spend most of my own time teaching others the things I need or want to learn myself.
So then, bring in the experts or become an expert yourself or do both. Some kind of success is likely to follow. Sometimes the success will astonish you.
About the author
John Watson is an award winning teacher and martial arts instructor. He has recently written two books about achieving your goals and dreams. They can both be found on his website http://www.motivationtoday.com along with a daily motivational message.
The title of the first book is "36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now! - Acronyms, Stories, And Pictures...Easy To Remember And Use Everyday To Grab Your Life And Soar With The Eagles"
The book can be found at this URL http://www.motivationtoday.com
The book uses acronyms, stories and pictures to help readers remember 36 laws that can gradually transform your life if you apply them.
You are welcome to publish the article above in your ezine or on your website so long as you do not alter it and keep in the words about the author and the 36 Laws.
scheduled cleaning services Winnetka ..For our family, the Fall is filled with Friday Night... Read More
Success! Easy to talk about, but difficult to achieve. Or... Read More
Have you failed before and wished the earth could open... Read More
Does your life feel less than fulfilling? Are you waiting... Read More
Ten years ago I went into the studio and recorded... Read More
About a month ago, I was hit by a car... Read More
(Excerpted From the 2001 Jim Rohn Millennium Weekend Event -... Read More
As a speaker and trainer, people often approach me after... Read More
People who are on the same journey tend to band... Read More
One of my absolute favorite quotes is from Dwight D.... Read More
Hello everybody and a good day (or night !) to... Read More
(Excepted from the book The Five Major Pieces to the... Read More
Success can easily be compared to the "genie trapped in... Read More
Many UK citizens want to settle or retire in Spain... Read More
You have been preparing for months. You are in position... Read More
I've just sent an email to my mailing list based... Read More
Depending on the person, challenges can either make or break... Read More
Magic doesn't have to be complicated. Here are some very... Read More
Have you been struggling for years to accomplish some goals... Read More
One of the questions that I am asked most often... Read More
The present model of business and career motivation, the one... Read More
What would one initially think about someone who dropped out... Read More
You must understand You are already a Success, and before... Read More
A farmer in Pennsylvania decided to sell his farm, but... Read More
The 72,500 men, women and children sat in an uncomfortable... Read More
reliable maid service Lincolnshire ..You teach others how to treat you by how you... Read More
The world is full of people with great intentions. They... Read More
Revolution:a sudden, radical, or complete change a fundamental change in... Read More
I was in the gym, pushing my adolescent muscles to... Read More
Here are the 3 elements of the "Purpose" leg in... Read More
I once heard a speaker use the statement, "I have... Read More
Does it surprise you that only 400 cokes were sold... Read More
Thomas Edison has done it. Naomi Watts often jokes about... Read More
The entrepreneur game is filled with an amazing variety of... Read More
Of all the things that can have an effect on... Read More
Fourteen thousand civilised people died when the tsunami hit Andaman... Read More
'No man is an island' the saying goes. The implication... Read More
Personal missions statements (PMS) are just nothing but the winning... Read More
There are "How to" seminars on virtually every business topic.... Read More
Becoming successful requires a lifestyle change. It requires that you... Read More
If it comes to the question what we really want... Read More
Have a "Pitch Party" Invite friends and work together to... Read More
Having clear goals and desires for our future, and planning... Read More
There are twelve necessary elements involved in achieving success:1. Spend... Read More
The Definition Of PerseveranceFrom a dictionary: "Persisting in or remaining... Read More
"Fear Factor" is one of my favorite TV shows. It... Read More
A young girl opens a birthday card from her grand... Read More
Want to make success a habit in your life? If... Read More
Pops first set the goal in high school, but when... Read More
Have you been struggling for years to accomplish some goals... Read More
Success |