How to Save on Buying a Computer macbook.

 


A computer can often be one of the largest purchases you make, aside from home and auto, running well over $1,500 if you get a top model. However, if your budget doesn't allow for a purchase this large, don't fret — there are ways to buy a computer for a bargain and keep your budget intact.

Friends and family. The first place to start looking for a deal on a computer is from your friends and family. Often, they've just made a new computer purchase and are looking to get rid of their old one, for a small price (or even free). The only way to find out is by asking. Send out an email to everyone you know, and let them know that you need a working computer. See what comes back. Sure, it's not the latest model, but if all you need to do is do some word processing, email, games, spreadsheets and web browsing, you don't need a lot of power.

Other donated computers. Next, look for places online (try Freecycle.org) or offline that are getting rid of computers people don't need. Often you can get a free one that's perfectly workable. You just need to look around.
Buy used. Again, if you're willing to forgo the latest model (and you pay a high premium for the latest models), you can get some great deals on used (or "pre-owned") computers. Check your local classified ads, Craigslist, and garage sales.

Refurbished. The best online computer sites will take a used computer, fix it up with some new parts, and sell it as "refurbished". These are often excellent deals, and good quality if you go to a reputable buyer. See this article for more info. Plus, companies like Apple and Dell have a great refurb section with factory-reconditioned models at a discount.

Do your research. If you want a good deal, you should know what's out there, what models are good, what should be included and what shouldn't. Spend some time browsing some of the sites with the best deals: Newegg.com, Geeks.com, Buy.com, Amazon.com, and others.

Ebay, other auction sites. Ebay and other online auction sites are great places to look for new and used computers. You'll need to spend a little time looking for a good deal, putting in bids, and seeing if you win, but the time you spend can net you a great price on a good computer.

Build it yourself. If you have a little technical know-how, or are willing to put in the time to learn, you can buy a "bare-bones" computer for $50, and then add in a motherboard, CPU, RAM, and hard drive to get a computer for under $300. Then you can look around for a free monitor and peripherals, and you've got a bargain-basement deal. Read this for more.

Linux boxes. If you're willing to try something other than Windows, you can get a good deal on cheap computers sold with the Linux operating system. Or build one yourself (see above tip) and then install the free Linux operating system (Ubuntu is a popular version of Linux that's easy to use). The great thing about Ubuntu and other Linux brands is that they often come with lots of great software that's open source and free, including office software suites, browsers, games and much more.

Mac Mini. For those who are into the Mac OS for its aesthetics, simplicity, and lack of viruses, the Mac Mini is a great deal. It comes in at a little over $500, although you'll have to get peripherals such as monitor and keyboard separately. Although this is a bare-bones Mac system, it's perfectly usable for the average user, and you can always upgrade with more RAM if you'd like. Plus, it looks cool and it's so tiny that it takes up very little space on your desk.

Don't take financing. However you buy your computer, don't take the financing deals offered by computer vendors. While it may seem like buying something now and paying later is a good deal, and that it fits perfectly into your budget (only $20 a month!), you end up paying much more in the long run as these "deals" come with a very high interest percentage. Save up for a few hundred dollars and get a cheap computer on cash instead.


Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the comment writers alone and does not reflect or represent the views of Victor Duru

27 Great Tips to Keep Your Life Organized

It’s a rare person among us who doesn’t feel the need to get more organized. I consider myself fairly organized, for example, but there are times when I get a little lax about my organizational rules, and there’s always room for improvement.
And if you’re already organized (read: you’re an organizational freak), chances are, you like to read about others’ organizational systems.

As such, there should be something for everyone on this list.
A couple of weeks ago, I asked all of you for your best organizational tips and tools. And you responded in force, with some great stuff. What follows are some of the best of the tips (tools will be in another post), edited for brevity and consistency.
I must emphasize: these are not my tips, but yours, and when you see the word “I” it refers to the reader writing the tip, not me. Names have been removed to protect the innocent.

1. 3 Most Important Tasks. Writing down and making mental note of my top 3 tasks to get done for the day. Everything else seems to fall into place if I do that.
2. An easy and workable task list, or to do list. While I love all of these handy web 2.0 apps, computer software, very neat gadgets like palms and really cool cell phones, they just don’t work for me. I’m a lazy woman, with an even lazier attitude. I might put a task in Remember the Milk, another task in my palm, one in my Gcal and send another text to my phone. With all of these different ways of doing things, I end up spending much more time trying to organize my to do list, or consolidate it, that I don’t get much actually done.
3. Keep ubiquitous capture device. It might not be the same device for every location (I have a moleskine for work, but use my mobile for inspiration on the fly) but just being able to write stuff down when you think about it is key for me.
4. Choose one tool and stick with it.
5. Do one thing at a time.
6. Do it now.
7. Make use of the word no.
8. Use the recycling bin/trash basket. Organizing unnecessary items is wasted energy. It is amazing how much more in control I feel just by ridding myself of now outdated articles I’d like to read “someday,” or countless meeting notes from which relevant action items have already been extracted.
9. A (good) place for everything, and everything in its place. By finding places that are easy to get to for all the things I use most often, and places that are pretty easy to get to for the things I use less often, I spend less time dreading doing things and more time actually doing things. And the place for things you never use is elsewhere (trash can, place that accepts donations, etc.).
10. Simplify, simplify, simplify!
11. Put it away now. The single, simplest thing I do to stay personally organized is to put whatever tool, item, clothing, bag, hairbrush etc., away immediately after using it. I always know where everything and anything is so I never waste time looking for something. Very efficient. I could tell a stranger where to find anything in my home.
12. Keep a to-do list that syncs with your mobile phone (so you can add stuff as and when you remember it). And make sure every item has a due date.
13. Change. It obsoletes unimportant things. It brings down any method or idea that isn’t timeless. It brings up newer and more important things that you and others can’t resist anymore. Best of all: it’s an organizing tool that operates itself. You simply have to embrace it.
14. Divide material into red, yellow, blue and green plastic file folders. For example, anything that has to be done today (paperwork to be given to a client, bills to be mailed) go in the red folder. Contact material or anything related to customer field support goes in the yellow folder. Your mileage may vary as to how you organize your briefcase, and like me you may also have project-specific manilla file folders as well, but dividing stuff up into just four color coded folders is a huge help.
15. Flylady.net. She helped me realize that I needed to apply GTD principles to my home life and not just work. I had work under control using checklists, projects and next actions. I tried the same system at home and failed. Then about a month ago I discovered flylady.net courtesy I believe one of your blog posts. Wow, what a difference. My house is clean and so is my desk at work. Many if not most of her basic ideas are just like GTD in a slightly different perspective (control journal, baby steps) and also concrete methods for accomplishing next actions (2 minute hot spots, 15 minute timers). Her most useful tip was to put my daily/weekly lists into shiny page protectors in my control journal. I use a dry erase marker and voila no more killing trees or not doing my list because I can’t print it (or want to avoid the hassle). The best thing about this, I am more relaxed, my blood pressure is finally dropping and I feel less stressed.
16. Unapologetically take control of your time and priorities.
17. Sort at the source. My favorite organizational tool is my post office box. I visit it once a week (usually Saturday), stand at the counter in the lobby and sort my mail. I use the P.O.’s trash bin. What comes into my house is only what I need to have. Bills and letters and checks go into my inbox (which by the way is a box with a lid that is wrapped in lovely fabric and has a yellow bow on it so it looks like a present sitting on my desk). Reading material goes on the table by my chaise lounge which is where I do all my reading.
18. A sheet of paper, a calendar and a white board. I’ve found that the easiest way to organize myself, my days and so forth is a good paper calendar, a sheet of paper that I divide into four sections and a medium sized white board. For my paper the top left section is my actual running to do list for today. The top right section is my running grocery list, or list of things I must purchase. The bottom left is for notes such as calls I made, who I spoke to, appointment dates. The bottom right is whatever I need to move to another day. If I’m told to call back on Monday, then I note that on the calendar. As for the white board, the kids can make notes (Can I spend the night at Brian’s on Friday? Grandma called), and I can jot down things as I think of them to be added to tomorrow’s to do list. My calendar, and the white board are in the same location, so I can transfer short notes if need be. I carry my paper task list with me everywhere, so I can make notes at any given moment.
19. Color coding. I’m a visual person, and I find that color-coding my various lists and calendars minimizes the time I have to spend looking at them. This worked especially well when I was in school: I dumped every class syllabus into Outlook, and then color-coded every class period (blue for paper due, yellow for quiz, red for test, etc). It took awhile to set up, sure, but then for the rest of the semester I only had to glance at Outlook to get a very clear idea of what kind of week I was going to have.
20. One binder. I use a binder cleverly labeled “@ 2007″ with the following divisions:
    • @ Today – With my Emergent Task Planner from davidseah.com;
    • @ Week – The remaining days of the week ETP’s as a skeleton;
    • @ Year – All my historical sheets;
    • @ Diet – Which tracks what I have eaten for the day;
    • @ Fitness – Which tracks my workout routine for the day. My binder is with me all the time and it has helped me become a better employee, family member and relationship guy.
21. Write down, execute and tidy up on the way. These are is my organization bible. I’ve been living that way since more than two years and I can say that I’m an organized person.
22. A little whiteboard on my bedroom wall. I have it separated into two sections, a “todo” and a “today”. “Todo” is a list of general things I have to do, like get my car inspected, buy someone a present, etc. Then “today” is what I need to do, obviously, today! Things can be moved back and forth as appropriate. I find having a specific list for today helps push me to get the important things done in a timely manner. I also keep two things permanently on the “today” part, which are meditation and exercise. This seems to help.
23. Note cards. One can write tasks on them — one per card, or in a list (depending on the type of task in question; I do both). When doing one per card, the stack serves as an easy prioritization scheme. But wait, there’s more: They can be arranged on cork boards, shared, annotated, torn up and rearranged. They can be used as placeholders, as mini-white boards and as tokens to model ideas. They are easy to carry around, and to attach to other documents. Further, different colors allow for a visual representation of different kinds of todo’s (as can different annotations). Finally, they are cheap and most importantly of all: easy (much easier than software) to reconfigure as needs and projects change.
24. Never rely on a single point of failure. I’ve seen people pay $1,000 to hear speakers at a conference and only have one pen to take notes. It’s a great feeling when one thing breaks, gets lost, or runs out of power, and you have another one in reserve!
25. Have.. less.. stuff.
26. Delegate. Learn to trust people with critical tasks in all areas of your life. When you learn to effectively delegate tasks you actually find that it is easier to keep the stuff you cannot delegate better organized.
27. You control your life. Whatever electronics or paper you use, make them work for YOU not the other way around. Does Outlook really have to stay checking your email every 5 minutes? Maybe, but I bet you’ll get a whole lot more done if you check it a few times per day. That goes for the Blackberry too! After all, there are so many tools, and one to fit everyone – so use what works, but make it work for you!

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the comment writers alone and does not reflect or represent the views of Victor Duru

golden rules for SMSF investors to keep in mind

Investing during times of market stress and volatility can be difficult. For this reason it’s useful for SMSF investors to keep a key set of things – call them rules – in mind.

The seven key rules, in my view, are: be aware that there is always a cycle; invest for the long term; turn down the noise; buy low and sell high; beware of the crowd; diversify and focus on investments offering a sustainable cash flow.

1. Be aware that there is always a cycle

The historical experience of investment markets – be they bonds, shares, property or infrastructure –
constantly reminds us they go through cyclical phases of good times and bad. Some are short term, such as occasional corrections. Some are medium term, such as those that relate to the three to five year business cycle. Some are longer, such as the secular swings seen over 10 to 20 year periods in shares. But all eventually contain the seeds of their own reversal. The trouble with cycles is that they can throw investors out of a well thought out investment strategy that aims to take advantage of long term returns and can cause problems for investors when they are in or close to retirement. In saying this, cycles can also create opportunities.

2. Invest for the long term

The best way for most investors to avoid losing at investments is to invest for the long term. Get a long term plan that suits your level of wealth, age and tolerance of volatility and stick to it. This may involve a high exposure to shares and property when you are young or have plenty of funds to invest when you are in retirement and still have your day to day needs covered. Alternatively if you can’t afford to take a long term approach or can’t tolerate short term volatility then it is worth considering investing in funds that use strategies like dynamic asset allocation to target a particular goal – be that in relation to a return level or cash flow. Such approaches are also worth considering if you want to try and take advantage of the opportunities that volatility in investment markets through up.

3. Turn down the noise and focus on the right asset mix

The combination of too much information has turned investing into a daily soap opera – as we go from worrying about one thing after another. Once you have worked out a strategy that is right for you, it’s important to turn down the noise on the information flow surrounding investment markets. This also involves keeping your investment strategy relatively simple – lots of time can be wasted on fretting over individual shares or managed funds – which is just a distraction from making sure you have the right asset mix as it’s your asset allocation that will mainly drive the return you will get.

4. Buy low, sell high

One reality of investing is that the price you pay for an investment or asset matters a lot in terms of the return you will get. It stands to reason that the cheaper you buy an asset the higher its prospective return will be and vice versa, all other things being equal. If you do have to trade or move your investments around then remember to buy when markets are down and sell when they are up.

5. Beware the crowd and a herd mentality

The issue with crowds is that eventually everyone who wants to buy will do so and then the only way is down (and vice versa during periods of panic). As Warren Buffet once said the key is to "be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful".

6. Diversify

This is a no brainer. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket as the old saying goes. Unfortunately, plenty do. Through last decade many questioned the value of holding global shares in their investment portfolios as Australian shares were doing so well. Interestingly, for the last five or so years global shares have been far better performers and have proven their worth.
It appears that common approaches in SMSF funds are to have one or two high-yielding and popular shares and a term deposit. This could potentially leave an investor very exposed to either a very low return oif something goes wrong in the high -yield share that they’re invested in. By the same token, don’t over diversify with multiple – say greater than 30 – shares and/or managed funds as this may just add complexity without any real benefit.

7. Focus on investments offering sustainable cash flow

This is very important. There’s been lots of investments over the decades that have been sold on false promises of high returns or low risk (for example, many technological stocks in the 1990s, resources stocks periodically and the sub-prime asset-back securities of last decade). If it looks dodgy, hard to understand or has to be based on obscure valuation measures to stack up, then it’s best to stay away. There is no such thing as a free lunch in investing – if an investment looks too good to be true in terms of the return and risk on offer, then it probably is. By contrast, assets that generate sustainable cash flows (profits, rents, interest payments) and don't rely on excessive gearing or financial engineering are more likely to deliver.

Final thoughts

Investing is not easy and given the psychological traps that we are all susceptible to – in particular the tendency to over-react to the current state of investment markets – a good approach is to simply seek the advice of a coach such as a financial adviser.

About the author
Dr Shane Oliver, Head of Investment Strategy and Economics and Chief Economist at AMP Capital is responsible for AMP Capital's diversified investment funds. He also provides economic forecasts and analysis of key variables and issues affecting, or likely to affect, all asset markets.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the comment writers alone and does not reflect or represent the views of Victor Duru

Hub airports lure travelers with layover frills

 
 London's Heathrow airport © Reuters

TOKYO -- With ever-expanding direct-flight and transit options, major international airports can no longer rely on their convenient location alone to attract travelers.
     Since fewer airport users means a loss of jobs and businesses, airports are keen to upgrade their facilities and develop enticing services to keep the traffic coming.

Fighting back with fun

At Singapore's Changi Airport, construction is underway on a commercial complex slated to open in late 2018. The facility, named Jewel, aims to integrate entertainment and shopping with traditional airport functions in novel ways.
     With a glass ceiling, a five-story indoor botanical garden and even a 40-meter waterfall, the facility will be unlike anything currently found at airports.
     "The Jewel can become a destination of its own for local residents and tourists," the management company said.
     Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong unveiled plans for the facility in 2013, describing it as a way to protect local businesses and jobs that would be threatened if Changi Airport lost its status as a key hub for air travel. The price tag indicates the level of concern over this prospect: The upgrade is estimated to cost 1.5 billion Singapore dollars ($1.05 billion).
     Changi Airport remains highly popular among air travelers. It was named the best airport in the world by Skytrax, a rating company for airlines and airports, for the third consecutive year in 2015.
     But in terms of the number of international passengers, it slid to sixth in 2014, down a notch from fifth a year earlier. The figure grew just 1% on the year to roughly 53 million travelers.
     "Traditional hub airports have been losing their status in recent years as budget carriers, as well as airlines operated by oil-producing nations in the Middle East, have lured passengers with their low air fares," said Kotaro Toriumi, an aviation sector analyst.


Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the comment writers alone and does not reflect or represent the views of Victor Duru

A few things to consider before booking a flight

With fuel costs rising and airlines finding more fees to impose on travelers every day, airfare isn’t getting any cheaper. Since you can’t drive to all your dream destinations, flying is the only way to go sometimes and, undeniably, the fastest. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to find the most affordable fares and also avoid paying as many extra charges as possible when you plan ahead.

 

Getting the best fare

Airlines put out their fare sales on Tuesday morning, making this day the best day to book a flight for less.

Fly during the least popular times. Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are the slowest days to fly, which means cheaper deals than the rest of the week. You can also find reduced rates on early morning flights, since many people don’t like to get up before the sun to get to the airport. Earlier boarding times can also considerably cut down your chances of getting bumped on an overbooked flight or delayed because of other delayed flights or mechanical issues.

Choose your seat later. Some airlines charge you to pick your seat when you book online, adding even more to the bottom line of your ticket cost. If you show up early on your travel day, you can still get suitable seats. Some of the best seats get held back until flight day, unless others are willing to pay extra for them ahead of time, so you still have the chance at one of those.

Fly on holidays. You already know that summer is the most expensive time to fly, and even though most other times are more affordable, the days surrounding holidays can be crazy. Save big if you’re willing to travel on major holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Don’t wait until the last-minute to book. Many travelers don’t know that there’s a sweet spot for booking and getting the best price on your tickets. Book too early or too late and you could end up paying more than you need to. The best time to book is between three months and six weeks from when you want to travel.

 

Avoiding extra fees

Airlines will charge for just about anything these days. Some have even toyed around with charging customers for using the restroom. All those extra fees can certainly add up, but there’s no reason to pay them if you don’t have to. Here are some tips to keep money in your wallet once you get to the airport.

Avoid the upgrade it's not necessary. Sometimes upgrades are free, but mostly you will be charged for seeking a last-minute bump to first class, and the cost can be hefty.

Fly carry-on only. Baggage fees vary wildly, but almost all airlines charge them and charge big. Why pay for your clothes to fly with you? If everyone in your travel party checks a bag, your bill can be astronomical before you ever even get to your destination. It’s easy to reduce the amount of stuff you pack: Make sure all your clothing coordinates, so you can take less and still make more outfit combinations, take only two pair of shoes, plan to do a bit of laundry on your trip and bring only travel-sized toiletries.

Pack your own snacks. Unless you’re flying internationally, it’s rare your flight comes with a free meal. Snacks on the plane are not cheap and almost never healthy. Don’t rely on what’s on the small menu and instead tuck some of your own snacks – granola bars, homemade muffins, fruit and trail mix all make fantastic travel foods – into your bag and eat a lot better, and cheaper, than other passengers.

 

Do you have a tried and true method of getting the best deal on your flights? Let us know. 

How to Make the Ordinary Extraordinary

You’ve just ordered a top sirloin at a five star restaurant and the waiter brings you prime rib.  Or you arrive on time for your reservation and still have to wait 20 minutes to get a table.  Or you ask for a beer with your dinner and, after you’ve reminded the waiter twice, he informs you as you’re finishing off your entree that the restaurant is out of your selection.  

Do you complain to the manager, or do you wax philosophic and chalk up the experience to the vagaries of life?
It may depend on whether you are dining cross-country or dining across town.
That’s what researchers from Temple University, Arizona State University, and the University of Minnesota concluded when they studied a cross-section of restaurant reviews: we’re more likely to be critical of establishments when we’re closer to home than we are when we’re on the road.
The question, of course, is why?
According to NPR’s Shankar Vedantam, it may be that we acquire an entirely different outlook when we travel.  It’s not only that we expect the unexpected; we may actually welcome it as part of the novelty that makes us want to travel in the first place.
Conversely, our higher standards at home derive from the familiarity of our surroundings and our subconscious prediction that the future will conform to what we’ve experienced in the past.  We are less receptive to variation when we’re on home turf, since we think we know what’s coming, whereas the spirit of adventure we feel on the road makes us more flexible and adaptable, more able to focus on what we like and filter out anything that doesn’t go our way.

REWRITING OUR PASTS
Another possible explanation is that we want to romanticize our adventures.  If we’ve traveled hundreds or thousands of miles, we don’t want to think of our trip as wasted or ill-spent, so we subconsciously augment our experiences in order to remember them as having been worth the trouble and the cost.  Closer to home, we want to learn from our mistakes so that we won’t repeat them; therefore, the negatives may stand out and overshadow the good.
All of which may provide us with an insight that extends far beyond going out to eat.
Consider the buzz that surrounds visiting speakers, visiting bands, visiting theater groups, and visiting comics.  If a celebrity arrives from out of town, how much more excitement is generated than we find by any local personality?
Certainly, there’s no guarantee that the out-of-towner will prove more engaging or enthralling than someone homegrown.  But the buzz of excitement stems from the transience of the opportunity.  This is something new.  This is something out of the ordinary.  This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
Will it live up to the buzz?  Our subconscious minds are determined to make sure that it will.
That can be a good thing.  We enjoy our experiences more because we’re more invested in having them turn out well.  Our anticipation is heightened before and we retain more pleasant memories after, improving our moods and increasing our feelings of joy and satisfaction.

CREATING THE WINTERS OF OUR DISCONTENT
But then there’s the flip side.   And since most of life is routine, it’s oh-so-easy to allow dark clouds to gather over our disposition and color everything in our lives with dreary shades of gray.
We get bored with our jobs, with our clothes, with our cars, with our homes.  We grow indifferent towards our spouses and resentful of their imperfections, until our eyes begin to wander and our minds begin wonder if we wouldn’t be happier with someone or something else.  We become frustrated with our kids and wish they would stop demanding so much of the time and energy that we want to invest in living our lives.
The sad truth is that we end up missing out on our lives because we don’t recognize the novelty of each new day, we don’t appreciate the value of the predictable, we don’t cherish the gift of the ordinary.  When we can’t escape to faraway places, we escape into the fantasy of movies and television, of video games and romantic novels.  We trade the solid satisfaction of the real for the whimsical dreams of our imagination.
In the worst scenarios, we trade reality for fantasy and end up left with nothing at all.
So how do we keep the familiar from becoming contemptible?  How do we bring a sense of newness and freshness into our humdrum lives?

STOP AND SEE THE DAISIES
Back in the fifties, a rabbinic scholar took his first trip on a jet plane.  Outside the cabin window, he beheld the curvature of the earth, the clouds and the sea, and the sunrise blazing over the horizon from the darkness of the heavens.  When he returned home, he told his rabbi how inspired he had been, and how he felt he had come face to face with the Divine Presence.
“I know just what you mean,” his rabbi replied.  “I feel exactly the same way every time I see a daisy.”
Sure, there are plenty of ways we can spice up the ordinary.  Candlelit dinners, moonlight walks in the park, drives in the countryside, family get-togethers, and spontaneous little adventures.
But we make a mistake when we value the extraordinary over the ordinary.  True, gravy makes the turkey taste better, icing sweetens the cake, and a gleaming paint job fills us with pleasure as we get into the car.  But would we ever want gravy without the turkey or icing without the cake?  And how much pleasure do we find in the polished paint job when the engine won’t turn over?  We get so caught up in the extras that we forget about what really gives substance and meaning to our existence.
The best way to keep our lives fresh is not by changing our lives but by changing the way we look at the events that fill our lives.  To spend a few moments each morning and evening giving thanks for our husbands, wives, children, parents, families, and friends; to recount the blessings of good health, a job, food on our table, a roof over our heads; to reflect upon our modest but meaningful accomplishments and to take pleasure in the little ways we contribute to our world and make it a better place, even as we look ahead toward greater accomplishments and the legacy we hope to leave behind.
Life isn’t meant to be a party.  It’s meant to be something better, something that lasts, something that continues to fill us with joy when the parties are all over, after the fireworks are finished, once we’ve paid the check for dinner and return to the routine we share with the people we love.
Rabbi Yonason Goldson, a talmudic scholar and radio personality, is a former hitchhiker, circumnavigator, and newspaper columnist who lives with his wife in St. Louis, Missouri.  His new book is Proverbial Beauty:  Secrets for Success and Happiness from the Wisdom of the Ages, a marriage of King Solomon’s proverbs with the mysterious beauty of the Mona Lisa in a lyrical medley of the human experience.

Surprising Brain Hacks That Bring Enormous Confidence 7 Surprising Brain Hacks to Build Enormous Confidence by Philip Pape

Are you ever held back by a lack of confidence? Does this prevent you from achieving your goals and becoming ultimately successful?

I’ve collected the findings from recent psychology studies and distilled them into these 7 “bio hacks” you can use to build enormous confidence.

1. Be compassionate…to yourself

Psychology researchers found that treating yourself with compassion during a low point in your confidence (after making a mistake) is the most helpful way to motivate yourself.
This strategy was found to be superior to positive affirmations and recalling pleasant memories.
Be kind and sympathetic to yourself. Avoid harsh self-criticism and instead think about how things will improve from here.
By showing yourself compassion, you will more objectively identify your weaknesses, have motivation to move forward, avoid repeating the mistake in the future, and spend more time improving yourself.

2. Change your posture

Do you slouch? Then sit up straight!
Do you fold your arms? Then open them up!
It’s true that your posture and body language show others visually how confident you are. But more surprising is the fact that open body language helps you believe you are more confident.
This study showed how when you have a more confident posture while performing an activity, you actually feel more confident.
In her TED talk, Amy Cuddy explains that if you hold a confident body posture for two minutes, you literally change your hormone levels to become more comfortable and confident. As she puts it:

“It seems that our nonverbals do govern how we think and feel about ourselves, so it’s not just others, but it’s also ourselves…our bodies change our minds.”

The next time you’re about to enter a high-anxiety situation (such as a job interview), try “power posing” for a few minutes to get those hormones cranked up and boost your confidence!

3. Create a ranked list of your values

Try this 10-minute self-affirmation exercise:

1. Write down a list of 10 personal values that you aspire to. Examples include family, education, confidence, attractiveness, and health.
2. Re-order the list in order of importance.
3. Write 2-3 paragraphs on why the top-ranked value is most important.
4. From these paragraphs, write down the top two specific reasons the value is most important.
5. Now answer two questions: (1) To what extent does your top-ranked value influence your life and (2) To what extent is your top-ranked value part of your self-image?

According to this study, participants who performed this exercise felt more secure and confident for up to 2 months later. Try this quick exercise next time you’re feeling insecure. Keep the list with you for inspiration.

4. Invent your superhero alter-ego

Even the toughest Mixed Martial Arts fighters face fear and need the occasional confidence-booster. Sociologists found that they do this by creating a fantasy alter-ego.
One fighter explained how he visualizes and inhabits his virtual avatar:

“I pretty much think of it as a video game. He has a little energy bar and a stamina bar above his head and every time I hit him that bar goes down. I try to think about the fact that every second that I don’t hit him that energy bar may be going back up. I think of myself the same way, except I pretend that my energy bar never goes down. It’s just like I am in invincible mode.”

Try imagining your superhero alter-ego before you “go out on stage.” What’s your super power? Are you Unstoppable Confidence Man? Are you a Tony Stark + Richard Branson super-hybrid? Get creative!

5. Deceive yourself into self-belief

Although you always want to be genuine and true to yourself, a recent study shows that deceiving yourself into believing you’re confident will make others believe you’re confident. And apparently self-deception is a natural evolutionary trait.
The researchers focused on overconfident people who are overrated by others, but underconfident people can use this as well to tip the scales back.
If you lack confidence, why not use this principle to restore your confidence? This is the classic “fake it till you make it approach,” but it works really well when you’re feeling low.
To develop self-belief, try practicing in a fun, low-pressure, and supportive environment where you receive positive feedback.
Here are two solid ways to do this that worked for me:

1. Join Toastmasters
2. Take an improve class

6. Sweat for 10 minutes every day

Ever since I started working out regularly (CrossFit twice a week, sprinting once a week, lots of walking/hiking), I’ve had much more confidence.
There’s science behind this, but you don’t need studies to tell you that exercising has benefits. It gives you energy, floods your body with feel-good endorphins, and improves your self-image.
Successful billionaire Richard Branson says working out is the single most powerful productivity and confidence hack he’s come across.
Try to sweat for 10 minutes every day. When I want a super-efficient workout, I run Tabata sprints—you sprint all-out for 20 seconds, stop for 10 seconds, repeat. Do this for 10 minutes  (that’s 20 quick sprints). It’s easy to do and provides all the benefits of a tough workout.

7. Keep your goals secret

When you achieve your goals and realize success, you naturally build confidence. But it can seem like a struggle to meet your goals in the first place.
This study found that people who revealed a goal to someone else actually lost motivation to accomplish the goal.
It sounds counter-intuitive. You would expect that telling others would hold you more accountable. But by sharing your goals, you prematurely feel that you’ve already accomplished them.
Another reason to keep your goals secret is to avoid being discouraged by nay-sayers in your life, according to Dr. Robert Anthony: “Many would-be achievers have lost out before they even got started by letting others…talk them out of what they really wanted to do.”
The lesson? Keep your goals secret if you want to achieve them!