Is there Science Behind the Growing Brain Fitness Industry?

To address this question, we interview today Dr. Elkhonon
Goldberg, one of the earliest proponents of the Brain
Fitness and Exercise field. He is a clinical professor of
neurology at New York University School of Medicine, and
author of The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the
Civilized Mind and The Wisdom Paradox: How Your Mind Can
Grow Stronger As Your Brain Grows Older.

Alvaro Fernandez (AF): We are witnessing the birth of a
whole new brain training industry. I understand that one of
the key foundations is the new neuroimaging techniques we
have today.

Elkhonon Goldberg (EG): Precisely. It is often said that
new neuroimaging methods have changed neuroscience in the
same way that the telescope changed astronomy. We use MRI,
PET, SPECT, fMRI and MEG. None of these techniques is
perfect, but used properly they provide us with a much
better understanding than we had only 30 years ago.

AF: Please tell us about your main research and practical
interests.

EG: As you can see in my papers and books, I will
categorize them in 3 areas-a) computer-based cognitive
training/ Brain Fitness overall, b) healthy cognitive
aging, and c) frontal lobes and executive functions.

First, Cognitive Training/ Brain Fitness. Rigorous and
targeted cognitive training has been used in clinical
practice for many years. It can help improve memory,
attention, confidence and competence, reasoning skills,
even how to reduce anxiety and deal with uncomfortable
situations.

Second, healthy cognitive aging. The brain evolves as we
age. Some areas, such as pattern recognition, get better
with age. Some require extra-workouts in order to reduce
"chinks in the armor" and increase neuroprotection through
the Cognitive Reserve. Hence, the need for targeted
cognitive training.

Third, the Frontal lobes and executive functions, which
permeate seemingly very different problems such as ADHD and
Alzheimer's, are critical for our identity and successful
daily functioning so they require extra attention.

AF: Please tell us more about what the Frontal Lobes are.

EG: We researchers typically call them the Executive Brain.
The prefrontal cortex is young by evolutionary terms, and
is the brain area critical to adapt to new situations, plan
for the future, and self-regulate our actions in order to
achieve long-term objectives. We could say that that part
of the brain, right behind our forehead, acts as the
conductor of an orchestra, directing and integrating the
work of other parts of the brain.

I provide a good example in The Executive Brain, where I
explain how I was able to organize my escape from Russia
into the US.

Significantly, the pathways that connect the frontal lobes
with the rest of the brain are slow to mature, reaching
full operational state between ages 18 and 30, or maybe
even later. And, given that they are not as hard-wired as
other parts of the brain, they are typically the first
areas to decline.

AF: And is that one of the areas where cognitive training/
Brain Fitness Programs can help.

EG: Yes. Most programs I have seen so far are better at
training other brain areas, which are also very important,
but we are getting there. Some of the spectacular research
and clinical findings of the last 20 years that remain to
be discovered by the population at large are that we enjoy
lifelong brain plasticity and neurogenesis, that the rate
of development of new neurons can be influenced by
cognitive activities, and that intense mental challenges
provide extra resistance to aging.

Exercising our brains systematically ways is as important
as exercising our bodies. In my experience, "Use it or lose
it" should really be "Use it and get more of it". And
computer-based programs are proving to be a great vehicle
for that "Use It".

AF: We have been talking mostly about cognition or
"thinking". What about the role of emotions, as shown by
the great research by Damasio?

EG: Great question. Until recently, emotions were simply
not relevant for many cognitive neuroscientists. That is
changing, and there is more and more research looking into
what makes us "uniquely human": attributes like motivation,
judgment, empathy, insight into others, emotional
self-regulation.

AF: how does that link into the role of art? Can we
consider art creation and appreciation as brain exercise?

EG: This is still open territory, but my personal opinion
is that art's main purpose is in fact exercising brains. I
wouldn't be surprised if piano lessons were shown to
improve overall sharpness and lucidity. Any activity
changes the brain, and systematic programs can be designed
to lead that change in a better way than random daily
activities. Learning a complex skill such as learning the
piano helps train and develop some parts of the brain.
Well-designed computer-programs help train and develop
other parts.

AF: Dr. Goldberg, many thanks for your time.

EG: My pleasure.

----------------------------------------------------
Alvaro Fernandez is the CEO and Co-Founder of SharpBrains,
which provides the latest science-based information for
Brain Exercise and Brain Health, and has been recognized by
Scientific American Mind, CBS, Forbes, and more. Alvaro
holds an MA in Education and MBA from Stanford University,
and teaches The Science of Brain Health at UC-Berkeley
Lifelong Learning Institute. Learn more at
http://www.sharpbrains.com/

How Start with a "FASTBREAK" PLAN

Network marketing is one of the best ways to create wealth,
for the average individual. Yet, most people in network
marketing never get beyond the starting gate. Why? The
answer is simple - they don't take the necessary actions to
build their business and they are unwilling to learn. In
this article, you will learn a simple approach toward jump
starting your network marketing business. You will learn
how to build your network marketing business. It will be
challenging and the truth is, many of you will not have the
guts nor the real ambition to do what it takes. You are not
willing to put in the hard work. You will look for the
alternatives to growing your business and find yourself
always hoping that the money will just show up in the bank
and you did not have to do ANY work.

However, those who don't wimp out, and who truly tap into
what this article will teach you, will find their
businesses growing and profitable. To really make this
work, you MUST have an open mind and be willing to change.
You MUST be willing to do the things you have not been
doing consistently in your business and willing to change
your perspective of what it really takes to build your
business.

The first step is to make a commitment to become a
professional network marketer. This requires building your
business as a business. Building your business as a
business means building from a plan. Hobbies rarely have an
action plan. Non-professional networkers rarely have a plan
either. I once heard Zig Ziglar say, "Sales Professionals
are open-minded (not empty-headed) and willing to change.
Non-professionals are so narrow-minded they can look
through a keyhole with both eyes at the same time!" This is
true in network marketing as well.You MUST become a
professional network marketer. You cannot continue to do
what has not worked for you. Don't look through the keyhole
with both eyes at the same time as you build your business!
Realize, you MUST be open minded and willing to be flexible
as you build your business. This requires making changes
and not doing the things that have not worked for you.This
includes adding to your knowledge base. That means set
aside at least 20 minutes a day 7 days a week time to read,
listen and write about network marketing. If you refuse or
will not set this time aside then stop reading now.

Starting with a 60 Day Plan of Action

You can't build your business guessing what it really
takes. Massive action is the key and you must know
specifically the action ratios in your business. Use the
first 60 days as a time to carefully track your progress
(use daily ,weekly, and monthly Tracking Sheets available
from any good upline, or mentor).Tracking your progress in
the first 60 days is critical. People progress differently.
What it takes you to recruit a new downline will be
different from what it will take your downline. Tracking
your progress will give you the ratios needed to properly
forecast and plan your business growth. Make sure you keep
these tracking sheets and email or fax them to your mentor
or upline once a week. John Naisbitt, author of Megatrends,
said, "the most reliable way to anticipate the future is to
try to understand the present." Tracking your progress
through the first 60 days will help you identify and
understand the present. Plus, tracking will arm you with
the much needed information to help you plan your future
based on real growth numbers.

Share your weekly tracking sheets with your coach or upline
leader and as you head near the end of the first 60 days,
get with your coach or upline leader to draft a plan of
action using your ratios. Using a plan of action based on
your ratios is the first step in how you build your
business by design rather than by chance. This is a MUST as
you need to be accountable to yourself and someone else.
Otherwise this will not work. If you can not commit to
this step wimp out now and quit as any good coach, upline
and or mentor will need this to help you grow your business
as each person is different and different things work
differently for different people.

Make a Commitment and Jump Start Your Business with a Plan

Now that you have completed your "60 Day Plan of Action,"
you should be ready to jump start your network marketing
business. Jump starting your business can be challenging.
If you are a wimpy marketer or afraid to take real action
(one who hopes to land the heavy hitter to build the
business for them),( and if you are wimpy or not committed
you can not even follow the instruction I gave that if you
are uncommitted or wimpy stop reading and quit), you might
as well stop now and not waste any more of your time.To
truly jump start your business, you will need to take
consistent action. To assist you, we have developed and
market-tested a "fastbreak" plan of action. This plan of
action details step by step the necessary actions needed to
flood your prospecting funnel with interested prospects and
get you on a fast track toward success. A "fastbreak" plan
is a 90 day plan of action in which you commit 7 to 14
hours a week of solid action. It is important to get with
your coach, mentor or upline leader and adjust the plan
specific to your ratios. The plan we provide is based on
industry averages but it is your real numbers which will
make following the plan and building your business a whole
lot easier. ( this is where your Daily, weekly, and Monthly
tracking sheets come into play). Building a network
marketing business is like building a house. You must first
put in a solid foundation before you put up the walls and
add a roof. This "fastbreak" plan is where you build the
foundation to your business. You use the 60 day plan to
determine what it will take to lay each block of the
foundation. Building on a firm foundation will allow you to
build your business with precision and almost to a science.

Getting started with your 90 day plan of action should
include a written commitment to your plan. Make a written
commitment to do what you say you will do and provide a
copy of that agreement to your coach or upline leader. Only
what you can confidently commit to in writing can you
confidently achieve. This is a MUST!

Set Long Term Goals But Work From a 90 Day "FASTBREAK" Plan

We all have long term goals. Put your long term goals in
writing and keep these goals in from of you. This is a
MUST. If you are unwilling bail out of this article now and
get out of your business. The goals only work if written
down.Keep in mind that having your goals in writing will
not magically business your business... you must take
action to build your business. However, having your goals
in writing and as part of your long term plan will allow
you to have a purpose for what you are doing. Yes, I have
long range goals but my plan is based on 90 days at a time.
This allows me to be flexible and to make changes without
spending unending hours on a large plan.90 days is
sufficient time to effectively handle. By the time you are
60 days through the plan, you should begin developing the
next 90 day plan. This approach to planning and forecasting
will ensure you are working in the present. TIP - If you
are not achieving the results you want, get with your coach
or upline leader to discuss the situation. Regular coaching
will help you stay on track and moving forward.

You Are Not In Business Alone

Keep in mind that your sponsor and upline leaders have a
vested interest in your success. It is important to get in
contact with your sponsor, coach, mentor, and upline
leaders and express your intentions in building the
business. Share your goals with them. As you start to work
your plan, stay in contact with your upline leaders for
coaching and assistance. This will be critical to help you
stay on track. Sometimes, things will not go according to
your plan. That is ok. we all face challenges and failures
on the journey of building our business. Use the failures
and challenges as a learning experience and as a stepping
stone toward your success.

Just remember your mentor, coach, sponsor, and upline all
walked where you are walking right now so just remember
they want to help and good one are willing to give the help
to you as long as you are Coachable, teachable and
committed.

----------------------------------------------------
If you want a Free cd about what the Heavy hitters of MLM
WILL not tell you or to Join "Robin's Renegagdes" you need
to contact Dr Robin Rushlo at blindguy55@msn.com or start
today at http://www.cashwithbooks .
Remember you can also learn more of the 35 years in Network
Marketing from Dr Robin Rushlo at
http://www.readingblind55.info/blog
Have a great day and get your other freebies at
bookwise55@getresponse.com
Thanks

Avoid the Top Five Resume Mistakes

Over the years as a recruiter and resume coach, I've seen
the consequences of poorly written resumes. Unfortunately,
most people don't seek professional career help until they
experience the frustration of a long and fruitless job
search. It's surprising how many of their problems can be
traced to the top five resume mistakes.

#1 No resume focus.

The most effective resumes leave no doubt as to the job
seeker's career objective. A one-size-fits-all resume
gives the impression that the job seeker is uncertain of
his career goal. An employer once told me that if a
candidate is interested in two completely different
positions, he must not be very good at either. If you have
more than one career objective, you need more than one
resume.

#2 Lack of marketing strategy.

Job seekers rarely see their search for what it is-a sales
campaign. Think of your resume as marketing material
designed to create a powerful first impression and win a
multitude of job interviews. A resume coach can help you
translate your career history into an effective marketing
piece by selling toward the reader's buying motives:
solving problems, saving money, or increasing profits.

#3 No accomplishment statements.

95% of all resumes lack accomplishment statements. These
statements allow employers to visualize your contribution
to their company. A resume coach can help you move from a
job description type resume to a resume with quantifiable
statements that motivate employers to call you before their
competition does. These statements can dollarize your
worth and increase your bargaining power.

#4 Lack of resume keywords.

These days, resumes are screened by both humans and
computers. A resume lacking in keywords runs the risk of
being read by neither. An average screening of a resume is
15 seconds or less, so more attention is paid to resumes
using the same words found in the job description.
Candidate-tracking software retrieves resumes by keywords.
A keyword-focused resume will put you front and center.

#5 Incorrect resume format.

Basically, there are three resume formats: chronological,
functional and hybrid.

Chronological: The chronological is best known and easiest
to write, a timeline style resume. This format works well
if your objective is to remain in the same industry or
occupation.

Functional: The functional resume places transferable
skills and accomplishments at the beginning of your resume.
However, a poorly crafted functional resume can be
confusing, causing the reader to believe the candidate has
something to hide.

Hybrid: The hybrid resume combines the best features of
other resumes. It showcases skills and accomplishments
while maintaining ease of reading. This is the best format
for job seekers of all level, but it is also the most
difficult to write, requiring thoughtful planning to
identify the most critical transferable skills that will
attract potential employer attention.

Once your resume is designed to avoid the top five resume
mistakes, you will be well on your way to winning
interviews and reaching your career objective. How much is
you old resume costing you in lost opportunities?

----------------------------------------------------
Deborah Walker, Resume Coach, has spent years studying the
art of fine resume crafting. Her career-long focus on all
phases of the employment process provides a solid base of
knowledge for resume advice and coaching. Learn more about
resume coaching at
http://www.AlphaAdvantage.com

The Unconscious Marketing Secret of Emotions

Most people make up their minds very quickly about whether
to buy your product or service.

These fast decisions are made unconsciously. So, if you
want to influence them, you have to communicate at an
unconscious level.

As the unconscious mind is the domain of the emotions, one
of the best ways of reaching it is by appealing to the
emotions. The most successful marketing usually works at an
emotional level.

In his classic 'Think and Grow Rich,' Napoleon Hill
identified a number of different emotions which he believed
people could relate to. The positive emotions are desire,
faith, love, sex, enthusiasm, romance and hope.

Of all the positive emotions, the most important one is
hope. While there is hope, there's always a chance for
something else. If you can hit on those hot buttons in your
marketing, particularly on the power of hope, you will have
more chance of being successful.

There's also, of course, a negative aspect to emotions.
Hill's negative emotions are jealousy, hatred, revenge,
greed, superstition, anger, and fear. Again, these often
provide motivation for people to buy things. With jealousy,
for example, they want to buy something in order to make
sure they're seen as being better or having better results
than somebody else.

Some of these emotions are quite strong, but you can often
use them in your communication. Greed, for example, is very
powerful because everybody wants the best for themselves
and their families. If you can help people satisfy that,
you have a very strong position.

Of all the negative emotions, the one that has the biggest
power is fear. Sometimes it's fear of making the wrong
decision.

Hill also talked about the 'ghosts' of fear – poverty,
criticism, ill health, loss of love, old age, and death –
the things that people naturally fear. If you can offer a
solution to help people to overcome those fears, you will
have lots of buyers.

There's nothing wrong with appealing to negative emotions
if you're offering people a solution. If you can move them
from the negative into the positive, then you have a
win-win situation. Your customer is happy because you've
taken him away from the negative emotion. And you are
happy because you are likely to have made a sale.

So, think about which positive and negative emotional hot
buttons will work for your customers so that you can use
them in your marketing.

----------------------------------------------------
Robert Greenshields is a marketing success coach who helps
entrepreneurs and independent professionals develop the
success mindset and marketing strategies for a better
lifestyle. For more info visit
http://www.mindpowermarketing.com