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Negotiating Right: Get What you Deserve

If magazine publishing worked like any other business, writers would fix their rates, and magazines would run around trying to hire the best writer in the lowest possible cost. Sadly, that’s not the case. In this bizarre business, writers trying to compete with each other not only have to prove their worth once, but again and again, and each time they want an assignment. You’ve got clips. You’ve written the perfect query. You’ll even deliver the best assignment. But then again, you’ll have to ask for more money and negotiate your way into getting what you deserve.

If you’re a writer whose only source of income is writing, then you have to negotiate. It’s the whole lifeblood of your business. Don’t get paid less simply because you didn’t ask. Don’t worry. You’re not going to sound greedy. You work hard, and you deserve to be paid for it.

When a magazine puts “pays $50-$700″ in their guidelines, what can you do to be the writer that is paid in the higher range? If you’re a beginner, you probably won’t even think of getting into the high-paying slot. You’d think those places were reserved for the regular and the more experienced writers, right?

Wrong!

Admitted, regular writers are preferred, and their pay rates will usually be much higher than yours. But you don’t fall into that lower category because you’re a beginner; you fall into it because you fail to negotiate.

If you’ve got a sparkling query, an article proposal that the editor simply loves, and good writing skills that leave the editor craving for more, she’s not going to bail out on you simply because you asked for more money. In fact, she’ll be glad to arrange it for you. Not having a dozen clips on your resume does not entitle you to less pay. In fact, if you act like a professional, and give the editor what she wants, money won’t even be an issue.

Spot the Loopholes ——————– Whenever you find a magazine that has a variable pay rate, be sure there’s room for negotiation. Why else would they have such a broad category? A very well known magazine mentions in their guidelines that they pay their writers anywhere from $50-$1000 based on experience and length of article. What I also noticed was that they’ve specified the length of pieces in their columns and departments. So, reading between the lines, I’m thinkingnegotiation!

What about all those magazines that pay fixed rates? Do you just settle for what they have to give or is there room for something more? If you’re looking to be paid more, there’s a very remote possibility. However, there are other things that you can ask for. For one, there are rights. If you could use one piece in more than one publication, it would get you more money, though indirectly. Even so, another publication means another name added to your list of growing credits. Wouldn’t you much rather sell one piece to ten different magazines, than get paid only once? Other than increased pay, you’ve also added to your list of credits. That’s bound to bring in more money in the future.

Other than that, kill fees are a definite must. You don’t want to spend hours on your research, only to have your article removed off the publication list. You deserve payment for the time you put in. Talk to the editor about this before you’ve actually started the writing process. Normally, kill fees are around 20-50%. It’s very unlikely that you’ll get more even if you have a working relationship with the editor.

Another issue is payment on acceptance versus payment on publication. Magazines have very long lead times. In simple words, this means that there you could have to wait as long as six to eight months after acceptance to see your article in print. If you’re an international writer, the delay is even longer, sometimes leading to getting payments months after you’ve written the article. Do you really want to wait that long? Can you?

What else? Bios. Short blurbs after our names that could point to a website, have contact information or simply mark us as experts. A few magazines give them, but if they don’t, you could ask for one. Or you could ask for a bigger bio or a photo alongside. This is much easier to do if your article is appearing online. If the editor is unwilling to pay you more, this is your best bet.

If your article required a lot of traveling, phone calls, lunches or other expenses, ask the publication to reimburse it. There will usually be a limit to how much a publication will pay, but it should cover your total expenditure on writing the article. Send in the bills, appropriately marked, and you’ll be paid. If this clause isn’t mentioned in your contract, be sure to bring it up.

Finally, you want copies of the magazines. As many as you can get, actually. Most publications will give you two-three copies of the magazine or publication in which your work appears. If possible, ask for more. This is especially important for international writers who can’t buy copies of the magazine themselves.

Get it Right ————– If you’re like most writers, you’re a pro at writing emails with demands no editor dare refuse, but when it comes to negotiation in person or over the phone, you give in a little too soon. You know you could have got more, but you caved in before you could gather yourself to say, “I was expecting more.”

Negotiating is a whole other job in itself. (That’s why we have agents right?). But as a freelancer, an agent would do you more harm than good, so you’ll have to take up this profession as well. (You’re already a writer, marketer, promotion expert, website developer and accountant… what’s one more job?)

When an editor sends over a contract in which you can see the need for negotiation, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and talk to her. It’s easier than you think. Editors expect writers to negotiate. Professionals do it all the time. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise to her when a writer asks for a bigger paycheck. She’s probably even prepared for it. And this is the sole reason why she’ll give in more easily than you thought. Stand your ground, and be confident. If you believe you deserve to be paid more for your words, she will too.

So, let’s imagine you’ve got an acceptance letter (or phone call) from the editor. Yippee! Do the victory dance, run around and tell everyone you know and then come back to planet Earth for a reality check.

Before talking to the editor, you should have a fair idea of what you’re expecting from the publication. Don’t keep your demands too high. At the same time, don’t keep your expectations too low either. The publication’s guidelines should give a rough idea of the upper and lower limits and depending on your article length and research, you should be able to determine a rough amount.

A few pointers on the actual process of negotiating:

* Don’t be the first to state the figure. Sometimes you just have to, but try to get the editor to propose the amount and you can work your way up from there. * Use phrases such as “I was expecting more” and “That sounds a little low” or even “I was thinking more in the range of …” * Don’t argue with the editor. After all, you do want the assignment. Reach a figure that you’re both comfortable with. * If the editor doesn’t budge on the money front, ask for a better rights agreement or a bigger byline. Payment on acceptance is always a big plus. * Finally, never be unprofessional. If you don’t like the terms of the agreement and decide not to write for the publication after all, be polite. Demeaning the editor or the publication will get you nowhere but in the black list.

Get it in Writing ——————- Nothing is final (or legal) until you get it on paper. If your old contract didn’t state the terms correctly, ask for a new one. Check and recheck the terms and only then sign the contract.

Writers are often deprived of their hard-earned money simply because they were too nervous to ask. Looking back, I see many times when I knew I could have asked for more, but didn’t. And there are many other writers who don’t either, because they don’t want to risk a relationship with an editor before it’s even begun. Whether you’re a novice, or a seasoned pro, the truth is – you won’t get something unless you ask for it. So next time, give it a try and you might end up making more than you thought.

* This article previously appeared on www.WritersCrossing.com

Self Soothe

When a baby cries, it usually be soothing that the baby will be able to solve them selves. Many babies, when the were in the womb, would suck on their fingers and thumbs, or even toes. If the baby would just learn to do that aging, you might be home free. But if they don’t like the taste of their own appendages then you can give the pacifier, or inky. For most of us parents this is the most important thing that you can have. Babies like the feeling of suckling and this binky will work perfectly. Calm music might help. You can try giving the baby a warm bath. The warmth of the water is soothing and makes them feel like they are back at home in the womb. Providing something for the baby to look at or touch may soothe them too. Some doctors and dentists worry though that pacifiers and fingers can cause future problems with growing teeth and jaw development. Talk with your doctor about what the latest research offers in that regard. Ultimatelyits the baby’s choice because they’ll do what they want to do no matter what the parent wants. Always check with the doctor.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road to: Book Publishing

It appears that today everyone is a writer and we all have the same dream. We all hope to someday be published. So as writers, where do we get started?

I suggest joining writing groups first and start seeking feedback that can help your career as a writer. It is most likely that your closest friends and family are telling you that your writing is the greatest thing since Steven King’s, and maybe it is, but it doesn’t hurt to get some feedback from your fellow writers.

Once you are ready to take that plunge into the deep oceans of writing and see your work published for the first time the best places to start are magazines and e-zines looking for calls for submission. There are over 150 publishers listed on Today’s Woman website , all looking for stories and poetry.

You are going to want to purchase a copy of Writer’s Market that is published annually. This is an essential book for writers who are interested in publishing their work. You are also going to want to research your market. You are going to want to see just what kind of stories the magazine publishes are seeking. Each publisher will have specific guidelines to follow. Offer your short stories for publication in their magazines, be sure to list your other publications, if any, and thank the editor for considering your work. If you are hoping to see your book published some publishers will want you to send them your entire manuscript, while others may only want a query letter outlining your book proposal. Some may wish to see a few chapters from the book. If you’re sending a full manuscript or sample chapters, always include a S.A.S.E. (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) bearing sufficient postage with your submission. Present a cover letter that is professional. I suggest doing a Google search for query letter to give you some examples. If you are submitting by email make sure that you follow the guidelines on the publisher’s website.

Stories posted on websites – are they personal or published?

In some cases magazines will consider a story posted on your website, or in an open community to be published. Therefore they will not be able to claim first rights to it and most magazines; newspapers etc will not accept it as submission. This will differ from publisher to publisher and it is a very grey area. I suggest if you are submitting work that has already appeared on the web for publication, mention in the cover letter the forums or site where the story has been posted and let the editor make an informed decision.

Simultaneous Submissions?

There is a great debate in the writing community regarding simultaneous submissions. I have had a few interesting discussions myself. Some feel that it is the only way to get published quickly, others feel that it could lead to a bad reputation for you as a writer. This is due to the fact that publisher one will invest time in to reading your manuscript, only to find later it has been accepted by another publisher. I do encourage writers who wish to use simultaneous submission to advise the editors of it in their query letters.

Look over the contract:

Many first-time writers are so excited to just be published that they sign their name on anything without fully reading the contract. I can honestly say this is one mistake that I made. With out carefully reading over the contract you could sign yourself into a contract where for the next seven years you are bound to it and your publisher is reaping the rewards. Do not get trapped into this loop hole. Make sure you do an in depth check into the background of any publisher. Once you send off your manuscript now the fun comes. You sit and wait.

How long does it take?

It could take from 8-10 weeks to 8-10 months. Don’t be discouraged by rejections, every writer gets rejected. Even Steven king was rejected. One published author says every story, on average, must be submitted to 100 markets before it is accepted.

You are going to want to know about rights, like first serial rights, etc. On Today’s Woman under ‘writing lessons’ there are some great articles that cover rights. Please be sure to check them out.

Getting published isn’t easy. The editors get thousands of unsolicited Manuscripts a year. However don’t give up. Start at the bottom and work up. I know some very talented writers who still aren’t published. They’ve been trying for years. Writing is all about creating a name for yourself and that takes time.

If you are really eager about having your book published you may wish to consider self-publishing or POD publishing. If you are considering this I suggest developing a budget for publishing and advertising costs. You are going to want to shop around and look at the different prices of POD publishers or printing companies. If you are going to go the self-publishing route you are going to need your own ISBN number and cover designer. In Canada you can get an ISBN number through http://www.collectionscanada.ca/isbn/s11-202-e.html . If you’re looking for a print on demand publisher I suggest starting at the Today’s Woman database of POD Publishers http://www.todays-woman.net/link-49.html . Be sure to consider factors such as set-up costs, royalty payments, control over your book, distribution, cover price, advertising and the publisher’s reputation. The Internet can be a very useful tool as it allows you to investigate the company’s name to see if other writers have had trouble with the company. Another approach to learning about the reputation of a publishing company might be to post questions within the different writing groups.

Todays-Woman.net also hosts a ‘Warning Writers’ page http://www.todays-woman.net/poetry-scams.html . Be sure to do your homework and never just take the publisher’s word.

If you write poetry, why not consider making a chapbook of your poetry. A chapbook is “a small book or pamphlet containing poems, ballads, stories, or religious tracts” (dictionary) the term is still used today to refer to short, inexpensive booklets. Be sure to read my article “Make a Chapbook of Your Poetry”. http://www.todayswoman.net/article589.html

Remember self-publishing is just what it says self-publishing you do The editing, the marketing, advertising, distribution, and sales.

It might be good to get some writing credits under your name before you think big. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you much success and hope you never give up on your dreams.

“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” -William Arthur Ward

New to Article Writing – Start Here

The internet articles writer can find thousands of tips and endless advice, much of it is good and some is worth its weight in gold. Sometimes writers get too complicated and try to produce articles that reflect all the great advice they have learned in one shining article to beat all articles, sort of the “mother of all articles.” Sometimes the best advice is to simplify, or start with a less complicated premise for your articles. If you have found yourself getting bogged down trying to polish here is some advice.

First, go back to basics. The whole idea of article writing is to communicate. You have found good information, news, drama, or opinion on a timely subject and feel you have something to say about it. Perhaps you have no more to say about it than any one else but your way of elucidation may help people to see something a little better or something they may have missed. This is good stuff but then comes the business of writing it.

I have found myself getting too long winded in some of my articles. When I found out that the best article length in general is between 450 to 650 words I started to modify my writing to fit that criteria. I still get cramped up sometimes wanting to write more but knowing I’ve said enough. In time I found a way to keep things both simple and readable without sparing important content.

It is so simple I am almost embarrassed to say it. But if a thing works it should be made known. If you were to pick up a pen and write a letter to a friend what form would it take?

Would it have a summary, seven points and a huge wrap up? No it wouldn’t. What it would have is three major divisions, an introduction, two or three points and a conclusion. This may not be the best form for every article you write but it is an excellent place to start if you’re new to article writing. It is also a good place to fall back to when you have gotten far too complicated and bogged down in form and polish.

I am not suggesting that you cease to get all the advice you possibly can to improve your writing skills. I have a few sites I refer to constantly to learn new things. One of my favorites is “Pointeronline.” Every once in a while I have to re-simplify to make sense of something I’m trying to say, try it yourself. Remember, introduction, two or three points and a conclusion.

How To Select a Great Topic For Your Book or Ebook Part 4 of 5

For part four of this discussion, we’ll be taking a look at some specific topics you may wish to explore…

Looking young

Perhaps sixteen year old girls don’t want to look younger, but from that point on, and for most of the population in Western society, looking young is a common desire. Everybody wants to find the fountain of youth, whether it be in a pill bottle, a special diet, surgery, or an ebook.

An ebook about staying or appearing young in the face of growing old will have a solid future. Here are some title ideas, and I’m sure you can come up with a truckload more.

- “Drop ten years and ten pounds in ten days”

- “How to look 28 forever”

- “100 ways to look younger”

- “Grocery store products that will help you look younger”

- “Look 30 again without surgery”

- “How to live to be 100″

This topic is red hot. Botox, surgery, chemical peels, lasers, diets, acupuncture, electronic pulses, mega vitamins, prescription teas, thigh cream, and teeth whiteners are being purchased by baby boomers, the elderly, and even women as young as 20 ! No one wants to look a day older than they have to.

Health

Health is a concern to anyone who is growing old or ill or faced illness with a loved one or wants more energy or, basically, everybody. Health ebooks are a good investment for you to make. And doctors don’t have to be the authors. Anyone with any credentials, or no crendetials at all, can write books on health. Just be sure you don’t claim to be a doctor if you’re not one. Here are some health topics you can hit at this moment in time and be almost guaranteed immediate interest, readership, and sales! Disease prevention and cure. As our baby boomer population ages, most will be afflicted with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, or some other malady. Give these people some hope. Create an ebook on how to cope, how to find the best practitioners, how to avoid disease triggers, or cures American doctors are unaware of.

Natural remedies. People are curious about alternatives to standard medicine, and are anxious to try herbal, natural, or holistic treatments. Create a book on any disease that covers alternative cures. For example, “How to Treat Lymphoma, Naturally.” Or, you could just address natural supplements in general, “The best natural remedies for common ailments,” or “Holistic health.” Diet. What we eat is always a hot topic. There are literally dozens if not hundreds of diet fads currently out there. Pick any one of them for an ebook. Then there’s obesity, general health, and also diet supplements like vitamins. Think “How to equip your kitchen for macrobiotic dieting.” Or, “Eat to cure cancer.”

Another great topic along the lines of health would be a book exposing the scam of whole life insurance (yes I said scam) which most insurance agents push on their clients since they make more commissions selling a whole life policy than a term life insurance policy. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s the deal: If you’re currently paying for whole life, and you’re still relatively young, get term life insurance instead and put the extra money into a real investment instead of giving it to your insurance agent.

Travel

Never has so much travel been available to so many. People today want to get in touch with the people they love. They want to experience different parts of the world. See exotic things. Be entertained. Also, because, especially in America, adults sometimes work well more than 40 hours a week, people need really good vacations. They’re doing their research to make sure that they will really enjoy their precious few weeks off each year.

Here are some topics for you: how to trade frequent flyer miles, how to keep airport security off your back, how to travel on a dime and get change, and how to keep your children happy on long car trips.

Beyond the how-to’s, there is plenty of room for books like, the best amusement parks for your money, top 100 campgrounds, things you must see and do in Utah before you die, and free things to do when visiting Washington, D.C. Get the idea? The good thing about creating travel ebooks is that you may already know a lot about a place that other people may be interested in visiting. Makes it easy!

Money

Money makes the world go around (well that and the earth’s axis and planetary forces), and so it would make sense that ebooks would abound on the topic of money. They do, but the market is nowhere near saturated. There’s always room for more. From getting rich to just saving money day-to-day, people are always interested in how-to books related to money. Ideas below:

- “How to feed your family on less than $40 a week”

- “How to get free stuff”

- “How to pay almost no taxes”

- “How to buy a retirement home for no money down”

- “How to be richer than your parents”

- “How to buy cars and jewelry at auction”

- “How to start a financial management business”

Life enrichment

In these days, although fewer and fewer are attending churches, more and more are flocking to purchase self-help books. Self-help books are leaping off shelves at brick and mortar bookstores. People want to feel that if they read a self-help book, they have all the power to change their lives. Whether or not this is true is moot. Changing your life, soul searching, and helping thyself, are all great ebook topics.

As much as ever before, people want to know how to find peace with their pasts, how to be creative or spiritual in a consuming society, and how to find true love. There is no end to how-to books you could create in the category of self-help, or life enrichment. Here are a few more ideas here:

- How to marry for life

- How to unbreak your heart

- How to stay sane in a crazy world

- How to meditate

I hope you have gleaned a few ideas from this brainstorming session. We’ll explore some more hot topics in the final installment of this article series.

Ways To Increase Traffic by Writing Articles

Writing articles is the fastest and easiest way to get a stampede of people to your website who recognize your name by your signature and adhere to what you recommend.

Most people reason that finding information in articles, forums, and discussion groups is a primary method of getting good information, and odds are that they were somewhat of an expert on that subject, and if they were experts then products and services they sold or recommended were likely to be good.

You should always include a signature with your article, a few lines about your business, your website URL and/or email address. You will be amazed at the targeted traffic it will generate for you.

If you are having trouble getting started I understand, and can tell you that writing is hard work. But once you write the first article it seems to get much easier. In fact, you may discover that you have a hard time stopping!

6 Ways to get started writing articles:

1. Get a notepad and pen, or use a word processor or computer, and just brainstorm ideas for articles. The best source for an article is usually from experience, or knowledge you have acquired in the past. If you are at a total loss, go and read some articles in other’s e-zines or websites. Once you get started you will come up with many ideas. Write each one down. If you think of a good title that includes a keyword about the article, write that down too, and include the keyword in the first sentence, or paragraph.

2. There are several ways writers work, depending on their personalities. You may like to order and organize your points first by making an outline of the information you plan to include or the points you intend to make. Then all you have to do is go back and “flesh out” the points, adding useful facts or links to more information. Or, you may be a natural teacher, and write just as though you are explaining the subject to the reader in person. Either method is fine, just do what is comfortable for you. One method may work best for one kind of article and the other for another kind.

3. Add “personality” to your writing. Share some of yourself with your readers, make your writing uniquely your own. It’s fine to read e-zines and others’ articles to see what people may be interested in and spark your own ideas, but don’t pattern yourself after someone else. People want to feel that they know You – Your knowledge and personality. This is what builds loyalty. If it fits with your subject, don’t be afraid to mention your product or service and give the URL or email address, but DON’T write a “glorified ad” and call it an article! That can offend a publisher so that they won’t even consider articles from you in the future.

4. After you’ve finished writing your article, read it through aloud, preferably to someone else who will ask questions if they don’t understand some point.

5. Run a spell checker! If you own Microsoft Word or something similar, run the grammar checker also. Have someone else proofread it for you. Even professional proofreaders will tell you that they try to have someone else proofread their own writing, because it is next to impossible to catch your own mistakes.

6. When you have finished your article and make the necessary changes, you will need to submit it to as many article directories as you can. Search the web for article directories to submit your article for free. There are also, paid services and software that will do the submissions for you, but you may want to wait until you have successfully written a few articles before you choose to pay.

Using Traffic Exchange Programs Part 1

I have an ingenious concept in store for you!

I am sure that you have heard of Traffic Exchange programs such as Traffic Swarm, No More Hits and Hit Pulse. If you do not what they are just yet, quite simply, Traffic Exchange programs allow you to surf for credits in exchange for traffic to your web pages.

If utilized correctly, these Traffic Exchange programs can bring you effective results in both list-building and sales, free of charge. And I am about to teach you just that.

In this series, I will teach you not only how to earn credits from several Traffic Exchange programs simultaneously without having to cheat but how to organize your list-building campaign effectively.

Have I got your attention? So, here we go!

First Thing’s First

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Before anything else, you must have your own regular newsletter (also known as e-zine). Do you have one just yet? If you do not have one, then you have to have one right now!

The objective of this series is to gain targeted subscribers to newsletter at no expense. Since you will not be spending any money, the success lies heavily in your efforts.

Also, make sure that your regular newsletter is free for everyone to join.

If you do not have a regular newsletter, you can compensate with a free e-book or a report to give away in exchange for your subscriber names and e-mail addresses. Just be sure that your e-book or report is free and viral in nature so that your subscribers can pass your e-book or report to other people in their network.

In the end, your objective is still to collect a list of targeted subscribers so that you can follow-up with them later when you have products or services to promote.

The reason I use the word “targeted” is because you do not want to get just anybody to subscribe to your newsletter. If you are selling collectible game cards, you will want to get people who are fans of collectible game cards to subscribe to your newsletter and not people who are old enough to be your parents.

Register With A Few Traffic Exchange Programs

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These are some of the best Traffic Exchange programs I have found to date. You can join as many as you wish as you need not join all of them.

[1] www.trafficswarm.com

[2] www.ts25.com

[3] www.trafficpods.com

[4] www.nomorehits.com

[5] www.fastlanetraffic.com

[6] www.fastfreeway.com

The more programs you join the more credits you can get and in exchange, you can get more traffic to your web page.

If you are not familiar with how a Traffic Exchange Program works in detail, you can learn more from either one of the web sites listed above. They work more or less the same.

In the next series, I will teach you how you can surf for credits at the same time legally and get targeted opt-in subscribers for free.

See you again!

(To be continued in Using Traffic Exchange Programs Part 2)

Copyright (c) Edmund Loh

About the Author:
Edmund Loh is the author of the E-Biz Wiz Blog and Starting An Internet Business Special Report with over 6 years of web designing experience before he engaged in an Internet Business. Visit his website for more online business ideas and reseller tips. http://www.ebizmodelsyoucancopy.com/ebizwiz

How Watching Babies Learn to Walk Helps you Meet your Goals

Like so many people, my career path has been an accident. I was at the right place at the right time. But when my 40th birthday approached, I really reflected upon my past accomplishments and wondered what my future ones would be. As a new mom, I am constantly inspired by my son. Was there a way I could use the lessons I have learned from my son to help me figure out my future goals? I was fascinated when my son learned to walk – he was so determined and nothing could get in his way and when he fell he didn’t question himself or criticize himself, he just kept going. That was when I was struck by the metaphor of baby steps. If we copied babies actions of learning to walk without fear of failure, perhaps we can reach our goals?

Building block 1: What are you proud of? What are the ten things I am most proud of from my childhood? When I asked myself this question it was filled with things like – winning the doggie paddle race at age 5; getting the best camper award; being the first freshman on the varsity basketball team; getting a tennis scholarship; traveling to more than 8 countries before I was 12; writing a letter about pollution to President Nixon and getting a response. (I have the letter framed in my office – ok, so it was autopen)

Do you see a pattern here? Well, what struck me as funny was that the things I cared about most as a child: sports, traveling and the environment are still the things most important to me now. So if you created a list of the ten things you are the most proud as a child and as an adult, would you see a pattern?

Building Block 2: What makes you happy? Let’s try another exercise, what are the ten things that make you the most happy? And when was the last time you did anything on this list? Do you make time to do things that make you happy? And if you did do these things, would you have a sense of accomplishment?

My list always includes dancing. Before my son, I danced salsa and tango every week. I love to dance. But, my husband doesn’t dance and since we have a toddler and babysitting is expensive, we don’t go out that often. Lucky for me, I have a little boy who loves music, so we dance in the living room almost every day, twirling and spinning to salsa and rock and roll. Oddly enough, my son teaches me to take baby steps. He teaches me to live in the moment and celebrate every step I take – so when I dance with him in the living room or in the supermarket, I am doing what makes me happy.

Building Block Three: What are your memorable moments? Another one of my favorite exercises is to think of a memorable moment in your life. When I first did this exercise I immediately remembered my trip to Nepal after the 1992 presidential election campaign. I trekked for 10 days in the Annapurna range and was struck by the feeling of stepping back in time – there were no cars, no electricity, and no toilets. We went to sleep when the sun went down. I felt so at peace and one with nature. Can you tell a little about my values from my favorite moment? In less than two minutes my colleagues said they thought I cared about the environment, politics, beauty, solitude, culture and travel to name a few. It was amazing to me how much can be learned from a memorable moment. So what is your moment? Do you think it illustrates your true values?

Turning the building blocks into accomplishments All three exercises are about tapping into your core values and what makes you happy. In this busy world, sometimes you just need to take a moment and breathe and remember what’s important. There is the saying “I will not die an unlived life.” If you take the time to practice the things that make you proud and happy, you will be creating the building blocks to have memorable moments all the time.