Too busy to read?

Make it a daily habit Be open and ready to recognize people in and outside work. Try to make it a daily habit to compliment, thank and credit people around you. You don't need to wait for something large and obvious to acknowledge. Allow small and inconsequential things to get your attention.

Change the conversation It's easy for conversations to become stuck on upsetting or depressing topics, particularly when they're looming large in the news. Don't be afraid to be the one to move things on, saying: 'Isn't that enough depressing discussion about...? What about discussing...?' or 'I think we have analysed this topic to death. What other interesting things have been happening?'

When I coach people who seem to be getting caught up in 'sweating the small stuff', I often ask them to explore the question 'Will this matter tomorrow, next week or in a year's time?' Thinking about the issues right in front of you like this can help you regain your perspective.

Spend more time learning from others - it might be your retired neighbour, your elderly grandparents, your children or an ex-boss. Your wisdom grows as you spend time discussing your dreams, challenges and concerns with a range of different people.

it's easy to feel illiterate in the twenty-first century with the constant pressure to learn, unlearn and relearn. Learning itself is not difficult - each of us has our own learning style that we use on a daily basis as we read instruction manuals, explore new processes, situations and challenges. The real problem starts when you have to unlearn something first. You can become so fixated on what you already know that it can be hard to let go of the old to let in the new. Every day we are being challenged to unlearn what we thought we knew or how we thought things should be done.

Christopher Parker put it so well when he stated that procrastination is like a credit card: it's a lot of fun until you get the bill.

Connecting to something greater than yourself is good for your mental health and will make you a happier person.

Learn to spot the signs and recognize how your environment affects your health and stress levels...

Learning from your mistakes and things that cause you pain is invaluable. The greatest lessons can come from the lowest moments in your life.

If you are comfortable and happy with who you are, then you have the kind of confidence you need for a successful life. It is about being truly OK with who you are, what you are doing and where you are heading. It is about knowing what you know, what you do not know and being willing to say so. It is typified by a quote I recently read: 'I used to walk into a room full of people and wonder if they liked me; now I look around and wonder if I like them.'

You cannot change your past, only the way you think and feel about it.

My father always used to tell me, 'In a year's time you will have forgotten why you were stressed today, so why stress about it?' Sadly, most of us get stressed regardless. The question is: what can you do about it?

There is a lovely Native American proverb that states that we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

If you have nothing good to say, then don't speak. Be careful of speaking badly about others in front of your children. If you are separated or divorced, never speak ill of your ex, who, after all, remains their parent.

Reading helps you see a bigger world of possibilities through other people's experiences, both in real life and fiction. It gives you new vantage points from which to view your own life.

'Isn't it better to know what other people already know about you? Why stay blind to how you are perceived?'

'Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different.' James Baraz

You are not your material possessions.

Success is the accomplishment of any number of possible aims, dreams, aspirations or goals. ... It's very personal and unique to you. Your greatest desire could be someone else's idea of hell; you might want to be an award-winning chef while your best friend hates cooking.

By observing and learning from successful people you can zoom up the learning curve and more easily achieve your goals.

Ask yourself on a daily basis 'Who do I need to appreciate today?' Keep a notebook to help you remember.

Knowing how you will achieve your dreams can seem daunting and scary. The remaining 99 chapters in this book will provide you with the tools and solutions you need to remove the fear. The key is to recognize where you are now, where you want to be and explore how to close any gap.

First impressions are everything The most important moment to consciously manage your body language is when you first meet somebody. First impressions count, and it's true that you don't often get a second chance to make a first impression. The secret is to exude confidence and trustworthiness: * Always smile, make eye contact and have a firm handshake when first meeting someone (although you should be aware that this isn't appropriate in every culture). * Have an upright posture whether you're standing or sitting. If you are sitting down, keep your legs together and don't fidget or move around too much. * Dress appropriately for the occasion. If in doubt, dress more formally than you might normally - it is always easier to dress down than it is to do the opposite.

'Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it.'

'Don't Take Anything Personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.' Don Miguel Ruiz

The most successful people are always happy to question what they know, always open to contradictions and always ready to unlearn.

Why not adopt a system where, if you buy something new, you have to give away or sell something else.

Children see, record, learn and mirror everything around them. How you choose to be as a parent has a profound impact on them. In years to come do not be surprised at how your children have turned out, since much of what they are comes from copying you. You must always walk your talk, being conscious of being a role model.

Try not to let your confidence be weakened by minor knocks, and recognize when other people are trying to put you down and make you feel small. Comments like these can make you upset, angry, jealous, even tearful. This is normal.

Confidence is contagious, too. As you act more confident with yourself, you give other people the permission and courage to do the same.

Every time you buy new things for your home give something away to charity shops.

Retirement can kill you. According to a study by the Swiss economist Josef Zweimuller, every extra year of early retirement takes about two months off your life expectancy. If you're saving up your good times till you retire, it may be too late. Try to live a more stress-free, relaxed, healthy life now so that you will be able to enjoy it later when you retire.

People are naturally drawn to those who are happier and more positive than others.

Life is unpredictable and uncertain. You can never be right all the time. Sometimes the best thing to do is to chill, step back, admit you could do with some help and stop taking yourself so seriously.

And don't think your lie-in at the weekend is helping either. One researcher has shown that the Monday-morning blues is just your body struggling to cope with mild jet lag - your body is suddenly having to get used to a different sleeping pattern after a weekend of lounging in bed.

'Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life thinking it's stupid.' Albert Einstein

'I'm continually trying to make choices that put me against my own comfort zone. As long as you're uncomfortable, it means you're growing.' Ashton Kutcher

'Giving credit where credit is due is a very rewarding habit to form. Its rewards are inestimable.' Loretta Young

'Laughter connects you with people. It's almost impossible to maintain any kind of distance or any sense of social hierarchy when you're just howling with laughter. Laughter is a force for democracy.' John Cleese

There is a lovely French proverb that says that we spend the first half of life in longing for the second and the second half regretting the first.

Making your bucket list public gives you an added incentive to have to complete your list. On the www.bucketlist.net website you can share your list as well as exploring what others want to do.

Do a 360-degree feedback session Try asking people - family, friends and colleagues - the following: * 'How would I be remembered if I were to suddenly disappear?' * 'What would you think and feel when my name is mentioned?' * 'What positive and negative ideas or phrases come to mind?' * 'What impact have I had on you? On how you think, feel and act?' Calmly listen, smile and thank them for their honest feedback. If you hear something that makes you uncomfortable, do not jump to criticize - just keep calm.

Try switching off your phone's mobile Internet access, only accessing the web via wireless in your home, office or coffee shop. You can now walk down the street enjoying the view and not feeling compelled to be looking down at your phone's screen every time you hear a beep.

To have a more successful life... * What should I stop doing, thinking and being? * What should I start doing, thinking and being? * What could I do, think and be less of? * What could I do, think and be more of? * And, finally, what could I do, think and be differently?

'Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.' Maya Angelou

It is not enough simply to have dreams and a plan of how to achieve them. Putting a plan into action involves telling yourself that you will create your own future; that luck or fate will not solely determine what happens. You need the right mindset and you need to take control. Be ready to persist, work hard, sacrifice, and take risks, and to simply do what it takes.

'In an underdeveloped country don't drink the water. In a developed country don't breathe the air.' Jonathan Raban

'The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention.' Rachel Naomi Remen

'If you have a goal, write it down. If you do not write it down, you do not have a goal - you have a wish.' Steve Maraboli

'It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.' J. K. Rowling

Curiosity is an essential mindset in today's world. It is all about asking questions, exploring and being open to what's around you. It's about asking why things are the way they are. By doing this, you give your life more meaning and value. It is all about being open and not jumping to conclusions or being judgemental.

...have friends who bring out the best in you, help you grow and will always stand by you.

'Love your parents and treat them with loving care. For you will only know their value when you see their empty chair.' Anonymous

'Travel is the only thing you can buy that actually makes you richer.'

Where is the sense in working too hard just to pay for your healthcare?

'By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.' Confucius

'Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.' Albert Einstein

To paraphrase the words of the mystic Rumi, yesterday you were clever, so you wanted to change the world; today you are wise, so you are changing yourself.

There is a huge power in a few simple words of thanks.

'Bees cannot sting and make honey at the same time. They have to make a choice. Either they are going to be a stinger or a honey-maker.' Emanuel Cleaver

Before you press 'Send', reread what you've written...

Know the birthdays of your colleagues, and surprise them by organizing an unexpected birthday celebration.

Say 'no' to second helpings.

Reduce your unhealthy habits - perhaps introduce a 'chocolate and wine at weekends only' rule.