Sunday
Jul 06th
Home 
Sections Non-Fiction Personal Development Finding Your Costa Rica
Sections Non-Fiction Personal Development Finding Your Costa Rica | Finding Your Costa Rica |
|
|
|
| Written by Webmaster | |
| Wednesday, 23 May 2007 | |
Dr Timothy Laskis on 5 Powerful Steps to Personal, Professional and Financial Success
 Finding Your Costa Rica Dr. Timothy A. Laskis: I have helped hundreds of patients in the mental health field and the joy of giving has proved more rewarding than any monetary payment. Writing this book is another avenue of assisting people live happier, healthier and more satisfying lives. It allows me to help others, but on a much bigger scale. Before I started writing, I reflected and examined how I overcame adversity. I was never destined for success and most people who knew me 15 years ago are shocked to learn that I graduated with a Ph.D. in psychology. Or, that I started my own business and moved to Costa Rica. Most believed I would never amount to much. My analysis of my life revealed five key steps. These were fundamental in helping me achieve incredible results. Without these, I would not be where I am today. Bringing these steps to life to assist others was my goal in writing. After I determined the points I wanted to discuss and the theory to support my ideas, I struggled with how to bring it to life. I wanted to write a book that would really connect with people and draw them in. That’s why I decided to share my story and intertwine it with my steps. Lauren Smith: Your book has a very unique title, how did you come up with this? Dr. Timothy A. Laskis: One day while sitting on the beach in Costa Rica with sounds of monkeys playing in the rain forest behind me, I thought “wow” I found the place Jimmy Buffett sings about in all his songs. I had found my paradise, which was Costa Rica. The setting was so inspiring that I completed my book and recharged my batteries. Everyone has their own goals and dreams and I wanted a title that would inspire them to open the book. I came up with a few ideas and spoke with family members and friends about which they liked best. My father, who is a huge self-help fan, helped a lot. We ultimately decided Finding Your Costa Rica was a perfect choice. It’s different and it captures the idea that you can make your dream a reality. Lauren Smith: What do you hope your reader learns from this book? Dr. Timothy A. Laskis: First, I would like to point out that I’m not offering any type of magic potion or quick fix scheme. I simply lay out the necessary foundation for creating change in any area of your life whether it’s personally, professionally or financially. Following these steps will create change. For example, I went from almost flunking out of high school to later earning a doctorate in clinical psychology, which did not happen by accident. There were concrete strategies I followed that led to my success. Each of these is discussed in detail throughout the book. Whether it’s rekindling the love you once had for your spouse, finding your dream career or making more money, this book provides the answers. This isn’t a book you read once and put on the shelf. It’s a guide that acts as your personal coach to help you in any situation. When you need a refresher course you open it up to that chapter. It’s very easy. Lauren Smith: There are a lot of books out there on this topic, what makes yours different? Dr. Timothy A. Laskis: The five steps of passion, planning, positive thinking, persistence and purpose were instrumental in my success. I utilize tons of examples in making my points, simple exercises, question and answer sessions and chapter overviews to help the reader along the way. My goal was to write a compact book that wasn’t filled with a lot of fluff. I respect your time and if it isn’t pertinent to my point, I left it out. I often had trouble reading books that were over 250 pages. I would read a few pages when I found the time, but I would forget what I read previously. I didn’t want that to happen to my readers. Also, my writing style is very down to earth and casual. I don’t use any hundred-dollar words that need to be looked up in the dictionary. Someone commented that it’s like I’m having a conversation with you. In addition, you’ll get a sense of who I am as I include my love of sailing, surfing and even Jimmy Buffett’s music. Lauren Smith: Can you share some tips from your book? A few things that readers can do right now to start changing their lives. Dr. Timothy A. Laskis: Sure! I remember a conversation I had with a friend before I moved to Costa Rica. He said he was envious that I live life to the fullest by following my dreams. When I asked him why he wasn’t doing the same he replied, “I don’t know, maybe one day.” After I probed some more the number one factor keeping him from achieving his goals was FEAR. Fear is the biggest factor that stops everyone in his or her tracks. Fear of failure, fear of what others will think, fear of looking like a fool and fear of the unknown challenges us. The best way to combat this is changing your internal thought process. You have to focus on positive self-statements and stop the negative thoughts. What you focus on will be incredibly important in how you live your life. Everyone has fear. It’s a natural human emotion. The biggest factor that separates those who succeed and those who do not is coping skills. If you have strategies to cope with your fear, such as positive self-statements, you will conquer them. Just like learning a new sport, it takes continual practice. Another powerful tip is how a reward system is a must in working toward your goals. I learned the basics of an effective reward system while working on my dissertation for graduate school. In the beginning stages of my research, I would procrastinate and look for anything to do other than sit and work. I even found myself cleaning my toilet about 10 times a week. It was that bad. However, I needed a system that would help me finish this massive project. Then one day, while sitting in front of the television., I remembered a professor of mine discussing the effectiveness of a reinforcement schedule. As a result, I developed a rough outline of what I needed to accomplish each day and what I would receive in return for completing each small step. The result was amazing! Most of my friends were still struggling and I had completed my dissertation on time. Without it I would have never finished. Before I started this book, I developed an extensive reinforcement schedule. I followed it every step of the way and I not only completed my book, but completed it earlier than I ever imagined. Without this schedule, I would still be writing today. This is a very powerful tool and it can be used for just about every goal you can think of. This reinforcement schedule has been one of the most popular tools I use in my coaching practice. I teach clients how to set up their own reinforcement schedule. It’s all done over the phone and results have been incredible! People often comment on how simple it is to set up and follow. Lauren Smith: Why is it so hard for people to change? Dr. Timothy A. Laskis: If you took a random sample of 100 people and asked them if they wanted a million dollars, I am willing to bet 99.9% would say yes. Then if you asked how many of them had a million dollars, 99% of them would say they did not. Why? Everyone dreams, but many people do not work toward their dreams. For many, the dream is SAFE, however putting the effort into making the necessary changes to reach their dream is frightening. Also, how do they begin? How do they work toward something that is just a thought? My book provides the answers. In addition, most people aren’t ready to change. They may report they are, but in reality they aren’t. Drug treatment facilities are full of people who have relapsed over and over. Look at Lindsay Lohan. She continues to put herself and family into painful situations with the poor decisions she makes. However, none of the treatment she receives will be useful until she is truly ready to change. Lauren Smith: What has surprised you the most about being a published author? Dr. Timothy A. Laskis: Realizing how much I don’t know about the publishing industry. I concentrated so much on writing the book that I never thought too much about what will happen after it was published. The marketing of a book is a completely different mountain to climb. It has been very challenging, but I’ve enjoyed the journey so far. In fact, I use the same principles in my book to help me conquer the marketing beast. There are days when I’m frustrated but I stick with the five steps that have served me well. They helped me overcome enormous odds in the past and they continue to help me today. Tag it:      |
|
| Last Updated ( Monday, 10 September 2007 ) |
| Next > |
|---|
- Latest News
- Newsflash
- Popular
- Sections
- Random Quotes
It's not that I'm afraid to die, I just don't want to be there when it happens.
- About UsWe at BestBookTour.com love everything about books. Add more text here to tell about the site. Enjoy your stay.
International Visitors
Choose your Language
Polls
Members: 5
News: 22
Web Links: 0
Visitors: 55042
News: 22
Web Links: 0
Visitors: 55042
Copyright © 2005 - 2008 Best Book Tour.
Designed by JoomlArt.com
Joomla! is Free Software released under the GNU/GPL License.
Joomla! is Free Software released under the GNU/GPL License.