Yes, You Can Have Your iPhone Charging Station by the Microwave Now

Shouldn't we all be wireless by now? Hasn't technology advanced so much that we can call people with our brains, a microchip built in to target Wi-Fi waves? I'm getting impatient with that, people! I want the goods when it comes to electronics and technology, like Tron and the light cycles. Greetings, program!

We Just Might Be Seeing Something Close to That Wireless Technology, Though -- Right in Homes

As far as real estate trends for 2015 go, the one common theme we've seen year by year is that we want a trend to emphasize convenience. Ease of use. Expediency.

Think laundry chutes, mud rooms, and attached garages. A home that makes life in general that much easier is quite the selling point for any buyer looking for a place to live. Remember that. For this particular trend in the real estate market, though, we see quite the benefit for many moms out there (and perhaps some dads) that want to ensure their smartphones get charged no matter what without having to pull the charger out of the wall and carry it like a security blanket.

Let's say you want to cook dinner. Your spouse, though, is on the way home, and you want to contact him/her to ask if he/she can pick up another gallon of milk. Oh, maaaaaaaaaaaaan.... Phone's dead. So now you have to get downstairs to where your charger is, plug it in, wait for it turn on, all while your noodles are about to burn on the stove and cause a fire.

Then your spouse shows up along with the fire department. And you're covered in soot. It's not a pleasant situation to be in.

Is It Any Wonder That We Like This Idea of a Charging Station by the Microwave, For Example?

Thank God, though, that the fire department showed up. And perhaps maybe Superman could make a pit stop and get the cat out of the mud room or laundry chute for you! All in all, you're a happy camper, avoiding a disaster, all because you have a built-in space in a corner of a kitchen specifically designed to charge digital devices.

This makes sense with Wi-Fi proliferation and the compactness of those devices, doing away with the home offices and separate spaces dedicated to keeping the electronics in order. Mobile devices have now become much more mobile than before.

So plan on seeing this trend making waves in home design. The busy homeowner appreciates the convenience.

7 Best Motivation Proverbs to Get Your Project Going

Sometimes that handy Post-It on your computer screen with the catchy saying will be enough to propel you through a tough project and get you finished long before your 8-hour shift at the office is up. Blog writers, too, love those notes -- in fact, writers in general love motivation! Nothing beats facing a 10K word-per-day quota, and writer's block creeping up on you as you feel the motivation slip away without any hope for Linkin Park to save your day. Or maybe perhaps you can call on Dr. Seuss to lend a hand with your SEO projects? You'll do anything to keep you going.

Thankfully, this may be enough: these quotes, words of wisdom, proverbs standing the test of time and always improving your productivity. To go one step farther, though, we'll break them down for you, making it clear. Because that's all we really need, right? Clarity. Like crystal.

"Men's Best Successes Come After Their Disappointments." -- Henry Ward Beecher

Simply put, don't be afraid to fail. Be motivated to screw up. Thank the lucky stars for being a failure. That gives you the opportunity for redemption, and there's nothing sweeter.

"Do Not Wait to Strike Till the Iron Is Hot; But Make It Hot by Striking." -- William B. Sprague

Be active. Tenacious. Tough. Ambitious. Set the trends. Take a risk. Think beyond the box (or better yet, just toss the box completely!).

"Motivation Is a Fire From Within. If Someone Else Tries to Light That Fire Under You, Chances Are It Will Burn Very Briefly." -- Stephen R. Covey

No one can motivate you but you. You are your greatest cheerleader. You're also your greatest critic. You pick which one you'd rather be!

"Success Is Not the Key to Happiness. Happiness Is the Key to Success. If You Love What You Are Doing, You Will be Successful." -- Albert Schweitzer

Please don't ever choose a job based on the prospects of high salaries, bonuses or industry trends. The bottom line is if you'll hate the job, you most likely won't last long in it. Always find something you love to do, because you know you'll do it well. And ultimately you'll profit from it.

"Desire Is the Starting Point of All Achievement, Not a Hope, Not a Wish, But a Keen Pulsating Desire Which Transcends Everything." -- Napoleon Hill

Hoping to be a Nobel Peace Prize-winning scientist won't get you anywhere. That's putting too much faith in the world, gambling by chance and daydreaming. It's all well and good, but if you don't have the desire to pursue that dream, you just won't get anywhere!

"You Can Have Anything You Want If You Are Willing to Give Up the Belief That You Can't Have It." -- Robert Anthony

"I can't" never could, basically. Your ability to direct your path via your own voice is absolute. If you say you can't have it, you won't. No matter how much you want it.

"Great Spirits Have Always Encountered Violent Opposition From Mediocre Minds." -- Albert Einstein

Lastly, the great scientist said it best: people will disagree with you, especially if you have an ambitious thought, or idea, or prospect. Don't be discouraged. Expect it. Face it. Embrace it. And prove them wrong.

How to Unlock Your Power of Persuasion Better Than Obi-Wan Kenobi

I'll be honest: I worship Star Wars. The methodology is timeless. Some of the quotes are even more timeless and appeal to our better sense of positive nature as human beings from a philosophical standpoint, as those fools out there are not as foolish as those who follow fools. Thank you, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope, and you've definitely nurtured my personal development in ways only a Jedi Master can, but even you don't have all the key skills, say, an FBI agent or even Jack Bauer could have when it comes to persuasion and negotiation.

For starters, though, using a Jedi mind trick or two would be mandatory in a lot of cases, even when involving credit repair! You can take Kenobi's teachings farther, though, by considering this important mantra:

You Must Change People's Minds Before They Say "NO"

What does that mean? Simply put, you can -- like any FBI agent -- read someone's minds, not through the will of the Force, but by reading body language. Simply observe a person's mouth and know that whenever lips purse or pucker, or even round out, you're looking at someone who has already formed a decision before actually speaking it out loud. Even better, that person's decision is a resounding NO. And that's something you don't want to hear when negotiating or persuading someone, such as in a job interview, or a business meeting, or even a sales conversation.

Here, though, you have a tremendous advantage, like when you say that these are not the droids you're looking for. You already know what a person thinks before they actually say something. Now the trick is this --

You Have to Change That Person's Mind Before They Actually Say Anything!

It's not as easy as it looks. But perhaps with the help of a light saber, someone might be persuaded. Let's say, though, for argument's sake, you don't have one. What do you do? Keep pushing your pitch, emphasize benefits, counterattack any objections before they're ever addressed. After all, the reason why a person says 'NO' has to involve specific concerns or objections, so it's important to know what they are and address them immediately.

It's important to know this fact, though: you have to get all this out before the person says anything. And I mean anything. Changing what a person thinks is a whole lot easier than changing what a person says. Once it's said, out in the open, you're engaged in an uphill battle. That person's 'made up his/her mind'.

A Jedi Feels the Force Around Him

Move along. Again, I repeat: these aren't the droids you're looking for. So says Kenobi. Luke Skywalker certainly learned well and became a Jedi like his father before him, and you can be the negotiation expert like your mentors before you as long as you realize that your key advantage is changing a person's mind how?

Before they open their mouths.... Impressive. Most impressive.

“That’s Beyond My Ability!” (How to Sabotage Myself From Accomplishing My Goals)

Picture a prison, people. It's small. It's dingy. It's dark. As you lay there in the darkness, you mull over the sad affairs in your detest and despair of the world, wondering when it will all end, when your agony will perish in the flames of mercy as you look for something to hold in your hand as you end it all before anyone outside the cell can ever experience the satisfaction of watching you squirm.

Not fun, right? Here's the funny thing, though -- sure, you're sitting there by yourself, and you want to get out of there, but what you don't realize is that you're safe, you're presumably healthy, and off in the corner of the shadows is a slot machine with the same three symbols to hit every time you pull the lever, releasing millions of dollars, plus a hammer and chisel for you to pick your way out and buy a ticket to the Bahamas --

See What I Just Did There?

I expanded my imagination. I thought above and beyond what was currently my situation. Sure, this is a bit of an exaggeration, as you'd be hard-pressed to find any slot machine in your jail cell, let alone a slot machine that can puke out a hammer and chisel for you to go all Shawshank Redemption, but regardless, you've achieved something monumental --

You've effectively changed your outlook. You did it all without anyone helping you. Admit it: if you were that prisoner, you'd smile just a bit, and that makes all the difference.

Let Me Be Clear: Self-Confidence Starts From Within

Again, though, I exaggerate to prove a point. The worst thing you can do when facing adversity is to simply say that you've got "no chance." That your limitations will make it easy for you to say NO.

When you think about it, we limit ourselves all the time. Why? Why limit ourselves? Why not take a stab at it and build our self-confidence as shown here by expanding our expectations, transcending what we think we can accomplish? It's worth a shot....