The Ghan: Australia’s greatest train journey

The Ghan is the name of the kilometre long train taking passengers from Adelaide to Darwin in the north, via Alice Springs.

The Ghan was originally known as the Afghan Express and it takes its name from the 19th century Afghan camel drivers who arrived in Australia and helped to explore the countries remote interior.

Even today, there are parts of the interior where a horse will not survive and so camels are still in use in some areas.

Although construction began in 1878, the line wasn’t completed until 1929, three years after development reached Alice Springs in 1926. Following on from his original name, the remaining leg of the journey was made by camel until the line was eventually completed.

Plans were made to extend the railway all the way to Darwin, however the Ghan was not making enough profit and these plans were put on hold. It wasn’t until as late as 2004 that the railway line was finally extended all the way to Darwin.

The earliest versions of the railway often experienced washouts and delays, which meant that the first flatcar behind the tender was always equipped with spare sleepers and tools so that crew and indeed even passengers, could repair the line and allow the train to continue its journey.

Despite the sub-par service, passengers tolerated these issues because it was the only route with enough water available to power steam trains.

The service expanded during World War II however, water supplies were limited and put under great pressure. De-mineralisation towers were built to enable the use of bore water and some of these towers survive to this day.

The need for water diminished as diesel began to replace steam and the line was redirected to a more reliable course between Alice Springs and Tarcoola.

The journey time is 54 hours and covers various scenic places in outback Australia. At certain strategic intervals, passengers are allowed to take excursions into the interior.

Passengers receive periodic commentary from the train staff about various events that have taken place historically in the area through which the train is currently passing.

Some places have had local tribes inhabiting a particular area for as long as 40,000 years.

The story of The Ghan is a reminder, for all aspiring Digital Nomads, that if you stay the course, despite the often irritating and inconvenient obstacles and delays that you may encounter, then you will reach your desired destination.

With Affiliate Marketing the Tracks to Success can often be similarly frustrating at times, but if you stick to your course, you will also experience a long and rewarding trip and experience!

If you would like to access a BluePrint to keep you on Track and ensure that you reach your destination, then download a copy of The Megabook of Affiliate Marketing Programs.

 

To your successful digital lifestyle.

Professor T.

 


 

 

I recently attended a concert at the Barbican Arts Centre in London, concerning the life and times of Dame Ethel Smyth, a very neglected female composer (1858 to 1944).

From an early age Ethel Smyth wanted to be a composer,  but she faced many battles in order to achieve success in  her chosen profession.

Her first real battle was with her father, who did not like the idea of her studying music, as he did not regard it as a suitable career for a woman.

 

However, she was undaunted and persisted, until eventually her father relented and allowed her to study music in Leipzig, Germany.

 

This was the first of many battles that she had to fight in order to overcome male prejudice.

 

Overall, critical reaction to her work was mixed.

She was alternately praised and panned, for writing music that was considered too masculine for a “lady composer”, as critics called her.

Eugene Gates notes: “Smyth’s music was seldom evaluated as simply the work of a composer among composers, but as that of a “woman composer.”

This worked to keep her on the margins of the profession, and, coupled with the double standard of sexual aesthetics, also placed her in a double bind.

 

On the one hand, when she composed powerful, rhythmically vital music, it was said that her work lacked feminine charm; on the other, when she produced delicate, melodious compositions, she was accused of not measuring up to the artistic standards of her male colleagues.”

Smyth,s also became a suffragette and was a fan of Emmeline Pankhurst.

She composed “The March of the Women” that became the anthem and marching song of the Suffragette  movement.

Other critics were more favourable: “The composer is a learned musician: it is learning which gives her the power to express her natural inborn sense of humour.

Dr Smyth knows her Mozart and her Sullivan: she has learned how to write conversations in music… [The Boatswain’s Mate] is one of the merriest, most tuneful, and most delightful comic operas ever put on the stage.”

What we can learn from Ethel Smyth’s career path is that she never gave up, even when she was faced with premature deafness in her later years.

This is an inspirational story and parallels can be drawn when embarking on a Digital Lifestyle.

The path to success with Internet marketing, is often seldom a strait line, but a winding path with twists and turns, obstacles, critics and naysayers telling you to go back… you will never make it !

However, the determined ones, alway succeed and live to enjoy the fruits, rewards and freedom that a successful digital lifestyle brings.

As with Dr Smyth .. the lesson is to ‘never give up’, but to face the inevitable hurdles and obstacles, with grit and determination.

Now, if you are just starting out on your digital internet marketing journey, a good strategy is to start with affiliate marketing, where you can start earning income, whilst you are learning the ropes, figuring out your niche, style and long-term online strategy.

A great online tool that I have found to be very useful, and still use today, is:     The Megabook Affiliate Marketing programs.

It is jammed packed with over 500 high paying and high converting programs and will cost you, much less than a good night out and be many times, more rewarding.

To your successful digital lifestyle.

Professor T.

 


Passive Evergreen Income:
A Lesson in Royalties from a Great Jazz Composer..

duke-ellington2Today, something unusual happened to me …I sent an email into a Jazz Radio show on the BBC.
The show is called …Essential Classics.

To my great surprise, within five minutes of receiving my email …the presenter read it out “live” on the show … I was really quite surprised and quite pleased.

Now, the presenter read out his take on my email, about how the famous Jazz composer, Duke Ellington, responded to members of his band, who wanted credit for their various contributions to the Duke’s compositions.

Some of the Duke’s band members were less than pleased, that they got no recognition for the ideas, that they believed, they had contributed to his works and also, that they received no part of the royalties … Arhh the magic of Royalties !!

music-score..compose, create, originate, something once and publish it …and the cash register just keeps ringing and ringing …even whilst you are sleeping !
This is what is called …smart, passive, evergreen income.

You only have to do the work once … and the $$$ just keep coming in…
Ok I hear you say …yes your work might be rubbish and your royalties may only be cents and not $$$ ..but equally, it might be ok …or a smash hit and go viral …who knows…the point is …

Just Do it !!

jazz-piano-keyboard…you only have to do the work once and let the magic of Royalties do the rest of the heavy lifting for you.

As they say …Publish or be Damned !!

You may get a trickle, or you may get an avalanche of recurring income…for years to come.. even whilst you’re in the bath, lying on the beach, watching TV, or sleeping …!

…tell me how you can do this ..working 9 to 5 for someone else ?
It’s the same for Internet Marketing…just keep doing it …creating, posting and publishing stuff and you will set in motion ..the Passive, Royalty, Income Train ..that, with the right marketing, it will become evergreen!

Of course the lesson is…make sure you have your name on it …and it’s linked to Your Bank account !
uk-notesNow, if you are just starting out, or still finding your way with Internet Marketing …and you need some help with list building, marketing or product creation, then click on the link below and grab some FREE training from one of the UK’s most successful Internet Marketers.

Click the Link: Turbo-charge your online business

Wishing you every success with your Online Businesses.
Professor T
DigiBizHq.com
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productivity-success1. Create Systems, Not Goals
Commit to a process, not a goal. Commit to a process that leads to a goal, and you’re much more likely to achieve that goal. Focus on what you will do, not on what you want to happen.

2. Make Temptations Hard to Reach
Convenience is the mother of distraction, so make it a pain in the butt to satisfy your temptations.

3. Maximize the Most Important Tasks
All of us have things we do that make the biggest difference. What two or three things contribute most to your success? What two or three things generate the most revenue? Then eliminate all the other stuff.

4. Allow Less Time for Key Projects
Limit the amount of time you allow yourself to complete an important task. You’ll be more focused, more motivated, your energy level will be higher, and you’ll actually get more done.

5. Chunk Housekeeping Tasks
Allocate specific time for email and organising tasks. They don’t make you money …and fool you into thinking you are being productive !

6. Start Small and work up to it.
In time, you will feel comfortable to increase the volume. Whenever you want to create a new habit, start small so you will actually start — and stick with it through that tough early time when habits are hard to form.

7. Build in Frequent Breaks
Small, frequent breaks are a great way to refresh and recharge. The key to not burning out is to not let burnout sneak up on you. Scheduling regular short breaks ensures that won’t happen

8. Actively Schedule Free Time
Plan your free time and relaxation. Plan activities. The happier you are, the more motivated and productive you will be over the long term.

9. Meditate Every Morning
Practice some form of Mindfulness meditation. It will make you more focused, improve your concentration and cognition and help you to get much more done every day. (Google and find a 5 minute meditation that you like)

10. Exercise in the Morning
Exercise is energizing. Exercise will make you healthier. Exercise can make you smarter. Plus exercise can improve your mood for up to 12 hours after you work out. Feel better. Be smarter. Be less stressed. Have a more productive day. Find the exercise that works for you.

11. Eat a Healthy Breakfast and Lunch Every Day
Protein and lots of fruit and vegetables or fruits. Your body will thank you. You will have less stress and illness and you will be more productive.

12. Drink More Water
Drink a glass of warm water first thing every morning after waking up and at least 30 minutes before eating breakfast. You will find with practice that this will have beneficial effects on your metabolism, make you more regular and give you more energy. Continuing to drink lots of water during the day. Yes it will make you Pee .. but it will also make you healthier and more productive.
You will also eat less ..particularly junk food and you will feel more energized and it will decrease your chances of contracting certain diseases.
Getting up to go to the bathroom ..is exercise !

13. Take a Productivity Nap
A quick nap can improve creativity, memory, and your ability to stay focused. Besides that, neurologists tout the learning benefits of midday siestas. Napping is not just napping anymore; it’s a skill. And it’s a skill that can super-charge your productivity.

14. Spend time with Positive People
Spend more time with people who motivate you and lift you up. You will be excited, and energized. Surround yourself with people who can improve your life, and your life will naturally improve. Eliminate people who who are negative or who de-motivate you.. Life is too short.

15. Practice Gratitude.
Take a moment each night to reflect. In that moment, quit worrying about what you don’t have. Quit worrying about what others have that you don’t. Think about what you do have. You have a lot to be thankful for. Count your blessings every night and you’ll start the next day in a much more positive way.

16. Use Your Mind for Thinking, Not Remembering
Here’s another Getting Things Done tip. Don’t clutter your thoughts with mental to-do lists or information you need to remember. Write all those things down. Don’t waste mental energy trying to remember important tasks or ideas. That’s what paper ( or a Journal ) is for.

18. Turn off Alerts
Every alert sucks away your attention. When you are working and focusing on what you want to achieve …. turn them off. You can always check them later …when you have finished your important task or project. The world won’t come to an end.

17. Be Inspired by Small Successes
Habits are hard to form. If you want to learn a new skill, decide to do one small thing really, really well. Then build on that. Success, even minor success, is motivating and creates an awesome feedback loop that will motivate you to do another small thing really well. One step at a time.

For more Tips and Strategies to help you be more Productive Online please we recommend you visit:  – The Sarah Staar Online Business School– and download a FREE course thats suitable for you.

Wishing you every success with your Online Business
DigibizHq.com

Blog post courtesy of Pjlwebservices.com
Adapted from an article by – Jeff Haden 2016 INC Magazine


pensionersThe Brexit vote is going to hit a particular group of people in the UK very hard. Many pensioners are going to suffer because of the chaos resulting from the Brexit vote.

And the sad fact is that many pensioners did vote Brexit, but did they have any real understanding of how they would be adversely affected by the Brexit result. Were pensioners aware, that in the short run at least, they were shooting themselves in the foot!

Whilst Brexit voters may argue that possibly, in the long run, things may work out in a positive way, it is worth remembering the famous quote by John Maynard Keynes –
                                                     “that in the long run we are all dead!”Economist John Maynard Keynes

This quote by England’s famous Economist is very poignant for pensioners, as many of them will be dead before Brexit fulfils its promise. Sad but true!

brexitAnd what if Brexit does not fulfil the promise? The economy will then be heading into a possible downward spiral and it will take years to recover – if ever.

Pensioners should be concerned with the, here and now and trying to keep their living standards safe for the immediate future, because they do not know how long they have to live.

Many pensioners rely on topping up their income, by investments and as we can see investment interest rates are falling, due to the Bank of England decision to cut the rate to 0.25%

We now have a situation where the pound is losing value, which means that any pensioner wishing to take a holiday abroad will now have to pay more, because the pound is worth less, against other currencies.

To cover the shortfall, in their existing incomes, many pensioners will be looking for other means to increase their income and help retain their existing standard of living.

internet-marketing

One way to do this is to gain knowledge and expertise in the area of Internet Marketing. Start up costs are very low and if you get the right sort of training and assistance, you can actually make very healthy additional income, all from the comfort of your own home.

sarah-staar-pix-2Sarah Staar’s Online Business School has helped a lot of pensioners to increase their income and offers them a lot of FREE Training, help and ongoing support, to help them gain access to additional sustainable income online.

All you have to do is click on the link below and download one of her, easy-to-follow free training courses, or sign up for one of her affordable ongoing support programs, that will teach you how to build a profitable Internet Marketing business.

Click here for Sarah’s Catalogue of courses

Or… if you are unfamiliar with the idea of Internet Marketing, and not sure how, or where to get started, then I suggest you download, Sarah’s FREE course:

How to get started with Affiliate Marketing.

Wishing you every success with your Online ventures.
Professor T
www.DigiBizHq.com
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Life as a Solopreneur can be tough sometimes…you constantly need to refuel the motivation tank to stay on track and keep moving forward towards your goals!

I recently read an article in Success Magazine by Amy Morin with these great tips to help you build your Mental Toughness.

I hope they will give you a bit of a boost and help you to keep the brain juices flowing.

The article points out that …”developing mental strength takes a conscious effort, dedication and daily practice.

Start with these 10 exercises to work out your “mental muscles”.

1.Establish goals.

We all know how important this is …but the trick is to set short-term manageable goals which give you a sense of accomplishment when reached.

2. Set yourself up for success.

Modify your environment…it makes it easier to be prepared and easier to resist destructive temptations.

3. Tolerate discomfort for a greater purpose.

Practice tolerating a little discomfort and remind yourself of the bigger picture.. it will generate more confidence.

4. Reframe your negative thoughts.

Work on your inner dialogue and reframe negative thoughts. You will never completely eliminate them all, but with practice you can tame them and manage them, so that they don’t hold you back.

5. Balance your emotions with logic.

Get you emotions and logic in sync. This is when you will make the most productive decisions.

6. Strive to fulfill your purpose.

Without a clear purpose and mission.. you will get distracted, derailed and lost. Focus on clear daily objectives to ensure that you get to where you want to go.

7. Look for explanations, not excuses.

Don’t beat yourself up. You will never get it right all of the time.
Learn from your mistakes and move on. Stay focused.

8. Do one hard thing every day.

Step out side your comfort zone in some small way everyday.
To grow you have to challenge yourself, but keep it manageable so that you don’t give up and become disheartened.

9. Use the 10-minute rule.

When you are tired and ready to quit for the day and contemplating putting something off that you know you should do…and that you know will help you progress towards your goals… just do 10 minutes.

Chunking difficult or laborious tasks down to small daily bite-sized chunks will progress you far quicker, and make you mentally tougher.

All of which will make you more productive and move you closer to achieving your goals.

10. Prove yourself wrong.

Commit to doing something, that you have told yourself you can’t do…within reason of course. Break the task down into small chunks, as above. This will skyrocket your Mental Toughness and your confidence.

Read the full article here: 10 Ways to Build Your Mental Strength

Guest post by Philip J. Lord
The MegaBook of Affiliate Marketing programs.