How to Defeat the Fear That’s Holding You Back

“I don’t dance,” Jane said to her cousin Ray as they watched an older couple dance at the wedding. “I’ve got two left feet. It’s just too embarrassing.” “I used to be terrible,” Ray said. “But then I took some lessons.” “I couldn’t even take lessons,” Jane said. “I’d be embarrassed to have the teacher…

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Faking It, Making It: The Changing World of Fakery

Cuban cigars are expensive. A Cohiba robusto will set you back more than $25 in London or Madrid. You can buy them in Florida for $5 to $10 apiece. And lots of people do. Trouble is, they are fake. People who have been smoking Cohibas for 20 years say it’s easy to tell the difference…

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How Much Fiber Can You Get in a Shake?

There’s no doubt about it – fiber is one of a few super-foods you should consume daily. In my article about my daily eating routine, I mentioned a super-high-fiber shake that I drink every day. In fact, I’ve calculated that my shake can provide me with as much as 95 grams of fiber. A half-dozen ETR readers wrote in, wondering where I found this miraculous beverage.

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How to Be on Top of Everything

Since January, I’ve been writing a series of essays in ETR intended to give you tools to help you “master plan” your life. As you put this master plan into action, you will find that you will be able to accomplish more than you ever have before. Much more.

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How to Approach a Publisher with Your Ideas

“Michael, what is the best way to approach a publisher about a piece you want to write? I have in mind writing a paper on the benefits of renovation, including the use of ‘green’ technology, as opposed to selling an existing home and buying a new one in today’s mortgage/credit climate. “Would it be better…

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4 Ways to Give Yourself More Time

Of all the ETR essays I’ve written about self-improvement, the ones that get the most response – both positive and negative – are those that have to do with saving time. I don’t know why that is. You would think ETR readers would be very happy to get advice about how to be more productive by spending less time doing routine tasks. You would think.

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